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The citizens of Sierra Leone have failed to benefit from booming oil exploration and the mining industry.
Cross-posted from The New Context.
The people of Sierra Leone are to be commended for performing their democratic duty—in droves. On November 17, more than 2.2 million voted, almost 90 percent of eligible voters, and no serious violence was reported. Five days later, the National Election Commission (NEC)—responsible for Sierra Leone's entire voting system, from biometric registration to counting—announced that President Ernest Bai Koroma of the All People's Congress party (APC) was re-elected to another five-year term. Since Koroma received more than 55 percent of the ballots cast, the run-off election some anticipated was not necessary.
His main opponent, former military leader Julius Bio Maada of The Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), received 37 percent of the vote while seven other presidential candidates split roughly 5 percent. Local races, from councilors and mayors to parliament seats, also comprised the election.
The SLPP leadership, which has traded political power with the APC since 1961, refused to recognized the overall election results and called for its winning parliamentarians and council members to boycott the government until an "independent international assessment" of the voting can be done.
This was a slap at the NEC and its apparent lack of interest in addressing SLPP complaints of election fraud—including charges of APC ballot-stuffing and vote-buying. The NEC has noted the complaints on its website, asking for the accusers to provide solid proof.
The United Nations chief observer Richard Howitt, who lauded the election as peaceful and transparent, acknowledged reports of APC bribery at several polling stations. But cases of tampering in some districts, according to Howitt, have been the "exception, not a trend." The chief observer did admit that the ruling APC held a strong advantage in campaign resources and media airtime.
Indeed, the majority of English-language press outlets that cover Sierra Leone back the current administration —some more subtly (The Sierra Leone Times, This Is Sierra Leone) than others (Cocorioko, "Sierra Leone's biggest and most-widely read newspaper"). The most outspoken English-language outlet supporting the opposition SLPP (that doesn't formally bill itself as SLPP) has been the Sierra Leone Telegraph. (Read a critique of Sierra Leone's media during the 2012 election here.)
But polarization in the Sierra Leone media—obviously exaggerated during election season, as in the developed world—only represents more problematic political divisions. Voting is generally done by blocs, not by individuals, who benefit from a patronage system that resembles the special interest groups of First World lobbies. From Think Africa Press
The APC draws majority support from the Temne, Limba and other northern tribes, and Krios of the Western Area, while the SLPP are favoured by the Mende and tribes of the southeast. Elections are regarded as "winner takes all" contests with defeat entailing exclusion and disadvantage for the losers, and their regions…. Both parties, when in power, have used their position to fund political campaigns and buy voters. This practice remains widespread. Political parties continue to organise and condone the intimidation of voters, often perpetrated by their youth wings.
Another problem for the frustrated SLPP leadership: Hundreds of international monitors were on the ground, from the European Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as well as the African Union, the UN and the U.S. Carter Center—some observers had been in-country for months. The consensus? A free and fair election in Sierra Leone. The international community bestowed its legitimacy and the only group crying foul is the losing party—not a particularly objective group.
The NEC, an organization steeped in international money and credibility, is not concerned about the SLPP's accusations—nor is it beholden to Sierra Leoneans. Ernest Bai Koroma was sworn in by the NEC the day after the results were announced, and he has been congratulated by the likes of President Obama, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and EU High Representative Catherine Ashton. The 2012 election is over.
In spite of its wealth of mineral deposits, Sierra Leone is one of the world's poorest countries. In 2011 it placed 180 out of 187 on the UN Development Index, which ranks life expectancy (49), maternal mortality (970 per 100,000), income per capita ($340 a year) and adult literacy (41 percent). It is slowly creating an infrastructure—based almost entirely on foreign aid and investment—but roads, running water, electricity, health care and telecommunications are still relatively scarce. The average Sierra Leonean's lack of education and skills limit potential of individual advancement and societal growth, particularly by Western metrics.
And yet according to Businessweek, Sierra Leone has the fastest growing economy in Africa.
Sierra Leone's $2.2 billion economy will expand 21 percent this year and 7.5 percent in 2013, fueled by diamond mining and iron-ore production by London-based African Minerals Ltd. (AMI) and London Mining Plc (LOND), according to the International Monetary Fund [IMF]. Foreign direct investment soared to $3 billion so far this year from $200 million in 2007, Koroma said in an interview … on Nov. 10.
A UN Security Council report in August had the IMF projecting "extraordinary growth of 35.9 percent in gross domestic product in 2012″ and a Chinese steel company pouring in $1.5 billion.
Earlier in November, a major US evaluator of good governance (to encourage public and private investment) gave the international community a new green light to do business in Sierra Leone. Freetown sent this press release:
The Government of Sierra Leone is pleased to inform the general public, development partners, civil society groups and the media that on November 7th 2012 Sierra Leone passed the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) scorecard for the first time since the international ratings initiative was established in 2004. The MCC is a United States government aid agency that gives funds to low income countries as a reward for good governance. The decision on which countries to give funds to is based on annual performance scorecards consisting of 20 indicators that measure social, political and economic issues.
This news was not picked up by the British press (who regularly cover West Africa), despite the fact that Sierra Leone did not pass the MCC score card in 2011. Perhaps this information didn't gel with the media narrative, which hyped the election as tight and warned of political violence. The blurb-style coverage in the West rehashed the civil war from a decade ago and never went without the "Sierra Leoneans live on less than $1.25 a day" factoid. Meanwhile, Freetown had improved, within the year, in MCC categories including Freedom of Information, Girls Primary Education Completion Rate and Trade Policy—yet fell short in Natural Resource Protection and Inflation.
Though the mining industry has boomed, and oil exploration is looming, foreign industrial development has not improved the lives of most Sierra Leoneans. But there is potential for Chinese agriculture funding and hope that prolonged peace can build tourism. The promotion of the concept of free and fair elections has been crucial for private investment, which President Koroma is keen to get.
The NEC Goes International
Ernest Bai Koroma was an insurance broker in 2001—a smart businessman who took advantage of postwar restructuring to win the APC's presidential nomination in a stunning 2002 upset. (He went on to be defeated handily by SLPP incumbent Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.) In 2007, as minority leader of the All People's Congress, he defeated the vice president of the SLPP, which had been in power for most of the last decade (when not interrupted by coups).
The NEC played an important role in Koroma's victory. Though a National Election Commission had been enshrined in the 1991 Sierra Leone constitution, the United Nations effectively made it over as an independent organization in 2005, disconnecting it from the national government. In 2006, Dr. Christiana Thorpe, a former government minister with an impeccable human rights résumé, was named Chief Electoral Officer. (During the 1991–2002 civil war, she was politically and socially active and helped found the Sierra Leonean chapter of Forum for African Women Educationalists [FAWE]. She received various international honors, such as the "Voices of Courage" in 2006.) An impartial, independent NEC, seen as above party loyalty and headed by a respected humanitarian, lent the Commission legitimacy going into the 2007 election.
The 2007 presidential election, not this year's contest, was the true test of Sierra Leone's national fortitude (despite the media's natural inclination to exaggerate this November's historical significance). Just five years after the war, it was the first election to occur without thousands of UK troops deployed. Buoyed by plenty of funding and technical support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and international donors, Thorpe and the NEC saw to it that the election was given a worldwide stamp of approval as free, fair and generally nonviolent.
The peaceful transfer of power from the Sierra Leone People's Party to the All People's Congress in 2007 was a watershed in the nation's existence. However, it was a controversial NEC ruling that put Koroma and the APC in charge. Implying ballot-stuffing and underage voting, Thorpe's group announced the annullment of ballots in 477 polling stations where "instances in which greater than 100 percent turnout was reported," in and around SLPP-held regions such as Kailehun and Kenema (see the National Democratic Institute report).
From one perspective, the action solidified the NEC's status as an objective institution—after all, outgoing president of the SLPP, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, installed Thorpe as chairwoman. That the NEC acted against the party in power could also be seen as adding to its credibility. The UNDP and the international donors were obviously counting on this view. The other perspective, held today by many in the SLPP, is that the NEC stole the election.
Thorpe was widely hailed for the successful election and won the 2009 German Africa peace prize, which augmented her reputation on the international stage. (Read an interview with her here).
To prepare for 2012 election season, Thorpe and the NEC implemented Biometric Voting Registration (BVR), which started recording fingerprints and faces in January. Critics, citing that a majority of Sierra Leoneans live on dollars a day, questioned the program's cost-efficiency, as well as its potential for technical malfunctions and abuse. But BVR was funded by the UNDP and international donors, which had sunk $40 million into the Commission, and the new form of registration has not come up as an issue.
Another money problem stoked political ire against the NEC when it substantially raised the registration fees for opposition candidates. The smaller parties took Thorpe to task for "incompetence, poor planning, and deliberate attempts to frustrate the oppositions' chances," as the Sierra Leone Telegraph editorialized. When President Koroma offered to subsidize the other candidate registration fees, he raised more ethical questions. The international community condemned the move and fees were eventually lowered.
Former Colonizer Makes Good
The United Kingdom became conspicuously involved with its former West African colony when it sent several thousand troops to end Sierra Leone's extended, sporadic civil war—made possible by Liberia's Charles Taylor and Sierra Leone's lucrative-metals mining, among other things—from 1991 to 2002. The war, which went through many phases with half a dozen factions, became known globally for creating "conflict diamonds" and for the hacking off of limbs by the rebel forces. Between 50 and 75 thousand people died with thousands more dismembered and millions displaced.
In 2000, with United Nations peacekeepers captured by rebel militias and Freetown in danger once again, Prime Minister Tony Blair ordered military operations to evacuate European and British citizens. The mission was quickly expanded by commanders on the ground who secured the capital and airport. Subsequently the British committed to stabilizing the country through counterinsurgency methods and rebuilding the Sierra Leone Army. Along with the paratroopers and special forces came dozens of development and reconstruction agencies to implement various aid packages. The Brits revived Sierra Leone and, along with the UN and thousands of troops, saw the nation through to the May 2002 presidential elections: President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of the SLPP defeated Ernest Bai Koroma in a landslide.
Blair—blessed by counterinsurgency success and arguably responsible for a new peace and development regime—was considered a hero by many Sierra Leoneans and retained a connection to the land. During his last visit as prime minister in 2007 (a few months before the election), he began work on his African Governance Initiative to promote private investment. He returned to meet with President Koroma and encourage tourism in 2008 and again in 2009.
Blair has praised the good work of Koroma on several occasions, and wrote in 2010: "Since [his 2007 election victory] has taken on the challenges faced by his country, one by one."
After Blair labeled Koroma a "visionary leader" of Africa, Sierra Leone People's Party presidential candidate Julius Bio Maada called Blair out (as he'd done before) for picking sides. Maada wrote at the Huffington Post in January 2012
If our President is to be believed, then Sierra Leone is booming. Supported by Tony Blair and international lobbyists, he has taken this message around the world. But good PR is no substitute for the truth…..
For ordinary Sierra Leoneans, life has become much harder. Rice, flour and fish—the essential foodstuffs of our people—have doubled in cost since 2007. Fuel prices have rocketed. Five million Sierra Leoneans remain in desperate poverty. This decline is in contradiction to a government that portrays itself as spearheading an economic boom.
International intervention has reset Sierra Leone on a hopeful path. A string of transparent and peaceful elections are an appropriate and welcome metric of progress. Also, it is important that the reduction in outside government aid and development funds due to the global financial collapse be offset by private enterprise where beneficial. Yet in the drive to make Sierra Leone safe for foreign investment and capital development—in part by creating an international election apparatus—there is a danger of leaving the ordinary Sierra Leonean with no recourse against Freetown's champions of Western growth.
Michael Quiñones is the editor of The New Context, an online journal of international affairs at the New School.


