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Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 6, by Edward Gibbon, [1788], at sacred-texts.com
The Greek Emperors Of Nice And Constantinople. - Elevation And Reign Of Michael Palaeologus. - His False Union With The Pope And The Latin Church. - Hostile Designs Of Charles Of Anjou. - Revolt Of Sicily. - War Of The Catalans In Asia And Greece. - Revolutions And Present State Of Athens.
The loss of Constantinople restored a momentary vigor to the Greeks. From their palaces, the princes and nobles were driven into the field; and the fragments of the falling monarchy were grasped by the hands of the most vigorous or the most skilful candidates. In the long and barren pages of the Byzantine annals, 1 it would not be an easy task to equal the two characters of Theodore Lascaris and John Ducas Vataces, 2 who replanted and upheld the Roman standard at Nice in Bithynia. The difference of their virtues was happily suited to the diversity of their situation. In his first efforts, the fugitive Lascaris commanded only three cities and two thousand soldiers: his reign was the season of generous and active despair: in every military operation he staked his life and crown; and his enemies of the Hellespont and the Maeander, were surprised by his celerity and subdued by his boldness. A victorious reign of eighteen years expanded the principality of Nice to the magnitude of an empire. The throne of his successor and son-in-law Vataces was founded on a more solid basis, a larger scope, and more plentiful resources; and it was the temper, as well as the interest, of Vataces to calculate the risk, to expect the moment, and to insure the success, of his ambitious designs. In the decline of the Latins, I have briefly exposed the progress of the Greeks; the prudent and gradual advances of a conqueror, who, in a reign of thirty-three years, rescued the provinces from national and foreign usurpers, till he pressed on all sides the Imperial city, a leafless and sapless trunk, which must full at the first stroke of the axe. But his interior and peaceful administration is still more deserving of notice and praise. 3 The calamities of the times had wasted the numbers and the substance of the Greeks; the motives and the means of agriculture were extirpated; and the most fertile lands were left without cultivation or inhabitants. A portion of this vacant property was occupied and improved by the command, and for the benefit, of the emperor: a powerful hand and a vigilant eye supplied and surpassed, by a skilful management, the minute diligence of a private farmer: the royal domain became the garden and granary of Asia; and without impoverishing the people, the sovereign acquired a fund of innocent and productive wealth. According to the nature of the soil, his lands were sown with corn or planted with vines; the pastures were filled with horses and oxen, with sheep and hogs; and when Vataces presented to the empress a crown of diamonds and pearls, he informed her, with a smile, that this precious ornament arose from the sale of the eggs of his innumerable poultry. The produce of his domain was applied to the maintenance of his palace and hospitals, the calls of dignity and benevolence: the lesson was still more useful than the revenue: the plough was restored to its ancient security and honor; and the nobles were taught to seek a sure and independent revenue from their estates, instead of adorning their splendid beggary by the oppression of the people, or (what is almost the same) by the favors of the court. The superfluous stock of corn and cattle was eagerly purchased by the Turks, with whom Vataces preserved a strict and sincere alliance; but he discouraged the importation of foreign manufactures, the costly silks of the East, and the curious labors of the Italian looms. "The demands of nature and necessity," was he accustomed to say, "are indispensable; but the influence of fashion may rise and sink at the breath of a monarch;" and both his precept and example recommended simplicity of manners and the use of domestic industry. The education of youth and the revival of learning were the most serious objects of his care; and, without deciding the precedency, he pronounced with truth, that a prince and a philosopher 4 are the two most eminent characters of human society. His first wife was Irene, the daughter of Theodore Lascaris, a woman more illustrious by her personal merit, the milder virtues of her sex, than by the blood of the Angeli and Comneni that flowed in her veins, and transmitted the inheritance of the empire. After her death he was contracted to Anne, or Constance, a natural daughter of the emperor Frederic *_0017 the Second; but as the bride had not attained the years of puberty, Vataces placed in his solitary bed an Italian damsel of her train; and his amorous weakness bestowed on the concubine the honors, though not the title, of a lawful empress. His frailty was censured as a flagitious and damnable sin by the monks; and their rude invectives exercised and displayed the patience of the royal lover. A philosophic age may excuse a single vice, which was redeemed by a crowd of virtues; and in the review of his faults, and the more intemperate passions of Lascaris, the judgment of their contemporaries was softened by gratitude to the second founders of the empire. 5 The slaves of the Latins, without law or peace, applauded the happiness of their brethren who had resumed their national freedom; and Vataces employed the laudable policy of convincing the Greeks of every dominion that it was their interest to be enrolled in the number of his subjects.
A strong shade of degeneracy is visible between John Vataces and his son Theodore; between the founder who sustained the weight, and the heir who enjoyed the splendor, of the Imperial crown. 6 Yet the character of Theodore was not devoid of energy; he had been educated in the school of his father, in the exercise of war and hunting; Constantinople was yet spared; but in the three years of a short reign, he thrice led his armies into the heart of Bulgaria. His virtues were sullied by a choleric and suspicious temper: the first of these may be ascribed to the ignorance of control; and the second might naturally arise from a dark and imperfect view of the corruption of mankind. On a march in Bulgaria, he consulted on a question of policy his principal ministers; and the Greek logothete, George Acropolita, presumed to offend him by the declaration of a free and honest opinion. The emperor half unsheathed his cimeter; but his more deliberate rage reserved Acropolita for a baser punishment. One of the first officers of the empire was ordered to dismount, stripped of his robes, and extended on the ground in the presence of the prince and army. In this posture he was chastised with so many and such heavy blows from the clubs of two guards or executioners, that when Theodore commanded them to cease, the great logothete was scarcely able to rise and crawl away to his tent. After a seclusion of some days, he was recalled by a peremptory mandate to his seat in council; and so dead were the Greeks to the sense of honor and shame, that it is from the narrative of the sufferer himself that we acquire the knowledge of his disgrace. 7 The cruelty of the emperor was exasperated by the pangs of sickness, the approach of a premature end, and the suspicion of poison and magic. The lives and fortunes, the eyes and limbs, of his kinsmen and nobles, were sacrificed to each sally of passion; and before he died, the son of Vataces might deserve from the people, or at least from the court, the appellation of tyrant. A matron of the family of the Palaeologi had provoked his anger by refusing to bestow her beauteous daughter on the vile plebeian who was recommended by his caprice. Without regard to her birth or age, her body, as high as the neck, was enclosed in a sack with several cats, who were pricked with pins to irritate their fury against their unfortunate fellow-captive. In his last hours the emperor testified a wish to forgive and be forgiven, a just anxiety for the fate of John his son and successor, who, at the age of eight years, was condemned to the dangers of a long minority. His last choice intrusted the office of guardian to the sanctity of the patriarch Arsenius, and to the courage of George Muzalon, the great domestic, who was equally distinguished by the royal favor and the public hatred. Since their connection with the Latins, the names and privileges of hereditary rank had insinuated themselves into the Greek monarchy; and the noble families 8 were provoked by the elevation of a worthless favorite, to whose influence they imputed the errors and calamities of the late reign. In the first council, after the emperor's death, Muzalon, from a lofty throne, pronounced a labored apology of his conduct and intentions: his modesty was subdued by a unanimous assurance of esteem and fidelity; and his most inveterate enemies were the loudest to salute him as the guardian and savior of the Romans. Eight days were sufficient to prepare the execution of the conspiracy. On the ninth, the obsequies of the deceased monarch were solemnized in the cathedral of Magnesia, 9 an Asiatic city, where he expired, on the banks of the Hermus, and at the foot of Mount Sipylus. The holy rites were interrupted by a sedition of the guards; Muzalon, his brothers, and his adherents, were massacred at the foot of the altar; and the absent patriarch was associated with a new colleague, with Michael Palaeologus, the most illustrious, in birth and merit, of the Greek nobles. 10
Of those who are proud of their ancestors, the far greater part must be content with local or domestic renown; and few there are who dare trust the memorials of their family to the public annals of their country. As early as the middle of the eleventh century, the noble race of the Palaeologi 11 stands high and conspicuous in the Byzantine history: it was the valiant George Palaeologus who placed the father of the Comneni on the throne; and his kinsmen or descendants continue, in each generation, to lead the armies and councils of the state. The purple was not dishonored by their alliance, and had the law of succession, and female succession, been strictly observed, the wife of Theodore Lascaris must have yielded to her elder sister, the mother of Michael Palaeologus, who afterwards raised his family to the throne. In his person, the splendor of birth was dignified by the merit of the soldier and statesman: in his early youth he was promoted to the office of constable or commander of the French mercenaries; the private expense of a day never exceeded three pieces of gold; but his ambition was rapacious and profuse; and his gifts were doubled by the graces of his conversation and manners. The love of the soldiers and people excited the jealousy of the court, and Michael thrice escaped from the dangers in which he was involved by his own imprudence or that of his friends. I. Under the reign of Justice and Vataces, a dispute arose 12 between two officers, one of whom accused the other of maintaining the hereditary right of the Palaeologi The cause was decided, according to the new jurisprudence of the Latins, by single combat; the defendant was overthrown; but he persisted in declaring that himself alone was guilty; and that he had uttered these rash or treasonable speeches without the approbation or knowledge of his patron Yet a cloud of suspicion hung over the innocence of the constable; he was still pursued by the whispers of malevolence; and a subtle courtier, the archbishop of Philadelphia, urged him to accept the judgment of God in the fiery proof of the ordeal. 13 Three days before the trial, the patient's arm was enclosed in a bag, and secured by the royal signet; and it was incumbent on him to bear a red-hot ball of iron three times from the altar to the rails of the sanctuary, without artifice and without injury. Palaeologus eluded the dangerous experiment with sense and pleasantry. "I am a soldier," said he, "and will boldly enter the lists with my accusers; but a layman, a sinner like myself, is not endowed with the gift of miracles. Your piety, most holy prelate, may deserve the interposition of Heaven, and from your hands I will receive the fiery globe, the pledge of my innocence." The archbishop started; the emperor smiled; and the absolution or pardon of Michael was approved by new rewards and new services. II. In the succeeding reign, as he held the government of Nice, he was secretly informed, that the mind of the absent prince was poisoned with jealousy; and that death, or blindness, would be his final reward. Instead of awaiting the return and sentence of Theodore, the constable, with some followers, escaped from the city and the empire; and though he was plundered by the Turkmans of the desert, he found a hospitable refuge in the court of the sultan. In the ambiguous state of an exile, Michael reconciled the duties of gratitude and loyalty: drawing his sword against the Tartars; admonishing the garrisons of the Roman limit; and promoting, by his influence, the restoration of peace, in which his pardon and recall were honorably included. III. While he guarded the West against the despot of Epirus, Michael was again suspected and condemned in the palace; and such was his loyalty or weakness, that he submitted to be led in chains above six hundred miles from Durazzo to Nice. The civility of the messenger alleviated his disgrace; the emperor's sickness dispelled his danger; and the last breath of Theodore, which recommended his infant son, at once acknowledged the innocence and the power of Palaeologus.
But his innocence had been too unworthily treated, and his power was too strongly felt, to curb an aspiring subject in the fair field that was opened to his ambition. 14 In the council, after the death of Theodore, he was the first to pronounce, and the first to violate, the oath of allegiance to Muzalon; and so dexterous was his conduct, that he reaped the benefit, without incurring the guilt, or at least the reproach, of the subsequent massacre. In the choice of a regent, he balanced the interests and passions of the candidates; turned their envy and hatred from himself against each other, and forced every competitor to own, that after his own claims, those of Palaeologus were best entitled to the preference. Under the title of great duke, he accepted or assumed, during a long minority, the active powers of government; the patriarch was a venerable name; and the factious nobles were seduced, or oppressed, by the ascendant of his genius. The fruits of the economy of Vataces were deposited in a strong castle on the banks of the Hermus, in the custody of the faithful Varangians: the constable retained his command or influence over the foreign troops; he employed the guards to possess the treasure, and the treasure to corrupt the guards; and whatsoever might be the abuse of the public money, his character was above the suspicion of private avarice. By himself, or by his emissaries, he strove to persuade every rank of subjects, that their own prosperity would rise in just proportion to the establishment of his authority. The weight of taxes was suspended, the perpetual theme of popular complaint; and he prohibited the trials by the ordeal and judicial combat. These Barbaric institutions were already abolished or undermined in France 15 and England; 16 and the appeal to the sword offended the sense of a civilized, 17 and the temper of an unwarlike, people. For the future maintenance of their wives and children, the veterans were grateful: the priests and the philosophers applauded his ardent zeal for the advancement of religion and learning; and his vague promise of rewarding merit was applied by every candidate to his own hopes. Conscious of the influence of the clergy, Michael successfully labored to secure the suffrage of that powerful order. Their expensive journey from Nice to Magnesia, afforded a decent and ample pretence: the leading prelates were tempted by the liberality of his nocturnal visits; and the incorruptible patriarch was flattered by the homage of his new colleague, who led his mule by the bridle into the town, and removed to a respectful distance the importunity of the crowd. Without renouncing his title by royal descent, Palaeologus encouraged a free discussion into the advantages of elective monarchy; and his adherents asked, with the insolence of triumph, what patient would trust his health, or what merchant would abandon his vessel, to the hereditary skill of a physician or a pilot? The youth of the emperor, and the impending dangers of a minority, required the support of a mature and experienced guardian; of an associate raised above the envy of his equals, and invested with the name and prerogatives of royalty. For the interest of the prince and people, without any selfish views for himself or his family, the great duke consented to guard and instruct the son of Theodore; but he sighed for the happy moment when he might restore to his firmer hands the administration of his patrimony, and enjoy the blessings of a private station. He was first invested with the title and prerogatives of despot, which bestowed the purple ornaments and the second place in the Roman monarchy. It was afterwards agreed that John and Michael should be proclaimed as joint emperors, and raised on the buckler, but that the preeminence should be reserved for the birthright of the former. A mutual league of amity was pledged between the royal partners; and in case of a rupture, the subjects were bound, by their oath of allegiance, to declare themselves against the aggressor; an ambiguous name, the seed of discord and civil war. Palaeologus was content; but, on the day of the coronation, and in the cathedral of Nice, his zealous adherents most vehemently urged the just priority of his age and merit. The unseasonable dispute was eluded by postponing to a more convenient opportunity the coronation of John Lascaris; and he walked with a slight diadem in the train of his guardian, who alone received the Imperial crown from the hands of the patriarch. It was not without extreme reluctance that Arsenius abandoned the cause of his pupil; out the Varangians brandished their battle-axes; a sign of assent was extorted from the trembling youth; and some voices were heard, that the life of a child should no longer impede the settlement of the nation. A full harvest of honors and employments was distributed among his friends by the grateful Palaeologus. In his own family he created a despot and two sebastocrators; Alexius Strategopulus was decorated with the title of Caesar; and that veteran commander soon repaid the obligation, by restoring Constantinople to the Greek emperor.
