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A New Generation of Intelligence: National Security and Surveillance in the Age of AI
Engaging in open debate will be crucial for the UK Intelligence Community to gain public trust regarding the use of artificial intelligence for national security purposes.
Speaking on the record to an invited audience at RUSI on 21 January 2019, GCHQ Deputy Director for Strategic Policy Paul Killworth described how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have the potential to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of various intelligence functions. However, these capabilities bring with them complex legal and ethical considerations, and there is a strong public expectation that the UK's intelligence agencies will act in a way that protects citizens' rights and freedoms.
The national security community has expressed a desire to engage in a more open dialogue on these issues, with Killworth stressing that 'it is absolutely essential that we have the debates around AI and machine learning in the national security space that will deliver the answers and approaches that will give us public consent'. However, it may prove difficult to provide sufficient reassurances to the public concerning national security uses of AI, due to understandably high levels of sensitivity.
Public acceptance of intelligence agencies' use of technology is driven by two conflicting sentiments. On the one hand, there is a high expectation that the national security community will protect citizens from threats to their safety, and adopt new methods that may allow them to do this more effectively. On the other hand, the public expects the agencies to adapt and innovate while protecting citizens' rights and freedoms. Achieving this balance is a major challenge for those in the national security community, particularly at a time of such considerable technological change.
The Obligation to Innovate
It is clear why AI is an attractive prospect for a signals intelligence (SIGINT) agency. Machine learning has already revolutionised many sectors of the economy, and for many organisations the use of algorithms has become essential for the efficient extraction of meaningful insights from ever-expanding, disparate data sets. Similarly, the volume, velocity and complexity of digital data that the UK's security and intelligence agencies (SIAs) are now required to process is far beyond the capacity of human analysts alone.
Moreover, the SIAs have a legal and societal duty to protect the public from national security threats, and a reluctance to adopt new methods that may allow them to do this more effectively could be perceived to be a failure to fulfil this duty. As Killworth said at the RUSI event, 'either we adapt to start using new techniques, or we become irrelevant'.
This 'obligation to innovate' is driven by two main factors. First, SIGINT agencies face a problem of 'information overload': while intelligence gathering capabilities have progressed considerably in recent years, technology to effectively process and analyse collected data has arguably failed to keep pace. The second consideration is the rapidly evolving nature of the threat landscape. The UK continues to face serious national security threats from a range of sources, and the SIAs' use of new technology will be crucial to ensure they are able to keep pace with innovation in their adversaries' capabilities.
Killworth explained that 'within an organisation like GCHQ, there is a potential to use machine learning and AI to improve our operational outcomes. We can tackle these large problems and potentially deliver intelligence and security solutions to help keep the UK safe, in ways which we couldn't do before'. Drawing on the example of the UK's 'active cyber defence' system, he explained how 'defending UK cyber security systems can be done in new ways using AI and machine learning, and in the future we will almost certainly have to do this, to keep up with the challenges we face. I can't believe that we will be doing the active cyber defence work we do today in the future, without greater use of AI.'
The challenge ahead lies in ensuring that future technological innovation takes place within a clearly defined regulatory framework that gives the public reassurances that individual rights are being respected, while acknowledging that specific capabilities must remain secret.
Public Expectations of Privacy
Public attention is increasingly focused on the governance and regulation of data analytics. With the implementation of the Data Protection Act 2018 (which transposes into UK law the EU General Data Protection Regulation [GDPR]), consumers are now more aware than ever before of how personal data is collected and processed. The use of AI for national security purposes is likely to prove particularly controversial, given the potential intrusions of privacy and violations of civil liberties. Existing surveillance legislation, such as the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, does not impose AI-specific restrictions or safeguards, and many will likely question whether existing regulation is sufficient to account for the agencies' use of AI.
This shift in public expectations is well recognised by GCHQ, with Killworth explaining how 'we've got a society that has more robust expectations around human rights, public safety, transparency, scrutiny. There's a challenge for intelligence officers like myself to explain and justify how we're doing that in a way that perhaps previous generations never had to.'
However, while surveillance technology is often presented in dystopian terms, many national security uses of AI may not be as controversial as some might expect. In particular, it is important to note that AI has the potential to minimise potential privacy intrusions, by reducing the volume of personal data that needs to be reviewed by human analysts.
Either way, engaging in open debate will be essential for GCHQ to maintain public trust. Killworth described how 'what we learned from Edward Snowden as an organisation was that when we're dealing with technology, when we're dealing with new ways of carrying out operations, it is absolutely essential that we engage with wider society, civil society, academia, interest groups, technologists'. He added that 'if we don't have those debates we don't have trust. If we don't have trust, ultimately we won't have the laws and powers that enable us to conduct our business'.
This sentiment was echoed by Lord Evans, former Director General of the Security Service (MI5), who re-iterated at the RUSI event that 'ultimately our national security depends upon the ability of the agencies and the police to win the operational battles with the terrorists and spies, but they can only do that with political and public consent.'
It is inevitable that certain groups and demographics will oppose all surveillance policy 'by default', due to differences in political or ideological beliefs. But by engaging in a more transparent and open dialogue regarding uses of new technology and expectations of privacy, the national security community may be able to gain the trust and consent necessary to enable them to continue operating effectively in a rapidly changing world.
Alexander Babuta is a Research Fellow in National Security Studies at RUSI. His research focuses on policing, intelligence and technology.
The views expressed in this Commentary are the author's, and do not represent those of RUSI or any other institution.


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You've never heard Disney like this: the sampled sounds of Snow White remixed, reshuffled, and refitted into a soaring trip-hop beat. And wait until you hear Harry Potter.
Meet Microsoft's New Surface Laptops
The tunes are compliments of Pogo, who's also responsible for that Dexter music video from a few weeks back. The artist known as Pogo composed many of these works under contract with Disney, and is only just now able to share his masterpiece patchworks with the rest of us.
There are many, many more of these over at his website. And if you need any more reason to check it out, I'll leave you with the incomparable Toyz Noize. It's bliss.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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and they are bursting at the seams with
gorgeous fabrics, you know it is going to be a good day. A very good day indeed.
Gorgeous choices - I am not surprised you had a great day.ReplyDelete
So jealous!! xx enjoy..cant wait to see what you make with them...xxReplyDelete
Beautiful choices and a very good day indeed!ReplyDelete
I want that parcel. Beautiful!ReplyDelete
Looks like a beautiful parcel to recieve. As always when I see people's fabric, I'm now off to spend some (or lots of) pennies.ReplyDelete
I'm waiting for a fat parcel from fabricworm myself! No better way to start the day :)ReplyDelete
talk about a great way to start your dayReplyDelete
That would definately be the perfect way to start the day!ReplyDelete
I was so excited when I got my AMH. I would say it is my favorite AMH fabric ever, but that would be lying because all of her fabric is just so fabulous and I never get tired of it.ReplyDelete
Funny-I think I received the same parcel!!!!ReplyDelete
Mmmmm...I love those!ReplyDelete
Mmm, I think I'd just want to admire and stroke them for a while before cutting! LOL What a great day indeed!ReplyDelete
Do you buy your fabrics on line? I love getting parcels in the mailReplyDelete
I am dieing here!! My fabric diet is seriously at risk.ReplyDelete
Beautiful. I bet you were jumping for joy :)
I only wish I were half as fast as you are. (OK, I admit it, I'd be happy with 1/10 as fast!)
Woo hoooo! That is a great start to a day! Happy happy!ReplyDelete
beautiful...don't you just love mr. postman?? :D specially when you're expecting something special such as these :DReplyDelete
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! I really appreciate it.
Comments are published after review.
Feel free to ask questions and I will answer either here or by email, as is appropriate.


