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Perfect In Case of Slips or Falls
Get Security and Protection for Yourself or Your Loved ones with our Medical Alert Systems.
Stay Safe in Your Own Home.
Don't Delay – Call Today for More Info!
Call hours – Open 24/7
A medical alert system can provide many elderly and disabled individuals with the ability to live on their own, and exercise a high degree of independence. Here's what you need to know before signing up with a medical alert system provider.
Technically, an alert system is normally comprised of a wrist band transmitter " resembling a wrist watch " or a necklace-type transmitter that is worn at all times. If the individual should have a medical problem or accident, they can simply press a button on the worn transmitter to communicate with the medical alert monitoring center.
This helps the monitoring center specialist to better advise you in case of a medical emergency, and they may also send emergency medical help if required. Optionally, the monitoring center can be instructed to also contact one or more of your relatives whenever the help button is pressed.The price of a medical alert system can vary according to the level of service you require, but in general they are a very reasonably-priced alternative to assisted living centers.
Benefits of Medical Alert System in Painter Virginia
The experts we consulted recommend looking for a medical alert system that meets all or most of these criteria.
It works for a user's specific disability. For example, a stroke survivor may need a device he or she can activate with one hand.
It offers a choice of a wristband and/or neck pendant. Cords worn around the neck can pose a strangulation risk; wristbands may irritate those with skin ailments.
It includes help buttons that can be wall-mounted near the floor in multiple rooms in case the user falls and isn't wearing the pendant.
It offers multiple choices for whom to contact if you need help, from emergency services to a friend or relative who lives nearby.
It has a battery backup in case of a power failure.
The base station can be contacted from anywhere on your property"even in your yard or at your mailbox.
The company has its own monitoring center, in the U.S., and employs its own trained emergency operators (rather than contracting that function out).
The monitoring center has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a nonprofit safety and consulting company.
Painter Medical Alert System
Painter Medical Alert System
10 out of
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Questions about the Personal Emergency Response System
A medical alarm can produce a huge difference in the lives of elderly people and people with special needs. Also known as a medical alert or Personal Emergency Response System (PERS), it was created to signal the presence of a hazard needing instant awareness and summon emergency medical workers. Seniors or disabled people residing by themselves are the primary users of this kind of device.
Household accidents are common, but there are instances where they can be fatal. These are mostly cases where victims may have made it if help had showed up sooner. Seniors or individuals with disabilities have a higher risk for these things, and may be unable to cope with them without having assistance. This is when a medical alarm could be invaluable.
The standard of help that wearers of medical alert system have entitlement to is another major selling point. People who answer calls at the monitoring center are trained to handle medical emergencies and will provide instant assistance. Users' private information is usually kept on file to ensure that good care and precautions are taken when responding to medical problems or emergencies.
Among the reasons why elderly people move to assisted living facilities and leave their homes is the fear that there won't be any one to help in an emergency or accident while living alone. However, there are many who feel that they may lose their sense of independence inside a an elderly care facility or retirement home. Using a medical alarm can successfully eliminate the primary reason for going into an assisted living situation and allows seniors to have their dignity and freedom intact.
Just like all consumer products, medical alert systems vary in terms of price and features such as range, hours of standby power, repair and replacement options, payment options, and setup time. There are numerous providers and vendors for this service, so it is important to do some research and product comparison before buying. This way, users can be assured of a product that fits their needs and lifestyle.
Nearest Medical System to You In Accomack County 23420
How to pick the right one in VA
As the population ages, the range of services for seniors increases. The medical alarm is one of those pieces of technology that has grown in popularity. Where there were once only a few businesses offering medical alert systems, there are now dozens. So, how does one choose the best medical alarm out of the many options available?
One of the most important features of a medical alarm is the monitoring service. If an individual has made the decision that they need an alert system, then they have made the decision that they may need outside help in case of an emergency. If the monitoring system fails or is unsatisfactory, then the alert system is inadequate. A monitoring system should be a monitoring centre, not be a direct call to 911. Many people who utilize medical alert systems simply require outside support such as a friend or family member, not emergency services. A monitoring service can provide this support. Secondly, the provider of the medical alarm should own the monitoring service. This way, the professionals who answer the alarm are qualified by the standards of the medical alarm company.
Medical alert systems should be easy to install. Most should take a matter of minutes to set up. If a system's set-up seems too onerous or complicated, then the company has not fully considered the needs of their clientele. The installation should be easy or provided free-of-charge. They should also provide long-term, 24/7 technical support.
Another element to consider is the company's history and reputation. There are companies who have been in the business of medical alert systems for decades. These companies know their business and are more likely to have proven equipment. The company that only started offering medical alarms in the past couple of years is less likely to thoroughly understand the needs of their clients. The new company is also less likely to have amassed positive testimonials – do a simple Google search to find out what others say about the company and the services offered.
How a Medical Alert System helps you?
Do your aging parents need a home medical alert system?
Part of the aging process includes increased frailty, and increased chance of accidents. All it takes is one fall for an elderly person to end up with months of hospitalizations, medical bills, rehabilitation, and more. In addition, the elderly are more likely to have medical issues that may require immediate attention. And there are, of course, a host of other problems that can come up as well, from a furnace going out in the middle of winter, to a tree falling due to a thunderstorm. They may need help, and not be able to reach a phone. Whatever the reason, it is easy to see why your aging parents need to be able to contact help quickly if needed; the kind of help that home medical alert systems can provide.
Choose a home medical alert system that is right for your senior
Trying to sort through the hundreds of home medical alert systems can be overwhelming and confusing. Careful research of all of the features of the systems being considered is an important first step in choosing the best one for your aging parents. The best way to start is by learning how these systems are designed to work.
You will find that most home medical alert systems fall into two different categories: those that come with 24/7 monitoring services, and those that provide equipment only, but no service.
Home medical alert systems with monitoring service
Home medical alert systems that provide a monitoring service will usually include a service agreement between the customer and the monitoring company. These types of systems work like this: if the alert device is activated, the monitoring system is notified, and they in turn, contact the designated people and/or emergency personnel.
An important consideration when choosing a system with monitoring is that they are typically more expensive than products without. There will be a monthly fee charged for this service, which can be in the range of $30-40 per month, in addition to an installation or activation fee.


text: Fine art, throughout the human history, has united leaders, destroyed countries and lifted human spirit to new heights. This ring is designed to concentrate all that's beautiful. Hand-picked by the ring mistress, the sites maintain a certain high quality of work. The site owners are passionate about their art, be it painting, sculpting, photography or they simply share something really beautiful.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
How do you win at Blackjack?
Blackjack has always offered a great value in the casino for anyone willing to learn basic strategy. Without card counting, a player that uses an accurate basic strategy at the table can play games at most casinos with substantially under half a percent house edge. Even the worst rules and conditions rarely exceed a house edge of 0.8%.
If you are a recreational player, you can consistently overcome that small edge with the value you receive from comps of free rooms and food. Why is it possible to get back more in comp value than your actual expected loss?
The reason is simple… Most players do not play accurate basic strategy. They play the game badly. As a result, the typical player loses substantially more than a fraction of a percent of their action, and the comps given to blackjack players reflect this higher theoretical loss.
Of course casinos know that basic strategy players lose a lot less than the average player, and they supposedly have a way of dealing with this problem. But, fortunately, their solution just doesn't work…
When you sit down at a table and hand over your player card, the pit personnel will write down the length of time you play, and the size of your average bet. What you may not know is that most casinos also have a notation for how strong a player you are. Generally the rating cards will have spots to mark your ability as "Superior", "Average", or "Poor". If you are a solid basic strategy player, and the pit is doing their job, they should be marking you as "Superior", meaning that your play has very low expected losses. This would negatively impact the comps that will be extended to you, because your theoretical loss will be very small. This system is intended to keep basic strategy players from getting more back in comps than they will lose at blackjack.
So, why is a basic strategy player still able to beat the system at virtually all casinos? Pit bosses mark almost every player as Average in skill. During a session at the recent G2E gaming conference, the moderator quoted a study that was done of 2 million player ratings. Of all those rating cards, only six were marked as "Poor" players. That's easy enough to understand, because if a player were ever to accidentally learn that they were rated as a poor player, they would likely be offended. And poor players are the bread and butter of the casino. What's more surprising is that of those same 2 million ratings, only a handful were rated as Superior. More than 99.9% of the ratings were "Average".
So how do you exploit this casino loophole?
- Inflate your rating by timing your bigger bets to be on the table while the floor person is watching.
- When you leave the table, ask about your average bet rating. When confronted, the floorperson will often fudge on the side of higher bets.
- Most importantly, make sure you get all the comps you have earned. Ask!
I still have a couple of topics that came from the gaming conference, including the comments on RFID chips that I said would be in this post. That's coming next.
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Getting the Most From Frequent Flyer Programs
Here's an excerpt from Mileage Pro: The Insider's Guide to Frequent Flyer Programs by Randy Petersen and Tim Winship (OAG; $19.95), ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 50 ways to improve your travels in 2006. For more information on Mileage Pro and to order, go to mileageprobook.com.
As a sneak preview, we have chosen Chapter 16: The Best Frequent Flyer Advice You Will Ever Get. This chapter goes into all the details you need to know to better manage and maximize travel loyalty programs.
