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Properties and Health Effects
The general population is exposed to low levels of cobalt in air, water, and food. Cobalt has both beneficial and harmful effects on health. At low levels, it is part of vitamin B12, which is essential for good health. At high levels, it may harm the lungs and heart.
What is cobalt?
Cobalt is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, soil, water, plants, and animals. Cobalt is used to produce alloys used in the manufacture of aircraft engines, magnets, grinding and cutting tools, artificial hip and knee joints. Cobalt compounds are also used to color glass, ceramics and paints, and used as a drier for porcelain enamel and paints. Radioactive cobalt is used for commercial and medical purposes. 60Co (read as cobalt sixty) is used for sterilizing medical equipment and consumer products, radiation therapy for treating cancer patients, manufacturing plastics, and irradiating food. 57Co is used in medical and scientific research. It takes about 5.27 years for half of 60Co to give off its radiation and about 272 days for 57Co; this is called the half-life.
What happens to cobalt when it enters the environment?
Cobalt enters the environment from natural sources and the burning of coal or oil or the production of cobalt alloys. In the air, cobalt will be associated with particles that settle to the ground within a few days. Cobalt released into water or soil will stick to particles. Some cobalt compounds may dissolve. Cobalt cannot be destroyed. It can change form or attach to or separate from particles. Radioactive decay is a way of decreasing the amount of radioactive cobalt in the environment.
How might I be exposed to cobalt?
You can be exposed to low levels of cobalt by breathing air, eating food, or drinking water. Food and drinking water are the largest sources of exposure to cobalt for the general population. Working in industries that make or use cutting or grinding tools; mine, smelt, refine, or process cobalt metal or ores; or that produce cobalt alloys or use cobalt. The general population is rarely exposed to radioactive cobalt unless a person is undergoing radiation therapy. However, workers at nuclear facilities, irradiation facilities, or nuclear waste storage sites may be exposed to radiation from these sources.
How can cobalt affect my health?
Cobalt can benefit or harm human health. Cobalt is beneficial for humans because it is part of vitamin B12.
Exposure to high levels of cobalt can result in lung and heart effects and dermatitis. Liver and kidney effects have also been observed in animals exposed to high levels of cobalt. Exposure to large amounts of radiation from radioactive cobalt can damage cells in your body from the radiation. You might also experience acute radiation syndrome that includes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding, coma, and death. This would be a rare event.
How likely is cobalt to cause cancer?
Nonradioactive cobalt has not been found to cause cancer in humans or animals following exposure in food or water. Cancer has been shown, however, in animals that breathed cobalt or when cobalt was placed directly into the muscle or under the skin. Based on the laboratory animal data, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that cobalt and cobalt compounds are possibly carcinogenic to humans. Exposure to high levels of cobalt radiation can cause changes in the genetic materials within cells and may result in the development of some types of cancer.
How can cobalt affect children?
We do not know whether children differ from adults in their susceptibility to cobalt. However, it is likely that health effects in children would be similar those in adults. Studies in animals suggest that children may absorb more cobalt than adults from foods and liquids containing cobalt. We do not know if exposure to cobalt will result in birth defects or other developmental effects in people. Birth defects have been observed in animals exposed to nonradioactive cobalt. Exposure to cobalt radiation can also result in developmental effects.
How can families reduce the risk of exposure to cobalt?
Children should avoid playing in soils near hazardous waste sites where cobalt may be present.
Is there a medical test to show whether I've been exposed to cobalt?
Cobalt levels can be tested in the urine and blood within a couple of days of exposure. Your doctor can take samples, but must send them to a laboratory to be tested. The amount of cobalt in your blood or urine can be used to estimate how much cobalt you were exposed to. However, these tests cannot predict whether you will experience any health effects. Two types of tests are available for radioactive cobalt. One is to see if you have been exposed to a large dose of radiation, and the other is to see if radioactive cobalt is in your body. The first looks for changes in blood cell counts or in your chromosomes that occur at 3 to 5 times the annual occupational dose limit. It cannot tell if the radiation came from cobalt. The second type of test involves examining your blood, feces, saliva, urine, and even your entire body. It is to see if cobalt is being excreted from or remains inside your body. Either the doctor's office collects and sends the samples to a special lab for testing, or you must go to the lab for testing.
Has the federal government made recommendations to protect human health?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a limit of 0.1 milligrams of nonradioactive cobalt per cubic meter of workplace air (0.1 mg/m3) for an 8-hour workday and 40-hour work week. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission limits radioactive cobalt in workplace air to 1x10-5 microcurie per milliliter (µCi/mL) for 57Co and 7x10-8 µCi/mL for 60Co. EPA has set an average annual drinking water limit of 1000 picocurie per liter (pCi/L) for 57Co or 100 pCi/L for 60Co so the public radiation dose will not exceed 4 millirem.
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2004. Toxicological Profile for Cobalt Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
Updated: April 2004


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New sewer line could unbottle commercial growth in Canton
The commercial corridor of the Canton exit off Interstate 40 has been in a vice grip for several years due to a maxed out sewer line.
Now, after about three years of work, a sewer upgrade along Champion Drive in Canton has been completed. The old sewer line was too small and at maximum capacity, so new businesses wanting to tap the sewer line were out of luck — a source of consternation to Canton leaders for several years.
The existing line has now been replaced with a wider diameter pipe, increasing capacity and paving the way to accommodate commercial growth along the corridor.
The project was initially estimated at $1.68 million, but it is slated to come in slightly under budget.
A major funder for the new sewer line was the Rural Center, which granted the town more than $800,000 — half of the construction cost.
Related Items
The N.C. Rural Center has given out millions of dollars for water and sewer line projects to spur economic development in small towns and rural communities around the state for years. But state leaders pulled the plug on the Rural Center this summer after it was criticized as a slush fund and accused of mismanagement and favoritism.
When the state suddenly froze funding to the Rural Center, Canton was still owed an outstanding balance on its grant. Town leaders initially feared they may not see the rest of the money they were promised.
However, the state announced that it would honor the grants already awarded by the Rural Center.
"It was a little bit of a concern when it first transpired," Assistant Town Manager Jason Burrell said. But, "Everything's been kind of straightened out."
As a condition of the grant, the sewer upgrade is supposed to lead to the creation at least 83 jobs.
The jobs would come from three businesses — 10 at the MedWest Urgent & Emergent Care, 20 at Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits and 53 at Consolidated Metco, or ConMet. In fact, it was just recently revealed that the manufacturing plant, ConMet, would add 140 jobs in all at its Canton plant.
As for new businesses, there is nothing concrete or substantial yet, though companies have fished around Canton looking for a possible place to open.
The N.C. Golden Leaf Fund contributed $100,000 to the sewer line, the county gave another $40,000, and the town covered the rest.

subset: commoncrawl


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Men's Health Declares Jennifer Aniston the Hottest Woman of All Time
Men's Health declared Jennifer Aniston the 'hottest woman of all time' in a recent article that no one in the world should care about except it's the end of the year and people love 'lists' and 'declarations' of things there is no possible way of ever proving or disproving.
This isn't to detract from Jennifer Aniston's looks or charms. It's not that she is horrible or even unpleasing to look at but the hottest woman of all time? How is that calculated and measured? Internet searches + bikini/naked photo availability x frequency of masturbatory fantasies = hottest woman ever?
Just scrolling through the offensively long slideshow it's pretty obvious it was compiled by throwing darts at a wall full of photos. Not to mention the injustices like Christina Hendricks at 87, Jessica Alba at 54, and Paris Hilton making the list, let alone breaking the Top 50.
What's worse of all is Men's Health's justification for Aniston scoring the top spot:
Funny is sexy, and Jennifer Aniston is funny—she was invited to join Saturday Night Live before her big break with Friends. Her down-to-earth persona makes her seem attainable, and anyone who's seen her in Office Space has to admit she makes even pieces of flair look good. She rarely plays the airhead, and she seldom overplays a role: she's funny in a quiet, refreshingly human way. And her all-too-human love life off screen inspires sympathy that not even a string of bland romantic comedies can diminish. Other sex symbols drift toward one-dimensionality, becoming flat icons in the process, but throughout her career Aniston has remained sexy, funny, and unmistakably real.
That's an awesome Match.com profile but what do they have to say about Jennifer Aniston? Oh that was about Jennifer Aniston? We skipped over most of it and checked her religion and the number of kids she wants. (WE BOTH SAID SIX! EEKK! SOULMATES!)
[Via Men's Health]


