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Note: The Gitzo GT5540LS 6x Carbon Fiber Tripod has been replaced by the very-similar Gitzo GT5541LS.
The Gitzo GT5540LS 6x Carbon Fiber Tripod review has a prerequisite - read the Gitzo GT3530LSV Tripod Review first. This will familiarize you with the typical Gitzo features. Then, if you need a really solid, vibration free platform for your camera and large lens, come back to this review.
The biggest functional difference between the GT3530LSV and the GT5540LS for most photographers is the reduced vibration. The GT3530LSV will handle the biggest lens Canon makes, but the GT5540LS will hold the same gear even more vibration-free. I most often use this tripod for the Canon EF 600mm f/4 L IS USM Lens and Canon EF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM Lens - when I do not have a great amount of hiking to do. I have used lenses as large as the Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6 L USM Lens on the GT5540LS (shown below).
Yes, there are some penalties to pay for getting the ultimate tripod base for your big gear. The first penalty you will encounter is the price - This is not a cheap tripod. The next penalty you will suffer is in regard to the GT5540LS's size and weight. Even though it is made of Gitzo's 6x carbon fiber, it still weighs 6.5 lb (2.96 kg). A reasonably small folded length of 23.6" (60 cm) does not tell the entire story - it is much larger in diameter than the GT3530LSV.
The Gitzo GT5540LS 6x Carbon Fiber Tripod reaches a maximum height of 59.4" (151 cm) when extended. With legs opened wide, a minimum height 5.5" (14 cm) can be achieved. A load capacity 55 lbs (25 kg) should handle anything a photographer is interested in shooting with.
Prior to getting the GT5540LS, the Gitzo G1548 Carbon Fiber Tripod (above right) was my large lens tripod of choice. The GT5540LS's G-Locks are the biggest improvement over this tripod. They are much nicer to use. The GM5540LS weighs 6 lb 4.8 oz (2.85 kg) - 5.2 oz (.14 kg) less than the GT1548. This difference is not huge, but nice.
Had the Gitzo GT5540LS 6x Carbon Fiber Tripod not come along, I would have been perfectly content to continue using the GT1548. But now, having used the GM5540LS, I would have a harder time being content with the old pod.
Bringing you this site is my full-time job (typically 60-80 hours per week). Thus, I depend solely on the commissions received from you using the links on this site to make any purchase. I am grateful for your support! - Bryan


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By Chris Moore:
June was a quiet month, and I didn't initially appreciate some of the great work that is represented below. This is one of the only benefits to posting these reviews so belatedly this year: that my criticism has had months to percolate and develop. I think that is revealed below…
Producer: James Ford
Released: June 6, 2011
Rating: 3.5 / 5 stars
Top Two Tracks: "She's Thunderstorms" & "Piledriver Waltz"
With so many individually excellent songs – the opening electric barrage of "She's Thunderstorms" and the gorgeously Suck It And See should be an instant classic. There's something lacking, though: predominantly, a sense of momentum. Individual songs achieve momentum relative to themselves, but there just isn't a sense of ever-mounting energy as the tracks continue. Still, the retro-rock/punk groove of tracks like "The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala" is undeniably catchy, and the Arctic Monkeys certainly haven't lost their range, one which runs from the mean distortion of "Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" to the placid ballad "Love is a Laserquest."
Alpocalypse ("Weird Al" Yankovic)
Producer: "Weird Al" Yankovic
Released: June 21, 2011
Rating: 4 / 5 stars
Top Two Tracks: "CNR" & "Skipper Dan"
With Poodle Hat (2003) and Straight Outta Lynwood (2006), Weird Al raised the bar considerably, and it would seem to be a setup for failure to compare all future work by the watermark of discs like these. Still, Alpocalypse rises to the occasion: there's the dual-layered parody of "Born This Way" and Lady Gaga in the opener "Perform This Way," style parodies of Weezer ("Skipper Dan") and the White Stripes ("CNR") that will stand up to his best work, and of course, a wittily titled polka medley ("Polka Face"). Weird Al even manages to make the catchiness of that celebratory, patriotic Miley Cyrus tune accessible to the rest of us in "Party in the CIA." With Alpocalypse, Yankovic has also caught up on a few items that, in retrospect, I'm surprised haven't fallen under his radar previously: "Craigslist," performed in perfect Doors/Jim Morrison fashion, and the appropriately faux-epic "Stop Forwarding that Crap to Me."
Is For Karaoke EP (Relient K)
Released: June 28, 2011
Rating: 4 / 5 stars
Top Two Tracks: "Surf Wax America" (originally performed by Weezer) & "Baby" (originally performed by Justin Bieber)
While I usually cannot condone an album of covers, much less an EP, and especially from a band that has only recently put out some of the most mature and masterful original material of their career, Relient K's Is For Karaoke EP is actually quite good. In seven brief songs, they span the decades, from as recent as last year and stretching all the way back to April 1980 with an impressively spot-on take of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "Here Comes My Girl," not forgetting the nineties in between, particularly with their not to Weezer in "Surf Wax America," an excellent choice of band as well as song. Frontman Matt Thiessen shows off his vocal range on Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," and Relient K renders another annoying track listenable in their cover of Justin Bieber's "Baby," a resuscitation of a cover that can only be compared with Fountains of Wayne's version of Britney Spear's "Baby… One More Time." Overall, a masterful little EP, and not bad at all to tide us over until their follow-up to 2009's outstanding Forget and Not Slow Down, my pick for number one album of that year.
Rave On Buddy Holly (Various Artists)
Producer: Randall Poster & Gelya Robb
Released: June 28, 2011
Rating: 3/5 stars
Top Two Tracks: "(You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care" (Cee Lo Green) & "Changing All Those Changes" (Nick Lowe)
As with all tribute albums, the quality is uneven throughout. And, buyer beware, there are some real clunkers here (Lou Reed's distortion-drowned "Peggy Sue," to name only one of several). However, there are also some gems, and some hail from surprising corners. Cee Lo Green's take on "(You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care" is easily the best track on the record, followed quickly by a plethora of pleasing yet unsurprising covers by an admittedly impressive array of artists, from Paul McCartney to Modest Mouse and Fiona Apple to the Black Keys. There are too many strong tracks here to write Rave On Buddy Holly off, yet there are too many forgettable (at best) flunkers to offer up too much praise too easily.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jo Sharp Mulberry Silk Georgette Yarn∼
Yarn line #293
vendor color: MSG 770 Watermelon
Jo Sharp Mulberry Silk Georgette Yarn details:
• Fiber content: 75% Extrafine Merino, 25% Mulberry Silk
• Gauge is K: 6.25 stitches/in on sz 3
• Fine
• Wraps/inch (wpi) 18
• Weaving tabby sett 8-10
• Weaving twill sett 12-15
• Yardage: 1645 yards/lb
- • 180 yards/50 g ball
Jo Sharp Mulberry Silk Georgette Yarn description:
Jo Sharp Mulberry Silk Georgette is an exquisitely soft and lustrous yarn made with 25% Mulberry Silk and 75% Extrafine Merino Wool. Ideal for heirloom baby items as it is extremely soft. Excellent to wear close to the skin for accessories or full garments.
Mulberry Silk is the finest, smoothest and most lustrous silk available in the market. A premium is paid for Mulberry Silk, which was first developed in China and is made from the silkworms of the Bombyx Mori Moth. The moths are kept in a controlled environment, free from noise and strong odor and are fed exclusively on Mulberry leaves. Mulberry Silk is much more consistent and refined compared to other "wild" silks which are grown from a variety of feeds, and which tend to be rougher in texture, heavier, and less lustrous.
Extrafine Merino is an especially delicate wool that feels more like cashmere and has a soft, bouncy, squishy hand.
This fine knitting yarn is naturally stretchy so garments hold their shape nicely and the weight and fiber blend make it ideally suited to any season. The fine springy twist makes for excellent stitch definition.
Care: Hand wash in cool water and gently block flat to dry.
We have some suggestions!
We've blogged about this:


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When I saw that Pixel Union's Atlantic Theme was featured in Shopify's 2013 Year in Review, I realized I hadn't posted about it when we launched the theme earlier this year.
I had the pleasure of designing Atlantic, which has proved to be one of our best-selling themes. The goal was to create a responsive theme that feels crisp and contemporary, like the Mr. Porter shop.
We also wanted the theme to include delightful features and details that would emerge as customers go about the shopping experience. These include the rolling 'mega-nav', the mini-cart, the quick-shop feature, the sumptuous product pages, and many others.
I'm especially proud of the blog layout, and how elegant it looks at difference viewport widths and on different devices.
Atlantic was even used by Goodwin and Goodwin for their award-winning entry in the Shopify Ecommerce Design Awards, and was praised by contest judge and famed web designer and publisher Jeffrey Zeldman as having a clear hierarchy and well-considered typography throughout, as well as clean and elegant responsiveness.
Check out the Atlantic demo store for more details.


