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By Matt Bai
Newsweek, September 29, 1997
Dick Schuening, a veteran arson investigator for the State of Oregon, got the call one
morning in July. Someone had firebombed a Redmond slaughterhouse that processed and
exported horse meat. This was no amateur job: it had been carried out efficiently by
moonlight, using power tools, kitchen timers and a flammable jelly similar to napalm. The
horses were spared. Schuening sifted through the ashes of his mind, back to an
investigation that had obsessed him and a team of federal agents in the early '90s. It
didn't take long for his fears to be confirmed. Days later the Animal Liberation Front --
a radical group that opposes using animals for fur, meat or research -- issued a
communique taking responsibility for the fire. For Schuening and the Feds, the hunt was on again.
The battle for animal rights is getting uglier. The ALF, which fancies itself a kind of
IRA for the animal kingdom, is now on the FBI's list of domestic terrorist groups. So far
this year, its members have claimed responsibility for violent acts at a rate of almost
one a day. Its crimes range from small-time vandalism (smashing windows at a butcher's
shop in suburban Connecticut and spray-painting "McMurder" inside a Michigan
McDonald's) to large-scale "rescue" operations (releasing 10,000 minks from a
farm in Oregon). State and federal investigators thought they had shut the group down
after a spree of bombings and break-ins ended with the arrest of an ALF leader in 1994.
But now the violence is escalating again. Supporters brag that no one's ever been hurt in
an ALF action, but investigators who've tracked the group say that's just sheer luck.
"It's just a matter of time," Schuening says, "until someone gets killed."
Investigators admit their knowledge of the ALF is shadowy. Most members are thought to
be collegeage activists with ties to more legitimate animal-rights and environmental
groups. What stymies law enforcement is that the ALF has no traditional structure. Its
members work in tiny, secretive cells and get guidance from the Internet and underground
pamphlets, investigators say. The group's Web site proclaims that anyone who takes up the
cause is welcome to call himself part of the ALF. "It's not like the Mafia," a
frustrated federal investigator says. "I can't find an individual and say, 'Here's
the don of the ALF'."
If the ALF does have a godfather of sorts, it's Rod Coronado. The 31-year-old Native
American is the only animal-rights terrorist the Feds have ever nailed; he's serving five
years in prison for his role in the destruction of a research lab at Michigan State
University in 1992. Borrowing the ALF name from a British group in the late 1980s,
Coronado began by posing as a fur trader to gain access to potential targets. He used that
knowledge, he says, to launch Operation Bite Back: a series of raids and bombings.
Coronado insists that ALF members plot their acts carefully so that no one will get caught
or hurt. "The government may call us terrorists, but the one thing that separates us
from that is that we don't have anybody's blood on our hands," he says. His victims
disagree. "Every time a medical-research facility is destroyed, the people who suffer
from diseases are harmed," says Brandon Millett of Americans for Medical Progress.
Animal-rights extremists have been blamed for at least 85 attacks on research labs since
1987. Millett's group contends that ALF raids have delayed valuable lab testing on AIDS
transmission, sleep deprivation and lethal bacteria.
Nor is it clear that the ALF's brand of liberation does much good for animals. The ALF
likes to release horrific images of animal abuse; one undercover video shows a cheerful
farmer breaking the necks of squealing minks.
But thousands of frenzied minks have died gnashing at each other after they were
released from cages. Coyotes freed from research facilities have been hit by cars or have
returned to the lab for food. Ironically, the raid at Michigan State accidentally ruined
an adjoining lab where scientists were studying ways to curtail the need for animal
Coronado shrugs all that off, saying the ALF's main goal is to inflict financial wounds
on abusers. But there, too, the results are uncertain. The manager of the Belgian-owned
horse-meat plant in Oregon points out that the American plant accounted for a small
fraction of his company's global business and was insured anyway. (The plant exports horse
meat to Europe for human consumption.) "If they think they can destroy us, they'd
better think twice," Pascal Derde says. Standing amid the factory's ruins, he
inspects another horse -- which he will shoot through the head once the plant is rebuilt.
If the ALF likens itself to the IRA, then People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA) is its Sinn Fein. The nation's largest animal-rights group, PETA dutifully defends
the ALF, even paying Coronado's $ 42,000 in legal fees. A chic Hollywood cause boasting
supporters such as Drew Barrymore and Alec Baldwin, PETA's activities include protesting
the traveling Oscar Meyer Weiner-mobile. But now it's facing questions about whom it
supports with its $ 12 million budget. "You've got kids breaking open their piggy
banks and sending in money, thinking it's going to the little cats and dogs in their ads,
and it's really going to support animal-rights terrorism," Millett charges. PETA's
cofounder, Ingrid Newkirk, makes no apologies. "I wish every person would get up and
break into a lab," she says.
But how far are extremists really willing to go? The ALF is not the most violent
animal-rights group. A Canadian outfit calling itself the Justice Department claims
responsibility for sending envelopes rigged with poison-covered razor blades to hunting
groups. Chased from their own country, some well-armed Canadian activists are thought to
have fled to the United States. If that's true, the militant ALF may soon seem as harmless
as a couple of caged minks.
URL: http://www.ampef.org/articles/article2.htm
by Dr. Joseph E. Murray
Los Angeles Times, February 5, 1996
Dr. Murray, a Nobel laureate, performed the first human kidney transplant in 1954. He
is a member of the board of directors of Americans for Medical Progress.
The recent experimental transplant of bone marrow cells from a baboon into a human AIDS
patient has already elicited one conclusion: Americans must decide whether they support
animal research or "animal rights."
Even before Jeff Getty entered San Francisco General Hospital for the procedure, the
public relations machinery of PETA, the Humane Society of the United States and other
groups that take the extreme animal rights view went into high gear with the message that
humans have no right to interfere with animals, even if lives are in the balance--which
they are; AIDS research would be impossible without animal experimentation.
Animal activists, in commentaries, letters to the editor and TV news sound bites, have
blasted researchers' latest attempt to find an effective treatment for AIDS. This
offensive against scientific inquiry comes as no surprise. Six years ago, PETA's founder,
Ingrid Newkirk, told a magazine reporter that if animal research resulted in a cure for
AIDS, "we'd be against it."
Animal activists oppose all animal-based medical research. If we had listenedto their
arguments 50 years ago, children still would be contracting polio (the vaccine was
developed in monkeys). Diabetics would not have insulin, a benefit of research on dogs. We
would also be without antibiotics for pneumonia, chemotherapy for cancer, surgery for
heart diseases, organ transplants and joint replacement.
Today, once again, the animal activists are wrong. And we can't let a potential
treatment for AIDS fall victim to their specious rhetoric.
This debate is not just about AIDS and Jeff Getty's immune system. The knowledge gained
from this experiment could have an impact on cancer therapy. The research almost certainly
will enable doctors someday to treat leukemia, aplastic anemia and lymphoma patients with
human bone marrow that is less than a perfect match and to open the pool of potential
organ donors to include animals.
There are honest differences of opinion in the scientific community about the
assumptions on which the Getty experiment is based. Although I am not directly involved in
this research, I am convinced that all reasonable approaches must be objectively
investigated if we are to conquer AIDS.
Animal activists condemn the experiment as morally wrong because the baboon donor was
killed. In practical terms, they say, even if the transplant works, there are not enough
baboons to provide marrow cells for all AIDS patients.
The baboon donor for the Getty experiment, raised in captivity for research,was fully
anesthetized while the marrow cells were drawn. The animal was sacrificed then because all
tissues had to be preserved for further scientific study. In the future, when the
procedure moves out of the experimental phase, scientists will be able to harvest the
necessary cells without sacrificing an animal. Ultimately, sufficient numbers of cells
will almost certainly be grown in cultures. As has been the case in countless other
medical treatments, the initial techniques will be simplified as the procedure becomes
more routine.
For all its potential, there are no guarantees that the procedure will work, that the
transplanted cells will take hold in Getty's system or that they will provide him with any
increased immunity. Nor are there any guarantees that he will be safe from baboon
diseases. Guarantees are not the nature of medical research.
Medical research is a lengthy, highly risky and expensive process with no certainties.
Without taking the time, braving the risks and paying the costs, there can be no success.
The Getty experiment is an important step in this ongoing process. Scientists agree that
whenever a cure for AIDS is found, it will be through animal research.
Medical researchers are working for the health of us all. They should not be diverted
from that essential purpose by irrational "animal rights" demands. Lies,
threats, intimidation and violence by the movement's extremists already have delayed
scientists' projects and delayed the benefits of their research from reaching the public.
As we approach the 15th anniversary of the discovery of the AIDS virus, it is not
enough to wear red ribbons and hope that a cure is found. We must actively support those
scientists, doctors and brave volunteers such as Jeff Getty who are on the front lines of research.