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April 4, 2009
cinnamon rolls
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
3/4 stick of butter
heat all in a small saucepan over medium heat until very warm (about 120 degrees)
2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
mix together in a stand mixer until combined. pour in liquid and mix for 2 minutes. add 1 egg and mix until stretchy (about 1 minute).
add another 1 1/2 - 2 cups flour to make a soft dough (be careful not to add too much). knead for 5 minutes in stand mixer. let rest for 10 minutes. roll out into an oblong square on a lightly floured surface. brush with melted butter and spread a generous layer of brown sugar and ground cinnamon on top. tightly roll into a log and cut slices 2 fingers in width.
spray a cookie sheet and place shaped dough 2 inches apart from each other. very lightly press down to flatten. cover and let rise for 15 - 20 minutes (not too long or else they'll be huge)! bake at 375 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes until golden brown. it's very important to cook these all the way because they're nothing worse than a cinnamon roll that's not done in the middle. remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before frosting.
cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup butter
4 ounces cream cheese
3 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
mix until smooth. spoon over semi-cooled cinnamon rolls and spread.
speaking of general conference, click here to read my favorite talk from october's session: "come what may and love it".
15 comments:
Oh they look delicious! I'm going to try it out!ReplyDelete
Between this post & your chocolate cake post - my mouth is watering & my stomach grumbling! Too bad i don't live closer to you - or I may just be beating down your door begging for a bite!!!ReplyDelete
Um...pretty sure mine won't turn out like yours....not to be too cynical or anythingReplyDelete
Oh yum. I really want one of those. mmmmmm...ReplyDelete
mmmm. m-azing.ReplyDelete
i made the pop open the can type this morning.. wish i had thought of these. will just have to find another excuse to bake these babies.
thanks for the recipe.
YUMMY...perfect for my pregnancy appetite.ReplyDelete
That picture just made my tasting glands tingle!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMonday, April 06, 2009
mmmmm.. yummy.. that looks delicious.. I am gonna use that recipe in the future. :)ReplyDelete
I found your blog through reader recommendations, and I'm glad I did... that looks mouthwatering!! Yum. I'll definitely save that to my recipes.ReplyDelete
Saskia x
wow, i actually made these on Sun. morning -- they were AWESOME and super easy. I actually made them smaller & it made a ton - so I froze some. hopefully I can just take them out of the freezer at some point, thaw & let rise??? do you think that will work?ReplyDelete
anyway - great recipe. My husband, who is normally pretty restrained on sweet goodies, ate 7 of them -- remember, they were smaller than yours.
love your blog & your recipes! keep 'em coming!
those look so good. too bad i am dieting. i would kill for one.ReplyDelete
Quick question. I am going to make these tomorrow so I hope you can get to my question! What kind of yeast should I use? I am a novice when it comes to baking this kind of stuff - and I know there is active dry yeast, rapid rise yeast, etc...and not sure what kind to use. I appreciate your help :)ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
i love these rolls. they come together so quickly and taste just wonderful! thank you for sharing!!ReplyDelete
My very favorite youtube is the one by Elder Holland, Good Things to Come. Every night for months I listened to that just before bed and it brought me comfort.ReplyDelete
My second favorite youtube is The Ultimate Dog Tease. I watch that one for a late night laugh and then Elder Holland.
Thanks for hosting such a nice blog. I hope you can help others to be more like you by reading your words and watching your example.


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Teen draws idol to opera house for benefit
VERGENNES — Back in January, guitar-playing 16-year-old Vergennes resident Matteo Palmer knew several things that turned out to be related.
Those were that he enjoys attending and volunteering for events at the Vergennes Opera House, the theater had in recent years found it more difficult to make ends meet, and Grammy-winning southern Vermont resident Will Ackerman had become one of his guitar idols.
This winter, those strands of thought came together and turned into action that resulted in Ackerman agreeing to headline Friday's 8 p.m. benefit concert at the Vergennes theater entitled "Acoustic Encounters."
Ackerman is a Windham Hill record label co-founder who won a 2004 Grammy for his album "Returning" and has been nominated two other times. He will cap an evening with a solo acoustic guitar performance of four of his works.
Palmer will open the show by performing four of his own original pieces, and local musicians Darren Donovan, Josh Brooks, Chris Wyckoff and Bob Recupero will take the stage between Palmer and Ackerman.
But the concert really began with Palmer finding Ackerman's website, taking a leap of faith and emailing him.
"I told him I was 16, I was a big fan of his music, and I asked him if he wanted to come play at the opera house. And he said he wouldn't be able to do a full-on show … But he said he could do four songs and have other people play with him," Palmer said. "I was like, oh, that's a cool idea. I started to get together other musicians and asked if they would play 15- or 20-minute sets. And I wanted to play. And that's really how it got started."
Ackerman said something about Palmer's polite approach struck him, and that he did consider the Vergennes Opera House a good cause.
"All I can say about Matteo is that I foresee great things. I receive a lot of solicitations for benefit concerts. There are political and environmental issues that my wife and I are particularly involved in and issues that concern Vermont are always high on the list," Ackerman said in an email. "Even with that being said, there is a lot of competition for our time and attention. Matteo has some magic going."
To make it work, Ackerman made it clear that he could only perform a limited number of pieces. A full set would involve multiple guitars, professional tuners, and more expense, he told Palmer.
Palmer and Ackerman exchanged a series of emails to work out those details, and then arrange a convenient date.
"Once he said that he wouldn't be able to play a full show, that he would agree to play four songs, I was, 'All right, that sounds good.' After like three emails he said, 'All right, that sounds like it's going to work,'" Palmer said.
Ackerman said he was impressed with how the city teen handled the discussion.
"He's so graceful in his persuasion that one never feels put upon," Ackerman said. "Not that I was purposefully putting roadblocks in front of him, but I had certain needs to make this work for me and he accommodated all of them with amazing efficiency. There's something remarkable in his modest self-confidence."
Once Ackerman signed on, Palmer was sure others would agree to perform in order to help what he believes is an important cause.
"I knew that the opera house was struggling financially, so I thought it would be a good idea," Palmer said. "I was like, it can't hurt to ask him to play for free. I mean, if he's willing to do that, everyone else will."
Palmer has attended a number of events at the opera house, and volunteered to handle sound and lighting at about a half-dozen others.
"It's an important piece of my life, I guess. I've always liked the opera house because I'm up there a lot," he said. "We bring a lot of cool music here. It's entertainment for everyone. And I think more people should be going to the opera house. Sometimes I'm up there and shows aren't as packed as I think they should be. All the shows I've been up there to see are good shows."
One show he worked at last summer featured Henry Butler and Charles Neville. His mother, Kimberly O'Boyle Palmer, and family friends from near New York City attended the concert. She strongly supports the opera house, too.
"They were just blown away, and said, 'Do you know what we would pay? Do you know how difficult it would be for us to get to a show like this where we live?' And we walked," Kim Palmer said. "It was so outstanding … The fact my kid can walk up the street and see that kind of talent is amazing."
Vergennes Opera House executive director Eileen Corcoran said the help is appreciated. A new law required an expensive sprinkler project, work that went over budget when theater officials learned the original design was not good enough to pump water to the theater's balcony, adding $20,000 to the roughly $65,000 cost.
Vergennes aldermen agreed to contribute $35,000 and give the theater a short-term loan, but, given the recession, times are tight.
"(We're) OK overall. We are like any other nonprofit in that these are hard times," said Corcoran, who added the theater is relying on donations from businesses and individuals, grants, benefit events such as Friday's, and "anything we can find" to make ends meet.
"Pre-2008 it was not quite so much of a struggle. We're in a position where everyone's giving is limited, and there are so many organizations out there that are wonderful," she said. "So we're trying to be creative in fundraising."
Corcoran is particularly heartened by Friday's event because she believes it shows the opera house, which lay dormant for more than two decades before being restored in the 1990s, has struck a chord in a new generation.
"This event is a great one for us because (it was organized) by someone who is a young person who has a great feeling for the opera house," Corcoran said. "We're bringing up a generation of kids who do have the opera house, and it's nice to see they are invested in it."
For Palmer, there will be other benefits.
Palmer has played guitar since seventh grade and has performed for up to 100 people at Vergennes Union High School and his church. He said he is excited to play for up to 300 people at the bigger venue.
"It's definitely going to be a step up," he said.
He became an Ackerman fan last year, and considers Ackerman and fellow New Age guitarist Alex De Grassi his biggest influences.
"It sounds like he puts his emotions into his music," Palmer said. "It's just really intriguing. The guitar always sounds good to me, and his music is just really peaceful."
And as many emails as Palmer exchanged with Ackerman, he has yet to see him in person.
"It's really cool. One of my favorite guitarists, and I can actually talk to him, and he lives in Vermont, and he's one of the creators of a really big recording company, Windham Hill," he said. "It's just really cool getting to talk to one of my idols and getting to meet him when this show comes around will be really cool. I'll make sure to get his autograph."
Concert tickets are available at the opera house, Classic Stitching in Vergennes, and online at www.vergennesoperahouse.org. More information on Ackerman is available at williamackerman.com.
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The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
CD Projekt RED
So this is what transpired over the last couple of weeks, beginning with just before The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt came out…
Buddy: "Hey man, did you get around to playing your copy of The Witcher 3 yet? Man, it looks crazy good!"
Me: "Mhm…nope; been kind of busy with some other games that I'm going to review [insert yawn]."
Buddy: "Are you serious? Man, you are missing out. Let me tell you, I just can't wait until I get my new 4k gaming mach—"
Me: "Yeah, I'll get around to it."
Initially, my attitude was as such; I'd been very underwhelmed by the whole Witcher world up to that point. I'd played the previous installment, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, and although I thought that the title was pretty cool, I wasn't pulled in by the game's story as were so many throngs of gamers. And, that had nothing to do with my gaming setup; I just found it lacking in certain ways.
A week later, after I'd failed to show up for one of our regular weekend gaming sessions (dubbed Geekends), my same fellow gaming geek friend called me up again. This time he was even more ecstatic, having just purchased a monstrous new 4k gaming rig:
Buddy: "Where you been, dude? You missed our Geekend. We had some crazy-fun games!"
Me: "I couldn't make it; I haven't even gotten around to shaving, in fact I have a mini-epic beard thing going on. There are some pizza and frozen food boxes strewn around my gaming PC desk. My eyes are bloodshot and burning from staring at the screen for so long. I need some sleep…damn you Witcher 3…damn you…"
Yes, even though I had been more than a little recalcitrant when it came to the Witcher series, once I took a dip into The Witcher 3's waters, I was pulled in like a flailing infant and pleasantly drowned in its immersive gloriousness.
During the initial prelude part of the story, I was pleased to see that The Witcher 3 continues the recent backlash (or indifference) toward political correctness, just as I mentioned in last week's review of GTA V. My eyes were greeted with the nude curvatures of the main character's love interest, Yennifer. It wasn't done in a lewd or sleazy way, but as an early indicator that this was a more mature game with adult (and young adult these days) themes.
The main character in question is Geralt of Rivia, a no-nonsense, monster-hunter extraordinaire, whose gravelly voice makes Clint Eastwood sound like Seinfeld. I usually dread tutorials, as I feel that they usually feel artificial and forced, like "okay, here comes the tutorial part again…" when you first fire up a new game. I'm not going to spoil anything, but The Witcher 3 has a unique approach which (no pun intended) seamlessly blends its basic game play mechanics into the narrative. This makes it much more organic and believable, especially for newcomers to the series.
I say that because The Witcher 3 can seem a little intimidating at first; this truly is a massive game, scale-wise. The sheer breadth and depth of The Witcher 3's gaming environs are enviable, even by today's standards, especially on a decent gaming PC. The open world presented is full of magic and wonder, as well as deadly, dangerous foes and dastardly villains.
Since Geralt is in the business of monster hunting, mainly via picking up contracts in cities in towns along his travels, knowing the games controls can stand one in good stead, in terms of survival. Move, dodge, or parry at the wrong time, and you may just end up being ripped to shreds by a rabid pack of wolves, or mangled by a cranky (and horny) griffin. Sometimes the jerky camera angles swivel around a little too much, but it's something that you can adjust to.
Earlier, pre-release issues, such as draw distance pop ups, seem to have been dealt with. However, there are still some nagging rough patches, such as when body parts, hair, and/or equipment, disappear into other parts of one's body or into objects within the environment. There are also some scenes where a character's dialogue comes after the movement of his or her lips, and sometimes bodies suddenly pop up onscreen, even on more powerful machines.
Gameplay-wise, there were very few issues; one I recall was when I was engaged in a particularly bloody melee with a group of wraiths and called to my trusty steed, Roach, to come and bail me out. He merely stood off a ways, casually grass grazing. These are all minor gripes, and don't detract or take away from the overall enjoyment and immersion, however.
The graphics are simply stunning, and show off how far PC gaming technology has come. Seeing sunlight rays streak through a forest's canopy, or beholding a distant town or city has never been this breathtaking, and sometimes I found myself just marveling at the splendor of this carefully crafted world. One time I was even caught off-guard while looking into the beautifully rendered waters of a trickling stream. I was promptly pounced upon by a pack of ravenous monsters and done away with. The graphics are so good that they can be distracting—but that's a good thing!
If you're like me and you've already squeezed every last drop of entertainment out of Skyrim, and have been hankering for something that can not only fill its shoes, but bust out of them (I know—strange metaphor), then this could be the fantasyfix you've been fiending for. I've been tweaking out on it for a solid week now, and even though I'm only 50 or so hours in, my phone messages are piling up, and bags are beginning to appear under my eyes. Oh Witcher, please release me from your sublimely opulent grasps…no wait…don't…I mean, please…
In all seriousness, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a new age gaming experience for adventurous, mature-minded individuals, who want to delve into an immensely rich and mesmerizing world. Take the plunge; you won't soon forget it (but you may forget what day of the week it is).
Score: 96%
Kane's Suggestion:
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a modern marvel of a game that requires a beefy rig to fully enjoy. Cyberpower PC's Syber Vapor Xtreme supplies more than enough power for your needs in this regard. Check it out here,or click on the image below. Cyberpower PC has much more than just desktops, they also have laptop gaming PC's as well.


