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NORWALK, Ohio -- The International Hot Rod Association announced today that the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series will feature a number of enhancements for the 2014 racing season including an exciting 11-race series schedule, the addition of a national points fund, the return of traditional drag racing, a new Fan Zone pit experience and more all to be implemented for the 2014 North American Tour.
Other stops on the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series schedule include the Southwestern Nationals at Southwestern International Raceway in Tucson (March 21-22), Southern Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park (April 25-26), MOPAR Nationals at the Grand Bend Motorplex (June 20-22), Pittsburgh Nationals at Pittsburgh Raceway Park (August 1-2), Northern Nationals at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan (August 8-9) and Summit World Finals at Memphis International Raceway (October 10-11).
All events in 2014 will feature four core classes of competition - Nitro Funny Car, Nitro Harley, Nitro Altered and Jet Dragster, plus additional sportsman classes at each event. The series will also include an expanded Fan Zone pit experience for fans including interactive exhibits, driver Q&A's, racing simulators and the addition of the world famous "Hollywood Cars of the Stars" collection from the Miami Auto Museum that will travel the IHRA circuit throughout the year.
"This is certainly an exciting time to be a part of the International Hot Rod Association. Over the past three years we have seen the series grow like never before and now we have an opportunity to take what we have learned and combine it with traditional formats to form a hybrid series that speaks to all motorsports fans," said Aaron Polburn, President of IHRA Motorsports. "We are so excited combine a great racing product with a pit experience that will be worth the price of admission by itself. The 'Hollywood Cars of Stars' collection, plus the incredible Larsen Motorsports group, will make for an event to itself.
"All of this combined with an expanded schedule, which includes some exciting new stops, makes for one of the most exciting IHRA seasons in some time."
Among the many changes for the 2014 racing season will be a return to a traditional drag racing format featuring qualifying and eliminations for professional classes. The professional classes of Nitro Funny Car and Nitro Harley will feature a championship points fund and all classes will enjoy an increased purse in 2014. The classes will have two qualifying sessions on the first day of competition followed by three rounds of eliminations on the second day.
IHRA will showcase Nitro Funny Car as one of its four premier professional classes in 2014 and will feature a purse of $50,000 per event plus a year-end championship points fund of more than $100,000. The champion will receive $50,000, while the runner-up will receive $25,000. The class will feature an invitation-only, 10-car field with the top eight qualified drivers competing in traditional eliminations.
Also new in 2014, the Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series events will feature a four-car field of Jet Dragsters competing in elimination-style competition for the IHRA jet championship. Each event on the tour will feature the "Fastest Girls in Racing" as the Larsen Motorsports jet team will join the IHRA exclusively for the 2014 season. The four-car team, made up of female racers Elaine Larsen, Marisha Falk, Dawn Perdue and Kat Moller, will showcase themed dragsters and incredible 300 mph jet-powered competition.
Nitro Harley will also be showcased next season with an $18,000 purse per event, plus a championship points fund worth more than $60,000, with $25,000 going to the year-end champion. Nitro Altered will retain its Chicago-style eliminations format in 2014 as these wild machines return to their role as a feature class.
Larsen Motorsports will also be hosting the newly expanded Fan Zone pit experience that will feature driver and fan interaction, activities for fans and one of the most exciting additions ever to the series - the world-famous "Hollywood Cars of the Stars" from the Dezer Collection at the Miami Auto Museum.
At all IHRA events in 2014, the Dezer Collection on Tour will hit the road with the "Hollywood Cars of the Stars" featuring some of the most iconic cars in the world including vehicles from such hit shows and movies as Dukes of Hazzard, Beverly Hillbillies, Grease, Ghostbusters, Harry Potter, The Munsters, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Back to the Future, James Bond, Batman and more. Each event will feature different cars from the collection.
Fans can see all of these famous Hollywood cars during the prerace Fan Zone activities before the start of Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series action each night.
In addition to its professional lineup, IHRA will retain its status as the home for sportsman racing with sportsman racing to be included at every Nitro Jam event in 2014. And to add to the excitement, Summit Racing Equipment recently announced that it would return as sponsor of IHRA's premier sportsman programs including the incredibly popular Summit Tournament of Champions, Summit SuperSeries and Summit Pro-Am Tour.
"We are thrilled to bring a whole new experience to drag racing fans and fans of the International Hot Rod Association in 2014," said Jason Rittenberry, Chief Executive Officer of IRG Sports + Entertainment, the parent company for IHRA. "Our goal is to bring together the best of both worlds, combining exciting drag racing action with an entertainment element that is unmatched in the motorsports industry. By bringing together these classes unique to the IHRA, along with elements such as the 'Hollywood Cars of the Stars', the new Fan Zone experience, the Larsen Motorsports jet team and more, we look to create an event that is unlike any other in drag racing. We are creating a motorsport experience for the entire family."
For more information on the 2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series schedule and lineup, please visit www.ihra.com for complete details.
2014 IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series Schedule March 21-22 Southwestern Nationals Southwestern Int'l Raceway (Tucson, AZ) March 28-29 San Antonio Nationals San Antonio Raceway (San Antonio, TX) April 11-12 Southern Nationals Bradenton Motorsports Park (Bradenton, FL) May 2-3 Palm Beach Nationals Palm Beach Int'l Raceway (Palm Beach, FL) May 16-17 Spring Nationals Rockingham Dragway (Rockingham, NC) June 13-14 Northeast Nationals Maryland Int'l Raceway (Budds Creek, MD) June 20-22 Mopar Nationals Grand Bend Motorplex (Grand Bend, ON) July 4-6 Mopar Rocky Mtn. Nationals Castrol Raceway (Edmonton, AB) August 1-2 Pittsburgh Nationals Pittsburgh Raceway Park (Pittsburgh, PA) August 8-9 Northern Nationals U.S. 131 Motorsports Park (Martin, MI) October 10-11 Summit World Finals Memphis Int'l Raceway (Memphis, TN)


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Shares of J.C. Penney Co. rose in the extended session Wednesday after the retailer posted better-than-expected results and said it sees continued improvements in gross margins.
J.C. Penney JCP, -16.97% rose 14% to $6.80 on very heavy volume after the retailer turned in a smaller-than-expected loss for the quarter. Chief Executive Mike Ullman said on the conference call that 2014 is the year that J.C. Penney completes its turnaround and should end the year with $2 billion in liquidity. Read MarketWatch's blog of Penney's conference call with analysts.
In the after-hours session, J.C. Penney stock was the most-actively traded issue with more than 12 million shares exchanging hands. Shares closed Wednesday's regular session up 5.9% at $5.96. At the close, shares were down 35% year to date.
Shares of Baidu Inc. BIDU, +0.41% surged 7.6% to $186 on heavy volume after the Chinese Internet-search provider posted fourth-quarter earnings of $1.39 a share on revenue of revenue of $1.57 billion. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected $1.36 a share on revenue of $1.54 billion. Baidu also sees revenue of $1.53 billion to $1.57 billion in the first quarter, while analysts expect $1.44 billion.
Tesla Motors Inc. TSLA, +1.83% rose 3% to $260.50 after the electric-car maker said it's looking to build a giant $5 billion battery factory somewhere in the U.S. southwest and is selling $1.6 billion in debt.
Autodesk Inc. ADSK, -1.78% rose 5% to $57.45 on moderate volume after the design-software company topped its estimates for the fourth quarter.
Shares of Pacific Ethanol Inc. PEIX, -3.38% jumped 25% to $11.30 on moderate volume after the low-carbon-renewable-fuel company swung to a fourth-quarter profit of 54 cents a share on revenue of $215.3 million and announced a restarting of its Madera, Calif., plant in the second quarter.
Shares of TiVo Inc. TIVO, -1.36% were unchanged at $12.83 on moderate volume following the company's quarterly results.
More from MarketWatch:
Most view Obamacare unfavorably, but want it kept — and improved
Solar employs higher rate of veterans than other industries

