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You can always look at a player and tell they have it, but you might not be able to say why. Swag exists in a Blake Griffin posterization, in a Kobe Bryant game-winner, and in an Andrew Bynum afro. It makes the NBA tick by making its players accessible and giving fans something to emulate. But who has the most swag? Is it the best players, the superstars or the players who have the best off-court demeanor? For me, on-court play has more importance. But you can't ignore the off-court swag, either.
Here I will discuss the 10 players who I consider to have the most swag in the NBA. Remember that this list is anything from definitive. Disagreement is encouraged, but try to think about as you read, what is swag to you?
*** *** ***
The next generation face of NBA swag. You could say this is a homer pick, but I wholeheartedly believe that Kyrie Irving has all the talent and the balls to take over the league in a few years. He's managed to become commercially relevant outside of Cleveland without being LeBron in his Uncle Drew campaign for Pepsi MAX. He forced media attention to a Cavaliers team that didn't have one single nationally televised game last year by steamrolling the league, establishing himself as a fourth-quarter stud and winning the Rookie of the Year. Then he turned 20. Irving, if he can just stay healthy, will end the season as a top-five point guard. He'll spend the rest of his career fluctuating between numbers one and five while giving the entire city of Cleveland its greatest shot at national media relevancy in years. The only modern athlete to be able to do that is currently the best basketball player in the world, which is good company for a 20-year-old to find himself in.


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Lee Brice Makes Michigan Girl's Dream Come True After Car Accident
A 9-year-old Michigan girl is looking forward to meeting Lee Brice after an incident that nearly took her life.
Jaylynn Hiller was hit by a car while leaving a concert in Allegan, Mich. earlier this month. She's a big fan of Brice, and was upset she wouldn't be able to see him the next day.
Fox 17 in West Michigan first told Hiller's story after she was struck by a car driven by an 18-year-old, who police say was under the influence of alcohol. The incident took place after the B-93 Birthday Bash on June 8. Hiller suffered a fractured pelvis.
Word spread to Brice that Hiller was a big fan of his; she especially loves his song 'I Drive Your Truck,' because her stepfather was recently killed in a car accident and it was his favorite song. In the days and weeks after her own accident, Brice's management reached out to Hiller and offered backstage passes to her and her family. Unfortunately, the singer doesn't have any remaining Michigan dates on his calendar, so the little girl will trek to Ohio, presumably to the July 13 show in Ft. Laramie (part of Country Concert 2013).
Hiller's mother says her daughter is recovering and that they're trying to save the money to get to Ohio for the concert.

subset: commoncrawl


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text: Hello, I have problems with a Scyld bz27-8 system running both a fast ethernet and gigabit ethernet network. I had first only fast ethernet installed and now added a gigabit network. The master has 2 3C905 cards and 1 3C996B-T card, whereas the slaves have either 1 3C905 and a 3C996B-T card or 1 built-in Intel EtherExpress Pro/100+ and a 3C996B-T card. Now the cluster boots only the dual-processor nodes (the ones with the eepro100 drivers), whereas the single processor nodes start using the fast ethernet, but the swith to the bcm5700 driver (gigabit driver) and try their arp requests on the gigabit ethernet which is not yet configured to respond. beosetup alows only to choose eth1 (fast) OR eth2 (giga), but not both of them. If I try gigabit only (eth2 on the master), then none of the slaves start. They report unknown pci devices and suggest to added the needed info to /etc/beowulf/config.boot BUT I have added it already! So how should I proceed to make all nodes available again (preferably with the gigabit ethernet interface of course). Thanks for any help. Yours, Hans Schwengeler


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danglerdog wrote:I've been riding RPM's since they came out in "09". In fact I still have my '09 10m, it has several hundred sessions on it, I've literally flown the crap out of it, and the trailing edge is just fine. The key to longevity is DON'T LEAVE IT INFLATED AND FLAPPING ON THE BEACH. THAT IS DEATH TO THE TRAILING EDGE.
RPM's are wicked fast and wicked fun. Part of the reason they are fast and fun is they are light.
Do you leave your Ferrari out in the blowing sand and sun when you're not driving it? Hell no, you put it in the garage.
So get an RPM, better a 9 than an 8. Take care of it and you will get multiple seasons on it.
I know of what I speak, as I do kite repair for a living.
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MEGA UPDATE: Requiring Minimum Credit Card Purchases is a Violation
Erik went ahead and consolidated the merchant policies of Discover, Mastercard and Visa, which leads to a startling conclusion.
All of them explicitly prohibit requiring minimum credit card charges.
So then, you should be able to buy that pack of gum, or cup of joe with a credit card if you want to. And if a store makes you pay a minimum charge, you can often write them up.
What's a small business to do? Well, as Digg reader Steger suggests, they can raise the prices and offer cash customers a discount.
After the jump, a compendium of the rules, taken directly from the contracts the merchants signed with the credit card companies…
A. As per page four (4) of The "Merchant Operating Regulations," incorporated into the "Merchant Services Agreement" as Exhibit A, expressly prohibits the following merchant conduct:
3.1 Surcharges
Unless otherwise agreed upon by us in writing, you may not impose any surcharge, levy or fee of any kind for any transaction where a Cardmember desires to use a Card for any purchase of goods and services.
3.6 Minimum/Maximum Dollar Limits and Other Limits
You may not require that any Cardmember make a minimum dollar purchase in order to use a Card and, other than when we have not authorized a Cardmember's transaction, you may not limit the maximum amount that a Cardmember may spend when using a Card.
3.7 Equal Treatment of Card Sales versus other Cards
You may not institute or adopt any practice that discriminates or provides unequal treatment for users of a Card versus any other card products that you accept.
A. As per pages two-twenty one (2-21) through two-twenty two (2-22) of the "Merchant Rules Manual," the following MasterCard Rules are imposed on merchant conduct:
9.11 Honor MasterCard Cards
9.11.1 Honor All MasterCard Cards
The merchant must honor all valid MasterCard cards without discrimination when properly presented for payment. The merchant must maintain a policy that does not discriminate amount customers seeking to make purchase with a MasterCard card. A merchant that does not deal with the public at large (for example, a private club) is considered to comply with this rule if it honors MasterCard cards of cardholders that have purchasing privileges with the merchant.
9.11.2 Cardholder Identification
A merchant must not refuse to complete a MasterCard card transaction solely because a cardholder who has complied with the conditions for presentment of a card at the POI refuses to provide additional identification information, except as specifically permitted or required by the Standards. [Note: The "Merchant Rules Manual" at page two-two (2-2) provides that "As used herein, Standards means the bylaws, rules and policies, and the operating regulations and procedures of the Corporation, as may be amended from time to time.] A merchant may require additional identification form the cardholder if the information is required to complete the transaction, such as for shipping purposes. A merchant in a county or region that supports use of the MasterCard Address Verification Service (AVS) may required the cardholder's ZIP or postal code to complete a cardholder-activated terminal (CAT) transaction, or the cardholder's address and ZIP or postal code to complete a mail order, phone order, or e-commerce transaction.
9.12 Prohibited Practices
9.12.1 Discrimination
A merchant must not engage in any acceptance practice that discriminates against or discourages the use of MasterCard cards in favor of any other acceptance brand.
9.12.2 Charges to Cardholders
A merchant must not directly or indirectly require any MasterCard cardholder to pay a surcharge or any part of any merchant discount or any contemporaneous finance charge in connection with a MasterCard card transaction. A merchant may provide a discount to its customers for cash payments. A merchant is permitted to charge a fee (such as a bona fide commission, postage, expedited service or convenience fees, and the life) if the fee is imposed on all like transactions regardless of the form of payment used.
- A surcharge is any fee charge in connection with a MasterCard transaction that is not charged if another payment method is used.
- The merchant discount fee is the fee the merchant pays to its acquirer to acquire transactions.
9.12.3 Minimum/Maximum Transaction Amount Prohibited
A merchant must not require, or post signs indicating that it requires, a minimum or maximum transaction amount to accept a valid MasterCard card.
B. As per page two-nineteen (2-19) through two-twenty (2-20) of the "Merchant Rules Manual," any violation by a merchant of the aforementioned MasterCard Rules is addressed as follows:
9.5 Merchant Noncompliance
9.5.1 Specified Rules Violations
If the Corporation becomes aware that any merchant has violated any of the following rules:
- Honor MasterCard Cards (section 9.11);
- Use of the MasterCard Mark (section 9.10);
- Charges to Cardholders (section 9.12.2);
- Minimum/Maximum Transaction Amount Restrictions (section 9.12.3); or
- Prohibited Transactions (section 9.12.4),
The Corporation will notify the acquirer of the violation and request that it take action to ensure that the merchant discontinues promptly, and in no more than 10 business days, the violative practice. A notification by the Corporation of a violation at any one merchant location requires the member to ensure that the practice is discontinued at all locations covered by the merchant agreement(s).
