text:
By Mark Louis F. Ferrolino, Special Features Writer
From a small stall, occupying only 25 square meters (sq.m.) in a food park located along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City, The Lost Bread has grown into a popular trendy hangout with three branches in Metro Manila. The French toast and milkshake specialty restaurant has mastered the craft of creativity, which has led the once tiny venture to greater heights.
The Lost Bread first gained popularity when its unique and delectable milkshakes with cotton candy and swirly marshmallow lollipops on top spread on social media.
These crowd-pleasing and 'instagrammable' creamy mixtures won the appetite of many foodies even during the fame of milk teas in 2015 or the year it started. By being consistent with the quality of products and services, up to ensuring a perfect place to enjoy these smoothies, The Lost Bread has established a stable market.
The best words that can fit this venture's journey would come from a famous line of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien's poem that "Not all those who wander are lost".
The people behind the creative wits of this restaurant are Patricia Maria Marabut and Emil Nicholas Ongchuan, who are both manufacturing engineering graduates. These proprietors don't have any background in running a business, but these didn't restrict them to go beyond their borders and find their spot in the food and beverage industry.
Here are the secrets on how these entrepreneurs got this far.
Starting the business from scratch. Ms. Marabut and Mr. Ongchuan shared in an interview with BusinessWorld that they started The Lost Bread from a capital they borrowed from their parents. "From nothing, we tried and did our best to put up something like this," Ms. Marabut said. "[We] started with just two staff members plus kaming dalawa. I was making the milkshake and he (Mr. Ongchuan) was at the cashier."
For Mr. Ongchuan, it's a good thing to make yourself as the first employee so you can educate yourself about every single details on how the business runs. When it comes to securing permits, he shared that he only searched everything on Google and visited forums to become familiar with the process. "You don't need a fixer to help you, immerse yourself," he said, noting that in this way, you won't be scammed.
Leveling up the game. Nowadays, finding a place in the food and beverage industry is not easy, especially for a start-up brand. But for The Lost Bread, this challenge has become their strength. Since it started, being different has become the foundation of The Lost Bread. "Our idea since the beginning was to make something different. We sticked to this concept of doing something different and original," Mr. Ongchuan said.
Reaching the market right. In marketing, before a business could effectively deliver a successful campaign, there's one piece of vital information the business must know — its potential customers. Ms. Marabut said that a certain enterprise must first recognize its identity to be able to reach the market right.
At The Lost Bread, Ms. Marabut shared that their offerings go hand in hand with their interiors — their food and place showcase one identity. She said that they made it to the point that the customers would want to go to their place to experience its totality.
Grabbing opportunities. Opportunities in business are often the beginning of great achievements. Mr. Ongchuan said that when the opportunity of opening a branch in SM Megamall came, though both of them know nothing about mall operations, they took it.
"We don't know anything about mall operations. We have to learn from scratch," Mr. Ongchuan said. "Very different at first, but eventually we keep on learning to tap the right market."
Staying ahead of the game. The Lost Bread is running for three years now and the quality of its products and services remain the same. Whenever they hear negative comments from customers, they try to reach for that customers to learn what things they need to improve on. In addition, to cater to the growing demand of the customers, The Lost Bread keep on innovating new products and coming up with better promos to offer. Through these, The Lost Bread never gets lost — it remains on top of its game.


text:
I'm going to be examining Doctor Who... every single episode. I'm going to take you on a journey through the 50+ years worth of this show, showcasing the good and the bad along the way. For each episode I'm going to give you a very brief rundown of the plot, how good/bad the story is, and anything interesting about the episode. Basically I'll just talk about whatever comes to mind for each of them. These will be a more in-depth overview of the series as a whole so you can see which stories or episodes (if any) you want to check out for yourself. Today I'm going to be talking about
The First Doctor
William Hartnell
Season two ran from October 31 1964 to July 24 1965. It had 39 episodes spread over 9 stories. During this season all three of the original companions left the show indicating that this show may last longer than originally anticipated. William Hartnell took their departures hard because he had grown to rely on them so much. During this time Hartnell, who wasn't in the best of health before hand, was starting to get somewhat worse. As such, he started fumbling his lines a little more often; that didn't stop him though. As the true professional he was, the show must go on! It was also during this season that the pseudo-historical was born; a story set in the past with other alien or sci-fi elements added in the mix. It was a good change from the pure historicals but it also spelled their eventual demise.
As with Season One, Season Two came out of the fire-based storage system very well. Only one story this season was missing any episodes and since Doctor Who fans have an insane devotion to the show they found a way to allow us to experience this story. On the Lost in Time DVDs which has the remnants of our lost episodes, they have both the existing episodes of The Crusade and audio of the two missing episodes. While there aren't image stills or animation, it can still get the job done if you use your imagination so I will still be covering it today.
Planet of the Giants
The first story of season two is Planet of the Giants and it's three episodes long which is very unusual for Doctor Who. The TARDIS has shrunken down and somehow shrunken the Doctor and his companions as well. They are actually on Earth in the 60's but are shrunken down to about an inch in size. Meanwhile a man is trying to develop a pesticide that is going to wipe out life on the entire planet because of the forumula. It's up for our miniature heroes to climb their way past the cat and into the laboratory to help save the human race from chemical extinction.
This story is a unique and fairly interesting one, or at least unique for the time. Remember this was prior to things like Honey I Shrunk the Kids and somewhere around the time that other ideas like this were just taking off (Ant man had only appeared in a comic a couple years prior.) This story is more interesting for the fact that this was supposed to be the first adventure that Ian, Barbara, and Susan went on with the Doctor instead of the cave people we got last season. Due to budget and production difficulties they couldn't pull it off then and decided to do it this season. Also notable is the three episode run time. It was supposed to be four episodes but they later cut it down to three because they felt the two final episodes were too slow. Considering the pacing of the rest of the series I'm curious as to why they felt the need to quicken the pace of this one and not any other.
The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The second story is The Dalek Invasion of Earth and it's six episodes long. The TARDIS makes it back to London but in the year 2150. The place is absolutely quiet and deserted. Turns out that the Daleks have invaded and have basically already won. The Doctor and his companions join a group of rebels fighting against the Daleks in hopes of stopping their plan. What is their plan? To hollow out the center of the earth and convert it into a mobile war ship for some reason. This is the episode where Susan leaves the TARDIS. She falls in love with one of the humans who helped defeat the Daleks so the Doctor locked her out of the TARDIS and left her stranded there as he figured that would make her happy.
This story is a fairly good one. It's also the first classic Doctor Who story I got the privilege to watch. It's an interesting ride despite the fact that the Dalek's plan is fairly stupid and it has the first truly terrible creature effects seen in the show with the slyther. This story also has probably the most famous First Doctor quote which was later used for the Fifth Doctor Anniversary special. "One day I shall come back. Yes, I shall come back. Until then, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine." If leading a revolution against the Daleks invading earth sounds fun to you then check it out.
The Rescue
The third story is The Rescue and it's two episodes long. The TARDIS crew meet up with Susan's replacement, a young girl from he future named Vicki. Vicki is a fairly bright and optimistic young woman who is stuck on the wreckage of a spaceship. She has been taking care of the only other surviving person from the ship. However, she's being constantly bothered by an alien known as Koquillion. The Doctor figures out there's more to Koquillion than meets the eye as the planet appears to now be deserted aside from the two of them, though the Doctor had previously been to this planet and knew the people. The Doctor eventually uncovers the truth about the injured man on the ship. Vicki joins the TARDIS crew as they head off on another adventure.
I enjoyed this two parter far more than I thought I would. The design for Koquillion was silly but a good kind of silly. The revelation of what had actually happened wasn't entirely shocking but it was still a nice twist. Honestly though aside from Vicki joining as a companion there isn't that much outstanding about these episodes, but you may enjoy them for the charm they have.
The Romans
The fourth story is The Romans and it's four episodes long. The Doctor has decided to take a vacation and the TARDIS crew end up lounging around in Nero's Rome. The Doctor and Vicki head towards Rome and end up being mistaken for a famous harp player and his assistant who were hired to assassinate the crazy Nero. Meanwhile, Ian and Barbara are captured and sold into slavery. Ian becomes a gladiator while Barbara ends up being a house maid for Nero. While this is happening the Doctor keeps trying to find ingenious ways to dupe the Emperor into allowing him to stay around and figure out exactly what's going on. Though neither of the two groups see each other, they all manage to escape as Nero finally loses his temper begins the burning of Rome.
Of course with all the slavery, assassination attempts, and Nero burning Rome you would expect this to be a darker story. Nope, this is a comedy! Nero spends a good portion of an episode running around the palace chasing Barbara to massively comedic effect. It's a bizarre and interesting twist on such a dark moment in history that you really should check it out for yourself.
The Web Planet
The fifth story is The Web Planet and it's six episodes long. The TARDIS is pulled down on the planet Vortis on which live giant sentient insects known as the Menoptera (moth-like creatures), the Zarbi (ants), and the Optera (flightless descendants of the moth creatures.) It turns out that a supremely powerful being known as the Animus had landed on Vortis and used his psychic powers to control the Zarbi into taking over the planet. The Menoptera plan an invasion to stop them but the Animus finds out their plans and intends to slaughter them. It's up to the Doctor and the TARDIS crew to stop this all powerful being.
The Web Planet is good but it's incredibly silly looking. We spend six episodes worth of people wearing insect costumes when the only human looking characters are the Doctor and his companions. The budget just wasn't there for any of the costumes to look that great so you end up with some fairly laughable looking scenes. However, if you are able to use your imagination and look past the necessary evils you can find a pretty good story deep within. This is also the first time that the Doctor has fought a truly powerful cosmic being and won. This is one of the hardest to find DVDs if you live in Region 1 so if you want to check this one out prepare to spend a ton of money or be lucky enough to find it online before the BBC removes it.