text: Back Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Runner's Knee) What is runner's knee? Click Image to Enlarge Runner's knee, also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome, is a condition characterized by dull pain around the front of the knee (patella), where it connects with the lower end of the thigh bone (femur). What causes runner's knee? Runner's knee may be caused by a structural defect, or a certain way of walking or running. Other causes may include: A kneecap that is located too high in the knee joint Weak thigh muscles Tight hamstrings Tight Achilles tendons Poor foot support Walking or running with the feet rolling in while the thigh muscles pull the kneecap outward Excessive training or overuse Injury What are the symptoms of runner's knee? The following are the most common symptoms of runner's knee. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: Pain in and around the kneecap that may be felt with activity, or even after prolonged sitting with the knees bent, occasionally resulting in weakness or feelings of instability Rubbing, grinding, or clicking sound of the kneecap that can be heard at times when the knee is bent and straightened Kneecap is tender to the touch The symptoms of runner's knee may resemble other conditions and medical problems. Always consult your doctor for a diagnosis. How is runner's knee diagnosed? Diagnosis of a runner's usually is confirmed with a complete medical history and a physical examination. What is the treatment for runner's knee? Specific treatment for runner's knee will be determined by your doctor based on: Your age, overall health, and medical history Extent of the injury Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, surgeries, or therapies Expectations for the course of the injury Your opinion or preference The best course of treatment for runner's knee is to stop running until running can resume without pain. Other treatment may include: Cold packs, compression, and elevation Medications such as ibuprofen Stretching exercises Strengthening exercises Arch support in shoes

subset: commoncrawl


text: NBA NBA Cash Game Plays – 10/18 By CK013 - October 18, 2017 0 1124 FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsApp The page you are trying to view is for WiseTake members only. If you are already a member you can login to view this page. If you are not yet a member, check out our membership features and plans HERE. Sign-up today! REGISTER Username Password Remember Me Forgot Password