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Power plants, oil refineries face lingering security problems
Security bugs in software could leave power plants, oil refineries, and similar infrastructure vulnerable to cyberattacks from foreign-based hackers, according to recent research.
To make matters worse, around 7,600 plants worldwide have software that a cybercriminals with the "lowest skill in hacking" could still be successful. The Yokogawa Centum CS 3000, released in 1998 and designed for Microsoft Windows 98, while companies need to evaluate if they should make immediate software improvements.
"We went from zero to total compromise," said Juan Vazquez, security researcher with Rapid7, told BBC. "If you are able to exploit the vulnerabilities we have identified you get control of the Human Interface Station. That's where the operator sits or stand and monitors operation details. If you have control of that station as an attacker you have the same level of control as someone standing on the plant floor wearing a security badget."

subset: commoncrawl


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Now we're ready with the fourth mix in the NWS podcast series. Since it's made by half of the NWS team, you guys will not get an interview. Buuut a podcast without an interview doesn't decrease the quality of this mix(!) which is a mixture of tracks that suit in different moods. Some deep house tracks build the foundation to a very groovy and housy session! 98% vinyl, keeping the black wheel alive!!
DJ:Chris Cheops
1. BLM & Pawas - Waiting Game (Sudden drop)
2. Willie Graff & Tuccillo - Do it (Circus Company)
3. Axel Boman - Purple Drank (Pampa)
4. 2400 Operator - Cheatin (Underground Quality)
5. Shakarchi & Straneus - Iraq (Geography)
6. Shlomi Aber - Tap Order (Ovum)
7. Patrick Specke - Antman (Delano Smith Remix) (Hello? Repeat records)
8. Rills - Pee Snow (All inn)
9. Big Zis - Suure Rage (Agnes Remix) (Nation music)
10. NoiDoi - Reverbuit (Barraca Music)
11. Massimo Di Lena - 9991 Highway (Cadenza)
12. La Pena - Snare master (La Pena)
13. Alex Picone & Kaysand - Irish (MUS002)
Download link: http://www.mediafire.com/?5bohl903ryxm542 (copy and paste to your browser)


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This morning, during maths...
...while Room 2 were cutting and pasting these images to create an undersea scene that demonstrated their understanding of translation, reflection and rotation, some lovely Year 7's dropped off some of what they have been learning in Room 7 of the French language and culture.
And a tasty time was had by me!
Mr Grant
Oh, and there is no dress up Friday tomorrow - that's next week.


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In any case, I hope you have a very happy (and safe) holiday weekend. xoxo.
Is this the key to a good marriage?
Behind the scenes of your favorite movies.
Photos to remind us what "cool" really looks like.
San Francisco: some people just don't get it.
Is your news feed an experiment?
I can't wait to see this movie.
I might need this for the kitties.
Ever wonder what your favorite writers snacked on?
Plus, the perfect packing list.
Image via.


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Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters
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That is one pricey hot dog.
Vancouver's DougieDog has officially landed itself in the Guinness World Records for the world's most expensive hot dog.
The $100, foot-long bratwurst is infused with 100-year-old Louis XIII cognac – which has a $2,000 price tag of its own – and must be ordered 12 hours in advance so fresh ingredients such as Kobe beef and lobster can be prepped.
"One family has come in six times for four hot dogs – each time," owner Dougie Luv said.
The title was formerly held by New York City restaurant Serendipity 3, which introduced a $69 hot dog in July 2010. Luv, however, has no plans to part with the title.
"We're going to defend this title forever," he said. "There's going to be a lot of people wanting to challenge us."


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Mathematical Problems in Engineering
Volume 2013, Article ID 820267, 11 pages
Evaluate the Impact of Cold Wave on Face Slab Cracking Using Fuzzy Finite Element Method
College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210098, China
Received 6 November 2012; Revised 7 February 2013; Accepted 7 February 2013
Academic Editor: Valentina E. Balas
Copyright © 2013 Dongjian Zheng et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
We use fuzzy finite element method (FEM) to analyze the impact of cold wave on face slab cracking of a concrete-faced rockfill dam (CFRD). The static response of dam and the temperature field of face slab are calculated using deterministic FEM since some observed and test data can be obtained. Some parameters of Goodman contact element between face slabs and cushion material are selected as fuzzy variables, and the fuzzy FEM is used to calculate fuzzy stress of face slab. The fuzzy FEM is implemented using vertex method based on the extension principle. Through the analysis of two selected calculation cases of cold wave, it is shown that the calculated cracking direction and cracking zone caused by thermal stress are similar to those of the observed cracks. This proves that the cold wave that caused swift air temperature drop is an important reason for the cracking of face slab. According to these analysis results, some cracking prevention measures are then proposed.


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Car Thefts in Tsukuba
As RrFish mentioned yesterday, car thefts are on the rise in Tsukuba. I also received a notice from the Tsukuba Central Police Station warning people that car thefts are on the rise in Tsukuba, particularly since August of this year. Tsukuba now has the most car thefts in the region. They are advising people to be careful and not to let their guard down in thinking "it couldn't happen to me".
Here are some facts about car theft in Tsukuba.
1. The number of car thefts that occurred up to September 2007 has already surpassed the number that occurred in all of 2006, and is close to the total number for 2005.
2. The area that is policed by Tsukuba Central Police Station contains 5.5% of the population of Ibaraki. However, in 2005, this area had 10% of the car thefts in the prefecture. In 2006, it had 7.6%, and so far in 2007, it has had 11.2% of the car thefts.
3. What kinds are cars are being stolen?
Passenger vehicles: 87 (48.3%)
Commercial vehicles: 62 (34.4%)
Construction vehicles: 11 (6.1%)
Other specialized vehicles: 6 (3.3%)
Other: 14
4. Can't I just lock my car?
Most of the cars that were stolen were locked.
No key in ignition: 128 (71.1%)
Key in ignition: 52 (28.9%)
Locked: 176 (97.8%)
Unlocked: 4 (2.8%)
5. Is it worse in the daytime or night?
Most of the thefts happened at night (160 incidents).
6. Where did these thefts happen?
Apartment, house parking lots: 32 (17.8%)
Office parking lots: 28 (15.6%)
Store parking lots (including convenience stores, bars, supermarkets, pachinko): 26 (27%)
Construction sites: 28 (15.6%)
Public facility parking lots (hospitals, city hall, gymnasiums, children's halls): 7 (3.9%)
What can I do?
You car can get stolen even if you lock the door and take the key out of the ignition, but it is still a good idea to do both.
Think about installing anti-theft devices such as immobilizers and GPS. They are expensive, but effective.
Think of ways to protect your parking lot. You may not be able to park your car in a garage with a door, but install lighting and think about installing a camera.
Pay attention to what is going on around you. Our eyes and ears are the best protection against theft.


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309 Marginal Way
Portland, ME 04103
10am - 7pm
S: 10am - 5pm
Su: 12pm - 5pm
89 Maine Street
Brunswick, ME 04011
10am - 6pm
S: 9am - 5pm
Su: 12pm - 4pm
The weather is warming up like crazy and the sun is getting stronger! It's all too easy to get out the door for a run and forget the sunscreen! Make sure that you are prepared to protect your skin this summer. For some easy tips, check out this blog for the full content!


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Kōenji: the former punk neighbourhood turned creative hub.
It's a district known for its music and vintage shopping scene, and it also inspired our new line of travel accessories laptop cases, wash bags and shoe bags. As tribute, we navigate through the best spots in Japan's coolest neighbourhood that inspired our line of ballistic nylon essentials made to suit a fast-paced lifestyle.


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Premium Auto Repair Service in Clarksburg, MD
Quality Repairs and Excellent Customer Service Every Time
12051 Snowden Farm Parkway Clarksburg, MD 20871
M-F 7:30am – 6:30pm; Sat 7:30am – 3:30pm
AutoStream Auto Care Center is excited to open it's fifth Auto Repair Shop location in Clarksburg, MD. We are committed to becoming your first choice when it comes to auto maintenance and repair in the Greater Baltimore/Washington area. Whether you need hybrid repair, oil changes, check engine light trouble code diagnostics, or brake repair we have got you covered. Our ASE certified technicians are trained and consistently updated on all foreign and domestic makes and models, including hybrid and electric cars. We have a passion for cars that goes way back. Our Goal is to create a company that provides top-notch dealership quality repairs and services at a reasonable and affordable price. We stand behind all of our work and give back to the communities we serve. AutoStream Car Care Center is an auto repair shop you can trust with any and all of your vehicle's problems. Call, stop by or schedule your appointment online today and help us become the best Auto Service provider in the Mid- Atlantic Region.
Avoid Costly Repairs
Avoid costly repairs and let one of our Certified Technicians create a personalized factory scheduled maintenance plan. Having a personalized plan allows our technicians to factor in important information that is not included in your standard factory scheduled maintenance plan. With our plan, we account for the type of driving you do such as long distance, rural, or stop and go city driving. We also account for how much you drive and the conditions in which drive in most often. Stay ahead of costly repairs and maintenance. We send you important scheduled maintenance reminders right to your phone and email so you never forget an appointment.
Stay in the Know
Don't be left in the dark when it comes to your auto repair. We provide free online courtesy checks. When you bring your car into one of our shops for auto repair or maintenance one of our mechanics will look over your vehicle and send you a diagnostic report strait to your phone or email. We send pictures and updates of your service along the way to make sure you are informed of everything that is going on with your vehicle. This allows us to stay in touch with you throughout the entire repair process. Making your experience that much easier.
Schedule your Appointment today
Next time your car is in need or auto repair or service think of AutoStream. With five convenient locations in the Baltimore area, one of our shops has got your auto service covered. We offer free local shuttle service and loaner cars are available upon request. Need a tow? No problem our towing service can help you get to one of our five locations. We are so confident in our auto repair service that we offer a lifetime warranty on most repairs. Call (301) 5401700, stop by, or schedule your appointment online and see what everyone is talking about.


