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It's been little over a week and the Indian smartphone arena has witnessed a series of frantic round of launches. The biggest players in the industry including Samsung, Sony, Nokia have given us the three most important and biggest smartphones of this year till now - Galaxy Note 3, Xperia Z1 and Lumia 1020.
Hoping to chew on the sales figures, today LG India has also become the part of the dogfight today. Yes, the South Korean smartphone maker has launched its most innovative flagship successor on the Indian grounds today, that is, LG G2 at a competitive price of Rs. 41,500.
The 5.2 inch has already been made available for pre-order on online store Saholic for Rs, 40,449 for quite a while now. Following the official launch today, India's leading e-commerce site Flipkart has also listed LG G2 as a 'forthcoming item.' The 32GB variant has been listed for Rs. 43,490, while the 16GB variant can be picked up for Rs. 40,490.
Touted at IFA 2013, the technology expo which took place a month ago in Berlin, LG G2 flaunts a 5.2-inch full HD IPS display and runs on the latest 2.26GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 featuring quad Krait CPU along with 2GB of RAM. It draws its power from a 3,000 mAh battery and for imaging, there's a 13MP rear camera with OIS and LED Flash along with a 2.1 MP front camera. The devices comes pre-loaded with Android Jelly Bean 4.2, measures at 138.5 x 70.9 x 8.9mm dimension and can be picked up in two colors, black and white.
Further, at the event the company informed that LG G2 will be out in the market today in 16GB and 32GB variants with 50GB cloud storage and free cover at official price of Rs 41,500 & Rs 44,500 respectively. Let us inform you, there is no microSD card slot for memory expansion, meanwhile, other connectivity options include 3G, NFC, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, LE, Infrared port, USB, microUSB v2.0 (SlimPort), USB On-the-go, USB Host, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 21 Mbps; LTE, Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL and Stereo FM radio with RDS.
LG has priced the G2 in between other flagship handsets that were released earlier this month. The 16GB variant shares roughly the same price tag with the Xperia Z1 from Sony (Rs. 40, 449 on Snapdeal). However, while Sony's flagship offers expandable storage up to 64GB, the G2 does not. Moving up the price scale, the LG G2 is much cheaper when compared to Samsung's Galaxy Note 3, which retails at Rs. 49,299 on Snapdeal. The Note 3 offers expandable storage as well and refrains from placing memory constrains on its users like LG does with the G2.
What's different about the G2 is that LG has placed all the buttons on the rear of the handset, a practice that is unheard of as far as modern day mobilephones are concerned. This also makes it the first smartphone that's devoid of buttons on its side, ones like the volume rocker. How will you unlock the device with ease? Well, LG's added features like "knock on" which allows you to tap twice on the screen at any time to turn the display on or off. Interested in checking out some pictures and learning more about the top features on the new handset? Run through the slider below.
The handset's camera comes equipped with Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) technology to prevent blurring, a common feature in most high-end handsets thse days. However, LG claims that most current smartphone cameras with OIS tend to offer resolution in the 4MP to 8MP range. On the other hand, the G2 offers 13MP and OIS technology in a slim design without a protruding lens.
LG has tried to "shift the paradigm in smartphone design by placing all the buttons on the rear of the device", meaning that you won't find your volume rocker on the side of the phone for those quick volume changes. LG believes that since users always place their index fingers on the rear part of the phone, it would be convenient for them to have all the main keys there as well.
Studio-like sound quality
With the G2, LG promises to deliver studio-like sound quality. It features 24 bit/192kHz Hi-Fi playback that reproduces sound thats far superior to a CD. We're eager to run a test soon to verify if the company's claim is true.
LG has loaded some useful features into its UI to make the phone more convenient foe everyday use. A few note worthy additions are : "Answer Me", which automatically answers the call after lowering the ringtone when the phone is raised to one's ear, "Plug & Pop", which recommends options or related features to choose from when the earphone or USB cable is detected and "QuickRemote", which allows the LG G2 to be used to remotely control popular home entertainment devices, it can also learn from conventional remotes and be customized to operate multiple devices with flexible layouts and keys.
The G2 is easily one of the fastest Android smartphones out there thanks to its Snapdragon 800 processor. Only a handful of flagships carry this powerful SoC, which has been rated as one of the finest mobile processors ever made.


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“Negotiations need to begin in the next two months before it creates upheavals and tensions that will not be easily overcome. Ideally, the dividing line should be a return to the status quo ante. Pursuing the war beyond that point would not be about the freedom of Ukraine, but a new war against Russia itself,” he said.
He told the World Economic Forum that Russia had been an essential part of Europe for 400 years and had been the guarantor of the European balance of power structure at critical times. European leaders should not lose sight of the longer term relationship, and nor should they risk pushing Russia into a permanent alliance with China.
“I hope the Ukrainians will match the heroism they have shown with wisdom,” he said, adding with his famous sense of realpolitik that the proper role for the country is to be a neutral buffer state rather than the frontier of Europe.
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domain: news


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domain: design


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RICHARD VLASAK, M.D., earned his medical degree at the University of Florida in 1988 and also completed his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Florida. He completed four fellowships, covering Orthopaedic Oncology, Adult Reconstruction, and Spine at the University of Florida and the Mayo Clinic.
He returned to UF in 1998 to work in the Department of Orthopaedics and has held several positions over the years, including Director of 3rd and 4th year medical students on Orthopaedic rotations, faculty advisor to undergraduate students, and faculty advisor for the Bioengineering Clinical Preceptorship Program.
Vlasak was elected to membership in the Orthopaedic Trauma Association and the American Association of Hip & Knee Surgeons. He is also a member of several other professional organizations, including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the International Society of Limb Salvage.
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domain: medical


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Although Hollywood is big on pushing gun control for the American people their top films are full are characters using handguns and machine guns to cause “carnage” on the big screen.
In fact, four of the top five films featured “589 incidents of violence” in the week preceding the Las Vegas attack. These included the “70” times automatic weapons were fired in Kingsman: Golden Circle; a film staring gun control proponent Julianne Moore.
According to MRC/Newsbusters, the “589 incidents of violence” in films included a total of “212 incidents of gun violence.”
The trailer for Kingsman provides a great look at the violence and gun usage MRC/Newsbusters is reporting:
This violence is nothing new. In fact, Hollywood movies were rife with violence and gun usage at the time that the heinous attack occurred on Sandy Hook Elementary.
The five top grossing box office movies for the weekend of Jan. 11  were Zero Dark Thirty, A Haunted House, Gangster Squad, Django Unchained and Les Miserables. Even with the presence of the PG-13 musicalLes Miserables and the spoof comedy “A Haunted House,” it was a violent, bloody weekend at the movies — 65 scenes of violence (38 with guns) and 185 people victimized.
But Hollywood does not want connections drawn or inferences made regarding any possible connections between their glorified on-screen violence and the real-life attacks carried out in Vegas, Sandy Hook, or elsewhere.
For example, after the attack on Sandy Hook, director Quentin Tarantino got “annoyed” when asked if he thought the violence in his movies contributes to violent attacks in real life. He said, “I think it’s disrespectful to … the memory of the people who died to talk about the movies. Obviously, the issue is gun control and mental health.”
The breakdown between what Hollywood says and what Hollywood does was perhaps clearest when gun-toting action star Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Departed) pushed for an Australian-style gun ban in the United States. During a July 2016 appearance for the premiere of Jason Bourne, Damon said, “You guys did it here in one fell swoop and I wish that could happen in my country.” All the while he makes millions using firearms and violence to achieve his goals on film.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at firstname.lastname@example.org

