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I have an accuquilt machine and I'm considering buying the rag die. I have heard that there is problems with it. If you have used the die, did you like it? Do you find any problems with using it.
Welcome to the Quilting Board!
I have an accuquilt machine and I'm considering buying the rag die. I have heard that there is problems with it. If you have used the die, did you like it? Do you find any problems with using it.
I made a flannel rag quilt using my rag die. I used 1 layer of cotton and 2 layers of flannel. I layered the cotton and the 2 layers of flannel together and cut a set of 3. I loved how it made all the snips for me! I did find that if I placed a piece of paper (I used an old magazine page) on top of the cutting surface of the die then layered my fabrics it cut down on the fabric threads that got stuck in the die around the cutting edges. Threads do tend to get stuck down in the grooves and you will have to use your picking tool to get them out or your die won't cut all pieces of the fabric completely. Made it so nice to have all the pieces of each block cut out together!
No one has ever become poor by giving. - Anne Frank
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. - Martin Luther King, Jr.
I have the large size one. I use it a lot. I put a piece of thin paper over the die before the fabric. That keeps the strings out of the die. I put the batting (cut 1/2" or 1" smaller) between two fabric squares and cut at the same time. I just do one block at a time.
Got fabric?
I dont use batting - instead i use three layers of flannel..
I layer an old joannes flyer over the die, then layer the three flannel pieces in this order: back, middle flannel instead of batting, and the top flannel.. and sometimes ill layer another piece of paper if it gets too static clingy... i make one 'block' at a time..
Works perfect and super fast too..
Also I have both sizes and i prefer the larger one..
I spray my cutting mat with Static Guard. The cling disappears and stays static free for a long time.
Got fabric?
I have the rag die that I've used almost constantly on my Studio. No problems whatsover and I've not heard of any problems.. I have the die for the rag and then the separate square die for the batting ( so 2 in total).
I've had the rag die for my GO! for a few years and have never had a problem. It has been used to make many rag quilts. One of the best payback quilts for fundraisers too, as they are fast, fun, cuddly and very popular in silent auctions.
I've had many quilting friends that have experience with making rag quilts the old way and they felt that the GO! saved them 90% time making rag quilts.
I have found I get better cuts (less thread issue) when I use good quality flannel, but technically the die works well with inexpensive flannel too.
I wish the design cut the square out of the corners, but as it wasn't designed that way I manually cut it out.
If you do end up with threads getting caught in the die, you may see some of the blades sticking up after a cut, You can simply place your mat on top and gently push the blade back down inside of the die foam.
I think you'll enjoy this die. GO! for it and have fun making fast & fun rag quilts.
Thank you all for your imput. I am making my first rag quilt right now. I already have all the squares cut out. I f I decide to do more rag quilts I think I will buy the die.


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Defender Craig Cathcart and striker Warren Feeney have withdrawn from the Northern Ireland squad to face Norway at Windsor Park on Wednesday.
The pair were part of manager Michael O'Neill's first 24-man squad since taking over from Nigel Worthington, but were ruled out with injuries as the players met up for training in Belfast.
Blackpool's Cathcart, a strong contender to start the match, has a hamstring complaint, while Plymouth forward Feeney failed to overcome a calf problem.
Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.