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By Embroidery Legacy|2023-05-12T11:05:29+00:00April 30th, 2022|0 Comments
About the Author: Embroidery Legacy
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[nggallery id=33]
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500 W Freeman Street
Mathis, TX 78368
27856 sqft | 1 bed | 1 bath | #49763009
Interior Details
Interior Features
- Interior:1 Bedroom Down - Not Primary BR, All Bedrooms Down
Beds & Baths
- Bedrooms:1
- Bathrooms:1
- Full Baths:1
Property Details
- Lot description:Street
- Exterior materials:Playground
- Acres:12.64
- Square Feet:27856
Construction Details
Type & Style
- Property type:Rental
- Year built:2006
Utilities / Energy Details
- Sewer information:Public Sewer
- Utility source:Public
- Utility features:Cable Available
Community and Neighborhood Details
- School district:99 - Other
- Elementary School:MATHIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- Middle School:Mathis Middle School
- High School:MATHIS HIGH SCHOOL
- County:San Patricio
- Pets:Case By Case Basis
- Annual Taxes:$14, 205
The information being provided by Houston Association of REALTORS, Inc. is for the consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Any information relating to real estate for sale referenced on this web site comes from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of the Houston Association of REALTORS, Inc. This web site may reference real estate listing(s) held by a brokerage firm other than the broker and/or agent who owns this web site.
The accuracy of all information, regardless of source, including but not limited to open house information, square footages and lot sizes, is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be personally verified through personal inspection by and/or with the appropriate professionals. The data contained herein is copyrighted by Houston Realtors Information Service, Inc. and is protected by all applicable copyright laws. Any unauthorized dissemination of this information is in violation of copyright laws and is strictly prohibited.
Copyright 2022 Houston Association of REALTORS, Inc. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: . Source: HARMLS
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It's been three years since Sandra Bullock split from her husband Jesse James but she has no desire to go backward and examine what happened, especially not publicly.
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What Bullock has is a 3-year-old son named Louis who she adopted in January 2010, in the middle of awards season. She managed to keep him a secret for the first few months of his life.
Vogue's Oct. issue goes on sale Sept. 24.


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By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR AND JACK GILLUM, ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Laying out the first plans for his party's presidential ticket, GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan took some factual shortcuts Wednesday night when he attacked President Barack Obama's policies on Medicare, the economic stimulus and the budget deficit.
Sen. Rob Portman, a former U.S. trade representative, glossed over his own problems when critiquing Obama's trade dealings with China. A day earlier, the convention's keynote speaker, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, bucked reality in promising that GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney will lay out for the American people the painful budget cuts it will take to wrestle the government's debt and deficit woes under control.
And former senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum stretched the truth in taking Obama to task over his administration supposedly waiving work requirements in the nation's landmark welfare-to-work law.
A closer look at some of the words spoken at the GOP convention in Tampa, Fla.:
RYAN: "And the biggest, coldest power play of all in Obamacare came at the expense of the elderly. ... So they just took it all away from Medicare. Seven hundred and sixteen billion dollars, funneled out of Medicare by President Obama."
THE FACTS: Ryan's claim ignores the fact that Ryan himself incorporated the same cuts into budgets he steered through the House in the past two years as chairman of its Budget Committee, using the money for deficit reduction. And the cuts do not affect Medicare recipients directly, but rather reduce payments to hospitals, health insurance plans and other service providers.
In addition, Ryan's own plan to remake Medicare would squeeze the program's spending even more than the changes Obama made, shifting future retirees into a system in which they would get a fixed payment to shop for coverage among private insurance plans. Critics charge that would expose the elderly to more out-of-pocket costs.
RYAN: "The stimulus was a case of political patronage, corporate welfare and cronyism at their worst. You, the working men and women of this country, were cut out of the deal."
THE FACTS: Ryan himself asked for stimulus funds shortly after Congress approved the $800 billion plan, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Ryan's pleas to federal agencies included letters to Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis seeking stimulus grant money for two Wisconsin energy conservation companies.
One of them, the nonprofit Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp., received $20.3 million from the Energy Department to help homes and businesses improve energy efficiency, according to federal records. That company, he said in his letter, would build "sustainable demand for green jobs." Another eventual recipient, the Energy Center of Wisconsin, received about $365,000.
RYAN: Said Obama misled people in Ryan's hometown of Janesville, Wis., by making them think a General Motors plant there threatened with closure could be saved. "A lot of guys I went to high school with worked at that GM plant. Right there at that plant, candidate Obama said: `I believe that if our government is there to support you ... this plant will be here for another hundred years.' That's what he said in 2008. Well, as it turned out, that plant didn't last another year."
THE FACTS: The plant halted production in December 2008, weeks before Obama took office and well before he enacted a more robust auto industry bailout that rescued GM and Chrysler and allowed the majority of their plants – though not the Janesville facility – to stay in operation. Ryan himself voted for an auto bailout under President George W. Bush that was designed to help GM, but he was a vocal critic of the one pushed through by Obama that has been widely credited with revitalizing both GM and Chrysler.
RYAN: Obama "created a bipartisan debt commission. They came back with an urgent report. He thanked them, sent them on their way and then did exactly nothing."
THE FACTS: It's true that Obama hasn't heeded his commission's recommendations, but Ryan's not the best one to complain. He was a member of the commission and voted against its final report.
CHRISTIE: "Mitt Romney will tell us the hard truths we need to hear to end the torrent of debt that is compromising our future and burying our economy. ... Tonight, our duty is to tell the American people the truth. Our problems are big and the solutions will not be painless. We all must share in the sacrifice. Any leader that tells us differently is simply not telling the truth."
THE FACTS: Romney has made a core promise to cut $500 billion per year from the federal budget by 2016 to bring spending below 20 percent of the U.S. economy, and to balance it entirely by 2020.
His campaign manifesto, however, is almost completely devoid of the "hard truths" Christie promises. In fact, Romney is promising to reverse $716 billion in Medicare savings achieved by Obama over the coming decade and promises big increases in military spending as well, along with extending tax cuts for everyone, including the wealthiest.
The few specifics Romney offers include repealing Obama's health care law, cutting federal payrolls, weaning Amtrak from subsidies, cutting foreign aid and curbing the Medicaid health care program for the poor and disabled.
But it'll take a lot more than those steps for Romney to keep his vague promises, which are unrealistic if he's unwilling to touch Medicare and Social Security in the coming decade. Even the controversial budget plan of his vice presidential nominee, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., largely endorsed by Romney, leaves Medicare virtually untouched over the next 10 years.
What's left for Romney to cut is benefit programs other than Medicare and Social Security, which include food stamps, welfare, farm subsidies and retirement benefits for federal workers. The remaining pot of money includes the day-to-day budgets of domestic agencies, which have already borne cuts under last year's budget deal. There's also widespread congressional aversion to cutting most of what remains on the chopping block, which includes health research, NASA, transportation, air traffic control, homeland security, education, food inspection, housing and heating subsidies for the poor, food aid for pregnant women, the FBI, grants to local governments, national parks and veterans' health care.
PORTMAN: "Take trade with China. China manipulates its currency, giving it an unfair trade advantage. So why doesn't the president do something about it? I'll tell you one reason. President Obama could not run up his record trillion-dollar deficits if the Chinese didn't buy our bonds to finance them. Folks, we are as beholden to China for bonds as we are to the Middle East for oil. This will end under Mitt Romney."
THE FACTS: Portman is an expert on commerce, having served as President George W. Bush's trade representative from May 2005 to May 2006. But he didn't fare particularly well in stemming China's trade advantage, either.
Under Portman's watch, the U.S. trade deficit with China soared by 25 percent in 2005, and the next year it climbed more than 15 percent. By contrast, the deficit rose 10 percent over the first three years of Obama's presidency, according to U.S. government figures.
Both the Bush and Obama administrations have launched unfair trade cases against China at the World Trade Organization, but neither has been able to rebalance the relationship.
SANTORUM: "This summer (Obama) showed us once again he believes in government handouts and dependency by waiving the work requirement for welfare. Now, I helped write the welfare reform bill. We made a lot crystal clear. No president can waive the work requirement, but as with his refusal to enforce our immigration laws, President Obama rules like he is above the law."
THE FACTS: The administration did not waive the work requirement. Instead, it invited governors to apply on behalf of their states for waivers of administrative requirements in the 1996 law. Some states have complained those rules tie up caseworkers who could be helping clients directly.
In a July 18 letter to congressional leaders, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that to be eligible for a waiver, governors must commit that their plans will move at least 20 percent more people from welfare to work. Moreover, states must show clear progress toward the goal within a year, or lose the waiver.
"We will not accept any changes that undercut employment-focused welfare reforms that were signed into law fifteen years ago," Sebelius wrote.
Ron Haskins, a former senior Republican House aide who helped write the welfare-to-work law, has said "there is merit" to the administration's proposal and "I don't see how you can get to the conclusion that the waiver provision undermines welfare reform and it eliminates the work requirement."
Haskins, now co-director of the Brookings Center on Children and Families, says the administration was wrong to roll out its proposal without first getting Republicans to sign off on it. But he said the idea itself is one both parties should be able to agree on, were it not for the bitter political divisions that rule Washington.