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God activated the "Big Head" cheat.otacon17
Previously on LOST.gblak
On a very special power rangers- Tony and Linda discover they have brain cancer.MARCS
"Hi, I'm a Mac." "And I'm a PC."Truthiness
"We're here to talk to you about sex..."EcherDaAwesome
Now available for Nintendo Wii.SyluxLockjaw
Robot Elmo vs. Robot Charlie Brown: Live from TokyoRileyHart
Is it just me, or have the recent winners had a tendency to be somewhat funny, but REALLY obvious comments, made in the first minute? For instance: The Mexican Space Program Tentacle Rape Ahead STOP......hammertime! I thought they wepolyp
Dammit Chris, I TOLD you not to stand next to me! I'm trying to score here!Crazybbq
See, it's a slippery slope... first you allow gay marriage, then you legalise the illegal aliens, and next thing you know you have gay aliens sneaking onto Earth to get married!CavalierX
not sure im a big Daft Punk fan anymore...Vincenoir
...and that's when things got weirddudaruma


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By Allan May
To most organized crime fans and followers John Gotti is still the most popular underworld figure of the past fifteen years. His meteoric and bloody rise to prominence, his bravado, and his seemingly carefree attitude in beating the justice system during the late 1980s gave him the type of cult-like following that outlaws like Jesse James, Al Capone, and John Dillinger enjoyed.
Many individuals involved with Gotti's rise and fall have remained in the public's mind also – Paul Castellano, Sammy Gravano, and Bruce Cutler, to name a few. Each of their backgrounds and the roles they played in Gotti's life are well known. However, the life of one man who would have a significant impact on Gotti's rise remains relatively unknown. His name became a footnote to the mob boss's bloody climb to the top.
We all have seen the picture. You know the one. The man lying spread eagle on the floor of Snoope's bar wearing white shoes and black socks. His plaid pants wide open at the zipper as if he had been shot while relieving himself. The shirt and tee shirt pulled up revealing a hairy beer belly. Not a pretty memory for the family and friends of Jimmy McBratney to remember him.
When Gotti was convicted on April 2, 1992, the Staten Island Advance interviewed members of McBratney's family. "My father's claim to fame is that Gotti earned his bones by killing (him). Trying to live with that is the hardest thing to do," said Joseph McBratney, one of two sons interviewed.
After the racketeering conviction, McBratney's son placed a memorial note in the Advance declaring, "Dad, you can rest in peace now. There is a God. Love, your son Joseph."
Although Joseph knows his father fell in with the wrong crowd and committed serious crimes, he holds onto the fact that McBratney never killed anyone. "He was well-liked and would give you the last dollar in his pocket. He taught me how to drive and he loved his kids," states Joseph.
When McBratney was advised to leave town after the word was out that mobsters were looking for him, he refused to run, telling friends he couldn't desert his family.
Joseph McBratney recalls that his mother hid the newspapers from her children at the time of the murder, but it wasn't long before they found out from classmates how their father died. "This verdict is a final chapter. This should mark the end of it so my family can go on living," Joseph said.
Today the McBratney family can only wonder why the man involved in the murder of a husband and father can be looked upon as a celebrity and a man who was persecuted unfairly by the government. I can only imagine family members shaking their heads as Bruce Cutler pours out his endless drivel about how wonderful a person his client is. I doubt if Cutler would have the same feelings if it were his father lying on the floor of Snoopes' bar. I also doubt if the McBratney family has checked out the John Gotti Tribute Page or ordered any "Free John Gotti" tee shirts.
We've been led to believe that McBratney was murdered by Gotti, Angelo Ruggiero, and Ralph Galione as a favor to Carlo Gambino for the killing of his nephew Emmanuel "Manny" Gambino. Please note it was the nephew, not the son, as the oft-times inaccurate Ernest Volkman writes in his book, "Goombata." In John H. Davis's "Mafia Dynasty," he wrongfully informs us that a $100,000 ransom was paid to McBratney, a hot headed Irish hoodlum from the West Side's Hell's Kitchen.
In the early 1970s there was a series of kidnappings of wiseguys that took place in New York City. In "Tough Guy: The True Story of "Crazy" Eddie Maloney," co-authors William Hoffman and Maloney discuss in detail the kidnappings Eddie and his gang were involved in. Maloney also discusses his friendship with McBratney.
The two men met when both were incarcerated at Greenhaven State Prison in New York. They quickly became close friends. Maloney describes McBratney as a devoted family man who stood six-foot, three-inches tall and weighed in at 250 pounds. A weight lifter, McBratney could bench-press 400 pounds. Maloney continues:
"Jimmy McBratney was locked up for armed robbery. He was quiet, a listener and learner, and soon we were discussing heists we might do together. He knew about guns and wanted to become a collector, but closest to his heart were his wife and two small children and their house on Staten Island, and his goal of saving enough to own a nightclub. I learned Jimmy was very loyal to his wife, and that all the talk in the yard about "broads" upset him. His wife visited regularly and wrote every day."
In October 1972, Maloney became part of a kidnapping ring with McBratney that was the brainchild of two wiseguys from the Gambino Crime Family - Flippo and Ronnie Miano. Claiming they only wanted ten percent of the ransoms, Flippo told Maloney that his motive for the kidnappings was revenge. "The guys I'm setting up have f—cked me and my people on business deals in the past. It'll give me pleasure to see those greedy f—ks suffer."
Convinced that the kidnappings could be pulled off without the police being notified the gang believed they could get $100,000 for each wiseguy they snatched. They would have to deal with mob vengeance if they got caught however, which in their case would probably amount to a little more punishment than just a bullet in the back of the head.
The kidnapping gang consisted of, in addition to Maloney and McBratney, Tommy Genovese, a distant relative of Vito's, Warren "Chief" Schurman, and Richie Chaisson. With the home addresses supplied by the Miano brothers, the plan called for a two-team approach. The first team, pretending to be police officers and using a stolen badge, would kidnap the wiseguy victim from his home and hold him in a secure location. The second team would pick up the ransom money.
The first kidnapping was of a Gambino capo called "Frank the Wop". The escapade went off without a hitch and the gang got away with $150,000. Over the next two months the gang completed three more successful body snatches. However, on December 28, 1972 their luck changed. McBratney outlined the plan to grab a Gambino loanshark named "Junior." Late on this bitter cold afternoon, Maloney stuck a gun in Junior's stomach and ordered him into a car. When the victim put up a fight, Maloney hit him over the head a couple times with his gun before shoving him into the back seat and taking off. Two young witnesses to the crime followed them for a while before they were scared off, but not before the license number was recorded and turned over to one of the kid's uncles who had mob connections.
Next, a friend of Maloney's, whose apartment they were holding Junior in, and through whose mother they had rented the abduction car, spilled his guts to the wiseguys after some hoods showed up at his mother's house asking questions. McBratney was in a panic when he realized the mob had his name as well as Maloney's and Schurman's. After a relatively small ransom, $21,000, was paid, McBratney arrived at the apartment to pick up Schurman and return the victim. Schurman was supposed to tape Junior's eyes before covering them with sunglasses, something the slow-witted hood had failed to accomplish.
After driving a few blocks McBratney became enraged when he realized Junior's eyes weren't taped. He brought the car to a screeching halt. Junior bolted out of the back seat and started running for his life as McBratney fired several shots at him. Meanwhile Schurman jumped out of the car and retreated to Maloney's automobile, which had been following McBratney. Schurman was sure McBratney would kill him if Jimmy ever saw him again, a fact Maloney easily confirmed.
Maloney had suggested to McBratney that he leave the city. McBratney declined the advice and instead kept a machine gun in his car at all times. Just before Maloney was sent back to prison on a parole violation, he and Schurman were drinking in a bar one night when two guys he described as "stone killers" came in looking for the two. The bar manager, a friend of Maloney's, told the pair he had not seen them in a while. Not long after he was sent to prison, Maloney heard his friend McBratney had been murdered at Snoope's, a Staten Island bar on May 22, 1973. Months later he saw a newspaper article about the arrest of McBratney's killers with the pictures of John Gotti and Angelo Ruggiero in it. He realized that they were the two "stone killers" who had been looking for him that night in the bar. Maloney stated in his book:
McBratney's death saddened me as nothing else in my life had. He's been a good friend, and he wasn't a hardened hoodlum like some of us. He intended to get out of the life – and I believe he would have – soon as he accumulated that nestegg. I felt bad for Jimmy's wife, also. She had been as loyal to him as he to her. On a personal level, Jimmy would have risked his life for me – and I for him – and a person doesn't make friends like that."
Maloney confessed that in his own effort to get a "pass" from the underworld for his kidnapping capers he "decided to lay the weight on McBratney. It didn't matter to Jimmy anymore, and (it) might save our lives."
In his book, Maloney never mentions the kidnapping and killing of Manny Gambino, the murder McBratney allegedly paid for with his life.
So what really happened to Manny Gambino?
In the book "Brick Agent," former FBI agent Anthony Villano talks in detail about the kidnapping. Villano was tipped off that Manny Gambino, the son of Carlo's brother Joseph, had been kidnapped. The first attempt by the family to deliver a ransom payment failed when family members arrived at the wrong restaurant in New Jersey to make the drop. Villano's attempts to help the family were at first rebuffed. A few days later, an attorney for the family called him and asked the FBI to get involved.
Villano reports that the kidnappers asked for $200,000 and the Gambino family claimed they could only come up with $50,000. The agent figured either the Joe Gambino side of the family was poor, or that having $200,000 in cash on hand might arouse the attention of the IRS.
After receiving new ransom orders, Tommy Gambino, Manny's brother, was told where to drive to pick up the next set of instructions. Villano and a business partner of Tommy Gambino went along. Villano lay on the floor of the partner's Cadillac El Dorado. The first stop was a telephone booth at 82nd and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. From there the instructions were to cross the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey and wait at a well-lit gas station on the Palisades Parkway next to a set of pay phones.
The kidnappers called with instructions for the money to be dropped over a metal railing about a mile down the road. The drop was made before agents tailing Villano could get into position to observe it. However, the license number of a van that was seen in the area was recorded by one of the agents.
The group went back to the Gambino home only to be disappointed when Manny was not returned by the promised hour. Over the next several weeks and months, Villano continued investigating. Through another contact, Villano found out the following:
"Manny had fallen in love with a show-biz blonde. He wanted to leave his family because the girl refused to have anything more to do with him unless he gave up his wife and went full-time with her. Manny was advised by his betters in the clan to grow up and forget the blonde. In his circles it was okay to have a mistress but it was bad form to leave your wife, particularly if you were a nephew of Carlo Gambino."
Villano also found out that Manny had a few financial problems, most likely due to trying to maintain two households. Heavy into loansharking operations, many in the family felt that Manny had too much money on the street during this time. One of the people that was into Manny for a large sum was gambler Robert Sentner. Villano upon hearing the name realized that the van that was spotted the night the ransom was paid had been rented to a Robert Senter. Villano then reveals the following:
"It took five interviews with him (Sentner) over a period of months before we finally reconstructed the entire venture. The snatch began as a hoax. Manny Gambino worked out the scenario with his debtor Sentner, a friend of Sentner's, and two others. Midway through the plot, Gambino's accomplices began to have their doubts. They could see that if things went sour Manny Gambino would give them up, either on a contract to LCN friends or to the law. There was an argument in Gambino's Cadillac and Sentner settled the dispute with a bullet in the back of Manny's head."
Manny Gambino's car was found at the Newark Airport. Villano reports that before his body could reach the burial site, rigor mortis had set in. His body was found buried in the sitting position in a New Jersey dump near the Earle Naval Ammunition Depot. Robert Sentner was arrested and charged with the murder. On June 1,1973, he pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison.
Despite his detailed account of the incident, Jimmy McBratney's name is never mentioned in Villano's book.
Was McBratney involved in the death of Manny Gambino?
According to organized crime expert Jerry Capeci, in his book, "Mob Star" he reports:
"McBratney…was not part of the Gambino kidnap scheme, though some people may have believed it. He was a large, ruddy man who belonged to another gang…whose members cut across ethnic lines. (They) had recently kidnapped a Staten Island loan shark and gotten $21,000. But some neighborhood kids saw the snatch and passed along a license-plate number to neighborhood Family members."
Jimmy McBratney, in all likelihood, was identified as a member of the kidnapping team when Junior was abducted and was murdered because of his involvement. McBratney was obviously not an innocent law-abiding citizen. He had committed armed robbery, kidnapping, possessed illegal weapons, and - if his aim had been better – may have wounded or killed the Staten Island loan shark. However, it is for certain he did not kidnap and murder the nephew of Carlo Gambino thus setting up the fabled notion that Gotti had taken vengeance on the hood that had killed a nephew of the highly respected mob boss. This event, like so many others involving John Gotti, has been twisted to fit the romanticized image of this popular mob icon.
Copyright A. R. May 1999
Conallan Press, LLC
Copyright © 2019 Allan - All Rights Reserved.
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Before the semester begins, it's important to make sure your laptop is secure and up to date by configuring automatic software updates and installing antivirus software (which the University provides). Here are our recommendations on how to configure your laptop so you are ready for this semester.
ITS suggests 6 easy steps to get both Windows and Mac laptops secure and up to date. Please use one of the following links for instructions on how to configure your laptop:
The University also provides free antivirus software. Please follow this link for instructions and download links*.
*NOTE: You must log in with your PennKey to download the software.
For a full list of software supported by the University, please see this page which contains links for download or purchase.
And if you haven't purchased a laptop yet, please see our Laptop Recommendations guide on ITS Online.
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Thursday, September 13
Recipe: Greek Salad Pita Bread Sandwiches with Baby Spinach and Quick Kalamata Olive Tapenade
3 comments:
I like that approach, just rearrange the ingredients and call it good! This Greek salad looks good enough to just eat by itself, YUM!! :)ReplyDelete
- DebinIndiana8/24/2013 3:49 PM
This post reminds me to thank you for your pita bread recipe and instructions. Years ago, when I had young children and baked three loaves of sourdough a week, I tried my hand at pitas a few times, with less than stellar results. Tasty, but not pitas, so I just kind of gave up on the idea.
A year or so ago, I decided to try again, and your recipe was my main source. You gave great clear instructions and a good recipe. I make your pitas regularly now, and we all enjoy them immensely. Thanks so much for your good work!
I am also a huge fan of your oatmeal bread recipe. It's always a hit, too.
Soooo...three out of three recipes I've tried out on your site has turned out spectacular. This recipe was the latest one. I will make it again next summer, when tomatoes are at their peak. But until then... yum!ReplyDelete
December 2015 update: Hi! For some reason I can't figure out, Blogger hasn't been letting me leave comments on my own blog (!) for the last several months, so I've been unable to respond to your comments and questions. My apologies for any inconvenience! You're always welcome to email me: farmgirlfare AT gmail DOT com.
Hi! Thanks for visiting Farmgirl Fare and taking the time to write. While I'm not always able to reply to every comment, I receive and enjoy reading them all.
Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and I especially love hearing about your experiences with my recipes. Comments on older posts are always welcome!
Please note that I moderate comments, so if I'm away from the computer it may be a while before yours appears.
I try my best to answer all questions, though sometimes it takes me a few days. And sometimes, I'm sorry to say, they fall through the cracks, and for that I sincerely apologize.
I look forward to hearing from you and hope you enjoy your e-visits to our farm!