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm a Film Commissioner, Long Island International Film Expo Director, novelist, freelancer, ghost writer, casting director and producer. I don't know what lies ahead, but I'm sure it will be fun! Take my hand; join me on my journey. "With regard to jobs and locations postings; Although I've worked with many of these people/companies before - please be advised that you contact them at your own risk and need to vet them for yourself. Caveat Emptor."
Friday, February 17, 2012
TODAY (FEB 17) IS THE LAST DAY FOR EARLY BIRD SUBMISSIONS TO THE LONG ISLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM EXPO (LIIFE) – YOU CAN STILL ENTER TILL 4/1 – BUT PRICES GO UP STARTING TOMORROW. ENTER ASAP AT www.longislandfilm.com Long Island, foreign, shorts, features, animations, students, documentaries, scriptwriting, trailers, music videos and more!! (Don't forget to take your student and filmmakers connection discount!)
And we have formed some cool associations with Molloy College and Westbury Music Fair (NYCB Theatre at Westbury) – so stay tuned for new/offers and events from there.
The Finishing Fund Grants Applications are now available at www.longislandfilm.com If you've filmed in Nassau County or Suffolk County, and are a Filmmakers Connection Member, you could be eligible for a $500 for $1,000 grant. Applications will be available at the meetings. Cut-off date is March 31, 2012. Good luck!
A tentative Filmmakers Connection Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 pm at Five Towns College, 305 North Service Road, Dix Hills NY room 303. More info tba.
Filmmakers Panel Discussion!!
Last April's panel discussion at Adelphi University was such a success that we have decided to do it again! Our event will take place at Adelphi's Alumni House on Saturday, April 14th, 2012 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm! The details of the panel tba. The date, however, has been locked in, so be sure to mark it on your calendars!
In addition to the Filmmaker panel April at Adelphi University, we will also have a Film Financing panel at Molloy College on Saturday, May 19, 2012. Legal Counsel for the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, Marc Jacobson, will lead the discussion. This is a free event that will cover in detail the complex world of raising money to make your film. More details to follow.
If you're interested in finding out up-to-the-minute information on film jobs that I hear about (both cast and crew) or locations needed for film/tv/commercials, plus other film related information (or my own personal musings), check www.debramarkowitz.blogspot.com You can also sign up for our twitter account below, and I will tweet whenever I have anything film-related of interest. Let's keep the work here!! If you are a filmmaker/casting person who knows of any positions, I can post those for you as well. Please e-mail me details: Union or nonUnion, personnel needed, whether it's a paid position, when, where and what. Thank you.
We're now on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace AND have our own Youtube channel! Come join us at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Long-Island-International-Film-Expo/125921132847, youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/user/LongIslandFilmExpo, myspace at: myspace.com/liifilmexpo and Twitter at: www.twitter.com/liintlfilmexpo.
If you had a film in the Long Island International Film Expo and have received a distribution deal (DVD, theatrical, and/or television), please send us a blurb and a link, and we'll promote it for you on the Long Island International Film Expo facebook site.
If you have a home in Nassau County and would like to list it as a possible location for film/tv/commercial production, please contact email@example.com or call 516 571-3168.
If you have a business, service, or headshot you would like to bring to the attention of the dedicated audience that visits LongIslandFilm.com – consider placing a banner ad. They are quite reasonable. You will have your ad shown in random rotation for an entire year. Small banner ads are $150 – (120 x 60 pixels). Large banner ads are $300 (468 x 60 pixels). If interested, please e-mail your banner ad in the appropriate amount of pixels to email@example.com. Please include the URL you would like your ad to be connected to. You can pay by check to LIFTF, or by PalPay under "The Foundation" and then "Donations." Just let us know when you send in your banner ad.
You can now pay for your membership to the Filmmakers Connection through PayPal on the www.LongIslandFilm.com website. Please be sure to include your name, address, phone #, e-mail address, which area of the film industry you are involved in (ex. Writer/director/producer) and whether or not you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. Cost is $30 per year fee. If you are a student with current ID, it is $15 to join.)
If you would like to become a member (or renew your membership) of the Filmmakers Connection, please send $30, made out to the LIFTF to the Long Island Film/TV Foundation, c/o Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Avenue, Side Entrance, Bellmore, NY 11710. You may also pay at the meetings. The $30 membership fee entitles you to attend the Filmmakers Connection meetings for free. It also entitles you to discounts on Foundation functions such as the Long Island International Film Expo, the Awards Ceremony party, all mailings and newsletters, and (if all other criteria is met) a chance at winning the $1,000/$500 Finishing Fund Grant. (When you send in your $30, please be sure to include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address and how you are involved with the film industry, i.e. director, producer, voice overs, etc.) and whether you are already getting this newsletter by e-mail. If you are a student with appropriate college/high school ID, the cost is $15 to join for the year. If you do not join, you can still attend meetings for free.
Please be advised that the Foundation/Film Commissions/Film Offices are not responsible for speaker cancellations. Every effort will be taken to insure a speaker's availability on the date mentioned. In case of a cancellation, every effort will be made to book an alternate speaker.
For information on the Long Island Film/TV Foundation contact Robert Hansen at 516 707-2237. For information about the Long Island International Film Expo, please contact Debra Markowitz at 516 571-3168.
Phone:__________________ Fax:__________________ E-Mail:_______________
Talent (optional: producer, writer, director, lighting, sound, acting,
Make-up, music, computers, etc) ___________________________________________________________________
How did you hear about these meetings:_______________________________
Are you already receiving this newsletter by e-mail?_____________________
Monday, February 13, 2012
Locations for Feature Film!!
For feature film, Bitter Pill, a Steven Soderberg film, they're looking for a home on the water to simulate Greenwich, CT, but they want to stay in Nassau County. They also may have to hover a helicopter at the home. This film stars Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Channing Tateum and Catherine Zeta-Jones. They have a "decent" budget, but not a huge budget. Village fees will have to be taken into account. They also have 60 person cast and crew as opposed to a usual 150 +, so it's more manageable.
I've attached a representative photo.
They are looking for one day of exterior filming between April 10 and the end of May. They may need to be able to hover a helicopter, which would ideally base nearby, and bring in only for the shots, perhaps for a total of about 4 hours throughout the day.
Please let me know if your area has this and would welcome this, based on the aesthetic and the helicopter requirement.
Also, they want the house to be ON the water. Their producer specifically asked about Oyster Bay. How about your area? Please send suggestions to email@example.com and reference Bitter Pill.
Thank you.
Locations Needed for Film/TV Production
Locations Needed for Film/TV Production
Hello all, (These must be in Nassau County)
I am looking for the following locations:
1) For television pilot, The Carrie Diaries, they're looking for a barn. I recommended Old Bethpage Village Restoration, but do you have any other suggestions? If so, please reference The Carrie Diaries and e-mail to email@example.com
Thank you for your attention.
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|2010-04-08, 12:57
|Link #13581
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Maybe they needed a powerful female vampire in order to do this with an ability only she and maybe Moka had. So they sent Akuha to capture both of them but while Akasha got captured she sealed Moka's powers so that she would be useless to Fairy Tale.
As for the Rosario, it could be used to seal her powers to keep her away since they couldn't undo the seal themselves and Akasha created a seperate personality in it similar to her own, this could be what Touho Fuuhai saw in the Rosario that they hadn't talked about since it was a last second addition, so that would teach the proud inner Moka more compassion to make her unwilling to go for the ideals of Fairy Tail.
|2010-04-08, 13:00
|Link #13582
Chicken or Beef?
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Seattle
Age: 37
Daddy Starbucks sure is a busy man,
I wanna see Tsukune take that path of multiple wives
|2010-04-08, 13:02
|Link #13583
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 33
Daddy Starbucks is big pimping. Him and Tsukune seem to have a lot in common.
|2010-04-08, 13:06
|Link #13584
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Poland
Age: 33
About Inner Moka learning compassion I think that sealing her and sending her into a human school hadn't actually taught Inner Moka. It's more like her meeting Tsukune has caused her to change her viewpoint's on certain things, but she isn't yet ready to admit that. At the very least I think it wasn't exactly what Moka's mother had in mind.
|2010-04-08, 13:21
|Link #13586
#1 Akashiya Moka Fan
Damn, I KNEW the dark stuff was around the corner after those chapters... and this is pretty heavy stuff. The plot's kicking in full time... but the only disappointing thing is that it's similar to S1 (with wanting to take down the barrier and start the war between humans and youkai). But, at least Fairy Tale is ar more of a threat than Antithesis was
and now that we've gotten the plot-intense stuff, in a few more chapters I want to see some serious asskicking, preferably by Vamp Tsukune...
|2010-04-08, 13:26
|Link #13587
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
|2010-04-08, 13:32
|Link #13588
Itadaki-nyaaa !!
Join Date: Apr 2008
"The mother... looks exactly like when Moka is sealed..." ... c'mon this has to mean something if even Tsukune and Mizore comment on it right? The actual surprise here is that she doesn't look inner Moka, the original Moka.
With this broad hint you'd have to be blind not to see there's a part of the mother in the rosario that to some point also manifests in outer Moka's appearance.
...but I'm sure people who wouldn't like this development, for whatever reason, will argue this in full denial mode as well
I don't see this as mere speculation anymore with #29 translation, nail me down on this one ... and when time comes throw this post into my face if by chance I'm wrong after all
|2010-04-08, 13:34
|Link #13589
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 33
And I think there is more to Fairy Tale than just breaking the barriers. At least, I hope there is. There is also a chance that Antithesis was a mock of their plan on a small scale.
|2010-04-08, 13:46
|Link #13590
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Poland
Age: 33
I mean it was said, about Moka's mother and Moka, that ... though you're Aura's are different, you've grown to be exactly like her ... exactly like you're mother Akasha.
It was also said that the Rosario acts like a filter that is embedded into Moka's soul and limits her personality and abilities, which suggests that Outer Moka is a part of Moka's own personality.
So far there hasn't been anything mentioned about the Rosario being able to seal another person's soul inside it, so we don't know if it has such ability to begin with.
|2010-04-08, 13:54
|Link #13591
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Finally saw the translations and... DAMN! I want another chapter!
Finally the good stuff is coming! I really want to see what had happened between Moka and Akuha! Definitely nothing good if both Kokoa and Kahlua are worried about their meeting. Akuha must be one scary person... Kokoa had freaked out even more than when she met Akuha.
And also a nice twist with Rosario... Rosario which was supposed to seal powers in reality
had sealed Moka's memories. Want to know what is the connection between Outers Moka's appearance and mother.
Wonder if Moka will remember it when they'll come back. Also wonder how Tsukune will act... and I find it interesting that out of all only Mizore got dragged as well. Wonder if it was simply for fans satisfaction or author plans to give her some role in this whole mess with Moka.
Anyway I really don't know how am I supposed to wait a whole month for next chapter T_T
P.S. And I pray that what Moka said right before Rosario dragged them doesn't mean that she will dissapear at some point and only outer Moka will be left.
|2010-04-08, 13:56
|Link #13592
Chicken or Beef?
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Seattle
Age: 37
The reason why I'm ruling out Outer Moka being Moka's mom is because it'll end up being extremely messy and bizarre. It'll end up having a mother in the Harem, on top of which Moka's mom. I don't even want to think about it.
Her mom having some sort of influence? yes I'm starting to believe theres some kind of connection. But I'll withhold any speculation until next month >.<
|2010-04-08, 13:59
|Link #13593
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
but still it would be funny... if it turned out that mokas mother was Tsukunes neighbour all the time... or at least till tsukune was going into high school :P (mokas mom in disguise offcourse)
well she could have made a deal with that yukai school principal... to make it Tsukune enroll into there so he can meet her daughter Moka.... I mean tsukune is the only one that can unseal moka ^^ it would be funny if mokas mom as tsukunes neighbour gave him that ability (without him notice)... so he could be the key...
since its still strange.... why the principal even bothered to go around the human world just like that....and in the process loseing suddenly 1enroll papers just like that....... if he was going around giving monster students that leave in human world... the enrol documents.... he could have just send someone to deliver them... yet he went all alone there (1 of the great demon lords...)
well we have to wait and see what happened to mokas mother... was it that she learned that the Shuzen family decided to make a war with humans (in order to kill all of them).... and by looking on her persoinality she is rather not from this nature..... she mostly prefered the cooexisting method...... but than by the new child arrivial... she could have been annoucend that the Shuzen family will join the war....... she disagreed.... maybe she got a death sentence given that all that opose the will of the family head about this will be killed/banished....
simply maybe the sister Aqua/Akuha gave the orders of the war... mokas mom did not agree for this... sealed her daughter memories and personality... that she should forget what the head house ordered... and simply found her own happiness and peacefull life.... than she run away to human world or to meet the principal... in order ot bring her daughter there and protect her....
personaly I dont want to see Mokas mom ending up only as a breading slave... that gets raped by other monsters in order to create a strong army for their use against humans... and its happens over and over again child after child..... its the most cruel thing... and I guess moka and tsukune would go berserk and killed a LOT of people.....(this idea comes from the fact that Akuha, Kahlua and the shuzen family is working with FT... and the ice village arc. where mizore was closed to beign raped... sicne they are looking for strong woman's...)
but hmmmm... after looking on page 19... it might be possible that Moka and Akuha fought in past... really bloodly fighting.... mokas mom could have proitected moka... or tried to stop their fight and ended between them... and in this process she ended up killed.... (this could have happened after burinig photos and diaties... like after getting the order to work with fairy tale).... that's why it might be a big trauma for moka if they meet again.... the memories will return and moka will go berserk and start killing her own family...
hmm what if the dieing mother before she died... transfered her memories... or personality... her soul into that rosario seal.... that's why the sealed state manifests as her image :P:P
|2010-04-08, 14:07
|Link #13594
Beef Fried Rice
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Chicago
While it's true that the Rosary seals other things as well, it seems like it's just memories at this point.
If you ask me, I think having Omote = Akasha would make it sound like an ero-manga plot. You have a harem and one of the girls happens to be herself but she's also her mom which are both in love with you. I think Ikeda-sensei is a much better mangaka than that
I'm willing to bet my left nut that Omote =/= Akasha-san
On another note, the name Akasha Bloodriver is one hell of an awesome name! A proper vampire name!
Last edited by FriedRice84; 2010-04-08 at 14:23.
|2010-04-08, 14:33
|Link #13595
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 33
Outer Moka looks like her mother because...SHE IS HER DAUGHTER. The rosary filters stuff, right? So let's say it filtered out the genetic appearance of Moka so as that she looks more like her mother than her father. I don't think there is a complex reason like her mother being in there or anything.
|2010-04-08, 14:34
|Link #13596
#1 Akashiya Moka Fan
It seems I have to keep reminding people of one little fact- the ANIME ONLY had the exorcist dropping off the paper and Tsukune's dad picking it up. In the manga, until further evidence proves it wrong, it was just some random monk trying to get rid of the fliers (its implied that the fliers were around the neighbor and the monk was trying to get rid of them, and one blew away...) I'm of the personal opinion that when bus driver and exorcist learned that a human enrolled, and further learned that he'd become friends with the vampire of the school (and was able to fully unlock her) that they decided to take advantage of him.
|2010-04-08, 14:39
|Link #13597
Chicken or Beef?
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Seattle
Age: 37
Now what really got me curious is where did Moka get Akashiya from? Since her mom's last name is Bloodriver and the fathers name is Shuzen.
And since Karua stated that the family is supporting Fairy Tale that must mean Daddy Starbucks is probably one of the main bad guys. Tsukune vs Daddy Starbucks is inevitable!!!
|2010-04-08, 14:43
|Link #13598
#1 Akashiya Moka Fan
He's gotta get past Miyabi first is the problem... there's no way in hell Miyabi isn't one of the top players of FT
and Tsukune vs. Daddy Starbucks... that's taking the "getting the father's approval to date the daughter" to a whole new level!
|2010-04-08, 14:47
|Link #13600
#1 Akashiya Moka Fan
... the first match-up already happened back in S1, and I really don't see a rematch of it happening
and let's not forget, Moka vs her two older sisters (not at the same time though... not even she can handle that... yet somehow I can almost see Tsukune and Moka pairing up for either the oldest sister or Daddy Starbucks)
|action, comedy, ecchi, harem, monogamy, romance, shounen, supernatural, tsumoka romance, vampire
|Thread Tools