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Kovels – Antiques & Collecting: Week of Sept. 10, 2012
Put some fun into your collections and start hunting for old or new figurines, plates and drinking mugs that were meant to be jokes. Puzzle mugs date back to the 1700s. They were popular in taverns. When a patron was tipsy, the bartender poured ale into a mug that hid a realistic pottery frog at the bottom. Empty the mug and the frog appeared while other patrons laughed.
In the early 1800s, Chinese export porcelains were sometimes decorated with humorous or off-color subjects. One famous design is a scene of a young woman wearing a full skirt and sitting on a swing. The man next to her appears to be pushing the swing. But on the back of the plate you can see the back of the woman. Her skirt is pushed up to show her bare backside. The design was so popular that the same scene was made into a molded iron ashtray 100 years later.
Many of these jokes were connected to drinking and bars. In the 1920s, when Prohibition was the law, dozens of small bottles and flasks were made by Schafer and Vater, a German company. They were satirical, funny and risque. A disheveled drunk labeled "Prohibition," an Uncle Sam figure holding a martini glass, a decanter shaped like a monk pouring a drink with the inscription "Spiritually Uplifting" and many other figural bottles that held whiskey were given as gifts for birthdays and holidays.
Twentieth-century joke ceramics range from dime-store "potty figures" of children sitting on potties to George Tinworth's Royal Doulton figurines of animals acting like humans and English Martinware fantasy birds with removable heads.
Twenty-first-century jokes are easy to find and include Disney and comic-book characters. Many of the fun pieces made before 2000 now sell for high prices. But don't ignore joke ceramics of today. They may turn out to be valuable in 50 years.
Q: I own a 24-inch-high tiger maple dresser I found in my parents' attic. In a drawer I found a stamped mark that says, "Widdicomb Company." On the back of the drawer someone wrote: "Trimmed July 8, 1911, Inspected August 14, 1911, Varnished August 23, 1911, Polished February 2, 1912, and Inspected February 29, 1912." Any information would be appreciated.
A: John Widdicomb founded his company in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1897. The company's early work focused on interior woodwork and fireplace mantels, but it soon switched to mid-priced bedroom suites and kitchen cabinets. During the 1910s and '20s, Widdicomb Co. made bedroom suites with matching and contrasting veneers. It continued to make furniture until 2002, when the factory in Grand Rapids closed. L. & J.G. Stickley Co. purchased the company's remaining assets, and it continues to make Widdicomb reproductions at its factory in Manlius, N.Y. The writing on your dresser shows the steps and dates of its construction. Your dresser is a part of a bedroom suite sold in 1912. A seven-piece Widdicomb tiger maple bedroom suite recently sold for $750 at auction.
Q: We own a royal commemorative creamer and sugar that my grandparents brought to this country from Scotland in the early 1900s. We think it's from the wedding of King Edward VII to Queen Alexandra. Both pieces are cream-colored with multicolor portraits of the king and queen. The rims are gold and wavy. Neither piece is marked. What is the set worth?
A: Queen Victoria's oldest son, Albert "Bertie" Edward (1841-1910), was married to Denmark's Princess Alexandra in 1863. But he didn't become King Edward VII until Queen Victoria died in 1901. Your creamer and sugar commemorate the king's 1901 coronation, not his 1863 wedding. If your set is in excellent condition, it could sell for about $125 to $150. It would sell for more in England than in the United States.
Q: My wife and I own a 20-inch-high kerosene lamp. The globe and mantle are made of glass, and the base is brass, copper and pewter. The handles are pewter dragons, and the base is decorated with fanciful pewter birds. The lamp is stamped, "Consolidated, Pat. Sept. 990 Apr 30 05 April 11 93." Value?
A: The stamp indicates that your lamp was made by Consolidated Lamp and Glass Co. of Fostoria, Ohio. The company resulted from a merger of Wallace and McAfee Co. of Pittsburgh and Fostoria Shade and Lamp Co. of Fostoria. Consolidated had a reputation for making fine lamps and other lighting products. The company moved its operations to Coraopolis, Pa., after a fire badly damaged the Ohio factory. Collectors are particularly interested in Consolidated glass made after 1925, when its designers moved toward Art Deco and Lalique-inspired designs. The company temporarily closed during the Depression and closed for good in 1964. A matching pair of old Consolidated molded glass kerosene lamps recently sold for $110 at auction.
Q: Your April Fool's Day column stated that Prince Albert tobacco, introduced in the United States in 1907, was named for the "future king of England." But Prince Albert became King Edward VII when his mother, Queen Victoria, died in 1901.
A: Prince Albert was indeed already king when the tobacco brand was introduced here. But some tins have an added design on the front that says "Now King."
Tip: Most ceramics can be washed with soap or detergent and water but a few things should not be. Any pieces that are repaired, damaged or have painted decorations should not be soaked in water. Wipe them with a damp cloth after testing a small area. Unglazed pieces should be dusted.
Terry Kovel answers as many questions as possible through the column. By sending a letter with a question, you give full permission for use in the column or any other Kovel forum. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We cannot guarantee the return of any photograph, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. The volume of mail makes personal answers or appraisals impossible. Write to Kovels, Auction Central News, King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019.
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.
- Walt Disney School Bus dome lunch box, metal, Mickey, Jiminy, Pluto, Donald's nephews and more peer from windows, vacuum bottle, Disney Productions, 1960s, $40.
- Wheaties premium cereal bowl, milk glass, red silhouettes of Joe DiMaggio batting, Bob Feller pitching, other sports stars golfing and playing tennis, 1930s, $45.
- Brass gasoline-pump nozzle, working lever, made by Buckeye, dated 1926, 7 x 15 inches, $175.
- Old Soldier Tobacco pail, paper label over tin, Union Civil War soldier holding rifle, tan ground, Goodrich & Co., Milwaukee, 6 x 5 1/2 inches, $185.
- Phoenix Glass Co. vase, Wild Rose pattern, blooms and buds, coral pink wash over satin glass, 1933-36, 10 1/2 inches, $250.
- "Honey" baby doll, composition, molded blond hair, gray sleep eyes, chubby arms and legs, sheer pink dotted Swiss dress, bonnet, Acme Toy Co., circa 1928, 26 inches, $295.
- Cowan Pottery Sunbonnet Girl bookends, ivory glaze, impressed logo, 7 1/4 inches, pair, $485.
- Beatles "New Sound" toy guitar, plastic, cream and orange with four original strings, butterfly pegs, silkscreen image four Beatles, Selcol Industries, England, 1964, 23 inches, $495.
- World War II poster, "Defend Your Country, Enlist Now," Uncle Sam has thrown down his coat and top hat, rolling up his sleeves, 38 x 25 inches, $510.
- Victorian worktable, walnut, locking drawer, sliding sewing basket, porcelain casters, signed G.E. Fuller, circa 1870, 24 x 16 x 24 inches, $1,495.
New! Contemporary, modern and mid-century ceramics made since 1950 are among the hottest collectibles today. Our special report, "Kovels' Buyers' Guide to Modern Ceramics: Mid-Century to Contemporary" identifies important pottery by American and European makers. Includes more than 65 factories and 70 studio artists, each with a mark and dates. Works by major makers including Claude Conover, Guido Gambone, Lucie Rie, as well as potteries like Gustavsberg, Metlox and Sascha Brastoff, are shown in color photos. Find the "sleepers" at house sales and flea markets. Special Report, 2010, 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, 64 pp. Available only from Kovels. Order by phone at 800-303-1996; online at Kovels.com; or send $19.95 plus $4.95 postage and handling to Kovels, P.O. Box 22900, Beachwood, OH 44122.
3012 by Cowles Syndicate Inc.