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1932 Ford Coupe - Having It All
A Coupe With Hot Rod Attitude and Sports Car Class
Related Video
Just the Facts
Year: 1932
Make: Ford
Model: Three-Window Coupe
Owner: Curt Pindler
State: California
Who knows what hobby Curt Pindler would be pursuing today if his father hadn't instilled in him a passion for cars. His dad's weekend activities were simple—washing his cars to keep them looking good and turning wrenches to keep them running right and getting Curt involved. "I helped him install an odometer on his 1950 Ford coupe, and he taught me how to drive a three-speed stick when I was 11," Curt remembers.
Before he was able to afford fast cars, Curt was riding fast motorcycles—street bikes such as Triumphs and BSAs at first, followed by dirt bikes for racing. When he was 20, he bought a 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster for $2,000 that he restored and owned for 14 years. That was followed by other European sports cars and several early Corvettes. If it has wheels, and was built for performance, Curt's a fan. His current diverse collection includes Porsches, Shelbys, Ferraris, race bikes, and a street rod: this 1932 coupe. The common denominators are style, engineering, and a high proportion of fun.
Since his high school years, Curt has dreamed of owning a chopped, full-fendered 1932 three-window coupe. In recent years, he's admired the work of the award-winning builder Larry Boughter at Fab Garage in Tempe, Arizona. When Curt contacted Boughter, they started making plans for building the coupe of Curt's dreams. They started from scratch with a repro body and aftermarket parts to create a hot rod that was an exact fit for its owner's taste. The finished car features beautiful design and extraordinary workmanship—like the sports cars in Curt's collection. And underneath all that excellence is a surprisingly simple hot rod with no non-essential extras.
As with all of Larry Boughter's projects to date, this one started with a Brookville body. The coupe body was delivered to Hot Rods By Dean in Phoenix for a traditional top chop. Jonathan Williams sliced 3-1/2 inches out of the front and 3 out of the rear, just the right amount to give the three-window an unmistakable hot rod character. The A-pillars were leaned back as a result, streamlining the profile of the coupe. A roof was finished with a steel insert. The front and rear bumpers are reproductions, as are the door and decklid handles. A Vintque Inc. side mirror was mounted on the driver side A-pillar.
A coat of shiny black can be as dignified as a tuxedo jacket or as defiant as a motorcycle jacket. You can decide for yourself which attitude is represented by Curt's coupe. The metalwork and paint prep was handled at Hot Rods By Dean, where painter Chris Walker shot PPG paint over the flawless sheetmetal.
This tire-and-wheel combination fits right between old-time skinny bias-plies and the modern low-profile trend. American Racing Torq-Thrusts have become as timelessly classic as Ray-Ban sunglasses, Chuck Taylor sneakers, and (for that matter) 1932 coupes. It takes a lot of rubber to fill up those Deuce fenders, but these 255/70R15 and 155/70R15 BFGoodrich Radial T/As fit just right.
The body rides on a repro 1932 frame also from Brookville. The 'rails are fully boxed and have been strengthened with a Brookville center X-member and front and rear crossmembers. Panhard bars were added at both ends as well. A Magnum drilled I-beam axle is dropped 5 inches, contributing to the classic hot rod stance. Hairpins and batwings were supplied by SO-CAL Speed Shop. Posies leaf springs and Bilstein shocks in the front and rear help smooth out the ride. The ladder bar rear includes a Ford 9-inch loaded with 3.70:1 gears and a Tru-Trac limited-slip differential.
The Chevy crate small-block is finished in varying degrees of shine from chrome to polished to satin. The engine is a Chevrolet Performance ZZ4 350 equipped with Fast Burn aluminum cylinder heads, capable of 385 hp. A 750-cfi Demon carb on a Chevy high-rise intake provides fuel and air, lit by a Chevy HEI ignition. Exhaust is drawn out by Sanderson headers, with Jet-Hot coated 2-1/2-inch pipes running to a pair of Flowmaster mufflers. The five-speed TREMEC TKO 600 transmission is equipped with a McLeod Racing clutch, flywheel, and disc. Curt goes through the gears via a 16-inch Lokar shifter.
The car's blend of elegance and simplicity is probably best displayed on the inside, where noted interior designer Ron Mangus used dark tan leather to cover the Glide Engineering seat. The leather extends to the custom door panels, rear panels, and headliner. Functions are monitored with a complete set of blackface Bomber gauges from Classic Instruments. Black leather wraps the banjo steering wheel from The Wheel Shoppe. The column and column drop are from LimeWorks; the stainless shaft connects to a Vega box.
The coupe was newly finished when it won its class at the 2010 Grand National Roadster Show. We gave it a STREET RODDER Top 100 pick at a Goodguys event in Scottsdale later that year. We hadn't seen it around much after that, but had been in contact with Boughter, who pointed us toward Curt. Earlier this year, owner, builder, photographer, and coupe all finally managed to be on the same country road at the same time in order to get these shots of Curt's elegant but simple dream car.
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April 24, 2016 in Uncategorized
When I knocked on the door to a strange house in the middle of the Negev desert, I was an emotionally and spiritually shattered woman. With my little girl In tow, I was unsure of each step I took. All I knew at the time was that "The Ark in the Negev" was known to be a safe place of refuge and I was desperate.
I already had a rooting in the knowledge of Yeshua/Jesus, however my image of Him was more than a little corrupt. In my mind G-d was not a loving father who sent His only begotten son because He loved me. No, I understood Him as an abusive father, full of revenge because I was bad and deserved His wrath.
I had lived a life of constant chaos nearly every moment of my existence. I wanted so much to be free from the inner inflictions that had been plaguing my existence, but I did not even know how to ask, or who to ask. I desired safety and stability for me and my child, but I was positive that was something that would always be just beyond my grasp.
My situation in life seemed hopeless. Was I doomed to float like a fickle feather from place to place, starving, broken, sad and alone, dragging my child through her childhood years barely surviving? Not on my life! Definitely not on hers!
In the beginning I struggled to grasp onto this lifeline that the Lord had put in front of me, "The Ark," a place of refuge. I knew only enough to pray, even when all I saw was just a shred of light inside me. The amazing staff at the Ark banded around me and held my arms up when they became too heavy for me alone. I was encouraged and uplifted and yes, when necessary, reprimanded in a loving way. It is in this home where I received true deliverance.
I can honestly say that I know what it is like to be spiritually and emotionally shattered and then by the shear grace and pure love of G-d, I was snatched from the inner pits of hell where I had been suffering. I can still remember the moment that the Lord breathed life into me. I was no longer a shattered mirror of myself, I was whole! I became a whole woman in that moment. It is amazing how not just one life was changed this way, but two!
In my darkest hours, I was surrounded by amazing staff who prayed with me. When at my wits end as a mother, I was encouraged. And while physically broken, I can smile because I still feel whole. The staff at the Ark in the Negev are a light in the dark. They ignited a spark in me, and fed my desire to become free by pointing me in the right direction, to the one true King.
As I phase out of this program and my year finishes, I have only fond thoughts of my time here. From the time spent on my knees in tearful prayer, to the overwhelming joy that I feel as I watch my child as she thrives! I want to give back to this amazing cause. To think that I can help other women that are where I was spiritually and emotionally, means that every struggle, every single bit of brokenness that I suffered in my life, was worth it. I will remain with this amazing organization. I am joyfully looking forward to letting the Lord use me for His great name.
I am free, I am whole, and I have a wonderful relationship with my loving father in Heaven. My child and I are not merely surviving anymore, we are thriving!
I am surrounded by love. The staff have taught me more than words can even begin to describe. I have learned to walk with my Lord and savior Yeshua. What could be a better testimony than that?
I thank each and every person that has helped the Ark in the Negev exist and all those that support this place and places like this.
Written by one of the women at the Ark in the Negev


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SEJournal Online is the digital news magazine of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Learn more about SEJournal Online, including submission, subscription and advertising information.
By Sept. 28, 2011, EPA and the US Dept. of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) say they will jointly release proposed standards designed to significantly increase fuel mileage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars, light trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles in model years 2017-2025. The standards are being coordinated with the state of California. A final rule is scheduled to be issued by July 31, 2012.
- Supplemental Notice of Intent, Summary, July 29, 2011.
- Supplemental Notice of Intent, Federal Register, Aug. 9, 2011.
- EPA: Transportation and Climate, Regulations and Standards.
- NHTSA: CAFE — Fuel Economy.
The new standards are expected to build on efforts made to develop similar standards for model years 2012-2016, finalized May 7, 2010.
- Final Rulemaking: Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards.
In light of President Obama's recent decision to stop development of another major EPA regulation — setting a more stringent standard for ground-level ozone — it remains uncertain whether the vehicle regulations will proceed on schedule. However, some observers say this regulation might advance because the vehicle industry generally supports it. Among those who are currently saying they will be cooperative are BMW, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, and Toyota. For their letters of qualified support, and those of others, including the California Air Resources Board, see:
- Transportation and Climate; Regulations and Standards, Light Duty Regulations, Commitment Letters.
Among other sources for possible comment are:
- International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), press release, July 29, 2011.
- Natural Resources Defense Council: Grasping Green Car Technology; July 28, 2011, press release.
- Sierra Club: Green Cars, Fuels, and Transportation for the 21st Century; press release, July 29, 2011.
- National Wildlife Federation: Promoting Clean Transportation; press release, July 28, 2011.


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Michal Migurski's notebook, listening post, and soapbox. Subscribe to this blog. Check out the rest of my site as well.
May 6, 2005 7:52am
allegorical web design
Mboffin posted an animation showing the development of a basic web log in the form of a stream of screenshots. It's a 900k GIF, coincidentally the same dimensions as the monochrome monitor of my first computer.
My first impression is that it's a disarmingly simple demonstration of standards-based web design that explains the process better than any book or advocacy project ever did. It approaches Jon Udell's Heavy Metal Umlaut movie in communicative density and progressive unveiling of an idea.
The animation starts with a blank page, and a title: "Site Name." The process of constructing a website framework in this way and the mode of presentation feels like a handy metaphor for a few larger trends in current development for the web (more later).
Site content is slowly added. The page is built from the information up, a radical departure from the html terrorism of the bad old days. New chunks of content are added using obviously semantic markup: headers, unordered lists, plain paragraphs. When I was designing for the web before 2000 or so, I would start at the other end: sketch out a site design, build up a comp in Illustrator and Photoshop, decide where the table cut lines would need to be, and then work out the tedious process of pixel arithmetic GIF slicing. Flexibility had to be considered and planned for. Change was expensive.
Visual design comes next, and proceeds according to the internal logic of the box model. It's worth noticing that at this point in Mboffin's animation, work on the HTML effectively stops, and all effort moves to the style sheets. Previously generated chunks of content are grouped into columns and moved about the page, with backgrounds and borders adjusted. CSS is uniquely well-suited to this sort of incremental play and parameter adjustment, and closely matches Malcom McCullough's understanding of craft as an activity which requires both skill (planning, foresight) and feedback (responsiveness, flexibility). It provides a language that simultanesouly supports generalizations (e.g., "make all the borders red, and give them 10 pixels of space on the left") and specificity ("...except this one").
The final appearance is unmistakably now, from the image-header to the centered dual-column box and subtle gradients. I love the way in which it was approached as a loose pattern with cumulative refinements, rather than a rigidly pixel-specified Photoshop comp.
This particular approach to simplicity feels like an idea that is currently hitting its stride in web development circles, expressed through the mantra of "release early, release often". This example starts from the core of an idea, the textual content of the website. Other examples include event-sharing services and junk-management fads that focus narrowly on a single primary goal, short stories to the sprawling novels of 2001's obsession with content management behemoths. It will be fun to participate in the aggregation of all these porous mini-services into a loosely-coupled "emergent Internet operating system" over the next few years.
May 6, 2005 12:10am
sequence freakiness
To be pedantic, we should have done the five-oh-five tequila shots at 5am.


