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7 Reasons Not to Eat Factory-Farmed Food and where to find Local Sustainable Food in Georgia!
7 Reasons Not to Eat Factory-Farmed Food
We've all heard about the evils of factory farms, but sometimes it's useful to take a look at things from a comprehensive perspective. Maybe you know about the risks of salmonella, but figure if you cook your food well enough, you won't have to worry.
Here are seven reasons to avoid factory-farmed or industrially-produced food, and to seek out other options—as always, your local farmer's market is a great start—a little more regularly.
Better Nutrition
If you're going to eat products like meat and dairy, studies have found that these foods are more nutritious when raised sustainably than when they are produced by industrial agriculture. (And just this week, it became official even in a U.S. court: hormone-free milk is better.)
If you're vegetarian or vegan, the same is true for organically grown fruits and veggies. (This is a hotly-debated topic, but if you think about it from a basic, non-scientific perspective, it's not hard to believe that applying chemicals to intentionally kill living organisms will also deplete the soil of nutrients necessary to grow a healthy crop.)
Better Taste, Healthier Taste Buds
There's an increasing understanding that processed foods, many of which come from factory-farmed meat, dairy, and industrially-grown wheat or corn, are killing our taste buds, making us physically less able to taste and enjoy the naturally-occurring flavors in fresh foods. Anyone who's tasted a home- or locally-grown tomato knows what a difference those flavors make.
For the Earth
Our readers probably already know this, but meat and dairy production are greenhouse gas culprits—even more so than flying. There's also the issue of the basically-unregulated sludge and other pollution that factory farms get to release into the environment.
For the Local Economy
As I've pointed out before, when you buy from a national chain—and for this purpose, factory-farmed food is no different than, say, Barnes & Noble—the community keeps $4.30 for every $10 spent. When you buy local (from your farmer's market, for example, or local natural foods store), $6.80 will stay in the community. Plus, supporting local farms will probably mean supporting more green space and healthier land in your community, which means a healthier lifestyle overall.
Salmonella, Avian Flu, and Swine Flu
(Different reasons, same underlying problem.) This summer's egg recall is the most obvious example: the overcrowded, unsanitary conditions on factory farms lead to disease. The H1N1 virus is also affiliated with factory farm conditions, as is swine flu.
Sensing a pattern here? Just some food for thought as you put your next grocery list together.
Factory Farming 101
7 Reasons to Grow Your Own Food
Resolve to Support a Healthier Food System
Join a CSA To Go Sustainable
By Rachel Cernansky, Planet Green
Planet Green is the multi-platform media destination devoted to the environment and dedicated to helping people understand how humans impact the planet and how to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Its two robust websites, planetgreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer original, inspiring, and entertaining content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green is a division of Discovery Communications.
For Local, Sustainable, Food Resources in the Atlanta area, Leesa invites to visit…


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provider locations
Parehjan & Vartzar Chiropractic, Inc.
3450 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 316
Los Angeles, CA 90010
213-381-0075 M-F 9-7, Sat 9-12
Proud Member of Doctors on Liens™ Since 1999Verified by
Liens: PI WC Liens
Specialties: MD, Pain Management, Chiropractor, Medical Evaluator, Massage Therapy, Ortho & Neuro Available
Languages: English, Spanish, Farsi, Armenian
Dr. Patrick Parehjan DC
Dr. Robert Vartzar DC
Website: pvchiroinc.com
Email: email@example.com
Printed Map: Zone 2, Location 77
Parehjan & Vartzar Chiropractic Inc. has passed our rigorous 5-step screening process and is a member in good standing of the Doctors on Liens™ provider network. We fully endorse Dr. Robert Vartzar DC, Dr. Patrick Parehjan and recommend their services for personal injury and workers compensation cases. Parehjan & Vartzar Chiropractic Inc. provides chiropractic, medical evaluation, pain management, and massage therapy services in the Mid-Wilshire Los Angeles area. Please contact Parehjan & Vartzar Chiropractic Inc. directly or call our office at 855-DOC-LIENS.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Please be aware you are now leaving an official Rolls-Royce Motor Cars web page, click below to proceed to an external webpage.
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Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Leven Cars Group Ltd relationship with you in relation to this website. If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.
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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Edinburgh is responsible for the contents of this website. Whilst we endeavour to ensure the information is up to date and accurate, we cannot accept responsibility for your reliance on any information on this website. Any questions you may have should be directed to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Edinburgh.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Edinburgh will hold and process any personal information which you provide via this website in order to facilitate and enhance the services which we provide. Your information will also be shared with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, in the United Kingdom. Should you wish to learn more about how your information will be used, please contact us by writing to: 1 Corstophine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6DD, Scotland. Alternatively you can e-mail: email@example.com or phone: +44 131 442 1000.
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Leven Cars Group Ltd is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
Leven Cars Group Ltd may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from May 2018.
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We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
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Cookies do lots of different jobs, like letting you navigate between pages efficiently, remembering your preferences, and generally improve the user experience. They can also help to ensure that adverts you see online are more relevant to you and your interests.
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Within this website cookies are used to facilitate features and functions which improve your browsing experience. They are also used to measure the performance of the site and the ways in which visitors navigate their way around. No personally identifiable information is collected by the cookies on our sites.
The below information details the cookies we use, how to prevent these being written and the impact of doing so on your browsing experience.
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You can accept or decline cookies by modifying the settings in your browser. However, you will not be able to use all the interactive features of the site if cookies are disabled.
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Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars are working to provide the ability for you to manage your cookie preferences within our website, but this is functionality is currently under development. As an interim step we have detailed below all the cookies set by our websites, their purpose and details of how to opt out where available.
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These cookies are used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign. They are usually placed by advertising networks with the website operator's permission. They remember that you have visited a website and this information is shared with other organisations such as advertisers. Quite often targeting or advertising cookies will be linked to site functionality provided by the other organisation.
The tables below explain the cookies we use and why. The information is updated regularly but if a discrepancy is found then please contact us.
|Car Configurator
|This cookie is needed to identify the user's configurator session within the car configurator system.
|Strictly Necessary
|Session Only
|This cookie indicates that an annoymised user is actively using the site and is used to measure how many users are visiting the site at any given time. This cookie is deleted when the browsing session is closed.
|Strictly Necessary
|Session Only
|Load Balancer Cookies
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|Strictly Necessary
|Session Only
|Used for maintaining anonymised session and user identification across the websites sub-domains.
|10 Years
|Anonymously tracks what device type the site is being accessed on (based on screen resolution) - PC / Tablet / Smart phone.
|1 Day
|is used for anonymised cross domain tracking e.g. Recording if a visitor moves between www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com and pre-owned.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
|2 Years
|is set in order to track which navigation elements are used when navigating the site (main menu, teaser, footer etc.)
|Session Only
|Google Analytics
|Records anonymised data about a users visits to a site including: first visit (unique visit); last visit (returning visit); Days and Visits to purchase calculations etc.
|2 Years
& __utmc
|These cookies work in tandem to calculate visit length. Google __utmb demarks the exact arrival time, then Google __utmc registers the precise exit time of the user.
|Both expire after 30 mins of inactivity
|notes where an annoyomised visitor arrived from, grouping the information into type e.g. via a search engine, social media, direct. This cookie also registers what keyword generated the visit (if relevant) plus geolocation data, to nearest city.
|6 Months
|creates groupings based on anonymised user actions, for example, create a group for all visitors who viewed a particular link or advert.
|2 Years
|_ga (Universal Analytics)
|This cookie is used to store a unique client identifier (Client ID), which is a randomly generated number. Once the ID is generated it's stored in the cookie and is included with each hit / request sent to Google Analytics. This ID is later used by Google Analytics servers to calculate user, session, and campaign data. The _ga cookie is a first-party cookie that can only be accessed by the domain on which the JavaScript is run.
|2 Years
|used to throttle request rate.
|1 minute
|used to throttle request rate.
|1 minute
|used to throttle request rate.
|1 minute
|used to throttle request rate.
|1 minute
|Used to distinguish users.
|24 hours
|Hot jar
|This session cookie is set to let Hotjar know whether that visitor is included in the sample which is used to generate funnels.
|Session Only
|Brightcove Player
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|Session Only
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No personally identifiable information is used or stored by DoubleClick cookies.
|Targeting/ Advertising
|30 Days