It was in the second year of his reign, while he resided in the palace and gardens of Nymphaeum, 18 near Smyrna, that the first messenger arrived at the dead of night; and the stupendous intelligence was imparted to Michael, after he had been gently waked by the tender precaution of his sister Eulogia. The man was unknown or obscure; he produced no letters from the victorious Caesar; nor could it easily be credited, after the defeat of Vataces and the recent failure of Palaeologus himself, that the capital had been surprised by a detachment of eight hundred soldiers. As a hostage, the doubtful author was confined, with the assurance of death or an ample recompense; and the court was left some hours in the anxiety of hope and fear, till the messengers of Alexius arrived with the authentic intelligence, and displayed the trophies of the conquest, the sword and sceptre, 19 the buskins and bonnet, 20 of the usurper Baldwin, which he had dropped in his precipitate flight. A general assembly of the bishops, senators, and nobles, was immediately convened, and never perhaps was an event received with more heartfelt and universal joy. In a studied oration, the new sovereign of Constantinople congratulated his own and the public fortune. "There was a time," said he, "a far distant time, when the Roman empire extended to the Adriatic, the Tigris, and the confines of Aethiopia. After the loss of the provinces, our capital itself, in these last and calamitous days, has been wrested from our hands by the Barbarians of the West. From the lowest ebb, the tide of prosperity has again returned in our favor; but our prosperity was that of fugitives and exiles: and when we were asked, which was the country of the Romans, we indicated with a blush the climate of the globe, and the quarter of the heavens. The divine Providence has now restored to our arms the city of Constantine, the sacred seat of religion and empire; and it will depend on our valor and conduct to render this important acquisition the pledge and omen of future victories." So eager was the impatience of the prince and people, that Michael made his triumphal entry into Constantinople only twenty days after the expulsion of the Latins. The golden gate was thrown open at his approach; the devout conqueror dismounted from his horse; and a miraculous image of Mary the Conductress was borne before him, that the divine Virgin in person might appear to conduct him to the temple of her Son, the cathedral of St. Sophia. But after the first transport of devotion and pride, he sighed at the dreary prospect of solitude and ruin. The palace was defiled with smoke and dirt, and the gross intemperance of the Franks; whole streets had been consumed by fire, or were decayed by the injuries of time; the sacred and profane edifices were stripped of their ornaments: and, as if they were conscious of their approaching exile, the industry of the Latins had been confined to the work of pillage and destruction. Trade had expired under the pressure of anarchy and distress, and the numbers of inhabitants had decreased with the opulence of the city. It was the first care of the Greek monarch to reinstate the nobles in the palaces of their fathers; and the houses or the ground which they occupied were restored to the families that could exhibit a legal right of inheritance. But the far greater part was extinct or lost; the vacant property had devolved to the lord; he repeopled Constantinople by a liberal invitation to the provinces; and the brave volunteers were seated in the capital which had been recovered by their arms. The French barons and the principal families had retired with their emperor; but the patient and humble crowd of Latins was attached to the country, and indifferent to the change of masters. Instead of banishing the factories of the Pisans, Venetians, and Genoese, the prudent conqueror accepted their oaths of allegiance, encouraged their industry, confirmed their privileges, and allowed them to live under the jurisdiction of their proper magistrates. Of these nations, the Pisans and Venetians preserved their respective quarters in the city; but the services and power of the Genoese deserved at the same time the gratitude and the jealousy of the Greeks. Their independent colony was first planted at the seaport town of Heraclea in Thrace. They were speedily recalled, and settled in the exclusive possession of the suburb of Galata, an advantageous post, in which they revived the commerce, and insulted the majesty, of the Byzantine empire. 21
The recovery of Constantinople was celebrated as the aera of a new empire: the conqueror, alone, and by the right of the sword, renewed his coronation in the church of St. Sophia; and the name and honors of John Lascaris, his pupil and lawful sovereign, were insensibly abolished. But his claims still lived in the minds of the people; and the royal youth must speedily attain the years of manhood and ambition. By fear or conscience, Palaeologus was restrained from dipping his hands in innocent and royal blood; but the anxiety of a usurper and a parent urged him to secure his throne by one of those imperfect crimes so familiar to the modern Greeks. The loss of sight incapacitated the young prince for the active business of the world; instead of the brutal violence of tearing out his eyes, the visual nerve was destroyed by the intense glare of a red-hot basin, 22 and John Lascaris was removed to a distant castle, where he spent many years in privacy and oblivion. Such cool and deliberate guilt may seem incompatible with remorse; but if Michael could trust the mercy of Heaven, he was not inaccessible to the reproaches and vengeance of mankind, which he had provoked by cruelty and treason. His cruelty imposed on a servile court the duties of applause or silence; but the clergy had a right to speak in the name of their invisible Master; and their holy legions were led by a prelate, whose character was above the temptations of hope or fear. After a short abdication of his dignity, Arsenius 23 had consented to ascend the ecclesiastical throne of Constantinople, and to preside in the restoration of the church. His pious simplicity was long deceived by the arts of Palaeologus; and his patience and submission might soothe the usurper, and protect the safety of the young prince. On the news of his inhuman treatment, the patriarch unsheathed the spiritual sword; and superstition, on this occasion, was enlisted in the cause of humanity and justice. In a synod of bishops, who were stimulated by the example of his zeal, the patriarch pronounced a sentence of excommunication; though his prudence still repeated the name of Michael in the public prayers. The Eastern prelates had not adopted the dangerous maxims of ancient Rome; nor did they presume to enforce their censures, by deposing princes, or absolving nations from their oaths of allegiance. But the Christian, who had been separated from God and the church, became an object of horror; and, in a turbulent and fanatic capital, that horror might arm the hand of an assassin, or inflame a sedition of the people. Palaeologus felt his danger, confessed his guilt, and deprecated his judge: the act was irretrievable; the prize was obtained; and the most rigorous penance, which he solicited, would have raised the sinner to the reputation of a saint. The unrelenting patriarch refused to announce any means of atonement or any hopes of mercy; and condescended only to pronounce, that for so great a crime, great indeed must be the satisfaction. "Do you require," said Michael, "that I should abdicate the empire?" and at these words, he offered, or seemed to offer, the sword of state. Arsenius eagerly grasped this pledge of sovereignty; but when he perceived that the emperor was unwilling to purchase absolution at so dear a rate, he indignantly escaped to his cell, and left the royal sinner kneeling and weeping before the door. 24
1 For the reigns of the Nicene emperors, more especially of John Vataces and his son, their minister, George Acropolita, is the only genuine contemporary; but George Pachymer returned to Constantinople with the Greeks at the age of nineteen, (Hanckius de Script. Byzant. c. 33, 34, p. 564 - 578. Fabric. Bibliot. Graec. tom. vi. p. 448 - 460.) Yet the history of Nicephorus Gregoras, though of the xivth century, is a valuable narrative from the taking of Constantinople by the Latins.
2 Nicephorus Gregoras (l. ii. c. 1) distinguishes between Lascaris, and Vataces. The two portraits are in a very good style.
3 Pachymer, l. i. c. 23, 24. Nic. Greg. l. ii. c. 6. The reader of the Byzantines must observe how rarely we are indulged with such precious details.
4 (Greg. Acropol. c. 32.) The emperor, in a familiar conversation, examined and encouraged the studies of his future logothete.
*_0017 Sister of Manfred, afterwards king of Naples. Nic Greg. p. 45. - M.
5 Compare Acropolita, (c. 18, 52,) and the two first books of Nicephorus Gregoras.
6 A Persian saying, that Cyrus was the father and Darius the master, of his subjects, was applied to Vataces and his son. But Pachymer (l. i. c. 23) has mistaken the mild Darius for the cruel Cambyses, despot or tyrant of his people. By the institution of taxes, Darius had incurred the less odious, but more contemptible, name of merchant or broker, (Herodotus, iii. 89.)
7 Acropolita (c. 63) seems to admire his own firmness in sustaining a beating, and not returning to council till he was called. He relates the exploits of Theodore, and his own services, from c. 53 to c. 74 of his history. See the third book of Nicephorus Gregoras.
8 Pachymer (l. i. c. 21) names and discriminates fifteen or twenty Greek families. Does he mean, by this decoration, a figurative or a real golden chain? Perhaps, both.
9 The old geographers, with Cellarius and D'Anville, and our travellers, particularly Pocock and Chandler, will teach us to distinguish the two Magnesias of Asia Minor, of the Maeander and of Sipylus. The latter, our present object, is still flourishing for a Turkish city, and lies eight hours, or leagues, to the north-east of Smyrna, (Tournefort, Voyage du Levant, tom. iii. lettre xxii. p. 365 - 370. Chandler's Travels into Asia Minor, p. 267.)
10 See Acropolita, (c. 75, 76, &c.,) who lived too near the times; Pachymer, (l. i. c. 13 - 25,) Gregoras, (l. iii. c. 3, 4, 5.)
11 The pedigree of Palaeologus is explained by Ducange, (Famil. Byzant. p. 230, &c.:) the events of his private life are related by Pachymer (l. i. c. 7 - 12) and Gregoras (l. ii. 8, l. iii. 2, 4, l. iv. 1) with visible favor to the father of the reigning dynasty.
12 Acropolita (c. 50) relates the circumstances of this curious adventure, which seem to have escaped the more recent writers.
13 Pachymer, (l. i. c. 12,) who speaks with proper contempt of this barbarous trial, affirms, that he had seen in his youth many person who had sustained, without injury, the fiery ordeal. As a Greek, he is credulous; but the ingenuity of the Greeks might furnish some remedies of art or fraud against their own superstition, or that of their tyrant.
14 Without comparing Pachymer to Thucydides or Tacitus, I will praise his narrative, (l. i. c. 13 - 32, l. ii. c. 1 - 9,) which pursues the ascent of Palaeologus with eloquence, perspicuity, and tolerable freedom. Acropolita is more cautious, and Gregoras more concise.
15 The judicial combat was abolished by St. Louis in his own territories; and his example and authority were at length prevalent in France, (Esprit des Loix, l. xxviii. c. 29.)
16 In civil cases Henry II. gave an option to the defendant: Glanville prefers the proof by evidence; and that by judicial combat is reprobated in the Fleta. Yet the trial by battle has never been abrogated in the English law, and it was ordered by the judges as late as the beginning of the last century.
Note *: And even demanded in the present - M.
17 Yet an ingenious friend has urged to me in mitigation of this practice, 1. That in nations emerging from barbarism, it moderates the license of private war and arbitrary revenge. 2. That it is less absurd than the trials by the ordeal, or boiling water, or the cross, which it has contributed to abolish. 3. That it served at least as a test of personal courage; a quality so seldom united with a base disposition, that the danger of a trial might be some check to a malicious prosecutor, and a useful barrier against injustice supported by power. The gallant and unfortunate earl of Surrey might probably have escaped his unmerited fate, had not his demand of the combat against his accuser been overruled
18 The site of Nymphaeum is not clearly defined in ancient or modern geography. But from the last hours of Vataces, (Acropolita, c. 52,) it is evident the palace and gardens of his favorite residence were in the neighborhood of Smyrna. Nymphaeum might be loosely placed in Lydia, (Gregoras, l. vi. 6.)
19 This sceptre, the emblem of justice and power, was a long staff, such as was used by the heroes in Homer. By the latter Greeks it was named Dicanice, and the Imperial sceptre was distinguished as usual by the red or purple color
20 Acropolita affirms (c. 87,) that this bonnet was after the French fashion; but from the ruby at the point or summit, Ducange (Hist. de C. P. l. v. c. 28, 29) believes that it was the high-crowned hat of the Greeks. Could Acropolita mistake the dress of his own court?
21 See Pachymer, (l. ii. c. 28 - 33,) Acropolita, (c. 88,) Nicephorus Gregoras, (l. iv. 7,) and for the treatment of the subject Latins, Ducange, (l. v. c. 30, 31.)
22 This milder invention for extinguishing the sight was tried by the philosopher Democritus on himself, when he sought to withdraw his mind from the visible world: a foolish story! The word abacinare, in Latin and Italian, has furnished Ducange (Gloss. Lat.) with an opportunity to review the various modes of blinding: the more violent were scooping, burning with an iron, or hot vinegar, and binding the head with a strong cord till the eyes burst from their sockets. Ingenious tyrants!
23 See the first retreat and restoration of Arsenius, in Pachymer (l. ii. c. 15, l. iii. c. 1, 2) and Nicephorus Gregoras, (l. iii. c. 1, l. iv. c. 1.) Posterity justly accused Arsenius the virtues of a hermit, the vices of a minister, (l. xii. c. 2.)
24 The crime and excommunication of Michael are fairly told by Pachymer (l. iii. c. 10, 14, 19, &c.) and Gregoras, (l. iv. c. 4.) His confession and penance restored their freedom.