subset: commoncrawl


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Get the interchangeable lens camera of your dreams capable of capturing astonishing 16.1MP stills or full 1920x1080 HD video in about half the size as its DSLR counterparts. It's the interchangeable lens camera that fits in your pocket. Enjoy Full HD 1080/60p or 24p movies, astounding low-light pictures, continuous shooting up to 10 fps, incredible panorama shots and a 3.0-inch tiltable Live View touch screen LCD. Use the Photo Creativity Touch interface to easily adjust images on the go or try out Sweep Panorama for incredible landscapes in 2D or 3D. Answer a call to creativity with the included E-mount 18-55mm zoom lens, ideal for capturing close-up portraits and vast landscapes.
DSLR quality in your pocket - This is the world's smallest interchangeable lens digital still camera using a large APS-C size sensor (as of Aug 2011). The removal of the conventional mirror box and viewfinder results in a camera body that is about half the size and weight of a standard DSLR camera.
Full HD movie shooting 60p/24p - Record Full HD 1920x1080 video in a variety of frame rates from 60p for super smooth action to 24p for a more cinematic feel.1 The NEX-5N utilizes the AVCHD codec, the industry standard for high quality HD video capture, as well as the MP4 codec for easy upload to the web due to it's smaller file size.
Object Tracking AF via Touch LCD - Object Tracking AF can lock onto a specified object and maintain focus even as the subject moves. This hassle-free mode allows unpredictable subjects to stay in focus even while zooming. Letting you concentrate on the scene and composition without having to worry about focus. The subject on which to lock focus is easily selected via the touch screen or the center button of the control wheel.
11 Picture Effect modes - There are 11 picture effects modes to choose from: Posterization (Color, B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (Red, Green, Blue, Yellow), Soft High-key, High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera (Normal, Cool, Warm, Green, Magenta), Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, and Miniature. Each is unique and each gives you a new and exciting way to make your images and videos pop.
Sweep Panorama Mode - Capture expansive landscapes automatically. Press the shutter, sweep vertically or horizontally. The camera does the rest, continuously shooting images and stitching them together. Up to 23 MP image size. Up to 202 degrees maximum sweep angle (16mm focal length).
P/A/S/M operating modes - The NEX-5N offers a full range of controls for video and still shooting from the beginner's iAUTO mode to P/A/S/M: Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority and Manual. On-screen prompts help you refine your skills, build your confidence and exercise greater creative control.
BIONZ image processor - The brain of the camera is a refined version of Sony's BIONZ image processor. Its chroma noise reduction delivers high-resolution, low-noise photos even at ISO 25600 sensitivity. Also enables fast processing for up to 10 fps continuous shooting of data-intensive 16.1 megapixel images, 2D/3D Sweep Panorama modes and 6 image layering.
Phase Detect AF for E-mount bodies w/ adapter - Both the LA-EA1 and EA2 adapters allows you to attach A-mount lenses to your E-mount camera. However, the LA-EA2 is the world's first adapter to leverage Sony's exclusive Translucent Mirror Technology to provide super fast and accurate Phase Detection AF as well. The LA-EA2 adapter has a translucent mirror built-in between the two mounts that directs a small portion of the light to the phase detection AF sensor in the bottom of the unit.
Stamina battery power for up to 430 shots - Take up to 430 shots on a single charge with Sony lithium ion Stamina battery power. Sony's InfoLITHIUM battery system enables you to see the percent of power remaining, so you can keep shooting in confidence.
16.1 MP Exmor APS HD CMOS image sensor - You get incredible detail and gorgeous enlargements. Thanks to the APS-C sensor size and Sony Exmor APS HD CMOS technology, the camera achieves high resolution with no penalty in low-light sensitivity or sensor noise.
Tiltable 3.0" Touch LCD - Sony's 3.0" Xtra Fine LCD monitor has 921K dots for superb resolution. The TruBlack screen includes a special resin layer to suppress internal reflections, increasing contrast compared to conventional LCDs. Sunny Weather mode boosts visibility even further in bright sunlight. Tilts down 45? and up 80? to frame high- and low-angle shots that would otherwise be hit-or-miss.
Optional XGA OLED viewfinder - The optional FDA-EV1S OLED Tru-Finder? offers a large, bright and wide-view of the scene. With high resolution 2.395K dot, and unprecedented speed, contrast and color accuracy, the FDA-EV1S provides an extraordinary view.
3D Sweep Panorama Mode - Capture vast scenic vistas and 16:9 shots in spectacular 3D. As you sweep across the panorama, the camera records separate right-eye and left-eye images that make landscapes come alive on your 3D television4. Records both JPEG and MPO file formats.
Auto HDR - High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography captures more scene contrast than a single exposure can handle by combining the best highlight detail from one shot and the best shadow detail from another for one incredible shot. Until recently, you needed a computer and editing software. Sony builds HDR in. Handles severe backlighting and other high-contrast scenes. Captures in a split second. (Recommended for still subjects.)
iAUTO mode - Unifies and simplifies Sony intelligent technologies. Takes advantage of Intelligent Scene Recognition, Face Detection technology, and Optical SteadyShot image stabilization without leaving auto mode so you always get the best shot.
Accepts Sony E-mount lenses - Compatible with Sony's E-mount series of smaller, lighter lenses designed specifically for a compact interchangeable lens cameras. Opens up a world of creative options.
HDMI output - Enjoy HD movies and stunning still images on a compatible HDTV.12 The camera includes an HDMI output.
Up to 10 fps shooting - Capture the decisive moment in sports and get the ideal baby photo. Up to 10 fps continuous shooting at full 16.1 MP resolution. Standard continuous shooting speeds vary based upon shooting conditions and memory card speeds.
Photo Creativity Touch - The Photo Creativity interface enables you to easily enjoy the creative expression through direct photographic control in an easy to use interface. Changes can be combined/removed and viewed in real time on the LCD making it a breeze to make adjustments.
World's shortest release time lag (0.02 sec) - In photography, shutter lag, or release time, is the delay between triggering the shutter by fully depressing the shutter button and when the photograph is actually recorded. By initiating the exposure electronically instead of with the traditional shutter mechanism, release time on the NEX-5N is reduced to just 20 milliseconds - helping you to capture the decisive moment.
Peaking AF display - The Peaking AF display makes precise manual focusing much easier by highlighting the edges that are in focus in your choice of three colors ( white, red, or yellow). This is especially helpful during macro or portrait photography where your focal plane can make or break your shot.
6-image layering - The camera leverages the large, APS-C image sensor and captures six images in a fraction of a second. The camera then combines the data from the 6 different images to create a single image. This method is used to control blur in Anti-Motion Blur mode or to get cleaner, sharper nighttime pictures in Hand-held Twilight mode.
Intelligent Auto Focus - Pre-focuses as you compose the shot, further reducing focusing time to a bare minimum.
Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) - Dynamic Range Optimizer improves results with backlit subjects and recovers details hidden in shadows. Settings include Auto, Level with a choice of five operating levels and Off.
25-point Auto Focus - 25 sensors cover a very wide area of the scene, for accurate focusing even when the subject is far from the center of the frame.
Product Specifications:
Exposure System
Picture Effect(s) : 11 types (15 variations): Posterization (Color, B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R,G,B,Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera, Soft High-key, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, MiniatureAuto Exposure Lock : Yes (AE Lock with focus lock)Color Temperature : 2500 - 9900 k with 15-step Magenta / Green compensationCreative Style : Standard, Vivid, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, B/W (Contrast (-3 to +3steps), Saturation(-3 to +3steps), Sharpness(-3 to +3steps))D-Range Optimizer : Yes: (Auto, Level, Off)Exposure Bracketing : Yes: (3 Continuous)Exposure Compensation : ?3.0 EV (in 0.3 EV steps)Exposure Settings : iAUTO, Program AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter priority (S), Manual (M), Sweep Panorama (2D), 3D Sweep Panorama, Anti Motion Blur, Picture Effect, Scene SelectionISO : Auto (ISO 100-3200), Selectable (ISO 100 to 25600)Metering : Advanced 1200-zone evaluative meteringMetering Modes : Multi-segment, Center-weighted, SpotMetering Sensitivity : 0EV-20EV, (at ISO 100 equivalent w/ f/2.8 lens)Noise Reduction : Long Exposure NR: (On/Off, available at shutter speeds longer than 1 second) High ISO NR: (High/Normal/Low)Scene Mode(s) : Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports action, Sunset, Night portrait, Night View, Handheld TwilightWhite Balance Mode : Auto,Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent, Flash, Setting the color temperature, Color Filter, Custom
Battery Type : InfoLITHIUM NP-FW50 (7.2V)Number of Still Images : Approx. 430 images (CIPA standard)
Service and Warranty Information
Limited Warranty Term : 1 Year Parts & Labor
Flash Compensation : +/-2EV,1/3EV stepsFlash Coverage : FOV coverage up to 16 mm (in the focal length)Flash Metering System : Pre-flash TTLFlash Modes : Autoflash, Fill-flash, Rear sync., Slow sync., Red-eye reductionFlash Type : Smart accessory terminal (HVL-F7S Flash Supplied)Guide Number : 7 (in meters at ISO 100)Recycling Time : Approx. 4 sec.
Supplied Software : PMB (Picture Motion Browser) v5.2; Image Data Converter SR v3.2; Image Data Lightbox SR v2.2Operating System Compatibility : Windows XP SP3 (32-bit), Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1; Mac OS X (v10.3-?10.6), PMB is not compatible with Mac OS. Camera (via USB), Image Data Converter, and Image Data Lightbox software are compatible with Mac OS.
Drive System
Burst Buffer : JPEG (Fine: 10 shots, Standard: 10 shots), RAW (6 shots), RAW+JPEG (4 shots)Continuous Shooting Speed : Continuous (up to 3fps) Speed Priority (up to 10fps)Drive Mode : Single-shot, Continuous, Speed Priority, Self-timer, Continuous Self-timer, BracketingSelf-timer : 2-sec. or 10-sec. delay, (single, continuous 3 or 5 frames)Shutter Speeds : 1/4000 to 30 seconds, bulbShutter Type : Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane shutter
Weights and Measurements
Dimensions (Approx.) : Approx. 4-3/8 ? 2-3/8 ? 1-9/16" (110.8 x 58.8 x 38.2mm) (W/H/D) excluding protrusionsWeight (Approx.) : Approx. 7.4 oz (210g) (excl battery & media) Approx. 9.5 oz (269g) (w/battery & media)
Lens Compatibility : Sony E-mount lens, (Sony A-mount lenses when used with LA-EA1 or LA-EA2 lens adaptor)Lens Mount : Sony E-mountCamera Type : Sony E-mount interchangeable lens digital camera
Imaging Sensor
Imaging Sensor : Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor (23.5 X 15.6mm)Processor : BIONZ image processorAnti Dust : Charge protection coating on Low-Pass Filter and electromagnetic vibration mechanismPixel Gross : Approx. 16.7 megapixelsEffective Picture Resolution : Approx. 16.1 megapixelsFocal Length Conversion Factor : 1.5xColor Filter System : RGB primary color filters
Media Type : Memory Stick PRO Duo/Pro-HG Duo/PRO-HG HX Duo media SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cardColor Space : sRGB, AdobeRGBStill Image Mode : JPEG (Standard, Fine), RAW, RAW+JPEGStill Image Size 16:9 : L (14M): 4912 X 2760 M (7.1M): 3568 X 2000 S (3.4M): 2448 X 1376Still Image Size 3:2 : L (16M): 4912 X 3264 M (8.4M): 3568 X 2368 S (4M): 2448 X 1624Panorama Still Image Size : Horizontal Wide: 12,416 x 1,856 (23M) Horizontal Std.: 8,192 x 1,856 (15M) Vertical Wide: 2,160 x 5,536 (12M) Vertical Std.: 2,160 x 3,872 (8.4M) 3D Sweep Panorama: Horizontal Wide: 7152 X 1080 (7.7M) Horizontal Std.: 4912 X 1080 (5.3M) 16:9: 1920 X 1080 (2.1M)Video Format : AVCHD / MP4 (MPEG-4 AVC (H.264))Video Mode : AVCHD: PS - 1920 x 1080/60p @ 28Mbps FX - 1920 x 1080/60i @ 24Mbps FH - 1920 x 1080/60i @ 17Mbps FX - 1920 x 1080/24p @ 24Mbps FH - 1920 x 1080/24p @ 17Mbps MP4: HD - 1440 x 1080/ 30p @ 12Mbps VGA - 640 x 480/ 30p @ 3MbpsVideo Signal : NTSC color, EIA standardsAudio Format : Dolby Digital (AC-3) / MPEG-4 AAC-LCMicrophone/Speaker : Built-in stereo microphone; Built-in, monaural speakerStill Image File Format : JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.3, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3format), 3D MPO (MPF Extended compliant)
BRAVIA Sync : Yes, via HDMI with compatible BRAVIA HDTVDVDirect : Yes, via USBHD Output : HDMI (TypeC mini)Memory Card Slot : Dual compatibility slot: Memory Stick PRO Duo/Pro-HG Duo/PRO-HG HX Duo media - SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cardPhotoTV HD : Yes, with BRAVIA Sync enabled HDTV and HDMI cableUSB Port(s) : USB2.0 Hi-speed (mass-storage, MTP)
Focus Control
Focus System : Contrast AFFocus Points : 25 pointsAF Modes : Single-shot AF, Continuous AF, Direct Manual Focus, Manual FocusFocus Area : Multi Point AF (25 points), Center Weighted AF, Flexible Spot AFFocus Sensitivity : 0 EV to +20 EV (at ISO100 conversion with F2.8 lens)Manual Focus Assist : Magnified display for precise manual focusFocus Features : Predictive Focus Control, Focus LockAF Illuminator : Built-in, LED type
Type : Optional OLED finder available (FDA-EV1S)
Advanced Features
Face Detection : On/On (Regist. Faces)/OffSmile Shutter technology : Smile shutter (selectable from 3 steps)Auto High Dynamic Range : Yes, (Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure difference Level (1-6 EV at 1.0 EV step), off)Photo Creativity : Yes (via iAuto Mode)Shooting Tips : YesSweep Panorama : Horizontal (Wide/Standard), Vertical, and 3D Panorama
LCD Display
LCD Type : 3.0" TFT Xtra Fine LCD (921,600 pixels) w/TruBlack technologyAngle Adjustment : Up: Approx. 80 degrees, Down: Approx. 45 degreesBrightness Control : Auto, Manual (5 steps between -2 to +2), Sunny WeatherCoverage : 100%Live View : Yes, (Constant AF Live View)Real-time image adjustment display : Exposure Compensation, WB, Creative StyleHistogram : Yes (On/off)Peaking : Yes (MF only, Level setting: High/Mid/Low/Off), (Color: White/Red/Yellow)Grid Display : Yes (On/off)Customization : Brightness: Auto, Manual, Sunny Weather; Display Color: Black, White, Blue, PinkTouch Panel : Yes
Lens Mount Type : Sony E-mount
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Monday, September 10, 2012
Armour Packing Company
The old Armour packing plant had been situated on the top of the hill - or maybe the enormous building just seemed to be on a hill - just outside of town for as long as I could remember. It was always somewhat of a mystery with the fence around it and seemingly limited access. Once, as a young child, my dad took some visiting relatives on a tour through the plant, and we got to get a sneak peek inside of that huge, stinky, and slightly scary old building. All I really remember was hearing my dad's description of how they would "stick" (electrocute) the hogs to send them to the fate for which they were born - our Easter ham, or breakfast bacon. I was totally creeped out.
My family's association with Armour & Company began in the early 1950s, when my widowed grandfather left the farm to work at the plant - it put food on the table for his tribe of kids, but to economize, he lived in a box car near the plant during the week. He eventually remarried and gave up the farm, but Armours was a part of his life for many more years, until his retirement. Several of his sons took jobs at the plant as well.
I doubt the work at the plant was easy. As a matter of fact, I'm sure it was not. I remember many times hearing the sounds of my mother cooking breakfast at 4 a.m., and hearing my dad wolf it down before heading out the door to work. I recall his sore muscles, and his tales of working in the freezer, and other temporary assignments he'd get that he didn't particularly care for. But it was a job, and a darned good one.
The packing plant seemed to be the one bastion of security in the town - the financial benefits it brought to the community ($8 million in the 1970s*) supported numerous other businesses, and could be counted on to pay many a mortgage, not to mention provide some luxuries to the families who depended on it. Rumors of closings came and went, but the plant persevered.
Eventually, though, the inevitable happened. The plant was sold to Swift Independent Packing Company in the 1980s, and then to Dakota Pork, and then - the doors closed. The building was torn down, and an era ended. Time marches on. But the sight of that huge building at the top of the hill remains in my memory.
* According to the book "Huron Revisited."
2 comments:
My father worked for Patrick Cudahy in Cudahy, WI. He started at age 13 in the mail room and worked his way up to Traffic Manager. The company went public in the mid-1960's and after over 20 years working for the company, my dad lost his job. I still have the gold watch Patrick Cudahy gave him at year 25. As with Huron, Cudahy suffered a similar plight in the 1980's as well.ReplyDelete
Karen, it's hard for me to imagine how hard the work would be a packing plant like this. If a person had a soft spot for animals, he certainly would have to bind his heart pretty tightly to get through it, I should think. As you were, I think I would have been creeped out, too. In fact, I may have had trouble eating meat after that. Interesting post and memories.ReplyDelete
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Good morning.
My name is Andrew McCarter. I have recently opened a private physiotherapy and sports injuries clinic in Streatham Common.
I have worked for the past 10 years in private practice and within the NHS. In addition I have worked in elite sport including working for the Irish Rugby Team and the Irish Female Cricket Team.
I am an Extended Scope Practitioner (ESP) in the NHS specialising in back pain. The role requires high levels of assessment and treatment skills for complex patients and requires ordering of imaging, onward referral to other departments and liaising with orthopaedic doctors. I am therefore aware when patients may need further interventions or assessment for their optimum outcome.
My other role is as a clinical specialist in A&E. This role highlights my skill at assessment, appropriate diagnosis and management of acute and long standing injuries.
I am a member of the Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP). This is a group of 1100 members worldwide who have undertaken 'extensive post graduate study and reached a recognised standard of excellence in neuromusculoskeletal physiotherapy' (https://macpweb.org/home).
I am incredibly passionate about physiotherapy and do not believe in over-treating clients. My main aim is to give them a clear explanation of the issue and the necessary tools to recover.
Please let me if I can be of service. You can access my website at http://www.mccarterphysiotherapy.com and either get in touch with me via the contact form or email me at email@example.com
Andrew McCarter MSc BSc MMACP MCSP HCPC
Clinical specialist Physiotherapist


