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Guess who’s grabbing 15 minutes of fame!
Because of a postcard.
I’m willing to be challenged. BUT I believe I’ve just received the World’s Best Valentine’s Angel Postcard: An angel engraved on metal, signed by the sender – my Italian Artist friend Walter. It arrived in the mail yesterday.
Walter’s title for the postcard: The Rose Petal Bed of an Angel
I happened to be at the mail box when the delivery man arrived. He popped out of his car, “I have something for you and, I confess, all of us at the Post Office thoroughly appreciated it!”
Walter primarily works as a sculptor and uses all kinds of materials that find their way to him. He used to boil turkey carcasses until they were entirely clean. Then he’d put them on the roof to sun dry. From those white bones, he’d create unique masks decorated with glued sprinklings of semi-precious gem chips supplied to him by a gemologist friend.
Last year, he told me he was creating angel sculptures. He needed dried rose petals. I bundled up a good supply from my hoard – of every colour – and mailed them to him. When asked how he was going to use them, he admitted his plans weren’t complete. He was more focused on how to use lint collected from friends’ clothes dryers.
On Valentines, this year, Walter phoned to say something was in the mail. I thought he said a postcard, but he was being vague. He only explained that the rose petals were a challenge. They lost colour in the preparation for gluing.
Huh? I decided to wait for this surprise to arrive.
The Angel arrived in the midst of one of our worst snow storms. She was exactly what this snow-shoveling, wood worn, cat coddling human needed to ease winter miseries.
Her bed of roses look perfectly fine. As she settles into those petals, neither yellow nor white petals are apparent, but the varying shades of red suggest their influence.
As I explored each inch of my 4.5″ x 7″ work of art, I discovered Walter’s signature on the left of its lower “frame”.
Then I turned it over and discovered his romantic soul – in both his words and in the title he gave this piece:
To the right of his message appears my address, the postage, the cancellation stamp – the whole authentic postcard routine!
Here’s a better look at the title he engraved on the piece.
Are my 15 minutes up? I really don’t care. This will stay in my heart for all eternity.
(NOTE: For those who may be curious: Yes. Walter does read Soul Dipper. With all his creative jam, he sweetly asks, “Where are you going now?” I have a tough time ignoring him.)
I seriously doubt any of us can match that postcard…nor can anyone match the gifts you continue to bring to all…peace be with you.
Your comment has just sent another wave of winter warmth, Charles. Anytime you need some snow experience, let me know!! Hope California gets some of this moisture. XO
Isn’t our community wonderful? I read about a month ago at “The Task at Hand” how a talented reader had taken the “bur oak” acorns said reader had requested and turned them into a beautiful water color…and now rose petals at your site! Chuckling at your mail carrier’s comment “…all of us at the Post Office thoroughly appreciated it!” Now that is a behind the scene’s location. The temperatures dipped down here over night, and it’s not just the fire keeping me warm. Warm thoughts your way, Amy.
Thanks, Georgette – I’ll take a peek at the “Task at Hand” post and see what those bur oak acorns turned into. Yes, I thought about the Postal staff having their coffee break with my Post Card… At least they couldn’t hurt a thing if they spilled a little coffee on it. Weatherwise…well…let’s just say we normally have this kind of weather in late December and it’s lasting too long for our temperate zone. Not to mention our patience!
Hope all is well with you. I’m dashing into town now – the roads were just ploughed so will visit you. Thanks for coming to Soul Dipper – it keeps me mindful of visiting you. I have to do a thorough cleaning of those to whom I’ve subscribed. The list is overwhelming and therefore distracts me from ones I want to visit – and you are definitely on my “KEEPER” list.
Here’s the link to Linda’s post about a month ago. Otherwise, it would be a needle in a haystack looking for it. She is a fabulous writer. If blogging would ever become a genre in a literature book, hers would have to be included.
Ah…so good. I read the article over afternoon tea and ended with a sense of wonder over how these generous artists manage to feed our souls. Usually in ways we would never expect or suspect!
And yes, Georgette. As with you, Linda, is one of those bloggers who give blogging a good name.
Oh Amy, what a gift of beauty and grace! And he knows your heart, this artist, and the beautiful soul that you are. Fifteen minutes of fame? heck! This 15 minutes is going to go on through your lifetime.
Walter and I met nearly 30 years ago in the far North. He now lives in Kimberley, B.C., but is making waves about going back to Italy where he has inherited the family home. I’ll miss his regular phone calls like crazy, but just maybe we can get him “teched” up enough to be comfortable with Skype. Imagine an artist being such a curmudgeon about modern communication…but that’s him!
Bet you’re not homesick for Canada when you see our weather issues – East and West – this winter. Take special card, sweet Joss.
What a special Valentine’s day ‘card’ Amy! Kudos to Walter for such a unique and thoughtful gift 🙂
And trust you, Madhu, for picking up on Walter’s talent! When he reads this, I know he’ll be pleased to read your comment.
Beautiful art and message. Special, indeed, for a special woman from a talented artist.
Hi Victoria – your book has not yet arrived. Amazon and I have some sort of relationship glitch. For some weird reason, things keep happening to my orders AND the shipping is outrageous. I have my fingers crossed this time. Supposedly my order is on its way- though that was told to me over a week ago. Look forward to it!!
Let me know if you don’t get it, Amy. I will mail you one. No shipping!
Sign of a true artist! No, Victoria, I am going to buy your book! I have the desire, the plan and the means, you sweet heart!
How beautiful! and wonderful!
Thanks, Sherry. Always good to hear from a “neighbour”. Hope the weather is being kind these days.
Awwww….and I thought *I* got a unique, artfully done Valentine’s postcard…sewed up with love, embellished with buttons and beads. My mailman told me it was the most unique thing in his bag that week. LOL. I was afraid to ask for more information. VERY awesome prezzie. I had to click on the photo to admire the etch work.
In other words, Mel, it’s time to visit you again! I gather you mean I’ll find it on your site… Isn’t is fabulous when someone actually cares enough to make something to send/give? My sister paints her Christmas cards which I LOVE. It’s part of my Christmas now.
Hope you are well and have been able to keep mobile through all this wintering.
The best gift of all is the thoughtful one given. It looks like a lot of thought went into Walter’s creation for you.
So true, Isadora, and when its creation includes important parts of my life, i.e. angels and roses and love, it’s truly a celebration of giving.
What an incredible gift, is it flat like a postcard but done on a piece of metal? I am assuming that those are your rose petals, the purplish color, it is a very unique gift, one I am sure created with love, just for you.You are blessed Amy, to have such wonderful friends. Hope all the snow has melted and the guardian angel of your garden will be filled with spring flowers.
Yes, flat – etched/engraved on metal. I suspect the roses (the only 3 dimensional aspect) are encased in a clear glue. Whatever – it worked beautifully. Survived the trip and all the handling. You see, it came on its own – not wrapped – just being a postcard.
Your little rose bush is hopefully enjoying the insulation of our snow and storing lots of moisture for its coming splendour. It’s not very cold out – just at 0 degrees so even my hyacinth and tulips are surviving. So far anyway…
I share your excitement over this little treasure. I think kudos go also to the postal system that got this from Walter’s door to yours! Very fun. Thanks for sharing.
Walter said there was no problem having the Post Office accept it, but doesn’t every piece have to go through some piece of equipment now? It’s not bulky, but just the fact that it’s metal…
Linda, I was just reading about a photographer who in the 1920s appealed to photographers to not tamper with photographs. Bless his soul. Since you have some German ancestry and ancestors, did you ever hear of him? I like his authenticity: http://meredithexpat.com/2013/05/12/august-sander-a-photographic-force-for-good.
Hi Amy and Walter – how just stunningly beautiful in all its ways .. the actual postcard, the thought processes, the enjoyment from the post office, then your surprise and total appreciation … so heart-warmingly good to read and see … cheers Hilary
Walter wrote an email to me a few days ago…he’s not one to comment on blogs. Of the comments everyone has written, he said, “Most kind, thank you it is like getting multiple postcards back…”
Having friends like Walter contributes to the indescribable wealth uncovered simply by being alive.
Who knew that writing blogs would bring such rewards, Hillary? Thank you for staying in touch in spite of my spotting contact!
How delightful. He formed visual art and you turned it into the art of language and photography. I’m impressed.
Thank you for that perception, Renee. What a unique way of seeing it!


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An "effervescent" (Rachel Lynn Solomon) stand-alone Christmas LGBTQIA+ New Adult RomCom, perfect for fans of Schitt's Creek and Red White & Royal Blue.
BRING A LITTLE JOY TO THE WORLD? NOT TODAY, SANTA.
Matthew Prince is young, rich, and thoroughly spoiled. So what if his parents barely remember he exists and the press is totally obsessed with him? He's on top of the world. But one major PR misstep later, and Matthew is cut off and shipped away to spend the holidays in his grandparents' charming small town hellscape. Population: who cares?
It's bad enough he's stuck in some festive winter wonderland--it's even worse that he has to share space with Hector Martinez, an obnoxiously attractive local who's unimpressed with anything and everything Matthew does.
Just when it looks like the holiday season is bringing nothing but heated squabbles, the charity gala loses its coordinator and Matthew steps in as a saintly act to get home early on good behavior...with Hector as his maddening plus-one. But even a Grinch can't resist the unexpected joy of found family, and in the end, the forced proximity and infectious holiday cheer might be enough to make a lonely Prince's heart grow three sizes this year.
While part of a series, this book stands alone.
People Are Raving About Timothy Janovsky:
"This book made my queer heart so very full and deeply happy."--Anita Kelly
"A cinematic daydream guaranteed to steal your heart."--Julian Winters
"Wonderfully upbeat and sweet."--Suzanne Park
"Full of hope and heart."--Alexandria Bellefleur
"[A] fresh, sweet, and swoony love story that blends coming-of-age comedy with the nuances of exploring sexual identity."--Alison Cochrun
"This is holiday rom-com perfection. Sparkling with a gloriously fresh, witty voice and timely messages of healing and hopeful new beginnings, YOU'RE A MEAN ONE, MATTHEW PRINCE is tender, sexy, and deeply heartfelt--a new all-time favorite!
" -- Chloe Liese, author of the Bergman Brothers series
"YOU'RE A MEAN ONE, MATTHEW PRINCE is a funny, heartwarming pop of Christmas sparkle with a protagonist whose selfish ways are so entertaining to read that I'm almost sorry he can't be bad forever--but with as funny as Matthew is when he's wicked, his redemption arc is equally satisfying, sweet as a chai sugar cookie, and I was rooting for him and Hector, as well as the whole town, from the moment Matthew Prince stepped into Wind River in his Gucci boots." -- Sarah Hogle author of You Deserve Each Other and Twice Shy
"[You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince] is a sweet, sexy holiday romp." -- Booklist