The Crusade
The sixth story is The Crusade and it's four episodes long. True to the title of the story this adventure takes place during the Third Crusade of Richard the Lionheart. After the TARDIS lands, Barbara is seized by the followers of Saladin and taken prisoner. It is up to the Doctor and Ian to convince Richard the Lionheart to allow them to go rescue her. Politics ensue and eventually the Doctor is sentenced to death only to be rescued by Ian as the four of them make a break for the TARDIS.
This story is the only one from this season which has missing episodes.. We are able to at least listen to all of the story as episodes 1 and 3 have been found and episodes 2 and 4 were presented in audio format only to complete the adventure. Honestly this story is completely forgettable; it's so forgettable that I honestly had to look this episode up on wikipedia to even say as much as I have even though I have watched it a couple times. Feel free to skip this one. The only interesting thing about this is that Julian Glover plays Richard. He would later on go to star in one of the best Tom Baker episodes, City of Death, and be the villain in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The Space Museum
The seventh story is the Space Museum. The TARDIS lands on a museum in space but something isn't quite adding up. Their footprints aren't showing in the sand, people can't see or hear them, and strangely enough they find the TARDIS and themselves on display. Slowly time catches up to them and they disappear from the museum. The Crew try to escape the museum and the internal struggle between the curators and the young people running around, all the while worrying if every action they take will change the future they saw or make it happen.
The Space Museum is one that a lot of people feel can mostly be ignored; I disagree. While it's not particularly amazing or anything, the dilemma of trying to avoid the steps to getting themselves captured is a brilliant idea. Also this has some of the funnier scenes to be shown in Classic Doctor Who. While hiding from the guards, the Doctor climbs inside a disused Dalek case and taunts the guards. Later when he's caught and interrogated, the Doctor uses the telepathic scanner to his advantage by thinking of ludicrous answers to the questions asked. It's a neat little story with some humor you don't want to miss.
The Chase
The eighth story is The Chase and it's six episodes long. After leaving the Space Museum we find out that a piece of equipment they had taken as reward for helping was actually planted by the Daleks in order to track them down through space and time. The TARDIS crew spend most of an episode watching different parts of history on a sort of television and land on a desert planet where the Daleks have found them. They escape the Daleks and land on the Empire State Building. The Doctor realizes that the Daleks are tracking them down through the time vortex and they are slowly gaining on them. The TARDIS demarterializes and lands on the Mary Celeste (google it.) The Doctor takes off again trying to shake the Daleks and land in what they assume is a Land of Horror. While there, Vicki gets left behind and stows away on the Dalek ship as they follow the TARDIS to a distant planet. While on the planet they meet up and find an astronaut named Steven who has been terrorized by robots called Mechanoids. The Daleks and the Mechanoids begin fighting as the TARDIS crew escapes, losing sight of Steven. Ian and Barbara decide to utilize the Dalek's time machine and attempt to go home, reaching earth only a couple years after they had originally left it.
The Chase is a story that not a lot of people talk about and I have no idea why. I absolutely adore this story partly because of the multiple locations seen throughout. One notable thing about this story is that it involves the Daleks without having "dalek" in the title whatsoever... most dalek stores flat told you they were involved. While the mechanoids were nothing grand, the portion of the show where they landed in the Land of Horror was absolutely brilliant. It turns out to just be a haunted house amusement on Earth but the atmosphere of that episode made the whole thing creepy and wonderful! Knowing how difficult it was for Hartnell to say goodbye to his fellow actors made the scene where Ian and Barbara left even more heart wrenching. Definitely an underrated story!
The Time Meddler
The last story of the season is The Time Meddler and it's four episodes long. Unknown to the Doctor and Vicki, Steven somehow found his way aboard the TARDIS off screen and is now part of the crew. While the male companions for the First Doctor were there to do all of the physical adventuring due to Hartnell's age and illness, none were more suited for this job than Steven. Steven was definitely a space action star and had all of the personality traits that go right along with that. The TARDIS lands in 1066 England where they find there has been a strange monk lurking about. The Doctor goes to investigate and is captured by the monk. The monk, as it turns out, is actually a time lord who is going around history and correcting things that he thought were wrong. His plan is to destroy the viking fleet invading England so that the Saxons will end up winning the Battle of Hastings. Eventually with help from the locals, Steven, and Vicki the Doctor is able to stop him and shrink the inside of his TARDIS trapping him in the 11th Century.
The Time Meddler is one of my favorite Hartnell adventures. It was the very first psudo-historical as it involved science fiction elements outside of the Doctor, companions and TARDIS. This is very important as this not only allowed for a greater diversity among the episodes going forward but it also caused the pure historicals to slowly die out. It was good to see the First Doctor going up against someone who was almost his equal in many aspects. Definitely give this one a watch!
That concludes season two. It was more of a mixed bag of randomness than the previous season just due to the different tones they had and the challenging of expectations. It brought about the game changing pseudo-historical and proved that having the daleks in multiple stories throughout a season wasn't going to hurt the show. All in all it was a good season. Even the absolutely forgettable ones I was glad to have watched. Please join me again as we continue to examine all of Doctor Who.
This is Ghost, fading into the darkness
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You can click here if you wish to see my introduction to Doctor Who
If you want to check out all of my Doctor Who content please click here.
If you want to check out all of my Doctor Who content please click here.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at firstname.lastname@example.com or 410-430-5349
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest
Contact Publisher Joe Albero at firstname.lastname@example.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Tom McGuire In Jail For Conspiracy To Commit Arson 1st Degree, $200,000.00 Bond & More
Court System: DISTRICT COURT FOR WICOMICO COUNTY - CRIMINAL SYSTEM
Case Number: 4H00062437Tracking No:111001583906
Case Type: CRIMINAL
District Code: 02Location Code:03
Document Type: WARRANTIssued Date:01/04/2012
Case Status: ACTIVE
Defendant Information
Defendant Name: MCGUIRE, THOMAS
Race: WHITE, CAUCASIAN, ASIATIC INDIAN, ARAB
Sex: MHeight:604Weight:200DOB:11/30/1969
Address: 401 EAST CHESTNUT ST
City: DELMARState:MDZip Code:21875 - 0000
Court Scheduling Information
Trial Date: 03/12/2012Trial Time:08:30 AMRoom:01
Trial Type:
Trial Location:SERV CTR,201 BAPTIST ST SALISBURY 21801-0629
Charge and Disposition Information
(Each Charge is listed separately. The disposition is listed below the Charge)
harge No: 001Description:CON-ARSON-FIRST DEGREE
Statute: CLDescription:CON-ARSON-FIRST DEGREE
Amended Date: CJIS Code:1C6500MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 11/06/2011 To: 11/06/2011 Victim Age:
Charge No: 002Description:CON-ARSON 2ND DEGREE
Statute: CLDescription:CON-ARSON 2ND DEGREE
Amended Date: CJIS Code:1C6501MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 11/06/2011 To: 11/06/2011 Victim Age:
Charge No: 003Description:MALICIOUS BURNING/2ND DEG
Statute: CR.6.105.(b)Description:MALICIOUS BURNING/2ND DEG
Amended Date: CJIS Code:1 6503MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 11/06/2011 To: 11/06/2011 Victim Age:
Charge No: 004Description:CONTRIBUTE TO COND OF CHLD
Statute: CJ.3.8A-30Description:CONTRIBUTE TO COND OF CHLD
Amended Date: CJIS Code:2 0238MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 11/06/2011 To: 11/06/2011 Victim Age:
Charge No: 005Description:CONTRIBUTE TO COND OF CHLD
Statute: CJ.3.8A-30Description:CONTRIBUTE TO COND OF CHLD
Amended Date: CJIS Code:2 0238MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 11/06/2011 To: 11/06/2011 Victim Age:
Charge No: 006Description:RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
Statute: CR.3.204.(a)(1)Description:RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
Amended Date: CJIS Code:1 1425MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 11/06/2011 To: 11/06/2011 Victim Age:
Charge No: 007Description:RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
Statute: CR.3.204.(a)(1)Description:RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
Amended Date: CJIS Code:1 1425MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X
Incident Date From: 11/06/2011 To: 11/06/2011 Victim Age:
Related Person Information
(Each Person related to the case other than the Defendant is shown)
Connection:COMPLAINANT/POLICE OFFICER
Agency Code: OFMAgency Sub-Code:03LOfficer ID:8543
Name:MASON, SCOTT OFM
Event History Information
Event Date Comment
Publishers Notes: 1st Degree Arson: Subject to imprisonment for up to 30 years and a fine not exceeding $50,000.00.
2nd Degree Arson Subject to imprisonment for up to 20 years and afine not exceeding $30,000.00.
Both charges are felonies. OH BOY! There are a total of 7 charges.
Reckless Endangerment, 2 counts: Subject to imprisonment for up to 5 years and a fine not to exceed $5,000.00, per count.
CONTRIBUTE TO CONDITION OF CHILD: 2 counts: Subject to imprisonment for up to 3 years and a fine not to exceed $2,500.00, per count.
MALICIOUS BURNING/2ND DEG: Subject to imprisonment for up to 18 months and a fine not to exceed $2,500.00.
Mr. McGuire could be looking at 67.5 years in jail.
BREAKING NEWS: Tom McGuire Of Delmar Maryland Arrested
Former Mayoral Candidate and most recently Town Commissioner Candidate from Delmar Tom McGuire was arrested TODAY around 2:00 PM in connection with the arson on the residence next door to their property in Delmar.
It's been reported McGuire's Son turned over testimony against his Father in reference to the arson. There's been no formal press release and more details will follow.
Let's see if the Anti Albero Bloggers will bail him out or if a Commissioner will accept disability checks.
Library Sends Police After 5-Year-Old Girl To Tell Her To Pay Up Or Return Two Overdue Books
More »
A Good Example Of World Peace
At some juncture the rat came along, and as no one wanted to eat anyone else, the rat started riding with the cat and, often, on the cat! The dog, will stand all day and let you talk to him and admire him for a few chin scratches.
