text:
Documents Show Errors in TSA's "No Fly" and "Selectee" Watch Lists
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is now part of the Department of Homeland Security, is authorized by law to maintain watch lists of names of individuals suspected of posing "a risk of air piracy or terrorism or a threat to airline or passenger safety." While initially denying to the media that such a list existed, the TSA finally acknowledged its existence in October 2002.
EPIC submitted a Freedom of Information Act request in October 2002 to learn more about the operation of the watch lists, which reportedly had been used to interfere with the travel of political activists. When the TSA failed to respond to EPIC's request, EPIC filed suit in December 2002. (EPIC v. TSA). The lawsuit sought, among other things, TSA's criteria for putting people on the lists that bar some passengers from flying and subject others to extensive scrutiny, and complaints from passengers who felt they had been mistakenly placed on the lists. See TSA FOIA response (pdf) for more information.
TSA released documents in response to EPIC's request April 2003. The documents, while heavily redacted, provide give an insight into how the TSA operates the watch lists, and raises several questions for further public and Congressional oversight.
In recent months, EPIC has continued to pursue FOIA requests to learn more about the operation of the watch lists.
The Documents
- Memo From Acting Associate Under Secretary, Transportation Security Intelligence to Associate Under Secretary, Security Regulation and Policy, Re: TSA "Watchlists", Oct. 16, 2002
- Memo From Acting Associate Under Secretary, Transportation Security Intelligence to Director Central Intelligence, Re: Guidelines for Addition of Names, June 11, 2002
- Briefing slides from Transportation Security Intelligence Service, Dec. 2002
- Contract for the TSA Contact Center, Oct. 9, 2002-Jan. 21, 2004 (1.1 MB pdf)
- Guidance for TSA Contact Center representatives handling watch list complaints (undated) (1.2 MB pdf)
Passenger Complaints
- Complaints forwarded by Members of Congress to TSA part 1 (592kb pdf), part 2 (600kb pdf), part 3 (493kb pdf)
- Complaints sent to TSA Inquiry Management System (496kb pdf)
- Emails sent to TSA (1.1mb pdf)
- Complaint letters sent to TSA part 1 (524kb pdf), part 2 (624kb pdf)
- TSA Contact Center complaint log, Nov. 2003-Dec. 2004
November 2003-January 2004 (248 kb pdf)
February 2004-April 2004 (636 kb pdf)
May 2004 (1.4 mb pdf)
June 2004-July 2004 (2.5 mb pdf)
July 2004-September 2004 (3.6 mb pdf)
September 2004-October 2004 (4 mb pdf)
October 2004-December 2004 (5.7 mb pdf)
The documents establish that the TSA administers two lists: a "no fly" list and a "selectee" list, which requires the passenger to go through additional security measures. The names are provided to air carriers through Security Directives or Emergency Amendments and are stored in their computer systems so that an individual with a name that matches the list can be flagged when getting a boarding pass. A "no fly" match requires the agent to call a law enforcement officer to detain and question the passenger. In the case of a Selectee, an "S" or special mark is printed on their boarding pass and the person receives additional screening at security. The TSA has withheld the number of names on each of the lists.
The watch list was created in 1990, with a list of individuals who have been "determined to pose a direct threat to U.S. civil aviation." This list was administered by the FBI before the Federal Aviation Administration and the TSA assumed full administrative responsibility in November 2001. The Transportation Security Intelligence Service (TSIS) currently serves as the clearinghouse for the addition of names to the lists. Since the TSA took over, the watch list "has expanded almost daily as Intelligence Community agencies and the Office of Homeland Security continue to request the addition of individuals to the No-Fly and Selectee lists." (TSA Watchlists memo) The names are approved for inclusion on the basis of a secret criteria. The Watchlists memo notes that "all individuals have been added or removed ... based on the request of and information provided, almost exclusively by [redacted]."
There are two primary principles that guide the placement on the lists, but these principles have been withheld. The documents do not show whether there is a formal approval process where an independent third party entity is charged with verifying that the names are selected appropriately and that the information is accurate. Furthermore there is no reference to compliance with the Privacy Act of 1974, which imposes certain record keeping obligations on the agency.
It appears from the 2002 FOIA documents obtained by EPIC that TSA directed individuals to their local FBI offices to clear their names. More recent documents obtained in 2005 show that an ombudspersom within TSA is responsible for handling requests to be removed from the lists.
EPIC has also obtained more than a hundred complaints filed by irate passengers who felt they had been incorrectly identified for additional security or were denied boarding. The complaints describe the bureaucratic maze passengers find themselves in if they happen to be mistaken for individuals on the lists. In one case the TSA notified a passenger that airlines are responsible for administering the first generation Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening System that flagged the individual as a risk for additional screening and directed the passenger to contact the airline. In an another case an airline said that the CAPPS program is run by the government, and complaints should be directed to the TSA. A local FBI office in New Jersey, at the behest of Congressman Bill Pascrell, wrote (pdf) to the TSA in August 2002 to ask it to take a woman off the list who was being flagged because of her name's similarity to a wanted Australian man. In an email dated July 2002, an FBI counter-terrorism officer acknowledged that different airlines have different procedures when the passenger's name is a similar to one on the list. The litany of problems is long, but all point to a lack of transparency and due process in the operation of the watch lists.
Policy Implications
As the TSA contemplates ever more intrusive passenger profiling schemes, the agency documents uncovered through EPIC's FOIA work raise important questions about how the TSA currently operates. The concerns surrounding the agency's administration of the watch lists preview several potential problems with the proposed roll out of passenger prescreening systems such as Secure Flight. The TSA should provide answers to the following questions:
- How many people are on the "no fly" and "selectee" lists? How many are American citizens or legal permanent residents?
- Who is responsible for oversight of the list? Who verifies that the names are selected appropriately and whether the information accurate?
- How does the operation of the watch lists comply with the Privacy Act of 1974?
- How effective have the watch lists been?
- How can individuals who have been misidentified as watch list matches clear their names?
- Why is there a need for a new passenger prescreening program if intelligence agencies are already coordinating to ensure that certain high risk individuals on government watch lists do not board planes?
- How will Secure Flight respect individuals' due process rights?
For more information, see EPIC's Web pages on Air Travel Privacy, Passenger Profiling, Secure Flight, and Surveillance of European Air Travelers.
Last Updated: March 23, 2006
Page URL: http://www.epic.org/privacy/airtravel/foia/watchlist_loia_analysis.html