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If the election for president were held today, and Donald Trump were the Republican candidate and Hillary Clinton were the Democratic candidate, for whom would you vote?
When people think of polls, they commonly think of the vote intention question, which asks respondents for whom they would vote if the election were held today.
Strictly speaking, such intention polls do not provide forecasts but rather snapshots of current opinion. Nonetheless, polls are a common means of forecasting election outcomes. Scholars, the news media, and the public commonly interpret polls as forecasts, and project the results to Election Day.
Forecast accuracy of polls
Results from single polls often produce large forecast errors, which are greater, the longer the time until the election. Also, research has shown that different polls conducted by reputable survey organizations at about the same time often reveal considerable levels of variation in their results. Errors caused by sampling problems, non-responses, inaccurate measurements, and faulty processing diminish the accuracy of polls (e.g. Erikson & Wlezien, 2012).
Across the last 100 days prior to the six elections from 1992 to 2012, polls provided on average the least accurate forecasts of all PollyVote component methods. Compared to a single poll published on the same day, the combined PollyVote forecast reduced forecast error by 59% (Graefe et al., 2014).
A simple approach to increasing poll accuracy is to combine polls that are conducted by different organizations at nearly the same time. Using the median of all state-level polls taken within a month of the presidential election, Gott and Colley (2008) correctly predicted Bush's victory over Kerry in 2004, with an error of only four electoral votes. They also forecasted Obama to win over McCain in 2008 with an error of only two electoral votes. In both elections, the median statistical approach missed the winner in only one state. Simply aggregating polls has also become popular in the news media. Well-known poll aggregators such as RealClearPolitics and FiveThirtyEight update combined polls on an almost daily basis.
Use of polls in the PollyVote
The PollyVote relies on poll aggregators to calculate the combined polls component forecast through simple averaging. For the 2020 election, PollyVote's combined poll forecast is an average of three poll aggregators, namely those from RealClearPolitics, FiveThirtyEight, and the Economist.
- Graefe, A., Armstrong, J. S., Jones, R. J. J., & Cuzán, A. G. (2014). Combining forecasts: An application to elections. International Journal of Forecasting, 30(1), 43-54.
- Erikson, R. S., & Wlezien, C. (2012). The timeline of presidentialelections: How campaigns do (and do not) matter. University of Chicago Press.


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The Audacity to Act
We are watching in Libya an authoritarian state use the weapons of modern warfare to put down protests which were peaceful, in the beginning, until the force of the state was turned against unarmed people.
President Obama appears to be, once again, suffering from "analysis paralysis".
One thinks of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, poised to invade Europe at Normandy, receiving bad weather reports that put the mission into grave danger. After delaying the launch of the Allied invasion of Europe for a day, with a slight opening in the weather forecasts, he acted decisively in the face of enormous risks. But he acted.
For a succinct summary of Eisenhower's decision, see Valerie Hausladen, Professional Destiny.
If it had been Obama making the decision, he would in all likelihood have waited for another couple of weeks of weather reports, during which time the secrecy of the operation might have been compromised.
During the crisis in Afghanistan following the massive fraud in the August, 2009 presidential elections, Obama flinched and allowed a unique opportunity to gain leverage over the corrupt and disloyal Hamid Karzai, through insisting on the constitutional process of performing a proper counting of election results and complying with decisions by the Independent Electoral Commission and the Electoral Complaints Commission in accordance with the law.
Obama temporized, and at that precise moment, the democratic project of the West, including NATO, the UN, and the United States, was abandoned.
It was a fleeting moment of opportunity. As has happened so often in the Afghan war theater, the president called for more analysis, and the opportunity was lost.
Today, with all of the advances of technology, it is as if we are personally witnessing the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, or the 1968 Prague Spring, being crushed by Soviet and Warsaw Pact tanks and weapons of war, and standing idly by.
But the world has changed since 1956 and 1968. We do not face the risk of nuclear confrontation with the Soviets if we oppose Qaddafi's military and state security forces as they put down a democratic revolution in Libya. In fact, NATO and the U.S. face a military opponent who in all likelihood would fold if ever confronted by a serious outside military force.
Are we prepared to watch Qaddafi butcher all of those who have risen in rebellion in the name of democracy? How will such a stance affect perceptions of the West in the Middle East, at this decisive moment in the region's history?
To be sure, we have acted to produce a unanimously-approved Security Council resolution condemning Qadaffi's military assaults on his population and referring the commission of potential war crimes and crimes against humanity to the International Criminal Court for investigation. The ICC has moved quickly to implement this mandate.
But is this enough?
The challenge for the West, and the entire international community, is to find an effective means to act in Libya which does not at the same time establish a precedent that might create pressures to act to support democratic rebellions in other countries, such as Saudi Arabia.
The establishment of a no-fly zone would be immensely helpful, now.
The massive provision of humanitarian assistance, even within Libya, would be immensely helpful, now.
The provision of gasoline and other fuel to the forces defending Benghazi and other towns in the East, in order to prevent the commission of crimes against humanity and war crimes against a civilian population would be immensely helpful, now.
How might these actions be squared with the requirements of international law and the authority of the Security Council to take actions to maintain international peace and security?
The United States and the NATO countries, together with other states, should now openly debate whether the 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution recognizing the "Responsibility to Protect" civilian populations against the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity is applicable, in the current circumstances in Libya.
The world has changed since 1956 and 1968. At this moment the United Nations and other international organizations demand that Laurent Gbagbo step down from the presidency of Ivory Coast because he clearly lost free elections to his opponent Alessanne Ouattara.
In deciding what actions to take in Libya, the international community needs to focus like a laser on the spectacle of United Nations forces standing idly by while some 7,000 people were massacred by Serb and Bosnian Serb forces at Srebenice, in Bosnia, on July 11, 2005.
President Obama has written eloquently of "The Audacity of Hope".
Hundreds of thousands if not millions of Libyans have demonstrated the audacity of hoping for and fighting for a democratic future.
The question now facing President Obama is whether he can move beyond his customary "analysis paralysis" and lead.
Facing the prospect of another Srebrenice, will he move beyond words and demonstrate "the audacity to act"?
The Trenchant Observer
Twitter: www.twitter.com/trenchantobserv
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Comments are invited.


