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Many people live in rural areas and have farms or large lots. Caring for farm animals is a part of their daily lives. Studying about farm animals is important to them and is often also interesting to those who do not have farms. If you have animals or know someone who does, you may wish to learn more about caring for them, and earn an award for your effort!
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Thank you for all your efforts in providing good reading material for children and adults! Your work in the area of equipping the next generation is very commendable and appreciated!


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BRIEF-Google has begun reviewing advertising policies - spokesperson
* Says we've begun "extensive" review of our advertising policies
NEW YORK U.S. health regulators have rejected Merck & Co Inc's new drug designed to raise the level of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, the company said on Monday, sending its shares down 5 percent.
The company declined to discuss details in the so-called not approvable letter from the Food and Drug Administration. It would not comment on whether the agency had asked for further data or new clinical trials.
The drug, which was expected to be called Cordaptive, combines long-acting niacin with a new drug that prevents the flushing side effect common to niacin -- an uncomfortable sensation of burning in the face and neck that leads many patients to discontinue taking it.
Analysts widely expected the drug to be approved, especially after a committee of European regulators last week recommended it be cleared for sale there.
The rejection was another blow for Merck, whose share price has fallen about 30 percent this year amid a controversy and debate over the effectiveness of the cholesterol drugs its sells in a joint venture with Schering-Plough Corp.
The FDA decision should be a boon to Abbott Laboratories, whose franchise of niacin-based cholesterol drugs would have been in direct competition with Merck's proposed new entry into the lucrative market.
Abbott shares rose 2.7 percent following the Merck news.
Deutsche Bank analyst Barbara Ryan called the news a disappointment.
"We expected the drug to get approved," she said. "It's not going to have any impact on the earnings outlook for this year, but certainly as we go out in time they could have had an important contribution from the drug."
Merck said it would meet with the FDA to submit additional information to enable the agency to further evaluate the benefit/risk profile of the drug, which it has gone back to calling MK-0524A after the FDA also rejected the prospective brand name Cordaptive.
"We firmly believe that MK-0524A provides physicians with an important option to manage their patients' cholesterol," Merck's research chief Peter Kim said in a statement.
The company said it did not yet know when a meeting with FDA officials might take place.
In clinical trials, the laropiprant component of the drug demonstrated an ability to significantly reduce the flushing effect of niacin. It had been hoped the combination would enable patients to tolerate niacin at a dose that provides the most therapeutic benefit.
Despite the setback, Merck reaffirmed the 2008 forecast it issued last week and reiterated confidence in meeting its goal of double-digit annual earnings per share growth through 2010, excluding certain items.
Some analysts believed that Cordaptive and a planned follow-up combination drug that also includes Merck's bad cholesterol lowering Zocor could eventually garner $1 billion to $2 billion in annual sales.
Merck shares fell to $39.40 in extended trading from their New York Stock Exchange close at $41.44, while Abbott shares climbed to $53 from the NYSE close at $51.61.
(Reporting by Bill Berkrot; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Employment Law This Week: Waiver of Meal Breaks, Driver Classification Ruling, Transgender Guidance Withdrawal, New Immigration Order
Employment Law This Week: Whistleblower Case Dismissed, ADEA Claims, Future Trump NLRB, NY Paid Family Leave
Employment Law This Week: Judge Neil Gorsuch, New Immigration Orders, EEOC & NLRB Acting Chairs, Philadelphia's Wage Equity Law
Enforcement under a Jeff Sessions DOJ
Employment Law This Week: The Year Ahead, New Labor Secretary, "Persuader Rule" Case, New York Salary Thresholds, Mental Health Discrimination
Employment Law This Week: Top Issues of 2016 – DTSA, Non-Competes, Paid Sick Leave, Transgender Law, Overtime, NLRB Decisions
Employment Law This Week®: New Laws Impacting Employers, Sexual Orientation Discrimination, Amended Persuader Rule, Nurses Aren't "Supervisors"
The Terrain of Global Anti-Bribery Compliance Challenges
FCPA compliance and Ethics Report-Episode 264-John Champion on the 50th Anniversary of Star Trke
Unfair and Unbalanced-the Victimization Episode
Andrew Lipman on Tracking Net Neutrality
Gary Slaiman on Maintaining Bipartisanship in a Partisan World
Andrew Lipman on Navigating the FCC
Aset Shyngyssov on How Kazakhstan's Economy Is Diversifying Beyond Energy
Glenn Siegel on Why Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Is So Expensive
Aset Shyngyssov on Developing Growth Opportunities in Kazakhstan
Ben Indek on The SEC's Record-Setting Year
Morgan Lewis Partner Suet-Fern Lee on the Rule of Law
A Moment of Simple Justice - Vaccines
Polsinelli Podcast - Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Consequences for Corporations
The 2016 Election has created more questions than answers for the affordable housing industry. Very little is known about President-elect Trump's vision for affordable housing. On one hand, Mr. Trump has described himself as...more
Governor Wolf recently signed into law House Bill No. 1340 of 2015 which amends both the Uniform Planned Communities Act and Uniform Condominium Act. The two statutes are complementary and have substantially similar...more
On 14 October 2016, the Polish government published a long-awaited draft of a new law on real estate investment trusts (REITs) (Polish: spólki rynku wynajmu nieruchomosci). The draft has now been referred to public...more
This Alert summarizes the major tax provisions included in legislation passed by the 2015-2016 North Carolina General Assembly in its short session, which concluded earlier this month. The most widely discussed tax...more
Individuals and corporations, but not limited liability companies, may be licensed as real estate brokers under the California Real Estate Law. This is a result of a bargain reached when California's enacted its first...more
Regulatory Developments - FHFA Announces Principal Reduction Program for Struggling Underwater Homeowners - On April 14, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced a new Principal Reduction Modification...more
Attention, Massachusetts vacation home owners who earn money renting your properties! An Act Providing for Local Aid Enhancement is showing signs of kinetic energy....more
Yesterday George Osborne delivered the 2016 Budget. There were some significant announcements for the real estate industry....more
The Chancellor has presented a packed March Budget bursting at its seams with measures impacting businesses and individuals alike... ..The first reference to tax in his statement was to "tax avoidance" and that tells...more
Section 17701.04(b) of the California Corporations Code provides: A limited liability company may have any lawful purpose, regardless of whether for profit, except the banking business, the business of issuing policies...more
Following the release of a report evaluating the Montgomery County Commission on Common Ownership Communities, the Montgomery County Council in Maryland enacted legislation that requires training and certification for board...more
HB 73- Omnibus Legislation - This bill containing 74 pages is a "stripped down" version of a bill which passed the House last year but failed to obtain Senate approval. It contains a potpourri of changes to the...more
On Friday, April 6, 2012, Governor Rick Scott signed HB 517 which contains a provision extending the Distressed Condominium Relief Act (Act) otherwise due to sunset July 1, 2012. The Act was adopted in 2010 as a way to...more
ABX1 26 and ABX1 27 were enacted by the State Legislature in late June as "trailer bills" to help implement the state budget bill. The purpose and effect of the bills is to reallocate tax revenue which would otherwise go to...more
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Articles tagged mcmahon
30 Sep 2011 // 7:15 AM
Mainstream culture's failure to examine professional wrestling seriously -- in this case, workplace safety issues -- lets the WWE get away with all kinds of ridiculous villainy that no other media organisation could. And pocket a tidy profit while doing it.
READ more //Blogs
'Steep' Loves Its Mountains
// Moving Pixels
"SSX wanted you to fight its mountains, Steep wants you to love its mountains.
READ the article


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MuirWebs   Not Validated
Location: Palo Alto, United States Industry: SaaS
Muirwebs has developed an app store for businesses: In a few clicks, a business can buy and deploy apps in bulk, automatically provision users and keep track of software assets.
The Mac and windows 8 app stores are a big success with consumers. But most businesses are unable to use them because they lack the functionality and apps (MS office, Adobe etc.) required by businesses. Muirwebs fills this gap.
Report / Edit


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Credits & Info
- Uploaded
- Feb 15, 2009 | 8:29 PM EST
- File Info
- Song
- 1 min 46 sec
- Score
- 4.12 / 5.00
Related Content
Heard in 1 Entry!
World Cup Challenge 2010 by Vanzen
- Game
- Rated E
- 4,274 Views
View all submissions featuring this audio file.