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Discussions about the original MOTU & POP Mattel toy lines and Filmation cartoons; the 1987 MOTU live action movie; the 1989 He-Man toy line and Jetlag New Adventures cartoon; the 2001 Commemorative MOTU toy line; the 2002 MOTU toy line and Mike Young Productions cartoon; and, all related products from each era!
Post your polls about all the products and media related to He-Man and She-Ra from the years 1982 - 2007. Each user may only post one poll per week.
MOTU What was your favorite MOTU...
August 10, 2023, 07:55am
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T3 is one of the best today , it has been on the market for quite some time, however, it did not begin to be applied immediately in sports. Initially, Liothyronine (T3) preparations were produced for veterinary and even medical use, but over time, their properties were found out in sports, where today they are in good demand.
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CNN's Jim Acosta has been mockingly referring to Fox News as the "bullshit factory" as a criticism of their coverage of the aftermath of the 2020 election, including the Jan. 6 insurrection.
For 18 years we have been exposing Washington lies and untangling media deceit, but now Facebook is drowning us in an ocean of right wing lies. Please give a one-time or recurring donation, or buy a year's subscription for an ad-free experience. Thank you.


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POLICE IN OREM, Utah, say a man who thought he was getting a call from a burglar had actually gotten a call from… his dog.
Authorities in the community south of Salt Lake City say the man contacted police on Wednesday after he received a phone call from his home phone on his cellphone.
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Police went to the man's home, but didn't find anything missing or broken.
The man later called officers and told them he figured out the mystery. He said his dog had grabbed the home phone's receiver and apparently hit the redial button while burying it in the backyard.


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May 9th 2013
VANCOUVER, BC - The Keg Royalties Income Fund (the "Fund") (TSX:KEG.UN) today announced that its May 2013 distribution of $0.08 cents per unit has been declared and is payable to unitholders of record as at May 21, 2013. The May 2013 distribution will be paid on May 31, 2013.
The Fund is a limited purpose, open-ended trust established under the laws of Ontario. The Fund indirectly owns certain trademarks and other related intellectual property used by Keg Restaurants Ltd. ("KRL") in its Keg Steakhouses & Bars. In exchange for the use of those trademarks, KRL pays the Fund a royalty equal to 4% of the sales of all Keg restaurants in the royalty pool.
Vancouver-based Keg Restaurants Ltd. is the leading operator and franchisor of steakhouse restaurants in Canada and has a substantial presence in select regional markets in the United States. KRL continues to operate The Keg restaurant system and expand that system through the addition of both corporate and franchised Keg steakhouses. Keg Restaurants Ltd. has been named one of the "50 Best Employers in Canada" by Aon Hewitt for the past ten years. For more information on our brand visit www.kegsteakhouse.com.
Karyn Byrne
Investor Relations


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With the Bloomerie Fabrics 7-day price guarantee, you can receive store credit if something you purchased goes on sale within 7 days of your original purchase. Get complete details here.
© 2023 Bloomerie Fabrics. All images and text are copyrighted.


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Here ya go: get a load of the Gotham goodness:
Yep, it's all cake - vanilla cake, chocolate cake, and red velvet cake, to be precise. Don't you just want to gnaw off that water tower? Or is that just me?
Let's move in for a closer look, shall we?
See, now this is the stuff you never notice from a distance: there's an oil slick puddle on the side, and the trash bags are even shiny!
I'm starting to see why this took 12 days...
The water towers are wood-grained, and the "stone" is even chipped in places. Wowza.
I know you're going to find this hard to believe ('cuz I sure did), but the figures are also completely edible. Honest.
Who wouldn't want the whole set on their desk, though? Kinda makes you wonder if anyone had the heart to eat them...
If you want to see more of Elisa's work, you're in luck: her new book Confetti Cakes for Kids comes out in just a few weeks. Her cover cake is "monstrously" appropriate for this month, too:
UPDATE: Click here to watch the Batman cake being made!