9.5.2 Assessments
If the Corporation's staff becomes aware of any merchant or any DSE in violation of section 9.15 of these rules, the Corporation may identify and advise the acquirer of such violation, and may impose an assessment for noncompliance of up to USD 100,000 per individual violation, with a maximum aggregate assessment of USD 500,000 for additional or continuing violations during any consecutive 12-month period.
In addition, if a merchant or any DFS is determined to be in violation of section 9.15, or if a member is determined to be in violation of section 3.7 of these rules, and if such violation results in compromised account information, the acquirer must comply with the requirements set forth in section 5.12 of the Security Rules and Procedures manual.
C. Furthermore, the "Frequently Asked Questions" portion of the website maintained by MasterCard International Corporation directs a consumer to "Please complete and Submit the Merchant Violation form to report a merchant/retailer that did not accept your MasterCard card." The Merchant Violation form asks the consumer to:
Provide the following information if you have experience a problem with a merchant/retailer who displays the MasterCard brand mark (logo) at their store location but would not accept your MasterCard card for a purchase. Or for a merchant who refuses to accept payment below a certain dollar amount with your MasterCard card.
The end of the Merchant Violation form also asks the consumer to delineate the type of violation as either of the following:
- In order to make a MasterCard purchase, the merchant/retailer required a minimum or maximum amount.
- The merchant/retailer is adding a charge for using your MasterCard card.
- The merchant/retailer required identification.
- A merchant/retailer displaying the MasterCard decal in their window refused to accept my MasterCard card.
A. As per page ten (10) of the "Rules for Visa Merchants: Card Acceptance and Chargeback Management Guidelines," the following Visa Rules are imposed on merchant conduct:
Dollar Minimums and Maximums – Always honor valid Visa cards, in your acceptance category, regardless of the dollar amount of the purchase. Imposing minimum or maximum purchase amounts is a violation.
No Surcharging – Always treat Visa transactions like any other transaction; that is, you may not impose any surcharges on a Visa transaction. You may, however, offer a discount for cash transactions, provided that the offer is clearly disclosed to customers and the cash price is presented as a discount from the standard price charged for all other forms of payment.
[Note: As per the disclaimer appearing on page four (4) of the "Rules for Visa Merchants:"
This guide contains information based on the current Visa U.S.A. Inc. Operating Regulations. If there are any technical differences between the Visa U.S.A. Inc. Operating Regulations will prevail in every instance. Your merchant agreement and the Visa U.S.A. Inc. Operating Regulations take precedence over this guide or any updates to its information.]
B. Furthermore, the "Ask Visa" portion of the relevant website provides the following:
Minimum Purchase
Visa merchants are not permitted to establish minimum transaction amounts, even on sale items. They also are not permitted to charge you a fee when you want to use your Visa card.
If you run into a problem like this with a merchant, please notify the financial institution that issued you your Visa card. These institutions have access to the appropriate Visa rules and regulations and can help you document and file your complaint. You'll find their address and/or telephone number on your Visa statement. Their telephone number may also appear on the back of the card itself.
"As an end note," writes Erik, "I did an exhaustive search on the American Express website and found no information on the subject. Apparently they don't care enough about these issues to inform consumers what merchant conduct is acceptable by way of the agreement. I called American Express twice. It took three minutes each time to reach both Fredrick and Marlin respectively. Each persona possessed a noticeable accent so I can't even be sure I got their names correct. As with Fredrick I asked four questions. First, does the typical merchant agreement permit merchants to require that consumers make a minimum purchase in order to use an American Express card? Fredrick told me some merchants may do this and typically do so to cover or pass along the fees American Express charges the merchant for use of the service. He also stated that while the merchant is not supposed to do that and the agreement the merchant signs says as much, American Express cannot enforce this requirement because it may not be practical and/or the merchant is acting as a private entity. I wasn't sure what he meant by this but at least I learned that the American Express merchant agreement should contain a provision precluding this type of merchant conduct. Second, I asked Fredrick whether merchants may charge consumers a fee for using their American Express card. Fredrick was noticeably more concerned and quickly told me that consumer in those situations should promptly call the customer service number ( i.e. 1 (800) 528-4800) and provide the merchant's name and address. Presumably you'd want to provide the merchant's telephone number too but I didn't probe any further. Third, I asked Fredrick whether I could obtain a copy of the American Express rules and regulations in the merchant agreement, etc. that covered these issues? He told me no. I asked whether they were available online? He politely put me on hold and returned 3 minutes later. He explained such information was not available online and any consumer complaints should be directed to the customer service number. We parted ways and I thought about the experience for a minute. Fredrick didn't seem fully confident in his responses so I called again, hoping for some confirmation or clarity. I got Marlin instead. I didn't even get through the first question. Maybe I didn't explain myself clearly enough but when asked whether merchants can requirement a consumer to make a minimum purchase to use their American Express card, Marlin simply said "There's no such thing here with American Express." Go figure. I thanked him for his time and hung up."


text: On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 4:19 PM, Troy Baer <tbaer at utk.edu> wrote: > The default settings in Maui allow it to pack tasks on a host like this. > Try setting the following in your maui.cfg file and see if it makes a > difference: > > JOBNODEMATCHPOLICY EXACTNOD Thanks Troy; I checked. I do not have that line. I'll try introducing it and see if that affects it. -- Rahul


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County Hall Chichester raises the Armed Forces Flag for the week commencing Monday June 23rd in celebration of Armed Forces Day.
Armed Forces Day is June 28th and is an opportunity to raise public awareness of the contribution made to our country by those who serve, and have served, in the United Kingdom's Armed Forces.
The nation comes together to show support for the men and women who make up her Majesty's Armed Forces including those currently on active duty in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as ex-service veterans, cadets, trainees and their families.
West Sussex County Council signed the Community Covenant in July 2012 along with almost 400 other Local Government Authorities up and down the country.
The Community Covenant supports, at a local level, the Armed Forces Covenant which outlines the moral obligation between the nation, the Government and the Armed Forces. It recognises the contribution of those who serve, and have served, in our Armed Services and ensures that we, in return, do not disadvantage them in what we do in terms of policies we develop and services we provide.
This is particularly relevant to our Reserve Forces who are expected to grow in numbers over the next few years as part of the Government's recent defence review.
West Sussex County Council's Military Champion, and Vice Chairman of the Council, Nigel Peters, said: "We are proud to be flying the Armed Forces Flag at County Hall this week in recognition of Armed Forces Day and the incredible men and women who contribute to the defence of this country.
"With the number of Reserve Forces increasing, some of them West Sussex County Council employees themselves, it is important that we support and encourage them in both their civilian role and their armed service duties.
"As a local employer, West Sussex County Council remains committed to continuing to develop policies and a support framework that allows them to make the transition between active duty and their civilian career. It is now more important than ever that this stance is echoed by local businesses throughout the county as well."


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Quote from: Joab on April 14, 2011, 11:12:58 AMI think Paul's time is up.You nailed it! I'm sure VFTW will be pushing for Casey.I am glad Paul is gone but he probably will have a good future. His style of song has a market, at least I think it does. I liked his version of "Maggie May" one of the few songs I've really liked from him.Final 7, the time is fast approaching when we're down to 2.
I think Paul's time is up.
I'd have to say that Casey is the new Lil' Rounds, not Jacob. Both of them seems like a top contender from semifinal but has quite underperformed in the finals.Jacob, for me is the new Gokey...always tries to sing every song in high-pitch notes.That's my thought...
@Joab: agreed...Jacob won't win. Someone from your list would. Too bad, Pia Toscano on your list would have to be crossed out....
BEST PERFORMANCE (AND MEMORABLE) OF THE NIGHT: LaurenGOOD PERFORMANCE: JamesOKAY PERFORMANCE: Scotty, Stefano, Hayley, JacobBAD PERFORMANCE: Casey, PaulI think Scotty, Jacob, Lauren and James are confirmed SAFE.Stefano, Hayley and Paul will be our BOTTOM 3. Paul and Hayley will be the BOTTOM 2. Paul will be going home.Just a guess. I don't think Hayley will be heading home. Some of the female votes might have went to her. And of course most might have went to Lauren and maybe a little to Stefano.
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IUCN Viet Nam and the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) signed in late December 2007 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Business for Sustainable Development in Viet Nam. This is an innovative approach to nature conservation in the country.
The agreement aims to: i) establish the Viet Nam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD), which will serve as a platform for dialogue and cooperation on sustainable development in the private sector; and ii) create the Business Trust Fund for Sustainable Development to solicit financing for conservation from the business community.