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Licensing Terms
Please contact me if you would like to use this in a project. We can discuss the details.
- Score:
- Rated 4.12 / 5 stars
- Plays & Downloads:
- 5,076 Plays | 224 Downloads
- Share Links:
- Genres:
- Easy Listening - Jazz
- None
Author Comments
This one is probably not finished yet. There are still a few things I want to add or change, such as adding in a bit of a bass solo and lengthening it by making little spin-out phrases, cutting, adding, etc, etc, etc.
But enough of what I want it to be.
I made this one based on an improvisation I played on my piano about 8 months ago. Since then it's been completely transformed - twice. I kinda enjoy listening to it, personally. The name is just what I thought it originally sounded like - even though it sounds nothing like the original now, I think it still sorta fits.
Please feel free to review this.
Rated 5 / 5 stars
sounded cool
Good job with this one man, really enjoyed listening to this one. The music kind of reminded me of the music they would play in Seinfeld during a transitioning sequence, or was that just me? The melody here was good, very catchy and ear-pleasing, really made the song a pleasure to listen to. The beat here was good as well, not very loud because it was under the melody the whole time, but was still audible, good job with taht. Excelletn job here man, 5/5 from me, keep up the good work! :)
XD I think you're right, a little bit. It does sound a little like the music they played during seinfeld's transitioning sequences. I never heard that in this one before.
I'm glad you enjoyed this... Really weird that this song suddenly got 3 reviews within a week of each other after a period of several months where it didn't get reviewed at all... I was sure this one was dead on NG, but apparently not. o _0
In any case, thanks for the review, JKMonkey. Check out some of my newer stuff if you're up to it. I think you'd find some of that really enjoyable.
Rated 5 / 5 stars
Nice and Mellow
It sounds nice and relaxing, overall a good tune and well put together :D
Cool, thanks for the review, KuroSenpaiAtM.
This was the first full song I released on Newgrounds - you should check out some of my more recent submissions (submissions with [OS] in front of the title). I think you'd find them enjoyable as well.
Rated 4.5 / 5 stars
yays makes me happy
I really liked this piece, I'm pretty sure that once school kicks in I'll be using it for homework xD
It's really a wonderful tune, keep up the good work. (ahem, GOD work)
my only complaint is that you can tell the drums are computer-generated, and that gives you the rest of the feel (even though you already know) that it is a computer-created song (which is not a bad thing!).. It seems like if it was jazz the drums would be a bit smoother, but other than that you have made a really incredible song!
thank you.
I'll check out your other stuff. ^^
I definitely know what you mean by the computer-generated sound. In a wierd way I think it works for this song... but at the same time I want to know what it would sound like with a more realistic sound. This was actually the first full piece I ever did in reason, so that would explain the lack of mastering. ;P
If you want to use this for anything, go right ahead.
You seem to be looking at the jazzy stuff, so I would recommend looking at "Pseudonym".
Thanks for the review, DJland0!
Rated 4.5 / 5 stars
I love it.
if there was a story to this piece, the first one that pops to mind is Petrushka's first act when the puppet comes to life and starts dancing. I just cant get enough of the bass and the jazzy piano, it seems to me that it could do a little longer get to know the characters better and such. I also think that the piano could be a little stronger, and a bit more bold. hahah just my person taste i guess but great work i love it.
I don't think I'm familiar with Petrushka. I'll have to look it up and see what you're talking about, because chances are you're right.
lol this is one of the first things I made with Reason, so I wasn't really good enough to master it properly or make it very long... Maybe I'll come back to this one and polish it up for you sometime - I know I'd like to hear a more complete version of this as well.
I'm glad you liked it so much, and thanks for the review, Tony!


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A fun, safe summer filled with exploring, learning and making friends awaits!
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You belong at the Old Colony Y this summer.
All kids deserve the chance to discover who they are & what they can achieve.
Because all kids have great potential.
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Bring the kids to Compass Medical for our annual Touch-A-Truck Fundraiser! Kids of all ages will enjoy climbing, exploring, and learning about many large and unique vehicles in a fun & safe environment. Join us rain or shine! Train rides, bounce house, and many other activities are available! There will also be food for purchase! - PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE Y'S ANNUAL CAMPAIGN #OCYEastBridgewater #OCYTAT - For more information visit http://www.oldcolonyymca.org/events/touch-truck-fundraiser


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> Plant Hatch Unit 2 completes record-setting refueling outage, enhances production of low-cost, carbon-free electricity
Plant Hatch Unit 2 completes record-setting refueling outage, enhances production of low-cost, carbon-free electricity
Wednesday, Mar 01, 2017
Unit 2 of the Edwin I. Hatch Electric Generating Plant near Baxley, Georgia, has safely resumed generating electricity following completion of a scheduled refueling and maintenance outage, setting a record of just 21 days and two hours for both the plant and the Southern Nuclear fleet.
Plant operators safely took the unit offline Feb. 6 at midnight ET. Electricity generation resumed Monday, Feb. 27, at 2:09 a.m. ET.
In addition to refueling the reactor and performing regular maintenance and testing, workers made upgrades to plant systems and components to enhance efficiency and reliability.
"Safety is our top priority, and our team is to be commended for completing this outage safely, efficiently and in record time," said Plant Hatch Vice President David Vineyard. "The work we perform during our outages is a significant investment in our facility. Unit 2 is positioned not just for the next 24 months, but for years of continued safe and reliable electricity production."
Employees from across the Southern Nuclear fleet assisted Hatch's staff of more than 900 in the refueling effort. Approximately 800 additional workers from General Electric, Day and Zimmerman and other partners performed specialized tasks. These supplemental workers also provided economic stimulus to surrounding communities during their stay in the area.
The last refueling outage for Unit 2 was completed in spring 2015. Hatch Unit 1 continued to safely generate electricity while Unit 2 was offline for the refueling.
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Southern Nuclear, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is a leader among the nation's nuclear energy facility operators and an innovator in advanced nuclear technologies. Southern Nuclear is an essential part of Southern Company's energy portfolio, and its importance will continue to grow as America transitions to a low-carbon energy future. While the company produces clean, safe and reliable nuclear energy, it's also an economic engine powered by quality jobs and community service. Southern Nuclear operates a total of six units for Alabama Power and Georgia Power at the Joseph M. Farley Nuclear Plant near Dothan, Ala.; the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Plant near Baxley, Ga.; and the Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant near Waynesboro, Ga. Southern Nuclear is the licensee of two new nuclear units currently under construction at Plant Vogtle that are among the first nuclear units being constructed in the United States in more than 30 years. Southern Nuclear received numerous accolades in 2016 for leadership in the advancement of nuclear energy including the Special Achievement Award by the United States Nuclear Infrastructure Council and the Presidential Citation by the American Nuclear Society. Southern Nuclear also received two of the Nuclear Energy Institute's Top Innovative Practice awards and special recognition for achieving excellence in research and performance. Southern Nuclear's Plant Hatch received the ANS Operations & Power Division's Utility Achievement Award for plant improvements that resulted in a record-setting refueling outage duration. The company's headquarters is in Birmingham, Ala.
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Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is America's premier energy company, with 44,000 MW of generating capacity and 1,500 billion cubic feet of combined natural gas consumption and throughput volume serving 9 million electric and gas utility customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric utilities in four states, natural gas distribution utilities in seven states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America and a nationally recognized provider of customized energy solutions, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices that are below the national average. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing America's energy future by developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, 21st century coal, natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating new products and services for the benefit of customers. Southern Company has been named by the U.S. Department of Defense and G.I. Jobs magazine as a top military employer, recognized among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity by DiversityInc, listed by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity and designated a Top Employer for Hispanics by Hispanic Network. The company has earned a National Award of Nuclear Science and History from the National Atomic Museum Foundation for its leadership and commitment to nuclear development and is continually ranked among the top utilities in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas Utility rankings.
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Friday, August 29, 2008
Teenage Dinosaur
I just did this postcard image for Tim Goodyear and his publishing company Teenage Dinosaur. Tim Publishes books like Gooddess Head by Dash Shaw, Boy's Club by Matt Furie and Real Madness Comics by Bobby Madness.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
My LIfe
This photo is a little underwhelming for me, considering that it represents the last year and a half of my life. To think of all the countless hours spent on these tiny drawings. Now that I'm done drawing the book I've got to go through it and re-read it several times to make sure everything works. Editing is a pain.