The information is broad enough not to intimidate those just learning about miles and points, but advanced enough so that even the most seasoned traveler will either learn something new or be reminded of something important.
Chapter 16: The Best Frequent Flyer Advice You Will Ever Get
OK, we did put a lot of information in Mileage Pro. Information we hope you will be able to go back to time and time again. But we also know that your time is valuable and limited—especially if you are a road warrior and are out there traveling thousands of miles a year. For easy reference we've compiled the best pieces of advice you will ever get regarding your frequent flyer miles. Consider the following:
1. Eat out often. One of the fastest ways to a free award is to skip airline food and go straight to a favorite restaurant. In this case, your favorite one will offer from one to three to 10 miles for every dollar you spend there. Still be careful. Some require you to show your airline card, while others restrict visiting the same restaurant more than once a month to earn miles. Best advice: Join several airline dining programs such as the United Mileage Plus Dining or American AAdvantage Dining programs by Rewards Network. to stay active in airline programs that have expiring miles. Use these types of miles to "top off" accounts in your less active programs.
2. Be sociable. Chat with seatmates and others in your company to find out about new deals from other airline and hotel programs. For instance, Marriott and Hilton members standing around the water cooler have heard about the "Free Nights Faster" program from Hyatt that awards one free night after two stays (without any point deduction) when using a MasterCard for payment.
3. Carry a smaller wallet. Gone are the days of excess. Pick one or two reward programs and put loyalty back into these programs. Leave your collection of membership cards at home with your statements from other programs only showing 732 total miles earned.
4. If you can't fight them, relax. With most major programs having miles that expire without activity over a three-year period, you must learn to manage the miles you earn. Staying active in your minor programs with some annual partner activity that will allow you to continue to save for a rainy day should that be your strategy. Don't be fooled though. While miles may not expire, issued awards, such as free airline tickets, do.
5. Develop double vision. When one big program offers an unbeatable bonus opportunity, learn that other programs soon will match. For example, in July 2005 when American introduced 750-mile distance awards for only 15,000 miles, United matched it just a few days later.
6. Don't be left standing inside the airport. Several programs allow you to exchange miles for airline club membership. Delta Platinum Medallion members get club membership for free allowing them, because of the SkyTeam alliance, to also visit the airline clubs of Continental and Northwest.
7. Don't overlook the obvious. Smaller programs by Midwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines may be right under your nose. It might be time to discover the difference.
8. Learn something new every week. For instance, did you know that some programs allow one-way awards at half the mileage requirements? Did you know that American AAdvantage has a formal program where they will match your elite membership on another airline when you meet certain flight requirements? For instance, if you are Premier Executive on United, American will match that status as long as you fly 15,000 miles on American in a three-month period. This is done to prove that you are capable of American a good amount of business. Listen and learn.
9. Double dip is not just for hotels. Multiply your miles on each trip by using only your airline program's car rental or hotel partners. Sticking with your airline's partners means you won't miss big opportunities. For example, on a flight from San Francisco to Denver you will earn 1,930 miles (roundtrip) depending on your airline program. The correct hotel partner could add an additional 500 bonus miles to that total, and a partner car rental could add another 50 to 250 bonus miles.
10. The real Double Dip. Opt for a hotel partner that lets you earn both miles (for the carrier) and points (for the hotel). Hilton is the best example. Their Double Dip program actually now includes three options for you to customize each stay. You can choose HHonors Points and Variable Miles in which you earn 10 HHonors Base points plus one airline mile per eligible U.S. dollar spent. Or you can choose HHonors Points and Fixed Miles that earn 10 HHonors Base points per eligible U.S. dollar spent plus 500 airline bonus miles per stay (100 miles per stay at Hampton/Scandic hotels). Or you can choose HHonors Points with an extra bonus. By choosing just to earn HHonors points without airline miles, you'll earn 10 HHonors Base points plus 5 bonus points per eligible U.S. dollar spent. Of the three choices, we often feel this option delivers the most value.
11. Know your programs. While you might be collecting miles, we always advise choosing points over miles with Marriott and Priority Club. The reason is simple: Both allow you to convert to miles at any time. If you choose miles right away, you have forfeited your freedom of choice.
12. Building miles. You can build miles by buying a home. All major airline and hotel programs have national programs to earn you a lot of miles for mortgages. And guess what? Some if the nation's leading mortgage lenders: Countrywide, Washington Mutual Home Loans, Chase Home Finance, CitiMortgage and Wachovia Corporate Mortgage Services participate in these programs.
13. Take advantage of special mileage-earning promos. Hotels and car rental companies, along with airlines, offer bonus miles. Triple miles with an airline's car rental partners is a frequent promotion, while hotels often offer double and triple points by property. Become a real estate agent and find the hotel property that gives you the best bonus. These bonuses will be listed on the hotel program's Web site and in their member newsletter.
14. Be a mileage consumer, but look closely at your credit card choices. Flexibility is the name of the game and American Express and Diners Club are looking pretty good right now. P.S. Did you know you can earn American, United and Northwest miles with the Starwood American Express card? (With the Starwood American Express card you earn Starwood points that can be converted into miles later on.) Did you know that the Diners Club card is now accepted wherever MasterCard is accepted and that it also includes redemption with American, United and Northwest? We realize that neither man nor woman will spend by one credit card alone. The best wallet has a Visa, a MasterCard and either an American Express or Diners Club card. The reason is need. Many hotel and other programs run promotions that earn extra bonus miles/points when paying with a particular type of credit card so do as the Boy Scouts do and always be prepared.
15. Be in the know. With an increasing number of incentive miles in the market, keep an eye out for free miles with the purchase of everything from dry cleaning services to automobiles. Did you know that some residential utility companies, such as Gexa Energy in Texas, now offer miles for choosing them?
16. One of the hottest leads on learning more about any loyalty program is to surf the Internet. Newsy stuff and opinions, usually not found in print, can be found via Google or Yahoo! Search term: frequent flyer (of course).
17. Capture all the points you can. For example, to make the most of choosing the best hotel program, be certain your hotel point total on your bill includes "total folio" rather than just earning points on the room rate. Who ever thought "room service" could be so tasty?
18. Study hard. It's now fashionable to actually read your loyalty program's newsletter. Most have changed to electronic delivery and many are now rich with special bonus offers that can up your mileage or hotel point balance. Note: This is the only place you'll find out about the latest auction of miles that may send you to the Super Bowl for free. And most programs give you miles or points for signing up to receive the newsletter.
19. Withdraw miles. Need miles for an award this year? If so, move the exact number of miles from your Priority Club, American Express Membership Rewards, Diners Club Rewards or Starwood programs into your primary airline program. Never ever turn more points into miles than you actually need.
20. Take a second look. OK, you are a hotel kind of person who stays at Brand X. But if you haven't looked lately, Choice Hotels may be the sleeper program of the year. Many new rewards (no blackout dates) and positive changes in their program. Our advice: Take a second look.
21. Play your points. Got points and need miles? Hold on and play the odds. Did you know that for the past five years Diners Club has offered a bonus redemption of 50 percent or greater when converting their points into British Airways Executive Club miles? Or that American Express Membership Rewards annually offers a bonus of 15 to 30 percent when redeeming into Continental or Delta miles.
22. Use points or miles to underwrite a vacation. If you're a light traveler (you haven't racked up anything close to what you need for a significant award in an airline or hotel program) but are a heavy-duty shopper, you can earn miles and points when shopping online at such merchants as The Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Body Shop and our favorite, Mrs. Field's Cookies. Nearly every major loyalty program has a portal for earning miles or points while shopping online. We'll see you at the "virtual" checkout line.
23. Designate a primary airline. You probably belong to three to four airline programs. If you can fly 75 percent of your time, or more than 10,000 miles on one carrier in a year, then make that your major program.
24. Do the whole deal. Hotel programs often offer vacation packages you can purchase with points. Believe it or not, it's now possible to earn a free hotel, airline ticket and car rental with one reward. Talk about convenient.
25. Qualify for elite membership. Nothing is as important as earning elite status in your primary loyalty programs. Verify the number of miles needed to qualify in both your airline and hotel programs. It's well worth scheduling an extra flight or night in a hotel if that's all that stands between you and the extensive benefits of elite membership.
26. Buy digital. Most programs offer you the opportunity to earn bonus miles if you purchase tickets directly from the airline's Web site. Beam up those miles from United, American, Alaska and US Airways.
27. Loyalty isn't dead. Know your major program's partners (airline, hotel, car rental) and stick with them.
28. Rack up free nights. Once you've got enough miles for free air travel, start opting for points instead of miles in your hotel program. By booking enough stays you can get free lodging to use with your flight awards for an almost-free vacation.
29. Phone home? It's true that there are not as many telephone partners as in years past, owing to the popularity of cell phone use. That doesn't mean these programs don't exist. Quiz your frequent flyer friends to find out who are still earning bonus miles for talking on the phone. We'd tell you here but that isn't possible because the partners and offers change too frequently. Sorry.
30. Educate yourself. Read the fine print instead of just the headlines and become a true mileage expert. Know when you can and cannot earn miles for elite qualification. For example mileage earned on some special promotional flights, some code-shares and even some partner flights may not accrue toward elite status. Conversely, some credit card purchases now qualify toward elite status credit.