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Fake BlackBerry ID Emails Spread Malware
Have a BlackBerry? Watch out for a new malware campaign that masquerades as a legitimate account activation mail, Websense researchers warned.
The latest malware is spreading and infecting networks using fake emails that inform recipients their BlackBerry ID has been created, researchers from Websense ThreatSeeker Network said. The text of the email is the same as the legitimate BlackBerry account creation notices sent by Research in Motion to new users. It's the attachment that is dangerous.
Users are encouraged to download the malicious file and run the attachment. Attackers are then able to drop other malicious files and modify the system Registry, making it automatically run malware programs whenever the system starts.
"Websense ThreatSeeker Network intercepted a malware campaign targeting Blackberry customers," Websense's Mary Grace Timcang wrote on the blog.
It's important to note that unlike the reports of the BlackBerry version of Zitmo identified earlier this month, this particular campaign is not targeting the secure mobile devices. Rather, it infects the computers the users are using to read the email and spreading through the network.
The messages have the subject line, "Your BlackBerry ID has been created" and the body has information about how to "enjoy the full benefits" of the account. For users who already have a BlackBerry device, this may make them wonder what changed with their existing account. For non-BlackBerry users, this email may make them wonder how they got an account.
If you see this email, don't click on it. If you already have an ID, you don't need the benefits from this one. And if you don't have a device, it stands to reason you don't need an ID.


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Grieving parents sue Air Force for answers in daughter's death
BOISE – The grieving parents of a 19-year-old Idaho woman who died serving her country thousands of miles from home say the U.S. Air Force won't give them information about the circumstances of her death.
Airman 1st Class Kelsey Sue Anderson of Orofino died June 9, 2011, at Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean 3,300 miles west of Hawaii. The military has reported she committed suicide.
But Chris and Adelia Sue Anderson, her parents, filed a lawsuit last month in U.S. District Court to force the Air Force to respond to their Freedom of Information Act request seeking more information about how their daughter died.
The Andersons say their daughter, an avid soccer player and horseback rider who worked in her hometown's flower shop before joining the military, was unhappy with her job as a security guard on Guam but neither distraught nor depressed in their final contacts days before her death. The arrival of an Air Force colonel at their home, accompanied by local sheriff's officers from Clearwater County, to relay the terrible news was a bolt from the blue, they say.
"We just want to know what happened," said Chris Anderson, who with his wife runs a hunting outfitting business in northcentral Idaho's forests, in an interview Wednesday. "We don't care if it's good or bad, we just want closure so we can get on with our lives. It's been two years with no answers."
According to their federal lawsuit, the U.S. Air Force told the Andersons in May 2012 an investigation into their daughter's death was complete.
They expected to quickly receive a report about what happened in an aircraft maintenance hangar that housed two B-2 bombers. That's where they'd been told their daughter's body was found the morning of June 9 in a locked stall of a second-floor women's bathroom, the apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound from her own service weapon.
Kelsey had been on Guam less than five months.
When no documents arrived by August, however, her parents contacted Idaho U.S. Sen. Jim Risch and filed a Freedom of Information Act request with military offices in Quantico, Va.
Risch's office received a letter from an Air Force colonel in September, saying the investigation into Anderson's death had been closed but that it could take six months before her parents received a response.
"Most requests involve the loss of loved ones, sexual assaults, and other sensitive matters," wrote Air Force Col. John M. Larson to Risch, adding to ensure fairness, such information requests were processed on a "first-in, first-out" basis.
Months passed, however, and the Andersons say they heard nothing. The Air Force didn't respond to a formal appeal they filed in May, either, according to their complaint. Now, they say, the Air Force is violating federal law by failing to provide them with information - or tell them why it's exempt from disclosure.
"They basically ignore us, like we don't exist," Chris Anderson said. "We're her parents. We have the right to have an answer."
Contacted by The Associated Press, Air Force officials said requests about the case must come from Kelsey Sue Anderson's family.
"Please have either party contact our office to discuss the status of their case," wrote Adriane Paris, from the Air Force's FOIA Public Liaison Office in Virginia, on Tuesday.
Risch aides were unaware the matter remains unresolved and pledged to contact the Air Force again, if Anderson's parents want additional help. "We can certainly go back in and inquire on the case," said Brad Hoaglun, the senator's spokesman in Boise.
On Wednesday, Adelia Sue Anderson recalled last seeing her daughter at Christmas in 2010, two months before she shipped out to Guam. Though Guam would be 17 time zones and worlds away from Orofino, Kelsey was looking forward to its warm climate and beaches.
She had a plan. After winning $72,000 in college GI Bill assistance, she told her parents she wanted to serve her country for four years and then go to college, possibly to earn a degree as a veterinarian's assistant. It was also a chance for her to write a new chapter in the family's history of military service: Her father, uncles and grandfathers had served.
"She was the first girl, between my family and the Anderson family, who ever went into the service," Adelia Sue Anderson said. "She wanted to put her time in, get her money for an education, and then go on with her life."


