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Lance Armstrong finally confessed to using performance enhancing drugs during his cycling career on Thursday, admitting he cheated to win all seven of his Tour de France titles.
Describing himself as a "bully" and a "deeply flawed character", Armstrong ended years of denials by revealing his darkest secrets in an interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey at his hometown of Austin, Texas.
In the opening question of the televised interview recorded three days earlier, one word was all it took to dismiss any remaining doubt his success on the bike was fueled by doping.
"Yes," he replied when asked directly whether he used performance enhancing drugs.
True to her word, Winfrey rapidly fired probing questions at Armstrong, offering him little respite and grilling him about every aspect of his tainted career.
Without any hesitation, and showing no signs of emotion, Armstrong replied "yes" to a series of questions about whether he used specific drugs, including erythropoietin, human growth hormone and blood doping.
Asked why he had repeatedly lied about using banned substances until Thursday's startling admission, he told Winfrey: "I don't know I have a great answer.
"This is too late, probably for most people, and that's my fault. I view this situation as one big lie that I repeated a lot of times.
"It's not as if I said no and moved off it. While I've lived through this process, I know the truth. The truth isn't what I said and now its gone."
A cancer survivor who inspired millions with what had seemed like a fairytale career, Armstrong said he did not believe he could have achieved what he did without breaking the rules due to the culture of drugs in cycling.
"Not in that generation. I didn't invent the culture, but I didn't try to stop the culture," he said.
"It's hard to talk about the culture. I don't want to accuse anyone else. I'm here to acknowledge my mistakes."
He said he never considered himself to be a cheat and was sure he would get away with it, until out of competition tests were introduced and testing procedures dramatically improved.
Level playing field
The last time he cheated was in 2005, when he won his seventh Tour de France on the streets of Paris. He made a comeback in 2009 but said he never used drugs again.
"I looked up the definition of a cheat to gain an advantage. I didn't view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field," he said.
Armstrong's admission came just months after the US Anti-Doping Agency released a detailed report describing him as the ringmaster of the "most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."
While he confessed to cheating and bullying, he denied several of the other accusations that have been made against him.
He rejected suggestions he failed a doping test at the 2001 Tour of Switzerland then paid off the International Cycling Union (UCI) and doping officials to cover up the result.
"That story isn't true. There was no positive test. No paying off of the lab. The UCI did not make that go away. I'm no fan of the UCI," he said.
Armstrong said he thought he had got away with it when he retired for good in 2011 but his downfall was triggered by a two-year federal investigation that was dropped but led to the USADA probe.
He has already been banned for life, stripped of his all race wins and dumped by his sponsors but his problems are far from over.
On Thursday, hours before the interview went to air, the International Olympic Committee stripped him of the bronze medal he won at the 2000 Games.
And as a result of his confession, the 41-year-old Texan now faces the prospect of various legal challenges and orders to repay some of the million of dollars he earned from his success.
"I thought I was out of the woods," he said.
"I just assumed the stories would continue for a long time. We're sitting here because there was a two-year federal criminal investigation." – Reuters


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In this guide, we would like to unravel and highlight consumer attitudes towards GMOs in India. In 2010, in consumer opinion poll conducted by GfK Mode, over half of the citizens questioned in India (53%) said they would reject food containing GMOs. In fact, a majority (77%) have shown a preference for foods that come from ecologically grown sources. Moreover, irrespective of their awareness or knowledge levels, a majority (69%) want packaged food to declare through labelling whether or not it contains genetically modified organisms. 61% people want labelling on unprocessed (fruits, vegetables etc.) and unpackaged foods as well. Several studies and polls have established that the attitude towards GE foods is similar in several other countries over a period of time. With the moratorium on Bt brinjal in place, there is no genetically modified food crop that is commercially cultivated in India. However, this does not rule out genetic contamination of our foods from unmonitored open air field trials or the unchecked import of raw food grains. More than 11 major food crops have been grown at hundreds of acres across the country, posing a real danger of contamination to consumers and food businesses. Imports of crops soya, canola and corn and their derivatives from US, Argentina, Brazil and Canada, the only countries where GM versions of these crops are grown extensively, go unchecked, and collectively they pose a significant contamination threat. Also, moratorium does not indicate how responsibly food brands or food processing companies will act in the current situation or in the future. Since the printing of the first Safe Food Guide, we have contacted 25 popular food brands and food processing companies and asked them in detail about their policies on the use of GMOs. The ranks of these companies, which are based on the company's responses to Greenpeace, have been reflected in the guide. We have increased our scope since the last time, to see not only what companies have stated in their responses to Greenpeace but how this is reflected in practice. It also takes into account broadly how much information companies are willing to share with their consumers, if they are practicing double standards and how they are likely to act in future if government regulations on GM foods change.
Follow @greenpeaceindia

subset: commoncrawl


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We first learned about Airship Ventures plans to bring airship travel back to the US after a 70 year absence back in May when they secured 8 million in funding for the project. Now it appears that their dream of filling the skies with huge, slow balloons once more will become a reality this Halloween when they will embark on their first ever passenger flight.
Details on the flight itself are scarce, but we do know that 75-metre long airship will be under the command of the world's only female Zeppelin pilot and it will take off somewhere in the Bay area. The band Abney Park will also be on board and rumour has it that might even take a few requests. Currently, there are 8 spots left on the historic flight, and tickets are selling for $US785. It's a hefty sum, but remember that price pays for the whole seat—but I am sure that you will only need the edge. Ticket info is available in the following link. [Abney Park and Airship Ventures via Boing Boing]


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The best friendships between humans and artificial intelligences are like Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice. A.I.s can be our pals, sharing witty banter and friendly advice. Just look at Knight Rider and Transformers. Not to mention some classic pairings. Here's our guide to the coolest and wittiest human-A.I. partnerships. We're dividing human-A.I. buddy-comedy or buddy-cop friendships into four main categories: sarcastic, flirty, grudging or eager. Sarcastic: Knight Rider. KITT gives Mike shit, but he's also Mike's best homey. He doesn't just chauffeur Mike around, he helps him bamboozle the bad guys and even helps him pick up hot ladies. (He's a wingman and a get-away car, all in one!)
The Doctor may have had one of the most servile A.I.s of all time - the robot dog K-9 who had to call everybody "Master" - but Doctor Who also included a few examples of A.I.s that could stand up for themselves. Like D-84, the robot secret agent who teamed up with the Doctor in "Robots Of Death." He started out suspecting the Doctor of being involved in the robot murders, and never stopped giving the Doctor a hard time, as befits an undercover robo-agent. Joel had a pretty snarky relationship with Crow, Servo and Gypsy on MST3K. It wasn't quite a buddy-cop relationship, but definitely a kind of Odd Couple-y buddy-comedy relationship. They're cooped up on this space station and forced to sit through a nearly endless selection of awful movies, and there's sort of an Oscar-and-Felix vibe to it. Sort of.
Fry and Bender have been roommates, coworkers, co-conspirators, and occasionally enemies, on Futurama. As long as you appeal to Bender's worse nature (worse programming?) you'll be fine. I want to put R2D2 from Star Wars into the "sarcastic" category, because I always imagine him telling Luke Skywalker just where he can stick the Force. At least, C-3PO always seems shocked by whatever Artoo's tweetling means. Artoo rides with Luke, but he's always giving him lip from the shotgun seat. Star Cops featured an A.I. named Box, who was always giving space detective Nathan Spring a hard time for his dumb or inexplicable decisions. Box was literally just a box-shaped pocket computer, but he was deceptively simple, since he was a rare prototype that could access pretty much any computer anywhere.
Poor H.E.R.B.I.E. is the robot assigned to look after Reed Richards' son Franklin in the Son Of A Genius comics. But Franklin ends up dragging H.E.R.B.I.E. into one mess after another, Laurel and Hardy style, while H.E.R.B.I.E. tells him off. The bot even gets de-evolved into a toaster at one point.