text:
hello, my italian friend
114 comments:
100% in love with the marriage of this fabric, pattern & piping. And the rock concert interior.
And honestly - this is the lazy pos in me - but the back is, well, in the back, which means you don't have to look at it. So it's easier to ignore :) Plus, that fabric is shiny & colorful & textured and kind of makes everything look like an optical illusion amirite.Replies
optical illusion-- yep. that's what i kept telling myself when the front waist looked wonky too :)Delete
Okay I see absolutely nuthin' wrong with this stunning dress! You definitely tamed that brocade into submission and in the process created a beautiful dress!ReplyDelete
Awwwwww, I thought this post was about me (because I'm not self-centered at all)!!!ReplyDelete
I'll forgive you just because this dress is ridiculously gorgeous, you did wonders with this fabric (inside and outside). Those bias binding finishes are the perfect touch! Oh, and who cares about the back, the front is gorgeous enough to hide a little imperfection!Replies
- AnonymousJuly 11, 2012 at 6:30 PM
oh HA paunnet!!!! you are my way more gorgeous italian friend!!! (just don't tell the dress, she's the jealous type.)Delete
AHAHAHHA, I'll forgive you now! :DDelete
Mind. Blown! You've outdone yourself, Dear. And I mean that in the best possible sense! I'm so very inspired by this. The fabric, the craftswomanship, the attention to detail, the everything!! YOWZA! I need to step up my game, Dude. You raised the bar. (...and the roof! har har har)ReplyDeleteReplies
well thank you so much rochelle! come on over, bring miss lucille and your new hazel and we'll really raise the roof...Delete
That fabric is STUNNING! And it's so perfect for that design! You are working it!ReplyDeleteReplies
truly a compliment from the queen of working it :)))Delete
Wow Oona. You look fantastic. Cali and that fabric obviously agree with you.ReplyDelete
Sometimes our greatest fears force us to reveal our best selves.Replies
cali was confused by the technicolor pixie by the side of the road. taking pictures was almost more scary than the fabric!Delete
What an amazing dress with great details. I love this pattern and I'm very impressed with how great it looks on the inside, as well.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 11, 2012 at 5:03 PM
wow wow wow!!! gorgeous creation Oona, and totally you! The back thing is so very minor, think nothing of it. I have a dress with an upside down waist band (curved band, it matters), and you know what, sometimes it's just not worth the effort to fix ;) hehe, damn straight I wear it anyway! Love your dress and all it's inner and outer guts.ReplyDeleteReplies
ack, i once inserted a waistband the wrong way THREE TIMES on a dress. on the third go, i just left it as is. i want to see yours, linky linky?Delete
- AnonymousJuly 11, 2012 at 5:25 PM
Fabulous fabric! That colour is stunning on you, and I wouldn't worry about the back. Change it next time! :DReplyDeleteReplies
I am 100 percent in love with your finishing technique. Wow.ReplyDelete
Oh geez, that is friggin' amazing! I was having my own fabric nightmares (sewing fabric with sequins the size of dimes) but I think yours takes the cake. And wins at everything. And is just all out awesome.ReplyDeleteReplies
couldn't you just see skating in this?! excited to see your mammoth sequins...Delete
Beautiful, Oona! Is there anything you cannot do? It's STUNNING!ReplyDelete
Your dress is so gorgeous in every sense of the word. I love it!ReplyDelete
Mmmm, shiny purple awesomeness! The pink is the icing on the cake- well played :DReplyDeleteReplies
that pink, i almost lined every edge with it and then decided i might look like a coloring book!Delete
This is incredibly fabulous. The interior is the bee's stripes!!ReplyDeleteReplies
from you that's couture honey :)Delete
- AnonymousJuly 11, 2012 at 6:32 PM
This looks amaaaaaaaaaaaaazing! You and the fancy fabric seem to be getting along famously! Watch out, you-- I fear this is how one develops Champagne Taste!!ReplyDelete
Also... have you had your hair done? Either way it's looking fab!Replies
i'll tell ya, alls i want now is caviar and foie gras. mmmmm... foie gras.....Delete
What a stunning dress.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 11, 2012 at 6:48 PM
Nice, nice, nice! Also bees knees because the back of the knee (technically the tibia but hey, the ancients weren't very bright so give 'em a break yea?) is where the pollen comb is- they brush off the pollen from their bodies and compact it into a little pollen basket on the leg. It's very cute. XDReplyDeleteReplies
see, this is fascinating, and SO much more fun to hear it from you than google it.Delete
LOVE! All of it. Fabric, fit, piping, finishing = amazing.ReplyDelete
What a sassy little dress on you! Lurv that fabric!ReplyDeleteReplies
i feel sassy in it:) so long as i don't look over my shoulder!Delete
ohmygod it's so pretty! I really like that pattern too, one of my favorite dresses is from it.ReplyDeleteReplies
i remember, the first time i made this dress (a year ago) i combed your posts about it! love yours :)Delete
OOOOOHHHHH OOOOOONNNNNAAAAA........... I can't stop gushing over this dress. You're going to be one dangerous woman in this Italian brocade!ReplyDeleteReplies
ah thank you! i likes to be dangerous. maybe i need a wee hot pink knife stashed in a garter belt.Delete
- AnonymousJuly 11, 2012 at 7:53 PM
Oh wow. So pretty! I'm in awe of your fabulousness. Always.ReplyDeleteReplies
thank you so much tiffany!Delete
Ya done our fabric proud. Textile mills in Italy are saluting you.ReplyDeleteReplies
teehee, hopefully with some grappa! thank you :)Delete
This dress is flippin' A fabulous...'nuff said. :-)ReplyDelete
Well done!!!ReplyDelete
Wow that is some of the most amazing fabric I have ever laid eyes on! I definitely have to check out this fabric website (although part of me says thats a really dangerous idea)!ReplyDelete
I would live with back too, minor on top of the fact that all your stitching would of been a real bummer to rip out!
If you ever don't want that dress let me know ha ha!!!Replies
oh you gotta go see the brocades. just imagine them lit up like they're got their own light source in real life.Delete
(step away from the dress. watch it!)
OMG lady! That dress is GORGEOUS!!!ReplyDelete
Oooh, la, look at you! Fabulous! I love her guts, too. Even with the itty bitty thing at the back, she's freakin' AWESOME! (And a better fit than my new vintage dress, and I still feel pretty Bomb in that!)ReplyDelete
There's something about really awesome fabric, isn't there? :)Replies
yeah, and that something is dangerous...Delete
I was sitting here, reading your post, and wondering "WTH? Why is she complaining? All I see in the back is the ferpectly matched piping and that AWESOME detail at the waistline (comes to a gently sloping V - nice unexpected design tweak!)..."ReplyDelete
I never saw the original pattern, so what would I know? I thought your dress was the BA-BOMB, especially considering that you didn't have your muslin here with you!Replies
that "gently sloping V" as a design tweak is EXACTLY what i told myself as i stomped away. of course, burdastyle never shows you the backside of the model, so i don't know if i should blame them or me... i'm gonna go with THEM.Delete
That is a stunning dress and the workmanship is superb. You should feel really proud of yourself, Oonaballoona! I'm with Meg - you've done that fabric proud.ReplyDeleteReplies
thank you karen! i have to say i enjoyed working on the insides. WHO AM I.Delete
- AnonymousJuly 12, 2012 at 2:06 AM
Just Awesome!ReplyDelete
This is all I have to say :)Replies
then i have to say thankya!Delete
I love this dress! Love the fabric and piping too! Nice job... fear not the brocade.ReplyDeleteReplies
the brocade, she is your friend.... and the insides are so soft!Delete
Heheh. The insides are like TRON (1982 version). Wrong Kong Tron.ReplyDelete
Seriously DO NOT sweat the back. We sewists get so obsessed with getting rid of every tiny wrinkle. You look amazing as always :o)Replies
WRONG KNOG TRON. i hate you!Delete
Goodness that dress is fantastic. Have you seen the not-as-nice dress for a squillion dollars on net-a-porter? Yours is much nicer. That designer didn't think to include piping, and it's plainer and sadder for it. http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/316773ReplyDeleteReplies
oh my god, that seriously looks like this exact fabric. and i had my hands on the gold at one point!Delete
F*CK OFF THIS IS AWESOME. That brocade is to die for and something only a very small handful of people in the world can pull off. You, my love, are that handful. Love everything about this and was all oohy and aahy and then I SAW THE INSIDES. You make me want to be a better woman Oona. At least where my seam finishing is concerned. Hall of famer, right here.ReplyDeleteReplies
YOU MADE ME SPIT TAKE. for realz.Delete
Oona, did you watch the first ep of Proj Run yet? I think that wacky Japanese kid used the same fabric in a different colour.... is that possible?Delete
i. STILL. haven't seen it!!!! gaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! it's entirely possible... mood has this in many shades and it was tough picking just one.Delete
Freaking fantastic!! This whole dress is its own rock concert! I'm simply amazed by you and your taming of the glittery two-toned beautiful beast! Do you want to wear it inside out? I'd want to wear it inside out...ReplyDelete
That dress is FIERCE! And it looks amazing on you. I didn't notice any mistakes at all, so it's only you who knows.ReplyDeleteReplies
i am indeed my own worst critic. unfortunately i have a VERY big mouth.Delete
That fabric is insanity. I love it! And pleather piping? You've got to be kidding me. This dress is definitely the bee's wings.ReplyDeleteReplies
thanks girl! i giggled when i first saw the insanity in real life. that's a sure sign i'm sold.Delete
- AnonymousJuly 12, 2012 at 11:43 AM
OH MY GOLLY, this is the most amazing thing I've seen in....a long time! The fabric, piping, finish, everything! So the back is a teeny bit imperfect -- so what?? Do you know how many RTW dresses I've seen that fit way worse than that? Pfft, you and your dress are rock stars!ReplyDeleteReplies
thank you!! i tried to console myself with RTW poor fits (and have you seen the burdastyle model shot for this? egads.)Delete
I like it! I think it came out great.ReplyDelete
Seriously- I'd be wearing it inside out and forcing people to touch my seams. That is amazing and lovely! You are like a sexy piped space gator!ReplyDeleteReplies
aw hellz yeah i might rename this space gator.Delete
Your dress is absolutely beautiful. The inside....Just as gorgeous as the outside.ReplyDeleteReplies
thank you! i'm really trying to make it all pretty lately.Delete
Wow is all I can say, the inside really is a rock concert! You are a commendable seamstress, you have serious skills girl!ReplyDeleteReplies
teehee! thank you angela!Delete
Wowsers Oona, you are killing it, you're killing me. Love this too bits. Oona the awesome.ReplyDeleteReplies
if i kill the awesome Kazz, i have done my job.Delete
Rock concert interior for a rockstar lady who's...well, rocking it! I love this combination of colors, the pleather piping, and how it reminds me slightly of dinosaur skin in the best possible way. And like others have said, you don't need to see the back. Out of sight, out of mind!ReplyDeleteReplies
teehee, thank you superhero cationess!Delete
I know I always call you a rock star, but now the inside of your dress is totes ROCK CONCERT. LOVE everything about this, especially the colors - you are rocking the multi-color textured wonder of this dress and I applaud you 100%.ReplyDeleteReplies
i thought you might like that rock concert bit :)))Delete
Quite a fabric, that. Just the dress for it, too. Wrong Kong, ha! Do you bratty brag about your sewing around Ruggy, or is it just happening online?ReplyDeleteReplies
oh my goodness YES. i holler about my sewing prowess CONSTANTLY to ruggy. maybe that's why i temper it by telling him what i do badly?Delete
ok, i'm speechless this time.. i blow me away with this, lovely oona..ReplyDeleteReplies
knocked off my chair by your maxi dress, so we are even steven....Delete
Wow, is that snakeskin brocade? Amazing. You are a really beautiful lady. Have I said that before? Seriously. It's a wonderful dress, just wonderfully wonderful. You look really wild AND regal in this.ReplyDeleteReplies
yeeeeeah, snakeskin! mood has it in Every. Color.Delete
Damn, that is one fine dress! I've been eyeing this pattern at Burdastyle, trying to figure out if I could use some horizontal stripe fabric I bought from EmmaOneSock way back and play with with the direction of the stripes. Love love what you did with this! Piping still tends to make me swoon!ReplyDeleteReplies
oooh, this would be so fun in stripe!Delete
This is beautiful!!! Super striking on you. And le guts are so beautiful you could get away wearing this inside out (I think a dress should be designed to incorporate this finish on the outside!). Too bad a hong kong finish sounds like something dirty you get in chinatown...definitely wrong kong:)ReplyDeleteReplies
why thankya miss fish.Delete
i spit my coffee out over the whole chinatown bit.
AMAZING! The inside looks as glorious as the outside. I am digging your choice of piping. The fabric is as beautiful as you describe and the pattern you choose for it is Perfect! I LOVE IT!ReplyDelete
Oh my goodness. You and your dress are amazing - it looks fantastic!ReplyDelete
this dress really looks great - outside and inside! soooo cool!ReplyDelete
i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!


