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Brussels, 10 December 2010
An enhanced EU policy to help better communicate the quality of food products
Guaranteeing quality to consumers and a fair price for farmers are the twin aims of the "Quality Package" adopted today by the European Commission. This Quality Package sets up for the first time a comprehensive policy on certification schemes, value-adding terms for agricultural product qualities, and product standards. Until now these have been spread among numerous pieces of legislation. With this Package, the Commission covers all facets of quality, from compliance with minimum standards to highly specific products.
"The strength of European agricultural production lies in its diversity, in the know-how of farmers, and in the soil and territories of production", said Dacian CIOLOŞ, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development today, adding, "Farmers, who are under pressure from the economic downturn, concentration of retailer bargaining power, and global competition, need the tools to better communicate about their products to consumers. This Quality Package is a first step on the path of building on a stronger and more dynamic farming sector which will be followed by other initiatives".
The Quality Package comprises:
The Quality Package is the first step in the overhaul agricultural product quality policy. It is the result of 3 years of extensive consultation and participation of stakeholders. It opens the way to a more coherent agricultural product quality policy. For the future, the Commission announced its intention to study further the problems faced by small-scale producers in participating in EU quality schemes as well as by mountain producers to market their products and to propose additional follow-up o the basis of this analysis, if necessary.
The first Commission legislative proposal aims at reinforcing the existing EU quality schemes on geographical indications, traditional specialities and optional quality terms by gathering them into a single legislation, by introducing a common, simplified and shortened registration procedure for geographical indications and traditional specialities, clarified provisions as regard the relations between trade marks and geographical indications, the role of applicant groups and the definition of a 'traditional speciality guaranteed'.
Voluntary guidelines on the labelling of products using geographical indications as ingredients, adopted the same day, give the Commission's interpretation of the current rules in this regard.
Marketing standards contribute to improving the economic conditions for production and marketing of agricultural products, as well as the quality of such products. Current sectoral marketing standards will continue to exist, and may be streamlined in the future, in a more coherent way, through a uniform mechanism by delegation of powers to the Commission in accordance with the Lisbon Treaty ("delegated acts"). This will allow technical norms to be adapted to the realities in the field. For those products where no specific standard exist, baseline requirements will apply. The Commission also proposes to extend sectoral rules (also as "delegated acts") regarding the indication of the place of farming, on the basis of impact assessments, taking account of the specificities of each sector and of consumer requests for transparency.
The fourth element of the Package are the Commission guidelines on the functioning of voluntary certification schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs. They aim at showing best practice for the functioning of the hundreds of voluntary certification schemes that have developed in the last decade (a newly-released inventory study done for the Commission lists more than 400 schemes operating in the EU).
DG AGRI webpage on Quality Package: http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/policy/quality-package-2010/index_en.htm
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Here some of the most common and frequent questions I get asked from people facing OWI charges.
Do I Have to Perform Field Sobriety Tests (FST)?
No! If an officer asks you to perform any of the standard field sobriety tests such as the walk-and-turn, horizontal gaze nystagmus, one-legged stand or any of the non-standard field sobriety tests such as reciting the alphabet or counting you do not and should not attempt to perform them. Most sober people, even under the most optimal circumstances can't pass them. Factor in standing beside a dark highway, cars whizzing by, with thoughts of "Am I going to jail" or "Will I lose my job" racing through your mind. You cannot be penalized for not performing them. They are strictly voluntary. You cannot be taken to jail for not performing the field sobriety tests. The officer must cite other evidence in order to establish probable cause for an arrest. It's possible the officer can do that, but without failing the field sobriety tests, it makes the prosecution's case weaker and easier to challenge. You cannot be fined nor will any points be added to your driving record for not performing any field sobriety tests either.
Do I Have to Take a Roadside Breathalyzer or Preliminary Breath Test (PBT)?
No! Just like the field sobriety tests, you do not have to blow into the handheld roadside breathalyzer, also known as a preliminary breath test (PBT). The result can give the officer probable cause if it reveals a blood alcohol content (BAC) over the legal limit of .08. The only difference is if you refuse the PBT, you will be cited for a civil infraction. It puts zero points on your driving record and the fine is usually around $100-150.
Important: DO NOT confuse the roadside PBT with the DataMaster breath machine at the police station. After you have been placed under arrest for drunk driving, you will asked to take a chemical test of the officer's choosing (breath, blood, or urine). Usually it is a breath test at the police station. If you refuse that chemical test, your license will be suspended by the Secretary of State and you will have six points added to your driving record.
If I Refuse the Field Sobriety Test and the Preliminary Breath Test Will they Arrest me Anyway?
Maybe. However, without the field sobriety tests and preliminary breath test it becomes easier to attack the probable cause for the arrest because the officer will have to list other factors that he believed gave him probable cause that the driver was intoxicated.
Will I Lose My Driver's License?
It depends on what you ultimately get convicted of. If convicted of an OWI or a High BAC (Superdrunk), you will lose your license for a period of time. If convicted of the High BAC you will not be able to get restricted driving privileges unless you install an ignition interlock device. If convicted of Operating While Visibly Impaired (OWVI or Impaired Driving) you will automatically be given a restricted driver's license which means you can only drive to work, school, court, court-mandated activities, and medical appointments.
Will I Go to Jail?
For a first offense OWI or Impaired Driving conviction, you will probably not go to jail. Jail for first offense DUIs is still not the norm but it is more common than what it used to be. It is more common to go to jail for a High BAC (Superdrunk) than a first offense OWI. This is where having a lawyer who knows your judge and court is invaluable. For example, there is a particular county where they frequently give jail for first offense OWIs. One judge in particular is infamous for giving everyone for a first offense OWI 20 days in jail, regardless of what the facts of the case are. There are other judges in other counties where it is common to get anywhere from three to seven days in jail depending on your BAC level. Some judges may impose a jail sentence if you take it to trial and lose. That is why it is extremely important to be represented by a Michigan attorney with vast experience and who regular handles OWI cases.
Will I be Placed on Probation?
Again, this depends on the judge, the policy of the particular court, and what you are convicted of. Some judges and some counties will place you on probation for a first offense OWI or Impaired Driving conviction (usually six months to a year), while others will assess you fines and costs and order community service or other programs such as an alcohol highway safety course or a MADD Victim Impact Panel. Again, this is why you need an OWI attorney who is familiar with your particular judge or court.
Will I Have to Use an Ignition Interlock Device?
The judge has discretion on whether to order an ignition interlock device for a first offense OWI. However, it has been my experience that very few judges exercise this discretion. For High BAC or Superdrunk convictions, it is mandatory if you want to get a restricted license. Otherwise you will have a hard suspension which means no driving at all.
If my BAC is Over the Legal Limit Am I Automatically Convicted?
No! Even if your BAC is over the legal limit of .08 that does not necessarily mean you are intoxicated. It is a presumption that you are intoxicated, but that presumption can be overcome with other evidence. The reliability of the test results as well as other factors will determine if you were "under the influence" or even if the test results are reliable enough to be admitted into evidence. You need an OWI attorney who is familiar with challenging breath tests and blood draws who knows what to look for.
Should I Take my OWI Charge to Trial?
Maybe. That decision should only be made after discussing your case with an OWI attorney who has thoroughly reviewed all the evidence.
Can I be Charged with OWI if I Have a Michigan Medical Marijuana (MMMA) Card?
Yes, if you are "under the influence." If you do not have a medical marijuana card, any amount of THC can get you charged with Operating with any Presence of a Controlled Substance (OWPCS) or drugged driving. If you are a medical marijuana patient, the prosecutor has to prove the marijuana affected your ability to safely operate the car.
Can an OWI be Expunged?
No! Any OWI or driving offense (reckless driving, fleeing and eluding) can never be expunged. It forever remains on your criminal and driving records.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a DUI?
Absolutely! Under no circumstances should anyone attempt to represent themselves on any drunk driving charge. DUIs are far too complex and the stakes are too high to go at it alone. Also, don't go with someone who merely dabbles or occasionally takes DUI cases. You need someone who makes DUI defense a substantial portion of their practice.
Lansing Michigan OWI Attorney
If you have been charged with an OWI, High BAC (Superdrunk) or any drunk or drugged driving offense, contact Austin Legal Services, PLC to speak to a Michigan OWI attorney at (517) 614-1983 today!
Defending OWI, felony drunk driving, and High BAC (Superdrunk) charges throughout Michigan in the counties of Ingham, Eaton, Clinton, Livingston, Jackson, Kent, Calhoun, Barry in the cities of Lansing, East Lansing, Mason, St. Johns, Brighton, Howell, Jackson, Charlotte, Battle Creek, Hastings, Corunna, Durand.

subset: commoncrawl


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UPDATE: It actually looks like we'll not be having a meetup specifically labeled as an AU meetup at this year's Blizzcon. Thanks to all that offered help, but with all the other things being planned, it just wont' work out.
Blizzcon 2010 has been announced and, as far as we know, Azeroth United will be there! What are we going to do there? Well, have a MEETUP of course (at least one)! Not sure as to the date, but it will probably be that Friday night. It will be a combined Azeroth United, Twisted Nether, Blog Azeroth and others meetup. We're looking for people who are interested in helping out! If you are planning on going to Blizzcon this year and/or live in the Anaheim(ish) area, let us know! We could use help figuring out where to do this thing!
We could also use sponsors. If we want to do this bigger and better than the TNB meetup last year, we're going to need that kind of help too. We're still going to have giveaways, so we'll need something to give away (imagine that). Also, If any company is interested in co-branding, we can talk. Having some money to spend means we can find better venues. So, let us know if you are interested and how you can help!
We'll be sure to post more information as we get it!


