text:
The CBO finally scored the redrafted Senate health care bill, saying it will cost $871 billion over the next ten years. Not that anybody waited for the numbers before cutting a deal. This was never really about the numbers. It was about coming in below an arbitrary figure and passing the bill by an arbitrary date.
The CBO Director's Blog writes that "(t)he changes with the largest budgetary effects include expanding eligibility for a small business tax credit; increasing penalties on certain uninsured people; replacing the 'public plan' … with 'multi-state' plans … deleting provisions that would increase payment rates for physicians under Medicare; and increasing the payroll tax on higher-income individuals and families."
In other words, the bill now has more breaks for business but harsher punishment for uninsured individuals, it eliminates the already-weakened public option, it pays doctors less – and it costs the Federal government $23 billion more.
Hey, what's not to love?
The idea of raising payroll taxes on higher earners is a good one. But if you take that new revenue, add the unfair tax on higher-cost benefit plans (studies demonstrate its unfairness), throw in the pay cut for doctors, and toss the higher individual penalties on top of that, it still doesn't offset the fiscal recklessness behind killing the public option.
Why would the public plan have saved the government money? Because, as the CBO puts it, "it was expected to exert some downward pressure on the premiums of the lower-cost plans to which those subsidies would be tied. " In other words, it would have made other insurance cheaper by creating real competition. If it's costing the government this much money to lose the public option, can you imagine what it's costing the rest of us as individuals?
Remember: the CBO score doesn't include the personal value of these policies for each of us. The Senate's new bill won't just increase the Federal budget. We'll also pay higher premiums because we lost the public option, and face more out-of-pocket payments from the excise tax. Wasn't it Oscar Wilde who said a cynic is someone who "knows the price of everything and the value of nothing"? It's pragmatic to take the best deal you can get, but it's cynical to avoid the battle and then claim it's the best deal you can get. The main thing dividing progressives right now is that some see pragmatism and others see cynicism.
Another question: If Joe Lieberman can single-handedly be credited with most of these changes, is it fair to call him the Twenty Billion Dollar Man? Maybe. But remember, it's easy to hate Joe Lieberman – and it's a distraction. The Administration and the Senate leadership made a series of choices that give him this power.
Some say that the public option was always doomed – that the Administration cut a deal in which they'd make a half-heated attempt to fight for it and would then let it die, placating the always-compliant liberal wing with another mantric repetition of the phrase "we didn't get everything we wanted, but …" In that scenario Joe's the Bad Cop to the President's (and Harry Reid's) Good Cop. If Joe Lieberman didn't exist it would be necessary to invent him. "Hey, I wanted to help you out – here's a cup of coffee – but my partner here …"
Think that's unfair ? I certainly hope so, but that gets us back to the string-of-blunders interpretation. Reality's probably somewhere in the middle: mismanagement and a back-room deal or two. (We know there was a deal with Big Pharma.)
There's an easy way for the President and Sen. Reid to disprove the Good Cop/Bad Cop Scenario, of course: They can fight like hell to win concessions in the House/Senate conference, to bring the final bill more in line with the House version. That would mean, at the very least, a public option and no excise tax.
Think they will? Me neither – but I think they should be pressed to do so. I expect that the House will be put under enormous pressure to cave and accept the bill as it is. I think the President and other party leaders assume the left can always be counted on to cave in for the good of the country. I also think that anyone who points out the flaws in this bill will be subjected to another round of scoldings from party leaders and their supporters, charged with not understanding how the world works. Wouldn't it be better to debate the tactics on their merits instead?
Because that last charge is the biggest miscalculation of them all. Many of the people being lectured over this bill are the same people who have been right about matters of both policy and politics for most of the last decade. (And about the politics – the Democrats are going to get killed if they pass this bill.) So it was particularly satisfying to see Markos Moulitsas respond forcefully to Chris Matthews for his wave-of-the-hand dismissal to those who saw the last decade's events more clearly than he did.
That doesn't necessarily make them right today, of course, but I think they are. And speaking personally, I'm not talking about "killing the bill" – I'm talking about getting a better bill. I believe it will take a credible threat – a "fear factor" – to get that done.


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Reception had a great day out at the Science Museum
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text:
FIFA: No evidence of match-fixing
FIFA has said there has been no evidence of match-fixing at any World Cup match and called on the German magazine that made allegations concerning Cameroon to offer proof.
Convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal has denied that he correctly predicted Cameroon's result against Croatia to Der Spiegel magazine before the game.
Der Spiegel is standing by its report but has yet to provide definitive evidence of the Facebook discussion with a journalist.
FIFA's head of media Delia Fischer told a news conference in Rio de Janeiro: "We have requested Der Spiegel to provide us with all the communications with Perumal and any other material in order to prove the allegations they have made.
"So far we have no evidence of any match manipulation on the betting market. The media and other stakeholders should not call people's or organisation's credibility into question just for headlines.
"It is really important to make sure that information is handled with the necessary respect and care."
FIFA director of security Ralf Mutschke added that the allegations "put the integrity of FIFA World Cup matches in question, which is a serious allegation."
He stressed that FIFA has monitored all 56 World Cup games so far and has seen no evidence of match manipulation.
Der Spiegel had claimed Perumal correctly predicted Cameroon would lose 4-0 against Croatia and a player would be sent off. Cameroon did indeed lose by that scoreline, with Alex Song dismissed in the first half.
Perumal, known as the Godfather of match-fixing, then issued a statement saying he made his remarks about Cameroon only after the match in question.
The contradictory statements will serve to further muddy the waters of the ethics investigation launched by the Cameroon football federation (FECAFOOT).
Perumal said in a statement: "Contrary to the 'revelations' published by the German weekly Der Spiegel that were picked up by news outlets worldwide, I did not predict the result of the Cameroon vs Croatia match.
"The Facebook chat with the Der Spiegel journalist took place a few days after the match -- June 21, as confirmed by my Facebook log -- and was but an informal assessment of the behaviour of the Cameroon team at the Brazil 2014 World Cup after they had played two of their three group stage matches, including the one with Croatia.
"At no time did I make reference to four goals being scored or to a red card being issued."
Der Spiegel did not issue the definite proof of any conversation but responded by saying: "We firmly stand by our assertion that Mr Perumal wrote in a Facebook chat with Der Spiegel some hours before the match Croatia vs. Cameroon that the result of the match will be a 4-0 victory for Croatia and that a player of Cameroon will get a red card in the first half."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
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text:
Daughter Tamela called to say they were going camping over the weekend at Hunting Island to celebrate great grandson Taylor's 12th birthday. Did I want to go?
Throwing good sense out the window, I said, "Of course, yes, certainly" and added a bit smugly, "Í have my own tent." And I did. It was in the cottage propped against the kitchen wall keeping company with two brooms, a mop and a gypsy assortment of this and that I can't bear to throw away.
"Ýou might want to get a tent like the one I'm ordering," she said. "Ít opens like an umbrella and you're supposed to be able to put it up in five minutes."
"ÓK,order me one too." I was agreeable. Five minutes to put up a tent? Hah.
So, on a Friday afternoon, I arrived at Hunting Island State Park, my trusty Volvo loaded with my very own brand new tent, brand new cot, there was no way I was going to sleep on an air mattress that might lose its air in the middle of the night and leave my bones laying on the cold hard ground with only a piece of plastic between me and mother earth.
"I had my very own brand new sleeping bag guaranteed to keep one warm in weather 30 degrees below zero. Everyone knows that even in the Lowcountry, it can get really really cold."
I hate to be cold.
To be positively sure I had enough covers, I had packed a bed sheet and a wool blanket.
I had one of those fold up cloth chairs that I used to take to watch Anna Catherine play soccer, a brand new lamp that ran on AAA batteries to hang inside the tent. Naturally, I put in extra batteries.
There was a portable stove, one of those little stoves server persons use when they make something like bananas Foster at your table in a fancy restaurant and yes, I had two containers of butane gas.
I packed a beautiful copper tea kettle I found at God's Gifts for the amazing price of $3 and a favorite teapot that Kathleen gave me years ago that brews a tasty cuppa.
Any place is civilized if you can have a nice hot cup of tea.
At the last minute, I jammed in the car, my old tent, a card table for the 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle I couldn't resist buying at Habitat and two chairs, because.
Fortunately, I could still see out the car's rear view window.
And yes, I did bring some food, but not much. Chef Nicholas would provide sustenance.
It had been over 20 years since I had camped at Hunting Island.
It had been a lovely time. We sat under the stars, chatting quietly sipping a light libation,.
Then, the mosquitoes came.
Forget the tent.
We ended up sleeping in the Chevy van with the windows shut tight.
I woke up the next morning covered not with mosquito bites, but sitting outside on the pine straw, the red bugs had attacked me.
This time, my brand new tent had screening and I had brought along super duper deep woods never fail bug spray.
My feet were not going to touch the ground without first being sprayed with a liberal amount of Deet.
And it was a special time.
Camping right next to the beach, falling asleep to the gentle and rhythmic crash of waves, the ocean breezes bringing in that salty air ...through the screen.
Taylor, hope you had as good a time as I did at your birthday celebration.
Let's not wait a year to go again.
Annelore Harrell lives in Bluffton and can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Thank you for being part of the CSIRO Milk Kids Research Study!
You are nearing the end of this project and it is time to schedule in for your child's final clinic visit. These visits will involve all of the same measures that your child completed during their first visit in April/May.
Please select a date & time that suits your availability. You can only select one ticket for your child (parents do not need to book in).
After confirming your date & time, we will be in touch with further details.
At the conclusion of this visit, your child will able to spend their study points on a reward of their choice and you will be provided with your final $240 Gift Card.
We look forward to seeing your child (and you) at the clinic! Remember, do not hesitate to contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com for any assistance.
Thanks -
Milk Kids Study Team