text:
Title: The Ex-Boyfriend Handbook
Author: Matt Dunn
Format: Kindle
Published: 2010
I'll admit the only reason I even got this book was the title sounded funny. It turned out to be exactly that. The story begins with Edward arriving home to find his girlfriend of 10 years, Jane, has left for Tibet for three months. She also took almost all the contents of the apartment with her. The note she leaves blames him and lists his faults.
Edward turns to his TV host friend, Dan, and his favorite bartender, Wendy, for ideas on how to spend the three months that Jane will be gone improving himself so he can win her back. (~~spoiler alert..if you don't want spoilers, skip to the final chapter of the review.~~)
Edward's friend Dan, the proverbial ladykiller, has no end of ideas about the steps he should take to improve himself before Jane's return. None of these ideas are easy or cheap. Wendy, on the other hand, thinks most of Dan's ideas are bad ones, and she tries to get Edward to look at the emotional issues and see things from Jane's point of view. Dan is extremely superficial. Even Edward sees that Dan's ideas are not the best, but he follows along because Dan gets a lot of attention from women, despite the fact that Dan's relationships have the lifespan of a housefly. Dan suggests dental work, expensive furniture, speed dating, and other instant fixes that aren't so much fixes after all.
Edward then decides to hire a personal trainer, Sam. Sam is hard on Edward from the beginning, pulling no punches. He has a hard time keeping up with Sam, and feels tortured. Slowly, Edward gets better, slimmer, and starting to quit his bad habits. Eventually, he starts to question whether Jane was good enough for him, instead of why he wasn't good for her. The ending is slightly predictable, but the book has had you smiling up to this point, so you don't care.
Overall, this is a humorous look at breakups, and having been through a few of my own, it was nice to see a slightly funny take on them. You feel Edward's pain, but you also smile at Dan and Wendy's different takes on what he needs to do and why. I give this one 4/5 pages simply for the light take on things. I'd recommend it for a vacation weekend read as it's a quick read as well as a fun one.


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Environmental geology of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary (1978)
Type of ContentTheses / Dissertations
UC Permalinkhttp://hdl.handle.net/10092/6901
Thesis DisciplineGeology
Degree NameDoctor of Philosophy
PublisherUniversity of Canterbury. Geology
AuthorsMacpherson, J. M.show all
The Avon-Heathcote is a small, microtidal, predominantly intertidal, weather-dominated estuary. It has experienced large alterations to its physical environment as a result of the establishment and growth of the adjacent Christchurch City, on what was previously a swampy, dune-bordered coastal plain. During the period 1850-1920 the tidal compartment decreased by 30%, then returned rapidly to its original volume. It has since increased to about 30% more than its pre-European volume. The inlet area progressively changed its configuration to accommodate these alterations in volume. An analysis of the energetics of waves and tidal currents shows that wave-induced shear stresses predominate in this estuary, particularly above the MTL, and are only exceeded by tidal current stresses in and adjacent to subtidal channels, where tidal velocities exceed 60cm/s. Because of depth limitations the largest waves in this estuary normally have periods of 1.4 s, amplitudes of 30cm and lengths of 3.5m. Wave energy gradients are due to downfetch variations in wave frequency, not variations in wave size. The muddiest sediment occurs close to the entrances of the Avon and Heathcote rivers, and patterns of mud deposition are regulated both by rates of sediment supply and by wave energy. The sand fraction of active surface sediment can be divided into two groups – one consisting of a single population deposited solely from saltation, the other consisting of a mixture of this saltation population, and material deposited from suspension. Sand is only deposited from suspension near the two river entrances, or on intertidal flats below the MTL, where wave shear stresses are less than 2 dynes/cm² Shallow cores reveal that a record of the history of this estuary is preserved in its subsurface sediment. An abiologic, pre-estuarine/estuarine pre-European/estuarine post-European sequence is recognised beneath a 15-20cm deep bioturbation interface. Above this interface benthic animals have produced a homogeneous mixed layer, depleted of suspendible fines, which is overlain by a thin and commonly quite different active layer. The active layer exists independently of trends in net erosion or deposition of sediment.


text:
When Eastern scholars explore a philosophical classic, they look for a subjective experience that might stimulate their intuitive understanding of the work. Perhaps they will open the book at random in order to select the next passage to contemplate. Using chance and synchronicity in their approach they can then contemplate, too, why that particular passage appeared in their lives in that particular moment.
In nature, a snowflake is a snowflake – until we take a closer look and see no two snowflakes are formed in the same way. So too, in human nature, no two individuals are informed in the same way. Those who would like nature to determine their intellectual path through the Tao Te Ching may find that a random approach will help trigger the spirit of the moment and open their mind to self-discovery.
I started reading the Tao Te Ching a couple of days ago, and I decided to follow the above advice from the introductory chapters about using a random approach to choose which passages to read. The passage I came up with was the following:
In managing your instincts and embracing Oneness,
Can you be undivided?
In focusing your Influence,
Can you yield as a newborn child?
In clearing your insight,
Can you become free of error?
In loving people and leading the organization,
Can you take no action?
In opening and closing the gateway to nature,
Can you not weaken?
Produce things, cultivate things;
Produce but do not possess.
Act without expectation.
Advance without dominating.
These are called the subtle Powers.
I was particularly struck by the phrase 'Act without expectation'. It was a concept I was struggling with personally due to some recent events. Is this a principle that I myself should stick by, regardless of my feelings, or is doing so just being naïve? I was undecided about what to do, and I was leaning more toward the cynical view. After reading this passage however, I'd like to believe that it did not turn up without reason, and that it actually serves as a reminder of what I personally believe in. Who knows, perhaps this will turn out to be nothing more than some spiritual nonsense, but for now I have made my decision.


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These developments are a product of WADA's own making. The anti-doping regulator has a habit of seeking compromise when harsh sanctions are required
We are now at the point where Russian doping scandals are as much a part of the Olympic experience as construction-cost overruns and mascots of uncertain biology.
A committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency has recommended that Russia's anti-drug regulators be declared non-compliant, which could result in the country being booted from the Tokyo Olympics in the same manner of Pyeongchang 2018, where the country's flag and anthem were excised from the Games, although certain athletes were allowed to compete under a neutral banner.
The New York Times reported on Monday that WADA's compliance and review committee suggested a four-year ban of Russia from all global sports, which would imperil its participation in not just the next two Olympics, but also soccer's European championship this summer and the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. WADA's executive committee is expected to adopt the recommendations at a meeting on Dec. 9, according to multiple reports.
These developments are not at all surprising to anyone who has followed this story since Russia's state-sponsored doping scheme was first exposed in 2015, but they are also a product of WADA's own making. The anti-doping regulator, which is supposed to be ruthless in its pursuit of clean sport, has a consistent habit of seeking compromise when harsh sanctions are required. Russia was supposed to be following a strict road map to get back into WADA's good graces after the events that led to its expulsion in Korea, but in the fall of 2018 the anti-doping regulator decided to reinstate Russia on the condition that it hand over thousands of drug-test results and admit the extent of its state-sponsored scheme. Beckie Scott, the Canadian Olympic medallist, resigned her post at WADA over the decision, calling it at the time "a devastating blow to clean sport."
Scott's contention, shared by other critics of the early reinstatement, was that it would allow Russia to escape ever having to admit the scope of what it had done: athletes were put on doping programs under the direction of anti-doping scientists, test results were altered, dirty urine samples were swapped out for clean samples through a literal hole in the wall of a drug lab.
Those warnings have proven to be exactly prescient. Russia stalled when it was supposed to hand over its drug-testing database, and then when it did, investigators discovered that it had been altered, with positive tests deleted and others manipulated. There is a simple reason for this: Russia has always insisted that the breadth of the scandal was exaggerated by nosy-parker Westerners, and that it whatever happened was merely the work of a small number of rogues acting without the blessing of senior leaders. A couple of those senior leaders, in a very Russian twist, also ended up dead.
An untouched Russian drug-testing database would have put all those assertions under scrutiny, and allowed WADA to see the extent of its doping efforts. A manipulated database merely confirms that Russia still has much to hide. This is particularly significant given that the International Olympic Committee stripped Russia of 13 medals won at Sochi 2014, but nine of them were restored by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, citing insufficient evidence for the disqualifications. The required evidence would have been in the Russian database, before it was tampered with.
Yuri Ganus, the relatively new head of Russia's anti-doping agency, has even said that he is dismayed by the manipulation of the database that was turned over to WADA. "Russia is a high level sports country, but those people who are responsible to solve this situation for many years chose the wrong way, the wrong approach," he said this month. One hopes Mr. Ganus has someone testing his food these days.
There is one intractable problem that makes any attempt to deal with the Russian scandal feel pointless. It was just so big that trying to legislate it after the fact is always going to be unwieldy. Consider one of the stories of Grey Cup week, the suspension this season of Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris for a positive steroid test. He insisted he didn't do anything intentionally wrong and was the victim of a tainted supplement, but he was punished anyway. This is what happens with steroids: if you are found to have something illegal in your body, the sanctions do not care how it came to be there. It is an absolute-liability offence, and the only evidence needed to convict are the scientific tests.
But the Russian scandal, backed by mountains of documentary evidence from whistleblowers who were both athletes and scientists, went into the highest reaches of that country's sport system. Doping efforts are normally secretive and subtle. Russia went the other way, deciding from the top to dope the hell out of anyone who seemed like a medal threat and see what happened. What happened is that Russia topped the medal table at Sochi 2014.
When the anti-doping program is in fact running the precise opposite of that, all the usual avenues of evidence have been utterly corrupted. WADA and the CAS have for years now been trying to apply the normal standards to Russia's athletes, but they were part of an extraordinarily abnormal doping effort. WADA has been bringing a dull knife to a gun fight.
Perhaps this will all end with Russia being sanctioned in the manner that WADA's committee is now advising. Perhaps the eventual punishment will be unsparing. Perhaps, but we have been here before. How did that go?