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Revision as of 11:13, 19 July 2007 by Jlanuti.us.ibm.com (Talk | contribs)
- 1 WTP Development Status Meeting 2007-07-19
- 2 Teams Status and Focus for Coming Week
- 3 References
WTP Development Status Meeting 2007-07-19
- Congratulations to Carl Anderson becoming latest WTP Committer (Common and JEE Component Teams). (Paper work still in progress).
- Eclipse will be moving to Bugzilla 3.0 which features an improved look and feel for bugs, as well as some new features.
- Updates to the WTP Bug Workflow and Conventions. No more resolved remind or resolved later.
- JPT and JSF please add target milestones for WTP 3.0.
- We are aware of the committer build page issues and missing 1.5.5 builds. David is investigating 195692.
- Chris Aniszczyk is organizing a community outreach Bug Day each month. Teams wishing to participate should sign up at this month's wiki page by the 26th.
Requirements Review
- For information on the iterative gathering and defining of requirements for this release, see the WTP 3.0 Requirements Wiki.
- Web Tools Platform Release 3.0 Requirements - Defines the overall themes and structure for capturing component requirements.
- Component Leads - Submit the features that you would like to see in this release by logging Enhancement Requests in Bugzilla. Then, update the document with the requirements that you would like to propose for this release.
- July 31st - We will sign off on component lead and committer input and take forward for community review.
- M1 Schedule?
July 2007 - August 2007 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 23
Status Call
Smoke Test
Declare I Build
Status Call
Smoke Test
Declare I Build
Status Call
Smoke Test
Declare I Build
Status Call
Smoke Test
Declare I Build
Platform M1?
Start component lead change approval
Status Call
Smoke Test
Declare I Build
Write tests and produce FVT driver
FVT and Compatibility Tests
Defect Verifications
Mustfix defects
Defect Verifications
Mustfix defects
Defect Verifications
Status Call
Thumbs Up Test
Declare WTP 3.0 M1?
- M1 Themes?
- Evaluate non-API use and ensure requests are open if our code cannot be changed.
- Fix pre-req ranges where we are API clean.
- Bug Lists
- 3.0 M1 Targeted Bugzilla Enhancements (~1)
- All Remaining 3.0 Targeted Enhancements (~31)
- 3.0 M1 Remaining Targeted Bugs (~10)
- 3.0 M1 Hot Bug Requests (~2)
- 3.0 M1 Hot Bugs (~0)
- 3.0 M1 Blockers/Criticals (~0)
- 3.0 M1 JST, WST, JSF Bugs Fixed (~0)
- 3.0 M1 JPT Dali Bugs Fixed (~0)
- 3.0 Untargeted Blockers/Criticals (~0)
- 3.0 Resolved, Unverified Blockers/Criticals (~2) By Assignee
- 3.0 Total JST, WST, JSF Bugs Fixed (~4)
- 3.0 Total JPT Dali Bugs Fixed (~0)
WTP Release 1.5.5 Schedule - Note the change to the 1.5.5 schedule.
- Remember 2 votes are required for PMC approval for 1.5.5.
- July 27 M Build
- Aug 10 RC1
- Aug 17 RC2 (only if needed for blocking bugs or major regressions)
- Aug 24
- Aug 31 1.5.5 GA
- July 27 M Build
- If you fix a 1.5.5 bug, please open a separate 2.0.1 bug.
- Build Status
- JUnits?
- No declared build this week for WTP 1.5.5.
- Please note the 1.5.x releases are temporarily missing from our update site. Users can download the zips as a workaround.
- Bug lists (WST,JST,JSF)
- Invalid Targeted Defects <1.5.5 (~1)
- 1.5.x Untargeted Blockers/Criticals (~2)
- 1.5.x Untriaged Bugs (~9)
- 1.5.5 Bugs for WTP PMC review and approval (~1)
- 1.5.5 Hot Bug Requests (~0)
- 1.5.5 Hot Bugs (~1)
- 1.5.5 Blockers, Criticals (~3)
- 1.5.5 Remaining Targeted Bugs (~18)
- 1.5.5 Total Bugs Fixed (~37)
- 1.5.x Resolved, Unverified (~48)
- 1.5.x Verified, Not closed (~0)
- Schedule
- July 20 M Build
- Aug 03 M Build
- Aug 17 M Build
- Aug 31 M Build
- Sept 07 RC1 (PMC approval 2 votes)
- Sept 14 RC2 (PMC approval 2 votes)
- Sept 21 (if necessary, PMC approval 3 votes)
- Sept 28 2.0.1 GA
- July 20 M Build
- Are we clear on branching policy and strategy? Apparently not. :-) Result of discussion is we will table branching until we have the 3.0 plans in place. Note that JPT has already branched.
- All the JST and WST stuff that was part of WTP 2.0 was tagged with a version of R2_0_0. Similarly, JSF and JPT with R1_0_0.
- The releng project is branched to R2_0_maintenance, and JSF and JPT are branched to R1_0_maintenance. Please use these branches for your associated plug-ins, respectively.
- Investigate not showing web service access errors, David?
- Investigate adding section for known bugs and limitations from investigations into access warnings.
- Build Status
- JUnits?
- Please smoke test the latest 2.0.1 build to declare this week's M build on Friday.
- Bug Lists
- All Remaining 2.0.1 Targeted Bugs (~138)
- 2.0.1 Hot Bug Requests (~2)
- 2.0.1 Hot Bugs (~0)
- 2.0.1 Untargeted Blockers/Criticals (~0)
- 2.0.1 Blockers/Criticals (~5)
- 2.0.1 Total JST, WST, JSF Bugs Fixed (~23)
- 2.0.1 Dali Total Bugs Fixed (~13)
- 2.0.1 Resolved, Unverified Blockers/Criticals (~5) By Assignee
Bug Backlogs
- All Untriaged WTP Bugs (Graph)
- All Untriaged WTP Bugs (~127) 51 in J2EE components
- All WTP Verified, Not Closed Bugs (Graph)
- All WTP Verified, Not Closed Bugs (~0)
- All WTP Resolved, Unverified Bugs (Graph)
- All WTP Resolved, Unverified Bugs (~609)
- All WTP Defect Backlog (Graph)
- All WTP Defect Backlog (~3270)
- All Resolved, Remind or Later (Graph)
- All WTP Future Bugs (~42)
- All Resolved, Remind or Later (~12)
- All Open WTP Bugs with Patches Attached (Graph)
- All Open WTP Bugs with Patches Attached (~232)
- All API Requests (~9)
Working Groups
- Java EE 5
- Website
- Bob F ?
Other business?
Teams Status and Focus for Coming Week
Server Component Team
Datatools (RDB, 1.5.x only)
XML/JSP Component Team
- Working on fixes for 2.0.1 and 1.5.5.
- Brainstorming 3.0 (no branching yet, though)
- Ongoing triaging of incoming bug reports
Web Services Component Team
Java EE Component Team
Dali JPT
- Known Issues
- The baseline test needs to be rerun each week to eliminate false "hiccups" in performance.
- Action Items
- Improve the UI readability and cohesiveness of the output result pages
- Improve the actual tests. Why do some take so long? Why do some results fluctuate? Why do some have 160% performance degradations? Are the tests even still valid?
- Allow committers to reliably and efficiently run perfomance suites in the workspace before checking in code
- Add JSF and JPA performance JUnits
API Violations Review
- Visit latest build for current API violations.
- Action 1 = For any violation, open a bug to request API or fix code to not use internal discouraged access. An example is using images or labels from other plugins, these should be copied into your plugin. Also, using internal classes instead of the API interfaces.
- Action 2 = If you do have a clean plugin of API violations/discourage access, switch prereq ranges wide so you can react to small version number changes without issue.
- Action 3 = To be able to develop with discouraged access enabled, we need to update plugin's .classpath rules. Should we turn off defaults to expose all warnings to get a quicker resolution?
- Instructions for tagging existing and new WTP wiki pages can be found at WTP's Category page; remember, we can create subcategories as well
- This Week's Smoke Test Results
- Build Declaration Process Refined - See WTP Build Process and Procedures
- Reminder:
- Information about process for milestone bugzilla line item planning has been added to the WTP Bugs, Workflow, and Conventions document.
- PMC Candidate Review Request Checklist - See the updated PMC Review document with attention to the "How To Prepare a PMC Defect Candidate" section
- Adopter Migration Information for WTP 2.0 - Please add any details for your component.
- Website
- Documentation on Setting up your system for Web Tools Web site development and Using Web Tools Phoenix PHP templates is on the wiki at Web_Tools_Web_Site_Development


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© BrainNet Europe II
BrainNet Europe is a "Network of Excellence" funded by the European Commission in the 6th Framework Program "Life Science" (LSHM-CT-2004-503039). It consists of 19 established brain banks across Europe and is coordinated by the Centre for Neuropathology and Prion Research Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany.
|Video about BrainNet Europe
Produziert von Francis A. Filmproduction


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The Eagles Tickets
Wembley Stadium in London, Greater London
Sun Jun 23, 2019 - 05:00 PM
NOTE: We are a resale marketplace, not the venue. Prices are set by sellers and may be above or below face value.
Please note: your credit card will be charged In USD according to your bank's exchange rate.