text:
Merry Christmas and some news...
Big hugs,
Posted by Arielle H Gordon at 1:59 AM
Related Articles:
I am so sorry for all your losses. Hugs to you and your family. Spend time with them and don't worry about the challenge blog.
Oh Arielle, so sorry to hear your news - what a huge amount of loss to cope with. Things like this always seem so much worse at Christmas too. I'll be thinking about you this Christmas and hope 2017 proves to be a much happier and healthier year for you all xxxx
I too am sorry for all your losses. Thankful to know you know where your grandma and father in law are. You were missed on this site.
Hugs from N.C.
I was wondering if something bad happened and was hoping I was wrong. This is so difficult for you. Even though your mom lived a good and long life, it is never easy to lose your mom and now you need to watch over your dad who is grieving tremendously. They were so blessed to have a marriage for this long and very lucky. We just lost our fur baby, Mia, our cat on Dec1st and it is difficult to lose a pet because they are a member of your family. I lost my lab, Katie 41/2 years ago and I still miss her every day. Funny how things come in 3's....your husband's father is the third and hopefully the last. It is difficult when one has to travel to care for everything and take care of all the things that come with a passing. My thoughts are with you and your family and I hope you can still have a blessed Christmas.
I am praying for you, Arielle. I am so sorry and thank you for your transparency. Yes, Jesus came to give us hope that does not fail. I pray that you will know that He understands your loss and grieves with you. Jesus wept at his friend's grave and because of death. He prayed to His Father and asked for "the cup" to pass and He sweat blood with the knowledge of all that He'd endure. He knows our names and is intimately aware of all our sorrows. Psalm 56:8(NLT) You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
You have blessed me with your faith and by testifying of your Hope during this dark time. It is ok to not be merry. God understands. Christmas is about Jesus coming to fulfill His Father's will. I think that Jesus' birth should always remind us of hope, not because He was born, but because of why He came. It's about the Cross. <3 I will pray that God will comfort you all in amazing, undeniable and unexpected ways in the weeks ahead.
We are all deeply saddened with you Arielle and stand in support for you. Thanks for the beautiful posting, I know it was hard to do. Blessings for you and your family this Christmas, again thank you for posting and letting us all know.
So sorry for all your losses - what an immense amount of sadness to deal with! Take time to heal and I'll keep you in my thoughts!
When it rains it pours - it looks like monsoon season for you and your family. My deepest sympathies and sending prayers of support and comfort.
You have certainly had a terribly hard couple of months. I'm so sorry. I pray for strength and comfort for you and your entire family, Arielle. May God bless and keep you.
Arielle, I'm so sad for your family's incredible losses and my heart goes out to you all. Prayers for comfort and strength - May you feel the Lords loving embrace.
Oh my goodness! I am so sorry. I know this has to be the most difficult time you have ever had. I will keep all of you in my prayers.
My heart goes out to you and your family Arielle. Know that you all continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. The team is here for whatever you need. Sending HUGS
I'm very sorry for your loss. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers. Hope you are able to find peace and comfort.
Sending wishes of strength and peace and healing.
Arielle, my heart goes out for you! Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts.
Arielle I am so very sorry for your loss. I do know what's it is like to loose 'too many' loved ones. I hope you find comfort in the wonderful memories of the past. Know they are smiling down on you this Christmas and all the ones to come.
Hugs Diane
Arielle - I am so sorry to read of all these losses. It's always hard, but more particularly at such family holiday periods. Sending all love and positive thoughts to you and your family. Take comfort in the memories of all the wonderful times you shared. xxx
So sorry to hear of this sad news...praying for you and your family Arielle! Hugs and may the Lord bless you over the Christmas holiday with peace and loving memories...
My heart goes out to you, Arielle. My family is enduring a tough season as well, because this be our first Christmas without my father-in-law. Be kind to yourself as you grieve, and know that your family is in the thoughts and prayers of many people. We will be here when you are ready. Be blessed in this special season.
Sending you some energy to make it trough each day. You don't have to be a super woman or supermam, just be there, even if you could not imagen what to say, just being tohether and there is the most important thing to do!
Stay warm and together!
You've all gone through so much in a short period of time. It takes time to heal and wrap your head around such sudden losses. Just know that you're in my prayers and hold on to that verse and other promises of God's faithfulness. (hugs)
Huge ((hugs)) to you. Grief is a tough thing to walk through at the best of times and ammplified by two, I can't imagine. Thankful you have Jesus to lean on and may his peace, love, strength and presence fill your heart and touch you in a very special way.
Oh Arielle - I am so sorry for all that you and your family are going through. I will be keeping you all in my thoughts and prayers during the healing process (both physical and emotionally). Sending you big hugs and lots of love !!!
I'm so so sorry Arielle. I pray God give you courage and peace for each new day. In Him~
Very sorry for your losses, Arielle.
God bless you Arielle, family and your own needs must come first. You have absolutely no need to apologize for anything. I hope you will continue to find love and comfort in the scriptures and in the light of Christ. If there had been no Easter, there would have been no Christmas either. The hope of the Resurrection and of Deliverance gives meaning to all of it. He will be close to you in these times of trial. Very, very close.
saying prayers for you and your family arielle! thank you for sharing such uplifting words and scripture in your difficult time...god bless you!
So much loss in such a short time. The only thing I can offer is. I wish you much strength and love. Janny XX
My heart goes out to you Arielle. You are right that this is not our home, but we live here right now, and all of these things are terribly difficult. Try to stay focussed on God and His promises. Enjoy your family and the small and simple things as you are doing.
Please don't feel you are alone... I am sure just typing your story out helped. I keep trying to remember that God does not give us more than we can bear...your strength shines through in your note. You just are not recognizing it at the moment. Hug those around you...they are thankful you are there and for all you do. You WILL have a Merry Christmas. Maybe different than years past but those you love will be around you. You will be in my prayers.
Praying for you and your family. Hoping the love and prayers we are all sending will somehow help soothe your heart.
I knew something was wrong when I didn't see your updates for a few weeks. I'm so glad you took time to share your burden. I will be praying for you and yours and will look forward to meeting your loved ones some day when I get HOME, too. May God's loving arms hold you close to Him during this difficult time, so that some day you'll be able to comfort someone else with the story of how He saw you through this difficulty. Hugs --
I wishing to you advance Merry Christmas 2016
Awesome collection of Merry Christmas 2016 photos.
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I'm so sorry for your losses, which are especially hard at this time of the year. My heart really goes out to you and your family. I can't imagine how overwhelming it must all feel at the moment. I sincerely hope the new year will bring you lots of love, happiness and healing with your family and friends.
My family also lost someone 2 weeks before Christmas so I know something of how you feel, but thankful we only had 1 loss. You must be reeling! Like you, we have confidence that our loved one is with Jesus and that knowledge is so helpful.
Despite your sadness, I'm glad you will be returning to the blog. I'm sure you don't know me as I just look when I can and try to copy some of the lovely ideas, but I love your blog and the color inspiration it provides.
Dear Arielle,
I'm so sorry for your losses. Christmas is a good time to remember the promise God sent for us all; Jesus was the first fruit of the resurrection and we will follow in the time He has chosen for us. Having suffered loss, too, I understand the heartache you are going through. Please feel free to drop me an email anytime. And I know your faith; it will see you through. Blessings in this coming year, Bev
I'm so very sorry to just be reading now what has been happening with you and your family, Arielle, and I'm so sorry for all that you've lost so suddenly. I'm sending big hugs of comfort and prayers that only happy days lie ahead for a very long time. Hugs, Darnell
I just discovered your blog, and to see your sad news breaks my heart for you and your family. I'm so sorry for your loss, and you will be in my prayers! God bless! Jeanie Ellis - Scrapbookingmamaw
Well, goodness. I am so very sorry to hear all of this. Praying that things get better every day. Take care of yourself. HUGS!
Oh, Arielle! I am so terribly sorry for all of your losses. I can't even imagine. I pray your faith can get you through this time. May you all feel peace!
I'm behind on reading blogs I follow but I am so saddened by all your losses. My heart goes out to all of you. I hope the new year will start some of the healing. I know it takes time but prayers to all of you.
God bless you, and I hope you and your family are healing and finding peace where you can. My heart aches for you.
I remember being in a similar place through the years. Years ago my mother died Thanksgiving weekend, when my father died it was Dec 16, right after 9/11, and our hearts were so sad. All of those memories come back as the holidays pass, but over the years it gets better and better as we think of them with joy.
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I just want to say thank you for sharing all those Merry Christmas Wishes . I have been looking for those for over an hour now. I want to give those quotes to my girl friend. She finds it cute and she really loves Merry Christmas Wishes .
Dear Arielle, I just popped in for fresh and wonderful inspiration as I always get when I stop by. I am so sorry to read about your losses and struggles at this time, and I'm sending loving and compassionate thoughts to you and your family. Take your time to grieve with all your heart- there is much love there with the memories of your dear ones. With prayers and peace to you all
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Happy New Year Countdown
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تقدم شركة تاج 0551844053 افضل خدمات التنظيف للمنازل والبيوت وكذلك ايضا تنظيف السجاد والموكيت والمجالس وبيوت الشعر
بالدمام والخبر تنظيف فلل وشقق ومطاعم نقدم عمليات التنظيف الشاملة بمفهموها العصرى والحديث
شركة تنظيف بالدمام
شركة تنظيف منازل بالدمام
شركة تنظيف خزانات بالدمام
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالدمام
شركة تنظيف فلل بالدمام
شركة جلي بلاط ورخام وسيراميك بالدمام
شركة تنظيف شقق بالدمام
شركة تنظيف مجالس بالدمام
شركة طيوب لتسليك المجارى بالدمام
شركة مكافحة الحمام بالجبيل والقطيف
افضل الخدمات المنزلية المقدمة بمدينة الخبر من شركة تاج 0551844053 فخدمات شركتنا عديده ومتعددة ومنها شركة تنظيف منازل بالخبر
شركة تسليك مجارى بالخبر
شركة تنظيف بيوت بالخبر
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالخبر
شركة تنظيف شقق بالخبر
شركة تنظيف فلل بالخبر
شركة طيوب لتسليك المجارى بالقطيف
شركة تنظيف مجالس بالخبر
شركة تنظيف كنب بالخبر
شركة طيوب لتسليك المجارى بالخبر
شركة تنظيف منازل بالجبيل
شركة تنظيف بالجبيل
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالجبيل
شركة تنظيف شقق بالجبيل
شركة تنظيف مجالس بالجبيل
شركة تنظيف منازل بالقطيف
شركة تنظيف مجالس بالقطيف
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالقطيف
شركة تنظيف شقق بالقطيف
شركة مكافحة الحمام بالدمام والخبر
شركة المثالية للتنظيف بالجبيل
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالقطيف
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالجبيل
شركة المثالية لمكافحة الحشرات بالجبيل
شركة المثالية للتنظيف بالدمام
شركة المثالية للتنظيف بالخبر
شركة المثالية لمكافحة الحشرات بالدمام
شركة تسليك مجارى بالقطيف
شركة تسليك مجارى بالجبيل
شركة تسليك مجارى بالاحساء
شركة التميز المثالي للخدمات المنزلية وتنظيف المنازل والشقق والفلل بالدمام والخبر والقطيف والجبيل
قسم خاص لتسليك المجاري بالضغط ومكافحة الحشرات وتنظيف للمجالس والسجاد والموكيت وتنظيف الخزانات
نقدم افضل الخدمات المنزلية بالمنطق الشرقية 0551844053
شركة تسليك مجاري بالدمام
شركة تنظيف منازل بالدمام
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام
شركة تنظيف منازل بالجبيل
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالجبيل
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالجبيل
شركة تسليك مجاري بالخبر
شركة تنظيف منازل بالخبر
شركة تركيب وصيانة الكهرباء بالدمام والخبر
شركة المثالية للتنظيف بالجبيل
شركة المثالية لمكافحة الحشرات بالدمام
شركة المثالية للتنظيف بالقطيف
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالخبر
شركة تسليك مجاري بالقطيف
شركة تنظيف منازل بالقطيف
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالاحساء
شركة مكافحة حشرات براس تنوره
شركة الصفرات للتنظيف بالرياض
شركة مكافحة حشرات بسيهات
شركة تسليك مجارى بالدمام
خدمات شركة ركن الامثل بالمنطقة الشرقيه 0502644550 وتقديم كافة الخدمات المنزلية
شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالاحساء
شركة المثالية للتنظيف بالدمام
شركة تسليك مجارى بالخبر
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالخبر
شركة تسليك مجارى بالدمام
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام
شركة تسليك مجارى بالقطيف
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالقطيف
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالطائف
شركة تنظيف منازل بحفرالباطن
شركة تاج للخدمات المنزلية بالاحساء 0551844053 تنظيف للمنازل والشقق والمجالس والسجاد وكافة انواع العزل
عزل للخزانات والاسطح ومكافحة الحشرات ورش المبيدات الحشرية
شركة تنظيف منازل بالاحساء
شركة تنظيف مجالس بالاحساء
شركة تنظيف سجاد بالاحساء
شركة تنظيف بالاحساء
شركة رش مبيدات بالاحساء
شركة تنظيف فلل بالاحساء
شركة مكافحة النمل الابيض بالاحساء
شركة عزل خزانات بالاحساء
شركة عزل اسطح بالاحساء
شركة تنظيف شقق بالاحساء
Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you had fun playing with the challenge, but if you didn't play, I hope you will soon! ~Arielle
And if you're chosen as a colourQ Courtier - you'll get this one!
|Hello! I'm Arielle H Gordon, a wacky stamping/scrapping gal, and owner/digi artist of Wax Fruit Company! I have 2 sweet kiddos, an enabling husband & many dear blogging friends - I AM TRULY BLESSED! Please feel free to contact me and thanks so much for stopping by!
colourQ © 2008. Template by Dicas Blogger.