IUCN has of late forged a strong partnership with VCCI. Under this partnership IUCN co-sponsored the 2007 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award for the textile and garment and footware sectors, which was co-organized by VCCI and Action Aid Viet Nam. For the first time in the history of CSR Award there is a separate award for the most environment friendly company in these two sectors. IUCN has presented the Environmental Prize for the 2007 CSR Award to Long An Garment Export Company.
These activities with the private sector are implemented within the framework of the emerging IUCN Business and Biodiversity Programme (BBP), which has been integrated into the Strategic Framework 2007-2010 of IUCN Viet Nam.
Under this programme, IUCN Viet Nam also works directly with companies to launch BBP pilot projects and models. The medicinal plants conservation project supported by Dilma Tea and the partnership programme with Holcim Viet Nam are examples of these partnerships.
Relying on support from Dilma Tea, Sri Lanka, IUCN is cultivating income generating opportunities through the sustainable harvest of medicinal plants such as cardamom and bitter tea in Northern Viet Nam. The agreement is in the final stage of discussions and will likely commence early in 2008.
With Holcim, IUCN Viet Nam is establishing long-term cooperation based on the global agreement between these two groups. IUCN Viet Nam conducted a site visit to Hon Chong cement plant and met with top management officials, laying the foundation for a long-term partnership in November 2007. A MOU and a five-year programme proposal are currently being finalized. In accordance with this agreement IUCN Viet Nam will help Holcim promote Corporate Social Environmental Responsibility (CSER) best practices and coordinate an integrated karst landscape management project near a Holcim quarry in Ha Tien province.
Moving forward, IUCN Viet Nam will continue to pioneer new approaches to CSR by disseminating knowledge, engaging with new stakeholders and coordinating the efforts of its members and partners to secure support from the business community to implement sustainable development in Viet Nam.


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What a delightful painting Kendall!!! L/F
Thanks Lynn! What a great compliment!
Kendall, your work never ceases to amaze me, you are so talented!
Thanks Mariola!
Congratulations on your outstanding artwork! It has been chosen to be FEATURED in the group �500 VIEWS.�
Thanks Geraldine!
brilliant artwork ! l/f
Thanks Jim!
Beautiful work and setting
I proposed to my now fiance yesterday in the boat house at Mountain Lake - your work will most certainly grace our walls and hold a place in our hearts as it is an absolutely beautiful rendition of a place that will forever be important to us.
Kendall Kessler replied:
What a great place for a proposal! I wish you both the best and I am so pleased you want my work for your home! This painting and Canoes at Mountain have been sold but prints are available and I have a number of other paintings of this beautiful resort in the Mountain Lake folder. I look forward to hearing from you again!
Thanks Debbie!
I love the vibrant colors you use in your work...this one is a particular favorite....
Thanks Li!
Beautifully painted, love your use of color. v/f
Lovely painting!! v
Love to see paintings done on Masonite, when digitals are uploaded, you do not get all a distortion from canvas in the digital reproduction.. . . Thank you for submitting Your piece to ARTIST NEWS Group.... Great subject interest, texture, composition, and color... Today it was Published in the Internet publication ARTISTS NEWS.... Anyone can Just Highlight this link ---- http://bit.ly/RVPlpf - Use Ctl-C to copy and Ctl-V ---- to put it into the Browser Address, to view the publication. You can then, Tweet, FB, and email, etc a copy of the publication, to just anyone you feel would be interested. Happy Promoting! :-)
I like this composition in particular, it creates some really interesting tension. Beautiful!
Thanks Ylll! This is my favorite painting I did of Mountain Lake.
I like the impressionisic atmosphere on this beautiful landscape!
Average Rating (4.85 Stars):
Ron Cameron
April 16th, 2019
Boathouse, Mountain Lake is a colorful view of the boathouse at Mountain Lake Resort in Giles County, VA. This resort was the setting for the movie, Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze. I have spent many hours swimming with friends in this lake and my husband, son, and I stayed at the resort twice. It is one my favorite mountain hideaways. WATERMARKS WILL NOT BE ON PRINTS PLEASE PRESS THE PINTEREST BUTTON AT THE TOP! THANK YOU! ARTIST RETAINS FULL COPYRIGHT OF ARTWORK AND IS PROTECTED BY US AND INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT LAWS My paintings have been seen throughout the United States in national, international, and group shows. I have won numerous awards, including awards from Dorothy Gillespie, May Stevens, Frank Webb, and Daniel Greene. My paintings were in two group shows on Broadway and my biography is included in The Original Marquis Who's Who in America. I taught in the Art Department of Radford University for a twenty years as Assistant professor. I taught Art Appreciation,...
Kendall Kessler Art is the online portfolio of Award Winning Professional Artist Kendall F.Kessler and former Asst.Professor of Art at Radford University. If you are interested in purchasing an original I ship the painting four days after I receive the check by UPS Ground service which takes 1-5 business days to arrive. I have over thirty years of experience shipping my artwork all over the U.S. with no returns! Just compliments! My paintings were in two group shows on Broadway and my biography is in the original Marquis Who's Who in America and has been in Who's Who of American Women, and Who's Who in the World. I primarily create large impasto oil paintings, but I also work in pastels. I have artwork in private collections...
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Buffie The Body Comes Out With Her Own Official Workout DVD! (59 Sec Footage Of Some Of The Routines)
Buffie On Treadmil
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Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
The Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) continues its spiritual and social war against the people of Israel.
In my article "The Impossible People and PCUSA" (subscribe now to read it in the next Israel Today Magazine), I talk about this Church's new educational resource called "Zionism Unsettled: A Congregational Study Guide." This booklet should have created a loud Christian protest, particularly after the praise it received from White Supremacist leader David Duke.
I do not know if there were institutional Christian protests against PCUSA, but even if there were, the Presbyterians remained resolute in sticking to their defiled theology that denies not only the existence of Israel, but the existence of the people of Israel.
The 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church that was held from June 14-21, 2014 at the COBO Center in downtown Detroit, Michigan, generated a lot of Twitter posts that protested its resolution "to divest from three corporations – Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola Solutions."
Though this resolution clarifies that it does not constitute divestment from Israel itself, the justification for boycotting specifically these three corporations seemed to be a bit evasive.
The explanation that these specific corporations are supporting "non-peaceful pursuits" is hardly satisfying, and raises suspicion that, for example, Caterpillar is not being targeted because its bulldozers are moving earth in Syria, but because they are used by the IDF. Likewise, Motorola and Hewlett-Packard are targets not because they sell cellphones and printers to Iran, but because they have large operations in Israel.
The problematic element is, therefore, not what the PCUSA calls "non-peaceful pursuits." The problematic element is Israel.
That Israel itself is the target can be seen in another resolution, brought to my attention by the "Elder of Zion" blog. Though voted down, the suggestion and the reaction to it can teach us what's happening within the Presbytery's bowels.
The item under discussion, submitted by the Presbytery of Chicago, was "On Distinguishing Between Biblical Terms for Israel and Those Applied to the Modern Political State of Israel in Christian Liturgy." Though no resolution was reached, the General Assembly nevertheless recommended distinguishing between ancient Israel and the modern political State of Israel.
The General Assembly suggests that its new hymnal replace "the unfortunate heading: 'God's covenant with Israel'" with "God's Covenant with Ancient Israel," or even with "Our Covenant with the Oppressed."
It further instructs the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Mission Agency as follow:
"Note that in using these texts that the biblical and liturgical 'land of Israel' is not the same as the State of Israel established in 1948, which is a contemporary nation state. The Bible contains differing descriptions of the parameters of Israel. Promises of land generally come with obligations to God for justice to be practiced with all inhabitants. Later in Scripture, the Gospel is to be preached to 'all nations'; in Jesus Christ all peoples are included in God's promise. Similarly, 'Zion' is frequently used in the Bible as a reference to the city of Jerusalem, but in Christian tradition this does not refer primarily to a specific geographical location or political entity but to 'the city of God' found throughout history and to the completion of God's purpose in the age to come."
Let no one be fooled. The motion to erase Israel from the Presbyterian vocabulary is a motion to erase Israel, and boycotting Caterpillar is one way to achieve this anti-Christ goal.
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Is Cee-Lo Green's Head Tattoo Real?
Have you been watching the new season of The Voice on NBC? If so, returning coach Cee-Lo Green is sporting a new look... a tattoo on his head. His WHOLE head. Which got me wondering: Is that a real tattoo?
At first, I thought it was a magnificent job with a Sharpie and a little extra time on a wardrobe mistress' hands.
After further research, it IS a real tattoo, albeit henna, which makes it temporary. Henna tattoos typically last from one to four weeks. With that being said, you have to wonder if it'll all fade uniformly or in stages? Are we going to see some interesting head gear in the interim as it wears off?