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MA, Stanford University
Teaching in the San Francisco Bay Area
Alissa is currently a teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area and Brightstorm users love her clear, concise explanations of tough concepts
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MA, Stanford University
Teaching in the San Francisco Bay Area
Alissa is currently a teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area and Brightstorm users love her clear, concise explanations of tough concepts
Inequalities are useful for finding a range of solutions. Solving and graphing inequalities is a key to finding and showing that range. We can solve inequalities using a lot of the same methods as those in solving multi-step equations when dealing with additive inverses, although some things are different when solving inequalities using multiplication. We graph inequalities using number lines.
There's a few things you want to remember when you're asked to solve and graph inequalities with only one variable, one variable meaning one letter. It might show up in more than one time in the inequality statement but there's only one letter that's the difference here. Okay first thing to keep in mind is that you're going to solve it as if there was an equal sign, use your solving techniques where you do the same thing to both sides. Whatever you're doing to one expression or one side of the inequality sign you have to do the exact same thing to the other, whether it's adding something or dividing by something or whatever it has to be the same.
The next thing is that if you're graphing on a number line you're going to want to use open circles and closed circles. Open circle is every time your inequality statement had one of these signs greater than or less than. You're going to use a closed circle if it's greater than and equal to or less than or equal to. There's one other trick that we're going to get to when it comes to multiplying or dividing with inequalities and that's sometimes you need to change the direction of the inequality. I'm just going to say this now and this may or may not make sense to you were you are in your Math class, but hear what it is. If ever when you're solving you multiply or divide by a negative number with an inequality the inequality is going to change direction, and you'll see a lot of that when it comes to doing some examples.


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Lytro has cut deals with Target, Best Buy and Amazon to sell its innovative light-field cameras online starting Oct. 9, a move that will make it easier for customers to get their hands on the company's shoot-now-focus-later devices.
Lytro also announced Tuesday that Target will be selling the unit in November in its brick-and-mortar stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Westwood, a suburb of Los Angeles.
The company will be expanding its international presence, too. In Canada, Lytro cameras will be sold online starting Oct. 9 by Future Shop. The next day, a number of unspecified Australian retailers will start to offer the device. Later in the month, it will start selling in Hong Kong and Singapore.
The Lytro light-field camera created a buzz storm when it was announced last year. The unit, with its rectangular design, looks more like a slide viewer than a camera. It allows the focus of a photo to be set after the image is captured by clicking anywhere on the picture.
In conventional photography, Lytro's effects can be created by manually selecting the focus point and depth-of-field of an image. That's not something casual shutterbugs are inclined to do. The Lytro camera captures a number of focus points while an image is being snapped, allowing viewers to adjust and readjust the camera's "live images" long after they've been shot.
Light field allows the camera to capture much more information about a scene than can be done by a conventional digital camera. Traditional digital photos are created from a description of the sum total of light rays striking each point in an image. Light field captures the color, intensity and direction of all the rays of light flowing into the camera.
While Lytro claims it will revolutionize digital photography as we know it, more work may be needed to make the company's first-generation camera a mainstream hit. "Lytro's light-field camera is standing on the precipice of truly great things, but it's not ready to make that leap in its current form," wrote PCWorld's photography editor Tim Moynihan.
Initially, Lytro's software for using its light-field camera was limited to Apple computers, but Windows support was introduced by the company in July.
Since Lytro's launch, owners of the camera have been posting photos taken with unit on a gallery at the company's website. More than 400,000 pictures have been posted to date.


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We provide a completely free 2-year warranty when you buy any Bathmate hydropumps - the world's best penis pump, covering you against any malfunctions or manufacturing defects that crop up over the time you use the pump. However, for those who think in the long term, we offer a range of extended warranties, all the way up to this, our 7-Year Bathmate Warranty, helping you to maximise your gains.
Bathmate Warranty Information
Warranties for our Bathmate pumps start off the day that you receive your penis pump, lasting for 2 years from this date unless you buy one of our extended warranties. While the warranty starts rolling from delivery, to receive service for your Bathmate pump, you'll need to register your product.
To do this, find the unique PID number provided with your Bathmate, and enter it (along with your contact information), and enter it over on our Bathmate Registration page.
We take your data privacy seriously, so we store all data securely, and delete customer information 800 days after your purchase (unless you've brought one of our extended warranties). As such, if you want to benefit from the extended Bathmate warranty, make sure to buy in advance of this deadline.
Love it. Use it everyday.


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I'll admit to California dreaming on dark and rainy days, even though I'm only eight miles from an actual beach (in California). Windows open, warm breeze, radio loud-there's something to be said about thinking summer thoughts when you're knee-deep in winter. And I know I'm not the only one who feels a little de-energized (and magnetized to long naps and sugary snack time) when winter days go dark—many of us experience a "winter blues" of sorts.
There's a reason: Brian Thompson, PhD, a Portland-based clinical psychologist, says that circadian rhythms (controlled by a "master" clock in the brain that tell us to sleep when it's dark and wake when it's light) may be the culprit in seasonal mood swings.
"What cues our circadian rhythm is daylight. When the daylight hits our eyes—it sends a signal into the brain. What researchers believe is that as the days grow shorter and darker, we don't have the daylight cues that we should be up and awake, and this 24-hour [schedule] gets desynchronized. We are up and supposed to be active-but the brain is sending a signal that we should be tired and lethargic."
All science aside, there's no way that I'm going to let a desynchronized circadian rhythm get in the way of my most (ahem) busy schedule—and I know you probably feel the same. So, retire the yoga pants (that haven't been near an actual studio) and half-gone bag of Kettle Corn—I've figured out a few ways to help you reclaim your winterized get-up-and-go.
No Seasonal Schedule Changing
Dr. Michael McCarthy, MD, PhD, a psychiatrist and circadian rhythm researcher at UC San Diego's Center for Chronobiology, advocates for keeping your daily schedule the same year-round. "It doesn't matter as much in the summer when light exposure is high—but in the absence of light, maintaining activity schedules helps reinforce circadian rhythms."
Which means: If you're used to a daily regimen of sitting down to a hearty bowl of quinoa and kale at 7 PM in the summer—don't change it come winter (even if I'm extremely jealous of your discipline and dinner planning).
Says McCarthy, "Try to keep a schedule that's as regular as possible, and early as possible. If you usually go to work at 8 AM, don't let yourself drift toward 9 or 10 [in the winter]. Try to keep the time the same. Don't let it get later and later so you're confusing your clock about what time it is."
The Sun Can Be Your Saving Grace
McCarthy says early morning sunlight is a natural mood booster—but it's common to miss it in the darker days of winter, especially if you awaken before the sunrise (or sleep a bit later) then head straight to work. Be sure to grab a daily dose of early AM rays (even little as 30 minutes may be effective)—and if you can, double down and grab the treadmill that's near a brightly lit window. "Early morning physical activity is helpful, too," says McCarthy.
Also, don't forget to tell your Taco Tuesday comrades that you're calling it a night—way before last call. "For the 9-to-5 working demographic, a common situation is that people still have to wake early (e.g., for work) but stay up too late, get insufficient sleep, and feel tired and unmotivated all day. Then, in an attempt to catch up (e.g., weekends) they sleep into the late morning or afternoon, which causes people to miss the window when sunlight works best on mood," explains McCarthy. Nixing all napping is suggested for the same reason.
And, last, note that darkness may be as helpful as daylight. "Make sure your sleeping environment is dark as possible," McCarthy suggests. "There is evidence in animal studies that even dim light, like from an alarm clock or an outside streetlight, might be enough to cause depression. It hasn't been tested in people, but the downside to doing this is low."
Seek Help For Severe Symptoms
Although simple fixes like exercise, good nutrition (hopefully, the Kettle Corn has not migrated back into your lap), sunlight, and schedule-keeping are helpful for winter blues—some [people] sway into more severe territory.
If you've experienced major lack of motivation, impairment in your relationships or work performance, the sense that things aren't ever going to get better, or suicidal thoughts—see your doctor ASAP. You may meet the diagnostic criteria for seasonal affective disorder (or SAD)—which is just a fancy way of saying depression that occurs on a seasonal basis.
For women, McCarthy says a SAD diagnosis may be more likely with a history of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (or PMDD, which is characterized by depression, irritability, and tension before your period), post-partum depression, or bi-polar disorder—although most risk studies are centered in regular depression. Family history of psychiatric illness may also ratchet up risk, as well as if you have a co-current medical condition (like thyroid disease) or have experienced a past or recent trauma (and yes, a pre-Valentine's day breakup with your significant other—or boss—totally counts). There's also a caveat for us cubicle dwellers: If you're somewhat vulnerable to SAD, spending time in the confines of a low-light office environment may worsen your symptoms.
A Bright Idea is Best?
Treatment for SAD does not differ drastically from regular depression in the drug department—SSRIs (or selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors) like Prozac (fluoxetine) are frequently recommended. McCarthy often suggests folate or omega-3 fatty acids as well—as there's some evidence these supplements may help mood in regular depression.
All that said, those with SAD may benefit from a mood booster that is totally chemical-free. Commercially available light boxes can be purchased with a simple click on Amazon, and in no time you can be basking in its rays while having your morning coffee. Thirty minutes a day is generally recommended for starters (but you've got to commit to waking up before dawn to do it).
Thompson says, "The key thing to look for is broad spectrum white light boxes that are 10,000 lux [a lux is a measure of light intensity]. Additionally, white light boxes should be large enough so that some of the light hits from just above your eyes. About 60-70% of people will respond to light therapy and most people notice [a difference] within the first week."
And one final note: A light "treatment" never recommended (for anyone ever) is a tanning booth. "Tanning booths have UV rays that are harmful to the eyes and skin. If you have winter blues, a tanning booth is not the place to go," says Thompson.
So what's the bottom line in all this lighthearted (yes, I did) banter? Your brain is a creature of the sun—even though what's outside your window is telling you otherwise.
4 Ways to Cope With the Winter Blues | The Daily Muse
Varci Vartanian is a jack (er, Jill) of all trades. After a successful career in healthcare, she traded her lab coat for her current position as chief temper tantrum tamer/play date consultant for her two-year-old. She also enjoys writing short stories, freelance magazine work, and carbohydrates. Follow her on Twitter @varci_vartanian.
Want more from The Daily Muse? Check out:
Feeling Sluggish? Try These Mood Boosting Foods
Put Down That Happiness Book: 3 Ways to Feel Better
Why You Never Finish Your To-Do Lists at Work (and How To Change That)
Image remixed from Smit (Shutterstock).
Want to see your work on Lifehacker? Email Tessa.


