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Book cover project – Visual Communication 2, Sem 2 March 2013
Goodbye Lenin, Wings of Desire, the Lives of Others. These 3 German films have as a common theme the Berlin wall and how it affects its citizens form East and West Berlin, it was like an additional individual that transformed the lives of the movies’ characters.
“Ostalgie” is a German term referring to nostalgia for aspects of life or objects in East Germany.
The concept for the artwork for the book covers was to used an specific “ostalgie” from the film and to create a graffiti. Stencils were used to spray the names of the films and photocopies were glued to the wall. For the composition a 6×8 grid was used for the text, the rule of thirds, trying to put emphasis on the white space on the wall.
For the Goodbye Lenin’s artwork, a jar of pickles and 80’s wallpaper the Berlin fall brings capitalism into East Berlin, Alex has to make an effort to keep his mother Christiane unaware that the German Democratic Republic (GDR) doesn’t exist anymore, and everything has changed from one day to another, including the brands available in the supermarket, Alex has to reuse old jars of pickles and fill them up with new ones that are not from Germany but from Holland.
In The Lives of Others artwork, there are two versions, first one the Kolibri typewriter where Dreyman writes an anonymous article for Der Spiegel about East German secret suicide rates, his friend and black listed theatre director Jerska just died, he gave him a music sheet called “Sonate for a good man” which is the catharsis of all the characters after Dreyman plays the piece in the piano, specially Wiesler who is listening from the attic, the second version for the book cover is the headphones listening “Sonate for a good man” and represents the turning point for him.
Wings of Desire artwork Marion who lives in West Berlin says; “I am a foreigner here and yet it is all so familiar, in any case you can’t get lost. You always end up at the wall”
The artwork for the graffiti is the image of Marion on the trapeze, which is the moment she receive the news that the circus will be closed, the angel Damiel is observing her and falls in love with Marion, Damiel not longer wants to listen to stories of Berliners but he wants to tell a story himself, to have physical interaction with humans to feel the cold in the hands and taste coffee.
For the logo the metaphor of the Berlin wall as a bird cage was used, in the west is like and enclosure, they feel like a bird in a golden birdcage, the paradox is that west Berliners have more freedom but claustrophobic and East Berliners haven’t got the restriction of the Wall in terms of physical space but they have no freedom.
Many East Berliners were monitored by the Stassi so they were like in a birdcage also.


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Macula Lutea(redirected from macula of retina)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia.
macula lutea[′mak·yə·lə ′lüd·ē·ə]
(yellow spot), the site of the greatest keenness of vision on the retina of the eye of vertebrate animals and man. It is oval in shape and located opposite the pupil, somewhat above the point of entry of the optic nerve into the eye.
The cells of the macula lutea contain a yellow pigment. Blood capillaries are found only in the lower part of the macula lutea; in its middle part the retina becomes much thinner, forming a central depression (the fovea), which contains only photoreceptors. In most animals and in man the central depression contains only cone cells; in some deep-water fish with telescopic eyes, the central depression contains only rod cells. In birds distinguished for their sharp vision, there may be up to three central depressions. In man the diameter of the macula lutea is approximately 5mm. In the central depression the cones are rod-shaped (the longest receptors of the retina). The diameter of the area free of rod cells is 500–550 microns; it contains about 30,000 cone cells.

domain: biology


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Shooting in Washington, DC: Police officer, multiple others shot in popular bar area
A Washington, DC shooting left a police officer and multiple others shot near 14th and U Street. The area played host to Moechella for Juneteenth 2022
The media has to report EVERY shooting in America now since that is the hottest topic right now. What happened to our DAILY Covid briefings ? Lol
Many people calling for ban, when most of these criminals illegally possess. If there is ever a ban, I most likely will hand mine in, criminals won’t. It is such an ironic privilege for people to call for the ban of guns, clearly they are blind or live in safe areas
will Joe or the DC mayor talk about gun control tomorrow after this shooting?
The more good ppl with guns the better . Every shooting only bolsters this fact . Mass shootings should make ppl more willing to be armed not less .

domain: sociology


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Published by Te Papa Press
This lavish book explores the story behind the promotion of New Zealand’s mountains — through posters, advertisements, hand-coloured photos and more. It explains how the country built its reputation as an alpine playground and, alongside, how mountains became central to belonging to Aotearoa.
Selected as one of the best books of the year by North & South: “This collection of a century of posters, glass slides, brochures, advertisements, paintings, photochromes and lithographs is the sort of beautifully produced ode to photography, hand lettering, graphic design and illustration we have come to expect from the team behind Selling the Dream and Hand-Coloured New Zealand.”
Scenic Playground will feature in the Hot Shopping pages of December issue of Kia Ora magazine. Further exposure in tourism media will be supported by confirmed coverage in NZ Herald, features and reviews in NZ Geographic, The Climber, Wilderness, Backcountry and others, as well as radio interviews.
About the authors
Peter Alsop is a senior executive who has worked across the public and private sectors. He is a keen collector of New Zealand art, with particular interests in tourism publicity, hand-coloured photography and mid-century New Zealand landscape paintings. He is the author and co-author of five previous books.
Dave Bamford is now an independent tourism advisor who has worked extensively in New Zealand on regional tourism strategies, business plans and national park recreational opportunities.
Lee Davidson teaches in the Museum and Heritage Studies programme at Victoria University of Wellington.
• A magnificent gift for Christmas, or any time of year.
• Exquisite galleries of photographs, paintings, posters and more from the
• Perfect for all those who love to tramp, ski, snowboard, climb or just admire
New Zealand’s mountains.
• A fascinating and well-told story.
• From the team behind the very successful Selling the Dream; Promoting
Prosperity; Marcus King; Mauri Ora and Hand-Coloured New Zealand.
View sample pages here

domain: artistic


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Criminal lawyers have given a cautious, if somewhat bemused, welcome to the news (due to be formally announced later today) that Criminal Justice Secure Email is to be officially discontinued from June 1st.
They may be less pleased to learn that the Government plans to enact emergency legislation requiring them to acquire new computer programming skills. The radical plan is designed to ensure that despite the admitted failure of CJSM, the Ministry of Justice’s vision of an entirely digital courtroom nevertheless becomes a reality.
Under the proposals the widely disliked secure email system is to be temporarily “mothballed” whilst the Digital Case System will, in the words of the MoJ’s press release, be “simplified and streamlined.” Senior civil servants have reportedly accepted representations from the Criminal Law Solicitors Association and the Criminal Bar Association that the current systems have not produced the benefits expected. The department yesterday published official statistics showing that the average time from receipt of a case by the Crown Court to its completion has increased from 164 in 2013 to a disappointing 204 days now. Continue reading “Criminal Justice Secure Email to be axed as Gove performs another U-turn”

domain: law


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1) The world-building in this story is phenomenal, and the fact that it’s inspired by historical events is even more exciting. Seeing as the story takes place over a number of years, plenty of attention is paid to the changes the Eternal Dungeon goes through, from the technology to the influence of outside cultures. Historical details about surrounding nations are provided naturally, differences such as language barriers come into play, and even the use of cocoa and stuffed animals become important touchstones in this world. The use of setting to help showcase character details and moods is also a strong component of this piece, even if it occasionally dips into the fantastical. Small details in the main relationship’s room shift over time and showcase their feelings towards another, while a character who resists change in the dungeon has the newly-installed electric lights flicker and explode around him with alarming frequency, and these details build up both the world and its inhabitants in natural yet evocative ways. Thanks to the use of different protagonists and timelines throughout the piece, each character is given a multifaceted development and characterization that evolves over the course of the book. While most of the characters begin the novel under some kind of duress, each one reaches their own kind of happy ending—interestingly, each of these resolutions is dependent on relating to others with understanding and compassion. No one is able to achieve their goals without realizing and accepting the love they have for others, be it the bonds of comradery or romance. This comes off as a natural result of the plot instead of how potentially confusing and bloated it could have been, though a couple side-plots did seem to end a bit early in order to give others their limelight. There are enough complex characters that I cannot take time to touch upon them all, so I will instead touch upon three notable PoV characters. Layle Smith was by all means antagonistic in the first section of the book, but once his internal contradictions and his force of will come to light, he became quite an intriguing character. To paraphrase another character, Layle might not be likeable, but he is worthy of respect. This was particularly struck home by his interactions with Zemas, who even in his own PoV sections remains a mystery to readers until a pivotal scene with Layle ensues. I found that my favorite PoV character was Elsdon Taylor, whose political and social maneuvering are fascinating to watch, especially when contrasted by his own emotions.
2) I feel like the author did a spectacular job at giving the reader little pieces of each character that made me want to keep reading. I appreciate character development that happens over time with “Easter eggs” dropped to introduce new possibilities about various characters and their backstories. I do feel like some of the backstory was unnecessary or verbose at times. I don’t feel like as much time was needed for Gurth/Or as was given.
Dusk Peterson Sweet Blood (The Eternal Dungeon #5)
Bisexual - Alternative Universe/Reality
File Size: 3222 KB
Print Length: 503 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publication Date: August 31, 2017
Amazon: Dusk Peterson Sweet Blood (The Eternal Dungeon #5)
"Oh, Mercy and Hell. He would gladly allow himself to be flayed for eternity if he could thereby escape the responsibility of disciplining his love-mate for any future violations of the Code."
The Eternal Dungeon has been split by a civil war, with the division clearly marked by a quarrel between two Seekers (torturers) whose faithfulness to each other has already become legendary. Into this explosive situation arrives a new Seeker, one who is determined to see that past evils do not continue in the dungeon. But can he keep control of himself when assigned a prisoner who falls in love with him?
This tale of friendship, romance, and suspense can be read on its own or as the fifth volume in The Eternal Dungeon, an award-winning alternate history series set in a nineteenth-century prison where the psychologists wield whips.
The Eternal Dungeon series is part of Turn-of-the-Century Toughs, a cycle of diverse alternate history series (The Eternal Dungeon, Dungeon Guards, Michael's House, Life Prison, Commando, Waterman, Young Toughs, and Dark Light) about adults and youths on the margins of society, and the people who love them. Set in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the novels and stories take place in an alternative version of America that was settled by inhabitants of the Old World in ancient times. As a result, the New World retains certain classical and medieval customs.
This journal is friends only. This entry was originally posted at https://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/5173997.html. If you are not friends on this journal, Please comment there using OpenID.


