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Cornyn Responds to Senate Democrats' Threats to Push U.S. Over Fiscal Cliff
'It simply amazes and discourages me that some people are willing to play chicken with our economy and our national security in such a cavalier, calculated sort of way.'
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, responded to today's plan by Senate Democrat leaders to send our economy over the "fiscal cliff" if Republicans refuse to join them in in their proposal to raise taxes on small businesses:
The following are excerpts from Sen. Cornyn's floor speech, which can be viewed here.
"[D]emocratic leaders like our colleague from Washington state are apparently ready to stand by and allow truly draconian across-the-board defense cuts, even though the President's own Secretary of Defense has said these cuts would 'hollow out' our military and be 'catastrophic' to our national security.
"It simply amazes and discourages me that some people are willing to play chicken with our economy and our national security in such a cavalier, calculated sort of way.
"I would like to ask our President and my Democratic colleagues a few simple questions:
- "Are you really willing to allow the largest tax increase in American history?
- "Are you really willing to do what Secretary Panetta said, which is 'hollow out' the United States military?
"Nobody has said that leadership is easy, but right now on issues of extraordinary importance to our economy and our national security, leadership is what the American people need and leadership is what they deserve. But so far that leadership is AWOL.
"And when my colleague from Washington makes rash statements, threatening our country with a recession unless this side of the aisle agrees to tax increases that will fall disproportionately on the job creators in this country – that is not the kind of cool deliberation, or common-sense coming together we need when it comes to solving our nation's biggest economic problems."
Senator Cornyn serves on the Finance, Judiciary, Armed Services and Budget Committees. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee's Immigration, Refugees and Border Security subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.


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Exercise is the single most important thing one can do to preserve and increase one's bone mass. It is clear from research that the best kind of exercise for strong bones is weight bearing in nature. Activities such as running and brisk walking are ideal. But don't forget "fun" exercise like dancing, rope jumping, hiking, tennis and volleyball. Each of these activities is useful in strengthening the bones. I usually recommend 45 minutes of weight bearing exercise, three times each week. In addition, walk 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week. And remember, you are never too young or too old to begin an exercise routine. If you have any questions about how much exercise you should start with, consult your physician.
As far as your bones are concerned, what you shouldn't eat is as important as what you should eat. Sugar is a big culprit, and as recommended in any healthy diet, it should be reduced. In addition, using too much table salt in the diet can actually cause calcium to be excreted through the urine. One study revealed that adding a teaspoon of salt to the diet of young women increased the amount of calcium lost in the urine -- enough to diminish bone mass by 1.5% per year. It is important to include moderate amounts of animal protein and make certain that one includes two vegetable servings with any protein meal. And, of course, you should also include calcium-rich foods such as green, leafy vegetables and moderate amounts of dairy products in your diet.
Caffeine, Nicotene and Alcohol
Caffeine will also cause calcium to be excreted in the urine. One study has demonstrated that three cups of coffee will secrete 45 milligrams of calcium into the urine. Cigarette smoke has been shown to curtail estrogen activity, and anything that interferes with estrogen is very likely to increase one's chances of osteoporosis. Women who smoke are clearly at high risk for osteoporosis. And alcohol should be reduced or eliminated. Chronic alcoholics are notorious candidates for poor bone density since research indicates that most osteoporosis in middle age men is associated with alcoholism.
Nutritional Supplements
Both calcium and magnesium are clinically used in the prevention and management of osteoporosis. These nutrients can be so effective that the Harvard Health Letter considers recent research (showing that calcium with vitamin D prevents hip fractures in the elderly) to be one of the top ten medical advances of 1993. In a recent clinical study, it was found that calcium supplementation alone significantly retarded the degree of bone loss and improved calcium balance in recently post-menopausal women. In a study comparing the incidence of several types of fractures in women ages 50 to 84, it was found that those with a calcium intake of 1000 mg a day or greater were less likely to suffer from bone fractures. And some additional data indicates that magnesium is also valuable in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. In one study, supplemention using 500 mg of calcium and 600 mg of magnesium had a significant effect on reversing post-menopausal bone loss.
I usually recommend at least 1000 mg of calcium and 500 mg of magnesium daily. It is wise to use supplements that include multiple forms of each mineral (i.e., citrate, chelate, aspartate, carbonate, etc.). If you prefer taking a single form, such as calcium citrate, it may be wise to occasionally rotate to another type to ensure that your body is assimilating the nutrient efficiently.
Herbal Medicine
Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis root) has seen decades of clinical use in the Orient and the West for the treatment of menopause and the management of osteoporosis. Because declining estrogen levels are associated with increased risk of osteoporosis, botanicals that are estrogenic in function are commonly used in the clinic to support healthy bones. In a Japanese study, menopausal women showed a 5-7% increase in bone mineral content after being treated with an herbal formula containing Dong Quai and vitamin D3. I often recommend using a Dong Quai formula two to three times daily, for one or two weeks out of the month.
There are other herbs that may act "synergistically" to support calcium metabolism. These include Horsetail, Oatstraw and Nettle. These botanicals are rich in calcium and other trace minerals, and should also be considered in a program.
So, it is important to begin with looking at your lifestyle -- proper exercise and diet are essential. Take a calcium/magnesium supplement and consider herbal support to help you on your way to stronger, healthier bones.
Janet Zand OMD, L.Ac., is a respected practitioner who lives and practices in the Los Angeles area. She has a unique and effective method of combining herbal medicine with nutrition, homeopathy, and acupuncture. Her credentials include Doctor of Naturopathy, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, and Certified Acupuncturist. Dr. Zand has over fifteen years of clinical experience in treating with natural medicine, as well as formulating her own line of herbal supplements.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ace Hood (Feat. Meek Mill) - Goin Down
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This is Jenny, Kyle, and Charlotte's blog.
We are living it up in Albany Park in Chicago.
About threelittlebirds:
"Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Rise up this mornin, smiled with the risin sun, three little birds
pitch by my doorstep, singin sweet songs of melodies pure and true…"
Bob Marley, Three Little Birds
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
Matthew 6:25


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ATLANTA HAWKS Men's Reversible Embroidered Track Jacket
Style# 2046158
$99.99 $79.99
Additional Information
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Whether you're at the game or out on the town, keep warm and support your team in style. Assembled in the USA, this track jacket is made with polyester and features a rib knit collar, cuffs and hem. When you need to change up your look, simply reverse this jacket and show off the style of its nylon lining.
This product will be shipped directly from JH Designs and will leave their warehouse in 7-10 business days. Eligible for UPS ground shipping only.
- Polyester
- Nylon lining
- Sublimated applique left chest logo
- Contrast colored sleeves
- Full front zip closure
- 2 welt pockets (pockets accessible when worn on each side)
- Stretch ribbed knit collar, cuffs, and hem
- Reversible design
- Assembled in the USA
Print this tab
Miscellaneous Attributes
- Country of Origin: Imported


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New Beginnings Church opened it's doors in Jeffersonville in March, 2010. We have quickly grown from a congregation of 5 people meeting in a smokey bingo hall to a congregation of over 100 quickly outgrowing our sanctuary. We are very blessed to be a part of the Jeffersonville community and to be serving Southern Indiana and the Louisville area.
New Beginnings Church is a very diverse church, where ALL people are welcome, accepted, and loved! I would like to invite you to visit us for one of our inspirational and uplifting services! We meet Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Come early, and join us for coffee and fellowship!
New Beginnings Church is very active in the community. We supply food and clothing to the needy; we participate in the Downtown Lay Ministries; we supply food to the local food pantry; we volunteer at the Bliss House; we participate in community clean up; we help people with yard work; and numerous other activities.
New Beginnings schedules and hosts numerous social activities, so please check back here often! We are not just a "church"…we are a "family…and our "family" wants YOU to join us!
If you have any questions, feel free to call me at 812-595-0571.
Serving with enthusiasm,
Pastor Tracy Patton


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PGi is the world's largest dedicated provider of collaboration software and services. For 25 years, our broad portfolio of products has served the end-to-end collaboration needs of enterprises. Accessible anywhere, anytime and on any device, PGi's award-winning collaboration solutions drive productivity and teamwork for approximately 50,000 customers around the world. Over the last five years, PGi has hosted over 1.2 billion people from 155 countries in nearly 300 million virtual meetings.
We provide a collaborative advantage to nearly 50,000 enterprise customers, including 75% of the Fortune 100™.
Our award-winning Unified Collaboration & Communications (UC&C) software and services are globally available and scalable for every business need.
At PGi, we like to say that we give people and the companies they work for a "Collaborative Advantage." Because we know that better collaboration leads to better results.


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This, ladies and gentlemen, this, is what you eat on a Friday night if you cooked:
Fred's Chicken Tikka Dil Cognac
CBM's Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi
Fred's chicken Tikka Madras
Fred base chicken Rogan Josh
Had leftovers and the missus shoved it all in the one freezer tub!
Happy weekend everyone!!!