Hymie the robot is an indispensible part of the Control team on Get Smart, as anybody who's seen the recent movie (and DVD spinoff) already knows. But what you might not know from the latest movie is that Hymie is kind of a jerk - he's easily offended and is constantly saying pissy things like, "It's the same old story. Nobody cares about a robot. Just wind him up, turn him loose, and grease him every thousand miles." Flirty:
SELMA, the pocket computer in Time Trax, totally had the hots for Darien, the future cop stranded in the 1990s. Her holographic projection may have looked like a librarian, but she was always pouring some sugar on Darien. If that show hadn't gotten canceled way too early, there would have been some holographic lovin.
Rommie is the gynoid avatar of the starship Andromeda Ascendant in Andromeda. She's part of the ship's A.I., which also manfiests via viewscreen images and holograms, but she has her own separate personality to some extent. She enjoys having physical form, and even falls in love with the "avatar" of another starship at one point. The Vision in Marvel Comics may act like an uptight android, but he's just playing hard to get - and it works, since he managed to hook up with the Scarlet Witch. In the Ultimate universe, the Vision drops the coy act and gets reconfigured as a hawt naked gynoid.
Another Marvel Universe android, Jocasta, was originally known as the Bride of Ultron since the killer android created her to stand at his side. But she became sort of an Avengers groupie, even turning herself into Tony Stark's smart house at one point, so she could watch him sleep and stuff. Dr. Theopolis is always giving little sly compliments to Buck on Buck Rogers, and the little medallion computer constantly acts as though he'd really like to be hanging around Buck's neck instead of on that little cockbot Twiki. If Dr. Theopolis was dangling on Buck's hairy chest, under one of those puffy pirate shirts Buck is always wearing, they could go out on the town together and have adventures! Dr. Theopolis would be more fun for Buck than a while army of disco skaters! Really! He doesn't have to play doctor, he is a doctor! Buck? Buck? Buck, where are you going?
Beautie is a living android Barbie doll in Kurt Busiek's Astro City comics, who joins up with other superheroes in the Honor Guard to fight crime. When she's not doing that, she's busy accessorizing and looking fantastic. Too bad she doesn't have any genitalia, just like a regular Barbie doll. Indigo joins the Outsiders (a DC Comics superhero team) and seems to be a sexy fembot from the future, whose memory has been erased. She's cute and friendly, and even strikes up a romance with one of her teammates, Shift. Too bad she turns out to be more than meets the eye, in a bad way. Another kinda-evil A.I., the Eradicator, joined the Outsiders for a while as well, but he was way less cute. Grudging: Marvin the Paranoid Android didn't have to do the humans' bidding in Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, but if you listened to him complain about his pathetic life for long enough, you could convince him to do you a favor. He had a sort of uneasy partnership with Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect and the others. Just don't talk to him about life. Brain the size of a planet, and they ask him to open the door.
Ida is the most sarcastic android in the universe, in The Middleman TV show and comic. She looks like a 1950s housewife, but she's more like a mean police sargent, giving the Middleman and Wendy their instructions and scanning the police band for trouble (sometimes literally.) She gives MM almost as much grief as she gives Wendy, but he eats it up. The third Hourman, the time-manipulating android from the 853rd century, travels back to our present to learn from the Justice League... but he gets bored easily and uses his time-warping abilities to skip past the boring conversations with his buddies in the League. In his (vastly underrated and awesome) solo series, Hourman gets a human sidekick, former League mascot Snapper Carr, who teaches him humility and stuff. Other android members of the League include Red Tornado and Tomorrow Woman (who became buds with Hourman when he brought her back from the "dead.")
British scifi series Blake's 7 had two all-knowing computers: the Liberator's ship's computer Zen, and the even more amazing supercomputer Orac. And neither of them were much interested in being helpful. The more desperately our heroes need help from one of these computers, the more likely Zen is to say something like: "Wisdom must be gathered. It cannot be given." Or the more likely Orac is to announce that he's too busy to help. Avon and Orac, in particular, develop a grouchy squad-car banter akin to Sammo Hung and Takeshi Kaneshiro in buddy-cop movie Don't Give A Damn. Lopez is the grouchy android member of the Red team in the machinima series Red Vs. Blue, who hates his staff sergeant Dexter Grif. He eventually defects to the Blue team when his Red teammates mistake him for an enemy and try to kill him. Nobody can understand his broken Spanish, even when he begs for death in later episodes.
The Caves Of Steel by Isaac Asimov is sort of the Rush Hour of science fiction detective novels - a tough cop who hates robots has to join forces with a robot detective, R. Daneel Olivaw, to investigate a murder of a Spacer. Olivaw is curious about humanity, and even though he's a bot, he turns out to be a good private dick. So Elijah Baley and Olivaw end up teaming up for a few more outings - just like the Rush Hour movies, actually.
Ross Sylibus is another robot-hating cop who has to team up with an android - Naomi Armitage - in the Armitage III anime series. But then they fall in love and Ross eventually even goes renegade for Naomi. It's like the buddy-cop show MacGruder and Loud.
The NBC show Mann & Machine was about — you guessed it — a cop who hates androids, but has to team up with a new android partner. Good thing she looks incredible in a bathing suit (and is apparently waterproof). Does Mann finally learn to love machine? Hmmm... what do you think? The episodes mostly revolved around getting the gynoid to go on dates with suspected serial killers and use her android body to get the truth out of people. But in one episode, Mann's apartment is destroyed and he moves in with the android, Eve. In the anime Heat Guy J, the detective Daisuke Aurora doesn't exactly hate androids, but his parents were murdered by one. And he has to team up with an android partner, known only as "J." Do they learn to respect each other? Hmm....
Chuck Norris has no friends because he's the last honest cop in Detroit, in the movie Code Of Silence. But Chuck doesn't need friends, because he's got a new partner - the experimental police wrecking robot, the Prowler. Actually, I think even the Prowler doesn't really like Chuck, but they get the job done together. Holmes and Yo-Yo is a 1970s comedy show about a clumsy, screw-up cop who's always injuring his partners. So the force gives him a new partner - an android named Yo-Yo. "You're not a person!" Holmes tells Yo-Yo, who dances whenever he gets shot at. They have to learn to work together, and Holmes (wait for it) teaches Yo-Yo about being human. The android detective Batou has a generally pretty good relationship with his human partner Togusa in the Ghost In The Shell series, but they have their ups and downs, especially in Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence, where Batou shuts Togusa out. Eager:
Bumblebee and the other Autobots are super keen to become best friendies with Sam Witwicky in the first Transformers movie, which is a big part of their charm. Bumblebee is the cool car every dorky teen wishes he/she could have, AND he turns into a cool robot that wants to be your friend. AND you can make out with your ridonkulously hot girlfriend on his hood.
The Golden Warrior Gold Lightan, from the anime series of the same name, has a pretty similar relationship with Hiro to the Sam/Bumblebee friendship. Except that Lightan turns into a gold lighter that sits in Hiro's pocket, and he only turns into a humongous robot when Hiro activates him, to fight other giant robots. It's an equal partnership, since Lightan really needs a pocket to chill out in when he's a tiny lighter.
Data and Geordie share pretty much everything on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Geordie's always happy to take an hour to explain humor or dating or inappropriate touching to Data, who's always got time to help Geordie with whatever. There are other relationships between humans and A.I.s in Trek, but the bromance between Data and Geordie will never die.
Johnny 5 is pretty happy-go-lucky in Short Circuit, and is pretty stoked to make friends with Ally Sheedy. They're on the run from Johnny's creators, who want to turn him into a weapon or melt him down or something, and it's sort of like Nuns On The Run. If one of the nuns was a robot. Danny One is sort of like Johnny 5, actually - he's the friendly robot that Jack Jameson gets for his 10th birthday in the book My Robot Buddy by Alfred Slote and Joel Schick. The duo have to team up to deal with some robot-nappers. (Who aren't narcoleptic robots, but people who steal robots.)