The Mayor of Santa Barbara filmed this clip and sent it out as a holiday card.
Why Homeowners Win When Home Prices Drop
The value of their homes is a major point of pride for many owners, who use the figure to prop up their net worth and justify the money they've poured into their dwellings. When the price declines, as it has been doing for most homeowners for years, they tend to overlook the positive side of the drop — one that affects them more immediately.
Silliness At The Fed: 'Love Us, Love Our Transparency'
Dominant Social Theme: If you understand us better, you'll start to like us!
Free-Market Analysis: The Federal Reserve is at it again. This increasingly despised institution's leaders seem to believe that by making the Fed's unconstitutional behavior more "transparent" – clearer – they will somehow make it more palatable as well.
This article by Bloomberg is a "doozie" with an important dominant social theme on display. The idea is fear-based, of course. The underlying, unspoken statement is that the world NEEDS central bankers and that, in this case, people are upset with the Fed simply because they don't understand the deliberations of its wise men.
Before you support the neo-con invasion of Iran, here are a couple facts to ponder:
Iraq is 169,000 sq miles
Iran is 636,000 sq miles
The population of Iraq is 30 million
The population of Iran is 75 million
Do you think it will be easy and cheap to defeat Iran in a war?
Try thinking for yourself, rather than letting the MSM and experts think for you.
US threatens war in the Persian Gulf
The Obama administration's bellicose stance towards Iran is setting the stage for a dangerous slide towards war in the Persian Gulf. Having provoked Tehran with legislation for what amounts to an oil embargo, the US is threatening Iran with military action if it retaliates by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.
The press immediately added fuel to the flames by backing Washington and vilifying the Iranian regime. An editorial in the New York Times on Thursday fully supported the Obama administration's threat of military action against any Iranian attempt to block the Persian Gulf. The editorial condemned Iran for "its recklessness and its contempt for international law," declaring, "This is not a government any country should want to see acquire nuclear weapons."
Other sections of the media went one step further, giving voice to the clamour in ruling circles in the US and Israel for a pre-emptive attack on Iran to destroy its nuclear and military facilities. The Wall Street Journal editorial seized on the tensions over the Strait of Hormuz to warn of the dangers of an Iranian regime "fortified by a nuclear threat," concluding that it would be "better to act now to stop Iran."
The cynicism is staggering. Having waged wars of aggression against Afghanistan and Iraq and backed the NATO bombing of Libya, the US is now deliberately and recklessly raising tensions in the Persian Gulf by threatening severe penalties against any foreign company doing business with Iran's central bank, thereby effectively blocking Iranian oil exports. It is hardly surprising that Tehran has reacted to an act of economic war that would collapse its already fragile economy.
30 Statistics That Show That The Middle Class Is Dying Right In Front Of Our Eyes As We Enter 2012
The decline of the middle class is not something that has happened all of a sudden. Rather, there has been a relentless grinding down of the middle class over the last several decades. Millions of our jobs have been shipped overseas, the rate of inflation has far outpaced the rate that our wages have grown, and overwhelming debt has choked the financial life out of millions of American families. Every single day, more Americans fall out of the middle class and into poverty. In fact, more Americans fell into poverty last year than has ever been recorded before. The number of middle class jobs and middle class neighborhoods continues to decline at a staggering pace.
As I have written about previously, America as a whole is getting poorer as a nation [12], and as this happens wealth is becoming increasingly concentrated at the very top of the income scale. This is not how capitalism is supposed to work, and it is not good for America.
Lawsuit Claims Racial Segregation At Maryland Universities
The lawsuit filed by alumni and students from Morgan State, Coppin State, Bowie State, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore demands that state lawmakers and education officials pay up to help make the schools more competitive with traditional white colleges.
In opening arguments Tuesday in Baltimore's U.S. District Court, attorney Michael D. Jones, who represents the black schools, declared that "Maryland has not eradicated the vestiges of segregation" because the state failed in its obligation to provide adequate access and opportunities to low-income families.
As a result, he said, libraries, labs, and other programs were severely underfunded while money was wasted on programs at other colleges that duplicated those offered by the state's predominantly black universities.
Specifically, Jones cited a period from 1990 through 2009 in which he said the black colleges should have received an additional $644 million in general state appropriations and another $450 million to help low-income students.
According to the Sun, the case has drawn the attention nationwide of legal advocates for historically black institutions because of its implications for federal enforcement of laws designed to ensure equality in higher education.
"For Maryland," the Sun reported, "it revives decades-old questions of whether the state has done enough to support and protect its historically black institutions."
Read more
04 January 2012
MF Global Sold Assets to Goldman Days Before Bankruptcy While It Was Looting Customer Accounts
That revolving line of credit at JPM of $1.2 Billion that MF Global drew down is about the size of the missing customer funds.
I wonder if JPM withheld payment on the sale of Goldman assets, and took customer assets as collateral for its debts.
These are offenses. But it becomes even worse if JPM afterwards sought to cover this up and withhold the stolen funds.
Nasty business indeed.
Iraq's Legacy: 2nd Costliest U.S. War
The war in Iraq is officially over. The costs will go on.
Eight years of dodging improvised explosive devices, repelling insurgent ambushes and quelling sectarian strife already has drained the U.S. of more treasure than any conflict in the nation's history except World War II.
Even though the last U.S. combat troops have left Iraq, American taxpayers will face decades of additional expenses, from veterans' health care and disability benefits to interest on the debt accumulated to finance the war.
"Those costs are going to build for years," said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a Washington-based research group.
When The Heart Falls Free Download
Panetta To Offer Strategy For Cutting Military Budget
In a shift of doctrine driven by fiscal reality and a deal last summer that kept the United States from defaulting on its debts, Mr. Panetta is expected to outline plans for carefully shrinking the military — and in so doing make it clear that the Pentagon will not maintain the ability to fight two sustained ground wars at once.
Instead, he will say that the military will be large enough to fight and win one major conflict, while also being able to "spoil" a second adversary's ambitions in another part of the world while conducting a number of other smaller operations, like providing disaster relief or enforcing a no-flight zone.
Nineteen Million Jobs For US Workers
Highlights of Main Findings
Starting with the financial collapse and Great Recession of 2008-09, the U.S. economy has been experiencing the most severe and protracted employment crisis since the 1930s Depression. As the employment crisis has proceeded, U.S. commercial banks and large nonfinancial corporations have been building up huge hoards of cash and other liquid assets. This study examines the impact on job creation of mobilizing these excess liquid assets into productive investments within the U.S. economy over the next three years:
$1.4 trillion in excess liquidity: Commercial banks are carrying a total of $1.6 trillion in cash reserves and the nonfinancial corporations are holding $2 trillion in liquid assets. After accounting for the safety needs of these businesses in a highly risky economic environment, we conclude that the banks are holding $1 trillion in excess cash and the corporations are carrying $400 billion in excessive liquid assets. This brings the total of excess cash held by the banks plus excess liquid assets held by the corporations to $1.4 trillion.
Credit market lockout for small businesses: As a corollary to the banks piling up cash reserves, smaller non-corporate businesses have experienced a massive contraction in the supply of credit available to them since the onset of the recession. Total net borrowing for these businesses has been in the negative since 2009.
Unemployment would fall below 5 percent by 2014: Approximately 19 million new jobs would be generated within the U.S. economy over three years if the $1.4 trillion in excess liquid asset hoards were channeled into productive investments and job creation. This would push the unemployment rate below 5 percent by the end of 2014. We document how this would create new opportunities for workers at all credential levels within the U.S. economy. We also show the regional benefits for both the Los Angeles and Seattle metropolitan areas.
Progress In 2011: Forward In 2012
Last week, Governor O'Malley briefed the media on the balanced approach we've taken together over the past year to move forward.
Here are a few highlights:
Through November, we created 26,700 new jobs in 2011
We had the largest single-month drop in the unemployment rate since 1984
Our schools continue to rank #1 in the nation
Crime is at its lowest level since 1975
We met the spending affordability committee guidelines for 5 years
We remain one of only eight states to maintain a Triple A bond rating, certified by all three rating agencies
Together, we expanded health care to 300,000 previously uninsured Marylanders--more than half of whom are children
Looking forward, we'll continue to remain focused on our number one priority of creating and saving jobs through a balanced approach of tough, targeted choices that spur job creation.
The Average Credit Card Now Comes With An APR Of Over 15 Percent
Wicomico County Sheriff's Office Press Releases 1-4-12
Date of Incident: 31 December 2011
Location: 1000 block of East Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: 1. Davon J. Jones, 24, Salisbury, MD
2. Jessica D. Noto, 23, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 31 December 2011 at 4:17 PM, deputies from the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office responded to a reported domestic related problem. Upon arrival, it was discovered that Davon Jones and Jessica Noto, who resided together, became involved in an altercation that allegedly turned physical. Both Jones and Noto had signs of injury that corroborated an assault along with conflicting accounts of what happened.
Both Jones and Noto were placed under arrest for assault and transported to the Central Booking Unit where they were processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner released both on Personal Recognizance. Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
Incident: Burglary / Theft
Date of Incident: 31 December 2011
Location: 26000 block of Rewastico Road, Hebron, MD
Suspect: 1. Aaron S. Beach, 23, Hebron, MD
2. Justin P. Marvel, 21, Hebron, MD
Narrative: On 31 December 2011 at 10:55 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office responded to a property in the 26000 block of Rewastico Road in Hebron for a report of two subjects on the property stealing scrap metal. Upon arrival, the duo was in the process of leaving when the deputy stopped them The property owner identified the two subjects as the ones she had seen loading the scrap
metal into a pickup truck. The owner identified the metal as hers and also pointed out the shed where it had been stored.
Neither of the subjects involved in the theft of the scrap metal had permission to take it.