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The Best Zester Ever? New Graters from Edgeware
Earlier this week we talked about classic citrus zesters — the Microplane and OXO tools that help us get great zesty flavor out of a lime, lemon, or other citrus fruit. Well, I have some of those tools (and love them) but I found a new zester at this year's Housewares show that quite frankly blows them all away.
These zesters and graters are made by Edgeware, an American company based in Arkansas. (Yes, like Microplane — their "competition" as the very gentlemanly company president always referred to them while demonstrating his products for me. Never by name!)
These graters claim to have an edge (get it?) over the "competition" for two reasons:
1. They are designed with a "V" notch in the blade, which is the most ergonomic and efficient shape for slicing. The best mandolines, for instance, have a v-shaped blade.
2. The entire plastic surface of the grater or zester (between the stainless steel teeth/blades) is covered in nonstick coating. This helps the vegetables, cheese, or zest slide right off the front, instead of sticking to the nooks and crannies between the sharp teeth. (According to Edgeware the development of this coating was a difficult process, and trickier than you might imagine.)
The graters that I saw came in fine, medium, and coarse, and they did their job with wicked skill.
But the thing that I really loved was the citrus zester. See, I use a lot of lemon zest. I use it in casseroles, salads, and vegetable dishes — not just in baked goods. When cooking a meal, the zester never gets put away. Sometimes I use mine three or four times a day.
I instantly fell in love with this Edgeware zester. In fact, I think it was my favorite thing at the whole show.
Why? Well, look at the design (seen in slideshow above). There is a plastic container that snaps onto the back of the zester. As you zest a lemon or an orange, all the zest is trapped in the container. When you remove the container, it neatly squeegees all the bits of zest off the back of the zester, presenting it in one neat little bundle. (These were prototypes, too, and the company president told me that the final product will have teaspoon and tablespoon markings on the clear container, so you can see how much zest you've grated without stopping to measure it out.)
The other thing I liked about this zester was its light touch. This is designed specifically for zest — you can use it for Parmesan and other hard cheeses, but it's really ideal for citrus. You barely have to touch it to the fruit and it rubs off all that fragrant zest quickly, leaving the bitter pith behind.
Now, I realize that I get pretty excited about zesting products. Perhaps they aren't as sexy as one-cup coffee makers or pink toasters, but given how often I use my zesters and graters, this was certainly one of, if not my top, favorite pick of the show. If you're in the market for a zester, watch out for these — they'll be out soon. I'll definitely do a review of one in my own kitchen as well.
These zesters will be available shortly in cookware shops and online.
(Images: Faith Durand)


