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How to Bet on Tennis How to Bet on Soccer
First, find the sport you'd like to wager on using the left side menu. To view events that are currently live in game, click the "Live Right Now" button on the top of the menu. To use the filter feature, click the box next to each desired sport and all available events for each selected sport will be displayed. To select a specific league, click the arrow to the right of the corresponding sport to display specific leagues and events.
To place a bet, simply find the event and outcome you would like to bet on and click on the button displaying your chosen odds and outcome to add it to your bet slip. Your bet slip displays all of your selected bets that are waiting to be placed and will appear on the right-hand side of your screen. Remember, the numbers associated with each outcome are the odds (detailed below), which determine the potential pay out. You can add up to 12 picks to your bet slip at any given time.
Once in the bet slip, you can toggle between:
- Singles: A individual bet in one game. (This can also be used to make single bets on multiple games on one bet slip)
- Combination or Parlay: A single bet that links two or more outcomes
- System (Round Robin). A series of parlays. Please note that for Round Robin betting, you must choose at least two games to wager on
Enter the amount you would like to wager on each bet and your potential payout will be calculated. Once you confirm your picks and wager amount, select 'PLACE BET' to lock in your bet. You will see a receipt for all of the bets you place. You can view all of your receipts and track the outcomes by visiting 'My Bet History.'
If you're new to betting, it's important to understand how odds work. Betting odds can be complicated, but we've broken down the basics to get you started. Odds tell you how likely an event or outcome is to happen and also how much money you can win if it happens. If the chances are low (it is unlikely to happen), then the odds are usually high. If the chances are high (it is likely to happen), then the odds are usually low.
Odds On – The potential amount you can win will be less than the amount staked and is represented by a minus sign before the number. For example: If you're wagering on a bet with -130 odds, you would need to stake $130 to win $100. Your potential payout would be your original $130 stake plus a $100 win for a total of $230.
Odds Against – The potential amount you can win will be greater than the amount staked and will be represented by a plus sign next to the number. For example: If you're wagering on a bet with +130 odds, you would stake $100 to win $130. Your potential payout would be your original $100 stake plus a $130 win for a total win of $230.
Remember, the higher the odds against are, the less likely the event is to happen, but the greater the rewards will be. Big favorites are often odds on, as they are more likely to win. When wagers are more likely to lose than win, they will typically be odds against.
Odds can also be even money. A winning even money bet will return exactly the amount staked in profit, plus the original stake. (Example: +100 or -100) So, you essentially double your money.
Here are some examples using American odds:
Action – The word Action in sports betting means a wager on a game. If you have action on a game that means that you have a wager placed on that game.
Cover – this means to "Cover the spread". This means that the winning team covered the spread.
For example: If the Eagles were a 7 point favorite over the Browns, (Eagles -7, Browns +7) then the Eagles would have to win by more than 7 points for them to cover the spread.
Dog – This is an abbreviation for underdog. This is the opposite of the favorite.
Futures – Bets that either are determined by multiple events taking place OR events that are happening in the future. (I.e. more than two weeks out)
Line – The line is the combination of the spread and the odds.
Moneyline – If you place a money line bet, it means that if your team wins you win the bet.
Over/Under – When you are betting on the over/under you are betting on whether the final game will end over or under the total amount of points listed.
Parlay – A parlay is a single bet that links together multiple individual wagers and is dependent on all of those wagers winning together.
Prop Bet – Prop bets, also known as exotic bets, are unique bets that are posted in addition to the typical bets available. (For example: bets on a players performance in the game " Who will have the most first downs within the second quarter")
Push – In the event that a game falls on the spread line your bet will be returned this is called a push.
Round Robin – This is an easy way to combine multiple parlays.
Spread – This is the number of points that must be subtracted from the favorite or added to the dog to further even the playing field.
For example: If the Eagles were a 7-point favorite over the Browns, (Eagles -7, Browns +7) then the Eagles would have to win by more than 7 points for that bet to be a win. Conversely, if you bet on the Browns, they would have to win or lose by less than 7 points.
Total – This is the estimated total number of points that will be scored during the game.
You may want to place a bet on a sporting event as it's happening. This is called In Game Betting, Live Betting or Live In Game Betting, and this allows you to bet in real time while the action is happening.
Just like pre-game betting you can place Live Bets on a variety of events that may happen.
When placing a live bet, you will see the odds changing dynamically based on events currently happening in the game. Due to these odds changes, you may notice a slight delay as your bet is processing. Once a live bet is placed, you will see it settle as soon as the outcome is known.
Buy Out is a new feature that gives you the opportunity to close out your active bet before the outcome is decided. This allows you to secure part of your winnings or cut your losses as the odds change in or against your favor.
On selected sports, Buy Out is available for pre-game, live, future and parlay bets and can be for more or less than your original wagered amount, depending on how odds change following your bet placement. You can see if your bet is eligible for buy out by going into 'My Bet History' after you place the bet.
- Betting on the moneyline in baseball is as simple as picking an outright winner. However, keep in mind that wagers on the moneyline favorite will naturally pay less than a winning wager on an underdog.
- For example, the Philadelphia Phillies (-200) are hosting the New York Mets (+170).
- This line means that the Phillies are favored and a wager on them in this game will cost $200 to win $100. A winning wager on the underdog Mets would result in a $170 win with just a $100 initial stake.
- Betting on totals in baseball allows you to wager on the total number of runs that will be scored by both teams in a game. Moneyline odds are attached to the line, for example:
- Over 5.5 + 110
- Under 5.5 -110
This example sets the total at 5.5 runs but the under is favored at -110, meaning a $110 wager is needed to win $100 in the event 5 or less runs are scored in the game.
- Betting on the runline in baseball typically involves a 1.5 run spread on a game. For example,
- Philadelphia -1.5 +110
- New York +1.5 -140
In this example if you bet on Philadelphia and they won by less than 1.5 runs the wager would still be lost, if they won by 2 or more runs then the wager would be won.
- Betting futures in baseball involves wagering on future outcomes during the offseason, regular season, pennant races and the postseason.
- Odds can change frequently based on current performance, injuries and personnel moves.
- Moneyline
- Bettors wishing to bet on which team is going to win a football contest can bet on the moneyline.
- For example, the Dallas Cowboys (+140) visit the Philadelphia Eagles (-160) – meaning a $100 winning bet on the underdog Cowboys would net $140, where a $160 winning bet on the favored Eagles would pay $100.
Point Spread
- Football bettors can also bet on the point spread.
- The Cowboys are a +3.0 underdog against the Eagles at -3.0. In this example, bettors that take the Eagles would need them to win by 4 or more points and bettors that wager on the Cowboys would need them to win outright or lose by 1 or 2 points. If the Eagles win by 3 points, the game would be a push.
Point Total
- Football games also feature a point total where bettors can wager whether the total number of points scored in the game will go over or under a defined amount. For example, will the Eagles and Cowboys combine to score over or under 42.5 points.
- Betting on the moneyline in hockey is the standard option for those not wanting to bet the game against the spread – known as the puckline in hockey.
- For example, the Flyers -130 are hosting the Rangers +110, meaning a $130 wager on the Flyers would win $100 and a $100 wager on the underdog Rangers would win $110.
- The puckline in hockey is identical to baseball's runline with one team favored by 1.5 goals with the other entering as 1.5 goal underdog
- Using the same example, the puckline for this game may be something like Philadelphia -1.5 (+150) hosting New York +1.5 (-175) meaning a $100 wager on the Flyers would pay $150 if the Flyers won by 2 or more goals and a $175 wager on the Rangers would pay $100 if they win outright or lose by 1 goal.
- Betting on simply who will win a fight is the most common moneyline wager for enthusiasts.
- Fighter A is a -160 favorite over Fighter B, a +130 underdog. A wager on Fighter A would require $160 to make $100, whereas a wager on the underdog, Fighter B, would require a $100 bet to win $130.
Number of Rounds
- Will a fight go over or under a defined number of rounds
- For example, a line may read O/U 10.5 Rounds (-120/+105). This means that a bet on the over would require a $120 wager to win $100 and a bet on under 10.5 rounds would take a $100 bet to win $105
- The most straightforward way to bet on tennis is via the moneyline in match-to-match format
- Novak Djokovic (-205) vs, Andy Murray (+175) represents a $205 wager needed on Djokovic to win $100 and a $100 wager to win $175 on Murray
Point Spread
- In matches with a larger perceived skill disparity amongst competitors, point spreads are frequently offered in tennis
- For example, Djokovic is a -3.5 favorite over Frances Tiafoe meaning he needs to win by 4 games in order to cover, Ie 6-4 6-4
- Live In game betting on tennis is hugely popular because of the sheer amount of in game bets. In tennis every point is a new opportunity for you to bet.
- The 3-way moneyline is one betting option in soccer than includes the 'draw' (or tie) as a possible outcome with set odds.
- For example, France -129, Draw +250, and Switzerland +325 is a 3-way moneyline indicating a $129 wager is needed on France to win $100, a $100 bet is needed on Switzerland to win $325 and a $100 wager is needed on the Draw to win $250.
- As in other sports, moneyline odds represent the most popular means of wagering on soccer, however, the game's unique rules and design present a few variations on the traditional moneyline
- Standard soccer bets are based on results after 90 minutes of play plus any added time for injuries/stoppages. This is known as 'Regular Time'. Overtime, Golden Goals and Penalty Shoot-Outs do not count towards this betting
- The 2-way moneyline, also known as 'Draw, No Bet', eliminates the draw as an available outcome while betting and involves simply selecting a victor. If the match ends in a draw it is deemed no-action and the wager is refunded
- Odds in a 2-way moneyline using the same example could be France -310 vs. Switzerland +272 meaning you must wager $310 on France to win $100 or $100 on Switzerland to win $272
Goal Lines
- Betting the spread in soccer is known as betting Goal Lines and is similar to Puck Lines in hockey and Run Lines in baseball
- For example, France may enter the match with Switzerland as a 2.5 goal favorite with a line like France -2.5 (+110), Switzerland +2.5 (-120). This means France must win by 3 or more goals in order to receive $110 on a $100 wager or Switzerland must win outright, draw or lose by 2 or less goals to receive $100 on a $120 wager
- Totals betting in soccer is typically shown in multiples of .5 and the standard metric for soccer is over or under 2.5 goals.


