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"It's over, it's done, and I'm moving on." -- Chris Christie, reassuring potential donors in Utah on June 14th
Back on planet Reality, meanwhile, Paul Fishman, the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, wades through the sewage of Christie's stewardship. Two sources with intimate knowledge of the case say Fishman's pace is quickening -- he has empaneled a second grand jury, and the U.S. Justice Department has sent assistant prosecutors and FBI agents to work the case.
"What's taking the most time," according to one source, "is separating what's viable from all the bad stuff they're finding that may not be viable."
Fishman's challenge is to nail down specific criminal charges on several fronts -- the diversion of Port Authority money to fund New Jersey road and bridge projects; the four-day rush-hour closures of George Washington Bridge lanes in Ft. Lee; and a web of real-estate deals spun by David Samson, long a Christie crony, when he chaired the PA's Board of Commissioners as Christie's appointee. (One such deal, a stalled office-tower development in Hoboken, New Jersey, is central to a claim that Christie's lieutenant governor told the town's mayor that the state would withhold Hurricane Sandy relief aid from Hoboken if the mayor didn't sign off on the development project.)
Whatever Christie says or does -- and whatever potential donors or Jimmy Fallon and his viewers think -- the question that truly matters is whether Fishman's pursuit leads to the governor himself. Christie's Port appointees -- not only Samson, but former PA Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni and his oddball sidekick David Wildstein -- all face near-certain indictment and are being pressed to hand up Christie, as is the governor's former chief counsel, Charlie McKenna.
Wildstein, portrayed as the mastermind behind Ft. Lee's traffic problems, has made proffers to Fishman's investigators -- hoping to trade information to the prosecutor in exchange for gentler legal treatment -- but Fishman has cut no deals with anyone so far, and the looming indictments have encouraged Christie's PA appointees to sing. "Don't underestimate what Wildstein has on Christie," says one source. "And Wildstein and Baroni have both turned on Samson. If Samson doesn't give Fishman Christie, Samson is toast."
Federal charges in the bridge closures potentially include both intentional interference in interstate commerce and -- in the cover-up that ensued -- obstruction of justice. The use of Port Authority money, raised by issuing bonds, to pay for non-PA projects will likely result in charges of securities fraud and conspiracy to commit same; the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is also investigating on this front, along with the Manhattan District Attorney, who's seeking evidence to support state charges of falsifying business records and official misconduct. Charges derived from David Samson's numerous conflicts of interest while serving as a PA official could, in Hoboken's case, include federal charges of extortion under the Hobbs Act, and New York state charges of official misconduct and corruption.
The clearest, quickest road to Christie, both sources agree, runs through David Samson, a former Attorney General of New Jersey who's 74 years old and reportedly suffers from Parkinson's disease. So: Will Samson flip?
"They've got him cold," says one source. "He got sloppy, arrogant, and greedy. Samson will want a deal. This way, he'd get one or two years. He'd have a future on the other side. He won't want to die in jail."
Fishman's timetable is unclear -- he has yet to send out target letters even to the lower-hanging fruit: Wildstein and Baroni, and Bridget Kelly and Bill Stepien, Christie's former Deputy Chief of Staff and his former campaign manager, each deeply implicated in the Fort Lee/GWB debacle. One source expects Fishman to return some indictments as soon as next month. Both sources say that all of those four certainly will be indicted -- and both further note that Fishman, an Obama appointee, hopes to see the entire matter resolved before this President's term expires. "But Fishman is really focused on Christie," says one source. "Ultimately, he believes he'll get to the governor.
Big-ticket donors are gamblers; in politics, there are no certainties. The safest bet that is obvious: there's no future for Chris Christie in the White House. The Big House is a safer bet, by far.


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The distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks against anti-piracy websites have gone on for a week now, with the lawyers behind the "US Copyright Group" being the latest target. And the anonymous Internet users behind "Operation Payback" aren't done acting out; in an interview yesterday with the security experts at Panda Labs, one of the organizers said that Anonymous' attacks will continue "until we stop being angry." Judging from the list of things that make him (?) angry, this could take a while.
The law firm of Dunlap, Grubb and Weaver was one of the newest targets of the attacks, organized a week ago to take down antipiracy organization around the world. Already hit: the RIAA (US), BPI (UK), MPAA (US), AFACT (Australia), BREIN (Netherlands), Aiplex (India), and Websheriff (UK). One of the smaller sites actually yielded the biggest bounty; the UK "P2P settlement letter factory" ACS Law gave up several hundred megabytes of private e-mails after being taken offline by the attack.
The organizers of Operation Payback view themselves as anarchists with a strong moral streak. In their initial attack announcement, they claimed that anarchists had already "succeeded en-masse in distributing content to the poor, the underprivileged, the restricted. The most popular pirates are the chinese, whose content filters restrict a vast amount of content from them. The second most popular, the poor, who cannot afford things like college books or entertainment."
These self-styled Robin Hoods are "strongly motivated to do what we can to fight back against things which are morally questionable," which means that they are now launching DDoS attacks in favor of piracy. "Sharing information" is the new morality—"information" in this case apparently including films like Get Him to the Greek, currently the top movie download on The Pirate Bay.
Operation Payback is the rage of those who need more attention. "What do we have to do to be heard?" asks the original call to action. "To be taken seriously? Do we have to take to the streets, throwing molotovs, raiding offices of those we oppose? Realize, you are forcing our hand by ignoring us. You forced us to DDoS when you ignored the people, ATTACKED the people, LIED TO THE PEOPLE! You are forcing us to take more drastic action as you ignore us, THE PEOPLE, now."
And the rage will continue until the perpetrators feel less angry about the "rich and powerful corporations" who run the world. "In a world where our voice is ignored, we feel we have no choice but to revert to direct action."
Or, as an attack organizer put it last week, "We are seeking to change our way of life OUTSIDE the 'basement' we are trapped in. This is just the beginning. This is only the start."

subset: commoncrawl


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Magic & Mystery
🕮 In this episode of The Book of Life, a show about Jewish people and the books we read, we explore themes of magic and mystery.
> Cantor Amy O. Miller explains Jewish views on Harry Potter. Cantor Miller has presented at many Harry Potter symposiums, including Nimbus 2003, ConventionAlley 2004, Accio 2005, and Lumos 2006.
> Cartoonist Jason Lutes gives us some background on his graphic novel, Houdini, The Handcuff King, published by Hyperion in association with The Center for Cartoon Studies. Lutes' co-creator was Nick Bertozzi.
> Author Sarah Mlynowski describes her Bras & Broomsticks trilogy for middle-grade girls.
> Mystery writer Pari Noskin Taichert tells us about supernatural aspects of her novel The Clovis Incident. She also blogs on Murderati and is active on Crimespace.
> The Book of Life T-shirt with original art by award-winning author/illustrator Simms Taback is now available! Order yours using the link in this blog's sidebar, or visit www.printfection.com/bookoflife.
> The Book of Life now offers a LibraryThing catalog. This is a convenient place to get additional information on all books that have been featured on the podcast. Click on the link in this blog's sidebar, or visit www.librarything.com/catalog/bookoflife.
Background music is provided by The Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band.
Books and CD's mentioned on the show may be borrowed from the Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel. Browse our online catalog to reserve books, post a review, or just to look around!


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This article is more than 1 year old
Blogging to slide - PC TCOs too?
75% of firms predicted to be infected by malware
Blogging is set to peak next year according to a new forecast which also predicts two-thirds of firms are likely to be infected by financially motivated malware.
According to Gartner, blogging is set to reach its zenith during the first half of next year when the number of active blogs will level out at around 100m.
In November, blog tracker Technorati revealed that 100,000 new online journals, known as web logs or blogs, are being created every day, with 1.3m posts blogged daily. However, Gartner predicts the blogging boom may be close to ending as over 200m individuals have already given up on the activity.
The predictions come in a new report from Gartner which also claims that by 2010, the total cost of ownership (TCO) of new PCs will fall by 50 per cent.
Elsewhere in its top ten predictions for 2007 and beyond, Gartner claims the arrival of automated malware-generation kits which facilitate the creation of thousands of nasty viral variants, will lead to increased attacks on businesses. Researchers estimate by the end of next year 75 per cent of enterprises will be infected with undetected, financially motivated, and targeted malware that can evade firms' traditional perimeter and host defenses.
As if that wasn't worrying enough for enterprises, Gartner further warns that companies are missing out on opportunities to build networks that could put them at a competitive advantage. Instead, they follow outdated design practices and collectively will waste at least $100bn in the next five years.
Gartner forecasts that through to 2009, market share for the top 10 IT oursourcers will decline from 43.5 per cent to 40 per cent - equivalent to a loss of $5.4bn. A number of IT outsourcing firms are expected to bite the bullet due to a decreasing number of contracts available, increasing competition and a reduction in contract sizes.
Moreover, in a worrying development for private citizens, Gartner claims that 60 per cent of the worldwide mobile phone-owning population will be "trackable" via an emerging "follow-me internet" by 2010. The analysts state that while local regulations have arisen to protect users' privacy, growing demands for national safety and civil protection are relaxing some of the initial privacy limitations. Also, mobile phone owners will be increasingly tempted to forgo privacy concerns in order to take advantage of marketing incentives.
Lastly, Gartner predicts Vista will be the last major Windows release by Microsoft; the era of monolithic deployments of software releases is nearing an end.
"Selected from across our research areas as the most compelling and critical predictions, the trends and topics they address this year indicate that priorities, markets, cultures and technologies are all rapidly changing," said Daryl Plummer, managing vice president at Gartner.
"These changes will require that IT and business change their approach to delivering and quantifying value. IT professionals must examine these predictions for opportunities to increase their support of consumer-driven requirements and their ability to help Business deliver stronger services to those customers," he added.
Copyright © 2006, ENN


