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Template:QuranRelated Tafsīr (Arabic: تفسير, tafsīr, "interpretation") is the Arabic word for exegesis, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to assigning a specific meaning, often derived from inspiration or dreams, to some of the allegorical ayaat. An author of tafsir is a mufassir (Arabic: 'مُفسر, mufassir, plural: Arabic: مفسرون, mufassirūn).
- 1 Etymology
- 2 History
- 3 Methodology
- 4 Schools of tafsir
- 5 Written Tafsirs
- 6 See also
- 7 Sources
The word tafsīr is derived from the Arabic root, F-S-R which means to explain, to expound, to disclose.[1] In Islamic contexts, it is defined as understanding and uncovering the Will of Allah which has been conveyed by the Qur'anic text, by means of the Arabic language and one's own knowledge.[2] This definition includes;
- determining the style of the text and its eloquence
- defining unknown or otherwise less used words
- the clarification of the meanings of verses
- extraction of laws and rulings
- explaining the underlying thoughts in metaphors and figurative speech
- reconciling verses that seem contradictory
- finding out the underlying reasons for parables
The first examples of tafsir can be traced back to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. During his prophethood, as the Qur'an was revealed to him, he recited the verses to his companions, usually explaining their meanings to teach them. It must be noted that this is one of Muhammad's responsibilities.[3] Elements of Muhammad's explanations are;
- Clarifying verses whose intents are not understood
- Indication of names, places, times etc. which have not been mentioned in the verse
- Restriction of meanings which have been given as absolute
- Reconciling expressions which seem contradictory
Although scholars including ibn Taymiyyah claim that Muhammad has commented on the whole of the Qur'an, others including Ghazali cite the limited amount of narratives, thus indicating that he has commented only on a portion of the Qur'an. These interpretations have not been collected independently in a book, rather, they have been recorded in hadith books, under the topic of tafsir, along with other narrations of Muhammad.[4]
Sahabah (companions of Muhammad)
After the death of Muhammad, his companisions, the Sahabah, undertook the task of interpretation, thus starting a new age in tafsir. Most of the Sahabah, including Abu Bakr, refrained from commenting with their personal views, and only narrated comments by Muhammad. Others including ibn Abbas used their own knowledge from the Arabic language to interpret the Qur'an. At this stage, the Qur'an was still not fully interpreted, and commentaries were not separated from the hadith collection nor written separately, mainly due to other occupations such as the collection of the Qur'an.[5]
Successors (tabi'in and beyond)
By the time of the next generations ensuing the Sahabah, the tabi'in scholars started using a wide range of sources for tafsir. The whole of the Qur'an is interpreted, and narrations are separated from tafsir into separate books and literature. Grammatical explanations and historical data are preserved within these books; personal opinions are recorded, whether accepted or rejected.
The mufasireen (exegetes) listed 15 fields that must be mastered before one can authoritatively interpret the Quran[citation needed]
- Classical Arabic: Is how one learns the meaning of each word. Mujahid (rah) said, "It is not permissible for one who holds faith in Allah and the Day of Judgment to speak on the Quran without learning classical Arabic." In this respect, it should be known that classical Arabic must be mastered in its entirety because one word may have various meanings; a person may only know two or three of them whereas the meaning of that word in the Quran may be altogether different.
- Arabic Philology: Is important because any change in the diacritical marks affects the meaning, and understanding the diacritical marks depends on the science of Arabic philology.
- Arabic morphology: is important because changes in the configuration of verb and noun forms change the meaning. Ibn Faris said, "A person who misses out on Arabic morphology has missed out on a lot."
- Al-Ishtiqaaq: should be learned because sometimes one word derives from two root words, the meaning of each root word being different. This is the science of etymology which explains the reciprocal relation and radical composition between the root and derived word. For example, masih derives from the root word masah which means "to feel something and to touch something with a wet hand," but also derives from the root word masaahat which means "to measure."
- Ilm-ul-Ma'ani: is the science by which one figures the syntax through the meaning of a sentence.
- Ilm-ul-Bayaan: is the science by which one learns the similes, metaphors, metonymies, zuhoor (evident meanings) and khafa (hidden meanings) of the Arabic language.
- Ilm-ul-Badi': The science by which one learns to interpret sentences which reveal the beauty and eloquence of the spoken and written word. The above mentioned three sciences are categorized as Ilm-ul-Balagha (science of rhetoric). It is one of the most important sciences to a mufassir because he is able to reveal the miraculous nature of the Quran through these three sciences.
- Ilm-ul-Qira't: Dialecticisms of the different readings of the Quran. This science is important because one qirat (reading) of the Quran may differ in meaning from another, and one learns to favor one reading over another based on the difference in the meanings.
- Ilm-ul-Aqaa'id: is important because we cannot attribute the literal meaning of some ayaat to Allah. In this case, one will be required to interpret the ayah as in 'the hand of Allah is over their hand'.
- Usul-ul-Fiqh: are the principles of Islamic Jurisprudence. It is important to master this field so one understands the methodology of legal derivation and interpretation.
- Asbaab-ul-Nuzul: is the field by which one learns the circumstances in which an ayah is revealed. It is important because the meaning of the ayah is more clearly understood once the circumstances in which they were revealed are known. Sometimes, the meaning of an ayah is wholly dependent on its historical background.
- Ilm-ul-Naskh: is knowledge of the abrogated ayaat. This field is important because abrogated rulings must be separated from the applied rulings.
- Fiqh: Jurisprudence. This field is important because one cannot gain an overview of any issue until he has understood its particulars.
- Ilm-ul-Hadith: is knowledge of the ahadith which explain mujmal (general) ayaat.
- Ilm Laduuni: Last but not least is the endowed knowledge which Allah grants to his closest servants. They are the servants indicated in the hadith: "Allah Y will grant one who acts upon whatever he knows from a knowledge he never knew."
There are two main methods and one prohibited method of commenting on the Qur'an:
It is the act of commenting on the Qur'an using traditional sources. This classical tafsir method is agreed upon by all scholars, and is the most used method throughout history, partly because other methods have been criticized;
- The Qur'an states that it is made easy to understand so no one is allowed to divert its literal meaning.[6]
- The Prophet has condemned those who interpret the Qur'an from their own point of view.[7]
- Most companions of the Prophet have refrained from presenting their own ideas.[8]
Some important examples are Jami al-bayan by al-Tabari and Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by ibn Kathir. The sources used for riwaya tafsir are:
Interpretation of the Qur'an with the Qur'an is very common because of the close interrelatedness of the verses of the Qur'an with one another. The Qur'anic verses explain and interpret one another, and therefore constitute the highest level of authenticity. Many verses or words in the Qur'an are explained or further clarified in other verses of the Qur'an. One example of this kind is Tafsir al-Mizan
Using narratives of the prophet to interpret the Qur'an. In this approach the most important external aids used are the collected oral traditions upon which Muslim scholars based Islamic history and law. The Qur'an states that the Prophet is responsible for explanation and guidance.[9] While some narratives are of revelation origin, other can be the result of reasonings made by the Prophet.[10] One important aspect of these narratives is their origin. Narratives used for tafsir, and in general, must be of authentic origin (see Hadith terminology). Narratives of such origin are considered requisite for tafsir.
Sahaba and Tabiiun
The Ṣaḥābah, or companions of Muhammad, also interpreted and taught the Qur'an. If nothing is found in the Qur'an or the Hadīth, the commentator has recourse to what the Ṣaḥābah reported about various verses. These are generally considered above personal opinion, because these people grew up with everyday interaction with Muhammad, and had often asked about the meanings of verses or circumstances of their revelation; and they were very knowledgeable in both Arabic literature and Islamic thought.
Arabic literature