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user experience, and to be able to place an order on our website, you must have
FREE SHIPPING on this item!
Features the 3D fit & customized comfort of a Built-In Orthotic.
Select YOUR ideal orthotic footbed type.
The men's ABEO B.I.O.system® Avalon sandal with posted support blends casual style, "all-day" comfort and a customized fit. The ABEO B.I.O.system® commitment to biomechanical footwear has revolutionized the sandal and your feet will feel the progress. Digitally fit to your foot, ABEO B.I.O.system® premium sandals incorporate state-of-the-art digital foot scanning technology which calculates the optimum footbed construction for your individual foot.
Ideal for low arches and flat feet, a posted heel footbed provides the ultimate support and stability. This footbed offers extra support for the medial (inside) of the foot, controlling over-pronation and offering superior comfort. We strongly encourage you to visit one of our stores for a complimentary digital foot analysis before ordering a posted footbed.Posted Heel FootbedAlso Available: Metatarsal Pad FootbedNeutral Footbed


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There is something strange in the skies... look out, it's a UFO! This cool quadcopter style Gyro UFO will take you out of this world with its awesome flying. Move it up, down, left, right, front and back for crazy flying fun. The nifty Gyro has the latest in stabilizing technology to keep it off the ground and flying high. It can be flown almost anywhere with gentle wind conditions, and is super easy to control. The 4ch RC Gyro is built with a sturdy frame comes with an easy to use 2.4G LCD remote control. It also comes with 2 x 3.7v 240mAh Lipo Battery for plenty of power.
Imagine sending this cool UFO up into the sky and watching the neighbors race to call someone about the 'aliens' landing in the back yard! You'll have hours of fun whizzing the Gyro up and around, doing all the stunts you could ever imagine. It even rolls, and its small size means it can be used indoors. It comes fully assembled with a charger box and USB so you can charge it up and let it go. This great little Gyro will have everybody watching the skies, trying to get a glimpse of the awesome UFO!
- 4CH with 6 axis gyro: up, down, forward, backward, left and right side fly
- Remote Control 2.4G LCD remote control
- 2 x 3.7V 250mAh rechargeable LiPo battery
- It is very easy to control
In Depth
- Main Rotor Diameter: 5.5cm / 2.17
- Materials ABS
- Flying Time: Approx. 7 minutes
- Charging Time: Approx. 50 minutes
- Remote Distance: 100 - 150 meters
- Driving Motor Quantity 4 PCS
- Power: 3.7 V 240mAh Lipo Battery
- Dimensions: 3.94" x 3.94" x 1.06" (W x L x H)
In the Box
- 1 x 4CH 6 - axis UFO Helicopter
- 1 x 2.4G LCD Remote
- 2 x 3.7v 240mAh Lipo Battery
- 1 x Charger Box
- 4 x Propellers
- 1 x USB Cable (67cm)
- 1 x Users Manual
- Requires a 4 x AA batteries(not included)


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How it works
Each month, The Herald-Mail publishes the findings of initial food establishment inspections by the Washington County Health Department. Food service facilities are inspected on a regular basis to make sure they are following the regulations that govern such establishments.
Inspectors also conduct follow-up inspections and monitoring inspections, and investigate complaints and food-borne outbreaks.
Potentially hazardous food means any food rich in protein that will support the rapid growth and reproduction of food-borne disease microorganisms.
Inspections are conducted at restaurants, nursing homes, schools, grocery stores and other places that serve food, including those that only are temporary, such as fairs and carnivals.


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Bontrager Stormshell and Thermal autumn wear – just in
Form-fitting clothing with Profila fabrics
In addition to wheels, shoes and helmets, Trek's accessory brand Bontrager continues to expand and refine its clothing offerings, and the new autumn line shows some promise. BikeRadar recently received a number of pieces, and we were impressed by the RXL Stormshell Jacket in particular, which is formfitting, stretchy, breathable and cut for the riding position (you'd be surprised by how many jerseys and jackets are cut for an upright position).
The RXL Stormshell Jacket is waterproof but doesn't feel plasticky
Bontrager's autumn gear, from the booties on up, makes extensive use of Profila, a range of fabrics Bontrager created with its vendors.
We will review a few of the pieces soon, but in the meantime check out the new clothing in the gallery on the right. Pricing runs from about US$100/£65 for the Thermal bibs and long-sleeve jerseys up to around US$199/£139 for the RXL Stormshell Jacket.
Bontrager has four types of fit: Pro Fit, Fitted, Semi-Fitted and Comfort Fit. Most of the pieces shown here are Fitted, in the US Medium/Euro Large size on a 6'/183cm rider.
Many of the autumn pieces come in black or HiVis options


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Consumers with high medical bills can catch a break when filing their taxes.
Continue Reading Below
Whether you are an individual with private health insurance, an employee offering a company-sponsored health plan or are self-employed, there are ways to deduct some of the costs associated with your health expenses.
"Many consumers overlook credits and deductions built into the tax code that are designed to make medical care and health insurance more affordable," says Keith Mendonsa, group specialist at eHealthInsurance. He recommends consumers with high medical expenditures in 2012, run small businesses or cared for aging parents educate themselves on the opportunities to deduct a portion of these expenses from their federal income tax.
Health savings accounts (HSA) are a common tool used to save money on medical care. HSAs are offered with certain insurance plans, and allowed tax-free contributions up to $3,100 for individuals and $6,250 for a family in 2012. So if you deposited $3,000 in to your health savings account and you made $100,000, you would only be taxed on $97,000. There's still time to increase your deduction: Any contributions to your HSA made before April 15 can be counted toward your 2012 taxes.
"Health savings accounts (HSAs) pair a tax-advantaged savings account with a qualified high-deductible health plan, which typically costs less in monthly premiums when compared to more traditional health insurance," says Ellen Laden, a spokeswoman from UnitedHealthcare's Golden Rule Insurance Company. "What you save on your health insurance premiums can be deposited into your HSA and used to pay your deductible and qualified medical expenses, including those not usually covered by health insurance like dental and vision care."
You don't have to itemize medical expenses when filling out your tax return to be eligible for the deduction, but you should still keep receipts to show you only used your HSA to pay for or reimburse qualified expenses, advisees Cara Sjodin, vice president, Health Wealth Advisor Services for Optum.
Itemized Deductions
If you are itemizing deductions on your tax return, the IRS allows you to deduct expenses you paid during the year for medical and dental care for yourself, spouse and dependents. Here's the catch: in order to take the deduction the total medical expenses for the year have to exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. That percentage increases to 10% for 2013. For example, if you made $60,000 in 2012, your medical expenses would have to be greater than $4,500 in order to take the deduction.
The IRS will let you deduct payments to doctors, in-patient hospital care or nursing home services, prescription drugs, insurance premiums, the costs associated with going to and from the doctor and certain dental work.
"We had a few clients recently who spent $20,000 on veneers and now have a pretty good write off," says Mendonsa. "What you want to do is take a look at your adjusted gross income and calculate all those medical expenses including your premiums. If it's over 7.5% write that off on the itemized list."
Care for the Elderly
If you provide half the financial support for an aging parent that has earned less than $3,800 for 2012, excluding Social Security, you can claim the parent as a dependent, which can yield you more tax savings.
Owning Your Own Business
If you are self-employed, you may be able to deduct health insurance premiums for you and your dependents as an "above the line" business expense, which means one that you don't have to itemize.
According to Mendonsa, if you are eligible to join an employer-sponsored plan you won't qualify for the deduction. Although he recommends keeping in mind that you can't claim your monthly health insurance premiums as a "above the line" expense and also itemize it.


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1. demoralise - verb
· corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality; "debauch the young people with wine and women"; "Socrates was accused of corrupting young men"; "Do school counselors subvert young children?"; "corrupt the morals"
Synonym(s): corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralize, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate, deprave, misdirect
Hypernym(s): change, alter, modify
2. demoralise - verb
· lower someone's spirits; make downhearted; "These news depressed her"; "The bad state of her child's health demoralizes her"
Synonym(s): depress, deject, cast_down, get_down, dismay, dispirit, demoralize
Hypernym(s): discourage
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The Central Connecticut women's basketball team will travel to Saint Francis U on Sunday for a Northeast Conference Tournament Quarterfinal match-up. The Blue Devils (16-13, 10-8 NEC) are the #5 seed in the eight team tournament and visit the #4 Red Flash (15-14, 10-8 NEC). Saint Francis and CCSU finished the regular season tied, but tie breakers gave the Red Flash the first round home game. The Blue Devils and Red Flash will tip-off at 3 p.m.
Today • The #5 Blue Devils (16-13, 10-8 NEC) visit the #4 Red Flash of Saint Francis U (15-14, 10-8 NEC) in the opening round of the 2013 Northeast Conference Women's Basketball Tournament. This is the third meeting of the season between these teams and it is also the second consecutive game that CCSU and SFU have lined up against each other. Entering today, the season series is a split with the home team winning each time. The Red Flash won 67-62 in Loretto on Jan. 7 and the Blue Devils won Monday night (3/4) in New Britain by a score of 76-71. Also, CCSU's last playoff game was a NEC Semifinal loss to the Red Flash at DeGol Arena in March of 2011.
Series History • The Red Flash lead the series 21-8. The Blue Devils' win on Monday night snapped the Red Flash's seven-game winning streak in the series. Prior to Monday's 76-71 victory, CCSU's last win against Saint Francis U came on Feb. 9, 2009, a 70-67 overtime victory in New Britain. Under head coach Beryl Piper, the Blue Devils are 3-2 against Saint Francis at Detrick Gym and 1-6 at DeGol Arena.
The Playoff Picture • Quarterfinals: #1 Quinnipiac hosts #8 Bryant, #2 Sacred Heart hosts #7 St. Francis BK, #3 Monmouth hosts #6 Mount St. Mary's, #4 Saint Francis U hosts #5 Central Connecticut.
Close Games • Today is the seventh meeting between CCSU and Saint Francis U in the last three seasons. While SFU holds a 5-1 record in those contests, only one game has been decided by more than 10 points, a 68-51 victory for SFU at DeGol arena during the 2010-11 season. The average margin of the last five games between these teams is just 5.8 points.
Eight Tournaments • This is the eighth Northeast Conference Women's Basketball Tournament appearance for the Blue Devils and the fourth in six seasons under head coach Beryl Piper.
Piper in the Playoffs • This is the fourth NEC Tournament appearance for the Blue Devils in six seasons under head coach Beryl Piper. Prior to Piper's arrival, CCSU women's basketball had made four NEC Tournament appearances in 10 seasons and advanced to the semifinals just once. Piper has never failed to make it out of the first round in any of her tournament appearances.
16 Wins • The 16 wins this season are the fifth most for a Blue Devil women's basketball team during the Division I era. The program's Division I record for wins is 21, set by the 1989-90 team. The 2010-11 team's 19 victories are second and the 18 wins from the 2008-09 team rank third. The 1997-98 team holds the fourth spot with 17 victories.
All-NEC First Team • Central Connecticut women's basketball senior Jaclyn Babe was named First Team All-Northeast Conference on Thursday morning. This is the second straight season that Babe has earned postseason honors from the NEC. Last season she was selected to the All-NEC second team. In just two seasons, Babe has scored 893 points for the Blue Devils. Along with her 191 points during two seasons at Duquesne, she has totaled 1,084 points as a Division I college basketball player. Among her NEC peers, Babe ranked fourth in points/game (16.0), fifth in free throw percentage (82.1%), fifth in steals/game (2.61), sixth in minutes/game (34.4), 13th in field goal percentage (42.9%) and 13th in assists/game (2.86). Last season, Babe became the fifth women's basketball player in CCSU history to earn a place on the All-NEC first or second teams. This year she becomes the fourth Blue Devil to earn first team honors from the conference and she joins Gabriella Guegbelet as the only players in program history to earn multiple first or second team All-NEC nods.
CCSU & the NEC Tournament • The Blue Devils are making their eighth trip, fourth under head coach Beryl Piper, to the NEC Tournament. CCSU has a 4-7 record in the NEC Tournament and a 3-3 mark under Piper. The Blue Devils best finish in the NEC Tournament is reaching the semifinals, which the team has done four times. CCSU reached the semifinals in 1997-98 and the Blue Devils went to three straight semifinals (2009, 2010, 2011) under head coach Beryl Piper.
Last Six Games • Over the final six games of the regular season the Blue Devils have posted a 5-1 record. CCSU's five victories have all been by ten points or less.
True Rubber Match • CCSU and Saint Francis U have met twice this season with the home team winning each time. Today's game is a true rubber match in the sense that not only have these teams split two games, but also because when you combine the scores of both games you get a 138-138 tie.
Vs. the Field • The Blue Devils were 6-6 this season against the eight teams that made the postseason. CCSU was 5-1 at home in those games, but 1-5 on the road. CCSU has only met three of this year's playoff teams in the NEC Tournament before #2 Sacred Heart, #4 Saint Francis U and #6 Mount St. Mary's. The Blue Devils are 2-0 vs. Sacred Heart, 0-2 vs. Saint Francis and 0-1 vs. the Mount.
Free Points • The Blue Devils scored 76 points against the Red Flash on Monday with 31 (31-of-36) of those coming at the free throw line. CCSU was led at the line by senior Jaclyn Babe (12-14) and sophomore Kaley Watras (10-12). Babe was CCSU's leading scorer with 29 and Watras was next with 21 points.
Things to Remember • This season, the Blue Devils are...9-3 in day games...13-1 when leading at the half...6-1 when scoring more than 70 points.
Round Numbers • Senior Jaclyn Babe reached 1,000 career points this season, senior Kirsten Daamen passed 800 career points, junior Jessica Babe topped 600 career points, sophomore Kaley Watras passed 400 career points and junior Lauren Arbogast is just 10 points shy of 500 for her career. Also Kirsten Daamen needs just two blocks for 200 in her career.
Six Straight For Watras • Sophomore Kaley Watras has scored 10+ points in six straight games. It is the longest double-digit scoring streak of her career. Against Bryant she recorded a career-high 26 points. Over the last six games Watras has scored 99 points, a 16.5 pts/g average.