domain: entertainment


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Addiction isn't an easy subject to talk about. Even those among us who don't believe it's morally wrong to take drugs, stigmatize those who become addicted to them. Addicts are often relegated to a realm of intrigue but condemnation, operating in a vulnerable and misunderstood subsection that we don't belong to—and possibly don't even want to understand.
Chelsea Carmona is an addiction activist and program manager for the OpEd Project, an organization dedicated to changing the demographics and landscape of public discourse. Currently, white, Western, wealthy men comprise 90% of contributors to key opinion forums; 84% of TV pundits on Sunday morning talk shows; 85% of Hollywood producers; 83% of Congress; and even 87% of Wikipedia contributors.
In short? "Public debate all but excludes half the population."
In addition to doggedly expanding the OpEd project, Carmona is working on a new book to combat the damaging social narrative we've created around addiction. She is working to open up the conversation about treatment options and evidence-based care, especially for women.
We sat down with Chelsea to talk to her about her book, Escape Artists, how feminism plays a surprising part in addiction treatment and her ongoing role at the OpEd Project.
Where are you from originally? What was life growing up like for you?
I grew up in Irvine, CA and it’s the kind of place where people in the area are like, “Oh, you’re from Irvine?” It’s in Orange County and for the ninth year in a row, Irvine is the place in the U.S. with the lowest per capita crime rate. It's certainly a lovely place to grow up in the sense that there’s a lot of emphasis on family and kids. That being said, it is a very conservative place, and has clear boundaries of what is and isn’t acceptable behavior, language and dress. I found that it was a difficult place to explore my identity. I think that’s the case for a lot of teenagers, but I really felt it there.
What made you want to pursue addiction activism?
I think there’s a lot of different turning points in my life that made my interest in addiction stronger, but what makes me different than a lot of other people writing about addiction is that I began studying the topic long before I started using. The drug war kept coming up in school and the policy issues that I was learning about in class were so fascinating, it just felt like a dirty little secret in our country. It made me question everything I had ever learned about drugs—I think this is common for a lot of sheltered kids. I was a high achiever and Adderall was really common. I started taking it to stay up and study. Using it with other kids I knew and made me feel like it was less of a big deal.
Your new book, Escape Artists, is about the closing gender gap in addiction. What does the gender gap in addiction look like? What, in your opinion, could be a possible solution?
I’ve been working on a hybrid memoir. We have a deeply entrenched narrative of drug addiction in our culture where we really believe that recovery is a sudden, spiritual awakening brought on by a spontaneous moment of clarity; all of the drug addiction memoirs have perpetuated this narrative and I believe it's counter-productive. I’m hoping to put something out there that is more accurate.
What I would like to be the sub-story is that we have a shrinking gender gap in addiction. It's time we take into account the gendered experiences throughout addiction and create a more comprehensive view. There’s lots of potential solutions. Feminist thinkers and scholars have been writing about addiction for decades, but it hasn’t made it to the forefront of the mainstream feminist agenda. For example, in the 12-step program there is a step that asserts powerlessness as liberating. This of course has been viewed with a great deal of alarm by feminist thinkers. Many women who abuse chemicals do it because they feel powerless over their bodies.
Could you talk a little bit about your own experience with addiction . . .
It’s important to talk about the reality of recovery. We’re so often exposed to this dramatic and depressing story, and that narrative of addiction is tired. I’m in the process of writing this book right now and it’s been sort of an investigative endeavor for me because I lost 6 years of my life. I had to interview people around me to ask, “What happened?” It’s a complete and utter fog. Things that I thought were true are not true, medical documents say things that prove my memory wrong and it’s really interesting.
I think my struggle with addiction was much longer than it needed to be because of the way our healthcare system deals with addiction now. We have an “acute care model.” In this country we consider addiction a medical condition but we don’t treat it that way. A surprising number of addiction specialists ground their expertise in personal experience. Can you imagine if we treated any other medical condition that way?
You wrote a really great piece about your personal journey to sobriety and your struggle with Alcoholics Anonymous that was published in the Washington Post. Was writing this piece, (which is largely about how the AA system sort of failed you as an addict and re-labeled you as an alcoholic) part of your recovery process?
I would write that piece differently today, and in fact I did. I wrote the same idea with a different argument for Time Ideas after having more experience with the media. I had to ask myself, “do you want to change the world or do you want to preach to the choir.” When I wrote that piece I was newly sober and newly writing and it was a great experience, but what I really wanted to say was that this "one size fits all" treatment that reigns supreme may not work for everyone, and we need to offer other options.
It wasn’t as much a part of the recovery process, but learning how to be a good advocate for what I believe in. I learned that I should not lead with my story and should use it as an asset when it’s an asset, and not when it’s not.
What was your final push to get clean?
Hands down it was the combination of meaningful work and long term evidence-based care.
Did you deal with gender disparity when you were in treatment?
Not as much as when I was in treatment as when I was using. Life is not easy for a female addict for what are probably really obvious reasons. But when I started reading about the gender gap in addiction, treatment came up a lot. It was really fascinating and it made me wonder, why we never see it in feminist media outlets. Why am I not hearing about addiction as a feminist issue?
Would you consider yourself a feminist?
Absolutely, I think we need to empower addicted women. I think we need to stop making it a requirement for addicted women to assert their powerlessness in order to be in recovery. I never really thought twice about feminism until I got into addiction activism and realized that so many classic feminist arguments about women’s health are framed exactly like my argument about addiction.
Biochemically we are so vulnerable to addiction, we get higher faster and drunker faster and we get addicted faster—but I have never seen addiction in a women’s magazine.
Do you think that it is missing from the feminist conversation because we assume that there are options?
Yes of course, people typically refer a friend or family member struggling with addiction to AA or NA. It’s not a bad thing to do, it’s the social norm. The problem is that it’s also a medical norm. When you go to a hospital, a doctor, or the criminal justice system, they also refer you to AA.
What do you think the greatest misconception surrounding addiction is?
There are so many, but “what constitutes treatment?” would be my choice. We currently have a medical system where we treat addiction with acute, abstinence-based care. In a national survey, when asked about the type of treatments are available for addiction, I think 60% of respondents spontaneously offered AA and NA. It’s not a problem because AA isn’t effective, it’s a problem because it’s not evidence-based addiction care on it’s own. AA is a support group, not a medical solution.
How did you come to be a part of the OpEd Project?
I got involved almost by accident. I graduated from college the year that the market crashed and suddenly I was really struggling to find a job. I was looking for things that were meaningful—things that were not using drugs.
When I first took an OpEd Project seminar, I felt totally out of my league. I was the youngest by maybe 10 years and everyone was talking about what they were an expert in. Honestly, I was looking for the door, just ready to bolt. Then the facilitator for the program, Zeba Kahn, worked with me and really encouraged me. They left me with this sense that I could do it—I could have a voice. That, coupled with this naive grandiosity I think comes with being a millennial and an addict, worked for me. I just pitched and pitched and pitched and didn’t take no for an answer. Katie Orenstein, OpEd Project Founder and CEO, picked me up to manage our programs on the West coast, our core seminars for the public, and eventually our year-long intensive programs.
What does your typical day look like?
When I first came on board it was difficult because I had essentially lived in a room for several years alone, isolated all day. It was exciting though—I had just discovered this program that would allow me to have a voice in a really effective and meaningful way.
Right now I spend more of my day managing our Public Voices Fellowship program, a year-long intensive program, aimed at dramatically increasing the public impact of a core group of underrepresented thinkers. We have these programs at top institutions including Yale, Dartmouth, Northwestern, Emory, Stanford, and Princeton. We also have community-based initiatives combining scholars with activists in Tucson and at Texas Woman’s University.
It’s thrilling to be part of a group of impact leaders, and to be in the room with that sort of brainpower. I feel lucky to have been this very lost young person struggling with addiction and to have someone like Katie Orenstein invite me to be part of such a massive "change the world" initiative.
If you had a megaphone to the world where you could offer one piece of advice for those struggling with substance abuse . . . what would you say?
Question everything. Don’t listen to people whose only source of credibility is that they had an addiction or know someone with an addiction. Listen to people who can cite the research. Fuck the stigma.
You seem like you’re always writing, but what are you reading right now?
I just finished a book called Mistakes Were Made, But Not by Me by Carol Tavris. It’s really interesting. It's about why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions and reconstruct our own memories and our own history.

domain: sociology


Main Photo: Baseball Farm
Between good pitching and timely offense, the Burlington Royals were able to fight off the enemy and protect home field with a victory over the Kingsport Mets.
With their win, the Royals now hold the best record (5-2) in the Appalachian League. Monday’s game between the B-Royals and K-Mets was the only game played in the Appy League.
Angel Zerpa earned the win in his second start of the season, tossing five innings of two-run ball while striking out four. Burlington also got some help on the offensive side of the ball thanks to two home runs.
Jesus Atencio hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning that put the Royals up on Kingsport, 5-2. Maikel Garcia added to the fun with an RBI single, which put the Royals up 6-2. Jake Means hit his second home run, which was a solo shot in the fifth inning to advance the Royals lead to 7-2.
The K-Mets scored a run each in the eight and ninth innings, but ultimately couldn’t complete a comeback, falling 7-4.
The two teams square off again tomorrow in game two of the three game set. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 pm.


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Surely everyone has seen the trailer for “21 and Over” at this point, even if they haven’t actually seen the movie. If you’re one of those people who haven’t, here is a brief summary: young people drink a lot and get into some crazy shenanigans that are hilarious. If that sounds like the premise to last year’s “Project X,” another movie about young people drinking and partying, it’s because they are the same thing. Why do we need the same movie twice in two years? Because people love to have a good time. Should you totally trash a house and run away from the police? No, that’s a bad idea, which is why it makes for a fun movie experience. But something like a party bus rental or pub-crawl can give you a similar experience with the added benefit of safety. So, here are a couple of party ideas that will ensure a great time while helping you avoid having to run from the police, or being kidnapped, or whatever else happens in “The Hangover.”
Walk it off
If you live in a city, a good old fashioned pub-crawl is one of the best times you can have. With public transportation and a good pair of walking shoes at your disposal, you won’t have to worry about driving yourself around, leaving you to just enjoy a long day of partying with your closest friends. Keep an eye out for one another and you’ll have a problem free day.
Get on the Bus
A party bus rental isn’t just for episodes of “My Super Sweet Sixteen.” They’re great for adults because it provides a controlled environment to have a good time while traveling to various party destinations. Party buses are good for bachelor/bachelorette parties, trips to resorts or casinos (think Atlantic City) or travelling to sporting events. While you’ll have to be respectful of the bus, you’re guaranteed a safe ride to and from your party destinations.
While no one will probably want to make a movie or reality show out of your exploits, that’s definitely a good thing! After all, what makes for good TV doesn’t exactly make for good conversations with your boss the next day. But that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the same old stuff. There are plenty of ways to blow off steam, get away from it all for a while, and still be in one piece by the time Monday rolls around.
Heather B is part of a team of writers who contribute to blogs and news sites daily.