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DT: Sri Lanka: double taxation agreement, Article 24: Exchange of information
The competent authorities of the Contracting States shall exchange such information (being information which is at their disposal under their respective taxation laws in the normal course of administration) as is necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Convention or for the prevention of fraud or the administration of statutory provisions against legal avoidance in relation to the taxes which are the subject of this Convention. Any information so exchanged shall be treated as secret but may be disclosed to persons (including a court or administrative body) concerned with assessment, collection, enforcement or prosecution in respect of taxes which are the subject of this Convention. No information shall be exchanged which would disclose any trade, business, industrial or professional secret or any trade process.


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Britney Spears' ex-manager dropped his appeal of a judge's ruling that he must stay away from the singer until 2012, according to his appellate court attorney.
Osama "Sam" Lutfi instead will concentrate on his civil suit against the pop star and her parents, which is currently under a separate appeal, said attorney Joseph D. Schleimer.
In April 2009, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Aviva K. Bobb directed Lutfi and attorney Jon Eardley to stay at least 100 yards from the pop star, her two young sons and her homes.
Bobb's ruling extended until April 28, 2012, a temporary order she issued against both men in January 2009. Bobb has since retired from the bench.
Lawyers for Lutfi filed papers shortly thereafter with the 2nd District Court of Appeal. They maintained during the hearings before Bobb that the three-year stay-away order was too harsh a measure and there was no evidence Lutfi had caused the pop star substantial emotional distress as alleged by lawyers for her father, Jamie Spears.
Jamie Spears and attorney Andrew Wallet share co-conservatorship powers over the 28-year-old singer's estate.
Spears' father maintained Lutfi and Eardley have tried to undermine the conservatorship established by Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Reva Goetz in early 2008 after the singer exhibited behavior that resulted in her hospitalization at UCLA Medical Center.
Lutfi sued Spears and her parents in February 2008, alleging he was defamed in passages of a book written by the singer's mother, Lynne Spears.
Lynne Spears is appealing a judge's ruling last August which denied her motion to have the case against her dismissed on grounds it infringed on her right to free speech.
In the appeal, Lynne Spears' lawyers maintain Lutfi is "libel-proof" because his reputation allegedly was already so low before her book was published that the contents could not have damaged his image further.


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Pentagon officials lifted a ban this week on women in combat, prompting some quiet �Ooh-rahs� from women Marines while raising questions about what it really means.
Pentagon officials lifted a ban this week on women in combat, prompting some quiet �Ooh-rahs� from women Marines while raising questions about what it really means.
There are more than 200,000 U.S. women in uniform at present.
�Women are fighting now; there are a lot of women willing to fight and die for their country,� said U.S. Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-Farmville, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and still sees the need for hearings on the policy change before it is fully implemented.
The Marine Corps and Army, which has the largest infantry, are supposed to determine most of the changes by mid-May but have until 2016 for some changes to take effect.
�I think this ban came after Desert Storm when a captured woman pilot was treated differently because she was a woman,� the N.C. District 3 representative said in a 2 p.m. telephone interview. He said he has visited military hospitals and has seen women soldiers �trying to put a prosthesis on a blown-off leg. I�m not saying I�m opposed to it, just that I want to hear from the participants.�
A news release from his office later in the day, however, said �Jones expressed opposition to the Obama administration�s decision.�
�The Commander-in-Chief should be focused on maintaining our military as the best fighting force in the world, not using it to advance his social agenda,� said Jones in the release. �Having had the privilege of representing one of the largest military districts in the country for many years, I have spoken with numerous Marine officers about this topic. They have all voiced their concern. These are men who have been on the front lines and know the horrors of war. When they have reservations, I listen.�
Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., released a statement supporting the change.
�The Pentagon�s decision to allow women to serve in combat roles is a positive step,� Hagan said. �Women will now be able to serve our country in new capacities, and they will be afforded more opportunities for the same career advancement as their male counterparts.
�As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a senator from the state with the third largest military presence in the nation,� she said, �I thank all of our service members � male and female, and I am committed to working with the Pentagon to implement this policy.�
Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had the endorsement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the change, which many say simply makes official practices already in place for women in thousands of military jobs and gives them the title and combat pay attached.
Hank Gotard, retired 30-year Marine Corps pilot and now Veteran Services Officer in Carteret County, said lifting the ban �is the right thing to do and long overdue. Women have done a fine job of what they are doing and have served with distinction.�
�In the Navy, they have been out there at sea flying EA-6B Prowlers a long time, then got into single seat tactical jets,� he said. There is now a leadership team aboard a carrier led by a woman, and women have been flying helicopters in combat units in Iraq and Afghanistan.
�It�s great the armed forces have stepped forward and done this, become an equal opportunity employer,� Goddard said.
The military is about 15 percent female and has not blocked women from rank and authority � the sergeant major of the Cherry Point air station is presently a woman and a woman has served as commander at Camp Lejeune.
Dawn Mills of Morehead City served in the Air Force as an enlisted traffic management specialist for four years beginning in 1986 and has served another 19 years in the Air Force Reserve and she said she is pleased with the decision.
�Females have been in the middle of combat anyway,� she said. �They volunteer and serve as drivers in convoys that end up getting shot and blown up. Those are not combat career fields but they�re still in the middle of it and still run just as much risk as those in the infantry.�
Mills, who now works at NOAA, said she thinks �women should be able to do every job that men do but if they choose to do it, don�t go over there and get in situation and use �I�m a female� as an excuse.�
Former Cherry Point Public Affairs Officer Lt. Col. Aisha Bakkar, now stationed in Guam as Marine Forces Pacific- Forward, would agree.
Featured in a Guam Business magazine January-February edition profile, Bakkar shared that when she went to enlist more than 20 years ago the recruiter scoffed, telling her she was �too feminine.�
Bakkar told the reporter she remembers telling him, �I�ll show you otherwise� and she went to boot camp and took the training without complaining. �I never used that femininity to try to make things easier for myself or to get out of the physical training. As long as you give your 100 percent and as long as you're not asking for special treatment, then they respect you.�
Officials at Marine Corps bases at Cherry Point and Camp Lejeune responding Thursday to questions about what changes could come from the lift of the ban said they are unable to conduct local interviews at this time.
In an effort to assist in this story, both public information offices provided a statement from Headquarters Marine Corps:
�The Commandant and the entire Marine Corps are dedicated to maintaining the highest levels of combat readiness and capitalizing upon every opportunity to enhance our warfighting capabilities and the contributions of every Marine; it's simply the right thing to do.
�Our ongoing deliberate, measured and responsible approach to validate occupational performance standards for all Marines is consistent with (the Secretary of Defense�s) decision to rescind the direct combat exclusion rule for women.
�As our Corps moves forward with this process, our focus will remain on combat readiness and generating combat-ready units while simultaneously ensuring maximum success for every Marine. The talent pool from which we select our finest warfighters will consist of all qualified individuals, regardless of gender.�
Sue Book can be reached at 252-635-5665 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter@SueJBook.