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Contemporary carpet designs that are current and modern, reflecting new and diverse thematic, stylistic and colour orientation. The Contemporary rugs reflect geometrics, organics, abstract art, pop art, from the minimal to the bold and vibrant.
Heralding age-old design themes, these are handmade Indian carpets with classic patterns, telling stories with traditional symbolism, motifs and cohesive colour.
Design emotion at its best. A preview of the latest from our core collections, assembled in one page.
The collection of finest quality carpets can be custom made in any size, colour & material of your choice.
In the rich history of carpetmaking, the exquisite Persian rug serves not just as a crown jewel but also as a testament and keeper of millennia-old art and culture.
The grand mosaic of the cosmos comes alive through mesmerising geometry, awe-inspiring patterns, and a surreal play of tones.
9 designers, 9 countries. One Love, handcrafted.
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A curated collection of ten handmade carpets, an exclusive collaboration of 9 designers from 9 countries in 5 continents.
From brutalist concrete cubes to sky-scraping structures in steel, the world of urban architecture is an ever-continuous documentary of the human spirit.
At a time when Baroque art, with its serious and realistic themes, was prevalent in Europe, 18th century France witnessed the birth of a strikingly different art movement – Rococo.
Since ancient times, there has been a deep interest in forms that are considered to incorporate within their intrinsic relationships and geometric proportions. Geometry has existed in many design forms across centuries in all traditional civilizations.
A collection shrouded in secrets. An investigation into what could be hidden stories, with origins rooted in mythology and history. Unique tales, intricately hand knotted in viscose.
An unconventional dialogue between the individual and the space, expressed through the reinterpretation of typical form. A break in design tradition, exploring the paradox between the obvious and the hidden, altering the definition of a finite space, to make it about unusual possibilities. Contemporary visual simulations, hand tufted in 100% bamboo silk.
As the Earth is incomplete without minerals, so is your home without a soul! And, we believe that a carpet from our exclusive Mineralogy Collection "brings the entire house together" into a unified whole.
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Inspired by the golden age of French royalty of the 17th and the 18th century, the French Savonneries Collection is a befitting ode to the grandeur, glamour and class of the time.
Characterizing beauty and elegance, the Amberlynn collection of luxury carpets and rugs adds a new and exciting dimension to the interiors.
As the name suggests, the Urbane collection of fine handmade rugs is the epitome of sophistication and refinement best suited for your home.
It is said that the right carpet can bring together the different elements of space. Our Nouveau collection of modern carpets and rugs is just that.
A collection best described as 'beautiful transitional artwork for the floor', the Transient collection features designs that are imaginatively timeless and vibrantly elegant.
Inspired by the forgotten lands and as an ode to the days of yore, the Lost Heritage Collection blends distinct nuances of craftsmanship with whimsical design patterns to create a collection that is exceptional both in quality and beauty.
Dive into the opulence of Persian heritage with our rich and heirloom worthy Persian collection of hand knotted traditional carpets & rugs.
A carpet adds identity, ambience and beauty to the room it is laid in. And if it's a 3D carpet then the room not only looks stunning but also alive.


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Planet: Vesh: Vespucian Arm, Column G, Sector 06, Sub-Sector A, Level 01, 0204
"Welcome to my Traveller site; these maps and other graphics are only for playing Traveller/space type games. They are copyright and not to be used for other purposes."
Hi and welcome to my Traveller site ! Some GURPS Traveller, some classic Traveller. The planet maps are rather generic and can be used by any version of Traveller.
My other rpg sites below.
Planet: Vesh: Vespucian Arm, Column G, Sector 06, Sub-Sector A, Level 01, 0204
Categories Vespucian Arm, Column G
Privacy policy: I track IP addresses and pages looked at out of a vague curiosity to learn what pages are looked at on my site. After a set period,
this information is deleted. Nothing is permanently kept.
I came up with Starship Wanderer in 1970.
[ Copyright © by Jim, 1970-2050. All Rights Reserved.] [ Except where noted, and where copyrights are held by others. ]
The Traveller game in all forms is owned by Far Future Enterprises.
Copyright 1977 - 1998 Far Future Enterprises. Traveller is a registered trademark of Far Future Enterprises.
Far Future permits web sites and fanzines for this game, provided it contains this notice, that Far Future is notified,
and subject to a withdrawal of permission on 90 days notice. The contents of this site are for personal, non-commercial use
only. Any use of Far Future Enterprises\\\'\\\'s copyrighted material or trademarks anywhere on this web site and its files should not be viewed
as a challenge to those copyrights or trademarks. In addition, any program/articles/file on this site cannot
be republished or distributed without the consent of the author who contributed it.


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Small Rolo Necklace
A bright and substantial 14k gold filled or sterling silver rolo chain necklace with a 3 inch extension chain allows it to be worn at several different lengths.
This necklace is hand crafted using high quality materials. We only use 14k gold filled, and sterling silver which will not wear off ever.
Necklace will arrive in a gift box.
- Measurements : Select from dropdown, includes 3" extension chain.
- Materials : 14k gold filled or sterling silver.
- Cleaning and care : Clean with a polishing cloth, or by swishing in warm soapy water and buffing with a soft, dry cloth.
- Handmade in Brooklyn.
Orders ship via USPS 1-5 business days after payment is received. We ship orders Monday through Friday excluding major holidays, so if your order is placed on a weekend it will be processed the following week. Please understand that this time frame applies to *ALL SHIPPING METHODS* including Priority and Express Mail. In other words, your order will go out in the order in which it was received, regardless of your preferred shipping method, so please make sure you consider the ship-by date when placing an order you need to have expedited! Custom orders may take additional time to ship.
For more information regarding shipping please visit our FAQ Page
We will happily accept all non-custom items for store credit in the form of a gift card within 14 days of delivery. No cash refunds. Custom orders & solid gold pieces are final sale. To return an item, items must be unworn and in their original packaging in order for us to process your return. Returns that do not meet our policy will not be accepted and will be sent back to the customer. Customers are responsible for all shipping costs unless we made a mistake or the item arrives damaged.
Please understand that each product is made to order, and customers are responsible for measuring their rings and wrist size. Requests for resizing will incur a fee depending on the product.
For more information regarding our return policy please visit our FAQ Page