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628-3 Atlantic Blvd. Neptune Beach, Florida
At Robeks, every choice you make is a good one! You can trust us to make delicious, good-for-you smoothies and juices using only the best fruits, fresh vegetables, and natural ingredients. We believe you shouldn't have to sacrifice taste for a healthy alternative – or health for a tasty one. We make it easy and enjoyable to take good care of yourself.
Whatever you choose is guaranteed to be as nutritious as it is tasty and delicious. A small choice at Robeks makes a big difference. Trust Robeks to create hand-crafted, great-tasting, nutritious alternatives that will keep you energized and satisfied. You have enough choices to make in a day. Robeks is an easy one.
Healthy Never Tasted This Good!™


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Unstitched Lehenga Set
Fabric-Pure Georgette
Length: Lehenga Skirt - Ghera 4.5meters
Dupatta- 3meters
Choli - 1.5 meters
Full embroidered front & back
Embroidery - 100% Hand Embroidered Chikankari
Embellishments- MUKAISH WORK
Trivia - It took 6 to 8 months for the product to be handcrafted from designing to finishing
Dyeable Fabric
Note- We provide Dye Facility as per colour chart for a minimum cost
Note* To get the Lehenga Set custom dyed please contact our whatsapp team on +91 7991848136
Disclaimer- There might be a 10-15% difference in colour due to high screen resolution. Therefore, exchanges due to colour difference is not acceptable
Chikankari is an Art of delicate handwork of Lucknow. It is a handcrafted process where the wooden blocks are manually carved in various designs, and the natural stew for printing is prepared, and printed on the cloth. The chikankari craftsmen then use ten ary of the needlecraft embroidery, and perform the needlework artistically. There are 32 stitches of chikankari broadly classified into Raised stitch, Embossed and Flat stitch.
Misspelled : Nurkari, Noorkaree, Nurkaari, Noorkary, Noor-Kari
Also known as : Stitched Kurti, Kurta, Top, Tunic


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Black Olive Hummus
Adapted from: Vegetarian Times Cookbook
Serving Size : 4
1 15 oz can cooked chickpeas — drained
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup black olives — diced
Combine all ingredients except olives in a food processor or blender. Purée, adding more water if needed for creaminess. Stir in the black olives.
Use as a dip or filling for your favorite veggies.
Posted to VegList by Mark Bunch


