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Once again, on the eve of a major meeting of U.S. and NATO foreign and defense ministers on October 14, the "Magician" in his green cape with a wide-sweeping gesture says, "Look over there!" And everyone takes their eyes off the ball, to be entralled once again by the Magician's magic.
This magic causes them to forget nine years of dealing with the Magician, the rational and analytical factors that are relevant to the situation on the ground, and strategic thinking on how to manage and overcome the obstacles those realities pose, including the goals to be pursued.
The latest gesture is really a series of actions, including the recent formation of a peace negotiation council and culminating in the well-timed news report, based on an interview with a NATO official, on background, announcing that ISAF is facilitating preliminary discussions–not negotiations–aimed at reconciliation of the Taliban and reintegration of their members into Afghan society.
The NATO official confirmed that "there has been outreach by very senior members of the Taliban to the highest levels of the Afghan government." But the official cautioned that these have been only preliminary discussions about reintegrating insurgent fighters and reconciling with the militant movement's leadership.
Even so, the official said, prospect of a cease-fire and peace pact as a path to ending the war, now nine years old, is deemed sufficiently tantalizing that personnel from NATO nations in Afghanistan "have indeed facilitated to various degrees the contacts (emphasis added).
The NATO official…spoke in advance of a NATO meeting in Brussels on Thursday that will include alliance ministers of foreign affairs and of defense. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates are scheduled to attend.
Thursday's meeting of NATO foreign and defense ministers comes a month before an alliance summit in Lisbon to discuss strategy in Afghanistan.
–Thom Shanker, "NATO Helping Afghan-Taliban Talks, Official Says," New York Times, Oct. 13, 2010
In January, at the London Afghanistan International Donors Conference, Hamid Karzai used a similar ploy with great success. There, he moved attention to excitement about reconciliation with the Taliban, away from the massive electoral fraud in the August 2009 presidential elections which he had just overseen (the climactic moments of which came in early November, 2010), and away from the continuing and massive corruption in Afghanistan, from the top down.
The Allies fell for it, and ignored the electoral fraud for all intents and purposes. Now, as another massive electoral fraud is underway, the allies talk of the "magic" solution of negotiating a deal with the Taliban and exiting the country, which is, in the words of the NATO official quoted above, "sufficiently tantalizing" to lead NATO to facilitate safe passage of Taliban members to Kabul.
But there are hard fracts on the ground. The Taliban has the momentum, and according to most reprts is gaining ground. Good governance, according to U.S. counterinsurgency (COIN) doctrine is the sine qua non , i.e., absolute prerequisite, for any success against the Taliban.
So, here is the agenda which should form a central focus of discussions among leaders of the NATO countries and also among the more broadly-based donors conferences to be held in the future:
1. What is Hamid Karzai doing to build good governance–i.e., constitutional government and the rule of law–in Afghanistan?
2. Will he reverse the blocking of the two anti-corruption bodies that had been established, and allow prosecution of high-ranking officials in his government for graft or other corrupt activities?
3. What is he doing to ensure that the counting of votes in the September 18 national assembly elections is conducted fairly, and that all complaints of electoral fraud be fully investigated with their results being reflected in the vote totals?
4. What is he doing to establish good governmence and the provision of government services in the Kandahar region, as the U.S. moves to clear the Taliban from the area?
These are not, of course, the only questions that need to be taken up in allied discussions. However, they require a central, serious and sustained focus, both at meetings and in ongoing discussions between coalition officials.
If a central requirement for Taliban reconciliation and reintegration is that they accept the Afghan constitution, the allies should also insist that Hamid Karzai accept the Afghan constitution and the rule of law, even when it comes to the prosecution of his cronies.
Will it hapen? I wouldn't hold my breath.
Karzai has "rolled" President Obama on the corruption issue, and there now appears to be little inclination to hold him to account. In fact, with the dismissal of the deputy attorney general in charge of the anti-corrupion efforts, the whole allied anti-corruption policy is in a shambles.
Let the leaders of the allies and the donors group focus on that, not the Magician's latest ploy. Without good governance, which by definition appears to be impossible in a lawless state, the U.S. and its allies are not likely to prevail in Afghanistan.
General David Petraeus is quoted by Bob Woodward in his new book, Obama's Wars, as saying, "I understand the government is a criminal syndicate." (p. 220).
American, ISAF and other coalition soldiers should not be asked to risk their lives to maintain in power "a criminal syndicate" headed by Hamid Karzai. The central task for decisionmakers, in the U.S. as in allied countries, is to move the government of Afghanistan toward observing the rule of law. That appears to be the only path to establishing good governance.
The alternative, in theory but not really on the ground, is to fall for the Magician's ploys about reconciliation and reintegration of the Taliban, and just hope the whole problem of Afghanistan and Pakistan will simply go away.
We should bear in mind that even the negotiated withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam took five years of negotiations in Paris (1968-1973). In that case, the consequences for the U.S. of withdrawing from Vietnam and the ensuing defeat of the South Vietnamese government in 1975 were very minor, when compared to what would happen in South Asia if a negotiated peace with the Taliban led subsequently to the fall of the Afghan governmet to the Taliban.
The Magician's ploy is "tantalizing", particularly to those with no memory or who see no way out of the morass in Afghanistan. But all concerned should keep their eyes on the ball, the realities on the ground, and discuss in earnest a strategy that can overcome them.
Since the U.S. strategy appears to be in disarray, perhaps NATO foreign and defense ministers can come up with some useful ideas, particularly with respect to the establishment of "good governance" and the rule of law, including effective prosecution of individiuals at the top of the power structure in Afghanistan.
The Trenchant Observer
Twitter: www.twitter.com/trenchantobserv
E-mail: email@example.com
Comments are invited.


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Periodical Cicadas
Eastern North America is host to an astonishing entomological phenomenon found nowhere else in the world. Cicadas in the genus Magicicada spend 17 years (or, more rarely, 13 years) maturing underground before emerging en masse to mate. These emergences take place in May or June and involve several species, each with a different song. The odd, long intervals between mass emergences is thought to confound predators and overwhelm their appetites when they occur. For more information about these fascinating animals, visit Magicicada.org.Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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Build personal integrity with the Keeping Secrets and Promises Hypnosis Script
We all value someone who can respect confidences and keep a secret. When someone guards our secrets, we feel safe and protected. The secret keeper receives our trust.
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But becoming a true keeper of secrets and promises is not as easy as it might first appear. There are many temptations to share hidden knowledge, and even more temptations to say 'yes' when we really should be saying 'no'.
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The Keeping Secrets and Promises Hypnosis Script from The Script Collection was developed to offer anyone who has realized that strong personal integrity is a valuable personal asset the tools to develop and fortify their own integrity.
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A gentle, permissive induction weaves in the nominalizations that underpin integrity to enhance the process of entering a powerful learning state. Relying on indisputable truisms on what it is to be a human being, the client is invited to apply their new insights to integrity as a practice.
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Costa Rica: Caribbean Coast
99 Coastal Destinations Rated: Doing Well
Score: 70
With a unique mixture of indigenous and Afro-Caribbean cultures, a more humid climate, and a relative lack of tourism-related infrastructure, Caribbean Costa Rica is worlds away from the country's more visited Pacific coast. Several community-based tourism initiatives are fighting to preserve the region's character.
Here is a representative sampling of additional anonymous comments from the panelists. They are not necessarily the views of the National Geographic Society:
"Largely undeveloped. Climate likely restricts tourism growth. Activities related to nature and ecology, especially deep-sea fishing and diving, are the main draw. In general, the area is culturally and socially intact."
"These communities have fought against marinas and oil exploration and for the preservation of their culture. That is why there is still some hope."
"It retains an authenticity lost in the locations where big hotel chains have become more and more visible."
- Nat Geo Expeditions
"Pockets of growth, but much beauty remains."
« Back to Full List of Destinations Doing Well


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Shiny Happy Poppers
- Yield: 12 servings
- 12-- jalapenos
- 1cup cooked white or brown rice
- 1cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2tablespoons smooth or grainy vegan Dijon mustard
- 1teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 medium-sized clove garlic, peeled and pressed
- 1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- -- hot sauce of your choice, for drizzling
- Heat the grill to medium-high.
- Stem the jalapeños and cut one lengthwise slit in each pepper. Pull out the seeds and inner ribs with your fingers (wear rubber gloves if your skin is sensitive to handling hot peppers).
- In a medium-size bowl, combine the rice, black beans, mustard, garlic powder, and thyme. Stir until well mixed.
- With an appropriately sized spoon, fill the jalapeños with the rice mixture. Place the peppers on a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Drizzle the peppers with the olive oil and then with the hot sauce, to taste.
- Fold the foil into a packet with the peppers in one layer. Grill the packet for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peppers are soft and the rice filling is hot. Serve at once.
Note: You can temper the spiciness of jalapeños—at least somewhat—by removing the seeds and especially the white inner ribs, before stuffing them with the beans and rice.
Recipes reprinted with permission from Grilling Vegan Style: 125 Fired-Up recipes to Turn Every Bite into a Backyard BBQ by John Schlimm, Da Capo Press, 2012


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The Glimpse is a convenient theme and simple to use for blogs and portfolios.
This theme will be useful for travelers and other people which likes to show their photos and write stories.
Theme Features
- WordPress 3.4+ compatible
- Menu is customizable. To show all of categories You need add only the first level of them
- The Ability to view all images from posts by mouse
- Clean, Minimal and useful design
- Blog, Portfolio and Page templates
- Easy customizable Slider
- @FontFace compatible
- Many Shortcodes
- Widgetable
- Main and Footer Custom Menu Locations
- Floating Footer
- Different sidebars
- Well documented
I'd be glad to help you if you have any questions relating to this theme. I'll do my best to assist.
Update History
Version 1.0.1 – January 22th, 2013
- changed the linking from the pictures in the overview of blogs directly to the blog post, instead of the picture pop-up


text: Description Our cotton ripstop pant is built to stand up to tough days. The 9.25-ounce, 100% cotton ripstop fabric is specially designed to resist rips and tears. The pants feature rugged, double-front construction, plus the added durability of Cordura�-lined front-ledge and back pockets. Carry what you need in the two large cargo pockets with flaps and snap closures, as well as multiple utility pockets. This pant was specially designed with a gusseted crotch to enhance comfort. Write a Review No reviews yet.