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Man remanded on Syria terror charge
A 31-year-old man has appeared in court accused of paying for his brother and another man to take part in terrorist activities in Syria.
Najul Islam, from Newham, east London, was accused at Westminster Magistrates' Court of supplying cash for Shajul Islam and Jubayer Chowdhury, Scotland Yard said.
It is alleged that between January 1 and January 11 last year, he paid for them to travel to Syria, knowing that they would "be engaging or be prepared to engage in acts of terrorism".
He is accused of paying for supplies including night vision goggles, air rifle optic mounts and medical equipment, and driving from the UK to Turkey to deliver them to his brother, who is a junior doctor.
Prosecutors also claim that Najul Islam sent money abroad to his brother.
He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Monday.
NHS medic Shajul Islam, 26, from Stratford, east London, and Chowdhury, 24, of no fixed address, are both accused in connection with the kidnap of two journalists in Syria.
It is alleged that the men imprisoned British photographer John Cantlie and Dutch journalist Jeroen Oerlemans against their will in July last year.
Shajul Islam and Chowdhury are next due to appear in court in April.


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Oldergames plans new videogames database, including CD-i
>> Saturday, March 31, 2007
At first I wasn't really excited about the latest news: "Oldergames is expanding its forces with Knurdz.com", but after some digging the idea of a complete videogames database sounds very attractive. The reason why I'm sceptic is because we've seen it before with websites like Digital Press and VideogamesBible, but these databases aren't anything that fills its promise: To create a 100% complete videogames database. Sadly, these databases are lacking any in-depth info and are far from complete, but who knows Dr. Bivins will change history with Knurdz. Ofcourse, I was interested in any new potential for CD-i that might attract the CD-i homebrew scene, so that's why CD-i developers should take note of any actions Oldergames promises :)
"The Interactive Community" knows Oldergames from the 2002 releases of four CD-i prototype games, including the excellent Jack Sprite: The Crimson Ghost and Plunderball (Devin's favourite CD-i game ;) )
"With three releases coming to CGE 2007, the re-launch of our site, the pending launch of the KNURDZ.COM gaming infobase and a few game stores opening we are beginning to feel like this is starting to take form... All this time we have spent developing, building, testing, and making deals will be of benefit to all of us. We are thankful for everything the community has given us and the support people have shown for our efforts. This year marks our 5th anniversary since the launch of OlderGames.com [with four CD-i releases, ed.] and we have a special surprise in store for all of you as a gift from our company to you! We will be announcing more soon, but until then... thank you for coming over and stopping by our new site! :)"
I didn't even realize people had noticed our "other" project yet. But I do want to clarify it is not based on VGB but incorporates VGB's library and has absorbed it's entire archive as just a small part of it's massive infobase. It will cover everything. Part of the CD-i stuff is what I was wanting to chat with Devin about. Think of KNURDZ.COM as our homebase for all of our operations and OlderGames.com will be under the KNURDZ label but will be expanded quite a bit in the near future. There is a lot to look forward to but I can't say much at this time other than what has already been said and that we have been working on it for several years with a decent sized team.
This means, nothing to be excited about right now but who knows what Oldergames will bring, if it goes nearly like the CD-i launching party of Oldergames in 2002 this is going to be great!


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First-place Bulldogs host Lions Saturday, Quakers Sunday for Pair of Doubleheaders
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The Yale University baseball team currently sits in a tie for first place in the Rolfe Division of the Ivy League with Dartmouth, but before the Bulldogs begin play against the three Rolfe Division rivals, they must face Columbia and Penn in the final cross-division weekend of the season.
Yale will host Columbia on Saturday and Penn on Sunday in a pair of doubleheaders that are both scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. The Bulldogs, 5-15 overall and 2-2 in Ivy League play, can make a big statement this weekend with a strong showing against the Lions (9-15, 2-2) and Quakers (16-9, 3-1).
Yale enters the weekend riding a three-game winning streak and has won four of its last five games, including an impressive showing in a 15-5 win over Big East-power UConn on Wednesday.
Yale's Live Stats game-tracker for all four games can be found on YaleBulldogs.com.
400 and Counting
John Stuper is in the midst of his 21st season as the head baseball coach at Yale. The all-time winningest head coach in the 148-year history of Yale baseball, Stuper enters this weekend with 400 career victories in the Bulldogs' dugout. Stuper picked up his 400th win at Yale with the impressive 15-5 win over Big East-power UConn on Wednesday.
Senior Josh Scharff is riding a six-game hitting streak entering the weekend, while junior Jacob Hunter has reached base in his last nine games and sophomore Eric Hsieh has reached base in his last seven games. Sophomore Green Campbell has reached base in his last five games.
Campbell, Hunter and senior captain Chris Piwinski have all hit safely in Yale's last three games.
About Yale
Yale has played its best baseball of the season over the last week, picking up four victories in six games since visiting Princeton and Cornell last weekend. The Bulldogs split the doubleheaders against Princeton and defending Ivy League champion Cornell last weekend, winning the nine-inning second game in both doubleheaders.
Senior captain Chris Piwinski leads a Yale squad that includes 16 returning players from the group that finished 13-31-1 last season, with a fourth-place finish (5-15) in the Ivy League's Rolfe Division. The Bulldogs' roster includes seven new players, including five freshmen and two players that joined the team after spending time on Yale's football team in junior Jake Semones and sophomore Charles Cook.
Twenty games into the season, junior first baseman Jacob Hunter is leading the Bulldogs in slugging (.470), total hits (24), doubles (4), and he is tied with sophomore David Toups and senior Josh Scharff with the team lead in home runs. Sophomore Green Campbell is hitting a team-best .405 in his 14 appearances, and he holds a team-best .500 on-base percentage.
Five different Yale pitchers all have one victory this season. Starters Chris Lanham, David Hickey, Michael Coleman and Rob Cerfolio all have one win, while reliever Ben Joseph also picked up a win this season.
Cerfolio (1-2) leads the Bulldogs' starters with a 2.81 earned run average, while relievers Chris Moates (0-2) and Robert Baldwin are leading the bullpen with a 2.79 ERA and 2.84 ERA, respectively.
Joseph leads the team in strikeouts, with 19, while Campbell has held opposing batters to a team-low .167 average in four relief appearances.
About Columbia
Columbia enters the weekend with a 9-15 overall record and a 2-2 mark in Ivy League play. The Lions currently sit in last place in the Lou Gehrig Division, but they are just one game behind Penn, Princeton and Cornell, which are all tied at the top of the division with identical 3-1 records.
Columbia has lost four of its last six games entering the weekend, with the only wins coming in a home sweep of Harvard last weekend.
On paper, it appears that Yale will gain a little extra advantage playing Columbia at Yale Field. Of the 15 losses that Columbia has recorded this season, 12 have come on the road. The Lions are 3-12 on the road, 5-3 at home and 1-0 at a neutral site.
Joey Falcone leads the Columbia regulars with a .302 batting average and a .465 slugging percentage, though John Kinne is batting 1.000 and slugging 1.333 in five substitute appearances.
Alex Black leads the Lions with four home runs, while Eric Williams and Jordan Serena lead the team with six doubles apiece. Black also leads Columbia with 16 runs scored, while Nick Ferraresi leads the Lions with 16 RBIs.
David Speer (2-2) leads Columbia's starting pitchers with a 2.25 ERA. Speer, Joey Donino (2-0) and Zack Tax (2-0) all have two wins apiece. Reliever Mike Weisman leads the bullpen with a 1.08 ERA in seven relief appearances. Adam Cline (1-3) leads the team in strikeouts with 28, while Speer and Donino both have struck out 27 batters.
About Penn
Penn enters the weekend with a 16-9 overall record and a 3-1 mark in Ivy League play. The Quakers will visit Brown on Saturday before traveling to Yale Field for Sunday's doubleheader.
Penn is 10-5 on the road and 6-4 at home this season. The Quakers had won nine out of 10 games prior to losing their two most recent home contests against Harvard on Monday and Villanova on Tuesday.
Ryan Deitrich is leading the Quakers in hitting (.443 batting average), slugging (.682), on-base percentage (.542), total hits (39), home runs (3) and runs scored (21). He is also tied with Austin Bossart for the team lead in triples (3). Michael Vilardo leads Penn in doubles (13) and RBIs (25).
Starting pitcher Dan Gautieri (4-0) leads the team with a 1.41 ERA, while Connor Cuff (4-1) leads the team in strikeouts with 21.
Reliever John Beasley has held opposing batters to a team-low .167 batting average in 10 relief appearances, while Ronnie Glenn leads the team in saves with six.
Last Time Out
Yale scored nine runs in the first two innings and five more runs in the fifth inning to cruise to a 15-5 win over in-state rival UConn on Wednesday. It was Yale's third win in a row and fourth in its previous five games.
It was the 400th career victory for head coach John Stuper, all of which came as the Bulldogs' skipper.
Yale outhit UConn 18-8. The two teams combined to use 15 pitchers.
Hunter went 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored to lead Yale. Senior Josh Scharff went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored and two walks. Campbell went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Sophomore Eric Hsieh went 2-for-5 with three runs scored, while senior captain Chris Piwinski went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Next Up
Yale is scheduled travel to Fairfield to take on in-state rival Fairfield University on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
Yale holds a 25-17 all-time advantage over Fairfield in the history of the in-state rivalry, which dates back to the 1973 season. The Bulldogs have won 13 out of 15 meetings from 1998 through the 2009 season. However, the Stags have taken four of the last five games against the Bulldogs.
Report filed by Jon Erickson Jr., Yale Sports Publicity


