text:
Robots are extremely effective in environments like factory floors that are structured for them, and currently ineffective in environments like our homes that are structured for humans. The Personal Robotics Lab of the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University is developing the fundamental building blocks of perception, navigation, manipulation, and interaction that will enable robots to perform useful tasks in environments structured for humans
The lab was founded by Professor Siddhartha Srinivasa in 2006 with funding from Intel Pittsburgh and the Quality of Life Technologies NSF ERC.
Our current research focus is on two main topics, Physics-based Manipulation, and the Mathematics of Human-Robot Interaction. They are heavily intertwined, both born out of the goal of robots performing complex manipulation tasks with and around people.
We are also working on Manipulation Planning and Perception for Manipulation, and have a growing interest in expressive and legible motion.
We are also in the process of publicly publishing several libraries we use internally for planning, perception, and control, and much of our work is open source and available on GitHub.
HERB, the Home Exploring Robot Butler, serves as the realistic testbed for all of our algorithms and as a focal point of our industry and academic collaborations. He is a bimanual mobile manipulator comprised of two Barret WAM arms on a Segway base equipped with a suite of image and range senors.
Lately, Herb's taken on quite the life of his own. You can keep up with his exploits on his homepage
We love to talk about our work, however we receive more requests of this nature than we can handle. Please contact Byron Spice about your request and we'll do our best.
We're always looking for capable, hardworking undergraduates to join the lab. See the undergrads page for information on funding and projects we'd like help with.


text:
From Bloominglabs
Prospective Locations for the Bloomington Hackerspace
So lets collect some locations that may meet our potential needs. If possible post a google-maps reference. Also we can post info on commercial real-estate agents.
Basic Requirements:
- Needs to be inside or close to Bloomington
- being close to a bus line is a big benefit. I won't say its a requirement, but it will definitely attract more students who don't have their own transportation.
- Cheap rent
- further items as discussed
Other things to consider about location:
- Probably want something industrial - lower rent and no noise restrictions
- At least basic parking accommodations, hopefully enough for at least 5-10 cars, more is better
- Garage entrance might be nice, but certainly not required (allows more ventilation, also car hacking)
- A restroom may not be mandatory but should be considered
- A place to put up Ham radio antennas and/or free-to-air dishes outdoors might be nice
- A fixer-upper might also be in order, up for discussion based on locations found
Important things to inspect when checking out locations
- verify the roof does not leak, look for freshly repaired ceilings/walls
- verify utilities available (power, water, trash, restroom a plus, net access)
- does it have 3-phase power available? Any other types of power? (2phase, current capacity)
- also apparently industrial power areas can have higher power rates, need to verify with agent or power company
- who are the neighbors? any problems with burglary or vandalism in the area?
- do they care if we install outdoor antennas or dishes?
Potential Locations
The order of the listing presently does not indicate order of preference.
- BHS Candidates on a shared Google map
- Fountain Square - Central, basement offices are cheap (like $200/month, includes utils), proximity to other things like Game Preserve, resturants. Smithville has talked about wiring the building with ethernet jacks before. Downtown may make it easier to get others involved.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
It was shortly before noon on Sunday, April 30, 1978.
It was shortly before noon on Sunday, April 30, 1978.
The day was sunny and windy with temperatures in the 50s.
Ken Miller, then chief of Acme Hose Volunteer Fire Co., was heading home from the grocery store, turning from North Courtland Street onto Analomink Street and driving east toward Crystal Street.
On Miller's right was the building then housing Pocono Business Furniture, owned by Michael Vonson, and Jay's Restaurant, owned by John J. Coleman, at Analomink and Crystal streets.
Waving to workers loading items through the furniture store's bay door onto a truck for an upcoming sale at Mount Airy Resort, Miller continued on his way home just blocks away on State Street.
"Everything looked fine," said lifelong East Stroudsburg resident and borough councilman Ed Flory, now 74, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran who joined the fire company in 1966.
But, unbeknownst to anyone at the time, a fire had started by undetermined means and was growing somewhere at the rear of the building, which housed the restaurant and furniture store.
Minutes later, an attendant in the railroad tower across Crystal Street, in charge of operating the railroad crossing gates, saw flames shatter the restaurant's windows outward.
"The fire must have been burning for a while where no one could detect it, until the furniture store opened that big bay door and gave it ventilation," Miller said. "After that, it just took off."
The railroad tower attendant called 911, which led to the alarm that 35 years ago today alerted the community to what became one of the two biggest fires in Crystal Street's and probably the entire borough's history.
Flory sat Thursday in the lounge of the firehouse, which had operated for 83 years in the former borough building on North Courtland Street before relocating in 2010 to the former Cooper Industries building at Lackawanna Avenue and Chestnut Street.
On the lounge walls are photos of past fires, including one showing a firetruck tipped over near PNC Bank off North Courtland Street.
On one wall is a photo of the 1978 Crystal Street fire, with bystanders watching from the Analomink Street side as firefighters attacked the blaze.
Flory was working that morning with fellow volunteer firefighters Bill LaBar and Dave Scoble in the gardening center he owned at Henry Street and Lenox Avenue.
"When the whistle went off, we went outside and saw the smoke rising," he said.
An eighth-generation Monroe County native who at the time lived in East Stroudsburg's oldest house — built in 1780 on North Courtland Street — Flory called his wife at home and told her he and his fellow firefighters were heading to the scene.
A U.S. Navy veteran and retired electrical contractor who joined the fire company in 1967, Miller, now 70, heard the whistle as he was taking groceries out of his car shortly after arriving home, and saw the smoke rising in the distance.
"I just left the groceries right there on the curb, which my wife wasn't too happy about, and took off to the scene," he said, laughing.
On Crystal Street, Helen Marsh (now Helen Sterner) and her children, Dale, then 16; Sherry, then 15; and Rodney, then 12, were resting in their apartment above what was then H.L. Cleveland Plumbing, next to the restaurant, after hiking out at Lake Minsi earlier that morning.
"Frank Smith, who was with the fire company, banged on our door and told us the building was on fire," said Sterner, H.L. Cleveland's secretary at the time, now a remarried grandmother living in Lehigh County.
"I grabbed my purse, my kids and my cat, and we got out."
The Marshes helped neighbor Emily Stevison, then 79, out to safety.
On the street, they met their other neighbors, Art and Thelma Auer, who had lived there since the 1950s.
"What started out as a beautiful day became such a horrible day," Sterner said, recalling how she and her children watched as the building they had called home for more than 10 years went up in flames.
"It was like watching a giant chimney. Those buildings were over 100 years old and they just went up without any trouble. I was watching my whole life disappear."
Lost were children's pictures and baseball cards, mementos, antiques and an oil-on-canvas painting Sterner had done of a beach with waves.
None of it could be covered by her renter's insurance, which had expired.
The call went out to Acme Hose and Stroudsburg, Stroud Township and several other fire companies.
By the time firefighters began arriving, the fire was spreading south along Crystal Street from the corner restaurant/furniture store building on Analomink Street.
"It was like half the world was on fire," Miller said. "The smoke was so thick it blocked out the sun."
The buildings adjoined each other then, as they do now.
The fire burned through the walls, going from building to building, and had begun burning into H.L. Cleveland Plumbing, next to the restaurant.
"We were concerned about the flames reaching the acetylene bottles they stored in the plumbing business and causing an explosion, so we got those out of there," Miller said.
Firefighters saw they needed to position themselves ahead of the fire and attack from where it was going to be, while hitting it from all other sides.
Firefighters dammed up a creek at nearby Eli and Henry streets to use as additional water supply.
While doing so, they cut a hole in the roof of one of the buildings, pulled down the ceiling and waited for the fire to arrive.
When it did, they sprayed it with water from "deluge gun" hoses.
While no one was injured, other affected businesses included Pink Puff Beauty Salon, Alpenhorn, Kresge Drug and Leon Trager's clock repair/sales store.
A beauty salon, cash-for-gold store, cigar shop, tattoo parlor and chiropractor's office are now where those businesses once stood.
The fire caused millions of dollars in damages and cost the borough even more in property tax revenues for more than a year afterward.
Some businesses relocated while others never reopened, but that part of Crystal Street eventually was rebuilt with new businesses coming in.
Residents likewise relocated and stayed temporarily with family or friends or were helped by the Red Cross.
Crystal Street's second major fire, in October 1995, started on the same side of the street, near the center of that same block.
"That was another one that caused a lot of damage and crippled the business district," Flory said. "But, somehow, things always manage to go on sooner or later."


text:
Module Pa_lwt
module Pa_lwt: sig..end
Syntactic sugars for lwt
This extension add the following sugars:
- anonymous bind:
write stdio "Hello, " >> write stdio "world!"
- lwt-binding:
lwt ch = get_char stdin in code
is the same as bind (get_char stdin) (fun ch -> code)
Moreover it supports parallel binding:
lwt x = do_something1 () and y = do_something2 in code
will let do_something1 () and do_something2 () runs then
bind their result to x and y. It is the same as:
let t1 = do_something1 and t2 = do_something2 in bind t1 (fun x -> bind t2 (fun y -> code))
- exception catching:
try_lwt <expr>
try_lwt <expr> with <branches>
try_lwt <expr> finally <expr>
try_lwt <expr> with <branches> finally <expr>
For example:
try_lwt f x with | Failure msg -> prerr_endline msg; return ()
is expanded to:
catch (fun _ -> f x) (function | Failure msg -> prerr_endline msg; return () | exn -> Lwt.fail exn)
Note that the exn -> Lwt.fail exn branch is automatically addedd
when needed.
The construction try_lwt <expr> just catch regular exception
into lwt exception. i.e. it is the same as catch (fun _ -> <expr>) fail.
- for loop:
for_lwt i = <expr> to <expr> do <expr> done
for_lwt i = <expr> downto <expr> do <expr> done
- iteration over streams:
for_lwt <patt> in <expr> do <expr> done


text:
Discussion of dedicated server issues and recommendations. Bandwidth server issues etc.
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


text:
0 Programs with Charles H. Baumberger Starting with "T"
Charles H. Baumberger is the 2016 National President of ABOTA. Mr. Baumberger focuses on personal injury cases, from medical malpractice, defective products to railroad cases. He is Past President of the Dade County Bar Association and FLABOTA. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers, and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Baumberger is a co-founder and partner at Rossman Baumberger Reboso & Spier, P.A. in Miami, Florida.
Sorry, we didn't find any programs to display.