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These tables report median sales prices and average dollar per square foot values, along with average home size and units sold, by property type and bedroom count for a variety of San Francisco neighborhoods. If you are interested in data for a neighborhood not listed, please contact us. The tables follow the map in the following order: houses by bedroom count, condos by bedroom count, and 2-unit building sales. Within each table, the neighborhoods are in order of median sales price.
Financial markets worldwide have seen dramatic volatility in this past 12 months, the Bay Area economy and new hiring have cooled, and the San Francisco house and condo market started to normalize after 4 feverishly overheated years. From a wide variety of sources, we are hearing of a big jump in apartment vacancy rates, with more apartments for rent than in many years, and the beginning of a decline in rent rates from recent all-time peaks.
San Francisco Median Sales Prices by Quarter
Since median sales prices fluctuate so much by season, the most useful metric is year over year, i.e. comparing Q2 2016 to Q2 2015. In Q2 2016, the year-over-year appreciation rate was 4% for houses and less than 1% for condos, as compared with 2014 to 2015 rates of 20% and 18%.
By virtually every measurement of supply and demand,

domain: geography


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NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Dow Transports continue to the lag the other four major equity averages I track, but last Friday's close was finally technically positive. The Dow Transportation Average is up only 3.5% year to date lagging the Dow Industrial Average, which is up 8.7% with the S&P 500 up 12.8%. Back on July 25th I wrote On the Lookout for a Dow Theory Sell Signal, which required that Dow Industrials follow Transports lower with a daily close at a new year to date low. Instead, the Industrials rebounded leaving Transports on the off ramp until Friday's positive weekly close. The potential Dow Theory Sell Signal I was tracking has become a Dow Theory non-confirmation. On Aug. 13, I wrote Trading Industrial and Transportation Stocks where I focused on "buy and trade" strategies for Industrials in the Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLI). The XLI included several transportation stocks, so today with Dow Transports having a positive weekly chart I am profiling all 20 stocks in the Dow Transportation Average. Dow Transports are up 31.5% from its October 2011 low at 3950.66 and is down 7.7% from its all time high of 5627.85 set on July 7, 2011. The decline from the all time high to the October 2011 low totaled 29.8%.
Chart Courtesy of Thomson/Reuters The weekly chart for the Dow Transportation Average shows rising momentum (12x3x3 weekly slow stochastic) and a weekly close above its five-week modified moving average at 5125. My semiannual value levels are 4449 and 4129 with a weekly pivot at 5214 and monthly risky level at 5373. The above table shows data from www.ValuEngine.com covering the 20 stocks in the Dow Transportation Average.
There is one "1-Engine" Strong Sell rated stock, OSG, six "3-Engine" Hold rated stocks, eleven "4-Engine" Buy rated stocks, and two "5-Engine" Strong Buy rated stocks. The best performers over the past 12 months were KSU with a gain of 45.0%, JB Hunt ( JBHT) with a gain of 42.0%, and Union Pacific ( UNP) by 39.1%. The biggest loser was OSG with a loss of 57.8%. We do not have a projection on the performance of OSG for the next 12 months, but all others are expected to be higher led by UNP by 13.3% and United Parcel Service ( UPS) by 12.7%. Ten of the 20 stocks have elevated P/E ratios of 15.7 times to 23.6 times.

domain: economics


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|§ 305 ILCS 25/0.01||Short title|
|§ 305 ILCS 25/27||If the parent, guardian or other person is unable to furnish a child …|
Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes > 305 ILCS 25 - State Blind or Deaf School Transportation Act
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- County board: means the board of county commissioners in counties not under township organization, and the board of supervisors in counties under township organization, and the board of commissioners of Cook County. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.07
- Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
- Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.36
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
- United States: may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14


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Shocking Revelations From The "House Of Horrors" Trial
A Philadelphia abortion doctor has been charged with murdering seven babies and an adult patient at his "baby charnel house."
In Pennsylvania, Dr. Kermit Gosnell faces the death penalty over allegations that he performed illegal late-term abortions by delivering babies, then snipping their spinal cords with scissors.
Afterward, he would reportedly cut off the babies' feet and preserve them in jars.
Prosecutors also revealed that the clinic employed an unqualified staff — middle-school dropouts working alongside unlicensed medical school graduates.
The more women paid, the more anesthesia they received. Dr. Gosnell allegedly gave preferential treatment to white patients, whom he would meet with one-on-one before their procedures.
His clinic operated for nearly 20 years without being inspected by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
It earned the nickname "House of Horrors" largely because of a 2011 grand jury report that described the office as a "baby charnel house.”

domain: news


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At an afterparty following the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show last month, undies model Jessica Hart was asked her opinion of the event's musical entertainment: Taylor Swift. For some inexplicable reason, she answered honestly, telling WWD that, alas, the chart-topper just doesn't have what it takes to strut around in lingerie.
"I think, you know what, God bless her heart. I think she's great," opined the gap-toothed Aussie catwalker. "But I don't know, to me, she didn't fit. I don't know if I should say that. I think what you find is that for a lot of us, we've been working for 14, 15 years. What it takes to make it here comes from experience and confidence and knowing how to be confident with yourself. I think it comes with age. It's definitely the benchmark of all jobs."
But is it one she no longer has? According to Page Six, Victoria's Secret execs were so "furious" over Hart's comments that they've dumped her from next year's show and ditched her from upcoming catalog work.
The company, however, denies that it's clipped her angel wings.
"There is no truth to the rumors that Jessica Hart has been fired or that she will no longer work with the brand," a company spokesman said in a statement. "As you will see, she was a great part of our show, and we look forward to continuing to work with her. As previously reported, we at Victoria's Secret and all those involved, including Jessica Hart, were thrilled to have Taylor be a part of the show. We look forward to sharing her performances next week during the television special."
Jessica, who quickly realized that she'd stuck her stiletto in her mouth with her Swift assessment, attempted to make amends soon after by gushing to Us, "I adore Taylor Swift and I was so excited to be with her at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. … I could never get up there and do what she does! She is a true rock star, and she absolutely killed it the other night."
Whatever her future with Victoria's Secret, Hart will likely land on her feet, especially considering that she's involved with billionaire shipping scion (and onetime Paris Hilton squeeze) Stavros Niarchos.
ALSO ON WONDERWALL:
- Oct. 20, 2017 Check out the most dramatic celeb hair transformations!

domain: entertainment


City Council Offers $4M for Relocation of HVHC
- Sep 12, 2011
The San Antonio City Council really wants to keep HVHC in the city. It recently approved a $4 million incentive plan that would relocate the headquarters of the company behind Eyemaster from a North Central San Antonio facility into the IBC Centre downtown.
This relocation is actually part of a bigger plan, the consolidation of 15 optical retail brands into the single brand Visionworks. In exchange for the city’s incentives, HVHC would have to take down a large space in the IBC building that remained vacant after AT&T relocated to Dallas. The company would also have to relocate a total of 265 jobs and add another 85 jobs in the downtown center. Moreover, the company would pay a minimum annual average salary of $50,000.
HVHC will occupy 112,000 square feet of office space, about one third of the total IBC Centre surface, which is divided into two buildings.
The agreement between HVHC and the city council was closed under the Chapter 380 Economic Development Program Grant Agreement. The agreement was created in order to prevent the relocation of large corporations from the city. A big blow for the San Antonio downtown submarket took place in 2008 when AT&T moved its headquarters to Dallas. With this relocation, the company vacated nearly 300,000 square feet of space in the IBC Centre in a period when the office market was dealing with increasing vacancy rates.