As a former marketing and merchandise presentation manager for a large menswear retailer, Randy spent much of his time flying and keeping accurate records of his mileage awards. He started his own frequent-flyer information business, which now includes InsideFlyer magazine and FlyerTalk.com. Randy's favorite effort has been the launch of the Mileage Donation Center, which helps people donate unused miles to charitable groups.
31. Learn how to stretch your miles. If your three-year stash is about to expire, tap a small partner such as a car rental or dining program to keep those miles active. No need to fly or stay at a hotel. Just use your knowledge of how to stay "active" for another three years.
32. Listen to the music. Buy your iPod music and earn points for each dollar spent. Points can be earned for Priority Club Rewards and Marriott Rewards. Tip: No airline currently offers this option, but you do know you could convert these hotel points into airline miles.
33. Plan ahead. Many programs have raised the cost of certain fees associated with express service for an award. Plan ahead and your award will remain free.
34. Gotta have it. Capacity controls got you down? With all the miles you earn from these tips you might need to use some to get the exact reward seat you want. Capacity- free awards are available from all major airline programs and from most hotel programs.
35. Privileges. Don't forget that in some hotel programs, elite and other members qualify for free breakfast credit. Eat for free and then run.
36. Respect others. Several programs now run employee recognition programs to reward those who provide great service. Do yourself and them a favor by participating. When a recognition program is offered, you will receive recognition cards to present to the employee who then sends them in for reward credit. Sometimes you will even get small ribbons to hand out to deserving employees.
37. Don't forget to backup. This advice isn't about computers. It is a reminder to always carry your complete list of frequent traveler program numbers around with you so that if you are ever bumped from a flight and end up flying on another carrier, you will have the right number at hand and will not have to send in for missing credit. The trick? Make a complete list of all your program numbers on a small sheet of paper, have it laminated and carry it in your small wallet.
38. Tick-tock. In November, don't become the turkey by letting your miles expire. Now is the time to find out if any of your miles or points will depart this Earth at year's end.
39. Be a savvy mileage spender. Some programs offer you the chance to use awards during the off season. US Airways allows this (20,000 miles). American AAdvantage has special awards for Citibank credit card holders, and America West, American and United give special discounted awards when you fly 750 miles or less.
40. Cash in by converting. One trend you need to know about is that more programs now allow you to convert airline miles for more than just free flights. Frontier Airlines has the More Store that allows members to cash in for dining certificates, a new car and even bicycles. Both American and United now have miles for hotel rooms. Beyond that even more airlines are expected to come up with fresh offers.
Tim Winship is a nationally known authority on the travel industry and frequent flyer programs. His 20-year travel industry career includes loyalty-marketing management assignments with Singapore Airlines, All Nippon Airways and The Hilton Hotel Corporation.
41. Pool your efforts. For instance, the American AAdvantage program will allow members, for a fee, to move miles from one member's account into another member's account. These "pooled" miles often go to friends or family as gifts and can help a member have enough miles for a free flight.
42. These new "pooling options" require a transfer fee. It's like in money! But for the right situation they may just be the key to a free ticket for someone else in your family. Most major airline programs now have this option either as a benefit for members or as a promotional offer several times a year.
43. Shoot for a million miles in a single program. You'll find more airlines than ever are putting together programs that honor those who fly them the most. What is cool about earning a million miles, other than having the right to brag, is that the airline with million-mile programs also gives you lifetime elite privileges.
44. Spread your mileage around. With a large balance in your primary program, you can afford a more diversified portfolio of miles and points in several secondary programs. This allows you to grab even more awards and helps you bypass any "sold out" award situations.
45. Top off accounts. Membership in several programs means you need to diversify your earnings to maintain the balances required for the awards you have targeted. Consider adding miles earned by dining, credit card, telephone and other third-party partners. And don't forget the sign-up bonuses.
46. Stay alert. Many international travelers must be content with changing itineraries. Keep an eye out for new airline partners in the various global alliances.
47. Suck up every bonus on international travel. Travelers who hit world capitals on a regular basis are prime candidates for bonuses. One trip to Asia in the right cabin class can earn you one free domestic ticket, as long as you register to earn the bonus. For example, in October 2005 British Airways launched a bonus for travel across the Atlantic in which members who registered could earn a guaranteed 50,000 frequent flyer miles for a single trip. It was a combination of the miles you earned from flying along with bonus miles. Referred to as a "long-haul" bonus, it is worth more than almost all the bonuses you might earn just solely within the United States.
48. Protect ALL your miles. Having substantial earnings in one, or several programs, means you have more to lose if you lose track. Note the expiration dates of any miles and awards you earned. Better yet, start thinking about using awards today that you might normally put off using until "tomorrow. Some members rely on managing their miles with their memories, while others use homemade spreadsheets, or even worse not managing their miles at all. Both we feel strongly that an investment in one of the program management software solutions can protect all your miles with no additional investment of your time.
49. Minimize mileage expiration. Many mega-milers find they do not have enough time to use all their awards and miles. If you find yourself up against deadlines, familiarize yourself with the Hilton HHonors Reward Exchange and Points.com. These nifty exchange options allow you to trade your unexpired miles from one program to another. There are restrictions as to which programs participate, but at least your miles will not expire. But frankly, with the dilution of miles or points, you might be better off keeping them.
Dilution occurs when you move miles or points from one program, through a middleman, and then to miles or points within another program. Often members will lose 50 percent to 90 percent of the miles' or points' original values. If you are wondering why this is, it is because loyalty programs were introduced to try and make you loyal to a single program. If you want choices, it is going to cost you.
50. Don't lose sight of any opportunity. When your mileage balance reaches a high level, you may think you have perfected the art of accrual or you may think some promotional offers don't merit your attention. Not so in either case. Keep reading newsletters. Periodically review all the ways you can capture miles to make sure you have covered all the bases.
51. Splurge. How about attending the British Open, the Super Bowl or any number of unique events? With a wealth of auction packages from which to choose, consider bidding on the special events and unusual vacations offered by airlines and hotel programs. United Mileage Plus even allowed members to bid their miles for a part in a TV sitcom. Auctions vary by loyalty program. Some auctions are open to all members, such as the auction in the Continental OnePass program.
Other programs like American AAdvantage, in the past only had auctions for elite members, which is something even smaller programs like Frontier Airlines EarlyReturns are doing. Auction are not only done by the airlines. Hilton HHonors sponsored recent auctions allowing members to attend the Academy Awards, and in a variation, American Express recently gave members the opportunity to redeem their points (as little as 5,000 of them) for a Mercedes Benz.
52. Donate miles. Have miles you can't use? Give them to a charity. Virtually every airline and hotel program can funnel miles and points to a variety of organizations such as Americares, CARE, Make a Wish, National Children's Cancer Society and the United Way. And if we can answer a question before you even ask it: We're sorry but the IRS has determined that donating your miles to a worthy and charitable cause is not tax deductible.
53. Registered Traveler. Don't confuse this with the government airport security program. Almost every traveler we know has missed out on collecting bonus miles because they failed to register for a promotion. These days, loyalty programs will require you to register for a bonus rather than automatically issuing you the extra miles and points. Make sure you know when registering is a requirement. For instance, members of the Delta SkyMiles credit card by American Express could have earned double miles for every purchase they made over a two-month period if they had registered their card number. Those who did not only were able to earn a single mile per every dollar spent.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Sisters, Modesty is Like Angel Making You
Which brings me to announcements of a planned increased religious police presence on the streets of Iran: the authorities have announced that they are going start arresting annoying people and enforcing hijab.
What does that mean? What is proper hijab/hejab? Who are public nuisances? Listen, people may argue that enforcing hejab is Iran's version of keeping topless men out of restaurants… But my question is this: if it is the same then do thousands of clothing police roam the streets of Santa Cruz intimidating topless men trying to get into restaurants? It seems to me that if the police have to regulate personal behavior then the rules are in need of a bit of a review.
16 comments:
- Mimi said...
Excuse me but I understood nothing to this post. Could you please tell me what is your point and explain to a stupid Frenchman what is hijab . Thank you so much
Well, I saw the kidnap and boy it is so, so, so real, a bunch of kids shooting a film on their phone, posting it on the tube, and the narrative is supplied by the rest of the lickspittles always ready to knock Iran.
Why don't you find the footage of the Iranian student getting Tazzed the heck out of, time and again in the US university for simply failing to show his library card to the librarian?
hijab means the covering of the body, ie the scarf that is loosely thrown on by most females in Iran, and worn in a sort of fashion accessory. However, in this post, evidently this piece of cloth is elevated to the full burkkah status, with the addition of thousands of enforcers roaming around to enforce the correct application of such garment, thrown in for making a point.
Winston Effingham Smith
- The Insider said...
I like your blog and your points of view.
On Hijab I will make an investigation myself. On issues concerning Natanz complex and the 15 British solders and a lot more visit me to find out what is going on inside Tehran and Natanz.
- ET said...
Mimi: Hijab or hejab refers to the outfits many obeservant Muslim women wear. It is a vague term that generally refers to the headcovering and accompanying body covering clothing.
Winston E S: are you trying to disgues yourself as Winston from The Spirit of Man (http://thespiritofman.blogspot.com/)
Just because something happens in the US, does not give an excuse for kidnappings and arrests here.