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TAMPA, Fla. – After a hitless performance in his first rehab start with the Clearwater Threshers, Chase Utley went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored in his second rehab start Wednesday night.
In his first at-bat in the top of the first inning, the five-time All-Star came up with no outs and runners at the corners. He drove in the first run of the game on a 4-6 fielder's choice ground ball, scoring Albert Cartwright from third.
Utley picked up his first hit of his rehab in his second at-bat in the third inning with a line drive single up the middle on a 2-2 pitch. His knees weren't exactly tested during the Threshers' three-run rally, as he went from station to station, eventually scoring from third on a Zach Collier single.
He popped up to shortstop in his third at-bat in the fourth and flied out to center in his fourth at-bat in the seventh inning.
Utley doubled in his final at-bat in the ninth inning on a ball that dropped between the Yankees' center fielder and right fielder. He came around to score on a James Murphy single.
So through his first two rehab games, Utley is 2-for-10 with an RBI and two runs scored.
Utley will likely play again Thursday when the Threshers and Yankees close out their three-game series in Clearwater. He is expected to play in simulated games during the Florida State League's All-Star break this weekend.
The Phillies' second baseman wasn't available to talk to the media Wednesday, but told reporters Tuesday that his body will dictate when he will play his first game in the field.
'If I wake up in the morning feeling like I did the day before, then we'll continue to move forward,' Utley said. 'So far, the past three or four weeks have been, in my mind, very positive, so I'm excited to keep it going.'


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Priced at less than $20, new Android phone takes the worry out of choosing the ideal phone for kids and parents alike
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. & RICHARDSON, Texas (BUSINESS WIRE), March 09, 2012 – Recognizing the importance of providing a wide variety of devices to fit the needs of families with children, Sprint (NYSE:S, news, filings), and ZTE Corporation ("ZTE") today announced the upcoming availability of ZTE FuryTM, a family-friendly Android-powered device that doesn't skimp on features and comes matched with the only truly unlimited data pricing plans on all phones from a national wireless carrier. Beginning March 11, the full-featured Android-based ZTE Fury will be available for just $19.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate via reward card1 and a new two-year service agreement (excludes taxes and surcharges) in all Sprint retail channels including www.sprint.com and 1-800-Sprint1.
The value-priced ZTE Fury comes equipped with all the apps and functionality busy parents and their children want, including a 3.5-inch capacitive display, 5 MP camera with LED flash and 3G hotspot capabilities. The device is also compatible with Sprint's family services that give parents the tools to encourage good habits and responsible phone use. Family-ready devices like ZTE Fury give parents piece of mind with easy-to-load apps, such as:
- Sprint Family Locator: Allows parents to quickly and easily locate their family members on an interactive map and to set up "safety checks" to ensure their children make it to school safely and on time. Sprint Family Locator costs $5 per month to locate up to four phones. Additional information can be found at www.sprint.com/familylocator.
- Sprint Mobile Controls: Gives parents the opportunity to clearly understand their child's talk, text and app use habits. The app gives parents the ability to lock their child's phone on-demand or to schedule locks – like during dinner, during school or late at night, and to browse their child's contacts and apps downloaded to the phone. Sprint Mobile Controls is available on all Sprint CDMA Android-powered smartphones for $4.99 per month, per line. Parents can sign up and learn more about Sprint Mobile Controls by visiting www.sprint.com/mobilecontrols.
- Sprint Drive First: An app from Sprint that automatically locks the phone when traveling more than 10 MPH and unlocks when the car has stopped driving. The app directs incoming calls to voicemail and silences distracting alerts while driving. Sprint Drive First is available on all Sprint CDMA Android-powered smartphones for $2 per month, per line. Visit www.sprint.com/drivefirst for more information.
"We realize that there are a lot of choices in the market when it comes to choosing the right cell phone that fits the needs of both a working parent and their family," said David Owens, Sprint vice president-Product Development. "Providing affordable, Android-powered devices, like ZTE Fury, in our lineup helps give families the tools and information to better manage their wireless usage while still providing the style and functionality they need to keep up with their busy lives."
ZTE Fury also comes preloaded with Sprint ID, a unique feature that enables customers to have a fully personalized experience with a few simple clicks. Customers can download and switch among five self-selected ID packs filled with ringtones, wallpapers, widgets and applications that are tailored to an individual's lifestyle and interests.
Additional features of ZTE Fury include:
- 3G hotspot functionality2 that allows up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices to share one network connection, an ideal solution for gatherings and travel
- 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655 processor
- 4GB internal memory and an expandable memory slot supporting up to 32GB
- Using Sprint's nationwide 3G network, customers can stay connected with their friends, family, business and community through more than 400,000 applications available in the Android Market™.
"ZTE Fury continues ZTE's legacy of offering a large customer base an entry point to highly sought-after mobile data services. In particular, we know the youth market desires the latest technology but has special requirements for cost and functionality," said Lixin Cheng, CEO, ZTE USA, and president, North America Region, ZTE. "We are privileged to partner with Sprint to offer customers of all ages productivity, entertainment and connectedness on the go with ZTE Fury."
ZTE Fury requires activation on a Sprint Everything Data plan for smartphones3 and families that purchase ZTE Fury can rest assured that their monthly data charges won't be out of control as Sprint offers the only truly unlimited data pricing plans on all phones from a national wireless carrier. Sprint customers who purchase ZTE Fury can take advantage of Sprint Everything Data Family Plans with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM starting at $129.99 per month for two lines, plus the required $10 per month, per line Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones. Additional lines (lines three to five) are $19.99 per month plus the $10 per month, per line Premium Data add-on charge for smartphones.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
About ZTE USA
ZTE USA is a subsidiary of ZTE Corporation (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions. ZTE USA is dedicated to making quality communications technology accessible to all. The company draws on more than 25 years of experience and research investment to deliver smart, affordable, quality choices for infrastructure and mobile data device customers nationwide. For more information, visit www.zteusa.com.
About ZTE
ZTE is a publicly listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions with the most comprehensive product range covering virtually every sector of the wireline, wireless, service and terminals markets. The company delivers innovative, custom-made products and services to more than 500 operators in more than 140 countries, helping them to meet the changing needs of their customers while achieving continued revenue growth. ZTE's 2010 revenue led the industry with a 21 percent increase to USD10.609 billion. ZTE commits 10 percent of its revenue to research and development and takes a leading role in a wide range of international bodies developing emerging telecoms standards. A company with sound corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, ZTE is a member of the UN Global Compact. ZTE is China's only listed telecom manufacturer, publicly traded on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ). For more information, please visit www.zte.com.cn.
1The American Express Prepaid Reward Card ("Card") provided in connection with this rebate offer is a prepaid Card that is usable at U.S. merchants that accept American Express Card. Some limitations apply. The Card is not redeemable for cash (except where required by law) and does not provide ATM access. Use of Card constitutes acknowledgement that it is given as a reward and no consideration, value, or money has been paid by the holder to American Express in exchange for this Card. USE OF CARD IS SUBJECT TO THE CARDHOLDER AGREEMENT. SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE LAW, A $3.00 MONTHLY FEE WILL BE ASSESED AGAINST CARD BALANCE, STARTING SIX MONTHS AFTER CARD ISSUANCE, UNLESS FUNDS ARE EARLIER DEPLETED. For BALANCE, customer service and Cardholder Agreement, visit americanexpress.com/sprint or call 866-608-3756. Card issued by American Express Prepaid Card Management Corporation.
2Additional fee applies for Wi-Fi hotspot functionality.
3Smartphone plan requires an additional $10 Premium Data add-on fee.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50198211&lang=en
Nichole Cappitelli, 949-748-3364
Mitch Peterson, 913-706-9529
PR Archives: Latest, By Company, By Date