text:
My Dad is Big and Strong, But...
First off, this French import is a downright handsome picture book. Tall, thick, heavy pages like the stuff cereal boxes are made of, and eclectic mixed media illustrations - sepia photographs, chalky whites, cardboard browns, and graphite blacks. It also presents a refreshing spin on the all too familiar bedtime book.
Every night it's the same old story. Dad, a man who permanently sports an outfit of slacks, dress shirt, tie and fedora (even to bed), does cartwheels, swings from the chandelier, and holds his son aloft pleading for "one more story pleeease, just one more!" Meanwhile the more levelheaded son tries to talk sense into him, reads him books, and worries Dad might come down the hall and ask to sleep with him in his pint-sized bed.
Coffee cups and teapots suggest Dad may be drinking too much caffeine, and an indoor clothesline hung with men's underpants makes one curious about what other responsibilities the son has taken on.
On the surface, My Dad is Big and Strong appears to be simply a sweet, silly tale of bedtime role reversal. And my four year old did find it pretty funny, maybe even eye opening in terms of empathizing with the nightly burden faced by the son.
But for me, I saw a goofy, sensitive, single, working dad who, after a long day at the office, genuinely loves spending time with his son.
(Image: Ben Partridge)


text:
SANTA FE, N.M. - It seems, at first blush, the least likely and yet most appropriate of places to find oneself utterly immersed in art, for this is a town that stands proudly alone in the desert, a place one needs to go out of one's way to get to.
And we do, because it's here where one can find more original art than seems imaginable, in the museums, all 14 of them, off the central plaza and high in the foothills on Museum Hill, and in the art galleries, all 275 of them, along the winding half-mile Canyon Road and tucked into the side streets of the city core.
It's here where dozens of shops, booths and street markets — the Farmers' Market, Indian Market, Artisans' Market and Spanish Market, among them — fill the town with their lively cultural swagger and irresistible custom-crafted wares.
It is here, 7,000 feet above sea level where the desert craves rain and where the mesas and mountains form a glorious backdrop of taupes and purples and greens against the searing sun, that art has become an international calling card.
It is everywhere, from the turquoise pulled from local mines and fashioned into exquisite jewelry to the hand-painted clay pottery, from the brightly striped textiles and woven clothing to the thousands of paintings and sculptures that seem to adorn every wall and nook in every house and business, and fill every yard and public space in this tiny state capital of 70,000 an hour's drive from Albuquerque in northern New Mexico.
Settled centuries ago by the Pueblo Indians and colonized from the late 1500s by Spanish and Mexican explorers, Santa Fe's history is steeped in the simplicity of indigenous native Indian culture. Its quaint serenity and the sheer beauty of the desert environs have become a magnet for movie stars (Alan Arkin, Gene Hackman, Ali McGraw and Jane Fonda are among the celebs who have homes here), as well as art travellers who come from around the world to add a piece of Santa Fe to their collections.
It is here, too, where the humble chile pepper fuels the economy and rules the palate, where the town's artistic bent extends beyond the ateliers to the culinary creations being served up in the 250 restaurants by a cabal of young executive chefs whose invention with local ingredients is putting Santa Fe firmly on the food map.
It is here, in this small place, where the Santa Fe Opera House presents La Traviata in an open amphitheatre, and where patrons are torn between the world-class performances on stage and the stunning views of the rolling horizon beyond the theatre lights.
This is a town where the housing style — adobe — has become architectural art and where hotels are often fashioned from original adobe structures built with thick walls to cool the heat and appointed with traditional viga ceiling and quaint kiva fireplaces, and where the hospitality extends to giant communal coolers of ice water to ward off the altitude sickness that can sneak up on the unsuspecting in the rarefied air.
It's also where some hotels are bespoke art galleries, like the La Posada de Santa Fe, where the historic 19th-century interiors are covered with the works of local artists and where the amenities include an on-site art curator.
Because, in Santa Fe, it always come back to the art.
Up on Museum Hill, the visitor finds an adobe enclave that comprises the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art and the International Museum of Folk Art, the latter housing a permanent and magnificently curated portion of the incredible 100,000-piece collection of world folk art amassed and donated to the museum by architect and designer Alexander Girard.
It is here in Santa Fe, where lightning puts on a frequent and spectacular show, that renowned artist Georgia O'Keeffe settled in the 1930s, famously painting the desert flora and fauna around her home at the remote Ghost Ranch and, later, buying and restoring a hilltop adobe compound in nearby Abiquiu, where her earthy esthetic and colourful interpretation of the landscapes she so cherished made her one of the country's most revered modern-day artists.
Today, O'Keeffe's estate is open to visitors, and it is mostly as she left it in 1984, when she moved back to Santa Fe because of ill health. Outside are the fruit trees and self-sustaining gardens she planted, still producing vegetables and herbs. Inside, the kitchen is untouched, the shelves lined with jars of dried spices, the old wooden table still overlooking the back yard and valley beyond. There is her spare studio and her even more spare bedroom with its minimal furnishings and small kiva fireplace, mountains looming out the picture window. There is the huge rack of antlers in the entry hall, under which she so stoically posed for photographer Yousuf Karsh in 1956. There is the black patio door in the adobe wall facing the dusty courtyard, the door that made her so covet the place and would be the subject of one of her most popular paintings.
O'Keeffe is, arguably, Santa Fe's most famous citizen, her legacy celebrated both in Abiquiu and back in town at the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, which opened 11 years after her death in 1986 at the age of 98, and which today preserves more than 3,000 pieces of her artwork, from iconic paintings to drawings, sculptures and photographs taken by her husband, celebrated photographer Alfred Stieglitz.
When you find your way to Santa Fe, this place the locals call City Different, it will because of O'Keeffe, and the art, and so much more that you will inevitably find yourself planning a return trip long before you've even boarded the plane to head back home.
Top 10 thing to do in Santa Fe
1. Georgia O'Keeffe. Visit the late artist's serene Abiquiu compound about an hour out of town, and walk where she walked, and where she painted. Then, back in Santa Fe, visit the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and buy a print. You'll regret it if you don't.
2. Eat. There are 250 places to dine in this small town, and the diverse and deliciously simple southwestern cuisine with its chile-infused everything will introduce you to just how flavourful New Mexican food can, and should, be. From top-flight restaurants to the tasty offerings at the weekly Farmers' Market, this is a foodie town.
3. Art. You will never have enough time to see all 275 art galleries, to marvel at the diversity of talent and the original artwork that is found literally around every corner in this town, but you must try.
4. Staircase. The legendary helix-shaped "miraculous staircase" is in the Loretto Chapel, and was built in the late 1800s by a mysterious carpenter who answered the dreams of the nuns but disappeared without a trace, much less payment, after crafting the twisting staircase that seems to float in air with no visible signs of support.
5. Opera. In the glorious 2,126-seat open-air amphitheatre on the edge of town, the vaunted Santa Fe Opera mounts five productions every summer. If the views don't have you catching your breath, chances are the world-class performances will.
6. Hiking. Set out for the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range or just stroll around the picturesque Santa Fe neighbourhoods, especially in the early morning or evening, when the sun has cooled off and when the light bounces its iridescent magic off adobe walls.
7. Museums. There are 14 in all, featuring all manner of folk art, modern art and Spanish and Native Indian artifacts and displays. Whether it's Museum Hill on the outskirts of town or the Museum of Fine Arts near the plaza, you will marvel at the historical legacy and inventoried treasures of New Mexico.
8. Santa Fe Trail. Speaking of adventure, find your way to Taos, or follow the route of the historic Santa Fe Trail toward Pecos National Historical Park, where wagon ruts hold the stories of the overland trade and the settlers' quest for gold, silver and turquoise.
9. Adobe love. The charm and uniqueness of the region's adobe architecture reflect the history and Pueblo culture of Santa Fe, and if it's not enough to be on the outside looking in, sign up for annual docent-guided Behind Adobe Walls Home and Garden Tour.
10. Retail therapy. For turquoise jewelry and original art, for Pueblo Indian souvenirs and hand-tooled cowboy boots, for pottery and religious artifacts, for everything that is colourful and homegrown and southwestern. For the love of Santa Fe, go shopping.