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Gabriel Agbonlahor is predicting a "big future" for Aston Villa newcomer and fellow striker Christian Benteke.
The Belgium international has quickly showed his potential since joining in the summer and his two goals at Swindon on Tuesday night sealed a 3-2 win for Villa and a place in the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup.
Agbonlahor, who scored Villa's other goal against the Robins, has been impressed with the 21-year-old, and said: "Christian gives us a different option and he can hold the ball up similar to when John Carew was here. He can also win a lot of aerial balls and he can finish as he showed at Swindon. It was world-class finishing."
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.


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Here's a very sad story with an even sadder ending. Earlier this week, Darlene Gilkey, a 59-year-old woman with terminal cancer, watched as her husband, Paul Gilkey, fatally shot her son and her two sisters in front of her while she lay in a hospital bed in her living room. Apparently, there had been a dispute over whether Darlene should be served tea and toast or an orange, and her husband became so enraged that he shot the three people before also killing himself.
As if that wasn't tragic and awful enough, now Darlene has died of her cancer. She was being cared for in the medical facility in Ohio where she was transferred after the murder of her family. She passed away yesterday, just hours before the funeral for her 38-year-old son Leroy (pictured above) was to be held. She has another son, Ralph Sowers III, who survived the shootings after his stepfather let him go because he had children.
Ohio woman who witnessed husband's murder-suicide dies [USA Today]
Sheriff: Food dispute led to Ohio murder-suicide [AP]


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OTL Tampa Bay Three Month Premiere (two seat) All Inclusive Seat Filler Membership
Three Months - $34
After the three months, membership auto renews at $9.50 every 30 days until YOU opt to cancel or change plans.
By registering as a new OTL member, you understand that OTL is a Seat Filler Membership Club and not a ticket broker or ticket shopping site. Members receive totally free tickets, can decide which shows to attend (based on availability), but must attend every show that they reserve tickets to as part of the membership rules. There will not be shows posted every day. Tickets to shows are only available when OTL's entertainment partners have seats they need to fill.
Please review the OTL Membership Rules and watch the quick three-minute video BEFORE you register to make sure that OTL is the club for you.
OTL Cancellation/No Refund Policy - OTL LOVES their members and wants them to stay as long as they're using and enjoying their membership. However, if a member isn't getting out to shows and feels it's time to cancel, he/she is responsible for cancelling their own membership via the "My Account" link in the Member Area. Upon cancellation, the membership ends at the conclusion of the pre-paid dues and the member will not be charged again. Dues already paid is non-refundable.


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What's a tip for celebrating a holiday or milestone with your kids when your partner isn't able to be there?
Holiday time can be very stressful for a military family with a deployed parent.
The deployed parent often feels empty and alone and wants to be home. He (or she) wishes he could be home to share in the celebrations, but also to help with the preparations and work involved.
The at-home spouse struggles with the absence of a partner to share in the burden of making the house festive, shopping for gifts and preparing a meal. Plus, she probably feels less than merry and may not even want to go through the trouble of decorating, baking and shopping.
It can be hard to get into the holiday spirit when you see everyone around you is joyful and in family mode, preparing for fun holiday plans and you feel completely alone in the crowd.
Getting the decorations out and setting them up is a lot of work, especially while thinking of the fact that your spouse won't be with you to celebrate, nor will he be there after the holidays, to help put it all away, which is not a fun task under the best of circumstances.
You have to pull yourself together and do it all anyway. Despite the lack of enthusiasm, the military wife has to put a smile on her face and make the effort to make the home joyful and festive, no-matter-what.
It's all about the kids. Sure, the kids are feeling some of the same emotions as their parents. They know it won't be the same without mom/dad, but they still look forward to the holidays. They get excited seeing the lights and Santa/menorahs, shopping bags, decorated cookies… all the hoopla that is Thanksgiving to New Years Day.
Without a parent to lead the way to the celebration, children will feel lost and even more alone. I know this because, I'm a more than a little embarrassed to say, I let it happen the first holiday season of my husband's most recent deployment.
I never let it happen again after I saw how I ruined the holidays for the kids. The next year, I was as tired as ever, but it was different. I decorated the house the day after Thanksgiving. The boys helped and were thrilled with the anticipation the decorations ignited.
And you know what? I felt better, too. Once I got over the stress and effort of getting the decorations out of the attic and putting everything in its place, I calmed down and looked forward to the holidays as much as the boys did.
Well, not quite as much, but I didn't dread them like I had the first year he was gone.
Sometimes acting the part is more than half the battle.
An act can transition to reality and even if it doesn't, making the effort for the kids will probably save a bundle in therapy bills for the kids in the future.


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February 1, 2006
Symantec Sygate Management Server: SMS Authentication Servlet SQL Injection
Revision History
Risk Impact
Affected Product(s)
Note: Please contact Technical Support to obtain the password needed to download these updates.
The Japanese version of SMS is distributed through Macnica Inc. Please contact your Macnica Support representative to obtain this update.
Symantec Response
Upgrade Information
Symantec takes the security and proper functionality of our products very seriously. As founding members of the Organization for Internet Safety (OISafety), Symantec supports and follows the principles of responsible disclosure. Symantec also subscribes to the vulnerability disclosure guidelines outlined by the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC).
Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com if you feel you have discovered a security issue in a Symantec product. A Symantec Product Security team member will contact you regarding your submission. Symantec strongly recommends using encrypted email for reporting vulnerability information to email@example.com. The Symantec Product Security PGP key can be found at the end of this message.
Symantec has developed a Product Vulnerability Response document outlining the process we follow in addressing suspected vulnerabilities in our products. This document is available below.
Copyright © by Symantec Corp.
Symantec, Symantec products, Symantec Security Response, and firstname.lastname@example.com are registered trademarks of Symantec Corp. and/or affiliated companies in the United States and other countries. All other registered and unregistered trademarks represented in this document are the sole property of their respective companies/owners.
Initial Post on: Wednesday, 01-Feb-06 07:05:00
Last modified on: Monday, 17-Apr-2006 15:22:00 PDT


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Using an iPhone (or phone camera) to Scan Your Negatives
While I was shooting the negatives to illustrate my last post on the purple tint in my Tri-X negatives, I decided to see if I could get usable digital images of my negatives using my iPhone. These were handheld, but they worked better than I imagined. I got the idea from the Lomography Smartphone Scanner for 35mm film that will be shipping a little later this year.
I had my negatives on a light table and framed the negatives to maximize the size and took a few photos. I wasn't sure which IOS app could invert them, so I just emailed the photos to myself and then downloaded them on my desktop. I later discovered that Photoshop Express has an invert function. I am not sure if any of the other camera or special effect apps have that function. I know that Lomography will have an app for their 35mm smartphone scanner.
I opened the negative images in Adobe Photoshop CS6 (although any version can handle the conversion to grayscale and inversion to positive) and converted the images to grayscale. After that, I inverted them. I added a slight curve for contrast and to deepen the blacks and open the highlights.
I am mostly interested in previewing my images before enlarging them in the darkroom. Using my iPhone to make quick proof scans of a roll of film will also enable me to quickly put thumbnails of new photos into my image database, instead of waiting until I can make a proofsheet and scanning that. I am not planning to use this method for digital prints, but I think if I made a stand for the phone, and got a frosted piece of glass or plastic to place the negatives on, I could make decent digital scans for use here on the blog or perhaps for the 6x12 format Belair negatives which I can't print using my current enlarger. The maximum size I can print on my Beseler 23c are 6x9cm negatives.
Below are a few examples. I am showing the negative image as they came off the phone, then the converted image. All are clickable to view a 800pixel wide image.


text: Barbies now come in all shapes, sizes and colours – but the history of the doll shows it's business as usual for Mattel. Mattel Februari 7, 2016 Drastic plastic: a look at Barbie's new bodies Juliette Peers, RMIT University Barbie has a forgotten history of changing in response to market pressures. Are her multiple new bodies ushering in an era of ethical body inclusiveness, or is Mattel just shifting deckchairs on the Titanic?


