text:
Assisting Oregonians With Physical Disabilities Since 1981
Our Founder Inspires Us With Her Generosity and Goodwill
Blanche Fischer was a woman of warm words and thoughts. When she first discussed the trust in her name, she told Bill Shepherd, a Portland attorney, that she wanted to help people with physical disabilities. She wanted to do this because one of her favorite people was her mechanic who had one arm. It seems now that she was celebrating the fact that he had overcome a significant obstacle in order to remain independent, productive and proud. Her wish was to designate a portion of her wealth so that other people, up against similar challenges, would gain the same confidence he had.
We like to think that she would be proud that her name is now synonymous with Hope and Help for Oregonians with disabilities.
We like to think that she would be proud that her name is now synonymous with Hope and Help for Oregonians with disabilities.
The Blanche Fischer Foundation is a private,
nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization
founded through a trust established by the late
Blanche Fischer, a native of Long Creek and
long-time resident and benefactor of Lincoln
The Foundation makes direct grants on behalf
of Oregonians with physical disabilities. The
aid may relate directly to the disability or toward
fostering personal independence.
To be considered for a BFF grant, an individual
must demonstrate all of the following:
1. Demonstrate Oregon residency,
2. Demonstrate financial need and
3. Have a disability of a physical nature.
If you do not meet all of the above criteria, you are not eligible for Foundation assistance.
Since its founding in 1981, the Blanche Fischer Foundation has awarded over 1.5 million dollars to thousands of Oregonians with physical disabilities.
Copyright ©2023 Blanche Fischer Foundation. All rights reserved.


text:
Loving Lately
47 comments :
I am in LOVE with that succulent wreath!ReplyDelete
swooning over the succulent wreath!!!!!!ReplyDelete
Beautiful decorations and pretty presents you got!ReplyDelete
love the wreath! and just watched property brothers last night with the hubs. newly addicted and love that you were spoiled this christmas with your gift guide for navy & orange. love the LV!ReplyDelete
xoxo navy & orange
Love that succulent wreath and so jealous of your new bag! I've had it on my wishlist for YEARSReplyDelete
Are those boots sorels? I have the same pair and I LOVE them! So cute and snow-faring! Also, I've had the flowerbomb for a few years now and it's one of my favourites! What a great family you have ;)ReplyDelete
I LOVE that show as well--- and I got my sister-in-law the same perfume for Christmas! It's her absolute favorite, though now that I think about it I didn't even end up smelling it... :)ReplyDelete
I just smelled that perfume the other day and I fell in love!ReplyDelete
Wow! Your Dad's Christmas tree IS huge - I love it!ReplyDelete
And looks like you mega scored for Christmas - I should think about doing a holiday wishlist next year ;)
- AnonymousJanuary 5, 2012 at 9:32 AM
I agree that wreath is beautiful!ReplyDelete
Fun Christmas roundup Natasha! Okay can you do a whole post about perfumes?? I need a new one and some direction and you're in the know about such things! What else do you like besides this pretty new one you got for Christmas??ReplyDelete
Loving that succulent wreath, like everyone else! :)ReplyDelete
Yay that tomorrow is Friday and I'm loving that succulent wreath also!ReplyDelete
LOVE that wreath! and you definitely scored some great Christmas gifts! ;)ReplyDelete
Love Roger's Gardens. My friend was crazy for their noble fir Christmas tree selection, ONLY $300-400. Yikes, but they were beauties.ReplyDelete
Ohmygosh your dad's tree was a monster!
Love your list, especially the Sorels
You got some amazing gifts girl!! I love that perfume have been wanting to pick some up, it smells amaze. and that LV will be perfect to tote all Baby Schue's Stuff in!ReplyDelete
I love that LV bag! I neeeeed it I think haha side note..that succulent wreath is absolutely gorgeous. I love everything about it.ReplyDelete
I got Flowerbomb and the Neverfull too! We're lucky girls! :)ReplyDelete
You gotta let me know about the quality of the candle, I've been interested in trying it myself!
Great photos, love the decorations and your gorgeous Louis Vuitton bag!ReplyDelete
Great recap! Love that succulent wreath.ReplyDelete
Property Brothers is great! And they are cute, too. Always a plus (: Wow!! You were spoiled! How fun. Model the new items for us (:ReplyDelete
I love Property Brothers! I wish the long-haired twin would cut his hair - ugh! hahaReplyDelete
I can't believe the holidays are over! I'm always so impressed when people get me things they see on my blog! It's so thoughtful!ReplyDelete
Love that Viktor and Rolf perfume! So pretty. Your puppies are super cute too. Looks like you had a great Christmas! Next year when you have the baby it will be even more special, you must be so excited!!ReplyDelete
Ahhh I love those boots! Still on my wishlist! Maybe next year! Have a wonderful Thursday Natasha!ReplyDelete
that succulent wreath is unbelievable... you've inspired me for a DIY next year!ReplyDelete
i want that wreath! that is gorgeous! and I'm looking for a new perfume this one keeps coming up in recommendations!! I'll check it out for sure.ReplyDelete
I watch Property Brothers, too! Love their work + they are cuties. :) So happy you finally got the bag! A Diptyque is on my list...ReplyDelete
Yes ma'am! I can watch the Prop Bros all day!ReplyDelete
I love how GINORMOUS your dad's tree is!!ReplyDelete
Glad to hear you got most of the things you wanted this year! Pretty sure you deserved every single bit! and the Flower Bomb smells delish! Running low on mine, as we speak! Happy belated Christmas and New Year!!
I need to watch the Prop Bros -- you're like the 5th person I've heard recommend it!ReplyDelete
Oh - Fancy That.
Love what you chose on your gift guide and that you got some major pieces! Property Bros is a great show. I am loving all the organizational inspiration I am seeing everywhere. Happy New Year, Natasha!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJanuary 5, 2012 at 7:02 PM
I am obsessed with Property Brothers!!! I wish I could buy now so I could have them come and fix up my house!!!ReplyDelete
That succulent wreath is amahhhhzing! So pretty. glad you got spoiled a little for Christmas, too!ReplyDelete
that wreath is beautiful... i just put away my decorations and the house looks a bit empty!ReplyDelete
What amazing gifts! I love, love the LV tote, that will be so perfect for baby Schue! You just gave me something new to DVR, I love makeover shows too:)ReplyDelete
oooh, that wreath is so pretty, and unique too, I might add! You were very blessed for Christmas! That's awesome! I got two very awesome bags this Christmas too that I'm adoring. One is on my blog today. Happy weekend!!!ReplyDelete
I love that cozy blanket-y wrap! I wish I were wearing that RIGHT now.ReplyDelete
LOVE the succulent wreath. I also just discovered Property Brothers....obsessed!ReplyDelete
HI friend. Sorry so MIA. I thought I spied a new purse at lunch. GORGEOUS. Fun to see a peek into Amy's house. Hope you are great!ReplyDelete
Lucky lady with all the pretty gifts! Your parents home is beautiful as is that succulent wreath. Happy Friday lady!ReplyDelete
oooo i love that succulent wreath!ReplyDelete
LOVE that succulent wreath, and yes I just watched Property Brothers for the first time, pretty good!ReplyDelete
Enjoying your blog!
Amazing Christmas haul you got!!!ReplyDelete
Hooray for fun presents! And I am obsessed with Property Brothers. It makes me want to buy an old house and completely renovate it every time I watch it!ReplyDelete
great photos, lovely inspirations, following you now. I hope you will follow back.ReplyDelete
love all the pretty festive decorations and you made out on the christmas gifts!! so jealous of your LV! and i have been wearing flowerbomb for a few months now -- love it so much!ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Arcata High Student, Parents Drown At Big Lagoon – November 26, 2012
Mad River Newspaper Guild
HUMBOLDT – Three family members died Saturday, Nov. 24, after they were swept into the ocean at Big Lagoon while trying to rescue their dog, and then each other.
Two of the deceased were identified by the Humboldt County Coroner on Monday as Freshwater residents Mary Scott, 54, and Howard Kuljian, 50. As of press time, their son – 16-year-old Gregory "Geddie" Kuljian – was still missing.
They are survived by daughter Olivia, 18.
The family was at the beach Saturday afternoon. They were playing stick with their dog when the family pet reportedly got swept out into the ocean by 10-foot waves. The beach at Big Lagoon has a steep dropoff.
Sean Ledwin, a biologist with the Hoopa Valley Tribe, was walking on the beach at the same time, witnessed the sequence of events and described what happened in a statement to the Times-Standard.
He said the Kuljians' dog had been chasing a stick and got caught up in the surf when Geddie went to rescue him. He too was swept up in the roiling waves, and his father, Howard, went in after him. He too was engulfed in surf.
Minutes later, Mary attempted to reach Howard, who was close to the shore, and was swept in.
Ledwin's girlfriend had called 911, and provided updates as the family members became lost in the waves.
Daughter Olivia, a friend, Ledwin and his girlfriend were unable to approach the victims due to the violent surf.
The roiling waves carried the victims toward the shore and then back out to sea in what Ledwin described as a circular motion.
A police officer arrived, and Mary was pulled ashore. Resuscitation attempts failed. Howard's body eventually washed ashore to the north.
The dog emerged from the surf uninjured.
Coast Guard Lt. Bernie Garrigan said the first call came in at 12:40 p.m. Two 47-foot motor lifeboats and a search and rescue helicopter were deployed to the area.
The Coast Guard uses a computer program to manage searches. A data marker buoy is launched to track drift, and the search is conducted with constantly updated data.
Rescuers were able to retrieve both the parents' bodies. The Coast Guard searched for Geddie by boat and helicopter. The search was suspended at 6:45 p.m. due to heavy fog.
At Arcata High today, students wore green to honor the memory of Geddie, who enjoyed nature and greenery. "When I look outside, that's all I see," he was known to say.
Grieving students recalled their lost friend. "That's why we're wearing green today, he wouldn't want us to be wearing black," said one. "He'd rather have us celebrate his life then have us mourn over it," said another.
AHS junior Ian Johnson counted Geddie among his best friends. "He was the greatest person I ever knew," Johnson said. "If you didn't know him, you wish you did."
Geddie's interests included art and music, and he was on the AHS track team for two years. "His family was at the beach all the time," Johnson said.
Johnson said Kuljian "always had a kind word for everyone, and his parents were just as nice. They gave hospitality to everyone."
– McKinleyville Press Editor Jack Durham, Arcata High School Pepperbox Editor Forrest Lewis and Eye Editor Kevin Hoover contributed to this story.


