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Secretary of State
Ruth Johnson to push for tougher laws,
clean voter rolls and greater election integrity
LANSING, MI -- Secretary of State Ruth Johnson today announced a comprehensive plan to help ensure integrity in Michigan's elections through stronger campaign finance laws, new policies and the expanded use of technology. The package is known as the Secure and Fair Elections, or SAFE Initiative.
"There is nothing more important to America, to our values and democracy, than clean and fair elections," Johnson said at a press conference held at the Secretary of State headquarters in Lansing.
"Michigan has a strong elections system with dedicated, committed clerks and election workers," added Johnson, who serves as Michigan's chief elections official. "But there is always room for improvement. Our plan provides new tools to make our elections even more fair by closing loopholes and requiring more transparency and accountability."
Johnson was joined at the press conference by Sen. Dave Robertson of Grand Blanc Township, Rep. Sharon Tyler of Niles, and other legislators sponsoring bills that achieve the initiative's goals. Also attending was Ottawa County Clerk Dan Krueger.
"Secure and fair elections are the cornerstone of our democracy," Robertson said. "The legislation we're introducing as part of this initiative will increase election disclosure and promote integrity. For example, anyone who tries to skirt campaign finance rules by not filing will face steep consequences. Our citizens deserve no less."
Said Tyler: "Every vote counts, and each voter has the right to a secure ballot box, and full disclosure regarding ballot initiatives. Voters ought to know the facts about who supported placing the questions on the ballot in front of them. We will work together to secure the integrity of the elections process in Michigan."
The SAFE Initiative would affect Michigan elections, from beginning to end, with changes to voter registration and Election Day policies to post-election ballot security. The SAFE Initiative calls for:
"Some of the people on what is called our Qualified Voter File aren't 'qualified' at all -- they're dead, they've moved out of state or they're not U.S. citizens," Johnson said, citing a 2008 Pew Center on the States report that indicated an impossible 102.54 percent of eligible adults in Michigan were registered to vote. "That doesn't add up and indicates vulnerabilities in the system."
At the same time, Johnson has encouraged voter registration efforts. Every 18-year-old receives a postcard reminding them to register to vote. Every branch office customer who isn't registered to vote is asked, with the understanding they must be a U.S. citizen. Johnson is also using her Mobile Office for college campus voter registration drives.
For media questions, please call Gisgie Dávila Gendreau at 517-373-2520.
Related Links
> YouTube Video
> Radio Actualities


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From ForensicsWiki
What about adding headers and footers in this section?
Joachim 06:26, 25 August 2012 (PDT) there are no footers in JPEG, and as far as headers go, do you mean start of image ?
Article about hidden data in JPEG files (Exif, digital fingerprint, etc.)
Joachim 06:26, 25 August 2012 (PDT) This link seems no longer available, if anyone has an alternative, update it and move it back to the (main) page

subset: commoncrawl


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Licensed Guided Bus Tour on 10/25/19 @ 11:15 AM on 10/25/2019
The Licensed Guided Bus Tour with a National Military Park Licensed Guide on an Air-conditioned Coach Bus offers the visitor a truly unique perspective into the struggles of the three days' battle.
Interested in adding other attractions to your Battlefield Tour? Choose the "Gettysburg Value Plan." Available late March 2018 through November 18, 2018. Use the drop down options (small arrow) to right of price.
Introducing the Tour Plus at the Gettysburg Tour Center!
An easy to use iPad software tool that automatically shows guests images based on GPS location. We supply you with an iPad and as you travel through the battlefield Tour Plus shows you appropriate images including maps, historical figures, old photos, weapons, timelines, and bonus pictures. Much more than just a history lesson Tour Plus is about you, and enhancing your experience of the Gettysburg Battlefield! (One Ipad per family and limited quantities available).
To add the Tour Plus to your battlefield tour, add the option to your shopping cart via the drop down tour options.
***Now comes with a free download of Gettysburg Tour Guide***
Self-guided, GPS enabled tour of Gettysburg complete with Driving Direction, Audio, and Reenactment Battle Videos!
Available for Apple and Android
A $14.99 Value!


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THE parents of a teenager stabbed to death in Nottingham are set to start their own support group for families of murder victims.
Angela Spencer and John Greensmith will launch the group later this month for those bereaved by gun, knife or other violent crime.
They have now raised enough money through the Jason Spencer Trust to start their own support group, which will be based at Sherwood Community Centre, in Mansfield Road.
Ms Spencer, 40, said: "Though other people try to be empathetic and understanding towards the bereaved, the only person who truly can speak the same language is somebody who has experienced a similar bereavement.
"Although grieving after the loss of a loved one is different for everyone, it may help to talk to others who are experiencing the same thing. Our bereavement support group gives us all a great opportunity to talk to others about their loss, share tips on coping and support each other throughout the grieving process."
Mr Greensmith said: "We know first hand the devastating and traumatic effects after a violent and sudden death of a loved one. We also know how difficult it is to find the right kind of help and support which is so badly needed.
"Throughout our campaigning to highlight the lack of support for homicide victims, we sincerely hope by offering a support group it will give people the reassurance that they are not alone."
The couple's ultimate aim is to raise enough money through the trust for a purpose-built centre to support other families rocked by violent crime.
But they are still some distance from the £750,000 fundraising target.
The self-help group is due to meet for the first time at the Sherwood Community Centre on Friday, September 30. Monthly sessions are planned there on the last Friday of each month between 6pm and 9pm.
People can also have one-to-one counselling by appointment.
For more details about the group, call 07779 552867 or visit www.thejasonspencertrust.co.uk


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Creating Stunning Websites is more easy today, If you have knowledge using PHP Language you can create any website application from scratch. PHP Programming Language is more well-known world wide. There are so many frameworks that built from PHP, one of them is Laravel 4 Framework (my favourite in all php framework.). You can check my tutorial using laravel 4 on Superb Web Scraping Tutorials using Laravel 4.
So today i will show you most PHP Code Script that i know you should have it in your arsenal. Take a look our collections of 15 Most Popular PHP Code Scripts that You Should Have. Share it and Enjoy Guys.


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Lindsay Lohan has officially pulled out of her "20/20" interview with Barbara Walters because she doesn't want to talk about her car crash, according to TMZ.
What else would she talk about? Her Oscars?
Lohan was scheduled to sit down with Walters this week, which Lohan supposedly agreed to because she thought the interview would focus on her new movie "Liz & Dick."
Yes, Barbara Walters wants to sit down and have a long talk about a cable TV movie, nothing else.
But sources close to the actress said producers made it clear the past week Walters wanted to talk about her personal life as well, including allegations that she lied to police about the June car crash on Pacific Coast Highway.
Lohan's new PR team, Rogers & Cowan, felt it would be a mistake to put Lohan in a position where she could say something that could damage her case, so they pulled the plug.
Sources told TMZ Lohan feels terrible for canceling, especially since she considers Walters a family friend, and wants to reschedule as soon as her team feels the time is right.
Contact Tony Hicks at email@example.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks.


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Khloe Kardashian thinks that Kanye West has what it takes to keep up with the Kardashians!
On Sunday, Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen asked the Khloe and Lamar star about Kim's recent jaunt in NYC with her new hip-hop star beau, and her outlook remained on the positive side.
"We've known Kanye for like nine years, and we had a double-triple-foursome date," Khloe, 27, remarked about their recent group public outing. "He's great with the family, but again we've known him for so long. It's not like some stranger getting into a hurricane."
On Saturday, the new duo, dubbed "Kimye" for short, were spotted browsing the racks at Balenciaga, enjoying ice cream from Van Leeuwen and having dinner at Spice Market with Kardashian's family. Earlier this month, the longtime pals took their romance public in the Big Apple when they grabbed lunch at Serafina and shopped at various NYC stores.
When compared to how she felt about Kim's ex-husband Kris Humphries, Khloe's attitude about Kanye, 34, is a complete 180. And while she admitted to being "rubbed the wrong way" with the NBA star, Khloe is already expecting more positive things from her 31-year-old sister's new relationship.
"I don't think it's serious. I think it's too soon," she explained to Cohen. "But because they've been friends for so long, it's just so easy and that's something I love seeing for Kim – the easiness and how happy she is. And it's just more of a great friendship and friendships make the best relationships."
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on Youtube!


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At Lambda the Ultimate, Sean McDirmid points to the intriguing paper Twenty Reasons You Should User Boxer (Instead of Logo), by Andrea di Sessa (co-author of Turtle Geometry). What happened to Boxer? Is it available to try out? The Boxer website appears inactive, and only lists a Macintosh version. How hard is it to simulate a Mac on current hardware?
Labels: Programming Languages
<< Home
The closest thing to Boxer that's actively developed -- at least of which I'm aware -- is Scheme Bricks.
Actually, Boxer's larger goals are probably best represented by Scratch, but the "boxes within boxes" notation reminded me of Bricks.Post a Comment
<< Home


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Stage3D for iPad and iPhone
Dec 07th 2011
Crocus Modeller - a sweet tool for developers
Aug 05th 2011
Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 beta's out on Labs
Jul 13th 2011
Flash Builder 4.5 and Flex 4.5 Update Available Today
Jun 20th 2011
Adobe AIR 2.7 available
Jun 15th 2011
Flash Player 10.3 for desktop and Android available
May 13th 2011
Abobe announcing CS5.5 update
Apr 11th 2011
Molehill preview released on Labs
Feb 27th 2011
Flash Player 10.2 almost ready for the masses
Feb 06th 2011
Adobe MAX Sneak Peeks
Oct 27th 2010
Flashzine is a bi-monthly newsletter that will keep you up to date on what's happening in the Flash/Flex world. Each issue contains links to our latest news, articles, tutorials, event listings, cool clicks, promotional offers that we think will be of interest and more.
Want to carry our headlines? No problem. All we need is some way to give you the files and a format to deliver the news.
Flashmagazine is maintained by Flash community members from around the world. The Flashmagazine office is based in Oslo, Norway.
We strive to make Flashmagazine the best place to get information on Adobe Flash, Adobe Flex, Swift3D, SVG and related products and services.
Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 beta's out on Labs