text:
Mindfulness is about the present moment, being in touch with it, not forgetting it. Presence of mind. All of Buddha's teachings, or Dharma, help us stay in touch with the present moment. For example, with love we focus on people who are here and now, wishing them to be happy, even if they are in another country, or even deceased (they are still somewhere). With patience we wholeheartedly accept what is happening in the here and now without thinking it should be otherwise. With wisdom we appreciate the moment by moment unfurling of mere appearance, which is arising, due to karma, like waves from our root mind.
Be here now, or we are quite capable of missing out on our entire life. As John Lennon put it:
Life is what happens while we are busy making other plans.
Where else can we be other than here? What time can we be other than now?
I'm lucky enough to be living near the Denver Botanical Gardens, and right now they are exquisite with late summer blooming and the Chihuly exhibition.* The other day I was sitting on a bench contemplating — loving just being there absorbed in the scene. A power couple marched past fast, hand in hand, furrowed brows, looking straight ahead, in earnest conversation about some plans for the future. They did not seem present, they seemed to be missing all the beauty and stillness and space around them; and it made me think that I also am often not as present as I would like, even when supposedly relaxing and enjoying myself, let alone when busy at work.
Without mindfulness we are distracted, which basically means we are remembering something else other than what is happening right here and right now. Another way to understand distraction is all those thoughts we don't want to think but can't help thinking because our mind is out of control.
Breathing meditation, focusing single-pointedly on the breath, is the way to let go of distractions. Through this, we automatically become more centered, peaceful, present, focused, and clear, and then we can transform our mind from there. Otherwise, just trying to think good thoughts on top of the dubious thoughts we already have can be just adding one layer of conceptuality on top of another.
I explain here Geshe Kelsang's very helpful basic meditation on the breath. I just wanted to add a few more observations.
Background noise
We remember that in the context of this meditation anything other than the breath is a distraction. Distractions and stray thoughts will continue to float around for a while, until we have constant mindfulness, which is quite a high level of concentration (the fourth of the nine stages leading to tranquil abiding – you can read more in Joyful Path.) However, we don't have to pay them attention, any more than we have to listen to the cacophony in a crowded room when we are focusing with interest on the person talking to us.
When we hit the sweet spot of concentration on the breath, and settle there, it's a bit like tuning in the radio to our favorite song and dispensing with the static. We don't want to spend ages tuning that radio knob, we want to get right to it; and nor would we want to spend ages settling into the breath if we know how enjoyable it's going to be.
No negotiation, just single-pointed focus
We don't negotiate with our distractions – as soon as we engage them in any way, eg, "I'll just think you through and then you'll go away and leave me alone", they've won. Some of these stray thoughts might feel like genius, "Hey, I've got to remember this, what an insight!", but, as a teacher once told me, "It is a disaster to have a notepad by your meditation seat." We are trying to control our minds through breathing meditation, and for that we have to stay on the breath. We need presence of mind. We can set up the will power to do this from the outset by remembering what we're trying to accomplish with breathing meditation. Then there is great hope that when the witty riposte to that annoying co-worker suddenly comes to us, we don't indulge it.
In the Summer Festival, Gen-la Dekyong said we don't need any fancy tricks to overcome distractions, we just need the will power, just as when we are driving. I thought this was brilliant, so simple and obvious (once it's pointed out!) While we are driving, we want to be mindful – so we don't have to negotiate with ourselves moment by moment, "Shall I focus on the road or shall I text my friend?" When we know what's at stake, we naturally concentrate on what we're doing.
No rush
It's best to feel like we have plenty of time when we meditate. Even if we only have ten minutes before work, we can feel that we have all the time in the world, and that there is no place else to be. Everything else can wait ten minutes. Don't meditate in a rush.
We need meditation
If someone told you to focus on your arm for five minutes without thinking about anything else, you might think, "That's easy, I can do that!" Well, just try it.
As a child, Einstein had a club. To join it, you had to sit in the corner for an hour and not think about a white bear. As he put it himself, "There is no one in this club, not even me."
These kinds of examples show that we have far less control over our mind than we think! This is why we need to start meditating asap.
Over to you. Comments welcome.
*I only really mentioned the botanical gardens as an excuse to scatter my Chihuly photos throughout this article.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Local Presence in the Fox Valley.
Conveniently located in beautiful downtown Aurora, our law firm provides over 20 years of corporate legal experience to small to medium sized companies in the Fox Valley area. We believe that suburban businesses should receive quality representation in their own backyard from a firm that is invested in the community. We are proud members of the Aurora, Naperville, and Oswego Chambers, and understand that small business is the heart of those communities.
Extensive Transactional and Litigation Experience.
We provide both transactional and litigation services in those areas that are most important to your business, including corporate formation, contracts, partnership and shareholder agreements, trademarks and copyrights, labor and employment, confidentiality and non-compete agreements, and mergers and acquisitions. We have extensive trial and appellate experience in both state and federal court that includes arguments before the Illinois Supreme Court. We also represent businesses before state agencies such as the Illinois Department of Labor, the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois Department of Human Rights, and the EEOC. We also assist business owners, physicians and other professionals in business succession planning and asset protection. Additionally, we can help with legal mediation issues in both DuPage, Kane and Kendall Counties. Finally, we are experienced in representing fiduciaries, executors, and trustees in will and trust contests and recovery citations where assets have been dissipated or stolen.
Contact us to schedule a consultation. We cater to businesses in the Chicago area Western suburbs including Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, Lisle, Lombard, Naperville, Oak Brook, Oswego, Plainfield, St. Charles, Warrenville, Wheaton, Yorkville, and their surrounding communities.
Watch our NCTV 17 interview to learn about our firm's commitment to small and mid-sized businesses.


text:
I go on people's blog and see them have all these followers on their blog, and me, I know I started a month ago but I only have 12 followers...Wonder if I am doing something wrong??
Feel free to visit!!! thanks...
Views: 1068
A month and 12 already? Took me longer than that. Still, it's what you put into it. I am not too focused on followers, just writing to enjoy it and if people like it, that's awesome. People will come and read, give it some time.
Hot Mama
Thanks guys for your support!!!
I started my blog a few weeks ago and have 9 followers. 2 I know personally, and the other 7 I got from this site. It took me 2 weeks to get my first follower. I posted a comment in the NEED FOLLOWERS section of this sit.
I also PIN a lot of my pictured from my DIY projects to Pinterest. I have seen a lot of activity from that site over the past few weeks. I agree though, it is the quality of your followers, not the quantitiy. At the same time though, the more foloowers you have, the more you get your blog out there for other people to see.
I kind of agree with the "followers" thing. My blog has been up and running for 4 months. I have a few dozen regular followers via email subscription and RSS feeds, hundreds on Twitter, and around 60 on Facebook. I KNOW for a fact that many of my "regulars" watch when I post updates on Facebook or Twitter and then follow the link. I also know that there are many who have simply bookmarked my page so I can't really track them as easily. I think that a genuine follower is SO much more important that someone who follows just to say they did it but have no plans to return to your blog again.I don't have a huge amount of follows in comparison to others, but my Alexa rank is climbing quickly and I have decent traffic.
Good content...give people something...it will bring them back. I don't feel like my blog has a lot of subtance but I do hear lots of comments about how it makes them laugh. That's what is most mportant to me and was my goal from the start. .
Don't feel bad. I've been blogging for many years with little success. I could use some help too!
network network network! MBC is great for that, and there are a bunch of other options too. I've recently restarted blogging after a long sabbatical and while I have a ways to go, I've been working on making my blog more accesible. It's been working, but it's a lot of work. Worth it though!
Another thing to do is not just focus on the numbers, but also on the community. If someone comments, respond back. Then offer the same by commenting on their blog. Hopefully when you leave a comment on someones blog they will return the favor. While I enjoy having followers, I love most when I get a comment back from someone. It lets me know people are actually reading and not just hitting that follow button, you know?
Good luck and keep it up! You'll get there =)
I agree with you on the comment back. I love receiving comments and I always comment back. I like the idea of a active blog.
12 in a month is great! I found that I would get more followers from going into forums I belonged to and starting a conversation about sharing new blog posts. I'd spend a few hours on a weekend morning with a cup of coffee and some other tasty baked good and link my blog to a post asking others to do the same. I'd visit their blogs and they'd visit mine. If I liked a post or a blog I'd follow and I'd get the same in return.
Going the follow me and I'll follow you route is a popular one but I find that when I do that, I sometimes don't read all the blogs I've followed because they just don't grab my attention the way a blog that I genuinely like to read would. I'd rather get followers (and be a follower) who reads and comments and the best way to be and get that is a slow and steady process.
I feel the SAME way!! Having said that, if you look at the archives of most of these blogs they're been around for a while, sometimes even years!! I'm crossing my fingers that I have a ton of followers one day...I understand that it can be discouraging to be sharing your thoughts, recipes, etc and have NO responses! I think only time will tell! ;-)
Always link up weekly in Exposure 99% weekday blog hop @ One moment in time, in that way you are sure of getting at least 10 followers and 5 readers each week. Many forget that finding followers is very important. When one follows your blog, she might start having interest with your contents as time goes by.
Many blogs in my list today are blogs i just followed and later found them very interesting, that i visit them regularly..
There are a few things that might help people feel more comfortable on your site, make it easier to read. The color behind your text should be the same as the color of your post background. If you are adding your text by copy and paste that is causing it to come up with a white background. It would be better to type your text in directly on your post editor, or if you know how to edit the HTML you can delete the background color of the text. Another visual trouble spot is the size of your photos exceeds the size of your post area. You can reduce the size of your photos when you add them, just right click on the photo after adding it and select small or medium. If they are still too big you will have to reduce the file size before you add them. Smaller photos & file size will also allow your blog to function better, and it will look better too. Believe it or not visual appeal is important, however content is the most important.
Blog hops are probably the best way to get followers. Follow blogs you like and leave a comment with a link back to your blog.
Oh I forgot to mention Every Monday we have the Make My Morning blog hop sometimes as many as 90 bloggers :) So lots of amazing women for you to follow and who are happy to follow back :) So be sure to check every Monday ( sometimes I post early Sunday night ;) http://www.mompreneurmogul.com/