The two individuals were identified as Aaron S. Beach and Justin P. Marvel both of Hebron. The deputy placed them both under arrest and transported them to the Central Booking Unit where they were processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Marvel in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond while Beach was released on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Burglary 2nd Degree
Incident: DUI / Pursuit
Date of Incident: 1 January 2012
Location: Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Andres Lamar Smith, 22, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 January 2012 at 1:00 AM, a deputy from the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop a silver Mercury sedan in the area of Nanticoke Road and Parsons Road for no headlights at night when the Mercury pulled into the parking lot of the 7-11 store near that intersection.
Upon stopping, the operator of the Mercury placed his vehicle in reverse and backed up quickly towards the deputy's patrol vehicle in an apparent attempt to ram it. The deputy managed to back up quickly and gave chase as the operator fled the parking lot. The deputy pursued the Mercury west bound on Rt. 50 before following onto Booth Street where the pursuit continued through the neighborhood. The operator stopped on Pocahontas Avenue where he bailed out, forcing the deputy to continue the chase on foot. The deputy managed to catch and apprehend the subject on Manoa Boulevard after a chase across many yards.
The deputy determined that the operator, Andres Lamar Smith was visibly under the influence of alcohol.
Also the deputy subsequently discovered that Smith's privilege to drive a vehicle in Maryland was both suspended and revoked.
The deputy placed Smith under arrest and transported him to the Maryland State police barrack for a breath test, after which Smith was brought to Central Booking. After an initial appearance in front of a District Court Commissioner, Smith was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $25,000.00 bond.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se
Driver Attempting to Flee and Elude
Driving While Revoked
Driving While Suspended
Catalyst Arrives: MBIA Wins Summary Judgment Against Countrywide; Bad News For Bank of America
Delegate Mike Smigiel
Rat Complaints Prompt Inspection Of Occupy DC Camp
The Washington Examiner reports that city health officials inspected the site on Tuesday afternoon and conduct a thorough inspection of the camp's kitchen on Thursday ( http://bit.ly/wKQZT7). Protesters at the camp closed the kitchen on Tuesday but are hoping to reopen it after Thursday's inspection.
Psychopaths Caused The Financial Crisis . And They Will Do It Again And Again Unless They Are Removed From Power
Clive R. Boddy, most recently a professor at the Nottingham Business School at Nottingham Trent University, says psychopaths are the 1 percent of "people who, perhaps due to physical factors to do with abnormal brain connectivity and chemistry" lack a "conscience, have few emotions and display an inability to have any feelings, sympathy or empathy for other people."
As a result, Boddy argues in a recent issue of the Journal of Business Ethics, such people are "extraordinarily cold, much more calculating and ruthless towards others than most people are and therefore a menace to the companies they work for and to society."
How do people with such obvious personality flaws make it to the top of seemingly successful corporations? Boddy says psychopaths take advantage of the "relative chaotic nature of the modern corporation," including "rapid change, constant renewal" and high turnover of "key personnel." Such circumstances allow them to ascend through a combination of "charm" and "charisma," which makes "their behaviour invisible" and "makes them appear normal and even to be ideal leaders."
Police Kill Armed 8th-Grader In Texas School
Idaho Spud Truck Rolls On Side, Mashing Potatoes
The Idaho State Police says the truck driven by 23-year-old Newman Giles of Rigby crashed Tuesday in Idaho Falls, spilling the potatoes across two Interstate 15 exit ramps. It was hauling a 48-foot farm-bed trailer with the spuds at the time.
Milton To Tighten Reins On Spending
Why You Need to Get Your Head And Emails Out Of The Cloud
Now what if I told you that you were too late, that it was already signed into law 25 years ago?
The year was 1986. The same year as the Iran-Contra scandal, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, and the Chernobyl meltdown. Little did anyone know that a privacy disaster was being signed into law by Ronald Reagan, ironically titled the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA).
Sussex County Sees Its First Civil Union
Which Side Of The Bed You Sleep On Matters
Research shows it is possible to wake up on the wrong side of the bed, and sides do matter.
A study by Premier Inn, U.K.'s largest chain of hotels, asked 3,000 adults about their sleeping habits. They found those who sleep on the left side of the bed are happier than their right counterparts. It found so-called "lefties" generally to be more cheerful, positive and capable of tackling heavy workloads and stressful days.
More than 25 percent of people who snooze on the left side of the bed feel they have a positive outlook on life in general, compared to 18 percent of right-side sleepers.
Death Sentence Overturned
The Ministry Of Propaganda Declares Ron Paul "Unelectable"
The Status Quo's Ministry of Propaganda has a single political task for 2012: eliminate the sole threat to the Status Quo (Ron Paul) from the running, leaving voters with a "choice" of clueless stooges for the Power Elite.
That roster includes President Obama and the daytime-TV/soap-opera field of Republicrat contenders.
The Ministry of Propaganda has settled on a ludicrous strategy to eliminate Ron Paul: declare Paul "unelectable."
As with all propaganda, the basic idea is that if it is repeated often enough on officially sanctioned stages, it will eventually be accepted as "true."
Our Christmas-New Year's week of family visits took us to homes where the television is on all the time, and as a result I was exposed to the Ministry of Propaganda's preferred media, TV "news." Regardless of the channel or program, the message was the same: "The presidential race will between Obama and either Romney or Gingrich."
Despite the polls that find Paul and Romney with equal levels of support in Iowa, Romney has been declared the front-runner and Paul written off as "unelectable."
Are Women More Sexually Satisfied As They Get Older?
Update: Vance Phillips Returns To Council
Late Night Round-Up: Jon Stewart Predicted Romney's Iowa Win Early
Ron Paul Is The Man On Twitter
In the 2012 campaign season, social media has been the writing on the wall. Now @MentionMachine monitors Twitter for political candidate mentions, revealing trends and spikes that show where the conversation is and why.
Mass. Politician Driving 108 Mph At Time Of Car Crash
Former Ad Exec Sentenced To 70 Years For Kidnapping Wife
US Re-escalates, Responds To Iran Warning
And so the fully-armed grenade is now back in Iran's court.
Free Credit Information That's Positively 100 Percent Free
The following free offers are truly free — with no hidden charges or fees.
Free credit monitoring
Millions of Americans spend $100 or more a year for credit monitoring to guard against possible identity theft.
Our Innocents Abroad?
Egyptian soldiers, said the Post, "stormed the offices" of three U.S. "democracy-building organizations ... in a dramatic escalation of a crackdown by the military-led government that could imperil its relations with the United States."
The organizations: Freedom House, the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute.
Cairo contends that $65 million in "pro-democracy" funding that IRI, NDI and Freedom House received for use in Egypt constitutes "illegal foreign funding" to influence their elections.
"A Provocation in Egypt," raged the Post.
Cat Survives 2 Euthanasia Attempts At Utah Shelter
Officials at West Valley City's animal shelter in Utah say the cat named Andrea hadn't been adopted for 30 days when shelter officials tried to put her to death in October. She survived, so they gassed her again.
Shelter officials detected no vital signs and presumed she was dead after the second try, so they put her in a plastic bag in a cooler. But when they checked the bag, they saw she had vomited on herself and had hypothermia but was alive.
The shelter then decided to stop trying to kill her.
― Hunter S. Thompson
"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."
― Hunter S. Thompson
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours."
― Hunter S. Thompson
"A man who procrastinates in his choosing will inevitably have his choice made for him by circumstance."
― Hunter S. Thompson
"In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin is stupidity."
― Hunter S. Thompson
"Freedom is something that dies unless it's used."
― Hunter S. Thompson
"Good people drink good beer."
― Hunter S. Thompson
"America…just a nation of two hundred million used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns and no qualms about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable"
― Hunter S. Thompson
Best Tool Commercial Ever
Ron Paul's Final Comments From Iowa
ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 4, 2012) – Governor Martin O'Malley today issued the following statement on President Obama's appointment of Richard Cordray as the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau:
"I commend President Obama for appointing Richard Cordray as the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
President Obama has a sworn duty to run our government and protect consumers. This work is important and needed by every family in every state. Protecting consumers in the marketplace is serious business that cannot wait for common sense to break through silly Tea Party games of this blatantly obstructionist Republican Congress."
"Senators, attorneys general, mayors, and business leaders from both sides of the aisle have attested to the fact that former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray is impeccably qualified and fair minded. We trust that he will apply our country's consumer financial protection laws forcefully yet judiciously.
"The CFPB now possesses the authority to ensure that payday lenders, debt collectors, and others no longer have free rein to deplete the financial health of our communities. With Richard Cordray's appointment, our states finally have a strong partner at the federal level to combat predatory and discriminatory lending.
"Millions of struggling American citizens need consumer markets that are fair and transparent. With President Obama's appointment of Richard Cordray, we finally have an agency devoted to cleaning up the practices that caused the financial crisis."
As Rep. Ron Paul, the oldest candidate in the Republican field, heads into what could be his final Iowa caucuses, his motley band of supporters is buzzing about a second coming — Sen. Rand Paul.
Rand Paul, 48, rode the wave of voter discontent in 2010, winning a U.S. Senate seat in Kentucky and promptly claiming the title of tea party senator. Ron Paul, 76, campaigned for his son, and his son is returning the favor.
At five well-attended whistle-stop rallies across the state, Paul the younger joined Paul the elder, showing that the septuagenarian congressman not only has been able to expand his support but also has the capacity to extend his brand.
While it's not uncommon for the children of presidential candidates to stump for their parents, there is perhaps no more effective surrogate than Sen. Paul, who has voted in lock step with his father on issues that are key to fiscal conservatives and who is proof to tea party voters that the movement has moved to Washington.
One look at who voted in the Iowa caucuses reveals why Ron Paul did not win. CNN's exit poll shows why Ron Paul lost – not enough young voters or women voters who care about sending their sons to fight in the Middle East. Ron Paul overwhelmingly won the 17 to 39 year old vote. One problem. They only accounted for 25% of the voters. Baby Boomers made up 60% of the voters. They like the status quo. They've made their money and they want to keep their entitlements. They still want the delusion to continue. The two emotions that drive their actions are greed and fear. They do not care about the younger generations being left with the $100 trillion entitlement bill, as long as they get their Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. They want the promises kept. They also are easily manipulated by the MSM and government into thinking interventionism around the world actually makes America safer.