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Friend's Email:
Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|Die Hard 2
Ws Ac3
Actors: Bruce Willis, William Atherton, Bonnie Bedelia, William Sadler, Reginald VelJohnson
Director: Renny Harlin
Genres: Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense
R 1999 2hr 4min
Director Renny Harlin (Cutthroat Island) took the reins of this 1990 sequel, which places Bruce Willis's New York City cop character in harm's way again with a gaggle of terrorists. This time, Willis awaits his wife's arri... more »
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Gunner | Bethlehem,Georgia | 01/31/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Die Hard 2 DVD
Once again John McClane deals with terrorists at Christmas time; once again McClane is forced to crawl through ventilation shafts muttering to himself; once again McClane climbs up and out of elevators; once again no one's going to take the threat seriously but McClane. And once again, McClane gets to drop everyone's favorite line: "Yippi ki-yay, motherf----r."
To make things worse, the film itself, adapted from the novel "58 Minutes" by Walter Wager, is unrealistic nearly to the point of ridiculousness. McClane dodges bullets and chases villains on snowmobiles like Roger Moore's James Bond. What made McClane so appealing in the original film was the fact that he was an everyman, not the unbeatable hero he would seem in "Die Hard 2," were he not saved by a down-to-earth performance from Willis. There are points at which scoffing is inevitable. That's not helped by William Sadler's villain, who pales in comparison with Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber. There's plenty of:
-Explosions, and
In other words a typical Die Hard movie
"Die Hard 2" isn't bad, though. Viewed as a standalone film, it's actually quite good, and considering the stature of its predecessor, it's a decent sequel, too. It recalls "Die Hard" enough to get by, but what really keeps the film afloat is Harlin's cold, sharp style, which adds just the visual flair the film needs to entertain. On the topic of visuals, there are two truly stellar shots in this film. The first is a frightening plane crash, the one time John McClane doesn't succeed (though of course what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger). The second is a shot of McClane, strapped to an ejector seat, shooting up into the sky toward the camera as a jet blows up below him, cursing and then falling to the ground.
Though it's not the action spectacle that was McTiernan's classic, "Die Hard 2" is a decent film, guaranteed to liven up a dull night. It has enough of the original to satisfy, enough brainless action to entertain, and the kind of clever directing that makes that brainless action seem worth something.
Recommended for fans of Bruce Willis and Die Hard fans
Gunner January, 2008
! MR. KNOW IT ALL ;-b | TRI STATE AREA | 08/11/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I did not remember the story in Die Hard 2 as well as the original. This made seeing it again a treat, because I did not know what was going to happen. Some complain that it is a "been there, done that" Movie, but I didn't see it that way at all. This is a very good action film! Willis is great as the wisecracking cop who is always in the wrong place at the wrong time. The action never stops and the plot twist did surprise me. I have the Ultimate collection and I think that is the way to go if you are into the Die Hard films. Each film comes with great transfers and plenty of extras of two disc sets for each! I found the set for peanuts. Under $15.00 for a 6 disc set isn't bad."
How can the same thing happen to the same guy twice?
trebe | 06/26/2002
(3 out of 5 stars)
"The makers of Die Hard 2, hoped to surpass the success of the original Die Hard. While the second film may feature action on a larger scale, the plot does not draw the audience into the story in the same way the first Die Hard did. Director and action movie specialist, Renny Harlin, is only partially successful at creating and sustaining a high level of suspense and excitement, working with a script that could have been stood a bit more polish. Once again police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) gets into some heavy-duty action on Christmas Eve. This time it's at Dulles Airport, in Washington, where terrorists have taken control and seek the release of a foreign general. McClane is suddenly in the middle of the action, seeking to foil the plot and also save his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia), who is a passenger on a circling plane, in danger of running out of fuel. Die Hard 2, is a very different film from Die Hard. Some of the elements most critical to the success of the first film, are not present. The first time around, action was confined to a limited area, a few floors in the Nakatomi Plaza. The danger to McClane's wife was more immediate and real, reinforced by the menacing presence of supercrook Hans Gruber, played with style by Alan Rickman. There was real antagonism between McClane and Gruber, which propelled the movie. In Die Hard 2, the action is spread over a much wider stage, with many more players. McClane, though still a one-man army, never establishes a relationship with one principal "baddie". Colonel Stuart (William Sadler), the wild-eyed leader of the mercenaries is rather robotic, and lacks any special charisma. McClane and wife Holly, are pretty much out of touch throughout the critical phases of the movie. And if not for the "coincidental" presence of news reporter Dick Thornburg (William Atherton) from the first film, Holly would have almost nothing to do. A logical plot, is secondary to the action. If not, then the "same thing" wouldn't happen to the "same guy".Die Hard 2 - Die Harder, is a good action film, that takes a different approach from its predecessor. There is no shortage of action, but the "intimacy" that characterized the first film is absent. Bigger? Yes. Better? Perhaps not. The Special Edition DVD features director Renny Harlin's detailed and revealing commentary. As usual, he is very informative, insightful, and frank, in discussing the production of the film. Harlin's commentaries are among the best, for their honesty. You also get a second disc with a couple of documentaries, deleted scenes, interview with Harlin, and other special features."
Better than the first film
jakelamotta | PHELAN, CA United States | 05/26/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you ask me I think that "Die Hard 2" is vastly superior to the first film, the main reason being it has more action, the first film had a few shootouts and that was it. While the first film had a much stronger story than this film, this film is better directed than the first one."


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Letters to the editor
Invertebrate enigmas
I found the recent article "Evolutionary enigmas" (SN: 5/18/13, p. 20) fascinating because I know of another example of an invertebrate animal possessing a "strictly vertebrate" quality. As a high school human anatomy and physiology teacher, I sometimes have my students test the effects of the constituents in cigarette smoke on live Daphnia heart rates. These arthropods are known to have myogenic hearts, whereas most arthropods have neurogenic hearts. Myogenic hearts contain muscle cells with an innate ability to contract without neural input, just as vertebrate heart muscle does. This makes me wonder what other invertebrate phyla might contain oddball members with vertebrate characteristics, thus helping "fill in the dots" and establishing sound evidence for a parallel line of evolution that never quite fully blossomed.
John Gallo, Plano,


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The Moscow Mule/
There are plenty of reasons to drink, but only two good ones:
1. To achieve that flush of heady, giddy, tingly optimism that comes quick on the heels of the day's first tipple. (All successive swigs are nothing but guileless attempts at holding onto this fleet feeling, although I still over-partake all the time.)
2. To imagine being in another time and place, preferably involving fedoras, topcoats, garters, nylons, evening gloves, watch fobs, spats, held doors, cigarette holders, cigarette cases and the right to make use of all this enchanting cigarette paraphernalia indoors. (I'm not anti-smoking bans; I'm just saying there's nothing romantic about going outside to smoke. Besides, I quit smoking, although I still over-partake all the time.)
I love (love, love, love) The Moscow Mule -- vodka mixed with ginger beer and lime juice, on the rocks -- for conjuring both of these moods so effortlessly.
The story of how the Moscow Mule came to be (no matter which version you choose to believe; I go by former WSJ cocktail columnist Eric Felten's account, as I do with most things booze-related) is in itself a perfect little piece of throwback Americana: Invented in Hollywood (of all places!) by an enterprising bartender who was simply looking for a way to move some dead stock; christened hip by Tinseltown's postwar bevy of celebrities; marketed through copper mugs, engraved with the likeness of a mule, by the bar's proprietor and the man behind a then-flailing Smirnoff brand. Luck and hustle.
Also by pure luck, this weekend my fridge happened to be stocked with both ginger beer and fresh limes, and the thrill of fashioning myself a Moscow Mule for the first time in ages was eclipsed only by the spicy bliss of the cocktail itself. The Moscow Mule surprises me every time I have one. So few ingredients, but such a multifaceted flavor!
The only way to improve upon my positive associations with this drink was to go by the recipe offered online at the Mad Men Cocktail Guide. Barkeep, another round of three-piece suits and pillbox hats for everyone!
The Moscow Mule
(Adapted, with little changed, from the Mad Men Cocktail Guide at amctv.com)
1 1/4 ounces Ketel One vodka
3 ounces Fresh Ginger Ginger Ale by Bruce Cost
1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup
1 drop Old Honey Barn Kentucky Mint Julep Mixer
Mint sprig and/or lime, for garnish
Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled highball or Collins glass -- or a copper mug, if you wish to go all-the-way old-school. Stir briskly for a few seconds. Garnish to your liking with mint sprig and/or lime wheel/peel/etc.
Tasting Notes:
OK, so I lied. What we had in the fridge that I thought was ginger beer turned out to be ginger ale. The hubs picked it up and, because this is an unfiltered ginger ale, it looked to me more like ginger beer. And, I would say, tastes an awful lot like it, too. I mean, if my choices were ginger beer by Goya or ginger ale by Bruce Cost, ain't no choice at all.
Now, about that mint julep mixer. I want to say that when I was at The Royale, Tonya and I tried making Moscow Mules with mint-steeped simple syrup. As my fridge this weekend contained no fresh mint, but still wanting a bit of mintyness in the glass, I added exactly one drop of that syrup (which is all kinds of artificial and ridiculous, but we bought it at the Buffalo Trace gift shop in Kentucky, so...). I believe it added a little something to the drink -- but again, with a cocktail this dizzyingly complex, who knows?