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A beautiful and electrifying video short spanning the globe, including the U.S., Philippines, Australia, Egypt and Switzerland. The video quality and time lapse photography is high caliber. Technorati Tags: featured, kiteboarding
Kiteboarding beauty shots
Take a few minutes to watch this video of highlights from the best Kiteboarding I've seen in awhile. Beautiful scenery and amazing athletes are the stars in this video short. Technorati Tags: featured, kiteboarding
Flying off the water
Since man saw a bird take to the air, he has tried to duplicate the miracle of flight. Ever since he conquered his surroundings, he has looked for new ways to challenge himself. It wasn't long before adrenaline junkies decided to combine flight with surfing. Get a kite, hold on tight, and start Kiteboarding. Flips, acrobatics, crazy […]


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Bristol City Yoga
- Mysore at 10 am-12 pm
- Ashtanga Led at 7-8.15pm (Improvers)
* this class starts 5 October *
- Sonic Yin 7-8 pm
Space 238
- Ashtanga Alignment at 6.45-7.45 pm
- Sonic Yin 11.30-12.30 pm
No need to book: just show up!
All classes available on Move GB
Bristol City Yoga is a beautiful, peaceful space. Location and directions here >>>
Space 238 is an architect designed yoga studio with a vibrant new yoga scene.
Location and map here >>>
- Ashtanga Alignment is class following the ashtanga sequence keeping the flow but with the focus very much on alignment and 'am I doing this right?'
- Self practice is not a led class, nor is it an unsupervised practice space. You come and follow the ashtanga sequence, completing your practice in your own time. The teachers (me and my assistants) give guidance and help where needed. This means you go at your body's own pace and get the help you need. It's a beautiful way to practice and an amazing way to start the day. The class runs for two hours and you can arrive and leave at any time. Don't worry if you can't remember or don't know the sequence – I am there to help you – there is no need to be intimidated or scared of self practice!
All levels of experience and knowledge are more than welcome.
All these classes are available on the excellent MoveGB. This is a scheme where you pay a small monthly amount and have access to classes in a huge amount of different studios, classes and gyms. I highly recommend it
I also offer retreats in Goa and Crete - details here
And if you'd like to practice at home here are some recordings of led primaries if you do ashtanga or here if you prefer Vinyasa Flow


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Many people are still reeling after the Copenhagen Zoo euthanized Marius the giraffe. Now the same zoo is in the public eye again for killing four more animals – this time a group of lions. On Monday, the zoo decided to put down two elderly adult lions and two cubs in order to make room for a new male lion. According to the zoo, the move was necessary because they were unable to find a new home for the lions and the incoming lion would have killed the cubs.
In a few days the new lion will be introduced to the zoo's existing female lions, both of whom have reached breeding age. The zoo hopes the brood will result in a new pride of lions. The two cubs, who were just 10 months old, would have been seen as a threat to the incoming lion and that lion would have reportedly killed them as soon as he could. The other two older lions – a male and a female – were put down at the same time because, according to the zoo, they were too old.
Related: Copenhagen Zoo Shoots 18-Month-Old Giraffe and Publicly Feeds it to the Lions (Video)
The move comes as a surprise after the public outrage directed at the zoo following Marius' death. After the giraffe was euthanized, dissected in public and fed to the lions, the zoo's scientific director Bengt Holst received death threats. "Marius hasn't made us the least bit afraid, because what we are doing is the most correct thing to do," zoo chief Steffen Stræde told the Ritzau news bureau.
The Copenhagen Zoo kills 20 to 30 animals a year in order to maintain their populations and other European zoos often follow the same practice. This time, however, the zoo wisely decided not to dissect the animals in public.
Via the Copenhagen Post and WTOP
Lead Image via Derek Keats, others via Björn Söderqvist and Catherine Wilson


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Painted this guy up to get the creative flow going for my Grey Knight army. Have most of the figs, just haven't had the motivation to get cracking. Comments and criticisms welcome!
Arizona Wargamer Forums
Arizona Miniature Wargamers Community, including Warhammer, 40k, Fantasy, Warmachine, and much more!
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 7 guests


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Fine then...Gryph it is.Just call me Gryphon, or Gryph, or Klaw. Its what my friends call me for short.
Maybe he means GryphonKlaw's "She's the future of America"?
umm......what are u talkin bout?
Lucky I live in Australia then!
Login to Account Create an Account
funny site
Posted 04 February 2004 - 11:25 AM
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0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


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Progress of doll
Before talking about the doll, I have some exciting news to share! My dolls will be in the winter issue of Art Doll Quarterly. I already have the magazine and they did a beautiful job with the photography. The cover is a doll by Marilyn Radzat and it is gorgeous! There is a funny side to being in the same magazine with her, because she is the very reason I started doing Art Doll. Before making art dolls, I made soft dolls and bears. I saw her dolls and went out immediately to buy clay. I am a huge fan and just really admire her work. I have her as a link on my sidebar.
Time to embellish! My favorite part! The gathering has taken place.
The first layer is on and can you guess what it is?
Did you guess wrapping paper?


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PALO IT BarCamp "The Future of User Experience"
Save the Date!
Tuesday, May 23rd, 6.45pm at PALO IT Hong Kong
Come join us at our upcoming monthly event!
Let's talk Future!
User experience (UX) design is a dynamic and constantly evolving field that will continue to be shaped by future trends and technologies. In this interactive session, we will explore how topics like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, micro-interactions, physical hardware, design sprints and innovation games are changing the landscape of UX.
What you will learn
We will share of PALO IT's experience in applying future UX methodologies to a variety of different projects. Participants will be invited to share questions and topics to drive a dynamic conversation around their experiences and perspectives on the future of UX.
- Designers
- Designer Enthusiasts
- Innovators with any level of UX experience.
Our facilitators
Ollie HAAS, UI/UX Design Expert @PALO IT Hong Kong
Ollie brings to Palo IT a unique background in design, engineering and entrepreneurship. He has worked internationally in the field of UX design for over 7 years, with a broad range of corporate–, consulting, startup and teaching experience. He is passionate about sustainable development, aviation, running and drumming, with a love for good funk and colourful clothes.
Samson NG, UI/UX Design Expert @PALO IT Hong Kong
Samson is passionate in Experience Design. He has over 13 years teaching, software development, consulting and management experience in various business industries such as retail, banking, consultancy, publication and startup. He started his UX journey in 2006 and he deeply believes that design is the essential thinking process to technical and business development.
Food and drinks will be provided. For logistical reasons, please RSVP via Eventbrite below!


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Essentially there are two kinds of load balancers in use in corporate networks these are:
- Network Server Load Balancers that optimize the performance of servers delivering important content to in house users as well as co-workers form other companies or the general public.
- Line load balancers that aggregate XDSL WAN connections
Today, load balancers are either hardware appliances or a virtual load balancer loaded on an optimized platform that performs two critical tasks. The primary tasks of the load balancer are:
- Based on the chosen method of distributing network/internet traffic, the load balancer will deliver requests to the best network servers as fast and efficiently as possible
- Continually check the performance of the network servers and make decisions which server is performing in the best way to serve the users demands.
Why are KEMP Technologies Load Balancers better than the rest?
KEMP Technologies Load Masters are the best load balancers available on the market today. Not only are they the most affordable load balancers available as both hardware and virtual load balancers supporting the most popular virtual OSs including:
- VMWare
- Hyper-V
But they are also certified by leading vendors including:
- Microsoft
- Cisco
- Dell
- VMWare
- Citrix
If you are looking for load balancer solutions for your corporate needs, check the list below KEMP Technologies have a solution for you:
- Corporate email
- Unified Communications
- Collaborative work tools
- ERP/CRM and other workflow applications
- Web content
- e-commerce systems
- Self-provisioning applications
What load balancer algorithms can I use?
|Round Robin
|Weighted Round Robin
|Least Connection
|Weighted Least Connection
|Agent Based Adaptive Load Balancing
|Chained Failover (Fixed Weighted)
|Weighted Response Time
|Source IP Hash
|Software Defined Networking (SDN) Adaptive


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With the proliferation of mobile devices and the expansion of buying and selling online, ecommerce has become a necessary tool for all successful businesses. Ecommerce allows for greater visibility, an increase in traffic, the ability to provide online deals and coupons. This higher visibility will mark an increase in sales of your products and services online.
Zen Cart truly is the art of e-commerce; free, user-friendly, open source shopping cart software. The ecommerce web site design program is developed by a group of like-minded shop owners, programmers, designers, and consultants that think ecommerce web design could be, and should be, done differently.
Magento is an open source e-commerce web application that was launched on March 31, 2008 under the name Bento. It was developed by Varien (now Magento a division of eBay) with help from the programmers within the open source community but is now owned solely by ebay Inc.
If your project needs do not cleanly fit into one of these e-commerce applications, Sperling Interactive can custom design a system for your company. Your imagination is the only limitation!