text: Hey all,my most successful works will be posted in here on the front page, whilst my progressing ones will be posted as comments through the thread. Also you can request Player: Text: Other: Anyway, here they are. Also, all the sigs in this thread can be used by anyone and everyone, I have no use but to make them.


text:
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
I Don't Know a Whole Lot About FIOS...
John and Paul's extraordinary success rate as songwriters generated insecurities of its own...The pair spent hours trying to analyze just what had made their latest hit a hit...For a while, they believed the crucial ingredient was simply the word me or you, hence not only "Love Me Do," "Please Please Me," "From Me to You," and "She Loves You," but also "P.S. I Love You," "Do You Want to Know a Secret?" "Thank You Girl, "I'll Get You," "Bad To Me," and "Hold Me Tight."So far the book is highly recommended. all 800+ pages.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
President Palin? Been There. Done That
Lawrence Wilkerson, top aide and later chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, said that as a new president, Bush was like Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee whom critics said lacked knowledge about foreign affairs. When Bush first came into office, he was surrounded by experienced advisers like Vice President Dick Cheney and Powell, who Wilkerson said ended up playing damage control for the president.
"It allowed everybody to believe that this Sarah Palin-like president — because, let's face it, that's what he was — was going to be protected by this national-security elite, tested in the cauldrons of fire," Wilkerson said, adding that he considered Cheney probably the "most astute, bureaucratic entrepreneur" he'd ever met.
"He became vice president well before George Bush picked him," Wilkerson said of Cheney. "And he began to manipulate things from that point on, knowing that he was going to be able to convince this guy to pick him, knowing that he was then going to be able to wade into the vacuums that existed around George Bush — personality vacuum, character vacuum, details vacuum, experience vacuum."
Your Daily Reason To Hate Republicans
For Republicans opposed to campaign finance regulations, it appears that enforcing the law is just so last year.One set of rules for Republicans; another set of rules for everyone else.
Bloomberg reports that the Federal Election Commission's three GOP members all voted against fining the Chamber of Commerce for illegally spending money in 2004 on attacks against John Edwards, that year's Democratic vice-presidential nominee. The 3-3 final vote tally meant the commission took the rare step of rejecting an FEC counsel recommendation to impose the fine.
The November Fund, a 527 group run by the Chamber, had been found to have broken campaign spending laws by using $3 million it received from the chamber to attack Edwards over his trial lawyer background. Bloomberg notes that 11 other 527s were accused of violating campaign spending laws, and all but the Chamber paid a fine.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Bat Lash #3
"(Judge Nero)" is plotted and drawn by Nick Cardy and scripted by Denny O'Neil. This is the only issue of Bat Lash not plotted by Sergio Aragones. In Comic Book Artist #1, of this issue and Cardy's scripting Sergio said, "I was surprised, because he made Bat look like a clown. He drew all the characters so cartoony, falling in bathtubs, and hanging from roofs... It really hurt me a lot, because I didn't want anything like that. The humor should be the result of Bat Lash's action. I think that's the only issue that he's out of character."
Bat Lash is taken into a new town by a sheriff's wife. The sheriff tries to kill him, then makes him the new deputy after Bat Lash meets the pretty deputy Samantha Eggbert. When the sheriff is killed by crooked Judge Nero, Bat Lash is framed for the crime. He is convicted and sentenced to hang, but Samantha helps him escape. Bat Lash then leaves town, leaving Samantha behind to face the townspeople.
Edited by Joe Orlando.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tragedy Up North!
40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Brave and the Bold #82
"The Sleepwalker from the Sea" is by Bob Haney, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano. Batman witnesses the murder of Otto Chernak and is prevented from pursuing the killer by someone resembling Aquaman. As Bruce Wayne, he follows a lead on the case to Orm Marius, the man behind a new marine city project. Marius is actually Aquaman's half-brother Ocean Master.
Aquaman is under Ocean Master's hypnotic control and is ordered to kill Bruce. Batman brings him to police headquarters where Aquaman explains that he feels responsible for the death of a marine biologist. Batman helps to convince Aquaman that he was set up by his brother. Together the two heroes then shut down Orm's operations. The Ocean Master escapes because Aquaman did not want to see his brother harmed. This story has been reprinted in Best of the Brave and the Bold #3, Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 1 HC and Showcase Presents the Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 1 TPB.
Edited by Murray Boltinoff
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The Droud
Anyone who ever read Larry Niven's The Ringworld Engineers knows that at the beginning of the book Louis Wu, the protagonist from Ringworld, has become a "current addict" or a "wirehead," he has become addicted to the Droud, a device that directs electrical current into his brain, stimulating the pleasure centers. Behold: the Droud!
Interestingly enough, this is not the only device of this type in development:
Scientists are developing an electronic "sex chip" that can be implanted into the brain to stimulate pleasure.
The chip works by sending tiny shocks from implanted electrodes in the brain.
The technology has been used in the United States to treat Parkinson's disease.
But in recent months scientists have been focusing on the area of the brain just behind the eyes known as the orbitofrontal cortex - this is associated with feelings of pleasure derived from eating and sex.
A research survey conducted by Morten Kringelbach, senior fellow at Oxford University's department of psychiatry, found the orbitofrontal cortex could be a "new stimulation target" to help people suffering from anhedonia, an inability to experience pleasure from such activities. His findings are reported in the Nature Reviews Neuroscience journal.
An electronic machine, named the Orgasmatron, taken from the 1973 Woody Allen film Sleeper, is already under development by a North Carolina doctor, who is modifying a spinal cord stimulator to produce pleasure in women.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Al Franken on the Uptake!
I loved the two ballots they discussed today. On one the person had voted for Al Franken, but then wrote in the write-in area the name: "Lizard People." The canvassing board then discussed if Lizard People was a real person, or a political statement. If a political statement, then the vote was for Franken; if a real person it was an over-vote. A woman on the board said how she once knew a person whose last name was People and another member asked her if their first name had been Lizard? That evoked a round of chuckles. Eventually they decided that Lizard People might be real and therefore it was an over-vote; Franken lost that one, but so did Coleman (though one might argue that Lizard People might be Coleman's species).
A few ballots later someone voted for Franken but altered his name to be Al Frankenstein. Coleman's attorney argued that this was not a vote for Al Franken and therefore should not be counted as such. Franken's attorney countered that it was obviously a vote for Franken but that the voter was just being "goofy." The board decided that they had voted for the person designated as the Democratic nominee for Senate and therefore Al Franken or Al Frankenstein were the same person.
You can't make this stuff up!
40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Witching Hour #1
This was DC's second foray into horror/mystery titles giving the House of Mystery some competition. Editor Dick Giordano went with a trio of "hosts" for this book, two older witches (Mildred and Mordred) and a young, hip witch (Cynthia). I liked this book and Giordano got the most amazing artists for his horror stories. He also made the stories of the old vs. young witches and the bumbling Igor a lot of fun.
Like House of Mystery, the Witching Hour's hosts appeared in framing sequences around the actual stories, but in the Witching Hour they tended to be more of another story in themselves involving the interactions between the three witches. This first issue begins by introducing the hosts in "Let the Judge Be...You!!!" written and drawn by Alex Toth.
Next is "Save the Last Dance for Me" by Denny O'Neil and Pat Boyette. Trapley is rich and selfish and has a machine that has locked onto earth 100 years into the future. He wants all the benefits of traveling there for himself, and what he finds...well, you'll have to read the story. Reprinted in Witching Hour #38.
That is followed by "Eternal Hour" another tale with Alex Toth story and art. Terwit is dwarfish and is teased and ridiculed by the town's boys. Most adults do nothing to stop it. Terwit recluses himself in a clock tower and the clock from then on is stopped at midnight. Years later, many of those boys, now men, go to the tower to drive Terwit out and their screams cry out...Why? Reprinted in Witching Hour #38.
Next is "The Perfect Surf" drawn by Jack Sparling. Stanley is totally nuts about surfing. He really never even notices the total babe at his side. He is obsessed with finding the "perfect wave". He is afforded an opportunity to find that wave in the dead of night. Reprinted in Witching Hour #38.
The book ends with the Epilogue to "Let the Judge Be...You!!!" written by Alex Toth and drawn by Neal Adams.
Edited by Dick Giordano.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Majel Barrett Rodenberry, R.I.P.
When I worked in Burbank at Disney around 1995-96 I was sitting at a stoplight on Riverside Drive one morning and I remember looking at the car across the street in the left-turn lane and noticing the licence plate: MAJEL. Behind the wheel, behind these large dark glasses was Nurse Christine Chapel. My only meeting with Majel Barrett Rodenberry.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Metal Men #36