text:
Editor's note: Thursday, April 13, 2023 marked seven years since Kira Johnson's death. This story was published in 2018, but maternal health, particularly for Black Americans, remains an issue.
🎵 "You know I think the sun rises and shines on you"🎵
In the beginning, there was a man, a woman and a song.
Frankie Beverly's "Before I Let Go" blasted over the sound system at a birthday party when Charles Johnson saw Kira. In that moment, he did something very out of character. He began singing along, serenading the stranger at first sight.
"She just cracked this smile that was like from wall to wall, and it was history," Charles remembered.
Ten years later, only one of them would be alive to share their love story and the conversation it sparked about mothers, medical care and racism.
Mothers Matter: Watch the full series
🎵 "We were so close. Our love was strong"🎵
Kira Johnson is described as unstoppable. She spoke five languages, traveled the world and raced cars with Charles by her side. The couple had their first child, Charles Johnson V, about a year before their spontaneous wedding in Mexico.
In 2016 they were expecting again.
"We always wanted back-to-back boys. When we found out that we were welcoming another boy, we were just ecstatic," Charles recalled.
He said Kira never missed a prenatal visit and got great reports every time. All signs pointed to a healthy delivery.
(Story continues below the gallery)
🎵 "You made me happy, this you can bet. Stood right beside me, and I won't forget" 🎵
Charles said he knew his wife was admitted into the hospital in exceptional health and delivered a healthy baby boy. However, he realized something was wrong as he watched her struggle in the recovery room.
He noticed blood in Kira's catheter. He said he brought it to the attention of the nurses and doctors, and the staff ordered a CT scan.
"That was supposed to be performed STAT," Charles said. "In my mind, I'm thinking, 'That means immediately.'"
Charles said he repeatedly asked the medical staff for help, but waited for hours.
"She's beginning to tremble uncontrollably," Charles recalled. "She's beginning to shake. She's beginning to be in increasingly more pain. She's becoming sensitive to the touch. There's still no CT scan."
Charles said a CT was never performed, and they waited seven hours before doctors took her back for an internal exam.
🎵 "Nothing that I would not do. Before I let you go" 🎵
When the time came to examine Kira, Charles said the doctor told him they would fix the problem.
"'She'll be back in 15 minutes," Charles said the doctor told him. "And that was the last time I saw Kira alive."
Charles said doctors found three liters of blood in Kira's stomach and her heart stopped immediately.
Less than 12 hours after giving birth to their second child, Kira Johnson died from a hemorrhage.
"We walked in for what we expected to be the happiest day of our life. And we walked straight into a nightmare," Charles said. "I sit awake at nights thinking maybe I should have grabbed somebody by the collar, maybe I should've turned a table over, would that have made a difference? Even two years later, I still can't make sense of it in my mind."
Charles' mother is Glenda Hatchett.She operates a law firm in Atlanta, but is also known from her nationally syndicated reality court TV show Judge Hatchett. She and her daughter-in-law Kira were very close. She was at the hospital before Langston was born. The news about Kira's death devastated her.
"She was so excited that Langston was coming. She should be here," Hatchett said.
(Story continues below the gallery)
Mothers are dying
Kira's case isn't unique. Pregnancy-related deaths are increasing in the United States more than in another other country in the developed world.
In 2015, the Global Burden of Disease Study revealed that for every 100,000 births there are 26 mothers who die in the U.S. In comparison, the death count is nine in the United Kingdom, seven in Canada, and four in Italy, Sweden and Denmark.
At least 700 women die in the U.S. every year from pregnancy-related causes, according to a report from the Nine Maternal Mortality Review Committee. These deaths occur during pregnancy, during childbirth or up to a year after delivery. More than half of all deaths have been deemed preventable by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"There is no acceptable maternal mortality. It is a fundamental measure of a nation's health and health care system. So what this would say about ours, is that ours isn't all that healthy, and we've got a lot of work to do," explained Dr. William Callaghan, chief of the CDC's Maternal and Infant Health Branch.
Two years after Johnson's death Cedars-Sinai Hospital released the following statement regarding her death:
Kira Johnson's death was a tragedy. Her husband, Charles S. Johnson IV, is demonstrating important leadership in raising awareness of preventable maternal deaths. Cedars-Sinai strongly agrees with Mr. Johnson and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that no mother should die giving birth.
While federal privacy laws prevent us from responding directly about any patient's care without written authorization, we can share the following: One of the reasons for Cedars-Sinai's high quality of care is that we thoroughly investigate any situation where there are concerns about a patient's medical care. Based on our findings, we make any changes that are needed so that we can continue to provide the highest quality care to our patients. This includes reviewing hospital procedures as well as the competency of healthcare providers.
Hatchett believes Kira's death could have been prevented.
"They researched, they were in Los Angeles, they knew that Cedar Sinai was a world-class hospital and after she died, they said 'Oh, had we gotten her back to the operating room she would be perfectly fine. Oh if we had...' Well why the hell didn't they? It was not that she was sick, it's not that she had a preexisting condition, that she had a heart problem or she had a blood clot, none of that was Kira's case."
►NEXT CHAPTER: Why childbirth is a death sentence for many black moms


text:
Welcome back to Middle-earth. It has been nearly a decade since writer-director Peter Jackson last set foot on J.R.R. Tolkien's hallowed ground, signing off on a spectacular trilogy of films adapted from the British author's Lord of the Rings novels. There were box office billions and well-earned Oscars aplenty and then two subsequent Jackson projects—King Kong (2005) and The Lovely Bones (2009)—that suggested the filmmaker might have been stunted by his own mega-success. (With its distended Depression-era prologue and a running time nearly twice its 1933 predecessor's, Kong in particular seemed as thick around the middle as its director now appeared slim.) So it was no real surprise when Jackson announced he would produce two films based on Tolkien's The Hobbit—the single 1937 volume that launched the Middle-earth mythology—and even less surprising when Jackson pulled a Jay Leno on his own hand-picked director, Guillermo del Toro, in order to hold the reins himself. (Del Toro retains a co-screenwriting credit for his contribution.)
Of course, succession is never a tidy business, nor is that of making prequels into beloved franchises. Rest assured, Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey perpetrates no Jar Jar–size transgressions. Rather, it's reverential to a fault, with the director and his regular collaborators Fran Walsh (Jackson's wife) and Philippa Boyens hewing so closely to Tolkien's slender text that, at the end of three hours, we're barely 100 pages in, with mere sentences on the page having been inflated into entire sequences on-screen. The detailed appendices Tolkien included with the final LOTR story, The Return of the King, have also been plundered for inspiration, and the result is a journey whose most unexpected element is just how little ground it covers. (Recently, it was announced that the two planned Hobbit films will now be three, with the next installments set to arrive in 2013 and 2014, respectively.)
Set some 60 years before the events depicted in LOTR, The Hobbit tells of another unassuming Shire-dweller's grand mythopoeic adventure in the company of wizards, elves, and—this time around—a merry band of 13 dwarfs. The hobbit in question is one Bilbo Baggins—uncle of Frodo—played to great effect in the LOTR films by Ian Holm and here, as a younger man, by the likable Martin Freeman (Sherlock's Afghanistan vet Watson). A fussy, pipe-smoking dandy of minimal ambition and even less curiosity, Bilbo is shaken from his life of leisure by a visit from that wise, wandering wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen). And if there is one inviolable constant in this first chapter of The Hobbit, it's McKellen's delectable mixture of world-weariness and coquettish vanity, which might be the default posture of any British acting great resigned to Hollywood's inexhaustible need for sorcerers, mutants, and Jedi masters.
Gandalf wants Bilbo to join the dwarfs on their journey to reclaim Erebor, a once-prosperous dwarf kingdom long ago decimated and claimed by the fire-breathing dragon Smaug, which now lies in wait, guarding its hoard of gold. But The Hobbit takes nearly an hour just to get out of Bilbo's hobbit hole, with much of that time devoted to a long night of drunken dwarf merriment (including not one but two musical numbers) during which you can just about feel the hair on your feet growing longer. For all their Wagnerian bombast, the LOTR films proceeded at a clip, with lots of story to tell and spirited new characters lurking around every bend. There was exuberance in the filmmaking, too, as if Jackson—who cut his teeth on some of the most outlandish, low-budget splatterfests of the 1980s and '90s—still couldn't quite believe he'd been allowed to make these movies. They were generous entertainments that you didn't have to be a Tolkien convert to enjoy—they made one out of you. The Hobbit, by contrast, feels distinctly like a members-only affair. It's self-conscious monument art, but is the monument to Tolkien or to Jackson himself?
Even once Bilbo and company take to the hobbit highway, the pacing is leisurely verging on lethargic, fitfully enlivened by meetings with colorful beasties: giant, cockney-accented trolls that resemble talking phalli; a goitered goblin king (amusingly voiced by Dame Edna him/herself, Barry Humphries); and stone giants that give new meaning to the expression "mountain men." A few welcome LOTR faces also pop up along the way, including elvish royalty Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), and the magisterial Christopher Lee as the wizard Saruman, not yet corrupted by the forces of darkness. As for the baker's dozen of dwarfs, with the exception of their noble leader, Thorin (Richard Armitage), they never register as more than an amorphous, knee-high mass.
It should go without saying that all of this is executed at an exceptional level of craft, with Jackson and the real-life wizards of his Weta Workshop once more bringing Middle-earth to life with rich detailing and seamless integrations of live action and CGI. But in the moment of Avatar, Life of Pi, and Harry Potter, such technical mastery is ever more the rule, not the exception. So Jackson has one-upped the competition by making The Hobbit the first feature film to be shot, in 3-D, at 48 frames per second. What that means, in layman's terms, is that when the cameras rolled on The Hobbit, the film (or, rather, the high-definition video) was moving at twice the speed—and hence capturing twice the information—of both traditional 35mm film production and of the "24p" HD video that is rapidly hastening film's extinction. And your reaction to this, in layman's terms, is likely to be either "Wow, cool!" or "WTF?"
Available for viewing only in select cinemas in major cities (the rest will feature a standard 24-frame presentation), this "high-frame rate" Hobbit features exceptionally sharp, plasticine images the likes of which we might never have seen on a movie screen before, but which do resemble what we see all the time on our HD television screens, whether it's Sunday Night Football, Dancing With the Stars, or a game of Grand Theft Auto. (Indeed, most TVs now have a menu setting that can, if you so desire, lend this look to everything you watch—a setting appropriately christened by some gearheads as the "soap opera effect.") Whereas video-shot "films" have labored for years to approximate the look of celluloid, Jackson goes whole hog in the opposite direction, the idea being that this acute video quality comes closer to the way the human eye perceives reality. Fair enough, but the reality Jackson conjures isn't quite the one he intends: Instead of feeling like we've been transported to Middle-earth, it's as if we've dropped in on Jackson's New Zealand set, trapped in an endless "making of" documentary, waiting for the real movie to start.
For the record, I returned to see The Hobbit a second time, at 24 frames, and found it more aesthetically pleasing but no more dramatically engaging. At any speed, the movie only springs to full life late in the day, during the first meeting of Bilbo and the tragic creature who will come to be known as Gollum (once again played by the sublime Andy Serkis), a hobbit reduced to a quivering, schizophrenic mass by his fidelity to a certain gold ring. Suddenly, in one long scene consisting of nothing more than two characters trying to outwit each other in a game of riddles, Jackson the storyteller seems to overtake Jackson the technocrat. The old magic returns, and for a fleeting moment, The Hobbit feels truly necessary, a triumph of art over commerce.