text:
Lisa Reed, special to wtop.com
WASHINGTON – High heels, kitten heels and platform heels. No matter the shape, heels are a common item in many wardrobes.
And while heels add to your height — and your outfit — they can wreak havoc on your feet and can even cause chronic pain.
According to a recent article in The Washington Post, sporting a heel elevates your foot to an unnatural angle, causing added pressure on your knees, inflammation in the joints and pinched nerves.
If you choose to wear high heels, there is something you can do outside of a long soak or a foot rub to make your feet feel normal and to help your body re-align.
(Courtesy Lisa Reed)
Working out your legs, heels and ankles can turn a post-stiletto day back to normal.
The video below shows a series of simple exercises. If done routinely, the exercises can help prevent and correct the discomfort that comes with wearing high heels.
(Courtesy Lisa Reed)
The workout can also be done before a big event, where heels are scheduled to make an appearance.
There are other measures one can take to avoid pain from heels, as well.
First, limit the amount of time you spend in heels. Wear a pair of athletic shoes for your commute and swap them out for heels once you get to the office.
Also, substitute flats for your heels a few days a week. There are plenty of stylish-looking flats on the market.
You can also choose a wider heel over stilettos. A skinny stiletto heel significantly changes your foot's position, putting your body out of alignment.
A wider heel, such as a wedge, can give your foot more support, overall. If you can't do a platform, try a kitten heel, which is less high than other heels.
Lisa Reed is a certified personal trainer in the D.C. area and owner of Lisa Reed Fitness. Read more about Lisa at www.lisareedfitness.com. Follow @lisareedfitness and @WTOPLiving on Twitter.


text:
Is Debian 6.0 a full distribution?
Hello, to answer your question, yes the Debian is the full distribution for MIPSel. Than being said, one has to add on everything he (or I think in your case she, if you have a purse) wants with apt-get or dpkg. I myself run Debian Sid on my Nanonote and have not wanted to put anything graphical on it , but you could. A thing to remember is that you are working with only 336 Mhz of MIPS hardware and 32MB SD RAM. So LibreOffice is out of the question although Abiword may work albeit slowly. Debian is not as optimized as Qi-OpenWRT, or even JLime, so I am not sure what to expect in that regard. For a pocket word processor, you may want to consider getting a low-cost phone and leaving it unactivated. As long as the phone has a microSD slot, that may work for you at a more manageable cost. I plan to get an LG500G phone, which can be had for under 20 USD, for this very purpose. It even has a blackberri like keyboard and I'm sure it would get great battery life.
Does Debian for MIPSel have a graphical desktop such as GNOME? How can Debian 6.0 be a full distribution for MIPSel without a graphical text editor such as Abiword? Does it have gedit at least?
Are you saying that the LG500G will boot to Linux preinstalled on a microSD card? Will it boot to Debian for MIPSel?
Or are you saying that the LG500G has a preinstalled text editor and to copy my text files on a microSD card?
Debian for MIPSEL does not come with anything but the core OS and bash shell but that is considered complete. It is possible in theory to add GNOME, but I would not even try as it would take weeks to show anything. Some more likely candidates for a GUI environment would be: Ratpoison, dwm, Icewm, Matchbox, or the Gmenu2x that OpenWRT uses. The reason it is considered complete is because all the graphical stuff is actually extra, one can hack around quite thoroughly using only a shell. I do. It does not come with Abiword or Gedit.
What I am saying abou the LG500G is not that it will boot GNU/Linux at all, but that one can load copyleft GPL software onto the phone as-it-is that will give much functionality such as text editing/saving, reading EPUBS, etc. The programs install the same way downloadable games install and are written for Java J2ME. As such, the source is easy to read and modify and the programs should work on MANY phones. I already have a $5 Motorola em326G that I have set up with many such "apps" . So there is no operating system change on the phones, they just must come with Java preinstalled and then you can work with it from there. If this accomplishes your intended task sufficiently, then great because as a low power device, the battery life will be great (I get over 3 days of light to regular use of my Motorola phone!) Since you do not sound like a hard-core hacker, that may be better for you as the Java text editors/apps are inherently more visual, and there is no need for GNOME as the GUI on most phones is OK, at least liveable. Let me know if you are interested. Hope I was of some help.
Great idea. Could you please identify the java apps and where to download them? Thank you.
Sure. First of all, in general if you want to find more such apps, look for them by using the key words "J2ME [type of app you want] [possibly "open source"]
Sourceforge is a great place to look and you can use J2ME or "java phone" or MIDLET as a keyphrase.
J2ME just means Java Micro Edition. Java is a well established and ubiquitous language so if you wanted to learn it , it would be rather accessible. I recommend only programs that are Free Software because: you can usually email the developers and get great support source code is provided so you have the "four Freedoms" the quality of Free/Open Source software is virtually always higher.
I have ended up deleting all the "freeware" programs I have tried that are not Free Software because they have no support anymore and cannot be changed to get better so they in effect have no future.
For text editors only, here is one SourceForge text editor I use
you download the zip, unzip and place the .jar file in the Java directory on the microSD that is to go in the phone.
I strongly urge you to email me at (firstname.lastname@example.com) so that we may talk at leisure and so that I do not appear to be plugging any particular brand or product and so I do not look like the big bad wolf trying to dissuade you from getting a Ben. I know of about 4 or 5 devices that would likely suit your needs better well below the current price range. I await your mail, thank you.


text:
rick ross – even deeper كلمات اغاني
"even deeper"
(feat. barry white)
[intro – barry white]
it feels so good
you lying here next to me
[verse 1 – rick ross]
i living underneath the telescope
ciroc in my margarita in mehico!
got a model with me that i seen on worldstar
introduced her to the world of la pearla
i'm talking s and m but got her screaming a to z
talking the type of cheese she used to think was make believe
i used to f-ck em then i made em leave
leaving things, i had a bucket full of maybeline!
i had a bucket of my favorite green
open up the budget now its only major things
most things, run ya half a ticket
bugatti boys, cop don't even write the ticket!
i got a few crips that wanna come and kick it
catch blue b-lls if one of ya n-gg-s b-tches
i know the feeling gotta re-align your wills to life
or better yet you maybe should write your will tonight!
[chorus – barry white]
deeper and deeper
in love with you i'm falling, yeah
sweeter and sweeter
your tender words of love keeps calling
[ross ad libs]
[verse 2]
got on my vacaron i'm paid in full
lining up all my n-gg-s bout to pull some major moves
consolidate the game and suffocate the others
keep it real with ur n-gg-s and multiply the numbers!
go to trial and never take the stand
every b-tch was born to break her man (?)
i take you deeper than them other dudes
i see my n-gg-s scramble chickens by the twos
he talkling like a hoe and family in the benzz
she acting like a b-tch well i'm takin her friend
ran outta 1s now i'm throwing what i got
i took her home time to show her what i got
i took her tongue and took it to another notch
i'm getting funds time to get another watch
i'm having fun f-ck it let my brother watch!
i got credit cards and headed to another lot!
(ma,ma,ma,ma,ma, maybach music)
…money grew like gr-ss
…money grew like gr-ss
[chorus – barry white]
cause deeper and deeper
in love with you i'm falling
sweeter and sweeter
your tender words of love keeps calling
eager and eager, yeah
to feel your lips upon my face
please her and please her
any time or any place
i'm gonna love you, love you, love you just a little more, baby
i'm gonna need you, need you, need you every day
كلمات أغنية عشوائية
- careless music manila › careless music manila – tropical vikings كلمات اغاني
- former vandal › former vandal – belladonna كلمات اغاني
- house of el › house of el – elijah كلمات اغاني
- валерия valeriya › валерия (valeriya) – давным – давно (davnym – davno) كلمات اغاني
- therion › therion – astral sophia كلمات اغاني
- house of el › house of el – colourblind كلمات اغاني
- hellfireyt › hellfireyt – fake كلمات اغاني
- corry konings › corry konings – bij mij mag je huilen كلمات اغاني
- neyor › neyor – thinking كلمات اغاني
- lulbearrubberband › lulbearrubberband – nu-u كلمات اغاني


text:
MTN 94 Spray Paint 6 Pack - Boreal Pink
MTN 94 Spray Paint 6 Pack - Boreal Pink
Brand: Montana Colors
Product Code: 94 Boreal Pink 6 Pack
Availability:In stock
$ 41.94 41.94
Have a question?
Grab a quick 6-pack of MTN 94 (RV86) Boreal Pink spray paint. MTN 94 spray paint is the best in class spray paint used by the top graffiti artists and muralists and DIY'ers around the world. Need alot of paint for your next project? You can now purchase this Montana Colors MTN 94 spray can color in a 6 pack case and get massive discounts when you purchase in bulk!