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I'm wondering would I still a have a shot at attend a t1 or t2 law school given my age and background.
It seems that cost is the issue and may people I've talked to have pushed the issue of $$$$ over quality of education. $$$ isn't an issue with me when it comes to my education.
I want the best education, one that will prepare me for the challanges to help other people, not as a will writer, or a DA or public pretender somewhere pleading every single case they come across because they lack 1. the balls and 2.the courage to fight for what is right.


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Arsenal will face competition from other European sides for the signature of Brazilian starlet Casemiro.
The talented midfielder has been interesting Arsene Wenger but Galatasaray and Fiorentina are also interested in recruiting him, according to talkSPORT.
Casemiro currently plies his trade with Sao Paulo but his performances there and for the Brazil national team have reportedly attracted interest out of Emirates Stadium.
The acquisition of Casemiro would fit the bill as typical Gunners signing with him being only 19 years old, although the mooted £15million price tag would possibly ward off the interest of Arsenal.
2011 was a good year for Casemiro as it saw him make his first appearance for Brazil's senior side and being a part of the Brazil side that was victorious in the South American Youth Championship.
Wenger may be forced to add to his midfield options in the summer as Tomas Rosicky's contract is set to expire, while there are doubts over the long term fitness of French midfielder Abou Diaby.


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The Terrebonne Parish Economic Development Authority and members of the Retail/Commercial Task Force will travel to Lafayette Tuesday in plans of recruiting new businesses for Terrebonne Parish.
Lafayette Retail Recruitment Trip
The Terrebonne Parish Economic Development Authority and members of the Retail/Commercial Task Force will travel to Lafayette Tuesday in plans of recruiting new businesses for Terrebonne Parish.
The primary purpose of this outing is to highlight Houma's market potential to a range of businesses not located here. We are interested in complementing the retail base that we have opposed to recruiting additional direct competition. Anytime we can expand our retail base in a positive way, it is good for our economy.
We plan to tackle numerous retail shops and restaurants in Lafayette's River Ranch by promoting Terrebonne Parish as an option for expanding businesses.
TEDA held our first banquet
TEDA held our first banquet on Oct. 23 at the Courtyard by Marriott in Houma.
The event celebrated the recent economic development achievements in Terrebonne Parish while focusing on future goals and successes. More than 200 local business owners and community leaders attended the event. The banquet included several business recognitions and an outstanding celebrity speaker.
Jim Henderson, a13-time winner of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Associations' Sportscaster of the Year Award, was the keynote speaker for the evening.
Henderson, known for being the "Voice of the New Orleans Saints," works for Fox 8. He provides his unique commentaries every week during the Saints' football season.
The theme of the banquet was "An Evening of Team Spirit." We recognized our many allies and our Mini Grant recipients as well as those who have helped TEDA complete a remarkable year.
Special thanks to our Platinum Sponsor Synergy Bank and our Gold Sponsors: BP America Inc., Buquet Distributing Co. Inc., Business First Bank, Classic Business Products Inc., Coastal Commerce Bank, Community Bank, Malbrough & Wright, APLC, Martin & Pellegrin, CPAs, New Generation Shipbuilding, Technology Professionals, RIG-CHEM and the Terrebonne Port Commission.
TEDA Cash Mob
TEDA held our first Terrebonne Parish Cash Mob at JuJu's Boutique in downtown Houma from 5-6 p.m. on Oct. 17.
It was the first of a series of small businesses that TEDA plans to "mob" throughout the program. The entire community is encouraged to come out and support local establishments in Terrebonne Parish.
The cash mob project started last year as a socially conscious spin-off of the flash mob. Flash mobs gather hundreds of people together for "spontaneous" rehearsed performances. Cash mobs use social media sites to gather a community in support of small local businesses.
Mobbers agree to spend $20 at the designated site and time to create a mini economic stimulus for the local businesses. The goal is not only to help these businesses boost sales for the day but also to unite a community in support of the benefits of shopping local.
"Mob-worthy" businesses include those minority or family owned, financially struggling or businesses that routinely give back to the community.
Our next location will be at 5-7 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Victoria's Indigo Boutique. Meet us at Rotolo's Pizzeria on St. Charles Street to walk together to support local spending!
Steve Vassallo is CEO of the Terrebonne Economic Development Authority.


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I'm ready for some Daytona baby. Hit a few matchups and a couple longshots just for a little action. I think its Smoke's race to lose but I'll be rooting the 88 to victory lane.This is an absolute crapshoot and I refuse to get into a deep hole to start this season. Lol...
To Win:
SMITH +10000 Risk $10
SADLER +6600 Risk $10
AJ +3400 Risk $10
DENNY -115 over BRAD Risk$115
BURTON -105 over MATT Risk $105
JR-115 over KAHNE Risk $230
Bol Fellas
Doppler Clepto was dead on with his possible rain prediction early this week...70% chance is not good.
GL buddy
Good luck Tree. Silently tailed alot of yours and Big East's college football plays this season.
GL Buddy! Glad the two car tandem is done, now back to pack racing! I have a couple of longshots, Truex and Stenhouse both 40-1, along with Stewart and Jr to win!
Dang it boys!!!
We runnin this race today DAMMIT!
Originally Posted by madshooter72: no fantasy league for you this yr tree?
Na bud. I didn't even play it last year. I can't figure out how it works and don't understand it.