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Genealogy research service specializing in Portuguese and French ancestry.
António Carlos Godinho Janes Monteiro
Professional research for Portuguese families of the Alentejo, south of Portugal.
Association of Professional Genealogists - Genealogists Specializing in Portugal
The Association of Professional Genealogists, established in 1979, is an international organization that supports professionals in genealogy-related businesses. APG encourages genealogical excellence, ethical practice, mentoring and education. The organization also supports the preservation and accessibility of records useful to the fields of genealogy and history. Members of APG agree to abide by a code of ethics (www.apgen.org/ethics) in their profession.
Árvores Genealógicas - Genealogia Portugal
Portuguese ancestry investigation. Support to all Portuguese genealogy investigators, with a service that charges only a cost for each document.
eXpertGenealogy - Genealogy Professional Genealogist - Portugal
Directory of professional genealogists specializing in Portugal Research.
Family History Professional Spain & Portugal Genealogy Research, Mayra Sanchez-Johnson Ancestry Research
Genealogical Research conducted primarily at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
Genealogy Professional Ancestry Research in Portugal: Dr. Rodrigo Ortigao de Oliveira Genealogist
Portuguese genealogist specializing in parish records, religious and military archives, nobility.
Linhagens - Portuguese Genealogical Research / Genealogia Portuguesa
Association of professional genealogists in Portugal.
Origens Madeirenses / Madeiran Origins (Facebook)
Professional Genealogist at Madeira Island, Portugal. Certificate holder of Boston University's Genealogical Research certificate program.
Portuguese Genealogy - Professional Services
Professional researcher specializing in Azorean genealogy and Portuguese translation.
American genealogist living in Portugal, specializing in Madeira Island and continental Portugal research.
Portugal » Professionals, Volunteers & Other Research Services
11 Links
Links to professional researchers found on Cyndi's List are included as a courtesy. Unless otherwise stated, the existence of these links on Cyndi's List does not imply endorsement of the services or products provided by those professional researchers. See also: Disclaimers


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Pan de Muerto Cactus (Bread of the Dead Cactus)
Inspired by Karin's (hanseata) pan de muerto, I took her recipe, adapted it, and transformed it into a disaster---well, not entirely. I was content with the shape, the crust, and the crumb, but the flavour was... Bleh! Ick! Eww! And other interjections denoting disgust.
I was captivated... lured... by the traditional figure of the "Bread of the Dead", a boule grasped by a single hand, with segmented but bulbous fingers, topped by a spherical tear drop. Even more so, I was enamoured by the connotations and imageries associated with the pan de muerto. It's simply beautiful.
... But I had to deviate.
In no way do I mean to disrespect the customs or culture of Mexico, but my experimental thoughts were spurred and it had to come into fruition. I wanted a dead cactus.
Behold, the product of my perhaps twisted imagination: Pan de Muerto Cactus (Bread of the Dead Cactus).
Similar to the traditional pan de muerto, the bones remained but the tear drop was replaced by a withered (and burnt) flower. Moreover, the boule was sheathed by rows of thorns, made by tediously cutting the dough with scissors.
Keep this prickly monstrosity away from small children and pets. For a loaf of bread, it's rather hazardous. Heck, if you're desperate enough, it could be used as a non-threatening weapon.
Adapting Karin's recipe, I added rye flour and spices (i.e., ground anise, cloves and cinnamon), threw in a morsel of orange zest, substituted the sugar with palm sugar, and replaced the orange flower water with brandy...
BIG mistake!
The brandy overpowered the subtle taste notes of the cactus bread and proclaimed itself as its dominant flavour. Do you know that feeling after imbibing a shot of hard liquor---like hot fumes thrusting itself from the pits of your stomach, through your throat and onto the back of your eyeballs? To a much, much lesser degree, that's what I felt after ingesting a piece of the Dead Cactus.
Perhaps contributed by the addition of a "water roux" or "tangzhong", the crumb was rather soft and springy---just what I was aiming for.
I'm not disappointed with my results. No, not completely. I've several reasons to be content, actually: For the first time I bulk retarded a dough; I discovered the smooth and well rounded caramel taste of palm sugar; I properly cooked a water roux; and I learned that prolonged proofing and convection baking helps retain the intricate shape of a bread loaf.
Thanks for dropping by and reading my post. I wish you a better bake than I. :)


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The Apprentice CD-i "hot coffee" cheat
>> Saturday, October 20, 2007
On the surface a cute platformer with one too many anime themes, The Apprentice reveals itself to be slightly more than we ever imagined with a host of Game Over manoeuvres from Fatality to Animality and even the controversial Nudality scenes! It's doubtful this would have ever made it passed Philips Media censors if they had prior knowledge but it slipped through undetected and the game was stamped "suitable for all ages" by the voluntary age rating body ELSPA. Here's a little sneak preview of what's on offer...
Truly the defining game for CD-i is found in this cute title from The Vision Factory also known as SPC Vision. The game is brilliantly colourful and has some amazingly detailed levels from the backgrounds to the characters "The Apprentice" shows a high production value throughout. Taking advantage of an upgraded CD-i player with Digital Video Capabilities, the expanded memory provided by the hardware offered extra sound effects to an already very solid game. For some reason the USA version of The Apprentice plays a different soundtrack compared to the European release for the introductory scene.
Unfortunately a sequel to The Apprentice was never developed, however the idea was considered as can be seen from these Artists Impressions courtesy of an ex-employee of SPC Vision who goes by the nickname cdidev and his CD-i Developer home page provides even more tantalising information from this talented yet underrated company. Through this website cdidev also reveals some interesting cheat codes for The Apprentice including Level Select and codes to activate special Game Over endings including one Fatality, two Animality and a selection of five Nudality animations (See "Fatality, Animality and that Nudality" below). A Space Invaders game can also be activated that is in fact an early prototype of the Invaders game featured in Golden Oldies 1 released three years after The Apprentice.
Here are the codes to activate The Apprentice cheats: All codes must be entered by holding down button 2 and moving the CD-i controller as indicated.
Enter the following codes in the Title Screen to activate the following:
Level select: up up down down right right left left
Space Invaders: up right down left up down left right
To watch the Game Over animations, enter the following sequence:
Fatality: down right left left
Animality 1: up right down left
Animality 2: up left down right
Nudality 1: right right down left up up
Nudality 2: left left down right up up
Nudality 3: right left right left down up
Nudality 4: left right left right down up
Nudality 5: down down right up up left
These must be entered before Marvin stops walking, otherwise the normal panda animation starts.
Well past the commerical demise of Philips CD-i, Cheat Codes for The Apprentice have only recently been released on April 24, 2005 by an anonymous developer from SPC Vision that we only know as cdidev. One of these cheat codes opens up a mini game which turns out to be a Space Invaders clone only this time with a typcial SPC Vision twist substituting the alien hordes with cute teddy bears and chicks of the feathered variety! This cute little Space Invaders clone was called "Marvinvaders" by the SPC Vision team and is possibly the cutest classic conversion ever undertaken!
By: Devin