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Stephen Maberly, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Some of the world’s longest and most comprehensive long-term monitoring records exist for the lakes in the English Lake District. This provides an unparalleled record of the responses of lakes and their wildlife to environmental change that extend back for over 65 years at four lake basins. The work was started by the Freshwater Biological Association in the 1940s, but has been undertaken by CEH since the late 1980s. Consistent methods, or closely-validated changes, have been used and new complementary methods to assess biodiversity have been introduced. The monitoring has increased understanding of the functioning of lakes, provided data to validate models and allowed changes in response to natural variation to be detected. Importantly, because a range of physical, chemical and biological variables are measured, the causes of any changes can begin to be attributed and this is supported by other types of study such as laboratory experiments or comparisons across many lakes. This ‘systems approach’ allows responses to multiple stressors to begin to be untangled. The talk will give case-examples of how lakes are affected by single or multiple environmental stressors such as natural variation in the weather, climate change, nutrient enrichment, soil erosion in the catchment and invasion of non-native species. It will emphasise the importance of fundamental knowledge, for example on mechanisms controlling species distribution, and the use of models to test ideas generated by observation and to forecast possible responses in the future.

domain: biology


John England & the Western Swingers is a six piece Nashville, Tennessee band that plays Western swing. The group has played at Nashville's Robert's Western.
John England & the Western Swingers is a six piece band based in Nashville, TN , which plays the lively, happy music called Western Swing. Western Swing.
The third album for Nashville stalwarts John England & the Western Swingers, Open that Gate features 10 great originals and 3 songs popularized by Texas.


Carl Abarth (Carlo) was born in Vienna in 1908 and his formative years were punctuated by the two world wars. In the aftermath of the first he started racing cycles and motorcycles, which resulted in his apprenticeship at Castagna, more notable for their coachworks, designing frames for them, and even constructing his own racing machine built around a Sunbeam 600cc unit. His motorcycle-racing career took off introducing him to the leading figures in motorsport including Porsche and Nuvolari, with Read More
The Triumph TR series is one of the great success stories in the history of the sports car and many would say that the TR5 is the pick of the line. It was a development of the TR4A which, in turn, was based on the TR3A chassis, but with independent rear suspension and styling by Giovanni Michelotti. The TR5 had Triumph’s 2.5-litre straight-six engine which gave 150 bhp and 168 lb/ft torque which translated into 120 mph (0-60 mph Read More
The V8 powered, Pininfarina-styled Ferrari 308 had been on the market for five years when the 308 GTSi was introduced in 1980. Offered in both coupe (GTB) and Spyder versions (GTSi), the big difference between the “i” and its earlier Weber-carbureted brethren was the switch to Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection. Though the new injected motors provided better driveability than a smog legal “carb car” with its add-on air-pump and maze of emissions tubing, the GTSi’s performance was off by Read More
The “official” Muscle Car era began in 1961, when Chevrolet introduced the 409. It lasted ten years until the early ’70s when the market was gutted by insurance premiums and the cars began to be strangled by emissions limits. Of course, the Muscle Car didn’t emerge fully formed like a butterfly from a chrysalis. It evolved, quickly, more like Stephen King dragonflies.
In the early Fifties, Cadillac, Lincoln and Chrysler all launched large displacement overhead valve V8s. GM Read More
Pininfarina died just a month after the Duetto’s introduction in March, 1966, so the model carries the distinction of being his last design. Its design is virtually perfect in concept: an aerodynamic profile with a dramatic blood trough down the sides that ties the symmetrical front and rear together.
The Duetto, whose side concavity appeared later in muted form on the Daytona Ferrari, comes very close to being a streetable show car. Its rarity is indisputable: the car Read More
With the intention of competing in the worldwide luxury car market, Ferrari introduced the totally new 365 GT 2+2 at the Paris Salon in October 1967. It bore a strong resemblance to both the 330 GTC Special built for Belgium’s Princess de Rethy and to the famous 500 Superfast.
The car was a technical triumph. It was the first 2+2 Ferrari to have four-wheel independent suspension, which also featured a hydro-pneumatic self-leveling system. Power steering and air conditioning were standard, Read More
It would indeed have been a shame if BMW had confined the use of its first V8 engine range merely to its saloon cars of the 1950s. Had that been the case, the world would have been denied what is arguably the Bavarian marque’s finest post-war sports car-the glamorous, high-performance 507.
The V8, the work of BMW chief designer Dr. Fritz Fielder, had first appeared in 2.6-liter form in the 502 saloon of 1954, offering impressive performance and fine Read More
A left hand-drive model first registered in France, this striking Zagato-bodied Lancia features the Milanese styling house’s renowned double-bubble body form in which low overall lines and rounded streamlined shape are achieved by the simple but ingenious
A left hand-drive model first registered in France, this striking Zagato-bodied Lancia features the Milanese styling house’s renowned double-bubble body form in which low overall lines and rounded streamlined shape are achieved by the simple Read More
The DB5 Aston Martin rapidly became the very essence of the hand-built English classic car. Very expensive, built in tiny numbers by dedicated craftsmen, it was also an apt choice of mount for the suave secret agent James Bond. Equally deft was the director’s decision in 1995 to hark back 30 years, nostalgically providing a DB5 for Bond’s use in “Goldeneye”.
No less than three different Aston Martins were employed during filming and this fourth example was used Read More
The loss of the Healey 3000 Mk III at the end of 1967 left a void in the six-cylinder sports car line-up. Sure, there was the Jaguar Series II XKE ($5,500 in 1969) and soon a new upstart from Japan, the Datsun 240Z, would show the world how much GT car $3,500 would buy. Still, a torquey, easy-to-repair pushrod six like the Healey was needed to fill the gap between cars below 2 liters (such as the MGB) and the Read More