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About Brian Bateman
20 Years Providing Unbeatable SEO & Internet Marketing, Web Development & E-Commerce Consulting & Services.
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Wednesday, November 30, 2011
At Last (or Nearly So)
Anyway, onwards and upwards -- or pluen kaj supren, as they say in Lingua Terra. More on this once the book is available for sale, which I'm hoping should be sometime within the next few weeks.
38 comments:
I look forward to this with bated breath.ReplyDelete
Looks beautifulReplyDelete
For those of us who were not in on earlier editions could you give a the "hollywood short hand" summary? Is it like "Tootsie" in Ancient Rome with "Terminators"? Or is it like "Westside Story" in Middle Earth with "Aliens"?ReplyDelete
Thousand Suns is basically Poul Anderson and H. Beam Piper the Roleplaying Game, but with 21st century special effects. Does that help?ReplyDelete
Books that have huge teams of guys working on them still end up needing a page or two of errata. Just the way it goes. As long as it isn't like OD&D and have a thing in a paragraph that glaringly contridicts something in the previous paragraph, there should be no shame in whatever fumbles that pop up eventually.ReplyDelete
I don't say this about many gaming products, especially the Sci Fi ones, but yeah that is one really good looking cover. Kind of reminds me of a textbook cover from a higher math book, but those are often nifty looking so no big.
Look forward to reading it. Will it be available on DriveThru RPG?ReplyDelete
Congrats! I can't wait to read it.ReplyDelete
Dude! I LOVE that cover! It's reminiscent of the piles of old 70's era sci-fi books that were in my Dad's stacks in the basement. The old Herberts, Asimovs, and Simaks. Just on that fact alone, I am tempted.ReplyDelete
Alcazar: Yes, as a PDF, softcover POD, and hardcover POD.ReplyDelete
Imfamous: Well, the first thing I did when designing the cover was download the covers to almost every single title that James lists in the bibliography, and then I went "goddamn, I still love how Futura looks." ;-)
The cover is super awesome. The first name that came to me was Asimov.ReplyDelete
I've seen the previous editions of this game before, but since I already have a bookshelf full of SF games I ignored it. With a new edition coming out, I think I'll pick up a copy and have a look-see.ReplyDelete
That cover is totally wicked.ReplyDelete
Will be watching for its arrival at my FLGS.ReplyDelete
Will be watching for its arrival at my FLGS.ReplyDelete
For the moment, the rulebook isn't going into regular distribution but will be available through RPGNow and DriveThruRPG, as bot a print and electronic product. Given how small an operation I am -- one man -- distribution isn't really something I'm concerning myself with. In the future, who knows?
It won't be arriving at your FLGS.ReplyDelete
If I can do Legend of the Galactic Heroes, I'm sold.ReplyDelete
Sounds like i'll need to revive my moribund RPGnow account.ReplyDelete
I love the cover. The contemporary green-and white actually reminds me of Traveller without actually being Traveller. Well done; looking forward to this. ;)ReplyDelete
It's a good looking book, though. I hope it does really well!ReplyDelete
While I do love Stars Without Number, this cover is much less garish... it makes me think of a green-screen computer vid display. Kind of calming and cool. Definitely '70s SF.ReplyDelete
Definitely '70s SF.ReplyDelete
It makes me happy to hear you say that, as that era of SF was a big part of the game's inspiration.
Congratulations, James! Does this mean that the hitherto-"coming soon" Grognardia Games will finally have a little substance as an entity? I see the logo on the back cover...ReplyDelete
Does this mean that the hitherto-"coming soon" Grognardia Games will finally have a little substance as an entity?ReplyDelete
It'll have as much substance as one guy d/b/a can have, but yes :)
As a huge fan, GM and player with many hours into the original version of TS, I can assure anyone who is even slightly interested in this game that it will be well worth the purchase. The biggest issue I had with the original was the layout, so I expect the additional time and Adam's contribution will take this game to "11". Thousand.ReplyDelete
"Traveller without actually being Traveller" is very much what this game is to me. Updated with modern gaming sensibilities, without the luggage of The Third Imperium. I also highly recommend "Thousand Suns: Starships" by Greg Videll and James, if you can track down a hardcopy. AFAIK, nothing in TS:Revised has made it obsolete, and it is an excellent blend of crunch and fluff for this genre. I've been re-reading it over the past week and cannot wait to start running this game again.
AFAIK, nothing in TS:Revised has made it obsolete, and it is an excellent blend of crunch and fluff for this genre.ReplyDelete
That's correct. The Starships chapter of the revised rulebook was in fact largely written by Greg and is simply a simplified version of the rules presented in the Starships rulebook. I should also add that the new rulebook is 90%+ identical to the original in terms of content; the primary difference is its layout and organization, including lots of new artwork. So, if you have the original, there's really no necessity to buy the revision, though, speaking for myself, I can't stand to look at the 2008 version and will be very happy to be rid of it.
I should also add that the new rulebook is 90%+ identical to the original in terms of content; the primary difference is its layout and organization, including lots of new artwork.ReplyDelete
So, there's little in the way of game mechanic revision in this version? Mainly an update of trade dress?
So, there's little in the way of game mechanic revision in this version? Mainly an update of trade dress?ReplyDelete
Mostly, yes. The rules have been tightened up a bit (particularly with regard to psi powers) and better explained, but they're fundamentally the same rules as the original. I don't like new editions that aren't mostly backward compatible with their predecessors and the original Thousand Suns was perfectly fine as a ruleset, even if, as a rulebook, it was less than ideal.
Looking forward to it.ReplyDelete
Have to admit I'm on the fence reading the cover( maybe it's the green) but I dig the hell out of the Grognardia Games logo. Very cool.ReplyDelete
Well, I like the in your face green cover. Conveys a certain mood. Hope it matches the contents, eh!ReplyDelete
That cover looks all kinds of 70s sci-fi awesome. And I love the Grognardia Games logo too! It's up there with the original Brave Halfling logo that was all kinds of cool as well. Is it Cafe Press time?ReplyDelete
Is it Cafe Press time?ReplyDelete
For what?
I presume he wants a T-shirt based on your new cover art, or GG logo, or both.ReplyDelete
Cafe Press is analogous to Lulu.com or other print on demand services but for print on demand logos on hats, shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads etc. Just a suggestion.ReplyDelete
Love the cover, love the GREEN!ReplyDelete
I'm a big fan of that colour with the white font. I can't wait to get my hands on that book.
So, no Lulu, just RPGNow/DriveThrough ?
So, no Lulu, just RPGNow/DriveThrough ?ReplyDelete
For the moment, yes. If I find there's sufficient demand for Lulu, I may make that option available, too.
Based on differing print costs, a sale on Lulu is worth five bucks less to James than a DriveThruRPG.com sale.ReplyDelete
(Napkin numbers)
Tempting, very tempting. And knowing Adam's in the game (Hi, brat!), I'm sure this will be a great looking book.ReplyDelete


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The Friends of the Central Library spring book sale will feature thousands of books, magazines, CDs records, DVDs, and VHS tapes all at bargain prices. You'll also find many materials in Spanish.
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Gently used donations of books, CDs, etc. are gladly accepted at Central Library throughout the year. Tax receipts are available. All proceeds support services and resources provided by Central Library to the public.
For more information contact Don Dwiggins or call 703-3019.


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A word of warning; if you use openlog() to ready syslog() and your Apache threads accept multiple requests, you *must* call closelog() if Apache's error log is configured to write to syslog. Failure to do so will cause Apache's error log to write to whatever facility/ident was used in openlog.
Example, in httpd.conf you have:
ErrorLog syslog:local7
and in php you do:
openlog("myprogram", 0, LOG_LOCAL0);
syslog("My syslog message");
From here on out, this Apache thread will write ErrorLog to local0 and under the process name "myprogram" and not httpd! Calling closelog() will fix this.