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Luke Patterson, better known as CaRtOoNz, brings you a beard oil as animated as his YouTube personality, bursting with the perked-up scent of fresh-brewed coffee. Perfect for late night gaming sessions or as a morning pick-me-up, Animated brings you all the natural beard conditioning benefits you expect from CanYouHandlebar in CaRtOoNz' signature coffee scent.
Beard Oil is easy to apply and provides direct and natural conditioning of your facial hair. Our blend of light and medium-weight oils provides shine as well as nourishing the hair and skin. This can reduce itch and flaking and most importantly, it allows your beard to grow to its healthiest and fullest.
We recommend the Can You Handlebar Beard Oil Brush® to accompany our Beard Oils, a few drops in the center of the brush provide for easy "clean hands" application, and helps ensure the product is spread evenly throughout the hair.
To read further about this product, ingredients, and instructions for use, see the tabs below. For a quick start check out this video, it's straight to the point and less than a minute long.
NOTE: We use natural essential oils to scent our products, which can result in some slight variation of scent from batch to batch. This is an organic byproduct of using natural scents, and to be expected. If you feel the scent is outside a reasonable variant, just get in touch with us directly and we will be happy to refund you or send a replacement.
Can You Handlebar has been producing men's grooming products since 2012. We focused on moustache and beard care, and we were among the first few companies to do so. We've learned a lot over the years and have taken feedback from our customers to heart. Simply put, we believe we offer some of the best products on the market.
We produce all of our oils, Dry Oils (beard balm) and waxes in-house in our Mt. Clemens, MI facility. All of our products are made in the U.S. and that's not just a point of patriotic pride, it allows us oversight and quality control we wouldn't otherwise have if we chose to outsource overseas. We package and ship everything ourselves, our customer support is all handled in-house as well.
Our products and packaging are designed for hands-on, practical, everyday use. Our goal is to provide our customers with real world solutions to their grooming needs and to support them along their journey. To that end we've established The Beard Mentor, our educational blog answering customer questions and providing tips and advice on beard and moustache care.
If you ever have a question you can't find an answer to on The Beard Mentor, please let us know and we'll make sure it's featured in an upcoming article. You can email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or check the "Contact" listing below.
Olea europaea (olive) oil, Vitis vinifera (grape seed) oil, Oryza sativa (rice) bran oil, fragrance (essential oils), Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, Tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E), Limnanthes alba (meadowfoam seed oil).
We proudly print our ingredients on all of our labels. We have nothing to hide, it's right there on every product. It's always been important to us to know what was going on to our hair and skin, and we wanted to make sure our customers had this information as well. No fake scents, chemical fixatives, petroleum products, parabens or nut-oils used in any of our products.
To read more about our manufacturing philosophy, please click here.
Place 3-4 drops into your hand, rub hands together and apply to your beard and moustache. Alternately, you can drop oil directly onto your Can You Handlebar Beard Oil Brush™ for a "hands-free" application. Massage the oil smoothly and gently into your beard, front and back from the root to the tip. Brush through to distribute evenly throughout the hairs. As your beard lengthens, you may need to add a bit more oil to your routine.
All customers within the U.S. enjoy free shipping on every order.
We ship and process orders six days a week, and are always working hard to make sure that you receive your order as quickly as possible.
Most orders placed Monday-Saturday are processed and shipped within one day. Orders are not shipped or delivered on Sundays or (most) holidays, but will be processed immediately upon our return to the warehouse.
Can You Handlebar ships to addresses within the U.S., U.S. Territories, and APO/FPO/DPO addresses.
You will receive a Shipment Confirmation email once your order has shipped containing your tracking number(s). The tracking number is typically active within 24 hours.
Have a question not answered here? Check our complete shipping policy page.
For questions please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Product: 1 oz.
Dimensions: 1 x 1 x 3 inches
Shipping Weight: 3.5 oz.
You'll receive a one ounce bottle of beard oil in an amber glass bottle with a dropper-top. The amber tint helps reduce exposure to UV, keeping our oil fresher longer. We use BOPP water and oil-proof labels that will not fade or disintegrate, designed for practical everyday hands-on use. Each oil bottle comes packed in our signature recycled paperboard carry-tube to keep them safe from drops and damage. We recommend stowing your bottle there when not in use for safekeeping. Our beard oil bottles are TSA compliant for carry-on.
We added our dropper top thanks to feedback from customers, increasing ease of use and helping to insure you administer the correct amount each time. We always welcome customer feedback, so if there's anything you think we can do different or better, please don't hesitate to let us know! Email: firstname.lastname@example.com or check the "Contact" listing below.


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A spokesman for Gaza's Hamas rulers said Sunday that the Islamic militant group will oppose any international force in a future Palestinian state — adding a new complication to U.S.-brokered peace efforts.
Secretary of State John Kerry is trying to arrange security arrangements between Israel and the Palestinians under a final peace deal.
Israel has demanded it retain a security presence in parts of the West Bank after a deal, citing security concerns. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas opposes this, but has said he would accept international peacekeepers.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that Hamas will deal with any international force "in the same manner it uses with Israeli occupation forces." Hamas has killed hundreds of Israelis in years of conflict in suicide bombings and other attacks.
Harper pledges aid to Palestinians
More world news stories on Thestar.com
While Hamas is not part of the talks, Sunday's comments underscore its ability to hinder peace efforts.
The Palestinians want their state to include the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured from Jordan and Egypt in the 1967 war.
Israel withdrew its soldiers and settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
Hamas later took over the territory from forces loyal to Abbas in 2007. Since then, Palestinians have been split between Hamas controlling Gaza and Abbas and his secular Fatah party ruling parts of the West Bank.
Also Sunday, a Palestinian government official in the West Bank said the Palestinian Authority has begun removing details of religious affiliation from ID cards, in an apparent move against discrimination.
Hasan Alawi, the Palestinian deputy interior affairs minister, said that Abbas issued a decision two weeks ago to remove the religion status from the cards. He said the move is in the spirit of Palestinian law. "All citizens are equal regardless if they are Muslims, Christians, black or white," he said.
The step was welcomed by the Palestinians' Christian minority.
"It could help in job promotions, unfortunately there is still some (bigotry) in some areas in the West Bank," said Rand Abdo, 30, from Ramallah. "When I tell them I am Christian, some people get surprised and say, 'You don't look like a Christian,' but should a Christian look any different?" she said.
The move was condemned by the Hamas government in Gaza.


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E! Cancels Whitney Cummings' Talk Show
TV Guide
Despite ordering additional episodes at the top of the year, E! has decided to cancel Whitney Cummings' talk show, Entertainment Weekly reports.
Check out our complete pilot report
Love You, Mean It with Whitney Cummings premiered in November with an initial six-episode order. The network then doubled-down in January, but decided to pull the plug. The Wednesday, Feb. 6 episode was the show's final airing.
Cummings, whose guests on the talk show included Ginnifer Goodwin and Mindy Kaling, among others, has plenty to fall back on though. She still stars on the NBC sitcom Whitney and also co-created CBS' 2 Broke Girls.
View original E! Cancels Whitney Cummings' Talk Show at TVGuide.com
Related Articles on TVGuide.com
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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Office Hours: Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed federal holidays.
Visitation Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset.
This cemetery has space available to accommodate casketed remains, cremated remains and a Memorial Wall for memorialization.
Burial in a national cemetery is open to all members of the armed forces who have met a minimum active duty service requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. A Veteran's spouse, widow or widower, minor dependent children, and under certain conditions, unmarried adult children with disabilities may also be eligible for burial. Eligible spouses and children may be buried even if they predecease the Veteran. Members of the reserve components of the armed forces who die while on active duty or who die while on training duty, or were eligible for retired pay, may also be eligible for burial. For more information visit our eligibility web page.
From the North: Via FL Turnpike: Exit Lake Worth Road (# 93), turn left heading West until you come to SR 7 / US 441. Make a left heading South until you pass Lantana Road. Cemetery is on your right.
From the South: Via FL Turnpike: Exit Boynton Beach Boulevard (# 86), turn left heading West until you come to SR7 / US 441. Make a right heading North. Cemetery is on your left just North of Hypoluxo Road.
Via I-95: Exit Hypoluxo Road (# 60), turn left heading West until you come to SR7 / US 441. Make a right heading North. Cemetery is on your left.
Via I-95 from PBI: Exit Lantana Road / FL 812 (# 61), turn right heading West until you come to SR7 / US 441. Make a left heading South. Cemetery is on your right.
From Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) start out West on Turnage Boulevard and follow that to Australian Avenue South and take the ramp to Southern Boulevard. Merge onto Southern Boulevard heading west and take that all the way to State Road 7/Highway 441. Turn left/south on 7/441 and follow that to cemetery entrance on right-hand side one mile south of Lantana Road intersection.
Fax all discharge documentation to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-866-900-6417 and follow-up with a phone call to 1-800-535-1117.
For information on scheduled burials in our national cemeteries, please go to the Daily Burial Schedule.
The new 313-acre South Florida National Cemetery will serve veterans' needs for the next 50 years. The cemetery is located in Palm Beach County in Lake Worth on State Road 7/U.S. 441 just south of Lantana Road and north of Boynton Beach Boulevard.
Burial arrangements will be made after death, as with all national cemeteries. VA does not reserve grave space. Veterans or spouses wishing to be buried in national cemeteries should have the veteran's military separation papers available to establish eligibility, which requires an other-than-dishonorable discharge. Dependent children may also be buried.
For educational materials and additional information on this cemetery, please visit the Education section, located below.
Fresh cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time. On the day of burial please limit one floral arrangement for cremation sites and three for casket sites.
The cemetery does not provide floral containers. However, bins are located near the administration office with recycled containers for your use.
Flowers and containers will be removed from graves when they become withered, faded or otherwise unsightly or to facilitate cemetery operations.
Potted plants are permitted on graves 5 days before through 5 days after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day.
Unauthorized decorations including permanent plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects of any kind, and similar commemorative items are not permitted at any time. Nothing is to be attached or placed on the headstone.
VA regulations 38 CFR 1.218 prohibit the carrying of firearms (either openly or concealed), explosives or other dangerous or deadly weapons while on VA property, except for official purposes, such as military funeral honors. Possession of firearms on any property under the charge and control of VA is prohibited. Offenders may be subject to a fine, removal from the premises, or arrest.
South Florida National Cemetery is the fifth national cemetery built in Florida and the 125th in the national cemetery system.
Historically, the site of South Florida National Cemetery was used as farmland, as evidenced by the historic canal systems used to irrigate the property. Portions of the site were used for cattle grazing up until the time of its purchase by the National Cemetery Administration in 2002.
The development of Palm Beach County, and South Florida in general, was sparked by the investment in the local railroad system by Henry Morrison Flagler. An early partner of Standard Oil with John D. Rockefeller, Flagler left the company in the late 19th century, turning his attention to the creation of a continuous railway system down the east coast of Florida, stretching from Jacksonville to Key West. This railway was instrumental to the rapid growth of Palm Beach County in the 20th century.
South Florida National Cemetery opened for burials in 2007, and was formally dedicated on March 9, 2008.
Under Development.
We are developing educational content for this national cemetery, and will post new materials as they become available. Visit the Veterans Legacy Education Program for details, or the Veterans Legacy Program and NCA History Program for additional information. Thank you for your interest.