domain: library


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Sandwiches, Fruit juice
Golden Fiesta is located just near the entrance of the Lajpat Nagar market. A small, well-lit eatery, it is a great first stop for hungry folks who believe in filling their bellies before their bags. Fiesta’s been here for a long time, standing witness to the surging crowds with each passing year. It is best known for its ‘Chinese Chat’, which is an irresistible mix of all things deliciously Chinese – noodles/rice, spring rolls, manchurian balls, chilly potatoes and anything else that you’d like to add in your customized chat. Sandwiches are the next best option, combined with a glass of fresh fruit juice.
Timing: 11 AM - 10 PM

domain: food


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Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Touring Coupé
|VAT / Margin||Margin|
- Full known history since new
- Stunning condition
- Very rare
- Price reduction
Import & Export
We can assist in cars purchased from the US and arrange transportation. We'll take care of all necessary papers. Please contact us for further information.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 is a beautiful car in any which you choose to look at it. This 1948 example with a Touring bodywork is in excellent condition. What is even more exciting is the fact the car’s full provenance is known.
The car first arrived on the roads on the 26th August 1948 in Geneva, Switzerland. Until 1989 the car only knew a few Swiss owners, who lavished the car with TLC. The last Swiss owner arranged for the car to be fully restored by a top Swiss expert from 1976 to 1979. In 1989 the car was sold to a German gentleman who would go on to kept the car for another 30 years. He mainly used the car for a number of long trips to join in celebrations related to Alfa Romeo and the 6C 2500 in particular. The car never once let him down. Of course, good expert maintenance played its part as well a number of upgrades that enhanced the car’s reliability and it transport on a trailer to the various events. The upgrades included the fitting of an electric fan and a modern alternator.
The car is in wonderful condition. The Touring bodywork has of course been manufactured using the “Superleggera” method. The fine bodywork sports nice and thin, correctly aligned panelwork. The blue external finish is in a good state with only a few minor blemishes. The interior has been reupholstered, keeping close to the original concept and even has a period-correct radio.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 is a large car. The long-wheelbase affording it a rather comfortable ride and creates the perfect touring vehicle. The 2.5 straight-six suits the car’s character down to the ground. When driving you readily appreciate this car has been used on a regular basis. This kind of car simply drives better with regular use. The engine is attached to a manual 4-speed gearbox. The gears shift effortlessly through the range with a gear ratio that perfectly suits the car’s character. This good road handling is also thanks to excellent maintenance. This is a high-quality car and despite its 73 years of age this Italian beauty has quite modest mileage of just 92,460 km on the clock.
The present document contains some correspondence between two previous owners confirming the accuracy of the mileage. Furthermore, the old Swiss registration papers show the small number of owners. There are also old photos, notes and naturally a plethora of invoices present.
This is quite a special car with a lovely provenance that is in a fine state. Gallery Aaldering is Europe’s leading Classic Cars specialist since 1975! Always 400 Classic and Sportscars in stock, please visit www.gallery-aaldering.com for the current stock list (all offered cars are available in our showroom) and further information. We are located near the German border, 95 km from Düsseldorf and 90 km from Amsterdam. So easy traveling by plane, train, taxi and car. Transport and worldwide shipping can be arranged. No duties/import costs within Europe. We buy, sell and provide consignment sales (selling on behalf of the owner). We can arrange/provide registration/papers for our German (H-Kennzeichen, TÜV, Fahrzeugbrief, Wertgutachten usw.) and Benelux customers. Gallery Aaldering, Arnhemsestraat 47, 6971 AP Brummen, The Netherlands. Tel: 0031-575-564055. Quality, experience and transparency is what sets us apart. We look forward to welcoming you in our showroom

domain: hobby


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There are lots of options to get creative with; follow the steps below, and we hope at the end you will show us how creative you can be with your drawing. Mushroom Drawing may seem easy; thus, it may make the resulting portrait a bit too flat or a bit too bulbous if not correctly articulated.
Draw the center mushroom stem. Make the stem wider towards the bottom-middle and narrower towards the top. Draw the sides with wave-like lines. The stem connects to the underside of the cap. You can make the stalk thinner or thicker if you wish.
Draw the oval around the stem. The oval will hold the Curved Mushroom Cap on top. It acts as the underside.Try to angle the curve of the line.
Add the cap onto the oval sketch. Draw the mushroom cap with a large curve for the top. The curve should take a similar look to that of a burger bun top. The cap will be the first part to be noticed about a mushroom. Caps integrate bright and beautiful colors.
Add the cap spots. Mushrooms blend some pretty and intricate patterns on the cap. The mushroom cap spots should be of varying sizes with either oval or circular shapes. Circular cap spots should be drawn in the middle, while narrower oval spots are drawn closer to the top/ sides.The spot arrangement and wrapping give the drawing a more 3D look. You can get creative with the shapes and positioning of the spots on the mushroom cap. Decorate the cap of your mushroom with different spot shapes.
Draw the second mushroom cap on either side. Let it be smaller than the initial mushroom. Draw in the stem and the cap spots.
Draw the third mushroom stem and cap. Use a long, curved line to enclose the shape. Let the cap feature a rounded top and an oval bottom
Add spots on the cap of the third mushroom. Once done drawing the spots, go over the drawing to darken the lines. Add in some final details for a preferred kind of overall look.
Color the mushrooms by marking the cap red. Use light-colored pencils or paint on the stem. Stems don't need too bright colors. A mushroom-like one below is relatively easy to draw.
Now you see how easy it is to draw a mushroom in just a few steps. We would really like to see your incredible mushroom drawing.
Keyword How to draw, How to draw a mushroom, Mushroom, Mushroom drawing


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It’s October, and the Matchmakers welcome our guest blogger, Noble librarian Hillary Brown!
Spooky season: It’s the most wonderful time of the year for horror fans! Whether it’s binging a murder show, catching the latest chapter in a slasher movie franchise, or cracking the spine of a creepy novel, there are lots of options out there for those of us who just can’t get enough of the dark and dreadful. Horror as a genre has experienced a bit of a resurgence in the last couple years, which raises the question, why? Are we simply depraved, those of us who can’t get enough murder and mayhem? Damaged? Deranged?
In My Heart is a Chainsaw, author Stephen Graham Jones explores the human appetite for the gory and gruesome. In a novel that is as heartfelt and funny as it is frightening, a horror-movie-obsessed loner, Jade, plays the lead. Working as a janitor the summer after her senior year of high school, she is the first to notice when peculiar things start to happen in town and is far from surprised when the body count begins to rise. She has spent innumerable hours watching every slasher flick the 1980s and 90s ever churned out, so she knows what is supposed to happen next. If the reader isn’t initiated into the cult of horror like Jade, don’t worry. She rattles off the relevant references with charm and humor almost unbefitting of the grisly circumstances unfolding around her.
Unlike the campy, cinematic world of Michael Myers, Jade’s world is also full of real monsters like poverty, abuse, and discrimination. In her quest to find the fabled Final Girl who can stop the psychopath stalking her town, Jade must also confront her own marginalization. In an interview with horror writing legend Tananarive Dew for Fangoria.com, Jones, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, emphasized the importance of horror to him as a person who has experienced discrimination. Jones explained, “it’s about the rise of the underdog. It’s me versus Cthulhu or me versus Jason Vorhees, and both those can take me out without even breaking a sweat, so I should not be able to survive this, yet against all odds, against a whole world trying to smush me down, if I push through hard enough, I can make it to daylight. And I think that’s a wonderful model for us to all follow.”
Perhaps this feeling of triumph is what we are really chasing when we get hankering for horror. If so, My Heart is a Chainsaw delivers abundantly, as a book that holds hope in equal measure with fear. Resilient and defiant in the face of danger, Jade reminds readers to keep going. No matter how dark the night gets, or what lurks in the shadows, if we can just hold on, if we can make it to the last chapter, the sun will come up. Good will prevail and the evil forces will be vanquished forever. Unless there is a sequel, of course.
And wait, there’s more horror to be had:
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle
The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay
Bunny by Mona Awad


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radagast83 (8624) - Arlington, Virginia, USA - DEC 22, 2012
Draft at Churchkey. Poured a dark brown color with a wispy off-white head. Aroma was woody, vanilla notes with some light malts. Flavor was full of vanilla, sweet malts and some wood notes and dried fruits. This one had a sweet finish, with a touch of wood that lasted. nimbleprop (8935) - SouthWest, Washington, Washington DC, USA - DEC 22, 2012
On tap at Churchkey. Pours a hazy, deep caramel amber with some spitty, off white head. Nose of bubblegum, fruit, tropical fruit, malt, toast, caramel, apples, some kiwi even. Flavor is sweet, malty, light cherry, bubblegum, a little melon, caramel, raisin. Full bodied but also dry. Very well balanced. I think this was in the barrel the absolute perfect amount of time. argo0 (14127) - Washington DC, USA - AUG 14, 2012
Draft. Medium tan head, cola-brown body. Aroma is medium sweet, caramel, rye, light raisin. taste is moderately sweet, caramel, some rye, light vinous. Medium body, some stickiness, light alcohol warming. Travlr (26430) - Charlotte, North Carolina, USA - AUG 14, 2012
Draft. Dark maroon color, thick brown head, solid lacing. Aroma of slightly boozy dark milk chocolate, vanilla. Taste is whiskey, cocoa, coffee. Nice. GT (10017) - San Diego, California, USA - AUG 8, 2012
Tap at PPD. Pours a murky brown, fully opaque. Small yellow foam. Weak retention. Nose hints at some funky Flemish red wine barrel, acetic, and dark chocolate blend. Very nice. Taste up front is mild acetic and lactic sourness finishing with mega rich Godiva liquor and Baileys Irish Cream. Very rich, heavy palate. Very good. I wonder if DC Brau knows that all of their barrel aged stuff is souring. Be careful if you intend to bottle.
---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone