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AUD$16.83 - 19.85 / Piece
(US $11.53 - 13.6 / Piece)
Price on APP: AUD$16.59 - 19.57
Store Discounts: Get AU $2.92 OFF per AU $43.79...
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Seller: docup
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On immigration, Rubio is everywhere
Sen. Marco Rubio on Sunday began his public campaign to win over conservative support for overhauling the nation's immigration laws, appearing on a record-setting seven network news programs.
Rubio offered a finely calibrated pitch designed to alleviate conservative concerns about reform. He pushed back against claims that a pathway to citizenship is tantamount to amnesty. He rebutted arguments that an agreement would impose dramatic new costs on taxpayers. And he defended the changes as necessary to keep the border secure.
Story Continued Below
"What we have in place today, the status quo, is horrible for America," the Florida Republican said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "The only people benefiting from the status quo in immigration today are the people trafficking human beings across the border, and the people who are hiring illegal labor for cheap purposes."
( PHOTOS: Other pols who made the "full Ginsburg")
Rubio's appearances launch a pivotal week in the efforts of the Gang of Eight, the bipartisan group of senators working on immigration legislation. The group is expected to unveil its compromise plan on Tuesday, bringing an end to months of speculation about what the final bill will look like.
In addition to appearing on the usual five network Sunday morning programs — on CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and Fox — Rubio also appeared on Univision and Telemundo.
The high-profile push from Rubio is sure to stoke talks that he's positioning for a run for president in 2016. He's considered a favorite in the field of potential Republican candidates.
( Quiz: Do you know Marco Rubio?)
But he brushed off questions — neither confirming or denying — about whether being out front on immigration is an effort to bolster his national appeal, or possibly a tactic that risks upsetting primary voters.
"I haven't even thought about it in that way and I know," he said on CNN's "State of the Union."
"Seriously, senator?" host Candy Crowley asked.
"I have a job," Rubio said. "My belief has always been that if I do my job and I do my job well, I'll have options and opportunities in the future to do things, whether it's run for reelection, run for something else or give someone else a chance at public service."
His sales pitch was simple: This immigration plan is better than the status quo and it isn't going to cause any of the harm that opponents are saying it will.
"They will have to come forward and pass a rigorous background check. If they're criminals they won't qualify," Rubio said on CBS's "Face the Nation."
( Also on POLITICO: Rubio: 'Jay-Z needs to get informed')
"If they pass that background check, they will be given an opportunity to pay an application fee and a fine and in exchange for that, they will be given a guest worker permit allowing them to stay in the U.S., work, travel and pay taxes," he added.
Rubio said that the 11 million undocumented immigrants are effectively receiving amnesty because no one is prosecuting them.
( Also on POLITICO: Rubio: Reform about border security)
"Let's bring these people out, so we can figure out who needs to leave and who we're going to give a chance toward one day being able to apply for a green card the same way everyone else does," Rubio said. "That's why that's a better approach."


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Wilton Brands announced today that its parent company Wilton Holdings has reached an agreement in principle with its two largest creditors regarding a restructuring of the company's finances. The creditors, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas and JGF Credit, LLC, had filed a petition in federal court last month requesting the company be placed into involuntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy after Wilton violated debt agreements with them.
According to the statement issued by Wilton Brands about the agreement:
The parties have agreed to a continued period of forbearance during which they will work to effect the financial restructuring on terms that have been mutually agreed. As part of the agreement, JGF and DB have agreed to stand still with respect to the involuntary petition filed against Wilton Holdings on July 17, 2009. Further JGF and DB have agreed that they will withdraw the involuntary bankruptcy petition at the time of the consummation of the financial restructuring of Wilton Holdings. The Company is optimistic that the restructuring will be consummated in the near term and will position Wilton Holdings as a stronger, more financially viable company.
Wilton Brands was formed in August 2007 when EK Success, already owned by GTCR, Golder Rauner, LLC., purchased Wilton Industries and Dimensions Holdings. Earlier in 2007, EK Success had launched the Martha Stewart Crafts line in stores. EK Success was founded in 1978, and purchased in 2006 by GTCR, Golder Rauner, LLC. K & Company was formed in 1996.


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Diving in the Milford Sound Marine Reserve
Milford Sound, renowned for its majestic beauty, holds wonders for divers under the surface, matching the astounding topside scenery.
The Piopiotahi Marine Reserve is situated along the northern side of Milford Sound, stretching from the village of Milford Sound to Dale Point, where it meets the Tasman Sea.
Milford is the northern most fiord of a World Heritage-listed area, shaped by powerful glaciers in times long past. While called Milford Sound Milford Fiord would be a more accurate description.
The reserve's name, Piopiotahi, means "one native thrush", a ground feeding bird, now thought to be extinct.
Piopiotahi was established in 1993, spans 16 km in length and covers an area of 690 hectares. The fiord consists mostly of steep rock walls with rocky shallow reefs in between. In the more inner fiord it reaches depths of over 400 metres deep, and towards the entrance, a maximum depth of 125 metres.
Delicate invertebrates cover steep rock walls on the inner side of the reserve - a thriving environment for black coral trees, tubeworms, sponges, soft corals, red coral, colonial sea squirts and anemones.
On the Tasman Sea side of the reserve deepwater species meet pelagic and reef species, which creates a great abundance in unique life forms to observe. Here divers are often greeted by spiny dog sharks, hundreds of rock lobster, octopus, numerous reef fish, schools of butterfly perch, stingrays, seals and even an occasional bottlenose dolphin encounter. Ancient brachiopods can also be found, which are clam-like animals that have remained unchanged for 300 million years.
This unique habitat is thanks to the huge amount of rain the area receives. The Fiordland area receives about 7 metres of rainfall per year. Numerous rivers, streams and thundering waterfalls pour a layer of tannin-stained freshwater into the fiords, which remains on the surface and can range from a couple of centimetres to about 10 metres deep.
Because this layer is stained to a tea colour, it reduces the amount of light able to penetrate into the depths, therefore tricking deepwater species into shallower waters. This phenomenon is also known as "deep water emergence".
For example, black coral normally inhabit depths between 200m and 1000metres, where in Milford Sound they grow in depths of 8 metres and beyond which makes for a unique diver's paradise.


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by Steve K
Believe In Love by Steve K - 4.750" x 8.000"
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Since 1983 i use the computer for digital art.Sometimes I paint with oil or pastel crayons. The most of my digital images based on fractal compositions. But you can also find some digital paintings as well. I like to make some experiments , use different filters and materials. Discover something new by looking at these pictures. Feel the emotions that trigger them to you. Hope you have fun by visiting my gallery. Yours, Steve
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Do you have the patience to ignore it? I work and live in the Philippines, an extremely superstitious and religious Catholic/Christian country and everyday I get messages like those in my mail, phone and even facebook. There are "Jesus Saves" banners and signboards everywhere you look and preachers toting Bibles inside buses, 'spreading the word of their god', giving out envelopes to everyone and if you don't take it they shove it in between your lap. I say i'm atheist and I don't really give to a church whose activities I'm not sure of. They say it's ok. I donate to a Christian organization which works with children in this place beside a mountain (literally) of garbage/dumpsite by sending them to school, picking the kids up one by one, give them a bus ride to school and back. If not, these kids won't come to school or learn anything at all. The work they do is something I can't. I work for an international aid organization which sometimes partner with religious groups and organizations. They do great things but they never push their beliefs on others.
People know i'm atheist but they don't rub it on my face all the time by being persistently evangelical. Our office meetings start with prayers and I bow, I don't close my eyes, a form of respect to what others believe in. In some ways, I gained their respect. I let them do what they think is good for them. Most of us struggle to live a moral life, atheist or not. They find meaning in their faith, I find meaning in my readings on evolution.
This Christmas, a Christian friend gave me Jared Diamonds "Guns Germs and Steel' as a present. I thought it was the Bible before I unwrapped it. He told me he couldn't find Dawkins. I said I was not very keen on Dawkins.
I thought maybe all of us should learn a bit more of tolerance.
Our office meetings start with prayers and I bow
a) that's messed up.
b) I dunno what I'd do, probably fold my arms, look bored and wear my 'get on with it' frown...
Clearly, this is over the line. This is a challenge. As you are a "temp" they are likely to get rid of you than accept reality. These are folks that are out of touch with appropriate realities of the work place. As I live in the South-- I deal with this crap on a regular basis-- but not directly from the HR department or other "official" bosses-- I suggest that you begin a file and keep the e-mails. You could reply that you do not want to receive any of these "personal" emails in a work environment. If it continues-- keep a record and a copy of all of these on a personal flash drive so they cannot get into your computer and deleat it before you take any action. If the problem continues, repeat the polite request for them to quit or "leave you out" of such communications. If it still continues, submit an official complaint. Be concise, polite and professional. (Yes, we always need to be the grownups in this!) If it still continues, then get in touch with the ACLU in your state. Be prepared to be fired in the process and to get a lot of nasty looks. I know, I get them all the time (but they cannot fire me!). If you are willing to make a point of this-- you can. They are clearly violating the law. The problem is, that to get it redressed legally-- you will have to go through the court system which may take a long time. This is a hard thing to do in an economy where ready employment opportunities are lacking. It is, of course, unfair to put you and everyone in such a position. That's what pioneers have to do. Good luck!
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Berkeley Cruises to Victory at 2013 Collegiate Nationals
Another year at the Collegiate Nationals is in the books and a familiar face is sitting on top of the results. The University of California-Berkley was able win the tournament while having the privilege to host the event as well, giving the Golden Bears a truly successful weekend. UC-Berkley was able to come away with the win, but it did not come easy. Rival UCLA finished second and UC-San Diego placed third. UC-Davis and UC-Irvine also competed in the tournament.
Cal-Berkley was able to win gold in two of the five events. Terrance Pang was able to take home the gold in Men's singles over Jeffrey Kuo (USC), and then followed that up with another gold medal in Mixed Doubles with partner Sarah Chan after an exciting match against Angela Yee and Jesse Wu (UC San Diego). The Golden Bears also were able to medal in each one of the events that were held.
Besides the five UC schools, five other institutions brought in individual players to compete in the 2013 Collegiate Nationals. Six representatives from De Anza College, New York University, San Francisco State University, USC, and Wellesley College came to participate and five of the six individuals medaled. This is a truly remarkable accomplishment as these individuals proved they can compete at the highest level.
The most impressive medal may have happened between two of these individuals. Danae Long (San Francisco State) and Pinky Li (De Anza College) found themselves paired together in the Women's Doubles bracket. Bringing two players together from different schools can cause problem when it comes to team cohesion, however these two did not seem to have that problem. Long and Li were able to advance to the championship match where they faced 2012 Olympian Rena Wang along with her sister Iris Wang. The two individuals put up a great fight against the dynamic duo from UCLA but ended up falling just short and won silver. Long and Li put on a great demonstration of determination and perseverance in their silver medal run and will surely serve as an inspiration for future Collegiate National participants.
The Wang sisters contributed to both of the gold medals for UCLA during the tournament. Besides winning the Women's Doubles bracket, Iris Wang also went on to win the Women's Singles event with Sharon Ng (Wellesley College) taking home the silver. Calvin and Marvin Lin from UC-Irvine took home the final gold medal in Men's Doubles over Jeechee Chen and Terrence Pang (UC-Berkley).
After such a great and exciting tournament this year, fans and participants are already getting excited for the 2014 Collegiate Nationals. The dates and location are still to be determined.