The classical Arabic poetry and the text of the Qur'an are two resources which can be used as foundational reference in ascertaining the meaning and signification of the remaining literal and figurative diction of the Qur'an and its style of expression.[11] Using Arabic poetry for defining words is a long used practice, in fact there are nearly no scholars who hasn't used this source.[12]
Isra'iliyat is the body of narratives originating from Judeo-Christian traditions, rather than from other well-accepted sources. The Isra'iliyat are mostly non-biblical explanatory stories and traditions (Hebrew: midrashim) giving extra information or interpretation about events or individuals recorded in the Hebrew scriptures. Scholars starting with the Sahabah have studied narrative accounts of other Abrahamic religions to further explain and clarify verses, especially parables, in the Qur'an. While some may be accurate, these narratives are not subject to hadith authenticity criteria, and are generally not favored for use. It is considered a major weakness in tafsir, as theses narratives are not compatible with Islamic thought.
The use of reason and mind (ijtihad) to form an opinion-oriented tafsir. This method is not interpretation by mere opinion, which is prohibited, but rather opinions must be based on the main sources. Its most distinctive feature is the inclusion of the opinions of the commentator, thus forming an objective view on Qur'anic verses. Some important examples include Anwar al-Tanzil by al-Baiḍawi and Irshad al-Aql as-Salim by Abu Sa'ud al-Ḥanafi. Some parameters used by these scholars are:
Linguistic resources
Literary elements of the Arabic language, including morphology, eloquence, syntax are an integral part of tafsir, as they constitute the basis of understanding and interpretation. Arabic has a systematic way of shaping words (see morphology) so one can know the meaning by knowing the root and the form the word was coined from. If any word can be given a meaning that is compatible with the rules of grammar, Qur'anic text can be interpreted that way.
Historical sources
Scholars may choose to interpret verses according to;
- Their historical context. This is particularly important to interpret verses according to how the Qur'an was revealed, when and under which circumstances. Much commentary was dedicated to history. The early tafsir are considered to be some of the best sources for Islamic history. (see Asbab al-nuzul).
- Their place of revelation, whether it was revealed in Mecca or Medina. This classification is important because generally, Meccan verses tend to have a legislative nature, whether it be theological foundations or basic faith principles. On the other hand, Medinan verses constitute rules of worship and social regulations.
Verses may be interpreted to preserve the general goals of shariah (see maqasid), which is simply to bring happiness to a person in this life and the hereafter. That way, any interpretation that threatens to compromise the preservation of religion, life, lineage, intellect or property may be discarded or ruled otherwise in order to secure these goals.
Socio-cultural environment
This includes understanding and interpreting the Qur'an while taking into account the cultural and social environment to which it has been revealed; or according to the scholars own time. This is an integral part of the universality of the Qur'an. Scholars usually do not favor to confine verses to a single time interval, but rather interpret according to the needs of their time.
Prohibited tafsir
Muslims believe that it is prohibited to perform Qur'anic interpretation using solely one's own opinion. This, they base on an authenticated hadith of Muhammad which states that it is prohibited;
"He who says (something) concerning the Qur'ân without knowledge, he has taken his seat of fire"'.[13]
Schools of tafsir
Theologists are divided into myriad of sects; each commenting the Qur'an with their own point of view. Some of these sects and their famous examples are;
Classic Sunni
The oldest and widest school of tafsir, they are generally classified as riwaya tafsirs, made by Sunni scholars. Major examples are;
- Tafsir al-Tabari; written by Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
- Ma'alim al-Tanzil by al-Baghawi
- Al-Muḥarrar al-wajiz by ibn Atiyyah
- Tafsir ibn Kathir by ibn Kathir
- Zad al-Masir by ibn al-Jawzi
- Khazain al-Irfan by Syed Naeem al deen Murad Abadi
- Zia' ul-Qur'ān by Allamah Pīr Muhammad Karam Shāh al-Azharī
Mu'tazilah have a very rational way of tafsir, making them an important part of diraya tafsir. Most famous example are:
- Al-Kashshaaf written by al-Zamakhshari
- Cami al-Ta'wil; written by al-Isfahani
Interpretation of the Qur'an according to Shia point of view. Examples include:
- Tafsir al-Kummi a work by Ali ibn Ibrahim Kummi
- Al-Tibyan by Abu Cafer Tusi
- Tafsir al-Mizan by Allamah Tabatabai
- Tafsir il Imam al-Askari attributed to Imam Hasan al-Askari
Sufistic approach
It is an interpretation of the Qur'an which includes attribution of esoteric or mystic meanings to the text by the interpreter. In this respect, its method is different from the conventional exegesis. Esoteric interpretations do not usually contradict the conventional (in this context called exoteric) interpretations; instead, they discuss the inner levels of meaning of the Qur'an. A hadith from Muhammad which states that the Qur'an has an inner meaning, and that this inner meaning conceals a yet deeper inner meaning, and so on (up to seven levels of meaning), has sometimes been used in support of this view. Islamic opinion imposes strict limitations on esoteric interpretations specially when interior meaning is against exterior one. Esoteric interpretations are found mainly in Sufism and in the sayings (hadiths) of Shi'a Imams and the teachings of the Isma'ili sect. But the Prophet and the imams gave importance to its exterior as much as to its interior; they were as much concerned with its revelation as they were with its interpretation. These are generally not independently written, however are found in the books of Sufis. Some examples are;
- Hakaik al-tafsir by Sulemi
Scientific approach
Scholars deeply influenced by the natural and social sciences followed the materialists of Europe or the pragmatists. Under the influence of those secular theories, they declared that the religion's realities cannot go against scientific knowledge. What the religion claims to exist, but which the sciences reject should be interpreted in a way that conforms with the science; as for those things which the science is silent about, like the resurrection etc., they should be brought within the purview of the laws of matter; the pillars upon which the divine religious laws are based — like revelation, angel, Satan, prophethood, apostleship, Imamah (Imamate) etc. - are spiritual things, and the spirit is a development of the matter. As for the Qur'an itself, one should not explain it in the light of the old philosophy and theories, because they were not based on observations and tests — they were just a sort of mental exercise which has been totally discredited now by the modem science. Found by Ghazali and built upon by Razi, it is one of today's most abundant way of tafsir. Common examples are;
Philosophic approach
The philosophers try to fit the verses on the principles of Greek philosophy . If a verse was clearly against those principles it was explained away. In this way the verses describing metaphysical subjects, those explaining the genesis and creation of the heavens and the earth, those concerned with life after death and those about resurrection, paradise and hell were distorted to conform with the said philosophy. That philosophy was admittedly only a set of conjectures — unencumbered with any test or proof; but the Muslim philosophers felt no remorse in treating its views on the system of skies, orbits, natural elements and other related subjects as the absolute truth with which the exegesis of the Qur'an had to conform.
Fiqhi approach
Fiqhi tafsir deals mainly with verses that have a legislative meaning (see ahkam), and it strives to obtain Islamic law from the Qur'an. It is a very common school classically and modernly. There is a dispute over the number of verses that contain jurisprudence, numbers ranging from 5 to 200 are reported. Some works part of this school are;
- Aḥkam al-Qur'an by al-Jassas
- Aḥkam al-Qur'an by Qaḍi Abū Bakr ibn al-'Arabī
Written Tafsirs
A wide range of Tafsirs heve been written in many languages since Sahaba and Tabiiun. One source can be the following website: www.altafsir.com [14]
See also
- ^ http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Quran/Tafseer/Ulum/Denffor6.html#Principles
- ^ Al-Zehebi, Al-Tafsir vel Mufassirun
- ^ Şatibi, El-muvafakat
- ^ Muhsin Demirci, Tefsir Usulü, 120
- ^ http://www.islamicboard.com/quran/5338-history-tafseer.html
- ^ Quran, V11:1, V41:3, V41:44, V54:17, V54:22, V54:32, V54:40)
- ^ Tirmizi, Tafsir, 1
- ^ Taberi, Camiul Beyan, I, 27
- ^ http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/quran/016.qmt.html#016.064
- ^ http://www.icsfp.com/de/Contents.aspx?AID=5596
- ^ http://www.al-mawrid.org/pages/articles_english_detail.php?rid=17&cid=82
- ^ Muhsin Demirci, Tefsir Tarihi, 128
- ^ Tirmizi, Tafsir 1
- ^ http://www.altafsir.com. See also Tafsir Ul Quran of at-tawhid.net for various Tafsirs in french.