17" x 7" JJ Alloy Wheels,Heated Reclining Front Bucket Seats,Leather-Trimmed Seat Trim,Radio: AM/FM/6-Disc CD/MP3 Compatible,4-Wheel Disc Brakes,Air Conditioning,Electronic Stability Control,Front Bucket Seats,Front Center Armrest,Leather Shift Knob,Tachometer,ABS brakes,Automatic temperature control,Brake assist,Bumpers: body-color,CD player,Delay-off headlights,Driver door bin,Driver vanity mirror,Dual front impact airbags,Dual front side impact airbags,Four wheel independent suspension,Front anti-roll bar,Front dual zone A/C,Front fog lights,Front reading lights,Heated front seats,Illuminated entry,Low tire pressure warning,MP3 decoder,Occupant sensing airbag,Outside temperature display,Overhead airbag,Overhead console,Panic alarm,Passenger door bin,Passenger vanity mirror,Power door mirrors,Power driver seat,Power moonroof,Power steering,Power windows,Rear anti-roll bar,Rear seat center armrest,Rear window defroster,Remote keyless entry,Security system,Speed control,Speed-sensing steering,Split folding rear seat,Steering wheel mounted audio controls,Telescoping steering wheel,Tilt steering wheel,Traction control,Trip computer,Variably intermittent wipers,Front beverage holders,10 Speakers,Blind Spot Sensor,AM/FM radio: SIRIUS-ready,Driver Air Bag,Passenger Air Bag,Passenger Air Bag On/Off Switch,Front Side Air Bag,Front Head Air Bag,Rear Head Air Bag,Climate Control,Multi-Zone A/C,A/C,Security System,AM/FM Stereo,CD Changer,CD Player,ABS,Cruise Control,Rear Defrost,Child Safety Locks,Front Wheel Drive,4 Cylinder Engine,Floor Mats,Gasoline Fuel,Keyless Entry,Power Door Locks,Power Mirror(s),Sun/Moonroof,Power Driver Seat,Pass-Through Rear Seat,Leather Seats,Bucket Seats,Power Steering,Adjustable Steering Wheel,Tires - Front Performance,Tires - Rear Performance,Temporary Spare Tire,Traction Control,5-Speed A/T,Aluminum Wheels,Power Windows,Intermittent Wipers,A/T,Generic Sun/Moonroof,Premium Sound System,MP3 Player,Fog Lamps,Heated Front Seat(s),Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers,Steering Wheel Audio Controls,Power Outlet,Engine Immobilizer,Driver Vanity Mirror,Passenger Vanity Mirror,Driver Illuminated Vanity Mirror,Passenger Illuminated Visor Mirror,Front Reading Lamps,Driver Adjustable Lumbar,Leather Steering Wheel,Transmission w/Dual Shift Mode,Emergency Trunk Release,Tire Pressure Monitor,Trip Computer,Bluetooth Connection,Stability Control,Auxiliary Audio Input,Rear Bench Seat,Blind Spot Monitor
New vehicle purchase price includes all rebates that are available to all buyers or incentives paid to dealer. New and used vehicles- sale price is plus sales tax, title fees, license fees and document fee. Residency restrictions may apply to FCA incentives. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site errors do occur so please verify information with a dealership representative. This can be done by calling us at 330-734-3906 or by visiting the dealership. The dealership doesn’t honor listing errors and will fix the error within a reasonable time of being notified of such error.
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Phone: (330) 752-0893https://maps.google.com/?q=3195%20Barber%20Rd%2C%20Barberton%2C%20Ohio%20%2C%20Barberton%2C%20OH%2044203


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oilfield spare parts,
drilling accessories tools
Oil and Gas Petroleum Equipment 5000psi High Pressure Choke Manifold
Choke manifold is a necessary device in the process of blowout control and implementation of oil and gas pressure control technology. In case that the BOP is off, the pressure at the bottom of well shall be kept higher than formation pressure through controlling casing pressure with choke valve on-off. Additionally, soft shut-in can be realized through relieving pressure with choke manifold in the process of well shut-in. When pressure in well rech at extreme limitation,it can be used to prevent blowout and protect wellhead.
Choke Manifold Control pressure to prevent overflow and blowout. Reduce wellhead casing pressure by relief function of choke valve. Full-bore and two-way metal seal Choke bean features hard alloy inside, delivering high resistance to erosion and corrosion. The relief valve helps to reduce casing pressure and protect BOP. Configuration type: single-wing, double-wing, multiple-wing or riser manifold Control type: manual, hydraulic, RTU Kill Manifold Kill manifold is mainly used to kill well, prevent fire and assist in fire extinction.
TR Choke manifold is composed of choke valve, gate valve, pipeline, pipe fittings and pressure gage, etc.
When well pressure rises, the choke valve (it falls into three kinds: Manually adjustable, hydraulic and positive) on choke manifold can be turned on and off to release the fluid to control casing pressure. Gate valve can be used for direct blowout. When casing pressure is pretty high,
The pressure class of our company's chokes manifold falls into five class: 14MPa, 21MPa, 35MPa, 70MPa and 105MPa. Also, we can design according to customer demand.
Operating Instructions of Our Choke Manifold:
Technical Data of Our Choke Manifold:
Contact Person: Ms. Sunny Lee
Tel: +86 13186019379


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Hand made Nativity Christmas Ornament from Bethlehem. A set of ten Nativity Christmas Ornament, packed individually and as a set.
Size 1.75″ D x 2.5″ W x 3.25″ H
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domain: artistic


Global inequalities are on full display in Investment Monitor’s map of where Covid-19 vaccines are made, but why is production so non-existent in Africa and other developing regions?
It has been one year since the UK went into lockdown as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Investment Monitor rounds up its coverage of how the worlds of business and FDI have changed over the past 12 months.
The lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic brought chaos to global supply chains. Tradeshift CEO Christian Lanng says that technology can make them more resilient to future shocks.
If the government wants to realise even part of its Green Industrial Revolution it will need to attract significant FDI and support the creation of a local supply chain for emerging technologies.
The task of vaccinating the world against Covid-19 has put unprecedented pressure on supply chains. Will they be able to rise to the challenge?
In spite of the Covid-19 pandemic, Africa's start-up agritech community enjoyed a stellar 2020, with project numbers and capital inflows on the rise.
A company with wide geographical diversification will tend to be more resilient to major events, so temptations to retrench in the current environment should be resisted, writes Investment Monitor's Sofia Karadima.
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought into focus the need for more regionalised manufacturing that is closer to consumers. Will this bring factory jobs back to the US?
Hugh Welsh, board member of the Global Business Alliance and president of DSM North America, discusses how Trump, Covid-19 and shareholder capitalism have impacted FDI.
Southampton's cruise terminals and docks give the city a logistical advantage in a post-Brexit and Covid environment, but will this translate into attracting much-needed investment?


| Nov 27, 2012
| 4:12 PM
Buyer’s remorse for Conference USA? Not an ounce, Old Dominion athletic director Wood Selig said, after East Carolina announced that its football program would join the Big East Conference and Tulane will join the Big East for all sports.
| Oct 4, 2012
| 5:44 AM
The Atlantic 10 Conference aspires to be the nation’s best basketball-centric league, and commissioner Bernadette McGlade believes a new, eight-year media rights package affirms that status.
A-10 officials and television partners ESPN, CBS Sports...
| Mar 22, 2013
| 12:37 AM
9 a.m. Golf: Malaysian Open third round (d. in Kuala Lumpur).--Golf
9 a.m. Talk: Sports Highlights (d.; on Cox cable channel 47 and Verizon FiOs 17 in Newport News).--NNPS
9:30 a.m. Basketball: Feb. 1992: Menchville girls vs. Phoebus.--LSC 48...
| Mar 26, 2013
| 10:48 PM
7 a.m. Exhibition baseball: Toronto vs. Tampa Bay (d.).--MLB Net.
9:30 a.m. Golf: Trophee Hassan II first round (in Agadir, Morocco).--Golf
9:30 a.m. Basketball: Feb. 2006: Bethel boys vs. Kecoughtan.--LSC 48
10 a.m. Exhibition baseball:...
| Mar 27, 2013
| 10:42 PM
VCU’s fervent fan base again can rest easy.
Shaka Smart, 35, agreed to a contract extension through 2023 to remain as coach of the Rams, whom he took to the 2011 Final Four and the last three NCAA tournaments. He turned down UCLA to do so....
| Mar 3, 2013
| 9:38 AM
Atlantic 10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade smiled wryly when asked Saturday if someone might declare a cease-fire from college sports’ relentless conference realignment raids.
“If there is a call,” she said, “I haven't gotten...
| Mar 7, 2013
| 11:34 PM
5 a.m. Baseball: World Classic: Chinese Taipei at Japan (in Tokyo).--MLB Net.
9 a.m. Exhibition baseball: Miami vs. N.Y. Mets (d.).--MLB Net.
9:30 a.m. Basketball: Jan. 1994: Denbigh girls vs. Kecoughtan.--LSC 48
11 a.m. Basketball: ACC women&...
| Jun 11, 2013
ACC television revenue nearly tripled from 2008-12, while the conference’s bowl income increased 50 percent and league basketball tournament receipts declined. This according to the ACC’s five most recent federal tax returns.
| Mar 16, 2012
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Steve Merfeld recognized the final score instantly. He didn’t celebrate as he did 11 years ago, but he was elated nonetheless.
“Awesome,” the Creighton assistant coach said Friday after the Bluejays’ 58-57 NCAA tournament...
| Jul 16, 2011
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Adam Braithwaite's path to his new job as Christopher Newport's defensive coordinator has been a long one for a coach who's all of 31 years old.
Braithwaite, a 2002 graduate of William and Mary, has an extensive résumé that includes stops at his alma...
| Jul 19, 2011
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The financially troubled United Football League is still open for business, Commissioner Michael Huyghue said Tuesday, citing three reasons for delaying the season for approximately one month.
Respected coach Marty Schottenheimer, meeting with the...