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Thoughts About Women and Oral Sex After Visiting the NYC Sex Museum
By Terri Wilder, M.S.W.
March 15, 2009
Time: 11:26 p.m.
I was on my spring break and felt like I should do something "wild" since historically, spring break is the week that college students are supposed to "let loose." Since I am a 41-year-old student and not 18 anymore, I felt like making a visit to the New York City Museum of Sex was about as wild as I was going to get during spring break. So, for the price of $11.50 ($3.00 coupon deducted from the original price), I spent two hours roaming the exhibit halls of the Museum of Sex fantasizing about the life I wish I had.
The first floor of the museum had an exhibit about the sex lives of animals. Although it was interesting and challenged the whole notion of what people believe to be natural versus unnatural in relation to sex and sexuality (i.e., heterosexuality/homosexuality, two genders versus more than one gender, etc.), I found it a little theory-heavy and less kinky than I had hoped for.
I quickly moved to the second floor to view the "Sex and the Moving Image" exhibit and found a porn fest happening. Hello! This was basically the history of sex in movies, television, etc. It was awesome and I really enjoyed looking at the exhibit. I also found that it made some of my co-patrons a little "in the mood," if you know what I am saying. I guess it is a challenge to watch porn and not feel aroused!
The final exhibit was the permanent collection. It consisted of a wide array of artifacts. I saw an original Sheik condom display case, a booklet entitled Pussy Eating for Everybody, and one booklet on HIV/AIDS. I have to admit that I was tempted to break into the display case and take a look at the Pussy Eating for Everybody book, but unfortunately I was under the scornful eye of a security guard. Damn it!
Ironically, one of my favorite parts of the museum was the gift shop. Besides the rockin' music played by the staff (read: Guns N' Roses, Mötley Crüe, etc), they had the coolest items for purchase. They had condom lollipops, condom key chains and even a book entitled Make Your Own Sex Toys. This book explained how to make your own sex toys out of the most common household items. Who knew that you could make a sex toy out of a bar of soap ... or your cell phone?
As I was walking through the museum, I saw lots of references to oral sex. There was information on oral sex between animals, oral sex between humans and even a Japanese anime video in which the characters perform oral sex on one another.
All of this oral sex imagery flying at me made (me) think about a few things. For one thing, from my perspective as an HIV educator, I realized that most "safer sex" information is provided in relation to vaginal-penile intercourse and anal sex. It is hard for most people to find detailed information on oral sex. This is pretty sad given that lots of women (and men) love receiving and giving oral sex.
In fact, I think oral sex is one of my favorite things in life. I rank it up there with my love for food and music -- and I rank those activities fairly high! However, I really don't like giving oral sex. I have given oral sex in the past but if I have the option, I usually decline. At this point in my life, I really think I would have to take a class on how to give a good blow job to feel confident in my skills. Honestly, I just don't have the time or money at this point to consider it as a serious academic option.
Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Louann Brizendine writes in her book, The Female Brain, that men think about sex every 52 seconds, while women tend to think of it just once a day. I think about it more than once a day ... at least when it comes to oral sex. I think oral sex is one of the greatest inventions ever made, and since it is considered a lower-risk behavior for HIV, I feel more inclined to engage in it than other sexual behaviors.
Giving good oral sex is a talent. I have had the pleasure of being with several men who should have won several Academy Awards for their oral performance in a romantic comedy! I have also met some people who could have benefited from some type of instructional manual (a really informative manual is The Ultimate Guide to Cunnilingus: How to Go Down on a Woman and Give Her Exquisite Pleasure by Violet Blue.)
So given my love of oral sex -- and I am joined by millions of other women -- it's too bad that when you do find information on oral sex, it seems to be focused on someone performing oral sex on a penis. So what do we do with this hard-to-define risk category of oral sex ... and more importantly, what information is out there for people who love to go down on a woman?
I decided to see what was out there on the Internet. I searched for several hours. I had no problem finding information on giving males oral sex. I found lots of tips on giving a man oral sex.
So what about going down on a woman?
I really don't believe that most people think about safer oral sex when it comes to going down on a woman. They would be surprised to read that the Brown University health education Web site reports that a woman receiving oral sex is much more at risk for getting herpes or gonorrhea from her partner than HIV during this sexual behavior. This is because a woman is just exposed to someone's saliva while receiving oral sex and saliva can't transmit HIV, thus unless someone has bad bleeding gums, a woman cannot get HIV this way.
Over and over again, almost everything I read reinforced this point saying that a woman receiving oral sex is only at theoretical risk for HIV. A woman's primary risk when receiving oral sex is for herpes infection, since the person giving you oral sex could have an oral herpes lesion on their lip and transmit it to your vagina. And despite the fact that health educators tell people to use dental dams or Saran Wrap, or to cut a condom open to use as a barrier when performing oral sex on a woman, I wonder how many people actually use these products.
I really wish there was one place women could go to get information on safer oral sex (and cheaply priced dental dams -- those bad boys are not so easy to find in my 'hood). It is too bad that there isn't a "one-stop shop" Web site for oral sex information and products for women.
It would be nice to read information, place your order, wait for the mailman, lie back (literally) and enjoy the rest of your evening. So, if anyone knows of any good oral sex Web site(s), shoot me an email! And for the next guy I date, be ready to provide references from past partners on your ability to give good oral sex ... and bring plenty of Saran Wrap!
P.S. TheBody.com has plenty of information about oral sex.
To contact Terri, please e-mail email@example.com.
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Working in the Frontlines of the HIV Pandemic Since 1989
Terri Wilder is a social worker who has worked in HIV for nearly two decades. She has written numerous articles about HIV, and has presented at HIV conferences around the United States. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in sociology at Georgia State University.
More About Terri:
Subscribe to Terri's Blog:
Recent Posts:
July 6, 2009 - Eight Characteristics of Long-Term Survivors of HIV/AIDS: A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.
March 15, 2009 - Thoughts About Women and Oral Sex After Visiting the NYC Sex Museum: A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.
September 25, 2008 - The Death of an HIV/AIDS Organization: A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.
July 27, 2008 - Standing My Ground With Latex: A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.
June 12, 2008 - Where Is the Martin Luther King Jr. of HIV? A Blog Entry by Terri Wilder, M.S.W.
Articles by Terri:
Are We Thinking About HIV and Older Adults?
Twenty-Seven Years of Women Living With HIV:
Past, Present and Future (January 1, 2008)
The Hidden Epidemic: White Women and HIV (September 2001)
For the rest of Terri's articles, click here.
A Brief Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed by TheBody.com's bloggers are entirely their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheBody.com itself.


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> Madison's Fender Strat Stratocaster Switch Screws Counter Sunk Project Aged
why madison's? we are veterans of the boutique guitar parts market. we sell nothing but the highest quality parts money can buy and have spent years researching and developing our product line. we have over 15 years in the restoration business and sell thousands of parts each year. we have the experience and knowledge it takes to provide you with a superior product! view or flawless feedback... our old school approach to customer service is the best in the industry. we take pride in our work and know how important each customer is to us. we are a company that stands behind our workmanship and materials. ben lindsey.
madison's fender stratocaster switch screws (counter sunk). all our hardware is aged by hand to give them a great vintage appearance. the screws are genuine fender and should not be interpreted as vintage. the screws have a perfect patina and would work great for any vintage replacement or custom project. please keep in mind we can age our screws to match the wear on your guitar. you can specify the wear you would like after payment. please feel free to send pictures or questions. madison's music offer a wide variety of hard to find custom parts along with custom bodies and necks. if you need something we do not have just ask. thank-you. ben lindsey.
usa $3.95 first class, $5.95 priority
international $7.95 first class, $13.95 priority
ben lindsey
please read: madison's music prides itself in great customer service and personal transactions. madison's music is a small family owned shop. most of our parts are aged to order and are not ready in advance. please allow on some parts up to seven days to ship. custom orders may take longer. most but not all parts will be shipped next day via usps first class. if you have any concerns or are in a hurry please contact us or call. we will be able to give you an estimated shipping time. all our parts are aged to order so please specify the amount of wear you would like or send pic's. we truly care about making our parts perfect for your project. thank-you. ben lindsey.


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The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service is giving agricultural producers the opportunity to provide the financial data used by policymakers to draft the 2007 Farm Bill.
California farmers and ranchers can make the facts known by participating in the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) for 2005.
ARMS is the USDA's primary source of information about the current status of and changes in financial conditions, production practices, use of resources and household well-being for both California and national agriculture.
The survey results will show the impact of higher expenses, the shifting global markets, farmer production decisions and governmental policies on the agricultural economy. Data from the ARMS survey is used to measure the benefits of direct, counter-cyclical and ad hoc emergency payments as producers continue to look to the marketplace for economic reward.
"I strongly recommend that producers take the time and energy to respond to USDA's Agricultural Resource Management Survey," says Bob Young, chief economist, American Farm Bureau Federation. "ARMS data is the lifeblood to anyone looking at the numbers the dollars and cents of U.S. agriculture."
Roger Cryan, director of Economic Research, National Milk Producers Federation maintains, "ARMS helps us understand the extent to which hired labor is part of the average operation and what kind of investment farmers have to pass on to the next generation."
"The 2007 Farm Bill will set basic agricultural policy for the next five years," says Vic Tolomeo, director, California Agricultural Statistics. "The bill requires estimates of income for both crop and livestock farms," added Tolomeo. "ARMS is the only source of data for these estimates."
Results will be published in a series of USDA reports on the current farm financial situation. Farm Production Expenditures, the first report with results from the survey, will be released in August 2006.
To view this report or to obtain a copy of any finished report, visit the NASS Web site at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/ or call the NASS Order Desk at (800) 727-9540.