text: quote:"Notes on a Page" began life as a flash-length story written for a contest over at the Codex Writers' Group called Weekend Warrior. You're given several prompts Friday night and have until Sunday night to write a flash story using one of them. One of the prompts last year was to write a story in which someone finds a secret passage in a public building. At the time, I had just been offered an internship working in an orchestra library, and that inspired my take on the prompt: a portal in an orchestra hall that quite literally takes one inside the music.

subset: commoncrawl


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In previous posts I've talked about what the combination of Business Model Design, Customer Development and Agile Methodologies mean to startups and intrapreneurs in large companies; it's the beginning of entrepreneurship as a science with its own rules and methodologies.
Alexander Osterwalder, who authored the Business Model Generation book, put together a slidedeck on his thoughts of what happens when you combine the business model concept to shape and structure your business ideas with the Customer Development approach to test, prove and build them.
I think his slides are great (and by far much easier on the eye then mine.)
Teaching In the Big Apple
I was in New York teaching at Columbia University this week and gave a few talks around town. A nice surprise was an invite to crash a dinner in progress with Fred Wilson, Mark Suster, and Joanne Wilson. (Funny to learn latter that someone at the next table was listening to our conversation and tweeting it.)
My public talk at Columbia University was part of their Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Startup lecture series. Thanks to an invite by Professor Chris Wiggins in the Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Department (but better known as the founder of HackNY), I was honored to be shoe-horned in between Mark Suster who appeared the day before and Peter Thiel, who was going to present the next day.
It was great to see my ex Stanford teaching assistant Christina Cacioppo, now at Union Square Ventures, in the audience. (She posted her notes from the talk here.) Now I have an ex teaching assistant in VC firms on both coasts.
Filed under: Business Model versus Business Plan, Customer Development |


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'Newsroom' Cast Spills on Season 2's Real Stories
Before the Golden-Globe-nominated series The Newsroom returns for its sophomore season, ET dashed to the set to get the scoop on what viewers can expect from Season 2, including which real news stories will be featured on the show.
Emily Mortimer, who plays "Mac McHale," executive producer of the news program News Night, confirmed that there will certainly be coverage of the 2012 presidential election and also revealed some exploration into foreign affairs.
VIDEO: Exclusive Video - Inside HBO's 'Newsroom'
"There's a lot on the Romney campaign, which I think will be cool for people to remember him," the 41-year-old English actress previewed. "We're just suddenly now getting into Benghazi and all those events."
Although the show incorporates many real new stories into its fictional world, it also creates its own imaginary news stories. Mortimer teased one such fictional story that will span over the course of the season.
VIDEO: Exclusive: 'The Newsroom' S1 Blu-ray Spoiler!
"We have a fictional story running through the arc of the whole season, which I think is really interesting because it's a juxtaposition of real-life events that are going on that we keep checking back in with, but then [there's] this setup which is something that could easily have happened and relates extremely pertinently to what is going on in the Administration."
While much of the show is set in a newsroom, the HBO drama isn't solely focused on news. A haul of The Newsroom's entertainment resides in the complex relationships between its characters.
VIDEO: Go Inside 'The Newsroom' Season Two
"I think that any television show succeeds or fails based on how much people want to spend time with the characters," said creator Aaron Sorkin. "Television is a more intimate medium.
"...You're watching it in your home, these people come into your living room every week and they become friends of yours. They become part of your family. So, if you want them in your home—if you want to be friends with them—then the show will succeed."
Watch the video for a full preview of Season 2 from the cast of The Newsroom, which returns July 14 on HBO.


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Traffic Advisory: NE 12th bridge over I-84 to close overnight Sep. 14
(September 12, 2013) – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public that there will be an overnight closure on Saturday night of the NE 12th Avenue bridge between NE Lloyd Boulevard and NE Irving Street to allow for a bridge inspection.
The closure will begin at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 and conclude at 8 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 15. Only emergency vehicles will be allowed access.
Detours will be in place. Travelers going eastbound on NE Lloyd Boulevardwill be detoured to NE 21st Avenue then to NE Irving Street and back to NE 12th Avenue. Travelers going westbound on NE Lloyd Boulevard will be diverted to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard then to NE Davis Street and back to NE 12th Avenue.
The public is advised to expect delays. We ask the public to travel cautiously, observe the lane closure and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible. This work is weather-dependent, and the schedule may change.


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New observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have helped astronomers crack a longstanding puzzle about galaxy evolution.
For years, scientists have wondered why galaxies that have ceased forming new stars — so-called "quenched galaxies" — were smaller long ago than they are today. Perhaps, they thought, ancient quenched galaxies continued to grow by merging with smaller cousins that had also stopped producing stars.
But that hypothesis is off the mark, a new study reports.
"We found that a large number of the bigger galaxies instead switch off at later times, joining their smaller quenched siblings and giving the mistaken impression of individual galaxy growth over time,"co-author Simon Lilly, of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, said in a statement.
The researchers used observations from Hubble's Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS), the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and the Subaru Telescope to map an area of the sky about nine times the size of the full moon. They used the observations to make a video of the quenched galaxies as seen by Hubble.
The team studied and tracked the quenched galaxies in this patch through the last eight billion years of the universe's history, eventually determining that most of them did not grow over time but rather remained small and compact.
So it appears that star production simply switched off earlier in older galaxies compared to younger ones. This makes sense, researchers said; star-forming galaxies were smaller in the early universe, after all, so they would hit growth and evolution milestones at a relatively smaller size.
"The apparent puffing up of quenched galaxies has been one of the biggest puzzles about galaxy evolution for many years,"said lead author Marcella Carollo, also of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. "Our study offers a surprisingly simple and obvious explanation to this puzzle. Whenever we see simplicity in nature amidst apparent complexity, it's very satisfying."
The Hubble Space Telescope, a collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency, has made more than 1 million science observations since its launch in 1990, and it's still going strong. NASA announced earlier this year that it had extended the telescope's science operations through April 2016.
This story was provided by SPACE.com, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on SPACE.com.
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Connected party loans are a problem area especially if the loan is impaired (ie the borrower may not be able to repay the debt)
Individual Loans written-off
If an individual makes a loan to a company and this is subsequently written-off, the company will have a non-trading loan relationship credit equal to the amount written off.
If the loan was made to an unquoted trading company, the individual will crystalise a capital loss equal to the amount of the loan written off. This will be available to set off against capital gains arising in the year of write-off or in subsequent years.ACCA
Loans swapped for Shares
Often Loans are swapped for equity and then subsequently a claim for negligible value is made.
A negligible value claim enables you to set a capital loss against your income (or against other capital gains if you have them) for earlier years and claim a tax refund.
Many negligible value claims are made by shareholder directors whose company has failed. Their claim is to offset the loss on the shares in their company against their directors' wages for earlier tax years.
When a taxpayer owns shares which become of negligible value the taxpayer may make a claim under s24 TCGA 1992, resulting in a deemed disposal and reacquisition, which crystallises a capital loss.
Intercompany Loans
Accounting standards require companies to assess their assets at the end of each period to ascertain whether there is objective evidence that particular assets are impaired. So if a loan can't be repaid it would be impaired and may require a provision for bad or doubtful debts at the year-end which may well lead to the eventual release of the loans in question.
The problem is that for connected businesses this can create a double whammy on tax! tax relief is denied in respect of the debit to the creditor company's profit and loss account. The credit recognised in the debtor company's accounts can be taxable.
Where the creditor and debtor are connected companies, the connected party rules will apply to the release. This means that the release debit in the creditor's accounts will not be allowable, because of CTA09/S354. Similarly, the credit in the debtor company's accounts will not be taxable, since CTA09/S358 applies, unless the release is a 'deemed release' as defined in CTA09/S358(3) (CFM35440) or a 'release of relevant rights' under CTA09/S358(4) (CFM35510).
Since the release is, for both parties, dealt with under loan relationships, the priority rule in CTA09/S464 means that the creditor's loss cannot be claimed, nor the debtor's profit taxed, under the normal provisions for trading income. Nor can the credit in the debtor's accounts be taxed under CTA09/S94 (debts incurred and later released).
Trade debts or loans between companies within a group may not uncommonly be released when either the debtor or the creditor company (or both) is dormant, as part of a 'tidying-up' exercise to enable dormant companies to be struck off. If this is all that happens, HMRC would take the view that the recording of an accounts profit – which is not taxed – in a dormant debtor company does not result in that company starting to carry on a business, and therefore does not start an accounting period under CTA09/S9. HMRC CFM41070
Two companies are connected for an accounting period if one controls the other or both are under the control of the same person (s 466) and companies are connected for the whole of their respective accounting periods if the control test is met at any time during those periods.
One possible solution could be a Deed of Release or Waiver executed in the accounting period in which the loan is released, but this would need to be properly drafted. The credit to the debtor company's profit and loss account will then be able to be treated as non-taxable and as such avoid the double tax treatment.