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Celebrating our 29th Anniversary of Making an Archtop Guitar! Published in 1994 by Centerstream Publications and distributed by Hal Leonard. Second edition published in 2018 (also Centerstream/Hal Leonard). Available from Stewart MacDonald Manufacturing.
New… handmade from Bob’s shop… The Benedetto Neck Rest! It is the proprietary designed neck rest used exclusively at Benedetto Guitars in Savannah, Ga. Made of laminated woods and cushioned with 1/4” 100% wool felt.
Our first shipment of Benedetto palm planes heading off to Stewart-MacDonald tomorrow! (plus more in the works) Details on the planes coming next! (Adorable!) archtop guitar artwork by our daughter Gina Benedetto, 1985


toilets work off of siphon.more correctly it's the timely transfer of water from the tank to the bowl through the ports that starts the siphon and carrys the solids and water downstream,thus completing a flush.i also live in florida and due to lots of hard water everywhere can tell you that most likely the toilets are full of deposits and need to be replaced or are of poor quality.all of the toilets from home depot are trash i would suggest getting one from the factory or from a plumbing supply house.DO NOT GET A 1.28gpf...1.6gpf is still legal
I just had my pipe under the sink unclogged and new pipes put in $600.00, then they flushed out the pipe from under the sink to the outside pipe $700.00, Total of $1.600.00, I thought that the price was high, I got the plumber from Home Advisors, not sure they had to do all they did but they said I needed the work done. The same evening hike using the dishwasher I had a leak in one of the pipes they put in, they came back the next day to fix it. Don't know if I will use them again.. They were K&D kitchens.
The movement of liquids and gases through pipes is critical to modern life. In homes, water is needed for both drinking and sanitation. In factories, chemicals are moved to aid in product manufacturing. In power plants, steam is moved to drive turbines that generate electricity. Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters install and repair these pipe systems.
If it’s a toilet issue you’ve got, you’re sure to find the right toilet parts and replacement pieces – including shutoff valves and supply lines – to get your toilet in tip-top shape. We’ve also got shower parts and shower valves, sink parts and faucet parts, as well as everything for bathtub repair – all to get your bathroom up and running in top-top shape.
Most states and localities require plumbers to be licensed. Although licensing requirements vary, most states and localities require workers to have 2 to 5 years of experience and to pass an exam that shows their knowledge of the trade and of local plumbing codes before they are permitted to work independently. In addition, most employers require plumbers to have a driver’s license.
We offer service on all makes and models of heating and cooling equipment. Our skilled HVAC technicians and plumbers hold the highest industry certifications and receive ongoing training. This ensures you receive dependable service with every visit. Castle Rock residents depend on us for all their plumbing, heating, and air conditioner services. As a local, full-service plumbing company and HVAC company, we are ready to help.
The Handy customer service team is online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have any concerns either before, during, or after your job, someone will be in contact with you to help make things right. No matter how big or small your job is, we’re confident that you’ll be satisfied by the plumbing professionals on the Handy platform. When you book plumbing services through Handy, you’re in charge of when the work gets done. And should your situation change, you can always cancel or reschedule your appointment with at least to 24 hours’ notice.
With over 20 years in the business, we can confidently say we are the best plumber in Fort Worth. We offer reliable plumbing solutions efficiently and at affordable prices. Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that our customers are always completely happy with our services. However, our word only means so much. We appreciate our customers and the community we serve and are flattered that they feel the same way about our team of Fort Worth plumbers. Peruse our customer reviews below to find out why we are the best solution for your home or business and then contact us for a free on-site estimate.
We want to be the plumbing company you turn to whether you have an annoying leak, an outdated water heater, drain lines that won't drain, a troublesome boiler, a furnace that won't heat or an air conditioner that won't cool. Whether its an emergency or you are preparing for the coming season, give us a call and we can help you repair or maintain your plumbing, heating and cooling systems for years of great service to you and your family!
Hello I had a plumber do an estimate for me to replace our copper pipes with plastic as we have no existing walls up in our basement yet...pretty basic job... so we figured we could upgrade as we do live in Northern Ontario and it does tend to get quite cold here in the winters. We dont have any existing problems with our plumbing right now just figured it would be good time to do the job and perhaps change the pipes to 3 quarter inch for faster flow. Well I never thought in all my life I would get an estimate back that would state $350.00 an hour in labor...yes that is correct $350.00 an hour...estimated 10 hours for the job to be completed. So he quoted me $3500.00 for labor alone.. not supplies? Well needless to say I will be happy with my half inch copper pipes and will happily wait for my bathtub to fill up at a slower pace. Just wanted to know what your thoughts are on this $350.00 an hour quote? Thank you and enjoy your day.
Specialized plumbing tools include pipe wrenches, flaring pliers, pipe vise, pipe bending machine, pipe cutter, dies, and joining tools such as soldering torches and crimp tools. New tools have been developed to help plumbers fix problems more efficiently. For example, plumbers use video cameras for inspections of hidden leaks or problems, they use hydro jets, and high pressure hydraulic pumps connected to steel cables for trench-less sewer line replacement.
Clogged drains, water heater repair, sewer line replacement, faucet repair, toilet repair, sump pump replacement, sewer ejector pump replacement, tankless water heater installation, faucet replacement, garbage disposal replacement, water softener installation, water line repair, bathroom remodeling, gas line repair, drain cleaning, sewer cleaning, sewer video inspections, septic line repair, drain locating, leak locating, and more!
Wooden pipes were used in London and elsewhere during the 16th and 17th centuries. The pipes were hollowed-out logs, which were tapered at the end with a small hole in which the water would pass through. The multiple pipes were then sealed together with hot animal fat. They were often used in Montreal and Boston in the 1800s, and built-up wooden tubes were widely used in the USA during the 20th century. These pipes, used in place of corrugated iron or reinforced concrete pipes, were made of sections cut from short lengths of wood. Locking of adjacent rings with hardwood dowel pins produced a flexible structure. About 100,000 feet of these wooden pipes were installed during WW2 in drainage culverts, storm sewers and conduits, under highways and at army camps, naval stations, airfields and ordnance plants.


Study: Millennials opt for Walmart over Amazon
Kansas City — A new study of the millennial generation shows that many 25- to 34-year-old shoppers change their purchasing habits and behaviors after they start their families.
According to the “Millennials as New Parents” study, fielded by Vision Critical and conducted and analyzed by Barkley, when given the choice to shop at one store for the rest of their lives, millennial parents chose Walmart over Amazon.com and Target. The group also chose brick-and-mortar Walmart and Target locations as their shopping destinations of choice, over online stalwart amazon.com.
When broken down by income level, the answer shifts slightly. High-income millennial parents chose Target, while middle and low income brackets chose Walmart.
Before they become parents, millennials rank their favorite brands in order of descending importance as Nike, Sony and Gap, with 10% naming Nike as their top choice. After they become parents, millennials continue to name Nike as their top affinity brand, but at a much lower margin. Only 6% put Nike at the top — followed by Target and Apple at 3% each.
Millennial parents are pragmatic — when compared to before they had children, they buy significantly more based on price than they do on quality. Before they were parents, their buying decisions were 57% on quality. After parenthood, they buy just over 50% on quality.
In some categories — dining and entertainment, apparel, and digital products — the change is more dramatic, with the shift away from quality and toward price dropping as much as 20%.
Millennials, the most transparent generation ever, continue to remain heavily connected online even after they become parents. Over 35% of millennial parents claim to have posted on Facebook in the last day.
Millennials as a whole regularly trade private information for perks from brands they favor. However, that willingness falters a bit when millennials become parents, with 48% claiming they are less likely to give up private information about themselves in exchange for promotional perks.
CVS reveals via Facebook it won’t sell Boston Bomber edition of Rolling Stone
New York — Forbes reported that CVS has opted not to sell the latest edition of Rolling Stone magazine, which features a photo of “Boston Bomber” Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on its cover.
CVS issued the following statement on Facebook: “CVS/pharmacy has decided not to sell the current issue of Rolling Stone featuring a cover photo of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect. As a company with deep roots in New England and a strong presence in Boston, we believe this is the right decision out of respect for the victims of the attack and their loved ones.”
The Facebook post has been ‘liked’ 32,000 times and shared more than 13,000.
Books-A-Million to install Espresso Book Machines in-store
Birmingham, Ala. — Books-A-Million has teamed with On Demand Books to put Espresso Book Machines in BAM’s Portland, Maine, store; a second store is slated for installation at a later date.
The Espresso Book Machine is a digital-to-print retail solution that produces a bookstore-quality paperback with color cover, in any standard trim size, at point of sale. The content is fed to the machine via EspressNet, On Demand Books’ growing digital network of titles. These titles are available through partnerships with Google, Lightning Source, Harper Collins, Hachette, Penguin, Macmillan, McGraw Hill, and others, and include content from publishers like Random House, W.W. Norton, and Simon & Schuster.
Like iTunes for books, EspressNet retrieves, encrypts, transmits, and catalogs books from a multitude of English and foreign language content providers (including public domain, in copyright, and self-published). Through the SelfEspress software, writers can format, design, edit, and upload their book for printing and inclusion on the EBM catalog, as well as convert the print file to an .epub format suitable for e-readers. Xerox manages the worldwide service for the Espresso Book Machines.
“This offering means something special for BAM customers, who will now have access to a virtual inventory of seven million titles instantly available to them,” said Terrance G. Finley, CEO of Books-A-Million.