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8:00 pm
Equitrekking "Colorado" At the Colorado Cattle Company in Northern Colorado, Equitrekking host Darley Newman participates in "Dream Week," learning to ride championship cutting horses with expert Teddy Johnson. In Southern Colorado, Darley rides up to over 12,000 feet in San Juan National Forest with native Anne Rapp. The ride to Engineer Mountain takes Darley through alpine meadows, steep mountain passes and open expanses where views reach all the way to New Mexico. D
8:30 pm
Equitrekking "Wyoming" Equitrekking host Darley Newman begins at UXU Ranch for scenic and challenging riding on surefooted horses in the Shoshone National Forest. Darley and ranch owner Tuff ride by the majestic hoodoos and to high elevations for views of colorful canyons, glaciers and mountaintops. Darley explores the wildlife and geology of Yellowstone National Park on foot, before heading to the Cody rodeo. D
9:00 pm
Nature "Cuba: The Accidental Eden" In 2008, NATURE produced "Cuba: Wild Island of the Caribbean" revealing how the isolation of Cold War politics accidently protected the island's ecosystems and wildlife. Now NATURE returns to compare contemporary Cuba with Caribbean neighbors, who have poisoned or paved over their ecological riches, and to speculate how Cuba's natural treasures are now facing an onslaught by the 21st century.G
10:00 pm
Wild! "Sharks: Scavengers of the Seas" Before being an earthly paradise with enchanting colours, the lagoon of New-Caledonia is above all a paradise for sharks. Usually considered as fierce predators, sharks really are opportunistic scavengers. Scavengers that are not too picky when it comes to their menu: feathers, fins or fur, anything will do. D
11:00 pm
Life On Fire "Volcano Doctors" The Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Colombia, Chile and Italy all have large populations living at the foot of active volcanoes. To avoid disasters, volcanologists are asked to anticipate and warn, to be prophets and to analyze the volcanoes' slightest tremors.G


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I found some cute (to me some hilarious) funny homeschool cartoons, or just thoughts! You know "we" homeschoolers have such a stereotype and frankly sometimes I get soooooooooooooo -- breather -- oooooooooooooooooooooo tired of it!!! Sometimes its just all I can do to not bite someones head off when they say something. So to take the bad feelings that go along with that I decided to post something funny and witty. I know we all have had "those" comments about the famous homeschooling topic spoke to us at one point and time, if not repetitively!
Be blessed in what you do! For its for the Glory of God!
Hope you found the humor I did in these!! XOXO


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After a couple of years of consistent climbing and a fair amount of class 3 and 4 scrambling I'm ready to build an alpine rack. Looking for suggestions on what others have in their rack and why. Currently have a set of C4's and nuts. I plan on doubling up on the C4's and adding mastercams or maybe waiting for spring for the x4's. I have a 9.7 70m rope ... too much weight? Suggestions on moderate alpine routes? Swiss arete looks interesting or maybe Lone Pine north ridge .... though looks like many climb that free.
Might as well also open this up to your favorite gear in general ... cams, ropes, tents, bivy sacks, whatever else as well.


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I'm Joy, a Mom of 4 kiddos and we're in NJ! I have a 13 y/o son (Justin) with CM dx @ 8, no surgery..cineMRI flow normal, a 12 y/o daughter (Sara), an almost 9 y/o son (Hunter) who had decompression surgery at 3.5 y/o for CM/SM and an almost 8y/o daughter (Makenna.)
Hunter had just turned 3 when he began telling me it hurt "inside my head, Mommy" and we eventually were given the referral to the neurologist. She gave us the dx of CM, the neurosurgeon did a MRI of the C/T/L Spine and said he needed to have surgery fairly quickly b/c his spinal fluid was basically not moving, and he had a large SM. His surgery was done at CHOP April 12, 2007 and he was in their ICU for 3 days total, then released that Sunday. He was still very ill vomiting, and headaches but they said they'd prescribe medication for us to give him for nausea, tylenol for headaches and we could take him home.
It is a 4hr ride home and he covered himself, our new van and eventually me in whatever he did hold in his stomach. I have always been very strict and still am about seatbelts/carseats but I took him out and held him in my arms for 2 hours of that trip because he was so miserable! When we arrived home, we put in a call to the NS office and they repeated the discharge orders. So I called the neurologists office, and they said there wasn't anything they could do.
Monday we visited the pediatrician who worried seeing the pain prescribed prescription pain medication. It only helped a teeny bit. This went on for a week when eventually both the Pediatrician and we had enough.. the CHOP NS wouldn't take him back as "it wasn't necessary" @@, even though his surgical site is swelling and looks like someone inflated a balloon under the skin... so he spoke to the neurologist and she said to have us take him to the ER and they'd admit him through there (no one wants someone else's surgical "problem"), and we did. Finally at midnight we arrive on the ped's unit at a nearby hospital and they perform a spinal tap.. which comes back with aseptic meningitis!! This poor 3.5 y/o baby has been screaming in pain and vomiting for 10 days now and someone could've checked him out sooner had they not been bullheaded about him being in pain before now at CHOP!! He is in the hospital 9 days on steroids to control the inflammation, pain medication, and nausea meds via IV. Eventually the swelling subsides but what should've been a nice thin scar is now a wide thick scar on the back of his head that he's had kids tease him about, and call him dumb in school Ironic part.. he's probably one of the smarter ones!
Fast forward.. He has been active and had headaches here and there that his neurologist, pediatrician and I have all guessed were "migraines"! They have flattened him out, and he's screamed and then eventually vomited from it. He has had a "mood change" since his surgery IMO, he went from a sweet loving boy.. to one who can fly off the handle at the smallest thing and then return to that sweet loving boy. Over the past 6-8 months his headaches have been increasing in frequency, intensity, duration and his moods have been frightening before they hit. There are some that are there all day long and come on worse in the evening etc. So when I mentioned to the ped. he wanted the neurologist to have a look. Only problem was getting an appointment.
So he said to get in with the neurosurgeon who took care of him here locally when CHOP refused to take him back when he was ill.. the Dr. requested he have MRI of Brain, C/T/L spine, and then the girl asked me if he could now do it awake. I was floored.. it's almost 3-4hrs long even an adult couldn't lay still that long! No, he cannot. So he'll be sedated as well!! I'm now worried.. I don't want him to have to do this again, it was unfair the first time! *I* don't want to hear what the results are.. unless they're POSITIVE results (is that bad of me?!) For a while after he was completely free of complications he did really well and had no problems it was a *God-Send* and I was SOOO happy to have been the one who signed the papers but I feel like I don't want to have to decide my son's fate again
Has anyone else's child had any problems after their surgeries? Thanks


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Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) introduced the cheapest member of the iPhone family on Tuesday, but when it comes to technology: do you get what you pay for?
Continue Reading Below
The smaller price tag, which can be as low as $99 for the iPhone 5C, can be attractive to cash-strapped consumers looking to get an iPhone, but experts recommend shoppers do their thorough research to make sure the smartphone will still meet all their needs.
For a customer with the means to spring for a pricier product, that is often the better option, says Jamie Lendino, lead analyst for consumer electronics at PCMag.com.
He points to Amazon's NASDAQ: AMZN) Kindle offerings as an example, saying paying for the Kindle HD at $199 is a much better investment than the Kindle Fire at $159.
He explains that a gadget's storage and RAM offerings tend to dictate price. Consumers who don't need a lot of storage can get away with the lower-priced models.
However, he warns shoppers not to get falsely lured into buying a gadget simply based on its price, saying Apple's phone for $99, isn't much cheaper than the fully-loaded phone for $199, but the actual prices are $549 and $649 for consumers.
"This trips up a lot of people with phones; the upfront price tends to throw people off," he says. "You will probably spend about $2,000 on the phone for the next two years. The carriers are subsidizing the upfront cost, so $100 in the long run is next to nothing."
But some consumers buy more expensive products before doing the research, just because they want the best, no matter the cost, says Ari Zoldan, president and CEO of Quantum Media Holdings.
"More often than not, most people don't even use half of the phone's capacity in terms of memory, functionality and capabilities," Zoldan says. "If you can get a price-sensitive phone and have the ability to upgrade down the road and try new models, I would look to get the inexpensive phone for starters."
However, Lendino says if a new phone comes up with a long contract (two years or more), the pricier model could be a better choice.
"You will be spending a ton of money over the next two years, and I would say there is a certain minimum cost to get the job done correctly. You want to do some research first, and realize that in your efforts to save $100, you may be buying something that isn't up to snuff," Lendino says.


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Sept. 18, 2006
The Lipscomb Bison s cross country team finished sixth out of 11 teams in the Belmont Opener.
The meet was held Sept. 12 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville.
The host Belmont won top honors followed by Vanderbilt in second, Western Kentucky (third), Georgia Tech (fourth) and Austin Peay (fifth).
Finishing after the Bisons were Alabama State in seventh followed by Murray State (eighth), Middle Tennessee (ninth), Tennessee State (10th) and Fisk (11th).
Ryan Chastain was the only top 20 finisher for the Bisons. He was 19th, covering the 5-K course in a time of 15:44.92.
Jordan Wilson finished 26th with a time of 16:00.53. David Wolfe was 47th (16:35.63 and Jacob Nelson was 49th (16:39.75.).
Rounding out the finishers for the Bisons were Andrew Shankles (58th, 16:55.28), Clint Carter (60th, 17:06.44), Tim Cotton (61st, 17:11.59) and Alex Mincey 82nd (19:17.76).
There were 100 runners in the field.