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We are about to take up some of the more speculative topics, like space combat and star travel. To make things work, we will have to bend, and perhaps even break some of the theories of physics. But you have to do it responsibly, remaining true to the spirit if not the letter of the laws of science. Otherwise your SF world will degenerate into a self-contradictory mass of putrid fantasy pathetically trying to cover up with scraps of ridiculous technobabble. There is some good reading on this topic at StarDestroyer dot net. In particular beware of pseudoscience.
There are a few areas where the problem crops up again and again. They are all where the theories of science are inconveniently preventing the writer from doing something they want, and the writer is getting petulant about it.
The most common ones are:
- "That meany Einstein and his relativity won't let me have my FTL drive!"
- "I'm going to have my stealth spacecraft if I have to murder the Second Law of Thermodynamics to get it!"
- "One-man space fighter ships are really really cool, shut up about them making no sense militarily, scientifically, or economically!"
While FTL travel is an excusable violation (you want it, the readers want it, all the other authors are doing it), the other two are more questionable.
You Can't Do That
But first let's have a word from Simon Jester. In a recent thread on StarDestroyer.net entitled Why do most wannabe SF writers reject science? he had this to say:
Simon makes a very good point, one that I fret about since this entire website appears to be composed of "you can't do that." In my defense, I do have a few places where I suggest what you can do, and I try to explain matters instead of talking down to the reader.
Blogger Matterbeam is doing his best to come to your rescue. His blog Tough SF is full of analysis trying to find parameters for your science fiction universe that are both [A] reasonably scientifically accurate and [B] dramatically fun universes to set your stories in. The first few entries are aimed at space combat that is not more boring than watching paint dry.
Finally there is this time honored advice:
Having said all that, you will find me unsympathetic if the reason that you are upset with the science is because it is preventing you from recreating Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, or whatever other unscientific Hollywood media SF that you happen to be fixated on. If that is the case, you'd be better off avoiding this website entirely.
You are not interested in creating a scientifically accurate science fictional universe. You just want something vaguely resembling "proof" to be used as ammunition to maintain that your favorite media SF franchise is going to become true in the real world Real Soon Now ("NASA scientist are working on a Warp Drive! Film at 11!"). The fact that your beloved franchise is about as scientifically accurate as Phlogiston theory means this website will hold nothing but tears for you.
Thus I Refute Thee
Irate SF fans will sometimes attempt to refute scientific theories they find inconvenient. While this is permitted for SF writers (as long as they don't make a habit of it and wash their hands afterwards) it is more worrisome with fans who think they can prove the Starship Enterprise's warp drive is possible in the real world. Their self-confidence is good, but they have about the same chance of success as a child in a soapbox derby car winning the Indy 500. It ain't gonna happen, and for the same reason. A dilettante with home-made gear cannot hope to compete with trained professionals with precision equipment. Such fans would do well to examine the The Alternative-Science Respectability Checklist.
From Stardestroyer.Net by Michael Wong.
The man who goes by the internet name of "Comic" had these words of wisdom:
He's right.
Noted SF reviewer James Nicoll had this to say:
Dunning-Kruger effect
According to Wikpedia, the Dunning-Kruger effect is "a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than average. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their mistakes.". It goes on to say "Actual competence may weaken self-confidence, as competent individuals may falsely assume that others have an equivalent understanding. David Dunning and Justin Kruger conclude, "the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others""
Rational Wiki translates this into English: "The Dunning-Kruger effect occurs when incompetent people not only fail to realise their incompetence, but consider themselves much more competent than everyone else. Basically, they're too stupid to know that they're stupid. If you have no doubts whatsoever about your brilliance, you could just be that damn good. On the other hand... The effect can also be summarised by the phrase "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing"."
This explains the torrent of fallacious posts on various online forums written by self-proclaimed experts that you are constantly deluged with. In those innocent days before the internet you would only be plagued by the relatively small number of Dunning-Krugreites who were within hearing distance. Now you can hear all the ones on the entire planet.
The observation is not particularly new. In the 1930s Bertrand Russell said "The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.". In 1871 Charles Darwin said "ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge".
Limiting The Damage
In some cases you have no choice but to violate a theory of physics. For instance, if you are going to have FTL travel, you are going to have to violate either relativity or causality; one of them has got to go.
Mark Temple said:
And try just to break one theory, not two or three.
Breaking the theory in question might make things a little too unlimited. It is often wise to create your own fake "theories" to rein things in. For instance, violating relativity in order to allow FTL travel can result in FTL travel with an infinite velocity. No transit time, click and you are instantly at Altair 6. How boring.
It would be better if you create a fake theory that restricts FTL speeds to some convenient multiple of the speed of light.
Finally, be aware that the more fundamental the theory is that you just broke, the more serious and the more numerous will be the unintended consequences.
Unintended Consequences
Things have implications. This means every time one adds a new scientific law or gizmo to their SF universe, you have to examine it to ensure that it does not introduce unintended consequences. In the real world we have such examples as stiffer penalties for drunk driving leading to an explosion of hit-and-run accidents (as fear of the stiffer penalties cause drunk drivers to flee the accident), and how the introduction of the internet has lead to virtual extinction of magazines, newspapers, telephone books, and encyclopedias.
As a general rule, the more fundamental the theory is that you just broke, the more serious and the more numerous will be the unintended consequences.
A basic example of unintended consequences is Jon's Law for SF authors. If you the author make your standard spacecraft propulsion system powerful enough to reduce interplanetary travel times to a few weeks, you suddenly have to deal with the fact that any old tramp freighter spaceship can vaporize Texas.
The classic science fiction example is the "Transporter" from Star Trek. When Gene Roddenberry was producing the original Star Trek, he did not have the special effects budget to land the Starship Enterprise on the planet du jour every episode. So he added the Transporter: a teleportation device that can send a landing party to or from a planet's surface in the twinkling of an eye. All the producers need is a cheap optical effect, and the actors are on the planet ready to get the episode rolling. However…
Sometimes authors will create on purpose something with an unexpected consequence. Unexpected, that is, to the characters in the story, the author is using this to teach a moral lesson. TV Tropes calls this Aesoptinum, Aesoptinium, or Aesoptonium.
An example can be found in Frank Herbert's "Committee of the Whole" (1965). A nasty Congressional committee orders an uppity ranch owner to testify. He does so, and on national TV describes how to easily construct in your home workshop a laser sidearm powerful enough to slice and dice an army tank using only materials commonly found in one's garage. The "unintended" consequence is that such a weapon would allow libertarian minded people to hold off entire army battalions, and there are quite a few garage workshops in the US. As it turns out, this was precisely the reason that the ranch owner testified on national TV, since he was libertarian enough to want to render the US government impotent. He made sure by mailing a few hundred copies of the blueprints to various places.
Authors who fail to consider unintended consequences will quickly find the consequences are plural. There will be a cascading series of ripple effects. If you broke the Second Law of Thermodynamics in order to obtain stealth in space, a major unintended consequence is that you simultaneously have allowed perpetual motion machines of the first kind, infinite free energy from nowhere, and all the secondary unintended ripple effects. (Actually, as Andreas Marx points out, as long as you don't break the first law of thermodynamics, you only have a perpetual motion machine of the second kind. Not quite as bad, but still more than bad enough. But I digress.)
In his essay Thought experiment SF author Charles Stross talks about the pitfalls of unintended consequences. He coined the term "Second Artist Effect": The first artist sees a landscape and paints what they see; the second artist sees the first artist's work and paints that, instead of a real landscape. For example, the first novels in the new genre called "Steampunk" had backgrounds that were groundbreaking and innovative, but subsequent novels sort of copied the backgrounds of the first novels. SF authors who wanted to be innovative had to explore new backgrounds, which often meant adding new scientific laws or gizmos to their SF universe, which regretably lead them to falling headfirst into the pit of unintended consequences.
Mr. Stross gives an example of the sudden discovery of a method to communicate faster than light, in fact, instantaneously. What are the not so obvious consequences? Well, for starters, the probability of a manned landing on Mars just became far more remote. Teleoperative space probes like the Mars Spirit rover are a good argument for manned missions: operating with a half-hour time lag almost makes it not worth the effort. But an instantaneous communicator has no time-lag, so suddenly there is no need to go to the incredible expense of sending real live human beings.
Meanwhile, there will be a global stock market crash, since high-frequency trading strategies depend upon speed-of-light delays.
And then all forms of encryption will suddenly be broken. All encryption methods rely upon algorithms that are NP-hard to crack with a computer. But since instantaneous communication violates causality, this opens up interesting strategies that will allow cracking problems that are NP-hard. In one fell swoop, all the bank account data, secret government information, and military information will be readable.
In other words, this simple instant communicator destroyed the business cases for manned space fight while simultaneously causing bubbles and wars and depressions.
In the sphere of economics, there is the havoc created by the unintended consequences of the Star Trek Replicator.
The producers saw one problem right off the bat, and quickly handwaved a reason which prevented using a replicator to make multiple clones of a person. But they passed over the small matter of replicator technology irrevocably causing the collapse of the global economy. You would have spotted that right away, if you had read Ralph Williams's "Business as Usual, During Alterations" Murray Leinster's The Duplicators, or George O. Smith's "Pandora's Millions".
In "Pandora's Millions", the ivory tower engineers of Venus Equilateral invent a matter transmitter, and quickly figure out that the signal can be recorded. This makes it into a replicator. A businessman friend of theirs screams at them that they've just destroyed the economy of three worlds in one fell swoop.
The businessman says it is too late to suppress the invention, but if the engineers want to prevent it from being a complete and utter disaster, they had better go and invent some substance that cannot be replicated ASAP. Lacking that, there is no way to prevent either currency or cheques from being counterfeited. Counterfeits so good they cannot be distinguished from genuine money.
They do manage to make a substance that is unreplicatable, by virtue of being unscannable by the replicator. Actually the substance can be scanned, its just that if you hit it with the scanning beam the blasted stuff explodes.
With a replicator, everybody can pave their driveway with gold bricks, eat caviar and filet mignon every day, and wallpaper every room in the house with Mona Lisas. Which basically means all these formerly expensive items are now worthless, that is, value-less in the sense of being free.
Of course, if your monetary units are based on gold or something physical, they are now valueless as well. As are any investments, savings, or retirement nest eggs made with such money.
Things will go downhill quite quickly, since a replicator can also produce more replicators.
Factories will close, sending millions out of work. Who needs the goods manufactured by the factory when all you need is a replicator and a recording of the desired item? The stocks and bonds of the companies who own the factories will plummet in value.
About the only thing that will still have value will be services. A replicator will not help you if you need a cavity filled or an appendix removed, you will need the services of a dentist or surgeon. Some kind of barter system will replace a monetary economy.
(Actually, the replicators still need electricity. In the story, to make the point, this is handwaved away by allowing the replicators to violate the law of conservation of energy and duplicate charged batteries.)
In Star Trek, I suppose the role of an un-replicatable material is filled by "gold-pressed Latinum". Left unexplained is what value was backing the poker chips used in all those poker games. I suppose they are for services. That appeared in the Firefly episode "Shindig", where the chips represented on-ship chores: garbage detail, washing dishes, septic vat, etc.
And don't forget the sociological effects.
Torch Missiles
Writers who want to make their interplanetary novels have reasonable science will equip their spacecraft with reasonable propulsion systems. Which unfortunately are very weak and undramatic. If the writer wants to push the envelope, they can equip their spacecraft with unreasonably strong propulsion systems. The jargon is "torchship".
And if an author wants far too much of a good thing, they can look at the missile weapons the warships are carrying, and replace the missile's reasonable propulsion systems with an unreasonably powerful one and have a "torch missile". This is the sort of missile you can fire at your opponent, and have the missile chase your opponent all over the entire solar system for the next year or so. Of course this means you are mounting on a little missile a multi-hundred-megawatt fusion reactor intended for an entire spacecraft, but that isn't against the law.
But as Ken Burnside points out, once again the law of unintended consequences rears its ugly head.
"So What If I Broke Twelve Laws Of Physics? It's Only Science FICTION"
This silly opinion implies that the word "fiction" nullifies the word "science." Since it is "fiction", and fiction is by definition "not true", then we can make "not true" any and all science that gets in the way, right?
Hogwash. By the same logic, the term "detective fiction" gives the author license to totally ignore standard procedures and techniques used by detectives, the term "military fiction" allows the author to totally ignore military tactics and strategy, and the term "historical fiction" allows the author to totally ignore the relevant history.
Imagine a historical fiction novel where Napoleon at Waterloo defeated the knights of the Round Table by using the Enola Gay to drop an atom bomb. It's OK because it is "fiction", right?
This non-argument is the favorite of science fiction fans who like all the zipping spaceships and ray guns but who actually know practically nothing about real science. And who cannot be bothered to go learn.
In the presence of people who are indeed scientifically literate, such fans tend to get very defensive about their lack of knowledge. The non-argument is a feeble attempt at compensating for their shortcomings by attempting to forbid the others from using their knowledge.
Slightly more difficult to deal with, but still operating under a flawed concept are those fans with little or no technical background, who think that they can take a "shortcut" to advanced scientific knowledge by skipping over the usual years of hard work in university, and simply reading some books on quantum mechanics. It doesn't work that way.
The other problem with breaking laws of physics is there is nothing to prevent you from breaking all of them. Our starship is propelled by the Magic Happy Unicorn Drive fueled by rainbow unicorn poop, which moves our ship at the speed of the plot, except on Thursdays.
"It's Just A Theory"
This generally takes the form of "Well, Einstein's relativity is just a theory, not a fact/scientific law." However, such a statement only demonstrates that the speaker is either severely scientifically illiterate or an evil demagogue trying to pull a fast one.
The colloquial meaning of the term "theory" is the opposite of "fact", it is a guess, or hunch (what a scientist would call a "hypothesis").
But in Science, the meaning of the term "theory" is totally different. Theory and fact can be the same.
So if Einstein's relativity theory is "just a theory" in the same way that atomic theory is "just a theory", then you shouldn't mind sitting on top of this thermonuclear warhead while I sit in a bunker a few kilometers away pushing the detonator button, hmmmmmmm?
The common misconception is that if a budding young scientific theory gets quote "proven" unquote, it graduates and becomes a scientific law. As you see above, theories and laws are two different things. Even worse, it is impossible to prove a scientific theory.
"Maybe A Future Scientific Breakthrough Will Let Me Have My Way"
This argument usually takes the form of "Well, they said that man would never break the sound barrier either, but they were wrong!".
That formation of the argument is doubly suspect, since if you do the research there does not appear to be any scientist on the record who actually stated that breaking the sound barrier was impossible. For one thing, bullets were breaking the sound barrier almost since the invention of gunpowder. Heck, whips have been doing it since the invention of whips. The "crack" of a whip is actually a the tip of the whip creating a tiny sonic boom.
But the core of the argument is that maybe some future scientific breakthrough will remove all those pesky scientific theories that are keeping the author from doing what they want.
First off, from the standpoint of probability, there is at least a 50% chance that any new scientific breakthrough will actually make it harder to do what you want. There was an amusing SF story by George R. R. Martin called "FTA" where scientists discovered how to enter hyperspace. They were initially jubilant, with visions of FTL starships and Nobel prizes dancing in their heads. Their hopes were quickly dashed when they found out that the speed of light in hyperspace was slower than in our universe.
But actually it is probably a better than 50% chance that a breakthrough will make matters worse. And this will still be a problem if you try to declare by authorial fiat that the breakthrough is indeed in your favor. Let me explain.
Correspondence Principle
The general rule is what physicists call the correspondence principle or the Classical limit. This states that any new theory must give the same answers as the old theory where the old theory has been confirmed by experiment. Newton's laws and Einstein's Relativity give the same answers in ordinary conditions, they only give different answers in extreme conditions such as near the speed of light, refining the accuracy of the GPS system, or calculating the orbit of Mercury (none of which Newton could confirm by experiment).
Which means if you just state that in the year 2525 Professor XYZ came up with the "Take THAT, Einstein!" theory of FTL travel, you still have a problem. You have to explain how the TTE theory allows FTL flight while still giving the same answers that relativity theory did for all those experiments it confirmed. Experiments that were accurate to quite a few decimal points.
And since your desired breakthrough is functionally equivalent to breaking a theory of physics, you also have the problem of unintended consequences.
Ken Burnside had this to say. The topic was postulating some scientific breakthrough rendering null and void the Second Law of Thermodynamics and thus allowing stealth spacecraft in a proposed spacecraft combat game.
Brock Greman agrees with the main thrust of Mr. Burnside's argument, but point out that one or two of the fine details are slightly off. Keep in mind that Mr. Greman does agree with the argument's conclusions. The details in question are bolded above.
Gullibility and Fast Talk
There are a lot of con-artists out there, trying to sell you on their dubious scientific theories. It is a mistake to let down your defenses just because said con-artist is promising you a warp-drive for your Starship Enterprise.
In his article about the infamous "EmDrive", Corey Powell wrote about consulting with Caltech physicist Sean Carroll about some questionable terminology contained in the EmDrive paper. Dr. Carroll agreed that there is no such thing as a "quantum vacuum virtual plasma", which should have been a tip-off right there. Powell goes on to say:
For an in-depth analysis of the crackpot phenomenon; run, do not walk, and read this article by Dr. Rhys Taylor. He goes on to say "I stand by my idea of a "Wegener's Law", whereby anyone comparing their idea to Wegener's would instantly lose the argument. Just because that one mad idea did turn out to be correct, doesn't mean yours is too. Yes, science got that one wrong for a while, but uncounted other mad ideas were proven to be exactly that."
The Power of the Scientific Method
Science and technology advanced since primitive hominids invented fire, but at a slow, plodding pace. However with the widespread adoption of the scientific method in 1543, things kicked into high gear with the advent of the Scientific Revolution.
This is because It Works.
It is a powerful tool for scientific and technological advancement, plus it includes checks and balances to prevent people from making up false science to suit their hidden agenda or to attack an inconvenient truth.
From a science fictional standpoint, the method could be applied to other areas. Aleister Crowley attempted to apply the scientific method to magick, mostly by recording all the details and external factors of every spell being cast in their book of shadows (in other words: writing it down). A science fiction writer could logically have their protagonists use the scientific method if they were investigating psionics.
Knowledge Is Wealth
Knowlege is power, and also wealth. Though of course the value goes up with the fewer who have it.
In the Space Ghost cartoons things were kept secret. Space Ghost has stealth technology which makes him and his spaceship transparent. But the proper phrasing is "Ah, Space Ghost. I too possess the Secret of Invisibility! Muah-Ha-Ha!"