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Alien vs. Predator: Fire and Stone #3
Story: Christopher Sebela
Art: Ariel Olivetti
Cover: E. M. Gist
Publisher: Dark Horse
Publication Date: December 3rd, 2014
When a Predator is exposed to a mysterious genetic accelerant, the rest of the hunting party is put in unforeseen peril. And as the android Elden continues his violent evolution, his xenomorph allies reject him from the hive.

domain: entertainment


text:
Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
IDF: Heavy Airstrikes Hit 320 Targets Across Gaza Overnight; China's Mideast Envoy: War Caused By Lack Of Palestinian Rights; Today: 9 New Speaker Candidates To Make Their Cases At Forum. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired October 23, 2023 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KASIE HUNT, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Thanks for getting up early with us. I'm Kasie Hunt. Just a few seconds before 5:30 here on the East Coast.
Israeli forces targeting northern Gaza with heavy airstrikes overnight killing dozens, including children in the Jabalia refugee camp, that it says were aimed at militants, their tunnels, and command centers. The Hamas-run Health Ministry says that they were destroying homes and buildings in Rafah, Khan Younis, central Gaza, and Gaza City. A senior Israeli official says there's no ceasefire as the IDF targets tunnels and Hamas command centers.
This comes as the U.S. works to get about 600 Palestinian-Americans out of Gaza.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTONY BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE: We have several hundred Americans and other nationalities -- other civilians from other countries who want to leave Gaza. We've had people come to Rafah, the crossing with Egypt -- and to date, at least, Hamas has blocked them from leaving.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Officials at Gaza hospitals say that they are overwhelmed with casualties as they struggle with electricity and fuel shortages. The Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 4,600 Gazans have died so far.
Report Eliott Gotkine joins us live from London. Elliott, welcome back. We do know that Israeli troops are massing by the tens of thousands along Gaza's border but still, at this hour, no word on the ground incursion that's expected any day now.
What do these increased airstrikes tell us about what's going on? And what is the work that's going on behind the scenes to try to free these hostages ahead of a potential incursion? ELLIOTT GOTKINE, JOURNALIST: Kasie, as far as the hostages are concerned, we know that the U.S. and the Qataris, in particular, who have a direct line to Hamas and the leadership there in Doha -- they are working behind the scenes to try to get more of those now 222 hostages. That figure has been updated from just over 200 just in the last few minutes. Two hundred twenty-two hostages that were abducted by Hamas in that terrorist attack of October 7 during which up to 1,400 -- or more than 1,400 people were killed inside of Israel.
So that's what's happening behind the scenes. There is no real public comment from the Israelis about negotiations but we know that the U.S. and the Qataris are working on it.
As far as the airstrikes are concerned, the Israelis said that they were going to be ramping up airstrikes against militant targets in the Gaza Strip and they've been true to their word. And as they say, they have hit more than 320 targets -- militant targets, they say, such as tunnels, such as command centers, anti-tank missile cells, and the like. And also, as well, parts of the militant group's assets, which they say pose a threat to their troops who have been massing on the border with the Gaza Strip pending a ground invasion.
And what we also saw -- and this is another indication that we are perhaps inching closer to that expected ground invasion -- we saw the first clashes inside the Gaza Strip between the IDF and militants of Hamas. Hamas firing an anti-tank missile at the IDF killing one soldier and injuring three. Hamas claiming to have destroyed a couple of military bulldozers and a tank.
So it does seem that we are inching towards this ground invasion. When it will happen, Kasie, we still don't know.
HUNT: All right. Elliott Gotkine, thank you very much for your reporting. I really appreciate it.
And China's special Mideast envoy concluding the reason for the Israel-Hamas war is, quote, "The legitimate national rights of the Palestinian people, which have not been guaranteed." It comes as China sent its envoy to the region to push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
CNN's Kristie Lu Stout is live in Hong Kong for us with more. Kristie, thank you very much for being with us this morning. Can you help us understand the Chinese position here?
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. China has a firmly pro-Palestinian stance but it is also making this diplomatic show pushing for peace in the region.
China's special envoy for the Middle East is in the region pushing for peace. Zhai Jun says that Chinese willing to do, quote, "whatever is conducive to promote talks to reach a ceasefire to restore peace." He adds that there is a risk of a large-scale ground conflict in Gaza and that is significantly rising.
Look, China wants to present itself to the world as a neutral mediator but it has very little experience in mediating such a conflict. It also has deep interest -- economic interest in the Middle East, especially access to oil. In fact, about half of China's oil imports come from Arab states, which also account for more than 20 votes at the U.N.
Now, over the weekend we heard from Zhai Jun. He was speaking in Cairo for the Cairo Summit for Peace. He is also -- in addition to visiting Egypt, he's visiting the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and other countries across the region.
He says China has provided and will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians and that China wants to promote a two-state solution, which is exactly what we heard last week on Thursday from the Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
But it's important to note what we have not heard from China -- we have not heard any condemnation of Hamas. China has not condemned Hamas for its brutal terror attack on Israel on October 7.
Back to you, Kasie.
HUNT: Kristie Lu Stout, thank you very much for that report. I really appreciate it.
STOUT: Thank you.
HUNT: And later on today, House Republicans will meet for a candidate forum as they go back to the drawing board in their effort to select a Speaker of the House. As of now, they have a slate of nine new candidates. Congressman Jim Jordan, of course, was voted out as the party's nominee last week.
Here are the guys that are running instead.
TEXT: Jack Bergman, Byron Donalds, Tom Emmer, Kevin Hern, Mike Johnson, Dan Meuser, Gary Palmer, Austin Scott, Pete Sessions.
Over the weekend, a number of Republicans bemoaned their party's inability to settle on a speaker after nearly three weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS CHRISTIE, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And we should be embarrassed as a party, quite frankly, about what's going on in the House of Representatives. I mean, these guys and women look like a group of 11th graders trying to pick the junior class president rather than the Speaker of the House.
REP. KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): This is embarrassing for the Republican Party, it's embarrassing for the nation, and we need to look at one another and solve the problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: Very blunt.
What is not clear, of course, is whether any of these nine candidates can secure the 217 votes needed on the floor to win the gavel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE TURNER (R-OH): You know, getting 217 is obviously going to be very difficult and is the sort of Rubik's Cube of the answer to all of this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: If only it were as easy as solving a Rubik's Cube.
But for our attempts to find our own answers let's bring in Mica Soellner, congressional reporter for Punchbowl News. Mica, good morning to you. Thank you for being here.
So there's nine -- nine of these guys who say that they potentially want what promises to be either the shortest or hardest, or both shortest and hardest job in Washington, and it's not clear any of them are anywhere close to 217 votes. And, of course, they need at least half the conference -- 50 percent, plus one if they want to become the new speaker nominee designate.
Does anyone have an edge at this point? What are we expecting today?
MICA SOELLNER, CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER, PUNCHBOWL NEWS: Good morning, Kasie.
Yeah, exactly. As you mentioned, I think a lot of members of the Republican Conference are really coming to the reality that it's nearly impossible to get 217 votes.
I will say that we're probably going to see Tom Emmer have a pretty good lead. He has the biggest name recognition, I would say, out of most of them just given the fact that he is the number three Republican right now in the House. So he has that leadership post already.
But we're also seeing candidates like Byron Donalds, of Florida, pick up some support. Of course, he's a member of the Freedom Caucus so he'll have some conservative backing there. But he's also gotten some of those people that were against Jordan last week.
We saw Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, for example, throw his support behind Donalds, as well as Gimenez said -- who said that he would be behind Kevin McCarthy this whole time. That he was only Kevin. So he threw his support behind Donalds, too.
So we're seeing some candidates jump ahead in the race.
HUNT: So, Mica, I mean, one thing I don't want to lose sight of and it's easy to as we kind of do all the horse-trading and the back-and- forth is that -- I mean, the government is only funded basically till the week before Thanksgiving, right, which is fast approaching. Halloween is next week. Two weeks after that.
The House Republican Conference has already spent nearly three weeks scrambling to try to get a speaker. They have run through their two most obvious choices here.
How much concern is starting to build that they're not going to be able to solve this problem before the government shuts down of its own accord simply because there's no Speaker of the House?
SOELLNER: There's a lot of concern. Yeah, that deadline is exactly right. That's when the C.R. runs out. And I think Republicans have been so focused and scrambled on getting a speaker the appropriations battle has kind of fallen to the wayside.
That's going to be a huge problem for whoever does end up getting this post. They're going to grapple with basically a House in crisis and a House that's been frozen for weeks because of Republican infighting. So whoever is able to get this gavel -- if they are by that time -- they will immediately have to gravel with trying to avert another government shutdown which, of course, was the very thing that cost Kevin McCarthy his job when he worked with Democrats to avert that first deadline there.
HUNT: Yeah -- no. That's exactly the point I was going to make because -- and part of me keeps circling back around. Kevin McCarthy has obviously said you know what, it's not going to be me. They threw me out. There are these eight that are hardline against him.
But whoever does get this job is likely to be in such a weak position anyway that I struggle to see that even if they are in charge how they convince people to hey, let's govern. Because if they do something that requires Democratic votes, the chances they could keep that gavel seem slim to none.
SOELLNER: Yeah, it's going to be very, very hard to unify this conference right now. I mean, you have Republican members in the clips you've shown before just openly saying yeah, that it's broken. That it's divided. And I think members are more comfortable kind of saying that out loud which, of course, most of the time they stick to their messaging saying that oh, we're unified. We're going to get back together.
But right now it's really, really fractured, so whoever takes this position is really going to have to grapple with dealing with all ends of their party, especially the conservative wing that has had heightened influence over this Congress (PH) as it's really, really, grappled with taking over the agenda of the GOP majority.
HUNT: Right. And again, it's those conservatives that -- if there's anyone that's got concerns about Tom Emmer, who in theory should be the frontrunner here, he's the only one with any real experience doing any of this stuff, already has that problem on his horizon.
All right. Mica Soellner of Punchbowl News, thank you. I know you have a long day ahead of you. I appreciate you starting it here.
SOELLNER: Thank you.