"The Cruel Clowns" is by Robert Kanigher, Mike Sekowsky and George Roussos. Seeking to earn the public trust, the Metal Men try to help people. When their efforts go horribly wrong, they decide to stage a circus. The circus crowd is not impressed with the show until a group of clowns show up and bring laughter.
After the show, the Metal Men thank the clowns. They discover that the clowns are really aliens who take them prisoner. The Metal Men are reduced to miniature size and taken offworld to perform for the alien clowns. After a struggle, the Metal Men escape and return to Earth where they will try again to make people like them.
Edited by Jack Miller.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Arena Football League Suspends Play For 2009 Season
LOS ANGELES -- The Arena Football League will suspend the 2009 season subject to agreement and cooperation with the AFL Players Association.
AFL executives and team leaders will develop an organization structure and financial plan that will seek to enhance league-wide revenues while generating cost efficiencies for the league and all its teams. The overriding goal of the league's restructuring is to create a business model that will provide long-term benefits to all current and future teams.
"It's important for the Arena Football League to think about the next 20 years," Avenger owner and chief executive officer Casey Wasserman said. "And the economic model, combined with the economic environment we're in currently doesn't allow us to take that perspective. Suspending play for the year -- in cooperation with our players and our partners -- allows us to get the perspective necessary to make the decisions that are in the best interest of the long-term viability of the league.
"All interested parties -- owners, players, partners and fans -- are committed to the sport," Wasserman added. "We're committed to do the work necessary to make this league have a long-term future together."
The Avengers will refund all season ticket accounts and all seat locations will be held until further notice.
"We have built an organization that prides itself on connecting with its fans and delivering value to its sponsors," Avenger president Matt Wikstrom said. "While I am saddened by today's announcement, our commitment to that vision grows stronger. We will work tirelessly to remain connected to the Avenger community throughout 2009."
Friday, December 12, 2008
40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Showcase #80
We begin with the Phantom Stranger in "Men Call Me the Phantom Stranger" by Mike Friedrich, Jerry Grandenetti and Bill Draut. This was the first new Phantom Stranger story since The Phantom Stranger #6 in 1953. DC was looking for more mystery comics and found a winner in this long-forgotten character, revamped for the 1960s. This story was a framing sequence around the rest of the book which was reprints and was itself reprinted in Showcase Presents Phantom Stranger Vol. 1 TPB.
Next we have "The Three Signs of Evil" by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella and reprinted from Phantom Stranger #2. Artist Mark Davis strolls through Columbus Circle and happens upon a gathering. As he watches, he begins sketching a picture of some symbols the people are using. When the group notices him, they demand that he turn over the sketches. Davis refuses and leaves the scene.
The cult members follow Davis and attack him near Times Square. Mark is rescued by the Phantom Stranger who examines Mark's sketch. The Stranger deduces where the cult will be from the sketch. Mark offers his assistance in stopping the cult.
Following the third sign in his sketch, Mark is captured by the Moon Cult. They intend to sacrifice him to gain mystical power. The Phantom Stranger comes to the rescue again and knocks out the cult. Mark summons the police, while the Stranger disappears.
Lastly we have a reprint of the first Doctor 13 story, "I Talked with the Dead" from Star Spangled Comics #122 and drawn by the great Leonard Starr. DC took the mystical Stranger and added the supernatural hoax-breaker Terrance Thirteen as a foil for the Stranger's mystic adventures.
Edited by Joe Orlando.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Indymac Makes the Big Time
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Biblical Marriage
A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)
B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)
C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)
D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30)
E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)
F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)
G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)
40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Our Army at War #203
We begin with Sgt. Rock in "Easy's Had It" by the standard team of Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert. This very early Easy Co. story is from Our Army At War #103. Easy Company believes that Sgt. Rock is the core of the unit. If he dies, they don't think Easy can go on. Rock tries to convince them that no soldier including him is irreplaceable. Rock's theory comes true when he is seriously wounded. Easy believes him dead. They fight on to avenge their leader's death. After the battle, Easy realizes Rock is still alive.
Next is the Haunted Tank in "Trap of the Dragon's Teeth" by Robert Kanigher and Russ Heath. This story is from G.I. Combat #98. Jeb and his team act as a scout for the larger Pershing tanks. Jeb finds anti-tank mines in a river and enemy tanks on the other side, but he can't warn the other tanks without alerting the enemy. When the other Allied tanks start across the river, Jeb is forced to open fire on the enemy tanks and shout a warning about the mines. The larger tanks are saved, but the Haunted Tank is heavily damaged by the battle.
While being towed, Jeb wishes that tanks had an early warning system. The ghost of General Stuart tells Jeb about Sam Simmons, a civil war soldier who sneezed whenever the enemy was near. Jeb suddenly develops physical ailments that act as an early warning system. A headache warns of an attack from above, while his foot pain indicates one from below. When Jeb's teeth begin to hurt, he is warned of Dragon's Teeth anti-tank traps. The warnings help the Haunted Tank survive several battles.
Mademoiselle Marie stars in "T.N.T. Spotlight" from Star Spangled War Stories #87 and is by Robert Kanigher and Mort Drucker. Mademoiselle Marie is contacted by the Allies to create a diversion, so that soldiers can get behind enemy lines on a recon mission. Marie's actions bring her to the attention of German Commandant Von Ekt. Von Ekt targets French citizens to lead Marie into a trap. Though she is momentarily captured, Marie successfully escapes and destroys her target, creating the diversion the Allied troops need.
Johnny Cloud is in "Battle Eagle" from All-American Men of War #85 and is by Robert Kanigher and Irv Novick. After returning from a mission, Johnny meets the family of one of his squadron, Sandy. Sandy's son Billy was expecting Johnny to be wearing traditional Indian garb and is disappointed by Johnny's normal appearance. When Billy is injured in a bombing raid, Johnny tries to please the boy by dressing up, but he can't find suitable apparel. Later, Johnny crashes his damaged fighter near the manor house of Lord Leslie. Leslie loans Johnny some traditional Indian battle gear. Johnny wears the outfit to the hospital to cheer the spirits of the injured boy.
Lastly Gunner and Sarge star in "Col. Hakawa's Birthday Party" from Our Fighting Forces #68 and is also by Robert Kanigher and Irv Novick. Gunner, Sarge, and a unit of marines defend an island position against repeated Japanese attacks. The Japanese commander Col. Hakawa is a practical joker and constantly plays booby-trap jokes on the marines. He sends an invitation to the marines for his birthday party hoping to lead them into a trap. Gunner and Sarge play their own joke by dropping dummy paratroopers on the enemy. Then they overrun the enemy position. Col. Hakawa escapes, but leaves another booby trap that the marines are barely able to avoid.
Edited by Joe Kubert.
Monday, December 08, 2008
John Lennon, R.I.P.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Otis II!
Friday, December 05, 2008
Happy Repeal Day!
And it's a special one when it falls on a Friday!
Drink up folks! It's legal!!!
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Atom & Hawkman #41
We begin with the Atom in "Return of the Seven-Year Dead Man" by Gardner Fox, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene. This book is Gardner Fox's last work on Atom and Hawkman as DC is about to squeeze him out of the business. Fox's career at DC began in 1937 with "The Mystery of San Jose Island," a Speed Saunders story in Detective #3.
Jason Madden, a former crook that has had amnesia, has been officially declared dead after being missing for seven years. When Madden sees the story in a newspaper, he recovers his memory. He expects his former partners to be attending his funeral, but neither man shows up. Madden learns that the Atom arrested Grabs Gannon, but Chuck Wheeler did not show up either.
Madden tracks down Wheeler, who has gone straight and is now a successful businessman. Madden tries to kill Wheeler, but the Atom intervenes. Atom then stops Madden from pulling the same robbery that Grabs Gannon had attempted. Wheeler turns himself over to the police for his old crimes. He is given a suspended sentence because of his charitable work and honest life.
We round out the book with Hawkman in "Yo-Yo Hangup in the Sky" by Gardner Fox, Joe Kubert and Murphy Anderson. Continuing from last issue, taking Harris back to his spaceship, Hawkman and his passenger encounter a gravity-defying car, which he rescues, despite being similarly affected. The car's passengers turn out to be bank robbers trying to make a getaway, and they try to shoot him, unsuccessfully.
Hawkman finally questions Harris, determining that his moonstone ring, bought that morning, is the teleportation device, and that the anti-gravity effect came from his own spaceship's grappler and repelling beams, accidentally activated by Harris when he was aboard. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Hawkman Vol. 2 TPB.
Edited by Julius Schwartz.
Woody Allen I
When I was little boy, I wanted a dog desperately, and we had no money. I was a tiny kid, and my parents couldn't get me a dog, 'cause we just didn't have the money, so they got me, instead of a dog - they told me it was a dog - they got me an ant. And I didn't know any better, y'know, I thought it was a dog, I was a dumb kid. Called it 'Spot'. I trained it, y'know. Coming home late one night, Sheldon Finklestein tried to bully me. Spot was with me. And I said "Kill!", and Sheldon Finklestein stepped on my dog.