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Main Page
From Worms Knowledge Base
Revision as of 22:13, 13 April 2007 by CyberShadow (Talk | contribs) (more footing space)
(Up to Main Page)
This knowledge base is an attempt to gather and organise information about how the following games work, on the inside, as well as any other useful (or useless) facts about the game. So far, most of this information is about Worms Armageddon, arguably the most successful title in the Worms series.
Information is about the following games:
|Worms 2
|Worms Armageddon
|Worms World Party
|Released in 1997
|Released in 1998
|Released in 2001


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
by Mark Daul
Outdoors in Niagara
My sweet corn was beautiful and delicious, and there was lots of it this season. Here in Niagara County we seem to always have the best veggies and fruits including our sweet corn, which is a fruit.
How can corn be a fruit when all the while I thought it was a veggie, especially when mom's veggie soup always had corn in it? So it is explained, the fruit is a portion of the plant that has seeds and protected by its visible (outside) growth.
Look at a tomato; it has outside growth, so it is considered a fruit. Well, doesn't it? Nope, a tomato is a vegetable by declaration of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1893. The court made that decision because, back then, there was an import tax on fruits and not veggies. Consequently, it was changed from a fruit to a vegetable to avoid the import taxes put on fruits, but not veggies. In my eyes, it still is a fruit.
Let's talk about the corn and the cornfields that adorn Niagara County. These fields are mostly "field corn." I'm not talking sweet corn, but rather field corn - fields that are starting to disappear now, as this story was written. You can see them just driving by - the stalks and leaves are turning brown/yellow and the corncob itself is drying right on the stalks. Don't dare to try and look over the tops of them, you can't. They will grow up to more that 12 feet tall.
Tom Tower is a large fruit farmer in Youngstown and operates a busy fresh fruit and veggie stand on Route 93. I stopped my car in amazement at the height of this cornfield as Tower was emerging from an orchard on the other side of the road. I asked him if he would stand near the corn so I could take a picture showing the height of these stalks. He did, right at ground level, and Tower is no little man. So you can see how tall these things will get.
Tower remarked, "I grew up in that house right over there," pointing at it, and said, "I never, in my whole life, saw corn grow that tall!"
When harvested the corn is cut right down to the ground, stalks and all, and put on huge trucks to be hauled away. The greatest percentage of it goes into making food products like cereal flakes, (corn flakes) hominy, grits, corn bread, cornstarch, and many more foods that we eat everyday. It is fed to our local livestock to make them bigger, stronger and healthier animals.
Tons and tons of field corn are also grown to fuel the nation's vehicles, not just here but the great wheat growing states in the mid-west like Iowa. Here in Niagara County, we are like a pimple on a basketball compared to some of these giant corn growing states.
After the stalks are cut and removed, I noticed that in a matter of days the fields are tilled over and the fields are left for the winter only to see some other crops like soybeans grown in its place. This is done to rebuild the nutrients (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) back to the soil, for more corn planting in a later year.
Corn growers and scientists have it all figured out about how many dollars it takes to grow a bushel of corn and what it costs to convert a bushel to make a box of corn flakes or a gallon of fuel.
Through research performed at Cornell University, "1 acre of land can yield about 7,110 pounds of corn, which can be processed into 328 gallons of ethanol. That is about 26.1 pounds of corn per gallon." A Cornell agricultural scientist is quoted as saying, "There is a fundamental input-yield problem: It takes more energy to make ethanol from grain than the combustion of ethanol produces," meaning, "Gasoline is more efficient than ethanol. One gallon of gasoline is equal to 1.5 gallons of ethanol."
It has been rumored for a long time that the old Pfeiffer Foods plant on Lake Street in Wilson could be earmarked for a distribution facility for this corn. Pfeiffer Foods was bought by LAWTA Properties in November 2009, and LAWTA has never said what they will use it for. It must be something good, because according to newspaper accounts they paid $419,000 for it. LAWTA owns and leases properties in Wilson and Porter, and of course other places I don't know about that grow corn crops, so if you put 2 and 2 together, what do you think? Would you sink that kind of money in a property just to let it sit? The chief officer/farm manager, of LAWTA is Parm Atwal, connected to the famous Western New York eye care firm.
So, the next time you are out on a mission to someplace in the county, look for a large, tall field of corn, or a place that was just cut, and tilled, see how big the acreage is. Sweet corn is all picked canned and eaten, gone for this season, and what you see now is for the food industry, livestock and gasohol.
Who is "So Smart?"
He is a fish character that I created many years ago when I was an editor of a small fishing related newsletter. "So Smart" would occasionally give the readers fishing and outdoor tips to make life easier for them, just like the following tip:
•What do you do when the fish aren't biting?
A simple solution: Watch other anglers. If someone else is catching fish and you're not, learn from their success. Maybe they're fishing deeper, trolling slower, using different bait or fishing a particular spot that's more productive, don't be afraid to ask questions, and try to do what they're doing. "So Smart" says he wants you to be smart, too!
•One summer when we were starving for rain around here and the grass wasn't growing I overheard a conversation between two guys in the grass cutting business. One asked, "What do you do when the grass isn't growing?"
Wondering where his next job was to come from he shot back, "Well, you don't cut it!" So, let that be another tip for you. Ha! Have a question for "So Smart?" Email me.
Remarks, good or bad always welcome, email [email protected] or [email protected], attn., Terry Duffy. Remember to take someone fishing!


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A sneek peek from a super fun shoot in an uber-amazing location with a super fun family who just happened to win my Inspire Me! contest. Shea Family, I can't wait to show you more!!!
you shot it already... wow wow wow.
way to go Ms. susan. love it.
OH MY! I LOVE these and the one showing their shadows is spectacular! SO original!
Susan, you are amazing!
fun! and what a great spot!
Those are Great! We had so much fun, you are such a great person and you had tons of patient with the boys. They really enjoyed this because they got to have fun and be themselves. I can not wait to see the rest of them!!!!
These are so awesome! So much fun in these photographs!
Those look amazing! I sorta thought they looked like they were doing the YMCA but then they weren't in sync...so maybe not. : ) Can't wait to see more!!!!
Those are excellent! Looks like they had a great time!
The last photo is amazing! One afternoon, I was walking my dogs in the park and realized we were making the greatest shadows on a hill a distant way off. I didn't have my camera. I rushed home to get it, but by the time we got back to the park, the moment was gone. I tried a few other days that week to recapture the look, but the lighting was never quite the same. I REALLY appreciate how great these shots are! And by the way...do you realize how much we would like to live where you do?
WOW! Your last shot really is breathtaking. That family is very lucky to have such a special photo. It would be on my wall for sure!
Oh my gosh. The shadow family is just SO great. LOVE it! Wowza!
what an awesome session love the one with the mom and boys!