Santorum Surge Brings Ethics Questions - ABC News
One of the top donors to Santorum's charity was also the beneficiary of an $8 million Santorum-sponsored federal earmark, according to published reports. Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor who filed an ethics complaint against Santorum in 2006 on behalf of a watchdog group, said her organization's website received a tidal wave of visitors in the past 24 hours, and in an interview she said she believes people will discover that the GOP presidential contender is "hardly the moral paragon he purports to be."
"There were several instances in which Santorum appeared to have taken campaign contributions in direct exchange for legislative assistance," said Sloan, whose organization, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), spent months investigating Santorum's activities while he was in office. "He violated Senate gift rules by accepting a mortgage from a bank in which he had no interest and which otherwise made loans only to its own investors."
A Great Ron Paul Interview
Obama Bypasses Senate, Installs New Consumer Chief
BREAKING NEWS: Obama Fills Labor Board Seats
From Fox News
"I'd like to congratulate the University of Maryland, College Park, St. Mary's College of Maryland, Salisbury University, Towson University, and the University of Maryland Baltimore County for being among Kiplinger's 'Best Values' in Public Colleges for 2012.
"Thanks to our hardworking students, faculty and administrative staff, Maryland colleges and universities have become a national model for quality, affordable education. In Maryland, we believe in the talents, skills, innovation, education and creativity of our people as our greatest asset to help us create jobs, expand opportunity and move forward in this changing new economy. That's why we've chosen to give our students the tools they need to build a better future by making higher education more affordable for more families, including a four-year tuition freeze for our public universities.
"Together, we can continue to make progress for our students, strengthening our ability to provide our people with the skills they need to compete."
TSA Spreads To Trains, Subways, Bus Terminals And Ferries
Debt Burden Threatens American Families
Everyone in DC acknowledges that the debt is unsustainable, yet few are willing to take serious steps toward addressing it. Politicians in Washington cannot face the fact that the blank checks must stop. Many think we can ignore the mounting debts and deficits and eventually the economy will magically turn around and grow its way out of the mess. If you really understand why the economy is foundering, you understand the burden cannot all be put on the backs of the American people while politicians stick their heads in the sand.
According to a USA Today analysis, there are currently over $61.6 trillion in unfunded future government liabilities, which amounts to $528,000 per American household. A huge part of these liabilities are Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security – promises made to make the American people feel secure in their futures. But how secure should the American people feel knowing that a default is becoming more mathematically unavoidable with every NEW program added, every bailout, every debt ceiling increase, every new war we rush into, and every round of quantitative easing from the Federal Reserve? The last thing politicians should be doing is adding to that $528,000 household burden with either more spending or more taxes. This is unequivocally a problem of too much spending by a government far outside its Constitutional bounds.
Diet Disruptor: How The Brain Sabotages Weight Loss
Read More
327 Other Websites Now Link To Salisbury News
As Salisbury News continues to grow, there are now 327 other Websites that now link to Salisbury News on a daily basis.
Heck, there are local Blogs that don't even get 327 hits a day, let alone other Websites linking to them. You see Folks, these are the kind of numbers the local MSM is afraid of. We may not have a conglomerate like Gannett with hundreds of their own papers tied to us like the Daily Times but there are 327 other Bloggers and Websites that believe in what we're doing. Two years ago that number was around 50 and we felt pretty darned good about that.
We have NEVER asked any other Blogger or Website to link with us, nor do we link to ANY other Blog or Website. We have earned it.
Today's Top News 1-4-12
Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, defeated Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, by just eight votes out of more than 122,000 cast in yesterday's Iowa caucuses. Romney received 30,015 votes to 30,007 for Santorum, giving each a little less than 25 percent of the vote.
The U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines must combine resources to thwart any efforts by countries such as China and Iran to block America's access to the South China Sea, the Persian Gulf and other strategic regions, according to a draft of a Pentagon review.
Commodities may rebound from their first retreat in three years as developing economies shore up global growth, driving demand higher at a time when raw-material producers are already struggling to keep up. Precious metals will advance 27 percent or more, industrial metals at least 17 percent and grains 5 percent, according to the median estimates in a Bloomberg survey.
The Arab League has raised questions about its commitment to halting Syria's deadly crackdown on protesters by putting a Sudanese general with close ties to an indicted war-crimes suspect in charge of a monitoring mission intended to hold the government accountable.
Orders to American factories rose in 1.8 percent November by the most in four months, showing gains in manufacturing will help the economy grow.
The European Union faced increased pressure to scale down its plan to impose carbon curbs on airlines after China's carriers said they won't comply with the rules and India signaled it may attempt to scupper the EU plan.
Plaintiffs including funds and retirement systems are competing to lead a lawsuit against Jon Corzine, MF Global Holdings former CEO, over the collapse of the commodity brokerage.
AP Top Stories
In a defiant display of executive power, President Barack Obama on Wednesday will buck GOP opposition and name Richard Cordray as the nation's chief consumer watchdog even though the Senate contends the move is inappropriate, senior administration officials told The Associated Press. With a director in place, the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be able to start overseeing the mortgage companies, payday lenders, debt collectors and other financial companies often blamed for practices that helped tank the economy.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday welcomed a possible deal that would allow Taliban insurgents to open an office in Gulf nation of Qatar with the aim of holding talks with the United States.
More than 950 relatives of inmates are refusing to leave a Venezuelan prison in a protest to demand faster trial for inmates.
North Korea has called South Korea's president a "pro-U.S. fascist maniac" and a "chieftain of evils" because he placed his troops on high alert after leader Kim Jong Il's death.
Potential playground hazards, a focus on classroom learning and boring play equipment have children spending too little time being physically active at daycare, according to a survey of staff members at child care centers in Ohio.
Fragments of a failed Russian space probe are now expected to fall to Earth on Jan. 15.
MF Global unloaded hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of securities to Goldman Sachs in the days leading up to its collapse, according to two former MF Global employees.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will travel to China and Japan next week to discuss the state of the global economy and U.S. sanctions on Iran.
The Rick Santorum Surge....This Is What I Expected
So what's the real story on Santorum?
"Total nut job," is what one person familiar with Santorum tells me. Details will come out in up coming days and weeks.
Bottom line: Santorum will flame out long before Super Tuesday.
Do Musicians Block GOP Candidates From Using Their Songs?
Read More
Salisbury News Is Rocking Today!
Traffic wise, this is one of our biggest days ever. Clearly the Board of Education information is creating quite a bit of visitors, yet Fredericksen has Salisbury News blocked from their computers. Guess what Mr. Fredericksen, they're getting here anyway.
On another side note, a little birdie told me today Mr. Tom McGuire has a LOT to worry about in the next few days. Something to do with the arson next door to his home in Delmar. Beside all the other domestic issues, Maryland case search shows Mr. McGuire filed assault charges against his Wife. As the stomach turns. I'm sure there will be lots more to come on this topic very soon. Karma sure is a biotch, eh Tom. Mr. McGuire also shut down his swinger blog once things started heating up on that arson.
Thanks for visiting Folks. We have a LOT more to share throughout the entire evening.
Tech 1/4
1) It will minimize the maximum amount of personal media that will be permanently lost in any scenario
2) Any media that you purchased on the device will be backed up to your computer, and can be synced to a replacement device
3) It will keep your iOS current and ensure maximum compatibility with apps
4) It will back up any important business or personal contacts. Let's be honest, who really knows more than a handful of phone numbers by heart anymore?
The user interface in backing up your device can be a little tricky sometimes, but is well worth the half-hour or so it takes to prevent permanent loss.
I use a special program that reads the device like a USB flash drive, and can manually back up everything on your device without the hassle of doing it through iTunes.
I do offer iPod/iPhone/iPad backup and routine maintenance including iOS upgrades, so don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions!
Mike's Tech Service
Does This Mean Hillary Will Get To Strip Search Us Also?
The militarized Empire is growing.
Presenting 2011's Top 10 Most Corrupt American Politicians
•Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL)
•Former Senator John Ensign (R-NV)
•Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
•Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA)
•Rep. David Rivera (R-FL)
•Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)
•Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
•Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
And of course:
•Attorney General Eric Holder
•President Barack Obama
While a detailed look is really not necessary as we are quite familiar with everyone on ths list, here it is nonetheless?
Why Negative Political Ads Work
(CNN) -- Negative ads in the Iowa caucuses are just the tip of the iceberg. While as recently as three election cycles ago there were still some reservations about slinging mud, in 2012 negative ads are a virtual must-have component of every political campaign.
Many people say they dislike how ugly American campaigns have become. In fact, some research explores whether political apathy and disengagement are associated with increasing negativity. But the evidence is inconclusive -- about as many of us seem to be entertained by attack ads as are turned off by them.
Most of us maintain that we dislike negative ads, especially certain types of them. Among those that are strongly disliked are ads that are considered too personal or that shed a negative light on a family member. Running an ad that criticizes Newt Gingrich's three marriages, for example, borders on dangerous.
"Mitt Romney has made another far-right flip flop in his bid to win Tea Party support and become the Republican presidential nominee. Despite once supporting comprehensive immigration reform that created a path to legal status, Mitt Romney has since adopted the most extreme position on immigration of any Republican nominee in recent history. By rejecting the DREAM Act, Mitt Romney has repudiated a common sense solution supported by both parties that embodies the principles that have made America strong. Romney's pandering to the fringe tea party wing of the Republican Party disqualifies him in the eyes of moderate and independent voters."
"President Obama has different values. President Obama has fought for the DREAM Act because it reflects the spirit of inclusion and diversity that has made our country competitive and dynamic. The DREAM Act fulfills America's promise to offer equality and opportunity to all. In Maryland, Governor O'Malley and Democrats have made a similar commitment to fairness and have given talented Maryland youth the chance to realize their full potential."