- VinceP1974 said...
Iran is trying to increase the adherance to Islamic law to curry favor with Satan,. I mean Allah, in the war they been preparing for since 1979
- VinceP1974 said...
Leftists in the West believe everything that happens is because of something the US or Europe has done. They have no respect for the intellegence and motivation of other people in the world.
- danielspengies said...
VinceP, you have no respect nor understanding of history or human behavior. If you try to claim that the west is innocent and NOT responsible for pushing Iran into the behavior it often displays, then you aren't even worth talking to due to lack of proper education.
- VinceP1974 said...
Yawn.. please educate us about operation mr. clean again, oh arrogant one.
Assumptions, assumptions, a trend evidently.
Few ne'er-do-wells horsing around and shooting a not so authentic 'clandestine' clip on their phones, uploading it on to the tube, and waiting for it to get passed as the arrest of the 'innocent' going about their business. Evidently, enough reasons for you to get started on bashing Iran, and complaining; never mind what happened in US, UK, elsewhere, why is it happening here?
You evidently are blissfully unaware of the all out assault on the rights of the citizens in US, UK, and elsewhere around the globe, and steady erosion of their liberties, that has been foisted upon these peoples in an aid; to 'protect' them from the 'dangers' that 'terrorists' pose.
Geed on by the postings of those deluded hoards of barbarians blindly following the instructions of the 'Internet megaphone' this strange out of touch with reality experiment goes on.
Apparently, you are all too ready to accept the events on their face value, whenever Iran is concerned, why do you think is this the case?
Winston Effingham Smith
- danielspengies said...
Vincep, your "humor" is as weak as your political logic. I suggest going back through every single grade of school again, just like Adam Sandler did in "Bill Madison." Add onto that four years of a good college, and you MIGHT finally be on a level to talk about Iran.
Although I'm sure ET gets a large chuckle out of viewing your insane and badly informed comments.
Keep cracking at those popular anti-Islam books written by neocons. They certainly are doing you good in this department. Have any of them actually mentioned "operation ajax" yet, or do you need yet another link to school you on the subject?
- Mimi said...
thank you to all who took the time to explain to me what the hijab is. i had no idea.
- saggezard said...
Hijab (or dress code according to Islam) is a tool used very widely to impose control over the masses. In China, Mao used the excuse of social equality to dress everyone in uniforms when it was just a reminder to each Chinese that one of the first acts performed after waking up is the act of conforming to the state. This method of control is seen across cultures and institutions.
hey et,
i only recently found your blog, and have enjoyed it and learned from it a lot. especially noodling through older archives.
i would like to learn more about life in iran, and of the observations and opinions of people there. comments from iranians are especially interesting to me.
unfortunately, your blog is really cluttered up with a bunch of other americans shouting at each other and going off on their own ideological tangents that really don't have much to do with iran.
and i wonder, does anyone learn much of anything about tehran and iran from this stuff?
one can wax about the free speech beauty of the blogosphere, but perhaps your blog is getting thrown off of track some if there is no traffic control to keep it from turning into just another one of the tens of thousands of american flame boards.
i get the impression that you run with a thoughtful crowd of people. can you bring those folks back into the conversation?
- m. p. said...
I second Christopher's comments regarding inviting the "thoughtful crowd" back into the conversation.
You have an excellent and informative blog. It's unfortunate that so many of the regular commenters hijack it as a soapbox from which to make their own pronouncements -- often intolerant, ill-informed and immature, at that.
Psychosis, and lunacy sum up the unconscious drivelling of the resident Semitic Supremacists, whom in their tradition of colonising anywhere they find, have settled in this corner of the cyberspace, too.
As, ever the incoherent brain farts of this bunch of rejects, making no sense, or reason, full of invectives, and insults, aimed at those whom do not subscribe to their mad as a hatter world view.
The harangues of anti Semites, not making a difference, and invectives, insults getting no where, fall back comes in supplications of; let us censor the heck out of the newly settled settlement, and keep on pouring bile on Iran without any hindrance of any of the responses, after all these settlers are used to their own nice comfy echo chambers to pour their venom without so much as any checks, or responses to the contrary.
Thoughtful responses, my foot!
- danielspengies said...
I agree actually. I personally would like to see VinceP deleted from the comments sections, since he has yet to hit the nail anywhere near it's head on anything he talks about. I have a good understanding of the history of the Us and Iranian relations over the past sixty years, and I also have a good understanding on the research of human behavior, since I spent eight years of both undergraduate and graduate education learning said research. It is pretty clear that the west is the instigator and the bully in this situation, as it has set up Iran time and time again to be painted in the light of "evil." ET's blog is incredibly important, since it shows the world the TRUE face of Iran. It would be a shame to see her cut off the comments altogether, but some of the I HATE IRAN people do indeed need to go. Although I'm sure a lot of people would like to see me go as well. I never did get along with the uneducated very well.


text:
International Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Inhaled, Human, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficient Patients With Emphysema
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01217671
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : October 8, 2010
Last Update Posted : June 9, 2016
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Biological: Kamada AAT for inhalation Other: Placebo
|Phase 2 Phase 3
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, also called Alpha-1-Proteinase Inhibitor (API) deficiency, is a genetic disorder characterized by the production of an abnormal amount of AAT protein and reduced circulating levels of this protein. Subjects with AAT deficiency are at increased risk for developing Emphysema. It is believed that this is the result of the chronic activity of elastase released by cells continually present in the lungs in low numbers.
Three blinded interim analyses have shown that there are no safety issues and no concerns regarding tolerability.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|168 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|A Phase II/III, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter, International Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Inhaled, Human, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficient Patients With Emphysema
|Study Start Date :
|December 2009
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|November 2014
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|June 2015
|Experimental: Alpha-1 Antitrypsin
Biological: Kamada AAT for inhalation
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT)
Other Name: Alpha-1 Proteinase Inhibitor (API)
|Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Other: Placebo
- Exacerbation events and lung density [ Time Frame: Approximately 1 year ]
- Adverse Events [ Time Frame: Approximately 1 year ]
- Vital Signs [ Time Frame: Approximately 1 year ]
- Physical Examination [ Time Frame: Approximately 1 year ]
- ECG [ Time Frame: Approximately 1 year ]
- Lung function [ Time Frame: Approximately 1 year ]
- Laboratory Evaluations [ Time Frame: Approximately 1 year ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Principal Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of emphysema confirmed by CT scan. If a report of past CT scan is not available at site documenting then a CT scan is to be performed at screening
- Male or female patients at least 18 years of age.
- Able and willing to sign an informed consent.
- Patient with record of congenital AAT deficiency of phenotype PiZZ (homozygote) or other rare phenotypes related to AAT deficiency and with AAT serum level ≤ 11 micromole. For patients receiving IV AAT augmentation therapy the serum AAT level threshold does not apply.
- FEV1/SVC <70% of predicted value post bronchodilator (SVC is slow VC) and FEV1 < 80% of predicted value post-bronchodilator
- History of at least two moderate or severe exacerbations that required change in treatment (antibiotics, systemic steroids, hospitalization) in the last 18 months prior to date of screening , with at least one of these occurring within the last 12 months prior to screening.
- Ability to comply with completion of electronic diary.
- Ability to self-administer inhaled AAT.
- No significant abnormalities in serum hematology, serum chemistry and serum inflammatory / immunogenic markers according to the Principal Investigator's judgment, taking into considerations the potential effects of the AAT deficiency.
- No significant abnormalities in urinalysis according to the Principal Investigator's judgment, taking into considerations the potential effects of the AAT deficiency.
- No significant abnormalities in ECG per investigator judgment.
- Negative for HBsAg and for antibodies to HCV, HIV-1.
- AAT deficient patients who are either naïve (not receiving IV augmentation therapy) or AAT deficient patients (receiving IV augmentation therapy), if they have been stable on regular therapy for at least 3 months prior to the screening visit and are willing to continue the same regime throughout this trial. Note that only sites in Germany can recruit patients who are currently being treated with IV AAT.Patients who stopped IV augmentation treatment 6 months prior to screening date and will not re-start this treatment for the course of the study will be considered Naïve.
- Non-pregnant, non-lactating female patients, whose screening pregnancy test is negative and who are using contraceptive methods deemed reliable by the investigator, or who are at least 2 years post-menopausal or surgically sterilized.
Principal Exclusion Criteria:
- FEV1 >= 80% or FEV1 < 20% of predicted value post-bronchodilator.
- History of lung transplant.
- Any lung surgery within the past two years.
- On any thoracic surgery waiting list.
- End of last exacerbation less than 6 weeks prior to screening/re-screening visit.
- Clinically significant intercurrent illnesses (except for respiratory or liver disease secondary to AAT deficiency), including: cardiac, hepatic, renal, endocrine, neurological, hematological, neoplastic, immunological, skeletal or other) that in the opinion of the investigator, could interfere with the safety, compliance or other aspects of this study. Patients with well-controlled, chronic diseases could possibly be included after consultation with the treating physician and the sponsor.
- Active smoking during the last 12 months from screening date.
- Pregnancy or lactation.
- Woman of child-bearing potential not taking adequate contraception deemed reliable by the investigator.
- Presence of psychiatric/ mental disorder or any other medical disorder which might impair the patient's ability to give informed consent or to comply with the requirements of the study protocol.