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S.F. neighbors feel safer with Cesar Chavez St. improvements
The $28 million San Francisco spent to redesign about a mile of Cesar Chavez Street bought new trees, sewer lines, streetlights and plenty of freshly lined pavement, along with a welcome peace of mind for neighbors of the busy roadway.
"The change is almost unbelievable," said Rosi Bustamante, who for years walked her sons from their home on the north side of Cesar Chavez Street to their school on the south side. "It increases safety and the feeling of safety."
On Wednesday morning, city officials and community leaders got together to mark the completion of two long years of work on what used to be known as Army Street, construction that often tied up traffic on one of San Francisco's busiest roadways.
"People have had to bear with all the noise and disruption, but in the end this will be a huge joy to the neighborhood," said Mohammed Nuru, the city's director of public works. "This is a very good example of city agencies working together to give the community what it asked for."
2 years of labor
The physical work began two years ago, with the installation of new sewer lines to replace pipes that in some cases were a century old. Construction of the road and streetscape improvements, which extend from Hampshire Street by Highway 101 west to Guerrero Street, took about a year to complete.
The gray, utilitarian roadway now has a wider median with trees and plantings, along with left-turn pockets at some of the busier cross streets. Upgraded streetlights line the road, with three dozen newly built corner bulb-outs to narrow the distance required to cross the busy street. An eastbound bikeway, separated from the road, will make it easier for cyclists to get to the bay and the southeast part of the city.
Trees have been added along the sidewalk, with planters designed to divert and use some of the storm water runoff. The work also includes a small plaza at Bryant Street and another at the corner of Mission and Capp streets that's dubbed Si Se Puede Plaza for the motto of Chavez's United Farm Workers union. Wednesday's opening celebration was held at that plaza.
The work comes at a cost to drivers. The six-lane street has lost two lanes, although traffic engineers insist the left-turn lanes and other improvements will limit any increased congestion. Other changes include a pair of slightly raised crosswalks designed to slow traffic and remind drivers that they're in a residential area.
While the repaving and sewer work were always in the city's plans, it was the neighborhood that pushed for the safety and streetscape improvements.
Street was a funnel
As originally built, Cesar Chavez Street was designed to funnel freeway traffic to and from the Mission District, Bernal Heights, Noe Valley and other neighborhoods in that part of the city. For many drivers, the wide street was little more than a high-speed extension of the freeway, ignoring the homes, churches, schools, parks and pedestrians around the road.
The street "has functioned for decades as a freeway on the ground, and freeways have no room for people on foot, on a bicycle or living in a home," Fran Taylor, co-chairwoman of CC Puede, a neighborhood group that pushed for the redesign, said in a statement. "That freeway mentality told us we didn't belong on our own residential street full of children, hospital patients and other vulnerable users."
The street also was a real barrier that split the community, added Bustamante, with parents, seniors and children often deciding to stay on their own side of the street rather than brave the fast-moving traffic.
It was about seven years ago that Bustamante and her neighbors began pushing the city to make Cesar Chavez Street safer for everyone.
"There are a lot of people crossing to get to schools and parks, a lot of children and families," she said. "We mobilized, gathered signatures on petitions and the city started listening to us.
"The work may have been in the city's plans, but we helped push the project up the list."
A joint effort
From 2008 to 2010, city officials worked with the neighborhood groups, listening to their concerns and putting together a series of design options for the street. Before the first backhoe dug into the asphalt, almost everyone was on board.
"We got probably 70 to 75 percent of what we wanted," said Bustamante, noting that financial and space considerations made it impossible to widen the sidewalks along the street. "But we're pleased with the way it's worked out. It's really improved the quality of life by taking one source of stress out."
Mayor Ed Lee recognized the contribution of the neighborhood, thanking them for helping the city with a design that makes the street better for everyone who uses it.
"Cesar Chavez Street is one of the most traveled roads in San Francisco and, with its renovation ... we now have a neighborhood-friendly streetscape that is greener, more inviting and enhances safety for people who walk and bike at its core," he said in a statement.
It's not the last bit of work that's going to be done in the area. There are already plans to do similar streetscape improvements along Potrero Avenue from 17th Street to 25th Street, with repaving and sewer work extending beyond that.
John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: email@example.com


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I would like to add my best wishes for the newly formed charity - The British Glass Foundation. I believe it is really important for the history of glass to be preserved through the protection and display of glass items which represent that history. It is important for future researchers and writers who need access to the glass and the documents associated with that glass; and it is important to provide inspiration and information for glassmakers in the future. I believe the glass and documents at Broadfield House are a precious legacy for which we are all responsible, and I wish the British Glass Foundation every success in preserving this legacy for those like ourselves, who will appreciate it in the future. Dr Angela M Bowey
Support the Glass Message Board by finding a book via book-seek.com
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Dad Stuff
I know you don't come to this website for news about my spawn but I can't help but share this. My eldest son Gabe is almost seven years old now. He is fixated on a few different things. Lego, Minecraft, Adventure Time, and (God help me) iCarly. Gabe plays Minecraft every single day and that's no joke. For a while I thought maybe I should be limiting his time because that's what parents do right? They limit "time". Then I started looking at the shit my son was doing in this game and I could not ask him to stop.
He is building and solving problems in ways that frankly I think are far beyond his years but maybe that's just becasue I'm his Dad. Either way I think the "game" has been incredibly good for him. He's learned spelling by making his own signs, some pretty complex math from using his furnace and smelting, How to think of something and then figure out how to build that thing, and then just basic computer skills and the concept of mouse look+WASD.
His fascination with Minecraft has lead him to ask me the other day if there was "something you could look at that would show you how to make things in minecraft." Up until just the other day he had been discovering all the recipes on his own. He figured out boats, buckets, doors,armor and a ton of other stuff just from trial and fucking error. So I showed him the Minecraft Wiki and its recipe list. I thought his little brain was going to explode when he saw that you could make a bed. After that I noticed him typing minecraft into YouTube and I got a little scared. My baby boy was using the god-damned Internet. Jesus only knows what sick shit he would find out there. As it turned out he found people showing off their Minecraft creations and giving tours of their worlds. This blew him away!
Cut to this afternoon when I get a text with a picture from my wife Kara. "Your son made a "tripod" for his iPhone so he could make a movie of himself playing Minecraft.
We gave Gabe one of our old phones a while back. It is essentially a fancy iPod Touch now but it has a camera and its got a bunch of his favorite games on it. So he built a stand out of Lego to hold the phone while he played. My guess is that when I get home tonight I'll be helping him put his little movie on the Internet. All of a sudden the web seems like an incredibly scary place.
-Gabe out


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Santa Ana receives three public works awards
By RON GONZALES / ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
SANTA ANA – The city has received three 2012 Project of The Year Awards from the Southern California chapter of the American Public Works Association. The awards recognize outstanding capital improvement projects and public works programs.
The three projects were:
- MacArthur Boulevard/55 interchange ramp widening. The $2.8 million project, completed in September, increased capacity to improve traffic flow. It included rehabilitation of streets and ramp pavement, and safety improvements like signage, guard railings and ramp meters. "The project was noted for its innovative design approaches for cost savings and water conserving landscape systems, construction management to minimize lane closures, and collaboration of government entities, public utility agencies and business owners to complete the environmental, design, and construction phases expeditiously," city officials said in a release.
- Memory Lane lane reduction. To address concerns of speeding and street racing in an area used by bicyclists, the city installed a Class II bikeway on Memory Lane from Bristol Street to Flower Street. "The city was recognized for its innovation in funding the project, incorporating it under the city's Residential Street Program, which resulted in a complete repaved street with a neighborhood supported lane reduction in addition to the new Class II bikeway," city officials said. The $325,000 project was completed in September 2011.
- Diamond Park Mutual Water Co. water main improvements and Catalina Street Pump Owners' Association water service connections. The projects involved construction of 4,200 feet of potable water pipe, 145 water service connections, removal of two private water wells, and dissolution of two dysfunctional private water companies, resulting in safe and reliable drinking water for 145 residences, city officials said. "The Diamond Park Mutual Water Company water main improvements project is noteworthy because it involved considerable coordination with various disciplines, including legal, legislative, community organizing, state regulators and engineering and construction; and of course, significant media attention as well," said Raul Godinez II, executive director of the city Public Works Agency. "The Catalina project was a related project that was rolled up into the same effort." He said the Diamond Park company's water was contaminated with nitrates, and the Catalina Street water was contaminated with uranium. The Diamond Park project cost $1.1 million, and the Catalina Street project $433,195, for nearly $1.6 million. Both projects were completed in early 2012.
Members of the American Public Works Association are public works officials throughout the United States and Canada. The Southern California chapter, with 1,400 members, covers Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Godinez said that in addition to Santa Ana, only Los Angeles received three awards, the maximum the chapter awards to any agency each year.
Contact the writer: 714-796-6999 or email@example.com