text:
The Mille Lacs Area is a special place and its uniqueness is reflected in the variety of activities and events scheduled throughout the year. From festivals and celebrations to arts and entertainment, you'll find many activities every year throughout the Mille Lacs, MN area. Annual events include snowmobile races, fishing tournament weigh-ins and ice fishing contests. There are cultural and arts festivals such as the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Pow-Wow and there are traditional events like small town 4th of July celebrations and city play days throughout the summer months.
KeyChain Party at Mugg's
Name: KeyChain Party at Mugg's
Date: June 14, 2018
Time: 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM CDT
Event Description:
Join the fun at Mugg's as we draw for a cash prize at 7:30 PM, of course there is no charge to enter, but you must stop in before Thursday to get your number!
Set a Reminder:


text:
Infographic: Protect Your Data When Moving to iOS 8, iPhone 6
- Sep 11, 2014 8:35 AM EST
- Comments
Apple enthusiasts are itching to get an iPhone 6, or at least upgrade to iOS 8. That transition is not without its dangers. Utility vendor Wondershare maps out a route that keeps your data safe. Read More »
- Categories:
- Security Software


text:
If you have a small, unused space in your yard or around your house, you can easily transform it into a quiet retreat all your own. Simply slide some outdoor curtains along a tension rod and instantly transform a harsh, unappealing area into a soft, inviting space. This is also a pretty (and pretty easy!) way to add privacy to a lanai or gazebo. A slatted outdoor folding chair allows you to sit and enjoy the solitude while a couple of baskets hold your belongs off the floor.
|Outdoor Living Spaces
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text:
Suzannah's "Adventures in Dressmaking" Room
Like this entry? Favorite it below!
- Name:
- Suzannah
- Location:
- Beaverton, OR
- Division:
- Dark
- Inspiration for my palette:
- We just moved into our beautiful brand new townhouse in late August, and the whole place is a soothing super pale grey. I love it but I wanted something different in the guest room, something bold! I wanted the guest room to feel fresh and interesting and youthful (my college-aged art major brother-in-law is our most frequent guest) so we put some of the funkiest art in that room to keep with the bold wall and vintage turquoise ceramic lamp. The green and navy wool Pendleton blanket on the end of the bed was a lucky find at Goodwill ages ago, and I was just thinking how I didn't think I'd ever decorate with it again (it's been in the closet a while...) but then we did the navy in this room, and it's perfect!
- Colors used in my room:
- Navy blue, turquoise, aqua, yellow, gold. I went back and forth but was always toying with the idea of navy blue... so, taking a deep breath at the paint mixing counter, we got a deep, bold navy blue paint on the accent wall, inspired by Sherwin Williams SW 7602 Indigo Batik. The room is small so the one wall was all it needed to totally transform it. The white bedding, white curtains, and other pale walls keep the room from feeling cave-like, and the gold frames and mirrors reflect and keep it bright.
- Tips for using color successfully:
- Remember your neutrals (for us, pure white, not ivory, and the warm browns of the bed and painted Ikea Rast dresser, and the gold) and don't choose colors or other neutrals that conflict. I don't like to use a color only once, even an accent--the eye wants to follow along throughout the room seeing similar colors here and there or along the path, so the turquoise is repeated around the room and the navy is reflected in some of the mirrors and is on some of the books and art.
- Palette:
- Adventures in Dressmaking


text:
By Pam Stone, co-leader of API of Merrimack Valley, New Hampshire
On a Wednesday afternoon, several weeks before my twins were due when I was on bedrest in the Maternity part of the hospital, I started having contractions about five minutes apart. My doctor was out of town, so his midwife came to check on me. I had dilated some, but she wasn't certain whether I was going into active labor or if it could be stopped, so I was transferred to Labor and Delivery. Thankfully, my doula, Joan, happened to be visiting at the time and she was able to go with me. I don't know what we would have done without her.
The fabulous nurses in Maternity allowed my husband and daughter, Greg and Sophia, to keep the room here so that we didn't have to move our things and they could continue to spend the nights. The covering doctor did not suggest doing anything more to stop the labor since I was beyond 34 weeks. He wanted to wait to see if I was going to go into active labor. So, we were waiting patiently when all of a sudden, I developed unbearable headache and stomach pain like I had never experienced. I was vomiting frequently. Greg was tending to Sophia until his mom could arrive to help, and Joan and the labor nurses were there to give me strength. It didn't seem long before I was begging for an epidural not for the contractions, but rather to stop the pain in my head and stomach.
I don't remember much from around this time, but I know that my lab results came back indicating severe preeclampsia, and the situation suddenly became very crazy. They started me on several medicines, including magnesium sulfate to avoid seizures. I remember the doctor saying that if I were to progress quickly, we could still do a vaginal birth, but that we couldn't let things go for too long. He said that the best way to stop the preeclampsia was to deliver the babies, Nico and Kian. He broke Nico's water, and I was given an epidural.
For a short time, things seemed to be back on track. Then, just as quickly, Kian started showing distress at every contraction. The doctor recommended an emergency Caesarean section, and in what seemed like an instant, we were in the operating room and the boys were here! Nico Dennis was born at 10:28 p.m., weighing four pounds, six ounces and measuring 16 inches long. Kian Albert was born two minutes later, weighing four pounds, four ounces and measuring 17 inches long.
Nico did well from the start, scoring 9 out of 10 on his Apgar. Kian struggled a bit. He wasn't breathing and only scored a 1 or 2 on his first Apgar. I remember someone commenting that it was good that they got him out when they did. Within a couple of minutes he was OK, and he scored a 9 out of 10 on his five-minute Apgar. I was allowed a quick kiss before they were whisked away to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Greg went with them.
Back in my labor and delivery room, I wasn't feeling well. I wanted to go see the babies, but I was too unstable. The side effects of the magnesium sulfate, along with the after-effects of the anesthesia, left me in rough shape. I stayed in my room during the night.
I was able to see the boys twice, for about 10 minutes each, on Thursday. I began pumping milk for them. I was achy and tired and had blurry vision, but I was OK. Then, my stomach became distended and my suture line looked swollen. I began running a fever. I was started on two I.V. antibiotics. That was the beginning of the next downturn, which started Friday morning. The nurses suspected I had a case of hospital-acquired C. difficile, a bacteria that causes intestinal illness, and put me on contact precautions, meaning that everyone who came into the room had to wear gloves and gowns and I couldn't go to the NICU to see Nico and Kian. It was a very hard day, but Greg kept me updated on Nico and Kian, who were doing marvelously.
The initial C. difficile test came back negative, and I was told that if my fever stayed away for 24 hours, I could go to the NICU again. But before we had time to celebrate, the final C. difficile results came back positive. Nobody was really sure what to do, and there wasn't an Infection Control doctor in the hospital because it was the weekend. They wouldn't let me see go to the NICU on Saturday and wouldn't let me send up any milk for the boys, either. I also wasn't able to hug, kiss, or even touch Greg and Sophia.
We were told I'd need more antibiotics for ten days. I was still suffering from the side effects of the magnesium sulfate, and adding the C. difficile on top of it was miserable. I cried a lot.
By Sunday morning, I was already feeling a little better. My body was starting to win the battle against the C. difficile, and the effects of the magnesium sulfate were wearing off. I called to talk to the NICU, and they had been able to reach Infection Control during the night. I was going to be able to see my babies! I could breastfeed directly and could send up milk. I was so relieved.
The Labor and Delivery department needed my room, so I moved back to Maternity early on Sunday morning. Finally, my doctor visited on Sunday and removed the contact precautions. Good hand-washing hygiene would do. My platelet count was recovering, so they could at long last remove the epidural catheter, and my doctor began treating the massive rash that had broken out due to an allergic drug reaction. I was allowed to hug my family, and spent several hours in the NICU visiting Nico and Kian. They were fabulous. I met with a lactation consultant and was able to breastfeed them both. Things were beginning to turn around.
Nico and Kian still battled the many challenges that many premature infants face, but today, they are home and are doing well.


text:
FREEPORT — Citizen's Party candidate Jim Gitz was elected as the new mayor of Freeport on Tuesday. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Gitz had a 71-vote lead over People's Party candidate Jon Staben.
FREEPORT — Citizen's Party candidate Jim Gitz was elected as the new mayor of Freeport on Tuesday. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Gitz had a 71-vote lead over People's Party candidate Jon Staben.
"I'm deeply moved and very humbled to have the people trust me to move forward," Gitz said.
In February, Gitz won the Citizen's Party primary over current Mayor George Gaulrapp. Gitz, who was Freeport's mayor from 1997-2005, said that Staben was a good friend and hoped that he would participate in improving Freeport.
"I had a great race and I will support Mr. Gitz," Staben said. "I was thrilled with the outcome. It tells me that the people of Freeport want change. We have to get it together and move forward together."
Staben had previously won the People's Party primary over Realtor Bettye Corbin.
Both Gitz, who garnered 37.32 percent of the vote, and Staben, who got 35.87 percent, fared better than independent Kathy Knodle, who received 22.96 percent.
Knodle, a small-business owner, had discussed bringing change to City Hall. She was unavailable for comment.
In addition to being mayor, Gitz, 64, also has previous experience in the Illinois Senate, as a city attorney and city administrator.
"As we work together on a strategy and set goals to hold ourselves accountable, we have to remember we can get there," he said.
Gitz cited the Athenian oath, which calls on citizens to leave their homes better than they found them, as an inspiration.
"I hope the City Council and I can work to resolve issues," Gitz said.
He said that tackling the fiscal year 2013-14 budget was among his first priorities.
"We're going to have the most extensive transition team," Gitz said. "I plan to hit the ground running. I have no intention of spending six months finding the front door."
After a long campaign season that left Gitz facing stiff competition, he said that he is pleased to be able to tackle important issues that he discussed during his campaign such as the local economy, neighborhoods and vacant buildings.
Nick Crow: 815-232-0136; email@example.com