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Woodruff tosses 1-hit ball over 6, Brewers beat Phillies 6-1
Brandon Woodruff kept pitching out of jams until a big lead allowed him to settle in.
Woodruff threw one-hit ball for six innings, Yasmani Grandal and Ryan Braun homered and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-1 on Tuesday night.
The Phillies survived a scare when Bryce Harper made a sliding catch on a foul ball to right field and banged his left knee into the wall in the sixth. Harper came up limping but remained in the game and made an almost identical catch to end the inning. He received a standing ovation only to get booed after striking out again in the eighth.
"It's a little sore," Harper said, adding he doesn't know yet if he can play Wednesday.
Woodruff (6-1) allowed only an infield single to Jean Segura in the first, walked five and struck out five.
"Early on, it was a struggle with the walks," Woodruff said about allowing two runners in each of the first three innings. "The offense did a great job and I was able to pitch ahead."
Philadelphia's Jerad Eickhoff (2-2) gave up five runs and eight hits in four innings.
Grandal gave the Brewers a 3-0 lead in the second when he drove his seventh homer out to right-center.
Braun's two-run shot to center in the third made it 5-0. Braun has 25 career homers against the Phillies, including 14 at Citizens Bank Park.
"He does love hitting here," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.
Segura's RBI single off Corbin Burnes in the eighth knocked in Philadelphia's only run.
Brewers second baseman Keston Hiura, the ninth overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft, was 2 for 3 with a walk in his major league debut. He lined a single off Eickhoff's back side in his first at-bat.
"I thought he ball was going to ricochet and I'd be out," Hiura said. "My feet felt so heavy running to first base."
Hiura's teammates helped him celebrate his first day in the big leagues by dumping ice on him in the shower.
"I hope it's the first of many ice baths," he said.
Harper struck out twice and walked twice. He's hitless in his last 14 at-bats and heard boos after his last at-bat in the eighth.
Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto has already thrown out 14 runners attempting to steal, matching his total from last season. His career-high is 22 in 2016.
Hiura was recalled from Triple-A San Antonio and infielder/outfielder Cory Spangenberg was designated for assignment.
Brewers: 3B Travis Shaw was placed on the 10-day injury list with a right wrist strain. … Braun was in the lineup for the first time in four games. He's been nursing a sore left hamstring.
Phillies: INF Scott Kingery was 1 for 3 in his first rehab assignment at Class-A Lakewood. Kingery has been on the injury list with a right hamstring strain since April 20. He played shortstop and is expected to play in the infield and possibly center field during his rehab stint.
LHP Gio Gonzalez (1-0, 1.69 ERA) goes for the Brewers and RHP Jake Arrieta (4-3, 3.78) starts for the Phillies on Wednesday night. Gonzalez is 11-7, 2.95 in 26 career starts vs. Philadelphia. Arrieta is 8-6, 3.22 in 17 starts vs. Milwaukee.
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