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Lameness is defined as an abnormal stance or gait caused by either a structural or a functional disorder of the locomotor system. The horse is either unwilling or unable to stand or move normally. Lameness is the most common cause of loss of use in horses. It can be caused by trauma, congenital or acquired disorders, infection, metabolic disorders, or nervous and circulatory system disease.
Lameness is not a disease per se but a clinical sign. It is a manifestation of pain, mechanical restrictions causing alteration of stance or gait, or neuromuscular disease. Pain is the most common cause of lameness in all horses. Mechanical lameness is best typified by complete upward fixation of the patella with its characteristic gait abnormality but can also be the result of fibrotic myopathy of the semitendinosus muscle or of restrictions caused by annular ligaments, adhesions, or severe fibrosis.
It is critical to correctly determine the cause of the lameness, because treatment varies greatly depending on the cause. For example, the mechanical lameness of complete upward fixation of the patella will not respond to analgesics, whereas lameness caused by pain often responds to systemic or local analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Some causes of lameness produce very characteristic and classically described gaits. In fibrotic myopathy, a mechanical lameness, the affected limb is pulled back and down quickly before the end of the protraction phase, giving the impression that the foot "slaps down" on the ground. The signs are most obvious at the walk. In stringhalt, a neuromuscular disorder, the affected limb is hyperflexed during the cranial or swing phase, while the stepwise caudal jerking movement before foot contact does not occur. Unfortunately, many causes of lameness do not produce a characteristic gait abnormality, making diagnosis a challenge.
Pain-related lameness can be classified as weight bearing (supporting leg) or nonweight bearing (swinging leg) lameness. Although lameness is most often observed as a weight-bearing deficit, it may be composed of both. A supporting leg lameness is seen when the horse reduces the amount of time or reduces the amount of force applied to the weight-bearing limb. The most consistent and easily recognized clinical signs of lameness are the head nod associated with forelimb lameness and the sacral rise, also called a pelvic rise or hip hike, associated with hindlimb lameness. Hindlimb lameness should be assessed from the side as well as from behind, because this provides an opportunity to assess arc of foot flight, duration of protraction and retraction phases, length of weight-bearing phase, and the presence or absence of a sacral rise. Forelimb lameness should be observed from the front and side. Hindlimb and forelimb lameness in many horses will be accentuated when the horse is worked in a circle with the affected limb on the inside.
Factors that predispose horses to lameness include physical immaturity, which may occur in premature or dysmature foals, and training older foals before maturity. Other factors include preexisting developmental orthopedic disease (eg, osteochondrosis, flexural limb and angular limb deformities); poor conformation; improper hoof balance or shoeing; failure to adequately condition performance horses; monotonous repetitive stresses on bones, tendons, ligaments, and joints in performance horses; hard, slippery, or rocky surfaces upon which horses work; and extremely athletic activities. Inciting factors in lameness include direct or indirect trauma, fatigue resulting in incoordination of muscles (which often occurs in racehorses at the end of races), inflammation, infection, and failure to recognize early disease before it creates significant pain.
Lameness in one part of a limb often results in secondary soreness in another area of the same limb and may result in lameness of the contralateral forelimb or hindlimb from overuse due to compensation. The entire horse should be evaluated for secondary lameness even when the cause of the primary problem is obvious. Secondary lamenesses are very common in performance horses but may occur in all types of horses. A dramatic example of a secondary lameness occurs when biomechanical laminitis develops in the normal contralateral limb of a horse with limited weight bearing from a severe orthopedic problem causing shifting of weight from the injured limb to the normal limb.


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IMPORTANT: In order to receive student ticket benefits for any LSU Athletics event, a student must meet the following requirements at the time of the event:- Be registered full-time during the current semester- Have an overall GPA of 2.0 or better – Provide their most recent valid LSU ID (no other form of ID will be accepted).
More Info
Download Geaux Rewards from your phone's app store. Check in at athletic events, keep track of your student priority points, and earn great prizes from LSU Athletics.
As a member of Collegiate Club at LSU, students gain a unique fan experience. Members get exclusive access to athletic facility tours, a special graduation experience in Tiger Stadium, Collegiate Club gear, access to the LSU Tailgate Party before LSU home football games, away game viewing parties in premium seating areas, and more. Plus, student members can start building their LSU and TAF Priority Points through their Collegiate Club membership.


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Yesterday, I woke to Ruby singing to me. I nursed my girl and Andy brought me coffee in bed (really, just handed it to me as the stove is only a few feet away) in a mug that read You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. He left for work before the sun rose, a quick kiss and soft smile. Happy birthday, babe he said.
I am 34.
My daughters and I went to my sewing studio early, I got all my work done by 10. Then, they went to a play date at Bobby's and I hiked with Alice over shiny ice, under brilliant sun. I fetched the girls, they had made me some art for my birthday. We had planned to meet Andy for lunch. It didn't work out because of a tired Ruby and busy daddy so we drove to his job site with gourmet sandwiches and ate in our ratty Subaru, our funny family of four.
Ruby napped, Margot didn't. I put laundry away while Margot protested and I encouraged her to talk quietly so her sister could sleep. Ruby woke after a bit and we danced to Ben Harper. They sang Happy Birthday for the 79th time that day. Andy got home from work, tired and ready for a hot shower. I took off, met friends for wine and a fabulous salad of beets, parsley, goat cheese and cubed, marinated bread. I came home to the rainbow cake Margot had dreamed up for me. We made a wish.
34 things I love right now:
(click to read 33, 32, 31 and 30)
1. Witnessing their relationship.
2. Tall socks over tights under boots. I like warm feet.
3. Spinach.
4. My new home.
5. Making art with my kids.
6. The depth of my husband's kindness and calmness.
7. Good, motivated people.
8. New earrings.
9. Allegiant added Missoula-Oakland to their flight schedule and I'll get to see my best friends, Lindsay and Paige, with more regularity.
10. Planning my new garden plot.
11. Every morning, my daughters eat oatmeal with honey, peanut butter and rice milk while watching deer out the window.
12. Stormy winter sky.
13. This quote:
Whatever you're thinking about is literally like planning a future event. When you're worrying, you are planning. When you're appreciating you are planning…What are you planning? – Abraham Hicks
14. Hot pink.
15. This organic, raw shea butter. It's all I use head to toe (hair included!).
16. Instagram. Loving this photo app. (I'm @nicirae if you follow these sorts of things.)
17. My pets.
18. Ruby's blue eyes, blond curls and buttermilk biscuit cheeks.
19. Margot's brown eyes, sass and no-longer-a-baby-but-still-my-baby face.
20. Clean sheets.
21. My work. (psst sale in the shop right now!)
22. Watching my strong, athletic kid love gymnastics.
23. Technology that allows my kids to see and talk to their friends in Spain and Mexico.
24. A good yawn.
25. Sledding.
26. Imagining human rights for gay people being as mainstream as women voting when my daughters are grown.
27. Hiking with my hair down.
28. Checking items off my to-do list.
29. Beets.
30. Kissing.
31. Margot changes Ruby's diaper.
32. Sharing wine with friends who are family.
33. New, fine point permanent markers.
34. That very first moment I wake up every morning.


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Kendall Skinnies from Baste + Gather!12:00 PM
Styling tip; To complete my "classic look", I paired my new dark denim skinnies with my favorite white shirt - Butterick 5526. What's more classic than a camel coat! Mine is Simplicity 1756. And I added a brown studded Michael Kors belt and a pair of ponyhair leopard print slingback pumps.
33 comments
Would love to know how that denim is holding up after a day of wearing. Any bagging out? Waist still snug? They are really terrific looking.ReplyDeleteReplies
I've had them on since 7 am and they still look like they do in the pics. Only more wrinkles and whiskering at the crotch from sitting. Thanks Cidell!Delete
- Anonymous1:23 PM
I would love to get this pattern as soon as it is available! I have such a hard time getting jeans that fit. This would eliminate many problems! Please let me know!Delete
Will do Cindy!Delete
These are great Erica and just as attractive as the flares.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Carolyn!Delete
Looks great! I'm wondering how long the skinny jean trend will continue with the reappearance of the flare jean. I also prefer the higher rise!ReplyDeleteReplies
I don't think skinnies are ever going anywhere. They just make sense, especially during boot season. Thanks Jenny!Delete
Super flattering and the rise looks perfect. I agree on most RTW skinnys are a nice idea until I sit down. And it sounds like you didn't have to do any crotch adjustments for "back fullness" either (another common adj I make...but that one is sort if hit or miss on success.) do the skinnys and flares come in the same pattern?ReplyDeleteReplies
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Thanks Melissa!Delete
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Thanks Candice!Delete
These jeans fit you perfectly! You look fabulous. I too prefer high waisted jeans...no muffin top - yay!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Tomasa!Delete
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Thanks Levone!Delete
I love a good, clean back pocket! Also, love this length with the heels. It's young but classic.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Sara!Delete
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Thanks Lauren!Delete
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Thanks Joen!Delete
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Thanks Eryn!Delete
Those look great! I love the color of the denim and the fit is fantastic on you. Thanks for sharing so many details. I can't wait to try making my own pants... soon... still nervous about it...soon. ;)ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Hillary!Delete
Woow!! at first I thought your were goingf to show us the shirt! Those jeans are great!! perfect color! I wish I could sew as good as you!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Lizzy!Delete
Erica, I am new to your blog and I'm so glad I came across your website. I love to sew as well and I'm enjoying all the beautiful clothes you've made. I don't have your lovely sense of style but I'm looking forward to learning to create a wardrobe that will work for me. Keep the inspiration coming, you are a talented woman!ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks Deborah!Delete