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Linked by snydeq on Sat 10th Mar 2012 20:29 UTC
The open source community should feel a little safer from software patent attacks, writes InfoWorld's Simon Phipps. "The Open Invention Network, a consortium of Linux contributors formed as a self-defense against software patents, has extended the definition of Linux so that a whopping 700 new software packages are covered, including many developer favorites. Just one hitch: The new definition also includes carve-outs that put all Linux developers on notice that Phillips and Sony reserve the right to sue over virtualization, search, user interfaces, and more."
Permalink for comment 510255
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RE[2]: philips?
by timl on Sun 11th Mar 2012 11:42 UTC in reply to "RE: philips?"
Actually, I think any i2c patents would be expired by now, or about to be. It's technology from the early 80s if I'm not mistaken, so any 25-year long patent would have expired.
Of course the trademark of the i2c name and the logo would still be owned by Philips, but that has nothing to do with patent pools. Not to mention that those have been circumvented for years by calling it smbus or 2-wire bus.

subset: commoncrawl


text: This song is driven by two ukuleles, one lightly fingerpicked and the other one with a steady strum to keep a moderate pace with the shaker beat. Piano and electric piano join in for a simple melody. Positive and optimistic, yet mellow and low key, this song evokes images of a lazy day on a tropical beach.


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|Issue 30, January 2005
NOTE: You may have noticed that the ENSO Signal and Network Newsletter have been discontinued. The newly created Center for Capacity Building will begin in 2006 another newsletter focusing on capacity building issues.
The PDF version of the latest issue is available here. All previous issues (archives) will remain available, as well as this last issue.
The ENSO Signal is intended for those interested in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle and its impacts on ecosystems and societies. We intend to provide news items, publications, web sites, and articles of interest to our readers.
Please visit the Center for Capacity Building (CCB) website for updates.
H. Glantz, Editor
The ENSO Signal is published with financial support from the Institute for the Study of Society and Environment (ISSE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Global Programs (NOAA/OGP), in cooperation with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). NCAR is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
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The Little Rock Police Department's K9s spend all day working with their officer handlers and then go home with them at night, living in their homes and forming a close bond.
So when one of the K9s dies, it's a loss felt hard by the human handlers who are rarely very far from their four-legged partners.
The strength of that relationship was the motivation behind the agency's first-ever memorial service for fallen K9 officers Thursday. It focused mostly on Chewy, an 8-year-old German Shepherd who died last month after developing health problems, but it served as a tribute to all of the K9 officers who have passed away over the years.
"I would never compare an animal to anyone's child, their brother or their sister," unit supervisor Sgt. Andre Dyer said. "But it's not far from that. To know that you always have backup, to know that you always have something that will lead you into the fire instead of you leading something into the fire or the war is awesome to know."
The service at The Centre at University Park began with the rest of the K9s on the team being led by their handlers to a memorial outside featuring a large photo of Chewy, his collar and his badge.
The handler-K9 teams then made a formation in front of the memorial with the humans saluting and the dogs barking as Chewy's handler, veteran K9 patrol officer Annette Harrington, walked by.
Inside, Dyer led a brief service, recited a prayer and presented Harrington a chew toy signed by all the members of the unit.
Harrington, who is in the process of getting a new K9 partner, said she'll remember Chewy as a part of her family who could seem like a little kid, loved to play and had a "great spirit."
"He took care of me and my family, and he just always wanted to be with us," she said. "And as far as a working dog, he was always ready to work. He was always ready. If we were running code somewhere and my sirens were going, he was just barking and barking ready to go. He really loved what he did. He really, truly did."


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Georgia O'Keeffe
1887, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
1986, Santa Fe, New Mexico
After growing up on a dairy farm, Georgia O'Keeffe began a nomadic existence, studying and teaching art in Illinois, New York, Virginia, Texas, and South Carolina. In 1916, she met the photographer and gallerist Alfred Stieglitz, with whom she had a romantic and professional relationship lasting until his death in 1946. O'Keeffe became famous during the 1920s for her paintings of Manhattan's skyline, and for the lush, close-up views of flowers now synonymous with her name. In 1929, she became fascinated by the empty landscape of New Mexico. Her paintings are highly realistic, but use symbolic devices to evoke the character of the desert — especially huge animal bones suspended in the sky. O'Keeffe traveled regularly to New Mexico before relocating there permanently in 1949. She lived reclusively on her ranch until her death at age 98.


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In Sanford, Florida, a state judge has ruled that George Zimmerman will go to trial as scheduled early next month. Zimmerman is the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who shot and killed teenager Treyvon Martin. His defense had asked for more time to prepare.
And that wasn't the only bad news for George Zimmerman today. The judge also prohibited his team from using in court several personal details from Martin's life, including evidence of drug use and trouble in school.
NPR's Greg Allen reports from Sanford.
GREG ALLEN, BYLINE: It's been more than 15 months since George Zimmerman spotted someone he thought was an intruder in his townhome community. He phoned police saying the person was acting suspiciously. It turned out to be 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was staying there with his Dad. A few minutes later, there was a confrontation that ended with Zimmerman shooting and killing Martin.
Zimmerman's lawyers say he acted in self-defense. But after more than a year of preparing for trial, today Zimmerman's lawyer, Mark O'Mara, once again told a judge he needed more time. Judge Debra Nelson responded by reminding O'Mara of the schedule he agreed to nearly eight months ago, in October.
JUDGE DEBRA NELSON: I think that's sufficient time to get all the issues done and heard. The motion to continue is denied.
ALLEN: That was just one of nearly two dozen motions Judge Nelson ruled on today, nearly all upholding prosecutors' efforts to keep material about Trayvon Martin's personal life out of the trial. That material includes the 17-year-old's school records, which show truancies and suspensions. Also text messages in which Martin talks about marijuana, guns and being involved in fights.
Prosecutors say that material has nothing to do with the February night when he was shot and killed by George Zimmerman. Zimmerman's lawyer, Mark O'Mara, told the court he believes Martin's interest in guns, marijuana and fighting is very relevant.
MARK O'MARA: All of that fits in squarely to what the defense is going to present as the reason why George Zimmerman was put in a position where he had to act in self-defense.
BENJAMIN CRUMP: Trayvon Martin is not on trial.
ALLEN: As has been the case at nearly every hearing, members of Trayvon Martin's family were at today's proceedings accompanied by their lawyer, Benjamin Crump. Crump said the judge was correct in ruling the material is inadmissible and not relevant to the trial. In pursuing it, he believes the defense has another motivation.
CRUMP: We think it was strategic when this information was released after the jury summons had went out. And it was calculated, we believe, to sway and pollute and influence the jury.
ALLEN: Outside the courthouse after the hearing, O'Mara said he was satisfied with the judge's ruling. But on the issue of Martin's marijuana use, O'Mara noted Judge Nelson's ruling keeps mention of it out of opening arguments. He believes as the trial progresses, the judge will allow it in.
O'MARA: That evidence, I think, is going to be particularly relevant once we start showing the expert opinions regarding matters of what effect and behavioral effect it would have.
ALLEN: The toxicology report on Trayvon Martin shows the teenager had THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in his system when he was killed. How much and whether it may have affected his behavior isn't clear. Judge Nelson says she won't decide how much of this material to allow into the trial until she hears from the state toxicologist.
George Zimmerman didn't attend today's hearing. O'Mara says he asked his client to stay home, partly because of concerns about his safety. High public awareness in the case also led O'Mara him to ask the court to sequester the jury, and do as much as possible to keep jurors' identities secret. O'Mara told the court that would help insulate potential jurors from community pressure.
O'MARA: That this jury is not going to have to go home and say, yes, I was on the jury that acquitted George Zimmerman.
ALLEN: Judge Nelson indicated she was leaning toward sequestering jurors and protecting their identities.
And there are still other issues that will be taken up in hearings next week, just before the trial. The defense is asking the court to impose sanctions on prosecutors for withholding evidence. The other hearing involves a voice recognition expert hired by the state whom Zimmerman's lawyers want to disqualify. The expert says after he cleaned up a 911 recording, he heard material other experts haven't reported, including Trayvon Martin apparently pleading for his life.
Greg Allen, NPR news, Sanford, Florida. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Columbia Honors CIU Alumnus
The city of Columbia memorialized Columbia International University alumnus Pete Cannon with the dedication of a city center parking deck in his honor.
Cannon, who passed away in 2010, graduated from CIU Seminary & School of Ministry in 1982. Cannon, a businessman with heart for ministry, was known in Columbia for his influence on economic development and for founding HIS International in 1991 – an outreach to the many international students who attend the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Today, HIS also has ministries on campuses in Charlotte, N.C. (University of North Carolina), and Blacksburg, Va. (Virginia Tech), as well as a volunteer service group in Boca Raton, Fla. (Florida Atlantic University).
Read more about Pete Cannon and the dedication at: http://coladaily.com/2013/09/13/columbia-renames-city-center-parking-deck-for-local-leader/.