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Missing Persons
Missing: Marcia Lynn Joyce
Missing: Marcia Lynn Joyce
Missing Person: Marcia Lynn Joyce
Marcia Lynn Joyce
Nickname: Marci
44 Years of age (Date of Birth: August 27, 1950)
Eyes: Blue, Height: 5'4", Hair: Light Brown, Weight: 110 lbs
White Female
Marcia Lynn Joyce was last seen on the morning of August 30, 1978, at her home on Everson Goshen Road in Bellingham, Washington. She was home with her 2 children and was last seen hanging laundry in the back yard of her home. She has not been seen or heard from since.
Anyone with information about the disappearance is asked to contact the Detective Sergeant of the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office at (360) 778-6600 or contact the Whatcom Communication Dispatch Center at 360-676-6711.
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Hingis, Rojer capture WTT MVP Honors
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Former world No. 1 Martina Hingis of the Washington Kastles and top 20 doubles specialist Jean-Julien Rojer of the Springfield Lasers were named as the Mylan World TeamTennis MVPs today.
Steve Johnson of the Orange County Breakers and Alisa Kleybanova of the Springfield Lasers were named as Mylan WTT Rookies of the Year, while Murphy Jensen of the Washington Kastles was named Mylan WTT Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season.
The Kastles and the Lasers are both the top seeds in their respective conferences at the Mylan WTT Conference Championships presented by GEICO on July 25. The Lasers will face the Texas Wild, while the Kastles and Lobsters will play for the Eastern Conference title. The Conference Champions face off for the King Trophy on Sunday, July 28 at 5:00 PM EDT on the home court of the Eastern Conference Champion. For more information on the Mylan WTT Finals presented by GEICO, visit WTT.com/Finals.
MYLAN WTT FEMALE MVP: Martina Hingis, Washington Kastles
Hingis wins the Female MVP for the second consecutive season, finishing first in women's singles this season with a .700 winning percentage, up more than 10 percent from last season. Hingis teamed with Leander Paes to finish as the top-ranked team in mixed doubles at .595 and .591, respectively. The Kastles remain undefeated when the five-time Grand Slam singles champion headlines their squad. This is the 6th season for Hingis, who is playing her first season with the Washington Kastles and plans to make a return to the WTA Tour in doubles later this summer. Hingis and her Kastles teammates have advanced to the Mylan WTT Eastern Conference Championship against the Boston Lobsters on Thursday, July 25.
"It's great playing Mylan World TeamTennis again this year and I'm flattered to have such great partners," said Hingis. "Being on the best team definitely makes it easier to win MVP. Refuse to lose!"
MYLAN WTT MALE MVP: Jean-Julien Rojer, Springfield Lasers
Rojer finished his second regular season of Mylan WTT with an impressive 66-45 record in men's doubles and 60-53 in mixed doubles, compiling a .563 winning percentage over the two disciplines. Rojer showed his versatility, playing with partners including former No. 1 Andy Roddick, former top 20 player and 2013 Mylan WTT Rookie of the Year Alisa Kleybanova, and Rik de Voest. In his debut 2011 season, Rojer was Rookie of the Year as he helped lead the St. Louis Aces to the Western Conference Championships and a run to the Finals.
"I'm really excited to win MVP," said Rojer. "This is due in large part to my Springfield Lasers teammates. We are a very close group and get along very well. This is even more special because I have had an opportunity to play with everyone on the team this season. I know this is an individual award but in my eyes it is a team award as everyone on this team has been a part of it."
Rojer also credited the Lasers management and Springfield community for their support. "Everyone here has welcomed me with open arms from our owner John Cooper to all the staff and the fans. They have a great organization here and I am happy to win this award for them."
MYLAN WTT MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Steve Johnson, Orange County Breakers Steve Johnson made a successful debut with the Orange County Breakers. Despite ultimately placing third in the Western Conference, the young American was the No. 2 men's singles player in the league, amassing a 62-47 record for the season. He was equally successful in men's doubles, pairing with doubles specialist Treat Huey to go 64-53. In the middle of the season, Johnson helped lead the Breakers to four consecutive victories.
"It was an honor to play my first Mylan World TeamTennis season in Orange County with the Breakers, my hometown team, and being named Rookie of the Year is definitely something special," said Johnson.
MYLAN WTT FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Alisa Kleybanova, Springfield Lasers The Springfield Lasers finished as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, large in part to Mylan WTT Female Rookie of the Year, Alisa Kleybanova. The Russian was a top 20 stalwart before a Hodgkin's Lymphoma diagnosis derailed her career for over two years. Now cancer-free, Kleybanova is working on a comeback that has seen her cap a successful return with a stellar Mylan WTT debut season. Playing in all three disciplines (singles, women's doubles and mixed), Kleybanova finished with a spectacular .573 winning percentage for the 2013, and has only improved as the season has wore on.
"I am very happy to receive this award," said Kleybanova. "My first season of Mylan World TeamTennis has been amazing! I'm hopeful I can play more seasons in the future as it's been a lot of fun with my teammates."
MYLAN WTT COACH OF THE YEAR: Murphy Jensen, Washington Kastles For the third year in a row, Murphy Jensen was named WTT Coach of the Year. He led the Kastles to their third consecutive Eastern Conference Championships. At the beginning of the season, the Kastles won their 34th consecutive match, breaking the record for consecutive wins held by a U.S. major pro sports team (a record previously held by the 1971-72 LA Lakers). This is Jensen's fifth season coaching the Kastles. He led the franchise to the King Trophy in 2009, 2011, and 2012 and the Kastles are the top seed in the 2013 Eastern Conference finals.
"It's a dream come true," said Jensen. "I dedicate this to my dad Howard Otto Jensen who passed away April 12th. Best coach I've ever known."
- MYLAN WTT FEMALE MVP: Martina Hingis (Washington Kastles)
- MYLAN WTT MALE MVP: Jean-Julien Rojer (Springfield Lasers)
- MYLAN WTT FEMALE ROOKIE: Alisa Kleybanova (Springfield Lasers)
- MYLAN WTT MALE ROOKIE: Steve Johnson (Orange County Breakers)
- MYLAN WTT COACH OF THE YEAR: Murphy Jensen (Washington Kastles)
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text: Zechariah 12 New International Version Jerusalem's enemies to be destroyed 1 A prophecy: the word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person, declares: 2 'I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,' declares the Lord. 'I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. 5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, "The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the Lord Almighty is their God." 6 'On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a brazier in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact in her place. 7 'The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honour of the house of David and of Jerusalem's inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. 8 On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.Mourning for the one they pierced 10 'And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit[1] of grace and supplication. They will look on[2] me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be as great as the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, 13 the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, 14 and all the rest of the clans and their wives.


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April 1 - Philippians 1.1-30
Philippians 1
From Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus--
To all God's people in Philippi who are in union with Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and helpers:
2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Paul's Prayer for His Readers3I thank my God for you every time I think of you; 4and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy 5because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now. 6And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus. 7You are always in my heart! And so it is only right for me to feel as I do about you. For you have all shared with me in this privilege that God has given me, both now that I am in prison and also while I was free to defend the gospel and establish it firmly. 8God is my witness that I tell the truth when I say that my deep feeling for you all comes from the heart of Christ Jesus himself.
9I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more, together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, 10so that you will be able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ. 11Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God.
To Live Is Christ12I want you to know, my friends, that the things that have happened to me have really helped the progress of the gospel. 13As a result, the whole palace guard and all the others here know that I am in prison because I am a servant of Christ. 14And my being in prison has given most of the believers more confidence in the Lord, so that they grow bolder all the time to preach the message fearlessly.
15Of course some of them preach Christ because they are jealous and quarrelsome, but others from genuine good will. 16These do so from love, because they know that God has given me the work of defending the gospel. 17The others do not proclaim Christ sincerely, but from a spirit of selfish ambition; they think that they will make more trouble for me while I am in prison.
18It does not matter! I am happy about it--just so Christ is preached in every way possible, whether from wrong or right motives. And I will continue to be happy, 19because I know that by means of your prayers and the help which comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ I shall be set free. 20My deep desire and hope is that I shall never fail in my duty, but that at all times, and especially right now, I shall be full of courage, so that with my whole being I shall bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21For what is life? To me, it is Christ. Death, then, will bring more. 22But if by continuing to live I can do more worthwhile work, then I am not sure which I should choose. 23I am pulled in two directions. I want very much to leave this life and be with Christ, which is a far better thing; 24but for your sake it is much more important that I remain alive. 25I am sure of this, and so I know that I will stay. I will stay on with you all, to add to your progress and joy in the faith, 26so that when I am with you again, you will have even more reason to be proud of me in your life in union with Christ Jesus.
27Now, the important thing is that your way of life should be as the gospel of Christ requires, so that, whether or not I am able to go and see you, I will hear that you are standing firm with one common purpose and that with only one desire you are fighting together for the faith of the gospel. 28Don't be afraid of your enemies; always be courageous, and this will prove to them that they will lose and that you will win, because it is God who gives you the victory. 29For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him. 30Now you can take part with me in the battle. It is the same battle you saw me fighting in the past, and as you hear, the one I am fighting still.
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Life Insurance in and around Pinconning
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Browns wide receiver Davone Bess was arrested early this morning at Fort Lauderdale International Airport for allegedly assaulting a law enforcement official. It's been a rough week for Bess.
How running an NFL team is like running a restaurant | Chef Emeril Lagasse
According to the Broward County Sheriff's Office, Bess was booked on three charges: assault on an officer/firefighter, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. He's currently being held at the Broward County Jail. Not a lot of details at the moment, but we'll have more as they come out.
Update: Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald has the police report. Oh, Davone:
Yesterday, Bess caused some commotion by tweeting a photo of his weed. This is worse.


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Marlow Marine
Snead Island, FL 34221
Phone: 8003622657
Full-Service Boatyard on the west coast of Florida Whether you are looking for a new yacht or want to update, store or sell your current yacht, Marlow Marine can help you achieve your goal. We specialize in all aspects of the marine business from new sales of Marlow Explorer, Marlow Prowler, Marlow Sprite and Marlow Gypsy yachts, to brokerage of these as well as Grand Banks, Fleming, and other fine models, to customizing, repairs and rebuilds. Our 40 plus years in the business provides you with the expertise and experience that will see to every detail of your wishes and our huge satisfied customer base is a tribute to our careful and successful handling of every transaction. Experienced Sales Team At Marlow Marine Sales, we have been proudly serving boat owners throughout Florida since 1965. For nearly half a century, we have been your premier source for premium yacht sales and services of every variety. Our experience, knowledge and superior craftsmanship are surpassed by none. All aspects of a top quality marine service yard are found on site at Marlow Marine in a beautiful park-like setting near Tampa Bay. Skilled Service Team Marlow Marine Service takes great pride in the work that we produce, both in terms of quality and complexity of the task. We have the talent and ability to perform any modification or installation that you may want on your fine yacht. No job is too big or too small.
Contact the Seller
1-7 of 7 boats
1-7 of 7 boats