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MIAMI, Fla. -The Family CARE Center at Barry University's Adrian Dominican School of Education has been awarded $21,123.68 by Success University, a Program of the Miami Beach Service Partnership which impacts youth and families in accordance with The Children's Trust and City of Miami Beach.
Barry's Family CARE Center partners with the City of Miami Beach to offer trained counseling graduate students to serve as care coordinators and mental health practitioners to students and families. Students from Barry's School of Education also serve as academic support tutors, working with students to increase proficiency. The Barry Students receive tuition stipends for their work within the Success University Program.
The Success University Program offers an integrated Care Coordination-based program to reduce violence and truancy and prepare children and families for personal and academic success. The primary goal of the program is to address the risk factors related to absenteeism, maltreatment, violence, and disruptive behavior for elementary, middle and high school students, while providing support for families that are experiencing the negative influences of community stress factors.
Success University offers a variety of programming and youth and families are provided with strength-based and evidence-based best practice program services that include care coordination assessment, mental health assessment, counseling sessions, academic support sessions, and suspension diversion services.
Success University and the Miami Beach Service Partnership are operated through the Miami Beach Office of Community Services. Click here for more information on these programs.


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I keep getting spam that has a date that always evaluates to sometime earlier than NOW.
Is there a way to use the "date" option in the filter dialog (poco 3.5, but my guess is it is probably the same now) to catch these? Clearly, it'll have to be "earlier than the current month/year - 1 month", since some legit mail does come in stamped earlier than the exact moment on MY machine, and making it too tight would kill legit mail sent on 1st of month.
Can somebody supply the exact language?


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During Jerry Brown's second go-round as governor, Democrats in Sacramento have made long strides in changing their image as agents of big government and big spenders controlled by public employee unions. But they just tripped themselves up.
Part of the California budget agreement is a plan for education funding that looks like something between cheap politics and massive hypocrisy.
Under an attached bill proposed too late in the budget negotiations to receive public scrutiny, the state would cap the amount of money school districts may hold in reserve for economic uncertainties.
The caps will go into effect if voters approve a Democrat-backed California constitutional amendment on the November ballot setting aside money for a state reserve fund.
That's one piece of hypocrisy. Brown and legislative leaders believe in a so-called "rainy-day fund" for the state. Then why wouldn't they want it for school districts too?
There's more hypocrisy, though. Brown has spent parts of his past two State of the State addresses talking up a principle he calls "subsidiarity," known in plain language as "local control," the idea that the state should leave as many decisions as possible to counties, cities and districts. So why does he now want the state to dictate how local school officials make decisions on something as fundamental as their budgets?
School districts' leaders are complaining, and they're right. They've been trying to do the right thing, saving money in anticipation of future economic downturn. Now the state is telling them they can't.
Why? Democrats claim they want to make sure money sent to school districts by the state is actually spent on classrooms and not socked away.
But Sacramento-watchers have another explanation: The caps on school districts' reserve funds is a giveaway to teachers' unions, which are big campaign contributors to Brown and Democratic legislators. In exchange for capping districts' reserves — making more money available for teachers' contracts — the CTA would drop its expected opposition to the state rainy-day-fund initiative.
That's not a good enough reason to restrict districts' ability to save to protect themselves from economic ups and downs.
The state's contributions to local education are being distributed under a new system called the Local Control Funding Formula. Yes, Brown is for it.
Because they aren't sure how much money the formula will give them, local district officials have been hesitant to make big spending plans, and have been holding hefty percentages of their budgets in reserve.
The state sets minimums for districts' reserves, ranging from 1 percent to 5 percent of total budgets depending on districts' sizes. The new law would establish maximums, too, from 3 percent for the Los Angeles Unified School District to 10 percent for small districts.
It's ironic that teachers are for the caps, since more money in reserve could protect them from layoffs in the next sour economy.
And it's contradictory that Brown and his fellow Democrats support the caps. The governor's stated principles of local control and fiscal prudence are proper. He needs to put them into practice.


text: Hello everyone, this might be a stupid question, but I haven't found a simple answer to it yet: is there any "easy" way of looking at the memory bandwidth that a program uses? What I basically want to know is whether my mpi-based program would benefit from dual-core processors or not, and this depends on whether the program's execution is badly memory-bandwidth-limited or not. So far I have not found anything better than looking at cpu usage thanks to ganglia, or 'top' or something like that, and looking for times when the processors are idling, but this method is definitely not very precise, and for all I know might be wrong. Could anyone give me any suggestions? Thanks in advance, Olivier Marsden Ecole Centrale de Lyon France


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John A. Palmer was awarded the Outstanding Career Award in 2012. He served three times as President of the Parapsychological Association. He is presently Director of Research at the Rhine Research Center in Durham, and long time Editor of the Journal of Parapsychology. Dr. Palmer has published numerous scientific articles and book chapters, and he is co-author of the book Foundations of Parapsychology: Exploring the Boundaries of Human Capability.
Register with the Parapsychological Association website to participate in the discussion, or sign in if you already have an account.
The Parapsychological Association is an international professional organization of scientists and scholars engaged in the study of psi (or 'psychic') experiences, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, psychic healing, and precognition. The primary objective of the PA is to achieve a scientific understanding of these experiences.
First established in 1957, the PA has been an affiliated organization of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) since 1969. The PA is a non-profit, non-adjudicating organization that endorses no ideologies or beliefs other than the value of rigorous scientific and scholarly inquiry.


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Here we use a Piezo element to detect sound, what will allow us to use it as a knock sensor. We are taking advantage of the processors capability to read analog signals through its ADC - analog to digital converter. These converters read a voltage value and transform it into a value encoded digitally. In the case of the Arduino boards, we transform the voltage into a value in the range 0..1024. 0 represents 0volts, while 1024 represents 5volts at the input of one of the six analog pins.
A Piezo is nothing but an electronic device that can both be used to play tones and to detect tones. In our example we are plugging the Piezo on the analog input pin number 0, that supports the functionality of reading a value between 0 and 5volts, and not just a plain HIGH or LOW.
The other thing to remember is that Piezos have polarity, commercial devices are usually having a red and a black wires indicating how to plug it to the board. We connect the black one to ground and the red one to the input. We also have to connect a resistor in the range of the Megaohms in parallel to the Piezo element; in the example we have plugged it directly in the female connectors. Sometimes it is possible to acquire Piezo elements without a plastic housing, then they will just look like a metallic disc and are easier to use as input sensors.
The code example will capture the knock and if it is stronger than a certain threshold, it will send the string "Knock!" back to the computer over the serial port. In order to see this text you could either use the Arduino's serial monitor, or make your own program in e.g. Processing. Later in this article we propose a program that works for the software designed by Reas and Fry.
Example of connection of a Piezo to analog pin 0 with a resistor
/* Knock Sensor
* ----------------
* Program using a Piezo element as if it was a knock sensor.
* We have to basically listen to an analog pin and detect
* if the signal goes over a certain threshold. It writes
* "knock" to the serial port if the Threshold is crossed,
* and toggles the LED on pin 13.
* (cleft) 2005 D. Cuartielles for K3
* edited by Scott Fitzgerald 14 April 2013
int ledPin = 13;
int knockSensor = 0;
byte val = 0;
int statePin = LOW;
int THRESHOLD = 100;
void setup() {
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
void loop() {
val = analogRead(knockSensor);
if (val >= THRESHOLD) {
statePin = !statePin;
digitalWrite(ledPin, statePin);
delay(100); // we have to make a delay to avoid overloading the serial port
If, e.g. we would like to capture this "knock" from the Arduino board, we have to look into how the information is transferred from the board over the serial port. First we see that whenever there is a knock bigger that the threshold, the program is printing (thus sending) "Knock!" over the serial port. Directly after sends the byte 10, what stands for EOLN or End Of LiNe, and byte 13, or CR - Carriage Return. Those two symbols will be useful to determine when the message sent by the board is over. Once that happens, the processing program will toggle the background color of the screen and print out "Knock!" in the command line.
// Knock In // by David Cuartielles <http://www.0j0.org> // based on Analog In by Josh Nimoy <http://itp.jtnimoy.com> // Reads a value from the serial port and makes the background // color toggle when there is a knock on a piezo used as a knock // sensor. // Running this example requires you have an Arduino board // as peripheral hardware sending values and adding an EOLN + CR // in the end. More information can be found on the Arduino // pages: http://www.arduino.cc // Created 23 November 2005 // Updated 23 November 2005 import processing.serial.*; String buff = ""; int val = 0; int NEWLINE = 10; Serial port; void setup() { size(200, 200); // Open your serial port port = new Serial(this, "COMXX", 9600); // <-- SUBSTITUTE COMXX with your serial port name!! } void draw() { // Process each one of the serial port events while (port.available() > 0) { serialEvent(port.read()); } background(val); } void serialEvent(int serial) { if(serial != NEWLINE) { buff += char(serial); } else { buff = buff.substring(1, buff.length()-1); // Capture the string and print it to the commandline // we have to take from position 1 because // the Arduino sketch sends EOLN (10) and CR (13) if (val == 0) { val = 255; } else { val = 0; } println(buff); // Clear the value of "buff" buff = ""; } }