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Help us protect Louisiana's children. Report Child Abuse & Neglect: 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) toll-free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
DCFS Revokes Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport Area Child Care Licenses
"DCFS has zero tolerance for child care centers who jeopardize the safety and security of children in their care," said DCFS Secretary Ruth Johnson. "It is critical that regulations be consistently observed by and enforced for all child care facilities in our state to ensure high quality, safe and secure care for our children."
Johnson said that Louisiana Revised Statute 46:1419, as amended by Acts 2009, No. 194, gives DCFS sole authority to deny or revoke a license when a center fails to comply with the provisions of the Child Care Facilities and Child Placing Agencies Licensing Act or any published rules governing child care.
DCFS issued the revocation notices due to noncompliance with the statues and with the Child Day Care Class A minimum standards.
Violations for Ms. Gerry's After School Service include employment of an individual listed on the State Central Registry, a repository that identifies any individual reported to have a justified finding of abuse and/or neglect of a child or children by DCFS. The center also was cited for leaving a child alone at the center without any supervision, failing to maintain proper staff attendance records, and failing to maintain proper child-to-staff ratios. In addition, the center was cited for failing to properly supervise children transported in the center's vehicle.
"The Louisiana Legislature authorized DCFS to cross-reference the State Central Registry for all employees whose duties include supervising or disciplining children in order to safeguard children against perpetrators of child abuse or neglect," said Johnson. "In order to ensure protection, safety and quality child care in our licensed centers, anyone listed on the SCR is prohibited from working in a child care facility. Centers found in violation of this critical law cannot be allowed to continue to operate and put the safety of children at risk."
Tiny Tots Learning Center and R& L Learning Center both were cited for improper criminal records checks. Tiny Tots was found to have submitted an altered criminal background check for one employee. R & L Learning Center was cited for failing to conduct criminal background checks for two employees prior to employment.
"Like the State Central Registry requirement, criminal background checks are required by law," said Johnson. "It is imperative that center conduct proper checks and not put children at risk."
The three centers were notified of their right to contest the decision by submitting a written request for a fair hearing before an administrative law judge within 15 days of receipt of the notice and citing specific reasons why the facility believes the Department's decision was reached in error. Centers can remain open until the 15 days has passed or the appeal process is complete.
DCFS will terminate the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) for the centers pending the outcome of the appeals process. CCAP provides funding to child care centers to help low-income families pay for child care. DCFS will notify all parents with children enrolled at the centers who received CCAP to inform them of the termination and to offer them assistance in securing other child care arrangements.
Parents can view online inspection reports for child care facilities licensed by DCFS at www.dcfs.la.gov/ChildCareFacilities.


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Tar sands oil makes conventional oil look clean by comparison, as it produces 3.2-4.5 times more the carbon footprint than conventional fuel. If that weren't bad enough cleaner fuels such as natural gas, which otherwise might be used to generate electricity, are wasted in the process of creating more dirty energy from tar sands. Tar sands oil is a type of bitumen deposited in a semi solid form whose extraction is an extremely energy intensive project. For every third barrel of oil extracted one has effectively been consumed by the process. The process of tar sands oil extraction has left vast tracts of land barren with little vegetation as it is strip mined; while only 10%, of what is excavated, is oil. While some water is recyclable, the remaining toxic water is diverted to the euphemistically named "tailing ponds". There are 2.5-4 barrels of water dumped into these toxic lakes for every barrel of oil extracted. These toxic "ponds" are actually very large; some are even visible from space.
Needless to say these pools are quite harmful to surrounding ecosystems as well as ground water supplies. The land left behind from tar sands extraction is a barren wasteland lacking vegetation and dotted with these toxic waste pools. Not only is the devastation comprehensive, it is widespread. Tar sands extraction in Alberta, Canada is set to affect an area the size of Florida.
Pipelines bringing this dirty oil to the United States have already been built, but TransCanada, an extractor of tar sands oil, has proposed to expand the pipeline system. Part of the proposed expansion will link to a current pipeline in Oklahoma and extend it into East Texas and the Houston Bay Area so that it might be refined there. These refineries will require expensive additions to handle this heavy crude. The planned route crosses through Texas and Oklahoma over rivers, through national forests, and across private land. Landowners have been threatened with eminent domain if they do not comply with Keystone's demands. Keystone XL clearly places finance over environmental safety as they applied for (then temporarily withdrew) an application for exemptions to the rules that would allow them to make the pipe thinner in rural areas and yet pump at above currently permissible levels. However, they may reapply for this "special permit" later as they seek lower costs at the expense of the public. We cannot allow this to happen. The social costs of tar sands oil production is far too high and the benefits far too small. The expansion of this extremely dirty energy undermines what progress has been made in cleaning America's energy consumption. While we should be cultivating clean energy production, the dirtiest energy production is being expanded.
Keystone XL needs a presidential permit to build this international pipeline. This is a point of vulnerability. Throughout the summer Public Citizen has been organizing individuals and groups to attend various meetings, hearings, and conferences. The U.S. State Department has held public hearings on its Draft EIS and we have urged others to take the opportunity to raise their voice.
Our efforts at getting such groups together continue as we move further down the proposed pipeline into the Houston area, reactivating allies and making new ones as we work together to stop a pipeline that is proposed to travel near sensitive areas such as the Big Thicket National Preserve. This pipeline only adds to Texas' clean air problems and by stopping it in Texas we can change the momentum on a rapidly growing dirty industry. Future infrastructure development should be dedicated to renewable, clean energy – not dirtier energy than what we already have.
By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.


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Britney Spears Makes X Factor Debut In Austin
By Chad Swiatecki (Rolling Stone)
Britney Spears received the loudest, longest applause at the start of her first taping as a judge on Fox's The X Factor on Thursday, but it was fellow newcomer Demi Lovato who appeared ready to steal the spotlight during the second season of the popular talent search show.
During the first of two days of tapings in Austin, Texas, the panel of four judges – Spears, Lovato, producer L.A. Reid and series creator Simon Cowell – listened to 31 singers and groups audition for a chance at a $5 million recording contract, with the four music industry vets critiquing the performances and deciding who should advance to the next round in Los Angeles.
Spears' addition to the show – along with Lovato, she was announced as a new judge at television upfront meetings with advertisers earlier this month, with a rumored $15 million contract – has drawn plenty of speculation about how the pop star would mesh with the other judges. Wearing a tight, fluorescent salmon pink dress, Spears was the last judge introduced to the 4,000-plus crowd at the Frank Erwin Center. She received sustained cheers as she sat down to the right of Cowell, the departed creator of Fox's American Idol (and normally the biggest star at the judges' table).
When her turn came to critique singers, Spears remained encouraging and positive, giving the most "yes" votes of any of the judges and keeping her comments short and declarative instead of engaging with contestants. Of a teenage male performer she offered, "You could be bigger than the next Justin Bieber," and in complimenting a moving, soulful female singer on her confidence she said, "You were flawless."
When a performance demanded critical remarks from Spears, she replied with a simple "pass," or "I think you need someone to teach you to sing better." After a sub-par song from a rapper who bore more than a passing resemblance to her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, Spears said only, "I like your hat."
While Cowell talked to Spears off microphone between many of the performances and asked her to lead off critiques several times in an apparent attempt to draw her into exchanges, the 19-year-old Lovato needed no such prodding. Playfully flirting with male contestants ("she is single now" became a common refrain from Cowell) and giving insightful comments at every chance, the teen star drew laughs and cheers from the crowd, along with several stunned, open-mouth stares from Cowell as the two verbally sparred.
It was those times when the interaction between the contestants and the judges produced the types of moments that show executives hope will increase ratings following the ouster of first-year judges Cheryl Cole, Nicole Scherzinger and former Idol judge Paula Abdul. Take the moment when Cowell, 52, admitted to taking a liking to a charismatic 22 year-old contestant, who returned his affection.
"It's too bad we didn't meet 10 years from now," Cowell said with a wink before Lovato drily countered, "More like 30 years."
Startled and momentarily silenced, Cowell responded, "Demi, you're going into the naughty chair." It was the first of at least three such utterances on the day that Cowell lobbed at Lovato, suggesting viewers and audiences can expect many more charged jabs between the two this season.
Check out the official post here with all the pics, videos and audios of yesterday What do you think about this first day of auditions? Do you think Britney is a great judge?