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- Leadership
is essential. By leadership I don't mean titles or authority necessarily.
(Both are helpful, but not essential to leadership.) Leadership is not measured by corner offices
or heavy furniture, higher salaries or august job descriptions. Leadership is a way of being in an organization,
family, team, company, church, business, nation (or any other 'system') that,
in the words of Ronald Heifetz, "enables a group to grow so they can face their
toughest challenges." Since leadership is about transformation and because we are
hard-wired to resist change, every living system requires someone in it to live into and lead into the new future
we are resisting. If someone is not
functioning as a leader, the system will always
default to the status quo.
Which hints at the second truth:
- Leadership
is expressed in functioning. Leaders
act. Leaders function. While speaking is
a form of functioning, and many leaders are known for their words in times of
crisis, leadership is expressed mostly primarily in the actions that "enable a group to grow and face their toughest
challenges." Leaders lead by example,
words, decisions and even silence.
Sometimes a transformative act is to stand in the middle of an anxious
storm and say nothing. Just stand and
stand there. Ed Friedman said, "The leader in the system is the one who is not blaming anyone." Note:
Everyone one of those words was chosen deliberately. The Leader is the one "in the system". That is they have stayed in the family, church, organization, company, country, etc. You can't lead from outside the system. (You
can be a prophet or critic or consultant or supporter, but not a leader). The leader is "not blaming anyone" or for
that matter any circumstance, but solely focusing on personal responsibility,
looking to what she can do—how she
can function--differently. And that 'doing'
is not just impulsive acting, but thoughtful, reflective responding. Perhaps
the single most transformative moment of all is when a leader says "I don't
know what to do" and then gets about the hard work of leading learning.
Which leads to the third truth…
- Leadership is developed. I believe that leadership is a skill that can be taught. I am firmly in the leaders are 'made, not born' school. Just as some have more aptitude for a skill than others, some have more natural abilities and talents that lend themselves to particular leadership in particular circumstances. But any person who is willing to take personal responsibility, convene a group to work on a tough problem and persist in the face of resistance is a leader. At the same time, the common inference when people want to learn to be leaders is that it is mostly head-knowledge. If we read books and can repeat phrases (like 'adaptive challenges') we think we have 'learned leadership' (which is pretty much like learning to fly a plane from watching a video). But, and this is critical, leadership is learned in the doing and on the reflecting on the doing. (John Dewey reportedly wrote: "We don't learn from experience, we learn by reflecting on experience.") At the same time even reflection is not enough. Leadership requires developing what Friedman called, "self-regulation." Because our brains don't process information and learn well when we are highly anxious. Leaders must develop in emotional maturity and the ability to persist in complex emotional systems without either distancing or taking resistance personally. Or as the good folks at the Lombard Peace Center like to say, Leaders must be able to "stay calm, stay connected, and stay the course."
If we read these truths backward we get a dose of harsh reality. Since we are not developing leaders, there is lack of leadership functioning. Without essential leadership functioning, most organizations are not "growing", not "transforming" and certainly not "facing their toughest challenges."
These truths about leadership being essential, functional and developmental are critical for any organization facing tough challenges. But I see it even more clearly in the churches with whom I work. The world is changing rapidly. Churches and church leaders are becoming increasingly irrelevant, even marginalized. Shared, corporate faith is viewed with cynicism at best, downright hostility at worst. The cultural advantage we experience during the 18 centuries of Christendom has almost completely dissipated. The church and our churches are in an 'adapt or die' moment. And the leadership that has been developed with a Christendom mindset (leadership is a position, a mode of speaking, and is found only in those with natural born gifts) is inadequate to this immensely challenging—transformation-demanding--moment in history.


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Erlang User Conference 2011
August 05, 2011 · by Micael Karlberg
Erlang User Conference 2011. It is with great pleasure that we announce the launch of the 2011 Erlang User Conference in Stockholm. The date for your diary is 3 November 2011. Early Bird registration will open on 15 August so in the meantime if you wish to submit a talk, we would love to hear from you.
After the success of last year's Conference and it selling out, you will want to book your place early. The Erlang User Conference brings together the best minds and names in Erlang programming from language inventors, implementers and maintainers. Open source committers, community leaders and Erlang authors. Everyone who is anyone will be at the Erlang User Conference 2011!


text:
PRO-X Piston Ring Set Fits Arctic cat
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Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon and four more unmissable game DLC packs
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon may be the best DLC ever made, but which other downloadable gaming goodies have got our thumbs twitching?
Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon
PS3, Xbox 360, PC, £TBA
On May 1st, the future according to the '80s will arrive bringing cyborg soldiers, laser-eyed dragons, and a whole heap of neon-lit violence. Built on the Far Cry 3 engine, but available without owning the game, this DLC hit-to-be is what happens when Ubisoft lets its designers have free reign. Even the hilariously eighties VHS-style trailer has got us excited, and that's without considering the myriad awards it's already received. Look out for hidden treats in the fake shop, such as the game on floppy disk chocked full of extra challenges.
Dishonored: Knife of Dunwall
PC and PS3, £8
If you've completed Dishonored and are itching for stealthier challenges, Knife of Dunwall is a must buy. Play three new levels from the perspective of Daud the Queen murderer – expect detailed stories, character development and plenty of hidden rewards. The new blink mode, which lets you stop time and teleport, sounds worth the purchase price alone.
GTA IV: Ballad of Gay Tony
Xbox 360, PS3, Windows, £16
The third and final act in the GTA IV saga offers new perspectives on missions, original music, different weapons, and well-developed characters. The story will have you gasping in shock and laughing out loud in equal measures – between shooting, flying your new attack helicopter, parachuting and crazy-driving, of course.
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Knightmare
PS3, Xbox 360, £8
Mount up and head back to the Wild West where the undead are roaming the saloons. In this comical version of Red Dead Redemption, it's your mission to find a cure to the disease and save the world. Doing it on an undead horse is worth every penny of the £8 price.
Skyrim: Dragonborn
Xbox 360, PS3, PC, £16
The last DLC for Skyrim, as Bethesda focuses on its next big title, sends the modern classic out with a bang. Set on Solstheim island off Morrowind you'll find new towns, dungeons, quests and shouts that let you bend your enemies' wills and tame dragons. But prepare to be tested as you face off against your deadliest adversary – the first Dragonborn.
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Toughest cases for iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S


text:
Wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems is putting some of its factories up for sale, but officials would not say Wednesday if its tower factory in Pueblo is among them.
Vestas spokesman Andrew Longeteig said in a statement the manufacturing facilities that are for sale will not be identified until negotiations are complete.
Longeteig said the Pueblo tower factory is still ramping up to meet market demand and hiring more than 100 people by the end of March. He said the plan is to share production capacity, including a recent contract to manufacture towers for a third party at the Pueblo facility.
"As a result of the low activity level expected in 2013, Vestas adjusted its manufacturing footprint accordingly," the statement noted. "We have done this in two ways: sharing production capacity, such as the recent contract to manufacture towers for a third party at our factory in Pueblo, and selling factories, such as selling our tower factory in Denmark last year to long-standing business partner Titan Wind Energy."
Vestas Wind Systems A/S is based in Denmark and is the world's largest maker of wind turbines.
Under the new contracts, Vestas is not supplying blades or nacelles housing generators, which are other key components of a wind turbine.
The company announced on Feb. 21 it was cutting about 10 percent of its 1,100 manufacturing workforce in Colorado. It blamed the battle in Congress over a tax credit for wind generators. Congress last month granted a last-minute one-year extension of the $12 billion credit. But Vestas said that came too late for many of its customers, who stopped ordering the turbines Vestas builds at plants in Windsor and Brighton.
The company said it hopes the wind market will stabilize during the rest of the year with the credit in place.
When the cuts were announced, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., said in a statement that "Congress needs to stop manufacturing these unnecessary crises and give these industries some predictability."
The tax break, called a producer tax credit, helps offset the cost of electricity production during a wind farm's first 10 years. Colorado lawmakers say it helped drive economic growth in Colorado's wind industry.
Filed Under: Rapid prototyping


text:
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text:
- Professional 220-strand brush for easy application
- Long-wearing nail lacquer is an oil base
- Gluten free
China Glaze is a revolutionary nail color system for professional application. Their unique lacquers contain China Clay as a nail hardener, the same material that gives porcelain its shiny finish. Using special methods, China Glaze offers incredible durability, fast drying, easy application and exclusive colors. Flexible, non-thickening formula offers great coverage in the greatest fashion shades.


text:
What is it about a new year rolling over that stimulates all those anal tendencies to organize, clean and rearrange?
I totally redid the decor on the wall in my kitchen. It was looking like this.
I'm trying to stream line my knick knacks. I'm looking forward to a big yard sale this year.
MrPeachez says the pig butts have to go. Ok, they can go to the laundry room, which is undergoing a major overhaul right now. Just waitin' on the guy from Craig's list to get back to me about the desk he's got that I want.
Those dang cubes took me two hours to hang and they still came out uneven. I like precision in my cubes, not this chaos! I was using templates, levels and everything. Never again.