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text:
|Thread Tools
|2010-09-14, 15:04
|Link #1
Join Date: Feb 2007
What makes Japanese music different from American music? (specifically, rock)
My friends and I are planning on writing a couple songs and we arrived at the question of what makes Japanese music sound the way it does, compared to English music here in North America...
We've noticed the obvious; There are a lot more female singers in j-rock bands and generally the songs are more happy (instead of about impending doom and death and other people's doom and their death).
What makes Japanese rock sound so much different than North American rock?
|2010-09-16, 21:53
|Link #3
~Official Slacker~
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Xanadu
Age: 24
Hmmm *starts thinking* This is a tough one...
Last edited by Hooves; 2010-09-16 at 22:03.
|2010-09-16, 23:04
|Link #5
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 61
It tends to throw western ears off initially but I find a lot of similarity between '80s rock-pop groups and much of what I find spinning the dial of japanese pop and rock.
|2010-09-16, 23:08
|Link #6
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: East Boston, Massachusetts
Age: 29
I don't really listen to mainstream American music (or Japanese, lol), so my interpretation might be a little weird. Some of the Japanese music I enjoy are funk/jazz fusion artists like Tetsuo Sakurai. What I find different from American music is their strict adherence to PERFECT timing and less based on flashy soloing. The result is that most Japanese musical virtuosos I've come across have an almost mathematical approach to how they play music, whereas in America this is important but not as emphasized.
|2010-09-17, 06:42
|Link #7
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Edinburgh
Age: 36
Is this about commercially pushed/successful artists? If that is the case, both american and japanese, and every other country, music is heavily manufactured. What you see and hear in TV and radio probably does not represent what is going out there. The happy stuff you you hear coming from japan is probably only things that are currently successful, same as with the gloomy music in america.
|2010-09-17, 07:14
|Link #8
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: the moon
well when i listen to some older stuff like loudness, i can't really tell how is that any different from old american hard rock. And if you listen to some more underground stuff, you wouldn't really realize any difference from a band of the same genre in the US i think.
imo, what makes it different is more mainstream music like scandal, yui, etc. and how they incorporate more pop, metal, blues, etc. elements into their rock music.
also, visual kei, there is almost nothing like it in the US, especially the make-ups, costumes, sure they are influenced by glam rock and glam metal, but the stylings are pretty different, and they play power metal stuff, not glam metal or rock
|2010-09-17, 11:52
|Link #9
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: East Boston, Massachusetts
Age: 29
I listen mainly to people I consider virtuosos with their music. It is an important point Sides makes; there is popular music, 'high-talent' instrumentalism, club music, etc which are all probably quite different.
|2010-09-17, 12:10
|Link #10
Obey the Darkly Cute ...
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: On the whole, I'd rather be in Kyoto ...
Age: 61
There's one japanese artist I listen to that I can only characterize as "coffeehouse jazz beat avant garde". Her name is Ua (which makes her hard to search for ).
Then there's japanese ska (e.g. Yum Yum Orange, etc)... and Kotoko and her trance/techno music...
That '80s style crossover rock/pop girl band stuff (e.g. Zone, Scandal, etc)....
But then there's the never-ending Corporate Soft Pop machine that seems a softer version of "Z100" forgettable artist churn bleh. A fair amount of anime theme songs fall into this ear-mush category. It can get onerous picking through that for an occasional gem.
Of course, one can bop over to Enka or traditional folk and festival music but I don't think the OP is headed that way
|2010-09-17, 13:09
|Link #11
Frandle & Nightbag
Join Date: Oct 2009
Is the question HOW they sound different, or what makes that happen? It seems like others have answered the first question well enough.
The second question has a simple answer: cultural evolution. There are some tendencies in modern Japanese music that are drawn from the older folk tradition. There are chord progressions that you notice variations of commonly in Japanese music that rarely surface in Western music of any sort, for instance. However, just as much of modern Japanese musical identity is shaped by the fact that traditions that had decades or centuries to evolve in the West were suddenly thrust on them first in the latter part of the 19th century during the Meiji Era, and then again during the post-WWII occupation of Japan by Britain and the USA. Musical forms that had time to be codified into entire distinct genres in the West were all thrown in one big pot when the Japanese experienced them for the first time. As such, much of the independent music in Japan is wide-open in terms of genre. Japanese Hip-Hop incorporates Breakbeat, Jazz, Orchestral and Japanese folk elements, for instance.
|2010-09-18, 09:48
|Link #12
Join Date: Feb 2007
Ah, a lot makes more sense now that I've read and thought about this. I haven't really noticed it until now, but yeah, Western music tends to have more of a defined genre whereas Japanese music tends to mesh a lot together.
Would that technically mean that Japanese song-writers are more knowledgeable about more aspects and styles of music than American song-writers?
I guess I should do more research on patterns of chord progressions as well. It'd be interesting to see how people would react to those Eastern chord progressions Ricky_Controversy mentioned.
|2010-09-18, 10:18
|Link #13
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Edinburgh
Age: 36
For example if you take the fun lovin' criminals you'll notice that they are influenced by several different sounds. If you want to write music just do your own thing, unless you want to make it commercially successful. In that case you probably want a producer to butt in and mix your sound to make it sellable, for the current market.
But back to your question, most people i know listen to variety of stuff, from good old blues to foreign music, just to find their own sound.
|2010-09-28, 00:07
|Link #15
Disabled By Request
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Beach shores!
What makes Japanese music different from American music? (specifically, rock)
Well, where do I start for american music?
Hip-hop/rap is not as original as it used to be. I'll hear some new joints that are cool. Then, I'll hear something unbearable. How can some of the new cats sell records that are about the same topic. Cars, money, girls, etc. The topic itself is to be expected, but when some of them rap on it, it just feels unoriginal. I could go on, but I'll stop here.
Pop just grows and evolves. No problems on this end.
Rock. It seems just fine. I just don't know many Rock artists I like.
R~n~b. I feel as though some r~n~b songs are starting to get slightly meh.
I'm noticing that some of the songs of this genre, seems to parallel with hip-hop/rap.
In terms of unoriginality. However, it's more bearable than rap at least for now.
Japanese.....well even though I could list artists and what not, but let's break down genres I listen to. (I can't understand what they're saying for the most part, but they're music is quite soothing IMHO)
J-hip-hop/rap. I don't listen to it. It's just because I never really cared too much for it. However, it seems okay.
J-pop. All I can say is this was my first genre I fell for.
J-rock. Same with this one.
J-r~n~b. Liking it so far.
That's all I'll list for now.
|2010-09-28, 12:27
|Link #17
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 27
It's in Japanese instead of English/other languages. XD
Anyways, being serious, I'm a big fan of both Japanese songs and English classic rock (I think I have about 5700 songs right now), and I notice a few things that are different:
- Japanese rap is something I can often tolerate, while English rap is something I loathe. Why? Japanese rap usually has a good melody in the back, while English rap always has those high-pitched synth noises (and is super repetitive). Ugh, I hate our radio.
- If we're talking about modern music, I notice that a lot of English artists are dabbling with Auto-Tune (which in my opinion, makes them sound like a retarded robot), and the songs are slowly losing their instrumental value. Back in the good days (the early 50s to the late 80s), people loved songs in their entirety. Nowadays, people like the singers (who honestly knows any of the members that plays for Lady Gaga's music?) Japanese music has this problem as well at times, but I love how most of their songs are still strong in their instrumentals.
- Oh yes, I love to rant about how bad our radio station is. I'm not lying here, it plays like the same 15 artists/songs over and over ALL DAY. They talk in between to keep it from being boring (and fail miserably). Back to the music, I notice a LOT of these are remixes from older songs (oh, the pain). Examples?:
- Madonna's "Time Goes By So Slowly" has a famous synth riff that is directly taken from ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).
- As the title suggests, Eminem's "Dream On (Remix)" places rap onto Aerosmith's beloved "Dream On". My body hurts.
- Gym Class Heroes' "Cupid's Chokehold" has a really annoying remixed chorus taken from Supertramp's "Breakfast in America". That remix just kills my childhood.
- Karl Wolf has a really modernized version of "Africa" that takes out most of the African-themed instrumentals of the original song, which was done by Toto.
Well, those are the 4 that really bother me. My point? English music (though not always true) is starting to get sloppy. Why would you try to profit off of someone else's song? Make your own songs; it's difficult to write entire songs, but it's NOT difficult to keep it different from other songs.
My other point from that rant was that I keep downloading modern Japanese music, and I don't have two songs that sound alike. Boy, am I thankful for the diversity of the Japanese music industry~
Now that I've mentioned those radio songs again, I'm going to attempt to filter it out by listening to my entire 5932 song library (finally looked at the count). See you in like a month XD
|2010-09-29, 12:28
|Link #18
Member Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Czech Republic
Age: 26
I don't know if anybody has said something similar already, but I think that Japanese songs in general are made of more sounds and are much more elaborate. I mean, the songs have richer background full of various sub-melodies and extra sounds. On the contrary, western music tends to use less sounds and usually sticks only to the main instruments played by the band members. But of course, there are exceptions among Japanese bands such as one of my favorite bands, Soutaiseiriron, whose appeal lays in the simple melodies and enchanting voice of the vocalist, and also in the lyrics.
|2010-09-29, 15:05
|Link #19
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
On topic, I honestly think that there isn't any difference other than language. You're all basing your opinion on a specific band(s) that has it's own style. That's not going to work especially not in a sense when you are comparing two different countries that has millions of sounds.
Last edited by qwertyuiopz; 2010-09-29 at 15:18.
|2010-09-29, 15:42
|Link #20
'Sup Ballers
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: North Carolina, USA
Age: 29
Remember Bittersweet Symphony by the Verve? Sampled from 'The Last Time' by the Rolling Stones. I remember it raised a pretty big stink.
I'm a Western music guy, but I haven't really listened to mainstream music all that much nowadays. I still have my favorites, but it's easier to find good stuff to listen to online. I would say that about 80% of the music on my IPod are either from the ninties or artists I discovered via Youtube.
Last edited by Dilla; 2010-09-29 at 15:57.
|Thread Tools