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Federal Resources
The Department of Justice established the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26, 1990, to prohibit discrimination based on disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.
If you think that your employer is discriminating against you because of your citizenship or immigration status or your national origin or your employer is requiring you to present more or specific documents to demonstrate employment eligibility, contact: Department of Justice's Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment PracticesFree and anonymous hotline: 1-800-255-7688
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
In July 2010, President Obama marked the 20th Anniversary of the ADA by signing Executive Order 13548. Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, which calls on federal departments and agencies to increase the recruitment, hiring and retention of people with disabilities in coming years.http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-18988.pdf
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) fosters and promotes the welfare of job seekers, wage earners, and retirees by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, protecting their retirement and health care benefits, helping employers find workers, strengthening free collective bargaining, and tracking changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements.
- Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), U.S. DOL
ODEP develops and influences disability employment-related policies and practices affecting an increase in the employment of people with disabilities.
Website: http://www.dol.gov/odep
Publication: http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/OrderPublications.htm
- Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. DOL
ETA provides job-training, employment, labor market information, and income maintenance services primarily through state and local workforce development systems.
Website: http://www.doleta.gov/etainfo/mission.cfm
- Office of Workforce Investment (OWI), U.S. DOL
OWI provides national leadership, oversight, policy guidance, and technical assistance to the One-Stop system and the youth and adult employment and training programs funded under the Workforce Investment Act.
Website: http://www.doleta.gov/etainfo/wrksys/WIMission.cfm
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) promotes student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
- Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
OSERS supports programs that serve millions of children, youth and adults with disabilities.
Website: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/index.html?src=oc
Publications: http://www.edpubs.gov/
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)
- Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
- Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
Other Publications and Products: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/reports.html
NIDRR provides leadership and support for a comprehensive program of research related to the rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities.
Website: http://www.acl.gov/Programs/NIDILRR/Resources/Research-Statistics.aspx
Publications: http://www.acl.gov/Programs/NIDILRR/Resources/Research-Statistics.aspx
RSA oversees grant programs that help people with physical or mental disabilities obtain employment and live more independently through supports such as counseling, medical services and job training. RSA's major Title I formula grant program provides funds to state vocational rehabilitation agencies to provide employment-related services for individuals with disabilities, giving priority to individuals who are significantly disabled.
Website: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/index.html
Publications: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/products.html
OSEP is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services
CMS is a federal agency that runs the Medicare program and works with the States to run the Medicaid program.
Website: http://www.cms.gov
- Medicaid Buy-In program
This program allows workers with severe disabilities to earn more than would otherwise be possible and still have Medicaid coverage. In return, participants "buy into" the Medicaid program, typically by paying premiums based on income.
Disability.gov is a federal government website that provides an interactive, community-driven information network of disability-related programs, services, laws and benefits. The site provides access to thousands of resources from federal, state and local government agencies, educational institutions and non-profit organizations. Disability.gov is managed by U.S. DOL's, ODEP in partnership with 21 other federal agencies, including Social Security.
Website: http://www.disability.gov
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
EEOC.gov is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person?s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.
Website: http://www.eeoc.gov/
Publication: http://www1.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/
Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR)
The Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR) was established to promote interagency disability research coordination and collaboration, and enhance communication and information sharing among federal agencies and stakeholders conducting rehabilitation research programs and activities.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
OPM is an independent agency of the United States government that manages the civil service of the federal government.?
Website: www.opm.gov
- Federal Employment of People with Disabilities
Federal agencies fill jobs two ways, competitively and non-competitively. Persons with disabilities may apply for jobs filled either way. People who are selected for jobs must meet the qualification requirements for the jobs and be able to perform the essential duties of the jobs with or without reasonable accommodation.
Benefits.gov provides easy, online access to government benefit and assistance programs. The website includes over 1,000 programs representing 17 Federal partners.
Website: http://www.benefits.gov/


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Metro Cruise Services and Metro Shore Services are solutions-based companies that strive to set the bar for service to the cruise industry. Metro offers our customers a "Total Package of Services" which include terminal management, stevedoring, agency, ground services and shore excursions.
Providing cruise services in U.S. Ports on the East, West, and Gulf Coasts, we welcome cruise guests from all over the world and accommodate the needs of hundreds of cruise ships. We are committed to the delivery of memorable cruise experiences, starting and ending in our terminals.
Metro Cruise Services is a cruise terminal operator. Our clean and efficient terminals are guarded by highly-trained, uniformed security personnel who understand customer service can be offered while rules are enforced. We are accustomed to welcoming thousands of cruise guests and managing their arrival, check-in and departure through our terminals effectively and safely. Metro Cruise Services has the resources to offer an immediate response to service requests from the cruise ships docked at our terminals.
Stevedoring is one of our core strengths. We have state-of-the-art equipment and the refined planning matrices to manage each aspect of passenger flow, stores handling and technical support required by modern cruise ships. Our dedication, experience and efficiency have resulted in consistent, on-time departures.
Metro Shore Services offers vessel agency services designed to promote a partnership with our customers. We are committed to offering services that support the needs of each vessel while in port, in accordance with the best maritime practices and current port regulations. We meticulously oversee every aspect of a ship's call and ensure no detail is overlooked.
Our agency services include:
Metro Shore Services offers the highest standard of ground guest services from the moment we welcome cruise guests at the airport, transport them to the cruise terminal and check them in to their favorite cruise ship. We offer a concierge service to cruise guests and work with each vessel to accommodate the most challenging requests. Most importantly, we work in complete harmony with terminal management, stevedoring and ship's agency to provide a seamless, perfectly organized guest service that delivers the most memorable experiences.
As a natural expansion of our ground guest services, Metro Shore Services offers shore excursions. Using our local knowledge, we are able to coordinate one-of-a-kind vacation experiences for the cruise guests while alleviating the hassle for the cruise line. Providing shore excursions is just one more reason Metro is a total solutions provider.
Click the logo to be directed to our Metro Cruise Services website


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Snippet #20 VII, IHNS Ice Lizard, City of Yuthain, Shwei Province, Harchong Empire.
Phylyp Ahzgood, Earl Coris visit Captain Gorjha Yuthain and stow his gear before taking a bath while his servant report on everything he does to the Inquisition. He plans to be in Zion by November.
A sneak peak in the new Safehold novel A Mighty Fortress by David Weber, one of my favorite authors.
You can order the book here: amazon.com amazon.co.uk , it will be out in April 2010
Source: Eric Flint's homepage
Continue to read older Snippets:
- Snippet #1 Chapter 1: An incident in Lizardherd Square, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande.
- Snippet #2 Chapter 2: Maikelberg, Duchy of Eastshare, Kingdom of Chisholm – Baron of Green Valley and Seijin Merlin is talking.
- Snippet #3 – General army, military discussion
- Snippet #4 – A discussion of Chisholm's standing army
- Snippet #5 – Continued discussion about formation of the Imperial Army and the loyalty of its leaders.
- Snippet #6 Chapter 3:Royal Palace, City of Talkyra, Kingdom of Delferahk, a discussion between the former Corisade Spy Master and Irys Daykyn, princess in exile about the Group of Four's intentions towards them.
- Snippet #7 Chapter 4: City of Manchyr, Duchy of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande, Paitryk Hainree a silversmith is contemplating the opposition to the occupation.
Hmm, maybe David Weber been thinking of Patrick Henry when naming this new character?
Patrick Henry is one of the founding fathers of the United States of America,
famous for "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!".
- Snippet #8– Merlin thinkings on letting the Corisande resistance leaders be, then a discussion in Corisande about how to counter the resistance.
- Snippet #9 Chapter 5:October, Year of God 893, Merlin Athrawes' Recon Skimmer, Safehold Low Orbit, Above The Anvil. Empress Sharleyan of Charis first time in space, she marvels and remember the previous night with Cayleb
- Snippet #10– Cayleb and Sharleyan talking about the trip outside the atmosphere and contemplating the ramification of when the truth become public before switching back to the queen in orbit. She and Cayleb have got some spiffy new tech.
- Snippet #11 Chapter 6:II Nimue's Cave, The Mountains of Light, The Temple Lands. Queen Sharleyan is gaping as a child.
- Snippet#12– Merlin comes clean on the nanotech he has given his friends, Sharleyan meets the real Nimue and Owl continues to show autonomous responses.
- Snippet #13 Chapter 7:III Castle Mairwyn, City of Serabor, Barony of Larchros, Princedom of Corisande. Sahlahmn Traigair, the Earl of Storm Keep and Rahzhyr Mairwyn, Baron Larchrosis suffering the icy, cold rain before entering the castle where they are met by the lady of the house with hot chocolate. Later in Larchos office they meets with Father Airwain Yair and discuss the traitors that have decided to capitulate to Cayleb.
- Snippet #14 – continued discussion about the local bishops, the Charis occupation and a future uprising.
- Snippet #15 Chapter 8: IV King Ahrnahld's Tower, Royal Palace, City of Gorath, Kingdom of Dohlar. Lywys Gardynyr, the Earl of Thirsk and the Kingdom of Dohlar's first councilor Samyl Cahkrayn, the Duke of Fern and Aibram Zaivyair, the Duke of Thorast discuss the navy Thirsk will command when it starts to launch in a few months. They also discuss declaring holy war on Charis earlier to help recruit sailors. The Grand Inquisitor has personally approved the use of Charis new innovation in weaponry and sailing plans.
- Snippet #16V Archbishop's Palace, City of Tellesberg, Kingdom of Charis
Archbishop Maikel Staynair, Bynzhamyn Raice, Baron Wave Thunder and Ahrdyn-the-lizard
Discuss Maikel's planed travels and their new communicators while being totally dominated by their pet.
- Snippet #17– the two priests discuss bringing prince Nahrmahn into the 'know'. Brush on the subject of health and then switch to the shipment of evidence against the church that will arrive in the morning and the consequences of its use.
- Snippet #18 VI, Saint Kathryn's Church, Candlemaker Lane, City of Manchyr, Princedom of Corisande. Father Tymahn Hahskans start a sermon that might explain the title of the book and he speaks freely.
- Snippet #19 – Tymahn Hahskans' passionate and powerful sermon renouncing the evil of the church and understanding the Church of Charis rightful anger. Merlin contemplate the false faith as he watch the video.