Last week Ariel and I went camping at Honeyman State park. There are sand dunes there and it's actually pretty amazing. This picture shows the various stages of a clear cut. The landscape looks much like this all along most of the drive to the coast. You can see that the companies that harvest these trees only plant one type of tree, the Douglas Fir Tree, even though there are many many trees and plants that make a healthy forest. They also plant these trees too close together. It makes me very angry!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Almost done!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Portland Zine Symposium
This weekend, August 23rd and 24th, I'll be at The 8th Annual Portland Zine Symposium held at The Smith Memorial Ballroom at Portland State University. I'll also be hosting a workshop on self-publishing along with Dylan Williams (Sparkplug Comicbooks) and Greig Means (Tugboat Press) at 2 or 3 pm on Saturday.
Hours are Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM
That creepy boy with the bell bottoms and Return of the Jedi T-shirt is me circa 1984.
Hours are Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM
That creepy boy with the bell bottoms and Return of the Jedi T-shirt is me circa 1984.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
What this photo shows is how I like to focus on drawing one panel at a time. This allows me to give each panel undivided attention. After the panel is finished I cut it out and tape it onto a piece of typing paper. Doing my panels separately and uniform also allows me to edit my comics like a movie. A linear time line that I can utilize to add or drop as many panels as I like. Doing panels separately also frees me up so I can take more breaks. If I'm working on one panel or a whole page, I cannot stop until the job is done, so doing the panels separately allows me to free my mind from the "get the whole page done" syndrome. After that I store the comics in a folder so I can read my artwork like it will read when it's published.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Ristretto Artwork
I took a photograph of most of the original artwork that I made for Ristretto's advertisements. Ristretto Roasters is a coffee shop in NE Portland, Oregon. Two ads are missing because I gave them away as gifts to the owners Din and Nancy. I'm not sure if you can tell in this photo, but the smaller I made the artwork (the closer I was to the actual print size) the better it turned out.
Ristretto Stamps
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Book Cover
Saturday, August 9, 2008
a big waste of time
The other night I spent a few hours watching a movie and making this drawing with a white gel pen on black paper. I didn't really pay attention to the movie because I was making this stupid drawing. I like it, but it unfortunately does not work for my book. This happens all the time. Usually the drawings that don't work for my book are no good. This one is good, but it just doesn't work.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Nerd Burglar
Here is one of four pages I contributed to the Nerd Burglar FREE COMICBOOK Anthology published by Sparkplug Comic Books, Tugboat Press and Teenage Dinosaur... Go to www.sparkplugcomicbooks.com to buy the anthology for 1 cent plus shipping. I also did the back cover. You really should get a copy. It's virtually free.
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Nissen® Silver Welder's Pencil is used for fine line layout work on all metals.
Nissen® Welder's pencil in silver color is used to draw illuminating marks that helps welder during cutting and welding for easy operation. Pencil offers durable marks that will not melt/fade while using, sold as 3/Pack.
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- Ebonized pear-wood, gilt bronze, enamel, brass, iron
- Austria / Bohemia, around 1820
- Carl Balzarek, Müglitz / Bohemia
- On the clock face signed "Carl Balzarek in Müglitz"
- White enamel dial with Arabic numerals
- 4/4 hour strike, strike for three days
- Key wind with original key
- Dimensions: 53.5 x 29 cm
- Fully functioning
- This object is sold through our Berlin office
Additional Information & Condition
Additional Information & Condition
This Empire Column Clock from Vienna was made around 1820 of ebonized pear wood and fitted with gilt bronze ornaments. The casing has four columns and a gable. The white enamel clock face behind a hinged glass door is provided with black Arabic numerals and has an hour and minute display; the glock has a ¼-hour strike and a strike for three days. The watch movement is wound with a key. Under the clock face there is a pendulum made of brass. The clock face is signed "Carl Balzarek in Müglitz".
The clock is in good condition with traces of use and aging. The wood is bumped and scratched in places, especially on the back. The clock face has cracks and stains. The clock is fully functional. No guarantee on time keeping accuracy and durance. The dimensions are 53.5 x 29 cm. At the back there is the handwritten inscription "Pelze Wien, Postgasse 13".Questions about this item?
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Apple networking genii blacklist router ports
You get what you pay for
The Fruity cargo cult Apple's legendary skill at networking hit another milestone today after a software update killed Mac's Ethernet port.
Blackberry gets into cyber security
Desperately seeking a reason to live
Still apparently looking for a reason to live BlackBerry has decided to place a bigger bet on cybersecurity.
You have to be insane to keep Drupal 6
Attacks are coming
Drupal 6 which is still on ten percent of CMS's is a 0-day waiting to happen.
Instagram now supports two-factor authentication
Helps users mitigate identity hijacking
Social media giant Instagram has recently begun rolling out two-factor authentication to some of its users in an effort to spare any attempts at hijacking and changing account passwords, according to recent reports. The Facebook-owned service is the latest to add additional security measures to protect its users from financial losses, identity hijacking and false representation.
Apple already made cops an iOS backdoor
It is just not what you think
The Fruity cargo cult Apple is getting a pat on the back from privacy people for its stand against helping the US cops with their inquiries, however what is being missed from the story is that outfit already allows coppers access to its iOS operating system.
Trump rips into Apple
Who do they think they are?
While the Tame Apple press has been rushing around praising Tim Cook for standing up for privacy by refusing assist the FBI crack the encryption on a mass murder's phone, colourful Republican hopeful Donald Trump is not impressed.
Apple's security takes another hit
Revolving door gatekeeper
While the fruity cargo cult Apple is busy bricking users for the crime of not using its genii to fix its overpriced toys, its reputation as being super secure is taking another battering.
Dell plans BIOS level security
Business laptop BIOS to be better locked down
Grey tin box shifter Dell wants to beef up security on its business laptops and PCs by introducing a new tool which helps to protect the BIOS from malware.
Apple protects the dead
Keep your wife out of your email while you enjoy the afterlife
Fruity cargo cult Apple is providing a new feature for dead fanboys – it is apparently locking loved ones out of your accounts without a court order.
Apple's Gatekeeper patch does not work
Patch was just a Placebo
The Tame Apple Press did its best to tell the world that the fruity cargo cult Apple had fixed the Gatekeeper bug in its iOS software, however it looks like it is still broken and the patch was a placebo.


text:
Elena, ID: 2761448
Age: | 25 |
City: | Prague |
Country: | Czech Republic |
Zodiac: | Sagittarius |
Height: | 5' 6'' (167 cm) |
Weight: | 106 lbs (48 kg) |
Eyes: | blue |
Hair: | light-brown |
Occupation: | Student |
Education: | college |
Religion: | Orthodoxy |
Marital Status: | never married |
Kids: | 0 |
Languages Spoken: | English, Russian |
English Proficiency: | basic |
Smoking: | no |
Latino dance, football, cars, Italian kitchen and sweets. I love so much an animals especially little dogs they are really like a little children.
More About MeHi, I was studies as a translator of English and used to dance in my childhood so and for 5 years I was used to make a gymnastics. So I also have a medals, and I have title of Master of Sports in Rhythmic Gymnastics. I like to make photos it's my hobby, modeling. I used to take part in the beauty competitions in was my first step in the modeling, had a my photos on the magazines. Nowadays I live in Prague 3,5 years. Study in international relationships. In my free time I would like to do sport,travel and help for alone children. I love cars so much especially BMW and Lexus. I like also Japanese and Arabic kitchen and seafood also. I love sweets, candies, cakes and sure chocolate. I would like to have a dog soon and have my own business for example an Italian clothes shop or a beauty salon.
Ideal RelationshipIn men who is a older then me I see only pluses. A big life experience, total independence and sure the behavior to be right in the all situations.
Looking For An Age Group30 - 50


text: The calendar shows all public meetings and City of Shakopee events. Click on an event for more information. If you would like to see events for only a certain category or department, you can select it from one of the drop-down boxes below. You can also subscribe to eNotifications to receive emails about new events posted to the calendar.


text:
Talented actor Vishal Vashishtha puts an end to the rumors about quitting the show Veera.
Popular actor Vishal Vashishtha has won millions of hearts for his character of Baldev in Beyond Dreams Production's popular show Veera on Star Plus. Finally now the viewers are enjoying a love track between Veera (Digangana Suryavanshi) and Baldev. But what came as a shock for us was when we heard that Vishal Vashishtha is quitting the show as the casting director is not happy with the work.