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Estmad@ Amig@
El Centro de La Raza and Beacon Development Group, El Centro's newly selected development consultant, are pleased to announce that work on the redevelopment of their south parking lot is moving forward. As the team announced at the last North Beacon Hill Council meeting, we are excited to begin engaging the community in the development and design of the future mixed-use project. The input of the community will be vital to creating a vibrant space here for transit users, business owners, current Beacon Hill residents, future residents at the site, and pedestrians. The exciting project will be located immediately south of the current El Centro de la Raza building, and will include a unique outdoor gathering space that will enhance the neighborhood and shopping district. The project will provide up to 115 units of affordable housing in order to increase access to high-capacity transit for low- to moderate-income individuals and families. In the heart of the Beacon Hill business district, it will also provide critical new retail space to revitalize the shopping area, as well as essential new daycare and cultural space for El Centro de la Raza. Underground parking will be provided for residents and commuters.
In February there will be two opportunities for the community to discuss the current City proposal to up-zone the area around the Link Light Rail station. (El Centro's south parking lot zoning is proposed to change from "SF 5000" to "NC2P-65", allowing for a mixed-use structure to be built.) On February 23rd at 7 pm, Beacon Hill community members are invited to a presentation of the neighborhood plan updates at El Centro with the City Department of Planning and Development and the North Beacon Hill Council. Critical issues related to the re-zone of Beacon Hill will be discussed. In addition, a public hearing concerning the re-zoning of a variety of south end communities, including Beacon Hill, will take place on February 29th at the New Holly Gathering Hall at 6 pm in the Rainier Valley.
While the south lot redevelopment is in its early stages now, El Centro hopes to hire a design team soon as we begin to assemble the public and private funding necessary for this exciting project. The engagement of residents, community partners such as Sound Transit and the North Beacon Hill Council, business owners, and people who utilize services at El Centro de La Raza will be invaluable in shaping the design and program of this ambitious transit oriented development project. More information on the timeline for community engagement will be available soon
Siempre bienvenidos, nuestra casa es su casa.
Estela Ortega
Executive Director
P.S. - And of course, visit our website to stay up-to-date on the happenings at El Centro and in nuestra comunidad - our community.
Executive Director, Estela Ortega, Becomes a Member of the Arena Review Panel
El Centro de la Raza's Executive Director, Estela Ortega, will serve as a member of the NHL and NBA Arena Review Panel. The panel will be co-chaired by former Seattle and King County Councilmember Jan Drago, CEO of Seattle Northwest Securities Corporation Maud Daudon, and NBA Hall of Famer and former Seattle Super Sonics coach Lenny Wilkens. Members include David Freiboth, Doris Koo, Karen Lee, Greg Smith, Anthony R. Miles, and Dr. Jill Wakefield. The public panel's task is to review a proposal that is being considered and determine whether the proposal adheres to core principles established by the City of Seattle and King County. The core principles are as listed: existing General Fund resources are protected, the City and County should be significantly protected from any financial risks, and the partnership should result in an investment into the community and region. Mil gracias to Mayor McGinn and Executive Constantine for reviewing this exciting proposal in an effort to create jobs that will ripple throughout the region! For more information, please visit www.seattle.gov/mayor/media.
Employee and Volunteer Recognition Holiday Party
At our recent Employee and Volunteer Recognition Holiday Party, the hard work and passion of workers and volunteers at El Centro was appreciated. Congratulations to the winners of this year's awards:
Employee of the Year : Anastasia Mendoza
Volunteer of the Year: Hero Award-Roxana Amaral, Exemplary-Susan Mcdougall
Spirit Award: Alex Bautista
Executive Director's Award: Leslea Bowling
Equipo del Ano: United Way and Architects Without Borders
Innovative Public Schools
Washington parents who are seeking alternative types of schools for their children may be interested in Innovative schools. Innovative schools are public schools that offer a wide array of programs. The attached list of Innovation schools feature schools with international focuses, aviation programs, technical education programs, and International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement programs. Innovative schools can also be language immersion, non-traditional, or alternative institutions of learning. The first Innovative school opened in 1935 and since then, many innovation schools have been created in Washington. Innovative schools thrive within current laws and often engage in partnerships with existing union contracts. In 2011, two laws were passed to establish criteria for Innovative schools and outlined a process for school districts to recognize existing schools and create new Innovative schools. For more information on Innovation schools and to see a list of Innovative schools in your local area, click here.
Mayor's State of the City Speech
Please join Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn for his annual State of the City Speech, highlighting his efforts to widen the circle of prosperity, his approach to public safety, and how we can work together to position Seattle to compete and succeed in the global economy. Watch the speech streaming live from Seattle Channel, on February 21, 2:00 - 3:00 pm.
Mayor McGinn's Efforts to build "Beloved Community"
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Mayor McGinn wrote a blog post reflecting on the need to work together to build Dr. King's beloved community. While recognizing Seattle's substantial gains in working towards Dr. King's vision, the mayor also pointed to racial disparities in education, employment, housing, and public safety. The city also announced the launch of a new Race and Social Justice Three Year Plan. The three strategies of the plan are: applying racial equity tools to City programs, building racial equity into policies and City initiatives, and partnering with other institutions and the community. An overview of the initiative's plan and opportunities for discussion will take place at the upcoming Race and Social Justice Initiative Community Meeting. The meeting will take place on March 10 from 1-3 pm in the NewHolly Gathering Hall. For more information on the Race and Social Justice Three Year Plan, click here.
Word About Food Bank Spreads
Gabriella Martinez* moved to Seattle from Mexico in 2004. Ever since, she has been a janitor at Seattle Pacific University. Although she has a stable income, paying for food has proven difficult for her. Six years ago, she was walking near El Centro and saw people walking out of the building with bags of food. She asked one of them where the food came from and they explained that El Centro had a food bank. She had heard of El Centro because her sister's son had been tutored there in the past but wasn't aware of the wide range of services El Centro offered. From then on, she has been coming to El Centro's food bank regularly. She now brings other members of her family to get food supplies as well. A weight has been taken off of her shoulders and she's very grateful for the food she receives. "They treat me well and are good people," she says of those that work at El Centro. *name changed
Thriving Communities Conference
On February 2-4th the Whidbey Institute at Chinook, a retreat and educational center located on South Whidbey Island, hosted the inaugural Thriving Communities conference. El Centro de la Raza's Food Bank Coordinator, Andrew Kingsriter, had the opportunity to participate in the three day conference. The conference is the first of five conferences that will have an overarching theme regarding communities and what makes communities thrive in difficult times.
Using several exemplary examples of community based organizations in the South Whidbey area as focal points; the conference explored the importance of food, from production to consumption, as a basis for a healthy community. This conference comes as a larger national and international discussion is taking place in regards to food production, safety, and equal distribution. The Thriving Communities conference studied how community based organizations can have a tremendous impact not only on the daily reality of hungry people, but also how they can galvanize a local identity and bring people into closer relationships with their neighbors and their local environments.
"The Journey of the Pablo O'Higgins Mural for the Seattle Ship Scalers Union" w/Gigi Peterson, SUNY-Cortland
When: March 8
Location: Walker-Ames Room, Kane Hall, UW Seattle
Time: 7pm-9pm. Reception to follow lecture
The Pablo O'Higgins mural "The Struggle Against Racial Discrimination," now hanging in UW's Kane Hall, was painted in 1945 for the Seattle Ship Scaler's Union. The mural was later donated to the University of Washington, and after a campaign led by UW MEChA and Seattle's El Centro de la Raza, it was restored and hung on campus in 1975.
In the upcoming Winter 2012 issue of the journal LABOR: Studies in Working-Class History of the Americas, UW alumna Gigi Peterson (now Assistant Professor at SUNY-Cortland) will publish a new article on the storied history of the mural, how it came to be painted and how it came to reside at the UW. Peterson will discuss her research on the life of Pablo O'Higgins, the Ship Scalers Union, and the mural that brought them together. Reception to follow.
Sponsored by the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies; Simpson Center for the Humanities; UW Department of American Ethnic Studies; Diversity Research Institute; UW Institute for the Study of Ethnicity, Race & Sexuality; UW Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity; UW Latino/a Faculty Staff Association; and El Centro de la Raza. For more information, call 206-543-7946 or e-mail email@example.com
Climate Action Plan Survey
At this time, the Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment is updating the Climate Action Plan. Councilmember Mike O'Brien, Chair of the Energy and Environment Committee, will continue working to adopt a Climate Action Plan that will put Seattle on a path towards becoming carbon neutral by 2050. The objective of the plan is to significantly reduce the amount of emissions of greenhouse gases that occur in the City. This reduction will improve public health, will help preserve our power and support the existence of a strong economy in the future. By participating in the Climate Action Plan survey, you can voice your opinions on how the city can reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in Seattle. Para tomar la encuesta en español, haga clic aquí.
Save the Date for El Centro Events!
Unique Gifts on Sale at El Centro!
We will accept the "best offer" on each item! There is a special opportunity to do some shopping and help El Centro in the process. We have a special selection of items reserved from the 2011 Legacy Awards and Auction Banquet in September. All proceeds from this sale go to the support of our 33 human service programs. So make an offer on any number of exciting gifts such as bottles of wine, a wedding/event deal, and venue rentals. You suggest a reasonable price and all proceeds benefit El Centro's vital human services and community building programs! To see the complete list of items and instructions to purchase, simply click here. Questions? Email Betsy Mardany.
United Way Tax Preparation
El Centro is serving as one of 16 tax sites for the United Way Tax Campaign 2012. Volunteers are needed to help working families keep more of their earnings. Last year volunteers prepared 13,320 tax returns, and returned $19.1 million in refunds to our community. No tax experience necessary: All new tax volunteers receive 2 days of training and are IRS certified. Volunteers work 4 hours weekly at one of 16 tax sites from now through 4/17. Intake volunteers are also needed. Your time is valuable and we hope you will consider sharing some of it with taxpayers in need. Bilingual applicants are especially wanted. For more details click here.
Our Employment Program provides job training skills and the opportunity to find employment. Our services include: monthly workshops, one-on-one support, assistance applying for jobs & preparing for interviews. We can help you acquire new skills to advance in your career!
Classes start February 20th! If you would like to participate or need more information, please contact Camila Lagow: (206) 957-4622 or email or Maria Bocanegra: (206) 957-4642 or email. Para ver en español, haga clic aquí.
Financial Literacy Classes
Clases del Manejo de Finanzas
Learn how to read a credit report, manage your spending and increase your savings to help set financial goals. Workshop dates run January-March:
Feb.28, 29, & Mar.1 at 9:30 AM- 12 PM
Mar.26, 27, & 29 at 5:30 PM – 8 PM
Lunch and childcare may be provided at some sessions. For more information call Matthew Driscoll: (206) 957-4646 or email.
Alternatives to Foreclosure Orientations
Orientaciones para Alternatives de la Ejecucion
Mar.3 at 10 AM – 12 PM
Are you at risk of falling behind on your mortgage payments or already behind?
Learn how to avoid foreclosure and what options are available to you, the homeowner. Contact Piero Prada: (206) 957-4633 or email.
Overcoming Violence Through Hip Hop Artistry
Our friends at 206Zulu are organizing a series of events including school-wide assemblies to raise awareness of hip hop's true history and to showcase local Hip Hop artists. These events are focused on overcoming violence through the art form that is Hip Hop.El Centro, in partnership with Denny International Middle School's Proyecto Saber Program, is coordinating Hip Hop Poetry Classes! Contact Alex Bautista for participation details: (206) 957-4620.
Anuncios y Felicitaciones
Announcements & Congratulations
Two JMCDC Employees graduate from Goddard College
Congratulations to Maria Teresa Fitz and Maria D. Rico for their recent graduation from Goddard College. Maria Teresa Fitz is a pre-school teacher at the José Martí Child Development Center and recently obtained a Bachelor's degree in Education. Maria D. Rico, the Alfonso Velasquez afterschool program coordinator, obtained her Master's Degree in Education. With their degrees and past experiences, both Maria Teresa Fitz and Maria D. Rico bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the José Martí Child Development Center.
Bimonthly ENewsletter
Pay Parking Lot Open Soon!
Seattle Public Schools recently created the Positive Climate and Discipline Advisory Committee comprised of parents, teachers and administrative staff to look at changes in the way Seattle Schools discipline children. The group will be meeting each month and will provide recommendations to the superintendent and to the school board. Carmen Miranda, a teacher at the José Martí Child Development Center, a parent and grandparent of children attending Seattle School, and a long time activist has been asked to serve on this important committee.
Rental Spaces Available at El Centro!
There are office spaces available for lease at El Centro de la Raza's building on Beacon Hill. We have two spaces currently open: Main floor (531 sq. ft.) and top floor (1055 sq. ft.). Please contact our Facility Manager for more information at (206) 957-4603 / email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Know Your Rights!
The Anti-Discrimination Provision
of the Immigration & Nationality Act (INA)
The U.S. Dept. of Justice, Civil Rights Division has an office dedicated to ensuring that employers are not discriminating against work-authorized individuals based on their national origin or immigration status. It is unlawful to fire or refuse to hire certain workers because of where they are from or because they are not U.S. citizens. The law also protects workers where employers discriminate against them by asking for too many work-authorization documents or by rejecting valid documents. How can I tell if an employer is violating the law? What about E-Verify? What can I do? For more information / questions and answers: Click here to know your rights!
Your Kids Need Immunizations
Shots, (also known as vaccines or immunizations) help children fight many childhood diseases that could make them very sick. A lot of research has shown that shots are safe for your child to receive. Click here to view a chart that recommends when your child needs a shot. For information about immunizations, please talk with your health care provider. For information on quality and affordable health care for you and your family, please call the Community Health Plan customer service team at 1-800-440-1561 or go to www.chpw.org. If hearing or speech impaired, call TTY 1-866-816-2479
*Community Health Plan provides coverage for people in 39 WA counties. Members receive services from more than 2,588 primary care providers and 13,571 specialists at more than 563 primary care sites and more than 100 hospitals.
► One Night Count of King County's Homeless Population Rises: Story
► Foreclosure Rates in King County Lower Than National Rates: Story
► The Potential Economic Impact of Alabama's Immigration Law: Story
► Grassroots Caravan to Take Prohibited Books to Arizona: Story
Executive Director, Estela Ortega Becomes a Member of the Arena Review Panel
Employee and Volunteer Recognition Holiday
Innovative Public Schools
City of Seattle's Efforts to Build "Beloved Community"
Word About Food Bank Spreads
Thriving Communities Conference
"The Journey of the Pablo O'Higgins Mural for the Seattle Ship Scalers Union"
w/Gigi Peterson, SUNY-Cortland
Climate Action Plan Survey