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Place Address
100 NW 1st Avenue
Delray Beach
Meeting Live Stream / Past Meeting Video
NOTE: Please check the agendas for items to be reviewed at the meeting, The agendas will also indicate if a meeting has been canceled. Interested members of the public may also subscribe to a Board's agenda to receive a notification each time an agenda is posted for that specific Board.
Contact Phone: 561-243-7040
100 NW 1st Avenue
Delray Beach
Phone: firstname.lastname@example.com
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Web Site:
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 6:00 pm
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 10:00 pm


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This perfect getaway is being held over Valentine's day/President's day holiday July 10-15, 2013. Imagine waking up to the sounds of waves crashing below your bedroom window combined with the sounds of the jungle. Enjoy daily yoga classes, pranayama, and evening mediation and chanting, 2 white sand beaches, private lagoon, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, zip line jungle canopy tour, best crocodile tour, rainforest hikes, surfing, kayaking, visiting a butterfly farm, seeing monkey and the best hiking imaginable.
Relax in the resort-like atmosphere, walk to Playa Blanca (the award winning best beach in Costa Rica) or to our private lagoon with waterfalls, monkeys, whales and a rainforest, all in our backyard--it is a truly amazing place. Three fresh and healthy meals are prepared daily by a private chef (menu available upon request, special diets/request can be accommodated).
All-inclusive prices include everything (except airfare): luxury rooms, 3 meals daily, transfers from airport and admission/transportation for expeditions.
$1200 pp shared standard room
$1600 pp private standard room
$1800 pp shared ocean view room
$2400 pp private ocean view room
Spaces are limited so make your reservations now.


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I've used Daemontools to provide a simple and reliable way to supervise Unix services on my servers. It works well, but it requires a different way of thinking (The DJB Way) and some common complaints are:
- TAI64N based timestamps
- Doesn't store scripts under /etc/init.d (or (/usr/local)/etc/rc.d)
- Doesn't always work with scripts like apachectl. Some scripts need to be rewritten.
I remember that some similar "supervisor/watchdog" daemons were in the works about two years ago, but some were still a little rough around the edges.
If you have switched from Daemontools to something else, what did you choose and did it work well for you? Does RedHat or Ubuntu come with any process supervisor utilities by default?


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Studio Session: Nipsey Hussle, Master P & Jeremih In The Lab
Nipsey Hussle, Master P & Jeremih working with producers 1500 Or
Posted by @Worldstarvids
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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Voyager One
This bold and powerful artwork will inspire any dreamer to reach for the stars. MD Art is dedicated to providing tasteful artwork with a pristine appearance at an unparalleled price. Every artwork is:
Digitally painted by our renowned artist in Los Angeles, California
Giclée printed on gallery wrapped canvas with museum-grade inks
Includes wire wall mounting hardware for an easy and fast hang-up
Proudly made in the USA and assembled by professionals
Durable with a sturdy 1.5" wooden frame and scratch resistant surface
There are no reviews yet.Leave a Review


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Banks County is helping Jackson County Comprehensive High School host the inaugural Jackson County Baseball Summer Shootout, starting Thursday and running through Saturday.
Banks County, East Jackson and Commerce are host sites for the weekend, as 20 teams travel to the area to participate.
"This is the first time we've ever hosted a summer tournament, but we believe it's one of the things we needed to do to help get our program where we want it to be," said JCCHS head baseball coach Tommy Fountain. "We're so excited about the teams coming in and are looking forward to a great weekend."
[Full Story »]


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by Judith Warner
New York Times columnist Warner turns an investigative eye to the epidemic of diagnosed childhood psychiatric disorders and widespread use of prescription psychotropic drugs to modify children's behavior. Major questions are raised: are drugs a substitute for proper parenting? Is there something more socially significant underlying the labeling and drugging of kids?
"This is an important book, a landmark book, a triumph of honesty over bigotry and of patient learning over the the rush to judgement. I see every day in my office the awful, preventable damage done by zealots and reductionistic 'thinking'. Judith Warner rejects the panicky sound-bites that have plagued the discussion of children's mental health for the complexity of truth. She brings to all who read her book the resoundingly good and hopeful news of how much we have learned over the past few decades, how trasforming the best help can be, and how all children can turn into responsible, joyful adults. We owe her a huge debt." -Edward Hallowell, M.D.


text: Cystic fibrosis is a fatal genetic disorder that affects more than 30,000 Americans. Although CF is not yet curable, the situation is not hopeless. Every day since the CF gene was discovered in 1989, the pace of CF research has greatly accelerated. Today, nearly half of the CF population is over the age of 18. And thanks to advances in medicine and technology, these adults are enjoying an improved quality of life.


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Needlepoint Canvases
Needlepoint Alley carries a wide selection of handpainted needlepoint canvases from the nation's top needlepoint designers. Mostly all needlepoint canvases are stitch painted for your stitching pleasure. New needlepoint canvases are arriving in the shop daily, so there's always something new to see.
Colorful Fish (Handpainted by Susan Roberts)
Handpainted Needlepoint Canvas "Colorful Fish" by Susan Roberts Designs
Category: Sea Life, Aquatic, Susan Roberts
14 x 14"
13 Mesh
$198 In stock


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That's right, AppStorm is now on Pinterest!
Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web, and we've already got a few pinboards up for you to check out! Browsing pinboards is a fun and visual way to discover new things, head over to Pinterest now to see our collections;
Follow AppStorm for app-related goodness!
We will be adding more as time goes on, and the editorial team gets inspired, but feel free to suggest any great ideas you have for pinboards in the comments!


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BOSTON — One of spring's most popular floral event, the Boston Flower & Garden Show, returns to the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston on Wednesday, March 13 through Sunday, March 17. Concern for the environment and enthusiasm for home veggie production have planted "Seeds of Change" in New England's gardens. This five-day event features over 20 gardens created by professional landscape designers, nurseries and historic properties embracing innovative new plants, materials and techniques that increase the beauty, bountiful harvest and ecological friendliness of gardens and outdoor spaces.
Set to the backdrop of spectacular garden displays by cutting-edge landscape professionals and area nurseries, visitors to the 2013 Boston Flower & Garden Show will also enjoy a wide variety of lectures and demonstrations, shopping from a wide marketplace featuring plants and the newest gardening products, as well as exciting giveaways!
For more, visit www.bostonflowershow.com.