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During my stay in Istanbul over the past five days, it occurred to me that taking a stroll along the city's popular Istiklal Street is something that never gets old.
This three-kilometer long, pedestrian-only avenue on the European side of the city acts as the heart of the shopping/entertainment/nightlife district of Beyoglu, with an endless variety of both local and international stores, bookshops, cafes, restaurants, meyhane, food stalls, chestnut vendors, bakeries, bars, clubs, shisha cafes, tea houses and so much more lining both the street itself as well as the dozens of tiny lanes that branch off on both sides.
And the other night, as I found myself in Taksim Square, which lies at one end of Istiklal Street in Istanbul, I thought that you might be interested in joining me for a walk through this area…
(Warning: This is actually more of a sprint than a walk!)
*For those reading this post as an email, you'll need to click here and visit my site to view the video. It's not possible to embed the videos in the email unfortunately.
Have you been to Istiklal Street in Istanbul? Have you been to Istanbul in general? Is it on your list of places to visit?


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Hello, my name is Rachel, and I am 31, will be 32 in 2 weeks.
I have been suffering from this medical condition, which I believe to be Cushing's Syndrome, Adrenal Fatigue, or Pheochromocytoma, or maybe a mixture of all 3. I have had this for around 16 years, maybe longer, as I have had the classic "buffalo hump" on the back of my neck since I was 9 years old and have always had trouble with my weight. I have been on many diets since mid-childhood.
When I was around 13, I discovered a weight loss supplement, which I diligently took and lost 20 pounds over a 2-year period. I felt the best I have ever felt my entire life. I eventually had to stop taking it, though, due to not being allowed to bring any meds or supplements to my high school. I was not totally thin, but I looked pretty good. But during that first year of high school, my insomnia returned, and the rest of my symptoms started to emerge.
Autumn 1999 (when I was 14): I started getting daily headaches. Sometimes, they were minor, where I could ignore them, and other times they were so debilitating that I had to miss school. Because I wasn't allowed to bring medication to school, I had to take Ibuprofen every morning as a preventative.
Autumn 2000: I suddenly gained 20 pounds in one month without changing anything in my diet. The fat was especially much around my face, neck, and torso.
Spring 2001: I developed fatigue, loss of concentration or "spacey-ness", and being easily physically and mentally drained. I lost contact with many of my neighborhood friends, since I avoided lengthy times spent with them, and sometimes wouldn't be when them at all because of not having enough energy.
Autumn 2001: Thinking I had hypothyroidism, I had my first doctor's appointment over these symptoms, especially of the weight gain that was getting worse. Nothing showed up in tests, and the doctor wanted to put me on a 900 calorie diet. I never went back.
Summer 2002: My menstrual cycles became irregular, skipping sometimes 2 or 3 months at a time. Finally, they stopped altogether. I also gained another 20 pounds that upcoming school semester (16 weeks).
Summer 2003: I went to another doctor. She put me on birth control pills to get my menstrual cycles back. It helped a little, but they were very light with severe cramping. I gained an additional 20 pounds from the birth control pills and did not feel good. Once I got off of them, my menstruation stopped again, and I never lost those 20 pounds.
Autumn 2003: I went to another doctor from the University of Chicago. He tested various hormones and found that my androgen levels (mainly testosterone) were so high that it was off the charts. He thought that I might have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, so he entered me in several studies he was conducting for people with PCOS. I was given several test medications and had more tests done testing insulin resistance, glucose tolerance, and other things. Nothing came up positive. During that time, I also had an ultrasound done on my ovaries to check for cysts. Nothing showed up. After other tests were done, he concluded that I did not have PCOS, and that I might actually have Cushing's Syndrome. I couldn't go back to him, though, as his regular appointments without the studies were really costly. This whole time of the studies lasted till summer of 2004.
I also gained an additional 30 pounds during this time.
>My symptoms of fatigue and loss of concentration continued to worsen, so I had to become a part time student to avoid exhaustion with classes. I felt my worst usually starting around 1 or 2pm, and lasting till around 5pm.
Summer 2005: Diarrhea started abruptly and has been continuing ever since. A year later, I had discovered that caffeine could cause it, so I got off of all caffeine, which alleviated it for a few months. However, it returned shortly after, blossoming into 3 different kinds and becoming worse and more frequent over the years. I used to have it only at night, but now, I have it in the morning as well, and some at night, and sometimes some in the afternoon. I can have even 5 or more bouts of it a day, which makes it difficult for me in any public place. It slows me down in the mornings (as I sometimes have to spend an hour in the restroom) and often makes me late for things.
2006-2010: I have gone to many doctors over this time, each one testing my cortisol, TSH, T3 and T4, testosterone, DHEA, progesterone, and insulin levels, and each one coming up with nothing abnormal except high testosterone.
Spring 2009: I developed a candida skin infection that has been reoccurring since then. Antifungals do not take it away, only antibiotic ointments. However, even the antibiotic ointments do not take it completely away, as it keeps reoccurring and showing discoloration in spots where it had been previously.
Spring 2010: Episodes of light-headedness, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate started appearing, ranging anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour in duration. They would come completely at random, sometimes 3 or more times a week, and sometimes not for several months.
2011: I developed slow motility, where it takes hours for my meals to digest. This made it hard for me to get to bed at a normal bedtime like 10pm, since I couldn't lie down without getting horribly nauseous. This also affected my diarrhea, making it where I have to push to make it come out, since my intestines do not contract much to squeeze it out or they contract very slowly.
Summer and Autumn 2011: I went to 2 doctors in New York who also tested my cortisol levels and catecholamine levels to test for pheocromocytoma, which all came out normal. I also had an MRI done on my brain to check for growths on my pituitary gland. Nothing showed up with that, either. I also went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. My results in those tests also were all normal, and no diagnosis was made.
Spring 2012: My menstruation returned to regular monthly cycles.
Winter/Spring 2013: I suddenly started to become sensitive to cold, so winter became almost unbearable for me. This cold sensitivity has been increasing every year thereafter. Even temperatures in the 60-degree Fahrenheit range make me feel chilled and forced me to dress in double and triple layers of clothing.
Also, around this time, my fatigue reached a new level of severity, making my "dead" time duration between 12pm-6pm.
Spring 2014: My menstrual cycles suddenly changed again, where I had constant menstruation for over 3 months.
2015: My fatigue, again, worsened, making me so tired that I could fall asleep throughout the afternoon and most of the evening. This extreme tiredness would come especially shortly after I would eat a meal, particularly in the midday. This made studying for my classes very difficult and time consuming, since I was so slow.
I also started to notice I could feel a small lump on my upper left side, just below my ribcage. This lump started out the size of a golf ball and has increased to the size of a baseball. It makes me feel nauseous if it's pressed on with little pressure and hurts when it's pressed on hard.
My menstrual cycles became irregular again and have stayed that way ever since.
Spring 2016: After getting nowhere with endocrinologists, I went to see a gastroenterologist because of my diarrhea and lump. A CAT scan was done of my abdominal area showing nothing abnormal. In fact, the space where the lump should be in the pictures just shows empty blackness, no organs or growths whatsoever.
Over the course of these years, I have done a lot of my own research and have noticed that my symptoms all match 3 possible conditions: Cushing's Syndrome, Adrenal Fatigue, and Pheocromocytoma. I am wondering if all these three conditions can coexist in the same body. I know that Cushing's results from a growth on either the pituitary gland or the adrenal cortex of the adrenal gland, making the adrenal gland produce too much cortisol.
I also know that pheocromocytoma results from a growth on the medulla of the adrenal gland, producing high levels of catecholamines, which, for some reason, does not always show up in a blood test. And I know that adrenal fatigue results when the adrenal glands become exhausted from constantly producing high levels of cortisol during stress that lasts over a long period of time, so they don't produce enough. So could it be that I have a growth on one of my adrenal glands that extends from the adrenal cortex into the adrenal medulla, causing the symptoms of Cushing's and pheocromocytoma, while my other adrenal gland has adrenal fatigue? That would make sense why nothing shows up on the tests, because one adrenal gland is producing too much cortisol, and the other is not producing enough. So the two would cancel each other out, yet I could still experience symptoms.
I have gone to 12 doctors over these 16 years, and not a one has ever come up with a diagnosis or even cared about investigating the cause. They resist doing further testing and evaluating, because nothing shows up in the initial blood and urine tests. They don't even believe me and think that it must be depression or that I am just making it all up. I have been criticized, rebuked, and laughed at by them. I even had a doctor chuckle as he told me, "You better get your periods back or you could get cancer of the uterus". I have run out of doctors and have basically given up hope.