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The scale ranges from a Category 1 disaster to a Category 9. A Category 1 disaster would involve: "One billion or more people killed. This is the kind of disaster that a medium-sized meteorite might cause, like the one that supposedly wiped out the dinosaurs." A Category 9 disaster entails: "Few or no people killed, but some harm, or possible harm, to industry, tourism, or the environment."
Payne argues that "the BP oil spill" was merely a Category 9 disaster consisting of "economic damage, potential job losses, wildlife loss, and spoiled scenery on a scale experienced many times a year around the country." The scale is most certainly anthropocentric, but we have no problem with that here at The Humble Libertarian where our primary political criterion is human liberty and our primary ethical criterion is human happiness.
Payne's scale is one we will be using in the future here to gauge the magnitude of disasters and I propose that we formalize the use of the scale by christening it "The Payne Scale" -and yes, I am aware of the morbid pun inherent in the title's false cognate. Applying the scale to events in Japan following its catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, it is easy to see how lopsided the media's attention is.
The damage that the 9.0 magnitude earthquake caused to roads, buildings, and other infrastructure could have easily claimed over a hundred thousand lives if early reports and death toll estimates are accurate. As relief efforts continue and a clear picture of the damage emerges from the chaos in Japan, we will have a better idea of the cost in human lives, but using what we know as of the publication of this article, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, as the disaster is being called, ranks a Category 5 on the Payne Scale.
According to Payne, a Category 5 disaster entails:
"One hundred thousand killed. Many recent earthquakes fall in this category, including one in Tangshan, China in 1976 (255,000) and the 2010 Haitian one (170,000). The 2004 Asian tsunami falls here (225,000), as do major hurricanes (cyclones) that hit low-lying Asian regions. A 2008 hurricane in Maynamar killed an estimated 140,000 people."
Yet despite the horrifying toll of human lives in the aftermath of this disaster, the mainstream media has been relatively unconcerned about Japan's earthquake victims compared to its obsessive fixation on the struggle to prevent the Fukushima nuclear power plant from going into a full meltdown.
Even if Fukushima were to go into full melt down and send radioactive nuclear waste from its core into the atmosphere, if the Chernobyl disaster- the worst nuclear power accident in history- is any indication, the Fukushima meltdown would rank an 8 or at most, a 7 on the Payne Scale. If that seems not far off from the Category 5 magnitude of the initial earthquake and tsunami strike, remember that the scale is logarithmic.
Does this lopsided coverage make any sense? Is it fair to the victims of the earthquake? Does it give viewers a more complete and accurate understanding and perspective on what is happening in Japan? Or is it a cynical attempt to incite fear among the American populace and harness that fear for ratings and profit, not to mention an agenda-driven excoriation of nuclear power in the court of public opinion for something a natural disaster caused?
Then again, this is something we should have expected from a media that treated Charlie Sheen's Category 9 meltdown like a Category 1 apocalypse. Stay classy, media.
Wes Messamore,
Editor in Chief, THL
Articles | Author's Page


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IGNOU has released online registration forms for the current year and invites applications for Re-registration (registering for the next year or semester of a programme). The applicants who are enrolled for two or three years semester plan, can go for Re-registration starting from 1st Feb'2017 from 12:00 noon onwards.
Points to be remembered while making IGNOU Online Fee payment
- The online payment will reach to the IGNOU account within two working days.
- Refunds, if applicable, will be made to the debit card or credit card used for the original transaction.
- Read all the instructions carefully that are given on the website before making any online payment as IGNOU will not be responsible for any discrepancy in this regard.
- If the credit or debit card supplier refuses payment, IGNOU is not answerable, so please make sure that your fee has been deducted from the credit card.
How to Re-register and make online payment
1 Go to this link: https://onlineadmission.ignou.ac.in/onlinerr/
If you are not already registered at IGNOU website, then please first setup an account.
2. By clicking on the Applicant Login column, You will be sent to another web page where you have to enter your username or enrolment number, choose your programme and enter the code shown.
3. Now, Click on the Submit button.
4. After filling the selected course, click on next and confirm the details entered by you.
5. Tick the self-declaration box and move to 'Accept and proceed payment'.
6. Make progress towards payment using your debit or credit card (Master/Rupay/Visa) and Net Banking.
7. If you want to pay by debit or credit card, select this option and follow the instructions. When you are done with your payment, you will be able to save and print the confirmation slip for future reference.
8. If you select the other payment mode i.e. Net Banking, you will be directed towards your bank website for payment.
9. You can also use ATM card of PNB.
10. After filling up the form, click on the Next button and you will get the preview of the form. Finally, take out its print out.
This is how the process for IGNOU Online Fee Payment for Re-registration works.