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Coker junior keeper Haley Gibson (Chesterfield, S.C.) made nine saves, but the Cobras fell to Pfeiffer 4-0.
Coker took only four shots, sophomores Rachel Solomon (Bluffton, S.C.) and Emily Morrow (Columbia, S.C.) each took two shots. Coker falls to 1-10 on the season and just 1-4 in conference games.
Pfeiffer was led by senior Alyssa Wombwell (Grand Blanc, Mich.) who scored two goals for the Falcons. Freshmen Ashley Harrington (Albemarle, N.C.) and Hannah Hill (Monroe, N.C.) each added a goal. Pfeiffer's record now stands at 4-6, 3-3 in Conference Carolinas games.
After the first half Coker trailed only 1-0, but Harrington (A: T. Patino, 64:13) would open the second half scoring for Pfeiffer. Wombwell (PK, 70:58) scored on a penalty kick; and Hill (A: K. Collins, 74:15) would add the final marker off a one timer in the box.
Coker's next match is Tuesday, October 4, against Mount Olive at 4:30 pm.

subset: commoncrawl


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S&P 500, Dow close at record highs
NEW YORK — The stunning stock rally of 2013 continued its torrid pace Wednesday with both the Standard & Poor's 500 and Dow industrials closing at fresh all-time highs after the Federal Reserve surprised investors and said it will continue its market-friendly bond-buying program.
Callaway:Fed strikes back at bad politics
The Dow Jones industrial average finished up 146.44, 1%, to 15,676.94. The S & P 500 ended up 37.94 points, 1%, to 1,725.53. The tech-laden Nasdaq composite index closed up 20.67 points, 1.2%, to 3,783.64 -- its highest close since Sept. 22, 2000.The small-stock Russell 2000 also finished at a record high 1.076.06, up 9.68 points, or 0.9% for the day.
In a statement following a two-day policy meeting, the Fed said it would continue to buy $85 billion per-month in long-term U.S. Treasuries and mortgage-backed bonds to "help make broader financial conditions more accommodative" to promote a stronger economic recovery. The market was expecting the Fed to start reducing its asset purchases by roughly $10 billion to $15 billion per month.
The move by the Fed caught Wall Street off guard, says Erik Davidson, deputy chief investment officer at Wells Fargo Private Bank. "No taper was not priced in," says Davidson. "The market got a head fake." The thought of a longer period of "free money" resulted in the bullish market reaction, he adds.
FED:Central bank delays taper, surprising markets
FIRST TAKE:Why Fed isn't tapering yet
Virtually every asset class moved higher on the news. Both the S&P 500 and Dow, which were down prior to the Fed statement, hit record highs after the announcement. The tech-filled Nasdaq rose to a fresh 13-year high.
The surprise decision also caused a major bond market rally, causing the yield on the 10-year Treasury note to dip to 2.7%, down from 2.85% Tuesday. Gold also soared, rising more than $56 per ounce, or 4.3%, to around $1,365 per ounce. Oil shot up too, with a barrel of crude jumping more than $2.80 per barrel, 2.7%, to nearly $108.30 a barrel.
The S&P 500, a broad measure of the U.S. stock market, climbed above its record Aug. 2 closing high of 1,709.67. Heading into today's session, the large-company stock index was up 19.5% for the year and up almost 153% from its March 9, 2009, bear-market low.
Stocks have been climbing higher in recent weeks amid better economic data, fading fears of a imminent attack on Syria as well as investors coming to grips with the idea that the Fed will soon start to "taper" its $85 billion in monthly asset purchases.The Fed's so-calledquantitative easing policy, or QE, which is designed to push borrowing costs down to boost economic growth, has been in place for more than four years and has been credited for fueling a boom in the stock market.
Q&A:What exactly is quantitative easing?
FED STATEMENT:Read what the Federal Reserve had to say
Wall Street was expecting the Fed to start dialing back on its asset purchases after the meeting but at a conservative pace, with initial cutbacks no more than $15 billion expected.
Markets were also reacting to the Fed's updated projections for economic growth and unemployment, which will offer clues as to when the central bank will start to officially tighten policy and hike short-term interest rates, which are currently targeted around 0%.
Wall Street was also expecting the Fed to adjust its "thresholds" related to its zero interest rate policy. The Fed, however, reiterated that it would not start to raise short-term rates until the unemployment rate, currently at 7.3%, drops to at least 6.5%.
How the stock market reacts to tapering in the days and weeks ahead will be instructive.
The past two market corrections, or drops of 10% or more, which occurred in 2011 and 2010 occurred after the Fed ended its first two rounds of bond buying. The market also suffered two so-called "taper tantrums" in June and August, when the S&P 500 fell 5.8% and 4.6%, respectively, after the Fed hinted strongly that it was getting ready to start dialing back on its current round of asset purchases.
On Tuesday, the Russell 2000, an index of small-company stocks, also hit a fresh record high, while the Nasdaq composite climbed to a fresh 13-year high. Heading into Wednesday's trading session the Dow Jones industrial average was just 129 points shy of its May 2 record high of 15,658.36.