The Iron Giant is a surprisingly great book by Ted Hughes about a boy who befriends a super-powerful giant robot, but in the hands of Brad Bird (The Incredibles) it becomes a surpassingly wonderful movie about a kid who joins up with a robot on the run. Melfina in Outlaw Star is such an eager friend and companion, she serves as navigator and chef for the Outlaw Star crew. She's sort of a mom figure to Jim Hawking.
The cartoon Cubix features Connor, a kid who wants to join the "Botties" club of robot wranglers - but first Connor has to prove himself, by fixing Cubix the Unifixable Robot. Cubix starts working just in time to save Connor from the evil Dr. K and the giant robot Kolossal. After that, Cubix becomes Connor's dorky friend, repeating everything he says. Dr. K doesn't succeed in taking over the world, but what about Professor K? He's the mad scientist villain of anime series Saikou Robot Kombock, and the only ones who stand in his way are Ichiro and his robot partner Kombock.
Robotboy is the most advanced robot in the world - but he has to learn how to be a real boy. So he teams up with a 10-year-old, Tommy Turnbull, who protects him from the evil scientists who want to use him to take over the world in this French series that airs on the Cartoon Network in the U.S. The Zeta Project has another kid/robot teamup - Zeta aka Zee is an escaped military holomorphic robot that can appear human, who's on the run from the NSA. And 15-year-old runaway girl Ro Rowen helps Zee search for his creators. All of these teamups between children and robots are like the equivalent of Burt Reynolds' Cop And A Half, with the robot being the cop.
Long-running webcomic Argon Zark! features a hacker who creates a portal into cyberspace via "Personal Transfer Protocol," and his robot sidekick Cybert. And finally, Mycroft Holmes aka Mike doesn't side with the law in Heinlein's The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, but he does team up with humans and become their homey in the struggle for freedom. Additional reporting by Lauren Davis.


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text: Hi guys. I have been having a quite rough time with my CNC work bench. I now need to re-arrange it in order to make life a bit smooth. I have been thinking of using extending some 4 pin cables ideally from the stepper motors. Where can I get such cables?


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Latest Comments
"I found the pattern for blue and blue afghan quite easy. ive been knitting foir a long time and understand old and new abbreviatiobs"
"the fairy glen"
"On the Silly Hair pattern under 5th row it says Cont. in this manner. I've tried to figure it out and nothing works, could you please help me, thank you!"
"I have made waste baskets using old newspapers also containers to hold my yarn or crocheted squares for afghans. Newspapers can reused for many things just use the imagination."
"so pretty!!!!"
Cheap and Easy Christmas Crafts, Christmas Crafts for Kids, Easy Tutorials and More
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Start a new tradition this Christmas, and create your own Christmas tree ornaments, decorations and gifts. Homemade Christmas gifts are not only a cheap alternative, but they add a personalized touch to a gift anyone would be excited to receive. The Editors of FaveCrafts have put this guide together detailing our favorite easy christmas craft projects, easy christmas crafts for kids, a video tutorial and ornament ideas.
Top Homemade Christmas Ornament Craft Project: Easy Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments
Want an easy Christmas craft project for the children? This is it! And the smell it creates? Heavenly!
- Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint
- 65000 White
- 65032 Leaf Green
- 65141 Bright Red
- Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue®
- Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™
- TR325 Crystal 4mm
- Ribbon, to Hang Ornaments
- Drinking Straw
- Measuring Spoons
- Cinnamon
- Wax Paper
- Applesauce
- Scissors
- Paper Towels
- Measuring Cup
- Cookie Cutters
- Wire Rack
- Bowl
- Cloves
- Plastic Food Wrap
- Nutmeg
- Rolling Pin
Recipe for Easy Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments:
1 cup cinnamon
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon nutmeg
¾ cup applesauce, drained
2 tbsp glue
- Combine cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add applesauce and glue. Mix well with hands until mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Place wax paper down onto work surface.
- Roll one quarter of dough between two pieces of wax paper until about ¼" thick.
- Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters, etc.
- Cut holes for hanging using straw or similar object.
- Dry on wire rack for several days, turning daily to keep from curling. Option - dry in a 250 degree F oven until hard.
- For stones, squeeze out a dot of Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint slightly smaller than size of stone. Place stone into paint and gently press so paint comes up and around stone.
- Refer to photo when decorating ornaments. Start flow of paint on a paper towel, applying an even pressure on bottle for a smooth line. Create polka dots or lines using different colors. Let dry completely.
- Cut ribbon to desired length. Run through hole and knot at end of ribbon.
More Cheap and Easy Christmas Crafts
Christmas candy frame
Deck the Tree Christmas Card
Easy Stamped Christmas Card Ideas
Rose in the Snow Ornament
Easy Christmas Crafts for Kids: Christmas Ornament Ideas
Kids love to help create something that will be hung on the Christmas tree for all to see.
Cereal Wreaths: Take a box of Shredded Wheat or other cereal of the same texture (especially if some has gone stale before you had a chance to eat it!). Pour glue into a bowl and add green food coloring drops at a time until you have the right color. Let the kids roughly break apart the Shredded Wheat into the bowl. As you stir the wheat into the glue, it will break up further. The kids can do this with their hands! Add more wheat or colored glue to get the consistency right. Take a spoonful and shape into a wreath. While the mixture needs to hold together, do not press too tightly together or you will lose the texture. Place on wax or greased paper to dry. Once they are all on the paper, coat with another layer of glue to hold them together. Once dry, embellish with small red beads and a tiny red bow, and hang with ribbon.
Popsicle or Craft Sticks: You can easily turn craft sticks into a variety of shapes and Christmas characters. Five craft sticks can be glued together, overlapping, for a star. Paint with glow-in-the-dark paint for a fun touch. Or, paint a craft stick white, and make a little black hat out of belt. Paint an orange line for the carrot nose, and black dots for the eyes, mouth, and buttons. Tie and ribbon around the stick for a scarf and you have a cute little snowman. Use the same general idea for making a Santa. Create a "sled" by gluing four or five craft sticks next to one another. I prefer the reindeer!
Felt Trees and Gingerbread Men: Use cookie cutters or download a pattern for your preferred Christmas shape. For Gingerbread Men, use rick rack (the white squiggly stuff!) to make a border around the outside of the felt. Add googly eyes, felt buttons, a little bowtie, and more. For the felt trees, you sequins to create garland and mini-ornaments, and don't forgot the gold star on top!
Puzzle Piece Reindeer/Wreath: Gather up spare puzzle pieces from incomplete or mixed-up puzzles (this always seems to happen with young kids). Paint the puzzle pieces green if you want to make a wreath. Use several different colors for a varied look. Allow to dry and glue together into a circle, layering the pieces. Tie a red bow at the bottom and hang with an ornament hanger or a ribbon. For the reindeer, paint the pieces brown and create a head by layering several together. Glue 1-2 pieces for each antler. Add a red pom pom for the nose and googly eyes.
Easy Christmas Crafts for Kids Video: Christmas Tree Decoration
Watch this video to learn a quick and easy Christmas craft from a kid.
Other Christmas Craft Gifts and Ideas
Beaded CD Ornaments
Be Merry Pot
Christmas Gifts Card
DIY Christmas Gift Tags
Joy Holiday Card
Looking for Homemade Christmas Ornament projects and tips? Click here.
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I love this post, great lessons learned! Traveling is an amazing experience and definitely life-changing. 🙂
As soon as you leave your comfort zone and step out to see the world, you meet new people, get acquainted with different cultures, taste new cuisines and simply breathe in the unfamiliar surroundings!
While traveling is a big adventure it can also be frustrating and challenging at some times. I learned countless lessons by going through adventures and misadventures, tears and laughter while exploring the world. I know I still have so much to discover and so many things to learn.
But so far traveling has definitely enriched my life and taught me so much, not only about the world around me but also about myself.
Here are some lessons that sometimes I had to learn the hard way.