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Betsy Jiranek
Stacy Gillispie
Marylee Dannenberg
Andrew Jiranek
General Counsel
Andy Myatt
Latonya Jones
Nikki Armour
Mouse over an image to see a bio.
Betsy Jiranek,
President, founded American Land Title Corporation (ALTC) in 2002. Prior to establishing ALTC, Ms. Jiranek had an extensive career in real estate and construction management. She worked with the City of Baltimore's Department of Housing and Community Development, the U.S. General Services Administration and several real estate developers. She has an undergraduate degree in architecture from Princeton University and a Master of Art degree from the University of Virginia's School of Architecture. She is the Executive Advisor of Swim Across America Baltimore and is a member of Baltimore's Church of the Redeemer.
Stacy Gillispie,
Vice President, joined American Land Title Corporation in August 2006. With 14 years of experience in the title industry, Ms. Gillispie oversees both residential and commercial real estate transactions. She handles pre-closing processing, including title examination and title clearing. She works directly with lenders in preparing files for closing. As a licensed title producer for the State of Maryland, she conducts refinance and purchase settlements on behalf of ALTC.
Marylee Dannenberg,
Marketing Representative and Settlement Officer, brings more than 35 years of expertise to her role in the title industry. Ms. Dannenberg's primary role is to originate business for the company and to conduct those closings. A native of Baltimore, she is a graduate of Loyola University Maryland with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. She is an affiliate member of REMDA (Real Estate Million Dollar Association) and is active in community affairs in the Reisterstown/Owings Mills/Glyndon area.
Andrew Jiranek, Esq.,
General Counsel, obtained a J.D. from William & Mary Law School in 1987 and is married to Betsy Jiranek, founder and sole owner of ALTC. Mr. Jiranek brings more than 29 years of legal experience in the area of real estate, including 17 years with his own firm, Jiranek & Company, PA. He is a licensed and authorized settlement title agent for ALTC's underwriter, Chicago Title Insurance Company. Admitted to practice law in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia. He is an active member of the Maryland State Bar Association/Real Estate Committee. Mr. Jiranek provides legal support to our operations.
Andy Myatt,
Title Processor and Licensed Title Insurance and Settlement Agent, holds a B.A. in English from St. Mary's College of Maryland. Andy comes to American Land Title Corporation with nearly 14 years of experience in the title industry. Andy's experience covers the entire title process from origination to settlement and post-closing. Prior to coming to ALTC, Andy worked in the mortgage industry originating and processing loan applications. In his spare time, Mr. Myatt is a talented bassist for a band which has released two albums.
Latonya Jones,
Post-closing Coordinator, brings five years of experience in the title industry to ALTC. She has worked in all phases of the title process from pre- to post-closing. Ms. Jones efficiently and effectively handles our post-closing department, processing loan packages, reviewing releases and generating title policies. Prior to coming to ALTC, Latonya was a licensed real estate agent. Outside of American Land Title, Latonya enjoys singing at her local church.
Nikki Armour,
Title Processor and Licensed Title Insurance and Settlement Agent, brings to American Land Title Corporation a wide range of experience gained over the past 15 years in all aspects of title processing and closings. Nikki entered the industry as a receptionist and then advanced to post-closing. After two years in the industry, Nikki became a licensed title producer. Nikki handles all aspects of the title closing process in both residential and commercial transactions. Nikki has worked for both small and large title companies providing her with a perspective of the entire process. Nikki is always willing to tackle the challenging questions and transactions that are presented to ALTC. Nikki has a passion for traveling and a talent in floral design.
Founded in 2002, American Land Title Corporation (ALTC) provides real estate settlement services and issues title insurance policies throughout Maryland. Our varied clients—buyers, sellers, realtors, lenders, developers and attorneys—rely on us to provide the highest level of personalized service promptly, accurately and efficiently.
ALTC is staffed by dedicated, highly experienced individuals with specialized skills from a broad range of fields — architecture, banking, construction management and the practice of law. In 2016 we handled more than $200 million in real estate settlement transactions, from straightforward to complex. We give every transaction, regardless of size, the attention it deserves.
American Land Title Corporation offers comprehensive real estate settlement services. ©Copyright 2016 American Land Title Corporation, Maryland. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy


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Free child car seat recycling trial
Date: 21-Jul-17
Author: Ryan Collins
A new child car safety seat recovery trial program has been set up in a number of location across Queensland, NSW and Victoria offering parents a free and environmentally-friendly option for disposing of their old child car restraints. By collecting and disassembling the seats, the program aims to divert waste away from landfill and back into the recycling stream.
It is estimated that more than 200,000 child car seats are disposed of every year. Most of them are sent to landfill, despite at least 90 per cent of the materials being recyclable.
Families can do their bit to reduce their environmental footprint by disposing of their used child car safety seats by 30 August 2017.
The following types of child car safety seats are acceptable for disposal:
- Rear facing infant carriers and bases
- Forward facing seats
- Booster seats
Drop off your child car safety seat for free at the following locations:
New South Wales
- Tamworth Community Recycling Centre, Forest Road,Tamworth, NSW, 2340
- Kiama Community Recycling Centre, 446 Riverside Dr, Minnamurra NSW 2533
- Penrith Community Recycling Centre, 42 Charles Street (access of Dunheved Circuit), St Marys NSW 2760
- Nudgee Resource Recovery Centre, 1402 Nudgee Rd, Nudgee Beach, QLD, 4014
- Willawong Resource Recovery Centre, 360 Sherbrooke Rd, Willawong, QLD, 4110
- Reedy Creek Community Waste and Recycling Centre, 61 Hutchinson Street, Burleigh Heads, QLD 4220
- Darebin Resource Recovery Centre, 30 Kurnai Avenue, Reservoir VIC 3073
More information
Find out more about the trial at Equilibrium.
Ryan is the Recycling Programs Manager at Planet Ark. After nearly a decade working in the banking and finance industry Ryan was drawn to a career in environmental conservation that saw him work in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji. With a background in psychology and environmental management, Ryan's role at Planet Ark since 2012 has been focused on developing engaging and positive environmental behaviour change programs to help everyone recycle and reduce waste.
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text:
It's fårikål season in Norway. Fårikål, or får - i - kål, means "mutton in cabbage". I've eaten it several times before but never tried making it.
When Maggie heard I was making fårikål her reaction: "Yay! Authentic good Norwegian food!"
Here's the secret recipe: Chop a head of cabbage into 2-3 cm strips, put in a big pot, and add 800 g of cubed mutton. Add a little salt and pepper and boil for 2 hours. 20 minutes before it's done, cook up a pot of carrots and potatoes.
That's it. So easy. And for some weird reason, it's incredibly delicious. Happy autumn!


text:
This first card is actually a gift card holder. I created the cupcake template myself by drawing the cupcake and then tracing the outline on a 4.25 X 4 inch folded card. The ivory strip along the bottom of the inside of the card was adhered only on the bottom and sides leaving the top open so that the gift card could be placed inside.
The second card was created for a 12 year old boy. That is a tough one for me. It could not be too busy and I was not allowed to add any bling- gasp! I spattered red ink on my bg panel and then stamped my sentiment in black. I added a black strip of paper on the bottom to draw attention to the sentiment and added stars using the You're a Star stamp set and coordinating Star Dies as accents.
Here are the SNSS products used on my cards:
Be sure to stop by the Sweet N Sassy Stamps blog to see some more wonderful samples created by other members of the DT.