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Quote:Below is a pretty decent website providing nutrient information for just about any food you can get (within reason!) I wouldn't take it as the be all and end all, but it is a solid rough guide:http://www.nutritiondata.com/
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As an English major he learned to think critically and independently - a trait that would serve him well in his business leadership.
On the advice of a college coach, Eric Belcher '91 (English) applied to the previously unseen and unheard-of Bucknell University. In a subsequent visit with his dad, he "walked on campus and fell in love." What began as a complete unknown would help lay the foundation for his future soaring business success.
Influenced his freshman year by English professors John Wheatcroft '49 and John Murphy, Belcher became an English literature major. "I enjoyed the work," he says, "reading the great books, talking - I got caught up in it." His major led to copious amounts of time spent in what he calls "the most beautiful building on campus" - Bucknell Hall, which houses the Stadler Center for Poetry. That and his Sigma Chi fraternity house became his mainstays, housing his deepest and fondest Bucknell memories. "I bounced between the two worlds, and it felt natural." Belcher recalls his "well-worn path" between the two places. These combined worlds made for a socially active and intellectually fulfilling undergraduate experience.
While confessing that he hadn't quite thought out what he would do with his major after he graduated, Belcher says that as an English major he learned to think critically and independently - a trait that would serve him well in his business leadership.
Following an MBA at the University of Chicago, he worked at a few jobs, but found himself wanting more: more risks, more challenges, more excitement. And he found it at InnerWorkings, a global print management company that he joined as a startup. As president and CEO he took the company public and led the whirlwind growth to expand its global footprint from four countries to 44 within a year. InnerWorkings posed an intriguing challenge: Could he use a disruptive, new business model to "re-draw the landscape of an archaic industry and bring it into the information age?"
In an increasingly digital world where social media are booming, Belcher took on this challenge within the print industry. As he continues to blaze that independent path from Bucknell, he is conquering that challenge.
Posted March 2013


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Systems Made Simple Part 3: Isolation in Solar Inverters
Engineer It: Demystifying creepage and clearance for isolation
What is an isolated gate driver?
Using Isolated Gate Drivers for IGBT, Mosfets and SiC applications
Isolation Basics: An Introduction to Standards and Terminology
Isolated Power Supplies for PLC IO Modules
Next generation digital isolation
Know Your Gate Driver: Drive Current
Know Your Gate Driver: Delay Matching
Know Your Gate Driver: VDD
Know Your Gate Driver: Datasheet Science
Know Your Gate Driver
We live in a world where design engineers are on a seemingly constant pursuit for higher efficiency. Everyone wants to do more with less power. Higher system efficiency is a team effort that includes (but is not limited to) better-performing gate drivers, controllers and new wide-bandgap technologies. In this multi-part video series, we will focus on the gate drivers and how choosing the right driver can help your whole system design. You will learn about important gate driver specs, why they're important, and how they can influence the systems around them.
Anti-tamper Techniques to Thwart Attacks on Smart Meters— Hardening a meter against magnetic tamper attacks: Transformer Based High-Side Power Supplies
Anti-tamper Techniques to Thwart Attacks on Smart Meters
Non-technical losses ("theft") account for billions of dollars of revenue loss for utility providers around the world as individuals are able to hack meters to slow or stop the accumulation of energy usage statistics. This loss has driven increased requirements for enhancing the protection designed into new smart meters. This training session will discuss different methods of attacking smart meters and how TI's analog portfolio can be used to detect or even prevent these attacks. In one scenario magnets are used to saturate any transformers present in the system.
How to design multi-kW DC/DC converters for electric vehicles (EVs) - Introduction to battery charging
Power Switching Device Cannot Drive Themselves - Mastering the Art of High Voltage Gate Driver Design in UPS, Telecom, and Servers
Gate Driver Applications and System Architecture
Introducing Popular Power Semiconductors
Low Side and H-Bridge Gate Driver Fundamentals
Gate Driver Select Considerations and Key Specs


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Jordan Hotels
Number of hotels in this location - 0
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Jordan is a treasure trove of amazing historic sights, dramatic mountainous scenery and an interesting collection of charming cities. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, experience fantastic diving in the Red Sea, visit the infamous Treasury (al Khazneh) at Petra or simply relax and pamper yourself in the mineral enriched Dead Sea. The King Hussein Mosque in Amman should not be missed.
Choose Hotels by Availability
Hotels in Jordan
Jordan's capital Amman is a modern city steeped in a history dating back to the Stone Age. Surrounded by hilly landscape, Amman is situated between the Jordan Valley and the open desert. Shop in the downtown Souks for exquisite jewellery or sample an array of delicious flavours in the many traditional restaurants. The stunning King Hussein Mosque is a must see!
Aqaba Hotels
Aqaba is described as being Jordan's 'window to the Red Sea'. Often know by the name Eilat, Aqaba is an exciting new city for travellers to discover. The Lost City of Petra lies just a short drive away with plenty of day trips available, plus you can look forward to some of the most delicious local cuisines in the whole of the Middle East.
Please note that information contained in these location guides was correct at the time of research, but may be liable to change. Any mentioned attractions/points of interest can change or close. Maps are a guide only. If you do find any inaccuracies or know of something you feel deserves inclusion in our guides, please email your comments to email@example.com.


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On the look out for more...
Our more...
Supreme Pent Shed 10x6 (3.04mx1.82m)
The Supreme Pent shed provides an upgrade over our Popular range, with several handy additional features to give you a high specification garden building which will last for years to come.
A thicker 50 x 38mm framing with additional diagonal bracing further strengthen the building, and an increased eaves height on the pent roof provides additional head room inside. The door has also been widened to provide a 3ft opening, and reinforced with extra framing. Small details such as a door head drip and an antique door handle help to complete this impressive wooden shed, and an extensive range of customisation options allows you to tailor it to your needs.
The price for this quality wooden shed includes free delivery and installation in the Midlands area. We can deliver to other areas. See map below for more information
Not quite the right size?
We can also alter, change or redesign a shed to suit your specific requirements. Just ask our friendly staff for more information on 01604 780 350


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LEICESTER — In front of a group of his peers on Tuesday morning, third-grader Noah Witt's hair was standing on end.
This wasn't just some kind of pre-Halloween trick. Standing in the National Science Center Mobile Discovery Unit — an 18-wheeler — Witt was feeling the effects of static electricity being pumped through his body by a Van de Graaf generator.
Students from Leicester Central School, Whiting Elementary School and Sudbury Country School gathered in Leicester on Tuesday to spend an hour inside the semi-trailer truck equipped with a full array of science gadgets.


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I started by looking up pictures of R2D2, and quickly realized to do it correctly it really needed a custom stand. This is what I started with.
The frame is wood and cardboard with a PVC pipe running up the middle. The PVC is mainly structural support so the cake doesn't slide off the stand, but the choice for this size PVC wasn't completely random either
My wife was nice enough to bake six 9" round chocolate cakes for me. These were of the standard Pillsbury (or similar) variety.
Next came alternating layers of cake and butter-cream icing. The recipe for butter-cream is simple. I do it from memory, but I used something like the one found here with just butter and no shortening. http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Buttercream-Icing
This whole thing was topped with a cardboard ring to provide a crisp edge at the top. The outside was then frosted with a modestly thick layer to make a cylindrical shape.
The whole thing is covered with fondant. I make a marshmallow fondant myself to save time and money. http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Rolled-Marshmallow-Fondant
To make to top dome I added CMC powder to the marshmallow fondant. This turns the fondant into gum paste, and turns the fondant hard after it dries. This was then molded into the inside of a 9" semi-spherical bowl that was coated in vegetable spray and powdered sugar.
Rice crispy treats were used for the legs. I didn't document this beforehand but here is a posthumous picture of the leg from the inside.
This was all assembled and decorated with fondant and black decorative icing.
This gets me to the part that made this more than just a cake. the weekend before I was discussing the initial planning phase of this with some friends, and I joked that any R2D2 worth it's salt should be able to project Princess Leia. This quickly escalated into a review of the parts I had laying around and some test electronics. First I needed the video to project, which I found unsurprisingly on youtube.
Next I pulled out my raspberry pi and pico projector, but quickly abandoned the raspberry pi as it was having trouble playing the video. I landed on a netbook on the outside running VGA to the projector in the cake. The PVC selected allowed all the cables to fit up and through the cake to the outside. The setup looked like this.
For the finish touches I added a birthday message to the end of the Leia Message, and topped the cake with R2D2's head.
And a video showing the whole thing in action.