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100% double-knit 12oz. polyester. Relaxed fit, wide leg, open bottom. 3/16 piping down both sides of pants. Double knee, set-in back pockets with pro-style belt loops. 2.5 elastic waistband, hemmed leg openings.
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A new dust recovery hood for vibrating fluid bed dryers and coolers from process equipment manufacturer The Witte Co., Washington, N.J., features a proprietary design that allows on-spec particles entrained in the airstream to be captured and gently returned into the process for recovery as finished product.
Engineered with an expanding, tapered profile that reduces the airflow velocity as the process air rises, the Witte dust recovery hood cuts the volume of product lost as waste, boosts the ratio of finished product at discharge per unit of input and supports dust control efforts while reducing the size of the unit required to achieve the desired temperature and moisture content. Undersized fine particles entrained in the airstream that need not be recovered for recycling may be collected using a dust collector.
Developed for drying foods, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aggregates, sand and other valuable products where unnecessary waste is to be avoided, the Witte dust recovery hood is manufactured at the company's New Jersey headquarters.
The new dust recovery hood is available on the company's entire line of vibrating fluid bed dryers and coolers and may be suitable for retrofit on Witte fluidized bed dryers and coolers in the field.
Witte Co. Inc., www.witte.com


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April 19, 2009
NEW LONDON, Conn. - The No. 2 Bulldog women's sailing ended their regular reason regatta schedule on top this weekend, taking first place at the Emily Wick/Sloop Shrew Trophies held on the Thames River in New London, Conn. The Bulldogs sailed relatively consistently given the conditions to place in the top five of 20 of the 32 races sailed over the weekend.
The regatta was hosted by Coast Guard Academy fleets of FJs and 420s. Both divisions completed seven races on Saturday in southwesterly winds ranging from eight to twelve knots. The day also features dying breeze and a break in racing to allow passage of an inbound submarine. Both divisions completed 9 races on Sunday to cap off a 32-race regatta; a lot of races in physically and mentally challenging conditions. Sunday featured sun with a morning northerly that switch to an afternoon southerly.
Despite the shifty and unpredictable conditions featuring many interruptions in racing the Bulldogs demonstrated mental toughness to finish first place with 164 points. They beat No. 3 Boston College who took second with 181 points and No. 1 Charleston who took third with 193 points. Senior Jane Macky and captain junior Marla Menninger placed second in B division and Senior Kate Hagemann and crews sophomore Elizabeth Brim and junior Rebecca Jackson took second in B Division.
The Bulldogs' next competition is at the Women's New England Championships on the Lake Champlain in Burlington, Vt. on Apr. 25-26. This regatta is the qualifier for the ICSA Women's National Championship. Stay tuned for a full event preview later in the week.
Report by Jenn Hoyle '05, Yale Sports Publicity


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Little Big Town's Phillip Sweet Welcomes New Member to His Family
Last week, Little Big Town's Phillip Sweet expanded his family by one, but it's not what you're thinking. Sweet, his wife and daughter adopted a new puppy!
The proud papa took to the band's joint Twitter page to share his news with the 48,000-plus followers they have. "Say hello to the newest member of my sweet family!," Sweet wrote, attaching a picture of his 4-year-old daughter, Penelopi Jane, clutching onto her new baby with a smile that can melt any heart.
After a flurry of congratulatory tweets from their fans, one finally asked what the precious pup's name was. "Disney!" Sweet revealed.
No word on if Miss Disney will be a road dog, but judging by the look on Little Penelopi's adorable face, the dog won't be leaving her side for too long!
Another country star also adopted a new dog this past week as well. George Strait and his family took in a golden retriever pup named Jammer from a breeder in North Carolina.
Congrats to both of the new doggie-daddies on the new additions to your families!


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Winsor Newton Winton Hog
Style: Filbert
Size: 6
Hair Length: 7/8"
Overall Brush Length: 12-5/8"
Great for oil, alkyd, and acrylic colors. Winton brushes are made from good quality Chinese hog bristles and are hand-set into seamless corrosion-resistant ferrules. The natural curve of the hog bristle produces a resilient brush which retains its 'turned in' shape even after heavy use, allowing the artist more control and accuracy, whether painting with oils, alkyds or acrylics. The solid wood handles have a green stained finish with five coats of lacquer which provide protection along with a smooth finish for ease of use.


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Timothy Emlyn Jones
Timothy Emlyn Jones is an artist and art educationist. He has exhibited internationally, initially as a performance artist and new media artist who was a pioneer of xerography and fax art. More recently he has exhibited large immersive and performative drawings. He was a pioneer of art as a process of enquiry from 1980 and of doctorates in studio art from 1987, and he has published and lectured widely on these topics.


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WASHINGTON — Seeking to energize his sluggish second term, President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday night in his State of the Union address to sidestep Congress "whenever and wherever" necessary to narrow economic disparities between rich and poor. He unveiled an array of executive actions that included increasing the minimum wage for some federal contract workers and making it easier for millions of low-income Americans to save for retirement.
"America does not stand still and neither do I," Obama declared in his annual prime-time address before a joint session of Congress and millions of Americans watching on television.
Draped in presidential grandeur, Obama's address served as the opening salvo in a midterm election fight for control of Congress that will quickly consume Washington's attention. Democrats, seeking to cast Republicans as uncaring about the middle class, have urged Obama to focus on economic mobility and the gap between the wealthy and poor. His focus on executive actions was greeted with shouts of "Do it!" from many members of his party.
For Obama, the address was also aimed at convincing an increasingly skeptical public that he still wields power in Washington even if he can't crack through the divisions in Congress. Burned by a series of legislative failures in 2013, White House aides say they're now redefining success not by what Obama can jam through Congress but by what actions he can take on his own.
Indeed, Obama's proposals for action by lawmakers were slim and largely focused on old ideas that have gained little traction over the past year. He pressed Congress to revive a stalled immigration overhaul and pass an across-the-board increase in the federal minimum wage. His one new legislation proposal calls for expanding an income tax credit for workers without children.
Republicans, who saw their own approval ratings fall further in 2013, have also picked up the refrain of income inequality in recent months, though they have cast the widening gap between rich and poor as a symptom of Obama's economic policies.
"Republicans have plans to close the gap, plans that focus on jobs first without more spending, government bailouts and red tape," said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., in the Republicans' televised response to the president's speech.
The economy and other domestic issues, including health care, dominated the president's address. He touched only briefly on foreign policy, touting the drawdown of American troops from Afghanistan this year and reiterating his threat to veto any new sanctions Congress might levy on Iran while nuclear negotiations with the Islamic republic are underway.
Even as Washington increasingly focuses on income inequality, many parts of the economy are gaining strength, with corporate profits soaring and the financial markets hitting record highs. But with millions of Americans still out of work or struggling with stagnant wages, Obama has found himself in the sometimes awkward position of promoting a recovery that feels distant for many.
"The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by, let alone get ahead," Obama said. "And too many still aren't working at all."