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About Us
Who does The Brake Shop help?
We serve children and youth age 6 to 18, who have (or are suspected of having) a tic disorder, who may also have complex combinations of disinhibition disorders – "Leaky Brakes".
What are "Leaky Brakes"?
Leaky brakes are neurological disorders and not a result of poor parenting, lack of motivation or intelligence. Much like a car has a braking system to help it stop, so do we. Our brakes are in our brain. When our brakes are leaky we may have a hard time stopping certain parts of ourselves. This may include the following:
- Tourette Syndrome and other tic disorders ('leaky brakes' in charge of movements and sounds)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder ('leaky brakes' in charge of thoughts)
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ('leaky brakes' in charge of attention and impulses)
- Disruptive Behaviour Disorders (Oppositional-Defiant Disorder and reactive anger/'rage'; often a natural and expected extension of struggling to cope with 'leaky brakes')
- Sensory Integration Challenges
Fortunately, the symptoms of leaky brakes can be managed and reduced to help your child reach their potential.
What does The Brake Shop do?
We start by inviting your family to a "Coming in the Garage" initial appointment. During this time a clinician will provide information about "Leaky Brakes" in a child-friendly format. This appointment will also introduce your family to the Brake Shop Clinic and the various services we offer. From here, a specialized assessment may be completed and a treatment plan developed based on your child and family's individual strengths and needs.
Where does this happen?
We can offer our services in a number of different places depending on your child's needs. These could include CPRI in London, your home, school, or community agencies. A lot of our treatment programs are offered through videos and online so you can access them from a computer anywhere and at any time. Visit www.leakybrakes.ca often.


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Apple could be attempting to challenge Google by creating its own "Street View" patent for mobile.
While it is similar to Google's Street View with 3D panoramic images, instead of Google's necessary finger swipes on arrows, the Apple patent follows the device in a virtual map, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's patent filing "3D Position Tracking for Panoramic Imagery Navigation".
If this patent comes to fruition, then a user would never have to look up from his or her phone to make their way through streets or buildings -- unless of course, they don't want to bump into other people. The patent would also be able to add an overlay of businesses for mobile ads, according to CNET.
U.S. & World
The system would be based on the device's camera, sensors and accelerometer to figure out physical motion and movements on a virtual map.
Apple needs all the help it can get in the Apple Maps vs. Google Maps rivalry. With such a recent public failure, Apple needs a maps app that could truly surpass Google.


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Just 'DO' It!!26-Aug-2015
Have there been times when we have said 'Not today but I will surely start from tomorrow' or 'I guess I'm not fully ready for this yet' or 'Let me wait for the right time!'
Excellence through habits11-Aug-2015
Habits! Perhaps our minds are biased to think about bad habits when we listen to this word. For now, let's just look at it from a neutral perspective and understand what this is all about. One way psychologists would describe this is 'Habits are learned actions that are triggered automatically when we encounter the situation in which we've repeatedly done those actions'.
Perspective Taking10-Aug-2015
Perspective taking is a skill that helps us become more adept at recognizing what it is like to walk in someone else's shoes, to understand what others think and feel. It includes empathy but goes far beyond it.


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How do you expand, say, $\frac{1}{1+x}$ at $x=\infty$? (or for those nit-pickers, as $x\rightarrow\infty$. I know it doesn't strictly make sense to say "at infinity", but I think it is standard to say it anyway).
I have a couple of interesting questions to follow... I might as well say them now.
Question 1. According to WolframAlpha, the Taylor expansion of, say, $\frac{1}{(1+x-3x^{2}+x^{3})}$ at $x=\infty$ is $\frac{1}{x^{3}}+\frac{3}{x^{4}}+\frac{8}{x^{5}}+...$ . We see that the expansion starts at $\frac{1}{x^{3}}$ and has higher order terms. I suspect this occurs for any fraction of the form 1/(polynomial in x). Why is this? (I don't see how dividing all the terms on the LHS by $\frac{1}{x^{3}}$ helps, for example).
Question 2. My motivation behind all this Taylor series stuff was originally: Can an infinite expansion $\frac{1}{a_{0}+a_{1}x+a_{1}x^{2}+...}$ be written in the form $b_{0}+\frac{b_{1}}{x}+\frac{b_{2}}{x^{2}}+...$ ? If so, when (i.e. what conditions must we have on the $a_{n}$)?


text:
I just bought a D-Link AirPlus G DWL-G510 PCI card for my AmigaOne.
I tried to install the card, but it didn't physically fit to the PCI slot, as the backplate of the card
needs some modifying to fit.
However, before I start modifying it (and break my card ) , I'd like to know,
should this card work with my machine ?
I'm no expert with that kind of things and need some help.
I know IntuitionBase (?!) has some information, but didn't find my new card mentioned.