Baltimore Ravens Sell Out Divisional Playoff Game In 14 Minutes
The Ravens put the tickets on sale Tuesday morning at 10 a.m.
Agencies Took Back More Than $1 Billion In Overpayments To Contractors Last Year


text:
Olaf C. Seltzer (1877-1957)
watercolor on paper
4 × 5 inches
initialed lower right
Black Bear
watercolor on paper
4 × 5 inches
initialed lower left
Buffalo Horns
watercolor on paper
7.25 × 4.25 inches
signed lower left
gouache on paper
12 × 6 inches
signed lower right
Crow Brave
mixed media on paper
9.75 × 6 inches
initialed lower right
Indian Brave (1906)
watercolor on paper
13.5 × 8.75 inches
signed and dated lower left
Mountain Lion
watercolor on paper
4.5 × 7.5 inches
initialed lower center
watercolor on paper
10.25 × 8.5 inches
signed lower left
Woman and Papoose
watercolor on paper
7.5 × 4.5 inches
signed lower right
Sold at Auction: $56,525
Condition ReportCrow Brave
As viewed through glass. Faint yellowing around edges. Colors are bright.
Indian Brave
As viewed through glass. Paper appears to be slightly yellowed. Several specks of foxing throughout. Colors are bright.
Remaining seven works, as viewed through glass. Paper appears to be in excellent condition. Colors are bright.
Important Notice: Statements of condition are provided as a service to potential bidders; such statements are educated opinions and should not be regarded as facts. The Coeur d'Alene Art Auction has no responsibility for any errors or omissions.


text:
American Airlines kicks family off flight because passengers complained of body odor
BODY ODOR BOOT - A family vacationing in Miami was kicked off their flight home because passengers complained about their body odor. "We take showers every day". Jennie Adler said they began approaching people in the airport terminal for a second opinion. The Adlers boarded another flight and this time, they went around asking people about their odor.
Huawei reveals Balong 5000 multi-mode 5G modem
Huawei said it sold more than 206 million smartphone handsets in 2018 as well as 100 million other. The Chinese firm has consistently denied those allegations. "Huawei has always been committed to investing in basic science and technology", chief carrier officer Ryan Ding said. Citing data compiled by the European Union that showed it was the fifth-largest spending company on R&D in the world, Mr Yu said Huawei's products were competitive because the company invested heavily in innovation.
Boeing's self-driving air taxi completes first test flight
During the flight test , the PAV prototype performance a controlled takeoff, hover, and landing. Aircrafts undergoing development include a cargo air vehicle (CAV) that can carry up to 227 kg of payload and other urban, regional and global mobility platforms.
Ireland is being 'victimised' in Brexit process says Varadkar
But a Downing Street spokeswoman later insisted there was "no knowledge in Number 10" of any request. "I want to ensure we remain the standard bearer, so we must invest in our new economy so that it can adapt and remain competitive". "We have to maintain the credibility of this reassurance", he said. "It would be catastrophic". The Sky News article goes onto to say: "Airbus senior vice president Katherine Bennett told Sky News on Thursday that Downing Street had urged the aerospace giant ...
State Department orders departure of non-emergency personnel from Venezuela
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland spoke with Juan Guaido to congratulate him on unifying opposition forces in Venezuela, two weeks before he declared himself interim president. A major oil producer, Venezuela has been wracked by hyper-inflation, food shortages and intense crime since Maduro came to power in 2013. USA military intervention is widely seen in Washington as an unpalatable and unlikely option.
Why Venezuela military leaders are standing behind Maduro
Washington's immediate support for Guaido led to Maduro, who retains the powerful military's backing, closing his country's embassy and consulates in the United States and breaking off diplomatic ties. But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview Thursday that Maduro - to whom the military leadership is still loyal - bore responsibility for the safety of USA diplomats.


text:
Status: In Production
The KS8999 contains eight 10/100 physical layer transceivers, nine MAC (Media Access Control) units with an integrated layer 2 switch.
The device runs in two modes. The first mode is an eight port integrated switch and the second is as a nine port switch with the ninth port available through an MII (Media Independent Interface).
Useful configurations include a stand alone eight port switch as well as a eight port switch with a routing element connected to the extra MII port. The additional port is also useful for a public network interfacing. The KS8999 is designed to reside in an unmanaged design not requiring processor intervention. This is achieved through I/O strapping or EEPROM programming at system reset time.
On the media side, the KS8999 supports 10BaseT, 100BaseTX and 100BaseFX as specified by the IEEE 802.3 committee. Physical signal transmission and reception are enhanced through use of analog circuitry that makes the design more efficient and allows for lower power consumption and smaller chip die size.
Microchip's complimentary and confidential LANCheck® online design review service is available for customers who have selected our products for their application design-in. The LANCheck online design review service is subject to Microchip's Program Terms and Conditions and requires a myMicrochip account.
The KS8999 demo board is designed to evaluate the performance of 9-port integration switch with PHY and frame buffer. KS8999 is configured as standalone switch with 8 ports operating in 10Mbit/s or 100Mbit/s. All of the 8 ports are set up as auto negotiation as default. The KS8999 demo board provides an industry standard MII (media independent Interface) to interface to external Processors for...
For pricing and availability, contact Microchip Local Sales.


text:
Biography - John Norris
JOHN H. NORRIS, M. D., one of the leading physicians of Metropolis, was born in Marion County, Ky., August 29, 1830. His father, Moses Norris, was born in Virginia, and his father, Thomas Norris, was born in Ireland, and, from the best information obtainable, is believed to have been of Scotch ancestry. He and his brothers, William and James, were the only members of the family that ever came to this country, and they all settled in Virginia. The grandfather of Dr. Norris resided there until about 1825, and then emigrated to Kentucky, accompanied by his wife and child, making the journey by means of an ox-team. He purchased a tract of timber land on the Rolling Fork of Salt River, cleared a farm and lived there until 1840, when he came to Illinois, and spent his last days in Tazewell County. The maiden name of his wife was Judith Rogers. She was a native of Virginia, and died in Tazewell County, Ill. She and her husband reared eight children: Moses, William, Susan, Mary, Thomas, John, James and Joseph. Moses Norris was reared to agricultural pursuits and bought a tract of land in Marion County, Ky., on which he resided until 1832, when he sold out and emigrated to Illinois, accompanied by his wife and child. They made the journey on horseback, carrying their son in their arms, and located in Tazewell County, twenty-five miles from Bloomington and fifteen miles east of Peoria.
Mr. Norris chose a tract of Government land near the site of the village of Mackinaw, and was one of the first settlers. At that time northern Illinois was practically uninhabited, and Chicago as a city had not yet been heard of. He entered three hundred and twenty acres of land, erected a cabin of round logs, and commenced at once to improve his farm. In 1840 he sold this land and again started for the frontier, making an overland journey to the Territory of Iowa, settling in Black Hawk, and purchasing about twenty miles north of Cedar Rapids, near Cedar River. At that time all the land in that part of the country was owned by the Government. He made a claim and began to improve the land, but found the winters too severe for him, and in 1843 he sold his claim and removed to near the Osage River, Mo., and in 1845 settled permanently near Rolla. Here he was successful in his operations, and erected good buildings and accumulated a large stock of cattle and horses. During the war that part of the country was infested with guerrillas, and his buildings and fences were destroyed, and his stock stolen, entailing upon him a loss of $20,000. He then removed to Rolla and lived retired until his death. The maiden name of his wife was Keziah D. Tucker, a native of Kentucky, and a daughter of Matthew Tucker. She died in Rolla, Mo., having reared four children: John H., Annie, and Sarah and Mary, twins.
John H. Norris was in his second year when his parents moved to Illinois, hence he has no recollection of his native home. He attended the pioneer schools of Tazewell County ten weeks in the winter before his eleventh birthday, and the school he attended he entered as its teacher at eighteen years of age. He acquired his education with the aid of his mother by the kitchen fireplace, and sometimes by the old-fashioned sheet-iron lamp with the canton cloth rag for a wick, and supplied with bear and 'coon oil. This was the start of what the world now acknowledges to be an educated man, not only in his profession but as a literary man of ability. While engaged in teaching he studied medicine, and in 1856 graduated from the St. Louis Medical College, after which he immediately began practice in Mulkeytown, Franklin County, Ill., remaining there until 1857, when he removed to Sulphur Springs, Williamson County, and was engaged in practice there until 1860. He then removed to Grantsburg, Johnson County, Ill., and continued in active practice there until December 21, 1863, when he enlisted in Company M, Thirteenth Illinois Cavalry, of which company he was commissioned Captain. He served with this regiment until August, 1865, and was in command of the regiment the greater part of the time, on account of the absence and sickness of his superior officers. Among the most important battles in which he participated may be mentioned Prairie Du Anne, Camden, Pine Bluffs, Mt. Elba, Little Rock Road and Bayou Metoe. After his return from the war he practiced medicine in Grantsburg one year and then removed to Vienna, Johnson County.
Our subject remained in Johnson County until 1870, when he removed to Carmi, where he practiced one year and then returned to Vienna and remained there until 1873, when he removed to Metropolis and has been engaged in law practice here ever since. He was first married to Martha McMahan, who was born in Alabama, and died in 1870. In December, 1870, he married Celia Handley, a native of White County, Ill., who died in 1881. His third marriage occurred in 1882, to Anna Lukens, of Cincinnati, Ohio. He has three children living by the first marriage: Miscal, Peter Hoche, and Lillian, widow of Pleasant J. Carson. By the second marriage he has one child living, Bella, wife of A. J. Jacobs; and by the third marriage he has one son, John H., Jr.