text:
On or around Nov. 3, 2010, Eastern, a company based in New Albany, Ind., that bought and sold cattle in 11 states across the Mid-South, Midwest and West, allegedly began issuing unfunded checks to cattle producers and livestock market operators. According to USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA), Eastern owes more than $130 million to 743 sellers in 30 states.
NCBA requested USDA provide emergency access to short-term, low-interest and/or government-backed loan programs. NCBA also requested a list of SBA loan programs that may help producers finance their family farms and market operations.
"Hundreds of cattle producers and marketers, through no fault of their own, have been financially harmed by Eastern's bankruptcy," said NCBA President Steve Foglesong. "We know Eastern may owe more than $130 million to producers and without some short-term financial assistance, in the means of low-interest or government-backed loans, many operations may be forced to shut down or sell off assets to cover costs. NCBA simply isn't willing to let that happen."
NCBA's letter states, "Eastern Livestock Company LLC is going through bankruptcy proceedings, however, we have cattle producers and livestock market operators across the country that have still not received any sort of payment for their cattle. The bond, as required by the USDA's GIPSA, was nearly $800,000, but this was woefully inadequate to cover its obligations."
"We are hopeful USDA and SBA will seriously consider our request," Foglesong said. "We're not asking for a government handout but rather for responsible financial assistance to cattle producers who are facing severe financial strains no fault of their own. We request USDA and SBA to expedite the loan process, and we look forward to continuing to work with all involved in this issue until it is resolved."


text:
Update: In-Memory OLTP in Azure SQL Database Premium
Data de publicação: 05 junho, 2017
Starting today, you can take advantage of the following improvements to In-Memory OLTP technology in Azure SQL Database Premium:
- You can create more than eight indexes on memory-optimized tables.
- You can use sp_rename for renaming memory-optimized objects.
- We have eliminated the limit on the number of commit dependencies. You will no longer receive the corresponding error message.
- You can use the CASE expression, the CROSS APPLY operator, and all JSON functions in natively compiled T-SQL modules.
- You can create computed columns in memory-optimized tables.
These improvements are detailed in the blog post.


text: Ethernet cables, also known as network cables, are cables used to provide an internet connection and allow you to connect to the local area network (or LAN). The cables connect to ethernet ports and allow the transmission of high-speed data and information between devices such as computers, gaming consoles, modems, routers, and switches.RS offer an extensive range of premium ethernet cables from industry-leading brands including Belden, Brand-Rex, Alpha Wire and of course RS PRO. Choose from reels of cable or ready-made RJ45 patch leads, in various lengths, colours and sheath materials.


text:
The number of children in North Carolina living in poverty has increased by 25 percent since 2008, according to a report to be released Tuesday, even as the nation recovered from the recession.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation report, which studies factors related to children's well-being, noted several worsening financial conditions in the state since the recession, but also saw improvements in healthcare and education. The foundation is a private philanthropy that makes grants to nonprofits to respond to issues that negatively affect children.
About 566,000 children, or one in four in the state, live in poverty, according to the report. Two other measures of financial stability – children whose parents lack secure employment and teens who are not in school and not working – also worsened since 2008.
North Carolina ranked 35th overall in the report for child well-being. The state tied with Texas and Kentucky for the 11th highest child poverty rate in the country. The federal poverty level for a family of four is $24,250.
MORE: The poverty problem in the rural mountains of WNC, by Carolina Public Press: part 1 and part 2.
Laila Bell, the director of research and data for the non-profit NC Child, said that the recession was a trigger for some of the changes, but state legislation contributed to the problems.
As an example, she cited the state allowing the earned income tax credit to expire in 2014. Republican lawmakers at the time said eliminating the tax credit, along with other changes, was meant to simplify the system and to spread the tax burden equally.
Bell said the challenges are even larger than the report indicates because it takes the income of twice the federal poverty level to adequately provide for children.
Measuring by that standard, about half the children in North Carolina live in poverty, or more than a million children, Bell said. Children of color are twice as likely to live in poverty, she said.
Nola Davis, 37, is staying in the Salvation Army's Center of Hope shelter near uptown with her three children, ages 2, 3 and almost 11. She said her family moved there in October after losing its home and living in a hotel for about a year.
Davis recently found a job with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and her children's father works at the airport.
She said she has continually been rejected by landlords for housing despite being able to pay the rent.
"Once they find out you're here, it's such a stigma coming from a homeless shelter that nobody wants to rent to you," she said. Davis and her family recently found a landlord willing to rent to them, and they hope to move in next month.
'A heavy burden'
Poverty impacts many areas in a child's life, Bell said. Children in poor households have less access to fresh foods, high-quality schools and green space. Over time, these children may be less prepared for school, impacting their education.
"Coming to school with that on your shoulders is a heavy burden," said Susan Hansell, executive director of A Child's Place.
Children living in poverty also spend less time in school because they normally have to use school buses to get home, she said. "They're not able to take advantage of after-school programs," she said.
Homeless children can also experience a higher degree of anxiety and depression, Hansell said.
Though poverty affects children at any age, those in early stages of development are particularly susceptible, Bell said.
Davis said her oldest daughter can't understand all of the circumstances that led to living at the shelter.
"How do you explain that to a child?" she said.
Bell said North Carolina lawmakers could improve conditions for kids in the state by supporting the health of mothers before and during their pregnancies. Better healthcare, possibly through expanded access to insurance for low-income women, can help prevent low birth weight babies.
The state government could also invest more in early childhood education, a key to children's development and future success in school, Bell said.
Charlotte has a network of support groups and non-profits that can help children and families in poverty, Hansell said. A Child's Place advocates for homeless children and their families, helping them find healthcare and educational support.
Not all the factors in the Kids Count report worsened. All health measures improved, and three out of four education measures improved. About 94 percent of the state's children are insured, more than at any point in the state's history, Bell said.
In education, the report found more fourth-graders are proficient in reading, more eighth-graders are proficient in math and more high school students are graduating on time.
Read the report
Access the report to read more measures of child well-being in North Carolina, as well as across the country, at www.aecf.org.


text:
The seasons will change this Sunday (Sept. 22), with the Northern Hemisphere moving into autumn and the South emerging from winter into spring.
The celestial event that marks this transition is called an "equinox," and it happens twice every year, around March 21 and Sept. 21. Just what is an equinox, and why does it occur?
The Earth moves in two different ways. First, the planet spins on its polar axis — a line through the north and south poles — once every 24 hours, causing the alternation of day and night. Secondly, it moves in its orbit around the sun once every 365.25 days, causing the annual cycle of seasons. The equinox occurs when these two motions intersect. [ Season to Season: Earth's Equinoxes & Solstices (Infographic) ]
Because the Earth is so big, its mass has an enormously powerful gyroscopic effect. For this reason, its poles always point in the same direction, although a major earthquake can cause tiny wobbles in this axis. Most importantly, the Earth's motion around the sun has absolutely no effect on the direction the poles are pointing, which has very important consequences for Earth's seasons.
Astronomers mark the positions of objects in the sky relative to the Earth's poles of rotation (those are the red lines you see in the picture). The most important line is the celestial equator, which divides the sky into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
The Earth's pole of rotation is tilted 23.4 degrees relative to the plane of its orbit. This tilt is always toward the same point in the sky, called the celestial pole, no matter where in its orbit around the sun the Earth happens to be.
This tilt makes it appear to observers on Earth's surface that the sun is moving across the sky at an angle to the celestial equator. This is marked by the green line in the image, called the "ecliptic" because eclipses happen along this line.
Twice a year, the sun crosses the celestial equator, moving from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, or vice versa. These two crossings are very important for the inhabitants of Earth, because they mark the change in the direction the sun's rays fall on Earth.
Specifically, on Sunday, the sun will move from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere. It will pass overhead everywhere along the Earth's equator on that date, and the sun will rise exactly in the east and set exactly in the west. Day and night will also be of roughly equal length. ("Equinox" is derived from the Latin for "equal night.")
After Sunday, the sun will shine more on the southern half of our planet and less on the northern half. Summer will be over in the Northern Hemisphere, and fall will have arrived. Winter will be over in the south, and spring will begin.
The sun will continue on its path southward for the next three months, reaching its southernmost point on Dec. 21, the date of the "solstice." In the Northern Hemisphere, the days will become shorter, the nights longer, and the temperatures colder during this three-month trek, all as a result of the sun's being south of the celestial equator.
It's always important to remember that this is part of a cycle, and that after Dec. 21 the sun will start moving northward again, and spring will be on its way.
This article was provided to SPACE.com by , the leader in space science curriculum solutions. Follow Starry Night on Twitter @StarryNightEdu.
Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Article on SPACE.com.