text:
Catfight In Tokyo: Japanese & Filipino Woman Scrap After A Night Of Clubbing! One Gets A Heel To The Face & Wig Pulled Off (Silly Crowd Instigate The Whole Thing)
Submitted by Mixtapebootleggar
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Mastering Symbian OS Descriptors
For Heaven's Sake, What Is It For?
Symbian OS was designed to be as efficient as possible to fit the lack of limited available resources on smartphones. This fact causes greater complexity as a price for better performance. Descriptors are just a very good example of this trade-off. An overall idea is pretty simple: to have good behaving and predictable classes for string-like data (you may think they are Symbian OS strings). No more buffer overflows and so forth. As a result, you have about a dozen classes that allow manipulating the data effectively in different circumstances.
Consider an inheritance tree for descriptors. The cornerstone of all the business is that the descriptor is a data structure that consists of two main parts: the length of the following buffer and data itself. Thus, you have a well-controlled object that performs all necessary checks to prevent such hazardous operations as out-of-boundary writes. There are few types of descriptions on Symbian OS; they differ in what is allowed to do with their data and where this data is located:
- Non-Modifiable and Modifiable Descriptors: TDesC and TDes
- Non-Modifiable and Modifiable Pointer Descriptors: TPtrC and TDes
- Non-Modifiable and Modifiable Stack-Based Buffer Descriptors: TBufC and TBuf
- Heap-Based Buffer Descriptors: HBufC
Base Classes: Non-Modifiable And Modifiable Descriptors
At the very basis of the hierarchy tree stands TDesC, is a base class for all other types of descriptors (excluding literals). In fact, TDesC is a typedef that becomes a 16- or 8-bit class depending on build settings. The default is 16-bit, so you can specify an appropriate type as TDesC8 or TDesC16 when needed.
According to standard naming conventions, a "C" suffix shows that it represents an object whose content can't be changed. This single base class provides common functionality for all other derived classes. 4 bytes are used to hold the length of the data portion of the descriptor available via the Length() method, and access to actual data may be obtained via a Ptr() call. From the whole 32 bits of length data member, only 28 bits really hold data length. The top 4 bits keep the descriptor type; therefore, there is no need for virtual functions because the parent class always knows the current type.
To achieve maximal efficiency, it was decided that the vtable pointer would be undesirable overhead. Thus, TDesC has hardcoded knowledge about the memory layout of all its subclasses. Apart from it, TDesC implements a few common string operations, such as search and comparison. As a bottom line, all constant operations are performed regardless of the type of the given descriptor, by a common TDesC base code. Because TDesC is an abstract class, you can't instantiate it; nevertheless, you may use it as a function parameter or return type, thus allowing you to perform standard operations on constant content.
Next in kin, TDes, inherits from TDesC and implements additional methods to modify the data. Besides, TDes has a member for maximum length of currently allocated data. You easily can shrink and expand data up to maximum length limit.
As it was said above, TDes implements few methods for data modification such as Append, but it is important to keep in mind that none of them allocates memory. It means that if some operation exceeds maximum length of the descriptor, it results in panic. It is left totally for developer's responsibility to take care about sufficient memory allocated.
Copy & Co.: Basic Descriptor Operations
TDesC class contains a lot of methods for comparison, finding, and matching data. You can access a individual character within a descriptor by calling operator[]. You have few methods for making a comparison and finding which use locale-specific algorithms or folding (in other words, locale independent). Another interesting thing is Match functions that allow you to verify whether some descriptor matches a given pattern, which in turn may contain wildcard characters. And, of course, there are Left(), Right(), and Mid() functions to get you the desired part of the descriptor's data.
Stack-Based Buffer Descriptors
Now, turn to the descriptor classes that you will use in practice. There are really quite a few of them to name. You start from stack-based descriptors as a very simple case. Here, you have two templated classes—TBufC<N> and TBuf<N>—that inherit from TDesC and TDes respectively via a TBufBase pair of classes. These descriptors provide a fixed-size buffer to store their data, so they are useful for constant strings or binary data. You can treat them similarly to "char[]" declarations.
These descriptors can be instantiated in various ways:
TBufC<12> buf1; // empty _LIT(KBuf2,"Buffer2"); TBufC<12> buf2(KBuf2); // by literal TBufC<12> buf3(buf2); // by another TBufC descriptor TBufC8<12> buf4((TText8*)"Sample"); // by C-string TBuf<12> buf5(buf3.Des()); // by TDesC from non-modifiable // descriptorThe last line above demonstrates a common trick you use widely. The Des() and Ptr() methods help you perform required type conversions in most use-cases.
Well, up to here all is relatively easy, isn't it? Now, see how to modify your data. "Non-modifiable" TBufC's content may be altered in two ways: complete replacement or indirect modification via TPtr (which will be discussed in the very next section). The following snippet shows it in more details:
_LIT(KBuf2,"Buffer2"); TBufC<32> buf2(KBuf2); _LIT(KBuf2,"Buffer2"); TBufC<32> buf3(KBuf3); buf2 = buf3; _LIT(KNewValue, "New Value"); TPtr ptr = buf2.Des(); ptr = KNewValue;TBufC/TBuf classes doesn't reallocate memory, so when you try to assign a value that exceeds the descriptor's size, it will panic.
Pointer Descriptors
Okay, now on to pointer descriptors. They work as you might expect from their name—their data is separated from the descriptor itself, pointing either to the heap, stack, or ROM. Again, pointer descriptors don't care about managing the memory they point to, so it's the complete responsibility of the application developer to deal with it.
Pointer descriptors come in pairs, so you have both non-modifiable and modifiable ones. The non-modifiable descriptor class, TPtrC, is quite similar to a "const char*" declaration; in other words, you can access the data but you can't modify it. TPtrC inherits from TDesC and adds its own member to point to the actual data. Thus, all operations available for TDesC can be performed on TPtrC as well. TPtrC also has a Set() method that allows you to re-assign your descriptor to point to different data. Similarly, TPtr inherits from TDes by adding Set() and operator= to set and modify descriptor data respectively. Hence, you can regard it as a kind of "char*". Here are a few typical usage examples:
_LIT(KOne,"BufC One"); TBufC bufC(KOne); TPtr ptr(bufC.Des()); TPtr ptr2(0,0); ptr2.Set(bufC.Des());
Heap-Based Descriptors
When you really need variable length descriptors, heap-based ones are at your disposal. The HBufC family of classes incapsulates such functionality for you. Inheriting indirectly from TDesC via TBufCBase16, HBufC allows you to increase or decrease data size at runtime. Due to the "C" suffix, data can be accessed but not modified. Nevertheless, you can replace it totally via one of the assignment operators. Data reallocation isn't done automatically, so you need to take care when you really want to reallocate HBufC's buffer with the ReAllocL() method.
Note: If you have gathered a pointer to HBufC data through its Des() method, it may become invalid after reallocation. Thus, it is safer to create a new TPtr object to ensure robustness.
Some trivial examples follow:
_LIT(KTestBuffer,"Heap Based"); HBufC *pHeap = HBufC::NewLC(32); TPtr ptr(pHeap->Des()); ptr = KTestBuffer; CleanupStack::PopAndDestroy();
Just as a good practice, the code snippet above creates pHeap via a HBufC::NewLC call. In other words, it places a newly created object on the cleanup stack to handle possible leaves gracefully.
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Time Together Adult Day Program
December 31 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
An event every week that begins at 10:00 am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, repeating indefinitely
The Time Together Adult Day Program is a home away from home for adults and seniors who are isolated or have cognitive or physical disabilities. Participants enjoy a social, fun, engaging program that is designed for everyone to experience "successful moments" in a comfortable and safe environment. All staff and volunteers are trained in Positive Approach to Care.
A typical day will include discussions, exercise, art, games, puzzles, music, movement, cognitive activities and much more. Participants enjoy a nutritious meal delivered by Island Senior Resources Nutrition Program. You may be eligible for financial support through Respite, COPES or DDA – see Fee discussion below.
If you, your family member, friend or neighbor would benefit from more engagement and socialization, or you know a family caregiver that could use a break from caregiving, contact Mel Watson and arrange a time to come and visit the program. Mel's contact information is phone 360-321-1623 and email email@example.com.
Locations. Hours Of Operation
The Time Together program is available at these locations.
Hours of Operation:
Monday thru Friday at 10am – 2pm
St. Augustine's-in-the-Woods
5217 S. Honeymoon Bay Rd.
Freeland, WA 98249
Oak Harbor Senior Center
Hours of Operation:
Mondays and Wednesday only. Time: 10am – 2pm
The Modular Building at the Oak Harbor Senior Center
51 E Jerome St
Oak Harbor, WA 98277
Visit the Time Together section of this website for additional information.
- Date:
- December 31
- Time:
- 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
- Event Category:
- Health and Welllness


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VANCOUVER -- A University of B.C. student found slain in Mexico was full of life and was a huge loss, a UBC professor said.
"What happened to Ximena is a great tragedy and a huge loss," Jon Beasley-Murray, an assistant professor of Spanish at UBC, said Friday. "She will be very much missed in the department here at UBC."
Ximena Osegueda Magana, 39, and her boyfriend Alejandro Honorio Santamaria, 38, went missing on Dec. 14.
Their bodies were found on a beach in Huatulco, Oaxaca, south of Acapulco, last week. They were not identified by family members until this week
"She was tremendously full of life and enthusiasm, and very popular with both fellow students and faculty. The news has come as a shock to everyone," Beasley-Murray said
The young woman, known as Ximena Osegueda, came to UBC after completing her undergraduate degree and masters in Latin studies at McGill University in Montreal. She had been awarded the prestigious Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada doctoral fellowship.
"She had completed all her coursework and qualifying exams and was working on a doctoral thesis on Huatulco, the town where she lived," Beasley-Murray said.
"It was on the history of the town from the conquest to the present, with a particular focus on the ceremonies and celebrations surrounding the so-called 'holy cross' of Huatulco. Most recently, she was planning to broaden her research to cover similar ceremonies elsewhere in Oaxaca."
Several days after Osegueda and her boyfriend disappeared, their car was found near Oaxaca airport.
On Dec. 27, two bodies with stab wounds in the neck were found buried in the sand on Punta Arena beach.
A Facebook page dedicated to Osegueda says that a memorial service will be held at noon on Saturday in Mexico City. Friends expressing their condolences on the page describe Osegueda as "very cheerful and positive."
"I remember Ximena from our undergraduate days at McGill over a decade ago," Jacky Celemencki wrote. "She was a beautiful spirit and a bright light in this world. May you rest in peace."
Osegueda's friend Troy Millington, who trained with her at a Vancouver capoeira gym, doesn't understand how anyone could have overpowered the elite martial artist.
"She was not a timid person. This is somebody who could take care of herself," Millington told the Sun. "I am 6'6' and she and I tussled a couple of times....She must have been facing something she couldn't stop - like a gun."
He is devastated over the loss of his friend, who he had known for more than five years.
And he is disturbed by reports coming out of Mexico that she and her boyfriend were stabbed in the neck and found on a beach that officials described as a dumping ground for organized crime.
"What enabled something like this to happen? That someone could manage to inflict stab wounds in both their necks?"
He said he hopes the Canadian government demands answers and justice for Osegueda.
"What has to happen so the people who did this are brought to justice?"
Osegueda was so vivacious, she could light up a room, he said.
"It is not every day that someone who is such a bright, happy, intelligent person gets struck down like that."
"Ximena was lively, generous, and open-minded. Her keen interest in Subaltern Studies and deep concern with social injustice inspired everyone around her. We will miss her tremendously," Kim Beauchesne,
assistant professor in the department of French, Hispanic & Italian Studies at UBC said.
Osegueda is the second person with ties to B.C. to have been killed in Mexico in recent days.
On Tuesday, Saltspring Island resident Robin Wood, 67, was shot to death during a home invasion in Melaque, where he was staying at the home of a friend.
Thousands of B.C. resident flock to Mexico every winter to escape the wet and cold weather.
A year ago, a Penticton man, Mike DiLorenzo, 68, was shot in the Mexican coastal town of Mazatlan while he and his wife were walking to the local market.
A group of masked men fired dozens of shots from automatic weapons at a 25-year-old Mexican man, who was passing on a motorcycle. The man, who was thought to be involved in the drug trade, died from gunshot wounds.
Mexico has been plagued by drug-gang violence, prompting the Canadian government to issue this travel warning for Mexico:
"Canadians travelling to Mexico should exercise a high degree of caution due to a deteriorating security situation in many parts of the country. While most major tourist areas have not been affected by the extreme levels of violence in the northern border region, it is highly advisable to travel to Mexico by air. High levels of criminal activity, as well as occasional demonstrations and protests, remain a concern throughout the country.
"Presidential elections are scheduled for July 1, 2012. In the period leading up to and during the elections, Canadians are advised to remain vigilant, avoid large crowds and demonstrations, exercise caution, follow the advice of local authorities, and monitor local media."