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"Weights" doesn't mean what it used to?
I've been noting an interesting trend in recent years for type foundries and vendors referring to a typeface coming in a certain number of "weights" to mean what I would call fonts or perhaps faces. Folks doing this on their web sites include vendors both large and small.
I'd be tempted to just accept this as a change in terminology, but we already have words to express this distinction, and if we change "weights" to mean fonts, then what the heck to we call real weights? By "real weights" I of course mean that a typeface that has light, regular, bold and black weights has four weights – and it still only has four weights even if there are italic and condensed versions of each of those.
I'm not just pointing the finger at other folks here – a departed type marketing manager here at Adobe (who I generally have both respect and affection for, I might add) sometimes used the term "weights" in that fashion, and I suspect it made it into some of our public materials on occasion. But I think we need to reclaim the word for its previous typographic meaning, or else we have just increased ambiguity with no gain in communication. Or am I crazy?
15 Responses
Totally share your concern, Thomas. But I don't think "fonts" is a good term here. Example:The new typeface Supercool Pro is available in 32 fonts.A little cumbersome wording and may be confusing for some folks. And "styles" doesn't really work either – has the same prob as weights. Time for a new term?
In Sweden we have the word "vikt" for weight and the word "skärrning" which could translate to "cut/cuts/carving". Same word as in "a tailored suit with a nice cut"."The new typeface Supercool Pro is available in 4 weights, with a total of 32 cuts."I do think the words "cut" has a hard ring to it though. But maybe there's word that means the same?I've used family members some times:The new typeface family, Soupercool Pro, is ha a total of 32 members.Well just some ideas.
This is a tremdous problem!I run into this almost every day. Unfortunately, every time I describe a font family, I think I use different terms (typeface, fonts, weights, styles, sorts,* etc) in different orders, trying to throw as many words at the problem as possible in order to save it for the reader :(German has a word for what you might be looking for Stephen, Garnituren (plural). Isn't its English translation garnitures? Could we use that? Does it make sense?"The new typeface Supercool Pro is available with 32 garnitures. These include 15 weights optimized for text sizes, each with its own matching italic, and two display styles."?* Yes I know that a sort is just one single piece of lead type… a glyph if you will. I misuse the word on purpose. Please don't hate me 😉
i was thinking of the same issue recently when we redid our website. 'weights' didn't seem appropriate for many of the typefaces we release. so i went with 'styles' which covers both different versions and different weights. 'fonts' i don't think works that well as to me is suggests a whole family rather than one version from a family
Unfortunately, too many people now call typefaces fonts, which has created its own ambiguity that the word weight is being used to address.
Bravo, Tom, I wholeheartedly agree. I tend to accept "style" for this use, although I take Stephen's point that it also is a misnomer. The most true appelation would be "variations", I think, but that isn't exactly sexy.
Happy New Year Tom, everyone.I too noticed the use of the term "weights" was becoming more widespread. I think it's fine if used in combination with "styles", where applicable. E.g.- "The new typeface Supercool Pro includes 32 weights and styles". If the typeface is indeed comprised of multiple weights and no italics, obliques, outlines, etc., then it is accurate. Otherwise, generally using it in place of "fonts" may confuse or complicate matters. Pro is a relatively new term for describing fonts and now "Premier" has been introduced as well. I think we have plenty of handles available and it's simply a matter of consistently using them correctly. But I know that's easier said than done (pun intended).
I really like the term cuts, but I wonder if it will fit the general public, who probably are the root of the problem. After all, most typographers and afficinados know the difference between a font and a typeface.(That said, how often do you hear a publisher announce a new typeface by calling it a new font?)If cut is too esoteric, then style fits. I could consider style to include weight as well as oblique or italic, and condensed or extended/expanded fonts.Don
Lots of comments there. I agree that "fonts" may not be the perfect term, though I like it better than "weights" for this purpose. "Styles" and "variations" are both reasonable alternatives as well.Unfortunately, "garniture" has a rather different meaning in English, so it's not a good candidate. And "cuts" is usually used to refer to different interpretations of the same basic theme, such as Adobe Garamond vs. Garamond Premier, rather than variants within a family.
How about:| The new typeface Supercool Pro is available in 31 flavors. |;)
what's wrong with the term "styles"? can someone explain how this one is ambiguous?
I agree that "styles" is probably the best option, with "fonts" or "variants" being reasonable alternatives (though the masses do seem to equate "font" to "typeface").
PaulI suspect the main problem with style is that traditionally a weight and a style are different things. The CSS web design standard treats them separately, for instance.That said, I agree that there is nothing wrong with extending the definition of style.Calling a bold a style is far less incorrect than calling italic or condensed a weight.Don
I think, "styles" relates more to design, while "fonts" refers to the technical side: mere countable files. (Like with the bigger PS T1 font families, it would be wrong to refer to "250 styles" if half of them just contains a different set of numerals. Here, "fonts" would be the better choice, as a "style" may consist of more than one "font". But then, are small caps a "style" of their own, now that they are part of upright or italic style?)Otherwise, using "style" in a strict sense wouldn't be bad.In German I prefer "Schnitt", same as "cut" or "skärrning".Karsten
The same problematic exists with French, particularly when French speaking people speak in English idiom, saying font for a typeface or a entire family. So for me it is simple to speak of a font for an assortiment in one style but with additional Opentype features and of a family or variants of a given style for a typeface…But one another question Thomas: how do you make a bold glyph from a normal? Or how do you make a small cap from a cap? Have you formulas or do you redesign the all glyphs?
Comments are closed.


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Assembly Tips
What glue should I use for clear acrylic?Cyanoacrylate glue will "frost" acrylic often leading to undesired results. If you want crystal clear acrylic we recommend using an acrylic cement or PVA (white) glue. We've had great luck with TAP brand products. If you do use CA glue and have frosted your acrylic you can try acetone to remove ...
What primer should I use for MDF?We recommend a flat enamel based primer. We typically use Rustoleum but any brand should suffice. Water based acrylic primers will soak into the wood and can cause difficulties when assembling the kits.


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Main | 1137 Lyons Rd Dayton, OH 45458 | (937) 528-1962 | North Dayton: (937) 203-8366 |
Mason/West Chester | 991 Reading Rd #3, Mason, OH, 45040 | (513) 273-7056 |
Main | 1137 Lyons Rd Dayton, OH 45458 | (937) 528-1962 | North Dayton: (937) 203-8366 |
Mason/West Chester | 991 Reading Rd #3, Mason, OH, 45040 | (513) 273-7056 |
Seniors who have suffered through a long or short term illness may wish to remain at home when health care professionals indicate that they will not recover. Others may wish to return to their home from a hospital setting in order to spend their final days at home and receive their end of life care in the same place and surrounded by the same people they have known all their lives. And while it is extremely important for family members to spend as much time together as possible during this difficult period, providing full-time care may be too challenging for non-professional family members. That is why we offer our loving senior care services that incorporate palliative care in the Dayton, Kettering, Beavercreek, and Mason, OH area.
Seniors and their family members can benefit from our end of life care and palliative care services. Our loving care services can supplement hospice services by assisting in providing comfort care and palliative care services to the senior in their home. In addition to comfort care and palliative care, our Dayton, OH and Mason, OH area end of life care services can include light housekeeping, meal preparation, personal care, supervision of children and other supportive services to assist the senior and their family members during their final days with their loved one.
Our care not only ensures a level of comfort, it also enables family members to spend much more time together in a meaningful way. When a loved one is terminally ill, the last thing any family member wants to worry about is running errands to pick up prescriptions, making bed linens or keeping scheduled meds on track. We are here to make these day-to-day tasks easier so you can focus on what really matters during this period.
For more information about our loving end of life care services, please contact our offices serving Mason or Dayton today at (937) 528-1962. We understand what you are going through and will work to accommodate any needs.