text:
What Do Tyler, the Creator and Glenn O'Brien Have in Common?
Rap's wildest skater-punk and GQ's Style Guy have one obsession in common: Supreme. The two iconoclasts discuss in this exclusive conversation
It's the most iconic streetwear brand in the world, the one that transcends the genre. If Glenn O'Brien and Tyler, the Creator—two people whose aesthetics couldn't be more different—can wear Supreme in their own way, so can you.
GQ: How did you guys first become aware of Supreme?
Glenn O'Brien: Supreme is in my neighborhood in New York, so I'd walk by it all the time. I'd see 150 guys standing in line and figured out that's when they'd have some kind of new sneaker or something in there. I didn't want to be the old guy walking into Supreme, but then I was walking by one day and they were showing _Glenn O'Brien's TV Party _from the '80s on this big bank of TVs and I thought, Jeez, I guess I can go in there now. So I started going in there and buying shit, and I got to be friends with some of the guys who worked there, I got to know [founder] James Jebbia and the guys in the store.
Tyler, the Creator: We would always skate around the area it's at [in L.A.]. That was the only store in the area at the time that sold skateboards, so we'd go in there and buy boards, and I just gradually became friends with the guys who were working there. They would always just look out for us, me and my friends, when we were over there and out and about. They were like our big brothers over there and shit, they were older than us. I'm still cool with them to this day—I was over there yesterday. And over the last year, as I got bigger perhaps or whatever, I would always rap about it, and the guys at the L.A. store would always put a good word in for me with the dudes, the head guys, in New York. I eventually met Jebbia and Angelo [Baque] and all those guys, and we've been cool since. They respect me for doing what I do, and I respect them, cause that's my favorite shit. It's just cool I can be a part of this family and shit. They show me love, I show them love, they're awesome, and I've always looked up to them.
GQ: One of the interesting things about Supreme is that they're not gross about branding and marketing—they rely on quality product, word of mouth and a strong visual aesthetic.
Tyler: Visual aesthetic is important to me. I take video directing and designing album art and shit like that very serious, and they do, too. So that's one thing I like from them, the way they design certain things—not too much, not too little.
Glenn: It's sort of a non-strategy strategy. I think it just comes out having integrity. I don't think we should be Communists or anything, but they do business in a kind of honorable way that I really respect. And that's really rare, especially in the clothes business.
Tyler: That's why I like them, because they don't fuck with anybody. And I don't really fuck with anybody. I keep my circle close and they do too, they don't associate themselves with other brands that they don't respect or actually like.
GQ:** It's not a brand that bends over backwards to woo you. **
Glenn: Which is good, because I'm unwooable.
GQ: **What do you think about Supreme's emphasis on short runs? It seems smart, not just because demand outweighs supply, but because they can take the time to do a few things really well. **
Glenn: That's one of the cool things about James. He started making skateboard decks with artists and selling them for $65. And then people would turn around and sell them for $600. But did he raise the price to $600? No, he kept it where it was, because he's serving his customers and that's what those guys do. They have the right idea about a business. I hope I conduct my business in the same kind of way.
Tyler: The fact that the runs are so short means that two people feel special when they get certain stuff. Instead of 500, they'll make 200, and then people feel more special knowing that only 199 other people have it.
GQ: **Glenn, you wrote the intro to the book Supreme did with Rizzoli and are one of the few people to have interviewed James Jebbia, who's known for being kind of press-shy. How did that come about? **
Glenn: We're friends, and I figured James would do it with me because he knew that I knew where he was coming from and trusted that it would be done right. For [the Rizzoli book], he just called me up and asked me if I would do it and I said of course. When I'm writing about something I like, it's a pleasure.
GQ: **What Supreme does transcends skate culture and taps into art, music, film, even politics. **
Glenn: I don't pay any attention to skateboard fashion or anything like that, but they work with artists who I respect and a lot of my friends have done stuff with them, and I think that's great. They have interests that I can relate to.
Tyler: Same here. Like with music, again, what you said—they're in different worlds and shit. Like skateboarding, that's high value to Supreme, and then music and art, and they're in the fashion world too. So, I don't know. They're pretty versatile.
Glenn: They were friends with Malcolm McLaren—
Tyler: I was gonna bring that shit today too!
Glenn: —and Malcolm's somebody who also did clothes, but he did them in a way that was completely individualistic and a little bit political and out-there.
GQ: **I wondered whether the geography of the downtown New York shop made Supreme more inclined to engage with the art world. Even the logo looks like a play on Barbara Kruger's work. **
Glenn: It's not, actually. Well, I don't know if you could say it's a coincidence, but it's a really common typeface, and red and white really stands out. I think the only importance of the store in SoHo geographically is that Lafayette is a big wide street that doesn't have much traffic on it, so kids can skateboard in front of the store.
GQ: What are some of your favorite artist collaborations Supreme has done?
Glenn: There are so many. Christopher Wool. I like the Richard Prince bunny skull, I like the Larry Clark board. They're all equally good to me. Peter Saville, the great art director who worked with Joy Division. I was really close with this guy Shawn Mortensen, an L.A. photographer, and he put me in a Supreme lookbook. He went to live with the Zapatistas, the revolutionaries in Mexico, and they did all these shirts with pictures of the Zapatistas on it. That was great.
Tyler: There's a lot of artists I didn't know about that I learned about from them. My favorite collaboration they did was with Sean Cliver. He has decks with black dudes in KKK suits, a white kid with a Hitler mustache dressed as a pimp, stuff with John Wayne Gacy—just cool decks. I like his art a lot, and I didn't know about him until I seen that shit. That was back in '07, I believe.
GQ: **There are forums on Odd Future fan pages dedicated to what Supreme gear you're wearing. How do you feel about that? **
Tyler: Yeah, that's fucking weird. I try to tell all the—not even the kids, even people older than me—to just be themselves. Don't wear what I wear 'cause I wear it; wear what you like. It's weird when there's another 20-year-old in an outfit I wore last week. I hate that shit! Wear what you want to wear. Don't be a copy of me.
GQ:** Do you consider yourself a fashion dude? **
Tyler: I'm not into fashion, but I like design. I wear the same shoes every day. These same pants. I've been wearing this Supreme hat for a month. The only thing that changes everyday is my shirt and my jacket. I just wear regular T-shirts, truthfully, but I do like button-ups or crazy prints and designs—colorful shirts and shit. It's either that or a regular white shirt. I'm not into fashion like that; I'll throw on a shirt and be a fucking man, you know? I have this one button-up with a bunch of flags and metal on it, and I really like that shirt because I like the way that shit looks, but some people might take it like, Oh he's into fashion. But I just like the shirt. All the little metals look cool. And I like tie-dye.
GQ: **You did a lookbook spread for Supreme. I can't imagine you'd be doing that for just any brand. **
Tyler: Aw, hell no. People have asked, but it's like why would I do that when I don't even wear your shit and hate your brand? That was on one of my goal lists, to be in a lookbook for Supreme, so that was as close as I got. I was really fuckin' happy. It was so tight. Aaron [Bondaroff] put that together. Hi Aaron!
GQ: **What is Supreme doing that no one else is getting right? **
Tyler: Nothing. That's what it is, that's why I like them. If that nothing makes any fucking sense. Everybody else is trying something, and they're just doing it. I have to fart.
[Later on, GQ caught up with Glenn to ask a few more questions...]
GQ:** Glenn, how do you wear Supreme as an adult male, versus how Tyler and his friends might wear it? **
Glenn: Well, I tuck my shirt in.
GQ: **How can dudes incorporate Supreme stuff into a look that's more polished? **
Glenn: You just wear the right size. I've been buying their chinos for years, I think they're just the best; they also have very nice jeans. And I think those things mix perfectly—you could wear them with a tweed sportcoat or a blazer. I don't like to dress head-to-toe in any designer or brand, but a lot of this stuff integrates really well into a wardrobe. The T-shirts are really well made, and they have a stretchy panel down the side so that they actually fit right. A lot of thought goes into these clothes.
GQ: **What's your impression of Tyler's music? **
Glenn: To me, it's almost like stand-up comedy with a beat.
GQ: **And you've seen Odd Future's videos? **
Glenn: Yeah.
GQ: **What did you think? **
Glenn: I don't think he really ate that big bug.
Tyler, the Creator, "Yonkers"


text:
I've just read this new piece of research on the gendered nature of domestic violence within heterosexual relationships:
Marianne Hester (2009) Who does what to whom? Gender and domestic violence perpetrators Bristol: University of Bristol and Northern Rock Foundation
It's basically confirming what Women's Aid have been saying for years; that women may sometimes perpetrate domestic violence against men, but it's not the same. The violence is typically not as bad, it's much more likely to be a single incident rather than repeat incidents, it's not part of a pattern of coercion and control. Depressingly, she finds that women were three times as likely to be arrested as men, despite the fact that the main form of abuse women used was verbal abuse.
I recommend having a look at it, if you're at all interested in these topics. It's reasonably clearly written, only 19 pages, available as a pdf, and, for OU colleagues always on the look out for case study material, it contains several useful case studies.
Things that struck me about the findings include:
She found that over the course of her longitudinal study (2001 – 2007) the police became more likely to check whether they had identified the correct person as the perpetrator when the woman was originally identified as such. Some police appeared to be looking at the context and longer term pattern of violence and using that to identify a primary aggressor (or an initiator and a retaliator). I find this encouraging. It sometimes feels as if the new pressure to provide gender-neutral services means that all the feminist insights of the last 40 years of DV campaigning are being lost. This counterbalances my pessimism.
One of the case studies concerns a woman victim whose children had been removed by social services to live with their grandparents. She was reported to have said that
She doesn't always ring the police because Social Services have told her if she has more domestics she won't ever get her children back
I would be willing to bet a small sum that that's not actually what the social worker said (at least, I very much hope not!). I imagine that they said something along the lines that the children were not safe because of her partner's violence and that unless she could protect them from him, they wouldn't be placed back with her. But you can see how that sort of response combines with the common notion that 'social workers take your children away' to mean that she heard it as a threat. It's a real challenge for those of us involved in social work education to equip students to work in the context of that idea about their profession. It's so tempting to just get annoyed with the idea that Social Workers Want To Take Children Away, but that's a way of not really engaging with it. We need to help Social Workers to develop ways of actively countering that notion in the minutiae of everyday work.
I also took the paper as a salutary lesson in the merits of quantitative methods. It is so powerful to see the statistical patterns across a reasonably large longitudinal data set. Although of course I'd still want to interrogate the discourse in which I am inscribed which finds numbers peculiarly convincing and persuasive…


text:
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African-American Achiever Booker T. Washington
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Booker T. Washington was an early African-American achiever who played a vital role in the early years of building the United States, and of laying the path for future generations of minority achievers. His contributions to education, and to betterment of African-American conditions are immense.
Props: large scrapbook
Sample of script:
actor comes on stage carrying a large book, sits, leafs through the bookafter a few moments, looks up, smiles, speaks
The more I read, the more amazed I become!
I am researching the history of prominent early African-American people, and the role African-American people have played in this great nation.
We have an extraordinary history .. . an amazing heritage.
Incredible tradition of fine and talented men and women.
A tradition of which to be proud, a tradition we must celebrate, and teach to upcoming generations.
leafs through book, smiles
Folks like Booker T. Washington come to mind.
glances at book, turns pages
When the name Booker T. Washington is mentioned mostly we think of a powerful educator, author, orator, administrator, a friend of presidents of industry as well as presidents of the nation. And Booker T. was all of those and more. . . But he was also a man of humble beginnings, a man who grew up near Hales Ford, Virginia, back in 1865, born in harsh conditions to an enslaved mother and a white father who likely was her master, sleeping on the floor of a rundown shanty, working long and painful hours from the time he could walk about.
Amazing how this man became one of the noted educators in the history of this nation, when after all, he was born a slave into a system where schooling was illegal for slaves. Following the liberation of the Emancipation Proclamation, young Booker worked in salt plants and coal mines in West Virginia, getting to work at 4 am, attending school during the day, then returned to the mine after school was finished in the evening. His burning desire to be educated was fired by his mother, a woman who could neither read nor write, but who realized that it was only through education that a better life could be attained by her son.
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text:
Cathy gave me this awesome book today "A Question of Freedom" by David Butler. A couple of quotes:
"A Life of Reaction is a life of slavery, intellectually and spiritually. One must fight for a life of action, not reaction." -Rita Mae Brown
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." -Eleanor Roosevelt
"The love of liberty is the love of others. The love of power is the love of ourselves." -William Hazlitt