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Cyclists Rights In NYC - Biking Laws & Rules In NYC
Knowing Your Rights & Responsibilities As An NYC Cyclist
November 7, 2013 / NYC Bike Laws / Biking Rules NYC / Gotham Buzz. By Philip Papas. The introduction to the Cyclists' Rights Forum was given by Christina Vassallo, Executive Director, Flux Factory. She told us that the event came about after she and a friend were stopped for cycling violations, which they thought were not illegal, or had erroneously been applied as violation points to their motor vehicle driver's license. As a result she saw the need for a forum to clarify laws, rights and proper procedures for cyclists to follow.
Click here to read our full report about NYC Bike Laws / Cyclists' Rights Forum in Queens at the Flux Factory in LIC.
Cyclists Rights In NYC - Bike Laws & Rules In NYC
Knowing Your Rights & Responsibilities While Biking In NYC & Manhattan
November 7, 2013 / NYC Bike Laws / Biking Rules NYC / Gotham Buzz. By Philip Papas. Continued.
Transportation Alternatives Queen - Cylists' Advocacy Group
Steve Scofield, Co-Chair of Transportation Alternatives Queens [TA or TAQ] Committee spoke briefly about the organization and outlined some of the advocacy projects they work on, such as the proposed Pulaski Bridge Bike lane, which requires allocating one current car lane to it, and for traffic calming procedures on 21st street and Queens Bvd.
Steve introduced the panel and the agenda for the evening. The panel included: 1) Steve Vacarro, attorney for Vacarro & White, 2) Don Aridas, NYPD officer & TAQC volunteer and 3) Peter Beadle, attorney, Biedermann Hoenig Semprevivo.
Steve Vaccaro - Attorney For Vacarro & White - Cylists Rights In Queens NYC
Steve Vacarro, attorney for Vacarro & White said that the bicycle laws in NYC are much more complex than most people realize. He noted that there are five different sources for laws in NYC.* The legal work is also complicated by the growing NYC & Queens biking infrastructure and there are more cyclists than ever before. There was a time when cyclists could circumnavigate laws more easily because biking violiations were minimal because there weren't many NYC / Queens cyclists - relatively speaking. Now cyclists are much more visible, because there are so many of them in NYC and Queens. Steve told us that you should not get points taken off your driver's license for a bicycle infraction.
NYS & NYC Cyclist Laws - Cycling In Queens
Steve Vacarro went on to say that sometimes the NYPD incorrectly use state laws that do not apply in NYC to cite cyclists. Some such New York State cycliing laws used are: VTL 1234 (New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law 1234 which requires all bicyclists to do the following: 1) ride on the left-hand side of the street 2) ride no more than two across and 3) ride in a bike lane if provided.
Steve introduced BikeNYC Law Decision Tree flow chart to help clarify laws applying to cyclists in NYC. For a more detailed view go to:
Bicycles are officially categorized as recreational vehicles, not motor vehicles. As such they are treated as equal in legal responsibilities, with some exceptions. There are laws that apply only to cyclists such as using bike lanes, and keeping both feet on pedals at all times, etc. There are also laws that apply only to motorists (use of seat belts, using the turn signal a certain distance from the intended turn (which is too long to be safe for a cyclist to keep one hand extended off their handlebars), etc.. Motorist violations such as DWI and illegal use of cell phones, also do not apply to cyclists.
There are some legal grey areas which are 'practicable,' meaning they should be followed, unless there is some compelling reason to do otherwise. For example bikers are supposed to ride in lanes when a street has one, unless the cyclist is turning on the opposite side of the street. For example making a left turn off of a one-way street when the lane is located on the right side of the street. Or when there is a blockage in the lane which renders it unsafe to stay in the lane. In such cases, it is permissible for the cyclist to exit the bike lane for a reasonable time to facilitate function or safety.
Queens Cyclists should basically follow the Golden Rule - avoid engaging in provocative behaviors, or impede pedestrian or motor vehicle flow. This especially applies when stopping at intersections.*
Steve noted that there are fitness benefits to stopping and starting, an added incentive against trying to ride through a red light or stop sign. Toe clips and a top tube pad can help give the cyclist a more comfortable means of standing at lights with one foot on the pedals.
Steve answered a question about cycling in Queens parks, saying that the parks have very specific areas designated for cycling. He noted that a DOT bike map will show this as a green line and that cycling on other paths in parks carries serious criminal charges. He also said red lights in Central Park, et al, are to be treated as any red light (STOP!) but the police have been known to look the other way in recognition of groups like NYCC or other park-frequenting riders providing they go carefully through red lights when there are no pedestrians nearby, in harm's way.
Don Aridas, NYPD Officer & Transportation Alternatives Queens Volunteer
Don Aridas, NYPD officer & TAQC volunteer, informed us that he was there speaking as an individual, NOT as a NYPD representative. He was there to provide opinions as a cyclist who happens to have the experience / insight of being a member of the police force.
Don is often asked whether the police target cyclists. He answered no. The NYPD merely responds to cyclist violations. If there have been complaints registered about violations in a specific area and / or by a certain group of cyclists (such as food delivery riders), the NYPD will address this by targeting the violation behaviors. But he said they are not 'out to get cyclists', per se.
Don told us that the NYPD has task units set up to target certain issue categories, such as homelessness, and cycling violators are in one of these categories. He told us that the NYPD does not have 'quotas' for cyclist violations, but an officer may be given 'performance objectives' based on category issues, such as a day's assignment to cite ten cyclists for violations in a given area.
He said that the best way to avoid a summons was to avoid breaking the law. Don has cycled the NYC streets for twelve years and has never been stopped once, because he generally obeys all laws pertaining to bikes.
He gave us his top three great reasons to not break bicycling laws:
1. Avoid the hassle and expense of getting a summons.
2. It is safer for the cyclist and everyone around.
3. It projects a positive image for cycling, which is especially important now that cyclists are increasing in number and are gaining ground in the NYC and Queens infrastructure (ie, bike lanes, citibike, etc.)
Don also gave us his top three best ways to avoid breaking the law.
1. Know the laws that apply to riders.
2. Have required safety equipment (eg, Bells, lights, reflectors, working brakes on your bike).
3. Use hand signals to indicate turns, stopping, etc.
Don told us that an example of a law that many bicyclists violate - perhaps because they do not know better - is that having one headphone or ear bud covered is permissible, but not two. This makes sense, as you need your hearing to stay safe and be aware of your surroundings.
Don advised us regarding things to do if you are stopped by the police:
1 Act respectfully; address the officer as Officer, Sir or Ma'am - not with informal or disrespectful terms.
2 Answer the officer's questions truthfully; it's better to admit you ran a red light if you did. You can mention the reason for doing so if there is one (late to work, didn't see it, etc.).
3 If they do not let you off with a warning, but instead write the summons, don't challenge them. You can fight the charge, but the proper forum for that is in court.
4 Don't belittle or attack the officer (saying things like you're just after cyclists or are you filling your quota?).
He also noted that it is important to carry a government issued photo ID. If you do not have one, it is difficult to have a summons written after being stopped for committing a violation - but you probably will be arrested in that case. It is very unusual to be let go if you are stopped and do not have an ID.
If you get a summons, you should review the summons to know what you have been charged with and what the penalty is. Also note the date of the scheduled court appearance, and make sure you (or your legal representative) show up.
Attorney Steve Vaccaro pointed out these summonses state there is a surcharge of $88.00 but this, in fact, is not applicable to cyclists - if you pay online, you will automatically be charged the fee, so it's better to pay by check and deduct the $88 from the total cost.
NYPD Officer / TAQ Volunteer, Don Beadle answered a question regarding pedestrians blocking bike lanes. He said that unless the pedestrian is actively provoking or challenging the cyclist, they are unlikely to be ticketed. Such incidental, non-provocative blockages fall into the category of ubiquitous minor offenses which the police do not have the resources to ever realistically combat.
Don also answered a question about the police blocking bike lanes. He said that the NYPD typically parks in lanes or in other prohibited areas only because of necessity (eg, to secure an accident or crime scene), or when they need to make a fast stop and be as close to their vehicles as possible, in case of an emergency call. Realistically, if the NYPD only used available legal parking spots, they might be so far from their vehicles that their response time to a 911 call could mean the difference between life and death for the caller.
Don and Attorney Peter Beadle replied to a question regarding illegibly written summonses; you still must appear on the date, but if the officer who wrote it does not show up for the date (or a second rescheduled date) and no one can decipher what is written, it may very well be dismissed.
Peter Beadle - Attorney For Biedermann Hoenig Semprevivo - Biking Laws & Rules In NYC
Peter Beadle, Attorney, Biedermann Hoenig Semprevivo talked about what to do if you are involved in an accident.*
1. Safety first - are you injured? If you are in the road, near traffic or other hazards, get to a safe location.
2. Call 911 asap to get police there fast; you will want a record of what happened.
3. Collect as much information as possible. Get names of people involved, street names, license plate numbers of vehicles involved. Get info from police to know which precinct and patrol car responded to the 911 call and is making the report.
4. The more detail, the better. This includes vehicles (Color/make/model of cars involved, even just the first and/or last number on license plate) and any road or other scene conditions that may have contributed to the incident (loose grates, unsecured manhole covers, dangling wires, etc.), if possible showing the name of the utilities or other corporate or institutional names, logos and numbers on them.
5. Take photos of the scene, yourself, bicycle damage, etc. Video is also very helpful if possible.
If there has been any degree of injury or property damage, you may be in for a long legal/insurance process, and you will need this info to support your case.
Peter told us what to do following the accident*:
1. Seek medical attention if you are having any pain or discomfort. Remember, pain and other after effects can show up hours or even several days after the incident.
2. Do not repair your bicycle, fix rips or wash blood or stains off your clothing, or similarly destroy any other evidence which you may need to substantiate your claims going forward.
3. If you feel someone was at fault and you may need to file an insurance claim, you should consider contacting an attorney. Even if you do not need to sue, a simple and relatively inexpensive consultation may be helpful in making sure you follow the best procedure in filling out paperwork to file claims, saying the right things when speaking to an insurance company representative, etc.
• Statutes on accident claims*:
1. You need to file a claim within 30 days with the carrier of the vehicle's no-fault insurance. The sooner you begin this process, the better, so that you or your legal representative has sufficient time to complete all the required steps.
2. If you are the victim of a hit and run, or if the vehicle operator is uninsured, you must file a report with the Police or the DMV within 24 hours. In the case of serious injuries under these conditions, you have 90 or 180 days, respectively, to file a Notice of Claim with the Motor Vehicle Accident Indemnity Corporation (MVAIC) for coverage.
3. You may also file a claim against the City of NY if you feel they are at fault; you have 90 days to do so, with an additional year to begin legal proceedings.
4. If you are the person who caused injury or property damage, your homeowners or renters insurance may provide coverage for you, depending upon the circumstances; in any case, to protect yourself it behooves cyclists to know their level of insurance coverage and seek adequate coverage as needed.
5. There are bicycling-specific insurance companies; examples given on slide.
• Flux Factory's Residency Director Douglas Paulson showed attendees a spoke card they created for cyclists to carry in their wheels - in addition to being decorative, it contains important information to have on hand in case of accidents or when cyclists are pulled over by the police for violations.*
• Peter told an attendee who asked what to do if they witness another cyclist's accident to assist in following the previously described procedures - ensure their safety first, and if they are unable to do so themselves, call 911 and then begin to collect accident scene information for them.
• Steve Vaccaro added that he himself has experienced the Fight or Flight adrenaline rush that comes with being a cyclist involved in an accident. He stressed cyclists should resist the urge to flee the scene to their home or workplace, or other nearby comfort zone. Witnesses should also do their best to convince other cyclists to remain at their respective accident scenes until they have followed the necessary steps as already outlined.
• Steve Vaccaro responded to a question about what cyclists should do if they are in an accident but have no insurance of their own, which dissuades them from visiting a hospital ER for fear of incurring high medical bills they cannot pay. If the cyclist is under-insured, treatment of their injuries could well be paid for by no-fault insurance; if a motor vehicle was involved, the bills will definitely be covered, even if the cyclist was at fault. Even when the incident involves only bicycles or pedestrians, there still could be no-fault coverage; the bottom line is, if you have any question about potential harm or injury, you should seek medical attention.
* This is refers to the attorney disclaimer of providing general legal information in a public forum. We'll try to get the exact disclaimer to you shortly.
Special Thanks To The Orgs & Panel Members - For Informing Us About Bicycling Rights In NYC
All in all it was a very informative session. I think we all learned something we hadn't known before regarding cyclists' rights in Queens NYC. Many thanks to the Flux Factory, Transportation Alternatives Queens Committee for hosting and organizing the forum.
Also special thanks to Christina Vassallo, Executive Director, Flux Factory; Steve Scofield, Co-Chair of Transportation Alternatives Queens [TA or TAQ] Committee, Steve Vaccaro - Attorney For Vacarro & White; Don Aridas, NYPD Officer & Transportation Alternatives Queens Volunteer and Peter Beadle - Attorney For Biedermann Hoenig Semprevivo.
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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Rory McIlroy birdied his last two holes Thursday for a 7-under 63 to take the lead after one round of the Honda Classic.
It was quite a turnaround for McIlroy, who last year was 7 over through eight holes of the second round when he walked off PGA National out of frustration. He looked more like the free-wheeling kid who won this tournament two years ago to rise to No. 1 in the world.
McIlroy buried a few long putts to help the cause, though his game was solid through a cloudy afternoon.
He was one shot ahead of Russell Henley, who birdied five of his opening six holes before cooling.
Tiger Woods, playing for the first time in a month, was eight shots behind after a 71.