Dr. Norris is a member of the Chosen Friends; of Lodge No. 86, I. O. O. F.; of Orestes Lodge No. 268, K. P.; and of Tom Smith Post No. 345, G. A. R. He was for some years Secretary of the Massac County Medical Society, and has served as Vice-President of the Southern Medical Society, of which he is still a member. He is also a member of the Southwestern Kentucky Medical Association. Politically, Dr. Norris is a Republican, and religiously he affiliates with the Methodist Episcopal Church, as does also his wife, who is a zealous worker in that denomination.
Extracted 16 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from 1893 Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac, Pope, and Hardin Counties, Illinois, pages 372-373.


text:
Whether you're looking at a complete renovation or some minor décor tweaks, changing things up in your home can really feel like a fresh start. If you're hoping to give your space a new lease on life, don't be afraid to make some changes this year. Sometimes even simple shifts in your interior can make all the difference.
Start with the space you use most.
If you only have the budget to tackle one area of the house this year, make it the one where you spend the majority of your time. For most of us, that's the kitchen. The kitchen renovations cost melbourne doesn't have to be extremely high – there are low-cost options that'll revamp your favourite living space without breaking your budget. Choose a design that suits the rest of your home, and get rid of all of the chipped old furnishings that were dragging your kitchen down.
Splash a coat of colour on your walls.
Adjusting the colour palette of your home will completely transform the space. Even if you change nothing else about your interior, the colour will make a major difference. Get creative with your colour choices and consult with interior experts to get a new perspective on your space. If you're looking for a more soothing atmosphere then consider softer colour tones, while bold, bright shades can add an uplifting feel to a room.
Add space with mirrors.
If a renovation is off the cards, then adding extra space can be tricky. Fortunately, there are optical illusions available that can do the work for you. Add large mirrors to your rooms to expand your home without knocking down any walls. Decorative mirrors with quirky features can also add a new dash of character to your home.
Mix things up.
Some people find it easy to redecorate their house without buying a single new item. Take a look at what you already have and experiment with ways to use your property décor in interesting new ways. Old plates that have been hiding in your cupboard could make wonderful wall pieces, while knick-knacks can be glued together to make creative photo frames. Have fun with it and you'll get a whole new look without spending a cent.
Shuffle your furniture.
If you can't afford to buy new furniture but want to change up your space, try rearranging things to transform the look of the room. You can move furniture to different rooms to make a change, or refurbish pieces you already have to give them a new lease on life.
Bring plants into your home.
The power of nature cannot be ignored. If your space feels a little drab and lifeless, bring literal life in by placing flowers and plants around your home in strategic places. Pot plants balance out the air in your house and add a splash of bright green colour to an otherwise dull room, while fresh flowers can be a beautiful touch in any space.
Invest in fun throw rugs.
If you're lucky enough to have lovely hardwood floors, add an extra interesting feature by using throw rugs around the room. You can experiment with patterns and colours to reinvigorate the space, and your room will be warmer in the winter with the extra insulation.


text:
Soroptimist accepting applications for scholarship
Soroptimist International of Visalia is now accepting applications for the annual "Live Your Dream" scholarship.
The program offers cash grants of $1,000 to $3,000 to deserving Visalia women. To qualify, applicants must be the sole provider of themselves and family, attend an undergraduate degree program or vocational skills training and demonstrate financial need.
Unlike traditional scholarships, these funds may be used for anything that will assist the women in pursuing educational or training goals, including tuition, educational materials, child care or household expenses.
An eligibility checklist, application packet and additional details about the award are online at www.sivisalia.org. Assistance with the application process is also available. The deadline for applicants is Nov. 15.
Soroptimist International of Visalia is a service organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls.
For more information, contact Jody Gilman at 972-5280 or email email@example.com.
—Marina Gaytan


text:
We've been really lucky in Manchester lately to be blessed with the warmer weather. When the evenings are light and the air is warm, I always enjoy dining and drinking out somewhere in the city centre.
A place I head to often is the Corn Exchange, pretty much because I can always rely on it's offering of restaurants, which tend to attract those after work diners.
One place I hadn't tried out for a long time was Wahaca, so I brought two friends along with me and headed off for some mid week food and drinks on one of the sunnier days.
As soon as I saw the new Spring Summer menu, I realised that it was literally right up my street: sharing platters and tapas style servings, along with an extensive cocktail and drinks menu. I mean, there was of course lots of big plate dishes, but when you eat out with a couple of friends, I just always gravitate towards the sharing plates.
In a nustell, Wahaca is a Mexican eatery, although I feel like it branches out a little too so it's not completely pigeon holing itself into the one cuisine.
I mean, of course they focus on tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas, but their street food options feature different styles of chicken (like buttermilk), as well as vegan and vegetarian options, followed by grilled fish, chicken and steak and salad bowls with a twist.
We began with a delicious gin cocktail each and then got a serving of Tortillas with Guacamole, freshly made every day with avocados, lime & coriander.
We opted for the toasted chilli and chilli oil sprinkled on top, making these the most more-ish nibbles possible. The guacamole was creamy and tasty, with huge chunks of avocado muddled in too.
We were all keen to get a couple of plates from the street food menu, so I'll highlight some of the key dishes that made fantastic sharing plates. They say for the street food small plates go for 2-3 per person.; But if you appreciate food as much as me, you want to be having no less than three (although they were surprising large size portions).
First up: tacos of course!
You get 3 soft corn tortillas, grilled & filled with the toppings you like. We went for an array, starting with one of the newest dishes on the menu, the Chicken and Avocado tacos, which come with ancho rub, guacamole & green tomatillo salsa. The other one was the Chargrilled Steak tacos, served with grilled cheese & fresh guacamole.
Both had unique tastes, and I think the steak was actually my favourite due to it being so juicy and melt-in-the-mouth for chargrilled steak.
To try out the Quesadillas, I went for the Black bean & three cheeses version, with smoky beans & avocado leaf. I always enjoy a vegetarian option every now and again, and this one stood out to be a yummy one.
These were loaded with gooey cheese and rich tasting beans, and you get two Quesadillas folded up and stuffed with your filling of choice. The tortilla wrap was soft and warm, and as you have probably gathered, I really enjoyed this option.
When I'm reviewing a menu, I always like to try the new dishes, so the next one we got two portions of was the Crab Tostada – two servings dressed in chipotle mayo, served with pink pickled onions. The crab worked so well with the chipotle mayo and the cripsy salad.
I'd say this one really felt like a Summer inspired Mexican small plate dish out of all of them. Quite light too, and the least heavy of the other dishes.
I thought I'd save my favourite small plate until last, the Duck Croquetas. Oh boy, I wish we had ordered two of these as I devoured these way too quickly. These were filled with crispy duck & sweet potato balls, infused with smoky hibiscus & chipotle salsa.
They were the perfect combination of that sweet and rich kick, in a crumble coating. I'm a huge duck fan, especially when its shredded and steeped in a smoked sauce.
And lastly – all three of us went for the same dessert! As much as I encouraged our group to go for different options so we could try a bit of each others, everyone was drawn to the Chocolate & Pecan Brownie, served with salted caramel ice cream & dulce de leche sauce.
Talk about dreamy. The portion size was generous and the chunks of pecan and brownies muddled in the sponge gave it so much rich flavour. I have a huge sweet tooth and this satisfied me instantly.
I have to say, overly impressed with the Corn Exchange brand of Wahace. Menu choices were extensive – we were spoilt for choice and I'm keen to return and try out all the things I didn't order, along with more Duck Croquettes of course!
Price wise, small plates range between £4.95 – £5.95 on average, which I find exceptionally good value for the food quality, presentation and serving size.
Thanks for looking after me, Wahaca Corn Exchange!


text:
Audio Wizards, production has started
Hello everybody,
we'd just like to give you an insight to one of the future mobile games we are working on, Audio Wizards, which we are aiming to release around the late spring of 2019 for iOS and Android.
We are still in the early stages of development, but progress is coming along at a rapid pace.
The basic game idea is there, we know what the game will be! But we're just outlining the gameplay design mechanics and user gestures, among other things, before we jump into the code, soundtrack and sound design
But what can we tell you right now?
• You are a wizard defending yourself against the onslaught of elemental based enemies
• Expect to have your listening skills and reactions put to the test
That's all we can reveal for now as a teaser. Make sure to follow us https://www.mytruesound.com, on Facebook and Twitter to keep updated on our progress. Remember also our next game GoldGun, which will hit app stores on 31st January 2019.
Have a nice X-mas!
cant wait for this game!
I love games like this. Cant wait til it comes out!
You guys are opening some hopeful doors
First GoldGun, now this. You guys are sure going to make some sort of Ange in the upcoming year.
This is amazing.
I have been dying over the years to find a wizard game for iOS that's accessible and it's finally coming true.
I cannot wait to play your game. One question that I have will this game have multiplayer capability?
I am looking forward to it!
well, it seems like you are going to make many great games.
hopefully all the games you create will be last forever and updating.
it is very sad that we losing some of the great games like audio defence, six sense and papasangree!
respond to @Tunmi
Hi @Tunmi
I was looking at the internet to see what Ange was meaning. I didn't find anything clear. Hope it was a good thing though.
I suppose many of you wonder why we aim to three games on one year. I will explain, because it is a nice story.
I am full time acoustics researcher and teacher at Turku University of Applied Sciences with a strong background on psychoacoustics. Two years ago I started to investigate on immersive audio algorithms. It was quite easy to realize that if I wanted to provide audio to videogames and VR experiences, I would need blind people to join the team, so the algorithms could be subjectively validated. Something like, if you want audio quality, ask the listener experts. I looked for research funding but that was not granted, and my former boss didn't support my ideas neither, but only his. So I decided, at the same time I keep working there for 7.35 hours a day, to make my own company of audio games. The hypothesis was: if we make immersive audio games, and blind people say they sound truthful...then time was not wasted.
At that time, looking for this audio expertise, I found Mikko Herranen, blind from birth, musician and music producer with 20 years experience. We are very good friends yet and we keep pushing together for this dream.