So where I am right now, spring 2017: My symptoms have gotten so bad that I am almost debilitated. Every day, I always wake up feeling just as tired as I did the night before. No matter how much sleep I get, I do not feel rejuvenated whatsoever. This makes it impossible for me to get up before noon, so often times, I am just eating breakfast/lunch around 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I have no energy all day long, and the fatigue makes me unable to do much of anything during the times I am awake. Most of the time, I feel like I am moving in slow motion, because time seems to pass by so quickly. I have to take frequent breaks from mental or physical tasks just to regain some strength and energy. I try to avoid social events, as I don't have the energy to be with people and get easily stressed and drained. So I am alone much of the time. I can only take one class per semester in college now, as I don't have enough energy to study.
I have acquired muscle weakness in my arms, hands and legs, that makes it incredibly difficult, and sometimes painful, to go up and down stairs, along with doing the process of going from sitting to standing or vise-versa. I appear as "lazy" since I can't even get up from my chair to get something that is just a few feet away from me. The muscle weakness in my arms and hands makes it difficult to even do handwriting.
My memory if often foggy, also making studying difficult, as I can't remember what I am reading. Many times, if a friend asks me what I have done during the last few days, I can't remember. I can experience a fun event, and I still will forget and have to force myself to think about what it was. I feel like in a fog all day.
Almost every day, I will wake up with a headache, or I will get one over the course of the day. I have to take painkillers, such as Alleve, everyday just to keep my headaches under control. And sometimes, my headaches are so bad that they debilitate me. With those kinds of headaches, taking up to 12 Alleve in one day will not take them away.
Painful diarrhea keeps me in the restroom sometimes up to an hour or longer with each bout. I have to eat my evening meal earlier and earlier, so I don't have to sit up late waiting for it to digest. I even have to keep from lying down for over an hour after drinking just water.
My immune system is also impaired, so I can get sick easily and have reoccurring candida infections. Colds and the flu hit me hard, often debilitating me for weeks. I take vitamin D3 to enhance my immune system to not get sick as often, since I have to ride the train and bus going to and from school. I have also acquired more allergies over these years. My nose has gotten really sensitive to perfumes and fragrances. I never used to be allergic to animals, but now, I can't even go into a house that has pets without getting a bad sore throat and runny nose for 3 days after. And in general, I have noticed my lungs and nasal passages are producing more mucous, so I have to keep coughing and blowing my nose frequently, or I get a sore throat.
My menstrual cycles are very light and almost non-existent. I haven't had one since January, and it's now the beginning of April.
I am now 100 pounds overweight and can't lose it, even with the same weight loss supplement I took before my first year of high school. The majority of the fat is around my face, neck, and torso, with some now accumulating on my upper arms and upper legs and pale purple stretch marks on my belly and upper arms. I have the typical fat distribution and appearance of Cushing's Syndrome.
I still get the episodes where I experience a rapid heart rate, light-headedness, and shortness of breath. During those times, I have to breathe harder and just stop whatever I am doing. I have even almost felt like passing out at times.
I will be graduating in 4 weeks and am very afraid, as I don't know how I will handle the stress and demands of a full time job, especially if I have to interact with people. I have very few friends, and half of my own family doesn't believe me when I talk about my condition. I feel ugly and boring and have become very depressed. Is there ANYONE IN THE WORLD who will help me??? I hope someone (like a doctor perhaps) will read this bio of mine, and have compassion in their heart and be eager to help me.
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Exploding through a $100,000 funding goal on Indiegogo in less than two hours, the Scanadu Scout is a medical gadget that allows users to measure their vital signs and send that data to their smartphone. Conceptually similar to the fictional tricorder issued to medical Starfleet officers in the Star Trek series, the Scanadu Scout can provide measurements of a user's heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, respiratory rate and oxygen levels in the blood. This data is transferred to an Android or iOS smartphone wirelessly over Bluetooth 4.0.
In order to use the Scanadu Scout, the user simply holds the device to their forehead for ten seconds in order to take a reading. Assuming a user tracks their vitals each day, that data could be extremely helpful for a medical professional when something more serious happens.
It could also be useful when attempting to improve overall health by adding regular exercise and healthier eating habits to a daily routine. Users could track improvements in their vitals over time as they make an attempt to get in better overall shape.
Regarding battery life, the Scanadu Scout can be used a few times a day for approximately one week before requiring a recharge. The device simply plugs into any USB port or USB electrical plug using the included micro-USB cable. The device can be cleaned using a disinfecting wipe or moist towel. However, the Scout isn't waterproof.
Within the promotional video, Scanadu CEO Walter de Brouwer mentioned that the idea for the Scout came to him after his own son spent extensive time in the hospital. Brouwer kept a close eye on the machines monitoring his son's vitals during the recuperation process. After his son started getting better, Brouwer wished he could continue checking the vitals on his own in order to make sure his son's condition remained stable. The Scanadu Scout puts all that data in the palm of a user's hand, definitely ideal for other parents that want to monitor vitals of a sick child.
The team developing the Scanadu Scout is hoping that early backers will want to participate in public data collection in order to help the FDA approval process along. Ideally, the team is seeking "over-the-counter, consumer-grade diagnostic tool" approval from the FDA.
This simply means the FDA would find the device isn't harmful to users and will be used for research purposes only. Outside of the United States, the Scanadu Scout could be extremely useful in impoverished countries when medical equipment isn't readily available.
There are a multitude of contribution levels on the Indiegogo project page, but the base price to get started with the Scout is $199. There are also bulk options for families as well. The Scanadu Scout will be manufactured within the United States and the estimated delivery date of the device is currently March 2014. At this time, the development team has raised over a quarter of a million dollars with thirty days still left in the campaign. As with all projects on Indiegogo and Kickstarter, be aware that manufacturing issues could delay the delivery date of the device.


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You may need insurance…or you may only need reassurance. Either way, it's smart to talk with an experienced, knowledgeable professional.
So why not talk to an agent at New York Life? There's no cost or obligation. Simply click here.


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Bevin sorry for cockfighting speech
Kentucky GOP Senate hopeful Matt Bevin has apologized for giving a speech at a cockfighting rally after receiving backlash from his primary opponent Mitch McConnell and others.
Bevin issued a statement on Friday apologizing for his appearance at the event, but said that he isn't and has never been a supporter of any form of animal cruelty, including cockfighting.
"I am genuinely sorry that my attendance at an event which, other than my comments, appears to have primarily involved a discussion of cockfighting, has created concern on the part of many Kentucky voters," Bevin said in a statement. "I understand that concern.
"I am not and have never been, a supporter of cockfighting or any other forms of animal cruelty."
The Kentucky Republican's statement did not address whether he was previously aware that the event was a cockfighting rally before or during his appearance, a notable omission because of accusations from the McConnell camp that Bevin lied about his appearance. Bevin has said that he didn't know he was speaking at a cockfighting rally after the video surfaced of his speech at the gathering.
McConnell, the Senate minority leader, accused his primary challenger earlier Friday of lying about his participation at the rally, citing a local news report that shows Bevin being asked directly about cockfighting.
"Matt Bevin's cockfighting episode will go down in history as one of the most disqualifying moments in Kentucky political history," McConnell spokeswoman Allison Moore said in a statement. "Twenty years from now, we will all remember the time when the East Coast con-man thought so little of Kentuckians that he pathologically lied to us about absolutely everything until an undercover camera caught him red-handed at a cockfighting rally."
According to a local news report broadcast Thursday, Bevin appeared as the second speaker at a March 29 rally on cockfighting. According to the report, the first speaker referred to the rally as being for the "sole purpose of legalizing gamecock fight at the state level."
The McConnell release quotes a local news report in which Bevin said, "I was the first person to speak and then I left."
Cockfighting is illegal in Kentucky.
According to the report, Bevin did not mention cockfighting in his speech, but was asked a direct question after his remarks about legalizing cockfighting. In response to that question, Bevin said, "I support the people Kentucky exercising their right because it is our right to decide what it is we want to do and not the federal government's. Criminalizing behavior, if it's part of the heritage of this state, is in my opinion a bad idea."
After his appearance, Bevin said he didn't know it was a cockfighting rally. "When I spoke, obviously I was there to talk about why I'm running for U.S. Senate."
When the interviewer mentioned the speech on cockfighting before his remarks, Bevin said he didn't remember the earlier speech talking about cockfighting and was thinking about his own remarks.