TRUMP’S HARMFUL “PILGRIMAGE” TO DISGRACE, DISCREDIT AND DISUNITY
Harry C. Blaney III
Trump is back from his first trip as president but the harm he did on that trip has not ceased. Indeed it has increased with the recent decision to leave the Paris climate change accord. The reverberations from Europe and the Middle East continue. There is no place that he set font on tht did not create for security, unity ans stability of the global commons and our nations position in the world. Now it is far worse by Trump’s ignoring the great danger to the world which almost all nations recognize and followed the leadership of President Obama and many other nations. America has been diminished greatly by Trump’s incredible actions.
Given the reading I have done of European reactions both government and media and my recent visit to Europe we have lost greatly by Trump’s actions. We lost more in those short days than all the efforts of Putin and his Russian minions in the last decade trying to divide the West. One top headline of a writer for the Financial Times (a conservative paper) said ” Erratic Trump is destabilising the world.” Another affirmation of our loss is Germany’s leader Angela Merkel who has recently said, in effect, that Europe can’t trust the U.S. because of Trump. So much for “Making America Great.”
The recent dishonourable global travels of Donald Trump have resulted in more disgrace for America. The subtle and sometimes not so subtle rejection of Trump’s vision of a world enhanced by chaos through Trump’s often embrace of the worst behavior of dictatorships and brutal people of the world is but one example that has striped America of its credibility and respect.
This after revelations of more evidence that there could be evidence of collusion between the Trump associates and Russian agents, reports of efforts by him to sabotage the federal investigation of himself and his gang of incompetents. We see his continued lying and display of madness. We have him cutting American diplomacy and assistance budgets some 30% which belie anyone who thinks he takes our global challenges seriously. No interlocutors on this trip and his action on global warming can take what he says with believability and act on them and expect support.
His first stop in Saudi Arabia was a demonstration of the power of the mutual connivance between two forces of disruption, authoritarian rule and brutality. Not since the infamous Hitler-Stalin Pact before WW II have we rarely seen such discredited leaders see their mutual interest in support of killing others, in ignoring discrimination against woman, and disparaging of democracy. On the part of Trump we saw acceptance of national Saudi leaders who’s funding and actions have help to fuel the spread of the extremist Islamist Wahhabi Salafist ideology that Trump once so vied against. Yes, we can call that hypocrisy.
While accepting the lavish opulence and honors of this dictatorial regime behind the brutal murder of thousands of civilians in Yemen via mostly in-discriminative bombing, which is against the law of war and humanitarian norms, Trump signed a $460 billion, ten year arms deal with Saudi Arabia. This will mean even more bombing, more conflict. It will help lead a mad arms race against Saudi Arabia’s main nemesis Iran. This will do nothing to assist a conciliation of the two main lines of Islam Sunni and Shia. This brutal theocracy oppresses its people and has spent billions of dollars exporting their extreme Wahhabi Islamic ideology around the world—the very same ideology fueling terror groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. His efforts to make worse the Sunni-Shia divide is putting America into a dark caldron of taking sides in Middle East religious conflict. His actions only support the concept that his aim is to create total chaos and keep the world off balance and demoralized.
The visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority was with the stated aim of bring the two together but it was clear that Trump was far more on the side of Israel but he recognized if he could create some agreement between the two sides it would be a “big win” for him but he does not have a clue of the key issues and does not seem to want to learn in any depth on this complex problem. In fact he walked away without a truly any specific breakthroughs.
The NATO Brussels visit was a total disaster and Trump talks and behavior was seen as causing much hurt to the alliance, which clearly frightened or allies and was criticized throughout European media. Not least is Trump’s decision not to mention NATO’s Article 5 of supporting a member country under attack. His nasty hectoring our allies on financial support for “NATO” was likely counter productive in the long run. The result was growing distrust of Trump thus of American commitment. One of the great historic blunders in the face of the Russian active efforts to undermine democracy and divide the Atlantic community.
His visit to see the Pope was almost surreal with Francis asking Trump, the instigator of actions and views antithetical to Christian beliefs let alone those of the Catholic church especially on dealing with the calamitous impact on all humanity of coming climate change. Nor was there any sign that Trump would respond to any peas for humanitarian actions to assist refugees.
The meeting in Sicily of the G-7 of the most powerful nations which include heads of state or Government of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom and the Presidents of the European Council and of the European Commission who on their own without the United State reaffirmed their strong commitment to swiftly implement the Paris Agreement, “as previously stated at the Ise-Shima Summit.” This division was largely a first for the group and a sign of the disunity that will likely ensue. It was here that the disunity of the world community was most glaringly shown due to Trump rejection of action on climate change.
The sum of Trump’s action is that he has made America diminished and in greater danger from the external forces at work and made our adversaries more powerful and certainly Putin acts like he has a ”puppet” that has helped him achieve all he could not do on his own to advance Russian agenda to destroy the unity of the West.
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MORE ON THE TRUMP SYRIAN MISSILE STRIKES AND BEYOND & WEIGHING RISKS.
Harry C. Blaney III
Already there have been many comments on the impact of the missiles strikes and discussions of their implication and what they may mean going forward. The simple truth is that none of us know what risks may lurk ahead not even Trump, nor Putin, nor Assad. Trump has not indicated much in the way of his real aims and less about what hand he will play. Many bet he has no plan and others have surmised strategies from the more likely to the ridiculous. The one thing I think is true is that the old Trump we have seen is NOT a new Trump of a “grand sophisticate strategist.” I doubt he has little but a fuzze and probably ill-informed idea of what he must now do and what the future risks are.
Already after the initial Trump strikes, Syrian government warplanes were back bombing the same site that was hit by the sarin chemicals. And as sited in the Washington Post (4/9/17), reportedly there were more strikes also against civilians at Khan Sheikhoun, where Tuesday 68 people had been killed. Assad planes are still active in brutal killings. Thus nothing much has changed for the people as a result.
Not least of concern is the reaction of Putin to these actions and dangers of mistakes on both sides. Our larger approach with Russia must be an integral element of our strategy.
Trump’s national security team is about the worst I have seen in 50 years. Leaving aside the fractious White House still dominated by Alt-Right ideologists, one glaring weakness is the selection of Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State without any previous knowledge or experience in foreign policy and national security areas. He is like a lost soul out of his depth. Worst he won’t talk to or listen to experienced hands at State according to reports. Part of that may be that he knows he may have to fire many of them to meet the demands of his harsh circus ring boss who has a desire to ensure that foreign affairs belongs exclusively in the White House and as a fiefdom of an incompetent family. Thus we see the Trump inspired 30% cut in State’s budget.
Trump said his motivation for the strikes were humanitarian for saving of lives, but his proposed State and USAID budget cuts will result in millions of added deaths including women and children in poor and conflict ridden nations around the world. Is that an act of a real “humanitarian?”
The results on the policy side of this action many end with no serious negotiations and with no strategic game plan behind them. This results in no long-term thinking or seeking peaceful win-win solutions. It seems the major fault is lack of respect of the tools of deep analysis and the concern and understanding of risks as well as end-game benefits for peace by Trump. That is dangerous for America and the world.
He has now made a “big bet” with a rather limited strike in Syria. He warned the Russians ahead which meant that the Assad air force had some kind of advanced warning. The damage done to the airfield and planes were modest in the extreme. He did not destroy all their planes and they can continue the killing of innocent civilians with what seems impunity with the protection of Russian arms. Did Trump foresee that outcome or even desire it?
The questions that many of us are asking is: given the military strategists have likely already developed complex scenarios for potential contingencies, has Trump given any consideration to both their analysis or recommendations or recognized the risks they may present? Another question is he even asking what options or problems they might have over looked. And does he have people around him with deep knowledge that can ask the right questions, note the pitfalls, weaknesses, and provide him with additional realistic options?
I hearken back to the recommendations by DOD, CIA and even State to President John Kennedy in the 1960s Cuba missile crisis to attack with nuclear weapons Cuba, when unknown to US, Russian forces there had permission to use nuclear weapons against the US should Cuba be attack. President Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy together ignored the “nuclear war option” and choose, rightly, the negotiation option which saved mankind from mass obliteration. Is there any sign of this kind of depth and serous thinking among the Trump gang?
Finally, I like senator Chris Murphy’s recent analysis of our Syria actions:
“As a theoretical matter, a targeted military strike in response to a major violation of non-conventional weapons norms is justifiable. Why have rules against chemical weapons use if no one is going to pay a price for violating the rules? International norms should be upheld by the international community–not the United States acting alone–but it’s hard to argue against Trump’s action last night when viewed in isolation as a response to Assad’s barbaric attack.
The problem is military strikes never happen in isolation–the before and after are arguably even more important than the strike itself. The actions Trump took leading up to Assad’s chemical weapons attack, as well as the all-important and totally unanswered question of what comes next, highlight the administration’s immoral and hypocritical approach to violence in the region.”
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BETWEEN TRUMP, BREXIT, AND PUTIN – WILL THE WEST MAINTAIN ITS UNITY AND SECURITY?
Harry C. Blaney III
In the last post I tried to empathize that our key focus now should be that “there is a lesson to all of us who worry about the direction that humanity is moving and not less what direction America will go in the future.” Recent events have already reinforced this concern and need for all of us to recognize the challenges we will be facing in a likely Trump and Putin dominated world. The declarations in the inaugural address and other statements have not changed the judgement that we are in for a very risky era and especially dealing with Russia.
As we move into Trump’s presidency he has, even before being president, created more chaos and disunity and doubt among our dearest allies and friends and given joy to those that wish us ill. He has acted as if his main and only goal is to be a major disputer of our shared international democratic and security framework that has held our common values and security together. Already there is talk that his main strategy is to create chaos and thus increase his control as his management style.
The 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. day “massacre by tweets” from Donald Trump, and his interviews with European publications, has already severely damaged our relationship with our allies. His actions include the degrading of the key institutions upholding decades of peace, security and cooperation in Europe.
These institutions and our promises of collective security and maintaining peace for all are underpinning the essence of global stability and unity. The Atlantic community ties are key and even hinting that we could do away with them and indicating his disdain for the EU and NATO have set in motion confusion among our friends and empowered dark authoritarian forces in Europe.
I believe this was a deliberate act of sabotage of existing key institutions that have kept the peace in Europe and kept America as the respected and undisputed leader among free nations. That confidence no longer exists. In the Trump world of support for the racist and fascists factions in far right parties of Europe the result is we have deeply hurt the shared values on both sides of the Atlantic.
These parties that Trump has praised are themselves calling for disunity, hate for immigrants, adapted extremist views, denounce democracy, and advocate conflict and disunity within Europe and in society. In some nations they have already taken actions contrary to democratic norms, undermine media independence, and the rule of law. Not much difference than the tact Trump increasingly has taken here – witness his attack on the press and opposition leaders like Rep. John Lewis.
The one person who has gained the most from all this disunity is Putin. The gambit for as early summit portends possible decisions which might further undermined security in European and beyond. Europeans wonder if Trump would sell out their security for a “mess of porridge.” This with the background of the consequences of the disastrous Brexit which seems now to run on autopilot, thanks to UK Prime Minister Theresa May who now directs her nation off the cliff of influence in Europe and the world.
Frankly, Trump has done in just one or two days of tweets and interviews with European publications more damage to the security and unity of Europe and of the Atlantic community, than Putin, in decades with all his underhanded efforts to subvert European democracy and unity by promoting far right fascists groups and subverting European media. Either this is from madness, stupidity, or something even more dark and terrible?
Can the damage be undone? The prospects of Trump wanting to be a positive and stable voice in global affairs looks very dismal as it does here at home after the John Lewis debacle. This is demonstrated in his continued desire to undermine our fundamental American values of justice, racial and social tolerance, our need for strong public education which is key to our democracy, the protection of our environment, and not least a strong social and health safety net. These actions at home and those we cited abroad divide rather than unite. They also diminish America’s image among our allies and decent people everywhere.
The only ray of hope was in President Barack Obama’s last press conference, where he indicated his faith in the good judgement and decency of a majority of the American people to persevere and in the end win out against our worst instincts.
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TODAY OBAMA LEARNED THE EXTENT OF RUSSIAN HACKING TO UNDERMINE OUR
DEMOCRACY AND LIKELY MONDAY UNCLASSIFIED REPORT BY OBAMA WITH SENATE HEARINGS TODAY
By Harry C. Blaney III
Today President Obama was briefed on and received the intelligence community’s CLASSIFIED report of Russia’s hacking of Democratic officials and likely other US hacking activities especially aimed to influence the 2016 presidential elections. It is reported that the unclassified version will be released possibly Monday and Obama will brief our citizens on its content and its import and possibly US actions.
Already on Capital Hill hearings are taking place on this subject with the Republican Senate leadership adamantly opposing a separate investigation and bipartisan committee to look into the issue. In the hearings the intelligence heads today have made clear, on an unclassified basis, that Russia did the hacking and it was aimed at influencing the 2016 presidential election outcome and it was ordered by the highest levels of the Russian government.
The witnesses included Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers and Marcel Lettre, undersecretary of defense for intelligence, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Russian cyberattacks or hacking during the 2016 election as well addressing the greater cyber threat Russia poses to the U.S.
There was concern about this action by both Republican and Democratic members. Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential running mate, brought up the Watergate scandal and cited the congressional investigation that followed. “It is my hope that this Congress is willing to stand in a bipartisan way…as the Congress did in 1974.” Kaine talked about how he was a victim of fake news during the election and criticized Mr. Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who has promoted some of those stories.
On the Republican side Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, asked Clapper if there’s a difference between espionage and Russian hacking. Clapper said that espionage “implies passive collection,” but the hacking is “activist.” Sen Graham said. “If we don’t throw rocks, we’re going to make a huge mistake.” “It’s time now not to throw pebbles, but to throw rocks,” ….. “Putin’s up to no good; he’s got to be stopped. Mr. President-elect, when you listen to these people you can be skeptical, but you have to understand they’re the best among us.” When asked later, why we did not retaliate for espionage fully Clapper said “If we’re going to punish each other for acts of espionage, that’s a different policy issue.”
When Clapper talked about Russia’s “multifaceted campaign” against the U.S. He said, for example that RT, funded by the Russian government, was “very, vert active in promoting a particular point of view, disparaging our system, our alleged hypocrisy about human rights, etc.” Further, Clapper added that Russia used RT, social media, fake news. “They exercised all of those capabilities in addition to the hacking. The totality of that effort, not only as DNI, but as a citizen, is a grave concern.”
The exchange in the Senate Armed Service Committee hearing was clear as to who did the hacking and beyond with Director Clapper noting that “Hacking was only part of it,” he added told the panel that “It also entailed classical propaganda, disinformation and fake news.”
The question before both Obama, and now soon, Donald Trump is what will be done about the action or any repeat of such activities? So far Trump and his team seem to throw doubt and disparagement upon the entire Russia hacking effort against the Democrats.
The question that needs to be asked and will be taken up next week by this blog, is what President Obama will say about what needs to be done and the import of these actions for American democracy, and not least, shortly a statement by Trump “after briefing on this issue by our intelligence people, our thoughts whether if Trump is protecting himself or our nation as president!
So far my judgement, contrary to some commentators like in the Washington Post today (“Could Trump be playing Russia?” by the conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt), that it is Trump playing a game on Putin. My bet is the other way around by far, as the evidence shows Trump is ignorant of Russian realities, ignores facts, and seems to put “relations with Putin” and his own ego ahead of national interests and use of smart diplomacy including understanding the U.S. intelligence findings and its consequences.
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THE 2016 DEMOCRAT PLATFORM’S FOREIGN AND NATIONAL SECURITY POSITIONS: TERRORISM
Harry C. Blaney III
This is another text on foreign and national security platform of the Democratic Party with commentary with this post we have covered all but one of the more major issues in the platform. Climate change and environment will be posted shortly.
TEXT OF 2016 DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM
We must defeat ISIS, al Qaeda, and their affiliates, and prevent other groups from emerging in their place. Democrats will continue to lead a broad coalition of allies and partners to destroy ISIS’ stronghold in Iraq and Syria. We will press those in the region, especially the Gulf countries and local forces on the ground, to carry their weight in prosecuting this fight. We will dismantle the global network of terror, which supplies terrorists with money, arms, and fighters, and stop them from recruiting and inspiring potential radicals. We will improve our intelligence capabilities, with appropriate safeguards here at home, and ensure that the intelligence community and law enforcement is prepared to deal effectively with the threats we face. We will harden our defenses as well as those of our partners against external and homegrown threats. We will secure the homeland, investing more resources to improve mass transit, aviation, infrastructure, and port security. And we will remain a resilient nation, always coming together to stand up to terror.
Democrats will seek an updated Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) that is more precise about our efforts to defeat ISIS and that does not involve large-scale combat deployment of American troops.
As we prosecute the fight against terrorism, Democrats will repudiate vile tactics that would do us harm. We reject Donald Trump’s vilification of Muslims. It violates the religious freedom that is the bedrock of our country and feeds into ISIS’ nefarious narrative. It also alienates people and countries who are crucial to defeating terrorism; the vast majority of Muslims believe in a future of peace and tolerance. We reject Donald Trump’s suggestion that our military should engage in war crimes, like torturing prisoners or murdering civilian family members of suspected terrorists. These tactics run counter to American principles, undermine our moral standing, cost innocent lives, and endanger Americans. We also firmly reject Donald Trump’s willingness to mire tens of thousands of our combat troops in another misguided ground war in the Middle East, which would only further embolden ISIS. There is nothing smart or strong about such an approach.
Much of this text on terrorism followers the main elements of the policies and strategy of the present administration. As a general summary of the approach makes much sense and there has been much success in such areas as taking ground from ISIS and in denying money and other resources to ISIS. It has become writ that we expect the states of the region play a more prominent role in the defeat of ISIS.
This today is exemplified by the recent August 24th attack by Turkish forces including planes and tanks against ISIS terrorists along Turkey’s Syrian border in the area of the town of Jarablus. What is unsaid is to what degree this will impact our need to have the Kurdish forces that are key to defeating ISIS, taking on Assad, and also their role of actions against terrorists in Iraq. The press reports that American planes are supporting the Turkish advance but Turkish leaders have made clear they will attack Kurdish force if the advance into territory near Turkey. That makes for a very complex situation. The Jarablus town is only 95 kilometers from the key city of Aleppo. It is understood that Turkish backed Syrian rebels are working in cooperation with the Turkish forces.
Aleppo and success in Iraq may become a key indication of the success or failure of the joint American lead coalition strategy of destroying ISIS but it is also a very complex and difficult terrain both in military and political grounds. There are some six groups in Syria involved with different motives and alliances. Within the city are forces against Assad which are besieged by pro-Assad army forces, Hezbollah fighters, Iranian troops, and Iraqi Shia militia and even it is said Russian “contract soldiers.” The unknowns are first, the possible Russian response, second, the possibility of a clash between Kurd led forces and others allied with them largely supported by the US coalition, and Turkey’s own objective of destroying or limiting the Kurd power in the region near their border.
Syrian Defense Forces (SDF) are also in the fight and are made up of mainly but not solely of Kurd fighters. This mix of anti-Assad groups which have not always compatible goals makes for a high level of uncertainty of the outcome of the current fighting.
In the end, the test of the current American and allied strategy must be a Syria that is secure, a new government of all groups without Assad in control, and where terrorist do not hold large areas. At the moment the Kurdish and other Arab forces against Assad have taken the critical town of Manbij and want to advance further North and West including towards the Jarablus which could create a threat to both Turkey and Syrian rebels made up largely of Kurds if they engage each other and destroy the unity of the moment. Not least is the role North of Aleppo of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) which plays a role in the defeat of ISIS and is backed by the anti-Assad coalition.
At this moment with the contending forces now fully engaged are creating an even more complex military and political situation with anti-Assad forces diminished yet still strong with Russian support. But a danger is some of these other anti-Assad forces might engaged with each other in a fight over territory and control of large areas and create still more instability. At this point American diplomacy will be key and the need for some kind of accommodation between forces is necessary to end the conflict and stabilize the region. The key today today is what will the region look like the day after ISIS is essentially defeated in both Syria and Iraq. It clearly will not stop all terrorism.
It is hard to argue with the platform idea of protecting our homeland and that of our allies against acts of terrorism. Here key specifics are missing.
Not least also in an anti-terrorist effort is the war in Iraq against ISIS which is also may be coming to some kind of unknown of conclusion but the goal of an Iraq that is untied between Sunni and Shia and Kurds and this will not happen just by defeating ISIS. This issue will be examined in another post.
The second part of the platform on terrorism reaffirms that this is not a war on Muslims, that Trump’s idea of making unlimited war is wrong, and that the idea of sending large numbers of American troops wold be counterproductive. On these stances I see no problem and are compatible with Obama’s perspective and strategy. But the presidential campaign needs to correct some of the false and dangerous assumptions and strategies by Trump that are dangerous to a true “win” over terrorism and for America’s leadership on this and other issues.
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TRUMP: EXTREME VETTING AND AN EXTREME CANDIDATE
Harry C. Blaney III
There is much one can learn from the most recent Trump speech on foreign policy. It is still scary and incredulous that there is no real “there there” with any of Trump’s foreign policy perspectives. This is especially true when he is off his text and speaks what is really in his mind at that moment and it leads him to express ideas that are his own unbalanced perceptions of reality and his worst prejudices. Yes they are often crazy and silly and not least dangerous.
The examples of going off tract and into the realm of “extreme” views is exemplified in much of this speech which was billed as a means to show a serious policy side in the foreign affairs sector. Between a few peremptory statements that were written by his so-called foreign affairs “experts” that in large part were often along the lines of our current policies, much of the speech’s content would make the world a less secure and more dangerous in a host to areas.
His statement that he would institute what he called “extreme interrogations” of Muslim immigrants and visitors to America. Once again, along with building a massive “wall” between the US and Mexico, and clear bigotry against Muslims and even deceased American Muslim war heroes, he sees only what the people at the NRA and the KKK see and this is perhaps more destructive to American democracy, its internal unity, and yes our security globally than almost any other external challenge we face abroad.
On the question of dealing with ISIS, Trump adopted much from President Barack Obama’s approach to fighting the so-called Islamic State. Trump’s outrageous perception of “solutions include in his words: “I say that you can defeat ISIS by taking their wealth. Take back the oil. Once you go over and take back that oil they have nothing. You bomb the hell out of them and then you encircle it, and then you go in. And you let Mobil go in, and you let our great oil companies go in.” Trump also said the United States should have left troops in Iraq to guard oil facilities while the U.S. took all the oil to pay for the war. All of this is clearly absurd, crude unthought through strategy, and also illegal under international law.
What he has not made clear is whether he would send massive troops into the Middle East conflicts?
One lie was his statement was when he said that he has been right about the Middle East from the start. This is not true, old video and audio clips shown on the
MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” showed footage against his claim that “I have been an opponent of the Iraq War from the beginning,” as he said in his address at Youngstown State University in Ohio. But The “Morning Joe” video played a clip from Howard Stern’s radio show. At that time he asked Trump if he was for invading Iraq, and Trump responded, “Yeah, I guess so.” The same is true when Trump also contradicted himself on the troop withdrawal or draw down in Iraq.
He said on August 15th: “I have been just as clear in saying what a catastrophic mistake Hillary Clinton and President Obama made with the reckless way in which they pulled out,” But the record shows he supported pulling out of Iraq in 2007, when he said “You know how they get out? They get out,” Trump told CNN that year. “Declare victory and leave.”
He also prevaricated on Libya. In his speech he said “Libya was stable and President Obama and Hillary Clinton should never have attempted to build a democracy in Libya,”
But he also he advocated for deposing Libyan Prime Minister Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
In February 2011, Trump also said in a video filmed in his office that “Gaddafi in Libya is killing thousands of people. Nobody knows how bad it is. We should go in. We should stop this guy, which would be very easy and very quick.”
He has been all over the map on the Middle East and time and time again he has change his position but never admitted it that he was wrong. What this shows is his clear lack of analysis, willing to face hard facts on the ground, and unwilling to accept being wrong. That is dangerous for a president and for our nation’s effective leadership in the world.
Trump repeated his previous policy to continue the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and even fill it with new detainees. He hinted at including, possibly some U.S. citizens. This facility is one of the great weapons that terrorists point to of the evil of America and a recruiting tool for ISIS. Trump does not even acknowledge this and seems to think that water boarding, torture, and mass bombing including killing of civilians is the way to conduct an effective policy in the Middle East. Even worse he has hinted at using atomic weapons. The Obama administration is trying to close Guantanamo via sending current detainees abroad, which he did recently with 15 individuals, and more are planned. But the easy and right answer is to send them to American maximum security prisons and bring them under US laws.
His stands on climate change, NATO’s unity and that of EU, the Iran deal, trade, and dealing with Russia, and on many other issues are the among the most dangerous for a viable and peaceful world and US national security.
In sum, the time has come, given Trump’s own words over time and especially now, for a true deep serious analysis of what Trump might do to American respect and security and indeed just rationality in our vital foreign and national security area.
Some in the media have done this, but in the vast conservative Republican owned mainline media and right wing radio talking heads have done little to challenge Trump’s lies and clearly deranged and unnecessary aggressive statements that have frightened our allies and embolden our adversaries. It is a high risk world where idiocy is our greatest danger. Indeed, we need more debate and even more serious examination in the media of the full range of global challenges and of what our own corrosive politics has done to our global position. Time has come for more public questioning and more attention to the implications of Trump’s policies if we are to achieve a sane and safe world.
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SEE OUR 2016 ELECTION PAGES FOR DEBATE UP-DATES