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My 2008 C6 Corvette Convertible
I took delivery of my first corvette ever, a 2008 C6 Corvette Convertible, fresh off the assembly line, on an extermely rainy day (April 24 2008) here in Minnesota. The rain didn't bother me 'cause just sitting in and driving this car is a great feeling!! I have wanted a vette since my first ride in a mid 60's Stingray way back in.... well... a long time ago (I was ten at the time :-) This car is beyond my wildest dreams - I just LOVE it! SPECS: 2008 C6 Vert 3LT, Z51, NPP+M2W, MX0/A6, Nav w/Sirius, CCW T10 Chromed rims, Victory Red w/two-tone cobalt red & black interior & black topRead More


text:
Skip to product information
Max Payne is a man with nothing to lose--a fugitive undercover cop framed for murder, and now hunted by the cops and the mob. As Payne, you'll uncover plot twists, engage in dramatic "bullet-time" firefights with thugs, and fight your way through an unforgiving New York blizzard. Max can wield a variety of weapons including pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, grenades, and Molotov cocktails. Prepare yourself for an involving story combined with slick action.


text:
Bette Midler Is 'Enchanted' by Rob and Kristen's Romance
The Divine Miss M speaks "Sometimes I look at the romance and I'm enchanted by it. She looks like a female Elvis, and he looks a little like Elvis, too."
epnebelle via cupidscloud
Lurve her!
Posted by RobStenation at 11:48 PM
Labels: RobSten Mention


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If you are going through tough circumstances, payday loans may sound a tempting option to you. But if you are not an experienced person, we suggest that you consider this option after a lot of thinking. Since these loans feature a very high interest rate, they shouldn't be taken unless you have no other option. Below are 7 tips that may help you make an informed decision.
Financial charges
The amount of loan you will get is a lot lower than what is written on the check. The reason is that finance charges are deducted from the amount, so you will need to write a check plus these charges. Not doing so will result in a higher rate of financial charges that you will have to pay. Most people get into even bigger trouble when they fail to pay the principal amount along with interest. So, make sure you know how much you are getting and how much you will need to pay back down the road.
Paying back
If you don't have enough funds in your account to pay back the loan, you may try other options. For instance, you may renew the loan amount or consider taking out another payday loan. But keep in mind that this new loan will have its own financial charges and extra fees. And the extra fees are actually incur because of late payment of the amount of loan.
State Regulations
In each state, regulations are different for payday loans. Usually, the term limit is not more than 30 days. The problem is that lenders often issue loans that feature a longer term limit. In this case, you are at the lender's mercy, which is a situation you may not be willing to go through.
Cash crunches
As said earlier, the purpose of a payday loan is to deal with a temporary financial crisis, and we have to pay back the loan as soon as we are out of the financial trouble to avoid high interest and fees.
So, it is not a good idea to be tempted by the "roll over" trend or you may have to pay a huge sum at the end.
Financial position
Usually, these loans are for borrowers with lower incomes as they can't afford to borrow from other sources. Here, it is important to keep in mind that lenders don't usually take into account the financial position of those who are applying for the loan. So, you have to think harder before opting for this option.
Automatic rollover
You need to be aware that there are some loan sites that tend to rollover the loan amount automatically. And then there are sites that have some contractual agreements that state that you, the borrower, do not have any right to file for bankruptcy or file a lawsuit against the lender.
A great characteristic of payday loans is that they are easy to get, meaning the approval process is quite easier than other types of loans. So, most borrowers find them quite tempting, but you should be careful and only opt for this option if you have no other choice left.


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Le Pape Terrible
Théo Caneschi was born in Vinci, Tuscany. He took courses from the International School of Comics from 1994. He became a member of the Florence studio Inklink in 1998, where he worked alongside artists like Luigi Critone. Caneschi made numerous illustrations and historical reconstructions for Italian and European museums. In 2000 he was asked by the publishing house Delcourt to do the artwork of the historical comic series 'Le Trône d'Argile', that is written by Nicholas Jarry and France Richemond. In 2009 he teamed up with Alejandro Jodorowsky to make a comic about pope Jules II, called 'Le Pape Terrible'.
Le Trône d'Argile