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Identity area
Reference code
- 1796-1887 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1.6 metres
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Founded under the will of John Anderson (1726-1796), Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Glasgow, Anderson's (or the Andersonian) Institution was established in 1796. The intention was to establish four faculties, of Arts, Medicine, Law and Theology, though Law and Theology were never founded. Courses in chemistry, natural philosophy, mathematics and other scientific subjects, together with English, rhetoric, music and art were offered. In keeping with John Anderson's views, classes were offered for the mechanics of the city. Among the early professors were eminent men such as Thomas Garnett, George Birkbeck and Thomas Graham. In 1828 the institution changed its name to Anderson's University and in 1877 it changed again to Anderson's College, as it lacked a royal warrant to function as a university.
An important part of the institution (founded in 1799) was Anderson's Medical School, of which David Livingstone was perhaps the most famous alumnus. In 1887, the Medical School became an independent institution, and it eventually merged with the University of Glasgow Medical Faculty in 1947.
Anderson's College merged with other institutions in 1887 to become the main component in the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records relating to governance; constitutional and legal records; annual reports; calendars; class and lecture advertisements, programmes and syllabuses; class admission tickets; subscription lists; financial records; draft contract relating to property in John Street; student records; library and museum records; lectures.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English


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Facebook's F8 Developer Conference just days away but the social network has already debuted a new "smarter" News Feed.
For a couple of years now, Facebook has had a two-tabbed News Feed, one with "Top Stories," or updates Facebook thought you'd be interested in (based on your browsing history), while the other tab had the "Most Recent" updates. Facebook has apparently decided to get rid of this two-tabbed interface and integrate users' Top Stories and Most Recent Stories in one big, smart, News Feed.
Now when you log in to Facebook, you'll see a smart News Feed with all of your updates — both the "important" and recent ones — in one place. Facebook will still try to determine which stories will most interest you, and will highlight these "top stories" with a pale blue corner.
Facebook says that the top stories will depend on how long it's been since you've logged into Facebook. In other words, if you haven't visited the site in awhile, your top stories may not be extremely recent (rather, Facebook will try to give you an overview of the important stuff that happened when you were gone). But if you just logged in five minutes ago, your top stories will probably all have happened within the last five minutes.
According to Facebook's Updates to News Feed FAQ page, top stories are determined based on a number of factors. These factors include your relationship to the person posting the update, how many comments and likes the update receives, and what type of update it is. You can still hide updates if you think they're boring or spammy (even if they are from your best friend) by hovering over them and clicking the drop-down menu. This menu gives you the option of hiding the story, hiding all posts by that person, and reporting the story as (real) spam.
Facebook's new News Feed has only been live for a few hours, but people are already voicing their annoyance on PCWorld's Facebook page.
"I don't like this update because now it's a bit more confusing to find recent updates," says PCWorld reader Devon Tourond. "I do like the new update they added to the top of the page, now I can scroll through the page and the header follows me."
"FB should have a simple toggle function between 'recent stories' and 'top stories,' " says PCWorld reader Anthony Nozzi. "Better yet, they should enable a user to prioritize their news feeds by assigning a ranking score to each particular page that provides the news feeds. That way, a user can control which pages get the highest priority in providing news feeds."
Facebook's also added a real-time feed in the upper-right corner of the page. Some readers are concerned that this will adversely affect their privacy, but as far as I can see the updates in the box will not share more than can normally be found on a person's private profile page.


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A man who attended Langley's D.W. Poppy Secondary was part of the Thai cave rescue of 12 boys and their coach.
Erik Brown is working as a diving instructor for Team Blue Immersion, a technical diving school in Egypt that he co-founded.
He was among a group of international divers who took part in the rescue.
Several Thai navy divers along with British divers and other international divers, more than a dozen in all, were part of the complicated rescue that took several days. The mission began June 23. On June 24, rescue teams found the bags and sandals of the boys deep within the caves that started flooding. On June 25, officials start pumping water out of the caves but had still not reached the boys.
The teen boys and their coach were trapped for days underground before the first rescuers got to them on July 2. The next day Thai Navy SEALs take food, fresh water and blankets to the boys and provided the first photos to their families and the world.
Experts worked to figure out how to rescue them.
Starting July 8, 18 divers entered the caves and 11 hours later emerged with the first of four boys. Four more are extracted July 9 with the rest safely brought out July 10.


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A network of shaded and open lozenge, one of the main female symbols in Berber design
Our rugs are handmade from natural wool. For this reason, there will be natural differences in the patterns and colours. We believe these to be beautiful features of the artisan's handwoven work, making each rug one-of-a-kind. Whilst we try our best, wool can shrink and so sizes may also vary by 2-10cm
Don't want tassels? A distinctive characteristic of traditional Moroccan rugs are their tassels on just one side. You have the option to remove these, should you prefer. Tassel length is approximately 10-15cm
All of our rugs are handmade to order. Woven by hand in the Atlas Mountains and then washed and hung to dry in the Moroccan air. Our current lead times are 6-12 weeks. For rug orders larger than 9x12ft, please allow for an extra two weeks
What is your returns policy?
Due to our rugs being made to order we are unable to accept returns. We highly recommend ordering a sample patch before placing your order to ensure you are happy with the quality of the wool as well as the colour options. Please ensure measurements, colours and design are correct before purchasing
Am I able to cancel my order?
Our custom rug orders are generally put into production 24 hrs after receipt of your order. We are therefore only able to cancel, change and refund custom orders up until 24hrs after purchase
What if I'm unhappy with my order?
We want you to be happy with your rug and really hope that does not happen. We are available to answer any questions you may have before placing your order


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Request Edit
Do you have a guide to editing courses?
If you have questions about editing a course please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com
How do I plot a tee or the green center marker?
You can either double click on the map where you want the marker, or drag an existing marker to the spot if it is already plotted.
Where are all of the tee types?
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How To Talk To Black People In Eight Easy Lessons
Today's column is presented as a public service.
It is for serious politicians both Democratic and Republican — and also for Donald Trump. The urgent need for this service has been painfully obvious for many years and never more so than today. So, let's get right to it. This is: How to Talk to Black People in Eight Easy Lessons.
1. Go where we are.
You'd think that pretty obvious. Then you remember Trump purporting to speak to black people whilst addressing audiences whose aggregate melanin wouldn't fill a Dixie cup.
2. Don't act as if going where we are requires machetes and a supply line.
"Some have said that I'm either brave or crazy to be here," Republican Sen. Rand Paul once told a black audience. He said this at Howard University, which is about 15 minutes from the White House. They have cell service there and everything.
3. Stop confusing the NAACP with the Nation of Islam.
Donald Trump recently snubbed an invitation to address the venerable civil rights group. Bob Dole once did, too, claiming they were trying to "set me up." Right. Because the NAACP has such a long history of incendiary rhetoric. As one of its founders, the great scholar W.E.B. DuBois, never really said, "I'm 'bout to bust a cap on these honkies if they don't give me my freedom."
4. Don't use Ebonics unless you are fluent.
I still have nightmares about Hillary Clinton crying out, "I don't feel no ways tired" in that black church in Selma. Stick to Ivorybonics. Most of us are bilingual.
5. Don't make a CP time joke unless you are a CP.
When candidate Obama sauntered onstage about 15 minutes after the start time of a black journalists' event and quipped, "I want to apologize for being a little bit late — but you guys keep on asking whether I'm black enough," it was cool and funny. When Bill de Blasio joked in a scripted exchange with Hillary Clinton about running on "CP Time" — "cautious politician time" — it was, well, not.
6. Don't make a slavery joke, period.
Joe Biden once warned a black audience that Republicans are "going to put y'all back in chains." Can you imagine him warning a Jewish crowd how the GOP is "going to put y'all back in the gas chambers"? Can you imagine how offensive that would be?
7. Don't talk to the black people in your head.
This is what Donald Trump was doing when he told black people they lived in the suburbs of hell and had nothing to lose by voting for him. He was speaking, not to black people, but to black people as he imagines them to be, based on lurid media imagery and zero actual experience. In this, he was much like Bill O'Reilly, in whose world black folks all have tattoos on their foreheads.
8. Know what you don't know.
"I'm here to learn," said Trump at a black church in Detroit a few days ago. It was a powerful expression of humility — or would have been, had it been said by someone who wasn't an OG of the birther movement, a serial re-tweeter of supremacist filth and the star of David Duke's bromantic fantasies. Still, he had the right idea. Politicians too often purport to lecture us about us without having the faintest idea who we even are.
The truth is, How to Talk to Black People isn't all that difficult.
The candidate who wants African-American support should pretend black folks are experts on our own issues and experiences — because we are. He should learn those issues, tap that experience, formulate some thoughtful ideas in response. Then he should do what he would for anyone else:
Ask for our vote. Tell us what he'd do if he got it.
(Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, Fla., 33132. Readers may contact him via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.)
Photo: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attends a church service, in Detroit, Michigan, September 3, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri