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One of Gainesville's Tallest Buildings To Be Constructed Despite Objections
The Gainesville Sun
The Gainesville City Commission has paved the way for a 12-story apartment complex to be constructed next to Innovation Square, over the objections of its own advisory groups and some residents.
The commission voted 4-3 on Thursday evening to approve land-use and zoning changes that allow the project to be built. The project is slated for a 1.1-acre site at the northwest corner of Southwest Second Avenue and Southwest 10th Street, on a current parking lot across from the University of Florida’s Infinity Hall.
A 12-story building and a second five-story building are slated to be constructed on a 1.1 acre-site at the northwest corner of Southwest Second Avenue and Southwest 10th Street, on a current parking lot across from the University of Florida’s Infinity Hall.
A 12-story apartment building and a second five-story building are slated to be constructed on the property. Developer CA Ventures agreed to set aside 10% of available apartments for workforce housing in perpetuity, in exchange for the city increasing the height and density allowed at the location.
Mayor Lauren Poe, who voted in favor of the changes, said the complex is appropriate for a location that is bikeable, walkable and close to the university and jobs. The workforce housing requirement will help address the city’s huge need for affordable housing, Poe said, at the expense of the developer rather than taxpayers.
“We need to take advantage of every single unit of affordable housing that we can add to our stock that does not tap into the city’s limited resources,” he said.
The city's Plan Board, which makes recommendations to the City Commission, voted against the proposal in May. The city's Historic Preservation Board also opposed the project, which is on a site that abuts portions of the University Heights South Historic District.
Thomas Hawkins, a Plan Board member and former city commissioner, said at Thursday’s meeting that he objected to zoning being changed to allow far greater density and height than what had been permitted.
“Lots of development is happening in our community consistent with our rules and that is much better than what the applicant has proposed," he said.
The 12-story building would be among several high-rises around campus that have been built in recent years and drawn criticism from some residents. It would be two stories taller than The Standard, a high-profile student housing complex at the intersection of Northwest 13th Street and West University Avenue.
Poe and commissioners David Arreola, Adrian Hayes-Santos and Reina Saco voted in favor of the changes, while commissioners Desmon Duncan-Walker, Cynthia Chestnut and Harvey Ward voted against them. Chestnut questions claims that families were going to live in affordable housing in the complex.
“I think we are kidding ourselves if you think a family of four is going to move into a project … where it’s student housing,” she said. “It’s not going to happen.”