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Actress Naomie Harris graces the cover of Harpers Bazaar Arabia! This photo shoot was done in Dubai. The accomplished British actress has roots from the Caribbean. Her mother, who raised her in England, is Jamaican…
Jamaican Supermodel Stacey McKenzie is the covergirl for the current issue of Triple The Focus Magazine, which just celebrated their 2nd anniversary. In celebration of this milestone she was also the host for the Triple…
Actress Rochelle Aytes graces the cover of beauty and fashion magazine Sheen Magazine. The gorgeous actress is most known for her role in Tyler Perry movie "Madea's Family Reunion". She's also known for her role…


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IAVA | December 21, 2018
Read: 2018 Advocacy Big Wins
We've been pushing all year on our 2018 Big 6 priorities in DC. There've been hundreds of wins, but as we look back and reflect on 2018, we've rounded out our biggest accomplishments where we've pushed issues into the national spotlight and made huge wins for the post-9/11 generation.
So here they are, the top 5 biggest wins IAVA's DC Team has seen in 2018:
- We caught the nation's attention and made America take notice of the post-9/11 generation. From an activation on the National Mall around veteran suicide, to national media attention and awareness on burn pits and GI Bill benefit problems. And we served as thought leaders in media for the community, illuminating the issues most pressing to veterans for the public.
- We've Stormed the Hill four times! Twenty-seven Stormers from around the country descended on D.C. to advocate and push for support for and passage of our top priorities for post-9/11 vets. And we've added 262 total cosponsors to IAVA-backed legislation in 2018. See our full list of wins on Capitol Hill and supported legislation HERE.
- We've submitted testimony to Congress five times this year (and submitted an additional four state-level testimonies in New York State Assembly and NYC, where IAVA is headquartered) about topics including suicide prevention to burn pits to GI Bill benefits. We've consistently voiced IAVA members' concerns to top lawmakers across the country.
- We fielded 5 flash polls and 1 Member Survey, collecting over 20,000 responses from IAVA members throughout the year on topics ranging from the State of the Union, to VA Leadership, and the NFL Anthem protests, IAVA Members sounded off loud and clear at every opportunity. Save the date for January 30th, 2019, as we roll out the results of the 2018 Member Survey.
- We've thrown some kick ass events. We rocked out with 80s tribute band, The Legwarmers, and showed that veterans know how to have a good time. And we honored trailblazers like Leo Shane and Representative Brian Mast for their work on behalf of the veteran community. We've held numerous press conferences calling attention to burn pits and toxic exposures with Members of Congress and partners in the veteran community.
We're signing off for the holidays to spend time with family and friends and recuperate after a year of pushing hard on the most pressing issues facing the post-9/11 generation. But we'll be back in 2019 stronger and better than ever. There's more ahead. The issues are still there, and the stakes are still high. We call them the Big 6 for a reason, because year over year, these are the issues you tell us that matter most. So stay tuned after the new year as we get ready for an impactful 2019. Onward!


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The New Immigration Bill is due back from Select Committee on July 21. The Labour-led government proposes to pass it before the house rises for the election later this year. This is an extremely bad bill that continues the reactionary anti-terror legislation passed by this regime after 9/11 designed to stop people entering the country who may be 'terrorists'. It is designed to remove all rights from intending migrants or refugees on the basis of a refusal by any other country to admit a person for any, secret, reason. It is another case of removing basic democratic rights to protect 'democracy'. It is the Labour governments answer to the embarrassment caused by the Ahmed Zaoui case. It is determined that there will be no more Zaouis. Gordon Campbell who investigated the Zaoui case and exposed the fake evidence used against Zaoui, has written an excellent critique of the worst features of the new Bill, plus a follow up. We reprint here the short article we wrote on the introduction of the Bill in Class Struggle 74, September/October 2007.
Fight the New Immigration Bill
The new Immigration Bill gives officials sweeping new powers to control who is allowed into the country. They can use face scans at airports to vet entry to New Zealand. Random biometric identity checks such as fingerprinting and iris scans will make sure whether travellers are really New Zealand citizens. According to Immigration Minister David Cunliffe the law will "strengthen border security", in other words, deport those thought a "risk to New Zealand's well being". The extended powers for officials include greater powers of search, entry and detention without warrant. The most significant measure will be the use of secret information that can be concealed from the person seeking entry. The Bill seeks not only to legitimise the secrecy used against Ahmed Zaoui but also to eliminate any effective right of appeal.
Zaoui was subject to the use of secret information that he could not see or challenge as well as special advocates who would be sole party to the secrets. The invoking of secrecy was justified by the claim that Zaoui was a risk to national security, and so he was denied basic human rights.
The new Bill extends and hardens the measures used against Zaoui. Under the new system the definition of classified information is broadened. Information can come from wider sources than the Security Information Service (SIS). It can come from the police and other government agencies, or even gossip or malicious information from rivals.
The experience in North America has shown the use of secret information in refugee cases leads to highly suspect decisions. In a major refugee case before the US courts, it emerged that secret evidence relied on by the FBI had come from an angry estranged spouse. The Canadian courts see the use of secret information as a violation of natural justice. But New Zealand is taking the opposite path while masking this through recent decisions in two high profile cases.
Labour's fake liberalism
The Labour Government appears to have liberalised the controversial rules on immigration in its handling of two cases, one being Zaoui, the other case Iranian hunger striker, Ali Reza Panah.
Ali Panah is an asylum seeker resisting deportation on the grounds he fears for his life in Iran after converting to Christianity. He has been released from prison on bail conditions ordering him to start eating. The Government did not want to be blamed for his death from starvation.
The Government released Zaoui after deciding he was no longer a security risk. When he arrived in December 2002 he claimed political asylum but was imprisoned while he was investigated as a risk to national security. Although he was recognised as a refugee in August 2003 by the Refugee Appeal Authority, this was an embarrassment to the Labour Government still claiming he was a danger to the country.
The turnaround is based on "new evidence" which is a weak excuse to cover the Government's embarrassment they could no longer sustain their position. The new evidence is according to the New Zealand Herald report - is that Zaoui had given the CIA information on his former colleagues. But of two exiled leaders of the FIS, Anwar Haddam is living openly in the USA while Samir Bennegadi has a security clearance to work in a nuclear facility in Sydney. Neither likely candidates for providing Zaoui with up-to-date security information. It seems that the Labour Government is trying to smear Zaoui and win brownie points with the Bush regime at the same time. But who knows? It's a secret.
The Bill will "streamline" the appeal bodies. The Refugee Status Appeals Authority which granted Zaoui refugee status will be scrapped. Despite the Residence Review Board finding the high number of decisions by the Immigration Service to have been incorrect, the Board will be scrapped and the Service function unimpeded by checks through appeals.
Terror rules
The major immigration policy change in the twentieth century was in 1986, when the Labour Government as part of its deregulation of the state sector, deregulated immigration. New Zealand was opened up to an international flow of capital and also a movement of people. We reversed previous law that relied on migrants from traditional source countries in favour of economically productive migrants. New law/policy aimed to make NZ colour blind. We assessed the suitability of potential migrants on skills and financial aptitude. With the new policy, New Zealand attracted large numbers of migrants from the Asian Tiger countries that we traded with. Winston Peters incited an alarmist reaction in insecure groups in the community such as Maori and elderly whites who feared being overrun by Asians. The Government modified its policy on entry through the 90s and into the new century, trying to balance economic needs with appeasing their xenophobic constituency.
Then the 'War on Terrorism' after 9/11 increased the concerns over refugees and made security a priority. New Zealand accepts 750 quota refugees a year. These are screened by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. The refugees off the Tampa came under this quota. NZ also accepts refugees who arrive at our borders seeking political asylum. But these are now scrutinised closely. Zaoui found loopholes in the law. These are now going to be closed under the new law. Stop it!