HUNT: And Hamas isn't the only group that Israel is taking on right now. Where things stand in the fight against the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. That's next.
HUNT: Welcome back.
New overnight, the Israel Defense Forces say they struck another terrorist cell in Lebanese territory along with an anti-tank missile launch post. This comes are skirmishes continue along the Israeli- Lebanese border adding to concerns about a widening conflict.
Here's Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking to IDF commandos in Northern Israel on Sunday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): You are fighting for our lives, for our home. This is no exaggeration. This is war. We are now in a double battle. One battle is to block them here; the second battle is to win a crushing victory that will erase Hamas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: All right, let's bring in Yaakov Katz, senior columnist and editor at The Jerusalem Post. He's also the author of "Shadow Strike: Inside Israel's Secret Mission to Eliminate Syrian Nuclear Power." Yaakov, thank you very much for being here.
In that speech you saw Netanyahu giving there he also warned that if Hezbollah entered the war, Israel would strike it with a force it cannot even imagine.
How close are we to that point of escalation, and isn't there significant danger in fighting a war on two fronts for the IDF?
YAAKOV KATZ, SENIOR COLUMNIST AND EDITOR, THE JERUSALEM POST, AUTHOR, "SHADOW STRIKE: INSIDE ISRAEL'S SECRET MISSION TO ELIMINATE SYRIAN NUCLEAR POWER (via Webex by Cisco): I think, sadly, we are close, right? We see that every day -- like you mentioned, Kasie, every single day there are skirmishes along the border. Hezbollah is attacking Israeli troops, firing anti-tank missiles, and trying to fire rockets for the time being, within about a mile range from the border.
But let's keep in mind, over the last two weeks, Israel has killed over 30 Hezbollah terrorists, right? That's a steep price also for Hezbollah. Israel itself has lost some soldiers up there. And I think that as we look down south towards the potential ground
incursion into Gaza, that would be another step up and a potential trigger for Hezbollah to escalate its own activity in the north, and that could lead to a wider conflict. And that's something that Israel is concerned about.
What I think what would ultimately happen though is if that did happen, Gaza would be the secondary issue or threat on the table. All Israeli resources -- air force, ground forces -- would move up north and would focus on that volatile front because Hezbollah is far stronger than Hamas and Gaza.
HUNT: Yes -- no. I mean, I absolutely take that point. But, of course, this is all unfolding right now because of what Hamas did in southern Israel.
And you actually wrote a piece in The Jerusalem Post where you talked about the challenges that Israel will face after this offensive starts, and that they will need to clearly define what victory looks like and what the exit strategy will be. I mean, what do you think those things should be?
KATZ: Look, I think that one of the big challenges -- or the big mistakes, I would call it, that Israel has made over the years is that it would see -- it saw Hezbollah amassing weapons. It saw Hamas amassing weapons. It saw Hezbollah training and it saw Hamas training. They were training all for the same thing, the annihilation of the state of Israel. And that's what Hamas tried to do when it massacred 1,400 people on that dark Saturday, October 7.
So we know that they've amassed these weapons. What happened? Israel said no, we can contain the situation. We can use some deterrents. We can use some economic incentives. We can use diplomacy. And we'll keep it contained and hopefully, we'll always be able to keep it under the threshold of a full out-blown -- blown out conflict.
But that doesn't work anymore. That's what we learned from October 7.
So now the question is this war with Hamas and possibly this was with Hezbollah -- what do we do the day after? They'll just rebuild again, Kasie. That's the whole problem -- they'll rebuild and they'll rearm. So how -- with Iran's help.
So how does Israel stop them? I think that needs to be one of the dramatic and significant changes is that Israel says no, we're not going to let you rebuild. So even after the war will hopefully end, Israel will have to continue to attack and to prevent these terrorist organizations from rearming. That will be complicated. We won't always have the world's support for that. But otherwise, we're just allowing them to rebuild and attack us once again.
HUNT: I mean, that's basically a preemptive strike doctrine, no?
KATZ: It would be a preemptive strike that would be based on rearmament. If we look at the Israeli's national defense doctrine, over 75 years,
Israel has never really launched a preemptive strike because of weapons buildup. It did it twice for nuclear programs -- one in Syria -- that's my book -- and one in Iraq in 1981. But otherwise, it doesn't really attack just because a country or an enemy amasses arms or weapons.
That will have to change because if it doesn't and they continue to rebuild -- so, five years, 10 years, 15 years they'll be able to do in the north or in the south the same thing they did here on October 7.
So, Yaakov -- I mean, I was talking to Max Foster a little bit earlier in the show about this but I'm interested in, kind of, your view.
The one question seems to be OK, get rid of Hamas. The challenge is that Hamas is obviously a terrorist organization based on their actions on October 7, but they also play a significant role in governing the Gaza Strip. And I'm not clear who steps up and does those things in their absence. And I guess I'm curious to know why or how you think whatever rose up in its place could be a better situation for Israel than what's going on now.
KATZ: Look, it's a very complicated scenario and the question you're asking is the question I don't think anyone has an answer for yet, Kasie. Because what happens --
So, Israel goes into Gaza. It degrades Hamas' capabilities. It captures or kills a lot of Hamas fighters. Let's even say it's able to take out the top Hamas leadership.
But there are still Hamas people who will remain at the end of this. Even if it's a months-long operation there will still be Hamas people. They will still have some infrastructure. They will still have some weapons. And they could potentially still be in control.
So even if you toppled them, to some extent -- whatever that might mean -- who comes in their place?
Israel -- the last thing -- I think we can all agree the last thing that Israel should do is carry in some new puppet on the back of an Israeli tank into Gaza. That won't last, right? America tried that numerous times in Iraq and Afghanistan. That's a failed policy.
So we have to have also some sort of organic leadership that will come from within that will take over that will be accepted by the Palestinians in Gaza who are also going to have suffered after this conflict.
And I think here we're going to need some serious American involvement, some serious Egyptian involvement, Saudi involvement. This is going to require the entire region and the world to work together to figure this out. This is not something that Israel will be able to solve on its own.
Right now, Israel has to act in self-defense. What comes after is something that everyone's going to have to work on.
HUNT: Yeah, that's the hard part.
Yaakov Katz, thanks very much for being with us this morning.
KATZ: Thank you.
HUNT: I really appreciate it.
And just into CNN, a third convoy of aid vehicles has entered the border from Egypt to Gaza through the Rafah Crossing. That's according to a CNN journalist on the ground. Humanitarian convoys were also given the green light on Saturday and Sunday. We're going to have much more, next, on "CNN THIS MORNING."
HUNT: Welcome back.
Nearly three weeks after the House voted out Kevin McCarthy in historic fashion, the House remains without a speaker or a strategy. And there might be new challenges for the speaker's gavel but one of the party's central challenges remains its complete inability to unify.
That theme and the Rubik's Cube complexity of figuring it out is touched on by CNN's Stephen Collinson. Stephen writes, quote, "Twisting colored squares together in the right order seem simply by comparison with attempts to unite a House Republican Conference unable to comprehend how clownish it looks."
Let's bring in the author, Stephen Collinson. Stephen, good morning to you. Thank you very much --
STEPHEN COLLINSON, CNN POLITICS SENIOR REPORTER: Hi.
HUNT: -- for being here.
I have to say I was a little surprised to see Kevin McCarthy actually say well, actually, this is really embarrassing. Perhaps they are starting to comprehend the depth of this.
But look, I want to -- I want to start by playing this -- Congressman Mike McCaul, who is somebody who spends a lot of time thinking about national security issues -- he's a Republican -- was on over the weekend and he put it in pretty dramatic, sweeping terms.
Take a look at what he had to say and let's talk about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. MIKE MCCAUL, (R-TX): The world's on fire. This is so dangerous what we're doing. And most importantly, it's embarrassing because it empowers and emboldens our adversaries, like Chairman Xi, who say democracy doesn't work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: I mean, that's a very sweeping point that I don't think has gotten enough attention. This idea that we are demonstrating to the world that the system that we have doesn't work properly and giving more fuel to these dictators out there.
COLLINSON: Yeah. One of the key features of the real political global foreign policy of nations like China and Russia is an argument, especially to developing states in places like Africa and Asia, is that you can't trust the U.S. That the U.S. model that many countries have tried to follow since the end of the Second World War is fractured and is not operable in a new century going forward.
So anything that plays into that impression is very damaging to the United States abroad. That, in fact, is why you've had nations like Russia, and China, and Iran try to influence the outcome of U.S. elections in the social media era.
And I think to your point about embarrassment, this is an issue internally as well. An embarrassment could end up being a real force. Because I think domestically, a lot of people don't really follow the machinations of the House of Representatives on a day-to-day basis as they live their normal lives. But when legislators tend to get into trouble it's when they indulge in behavior that wouldn't fly in another arena of life. And that's I think --
HUNT: Like junior high?
COLLINSON: Right, yeah. If you start to see, I think, a bunch of polls this week showing that the public is disgusted with the way the Republican Conference is behaving, that might concentrate some minds combined with a lot of fatigue and tiredness that has happened because of this three weeks of a power vacuum in the House conference. And that might force some minds.
The problem is whether it produces a strong speaker that can bring the conference together --
COLLINSON: -- seems very doubtful.
HUNT: Right. Well, and I'm glad you mentioned that. And I'm not going to play it because we're getting short on time here, but Newt Gingrich made the point on the Sunday shows that the 217 have to not just pick a speaker but they also have to stick together for the next five or six months.
I mean, there's a certain richness that the condemnation of this type of politics is coming from the guy that basically invented it, Newt Gingrich. But that said, he's not wrong. I mean, we've gotten so -- it's gotten so bad that even Newt Gingrich is saying while these guys are not just going to have to do this, they're going to have to stick together, and I don't see how it happens.
COLLINSON: Yeah, that's right. He talked a lot of sense about what's going to have to happen in the Republican conference going forward if this Republican majority, as small as it is, is not going to be a complete bust over the next year or so before the next election.
You know, one thing about Newt Gingrich -- he was a firebrand that insurgent -- a disruptor. But he was also highly organized. The contract with America was that list, remember, in 1994 where Republicans ticked off everything they did -- every point they promised the voters. And then as soon as they passed a bill they publicized it.
There is none of that kind of organization in this chaotic Republican conference.
HUNT: No, there is absolutely zero. And right now, we're just struggling to get a speaker before the deadline to keep the government funded a week before Thanksgiving.
Stephen Collinson, I'm sure we'll have you back soon. Thank you very much for being with us this morning.
And thanks to all of you for joining us this morning as well. I am Kasie Hunt. Don't go anywhere. "CNN THIS MORNING" starts right now.