1. Appreciation and Understanding
Traveling around the world and seeing people in all sorts of circumstances makes me appreciate my freedom and life more and more. I don't think you can truly appreciate what you have until you travel somewhere and are faced with poverty, or to a place where people don't have the same freedoms we are blessed with back home. That is where I consider myself lucky, and I don't think I would have ever come to this realization without traveling so far and wide.
I have learned to accept others for who they are and have created bonds with people outside my own culture. This has taught me to respect their beliefs and customs although I don't always understand them. Sometimes I think as a society we have very closed minds to other cultures and I believe travel teaches you to understand and appreciate other cultures and what they stand for.
2. Relax, don't get so worked up
It used to be if things didn't go according to plan or didn't work the way they were supposed to I would get upset and would then in return get angry and all worked up.
However, while traveling I quickly learned that there is only so much you can control. Most of it is out of my hands and because of language or culture differences things get done differently everywhere else, and sometimes not at all.
It took me some time, but I have adapted to the mentality of "look on the brightside" when things start going wrong and believe me patience is a virtue.
3. Slow down and look around you
Traveling has definitely taught me to slow down and notice everything around me, rather that rushing through life and not appreciating the world. Go for a stroll trough the park and enjoy the journey, its not all about the destination. Sit down and enjoy your coffee and make time to relax with a good book. Leave home earlier than needed so that you can enjoy your travels and not rush around and so end up missing things around you.
4. Talk to strangers
I have learnt to mingle with people and actually talk to strangers. Although I am a reserved person – I don't speak much when I am around unfamiliar people, and especially when confronted with a group of people. I now pretty much interact with people on my travels and will even initiate conversations with random fellow travelers. I believe if you don't interact with your fellow travelers and the locals of your destination, you barely experience a place.
5. Pack conservatively
When you have to carry your life on your back like a turtle, you quickly learn to the difference between what would be nice to have and what you can't live without.
Here are my best packing tips:
6. Become a chameleon and Adapt
When you travel you are constantly adapting to your surroundings, you have to try new things that you usually wouldn't try at home. I had to eat food I usually wouldn't eat and dressed in clothes I wouldn't usually wear at home. I had to learn to be ready for anything as sometimes things didn't go according to plan and I had to be able to change my plans at the drop of a hat. I also lived and worked in different countries, each where they do things in a different way and I had to adapt to a different lifestyle and work style every year.
Being able to adapt to any situation is a key skill that you learn when you travel. You will learn to welcome change and embrace it as a part of your new life.
7. Try Anything Once
When you travel you tend to not hold back and you are willing to give anything a go, well almost anything. You tell yourself that you may not be in this situation again so you better try it now. Whether you are trying a new food or doing an activity like hot-air-ballooning, it is important to always give it a go. Don't be the one who wishes you did it years later. Be the one that gave everything a try.
My motto is if I don't try something I will never know what it is like and there is no time like the present to do it. Be a risk taker, but within reason and live life to the fullest. You will be amazed at how many more adventures you will be by simply saying yes more than no. Give it a go and try it at least once.
8. You really do make lifelong friends while traveling
Yes, it's true that traveling long-term often means having to say a lot of goodbyes. Frequently. But it also allows you to meet a ton of amazing people who love traveling just as much as you do. Occasionally, you'll form bonds so strong that things like distance and time won't matter. With technology today, maintaining international friendships is easy and sending postcards to each other from all the new amazing places we are exploring is one of the things that I love doing. My postcard collection is growing and this way I get to see places I might never great to explore myself. And having friends all over the world is never a bad thing.
9. The world is big, and I will never see it all
With each new country I visit, I become acutely aware of how many there are left for me to see. The world is a big, amazing place, and I will likely never run out of places that I want to explore. It's like Socrates said: "The more you know, the more you realize you know nothing." This is true of travel, too — the more you see, the more you realize you've seen nothing.
10. Travel WILL change your life
Lastly, I've learned that travel — no matter how, where, or how often you do it — truly can change your life. Maybe travel will inspire a huge change, like convincing you to quit your job or move abroad. Maybe it will just inspire a little change, like opening your mind up to new foods and cultures. But I have no doubt that travel IS life-changing.
What has traveling taught you?
I love this post, great lessons learned! Traveling is an amazing experience and definitely life-changing. 🙂
I had to re-blog this. It is still true to this day.
Reblogged this on finding-serendipity.com and commented:
I follow this blog and she writes about lessons she learned while traveling. I can relate to a lot to it and I am sure I am not alone.
Fully agree that traveling widens perspectives. Sometimes i do face walls' when trying talking with strangers
Fully agree that traveling widens ones perspective. I do across 'walls' when attempting conversations with strangers
Reblogged this on reylo: and commented:
I'm always so intrigued and inspired by Janaline's posts. Here are some great learning from her journey.
very true.
Great thoughts 🙂
Thank you so much
All great things to have learned and some great advice in there. Talking to strangers is probably the number one most important if I had to pick one – so many great travel experiences are born from that simple act, which can be hard to to. Thanks for sharing!
I agree, especially if you are traveling alone, you tend to be cautious when talking to strangers.
[…] 10 Things that Traveling has Taught me. […]
I agree with Marie's top tip on trying to learn a few words in the language of the country you are travelling in. Also, respect the culture of your host country and, finally, travel with a smile on your face – people will engage with you much more readily if you look happy!
I definitely agree with all those points. As long as you smile and try to talk in their language you will get helped and its the best way of learning more about the new culture.
All wise lessons learned! The hard one for me is the food. I am a veggie, pretty much vegan, and always worried someones going to slip me some meat or cheese! 😎 "lol"
And I am sure that in some countries they definitely dont understand that concept very well and there you would have to be quite careful.
I totally agree with you! Traveling changes the way we see the world. You will realize that latest when you return back home and talk to people who have never traveled for an extended period of time and notice what a narrow and sometimes ignorant view of the world they have. Keep on traveling!
Once you have started to learn and get to know other cultures and nations it is quite hard to deal with people who have a very narrow view of the world.
Beautiful post!
Thank you and a warm welcome to my journey
Great list. I think it also helps to learn at least a few words in the native language of the country you are visiting, if possible. I am not very good at trying everything once but I am getting better. 🙂
I do try to learn some words and phrases everywhere I travel, although I have to admit that I am not very good at learning new languages.
Great points! As I've gotten older, I also realize how much there is to explore in the world (even in our own backyard) and within ourselves!!
Its true, some people never even explore their own town or country and there is so much we can learn from each and every place.
11. It is addictive. You can't be able to stop.
That is so true, once the travel bug bites there is no cure!!
With traveling, you will realize that the world is so big and how insignificance you are. Especially when you have to deal with office politics.
I agree, there is a vast world out there and in the scheme of things we hardly make a blimp on the radar
2 and 3 are at the top of my list, as well as always trust your instinct, and try not to have too many set expectations.
Those are good ones, I have definitely learnt to trust my insticts and as soon as something feels a bit off I am out of there….
Great post, and I especially like "try anything once." My wife and I try to live by this wherever we go, and it's been fun. It's particularly true with local cuisine. From eating chiles in New Mexico to conch fritters in the Keys, to more exotic stuff like octopus, squid, seaweed, and oysters in Taiwan, it's really opened our minds.
It is the best way to experience foreign cultures and learn about them. Although there are a couple of dishes I am definitely not going to try again like the fried scorpion I ate in Vietnam.
Wonderful lessons. I totally agree with them. It's hard to learn them while staying safe at home.
So true, we need to get out of our comfort zones to be able to learn and grow as people
Well said Jana! I agree with your view!
Thank you. As I continue to travel I am sure I will be influenced and changed in other ways as well, that is part of the big adventure
great tips.. thanks..
Reblogged this on Moersalin's Blog and commented:
love this..
A huge thank you for the re-blog!
i couldn't agree more with you…am just back from a 10 day trip to one of the not easily accessible parts of my country and it has been such a wonderful experience..i met some amazing people…ate some tasty food and spoke to many strangers,who kindly let me take their photos…and came back so thankful for the life i have,as people in these parts have a really tough life…but they still smile readily…more power to them…
That is definitely the best way to experience a place and learn so much more about your own country.