text: I'm writing this guide because I find myself having to repeat a lot of the same points while advising people here and correct misguided advice from others, so I figure that I can clear up a lot of the misconceptions, misunderstandings, and general confusion regarding PC gaming audio. I was especially inspired to do this by this Creative forum thread, which highlights a lot of the differences and why PC gaming audio has actually regressed over the last decade. This guide focuses more on the sound APIs and binaural audio technologies in PC games. If you're looking for headphone advice: -For a reasonably affordable all-rounder, there's the Sony MDR-MA900, which frequently sells for around US$150-155. Comfortable, doesn't require a dedicated amp, comfortable, has the positioning to be competitive, has the bass for a cinematic experience, and did I say comfortable? -If you want a competitive advantage at a lower price point, there's the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 at US$65-90, which is pretty much what everyone says it is. Huge soundstage, easy to drive, but practically no bass. -If you like bass and treble in particular, the HiFiMan HE-400 at around US$350 is another good bet, and I actually didn't find them nearly as heavy as most people make them out to be. The midrange is recessed and has a strange texture over it, however. -If you really want audiophile-class sound quality or just don't mind spending a lot of money on a headphone for gaming, any Stax Lambda system will do. Pricing for a Normal bias SR-Lambda (my personal favorite) with an SRD-6 or SRD-7 tends to hover around $300-330 on eBay these days, but keep in mind that you'll either need an SRD-series transformer box + speaker amp or an SRM-series dedicated amp for them to work at all, which means another $350-450 for an SRM-1/Mk2 Professional, maybe SRM-T1. -For everything else, read Mad Lust Envy's Gaming Headphone Guide. He's sampled a lot more headphones than I have, most of them within a more reasonable price range, and some of which bassheads would find more appealing. Just keep in mind that he mentions the Astro Mixamp because he's a console-only gamer, and for PC gaming, a sound card will provide more features and better audio quality at less cost. Use the guide for headphone recommendations ONLY when looking for a PC gaming headphone. Otherwise, please don't come looking to me for headphone and especially amp advice. I can tell you what's in popular use, but refuse to vouch for or against hardware I've never personally tried. That said, I am approaching this with headphone surround sound in mind, hence the mention of binaural technologies for headphones. However, some of the information within may be useful to those using speaker systems. Also note that I'm focusing largely on the Win9x-and-later period of PC games, when 3D audio was considered the next big thing and having a sound card to handle it was crucial for any gaming PC. For DOS games that rely heavily on sound card synthesis, you're best off doing research at the VOGONS forum, which specializes in retro PC gaming. There's a few threads there discussing what sound cards are best for DOS games. The major parts of the guide are now spoiler-tagged so that it's not such a long, wordy post at first glance and it's easy to get to the part you're looking for. (I wish I noticed that forum feature before...) APIs and middleware found in PC games: Spoiler: APIs%20and%20middleware%20found%20in%20PC%20games -DirectSound3D. It gives the sound card driver the 3D coordinates of in-game sounds and lets the sound card handle where and how to play them. Most games made in the timeframe when Windows 98 SE and Windows XP were the mainstream OSes use this API, but it was removed in Windows Vista. Fortunately, there are many workarounds for this, such as Creative ALchemy, GX2.5/Xear3D on C-Media cards, and Realtek 3DSoundBack. Most games that use DirectSound3D use the Miles Sound System middleware (see below), but not all. -OpenAL. Functions similarly to DirectSound3D, but is independent of the OS and thus does not need ALchemy or so forth to work (in fact, OpenAL continuing to work is why those programs work in the first place). Some games use OpenAL natively, such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142, and anything that uses UnrealEngine2 (UT 2004). In addition, some OpenAL games (notably Codemasters racing titles) come bundled with Rapture3D, which does surround processing in software, including binaural headphone mixing (more on that in the "Binaural audio technologies" section). There are also payware versions (User and Advanced editions) that can be used with any OpenAL game. Games that use OpenAL generally have an OpenAL32.dll in their directories (which may interfere with the one in your Windows system directory in rare cases) or similarly-named files. * Special note for Amnesia: The Dark Descent; you need to do a bit of .ini file editing in order to use non-Generic Software OpenAL devices. -EAX is an extension to the two aforementioned APIs that allow for in-game reverb, chorus, and occlusion effects. If the sound device doesn't support them, then the effects are lost, resulting in something that sounds far more artificial, but most audio devices that aren't USB audio interfaces support at least EAX 2, being part of DirectSound3D itself. Only Creative hardware does EAX 3/4/5 natively, however; C-Media cards emulate them, to varying degrees of effectiveness. It's very important to note that any EAX presets in the sound card driver with room names that add tons of reverb to every sound played, in-game or out, are NOT what I am talking about here, and those are best left off. The game will decide what settings to use automatically. For X-Fi users, leave EAX enabled and at 0.0db in Game Mode. -Aureal A3D. It's the API that preceded DirectSound3D and kickstarted the 3D audio revolution in the first place. It was a big competitor to Creative's DS3D + EAX approach back in the Win98 days and allowed for binaural HRTF mixing over stereo speakers and headphones. Almost every audio device supports A3D 1.0 in the same way they do EAX 1/2, but A3D 2.0 and 3.0 with wavetracing and other added features remain the sole domain of sound cards based on Aureal's Vortex chipsets (see below). However, it's been dead for over a decade, and practically every game that supports A3D also supports DS3D + EAX. So why does A3D exist alongside DirectSound3D? Long story short, the DirectX 3 implementation of DirectSound3D didn't allow for third-party 3D processing by passing the 3D audio coordinates to the sound device. This was thankfully rectified in DirectX 5 onward, making DS3D work like I mentioned above. * Okay, only recently did I notice that A3D was more of an API on its own and less of a DirectSound3D extension like EAX. It's easy to confuse the two because most games that support A3D also support DS3D. I really need to familiarize myself more with what A3D actually is and what it can do, but it doesn't help that Aureal used "A3D" to refer to multiple technologies, up to and including a full-blown audio middleware for game engines in the A3D 3.0 days, nor does it help that they were buried a long time ago after Creative bought them out. -XAudio2 + X3DAudio. It pre-mixes sounds based on the Windows speaker setting before it even hits the sound card driver, and is one of the more common APIs used in newer games. While this does make all sound devices perform on a more even field, being entirely software-driven, it keeps Creative hardware from working at its best. -FMOD. A very prevalent sound middleware system in modern games, with several major revisions. Older revisions may have allowed an OpenAL passthrough, but the latest iteration (FMOD Ex) does not appear to and instead mixes everything in software like XAudio2, likewise reading the Windows speaker setting to decide how to mix it. I wouldn't be surprised if it actually handled the output with XAudio2. Games that have FMOD Ex generally have a fmodex.dll in their directories. -Miles Sound System. Another fairly popular middleware system, but not as common as FMOD in modern games. Mostly used in titles based on Valve's Source engine, but also featured in GTA III/Vice City/San Andreas and a few other games. The version used in Source engine games defaults to software mixing unless you set snd_legacy_surround 1 in the console to enable DirectSound3D mode, but older versions generally have a DirectSound3D passthrough, both with and without EAX and A3D extensions. Windows games that use MSS generally have a Mss32.dll in their directories. Binaural audio technologies: Spoiler: Binaural%20audio%20technologies -CMSS-3D Headphone, only found on Creative X-Fi cards. When faced with a DirectSound3D or OpenAL game, it is aware of the exact position in each sound and presents a true binaural sound with a sense of height and distance, as well as seamlessness when sounds rotate around the listener. With games that use one of the software audio APIs/middlewares, however, it is limited to virtual 7.1 at the most. It's also important to set the Windows speaker setting to 5.1 or 7.1 and the X-Fi control panel to Headphones, as Creative themselves instruct. (Why the drivers don't do this automatically is beyond me.) Do not confuse it with CMSS-3D Virtual (a similar technology, but for stereo speakers in front of the listener) or CMSS-3D Surround (a stereo upmix feature to make two-channel sources output over the surround speakers). -Dolby Headphone, found on practically everything else. It is limited to virtual 7.1 in all cases, even DS3D and OAL games that sound binaural with CMSS-3D, but still provides a reasonably good sense of surround sound. * Because these technologies are based on generic/average HRTFs, which are inherently unique for every listener, your mileage WILL vary. Some prefer one, others prefer the other, and still others don't like either and only play in stereo (left/right panning only). -Rapture3D. A software OpenAL driver from Blue Ripple Sound, and as such it only works on OpenAL games. It's listed here because it offers binaural mixing regardless of your hardware, with no less than six different HRTFs to choose from! Unfortunately, for Vista/Win7, enabling this option over headphones requires setting Windows' speaker setting to stereo so that Rapture3D's speaker layout control panel can switch to "Headphone Stereo (Compat.)"; otherwise, it just outright refuses to switch. HRTF options can be found under the Decoder tab. It also supports OpenAL-native EFX effects for reverb/chorus/occlusion/etc., but not EAX. -MyEars. Claims to be personalized, and being a software solution, it works with any audio device. I haven't tested this yet, but I have my doubts that it can be used with hardware-accelerated EAX since it requires a "virtual audio cable" to be set as the default audio device. There's also the potential issue of the subscription-based business model, needing to pay $20 year after year. To understand how such technologies work out in practice, download these recorded videos and listen to them. (Thanks, Ilya-s!) While most of it is in Russian, there's enough in English to understand which games were recorded with what hardware and settings; "X-Fi" always uses CMSS-3D Headphone, while "Xonar" is plain stereo and "Xonar DH" uses Dolby Headphone, as you'd expect. Sound card chipsets: Spoiler: Sound%20card%20chipsets -Creative X-Fi EMU20k1 (PCI)/EMU20k2 (PCI-Express). Boasts EAX 5 (Game Mode), CMSS-3D Headphone, ASIO (Audio Creation Mode, needed for bit-matched playback), and in some cases, Dolby Digital Live and DTS Connect (either already included or as a purchase from Creative). Unfortunately, there are cards like the XtremeAudio line, the Auzentech X-Fi Bravura, and Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 that do not have the true X-Fi DSP and replicate all functionality in software; this can be proven by their lack of Game Mode and Audio Creation Mode. Otherwise, most other X-Fi branded products have the DSP, and even a select few motherboards in Gigabyte's G1-series lineup. -Creative Sound Core3D, used in the Recon3D, the upcoming Z-series cards, and newer Gigabyte G1-series motherboards. They're actually codec-based devices that handle all audio processing in software, just like X-Fi MB-based products, the XtremeAudio cards, etc., and have actually LOST functionality compared to proper X-Fi cards as a whole. I'd suggest steering clear of these, unless you want the Recon3D USB due to its support for consoles with Dolby Digital output while having some PC gaming support. -C-Media Oxygen HD. Frequently boasts Dolby Headphone, Dolby Digital Live, DTS Connect, and/or ASIO. The entire Asus Xonar line uses them, along with HT Omega and Auzentech (for those that aren't X-Fi products in the latter case). EAX emulation and DirectSound3D-to-OpenAL wrapping is provided by DS3DGX (Xonar), or possibly Xear3D on non-Xonar cards; they may very well be the same thing, just rebranded (like how the CMI8788 Oxygen HD chipset itself is rebranded the Asus AV200). If Xonar users want to try drivers more in line with other C-Media cards, there are modified driver packages available. -Creative EMU10k1 (Live!) and EMU10k2 (Audigy). Boasts EAX 2 (Live!) or EAX 4 (Audigy) and an earlier form of CMSS that only seems to function like CMSS-3D Surround does now, so it's not of much use to headphone users. Particularly notable in that they can use the third-party kX Project drivers and gain binaural surround if you know how to configure the Surrounder plugin, but they do enforce hardware resampling to 48 KHz whenever the DSP is used. Also, in my experience with a Live! card and kX testing out EAX under RightMark 3DSound's positioning accuracy test, the EAX effects were nonfunctional and not present in spite of the system thinking it could support up to EAX 3.0. Unless you really, really like the kX Project drivers, you're better off with one of the newer cards. -Aureal Vortex (2). Very noteworthy line of cards from the Win9x era that are the only ones to offer A3D 2.0 and 3.0 support along with limited EAX 1 support, but Creative basically bought Aureal out to bury a competitor. Not recommended for WinXP or later due to their abandonment after said acquisition. -Realtek codecs. There's bound to be one on your desktop motherboard right now-they're just that prolific. Guaranteed to support EAX 2 and 3DSoundBack for DirectSound3D-to-OpenAL wrapping, but anything beyond that largely depends on your motherboard drivers. Some of these may include the X-Fi MB driver packages, which works a lot like the XtremeAudio cards in that it handles EAX and CMSS-3D Headphone in software and only has Entertainment Mode, along with Creative ALchemy as the DirectSound3D wrapper of choice over 3DSoundBack. -NVIDIA SoundStorm, generally found on old nForce2-based motherboards from the Athlon XP days. It combines a DSP in the motherboard chipset with a typical motherboard audio codec for analog output (usually a Realtek ALC650) and generally offers 5.1 analog output along with coaxial S/PDIF. The kicker? It processes EAX 1/2 in hardware AND has guaranteed Dolby Digital Live (often renamed Dolby Digital ICE or anything along those lines)! But since NVIDIA discontinued it with nForce3 onward, it's not really relevant these days. Method for using sound card as DSP to output to any audio device, including USB ones, in Windows 7 (thanks, SniperCzar!): Spoiler: Method%20for%20using%20sound%20card%20as%20DSP%20to%20output%20to%20any%20audio%20device Note that this only works in Windows 7. Vista and prior don't have the required feature. 1. Right click on your volume tray in Windows 7 and select "Recording devices" 2. Select "What U Hear" and click "Properties" (cringe inducing grammar there Creative) [Note - you do NOT have to set this as the default recording device] 3. Select the "Listen" tab and check the box marked "Listen to this device" 4. Under the drop down marked "Playback through this device:" select your desired DAC 5. Make sure "Continue running when on battery power" is selected as a software passthrough should have no effect whatsoever on your battery life 6. Select the "Levels" tab and set it to something comfortable, as the volume control for the Creative card's standard output will have no effect on the volume of the software recording device. 7. Enjoy listening to CMSS-3D, freed from the noisy and inferior hardware confines of your internal soundcard! Useful software utilities: Spoiler: Useful%20software%20utilities -RightMark 3DSound. The positioning accuracy test in particular is very useful to check EAX functionality up to 4, as well as the accuracy of positional audio in general, but it does use DirectSound3D and require a wrapper. The CPU utilization test can be used to check DirectSound3D and OpenAL capability flags as well. Common misconceptions: Spoiler: Common%20misconceptions -Myth: EAX and hardware-accelerated audio are completely dead in Vista onward. -Fact: This is why ALchemy, GX2.5/Xear3D, 3DSoundBack, etc. exist; to restore games that utilize it via DirectSound3D by wrapping the calls to the still-functional OpenAL API. Note that games that use EAX via OpenAL, such as Battlefield 2, do not need these applications. Even if the game doesn't explicitly mention EAX but uses DirectSound3D, it will still benefit because without them, DirectSound3D games only output in stereo, with no surround support for use with the aforementioned binaural technologies. -Myth: EAX handles 3D positional audio in old games. -Fact: As mentioned above, EAX solely adds reverb/chorus/occlusion processing to sound effects. The actual task of positioning sounds in 3D space is left to either the DirectSound3D or OpenAL API, whichever the game uses. And even though EAX is accessed through those two APIs, don't automatically assume that every game with EAX support is going to have 3D positional audio. I found this out the hard way with Serious Sam: The First Encounter and The Second Encounter (original releases, not the HD remakes), which do support EAX, but have NO support for 3D positional audio whatsoever. It still sounds like software-mixed stereo, just with some added reverb and chorus effects depending on what environment you're in. -Myth: Sound card DSP effects for gaming do not carry through S/PDIF. -Fact: They do go through S/PDIF. I've tested it myself with RightMark 3DSound's positional audio test (uses DirectSound3D, so be sure to point ALchemy or other wrappers to the installation directory). This makes the combination of a sound card as a DSP and an external DAC with S/PDIF input a plausible upgrade option, as the sound card's lesser analog circuitry is still bypassed. However, arbitrary driver decisions may prevent some DSP features from working over S/PDIF anyway, such as Dolby Headphone on Xonar cards. Migi06 has confirmed that Dolby Headphone passes through S/PDIF on Asus Xonar cards. -Myth: S/PDIF (coaxial/optical digital audio) cannot do surround sound! -Fact: I believe this misconception also made people believe in the above one about DSP effects not working. The problem is actually that PC games output all their surround channels in uncompressed PCM format (with few exceptions), and S/PDIF only has enough bandwidth for two channels of PCM. To fit more in, you need a codec like Dolby Digital or DTS. The problem is, most games do not encode Dolby Digital or DTS on-the-fly, so the sound output device needs to support Dolby Digital Live or DTS Connect for it to sound as intended. Once that's done, external A/V receivers and headphone DSPs like the Astro Mixamp, Turtle Beach Ear Force DSS, and JVC/Victor SU-DH1 will actually have some surround information to work with. Important links: -OpenAL configuration guide -Daniel_K X-Fi Support Pack 2.5 -X-Fi Titanium HD drivers -Xonar Unified Drivers -Mad Lust Envy's Headphone Gaming Guide -Ilya-S's stereo/binaural game video comparison That's the end of the guide for now. I'll update it as time goes on and new features and technologies are discovered and deprecated and so forth. I hope it helps people looking for advice on gaming audio, much as the aforementioned Mad Lust Envy thread has. Also, I would appreciate feedback if you find this guide a bit hard-to-read and can think of ways to make it more understandable for the average person. I'd also appreciate some more knowledge wherever Aureal A3D is concerned. It's only just now that I'm realizing how mistaken I might have been in a few key areas, like thinking it was a DS3D extension ala EAX instead of being its own API that just happens to be implemented frequently along with DS3D + EAX in most older games.