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One of the most challenging tasks for the modern day creationist to is reconcile the belief in a 6,000 year old Earth with the ever-growing mountain of scientific evidence pointing to a vastly different conclusion — namely a universe that's 13.5 billion years old and an Earth that formed 4.5 billion years ago. So, given these astoundingly dramatic discrepancies, biblical literalists and 'young Earth creationists' have had no choice but to get pretty darned imaginative when brushing science aside. Here are 10 arguments creationists have made to counter scientific theories.
1. Humans and dinosaurs co-existed
Quite obviously, creationists aren't able to gloss over the fact that dinosaurs existed. They are clearly a part of the fossil record. But in accordance with the Bible, creationists insist that they lived contemporaneously with humans. And in fact, they say this explains why dragons play a prominent role in our mythological record. Moreover, creationists claim that human footprints have been found alongside dinosaur tracks at Paluxy, that a petrified hammer was found in Cretaceous rocks, and that some sandal footprints have been found alongside trilobites. Other theories suggest that the Great Flood shook up and redeposited the fossil record so that it appears that dinosaurs lived millions of years before humans arrived. Real evidence and proper interpretation of the fossil record, however, supports the idea that humans first emerged about 200,000 years ago — long after the demise of dinosaurs who went extinct 65 million years ago.
2. Biological systems are too complex to have evolved
This is what biochemist Michael Behe refers to as irreducible complexity. He and other creationists complain that a complex biological system, what is comprised of many interacting parts, would cease to function properly in the event of any alteration. Proponents of intelligent design use this argument to claim that anything less than the complete form of a fully functional biological system (or organ) would not work at all — what would be catastrophically detrimental to an organism. In other words, all mutations have to be bad. The only way for an organism to evolve, the ID defenders say, is for God to guide the process every step of the way. This is silly, of course — organisms are not that fragile. And in fact, evolvability is an indelible aspect to life.
3. We can see light from distant galaxies because the speed of light is not constant
When we look up at the sky at night, we're actually looking back in time. Given the vastness of the universe, it can take upwards of millions and even billions of years for the light from the most distant celestial objects to reach us. Creationists have a rather convenient explanation for this problem: The universal constants, including the speed of light, are not constant at all. It's quite possible, they surmise, that the speed of light was significantly faster in the past, allowing it to reach the Earth in time for Adam to see it. Others speculate that the Big Bang theory is simply wrong, and that a new 'creationist cosmology' is required to reconcile the apparent anomaly in our observations. As the Creation Answers Handbook claims:
The basic biblical framework, because it comes from the Creator, is nonnegotiable, as opposed to the changing views and models of fallible people seeking to understand the data within that framework (evolutionists also often change their ideas on exactly how things have made themselves, but never whether they did).
Failing this, creationists can always default to the most convenient of explanations: God simply created the light 'on it's way,' so that observers on Earth could see the stars immediately without having to wait. Mmmm, handwaving....
4. All hominid fossils are either fully human or fully ape
Given that Scripture doesn't provision for evolution, the discovery of ancient human relatives like Australopithecines and Neanderthals is deeply problematic. To explain this away, creationists argue that anthropologists are misreading the fossil record and inaccurately conflating Homo sapiens with other ape species. When it comes to Neanderthals, they say there was no such thing — that these are human remains and not some distant relative. And to explain the morphological differences, creationists simply argue that these were disfigured humans, or people suffering from rickets or arthritis.
5. Stars and planets could have never formed from dust
According to Abraham Loeb, an astrophysicist from Harvard whose work gets cherry picked by creationists, "The truth is that we don't understand star formation at a fundamental level." Creationists, like Jonathan Sarfat, have used the arguments of Loeb and others to make their case against the 'nebular hypothesis' — the theory that stars and planets formed over the course of billions of years as gravity brought gasses and particles together to create large masses. It's impossible, they say, for stars to form from nebulas. They claim that terrestrial planets could never congeal from "blobs" of gas and dust, as other objects would constantly provide resistance and disruption. Creationists also argue that the temperature of nebulas following the Big Bang would have been far too hot to facilitate contraction, and that the particles would have pushed away from each other. Other inconsistencies include the sun's axial tilt and the presence of inexplicable gas giants. As Sarfat notes, the best explanation comes from the Bible, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host." In other words, when in doubt, attribute any kind of natural phenomenon to God. Gotcha.
6. The Second Law of Thermodynamics prohibits evolution
The second law of thermodynamics states that the universe and all its systems are progressively moving towards disorder, or entropy. Evolution, on the other hand, implies the improvement of a species — what creationists say is a gross violation of the Second Law. This contradiction, say the creationists, implies that 'evolutionists' are fundamentally wrong in their assumptions — that changes to systems should be regressive and not progressive. What they fail to understand, however, is that the 2LT should only be applied to the universe as a whole, or a closed energy system — which the Earth is most certainly not. But moreover, evolution does not always lead to improvement or increased complexity. Organisms are either well adapted or poorly suited to their environments at any given point in time. And in fact, some species evolve towards too much complexity (i.e. over-specialization) and detrimental adaptations that can lead to outright extinction. Evolution is by no means a process of improvement; it's merely an autonomous system that's driven by variation and selection.
7. The Flood caused the ice age
Like the presence of dinosaurs, the ice age is another conundrum that demands a response — a glacial period that occurred during the last years of the Pleistocene, approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago. Actually, this is an easy one, say the creationists. According to Genesis, most of the Flood water came from underground — what resulted in warmer than average oceans and a significant increase in global snowfall. This gave rise to the ice sheets and the pluvial periods. In addition, large amounts of volcanic dust in the atmosphere blocked crucial sunlight, which caused cooler summers. Moreover, the ice age is a geological phenomenon that can also explain why there's no trace of the Great Flood in the sedimentary record. And on a related note, some creationists contend that the sedimentary layers were caused by the tremendous weight of the flood waters above the ground.
8. Radiocarbon dating doesn't work
For years, scientists have used radiocarbon dating to get a sense of how old ancient objects really are. They're able to do this by exploiting the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 (14C) to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials. To sweep this inconvenient truth aside, some creationists claim that radioisotope decay rates aren't constant — and that all processes in nature vary according to different factors. Others argue that carbon dating gives inaccurate results, pointing to changing ratios of 14C in the atmosphere and varying amounts of cosmic rays reaching the Earth — what would affect the amount and ratios of 14C produced. Additionally, some claim that the Genesis Flood would have greatly upset the carbon balance; the water, they argue, buried huge amounts of carbon (which became coal, oil, etc.) lowering the total 12C in the biosphere. Read this to see why they're wrong.
9. DNA is God's signature on all living things
Some creationists argue that DNA, by virtue of the fact that it contains stored information that can be read by humans, must be the result of intelligence. The information within DNA — what facilitates the assembling of proteins and enzymes — wouldn't be coherent if someone, namely God, wasn't scripting it. Creationists clearly need to ramp-up on information theory if they ever hope to understand how complex systems actually work — and how the scientific endeavor is largely an effort to translate the mysteries of the universe into a language we can understand.
10. The Grand Canyon was formed by receding flood waters
The Grand Canyon formed about 70 million years ago — at a time when the dinosaurs still ruled the Earth. This geological time scale is obviously a problem for creationists, who simply respond by suggesting that it was created in one fell swoop when the flood waters retreated (it's amazing how many things can be explained by the Great Flood). Not only is there no evidence to support this claim, it is a geologic impossibility. Moreover, it would have likely created a huge, straight, washed out chasm, and not the intricate and winding Grand Canyon we know today. And of course, creationists are loath to explain why there's only one Grand Canyon on Earth.
Want to learn more about debunking creationism? Check these books out:
Other sources: EvoWiki, TalkOrigins, Creation.com.
Images: One Million Years BC, Monty Props, NASA, Getty/Discovery, NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC), West Hills, Christoph Bock (Max Planck Institute for Informatics), Julius Reque.


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DES MOINES, Iowa – The number of dairies in California has plummeted by more than 500 in the past decade, with many moving to other states enticing them with promises of lower costs and simpler regulations.
Eight states, ranging from Idaho to Iowa, have been courting dairies from California, the nation's largest milk producer. The reason is clear: Cows mean cash for local economies.
Mike Meissen, vice president for value added agriculture for the Iowa Area Development Group, estimated each dairy cow has an economic impact of $15,000 a year.
"So if a thousand cows go into a county, that's $15 million," said Meissen, whose group is made up of rural electric cooperatives that work to bring new business to Iowa.
While officials in other states offer California farmers a number of reasons to consider moving, one of the biggest incentives seems to be the promise of fewer regulations.
It's a message that Michael Marsh, chief executive of the Modesto, Calif.-based Western Union Dairymen, said resonates in a state he calls a "regulatory nightmare for farmers." From air and water quality rules to reporting odometer readings on farm vehicles, regulations make it difficult for farmers to do business in California, he said.
"There are regulations you have here that you don't have in any other state or around the world," said Marsh, whose organization represents 60 percent of California's dairy producers.
Darin Dykstra left California in 2002 to start a dairy in northwest Iowa. Several factors drew him and his wife to Iowa, he said, including ties to Dordt College, the Sioux Center school they graduated from, and Wells Dairy, which buys milk from the Dykstras' 3,000 cows and is known for its Blue Bunny ice cream.
Dykstra also likes the slower pace, access to Christian schools for his children and distance from urban sprawl.
"Living in Southern California, there used to be grape vineyards next to our dairy. Now there are houses there," he said. "It's not ideal to have your farm in the middle of all that and slowly we were getting pushed out — all the dairies were getting pushed out — so you have to move to the Central Valley or move out of state, and I chose to move out of state."
Because land is cheaper in Iowa, he also could afford to grow feed corn on about 1,750 acres, rather than buying it as he did in California.
Dykstra still owns part of his family's farm in California. But he said he was glad to be away from the state's regulations, such the required installation of expensive methane digesters over manure lagoons accompanied by a ban on emissions from the engines the digesters power.
"Dairymen are trying to do the right thing, but the state is putting up road blocks," he said.
Marsh said stories like Dykstra's are all too familiar. At least eight other states are trying to attract California dairies — Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, Texas and Wyoming.
"Other states come to farm shows and say 'Come to our state where this is little regulation, low taxes, jobs, state grants.' So for a lot of farmers, they look at that and the grass may be greener," Marsh said.
Iowa, which is known mostly for hogs and corn, has been able to attract enough dairies from California and elsewhere to become the nation's 12th largest dairy producer.
Texas also has lured dairies with what it claims are less onerous regulations, an attractive climate and large feed supplies. Its dairy cow population has grown from about 17,000 in 2000 to more than 200,000 this year, said Ellen Jordan, a dairy specialist with the Texas A&M extension. Overall, Texas ranks No. 8 among dairy states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"Producers who come here know what the regulations are," she said. "They can get a permit to operate and they know the area they are choosing is very ag friendly."
Meanwhile, the number of California dairies dropped from more than 2,200 dairies in 1999 to 1,700 in 2009.
Still, what that means isn't entirely clear. Jay Van Rein, a spokesman for the California Department of Food and Agriculture, said the decrease happened as the industry shrunk and some dairies bought others out.
"It isn't just farms or herds disappearing," he said. "In many cases, they were absorbed into other herds."
The state had about 1.8 million dairy cows last year, down some from the year before, but still more than 300,000 more than it had in 1999, according the USDA.
Van Rein declined to "wade into" issues of California's regulatory climate, saying the Legislature makes the rules and agencies enforce them. But he acknowledged some communities didn't plan their growth well, leading to homes bumping up against farms.
"In our Central Valley, where most of our farms are, they have learned that lesson and are taking steps to improve their planning before they build subdivisions that are bordering farms," Van Rein said.
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We had quite the debate over the value of the '87 AMG "Hammer" Mercedes-Benz 300E, but we mustn't forget that Mercedes-Benz wasn't the only recipient of AMG wizardry in the 1980s.
That's right, discerning (and well-heeled) Japanese car shoppers could buy an AMG-ified Mitsubishi Debonair. Of course, we love the Debonair on general principle- the name alone is enough to win our hearts!- so front-wheel-driveness of the Royal AMG doesn't scare us away, nor does the untouched-by-AMG 200-horse V6. Of course, what we really want is a Hyundai Grandeur dressed up with the AMG gear from its Debonair sibling! Sadly, the AMG modifications were limited to dress-up stuff, but pay no mind to that minor detail. Japanese Nostalgic Car has a good writeup on the AMG Debonair, as does 7Tune, and you can head to Japan for some more after that.