- Evidence of ongoing viral infection with HCV, HBV and/or HIV.
- Evidence of alcohol abuse or history of alcohol abuse or illegal and/or legally prescribed drugs.
- IgA Deficiency
- History of life threatening allergy, anaphylactic reaction, or systemic response to human plasma derived products.
- Participation in another clinical trial within 30 days prior to baseline visit.
- Inability to attend scheduled clinic visits and/or comply with the study protocol.
- Any other factor that, in the opinion of the investigator, would prevent the patient from complying with the requirements of the protocol.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01217671
|Inspiration Research Limited
|Toronto, Canada
|Seymour Health Centre
|Vancouver, Canada
|Gentofte Hospital
|Hellerup, Denmark
|Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes
|Homburg/Saar, Germany
|Universitatsklinikum Gieben und Marburg
|Marburg, Germany
|Beaumont Hospital
|Dublin, Ireland
|Leiden, Netherlands
|Malmo University Hospital
|Malmo, Sweden, 20502
|Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Solna
|Stockholm, Sweden
|United Kingdom
|Queen Elizabeth Hospital
|Birmingham, United Kingdom
|Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
|Edinburgh, United Kingdom
|Royal Brompton Hospital
|London, United Kingdom
|Principal Investigator:
|Jan Stolk, Professor
|LUMC, Leiden, Netherlands
|Responsible Party:
|Kamada, Ltd.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01217671 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
Kamada-AAT (inhaled) 007
|First Posted:
|October 8, 2010 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|June 9, 2016
|Last Verified:
|April 2016
Pulmonary, Emphysema
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
Pulmonary Emphysema
Pathologic Processes
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Lung Diseases, Obstructive
Lung Diseases
Respiratory Tract Diseases
Alpha 1-Antitrypsin
Protein C Inhibitor
Trypsin Inhibitors
Serine Proteinase Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action


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Posts Tagged 'syria'
183 Times is the Charm: The Accusation (by Torture) of a Young Mother Named Aafia Siddiqui
NOTE: The post, below, is from June 2009. To see our most recent post on Aafia Siddiqui, published 1/19/2010, see: The New American Justice: Aafia Siddiqui's Trial by Water
From June through September of 1692, nineteen men and women, all having been convicted of witchcraft, were carted to Gallows Hill, a barren slope near Salem Village, for hanging. Another man of over eighty years was pressed to death under heavy stones for refusing to submit to a trial on witchcraft charges. Hundreds of others faced accusations of witchcraft. Dozens languished in jail for months without trials. Then, almost as soon as it had begun, the hysteria that swept through Puritan Massachusetts ended. ("An Account of Events in Salem," from the University of Missouri — Kansas City website)
The hunt was characterized by unrestrained torture and and an obsession with getting tortured witches to name other witches. (from Witch Hunts in Europe and America: An Encyclopedia, by William E. Burns)
By now, most Americans — having heard the word "waterboarding" at least 183 times over the past month — seem to have grown immune to the visceral horrors attending to that particular techinque that the International Red Cross terms "suffocation by drowning." We've surely grown immune to human suffering. Otherwise, we wouldn't have reduced the topic of torture to a mere parlor game — an exercise in sophistry — as the left and the right mentally wrestle with questions whose answers have been known for centuries: Is waterboarding torture? Does torture 'work'?
[Click here to read the rest of this introduction on U.S. policy and torture. Or just skip the intro entirely, and keep reading onward, into the stories of several individuals (with particular focus on Aafia Siddiqui) who have been falsely arrested, illegally imprisoned, "disappeared," subjected to extraordinarily rendition and/or tortured over the past 8 years — and counting.]
An American Story
Imagine this: You are a 41 year-old man, a U.S. citizen, born in Kansas, an Army veteran, married with three children, practicing family law in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon; you pay your taxes on time, have never had a brush with the law. You are the quintessential "average American citizen." Imagine, then, your surprise when the FBI descends on your home and fingers you as the mastermind of the 2004 Madrid train bombing that killed 191 people and injured over 2000. Your name is Brandon Mayfield, and it's official: You have just been arrested as the mastermind in an international terrorist plot.
"But I haven't left the country in over 10 years!" you protest. "And I've never even been to Spain! How could this happen?"
Turns out it was your fingerprint. The FBI's Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) identified your fingerprint as a possible match to the one found on a plastic bag near the Madrid bombing. The match was then verified in quadruplicate by FBI fingerprint experts, which lent full credibility to the claim in their affidavit: "….the FBI lab stands by their conclusion of a 100 percent positive identification." It was the fingerprint, see.
'Lucky' for you, your incarceration lasted only 2 weeks. The Spanish police identified the real mastermind (some guy from Algeria), prompting the FBI to dismiss the charges against you. In return, you file a a civil-rights lawsuit against the U.S. government. Herein, more facts emerge. Turns out, the Spanish police had already rejected the FBI's identification of your fingerprint — twenty-three days before your arrest — as "conclusively negative." Perhaps that would have been the end of that, if not for the smoking gun: you were also a Muslim convert.
Convinced of your guilt, the FBI spent those twenty-three days doggedly pursuing a case against you, with an intensity that the Spanish Police found perplexing. As one commissioner said, "It seemed as though they [the FBI] had something against him, and they wanted to involve us." Lacking probable cause for search and seizure, the FBI turned to the nifty new provisions in the Patriot Act, which allowed them to entirely sidestep your Fourth Amendment rights, via "sneak and peak" warrants.
Turns out, you and your wife hadn't been imagining things. Your door lock had been tampered; someone had been in your home. You were being watched. It was the FBI who, in your absence, snuck into your home, your office, and even the family farm in Kansas,"surreptitiously, photographing papers, downloading hard drives, and planting listening devices."
But you were 'lucky.' You had, at your disposal, due process — stuff like habeas corpus, and an attorney to represent you in a U.S. court of law. Your case was fairly clear-cut, too. That is, once the facts were allowed to see the light of day. In the end, the FBI aplogized and you were awarded a $2 million settlement. And in 2007, a federal judge ruled that those nifty Patriot Act provisions used by the FBI to sneak into your home actually violated the U.S. Constitution.
Now imagine that you are a 34-year old man — married, a father, a Canadian citizen for 17 years, Syrian-born. And, oh, a muslim. Imagine yourself going on vacation with your family to Tunisia in 2002 and, upon your return flight home to Canada, passing through the JFK airport in New York City. Here, you are detained in solitary confinement and interrogated for 12 days, then shackled and flown to Syria, where you are imprisoned inside a coffin-sized underground cell for 10 months + 10 days, being subjected throughout this time to beatings and torture sessions to extract information which the U.S. government is certain you own.
While you initially refuse to admit to something you didn't do, the torture finally becomes so unbearable, that you will say anything to make it stop — up to and including making false confessions, admitting guilt to whatever terrorist acts your torturers accuse you. Your name is Maher Arar and — even as you are ultimately determined to be 100% innocent — your case is not as clear cut as Brandon Mayfield's. You are, after all, a Canadian citizen. And, oh, a muslim of Arab descent.
Still, the facts of your case do eventually see the light of day. The Canadian government launches a Commission of Inquiry into your case and, in 2006 (three years after your release from your extraordinary rendition to Syria), you are cleared of all accusations. The Canadian government issues an official apology, and you are awarded a settlement of $10.5 million Canadian dollars. For their part, however, the U.S. government and the FBI refuse to extend an apology, official or otherwise (even as there were a few notable lawmakers of integrity on Capitol Hill who did issue personal apologies on behalf of the U.S. government).
[see also: Patrick Leahy's interrogation of Gonzales on the Maher Arar case here, and the 1-1/2 hour video of the U.S. Congressional hearing on Maher Arar's case here].
Seeking to clear your name, you file a lawsuit against the U.S. government for violating your civil rights. But the Bush Administration refuses to allow your case to come to trial, for reasons of "national security." To this day, you are still on the U.S. terrorist watch list and are forbidden to enter the country.
The likelihood of your case going to trial in the U.S. is slim, as the Obama Administration has, so far, aligned itself with the Bush Administration, — having recently used the "state secrets" argument to deny trials to 5 other Bush Administration victims who were similarly flown to other countries to be tortured. According to Obama, the Bush Administration was right: allowing these innocent victims a trial could threaten national security.
Now imagine this: You are a 31-year old man, an accredited freelance cameraman and photographer, working for Reuters in Iraq. On September 1, 2008, U.S. forces, accompanied by dogs, storm your home in the middle of the night — breaking down your door, barking orders and terrifying the grandparents, children and grandchildren inside. You are taken into custody and thrown into jail, without charges. Three months pass. Still, no formal charges, no evidence, no due process.
In a stroke of democracy, the Iraqi central criminal court orders your release, for lack of evidence. The U.S. bars your release, however, saying you are a threat to Iraq security and stability. The protests of your family, of Reuters and international human rights and media rights groups fall on deaf ears. More months pass. To this day, you are still in jail, without charges. Your name is Ibrahim Jassam, and you are but one of dozens of journalists imprisoned — without charges — under the Bush Administration.