After all, he did use to sport a cat and a cockatoo as pets in several of the episodes. (Turns out that they were rented and not actually Cee-Lo's pets.)


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On March 8, 1968, about 1,800 miles northwest of Oahu in the Pacific Ocean, the diesel-powered Soviet submarine K-129 exceeded its crush depth and imploded, for mysterious reasons a screenwriter would find intriguing on which to speculate. All 98 of its crew members died. The sub sank with three ballistic nuclear missiles as well as two nuclear torpedoes.
How close did the world come to a serious, serious problem that day? What really happened? Did the commander go rogue, and why?
Regarding "Phantom," here's another matter of speculation: How did this submarine movie turn out so unseaworthy?
Facts first, then opinions. This is a no-dialect movie. Nobody does...


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Fatalities in the energy fields: 2000-2006
NOTE this list is a sidebar to the main story -- "Disposable Workers of the Oil and Gas Fields."
At least 89 people died on the job in the Interior West's oil and gas industry from 2000 to 2006, in a variety of accidents, including 90-foot falls, massive explosions, poison gas inhalations and crushings by safety harnesses. Some states choose to have the federal government handle worker safety regulation, and some create state agencies to handle it; all the agencies tend to go by the nickname OSHA, after the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Some fines in the cases listed below are not directly related to fatalities; sometimes investigators notice unrelated safety violations when they visit workplaces where workers have died.
This list is almost certainly incomplete, due to loopholes in requirements for reporting fatalities.
The list below includes the victims' names, age at time of death, date of the accident, company(s) involved, a description of the accident, and fines, if any. Names with hotlinks connect to .pdf's of complete OSHA incident reports.
Ricky Erb, 19 -- 11/27/06 -- Schneider Energy Services -- Head injury, blown out of 5-foot hole when a reportedly 40-year-old pipeline Pending ruptured. He and rest of crew were using a cutting tool to open the pipeline, and they didn't expect it to contain pressurized gas.
Jacob Farmer, 19 -- 11/16/06 -- Leed Energy Services Inc. -- Struck by falling pulley on a well-servicing rig. The victim's father works in oil and gas. Pending
Phillip Smith, 44 -- 11/6/06 -- Easy Street Crane Service -- Crushed by truck. Pending
Joshua Arvidson, 24 -- 1/25/06 -- Calfrac Well Services Ltd. -- Engulfed by 40,000 pounds of sand in a storage bin. $27,825
Zac Mitchek, 42 -- 11/25/05 -- Patterson-UTI Drilling Co. -- Electrocuted while doing maintenance on a light plant for a drill rig. $11,900
Larry Hill, 42 -- 11/7/05 -- Union Drilling Inc. -- Fell 55 feet from platform on drill-rig derrick while handling hoisted drill pipes. OSHA said the company did not ensure that the worker was using proper fall-protection gear. $19,990
Randall Taylor, 62 -- 8/14/04 -- Wolverine Drilling Inc. -- Crushed by pulley system that collapsed from top of derrick while rig was trying to lift 270,000 pounds of drill pipe from a hole 8,400-feet deep. OSHA issued violations for unrelated problems. $4,560
Scott Nelson, 26 -- 6/1/04 -- Union Drilling Inc. -- Crushed when the top of a drill rig collapsed. OSHA estimated the rig was built in the 1970s and said a faulty weld failed under the strain of more than 300,000 pounds of drill pipe. $18,225
Stephen Amen, 44 -- 5/13/03 -- D & D Water Service -- Struck when parts broke on a hoisting mast on service truck. $10,795
Raul Barron, 44 -- 4/1/03 -- Kerr McGee Rocky Mt Corp. -- Explosion at oil-and-gas waste storage plant while a crew welded a tank. Three others were hospitalized. $14,000. Also M.J. Welding Inc. $3,900 and Bravo Services Total Inc. $1,500
Marty Vigil, 32 -- 11/18/02 -- Caza Drilling Inc. -- Fell 100 feet from platform on derrick while drill rig was tripping pipe into the hole. OSHA said he did not have his fall-protection gear rigged properly. OSHA imposed fines for unrelated violations. $4,313
Michael Blanchfield, 41 -- 10/2/02 -- Hayes Petroleum -- Crushed by cable that spooled onto a winch on a drill rig while crew tried to use the winch to jar loose an obstruction deep in the hole. $3,936
Rex McCarley, 44 -- 9/17/01 -- Baker Oil & Tool -- Struck in head on a workover rig by a 60-pound valve that came loose and fell 15 feet. He was wearing a hard hat. None
Martin Mireles, 48 -- 7/11/01 -- Key Energy Services, Inc. -- Struck by counterweight on oil well pumping unit. $2,500. Also Merit Energy Co. which leased the well site where Mireles died and hired Key Energy to do the work. $2,250
Dominick Mustache, 48 -- 6/15/01 -- Colorado Refining Co. -- Fell off ladder in refinery. None
Jose E. Figueroa, 18 -- 9/1/06 -- Grant Geophysical Corp. -- Crushed in rollover of an ATV, while servicing seismic equipment exploring for oil and gas. He was driving and overloaded the cargo rack. He was part of a 45-person crew that spoke mostly Spanish, working for a Texas subsidiary of a Canadian company; the OSHA investigator needed an interpreter. $9,450
Kory Dawson, 35 -- 4/13/06 -- Green Oil & Field Service Inc. -- Struck, pinned to the ground and crushed by crank arm of oil-pumping rig while his crew tried to repair a part on the rig. Victim died at the scene, but the company reported it to OSHA a week later. $6,750
Rodger Gonzales, 52 -- 4/28/05 -- Cenex Pipeline LLC -- Struck by pieces of a valve that exploded, while he was using high-pressure water — more than 1,500 psi — to test a pipeline for leaks. OSHA said the company had inadequate gauges to measure the pressure. $19,750
Steve Stensaker, 27 -- 12/28/01 -- Sun Well Service Inc. -- Struck by counterweight on pumping unit, while taking down a rig's derrick. OSHA said the company had inadequate safety training. $2,000
Armando Fraive, 57 -- 12/22/06 -- Eunice Well Service -- Struck "in the chin with much force" by a pipe while erecting a drilling rig. Pending
Martin Estrada, 23 -- 10/4/06 -- Mayo Mars Casing Pulling Inc. -- Pinned to the ground by an oil well head that popped off the well unexpectedly; the crew was trying to plug the well. Pending
Todd Martin, 43 -- 1/31/06 -- Halliburton Energy -- Struck by a rock that was kicked up by tires on a big truck while he stood in a group of workers at a well site. The 8-pound rock flew 43 feet and hit his head and face. None
Mack Grass, 57 -- 12/12/05 -- Gandy Corp. -- Engulfed in a flash fire as he tried to clean the coils on a truck that heats fluids for removing wax from wells. None
Jose Ramon Hidalgo Gomez, 29 -- 8/31/05 -- Triple P Oilfield Services -- Struck as he opened a valve on a capped well. The well's pressure — 300 psi — vented too quickly, spinning the pipe into his head, breaking his hard hat. OHSA found unsafe company practices and inadequate training. $6,250
Hank Castillo, 43 -- 6/25/04 -- Drake Well Service -- Fell 75 feet from the crow's nest atop a well-service rig. The crew was pulling rods from the well and rods accidentally hit the crow's nest, destroying it and dislodging him. None
Edgar A. Nieto, 19 -- 2/3/04 -- Eunice Well Servicing Co. -- Struck in head twice by a 75-ft section of rod on well-service rig. The rod came loose from its clamp while being hoisted. Investigators noted the rig was manufactured in 1976, victim had nine months on the job, company generally has a good training program. None
Shannon Mascarenas, 23 -- 10/10/03 -- Aztec Drilling -- Snagged by a rotating winch as he did a routine "walkdown" of a drill rig. The lighting in the winch area was poor, and the winch had no guard on it. It tore his arm off. $1,200
Douglas Allen Florence, 28 -- 9/15/03 -- Aztec Well Servicing Co. -- Burned on a coalbed-methane drill rig in a surge of gas. Apparently, the diesel engine for an electrical generator ignited the gas and flames shot more than 100 feet. $3,000
Noe Rios, 40 -- 11/18/02 -- L & M Drilling Inc. -- Struck in shoulder and chest by massive mechanical tongs on a drill rig. The operator of the tongs had to deal with a faulty control mechanism. None
Daniel H. Pina, 39 -- 10/28/02 -- Banta Oilfield Service Inc. -- Burned while repairing a heater that separates oil from water and gas. He unscrewed a valve without relieving internal tank pressure, and it ignited. Investigators said the company had a good safety program, but should've had more training on this procedure. $3,500