text:
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Massa is on the attack. He has gone from being the accused, to playing the victim; and is now taking the more offensive stance of being the plaintiff. Not long after Massa spent forty-five minutes on a local radio talk show on Sunday, baring his soul about all-things-scandalous, did the main stream media pick up on the story.
The story, as told by Massa, goes something like this:
1. The congressman allegedly "harassed" a male staffer of his during a wedding reception New Year's Eve.
2. Another one of Massa's staff employees, apparently uncomfortable with what occurred, approached House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer regarding a "complaint."
3. Hoyer allegedly tells this staffer to officially bring said complaint to the House Ethics Committee, or "I'll be forced to do it" if you don't.
4. Complaint is made and investigation begins.
5. Massa, aware of the potential fallout, distances himself from the matter by stating his cancer has returned, and thus will be retiring in the near future.
6. The MSM picks up on the story (even though the Gov. Patterson and Charlie Rangel story gets most of the media's attention).
7. As more details are learned regarding the Massa issue, Massa goes on the offensive and appears on a talk radio program to 'clear the air.'
8. Rep. Massa explains his side of the story during the 'wedding' incident, goes on the record saying he is being 'forced out' of Congress by congressional leadership (Pelosi, Hoyer and others), and also implicates Rahm Emanuel as a co-conspirator for not supporting the president's health care bill.
9. The scandal has now became a full-blown 'he said, she said.'
For the record, Massa described the 'wedding' incident as follows:
"And I grabbed the staff member sitting next to me, and I said, 'What I really ought to be doing is fracking you,' and then [I] tussled the guy's hair and left, went to my room, because I knew the party was getting to the point where I shouldn't be there."
But Massa added more during his radio interview, describing White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and how he tried to pressure Massa to vote on Obama's budget:
“Rahm Emanuel is son of the devil’s spawn, Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) said. “He is an individual who would sell his mother to get a vote. He would strap his children to the front end of a steam locomotive…I am showering, naked as a jaybird, and here comes Rahm Emanuel, not even with a towel wrapped around his tush, poking his finger in my chest, yelling at me.”
Rep. Massa goes on to explain the reasons he's resigning his seat:
"You have my apology and you have my resignation, because I'm a human being, but I will not go quietly into the evening. I will not be ashamed of my actions, other than the fact that I used inappropriate, verbal - V-E-R-B-A-L - language," he said. "And I was set up for this from the very, very beginning. If you think that somehow they didn't come after me to get rid of me because my vote is the deciding vote on the health-care bill, then, ladies and gentlemen, you live today in a world that is so innocent as to not understand what is going on in Washington, D.C."
Massa also denied on the radio show that he is gay. "Ask my wife - I think she can answer that question," he said.
And the saga is only going to get a lot spicier as the Progressive Massa is scheduled to appear on Fox News' Glenn Beck show Tuesday night for an entire hour. Rush Limbaugh has also chimed in saying this will become the cause celebre for Republicans to exploit the Democrats' oft-suspected behind-closed-doors attitude about the health care debate.
Yet, the million dollar question still remains: Why did Massa resign if he is innocent? Nobody is forcing him out. Thus, Massa's veracity will be challenged by everyone. Wouldn't it be just retribution to stay on as congressman while the Ethics Committee conducts its investigation? After all, 99% of all politicians hang on until Satan himself is at the door before throwing in the towel (read: Nixon, Clinton and Mark Foley).
We'll just have to wait and see how this story unfolds. Innuendo, hyperbole and a lot of blog posts will surely follow. But the reality is that the former congressman is one ornery 'Massa-chist.'
Friday, March 5, 2010
Surely, Shakespeare and Wordsworth upon reading or hearing today's non-superfluous, economically-challenged tripe, would heretofore Go Postal!
To be honest with you, scribes and creative types should avoid today's colloquial phrases lest they be branded with what both Rush Limbaugh and Rahm Emanuel inexorably refer to as the gallactically retarded. I'm just saying.
I mean, at this point in time, it is imperative to, uhhh, think outside of the box. It's not like, umm, politicians are telling us about shovel-ready projects two or three times a day. And I'm not aksing for a Thucidydes-like orator to bowl me over with rhetoric once practiced on the steps of the Parthenon.
Enough with the histrionics, already! And wipe that incredulous smirk off of your face and vote up or down on this matter.
But, at the end of the day, LOL, it is what it is. So, Dude! I thank you for raising the bar and like, uhhh, keeping it real, all in the name of clarity and conciseness.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Remember the John Grisham novel that spurred the 1996 movie 'A Time to Kill?' And how Samuel L. Jackson portrayed the character Carl Lee Hailey - the man who shot and killed two White Supremacists in the courtroom after they allegedly brutally raped his 10-year-old daughter and left her for dead?
And how Matthew McConaughey played Carl's good friend and lawyer - Jake Tyler Brigance?
Well picture Obama at the HC Summit with the select few invitees sitting around the now-renowned square-shaped table in Blair House. With C-Span cameras rolling, and millions of Americans watching, Obama walks into the center of the arranged tables and asks everyone to please close their eyes. And in his best Obama dead-pan, instructs the cavalry of media: "Yeah...you guys too," pointing to the reporters, "you're all part of this...close your eyes." After some curious looks and some rustling amongst the crowd, Obama presciently and meticulously launches into his best Jake Brigance impersonation and tells the narrative of America, with its broken down health care system.
The president puts a human face on the story. He is able to smash preconceived notions and peel away the many ridiculous partisan innuendo that clouds the narrative. Everyone is listening intently, to his every word. He has a captive audience - a national captive audience at that.
And on cue, the main stream media breaks in from their regular broadcasting schedule for this palpable moment. Obama continues with his story, sounding like Morgan Freeman narrating a Pyrrhic Victory, and explains all that is fundamentally wrong with the system and does it in a way that crashes through the partisan bickering.
Soon thereafter, Congress, sullen from this awakening, promises to have a "come-to-Jesus meeting" and resolves to pass a bipartisan bill that will put the people first.
Fiction and Hollywood, I know, but one can only dream.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Mr. Obama delivered his, now very honed, post SOTU stump speech to the white and blue-collared New England crowd. He rolled up his sleeves after his ten-minute speech and took questions.
However, the questions were all about health care.
Likewise, today, in Henderson, Nevada, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D- NV) alongside, the President basically re-tweeted his New Hampshire and Elyria, Ohio speeches.
Obama was highly criticized after his SOTU speech - especially after the administration showed remarkable tone deafness regarding the Scott Brown 'Mass acre.' Thus, with introspection and trepidation, Mr. Obama subtly swung to the middle. But more importantly, he claimed - chief economic adviser Christine Romer claimed - Press Secretary Robert Gibbs claimed - and David Axelrod claimed that jobs were our number one priority.
Yet, inexplicably and under the guise of subterfuge, Obama boomeranged back to the merits of passing health care. When asked by a lifelong Nevada resident about the loss of jobs in the air line industry, and how she and her co-workers were all laid off from United Airlines, Obama, incredulously, tried to link health care to her plight.
Indeed the upcoming and much-awaited February, 25 (bipartisanship) Health Care Summit is around the corner. Thus, Obama is priming the pump and is strategically herding the Republicans into a corner.
With unemployment in Nevada around 13.5%, and with 1 in 4 homeowners in some fashion of foreclosure, the president continues with his intractable focus on health care reform. According to a Rasmussen poll, 61% of respondents say Congress should scrap the health care bill all together. Likewise, 19% of voters say it is only somewhat likely that the Democrats and Republicans will agree on a bipartisan health care plan this year. More telling is that 80% think it is unlikely to pass at all.
And although month-over-month job losses are shrinking vis-a-vis mid-2009, this is one of the worst jobless recoveries in history. With less people in the workforce, employees are working harder. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal productivity in the U.S. is up 6.2% for the fourth quarter of 2009. However, there are still 14.8 million Americans unemployed as of January, 2010.
More troubling is the rate of unemployment for teens and blacks - 26.4% and 16.5%, respectively. Vice-President Biden and the Obama administration have continually touted job creation at 2 million; all of these 'created' or 'saved' jobs were because of the Stimulus Plan (The Recovery and Reinvestment Act). However, even the White Houses' own recovery.gov Web site shows only 655,00 jobs created.
The job situation is only going to get worse before it gets better - all economic indicators as well as anecdotal evidence point to that conclusion.
Don Peck, of The Atlantic, writes in his March, 2010 article about the effects of joblessness:
"There is unemployment, a brief and relatively routine transitional state that
results from the rise and fall of companies in any economy, and there is unemployment - chronic, all-consuming. The former is a necessary
lubricant in any engine of economic growth. The latter is a pestilence that
slowly eats away
at people, families, and, if it
spreads widely enough, the fabric of society.
Indeed, history suggests
it is perhaps
society's most noxious ill."
Obama and company spent thirteen months pursuing health care reform in Congress - all to the detriment of millions of Americans who are out of work or are underemployed. If you promised that jobs and the economy were your top priority in 2009 and you did not deliver, why are you repeating your mistake and ignoring the people again in 2010?
Besides, does anyone really believe Obama's visit can catapult Harry Reid to victory in November? The president's magic sure didn't help in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
9. The Golf Channels' ratings are tanking during Olympics.
8. He wants to announce to the world that he is the new de facto leader of the Tea Party.
7. He wants to come clean about his one-night-stand with Rielle Hunter (aka mistress #17).
6. He wants to brag about the $2 million he donated to the Haiti relief fund.
5. Jesper Parnevik dared him to.
4. Wanted to reinforce idea that HE still controls the media.
3. He wants to announce his newest sponsor: Viagra!
2. Elin told him to get the F*#$ out of the house!
1. To announce that he was chosen to be next season's Bachelor!
9. 'Snowmaggeden' brings the most shovel-ready jobs to the east coast since FDR's New Deal.
8. Umar Farouk Mutalleb was 'Mirandized' creating 1 defense attorney and 500 White House PR folk.
7. Allusions to Scott Brown's Chevy pick-up truck spurs hiring of additional shift of employees at GM truck plant.
6. 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' agenda will SAVE US Military 13,478 jobs.
5. Recovery.gov Web site cost approximately $18 million to create.
4. Ellen DeGeneres gets hired on 'American Idol,' but keeps her day job.
3. Biden's one idea: Move 'Jersey Shore' from NYC to Miami Beach and give Snookie a makeover.
2. Tea Partiers hold conventions, town hall meetings and marches throughout US - Denny's and Motel 6 Ecstatic!
1. The White House buys GM and Chrysler!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
And like all good mysteries, I am going to make a stab at debunking all of the rumors and go: Bernstein and Woodward on finding out the identities of these pol scribes (I dare not use the ridiculous James O'Keefe investigative journalism tactics, however).
I know that they registered their DE2010 site on January 8, 2010 at GoDaddy! I also have a very strong hunch that these Op-Ed guys (or gals) are most likely from downstate - probably Sussex County.
Here are some of my first educated guesses:
Friends of thy Honorable John Carney
More to follow. I still need to cull bits and pieces of clues from their 'comment' posts (e.g., the one recent post from amerada hess asking the administrator on a presumptuous date at Toscana's). Hint: "BTW...Where's Toscana?...I'm not familiar with that place?" tells me you're not from New Castle County.
At any rate, the site is a fun place to go for Delaware politicos. If any DE2010.com readers have any more clues to divulge about the publisher/writers of said Web site, please post them in the comment section below.
Senator Evan Bayh (D-Ind) knew he would be vilified after his press conference where he announced to a stunned nation that he's had enough of Congress - especially the partisanship and gridlock. This two-time Governor of Indiana knew he would have detractors from all sides, given the gravity - and especially - the timing of his announced departure.
After all, the Democratic Party, as well as the Obama Administration, are barely firing on three cylinders as it is.
And before Democratic National Committee chairman Tim Kaine, along with Obama and his inner circle of strategists can stop the world from spinning for a moment, they will have to develop a real game plan, lest this administration ends up resembling a certain peanut farmer.
Mr. Bayh is following his heart. After all, is there really a good time to quit anything? Political Science professors, colleagues, pundits and bloggers alike are quickly writing their very own narrative. That is the game in Washington. Win. Lose. Or quit. It doesn't matter, someone will tell you why your decision ruined their life or made it grand.
Ultimately, Bayh's real message is the one in which he's been trying to make for a while now: We should be solving problems and we should be civil servants, not fodder for journalists, bloggers and broadcasters. Arrogance and polarization aren't welcome during such trying times.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Here is my agenda
Here I spew my spout
When I get all pissed off
Hear me shout:
Give me lots of money
So we can vote them out!
While the Washington, D.C. area is being pummeled with what Barack Obama calls Snowmagedden, another storm of sorts has materialized over Tennessee.
But unlike the high winds and piles of snow back east, Nashville, Tennessee is hosting its very own climatic event - the first-ever Tea Party Nation Convention. Grassroots types need not apply, however. And that is one of the characteristics of the storm enveloping the Volunteer state.
You see, the "official" TPN organization is a for-profit operation. Judson Phillips, a little-known Tennessee trial lawyer, along with his wife Sherry Phillips, have clashed over what constitutes the core Tea Party movement, and more importantly, who should guide it and how.
Four of the early organizers of Phillips' TPN event have resigned in protest. Moreover, these grassroots organizers have created their own convention to counter the perceived shift away from the very essence of its being - that of a grassroots movement. Joe Q. Public doesn't care about fancy Surf-n-Turf dinners at a glitzy Opryland hotel, they want a voice.
According to reporting done by Kenneth P. Vogel of the web site Politico:
The coalition recently held its own, less lavish convention at which it
formalized a mission statement drafted by 58 delegates from around the state. It
states "our objective is to restore the United States Constitution to that
direct authority which our Founders, and the Consent of the Governed, originally
intended," and calls it "the duty of the governed to take back the reins of
control, and to remove the shackles forged by our own apathy, that have chained
The language in that last sentence sounds vaguely familiar. Sounds a lot like a certain pundit on Fox News - the one who "didn't go to college," and the one who claims "I've been really reading a lot of history lately" about our country and its founding.
And the part about "restore the United States Constitution to that direct authority which our Founders, and the Consent of the Governed, originally intended," sounds like the typical straw man argument which people sometimes fall prey to.
It's also instructive to know that, since the so-called Main Stream Media (MSM), has treated this TPN convention with what could only be described as contempt, there are around 40 MSM folk at the convention. In fact, C-Span and Fox News are televising keynote speaker Sarah Palin's speech in its entirety.
And speaking about what most right-leaning bloggers would label the MSM, Andrew Breitbart's BigJournalism.com, notwithstanding, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann has all but bought the pitch forks and torches when talking about the Tea Party movement. His favorite pejorative retort is "Teabaggers," or simply "Baggers," when he is especially incensed.
Politicos' Vogel reported yesterday that Olbermann, opining about the TPN's lead-off convention speaker, Tom Tancredo, a former congressman from Colorado and Republican presidential candidate, declared, American values are under siege from the "cult of multiculturalism," as well as "Islamification," and asserted President Barack Obama was elected because "we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country."
It's no wonder why the Tea Party grassroots gang is upset now. 1) They aren't the type of folks who pay $539 to attend a grassroots convention; 2) the whole reason for having a grassroots Tea Party is to keep the Washington establishment out; 3) and analogous to another Juggernaut first-ever convention - the Daily Kos convention for bloggers in Las Vegas in 2006, there is a real anger that is sometimes palpable as to the relevancy of today's MSM.
The New Yorker Magazine recently wrote about the Tea Party and who is attempting to co-opt it. It's becoming apparent that maybe the new, Gang of Four, who rejected the movement on the grounds that the MSM is too involved, and views the national Republicans, Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann alike, as Carpetbaggers to the movement. A closer look at the Nashville Convention reveals a Fringe Element as well.
Thus, in the second stanza of this famous children's jingle:
I'm a clever Teabagger
Yes it's true
Here let me show you
What I can spew
I can shape my audience
Hear me shout:
I am Glenn Beck
And that's what I'm about!
The TPS is now a world-renowned system. It is followed, in varying iterations, across a myriad of sectors of society; it is utilized in hospitals, multi-national sales organizations and even governments cull bits and pieces of this ingenious system that strives for excellence one small fix at a time. 'Continuous Improvement' is the goal - not every week or even every day, but every minute.
From Bombay to Buenos Aires, the TPS has increased productivity, decreased cost and, more importantly, increased quality. Over one-hundred books have been published on the subject.
Japanese engineer Taiichi Ohno is the pioneer who developed the system. And Eiiji Toyoda, the Japanese industrialist who would champion and lead the "Toyota Way,' would encourage such philosophies.
Flash forward to now. Toyota is facing what was once thought of as inconceivable - failure. Failure of quality, failure of safety and failure of one of the most important tenets of the Toyota philosophy - failure to protect the customer because of the lack of problem solving. In fact, Toyota's system of waste elimination, just-in-time delivery, visual management and built-in-quality has always been so good that they rarely have had to deal with such a public relations and management crisis.