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Tuesday, August 05, 2014
Book-A-Day 2014 #217: Paul Joins the Scouts by Michel Rabgaliati
Michel Rabagliati has been writing and drawing a series of semi-autobiographical stories about a man named "Paul" for more than a decade now, and it's been pretty clear that "Paul" was very close to the real Rabagliati -- that perhaps the only real difference in their lives was the name. (Some of those books are Paul Goes Fishing, Paul Has a Summer Job, and Paul Moves Out -- all of them have been moving, beautifully crafted and emotionally true.) The newest "Paul" book in English is Paul Joins the Scouts -- and it focuses on Paul at a younger age than we've seen him before, and centers around a tragedy very close to the young Paul.
So one immediate reaction is to ask: is that real? But that's perhaps the wrong reaction. Paul Joins the Scouts is a work of art, not of reportage -- and that tragedy, shocking as it is, fits entirely into the fabric of the story Rabagliati is telling here.
Paul is in primary school when Paul Joins the Scouts begins, in the summer of 1969. (Rabagliati was born in 1961, for parallax.) He sees a cub scout troop returning from camp, and eventually decides to join them. He camps with them the next summer, but has to miss the 1971 summer camp after he breaks his leg just before the trip. That's the spine of the book: woven in and through that are the other events and relationships of Paul's life: Helene, the girl he likes and who becomes as much his girlfriend as ten-year-olds can; Paul's parents and their relationship with his father's mother and aunt, who live in the apartment opposite and are always intruding; and Paul's attempts to learn the skills he wants to have, first in drawing comics and then in playing the guitar.
Like the other Paul books, Paul Joins the Scouts has a slice-of-life feel but is carefully organized and orchestrated; Rabagliati breaks from Paul's viewpoint to show the lives of each of the three main scout leaders, and breaks his story into thematic chapters, signposted by images rather than words. Unlike the previous books, Rabagliati maintains a quiet undertone of menace through, mostly from the activities of the terrorist group FLQ who were at their most active in 1970, leading up to the October Crisis, when they kidnapped a British commissioner and a Vice-Premier of Quebec and brought down a huge police and military response. Their activities, and the graffiti Paul sees every few pages, keep that idea of sudden devastating violence alive in these pages, until Rabagliati needs it.
Rabagliati's drawing is still lovely and effortless-looking, with a UPA-inspired line married to ligne claire influences. And the story he has to tell this time is as strong as any he's given us before, as he illuminates another piece of Paul's life -- and, we assume, his own.
Book-A-Day 2014 Introduction and Index
Your Hornswoggler is Andrew Wheeler Released into the wild 8/05/2014 12:00:00 PM
|Jerked Knees:
Recurring Motifs: Book-A-Day, Comics, Reviews


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TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Oct. 5 (UPI) -- A judge in Florida ruled that a subpoena of a foreclosure law office's paperwork would not stand, calling the state attorney general's probe unconstitutional.
Judge Jack Cox of the 15th Judicial Circuit ruled that a subpoena of five years of foreclosure documentation from Boca Raton law firm Shapiro & Fishman was "overbroad, vague, inconsistent and unduly burdensome," The Miami Herald reported Tuesday.
Cox also called the attorney general office's investigation of a law firm a "constitutional absurdity." Law firms could only be regulated by the Florida Bar or the Supreme Court, the circuit court said.
The blocked subpoena effectively closes down Attorney General Bill McCollum's probe of law firms involved in what has become a national issue: foreclosure proceedings flawed by a number of paperwork shortcuts, including improperly certified documents and unvalidated claims. Jeffrey Tew, a spokesman for David Stern's law office, another firm connected to the case -- involved in processing some of the 400,000 Florida foreclosures this year -- said his firm would file for a motion to block the subpoena, as well.
"We'll be putting it in the mail this afternoon," Tew said.
Several California members of the U.S. House, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, called Tuesday for a federal investigation into the foreclosure policies of top mortgage lenders. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke and U.S. Comptroller John Dugan, Pelosi and the others said they were concerned about "systemic problems" in foreclosure processing.
A Justice Department spokeswoman said the department was "reviewing the letter," The Washington Post reported.
The paperwork debacle has caused Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and GMAC Mortgage to suspend or halt foreclosures so they can review paperwork on tens of thousands of cases.


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Last night Wayne and I were treated to a delicious and decadent dinner at The Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport. It was a special private party for Yelp Elites (of which I am one) and our guests. So really, I took Wayne out on a date!
After we were served hors d'oeuvres and received a tour of the resort, we sat down for a wonderful dinner.
Everything was flavorful and prepared to perfection. The halibut was the best I've ever had. We're not used to being out past our bedtime of before 9:00 p.m., ha! We didn't get home until around 10:30. It was so worth it, and because we enjoyed it so much we plan to have breakfast there Sunday after church services at St. Ann's.
(On a side note, it turns out that Wayne and the Innkeeper, Jean, know each other from when Wayne was the co-owner of a very popular Portland restaurant, Carburs, in the 1980s-90s. It was a lot of fun to hear them reminisce about the unique sandwiches he created that were very popular. I'm hoping he'll do a guest blog post at some point since he has some fun mementos and memories to share. There seems to be a lot of local nostalgia for Carburs. He's a Portland sandwich celebrity, I think!)


text: As we approach the season of spiritual renewal in Great Lent (through prayer, fasting, and charity) a wonderful instructional video by Archbishop Michael is available to us. In this concise eight-minute presentation, we are offered a good introduction to the meaning and purpose of the Lenten Journey in our lives. This is a helpful discussion for our Lenten preparation for the celebration of PASCHA -- the Resurrection of our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ. To watch the video, please go here>>>


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Something else that distinguishes us is the way we do business. We are an international, multicultural company, with employees from every country, and everyone in our organisation communicates and co-operates effectively for the benefit of each other and of the customer. Our employees are truly appreciated and we give them every encouragement to develop and fulfil their potential. We work to ISO quality standards and our ethical, accountable approach means doing much more than just complying with legislation. When it comes to environmental and safety matters, for instance, we take our responsibilities very seriously.
We think globally and act locally, not only to protect the planet but to bring local customers and communities the benefits and efficiencies of our international-scale business. Thanks to our extensive network of carefully selected dealers, who share our belief in the importance of customer care, we are always near to you. As well as designing innovative products, we are constantly creating new ways of meeting customers' particular local needs with our range of services.


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I love brights and batiks and the store certainly reflects that! I also have a wide selection of basics, blenders, and 30's style fabrics.
Quilter's Dream batting is available in cotton, polyester, wool, and silk/bamboo blend. There's plenty of patterns, notions, and precuts for your stitching pleasure.
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E-mail me at firstname.lastname@example.com if you have any questions. Enjoy your "lookin' around"!
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(inside the Sewing and Vacuum Center)


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You are here: Home > News > 2010 > Research reveals eight in ten parents recognise their eating habits influence their children's
Monday, 29 March 2010. Research conducted for the 'Little Steps' campaign, reveals that eight in ten parents recognise the influence their eating habits have on their children (1). The research also revealed that one in three say they have reduced the amount of treats including cakes, crisps, chocolate and biscuits in their household food shopping in the past six months (1).
One in four children on the island of Ireland is overweight or obese (2, 3). 'Little Steps' is a HSE and safefood campaign which encourages parents to make small changes to improve their children's diet and increase their levels of physical activity. Parents are role models for their children, so if parents make positive changes in their eating habits and physical activity levels, it is likely that their children will do the same.
Compared with 2008, the research for the campaign has shown that the message is getting through to parents, with an increase in the number aware of the influence of their eating habits on their children (1).
Dr. Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director, Human Health and Nutrition, safefood said, "It is a cause for optimism that so many people are reporting reducing the number of fatty and sugary treat foods in their shopping trolley. Small changes like this can have a significant impact on a family's health. We all lead busy lives so making time to eat healthily is a challenge, but some planning of meals and shopping can make healthy eating part of the daily routine. The research also revealed that while cost is a barrier to healthy eating, for some people, there was a recognition that by shopping around and being organised it is possible to eat healthily on a tight budget."
Catherine Murphy, Assistant National Director, Health Promotion, Health Service Executive said, "The fact that parents are recognising the impact of their behaviour on their children is positive. We are hoping this will translate into behaviour changes, where parents introduce small changes into their family's activity levels such as reducing TV time and taking a trip to the park instead. 'Little Steps' like these are easy to introduce into a family routine and most of the steps can be followed without having to spend money on days out."
The research also revealed that a lack of time or 'busy lifestyle' is the biggest barrier to healthy eating for almost one in three people (1). Focus group research carried out for HSE and safefood revealed that some parents struggle to find time to ensure their children are taking enough physical activity (4). One in ten people said healthy food is too expensive (1), and the focus groups also revealed that the cost of undertaking 'structured' activities with their children was too high for many parents (4).
Children need to be active for at least 60 minutes per day and the Health Behaviours in School Children survey revealed over half of primary school age children in ROI did not achieve the recommended level of physical activity (5). In Northern Ireland, less than a quarter (24%) of 8-12 year olds surveyed take part in the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day.
HSE and safefood have developed a 'Little Steps' leaflet with ideas for how parents can make practical changes that don't take a lot of time or money. The leaflet is a useful guide for parents to help families to take the first steps towards a healthier lifestyle together, and includes tips on how parents can make small changes and introduce healthier habits. Examples of small changes could be swapping king size or standard sized treats for snack sizes, or swapping playing computer games with a family trip to the park.
Lots of simple 'Little Steps' including shopping, cooking, healthy eating and physical activity tips and ideas are also available from the website www.littlesteps.eu.
A supporting radio advertising campaign for 'Little Steps' will air from today, Monday 29th March 2010.
For more information on the 'Little Steps' campaign and leaflet, visit www.littlesteps.eu or www.healthpromotion.ie, or contact the safefood helpline on 1850 40 4567 (ROI) / 0800 0851683 (NI) or HSE Info-line on 1850 24 1850.
For further information please contact:
Cliodhna Lamont/Kate FitzGerald, WHPR
E: email@example.com / firstname.lastname@example.com
Or HSE Press Office P: 01 6352840 E: firstname.lastname@example.com
Additional Research
© The Food Safety Promotion Board