text:
Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
The best way to stay in the know and receive accurate information is to attend or review Planning Commission meetings. Planning Commission meetings take place on the first Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m., unless the date conflicts with a holiday.
The Planning Commission will review sections of the Land Use Code during a work session on the first Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m. You may access meeting information and material by clicking here. Work sessions are open to the public to observe. Sessions are intended to be a productive collaboration time for the for Planning Commissioners as they work on the LUC. Public comment is not intended to be a part of the agenda and is under the discretion of the commission chair.
Meetings are held at the Leeper Center 3800 Wilson Ave, Wellington, CO 80549 or can be watched digitally on Zoom. Meeting information and material may be found on the Agendas and Minutes page by clicking here.
Updates will be provided on this page of the Town's website and the Town's social media linked below.
Show All Answers
The Land Use Code is a set of regulations that guide how property is used and developed. The purpose of the Land Use Code is to protect landowner rights while also looking out for overall community interests with fair and consistent enforcement.
The Land Use Code includes a description of all uses, the processes that are available for development, and the standards for development. Zoning is one part of the Land Use Code. It is one of the tools that directs property development and use. "Zoning" is a set of zone districts that list uses and other requirements for each district.
General land use categories identified in the Comprehensive Plan include:
Low Density Residential - A Single Family Home
Medium Density Residential - Primarily single-family and a variety of attached homes (e.g., townhomes, duplexes, fourplexes, cottage courts, and apartments) no taller than 3 stories.
Commercial - Various retail and services ranging from shopping areas, to gyms, hospitality, lodging, entertainment, medical, and social services.
Mixed Use - Primarily restaurants, offices, livework units, mid-rise apartments, condominiums, urban lodging, civic uses, public facilities, and cultural activities
Downtown Neighborhoods - Primarily detached and attached single-family homes, backyard cottages, cottage courts, duplexes to fourplexes, and townhouses, no taller than 3 stories.
Downtown Core - Primarily restaurants, specialty retail, offices, housing, urban lodging, and cultural activities, no taller than 3 stories.
Industrial - Primarily large format buildings for manufacturing, assembly, warehousing, distribution, and processing. Complementary uses may include research and development.
Civic - Town buildings such as offices, the library, community center, and schools; government buildings such as post office and fire department; regional schools or research centers.


text:
The Smackdown vs. Raw series has been around for more than a few years now, and like a time-worn WWE superstar, it is starting to get creaky in its old age. The core mechanics that fuel the entertaining action still set the stage for some great fights, but the perennially problematic collision detection and finicky positioning mechanics are taking their toll. The new modes and refinements in Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 are more focused on setting up matches than landing gut punches, which makes the game feel more like a meddling manager than a reigning champion. Yet though the series may be getting long in the tooth, there's still enough action to satiate those with a penchant for powerbombs.
One of Smackdown vs. Raw's strengths is that it gives you the freedom to stage a huge variety of matches. 2011 offers more ways to tweak your showdowns than ever, with new locations and expanded match creation options. Whether you're setting your favorite superstar up to take on his archrival in an extreme rules match, or taking on a few friends in a Hell in a Cell diva showdown, it's fun to set the stage and then fight your way through a contest of your own devising. Furthermore, almost every match you play gets roped into the new Universe mode. This mode sets everything within the context of the WWE television schedule, including regular shows and marquee monthly events. You can play or simulate the matches that the game sets up or tweak the parameters to structure events to your liking. Matches that you play outside of Universe mode get slotted into the schedule, and the game often interjects melodramatic cutscenes and surprise events. Universe mode creates an enjoyable sense of continuity, but on the whole, it is little more than a new structure for the same familiar action.
The sheer number of moves you can pull off in the wide variety of different match situations is still very impressive. Knowing your wrestler's arsenal and maneuvering your opponent into just the right situation for a devastating attack is definitely satisfying. There have also been some refinements made to the core mechanics this year, particularly in matches that involve environmental elements like ladders and tables, resulting in some more realistic and more impactful falls. Unfortunately, the problems with the underlying physics system still linger. Collision detection remains a problem that can cause your strikes and grapples to go awry at frustrating moments, and this issue becomes even more problematic when there are more than two wrestlers in the ring. Learning to execute a wide variety of moves isn't enough; you have to know when the game will let you execute them. It may be unrealistic to expect to be able to perform any basic move at any time, but you should merely have to learn the rules--not the rules and the flaws. This has been the case with Smackdown vs. Raw for years, and while it is certainly possible to have a lot of fun fighting both AI and human opponents, these flaws still put a damper on the excitement. The sound effects further lessen the thrill of competing on the WWE stage, making a flying leap from the top turnbuckle sound about as intense as a door slammed by someone who is mildly annoyed.
The Road to Wrestlemania mode returns with five different individual storylines for you to follow. Each is packed with the WWE's signature melodrama, and you can now make choices throughout the story that influence how it all plays out. This mode also features new sections that put you in control of your wrestler from a behind-the-character third-person perspective. You can roam around a small backstage area where you can talk to other wrestlers, pick fights, and visit the trainer to cash in your experience points for attribute improvements. It's nice to have some autonomy as you make your way toward Wrestlemania, and the stories can take more than a few hours to complete.
You can also craft stories of your own in the enhanced story designer. Improved menus, a new tutorial, expanded options, and the ability to create branching paths make the second iteration of this feature even better. The rest of the creation tools are still very impressive, and you can easily lose hours making your own superstars, finishers, entrance videos, highlight reels, and move sets. You can also enjoy the fruits of other players' labors by browsing and downloading content from the online community creations hub. Competitive multiplayer has more options than before, but even the new stuff is plagued by old issues. In addition to one-off matches that can now include up to six players, Royal Rumble has joined the ranks of online competition. While the sheer size and intensity of Royal Rumble makes it an appealing addition, connectivity issues can make it tough to actually get into a match. Once you are in the ring, nagging lag can cause serious problems, especially during crucial struggles on the ropes. Given that only 12 players can enter the 30-man Royal Rumble, getting eliminated might not mean you are out of the action for good. You can be randomly assigned to an incoming AI wrestler, and idle players can try to predict who the next player to enter or exit will be in order to win some bonus points. A new online experience system tracks your persistent rank and lets others know how often you have won, lost, or quit matches. Though lag and occasional bugs may force you to quit and besmirch your reputation, there is no shortage of formidable online opponents waiting to test your skills in the ring.
Though the online arena can be both enjoyably tough and frustratingly flawed, it's fun to have access to a wide range of creative output. Those who buy the game new receive a code that grants them access to all the online features, while those who buy the game used have to pay extra for the privilege. All told, Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 delivers the same solid action, extensive customization options, and robust creation tools that the series has been providing for years, making it one of the best wrestling games around. There are some improvements and some new elements, but the core action of the game remains largely the same, and the perennial problems are still present. Those hoping for something more exciting than last year's fare are going to be disappointed, but if you're hungering for a fresh serving of ways to explore the world of sports entertainment, then Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 delivers.