text:
Oval Rank
Posted Jan 21 2012 - 10:03 AM
Posted Jan 21 2012 - 10:39 AM
Posted Jan 21 2012 - 03:12 PM
s2173, on Jan 21 2012 - 10:39 AM, said:
Posted Jan 21 2012 - 04:00 PM
My GPL Rank Tracker already included that version.. this one's pretty close, right down to the benchmarks.
Only changes are that Atlanta & Bristol have been dropped in favour of Hickory, Daytona & Rafaela.
I'll have to update the tracker to match
Posted Jan 21 2012 - 05:13 PM
DHosein, on Jan 21 2012 - 04:00 PM, said:
I just had a look, and there are also Test Rank, Fantasy Rank, and Boggle Rank hidden away. Are the other ranks in your spreadsheet (Indy Rank, Speed Rank etc.) also hidden or made up?
Posted Jan 22 2012 - 03:15 AM
Posted Jan 23 2012 - 06:49 AM
tooncheesef1, on Jan 21 2012 - 05:13 PM, said:
I just had a look, and there are also Test Rank, Fantasy Rank, and Boggle Rank hidden away.
Must be well hidden I can't find them and don't remember ever seeing them.
Edited by Frenchy, Jan 23 2012 - 06:49 AM.
Posted Jan 23 2012 - 10:25 AM
Untitled.png 54.08K 75 downloads
4 for fantasy rank
5 for test rank
10 for boggle rank
all the other numbers reveal blank pages or non-hidden ranks
Posted Jan 23 2012 - 08:24 PM
Posted Feb 28 2012 - 02:58 PM
When it comes to the OvalRank, I had to admit, that I had an indirect hand in there.
I noticed Darren's idea of an OvalRank some years ago and I was highly impessed .
The genre simracing was born with David Kaemmers's release of 'Indianapolis 500 the simulation'; GPL's grand-grandfather.
Furthermore, those GPL cars ran on ovals in real, too!! In the north American USAC-Series ran Lotus / Eagle (of course) & Brabham. They had nearly the same technical spec.
So due to the fact, that the whole genre was born on an Oval, and racing on Ovals is very very popular (in real as well in simracing), me and for sure many other GPL drivers (not only die hard fans) would love to see if finally an OvalRank can be generate.
So I convinced Ed Hut from GPLRank by arguing to generate an OvalRank
The reason why I made some minor changes to Darren's original was, that the tracks in the OvalRank should be as realistic as possible (...it's a shame, that Langhorne is stuck in alpha state )
Bristol, was a little bit different back in those days & Atlanta looked entirely different.
So in respect of the historical correctness (tracks, these kinds of cars ran on) the OvalRank should include the following tracks:
Indianapolis (Indy 99 version is the most common); Michigan; Milwaukee; Phoenix; Pocono; Rafaela; Trenton.
Well, looking back in these days, the following GPL-Tracks have the correct layout, indeed these cars never races on in real, but they could have! So in order to complete the OvalRank:
Charlotte; Darlington; Daytona & Hickory would fit.
Finally, to have a counterpart to the GPLRank's Nürburgring, the Grenzlandring (large & difficult Oval) match perfectly to the OvalRank.
All in all this is still Darren's creation; I just gave it a little bump, to make it happen.
Enjoy the Rank and let me point out the fact, that there still exists an Oval-Cup for GPL!!
Everyone is welcome to join the fun and be a part of the EOLC's Oval-Cup; also contains the Highest-Climber-Award as a special.
Check out the EOLC webpage, or visit the Highest-Climber-Award-Thread for more information.
Best regards, Kelvin (EOLC Oval-Cup Admin)
PS: EOLC runs GPL @ 60fps
Edited by Kelvin, Feb 28 2012 - 10:21 PM.
Posted Mar 09 2012 - 03:49 PM
Much Appreciated.
Posted Mar 10 2012 - 04:26 AM
You need a .cln file to regroove these circuits and none exist
Setups try the ATDB there should be setups for any of the chassis there, I know Dark posted his as he worked is way through the Total Rank.
Posted Mar 10 2012 - 08:20 AM
Posted May 12 2012 - 01:40 PM
I remember most from Indycar sim, oh and nascar ;-).
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text:
Jamie Lynn Spears: "The Last Time Anyone Heard From Me, I Was 16 and Pregnant"
Jamie Lynn Spears was just 16 when she had, in the words of one newspaper, "the most high-profile out-of-wedlock teen pregnancy in Hollywood history." And then—poof!—she disappeared from the public eye. Now, on the eve of her twenty-first birthday, and with new music in the works, the now-single mother and singer-songwriter shares what really happened.
It was 2007. I had been on a Nickelodeon show, Zoey 101, and after we wrapped shooting, I just wanted to go home to Louisiana and finish high school, be a cheerleader, all that. Then I found out I was pregnant [by then- boyfriend Casey Aldridge]. I was 16. I'd had one boyfriend. It doesn't make it perfect or all right. But I was judged for something that probably most everyone does. I was young. I was in love. I was like every other teenager, except I had this last name. And I made a decision that is forever my decision.
Casey was my first love. Since the day I saw him, I just wanted to marry him and be with him forever and ever. I believe in safety and birth control as prevention. But like many young girls...I was really scared to go to the doctor. And I was on a Nickelodeon show, and it [felt] especially embarrassing to ask someone to put me on birth control. I didn't want to ask my doctor, because she had a little girl.
When I found out I was pregnant, [my parents and I] decided to do an interview with OK! magazine about it. I knew I needed to give an explanation to my fans, and I wanted it to be in my words first. I had to make a decision that I could sleep with every night. I did feel responsible for the young girls and the mothers who I probably confused and let down. I apologize for that. But I wasn't trying to glamorize teen pregnancy. I hated when [the tabloids] said that. Everybody is dealt a hand of cards. It was my choice to play them the way I played them. But the hateful comments hurt. [Parent groups were outraged at the Nickelodeon star, and tabloids printed rumors that Spears had a miscarriage, that she was giving up her baby, and that Aldridge was cheating on her.] I was already upset about having to tell my parents and Casey's parents. To have the world come down on a situation that was already affecting my family hugely was hard. But this was my situation, and I did the best I could.
Life as Maddie's mom
In 2008, Spears and Aldridge moved to Mississippi together and got engaged. Maddie Briann Aldridge was born on June 19. Was it hurtful for my parents to read stuff about their daughters? Yes. Obviously seeing [sister Britney Spears' negative tabloid coverage], I knew how far it could go. I've never wanted to be put under that kind of scrutiny. I just wanted to get away from it as much as I could, to just go away and be a mom and figure out what I wanted, and to earn a sense of respect back for myself. Move to a town in the middle of nowhere and just raise my child. All I could be was a good mother. If anybody had anything to say after that, there was nothing I could do.
I was very OCD about Maddie at first. I didn't want anybody to watch her or touch her. I wanted to do it all myself. I breast-fed for almost a year; I couldn't leave her at all. It's sad because my and Casey's love had to turn into an adult relationship so quickly. There's a slim chance of two young people making it through high school and all that drama, but making it as parents? We tried. We really wanted to do it right. We loved each other. I will love him as Maddie's father until the day I die. [Spears and Aldridge separated in 2009.]
Now that Casey and I have split apart, Maddie goes to see him one weekend out of the month. I do wonder about how she is going to feel about the fact that I was young when I had her and that her father and I aren't together anymore. That's something that one day I will have to explain to her.
For now, Maddie's biggest concern in life is when she gets to see her cousins next. She's always asking, "Why can't we have [Britney's sons with ex-husband Kevin Federline] Preston and JJ here?" They're very close. They're like brothers and sister. They're so stinking cute. And Maddie loves her Aunt Britney's songs. She just loves the whole dress-up thing that goes with it. She loves dancing and singing and all of that. I definitely think music is in her genes.
It'd be dumb to sit here and say that Maddie isn't going to like a boy one day and she isn't going to have a boyfriend. I'll just have to handle that the best way that I can. Both her daddy and me will caution her [about having sex], and I would hope that she would not want to do that at all, but I have to make sure that I'm realistic too. I've got to figure out a way to communicate to her to make smart choices and make the best decisions she can.
Not your average teen mom
When I saw MTV's Teen Mom was coming out, I remember thinking, Oh my God, I cannot wait to see this show because there's someone else out there. I mean, I feel for those girls. I've been that girl. It does show that motherhood is hard. There were so many times—especially when Maddie would get sick—when I would cry to myself and think, I really don't know what to do. It takes bravery to be a young mom, and it does take bravery to let the world watch.
I've been on dates here and there, going to dinner or a movie, but nothing further than that. I'm a mother first. I have a little girl, and until I'm serious about someone, he's not going to be around her. I'm not going to say, "Come to the house, and let's watch a movie," because I have Maddie there. The one thing that does get me excited is one day having that relationship. I look forward to that—I really do. I just want to be a soccer mom. I want to cook dinner every night. I want the kids to come home and be dirty and make the house messy. At the same time, I have to be patient and wait for the right time and the right guy. I would have never known that until I went through what I went through. I'm just patiently waiting for Prince Charming.
Her version of college
In 2009, Spears and her daughter moved to a new home in Nashville so that she could pursue a new career.
Music has always been close to my heart. Obviously Britney had been doing it, but I hadn't yet found a way to express myself as an artist. [My manager] said, "Why don't you come to Nashville?" So I started writing and performing songs, and people said, "These are really good." I've been learning from the best musicians. It's been like college for me.
I'm more honest in my lyrics than I am in anything else. It's where I feel the most safe to express myself. I write about growing up, my family, Maddie and getting pregnant. If I've lived it, why wouldn't I talk about it? I guess that's been the coolest thing—realizing that it's OK to just be myself and really tell my story. On the performance end, I take a lot of advice from my sister. But I expect the scrutiny. The last time anyone heard anything of me, I was 16 and pregnant. All I can do is be my best—there will always be people who will never like me.
[As for Britney], she's in such a good place right now. She's in love. She has her kids. So I'm happy for her. Of course, [our bond as mothers], it's such a big thing, you know? Especially 'cause there's an age gap there—she's 10 years older. I think if I were just a normal 20-year-old, I wouldn't be able to relate as much to her.
These days, the only thing I'm afraid of is not being a good mom. As long as Maddie is healthy and she loves me, the rest doesn't matter.
I was a kid who did a kid show. Then I went away and raised my child, and the world has never met me as an adult. This is the first time anybody is really meeting me as a grown woman and grown mother making a decision about what to do with my life. Do people have an idea of who they think I am? Yes, and that's fine with me. My music will speak for itself.
I'll admit, I'm kind of scared; it's a vulnerable place for me. But I think 21 will be the year for me. I hope it will be. Maybe even a boy—I don't know. Six feet tall, blond, brown, tan...I don't care. I'm excited for 21. Twenty-one is just going to be fearless.
Jamie Lynn Spears is writing her music and living in Nashville. Wendy Shanker is a freelance writer and the author of Are You My Guru: How Medicine, Meditation & Madonna Saved My Life.