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Lee Min Ho Picked as Favorite Blind Date Partner
Lee Min Ho got voted as the star that women would most like to go on a blind date with. A social dating company, D-Tae.com, recently had a survey where they asked women, "Which star would you like to go on a blind date with in May?" Lee Min Ho got picked as number one.
Debuting with the EBS drama, "Secret Campus," Lee Min Ho gained much popularity after his role as Goo Joon Pyo in KBS 2TV "Boys Over Flowers." He is also recognized for his roles in MBC "Personal Taste" and SBS "City Hunter." Now, Lee Min Ho will be working with Kim Hee Sun in the SBS "Faith," which will air its first episode on August 13. Currently, there is no stop to the amount of attention that he is receiving from many countries.
Netizens who found out that Lee Min Ho got voted number one said, "I knew that Lee Min Ho would get number one," "I think it would be really great to go on a blind date with Lee Min Ho," "Lee Min Ho? Amazing! I wish I could go on a blind date with Lee Min Ho at least once," and "Lee Min Ho fighting!"


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Category Archives: Mistake Fares
January 23, 2013 Chris Elliott is at it Again: denying personal responsibility.
Apparently I am a thief. This is news to me, but according to a person whom I have never met has declared me to be one. It's also on the internet so it must be true. Rather than get into a semantic debate on what theft is which would be interesting only to law nerds, lets talk about mistakes. We're human, you, me, Mr. Elliott, we are all human. That means we all make mistakes. For example, while driving to work today, I accidentally drifted off the side of the road. I was listening to NPR and far too into the discussion of the immigration problem and I blanked on what I should have been doing. The car and myself are fine but it was still a mistake.
Right behind making mistakes is paying for them. I pay for my mistakes, I've paid for quite a few. People mock me for my marginal writing and spelling errors and I feel ashamed. What I don't do is blame other people or try and avoid responsibility for those mistakes. It then becomes the other person's choice to accept that I made a mistake or not.
Most of you loyal readers have been reading about my trip to Myanmar. This trip was built on the back of an obscene mistake fare on the part of Korean Airlines (KE). KE wanted to cancel all of the tickets and in fact did so, but the US government said we will fine any airline that voids a "mistake fare." Now, in Mr. Elliott's ethical universe taking advantage of a mistake fare is stealing. If KE wanted to avoid issuing those tickets in the first place they could have. But they chose to use a system with minimal safeguards in pursuit of profit. It is that system that allowed these tickets to be issued. It is the same for all the airlines, they made their choice and they wanted to avoid responsibility for those choices. Umm no.
If the airlines want to be able to avoid responsibility for their mistakes then they should play by the same rules that ticket buyers do a 24 hr cancellation policy for both the passenger and the airline. But even after the twenty four hours I still would have been ok with giving up at least my ticket. I grew up Catholic, for me forgiveness is available to anyone for anything. The catch is we all have to ask. We (the royal we) have to admit what we did was wrong, be sorry for it, and ask to be forgiven for it. Now if you follow those three steps (most don't) you'll find yourself humbled before the other person. If KE had called me and said "we screwed up" and "what can we do to make this right?" I would have given up my ticket. I didn't want to go to Myanmar. I would have settled on a coach ticket to New Zealand or someplace else I wanted to go.
The abdication of personal responsibility is the problem here. While two wrongs, or at least one wrong and one somewhat questionable choice do not make a right, it is fundamentally not right to allow companies, groups and individuals to avoid responsibility for their actions just because of an honest mistake that happened because of lax safeguards they set up.
Tags: Consumers, Korean Air, Mistake Fare
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October 4, 2012 Swiss Drops the Hammer
Swiss, the latest perpetrator of the discount Rangoon fares has issued the public response.
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are writing in regards to the travel you recently booked with Swiss International Air Lines Ltd. from Yangon (RGN), Myanmar. Unfortunately, as you must have been aware of, the fare you purchased was incorrect and resulted from an inadvertent error that was out of our control. While SWISS honors its commitment to the highest level of customer service and safety in air travel, it must also honor its obligations to its employees and shareholders.
We are not obligated to provide our services for compensation that is obviously erroneously published and commercially infeasible. We are aware that good travel bargains are quickly recognized and booked, however principles of fare bargaining dictate that a service provider does not give away its services for almost free or at a loss.
Because the fare you booked was not valid, we will unfortunately have to cancel your reservation and ticket. We are extremely sorry for this error and we are not increasing the price of your ticket; rather we will promptly issue you a full refund for the total price you paid for the ticket. The full amount will be automatically credited using your original form of payment. In the event that you would like to rebook your itinerary at the appropriate price, please contact your nearest SWISS service center or your travel agent.
SWISS deeply regrets the inconvenience caused by the publication of the erroneous fare to the passengers who may have thought they had booked and purchased a valid ticket for an erroneous cost. We apologize for this unfortunate situation and trust your future travel on SWISS is comfortable.
Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
Malzgasse 15, Basel/Schweiz
Handelsregisteramt des Kantons Basel-Stadt
Registernummer CH-270.3.001.037-6
As many of you know this is in direct contravention of 14 CFR §399.88 which specifies that ticket agent or airline that sells a ticket for transport in, to, or through the U.S. may not increase the fare post-tickting. At least according to this letter Swiss is trying to avoid this by stating that they are not increasing the fare but are simply refunding it. Korean Airlines tried this tack in April and it did not work. The problem is that United Airlines tried this in July and it did work. What will happen here, I don't know. I would like to see airlines be held accountable for their mistakes, but it is just not catching on.
Happy travels!
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- Posted under Mistake Fares
October 1, 2012 The Perils of Currency Exchange
Airline fares are priced in local currency. What this means is that when you purchase your fare, it will be priced in the currency from your departure country. So, if you purchase a flight from the U.S. you will get a flight that is priced in dollars. This works out rather well as the U.S. Currency is stable. The airlines that sell tickets from the U.S. don't have to change their fares based on the U.S. dollar. For developing countries that can be different. In countries where the currency is volatile, airlines have to stay on top of currency valuations or risk being caught on the wrong side of the valuation.
Several months ago, Burma/Myanmar decided to float their currency. Like most developing South East Asia countries that were previously run by Juntas, their currency was over-valued by the government. The artificially high exchange rate plummeted immediately. This caused a very severe problem for international airlines that sold tickets from there. The airlines were suddenly selling tickets for pennies on the dollar; tickets that would normally cost in the $15,000 to $20,000 range were now going for $150-$200. Once word spread to the Flyertalk.com and Milepoint.com websites it was like a run on bank, everyone was buying international first class tickets for free basically. The airlines for reasons best known to themselves, didn't have measures in place to modify fares in light of currency changes. Korean Airlines set a precedent a year ago when it offered a coach ticket to New Zealand for about $500.00; this was a half to a third of what a normal ticket would cost. After two months of internal debate, Korean canceled all of the tickets, offering a $200.00 voucher for travel on Korean Airlines. They got away with it.
Korean got their "do over" on the New Zealand deal, but the DOT published regulations stating that airlines are responsible for pricing mistakes. So, it is with a great deal of poetic justice that it was Korean Airlines that first got hit by the Myanmar currency float. Again, they tried to cancel all of the tickets, hey it worked once right, but the DOT slapped them down and made them honor it. There was a second time it happened with another airline, and now for a third time with Swiss Airlines. Swiss is widely known in the mileage run community for being harsh on mistake fares, and it looks like they may try here as well. This fare routed to Canada, so unless the passenger routed through the US, Swiss may just get away with it.
Tags: RGN
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- Posted under Mistake Fares