text:
Dietary Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors for Cancer Prevention
Tay Gavin Erickson Lecture Series—Professor Ho's research focuses on understanding the way nutrients and molecular mechanisms affect the initiation and progression of chronic disease states such as cancer. She is currentlyinvestigating the role of antioxidant nutrients such as zinc in maintaining DNA integrity and cancer development. Professor Ho is specifically concerned with the effects of zinc status on DNA damage, DNA repair, and stress-response signal pathways. Her team is also examining the function of zinc across the lifespan, especially as we age because a large proportion of the population does not eat enough zinc and may be at increased risk for cancer and other disorders. Another major focus of her work is dietary influences on prostate cancer development and the molecular mechanisms by which foods like soy, tea, and cruciferous vegetables may prevent prostate cancer.
This lecture is sponsored by the Center for Research on Families' Tay Gavin Erickson Lecture Series. The Center for Research on Families (CRF) is an endowed interdisciplinary research center in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and College of Natural Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The Tay Gavin Erickson Lecture Series brings internationally recognized speakers with expertise in family research to campus each year. The lecture series began in 1999 through an endowment established in memory of Tay Gavin Erickson.
Emily Ho, Ph.D., Endowed Director of the Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition and Preventive Health
Associate Professor and Principal Investigator in the Linus Pauling Institute
Oregon State University


text:
|What Every Catholic Needs to Know About the Bible
What Every Catholic Needs to Know About the Bible
Everyone knows that the Holy Bible is the best-selling book of all time. It is available in more versions and in more languages than any other book in history. But the Bible is more than the world's most widely distributed book. The Sacred Scriptures are really a whole library of sacred books, letters, prophecy and poetry, all of which are believed to be inspired by God by millions around the world. But many read the Bible and never stop to ask, "Where did we get the Bible?" "By what authority was it compiled?" "Where can you find the correct interpretation of the Bible?"
|Biblical Truths, Church Teaching, St. Joseph Communications
Add DVD | $19.95


text:
Treating Multiply Relapsed or Refractory Hairy Cell Leukemia
Name of the Trial
Randomized Phase II Trial of Rituximab with Either Pentostatin or Bendamustine for Multiply Relapsed or Refractory Hairy Cell Leukemia (NCI-10-C-0025). See the protocol summary.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Robert Kreitman, NCI Center for Cancer Research
Why This Trial Is Important
Hairy cell leukemia is an uncommon cancer of the blood in which the body produces a large number of abnormal B lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell). These abnormal cells appear "hairy" when viewed under a microscope and give the disease its name. Hairy cell leukemia is usually treated with a chemotherapy drug called cladribine when signs or symptoms of the disease develop, such as low blood cell counts, recurrent infections, or a swollen spleen.
Pentostatin, another chemotherapy drug in the same class as cladribine, is also effective against this cancer. However, most patients and doctors prefer cladribine because the typical course of treatment lasts 5–7 days as opposed to 3–6 months or longer with pentostatin. Cladribine and pentostatin have different mechanisms of action, but they both produce high rates of complete remission and have similar toxicity. Although responses to cladribine and pentostatin can last years or even decades, these drugs do not appear to cure most patients. Consequently, many patients relapse, need more treatment, and eventually develop resistant, or refractory, disease. Therefore, doctors are interested in finding new treatments or new combinations of existing treatments for patients with hairy cell leukemia who have relapsed or not responded to previous therapies.
A biological agent called rituximab binds to and kills cells that express an antigen called CD20 (CD20-positive cells). Moreover, rituximab has been used successfully to treat some patients with hairy cell leukemia who have relapsed or not responded to previous chemotherapy. Although the hairy cells that remain after cladribine or pentostatin treatment are essentially always CD20 positive, only a minority of patients respond to rituximab therapy alone. However, combinations of rituximab and either cladribine or pentostatin seem to be highly effective in nearly all patients. Dr. Kreitman is currently directing a randomized clinical trial of rituximab with cladribine in newly diagnosed (untreated) patients and patients who have had only one prior course of cladribine, but no prospective trial has yet evaluated rituximab with pentostatin in patients with hairy cell leukemia.
Yet another drug, called bendamustine, has been shown to be effective against other cancers involving B lymphocytes, such as some B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Bendamustine's mechanism of action is different from those of cladribine and pentostatin, and it is known to act synergistically with rituximab in lymphoma cells. NCI researchers think that combining bendamustine and rituximab may prove effective in treating patients with multiply relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia.
In this trial, patients with hairy cell leukemia who have not responded to initial chemotherapy followed by second-line treatment with rituximab, or who have relapsed following two courses of chemotherapy, will be randomly assigned to receive rituximab combined with either pentostatin or bendamustine. Either way, patients will be able to "crossover" to the other regimen if the first one does not work. Doctors will assess the objective response rates of each regimen and try to determine whether one regimen is superior.
"Most of the calls we get at NCI are from multiply relapsed hairy cell patients," said Dr. Kreitman. "The majority of these patients will have received only cladribine, but because pentostatin works differently, some patients with disease that is refractory to cladribine may be sensitive to pentostatin. So it makes sense to use rituximab along with pentostatin as a comparator to bendamustine and rituximab for patients with multiply relapsed or refractory disease."
For More Information
See the lists of eligibility criteria and trial contact information or call the NCI Clinical Trials Referral Office at 1-888-NCI-1937. The call is toll free and confidential.


text:
The White House will announce new "open borders" policy with Mexico and Canada. "All are welcome!"
Sources inside the White House say that the Obama Administration is planning on announcing "a new, bold, creative approach" to the border problem with Mexico. "We are going to let everyone in that wants to come in. It's our little Holiday present to the world," said a source close to an aide to a White House represenative.
The White House will reportedly keep the borders open for at least sixty days and if the experiment goes well, the President may sign an executive order keeping the borders open indefinitely.
"The U.S. government will save an enormous amount of money when we eliminate the Border Patrol and open the borders. The Republicans are always wanting to get rid of government agencies and the President finally heard them… He's getting rid of the Border Patrol, and the border," a Senior Adviser told WWN.
The source told WWN that the White House asked demographic experts from our nation's top universities to determine how many people could "comfortably" live in the United States without straining resources. The experts – from Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Notre Dame, Vanderbilt and The Citadel – concluded that the U.S. could accommodate 700 million people right now. "But in ten years, with modern housing technology and better distribution of natural resources and food, the U.S. could handle over 2 billion people.
The Administration feels that an extra 300-400 million people will revive the economy and lift up the housing market. "We're going to need more of everything – houses, roads, schools, offices. Our economy will be on fire," said a source in the Administration.
Reports are that the White House will see how many come across the border in the first month and then calculate when the country will hit the 700 million mark. "We think it may happen in October 2012, but we are not sure. But when we hit 700 million, the President plans to shut the border down. No more will be allowed in – at least until after the election."
By January, kiosks will open up in Big Bend National Park in Texas allowing people from all across the world to scan their identity documents from their country of origin and just… get busy in America!
The idea has sparked strong opposition from Republicans and even some Democrats. "This is insanity! How can he open the border? What about terrorism? Have they gone mad?" said an aide to Speaker of the House John Boehner.
"Republicans are just racists. They only want white people in America," said a top Democratic consultant. "They are going to alienate the new citizens who will be making the long journey to our country. They need to open their hearts more."
Canadians were upset that the original plan called for the Feds open the southern U.S. border only. "The Canadians whined and complained incessantly. But since there's only 34 million Canadians on the planet, the Administration decided to open the northern border as well," said a source outside the White House. "Most Canadians live within 90 miles of the U.S. anyway, so they practically are Americans already."
There are rumors that the President might go to Texas to open the first border checkpoint personally. "It's going to be a great day for America. The President wants to open the gates personally."
Get ready for a flood of new Americans!