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|View Poll Results: Should we have invaded Iraq on 3/19/03?
|Too close to call at this point. Leave it to Gaz. Also, I'm a wishy-washy fop of a human being.
|Voters: 103. You may not vote on this poll
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In BB I trust
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Invasion of Iraq 10 years later: Good move or mistake
10 years ago today the US invaded Iraq to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein. The after-effects of that decision are still being felt to this day, and obviously will continue to play out in the years and decades to come. At this milestone, however, knowing everything that you know now, should we have gone in, or not?
Regrets and hypotheticals aren't really the goal here. We could go on and on (and have, many times) about how the post-invasion situation was handled, etc. ad infinitum. You should vote simply on the facts as they have actually occurred over the last 10 years.
Poll forthcoming. Note that it will be a public poll.
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237 misleading statements about the threat posed by Iraq that were made by President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, Secretary Powell, and National Security Advisor Rice. These statements were made in 125 separate appearances, consisting of 40 speeches, 26 press conferences and briefings, 53 interviews, 4 written statements, and 2 congressional testimonies. According to the committee, at least 61 separate statements misrepresented Iraqs ties to al-Qaeda.
House investigation 2004:
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pie is never free
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Its a scary choice, but i'd take it over losing hundreds of thousands of american men and women.
That sickening possibility seems to be plaguing us more and more lately... dont want to, but dont make us.
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Life is 99% inspiration, 1% Perspiration, and 1% Attention to Detial.
RIP & Godspeed:
Lonewolf Ed
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The article claims the quote can be found in Gustave Gilbert's book Nuremberg Diary.
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The Last Letter
A Message to George W. Bush and Dick Cheney From a Dying Veteran
To: George W. Bush and Dick Cheney
From: Tomas Young
I write this letter on the 10th anniversary of the Iraq War on behalf of my fellow Iraq War veterans. I write this letter on behalf of the 4,488 soldiers and Marines who died in Iraq. I write this letter on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of veterans who have been wounded and on behalf of those whose wounds, physical and psychological, have destroyed their lives. I am one of those gravely wounded. I was paralyzed in an insurgent ambush in 2004 in Sadr City. My life is coming to an end. I am living under hospice care.
I write this letter on behalf of husbands and wives who have lost spouses, on behalf of children who have lost a parent, on behalf of the fathers and mothers who have lost sons and daughters and on behalf of those who care for the many thousands of my fellow veterans who have brain injuries. I write this letter on behalf of those veterans whose trauma and self-revulsion for what they have witnessed, endured and done in Iraq have led to suicide and on behalf of the active-duty soldiers and Marines who commit, on average, a suicide a day. I write this letter on behalf of the some 1 million Iraqi dead and on behalf of the countless Iraqi wounded. I write this letter on behalf of us allthe human detritus your war has left behind, those who will spend their lives in unending pain and grief.
You may evade justice but in our eyes you are each guilty of egregious war crimes, of plunder and, finally, of murder, including the murder of thousands of young Americansmy fellow veteranswhose future you stole.
I write this letter, my last letter, to you, Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney. I write not because I think you grasp the terrible human and moral consequences of your lies, manipulation and thirst for wealth and power. I write this letter because, before my own death, I want to make it clear that I, and hundreds of thousands of my fellow veterans, along with millions of my fellow citizens, along with hundreds of millions more in Iraq and the Middle East, know fully who you are and what you have done. You may evade justice but in our eyes you are each guilty of egregious war crimes, of plunder and, finally, of murder, including the murder of thousands of young Americansmy fellow veteranswhose future you stole.
Your positions of authority, your millions of dollars of personal wealth, your public relations consultants, your privilege and your power cannot mask the hollowness of your character. You sent us to fight and die in Iraq after you, Mr. Cheney, dodged the draft in Vietnam, and you, Mr. Bush, went AWOL from your National Guard unit. Your cowardice and selfishness were established decades ago. You were not willing to risk yourselves for our nation but you sent hundreds of thousands of young men and women to be sacrificed in a senseless war with no more thought than it takes to put out the garbage.
I joined the Army two days after the 9/11 attacks. I joined the Army because our country had been attacked. I wanted to strike back at those who had killed some 3,000 of my fellow citizens. I did not join the Army to go to Iraq, a country that had no part in the September 2001 attacks and did not pose a threat to its neighbors, much less to the United States. I did not join the Army to liberate Iraqis or to shut down mythical weapons-of-mass-destruction facilities or to implant what you cynically called democracy in Baghdad and the Middle East. I did not join the Army to rebuild Iraq, which at the time you told us could be paid for by Iraqs oil revenues. Instead, this war has cost the United States over $3 trillion. I especially did not join the Army to carry out pre-emptive war. Pre-emptive war is illegal under international law. And as a soldier in Iraq I was, I now know, abetting your idiocy and your crimes. The Iraq War is the largest strategic blunder in U.S. history. It obliterated the balance of power in the Middle East. It installed a corrupt and brutal pro-Iranian government in Baghdad, one cemented in power through the use of torture, death squads and terror. And it has left Iran as the dominant force in the region. On every levelmoral, strategic, military and economicIraq was a failure. And it was you, Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney, who started this war. It is you who should pay the consequences.
To read Chris Hedges recent interview with Tomas Young, click here.
I would not be writing this letter if I had been wounded fighting in Afghanistan against those forces that carried out the attacks of 9/11. Had I been wounded there I would still be miserable because of my physical deterioration and imminent death, but I would at least have the comfort of knowing that my injuries were a consequence of my own decision to defend the country I love. I would not have to lie in my bed, my body filled with painkillers, my life ebbing away, and deal with the fact that hundreds of thousands of human beings, including children, including myself, were sacrificed by you for little more than the greed of oil companies, for your alliance with the oil sheiks in Saudi Arabia, and your insane visions of empire.
I have, like many other disabled veterans, suffered from the inadequate and often inept care provided by the Veterans Administration. I have, like many other disabled veterans, come to realize that our mental and physical wounds are of no interest to you, perhaps of no interest to any politician. We were used. We were betrayed. And we have been abandoned. You, Mr. Bush, make much pretense of being a Christian. But isnt lying a sin? Isnt murder a sin? Arent theft and selfish ambition sins? I am not a Christian. But I believe in the Christian ideal. I believe that what you do to the least of your brothers you finally do to yourself, to your own soul.
My day of reckoning is upon me. Yours will come. I hope you will be put on trial. But mostly I hope, for your sakes, that you find the moral courage to face what you have done to me and to many, many others who deserved to live. I hope that before your time on earth ends, as mine is now ending, you will find the strength of character to stand before the American public and the world, and in particular the Iraqi people, and beg for forgiveness.
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You have a real selective memory.
"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." — From a letter signed by Joe Lieberman, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara A. Milulski, Tom Daschle, & John Kerry among others on October 9, 1998
"This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to refine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer- range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." — From a December 6, 2001 letter signed by Bob Graham, Joe Lieberman, Harold Ford, & Tom Lantos among others
"Whereas Iraq has consistently breached its cease-fire agreement between Iraq and the United States, entered into on March 3, 1991, by failing to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction program, and refusing to permit monitoring and verification by United Nations inspections; Whereas Iraq has developed weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological capabilities, and has made positive progress toward developing nuclear weapons capabilities" — From a joint resolution submitted by Tom Harkin and Arlen Specter on July 18, 2002
"Saddam's goal … is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while retaining and enhancing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. We cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed." — Madeline Albright, 1998
"(Saddam) will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and some day, some way, I am certain he will use that arsenal again, as he has 10 times since 1983″ — National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, Feb 18, 1998
"Iraq made commitments after the Gulf War to completely dismantle all weapons of mass destruction, and unfortunately, Iraq has not lived up to its agreement." — Barbara Boxer, November 8, 2002
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not yet achieved nuclear capability." — Robert Byrd, October 2002
"There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat… Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But the United States right now is on a very much different defensive posture than we were before September 11th of 2001… He is, as far as we know, actively pursuing nuclear capabilities, though he doesn't have nuclear warheads yet. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our friends in the region would face greatly increased risks as would we." — Wesley Clark on September 26, 2002
"What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use such weapons in the past. Today, a number of evidences may lead to think that, over the past four years, in the absence of international inspectors, this country has continued armament programs." — Jacques Chirac, October 16, 2002
"The community of nations may see more and more of the very kind of threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction, ready to use them or provide them to terrorists. If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow." — Bill Clinton in 1998
"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security." — Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002
"I am absolutely convinced that there are weapons…I saw evidence back in 1998 when we would see the inspectors being barred from gaining entry into a warehouse for three hours with trucks rolling up and then moving those trucks out." — Clinton's Secretary of Defense William Cohen in April of 2003
"Iraq is not the only nation in the world to possess weapons of mass destruction, but it is the only nation with a leader who has used them against his own people." — Tom Daschle in 1998
"Saddam Hussein's regime represents a grave threat to America and our allies, including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of mass destruction through every available means. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal." — John Edwards, Oct 10, 2002
"The debate over Iraq is not about politics. It is about national security. It should be clear that our national security requires Congress to send a clear message to Iraq and the world: America is united in its determination to eliminate forever the threat of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction." — John Edwards, Oct 10, 2002
"I share the administration's goals in dealing with Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction." — Dick Gephardt in September of 2002
"Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access to weapons of mass destruction. Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." — Al Gore, 2002
"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." — Bob Graham, December 2002
"Saddam Hussein is not the only deranged dictator who is willing to deprive his people in order to acquire weapons of mass destruction." — Jim Jeffords, October 8, 2002
"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." — Ted Kennedy, September 27, 2002
"There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein's regime is a serious danger, that he is a tyrant, and that his pursuit of lethal weapons of mass destruction cannot be tolerated. He must be disarmed." — Ted Kennedy, Sept 27, 2002
"I will be voting to give the president of the United States the authority to use force – if necessary – to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." — John F. Kerry, Oct 2002
"The threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real, but as I said, it is not new. It has been with us since the end of that war, and particularly in the last 4 years we know after Operation Desert Fox failed to force him to reaccept them, that he has continued to build those weapons. He has had a free hand for 4 years to reconstitute these weapons, allowing the world, during the interval, to lose the focus we had on weapons of mass destruction and the issue of proliferation." — John Kerry, October 9, 2002
"(W)e need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime. We all know the litany of his offenses. He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. …And now he is miscalculating America�s response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction. That is why the world, through the United Nations Security Council, has spoken with one voice, demanding that Iraq disclose its weapons programs and disarm. So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real, but it is not new. It has been with us since the end of the Persian Gulf War." — John Kerry, Jan 23, 2003
"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandates of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." — Carl Levin, Sept 19, 2002
"Every day Saddam remains in power with chemical weapons, biological weapons, and the development of nuclear weapons is a day of danger for the United States." — Joe Lieberman, August, 2002
"Over the years, Iraq has worked to develop nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. During 1991 – 1994, despite Iraq's denials, U.N. inspectors discovered and dismantled a large network of nuclear facilities that Iraq was using to develop nuclear weapons. Various reports indicate that Iraq is still actively pursuing nuclear weapons capability. There is no reason to think otherwise. Beyond nuclear weapons, Iraq has actively pursued biological and chemical weapons.U.N. inspectors have said that Iraq's claims about biological weapons is neither credible nor verifiable. In 1986, Iraq used chemical weapons against Iran, and later, against its own Kurdish population. While weapons inspections have been successful in the past, there have been no inspections since the end of 1998. There can be no doubt that Iraq has continued to pursue its goal of obtaining weapons of mass destruction." — Patty Murray, October 9, 2002
"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." — Nancy Pelosi, December 16, 1998
"Even today, Iraq is not nearly disarmed. Based on highly credible intelligence, UNSCOM [the U.N. weapons inspectors] suspects that Iraq still has biological agents like anthrax, botulinum toxin, and clostridium perfringens in sufficient quantity to fill several dozen bombs and ballistic missile warheads, as well as the means to continue manufacturing these deadly agents. Iraq probably retains several tons of the highly toxic VX substance, as well as sarin nerve gas and mustard gas. This agent is stored in artillery shells, bombs, and ballistic missile warheads. And Iraq retains significant dual-use industrial infrastructure that can be used to rapidly reconstitute large-scale chemical weapons production." — Ex-Un Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter in 1998
"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years. And that may happen sooner if he can obtain access to enriched uranium from foreign sources — something that is not that difficult in the current world. We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction." — John Rockefeller, Oct 10, 2002
"Saddam�s existing biological and chemical weapons capabilities pose a very real threat to America, now. Saddam has used chemical weapons before, both against Iraq�s enemies and against his own people. He is working to develop delivery systems like missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles that could bring these deadly weapons against U.S. forces and U.S. facilities in the Middle East." — John Rockefeller, Oct 10, 2002
"Whether one agrees or disagrees with the Administration�s policy towards Iraq, I don�t think there can be any question about Saddam�s conduct. He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do. He lies and cheats; he snubs the mandate and authority of international weapons inspectors; and he games the system to keep buying time against enforcement of the just and legitimate demands of the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States and our allies. Those are simply the facts." — Henry Waxman, Oct 10, 2002
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If we were morally right, and I think we were, to come to the aide of the South, was it a moral failure not to commit to our Chinese allies in their civil war against the communists? Now the conflict did lead to a massive rearming of the United States and in many ways set the tone for the cold war for decades to come but one can argue the plusses and minuses of that as well if you really want to.
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[QUOTE=Comrade Crapski;9515682]Only Vichy Regime made "misleading statements"?
You have a real selective memory.
This is so much BS...
GWB pushed the button to go to war with Iraq. No one else. Congress did not even give him a declaration of war. The dems may have been accomplices but it was GWB who pulled the trigger. Don't give me the "well they didn't stop me" argument.
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Not in my book. Not when the North Koreans were clearly the aggressors and when we didn't even expand the war into mainland China. All Chinese casualties were necessarily military casualties. All North Korean casualties were a result of their own aggression.
1 million, 10 or 20, I wouldn't care. Just like Germany. Or Japan. I feel badly for the civilians, but their government is to blame, 100%.
1. The Chinese civil war was entirely internal, not an invasion of one country by another.
2. We would have no "moral obligation" to send massive troops into foreign countries to support one government versus another, absent our own national interests. While "who lost China" was a Republican witchhunt for years, the fact is that it wasn't ours to lose, and that the corrupt and pathetic nationalist government was no more "save-able" than the South Vietnamese government. If we couldnt' save South Vietnam, a much smaller country, how the hell would we have saved the Chinese government of our choosing.
"I love signature blocks on the Internet. I get to put whatever the hell I want in quotes, pick a pretend author, and bang, it's like he really said it." George Washington
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The same ****ing dopes who suck obamas cock all the live long day on this forum.
You have no integrity. None. But if you want to amuse yourself go ahead.
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Boy, you all want power. God, I hope you never get it. - Lindsay Graham
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Ya know...
there's an awesome search feature in the top right hand corner of this forum. I just did a few searches "bush war criminal" "bush impeachment" "Iraq" "Gitmo" et al.
Some really, really, fascinating stuff in there from 2004-2008.
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September 2008
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"No Child Left Behind has truly empowered parents with better information and more options, including free tutoring under the supplemental educational services provision of the law."
—Secretary Margaret Spellings
Giving Parents Real Options By Implementing Quality Supplemental Educational Service Programs.
Supplemental educational services (SES), which include free tutoring and other academic assistance, are an important component of NCLB, providing low-income parents with real options to improve their children's academic performance. This extra help is offered to the neediest students in schools deemed "in need of improvement" for at least two consecutive years (a designation received after missing adequate yearly progress goals for three years). It is a vital element of school reform.
SES is a new provision under NCLB, and we have learned valuable lessons in its first years of implementation. Setting up a successful SES program requires close coordination and cooperation between a state, its school districts, SES providers, and parents. A recent study of nine urban districts found that students receiving SES experienced significant gains in achievement. And there is evidence that effects may be cumulative: students participating for multiple years experienced gains twice as large as those of students participating for one year.
Unfortunately, despite progress in offering SES to eligible students and families, evidence remains that this provision is not being implemented to its full potential. Too few eligible students are receiving SES. According to reports from states, only about 14.5 percent of eligible students across the country participated during the 2006-07 school year.
Under the Leadership of Secretary Spellings, the U.S. Department of Education Continues to Implement SES Pilot Programs During the 2008-09 School Year.
To improve the delivery and quality of SES to students, the Department initiated two SES pilot programs in the 2005-06 school year in a select number of states and school districts across the country and has continued these programs through the 2008-09 school year.
The Department is gaining valuable knowledge about SES from these pilot programs—information that can be shared with states and districts to improve the quality and delivery of these services.
SES Pilot Programs in Select Urban School Districts.
In the first pilot, the Department is working with select urban school districts that are committed to providing SES to greater numbers of eligible children. Pilot districts are eligible to serve as SES providers and, in exchange, must implement a set of good practices to increase student participation in SES.
These districts have agreed to provide:
Early notification to parents of their children's eligibility to participate in SES, and notification that is clear and concise, as well as clearly distinguishable from other school improvement information;
A Web site that provides information on SES and public school choice, including eligibility and participation data, and lists of available SES providers in the district and available schools to which students eligible for public school choice may transfer for the 2008-09 school year;
Extended enrollment periods so that parents can make the best choice for their child;
Sign-up forms that are widely available and accessible;
A level playing field for all providers; and
Academic data analyzed by an independent third party to evaluate the effectiveness of SES services.
Additionally, these districts have agreed that, prior to spending any unused funds set aside to meet the 20 percent expenditure requirement for other activities, they will provide evidence to their state that they have demonstrated success in meeting the conditions of this pilot.
In the 2008-09 school year, five districts are participating in this pilot: Anchorage School District, Boston Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools, Hillsborough County (FL) Public Schools, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg (NC) Schools. Boston and Chicago have participated in this pilot since the 2005-06 school year, while Anchorage and Hillsborough have participated since 2006-07.
SES Pilot Programs to Offer SES to Students in Schools in Year One of Improvement.
- In the 2005-06 school year, the Department also initiated a pilot program with the state of Virginia that allowed four districts in the state to offer SES to schools in year one of improvement-one year earlier than the law requires. In subsequent years, this flexibility was offered to additional states. In the 2008-09 school year, there are eleven States participating in this pilot program; seven of these States were given flexibility through the SES Pilot, and four of these States were given flexibility through the Differentiated Accountability Pilot. The chart below details the years in which different states agreed to participate in this flexibility.
|North Carolina
*indicates these States have received approval to participate in this pilot through their Differentiated Accountability proposal.
- As part of their flexibility agreements, these eleven states have committed to increasing the number of eligible students participating in SES; maintaining a comprehensive list of SES providers; and ensuring that their participating districts provide timely, clear, and accurate notice to parents, offer extended enrollment periods, and provide a level playing field for all providers.