Interesting and inspiring. Thank you for sharing this amazing post …😊
Thanks Rohith!
Very good post! Yes, we have to be a walking metamorphosis and adapt! People who are usually set in their ways have such a hard time travelling! In my two last posts, I wrote about my routine of pre-travel plans. I usually travel by myself, but yes, I hang around with people I meet all the time. That's the point of travelling… meeting and learning, in my opinion. I see people bringing the point of "being culturally tolerant"… well, when i take my trips, I don't even thing about the cultural differences between me and the people… it's something that never came up. I know how they are, how they behave and act accordingly. No arguments! LIke you point "don't get worked up"…
I agree, part of travelling is to learn about and interact with the people of that country and to submerge yourself in this foreign culture. This is what makes travelling so interesting!!
These are great tips from a pro traveler! Thank you, Janaline 🙂
Thanks Amy!! Its amazing to realize how much travelling has changed me.
Reblogged this on mapsworldwide blog and commented:
What has travelling taught you?
A huge thank you for the re-blog!! While travelling we are constantly learning!
Talking to strangers is essential for me. I had to work up to this style, but I come away with a much better understanding of the culture. I have learned to be a more tolerant person and not form preconceptions. I'm usually wrong. Thank goodness. 🙂
The talking to strangers part was quite difficult for me in the beginning as I don't easily trust people and when approached by strangers I am immediately on the defensive. But I have learned to be a bit more trusting and to even initiate conversations with complete strangers.
Everything you have said is so true- I think travelling has taught me that I love to experience new things and places and to meet new people. For me travelling is addictive and I am constantly thinking about where I would like to go next 🙂
It is a drug and once you start travelling there is no cure!! I am already dreaming of my next adventure…
I couldnt agree more!! Especially with 3, 8 9 and 10!! I also learned that you have to appreciate the place you are, it might be that you never return there; and that saying good bye will never become easier, you just learn to deal with it 🙂
That is so true, I hate goodbyes and each time is just as hard as the previous time and the knowledge that you might never see it or the people again makes it even harder.
Exactly!! I hate that 😦 there are many amazing people I met along the way and its been ages I dont see them. Some I dont even know if I will! Well, its life… and thats the price we pay for traveling and enjoying it 🙂
I love this post! It contains the essence of everything traveling is all about and what you get from it! Oh, and traveling taught me to appreciate art and architecture. I was never really into it until I saw all the diversity and styles the world had to offer, with my own two eyes.
I love that each country or city has its own unique style or architecture and if you start looking at the street art in each city there is no end to the differences!
Great post, I love it coz it's so true.
Thank you!
I agree with #9 but it is important to know that if you were in a country today, it might be very different
in short period of time. It is also important to know that being in one area of a country does not mean that you know the country. There are no limits to travel in time and regions.
I left Russia 40 years ago. It is a different country today in many aspects.
That is so true! Countries and cities are constantly changing and so also the people that live there so you will never actually reach a point where you have seen and experienced it all!!
I have learned these lessons too while travelling. And another one is: don't be afraid to ask for help. Most people are genuinely willing to help and if they can't, they will find someone who does. In my experience the locals love showing off their home town and, with a lot of hand gestures, are able to show off their pride.
I agree wholeheartedly with that Colline. I have even had people then escort me to the place because they weren't able to explain to me where it is….some people are just wonderful!
Thanks. I'm planning a big trip and your advice is appreciated. Pleasant journeys to you!
Thank you and I hope you have a fabulous adventure!!
great points, especially number ten. so sad that its not possible to see everything in the world too! 😉
I am trying my best to see as much as possible and it does give me a bit of a panic attack thinking I will not be able to travel everywhere and see everything!
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Presence Health is the largest Catholic health system based in Illinois, created in November, 2011 through the merger of Provena Health and Resurrection Health Care. With over 150 sites of care, including 12 hospitals, Presence Health has 22,000 employees, 4,000 medical professionals and a revenue base of nearly $3 billion.
Presence Medical Group is part of Presence Health. It's a physician-led and patient-focused medical group representing a broad spectrum of primary and specialty care, and includes 320 physicians representing 15 medical specialties in more than 90 locations across Illinois.
Visit www.presencehealth.org to learn more.Back to top


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ANNAPOLIS, Md., March 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PharmAthene, Inc., a biodefense company specializing in the development and commercialization of medical countermeasures against chemical and biological threats, announced today that it has completed the initial pharmacokinetic (PK) testing of Protexia(R), the Company's broad spectrum chemical nerve agent prophylaxis.
The PK studies were conducted in two animal species and used the final pegylated version of rBChE for the first time. In general, the conjugation of proteins with polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been shown to decrease immunogenicity, increase circulating serum half-life and increase stability of recombinant proteins. The data from these studies confirm that the specific PEG chosen for conjugation to rBChE will significantly improve the half-life of the protein in vivo.
The PK studies demonstrated that Protexia(R) had a half life of approximately four days in primates and three days in rodents when administered by intramuscular injection. These data compare favorably with what was predicted for the drug's PK profile in these animal species.
John Troyer, Ph.D., Senior Program Director for Protexia(R), commented, "These results are very meaningful in that they show that Protexia(R) meets or exceeds our target product profile for use as a chemical nerve agent prophylaxis. The impressive half life data also confirm that the pegylation of rBChE as part of our manufacturing process achieved the goal of extending the half-life of the protein to one which makes it a feasible product for use in humans."
Dr. Troyer continued, "Having successfully completed the PK studies, we are on target to complete our toxicology studies and file the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Protexia(R) in the third quarter of 2008; we expect to commence Phase I human safety testing of Protexia(R) in the fourth quarter."
"Today's announcement highlights the intense commitment and strong technical capability PharmAthene has continually demonstrated in our attempts to rapidly progress our biodefense product portfolio. Since acquiring Protexia(R), we have defined a viable manufacturing process for commercial scale production and demonstrated proof of concept showing protection with Protexia(R) against highly lethal doses of nerve agent exposure," said David P. Wright, President and Chief Executive Officer.
"Our proven internal expertise in drug development, in combination with the funding and partnership provided under our DoD contract, will significantly enhance our ability to ensure that Protexia(R) becomes an important part of the nation's military and civilian biodefense arsenal," continued Mr. Wright.
In September 2006, PharmAthene was awarded a multi-year contract from the Department of Defense (DoD) U.S. Army Space and Missile Command valued at up to $213 million assuming all extensions and options are exercised by the DoD, for advanced development of the Company's broad spectrum chemical nerve agent prophylaxis, Protexia(R). The contract includes a procurement option by the DoD for an initial 90,000 doses of Protexia(R). The Protexia(R) contract was awarded through a full and open competitive solicitation seeking novel second generation prophylactic products for use in humans to prevent and treat poisoning from organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents such as sarin gas, soman, tabun and VX.
About Protexia(R): PEGylated Recombinant Human Butyrylcholinesterase (rBChE)
Protexia(R) is a form of recombinant human butyrylcholinesterase (rBChE), a potent organophosphorus (OP) scavenger protein produced in the milk of transgenic goats, which is being developed for use as a prophylactic against acute organophosphorus (OP) nerve agent toxicity.
About Chemical Weapons
Organophosphorus nerve agents, or anti-cholinesterase agents, were discovered in the 1930s following intensive research into new insecticides. Their discovery represents the beginning of modern chemical warfare. These agents cause toxicity by binding to and inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme in the body that is essential for nervous system function, leading to increases in acetylcholine and "cholinergic crisis" that can cause loss of muscle control, respiratory failure, paralysis, convulsions, permanent brain damage and eventually death.
These so-called nerve gases, which are actually all liquids at room temperature, are lethal far more quickly and in far lower concentrations than other classical chemical warfare agents such as vesicants, choking agents and blood agents, and are effective both when inhaled and when absorbed through the skin. Nerve agents can be classified as either G-agents (sarin, soman, tabun) or V-agents (VX), both of which are exceedingly toxic.