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David Hannay is a member of the House of Lords and former UK ambassador to the EU and UN.
Should we be surprised that Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton found time to chat with the European Research Group, a collection of Conservative MPs doing their damnedest to bring about a super-hard or "no deal" Brexit?Not really. Bolton has been viscerally opposed to the EU for decades, speaking to the europhobic Bruges Group in the 1990s when campaigning for what eventually came to be known as Brexit was still a fringe activity.
If we shouldn't be surprised that Bolton may have wanted to meet the eurosceptics, should we be worried the meeting took place at all? Well, yes and no. It is certainly troubling if both Trump and Bolton regard the EU as an adversary to be disrupted in any way that comes to hand. That prospect was the thrust of the warning given by the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, at last week's meeting in Brussels.
After all, a substantial majority of the members of the EU are also members of NATO. The flows of trade and investment in both directions across the Atlantic are colossal, and work to the mutual benefit of both sides. The prosperity and security of Europe and America are at risk if Trump pursues a policy of disruption.
It is troubling too if we view this in the context of a post-Brexit U.K. desperate for a bilateral trade deal with the US, although while Bolton seems to have been ready to promise such an arrangement he did not set out what the price would be for a desperate suitor. What he did not say was that no UK-US deal covering roughly 15% of our trade could possibly compensate for a bad Brexit deal with the EU, which accounts for 49% of it.
On the other hand, any attempt by the US to boost support for Brexit at the time of Trump's visit to the U.K. in two weeks time is only too likely to have the opposite effect to that intended. Certainly Obama's intervention ahead of the 2016 referendum did not have the desired result. And – to put it mildly – Barack Obama was a much more popular figure in Britain than Donald Trump is today. In short: "Bring it on".
What this incident does demonstrate is what troubling times we are living through, and, as recent international experience has shown on climate change, on trade wars, on the Iran nuclear deal, on the need for a negotiated settlement to the status of Jerusalem, that our national interests are closer to those of the principal members of the EU than to any other country or group of countries.
Edited by Sam Ashworth-Hayes
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I submitted an application last night, and it was totally wrong. I called back today, and spoke to your staff who took me step-by-step through the application. He did everything to make sure my application went through.
I submitted an application last night, and it was totally wrong. I called back today, and spoke to your staff who took me step-by-step through the application. He did everything to make sure my application went through.
Your staff very helpful. They took the time and explained in detail each thing [my sister] could potentially be eligible for. They told me the information that I would need to get the benefit.
Your staff very helpful. They took the time and explained in detail each thing [my sister] could potentially be eligible for. They told me the information that I would need to get the benefit.
Over 650,000 benefit applications submitted since inception in 2005
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53,388 people received medicine and healthcare benefits in 2016
14,666 people's homes heated and secured in 2016
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Generates a 92:1 Return on Investment
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Over 650,000 benefit applications submitted since inception in 2005
Educates and screens 12,100 households for benefits each month
Submits benefit applications for 9,700 eligible individuals each month
I didn't want to call individual agencies,then try to put the information together. Here I could just get an overview of everything I would be eligible for, and I feel confident that [you] understand what kind of stuff I am eligible for, as opposed to me running around trying to figure it out on my own.
I picked up the phone shaking, near tears, and now an hour later I feel like we have a plan. After 42 years, my husband was unemployed with no health benefits, no severance, no anything.
I called about one thing only, and she just charged ahead and did all kinds of other stuff. It was wonderful. Things I didn't even know about, she told me about that I could be eligible for.
I had no idea about any of this. My mom was telling me, because she's on PACE. She said to give this number a call and just check it out.
You get up in age and you've worked for a company for 35 years and they [push you out] and I had no idea anything about how to get help. I haven't been unemployed since 1970. So this is like a whole new [world].. I had no idea who to turn to, or how to get help and I just want to tell you how much I appreciate you all.
My mom lost her pension about ten years ago when my dad died.. and with the donut hole she couldn't come up with the $4,700 and we didn't know what we were going to do for her.
I would have never applied! I got a letter in the mail from you guys and that's what started things off.
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I contacted a different organization and they were not able to assist me. Your staff reached out to me and helped me through this process. Your help has been beyond everything.
The only thing I can hope for now is to receive enough food stamps to feed me and then try to juggle my $1,200 budget from Social Security to cover my $1,000 per month rent and pay the rest of my bills.
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I submitted an application last night, and it was totally wrong. I called back today, and spoke to your staff who took me step-by-step through the application. He did everything to make sure my application went through.
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Your staff very helpful. They took the time and explained in detail each thing [my sister] could potentially be eligible for. They told me the information that I would need to get the benefit.
Even though dedicated programs exist, millions of our neighbors are not enrolled in services and cannot meet their basic needs. When people cannot meet their basic needs it affects us all-children struggle in school, people experience poor health outcomes across the age spectrum, and have difficulty finding and sustaining employment.
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The multi center, cross-sectional study of patients with SCI was conducted in 14 countries. Individuals were included if they had sustained a SCI with an acute onset, or if they were receiving rehabilitation in the early post-acute situation, or if they were in a long-term context. Individuals had to be at least 18 years old and had to be able to understand purpose and reason of the study. Written informed consent was obtained from all included patients. Individuals with significant traumatic brain injury or diagnosed mental disorders prior to SCI were excluded. Acute onset was defined as injury or disease with the development of SCI within 14 days. The early post-acute context was defined as starting with active rehabilitation and ending with the completion of the first comprehensive rehabilitation after the acute SCI. The long-term context follows the early post-acute context. This working definition was based on a worldwide consensus of researchers involved in the data collection and was approved by the steering committee of the project. In total, 1026 patients were included, of which 22% were female. Patients had a mean age of 42 years. Mean time since injury was 6 years with 46% of the patients being tetraplegic and 54% being paraplegic. Impairment according to ASIA score was complete in 52% of the patients. For subgroup analyses, we used data from 598 patients: 304 from four European countries (Denmark, Germany, Israel, and Switzerland) and 294 from four Asian countries (India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam). An extensive description of this data set can be found in [ 9 ]. We obtained permission to reanalyze the data.
We used data from a multi center, cross-sectional study involving 1039 patients with chronic health conditions. Individuals were included if they were undergoing inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation in 19 German hospitals and rehabilitation centers and had at least one of the following chronic health conditions: low back pain, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, chronic ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, breast cancer, obesity, chronic widespread pain, depression, stroke. The percentage of female patients was 59%. Patients had a mean age of 53 years. Main diagnoses were low back pain (19%) and chronic widespread pain (12%) followed by breast cancer (12%) and stroke (11%). An extensive description of this data set can be found in [
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]. We obtained permission to reanalyze the data.
ICF code and descriptions. ICF codes and descriptions of the ICF categories used in this paper.
The SF-36 is one of the most frequently used instruments for assessing generic health related quality of life [
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When selling your house, try to look at your house as a potential buyer would. Think about what originally compelled you to buy the house in the first place, and look for those cues to leverage potential buyers. Treat every showing as you would when entertaining guests — while it's cumbersome to maintain that level of living while waiting for an offer to be made, it could drastically affect the way a potential buyer views your house as their next home. Here are a few tips to make note of for showings:
-Open drapes and shades and turn on all lights to make your house look light and bright; open windows to freshen rooms.
-Set a comfortable temperature; cool in summer, warm in winter.
-Turn off the television; play soft background music.
-Keep pets out of the way; make sure all pet areas including any litter boxes are clean and free of odor; use air freshener if necessary.
Added touches
-Prepare tables with flowers and place settings; set out game or coffee table book.
-Start a fire in your fireplace on a chilly day.
-Create a pleasant aroma with fresh baked cookies or bread.
Best practices for showings
-Secure jewelry, cash, prescriptions medications and other valuables.
-It is usually best to leave the house during the showing. If you have to be home, don't follow the sales associate around; they know their buyer and can best emphasize the most fitting features of your home.
-Save all business cards of sales associates who show the house. If people who are not accompanied by an agent ask to see your property please refer them to us; we will pre-screen them.
-Don't discuss price, terms, possession or other factors with buyers. Refer them to us. We are better able to bring the negotiation to a favorable conclusion as intermediary to third parties.
Follow these steps for your house to look its best for broker previews, buyer showings and open houses. Home enhancements can more than pay for themselves in stronger offers from buyers. Remember; look at your house through the buyers' eyes.


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England stay on track despite Ukraine ordeal
KIEV (AFP) – England inched closer to qualifying for next year's World Cup after surviving a number of scares to record a potentially crucial 0-0 draw against Ukraine in Kiev on Tuesday.
Ukraine had an early penalty appeal waved away and gave the visitors several nervous moments on a tense night at the Olympic Stadium, but Roy Hodgson's men held on to move a point clear in European qualifying Group H.
Victories over Montenegro and Poland in their final two home games next month will give England a place in Brazil, but they will hope for improved performances after a muddled display in the Ukrainian capital.
The point means Ukraine remain within a point of England -- although they are now in second place, above Montenegro on goal difference -- and with games against Poland and San Marino to come, they are ready to pounce if the leaders stumble.
As expected, England manager Hodgson awarded a 100th cap to Frank Lampard and replaced the suspended Danny Welbeck with James Milner in the only alteration to the team that beat Moldova 4-0 on Friday.
There were four changes to the Ukraine side that had thrashed San Marino 9-0, with captain Anatoliy Tymoshchuk among the players dropping out, but as England captain Steven Gerrard had predicted, they flew out of the blocks.
The hosts might have been awarded a penalty within seconds, after Roman Zozulya tumbled under a challenge from England goalkeeper Joe Hart, but referee Pedro Proenca diplomatically awarded a corner.
In response, Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov fielded a 30-yard effort from Gerrard and saved at the feet of Theo Walcott, while Gary Cahill had a goal-bound header blocked by Artem Fedetskiy.
It was Ukraine who carried the greater threat, however, and England looked particularly vulnerable on the flanks during a frantic opening 15 minutes in front of a noisy 70,000-strong crowd.
Cahill had to hook the ball away from Oleg Gusev following a dart down the left by Yevgen Konoplyanka and Fedetskiy twice failed to exploit promising situations after ghosting in behind England left-back Ashley Cole.
Watching from home, former England defender Rio Ferdinand tweeted that Konoplyanka was a "lively little customer", but his counterpart in the England number 10 shirt, Jack Wilshere, was unusually sloppy with the ball.
Gerrard tried his luck with a shot from 25 yards that landed on the roof of the net, but although England struggled to create clear chances, the defence, marshalled superbly by Cahill, grew more assertive.
Both sides made changes midway through the second half, Roman Bezus coming on for Ukraine, Ashley Young for England, before the visitors had a narrow escape.
Kyle Walker sent Zozulya sprawling right on the edge of the England box, but Proenca awarded a free-kick and Konoplyanka's shot was deflected wide.
Hart caught a header from Fedetskiy as the noise in the stadium began to rise, and although Walcott and Lampard went close late on, England already appeared to have settled for a draw.