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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Thousands of new customers, more skilled engineers, potentially higher economic growth. Immigration reform holds a bevy of benefits for investors.
Make that for patient investors, say analysts. When hungry tech companies get more talent; when wages rise for hotel and restaurant workers; and when previously undocumented laborers start paying taxes, companies are going to be more competitive and the U.S. economy will expand.
That's the optimistic view of how to play the changes in immigration law brewing in Washington, the result of a small group of congressional Democrats and Republicans coming together to tackle an issue that's bedeviled the capital for years. The subject is likely to be tackled in President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday.Read preview of State of the Union.
Major proposals include creating a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million people now living in the U.S. illegally, and increasing the number of H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers. Read: Senate unveils plan to overhaul immigration system.
To be sure, there are hurdles to getting a comprehensive bill to Obama's desk, and senators say they aim to pass a bill by late spring or summer — so immigration reform won't make for a quick trade. Critics say amnesty for illegal immigrants would sap government coffers and unfairly burden U.S. workers seeking jobs. Republicans have traditionally been squeamish about allowing undocumented workers to become citizens. Yet Congress could address reforms piece by piece, giving some parts a shot at making it into law quicker than others.
Analysts say the proposed changes could make for a good long-term play.
The technology sector — particularly semiconductor development and software development — would be a natural beneficiary, says Roger Kay, the president of Endpoint Technologies Associates Inc., a market intelligence company. Read: Why Silicon Valley needs immigration reform
"If I knew that the tech industry was not having trouble filling its most important employment slots, if it was able to draw from talent all over the world, I would have increased confidence in their outlook," he says.
Kay lists semiconductor developers including Intel Corp. INTC, +2.15% , Nvidia Corp. NVDA, +1.71% , Broadcom Corp. US:BRCM and Qualcomm Inc. QCOM, +1.27% as among companies needing to fill more jobs. On the software-development side, he cites Google Inc. GOOG, +0.71% , Microsoft Corp. MSFT, +1.32% , Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, +1.07% and Facebook Inc FB, +2.00% .
Crawford Del Prete, executive vice president of worldwide research at International Data Corporation, says that small-cap software companies like Qlik Technologies Inc. US:QLIK or Jive Software Inc. US:JIVE would probably be among the first beneficiaries of eased visa rules.
Small-cap companies "are looking for the best developers and the best and brightest minds and they're going to go as the quality of their product and their ability to execute goes," he says, adding that even one extra high-skilled worker could mean the difference between "a breakthrough product and an also-ran product." Moving the needle at an Oracle Corp. ORCL, +0.10% or an SAP SAP, +0.16% , on the other hand, would take more than hiring one extra engineer from abroad, he says.
"If you just want to play the sector, you play a software fund," adds Del Prete.
He is also quick to point out that immigration laws and the retention of high-quality talent won't make for an immediate trade. "The downstream effects could be 20 years," he says.
Quicker to reap benefits of new laws could be companies involved in producing secure IDs that use biometric information — an idea that has bipartisan backing. That means firms like Gemalto N.V. FR:GTO , NXP Semiconductors N.V., NXPI, +0.80% and Infineon Technologies AG IFX, +3.64% .
The political reality is that passing the types of proposals outlined may not get done this year, or in as comprehensive a fashion as Obama or lawmakers want. Breaking the legislation into smaller bills to satisfy different lawmakers would add another layer of uncertainty.
But with sectors including agriculture and hospitality pushing for reforms, there is clear momentum and a sense that action by Washington will help the economy. Read: CEOs see light at end of immigration tunnel
Dean Baker, who co-directs the Center for Economic and Policy Research, says that legal status for undocumented immigrants would allow them to better bargain for higher wages. "There's a number of areas of the economy, the low-wage areas, where you have a number of undocumented workers where you're likely to see wages rising," he says, citing food service and hotels as examples.
Wouldn't those higher wages, however, take away from the bottom lines at companies like Marriott International Inc. MAR, -1.21% or Hyatt Hotels Corp. H, -0.97% ? Not necessarily, says Baker, if the economy grows along with those fatter paychecks. "It's the sort of the thing that, at the end of the day, it's swamped by the macroeconomic impacts" of higher growth, he says.
Baker contends that the reforms by themselves could give a small boost to U.S. growth, along the lines of a tenth of a percentage point. "You'll free up a lot of workers," he says. "By virtue of being legalized, many of them will take a chance to go to school, gain skills, [and] of course these people will be paying taxes…so I think it will be somewhat of a positive."
Walter Ewing, a researcher with the American Immigration Council, agrees that citizenship is an economic stimulant by itself. He cites a September 2012 study by the Migration Policy Institute showing that naturalized citizens earn between 50% and 70% more than noncitizens.
"It is in the economic self-interest of the United States to create a path to citizenship," he says, arguing that legal status raises wages, boosts spending power and creates capital to start one's own business. Read Diana Furchtgott-Roth column: America needs immigration for economic growth
For investors, that spending power could translate into better outlooks for sectors ranging from consumer staples to automobiles to retail.


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Strange twist:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/11/navy-seal-bin-laden-military-benefitsNavy Seal who allegedly shot Bin Laden says US military has abandoned himRetired commando alleges he's been left without healthcare or financial support as he struggles to adapt to a new civilian life
I can't help but wonder if the psychopathic, ruling-class control-freaks who literally get off on human suffering aren't angered by this trend. "How dare those slaves go out on their terms instead of ours!"
Drug overdose deaths spike among middle-aged women
Suicide is now one of the top ten causes of death AND White middle age men in the U.S. are killing themselves:http://economiccrisis.us/2010/08/rising-suicide-rate-worldwide-linked-economic-crisis-expert/Rising suicide rate worldwide linked to economic crisis, experts say - Aug 2010...Mental health experts say the sour economy has turned what usually manifests as seasonal blues into a full-blown crisis. The fear of losing ones job and pressures caused by a downturn in business, demotion or pension plan cutbacks can be bad for mental health and therefore increase suicide risk....Japan is already home to one of the highest rates of suicide in the industrialised world, with an estimated 30,000 killing themselves every year. Amid deepening fears of a global recession, the rate is expected to surge even higher, fuelled by the growing prospect of job losses, decreased financial security and a rise in social dissatisfaction.A recent study from Flinders University in Australia concluded that the suicide rate amongst Australian farmers was around 50% higher than the rest of the population. Relationships are one of the greatest supports for suicidal people, Laura Kennan, Australian expert say. And finances have an impact on relationships.In the US, Men and women between 45 and 54 years old have the highest suicide rates in the country among nine different age groups as economy tanks and GOP blocks jobless benefits.Women seek help for suicidal thoughts more often than men and added that acknowledging the problem was a crucial step to getting help.But while suicides increased slightly in 2006 and 2007 across the United States, researchers noted suicide rates for people in their 40s and 50s have been steadily growing over the last decade.http://www.worldcrunch.com/greece-depression-and-suicide-rate-rising-face-economic-crisis-national-shame/3350Greece: Depression And Suicide Rate Rising In Face Of Economic Crisis, National ShameUnemployment, economic hardship, and the shame of being considered Europes black sheep the Greek have never been so dispirited. And the number of cases of clinical depression and suicides is soaring.While the rest of Europe may be tormented by the thought of having to cough up ever more money to bail out Athens, the once carefree Greeks are getting more depressed by the day. Psychiatrists say that the economic crisis has triggered a 25 to 30% increase in the number of patients seeking their help....[ Notice that the Bankers are checking the effects of their work: ]http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/25/why-the-happiest-states-have-the-highest-suicide-rates/Why the Happiest States Have the Highest Suicide RatesBy Maia Szalavitz Monday, April 25, 2011 ...Economists from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the University of Warwick in England and Hamilton College in New York examined life satisfaction scores provided by 2.3 million Americans state by state, and comparing these with state suicide rates. Utah, for example, ranks highest in life satisfaction but also has the ninth highest suicide rate in the U.S. The No. 2 happiest state is Hawaii, which comes in fifth for suicides. New York, in contrast, comes in 45th in life satisfaction but has America's lowest suicide rate.http://articles.philly.com/2011-04-13/news/29413955_1_suicide-rate-military-suicides-suicide-preventionSuicide rate is slowly risingApril 13, 2011 |By Don Sapatkin, Inquirer Staff Writer...societal trends are well-known: elderly people commit suicide at rates that are 50 percent higher than young people, whites nearly three times more than blacks, men nearly four times more than women...The difference represents only a few thousand deaths nationwide, adding up to a change in rate from 10.9 per 100,000 population (in 2004, 2005, 2006) to 11.7 per 100,000 (in 2009, based on very preliminary data). But that was enough to move suicide into the list of top 10 killers, down from No. 11 (blood infections) for the first time since classifications changed in 1999....Perhaps the most dramatic trend is not new but has now continued to increase for a decade: The suicide rate among ages 45 to 64 grew 28 percent between 1999 and 2009, surpassing what for years was the most suicide-prone demographic, the elderly.Unemployment and financial anxieties could play a role [duhh] . And they tend to go along with factors such as substance abuse and family problems that also are known to affect suicide.
I passed thro
1 in 3 Americans on verge of financial ruin23 February 2015, by Catey Hill (MarketWatch)http://www.marketwatch.com/story/1-in-3-americans-on-verge-of-financial-ruin-2015-02-23The rich keep getting richer. The rest of us arent so lucky.
http://www.usnews.com/news/newsgram/articles/2014/10/08/us-suicides-hit-highest-rate-in-25-yearsU.S. Suicides Hit Highest Rate in 25 YearsBut life expectancy reaches an all-time high at 78.8 years.By Casey Leins Oct. 8, 2014 | 3:54 p.m. EDT We continue to follow the pattern that we have been seeing for a few decades, where life expectancy is gradually increasing and death rates from the leading causes of death are decreasing, Elizabeth Arias, a CDC demographer told Bloomberg News. Despite these promising findings, researchers found the rate for suicide increased 2.4 percent. This is the highest its been in more than 25 years, The Associated Press reported. The suicide rate is now 12.6 suicide deaths per 100,000 Americans, which is close to the rate of 12.8 in 1987. ...Some research indicates that suicide rates increase during tough economic times, yet the report showed increases in suicides before, during and after the 2007-2009 recession, said the AP...Out of all the top ten causes of death, which remained the same from 2011 the 2012, suicide was the only one that increased. Cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke, diabetes, influenza and kidney disease all dropped. The death rates for unintentional injuries remained the same...
We don't know the nature of the heated conversation. Careless words spoken at an inopportune time can kill people.Somebody that's suicidal is usually in a deep state of despair coupled with anger. They have been robbed of all hope and they perceive no reason to be here. Rational thoughts have been replaced with flaring emotions.No mystery to anybody that has been there in their life. Easy to see in hindsight. Impossible to see while in the middle of it.
I dispute this bogus study.These men and women coming home from 2,3,4, tours of duty [hell!], can not cope with all of the Death, Horror, Destruction; and the fact that they have killed innocent men, women and children---and this haunts them deep in their minds and then they end this suffering, by suicide. If our young men and women were not subjected to this moral conflict: Well they would still be alive: just as those that are dead from illegal wars.
Brain Waves are being affected by HAARP 1hr Theta Binaural Beat Session (7hz) ~ Pure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66tq9xji0xAhttp://www.haarp.net/mindcontrol.htmearth is wrapped in a donut shaped magnetic field. Circular lines of flux continuously descend into the North Pole and emerge from the South Pole. The ionosphere, an electromagnetic-wave conductor, 100 kms above the earth, consists of a layer of electrically charged particles acting as a shield from solar winds. Natural waves are related to the electrical activity in the atmosphere and are thought to be caused by multiple lightning storms. Collectively, these waves are called The Schumann Resonance´, the current strongest at 7.8 Hz. These are quasi-standing extremely low frequency (ELF) waves that naturally exist in the earth´s electromagnetic´ cavity, the space between the ground and the ionosphere. These earth brainwaves´ are identical to the spectrum of our brainwaves.(1 hertz = 1 cycle per second, 1 Khz = 1000, 1 Mhz =1 million. A 1 Hertz wave is 186,000 miles long, 10 Hz is 18,600 miles. Radio-waves move at the speed of light.)The Creator designed living beings to resonate to this natural frequency pulsation in order to evolve harmoniously. The ionosphere is being manipulated by US govt. scientists using an Alaskan transmitter called HAARP, (High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) which sends focused radiated power to heat up sections of the ionosphere, which bounces power down again. ELF waves from HAARP when targeted on areas can weather-engineer and create mood changes affecting millions. The intended wattage is 1,700 billion watts of power. A former govt. insider deduced they want to flip the world upside down. 64 elements in the ground modulate, with variation, the geomagnetic waves naturally coming from the ground.n 1963 Dr Robert Becker explored effects of external magnetic-fields on brainwaves showing a relationship between psychiatric admissions and solar magnetic storms. He exposed volunteers to pulsed magnetic-fields similar to magnetic-storms, and found a similar response. US 60 Hz electric power ELF waves vibrate at the same frequency as the human brain. UK 50 Hz electricity emissions depress the thyroid.Dr Andrija Puharich in the 50´s/60´s, found clairvoyant´s brainwaves became 8 Hz when their powers were operative. He saw an Indian Yogi in 1956 controlling his brainwaves, deliberately shifting his consciousness from one level to another. Puharich trained people with bio-feedback to do this consciously, making 8 Hz waves. A healer made 8 Hz waves pass into a patient, healing their heart trouble, her brain emitting 8 Hz . One person emitting a certain frequency can make another also resonate to the same frequency.Our brains are extremely vulnerable to any technology which sends out ELF waves, because they immediately start resonating to the outside signal by a kind of tuning-fork effect. Puharich experimented discovering 7.83 Hz (earth´s pulse rate) made a person feel good´ producing an altered-state. 10.80 Hz causes riotious behaviour and 6.6 Hz causes depression. Puharich made ELF waves change RNA and DNA, breaking hydrogen bonds to make a person have a higher vibratory rate. He wanted to go beyond the psychic 8 Hz brainwave and attract psi phenomena. James Hurtak, who once worked for Puharich, also wrote in his book The Keys of Enoch that ultra-violet caused hydrogen bonds to break and this raised the vibratory rate.Puharich presented the mental effects of ELF waves to military leaders but they would not believe him. He gave this information to certain dignitaries of other Western nations. The US govt burned down his home in New York to shut him up and he fled to Mexico. However Russians discovered which ELF frequencies did what to the human brain and began zapping the US Embassy in Moscow on 4 July 1976 with electromagnetic-waves, varying the signal, including focusing on 10 Hz. (10 Hz puts people into a hypnotic state, Russians and North Koreans use this in portable mind-control machines to extract confessions.Found also in an American church to help the congregation believe!) This Russian "Woodpecker" signal was traveling across the world from a transmitter near Kiev. The US Air Force identified 5 different frequencies in this compound harmonic Woodpecker was sending through the earth and atmosphere. Nikola Tesla revealed in 1901 power could be transmitted through the ground using ELF waves. Nothing stops or weakens these signals. The Russians retrieved Tesla´s papers when they were returned to Yugoslavia after his death.Source: http://tinyurl.com/5m2ks
note that this occurred in the suicide belt of the west ... nothing of economics were mentioned .... no job loss or anythinghttp://en.fairmormon.org/Utah/Statistical_claims/Suicide_rate_among_MormonsNote that the intermountain and western US has consistently higher suicide rates than most other states. The "suicide belt" shown here has been noted, however, since at least the 1980s (see Seiden, "Death in the West," (1984) cited below in endnotes). Source of data:McIntosh (2004), cited below. Map by Mike Parker for FAIR, © 2007.
U.S. Suicide Rate Surges to a 30-Year Highhttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/22/health/us-suicide-rate-surges-to-a-30-year-high.html?_r=1WASHINGTON Suicide in the United States has surged to the highest levels in nearly 30 years, a federal data analysis has found, with increases in every age group except older adults. The rise was particularly steep for women. It was also substantial among middle-aged Americans, sending a signal of deep anguish from a group whose suicide rates had been stable or falling since the 1950s.The suicide rate for middle-aged women, ages 45 to 64, jumped by 63 percent over the period of the study, while it rose by 43 percent for men in that age range, the sharpest increase for males of any age. The overall suicide rate rose by 24 percent from 1999 to 2014, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, which released the study on Friday.
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Latest News
Sacramento mayor apologizes to victims of racial profiling
Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo called a report showing that black motorists are pulled over by city police more frequently than other drivers "very disturbing" and apologized to those who have suffered from racial profiling.
During a tense – yet sparsely attended – City Council meeting Tuesday at which the report was presented, city officials said the Police Department needed to become more diverse and communicate better with the community.
The council session was the first public debate on the report, which was conducted by an outside consultant and released last week. Three town hall forums are scheduled this week.
Read the complete story at sacbee.com