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p.141 -- Throw Everything Away
This passage is so rich with points. I will try my best to discuss how they impacted me.
I found it interesting to note on p.41 when Aoyama Roshi states "before women could hold that post" in reference to the abbassy at Aichi Semmon Niso-do. Women's rights and feminism were some of my favorite topics in philosophy and still are. In any case, I guess sexism isn't absent from any of the religions.
In any case, the meat of this passage starts with the question "What about your zazen?" Is your zazen done to attain something? I know I started this practice to get something. I still catch myself looking for peace of mind on occasion. Hah! who am I kidding? Just today, I was trying to stop the thinking instead of just letting go of the thoughts. I find that challenging, and that's the subtlety of the practice. Just letting go. Not adding, not taking away. I think that grasping is actually a good thing in that it brings us to the practice in the first place. If we didn't feel something amiss, why would we do anything about it?
Grasping is not the right word. Wanting to change things for the better is good. But let's just figure out a plan and work on it, and adjust. Most of the time, as human beings, we (or I) get caught up and grasp onto things.
But when we can "throw away" any of the grasping or attaining mind, then we enter the Way. I don't think it's healthy to rid ourselves of desire; desire is what makes us human. I know Jundo and Taigu have both addressed this. But to desire without being caught by it. So there's a distinctive difference between a healthy balanced desire and DESIRE (The grasping, spoiled brat, I will pout and sulk and completely destroy my life if I don't get what I want).
It's like when studying the precepts. Look, we're going to get angry. I don't practice to become a robot some day. Among other things, I practice to experience things as they are, which means anger as anger, etc. My zazen is still clouded with some goal of attaining something. But I can release the hold on that and just sit too. I feel that change in my practice.
Meal Practice:
Seeing things, life is practice is our practice. When you practice you pay attention to what's going on to make adjustments. Doctors have a medical practice because medicine is an art and a science, good doctors always learn. I'm a software developer. I treat my work as practice. I'm always trying to test out new approaches, learn new things. Knowledge is power in my field, so not being flexible and willing to learn is akin to killing one's career (well I mean if you want the exciting work you have to keep learning).
I treat eating at times as a mundane activity, or if I get too caught up in work I'll skip meals. But that is not leaping off the 100 foot pole. There is a time for eveyrthing, and eating is one of the most important things we can do to stay alive. I love the meal gatha. It reminds me of the sacredness of life. I'm boggled by all of the effort that goes into a single piece of fruit. I mean the evolutino of nature to produce fruit let alone the means of actually transporting it to my local grocery store. It's insane.
Life and Death as they are is Nirvana:
I thought this was really powerful. When posing this question to Master Obora about the meaning of life and death, he returned with a question "What does it mean to say that Life and Death as they are is Nirvana"? I love it. I love that he asked her to come back in 36 years. That's what this practice is. It's the opposite of immediate gratification. We are not independent selves, but at the same time we have to be self-reliant. To paraphrase Shohei from his recent talk , our practice is our responsibility.
It's like the master said, hey I'm not doing the work for you. Here's a question in return, chew on that. And that's why we practice. There are no easy answers. Even though I want an easy answer to be a"master", that's all bs. Who the hell knows the answers anyway? What answers?
p.148 Zazen That Amounts to Nothing
Have you ever wanted to go to a Turkish bath house? Yes, this is a joke, but I thought about it when she almost went into the bath house. Perhaps this is inappropriate, but I have a twisted sense of humor. hahahah
If there is a task to do, and you resist doing it, you must tell yourself that you Love It you Love It. Ugh... I'm telling you this actually may be useful.. probably much better than miring in the resistance of doing something you have to do anyway. I typically do that; but when I let go, so does my lack of enjoyment.
Are there any tasks you find unbearable that you could see this helping with? Do you already employ this technique? If not, let's try it out this week and report back
Have you ever gotten annoyed when you hear noises during zazen? I used to, but that was just inner resistance. Do any of you sit while there is noise going on around you? Do you feel angry about it?
"The more we struggle, the muddier the water becomes." Isn't that the truth?
I found it very touching that Aoyama, a zen priest who dedicated her entire life to the Way, finally understood the meaning of the rituals. That's why I completely agree with Taigu and Jundo about being careful to throw away rituals. I mean if it took years and years for her to understand their significance, and she was a dedicated nun, how can we just assume if they are or are not useful?
"Zazen is a world beyond losses and gains--even beyond seeking enlightenment. One simply sits, casting off the whole of one's beggarly disposition."


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Dark Journalist
In this fascinating part 2 episode. Dark Journalist Daniel Liszt welcomes back Oxford Scholar Dr. Joseph Farrell to analyze the strange history and the recent peculiar happenings around the mysterious icy continent of Antarctica.
The possibility that Antarctica once formed a part of Atlantis in ancient times is explored, along with the idea that a pole shift took place 12,000 years ago and may be responsible for its current position on the globe. Edgar Cayce's unique vision of the enigmatic Atlantean 'Mighty, Terrible Fire Crystal' or 'Tuaoi Stone' which powered the lost civilization is theorized as being the cause for the destruction and inundation of Atlantis.
While many esoteric traditions embrace the concept of a root culture that rose to great heights and destroyed itself, Cayce's unique version of Atlantis had them located on the heart of the Atlantic Ocean and fully equipped with Advanced Technology, Flying Ships, Solar Power Stations, Laser Weapons, and Age Rejuvenation Centers. He saw two major groups vying for power: the Sons of the Law of One, a spiritually advanced race of psychic avatars, and the Sons of Belial, a powerful group of black magic sorcerers and shadowy engineers. The war between these two groups actually set off volcano activity due to misuse of the Fire Crystals and was responsible for splitting the continent into three islands between Florida on one side and Spain on the other.
Eventually the advanced members of the Law of One group survived founded the Ancient Egyptian and Mayan civilizations and were responsible for the cultural pyramid building as a way to preserve their ancestral memory. With the latest happenings and developments that Dr. Farrell has been tracking since last year, is it possible a small part of this Atlantean group also went to Antarctica?
Exciting, riveting, informative and loaded with amazing facts. Don't miss this incredible Dark Journalist Episode!