You are, so far, luckier than some. According to Reporters Without Borders, hundreds of journalists have been killed in Iraq, with many more forced into exile, imprisoned or simply disappeared. Too, some have been imprisoned for much longer than you. Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, Bilal Hussein, for instance, was imprisoned for two years. Al Jazeera journalist, Sami al-Haj was imprisoned for over 7 years, with 6-1/2 of these years spent at Guantanamo, where America sends "the worst of the worst."
[Here it must be said that Sami al-Haj's story, alone, is evidence enough that our leaders and media should give pause to the Bush Administration's "intelligence" that has effectively colored the entire population of 240 Guantanamo detainees — including those who have been long-pronounced innocent, but also those whose guilt was cemented under confessions extracted through torture — as a mix of terrorists and men so dangerous that they cannot safely be released anywhere on the planet Earth, much less allowed fair trials that would, in all likelihood, clear the names of some of these prisoners, the only "threat to national security" being that their trials would reveal the extent of the U.S. government's tyranny.]
(video, above) Associated Press report (39 seconds long) on Bilal Hussein's release in 2008, with footage of his reunion with his AP colleagues and his family
Both Bilal Hussein and Sami al-Haj were released in 2008. Neither was ever charged with a crime, even as their incarcerations were justified by a series of shifting accusations, based on top secret evidence that, for national security reasons, could not be divulged: Bilal Hussein (see AP timeline of his case here) was accused, at one point, of being caught in possession of bomb-making materials, while Sami al-Haj was alternately accused of videotaping Osama bin Laden, sending money to suspicious Muslim charities, and arranging for the transport of a Stinger anti-aircraft system from Afghanistan to Chechnya. Despite these ludicrous accusations, in appears that these journalists were guilty of nothing more than practicing journalism.
Your name is Ibrahim Jassam, and you've been in jail for 9 months, without charges. Your misfortune is that you are being detained by the U.S. government. Had you been detained by, say, Iran you would have been afforded at least some semblance of due process — formal charges, an attorney, a trial, an appeals process. Had you been detained by, say, North Korea, your injustice would be given a voice in the U.S. media. Had you been arrested by anyone but the American government, you would be a poster child, of sorts, for media suppression under tyrannical regimes.
Your name is Ibrahim Jassam, and your story is almost, but not quite, unknown in America. According to your family, which has been allowed only a handful of visits, you used to be handsome. "But now he's pale and he's tired," says your brother, describing one of these visits: "Every now and then while we were talking, he would start crying. He was begging me: 'Please do something to get me out of here. I don't know what is the charge against me.' I told him we already tried everything."
Now imagine this: You are a 31-year old mother of three; you are also an MIT graduate with a PhD in cognitive neuroscience. [In hindsight, there is cruel irony to the topic of your dissertation, in which you explored how people learn — specifically, the interaction between visual memory and perception. In your abstract, you wrote, "Without a visible trail, it is difficult for the subject to form a picture or story."] . It is late March of 2003. Just a few days earlier, the U.S. went to war in Iraq and — as is now known — the CIA, the FBI and the Bush Administration at large were working around the clock to put together the intelligence necessary to justifying this war.
Up until a year earlier, you'd spent 12 years living in America as a dual citizen of the U.S. and Pakistan. You'd originally moved to the U.S. in 1990 to attend college and be nearer your sister and brother — a Harvard-trained neurologist and a Houston architect, respectively. While living in the U.S., you married a medical student in Boston, who went on to work as an anesthesiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital. You gave birth to 2 children. Neighbors and friends described you as a devoted mother, spending the bulk of your time in the everyday routines of raising your children, overseeing play groups with their friends. You were also a devout Muslim and donated both time and money to charitable causes and missionary work to help less fortunate Muslims.
Because contributing to Muslim charities constituted a red flag in post-9-11 American, the FBI was watching you and had been since the fall of 2001. According to U.S. intelligence sources, your husband purchased night goggles and body armor off the internet in 2001, which he claimed were intended for big game hunting. Because of these purchases, you, yourself, were brought in for questioning by U.S. officials. Although you were released after questioning, this interrogation served as further evidence that the post-9-11 hostility toward Muslims was escalating. This factored into your decision to return to Pakistan — a debate that had already caused considerable strain in your marriage: you you wanted to raise your children in America, while your husband wanted to raise them in Pakistan. In 2002 — with your marriage now on the rocks — you and your husband returned to Pakistan.
By March of 2003, you'd been estranged from your husband for over 7 months, during which time you lived with your mother and gave birth to your third child, who was now 6 months old. Three months earlier, in December 2002, you'd returned to the United States to apply for jobs in the Baltimore area, where your sister was now working at Sinai Hospital. After making several applications — and interviewing with both Johns Hopkins and SUNY — you opened a post office box to receive replies from prospective employers, then returned to your children and your mother in Pakistan.
Now imagine that the FBI believes the only reason you opened that post office box was to receive communications as part of an al Qaeda plot to blow up gas stations and fuel tanks in the Baltimore area. Imagine, too, that during the course of the FBI's 18-month surveillance of you and your husband, they discovered that, during the summer of 2001, one of your former Muslim acquaintances from Boston had been wired $20,000 from Saudi Arabia (a sum which, according to the explanation given by a Saudi official to the Boston Globe, was sent to pay for medical treatment for the man's wife). Lastly, imagine that, the FBI believes that this $20,000 is connected to a purported diamond smuggling trip, made by a mysterious woman in the summer of 2001, to fund al Qaeda operations. According to the FBI, that mystery woman is you.
To this story add water, then quickly spin
It is now March 28, 2003. Just a week earlier, on March 20th, the U.S. invaded Iraq. Several weeks earlier, on March 1st, the alleged architect of 9-11, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was captured. It seems that — during one of his 183 waterboard interrogation sessions — your name came up.
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Ferrari 458 Spider
Ferrari 458 Spider
Ferrari 458
2011-2015 Part # PLFW03026-SYP
Body Style - Spider
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About 3-4 miles outside of Dallas, Gaston County, North Carolina is one of those very small private family cemeteries. You know the kind - when folks used to bury their loved ones in the backyard next to the zucchini. This is where I found the final resting place of my 7th great grandparents Michael Hoyle and Margaret Dellinger. Michael, who was born 12 January 1738, is the son of Peter and Catherine Hoyle. Michael died 12 March 1793. Margaret, who was born 6 January 1750, is the daughter of Johann Philip Dellinger and Anna Maria Brandstatter. Margaret died 25 May 1827.
They share a single, large marble slab as a headstone. The inscription was really tough to make out as it was mostly eroded away, but this is what my eyes saw:
In memory of
Michael Hoyle died March 12, 1792, aged 62 years
Margaret Hoyle died May 25, 1827, aged 82 years
" Children, dear, as you pass by, Pray on these lines do cast an eye.
As you ware young, so once ware we; Prepare for death and eternity."
The stone must be in worse condition than when I was there in 2005 because now there is this stone that was erected by some descendants. This pretty much tells you all you need to know about this cemetery!


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William De Morgan
English, 19th century
Vase, c. 1890
earthenware, lustre, alkaline glaze
46.2 x 22.5 cm
Collection of the Winnipeg Art Gallery; Gift of an anonymous donor
Ceramic, Decorative Arts Ceramic
William De Morgan was one of the most important and influential ceramists of the Victorian age. He was a friend of William Morris and, while he did not wholly embrace the Arts and Crafts movement, it did influence his design aesthetic. De Morgan also turned to Islamic sources (mainly from Iran and Turkey) for elements such as the arabesque, the ogee arch, Sassanian bird motifs, and foliage patterns. This gourd-shaped vase clearly reveals these sources, both in its decorative motifs and lustre glazes. Fred Passenger, who painted this vase, was hired with his brother Charles to execute De Morgan's designs. They later became partners with De Morgan and continued to use his designs after his retirement in 1907.
Gallery Hours
- Tuesday 11am-5pm
- Wednesday 11am-5pm
- Thursday 11am-5pm
- Friday 11am-9pm
- Saturday 11am-5pm
- Sunday 11am-5pm
- Closed Monday


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CakeSpy Note: This delicious recipe comes from Cake Gumshoe Rachel, who writes the website Not Just Sweets.
My grandpa, whose family was from the Abruzzi region of Italy, believed in starting the day with his favorite breakfast: pizzelle cookies dunked in his morning coffee. He always kept an empty coffee tin filled with pizzelles by the front door so when friends or family walked in they could help themselves to a cookie. At least once a week we would make pizzelles using his recipe:
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon anise extract*
- Add in the order listed. Drop by spoonful onto center of pre-heated pizzelle iron.
- Close lid and cook until steaming stops, about 45 seconds.
- Place a towel on the side of the iron and place pizzelles on towel and allow to cool.
*If you prefer a more mild anise flavor, use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of anise extract. These cookies are easy to make and will stay fresh for 3 days in an airtight container. You can serve plain or sprinkle with powdered sugar or shape into ice cream cones and cups. Pizzelle irons are available online or at your local Williams-Sonoma store.


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This new thread will be dedicated to a review of the PSS 600 audio amplifier.
The product is distributed in Australia by NET and is manufactured in France.
When the amplifier arrived, my first impression was this amp is heavy and opening the carton revealed a well packaged product.(15 kg)
The amplifier is supplied with a quality printed manual detailing the main specifications and product features.