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5 Amazing Beaches in New Zealand
If you are one of those people who enjoys spending their times at beautiful beaches, but don't like crowds - this article is for you!
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New Zealand is a gorgeous country, and perhaps that's one of the reasons why it's been used as a filming location for numerous Hollywood blockbuster films.
Lush forests and rocky terrains map off the perfect hiding places for gorgeous beaches, and if you're feeling adventurous, you just might uncover a few.
1. Cathedral Cove
If you've ever seen The Chronicles of Narnia, you may actually recognize Cathedral Cove. It was used as a filming location, so you can be guaranteed that its beauty is of cinematic proportions. If you play your cards right, you won't have to share the beauty with anyone else. While tour busses do stop by this location in the afternoon hours, virtually no one is there in the early morning. It's quite a hike to get there – approximately one hours' time. If you get up with the birds, you'll be able to have Cathedral Cove all to yourself.
2. Crucible Lake
The shores around Crucible Lake in Mount Aspiring National Park don't make for your typical beach, but you'll have to see it in all of its unique splendor if you want to appreciate it. The lake itself is hidden within Mt Aspiring National Park, so you'll have to do a little exploring to get there. The shores of the lake create a gorgeous basin that allows you to look down into the water, where you will find an abundance of small icebergs that exist at the bottom of the lake. While this is not a beach you'll want to swim at, it's certainly an ambiance you'd feel fortunate to enjoy.
3. Cape Palliser
Cape Palliser was, for the longest time, regarded as dangerous to visit. The lighthouse made the area appealing, but it wasn't always safe to access. In recent times, sturdy steps have been installed to provide visitors with a safe ascent to the beautiful vantage point offered by the lighthouse. It's also an area frequented by New Zealand native fur seals, and you may get to see them while you're there. You'll also be able to fish and picnic on the beach, though swimming is not recommended.
4. Himatangi Beach
Himatangi Beach is located on the west coast of the north island, and its location is convenient to access from some of the best accommodations in Auckland. The community of Himatangi is home to less than 1,000 people, making it an ideal location to enjoy some solitude. If you're looking for a beach where you can take a nap after you've had a long swim, Himatangi Beach is the perfect place to go. If you want to make the most of your stay, you can even camp on the beach, and make dinner of the fish you've caught in its waters.
5. New Chums Beach
This beach in The Coromandel region has been rated one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire world by several reputable major publications, including National Geographic. So why don't more people visit? The answer is simple. The faint of heart won't be up to the physically daunting task of navigating through a deep estuary and a difficult hike through deep mud to find the shore. The obstacles in getting there assure that the beach remains unspoiled, but you have to be willing to rise to the challenge of finding it. Once you get there, you'll be rewarded with something akin to nature's treasure. The crescent shaped beach is comprised of pure white sand, and its waters glisten like a newly polished sapphire.
Overall, there are plenty of beaches in New Zealand that are incomparable to anything in the world, and most tourists will never make it there. If you're up for a challenge, suit up, and start exploring the islands for your private slice of paradise.