Ted Thompson, 46 -- 1/31/02 -- Three Rivers Trucking -- Struck in face and chest by pressure gauge that shot off its mount as he pumped drums of chemicals into a gas well casing. The 165-horsepower pump system didn't have a pressure-relief valve. $500
Jose Aguirre, 31 -- 10/2/01 -- Tim Snelson Pumping Service -- Crushed by pumpjack at oil well while replacing a part; the brakes slipped and pumpjack cycled down on him. Investigators said company had inadequate training and no chain securing the pumpjack in case brakes slipped. $2,325
Larry Blakley, 43 -- 8/21/01 -- McVay Drilling Co. -- While he mixed a sack of caustic potassium hydroxide at mud tank, the mix reacted violently, severely burning his body. $1,225
John M. Trout, 68 -- 8/1/01 -- Champion Inc. -- Struck on forehead by hatch lid that blew off tanker trailer as he took on a load of "high-gravity" crude oil. Apparently, he hadn't opened vents to release the pressure inside the tank. He'd worked 59 hours in five days. None
Jimmy Hicks, 40 -- 5/30/01 -- Patterson-UTI Drilling Co. -- Struck in head by hose that came loose from a cross-member of drill rig. $1,312
Juan Mendoza, 46 -- 4/3/01 -- Lucky Services Inc. -- Crushed by well service rig that tipped over while he was standing on it. None
Ricardo Hernandez, 20 -- 10/31/00 -- Triple P Well Service, Inc. -- Fell. (Investigating agency provided no details, saying files this old are typically destroyed.) None
Kirk Webb, 23 -- 3/30/00 -- Pool Energy Services Co. -- Burned in an explosion while he off-loaded brine from a truck into a 1,000-barrel tank. None
Charles Lindstrom, 57 -- 8/17/06 -- Energy Systems Ind., Inc.-- "Blunt-force trauma" while he worked alone on the repair of a pumping unit. $750
Karl Heller, 31 -- 4/5/06 -- Cyclone Drilling -- Crushed by 3,400-pound tank that his crew was lifting with a 1.5-inch-diameter rope when the rope broke. OSHA noted most of the crew was inexperienced and didn't know the rope's load rating; the company didn't have a procedure for training workers to stay clear of loads. $3,750
Zach Anderson, 20 -- 1/30/06 -- American Casing & Equipment -- Struck by pipe or pipe clamp while standing on a platform 30 feet above rig floor, as pipes got out of control while being spun and screwed together. OSHA noted the victim only had two or three days' experience in the pipe-handling job. $1,050
Brian Loken, 45 -- 12/13/04 -- Plains Marketing L.P. -- Electrocuted by an underground 7,000-volt power line while his crew tried to repair a pipeline. $3,375
Danny Schroeder, 44 -- 11/29/04 -- Northwest Roustabouts -- Crushed between bucket and frame of skid-steer loader when he engaged the controls while climbing on the loader. OSHA said the crew lacked training and was misusing the loader in a couple of ways. $4,500
Robert Updike, 21 -- 2/9/04 -- Wolverine Drilling -- Struck in head and neck by steel cable; crew was stringing cable to erect a drill rig, a connector broke, and cable snapped back and dropped on him. OSHA said training was inadequate and the connector had been installed improperly. $3,675
Andrew Lambourn, 23 -- 5/1/03 -- Stride Well Service Inc. -- Crushed by a catwalk that fell when a support chain broke. OSHA said the company should've inspected the chain and kept workers clear of suspended loads. $7,000
David A. Vickers Jr. (age not provided) -- 6/27/06 -- MarMc Transportation Inc. -- Run over by a forklift while working with a crew moving a drill rig; he was resting in the shade of the forklift, and a truck driver (not the forklift driver) hopped on it and drove forward. The company had just been cited by Wyoming OSHD for inadequate forklift training. $1,800
Shane L. Judd, 41 -- 6/9/06 -- DHS Drilling Company -- Fell 90 feet from top of a rig's derrick. He hadn't hooked up his fall-protection device. Investigators noted the crew was pulling long work shifts, drilling in the rain; the ambulance took 45 minutes to reach the remote site. $3,150
Steven Spooner, 44 -- 2/26/05 -- Union Drilling -- Crushed by 1,000-pound steel deck plate that fell off forklift while crew erected a drill rig. Forklift had been left idling and unattended without the brake set. $4,700
Montgomery L. Allee, 40 -- 1/14/05 -- Patterson-UTI Drilling Co. -- Struck in head by cable as crew was erecting drill rig. The cable had gotten snagged, and rig manager told him to try to unsnag it. Investigators noted they were in a hurry, and it was an unsafe order. $7,000
David Gardner, 23 -- 2/4/04 -- Basic Energy -- Struck in the head by descending oil rig elevator; other loud noises on the job prevented him from hearing his co-workers' shouts of warning. $5,000
Donald E. Cannon, 47 -- 8/26/02 -- Cannon Well Service Inc. -- Blown 112 feet when pipes ruptured at gas well where gas pressure was 1,900 psi, then gas ignited. Investigators blamed faulty pipes but also said he'd parked too close to the well. (Note: family company; his son died in rig accident in 1997.) $1,125
Marcus Adam Liddell, 21 -- 10/10/01 -- Basin Swabbing & Oil Service -- Struck by the 20-pound elevator of a drill rig when it broke loose from top of rig and fell 66 feet onto him. (Note: family company, and his father is a co-owner. He was a college student and it happened two days after his birthday. Some co-workers quit after the accident.) None
Floyd Morganstean, 37 -- 8/23/00 -- FMC Fluid Control Div. -- Struck by piece of a "frac" head that exploded, while crew was testing whether it would hold 13,000 psi pressure. Investigators noted the crew should've had a shield between them and the test. $1,100
Bobby Ray Owens, Jr., 52 -- 11/11/06 -- Associated Pipeline Contractors -- Driving a bulldozer, blading the right-of-way for a new transcontinental gas pipeline, he hit a 36-inch pipeline, went up in a 300-foot fireball that shook the ground and could be seen for miles. Pending
Jerrid Thomas Gardner, 22 -- 10/31/06 -- Hawkeye Well Service -- Entangled in the driveshaft of an oil well pump; his father also works for the company. Pending
Steve Robinson, 35 -- 6/1/06 -- High Desert Services Inc. -- Slipped from a platform and got wedged between two 11-foot-tall water tanks he was heating with a propane-fired service truck, suffered "thermal injuries" from being "trapped against a heated metallic surface." It happened around sunset as he worked alone at a remote gas-well site; his body wasn't discovered until the next morning. None
Pete Mascarenas, 52 -- 4/27/06 -- Pioneer Drilling Serv., Ltd. -- Struck in head by a forklift blade as he tried to adjust it, and it came loose; his hard hat didn't help. $5,625
Rodney Leon Caddy, 39 -- 3/31/06 -- Nabors Drilling USA LP -- Struck by 37-inch handle of chain-tong that didn't release when pipe string suddenly uncoiled as drill-rig crew tried to get the string unstuck from 4,000+ feet underground. They'd put 220,000 pounds of hoisting power on the string and twisted it clockwise and counterclockwise, trying to unstick it. The man running the drilling console wasn't supposed to be doing that job; he'd just been demoted for mistakes. $8,750
Colton H. Bryant, 25 -- 2/16/06 -- Patterson-UTI Drilling Co. LLC -- Fell from a grated catwalk beneath a drill rig's main deck, 26 feet into rig cellar. The place where he fell lacked safety railings. $7,031
Doug Shymanski, 47 -- 12/13/05 -- Cyclone Drilling, Inc. -- Struck by steel cable drilling line when fastline sheave (pulley) broke and severed the line, causing line, block, hook and elevators to crash to rig floor. Some in the crew had noticed the pulley looking worn weeks earlier and had reported it to bosses. $16,250
Duncan Dewayne Hughes, 44 -- 10/31/05 -- Grey Wolf Drilling Co. L.P. -- Crushed when his safety lanyard (fall-protection harness attached to his back) got snagged in the rotating kelly/rotary head on a 1,000 horsepower drill rig, and he got pulled tight against it, rotating with it until crew noticed and shut down. He had no previous oilfield experience; it was his 11th day on the job, and first time doing the task. OSHA noted no guard on this rig's rotary head/catwalk, crew working long hours. $1,112
Dean A. Harris, 48 -- 10/15/05 -- DHS Drilling -- Fell from platform atop drill rig, as crew tripped pipe into hole; rig was tilted, so he had to lean out to grab tops of pipes; he was wearing a safety harness two sizes too big and wrong kind of harness. When he fell, he dropped 15 feet, hung suspended 75 feet above deck. The driller, Troy Mabbit, giving orders on rescue, was his stepson. OSHA found mistakes by many. $8,250