text:
Home Security Burglary Prevention advice for protecting home and family.
- A burglary occurs somewhere in the United States every 15.4 seconds.
- Home burglary victims can leave a family feeling vulnerable and violated.
Your home is considered a sanctuary where you should feel safe. Your home is the only environment where you have control over who can get close to you or your family.
Protecting your home and family from criminal intrusion should be high on your list of priorities.
Home Security Burglary Prevention
By far, the most common threat to our home is burglary. According to the FBI, a burglary occurs somewhere in the United States every 15.4 seconds. By definition, the crime of burglary is a non-confrontational property crime that occurs when we are not at home.
However, becoming a burglary victim can leave a family feeling vulnerable and violated. To avoid becoming a burglary victim, it is important to first gain an understanding of who commits them and why.
- The majority of home and apartment burglaries occur during the daytime when most people are away at work or school.
- The summer months of July and August have the most burglaries with February having the fewest crimes.
- Burglaries are committed most often by young males under 25 years of age looking for items that are small, expensive, and can easily be converted to cash.
- Favorite items are cash, jewelry, guns, watches, laptop computers, VCRs, video players, CDs, and other small electronic devices that are high on the list.
- Quick cash is needed for living expenses and drugs.
- Statistics tell us that 70% of burglars use some amount of force to enter a dwelling, but their preference is to gain easy access through an open door or window.
- Ordinary household tools like screwdrivers, channel-lock pliers, small pry bars, and small hammers are most often used by burglars.
- Burglars continue to flourish because police can only clear about 13% of all reported burglaries and rarely catch the thief in the act.
Although home burglaries may seem random in occurrence, they actually involve a selection process. The burglar's selection process is simple.
Burglars choose an unoccupied home with the easiest access, the greatest amount of cover, and with the best escape routes.
What follows is a list of suggestions to minimize your risk by making your home unattractive to potential burglars.
Home Security Burglary Prevention: Doors and Locks
The first step is to harden the target or make your home more difficult to enter. Remember, the burglar will simply bypass your home if it requires too much effort or requires more skill and tools than they possess.
Most burglars enter via the front, back, or garage doors. Experienced burglars know that the garage door is usually the weakest point of entry followed by the back door. The garage and back doors also provide the most coverage. Burglars know to look inside your car for keys and other valuables so keep it locked, even when parked inside your garage.
Use high-quality Grade-1 or Grade-2 locks on exterior doors to resist twisting, prying, and lock-picking attempts. A quality deadbolt lock will have a beveled casing to inhibit the use of channel-lock pliers used to shear off lock cylinder pins. A quality door knob-in-lock set will have a 'dead latch' mechanism to prevent slipping the lock with a shim or credit card.
- Use a solid core or metal door for all entrance points
- Use a quality, heavy-duty, deadbolt lock with a one-inch throw bolt
- Use a quality, heavy-duty, knob-in-lock set with a dead-latch mechanism
- Use a heavy-duty strike plate with 3-inch screws to penetrate into a wooden door frame
- Use a wide-angle 180° peephole mounted no higher than 58 inches
The most common way used to force entry through a door with a wooden jamb is to simply kick it open. The weakest point is almost always the lock strike plate that holds the knobset latch or deadbolt in place followed by a glass-paneled door.
The average door strike plate is secured only by the soft-wood doorjamb molding. These lightweight moldings are often tacked onto the door frame and can be torn away with a firm kick. Because of this construction flaw, it makes sense to upgrade to a four-screw, heavy-duty, high-security strike plate.
They are available in most quality hardware stores and home improvement centers and are definitely worth the extra expense.
- Install this heavy-duty strike plate using 3-inch wood screws to cut deep into the door frame stud.
- Use these longer screws in the knob lock strike plate as well and use at least one long screw in each door hinge.
- This one step alone will deter or prevent most through-the-door forced entries. You and your family will sleep safer in the future.
Home Security Burglary Prevention: Sliding-Glass Patio Doors
Sliding glass doors are secured by latches, not locks. They are vulnerable to being forced open from the outside because of these inherently defective latch mechanisms. This can be easily prevented by inserting a wooden dowel or stick into the track thus preventing or limiting movement.
Other blocking devices available are metal fold-down blocking devices called "Charley bars" and various track-blockers that can be screwed down.
The blocking devices described above solve half the equation.
- Older sliding glass doors can be lifted up and off their track and thereby defeat the latch mechanism.
- To prevent lifting, you need to keep the door rollers in good condition and properly adjusted.
- You can also install anti-lift devices such as a pin that extends through both the sliding and fixed portion of the door.
- There are also numerous locking and blocking devices available in any good-quality hardware store that will prevent a sliding door from being lifted or forced horizontally.
- Place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch mechanism that indicates that an alarm system, a dog, or block watch/operation identification is in place.
- Burglars dislike alarm systems and definitely big barking dogs.
- Use a secondary blocking device on all sliding glass doors
- Keep the latch mechanism in good condition and properly adjusted
- Keep sliding door rollers in good condition and properly adjusted
- Use anti-lift devices such as through-the-door pins or upper-track screws
- Use highly visible alarm decals, beware of dog decals or block watch decals
Home Security Burglary Prevention: Sliding Glass Windows
Windows are left unlocked and open at a much higher rate than doors. An open window, visible from the street or alley, maybe the sole reason for your home to be selected by a burglar. Ground-floor windows are more susceptible to break-ins for obvious reasons. Upper-floor windows become attractive if they can be accessed from a stairway, tree, fence, or by climbing on balconies.
Windows have latches, not locks, and therefore should have secondary blocking devices to prevent sliding them open from the outside.
- Inexpensive wooden dowels and sticks work well for horizontal sliding windows and through-the-frame pins work well for vertical sliding windows.
- For ventilation, block the window open no more than six inches and make sure you can't reach in from the outside and remove the blocking device or reach through and unlock the door.
- In sleeping rooms, these window-blocking devices should be capable of being removed easily from the inside to comply with fire codes.
- Like sliding glass doors, anti-lift devices are necessary for ground-level and accessible aluminum windows that slide horizontally.
- The least expensive and easiest method is to install screws halfway into the upper track of the movable glass panel to prevent it from being lifted out in the closed position.
- As a deterrent, place highly visible decals on the glass door near the latch mechanism that indicates that an alarm system, a dog, or a block watch/operation identification system is in place.
- Secure all accessible windows with secondary blocking devices
- Install blocks to restrict accessible windows to open no more than 6 inches for ventilation
- Make sure someone cannot reach through an open window and unlock the door
- Make sure someone cannot reach inside the window and remove the blocking device
- Use anti-lift devices to prevent the window from being lifted out
- Use crime prevention or alarm decals on ground-accessible windows
Home Security Burglary Prevention: Be a Good Neighbor
Good neighbors should look out for each other. Get to know your neighbors on each side of your home and the three directly across the street. Invite them into your home, communicate often, and establish trust. Good neighbors will watch out for your home or apartment when you are away if you ask them.
They can report suspicious activity to the police or to you while you are away. Between them, good neighbors can see to it that normal services continue in your absence by allowing vendors to mow your lawn or remove snow.
Good neighbors can pick up your mail, newspapers, and handbills, and can inspect the outside or inside of your home periodically to see that all is well. Good neighbors will occasionally park in your driveway to give the appearance of occupancy while you are on vacation.
Allowing a neighbor to have a key solves the problem of hiding a key outside the door. Experienced burglars know to look for hidden keys in planter boxes, under doormats, and above the ledge.
Requiring a service vendor to visit your neighbor to retrieve and return your house key will send the message that a capable guardian is watching. This neighborhood watch technique sets up what is called territoriality which means that your neighbors will take ownership and responsibility for what occurs in your mini-neighborhood.
This concept works in both single-family home communities and apartment properties. This practice helps deter burglaries and other crimes in a big way. Of course, for this to work, you must reciprocate and offer the same services.
- Get to know all your adjacent neighbors
- Invite them into your home and establish trust
- Agree to watch out for each other's home
- Do small tasks for each other to improve territoriality
- While on vacation – pick up newspapers, and flyers
- Offer to occasionally park your car in their driveway
- Return the favor and communicate often
Home Security Burglary Prevention: Lighting the Home
Interior lighting is necessary to show signs of life and activity inside a residence at night. A dark home night after night sends the message to burglars that you are away on a trip.
- Light timers are inexpensive and can be found everywhere.
- They should be used on a daily basis, not just when you're away. In this way, you set up a routine that your neighbors can observe and will allow them to become suspicious when your normally lighted home becomes dark.
- Typically, you want to use light-timers near the front and back windows with the curtains closed.
- The pattern of lights turning on and off should simulate actual occupancy.
It's also comforting not to have to enter a dark residence when you return home. The same light timers can be used to turn on music to further enhance the illusion of occupancy.
Exterior lighting is also very important. It becomes critical if you must park in a common area parking lot or underground garage and need to walk to your front door.
The purpose of good lighting is to allow you to see if a threat or suspicious person is lurking in your path. If you can see a potential threat in advance then you at least have the choice and chance to avoid it.
Exterior lighting needs to be bright enough for you to see 100 feet and it helps if you can identify colors. Good lighting is definitely a deterrent to criminals because they don't want to be seen or identified.
Another important area to be well-lighted is the perimeter of your home or apartment, especially at the entryway.
- Exterior lighting on the front of a property should always be on a timer to establish a routine and appearance of occupancy at all times.
- Common area lighting on apartment properties should also be on a timer or photo-cell to turn on at dusk and turn off at dawn.
- The practice of leaving the garage or porch lights turned on all day in a single-family home is a dead giveaway that you are out of town.
- Exterior lighting at the rear of a home or apartment is usually on a switch because of the proximity to the sleeping rooms.
- The resident can choose to leave these lights on or off.
Security lights with infrared motion sensors are relatively inexpensive and can easily replace an exterior porch light or side door light in single-family homes. The heat-motion sensor can be adjusted to detect body heat and can be programmed to reset after one minute.
These security lights are highly recommended for single-family homes.
- Use interior light timers to establish a pattern of occupancy
- Exterior lighting should allow 100- feet of visibility
- Use good lighting along the pathway and at your door
- Use light timers or photocells to turn on/off lights automatically
- Use infra-red motion sensor lights on the rear of single-family homes
Home Security Burglary Prevention: Alarm Systems
Alarm systems definitely have a place in a home security plan and are effective, if used properly. The reason why alarm systems deter burglaries is that they increase the potential and fear of being caught and arrested by the police.
The deterrent value comes from the alarm company lawn sign and from the alarm decals on the windows. Home and apartment burglars will usually bypass a property with visible alarm signs and will go to another property without such a sign.
Some people, with alarm systems, feel that these signs and decals are unsightly and will not display them. The risk here is that an uninformed burglar might break a window or door and grab a few quick items before the police can respond. Also, don't write your alarm passcode on or near the alarm keypad.
Alarm systems need to be properly installed and maintained. Alarms systems can monitor for fire as well as burglary for the same price.
All systems should have an audible horn or bell to be effective in case someone does break in. However, these audible alarms should be programmed to reset automatically after one or two minutes. The criminal got the message and will be long gone but your neighbors will have to listen to the alarm bell, sometimes for hours, until it is shut off. If you use a central station to monitor your alarm, make sure your response call list is up to date.
Home alarms, like car alarms, are generally ignored except for a brief glance. However, if you have established and nurtured your neighborhood watch buddy system, you will experience genuine concern for your neighbor. It is not unusual to have a neighbor wait for the police, allow them inside for an inspection, and secure the residence. A good neighbor can also call the glass company or locksmith to repair any damage if pre-authorized by you.
- The greatest barrier to getting to this level of neighborhood participation is taking the first step.
- You can get help by calling your local crime prevention unit at the police department.
- Most police departments in large cities have neighborhood watch coordinators to help you set this up.
- You should invite your adjacent neighbors over to your home for coffee and begin the information exchange. You'll be amazed at how the process runs on automatic from there.
- Alarm systems are effective deterrents with visible signage
- Alarm systems to be properly installed, programmed, and maintained
- Alarm systems need to have an audible horn or bell to be effective
- Make sure your alarm response call list is up to date
- Instruct your neighbor how to respond to an alarm bell
Home Security Burglary Prevention: Home Safes
Since the prices of good home safes are falling, having a safe in your home is a wise investment. Home safes are designed to keep the smash-and-grab burglar, nosey kids, dishonest babysitter, or housekeeper from gaining access to important documents and personal property. Home safes need to be anchored to the floor or permanent shelving.
- Use the safe every day so it becomes routine
- Protect the safe code and change it occasionally
- Install it away from the master bedroom or closet
Home Security Burglary Prevention: Operation Identification
This is a program supported by most police agencies. They recommend that you engrave your driver's license, not your social security number, on televisions, stereos, computers, and small electronic appliances. They suggest this so they can identify and locate you if your stolen items are recovered.
I suggest that you go way beyond this step.
I recommend that you photograph your valuables in their locations around your home and make a list of the make, model, and serial numbers. This is very important for proof when filing insurance claims.
You should keep this list in a safety deposit box or with a relative for safekeeping. Keep receipts of the larger items in case you need to prove the value of the items for insurance purposes.
Beyond that, I recommend that you photocopy important documents and the contents of your wallet. You will be thankful that you took these steps in case your home is ever destroyed by fire or flood, is ransacked, or your wallet is lost or stolen.
- Identify your valuables by engraving your driver's license number
- Photograph and record the serial numbers of all valuables
- Photocopy the contents of your wallet and other documents
- Store the copies in a safe deposit box or with a relative
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text:
By Bushra Ejaz. Translated by Paramjit Singh Ramana.
Once she decided to banish love out of her life, her world turned upside down. She had never thought that later she would face any such problem that she won?t be able to solve. And trying to solve that problem, she would herself become a problem. She had never thought that in loveless times the flowers fade, the breeze turns into scalding wind, sadness engulfs the walls of your home and despite the cacophony of noises emanating from the courtyard, a deafening silence overwhelms you and takes possession of your heart like a cobra with its hood raised, whose hissing sets your very being on such a fire that neither the cold water nor the icy winds can ever extinguish. The heart burns, the cobra hisses, the fire rages and doesn?t die out. Whatever you do, it does not die out; it just refuses to die out.
She put her left hand on her chest and walked slowly towards the window. It was pitch dark in the street opposite. A municipal bulb, visible near the last corner of that lane near Zainab Massi?s [maternal aunt] house, looked like a lamp burning in a hut at the edge of a forest, which sometimes shows the way to the lost travellers. That bulb was surrounded by a silent darkness. A murmur could be heard coming from Uncle Arshad?s house, situated just opposite the window. Chachi [paternal aunt] Rashida will as usual be narrating the same old tale of Scheherazade to her grandsons and granddaughters. She would conclude with the words: ?What a wonderful woman she was! How intelligent, quick witted and brave!? When she heard that story as a child, she had asked, flapping her eyelashes, ?How come, Chachi?? ?That is because instead of accepting defeat, she had decided to bravely fight the cruel king. God helped her succeed. Look children, it is an honour for the brave to die fighting. Then death ceases to be death, it claims the status of martyrdom and that is a very high status, indeed,? Chachi had said.
Chachi used to tell this story always on the last day of the week. This was her principle. The children waited for the story for full seven days, and then she poured it into their ears, drop by drop. That was why this story was very popular among the children. The next day was a holiday and she remembered how instead of flying kites, playing marbles or simply making noises on the roof with her siblings, she had spent the day engulfed in silence. The issue of dying while fighting bravely had got stuck in her young consciousness. She spent the whole day lying on the cot and looking into the sky. In her heart she repeated innumerable times what aunt had said. But she couldn't figure out what was so special about dying while fighting bravely which earned such praise from Chachi. What courage Scheherazade had displayed that so overwhelmed the aunt that she was narrating her story to everyone? When she could comprehend nothing, she decided not to listen to the story of Scheherazade again and came down from the roof.
Great, Chachi! She felt the echo of conversation reach her ears, and a sigh escaped her lips. Your Scheherazade had succeeded in defeating death due to her narrative gift. But here life itself has been crushing everyone since centuries. I haven?t seen any Scheherazade who could prevail over it. Everyone is afraid of it, and can be seen bowing before it with folded hands. Death appears helpless in facing life. Death is kind and one?s own, at least, it doesn't reject you. Rather it accepts one into its lap with a lot of affection. She felt like shouting at Chachi Rashida through the window and ask her to let go of the poor Scheherazade now, for god?s sake. To forgive that Scheherazade! The poor girl might have got tired of fighting death. Let her face life now. She should also know that there is a world outside the world of art, where there is hunger, there are worries, there is sadness, there is hatred, there are contradictions and…. And life is like the cruel king. And life doesn't pay any attention to the narrative skills of the master storyteller. It has no interest in any such art. Rather, it would be more appropriate to say that it's not possible to trick it with any such art.
Life cannot be appeased. It has its own facts, its own assessments, its own canvas, its own brush and its own colours. Ideas too are its own and so it paints whatever catches its fancy: Upright, inverted, oblique, crooked, as she feels like. And the remarkable thing is that nobody can mould life the way one wants. ?O.K. Scheherazade! If you ever come out of the discourse created by Chachi Rashida, I shall tell you what life is all about.? The sigh emanating from her heart became an expression of her very being. Now in her eyes could be seen the innocence of an eleven year old girl, who takes note of the quickly lengthening shadows on a hot summer afternoon; one who has a small painting brush in one hand and a simple page, torn from a notebook, fluttering in the other.
She wanted to make a painting of the shadows; the shadows of the arches, walls, terraces and the attic of the house. The shadows that came down from the mulberry, mango, black plum and margosa trees growing in the courtyard and spread there in strange shapes, forms and directions. She used to watch the play of shadows while sitting in the centre of the courtyard in one of the arches of an old Baradari whose plaster was coming off. And her feeling of wonder used to multiply manifold when she would see an ill-shaped shadow emerge from the arch she sat under, and spread on the ground. ?Do I look like this?? surprised she would wonder and run into the room. It was during those days that she thought of capturing the shadows in a painting. Perhaps in this way the shadows could be prevented from spreading and lengthening. But that day, her amazement knew no bounds when she saw a shadow in the middle of the arch, move strangely left and right with a yard long brush on a square shaded piece of paper. Do shadows also…? She thought and threw the painting brush away.
It was during those days that a strange accident took place which threw her into a never ending vicious cycle. All her later life was moulded into that cycle. And that cycle became her life cycle. She could never get out of it. Then she could see nothing. She closed her mind?s eye. All her innumerable little childhood joys were strung into an unending chain of tears. Unobtrusively she put that chain around her neck, never to take it off. And then that little girl metamorphosed from Mother?s Muni to Zohri, to Zohra Baji and finally to Zohra Aapa. Recollecting that transformation, Zohra felt a cold shiver quicken through her being. Wrinkles began to appear on her face, which expressed her innocent fears. Sad glitter of twinkling glow-worms began to flicker on her empty palms. A scene emerged in front of her gloomy eyes, a scene that had snatched the joy of breathing from her and had burdened a twelve year old girl with a load of centuries. When she tried to carry the burden, her shoulders slumped, her back bent double, her hands started trembling and legs turned shaky. But she couldn?t even complain against the burden.
She just kept laughing. To keep smiling in face of an extreme sorrow is also akin to defeating the grief. Implicitly, it was like victory over grief. But she learned too late that it was not so. Grief was a wrestler that displayed greater tricks when it was out of the arena. It was simply impossible to prevail over it. Now she left the window and sat in the chair. She untied her long black hair and resting her head on the back of the chair, closed her tired eyes and took deep breaths. ?Life is a four-directional battle, Miss Zohra Sultan.? A whisper rose from somewhere close by. ?How many opponents will you fight? You?ll get exhausted.? ?This exhaustion is here since those days Professor Zaka, when I didn?t even fully understand the meaning of exhaustion.? She thought despondently, feeling the murmuring silence enclosed within the four walls of the room. How can I tell you, Professor Zaka? When the upheaval occurred, a good deal was buried under the rubble.
Long time ago, Professor Zaka, a dark night had swallowed the light out of my life like a cruel demon. The sleep had turned into a continuous wakefulness and dreams, into frightening dreamlessness. When a 12-year-old girl, rudely shaken out of her sound sleep by the frightening noises all around her, had chosen to plug her ears with her fingers. She had devoutly prayed to be blinded in both her eyes when she witnessed that horrifying scene. Finding herself defenceless and overcome by her vulnerability, she had accepted defeat and sitting near the mutilated bodies of her dear ones, had dipped her fingers in their thick blood and written a pledge on her own self. Crying, she had noiselessly run to the rooftop with Maya pressed to her bosom, to talk to God. Perhaps she had the illusion that God is nearer the rooftop. There is no barrier in-between, but this too was her delusion. She learned later that God is far away from everywhere. It is not so easy to reach Him. So she did not cry while giving the final bath and burying the blood-drenched bodies of her parents and three younger siblings. The dry dust flying into her eyes had settled on her eyelashes, spread on her lips and engulfed her very existence. Later, staring at the photograph of a terrorist, printed on the last page of a newspaper, she had tried hard to bring back tears to her dry eyes, the tears that got lost somewhere in the labyrinth of some dark alley on a brutal night.
Professor Zaka, the walls of that room used to be very pitiless and chilly where I, clutching Maya to my bosom, attempted to get rid of the questions written over the frightened open eyes of those mutilated bodies, and to find some sleep by hitting my head against the pillow. Covering both my eyes with palms of her hands, I used to vigorously recite the Ayat-ul-Kursi [a prayer from Quran]. ?Go to sleep, Go to sleep?, I used to admonish myself. Those days I used to feel very angry with God. I wished I would come face to face with Him and ask what type of a God He was who destroyed the world of the unsuspecting? Did He prefer those who haughtily roamed around freely, nonchalantly killing or injuring whosoever they liked, without any worry whatsoever? Pitted against them were people like us, who even after having been destroyed completely, kept on praying to You, talking to You.?
A car blew horn in the street below, she got up from her chair, shut the window and lay on the bed. On the wall facing her, was a photograph of twenty year-old Maya. Maya on whose lips a smile had spread out like flowering buds and life glittered in her eyes like a fountain in the hills. In her confident manner, there was an extraordinary openness. As if she will jump out of the photograph and exuberantly embrace her, ?Aapa, Zohra Aapa, the blue sky, high snow clad mountain tops, adventurers conquering those tops and the determination visible in the eyes of those people, fascinate me. Aapa, let us also go to conquer some top. I wish to plant my Aapa?s flag on the highest peak of the world. Zohra Aapa, the Great! Zohra Aapa, the highest peak in the world, higher than the Himalayas, mad?? She turned in the bed and felt a sharp twinge of sorrow rise in her chest: ?Wah Maya! How would you know of what brittle clay your sister is made of, how fragile is her being? It was for your sake that your Aapa transformed herself into something like the Himalayas. What else could she do?? ?But Aapa you never revealed why we were so alone despite having so many relatives?? ?Because we loved to live with freedom? she had smiled.? ?That is okay. But, when our parents died, you were so young. Tell me, how you decided to live on your own??
On this probing, a pitiless night buried deep in her heart stared at her ironically. But she was ready. Since long, she had prepared herself for this moment. So she spoke calmly: ?Maya, you have always been stupid. You fool, how was I alone? My Maya was with me, so were Noor Chacha, Massi Khairan, and Chacha Rashid. There were Masi Zainab and Mama Tufail. And we were there. They all were there. We have been living among them all. They used to be here all day long. Leave that, Yaar Maya! The truth is that I didn?t like locking up our parental house and shifting somewhere else. Should I tell you the truth, Maya?? She became a bit sad. ?You were so young; you do not know how our parents used to look after this house. They had supervised every brick that was laid in this house. They had carefully tended every leaf, every plant and every flower-bed with their labour and prayers. Then how could I desert this house and let others take its possession. Maya, this house is a place of worship for me, where love is a prerequisite and purity a duty; where you can respectfully pay your obeisance any time. Where you can worship and that is all.? Saying so, she tried to erase the image of that horrible night from her mind, when in that place of worship the blood of innocents was senselessly shed. That night, the cruel rite of butchering was performed; something, which was neither so ordained by God, nor expected as an offering by Goddess Kali. Perhaps, even she doesn?t demand such sacrifices any more. And God, He has been uninvolved from the very beginning, so uninvolved. Why should He require such sacrifices?
?What happened, Aapa?? Maya was troubled by the changing expressions on her face. ?Nothing, my dear.? She had controlled herself. A smile was playing on her dust covered lips. ?Then what happened, Aapa?? Detecting curiosity in Maya?s eyes, she continued slowly: ?Then, your Aapa grew up, matured, became the most mature, maturer than our parents and she succeeded the mother, took over her kingdom. In her kingdom, she simultaneously performed the duties of the king, the queen and the slave. She ordered shut all the secret escape routes. She zealously protected the borders of her kingdom and began to enjoy life with her dear Maya Rani. Everyone was surprised; everyone was confident about the imminent collapse of the kingdom; everyone was waiting. Everyone spread rumours; because such things had not happened before. But as you say, your Aapa is stronger than the Himalayas, so everything went off well. (And… my Maya grew up. After a long time she breathed peacefully, holding Maya to her bosom.) Perhaps life would have gone on comfortably had Professor Zaka?s arrival not caused the upheaval. A little joy trapped in her heart for centuries escaped through some small crack and settled on the forehead of Professor Zaka. What? Completely oblivious of his presence, Zohra stared at him surprised.
?Zohra Sultan! Time is fast running out of your grip. There is only one path available to those obsessed with the quest for truth in this universe; it is that they surrender their true need to the care of some Mansoor without wasting any time. Why do you forget that you are not alone in this universe? There are some other equally headstrong people here, who are driven by the same spirit, who live with that spirit and love their selfless desire.? She saw that a ray of happiness was now playing on Professor Zaka?s chest.
?Zohra Sultan! Howsoever high your aim, it should not defy nature, otherwise, the aim does not remain aim, it grows into obstinacy. Those who go against nature suffer and cause suffering to others also.? ?Professor Zaka, I don?t understand why you are after me? What do you want from me?? she heard herself speak. ?I don?t mean any harm, Zohra Sultan.? She observed that the glitter of some unseen happiness shining in Professor Zaka?s eyes had suddenly begun to fade away. He bowed a bit to place the notebook he was carrying, on the table. And she observed that the little ray of happiness that had been glowing on his chest suddenly vanished. ?I wish to draw you out of your self-created world where you have imprisoned yourself since ages.? ?It is not like that, Professor Zaka.? The confidence in her voice had a ring of defeat to it. ?Yes, yes, I know you regard this as your kingdom,? he spoke aggressively. ?But without seeking your pardon, I wish to assert Miss Zohra Sultan that you are making a big mistake, a very big mistake.?
This was the moment when angry Zohra Sultan ordered him out of her world. Banished love out of her life. And taking Professor Zaka?s spirit as an illusion, she withdrew completely into her own little world.
But after this, the time sense began to go awry. The tastes began to alter and the moods underwent transformation. After moving at her own pace for such a long time she began to feel an innocent urge in her heart to stop, to rest which she tried her best to suppress with her strict rules and discipline. But she saw that the urge was growing like the bamboo. The system of her kingdom got disturbed within days, hours and moments. The eyes, on guard since so long, began to feel heavy because of the sleeplessness; the eyelids tended to close under the weight of some unknown burden. In her heart she felt such a pang that she was even afraid to name. ?Is that all Zohra Sultan! How strange that you, despite being so courageous, intelligent, and self-confident, don?t know what is in your heart? Something that you long for, but can?t admit to yourself. Perhaps admission is defined as cowardice in your dictionary. But I would like to make this clear to you that there is limit to denial also. ?If defiance crosses a certain limit, it results in problems.?? The words of Professor Zaka came from so close that she was surprised.
?Professor Zaka! Long ago I tried to make a painting of the shadows. But I was so frightened by my own shadow that the painting brush fell from my hand. But do you know what happened after that? On seeing the innocent blood of my dear ones, I dipped my finger in the blood and wrote a pledge on my very being. The surprising thing is that this scene didn?t frighten me but a strange defiance permeated every pore of my being I cannot get rid of, now. Professor Zaka! You are right this ?kingdom? was a delusion; I have no hesitation in admitting this. I am in love with you but, believe me, my defiance creates a wall between you and me, a wall made of such a mirror that I find myself standing on its both sides. On both sides, I find myself. In such a situation, I do not understand where you disappear. Now tell me, where should I go? What should I do??
Far away, Professor Zaka was fast asleep in a room in the youth hostel, when something suddenly woke him up; as if the touch of a wing of some divine angel roused him, saying ?Get up, Professor Zaka!? He got up, and yielding his fulfilled dream to his shortened sleep, went towards that part of the city where a girl, captive of a cruel moment and sleepless since ages, was standing on the crossroads, carrying the burden of defiance on her head.