4.5 million vehicles have been recalled across the globe. Worse, the original problem of gas pedals sticking because of improperly designed floor mats, has morphed into an actual mechanical problem with the pedal mechanism itself. At times, it seemed as though the grand masters of engineering and problem solving weren't exactly sure what the problem was. And before Toyota's team could get out in front of the story, the problem became what advertisers refer to as going 'virile.'
Now the venerable icon of smart engineering and green technology - the Prius - is having brake problems. Toyota sold 270,000 Prius' last year, but has yet to announce an official recall.
Talk about stop-and-go marketing.
Toyota has been clawing to become the world's No. 1 automaker for over a decade. They tirelessly did everything possible to ascend to the crown which General Motors held for more than half a century. Toyota now sees the torment in what was their unwavering redlining to draft the Chevy's and Pontiac's for so long. Toyota has slingshoted themselves into the lead. But at what cost?
The 'Quiet' Giant Speaks
Toyota President Akio Toyoda finally addressed the media regarding the recalled vehicle crisis. Even the Japanese media and government have voiced their displeasure with Toyota's handling of the problem.
The top Nikkei business daily said in a editorial that "words are not enough." The reporter also said that "The company's crisis management ability is being subjected to severe scrutiny." Another criticism came from the nationwide Asahi newspaper which calls Toyota's delayed reaction to the crisis "Utterly too late." It says, "The entire world is watching how Toyota can humbly learn from its series of recent failures and make safe cars."
Mr. Toyoda promised to beef up its quality control and said he would head a special committee to review quality checks, go over consumer complaints and listen to outside experts to develop a fix. That last comment is unprecedented. Imagine the President of Toyota Motor Corp. asking for 'outside help?' In the annals of engineering and problem solving, for Toyota to have to ask for help is heresy. The Japanese just don't make blunders such as these.
To be sure, this will be a leadership moment for Toyota. They have a unique opportunity to show the world what real leadership is. Remember how Johnson & Johnson dealt with the Tylenol crisis? It was genius - tell the truth, do what's in the best interest of the customer and develop a robust containment plan - a Toyota Commission of sorts - to answer any and all critics. After all, the best defense is a good offense.
Since its founding in the early part of the 20th century, Toyota has been anything but a stalwart company - it has redefined entrepreneurship and innovation. A whole South Korean automobile industry has grown out of Toyota's trailblazing efforts. In fact, Toyota's simple, but disciplined approach to manufacturing and production has changed the world in many ways
Thus, only by keeping the customer first and by learning from a large-scale failure, Toyota will hold true to its overriding principles: 'People' and 'Quality.' Hopefully Mr. Toyoda can live up to this 'Leadership Moment.'
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
After visiting a medium-sized company on the outskirts of town, Obama's security detail whisked him to the Nashua High School gymnasium where hundreds of citizens awaited. He was there to espouse his plan for job creation, much like he outlined in Tampa, Florida and Elyria, Ohio earlier.
The thing is, he keeps repeating himself.
Mr. Obama must've had a real affinity for his SOTU speech, because he keeps summarizing the Populist tones from the aforementioned speech over and over again - oftentimes using exact quotes. Of course today was groundhog day, so...
After what looked like another professorial speech that sometimes bordered on lecture, Obama in his new inimical way, was incredulous. He then proceeded to, figuratively and literally, roll up his sleeves before invoking a town hall Q&A session with the 'folks.'
We waited to hear some piercing questions for the president from the crowd. The first question came from a woman from Fairfield, Connecticut no less and it revolved around jobs. The woman had explained how she was a three-time cancer survivor who managed to "be one of the lucky ones" and was able to retire before her illness greatly affected her livelihood.
But she wanted Obama to give her an answer about how to grow jobs. Yet, Obama, after a sentence or two of congratulatory praises, inexorably thrusted himself into a fifteen minute answer as to why health care reform was necessary. It almost seemed as though this woman was a "plant" who was pre-scripted to throw Obama a leading question that would've propelled the president into the direction of HCR.
The president never once answered the substance of the original question.
Friday, January 29, 2010
This hyperlink bypasses the forced commercial ad. The clip is great because it's a summary of the Financial Meltdown; Ratigan is superb at explaining complicated issues in layman's terms.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Perhaps I did not have the 'audacity' to hope.
President Barack Obama began his speech with his requisite historical references about former statesmen of our great Republic as well as some of the pointed accomplishments of the 20th century. As a student of history, I always appreciate such historiography's. However it did not take long before Mr. Obama started with his ubiquitous, and often misleading, finger pointing.
Barack Obama cited all of the excessive spending from George W. Bush's administration and finished with "and this was all before I walked in the door," referring to the large deficit he inherited. Obama must not look in the rearview mirror. As John F. Kennedy once said:
"Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democrat's answer, but the right
answer. Let us not seek to fix blame for the past. Let us accept our own
responsibility for the future."
Continuous blame of the previous administration wears thin after you hear it for twelve months or more. No, my wish was for the president to sprinkle in a lot more contrition regarding his own failures as a leader. Indeed, George W. Bush was never contrite about the wrongheadedness of the Iraq war - especially the embarrassment after Hans Blix and company could not find any evidence of weapons of mass destruction.
Why would Obama want to juxtapose his credibility alongside W's? When you are wrong, you are wrong - it's that simple. And the people get that.
And besides, the fact that Obama came out swinging right away about the need to create jobs only solidifies his mismanagement of the previous year. During his inauguration speech in January, 2009, Obama reminded us that his unwavering "priority" was that of the economy and job creation. To now say "it is my number one priority for 2010," rings hollow. This commitment is woefully late.
President Obama did manage to articulate a few nice surprises, however. For example, his allusion to building nuclear plants and raising the specter of off-shore oil drilling was definitely a surprise. Likewise, Obama's position on capital gains tax relief for small business and other tax cuts will surely stimulate the job engine that is small business.
However, the most egregious comment of the night was when he politicized the recent Supreme Court ruling [Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission] that was only a week or so old. With Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr and the balance of the Supreme Court facing Obama in the first row of the congressional chamber, he all but threatened to quickly reverse the de-facto nature of the ruling by professing he would create legislation to counter the effects of the court's ruling.
To be sure, there is absolutely nothing wrong with debating or commenting negatively about Supreme Court cases; however, the SOTU address was not the time and place.
The President here-to-fore needs to posit a mea culpa and apologize to the Supreme Court forthwith.
Mr. Obama's tone seemed to wander back and forth, appeasing the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and then blaming the very same Dems for not putting the country before their own interests.
The President of The United States had a difficult task tonight. He had to find a way to close the credibility gap that he's created over the last twelve months. His task was daunting. He's damned if he addresses Wall Street and bankers in a pejorative tone; and, he's damned if he doesn't realize the overall importance of big banks for the good of the nation's economy.
Sadly, he resorted to too much finger pointing, excuses and a continued insistence of polarization between the two parties. One-party rule begets legislation that is bad for the Republic.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
No, he will not be pulling out his BlackBerry and ringing C-Span's Brian Lamb and inviting him into the hallowed, but generally, secretive halls of Congress. Instead, Mr. Obama has dispatched himself aboard Air Force One; and his flight-plan led to the very epicenter of the Rust Belt.
It couldn't of been too soon, either. And while his plane still idled at a nearby Ohio airport, President Obama visited a few blue-collar factories and met with some ordinary folk.
He talked with students at the Loraine County Community College and even made an impromptu stop at a local diner.
He got a little angry too. Obama invoked the word "fight" at least twenty times during his speech to the job-stricken townspeople of Elyria, Ohio. I "will never stop fighting," said Obama.
The 'Transparency' was - well, obvious.
Senator-Elect Scott Brown had only four days earlier, put the Democratic Party, and Obama specifically, on notice. Obama quickly understood, even before Martha Coakley conceded to Brown, that Massachusetts did not buy his message.
Instead of the 'Audacity of Hope,' Obama had the audacity to pejoratively diss Scott Brown's pick-up truck.
Obama should of learned a lesson from some of the 'other' Rust Belt types. The same way Wagoner, Nardelli and Mulally surely learned their valuable lesson after being questioned during Congressional hearings on their respective management styles. Imagine Obama driving an old Ford F-150 into town - with 'SEIU' and 'Yes We Can' stickers emblazoned on the rear cabin glass.
Fox News and the rest of the media would have eaten him alive for such a stunt. Of course, save for the 'rest of the media,' Fox News already eats Obama alive.
No, the Obama Administration's "It's the Economy, Stupid," and "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs," came out of their anemic political playbook. A playbook that looks about as good as the Washington Redskins' playbook looked this season. The fans knew that Jim Zorn's strategy was way off after the first few games of the season. Similarly, the voters knew, especially those without employment, that Obamacare would never lead them to the Super Bowl - or at least away from the local unemployment line.
Now, Mr Obama is enlisting his Brett Favre back onto the field. Axelrod, Emanuel and Jarrett have been temporarily benched - or at least put on injured reserve. David Plouffe, his former campaign manager, will be taking the snaps from center now.
And that is where the administration will be headed - to the center - much like former President Clinton had to do early in his first term. Obama will spare no expense for Mr. Plouffe. The Obama team may even get creative and align themselves with the 'netroots' crowd and other anti-Washington types.
After all, President Obama and his administration will have to worry about a lot more than filibusters and cloture votes. They will have to worry about a 1994 mid-term election repeat. And David Plouffe will be Obama's main don't-want-a-'94-repeat-strategist-in-chief while he works the politics behind the scenes of the Democratic National Committee.
It is yet to be seen if Plouffe and his team can indoctrinate the DNC with Rovian magic, or if Obama himself will force some of his closest advisers out of his inner circle.
One thing is for sure. He should listen to the people outside of Washington for advice. And he should finally acknowledge the 800-pound gorilla that's been camping out in the Oval Office over the last twelve months.
He need not retrench himself back into the very partisan dogma for which he has here-to-fore perfunctorily dismissed earlier in his presidency.
Contrition goes a long way, in fact.
In 2008, the electorate voted for the anti-Bush candidate, to pull troops out of Iraq and to bring a new leadership back into Washington. Health care reform was never a mandate - it was a long-held personal ideological goal that Obama had and thus pushed upon Congress, the media and the citizenry. Obama, Congress and the left-leaning media pushed so hard that Populists, Independents and the Tea Party gang shook their collective heads and forged a grass-roots coalition against what they felt was a kamikaze-like arrogance that Team Obama had perpetrated.
In his Jan. 24, 2010 Op-Ed piece in the Washington Post, Plouffe's main point failed the smell test. He claims that the health care reform bill will bring jobs. "We own the bill and the health-care votes," says Plouffe. He also calls it "a good plan that's become a demonized caricature."
More problematic for Plouffe and Obama is that a Nor'easter that developed along the Virginia coast and turned into Hurricane Mitch, sweeping unapologetically through New Jersey and making landfall in the Bay State. The political winds had shifted and the administration seems tone deaf to political reality.
David Plouffe needs the political will to confront White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel if he is to avoid a Pyrrhic victory. Plouffe must stop the ridiculousness of the administration's current trajectory and reorient his bosses' strategy if they are to end the harbinger that awaits in the 2010 mid-terms in November.
Plouffe's task is way more than "getting back on message," or refocusing the president's talking points. Obama must come clean with the American people, streamline his rhetoric about the denizens of Wall Street and avoid platitudes, arguments ad-metum and his ubiquitous populistic approach for which he is headed.
Someone needs to tell the president to put down his pitchfork and invite the Republicans to a seat at the table.
Because his current offense desperately needs some first downs before it can make its way to the playoffs.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Toyota, Honda, Porsche and even Volkswagen are none too happy. Barack Obama, Congress and countless other pundits are quick to mention or quip about the so-called "Cadillac' health care plans that many citizens have, notwithstanding Congress and Unions alike.
Why not call them 'Lexus' plans...'Acura' plans...or 'Porsche' plans. Heck, even Hyundai has a segment-winning luxury car named 'Genesis.' Why not Hyundai?
So, for all of the UAW, SEIU and other labor-loving groups out there - you're getting some darn good free advertising.
I think the 'Cadillac' moniker was a political gift from the earlier pro 'Card-Check' gang for giving up on some of the possible benefits from the Employee Free Choice Act bill - H.R. 1409 and S. 560.
His parents hail from Yemen.
He was born in Las Cruces, N.M. in 1971. His father, a highly educated scholar who studied in the United States, later went on to become the president of a Yemeni University.
His name is Anwar al-Awlaki. He has a B.S. in civil engineering from Colorado State University, an M.A. in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University and was pursuing post graduate studies in Education and Human Development from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. before he decided to pursue 'other' endeavors.
His looks are deceiving. He is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs a mere 160 pounds. He wears Harry Potter glasses and, like hundreds-of-millions of other religious men, he sports the ubiquitous muslim beard. Awlaki has taught in holy Mosques in San Diego, Northern Virginia, Colorado and London. He's also very smart - he uses FaceBook, e-mail, videos and other social media tools to foment radical Islamic fundamentalism - exclusively directed to the western world - specifically - the US.
He's also been a close compatriot of "the blind sheik," Omar Abdel Rahman, who is in prison for the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. He has been a practicing Imam in at least four Muslim Mosques known for radical fundamentalism.
He has basically written the Islamic fundamentalist's book for 'lone-wolf-terrorists.' He reaches out seductively online through web sites and other media. He espouses 'higher-jihad.' And makes those lost or confused in their Islamic faith think about their true mission for Allah. He becomes their spiritual leader (aka - terrorist advisor).
Two 9/11 hijackers prayed and privately met with Awlaki in San Diego and Virginia prior to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Additionally, Awlaki had meaningful e-mail communications with Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan. Finally, Awlaki has been implicated to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab - who is blamed for the 2009 Christmas Day terrorist attempt on Northwest Airlines flight 253 to Detroit, Mich.
Why hasn't these connections resulted in Awlaki being arrested, hunted down or killed?
In October of 2002, the FBI had an arrest warrant out for Awlaki for a low-level passport fraud. He'd already been linked to numerous web sites as a serious Al-Qaeda recruiter. He's highly educated in both engineering, theory and education; moreover, he's fluent in English and he uses his religious speeches as a recruiting tool for any wannabe Jihadist.
Yet, his 2002 arrest warrant was dropped by the FBI on a "technicality."
Awlaki has also been very influential in the United Kingdom within radicalized sects of young Muslims. He has been banned from the UK since around 2004 after having numerous ties to al-Qaeda and other radicals.
He is currently in Yemen and believed to have survived a recent attack from US-backed Yemeni forces. If he indeed survived, what better place than Yemen to continue his focus on recruitment and even operational terrorism.
Yemen has been dealing with political unrest and civil war for over a decade now. It is a very poor nation - a nation where approximately 60 percent of its population is under the age of twenty. Talk about a recruitment bonanza!
Yemen's government, like many portions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, lacks control of portions of its nation. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and his Cabinet are trying to unite this religiously polarized nation - a nation that has been ripe for terrorist activities since before the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole.
Yemen is afraid of too much US involvement, especially any military presence. The leadership fears the US military will enliven al-Qaeda and other radical fundamentalist groups. Yet the Yemeni government needs outside help.
Like many Middle Eastern countries that are poor and struggle to control its population, Yemen needs assistance. The country's geography is rough, much like Afghanistan's. They need helicopters to be able to traverse the mountainous terrain to track terrorist training camps that are in at least two southern provinces.
Yemen is one of a handful of places around the globe that has become fertile ground for continued hatred and terror for the US and other western countries where, according to fundamentalist propaganda, 'infidels' rein.
More troubling is the fact that he's become the de-facto leader on the Arabian Peninsula where he has reinvigorated the terrorist group 'Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula' - or AQAP. This new terrorist training outpost has become a magnet for non-middle eastern youth. These sometimes disaffected youth come to learn the Arabic language and study the Koran, but end up being pawns in an ever-growing chessboard of strategic jihad.
Awlaki must be stopped. He should be categorized as the No. 3 target of al-Qaeda for the CIA.


