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Longer version:
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The reaction is, predictably, off the scale. Even the Battle of Alberta gets in on the action:
If taking women seriously requires taking Belinda Stronach seriously as an individual, women are in big trouble. Fortunately most people of both sexes are perfectly capable of recognizing that as a non sequitur. And either way a roast is still a roast.
Colby Cosh
So it depends on the type of woman a person is before it's judged as an inappropriate comment?
Having had experience working in the area of domestic violence and having worked with offenders who beat women, comments like this is the gateway to dehumanizing women which in turns makes it okay to commit acts of violence in them. As a public figure, he should know better.
But then, he's had the blessing of standing on Oil and shouting how much he's done for the province while the roads are cracking, the environment's going to hell and the school system is wrought with problems.
yeah, way to go Ralph.
I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me how this comment is sexist. How is a negative remark directed towards one particular woman interpreted as a smear on all women?Because it's representative of what men have historically sat around and done. It's a man using another man's sexual conquests/whatever as something to garner him some cultural capital through comedy. It's the kind of comment that ends with guys slapping high fives and shit like that...'haha...MacKay sure did bang Stronach...hahaha'.
It also has to do with the cultural ideology of women's sexual history constructing them as sluts/etc. while men's sexual history makes them into studs and such. The joke is such that it puts the man in the dominant position, the woman subordinated...which, in a culture dominated by and that idealizes hegemonic masculinity, is problematic.
It's not about militant feminism or whatever. It's about recognizing the historical ranking and positioning of men and women, and how particular jokes and such serve to reinforce that.
I mean, honestly, I'm not really a fan of Belinda Stronach, but I don't feel like people not being a fan of her is justification for shit-talking her. Justifying talking shit on an I like/I don't like basis is a slippery slope.
On a rough BoA connection between the roast story and big hockey news, Klein's joke came at a roast to raise money for a society that deals with homeless people.Suffice it to say, the press is not amused.
So now you guys aren't the only ones who are in trouble for making a politically incorrect joke at somebody's expense for the greater benefit of charity.
Feynman and Coulter's Love Child
So they went to find Belinda's take on it. Where was she? At a fundraiser with Rick Mercer trying to get Canadians to buy bug-nets to fight malaria. Is there nobody this woman is above sleeping with to improve her career?
(Actually there's a good Mercer-is-a-sodomist/AIDS joke in there too: basically Mercer is saying rather than abstain its better just to wear the condom and keep on ass-pirating) Namely, there's a better way than bug nets to fight malaria: DDT
As for the Klein comment, this is just another reminder of why we in Alberta are going to miss Klein, whether we agree with him or not (and no matter which side of the spectrum we're mad at him for). Can you see one of these other potential premiers having the sense of fun and daring to pull a stunt like this? Oberg might, but he'd botch the spirit of it beyond all human belief. Norris won't, Morton won't, Dinning definitely won't, and Stelmach probably wouldn't either. Along with the drinking thing, we're definitely losing a valuable skill here. Klein not only delivered the joke, but the next day proudly stated that he reviewed it ahead of time and permitted it to go through, and now is refusing to apologize for it. With that single statement of deviance, another 130,000 Albertans or so probably put down their soup spoon and announced "way to go, Ralph!"
As for me, I'm with Spector.
Bonus Belinda Stronach YouTube video:
Update, 10:40pm: Other bloggers weigh in on the subject: ABFreedom, Dust My Broom, Liberal Catnip, ThePolitic, NateDawg, BuckDog (BuckDawg?), The Canadian Folk Collective (just happy to have a job), Melodrama.ca, Endless Spin Cycle, flyingcheerio, Stony_Curtis, Party of Alberta blog, Rschyster, and Julie Belanger en francais.


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A lot of my (mainly non-Twitter using) readers may be unaware of the controversy surrounding designer Hidden Eloise and greeting card giant Paperchase. In short, Hidden Eloise alleges that a design which Paperchase are using on a variety of products has lifted the central image of a girl from one of her own works He says he can hear the forest whisper.
It could of course be a coincidence but make up your own mind:
I have to say that the whole situation looks pretty cut and dried to me. Not so according to the Paperchase chief executive Timothy Melgund who, with the support of the Telegraph, manages to portray the whole incident as a case of a blameless, struggling company being bullied by a selfish designer, a cynical novelist and the lynchmob they have whipped up on Twitter (the whole article is a classic; even the headline marks a new low in Fox News-style values for the Telegraph: Paperchase forced to deny it 'plagiarised' British artist's work after Twitter campaign):
"We bought the designs from a reputable central London Design Studio along with a number of other designs on good faith.
"We take all reasonable precautions when we purchase our designs from companies or individuals, because, to be blunt, we want to make sure they are entitled to sell it."
He added: "We have not done anything wrong. Our reputation is of course very important to us. We spoke at length to the Design Studio in question and they categorically denied any plagiarism.
"What upsets us as a whole is that a lot of our good customers have been angered by this and there is no reason for it.
"We spend a long time building up our reputation for creating dynamic and interesting stationery and then something like this happens."
Mr Melgund said the issue raised serious concerns about the "powers, and there in the danger of Twitter".
"I am sure it can be beneficial but if you get an untruth (on it) it can be very dangerous," he said.
As brass necks go, Timothy Melgund must be in for a shot in the 2012 Olympics. Indeed, it made me wonder: why would they mount such a robust defence unless they were absolutely sure the design was not only copied but that Hidden Eloise herself might have been the one doing the copying? The wheels on that hypothesis have now fallen off by the admission by the designer of the Paperchase design that she did, in fact, copy it from Hidden Eloise:
When creating the group of designs bellow I used the outline pose of your Hidden Eloise Girl in one of the designs to create a new pose for my princess. I did not intend to copy your character but use its pose to create a new design for my own character, my intention was not to copy your character, I now realise the pose was too close to your Eloise and apologise to you for this, I also apologise to paperchase for the trouble this has caused.
What is disturbing about this whole incident is that Paperchase have left it to both the freelance designer and the design agency who commissioned her to take a bullet on their behalf. Throughout the whole process, Paperchase have insisted that they had reassurances that it wasn't a copy and that settles the matter. But it doesn't because it is blatantly obvious that one design is based on the other. They didn't need lawyers or reassurances to confirm that a wrong had been committed; they just needed eyes and a conscience. Let's not forget that Hidden Eloise originally raised the issue with Paperchase in November; they had three months to avoid what is now a public relations disaster for them. Their calculation must have been that there was very little that an independent designer of modest means could do to them. Timothy Melgund's comments on Thursday only reinforce the impression that his primary motivation was to dissemble rather than right a wrong.
That he went running to a rightwing newspaper to give him a sympathetic hearing and trotted out the usual line about Twitter inciting the mob (© 2009 Jan Moir) only makes him even more despicable. This suggests not only contempt for Hidden Eloise but for his customers. Frankly, I would describe it as a Gerald Ratner moment were it not so unfair on Ratner: at least he was only telling the truth.
Whoever lied to who, Paperchase are the big guys in this incident and they are the ones who should have been big about it. To not do so speaks volumes about their ethics and values. I've used Paperchase quite a lot over the past few years; they've just opened a new shop near where I work and assumed I would go on doing so. After this week, I'll be making the strenuous effort of walking around the corner in future. Spread the word.
A final thought on copyright: this is yet another example of how existing copyright laws appear to do more for protecting corporate interests than in protecting the rights of artists. The costs of Hidden Eloise bringing forward a court case on this would have been prohibitive, yet record companies feel they can go around threatening their customers with jail – and in some cases pursue court cases against them – merely for downloading a song on a non-commercial basis. Isn't it time we reassessed this?
PS I'm bookmarking this article in several places not to self-aggrandise but to ensure it is given wider coverage.
UPDATE: For completeness, and because I don't think it will remain up on the Paperchase website for much longer (it only appears on the "contact us" page), here is Paperchase's latest – and possible final – public statement on this matter:
Hidden Eloise / Kitty Mason / Gather No Moss
In an attempt to do the right thing and end this episode we want to briefly set out what happened here, offer our sincere apologies to all involved, and go back to operating our business as we have been doing for many years – albeit with a few lessons learnt from this incident. So, please bear with me.
By now, those of our customers and the social networking community who have been following this story, will know the basis of it. However, for the record:
• Paperchase bought a number of pieces of artwork from Gather No Moss in October 2008.
• By the end of November 2009 four items that contained the 'copied' image were on sale.
• On 27 November, Hidden Eloise contacted us saying that her work had been plagiarised, and we – as we would always do – went immediately back to our source to verify the claim. In retrospect we should have withdrawn the items from sale while the claim was investigated – our mistake.
• The studio, Gather No Moss, wrote back to us on 1 December stating that the image we had bought "was definitely not based on Hidden Eloise's". Again, in retrospect we should have withdrawn the items, but this was categoric confirmation that we had not been sold a plagiarised image. We assumed we had been told the truth. Another mistake.
• We advised Hidden Eloise of this confirmation on 2 December and heard no more until last Thursday when the accusation on Hidden Eloise's blog gained worldwide coverage. While we established the "real" truth, we immediately removed all potentially offending items from sale and retraced our thinking. Press reporting could have been more accurate and our attempts to calm the situation through our web announcements met with limited success. Our communication could / should have been better.
• By Friday the truth emerged, and you can read the two statements from Gather No Moss and their freelance illustrator, Kitty Mason, below. This is not about blame, as some have suggested, but a genuine attempt to discover what went wrong. You must decide for yourselves where the faults lie. In retrospect we, Paperchase, are certainly not without blame.
So, we have been chastened by this experience and offer Hidden Eloise, our customers and those from the social network community our sincere apologies that we were not more rigorous in establishing the truth in the first instance.
Finally, please do not take some of the wilder accusations you might have read about our business too seriously. We are absolutely committed to design and independent illustrators alike. We are lucky in that the available artistic skill is so vibrant that it has allowed us to build our business, along with our loyal customer base, to where we are now.
Timothy Melgund
Chief Executive
Gather No Moss and Kitty Mason wish to make the following statements.
Gather No Moss
"Gather No Moss purchased the design known as 'Alice in Wonderland' from Kitty Mason in September 2008.
Paperchase bought Kitty Mason's design from Gather No Moss in October 2008.
At the end of November 2009, the Artist named Hidden Eloise, contacted retailers Paperchase accusing them of plagiarism.
Paperchase contacted Gather No Moss and asked them whether there was any truth in this allegation.
Gather No Moss then asked the designer, Kitty Mason, whether she had copied Hidden Eloise's 'character' (called – He says he can hear the Forest Whisper) in her own design.
Kitty Mason clearly stated to Gather No Moss that her 'character' was definitely not based on Hidden Eloise's" 'character' only the pose was the same. Gather No Moss then conveyed this to Paperchase.
We are issuing this statement, to clarify our position and to hope to clear Paperchase of any direct fault.
We apologise unreservedly to Paperchase, their customers and to the artist, Hidden Eloise for this very regrettable sequence of events".
Kitty Mason
"I created the design known as "Alice in Wonderland" in September 2008. I copied the outline pose of the Hidden Eloise 'character' (called – He says he can hear the Forest Whisper) to create a new pose for my 'character'. I did not intend to copy the girl but use her pose to create a new design for my own 'character', I now realise it was wrong to do this.
In November 2009 Gather No Moss contacted me regarding Hidden Eloise's allegation, I told them that my 'character' was definitely not based on Hidden Eloise's 'character' only the pose was the same.
I would like to offer a full and unreserved apology to Paperchase, their customers, Hidden Eloise and Gather No Moss".