text:
These seeds consist of nutrients like fatty acids, essential proteins, minerals like magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc, phosphorus and are full of vitamin B like thiamine, niacin, folate. Also, they offer 600grams of calories.
Watermelon seeds have citrulline substance which acts an antioxidant, which has a positive effect in the case of arteriosclerosis, hypertension, angina and erectile dysfunction, thus promoting the expansion of blood vessels.
These seeds are useful for treating diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract. Make a tea from fresh watermelon seeds in order to remove the stones and sand in the kidneys.
Cook, grind or bake them in order to take the maximum advantage of its medicinal properties.
You need 20-30 watermelon seeds. Grind and boil them for 15minutes in 2l water. Consume this for 2 days and make a pause the third day.
The procedure needs to be repeated for several weeks but is very important to pause every third day.
- Protect heart health
The seeds which are full of magnesium save the heart so it could work normally. Also, they maintain the blood pressure level and enhance the metabolism process. They are amazing to avoid heart diseases and hypertension.
- Prevent aging
The seeds have antioxidant content which helps you to avoid aging, strengthen your skin, and keep it healthier and young.
- Clean acne
Clean your acne, dirt, and dead skin cells by taking a cotton bud and dipping it in watermelon seed oil. This oil is suitable for every kind of skin and will help you to deal with the aliment of skin.
- Strengthen hair
These seeds have high protein and amino acid content which will easily strengthen your hair. Also, roasted watermelon seeds will make your hair shiny because of the copper they contain which produce melanin – a pigment that gives color to your hair.
- Treat itchy scalp
Watermelon seed oil has a mild texture which can be absorbed easily. You can use the oil as a moisturizer for dried, itchy scalp.
- Prevent hair damage
The seed has essential fatty acids which will help to avoid hair damage.
- Blood pressure regulation and coronary heart disease prevention
Arginine will help you to deal with coronary heart disease and will balance the blood pressure. Arginine also helps in preventing narrowing of blood vessels. Tryptophan and lysine are other amino acids which are present in these types of seeds.
- Rich source of magnesium for better immune system
The advantages of consuming watermelon seeds make a lot of supply of magnesium which is present in food like wheat, rice, oat and cocoa powder. Pantothenic acid is known as vitamin B5 which is essential for breaking down carbohydrates into energy.
- Dietary management of beriberi caused by vitamin B6 deficiency
The deficiency of vitamin B6 can cause a condition referred to as Beriberi. B6 is a complex vitamin B which helps to convert carbohydrate into energy.
- Provides essential amino acids
The body needs amino acids as argnine and lysine to perform in the perfect way. The latter is effective for the assimilation of calcium for strengthening the bones and the tissues.
- Gives unsaturated healthy fats to the body
80% of the watermelon seeds fats are unsaturated and healthy fats with an addition of omega 3 acids. These seeds are a great source of energy to the body with no additional calories and they will fulfill half of the needed health fats per day.
- Hair and nails
The seeds include a good amount of protein which keeps our hair healthy and glossy, and our fingernails long and robust.
- Magnesium source
The seeds have a great amount of magnesium which is well for maintaining the functions of the body in a perfect manner. It strikes a balance between the blood pressure levels and helps in the perfect functioning of the heart.
- Watermelon seeds can cure edema
Toss a teaspoon of dry and ground watermelon seeds in a teaspoon of honey, and then put it in a ¾ cup of warm water. Mix it well and consume it immediately – 2 times daily. It will help you to control edema problem
- Enhances male fertility
Watermelon seeds have lycopene antioxidant which is an excellent and efficient remedial method to boost the male potency levels in men.
- Recovery benefits
If you want to properly recover from an illness, utilize watermelon seeds in the diet. Within a couple of days, you will see the effects. Also, for those who have memory issues, the seeds will help to recover and sharp the memory once again.
- Treats diabetes
To control diabetes, put a handful of watermelon seeds in 1l water for 45minutes. This is a worthy benefit due to the prevalence of diabetes within the population.
- Moisturizes the skin
The watermelon seeds have fatty acids which are a perfect use for soft, supple and moisturized skin. Also, it helps to prevent skin conditions and acne issues.
- Keeps the hair black
The seeds have minerals like copper which helps in promoting the creation of melanin in the body liable for providing color to the hair. Also, it offers the color to the skin.
- Prevents hair breakage
The watermelon seeds have essential fatty acids which deeply nourish the hair strands. This gives strength to the hair and causes it to be a point that hair breakage is kept at bay. Combine the oil with a carrier oil and massage the scalp once in a week.
Source: Family Health Freedom Network