domain: politics


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April 23, 2013
Bangladesh Under-19s 255 (Shanto 109, Mehedy 44, Fernando 3-43) beat Sri Lanka Under-19s 140 (Mendis 37, Jubair 4-24) by 115 runs
Bangladesh Under-19s levelled the five-match one-day series with a big win in the second game at Sylhet. They beat Sri Lanka Under-19s by 115 runs before moving to Dhaka for the final leg of the tour.
Sent in to bat first, the home side made 255 runs in 48.4 overs, with opener Nazmul Hossain Shanto scoring a century. His 109 off 131 balls was the backbone of the innings as he batted till the 46th over to take the home side to a competitive total.
He added 75 for the third wicket with Mehedy Hasan, who made 44 off 47 balls. With captain Mosaddek Hossain, Shanto added another 63 for the fourth wicket before putting together a further 43 for the sixth wicket with Abu Sayeem. For the visitors, Binura Fernando took three wickets while Roshan Anurudhda, Chamika Karunaratne and Sanjika Ridma picked up two each.
In reply, the visitors were bowled out for 140 in 38.1 overs, with no real partnerships developing at any point during the innings. Captain Kusal Mendis made 37 while Sandun Weerakkody scored 30.
Legspinner Jubair Hossain took four wickets, while Mehedy and Nehaduzzaman picking up two a piece.
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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Plays of the Day from the Champions League T20 match between Chennai Super Kings and Perth Scorchers, in Bangalore
Plays of the day from the CLT20 match between Dolphins and Lahore Lions in Bangalore
Plays of the day from Lahore Lions' last league match against Perth Scorchers
West Indies' ODI squad for India is surprisingly light on spin, but the tour is an opportunity for Samuels and Russell to make strong comebacks
Though derided and sometimes ridiculed, county cricket still holds the key for the future of the game in England and if all involved believed in it just a little more, it could produce an even greater harvest
Amol Muzumdar, who has announced his retirement from first-class cricket, reflects on his career, missing out on Test cricket, and more

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13/10/2017 Vseh ogledov: 11948 Danes: 3
Casa Caterina Gargnano, Located in Gargnano historic centre, 500 metrov od jezera Garda, Casa Caterina features an off/site garden and swimming pool, 300 metrov. Free on-site parking is available. The apartment features parquet floors, partial stone walls and wood-beamed ceilings. It consists of a kitchenette, dining area and bathroom. Casa Caterina is 8 km from Toscolano Maderno. (Casa Caterina Gargnano hotels booking).

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A report has tonight emerged stating that Silverstone has been sold to an unknown buyer, making development in the surrounding area possible thanks to fresh investment.
According to The Independent, a buyer has been found for the Northamptonshire circuit that has hosted the British Grand Prix since 1987 after BRDC president Derek Warwick confirmed earlier this year that fresh investment was required.
A source within the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) explained to The Independent how the deal had been struck.
'A deal has been done on Silverstone. I don’t know who bought it and I don’t know what the terms are, but it is absolutely categoric that a deal has been done and not due to...
Full Story »


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The world is darkness. My mind is blank, like a void. Except, well, I recall that book...and you! Help Robbe reclaim his memories in this 2D, adventure platformer. Search shadowed dungeons, face his darkest fears - and maybe some of your own.
Dungeons are filled with traps, secrets, and hidden collectibles in this non-linear story of conquering fears and finding yourself. Battle shadowed bosses, find keys, and discover the next room.
- Single player campaign
- Visually stunning, hand-painted scenes from Zac Duff
- Track your progress with collectible Polaroids in Robbe's photo book - WIP
- Non-linear story on self discovery and conquering fears - WIP
- Creative play. Solve puzzles the way you want.
- Randomized dungeons
- Full Controller Support
- Steam Cloud Stats
- Steam Achievements
- Original soundtrack composed and performed by Lisen Jernqvist and produced by Tori Kamal


I have to say, right off the bat, that I have NOT seen the recent Fantastic Four movie. I usually don’t let reviewers control my perception of a film, but this time the chorus was so unanimous that I figured it was better to wait until the film hit the Netflix-type venue. I couldn’t begin to say how uninterested I was in the motion picture! Linked with that has been the news that Marvel is not bringing back the FF anytime soon. I’ve read a great many opinion pieces in the comics press begging the House of Ideas to bring
The Fantastic Four have battled nearly every baddie known to Marvel U. and they have always come out on top. So what challenge would be so difficult that they may not walk away alive? Stan Lee returns the the Fantastic Four telling us The Last Fantastic Four Story. Marvel Comics has sent Major Spoilers a sneak peek of the issue that arrives in August.
Or – “What Happens When The Smartest Heroes Are Neither Smart Nor Heroic…” The first two issues of The Illuminati miniseries can be boiled down pretty succinctly by saying this: Overconfidence and arrogance nearly costs them all their lives. In the first issue, it’s a miscalculation as to the competence of the Skrull Empire, in the second, they overestimate their own ability to resist the phenomenal cosmic power of the Infinity Gems. Every time we see this grouping, they have done something incredibly stupid because they presume to be smarter than everyone else on the planet, and that hubris will,
Or – “This Is The Greatest And Best Retcon In The World… Tribute.” I’ll admit it: I’ve been extremely hesitant to review this issue, simply because I don’t want to have it come across as bashing Bendis, Marvel, or the Civil War in general. I’ve been skeptical (heck, some might even say negative) in my reactions to CW as a whole, and this book contains many of the same characters, by one of the key writers of CW, detailing the retconned backstory that sorta-kinda led to the events in question. To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of Professor


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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Reports said a Liberty man Monday was held at gunpoint at a South Side home by the irate mother of a 15-year-old girl he admitted to having sexual contact with.
Orenzo Walker, 28, was booked into the Mahoning County Jail on a charge of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a third-degree felony.
Charges of possession of cocaine and illegal conveyance of a prohibited item into a detention facility were added after investigators say a bag of crack cocaine was found on him while he was being booked.
Walker is expected to be arraigned Wednesday in municipal court.
Police were called about 2:30 p.m. Monday to a home on East Chalmers Avenue for a report of a woman holding a man “hostage” for having sexual contact with her daughter. When police arrived, they found the woman and Walker on the porch.
Walker was bleeding and the woman had a gun in her hand that was jammed, reports said.
Reports said Walker told the woman that he had sex with her daughter even though he is 28 and she is 15. He later admitted to police that he had sex with the daughter and told officers, “I knew what I was getting into. I’m not mad. I’m getting what I deserve,” reports said.
Walker also told police that he has a fiancée and three children and a baby on the way, reports said. Reports said the sexual activity happened a few weeks ago.
The daughter confirmed Walker’s story, reports said.
The woman’s gun was a 9mm handgun loaded with a .40-caliber bullet, reports said. Reports said police took the gun for the time being, but the woman will get it back once she can think with a “clear head.”
Walker was at first denied entry into the jail because of injuries he received from being pistol-whipped, reports said. He was examined at St. Elizabeth Health Center before he was taken back to jail.