subset: commoncrawl


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Blue is to Windows as Gemini is to Office. Any questions? Well, that's unfortunate -- we don't have a ton of answers. What we do know, courtesy of some top-notch ZDNet reporting, is that Microsoft's next Office release is codenamed "Gemini," and that it could be making its way to your desktop by the end of this year. The site quotes a potential fall ship date, at least for the first release, which is set to include new versions of Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint and Word. Rumor has it that the next version will be somewhat platform-independent, and will rely heavily on the Office 365 subscription concept. Beyond that, there isn't really much to share, but you're welcome to hit up our source link for a few more (minor) details.

Keep reading...


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Hannity And Luntz Promote "Fact-Based" Ad That Is Actually Riddled With Falsehoods
On Sean Hannity's Fox News show, conservative pollster Frank Luntz asserted that an Americans for Prosperity ad attacking President Obama over stimulus spending was successful in part because it is "fact-based, not assertions." In reality, nearly every claim in the ad is false or misleading.
Luntz: AFP Ad Is "Fact-Based, Not Assertions"
Hannity Touts AFP Ad As "The Highest-Tested Campaign Ad So Far To Date" By Luntz. From Fox News' Hannity:
HANNITY: All right. You've found -- and you've gone over so many ads. And I think a lot of them have been really good, by the RNC in particular, Obama in his own words I like the best. But this one is by American Crossroads, and you say it's the highest-tested campaign ad so far to date.
LUNTZ: And this one's Americans for Prosperity, and what makes it so --
HANNITY: Oh, but I thought it was Crossroads.
LUNTZ: It's Americans for Prosperity, and what makes this one so powerful is that it deals with wasteful Washington spending, it deals with the debt, deficit, all the budget stuff going on, and it deals with the fact that some of our own hard-earned taxpayer dollars are going overseas, and that's why it does so well.
HANNITY: Let's take a look.
AD NARRATOR [video clip]: Washington promised to create American jobs if we passed their stimulus. But that's not what happened. Fact: 80 percent of taxpayer dollars spent on green energy went to jobs in foreign countries. The Obama administration admitted the truth: that $2.3 billion of tax credits went overseas, while millions of Americans can't find a job. $1.2 billion to a solar company that's building a plant in Mexico. Half a billion to a car company that moved American jobs to Finland. And $39 million to build traffic lights in China. President Obama wasted $16 billion on risky investments.
HANNITY: All right. Now, I remember dial ads going as high as 90. Why do you say this is the best one? Is it because the difference between GOP and Democrat is not that great?
LUNTZ: No. Americans for Prosperity figured out that it's not just the emotional reaction to the ad. Does it actually change someone's mind? And we've been going, Sean, to Ohio, to Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia, Florida. These are the -- Colorado, Nevada. These are the swing states. And when we showed that ad, the reaction afterward was, "That's what bothers me about Washington, and that's what bothers me about President Obama." It was fact-based, not assertions. You see the facts come up on the screen. There's specific numbers, Sean. Americans for Prosperity unlocked the key -- in this case -- unlocked the key to what makes an independent voter move against Barack Obama, and it's wasteful Washington spending, helping the Chinese, not hard-working American taxpayers. [Fox News, Hannity, 5/9/12]
AFP Ad Is Actually Overflowing With Falsehoods
80 Percent Of Green Energy Money Went To "Jobs In Foreign Countries"
Ad Badly Distorted Wash. Times Article It Cited As Source. The ad cited a Washington Times article to claim that "80 percent of taxpayer dollars spent on green energy went to jobs in foreign countries. The Obama administration admitted the truth: that $2.3 billion of tax credits went overseas." But that phrasing omits key words that give the passage from the Washington Times article an entirely different meaning (emphasis added):
The Department of Energy estimated that 82,000 jobs have been created and has acknowledged that as much as 80 percent of some green programs, including $2.3 billion of manufacturing tax credits, went to foreign firms that employed workers primarily in countries including China, South Korea and Spain, rather than in the United States. [The Washington Times, 9/9/10]
PolitiFact: Money "More Likely" Went To "American Subsidiaries Of Foreign Firms." From PolitiFact.com, discussing a similar claim made in a nearly identical AFP ad:
The ad cites a Washington Times article from Sept. 9, 2010 -- but fails to accurately characterize the story. The story says that "as much as 80 percent of some green programs, including $2.3 billion of manufacturing tax credits, went to foreign firms that employed workers primarily in countries including China, South Korea and Spain, rather than in the United States." That doesn't mean that money went to foreign countries. More likely it went to American subsidiaries of foreign firms. [PolitiFact.com, 5/4/12]
Obama Admin. "Admitted" $2.3 Billion Of Tax Credits "Went Overseas"
PolitiFact: "That's Not What The Obama Administration Said." From PolitiFact.com:
"The Obama administration admitted the truth, that $2.3 billion of tax credits went overseas, while millions of Americans can't find a job."
But that's not what the Obama administration said. This, too, gives its source as the 2010 Washington Times article. It's a second way of misstating the same sentence, which cited the Energy Department. "The Department of Energy estimated that 82,000 jobs have been created and has acknowledged that as much as 80 percent of some green programs, including $2.3 billion of manufacturing tax credits, went to foreign firms. ..." Again, that simply doesn't say that the tax credits went overseas. It says they went to foreign companies. Meanwhile, it sets up the expectation that the next three examples illustrate those "$2.3 billion of tax credits" that "went overseas." But not a single one of the three has anything to do with manufacturing tax credits -- or tax credits at all. Or, in one case, even the stimulus. [PolitiFact.com, 5/4/12]
Solar Plant In Mexico
PolitiFact: Loan Guarantees Actually Helped Fund Plant In California; Claim Is "Pants On Fire" False. From PolitiFact, discussing a similar claim made in a nearly identical AFP ad:
We'll start with what's true: An American solar company, SunPower, was approved for federal stimulus money. It also opened a solar panel plant in Mexico.
(Or, rather, it moved its Mexican manufacturing from Chihuahua to a building it's leasing in Mexicali, said company spokeswoman Natalie Wymer.)
That's where the claim's relationship to the truth ends.
• The company didn't get tax credits, but a $1.2 billion loan guarantee. What's the difference? The Energy Department expects the loan to be paid back -- with interest.
• That loan guarantee wasn't for the Mexico plant -- a separate project with its own funding -- but to build the California Valley Solar Ranch in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Construction on the California project has already started, with the Energy Department projecting 350 construction jobs and 15 permanent ones. Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the state's largest utility, will ultimately buy the power.
• Most of the solar panels for the California project will come from SunPower's California manufacturing facility in Milpitas, though given the size of the project, they'll also come from the company's plants in Mexico and Asia, Wymer said.
• SunPower no longer owns the California Valley Solar Ranch project. The solar project -- and the loan guarantee -- belong to New Jersey company NRG Energy. That's the company that will get the federal loan money, and be responsible for repaying taxpayers.
The ad strings together alarming-sounding tidbits about actual stimulus projects to create the impression of something else entirely -- in a way that's ultimately ridiculous. And that earns our lowest rating, Pants on Fire. [PolitiFact, 5/2/12]
FactCheck.org: AFP Ad "Strings Together Two Largely Unrelated Facts To Create A Misleading Impression." From FactCheck.org:
The ad claims the stimulus included "$1.2 billion to a solar company that's building a plant in Mexico." This strings together two largely unrelated facts to create a misleading impression. Here are the facts: SunPower Corp., a company based in San Jose, Calif., applied for a $1.237 billion loan guarantee from the Department of Energy to build a massive solar generating facility in San Luis Obisbo, Calif. SunPower later sold the project to NRG Solar, but SunPower company will still help to construct the 250 MW alternating current PV solar generating facility, called the California Valley Solar Ranch, for NRG.
Last August, SunPower announced that it was opening a solar-panel fabrication plant in Mexicali, Mexico. But it's a big leap from that to claiming that $1.2 billion of American taxpayer money is being used to fund jobs in Mexico, as the ad implies.