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By Stuart Boardman, KPN
On Wednesday, April 25 at The Open Group Cannes Conference, we have a whole stream of sessions that will discuss Cloud Computing. There's a whole bunch of interesting presentations on the program but one of the things that struck me in particular is how many of them are dealing with Cloud as an ecosystem. As a member of The Open Group's Cloud Work Group, this is not a huge surprise for me (we do tell each other what we're working on!), but it also happens to be a major preoccupation of mine at the moment, so I tend to notice occurrences of the word "ecosystem" or of related concepts. Outside of The Open Group in the wider Enterprise Architecture community, there's more and more being written about ecosystems. The topic was the focus of my last Open Group blog .
On Wednesday, you'll hear Boeing's TJ Virdi and Kevin Sevigny with Conexiam Solutions talking about ecosystems in the context of Cloud and TOGAF. They'll be talking about "how the Cloud Ecosystem impacts Enterprise Architecture," which will include "an overview of how to use TOGAF to develop an Enterprise Architecture for the Cloud ecosystem." This work comes out of the Using TOGAF for Cloud Ecosystem project (TOGAF-CE), which they co-chair. Capgemini's Mark Skilton kicks off the day with a session called "Selecting and Delivering Successful Cloud Products and Services." If you're wondering what that has to do with ecosystems, Mark pointed out to me that "the ecosystem in that sense is business technology dynamics and the structural, trust models that…." – well I won't spoil it – come along and hear a nice business take on the subject. In fact, I wonder who on that Wednesday won't be talking in one way or another about ecosystems. Take a look at the agenda for yourself.
By the way, apart from the TOGAF-CE project, several other current Open Group projects deal with ecosystems. The Cloud Interaction Ecosystem Language (CIEL) project is developing a visual language for Cloud ecosystems and then there's the Cloud Interoperability and Portability project, which inevitably has to concern itself with ecosystems. So it's clearly a significant concept for people to be thinking about.
In my own presentation I'll be zooming in on Social Business as a Cloud-like phenomenon. "What has that to do with Cloud?" you might be asking. Well quite a lot actually. Technologically most social business tools have a Cloud delivery model. But far more importantly a social business involves interaction across parties who may not have any formal relationship (e.g. provider to not-yet customer or to potential partner) or where the formal aspect of their relationship doesn't include the social business part (e.g. engaging a customer in a co-creation initiative). In some forms it's really an extended enterprise. So even if there were no computing involved, the relationship has the same Cloud-like, loosely coupled, service oriented nature. And of course there is a lot of information technology involved. Moreover, most of the interaction takes place over Internet- based services. In a successful social business these will not be the proprietary services of the enterprise but the public services of one or more market leading provider, because that's where your customers and partners interact. Or to put it another way, you don't engage your customers by making them come to you but by going to them.
I don't want to stretch this too far. The point here is not to insist that Social Business is a form of Cloud but rather that they have comparable types of ecosystem and that they are therefore amenable to similar analysis methods. There are of course essential parts of Cloud that are purely the business of the provider and are quite irrelevant to the ecosystem (the ecosystem only cares about what they deliver). Interestingly one can't really say that about social business – that really is all about the ecosystem. It may not matter whether we think the IT underlying social business is really Cloud computing but it most certainly is part of the ecosystem.
In my presentation, I'll be looking at techniques we can use to help us understand what's going on in an ecosystem and how changes in one place can have unexpected effects elsewhere – if we don't understand it properly. My focus is one part of the whole body of work that needs to be done. There is work being done on how we can capture the essence of a Cloud ecosystem (CIEL). There is work being done on how we can use TOGAF to help us describe the architecture of a Cloud ecosystem (TOGAF-CE). There is work being done on how to model ecosystem behavior in general (me and others). And there's work being done in many places on how ecosystem participants can interoperate. At some point we'll need to bring all this together but for now, as long as we all keep talking to each other, each of the focus areas will enrich the others. In fact I think it's too early to try to construct some kind of grand unified theory out of it all. We'd just produce something overly complex that no one knew how to use. I hope that TOGAF Next will give us a home for some of this – not in core TOGAF but as part of the overall guidance – because enterprises are more and more drawn into and dependent upon their surrounding ecosystems and have an increasing need to understand them. And Cloud is accelerating that process.
You can expect a lot of interesting insights on Wednesday, April 25. Come along and please challenge the presenters, because we too have a lot to learn.
Stuart Boardman is a Senior Business Consultant with KPN where he co-leads the Enterprise Architecture practice as well as the Cloud Computing solutions group. He is co-lead of The Open Group Cloud Computing Work Group's Security for the Cloud and SOA project and a founding member of both The Open Group Cloud Computing Work Group and The Open Group SOA Work Group. Stuart is the author of publications by the Information Security Platform (PvIB) in The Netherlands and of his previous employer, CGI. He is a frequent speaker at conferences on the topics of Cloud, SOA, and Identity.


text:
shipping and delivery
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Pink Pines
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per item
All art prints are handmade by J.J. in his studio using an Epson Stylus Pro 3880 printer with ultra-chrome pigmented inks on 100% archival glossy photo paper. The prints come matted on acid free white mat board with the artist's signature in the bottom right hand corner. All art prints are packaged in air tight archival plastic sleeves with sturdy backing board to prevent bending when shipped. All art prints are ready to frame.


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Liver Function Tests
What are some of the most common liver function tests?
A series of special blood tests can often determine whether or not the liver is functioning properly. These tests can also distinguish between acute and chronic liver disorders and between hepatitis and cholestasis.
The most commonly performed blood tests include the following:
- Serum bilirubin test: This test measures the levels of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is produced by the liver and is excreted in the bile. Elevated levels of bilirubin may indicate an obstruction of bile flow or a problem in the processing of bile by the liver.
- Serum albumin test: This test is used to measure the level of albumin (a protein in the blood) and aides in the diagnosis of liver disease.
- Serum alkaline phosphatase test: This test is used to measure the level of alkaline phosphatase (an enzyme) in the blood. Alkaline phosphatase is found in many tissues, with the highest concentrations in the liver, biliary tract, and bone. This test may be performed to assess liver functioning and to detect liver lesions that may cause biliary obstruction, such as tumors or abscesses.
- Serum aminotransferases (transaminases): This enzyme is released from damaged liver cells.
- Prothrombin time (PTT) test: The prothrombin time test measures how long it takes for blood to clot. Blood clotting requires vitamin K and a protein that is made by the liver. Prolonged clotting may indicate liver disease or other deficiencies in specific clotting factors.
- Alanine transaminase (ALT) test: This test measures the level of alanine aminotransferase (an enzyme found predominantly in the liver) that is released into the bloodstream after acute liver cell damage. This test may be performed to assess liver function, and/or to evaluate treatment of acute liver disease, such as hepatitis.
- Aspartate transaminase (AST) test: This test measures the level of aspartate transaminase (an enzyme that is found in the liver, kidneys, pancreas, heart, skeletal muscle, and red blood cells) that is released into the bloodstream after liver or heart problems.
- Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase test: This test measures the level of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (an enzyme that is produced in the liver, pancreas, and biliary tract). This test is often performed to assess liver function, to provide information about liver diseases, and to detect alcohol ingestion.
- Lactic dehydrogenase test: This test can detect tissue damage and aides in the diagnosis of liver disease. Lactic dehydrogenase is a type of protein (also called an isoenzyme) that is involved in the body's metabolic process.
- 5'-nucleotidase test: This test measures the levels of 5'- nucleotidase (an enzyme specific to the liver). The 5'- nucleotidase level is elevated in persons with liver diseases, especially those diseases associated with cholestasis (disruption in the formation of, or obstruction in the flow of bile).
- Alpha-fetoprotein test: Alpha-fetoprotein (a specific blood protein) is produced by fetal tissue and by tumors. This test may be performed to monitor the effectiveness of therapy in certain cancers, such as hepatomas.
- Mitochondrial antibodies test: The presence of these antibodies can indicate primary biliary cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis, and certain other autoimmune disorders.
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The Brothers
Elin Høyland
Dewi Lewis Publishing
Norwegian photographer Elin Høyland has captured a moment in time. Fascinated by two brothers, Harald and Mathias Ramen living in rural Norway, she photographed them, documenting a way of life that is all but on the brink of extinction.
Harald and Mathias (75 and 80 years old respectively) had always lived on the small farm in which they were born. Rarely venturing out, only once to Oslo and another time to Lillehammer, the brothers lived solitary lives, even saying once that "TV took up too much time." They filled their days by chopping wood and feeding the birds. Høyland has captured and documented a spectrum of emotions through this collection, and as Gerry Badger notes in his introduction, much like Anders Petersen and JH Engström's project From Back Home (2009) there is a concentration on rural Sweden, but a wider commentary about disappearance of rural life.
This book requires time; the images are emotive, and Harald and Mathias' story is moving. Høyland shot with sensitivity and realism – you'll return to this book, and the narrative will grip you.
Cherie Federico