text:
July 2, 2012 – BMW announced this morning the new F 700 GS and revised F 800 GS motorcycles.
Although BMW doesn't specifically say it, the F 700 GS will apparently replace the F 650 GS (report).
There is also no indication whether the F 650 GS Sertão (report) will be updated as an F 700 GS with better off-road capabilities.
The two bikes seem to have overlapping specifications, closing the gap between the old F 650 GS and F 800 GS.
For example, the F 800 GS has a claimed 85 HP engine, while the new F 700 GS engine is rated at 75 HP. Torque is even closer at 83 Nm for the 800 and 77 Nm for the 700.
Following is an edited version of the highly detailed press release issued by BMW Motorrad:
BMW extended the GS family with an entry-level and medium category in 2007 in the form of the F 650 GS and the F 800 GS.
The goal was to have fun-to-ride bikes that were lighter than the big R 1200 GS while still providing off-road capabilities.
BMW Motorrad now continues this chapter of the GS success story with the updated versions of these two successful enduro models: the F 700 GS and F 800 GS.
BMW said that they faced the challenge of taking something that is already good and making it even better, consistently focusing on building on the characteristic strengths of the GS in refining the concept.
The new F 800 GS combines suitability for road use and touring with superior off-road qualities, bringing the two worlds together to an extent not previously seen in this class of motorcycle.
By contrast, the new F 700 GS is geared more towards motorcyclists who do not yet need quite the same level of off-road expertise.
Its strengths are a lower seating height, all-round capabilities for everyday use and more than sufficient power while also offering outstanding economy.
In accordance with their "Safety 360°" principle, BMW Motorrad provides BMW Motorrad ABS as standard in the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS. The new F 700 GS and F 800 GS also feature other safety-related innovations within their respective classes such as the optional ASC (Automatic Stability Control) and the likewise optional ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment).
Sections Included Below:
The well-proven parallel twin F 650 GS now with increased output and torque for the new F 700 GS.
Both the F 700 GS and the F 800 GS continue to draw their power from the distinctive, liquid-cooled 4-valve 2-cylinder engine with 798 cc, electronic fuel injection, closed-loop catalytic converter and 6-speed gearbox. Its spontaneous response, impressive pulling power and low fuel consumption are what give it a particular fascination.
Another unique feature in serial production motorcycle manufacture is the mass balance based on an additional connecting rod. This compensates for first- and second-order inertia forces, ensuring that the two-cylinder engine runs with a low level of vibration.
In the F 800 GS, the power unit still delivers 63 kW (85 hp) at 7,500 rpm, producing a maximum torque of 83 Nm at 5,750 rpm.
As compared to its predecessor, the BMW F 650 GS, the new F 700 GS benefits from a boost in terms of output and torque. With 55 kW (75 hp) at 7,300 rpm (F 650 GS: 52 kW [71 hp] at 7,000 rpm), its engine now delivers 4 hp more power and with 77 Nm at 5,500 pm (F 650 GS: 75 Nm at 4,500 rpm) it also sees an increase in maximum torque.
In conjunction with a somewhat shorter overall gear ratio, the bike now offers even further enhanced engine performance and riding dynamics.
F 700 GS now with dual disc brakes and standard ABS.
The new F 700 GS and F 800 GS draw on established suspension technology. The steel frame in tubular construction integrates the engine as a load-bearing element. The rear frame in square steel tubing, the aluminum double-sided swing arm and the wheels and tires all remain unchanged.
Like the F 800 GS, the new F 700 GS is now fitted with a dual disc brake on the front wheel. What is more, the two new GS models are fitted as standard with a new generation of the BMW Motorrad two-channel ABS for the first time.
Optional Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA).
The BMW Electronic Suspension Adjustment is a new feature available in this class of motorcycle.
Available as a factory option, it allows the rider to conveniently set the rebound stage damping of the rear spring strut at the press of a button on the handlebars, with the settings "Comfort", "Normal" or "Sport" available, thereby adapting the set-up to the needs of both route and riding style. The handwheel for setting the desired spring mount has been optimized for improved controllability.
Optional Automatic Stability Control (ASC).
BMW Motorrad ASC (Automatic Stability Control) is likewise a newly available factory option which is also unique in the market segment of the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS.
This BMW Motorrad traction control system prevents unwanted spinning of the rear wheel while accelerating, which would result in the loss of lateral grip and thus break-out of the rear wheel. The welcome consequence — especially when the road surface offers reduced friction — is an increase in riding safety.
New switchgear.
The new F 700 GS and F 800 GS each feature the latest generation of BMW Motorrad switchgear units. These are more compact in design and offer improved ergonomics.
Cockpit with new dial faces and an extended range of information.
The analog speedometer and engine speed display are arranged vertically, their new dial faces ensuring further improved legibility of road speed and engine speed in the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS. What is more, the information display already includes fuel level and coolant temperature as standard.
Smoke grey turn indicator glasses and smoke grey glass covering on the LED rear light.
The increased dynamic performance and even more harmonious appearance of the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS are reflected in the new smoke grey glasses for the turn indicators and a smoke grey glass covering on the LED rear light.
New body features, distinctive model-specific design and new paint finishes.
In terms of shaping, too, the new BMW F 700 GS and F 800 GS have been upgraded to create a clearer design more in keeping with model character. The main revised areas are the new side trim sections, which are now more striking and dynamic in styling and reflect the differing characters of the F 700 GS and F 800 GS even more authentically. The package of visual measures is rounded off with new paint finish concepts and inscriptions.
Lowered suspension now also available for the new F 800 GS.
In response to popular demand among existing F 800 GS customers for a reduction in seating height, BMW Motorrad now offers a lowered suspension in conjunction with a lower seat as an ex works option and as a special accessory. Extensive expansion of the range of options and special accessories.
As part of its model revision measures, BMW Motorrad has also significantly broadened the range of options and special accessories, thereby addressing the widely differing areas of use pursued by BMW GS customers.
The essential features of the new BMW F 700 GS at a glance:
- Increased output and torque in the F 700 GS as compared to predecessor model: 55 kW (75 hp) at 7,300 rpm (F 650 GS: 52 kW [71 hp] at 7,000 rpm).
- The latest generation of BMW Motorrad two-channel ABS as standard.
- Dual front disc brakes on the F 700 GS and F 800 GS.
- Rear spring mount can be adjusted via optimized hand wheel.
- Newly designed body features in a more dynamic, masculine look.
- New paint finishes for the F 700 GS: Red apple metallic, Ostra grey metallic matt and Glacier silver metallic.
- New paint finishes for the F 800 GS: Kalamata metallic matt, Cordoba blue and Alpine white 3.
- New handlebar switch units and brake fluid containers, front.
- New handlebar clamp for F 700 GS.
- Cockpit with new dial faces for speedometer and engine speed display and an extended range of information.
- New windshield for F 700 GS.
- Smoke grey turn indicators and smoke grey LED rear light glass covering.
Options and Accessories
- Automatic Stability Control ASC (optional).
- Electronic Suspension Adjustment ESA (optional).
- Lowered suspension for F 800 GS (option/special accessory).
- Power reduction to 35 kW (48 hp) (optional).
- Engine map adjustment for regular fuel (RON 91) (optional).
- Comfort seat now available as an option also.
- Case carrier for Vario case now also available as an option.
- New center stand optional.
- Comfort package: on-board computer, heated grips, case holder, center stand (optional).
- Safety package for F 800 GS: ASC and ESA (optional).
- Safety package for F 700 GS: ASC, ESA, RDC (optional).
- LED auxiliary headlight for F 800 GS (special accessory).
- Wide enduro footrests (special accessory).
The main differentiating technical features at a glance:BMW F 800 GS: 63 kW/85 HP engine. USD telescopic fork. Progressive damping spring strut. Spoke wheels. 21-inch front wheel. Aluminum handlebar. 880/850 mm seat height. Weight, road ready, 214 kg.BMW F 700 GS: 55 kW/75 HP engine. Conventional telescopic fork. Gas pressure spring strut. Cast wheels. 19-inch front wheel. Steel handlebar. 820/790 mm seat height. Weight, road ready, 209 kg.
DrivetrainLike their predecessor models, the F 700 GS and F 800 GS also draw their power from the dynamic, high-torque water-cooled 2-cylinder in-line engine with 798 cc capacity, fuel injection and closed-loop catalytic converter.The parallel twin has not been changed as compared to the predecessor models. Its technical highlights remain a very compact construction with cylinders tilted just 8.3 degrees forward.Included are two overhead camshafts with speed-resistant valve control via rocker arms and the unique mass balance by means of a system of articulated joints running over the center of the crankshaft with specifically arranged counterbalance masses to ensure low-vibration running.Optimized power and torque efficiency and a shorter overall gear ratio in the new F 700 GS.The agile power delivery and revving power of the F 700 GS and F 800 GS are especially thrilling. Even in the lower and medium engine speed range, the two new GS models offer a powerful response for dynamic riding fun, whether on or off the road.While the output and torque of the F 800 GS remain unchanged at 63 kW (85 hp) at 7,500 rpm and 83 Nm at 5,750 rpm, the new F 700 GS benefits from an increase in output and torque as compared to its predecessor model. The output has been raised by 4 hp to 55 kW (75 hp) at 7,300 rpm (F 650 GS: 52 kW [71 hp] at 7,000 rpm), and the maximum torque has been increased to 77 Nm at 5,500 rpm (F 650 GS: 75 Nm at 4,500 rpm).This increase in power now requires the use of premium fuel (RON 95) in the F 700 GS too, but both models can also run on regular fuel (RON 91) by means of an optional adaptation of the engine map.For people aged up to 25 taking their motorcycle test (in line with the EU-wide increase in the output limit relevant to those taking a motorcycle license as of 01.01.2013), the F 700 GS and F 800 GS are also available in reduced power versions with an output of 35 kW (48 hp) at 7,000 rpm and a torque of 60 Nm at 5,000 rpm.The same claw-coupled six-speed gearbox has been used as in the predecessor models. In order to enhance spontaneity, liveliness and riding dynamics, the secondary ratio of the chain drive with off-road capability in the new F 700 GS is now somewhat shorter with 17 to 42 teeth (F 650 GS: 17 to 41 teeth).
ChassisThe new F 700 GS and F 800 GS continue to feature the robust and torsionally stiff steel frame in tubular construction with the engine integrated as a load-bearing element. The rear frame in square steel tubing, the steering head connection via gusset plates and the single-section chill-cast double-sided swing arm made of aluminum also remain unchanged, reflecting the high-quality finish and slim structure of the two GS models.Dual disc brake system for the F 700 GS.Like the F 800 GS, the new F 700 GS now also has a double disc brake with an effective diameter of 300 millimeters and dual piston floating calipers on the front wheel. The connection between the brake discs and front wheel is floating in both models.On the rear wheel, both models feature a single disc brake with a disc diameter of 265 millimeters and single-piston floating caliper. Both models are fitted with new brake fluid reservoirs which fit harmoniously into the overall appearance.ABS now a standard feature in both models.Based on the BMW Motorrad principle "Safety 360°", the latest generation of the BMW Motorrad two-channel ABS will be installed as standard for the first time. The new system is not only lighter but is also more compact in size that the previous generation.What is more, it now has inlet valves which can be infinitely adjusted for an even better response. New wheel sensors automatically monitor the distance between sensor and sensor wheel. As usual, the new standard ABS can be deactivated at the press of the button if the rider so wishes – for example for active riding over rough terrain.Electronic Suspension Adjustment ESA as an ex works option.On request (factory option) — and unique for this segment of the motorcycle market — the rider can conveniently set the rebound stage damping of the rear spring strut on the F 700 GS and F 800 GS at the press of a button on the handlebar.This Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) allows adjustment of the suspension settings with maximum operational convenience, even during travel. The rider selects a damping variant from among "Comfort", "Normal" and "Sport" and the electronic control system measures the appropriate damping rate based on optimum parameters stored in the data memory.Damper settings can be changed simply at the press of a button while riding, with a small, light stepper motor carrying out the commands. A symbol appears in the cockpit accordingly. The adjustment of the spring mount is made manually by means of an optimized, easily accessible hand wheel.Automatic Stability Control ASC as a factory option.Another unique feature within the market segment of the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS is the availability of the BMW Motorrad rider assistance system ASC, one of the most popular ex work options for BMW motorcycles.ASC prevents unwanted spinning of the rear wheel while accelerating, which would result in the loss of lateral grip and thus break-out of the rear wheel.By comparing the rotational speeds of the front and rear wheel obtained via the ABS sensors, the electronic system detects spin in the rear wheel and cuts back engine torque accordingly by reducing the ignition angle as well as adapting injection via the engine control system.In this way ASC makes for more efficient power transmission and therefore increased safety. If regulatory intervention by the electronic system is not desired – on the race track for example – the rider can simply deactivate it at the press of a button, even during travel.
Electrical and Electronic SystemsIn terms of the electrical system, the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS continue to use a CANbus system. This single-wire system (SWS) offers a wealth of benefits: it reduces the amount of wiring required, allows all control units to be networked and thus makes comprehensive diagnosis much simpler.What is more, conventional fuses are no longer required because the system automatically deactivates any component affected in the event of malfunction. Since the introduction of CAN bus technology, electronic vehicle immobilization has been a standard feature of BMW motorcycles.To start the engine, more is required than the appropriate key bit: the chip integrated in the BMW key also has to send the correct code to the ring aerial of the combined handlebar and ignition lock. Only then does the engine control system allow the engine to be started.This technology offers what is currently the most secure and reliable protection from theft. A battery with 14 ampere-hours and an alternator with an output of 400 Watts ensure a reliable power supply.New switch units and an extended range of information.The latest generation of BMW Motorrad switches is now used in the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS, too. The new switch units are much smaller and more compact thanks to MID technology (MID = Molded Interconnect Design; printed conductors rather than individual wiring) and offer a wider range of functions, a clear design and optimum usability.Here the functions for the left and right turn indicators, previously separated, are now clustered in a single function on the left-hand side of the handlebars.The hazard warning flashers are activated via a separate, clearly visible switch integrated at the top of the left-hand handlebar panel. The functions for low beam, high beam and headlamp flasher have been combined in a switch which is located near the left index finger for convenient access.The activation switch for the grip heating has been placed at the top for further improved usability and the functions for starter and killer switch practically combined in a rocker switch. This means that if the killer switch is activated by mistake, it prevents the starter from being triggered when the ignition is not switched on and discharging the battery.ESA and ASC are also activated by means of a combined rocker switch. The cockpit of the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS with vertically arranged analog engine speed display and speedometer and information panel has been optimized.Newly designed dial faces now ensure even better legibility of road speed and engine speed. And the rider now gets feedback on the fuel level and coolant temperature as a standard feature; two functions which were previously only available as ex work options with the on-board computer.
Body and DesignAs in the popular predecessor models, the F 700 GS and F 800 GS of model year 2013 also benefit from reduced width in the area of the seat and front section due to the slimline construction of the frame and engine, ensuring optimum ground reach and a narrow standing width.The low overall center of gravity makes for outstanding off-road qualities and easy vehicle control, and the large steering angle, derived from a narrow steering head, is a bonus when riding over rough terrain.Wide handlebars suitable for enduro riding (made of cylindrical steel tubing with a new clamp in the F 700 GS and of double-butted aluminum tubing in the F 800 GS) support the easy, agile handling of the two machines.The wide range of adjustment provided in the hand levers for the front brake and clutch allow adaptation to individual rider preferences. The wide footrests with vibration-damping, removal rubber tops are ideal for off-road riding and lengthier tours.The new BMW F 700 GS and F 800 GS display their kinship as authentic members of the BMW GS family more strikingly than previously with revised body features and optimized ergonomics. Their slim, wiry look gives them a feeling of lightness designed to arouse the desire to embark on motorcycle adventures.Clear lines and the selective combination of painted areas with black components give them a purist appearance with a dash of robustness typical of the enduro style.Off-road or urban – new, authentic characters with optimized functionality in typical GS style.The model revision has given the front sections of the new BMW F 700 GS and an even clearer shaping, perfectly in line with the character of the model. The new side trim sections are a key element here, giving both models a perceptibly more striking look.The new body features of the F 700 GS and F 800 GS also include a reworking of the "beak" above the front mudguard; a BMW GS hallmark. This has been redesigned in both models, providing excellent functionality as a splash guard in keeping with the orientation of the F 700 GS and F 800 GS.Different windshields are available for the two models to match the specific character of each of them. These offer optimum protection from airstream and integrate perfectly in the styling of each bike. As always, the extensive BMW Motorrad range of special accessories offers alternatives here: a choice of tinted or more touring-oriented windshields leave nothing to be desired in terms of individual customization.The overall impression conveyed by the lines is much more dynamic. The flatter design of the lower edge means the new side sections give the vehicle a more elevated, mature look, especially in the new F 700 GS.Meanwhile the differing design of the intake snorkel and the positioning of the BMW logo, model inscription and turn indicators highlight the distinct characters of the two 2-cylinder models.While the new F 800 GS displays its masculinity and off-road capability, the new F 700 GS emphasizes its urban character. New smoke grey glasses for the turn indicators and a smoke grey glass covering on the LED rear light cluster reflect the dynamic aspirations of the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS, now offering a more harmonious match with the overall look of the new BMW GS models.Optional seat height reduction based on lowered suspension now also available in the new F 800 GS.With a standard seat height of 880 millimeters, the BMW F 800 GS clearly reflects its off-road orientation with long spring travel. In response to frequent requests for a reduced seat height, especially among shorter riders, BMW Motorrad now offers a lowering option in the F 800 GS in conjunction with a low seat. A reduction by 60 millimeters to just 820 millimeters now ensures accessibility and reachability for riders of smaller stature.
Optional Equipment ProgramOptions and special accessories for a wide range of customization opportunities. The familiar comprehensive BMW Motorrad program of options and special accessories is available for further customization of the new F 700 GS and F 800 GS.Options are supplied directly from the factory and are integrated in the production process. Special accessories are installed by the BMW Motorrad partner or customers themselves. These are features which can be retrofitted, too.Options
- New: Automatic Stability Control ASC.
- New: Electronic Suspension Adjustment ESA.
- New: Lowered suspension for the F 800 GS (not in conjunction with ESA, center stand or safety package).
- New: Power reduction to 35 kW (48 hp).
- New: Engine map adaptation for regular fuel (ROZ 95) for F 700 GS.
- New: Comfort seat.
- New: Case holder for Vario case.
- New: Comfort package (on-board computer, heated grips, case holder, center stand).
- New: Safety package for F 800 GS (ASC, ESA).
- New: Safety package for F 700 GS (ASC, ESA, RDC).
- Optimized center stand.
- Off-road tires (F 800 GS only).
- LED turn indicators.
- Heated grips.
- Tire pressure control RDC (F 700 GS only).
- On-board computer.
- Alarm system.
- Seat, low.
Special AccessoriesSafety:
- New: Automatic Stability Control ASC.
- New: LED additional headlamp (F 800 GS only).
- Alarm system (DWA).
- Tire pressure control RDC (F 700 GS only).
- Hand protector bar.
- Hand protector (small and large) for hand protector bar.
- Attachment spoiler for hand protector, large.
- Engine guard, plastic (F 700 GS only).
- Enduro aluminum engine guard.
- Crash bars.
Luggage:Luggage carrier, small. Luggage rack, large, for Vario topcase. Vario topcase, black. Case holder for Vario case. Vario case, black. Liners for Vario case and Vario topcase. Back pads for Vario topcase.Aluminum Luggage:Aluminum case (F 800 GS only). Functional liner for aluminum case (F 800 GS only). Carrying handle for aluminum case or topcase (F 800 GS only). Case holder for aluminum case (F 800 GS only). Aluminum topcase (F 800 GS only). Functional liner for aluminum case (F 800 GS only). Back pad for aluminum topcase (F 800 GS topcase). Topcase holder for aluminum topcase (F 800 GS only).Soft Luggage:Tank rucksack, waterproof. Softbag 2, small. Enduro rear bag.Other Options:LED turn indicators. Headlamp guard (for off-road use only). Splash guard extension, rear. Akrapovič sports silencer.Ergonomics and comfort:New: Windshield small, tinted (F 700 GS only). Windshield large, clear (F 700 GS only). Windshield large, tinted. Touring windshield (F 800 GS only). Wind deflection set (F 800 GS only). New: Enduro footrests, wide. Heated grips. Rallye seat. Comfort seat. Low seat. High seat (for F 700 GS only). Optimized center stand.Navigation and communication:BMW Motorrad Navigator IV. Holder for BMW Motorrad Navigator IV. Function pouch for BMW Motorrad Navigator IV.Maintenance and technology:On-board toolkit. Repair kit for tubeless tires. Power reduction to 35 kW (48 hp). Automatic chain lubrication system. LED lamp for charging socket. Battery charger.
Paint and ColorsThe new F 700 GS and F 800 GS also reflect their more sharply drawn character in the form of new color concepts. Ostra grey metallic creates a deliberately modern variant of the F 700 GS with a masculine, off-road touch.Meanwhile, Red apple metallic gives the F 700 GS a more discreet, touring-oriented appearance, while in Glacier silver metallic it has a light, dynamic feel which emphasizes its sporty qualities.The new F 800 GS acquires a particularly technical, modern and off-road look in Kalamata metallic matt, while Cordoba blue highlights the bike's sporty, dynamic qualities. In Alpine white 3, on the other hand, it appears especially light and athletic.
Engine output and torque (BMW F 700 GS vs. BMW F 650 GS):BMW F 700 GS and F 800 GS Technical Specifications:
Note: For informational use only. All material and photographs are Copyright © webWorld International, LLC since 2000. All rights reserved. See the webBikeWorld® Site Info page. Product specifications, features and details may change or differ from our descriptions. Always check before purchasing. Read the Terms and Conditions!Owner Comments and FeedbackPlease send comments to email@example.com are ordered from most recent to oldest.
See details on submitting comments.
From "P.L." (July 2012): "Please mind that the F700GS is the successor of the F650GS, the 800cc 2-cylinder replacement of the old F650GS "Funduro" with a Rotax 650cc single (also used in the Aprilia Pegaso).The old single-cylinder bike has been taken into production again last year, in an updated form, with the engine produced in China. The entry bike is now named G650GS (report).The Sertãoo is basically a G650GS with longer suspension. So the Sertão is a 650cc single-cylinder."