This model, the PSS 600 has a gain of 31 db with an input sensitivity of 1 volt, input impedance of 20k ohms, damping factor of >250 (8 ohms), distortion @1000 hz less than 0.009% and is rated at 300 watts @4 ohms, and 150 watts @8 ohms.
The chassis has a solid feel, its made of powder coated pressed steel, the front panel is designed for rack mounting and has handles to assist installation.
On the front panel is a large power switch, independent level attenuators for each channel and a row of LED's indicators ,4 red, 2 yellow, 2 blue to show the status of the amplifier.
The rear panel is populated with professional Neutrik XLR balanced inputs and Speakon output sockets.
The ventilation system is unique.
Central within the chassis is a fan which draws air in from the front and rear of the amplifier over a special aluminium extrusion containing the MJ15024 Bipolar T03 output devices.
The fan does make some background noise but this is unlikely to be a concern in a professional environment.
Taking off the top cover shows this amplifier is all about quality and precision.
The components and the manner of assembly are of a very high standard not normally found in domestic HiFi equipment. The twin power transformers are very large and the power supply has ample supply filtration.
These images give some indication of the PSS 600.
My impression is this amplifier has evolved over a long period and shows great attention to detail in its design and construction. The PSS600 solidly made and has a unique quality that can only be found in products made in Europe.
Ian Mackenzie


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This may be the most beautiful love song you'll ever hear.
An 86-year-old Utah man in the hospital battling a blood infection wanted to show his wife of 66 years how much he loved her, so he decided to belt out a touching version of 'You Are My Sunshine.'
James Pinegar has some moments when the emotions get to him and his wife, Colleen, chimes in with him in this unbelievably heartwarming video, which was shot back in February.
The story has a happy ending, too: James managed to bounce back and is in good health today.
Новости партнёров


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Emmy winning broadcast journalist, Paula Tutman came to Local 4 in 1992 at the tender age of 16 (not true, but she feels good saying it). She's a Peace Corps brat who spent her early childhood living in Sierra Leone, West Africa and Tanzania, East Africa, hence her odd pronunciation of the word, "again" as "a-gayne."
She says she comes from a family of over-achievers. Her older brother is a law professor and professional environmentalist who takes on big-time corporate polluters in Maryland to protect tributaries and watersheds. His website: http://www.paxriverkeeper.org/ , her twin sister is a former, fellow Emmy winning broadcast journalist and is currently a nationally award winning Lifestyles blogger, website: http://lisatutmanoglesby.typepad.com/
Paula brings up the rear of the Tutman-clan as the founder and board chair of Children's Tooth Fairy Foundation, a 501c3, non-profit that provides education and dental care funding to uninsured and underserved children in Southeastern, Michigan, including children of active military personnel. Website: http://childrenstoothfairyfoundation.org/ She also does community work for several other area organizations that provide services for children or support music and the arts.
Paula considers community work her second full-time job and invites the community to get involved with the care of fellow human beings. She loves the outdoors, nature, gardening, sailing, cycling, cross-country skiing, painting, writing, theatre, National Geographic television and opera. She's an award winning author who has recently completed her third thriller novel and first screenplay.
She's married and the stepmother of three beautiful and brilliant daughters.
Her personal philosophy in life, love and community is, "Do as much as you can possibly do, not as little as you can possibly get away with".
A little known fact: Paula met her husband on a blind motor cycle date and the two eloped to Alaska where no one could follow them to get married.
She considers herself a nerd who disguises her true nerdiness with hair and make-up.
If you have a great story, Paula would love to hear about it. Please email her at email@example.com


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Avocado Fries/
Oh dear. I never should have done this. This may be one of my biggest mistakes all year. Can't take it back now.
So we're totally enjoying our grilled avocados, but my husband innocently asks "What else can you do with avocados?" And so my daughter tweets this recipe, and I'm laying all the blame on them. Of course, I had to go and make them, and now we are doomed.
Sigh…. Avocado fries are good. They're very, very good. So don't even go there unless you're willing to deal with that. Crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside… I dusted them with a little parmesan cheese, which was so unnecessary. But wow. We're not so much down with frying stuff around here, but now I must have avocado fries. Must. Have. Them.
At a buck fifty a pop (at least around here), avocados can easily run up quite a tab on the grocery bill. Oh, who cares. We'll do without napkins and wax paper or something. Avocado fries are here to stay.
So, consider yourself warned. I tried to tell you….
Avocado Fries
Recipe Adapted from Sunset Magazine
Canola oil for frying
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 firm-ripe medium avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-in. wedges
Grated parmesan for serving (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 200°. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 1/2 in. oil until it registers 375° on a deep-fry thermometer.
2. Meanwhile, mix flour with 1/2 tsp. salt in a shallow plate. Put eggs and panko in separate shallow plates.
3. Sprinkle the avocado slices with the remaining ½ tsp salt. Dip each slice in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, then panko to coat. Set on 2 plates in a single layer.
3. Fry a quarter of avocado slices at a time until deep golden, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer slices to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining avocados. Sprinkle with salt and a little grated parmesan.


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Welcome to Teton County Search and Rescue
Volunteer Team + Foundation
Teton County Search and Rescue (TCSAR) was started in 1993 by the Teton County Sheriff's Department to provide vital emergency search and rescue services for Teton County and surrounding areas to those in need.
The TCSAR Foundation supports TCSAR volunteers through direct support, community education and advocacy.
Together, we create an organization that works to keep Teton County residents and visitors safe in the backcountry 24 hours a day -- 7 days a week.


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Am I the only who thinks last night's drilling of Alfonso Soriano stems from some lingering bad feelings that date all the way back to last season?
Remember this? Last June
. The next night,
. Warnings are given.
the next night and plunks the third batter of the game, shortstop Edgar Renteria, in the hand. Mind-reading umpire Jim Wolf ejects Lilly and then has this exchange with Lou Piniella that was picked up by ESPN's microphones. (Thanks to
for this)
WOLF: He's done
PINIELLA: Why?
WOLF: Because he threw at him
PINIELLA: How do you know he threw at him?
WOLF: I know he did.
PINIELLA: How do you know he did?
WOLF: Because I was waiting for it. I knew it was going to happen.
Renteria then exacts his own revenge on Mike Fontenot by stealing second and leading with an forearm to the face on a pop-up slide, a play that would've made Ty Cobb proud.
So Lilly, whom we know can be quite temperamental at times -- slamming his glove to the ground, fighting his manager in Toronto -- throws over catcher Brian McCann's head Tuesday night. Warnings are given. The next night Jeff Bennett breaks Soriano's hand with a pitch. It should be pointed out both Derrek Lee and Ryan Dempster defended Bennett after the game. Still Dempster responded by drilling McCann in the ribs in the fourth inning. (I'm wondering why everyone's throwing at McCann?) And around and around we go.
Today we've got picture of calm Carlos Zambrano, last seen kicking the crap out of a couple of coolers, going against Tim Hudson, the guy who started this whole mess.
The Cubs called up second baseman
and then stuck him in left, a position he hasn't played in Iowa since being sent down in April.
The Cubs and Braves are wearing uniforms from 1948 in honor of the Cubs 60th season on WGN. Bob Brenly and Len Kasper will be wearing duds from the day and a few innings will be televised in black and white (can't wait.) To get in the spirit, I'm banging this all on a manual typewriter.
and we're ready to go.
I'm a sucker for all this throwback stuff. The game is in black and white with ancient and limited camera angles. Both teams lined up on the baselines for the intros, Bob Brenly looks like an extra from that Johnny Depp gangster movie they've been filming all over town. No offense, but I could've done without the anthem being done by a handbell choir, but that's just me.
First inning
It's hot, the wind is blowing out to left, I just finished lunch ... everything is right in the world. Bob Brenly makes a good point that it would've been fun had home-plate umpire Dan DeMuth gone with the giant chest protector. OK, wait, I take back everything I said about this old timey stuff. I hate it! No center-field camera? All the action is from a camera on the third-base line. No replays? Yunel Escobar grounds out to third. I think. Len and Bob keeps telling confused viewers to relax and enjoy. Well, I'm neither. Kelly Johnson pops out to short. Chipper Jones legs out an infield hit on a swinging bunt to the right side. I'm sure WGN is fielding all kinds of calls right now. Marge from Iowa wants to know what happened to the Cubbies. Mark Teixeira grounds to Lee, who steps on first to end the top half of the first.
The Braves uniforms are pretty sweet. Not much different than their current ones, except there's a "B" on their hat for Boston and lotta high stripped socks out there. Patterson flies out to center. Ryan Theriot grounds out to short. Wayne Messmer is doing the PA work from the crowd. Brenly makes another good point: Where are the photographers on the field? Lee bounces back to Hudson for the third out.
Scoreless draw
Second inning
It's good to know the commercials in bizzaro 1948 are in color and louder than the game audio. Brian McCann singles to center.
Jeff Francoeur homers to left to give the Braves a 2-0 lead.
Greg Norton bloops out to Mark DeRosa at second. Gregor Blanco flies out to left. Hudson singles to left. Escobar flies out deep to Jim Edmonds on the track.