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updated copyright year after changing license notice
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documentation updates fixed some portability bugs in vmgen-ex and vmgen-ex2 updated copyright years
updated copyright years
source positions are now passed through literals instead of using return stack tricks; appropriate changes in the users of source.fs.
changed FSF address in copyright messages
updated copyright dates in many files (not in ec-related files)
Makefile.in -- changes to make documentation build with moofglos.fs rather than with mini-oof.fs (since the former contains glossary entries and the latter does not) assert.fs blocks.fs debug.fs environ.fs errors.fs extend.fs float.fs glocals.fs moofglos.fs prim search.fs struct.fs stuff.fs vt100.fs kernel/args.fs kernel/basics.fs kernel/comp.fs kernel/cond.fs kernel/files.fs kernel/getdoers.fs kernel/int.fs kernel/io.fs kernel/nio.fs kernel/paths.fs kernel/require.fs kernel/special.fs kernel/tools.fs kernel/toolsext.fs kernel/vars.fs -- many small changes to glossary entries.. I think most are done now, so I hope to change far fewer files next time! doc/gforth.ds -- many, many small changes and a few large ones. Moved some sections around, fixed typos and formatting errors, added new section on exception handling, rearranged 'files' section.
updated dates in copyright messages inserted copyright messages in most files that did not have them removed outdated files engine/32bit.h engine/strsig.c
Added documentation for structures and object.fs Changed representation of structures from "size align" to "align size", and renamed 1 cells: to cell% etc. added %size and %alignment fixed search bug added command-line option --die-on-signal
added copyright headers changes to loadfilename & co. to make savesystem transparent to assertions and ~~
added answords.fs and strsignal.c added checking of documenetation of ANS Forth words Fixed many documentation errors and added some documentation signal handling now uses strsignal and can handle signals not present on all machines
Added stuff for documenting Forth source and integrating it into the texi file changed checks for DOMAINOS to checks for apollo (which is defined on apollos) changed "-evaluate" (which did not work anyway) to "--evaluate" added debugging.fs and assert.fs to startup.fs
fixed a few bugs in gforth.el more documentation
signals are now translated into THROWs A number of bug fixes (make a diff of BUGS for details) added assert.fs and debugging.fs made .s nicer keep names of included files (in loadfilename) and print them upon error