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Enjoy a great picture in a large screen LED TV. Amazingly sharp pictures delivered in full high-definition 1080p clarity. All the connection options you need from HDMI and USB, to PC-In for complete versatility. See all benefits
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Enjoy a great picture in a large screen LED TV. Amazingly sharp pictures delivered in full high-definition 1080p clarity. All the connection options you need from HDMI and USB, to PC-In for complete versatility. See all benefits
Unfortunately this product is no longer available
LED lighting technology is the most advanced available. In this TV it combines an eye-catching minimalistic design with stunning image quality, as well as being the lowest power consumption in its category. Another environmental benefit is that LED lighting technology does not contain hazardous materials. With an LED backlight you can enjoy low power consumption, high brightness, incredible contrast and sharpness and vibrant colors.
Digital Crystal Clear is a package of picture innovations that digitally adjusts and optimizes picture quality to optimal contrast, color and sharpness levels. It's like watching vivid cinema-like images.
Incredible Surround is an audio technology from Philips that dramatically magnifies the sound field to immerse you in the audio. Using state-of-the-art electronic phase shifting, Incredible Surround mixes sounds from left and right in such a way that it expands the virtual distance between the two speakers. This wider spread greatly enhances the stereo effect and creates a more natural sound dimension. Incredible Surround allows you to experience total surround with greater depth and width of sound, without the use of additional speakers.
Blu-ray Discs have the capacity to carry high definition data, along with pictures in the 1920 x 1080 resolution that defines full high definition images. This can only mean you get the best possible TV picture quality available today - so prepare to feast your eyes.
Settings assistant for effortless personalized TV settings. The new settings assistant personalization wizard guides you to personalized settings with unparalleled ease. It includes not only picture, but the complete viewing experience, including sound setting. The wizard shows a few screens with easy to choose options to select the essential settings. The TV performance is set to the your personal preference without difficult terms or settings, and this very quickly.
The optimum picture and sound depends on various aspects like the video source, content type, surroundings of the room, type of display device etc. Auto Mode has predefined picture and sound settings conveniently preset by the way you use your TV. The 'Personal' setting, allows you to define the picture settings according to your preference, store it and gain easy access for future selection. All these conveniently built into your TV for optimal settings.
EasyLink uses the HDMI CEC industry standard protocol to share functionality between connected devices and the TV. HDMI makes an uncompressed digital RGB connection from the source to the screen for the ultimate picture quality. HDMI uses HDCP copy protection. With HDMI input of the TV you can connect multiple HD sources, for instance an HD settop box, a Blu-ray player, and Game Console or Digital Camcorder.
With PC input you can connect your TV to a computer by a VGA cable and use the TV as a PC monitor.
The USB connector allows access to jpeg photos and motion jpeg movie(320x240 30fps, PCM) of most USB-sticks (USB memory-class device). Plug the USB into the slot at the side of the TV and access the multimedia content using the easy on screen content browser. You can now view and share your movie and photos.
Energy Star-labeled home electrical products are designed to use less energy - saving you money while reducing environmental pollution. In fact, Energy Star-compliant products consume less than 1 watt of power while in standby mode. As an Energy Star partner, Philips develops products that meet the Energy Star guidelines for energy efficiency. This is achieved by having low standby power consumption through innovatively designed standby circuitry and stringent selection of components made with high efficiency materials.
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Difference between revisions of "John of Phanidjoit"
m (→John's martyrdom)
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==John's martyrdom==
==John's martyrdom==
stayed in Pepleu for a number of years until he felt within himself that it was time to confess his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ publicly by petitioning the Ayyubite king to grant him a pardon to officially return to his Christian faith. So he sold what he had and gave it to his
children, whom he entrusted to the care of people from his village before leaving to Cairo.
children, whom he entrusted to the care of people from his village before leaving to Cairo.
Revision as of 22:34, November 24, 2005
St. John of Phanidjoit is a Coptic Orthodox martyr from the 13th century.
John's conversion to Islam and subsequent repentance
John was a linen-merchant who lived in the village of Phanidjoit (El-Zaitoun) in the province of Poushin in Upper Egypt. His profession took him to Cairo where he dealt mostly with women, in particular Muslim ones. Such association eventually led to his falling in sin and consequently he was forced to abandon Christianity in favour of Islam.
This happened sometime during the reign of Osman the Ayyubite (1193-1198 AD) [1]. The resultant unholy union brought forth children. John eventually repented and returned back to his Christian faith. He apparently took the children with him and took refuge in a village nearby his own, called Pepleu. This village, due to the benevolence of its ruler, was a haven for Christians who returned back to their faith.
John's martyrdom
John stayed in Pepleu for a number of years until he felt within himself that it was time to confess his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ publicly by petitioning the Ayyubite king to grant him a pardon to officially return to his Christian faith. So he sold what he had and gave it to his children, whom he entrusted to the care of people from his village before leaving to Cairo.
On the way to Cairo, he visited a priest who advised him to confer with the Coptic Pope at first. But he instead went to Abu-Shaker, the Coptic physician of the King, El-Kamel, son of King El-Adel. Abu-Shaker, tried to persuade him not to go to the king, but rather flee to another country where he can practise his faith freely. He told the saint, "these people are very evil and if you reveal a word in this manner before them and perhaps you did not endure in some trials, then we shall be in shames." But our saint quietly continued on his way with the same determination. He stayed in Cairo, writing letters to the king, asking for his pardon or the sword's blade if he would not grant such pardon. Of course, no one answered his letters. He later attended a festival for St. George outside of Cairo in a village called Ponmonros. Upon meeting the priest of the church, he received the first encouragement for what he was about to do.
On the following day he met the king as he was riding his horse in public. He asked El-Kamel publicly for the pardon or to be purified by the edge of the sword. Such words at that age seemed to the king to be that of a drunkard. So he ordered him to be jailed for three days to sober up. The news of his petition and arrest spread in the countryside like wild fire. The Coptic government officials were alarmed and asked Abu-Shaker to meet the saint. This second meeting with Abu-Shaker occurred on the first day of his detainment. A similar conversation occurred, with Abu-Shaker offering the possibility of a conditional pardon from the king. But St. John quietly persisted in his determination. As Abu-Shaker was leaving, he gave his guards some money to protect the saint. At that first night, he was also summoned by the king. There he was offered riches and safe haven out of the country where he can freely practise Christianity. All this was contingent on him confessing publicly that he is a Muslim. This was also not acceptable to the saint. So he was put back in jail for the remainder of the three days.
On the morning of the fourth day, he was summoned before the king in the marketplace. There he was to be tried for the sin of wanting to be a Christian again!
The day of the trial coincided with a major event. It seems that a naval parade was under way. This brought people from nearly every known nation, rank, and profession. John was brought before the king amid the customery noise that one would expect from such a gathering. There, the king made another attempt to dissuade the saint from his intentions by such lucrative offers as royal gifts, money, and high government appointment. The reponse was made in the same polite way that the saint had done before: either to give him back his faith or purify him by the edge of the sword.
The king took the advice of his chief justice and his Elder of Elders, the chief religious cleric. The latter suggested, on religious grounds according to Islamic Shari'a law, the punishment of beheading; and the king agreed. However he drafted the services of a mamluke knight, named Philim, to use undeadly force to persuade the saint to abandon his firm stand. This Philim, a European Christian who had converted to Islam, failed in his mission. He eventually was ordered by the king to carry on the Elder of Elders sentence. The gallantry of the saint apparently made Philim nervous enough to fail to completey sever the head from the body.
Events that followed the saint's martyrdom
The execution of the sentence unleashed the mob feelings that was brewing throughout the trial. They directed their actions toward stoning the body of the saint, which the king ordered to be hung upon a wood column just north of where the saint was martyred. Then their anger turned toward any Christian they could find in the area. Some non-Coptic Christians were also subjected to severe beating when they petioned the king for the body of the saint.
That night an intense light was viewed coming from the hung body of the saint. This was witnessed by Christians as well as Muslims who actually went to investigate and were shocked by the light's miraculous origin. One of them even testified to the glorious scene of the ascending to heaven of the saint's soul.
The body was hung from the day the saint was martyred on Thursday Pashons 4 (Coptic month) night until early Monday, when the king ordered the discreet disposition of the body. This was accomplished by throwing it, wrapped in a sack filled with the stones that the saint was stoned with, in the River Nile. The king rather nervous edict was carried on as a result of the nightmares that he had experienced the previous two nights when the saint appeared gloriously to him and threateningly ordered him to lower the body from where it was hanged.
Adapted from a report by Hany N. Takla of St. Shenouda the Archimandrite Coptic Society on the Encomium of St. John of Phanidjoit written in Bohairic and dated 1210 AD (manuscript from Vatican Coptic Codex 69, the Vatican Apostolic Library; acquired by the Vatican from the Coptic Monastery of Abu-Maqar in the 18th century) [2], [3]


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Has anyone actually recorded and watched the Tour of California? OLN/Versus/Golf the Rodeo Channel or whatever they call themselves has the most maddening schedule, or lack thereof. I don't understand how you can operate a channel with a fluid schedule and I dislike rodeo even more, when I expect to see Levi riding a breakaway into the ground and instead see a cowboy falling of a cow!
I've set and reset the dvr repeatedly and it never records and the TOC isn't there. I found the time trail last night by chance. Maybe their channel codes are messed up or something.