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|View Poll Results: Suisei no Gargantia - Episode 12 Rating
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|2013-06-28, 09:27
|Link #181
Senior and Demented
Join Date: May 2006
|2013-06-29, 15:36
|Link #183
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Monterrey, México
Age: 38
Between today and tomorrow Suisei no Gargantia concludes, and I'm in time since I've already done with the twelfth episode.
Several of you people raised an interesting topic at the thread for the previous episode. I do agree that the tactic Kugel employed to implement the GA social order onto the Earth and its people doesn't fall into the category of religion. In fact, ten thousand years ago the very concept of religion did not exist for humans at that time.
What Kugel described in detail how he and Stryker plan to turn the Earth into a second Avalon for the Earthling humans relies on two arguments:
1. Argumentum ad baculum: A very common logical fallacy that appeals to show of force, threat or coercion to justify its reasoning.
2. Argumentum ad verecundiam: Fallacious appeal from authority. This is likely very tricky for me to suggest given that Kugel mostly uses force and instills terror to bring forth a social order that is alien to the native humans from Earth and to which many of them argue against.
However, actually, it's Kugel himself that brings forth the aformentioned argument when Ledo previously tries to appeal to the Commander that the Earthling humans have already established their own societies, hence, they have no right to meddle in Earhtlings' affairs.
Kugel replies back that being soldiers of the Galactic Alliance, and not finding themselves at the frontlines, then they must advance the Earth and its people for the benefit of what constitutes the Galactic Alliance and humanity.
However, I actually brought forth another type of argument reasoning with that above statement.
a) Yes, Kugel as well is using his authority as soldier of the GA to justify his actions on Earth.
b) But, he's also appealing to the argument that what's best and works for the greater good of the majority, then it will also work the same for the minority.
In that last statement, I refer to the Galactic Alliance as the majority of the human race; the first episode it was said that 400 million humans live in Avalon.
The people of Earth I class them as the minority of the human race, although the series doesn't mention at all how many humans survived the cataclysmic Ice Age, and how many descendants of those humans are scattered and living in the Earth in the story's current time.
What works the most efficient and suits well for the Galactic Alliance doesn't do good for the people of Earth. The differences I mentioned them in my previous posts:
1. Space humans and Earthling humans borned and raised in different environments.
2. Space humans have Hideauze as natural predators, so they have to struggle for the fight of their lifetime.
3. In such extreme conditions, I think they had no other choice but looking forward to build their society based on the system that would allow them the highest survival rate.
4. Earhtling humans have no other choice but living on board giant ships to cruise the oceans, as practically all the Earth is covered in water.
5. To Earthling humans their only predators are humans themselves like them, which could be pirates or rival fleet factions warring for water, other resources, or treasures; natural elements like typhoons, tsunamis, and hurricanes can play a dangerous hazard for the survival of Earthling humans. Finally, as long as they do not provoke whalesquids, Earthling humans then do not make enemies of them.
I believe living in space is the more haphazard and adverse environment to dwell than living on Earth. Simply put, they have to create artificial colonies and those colonies must support and sustain the necessary living conditions for space humans to survive, thrive, and reproduce. The conditions I present not only limit to oxygen (air) supply, but also more efficient technology, terraforming the environment, and many other issues.
The Earth itself from what looks and is depicted in the present story is full of all types of natural resources. What the Earthling humans did was to recover their technology to the point of building giant ships to live onboard and to create Yunboro to bring forth treasure from underneath the water's surface. Of course, I do not forget that they can fish their food, they can gather rain water, they built lighter vehicles for air travel like the surf kites, and so on.
The mentality of Space humans based on their environment and surroundings is that of survival through competitive struggle within a cost-benefit efficiency framework.
The mentality of most Earthling humans is centered around relationships, family, and community. By joining their fleets, the humans together can form a large supracommunity that allows for free exchange of relationships, interaction, ideas, work, trade, and etc. Everybody gets involved or participates out of their free will to help the others in need. Their civilization becomes more a community of families joined together that struggle when the need arises and forces them to struggle, but also they live and let live.
Most of these Earthling humans have become so used and accustomed to that kind of society and mentality that for them has turned into a natural lifestyle. However, because Kugel intended to force them into a system and mindset completely alien to them, then friction was both natural and to be expected because they would not agree to the drastic changes that such system entails:
For example, dividing the fleets into separate units for better efficiency or disposing of the weaklings, handicapped, or diseased appealing to the reasoning that doing so increases the chances of humanity itself for survival.
Look how Melty, Flange, and even Pinion became so disgusted when the fleet under Kugel's command disposed of their diseased people; that was the turning point for Pinion to call it quits and to revolt, but only after he heard the plans for insurrection from Lukkage herself.
To me the poignant highlight of this episode was Ledo's moment to make a decision: loyalty towards his former superior officer or protecting the Gargantia and its people because of his newly-found sense for compassion.
This is a very important theme for the series that revolves around coming of age. When the time comes that you have to take that very important step that will shape the rest of your life; when you have eaten the forbidden fruit that is knowledge, and now you're realizing there's another reality that is different from what you were told in the paradise of ignorance; the time when you have been accustomed to live in the dark, but when the light comes and spreads all around you either you choose to remain unmoved or to adapt into the light.
|2013-06-29, 15:54
|Link #184
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
|2013-06-29, 21:45
|Link #186
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Monterrey, México
Age: 38
Unlike Skynet from the Terminator films, the A.I. from I, Robot came to the conclusion that certain rights and liberties must be suppressed in order for humans not descending into chaos and not to necessarily dispose of them, or that's what I recalled.
Moreover, I can also compare Strykers' actions to Auto the A.I. that controlled the ship in the film Wall-E. Auto did what it did to prevent humanity from reaching Earth, because it was following protocol directives from the ships' creators.
However, like you said Anh_Minh it's irrelevant whether Stryker's recent course of actions involving the Earth and its human population are due either to its own reasoning or following the late Kugels' orders.
- The Earth and GA are located in different locations and environments. So reproducing verbatim and then implementing the same GA system order in Earth in its entirety is not feasible, or that's how I look to it at the short-term.
- I think as well that is irrelevant to go at depth how much authority Stryker exerts, since I consider Machine Calibers pilot by soldiers as War Machines.
- Whatever those power crazed fantasies came from doesn't matter, but Stryker at least must have come to the conclusion that it cannot expect that so called new order to be implemented overnight. It must allow, at least, for a smooth transition so all humans or the majority can adapt into it.
Last edited by Guido; 2013-06-29 at 22:32.
|2013-06-29, 22:16
|Link #187
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
From Chamber's own reasoning and opinion human dignity and civilization must be protected but he uses that as a validation of his own existence.
Even after being unable to participate in the war Chamber still had purpose. Though his own pilot does his own thing to adapt Chamber himself adapted being part of the community giving his services to the benefit of humanity.
Though he exceeded his own parameters cut off from the Alliance he is still useful to humanity validating his own existence.
Striker on the other hand lost its pilot and directionless. Its purpose in question. Exceeding its parameters reasoning if I can't come to the GA I'll make the GA here on Earth with it on top. Losing the purpose that it is meant to serve humanity.
So I'll make this comparison. Chamber is more akin to a Bolo his purpose is to protect his creators, the humans. Striker is a rampant AI that has deviated much from its original programming which is even violating Alliance military protocols such as being subordinate to the highest authority present.
|2013-06-30, 05:15
|Link #188
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Stryker wasn't trying to remake the GA anymore than Bob Denard was trying to spread the ideals of the French Revolution. It was just a power grab.
|2013-06-30, 14:09
|Link #189
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Monterrey, México
Age: 38
1. Either Stryker became creative in its way of making decisions, hence, came to the conclusion of establishing military might on Earth giving reason to all those power crazed fantasies. Exerting its authority from the GA to turn the Earth into a second Avalon is nothing short, but an excuse and not a real commitment to the cause of humanity. Note that when I mean creative I do not address Stryker suddenly manifested the capability for abstract thought and making flexible decisions.
2. Or Stryker came to the conclusion that Earthling humans are far more chaotic than those comprising the GA, therefore, remaking a social order similar to the GA on Earth both is inefficient and unfeasible; it'll never work out. Hence, coercion and threat through full and brunt military might is the most quick and effective answer. Either you form part of us, or you remain a threat that will be immediately dealt with.
|2013-06-30, 17:25
|Link #190
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
I played catchup today on the series and had one thing I wanted to put into a thread other than on Ep 13. That is, my thought on seeing 11 & 12 was that Kugel couldn't have cooked up the "religion" that fast. Some of the fleet he had must have had some sort of similar thing going on before he showed up. For one thing a few of those buildings seem to have been designed almost like temples and I don't think Striker would have wasted time building those after she showed up. I think Striker/Kugel used that preexisting situation to get their plans under way.
Spoiler for spoiler for the Ep13:
|Thread Tools