Astonishing? But yes you all heard it right! Baldev aka Vishal Vashishtha is all set to bid adieu to Veera. He will be replaced by actor Arjun Sharma who is making his debut in Television from this show. He has stated the reason that his casting directors are not happy with his work and so he has decided to put down his papers.
Vishal has posted on the social networking site stating, "Guys I leave it Ek Veera Ki Ardaas Veera show after 23days mah casting director it's not happy about mah work hope u like it new lead role act Baldev Singh by Arjun Sharma"
So to clear the air we got in touch with Vishal Vashishtha to know whether it is true or not, for which he ,"No, I have not posted anything as such and I am not leaving the show. It might be somebody else who has posted it. Its shocking for me and that might not be my official account. I hardly get time to surf social networking sites. These are all rumors as I am not quitting Veera."
Well thank you Vishal for clearing the rumor and we are sure that this news will come as sigh of relief for all Vishal's fan.
To know more keep reading the space.


text:
San Mateo, CAUSA Hometown: San Francisco
August 25, 2013
No answer yet
Hi I am Lin
Who We Are: From dining novices to epicurean gourmands, SF Foodies always have a great time enjoying delicious food. Join us to enjoy delicious meals with new friends!
What We Do: SF Foodies share meals at restaurants throughout the Bay Area. Whether it's a fantastic hole-in-the-wall or 3-Michelin star restaurant, we're sure to pay a visit. Reserve a Seat: Ready to pull up a chair? Join us on Nommery! You can reserve a seat at our table for just a buck or get all-inclusive tickets to family style meals!
We look forward to dining with you on www.Nommery.com!
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A 61-year-old man presented with a rare pleural malignant mesothelioma of the spine manifesting as progressive weakness of the bilateral lower extremities, numbness in the body and both legs, and dysfunction of the bladder and bowel. He had previous occupational exposure to asbestos while working at a car repair shop and had undergone right… (More)
OBJECTIVE Approaches to the pulvinar remain challenging because of the depth of the target, surrounding critical neural structures, and complicated arterial and venous relationships. The purpose of this study was to compare the surgical approaches to different parts of the pulvinar and to examine the efficacy of the endoscope as an adjunct to the operating… (More)
- Joji Tokugawa, Narisumi Cho, Hiroharu Suzuki, Natsuki Sugiyama, Osamu Akiyama, Yasuaki Nakao +2 others
- PloS one
- 2015
To investigate the length variation of the posterior auricular artery and propose a novel classification of the posterior auricular artery based on angiographical appearance.
A series of 234 consecutive patients who had undergone conventional cerebral angiography was analyzed. The posterior auricular artery was examined on the… (More)
A Sylvian fissure arachnoid cyst (SAC) is a well-recognized location for an intracranial arachnoid cyst in the pediatric population. For those cysts, which can rupture and be accompanied by a subdural hygroma or hematoma, several treatment modalities have been reported. We report clinical and radiological outcome of fenestration of these cysts by… (More)
A 57-year-old woman suffered sudden onset of thunderclap headache after exposure to phenylpropanolamine (PPA), and subsequently developed posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) complicated by occipital intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) with cerebral vasoconstriction. PPA is well known to be associated with ICH and vasoconstriction, but this case… (More)
A 45-year-old female developed mild dysesthesia and swelling, followed by ptosisand trigeminal pain, in the right side of the face. Her past medical history was unremarkable, and she had not been aware of any infectious sign. A local otolaryngologist administered glucocorticoid therapy that resolved the face pain, but the ptosis persisted. Neurological… (More)
A 25-year-old male presented with unilateral retroorbital dysesthesia persisting for 2 weeks followed by progressive palpebral ptosis without preceding trauma, paranasal sinus surgery, or infectious signs. Neuroophthalmological inspection revealed mildly increased intraocular pressure and exophthalmos on the affected side, without conjunctival chemosis,… (More)
Abdominal abscess is a rare shunt-related complication with few reported cases. A 6-year-old female presented with a large staphylococcal abdominal abscess manifesting as abdominal distension without significant clinical signs or blood and cerebrospinal fluid findings of infection. The patient had undergone repeated surgeries for craniopharyngioma at 2… (More)
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text:
Blog: The just-drinks Weekly Round-Up
Olly Wehring | 11 August 2014
On just-drinks last week:
Sectors: Beer & cider, Soft drinks, Spirits, Water, Wine
In his latest commentary for just-drinks, former drinks analyst Ian Shackleton heads to Brazil to look at 3G's burned fingers, the future worries for Anheuser-Busch InBev and Britvic's samba moves....
Budweiser races to stock Mars bars
For those people looking to the Red Planet as shining utopia away from all things earth, look away now....
When life gives you lemons, make soap
Bacardi's 42 Below vodka brand has found a novel way to use the lemons left over from cocktail-making: Turn them into liquid soap....
Small measures required as Philadelphia soda tax adds up
Philadelphia's soda tax came into force on Sunday, and is reportedly causing a stir in the city's check-out aisles....
Accolade Wines and a giant of the tennis world
Earlier this month, I was most-kindly invited by Accolade Wines to visit the Royal Albert Hall in London. The reason? They wanted to see a tennis great in action, and then give them a guided tour thro...
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text:
Malaysia's economy regained momentum but yearly growth is set to decelerate in 2013. Export recovery into 2014 is expected to offset slower domestic demand and lead to a pick-up in growth. ... See More +
Economic Updates and Modeling 83291 DEC 01, 2013
Sander, Frederico Gil; Jalil, Intan Nadia; Ali, Rabia; Lathapipat, Dilaka; Jithitikulchai, Theepakorn; Taglioni, Daria; Testaverde, Mauro; Ozier, Owen; Ozden, Caglar; del Carpio, Ximena; Zachau, Ulrich; Shetty, Sudhir; Benveniste, Luis; Verghis, Mathew Disclosed
This report aims to address some of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport's (MoEYS) specific concerns in the area of teacher civil service reform as it considers alternatives for the next phase of Cambodia's educational development. ... See More +
Other Education Study 44850 JUN 01, 2008
Benveniste, Luis; Marshall, Jeffery; and Araujo, M. Caridad; Disclosed
Contents of the report are as follows: East Asia education study tour: an overview of key insights by Birger Fredriksen, and Tan Jee Peng. Education in Africa: knowledge makes the difference by Mamadou Ndoye. ... See More +
Publication 43967 APR 29, 2008
Fredriksen, Birger; Peng, Tan Jee; Ndoye, Mamadou; Boon, Goh Chor; Gopinathan, S.; Kinh, Nguyen Quang; Chi, Nguyen Quoc; Lee, Chong Jae;; Benveniste, Luis; O' Hare, Daniel; Disclosed
This paper is organized in the following manner. The first chapter presents a general description of education in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), including trends in educational attainment and school enrollment and variation among population groups. ... See More +
Working Paper 43646 MAR 01, 2008
Benveniste, Luis; Marshall, Jeffery; Santibañez, Lucrecia Disclosed
Educational attainment and literacy rates in Lao PDR have improved significantly. Years of education research have established that, after family background, teachers are one of the most important determinants of student outcomes. ... See More +
Other Education Study 42971 JAN 01, 2007
Benveniste , Luis ; Marshall , Jeffery ; Santibanez , Lucrecia Disclosed
Title | Document Date | Report No. | Document Type | Also available in |
Malaysia economic monitor : high-performing education (English) See More + | DEC 01, 2013 | 83291 | Economic Updates and Modeling | |
Teaching in Cambodia (English) See More + | JUN 01, 2008 | 44850 | Other Education Study | |
An African exploration of the East Asian education experience (English) See More + | APR 29, 2008 | 43967 | Publication | |
Teaching in Lao PDR (English) See More + | MAR 01, 2008 | 43646 | Working Paper | |
Teaching in Lao PDR (English) See More + | JAN 01, 2007 | 42971 | Other Education Study |


text:
In the Traffic Design Competition Vol. 2 - Design as Reform, the design proposal MOSQUE IS MORE by Brusselssprout was selected as Finalist in the Mosque Category. The international competition, organized by Dubai-based art and design organization traffic, called architects, collectives, designers, students, studios and enthusiasts of art and design to submit entries in the four categories mosque (architecture), majlis (interior design), pattern (graphic design), and public installation (experimental design).