Saying all that, the reason why we can keep doing with so limited budget, is that we use a lot of students. All our university's ICT students need to do 30 ECTs credits of practice work on companies. So I offer them a project, and everybody benefits. The University because the students get the practice done, the students get a nice project, I get the work done, and you get (one day) your games to play. So far, in one way or another, 26 students have collaborated with us. Some more, some less. Some have gotten some money, some others just experience.
So this Audio Wizards is a project done by 9 students, who will work kind of independently, but using our own audio game engine. This process I think is really indie and risky. But I didn't find any better way.
Sure, at the beginning, the games will not be fully pro. But we hope you guys will understand that it would be just a temporal phase, and that with time they will improve. I suppose we need to do this together. So also, all your help to share the word about us to your network is very welcome.
Feel free to comment.
I love multiplayer...but not yet
Hi @Angel
I love multiplayer, but we are not ready for it yet. The first version of Audio Wizards will be a survival mode to play alone. Once we get those mechanics well done, and we see the people is liking the concept, then we jump ahead.
In the opinion of our main programmer, Joshua, we need to increase the size of the team if we want the multiplayer to really work, and to modify our game engine to make the implementation possible. So everything is very open....but I keep dreaming.
Beta testing
When the game gets released for testing I would like to help test.
I would also like to help beta test.
Hi, I would also like to beta test your games. Wow this is amazing what you guys are doing.


text:
Attaining great heights of success are something that is on every individual's mind. The methods that are used by people are definitely different but the ulterior goal is mostly similar. Every individual definitely aims for the stars but it is about how one can reach them. The skill to do exceptionally well is by doing extraordinary things and doing them in a manner which seems ordinary. It is all about achieving the extraordinary by doing little things that might seem ordinary. One individual who has made this come true for himself is vijay eswaran. He has made use of soft skills and has effectively reached out to millions across the globe due to his policy of business, so much so that he has become a known and acclaimed name in over twenty two nations across the globe.
Vijay eswaran is a great orator and it is the power of his words and the way he delivers it that creates the huge impact that it does. He knows what to say and knows how to put the same across. His oratory skills are known widely and it is believed that those who hear him speak can feel the impact of the same and his sound resonates in their ears for a long period of time, sometimes a couple of months at one stretch.
Having finished his education, vijay eswaran worked in numerous companies to gain good experience but this was not what he wanted. He slowly set out on his own and established QNET that is one of the most established and recognized conglomerates today with its branches spread out in over twenty two nations.
They have their branches in almost everything. You name a sector and you can find QNET there. Luxury, retail, telecom, wellness, education, corporate investments etc. all have the best of QNET in them.
The main tools that were used by vijay eswaran were hard work and dedication. He set up a platform for millions to start out on their own as entrepreneurs and gave a number of people employment opportunities to make the best of their potential and succeed in all that they do.
To know more about Vijay Eswaran Vijayaratnam Follow here: http://www.facebook.com/DatoVijayEswaran, http://www.youtube.com/user/veprofiler, http://twitter.com/vjayeswaran
A beginner's tutorial on advanced ACLs and creating an ACL that can detect a previously established TCP session and then permit traffic through a firewall. T…
Video Rating: 5 / 5


text:
We all want to know the secrets to weight loss and successful weight management and, as you are fully aware, we truly believe here at Waetugo that the magic is in the mind. Understanding how the mind works and taking control of those little grey cells is at the heart of any successful endeavour. Well that and healthy eating of course. And we have questioned at length whether exercise plays a role in helping us achieve our target weights too and have found the 'evidence' to be contradictory and difficult to assess although we aren't doubting it plays a part in having super good health alongside mind and body confidence. That can't be bad now. Some of those articles can be seen here in The Exercise Myth, here in HIIT – Fraud or Fantastic, here in Endurance Training – Is the effort worth it and here in NEAT – Exercising without exercising. Motivation is massively affected by doubt and faith so knowing what the facts are is important to us when undertaking a weight loss or weight management journey.
With this in mind, we wanted to explore if weight lifting itself burns enough calories to assist in our slimming efforts. Those body builders don't seem to be carrying too much excess fat now do they? So we grabbed our Deer Stalker hats and magnifying glasses and went out on the sleuth.
Back to basics. If we want to build muscle we need to exercise or work as a hod carrier on a building site, so unless you're after a career change, exercise it is. Now just about any exercise will build muscle but without a doubt some kind of resistance training whereby the resistance can be increased over successive sessions is undoubtedly the most effective. And resistance training for muscle building usually comes in the form of weight training although some HIIT enthusiasts and Crossfit exponents have built some pretty strong frames too. Crossfit is of course laden with heavy resistance exercises laced with explosive and / or enduro work and we do love our Crossfit here at Waetugo but for the purpose of this article we will concentrate on weight training per se.
So, what's the evidence? In 2011, a group of scientists in Newcastle wanted to address the problem of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the problem that people seem to have with maintaining aerobic exercise regimes. Reading between the lines, they seemed to accept that aerobic type exercises would have benefit on a fatty liver but were hoping a more sustainable alternative might be the way forward. With this in mind they took a number of participants in hand, put them through an eight week resistance training programme and found that all but one of the participants lost no weight at all. Absolutely zero. Not so good so far then. However, they all lost fat from around their livers and in significant amounts. And in just eight weeks. Other interesting things of note were that each participant only trained three times a week, never on consecutive days and only trained for between 45 and 60 minutes during each session. These scientists also identified that overall muscle growth massively contributed to a sequestering of both fatty acids and glucose (removing it safely). And I repeat – in just eight weeks (24 sessions). If you set yourself a goal in the short term of just 24 short sessions over eight weeks knowing that your liver will get a supercharge my guess is you'll sail it. Just go for two weeks and know that you've done yourself a big favour and are already 25% of the way there. Losing weight at Waetugo keeps throwing up some healthy surprises! So, weight training is great for removing fat from around your liver, but eight weeks of iron pumping won't shift the belly fat. But what about a longer regime?
In the journal of applied physiology a group of the brightest and best reported on their study examining the contrast between aerobic and resistance training on fat mass in obese adults over eight months. The findings were simple. Those engaged in aerobic exercise only lost significant fat mass. Those engaged in aerobic activity and resistance training lost about the same fat mass for twice the work. Those engaged in resistance training only lost little or no fat mass but did increase lean muscle mass. So if you want to build some muscle then weights it is but if losing fat mass is your main goal then leave the weights in the racks and do an aerobics class.
But then another surprise was thrown up by those pesky scientists. A team presented a study in Washington DC which showed the effects of getting people in their 90's to start weight training. Most of us will readily accept that muscle wastage is a by-product of getting old and this comes with its own problems such as falling more often, slowing down and general frailty. But does this have to be the case? Do we slow because we get old and lose muscle or do we slow because we stop exercising and reduce our activity levels? The study highlighted in DC identified that the participants described as frail by the authors increased their strength by as much as 174% over just eight weeks. Now consider the low baseline that they were starting from and contrast this with maintaining muscle throughout our lives and the impact this will have on keeping us more active and confident. Ok, so this study doesn't offer anything convincing about lifting weights for weight loss but for health and longevity it speaks volumes.
One of the issues many people raise about choosing weight training as an exercise programme is the fear that they will gain mountains of muscle and begin to bulge a little too much. These fears are largely unfounded. Let's return to realistic expectations. Those giant body builders we occasionally see in the gym will have worked for hours and hours, day in, day out, year after year after year before they started to look anything like that. Just think of your own body for a moment. Now think about how much work you might have to do to firm up a few body parts yet alone begin to bulge out all over the place. We are really thinking about adding six or seven resistance exercises and doing these well not pumping iron for a career.
So, it seems we have weighed up the evidence and found some interesting conclusions. Resistance training or weight lifting has untold benefits for us now and into our old age including reduced frailty and improved liver health. There seems however, scant evidence for weight training having much of an impact on weight loss but it definitely does increase lean mass and improve body shape. If we are increasing lean mass, we need to be aware that our target weight might need to change as muscle does weigh heavily albeit in a positive manner so body analysis which is increasingly available in gyms and clinics will be of considerable value.


text:
After getting home with our new diagnosis I went to our local natural food store (yes, not even the regular grocery store) and spent 3 hours trying to find anything that Little Miss could eat. I was in tears wondering what in the world I was going to feed her. She ended up crying right along with me when we found a gluten free pizza dough only to find out it had eggs in it and we couldn't get it! She loved pizza and really wanted some.
The first few weeks of attempting to cut out all of these items from her diet was overwhelming. I cried too many times to count; balked at the prices of specialty food and the need to revamp my entire pantry and kitchen.
I searched the internet and found a few helpful articles and began printing them out. I created a little folder that for most of the first year went with me everywhere. This folder had my food lists, allergy safe/avoid lists and other pertinent information. I can't tell you how much it helped to just be armed with this information.
I went in search of new cookbooks and found good choices for gluten-free ones, but they didn't help when it came to the other allergies. Eggs in particular are used in almost every gluten free recipe and product. Then I hit the library and came across a whole section of cookbooks related to food allergies, so I dragged a bag full home and began to pour over them. Slowly the pile got smaller and smaller and in the end only a few that ended up being good enough and one that has been my life-saver.
Time continued to march on, day after day I became a little less overwhelmed and a little more confident that I could handle this curve-ball. After our first month of being allergy-free an amazing thing ended up happening. Little Miss' behavior began to change significantly. She screamed less, slept better and I was shocked. Even the rest of the family noticed a difference. After our first full year of changing her diet, she was not getting every cold or fever under the sun, her eczema was gone AND she stopped having major asthma attacks that ended us in the hospital. She still got sick a couple of times and did have asthma issues, but we could take care of it at home. By the second year she was hardly sick at all and her asthma was significantly better. She would wheeze, but if we caught it early enough she wouldn't have a full blown attack. Her third winter, she wasn't sick once and the only time she started having breathing difficulties was when she ate gluten.
We are still on a journey and learning more each day. Oh, and Little Miss did get her pizza.