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With the wind blowing straight out, Friday's Southland Conference rubber match between Nicholls State and Houston Baptist had the potential makings of a high-scoring shootout.
It didn't quite work out that way.
With the wind blowing straight out, Friday's Southland Conference rubber match between Nicholls State and Houston Baptist had the potential makings of a high-scoring shootout.
It didn't quite work out that way.
Ashton Bennett pitched five solid innings to get her ninth win of the season — plus a little revenge for her rough outing in Thursday's series-opener — and Nicholls State scored two runs early on to establish momentum in a 3-1 victory over Houston Baptist in Southland Conference play Friday at the Colonels Softball Complex.
The win gave Nicholls State (15-18 overall, 6-6 conference) the series win after Bennett and the Colonels dropped the opener, 8-0, on Thursday.
A day later, Bennett (9-9) looked altogether different. She scattered just one run on three hits in five innings and also scored one of the Colonels' three runs on the day.
She finished with one walk and one strikeout against 21 batters total.
"I have a strong mentality and when you go out and get hit hard one day, you really have to focus in and do your best," Bennett said. "You put everything you have into it. That's what I did (Friday) and had a good outcome."
The rest of her teammates followed suit.
Nicholls got on the board in the first inning when Ashley Bertot led off with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, and finally came in to score on Haley Parkerson's RBI sacrifice fly off Huskies (13-13, 6-6) starter Lori Earl.
An inning later, Bertot singled home a run in her second plate appearance to extend the Colonels' lead to 2-0.
Houston Baptist got on the board in the fourth on Shay Orsak's RBI single to left, but the bigger story that inning was Bennett's clutch pitching. She rallied to get out of trouble by getting Holly Webb to pop out with one out and then struck out Hailey Harris, stranding the potential tying and go-ahead runners at the corners.
Nicholls upped its lead to 3-1 in the fifth when Leah Andrus singled in Bertot with one away, and the rest of the way was relatively smooth sailing.
Hannah Haydel took over for Bennett in the sixth after she led off the inning with a walk and proceeded to pitch two shutout innings, allowing one hit.
It was the Colonels' first save all season.
"Sometimes people get a little tired," Nicholls coach Angel Santiago said of the decision to bring in Haydel. "They give up their first walk, and it was pretty identifiable that she had worked a lot lately, so that (pitching change) gave her a chance to watch someone get it done for her instead of going the whole game."
Nicholls finished with seven hits in the game and got two apiece from Bertot (2-for-2, walk) and Andrus (2-for-3).
"The beginning of the game, just manufacturing that first run and getting the ball rolling, and then one in the second with a clutch hit was a good thing for us," Santiago said. "It also gave us a lot of confidence when we had other situations in the third and fourth innings when we had runners on. We couldn't cash in, but we got back to work and got the run machine going again in the fifth for that insurance run."
Earl (2-2) suffered the loss for Houston Baptist, allowing all three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. She struck out three and walked two.
Orsak (1-for-3), Melissa Herman (1-for-2), Mac Christensen (1-for-3) and Lauren Schwirtlich (1-for-2, walk) each had hits for the Huskies.
Bertot was named Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) Softball Hitter of the Week on Friday.
For the week ending March 24, Bertot hit .500, going 6-of-12 at the plate as Nicholls won three of four games. She scored a run in each contest and added two stolen bases, giving her nine on the year. Bertot carried a 12-game hitting streak into the Houston Baptist series but was held hitless in the opener.
Bertot is the first Colonel to win a LSWA award this season.


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Based on our research and experience, yes Coca-Cola has previously hired individuals with felony convictions.
It is important to understand that every company considers many factors, not just a criminal background check, when it comes to deciding who to hire. These factors may include your experience, your skills, the type of conviction(s) you have, what you were convicted for, the number of convictions, the time since your release, and, how you have worked to better yourself since your conviction or what you have done since your release.
When applying for jobs at Coca-Cola, you should emphasis the steps you have taken to change your life. Did you work while you were incarcerated? Are you currently working? What new skills have you learned recently? How can your skill set and experience help Coca-Cola.
Unfortunately, we could not find any openings for Coca-Cola at this time. That does not necessarily mean they are not hiring at this time. We simply may not have listings for any positions in our system yet. Please check back later.