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A Colorado firm owned by a Catholic family won a temporary injunction on July 27 against enforcement of the Department of Health and Human Services' contraceptive mandate. Senior Judge John L. Kane Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado said the HHS requirement that employers provide contraceptives, including some abortion-inducing drugs, and sterilizations free of charge to their employees, even if they have objections based on their religious beliefs, has potential for violating the family's religious freedom. He said the government's arguments in favor of the contraceptive mandate "are countered, and indeed outweighed, by the public interest in the free exercise of religion." But Kane emphasized that his ruling only applied to the case brought by five members of the Newland family and the company they own, Hercules Industries, a manufacturer of heating and air-conditioning equipment that has 265 full-time employees in Colorado. "The government's arguments are largely premised upon a fear that granting an exemption to plaintiffs will necessarily require granting similar injunction to all other for-profit, secular corporations voicing religious objections to the preventive care coverage mandate," the judge wrote. "This injunction is, however, premised upon the alleged substantial burden on plaintiffs' free exercise of religion—not to any alleged burden on any other party's free exercise of religion. "It does not enjoin enforcement of the preventive care coverage mandate against any other party," he added. The ruling marked the first positive outcome in the nearly two dozen lawsuits brought by Catholic dioceses, religious organizations and employers against the HHS contraceptive mandate, which takes effect Aug. 1 for health insurance plans that are not grandfathered. Federal judges in the District of Columbia and Lincoln, Neb., have dismissed similar suits filed by Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina and the attorneys general of seven states, respectively, saying that the plaintiffs had not proven that they would be harmed by the mandate. The Obama administration granted a one-year "temporary enforcement safe harbor" to religious organizations that do not qualify for a religious exemption under the administration's four-pronged test. The test requires exempt organizations to serve and hire only members of their own faith, among other things. "We never imagined the federal government would order our family business to provide insurance for drugs we object to covering," said Andrew Newland, vice president of Hercules Industries, at a news conference shortly before the injunction was granted. "The whole premise that family businesses are prevented from bringing morals and principles into business is such a dangerous slope to start going down," he added. "The question becomes, what ethical and moral principles do you use to run your business? We'll end up with businesses operating with no ethical or moral principles at all."
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Arak Collection - Burgundy
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The digital images we display have the most accurate color possible. However, due to differences in computer monitors, we cannot be responsible for variations in color between the actual rug and your screen.
This traditional Persian design is finely hand-tufted of pure wool with silk accents. After weaving, the ultra-dense pile is luster washed, then carefully sheared to a soft silken finish to beautifully show off your lovely furnishings. This Arak carpet is the finest available of this type.See Catalog 17-2, Page 128.
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MIDDLETON — Residents wishing to file declarations of candidacy for office will have until Friday, Feb. 1. The Town office will be open that Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. Positions to be placed on the ballot are as follows: Selectman, one seat for three years; Trustees of the Trust Funds, one seat for 3 year term; Budget Committee, one seat for a 3 year term; Cemetery Trustees, one seat each for one year, 2 year and 3 year terms; School Board Member, two seats for 3 year terms each; School District Clerk, one seat for 1 year term; District Treasurer, one seat for 1 year term; District Moderator, one seat for 1 year term; Supervisor of the Check list, one seat for a 6-year term.
Choose the plan that's right for you. Digital access or digital and print delivery.


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From the moment you got engaged, you've been dreaming about how much fun you and your soon-to-be would be having as you carefully planned out the wedding of your dreams. But what happens if it's just you attending appointments, picking out stationary and choosing your cake? What do you do if you're planning a wedding through a long-distance engagement? Here are five things to keep in mind when your fiancé is away:
His opinion still matters
Just because he's not here to express his opinion, you should still reach out and discuss as many aspects of the wedding decisions as possible. What might be your favorite flavor of cake might be his least favorite. Just remember to keep the WE in wedding.
Find THE DRESS while he's gone
Go and try on all the dresses! Twirl around the bridal salon and find the absolute dress of your dreams. You don't need to worry about scheduling dress shopping every Saturday for a month. Take this time to really fall in love with your look.
Rely on those closest to you
If wedding planning wasn't stressful enough, now you're faced with the added stress of missing your fiancé. Don't coop up with Ben and Jerry and watch Netflix alone, surround yourself with those you love! Whether it's your mom or your 'maids, make sure to enjoy this time and celebrate!
Write love letters
It could be a simple text message in the morning, or a journal filled with daily love letters that you'll give to him on your wedding day. Make sure to express your love for one another every single day.
While the distance is one of the hardest things the two of you will ever go through, it will only make you stronger in the end. On days you feel sad and alone, just think back to the day he got down on one knee or daydream about walking down the aisle. In the end, it will all be worth it when you are announced the new Mr. and Mrs.
Style Me Pretty Contributor – Maureen Cromer is a wedding planner, blogger and public relations professional from Baltimore Maryland, where she lives with her fiancé and kitten. When she isn't working, you will find her running through the scenic trails of Maryland or sailing around the Wye River with her water-loving family.


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Paris scored a season-high 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and blocked six shots to lead the No. 3 Sooners to a 76-59 victory over Kansas in the Big 12 tournament quarterfinals on Friday.
"I just am ready to play," Paris said. "It is postseason. Every game is that much more important because if you lose it, you don't get to play again. So, I was just really feeling it today and I wanted to come out and make sure I did the best I could."
Paris guaranteed at her senior day celebration last week that Oklahoma would win its first national championship, promising that she would pay back her scholarship if it didn't happen.
"She's a driven individual, as we all know, and she understands clearly what time of year it is," Sooners coach Sherri Coale said. "I think great players sense that. I think all seniors sense it to a certain degree.
"But I think the really great players get that in the way that the rest of the world doesn't. She established herself early and was just terrific the entire game."
Paris dominated the Jayhawks (18-13) inside and caused havoc on the defensive end, too.
The All-America center had 10 points during a 15-4 run early in the second half as Oklahoma (28-3) broke open a close game after the Jayhawks had pulled within two. The Sooners then continued to pull away, building a 23-point lead that gave Paris the rest of the game off after she went to the bench with 11:41 to play.
Danielle McCray scored 22 points to lead Kansas, which can only hope its five wins in the last seven games will bring an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Sade Morris added 15 points and Aishah Sutherland had 10.
Paris had a three-point play and tipped an offensive rebound to herself for a putback to help Oklahoma gain some distance after Kansas had drawn within 36-34, then kept adding to the Sooners' lead. She finished the big run with a pair of free throws, a layup at the right block and an assist on Danielle Robinson's jumper from the left wing that pushed the lead to 51-38 with 12:28 left.
"We didn't have answer, not that many people in the country have an answer, for Courtney," Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson said. "But we didn't have an inside presence at all."
Paris' teammates closed it out from there.
Jenny Vining hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 19-6 burst while Paris was sitting on the bench, and Nyeshia Stevenson's steal for a runout layup pushed the lead to 72-49 in the final 5 minutes. There was no point for Paris to come back in after that, getting some extra rest before the Sooners' semifinal Saturday against either No. 10 Texas A&M or No. 22 Kansas State.
Amanda Thompson added 12 points for Oklahoma. Whitney Hand, who had missed four games after having surgery on a dislocated left index finger, looked rusty while missing all four of her shots for the Sooners.
"Understand that one of the reasons Courtney Paris got 27 points and had single coverage is because somebody was following Whitney everywhere she went on the floor," Coale said. "Even though it's not reflected in a statistical category, she had huge impact on this game and the way Kansas defended us."
Paris asserted herself from the very beginning, drawing the Jayhawks' first four fouls -- the last coming when she took a charge from Krysten Boogaard under the basket, and then pumped both fists in a flex pose as she sat under the basket.
Henrickson implied that Paris, who had a significant size advantage, flopped.
"How aggressive of Krysten Boogaard to produce that offensive foul. Just how aggressive that was," Henrickson said. "She's been watching a lot of NBA. Shaq did that, Didn't he?"
After a brief rest, Paris returned and demanded the ball at the left block -- raising her hand and then shaking it in the air. When she got it, she bulled her way toward the basket to draw another whistle against Boogaard.
Paris eclipsed her 16.1-point scoring average in the first half, making all five of her shots and also grabbing nine rebounds and swatting away four Kansas shots.
She finished with her 124th double-double in 131 career games.


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posted by Amjith Ramanujam on Wed 9th Jul 2008 18:22 UTC, submitted by Thom_Holwerda
Codename Midori is a derivative of Singularity that is meant to supersede Windows, and it is more than just a research project. Singularity, is an experimental microkernel and operating system project started in 2003 for which Microsoft posted the source code back in March. Unfortunately Singularity was developed exclusively for research purposes and is not intended for practical use.