Concept description
MOSQUE IS MORE. Islam (building) reflects the stark simplicity of the Arabian desert where it was born. According to the teachings of Islam, a simple life (building) is one, which is free from all sorts of items of mere show and formality. A Muslim (building) is not expected to spend his wealth to exhibit grandeur and riches. It is however to be noted that the standard of simplicity varies from each person according to individual status, vocation etc. and as such one common standard cannot be fixed for the whole society. The main object of leading a simple life (building) is not to spend on items of mere external show. Faith (light) should be the protagonist.
"Architecture is the learned game, correct and magnificent, of forms assembled in the light."—Charles Édouard Jeanneret-Gris


text:
Henry Ford Hospice
About Henry Ford Hospice
One Ford Plaza, Suite 2ADetroit, MI 48202
Phone: (313) 874-6000
Fax: (313) 874-6032
Service Area for Henry Ford Hospice
We don't have the exact service area for Henry Ford Hospice. Based on the average area most agencies cover, the agency is very likely to provide services to the area in green and less likely to provide services further outside this area. Be sure to contact the agency to make sure they provide services in your area.
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America is running out of people who can do essential work
It is like stepping into an earlier age. The scene is the shop floor of the A & A Tool Co. in southern Connecticut, and the spectacle is of American precision craftsmanship tooling up for the 1980s. The vision is not an encouraging one. Jammed between noisy lathes and oily drill presses stand a dozen men, some far into middle age. Like acolytes of a dying devotion, they practice the art of machinemaking, using skills and techniques that have not changed much in...
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Gina AngelinaModel Female Brooklyn, New York, USMy MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/ginaangelina
Mayhem # 1789374
About MeI'm not your average Blond! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.Although I tend to shoot toward the edgy style, I can priss it up and be a "beauty Queen" I Love working with new photographers, especially if we share the same vision. I am also an artist so the more creative the better. I love to travel and I take every opportunity to experience something new. I have lived in Florida for the past 11years and now I've made my move to New York City where I hope to gain more exposure in the industry and make my mark on the modeling scene. Please visit my website www.ginaangelina.com and contact me through my contact page if you're intrested in booking a gig RATES: Casual: $100.00 Lingerie: $150.00 Implied/Topless: $250.00 Nude: $500.00 Will except jobs outside of NYC as long as you pay the travel cost. Only will do TFP jobs if I feel as though your work will improve my portfolio CreditsHave you worked with Gina Angelina? Add Credits for Gina Angelina! >>Credit NotesJenn Elizabeth Photography - MM#1046521Friends


text:
Q&A: Robotics as a tool to understand the brain
- Daniel M Wolpert1Email author and
- J Randall Flanagan2
© Wolpert and Flanagan; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010
Received: 8 June 2010
Accepted: 28 June 2010
Published: 23 July 2010
What type of robots are we talking about?
Although humanoid robots are often in the press, most robotic devices found in neuroscience labs around the world are specialized devices for controlling stimuli and creating virtual environments. Most robots consist of a series of links that allow the end of the robotic interface to move either in a two-dimensional plane or three-dimensional space, and look more like a fancy Anglepoise lamp than a human. The configuration of the robot is tracked with sensors at a high rate and computer-controlled motors can change the configuration of the robot. In this way the neuroscientist can control the position of the robot and the forces applied by the robotic interface.
What can these robots do?
What sorts of things can these robots simulate?
Although the mapping between state and force is arbitrary, in practice, experiments tend to fall into several distinct types. In many studies of haptic exploration, the robotic interface is used to simulate static objects such as a sphere. This can be achieved by simulating the surface of the object as a stiff spring that generates forces perpendicular to the surface. In this way, the harder you try to push into the surface the more the stiff spring is extended and the larger the resistive force. In motor control studies, robots are often used to simulate physical objects that move when force is applied and therefore have dynamics. Although it is possible to construct real objects with different shapes, surface compliance and dynamics, this is often a painstaking process and is limited in flexibility. By using robots, objects with a wide range of properties can be rendered and changed in real time. Moreover, it is possible to create objects with unusual properties, which are especially useful for studies of learning. For example, numerous studies of motor learning have used objects that, when moved in a horizontal plane, generate forces proportional to hand speed and directed orthogonal to the current direction of hand movement. These objects, referred to as viscous curl force-fields (so-called because one can plot the force vectors as a function of the state - in this case velocity of the hand), have allowed neuroscientists to study motor learning in highly novel situations unlikely to have been experienced outside the lab. In addition, robotic interfaces can be used to constrain movements of the hand to particular paths through space, apply force pulses and perturbations to the arm during movement, and move a person's arm passively around the workspace.
Which fields in neuroscience have been advanced by the use of robotics?
Four fields have been substantially aided by the use of robotic interfaces. The study of haptics aims to understand how tactile and other somatosensory inputs are processed. Second, the field of sensorimotor control focuses on how the brain controls movements of both the body and objects the body interacts with, and how we learn new motor skills. Third, the field of rehabilitation therapy aims to understand how to facilitate recovery from various insults to the system such as stroke or spinal cord injury. Finally, the burgeoning field of brain-machine interfaces seeks to develop techniques by which the brain can directly control external devices.
Can you give some examples of how robotics has advanced haptics research?
When you run your finger over a horizontal surface and feel a bump, what processes lead to the perception of the bump? It could be that perception of the bump is based on the position of the finger, which rises and then falls as it goes over the bump. Alternatively, perception of the bump could be based on horizontal force acting on the finger that resists and then assists lateral motion of the finger as it goes up and then down the bump, respectively. Testing these hypotheses was achieved using a simple robotic interface that could simulate horizontal forces to resist and then assist the finger, as though it were going over a bump, critically while maintaining the finger in the horizontal plane at all times. Surprisingly, the percept was that of a bump, indicating that the force cues were important.
Another key question is how haptic information is combined with other information such as visual inputs to form a single percept. When we pick up a viewed object, we receive both haptic and visual information about its width. An optimal estimator, which aims to estimate the object's width with the smallest error (that is, optimally), would combine these two sources of information using a weighted average where the weighting of each source depends on its reliability. By attaching the ends of two lightweight robots to the tip of the index finger and thumb, it is possible to simulate objects and control the width experienced haptically. By combining this robotic setup with a virtual-reality visual display, a recent study created objects with different haptic and visual widths and was able to determine the weighting given to each source of information in the perception of width, weightings that matched the predictions of an optimal estimator.
To examine the first stages of tactile processing, very fine control over the tactile input is required. By developing a robotic interface that can precisely control the position and orientation of a tactile probe over time, and combining tactile stimulation with microneurography (recordings from tactile afferent nerves), it has been possible to show in humans that the timing of first spikes from tactile primary afferents carry a great deal of information about properties of the object being contacted, such as curvature and friction.
How has the study of sensorimotor control been advanced?
There are two areas in which robotic interfaces have been of particular use - the study of motor learning and of stiffness control. To study motor learning it is important in the lab to present participants with tasks they have not seen outside the lab. Robots have been vital in enabling a range of new tasks to be studied. For example, studies of how people adapt their reaching movement when moving an object with unusual dynamics have led to an understanding of how dynamics are represented, how this representation changes on a trial-by-trial basis with experience, and how different tasks interfere with or facilitate each other. Robots have also been important for studying stiffness control, the ability to stiffen our limbs through muscle co-contraction in order to deal with unpredictable loads. Robots can be used to measure arm stiffness by rapidly shifting the position of the arm and measuring the restoring forces before reflexive mechanisms are activated that influence the muscle forces. By perturbing the hand in different directions, it is possible to build up a picture of the stiffness of the human arm in different directions. Such studies have shown that people control their stiffness in a complex way and can tune their stiffness, although to a limited extent, so as to match their stiffness optimally to the task at hand.
How has the study of rehabilitation therapy been advanced?
Much of the work done by physiotherapists in rehabilitation involves direct physical interactions between the therapist and the patient that are difficult to quantify precisely. This can make it challenging to test between different therapies. Several research groups are currently assessing whether robotic systems can be used for rehabilitation. The basic idea is that the patient is attached to a robot that can partially assist the patient's movements. As the patient improves, the contribution of the robot can be decreased. The patient is encouraged to play a range of movement games. Results from such studies, which can be quantified both by the robotic interface and standard tests, are encouraging, and it is likely that we will see an increasing involvement of such devices in the clinic. In the future, robots will probably be an important tool for physiotherapists that will enable them to quantify performance and design tailor-made robotic therapies.