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Popular Science
Popular Science gives our readers the information and tools to improve their technology and their world. The core belief that Popular Science and our readers share: The future is going to be better, and science and technology are the driving forces that will help make it better.
Common terms and phrases
Advertising Anti Rolling Gyro audio battery BEST OF WHAT'S Bluetooth Boomer Esiason Bose building chip colored bubbles create Dept designed device diamond digital camera doctor drive EarthLink easy Editor electric electronic engine erectile dysfunction Fastech 360 floor FREE CATALOG Free Information Garmin gemstone Google Haney headphones heat hurricanes hydrogen Internet Jesse Sullivan Kehoe Kehoe's kids laptop Laser look machine medicines million minutes models motor NEWEGG offer P.O. Box Particle Patent Perpendicular recording PopSci popsci.com POPULAR SCIENCE DECEMBER portable processor robot Sabnis SAVE says SCIENCE DECEMBER 2005 scientists Scooba sensor sexual Slingbox soap space speed surface surfactants take VIAGRA TECH Toshiba VIAGRA VOLVO PENTA WAVE FARM waves Wi-Fi wireless world's Xbox Zubbles


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If an oven is described as "fast", what does that mean?
I have always assumed it simply means a hotter oven, where the temperature on the dial is lower than the temperature inside the oven.
But a fan-forced oven also cooks faster than a conventional oven, does that count?
What exactly is the definition of a fast oven?