It's true that some of the solar panels installed in the new California Valley Solar Ranch will come from the new SunPower facility in Mexico, as well as from other SunPower plants in Asia, company spokeswoman Natalie Wymer told us. But the overwhelming majority of solar panels will come from SunPower's nearby plant in Milpitas, Calif.
Moreover, the solar facility is being built in California, employing some 350 American construction workers for several years, Wymer said. The facility will employ 15 people permanently once the facility begins operations in September.
"The loan guarantee, issued to NRG, does not finance SunPower's manufacturing facilities or other operations in Silicon Valley, where we manufacture today, Mexicali or anywhere else," Wymer said. "The SunPower Mexicali facility was a shift from ongoing manufacturing with a partner to our own plant." [FactCheck.org, 5/2/12]
Jobs In Finland
PolitiFact: Automaker "Chose To Manufacture The Car In Finland, Without U.S. Help"; Claim Is "False." From PolitiFact, discussing a similar claim, that stimulus money "created hundreds of jobs in Finland," which was made in a nearly identical AFP ad:
The reality: Half a billion in loans from a Bush-era program were approved for Fisker Automotive. But they weren't tax credits, weren't part of the stimulus bill, and didn't go to Finland. And so far, the company has only gotten $190 million in those loans, far less than the half a billion.
Instead, the U.S. company spent a third of the money on U.S. engineering of a new electric vehicle. It chose to manufacture the car in Finland, without U.S. help. Another two-thirds of the loan, which it may or may not get, will go toward retooling a shuttered GM plant in Delaware.
The ad strings together disparate statements to tell a concocted story. The result is simply False. [PolitiFact, 5/3/12]
FactCheck.org: Automaker And DOE Say Loan Money That The Company Did Receive "Was Spent Exclusively In The United States." From FactCheck.org:
The Fisker loans came in two parts. The first part, according to a statement from Dan Leistikow, a spokesman for the Department of Energy, was a $169 million loan guarantee to support the development of Fisker's first luxury electric car, called the Karma. The company has made about 1,400 of them so far (and sold 800 for about $97,000 apiece), all of them assembled in Finland. But the Department of Energy and Fisker insist the government loan money was spent exclusively in the United States "to support the engineers who developed the tools, equipment and manufacturing processes for Fisker's first vehicle, the Fisker Karma." According to Fisker officials, that work was done in Fisker's U.S. facilities, including its headquarters in Irvine, Calif.,"which has 700 employees and plans to continue hiring."
It's possible that DOE money used to fund operations in the U.S. allowed private investment to concentrate on overseas manufacturing. But it would be simply inaccurate to claim that all of that $169 million funded jobs overseas. Moreover, a number of American suppliers were used to make parts that were assembled in Finland, Ormisher said, creating about 1,500 jobs. Last year, Fisker officials estimated more than 45 percent of the components of the Karma were manufactured by about 40 U.S. suppliers.
In addition to the $169 million, the DOE approved a much larger, $359 million loan to help Fisker develop a lower-priced version of its car, called the Nina. The plan is to build those cars at a shuttered General Motors factory in Delaware. That project has hit some snags. In February, amid delays to the project, Fisker let go 26 employees from the Delaware factory.
However, Fisker still plans to move forward with the car, and the "first option" is still to build them at the factory in Delaware, Ormisher said. If it moves forward, the plant could employ up to 2,500 workers. A prototype of the car, renamed the Atlantic, was unveiled recently, but a launch date was not announced.
To date, Fisker has drawn down $193 million of the $529 million in government loan guarantees, Ormisher said. Fisker has been negotiating with DOE since last May regarding the future of this second part of the funding. [FactCheck.org, 5/2/12]
Chinese Street Lights
PolitiFact: Street Lights Were Assembled In U.S. For Domestic Use, But Some Components Were Manufactured In China. Examining a similar claim made in a nearly identical AFP ad, PolitiFact wrote:
As the ad's narrator talks about China, the words, "Stimulus money pays for street, traffic lights ..." "in China ..." appear on the screen, over an image of a traffic light that's slowly layered with the deep red and yellow of the Chinese flag.
The ad was clearly suggesting U.S.-funded lights on Chinese streets. It wasn't until we pulled up the Tribune-Review article we realized the ad's claim could be heard another way.
Oh! Lights built in China, for American streets.
But even that clarification didn't get us to the complete story.
The Tribune-Review article, by Lou Kilzer, a reporter who has won Pulitzer prizes for investigative reporting and public service, digs into grant money -- not tax credits, as the ad claimed -- awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It says that tens of millions of stimulus dollars went to replace streetlights and traffic lights across the country with energy-efficient versions -- "made mostly in Asia."
The reason? Certain components of those energy-efficient street and traffic lights, such as light-emitting diodes or LEDs, weren't available in large enough quantities from U.S. manufacturers back in 2010, so the Energy Department issued a waiver to the Recovery Act's "Buy America" provision for those parts. [PolitiFact, 5/3/12]
PolitiFact: AFP's Claim About Chinese Street Lights Is "Mostly False." From the PolitiFact article:
It is clear that the "tens of millions" reflects spending for American-assembled lights that included varying amounts of foreign-made components. But it's an exaggeration to say they were built in China.
None of this evidence supports the strong suggestion in the ad that Americans paid for streetlights on roads in China, or even that they paid to build streetlights in China. Instead, for less than a year, stimulus funds could be used to buy products that used components produced in other countries, including China.
Our ruling
We watched this ad and imagined Chinese street corners with shiny new American-funded traffic lights.
The reality is nearly the opposite: American cities, counties and states bought and installed new energy-efficient street and traffic lights with stimulus grants. Many of those lights contained foreign components, including some from China, but it's simply not clear how much stimulus money went toward those parts during the eight months it was allowed.
The ad's claim has a tiny sliver of truth, but it pairs words and images to create an altogether different impression. We'll have to put the brakes on this traffic light claim, and rate it Mostly False. [PolitiFact, 5/3/12]
Wash. Post: "The Lights Were Assembled In The United States." From The Washington Post:
Americans for Prosperity also asserts that the stimulus bill sent "tens of millions of dollars to build traffic lights in China." The source is the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, but again, the article was much more nuanced. The traffic lights are for the United States market, but the article noted that there is a shortage of American-made light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, so parts are sourced overseas while the lights were assembled in the United States. [The Washington Post, 4/30/12]
FactCheck.org: One Signal Maker "Relocated Some Of Its Manufacturing From Mexico To The U.S." From FactCheck.org, discussing a similar claim made in a nearly identical AFP ad:
Last, the ad claims the stimulus included "tens of millions of dollars to build traffic lights in China." The Department of Energy did spend tens of millions through the stimulus to build and install energy efficient traffic lights around the U.S. Back in February 2010, the department granted a waiver to the stimulus' Buy American requirement with regard to the LED lights that go inside traffic signals after the assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) determined there was insufficient availability in the U.S. to meet demand. A Pittsburgh Tribune Review investigation found most of those components were being purchased from Asia.
However, that waiver was withdrawn on Dec. 1, 2010, after the EERE learned that at least one manufacturer of LED traffic signals relocated some of its manufacturing from Mexico to the U.S., and that the plant had the capability to satisfy the demand from stimulus fund recipients. In November 2010, the Department of Energy reported that Dialight Corp., an LED lighting manufacturer with U.S. corporate offices in Farmingdale, N.J., and a parent company based in the U.K., invested nearly $3 million to renovate its production facility in Roxboro, N.C. The Roxboro plant hired 100 people to engineering, management and direct labor positions. [FactCheck.org, 5/2/12]