text:
One wishes there were a way to succinctly explain what the hell went on this weekend in the North American Baseball League. There isn't, but "mop-up catcher Joey Gathright" gets us pretty close to explaining the weird story of the NABL's Lake County (Ill.) Fielders, owned in part by Kevin Costner.
Read along with the Chicago Sun-Times:
What happened in Lake County over the last 72 hours has been a nightmare.
Fielders manager Tim Johnson resigned before the game Saturday against the Yuma Scorpions, and in a show of support, 11 players wouldn't play. The Fielders were upset about not being paid. The players remained on the bench.
Fielders hitting coach Pete LaCock, a former Cub who has seen many strange things, took over as interim manager. He put all listed pitchers in positional spots for the game. Non-pitchers pitched.
To even out the playing field, Scorpions player-manager Jose Canseco did the same. He also named himself starting pitcher.
(He threw six innings and won, too. You can, as always, call to congratulate him at 818-903-6598.)
LaCock was fined $2,500 for "making a farce of the game." (His father, Peter Marshall, hosted Hollywood Squares, so he takes games very seriously, we imagine.) Todd Rundgren's son pitched in relief.
Then the Fielders released or traded all but one of their players. We suspect Costner is putting the finishing touches on the script of a lifetime.
Fielders trade nine players, release 14 others [Chicago Sun-Times, h/t tomuban and Disco Choo]


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Infinity Blade II Free On The App Store For A Limited Time
The award-winning Infinity Blade II game for iOS is now free for a limited time on the App Store. Courtesy of Apple's Free App of the Week promotion, the $7 game will be completely free for one week, ending next Thursday. Head inside for a full run down on the game:
Watch Kids React To An Apple Computer From The '70s [Video]
YouTuber TheFineBros has posted a hilarious video of kids trying to use an old Apple II computer.
Take a look at how today's kids react to the famous computer from the 1970s:
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or add us to your circles on Google+ to be the first to hear about breaking iPhone news, tips, hacks, and more!
ZAGG Offers 50% Off Of All Products For Memorial Day Weekend
Those of you looking to pick up some accessories for your iOS devices may want to jump on the limited Memorial Day sale by the folks over at ZAGG. The company is hosting a huge sale with 50% off of everything site-wide for Memorial Day.
The sale will only last for two days through Monday, May 26 and Tuesday, May 27. Head inside to see a list of some of the biggest deals from ZAGG:
Tags: iPD News
Spotify Announces It Now Has Over 10 Million Paying Subscribers, 40 Million Active Users
Of all of the major music streaming services available today, Spotify is arguably the most popular one. It was one of the first companies to offer the type of streaming service where subscribers would have unlimited access to an entire catalogue of music for a monthly fee.
Today, the company announces that it has recently surpassed two impressive milestones. Spotify now has more then 10 million paying subscribers and over 40 million active users, with a reach of up to 56 different markets around the world.
NFC Once Again Rumored To Be On Next iPhone
Rumors of the next iPhone packing NFC flood the blogosphere every year, but we have yet to see any idevice include the technology. While nearly all of Apple's competitors have been including NFC in their flagships for years, the Cupertino company has refused to do the same. Apple SVP Phil Schiller spoke on the matter back in 2012 stating, "It's not clear that NFC is the solution to any current problem." But once again, reports of NFC being included on idevices have surfaced ahead of the iPhone 6 launch.
What iOS Would Look Like On A Larger iPhone
With the next iPhone rumored to be sporting a 4.7-inch display, many concept designers and artists have been working on mock-ups to guess what the iPhone 6 will look like. We've seen a number of pretty impressive designs but thanks to some leaked schematics, we may have nailed the actual design of the upcoming idevice. The most recent reports and leaked pictures suggest that the iPhone 6 will indeed pack a 4.7-inch display, rounded edges, and a thinner profile.
So would what iOS look like on a larger iPhone? The folks over at 9to5Mac decided to put a Moto X running a simulated version of iOS inside an iPhone 6 dummy unit to see what it would look like. Head inside for the results:
Tags: iPhone
New Kik Messenger Update Adds Section For Messages From New People
The popular Kik Messenger app for iOS has just been updated to include a section for messages from new people. The new addition is definitely welcomed and makes managing your messages a much easier task. Here's the full change log:
What's New In This Version:
Thanks for your feedback! This update has some big changes that will help you connect with friends on your terms:
• Easily manage your conversations with a separate section for messages from new people
• Pictures and content from new people are blurred until you choose to see them
• Block and report right from your conversation
• Sending stickers is easier and faster!
You can download Kik from the App Store now for free.
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or add us to your circles on Google+ to be the first to hear about breaking iPhone news, tips, hacks, and more!
Upcoming Tweak 'Apex 2' Teased In New Vine
Famous iOS developer Sentry has posted a new vine teasing his latest jailbreak tweak, Apex 2. The upcoming tweak apparently allows users to group apps with different gestures.
Apex 2 pretty much eliminates the need to use folders on your iOS device. Instead, swiping on an app icon will reveal other apps grouped behind it. It's definitely an interesting approach and we're very excited to give it a try.
What do you think? Will you be giving Apex 2 a go when it's released?
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or add us to your circles on Google+ to be the first to hear about breaking iPhone news, tips, hacks, and more!
Tags: Jailbreaking


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Note: Train information is subject to final confirmation due to the delay of data occasionally.
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Religious line up on both sides of marriage amendment fight
ST. PAUL -- It's a story 2,000 years old: People read the same words in the Bible, but come up with different conclusions. That is central to a debate about amending the Minnesota Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman. The ...
ST. PAUL -- It's a story 2,000 years old: People read the same words in the Bible, but come up with different conclusions.
That is central to a debate about amending the Minnesota Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman. The bottom-line difference is about whether religious doctrine allows gays to marry.
To the Rev. Jeff Evans, there is no doubt the amendment follows God's wishes. It is, he said, an issue "the Gospels are very, very clear on."
Those who oppose the amendment, Evans said, are just following parts of the Bible with which they agree. "If you cut and paste ... then you can come up with anything."
The Rev. Grant Stevensen, who opposes the amendment, reads the Bible differently.
For Stevensen and others campaigning against the amendment, the Golden Rule rules: "Treat other people as we would like to be treated."
"I am concerned about the state of Minnesota drawing lines between people," Stevensen added, something he sees as violating the Bible's Golden Rule.
Evans and Stevenson coordinate religious activities for the two amendment campaigns, with what probably is the most extensive religious involvement of any state that has debated a marriage definition thus far.
The 30 states that have debated a constitutional amendment similar to the one Minnesotans will decide in the Nov. 6 election all passed it. However, amendment opponents say that in other states, faith communities that opposed the amendments did have not time to mount resistance like they are in Minnesota.
Most of the state's conservative evangelical churches side with the Catholic Church, the state's largest denomination, in favor of the amendment. Evans is pastor for the evangelical Christ Church Twin Cities in Minnetonka.
Amendment opponents include most of the second-largest denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Jewish synagogues that have taken stands on the issue. Stevensen is pastor at St. Matthew's, an ELCA church in St. Paul.
Those that favor the amendment say God made men and women to reproduce and raise children.
"God made us male and female in the beginning and they should become one," said the Rev. James Adams of St. Nicholas Catholic Church in New Market.
In addition to words in the Bible, Adams said, Catholics have a 2,000-year tradition of "consistent teaching" to back up their beliefs.
Like many other clergy discussing the amendment, Adams said he sees no way to compromise "when we talk about redefining what marriage is."
"Redefining marriage in Minnesota would be a declaration ... that the influence of a mom and dad on a child is not important," Michael Blissenbach said. "I think children would suffer as a result."
Blissenbach, 25, is parish captain for the pro-amendment campaign at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Hastings. He may be the youngest person in such a position and worries that allowing gays to marry and adopt children would be harmful. Besides, he added, "placing children with same-sex couples would be contradictory to Catholic teaching."
With friends on both sides of the debate, Blissenbach said he is positive the church is right.
Gov. Mark Dayton opposes the amendment, but has said little in public about the religious aspect of it.
A federal marriage definition proposal came up when he was U.S. senator, Dayton said, and he reread the New Testament. He said he found several passages in which Jesus talked about divorce and adultery being wrong, but he never mentioned same-sex marriage.
Dayton, who took religion classes in the late 1980s, said it appears Jesus put a higher priority on the Golden Rule.
Amendment opponents say they want more discussion on the topic.
"The present challenge is not about establishing the right to marry but to allow the dialogue to continue," said the Rev. Steve Schmit of St. Barthelme's Episcopal Church in Bemidji.
The Rev. Linnea Papke-Larson is a Bemidji Lutheran pastor with a lesbian daughter. The pastor opposes the amendment and called marriage "a bedrock of our communal and spiritual strength."
She added: "We see marriage as foundational, as part of God's intention in creating us as people who inherently seek one another out to share our thoughts, our passions, our friendships, our love and our intimacy."
Rinna Waters of Hibbing calls herself a born-again Christian and opposes the amendment.
"I was always taught to treat others as I want to be treated, to love my neighbor as I love myself," Waters said, adding that "God loves each of us just the way we are."
Arguments like that are not central to how Evans sees the issue.
"There are a handful of people who are confused," Evans said.
"I won't say it is an absolute, slam dunk," Evans said of the amendment's passage, but he said that even though some denominations' leaders have come out against the amendment, congregations are split and he is optimistic.
As for amendment opponents, he added: "We love them by telling them the truth."
Stevensen said there is room for disagreement among people of faith: "That is the nature of faith and it always has been that way."
Don Davis works for Forum Communications Co. Brian Matthews of the Bemidji Pioneer contributed to this report.