Daniel Franklin "Danny" Shaules, 37 -- 9/29/05 -- Chapman Contracting -- Crushed by two 2,400-pound, 40-foot pipes while he worked with other men unloading pipes from a truckbed and stacking them on a pipe rack in yard. He had the job for 28 days, but in previous truck-driving jobs he'd handled pipe. $656
Jimmy Joe Huckman Jr., 26 -- 9/5/05 -- Cudd Pressure Control -- Fell 47 feet from a platform — called a "stabbing basket" — partway up a drill rig's derrick; he had five years' experience but didn't have his fall-protection safety harness hooked up. $2,812
Cain Wells, 31 -- 7/12/05 -- HDR Engineering Inc. -- Crashed while surveying a route for new power line to serve a coalbed methane field; he was driving an ATV in hilly desert, went over a 2-foot dropoff, flipped, suffered head injury. He had 10 weeks on the job; his training consisted of watching a 15-minute video on how to drive ATVs. He had a helmet but was not wearing it that day; it was hot, temps in the 90s. $5,625
Jon Isaac Johnson, 32 -- 6/25/05 -- AJ Electric, his own company (sole proprietor) -- Electrocuted by a 1,450-volt line while working on a coalbed methane well. Wyoming OSHA did not investigate, because it does not cover sole proprietors. No OSHA investigation
Leslie Wallace Sipe, 23 -- 5/25/05 -- Northeast Wyoming Construction, LLC -- Electrocuted as he was stringing new line on a contract for Powder River Energy Corp.; he was an apprentice, not a journeyman, had three years' experience. He climbed a pole too high, slipped off a crossbar and grabbed a hot wire, 791 amps surging through him. Then he fell to ground. It happened on his 23rd birthday. $3,375
Joseph K. Laster, 26 -- 2/22/05 -- Tyvo LLC -- Snagged by driveshaft of small drill rig running 800-1,000 rpm, both arms severed. A rancher partnered with Tyvo, LLC to get three old water-well drill rigs back into service; this one was built in 1962 and had been out of service for three years, needed a lot of work. OSHA noted the driveshaft had no guard on it, and he'd had little training. $3,375
Phillip Lynn Pepper, 43 -- 12/23/04 -- True Drilling Co. -- Fell 90 feet from drill rig's crow's nest, when he leaned too far to grab a hoisted pipe; he wasn't wearing fall-protection gear. Rig didn't have a safety lanyard in the crow's nest. It had broken 13 days earlier. $19,250
Leroy James "Elroy" Fried, 49 -- 8/3/04 -- Cyclone Drilling, Inc. -- Crushed by a beam that collapsed while his crew erected a drill rig. Bolts supporting the beam broke from being overstressed, OSHA said. Fried had 16 days on the job. $1,534
Joshua Duane Riedel, 23 -- 7/24/04 -- Nabors Drilling USA LP -- Crushed by 500-pound pipe-gripping tongs on a drill rig while crew was "tripping in" — adding pipe to the hole. The driller accidentally engaged the tongs; the control levers and valves were improperly installed. Riedel was a college student working a summer job; he had three weeks on the job. Other crewmembers were also inexperienced. OSHA fined the company — world's largest drilling company — $625. When Riedel's parents expressed outrage, OSHA raised the fine to $1,875
James "Jim" Albert Bates, 48 -- 1/5/04 -- Patterson-UTI Drilling -- Struck by a 6-foot pipe on a "mud line" — pumping high-pressure cement into a well casing — that came loose, knocked him from rig deck 35 feet to the ground. He was part of the drill rig crew; a separate Halliburton Energy Services crew was doing the cement job. OSHA noted the Halliburton pump operator had only four weeks' experience in that job. $2,437. Also 1/6/04 Halliburton Energy Services $1,114
Bennie Singleton, 19 -- 7/18/03 -- Bill's Hydraulic Specialist Service -- Heart attack probably due to heat stress while installing pipe at a remote oil well on a cloudless 100-degree day; family company, owned by one of his uncles, and he was working with another uncle at the time he fell suddenly ill. $3,375
Debra Lee "Debbie" Zeleny, 41 -- 4/7/03 -- Merit Energy Company -- Blown 54 feet sideways by pipeline rupture. She and co-worker Marsha Iriberry were at remote site opening a valve, trying to free a stuck "pig" — spherical line-reamer propelled by gas pressure. None
Charles Douglas "Chuck" Mead, 41 -- 12/19/02 -- Merit Energy Company -- Struck in chest by fragments of oilfield compressor that blew up. He was working alone, adding methanol antifreeze to the compressor. OSHA said either he made a mistake, or the equipment was designed poorly, or both. OSHA violations were not necessarily related to the accident. $6,187
Harvey Montoya, 39 -- 8/7/02 -- Central Valley Tongs -- Crushed, then fell 15 feet from a basket that rode in vertical rails up rig derrick. When basket tipped, he fell out and swung on the lanyard, pendulumed into the derrick. OSHA noted: The driller running the controls was isolated in a soundproof control room, and the intercom had been broken for five weeks, so he didn't hear the crew yelling at him to stop. $10,000. Also Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Co. $4,500
Donny Chapman, 50 -- 1/21/02 -- Benchmark Research & Technologies Inc. -- Froze to death when he fell from top of truck or ladder and hit his head while delivering a truckload of slurry gel in an oilfield service yard; it was 10 degrees, wind blowing 20-30 mph; he was working alone. The footing was slick and there was no system of fall-protection in the unloading area. $2,500
Brad Eugene Loberg, 37 -- 9/15/01 -- Splicer Cable Service And Supply Inc. -- Crushed while he fed steel cable onto a spool on a well-servicing rig; as the cable began to spool and its speed was increased, he turned to face a co-worker, raised his hand and then "disappeared" — his arm got snagged, he got yanked backwards into the spool and wrapped with cable. None
Christopher W. Michael, 51 -- 8/13/01 -- Anschutz Corp. -- Poisoned by H2S gas while working on top of a 20-foot-tall tank at a gas-gathering plant; as he and a co-worker unbolted pipe flanges, the H2S gas leaked out, killing him instantly and knocking the co-worker unconscious. OSHA said Michael and his co-worker atop the tank should've been wearing air masks, and they didn't unbolt the flanges properly. None
Delbert DeWayne Bailey, 43 -- 7/13/01 -- Halliburton Energy Services -- Crushed by two sliding 30-foot pipes; the Halliburton crew was there to pump cement into the well casing, and while dragging their equipment up a ramp on the side of the rig, they dislodged two pipes that were stored on the ramp; the pipes slid down onto the victim. OSHA noted the crew's actions were common practices in the industry. None
Dick Cloyd Tidwell, 41 -- 6/25/01 -- True Drilling LLC -- Fell 90 feet from the top of a drill rig; he was wearing a safety harness, but, coming back from a 10-minute break, he forgot to attach it to the rig; he leaned out to grab the top end of a pipe being hoisted, slipped off the platform, clung to the horns of the elevator clamp for 90 seconds while co-workers scrambled trying to reach him, then he lost his grip. None
Loren L. Austin, 43 -- 1/30/01 -- TNT Backhoe & Roustabout Service -- Run over by a 1-ton truck; he and another man were coiling plastic pipe at drill rig site, cold winter day. Company policy on such days was to leave the truck idling without setting the emergency brake, so didn't have to worry about the truck not starting or the brakes freezing. OSHA recommended chocking the truck's wheels in such situations. $100
Mark Alan Zike, 40 -- 1/20/01 -- True Drilling LLC -- Struck in the head by fragments of a ball valve that exploded under 1,700 psi pressure. The crew was pumping drilling "mud" to seal a well casing and the valve had deformed due to freezing and thawing. OSHA noted the crew was inexperienced, none of them had more than a few months on the job. $625
Terry Metz (age not provided) -- 10/27/00 -- E & J Well Service -- Struck by pipeline "pig," when it came unstuck from a pipeline just upstream from where he was peering into the receiver barrel (where it was supposed to land). $5,400. Also Wexpro Co. $1,750
Wayne William Franks, 35 -- 3/4/00 -- Cole's Construction Service Inc. -- Crushed by 680-pound pipes at a coalbed-methane well site as he helped unload the pipes from a truck he was driving. He was standing on pipes stacked on his truck, lost his balance and fell under pipes tumbling off a backhoe. OSHA noted the backhoe driver was inexperienced, and it was unsafe for the truck driver to stand on the pipes during the unloading, but it was also a common practice in the oilfields. None
Edwardo Sanchez, Patrick Martinez (ages not provided) -- 2/14/00 -- Okemah Construction -- Electrocuted as they stacked coalbed methane pipes when 28-foot-long tractor boom hit an overhead power line.