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All too often, food manufacturers grow so large that their products become nothing more than numbers; Objects fit for consumption, but not necessarily thought of as nourishment, whether it be physical or spiritual. Food has so many roles to play, so many needs to fill, that to flatten it down to mere commodities should practically be a crime. Of course, this is the foodie in me speaking, but companies that care about their food beyond its revenue generally make better offerings, and that's something everyone can appreciate. One such company is Bountiful Vegan, passionate about making vegan cookies that are not only delicious, but full of positive and uplifting energy. Sound a bit far fetched? Well, then you haven't tried their Intention Cookies yet.
Not only do you get a fantastically tasty treat every time you buy one of their cookies, but a complimentary affirmation hidden inside the wrapper sweetens the deal. For anyone who's had a rough day or could just use a little extra emotional boost, I can hardly think of a better combination. Each cookie is roughly the size of a small child's head, by the way, and that alone should put a smile on your face!
Punctuated by a generous smattering of dark chocolate chips, the Love Cookie (orange chocolate chip) simply couldn't be ignored, and didn't last too long after being photographed. Turning out to be one of my favorites of the group, with such soft, gently yielding dough that would be good enough on its own, but positively shines next to the contrasting chocolate pieces. Happily, the chocolate is in perfect proportion to the cookie, and doesn't overwhelm the delicate citrus notes that add just a light touch of zesty orange flavor. More exciting than your standard chocolate chip cookie, this is one that I can't imagine would stick around many days in any house.
Nondescript and potentially easy to overlook, the Well-Being Cookie (pineapple coconut) is hardly as unremarkable as it may look. Possessing a firmer bite than the previous softie, and a slightly coarse texture thanks to the shredded coconut, eating this cookie is an entirely different experience. Generally "tropical" tasting, it's hard to pick the pineapple flavor out of the mix, but there's definitely something extra in there that couldn't come from coconut alone. Pleasingly well-salted, it's an overall well-balanced and inoffensive baked good. While this one wouldn't be my first pick, I still had no trouble finishing it in the end.
In another interesting little twist on a classic flavor, the Harmony Cookie (lemon snickerdoodle) shakes up the simple spice-encrusted cookie with the bright pep of lemon oil. Cheerful as a sunny day, you can't help but feel happy as you sink your teeth into that crackled crust of cinnamon and sugar. Satisfyingly chewy, the combination of textures is so perfectly addictive, they could very well be flavored with motor oil and they would still be hard to turn down. Thankfully, they're absolutely delicious, gently perfumed with just a hint of lemon.
Saving what I hoped would be best for last, I finally dove into the Prosperity Cookie (choco choco-chip) with a voracious appetite. Surprisingly restrained in the sugar department, it was markedly less sweet than the previous baked beauties. More "adult" in flavor, featuring some bitter undertones of cocoa powder and accented by the much needed richness of the chocolate chips. Good, but not stellar, I'm starting to think that the previous knock-out flavors may have just set my expectations of this last cookie too high.
If you care about what you eat, and have a serious sweet tooth to satisfy, this is one compassionate business that you should definitely support. And who knows- You may just feel so inspired after eating one of these treats as to actually go out and accomplish your intentions!


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Morning finds Edward and Bella happy to live in each perfect moment. Surrounded by loving family and loyal allies. Their path to a bright future seems clear, but the darkest nights cast the longest shadows. What happens when the past refuses to die?
Edward and Bella have the perfect life. They have plans. They have a future. Until an accident takes Bella's perfect life away. She has to learn to cope with her loss. Unexpected letters help her along the way.
A summer storm descends on Forks, bringing a sexual charge to the atmosphere that makes for an intense evening for all the Cullen's. Vamp. Smut. Re-written and cleaned up. Each chapter features a different Cullen couple.
~WARNING: This is pure smut! So if you're not a fan of lemons, move on my friend, move on! ~
~Banner provided by the lovley IllictWriter~
*Fans herself frantically, and dabs at sweaty forehead with tissue*
Well, you certainly have a way with words, sweetie. I thought I was having a hot flash for a moment. Thanks, you got me hooked.
*shifty eyes*
I'll, uh...I'll be in the shower.
*scampers off*
Renee took Bella away from Charlie when she was four years old. Suffering her mother's abuse, she often wished for her mysterious father to come and save her from her life. Now a twenty-four year old schoolteacher, Bella suffers from a severe anxiety disorder. In an act of desperation, she leaves everything she ever knew behind to do some soul searching. She lands in Forks, Washington, and her journey of self-discovery begins.
Meanwhile, Edward Cullen is a twenty-seven year old man with a successful career in Seattle. When he receives the news that his parents are dead, he must leave everything behind and return to Forks to care for his much younger sister, Alice. Edward struggles with the challenges of trying to raise a fourteen-year-old girl.
What will happen when Edward and Bella's paths cross? Can they save each other?
Bella makes the decision to leave Phoenix forever after a tragic accident. Seeking a fresh start, she heads to the small town of Forks to live with Charlie. The cold numbness that has imprisoned Bella's heart begins to subside when she finds herself falling for the only person at Forks High School capable of tearing down her walls.
Canon pairings, AU for loosely following Twilight original plot. Some angst -- especially in the beginning.
Something happened, someone messed up, and what once seemed perfect was no longer. They must fix what was broken if they wished to be happy again. Come along as high school sweethearts, Bella and Edward, navigate this Broken Avenue to find where they went wrong.
Story told mostly through a series of flashbacks.
AU-Human, OOC, NC-17. Catergories: Hurt/comfort, drama, romance, humor, and a bit of suspence.
Collaboration between authors chy3 and lmw.Twilighted beta: Tima83
She arrived at her new home anticipating a certain kind of life. But she never knew what would happen on her wedding day. This is an homage to gothic stories: Rebecca, The Mysteries of Udolpho, Jamaica Inn. I'm happy to introduce my 19th century British bride-to-be!
Banner by the wonderful Mehek18. Check her other amazing banners on Mehek18.tumblr.com
OOC. AH. An outcast who had everything, but eventually lost the one thing that was truly important to him. She was back and her presence would turn his world upside down again. 'He needed her but she left him.' Mature content. E/B
Slash Backslash 3.0 Entry. The night of the newborn attack, Jacob uses his shapeshifting ability to protect the ones he loves, changing their fates forever. Slash, AU. Edward/Jacob. Contains mpreg. See warnings. Banner by Tkegl.
**Readers Choice Finalist, Judges Choice Finalist, 3rd Place in the Public Vote**
I think the title sort of speaks for itself, but if not: Edward & Jasper are Private Detectives in NYC. Nemeses, but forced to work together to save a young girl from a horrible fate. This is Jasper/Edward slash, but not too heavy on the slash.
Lord Edward Cullen is forced to marry Lady Isabella Swan to acquire his inheritance. Jaded from his past, he promises Bella a lifetime of misery unless she accepts his sordid terms. Can Isabella show him the light, or is their marriage doomed to failure?
Bella and Alice have survived everything together, including the infected, or as some call them... 'zombies'. How much longer can they survive on their own. Can they trust anyone else they meet on the way? cannon, ExB
Warning: Graphic violence, dark themes
Edward leaves more then just Bella behind during New Moon. Unbeknownst to Edward, he leaves Bella pregnant and in more danger then he could have ever dreamed possible. Now three years later a reunion is possible, will they finally be a family or will a new danger stop that from ever happening.
Story banner by Pixiefanpire
Incredible Banner by readergoof...she even found a white bikini!! Thank you!!
A jilted bride and a jilted groom decide to go on their respective honeymoons. When fate brings them together at the same resort in the Bahamas, how much will they have in common besides broken hearts? Can you start over on your honeymoon? What do they each bring to the table? It all starts with a white bikini…where will it end?
AH/Canon couples. NC-17 for a reason (I mean, it's me for crap's sakes!). Language (again, it's me). Shifting perspectives, and unusual twists. Who doesn't love a beach getaway?
Finding love isn't easy. Watching him get married to someone else is even harder. It seems that Bella has a wedding to stop.
Bella wants a new life, a new beginning, a peace of mind. A broken girl. An unwanted pregnancy. She has a choice and she gives a piece of her soul away. There is no turning back. Can Edward put her back together and rescue her from her mistakes? AH/AU/R
Banner made by mkystich72
"Hush, little baby don't say a word. Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird, and if that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring." A lullaby and an antique chest. Just what is the history of Bella's new house? Rated M for horror scenes.
One of the key events that creates the epic nature of the Edward/Bella love story is the moment that Bella's scent first hits Edward, and Edward somehow resists.
But what if Edward's self control had kicked in just a moment too late? What if his proximity to Bella once his conscience reawakened was just too much, and he couldn't restrain himself. What if he bit her, and Bella had a new life forced on her, before she had any desire to live for an eternity?
Before she had experienced Forks High School, made friends, and re-connected with Jacob. Before she knew what Edward was. And most importantly, before they fell in love.
What would Twilight look like then?
This is the story of the seemingly insignificant moment that changed everything…
Isabella Swan disappeared at the age of seven. Now, a decade later, our favorite little danger magnet is back home. With a mysterious past and a whole lot of secrets, Forks will never be normal again... not that it really was in the first place.
Pairings: cannon
Badass/Supernatural Bella
Will contain elements of Maximum Ride
The Angel Experiment..
That's what the Lab Techs had called it. It was the project that I had been slated for. I would be one of GenTech's few successes and the only member of the Angel Experiment to survive Project Lucifer, one of the lucky ones.
Or unlucky, depending on your point of view.
One of the others once asked me "How do you do it?" He meant, how can I go on after everything that's happened or why I keep going when everything seems to be stacked against me. After the... after everything, I was never the same; it changed me. I didn't want to be helpless anymore, so I found ways to manage. I grew up; I got stronger, reshaped what they had broken. That was my life, picking up the pieces-just finding ways to get by-or that's what I tell everybody at least.
If I were to be completely honest with myself, the truth is that I just don't like to lose. Ever since they took away everything, I have loathed being defeated in any way, shape, or form. I felt so... helpless, weak, unable to do anything to protect myself much less anyone else.
Living in a dog crate on a shelf...
Only enough food to keep me alive...
Walking through the bleached white halls...
Only enough clothing to preserve my modesty...
I was "G2 X13," reduced to a number, sub-human...
Put simply, it all pissed me off, but the joke's on them; Lucifer turned on his creator... and they were only playing God.
With the battle between The Cullen family and friends and the Volturi coming to a life changing end, new ties are made. Nema found Seth, and through the magic of imprinting their love flourished, but with jealousy filling the air will their love for one another be enough? Rasika imprinted on Antonia, a former member of the Volturi guard. They completed and healed the hurt from each other's past, but will Antonia's blood lust destroy their relationship? When Renesmee returns to Forks, can she endure the secrets her friends have been keeping? And can she and Jake manage to forget the past and find their way back to each other? As Claire's feelings start to change for Quil a bit earlier than he expected, will he be ready or will he let the chance to be with Claire get away? Also, when tragedy strikes, how will the group cope? Up until now, no one has seen or heard from Aro and Nahuel since they escaped from the battle. What will the group do if they come back to retaliate?
***This is the sequel to both What Lies Ahead and Growing Up Volturi. It is not necesarry to have read these stories first.***
Growing Up Volturi: After the almost war with the Volturi at the end of Breaking Dawn, Aro's curiosity and desire to have hybrids in his guard leads him to Mexico City to find Nahuel's sisters and father. Nahuel's younger sister Antonia, a powerful telepath even as a baby, is only a year old when she arrives in Italy and is raised by her sister Hunter and Aro. She joins the guard when she is six, but soon becomes unhappy with the direction her life is heading in as a member of the elite guard and Aro's executioner. Nahuel goes to the Volturi to start another war with the Cullen's and during this fight for her survival she is imprinted on by Sam's half sister, Rasika. Rasika was born and raised in London after her father left Sam's mother. He left her mother soon after he found out about her pregnancy. At sixteen Rasika's adopted father and mother moved her family to Toronto. When she was nineteen a nomadic vampire in Toronto prompted her transformation into a wolf. She survived as a wolf for thirteen years before she found the Quileutes.
In What Lies Ahead, Renesmee Cullen discovered the magic of imprinting and through many ups and down of a life filled with secrets, she came to terms about her feelings for Jacob. When a threat from the Volturi came the family was thrown into turmoil and forced once again to face the Volturi in a fight. With the Volturi not taking no for an answer, the family was forced to set their one final plan into action. They sent Nessie and Jacob to Florida, safely out of harm's way. While settling into life with her grandmother, Renee, Nessie received the news that three of her friends were killed in battle. Guilt and sadness transformed her into someone that she could no longer recognize, and she suppressed anything involving the past. All she ever wanted was to return home to her family and friends, but when the call came she was too distraught to face them, sending Jacob on the journey home alone.
Beautiful banner made by MizzKingAtYourService
Emmett said that he'd never be able to hit the ball to the heavens with a tree trunk instead of the baseball bat, he accepted the challenge. "Looks like you've messed up big time again Eddiekins, you managed to hit an angel!"
Michael is a three hundred year old vampire who has been looking for someone since before he was changed. He, like Alice, Edward, Jasper, and Bella, is gifted, with the ability to feel energy vibrations of people, which tell him who they really are and what they are feeling. He comes to live with the Cullens because he is tired of being alone, so he visits his old friend Carlisle who welcomes him with open arms.
Cheyenna is a 23 year old woman (human), who has gone through a lot of traumatizing events in her life. She is a nurse at the hospital in Forks, Washington, and did I mention she is gifted as well.
Michael is giving up on finding someone to be with. He goes about his normal routine at the hospital making rounds, doing surgeries, and saving lives. Little does he know that the new nurse on his unit is going to flip his world upside-down. Cheyenna is trying to forget her past and move on with her life but how will the addition of a vampire, who thirsts for her blood, affect her new life in Forks.
Rating is NC- 17 for future chapters.
*Winner Public Vote The 80s Power Ballad contest/Winner Third place in the Judges choice* I didn't really mind being alone. Not until I met him. Now, he's all I want. I just need to tell him. How can I get him alone?
Banner by Christag_banner
The first few months after the change were always the most difficult. Instincts rule over rationality. Since raging thirst is never far from a newborn's mind, it often makes for careless choices.
The girl would need supervision. A patient teacher to guide her and keep her out of trouble. I didn't just feel obligated to fill this role, I yearned to fill it.
*Nominated for a Vampies Award, in the category: Bloody Newborn - best characterization of a newborn vampire. (It didn't win, but it was an honor being nominated. Thank you.)
Edward thought he knew himself pretty damn well, until he met a mysterious stranger at a concert. One kiss was all it took for his world to turn upside down. Is this stranger here to stay, or are they only here For Your Entertainment? AU/AH
Entry for the "I'm With the Band O/S Contest" via Wayward Pushers
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the intellectual property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.