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Hi guys..
I did a lot of bad shit in high school, and got into a lot of trouble, so i am probably going to get expelled.
There are 2 pathways for me to choose at the moment.
1. Go to private high school (i hate school in america in general, not just private vs public, the whol education system is fucked up).
2. Take my CHSPE test (a california ged basically), and then attend community college for 2 years and transfer to a university.
I am leaning towards choice number 2 since it will save me 2 years of my life of not being in school, and in addition, will look rather impressive.
I am not a gifted student, nor am i special so considering choice number 2 will greatly put alot more academic workload for me, which i think will be manageable if i apply myself. Road 1 sounds easier but i will be wasting 2 - 3 years in high school again.
I just don't know.
"Since people are concerned that 'X' will not be provided, 'X' will naturally be provided by those who are concerned by its absence.""The sweetest of minds can harbor the harshest of men."
Geez, what did you do?
And personally I'd just go the GED route - what's important these days is that you do well on your SATs, and that's about it (if you're going for college/university) so I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm not even going for a diploma, it just seems as though they really don't give a hoot about it any more.
get a job, any job, asap. get into good physical shape, if you are not so already, and spend more time chasing women.
... just as the State
has no money of its own, so it has no power of its own - Albert Jay Nock
Mr. Silva, I think you ought to give this a good glance:
Things may not be as bad as they appear to be. You seem to have the gift for computer science, so go with that. Heck, you could do would Kakugo was telling me about, like going to Singapore and starting up shop there, or whatever. The point is, there are a long, long list of people who have gone on to be very successful without school - the only drop-outs who you hear about who are negatively depicted are the ones who left school without any sort of ambition (which the school probably stripped them of a long time ago). Just know that it's far from impossible to go your own way without any sort of credential given to you by school - very far from impossible indeed.
Also, I know you have no interest in pursuing anything in film, but regardless, I think I'll just throw this in the mix - I'm going for filmmaking, and do you think public school teaches me jack about that? My point here is that grades are practically meaningless in many industries, the key ingrediant that you must have being the amount of ambition and your willingness to pursue.
1) Take the CHSPE its a piece of cake.
2) Go to school full time (12 credits a semester) and APPLY YOURSELF! Make sure you get a 4.0. Do not get a C in any class. Use rate my professor to find the easiest professors to make sure you get an easy professor and maintain a 4.0.
3) Apply for financial aid. IDK what your highschool GPA is, but if it is fine you can collect a check, not just from the federal government, but from the state too. If you are elligible for the FAFSA, California's Board of Governors Waiver will pay for your classes. The check you get from the feds or the state you could spend on books, living expenses, or something like a car. Don't waste your check on frivolous things, buy necessities and save the rest.
4) Talk to a counsellor ASAP and finish up your IGETSI requirements while thinking about what University you want to transfer too.
5) If you do mess up your first semesters it will haunt you. Many top universities require students to have at least a 3.5. So, your first semester take only 12 credits and see if you can handle more.
6) The most important rule. Do not argue with your instructor no matter how stupid they are, it will affect your grade.
7) I'm guessing you will want to be a computer science major. Get your Associates in comp science (take around 2 years) and that will make you qualified for some jobs related to computers.
Kelvin, this is a great opportunity. You are very lucky this happened to you and you have someone who was in your same situation that you can talk to. I wish I was expelled a year earlier.
Thanks for the advice.
I mailed in a chspe registration so im good on that.
The only problem is getting parental approval to go to community college.
Do your parents not want you to go?
EmbraceLiberty gave the best advice. I was in your position 10yrs ago and I wish I knew I had the option of dropping out and going to community college. Instead I wasted time at alt-ed and got expelled. If you do finish HS don't go to alt-ed, it's full of slackers and deliquents and you will seriously waste your time. You'll probably get so bored you'll get into more trouble. The only thing alt-ed is good for is finding parties and getting weed connects. As far as your parents, I would write out my argument, sit down with them and explain why going to HS is a waste of time (you know what you want to do and the diploma is worthless so why not get a ahead start instead of wasting your time) this may make you seem very mature and it might work.
The best advice was to do good in CC and keep your nose clean. A lot of college students screw up by partying hard their first few years then struggle to make it at the end. Get the hard stuff out of the way then let loose. By that time you'll be old enough to buy beer but young enough to still hang at college parties and you can snatch some socialist's girlfriend. You'll be the 2Chainz of libertarianism, girls will be like "You're different. You're so smart but you're such a bad ass. You totally destroyed my boyfriends equal work for equal pay argument. I wanna suck your cock." That's when you take the mutualist position to screw with their head like, "Nah baby, let's 69 I don't believe in hierarchy." Their boyfriends will be like "Jenny don't you see he's using his capitalist techniques to exploit you." He'll grab her by the arm then you go "I told you, socialists want to control you, they don't believe in the self determination of women. Look buddy, she wants to hug my balls not a tree. Go cry a river and give some fish a new home." She'll be like "Jeremy let me go, casual sex is empowering." Then you'll get laid and convert someone to libertarianism in one stroke (pun intended). Yeah screw high school, go to college.
Well, you're standing at the crossroads and all you need now is to consider as many alternatives as possible. I'm definitely not in a position to advise you something, so I'll just share with you a couple of links.
1. 8 Alternatives to College
I found this blog a year and half ago, and since then I have been reading it occasionally. That guy (James Altucher) is an entrepreneur and shares his strories of ups and downs (mostly downs) in a very straighforward way. Based on what I've read, some of his ideas can be regarded as libertarian even though, as he claims, he doesn't associate himself with any political party.
Other links explore alternative ways of education.
2. Do-It-Yourself Degree.
I'm not a US citizen so I don't know whether it is feasible or not, but this guy shows how to earn a bachelor degree in a fast and, as far as I understand, debt-free way.
I found this site by reading this post. The author of the blog has recently finished a rather ingenious challenge - finish a 4year MIT program in one year. This is quite impressive and, I think, may be inspiring for you to consider a path of self-education.
3. Finally, a book that had a huge impact on me.
How I found freedom in an unfree world by Harry Browne
Unfortunately, I can't find the exact site where I downloaded it a year ago, but there are plenty of sources still.
I hope something I posted makes sense; anyway, I wish you luck in your future aspirations.
I pretty much second the suggestions given here.
Get your GED and then give community college your best. If you do decently well, it will matter little that you did not finish highschool, and even your SATs will be significantly less important to prospective 4 year universities.
Learn computer programming. Seriously - it's awesome :D
Learn computer programming. Seriously - it's awesome :D
Ive learned c++ and a bit of java..
All means nothing if you dont have a degree..
Thanks for the support guys..
Get your highschool diploma. The people you will be competing against will have their own diploma and you have a GED makes you look like you can't handle basic high school. No reason to accept someone who has a GED when you have hundreds of others who put the time into high school.
'Men do not change, they unmask themselves' - Germaine de Stael
By the time he is 18 he would have his associates which would blow a highschool diploma out of the water. Sure, he's not going to be able to get a job til then but again he wouldn't have a highschool diploma until he was 18 so it wouldn't matter.
Get your highschool diploma. The people you will be competing against will have their own diploma and you have a GED makes you look like you can't handle basic high school. No reason to accept someone who has a GED when you have hundreds of others who put the time into high school.
That is assuming i ONLY get a ged.
I am also going to go to community college which is probably harder and more rigorous than high school.
Kinda a moot point but i understand the mentality you are bringing forward.
Ive learned c++ and a bit of java..
All means nothing if you dont have a degree..
This isn't true. If you make programs, mods, apps, etc. they are your "degree." This should be the most attractive option anyway because you can just sit in your pajamas and make them and market them online.
What did you do in high school to get expelled? We all went to high school, I did bad shit but never to the level of expulsion...just what inclines you to ideologically back anarchy?
Meistro:chasing women.
Unless you want to be charged with sexual harassment and imprisoned/put in a straightjacket, I strongly advise against chasing women.
All means nothing if you dont have a degree..
wrong! all that matters is your ability to code. half the degrees out there are garbage anyway.
What Malachi said is absolutely right. Your statement would be correct if it said "Degrees mean nothing if you don't have the right stuff...and even then they are usually a load of schlock."
I double majored in Caucasian Studies and Masculinology.


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Why Temping is Good for Your Career
With the U.S. economic recovery still facing headwinds, insecurity still hangs over many business owners as they worry about how the ongoing fiscal uncertainty will impact their bottom lines.
For this reason, a growing number of employers have shied away from adding full-time workers to their payroll and instead favor hiring temporary or freelance workers to fulfill a short-term need or to work on pending projects. Recent data shows an estimated 17 million Americans are currently employed on a temporary or contract basis, making up 12% of all employed people in the U.S.
Many Americans favor full-time employment because of the benefit packages and the steady workflow, but if approached correctly temporary or freelancing work can be a valuable asset to a career. Here's why:
It shows that you are resourceful. Employers like to see a strong work history, and freelancing can prevent labor gaps after a termination. If your LinkedIn profile or resume shows that you are freelancing while seeking a full-time position, it proves you're capable of working skillfully through difficult situations. It also displays adaptability, perseverance and tenacity when faced with adversity.
It keeps you up to date and relevant. Long-term unemployment can make employers worry about a candidate losing a foothold on trends, technology and the evolution of the industry. While you're unemployed, engaging in temporary or freelance work keeps your foot in the door of the workforce and keeps your finger on the pulse your field.
It exhibits your willingness to learn something new. Freelancing or temporary work could provide new job training, experience and skills that could be applicable later in your career. Taking on a new projects, subjects and work experience shows potential employers that you are open and willing to learn.
It shows that you're a self-starter. Employers want to hire efficient and productive workers; finding temporary or contractual work can highlight your work ethic and ability to overcome challenges.
In the end, you could find freelancing to be more profitable, fulfilling and enjoyable than a full time position. Then the benefits of keeping that business going could outweigh that which initially felt uncomfortable and risky, but until you give it a chance--you will never know.
Wall Street veteran Lindsay Broder (on twitter: @keycoaching) is a certified professional coach and president of Key Coaching LLC, a New York firm specializing in career and employment consulting for individuals and companies.