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Trump's 'Buy American. Hire American' Policy Is Dangerous Nonsense
"We don't have a level playing field for our workers," President Donald Trump told a group of workers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. Truth is, if we were to ever level the playing field with countries like Mexico and China, the average American worker would be making $3 an hour and spending their pittance on third-world health care and decrepit housing. Please, don't level the playing field.
"We don't have a level playing field for our workers," President Donald Trump told a group of workers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday. Truth is, if we were to ever level the playing field with countries like Mexico and China, the average American worker would be making $3 an hour and spending their pittance on third-world health care and decrepit housing. Please, don't level the playing field.
When few things are going your way in politics, though, it's customary to return to rhetoric that made you successful. So, as Republicans have been unable to push forward on health care reform or tax reform — or anything not named Neil Gorsuch, for that matter — it is unsurprising that Trump would turn to protectionism as a way to bolster his political fortunes.
On Tuesday, the president traveled to a tool manufacturing company in Wisconsin and threw some nationalistic bromides at a blue-collar crowd (none of which included the words "I'm afraid some of your jobs will be taken by robots in the future"), and then signed an executive order ordering the White House to look into ways to curb guest worker visa programs and require government agencies to buy more goods and services from American companies.
For the past two years, over 200,000 foreigners applied for open positions each year. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services holds a lottery and gives out 85,000 H-1B visas to high-skilled foreign workers. It's a program that's most popular with the tech industry, due to a shortage of Americans trained in science and engineering. I suppose it's a lot easier to stop talented immigrants from entering the country than to find ways to incentivize Americans to become math majors.
Over the past couple of decades, a high number of immigrants (which many H-1B visa holders become) have been part of innovations and start-ups that have created jobs for American workers. Now, even if you don't believe immigrants add economic value, how exactly is cutting down on high-tech visas going to help rehabilitate the economically depressed areas of the nation?
Moreover, it seems telling that many of those who are concerned about illegal immigration also seem intent on lowering numbers of legal and potentially high-achieving immigrants from entering the country. The underlying message is that there is a cultural problem, not merely an economic one. "When two-thirds or three-quarters of the CEOs in Silicon Valley are from South Asia or from Asia, I think …" White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said not long ago in a jumbled explanation of economic nationalism, "a country is more than an economy. We're a civic society."
The second part of the order cuts down on waivers and exemptions to President Herbert Hoover's Buy American law. It instructs agencies to use American-made goods and services rather than saving taxpayer dollars or searching out the best deals they can. This is how we incentivize rent-seeking and cronyism. Until a couple of months ago, this is what Republicans used to call "picking winners and losers." If you thought General Motors shouldn't be bailed out because it couldn't compete in a global marketplace, why would you support a state-impelled "Buy American. Hire American" when it comes to steel, for example?
In a political sense, the idea of "Buy American. Hire American" is much like fighting climate change: a comforting government-prescribed solution that people embrace in theory but rarely in practice. In the protectionist's universe, everyone with a Samsung cellphone or a Toyota Camry (both the best-selling brands in their categories) would be a traitor to the American worker. In the real world, competition allows us to buy the best products at the cheapest prices — and then buy more things with the money we save. The rules of economics don't give us waivers for being American.
How damaging will Trump's trade agenda be? Who knows? Despite the protestations of the Left — and its eight-year weakening of constitutional restrictions on executive power — Trump's power has always been curbed by the realities of the job. But protectionism is one area where he could find willing partners in both parties.
Protectionism, after all, is where Trump is most comfortable and effective. It's the issue that made him, the issue he is most coherent about and the issue with which he has shown the most ideological affinity. Because of its political potency, it has also seen converts, not only among blue-collar Americans but also one-time free-market conservatives.
"Buy American," an appealing and patriotic-sounding solution, is popular across ideological lines. The protectionist impulses of the progressive Left — the Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren wing — closely align with Trump once the cultural aspects are stripped away. In American politics, both parties seem to have warmed to the idea that we can regulate the country into economic growth. The biggest risk is that protectionist rhetoric will be normalized within the GOP, which means there will be two parties with significant factions embracing mercantilism. How long will it be before that kind of support manifests in truly destructive legislation?
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Being in a loveless marriage is a frustrating predicament, but it may not necessarily mean that a divorce is eminent.
Solving the quandary of a loveless marriage requires self-reflection to assess the situation, courage to try to create a team effort for the best decision with your spouse, and gumption to face the reality that a divorce may be the best solution for the loveless marriage.
But, before you jump right to the easy way out and decide on divorce, you should got through the process of making sure that you have logically thought through long-term implications of ending the loveless marriage.
Being in a loveless marriage and deciding whether to get a divorce based on this one fact alone is a misuse of an opportunity. Its not like deciding whether to stay married due to an extramarital affair or other marriage problems like abuse or living in a sexless marriage, choosing the right divorce decision when it comes to a loveless marriage is a totally different situation.
The opportunity is great to grow personally that is present when you're deciding about divorce because of being in a loveless marriage. Let's take a look at some of the items that are relevant to this situation regarding a loveless marriage and how you can approach this time in your life from a mature standpoint and come to the right choice while growing at the same time.
Loveless marriage item 1: Define love as you see it and assess whether or not your spouse agrees somewhat with you, at least in a complementary fashion.
For a loveless marriage to be assessed properly, making sure your idea or definition of love is "clear" is a solid way to make sure that you know what you've lost. And, if your spouses idea of what love is differs from yours so much that you both can't somewhat reap the benefits of love, you may need counseling to get to the root issue of your loveless marriage.
Loveless marriage item 2: Make sure that you are in fact out of love before you go further with steps to divorce or try to work it out.
Ask yourself, "Am I really out of love or am I giving up?". Keeping love alive can take work and strong communication with yourself and spouse. List the reasons why you think you're out of love and decide if those reasons prohibit a rekindling of love, assuming you were actually in love at some point. Being in a loveless marriage doesn't necessarily mean that it has to stay that way!
Loveless marriage item 3: Decide if you were ever really in love as you define love.
Your loveless marriage could have always been loveless, you may have just been to distracted to notice. You may have received other benefits from being with your spouse in the past that you aren't getting now and that could be why you're frustrated and living in a loveless marriage.
Of course, if you were in fact in love with your spouse at one time in the past, you both might not have done what needs to be done to keep love alive. Before you do anything about your loveless marriage, make sure you understand how your idea of love may have changed over time, and really contemplate if you were really ever in love.
Loveless marriage item 4: Assessing whether or not you need to be in love to stay married and if so, can your love be re-kindled?
This item regarding a loveless marriage is a crucial point in your decision making process. Some people stay married even when they are in a loveless marriage because the benefits they get from being married psychologically outweigh the need for love. These benefits could many things and could stem from lack of self confidence, money, fear of loneliness, etc.
If you're a person who needs love to stay married, make sure that you really think about how rejuvenate the love in your loveless marriage before you decide on divorce. If you're struggling regarding a decision about your loveless marriage, it means that it is worth fighting for.
If you really do soul searching and talk with your spouse openly about the lack of zest in your marriage in the hopes of making it better, you may find that your spouse feels the same way that you do!
Being a loveless marriage can be a drain on your day to day energy if you need love to stay happily married. If your marriage is worth it to you, be mature about the situation and do all you can to rekindle the love before you do anything else. If you do, you'll grow personally as will your spouse regardless whether or not you get a divorce.
Karl Augustine
"A Practical Guide To Deciding Whether Or Not To Get A Divorce"An eBook recommended by marriage counselors and relationship coaches to their clients.Deciding on Divorce loveless marriage