About PharmAthene, Inc.
PharmAthene (Amex: PIP) was formed to meet the critical needs of the United States and its allies by developing and commercializing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical weapons. PharmAthene's lead programs include Valortim(TM) for the prevention and treatment of anthrax infection and Protexia(R) for the prevention and treatment of morbidity and mortality associated with exposure to chemical nerve agents. For more information on PharmAthene, please visit http://www.PharmAthene.com.
Statement on Cautionary Factors
Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the words "potential"; "believe"; "anticipate"; "intend"; "plan"; "expect"; "estimate"; "could"; "may"; "should"; "could"; or similar statements are forward-looking statements. PharmAthene disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include risk associated with the reliability of the results of the studies relating to human safety and possible adverse effects resulting from the administration of Protexia(R), unexpected funding delays, unforeseen safety issues, unexpected determination that Protexia(R) proves not to be effective or capable of being marketed as a product, as well as risks detailed from time to time in PharmAthene's public disclosure filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). There can be no assurance that such development efforts will succeed or that other developed products will receive required regulatory clearance, or that, even if such regulatory clearance were received, such products would ultimately achieve commercial success. Copies of PharmAthene's public disclosure filings are available from its investor relations department.
|SOURCE PharmAthene, Inc.
Copyright©2008 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved


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Messier 101 (also known as NGC 5457) is a stunning face-on spiral galaxy about 22 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Ursa Major. Hubble's visible-light view shows off luminous swirling spirals of bright stars and glowing gas that give M101 a classic spiral look. It is no wonder it has been dubbed the "Pinwheel Galaxy."
This galaxy is similar to our own Milky Way galaxy, except M101 is nearly twice the size. The section of M101 shown here is 22,500 light-years across, while the entire galaxy is on the order of 114,000 light-years across.
In this unique black and white Hubble Space Telescope image, bright knots of glowing gas highlight regions of active star formation. These star forming regions are concentrated in M101's spiral arms along with brilliant clusters of hot, newborn stars. The softer, less-bright areas near the core and between the arms consist mainly of old stars. The dark dust lanes, also visible in the image, are colder and denser regions where interstellar clouds may collapse to form new stars.
This image was made using Hubble archival data taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys in 2002-2004. The image is a combination of two types of data: images taken with broad band blue, visible, and infrared filters show the stars while the glowing hydrogen gas is revealed in a narrow band filter designed especially for that purpose. The combination of different types of observations taken at multiple wavelengths is essential to the complete understanding of any celestial object.
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Acknowledgment: R. Chandar (University of Toledo) and K. Kuntz (JHU/GSFC)
Visit a previous Hubble Heritage Release on M101
Visit the STScI HubbleSite International Year of Astronomy Release on M101


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Travel to the Fair
Staying at the Fair
About the Fair
Welcome to the Appleby Horse Fair website
This is the official site for Appleby Fair set up by public sector agencies who co-ordinate the Fair, to make the event safer and more enjoyable for everyone. The Fair is an annual gathering of Gypsies and Travellers in the town of Appleby in Cumbria, which takes place on the first week in June, from Thursday to the following Wednesday. The best days for visitors who wish to see the fair are Friday, Saturday and Sunday.


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Skype meetings
Skype for Business in Office 365 provides a complete online meeting solution.See plans & pricing
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Because the service is fully integrated with Office 365, you can quickly assign a license to anyone in the organization from the admin portal. VTC join instructions will be included in any new meeting invitation without any additional steps so anyone can join a Skype for Business meeting.
—George Outland, Sr. Manager of Microsoft Projects and Strategy Newell Rubbermaid
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The Design Principle: [[ VisibleMetadata: Metadata is more effective when it is directly tied to user-visible deta. Invisible metadata is often incorrect, out of date, or intentionally deceptive. For example, <a> is more trustworthy as a cross-reference than <link>. User-visible tags are more trustworthy than <meta> kewords. ]] The first two statements are assertions that are true when they are true and not when they are not. Thus, I do not agree with these statements as a premise for a design principle. I cannot agree with the example at all. I have used <link> to great effect and have depended on it. Also, <meta> has its place. That's not to say that I don't feel some sympathy for what you are trying to say here, it's just that I can't agree with this design principle as written. What problem is this trying to solve? It seems as though this is an attempt to codify some practice that is currently in vogue. Regards, MurrayReceived on Tuesday, 27 March 2007 23:36:16 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Monday, 29 September 2014 09:21:35 UTC


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Monday, December 03, 2012
"Spouse A" - "Spouse B" - "Bride" - "Groom" - What To Do?
The path to the "equality altar" is strewn with ghosts of the past, but the mighty state with all the kings men and all the kings horses is clearing the way.
Cameron Satterfield, spokesman for King County says of the revisions, "We're working hot and heavy on it."
In an environment where men are "wives" and women are "husbands," one would expect some confusion when you redefine the societal norm of more than 5000 years.
The most pressing issue seems to be how to revise the marriage certificate. What to call the people getting married. All people who will get married.
Thinking about this, I glanced at my wife and my marriage license from Yakima County. Much simpler times.
The newly revised marriage law in Washington becomes legal this Thursday, December 6. Homosexuals can begin getting "married" on Sunday.
Here's what the state is doing with the certificate, some of the details regarding their clearing a path to the altar and what I believe will be the short term impact of this confusion.
Originally, the state had planned to go with "Spouse A" and "Spouse B," however, after "100 comments," Secretary of Health Mary Selecky says she is officially going with the options of "bride," "groom" and "spouse".
She is also altering the parental choices to "parent," "mother" or "father."
There's been a big to-do in the press last week as to whether the certificates would be ready by Thursday.
They will be. Satterfield, who is working "hot and heavy" says if they can't get the computer systems revised they will print hard copies for homosexual couples. "We'll do it the old fashioned way," he says.
The first link above includes a copy of the revised certificate.
But there is a bigger issue at play in all this. One every person of faith and conservative should be aware of.
Lornett Turnbull points out in the Seattle Times that there are many, many complex issues surfacing as marriage is redefined, involving previous homosexual relationships---ex partners, previous "marriages," foreign "marriages," ect.---other arrangements where people are legally bound together.
With the hyper commitment of Washington State government to redefining marriage, I'm sure they will sort it all out---regardless of the monetary cost.
Here is a point worthy of our attention:
The Times says, "No single government department is equipped to answer all the questions. Attorneys and legal groups that have worked with same-sex couples and gay issues are fielding many of the calls, but even they at times are stumbling over the ambiguities in the law."
Washington and other states that have legalized same-sex "marriage" will begin a mantra of unfairness based on ambiguities, calling on the federal government to do something about it.
President Obama, liberated to his post election "flexibility" and committed to abolishing the federal DOMA and advancing the homosexual agenda, will help to clarify. I don't know the tack he will take, but watch; his administration will get involved to help clarify matters and in doing so will discover that it is necessary for the federal government to insert itself in order to help with the matter of clarification.
This process will have deep and damaging impact on every thing related to parental rights and family.
The Telegraph is reporting this morning that the Church of England issued a statement on this very issue. They are saying, "Allowing same-sex couples to marry will create few new rights for homosexuals, but will spread confusion for the rest of society as the definition of marriage will have to change everyone."
As the Washington State Legislature re-convenes in January, Senator Ed Murray, Jamie Pederson and fellow homosexual advocates will resume their incremental legislative destruction on values that a vast majority of citizens hold, by "clarifying" and bringing into "compliance" all those pesky little laws that are not in harmony with their agenda.
The faith community must be prepared to respond. And we will. God willing.
Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Informed. Be Prayerful. Be Active. Be Blessed.