How has the study of brain-machine interfaces been advanced?
Over the past few years there has been substantial interest in trying to extract meaningful information from signals recorded from the brain to control external devices. The main driving force for this research is to develop devices that will allow patients with neural impairments, including spinal cord injury and motor neuron disease, as well as amputees to effect movement. The idea is to record the pattern of activity of neurons in brain areas such as motor cortex, and use this activity to either drive the muscles directly or control a robotic device. In addition to such medical uses, the military also has an interest in allowing normal brains to directly control hardware. Several groups have now graduated from using neural signals to driving cursor movement on a screen to using the signals to drive a robotic system, with some groups using implanted arrays in nonhuman primate cortex to control a robot that the animal uses to feed itself. At present, such systems do not fully close the loop; while the animal can see the robotic interface, and therefore guide it visually, effective tactile feedback, which may allow a finer manipulation ability, has yet to be fully developed.
What type of commercial robots are there?
To our knowledge the first robotic interface that had a major impact on sensorimotor neuroscience was developed in the 1980s by Neville Hogan's group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They developed a planar two-degree-of-freedom manipulandum with a handle that subjects could hold and move around and that could perturb the hand during reaching movements. Since then, several extensions of this basic design have reached the market. A device that has been particularly popular for haptic research is the Phantom Haptic Interface developed by SensAble Technologies. Although limited in the forces it can generate, this device is very lightweight and its endpoint can be positioned and oriented in three-dimensional space. Whereas these systems apply forces to the hand, one device has been developed especially to apply torques directly to the segments of the arm. This exoskeletal device, called the Kinarm, allows precise control over the torques delivered to individual joints, allowing more control over the types of perturbations that can be investigated. In addition, there is a range of more anthropomorphic robots, such as the Sarcos system, that are used as test beds for hypotheses about the way that humans control the body.
What does the future hold for the use of robots in neuroscience?
Today, robots are where computers were 30 years ago. That is, they are highly specialized and expensive devices found in a handful of labs around the world and require considerable expertise to use. However, we expect that in the years ahead, robots will become affordable, flexible and easy to use and that many labs will employ a range of robotic devices for neuroscience experiments and as a theoretical test bed.
Where can I find out more? (final Q&A question)
This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust, SENSOPAC (IST-2005-028056), the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Authors' Affiliations
- Atkeson CG, Hale J, Pollick F, Riley M, Kotosaka S, Schaal S, Shibata T, Tevatia G, Vijayakumar S, Ude A, Kawato M: Using humanoid robots to study human behavior. IEEE Intelligent Systems: Special Issue on Humanoid Robotics. 2000, 15: 46-56.View ArticleGoogle Scholar
- Burdet E, Osu R, Franklin D, Milner T, Kawato M: The central nervous system stabilizes unstable dynamics by learning optimal impedance. Nature. 2001, 414: 446-449. 10.1038/35106566.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Ernst MO, Banks M: Humans integrate visual and haptic information in a statistically optimal fashion. Nature. 2002, 415: 429-433. 10.1038/415429a.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Howard I, Ingram J, Wolpert D: A modular planar robotic manipulandum with end-point torque control. J Neurosci Methods. 2009, 181: 199-211. 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2009.05.005.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Ingram JN, Howard IS, Flanagan JR, Wolpert DM: Multiple grasp-specific representations of tool dynamics mediate skillful manipulation. Curr Biol. 2010, 20: 618-623. 10.1016/j.cub.2010.01.054.PubMed CentralView ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Johansson RS, Birznieks I: First spikes in ensembles of human tactile afferents code complex spatial fingertip events. Nat Neurosci. 2004, 7: 170-177. 10.1038/nn1177.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Lackner J, DiZio P: Motor control and learning in altered dynamic environments. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2005, 15: 653-639. 10.1016/j.conb.2005.10.012.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Robles-De-La-Torre G, Hayward V: Force can overcome object geometry in the perception of shape through active touch. Nature. 2001, 412: 445-448. 10.1038/35086588.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Schaal S, Schweighofer N: Computational motor control in humans and robots. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2005, 15: 675-682. 10.1016/j.conb.2005.10.009.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
- Scott S: Apparatus for measuring and perturbing shoulder and elbow joint positions and torques during reaching. J Neurosci Methods. 1999, 89: 119-127. 10.1016/S0165-0270(99)00053-9.View ArticlePubMedGoogle Scholar
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Over 20 years ago, I was at a relative's house in the country and he made a crazy statement (which he appeared to believe) that all Japanese were Jewish, and that was why they were in the process of controlling all the car manufacturing in the world, just like they were controlling the entertainment and banking industries.
My relative was a truck driver in his 50s, and he made this statement as if what he was saying had a certain level of profoundness to it. Under normal circumstances, when not involved in "intellectual" debate, he was a very nice man and good father. The statement was offensive on many levels. It was racist, stereotyped people, and was just plain wrong. So wrong it was hard to believe.
"Are you kidding? That is not true at all! They are Buddhist!" I screamed. I was about 16 at the time and absolutely amazed at what I was hearing.
He was a big burly man, probably close to 300 pounds of fat and muscle, and he punched me in the side of the head hard enough that he knocked me out. I am not sure how long I was out. Incredibly, when I regained consciousness, he was still involved in this debate with a couple of other people who were talking like nothing had happened. Those men were sitting outside on picnic tables and plastic folding chairs while all of the women were inside cooking. Seeing stars, I took a seat back on the picnic table next to my uncle while I regained my composure.
After a few moments, I looked up at him. "What the hell!?" I muttered, still semi-conscious.
"You need to keep your mouth shut and not talk about stuff you know nothing about!" he said.
I told my mother about this experience when we were driving home. I was incredulous I'd been punched for asserting the entire nation of Japan was not Jewish, and I expressed profound disappointment at being related to these people. My mother is pretty smart. She said something to me I will never forget. A close relative of hers she'd grown up with–I'll call her "Patty"–had married this man. My mother told me Patty had been very beautiful and also very intelligent when they were growing up. She said Patty could have married any man she wanted and instead chose to marry the truck driver. In fact, Patty's sister had married a man who was the owner of a large bank and they lived an upper crust lifestyle with boats, fancy cars, mansions, and frequent extravagant foreign vacations. At family events at Patty's house, they would look with disdain at the cars on the front lawn and practically shudder at the bad grammar exchanged by Patty and her friends.
My mother told me Patty had much more going for her than my mother ever did or her sister ever did.
"She chose the life she has," my mother said. "She could have had any life she wanted, and she chose this life. We were actually talking about this after I found out about you getting knocked out because I was a little upset, too. Patty said she could have had a different life, but this is the one she chose."
Since I was young at the time, this was a pivotal event for me. I realized right then and there we are in complete control of our lives and what happens to us. It is all about what we choose.
We choose the lives we lead and we choose what happens to us. You have the power to choose in your life, and where you are today is the result of the decisions you made long ago. Think back on your life 10, 20, or more years. Where were you back then? What were you doing? Where are you now compared to where you were back then?
We have the power to choose the lives we lead and what happens to us. We choose:
The number of things we choose is phenomenal. We choose our lives and what happens to us and shape our own destinies. Most people are more interested in blaming outside events and circumstances for what happens to them in their lives. The truth is what happens to us is almost completely the result of the decisions we make. We are in charge of our own lives and our decisions shape our entire existence.
One of the most important times we are forced to choose is when we are in the position of losing a job or deciding between jobs. This is a time when a lot of people find themselves stressed out and are forced to figure out what they need to do with themselves. People react to stress in different ways. Some people start to drink a lot or use drugs. Others start exercising a lot. Others avoid people who may ask them about what they are doing. Your decision about how to deal with stress and your job search is something that can and will permanently shape your destiny and what happens to you in your life. How are you going to deal with losing a job?
When some people lose a job, they decide to sue their employer. While many law suits against employers are legitimate, most I have seen are not. I make this judgment from having been an attorney who represented both employees and employers. People sue their employers because they decide someone other than them is responsible for their job and their livelihood. People make this decision to go after their employer and often spend years not working and involved in a bitter lawsuit. In the interim, they do not even look for a job. In some cases, they do not want to find a job because if they find one, they will receive fewer damages from their lawsuit.