text:
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Remind the groom what he'll be missing for the rest of his life by showing him a good time at his bachelor party. If he still wants to go through with the wedding, he's found the right woman. Here are 10 tips for the perfect bachelor party.
1. Don't assume. Just because you prefer a night of drunken debauchery doesn't mean your soon-to-be ex-best-friend does. Get a general idea what the groom wants to do and, more importantly, find out exactly what the bride will and will not tolerate.
2. Find someone to drive. If the bachelor party involves alcohol, find a designated driver. You may want to consider renting a limousine for the evening, even if there's no alcohol involved.
3. Don't do it the night before. The experts at BachelorParty recommend you have the party no less than three days before the wedding. This allows ample time for recovery. Keep in mind that weddings are expensive and the bride expects her groom to be attentive and alert during the ceremony.
4. Divide the costs. The groom shouldn't have to pay a cent. The costs should be divided evenly among party guests. If you're arranging the party, make sure it's affordable for those the groom definitely wants to be there, especially if a few more financially sound guests don't mind chipping in extra.
5. Take quantity over quality. The groom chose quality over quantity when he decided to get married. On this night, give him quantity. That means tons of food, tons of beverages and tons of whatever "entertainment" party guests choose.
6. Reign in the groom. Bachelor parties, despite their reputation, should not be a free-for-all foray into lust, indulgence and other things the groom might regret (once the bride finds out). It is the responsibility of the guests to make sure the groom doesn't cross the line. Remember, he's getting married in a few days.
7. Choose the guests wisely. Sure, the bride's father or brother are welcome at the bachelor party kick-off dinner, but reserve the night-on-the-town stuff for only the most trustworthy of friends.
8. Plan early. The bachelor party should be more than "hanging out" and "going with the flow." Plan carefully. Ask the groom about the big things, but don't bother him with the details. That's your responsibility. You can even ask the bride for some input. You won't actually consider it, but it'll make her less likely to think ill of the proceedings. Start planning about a month in advance.
9. Avoid pictures. Designate a picture taker—the guest with the most common sense. Keep pictures to a minimum, preferably in the early stages of the gathering. The last thing you want is for pictures of the groom galloping through the halls in his underwear showing up on Facebook the day of the wedding.
10. Keep it simple. The groom just wants to have some fun with the guys one last time. That's all.
Have fun and don't do anything stupid!


text:
USPTO Finds Apple as Real Party-In Interest
ZEPHYR COVE, Nevada.,– June 6, 2014 – VirnetX™ Holding Corporation (NYSE MKT: VHC), an Internet security software and technology company, announced today that on June 5, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) denied all seven petitions for inter partes review filed by RPX. These petitions sought review of certain claims of VirnetX's U.S. Patent Nos. 6,502,135, 7,418,504, 7,490,151 and 7,921,211. The USPTO found that Apple is an unlisted real party-in interest in all the petitions filed by RPX and the Petitions were not filed within the time limit imposed by the applicable statute. The USPTO thereby declined to institute inter partes reviews of the challenged patents.
"We are pleased with the USPTO's decision denying RPX's petitions," said Kendall Larsen, VirnetX CEO and President. "We continue to believe in the validity of our patents."
About VirnetX
VirnetX Holding Corporation is an Internet security software and technology company with patented technology for secure communications including 4G LTE security. The Company's software and technology solutions, including its secure domain name registry and GABRIEL Connection Technology™, are designed to facilitate secure communications and to create a secure environment for real-time communication applications such as instant messaging, VoIP, smartphones, eReaders and video conferencing. The Company's patent portfolio includes over 80 U.S. and international patents with over 100 pending applications. For more information, please visit www.virnetx.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release that are not statements of historical or current fact, including statements regarding the strength of Virnetx's intellectual property, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on expectations, estimates and projections about the markets in which the Company operates, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by management and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unknown factors that could cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from the historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to (1) the outcome of any legal proceedings that have been or may be initiated by the Company or that may be initiated against the Company; (2) the ability to capitalize on the Company's patent portfolio and generate licensing fees and revenues; (3) the ability of the Company to be successful in entering into licensing relationships with its targeted customers on commercially acceptable terms; (4) potential challenges to the validity of the Company's patents underlying its licensing opportunities; (5) the ability of the Company to achieve widespread customer adoption of the Company's GABRIEL Communication Technology™ and its secure domain name registry; (6) the level of adoption of the 3GPP Series 33 security specifications; (7) whether or not the Company's patents or patent applications may be determined to be or become essential to any standards or specifications in the 3GPP LTE, SAE project or otherwise; (8) the extent to which specifications relating to any of the Company's patents or patent applications may be adopted as a final standard, if at all; and (9) the possibility that Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. In addition to statements which explicitly describe such risks and uncertainties, readers are urged to consider statements labeled with the terms "believes," "belief," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," or "plans" to be uncertain and forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Company's reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those under the heading "Risk Factors" in Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 09, 2014. Many of the factors that will determine the outcome of the subject matter of this press release are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Except as required by law, the Company is under no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results.
Greg Wood
VirnetX Holding Corporation
VirnetX and GABRIEL Connection Technology are trademarks of VirnetX Holding Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.


text:
Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan, said a rueful John F. Kennedy after the Bay of Pigs. George W. Bush knows today whereof his predecessor spoke.
For as he prepares to "surge" 20,000 more U.S. troops into a war even he concedes we "are not winning," his erstwhile acolytes have begun to abandon him to salvage their own tattered reputations.
Case in point, the neoconservatives. As the Iraq war heads into its fifth year, more than half a dozen have confessed to Vanity Fair's David Rose their abject despair over how the Bushites mismanaged the war that they, the "Vulcans," so brilliantly conceived.
Surveying what appears an impending disaster for Iraq and U.S. foreign policy, the neocons have advanced a new theme. The idea of launching an unprovoked war of liberation, for which they had beaten the drums for half a decade before 9-11, remains a lovely concept. It was Bushite incompetence that fouled it up.
"The policy can be absolutely right, and noble, beneficial, but if you can't execute it, it's useless, just useless," wails Ken Adelman, who had famously predicted in The Washington Post that "liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk."[Neo Culpa, Vanity Fair, November 3, 2006]
Bush's team of Powell, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Rice, says Adelman, "turned out to be among the most incompetent teams in the postwar era. Not only did each of them, individually, have enormous flaws, but together they were deadly, dysfunctional." Their incompetence, he adds, "means that most everything we ever stood for ... lies in ruins."
Professor Eliot Cohen of Johns Hopkins, whose book on war leaders Bush used to carry about, says his mistake was in not knowing "how incredibly incompetent" the Bush team would be.
Richard Perle is sickened by the consequences of the war he and his comrades so ardently championed. "The levels of brutality ... are truly horrifying, and, I have to say, I underestimated the depravity."
Calling the Bush policy process a "disaster," Perle blames Bush himself: "At the end of the day, you have to hold the president responsible. ... I don't think he realizes the extent of the opposition within his own administration, and the disloyalty."
This is the second fallback position of the War Party. Not only incompetence, but treachery made a nightmare of their vision.
Uber-hawk Frank Gaffney also hits hard the theme of sabotage and disloyalty: "This president has tolerated, and the people around him have tolerated, active, ongoing, palpable insubordination and skullduggery that translates into subversion of his policies. ... He doesn't in fact seem to be a man of principle who's steadfastly pursuing what he thinks is the right course."
David Frum, the cashiered White House speechwriter who co-authored the "axis-of-evil" phrase, faults the president. While he provided the words, says Frum, Bush "just did not absorb the ideas. And that is the root of maybe everything."
Where Frum, four years ago, accused antiwar conservatives of being "unpatriotic" haters of America and President Bush, he is now saying that that same president either lacked the I.Q. to realize what he was saying or lacked a belief and commitment to follow through.
As Rose writes, this is "the most damning assessment of all." Moreover, it is an indictment of Bush's judgment that he could clasp so many such vipers to his bosom.
Rose describes James Woolsey, the ex-CIA director who was ubiquitous on the op-ed pages and national TV making the case for war, as "aghast at what he sees as profound American errors that have ignored the lessons learned so painfully, 40 years ago" in Vietnam.
Conspicuous by its absence from disparagements of the president by these deserters from his camp and cause is any sense that they were themselves wrong. That they, who accuse everyone else of cutting and running, are themselves cutting and running. That they are themselves but a typical cluster of think-tank incompetents.
No neocon concedes that the very idea itself of launching an unprovoked war against a country in the heart of the Arab world—one that had not attacked us, did not threaten us and did not want war with us—might not be wildly welcomed by the "liberated." No neocon has yet conceded that Bismarck may have been right when he warned, "Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death."
"Huge mistakes were made," says Perle, "and I want to be very clear on this: They were not made by neoconservatives. ... I'm getting damn tired of being described as an architect of the war."
Almost all the neoconservatives have now departed the seats of power in the Bush administration and retreated to their sinecures at Washington think tanks, to plot the next war—on Iran.
Meanwhile, brave young Americans, the true idealists and the casualties of the neocons' war, come home in caskets, 20 a week, to Dover and, at Walter Reed, learn to walk again on steel legs.
Patrick J. Buchanan needs no introduction to VDARE.COM readers; his book State of Emergency: The Third World Invasion and Conquest of America, can be ordered from Amazon.com.