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by Joe Trinacria
Organizing a fundraiser is a difficult enough task without having three children to look after, but one local couple has plenty of experience in working together through trying times.
Becky and Blair McWilliams, 36 and 37, live in picturesque home on leafy Northwestern Avenue in Chestnut Hill with their three small sons. From the outside looking in, it would appear that the McWilliamses are like any other prototypical family. The kids play happily together and have fun with the family dog, Bailey. It would shock those to know that despite Becky and Blair's optimistic outlook on life, the family is going through a time of serious uncertainty.
The couple's middle son, Kieran, age 2 ½, was diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome when he was 10 days old. PWS is a rare, non-inherited genetic disorder that occurs in one out of every 15,000 births.
The family started a local race to raise funds for PWS research and are planning the second run this September. The family hopes to raise $50,000 to fight the disease, which for many is unknown.
What is PWS? Babies experiencing Stage 1 PWS exhibit low muscle tone, a deficient sucking reflex, and a delay in developmental milestones. At Stage 2, children with PWS suffer from an insatiable appetite that leaves them unable to feel "full."
In serious cases, this can require parents to lock refrigerators at all times. Kieran's family said that kids can now be trained to avoid extreme measures, but it is certain, however, that Kieran and others will never be able to live independently while battling PWS.
"The beginning stage is almost like reverse," Blair said. "The kids have no interest in food without parental intervention, but between ages two and six they begin to develop a severe appetite."
"It's hard as a parent," Becky said. "We are just here waiting for the next phase and trying to prevent it. It's like a ticking time bomb."
As Kieran progresses to Stage 2, Becky and Blair are extremely aware that they need to enforce strict rules regarding food, which can sometimes be difficult on their oldest son, Jackson, age 5.
"No one eats outside of the kitchen," Becky said. "And there is absolutely no snacking in the car. When Kieran's meal is over, we make sure he knows it's over."
If worrying about their son's future jump in appetite isn't enough, there are some potential learning issues that may arise for Kieran when he reaches school age. It has been reported that those suffering from Prader-Willi Syndrome tend to have IQ's that fall between the low normal and moderate intellectual disability range. Those children with PWS that do score a normal intelligence tend to always have learning disabilities as well.
Recently Kieran has been prescribed human growth hormone (HGH) to help combat the low muscle tone of Stage 1 PWS, and this has paid extreme dividends, according to Becky and Blair. He has been in intense physical therapy sessions for two years, and the doctors believe that the HGH can help both intellectually as well as physically.
Not all is bad news. Because he was diagnosed with PWS so early in life Kieran's parents are optimistic.
"We are in a much different place with Kieran than we were a year ago," Becky said. "He has been extraordinary in his progress, but we have seen some of the food issues begin to arise."
"Knowing what's going to happen gives you more time to prepare for it," Blair said. "At age 2 we have a better sense of the disorder, but there are still a lot of open questions about what's going to happen in the future."
The McWilliams family has banded together in the face of adversity, and it has become a strong supporter of other area families who are also dealing with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Becky and Blair are sponsoring a local race, called One Small Step, which raises money for crucial PWS research.
The 2k walk will be held on Sept.8 in Ft. Washington State Park and is open to the public. There is free registration, but a $40 donation will get you a One Small Step T-shirt. The McWilliams' have set a goal of raising $50,000 and encourage the local community to come out and support the cause. Visit http://onesmallstep.fpwr.org/dw/walking/location/238 for more information about the walk.


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They own me, they can do whatever they want with me,...
The Charmer from above
- by Niallerxxx
- Rating:
- Published: 15 Jul 2014
- Updated: 17 Jul 2014
- Status: Complete
I was the gray mouse, the one that no one saw. Niall was the man who was everything else. He charmed everyone and he got whatever and whoever he wanted.
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Three of the four candidates running for the Sierra Sands Unified School District Board of Education faced off Friday in a Ridgecrest Republican Women Federated forum.
Three of the four candidates running for the Sierra Sands Unified School District Board of Education faced off Friday in a Ridgecrest Republican Women Federated forum.
Incumbents Bill Farris, Tim Johnson and Mike Scott are running for re-election for two open seats because the board voted earlier this year to reduce the size of the board. Challenger Randy Jenkins was not present.
Following their opening statements, the candidates fielded questions.
The candidates were asked what they felt was the biggest problem or obstacle facing the school district.
All three said funding.
"Over the past four years, the state has decreased funding for the school district," Scott said. "It's going to continue if some of these propositions don't pass Nov. 6. If Prop. 30 doesn't pass, we're anticipating another $2.2 million cut to our budget."
Johnson said a $2 million cut is substantial and will affect teachers and staff.
"A serious problem in California is the funding model," Farris said. "Because of the way schools are funded in California, it's inconsistent and inadequate. We have to find a different funding model that is consistent and adequate."
He said most of the tax money comes from sales tax and income tax.
"There's significant fluctuations," he said. "We have to design a model that has a more consistent funding level so we can know we're not going to have these highs and lows. That discussion is happening at the state level."
The next question dealt with federal involvement in education and whether it was a help or a hindrance.
"The decisions that affect our children are best made locally," Farris said. "The federal government was never supposed to be in the education business. If the federal government wants to flow dollars to local communities, that's great, but let's let the local communities and the elected boards make the decisions on how those dollars can best be spent for their unique communities. That's why we have local boards."
Johnson said he totally agrees with local control.
"When the federal government gets involved, there's always strings and stipulations," he said.
Scott said there is a common thread among the candidates on the issue.
The candidates were asked what they felt was the role of the school board.
Johnson said the board's role is to give the vision and direction for the district.
"I think the board has done a great job of doing that," he said. "The mission of the board is to make sure every student in the district has the same opportunities for a good education. As a school board, we've done that."
Scott said budgeting is also one of the board's main jobs as well as hiring the superintendent and getting the right people in place.
"(By) getting local people who have a vested interest in our community and our schools, really does us a great service to our schools," said Scott. "We're a unique community. We're small-town America, and it's nice having local people in place."
Farris said the board's function is to establish policy and provide oversight so students get the best educational opportunities possible.
"I think this school board has done a very fine job of that," he said. "I think it's demonstrated by what we have available to our kids. We talked about how much reduction there has been in funding and resources. At the same time, this district has continued to improve what we're offering our kids. Every year there are more programs. We should take our hats off to the staff, the teachers and administrators, because they're doubling up on duties, working with fewer resources, and providing more services."
The candidates were asked how they see moving forward with their goals for the district.
"There are two areas that I feel I contribute in the strongest way," said Farris. "First of all, I have a very strong focus on team building. As a board member, you are powerless. As a board, you are powerful. We work well as a team."
He said the second area is being in Sacramento to lobby and working on committees to influence the discussions.
"I've developed a network of contacts so I can be at the table, and I will continue to do that," he said.
Johnson said being the son of an educator and being the husband of an educator gives him a unique view from the educator's side.
"Not everyone has a spouse who is a teacher or has been a teacher," he said. "Being a commander in the Navy Reserve for 31 years, I bring in 350 military children on base and make sure their educational needs are being met and make sure their education experience here is worthwhile."
Scott said he has been a union member with the Ridgecrest Police Department and the Kern County Sheriff's Office for approximately 30 years.
"I've been on the negotiation team as a union member, and for the past 16 years, I've been sitting here on the opposite of the fence," he said. "I see both sides when it comes to union issues. I feel that I bring that experience to the table."
He said he also sees what happens when things go bad and when students do not graduate from high school and wind up in the criminal justice system.
"I'm in that unique position that automatically forms that partnership with the schools," Scott said. "I know what we have in the community. I would love to have drug-free and violence-free schools. We're never going to have drug-free or violence-free schools, but we can put things in place to make them as safe as possible."


text:
Swine flu vaccine may have been responsible for a sudden increase in cases of narcolepsy among schoolchildren in Finland, a study has found.
The sleep disorder is characterised by periods of extreme drowsiness, sudden naps, and paralysis attacks.
Scientists spotted a sudden increase in narcolepsy rates among Finnish children early in 2010.
Research showed it was associated with the Pandemrix vaccine, given to children to protect them against H1N1 swine flu.
One study found that the incidence rate of narcolepsy among children and teenagers under the age of 17 shot up 17-fold after the vaccinations.
In contrast, the incidence rate for adults over 20 was unchanged.
The study compared narcolepsy rates between 2002 and 2009, and 2010.
During the first period, the rate for children was 0.31 per 100,000 individuals. After swine flu vaccination, it rose to 5.3 per 100,000.
A further study involving the same researchers, led by Dr Markku Partinen from the Helsinki Sleep Clinic, collected narcolepsy and vaccination data for children born between January 1991 and December 2005.
It found that narcolepsy incidence for vaccinated individuals was 13 times higher than for those who were unvaccinated.
Both studies appear in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE.
The researchers concluded: "We consider it likely that Pandemrix vaccination contributed, perhaps together with other environmental factors, to this increase in genetically susceptible children."
The scientists suspect the vaccine may have contributed to an auto-immune effect linked to narcolepsy.