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ZaZa: Fantastic Neapolitan-Style Pizza in Scarsdale, New York
Pizza reviews in NYC.
753 Central Park Ave. Scarsdale, NY 10583 (map);
914-472-4005; zazasrestaurant.com
Pizza style: Neapolitan–style with a slight NY twist
Oven type: Wood-fired
The skinny: First-class pizza made with quality ingredients
Notes: The Margherita is a standout
Price: $16-$19 for each 12-inch pizza
In December, USA Today put out a list of 51 great pizzerias: one for each state and Washington, DC. Did you happen to notice which spot was chosen as New York's representative to this pizza Senate? Was it Totonno's? Motorino? Di Fara?
Nope, it wasn't one of those. The New York pick was ZaZa.
When I heard, I was shocked that they'd picked a Scarsdale pizzeria that's located on a strip of strip malls with a Men's Wearhouse next door. I was prepared to hate the place. But now I must say that USA Today chose an amazing restaurant, one that truly should be considered among the stars of New York pizza.
My conversion experience happened two bites into a slice of Zaza's Margherita. The first bite impressed me. The crust was crisp—perhaps a little pale, but dotted with black blisters. The sauce was straightforward and balanced, with that nice bit of natural sweetness from the tomatoes. On the second bite I got a good amount of cheese. Creamy. Tangy. Even though it's not advertised on the menu, the cheese on these pies is buffalo mozzarella. The sauce is made from San Marzano tomatoes, the dough is made from 00 flour, and the wood-fired oven that dominates the restaurant's dining room was built in Naples.
ZaZa's pies are a bit thinner than you might find at Motorino. They lack the open bread-like hole structure and feature a much thinner, slightly crisper crust. It isn't crackery or flaky, but remains pliable. Zaza's has managed to find a sweet spot between poofy Neapolitan and thin New York-style pies.
The pizzas were also far less soupy in the center than the usual Neapolitan-style (there's a slight bit of "dip tip," but not too much). The upshot of these two tweaks to the Neapolitan formula is that this is not fork-and-knife pizza. You can pick slices up, fold them and eat them without issue. Is it authentic? I'm not sure I care.
The crusts on the pies I sampled were all delicious. According to the owners, the oven gets up to a thousand degrees, so the pizzaiolo makes only two pies at a time, turning them once, and pulling them out after only two minutes.
A pizza topped with arugula, tomatoes, and prosciutto and drizzled with truffle oil was a lovely contrast of crisp, hot crust and cool, fresh greens.
The white pizza with artichokes, olives and ham was extremely rich and punctuated with nice hits of tanginess and bitterness from the olives and artichokes.
But the standouts were simpler pies that featured the cheese and excellent sauce. We had one topped with thinly-sliced salami that confirmed that salami is a far, far better pizza topping than pepperoni. The salami verged on delicate, giving the pizza a little extra meaty chew and tang without any serious spice. It balanced, rather than overpowering the pie. My only complaint: the pies are small, Neapolitan style, so you need to order one per person, and, being fancy-style, they're pricey.
Still, I can't stop thinking about the Margherita.
Getting back to that second bite: the richness and saltiness of the cheese, the bright acidity and sweetness of the sauce, and the pop of fresh basil play off the barely charred crust. It was one of those rare moments eating pizza when those few, seemingly simple elements—crust, sauce and cheese—hit exactly right. And then I got to take bite number three and do it all over again.
This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Serious Eats. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.


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Marissa Alexander has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. Marissa is the victim here. Her husband beat her while she was pregnant. After yet another beating, Alexander fired a warning shot which traveled through a wall and into the ceiling. That shot saved her life. Prosecutor Angela Corey did not take into account that Marissa Alexander: Had a court injunction against her crazed husband,Had Given Birth 9 Days Earlier,Was trained to use a weapon and earned a concealed weapons permit.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Martin King III March and Rally for Marissa Alexander
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Battle of Fornost
The Battle of Fornost was the battle that defeated Angmar.
The Battle of Fornost was fought in the year 1975 of the Third Age by an army under Eärnur, Crown-Prince of Gondor against Angmar.
While the battle was a success in that Angmar was defeated, it came too late for Gondor's sister-realm Arnor: the last remaining part of Arnor, Arthedain had been conquered a year prior in 1974, and the last King of Arnor Arvedui had drowned in the Ice-Bay of Forochel.
The battle was named for Fornost the old capital of Arthedain, and was fought in the plains before the city. With Gondor came Men from Rhovanion, Elves from Lindon, and the remainder of the Dúnedain of Arnor (among them Aranarth the Crown-Prince of Arthedain), and, according to the Hobbits, a company of archers from the Shire.
Angmar rode west to meet the assault, and seeing this, the cavalry of Gondor under Eärnur rode north into the Hills of Evendim to wait in ambush. As the main army of Gondor met the enemy and the battle began, the cavalry of Gondor attacked Angmar in the rear. Realizing that his forces were destroyed completely, the Witch-king of Angmar fled away east. Eärnur rode after him, but his horse shied away. Then Glorfindel attacked, and the Witch-king fled east to escape Glorfindel's wrath, disappearing from the north.
Thus the north was freed from the evil of Angmar, but Arnor was no more: those that remained of its people became the Rangers of the North.


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Arsenal target Andy Polo admits he wants to move to a club where he will play first-team football reports talkSPORT.
The 17-year-old Peruvian starlet, who currently plies his trade for Universitario de Deportes is widely regarded as a star of the future, and has attracted interest from Spain and England.
European giants Real Madrid remain the favourites for Polo's signature, after the player expressed his desire to test himself in La Liga over the Barclays Premier League.
However, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is hoping to convince him that his future would be better served in north London, and will use his record of nurturing promising young talent at the Emirates Stadium as the main bargaining tool to engineer a deal.
"Spain seems to me a great League," Polo told Peruvian newspaper Libero. "Real Madrid is a possibility but I know I should take it step by step.
"But I have to be realistic and join a team that can give me a chance to show my football."
Wenger is famed for his youth development programme, which saw the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Theo Walcott, and most recently Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain chose Arsenal over other clubs because of the opportunity to learn under the Frenchman.
"I'm very happy because I think I will be sold to a European team," added Polo. "But I am waiting for confirmation from my agent."


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So much of what we see is subject to change and if given enough time, it will. However, what you see in your mind is more real than what you perceive with your five senses. There is nothing created by people that did not first start in someone's mind as an idea or vision. Moving from recognizing what is in you to carrying it out requires having a vision. Your Destiny has to be clear in your mind if you are to fulfill it. If you cannot see where you want to go in life then it will be impossible to get there. You must have a vision of Destiny. Moreover, you have to make sure you picked the right vision. If you pick the wrong vision then you will pay a heavy price to accomplish that vision, versus the right one. You do not want to spend your life doing something that is not in line with your Destiny. Chances are you are already doing that.
Having a vision is crucial for a successful life. It gives your life direction and focus. It also reveals what it will take (cost) to get there. Having a vision will guide, guard and govern your life when you embrace it. Even those who fall on "hard times" will need a vision in order to move from despair to Destiny. This is why every parent should instill in their children an understanding of Destiny and purpose for their life. Moreover, a parent's job is not finished until their child or children are mature enough to make intelligent and positive decisions, while accepting full responsibility when they do not. This does not come automatically when they turn 18. Part of my success today is due to what my parents taught me as a child.
Some believe that the answer for helping young people stay out of trouble is to create more programs. When I was growing up, we did not have recreation centers or programs to occupy our time. We used our imagination and the guidance of our parents to occupy our time. Young people do not need more programs to occupy their time. They simply need more vision. Unfortunately, most of us were not encouraged to follow our dreams or passions as children. Instead, we were told to get a job.
In addition, society has taught us to pursue money when we really should pursue our Destiny. Everything you need to succeed is already in you. It is like my daughter, who cannot read or write yet. However, the ability to do so is already in her. This is why she goes to school to learn and to bring out her natural abilities. Her mind is made to receive information and to comprehend (process) that information – enabling her to grow in her abilities. With time, she will not only learn how to read and write, but will master it.
In this natural process of learning, she will discover her own uniqueness. Throughout the years, her teachers and her mother and I will celebrate and encourage her to be her best. This is what our young people need today. They need adults in their lives who believe in them, adults who will take time to encourage and help them discover their true potential – Destiny. This is the key to their success and the future of the world. Unfortunately, the world classifies people based upon one of the following categories:
The Poor are typically those with or without a job and are barely making it financially. They work hard but have very little to show for their efforts. Life for them is a daily struggle with no end in sight.
The Middle Class are typically those with a career (professionals) and are doing okay financially. They are able to pay all their bills and live comfortably with a little money left over to save or take a vacation, every two years or so.
The Rich are typically those with a dream that employ the poor and middle class to fulfill that dream. They are doing very well financially with more than enough to meet their financial and material needs and the lives of those around them.
Which of these categories have you allowed society to label you?
To Purchase autographed copies of this book (For Adults Only: Keys to Unlocking Your Destiny), just Click Here.
Tags: adults, can you hear it, destiny, destiny is calling you, for adults, for adults only, how do i, how do i fulfill my destiny, how do i fulfill my purpose, james, James A. Jimason, james jimason, jamesa, jamesajimason, keys to destiny llc, vision, where do i find my


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darkstone wrote:Elvalia wrote:I watched Inuyasha until they stopped making it. I loved it, but now that I've watched more anime (that was my first), I realise that it had an awful lot of filler episodes. It got really repetitive, too, I thought. Although maybe if I tried the manga, I'd still love it.
Repetitive! they were after the same bad guy throughout the animes entire lifespan, that's not repetitive that's stupidity.
It's not repetitive. It's consistent. Or at least, it would have been if they'd actually been after that one guy the whole time. It would've been great if they'd actually ended it by killing him.
I didn't like that they brought in random bad guys that had nothing to do with anything. A whole season of Shichi'nintai? Why? Those guys had nothing to do with Naraku.
No, I was suggesting repetitive sequences of events. Kagome gets kidnapped, Inuyasha goes to save her, Inuyasha gets hurt, and we get to put up with Kagome's annoying little voice yelling out "Inuyasha!" more times than I could count, then Kagome would try to save Inuyasha and we'd hear "Kagome!" repeatedly, and then they'd be saved, and then this would be repeated a few episodes later.