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Striker Dominic Oduro will join the likes of Marco Pappa, Sean Johnson, Orr Barouch and Victor Pineda in the club's contingent of players taking part in national team camps this next week after being called up by Ghana Thursday.
Coming off a career season 2011 in which he tallied 12 goals and was named the club's Most Valuable Player, the speedy forward couldn't contain his joy Thursday.
"It's really exciting for me," he said from Fire preseason camp in Charleston, SC. "I think as a player its one of your dreams to play for your country. Being called upon is something I've been looking forward to for a long time and it really feels like one of my dreams coming true."
The first summons of Oduro's international career, the Fire's 2011 leading goal scorer will join his Black Star teammates on Sunday in Philadelphia ahead of their friendly match Wednesday against Chile at PPL Park.
Oduro recognizes the opportunity to play for Ghana and will hope his chance in Philadelphia will lead to more call-ups, perhaps for when the team begins 2014 World Cup qualifying in June.
"I still have to work hard just to keep the calls coming. I don't want this to be a one-time thing. I'm hoping I'll go in and perform well and get called in for other upcoming games. I'm blessed to have this opportunity."


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Player Compilations
Channels / Compilations / Player Compilations
The definitive footytube selection of great player compilations
Share your thoughts
Page 1 of 4
just more compilations in general would be nice but not any of messi. think we all had enough of that
Someone should make a Diego Forlan compilation, starting from his days at Danubio (Uruguayan first division) through to Independiente (Argentina), then Manchester United, followed by Villareal and finally at Atletico Madrid (where he absolutely killed it), total goals scored: 175, not bad. I'm sure he'll kick ass at Inter as well.
:) More Channels Like This


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Passion a must in midget car racing
Staff writer
In a race of wits and skill, the Unruh brothers are going to stop at nothing to win.
"It gets pretty dicey by the last race," Chris Unruh, 34, said. "The thing I love about this class is that it is a bunch of people who are like family off the track. They'll do anything to help each other out in the pit, but on the track, especially during the last heat, it's a different story."
Passion is something both brothers believe is a must for midget car racing. Chris Unruh, the older brother, started at the young age of 18 months old, racing his family's lawnmower around the yard. From there, he graduated to go-kart racing and then midget car racing. He bought his first Modified Lite car for $8,500, which he said was adequate and won him a few awards in the past. But he recently decided to purchase a new car — right out of the shop — which he said will end up costing him almost $20,000. With the upgrades, he said, he will have the equipment necessary to leave all the other competitors in the dust — including his 17-year-old brother Eric Unruh.
Eric Unruh said he started racing three years ago, after seeing the fun his brother was having on the track. This season, he said he is looking forward to racing his brother's car — and, possibly, doing a better job on the track.
The brothers' first race is April 11 in Salina. While a lot goes into preparation for each race, the Unruhs said there is only one thing forefront on their mind: safety.
"They check our cars at the start of every season before the first match, "Chris Unruh said. "As long as we keep racing, we'll be fine with just the one check. The cars are pretty safe and sturdy. You can rollover, the car might be pretty bent, but you'll still be able to drive away. You can't hurt them, but it takes quite a bit."
For personal safety, the two Unruh brothers will be wearing a dual-layer fireproof suit.
"We have to wear fireproof underwear; everything we wear and everything in the car has to be fireproof just in case something happens," Chris Unruh said. "No one wants their parts to go up in flames."
They also will wear a harness to keep them secure in the mini vehicles and have safety precautions, like rollover cages, to keep them from getting hurt.
"I'll tell you something, it's not always easy for parents to watch them from the stands," said Galen Unruh, the father of the two brothers. "They get into some scrapes sometimes and your first instinct is to help them, but you know you can't. It's helpful if you can remember that they're really pretty safe in those cars. They have to go through quite a few safety checkpoints before they let them compete. But it's still hard."
Meanwhile, before the racing season starts, the two brothers are doing what they love: tinkering on their cars. While they have done some work on their racers, they have had some extra time to do an innovative project that has attracted the attention of many car enthusiasts nationwide — a passenger vehicle that has no muffler and two front ends.
"It's quite something to see," Chris Unruh said. "It took quite bit of work for them to figure out how to get it so it came apart and went back together again. But they eventually got it to work and it's fun to watch."
Last modified March 27, 2013