Ronnie Keith Green, 36 -- 12/20/04 -- Arrow Trucking -- Crushed by a 1,230-pound plastic pipe while he unloaded a truckbed of the pipes at a gas pipeline station. None
James Ronald Shaw Jr. (age not provided) -- 8/2/01 -- John Bunning Transfer Co. Inc. -- Fell nine feet from platform, while loading hot, molten sulfur onto a truck; the sulfur was piped from a natural gas plant. OSHA noted there was no guardrail. $1,600


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Name: Shawn Owens
Age: 23
Home: Virginia Beach, VA
Sponsors: Force trucks, Nike SB (flow)
Year you started skating: The year of the flying squirrel.
Your porn name (pet name plus the street you grew up on): Micheal Flicka.
Most anticipated part in the new TransWorld video: The Silver Bullet himself—Bobby Worrest.
Guilty pleasure: Holding people's lemonade for ransom!
Band T-shirt you would wear: The Silver Rust.
Food you're craving at themoment: Chick-Fil-A all day!
Thing that makes you laugh: Too much.
Daily skate crew: Out West its Cody Mac, Gilbert Globetrotter, Beefy, & Double C.
Who hooked you up: My pops and mom, all my homeys, photographers, filmers (YT, CC, Mr. Pink), anyone and everyone that watched and or read this—thanks.
Session killer: Grenades probably would fit best. I don't think anyone would survive that killer. Women with full beards and nipple hair with a jack hammer—just imagine.
I first met Shawn in Brooklyn, New York last summer after Clyde Singleton brought him up from the South for the Afro Punk festival. Shawn was super cool, mellow, and consistently ripped everyday. Even when I'd ask him to redo a trick for me, no matter how gnarly, he was happy to oblige. We kept in touch and Shawn made the move out West to Southern Cal. So when you see him in the streets, say hi to this friendly Virginian—he'll be a great skate partner to rip with.—Blair Alley
Photos by Chris McDonald, Howard Tarpey, and Zac Woods


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Grandma was right. Living on just a little bit less can go a long way toward ensuring your retirement income will be sufficient to carry you through the years when you'll need it.
Continue Reading Below
This retirement planning finding by actuary Anna Rappaport, chair of the Committee on Post-Retirement Needs and Risk for the Society of Actuaries, and key author of a new study on retirement security, confirms what many of us would have guessed. But it comes with some important caveats.
Living frugally won't help you much if during your working life you earned an average income and your retirement budget is tight to begin with. Rappaport's study calculates that couples who made an average income of $60,000 during their working lives and who are retiring with less than $100,000 in savings may be able to survive everyday problems by living frugally, but eliminating this kind of discretionary spending won't be enough to help them overcome major shocks such as serious illness or even just simple longevity.
But if you earned more during your working life and you have a more generous retirement budget, cutting just 15% of discretionary spending can increase the likelihood that you will have enough money throughout your lifespan.
For instance, the study found that cutting just 15% of spending increases the probability of having some money left at death from 8% to 54% for couples earning $105,000 annually during their working lives and retiring with $250,000 in savings. Similar frugality can extend the probability of having some money left at death from 14% to 32% for couples earning more than $150,000 annually and having $500,000 in retirement savings.
To have these kinds of results, you have to first have a budget that reflects what you're spending and the self-discipline to consistently live on less. But the reward for old-fashioned thrift can clearly be a big one, especially if you simply haven't saved enough.


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Cadillac Introduces First Ever CT5 Sedan
The luxury vehicle could join the XT5 crossover as part of the future chauffeured fleet vehicle line-up.
Last month, NBC "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno received a toy model of the limo — nicknamed "The Beast" — from President Barack Obama during a recent visit on the show. "My friend (GM vice president for global design) Ed Welburn designed that car," Leno told Obama.
Related Topics: Cadillac, General Motors, Presidential limousines
The luxury vehicle could join the XT5 crossover as part of the future chauffeured fleet vehicle line-up.
Photo Gallery Vehicle Pick of the Week: This SUV will keep your always on-the-go clients working in comfort.
Vehicle Review: Tech and comfort stand out in the latest iteration of this luxury sedan.
Vehicle Review: The luxury sedan gets new tech and more opulence as a part of its midlife makeover.
Vehicle Review: Back seat accommodations are where any executive sedan must shine.
Vehicle Review: The powertrain is well suited to the lux sedan, delivering a smooth, near-silent drive around town.
Premiere Transportation of Albany aims to pursue more athletic and sports business with the EG40.
The automaker plans to start road testing the production version of the concept later this year.
PHOTO GALLERY Vehicle Pick of the Week: This coach has everything you need to ensure clients have a great time.
Vehicle Review: From behind the steering wheel, it's hard to complain.
APRIL LCT Editor's Edge: Bigger is better, and chauffeured fleets will need to reflect consumer choice.
Vehicle Review: When the lux sedan lineup goes on sale in April, there will be five models...all long-wheelbase versions.
U.S. deliveries of the SUV totaled 4,754 units, an increase compared to 3,330 units sold in Q4 2017.
Photo Gallery Vehicle Pick of the Week: This limousine stands out and will help you do the same among worthy causes.
Vehicle Review: The sedan feels just as worthy of gracing your motor court as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
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Manly Bike Tours
Get on a bike and explore Manly!
With over 20kms of dedicated bicycle tracks, the best way to explore Sydney's most beautiful coastal town is by bicycle!
Manly Bike Tours offers Manly's largest fleet of bicycles for hire with the latest models at the best prices.
Come in and see our friendly staff and experience one of our many suggested routes of the area including Bike the Beach, Sydney Harbour National Park Explorer and off-road mountain bike adventure to Manly Dam.
Bike Hire
Beach Cruisers, Hybrid bikes, Mountain bikes, Tandems, Road Bikes, Kids Bikes and Baby seats available.
Daily Guided Tours
Discover more on our 2 hour tour run by expert local guides!
When: Tours depart every day at 10:30am
How much: $89 (bookings are essential)
How To Get Here..
Manly Bike Tours
Phone: (02) 8005 7368
Shop 6 / 54 West Esplanade
Manly NSW 2095
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Here is an excerpt from "The book of secrets" by Osho:
Bertrand Russel remembers that when he was a child he thought one day, when he is mature enough to understand all philosophy, all questions will be answered. Then later, when was eighty, he said, "Now I can say that my own questions are there standing, as they were standing when I was a child. No other questions have come because of these theories of philosophy". So he said, "When I was young I used to say, philosophy is an an inquiry for ultimate answers. Now I cannot say it. It is an inquiry for endless questions."
Russel's statement connects with me so much. That is exactly why I started studying psychology, philosophy and other spiritual literature: to get answers. My questions started by an inquiry into the universe, galaxies, stars, black holes, etc. I wanted to study astrophysics. And when I did read a lot of physics, I was amused by the vastness and greatness of the universe while being curious about the tininess of our own existence. It bothered me for a very long time that how come in such a vast universe we are the only seemingly important beings. Is this entire universe, where we don't event account for a millisecond on universes life scale, just created for us? If we are so important, what is our purpose? If we do have a purpose, are we really fulfilling it? Am I fulfilling my purpose? What is my purpose? What is the right thing for me to do? I always felt good when I found some answers only to quickly find myself entrapped among many other questions. After a long stretch of questioning phase, my questions started creating a lot of suffering and agony. Agony because the questions turned towards morality and everything that I did had to pass through a self-created moral filter. I din't want to do wrong things. I was confused as to how I would know what is the right thing to do unless I question?
Years of reading hundreds of books left me in a state of continuous thinking. Problems were no more real to me. They were only mental. When others suffered, I could not really empathize, because to me the problems were not real. They were only puzzles that were supposed to be arranged in a logical sequence so that they make sense. I had to dig into every problem, every decision, every action such that it made sense, such that it gave me purpose, such that they made me comfortable. I was finding logic, attributing intention, and deducing meaning but I forgot to see the reality as it is; without judging. For years, I believed that being judgemental is about complaining and cretisizing. So, I did the opposite. I used my mind to embrace everything. But it somehow din't feel right all the time. In my quest for happiness, I denied reality.
My life became a carefully crafted series of actions. Of course, it felt good to be in control and thoughtful. I also have to admit that this approach brought me many things which I am extremely grateful about. However, it left me longing for a sense of spontaneity. I did not want to scrutinize all my thoughts and actions. I did not want to ask if this is right or not. I wanted to feel free.