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Goodbye, Deadwood
When I arrived in 1976, Deadwood, S.D., was 100 years old and still a living gold camp. I was 22, married and fresh out of suburban Minneapolis. Deadwood felt like home from the moment I set foot here.
It wasn't an easy place to live. You weren't considered a local until you made it through a winter, and if you thought a corporate ladder was the stairway to heaven, you were in the wrong place. But if you had an independent streak and a little bit of resourcefulness, you could carve out a comfortable niche for yourself.
Mine was a little cafe called Pop's Grabit "N" Growl. My first husband and I bought it for what might have sufficed as a down payment on a house back in the Twin Cities. Pop's was something of an institution in Deadwood, having been in existence for 39 years. The original Pop was a crotchety little man who handed out greasy hamburgers for a quarter and insults for free. It was a tough act to follow.
Deadwood's most endearing quality was its 1,830 people: miners and loggers, prospectors and trappers, mountain men and ranchers, gamblers, musicians, shopkeepers and saloon girls. These weren't carnival-types putting on a show for the tourists, although tourists did come to Deadwood to see them. They were real people, quirky maybe, but real.
True historians - if any of them escape the politically correct revisionist school - will record May 21, 1980, as the beginning of the end for Deadwood. That's the day state and federal forces combined to close down the remaining three brothels once and for all. The local police were not even told about the raid for fear they would warn the madams. Most of Deadwood not only tolerated the "upstairs girls," they were also fond of them. The women were generous contributors to local charities and kids used to trick-or-treat at the brothels on Halloween. The houses were a time-honored tradition and an integral part of Deadwood's mystique.
Other storm clouds were forming on Deadwood's horizon. Local retailers were suffering the effects of new malls and discount stores in nearby towns. A zealous campaign against drunk driving was also taking its toll. It's tougher to visit a party town when people have to plan ahead to stay overnight.
By the mid-1980s, Deadwood was still a little too naughty to form a religious retreat, but not naughty enough to live up to its reputation. The experts on such matters told us we didn't have enough for people to do.
Enter a group of bright, well-meaning boosters called the Deadwood You Bet committee. Our idea, for I was one of them, was to give our tourist industry a boost by legalizing limited gambling. It seemed like a natural. The rest of the state agreed, and a constitutional amendment passed, giving Deadwood an exclusive franchise to conduct its little experiment.
Key to the whole plan was the word "limited." We proposed a five-dollar bet limit and no more than 15 slot machines or card tables per building. Pure casinos were not allowed. We did not want to be overrun by big business whose only interest was gambling. I soon learned the painful lesson that greed has no limits, because no one at any level of authority can be trusted to enforce the rules.
In one year, Deadwood's Main Street became a gambling strip. The casinos were small by Vegas standards, but Deadwood had gone corporate just the same. Some of the retailers gladly sold out; others were forced out by skyrocketing property values and taxes. Bars and restaurants were so jam-packed with slot machines there was no place to sit and socialize even if you could make yourself heard over the constant jangling, pinging and clinking of hoped-for riches.
Only one bar had managed to add gambling without destroying its ambiance. Deadwood's most famous saloon had long been the favorite watering hole of locals and tourists alike. I had worked there myself for several years during the pre-gambling era. On the afternoon of my 37th birthday, it was the only place to go.
Just inside I was stopped by a doorman who looked like a choirboy. I wasn't offended when he asked to see my I.D.; it just seemed a great joke. I looked around for someone to share it with. I looked at the bartender and the waitress, the customers at the bar and around the room. I didn't recognize a single person.
Not being one to fold my tent at the first sign of rain, I decided to wait for a familiar face to come in. The bartender was a pleasant, clean-cut young man in a white shirt. After serving me, he resumed his conversation with a man wearing a three-piece suit. Most other customers were playing machines with their backs to the room. One man eventually left his machine and took a stool near mine. I couldn't help wondering what would possess someone to iron creases in their blue jeans.
When my glass neared the refill point, the bartender fairly skipped down the bar to check on me. Perhaps he remembered something in his job description about hospitality. "Where you from?" he asked.
"I live in Deadwood," I said. "But Deadwood doesn't live here anymore."
Betty Whittington writes from Deadwood, S.D. She and her husband, a miner at Homestake Gold Mine, are looking for a new home.


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Discount Men's Shoes
Banana Republic Discount Men's Shoes
Put your best foot forward with a selection from the discount men's shoes section at Banana Republic. Shoes do a lot to shape an outfit. Whether you're looking for dress shoes for work or a special event, sneakers for casual fashion or handsome boots for less than ideal weather, you'll love the variety of discounted men's shoes in this collection. Find the perfect color leather design to match your favorite belt. Purchase a new pair of sneakers for a walk in the park with that special someone. Rock a classic pair of boots with slim cut jeans and a tucked in shirt for a tough and hardy, though sophisticated look. With these men's shoes on sale, you can upgrade your footwear situation at a great price. Browse men's sale shoes and discover a pair that fits your personality. There's something for everyone in this collection of men's shoes for sale online at Banana Republic.


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Brenda Jackson eBooks
Just to share a little information about me, I was born in Jacksonville, Florida. I am a proud graduate of William M. Raines High School, and I earned Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Jacksonville University.
I got married thirty-seven years ago to my high school sweetheart, Gerald, and we have two sons, Gerald Jr. and Brandon, ages thirty and twenty-eight, respectively. I still proudly wear the going-steady ring Gerald gave me at fourteen. I recently retired after working 37 years in management for a major insurance and is now writing full-time and enjoying every minute of it.
I am a member of the First Coast Chapter of Romance Writers of America. I began my writing career in the eighth grade at Northwestern Junior High School, when I would hand-write my stories for fellow classmates to read. I'm proud to say some of those same classmates are still Brenda Jackson readers today!!
My professional writing career began in 1994 when I signed on with Kensington Arabesque. My first book, Tonight and Forever, became a huge success, introducing the Madaris Family. Since then I have introduced the Bennetts, the Westmorelands, the Savoys, and the Steeles. A listing of my books can be found on this website. And because I love writing connecting stories, I have a listing of how my books connect in my various family saga series.
Over the years I have received numerous awards and made many trail-blazing accomplishments by being the first African-American author to have a book published under the Harlequin/Silhouette Desire line of books and the first African-American romance author to make USA Today's Bestseller's List and the New York Times Bestseller's List for the series romance genre.