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NSF selected five high-school students from as many states nationwide to deploy to the Arctic this summer as part of a science-education and cultural-exchange program with their peers from Denmark and Greenland.
The students will participate in a three-week field experience in Greenland as part of the multinational Joint Science Education Project (JSEP). The U.S. students were selected in a competitive process that drew 375 applications from all 50 states as well as Department of Defense schools abroad.
The 2013 U.S. JSEP participants are:
Samuel Blair, an 11th-grader from Massachusetts.
Chloe Fouilloux, an 11th-grader from Minnesota.
Samantha Montoya, a 10th-grader from New Mexico.
Ronin Ruerup, a 10th-grader from Alaska.
Grace Wischmeyer, an 11th-grader from Illinois.
JSEP, which began as an offshoot of the International Polar Year (IPY), reflects NSF's emphasis on the interaction between research and education as well as the close relationship between the participating nations needed to conduct field science in the remote and often harsh climate of Greenland. It is now in its sixth season.
JSEP is designed to allow students to work cooperatively on science projects and to work with researchers in the field. The 2013 program begins in early June. The first two weeks are conducted at the Kangerlussuaq Science Field School run by the Greenlandic government. During that session students will conduct their own measurements and interact with scientific parties, many supported by NSF and other U.S. science agencies.
A smaller group of students from the three nations then will spend several days during Science Education Week visiting NSF's Summit Station on the Greenland ice sheet, meeting with researchers there and observing long-term experiments related to snow- and ice-chemistry and atmospheric phenomena.
Kasper Busk and Lynn Foshee Reed, teachers from Denmark and the U.S., respectively, will work cooperatively during Field School. Reed, an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow in the NSF Division of Polar Programs, will lead the Science Education Week.
For more information about JSEP and the 2013 program, see the NSF press release or Witness, Fall 2012 or contact Lynn Foshee Reed (lreed [at] nsf.gov).


text:
Mad Day
Battle the oncoming Alien Invasion of Earth in this epic racer to rescue your beloved pet Octopus Fluffy and escape. Mad Day is a combination of an awesome racing and alien shooting game. Upgrade your Car, Guns, Armor, Clothing and more to beat the bad guys.
Take on the aliens lasers and blasters with your own trucks rocket launcher as you climb hills and smash through walls. Then start running on foot with your shotgun, killing and smashing aliens. Earn gold coins to upgrade your Car and weapons as well as buy boosters in order to get further each time and beat your previous and friends best distance. Go off road while you drive and run for your life!
4 unique top quality vehicles.
More than 1,000 unique character combinations. Buy new Hats, Clothes and Accessories.
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Multiple upgrades, including your Gun, Rocket Launcher, Alien Ram and Armor available in your personal garage.
Fluffy\'s Spinning Wheel of Fortune
Friend Leaderboards
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Social Features
Simple control scheme
Mad Day features 4 highly unique vehicles that allow you to ride and fly in style. Including the classic truck, complete with rocket launcher and high suspension. Or hover over the ground with the Jet Car as you fly through the game with jet engines. The buggy is the off-road supercar. Or if you are feeling moto you could try the bike just don\'t forget your helmet.
T-Rex Dinosaur. Ride and devour your enemies with this amazing prehistoric alien eater.
Developed by Smokoko, published by AceViral.
To Download Mad Day For PC,users need to install an Android Emulator like MuMu player.With MuMu player,you can Download Mad Day for PC version on your Windows 7,8,10 and Laptop.
How to Play Mad Day on PC,Laptop,Windows
1.Download and Install MuMu Player Android Emulator.Click "Download Mumu Player" to download.
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Niners CB says openly gay players would not be welcomed on the team
NEW ORLEANS – San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver has made inflammatory comments regarding homosexuality in football just a few days before Super Bowl XLVII.
Shock jock Artie Lange revealed he had interviewed Culliver at media day Tuesday and aired a segment on his show that night, where the player insisted that any gay players would not be welcome on the team.
"I don't do the gay guys man," said Culliver, whose Niners play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. "I don't do that. No, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do.
"Can't be with that sweet stuff. Nah…can't be…in the locker room man. Nah."
When quizzed by Lange whether any homosexual athletes would need to keep their sexuality a secret in football, Culliver responded: "Yeah, come out 10 years later after that."
You can listen to the interview here:
The 49ers released a statement Wednesday in response to Culliver's remarks:
"The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made [Tuesday], and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community."
Culliver issued his own apology on Wednesday.
"The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel," Culliver said in a statement. "It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience."
In the NFL's long history, there has never been an openly gay active player. However, sexual orientation has increasingly come into the spotlight recently.
The Manti Te'o girlfriend hoax saga was believed by many to be a ruse designed to hide his homosexuality, a claim that was vehemently denied by the former Notre Dame defensive star.
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has been an outspoken supporter of gay rights, using the profile of Super Bowl week to bring the issue further into the spotlight.
[Related: Ray Lewis agitated over link to PED during Super Bowl week]
And Monday, a report surfaced that former NFL player Kwame Harris had been charged with assaulting a former boyfriend.
"You always think because of the odds and the numbers there are gay players in the NFL," former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis told Huffington Post Live. "They haven't obviously come out and told anyone about it not even behind the scenes.
"Obviously there will be people who disagree and people who don't have a problem with it, but that will be in life as well. I don't think it is going to affect someone's play.
"Because it is so testosterone driven, it'd be really difficult for a gay player to stand up and say, 'Hey, I'm gay and I'm an NFL player.' "
Culliver, 24, did little to improve his own reputation on Wednesday, sending out a Tweet about a woman's monthly cycle.
Culliver, who started six games for the Niners in the regular season, recorded 48 tackles and two interceptions.
More Super Bowl coverage from Yahoo! Sports:
Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports:
• Heat to give Chris Andersen another 10-day deal
• Yankees want to void A-Rod's $114 million contract
• Nerlens Noel's block party propels Kentucky to signature win


text: The Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam on Oct. 15, 1969, was a huge gathering of antiwar protesters across the United States. Boston had the largest turnout in the country with an estimated 100,000 people assembled at the Boston Common. This was the largest demonstration in Boston's history. The peace rallies put the antiwar movement in the national spotlight and in the thoughts of mainstream America. Although it made a bold statement, their message was not heard, as the war continued on for several years. - Leanne Burden and Lisa Tuite


text:
Had I gotten hold of the Clio Professional Waterproof Kill Black Brush Liner when I first started experimenting with liquid liners, I dare say my adoration for gel liners would have been repressed.
My two greatest regret eyeliner purchases stand ostensibly in the wands of the MAC Liquidlast Liner in Inky and Lancome Artliner because they never fail to make me sigh whenever I try to create miracles with them. Them lying there useless in the corner makes me go 'tsk'.
One, or two, (okie more than a few) expensive setbacks will not make me throw the towel and swear never to go near liquid eyeliners, as proven by the successful chance acquisition of the Bourjois Glitter Eye Liners. Nevertheless, I've become more cautious with buying liquid eyeliners!
I first tried the Clio Waterproof Kill Black Brush Liner at Ngee Ann City Watsons – which has the largest makeup brands and collections at any Watsons in Singapore – and immediately feel in love with it!
I swatched it once, went 'WOW', walked away, swatched afain, went 'OMFG', walked away, swatched again, and told myself this must be another 'TGTBT' (Too Good To Be True) product.
Like a lovelorn teenager nursing a crush, I couldn't get the Clio Waterproof Brush Liner Kill Black out of my mind.
Who would have thought, my neighborhood Watsons store which only carries Maybelline, ZA, Revlon and Silky Girl, allocated a black and pumpkin colored stand for Clio products! Wootz!!!
The unattainable was right before me and suddenly it didn't seem all that alluring anymore. Lol. But I didn't want to history to repeat itself, like when I stubbornly refused to get the L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Goldmine and had to resign to fate that I might never get to own when the limited edition color sold out (I did managed to own it eventually from a swap).
If your budget allows for one liquid eyeliner your entire life, get the Clio Water Proof Brush Liner Kill Black! It is seriously THE BEST BLACK LIQUID EYELINER!
Be In Absolute Control
The best thing about the Clio Waterproof Brush Liner Kill Black is its brush – its density, sharpness, texture, was designed to perfection and made to create perfection. It is not too limp so that it goes all over unintended places, and not too rigid so that it pokes the eyelid.
Its tapered tip also makes creating the sharpest of lines effortless.
Dramatically thick or subtly sexy thin lines can be easily created with the Clio Brush Liner's precision. I must admit my favorite Kate Gel Liner applied with the MAC 263 Small Angle Brush loses out to the Clio Brush Liner in terms of sharpness of a wing tip created.
Smudgeproof Liquid Eyeliner
I've had my fair share of eyeliner smuding, flaking, transfering on the flesh above the fold, but all these are a thing of the past now that I've discovered the CLIO Professional Kill Black Brush Liner! Once it goes on, it stays on.
So I tested it myself and.... it washed off rather easily. @_@ I think my failed experimented was attributed to the lack of waiting time for the eyeliner to dry completely first.
It actually is wateproof AND smudgeproof, so don't worry. The pictures simply illustrate that you need to let the liner dry before adding water to your eye. Who does that?!?! XD
Black Enough For Me
If you try and look into its opaqueness, you will find yourself running into an endless corridor of absolute darkness. Yes, that black.
When I say it's black enough for me, I mean it's REALLY black. The Clio Waterproof Brush Liner Kill Black does not turn flaky upon layering and you can get the darkest black of black. You can, of course, leave it semi-opaque so that it wouldn't look so harsh, but I always love a mean, black eye line.
There's a Kill Brown version of the Clio Waterproof Brush Liner and is probably only available in Korea.
Use it as an eyebrow pencil too!
Goes On Smoothly And Quickly For A Korean Eyeline
I keed, I keed. There's no such thing as a 'Korean Eyeline'. Heh heh. Probably inspired and influenced by the knowledge that the liner is from Korea, I realize that with the Clio Liner Brush I tend to draw a lower angled winged eyeline. Koreans, or Asians in general, do spot the cat eyeliner look, but the difference, I've discovered, is that Asians typically draw on lines that go with the natural curve of the eye. It's all about the 'natural' look when it comes to Asian makeup.
I can't apply liquid eyeliner on my lower lashline coz I'm allergic to anything liquid there.
The Clio Kill Black Brush Liner makes one feel like she has the dexterity of a well-trained makeup artist. I take a shorter time to create even, perfectly opaque eyelines using the Clio Brush Liner than any other eye liner.
Does Not Hold On Well By Itself
Despite all its goodness, the Clio Waterproof Brush Liner fails in one aspect. Not a very important one for me, but poses considerable annoyance to some people.
It does not hold out when used as the sole eye product.
I only realized this shortcoming one day when I decided not to use anything but the Clio Water Proof Brush Liner Kill Black, to test its effectiveness to the max. I just had the nagging feeling that this perfect liner must have an Achilles' heel!
Without eye primer or eyeshadow, it was hard to get the Clio Brush Liner on. The oils on my eyelids obstructed the smooth application of the eyeliner and layering was frustrating coz the prior layers would not dry fast enough without anything to adhere to. I was hoping I didn't have to resort to retouching anything, but throughout the day the liner had faded considerably and retouching was not an option - it was mandatory. The sharp tail had blurred, and looked like I'd done a bad job at eyeliner application. 🙁
All these NEVER happened when I had my usual eye primer and eyeshadow routines in place.
If you intend to have the Clio Professional Waterproof Kill Black Brush Liner glide on smoothly, appear beautifully black, and stay on all day, do use an eye primer or at least apply some eyeshadow in powder form, as a veil between your lids and the eyeliner. This is especially important for oily lids.
50, 000 Clio Waterproof Brush Liner Kill Black liners were sold out in two weeks of the launch and this liner has been named the 'Lee Hyori eye liner'. Just check out how sexy this woman is.
Bun Bun rates the Clio Professional Waterproof Brush Liner Kill Black:
Of course it is!
Get the Clio Professional Waterproof Brush Liner Kill Black here
Alright! So this is my V day present to all my beloved readers who've been asking for a recommendation for a good black liquid eyeliner! Heh heh. This is honestly, by far, the best I've tried my entire life.
Read: 15 Liquid Eyeliners Tried & Tested
What's the best black liquid eyeliner you've tried? Have you tried any Korean makeup before?