Braves 2, Cubs 0
Ramirez launches one deep but Blanco catches up to it on the warning track in left-center. Kosuke Fukudome slaps a single to left. Soto singles to left. Edmonds, the only guy to bat in this inning who would've been welcomed on the 1948 Cubs, checks his swing. Edmonds bounces into a 4-6-3, inning-ending double play.
Braves 2, Cubs 0
Third inning
OK, and like the scene in "The Wizard of Oz" when Dorothy opens the door, everything's in color now. Thankfully. Let's hope there are no flying monkeys involved. Johnson grounds out to second. Jones flies out to Edmonds. Teixeira flies out to right and Zambrano fares much better in color with his first 1-2-3 inning.
DeRosa nearly takes off Hudson's head with a line drive comebacker to ends up in center for a single. Zambrano goes the other way with a single to left. Norton made a nice play in left to cut the ball off and DeRosa has to stop at second. Patterson bounces into a 4-6-3 double play and replays show he actually was safe at first. Theriot bats with two outs and DeRosa on third and bounces back to Hudson for the third out. Two on and no outs and you get nothing.
Braves 2, Cubs 0
Fourth inning
Zambrano strikes out McCann. Francoeur singles. Norton flies out to right. Hudson takes a called third strike.
Lee strikes out swinging. Teixeira robs Ramirez of a hit with a diving grab of a line drive. Fukudome flies out to left and the Cubs go down in order in the fourth. Since when did the newsroom become a construction zone? There's some guy running some major piece of power equipment somewhere that's shaking the entire floor and now two guys are in this closet that houses all the phone lines and stuff and happens to be right next to my desk and they're banging away on something.
Braves 2, Cubs 0
Fifth inning
Zambrano walks Escobar on four pitches to start the fifth. Johnson singles to right; Escobar stops at second. Chipper bounces into a 4-6-3 double play. Zambrano walks Teixeira. Soto saves a run as ball four was in the dirt. McCann chops one to DeRosa for the third out.
Soto fans to start the bottom half of the fifth. Edmonds does the same for the second out. I guess Len Kasper's car was hit and dented by a foul ball last night. DeRosa takes a called third strike on a fastball right down the middle and Hudson is having his way here today.
Braves 2, Cubs 0
Sixth inning
Zambrano strikes out Francoeur on a high fastball. Norton grounds a single to left past a diving DeRosa. Blanco grounds to DeRosa, who flips to Theriot for the out at second, but the throw to first is late. Hudson grounds out to third for the final out.
Zambrano digs in and swings and misses at a pitch in the dirt and eventually strikes out. Patterson singles past the shortstop. WGN asks which among velcro, vinyl, bikinis, something else and NASCAR is the best advancement since 1948. How about a vinyl and velcro bikini? Jones, bad quad and all, charges and makes a play on Theriot's swinging bunt for the second out. Lee flies out deep to center.
Braves 2, Cubs 0
Seventh inning
Escobar grounds out to second, interrupting the Bud Light Fan Cam segment. Johnson drills a one-hopper to short, where Theriot makes a nice play and just gets the runner at first. Jones bounes out to second and here's starting third baseman in the 1948 All-Star game "Handy" Andy Pafko to sing TMOTTBG.
And a belated welcome to everyone on the message board today. Sorry for the delay and my lack of chit-chat today. I'm trying to meditate before tonight's big softball game and may have accidentally hypnotized myself. Ramirez reaches out and pokes a single to left. "That's a good start," Pafko says. Fukudome grounds up the middle for a tailor-made double play ball but Escobar bobbles it and his only play is at first. Soto bloops a single to right. Ramirez holds up to see if it drops and has to stop at third.
Edmonds drives home Ramirez with a flyball to right.
Soto stays put at first and here's DeRosa. Full count, the fans are on their feet, Soto runs with the pitch and it's ball four. That's the first walk allowed by Hudson today. Piniella is going to let Zambrano hit and why not? Bobby Cox waddles out to the mound not looking good. I bet a light breeze could blow that guy over. That's it for Hudson, who threw 102 pitches. Jorge Campillo is the new pitcher and Zambrano swings at the first pitch and pops out to first. But the Cubs get one back.
Braves 2, Cubs 1
Eighth inning
Zambrano passes the 100-pitch mark as he walks Teixeira. And, no, I'm not getting paid by the word. In fact, I'm not sure I'm even getting paid at all. Clerical error, I'm told. That's it for Zambrano. Enter Scott Eyre. McCann doubles to the right-field corner. Teixeira, a rather large and slow guy, stops at third. They'll put Francoeur on to load the bases for Norton. So Eyre will have to pitch out of a no-out, bases loaded hoo-ha. Hey Norton chases a slider in the dirt for strike three for the first out. With Blanco up, Soto saves another run, knocking down a 1-2 slider in the dirt and way outside. Eyre then strikes out Blanco looking with, after all those sliders, a fastball right down the middle. Omar Infante will hit. Piniella goes out to talk things over and eventually lifts Eyre, who exits to a standing O. What the? Carlos Marmol finishes up his bullpen tosses with his customary 360 spin and simultaneous blessing of himself and heads to the mound. Marmol falls behind 2-0 and then throws three sliders for strikes to get out of the bases-loaded jam.
Blaine Boyer is the new Braves pitcher. Infante stays in to play left. Norton takes a seat. Patterson flies out to center. Theriot grounds to second. Two pitches, two outs. Sweet. Lee bangs one off the shortstop's glove. Blanco way the heck out in center and can't back up the play, so Lee digs hard and takes second on the play. As Brenly points out, Hudson's gone, the wind's howling out to left, righty Ramirez is up, put one in the bleachers already. Ramirez thinking the same thing swings and misses so hard his arms nearly fly off his body. He lays off a few and works the count full. Ramirez fouls a couple of pitches off and then draws a walk. Two on and two outs for Fukudome. With the crowd rhythmically chanting his name, Fukudome ... takes a ball. Excitement! Fukudome hits a wicked liner over the Cubs dugout that maybe maimed someone wearing one of those racist t-shirts. With the count evened up 2-2, Fukudome grounds to third where Chipper steps on the bag to end the inning.
Braves 2, Cubs 1
Ninth inning
Marmol remains. Escobar pops out to Lee in foul ground. Piniella lifts Marmol in favor of the lefty Neal Cotts to face the equally left-handed Kelly Johnson. Johnson doubles to right. Chipper, whose average has dropped from .419 to .416 today, strikes out swining, further dropping that average. So after striking out the Braves best hitter, Cotts first pitch to Teixeira goes all the way to the back stop on a fly, allowing Johnson to take third. After missing badly a couple of more times, they say "screw it" and put Teixeira on. Cotts strikes out McCann on three pitches.
Down a run in the dying embers of this game, it'll be Soto, Edmonds and DeRosa in the bottom of the ninth. Boyer stays on the mound for the Braves. Soto sends it deep to left but not deep enough for the Cubs. Blanco makes the catch on the track in left-center.
Edmonds ties it up with homer the other way that just makes it to the basket.
Len, who's been waiting all day to do this, does his best Jack Brickhouse "Hey-Hey." DeRosa grounds out to second for out No. 2. Cox has had enough of Boyer, so he does the perfectly sane thing in this situation, he calls for Will Ohman, who oddly is having a pretty good year. Ronny Cedeno will hit for the Cubs and quickly falls behind 0-2. Cedeno strikes out on four pitches but this one's tied up. And everyone can stop with the Jim Edmonds hatred, if they haven't already.
Cubs 2, Braves 2
10th inning
Enter Kerry Wood. Exit Jeff Francoeur, swinging at a high fastball. Ruben Gotay hits and flies out to right. The immortal Gregor Blanco chases strike three in the dirt. Soto throws down to first and that about does that. Wait, there's more?
Manny Acosta jumps in here to pitch. Patterson grounds out to a drawn-in Chipper. Theriot grounds out to short. Lee grounds out to short. Nothing doing.
Cubs 2, Braves 2
Wood nearly plunks Infante with an errant slider. If Infante were smart, he would've leaned into that, knowing Wood's history plunking the leadoff hitter. Alas for him, he strikes out. Escobar lines out to DeRosa. Johnson lines a two-out double to left. Piniella strolls out to the mound probably to talk about what they want to do with Chipper. It's decided: They'll walk him to face Teixeira with a couple dudes on and same number out. Full count to Teixeira and Wood drops a breaking ball right in there for strike three.
Acosta walks Ramirez to open the 11th inning. We've got a softball game tonight, people. Let's wrap this up. Fukudome squares to bunt but Acosta pitch is way inside and goes to the backstop, allowing Ramirez to take second. Keep bunting? Well, no, because the Braves now will walk Fukudome. Soto takes two questionable strikes allegedly on the outside corner. Soto grounds a single to left. Ramirez is digging hard, third-base coach Mike Quade throws up the stop sign and Ramirez nearly runs right into him. Last season Ramirez actually did run into Quade. Probably a good call there. The left fielder got to the ball quickly in shallow left. That's it for Acoata.
Jeff Ridgway is the latest, greatest pitcher to join this one and he hits Reed Johnson on the foot with the first pitch for a rare walk-off plunking.
Final: Cubs 3, Braves 2
Well, the Cubs weather Tim Hudson, hang around long enough and take this one, thanks to some timely hitting by Jim Edmonds and a high pain threshold by Reed Johnson. Thanks for reading, everyone. Softball game on!


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Product Description
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