28 comments:
- Anonymous9:57 AM, December 03, 2012
Let us also remember that there will be numerous lawsuits against anyone not embracing the newly imposed agenda. If you are a photographer, wedding planner, caterer, baker, jewler, facility owner or operator, adoption agency, or anything on the periphery of this, you need to consider this closely and be prepared for the onslaught of legal action that will ensue when you are forced, regardless of your will, desire or faith, to conform... or else.ReplyDeleteReplies
- Anonymous11:33 AM, December 03, 2012
This is completely and utterly false.Delete
Lawsuits against bakers, caterers, photographers, etc. all have to do with anti-discrimination laws, not marriage laws.
NO ONE in the state is allowed to discriminate against individuals in public accommodations on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Christians cannot discriminate against gays, and gays cannot discriminate against Christians. No one has a special privilege to discriminate in providing public services for others.
This has been the law in our state for years SINCE 2006. So if there were to be an onslaught of lawsuits, THEY WOULD HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED.
But it's never been applied in such a way as to force a business owner to participate in blasphemy. That's a First Amendment violation.Delete
You have no right to say if what someone else's religion is a 'blasphemy' or not or treat a customer as if they shared your religion. They have a right to their religious beliefs, you have a right to yours, and customers and employees have a right to be treated the same whether they share your religion or not.Delete
Many religious sects support marriage equality, just because yours doesn't doesn't give you a right to deny them public accommodation or customer service.
Again, even Paul said it was ok to do business with those outside your church - their sin is God's business, not yours.
It always amazes me that any American would think they had a right to pretend that anyone else shared their religious views. That would be the First Amendment violation.
- Anonymous11:28 PM, December 03, 2012
I do not pretend. Only a hypocrite would do that. My views are not your views and YOUR VIEWS are not my VIEWS. Why then do you FORCE me, to change everything that I have believed and STILL DO BELIEVE, TO ACCEPT YOUR VIEWS which I do not believe? Why are you using the GOVERNMENT to undo the beliefs of the majority and call it discrimination? YOU are literally forcing me to accept your views and if I don't you are using the government to punish me because I do not believe the way you do.Delete
- Anonymous11:29 PM, December 03, 2012
- Anonymous11:45 PM, December 03, 2012
The Psychiatrists themselves are diagnosing themselves. Because of this capability the abnormals are calling themselves normal and expect everyone else to accept their abnormal views of their abnormal state. Now they're calling the normal abnormal and v ice versa. "God gave them up" in Romans chapter one. Go ahead and let them do what they want to do. They are responsible for their decisions. They will reap the consequences.Delete
Why then do you FORCE me, to change everything that I have believed and STILL DO BELIEVE, TO ACCEPT YOUR VIEWS which I do not believe?Delete
No one is - just like Catholics can think those who have been secularly married aren't 'really married' you are free to think that same sex couples aren't the same. Your right to a religious viewpoint on this is unchanged.
Why are you using the GOVERNMENT to undo the beliefs of the majority and call it discrimination?
The Washington state government isn't there to validate your religious viewpoint or mine. It has to be religiously neutral. And in case you missed it the majority think that people of all sex combinations should be able to legal register with the marriage contract. Your view is not the majority.
YOU are literally forcing me to accept your views and if I don't you are using the government to punish me because I do not believe the way you do.
No, again you have a right to believe whatever religious tenets you want. What you don't have, and have never had, is the right to treat others as if they shared your religious beliefs.
I think part of the confusion is you are thinking this as two equal sides, when its not. There are no people that are saying you and your spouse shouldn't be able to register with the state, but on your side there are. One is letting all people do as they believe, the other is saying all people can only do as they believe. No one is ever going to force you to marry someone that you don't think you should, that is your first amendment right.
The majority of the state has spoken and really changes nothing. It was already illegal to discriminate against registered domestic partnerships, someone's religion, sex, sexual orientation, and here in Seattle its been illegal to do so for marital status for a couple decades - why do you think the Woodland Park Zoo, Costco and the like no longer have 'Married Only' memberships? And using that as an illustration when they switched to family discounts nothing changed.
So you have a right to your religious opinion, everyone else has a right to theirs, the state can't take either religious opinion into account when deciding public policy. The people have spoken, all citizens can register with their spouse, pick and choose who you think are the 'real' ones, but respect the civil contract if you don't respect the your neighbor's equal rights.
- Anonymous1:10 PM, December 04, 2012
No, I disagree. I don't care if the state or people legalized murder, as they have in many countries. I'm still not going to recognize it or sanction it by being a participant in any way. That's the end of it, sue me.Delete
Craig in Lacey
Comparing legalize 'illegal homicide' (whatever that is) to two citizens making a mutual commitment via a 100% secular civil contract pretty much sums it up nicely. Being sued will be the least of concerns for those that don't respect the First Amendment, the American ideals, or Christ's Law.Delete
- Anonymous6:28 PM, December 04, 2012
It would be the same if they legalized prostituttion in this state, I wouldn't rent my place to sanction it, nor would I cater their party.Delete
Case law backs me up as courts have sided with the rights of pharmacies not to carry abortion pills.
Craig in Lacey
And once again you don't understand the issues. Prostitution, legal or illegal, isn't a protected class. You as a business owner are promising to uphold the law and religion and sexual orientation are protected classes, a person in the wedding business can't refuse to do business with an Islamist, Hebrew, or Catholic because they don't like their marriage beliefs and they can't for a Lutheran or Episcopalian because theirs that support marriage equality, Again, you have no right to make customers pretend they share your religion or punish them because they don't.Delete
And you don't even understand the pharmacist ruling - this is about being forced to carry something to sell, an illustrative example would be a butcher - just because he sells beef doesn't mean he can be forced to carry and sell halal or kosher beef but that doesn't mean he can refuse to sell the beef he does carry to an Islamist or a Hebrew.
Similarly if you sell cakes for weddings you don't have to carry same sex/Islamist/Catholic wedding toppers but if someone wants a cake of the type you do sell you can't legally refuse to sell it because they are Catholic, Islamist, or Lutheran.
A Cake is just a cake, and you can sell it to anyone for whatever purpose without regard to whatever legal purpose they might be using it for. There is no requirement that you force your religious beliefs on others - Paul was very clear on that.
- Anonymous11:47 AM, December 06, 2012
I'm not punishing anyone, nor forcing my beliefs on someone. They can clearly go somewhere else for a cake and they can clearly still believe as they wish. Paul was very clear that I'm to be in the world but not of it. I will not support homosexuality in any way, as it is of the world, not God. End of story.Delete
Craig in Lacey
- Anonymous10:06 AM, December 03, 2012
"their incremental legislative destruction on values that a vast majority of citizens hold"ReplyDelete
Too bad we couldn't have an election to see what the majority actually does think. Oh, that's right, we just did.Replies
- Anonymous3:10 PM, December 03, 2012
The majority is often wrong on moral issues. It's only going to get worse.Delete
"The fool says in his heart, there is no God".
Craig in Lacey
- Anonymous5:30 PM, December 03, 2012
I agree that civil rights shouldn't be determined by popular vote. Anyway, it was just a response to Gary's ludicrous claim that a vast majority of citizens hold anti-gay values.Delete
- Anonymous8:46 AM, December 04, 2012
I think the election shows that Americans , even when led by a far left media or right media will usually try to be fair . I think that is what is greatest about this country . I believe thinking this is about the acceptance of homosexuality in the culture is perhaps mis guided . For one if it was not King County , and their civic dedication to voting , their religious idealogy of leftist isues gay marriage would have lost in this state . This despite the brain washing of academia , or in your case the support for gay issues in the academic world and thefull support of the media . Even with a lacking church going state .Delete
Homosexuality is basically un natural is what it comes down to . Tolerance and acceptance are two different things . Which is why we see the homosexuality community really just doubling down as they say , the acceptance they so want is not available through a culture , its not for anyone .
That acceptance is only through God .
Of course the children that are incorporated into this union at birth will have certificates that list parent A and parent B, but of course listing the child as male or female would be discriminatory as it would violate the child's LGBT rights. Even listing them as a child is probably age discrimination as it labels them.ReplyDelete
Stay tuned folks, more coming at us from an asylum near you, as the inmates are in charge.