domain: law


Jonathan Graves is a producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist raised in Pittsburgh, PA and currently living in Brooklyn, NY.
He writes and performs music with the electronic/indie-rock group Corbu, and released his debut EP on 3Beat Records in February 2014. Jonathan was the first music teacher at The Lang School, a visual, tech-oriented primary school for gifted children with special needs, only the second of its kind in the United States. Along with developing the music curriculum at Lang from its inception in 2010 until the summer of 2012, he has spent his days with the innovative local teaching collective Brooklyn Music Lessons since its formation in 2008.
Jonathan has been performing since age 10, when he toured the world as a soloist with the Pittsburgh Boychoir, sang with the Samara (Russia) Symphony Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Opera, and performed the national anthem for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He grew up playing piano, guitar, drums, violin, and french horn, and studied voice with Grammy-winning tenor Timothy Nobel at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music.
Jonathan's musical influences include:
The Beatles / Radiohead / Boards of Canada / The Radio Dept. / Björk / Broadcast / Michael Jackson / Neil Young / Marvin Gaye / Aphex Twin / Steve Reich / Sufjan Stevens / Wendy Carlos / William Basinski / Animal Collective & Panda Bear / Erland øye / Bradford Cox / Modeselektor / Warp Records / Motown Records / Most bands from Gothenburg, Sweden
Being a Musician in 2014: A Convergence of Skills
Undertaking a study of the guitar, voice or piano is ultimately a study of music itself. Don't limit your goal to becoming a good guitar player, for instance - expand it to being a good musician that happens to play guitar.
I grew up singing and playing piano, and along the way I learned to write songs, record them and play a handful of other instruments. I did this because I wanted to be self-sufficient, without having to rely on other people and their own busy schedules.
This multi-dimensionality has become my greatest strength as a teacher. If a student comes to me for voice lessons, he'll end up playing a bit of piano to understand the parts he's singing. A guitar student will find herself singing along to the riff she's learning, so it's better engrained in her memory. And most likely, a laptop will be sitting nearby, acting as a robotic assistant that the student will learn to use to her advantage.
These skills are fundamental to being a musician in 2014. The concept of being a "one-man" band has gone from an awe-inspiring novelty to something a musician should expect from themselves to some degree. This should be embraced!
Playing piano has made me a better guitarist. Playing drums and making beats has made me a much better piano player. So in conclusion, no, our lessons will not look like "normal" voice, piano or guitar lessons. In my time as a teacher, I believe I've developed a format that is more flexible, personalized, fun and, most importantly, just as effective as that.
What if I just want to learn to sing / play piano / play guitar?
You will! You'll just have a more holistic understanding of your instrument and your material. At the end of the day, the hours you put in with your instrument will be the same as those practiced by another student with a more standardized lesson plan.
What styles of music do you teach?
I work exclusively with the music a student listens to and wants to learn to play. Everyone is unique, with their own taste, learning style and goals, so each student has their own customized lesson plan.
Admittedly, a musician is best at teaching what he or she loves to play. My own tastes are eclectic, as you can see in my bio, and include indie rock, hip hop, R&B, and some jazz and modern classical music.If your goal is to perform exclusively in a classical ensemble, I might not be the ideal teacher for you. If you want to become something like one of the artists on your iPod, however, I can help you get there.
Isn't using the computer cheating?
Not the way we'll use it.
A computer can be anything you want it to be; we'll be using it as a tool to make visual notation come to life, to let you hear your own progress, and to give you customized practice tracks to play along with.
With kids especially, the beauty of software is its ability to act as a set of glowing, futuristic training wheels that come off as the student gains skill. The tricks we learn on the iPad can be (and have been) transferred to an old, wooden upright piano sitting in Grandma's living room.
A student wanted to work on vocal harmonies, so we took apart a classic example ("Because" by the Beatles) and re-created it from scratch, singing all three parts:
In instrumental lessons, I like to use technology to visually demonstrate what's happening in the song. The following example is from a beginner guitar session focusing on Broken Social Scene's "7/4 (Shoreline)." You can see the following lesson elements in action:
+ visual representation of the song as it plays
+ end-of-lesson video reviews for the student to watch at home
+ custom practice versions of the song, rendered for the student to play along with at various tempos
When working with software, we have the luxury of being able to record the entire lesson on the computer so you can review it later. This is a sample from a production/songwriting lesson with a student in Ableton Live. We explored the program by re-creating a simple version of one of her favorite songs, "Silver Lining" by Rilo Kiley.
Kids tend to enjoy the learning process more if they feel like they're playing a video game. Luckily, with devices like the iPad and programs like Garageband, we can give them that kind of experience. Since everything from keyboards to guitars to vocals can be recorded into the software, every instrument can be learned in a futuristic, interactive environment.
A 9 year-old piano/composition student of mine was fascinated by the sinking of the Titanic. He edited this video, scored and designed the sound for it with my guidance in an hour. This lesson and others like it are conceived on the spot, which allows me to ride the student's already-present wave of enthusiasm into something musically productive for their goals:
The following songs were written and performed by the kids of The Lang School in class, with me providing some structure and finishing touches:
"Jonathan's individually tailored style of teaching, combined with his easy going attitude and extensive knowledge of both the theoretical and applied sides of music make him a teacher I enthusiastically recommend to everyone. He got me playing the kind of music I like quickly, and then used that to teach me about the theory behind it, and often records videos or Ableton Live sets for me to use as practice study guides between classes.
I've taken both guitar lessons and voice lessons from Jonathan, and when I pick up the piano I intend to go to Jonathan for lessons on that as well. In short, taking lessons with Jonathan has made music fun and satisfying, and also made me feel like nothing is out of reach."
“My son enjoyed music class so much at The Lang School, where Jonathan teaches, that we decided to hire him for private lessons as well. I'm so glad we did! As a bright, young, easy-going musician, Jonathan connects easily with my son on his level. He has a unique teaching style where he doesn't just teach, but collaborates and nurtures my son's musical talents and interests. One day they'll be working with the piano, the next day the guitar, and the day after, they'll be making beats on the computer. With Jonathan, it's not just about learning one instrument or one type of music, it's learning about MUSIC - period. I highly recommend Jonathan. Hire him if you want someone who can inspire your child musically!”
"What you're doing is like Rosetta Stone for music."
I’ve been really into the Australian psych-rock band Tame Impala lately. Kevin Parker’s songwriting keeps getting better, and seeing them live last week made me notice how crazy and effective his song structures are becoming.
One of my favorite tracks on the new album is “Music to Walk Home By.” Like a lot of the record, it bounces around between sections almost unpredictably, but the transitions and arrangements make it feel natural and effortless. It’s almost 5 minutes long, but feels short because it moves around so much.
I put the song into Live to see how it works. Here’s what I got (click to enlarge):
EDIT: I realized how abstract this whole thing is without a video. Here you go:
Noise Intro / 8 bars / Kevin doing some pedal feedback stuff
A (vocal) / 8 bars / Jumps right into the “verse”
A (instrumental) / 8 bars / synth solo
B (vocal) / 8 bars / keeps the feel of section A but with different chords
A (vocal) / 8 bars / back into the verse
A->C transition / 4 bars / Keeps A going, then stops with an FX build into the new section
C (vocal) / 16 bars / a whole new melody and feel, with a start-stop rhythm
D (B alternate) (vocal) / 8 bars / returns to the chords of B, but with the start-stop feel of C
D (B alt) (instrumental) / 8 bars / synth solo with some amazing vocal harmony stabs
D (B alt) (instrumental 2) / 8 bars / a different synth melody, mostly stays the same but chords start morphing towards…
E (instr) / 4 bars / introduces a new chord progression
E (vocal) / 8 bars / vocals over the new progression
C (intro) / 4 bars / whole band breaks down to a quiet version of C
C (vocal) / 12 bars / bursts back into C, with Kevin singing “So anyway…”
C (instrumental) / best guitar melody on the record starts creeping in over the vocals, then finally Kevin stops singing and doubles it. vocals return as the riff keeps going and the song fades out.
You can be pretty ambitious with changing the chord progression again and again, as long as the rhythm ties it all together. I’m pretty sure it’s not recorded to a click track, and feels like a live band playing together in a room… but supposedly he tracks everything himself in his studio. How does he get it sounding so fluid, when he tracks guitar and drums separately? Pretty amazing.
From Lifehacker - “The more you struggle with new information, the more likely you are to learn it”:
Trying to learn new skills or new information can be really frustrating, but as Time Magazine points out, the more you struggle with taking on new information the more likely you are to retain and recall that information later.
Nobody likes to fail when learning a new task, but it’s an essential part of the learning process that’s often left out when we’re offered up information in a neatly packaged, structured way. While much of the research into the learning process is concentrated on children, it’s a lesson adults can learn from as well. As Time notes, employers use the same process as many teachers:
[W]hile the model adopted by many teachers and employers when introducing others to new knowledge—providing lots of structure and guidance early on, until the students or workers show that they can do it on their own—makes intuitive sense, it may not be the best way to promote learning. Rather, it’s better to let the neophytes wrestle with the material on their own for a while, refraining from giving them any assistance at the start.
It’s a healthy reminder that struggling through a difficult problem—whether it’s learning Photoshop, getting used to a new webapp, or picking up a new skill—is a necessary part of the learning process. It also works out in the long run because you’re better able to recall the information you learned.
This is definitely true, though the trick as a teacher is to maintain a certain level of push and pull with a student… letting them sail for awhile to build confidence, then force them into a place where they’ll struggle, knowing they’ve built the confidence that will get them through it.
Svante Stadlerat Heart of Noise gets it. His app, FLAIL, automatically detects the BPM and key of the song you’re listening to, then throws you into jam mode using the notes from the song’s scale. Badass. And that’s the best app demo video I’ve seen since iMaschine’s Jamie Lidell bit.
Stadler has a bunch of good stuff going on at his site, including a Flash-based human voice synthesizer. Take a look:
Noteflight is a new-ish online service that lets you create, read and share musical scores. It’s been amazing in the classroom with my kids, and I’m finding it to be a great tool for all ages when it comes to notating melodic ideas.
I don’t have a ton of experience with Finale (the most established software package for this sort of thing), but I’ve played around with Sibelius and found it to have a pretty steep learning curve. Noteflight is simple to use, but powerful enough to score out unlimited parts. A free account gives you ten instruments to use in your compositions, and a moderately-priced paid account (around $8/month or $50/year) bumps you up to 50 instruments, along with direct MIDI input and other features.
When I started teaching music using contemporary songs and electronic tools, it was a challenge to make traditional sheet music feel relevant. I could teach students how to read notation in the abstract, but actually bringing it into the world of MIDI composition and samplers felt forced. Noteflight is great because it lets my students compose melodies and harmonies with the notation, and then export those parts (via MIDI) back into Garageband or Ableton Live for the usual synth-and-beats treatment. It feels modern, with a clean, easy-to-understand interface and YouTube-like sharing and embedding functionality.
As an example, here’s a short piece one of my 12 year-old students at The Lang School composed in my class (Tumblr & Noteflight’s embed code don’t seem to get along yet):