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David W. Kenney dies at 77; SeaWorld's first veterinarian
David W. Kenney, SeaWorld's first veterinarian, who played a key role in bringing the original Shamu to the San Diego amusement park as well as a gray whale believed to be the first raised by humans, died Feb. 14 in Montrose, Colo. He was 77.
The cause was cancer, said his sister, Meredith Maler.
Kenney was hired by the park a few weeks before its 1964 opening and over the next several years displayed an ingenuity and dedication that helped the fledgling tourist attraction build and maintain an impressive collection of marine animals.
"Even after 50 years, we continue to learn amazing things about animals — their biology, physiology and behavior. Dr. Kenney played a critical role in establishing that knowledge base with the work he did with animals that were part of the park's zoological family in SeaWorld's early years, including Shamu," said SeaWorld spokesman Dave Koontz.
Kenney had a veterinary practice in San Diego when he was called by SeaWorld to conduct necropsies on a couple of its whales and a dolphin. He urged park officials to retain a veterinarian capable of finding out why the animals were dying and preventing further deaths. He was hired.
One of the first changes he made was the whales' diet. They had been fed mackerel, and the fish bones had caused a blockage in their stomachs. He found that they thrived on a concoction of whipped cream and squid. He also examined the park's methods for transporting dolphins and found that they developed pneumonia because they were not properly sheltered during travel.
Often, he found that coming up with a treatment was only half the battle, as in the case of sea lions with mange that left them covered with skin ulcers.
"Just imagine trying to cover 20 sea lions' bodies with medicine!" he recalled in a 2004 interview with Colorado's Telluride Watch newspaper.
His solution was to empty the sea lions' pool and get into it with a mop that he used to swab the bottom with medicine. The creatures were brought back in to play, coating themselves with the ointment as they slipped and slid across the drained pool.
Kenney also devised a medicine tube out of a stove pipe to spray medicine down Shamu's blow hole when the killer whale had such a nasty cold that it was blowing enormous gobs of mucus on anyone within range.
When the first Shamu was brought to Sea World from Seattle in 1965, Kenney created a special cradle for it to rest on and a sprinkler system to keep it hydrated. He used emollients such as zinc oxide and mineral oil to keep the whale's skin from drying out or getting sunburned.
"Dr. Kenney was right out there in the forefront of designing and knowing what the animals needed," said Roger Stevenson, who worked closely with Kenney as SeaWorld's assistant director of animal collecting. "He was in tune with the animals … and did a miraculous job sensing their behavior. "
Kenney's empathy for animals may have come from the health problems he experienced in the first years of his life. He had a defective kidney that was removed soon after his birth in Toledo, Ohio, on May 12, 1934, and spent three years in the hospital.
"There was a lot of isolation," his sister said. "I think that's why he found so much comfort saving animals."
Kenney moved to California with his family in 1946 and settled in La Jolla. In high school, he worked on cattle ranches and rode broncos and bulls in rodeos.
He spent his undergraduate years at what is now San Diego State before earning a degree in veterinary medicine at UC Davis in 1962. He went to work at an animal hospital and quickly gained a reputation for being "willing to treat anything that came in the door," said Lois James, his first wife.
Their house became an extension of the hospital and later of SeaWorld. According to his sister, it was not uncommon to open one of Kenney's freezers and find the carcass of a seal or a penguin on which Kenney planned to perform a necropsy.
The SeaWorld vet also brought live animals home, such as an South American anteater that had impeccable bathroom habits and enjoyed beer. It was joined by a chimpanzee named Chester, who went on to perform at SeaWorld after a period of socialization with the Kenneys.
Kenney went on animal collecting trips around the world and, despite the criticisms of animal-rights activists, believed that the wild species he brought to SeaWorld were better off there than in nature, where they died of diseases and injuries. His early methods of capture were far from ideal, however.
Soon after joining SeaWorld, he and a physiologist from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography hired a Japanese whale gunner who harpooned a baby whale in the waters off Baja California.
According to a 1973 article in the New Yorker by Faith McNulty, the young whale suffered a pierced lung but Kenney patched it up. It survived at SeaWorld for two months, which "convinced Kenney that, with gentle handling, a baby whale could be captured and kept indefinitely," McNulty wrote.
In 1971, Kenney tried again. At Baja's Scammon Lagoon, he and a SeaWorld crew managed to maneuver a gray whale calf under their boat and slip a hoop around it. They carefully hauled it to the beach, where it was placed on a stretcher and floated out to a larger boat for the 300-mile trip back to San Diego.
The whale was named Gigi (for gray girl). She was the first whale of the large baleen variety known to be captured unharmed, taken inland for a year of study and successfully released.
During her captivity, she fascinated Kenney and dozens of visiting scientists, who were able to observe for the first time how a great whale breathes and eats.
Kenney left Sea World in 1972 to return to private practice. He operated several animal clinics in Southern California and later in Colorado, where he moved with his second wife, Connie Stapleton, also a veterinarian.
In addition to his wife and Maler, his sister, he is survived by a daughter, Gwendolyn; four sons, Shane, Miles and Lucas Kenney and Colin Rognlie; a sister, Elisabeth Ecke; a brother, William; and eight grandchildren.
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EverQuest players venture into the undiscovered underground of Norrath today with the launch of EverQuest Underfoot, the game's 16th expansion, which adds new areas, master tradeskilling, and an achievement system to the 10-year-old MMO.
EverQuest Underfoot, available today at EverQuest.com for $39.99, substantially adds to Norrathian real estate by going deeper underground than ever before. Players can expect to encounter plenty of new creatures as they venture forth, hunting for tradeskill recipes so they can make the powerful new items afforded by the addition of Master Tradeskilling.
Other new additions include an expanded target window, which lets players assign group members to specific roles for ease of targeting, and an achievement system, much like the one already implemented in World of Warcraft.
"Celebrating a decade of EverQuest throughout this year has reinvigorated our community and development team alike, and that passion is clearly on display with the latest expansion," said Thom Terrazas, Producer, Sony Online Entertainment. "Underfoot presents a world unlike anything you've experienced in Norrath, providing a deep and fun experience for all our players."
I've not played EverQuest for years, but there are times I miss my bard something terrible. Then I remember this, and the melancholy fades.