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Deep Drawable Steels: Part One
Thermo-Mechanical Treatment (TMT) of Non-Ferrous Alloys: Part One
DataPLUS es un módulo de datos adicional que contiene datos de corrosión, información de uniones del material, dimensiones y tolerancias del material e información de revestimientos para miles de materiales metálicos y no metálicos.
Haga clic aquí para ver más información.
Overview of Total Materia database12 de enero de 2022
Overview of Total Materia database13 de enero de 2022
Después de varios meses utilizando Total Materia y después de haber visto todo su potencial, muchas gracias por el excelente trabajo y por las actualizaciones constantes.
Total Materia es la única herramienta que será utilizada para este propósito.
M. Manfredini
Bonfiglioli Industrial Gearmotors Bologna, Italy
Nuestra misión es sencilla;que Total Materia sea el único lugar y la primera opción para los ingenieros de todo el mundoen la búsqueda de todaslas propiedades de los materiales
Prof. Dr. Viktor Pocajt, CEOKey to Metals AG
Non-metallic inclusions are an ever present issue which adversely affects mechanical properties and therefore overall material performance.
Interestingly Sulphur has dual effects meaning that it can improve machinability potential of a material but also have a deleterious effects other key service properties such as forgeability, ductility, toughness, weldability and corrosion resistance.
Mechanical properties of steels are highly damaged by nonmetallic inclusions, because they are discontinuities in the metallic mass and therefore reduce the active section, are local power concentrators, reduce the mobility of dislocations and cause a notable indenture's effect. Nonmetallic inclusions have the ability to be crack primers and reduce the strength, plasticity, toughness, resistance to fatigue, corrosion, wear and weldability.
Properties are negatively influenced by the intercrystalline inclusions and also by the coarse intercrystalline inclusions which are in higher concentrations. Plastic inclusions keep a better grip on the request matrix. The hard inclusion, especially the rough oxide inclusions favors local concentrations of stress and the occurrence of cracks.
Crack propagation speed is influenced by the nature of the inclusion: the fragility, which can be broken by the stress field, forming secondary cracks and accelerating crack propagation. Hard inclusions that remain supportive on the matrix, decrease the velocity of the crack propagation.
Non-metallic inclusions usually have significantly different thermal and mechanical properties from those for the metal matrix. This leads to stresses, cracks, creep, microstructure instability and many other detrimental effects during thermomechanical processing and the service loading of steels. The removal of inclusions to improve the cleanliness of the steels has been a continuous effort in both academia and industry.
There are a number of clean steel fabrication techniques applied in large scale productions, e.g. electromagnetic stirring, bubbling and filtration. However, these conventional methods are not efficient in eliminating particles whose sizes are smaller than 20 μm, and accompanied with significant energy consumption.
Generally, sulphur improves machinability in steel. However, the presence of sulphur also produces deleterious effects on some service properties such as forgeability, ductility, toughness, weldability and corrosion resistance. It is known that solid solubility of sulphur in iron (Fe-S system) at temperatures below 769°C is very low.
Since the solubility of sulphur in iron and steel is very low (less than 0.01 % at room temperature), it is usually present as a sulphide. The sulphide inc!usions formed during solidification of steel are predominantly manganese sulphide. MnS as a common inclusion adversely influences the mechanical properties, physical properties and corrosion resistance of the steels.
MnS inclusions have high melting temperature (1610°C) and these are a form of primary idiomorphic crystals.
MnS inclusions are found in most steel and their beneficial effects in improving machinability and retarding grain growth in steels are well known. Since the morphology of these sulphide inclusions has significant effects on the various properties of steel, numerous studies focusing on morphology and distribution of the MnS inclusions have been conducted over the years.
According to work of Sims and Dhale, the morphology of MnS can be broadly classified into three types:
Type 1: randomly dispersed globular sulphides
Type 2: grain boundary sulphides and
Type 3: angular sulphides
Date Published:
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The Total Materia database contains a large number of metallography images across a large range of countries and standards.
Using the specifically designed Metallography tab in the menu bar, you can select the material of interest to you from the list of materials with metallography data included.
Metallography data can also be found through our standard quick search and will show relevant data is available through the standard Subgroup page for the material of interest.
Simply enter your material designation in to the "Material" field and select the standard of interest if known, then click "Search".
General information on microstructure can be found along with the relevant chemical composition for the material of interest.
Where available, a series of images will be provided showing a range of structural detail at various levels of magnification.
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For you're a chance to take a test drive of the Total Materia database, we invite you to join a community of over 150,000 registered users through the Total Materia Free Demo.


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Tags I Am We Prison Advocacy Network
Tag: I Am We Prison Advocacy Network
Get ready! The Millions for Prisoners Human Rights March on Washington...
Good morning and welcome to Wanda's Picks, a Black arts and culture program with the African Sister's Media Network. We are joined in the studio by Robert King, Albert Woodfox and Malik Rahim. Welcome to the show. Today we are going to be talking about the Millions for Prisoners Human Rights March on Washington. We can talk about solitary confinement, political prisoners, the 13th Amendment. We can talk about what the need is for having such an event.


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Intel CEO Brian Krzanich showed off wearable computing devices on Monday including earbuds that monitor your heart rate and a smart headset as the world's largest chipmaker tries to get back on track after missing out on smartphones.
With PC sales falling and smartphone growth tapering off, Intel and other technology companies are betting that movement-sensing bracelets, biometric patches and other wearable electronic devices may catch on with consumers and become major markets.
The evolving category is a major theme at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, with several companies expected to unveil their own versions of intelligent and connected clothing.
Intel dominates the PC industry, but it has been slow to adapt its processors for smartphones and tablets, markets now dominated by rivals like Qualcomm and Samsung Electronics.
The company has struggled in past attempts to expand beyond the PC arena. A years-long project to provide consumer TV services was shelved last year with its technology put up for sale and the company's mobile processors have barely made a dent in the global smartphone market even after major improvements to them.
After replacing former CEO Paul Otellini in May, Krzanich, a chip manufacturing and operations guru, created a new division focused on identifying future technology trends and making sure Intel is not caught off-guard again.
In his keynote presentation at the technology show, Krzanich introduced some of that group's early results, including sample gadgets that Intel is promoting to consumer device manufacturers.
"We're looking at a broad ecosystem of wearables, not just the device or the silicon," he said.
The company unveiled a tiny computer built with Intel's low-power Quark technology and packaged in an SD-card form factor aimed at making it easy for clothing and gadget makers to integrate the platform into wearable products.
Luxury department store Barneys New York is collaborating with Intel to develop smart bracelets that look like they were created by a fashion designer and not by an engineer.
At the event, Krzanich also showed off Intel's take on stereo earbuds for exercise enthusiasts that – as well as playing music – measure the wearer's heartbeat through their ears.
While other companies have launched similar pulse-taking audiophones, Intel's are powered through a microphone jack that connects to the user's smartphone, instead of a separate power source.
In addition, integrated software can automatically change the music being played in order to encourage the wearer to speed up or slow down their workout depending on their heart rate.
Intel also showed off a Bluetooth earpiece and microphone that the chipmaker says improves the responsiveness of personal assistant smartphone software like Apple's Siri. The gadget features always-on technology that makes it easier to ask questions of the device and also monitors the user's environment in order to avoid interrupting.
"The real key here is seamless, no buttons, always listening, but it still has that low-power capability," Krzanich said.
Krzanich also showed a smartwatch meant for kids with "geo-fencing" capabilities that alert parents if their children stray from established walking routes to and from home or school or don't arrive on time.
(Editing by Matt Driskill)


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Introducing McDonald's Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal, and I've been a huge fan ever since. Their oatmeal is my favorite McDonald's item by far, and hardly a week or two goes by that I don't indulge in its warm, creamy goodness. My whole family loves Fruit and Maple oatmeal; whenever we go on vacation, instead of getting a pricey hotel breakfast, we find the nearest McDonald's restaurant and have Fruit and Maple Oatmeal for breakfast. And since McDonald's oatmeal is available all day, we often swing by a McDonald's drive-thru after soccer practice and have it as a snack!
So I was really excited -- and apprehensive -- when McDonald's invited me to the launch of their latest oatmeal variety, their new Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal. Excited, because who wouldn't be excited at the thought of a new oatmeal flavor, and one featuring blueberries at that? Apprehensive, because McDonald's has already set the bar so high, and I wasn't sure whether this upstart Blueberry Banana Nut could measure up to Fruit and Maple.
The Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal is amazing. It tastes like warm banana bread, topped with fresh blueberries. I love the hot, creamy texture, I love that it's not overly sweet, and I love the sweet-tartness I get whenever I bite into a blueberry.
The "Nut" portion of the dish is a pack of chopped walnuts, served on the side, so people with nut allergies can leave it out. You can also leave it out to save calories, but you'll be missing the health benefits of walnuts if you do!
Here's a big surprise: You get fresh blueberries in this oatmeal! Real, plump, sweet blueberries, not icky bits of dried stuff. Each serving has 1/4 cup of blueberries (I counted 21 berries in mine), so not only is it packed with fiber (5 grams), it's packed with antioxidants.
The very best part? The lower sugar content. Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal has 21 grams of sugar per serving, compared to 32 grams of sugar per serving for the Fruit and Maple Oatmea (I'm guessing this is because the cranberries and raisins, being dried fruit, have a higher sugar content than the fresh fruit).
One caveat: when McDonald's first started selling Fruit and Maple Oatmeal, the quality was inconsistent, and all too often I was served oatmeal that was runny or watery or lukewarm. Now that enough time has passed, I guess all the stores have caught up on the learning curve, because now my oatmeal is pretty much hot and creamy every time. So if you happen to order the Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal and the consistency or temperature is less than perfect, don't be afraid to point it out to your server, and he/she will be happy to make you another bowl. And give it a second chance, because I'm sure that second bowl will lead to a third, fourth, fifth bowl, and so on.
But don't wait too long for your first taste, because Blueberry Banana Oatmeal will only be around for the summer, when the blueberries are at their freshest and sweetest. I have to make the most of Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal while it lasts, and so should you!
Click here for my review of the McDonalds Cherry Berry Chiller!
Disclaimer: I attended McDonald's Flavors of Summer event as a guest, and McDonald's provided all travel and accomodations. I was not asked to blog about this dish or the event. The views and opinions expressed here are my own..
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1 Comments, Leave yours here:
- Unknown on May 15, 2012 at 5:40 PM said...
My mother, 2 sisters and I were traveling this weekend and all had McDonalds Banana Nut Blueberry oatmeal and we all loved it. I was afraid that it would be too banana-y, but it wasn't. I would definitely get it again. I forgot to ask, but you CAN ask for the Maple Fruit oatmeal without the brown sugar. It's really not needed and you can save a few calories.
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Oregon Counties Long-Range Planning Conference Reports, 1924-1971
The Oregon Counties Long-Range Planning Conference Reports document the economic conferences sponsored by the Extension Service in Oregon counties beginning in the 1920s. The reports include statistics on population, land use, farm incomes, and market value of agricultural products for the county at the time of the conference and recommendations regarding agriculture, land use, and economic development for the county. The reports include information about agricultural history of the county; railroads and highways; soils, irrigation, and water resources; livestock, poultry, and dairy; farm crops; horticultural products; farm home and rural life; 4-H and youth programs; and forests and timber production. Later reports include information pertaining to recreation; minerals and mining; cultural and religous life, and health and medical services.
Reports of conferences in the following counties are part of the collection, with date ranges for reports in parentheses: Baker (1927-1970), Benton (1925-1957), Clackamas (1925-1969), Clatsop (1936-1968), Columbia (1925-1970), Coos (1925-1968), Crook (1925-1970), Curry (1936-1970), Deschutes (1924-1968), Douglas (1925-1968), Gilliam (1938-1970), Grant (1936-1970), Harney (1938-1969), Hood River (1924-1968), Jackson (1924-1968), Jefferson (1941-1956), Josephine (1924-1969), Klamath (1927-1968), Lake (1936-1967), Lane (1924-1969), Lincoln (1936-1969), Linn (1936-1969), Malheur (1924-1956), Marion (1936-1956), Morrow (1938-1971), Multnomah (1925-1956), Polk (1924-1968), Sherman (1926-1967), Tillamook (1936-1968), Umatilla (1926-1958), Union (1924-1968), Wallowa (1927-1958), Wasco (1924-1967), Washington (1925-1968), Wheeler (1958-1968), and Yamhill (1927-1968).
Several of the county reports were published as supplements to the local newspaper. The 1936 Grant County report was published as part of the John Day Valley Ranger. Several Klamath County reports were issued as supplements to The News-Herald (1936 and 1938) and Herald and News (1958) of Klamath Falls. The 1968 Klamath County report was issued both as a separate publication and as a supplement to the Herald and News. Both versions are part of this collection.
The collection also includes two statewide reports: Report of Oregon Agricultural Economic Conference held at Oregon Agricultural College in 1924 and Dynamic Factors Affecting Agricultural Economy, the proceedings of the Marketing and Distribution Conference held at Oregon State College in 1946. These are available in paper form and online.
The published reports are available online. Most of the reports are available both in paper form and on microfilm. Some of the reports are only available on microfilm; the microfilm also includes some unpublished reports, conference minutes, and brochures as well as other publications about the county that were not generated by the economic conferences.
Agriculture--Economic aspects--Oregon.
Land use, Rural--Oregon--Planning.
Land use--Oregon--Planning.
Local History
Natural Resources
Oregon Agricultural College. Extension Service
Oregon State Agricultural College. Extension Service
Oregon State College. Federal Cooperative Extension Service
Oregon State University. Extension Service
Regional planning--Oregon.