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instanceof operator tests whether the
prototype property of a constructor appears anywhere in the prototype chain of an object.
The source for this interactive example is stored in a GitHub repository. If you'd like to contribute to the interactive examples project, please clone https://github.com/mdn/interactive-examples and send us a pull request.
object instanceof constructor
- The object to test.
- Function to test against
instanceof operator tests the presence of
constructor.prototype in
object's prototype chain.
// defining constructors function C() {} function D() {} var o = new C(); // true, because: Object.getPrototypeOf(o) === C.prototype o instanceof C; // false, because D.prototype is nowhere in o's prototype chain o instanceof D; o instanceof Object; // true, because: C.prototype instanceof Object // true C.prototype = {}; var o2 = new C(); o2 instanceof C; // true // false, because C.prototype is nowhere in // o's prototype chain anymore o instanceof C; D.prototype = new C(); // add C to [[Prototype]] linkage of D var o3 = new D(); o3 instanceof D; // true o3 instanceof C; // true since C.prototype is now in o3's prototype chain
Note that the value of an
instanceof test can change based on changes to the
prototype property of constructors, and it can also be changed by changing an object prototype using
Object.setPrototypeOf. It is also possible using the non-standard
__proto__ pseudo-property.
instanceof and multiple context (e.g. frames or windows)
Different scopes have different execution environments. This means that they have different built-ins (different global object, different constructors, etc.). This may result in unexpected results. For instance,
[] instanceof window.frames[0].Array will return
false, because
Array.prototype !==
window.frames[0].Array and arrays inherit from the former.
This may not make sense at first but when you start dealing with multiple frames or windows in your script and pass objects from one context to another via functions, this will be a valid and strong issue. For instance, you can securely check if a given object is, in fact, an Array using
For example checking if a Nodes is a SVGElement in a different context you can use
myNode instanceof myNode.ownerDocument.defaultView.SVGElement
In code using XPCOM
instanceof has special effect:
obj instanceof
xpcomInterface (e.g.
Components.interfaces.nsIFile) calls
obj.QueryInterface(xpcomInterface) and returns
true if QueryInterface succeeded. A side effect of such call is that you can use
xpcomInterface's properties on
obj after a successful
instanceof test. Unlike standard JavaScript globals, the test
obj instanceof xpcomInterface works as expected even if
obj is from a different scope.
Demonstrating that
String and
Date are of type
Object and exceptional cases
The following code uses
instanceof to demonstrate that
String and
Date objects are also of type
Object (they are derived from
However, objects created with the object literal notation are an exception here: Although the prototype is undefined,
instanceof Object returns
var simpleStr = 'This is a simple string'; var myString = new String(); var newStr = new String('String created with constructor'); var myDate = new Date(); var myObj = {}; var myNonObj = Object.create(null); simpleStr instanceof String; // returns false, checks the prototype chain, finds undefined myString instanceof String; // returns true newStr instanceof String; // returns true myString instanceof Object; // returns true myObj instanceof Object; // returns true, despite an undefined prototype ({}) instanceof Object; // returns true, same case as above myNonObj instanceof Object; // returns false, a way to create an object that is not an instance of Object myString instanceof Date; // returns false myDate instanceof Date; // returns true myDate instanceof Object; // returns true myDate instanceof String; // returns false
Demonstrating that
mycar is of type
Car and type
The following code creates an object type
Car and an instance of that object type,
mycar. The
instanceof operator demonstrates that the
mycar object is of type
Car and of type
function Car(make, model, year) { this.make = make; this.model = model; this.year = year; } var mycar = new Car('Honda', 'Accord', 1998); var a = mycar instanceof Car; // returns true var b = mycar instanceof Object; // returns true
Not an instanceof
To test if an object is not an instanceof a specific Constructor, you can do
if (!(mycar instanceof Car)) { // Do something, like mycar = new Car(mycar) }
This is really different from
if (!mycar instanceof Car)
that will always be false (
!mycar will be treated before
instanceof, so you always try to know if a boolean is an instance of
|ECMAScript Latest Draft (ECMA-262)
The definition of 'Relational Operators' in that specification.
|ECMAScript 2015 (6th Edition, ECMA-262)
The definition of 'Relational Operators' in that specification.
|ECMAScript 5.1 (ECMA-262)
The definition of 'The instanceof operator' in that specification.
|ECMAScript 3rd Edition (ECMA-262)
The definition of 'The instanceof operator' in that specification.
|Initial definition. Implemented in JavaScript 1.4.
Browser compatibility
|Chrome Full support 1
|Edge Full support 12
|Firefox Full support 1
|IE Full support 5
|Opera Full support Yes
|Safari Full support Yes
|WebView Android Full support 1
|Chrome Android Full support 18
|Firefox Android Full support 4
|Opera Android Full support Yes
|Safari iOS Full support Yes
|Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
|nodejs Full support Yes
- Full support
- Full support


text:
- home
- news
- blogs
- calendar
- enewsletters
Jim Keane named COO at Steelcase
Steelcase has announced the promotion of Jim Keane to chief operating officer.
His new global role at the largest office furniture maker in the U.S. comes after Keane was president of the Steelcase Group in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Previously, he was chief financial officer and the head of research and development.
"The global business environment is changing at a rapid pace," said James P. Hackett, CEO. "It's crucial that Steelcase accelerate the implementation of its current strategic plan, while also staying ahead of the trends that are shaping the future state of our business."
As chief operating officer, Keane will be responsible for the design, engineering, development, manufacturing, sales and distribution of the company's brands in nearly 160 countries. Steelcase makes furniture for corporate offices, health care and education.
Prior to joining Steelcase, Keane was a consultant with McKinsey and Co. for five years and held positions with Peat Marwick Mitchell and Co. and Motorola Inc. He has a bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of Illinois, and a master's in management degree from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Steelcase is a publicly traded company with fiscal 2012 revenue of $2.75 billion.


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BALTIMORE – UMBC head softball coach Joe French has announced the addition of Larry Alvis to the 2013 coaching staff. Alvis, a 1979 graduate of UMBC, once again makes his return to the Retrievers, having also served on French's staff from 2002-04.
"Having Larry back at UMBC is a tremendous addition for our team," French said. "Larry has been very successful at every stop in his coaching career. The last time he was here as our pitching coach, we amassed 114 wins which is the second most in any three-year period in UMBC softball history, behind only the 1995-97 record of 115 wins.
"Teaming with coach Julia Culotta and volunteer coach Kristy Kaemmerlen, this is one of the strongest and most experienced staffs that we've had in some time. Larry is an aggressive recruiter who has attracted quality student-athletes to UMBC in the past. He will assist in day-to-day operations of the program, as needed by assisting Julia, Kristy and myself."
Alvis spent the past two seasons at Notre Dame of Maryland University, where he helped the Gators to their best record in the program's short history in 2013. Prior to his time at Notre Dame, Alvis spent six seasons as the head coach at Mount St. Mary's, where he compiled 118 wins, the most in program history, and was honored as the 2006 Northeast Conference Coach of the Year.
During his time with the Retrievers, Alvis helped French guide UMBC to a Northeast Conference (NEC) regular season title, an NEC Tournament Championship and an NCAA Regional Tournament game victory, the first by any Retriever team in school history. During his stint, UMBC amassed a 114-77 overall mark, including a program-best 47 victories in 2002.
"I want to thank Tim Hall, Joe French and the administration for this opportunity to come back and be reunited with the softball program," said Alvis. "I have fond memories of my time at UMBC in the past and hope to have many more in the future.
"I am very excited to be back with Coach French and looking forward to working with Coach Culotta and Coach Kaemmerlen," Alvis continued. "I have come full circle to be back at UMBC and with the Retrievers' softball team and I can't wait to get started."
Alvis also spent seven seasons with the Anne Arundel Community College softball team, as an assistant coach for six years and moving to the helm in 2001. He led the Pioneers to a second-place finish at the NJCAA National Championship. AACC advanced to the National Championship game five years in a row, including back-to-back third-place finished during Alvis' reign.
Alvis, a 1979 graduate of UMBC with a bachelor's degree in political science, currently resides in Pasadena, Md. with his wife, Sharon.
"This well-rounded staff has the program excited about the upcoming fall and spring seasons," said French.
The Retrievers open the fall season at George Washington on Sunday, Sept. 22. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1:30 p.m.


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kidzsearch.com > wiki Explore:images videos games
Geometry is a kind of mathematics that studies the size, shapes, and positions of things. There are flat (2D) shapes and solid (3D) shapes in geometry. Squares, circles and triangles are some of the simplest shapes in flat geometry. Cubes, cylinders, cones and spheres are simple shapes in solid geometry.
Geometry can be used to measure the area and perimeter of a flat shape. It can also be used to measure a solid shape's volume and surface area.
Geometry can be used to measure many things by seeing them as made of geometrical shapes. For example, geometry can help people find:
- the surface area of a house, so they can buy the right amount of paint
- the volume of a box, to see if it is big enough to hold a litre of food
- the area of a farm, so it can be divided into equal parts
- the distance around the edge of a pond, to know how much fencing to buy.
Geometry began as the art of measuring the shape of land so that it could be shared fairly between people. It means to measure the land. It has grown from this to become one of the most important parts of mathematics. The Greek mathematician Euclid wrote the first book about geometry. Geometry is one of the oldest branches of mathematics.
Geometry starts with a few simple ideas that are thought to be true, called axioms. Such as:
- A point is shown on paper by touching it with a pencil or pen, without making any sideways movement. We know where the point is, but it has no size.
- A straight line is the shortest distance between two points. For example, Sophie pulls a piece of string from one point to another point. A straight line between the two points will follow the path of the tight string.
- A plane is a flat surface that does not stop in any direction. For example imagine a wall, but extending in all directions infinitely.
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Artist description:
Happy prosperous tiger year~ Rawr. I don't have much time to draw, so everything simple.White tiger it is.
Java Draw Created Feb 06, 2010 338 x 470px Unless noted Copyright 2010 Shi-Coolmix.
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nice line art and colouring, :D
Soo cuute!! great color!! 5/5!!
I like this o MUCH :). Nice work. 5/5
Sooo Adorable!!! I love it!!! Kyute!!!! 5/5 and favs!!!
so cute!
Awww so cute :O Fav
Aww! shes so cute! i love the simple ness and lovely coloring of the draw ;9 5/5
awesome :D


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It's going to be a Kindle kind of holiday for many folks around the globe. Amazon.com today said that it is selling Kindles at a rate of more than one million per week — marking the third consecutive week that it has topped that milestone.
The Seattle online retailer is notoriously quiet about the sales performance of the Kindle, and the latest press release did not break out how individual devices, such as the newly-released Kindle Fire, are performing.
However, Amazon did say that the Fire — launched just 11 weeks ago — is the best selling product on the site.
"Kindle Fire is the most successful product we've ever launched – it's the bestselling product across all of Amazon for 11 straight weeks, we've already sold millions of units, and we're building millions more to meet the high demand," said Dave Limp, vice president of Kindle. "In fact, demand is accelerating – Kindle Fire sales increased week over week for each of the past three weeks."
Complaints have risen about certain features of the $199 Kindle Fire, including troubles connecting to Wi-Fi networks. But, even so, Goldman Sachs said this week that it expects Amazon to sell more than six million Kindle Fires this year.
Previously on GeekWire: Analyst: iPad holiday sales 'light' as Kindle Fire competition heats up