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Our Favorite Trail Running Shoes
Check out our Best Trail Running Shoes article to learn about our current favorite trail running shoes!
New Balance Leadville 1210 Review
When we look back at the minimalist trend that has been on the forefront of the running shoe industry for the last several years we will most certainly point to New Balance as being a driving force in that movement. Great, what does that have to do with a "normal" trail shoe? Thankfully, a lot. The trend to lower and lighter has forced many a designer to stop and rethink the tooling of traditional trail shoes. The New Balance Leadville 1210 ($125) is an example of applying the knowledge and material used in minimal shoes and pushing them toward a shoe that is focused on the masses and built specifically ultrarunning.
The Leadville 1210 is neither a lightweight nor a heavyweight at 10.3 ounces in a men's size 9, though it fits a 1/2 size large, so it really is a smidge lighter. It features a 8mm drop, which seems to be a happy medium for getting lower to the ground without overworking those Achilles. You can see some common styles with the Minimus line with the waffle mesh along with laminated overlays to add structured support to the upper and outsole is provided by Vibram. The shoe has all the features you have come to expect from a standard trail runner: low-profile lugs, toe bumper,
rock plate, along with a small fatigue post to help in those later miles when form falls apart.
Below we cover off on New Balance's first targeted ultrarunning shoe. Give it a look and tell us what you think.
[Editor's Notes:
- While we were unable to update our video review, we've updated the transcript below to clarify a mixup regarding the use of N2 and REVlite in the shoe.
- During last year's Leadville 100, we interviewed Bryan Gothie, Senior Product Manager at New Balance, about the New Balance Leadville 1210's features.]
[Click here if you can't see the video above.]
New Balance Leadville 1210 Review Transcript
Hey and welcome to Trail Trials, the video review section of iRunFar.com. My name is Travis Liles, and in this video we're going to take a look at the New Balance MT 1210 Leadville.
The New Balance MT 1210, the "Leadville," is New Balance's first shoe that they've really positioned as an ultrarunning shoe. You see it in their marketing and online. You also see it just in the name of the shoe—the Leadville. This is really positioned to be an ultrarunning shoe. How this differs from what New Balance has done over the last several years is that this is not a minimal shoe. This is a shoe for the masses.
What we see are a lot of great features that have been taken from that minimal line, so it's not just a road shoe with some beefed up tread. It really is a shoe that they've taken some time and some effort to build a shoe that is trail running specific while taking some of the heritage of that minimal line and applying it to a shoe that is definitely in the middle of the road in terms of cushioning and support and those sorts of things. To give you some quick specs, the Leadville is a 10.3oz shoe with an 8mm drop and a slight bit of pronation control. With that said, let's get up close and personal and see what we think about the MT 1210 Leadville from New Balance.
Let's start off by looking at the outsole of the Leadville. We can see from the branding on the side of the shoe as well as the bottom that this is a Vibram outsole. That means we've got some durable rubber that is going to hang around for awhile, which is the reputation of Vibram. These shoes have forward-facing and reverse-facing lugs. We can see the forward-facing lugs being on the front so that going uphill they give us traction. Then as we transition from the midfoot and back to the heel we move to a rear-facing lug so we can break going downhill and have traction. Then there is a full-on heel break as we go all the way to the outer back part of the heel where generally we would sit back on if we were trying to avoid sliding.
In the middle of the shoe, we have a very consistent triangle or skewed yield sign-type of lug all the way across the bottom. I found these to clear out mud relatively easily, and I think a lot of that has to do with the tread depth. We don't have an overly aggressive trail sole. We have a general-purpose sole. If it's really muddy, these aren't going to do as well as a shoe that has a large oversized lug or a spike, but these are going to do great as far as overall general trail running and being able to provide traction on a wide variety of surfaces.
If we look in here, we have a cutout that exposes some of [correction:] the N2, a nitrogren-infused TPU
our trail plate. [The N2 foam is made to be a little more durable and not quite as spongy as some of the foam that is used on the road shoes by New Balance. The N2 is described as a lower profile-type of foam which is fitting for trail running.] I can push my finger in and get my fingernail to push into that material. It's not a hard plastic. Overall, we don't have a really twisty and flexible type of shoe. Over time, these will break down and be more flexible, but it's a relatively stiffer shoe compared to what we've all seen in the last several years in the Minimus line and the New Balance trail shoes. Overall, it's a nice outsole that provides a package that will be very good across lots of different conditions with low lugs that tended to clear mud well. We've had a really rainy season in my neck of the woods.
[This section has been updated and corrected.] Next up, we'll transition to the midsole. We have what's called this "Revlite." You can see it exists from the heel all the way up to the front of the shoe on that outer (lateral) side of the shoe.
As we transition from the back and move our way to the inner (medial) view, you can see we have a post. We have the REVlite continuing and then this dark grey foam. This dark grey foam, by pushing on it, you can feel it's slightly more dense than the red foam. What I like about this post is that it's not a post that is going to be really intrusive. If you're a neutral runner, you may not ever even use it. But if you're someone like me who maybe later on in a race or you've got a lot of miles during the week and your form might start to slip a little bit, this is helpful. It's not something that is always there and affecting your stride; it's there when you need it.
Because it's farther back in the heel and doesn't extend into the arch area, you've got a post that is probably more relatable to a "fatigue post" than it would be a true pronation-type of device. That's there for when your form gets a little bit rough, but I like it because it's not overly aggressive. My form can break down and I can have some type of support, but I don't have a road shoe-type of post that is going to push my foot back and potentially cause an issue when I'm out trail running (sprained ankle, that type of thing). So overall, it's an 8mm drop shoe which tends to be a good sweet spot for a lot of trail runners out there. Having a little bit of stability is going to make this shoe more accessible to a lot of folks than say something like the Minimus or similar types of New Balance shoes that are out there.
Next up, let's transition to the upper. The upper is one of those places you can see some of the feedback that they've gotten from their ultrarunning team on cutting down and getting a little more minimal on the upper than some of their previous trail models. Let's start off by talking about the tip of the shoe. You have a toe bumper here right at the very apex. It's not overly hard rubber, but it is there and it's going to add some protection.
As we move towards the sides, we have sort of a slick type of leather here. What's interesting is this same material is all over the shoe, but up here at the front there's even another layer that is kind of a plastic or rubbery type of overlay. I would say that's probably for when you're running in wet grass or those sorts of things so that it's not going to soak into that. It's going to be more water-repellant.
As we move around the back, we start to move away from that suede-type material and we move into a mesh. This mesh overlays, if you really look close and in tight, a sort of waffle pattern that we've seen on the Minimus-type shoes. So it's a waffle pattern with mesh overlay. We have a very similar pattern here with a smaller waffle pattern and a little bit thinner-gauge mesh. That's going to provide structural support of the shoe and keep debris out. I did find that this did a fine job of keeping out debris. As we move across the rest of the shoe, we see a bit of this laminated silver/chrome color support.
This is what's known as "Phantom Fit." So instead of taking overlays and placing them all over the shoe, they've done a lightweight mask that's on top of this fabric. There's not stitching on this which is something you'll notice throughout the shoe. There's not a lot of stitching on this shoe which is great for avoiding hotspots. We have that laminate on both sides adding some structure. We can see it somewhat goes up into the laces. So when the laces are pulled, it sort of creates this tension across this mask or this phantom fit, which is going to provide a much better and more secure fit.
As we move around to the sides, we can see this top shoe anchor to this piece of felt or overlay that exists on both sides that is again going to help cinch that up when we pull the laces tight. It's going to add an anchor point to enable us to get a good cinch in the heel.
As we move to the heel we can see that while there is a bit of structure in the heel and in terms of the heel cup, it's pretty lightweight. In fact, there's not a lot to it as it collapses. But if you feel in there, there is a piece of plastic or something in there that is helping keep the shape of that heel. We have a nice padded heel collar that for me was really not as locked down as I'd like it to be. You can see with these laces that I've laced them all the way up and I've done that heel-lock type lacing. This shoe did not hold my heel as well as I had hoped, but I've got a narrow heel. Someone with a more normal heel may not have a problem with that. This is just an FYI—it is a bit of a wider foot in the back. So if you need that, it's there; if you're a more narrow heel, you may have to futz around with the lacing like I did.
Speaking of the lacing, we have a very standard lacing here that I talked about being able to anchor the foot in. Lastly, we come to probably my only real ding on this shoe—the tongue. The one great thing about the tongue is that it is gusseted all the way up. In terms of being able to keep out debris, we're all the way up to this top eyelet where that tongue is at. So where it's nice is that it creates a nice fit. Your foot fits in there nicely. It has a good slipper-ish type feel when you put your foot in here. The downside is that heel, and what sort of compounds that problem for me is that this tongue is not very tall. So you can see with the lacing style that I used, I'm almost at the top (of the tongue) in terms of the laces and because it doesn't have a lot to it, I found sometimes when I was going downhill my laces would slide back behind the tongue and add a little pressure. Again, that is an issue that is specific to me, so if you don't have that type of issue, it could obviously be a really great fit.
Lastly, we've got a removable insole. This used to say "the Leadville" and have a bit of a picture just like we have on the tongue here with the mountain range. I've worn that off, but you do have a removable insole that you can take out and use orthotics if you'd like.
In closing, the Leadville really brings something new to the New Balance line that hadn't been there for awhile, and that is a real trail running shoe that is specifically designed for trail running. They haven't mocked up a road running shoe with some trail features. This is its own beast, if you will. Good tread, average type tread with its positioned lugs. It's in that midweight range with that 10.3 ounces. We have a much lower than normal (in terms of road shoes) drop at 8mm. They add a little bit of pronation control here without going overboard and making it unsafe. They've really reduced the uppers and overlays by doing some of this netting. My only ding on it is the tongue is not quite tall enough if you're going to be using these back-end laces because maybe you've got a narrow heel and you need to cinch that up. I had a problem with that, but if you're someone with a wider heel, it may be not an issue.
With that said, any comments or questions, please leave them below the video. Thanks for watching. We'll catch you next time.


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January 31, 2014
Michael Andersen, Green Lane Project staff writer
A respectful but blistering new report on the challenges of the California Department of Transportation holds promise for a bike-design breakthrough in the country's largest state, experts say.
Within the next four months, according to the report commissioned last May by Gov. Jerry Brown, the state should end its "archaic" control over bike facilities on local streets and fully endorse the NACTO bike design guide that recommends tools like protected bike lanes, on-street color and dedicated bike signals in urban areas.
The bike changes were one of four immediate actions recommended in the report by the State Smart Transportation Initiative.
Too frequently, SSTI said, the state's municipalities have tried "to implement modern design, only to be thwarted by the state and its dated, rigid design policies."
In the somewhat longer term, Caltrans should perform a "complete overhaul" of its design manuals to allow more flexible street design that supports Californians' trend toward driving their cars less, even as the state's economy has grown.
Caltrans director welcomes recommendations
The recommendations were "greeted enthusiastically by Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty, who said the report's suggestions dovetailed nicely with the 'reforms already underway,'" AllGov.com reported Friday.
Other experts added their approval.
"When Caltrans first put in the requirement that cities follow their Highway Design Manual for bikeways, even on local streets, it was for good reason," said Seleta Reynolds of the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency. "The state of the practice around designing for bikes was just developing, and it was a reliable way to make sure that people wouldn't build sub-standard facilities. These days, though, that need no longer exists."
Sean Co, an active transportation planner for the Bay Area's metropolitan planning organization, said he hoped the report would help give Caltrans the sense of mission and meaning it enjoyed in the 1960s.
"My dad used to work for Caltrans and he said in the early days they had a clear mission to build the state highway network," Co said. "The report indicates that they are struggling to find what their current mission should be. I think they should focus on being a mobility department that includes all modes of transportation."
Rising hope for reform
As the report noted, the country's largest state transportation agency has already seen "reams of reports and recommendations that purport to address new policy demands" and that "many well-meaning initiatives have simply withered."
But with California cities and transportation, business and environmental advocates increasingly focused on moving Caltrans in a new direction — for example, the California Bicycle Coalition already has a bill in the works to remove bike facilities from state oversight — reform advocates inside and outside of government are hopeful.
Indeed, one of the report's final recommendations about Caltrans reform wasn't actually for Caltrans. It was that everyone else in California needed to give Caltrans a hand.
"Because even the best managers at Caltrans tend to be a product of that culture—and because significant hurdles to change come from outside the department—it appears that modernizing is unlikely to occur simply through Caltrans' own work, but will require action by CalSTA, the legislature, and other agencies and stakeholders."
Source: peopleforbikes.org
Related articles:
Even in cities with setbacks, consensus for protected bike lanes keeps rolling
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