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Do you pride yourself in baffling people at parties with the most obscure film factoids possible? Do you enjoy hour-long debates on the underlying themes and cultural impact of films? If yes, then film theory and film studies programs may provide the ideal forum for your rhetoric and musings, without the side-effect of alienating fellow party-goers.
In many cases, film theory is built into film production, media theory, and philosophy major programs as a course component. As a result, film studies majors bear the perpetual burden of explaining the difference between film studies and film production to everyone who asks about their schooling and to what practical occupation it can be applied.
Why Study Film Theory?
In all seriousness, a structured forum of film critique and analysis can be a powerful tool and prerequisite for later film production studies. Knowing the vocabulary and having a sense of context can help bring ideas into a student film production with heightened clarity, and may be the key to harnessing those elusive kernels of inspiration.
Inversely, film production graduates have a lot to gain by following up their technical education by attending a film theory and film studies program. The ability to communicate the true power and essence of your ideas is integral to your success when working with producers and film crews. Technique, theory, production skills, philosophy, discipline, critical awareness and self-analysis are all necessary components of a powerful creative marriage.
Film theory/film studies programs can be found at many colleges around the world including UC Berkeley and The University of Amsterdam's Graduate School for the Humanities.
You may also browse our film school listings.


text: Edmonton, AB (SportsNetwork. Jarrod Dyson Jersey .com) - The Minnesota Wild activated forward Mikael Granlund from injured reserve prior to Tuesdays game against the Edmonton Oilers. Granlund missed 13 games after suffering a fractured wrist on Dec. 27 against the Winnipeg Jets. The 22-year-old Granlund has four goals and 11 assists in 32 games this season. Carlos Ruiz Jersey . People familiar with the case told The Associated Press on Friday that arbitrator Fredric Horowitz could issue his decision this weekend. Kyle Seager Jersey . Ricciardo made it only halfway around the Jerez track before his RB10 rolled to a stop and began spouting smoke from the back. After team mechanics tended to the car, Ricciardo went back out for a mere two trips around the circuit before calling it quits. http://www.baseballmarinersofficial.com/edgar-martinez-jersey-c-25/ .com) - NFL owners have unanimously approved the sale of the Buffalo Bills.CUIABA, Brazil -- Chile capitalized on a sluggish start by Australia to earn a 3-1 win in their World Cup opener on Friday, with Alexis Sanchez carrying over his prolific form for Barcelona with a goal and assist for the dangerous tournament outsiders. Sanchez -- a potential star of the World Cup -- poked home from close range in the 12th minute, before setting up Jorge Valdivia barely a minute later for the playmaker to finish from the edge of the area. A young Australia team, written off by most before a ball had been kicked, looked in danger of falling apart but the experienced Tim Cahill brought them back into the game with a trademark header in the 35th. Cahill, dominant in the air throughout, had several chances to equalize before and after halftime as Chile slipped off the pace in muggy conditions in Cuiaba. But a drilled, low shot by substitute Jean Beausejour settled the match in the second minute of injury time, sending the Chilean bench running onto the pitch and making fans set off fireworks. Chile moved level with Netherlands, which thrashed Spain 5-1 earlier Friday, and has a chance to eliminate the reigning champions when they meet in their next Group B game on Wednesday. "They have a superlative history in (major tournaments) so we definitely will have to play better than we did today," Chile coach Jorge Sampaoli said. "It will certainly be an electrifying game." Boasting its best ever squad for a World Cup, Chile has been strongly tipped by many -- including Pele -- to go far in Brazil despite being thrown in the same group as two of Europes top teams. And the Spanish, ripped apart by the Dutch in Salvador, will not be relishing playing Sampaolis side with their title defence on the line. Especially with Sanchez in this formm. Felix Hernandez Jersey. The 25-year-old forward is coming off his best season at Camp Nou -- having scored 21 goals, 19 in the league -- and he was too much for a flimsy Australia defence in the first half. Sanchez was on hand to guide in a close-range finish inside the near post after Australia captain Mile Jedinak failed to head clear Charles Aranguizs cross. The celebrations had hardly died down when Sanchez span his marker and laid the ball across for Valdivia to finish high into the net from 20 yards (meters). "Early on, we were probably just overawed by the whole thing," Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said. "In the end, we gave away a two-goal start and thats what killed us." It was already looking like a damage-limitation exercise for the beleaguered Socceroos, the lowest-ranked nation in Brazil. The raucous Chilean fans were regaling their teams crisp passing with chants "Ole" and a no-look backheel from Sanchez highlighted his confidence. But Chiles momentum was punctured when Cahill, renowned for his tremendous jumping ability, leapt above diminutive marker Gary Medel to thump home a header from a right-wing cross. He had a header ruled out for a marginal offside and squandered other chances before Beausejour ended Australias hopes of a comeback. "They got in twice," Cahill said. "(But) after that you could see their legs were going. We knew we could get something out of this game. We stood up strong. Its just unfortunate, not a lot went our way tonight, and it showed." Capping a satisfying night overall for Chile was the sight of star midfielder Arturo Vidal starting and playing 59 minutes on his return from knee surgery. "He was very good," Sampaoli. "His knee is good." Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '


text:
Career Advice >> Browse Articles >> Resume, Cover Letter & Interview Tips
How to Answer the Interview Question "Tell Me About Yourself"
Alison Green | Ask A Manager
A reader writes:
The interview question that stresses me out the most (besides the what are your weaknesses question) is the tell me about yourself question…or statement…or request, whichever it is. What do employers really want to hear? I'm assuming that this isn't the time to regale colorful stories of my childhood in the deep south, but what should I be talking about?
"Tell me about yourself" in a job interview really means "give me an overview of who you are, professionally speaking." There's a reason this is asked at the very beginning of an interview — it says "give me the broad background before we dive in to specifics."
You want to be ready with about a one-minute answer that summarizes where you're at in your career (generally with an emphasis on your most recent job), what you do, and what the strengths of your approach are.
For instance: "I got into technical writing because I found that I have an unusual mixture of technical aptitude with writing skills. I'd worked as a software engineer for the first few years of my career, but when I saw how rare it was to find people with that kind of technical background who could also write, I started moving into technical writing. I've found that I love translating complicated technical information into words that a non-technical person can easily understand, and the fact that I come from a software background means that I can communicate well both with the tech team and my intended audience. My last boss told me that I was the only employee she'd ever had who mixed those two skills to the extent that I do! Being able to bridge those two worlds so comfortably is the reason I was especially interested in the position here."
For someone who's more entry-level and doesn't really have a career to describe yet, the answer would be more forward-looking. For instance: "I've always been a news junkie and I spent my last two years in school preparing myself to work in communications when I graduated. I sought out internships and extracurricular opportunities that would expose me to media relations work, and I'm excited to continue on that path. I've been told that I'm particularly good at coming up with creative story pitches, and I love pitching, but I really want to learn every aspect of this business from the ground up. I'd like to work in-house rather than in an agency, and I'm especially interested in advocacy work, so I'm particularly excited about this opportunity."
As you see in these two examples, you want to keep this focused on your professional persona. Don't bring kids into it, or your spouse, or where you grew up. That's not to say you can't say anything personal, but make sure there's a relevant reason for raising it. For instance, you could add something like, "And I grew up in this area and still have family here, so I'm really excited about the prospect of moving back." (Hence signaling to the interviewer that you're not going to be flighty about relocation.)
Whatever your answer is, practice it out loud over and over so it flows right out of your mouth in the interview. Don't try to wing it!


text:
This is one event that folks look forward to all year long. More than 650 citizens converged upon the Halecrest Swim and Tennis Club in Costa Mesa last week to sample "Wild and Crazy" tacos prepared by 28 local star chefs. It was the 18th annual Share Our Selves (SOS) "Wild &Crazy Taco Night" with an amazing array of culinary delights all donated, helping to raise $34,890 in support of the SOS Orange Aid Project. Orange Aid, founded by restaurateurs Hal Rosoff and Michael Kang, food columnist Marla Bird, Taco Bell executives John Martin and Jonathan Blum and SOS former executive director Karen McGlinn collects food from restaurants, grocery stores, caterers and bakeries to distribute to local low income residents. The project gives out approximately 250 bags of groceries each day.
The overflow crowd sampled a grilled Korean short rib taco made by Carlito Jockson of the Yard House, a Cuban duck taco by Alan Greeley of the Golden Truffle, a bratwurst taco prepared by Mark Gagnon of Newport Beach Plaza and a mesquite grilled swordfish taco prepared by Lynne Campbell of The Quiet Woman. Other favorites included Jason Kordas of Jason's Catered Events preparing a Mongolian beef taco, Marco Zapien from Melissa's Produce with a wild mushroom picadillo taco and Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy Catering making a Texas Longhorn lengua taco that had the crowd raving. Major Orange Aid sponsors include The Taco Bell Corp., Hoag Hospital, Rutan and Tucker LLP, Anne Cress, Matt and Jill Stewart, and the Frome Family, among many others. Dedicated committee members organizing the massive event and deserving praise include Minnie Ballard, Bill Cowles, Elizabeth Evans, Julie Larson and Louise Stewardson — to name only a few.
Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts hosted the 2011 Women in Focus conference inviting six prominent women filmmakers to discuss the state of the art. Moderated by Dawn Hudson, executive director of "Film Independent," panelists included Susan Cartsonis, producer of "What Women Want," writer/director Shana Feste, responsible for the film "Country Strong"; director Mary Lambert of the "Pet Cemetery" movies; and the producer and director of the Los Angeles Film Festival, Rebecca Yeldham. Also attending the conference was Fox Searchlight Pictures president Nancy Utley, responsible for "127 Hours" and "Black Swan," and Mandalay Pictures President Cathy Schulman, who supervised "Crash" and "The Illusionist."
The tone of the conference was "fighting to fight for ourselves," or in other words working to create the best possible film as a cohesive unit of artists with a purpose.
"Think about what you want to say, not what you think others want you to say," Lambert said. Your body of work is your voice. Think about what you want to say in your life."
With independent filmmaking becoming more the norm, the panelists shared insight into the collapse of the economic model that sustained the major film studios for decades. The afternoon conference was sponsored by Dodge College patrons Twyla Martin, Bonny Schumacher and Harriet Sandhu.
Thursday is the 14th annual Newport Home and Garden Tour featuring seven distinctive homes and an all-day open house at the Molly Wood Garden Design Center. Noted designer Barclay Butera will host an afternoon reception in-store at his Westcliff headquarters in Newport Beach, and a special luncheon has been donated by Stonefire Grill for all of the touring design aficionados. Some last minute tickets may be available at Barclay Butera Interiors, Feathers on 17th Street in Costa Mesa, The Gatehouse also on 17th Street in Costa Mesa or at Marmi Shoes in Corona del Mar Plaza. You may also go online at NewportHarborHomeTour.com or call (949 642-6255.
Tickets are priced at $65 and all funds will go to supporting programs helping the students and teachers at Newport Harbor High School. Dedicated Diana Long, executive director of the Newport Harbor Educational Foundation, will join a massive committee of volunteers and sponsors once again make this annual event possible.
THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.