text:
SMEG Fridges for Small Kitchens
SMEG (which stands for Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastall − obviously) is an Italian manufacturer who have been making household appliances since 1948. And where as they make a number of quality products, they're best known for their retro style fridges available in a range of flashy colors, including a special Union Jack edition.
Some people might choose a SMEG because of its clean lines and minimalist style, but they're quite practical too. Smegs get the job done with plenty of built-in storage, a freezer compartment, and it saves on energy compared to a full-size fridge. And although there is a mini on the market, the standard SMEG stands at just 57.5 inches tall and about 24 inches wide.
Check your local market for a SMEG retailer, the average price being around $1,700. And get ready to tell you friends you own a genuine Smalterie Metallurgiche Emiliane Guastall!
(images: 1 Renovation Planning; 2 Tia Borgsmidt; 3 Yvestown; 4 Kitchen Ideas; 5 Ace Hotel; 6, 7 Living Etc; 8 Stewart Kirby Design; 9 Casa Sugar; 10 with permission from flickr member _gem_/gem)


text:
Chihuahua Style 4 Stencil Sizes Included: 11×14, 2.5 and .5 of border at tallest and widest points.
11×14 Chihuahua Style 4 Stencil Made From 4 Ply Matboard
- Made From 4 Ply Mat Board
- Size Refers to Outside of Stencil, Each opening is centered and sized to leave between 2.5 and .5 of border at tallest and widest points.
- These are stencils cut from 4 ply mat board which makes them heavier than normal stencils. Available in the outer dimensions listed below. Each opening is sized on the stencil to leave a border for overpainting. Custom sizing is available upon request Sizes:11×14, 8×10 & 5×7 Image is to show outline of opening only-Not Actual Stencil
- Sizes Included: 11×14