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Johnny Depp refuses to rule out making a movie with his ex-partner Vanessa Paradis, insisting he is still on "great terms" with the French star.
The "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor and Paradis ended their 14-year relationship last summer, and he has now moved on with actress Amber Heard, his co-star in "The Rum Diary."
Despite the split, Depp admits he is open to working with singer/actress Paradis, who he praises as "a great woman."
He tells Britain's Daily Mirror, "I wouldn't see any weirdness at all in making a film with Vanessa now, whereas before I might have done. We're on great terms and there's nothing weird or strange. It's very normal. She's a great mommy and a great woman.
"If you love, you have to love beyond what you think is love. When the [bleep] hits the fan you have to keep loving. I know it sounds like some sort of Hallmark card, and I don't mean it to, but you cannot abandon ship, you know. You've got a couple of kids and a woman who's been good to you. So keep loving, no matter what."
Depp and Paradis are parents to two children, Lily-Rose and Jack


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This article is about Keely Smith the singer. For the actress also known as Keely Shaye Brosnan, see Keely Shaye Smith.
Keely Smith (born Dorothy Jacqueline Keely, 9 March 1932, in Norfolk, Virginia, of part Cherokee and Irish descent) is an American jazz and popular music singer who enjoyed great popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. Her collaborations with Louis Prima and Frank Sinatra were highly rated. Smith was much admired for her singing style, and for her duets with Louis Prima. In recent years, Smith resumed her career to critical acclaim.
Smith showed a natural aptitude for singing at a very young age. At 14, she started singing with a naval air station band led by Saxie Dowell. At 15, she got her first paying job with the Earl Bennett band.


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Well, TV fans can pretty much etch in one favorite for next year's Emmy awards. Under the category for "Best Actor," they may as well write in Tony Shalhoub as a nominee right now.
Shalhoub will return to the role that has helped him earn five Emmy nominations and three wins (including last year's prize), as USA Network today announced that it has picked up Monk for a seventh season.
Lucky number seven for the comedy will consist of 16 episodes and be split up into two parts. The first half is scheduled to hit the air in July 2008 and the back end will air in January 2009. Each of the series' last four seasons has taken similar approaches to airing.
The show follows the Adrian Monk (Shalhoub), a private detective in San Francisco who happens to have an irrational fear of just about everything and suffers ...Read more
The Emmys came, they saw, they awarded. And the winner is...you!
In the show-opening comedy segment, host Conan O'Brien appeared in parodies of Lost, 24, and the Emmy nominated South Park episode "Trapped In the Closet," before coming onstage and opening with, "Welcome to the 58th, and final, Emmy awards."
"Two and A Half Men is the number-one sitcom on TV. There's something about Charlie Sheen raising impressionable young kids that just feels right," the flame-haired host quipped to a roar of laughter.
The winners (and their comments backstage after winning):
Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Comedy:
Winner: Megan Mullally, Will & Grace
Mullaly on the pre-show jitters: "I was feeling emotional, and it's not that time of the month. I'll attribute it to being Will & Grace's coming to an end."
Outstanding Supporting Actor In a Drama:
Winner ...
After eight long seasons, Mr. Monk will be done keeping the streets safe next year. The USA Network has announced that it has picked up its long-running comedy for an eighth season that will serve as a fond farewell for the revered cable show; this season will be its last.
Remember the writers' strike? That thing that happened last year with all the picketing, arguing, and nonwriting? It's all over now, but during the height of the work stoppage, networks had to get a little creative to keep their schedules afloat.
One of the more logical solutions some took was to appropriate a few shows from their stable of cable channels and repurpose them for prime-time network broadcasting. CBS did it with Showtime's Dexter, and NBC did it with USA Network's Monk and Psych.
Now that the strike is over, networks can stop these experiments and get back to business. NBC is pulling Monk and Psych from their Sunday-night time slots, according to an updated schedule released by the network. Replacing the two shows will be a two-hour block of The Office, at least for the next two weekends.
The move isn't surprising, given both Monk ...Read more
We keep seeing the same men popping up at the Emmys in the best actor in a comedy category, but there's a reason for that. Tony Shalhoub has deserved every single one of his six consecutive nominations, Charlie Sheen has gone for three straight, and Alec Baldwin is looking like the favorite to win for a second year.
It's the television equivalent of "getting called to the show" in baseball. NBC today announced that it would begin airing Monk and Psych, a pair of successful basic cable shows from the USA Network, beginning next year.
Because of a strike-addled fall television season, networks have been thinking about dipping into their cable family and picking shows to fill the holes in their broadcast programming. NBC and USA Network are both owned by NBC Universal Corporation.
The current plan is to let Monk and Psych air as planned in January on USA then re-air them on Sunday nights in March on NBC. NBC did not announce a time, but both are an hour long and would likely air from 8-10 p.m.
Monk stars Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub, who was an NBC primetime regular for his role in Wings, as a quirky San Francisco investigator who suffers ...Read more


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Brief description :
Linux driver gives us a chance to interface with an NTFS filesystem. Thanks to this driver, we can use built-in Linux commands on an NTFS filesystem.
Ex : ls, chown, chmod, cd, locate, rm, ln etc.
Question :
Where can I find this source code ?
Why :
Try to be familiar with NTFS


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Read-In Day to Celebrate Writing by and about Women, March 20th--Invitation and Call for Reader
In celebration of Women's History Month, the Michael Schwartz Library, in conjunction with the English Department, the Cleveland State University Poetry Center, and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, is hosting a Read-In Day from 2:30 to 3:30 on Wednesday, March 20th.
The campus community is invited to hear fellow faculty, staff, and students read aloud both fiction and non-fiction prose and poetry by and about women that is significant to them. This event is free and open to the campus community.
CSU students, in particular, are encouraged to not only attend the event for their enjoyment, but also for the opportunity to make the most of Women's History Month by learning about and sharing literary works by and about women. There is also the possibility that said works will foster among the attendees further interest and education about women's literature and history.
If you would like to participate as a reader contact Professor Barbara Walker, English, at 216-687-2563 to discuss your selection and to schedule a time (limited to 5 minutes). Sign up today!
Read-In Day is a national initiative that is sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English that focuses on literacy by encouraging reading.
Permanent link to this topic. Posted 2013-02-25 14:45:41. Reply to Lauren_Felder. Categories: Library News.


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Lady Gaga Tweets 'Black Jesus, Amen Fashion' Picture
Lady Gaga must be gunning for 30 million Twitter followers, as the Mother Monster has been tweeting images left and right from the Asian leg of her Born This Way Ball tour. Her latest share? An exclusive live shot she called 'Black Jesus, Amen Fashion.'
The 'Marry the Night' singer is offering a look of the tour via live and candid, backstage shots, so if you follow her on the social networking site, it's like having a backstage pass to the action. She is staying deeply connected to her little monsters the world over while she entertains them, too. Twitter is a direct line to Gaga and all these exclusive images make her precious monster babies feel as connected to her as ever. It's a brilliant strategy on her part.
She tweeted: "Exclusive Photo from last nights show! Black Jesus, Amen Fashion. We're on the right track baby."
In the shot, Gaga is crouched down on the castle-like BTW Ball stage, wearing wide-legged leather trousers and killer spiked heels. It's a tame look for her, but she Gagafies it with the genie-like ponytail and the bra-like top.
Amen Fashion, in case y'all forget, is the name of her Tumblr, where she posts a plethora of images, too.


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Yes. i have been disappearing again. HAHA. right. it isn't funny. anyway, like i mentioned in my pervious post; Bubla is now in KCH. =) =) with ah bui =) =)
UNTIL ah hai told me tat got a couple of friends wans to visit me during CNY in sibu.O.o I just realised tat i didn't tell anyone tat i had transferred back. secretive eh? =)
UNTIL few days ago, i saw Austin msg on 2 Feb 09, 12:18 "where r u bubla..? y so long not updating your blog le.....?", i just realised tat i have not been on my blog for so long.
UNTIL yesterday when i 'tangkap ular' a bit, started reading blogs, i just realised how long i have been away from the blog world.
UNTIL the big days;
•●☺ When Michael Toh (one of my ultimate family member in Melbourne) and Tze Liang brought me out for wild food dinner.
•●☺ lunar 15th my ah bui's family and I having dinner @ the top of Civic Center Kuching, watching the entire Kuching firing fireworks which melted my heart.
•●☺ And attending the Foo chow associations; with 4 extreme lions dance and one 'magau' (the little kid who bring the lions) which perform for the entire ceremony. And two 'Chai Shen' distributing angpaus.
•●☺ Luxurious dinner @ Oregano which slaughtered ah bui's RM125, on valentine.
I just realised tat how long I have abandoned my camera.
Well, wat can I say…. I dun wan to act like a blog freak in front of my ah bui's family. O.o or perhaps, the super duper slow connection have keeping me away from Online and BLOG.
So is the job here. Its hectic. Even the time duration is longer than the normal working hours. Some more the great God resting day, Sunday I'm here as well. See how hardworking I am. ☺ ☺ Sometimes I wonder, is tat fake smile or wat? Hmmmm….. Hmmmmmmmmm………………I love my job ☺☺☺☺☺
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Yes. i have been disappearing again. HAHA. right. it isn't funny. anyway, like i mentioned in my pervious post; Bubla is now in KCH. =) =) with ah bui =) =)
Posted by BublaKong at 10:48 AM
3 comments:
- Deb said...
Cute blog!! So cute! How have you been hun? where are you now? in Msia? Miss you!
- March 3, 2009 at 2:49 PM
- Siang's Corner said...
don't worry, your blog freak/fetish is safe with me haha
- March 18, 2009 at 12:17 AM
- keeyit said...
Hi hi.. very cute blog
- April 5, 2009 at 3:05 PM