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InternalsEdit this page
Warning: You are browsing the documentation for Symfony 2.2, which is no longer maintained.
Read the updated version of this page for Symfony 6.3 (the current stable version).
Looks like you want to understand how Symfony2 works and how to extend it. That makes me very happy! This section is an in-depth explanation of the Symfony2 internals.
You need to read this section only if you want to understand how Symfony2 works behind the scene, or if you want to extend Symfony2.
The Symfony2 code is made of several independent layers. Each layer is built on top of the previous one.
Autoloading is not managed by the framework directly; it's done by using
Composer's autoloader (
vendor/autoload.php), which is included in
app/autoload.php file.
HttpFoundation Component
The deepest level is the HttpFoundation component. HttpFoundation provides the main objects needed to deal with HTTP. It is an object-oriented abstraction of some native PHP functions and variables:
- The Request class abstracts
the main PHP global variables like
$_FILES, and
- The Response class abstracts
some PHP functions like
setcookie(), and
- The Session class and
interface abstract session management
Read more about the HttpFoundation component.
HttpKernel Component
On top of HttpFoundation is the HttpKernel component. HttpKernel handles the dynamic part of HTTP; it is a thin wrapper on top of the Request and Response classes to standardize the way requests are handled. It also provides extension points and tools that makes it the ideal starting point to create a Web framework without too much overhead.
It also optionally adds configurability and extensibility, thanks to the DependencyInjection component and a powerful plugin system (bundles).
See also
Read more about the HttpKernel component, Dependency Injection and Bundles.
The FrameworkBundle bundle is the bundle that ties the main components and libraries together to make a lightweight and fast MVC framework. It comes with a sensible default configuration and conventions to ease the learning curve.
The HttpKernel class is the central class of Symfony2 and is responsible for handling client requests. Its main goal is to "convert" a Request object to a Response object.
Every Symfony2 Kernel implements HttpKernelInterface:
function handle(Request $request, $type = self::MASTER_REQUEST, $catch = true)
To convert a Request to a Response, the Kernel relies on a "Controller". A Controller can be any valid PHP callable.
The Kernel delegates the selection of what Controller should be executed to an implementation of ControllerResolverInterface:
1 2 3
public function getController(Request $request);
public function getArguments(Request $request, $controller);
method returns the Controller (a PHP callable) associated with the given
Request. The default implementation
looks for a
_controller request attribute that represents the controller
name (a "class::method" string, like
The default implementation uses the
to define the
_controller Request attribute (see Internals).
The getArguments() method returns an array of arguments to pass to the Controller callable. The default implementation automatically resolves the method arguments, based on the Request attributes.
Matching Controller method arguments from Request attributes
For each method argument, Symfony2 tries to get the value of a Request attribute with the same name. If it is not defined, the argument default value is used if defined:
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// Symfony2 will look for an 'id' attribute (mandatory)
// and an 'admin' one (optional)
public function showAction($id, $admin = true)
// ...
Handling Requests
The handle() method
takes a
Request and always returns a
Response. To convert the
handle() relies on the Resolver and an ordered chain of
Event notifications (see the next section for more information about each
- Before doing anything else, the
kernel.requestevent is notified -- if one of the listeners returns a
Response, it jumps to step 8 directly;
- The Resolver is called to determine the Controller to execute;
- Listeners of the
kernel.controllerevent can now manipulate the Controller callable the way they want (change it, wrap it, ...);
- The Kernel checks that the Controller is actually a valid PHP callable;
- The Resolver is called to determine the arguments to pass to the Controller;
- The Kernel calls the Controller;
- If the Controller does not return a
Response, listeners of the
kernel.viewevent can convert the Controller return value to a
- Listeners of the
kernel.responseevent can manipulate the
Response(content and headers);
- The Response is returned.
If an Exception is thrown during processing, the
kernel.exception is
notified and listeners are given a chance to convert the Exception to a
Response. If that works, the
kernel.response event is notified; if not, the
Exception is re-thrown.
If you don't want Exceptions to be caught (for embedded requests for
instance), disable the
kernel.exception event by passing
false as the
third argument to the
handle() method.
Internal Requests
At any time during the handling of a request (the 'master' one), a sub-request
can be handled. You can pass the request type to the
handle() method (its
second argument):
The type is passed to all events and listeners can act accordingly (some processing must only occur on the master request).
Each event thrown by the Kernel is a subclass of KernelEvent. This means that each event has access to the same basic information:
- getRequestType()
- returns the type of the request (
- getKernel() - returns the Kernel handling the request;
- getRequest()
- returns the current
Requestbeing handled.
getRequestType() method allows listeners to know the type of the
request. For instance, if a listener must only be active for master requests,
add the following code at the beginning of your listener method:
1 2 3 4 5 6
use Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\HttpKernelInterface;
if (HttpKernelInterface::MASTER_REQUEST !== $event->getRequestType()) {
// return immediately
If you are not yet familiar with the Symfony2 EventDispatcher, read the EventDispatcher component documentation section first.
kernel.request Event
Event Class: GetResponseEvent
The goal of this event is to either return a
Response object immediately
or setup variables so that a Controller can be called after the event. Any
listener can return a
Response object via the
setResponse() method on
the event. In this case, all other listeners won't be called.
This event is used by the FrameworkBundle to populate the
Request attribute, via the
RouterListener. RequestListener
uses a RouterInterface object to match
Request and determine the Controller name (stored in the
Request attribute).
See also
Read more on the kernel.request event.
kernel.controller Event
Event Class: FilterControllerEvent
This event is not used by the FrameworkBundle, but can be an entry point used to modify the controller that should be executed:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
use Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\Event\FilterControllerEvent;
public function onKernelController(FilterControllerEvent $event)
$controller = $event->getController();
// ...
// the controller can be changed to any PHP callable
See also
Read more on the kernel.controller event.
kernel.view Event
Event Class: GetResponseForControllerResultEvent
This event is not used by the FrameworkBundle, but it can be used to implement
a view sub-system. This event is called only if the Controller does not
return a
Response object. The purpose of the event is to allow some other
return value to be converted into a
The value returned by the Controller is accessible via the
getControllerResult method:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
use Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\Event\GetResponseForControllerResultEvent;
use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Response;
public function onKernelView(GetResponseForControllerResultEvent $event)
$val = $event->getControllerResult();
$response = new Response();
// ... some how customize the Response from the return value
See also
Read more on the kernel.view event.
kernel.response Event
Event Class: FilterResponseEvent
The purpose of this event is to allow other systems to modify or replace the
Response object after its creation:
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public function onKernelResponse(FilterResponseEvent $event)
$response = $event->getResponse();
// ... modify the response object
The FrameworkBundle registers several listeners:
- ProfilerListener: collects data for the current request;
- WebDebugToolbarListener: injects the Web Debug Toolbar;
- ResponseListener: fixes the
Content-Typebased on the request format;
- EsiListener: adds a
Surrogate-ControlHTTP header when the Response needs to be parsed for ESI tags.
See also
Read more on the kernel.response event.
kernel.terminate Event
kernel.terminate event is new since Symfony 2.1.
The purpose of this event is to perform "heavier" tasks after the response was already served to the client.
See also
Read more on the kernel.terminate event.
kernel.exception Event
Event Class: GetResponseForExceptionEvent
The FrameworkBundle registers an
ExceptionListener that
forwards the
Request to a given Controller (the value of the
exception_listener.controller parameter -- must be in the
class::method notation).
A listener on this event can create and set a
Response object, create
and set a new
Exception object, or do nothing:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
use Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\Event\GetResponseForExceptionEvent;
use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Response;
public function onKernelException(GetResponseForExceptionEvent $event)
$exception = $event->getException();
$response = new Response();
// setup the Response object based on the caught exception
// you can alternatively set a new Exception
// $exception = new \Exception('Some special exception');
// $event->setException($exception);
As Symfony ensures that the Response status code is set to the most
appropriate one depending on the exception, setting the status on the
response won't work. If you want to overwrite the status code (which you
should not without a good reason), set the
X-Status-Code header:
1 2 3 4 5