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Swords for Adventure
- My goal is to have a weekly D&D game that is enjoyable for everyone.
- Magic Items are rare and special.
- Generating character ability scores can be done by choosing the matrix, using the point buy, or rolling the scores on the first meeting of the campaign before the DM and peers (The dice will be played as rolled).
- Any of the races, classes, backgrounds are acceptable. We will be playing with feats. Humans can use the variable build (two +1s to ability scores, a feat and an additional skill proficiency).
- Traits, Motivation, Bonds, and Flaws should be selected prior to the first session. I will have a template for you to fill out about your character that should be mailed back to me at your convince. You will receive +10% experience for each session you have it complete for the first five sessions. A penalty of -10% experience will be delivered for every session after the 6th until it is done.
- There will be a simple house ruled critical wound system in place for wounds that send you under 0 HP. They will represent lingering/some times long term wounds.
- I would like to avoid evil characters in the group. The heroic or mercenary high fantasy campaign is what I would prefer to run. As a group you can decide.
- Experience will be awarded on enemies overcome/thwarted, missions completed, situations handled, and how you play your traits, motivations, bonds and flaws.
- The campaign will be based on player skill. The dice will fall where they may. Player death will not be avoided for plot.
- Extra experience will be awarded for session reports with every one having a chance to write them.
- When rolling a new character after a death, the new character will start at the level of the lowest level character in the party with 0 XP.
- Multi-Class allowed. The only restriction are as follows:
1. You have to put three levels into a class prior to multi-classing.
2. When you multi-class, you have to put at least three levels into your new class prior to changing classes.
1. Shields Shall be Splintered
A character using a shield and having the shield proficiency can sacrifice the shield to negate one hit that causes bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage. The shield is destroyed after using the ability.
2. Identifying Items
To fully identify an item.
- Identify Spell.
- Lore Master in cities for coin or other tasks.
Identifying simple items or first tier abilities may come with owning and using the item for a few sessions or month of game time.
3. Thank you Commander!
When you speak out of character during combat to give advice about what someone should do or not to forget something (not on your action), you will gain the Thank you Commander! token. The token allows you to give advice to other around you at the table. You will be required to hand the token back to the GM as your characters action and bonus action. If it is your action and you are speaking to a character that can hear you in an in character manner then you will not receive the Thank you Commander! token.
4. Between Adventure Form.
Between Adventure Form
Character Between Adventure Check-list
The checklist will help you tell me what your character does between adventures. If you don’t send this in to me then I will auto choose you living the COMFORTABLE life style for the duration and doing nothing else. You can send it in up to the Thursday prior to the next game. The Check-list will be sent out in email form. It will also be available on Obsidian portal, as a wiki and a forum post.
I will present several options. That are all available to most of you.
You will choose your STANDARD OF LIVING FOR THE DURATION OF THE BREAK which are as follows (Cost is per day and auto deducted from your money):
[To select put an X between the ( ) on the single STANDARD you select, CHOOSE ONE.]
Poor 2 SP ( )
Modest 1 GP ( )
Comfortable 2 GP ( )
Wealthy 4 GP ( )
Aristocratic 10 GP ( ) *Might develop additional contacts.
For each two-week period you can spend it doing an ACTION. You can mix them or do the same thing. For each TWO WEEKS OF TIME YOU GET ONE X . Three weeks would give you three X’s to use on the ACTIONS you can do. Every X equals two weeks of spent time. Put the Xs between the ( ) of the ACTION you want to use. After the Xs you can also add notes that clarify what you are doing. The following actions are available:
( ) Carousing. Changes your lifestyle choice to wealthy. You will spend you time living the life, going to parties, taverns, gambling halls ect. Each Carousing choice will generate a ROLL ON THE CAROUSING table in the DMG. You might wake up in jail or win gold!
( ) Practicing a Profession. You spend time working to earn money. You can do this if your background demonstrates a way to earn money. Stealing is a way to make money.
( ) Recuperating. Spend time healing from a critical injury, a disease or other condition that requires rest to improve.
( ) Crafting Mundane Items. Spending time making mundane items. See players handbook. You must have something in your background or learned something as a character that would support you being able to make items.
( ) Training Skills. Spend you time learning a new skill from the skill list, a feat, or a proficiency. I will keep track in your character sheet on OP.
COST TO LEARN IN DAYS:
Single weapon proficiency: 4 weeks
Skill, language proficency or proficiency with tool: 8 weeks
Feat : 24 weeks
( ) Selling Magic Item. Spend time finding a buyer for magic items and selling them. Only will work in large towns, magic acadamies, and cities. Need to know the item. Characters with high renown with certain “organizations” or receiving help from a roguish character will increase chances. The other character would mark this as well and put the characters name they are helping in the ( ).
( ) Crafting Magic Items. See GM and DMG.
( ) Gain Renown. Gain renown with organizations, guilds, and groups.
( ) Performing Sacred Rites. Spending time performing sacred rites, rituals, church duties, communing with nature to generate an extra inspiration point that generates every down for a number of weeks based on time spent.
( ) Running a Business. Spend time running a business you already own to generate money. (Mines?)
5. The Indecision Countdown
When you are up to go in your turn if I am waiting on you for a few seconds, then I will prompt with, "What are you doing? …..5….4….3…2…..1……Bottom. If I get to this point in the count down then you will go to the bottom of the initiative track for the remainder of the battle. When you fail to act after a countdown after you have been moved to the bottom of the initiative stack then you will lose your actions this turn.