text:
New Study: USPTO Drastically Lowered Its Standards In Approving Patents To Reduce Backlog
from the shockingly-under-shocking dept
Around the time of the Jaffe and Lerner book, the USPTO seemed to actually take much of the criticism to heart. One big part of Jaffe and Lerner's criticism was the simple fact that patent examiners had significant incentives to approve patents, and almost none to reject patents. That is, the metrics by which they were measured included the rate of how many patent applications they processed. But, since there is no such thing as a truly final rejection of a patent, people would just keep asking the USPTO to look at their application again. Each time an examiner had to do this, their "rate" would decline, since they'd be spending even more time on the same old patent application. But approving a patent got it off your plate and let the court system sort out any mess. However, after the book was published, the USPTO actually seemed to pay attention and changed its internal incentives a bit to push for high quality approvals. Not surprisingly, this meant that the approval rate dropped. But, since there was more demand for bogus patents to sue over, more people appealed the rejections and the backlog grew.
Patent system lovers started whining about the "backlog," but what they were really pissed off about was the fact that their bogus patents weren't getting approved. Unfortunately, their message resonated with the new regime of the Obama administration, mainly Commerce Dept. boss, Gary Locke, and head of the USPTO, David Kappos. Back in 2010, we noted that the USPTO had shifted back to approving "pretty much anything" and had clearly decreased their quality standards in an effort to rush through the backlog. Not surprisingly, in stating this, we were attacked mercilessly by patent system supporters, who insisted that we were crazy, and the truth was that David Kappos had found some magic elixir that made all USPTO agents super efficient (or something like that -- their actual explanations were not much more coherent). No matter what, they insisted that it was entirely possible to massively ramp up the number of approvals, decrease the backlog and not decrease patent quality.
Needless to say, we've been skeptical that this was possible.
And now the data is in, suggesting we were absolutely right all along. A new study done by Chris Cotropia and Cecil Quillen of the University of Richmond and independent researcher Ogden Webster used information obtained via FOIA requests to delve into what was really going on in the patent office (link to a great summary of the research by Tim Lee). The key issue, is (once again) the fact that patents are never truly rejected in full, and the people applying for patents just keep on trying again and again until someone in the USPTO approves it. However, the USPTO, to hide some of this, counts some of those "rejections" that eventually get approved as "rejections" to artificially deflate the actual "approval rate" of patent applications.
When the researchers corrected for all of this, they found that the actual patent approval rate in 2012 was almost 90% of all patents eventually get approved. 90%! That's about where it was in 2004 and 2005 (as discussed above), though in 2001 it actually came close to 100%! However, as noted above, by the second half of 00's corrections had been put in place and the approval rate had declined to under 70% in 2009 -- meaning that the USPTO was actually rejecting bad patents. But over the past three years, we've shot right back up. And it's clear that if the approval rate is much higher, the USPTO is approving many, many more bad patents.
In fact, it's likely that the story is even worse than before. Back in 2004 and 2005 when the approval rates were similar, it was really before the public was aware of just how bad the patent troll problem was, so you had many fewer people trying to get their own bad patents to troll over. In the past five years or so that has changed quite a bit. So the number of applications has shot up massively as well. In 2004 there were 382,139 applications. By 2011 that had shot up by 50% to 576,763.
I don't think anyone thinks that we suddenly became 50% more inventive between 2004 and 2011. No, the truth is that people were suddenly flooding the USPTO with highly questionable patent applications on broad and vague concepts, hoping to get a lottery ticket to shake down actual innovators. And, the USPTO under David Kappos complied, granting nearly all of them. Incredible.
When Thomas Jefferson put together the first patent system -- after being quite skeptical that patents could actually be a good thing -- he was quite careful to note that patents should only be granted in the rarest of circumstances, since such a monopoly could do a lot more harm than good. And yet, today, we encourage tons of people to send in any old bogus idea, and the USPTO has turned into little more than a rubber stamp of approval, allowing patent holders to shake down tons of people and companies, knowing that many will pay up rather than fight, and then leaving the few cases where someone fights back to be handled by the courts (who seem ignorant of the game being played).
The end result is a true disaster for actual innovation and the economy. We should all be able to agree that bad patents are not a good thing. And the USPTO is, undoubtedly, approving tons of awful patents when its true approval rate is hovering around 90%.


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The Artwork of Fedora 8
Submitted by Ty on October 10, 2007 - 8:00am
Over the past few releases, Fedora has gained a reputation amongst the various distributions for having some of the best artwork out there. This time around, responsibility has been handed over entirely to the community Art Team, and they've done themselves proud.
Read on to find an interview with Mairin Duffy. Fedora Art team lead and previews of some of the key elements belonging to the infinity theme.
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at the current time no clay courts, however part of my plan for the future is that we would have at least one, for now that is just an idea.
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A 2003 model car may not sound new, but it's new to Wendy Breedlove, and to her, it's perfect.
A stranger gifted her the car after learning of her struggles.
"It's spreading glitter," that's how Breedlove describes giving back. It's something she's used to.
"If somebody needs help, help them," Breedlove said.
Giving is second nature to her, "It's just how I was raised," she explained. "My dad, you know somebody had a flat tire, he was the one that stopped and help them change it."
Now she lives his legacy. One example of her kindness, the community food drive she helps run for families in need over the holidays.
"The first year we did like 11 boxes," Breedlove said. "This year we did 70 boxes out of this tiny living room."
She has such a huge heart, you wouldn't know she's in heart failure, "Tetralogy of fallot, the same thing that Jimmy Kimmel's son has," Breedlove said.
So, when a stranger realized Breedlove's minivan was essentially everything but dependable, she stepped in and gave her an offer she couldn't refuse.
"She says, 'I'm not going to take no for an answer, I'm going to give you a car,'" Breedlove said.
Because Breedlove's car is falling apart, making it difficult to run errands and get to doctor appointments, the donation was magical. Breedlove couldn't be more excited about the 2003 Toyota Corolla.
"It's beautiful," Breedlove said. "It's absolutely beautiful."
It is, and so is the generosity, but Breedlove stresses, this isn't about a car. It isn't even about her.
"It's about somebody taking the time to do something kind for another person," Breedlove said.
Breedlove thinks it's about setting examples, inspiring others and spreading kindness, or what she calls, glitter.
"[Glitter] gets stuck and it multiplies," Breedlove said. "You can't get rid of it."
The woman who donated the car wants to keep her name private, but she's now being called "Anonymous Lady." She was so moved by the community's response to her kindness, she asked Breedlove to post this response to the Facebook group "Oregon City Chit Chat":
Breedlove also wants to spread more love. She started a Facebook group called "Random Acts of Kindness" where people can share the good things that happen to them.