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|Petroleum Consumption/Sales
|Products Supplied
|Key Terms
|A dark-brown-to-black cement-like material containing bitumens as the predominant constituent obtained by petroleum processing; used primarily for road construction. It includes crude asphalt as well as the following finished products: cements, fluxes, the asphalt content of emulsions (exclusive of water), and petroleum distillates blended with asphalt to make cutback asphalts. Note: The conversion factor for asphalt is 5.5 barrels per short ton.
|Aviation Gasoline Blending Components
|Naphthas which will be used for blending or compounding into finished aviation gasoline (e.g., straight-run gasoline, alkylate, reformate, benzene, toluene, and xylene). Excludes oxygenates (alcohols, ethers), butane, and pentanes plus. Oxygenates are reported as other hydrocarbons, hydrogen, and oxygenates.
|A unit of volume equal to 42 U.S. gallons.
|Butane (C4H10)
|A normally gaseous straight-chain or branch-chain hydrocarbon extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams. It includes isobutane and normal butane and is designated in ASTM Specification D1835 and Gas Processors Association Specifications for commercial butane.
|Butylene (C4H8)
|An olefinic hydrocarbon recovered from refinery processes.
|Conventional Gasoline
|Finished motor gasoline not included in the oxygenated or reformulated gasoline categories. Excludes reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB) as well as other blendstock.
|Crude Oil
|A mixture of hydrocarbons that exists in liquid phase in natural underground
reservoirs and remains liquid at atmospheric pressure after passing through
surface separating facilities. Depending upon the characteristics of the crude
stream, it may also include:
Liquids produced at natural gas processing plants are excluded. Crude oil is refined to produce a wide array of petroleum products, including heating oils; gasoline, diesel and jet fuels; lubricants; asphalt; ethane, propane, and butane; and many other products used for their energy or chemical content.
|Distillate Fuel Oil
|A general classification for one of the petroleum fractions produced in conventional distillation operations. It includes diesel fuels and fuel oils. Products known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 diesel fuel are used in on-highway diesel engines, such as those in trucks and automobiles, as well as off-highway engines, such as those in railroad locomotives and agricultural machinery. Products known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 fuel oils are used primarily for space heating and electric power generation.
|Ethane (C2H6)
|A normally gaseous straight-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils at a temperature of -127.48º F. It is extracted from natural gas and refinery gas streams.
|Ethylene (C2H4)
|An olefinic hydrocarbon recovered from refinery processes or petrochemical processes.
|Finished Aviation Gasoline
|A complex mixture of relatively volatile hydrocarbons with or without small quantities of additives, blended to form a fuel suitable for use in aviation reciprocating engines. Fuel specifications are provided in ASTM Specification D 910 and Military Specification MIL-G-5572. Note: Data on blending components are not counted in data on finished aviation gasoline.
|Finished Motor Gasoline
|A complex mixture of relatively volatile hydrocarbons with or without small quantities of additives, blended to form a fuel suitable for use in spark-ignition engines. Motor gasoline, as defined in ASTM Specification D 4814 or Federal Specification VV-G-1690C, is characterized as having a boiling range of 122 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10 percent recovery point to 365 to 374 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90 percent recovery point. Motor Gasoline includes conventional gasoline; all types of oxygenated gasoline, including gasohol; and reformulated gasoline, but excludes aviation gasoline. Note: Volumetric data on blending components, such as oxygenates, are not counted in data on finished motor gasoline until the blending components are blended into the gasoline.
|An organic chemical compound of hydrogen and carbon in the gaseous, liquid, or solid phase. The molecular structure of hydrocarbon compounds varies from the simplest (methane, a constituent of natural gas) to the very heavy and very complex.
|Isobutane (C4H10)
|A normally gaseous branch-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils at a temperature of 10.9º F. It is extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams.
|Isobutylene (C4H8)
|An olefinic hydrocarbon recovered from refinery processes or petrochemical processes.
|Kerosene-Type Jet Fuel
|A kerosene-based product having a maximum distillation temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10-percent recovery point and a final maximum boiling point of 572 degrees Fahrenheit and meeting ASTM Specification D 1655 and Military Specifications MIL-T-5624P and MIL-T-83133D (Grades JP-5 and JP-8). It is used for commercial and military turbojet and turboprop aircraft engines.
|A light petroleum distillate that is used in space heaters, cook stoves, and water heaters and is suitable for use as a light source when burned in wick-fed lamps. Kerosene has a maximum distillation temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10-percent recovery point, a final boiling point of 572 degrees Fahrenheit, and a minimum flash point of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Included are No. 1-K and No. 2-K, the two grades recognized by ASTM Specification D 3699 as well as all other grades of kerosene called range or stove oil, which have properties similar to those of No. 1 fuel oil. See Kerosene-Type Jet Fuel.
|Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG)
|A group of hydrocarbon-based gases derived from crude oil refining or nautral gas fractionation. They include: ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, normal butane, butylene, isobutane, and isobutylene. For convenience of transportation, these gases are liquefied through pressurization.
|Substances used to reduce friction between bearing surfaces or as process materials either incorporated into other materials used as processing aids in the manufacture of other products, or used as carriers of other materials. Petroleum lubricants may be produced either from distillates or residues. Lubricants include all grades of lubricating oils from spindle oil to cylinder oil and those used in greases.
|Motor Gasoline Blending Components
|Naphthas (e.g., straight-run gasoline, alkylate, reformate, benzene, toluene, xylene) used for blending or compounding into finished motor gasoline. These components include reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB) but exclude oxygenates (alcohols, ethers), butane, and pentanes plus. Note: Oxygenates are reported as individual components and are included in the total for other hydrocarbons, hydrogens, and oxygenates.
|Miscellaneous Products
|Includes all finished products not classified elsewhere (e.g., petrolatum, lube refining byproducts (aromatic extracts and tars), absorption oils, ram-jet fuel, petroleum rocket fuels, synthetic natural gas feedstocks, and specialty oils).
|A generic term applied to a petroleum fraction with an approximate boiling range between 122º and 400º F.
|Naphtha Less Than 401º F
|A naphtha with a boiling range of less than 401º F that is intended for use as a petrochemical feedstock.
|Natural Gas Liquids
|Those hydrocarbons in natural gas that are separated from the gas as liquids through the process of absorption, condensation, adsorption, or other methods in gas processing or cycling plants. Generally such liquids consist of propane and heavier hydrocarbons and are commonly referred to as lease condensate, natural gasoline, and liquefied petroleum gases. Natural gas liquids include natural gas plant liquids (primarily ethane, propane, butane, and isobutane; see Natural Gas Plant Liquids) and lease condensate (primarily pentanes produced from natural gas at lease separators and field facilities; see Lease Condensate).
|Normal Butane (C4H10)
|A normally gaseous straight chain hydrocarbon that is a colorless paraffinic gas which boils at a temperature of 31.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
|"Oxygenated Fuels Program Reformulated Gasoline" is reformulated gasoline which is intended for use in an oxygenated fuels program control area during an oxygenated fuels program control period.
|Other Hydrocarbons
|Materials received by a refinery and consumed as a raw material. Includes hydrogen, coal tar derivatives, gilsonite, and natural gas received by the refinery for reforming into hydrogen. Natural gas to be used as fuel is excluded.
|Other Oils Equal To or Greater Than 401º F
|Oils with a boiling range equal to or greater than 401º F that are intended for use as a petrochemical feedstock.
|Substances which, when added to gasoline, increase the amount of oxygen in that gasoline blend.
Ethanol, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE), Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (ETBE), and methanol
are common oxygenates.
Blends of up to 5.0 percent by volume methanol with a minimum of 2.5 percent by volume cosolvent alcohols having a carbon number of 4 or less (i.e., ethanol, propanol, butanol, and/or GTBA). The total oxygen must not exceed 3.7 percent by weight, and the blend must meet ASTM volatility specifications as well as phase separation and alcohol purity specifications (commonly referred to as the "DuPont" waiver).
|Petroleum Products
|Petroleum products are obtained from the processing of crude oil (including lease condensate), natural gas, and other hydrocarbon compounds. Petroleum products include unfinished oils, liquefied petroleum gases, pentanes plus, aviation gasoline, motor gasoline, naphtha-type jet fuel, kerosene-type jet fuel, kerosene, distillate fuel oil, residual fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, special naphthas, lubricants, waxes, petroleum coke, asphalt, road oil, still gas, and miscellaneous products.
|Petroleum Administration for Defense (PAD) Districts
|Geographic aggregations of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five districts by the Petroleum Administration for Defense in 1950. These districts were originally defined during World War II for purposes of administering oil allocation. Description and maps of PAD Districts and Refining Districts.
|Petrochemical Feedstocks
|Chemical feedstocks derived from petroleum principally for the manufacture of chemicals, synthetic rubber, and a variety of plastics. The categories reported are "Naphtha Less Than 401º F" and "Other Oils Equal To or Greater Than 401º F."
|Petroleum Coke
|A residue high in carbon content and low in hydrogen that is the final product of thermal decomposition in the condensation process in cracking. This product is reported as marketable coke or catalyst coke. The conversion is 5 barrels (of 42 U.S. gallons each) per short ton. Coke from petroleum has a heating value of 6.024 million Btu per barrel.
|Pentanes Plus
|A mixture of hydrocarbons, mostly pentanes and heavier, extracted from natural gas. Includes isopentane, natural gasoline, and plant condensate.
|Parts per million.
|Products Supplied
|Approximately represents consumption of petroleum products because it measures the disappearance of these products from primary sources, i.e., refineries, natural gas processing plants, blending plants, pipelines, and bulk terminals. In general, product supplied of each product in any given period is computed as follows: field production, plus renewable fuels and oxygenate plant net production, plus refinery and blender net production, plus imports, plus net receipts, plus adjustments, minus stock change, minus refinery and blender net inputs, minus exports.
|Products Supplied, Crude Oil
|Crude oil burned on leases and by pipelines as fuel.
|Propane (C3H8)
|A normally gaseous straight-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils
at a temperature of -43.67o
|Propylene (C3H6)
|An olefinic hydrocarbon recovered from refinery processes or petrochemical processes.
|Reformulated Gasoline (RFG)
|Finished motor gasoline formulated for use in motor vehicles, the composition and properties of which meet the requirements of the reformulated gasoline regulations promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Section 211(k) of the Clean Air Act. This category includes oxygenated fuels program reformulated gasoline (OPRG) but excludes reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygenate blending (RBOB).
|"Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending" is motor gasoline blending components intended for blending with oxygenates to produce finished reformulated gasoline.
|Road Oil
|Any heavy petroleum oil, including residual asphaltic oil used as a dust pallative and surface treatment on roads and highways. It is generally produced in six grades from 0, the most liquid, to 5, the most viscous.
|Residual Fuel Oil
|A general classification for the heavier oils, known as No. 5 and No. 6 fuel oils, that remain after the distillate fuel oils and lighter hydrocarbons are distilled away in refinery operations. It conforms to ASTM Specifications D396 and D975 and Federal Specification VV-F-815C. No. 5, a residual fuel oil of medium viscosity, is also known as Navy Special and is defined in Military Specification MIL-F-859E, including Amendment 2 (NATO Symbol F-770). It is used in steam-powered vessels in government service and inshore powerplants. No. 6 fuel oil includes Bunker C fuel oil and is used for the production of electric power, space heating, vessel bunkering, and various industrial purposes.
|Special Naphthas
|All finished products within the naphtha boiling range that are used as paint thinners, cleaners, or solvents. These products are refined to a specified flash point. Special naphthas include all commercial hexane and cleaning solvents conforming to ASTM Specification D1836 and D484, respectively. Naphthas to be blended or marketed as motor gasoline or aviation gasoline, or that are to be used as petrochemical and synthetic natural gas (SNG) feedstocks are excluded.
|Still Gas
|Any form or mixture of gases produced in refineries by distillation, cracking, reforming, and other processes. The principal constituents are methane, ethane, ethylene, normal butane, butylene, propane, propylene, etc. Still gas is used as a refinery fuel and a petrochemical feedstock. The conversion factor is 6 million BTU's per fuel oil equivalent barrel.
|A yellowish nonmetallic element, sometimes known as "brimstone." It is present at various levels of concentration in many fossil fuels.
|Unfinished Oils
|All oils requiring further processing, except those requiring only mechanical blending. Unfinished oils are produced by partial refining of crude oil and include naphthas and lighter oils, kerosene and light gas oils, heavy gas oils, and residuum.
|A solid or semi-solid material at 77 degrees Fahrenheit consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons obtained or derived from petroleum fractions, or through a Fischer-Tropsch type process, in which the straight-chained paraffin series predominates. This includes all marketable wax, whether crude or refined, with a congealing point (ASTM D 938) between 80 (or 85) and 240 degrees Fahrenheit and a maximum oil content (ASTM D 3235) of 50 weight percent.
|For definitions of related energy terms, refer to the EIA Energy Glossary.
|Explanatory Notes