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By David Lesch, Special to CNN
Editor's note: David W. Lesch is professor of Middle East History at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and author or editor of 12 books, including the upcoming "Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad." The views expressed are solely those of the author.
The past couple of weeks haven't been good to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. First, his long-time friend and presumed regime insider, General Manaf Tlas, defected. This was followed soon after by the defection of the Syrian ambassador to Iraq. In the past week it has been reported that a number of high-ranking Syrian military officers defected to the Syrian opposition, perhaps taking their cue from Tlas. Finally, on July 18, a massive bomb exploded in a national security compound in Damascus, killing an unspecified number of Syrian security personnel, including the defense minister and the deputy defense minister, the latter being Assaf Shawkat, Assad's brother-in-law.
These were certainly serious body blows to the regime. Taken in and of themselves they aren't necessarily fatal blows to the regime, especially since Tlas' and reportedly even Shawkat's access to the inner sanctums of the decision making apparatus weren't what they once were. Nonetheless, oftentimes perception is more important than reality. And the perception is that two long-time stalwarts of the regime, one (Tlas) from a family that more than any other has been associated over the decades with propping up the Assads, both father and son, and the other (Shawkat) a relative to al-Assad by marriage who had been the head of military intelligence in Syria and for years the most feared person in the country, are now gone. Because of this, it appears that the regime might be on the verge of imploding. The fact that the bomb apparently was planted inside a high security complex that played host to a national security meeting had to send shockwaves throughout the regime. How can anyone feel safe at this point? Are there moles in the inner sanctums of the regime that planted the bomb? In other words, a regime that was already paranoid about pernicious unseen forces arrayed against it just became that much more unsure of who its friends and enemies are.
There's also the perception that the opposition armed forces are getting better at striking at the heart of the regime. It's clear that their shift in tactics from trying to take and hold parts of cities, which failed miserably against superior government forces – so dramatically revealed in Homs earlier in the year – toward adopting guerrilla warfare has been much more effective at wearing down government forces and striking devastating psychological blows at the regime. The tactical support, arms, funding, and training opposition forces are receiving directly and indirectly from an array of anti-Assad countries appear to have finally paid some dividends.
Al-Assad could claim for a long time during the uprising that the violence was relegated to the rural areas and select cities; the two largest cities, Aleppo and Damascus, were relatively safe and secure. This is no longer the case. As a result, many of those Syrian fence-sitters, who supported the regime not because of any predilection for al-Assad but for the lack of any viable alternative, may now think twice about whether or not to stick it out with the regime. With the perception that there is no place to go, that the regime is on the defensive and that the opposition is making important military inroads, high-level Syrian officials may think hard about defecting, following the path set out by Tlas and others. If this is the case, as often happens, what follows is a cascade of defections that undermines the foundation of a regime.
The question now is how the Syrian regime will react to the bombing. Will al-Assad see the end of the tunnel for his regime and more vigorously pursue a diplomatic resolution that leads to a transition of power, although he would do so from a perceived position of weakness? Or will he – and his military-security advisors – lash out in a violent fashion to show that he's still powerful, in control, and capable of withstanding the heat? If recent history is a guide, he will unfortunately choose the latter option. If this is the case, the regime's attempts thus far at calibrated bloodletting, i.e. enough of a crackdown to suppress the rebellion but not enough to galvanize the international community into action, may be difficult. Certainly there will be those in the regime, maybe even loyalists of Shawkat in the security services, who figure the gloves are off. They may find evidence as to who carried out the assassinations, where their home villages are, and then take to wiping them out. Vengeance in the Middle East is often gruesome and convulsive. In an election year, the United States will most likely continue to wade along the sidelines regardless; besides, it likes what it sees in terms of the perceived weakening of a regime that may be on its last legs, so why change course.
Welcome to the next ugly phase of the Syrian uprising, where violence becomes more indiscriminate than it already has been. Both sides believe it is an existential conflict. And if this is the tipping point for the al-Assad regime, what will it do to desperately hang on? Then there's still a whole other set of questions regarding what will follow after al-Assad falls – and he will fall. The serious fault lines that divide the opposition might ultimately make the post-Assad environment equally rich in blood, at least until one party wins and imposes its vision for Syria's future. One can only hope that the last reeds of a relatively peaceful transition are grasped through diplomacy, compelling the Russians – Vladimir Putin – to realize that they've wedded themselves to a sinking ship and have one last opportunity to leverage their influence toward a resolution of the problem with rather than against the international community. Perhaps a fanciful wish at this point, but the alternative is more of what we have just witnessed.
In most illnesses the patient suffers a very hot temperature before it breakes. We all witnissed it a shade too much in the past few years. It affected all countries including UK, France, even the Northern Europe.
But this situation is getting to be more of a witches' brew. I wander if anyone knows what the outcome would be. Whoever started this all acted as a dumb sticking a stick into a hive of bees without taking necessary precoutions. Just like a baby pokind a stick. But this is one misdirected sticks too much. I wander who the mischief is. For I do not think he got it right.
please read two reports .. http://infinitynewsnetwork.com/2012/07/23/syrians-are-humans-too/?utm_campaign=syrians-are-humans-too&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss
is THAT the BEST you GOT?,saeed
Well, surprise surprise. Articles and blogs carefully and meticulously avoiding the elephant in the teashop on this issue – the arming and funding by the US & its gang of bandit friends. So OF COURSE, things are going to get uglier. Obama and Israel is going to make darn sure things get uglier. Nor is anyone even beginning to mention what the US would do to rebels in the case of an armed revolt. Just take a look at the baton-swinging, fist-swinging festival the cops had on peaceful – confirmed-unarmed demonstrators of the OWS protests. They'd have a field day if someone actually picked up arms. But Syria is supposed to sit down at the table of brotherly love with terrorists who have killed soldiers, government officials and civilians BY THE THOUSANDS. Writers of such plastic blogs don't seem to know this ... at least not by their own writings.
But we are not supplying them with arms. We send the weapons to Saudi Arabia and they give them to the opposition:) Our hands are clean, we are not sending them weapons:) Funny how CNN doesn't say anything about that little nugget. You also notice how they have not been given anti aircraft weapons to take down the helicopters? Who do you think made that decision? And why? Could it be because they believe they will end up shooting down civilian airliners at some point in the future? We have so much trust in these opposition fighters we support!
Wow a middle easterner Who hates America I'm so surprised.
It interests me the vehemence that is generated here. It is as if we as citizens of the USA are going to bigot ourselves into supremecy. It also continues to show just how uncivilized our apparently superior country is. Perhaps we should all take a moment, step away from the keyboards, and reaffirm what it is we are about in this country; Equality and Acceptance.
What incenses me is your mirror image of islam as the biggest, most violent, most ignorant biggot of all.
I did not know CNN could read the future. Perhaps they should start calling themselves the Nostradamus network. I seriously doubt Assad will fall regardless of the propaganda unless the west sends in military power. The idea though seems to be that if you say it enough it will become true. Keep telling everyone Assad will fall and you build the expectation. Funny how we're now on the side of the suicide bombers. Anyone else notice the attempts to make this out to be something akin to Star Wars? The "rebels" fighting the evil empire. It would be really nice to see some impartial reporting from CNN for a change. Why do they have to be so activist in their reporting??? I'm having to go to European and Asian media sources to get the whole story. So much for a free press. They seem to just run the press releases put out by "Syrian Activists" and the administration. You could just as easily call them the Syrian traitors as Syrian rebels. But rebels fits better with our own independence movement I guess and since CNN obviously has chosen a side they will use language that puts the opposition in the best light. It makes them seem more like us.
In Islam, the future is and always will be the total irradication of anything non-muslim through deceipt, lies, murder...
Hey Saeed! After you get done pumping the neighborhood goat and your little brother, come to the realization that all Muslims are as worthless as you and deserve nothing less than the business-end of my rifle.
Your rant is pathetic. I can't help but to laugh. LOL! To begin with, when did you become the "expert"? When you can answer that sufficiently then maybe I'll consider what spews out of your mouth.
LONG LIVE ASSAD and the BA'ATHIST PARTY!
I am still trying to figure out why Muslim sects hate each other so much and are willing to die killing one another .
So it's ok to rebel and blow up the legitimate government, as CNN (read world) sees it. Then It's ok also for the 'OCCUPY'ers in America to do so too. Dont you think? they will get international support? For the cause of the oppressed? Will that theory be accepted in USA? Have you been to Libya or Afghanistan lately? How much wonderful progress and democracy they are now in.. look at israhell for example..it throws every UN resolution in the trash can and get backed by the USA. So what good is the UN anyway.
keep on licking zionist's butthole.
to avoid the increasing death toll, the government should immediately convene a general election . . . do not need shots clashing
no more tears ang blood, . . no more suffering of children and women
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Syria's better go with peace talk!!!! just saying. 🙂
We need to get the chemical weapons out of this country! Russia is funneling weapons and chaos into this country.This administration needs to remove these weapons.
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