domain: game


text:
By: Mary Ann Cozza
Accounting, finance and other business majors gathered for an informational meeting last week at the UHD College of Business to learn about a new internship program through Accion Texas, the largest nonprofit microlender in the U.S.
The program is unique to UHD and provides a $2,000 stipend and 10 weeks of business experience to six student applicants chosen by COB faculty and Accion Texas staff.
Funds for the program were donated by Fred de Roode, Chairman and CEO of PPC LOAN and contributing founder of the UHD Insurance and Risk Management Center.
“I am a business owner and my entire career has been about lending money to help people succeed,” de Roode said. “My wife, Diane, and I wanted to give back and get the bright minds of UHD involved with lending money to small business people all over Houston.”
De Roode said he was very excited about this partnership and the opportunities it will bring to UHD students and the community. De Roode’s son David is a COB alumnus.
Students chosen for the program will work with Accion staff to build marketing and sales strategies for the Houston market and then execute some of those proposed strategies.
Criteria for applicants includes a 3.2 grade point average, 19 hours completed in the business degree and a spirit of entrepreneurship.
The program begins Feb. 24 and 25 with a microlending/microfinance bootcamp for all interested applicants and continues to April 28.

domain: finance


text:
Chinese eggs with colourfully painted birds and blossom
Hand painted, marble effect Chinese eggs in a set of four. Beautifully hand painted and in stunning detail, these marble effect Chinese eggs come with "oriental style" wooden stands. Decorated with Chinese birds and colourful oriental blossoms and flowers these eyecatching, hand painted Chinese eggs make a fantastic display piece in the home or workplace. Each set consists of four individually hand painted eggs, and the collection is housed in an oriental style presentation box.
Due to being hand painted, each egg may differ slightly from the above examples
Each individual Chinese egg is approximately 5cm in height
All rights, including copyright, in this web site are owned by or licensed to Jade Bagua Imports. Any use of the site or its contents, including copying or storing it or them in whole or part, other than for your own personal, non-commercial use is prohibited without the permission of Jade Bagua Imports.