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Area Work Incentive Coordinator (AWIC)
An AWIC is an experienced employment support expert who:
Benefit Planning Query (BPQY)
The BPQY is an important planning tool for disability beneficiaries or any person who may be developing customized services for a disability beneficiary who wants to start working or stay on the job. The BPQY provides current information about your disability cash benefits, health insurance, scheduled continuing disability reviews, representative payee, and work history, as stored in our electronic records.
Blind Work Expenses (BWE)
If you are blind, we do not count any earned income that you use to meet expenses in earning that income when we decide your SSI eligibility and payment amount. Common examples of BWE include state and federal payroll taxes, and money spent for meals at work.
Break-Even Point
The dollar amount of total income (after we apply all applicable deductions) that will reduce the SSI payment to zero for a particular case. Your break-even point depends on your earned and unearned income, living arrangements, applicable income exclusions, and state supplement, if any.
Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB)
A person disabled before age 22 may be eligible for child's benefits if a parent is deceased or starts receiving retirement or disability benefits.
The adult child — including an adopted child, or, in some cases, a stepchild, grandchild, or step grandchild — must be unmarried, age 18 or older, and have a disability that started before age 22.
Also referred to as "disabled adult child (DAC) benefits".
Continuation of Medicare Coverage
If your benefits stop because you are working you can receive at least 93 consecutive months of Medicare coverage after your trial work period (TWP). This provision allows your health insurance to continue even after your benefits have stopped.
Continuing Disability Review (CDR)
Our process of obtaining complete current information about your condition to decide if your SSDI or SSI benefits should continue.
Countable Income
The amount of money left after we have subtracted all available deductions from your total income. We use this amount to decide your SSI eligibility and payment amounts.
Countable Income Test
One of the tests we may use to evaluate self-employment income if you have received SSDI benefits for 24 months.
Employment Network (EN)
An EN is a qualified public or private organization under contract with us to coordinate and deliver employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services to beneficiaries who are participating in the Ticket to Work program.
Expedited Reinstatement (EXR)
A safety net if your cash benefits end because of your work. You may request reinstatement of your benefits within five years of when they ended if you stop working at the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level because of your impairment. You may get up to six months of provisional (temporary) benefits while we make a decision on your request.
Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE)
A consecutive 36-month period that follows your TWP. During your EPE, you may still receive payments depending on how much you work and earn. We can pay you disability benefits during your EPE if:
Your benefits will end if your work is substantial after the end of your EPE.
Federal Benefit Rate (FBR)
The basic benefits standards used in computing the amount of your federal SSI payments. Benefit levels differ for individuals and couples living in households and for persons in Medicaid institutions. Federal benefit rates may be increased annually to reflect increases in the cost of living.
Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE)
When we make a SGA decision, we can deduct the cost of items and services that you pay out of pocket and that you need to work because of your impairment. Some examples are: medicines, co-pays, service animals, counseling services, and attendant care services. It does not matter if you also need the items for normal daily activities. We can usually deduct the cost of these same items from earned income to figure your SSI payment.
Initial Reinstatement Period (IRP)
Your IRP begins with the first month that we reinstate your disability payments. The IRP can last for 24 months (not necessarily consecutive), and ends when you have received 24 months of payable benefits. If you receive SSDI benefits, we can pay you for any month during the IRP that your work and earnings are not SGA. If you receive SSI benefits, the normal income counting rules apply.
Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California, AHCCS in Arizona)
Medical coverage provided to a person by the state title XIX program.
Medicaid Protection for Persons with Disabilities Who Work
A state may provide Medicaid coverage for persons with disabilities who:
A state may also provide Medicaid coverage to these persons when they lose coverage due to medical improvement, but who still have a medically determinable severe impairment.
Medical Improvement Expected
If we approve your claim for disability benefits, we may also decide that we expect your disabling impairment(s) to improve. If so, we will schedule your case for a future review in less than three years.
Health insurance program for eligible disabled persons and persons age 65 or older usually consisting of:
Low-income beneficiaries with Medicare can get Extra Help paying their prescription drug coverage premiums by filing an application with SSA. More information is available at: www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp
Medicare for Persons with Disabilities Who Work
If you are disabled and you return to work, you can buy continued Medicare coverage when your premium-free Medicare ends due to work activity. States are required to help you pay the hospital insurance premiums if you have limited income and resources but are not eligible for Medicaid.
Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
Under an approved PASS, you may set aside income and resources over a reasonable time that will enable you to reach a work goal to become financially self-supporting. You can use the income and resources that you set aside to obtain training or education, purchase equipment, establish a business, etc. We do not count the income and resources that you set aside under a PASS when we decide SSI eligibility and payment amount.
Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries for Social Security (PABSS)
In every State, U.S. Territory and the Tribal Nations, there is an agency that protects the rights of persons with disabilities. This Protection and Advocacy System administers the SSA-funded PABSS program.
Resources are anything you own. For example, bank accounts, stocks, business assets, real estate property, or personal property that you can use for your support and maintenance are considered resources. We do not count all of your resources; i.e., life insurance policies, when we decide if you are eligible for SSI benefits.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI provides benefits to disabled or blind persons who are insured by workers' contributions to the Social Security trust fund. These contributions are based on your earnings (or those of your spouse or parents). Your dependents may also be eligible for benefits from your earnings record.
Social Security Disability Insurance is authorized under title II of the Social Security Act.
Student Earned Income Exclusion (SEIE)
If you are under age 22 and regularly attending school, the SEIE allows you to have some of your earnings excluded from your income. We usually adjust the amounts we can exclude each year based on the cost-of living.
Subsidies and Special Conditions
Supports you receive on the job that may result in more pay than the actual value of the work you perform. We use only the actual value of the work you perform when we make an SGA decision.
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
We will evaluate your work activity if you are applying for or receiving disability benefits under SSDI, or if you are applying for benefits because of a disability (other than blindness) under SSI. Under both programs, we generally use earnings guidelines to evaluate your work activity to decide whether your work is substantial, and whether we may consider you disabled under the law.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
The SSI program makes cash assistance payments to aged, blind, and disabled persons (including children) who have limited income and resources.Supplemental Security Income program is authorized under title XVI of the Social Security Act
SSI Income
SSI income is:
The Three Tests
We may use these tests to evaluate self-employment income when you initially apply for SSDI, and before you have received SSDI benefits for 24 months. We also use the three tests to determine if we can reinstate your benefits when we evaluate your work activity in the EPE.
Ticket to Work (TTW)
The TTW Program is for SSI or SSDI beneficiaries who want to work and participate in planning their employment. Participation in the TTW program increases your available choices when obtaining employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, and other support services you may need to get or keep a job. It is a free and voluntary service. When you participate in the TTW program, you are using your ticket. You might not be subject to a continuing disability review while you are using your Ticket.
Trial Work Period (TWP)
The TWP lets you test your ability to work or run a business for at least nine (9) months and receive full SSDI benefits if you report your work activity and your impairment does not improve.
Unincurred Business Expenses
Support contributed to your self-employment effort by someone else for example, free rent, donated supplies, or unpaid help from friends or family members. If you are self-employed, we deduct unincurred business expenses from earnings when we make an SGA decision.
Unsuccessful Work Attempt (UWA)
An UWA is an effort to do substantial work (in employment or self-employment) that you stopped or reduced to below the SGA level after a short time (six months or less) because of your impairment, or the removal of special conditions related to your impairment that were essential to your work. We do not count earnings during a UWA when we make an SGA decision.
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
The VR program is a public program administered by a State VR agency in each State or U. S. territory to help people with physical or mental disabilities become gainfully employed.
Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Projects
WIPA projects are community-based organizations that receive grants from Social Security to provide Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability beneficiaries, including youth in transition, free access to work incentives planning and assistance. Community Work Incentives Coordinators (CWIC) are professionals who work for WIPAs, meet with beneficiaries, and provide important information about your benefits and how working would affect your Social Security income and health care.
Work Incentives Seminars Events (WISE)
A free, internet-based seminar that gives Social Security disability beneficiaries information they need to make a decision about going back to work or working for the first time. WISE topics may include Choosing a Ticket to Work Service provider, Understanding Work Incentives and more. Some WISE address a broad range of disabilities, while others target people in specific disability categories or age ranges. WISE information may be accessed 24-hours per day at your convenience.
Social Security Administration
SSA Pub. No. 64-030
July 2018
Developed by:
Produced and published at U.S. taxpayer expense


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JSPAN Social Justice Award Honors Langer, Grogan & Diver, P.C
|The newsletter contains articles and links to articles that we think will be of interest to JSPAN members. They are included for informational purposes, but unless otherwise stated, they do not necessarily reflect official JSPAN policy.
As an organization for change, JSPAN strives to advance progressive social policies on the critical issues of our time. Help spread the news about us by forwarding this email and the link to our website http://www.jspan.org to your family, friends, and colleagues who might have an interest in joining JSPAN or serving on any of JSPAN's projects. If you haven't joined JSPAN, please join now!


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How nature works: the science of self-organized criticality
Copernicus, 1996 - Philosophy - 212 pages
This is a science book, intended for the general reader who is interested in science. The author is a physicist who is well-known for his development of the property called "self-organized Criticality", a property or phenomenon that lies at the heart of large dynamical systems. It can be used to analyse systems that are complicated, and which are part of the new science of complexity. It is a unifying concept that can be used to study phenomena in fields as diverse as economics, astronomy, the earth sciences, and physics. The author discusses his discovery of self-organized criticality; its relation to the world of classical physics; computer simulations and experiments which aid scientist's understanding of the property; and the relation of the subject to popular areas such as fractal geometry and power laws; cellular automata, and a wide range of practical applications. The book is readable without a science background--below the level of Scientific American.
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Tne Discovery 01 SelfOrganized
On Coupled Pendulums
The Sandfme Paradigm
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by Michael Rubinstein
A quarter and penny are shown and placed together. With a push, the penny melts into the quarter - the coins are fused! After examination, the fused coins are given a slight shake, and the penny visibly drops out of the quarter. Both are immediately handed out for examination.
Running Time Approximately 12min
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Volvo EW180D, EW210D Wheeled Excavators
Volvo has added two models to its D Series wheeled excavator line: the EW180D and EW210D, weighing 19.9 and 25.1 tons, respectively. Upgrades include 173-horsepower Tier 4-Interim Volvo engines that work in harmony with intelligent, advanced hydraulics and well-matched components, Volvo says. A new ECO mode and an automatic idling and shutdown system aid fuel […]Read more


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Sound On Sound : EastWest : Doug Rogers - The Man Behind the Brand
EASTWEST: The Man Behind The Brand
Doug Rogers of Eastwest celebrates 25 years at the top
Founded in 1988, Doug Rogers' EASTWEST company pioneered the creation of realistic, playable sample-based instruments — 25 years on they remain the undisputed market leader.
Every time you hit a key on a controller and hear a snare drum, flute, piano or oboe, you can thank Doug Rogers and Adam Smith. Smith because the classical economist so elegantly elucidated how the market will organically find the solutions it needs, and Rogers because he equally elegantly not only figured out how to get those instruments into your computer but also realised that you wanted them there in the first place.
Rogers settled his family in the States in 1984, mostly in Los Angeles where they live now, after a few years of really, really long back-and-forths between there and his native Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, where he worked in his Harlequin Studios engineering and producing hits for local artists who managed to break through the distance Down Under, like Split Enz. It was an era before computers were commonplace in studios and sampling was both a complicated affair and regarded as a bit of a dodgy practice, as well.
Released in 1990, EASTWEST's first 'celebrity engineer' collaboration was an instant hit.
'People were sampling bits of records and it was looked down upon by a lot of people as a kind of stealing,' he recalls of sampling's early days, when riffs and vocal bits were grabbed onto tape, digitised and triggered from early playback devices from companies like Akai and Emu. But I could see it coming,' he says of the looming shift to digitised instruments. 'It was as clear to me as the shift from typewriters to computers. That's where instruments were headed, too.' Read More
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Re-View of the Preview: Florida Marlins
First of all, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it. As I type this, it is already halfway through said holiday her in France. I hope, though, no matter what a anybody believes, that this be a good day for them. Now, here, is the link to the first entry predicting the then Florida Marlins' 2011 season.
Predicted Record: 75-80 wins
Actual Record: 72-90
So I was a little off on this prediction. Though, I was a LOT closer than I thought when I initially looked at the discrepancy between the two records. That is because, I failed to put Josh Johnson in the Notable Subtractions column. Does anyone remeber the first two months or so of the season? Josh Johnson had about 3 or4 starts it seems that he had a no-hitter for the first 6 innings of a game. He was THE best pitcher in baseball when he got injured, and that is with Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw included. Johson was their bonafide Ace and had I known he would have been down for most of the season, I would have down graded the Marlins about four wins. Case in point, the second to last video on Johnson's Player Page is entitled, "J.J. is key to Marlins' success."
Just a side note, as much as I like Josh Johnson, I don't think he will get over his injury woes. Last Year, when Stephen Strasburg was coming up, everyone and their mother had their eyes on him. Curt Schilling was no exception. He did a segment with ESPN or MLBN where he looked at both Josh Johnson side-by-side with Stephen Stasburg because he wanted to look at a Pitcher of the same height of 6'5″ (Strasburg is 6'4″ and Johnson is 6'6″, but whatever)
Had Josh Johnson been out from the beginning of the season, I would have adjusted my prediction correctly. So all things considered, I predicted the Marlins' season pretty well. They were who I thought they were! A team that was above average offensively, but not so spectacular to overcome any lack in pitching. I'm not saying their pitching staff was horrible without Johnson, but they have a lot of slightly above average homegrown Pitchers and some below average mercinaries. All in all, this is a well run organization for the funding it provides its GM with.