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Cheap Overseas Programming Revisited: Takeaways from a Lively Community Discussion
My earlier essay about cheap overseas programming (with the observation that it's not all it's cracked up to be) ended up sparking long comment threads in places like Hacker News, Slashdot, and Reddit. Thanks everyone for weighing in on this one–this turned out to be a topic that touched a nerve with folks much more than I had imagined.
There are a number of themes that kept coming up in the threads, and from them I see a few ideas worth exploring.
A number of comments were to the tune of "What did they expect at $12/hour? This is not news." I take it as a positive sign that disaster in cheap outsourcing of software is self-evident for some, yet based on the multitude of folks weighing in with similar stories of cleaning up outsourced messes, it's clear not everyone has gotten the memo (most programmers I reckon have, hiring managers less so).
A number of comparisons were made comparing the attitude of the essay to the hubris of the US auto industry back in the 60s and 70s: the local talent giving themselves a pat on the back, celebrating their infallibility, while competitors abroad were gaining ground, the implication being that local talent would one day eat their words and regret their complacency.
I think this quite insightful, but it misses the alternate dynamic which I think is at play. Back when I was in grad school for computer science (2001-2003), the talk among our soon-to-be-graduating ranks was that the job market is tough, and usually close behind was that the US programmer was a dying breed, fast losing jobs to overseas markets. This we heard peddled without apology or qualification, it was just a sort of accepted reality as described by the "experts".
So in regards to the 60s/70s auto industry comparison, I say the scenario more resembles this: the local talent has been told "you're fucked, don't even try", and after a decade of experience we are now witnessing that it ain't necessarily so.
This is not so much a tale of complacency so much as reclaiming a sense of relevance in industry.
As many commentators rightly pointed out, my limited experiences do not constitute any statistically valid conclusions. Quite true, but those experiences (and the many similar stories shared) are enough to counter the sweeping narrative of the impending death of the US programmer from years back. The death of the US based programmer was like the sensational story that breaks on page one in huge type face, only to eventually be followed up by a redaction tucked away on page 13 in a much smaller font.
(Tangentially, I suspect the talk of US programmers being unable to compete on a global market caused an untold number of students to veer away from computer science degrees, and by corollary a counter narrative might serve to veer students towards computer science. A useful re-balancing, I think.)
In the end I think the most well-reasoned comments came in the flavor that is well summarized by @dylanized's words:
I've got programmers and designers I work with in India, Pakistan, the Philippines. The guys I've found are badasses, very professional and teaching me stuff all the time. If and when I become successful, it will be due in large part to my overseas team.
I've also attempted to recruit horrible programmers and designers before. Sometimes they come from these non-western places, other times they come from America or even from my hometown.
There's jokers everywhere. It's up to us as technical project managers to screen them out and only hire good contractors and firms.
To me, that is really at the heart of it: it takes real talent to do this work efficiently and economically, good talent can be found anywhere (as can terrible talent), and that good talent should be sought after and prized above all else for businesses with projects that matter. Though it runs counter to hopes of scoring a real bargain at $12/hour, programmer types can probably all agree there is a lot of depth to the art of being a great on-demand programmer. The notion that it's grunt work which can be given without care to the lowest bidder is a farce.
Long live the truly talented programmer: this conversation reveals perhaps above all else that they are in short supply the world over. To those who choose to continuously deepen their mastery over the craft, I say let us take to filling that need.
Next: Why I Will Never Feel Threatened by
Programmers in India Cheap Overseas Programming
This is Programmer for Hire, a series of essays and explorations on the art of being a great programmer doing on-demand custom software development.


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Work in progress: Cryx and the new blog designFriday, August 26, 2011 14:26
I'm currently enjoying my last days of vacation. I took a Cryx starter set with me to do some casual painting. My expectation was to have finished most of the lot by now, but only three of them are halfway done.
Too bad they are plagued by a bad primer job, it ended up very grainy. But this is totally my fault, since the spray can I'm currently using has a clogged up spray nozzle, and I'm too lazy to get a new one :) Well maybe it's time for a new one now, before I really ruin a rare or expensive mini.
Here's a picture, I went for a streaked look for the armor. The green bits were also fun to paint. Most of the areas which are left now will be done in metallics.
Labels general, privateer press, work in progress
Comments (0 Responses so far)
Labels general, privateer press, work in progress
Comments (0 Responses so far)


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The MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study was much the largest trial in the world of cholesterol-lowering therapy and of antioxidant vitamin supplementation in people at increased risk of heart disease.
Substantial uncertainty had existed about the long-term benefits of cholesterol-lowering drug therapy for particular types of patient, and the extent of its use is limited. Uncertainty as to the possible benefits, or risks, of antioxidant vitamin supplementation was even greater.
To help resolve these uncertainties, the MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study was designed to be really large, to involve a substantial reduction in blood LDL cholesterol levels and a substantial increase in antioxidant vitamin levels, and to include a wide range of patients at substantial risk of death from heart disease and other causes.
Between July 1994 and May 1997, 20,536 individuals were recruited in 69 hospitals from within various prior disease categories (coronary disease, other occlusive arterial disease, diabetes, hypertension) and other categories (women, the elderly, those with average or below average cholesterol levels) where there was uncertainty as to how worthwhile, and safe, are these treatments.
Half of the participants were randomly allocated to receive 40 mg daily simvastatin to lower blood cholesterol levels, and half to receive dummy "placebo" tablets. In addition, within each of these two groups (using a "factorial" design), half were allocated to receive antioxidant vitamins (600 mg E, 250 mg C and 20 mg beta-carotene daily), and half to receive placebo capsules.
Compliance with the study treatments was good, resulting in large average reductions in blood levels of total cholesterol (1.2 mmol/l) and LDL cholesterol (1.0 mmol/l), and large increases in antioxidant vitamin levels. During the scheduled treatment period, there were approximately 4500 major vascular events (which included 2000 coronary events and 1000 strokes) and 3000 deaths (1500 from vascular causes and 1500 from other causes).
Consequently, the MRC/BHF Heart Protection Study provided reliable evidence about the effects of these cholesterol-lowering treatments and antioxidant vitamin supplements on mortality and major morbidity in a wide range of circumstances.
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text: Main Content Act 33 of 2008 friendly link printer friendly bills affecting mcl index link Search within this Statute for MICHIGAN PLANNING ENABLING ACTAct 33 of 2008AN ACT to codify the laws regarding and to provide for county, township, city, and village planning; to provide for the creation, organization, powers, and duties of local planning commissions; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state and local governmental officers and agencies; to provide for the regulation and subdivision of land; and to repeal acts and parts of acts. History: 2008, Act 33, Eff. Sept. 1, 2008 The People of the State of Michigan enact: DocumentTypeDescription 33-2008-I.DivisionARTICLE I. GENERAL PROVISIONS (125.3801...125.3807) 33-2008-II.DivisionARTICLE II. PLANNING COMMISSION CREATION AND ADMINISTRATION (125.3811...125.3825) 33-2008-III.DivisionARTICLE III. PREPARATION AND ADOPTION OF MASTER PLAN (125.3831...125.3851) 33-2008-IV.DivisionARTICLE IV. SPECIAL PROVISIONS, INCLUDING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND SUBDIVISION REVIEW (125.3861...125.3871) 33-2008-V.DivisionARTICLE V. TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS AND REPEALER (125.3881...125.3885)


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I am making a TD game in Unity, and I would like to know the most common approach to spawning enemies each round. I have more than 200 rounds per map, just like Fieldrunners.
Is it some kind of hardcoding, say for 25 rounds and then repeat the same waves with harder enemies, or maybe logic/algorithm based on rounds, where it'll give number of enemies and type of enemies which will spawn in that round.
I have 8 type of enemies. I want to implement a function/equation which inputs round number and outputs "number of enemies" and "enemy type" keeping the difficulty level which is round numbers.
for e.g if input: 50th round, output: enemy type1, large no. of enemies, if the input: 2nd round, output: enemy type 1, less number of enemies