I made the decision not to think that much and act freely. Well, as it were, it was not so easy. I had perhaps hard-coded lot of thought patterns into my brain that it was impossible not to find myself in loops of thoughts (I intend to write a separate blog post on this loops, later). I started Yoga but could not continue for long stretches of time as my mind was more focused on questions about Yoga instead of being able to focus on breath and awareness of the movements and posture. In a few seconds' time, my mind goes into amazing labyrinth of my unconsciousness and keeps pulling thoughts like the rabbit out of a magician's hat. Thought patterns and associations I din't believe existed!
Here is a glimpse at just 60 seconds of non-stop thinking while I am performing an asana:
Am I doing it right? Should I be actually seeking the help of a teacher? Where will I find the right teacher who is of pure intention to teach me. How can I go to Bihar School of Yoga and learn for months together without working to support livelihood. I have enough money to sustain four months of training; but since I am a freelance contractor once my pipeline of projects is diverted, it is very difficult to regain it. What will I do then? I should not let this client go away. I have to work and deliver on time. Oh yes, I have to fix that bug which I have been postponing from a week because I was feeling too restless to work. But working makes me long for Yoga. Oh god, let me complete this session quickly for today and work on that bug. Once I finish the pending things, from tomorrow, I will be able to better focus on Yoga.
Well, there is more to it, but the above thread is enough to give jolt to my own self as I write.
Once I realized the bombardment of my thoughts, I became more agonized because I seemed to have no control whatsoever on them. I wanted to get rid of them. However, being on the path of intellect I questioned as to why those thoughts are occurring so that I can solve the root problem such as completing my work so that the concerns of work don't arise during my Yoga practice. To my amazement, the concerns never stopped. If I thought of addressing one, there was another in the pipeline. I was just pulling the ribbon out of the Magician's pocket which never seemed to end. I kept pulling this ribbon for years!
Very recently, I realized that that ribbon is a self creating one triggered by the act of pulling. So, the more I pull it the more there is to pull. The more I ask, the more questions there are. While taking a walk after visiting a beautiful temple and asking for guidance, I received the message that my approach is not very useful. Intellectually, I knew this for long time. But there is something about messages and insights. When they come, they just pierce through you leaving no more dilemmas about the topic concerned.
Practice! The message said, Practice! You spent way too much time trying to ask why this is happening. What is the cause. How can I eliminate the root cause of this problem. What are other issues that are influencing this, and so on. Well, sit down and meditate. All your questions will be cleared.
It was indeed very true. I spent a lot of time finding out which path is the right one for me. I spent lot of time getting proof of the path that I wanted to pursue. I wanted to ensure that the cake was tasty before I ate it. At the same time, I din't believe others' narrations for I knew the transmission of experiential knowledge is logically impossible.
In continuation to that message, a few days later, I got another message: It is not necessary that you get answers to your questions. It is much better not to get questions at all. That is a state of bliss. Enlightenment, contrary to popular belief, is not when all your questions are answered. It is that state when no questions arise whatsoever. It is a state where the reality is just perceived. There are no questions to be asked for there are no doubts. The entire existence of questioning and reasoning is based on our discriminatory powers. When you transcend to the state of oneness, there is no discrimination (the power to discriminate still exists, but the need to discriminate does not). This leads to a state of no questioning.
Here I take a bite of the cake! The taste is not what I expected it to be. But that's the point, if it were like anything else, why eat this cake !!!
I eat and I pray - Let my questions be cleared!
(PS: The entire journey of years of questioning was not a waste. It was absolutely a prerequisite to the realization that questions need not be answered.)


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Some 48 years after the first humans rocketed into space, the International Space Station – now, finally, fully staffed – is redefining the "right stuff" astronauts need to succeed in space.
Yes, some rocket riders still have a military background and a yen to live life on the edge. And it is true that donning a spacesuit, leaving the air lock, and spending six hours floating in space as you fix your orbiting home still does require a cool head.
But now that the International Space Station is hosting its full, six-member crew, the derring-do of jet jockeys is less in demand than comfort with other cultures – like someone who knows where and when to shake a Russian cosmonaut's hand.
Space station astronauts will spend four to six months of their lives in a set of high-tech tubes no bigger than a 747 passenger jet, sleeping in a bedroom the size of a phone booth, and staring at the same faces every morning. Escaping out the front door for a brief walk around the neighborhood is not an option.
This makes the process of choosing a space station astronaut more than science – it approaches diplomacy, with selectors attempting to build an orbiting family from a potpourri of astronauts from different cultures.
The task starts with selecting the appropriate people as new astronauts, says Duane Ross, who heads the astronaut selection office at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Scientific and engineering know-how are a must, of course. But so are inventiveness, patience, and humility.
"You have to be able to keep your ego in check," he cautions. "You can fake anything" for a week or two, just to get through a short mission, he says. But you can't fake being a team player for four months.
Also crucial is how well candidates think and act on their feet when a lot of activity is going on around them – or in the galley. The ability to improvise is a trait that uncovers secrets that formal training manuals don't cover: Like the incredible versatility of tortillas, or the importance of duct tape in gourmet cooking – seemingly mundane innovations that make life on orbit more enjoyable.
More candidates are signing up to try their hand. In 2007, NASA hung out the help-wanted sign for a new class of astronauts. The agency received slightly more than 3,500 applications. It's expected to announce the class of 2009 soon, adding 15 to 20 newcomers to its corps of some 90 astronauts. Last month the European Space Agency (ESA) tapped six new astronauts from 8,400 applications, bringing its list of active astronauts to 14. Canada and Japan have also added astronauts recently.
The most promising and adaptable candidates become apparent during two years of basic training, which includes two-week sessions of outdoor leadership training and shorter stints in the field during survival training. By the end, the new crop of astronauts can decide if they want to aim for the shuttle or the space station.
Some people – like astronauts with children – simply don't have the time to spend six months circling Earth.
But other factors come into play as well: such as whether the crew members will drive one another crazy.
"Clearly, as people, we get along with some people better than others," says Sandra Magnus, who returned to Earth March 28 after spending 4-1/2 months on the space station. "You certainly take that into account for a long-duration mission. You don't want to put people together who might not get along as well as you might like."
For the most part, though, astronauts of whatever nation have a great deal in common, said Canada's Robert Thirsk, who arrived at the space station with the ESA's Frank De Winn and Russia's Roman Romanenko May 27.
"What's interesting is how similar astronauts are," he said during a preflight briefing. "We have this passion for exploration, for innovation, for doing a better job."
But it still helps to remember others' culture. "When I shake hands with Roman," he continued, "I won't do it across a doorway," a nod to a pervasive Russian custom.
An astronaut slated for the station undergoes a markedly different style of training than would a shuttle crew member, however.
Shuttle crews must focus on a limited set of mission-critical tasks that must be performed within the short time the shuttle can stay on orbit – roughly two weeks. This means training repeatedly on a specific set of tasks, with mission planners developing detailed contingency plans to reduce the amount of chin-scratching if something goes wrong.
On the space station, the script and schedule are more fungible. "We're always going to be there the next day," says Ms. Magnus.
As a result, training focuses more on general skills than on specific tasks. "We become sort of a jack-of-all-trades," she says.
That includes experimenting in the galley. Magnus has become the Rachael Ray of the astronaut corps – and in space, that is no trivial issue. Tasty food is a key component to maintaining morale, whether in space, on a submarine, or anywhere else teams of people work in relative isolation for long periods of time.
Among her other space-station skills, Magnus is celebrated for devising a way to add onions to the space station menu. Armed with extra Ziploc bags for mixing bowls, a little duct tape (of course), and some hints from predecessor Peggy Woodsum on the fine art of roasting garlic in the Russian food warmer, she expanded the station's culinary palate.
Another star of mealtime: the humble tortilla.
"Tortillas are wonderful," Magnus enthuses. "We were swimming in tortillas, and we were very happy about it. [Astronaut Michael Barratt] and I independently have asked for lots of tortillas. They're a good base for everything."
The crew has a five-day workweek, with a daily schedule that is scripted but flexible and includes an exercise period. The crew devotes half of each Saturday to housekeeping chores, such as vacuuming and dusting.
They often volunteer the other half, which technically is free time, for additional work with science experiments or on educational projects.
Sundays are full days off, with time to chat with families, read e-mail, or gaze out at the planet below. Every two weeks, crew members have a chat with a psychologist.
None in the history of the space station has had a "Shining" moment, when all work and no exits might make an astronaut dive off the deep end. But if it did, the crew has a range of options for restraining someone, physically and with sedatives. A quick call to the flight surgeon in mission control triggers an emergency meeting to figure out the next steps to take.
But astronauts say the likelihood of needing to implement those procedures is remote. For instance, the crew making up the current expedition has trained together for five years, says Russia's Mr. Romanenko.
"We know each other very well. We know what to expect from each other.... We're this big international space family."