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On Labor Day 1995, for the first time in decades, the major media were filled with stories not about broken strikes and corrupt union leaders but about the promise and possibility of labor's revival. John Sweeney, Richard Trumka and Linda Chavez-Thompson had launched their campaign for leadership of the AFL-CIO pledging to organize on a massive scale, "to open up and reinvigorate the labor movement at every level." There was talk of building a national organizing fund, recruiting thousands of new young organizers and organizing millions of workers in new occupations and industries.
In the months following Sweeney's victory as the new AFL-CIO president, "changing to organize" became the mantra of a newly energized labor movement. For the first time, the federation had an organizing department, a director of organizing and an organizing fund to support large-scale, multi-union campaigns in key industries. The AFL-CIO also launched Union Summer, bringing in hundreds of college students to assist in a wave of new organizing campaigns.
These initiatives were not limited to the AFL-CIO. Across the country, local and national unions engaged in an aggressive effort to improve significantly their organizing capacity and success. This entailed shifting staff and financial resources into organizing, mobilizing leaders and members to support organizing campaigns, and developing and implementing more effective organizing strategies and tactics. By 1999 the combination of organizing victories and employment expansion in unionized industries resulted in a net gain of 265,000 union members, the first such gain in more than twenty years. The great American decline in union organizing seemed to have finally bottomed out.
But the good news was not to last. This past January, the government released union density figures for 2000 that once again told a story of decline. For last year was a presidential election year, and just as in the past, unions shifted enormous resources, including organizing staff, to the election campaign, leaving fewer staff and resources for organizing. Overall, organizing activity was down, and there were none of the massive victories that had dominated the 1999 organizing cycle. To make matters worse, in the last weeks of 2000 there was a series of plant closings and mass layoffs in unionized manufacturing and retail companies, raising the bar even higher if the number of newly organized workers was to offset those lost to the sudden downturn in the economy.
Even leaving aside the unusual events of last year, it is clear that despite all the new initiatives and resources devoted to organizing and all the talk of "changing to organize," American unions are at best standing still. They will need to organize millions, not hundreds of thousands, of workers each year if they are to reverse the tide and begin to regain their influence and power in American society.
Why is this so difficult? Why has it taken so long for new organizing initiatives to bear significant fruit? After spending the past fourteen years conducting a series of studies analyzing the factors contributing to union organizing success, I find the answers to these questions to be painfully obvious. Building capacity for organizing is one thing. Changing the structure, culture and strategy of the large, entrenched, democratic institutions that American unions have become is quite another.


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The cover story in the New York Times Magazine of April 9, 2006, was an article on the horrors of life in El Salvador, where abortion is illegal. The article was written by freelancer Jack Hitt, whose far-left perspective is obvious if you google his name.
Hitt alleged that in El Salvador, women convicted of abortion can serve long jail terms; the story's opening paragraph said that "a few" women had been sentenced to 30 year jail terms for obtaining abortions. Hitt featured one such woman, Carmen Climaco.
The Times' Public Edidor, Byron Calame, tells the story in the Times today. Hitt wrote that Climaco was sentenced to 30 years in prison for having an abortion after 18 weeks of pregnancy. In describing her case, he noted that she had been convicted of "aggravated homicide," but Hitt wrote that the "truth" was different.
It turns out that Hitt made no effort to check the court's records on the case. In fact, the claim that Ms. Climaco had "only" had an abortion was her defense. That defense was rejected by a three-judge panel which found her guilty of infanticide. The court relied on medical evidence, including evidence of the baby's autopsy, to find that the infant had been born and then murdered by Ms. Climaco. It was for murder, not abortion, that she was sentenced to 30 years' imprisonment.
These facts, Calame writes, were easily available, but Mr. Hitt made no effort to discover them, but instead blithely misrepresented the case in the New York Times Magazine. Calame's account of the incident is troubling; what is even more troubling, though, is the Times's response when Hitt's error was brought to its attention.
Did the Times issue a correction? No:
After being queried by the office of the publisher about a possible error, Craig Whitney, who is also the paper


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I am a huge fan and collector of classic video games. I love the Conquer*Man map idea and was wondering if there were any other video games anyone thought might make a good map. I do have a few in mind as I write this, especially because these video games were already turned into board game versions.
- Pitfall
- Donkey Kong
- Donkey Kong Jr
- Zaxxon
- Space Invaders
- Centepede
- Defender
- Tetris


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We're all pretty used to looking in the mirror scouring our faces for marks, pimples and things that look out of place but we don't always pay enough attention to the rest of our body.
Acne can show up in more places than just your face and it isn't just hormonal teenagers that suffer with acne either; adult body acne is rife and happens to more of us than you would think.
Body acne isn't as highlighted as facial acne which seems crazy to me because your body is actually more likely to develop acne than your face!
Body acne is mostly found on your chest, back, arms, legs and buttocks. If you lead an active life, are experiencing hormonal changes or suffer with oily skin then you will be more prone to getting body acne at any stage in your life.
Not only can this type of acne be embarrassing for some people but it can also be a lot more uncomfortable than facial acne; this is mainly due to the location of the acne, sweating or material rubbing against the affected area.
Keeping your skin free from any sort of build up is your best bet for preventing body acne. In doing this you will ensure that your pores don't get clogged with dead skin cells or a buildup of oil.
The ideal solution is to use a specially formulated body acne treatment system about 3 times a week to help keep your skin free from acne forming bacteria.
Showering and washing too frequently can actually have a negative effect on your skin so it is important to get the balance right.
If you use a body acne treatment sooner rather than later you will also help to prevent acne scars from forming, so that is a big motivation in taking steps to prevent body acne from developing.
ZENMED Body Acne Treatment System can really help you to improve your acne.
If you also follow these other tips on body acne prevention then you will most likely cure it all together!
Give this a try for a couple of months and then post your results on our Facebook or YouTube page and help share your body acne free joy!


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Manta Ray Advocates Hawaiiview our quick links below
"Aloha E Komo Mai" - Compiled solely because of their passion for Manta Rays and their belief that Manta Rays are one of the most beautiful ocean creatures, photographers James and Martina Wing present the Manta Rays of Hawaii. Their combined experience of more than 40 years is unmatched and no one else in the world has more Manta Ray dives than they do.
Manta Rays in Hawaii have been Kona's most unique attraction to travelers since they were "discovered" in the early 90's. The near shore waters of Kona, Hawaii are home to one of the most robust and accessible populations of Manta Rays in the world. While Manta Rays are found in most oceans, their regular appearances to feed at night in Kona, Hawaii is unique.
Initially, the Manta Rays were enjoyed only by divers, but within the last few years it has transformed into a Manta Ray Snorkel activity to be enjoyed by all ages. Now, more people snorkel (than scuba dive) with the exotic Kona Manta Rays. Even the most seasoned traveler often comments that the Kona Manta Ray Experience is the "most amazing thing I've ever done!". Although staged and conducted at night, powerful lights are used to attract Manta Rays and these lights illuminate the area so much, that you forget that it is after dark in the warm, tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean.
This website is dedicated to the Manta Rays in Hawaii. We hope you enjoy the information, imagery, insights, stories and inspiration by voyaging through their surreal underwater world.
With Aloha, James & Martina Wing
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The process of buying a new Ford car or truck can seem overwhelming if you don't know where to begin. Edmunds.com can get you started on the right track with a convenient directory of Ford car dealerships in and around Lancaster, California. Compare online price quotes on the new or used car, truck, SUV, minivan, or wagon of your choice to locate the best deals. Edmunds.com makes it easy to find trusted Ford car dealers in Lancaster, saving car buyers time and money on what will be an important purchase.
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Value Line is regarded as the best independent research available. More than just recommendations, Value Line provides the rationale behind its picks for greater understanding.
Among the many features found in each week's edition of Value Line's Selection & Opinion service is a list of the seven best and worst performing industries over the past six weeks. These rankings can be found on the inside back cover of Selection & Opinion. The roughly 1,700 stocks in the Value Line universe are currently divided among about 100 industries. Notably, for the purposes of calculating these results, the performance of each stock is equally weighted to the others in its industry (i.e., irrespective of market capitalization). The equity markets have faltered a bit in August, giving back some of the gains registered earlier in the year. Even so, the Value Line Arithmetic Average still increased 1.6% for the six-week period covered in our latest Industry Price Performance rankings (July 9th to August 20th) and is holding onto a year-to-date gain of 22%. Interestingly, 2013 has hardly been kind to the name at the top of this week's industry rankings.
The Precision Metals group advanced 24.9% over the past six weeks, but year-to-date returns tell a very different story. For instance, two of the hottest stocks in the group have been Barrick Gold (ABX) and Goldcorp Inc. (GG), which have risen roughly 40% and 30%, respectively, since early July. These moves were no doubt helped along by a rally in gold prices, which appeared to benefit from increased physical demand for the metal, particularly in Asia. The commodity's price, though, has yet to fully recover from an even more-pronounced swoon in the June quarter. Thus, even following this recent surge, ABX stock is down more than 40% on the year, while GG shares are off about 15%. These equities, and most of the others in our coverage of the industry, are likely to remain volatile. In particular, the financial markets are likely to keep a close watch on the U.S. Federal Reserve's plans to taper its bond buying program. The expectation of this seems to have played a role so far in 2013 in reducing the appeal of precious metals as a safe haven from the possible erosion in the value of other assets.
Volatility is also a hallmark of the Heavy Truck & Equipment Makers Industry, which holds down the seventh spot in this week's industry price performance rankings. Reflecting the cyclical nature of the industry, most of 16 stocks we follow get below average marks of Earnings Predictability and Stock Price Stability. For the last six weeks at least, these stocks have generally enjoyed strong support from investors, rising 6.4% as a group.
One stock that has been key to the industry's lofty status in this week's rankings is Oshkosh Corp. (OSK). Oshkosh, which makes its home in the Wisconsin town of the same name, manufactures military trucks and a wide variety of specialty commercial, fire, and emergency apparatus. The defense segment accounted for nearly half of the company's $8.2 billion revenues in fiscal 2012, with access equipment (34%) representing the next biggest slice of the pie. (Fiscal years end on September 30th.) OSK stock has made impressive strides over the past year, rising from below $20 a share last summer to a recent 52-week high of $47. During late 2013, Oshkosh was the subject of an unsolicited $32.50-a-share tender offer by activist investor Carl Icahn. Mr. Icahn abandoned these efforts in December, but OSK shares have continued to push higher amid an improving profit outlook. Its latest surge is largely a reflection of the market's enthusiastic response to the company's June-quarter results.
Oshkosh continued to report rather anemic top-line results, as revenues inched ahead 1%, with continued weakness in the Defense business offsetting gains elsewhere, particularly in the Access Equipment segment. Share earnings, though, doubled, to $1.67, easily beating our estimate of $1.07. Wider operating margins, reflecting a favorable product mix, improved pricing, and successful cost-reduction efforts, were responsible for much of the improvement. The final tally for fiscal 2013, which ends on September 30th, will likely show big gains, as well. In all, we look for profits to reach $3.75 (slightly ahead of the company's guidance of $3.60-$3.70), representing an increase of 63% from fiscal 2012.
Looking further ahead, though, fiscal 2014 figures to be a challenge in our estimation. The defense market, in particular, will likely remain a trouble spot in the year ahead, likely causing earnings to dip 5%-10%, to $3.45.
In all, OSK stock will likely appeal primarily to momentum investors for now. The fiscal 2014 setback should prove temporary, allowing annual earnings to push higher in subsequent years and reach $4.30 by 2016-2018. A key to this scenario is continued success in executing the company's MOVE strategy, which emphasizes increasing market share, optimizing cost and capital structures, developing new products, and expanding deeper into emerging markets. Still, at the current valuation, 3 to 5 year price appreciation potential appears limited. Moreover, this equity won't interest income-oriented investors. The company previously paid a modest dividend, but suspended it during the last recession, and we don't envision a resumption of the payout at least until the latter stages of the decade.
At the time of this article's writing, the author did not have positions in any of the companies mentioned.