return new Response(
404 // ignored,
array('X-Status-Code' => 200)
See also
Read more on the kernel.exception event.
The EventDispatcher
The EventDispatcher is a standalone component that is responsible for much of the underlying logic and flow behind a Symfony request. For more information, see the EventDispatcher component documentation.
When enabled, the Symfony2 profiler collects useful information about each request made to your application and store them for later analysis. Use the profiler in the development environment to help you to debug your code and enhance performance; use it in the production environment to explore problems after the fact.
You rarely have to deal with the profiler directly as Symfony2 provides visualizer tools like the Web Debug Toolbar and the Web Profiler. If you use the Symfony2 Standard Edition, the profiler, the web debug toolbar, and the web profiler are all already configured with sensible settings.
The profiler collects information for all requests (simple requests, redirects, exceptions, Ajax requests, ESI requests; and for all HTTP methods and all formats). It means that for a single URL, you can have several associated profiling data (one per external request/response pair).
Visualizing Profiling Data
Using the Web Debug Toolbar
In the development environment, the web debug toolbar is available at the bottom of all pages. It displays a good summary of the profiling data that gives you instant access to a lot of useful information when something does not work as expected.
If the summary provided by the Web Debug Toolbar is not enough, click on the token link (a string made of 13 random characters) to access the Web Profiler.
If the token is not clickable, it means that the profiler routes are not registered (see below for configuration information).
Analyzing Profiling data with the Web Profiler
The Web Profiler is a visualization tool for profiling data that you can use in development to debug your code and enhance performance; but it can also be used to explore problems that occur in production. It exposes all information collected by the profiler in a web interface.
Accessing the Profiling information
You don't need to use the default visualizer to access the profiling
information. But how can you retrieve profiling information for a specific
request after the fact? When the profiler stores data about a Request, it also
associates a token with it; this token is available in the
HTTP header of the Response:
1 2 3
$profile = $container->get('profiler')->loadProfileFromResponse($response);
$profile = $container->get('profiler')->loadProfile($token);
When the profiler is enabled but not the web debug toolbar, or when you
want to get the token for an Ajax request, use a tool like Firebug to get
the value of the
X-Debug-Token HTTP header.
Use the find() method to access tokens based on some criteria:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
// get the latest 10 tokens
$tokens = $container->get('profiler')->find('', '', 10);
// get the latest 10 tokens for all URL containing /admin/
$tokens = $container->get('profiler')->find('', '/admin/', 10);
// get the latest 10 tokens for local requests
$tokens = $container->get('profiler')->find('127.0.0.1', '', 10);
If you want to manipulate profiling data on a different machine than the one where the information were generated, use the export() and import() methods:
1 2 3 4 5 6
// on the production machine
$profile = $container->get('profiler')->loadProfile($token);
$data = $profiler->export($profile);
// on the development machine
The default Symfony2 configuration comes with sensible settings for the profiler, the web debug toolbar, and the web profiler. Here is for instance the configuration for the development environment:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
# load the profiler
profiler: { only_exceptions: false }
# enable the web profiler
toolbar: true
intercept_redirects: true
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<container xmlns="http://symfony.com/schema/dic/services"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://symfony.com/schema/dic/services http://symfony.com/schema/dic/services/services-1.0.xsd
http://symfony.com/schema/dic/webprofiler http://symfony.com/schema/dic/webprofiler/webprofiler-1.0.xsd
http://symfony.com/schema/dic/symfony http://symfony.com/schema/dic/symfony/symfony-1.0.xsd">
<!-- load the profiler -->
<framework:profiler only-exceptions="false" />
<!-- enable the web profiler -->
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
// load the profiler
$container->loadFromExtension('framework', array(
'profiler' => array('only_exceptions' => false),
// enable the web profiler
$container->loadFromExtension('web_profiler', array(
'toolbar' => true,
'intercept_redirects' => true,
'verbose' => true,
only_exceptions is set to
true, the profiler only collects data
when an exception is thrown by the application.
intercept_redirects is set to
true, the web profiler intercepts
the redirects and gives you the opportunity to look at the collected data
before following the redirect.
If you enable the web profiler, you also need to mount the profiler routes:
1 2 3
resource: @WebProfilerBundle/Resources/config/routing/profiler.xml
prefix: /_profiler
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<routes xmlns="http://symfony.com/schema/routing"
1 2 3 4 5 6
As the profiler adds some overhead, you might want to enable it only under
certain circumstances in the production environment. The
settings limits profiling to 500 pages, but what if you want to get
information when the client IP comes from a specific address, or for a limited
portion of the website? You can use a Profiler Matcher, learn more about that
in "How to use Matchers to enable the Profiler Conditionally".


text:
The majestic trees of the Obersimmental make fine pillars for wobbly cable bridges, tricky and varied bridge elements, amusing rope ladders, crazy Tyrolean zip-wires, daring leaps and high-speed downhill runs. Shared experiences build bonds in old and new teams alike. Our programs on and around the rope park transcend the boundaries of the ordinary. At heights of between four and twenty meters (thirteen to sixty-five feet) above the ground, you will overcome personal barriers. Secured to the climbing rope, our groups dare to perform the tightrope walk of a lifetime, leap into the void or move hand over hand from one rope to the next.
We also have a number of exciting team games that you can play on solid ground – where teams work together to achieve particular aims, such as crate stacking, the «Serving Game», negotiating the crocodile ditch, overcoming the spider's web, etc. These activities draw out team spirit, trust, good organization and above all, lots of fun.
Schwimmbadstrasse 1
3770 Zweisimmen


text: Female soccer players and soccer players who have had a previous concussion recuperate differently from males or players without a history of concussion, new research released at the 2008 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting at JW Marriott Orland Grande Lakes shows. The study found that prior history of concussion and gender account for significant differences in test results following the injury. Because of these differences, the authors urge physicians and coaches to take an individualized approach to treating concussion patients. "The results of this study suggest that physicians should not be taking a one-size-fits-all approach to treating concussions," said co-author Alexis Chiang Colvin, MD, Sports Medicine Fellow for the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. "Our study shows that patients with a history of a previous concussion perform worse than patients without a previous history on neurocognitive tests taken after they sustain a concussion. Furthermore, females perform worse than males on post-concussion testing, as well." The authors chose to examine concussion recovery patterns in soccer players due to the popularity of the sport among both genders. Also, it is a non-helmeted sport with identical rules for all participation levels for both genders. In the United States, there are between 1 and 4 million estimated sports-related concussions each year. The most common causes of concussion in soccer include, head-to-head contact, head contact with other body parts and head-to-ground contact. A concussion is an injury to the brain that results in temporary loss of normal brain function, usually caused by a blow to the head. Concussions can affect memory, judgment, reflexes, speech, balance and coordination. The study had 234 soccer players (61 percent female, 39 percent male) ranging in age from 8 to 24 years old, who were given neuropsychological tests that measured attention, memory, processing speed and reaction time after their concussion. The results of the tests were analyzed to see if there were group differences in performance between male and female participants and those with a previous history of concussion. The study found that females performed significantly worse than males on tests of reaction time. Females were also significantly more symptomatic than males. Additionally, there was a trend, although not significant, towards females testing poorly regarding verbal memory and processing speed when compared to males. Soccer players with a history of concussion performed significantly worse on verbal memory testing after another concussion, the study found. "There's a theory that males typically have a stronger neck and torso that can handle forces better," said Dr. Colvin. "But when we accounted for Body Mass Index in this study, we still found a difference between males and females. Therefore, there are differences in recovery between genders that cannot simply be attributed to size difference. More studies are needed to determine the reason for differences in recovery between males and females." The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is a world leader in sports medicine education, research, communication and fellowship, and includes national and international orthopaedic sports medicine leaders. The Society works closely with many other sports medicine specialists, including athletic trainers, physical therapists, family physicians, and others to improve the identification, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of sports injuries. http://www.aossm.org http://www.sportsmed.org