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I still think this was needs more artwork, but Hubby and I are in negotiations about that. It is nice to have a bit of quiet space, but even thought the embroidery is large I'm not sure it fills the space.
15 September, 2011
Finished Room
I still think this was needs more artwork, but Hubby and I are in negotiations about that. It is nice to have a bit of quiet space, but even thought the embroidery is large I'm not sure it fills the space.
19 comments:
- M-R said...
The room looks great, Cheryl! I love the idea of sorting the books by colour - so fun and such an easy way for kids to remember where to put things. Love it!
- September 15, 2011 at 10:19 AM
- Luv 2 Kreate said...
An adorable room!
- September 15, 2011 at 10:23 AM
- Lynda Halliger-Otvos said...
You did a great job with the redo, Cheryl. The Yellow Quilt couldn't be prettier or a better size; 90 by 90 huh...
- September 15, 2011 at 10:27 AM
- Esch House Quilts said...
You have created such a wonderful space for your girls! How lucky you are to have such a large space to work with too - all the bedroom in our house are pretty small.
- September 15, 2011 at 10:40 AM
- elle said...
What a great room, Cheryl. The quilt is perfect and I'm all for square quilts. You've tied in all the colours wonderfully. I luv the rug. The room is functional and classy. How encouraging that the girls luv it and wanna keep it orderly.
- September 15, 2011 at 10:42 AM
- ~Michelle~ said...
Looks great - I love that it looks like a kid room, yet it doesn't scream kid room, if that makes sense? I think it's the red walls - those girls have good taste! :)
- September 15, 2011 at 10:45 AM
- Tamara {Delish Mag} said...
Cheryl, you did a great job!! What a lovely space with wonderful touches. We're undertaking to finish Finn's room over the fall/winter. The rain is starting today so I guess it's here...
Well done, Mama!
- September 15, 2011 at 12:01 PM
- Suzanne said...
What a proud finish! I absolutely zeroed in on the rainbow books even before you pointed it out. Do you have a separate jar for each trip's treasures?
- September 15, 2011 at 12:17 PM
- Fareen said...
Cheryl - the room looks fabulous!!
- September 15, 2011 at 1:43 PM
I love this room!! And the first thing I did notice was the sorted books. I recently did organizing and cleaning in my sewing room and organized my fabric stash and ended up sorting it by color on my shelf. Now when I look at it, I can't help but to smile-I've never done such a thing like that. Needless to say, now my thread has become color sorted as well on my thread rack. Thanks for sharing!
- September 15, 2011 at 2:08 PM
- Rossie said...
Gorgeous! I think my quilt for stinky ended up larger than 90" square, but it was square and I thought it looked perfect on the bed! As does yours!
- September 15, 2011 at 5:10 PM
- Jan | Daisy Janie said...
Their room looks great! Cozy, creative, happy!!! Lots to laze about and look at when daydreaming....way to go!
- September 15, 2011 at 8:15 PM
- Anna said...
What a great job! Not easy to make a functional room for two kids!
- September 16, 2011 at 3:31 AM
- Anna said...
Oh, and of course I've forgotten to say that I love the idea with the tray!!!!!
- September 16, 2011 at 3:35 AM
- My Sweet Prairie said...
I am reorganizing or bookshelves today because of tou! Lol. That is brilliant!
- September 16, 2011 at 6:34 AM
- Jess said...
I love the room! Thanks for sharing.
Urban Patchwork
- September 16, 2011 at 8:04 PM
I would just love to have a table in Roan's room. In fact, I would like space for a table in my own. What a fabulous room!
p.s. love the quilt too.
- September 19, 2011 at 9:34 AM
- Victoria said...
What an awesome space! No wonder your kids respect it... they must be dripping in the special glow of "I am cherished". I know I have said this before, but I am saying it again... you are such a good mommy!!!
- September 19, 2011 at 6:04 PM
- Houses for Rent Winnipeg said...
Very nicely decorated room. Everything seems to be perfect and in the right place. Keep up the good work.
- April 26, 2012 at 7:44 AM


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MicroBiology Report
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Posted by Editoress on 06/15/07
Ivan Basso Suspended 24 Months
Italian cyclist Ivan Basso has been suspended for 24 months by the Italian cycling federation for his self-admitted involvement in the Operacion Puerto affair. Basso admitted to Italian prosecutors that he was involved with Dr Eufemiano Fuentes, and that blood bags seized with the name 'Birillo' on them were his blood. However, Basso continued to insist that he never actually used doping products.
There were rumours that Basso would receive a lighter sentence for admitting his involvement, but the UCI campaigned vigorously against this, and the full sanction was applied. Basso will be eligible to return to racing on October 24, 2008. He will have missed the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Tours de France, as well as the 2007 and 2008 Giros (and the Olympics).
Basso left CSC after he was linked with the Puerto investigation, but was hired by Discovery Channel, whom he left in May as pressure mounted from italian prosecutors.
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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Fans can drop off canned or dry food donations at either a City Harvest or Island Harvest truck that will be parked next to the Shea Stadium Home Run Apple. The trucks will be on Mets Plaza for every Friday home game for the rest of the season.
"With thousands of New Yorkers going hungry every day, we thought it was critical to find a way to help and bring attention to this growing problem," said Dave Howard, executive vice president of Business Operations for the Mets.
In addition to the Friday food drives, Mets players will also participate in promotional events throughout the year to raise awareness about hunger issues, and a public service announcement will air at the ballpark and on SNY.
One such event occurred last week at PS. 12 in Woodside, when Mets players Mike Baxter, Jonathon Niese and Daniel Murphy visited the school. Last year, the school raised almost 2,000 pounds of food for City Harvest, more than any other school in the city.
"I couldn't be any more proud of you guys for donating all of this food," Baxter, who grew up in Whitestone, told the kids. "How cool is it that a school this close to Citi Field donated the most food in the city?"
After s short performance by the school kids, the Mets trio helped load boxes of food on a City Harvest truck, and then played a round of catch with three lucky students.
This isn't the first time the Mets have partnered with food aid organizations to help feed the city's hungry. For the past six years, volunteers from Rock and Wrap It Up! have collected food for area kitchens after every home game.
And the Mets and City Harvest have worked together in the past to repack apples and potatoes for delivery to city soup kitchens.
According to City Harvest, soup kitchens served by the organization have seen an average increase in demand of 25 percent since 2008. Visits by children are up by 35 percent, signaling a growing hunger crisis in New York City.


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Canada Foils al-Qaeda Terror Plot
Canadian authorities say they've foiled a major al-Qaeda-supported terror plot targeting rail service between Toronto and New York City.
An official with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said two people were arrested for allegedly conspiring to derail a VIA passenger train.
The official said the attack would have killed or injured innocent people if it was carried out.
He emphasized that though the suspects had the capacity and intent to carry out the attack, there was no imminent threat against the public.
The two suspects are Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jaser. They're charged with conspiracy to carry out an attack and conspiracy to murder at the behest of a terrorist group.


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Tolly has been adopted by a lovely Twitter peep @matonman1, to be a friend to his younger cat Mamie (who looks a lot like a young Vada, Tolly's old housemate!) I am so pleased and I hope they will be great friends. Thankyou to everyone one who has helped out here, and thankyou especially to @matonman1
Due to [redacted rant] beyond my control, I'm once again looking for a new home for my cat Tolly. He has lived with my with my ex-husband since we split, who now isn't allowed to keep him. I can't have him either.
Lovely Tolly needs to find a new home! Can you help? Please?
He's a male domestic short hair, de-sexed and microchipped, 9 years old. Healthy as a horse, very affectionate and used to children (he's had the trial by fire of growing up with my 3 year old Luka!)
He is used to spending a lot of his time outside (and prefers to do his business outdoors, but he knows his way around a litter tray too).
If you can give him a home, or know someone who can, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com. Tolly is currently living in Ivanhoe, Vic.
Here's some happy snaps of the boy himself:


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One does not need visual aids to get a stiffy.Jechbi wrote:Guess it depends on whether he uses "visual aids."tiltbillings wrote:So, you have a guy that has chroniic prostatosis; is not married, and the doctoirs says to him, you need to "drain" your prostate several times a week to keep down he congestation and thusly the pain. So, he is not masturbating because of lust or because he is bored or even to pleasure himself because he wants to. Given this motivation, would it possible to for one to wack-off mindfully, just as it is possible to eat mindfully?
It might not, but how about answering the question, maybe?But seriously, how does that example relate to the notion that hinderances don't always hinder?


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St. Ignatius Loyola's classic text, The Spiritual Exercises, leads a person by a series of imaginative meditations through the life of Christ. And Ignatius asks the retreatant to begin before the earthly life of Jesus even began.
In one of the loveliest of his meditations, St. Ignatius asks us to imagine the Holy Trinity in heaven. Looking down, they gaze upon all of humanity and see men and women greatly diverse in dress and behavior: "some white and others black, some at peace and others at war, some weeping and others laughing, some healthy and others sick, some being born and others dying...."
In their compassion, they decide that the second person of the Trinity should become human. "And thus when the fullness of time had come, they send the Angel Gabriel to Our Lady," writes Ignatius. Christmas marks the time when God, out of compassion, became human, or, as the Gospel of John has it, "pitched his tent among us."
Today the Holy Trinity watches over a world that would be virtually unrecognizable to the men and women in first-century Palestine. Just in the past decade, technological advances have enabled millions, at least in the West, to enjoy better health, increased educational opportunities and other unforeseen advantages. The place of women and minorities continues to improve in our country: the presence of two women and an African-American man in the November presidential election contests is one sign of progress in this regard.
But the Holy Trinity also sees a world surprisingly similar to that of first-century Palestine, a world with "some weeping." Jesus was born into a violent time. Today terrorism, its complex roots maddeningly confusing, frightens millions, from India to Indianapolis. Likewise, the poor in Jesus' day were, as today, powerless, marginalized and disenfranchised. Even St. Joseph was not exempt from financial woes. Like Palestinian peasant farmers, as the Rev. John Meier, a noted Scripture scholar, points out, he led a "precarious existence, sometimes at subsistence level." How similar this is to our world this Christmas, when the poor are still marginalized and millions of middle-class Americans fear for their future in the wake of the frightening collapse of the financial markets.
Into such a place came Jesus: a world riven with differences between rich and poor, facing the threat of violence and, like that world, hoping for salvation. To enter this world, Jesus was born into the Holy Family, each of whose members offers a distinctive lesson for believers during Christmas—especially for those facing hard times, financial or otherwise.
Again we turn to Joseph, who is often relegated to second-class status in the Nativity scenes. A "righteous" man, as the Gospel of Matthew has it, Joseph shoulders the confusing task God has given him. Not only is he asked to accept the strange message from an angel about the miraculous circumstances of his wife's pregnancy; he is also charged, later, to guard his family in their perilous trip to Egypt. This would have been a particularly hard road for a Jewish family—Egypt lies in the wrong direction. Joseph trustingly accepts God's upending of his expectations.
Mary's great yes to God offers not only a model for women, but for any disciple. Indeed, Mary's encounter with the angel Gabriel offers a model of discipleship for those under duress. When God invites Mary to accept a strange future, she initially hesitates and, like any believer, voices her honest emotions. "How can this be?" she asks in the Gospel of Luke. In reply, the angel points to the example of her cousin, Elizabeth, in essence saying, "Look what God has already done." How often this happens in our own lives. When doubtful, we are invited to look backward, to see God's hand more clearly and magnify our trust. But even after Mary's Fiat, her story provides a lesson. "Then the angel left her." Then comes the part that we know well: faith.
Mary's son came, as one hymn has it, "not as a monarch, but a child." The Word of God chose to dwell among us in that most fragile of human states—as a newborn. When the Magi arrived, they may have wondered, "This little child is the king?" Entering into perilous situations and accepting the need to be protected, to be cared for and to be nurtured by others is another lesson that God offers us at Christmas. "The secret of life," said Blessed John XXIII, "is to let oneself be carried to God."
The Holy Trinity chose "in the fullness of time" to enter into the complicated world of first-century Palestine. Christ, in his Spirit and in the church, continues to dwell in our lives. Christians are also called to insert themselves into what is becoming a more complicated world. For ways to do this, we need look no farther than the crèche, to the example of the Holy Family.