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Even after losing the weight and exercising regularly, you may still struggle with pockets of fat that just won’t budge no matter how many crunches or lunges you do. John Scaffidi, MD, FABOM, FACOG, and Maneesh Ailawadi, MD, FSSO, at Lehigh Valley Weight Loss, with offices in Allentown and Easton, Pennsylvania, have a solution to help shape your body and get rid of those unwanted pockets of fat: Smartlipo. This minimally invasive form of liposuction uses advanced laser technology to melt fat away. To learn more about Smartlipo, call the office today or request an appointment online.
What is Smartlipo?
Smartlipo is a minimally invasive liposuction procedure that uses advanced laser technology to help get rid of unwanted pockets of fat on your body. The weight-loss specialists at Lehigh Valley Weight Loss can use Smartlipo to get rid of fat from your:
- Waist and abdomen
- Face and neck
The laser treatment melts the fat, and a special suction tube whisks it away for an immediate improvement in your shape.
Am I a good candidate for Smartlipo?
Your specialist at Lehigh Valley Weight Loss determines if you’re a good candidate for Smartlipo after a consultation. It’s not meant to serve as a weight loss tool, but to help get rid of the stubborn pockets of fat that don’t respond to your diet and exercise program.
If you’re struggling to lose weight, Drs. Scaffidi and Ailawadi are weight-loss experts that can devise a plan to help you achieve your weight-loss goals using a number of proven techniques, both medical and surgical.
What can I expect during Smartlipo?
Smartlipo is a minimally invasive procedure conducted at the Lehigh Valley Weight Loss office under local anesthesia. Treatment time varies but takes about one to two hours. During your Smartlipo session, your surgical specialist inserts the thin laser instrument into the fatty tissue, which disrupts the cells and destroys them. Then, the fat is gently suctioned away through a special tube or cannula.
You will not feel any discomfort during Smartlipo treatment because you receive a local anesthetic. However, you may feel a little sore after treatment when the anesthesia wears off, much like after a heavy workout. The compression garments provided by your specialist may help ease your discomfort.
Due to the nature of the procedure, you may be advised to take it easy for a day or two, but should be able to resume your usual activities after that. Your specialist provides specific activity guidelines based on the procedure and your medical history.
You should notice an improvement in your shape immediately following your session, with continued improvements as the swelling goes down.
Are the results permanent?
Yes, the results from your Smartlipo treatment are permanent. Once the fat is removed, it won’t come back. However, the specialists at Lehigh Valley Weight Loss recommend you continue to follow your healthy diet and exercise program to maintain your trimmer look.
To schedule your Smartlipo consultation, call Lehigh Valley Weight Loss today or request an appointment online.


Despite its admirable reliability, the Toyota Avensis has always been a left-field large car choice, when buyers can choose from the sharp-handling Ford Mondeo, the good value Vauxhall Insignia and stylish Mazda 6. However, Toyota has now updated the Avensis saloon and estate, in attempt to win more buyers from rival manufacturers.
Tweaks for the updated car, which is set to appear at the Geneva motor show in early March, include a new range of engines, which the company promises will offer strong performance and economy and more appealing exterior styling than before. Other changes aim to boost both comfort and safety levels.
Prices for the updated Avensis should start at around £18,000.
Though Toyota hasn’t revealed many details about the facelifted Avensis, it is likely that this significant update will include BMW-sourced engines, including the 1.6-litre diesel motor fitted to the Verso MPV. The ageing range of 1.8-litre petrol and 2.0 and 2.2-litre diesel motors are likely to be axed, with the possibility of new turbocharged petrol units being introduced. Since Toyota already offers a range of hybrid models, a petrol-electric Avensis isn’t out of the question either.
On the outside Toyota’s large car will feature new headlights and bumpers and a restyled bonnet, bringing its styling in line with the rest of the Toyota range, while changes under the skin should offer increased levels of comfort and refinement.
Further information about the new Avensis is expected to be announced at the Geneva motor show, with the refreshed models predicted to arrive in UK showrooms in the summer. Prices and specifications are set to be released later this year.
February 16, 2015


It has been a fruitful year for Apple enthusiasts. With the tech giant dropping its lineup one after one, 2020 proved to be the year of great technological advancements. Late into Tuesday, the company unveiled the AirPods Max, featuring incredible high-fidelity audio, Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancellation, along with spatial audio. The product is not only one of the most premium offerings by Apple so far but is also the first of its kind under the earphones umbrella.
More about AirPods Max
Available in attractive colours (space grey, silver, sky blue, green, and pink), the AirPods Max promise to provide an "exceptional acoustic performance" for each user. The product comes with a 40-mm Apple-designed dynamic driver for deep bass, accurate mid-range, and crisp, a clean high-frequency extension so that you can hear every note possible. Here are some more highlights of the AirPods Max:
• Adaptive EQ: AirPods Max use Adaptive EQ to adjust the sound to the fit and seal of the ear cushions by measuring the sound signal delivered to a user.
• Active Noise Cancellation: Each ear cup features three outward-facing microphones to detect environmental noise, while one microphone inside the ear cup monitors the sound reaching the listener's ear.
• Transparency Mode: Users can switch to Transparency mode to simultaneously listen to music while hearing the environment around them. Switching between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode can be done with a single press using the noise control button.
• Spatial Audio: Using the gyroscope and accelerometer in AirPods Max and iPhone or iPad, spatial audio tracks the motion of a user's head as well as the device, compares the motion data, then remaps the sound field so it stays anchored to the device, even as the user's head moves.
Battery life: Up to 20 hours
Pricing: INR 59,900
Availability: Apple.com, Apple-authorised re-sellers
Social media spur
Although the premium headphones have a lot to offer within its stipulated price tag, Twitter users were left in splits over the memes being shared on the micro-blogging site. Here are some of them:


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Why Do I Need To Start A Probate?
The answer is because you need your deceased loved one’s signature to transfer property.
If your mom or dad died and they owned a home not in a trust, in the name “John Smith” or “Mary Smith” when they die, the only person who can sign anything for the home would be “John Smith” or “Mary Smith.”
Now that they are gone, somebody has to have the legal authority to take care of that property, especially if the children plan to sell the home. Those net proceeds will be distributed to the children as part of the probate estate.
No one can sell the property until the probate is opened and the executor or administrator is appointed by the court is given authority to act on behalf of the estate and sign legal documents.
If you are ready to start your case, then please give us a call or fill out our Get Help Now form. If you want a comprehensive overview of California Probate, then click here. If you have more questions about trust litigation, then you will find plenty of useful information in our Learning Center.

domain: law


text:
Ski resort california map. Locations of california ski resorts and map of all california ski areas. Thanks to a wide variety of terrain spread out across the state california skiers and snowboarders often travel up to eight hours to get their fix of snow. This map of california ski resorts shows each mountains location within the region in relation to other ski areas nearby major cities. February 21 2017 clemens durgan uploads ski resorts in california map.
California ski resorts california has the largest population of any state in the us and it may just boast the biggest personalities in the ski world. Ski california see lake tahoe snow reports if sunshine convenience and tons of off mountain activities top your ski vacation docket a california ski trip will please. In the list of the best ski resorts in california the ski resort mammoth mountain is top with 44 out of 5 stars. Squaw valley mammoth kirkwood heavenly and more.
California overview best ski resorts packages ski resorts in california the huge powder dumps and warmer temperatures compared to the bitterly cold weather in utah and colorado have put california on the ski map. More over the ski resorts in california map. Find ski resorts in california. California ski resort map location directions and distances to nearby california resorts.

domain: hobby


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One of the beloved traditions in the Logic & Rhetoric Schools are our class trips. After a three-year COVID hiatus, the trips joyfully resumed this year with seventh and eighth grades spending two nights in Baltimore and Washington, D.C, 10th and 11th visiting Charleston for three nights, and 11th and 12th taking the train to New York City. “I love how these trips combine both class bonding and academics," said Principal Christopher Webb. "It is really neat to see curiosity bringing students together.”
In New York, students had four full days exploring and visited Ellis Island (where some students found the names of their ancestors on the Wall of Honor), Central Park, the 9/11 Memorial, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and so much more. The highlight of the trip for many of the students was watching the Broadway musical Hadestown. “I hope that the sheer vitality, dynamism, and magnitude of the city made an impression,” said teacher and chaperone Justin Keller. “I trust that these memories will provide grist for discussion at school as we consider questions such as worldview, the cultural mandate, and human nature.”
In Baltimore and Washington, students visited the Aquarium, the Spy Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the Bible, and the memorials on the National Mall. Highlights of Charleston included seeing dolphins off the ferry to Ft. Sumter and the Old Slave Mart Museum. “Charleston is a heavier trip because of how entrenched slavery was in the city,” said Mr. Webb. “At the Old Slave Mart Museum our tour guide introduced herself as the third generation descended from a slave sold at the site.” A big thank you to all the teachers and chaperones who made these trips a success!


text:
Inon Ace by Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Dosage form: tablet
Ingredients: magnesium hydroxide 60mg, SILODRATE 200mg, SIMETHICONE 20mg
Labeler: Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
NDC Code: 49873-402
Disclaimer: Most OTC drugs are not reviewed and approved by FDA, however they may be marketed if they comply with applicable regulations and policies. FDA has not evaluated whether this product complies.
Active ingredients (in each tablet)
Magnesium Aluminosilicate 200 mg
Magnesium Hydroxide 60 mg
Simethicone 20 mg
Magnesium Aluminosilicates Antacid
Magnesium Hydroxide Antacid
Uses relieves these symptoms
■heartburn ■acid indigestion ■sour stomach
■upset stomach and gas associated with these symptoms
Enter section text here
Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if you are
■ taking a prescription drug. Antacids may interact with certain prescription drugs
When using this product
- do not take more than 9 tablets in 24-hours period or use the maximum dosage of this product for more than 2 weeks, except under the advice and supervision of a physician.
- may have a laxative effect
If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use.
Keep out of reach of children.
■adults and children 12 years of age and over: Take 3 tablets with water 3 times daily between meals and at bedtime, or as directed by a doctor.
■children under 12 years: Ask a doctor.
■each tablet contains: sodium 8 mg, magnesium 35 mg
■do not purchase if printed seal with “sato” is broken or missing from top or bottom of carton.
Inactive ingredients caramel, colloidal silicon dioxide, croscarmellose sodium, flavor, hydroxypropyl cellulose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, synthetic iron oxide
magnesium aluminosilicates, magnesium hydroxide, simethicone tablet
|Labeler - Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (690575642)|
|Sato Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.||715699133||manufacture(49873-402), label(49873-402), pack(49873-402)|
Medically reviewed on Nov 16, 2018
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.