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The opening chapters of one of the most respected role-playing game franchises ever made is getting an enhanced re-release courtesy of Overhaul Games. Baldur’s Gate Enhanced and Baldur’s Gate II Enhanced are both being overseen by Overhaul, Wizards of the Coast, and Atari, the former containing some of the original development team from the projects. […]
The sheer possibility of finding a rare card is enough to put me in the mindset of a nine year old on Christmas morning.
The folks at Atari and Cryptic Studios have just announced a new title set in the famous Dungeons and Dragons locale (in its Forgotten Realms campaign), Neverwinter. The studio has said that it has worked closely with Wizards of the Coast and author R.A. Salvatore in order to maintain the universe’s authenticity. While not another […]


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Mariam T presents Cherub: Tales of Love and Loss from America’s Sweetheart.
Hailing from a small farming town in Arkansas, Mariam T is celebrating her 10th year of being a San Diegan. Mariam T is lovingly referred to as San Diego’s crankiest drag queen. An insult comic at heart, with loads of southern charm, rhinestones and delicately coiffed hair, NO ONE is safe from her razor sharp wit and cunning observations. Mariam lives by a strict philosophy, “Everyone wants to be made fun of, they just haven’t been made fun of by the right drag queen” and she believes that she is the drag queen to do it.
Mariam has become a staple in the drag scene in Southern California. She is the house queen of Urban MO’s, the bingo queen of Gossip Grill, she produces comedy and burlesque shows and even dabbles in show tunes. There’s a little bit for everyone with Mariam, and plenty to go around.
While always pointing out her own flaws and inviting the audience to laugh both with and at her; she will delight you in a night of belly laughs and charming stories and songs. Don’t miss Cherub: Stories of Love and Loss
Seating is first come first serve. This show will be held in the Clark Cabaret at Diversionary Theater.