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Olga's Orzo with Summer Vegetables and Bacon Quick Weeknight Meals Recipe Contest 2009
Recipe: Orzo with Summer Vegetables and Bacon
Category: Omnivore
How long does it take? Preparation time: 5 minutes; Cooking time: 12 minutes
Name: Olga
Why is it a favorite meal? This dish is colorful, flavorful, fast to prepare and can be adapted by interchanging the main ingredients.
Orzo with Summer Vegetables and Bacon
This "Orzo with Summer Vegetables and Bacon" dish takes minutes to put together, but is full of color and flavor. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, the recipe uses the green zucchini, cherry tomatoes, arugula and bacon as the stars. Onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and basil round up the players. You, however, can customize this recipe to your liking by choosing whichever vegetables are in season, leaving out the bacon (to make the dish vegetarian), and playing with different shapes of pasta. Feel free to add Parmesan cheese if you happen to have it in your refrigerator.
1 cup orzo
4 bacon strips, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
3 green zucchini, diced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, depending on your tolerance for heat
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup arugula
chiffonade of 10 basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Parmesan cheese
1) Bring to a boil 4 cups of salted water. Add orzo and cook for about 10 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, heat a skillet. Add bacon and cook for 2 minutes.
3) Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
4) Add zucchini and red pepper flakes, mix, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 4 minutes, stirring once or twice.
5) Add tomatoes, cooked & drained orzo, arugula and basil.
6) Mix everything together, adjust the flavor with salt & pepper and serve.
7) Optional: add Parmesan cheese on top.
This recipe makes 2-4 servings.
Thanks Olga, and good luck! Readers, give Olga a thumbs up if you like this recipe!
You could win some


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Charlie Sheen Reinvigorates 9/11 Truth Movement
Average Americans defend Charlie Sheen while establishment attack dogs whimper, falter, retract - Responses to hit pieces routinely show massive support for Sheen
Paul Joseph Watson/Prison Planet.com | April 1 2006
As the Charlie Sheen story ends its second week and with cookie-cutter establishment hit pieces continuing to be churned out, the attack dogs are facing an intensifying backlash from a clear majority of educated American citizens who are sick and tired of the sneering elitism of the mainstream media.
The most recent high profile attack came courtesy of government apologist and former White House media relations mouthpiece Betsy Hart, whose columns are syndicated to over 350 US newspapers.
After this website issued a rebuttal to her ridiculous assertion that people have serious doubts about 9/11because they "fear Islamic terrorism," a sweeping conspiracy theory that fails to address any of the evidence, her blog has been inundated with responses from educated individuals politely reminding her to get her facts straight before commenting on such a broad subject.
"Which is scarier? A rogue group of maniac terrorists on the other side of the globe that are willing to kill American citizens to achieve a political end or a powerful, secretive and utterly corrupt government right here at home
that is willing to do the same," asked one respondent.
Another addresses Hart's inability to comprehend that the government would stage events for political gain in citing the recent Bush Blair memo on Iraq that discussed painting a US spy plane in UN colors and goading Saddam to shoot it down to create a pretext for war.
Hart's article was immediately subject to one retraction after she claimed the Alex Jones Show had referred to her as a whore in trying to book her as a guest. This was libelous and wholly untrue, leading Scripps Howard to edit the piece hours after it had gone online. Are we to trust Hart with her research skills if she doesn't even know how to check the 'from' box in her Outlook Express?
At time of press Hart's (pictured above) blog comments section has over a hundred replies to her story and you'd be hard pushed to find one that backs her up. Obviously, we encouraged people to give her their thoughts but even before we did so the comments were still running about 90% against and a similar figure can be observed in response to the rest of the hit pieces.
An entire website, Bravo Charlie 9/11, has been created to act as a clearing house for the deluge of thanks, appreciation and support evoked for Sheen. The site already has 400 posts commending Sheen for his courageous stance.
Last Friday's article in which Charlie Sheen invited his detractors to challenge him on the facts was deliberately ignored by the sneering media elite blowhards as they continue to put forth all manner of trivial nothingness in a doomed attempt to retain their spot on the esteemed Neo-Con peanut gallery.
Junior high sophomoric meanderings about Charlie Sheen losing interest in his car and associations with Michael Jackson's ramblings about Jews ruining his life do not answer Sheen's challenge.
Put up or shut up.
Something celeb hack Marina Hyde failed to do in a piece slated for Saturday morning's London Guardian.
Hyde (pictured above) rebuts her slew of opposing e mails after her first Sheen hit piece, by pulling the bed sheets over her eyes and squealing that it was "only a bit of fun" as she again subtly equates Charlie Sheen with drug addiction by mentioning a character he played in a 20 year old movie.
Hyde tries to back-peddle by minimizing the importance of her article and yet her other pieces prove that she has written on serious topics before and her articles are viewed by a readership of hundreds of thousands in what many consider to be Britain's most respected newspaper.
Former MI5 agent David Shayler, another vocal proponent of the 9/11 truth movement, slammed Hyde (e mail) for joking about the subject in an attempt to trivialize Sheen's argument.
"Respectfully, we might be laughing at the column if it were actually funny," said Shayler.
"Your defence that it is all a bit of fun was one practised in the 80s in defence of racist, homophobic, sexist and anti-Irish jokes by a variety of bigots and psychopaths masquerading as legitimate columnists."
The tactics of the attack dogs betray total hypocrisy. They undermine Sheen on the grounds that he is not qualified to speak about 9/11, and yet when we produce Physics Professors, former White House advisors and CIA analysts, the father of Reaganomics, German Defense Ministers and Bush's former Secretary of the Treasury, highlighting the exact same evidence, they are uniformly ignored.
It took a personality of Charlie Sheen's prominence to break the dam and the floodgates have truly opened. The mainstream wriggles and squirms as every hit piece is met with a precise volley of intelligent retaliation on the part of an educated and informed majority.
Infowars.com is Copyright 2006 Alex Jones | Fair Use Notice


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- Parent Category: News
Vermilion County Board Member Resigns
A veteran member of he Vermilion County Board has resigned. Orick 'Corky' Nightlinger of Tilton is stepping aside because he is moving out of District 5.
The 79-year-old Nightlinger has served on the Vermilion County Board for more than ten years. He has served as chairman of the Vermilion County Board's Nursing Home Committee.
His resignation was announced in a news release which was made by the Vermilion County Democratic Party.


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My first memories of China as a small child were of rice-paper scrolls hanging on the wall in my local library. Two fire-breathing dragons flanked some bizarrely shaped mountains that looked like cupcakes, and a little stream ran through the hills, and there was a curved stone bridge over that lazy little stream. It was all very dreamy and I assumed it was just pure fantasy. It was only recently on a trip to Yangshuo that I discovered to my amazement that such a romantic landscape could actually be real.
Yangshuo is a little town in southern China. The Chinese describe the entire Guilin district as "the most scenic place under heaven" for its dramatically shaped hills, fantastic caves, pretty rice paddies, and the meandering rivers that act like mirrors reflecting the beautiful hills. Those Chinese who can afford it travel to Guilin for honeymoons, and no one is disappointed.
Starting in the big city of Guilin, the Lijiang River wanders eastward through this fantastic landscape in loops and curves for more than 100 kilometres. On the river, you'll find riverboats, bamboo rafts and paddle steamers drifting downstream with tourists and lovers gazing in awe at the magical landscape. The river and surrounding hills are so beautiful they are featured on the Chinese 20 yuan banknote.
Floating downriver in this fashion, you are sure to find water buffaloes wallowing by the banks, villagers washing clothes and fishermen on bamboo rafts posing with their cormorant fishing birds for photos, all something like a movie scene about a previous century.
The entire region is a 'karst' landscape, comprised of very porous limestone which is easily eroded by water. All over the Guilin district, numerous caves and underground rivers are hidden under hills and plains where stalactites, stalagmites, and columns create dreamscapes of another magnitude. There are underground rivers, forests of crystal trees, others that look like underground mountain ranges and even crystal cities. Colourful and strategically placed artificial lighting only adds to the effect of being in another world. Many are open to the public.
The Yangshuo region is full of little streams, some of which you can tour on bamboo rafts propelled by local fishermen like the gondoliers of Venice. Bike rentals are also available. Armed with a map and a local guide, you can pedal endlessly through rice paddies and remote villages, wandering through tiny farms and past rustic homes. In tiny shops, the villagers will gladly sell you ice-cold beer and a lunch of hot spicy noodles — a picnic from another planet.
No matter where you look around Yangshuo, in all directions you'll see weirdly shaped rolling hills popping up everywhere like mushrooms and feel like Alice in Wonderland having nibbled on a magic mushroom yourself. The overall affect of the hills, rivers, villages and streams is simply hallucinogenic, and its no exaggeration to say that in faraway Yangshuo that fantasy does comes true.