text:
Grain Belt Express Clean Line LLC, an affiliate of Houston-based Clean Line Energy Partners, says a recent request for information (RFI) issued to wind generators has shown there are high-quality wind resources in and around western Kansas. According to the developer, its overhead, direct current transmission project could help the state realize its full wind power potential.
The company says the data from the RFI shows wind developers in the western Kansas region are developing projects with the capability to produce over 13.5 GW. These projects demonstrate the need for new transmission capacity to access areas with a strong demand for renewable power, the company adds, noting the 13.5 GW of proposed projects represent more than three times the 3.5 GW delivery capacity of the Grain Belt Express.
While pricing details will not be made public, Grain Belt says the proposed costs of energy submitted through the RFI were in line with other wind energy power purchase agreements recently signed in this region.
Grain Belt Express is a public utility in Kansas and Indiana and received an order from the Kansas Corporation Commission in November 2013, granting a siting permit to construct the 370-mile Kansas portion of the line.


text:
Cheap 3g Phone, Idea 3g, Smart Phone 3g, Smartphone 3g, 3g Idea Smartphone, Idea Cheap 3g Smartphone, Idea 3g Smartphones, Idea 3g Smartphone
Will Idea's Cheap 3G Smartphone Beat Its Competitors?
After Vodafone, Bharti and Reliance Communications, Idea cellular has also entered the mobile handset space by launching a couple of Idea 3G smartphones, priced at 7,992 and `5,850, INR.
The 2.8-inch screen and 3.5-inch screen Smartphones, both will be running on Android 2.2 OS and will come with Opera Mini browser 6 as well as several other features that will also include 30 pre-loaded apps.
With the launch of these 2 Idea smart phones, they are trying to reach the masses and to also be more relevant. Idea is also offering various 3G bundles also with the Idea Smartphones. But will the Idea's cheap Smartphone beat its competitors?
Our Vedic pundits have analysed the Prasna chart to reveal the future of these Idea 3G Smartphones.
As per the prasna chart at 10.50 am on 24th November 2011, the ascendant falls in the sign Capricorn. Lord Mercury (signifies communication medium) is the 6th house Lord (indicates winning over others) in the 11th house (describes hopes and aspirations), is favorable for the fulfillment of Idea's aim to sell more Idea 3G smartphones hence, giving a tough competition to other smart phone companies.
Lord Mars represents instruments and his aspect to Mercury is also favorable for more sales of Idea 3G smartphones.
Hence according to the Prasna astrology, Idea's 3G cheap smart phone will be successful and will give them a run for their money.
I got my doubts cleared from AstroVed astrologers. Now, you can also clear your doubts or concerns in less than 5 minutes through the Instant Insight service also known as Prasna astrology service from AstroVed. With the Instant Insight service from AstroVed, you can experience the satisfaction of receiving your answer immediately, as the Astrologer begins to evaluate your question at a moment's notice. Based on the time of your asking the question, experienced Vedic Astrologer will study all the planetary indicators and answer your question in near real time.


text:
Ronald Dworkin, Frank Henry Sommer Professor of Law, received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree earlier this month at Harvard University's 358th commencement exercises. Dworkin, who previously graduated from both Harvard College and Harvard Law School and was a Rhodes Scholar, joined the NYU School of Law faculty in 1975 after teaching at Yale Law School and the University of Oxford.
At the Harvard commencement, Provost Steven Hyman enumerated the quandaries of legal philosophy that Dworkin has tackled, including the role of morality in constitutional interpretation, the core principles citizens share in a polarized democracy, and how to determine an individual's political rights, singling out for particular praise Dworkin's conception of the integrity of law: "These are large, consequential questions, and perhaps no one in our time has had a larger, more consequential influence on how they are discussed and debated.... It has been said that his impact on the philosophy of law is such that over the past three decades nearly every contribution to the field is either directly or at least indirectly an engagement with his work.... A profound theorist, he is also one of America's most prominent public intellectuals."
In conferring the degree, Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust also addressed Dworkin, succinctly delineating his role in the world of law and philosophy: "Venturesome explorer of law's empire, learned expounder of equality's virtue, he draws constitutional meaning from the wellsprings of morality, insisting the law be respectful of all."
Past recipients of honorary law doctorates from Harvard include John F. Kennedy, Frankin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and Dwight Eisenhower. Among the awardees of honorary doctorates from other Harvard schools this year were U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, writer Joan Didion, and musician Wynton Marsalis.
Read Harvard Law School's announcement of Ronald Dworkin's honorary Doctor of Laws degree
Read the profile of Ronald Dworkin from the 2005 issue of the NYU School of Law magazine
Posted on June 26, 2009


text:
Online lover turned out to be married
Q. Here's the issue. I met a guy online and we started hanging out, but even on the first night, the course of events turned into having sex. Well, it seemed like we were hitting it off but I found it kind of strange that we never went out anywhere – just stayed in to have dinner, drink wine, or hangout. A month into it, he admitted to me a huge secret – he's married. I've never been with a married man before but it sure explained a lot about his behavior.
Here's my problem. I'm not saying I'm in love with him, or even that I'm that interested, but I am into him enough to keep the secret and continue our sexual relationship – which, by the way, is really smokin' hot. I know he's unhappy in his marriage but, for a few reasons I can't disclose, he won't leave her. I'm not trying to make excuses for his behavior, but I guess that when I picture myself in his situation, I'd probably be doing the same thing. Help!!! I know it's totally wrong but it doesn't seem to bother me that much right now. What is wrong with me!?
A. You probably couldn't have dreamed up a more uncompromising, confusing situation to be in. To your credit, you didn't actually know that he was married until the two of you got close – or at least, gotten used to one another. The trouble of finding partners online is that potential dates can weave whatever story they please, and all you can do is take their word for it until you actually see them in action.
A few words about staying in this situation. If he is married, he must have trusted you a lot to come clean about his behavior, but you can't assume that what he's told you -as well as anything he tells you from here on in – is the truth. And since he's isolated the two of you from every form of public interaction, you have nothing but his word to go by. He could be a pathological liar – and for all you know, he might not even be married … it could just be an excuse to avoid committing to you! Regardless of whether he is or isn't, use a condom for protection; there's a possibility that he's doing the exact same thing to other women just like you, and playing the 'marriage card' might make him appear to be safe enough to have sex with without a condom.
You mentioned that you were okay with sleeping with him for the time being. Whether it's the illicitness of the situation or the 'high' from great sex that influencing your decision, sooner or later the reality of what you're doing will probably surface. Lying to friends, keeping his secrets, and limiting yourself socially when you're with him will start to drive you nuts. Could you imagine accidentally running into him while he's with his wife? And what about the dreaded fact that YOU might fall for him, only to be reminded that his circumstances prevent him from fulfilling your needs? It might not be a big deal now, but the longer this persists, the more embedded you become.
A few words about getting out this situation. Other than giving you a hair-raising romp in the bedroom – the excitement of which will eventually wane – you can't expect much from a person who's two-timing. Don't fantasize, and don't plan anything around him. Phase him out while you continue living your life. Be social with your circle of friends, make yourself available for dates with single, eligible men – and above all else, be discerning about people you meet online.


text:
Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), a think tank made up of Democratic Party members, thinks that education's future lies in the Kindle. Their proposal, entitled A Kindle In Every Backpack, makes the argument for moving towards an eTextbook environment for K-12 education.
Their argument is a compelling one. Hardly anyone would disagree that the dominance of eReaders is inevitable, and the DLC is simply arguing that there is no point to wait. Although overhead costs at the start of the project would be high, eReaders would save the government a lot more money in the long run. Also, giving every student an eReader would help address the discrepancy between well-funded schools and those in disadvantaged neighborhoods by making textbook access universal.
Here's exceprt from the paper by Thomas Z. Freedman explaining long term cost benefits of textbooks going digital:
Over time, this could provide enormous savings. Over the first four or so years of an eTextbook system, we would spend about $9 billion more—in total—than the traditional textbook scheme. Yet by the last year of that initial period, we could have already supplied Kindles, or the digital equivalent, to 100 percent of our students. At that point, the savings would kick in, beginning at over $700 million in the fifth year before holding steady at around $500 million annually in the years immediately following.
I don't think the plan will be launched within the next couple of days, however. With the current recession, any multi-billion initiative is going to have trouble getting off the ground. Also, the price estimates offered by the DLC are based on assumed drops in manufacturing costs and not really indicative of the cost to roll out the plan today. The accessibility issue would also need to be taken care of before any national plan could be enacted.
But once these issues are resolved, it won't be long before every child does have some sort of eReader. Hopefully, one that's is somewhat child-resistant too.