text:
Horse Flies and Meteors
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August 10, 2009: Splat! There goes another bug on the windshield.
Anyone who's ever driven down a country lane has seen it happen. A fast moving car, a cloud of multiplying insects, and a big disgusting mess.
Right: A fiery meteor? No. It's a horse fly. From "That Gunk on your Car: A Unique Guide to Insects of North America," by Mark E. Hostetler. [more]
Earth, like a speeding car, races around the Sun sweeping up everything in its path. There are no insects in space, at least none that we know of, but there are plenty of meteoroids, little flakes of dust from comets and asteroids. They hit Earth's atmosphere and--splat!--they disintegrate as fiery streaks of light called meteors.
This week lots of meteors will appear over Earth's northern hemisphere when our planet plows through a swarm of dust shed by periodic comet Swift-Tuttle. It's the annual Perseid meteor shower, which peaks on August 11th and 12th.
Earth has a windshield? It's the atmosphere, which protects us from solar wind and comet dust much as a car's windshield protects passengers from wind, rain and bugs. Earth's front windshield is the early morning sky. Earth circles the Sun dawn-side first, scooping up whatever lies on that side of the planet. That's why it's usually best to look for Perseids just before dawn.
A good time to see Perseids this year is before dawn on Wednesday morning, August 12th, when Earth's front windshield is overhead. You could see dozens of meteors despite the glare of a 66% gibbous Moon.
Side windows, the ones to the left and right of passengers in cars, are good, too. Zooming down a bug-infested lane, side windows don't intercept many insects, but the ones they do gather are worth examining. Bugs that strike side windows do so at a shallow angle, leaving long and colorful streaks.
Above: A Perseid meteor. Credit: S. Kohle & B. Koch.
This also happens to meteors. When the constellation Perseus (the source of the Perseids) hangs low near the horizon, meteors streaming from Perseus will skim the the top of Earth's atmosphere, much like a bug skimming the side window of an automobile. Astronomers call these meteors "Earthgrazers." They tend to be long and colorful.
Look for Perseid Earthgrazers on Tuesday night, Aug. 11th, between about 9:00 and 11:00 pm local time.
Earthgrazers don't come in large numbers. The special geometry required to produce them keeps counts low, but even one or two is enough. A breathtaking Earthgrazer is the sort of meteor you're likely to remember for years.
Best of all, there's no gooey residue.
Author: Dr. Tony Phillips | Credit: Science@NASA
|more information
The Perseids are Coming -- (Science@NASA)
NASA's Future: US Space Exploration Policy


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Come to Geneva, Illinois
You won't be disappointed. Geneva's forest preserves and parks, historic buildings, nightlife and hometown events are the perfect backdrop for creating memories. Plan a romantic weekend, explore over 25 miles of meandering bike trails, go shopping with old friends or bring the entire family to one of Geneva's famous festivals. Start planning now!
630-232-6083 (fax)


text: Everything seemed to be OK BEFORE I Installed ISPConfig: My domain name is test1.com. Originally I used /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf to define a website: . ServerName www.tabxx1.com :80 DocumentRoot /var/www/html . <VirtualHost 203.xxx.xxx.xxx:80> . ServerName www.stkxx1.com :80 DocumentRoot /home/~user/public . </VirtualHost> DNS server at dns.tabxx1.com had already setup without fail. ======== AFTER I installed ISPConfig,I used DNS Manager in ISPConfig to create 2 master DNS for both tabxx1.com and stkxx1.com, then related A record such as: mater DNS SOA: dns.tabxx1.com 203.xxx.xxx.xxx dns.tabxx1.com 203.xxx.xxx.xxx www.tabxx1.com 203.xxx.xxx.xxx mail.tabxx1.com mater DNS SOA: dns.tabxx1.com 203.xxx.xxx.xxx www.stkxx1.com 203.xxx.xxx.xxx mail.stkxx1.com And I have created a client "Stock1" and a web site at "www.stkxx1.com". administraor of this site is called "web1_abc". Here are my problems: 1) the original DocumentRoot of www.tabxx1.com had been changed from /var/www/html to /home/www/web. 2) If I copy the original webpages from /var/www/html to /home/www/web, both http://www.tabxx1.com and http://www.stkxx1.com will display the same homepage-index.htm. How can I use /var/www/html as DocumentRoot of www.tabxx1.com and use /home/www/user/web1_abc/web as DocumentRoot of www.stkxx1.com? 3)I have tried to forward http://www.stkxx1.com to http://www.tabxx1.com.tw/~web1_abc, but the following error occured: "The domain forward contained invalid signs and has therefore been deleted." There must be something wrong with my DNS settings in ISPConfig. I didn't setup any CNAME in DNS Manager. Does it matter? I am not using any router right now. Can anyone of you may point out what I should do to correct the error?