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Financing Real Estate Investments For Dummies
Table of Contents
Author Information
Part I: Gearing Up for Financing Your Real Estate Investments.
Chapter 1: Taking a Crash Course in Real Estate Investment Financing.
Chapter 2: Shielding Your Personal Assets from Investment Risks.
Chapter 3: Gathering Essential Documents, Facts, and Figures.
Chapter 4: Scoping Out Prospective Lenders.
Part II: Financing the Purchase of Residential Properties.
Chapter 5: Finding the Residential Loan Program That's Right for You.
Chapter 6: Bargain Hunting for Low-Cost Loans.
Chapter 7: Navigating the Loan Application and Processing.
Part III: Financing the Purchase of Commercial Properties.
Chapter 8: Picking the Right Commercial Property Type for You.
Chapter 9: Exploring Sources of Financing for Commercial Properties.
Chapter 10: Securing a Loan to Finance Your Commercial Venture.
Part IV: Sampling More Creative Financing Strategies.
Chapter 11: Financing in a Pinch with Hard Money and Other Tough Options.
Chapter 12: Capitalizing on Seller Financing.
Chapter 13: Partnering to Share the Risk and the Equity.
Chapter 14: Profiting from No-Money-Down and Other Creative Deals.
Part V: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Avoid Common Beginner Blunders.
Chapter 16: Ten Steps to Take before Closing.
Chapter 17: Ten Tips for Surviving a Credit Crunch.


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Trying to find the right size and specification load foot can be a little tough. With so many sizes to choose from it can be a tricky task deciding on which one is best for the job. Read More...
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Louisville Nats
The NSRA Nats is 42 years old and growing
The National Street Rod Association Street Rod Nationals Plus celebrated its 42nd annual gathering of street rods for the seventeenth time in Louisville, Kentucky, and for the second time inviting "younger" hot rods well past the traditional cutoff date of 1948. There's no denying that today's hot rod has taken on a different appearance. All the while there's no denying that the NSRA Plus events are adapting to the changing landscape of street rodding, which is good for rodders, manufacturers, fans, and, of course, the NSRA.
This year's gathering in "Looville" produced the reoccurring staggering number of street rods at 10,004 cars supporting 345 vendors and viewed by 70,000 spectators over the four-day venue. The vendors reside within the Kentucky Exposition Center a modern state-of-the-art exhibit building with great air conditioning—something one appreciates while in Louisville in August.
Because of the Nats history, there are many old friends who we reacquaint ourselves with each year. For instance, the Memphis Street Rods represent the senior service club having worked the Nats for 41 years. There's the Michigan Hot Rod Association in its 40th year supplying the Rod Repair Shop, which has become a most welcome "port in a storm" for many a rodder. There were 42 clubs volunteering their time to make the event that much more enjoyable for the rest of us, and that includes this year's two newest additions in the Christian Classic Cruisers of Arlington, Texas, and the North County Street Rodders of Petoskey, Michigan. Speaking of club participation, how about the Long Distance Club Award going to the Sedan Deliveries Limited with 14 members driving a combined 9,224 miles.
While we know about the Rod Repair Service there were a number of other rodder friendly services, should you have found yourself in need. There was Powermaster Testing to check for electrical woes, NSRA Safety Inspection to give your street rod a once over to alert you of pending problems, and People Mover Trams to get you around the expansive grounds (we found this to be a great way to move about and save on the ol' shoe leather).
Something every rodder attending the Nats should take in is the New Products display in its 34th year. There are literally dozens upon dozens of newly created products that rodders can use. Everything from inexpensive to complete sheetmetal bodies that will allow a rodder to upgrade, finish, or begin a new project. (Look at this month's Window Shopper column, page 20, to see a varied selection of product directly from the Nats New Product section.)
There's plenty more to see besides the hundreds of vendors, such as the Builder's Showcase in the Grand and South Wing lobbies, the Pro's Pick (12 cars selected) sponsored by Classic Instruments, and other specialty awards like the Long Distance (U.S.) and Long Distance (outside the U.S.) as well as rodding personalities Darryl Starbird and Charley Hutton signing autographs. Another popular award is the PPG Outstanding Use of Color where you can see what creative ways a Street Rodder can paint his ride.
Did we mention a vintage parts swap meet? The Nats and accompanying swap meet is a tradition that goes back to the earliest days in Peoria. Everything from the smallest of hardware to ready-to-go projects are all present for picking up and taking home while attending the Nats.
Had you found yourself in a learning mode (and want to take a respite from the heat) there were technical seminars Thursday through Saturday covering multiple topics. Companies such as Vintage Air, Inland Empire Driveline, and RideTech held Thursday seminars giving much in the way of the basic knowledge required to build your own hot rod. Others such as Billet Specialties, Watson's StreetWorks, Street & Performance, Advanced Plating, and Meguiar's were also on hand to provide rodders with the type of useful information that allows each of us to build our own ride.
What did we see? For those who couldn't make the Nats the first question is, "What kind of cars or build styles were at the Nats?" Being the second year of the expanded format that allows later model cars, there were plenty of examples of muscle cars, street machines, street crusiers, and loads of classic trucks. There's no denying the popularity of the Tri-Five Chevy, Camaros, and the build style gaining greatly in popularity, the gasser look. Whether it is a straight-axle or lifted A-arm car, the gasser is growing in popularity.
You should be warned, if you don't enjoy street rods of all years, makes, models, colors, and build styles it would be best to stay away from the Kentucky Exposition Center. On the other hand, should you find yourself "jonesing" for a street rod overdose (the good kind), then work your way to Kentucky next summer. It's tradition for the Nats to be held there the first week of August. You've been forewarned.