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Tiny 'spherules' reveal details about Earth's asteroid impacts
Researchers are learning details about asteroid impacts going back to the Earth's early history by using a new method for extracting precise information from tiny "spherules" embedded in layers of rock. The spherules were created when asteroids crashed into Earth, vaporizing rock that expanded as a giant vapor plume. Small droplets of molten rock in the plume condensed and solidified, falling back to the surface as a thin layer. This sample was found in Western Australia and formed 2.63 billion years ago in the aftermath of a large impact. (Oberlin College photo/Bruce M. Simonson)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Researchers are learning details about asteroid impacts going back to the Earth's early history by using a new method for extracting precise information from tiny "spherules" embedded in layers of rock.
The spherules were created when asteroids crashed into the Earth, vaporizing rock that expanded into space as a giant vapor plume. Small droplets of molten and vaporized rock in the plume condensed and solidified, falling back to Earth as a thin layer. The round or oblong particles were preserved in layers of rock, and now researchers have analyzed them to record precise information about asteroids impacting Earth from 3.5 billion to 35 million years ago.
"What we have done is provide the foundation for understanding how to interpret the layers in terms of the size and velocity of the asteroid that made them," said Jay Melosh, an expert in impact cratering and a distinguished professor of earth and atmospheric sciences, physics and aerospace engineering at Purdue University.
Findings, which support a theory that the Earth endured an especially heavy period of asteroid bombardment early in its history, are detailed in a research paper appearing online in the journal Nature on Wednesday (April 25). The paper was written by Purdue physics graduate student Brandon Johnson and Melosh. The findings, based on geologic observations, support a theoretical study in a companion paper in Nature by researchers at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo.
The period of heavy asteroid bombardment - from 4.2 to 3.5 billion years ago - is thought to have been influenced by changes in the early solar system that altered the trajectory of objects in an asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter, sending them on a collision course with Earth.
"That's the postulate, and this is the first real solid evidence that it actually happened," Melosh said. "Some of the asteroids that we infer were about 40 kilometers in diameter, much larger than the one that killed off the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago that was about 12-15 kilometers. But when we looked at the number of impactors as a function of size, we got a curve that showed a lot more small objects than large ones, a pattern that matches exactly the distribution of sizes in the asteroid belt. For the first time we have a direct connection between the crater size distribution on the ancient Earth and the sizes of asteroids out in space."
Because craters are difficult to study directly, impact history must be inferred either by observations of asteroids that periodically pass near the Earth or by studying craters on the moon. Now, the new technique using spherules offers a far more accurate alternative to chronicle asteroid impacts on Earth, Melosh said.
"We can look at these spherules, see how thick the layer is, how big the spherules are, and we can infer the size and velocity of the asteroid," Melosh said. "We can go back to the earliest era in the history of the Earth and infer the population of asteroids impacting the planet."
For asteroids larger than about 10 kilometers in diameter, the spherules are deposited in a global layer.
"Some of these impacts were several times larger than the Chicxulub impact that killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago," Johnson said. "The impacts may have played a large role in the evolutional history of life. The large number of impacts may have helped simple life by introducing organics and other important materials at a time when life on Earth was just taking hold."
A 40-kilometer asteroid would have wiped out everything on the Earth's surface, whereas the one that struck 65 million years ago killed only land animals weighing more than around 20 kilograms.
"Impact craters are the most obvious indication of asteroid impacts, but craters on Earth are quickly obscured or destroyed by surface weathering and tectonic processes," Johnson said. "However, the spherule layers, if preserved in the geologic record, provide information about an impact even when the source crater cannot be found."
The Purdue researchers studied the spherules using computer models that harness mathematical equations developed originally to calculate the condensation of vapor.
"There have been some new wrinkles in vapor condensation modeling that motivated us to do this work, and we were the first to apply it to asteroid impacts," Melosh said.
The spherules are about a millimeter in diameter.
The researchers also are studying a different type of artifact similar to spherules but found only near the original impact site. Whereas the globally distributed spherules come from the condensing vaporized rock, these "melt droplets" are from rock that's been melted and not completely vaporized.
"Before this work, it was not possible to distinguish between these two types of formations," Melosh said. "Nobody had established criteria for discriminating between them, and we've done that now."
One of the authors of the Southwest Research Institute paper, David Minton, is now an assistant professor of earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue.
Findings from the research may enable Melosh's team to enhance an asteroid impact effects calculator he developed to estimate what would happen if asteroids of various sizes were to hit the Earth. The calculator, "Impact: Earth!" allows anyone to calculate potential comet or asteroid damage based on the object's mass.
The research has been funded by NASA.
Writer: Emil Venere, 765-494-4709, firstname.lastname@example.com
Sources: Jay Melosh, 765-494-3290, firstname.lastname@example.com
Brandon Johnson, 765-337-5041, email@example.com
Impact Spherules: Record of an Ancient Heavy Bombardment of Earth
B. C. Johnsona and H.J. Meloshb,a
a Department of Physics, Purdue University
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue University
Impact craters are the most obvious indication of asteroid impacts, but craters on Earth are quickly obscured or destroyed by surface weathering and tectonic processes1. Earth's impact history is inferred therefore either from estimates of the present-day impactor flux as determined by observations of near-Earth asteroids, or from the Moon's incomplete impact chronology. Asteroids hitting Earth typically vaporize a mass of target rock comparable to the projectile's mass. As this vapor expands in a large plume or fireball, it cools and condenses into molten droplets called spherules. For asteroids larger than about 10 kilometers in diameter, these spherules are deposited in a global layer. Spherule layers preserved in the geologic record accordingly provide information about an impact even when the source crater cannot be found. Here, we report estimates of the sizes and impact velocities of the asteroids that created global spherule layers. The impact chronology from these spherule layers reveals that the impactor flux was significantly higher 3.5 billion years ago than it is now. This conclusion is consistent with a gradual decline of the impactor flux after the Late Heavy Bombardment.


text:
It's hard to fathom now, but children did a lot of work in the 19th century and early 20th century city.
They sewed garments, hawked newspapers, shelled nuts, made artificial flowers (above, in 1908) and delivered heavy packages, navigating streets and strangers (below, on Bleecker Street, 1912, by Lewis Hine).
Social reformers such as Lewis Hine documented many of these working kids in New York and around the country, pushing for tougher child labor laws, which were routinely ignored on the local level.
Below, newsboys and bootblacks on Mulberry Bend
"By the late 1800s, states and territories had passed over 1,600 laws regulating work conditions and limiting or forbidding child labor," explains historyplace.com. "In many cases the laws did not apply to immigrants, thus they were often exploited and wound up living in slums working long hours for little pay."
Above: a newsboy and a newsgirl at City Hall, 1896
"In 1938, Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act, better known as the Federal Wage and Hour Law. . . . It prohibited child labor under age 16 while allowing minors 16 and over to work in non-hazardous occupations."
"Children aged 14 and 15 could be employed in non-manufacturing, non-mining, and non-hazardous occupations outside of school hours and during vacations for limited hours."
Above: A tired-looking bag peddler on First Avenue and 13th Street in 1935
Tags: child labor New York City, Child Labor NYC, European immigrants, Jacob Riis child labor, kids working New York City, Lewis Hine child labor, Lewis Hine photos, Newboys New York City, Poor slum kids NYC, Tenement families New York


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Detailed plot synopsis reviews of The Vagabond Clown
Chapter Analysis of The Vagabond Clown
Click on a plot link to find similar books!
Plot & ThemesComposition of Book descript. of violence and chases 10%Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 40%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 30%How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) 20% Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues Time/era of story: - ancient england/scotland What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 70% Murder of certain profession? - actors/producers/directors Kind of investigator - amateur citizen investigator Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Any non-mystery subplot? - life in that culture Crime Thriller - Yes Murder Mystery (killer unknown) - Yes
Main CharacterGender - Male Profession/status: - actor Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Race - White/American
SettingEurope - Yes European country: - England/UK
Writing StyleAccounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Books with storylines, themes & endings like The Vagabond Clown
|Lucrezia Borgia and the Mother of Poisons by Roberta Gellis
|Murder in Stratford by Audrey Peterson
|The Thorne Maze by Karen Harper
|Face Down Below the Banqueting House by Kathy Lynn Emerson
|Love Her to Death by Linda Palmer