Other people who lose a job take a different approach. Instead of being angry with their employer, they may be angry with themselves. They may withdraw and stop trying. They allow this experience to have such a negative effect on them they stop trying their hardest. This is a very common reaction as well.
Others who lose jobs may launch a new business, go back to school, or try to get even better jobs than the ones they lost. These are all decisions as well. You need to choose to make empowering decisions in your life and your career.
In 1980, Candy Lightner's 13-year-old daughter, Cari, was killed by a drunk driver as she walked down the street. Instead of feeling sorry for her daughter and herself, Lightner chose to found Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to crusade against the problem of drunk drivers.
"I promised myself on the day of Cari's death that I would fight to make this needless homicide count for something positive in the years ahead," Candy Lightner later wrote. Her organization rapidly rose to national prominence and Lightner appeared on major national television shows, addressed numerous groups around the country, testified before the government, and worked to promote new legislation. She chose to take action in a way which empowered the world and made a difference rather than allowing outside events to negatively influence her.
A similar story exists for John Walsh. Walsh is the host of America's Most Wanted. Walsh was a successful businessman living in Hollywood, Florida, and the partner in an important hotel management company. On July 27, 1981, Walsh's wife left their son Adam in the toy department of Sears while she went to look for a lamp. Sixteen days later, Adam's severed head was found in a drainage canal more than 120 miles from the mall, according to an account on the America's Most Wanted website.
Walsh's search for justice and his determination to never let Adam's death be in vain led him to fight back like few other Americans ever have. Although he's never held political office, Walsh has been the driving force behind major pieces of child protection legislation. His hard work led to Walsh being honored five times by four presidents: Ronald Reagan (twice), George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. One of Walsh's proudest moments was when he and his wife Revè stood beside President George W. Bush, as the "Adam Walsh Child Protection & Safety Act" was signed into law on the 25th anniversary of Adam's murder.
Walsh became the host of America's Most Wanted after much of his crusade. The story of Walsh is one of someone who made a decision about how to react to a negative event, and this decision made a huge impact on his life and the world. Think about the things that have happened in your life and the decisions you have made in response to them. What have you done with the things that have happened to you? How can you take a negative and use it to empower the world?
People have so many reasons for not succeeding. Most of them have to do with people and forces outside of ourselves over which we have no control. It is how people react to the world through the decisions they make that ultimately empowers us and changes our place in the world. This is what you need to do.
The greatest weakness most people have is they never make a commitment to back up their decision. Making a decision is the most powerful thing you can do, but it must be backed up with the power of commitment. You can never do anything or reach great heights if you do not commit to what you're doing. Most people never truly utilize the power of commitment.
There is a huge difference between simply being interested in something and committing to it. For example, Lightner and Walsh certainly had every reason to be interested in putting drunk drivers in jail and finding child killers. They committed to something and made a decision they would fight for what they believed in. Their decisions are what made all of the difference.
In 1519, Hernan Cortes anchored his 11 ships off the Yucatán Peninsula. At the time, the Aztecs, who had tens of thousands of soldiers, ruled Mexico. In contrast, Cortes had only 608 men, 16 horses, and a few cannons. Cortes was committed to win the battle despite having so few men. He made the decision he was going to go back to Spain a winner. Cortes ordered his men off the ships and to shore.
In the middle of the night, people screaming "Fire!" awakened the soldiers. They rose from their sleep and saw all 11 ships burning out in the water. The men rushed to the row boats to go fight the fire. But Cortés stopped them. He told the soldiers he had ordered all of the ships burned. They had no way to retreat. That was the message Cortés sent to his soldiers. They had to win. There was no choice.
Under Cortes, just 608 men, 16 horses, and a few cannons conquered the Aztecs. The power of decision, backed up by commitment, made this incredible feat possible. Cortes made sure his troops were as committed as they could possibly be and that they had no means of retreat.
Most of us decide to do something but deep down we keep the possibility of retreat as an option. What I get out of the story of Cortés, and what makes it so remarkable to me, is it shows how many of us never really truly commit to anything and any decision we make. The people who achieve the most in this life are the people like Cortés, Lightner, and Walsh who make decisions and then proceed to follow through with them. There is so much power in making decisions and making these decisions with commitment. We may have an interest in doing something or want to make a commitment to something. However, very few of us ever follow through. We must follow through and commit. This is the difference between mediocrity and greatness–commitment to a decision.
Many people are tormented by their inability to make a decision and commit. Soap operas are a perfect example of this. Lives are wrecked over and over again by the inability to commit. No one ever knows who they want to be with in soap operas, and relationships are never characterized by commitment. Everyone is always crying, and entire stories are tragic and insane. The only reasons these stories are so nuts is because the characters in them simply can never commit. You need to commit to succeed. You can go back and forth in:
When you do not commit to a decision about what you want to do, however, you will never have clarity. Instead, you will be in a state of perpetual confusion. This is how most people live their lives. Making a decision and committing to it gives you clarity. Clarity gives you power. Most people say words like "I'll see how it works out" or "I'll give it a try." This is not what you should be doing. You should say "I am doing this!" and move forward by taking action. This is the only way to be empowered by your decisions.
There is a huge danger if you do not make decisions about your life and stand behind them: your life will be made and shaped by someone else. This is what happens to most people. They allow their complete existence to be shaped by someone else. Is this really what you want? You should be the one shaping your life and deciding exactly what happens to you. Do not let others and the world decide what happens to you.
The people who become movie stars, presidents, CEOs, and incredible people in different professions do not just suddenly end up in these positions due to a combination of luck and fate. They generally reach these heights of success because they decide this is what they want and make a commitment to it. You need to realize you have the power to be whomever you want when you decide to do this. Decide what you want for your life and take action.
The most amazing thing about your career is it controls so much of what happens in your life. It controls where you live, the people with whom you socialize, where your kids go to school, how excited you are to go to work in the morning, the kind of car you drive, how many days a week you work, how much you work when you are working, and more. Your career is such an incredibly important thing. Where you are today in your career is due to the power of decisions you made in your life over the past 10 years. You have the power to change the next 10 years and make them even better than the last by the decisions you make today. You need to make decisions that will empower you and create the life you are entitled to and deserve. Start making decisions based on what you want, and do not want, and commit to those decisions today.
For a step-by-step guide to transforming your career in just 44 days—including interviewing, where to find jobs people are not applying to, negotiating the best offers and strategies for the on-the-job success—check out Harrison Barnes' Career Transformation System.
In this article Harrison discusses how your life is controlled by your decisions and your commitment to them. You have the power to choose in your life, and your decisions shape your entire existence. You need to choose to make empowering decisions in your life and your career. You need to make a commitment to back up your decision. People who achieve the most are those people who make decisions and then proceed to follow through with them. There is so much power in making decisions and making these decisions with commitment. If you do not make decisions about your life and stand behind them, your life will be made and shaped by someone else. Do not let others and the world decide what happens to you. Decide what you want for your life and commit to those decisions today.
Filed Under : Featured, Life Lessons
Tagged: banking industries, car manufacturing, career blog | a harrison barnes, CEO, choice, choice of a job, circumstances, commitment, decisions, employer, empower, find a job, hotel management, job search, job search advice, making decision, power of commitment, retreat, stress, success, taking control of your destiny, truck driver
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Rogue traders and fraudsters were targeted during a week-long operation.
Operation Rogue Trader involved officers from Sutton police, trading standards, the UK Border Agency and Sutton Council hunting down the con-artists.
The fraudsters target vulnerable people by purporting to be from legitimate companies but then doing sub-standard work or not doing work at all.
During the drive earlier this month officers spoke with more than 300 people in Sutton High Street to find out their concerns and get information on scams.
It led to one arrest and more than £600 in fines being collected.
The drive was part of the national Operation Liberal, an annual campaign.
Detective Inspector David Ball, of operation Liberal, said: "Thanks to the effective partnership between police forces, trading standards teams and other key agencies, Operation Rogue Trader has become a well-established annual campaign focusing on a pattern of offending which deliberately targets the most vulnerable members of our communities, and most often the elderly."
People have been advised not to trust door-to-door callers and to contact companies themselves using the Sutton Safer Trader scheme.
Mary Morrissey, the council's strategic director for environment and neighbourhoods, said: "Operation Rogue Trader is just one of the ways we are ensuring that Sutton remains a safe and fair borough
"People should always be wary of cold callers and use our Sutton Safer Trader scheme which ensures all trades people have undergone stringent background checks"
Visit www.sutton.gov.uk to find out more about the safer trader scheme.