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My wife Liz, son Jordan, cousin Eric , his wife Karen, their son Elliott, Auntie-Soo Yin and Uncle Ed, Auntie Estelle and Uncle Miles attended the dedication.
(Click on pictures below to enlarge.)
Here is a picture of the crowd gathered for the ceremony on Angel Island
Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey whose district includes Angel Island and who has been instrumental in getting federal funding for Angel Island restoration spoke at the ceremony. Here is a transcript of her speech .
I have included some of her remarks below.
"The story of Angel Island is a story of America's contradictions – the soaring idealism of our founding principles colliding with the sometimes-cruel reality of our conduct.
Imagine leaving the only home you've ever known and coming to a place where you don't know the language or the culture or the way of life. All you know is that America is a different, special kind of place where things will hopefully be better. And after an arduous journey of several weeks, you reach this place you've heard so much about…only to face interrogation, humiliation and in many cases deportation.
Angel Island Immigration Station is a monument to the struggle and the dignity of these brave people. But I also see this place as a symbol of hope that America is self-correcting, that we can live up to our ideals; that we can deliver on the promise of equality, freedom and opportunity for everyone.
We haven't completed that journey yet. We know that. We're still grappling with the divisive, emotional issue of racism, and immigration remains an open wound in our society and our politics. But I do know that we're closer than ever to realizing our nation's promise, to living up to the creed e pluribus unum – "out of many, one." America in 2011 embraces inclusion and diversity more than at any other moment in our history. Whatever the current differences over our immigration laws, we can be certain that anything as cruel as the Chinese Exclusion Act will never be repeated.
Let's all work together to continue this path of progress toward moral justice. Let's look to the past to shape a more decent future. Inspired by the stories etched into these walls, let's create a country worthy of the people who came to Angel Island looking for the American Dream. "
Here is picture of the Immigration Station Museum Building
Here is a picture of the Immigrant Heritage Wall
Here are Soo-Yin , Eric and Elliott at the wall. The Jue family plaque is just to the right of Elliott's hand and the Yen Plaque is two plaques to the right .
My Auntie Joan ,San Tong Jue's eldest daughter, married Richard Yen , whose father was Harry Yen. The Yen family sponsored the plaque honoring Harry Yen and his wife Soo Hoo Shee Yen . The Jue family sponsored the plaque honoring San Tong Jue , Jue Joe, Leong Shee , and San You Jue , whose stories are the subject of this blog .
Here is the Jue Family Plaque
Here is the Yen family plaque
The Yens settled in Phoenix Arizona. Here is my cousin Bob Yen speaking about his paternal grandfather during a local television interview about Arizona's Chinese pioneers :
"The first person on my father's side of the family was his father. So my grandfather, his name was Harry Yen. His Chinese name, I think is Ong Hep Lo. And you can tell already that the family name is different. He had a family name of "Ong." we are actually Ongs. Unfortunately, my grandfather's father was not in the United States . My grandfather therefore took the name of a distant family member, a Mr. Yuen, Y-U-E-N, took those papers, these false papers, came to the United Sates as the son of this merchant, Mr. Yuen. He came here when he was 17 years old in 1915, just three years after Arizona Statehood. And the story that he told me about his migration was that he got on a sailing ship, it was a 30-day journey at the time to come here. And he landed in San Francisco , at Angel Island . He joined his brother -- we always called him Uncle Sing -- who lived in Glendale at the time and who had a grocery store there. He said that Phoenix in 1915 was a different place than what we know now. There were no air conditioning units, no evaporative coolers, and his first impression of Phoenix on stepping off the train was this was like hell! LOL "
The extended Yen/Ong family also sponsored a plaque for my uncle Richard Yen's brother Cobb Ong and Cobb's wife Ying.
Here is a view of the restored detention barracks and immigration station museum
Here is a picture of boys getting physical exams at the station. My grandfather, San Tong was 13 years old at the time he , his mother and brother were detained here on Angel Island . They remained on the island for 3 months while Jue Joe worked to secure their release .
Speakers at the dedication as well as the museum exhibits themselves served to educate the public about the harsh and discriminatory nature of immigration laws and practices that targeted Chinese immigrants and led to a much different reception for immigrants arriving here then those arriving at Ellis Island on the East Coast. Part of the work of the Angel Island Immigration Foundation is to celebrate the lives of those immigrants who perservered despite these racial descriminatory practices to make a life here in America for themselves and their families and for the generations to come. A new online "Immigrant Voices" section of the Foundation website gives voice to the stories of these immigrant pioneers. I have submitted a story about Jue Joe that hopefully will soon be posted on the web page.
The island is beautiful but for many immigrants like my grandfather it was also a prison and their fervent hope was to leave the island and begin their lives in the new world beyond it's shores as soon as possible.
After the dedication we and other families gathered at Four Seas restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown . Auntie Soo-Yin was kind enough to host our family's table. The food was delicious !
To thank Eric for his efforts in getting the Jue Family Plaque placed on Angel Island , Auntie Soo Yin presented him with a framed piece of Chinese calligraphy that contains the three historical sonnets of the Sung (Zhao, Jue)dynasty with the new generation's names added . This was truly a special day for all of us !