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How I Would Have Done It: New 52 Superman by Jerry Whitworth
With DC Comics reinventing itself again with the so-called new 52 following Flashpoint, they had the opportunity to inject new life and story elements into properties that a softer approach like Infinite Crisis and Final Crisis failed to present. The result was mixed: initially boosting sales, after months of publication the result was sales essentially the same as before the change (while angering many fans in the process, most recently with the WTF Certified month of releases). Perhaps a different approach could have offered better results and so I offer my own interpretation. To start with, lets take a look at Superman where his new 52 version has largely been altered to try and separate the character from its perception as a "boy scout."
Featuring the earliest adventures of Superman in Metropolis, the Man of Steel has to come to terms with his role as the savior of mankind as the Earth's first superhero. Essentially wiping out crime in the big city, new challenges arise as Superman has to deal with the terrorist organization SKULL, criminal organization Intergang and its allies on Apokolips, psychopaths like Toyman, Prankster, Puzzler, and Master Jailer, and former childhood acquittance Lex Luthor, media mogul of Metropolis, and his underlings Bizarro, Metallo, and the Parasite. Despite the good Superman brings the world, he nonetheless has to consider the toll his presence has on Earth attracting the attention of intergalactic threats like Mister Mxyzptlk, Brainiac, Mongul, and Darkseid. These early tales reveal the secrets of Supergirl, the Legion of Super-Pets, Fortress of Solitude, Bottle City of Kandor, and Superboy.
He's conquered death and battled gods, but Superman faces his greatest challenges as newly wed to girlfriend reporter Lois Lane and father to foster son Chris Kent. Once feared by the people of Earth, Superman is now embraced as the planet's savior and must live on the pedestal this places him upon. His childhood acquittance and present arch-nemesis Lex Luthor earned the presidency of the United States, the covert Suicide Squad advancing his private agendas and an alliance with Apokolips lines up Superman's greatest enemies against him. The Man of Steel still needs to find time for threats like Manchester Black and the Elite, mutual foe of Brainiac in Grax, the time-traveling King Kosmos, and the godlike Dominus. Along with ongoing foes like Cyborg Superman, Gog, Maaldor the Darklord, and Lord Satanis, Superman must face a virtual army of threats that endanger the very Earth itself.
When Clark Kent was just discovering his newfound powers in his teenage years, visitors from the future enlist his aid as Superboy in the future as part of the Legion of Super-Heroes battling the likes of the Fatal Five, the Light, Legion of Super-Villains, Mordru, Universo, Doctor Regulus, and Darkseid. An idol of trillions, Superboy has little time to learn how to employ his abilities in front of cameras that stretch the cosmos as a super-celebrity. But jaunts into the thirtieth century only make up one part of Superman's past as Superboy is introduced to the small community of Smallville interacting with tomboy Lana Lang, comic book nerd Pete Ross, and angry yet brilliant loner Lex Luthor. We also get to observe Clark Kent's earliest interactions with Metron, Martian Manhunter, and Mon-El.
Superman's cousin and sole survivor of Argo City, Kara Zor-El has made a life for herself attending Metropolis University under the identity Linda Lee splitting her free time from adventuring into the future with the Legion of Super-Heroes (taking the place of her cousin Superboy who graduated to become Superman) and battling the villainous Council led by Lex Luthor's niece Nasthalia Luthor (her scarred face an everlasting symbol of her hatred of the Maid of Steel). Kara's complicated life is eased with friends like Draaga (survivor of Warworld and founder of Metahuman Brawl), Matrix (incomplete clone of Supergirl), Steel (niece of the original Steel), Cir-El (Superman's daughter from the future), and Power Boy (Orion's son). What may not be so easy is juggling the affections of Brainiac 5, Power Boy, and Jimmy Olsen.
Clone of Superman and Lex Luthor made by Project Cadmus, Conner Kent lives as the cousin of Clark Kent under the roof of Jonathan and Martha Kent in Smallville, Kansas where he attends Smallville High (with Civics teacher Lana Lang), works at Multiversity (Pete Ross' comic shop), and raises rambunctious canine Krypto. When he's not busy doing all of this, he adventures with the Teen Titans (of which he was a founding member), helps out Superman and Supergirl in Metropolis, and evades the US government's Squad K (including Kenny Braverman, junior agent Conduit, who infiltrated Smallville High) who want Superboy in order to make an army of Supermen. The youth's life is that much more complicated by the presence of reoccurring characters like girlfriend Miss Martian, Vril Dox (aka Brainiac 2), Dev-Em (rebellious Kryptonian from the future), the malevolent fifth dimensional imp Zyx, DNAlien Dubbilex, fledgling mage Yellow Peri, Match (Superboy's imperfect clone), and Alexis Luthor (Lex Luthor's ancestor from the thirtieth century).
Superman and Batman, Earth's greatest heroes, team against threats they can't handle alone facing the likes of Doctor Zodiac, Moonman and Lady Lunar, Composite Superman, and the teaming of their greatest separate enemies led by the Joker and Luthor. While not precisely the best of friends, Batman and Superman recognize each other as the progenitors of a dynasty where it's important their "families" learn to operate in tandem, starting at the top with the two heroes (while realizing they make a good team). Essentially representing the light and darkness, combining their separate approaches makes the pair virtually unstoppable which means the threats to face the duo should follow along this line in being seemingly insurmountable.
While featuring stories of Superman, Supergirl, and Superboy, the focus of the series in upon supporting members of the Superman family and heroes of Metropolis like Nightwing and Flamebird, Black Lightning and his daughters Thunder and Lightning, Steel and Steelworks, Booster Gold, Cyborg, Thorn, Eradicator, Alpha Centurion, Project Cadmus, the Special Crimes Unit, Agent Liberty, and Ambush Bug. As an anthology comic, the title offers insight into the changes in Metropolis, Kandor, and Smallville through the eyes of the various players featuring guest creative teams set to tell a finite story in brief chapters.
A team-up title for the Superman family, it could feature adventures like Superman and Starman or Sandman, Supergirl and Batgirl or Wonder Girl, Superboy and Nightwing or Air Wave, Chris Kent and Damian Wayne or Lian Harper, and many more. The series offers an opportunity to give a look at the new and revised heroes of Earth as well as test the waters for new series based upon them. It also offers creators the opportunity to work on characters they otherwise didn't yet have a chance to play with or produce another chapter for characters they're known for their work upon.
A mini-series telling the story of Krypton in its final days, we learn the blight their world has had on its galaxy through its attempts to play God including accidentally unleashing Doomsday on neighboring worlds and empowering the barbaric warrior race of the Khund. In trying to make up for their sins, an alliance is formed with worlds like Xudar, Terminus, and Aegena in the United Planets to stop the advancing Khund hordes. The results prove disastrous when the alliance runs afoul of Apokolips bringing the New Gods to Krypton. What measures can the brothers of the House of El Jor-El and Zor-El do to stop the advancing Darkseid-enslaved military guild of Krypton led by General Zod and prevent the destruction of their world? And why does the dread despot of Apokolips desperately desire the infant Kal-El?
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Suunto has launched new color versions of the popular dive computer Suunto D4i. The product features stay the same, but they now come in fresh new colors and design.
The new-look Suunto D4i Novo is available in black, white, blue and lime. As well as the renewed design, the Suunto D4i also features an all new, soft silicone strap, ensuring maximum comfort as well as a superb fit. The case and strap are color-matched for a consistent look, bezel and mask prints are new and the buttons are made of metal. Sleek and lightweight, the Suunto D4i also offers versatile functionality. With four dive modes — including freediving — Suunto RGBM algorithm, and the option of wireless integration, it's the dive computer of choice for all divers looking for a colorful and lightweight dive computer.
To make it even easier to sync and share extraordinary diving adventures, Suunto also offers the updated DM4 software, and easy synching with Movescount.com sports community and logbook.