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Part of National Museums Liverpool
Also in this section…?
© Donnette Zacca
This exhibition by the acclaimed Jamaican artist Laura Facey explored not only the indescribable cruelty of slavery but also the transcendent nature of the human spirit, through a number of artworks.
At the heart of the exhibition was 'Their Spirits Gone Before Them', 2006; a cottonwood canoe, floating on dried sugar cane. Inside the canoe were 1,357 resin miniatures of 'Redemption Song', a monument which stands at the ceremonial entrance to Emancipation Park in Kingston, Jamaica.
This canoe represents two journeys: one was made by the millions of Africans who were enslaved and taken from their homeland during the transatlantic slave trade and the other is Laura Facey's own personal transformation in creating the piece. Laura's inspiration came when she was asked to create souvenir miniatures of the 'Redemption Song' monument:
"I began to 'see' my miniatures in a canoe and a struggle began inside me: How can I take my healed Redemption Song figures and place them in a slave ship?"
"I began to 'see' my miniatures in a canoe and a struggle began inside me: How can I take my healed Redemption Song figures and place them in a slave ship?"
Laura went in search of the perfect vessel. In Jamaica, fishermen hollow out canoes from giant cottonwood trees; her miniature figures, each of them representing approximately nine hundred enslaved Africans who were transported to Jamaica, were installed; the canoe was set on a sea of sugar cane and 'Their Spirits Gone Before Them' emerged.
For this journey the iconic slave ship has been transformed and while it acknowledges the grim reality of the enslaved Africans, "It's not about ropes, chains or torture" but rather, it is a "sculpture that communicates transcendence, reverence, strength and unity."
Read a transcript of this video
'Their Spirits Gone Before Them' was awarded the UNESCO Slave Route Project logo in 2013.
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Our Dal Stars!
Above are some of our rescued Dals who have been adopted out to loving homes. If you would like your Dal featured in the slideshow, send us your Hi-res photos!
Save the Dalmatians &
Others Canine Rescue, Inc.
the Dalmatians and Others Canine Rescue, Inc.
is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the
rescue of Dalmatians from shelters, the promotion of adoptions of
shelter Dalmatians and education of the public about the Dalmatian
breed. We began in 1996 when founder Terri Haase and a friend started
taking their Dalmatians to movie theaters during the showing of "101
Dalmatians" to distribute educational flyers in an attempt to stop
impulse buying of Dalmatian puppies. Save the Dalmatians was formally
incorporated as a California non-profit corporation in 1998. We are all
unpaid volunteers.
Sponsor a Dog
Please consider sponsoring one of our dogs while they wait to find their forever home, dogs like Lucky - who needs Rimadyl monthly.
You can sponsor a dog on various levels and for any amount.
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rights reserved. This site and all of its associated media and data are
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expressed written permission from Save the Dalmatians and Others Canine
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If you have any questions regarding the design of this site contact the webmistress.
Site design by Anna Spikings.


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Program Status: OPEN
Application Deadline: 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time, December 31, 2021
Notice of Funding Availability (pdf) | Posted: December 21, 2017
Printable Fact Sheet
What does this program do?
The program works with qualified private-sector lenders to provide financing to qualified borrowers to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families in eligible rural areas and towns.
Private lenders may apply for a loan guarantee on loans made to eligible borrowers who are building or preserving affordable rural rental housing.
Eligible lenders are automatically eligible if approved and active in one of the following programs:
- Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae
- Federal Home Loan Bank members
- State or local housing finance agencies
Eligible borrowers include:
- Most state and local governmental entities
- Nonprofit organizations
- For-profit organizations, including LLC's
- Federally-recognized Tribes
Additional requirements include:
- Rent for individual units is capped at 30% of 115% area median income
- Average rent for an entire project (including tenant paid utilities) cannot exceed 30% of 100% of area medium income, adjusted for family size.
- Complexes must consist of at least five units
- Complexes may contain units that are detached, semi-detached, row houses or multi-family structures
What is an eligible area?
Areas that may be served include:
- Rural areas and towns with 35,000 or fewer people--Check eligible addresses
- Federally-recognized tribal lands
How may funds be used?
Construction, improvement and purchase of multi-family rental housing for low to moderate income families and individuals is the primary objective for this program. Funding may also be available for:
- Buying and improving land
- Providing necessary infrastructure
- For a complete list see Code of Federal Regulations, 7CFR Part 3565.205
What are the terms of a loan guarantee?
- The Agency offers guarantees of up to 90% of the loan amount
- For-profit entities may borrow up to 90% and non-profit entities may borrow up to 97% of the total development cost or appraised value, whichever is less
- Minimum term of 25 years and maximum term of 40 years
- Interest rate negotiated between the lender and the borrower is fixed for the life of the loan guarantee
Who will service the loan?
Loans guaranteed through this program are serviced through the private lender that makes the loan, just as they would be without a guarantee.
Who may live in the rental housing?
Low- to moderate- income families or individuals (1)
Is there a list of qualified private lenders in my area?
Contact your Rural Development office for a current list of lenders participating in the program.
How do we get started?
Applications for this program are accepted on an annual basis. A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is posted in the Federal Register
Who can answer questions?
Contact your State Rural Development office or you can find Rural Rental Properties here to apply as a tenant.
What governs this program?
- Code of Federal Regulation, 7 CFR Part 3565
- This program is authorized by Title V of the Housing Act of 1949
NOTE: Because citations and other information may be subject to change please always consult the program instructions listed in the section above titled "What Law Governs this Program?" You may also contact your local office for assistance.
(1) Low to moderate income: At initial occupancy, tenants' income cannot exceed 115% of the area median income adjusted for family size.


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Ken Rosenthal, today, in its entirety (at least the Cooper comments):
When I covered the Orioles as a columnist for The Baltimore Sun, owner Peter Angelos would sometimes do just the opposite of what the media anticipated. It was as if he wanted to defy certain reporters and columnists whom he perceived as boogeymen, even if his stubbornness hurt the team.
Well, it was deja vu all over again when Astros owner Drayton McLane exercised the 2010 option on Cecil Cooper's contract Saturday, and not simply because I had written earlier in the week that Cooper might be the first manager fired.
The only rational explanation for extending Cooper at a time when the Astros were 3-7 was to give the team increased stability; McLane has employed three managers and three general managers since 2004.
True, Cooper rallied the Astros to 86 wins in his first full season after a 6-12 start. But that record was a mirage; the Astros were outscored by 31 runs. Their veterans, many of whom do not care for Cooper, are unlikely to be stirred by the news that he will remain their manager through next season.
What's more, Cooper's coaching staff is not considered strong. Yet, with the exception of hitting coach Sean Berry, who eventually could be sacrificed, the coaches, too, figure to gain increased job security.
Hey, it's McLane's team; he can do what he wants. Much as critics like myself might quibble, the Astros' record is the fifth best in the majors since McLane became owner in 1993.
Still, McLane sure picked a funny time to pick up the option of a manager whose team started the season 1-7 and finished 1-16-3 in the spring.
The owner probably believes that he snuffed out a potential problem. In truth, he might only have delayed the inevitable.
You look back at who was quoted in the article following Cooper's extension: Bourn, Tejada, McLane, Wade. McLane and Wade are obligated to say a few words. Who was not quoted? 23 other guys in the clubhouse. Berkman, Lee, Oswalt. Those are the guys who should say something. The fact that they didn't is just as telling. Okay.
There are a lot of accusations and critiques flying here. To name a few:
1) McLane acted in a way that Rosenthal does not understand. Therefore, he's a moron. And irrational.
2) Again with the Astros getting outscored. They're not as good as their record indicated - but that's how you tell how good a team is. It's a circular argument, and the logic is flawed.
3) Not only does Cooper not deserve an extension, but his bench coaches suck, too. They have increased job security, except Sean Berry.
And the Astros did not finish the Spring 1-16-3. They finished the Spring 11-4. And they did not start the season 1-7. They started 1-6, won two games, and then lost another. That's 3-7.


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Presidents Day Sale Going On Now!Save up to 50% off MSRP on our entire catalog! Plus get 5% OFF when you spend $200 or more!Savings applied at checkout. Sale ends 2/19/18.
Part Number: 1K8-943-021-C 2013-2017
For your 2015 CC Sport, shop and save on these wholesale genuine parts. ThisElectrical assembly diagram and OEM parts list is for a 4 cylinder 2 liter engine (CCTA).
No known discontinued parts in this assembly. If you believe a part is discontinued, feel free to notify/contact us


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Seminary Community "Bridges" Gap between Rich and Poor
Under brilliant blue skies Sunday, October 17, several members of our SVOTS community "Bridged the Gap" between rich and poor by participating in a walk-a-thon across the Brooklyn Bridge. The fundraiser will benefit the Youth Equipped to Serve (YES) Program, an Orthodox Christian ministry that trains youth as service leaders and promotes outreach to their communities. More than $2,500 was raised by the walk.
"Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge aimed to demonstrate the importance of 'Bridging the Gap' between the rich and the poor," said Katrina Bitar, SVOTS alumna ('09) and program director for YES. "The YES approach begins with breaking down stereotypes and poverty awareness, and ends with engaging our youth in situations where they see Christ in everyone and choose to be Christ for every person they encounter, ultimately creating a oneness with all people through serving each other. The ultimate goal of the YES Program is to equip a generation of youth to be service leaders who will lead others in meeting the needs of the neighbors in their communities."
Maggie Downham, 2nd-year student at SVOTS and YES leader, helped Ms. Bitar organize the walk, which included participants not only from St. Vladimir's Seminary but also YES students from local parishes in the Greek and Antiochian Archdioeses and the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). Our Chancellor, Fr. Chad Hatfield, led the SVOTS contingent.
First-year seminarian Jesse Brandow explained why he wanted to participate, saying, "I wanted to walk in support of YES because the kind of work they do with teens has the power to transform them, to wake them up to the gospel. It was also just a beautiful day to walk with a bunch of friends!"
YES is a program under the umbrella of FOCUS North America, an Orthodox Christian agency that expresses Christ's love by following the dictates of the gospel to feed and clothe the hungry, to minister to the imprisoned and sick, and to create loving bonds among peoples in all strata of society. The Rev. Justin Mathews, also a SVOTS alumnus, is the Executive Director and CEO of FOCUS.
Read more about Our Community in our "Campus Activities" and "Student Council" sections of our Website.
View the photo gallery of the walk, by Tanya Hoff.