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Remembering the Patriots in all their glory
Duration: 27 minutes
Up All Night's Howard Benson meets surviving drivers and firemen from the steam era to talk about the famous Patriot locmotives and plans for their recreation.
This chapter is from
Reports on President Obama, Cleveland murders and the Patriot engine class.

domain: history


Utility for InvoWiz
InvoViewer is a very useful and powerful utility for use with InvoWiz v. 1.51 or higher. It is certainly appreciated once you have used InvoWiz to create a large number of invoices.
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InvoViewer is not distributed in the same zip file the trial version of InvoWiz since it is intended for those who plan to continue using InvoWiz. All Trialware users are requested to download a copy of InvoViewer and evaluate InvoWiz & InvoViewer as a single package. A convenient link to InvoViewer is provided below.
InvoViewer is free and can be dowloaded HERE and NOW!
Click here for InvoWiz information and downloads.


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The US Open is 20 days away and players are starting to get into the groove of playing it. Players are now playing extensively elsewhere to gather some match practice. They are also preparing for the Cincinnati Open which will take place before the US Open at the Flushing Meadows itself.
The US Open made headlines a couple of months ago when it announced that it will be held behind closed doors. It was a cautious decision as the coronavirus is nowhere near to stop around the world especially in the US. And so players are thinking about the prospect of playing without fans.
British No.1 Johanna Konta talked about the matter after her 1st round exit in the Top Seend Open in Lexington, US. She believes the situation will be different in a big tournament like a Grand Slam. Smaller tournaments are generally quieter.
“Well, it’s still hard to imagine the same surroundings at a slam. I think it’s very different to small tournaments here, where sometimes it is quite quiet.” Konta said
Konta admitted she loves playing in front of the crowd. But playing a Grand Slam means more to her even if there is no crowd. Also as the Cincinnati Open will precede the US Open, she finds it bizarre that there is a tournament at Flushing Meadows which is not the US Open.
“I am not gonna lie, I love playing in front of a crowd. That is a massive part of what I love about the sport. So I’m 100% not going to be enjoying that gone. I will miss it. But on the flip side at least I get the opportunity to play that means more to me to get the opportunity to play whether there are crowds or not.” she said
“To me what is the weirdest is the fact that we are going to play a tournament at Flushing Meadows which is not the US Open. I think that is going to be very bizarre,” she added
Konta is a three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist but has only reached the quarterfinal at the Flushing Meadows. She will look to better than record and try to challenge for the slam.


- This event has passed.
EU’s Action in the Post-Cop Context (European Movement International)
27 January 2022, 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
The European Movement International, in partnership with the European Investment Bank are holding the next Investing in the Future of Europe event, entitled EU’s Action in the Post-COP Context, to discuss the post-COP 26 landscape and the European Union’s commitments on climate.
The panel will feature:
- Raffaele Mauro Petriccione, Director General of DG CLIMA
- Eila Kreivi, Director and Head of the Capital Markets Department of the European Investment Bank
- Barbara Mariani, Policy Manager for Climate, European Environmental Bureau
The COP26 was the opportunity to build bridges and commit to tangible actions towards a transition to a green economy. This event will be the opportunity to discuss how the EU can deliver on those commitments, through existing initiatives and joint efforts from partners and private sector, so that Europe can play its part in mitigating climate change.


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1229 Horseshoe Pike, Downingtown, PA 19335
Dr. Francis W Brennan, DO, is a Family Practice specialist in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He attended and graduated from Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine in 1993, having over 26 years of diverse experience, especially in Family Practice. He is affiliated with many hospitals including Chester County Hospital, Brandywine Hospital, Main Line Hospital Paoli. Dr. Francis W Brennan also cooperates with other doctors and physicians in medical groups including Gateway Medical Associates, P.C. Dr. Francis W Brennan accepts Medicare-approved amount as payment in full.
No insurances listed.
- Philadelphia Coll Of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia Pa 19131, 1993
- Chester County Hospital
- Brandywine Hospital
- Main Line Hospital Paoli
Special areas of practice expertise

domain: medical


text:
This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index.
Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book
(without typos) from the publisher. 1904. Not illustrated. Excerpt:
... made her appearance again, and again seated herself somewhere
in a corner--and sat there motionless, as though meditating and
bewildered--bewildered, most of all. Frau Lenore herself noticed,
at last, the unwontedness of her behaviour, and asked her a couple
of times what was the matter with her. "Nothing,"--replied Gemma;
"thou knowest that I am like this at times." "That is
true,"--assented her mother. Thus passed the whole of that long
day, in a way that was neither animated nor languid, --neither
cheerful nor tiresome. Had Gemma borne herself otherwise, Sanin
might--who knows?-- have been unable to resist the temptation to
strut a little, or might have yielded to the feeling of sadness in
face of a parting which might prove eternal. . . . But, as he never
succeeded, even once, in speaking to Gemma, he was obliged to
content himself with striking minor chords on the piano for a
quarter of an hour before evening coffee was served. fimile came
home late, and with the object of avoiding interrogations on the
subject of Herr Kliiber, he retired very soon. Sanin's turn to
withdraw arrived. He began to take leave of Gemma. For some reason,
Lensky's parting from Olga, in " Onyegin,"1 recurred to his mind.
He pressed her 1 Pushkin's poem "Evgeny Onyegin."--Translator. hand
closely--and tried to look into her face-- but she turned away
slightly and freed her fingers. XX The sky was studded with stars
when he emerged on the steps. And how many of those stars were sown
there, big, little, yellow, red, blue, white They were all fairly
glowing and swarming, vying with one another in darting their rays.
There was no moon in the sky, but even without it every object was
distinctly visible in the half-light, shadeless gloom. Sanin walked
down the street, to the very end. . ....
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text:
Seattle Waterfront Gets Artistic
Arts and culture are a significant focus of the vision for Seattle’s new waterfront, including permanent art installations by local and internationally renowned artists
By Beau Iverson February 25, 2019
This article is part of our Seattle Waterfront feature.
Shaun Peterson, a member of the Puyallup Tribe and a contemporary Coast Salish artist, is developing three bronze and red cedar figures that will overlook Puget Sound, reflecting the historic connection between the Coast Salish tribes and the Seattle waterfront.
Many of Winnipeg-based Cedric Bomford’s previous structural installations have come in the form of explorable, interactive spaces, such as towers and seating areas, and play on the power and politics embedded in architecture. He will work with a team of architects, planners and city designers to develop play areas and equipment for the new waterfront.
The waterfront’s new public piers will be adorned with an installation by internationally renowned artist and MacArthur Fellowship recipient Ann Hamilton of Ohio. She is known for her large-scale sensory installations, including the Seattle Public Library’s distinctive raised-text floor by the Fourth Avenue entrance.
After emigrating from Japan to Seattle, Norie Sato spent years working out of a studio near the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Sato’s waterfront artwork will be a 30-foot-long, curved, color-shifting glass wall at Union Street and Western Avenue, inspired by her experience taking in the reflections of Elliott Bay’s waters.
Buster Simpson, a Seattle-based artist whose large-scale sculptures and installations can be seen across the city, will create permanently sited public artwork at the habitat beach—part of the new seawall. The artwork will integrate natural and man-made materials that will contribute to habitat restoration by reducing the erosive forces of the bay’s tides near S Washington Street and Yesler Way.
Virginia-based sound artist Stephen Vitiello’s contribution, related to the sound-filled setting of the Seattle waterfront, will be located by Pier 62. The work is a series of sculpted bells engineered to strike based on the specific tidal action taking place below them.
Washington native and sculptor Oscar Tuazon will collaborate with his brother, glassblower and artist Elias Hansen, and architect Antoine Rocca on a major installation along the water from Columbia Street to Madison Street. The sculpture will be designed to evoke the longhouses used by the Coast Salish tribes.