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In years past, whenever Pokémon knock-offs appeared in other countries, Japanese netizens would post them online to laugh and point. This time, it's not a foreign rip-off. It's homegrown.
Dubbed Pokedan Monsters (yes, really), the social game features over 1,000 monsters, monster rearing, and monster battles. Sound familiar?
If the title was not enough, the art style and monsters resemble Pokémon.
Pocket Monsters has inspired many games, anime, and manga, but Pokedan is so blunt about where it's drawing from, leading many online in Japan to wonder if this mobile phone game wasn't crossing the line?
Starting this week, Pokedan Monsters is available via Gree in Japan. And next week? Well, I guess that's up to the Pokémon attorneys.
こんなに似すぎで大丈夫? [Livedoor]


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After coming under some fire for approving a new "press box" at Northside Park, resort officials this week
defended the project and clarified it will be much more than its name implies.
Included in a budget
amendment passed by the Ocean City Council is a $585,000-plus expenditure for a
new press box at the Northside
Park athletic fields.
While the line item in the budget amendment refers to the project as a press
box, City Engineer Terry McGean explained to the Mayor and Council on Monday
the new facility will replace the decades-old existing facility, which has
outlived its usefulness in recent years and will be cheaper to replace then to
The building in question
is situated between the three softball diamonds at Northside Park.
Its first floor includes a kitchen from which concessions are sold during
events at the park as well as restrooms and some storage space. The second
floor has windows looking out over the three ball fields and is used by
scorekeepers and announcers during regular league play and tournaments and
other events.
McGean explained the
project has come under fire from some circles because it is referred to as a
press box in budget documents and has therefore been deemed excessive.
"It is an unfortunate
name, but it really doesn't have anything to do with the press," he said. "The
building has so many other important functions and it really needs to be
replaced. For one thing, the restrooms are not ADA compliant."
In addition, McGean
pointed out the existing kitchen is not code compliant and the windows on the
second floor leak, causing the wood to rot. McGean said bringing the restrooms
and kitchen into compliance were reason enough to approve the project, adding
the kitchen produces $50,000 a year in revenue on concessions.
"The architect and the
engineers have examined it to see if it would be cost effective to rehabilitate
and renovate it," he said. "The consultants found it would be more cost effective
to demolish the old one and build a new one."
The new building will
have large, ADA-compliant restrooms on the first floor, along with a larger
code-compliant kitchen. On the second floor, the scorekeeper areas will be
roughly the same size as in the existing building, but more space for storage
will be added.
The building including
the kitchen will be fitted with a sprinkler system, which the current building
does not have.
"There are more things
that go into this than meet the eye," said McGean. "We have to follow the code
and we have to make sure everything is ADA


text:
The Famed "Dunkman" Returns On The Nike LeBron 14 Low
August 29, 2017 0 by Patrick Johnson
The Nike LeBron 14 Low is a low-top version of LeBron James' fourteenth signature basketball shoe. It features a mix of woven patterns, foam, and Zoom Air cushioning. The shoes are expected to release in Summer 2017. Read the articles below for further release details and price information.
release date / Summer 2017


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LANDOVER, Md.—After the Redskins' 24-14 playoff loss to the Seahawks, Washington's players and head coach talked about the "difference between being injured and being hurt," the importance of being there for your teammates, and how, in the words of Robert Griffin III, "you have to step up and be a man sometimes." This is the way the NFL talks about a player who came into the game with an injured knee, hurt it again in the first quarter, and finally left the field for good after twisting that same knee again in FedExField's chewed-up brown turf. Though Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan will surely get barraged with questions about what and when he knew about his quarterback's injuries, this litany of post-game clichés reveals why, so long as there is pro football, there will also be players jeopardizing their health as coaches stand by and let them. In the minds of the men on the field and the ones on the sidelines wearing headsets, this was not medical malpractice. It was playoff football.
Throughout his rookie season, the Redskins have alternately treated RGIII as a football player and as a science experiment. In October, the team was fined $20,000 for being slow to report that Griffin had suffered a concussion, instead saying he had been "shaken up." Griffin injured his right knee against the Ravens in December, and before Sunday's playoff game, USA Today released a report in which noted joint whisperer Dr. James Andrews contradicted Shanahan's account of the circumstances under which Griffin had briefly returned to the field against Baltimore:
Shanahan said he let Griffin return with the blessing of James Andrews, the renowned orthopedic surgeon, who was on the sideline.
Andrews, however, told USA Today Sports on Saturday that he never cleared Griffin to go back into the game, because he never even examined him.
"(Griffin) didn't even let us look at him," Andrews said. "He came off the field, walked through the sidelines, circled back through the players and took off back to the field. It wasn't our opinion.
"We didn't even get to touch him or talk to him. Scared the hell out of me."
The article goes on to explain that "Andrews remains worried about Griffin's health," and that he's "been a nervous wreck letting him come back as quick as he has." The doctor said it's the team's responsibility to ensure that its star player stayed healthy for his entire career. "He's a competitor," Andrews told USA Today. "He didn't want to let his team down."
For the second year in a row, Slate and Deadspin are teaming up for a season-long NFL roundtable. Check back here each week as a rotating cast of football watchers discusses the weekend's key plays, coaching decisions, and traumatic brain injuries. And click here to play the latest episode of Slate's sports podcast Hang Up and Listen.
Team doctors, who serve at the pleasure of the franchises that employ them, usually don't contradict their employers. Andrews, the sports world's surgeon to the stars, likely spoke up because he doesn't need the Redskins to earn a living.
Even so, the most-powerful orthopedist on Earth will never win an on-field debate with a star player or coach. There is no such thing as a reasoned medical checkup during an NFL game. It's all battlefield surgery—bracing and re-taping and injecting to get wounded players back on the field. In these moments, the right choice of inspiromatic sports cliché will override most any diagnosis. You're a competitor? You don't want to let your team down? Get on out there, franchise quarterback. These are the playoffs. Be a man.
In his post-game press conference, Shanahan recounted his conversation with RGIII after the quarterback's first-quarter injury. "Robert said to me, he said, 'Coach, there's a difference between injured and being hurt. I can guarantee I'm hurting right now—give me a chance to win this football game, because I can guarantee I'm not injured.' " Shanahan then told the assembled media: "That was enough for me."
If the Redskins had held onto their early lead, this would have been a tale of heroism. As pointed out by a Pro Football Talk commentator, then Broncos coach Shanahan told Terrell Davis he should keep playing through migraine headaches in Super Bowl XXXII even though the running back couldn't see. "Just do this, you don't worry about seeing on this play because we're going to fake it to you," Shanahan said. "But if you're not in there they're not going to believe that we're going to run." Strategy trumps safety. And when the team wins, everybody's happy. On the NFL website, the send-the-blind-player-on-the-field maneuver is celebrated as an "MVP moment."
For his part, Griffin said his first-quarter injury, in which his knee buckled as he threw a pass, "scared me a little bit," and he acknowledged what everyone else in the stadium already knew: "I think I did put myself at more risk by being out there." Even so, he wouldn't have listened if his coach told him to take off his helmet. He wanted his MVP moment. "I probably would have been right back out there on the field," he said. "There was no way I was coming out of that game."
Finally, in the fourth quarter, Griffin did come out after lying on the turf for several minutes. At this point, the Redskins were losing. The season was just about over. "If you didn't pull him out then," Shanahan said after the game, "you should get fired." That was the right answer to an easy question. Earlier in the game, when it was time to make a tougher call, Shanahan didn't do it. Like RGIII said, you have to step up and be a man sometimes. Shanahan didn't step up, and he won't get fired for it. That's because these are the playoffs, and these guys are competitors. Tape an aspirin to it. Let's play.
Josh Levin is Slate's executive editor. You can e-mail him at firstname.lastname@example.com, visit his website, and follow him on Twitter.


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Behold.. Yo Frankie! Online! Both the binaries and the whole production tree are available in .zip format and also browsable via web.
So go to the Download Yo Frankie! page and start playing the game, playing with the source files, or open the blend files in Blender 2.48a and do both! 😉
A big new is that Yo Frankie! is now part of Blender Projects, this means that you can make and share your own levels, characters, whatever! and also help in the development and maintenance of the game, so we can all play Yo Frankie! in future Blender versions.
VideoTutorials uploaded so far:
– Library Linking
– Level Template Creation
– Texture Splatting in Real Time with GLSL
Just Added 3 more!:
– Water Effect with Animated Normal Maps
– Simulating AO with Vertex Colors
– MultiColor Mist Effect with Shading Nodes
Just Added 8 more!:
– Ambient Colors
– Baking Shadow Maps
– New Features in the IPO Editor
– 5 Part Series: Modeling and Texturing a Low Poly Tree
check the download page:
(now with an easier-to-remind URL 🙂 )
That's all folks! 😀
Thanks for everything,
The Apricot Open Game Crew