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I thought I'd be done with the Gray Photo for awhile and get on with the larger topic of this blog, but the original article engendered so much comment on the buoyancy issue, the "balloonish" shape of the object in the photo, I knew I had to do one of two things. I considered putting Nessie on a low-fat, vegan diet and waiting for her to slim down and answer her critics herself, but in the end it seemed more politically correct, perhaps even chivalrous, to post a short sequel and defend her bodily proportions myself.
It has been a long-time criticism of the Gray Photo that the object appears to float much too high above the waterline to be a natural object or real animal. My previous post dealt with this issue in passing, but it clearly requires a greater explanation, and a broader one covering three things: What We Have In The Photo, What's It Doing? and What Else Might Be Going On?
The first thing addressing this was implicitly the main point of the article: it's not one but two animals in the photo, most evident in the cleaner Heron-Allen print than in the press photos. Thus the observed vertical height is not that of a single animal. As we're looking downwards at two parallel bodies, the top of the further animal can be seen "above" the dorsal line of the front-most animal, accounting for about 25% of the overall vertical height perceived above the waterline.
Separating the image into two bodies, and clipping out the furthest of the two animals (see figures below) is not the only thing that reduces the vertical axis of the front animal relative to its horizontal axis. We must also take into account the perspective from which the photograph was taken. Had Hugh Gray lain on his belly at the shoreline to take the photo, then the picture would show only the profile of the animal, and the true ratio of the visible length to the visible height. But Gray was standing on a high bluff, looking downwards at a point believed to be just south of where the river Foyers enters the Loch. We must know the angle from which he took the picture in order to estimate the true horizontal perspective.
In the original article I had calculated an angle of 8 degrees based on the details of Gray's account as were published in various sources (not all of which completely agree with each other), as well as the observations of researches who had visited the site on the bluff. Whereas Gray himself said he was about 30 feet above the water, the majority opinion tended towards that elevation being 40 feet. F.W. Holiday claimed a height of 50 feet, and from the map in his book The Great Orm Of Loch Ness (W.W. Norton and Co., 1968, page 30) he was indeed talking about the same bluff widely, but not universally, accepted to be the correct spot. I originally went with the 40 foot height estimate, which coupled with the 100 yards distance to the object Gray also reported gave us the elevation of only 8 degrees.
Now there is fresh data. I am very grateful to Dick Raynor for not only contacting the experts with the Ordnance Survey, but also visiting the site in person and dropping a measuring tape from the bluff. The present, confirmed height from the edge of the bluff to water level, with a meter added to allow for Gray holding his box camera at waist level, is 30.9 feet. Remarkably close to Gray's original estimate, and less than the 40 feet I used in my original calculations. I should add that Mr. Raynor himself suspects the Gray Photo was probably taken at a different, as yet unidentified location other than the commonly accepted spot on the bluff. Dick has been studying Loch Ness since 1967, and I highly recommend a visit to his Loch Ness Investigation website for anyone with a serious interest in the subject. But if you have grand illusions about the "wealth" of photographic "proof", especially in things like plesiosaurs, giant flippers, and gargoyle heads, be prepared for a refreshing shower of logic.
Dick was also helpful in suggesting a method for extracting the true angle at which the Gray Photo was taken from the picture itself, rather than relying on Gray's distance estimate. This hinges on the concentric ripples emanating from the leftmost tip of the object, which I take to be the tail of the animal. These waves would of course form circles if seen from overheard. The degree to which they've been deformed into ellipses by the angle of view can be calculated by measuring and comparing the ratio of the major and minor axes of these ellipses. This is a perfect and objective method in principle. Putting it to practice, I ran into the difficulty that the larger ellipses, the ones most suitable for precise measurement, are truncated on the left by the end of the photo, and they are blocked on the right by the main body itself. Tracing these partial ellipses and then completing them by eye introduces a subjective element I'd rather have left out, so I welcome any suggestions to further refine the method. What I have settled for in this instance is the range of values I obtained from these tracings, with these falling between a minimum of 19 degrees and a maximum of 31.2 degrees elevation. The lower value came from the smallest ripple, and is therefore more prone to error than the higher values obtained from the larger ones. I'm confident Gray's true angle of elevation falls between these two numbers, but leave it for a real expert in photo analysis to pin the precise measurement down further.
Setting aside the overall significance of Gray's elevation being close to 30 degrees for a few moments, let's finish up with this whole buoyancy issue first. Let's draw in a waterline as a reference point on the Heron-Allen image, and highlight the dorsal outline of the front-most of the two animals. And let's for good measure excise the second animal from the photo altogether (images below). Last of all, let's do something to take into account the fact we are looking downwards at the animal from an elevation of 30 degrees. Unfortunately it's not a hologram, so we can't really rotate the body in 3 dimensional space. But the problem isn't complicated enough to really require that for our purposes here. Mathematically it's similar to rotating the ripples from ellipses into circles to determine the angle of elevation in the first place. What happens when you correct the horizontal perspective for that 30 degrees of elevation? Luckily Paint Shop Pro has a filter for that, and the result is the last of the three images below.
|FRONT ANIMAL OUTLINED (click for larger image)
|REAR ANIMAL REMOVED (click for larger image)
|TILTED BACK 30 DEGREES to approximate profile viewed at water level
What we end with is a considerably flatter profile than what we started with when we had the backs of two side-by-side animals viewed from above. (That we also end up with a profile that correlates astonishingly well with the body plan of a member of the family Cryptobranchidae is something I'll get to in just a few more paragraphs.) The isolated side view of the nearer animal is, to say the least, far from "baloonish" anymore, and there is no longer reason to presuppose there is less of the total body below the waterline than above it! This last image is still only an approximation of the horizontal profile, and contains distortions we can't correct without more work. For example, the head still appears artificially raised above our reference line because it was turning to the left in the original photo, and the simple perspective filter I used cannot correct for that. To get rid of that illusion and do a truly proper job of this, we'd have to hand draw contour reference lines onto the original body (to serve as the missing "3D" data) and then feed it all into proper CGI software. I welcome anyone to give that an attempt and share the results here. The point for now is that any further straightening of the neck and tail, and lowering the head to get everything in line with the long axis, isn't going to make the body thicker than it already appears, but will yield an even thinner profile than what we've already obtained here.
Now there's two more things that address this whole floatation issue, separate from the image in the photo itself, and fortunately they don't require trigonometry and diagrams, only logic:
It, or more precisely they, there being two of them, are in motion. Hugh Gray described the object to be in considerable motion, with much splashing and noticeable thrashing of the tail(s). But he never spoke of forward progress or swimming, nor of horizontal movement. His report tells us the object surfaced, made a considerable commotion in one spot for a few minutes, and then submerged presumably in the same spot it came up. This is totally consistent with the photo itself, which shows no wake. So if this considerable motion is not horizontal, it has to be vertical. For whatever reason these animals bobbed up to the surface where they did, bobbing in one spot is what they were doing.
That means from moment to moment, varying degrees of the bodies were vertically exposed. There's no need to justify how the animals held themselves up at whatever highest point they obtained, because it was a transitory oscillation in the vertical movement, not a pose held for the count of ten while the photographer said "cheese". We have no idea what the mean value of the vertically exposed portion was over time, because we have only one frame. A still photo can capture a very transitory event. A snapshot of a whale breaching doesn't require a belief that whales can fly - and that's a good thing because there are plenty of genuine photos of whales completely in the air. We do not say whales are too buoyant to exist, because we have snapshots of them fully clear of the water. In my third illustration above, there's no reason to presume we have more than 50% of the animal visible above water at all. So what's good for the whale is even better for the giant salamander.
By a wayward path, we now come back to the overall theme of this blog, the Loch Ness Giant Salamander. The question has been raised as to how a purely aquatic, benthic animal could spend time above the surface at Loch Ness at all. When an animal swims on the surface, it meets for more resistance than when swimming below the surface. The laws of hydrodynamics dictate 60% more energy has to be spent by an animal swimming above the surface, and animals as a rule do not waste excessive amounts of their hard-won calories, at least not the ones that succeed evolutionarily.
But in the case of the Gray photo, it does not appear to be a case of surface swimming at all, it's a case of floating in place and thrashing. Whatever this behavior represents, we do not have to explain it in terms of locomotion. Still, the specific gravity of an aquatic animal designed for bottom dwelling would normally require it to burn energy paddling in some way to stay afloat on the surface. Except, however, in one very important case: when the animal has lungs. Once at the surface, inflation of the lungs becomes possible, this lowers the specific gravity of the animal, and floating becomes "cheap" if not completely free. That doesn't aid forward locomotion one bit, but again we don't have forward locomotion to explain in Hugh Gray's photo.
During the course of their evolution, most of the terrestrial amphibians that re-adapted to fully aquatic living have, with few exceptions, retained their lungs. The purely aquatic caecilians, which normally absorb all their oxygen through their skin, retain their lungs throughout life and come up for a breath when they aren't getting enough oxygen by their normal means (but see the recently rediscovered Atretochoana eiselti for a marked exception). All species of aquatic salamanders have and rely on their little-used lungs when their ponds are low. Axolotls also kept their lungs, despite having both gills and epidermal respiration, and when forced to use their lungs to survive during dry conditions will sometimes even morph into terrestrial salamanders. And the largest recognized amphibian of all, the Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus, has retained its lungs and still uses them when needed, although it is fully aquatic and normally doesn't leave the water. For as seldom as they use them, it's a fact all the living members of the family Cryptobranchidae have retained lungs, so a Loch Ness Giant Salamander falling in the same family would be quite likely to have retained them as well. For as young as the Loch is geologically, a population of giant salamanders that arrived even shortly after the glacial melt would not have had enough time yet to lose its lungs through evolution.
If as I believe we have giant salamanders in the Gray Photo, then their buoyancy (if it needed any enhancing to explain the photo) would only require use of their lungs. In fact the animals were apparently being so aerobically active with their splashing, thrashing and tail wiggling, it's possible the need for extra oxygen via their lungs is what brought this behavior up to the surface in the first place. It's where all aquatic amphibians go when they are running out of breath, at least if they want to sustain the activity that was costing them the extra oxygen to begin with.
Between these three things, the corrected profile of the front animal in the photo, the vertical bobbing that had to be part of their motion on the surface, and finally the presumed ability to inflate their lungs once on the surface, I see no room at all to refute the authenticity of the Gray Photo based on flotation or any issues dealing with buoyancy.
As promised I must return to an issue raised earlier. That the true elevation of Hugh Gray's camera at the moment the picture was taken is actually close to 30 degrees (at least 19, but probably closer to 30) raises its own questions.
Gray's estimate that the object he photographed was 100 yards (300 feet) away is clearly impossible if his elevation was 30.9 feet, and the angle derived from the rippled wave measurements in the photograph is as much as 30 degrees above horizontal. One need only dust off the Pythagorean Theorem to work that out.
If the location of the bluff is correct, and the height of the water is correct, and the 30 degree angle is correct, then the object can only be 60 feet from the camera (and that's generously using the hypotenuse, although that is technically the line-of-sight portion of the triangle). And 60 feet is hardly comparable to 100 yards. This picture was taken from considerably closer than the distance for which Hugh Gray was quoted.
If the picture was taken from another location at a higher elevation of say 50 feet (that was the number Ted Holiday gave), then line-of-sight distance to the object comes in at nearly an even 100 feet, but still not 100 yards. Could Gray have misjudged the horizontal distance by a factor of 3? Were his units of measure misquoted in the accounts? Proposing two exceptions as an explanation begins to feel like stretching the truth to fit the data, which is rarely a safe idea.
Now is probably a good time to remember the angle of elevation I derived from the elliptical wave patterns was fuzzy, between a low of 19 degrees and a high of 31.2. That will have to get pinned down at some point. At that lower estimate of 19 degrees, the line-of-sight distance to Gray's object becomes 95 feet (from an elevation of 30.9 feet) or just over 150 feet (if the picture was taken from a hypothetical spot 50 feet up). But this last possibility is stretching things; not impossible, but decidedly less probable.
In any of these number games, we end up with a photo taken from a much closer spot than traditionally believed. Which at least serves one helpful purpose: this accounts for the absence of the far shoreline from the top of the picture, without having to depend on creative cropping or theoretical tampering for explanations. At Foyer's Bay the opposite shore is relatively close, and a photo taken straight across the Loch from an angle as low as 8 degrees or less would almost certainly have had to include that opposite shoreline in the picture, just over the animals' backs. That Gray was aiming downwards, at a steeper angle and at a closer point, solves this part of the problem.
As one can see, there is still more work that needs to be done with the Gray Photo, but as that's not the sole purpose of this blog we shall let that rest for awhile.