text:
Светиот великомаченик Димитриј
Овој славен и чудотворен светител се роди во градот Солун од благородни и благочестиви родители. Измолен од Бога од бездетни родители Димитриј беше син единец, заради што беше воспитан и однегуван со големо внимание. Татко му беше војвода солунски, па кога умре татко му го поставија Димитриј за војвода наместо неговиот татко. Кога го постави за војвода, христоборниот цар Максимијан особено му препорача да ги гони и истребува христијаните што беа во Солун. Но Димитриј не само што не го послуша царот туку напротив, јавно Го исповедаше и Го проповедаше Христа во градот Солун. Кога слушна за тоа царот Максимијан многу се огорчи на него, па еднаш враќајќи се од војна, царот сврати во Солун посебно за да ја испита оваа работа. Го повика, значи, војводата Димитриј и го испитуваше за верата. Димитриј јавно пред царот призна дека е христијанин и го изобличи идолопоклонството на Максимијан. Разјарен, царот го фрли Димитриј во затвор. Знаејќи што го чека, Димитриј му го врачи сиот свој имот на својот верен ученик Луп за да го раздаде на сиромасите и отиде во затворот весел, зашто му претстоеше страдање за Господа.
Во затворот му се јави ангел Божји и му рече: "Мир на тебе, страдалецу Христов. Биди храбар!" По неколку дена царот испрати војници во затворот за да го убијат Димитриј. Војниците го најдоа Божјиот Светител на молитва и го избодија со копја. Неговото тело тајно го зедоа христијаните и чесно го погребаа. Од телото на Христовиот страдалник потече исцелително миро, со коешто мнозина болни се излечија. Наскоро над моштите беше подигната малечка црква. Еден илирски војник, Леонтиј, беше болен од неизлечлива болест. Им притекна на моштите на Св. Димитриј со молитва и стана наполно здрав. Од благодарност му подигна на Св. Димитриј црква многу поголема од старата. Светителот му се јави двапати. Кога царот Јулијан сакаше да ги пренесе моштите од Солун во Цариград, од гробот скокнаа пламени искри и се чу глас: "Застанете и не гибајте!" И така моштите на Св. Димитриј останаа засекогаш во Солун. Како заштитник на Солун Св. Димитриј се јавуваше многупати и многупати го спаси Солун од големи неволји. Неговите чуда се навистина безбројни. Русите го сметаат и за покровител на Сибир, којшто го освоија и го присоединија кон Русија во 1581 година.
Тропар, глас 3.
Целиот свет најде во тебе заштитник, страдалнику, кој ги победуваш незнабошците. И како што си ја победил горделивоста Лиева, и за борба си го охрабрил Нестора, така свети Димитрие, моли се на Христа Бога, да ни дарува милост голема.
The Holy and Great Martyr Dimitrios
The Great Martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher of Thessalonica was the son of a Roman proconsul in Thessalonica. Three centuries had elapsed and Roman paganism, spiritually shattered and defeated by the multitude of martyrs and confessors of the Savior, intensified its persecutions. The parents of St Demetrius were secretly Christians, and he was baptized and raised in the Christian Faith in a secret church in his father's home.
By the time Demetrius had reached maturity and his father had died, the emperor Galerius Maximian had ascended the throne (305). Maximian, confident in Demetrius' education as well as his administrative and military abilities, appointed him to his father's position as proconsul of the Thessalonica district. The main tasks of this young commander were to defend the city from barbarians and to eradicate Christianity. The emperor's policy regarding Christians was expressed simply, "Put to death anyone who calls on the name of Christ." The emperor did not suspect that by appointing Demetrius he had provided a way for him to lead many people to Christ.
Accepting the appointment, Demetrius returned to Thessalonica and immediately confessed and glorified our Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of persecuting and executing Christians, he began to teach the Christian Faith openly to the inhabitants of the city and to overthrow pagan customs and idolatry. The compiler of his Life, St Simeon Metaphrastes (November 9), says that because of his teaching zeal he became "a second Apostle Paul" for Thessalonica, particularly since "the Apostle to the Gentiles" once founded at this city the first community of believers (1 Thess. and 2 Thess.).
The Lord also destined St Demetrius to follow the holy Apostle Paul as a martyr. When Maximian learned that the newly-appointed proconsul was a Christian, and that he had converted many Roman subjects to Christianity, the rage of the emperor know no bounds. Returning from a campaign in the Black Sea region, the emperor decided to lead his army through Thessalonica, determined to massacre the Christians.
Learning of this, St Demetrius ordered his faithful servant Lupus to distribute his wealth to the poor saying, "Distribute my earthly riches among them, for we shall seek heavenly riches for ourselves." He began to pray and fast, preparing himself for martyrdom.
When the emperor came into the city, he summoned Demetrius, who boldly confessed himself a Christian and denounced the falsehood and futility of Roman polytheism. Maximian gave orders to lock up the confessor in prison. An angel appeared to him, comforting and encouraging him.
Meanwhile the emperor amused himself by staging games in the circus. His champion was a German by the name of Lyaeos. He challenged Christians to wrestle with him on a platform built over the upturned spears of the victorious soldiers. A brave Christian named Nestor went to the prison to his advisor Demetrius and requested a blessing to fight the barbarian. With the blessing and prayers of Demetrius, Nestor prevailed over the fierce German and hurled him from the platform onto the spears of the soldiers, just as the murderous pagan would have done with the Christian. The enraged commander ordered the execution of the holy Martyr Nestor (October 27) and sent a guard to the prison to kill St Demetrius.
At dawn on October 26, 306 soldiers appeared in the saint's underground prison and ran him through with lances. His faithful servant, St Lupus, gathered up the blood-soaked garment of St Demetrius, and he took the imperial ring from his finger, a symbol of his high status, and dipped it in the blood. With the ring and other holy things sanctified by the blood of St Demetrius, St Lupus began to heal the infirm. The emperor issued orders to arrest and kill him.
The body of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius was cast out for wild animals to devour, but the Christians took it and secretly buried it in the earth.
During the reign of St Constantine (306-337), a church was built over the grave of St Demetrius. A hundred years later, during the construction of a majestic new church on the old spot, the incorrupt relics of the holy martyr were uncovered. Since the seventh century a miraculous flow of fragrant myrrh has been found beneath the crypt of the Great Martyr Demetrius, so he is called "the Myrrh-gusher."
Several times, those venerating the holy wonderworker tried to bring his holy relics, or a part of them, to Constantinople. Invariably, St Demetrius made it clear that he would not permit anyone to remove even a portion of his relics.
It is interesting that among the barbarians threatening the Romans, Slavs occupied an important place, in particular those settling upon the Thessalonian peninsula. Some even believe that the parents of St Demetrius were of Slavic descent. While advancing towards the city, pagan Slavs were repeatedly turned away by the apparition of a threatening radiant youth, going around on the walls and inspiring terror in the enemy soldiers. Perhaps this is why the name of St Demetrius was particularly venerated among the Slavic nations after they were enlightened by the Gospel. On the other hand, the Greeks dismiss the notion of St Demetrius being a Slavic saint.
The very first pages of the Russian Primary Chronicle, as foreordained by God, is bound up with the name of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. The Chronicle relates that when Oleg the Wise threatened the Greeks at Constantinople (907), the Greeks became terrified and said, "This is not Oleg, but rather St Demetrius sent upon us from God." Russian soldiers always believed that they were under the special protection of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius. Moreover, in the old Russian barracks the Great Martyr Demetrius was always depicted as Russian. Thus this image entered the soul of the Russian nation.
Church veneration of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius in Russia began shortly after the Baptism of Rus. Towards the beginning of the 1070s the Dimitriev monastery at Kiev, known afterwards as the Mikhailov-Zlatoverkh monastery, was founded, The monastery was built by the son of Yaroslav the Wise, Great Prince Izyaslav, Demetrius in Baptism (+ 1078). The mosaic icon of St Demetrius of Thessalonica from the cathedral of the Dimitriev monastery has been preserved up to the present day, and is in the Tretiakov gallery.
In the years 1194-1197 the Great Prince of Vladimir, Vsevolod III the Great-Nest (Demetrius in Baptism) "built at his court a beautiful church of the holy martyr Demetrius, and adorned it wondrously with icons and frescoes." The Dimitriev cathedral also reveals the embellishment of ancient Vladimir. The wonderworking icon of St Demetrius of Thessalonica from the cathedral iconostas is located even now in Moscow, at the Tretiakov gallery. It was painted on a piece of wood from the grave of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius, brought from Thessalonica to Vladimir in 1197.
One of the most precious depictions of the saint, a fresco on a column of the Vladimir Dormition cathedral, was painted by the holy Iconographer Andrew Rublev (July 4).
The family of St Alexander Nevsky (November 23 also venerated St Demetrius. St Alexander named his eldest son in honor of the holy Great Martyr. His younger son, Prince Daniel of Moscow (March 4), built a temple dedicated to the holy Great Martyr Demetrius in the 1280s. This was the first stone church in the Moscow Kremlin. Later in 1326, under Ivan Kalita, it was taken down and the Dormition cathedral was built in its place.
The memory of St Demetrius of Thessalonica is historically associated in Rus with the military, patriotism and the defense of the country. This is apparent by the saint's depiction on icons as a soldier in plumed armor, with a spear and sword in hand. There is a scroll (in later depictions) on which is written the prayer of St Demetrius for the salvation of the people of Thessalonica, "Lord, do not permit the city or the people perish. If You save the city and the people, I shall be saved with them. If they perish, I also perish with them."
In the particular spiritual experience of the Russian Church, veneration of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica is closely linked with the memory of the defense of the nation and Church by the Great Prince of Moscow, Demetrius of the Don (May 19) . "An Account of the Life and Repose of the Great Prince Demetrius of the Don, Tsar of Russia," written in the year 1393, already regards the Great Prince as a saint, as also do other old Russian histories. Great Prince Demetrius was a spiritual son and disciple of St Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow (February 12), and a disciple and associate of other great figures of prayer in the Russian Land: St Sergius of Radonezh (September 25), Demetrius of Priluki (February 11), St Theodore of Rostov (November 28). The Account states:
He [Great Prince Demetrius] worried much about the churches of God, and he held the territory of the Russian land by his bravery: he conquered many enemies who had risen against us, and he protected his glorious city Moscow with wondrous walls. …The land of Russia prospered during the years of his reign.
From the time of the building of the white-walled Kremlin (1366) by Great Prince Demetrius, Moscow was called "White-Stoned."
By the prayers of his Heavenly patron, the holy warrior Demetrius of Thessalonica, Great Prince Demetrius, in addition to his brilliant military victories, also gained the further prominence of Russia. He repelled the onslaught of the Lithuanian armies of Olgerd (1368, 1373), he routed the Tatar army of Begich at the River Vozha (1378), and he smashed the military might of all the Golden Horde at the Battle of Kulikovo Field on September 8, 1380 (the Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos), set between the Rivers Don and Nepryadva. The Battle of Kulikovo, for which the nation calls him Demetrius of the Don, became the first Russian national deed, rallying the spiritual power of the Russian nation around Moscow. The "Zadonschina," an inspiring historic poem written by the priest Sophronius of Ryazem (1381) is devoted to this event.
Prince Demetrius of the Don was greatly devoted to the holy Great Martyr Demetrius. In 1380, on the eve of the Battle of Kulikovo, he solemnly transferred from Vladimir to Moscow the most holy object in the Vladimir Dimitriev cathedral: the icon of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, painted on a board from the grave of the saint. A chapel dedicated to the Great Martyr Demetrius was built at Moscow's Dormition Cathedral.
The St Demetrius Memorial Saturday was established for churchwide remembrance of the soldiers who fell in the Battle of Kulidovo. This memorial service was held for the first time at the Trinity-St Sergius monastery on October 20, 1380 by St Sergius of Radonezh, in the presence of Great Prince Demetrius of the Don. It is an annual remembrance of the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo, among whom are the schemamonks Alexander (Peresvet) and Andrew (Oslyab).
St Demetrius is regarded as a protector of the young, and is also invoked by those struggling with lustful temptations.
Troparion – Tone 3
The world has found you to be a great defense against tribulation
and a vanquisher of heathens, O Passion-bearer.
As you bolstered the courage of Nestor,
who then humbled the arrogance of Lyaios in battle,
Holy Demetrius, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy.
Kontakion – Tone 2
God, who has given you invincible might,
has tinged the Church with streams of your blood, Demetrius!
He pre-serves your city from harm,
for you are its foundation!