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A 15 kilometer wide asteroid is headed toward the Earth, but NASA scientists spot it three years before impact. Movie lore not withstanding, what the hell are we supposed to do? Could we even organize the global community enough to stop this flaming ball that astronomers call a near-Earth object (NEO)? Let's find out.
Top image: A rendition of the MADMEN project.
How would we spot an incoming asteroid in the first place?
NASA has surveyed 90% of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) greater than 1 kilometer in diameter. A1 kilometer diameter asteroid appears to be the lower limit for high destructive probability, with some theoreticians suggesting that an asteroid 10 kilometers in diameter could end all life on earth.
What will we do to stop the impact?
Stopping an asteroid headed toward Earth has been the talk of academic circles for decades. The possibility was mentioned in the 1964 book, Islands in Space and a 1967 MIT graduate student experiment, Project Icarus, wherein students were challenged to build an asteroid deflection system using an assortment of hydrogen bombs kept on standby at Cape Canaveral.
By 2028, NASA hopes to catalog all objects greater than 140 meters in diameter, essentially covering any object posing a threat (however minor) to life on earth.
Shoot something at it
A nuclear strike is the most obvious and quickest option. Send up a nuclear payload, ala Armageddon, and blow up the asteroid. This plan could take place on the shortest timetable, however, we wouldn't really know if we broke the asteroid into small enough pieces to prevent harm.
Fracturing a 10 kilometer asteroid into a six kilometer and four kilometer asteroid is great, but they might still be on target for our lovely little planet and carry worldwide devastation in tow. Nuclear defenses, however, are likely the first option for destroying an extinction level asteroid or knocking it off course.
While we are concerning ourselves with hitting a 10 kilometer target, we could also shoot a "non-explosive" object at the NEO. A really big, dense Nerf football for example - something with enough kinetic energy to alter the NEO's own kinetic energy and nudge it out of the earth's path. The European Space Agency is pioneering this option, using a carrier craft and an impactor that could be released on command.
Push the rock out of the way
Using a gravitational tractor is a nice way to slowly annoy an asteroid to death over the course of several years. With this method, we place an unmanned spacecraft in proximity to the NEO, and over time (we are talking years here), gravitational attraction moves the two objects together, altering course of the asteroid. A spacecraft is used as its thrust could be altered as needed to change the direction and further impact the asteroid's course.
Strap a rocket onto the asteroid
A quite traditional method by which a rocket would be attached to the asteroid has been proposed by theoreticians at Johns Hopkins University, allowing the propulsion of an attached rocket rocket to move the asteroid off of its course just enough to evade earth.
One other method involving non-destructive contact with the asteroid would be the MADMEN concept. In the MADMEN approach, a series of disassembles are docked on the NEO. The disassemblers would use the asteroid itself to create small pebbles and eject them away from the asteroid. Designers of the MADMEN theory believe it would only take weeks or months to significantly decrease both the mass of the NEO and the heliocentric velocity, making it a reasonable alternative to using nuclear or chemical explosives.
Let several countries take a shot
Money would not be an object in the face of an extinction level event. Such an event could propel humanity to look at itself as a connected planet, and not as a group of nation states. As millennia pass, another extinction level even will occur. It might not be all bad; humanity would hopefully spread to several planets by then, leaving our first home as a starting point for another organism. In the meantime, we might as well have a couple of plans.
Russia has the beginnings of a plan and the European Space Agency is looking for methods to use kinetic energy to deflect an asteroid via the Don Quixote project. The ESA will attempt a trial run on a benign asteroid in 2015 .
The development of alternate technologies by large countries, the viability of using nuclear weapons to alter an asteroid quickly, along with NASA's continued effort to catalog NEOs shows that there is some semblance of a plan of action in place. Planet Earth won't go down to an asteroid strike without a fight. But if you are the worrying type, you can keep tabs on NASA's catalog of NEO close approaches and watch this awesome CGI video of an asteroid impact complimented by a Scorpions song.
Images courtesy of Spaceworks Engineering, the MADMEN project, and CC sources. Sources linked within the article.


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Our event page provides opportunities for families to connect and experience new activities in a stress-free, accepting space. Check out our special events below for more information and dates. This calendar is updated regularly, so please check back often. Please get in touch if you have an event to share with us.
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Housing Options
August 5, 2021 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm PDT
An event every week that begins at 7:00 pm on Thursday, repeating until March 31, 2022
SESSION INFO: « Back to all events
Join us for conversations on Housing Options.
Various guest speakers will join to discuss housing options, existing housing communities and provide information on starting points.
Click Here to Register!
Family Support Institute of BC (FSI) is a provincial not-for-profit society committed to supporting families who have a family member with a disability. FSI is unique in Canada and the only grass roots family to family organization that has a broad volunteer base.
You are invited to join FSI CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS, a private Facebook Group intended to continue conversations of support or provide an alternative platform for support. www.facebook.com/groups/fsicontinuingconversations/
All FSI Zoom sessions can be accessed by telephone only if access to computers and/or internet is a barrier. If you need assistance registering for any session, please call our office at 1-800-441-5403.


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Interiors: Impact-resistant windows add security, value to home
If you are concerned about how much your windows protect -- or fail to protect -- your home, here is some information you might find useful.
First, your windows do actually play a big role in your comfort and safety. Obviously, they protect you from the elements. But when you begin to talk about storm protection, that's where the qualifications begin.
Old windows, or windows that have some defect, can cost you money, and they might also compromise your safety. So if you have old or defective windows, read on.
Replacing your windows with impact-resistant ones is costly, but if you consider the alternative, it might be worth it. In storms, for example, an old or defective window might break. If a window breaks, the building envelope will be broken as well, increasing pressure in the house that could actually lift the roof and push the walls out. Scary? Yes.
Granted, the storm would have to be a very powerful one for that to happen, but it can happen in potent storms. Think of the window purchase as insurance –– we purchase insurance in case something happens, not because we are positive something will happen. Purchasing impact-resistant windows is buying insurance.
OK, the worst-case scenario is over. Now let's move on to other reasons to justify replacing windows with impact-resistant ones. Your energy bills will be lowered. That is a great reason just on its own. Impact-resistant windows are laminated glass with LoE coatings. This combination keeps heat and cold out, thereby reducing air-conditioning and heating bills, respectively.
You are most likely eligible for insurance discounts when you replace windows with impact-resistant ones, as most insurance companies understand the protection value these windows have.
Another bonus: The resale value of your home goes up when these windows are installed. Many impact-resistant windows come with a 30-year transferable warranty.
These windows are made with layered glass. That layering helps reduce outside noise, so when the lawn guys are out there blowing leaves with that noisy blower, you can still talk with your family and be heard.
Impact-resistant windows also deter burglars -- they can't easily break them to get inside. Oh, and the windows clean themselves. There is a coating that can be added to the windows that requires only sun and a little rain to maintain spotless, shiny windows. Well, you do still have to clean them on the inside, but the outsides are covered.
Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples, Fla., is author of "Mystery of Color." For design inquiries, write to Rosemary at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Not all eggs are created equal in the eyes of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Kinder Eggs, a popular European chocolate egg that contains a toy inside, is banned from importation into the United States because it contains a "non-nutritive object embedded in it."
With the Easter holiday around the corner, the agency issued the reminder this week, warning that the candy is considered unsafe for children under 3. Last year, Customs and Border Protection seized 25,000 of them in 1,700 incidents.
The hollow egg, which is sold by the Italian confectioner Ferrero, is available in Europe, Canada, Australia and parts of Latin America under various names including Kinder Surprise and Kinder Sorpresa. It has taken on a cult status among adults who collect the toys, which vary from rings to animals and cartoon characters.
Kinder Eggs' scarcity in the United States has made them an object of desire: Various websites and online forums are dedicated to acquiring them.
Some are apparently hiding in plain sight. Earlier this week, DNAinfo.com, a New York City neighborhood guide, posted a story and slideshow showing stores where the coveted treats can be found.
"While there are some commercial-sized seizures that occur, most Kinder Eggs are seized in personal baggage or at mail and express consignment facilities," Customs and Border Protection said.
A Canadian woman reportedly learned her lesson the hard way.
The woman was selected for a random search at a border checkpoint in Minnesota when officials discovered she was carrying a Kinder Egg and took it from her, The Toronto Star reported.
A few weeks later, she received a 7-page letter asking if she wanted the egg back or if she was going to abandon rights to it, the Star reported.
"I was in disbelief," she told the newspaper. "It's a $2 egg."
I am 15. I used to live in Germany where Kinder Eggs were a big hit, after coming back to the States I realized that I could not find them ANYWHERE. I had to have a friend send them to me from Germany but she then moved to the States as well. I see no fit reason for them to be banned. I just found a store today tat sells them so I am very happy 😀 -Auf Wiedersehen
Kinder eggs are banned in US because they are dangerous for kids. As you can see, guns are not banned in US, since Kalashnikov, Automated guns and other weapons are not dangerous for the kids.
Are these politicians idiots, or stupidity is their middle name?
and the part that get most mad is that when you go to the kid seciton in the store there are smaler parts on barbies and other import from china. Why is that ???? money ?????
R so right! How ridiculous is this..... Our priorities are realign screwed up.
Can't believe they are still banned in 2013! I go to the stores in the US and find other eggs with non-nutritive items in them, why are they allowed! They should be banned for the poor quality of the chocolate they try to sell with the surprise.
At least Kinder Eggs have a pretty decent chocolate!
Kinder Eggs are very yummy, and there is still European stores that sell them in America. When we went back to Sweden, my little brother which is 2 years of age eats them like nobody's business!! I'm pretty sure that they think that American children are too stupid to AVOID THE BIG YELLOW THINGY THAT FALLS OUT OF YOUR EGG. I'm not calling American children stupid, but it seems like they are... but the American kids DO deserve respect..come on, people!
Only in America kids can't enjoy Kinder eggs because there are illegal. But every Dick and Harry can carry a gun and all kinds of assault Rifles and that is perfectly legal . Where is the logic?
and tey let all that crap from china in with smaller parts. Money ????
So let me get this right, I can run out and buy an assault rifle
But I can't buy a chocolate egg
You are so right! Our priorities are really screwed up.