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Urban Food @JungceylonPatong, West Phuket
Urban Food @Jungceylon is the sister of the popular restaurant in Central Festival Phuket. Guests will enjoy our variety of Asian & International cuisine which includes steaks, pizzas, skewers, tagliatele, pies, ravioli, spaghetti and a selection of Thai dishes. A salad bar that contains various vegetables is ideal for salad lovers. Our modern eatery comes with both indoor dining area and a small alfresco outside. We are located next to Shooting Café at Sino Phuket Zone.
Is this your business?
|Jungceylon Shopping Complex Unit 3107-3109 181 Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Road, Patong, Kathu, Phuket 83150|
|Daily, 11.00am - 10.00pm|
|+66 (0)76 366 192|
|Add to Shortlist|
Santosa Detox & Wellness Center
The Santosa Spa is a very well run and impressive spa offering a wide range of spa treatments, exerc
Mr Good’s Seafood
Was at this restaurant in 2013. It was delicious, reasonable prices. Arrived at Patong in December 2
Janjao Coffee @Sino House
Tried coffee here when visited friends who stayed at Sino House Phuket Hotel, their coffee taste was
Heard my colleagues talk about this restaurant many times so don't hesitate to try when I past it. L

domain: food


text:
Historian Ramachandra Guha turned up at the student protest organised in Bengaluru condemning the violence that broke out in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday. He was detained by Bengaluru police on December 20 while protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Ramachandra Guha stood in solidarity alongside students who protested for 24 hours from 6 pm on Tuesday evening to 6 pm on Wednesday. The students were opposed to the CAA, NRC and violence in campuses across India.
"I would like to urge to students the importance of non-violence. We are against the authoritarianism of the right - Savarkars and Golwalkars. But if we are true to the heritage of Gandhi and Ambedkar, we must also be opposed to the authoritarianism of the left - Naxalites and worshippers of Mao and Stalin," Ramachandra said.
He urged students to refrain from using abusive language in responding to adversaries.
"Speak out against the discrimination that the CAA and NRC represents. But don't use rhetorical abusive language and don't display inflammatory posters," he said.
He reiterated that Gandhi and Ambedkar were united on several issues including the harmony of Hindus and Muslims. "Gandhi and Ambedkar had their differences but they were united on several things. One was an absolute commitment to ending untouchability and to women equality. They were both committed to maintaining Hindu-Muslim harmony," he added.
The historian spoke alongside students and activists who raised slogans and sang songs criticising the ruling government.
The protest had started at 6 pm on Tuesday with around 50 people. But by midnight hundreds of people gathered to show solidarity with the students and faculty members injured in the assault that took place in the JNU campus on Sunday.
The protesters began the day on Wednesday by reading the Preamble of the Constitution at 7 am and continued the sit-in protest throughout the day until they were dispersed by the police at 6 pm. The protest was planned by a collective of students along the lines of the protests held at Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi and Gateway of India in Mumbai.


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Proton Translocation via Tautomerization of Asn298 During the S2–S3 State Transition in the Oxygen-Evolving Complex of Photosystem II
journal contributionposted on 2019-03-19, 00:00 authored by Maria Chrysina, Juliana Cecília de Mendonça Silva, Georgia Zahariou, Dimitrios A. Pantazis, Nikolaos Ioannidis
In biological water oxidation, a redox-active tyrosine residue (D1-Tyr161 or YZ) mediates electron transfer between the Mn4CaO5 cluster of the oxygen-evolving complex and the charge-separation site of photosystem II (PSII), driving the cluster through progressively higher oxidation states Si (i = 0–4). In contrast to lower S-states (S0, S1), in higher S-states (S2, S3) of the Mn4CaO5 cluster, YZ cannot be oxidized at cryogenic temperatures due to the accumulation of positive charge in the S1 → S2 transition. However, oxidation of YZ by illumination of S2 at 77–190 K followed by rapid freezing and charge recombination between YZ• and the plastoquinone radical QA•– allows trapping of an S2 variant, the so-called S2trapped state (S2t), that is capable of forming YZ• at cryogenic temperature. To identify the differences between the S2 and S2t states, we used the S2tYZ• intermediate as a probe for the S2t state and followed the S2tYZ•/QA•– recombination kinetics at 10 K using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy in H2O and D2O. The results show that while S2tYZ•/QA•– recombination can be described as pure electron transfer occurring in the Marcus inverted region, the S2t → S2 reversion depends on proton rearrangement and exhibits a strong kinetic isotope effect. This suggests that YZ oxidation in the S2t state is facilitated by favorable proton redistribution in the vicinity of YZ, most likely within the hydrogen-bonded YZ–His190–Asn298 triad. Computational models show that tautomerization of Asn298 to its imidic acid form enables proton translocation to an adjacent asparagine-rich cavity of water molecules that functions as a proton reservoir and can further participate in proton egress to the lumen.

domain: chemistry


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Easy Fall Planting
Fall is the second-best time to plant – with some saying it’s the best!
We typically have late-summer and fall sales. Check out current plant sales here.
Garlic is one of the easiest to crops to grow. Garlic is planted in the fall late September or early October. They start to grow their roots this fall and then emerge next spring. We recommend adding compost to your planting area two weeks before planting your garlic.
We typically carry 7 different varieties of hardneck garlic that has been proven to do well in MN climate.
Read more about growing and storing garlic or pick up a copy in-store.
LATE-FALL SOWN PERENNIAL SEEDS
Sow perennial plant seeds, that need stratification, after a hard frost – below 25 F. Stratification is the process of seeds being in a cold environment and then breaking dormancy once the weather warms. This ensures that they will not sprout until the following spring.
Be sure to mark the spot you planted. If we have a dry winter and less rain in the spring, make sure to water your seeds in the spring to keep soil moist.
Perennial plants to sow after a hard frost:
- Blue and Breezy Flax Seeds
- Russell Lupine Blend
- Sundial Lupine Bluebonnet
- Colorado Blend Yarrow
LATE-FALL SOWN ANNUAL SEEDS
You’ll get earlier blooms and reduce time in the late winter/early spring sowing seeds indoors. The moisture from melting snow will greatly reduce your need to water in the spring.
Tips for sowing annual seed:
Sow the seeds after a killing freeze and before snowfall. You may also sow in late-winter between snow fall. The snow buries the seed and insulates them, helping to retain moisture.
Mix the seed with a bit of sand before sowing. This helps the seed spread evenly and gives you a better visual of where you have sown.
Mark where you planted with labeled garden stakes to avoid damaging emerging flowers.
Annuals plants to sow after a hard frost:
- Bachelor Buttons
- California Bluebells
Info Source: Botanical Interests
FALL-PLANTED FLOWER BULBS
Bulbs are really as easy as dig, drop, and done. When planting, make sure the soil is well-draining (soil doesn’t stay soggy more than a day) and use Bulb Tone to get their roots off to a healthy start before the ground freezes. Amend your soil with compost or top soil if it’s compacted or not well-draining.
If you have a presence of voles, mice, chipmunks, or squirrels we recommend planting them with a granular animal repellent.
Fall is a wonderful time to plant in you landscape. The heat of the summer is done and the cooler weather is less stressful for the plants during transplanting. The soil also stays moist longer, there is less disease and pest stressors, and your plants will put more energy into root growth than foliage.
We recommend mulching around your new landscape plants, leaving a couple inches open around the stems to help retain moisture when they are establishing themselves.
PLANT TREES, SHRUBS, AND EVERGREENS
Trees, shrubs, and evergreens can be planted up to 6 weeks before ground freeze (average ground freeze is beginning of Dec.). If the trees or shrubs are dormant by the time of planting, you may not need to water if the soil stays slightly moist. Make sure to mulch 2-3 inches around the root zone and wrap your tree saplings Oct. 31st or as soon as possible after that.
Deeply water your plants until the ground freezes. Only water when the top 2 – 3 inches are dry. It’s usually 5 gallons of water every week to two weeks depending on your soil type, size of the plant, and weather.
You can plant perennials up to 6 weeks before ground freeze (average ground freeze is beginning of Dec.) but sooner the better for transplanting success. Just make sure they are watered until freeze and heavily mulched after ground freeze to protect their roots.
When planting, mix in a slow release fertilizer – like Biotone. When the top couple inches of soil are dry, that’s when you should water. Water deeply so the plant roots reach deeper into the soil and create a more robust root system before winter weather.
Dividing perennials (PDF List of perennials and dividing time):
These cooler days are perfect for dividing perennials. Divide or move perennials if they are crowded or not performing well in their original spot.
A good rule of thumb to follow:
“Blooms late-summer/fall, divide them in spring. Blooms spring, divide in the fall.”
REDUCE WINTER DAMAGE
If you have issues with rabbits or deer around, get a hard plastic mesh tree guard. You’ll be happy you did because if animals chew around the entire tree diameter, it’ll cut off nutrients to the tree, which will cause the plant to die. Shrubs and evergreens can also experience animal damage from hungry animals so use a granular or spray animal repellent or fencing.
Here is an extra note about evergreens. It’s very important evergreens have adequate water before ground freeze or you may experience browning of needles the next spring. Evergreens do better when planted early fall instead of late fall to help them take up moisture before freezing. They slowly lose water from their needles over winter and if they are in an area of high winds and/or bright, all day sun, it dries them out quicker.
SOWING TURF GRASS
Mid-August through mid-September is an ideal time to start new grass from seed. We carry high quality seed from Ramy Seeds in Mankato. If it seems daunting to keep the soil moist to sprout grass this time of year or it’s too late, you can wait until late fall – after we have our first frosts – to sow seeds that will sprout in the spring when the weather warms and spring rains help keep the seed moist.
PLANT COVER CROPS AFTER HARVEST
Cover crops are also an option if you are done with your garden space until next spring or before you plant garlic in late Sept. or Oct. It’s best to start growing cover crops as soon as you can but many crops will grow into late fall. Plant a quick growing crop like peas, oats, radishes, or buckwheat.
A cover crop is used to slow erosion from wind and rain, improve soil health, smother weeds, help control pests and diseases, break up compacted soil, and increase biodiversity. Using a cover crop can reduce the amount of compost you need to prepare your garden soil for next year.
Read our post about Living Soil which covers best practices for healthier soil and head over to the University of MN Extension article with a cover crops selector tool to choose a cover crop for your soil goals. For example: If you fertilize with liquid fertilizers you probably have excess nitrogen in your soil or if you grew peas ( nitrogen fixers) in an area then you’d choose a cover crop that adds other nutrients.

domain: hobby