text:
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text:
Breakfast Apricot Crisp
Apricots, especially these early-season ones I picked up, are a bright and tiny bunch. The first time I made this it was so tart, I thought it was borderline caustic. The second time, I tripled the sugar in the fruit from one tablespoon to three and ended up with something that was… also crazy tart.
But then, like magic, I chilled it in the fridge where its acidity mellowed and it's flavors came together and the next morning, with a scoop of plain yogurt, I was in breakfast nirvana.
As for putting this together, it couldn't be easier. Trust me, there is nothing more fun than a crisp you have made with fruit you tore apart with your bare hands. Heck, you could even mix the topping with your fingers, if you're feeling that rustic.
Fruit Base
1 pound apricots
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon flour
Grated fresh nutmeg, a pinch
Crisp Topping
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons, 2 ounces) butter, melted
6 tablespoons turbinado or regular sugar (turbinado, also sold as Sugar in the Raw, gives an excellent crunch)
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour)
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Prepare fruit: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pull apart apricots at their seam, remove pits, and tear them one more time into quarters, placing them in a small baking dish (one that holds two to three cups is ideal). Stir in sugar, flour and pinch of nutmeg.
Make topping: Melt butter and stir in sugar, then oats, then flour, salt and almonds until large clumps form. Sprinkle mixture over the fruit. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes and serve warm.
Although you could dust this with powdered sugar and serve it warm with vanilla ice cream for dessert, as I noted, it is on the tart side for an after-dinner treat. Truly, this excels cooled in the fridge overnight, and mixed with a scoop of plain yogurt for a weekday breakfast that will cure you of all weekday breakfast doldrums. It sure did for me.


text:
Every year, the Improbable Research organization hands out Ig Nobel prizes to research projects that "first make people laugh, and then make them think."
For example, this year's Ig Nobel winners, announced last week, include a prize in nutrition to researchers who electronically modified the sound of a potato chip to make it appear crisper and fresher than it really is and a biology prize to researchers who determined that fleas that live on a dog jump higher than fleas that live on a cat. Last year, a team won for studying how sheets become wrinkled.
That got us thinking: Though the Ig Nobels haven't given many awards to information technology (see No Prize for IT for reasons why), the history of information technology is littered with projects that have made people laugh -- if you're the type to find humor in other people's expensive failures. But have they made us think? Maybe not so much. "IT projects have terrible track records. I just don't get why people don't learn," says Mark Kozak-Holland, author of Titanic Lessons for IT Projects (that's Titanic as in the ship, by the way).
When you look at the reasons for project failure, "it's like a top 10 list that just repeats itself over and over again," says Holland, who is also a senior business architect and consultant with HP Services. Feature creep? Insufficient training? Overlooking essential stakeholders? They're all on the list -- time and time again.
A popular management concept these days is "failing forward" -- the idea that it's OK to fail so long as you learn from your failures. In the spirit of that motto and of the Ig Nobel awards, Computerworld presents 11 IT projects that may have "failed" -- in some cases, failed spectacularly -- but from which the people involved were able to draw useful lessons.
You'll notice that many of them are government projects. That's not necessarily because government fails more often than the private sector, but because regulations and oversight make it harder for governments to cover up their mistakes. Private enterprise, on the other hand, is a bit better at making sure fewer people know of its failures.
So here, in chronological order, are Computerworld's favorite IT boondoggles, our own Ig Nobels. Feel free to laugh at them -- but try and learn something too.
IBM's Stretch project
In 1956, a group of computer scientists at IBM set out to build the world's fastest supercomputer. Five years later, they produced the IBM 7030 -- a.k.a. Stretch -- the company's first transistorized supercomputer, and delivered the first unit to the Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1961. Capable of handling a half-million instructions per second, Stretch was the fastest computer in the world and would remain so through 1964.
Nevertheless, the 7030 was considered a failure. IBM's original bid to Los Alamos was to develop a computer 100 times faster than the system it was meant to replace, and the Stretch came in only 30 to 40 times faster. Because it failed to meet its goal, IBM had to drop Stretch's price to $7.8 million from the planned $13.5 million, which meant the system was priced below cost. The company stopped offering the 7030 for sale, and only nine were ever built.
That wasn't the end of the story, however. "A lot of what went into that effort was later helpful to the rest of the industry," said Turing Award winner and Stretch team member Fran Allen at a recent event marking the project's 50th anniversary. Stretch introduced pipelining, memory protection, memory interleaving and other technologies that have shaped the development of computers as we know them.
Lesson learned
Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Even if you don't meet your project's main goals, you may be able to salvage something of lasting value from the wreckage.
Knight-Ridder's Viewtron service
The Knight-Ridder media giant was right to think that the future of home information delivery would be via computer. Unfortunately, this insight came in the early 1980s, and the computer they had in mind was an expensive dedicated terminal.
Knight-Ridder launched its Viewtron version of videotex -- the in-home information-retrieval service -- in Florida in 1983 and extended it to other U.S. cities by 1985. The service offered banking, shopping, news and ads delivered over a custom terminal with color graphics capabilities beyond those of the typical PC of the time. But Viewtron never took off: It was meant to be the the "McDonald's of videotex" and at the same time cater to upmarket consumers, according to a Knight-Ridder representative at the time who apparently didn't notice the contradictions in that goal.
A Viewtron terminal cost $900 initially (the price was later dropped to $600 in an attempt to stimulate demand); by the time the company made the service available to anyone with a standard PC, videotex's moment had passed.


text:
Personalised Christmas Family Cushion - Siblings/ Friends 3 Female & 2 Male
Regular price€32.00
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- The Delivery time for international orders can vary depending on the destination


text: Who's Paying for BP's Health Crisis? Watching the last two years unfold has been both eye opening and heartbreaking. Earlier this week, as I sat with a twenty-seven year old mother of three from Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, we went over the many health-related issues she and her family are dealing with. Her ten-year old daughter has severe stomach issues, breathing issues, skin issues, horrible headaches - there are very few days that come and go that she feels well. Kindra Arnesen Nov 09 2012 View Comments Tags: Recovery and Renewal 11 corporations public health bp health impacts 48


text:
The Federal Reserve Is the Real Winner
the real winner of the presidential election image by william banzai …4closurefraud.org
The Federal Reserve Is the Real Winner
US News and World Report notes that Bernanke helped Obama to get re-elected by juicing the economy… at least temporarily:
The Federal Reserve had a key role in the presidential election—possibly even a decisive one.
Exit poll results show that, not surprisingly, a majority of voters said the struggling economy was their top concern …. In the end, voters seemed to believe the economy was gradually getting better, and Obama deserved more time to make things right.
Without question, the biggest factor impacting the economy this fall was the Federal Reserve's decision in September to extend its controversial quantitative easing program indefinitely, until the economy is back on track for good. This type of monetary easing is an arcane strategy that doesn't directly impact consumers. But it can have a powerful effect on the economy that filters through to ordinary people in many important ways. And the biggest advocate of quantitative easing has been Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.
Consumer confidence, in fact, rose sharply in the weeks leading up to the election, even as business leaders were becoming more worried about problems such as the looming fiscal cliff. That's one thing that pushed our Obamanometer reading onto Obama's side. The Fed probably had as much to do with that as anything else.
Bernanke has also shown himself to be a pragmatist determined to do whatever is necessary to help the economy recover today, even if it risks unpleasant consequences—such as higher inflation—in the future. Voters seem to approve. So maybe the politicians ought to listen.
While Romney is as mainstream economically as Obama, he did make noises about auditing the Fed, criticized additional Fed easing, called Fed stimulus "artificial", "ineffective" and "just making it up", promised to appoint some monetary hawks, and said that he would challenge Bernanke's re-appointment.
Some of it was undoubtedly attempting to appease Ron Paul supporters (and other libertarians), who hate the Fed. But at least some of it appears to have been genuine.
As such, the big winner from the election is the Federal Reserve.
Postscript: Numerous economists say that we must end or substantially rein in the Fed. Both liberal and conservative protesters – Occupy and Tea Party alike – have railed against the unchecked power of the Federal Reserve.
Support among the public and House for auditing the Fed is almost 100% … but Democratic Senate leader Reid has vowed to kill an audit (even though he previously supported it). Given that Obama has been re-elected, and the Dems have kept the Senate, it appears that the Fed will retain its powers without any real checks or balances.
WashingtonsBlog, http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/11/the-real-winner-of-the-presidential-election.html