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BEVERLY, Mass. – A three-run home run by Jose Pena (Boston, Mass.) in the top of the ninth put baseball to within one, but they were unable to pull off the comeback as they were defeated by Endicott College by the final of 8-7 Monday afternoon at North Field.
Chase Sullivan's first collegiate solo homer in the fifth proved to be the deciding run, while on the hill Connor McLaughlin managed to get his team out of the inning with the Beacons knocking on the door to earn his fifth save of the year.
Endicott College improved to 26-12 with Monday's win and represented the first of three regionally-ranked opponents that the Beacons will face this week. For the Beacons they dropped to 14-19, with Pena finishing 1-for-4 at the plate, which included a walk, three RBI and two runs scored.
UMass Boston was able to take advantage of four Endicott errors on the day to score runs in the second, fourth, and sixth innings. They would also tack on a run in the top of the seventh to cut the Gull's lead to four (8-4). The Beacons fourth run came on an RBI single by Daniel Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.)
In the ninth Pena crushed his third homer in just over a week to make it a one-run ball game. His long ball would have tied the game at 8-8, had the Gull's not picked off a runner at first to put two outs on the board. They would eventually get the final out of the inning and earn the victory on a groundout to the second baseman.
Senior righty Will Barrack (Lancaster, Va.) started the game for the Beacons, but was only able to go the first two innings. During his outing the Gulls did a majority of their work, scoring seven of their eight runs. Gulls freshman starter Luke Morse took the mound and pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three unearned runs to cross the plate on four hits and one walk with two strikeouts as the rookie improved to 4-4 on the season.
The Beacons relied on their bullpen to keep the Gulls offense in check as seniors Matt Dziok (Southampton, Mass.) and Tom Cole (Mattapoisett, Mass.) combined for six innings of four-hit, one-run pitching to close out the game.
Cody Hall recorded a career-high four RBI in the non-conference victory as the shortstop went 1-for-4 with a run scored. For Sullivan he finished the day 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored and was the deciding factor with the long ball in the fifth. Cam Farnham, continued his hot hitting with a 4-for-5 day.
Baseball returns to action tomorrow when they travel to Wheaton College (Mass.) for a 3:30 p.m. non-conference game.


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Staten Island, NY, – Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and Wastelands Interactive (www.wastelands-interactive.com) are pleased to announce the release of WW2: Time of Wrath! This massively improved sequel to the grand strategy game WW2: Road to Victory comes with deep turn-based grand strategy gameplay, including the ability to play any of the minor countries as well as fully modeled land, air and naval combat, research, production and logistics. Additionally, owners of WW2: Road to Victory can upgrade to Time of Wrath and enjoy all the new features and benefits completely FREE of charge! Owners of WW2: Road to Victory should check the WW2: Time of Wrath forum and the Matrix Games' Members Club for more information on the free upgrade offer.
To kick off the launch of WW2: Time of Wrath, a veritable barrage of media and art is also available including a wallpaper, sample unit reference cards, splash screens, and tons of unit models! Be sure to check them out!
David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said "WW2: Road to Victory has enjoyed a strong and positive community response, so we're very happy to see this exciting new game system progress. WW2: Time of Wrath is a massive improvement over its predecessor and anyone who was interested in Road to Victory should definitely check Time of Wrath! In cooperation with Wastelands Interactive, we're also pleased to offer WW2: Time of Wrath as a free upgrade to WW2: Road to Victory owners as a thank you to them for supporting this series."
From the front lines in France and Russia to the deserts of North Africa and the airfields and convoys of Britain, the campaigns of World War II are yours to command in WW2: Time of Wrath! This turn-based grand strategy title, the highly improved and expanded sequel to WW2: Road to Victory, puts the player in charge of the political, economic and military decisions of one or more Axis or Allied nations, including minor nations. A diplomacy system based on political points allows you to sway possible allies to your side. An upgraded and expanded naval combat system includes fleet engagements, combat patrols, massive aircraft carriers, elusive raiders and U-Boats as well as a convoy system.
Concentrate precious industrial resources on building, training and upgrading a wide variety of combat units from airborne soldiers and armored divisions up to nuclear weapons! Historical leaders enhance the performance of your armies and hundreds of historical events like the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Lend-Lease and more give you choices that can change the course of history. WW2: Time of Wrath is fought across turns that vary in length by season and 25 km hexes with divisions and corps, giving the player a broad strategic picture of the war while still leaving enough room for operational decisions.
Features include:
- Four Grand Campaigns (1939, 1940, 1941 and 1944) cover the full war in the European Theater, lasting up to 1948 for maximum flexibility
- Two Scenarios (Fall Weiss and Overlord)
- Simple and intuitive user interface with engrossing historical gameplay
- Hundreds of historical events such as Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Vienna Dictate, Lend-Lease, and many more.
- Play as any nation and as any combination of countries to experience the war through a unique perspective.
- Air and Land Combat, including Sieges, Interceptions, Strategic Bombardment, Air Recon, Fleet Air attacks, Bombardment.
- Enhanced naval system that includes Aircraft Carriers, Battle, Patrol and Submarine Groups. Managing fleets, convoys and raiders in Sea Zones.
- Air forces now extend their power over nearby sea zones.
- Advanced weather system simulates spring and autumn / rainfall and snow. Beware of General Winter! Weather conditions have a different effect on each country.
- Any combination of move and attack is allowed as long as Action Points are available.
- Technological race in research of new more powerful units.
- Mulberry harbors now available as a helpful and powerful tool in preparation for huge landing operations.
- Paratroopers conduct airborne landings help to take distant key point locations.
- Fully historical, detailed orders of battle in all scenarios with historical names for hundreds of land, air and naval units.
- Land units divided are into Divisional and Corps size allowing the player to choose what best fits his economy and play style.
- Historical commanders boost the effectiveness of units under their care.
- Improved A.I. to perform better at the strategic and tactical level.
- An innovative naval combat model and realistic supply convoy attack system
- A simple yet immersive political point system for diplomatic relations – alienate enemies and solidify ties with allies
- A healthy variety of combat units to command from armored and airborne forces to strategic bombers and battleships – even nukes!
- Random historical events that can guide and shape the course of the war
Get more information on WW2: Time of Wrath from its official product page.
Matrix Games produces, markets and publishes historical wargames as well as other computer gaming products. Since 2000, Matrix Games has published over four dozen titles and several award-winning games, including Gary Grigsby's War in the Pacific, Close Combat: The Longest Day, Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare, John Tiller's Campaign Series, Conquest of the Aegean, Crown of Glory: Emperor's Edition, Battles In Normandy and Norm Koger's The Operational Art of War III. Matrix Games is based in Staten Island, New York. For more information, visit the Matrix Games website at www.matrixgames.com.