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A hateful and Islamophobia-laden letter was delivered to a South Bay Muslim community Thursday, prompting law enforcement authorities to commence an investigation.
Copies of the same letter were also delivered to two Islamic Centers in southern California, the Los Angeles chapter of the Center for American-Islamic Relations said Friday. Long Beach and Pomona police have not yet responded to requests for confirmation.
The short hand-written letter, which was mailed to the Evergreen Islamic Center in San Jose and addressed to the "Children of Satan," called Muslims a "vile and filthy people" and urged them to "pack your bags and get out of dodge."
The note also made reference to Donald Trump and said that the president-elect is "going to cleanse America and it make it shine again. And, he's going to start with you Muslims."
In the final paragraph, the message read, "This is a great time for patriotic Americans. Long live President Trump and God bless the U.S.A."
Faisal Yazadi, Chairman of the Board at the Evergreen Islamic Center, was baffled by the letter, but not surprised based on the recent tension brewing in the United State following a divisive election season.
The Islamic center warned parishioners to remain alert and keep an eye out for potential violence, but it is not planning to add visible security to watch over the mosque at this time.
Yazadi is still pleased that the San Jose Police Department is taking the message seriously.
"Within minutes of letting them know, I had three cop cars pulled up our our property," he said.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese was alarmed by the behavior displayed in his jurisdiction.
"It's threatening," he said. "It's obviously threatening. It indicates a state of mind you would hope doesn't exist in Santa Clara County."
The Council of American-Islamic Relations issued a statement Friday clamoring that police and government leaders step up and protect local mosques.
"We urge local law enforcement authorities to work with Muslim community leaders to ensure the safety of all houses of worship," Zahra Billoo, the Executive Director for the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of CAIR, wrote. "Our state's political and religious leaders need to speak out against the mainstreaming of Islamophobia that we are witnessing in California and nationwide."
In a similar fashion, CAIR's Los Angeles chapter called for "stepped-up police protection of local mosques" in response to the letters.
Less than two weeks ago, an anti-Muslim note was left on a woman's car in Milpitas.
Anyone with information regarding the recent letter is asked to contact the San Jose Police Department's Assaults Unit, which is responsible for handling hate-related incidents, at (408) 277-4161. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-7867.


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Casino operator Las Vegas Sands has agreed to give up over $47 million as part of an agreement to avoid charges over its failure to report suspicious transactions by an alleged drug kingpin.
The sum represents funds accepted by Sands (LVS) on behalf of Zhenli Ye Gon, a native of China who is currently being held in the U.S. pending extradition to Mexico on drug trafficking charges, accused of importing chemicals from his native country to Mexico for methamphetamine production.
Ye Gon was a high-stakes gambler who lost more than $125 million between 2004 and 2007, including over $84 million at the Sands-owned Venetian in Las Vegas. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles said Ye Gon and his associates wired money from a number of different banks and currency exchange houses in Mexico to Sands accounts in the U.S.
Federal law requires banks and other institutions that handle money transfers to flag suspicious transactions. Prosecutors say the volume of Ye Gon's transfers and the vague sources of the funds should have raised red flags.
At one point, the Justice Department says, when Sands personnel asked Ye Gon to transfer his money in large sums rather than in small increments, he responded that he "preferred to wire the money incrementally because he did not want the government to know about these transfers."
Related: Casinos, not cars, are keeping Detroit afloat
"All companies, especially casinos, are now on notice that America's anti-money laundering laws apply to all people and every corporation, even if that company risks losing its most profitable customer," U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. said in a statement.
A Sands spokesman said in a statement that "the company cooperated fully and that effort was recognized by the government."
The government said the decision to enter into a non-prosecution agreement was motivated in part by Sands' extensive cooperation and "voluntary and complete disclosure of the conduct." The company has since improved its internal compliance program, the DOJ said.
Sands CEO Sheldon Adelson is a major contributor to Republican politicians. He bankrolled a number of campaigns in 2012, donating an estimated $30 million to support Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and about $20 million to Winning Our Future, a super PAC with ties to former House speaker and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.
CNN's Kevin Bohn contributed reporting.


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Goblins and ghouls, candy corn and cornstalks, doggy costume contests and parades: it's that time of year when Fido gets a scary groove on and dons the Halloween garb.
Continued from Bowser on a Budget story this issue, here is another ghouling costume.
Pupto Bismol
No tummy aches with Surf Dog Ricochet to the rescue. This adorable Pupto Bismol creation is the handiwork of Judi Fridono of San Diego, California. For less than $20, this costume requires pink fleece, an iron-on t-shirt transfer (with artwork made on Adobe® Photoshop®), a headband for neck accessory, pink hair ties for ankle accessories, a disposable plastic bucket for the bottle cap, mailing labels for "pupto bismol" words and a shoestring to tie the bottle cap on the head. No in-dog-gestion here at FIDO Friendly.


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Chappell, Jon
Rock Guitar For Dummies
Whatever rocks your world, Rock Guitar For Dummies can help you bring that message out through your fingers and onto that electric guitar that's slung over your shoulder. If you're a beginner, you'll discover what you need to know to start playing immediately, without drowning in complicated music theory. If you've been playing for a while, you can pick up some tips to help improve your playing and move to the next level.
Here's a sampling of the topics covered in Rock Guitar For Dummies:
- How electric guitars and amplifiers work
Choosing the right guitar and amp for you, and how to care for them
Left-hand and right-hand guitar techniques
- The different styles of rock guitar playing
- Creating great riffs
- The history of rock guitar
- Buying accessories for your new toy
- Top Ten lists of the guitarists you should listen to, the rock albums you must have, and the classic guitars you should know about
Rock Guitar For Dummies also comes with a CD that includes audio of every example shown in the book, plus play-along tracks with a band.
So, if you consider yourself an air guitar virtuoso and would like to try the real thing, Rock Guitar For Dummies can help you on your way to becoming an accomplished guitarist.
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
- Author(s)
- Chappell, Jon
- Verheyen, Carl
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
- Publication year
- 2001
- Language
- en
- Edition
- 1
- Page amount
- 384 pages
- Category
- Music
- Format
- Ebook
- eISBN (ePUB)
- 9781118069608
- Printed ISBN
- 9780764553561