- UPDATE: Lorry spillage causes TWO crashes on A23 Purley Way
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- NEW POUND COIN: Send your photos of 12-sided £1 and guess what 'secret' security feature is
- Prisoner rehabilitation charity wins social enterprise award


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Notes from my 3/9/2014 sermon at Faith Fellowship, West Hartford, CT.
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the believers in Colossae to help them resist the influence of world. Part of that resistance is to shift our focus to Christ.
Colossians 3:1-11
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the
things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of
God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not
on things that are on earth.3 For you have died,
and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When
Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with
him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is
earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,
and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On
account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In
these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But
now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander,
and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one
another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its
practices 10 and have put on the new
self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its
creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew,
circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but
Christ is all, and in all.
Verse 1 -
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Everything Paul says in this scripture only applies to
those who genuinely have been saved from their sins through faith in Christ.
Therefore Paul begins with the word "If."
So much of scripture only applies to those who are
believers so it is of paramount importance that we make sure we are genuine
believers in Christ.
Paul reminds us that IF we are genuine believers in
Christ, then we should be seeking "things that are above."
What does "things that are above" mean?
Verse 2 -
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Notice the change from "seek" in verse 1 to
"set your minds" in verse 2.
This emphasizes the mental reorientation which new
life in Christ requires.
Paul uses the Greek word phronein (φρονεῖν) for the phrase "set your minds."
This word conveys the idea of devoting our whole
mental activity to something, not just occasionally thinking about it.
When we first begin to feel God tugging at our hearts,
we begin to seek spiritual connection with Him.
But once we find it, then we must set our minds on
strengthening that spiritual connection for the rest of our lives.
There are far too many Christians who are satisfied
with just being saved. They do not realize that we are saved to SERVE and
to continually DEEPEN our walk with Christ.
If setting our minds on God means we have devoted our
mental activity on Him all the time, not just occasionally, how do we
realistically do that while we live real lives in a real world that could care
less about Jesus?
Verse 3 -
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
For us to be able to set our minds on the things of
God, we must die to self. This is much harder than it sounds because we tend to
like ourselves a lot.
That is why Paul also talks about our lives being
hidden in Christ. The Greek word for hidden is krypto (κρύπτω), which means to escape notice.
Though our sins are many, while we are learning to die
to self, those sins have escaped God's notice because we are in Christ, that is
what GRACE is all about. Thank God for GRACE!
Not only has God forgiven our sins, but when our lives
are hidden in Christ, when God looks at us, He sees Christ instead of us. Oh,
what a glorious thought!!!!
We may feel unworthy of both forgiveness and of this
gift of Christ-likeness, and indeed, we are all unworthy, but that is what
GRACE is all about.
We should not
take GRACE for granted, but thank God for it every day and seek to live worthy
of this wonderful gift we have been given.
Verse 4 -
When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with
him in glory.
Theologically, this verse is referring to the return
of Christ.
When Christ comes back, we will be caught up into
glory with Him.
But there is an application that can be made apart of
the theological meaning.
Many people live their entire lives seeking glory,
fame, prestige, respect, or honor for themselves. They live under the constant
pressure of that endless pursuit of glory.
As Christians we must get off of that high pressure
road to self-glory and instead seek the glory of Christ in our lives.
When people begin to see Christ in us, something
amazing happens, we finally find the respect we sought all along.
The great majority of Christians will never be famous,
but as we live for the glory of Christ, we quietly change the world and will be
remembered by those who come after us as being part of something big that God
Verse 5 -
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:
Part of living for the glory of Christ is learning to
put to death the things in our lives that take away from Christ's glory.
Verses 5-9 list examples of some of the things we need
to get rid of in our lives.
Lists like this help us think of specific attitudes or
actions we should try to eliminate from our lives.
But we must not focus on the list itself, because
another person could make a completely different list that would be just as
It is not that we should ignore such lists, but the
point Paul is making is that if we set our minds on Christ, then such lists
will automatically be dealt with in our lives.
Verse 10
- . . . put on the new self, which is being renewed in
knowledge after the image of its creator
Paul is trying to shift our focus from the bad things
we should not do, to the good things that God wants us to do.
We often get hung up on lists of dos and don'ts, when
we should be trying to have a renewed knowledge of Christ.
We cannot have a renewed knowledge of Christ if we
know little about Christ.
WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) sounds great, but for far
too many of us, we do not have a clue what Jesus would do because we have not
invested enough time learning about and focusing on the life of Christ.
As we learn about the life of Christ, our minds are
renewed and out of that sense of renewal, we can change our behaviors and
actions to be more like Christ.
Verse 11
- Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
The church in Colossae included people from a wide
variety of backgrounds.
It was very easy to focus on people's backgrounds instead
of their position in Christ.
The ground is level of the foot of the cross and as we
focus on Christ alone, our backgrounds and social status melt away.
In the end, Christ is all that matters, so let us
focus our minds on Him and watch our lives change as we do something BIG for
We must make sure we are genuine Christians in order
for the spiritual life to be of any benefit.
We must focus our minds on Christ in order to become
what God wants us to be.
We must thank God for His grace as our sins are hidden
in Christ and the righteousness of Christ rests on us while we get our minds
We must learn as much as we can about Christ and turn
all the glory back to Him in order to do something big for God.


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With a wide breadth of products, from entry level up through luxury, and a geographic reach that stretches across the country, DR Horton's quarterly reports can provide a good gauge of how the new home sales market is faring. And for the three-month period ending June, which is the company's third quarter, things continue to improve after a strong second quarter.
Among the highlight from the company's earnings release:
- Net sales orders increased 25% in value to $3.0 billion and 22% in homes to 10,398
- Homes closed increased 37% in value to $2.9 billion and 28% in homes to 9,856
- Sales order backlog increased 15% in value to $3.7 billion and 12% in homes to 12,761
- Pre-tax income increased 94% to $333.8 million
- Pre-tax profit margin improved 330 basis points to 11.3%
- Net income increased 96% to $221.4 million, or $0.60 per diluted share
- Cash flow from operations for the nine months ended June 30, 2015 improved $762.3 million to $188.6 million
In the release, Donald R. Horton, Chairman of the Board, credited the company's diversity of product offering with its strong sales growth.
"Solid performance in our three core brands is enabling us to capitalize on market opportunities and continue to expand our industry-leading market share," he said. "We are well-positioned to finish our fiscal year strong and have an even stronger fiscal 2016 with 12,761 homes in backlog, a robust community count, finished lot supply and inventory of homes available for sale and our diversified D.R. Horton, Emerald Homes and Express Homes product offerings. We remain intently focused on growing our revenues and profits at a double-digit pace, while generating improved returns and continued positive cash flows."
Orders in the Southwest, Southeast, East, South Central, West and Midwest rose 44%, 35%, 19%, 16%, 11% and 5%, respectively, according to Rehaut.
"Notably, the company reported 11.9% year-over-year order growth in order ASPs in its South Central region (which includes Texas), indicating that the demand in the Lone Star State remains resilient despite concerns surrounding the energy industry," wrote Raymond James' Buck Horne.
The emergence of the Express line of entry-level homes didn't seem to affects Toll's pricing. "Despite its increased focus on the entry level through its Express brand, ASP +6% YOY reflecting the strong pricing trends across its business," wrote UBS' Susan Maklari.
Analysts React
Reaction to Horton's performance was mixed. Horne called the performance "strong" and Maklari said the company had another impressive quarter, while J.P. Morgan's Michael Rehaut said orders were actually below expectation.
"While EPS was solidly above the street and our estimate, we expect only a modestly positive reaction by the stock today, as we believe orders were slightly below investor expectations as well as our estimate, while gross margins [at 19.9%] were in-line with our estimate and company guidance," Rehaut wrote.
Still analysts remain sold on Horton's size and strategy going forward. "Management continues to expect demand will improve, consistent with our view that the recovery remains on track and is gradually transitioning to the next stage of improvement," Maklari wrote.
Rehaut likes the company's Express strategy. "We maintain our Neutral rating on DHI, as we believe DHI's valuation is reasonable relative to our outlook for above-average order growth and solid execution with regards to its growth strategy of more aggressively addressing the first-time buyer across its broad geographic footprint," he wrote.