text:
HOUSTON — Terron Henry was busily preparing food for his Jamaican restaurant Friday morning when his assistant told him an SUV was mysteriously parked behind his Houston business.
The restaurant owner walked to the vehicle along a concrete path behind the strip mall where his restaurant is located and peeked into a window. There he saw a toddler strapped to a car seat, bundled in a gray sweat shirt and apparently sleeping.
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It turned out to be 17-month-old Evan Montgomery Lamar Miller, the subject of a frantic search that began 14 hours earlier when the vehicle – with the baby inside – was stolen from a Walmart parking lot about three blocks away.
"I got kids myself so when I saw the baby I was actually frightened. I just wanted to make sure the baby was OK," said Henry, 38, who got the boy after a 911 operator told him it was fine to do so.
Henry brought the toddler into the restaurant, wrapped him in a shirt and waited for paramedics, who arrived about five minutes later. The boy was taken to Texas Children's Hospital, where he was treated and released.
Houston police were still looking Friday evening for the suspect who stole the vehicle. Police believe he probably left the SUV shortly after he stole it and Evan was in the vehicle overnight.
The drama unfolded at about 5:45 p.m. Thursday when Evan's mother, Niah O'Neil, ran into the Walmart to get money from an ATM, leaving her Jeep running with Evan and his 7-year-old cousin inside.
In the few minutes O'Neil was in the store, the suspect climbed into the SUV, and her 7-year-old niece jumped out – screaming.
"As I'm running out, I saw my niece running toward me screaming my name and my car going down the road. I dropped everything and ran toward the car," O'Neil told Houston television station KHOU.
Several telephone listings for O'Neil were not valid, and a woman who told reporters she was an attorney for the family did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Houston police Capt. David Gott said before the suspect stole the SUV, he briefly entered the store, apparently saw the SUV running and walked to it. He talked with the girl, asking her where her mother was and attempted to grab her before she got away. The girl had tried taking the toddler, her cousin, out of the SUV but was unsuccessful.
Gott said investigators were still trying to determine whether the suspect was only after the vehicle or whether he might be a child predator because he tried to grab the girl.
Cases where vehicles are stolen with a child inside are rare, Gott said. Usually when thieves realize a child is inside, they drop the car off somewhere in a public place where the child can be found or take the child out before speeding away, he said.
But in this case, the suspect knew a child was inside the vehicle and still took it and then proceeded to hide it in a location that was not easily seen, Gott said.
"The impression is it was an abduction. You assume the car was not the primary target," Gott said. "We may find out once we get him in custody that he'll say, `I just wanted that car.' But it doesn't appear so and that's really one reason why we need to get him in custody as soon as possible."
As the search continued Thursday night and temperatures reached abnormal lows, police posted on Twitter pictures of the toddler and details of an Amber Alert asking Houstonians to look out for the boy.
Gott said between 30 and 40 patrol cars, a police helicopter and 20 detectives searched the area all night for the boy and the SUV but had no luck.
Around 7 a.m. Friday morning, Henry showed up as usual for work at his Cool Runnings Jamaican Grill on the city's southwest edge. He and his assistant were preparing for a regular day serving up jerk chicken and ox tail stew at the casual restaurant tucked next to an auto repair shop and a Laundromat.
As usual, Henry's assistant stepped out behind the restaurant to a wooded area for a morning smoke.
That's when he saw the car and ran back in to get Henry. It was unusual, they agreed, for a car to be wedged in an area that is more of a walkway than a parking spot.
When he found the toddler and saw that his eyes were closed, Henry feared the worst.
"I thought he was dead because it was so cold outside," he said. Temperatures early Friday had dipped to just below freezing.
But after Henry grabbed Evan, the toddler opened his eyes. Inside the restaurant, the boy was mostly silent, but Henry noticed a few tears running down his cheeks.
"I still feel relieved right now the baby was okay," Henry, still visibly shaken, said as he accepted congratulations from customers at his restaurant.
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