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NBC's George To The Rescue is looking for a bilingual Spanish-speaking family who owns their home in the Tri-Sate area, and is in need of a home renovation project. If you or someone you know is in need of a rescue, please send us an email at email@example.com, with your story and project details.
Thank you,
George to the Rescue


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|Authored By: Polly Pitchford, Full Spectrum Health
|For whatever ails you...
|Diet Types: Macrobiotic, Vegan, Vegetarian
|Serves: 4
|Cooking Time: Under 30 minutes
|Rinse Kombu and shitake mushrooms. Place in a medium saucepan with stock or water. Bring to a boil and simmer 1/2 hour. Remove Kombu and shitake. Reserve Kombu for another use, cut stems off mushrooms and discard. Slice caps thinly and return to stock. Make carrot flowers by carefully cutting out 3 lengthwise narrow wedges down the length of the carrot. Slice thinly crosswise. Add carrots and wakame flakes to stock 10 minutes before serving. Grate ginger and squeeze juice into a small bowl. Add Miso and 1/2 cup stock to dissolve it in. Add to soup a few minutes before serving. Do not boil. Garnish with scallions or watercress.
|Printable Version
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More ACTA Details Leak: It's An Entertainment Industry Wishlist
from the no-wonder-they-kept-it-secret deptThe latest round of "negotiations" over the ACTA treaty continue in secret due to as yet unexplained national security reasons (despite the fact that the entertainment industry lobbyists have had full access to the document) are kicking off in Korea. Once again is becoming clear that the claims by US trade reps that ACTA did not represent any kind of major change in copyright law, and thus didn't require public scrutiny, are nothing more than a myth. Despite ridiculous efforts to keep the document secret (some countries were given only physical, watermarked, copies of the latest drafts), some of the details are leaking out and it's not pretty at all.
The plan is modeled on the ridiculously misnamed "free trade agreement" between the US and South Korea from a few years back. It's misnamed because it wasn't about free trade at all, but massive protectionism for the American entertainment industry. The end results haven't been pretty. The treaty pushed South Korea to implement new copyright laws that are perhaps the most draconian around, getting the country to be the first to kick people off the internet based on accusations of file sharing, and putting so much liability on third parties that various user-generated content services have had to turn off the ability to upload all sorts of content (no videos on YouTube, no music on blogs) and has resulted in ISPs even banning any kind of advertising that might make them liable for copyright infringement.
It's Hollywood's dream. It would require signing countries to implement a more draconian version of the DMCA, including incredibly restrictive anti-circumvention wording that has no exception for fair use. It would put liability on third parties for the actions of their users (in other words, it wouldn't include current DMCA-style safe harbors). It would create incentives to kick people off of the internet for file sharing. This is not about free trade at all. This is an entertainment industry-written bill designed to recreate the internet in its image -- as a broadcasting platform, rather than one used for user-generated content and communication.
This isn't about free trade. This isn't about "anti-counterfeiting." This is the "Protect the American Entertainment Industry" treaty.
And, of course, it's not even close to necessary. As happy as the entertainment industry is about what's been happening in South Korea lately, before these laws passed, the industry there (though, not the local subsidiaries of stodgy American entertainment firms) were adapting in amazing and fascinating ways, that didn't require new laws, but embraced what was actually happening. Yet, because the American record labels and movie studios don't want to change with the times, they're pushing through these laws, outside the judiciary process, sneaking it through via a secretive international treaty they had a hand in writing.
There is simply no reason for ACTA, at all. It is nothing but an attempt by the entertainment industry to put massive restrictions on the internet, place liability on lots of third parties, and do nothing to push themselves to adapt to a changing marketplace with new business models.
Filed Under: acta, copyright, counterfeiting, lobbyists, secrecy


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How to Turn Off Permissions in Windows 8
Toning down the nagging permission screens in Windows 8 leaves your PC more vulnerable to the dark forces of computing. But if you find yourself grinding your teeth more than working, Administrator account holders may adjust the paranoia level of Windows 8 by following these steps:
Right-click in the bottommost-left corner of any screen; when a text menu pops up, choose Control Panel.
The desktop Control Panel appears. (On a tablet, open the Desktop tile, click the Settings icon on the Charms bar, and choose Control Panel from the Settings pane's top edge.)
Click to open the Control Panel's User Accounts and Family Safety section. Then click the User Accounts icon.
The Make Changes to your User Account page appears.
Click the Change User Account Control Settings link.
A scroll bar appears on the screen, set three-quarters of the way up to Windows' Default setting.
To relax User Account Control, slide the scroll bar down; to increase its strictness, slide it up.
The scroll bar offers four settings:
Always Notify Me When: This setting makes for a very secure PC but a very difficult work environment stuffed with false alarms.
Default: This setting is a nice balance between safe and nag-free. Windows 8 comes set to this option.
Notify Me Only When Apps Try to Make Changes to My Computer (Do Not Dim My Desktop): This works like the Default setting but doesn't blacken the desktop during a warning. That makes the warning less noticeable.
Never Notify: The least secure, this setting shuts down the permission screens, giving you no warning when programs — including evil ones — make changes. You must restart your PC before it takes effect.
Choose the setting that leaves you the most comfortable. The Default level strikes a good balance between security and comfort.
Click OK after choosing your comfort level.
If you change your mind, turn the permissions screens back on by repeating these steps, making sure to return to the Default setting in Step 5.
For more information about Windows 8 and its features, explore Windows 8 For Dummies, available online.


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What is the purpose of your life? most people would say it is to love, be loved and to grow, which is great, we all want that, but when it comes to business we must define a greater purpose set some goals and targets to reach. One of the hardest challenges in life is to make the right choices. We choose and make decisions daily, all decisions we make will affect our lives one way or another.
Choosing the Right New Business Opportunity for YOU.
You must first make a list of what's most important to you in your new business. Is making a lot of money the most important? Is helping other people in need the most important? only you can decide this but you must be honest about your choices, because it will affect your business and your life.
Now that you have decided what the most important focus of your new business will be, you now need to make a list of your strengths and weaknesses.
Do you remember growing up? believing that deep down in your soul you had a special gift and wanting to make the world a better place. For many, those dreams have dissipated through the years and they got accustomed to their daily routines, lost all hope, thinking that perhaps they do not have that special gift after all.
That's also a choice you have made, you chose your routine life, whether consciously or unconsciously, at some point in your life you decided to settle for what you currently have.
You have everything you need within you to change and make new choices for your life, like starting a new business.
Make a list of your strengths, are you good with people? do you enjoy working with people? you have a knack for selling? You must be honest with this list so you may make the best choice for your new business.
Make a list of your weaknesses, perhaps dealing with people is one of your weaknesses, you are too shy or you feel intimidated. List all your weaknesses so you may make the correct choice when choosing your new opportunity-business.
For example, if your biggest weakness is fumbling your words when speaking to an audience, then you certainly wouldn't want to start up a seminar business on how to? (example). If you're prone to feeling ill when changing a baby's diaper then you certainly wouldn't want to start an elderly care business and having to clean up the elderly. These are all important factors to incorporate into the business choices you need to make.
Making a true decision means cutting off any other possibility, there is no alternative.
When you truly decide that you are going to follow your dreams and start up your own business, then that's it….it's over, there is no alternative. Once you've made this tough decision you may actually feel a tremendous amount of relief.
You now have a clear unquestioned objective. This clarity gives you an incredible amount of strength, decide what to focus on every minute of your life.
What should you do now? Chose the business you would like to get into, learn everything you can about that new opportunity, and focus on what it will take to make it happen. Do not deviate, do not get discouraged if you run into a wall (trust me you will) and most importantly think about what accomplishing these goals will do for you and your family. How happy do you want to be? It's a choice only you can make!
We all have the power within us to achieve great things, only those who make that choice will reach their final destination.
Dare to Dream!


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Art collection of tight boodies, young faces is just a click away from you. Go ahead and enjoy clear and absolutely uncensored pictures of young teens.
All models on this website are no nude and 100% legal. All galleries and links are provided by 3rd parties. We have no control over the content of these pages.


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Destiny wrote:You can set North here.... Just slide the bar to point North of the view..
Destiny wrote:Well that comes down you when you shot your Tour to take a compass with you. I would suggest you shoot your first shot pointing north so that then become your reference point... This would be the same with V1.8 too.. This is what I have done in the past..
Destiny wrote:Sorry, I really still don't understand the issue.. How can V1.8 find North...
Destiny wrote:Yes... Perhaps if Kolor puts the visual Radar back on the 2D settings, so you can see it move on the floor plan or map, I think that would go a long way to achieve just that.
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Enter Effervescent Vitamin C Tablets. If your tap water comes from a municipal or public water supply, you can be pretty sure that chlorine or chloramines (chlorine and ammonia) have been added to remove harmful bacteria from your water. The result? Water that's free from harmful bacteria, but teeming with dangerous chemicals, capable of many adverse health effects!
Research has shown that chlorine and chloramines can have the following… Continue reading


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3 agents found
BoultonCooper, KirkbymoorsideTel: 01751 631003 Local call rate
Our philosophy is "To provide a service of the highest professional quality to our clients". Our team always begins by getting a clear understanding of the client's needs and objectives. This means that our service is closely matched to your requirements, you get just what you need. Our detailed understanding of your objectives means that we can act proactively on your behalf by anticipating your needs and suggesting new approaches.
Peter Illingworth, KirkbymoorsideTel: 01751 631002 Local call rate
Peter Illingworth Estate Agents The highest level of customer service and a performance record to match are the reasons why so many people are turning to Peter Illingworth Estate Agents to handle their property interests.
Rounthwaite & Woodhead, KirkbymoorsideBuying: 01751 631001 Local call rateLetting: 01751 430034 Local call rate
Rounthwaite & Woodhead have a wide experience of marketing all types of property in Ryedale. From our prominently situated town centre offices in Malton, Pickering and Kirkbymoorside, we offer a professional service based on many years experience and a determination to look after our Clients in a friendly and professional manner. Our main areas of operation are house sales, house lettings, house purchasing and surveys, commercial sales and lettings.
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