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IR-2006-168, Nov. 1, 2006
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2007 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (including vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:
- 48.5 cents per mile for business miles driven;
- 20 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes; and
- 14 cents per mile driven in service to a charitable organization.
The new rate for business miles compares to a rate of 44.5 cents per mile for 2006. The new rate for medical and moving purposes compares to 18 cents in 2006. The primary reasons for the higher rates were higher prices for vehicles and fuel during the year ending in October.
The standard mileage rates for business, medical and moving purposes are based on an annual study of the fixed and variable costs of operating an automobile. Runzheimer International, an independent contractor, conducted the study for the IRS.
The mileage rate for charitable miles is set by statute.
A taxpayer may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after using any depreciation method under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS), after claiming a Section 179 deduction for that vehicle, for any vehicle used for hire or for more than four vehicles used simultaneously. Revenue Procedure 2006-49 contains additional information on these standard mileage rates.
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Glenna Mae Hendricks. She is an entrepreneur and income tax consultant, so we get lots of good tax tips from her. She is an oenophile ("look that up in your Funk and Wagnall's," she says), and a wine enjoyment teacher/guide who also writes wine notes at the Allen's Retail Liquors site. Her political thoughts (and occasional outbursts of domesticity) appear at Old Feminist and Wild-eyed Liberal.


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Afterthoughts: We Know the Drill
Why have fear-mongers won an important public-health debate?
Would you trust a drill-wielding dentist who suggests, "Want to try this without the Novocain?"
I did; that's how much I like my dentist. He said it was a tiny cavity and I probably wouldn't need the painkiller.
"Can I stop if it hurts?" I asked him.
"Of course," he said. "Just lift your arm up as a signal."
"Has anyone ever slapped you?"
My dentist assured me he'd never been smacked by a signaling client. And he was right about not needing the Novocain.
Unlike many people, I love going to the dentist. I think it's because I adored my childhood one. As soon as Dr. Mains was done with my checkup, I got to dig through a cardboard treasure chest, brimming with toys.
But I know it's more common for people to fear their dentists, maybe especially so in Hawaii. We have higher rates of tooth decay than on the Mainland and less than 10 percent of the population has access to fluoridated tap water.
Fluoride is a naturally occurring element found in water and air. If there's too much of it in the water supply, people wind up with strong, but discolored, teeth. If there's too little of it, people have soft, cavity-prone teeth. But when you get the level just right—1 part per million, according to the American Dental Hygienists Association—it lowers the risk of dental decay. Since communities started adjusting their fluoride levels in the mid-1940s, Americans have gotten 50 percent to 60 percent fewer cavities.
But despite 60 years of research, despite constant monitoring by groups such as the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization (WHO), there are still fluoride fear-mongers. In Hawaii, they have the upper hand: We are one of only two states that don't adjust fluoride levels.
Anti-fluoride activists claim that fluoride leads to everything from lowered IQs and dementia to cancer and chronic fatigue. Yet these groups misunderstand or misrepresent the studies they rely on. Take, for example, a 2006 WHO study, which lists horrible disorders stemming from fluoride. But that study looked at excess levels of fluoride, such as those found in people exposed to fluoride from indoor coal burning. They were getting 9.63 milligrams of fluoride per day. Compare that to the daily .07 to 1.2 milligrams for the average American child.
In 2004, the Honolulu City Council voted against adding fluoride to the water, despite protestations from the Hawaii Dental Association, the Academy of Pediatrics and the state Department of Health.
Because we don't use this inexpensive and effective public-health method, the state Department of Health's Dental Health Division has to perform triage. According to its 2008 report, it screened more than 6,890 public-school children in grades K-12 statewide for dental problems, referring nearly a quarter of them for treatment of acute problems. And it uses topical fluoride treatments for schoolchildren.
Topical treatments are far more expensive and time-consuming than fluoridating the water. And this is not just about our children's teeth. Hawaii also has disproportionally high rates of tooth decay in people who can't afford medical care, and in other vulnerable populations, such as patients in long-term-healthcare facilities.
Tooth decay, the Dental Health Division notes, is "an insidious and progressive disease" which can put people at risk for potentially life-threatening infection.
In Hawaii we have let a vocal minority—well intentioned as they may be—scare lawmakers into making an important health decision that ignores current science.
It's time for a checkup.
For more of Wagner's writing, see her "Guilty Pleasures" blog.