09 May Protect yourself
Safeguard your identity—both online and off!
Seventy percent of American consumers say they worry about identity theft and credit card hacking, according to a recent Gallup research poll. And with all the recent news about hacks—especially the latest at credit bureau firm Equifax—it’s hard not to be worried. Unfortunately, our worry isn’t groundless. Identity theft hit a record high in 2016, with more than 15 million Americans falling prey to fraudsters, who got away with $16 billion. If you’re concerned that you might be at risk, here’s what you need to do to protect yourself.
Limit what you carry
You don’t need every credit card with you all the time, nor do you need to have your Social Security card in your purse or wallet every day. Each time you stuff something in your purse with identifying information, you create a vulnerability for yourself if it’s compromised, so clean out your purse or wallet and make sure you only carry what you absolutely need, advises Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “As women, we’ve made huge strides when it comes to paying attention to our surroundings for our physical safety,” says Velasquez. “But it’s not only about protecting your physical body. We have to treat our identity as part of our safety regimen.”
Consider opting out of prescreened offers of credit and insurance by mail, says the Federal Trade Commission. Having those preapproved offers in an unlocked mailbox can leave you open to having your identity stolen by a thief opening a credit card in your name, says Risa Pecoraro, executive vice president of product for CyberScout, an identity protection company. To opt out of such offers, call 1-888-567-8688 or go to Optoutprescreen.com. The three nationwide credit reporting companies operate the phone number and website, and you can opt out permanently or for five years.
Properly dispose of mail and other personal items
Any paperwork should be shredded before your toss it. This includes any financial statements, old credit cards, letters from lenders, paperwork with a Social Security or driver’s license number, old prescriptions, health insurance forms, and old checks. Computers or other electronics that are being thrown away should be purged of any personal information stored on them. That means using a wipe utility program to overwrite the hard drive. Even in today’s modern high-tech world, dumpster diving still exists.
Don’t share personal information
Be mindful of what information you’re putting out there for people to see and hear. Be aware that when you put your birthday, email, and phone number on Facebook or other social media sites, for example, that information can be used to put together a profile about you, says Pecoraro. “It’s about being wise about what you share as well as location sharing. Don’t tell people where you are all the time.” Have an awareness of why people are asking for specific information and question whether or not you really need to share. If you’re asked for your Social Security number at your doctor’s office, for instance, inquire if some other piece of identifying information can be used.
And be alert to impersonators who call you looking for personal or financial information. Phishing doesn’t only exist in the online world. Avoid giving out any information over the phone unless you’ve initiated contact with a company and know whom you’re dealing with.
Lock it up
Whether it’s your car or your mailbox, keep it locked. Although much of identity theft occurs online these days, an unlocked car or mailbox still leaves information exposed for opportunistic thieves. The data you create in your real life has to be protected, says Velasquez. Taking important documents directly to the post office instead of leaving them in your home mailbox for pickup is safest. Likewise, don’t leave important documents in the glove box of your car or lying on the seat where they can tempt someone to break in.
Check privacy settings/use security software
Make sure to install antivirus, antispyware, and antimalware software on your laptop or desktop computer, and use a firewall for protection as well. Then set preferences to update these protections as frequently as possible. “Protect against intrusions and infections that can compromise your computer files or passwords by installing security patches for your operating system and other software programs,” advises the Federal Trade Commission.
Manage your passwords
Using the same password on several accounts and for an extended period of time is not smart.
Ideally, you want to change passwords frequently and make them as unique and complicated as you can manage. “The most common letter password is still ‘password,’ and the most common numeric one is ‘123456,’” says Velasquez. Maintaining different passwords on a bunch of different accounts can be tough, says Pecoraro, but a password management tool can help since using one means you’ll only ever have to remember a single password. (LastPass and CyberScout both have this service.) If you can only remember one password, make it a phrase that’s specific to you, she says, something like ‘My favorite vacation is Costa Rica,’ which will be nearly impossible for someone to duplicate.
Watch out for phishing scams
In a phishing scam, someone tries to imitate your bank or the IRS or some other legitimate entity in order to get you to click on a link and provide information or give it over the phone. The number of phishing scams out there is growing all the time, and many of these scams come as emails. Before you provide any information, take a few minutes to think, says Pecoraro. If it’s a legitimate email, you should be able to connect with someone who can tell you it’s a legitimate number. Also, the IRS will never email you, and your own bank won’t send you an email asking for your account number and password.
Finally, phishing scams frequently contain grammar and language errors, so read carefully, and be on the lookout for anything that seems off. Using a browser extension like Truman Grade that tells you the likelihood that a website is for real can also help.
Skip public WiFi
“Public WiFi is a handy service, but you have to remember that it’s like a public pool,” says Velasquez. “Everyone is swimming in it, and no one is covered up.” This means that any transactions you conduct over public WiFi could potentially be visible to anyone with the inclination to start looking. If you are going to be using public WiFi, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) like IPVanish or NordVPN to stay anonymous online.
Protect your mobile device
Remember that staying safe online includes your mobile device. Whether it’s a tablet or a phone, that piece of hardware is pretty much a computer in your hands—and it has all kinds of information a thief could use to steal your identity. “The majority of people I talk to don’t have a password or pin on their phone,” says Velasquez. “Treat that device with the level of importance it needs. It’s carrying around all of your data. Protect it so that if you lose it someone can’t just open it and start using your data.” Programs like Prey (Preyprotect.com) allow you to find and remote-wipe a phone, tablet, or laptop. DW
Alexandra Kay is a part-time freelance writer who lives in Orange County, New York. She has contributed to numerous consumer publications, including Consumer Reports Money Adviser, First for Women, RealSimple, and Business Jet Traveler.


text:
With the gift of the gab they would talk their way out of hell
These used car sales people they know how to sell
On their selling ability their jobs are at stake
The more cars they do sell the more commission they do make
The car rallying and racing fans are a breed of their own
For their passion for fast cars they are widely known
Quite different to the fans of the different codes of football
Suppose each to their own does apply to us all
By stuffing newspaper up the exhaust of my car
Somebody I do not know have taken their fun too far
I do not have a known enemy and I'm new to this Town
Why is someone I do not know trying to drag me down?
From Deniliquin to Jerilderie paddocks gray and bare and brown
On to Narrandera and West Wyalong and many smaller country town,
To Forbes and Parkes and on through Dubbo, Gilgandra and Coonabarabran
Miles and miles of weary travel through the world of outback man.


text: This trick of following old ladies into shops always works! This time I discovered Żebbuġ Mimli, when walking down the streets of Senglea. Olives are grown locally and liberally used in Maltese cuisine. They are an integral part of any cheese platter and served as bar nibbles. Żebbuġ Mimli or tuna stuffed olives are a local favourite. The plump juicy olives are pitted and stuffed with a paste made with tuna, parsley, chilli and other herbs, then tossed in olive oil. They make for a lovely mouthful that’s salty, creamy, fishy and just a little spicy. I ate this entire bunch in one go, while sitting by the waterfront and watching boats go by!


text:
CLICK HERE TO WATCH
Mr. Speaker, the open borders crowd is at it again, pushing for amnesty for people that are illegally in the United States.
It is bad public policy to give a wink and a nod to people who continue to advocate the exploitation of American border laws for their own personal agenda. A nation cannot survive in freedom without just following the law. The very future of any civilization rests upon the rule of law.
Now, we are a self-governing people. That means we are a Nation of laws. We don't get to choose what laws we follow and what ones we don't. That would mean complete chaos. If people want to come to the United States legally, by all means let them come legally. Sign the guest book at the port of entry so we know who you are, so we know the purpose of your visit and whether or not you mean harm to American citizens. That means everybody who comes here, not just a select few.
The push to reward illegal behavior today by granting amnesty only encourages more of the same illegal behavior. A new Zogby-Washington Times poll in Mexico found that 56 percent of Mexican nationals surveyed said that if we pardon illegal immigrants here, it will encourage more of them to come across the border illegally.
The poll also showed that most folks in Mexico think their countrymen who come here still owe their loyalty to Mexico, not America. Now, these are things the open borders crowd won't tell you. Many people come here and don't want to become Americans; they just want the personal benefits of being in the United States without any obligation to the country. And amnesty will only encourage more illegal entry.
Anyone who comes to this country permanently owes this Nation the respect of learning what it means to be an American--embracing the melting pot concept. They should honor the sacrifices of the men and women who have made our history great in these 200-plus years. This mighty Nation is the beacon of liberty, and it did not happen by chance. It came through hard work and sacrifice in the name of freedom. It came from following a set of principles and ideals, and it came from following the rule of law--laws passed by our representative form of government with the consent of the governed.
The American dream is not about money; it's about liberty, and those who come here owe this Nation an obligation to understand that. They need to learn what freedom is and how we go about keeping it, and a big part of that is following the law.
Solving the problems of illegals and the crisis they have created will not be an easy task before us. There are those who want amnesty and who support policies that promote more illegal entry and lawlessness. These are unacceptable in a post-9/11 world. We can start by enforcing the law and showing we are serious about it. We also need to eliminate policies in this country that encourage and ignore illegal entry.
Such policies include easy access to jobs with little enforcement on employers who knowingly hire illegals; free health care and free education, policies that don't promote assimilation; and the inability of local law enforcement to assist Federal immigration authorities.
We need to upgrade interior enforcement of immigration laws. Many people come here legally, then they never go home, because this Nation doesn't do much about visa overstays. Border security is a national security issue. We just witnessed recently a Jordanian national who came here legally, who overstayed his visa and then tried to blow up a Dallas skyscraper. Thanks to the work of law enforcement, this bombing plot was averted.
We owe an obligation to the future of this Nation to guard and secure our borders, to permit entry of only people who will benefit our Nation and to keep up with those who enter as guests of our country. It is not too much to require that people legally enter the United States or don't come at all.
And that's just the way it is.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH


text:
Handmade dancewear for tangueras worldwide. Proudly designed in Berlin since 2014.
Colección Berlin is your go-to destination for handmade Tango skirts, tops and dresses. These beautiful, elegant and unique items are made for tango dancers of every age and for any occasion. Working from our atelier in Berlin, Germany, we work tirelessly to design comfortable, wearable garments for tango aficionados like you!

domain: design