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Pop group JYJ, made up of Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu, will be touring North America next month in support of their second album, Their Rooms; Our Story.
The JYJ World Tour, which kicked off its second leg in Thailand on April 2nd, will make its way to Vancouver on May 20th. Three U.S. dates are scheduled for Newark, Los Angeles, Continue reading


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We're far too excited about the new season of this epic anthology series.
The final trailer for the new sequel is here.
After a couple of weeks of speculation, the Irish quartet are getting back together for the 20th anniversary of their 1998 formation.
Once a fire fighter, always a fire fighter.
Brody Dalle's band dropped their first new music since 2003's 'Coral Fang'.


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Hello everyone!
I am a new member trying to learn about hammock, etc. I thought I was starting to learn what I needed to know after being on the HH site but then I came here.... There's a lot for me to learn.
I'm planning on taking a cross Canada trip this year from the east to the west and then all the way up north. The dempster highway, then coming back through alaska all on a Hammock and I need help.
Look forward to leaning the ropes here,


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A little over a year ago, Monsanto announced its intent to purchase Delta and Pine Land Corporation for $1.5 billion, and when the dust finally settled in June 2007, the deal was done.
The arrangement brought D&PL, the world's largest cotton seed/variety company, under the umbrella of the world's most powerful cotton biotechnology company, but requirements imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice significantly affect the entire landscape of the cotton seed business.
Terms of agreement
As expected, Monsanto was required to sell its Stoneville interests, but stipulations of the deal went beyond that. For $310 million, Bayer CropScience (FiberMax Cotton Seed) purchased not only the Stoneville picker cotton seed division with its varieties, germplasm, facilities, equipment, and personnel, but it also received access to several important D&PL breeding lines and the Monsanto genetic marker library.
The stripper cotton NexGen brand of Stoneville was purchased by Americot, a Texas-based company.
In addition to divesting the Stoneville assets, Monsanto was required to maintain a favorable license agreement with these companies in the use of Monsanto traits. Syngenta's Bt-based VipCot lines already being advanced by D&PL were made available for return to Syngenta, while early efforts to incorporate DuPont herbicide technology into D&PL germplasm appear to have not been far enough along to warrant much consideration. Bayer is also afforded some special considerations on existing Cotton States varieties.
The Cotton States program is a vehicle for public (university and USDA) and private breeders to forward competitive lines to Monsanto for insertion of technology traits (for example, insect management and herbicide resistance). The aim is to have transgenic offerings of varieties initially bred by public and private breeders.
While there are few commercial offerings presently marketed from that program, it has yet to provide competitive varieties for our region.
Monsanto is not sitting still. While most would recognize and appreciate Monsanto's huge past commitment (and success) to R&D in cotton biotechnology, the new Monsanto appears to be even more aggressive in terms of germplasm and cultivar development.
There are reports that company breeding programs have been given the charge and resources to double their efforts.
Vigorous investment into breeding will no doubt yield better products for cotton growers. "Bigger, better, faster" is the anticipated outcome of the acquisition.
For many producers, the race to replace DP 555 BG/RR is on … and the stakes are high.
Interestingly, in the Southern U.S., the Monsanto business, which now spans cotton, corn, soybeans, Roundup, Bollgard, etc., will be known as the Delta and Pine Land Business Unit. As technical field personnel who formerly focused on cotton assume responsibility for every product under the Monsanto brand, there will be a challenge to NOT lose expertise and service on cotton.
Big investments
Bayer CropScience has made significant investments to cotton breeding in the Southeast. They've had programs in Georgia and the Carolinas for several years now.
Unfortunately, their only real, sustained successes thus far have been in Texas. While Texas has traditionally included a "saved seed" component and thus less annual seed sales than acres planted, success in a 6-million acre market is big success. It provides fuel to fund national expansion.
Bayer's commitment to cotton is evident. They have been and will be a significant player in cotton cultivar development. In past months they've purchased market potential in California by acquiring CPCSD and now Stoneville in the Mid-South.
In addition, FiberMax breeders should be "licking their chops" with access to the D&PL germplasm that came with the deal. At some point, these efforts should yield something good for us, shouldn't they?
Some have suggested we are now in a cotton variety duopoly, a market that has two dominant players Monsanto/D&PL and Bayer/FiberMax. That view discounts the potential of Dow Agrosciences PhytoGen cotton. In Georgia, they have arisen as a viable competitor in the alternatives to varieties other than DP 555 BG/RR.
The performance of Dow's Widestrike technology is superior to Bollgard, not quite as good as Bollgard II, but priced competitively with Bollgard. The growing concerns with glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth coupled with the (limited) tolerance of WideStrike varieties to glufosinate adds to the utility of PhytoGen's WR and WRF offerings.
Of course, the hairy nature of some PhytoGen varieties makes them more susceptible to whitefly problems, a localized but serious issue in south Georgia in 2007. PhytoGen has made a good initial splash.
The challenge is to have a steady pipeline of new varieties that constantly get better in terms of yield and, hopefully, fiber quality. Can such a newcomer deliver?
EPA granted re-registration of single-gene Bt cotton technology in Bollgard cotton in July 2006 with an expiration date of September 2009. At face value, that means that Bollgard/Roundup Ready varieties will not be available to farmers past the 2009 season.
It also means that growers will have to plant varieties other than DP 555 BG/RR, a remarkable, highly indeterminate, full-season variety that has dominated our production since 2004 because it yields so well.
It is highly, highly unlikely there will be a retreat to herbicide-resistant only or conventional varieties would then be forced to choose among the newer technology offerings, including Bollgard II/Roundup Ready Flex (BII/RF), WideStrike/Roundup Ready (WR), or WideStrike/Roundup Ready Flex (WRF).
Monsanto has indicated that Bollgard II varieties will be available only with Roundup Ready Flex technology, while Dow expects to offer Widestrike with either Roundup Ready or Roundup Ready Flex.
The simple answer to the question, "What's next behind DP 555 BG/RR?" is that there is no clear winner when we consider BII/RF, WR and WRF varieties.
To date, most of the newest BII/RF and RF varieties yield significantly less than DP 555 BG/RR. Perhaps data from the 2007 crop will uncover the next "race horse," but presently, nobody knows which, where, or whose is the best candidate.
Step backward
If we are compelled to go forward without an option that is clearly as good as or superior to DP 555 BG/RR, it will be a step backward for us in terms of profit.
Growers would likely pay more for the superior technology but make less cotton and less profit.
Technically, resistance management is a good, strong argument for conversion to two-gene Bt technology in Bollgard II, WideStrike, or similar technologies and doing away with single-gene Bollgard.
Resistance is a problem that once encountered there is no starting over. So, the conversion to the two-gene Bt products is a good one for all growers, but it will be painful if there is no good replacement for the highest yielding variety Georgia cotton growers have ever planted.


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Home prices in the Charleston region continue to climb this spring, outpacing the state and national averages, a new report shows.
In the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville area, home prices, including distressed sales, increased by 13.6 percent in April 2013 compared with a year earlier, according to real estate information firm CoreLogic.
The region's growth was 1.5 percent higher than the national average and 5 percent higher than South Carolina, the firm said.
The nation's 12.1 percent home price increase from April 2012 marked the biggest year-over-year increase since February 2006 and the 14th consecutive monthly gain.
"Increasing demand for new and existing homes, coupled with low inventory, has created a virtuous cycle for price gains, most clearly seen in the Western states with year-over-year gains of 20 percent or more," CoreLogic chief economist Mark Fleming, said in statement.
The firm's findings are in line with recent local reports about the Lowcountry prices.
Last month, the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors said the median price of homes sold for the broader region in April was $203,800, up 12 percent from $182,220 in April 2012.
The association also said April rekindled some pre-recession memories.
It said in its preliminary report that 1,028 homes were sold in April. That nearly matched the 1,089 homes that changed hands at a median price of $210,000 in April 2007, eight months before the start of the last recession.
The May figures from the Realtors association are due out today.
Reach Tyrone Richardson at 937-5550 and follow him on Twitter @tyrichardsonPC.


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Ürün; Likralı kumaştan tasarlanmış,dik yakası olan, arka yaka ve manşet kısmından tek adet düğmesi bulunan şık bir elbisedir.
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