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ELECTRONISOUNDS is proud to present our second release from the innovative, Los Angeles music producer -- JTEKK. Nu Hop SamplePack 01 is an exclusive collection of expertly programmed and played loops and sounds with JTEKK'S signature production style.
This veteran producer has put together this new package of grooves and beats that will take your work to the next level with the most unique and experimental loops available.
The loops and grooves in this samplepack include:
Phunky & gritty drum loops with huge bottom ends - warped sounds for an edgy addition to your track's percussion -- with plenty of digital effects.
Here come the drums!
With it's 1 & 2 measure breaks, beats and turn-arounds, this samplepack delivers the newest, fattest drum loops from acoustic and digital kits that are versatile for nearly any drum-heavy genre of electronic music. Produced with expetise for the best rounded e.q., these huge beats have enough personality to be the centerpiece of your track. Or, use the loops for layering and breaks to give your project a distinct hook. The drums are all slamming, pulsing, moving textures of multiple sounds blended together for maximum effect and bottom end--and will make your project sound like you spent many hours in the studio.
Detailed Sample Pack Contents:
Beats + Loops Folder: 50 samples, 30MB
Drum Sounds Folder: 23 samples, 1 MB
Everyone at ELECTRONISOUNDS is excited to offer this impressive new collection of loops and samples from techno & hip hop pioneer -- JTEKK. We are confident the material in Nu Hop SamplePack 01 will be easy to use, and add a unique style and big studio production quality to your tracks. Enjoy and keep it funky.
These .wav's will also work directly with the AKAI S5000 & S6000, Roland SP-606 or any other hardware or software sampler that can read standard .wav samples.
- 25 Mb Complete Pack Content.
- 16 bits / 44.1khz
- PC/MAC Compatible (Logic, Cubase, Live, Reason, SonyAcid, Fruity loops, GarageBand, etc...)
- Wav
All of the content is 100% royalty-free. Once purchased, you can use these audio loops in your music releases, both commercial and underground, with no restrictions.
How to Order:
Simply click BUY "Add to Cart". When you finish your order, click "checkout". If you are a new costumer you need create an account, if you are a returning costumer only fill up the form. Your Download Link will be sent in you account in Loophunter immediately after your payment has been received.
For any problem send a email firstname.lastname@example.com
*Note: The previews are low resolution MP3s. The quality of the files you will receive will of course be much higher, uncompressed WAV-AIFF, stereo, 44k, 16-24 bit.
Producer: Electronisounds
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IDF Gen. Amos Gilad:'There Is No Immediate Iranian Nuclear Threat But Iranians Have Great Determination To Acquire The Bomb'
IsraCast Assessment: Israel Will Not Consider Armageddon Decision On Attacking Iran Until Irrefutable Evidence That Iranians Are About To Acquire Nuclear Weapons'
Is Israel about to launch a preemptive military strike against Iran's nuclear weapons facilties possibly before winter? Nahum Barnea, a leading commentator for the Yediot Ahronot newspaper answers his own question by writing that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are pushing for such an operation, against the advice of their own senior military and intelligence advisers. How much credence should be given the Yediot Ahronot story?
Columnist Nahum Barnea presented this startling assessment of how Israel's decision-makers are monitoring Iran's drive to acquire nuclear weapons and the implications for the Jewish state that the Iranian leadership wants 'to wipe off the map'.
'Israel's political-military leadership is split into several camps. One camp contends: the cost-effectiveness of a military operation against Iran is limited, the risk is insane. The Iranians will respond by launching missiles from their territory and also from Lebanon by Hizbollah and by Hamas in Gaza. A regional war would break out that would dessimate Israel. It was advisable to depend on international sanctions and hope for the best. If Iran did acquire nuclear weapons this would not spell the end of the world'.
'The second camp argues: why rush? The Iranians require at least another two years, or two-and-a-half years before the project ripens. Meanwhile there will be a presidential election in the U.S. Obama during his second terms, or a Republican in his first, might taken upon themselves an operation againt Iran. Moreover the Iranian regime may change. Many things can happen within the space of two years.'?
'The heads of the military arms are graouped in a third camp- IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, Mossad Chief Tamir Pardo, IDF intelligence commander Aviv Kochavi and Shabak Chief Yoram Cohen'. As far as is known, the views of the current top four military and intelligence advisers coincide with those of their predecessors; apparently all four reject an Israeli military strike at present. The difference is their readiness to oppose it: their predecessors arrived at the consultations after years of personal success in each of their organizations, and enjoyed substantial public prestige. They faced the political leadership with considerable determination and self-confidence. However the current military - intelligence echelon is less well known, less determined and less coordinated'.
'This brings us to the fourth camp - Binyamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak who act as Siamese twins on the Iranian issue. Netanyahu and Barak appear to be pushing for a military strike. The Prime Minister formulated his stand at the start of his term in office; Ahmadenijas was Hitler and if he was not not stopped in time there would be another Holocaust. There are those who describe Netanyahu's fervor on the question as an obsession: all his life he has dreamt of being Churchill and Iran provides the opportunity. Barak does not use the same superlatives but he also pushes for a military strike. The Defense Minister is convinced that in the same manner that Israel thwarted nuclear projects in the past, it must now defuse the Iranian nuclear weapons program'.
'However just now when the international perception is that Iran's progress has been slowed down, rumors tell of pressure for a military operation. One of the factors is the weather: winter is approaching with its limitations'.
So much for the Yediot Ahronot front page of Oct.28th.
Hours later, Maj. Gen. Amos Gilad, the Director of Political-Military Affairs in Israel's Defense Ministry presented the official position. Gilad is very close to Barak and is often sent by him on delicate missions abroad. In a public address, Gilad said: 'There is no immediate Iranian nuclear threat at the moment but Iran has a great deal of determination to acquire nuclear weapons.' And Gilad noted that it was not only Ahmadenijad but even more important that Supreme leader Al Khamenei has also declared: 'There is no room for Israel in the Middle East!' As for the current threat, Iran had now acquired hundreds of missiles with a range of 1500 kilometers capable of reaching Israel. Those missiles were theoretically capable of delivering nuclear warheads. The general summed up: ' Although the Iranians have the uranium and the technology they have not produced nuclear weapons in order to avoid the international repercussions'.
One obstacle that has set back the Iranian project has been the the exposure of their clandestine nuclear sites. So there was no doubt Iran could go nuclear; it was simply a question on when they would take the polical decision to do so. In Gilad's opinion the whole world now opposed Iran's nuclear weapons program. The international sanctions were proving to be effective but that has not deterred the Iranians from proceeding with the project. And this appeared to be Israel's bottom line: ' If Iran produces the bomb it will be a major game-changer and as far as Israel is concerned and all the options are open'.
For the record, successive Israeli PMs have declared that Iran's nuclear project poses a threat to Israel's existence and therefore all options were on the table. Moreover, Israel has made no secret that Israel Air Force has continually trained for such an exceedingly complex operation. Over the Mediterranean Sea in June 2008, Israeli pilots reportedly conducted a simulated attack on Iranian nuclear targets. Although most foreign experts seem to think that Iran's nuclear facilities, which are spread underground, would prove to be impregnable, several Israeli experts, including two former Air Force commanders, have indicated that it could be accomplished. President Obama apparently thinks Netanyahu is serious about going it alone as a last resort; he has dispatched several envoys to Jerusalem urging Netanyahu to act with restraint and give sanctions every chance. As for the Yediot Ahronot depiction of the situation, it would be well-nigh impossible for Netanyahu and Barak to order a military strike in the face of stiff opposition from the military-intelligence echelon. There is little doubt that Israel would pay dearly from the lambasting it would take from Iranian, Hizbollah and Hamas missile barrage on her towns and cities. And what might Syria's beleagured President Basher Assad do? It is possible he might also join the fray in order to deflect the intense internal pressure that threatens to topple his regime.
Although Saudi Arabia, as revealed by Wikileaks, has actually appealed to the U.S. to attack Iran, an Israeli solo attack would likely arouse the ire of the Arab League and possibly jeopardize the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. So despite, the sensational Yediot Ahronot report of an approaching Armageddon, it is doubtful that Netanyahu and Barak would order a military strike on Iran, unless some irrefutable intelligence surfaced. There are rumors that the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna will present more damning data on Iran next month. (This amid counter reports of pressure on the IAEA to sanitize some of the evidence in order not to provoke Israel). Although Iran has announced plans to step up its production of enriched uranium it has not broken out to the 90% enrichment required for nuclear weapons. The other key aspect is the development of a nuclear warhead that could be carried on Iran's missiles. At the same time, there have been fresh reports recently that Iran's nuclear computers have been running into more hitches, attributed to the U.S. and Israel, that have further set back the weapons program.
On his retirement last year, former Mossad chief Meir Dagen estimated that Iran would not be capable of producing nuclear weapons before 2014. Therefore Dagen concluded that an Israeli solo strike in the near future would trigger a 'foolish war', a dig that was apparently intended for Netanyahu and Barak. In Dagen's view: 'Israel should never attack Iran unless the Iranian nuclear sword was on Israel's neck and beginning to cut into the flesh!' Barring unforeseen circumstances, that metaphor is the more likely to hold sway. But in the event that Israel's military- intelligence establishment reaches the conclusion, on the basis of future evidence, that the Islamist fanatics are on the verge of acquiring the bomb, the Armageddon dilemma will have to be weighed in a different light.