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Progressives for Obama
Progressives for Obama also known as Progressive America Rising[1] is a group of new left radicals that was announced in the ultra leftist Nation magazine[2] in 2008. The group was largely composed of members from the Committees of Correspondence and the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). The Committees of Correspondence openly advocates socialism and has defended the Communist regime of Fidel Castro. The SDS spawned the violent domestic terror group the Weather Underground (WUO), founded by William Ayers and his wife Bernadine Dohrn, family friends[3] of Barack Hussein Obama and carried out bombings of the Pentagon, the U.S. Capitol, the State Department and several police headquarters in the 1970s.
Veteran investigator Herbert Romerstein observed about the organizations activities,
|The Communist Party itself will not have influence, but those whom they influence will — the new left, the terrorists from the Weather Underground, the Committees of Correspondence — all are involved in the Obama campaign one way or another. The Communist Party itself has very few members most of them quite old. But the influence they've had in the past on the so-called progressive movement still continues.[4]
- Barbara Ehrenreich, Democratic Socialists of America, New Party
- Bill Fletcher, Jr., Maoist, Democratic Socialists of America
- Danny Glover
- Tom Hayden, Students for a Democratic Society
- Sean Ahem, United Federation of Teachers
- Jean Alonso, Dorchester-Roxbury Labor Committee
- Fran Ansley, University of Tennessee
- David E. Apter, Yale University
- Rosalyn Baxandall, American Studies SUNY Old Westbury
- Daniel Bourke, National Lawyers Guild
- E. Richard Brown, Public Health, UCLA
- Paul Buhle, Writer and Historian
- Anna Burger, Secretary-Treasurer, SEIU
- Paul Burke, Sacramento Progressive Alliance
- Jim Campbell, CC-DS, Nat'l Co-chair
- Jeff Chang, Author, 'Can't Stop, Won't Stop'
- Frank Christopher, Crosskeys Media
- Steve Cobble, Progressive Democrats of America
- Barry Cohen, NJ Institute of Technology
- Carl Davidson, SolidarityEconomy.Net, Students for a Democratic Society
- Laurie Davidson, SEIU, NYC
- John Delloro, Dolores HuertaLabor Institute
- Ariel Dorfman, Chilean Playwright
- Peter Dreier, Occidental College
- Thorne Dreyer, MDS Austin, Texas
- Terry DuBose, VetSpeak.org
- Andrea Dupree, Lighthouse Writers Workshop
- Carolyn Eisenberg, Hofstra University
- Eddie Eitches, President, AFGE Local 476
- Daniel Ellsberg, Writer, Military Analyst
- Jane English, Plymouth UCC Board of Social Action
- Diane Fager, Public School Administrator
- Margaret 'Julie' Finch, Progressive Democrats of America
- Mickey Flacks, Housing Advocate
- Richard Flacks, Santa Barbara County Action Network
- Jane Fonda, Writer, Actor
- Rev. John C. Forney, Progressive Christians Uniting
- Aviva Futorian, Long Term Prisoner Policy Project
- Christine George, Researcher and University Teacher
- Antonio Geraldo Dias, INDEG/ISCTE
- The Rev. John-Mark Gilhousen, Progressive Democrats of Oregon
- Todd Gitlin, Columbia University, Students for a Democratic Society
- Danny Goldberg, Gold Village Entertainment
- Jorge Gonzalez, Cuba Journal
- Van Gosse, Franklin & Marshall College
- Ellen Gurzinsky, Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues
- Paul Haggis, Producer
- Nancy Hall, City Life/Vida Urban
- David Hamilton, MDS, Austin Texas
- Lionel Heredia, Freedom Media
- Jim Hightower, Radio Commentator
- Adam Hochschild, Author, 'Breaking the Chains'
- Sharron Howard, Lafayette Area Peace Coalition
- Steven Jacobs, Rabbi, Progressive Faith Foundation
- Harold Jacobs, SUNY New Paltz
- Michael James, Heartland Cafe, 49th Ward Democrats
- Zenobia Johnson-Black, Nat'l Org of African-Americans in Housing
- Ben Jones, Southern Utah University, Department of Political Science, and Philosophy.
- Earl Katz, Public Interest Pictures
- Marilyn Katz, Founder, Chicagoans Against War on Iraq
- Stephen R. Keister M.D., Physicians for National Health Care
- Georgia Kelly, Praxis Peace Institute
- Robin D.G. Kelly, Historian
- Anne Lowry Klonsky, Education Writer, Chicago
- Fred Klonsky, President, Park Ridge Education Association, IEA, NEA
- Susan Klonsky, Education Writer
- Michael Larkin, South Kingstown Peace and Justice Action Group
- Amy Manuel, Denton for Barack
- Eric Mar, SF Board of Education
- Jay Mazur, Working Families Party
- John McAuliff, Fund for Reconciliation and Development
- Ruth Needleman, Labor Studies, Indiana University
- Max Palevsky, Philanthropist
- Robert Pardun, Writer & Producer
- Patricia Paredes, Texas Campus Compact
- Frances Fox Piven, Author, 'Poor Peoples Movements,' CUNY, senior Democratic Socialists of America member, ACORN
- Matilda Phillips, Progressive Democrats North Carolina
- Brian Redondo, Asia-American Activist
- Christine R Riddiough, Americans for Democratic Action
- Constância Dinky Romilly, RN Civil Rights Activist
- Mark Rudd, Writer, Organizer, Weather Underground
- Jay Schaffner, Local 802 American Federation of Musicians
- Stanley & Betty Sheinbaum, Publisher
- Jennifer Amdur Spitz, Amdur Spitz & Associates
- Don St.Clair, GreenDemocraticAlliance.org
- Andy Stern, President, SEIU
- William Strickland, UMass, Amherst
- Dan Swinney, Center for Labor and Community Research
- Harry Targ, CC-DS, Purdue University
- Jonathan Tasini, National Writers Union
- John Trinkl, San Francsico for Democracy
- Flo A Weber, Progressive Democrats of Los Angeles
- Immanuel Wallerstein, Yale University
- Paula Weinstein, Producer
- Cornel West, Author, 'Race Matters', Democratic Socialists of America
- Mildred Williamson, CC-DS
- Betty Willhoite, Living Wage Advocate
- John K Wilson, Obamapolitics.com
- Tim Wise, Author, Anti-Racism Educator
See also
- ↑ Keep On Keepin' On..., the blog of Carl Davidson. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
- ↑ Progressives for Obama, By Tom Hayden, Bill Fletcher Jr., Danny Glover & Barbara Ehrenreich, The Nation, March 24, 2008.
- ↑ Ayers: Obama was 'family friend', Kara Spak and Abon Pallasch, Chicago SunTimes, November 13, 2008.
- ↑ Obama critics silenced by communist tactics, The Union News, 10/23/08.
External links
- From Henry Wallace to William Ayers, Communists and the Progressive Movement, Herbert Romerstein.


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Friday, 14 December 2012
a time to pause
After almost five and a half years and more than 700 interviews it's time to press pause on Daily Imprint. It's time for new adventures in creativity.
I have also taken leave of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest too.
Thank you wholeheartedly for your support, enthusiasm and kind words over the years - readers and interviewees alike.
For now, you can still read my work in various interior magazines. I will continue to write and style for Warnes & Walton. And I'm thrilled to say that Frontliners will return soon too. Subscribe so you can receive updates.
Over the coming months I will share news on various projects on Nataliewalton.com - the site should be up and running in the New Year.
Until then, I hope the holiday season gives you the chance to rest and refresh.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
image courtesy of chris warnes
6 comments:
- Helen said...
Natalie - thank YOU! You and your interviewees have inspired me so much. I have made a massive (mid-life) career change in the past 12 months which involves taking on a university degree in design innovation as well as a fairly major financial sacrifice on the part of my husband and my family... it's hard but I am determined due in no small part to encouragement from online resources like daily imprint. Seriously... your blog has re-ignited my late-night, (mid assignment) enthusiasm on more than one occasion. I am therefore sad to see you go but completely understand your need for change and rest. I have subscribed to Frontliners and look forward to seeing what you do next.Cheers!
PS please leave up your archived blogs - I am slowly making my way through the old ones, which I shall now be eking out over the coming months!
- 14 December 2012 at 08:34
- Julie said...
What an achievement, all those interviews over the years! You are an inspiration Natalie. Wishing you all the very best and I hope you have a beautiful Christmas with your family.
- 14 December 2012 at 09:05
- bh said...
Just wanted to say a big thank you! The daily imprint, has been a much loved morning read, of creativity and general design+art love in all its guises! Thanks for sharing!
- 14 December 2012 at 10:37
- Fiona said...
Thank you natalie. daily imprint will be much missed.
- 14 December 2012 at 14:46
- Debbie said...
What sad news...for us that is. Out of my favourite blogs, yours has been the one I most look forward to. However, after so many wonderful introductions and interviews I can understand you needing a break, but know that you'll be missed. All the best, Natalie, and may there be many rich and restful moments ahead for you.
- 14 December 2012 at 23:04
- Katja said...
Thank you Natalie, I have enjoyed your daily imprints, and admired you for your stamina! I will surely miss your posts! Good luck with your family and projects, and for now: enjoy this pause, you surely deserve it!
Greetings from upabove (the Netherlands ;)
- 18 December 2012 at 08:56


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AK-47 MMA Gear
G5 BJJ Gi/Uniform White & Green
$ 45.00
- All customers are asked to keep a minimum of six (6) feet between themselves and other individuals.
- To maintain appropriate social distancing, and to follow local requirements, we will be allowing only 1 customer at a time. A table will be at the entrance of our store and an employee will give you instructions on how to proceed. If a line forms outside please remember that social distancing of 6 Ft. between customers is required.
- The health and safety of employees and customers is always a priority. Our employees are required to adhere to CDC infection control practices, such as washing hands often and store sanitation.
- Customers at the register will be encouraged to use debit or credit cards when possible. Using Cash is discouraged, but not prohibited.
- When completing a transaction, cashiers will endeavor to keep a reasonable distance of space between themselves and customers.
- We will have hand sanitizer available at the door and kindly request that our customer sanitize their hands before shopping with us.
- Curbside pick-up will also be available for those who prefer contactless shopping. Please order on our website or contact us to setup curbside pick-up.
- Our employees have been instructed to not shake hands with other employees or customers.
- Any employee or customer who presents with symptoms of illness will unfortunately not be allowed to enter our store.
- For the Safety of our Staff and Customers facial coverings are required at our store. This is also subject to California State Orders. Customers not wearing a mask or facial covering will not be allowed to enter.
- If you require an accommodation to this policy, please inquire at our store. As always, we continue to monitor this situation and will consider additional safety measures and operational changes as needed.
For the safety of our employees and customers, we are not accepting product returns or exchanges at this time. We generally have a 30 day return and exchange policy but due to the pandemic we feel that this is the safest route. We will continue to monitor this situation and will adapt our policies as the pandemic unwinds.
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Winter brings a bounty of citrus. My favorite being clementines. While living in Spain last winter, one night we did a chocolate fondue with fresh fruits as a special treat. It proved to be very indulgent, fun, yet healthy. The clementines with chocolate revealed to be a much loved combination. Upon returning home, to the US, chocolate covered clementines became one of my go to simple and healthy desserts for entertaining. Fun finger food. Clementines work so well since the thin membrane keeps the segment contained, and not water down the thick chocolate ganache dip. This time of year, we are all looking for ways to cut down on the heavy desserts and eat lighter. By using fresh fruit and not adding any sugar, makes this treat a healthier choice. And with only three ingredients, this treat is super easy to make.
4-6 clementines, peeled, cleaned, segmented, dry
300 grams (1 ½ cup) chocolate chips, semi-sweet
100 grams (1/2 cup) heavy cream
Put the chocolate chips into a small/medium microwave safe bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream until boiling. Meanwhile, microwave the chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Immediately pour the boiling cream on to the chocolate chips. With a silicone spatula, constantly stir until it becomes smooth. Use care to not stir too vigorously, thus adding air. Make sure there are no clumps or bubbles. Thereafter, dip each clementine segment into the chocolate ganache. Use care to not coat the segments too thickly. Put each dipped segment onto wax paper or parchment. Allow to set at room temperature for serving within a couple of hours. Alternatively, place in the fridge if you prefer it colder, or plan on serving beyond two hours. Arrange on platter for serving.
-Erin Swing
The Sensitive Epicure