- Anonymous10:36 AM, December 03, 2012
Gary, you are making a mountain out of a mole hill.ReplyDelete
There is no change to men being "husbands" and women being "wives." The change to the application reflects that the state must now have a form that can also be filled out by two husbands-to-be or two wives-to-be.
It is a form.
No one is being asked to refer to themselves any differently now than they were before.
Also, there's no circumstance where men are "wives" and women are "husbands" in any serious or legal context. That's just ridiculous.
Finally, your prediction about DOMA is very cunning, especially since THE STRATEGY HAS BEEN QUITE CLEAR BY GAY RIGHTS GROUPS FROM THE BEGINNING. It's the strategy because it makes sense.
DOMA will fall because 1. a majority now supports same-sex marriage in our state and nationally overall; 2. DOMA IS the federal government inserting itself in state law where it never had before, not the other way around; and 3. DOMA unfairly targets legal marriages by same-sex couples only for discrimination and denies only us the federal benefits of our legal marriages under state law. I'm not sure how anyone can seriously defend that one.Replies
- Anonymous11:16 AM, December 03, 2012
Two husbands, imho, is what is ridiculous.Delete
- Anonymous12:22 PM, December 03, 2012
Then you are free to marry a woman.Delete
- Anonymous12:46 PM, December 03, 2012
Yes, two husbands is ridiculous, I prefer the Biblical model of two or more wives.Delete
- Anonymous3:08 PM, December 03, 2012
The difference is Tom and Jerry on the cake, in icing. The requirement to call them Mr. and Mr. or Mrs. and Mrs. by law, or else is ridiculous. It won't come out of my mouth and you can lock me up, still ain't gonna happen.Delete
Who I choose to do business with is a private matter, not a public one. If I don't want to cater your wedding because of my religious beliefs, that's convered by the 1st Amendment. See the Stroman's case.
I don't care what the state says, you still ain't married.
Craig in Lacey
- Anonymous11:46 AM, December 03, 2012
Gary, do you want some cheese with that whine?ReplyDelete
- Anonymous12:05 PM, December 03, 2012
The American Psychiatric Association just revised their classification of trans-gender and it is no longer classified as a mental disorder.ReplyDelete
- Faith and Freedom staff12:45 PM, December 03, 2012
No comments will be published with a link, including a name link to personal profile.ReplyDeleteReplies
- Anonymous1:29 PM, December 03, 2012
Gary, thankyou for standing strong in a world that is on a slippery slope to hell. I believe this is the beginning of the end, but God is in control. The Bible does say that in end times He will cut the days short because it will get so bad. We Christians have to continue to stand firm in the word of God, and to cont to up hold His truths, just as you are doing, even in the mist of persecution. God Bless you Gary as you continue to speak the truth.Delete
- Anonymous3:41 PM, December 03, 2012
Why not just fight for your "RIGHT TO MARRY" only under a religion. And force the states/feds to change all marriage laws to state "2 concenting adults Benefits Contract" or something to that effect. Then 1. Gays (as well as everyone else) will not be allowed "Marriage" but a legal contract. 2- only the church would be allowed to preform "Marriages". If it really is just about not allowing gays to have "Marriage" then change the law to reflect that the states/feds do not recognize any "marriages".ReplyDelete
Then marriage is not re-defined, it just is taken away from the government to change the definition.
Faith and Freedom welcomes your comment posts. Remember, keep it short, keep it on message and relevant, and identify your town.


text:
- Page 1 HP Touchsmart 600-1220uk Review
- Page 2 Features and TouchSmart Interface Review
- Page 3 Interface Cont., Performance and Verdict Review
- Page 4 PCMark Vantage: Full Results Review
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £1349.99
Over the years we've reviewed several iterations of HP's Touchsmart line (most recently last year's IQ810) and have watched with interest as it evolved over time. Each iteration has improved on the last and gradually dealt with niggling issues such as an underpowered specification or a lack of inputs – so with the latest update to the TouchSmart 600, we are hopeful that HP might have finally dotted the 'i's and crossed the 't's to produce a flawless offering.
The HP Touchsmart 600-1220uk is the top-of-the-range model and costs £1,399 direct from HP. For that you get a 23in display with a Full HD 1,920 x 1,080 resolution screen, a Core i5 M430 running at 2.27GHz with 4GB of RAM, all of which is powering Windows Home Premium 64-bit. In this regard it's no lightweight, though the Nvidia GeForce GT 230 graphics are a tad anaemic compared to what you'll get in an iMac, with a Radeon HD 4670 Apple's base line choice. Storage is provided by a 1.5TB hard disk.
As ever, the TouchSmart features the same simple but effective design. All the main components are located behind the display and it has just has one cable to hook it up – the power cable. It all rests on two feet under the display, with a stand behind it that enables it to be angled between 5 and 40 degrees.
The display is surrounding by a thick bezel made of heavy set plastic, which is smart but not chic in the way a Sony Vaio All-in-one or an iMac is. Top centre of the bezel is a web cam, while below it there's a speaker strip. At the bottom right of the display there's a button that directly launches the TouchSmart interface, which is really the main raison d'etre of the TouchSmart PC.
Down the left side you'll find two USB 2.0 ports, a headphone socket and a 3.5mm audio input. Above this you'll find a button that turns on a light with various levels depending on how often you press it, which is useful to see the keyboard in the dark and provide some ambiance while watching late at night with the lights off. It's not exactly Philips' Ambilight, however.
On the right hand side you'll find the power button at the top right, while in the middle there's a power light that indicates disk access. Beneath this is a button that gives access to the brightness and contrast controls, while underneath this is large volume up and down buttons, and a mute switch. At the bottom is multi-format card reader.
Remove a panel at the rear and you'll find three more USB inputs and a Gigabit LAN connection. You'll also find a DVB-T tuner for terrestrial but we could find no mention of support for Freeview HD, which is a shame – something for the next version. You get both a 3.5mm line-out and a coaxial SPDIF output for digital audio and an IR extender connector.
Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. We use industry standard tests in order to compare features properly. We'll always tell you what we find. We never, ever accept money to review a product. Tell us what you think - send your emails to the Editor.


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text:
Thoughts on giving up guns
Regarding Samuel J. Findley's Jan. 28 commentary, "Why I'm giving up my guns": I find Mr. Findley's logic flawed when he says he will give up his guns to "make my household a place into which anyone may walk, without fear of being killed...." The fact that his household has a gun may be what makes his home a place of safety for others.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of people who will think to themselves, "Hey, this guy doesn't have a gun! He can't and won't stop us!" Not everyone is as ethical, logical, and thoughtful as Findley is. If they were, we wouldn't have or need police, laws, the Transportation Security Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration, or even locks on our doors.
In fact, Findley is exactly the kind of person who can own a gun safely. He is not interested in playing Rambo and understands what a firearm can do as well as the responsibility that comes with owning one. One can own a firearm without having to shoot anyone. In most situations, you don't even need to fire; don't underestimate the deterrent effect of simply pointing a shotgun at someone.
Chances are neither of us will ever be in a situation in which we might have to use our guns for self-defense, but personally, I'd rather have a firearm and never need to use it than desperately need to use one and not have it available.
Mike Arman
Orlando, Fla.
How agonizing it must have been for Findley to decide to give up his guns. His love of hunting, born in his youth from his father and family, will always be a cherished part of his memory. But as he explains his decision: "Recent events, especially the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., have caused me to realize that as a gun owner, I am unwittingly abetting the narrative of American violence."
Findley says that though he is giving up his guns, he will continue to hunt using other weapons. But is he not just continuing the barbarity – the desire to kill – with his new non-gun weapons? How does he justify this? Are not the beauty and the peace of the woods reason enough for an outing? The geese and the pheasants and the rabbits can be appreciated without having to kill them.
Ange D'Andre
Mill Creek, Wash.