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Washington (CNN) – Making an argument for overhauling the nation's immigration system Friday to a crowd of conservative activists, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush claimed immigrants were "more fertile" and thus a great benefit to American society.
His remark appeared to be an inarticulate reference to immigrants' fertility rates, which data show are higher than native-born Americans.
"Immigrants create far more businesses than native-born Americans over the last 20 years. Immigrants are more fertile, and they love families, and they have more intact families, and they bring a younger population. Immigrants create an engine of economic prosperity," Bush said at the annual Faith and Freedom conference in the nation's capital.
He prefaced his remarks with an analysis of America's demographic struggles, saying that the rate of Americans entering retirement couldn't be sustained by the current size of the workforce. Economists have long warned that government programs for seniors like Social Security and Medicare face long-term funding problems.
Last year, trustees projected Social Security could pay promised benefits in full through 2036, after which the program could only afford to pay 77% of them. Social Security has already begun paying out more in benefits than it takes in from workers' payroll taxes.
Bush argued Friday the problem lay in an imbalance between working Americans paying taxes and the number of older Americans – living longer – who have been promised government support in their retirement.
"We're going to have fewer workers taking care of a larger number of people the country has a social contract with to be able to allow them to retire with dignity and purpose," Bush said. "We cannot do that with the fertility rates that we have in our country. We're below break-even today."
Part of the solution, he said, was encouraging more legal immigration that would add people to the workforce, thereby creating more payroll tax revenue.
"The one way that we can rebuild the demographic pyramid is to fix a broken immigration system to allow for people to come and learn English and play by our rules, to embrace our values and to pursue their dreams in our country with a vengeance to create more opportunities for all of us," said Bush, a longtime proponent for comprehensive immigration reform.
"This is a conservative idea," he continued. "If we do this we will rebuild our country in a way that will allow us to grow. If we don't do it we will be in decline, since productivity of this country is dependent upon young people who are equipped to work hard."
Bush, unlike many Republicans, has backed a pathway to legal status for undocumented immigrants, provided they pay fines and learn English. Such measures have been staunchly opposed by conservatives, who say allowing people who came to the United States illegally to remain here amounts to amnesty.
Bush's arguments for immigration reform were met with near silence from the conservative crowd Friday, and following his speech the former Florida governor received a polite standing ovation. Comparatively, Rep. Michele Bachmann, who used parts of her speech to decry the bill backed by a bipartisan group of eight senators as "amnesty" for undocumented immigrants, received loud applause.
Bush, who is speculated to be considering a run for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, made his remarks the same week U.S. census data indicated rapid demographic changes, including showing for the first time that more non-Hispanic Whites died last year than were born.
The data also showed that Asians were the nation's fastest-growing demographic group, rising in population 2.9% last year. The Hispanic population grew by 2.2%, which the Census Bureau primarily attributed to a greater number of births than deaths.
In total, non-Hispanic Whites were the only racial group to have a negative rate of "natural increase" last year – meaning there were more deaths than births. Hispanics had 872,840 more births than deaths; African-Americans had 435,182; and Asians had 211,537.
CNN's Peter Hamby and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.
Here's a glimpse of how Twitter users reacted to Bush's comment:
relax everyone. Illegals have become like pests. Too many and sponging off of us.
Jeb Bush claimed immigrants were "more fertile"
Yeh they are fertile alright. They breed like rats and such our system dry.
As a black man, I see the illegals as taking away work that I and my buds could be doing.
A Bush says something stupid. News at 11.
Of course immigrants are more fertile. The are usually not severely obese with a 40% and above body fat. The come from countries where they dont stuff their faces with Big Macs and pizza. Their foods are more natural without enhancing hormones and pesticides.
Now, how would they be more fertile? are the less exposed to a non fertile toxin? more fertile... wow. I'm speechless.
Once again...and again....and again – the Republicans say something stupid which they really mean (but of course they really didn't mean that) Good grief!
Yes, what we need is more people ... bahahaha.
Jeb, wish you had a more fertile mind! I guess this incessant infertile way with words is a GOP thing that we non- Republicans wouldn't understand?
Anyway, is there not a rational politician out there who views over-population as a substantial problem for the world and will even be more so in the future? While the wealthy and well connected have the resources to remove themselves from the consequences of over-population, at least temporarily, the middle class does not. We the middle class need to be cognizant of how over-population degrades our quality of life with urban sprawl, increased pollution, traffic congestion, diminished resources and the like. We humans are not made to live like mice!!
They are more fertile not by choice but because they have less access to birth control.
I love the line "They create more businesses."
REALLY??? Outside of drug-rings & chop-shops, how many legitimate business enterprises/types have they created? I'd love to know the numbers!


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Rookie Russell Wilson made a bid for Seattle's quarterback job Friday by throwing for two touchdowns and pacing the Seahawks past Kansas City 44-14.
Wilson completed 185 yards worth of passes in a starting role, completing 13-of-19 throws and running for 58 yards.
Matt Flynn, signed as a free agent, was rested due to a sore elbow and watched as Wilson tried to grab the job away from him.
Seattle's first three possessions ended with field goals from Steven Hauschka and Wilson then threw second-period touchdown passes of 21 yards to Kellen Winslow and 11 yards to Charly Martin.
Another Seattle rookie, Robert Turbin, ran 14 times for 93 yards and scored on a 25-yard romp in the third period. The Seahawks have won all three of their exhibition games.
Seattle added to the rout on a 75-yard interception return for a score by Earl Thomas and a 92-yard return of a punt by Golden Tate.
Kansas City's Matt Cassel completed 19-of-34 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown. The Chiefs fell to 1-2.


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FREE ONE-DAY ADMISSION to 17 PGA Tour events is in the bag. The Datrek golf bag, that is.
"Datrek® … is now offering free tickets to PGA Tour events around the country, with the introduction of the Datrek 2009 PGA Tour Season Pass Promotion," the company announced in a news release.
"The promotion enables golfers, who purchase specially marked Datrek golf bags at select retail locations nationwide, to receive a PGA Tour Season Pass, providing a free one-day admission to 17 selected PGA Tour events."
Following are the events, dates and locations:
AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
Feb. 9-15, 2009
Pebble Beach, CA
Mayakoba Golf Classic
Feb. 23-Mar. 1, 2009
Cancun, Mexico
The Honda Classic
Mar. 2-8, 2009
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
WGC-CA Championship
Mar. 9-15, 2009
Doral, FL
Puerto Rico Open
Mar. 9-15, 2009
Puerto Rico
Shell Houston Open
Mar. 30-Apr. 5, 2009
Houston, TX
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Apr. 20-26, 2009
New Orleans, LA
THE PLAYERS Championship*
May 4-10, 2009
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Valero Texas Open
May 11-17, 2009
San Antonio, TX
Stanford St. Jude Championship
June 8-14, 2009
Memphis, TN
John Deere Classic
July 6-12, 2009
Silvis, IL
Buick Open
July 27-Aug. 2, 2009
Grand Blanc, MI
Legends Reno-Tahoe Open
Aug. 3-9, 2009
Reno, NV
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
Aug. 3-9, 2009
Akron, OH
The Barclays
Aug. 24-30, 2009
Jersey City, NJ
THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola*
Sept. 21-27, 2009
Atlanta, GA
Viking Classic
Oct. 26-Nov.1, 2009
Madison, MS
*Practice rounds only
−The Armchair Golfer


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If you're desperate to get away soon, our last minute holidays to Peschiera could be just what you need.
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Outside of your hotel, there's loads to see and do in the resort. To get a better picture of what it's like, have a read of our online guide. As well as an overview of the whole place, it's also got our top must-dos – including things like where to sample the local food, and where to buy your holiday souvenirs.
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Tiffanys Hotel
250-262 Promenade, FY1 1SA, Blackpool, Lancashire
Info about Tiffanys Hotel
If you really do 'love to be beside the seaside' Tiffany's Hotel is your ideal location. We're just a stone's throw from the bright lights and all the Blackpool attractions, yet also offer a cosy retreat and picture perfect sea views. Our staff offer service as friendly and polite as it comes, while our freshly revamped premises will delight guests of all ages.
Great value Blackpool holiday hotel packages
We're a great event venue too. Trust our knowhow to host your perfect occasion, whether it's a wonderful wedding reception or a business conference. Our choice of purpose-built function suites will wow your guests, while you can rest assured that your big 'date' will be as special and individual as you are.
As for our food, we promise you won't leave hungry. Serving the best of British with a dash of European flavour; your taste buds will love our restaurant... and with delicious five course dinners and hearty breakfasts included in our tariffs, so will your wallet!!
All inclusive, all singing and dancing deals!
Are you looking for a hotel with entertainment? With top comedy and musical favourites on the bill, evenings at Tiffany's Hotel are never dull. Our entertainment has something for everyone, from the very best tribute artists, to themed evenings and special events.
So whether you're looking for weekend breaks, family holidays in Blackpool or event hosting with that extra something special, Tiffany's is the hotel on the promenade that offers great quality at unbeatable value.
|Suitable For


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Design submitted by Peter from the UK.
Peter says: This is "2PM15" which is a back to basics analogue with a subtle twist.
The time telling method is very conventional and uses a disk for the hours and two quirky shaped hands for the minutes and seconds. There is a red LED in the top right corner to indicate PM.


text: Are you tired of your swimsuit fading and spending money replacing swimsuits every few weeks or monthly? Then you should look into getting a polyester swimsuit the next time you head down to the swim shop. Taking advantage of a unique polyester and PBT blend, the TYR Durafast swimsuits fit and perform like traditional Lycra swimsuits, but they last three times longer. The combination of polyester and PBT provides chlorine protection, sun resistance and quick drying capabilities to prevent color fade and degradation. But it's not just a durable practice suit. Durafast's remarkable fit and shape retention is an engineering treasure; a long-lasting poly suit that fits and performs so well you could race in it to.