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Dive Team
The Sheriff's Office Underwater Search and Recovery Team (Dive Team) is a public safety diving organization. Currently the dive team is comprised of four divers and eight dive tenders. To be a member of the dive team on dive status, candidates must demonstrate their abilities in a pool environment, and be certified as an advanced scuba diver through an internationally recognized diving organization. Candidates must also demonstrate that they are comfortable in zero visibility and black water environments.
Training & Service
Once selected, divers are certified in rescue diving, search and recovery operations, equipment maintenance, dry suit diving, and underwater communications. The dive team trains on a monthly basis, mostly involving skills review and proficiency, as well as orientation dives at various locations throughout Napa County. The dive team is available on a call-out basis to all agencies within Napa County, and its surrounding jurisdictions.
Dive team operations include initiating search and recovery operations in underwater environments, locating and investigating underwater crime scenes, documenting and retrieving evidentiary items from the water, and assisting in the investigation of water related crimes. The dive team conducts both land and boat based operations in a variety of challenging bodies of water within Napa County. The dive team's primary focus on any operation is safety.
Strategic & Challenging Group
Public safety diving is an exciting, challenging, and rewarding field. It is also considered to be one of the most hazardous that requires a strong commitment. Members of the dive team are highly motivated and professional, and are committed to safety. The dive team is considered an elite group within the Sheriff's Department and membership is highly competitive.


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Very close fight expected in adopting right-to-carry in Kansas
The measure passed the Senate 29-11, two votes more than needed to override an expected veto by the governor.
"This isn't a vote about the governor. This isn't a vote about the elections coming up. This is a vote about freedom," said Sen. Phil Journey, R-Haysville, the bill's sponsor.
But a gubernatorial veto seems likely if the measure passes the House, as is expected in the coming weeks. The bill is nearly identical to one Sebelius vetoed two years ago.
"The governor's position is very clear," said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka.
Sebelius hasn't said outright that she would flush the bill. Her spokeswoman, Nicole Corcoran, said Thursday, "It just depends on what gets to her."
Sebelius has been supportive in the past only of legislation that would allow retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed guns.
In the House, it would take 84 votes to override a veto. That could be difficult, supporters admit.
"I think I've got 84 on the nose, and that's on a good day," said Rep. Candy Ruff, D-Leavenworth and the measure's top supporter in the House.


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Access Blocked Websites From Bahrain
Many websites restrict access to users with Bahrainian IP addresses. VyprVPN allows you to generate an IP address that originates from any of our global VPN server locations. Access your favorite websites, secure your Internet connection and encrypt all data you send and receive online.
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Art Mina
Women's Fleece Sweatshirt "California Map" [FREE SHIPPING]
You'll fall in love with this "California Map" Women's Sponge Fleece. This lovely women's wide neck sweatshirt was Illustrated and hand-printed in Silk Screen by Mina Wilcox with joy from her small Art Studio in California. We only use non-toxic water-based inks that are safe for you. We only use non-toxic water-based inks that are safe for you.
Ink Color: Shimmer Dark Charcoal Ink (All most Black)
• 60% combed and ring-spun cotton 40% poly, 32 single 7.0 oz.
• Pre-laundered sponge fleece
Care: Machine wash warm, inside out, Tumble Dry low.
*Printed with all natural Non-Toxic water-based ink
*We took two processes for fixing ink. The color won't be fading.
Size: Relaxed fit, Wide neck
* Body Length - From High Point Shoulder
Small: Chest 18 3/4" (47.5cm) Body Length 25" (63.5cm)
Medium: Chest 19 1/2" (49.5cm) Body Length 25.5" (65cm)
Large: Chest 20 1/2" (52cm) Body Length 26 1/8" (66.5cm)
XL: Chest 21 1/2" (54.5cm) Body Length 26 3/4" (68cm)
* Items are hand printed so color unevenness and pattern placement may vary from stock photo. If you want to see a pattern of yours, please let me know if I will send you a picture. Colors may vary slightly on your computer screen.
Thanks for taking a look at our Art Mina online shop! Please feel free to contact us if you have a question.
We love this Sweatshirt that makes you warm! Enjoy!
< Mina Wilcox's Art >
The images captured in Mina Wilcox's art are from the imaginary "Poe Poe island" of the Hawaiian Islands and Polynesian culture. They are her travel journal about the scenic beauty of Poe Poe island and the people's relaxed lifestyle. Welcome to her deeply tropical and humorous world!
U.S. and International Copyright laws fully protect the artwork.
Copyright ©Art Mina. All Rights Reserved.


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EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — A craving for a McDonald's cheeseburger apparently prompted an 8-year-old Ohio boy to take his 4-year-old sister for a ride in his dad's van, which he learned to drive on the internet.
East Palestine police Officer Jacob Koehler tells WJW-TV in Cleveland the father went to bed Sunday and the mother fell asleep on the couch with the kids.
Koehler says witnesses saw the boy driving and called police in the city, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Cleveland. He says the boy drove about a mile to the restaurant, through intersections and over railroad tracks, without mishap.
Witnesses say the boy appeared to obey traffic laws.
Koehler says the boy told him he learned to drive by watching YouTube videos.
No charges have been filed.


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An Alexander Technique Approach to Double Bass Technique
This ebook uses the Alexander Technique principles of good posture and great technique to assist the double bassist. It is the intention of this ebook to help the double bass player create a personal technique and posture on the instrument that allows you to find the most mechanically advantageous way to play the bass. This ebook is filled with concepts that will help you explore what you've been doing technically and posturally on the double bass, and to assist you in finding a way to play your instrument, so that the bass is easier to play and kinder to the body. The topics are: What the Alexander Technique Offers Performers; Posture: Sitting and Standing; Head, Neck, and Double Bass; Left Arm; Right Arm; Torso, Shoulders, and Breathing; Inhibition and Playing (letting go of bad habits); Accuracy; Slow and Fast Playing, Fragments and Focal Dystonia; Whole Body Guided Release before Practicing or Performing; When You're not Doing Something, Don't Continue to Do It; The Reasons Why Performer Resist Releasing Poor Physical Habits; As a Gift; and COLLECTED ESSAYS.
Ethan Kind is a former concert guitarist who used the Alexander Technique to heal carpal tunnel pain in his left wrist and never had physical problems on the guitar again. He has also been an athlete all of his life. Please contact Mr. Kind if you have any questions about this ebook, suggestions that would make this ebook clearer and more expansive, or suggestions for other ebooks that you would like to see him write about. Mr. Kind can be reached at www.ethankind.com and .
This book is 201 pages


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SET REMOTE_PROC_TRANSACTIONS (Transact-SQL)
Specifies that when a local transaction is active, executing a remote stored procedure starts a Transact-SQL distributed transaction managed by Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC).
This feature will be removed in the next version of Microsoft SQL Server. Do not use this feature in new development work, and modify applications that currently use this feature as soon as possible. This option is provided for backward compatibility for applications that use remote stored procedures. Instead of issuing remote stored procedure calls, use distributed queries that reference linked servers. These are defined by using sp_addlinkedserver.
Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions
When ON, a Transact-SQL distributed transaction is started when a remote stored procedure is executed from a local transaction. When OFF, calling remote stored procedures from a local transaction does not start a Transact-SQL distributed transaction.
When REMOTE_PROC_TRANSACTIONS is ON, calling a remote stored procedure starts a distributed transaction and enlists the transaction with MS DTC. The instance of SQL Server making the remote stored procedure call is the transaction originator and controls the completion of the transaction. When a subsequent COMMIT TRANSACTION or ROLLBACK TRANSACTION statement is issued for the connection, the controlling instance requests that MS DTC manage the completion of the distributed transaction across the computers involved.
After a Transact-SQL distributed transaction has been started, remote stored procedure calls can be made to other instances of SQL Server that have been defined as remote servers. The remote servers are all enlisted in the Transact-SQL distributed transaction, and MS DTC ensures that the transaction is completed against each remote server.
REMOTE_PROC_TRANSACTIONS is a connection-level setting that can be used to override the instance-level sp_configure remote proc trans option.
When REMOTE_PROC_TRANSACTIONS is OFF, remote stored procedure calls are not made part of a local transaction. The modifications made by the remote stored procedure are committed or rolled back at the time the stored procedure completes. Subsequent COMMIT TRANSACTION or ROLLBACK TRANSACTION statements issued by the connection that called the remote stored procedure have no effect on the processing done by the procedure.
The REMOTE_PROC_TRANSACTIONS option is a compatibility option that affects only remote stored procedure calls made to instances of SQL Server defined as remote servers using sp_addserver. The option does not apply to distributed queries that execute a stored procedure on an instance defined as a linked server using sp_addlinkedserver.
The setting of SET REMOTE_PROC_TRANSACTIONS is set at execute or run time and not at parse time.
Requires membership in the public role.
See Also
BEGIN DISTRIBUTED TRANSACTION (Transact-SQL)


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We Ship worldwide! receive free shipping with a purchase of $99 or more Learn More
The top of the line in feathers the standard for any theatrical wear, evening wear or costume. These are turkey feathers brilliantly dyed to perfection. We use only the best quality turkey feathers, hand sewn and perfectly dyed to vibrant colors. They have its own body of elegance and will stand up to a lot of wear and tear. Each boa comes in a 2 yard length,Feathers are approx, 12-14 inches.