text:
Slate's archives are full of fascinating stories. We're republishing this article because it remains a reader favorite. It was originally published Feb. 14, 2012.
Two horses that stumbled while filming racing sequences for the first and seventh episodes of HBO's Luck were deemed inoperable and euthanized. Dead and dying horses are often said to be "sent to the glue factory." Why are horses good for making glue?
They have a lot of collagen. Collagen is a key protein in connective tissues (cartilage, tendons, ligaments) as well as hides and bones. It's also the key ingredient in most animal glues, as it can be made into a gelatin that's sticky when wet but hardens when it dries. The word collagen actually derives from the Greek kolla, meaning glue, and the suffix -gen, meaning producer. As large, muscled animals, horses contain lots of this glue producer. Horse glue isn't generally better or stickier than any other kind of animal glue—indeed, an elephant could be used to make even more glue than a horse—and animal glue is more often made from pigs and cattle.
Humans have used animals to make glue for thousands of years. The oldest glue discovered was a collagen-based adhesive that was 8,000 years old and used to hold utensils together. It wasn't long before these animal glues were used to repair broken pots and, in one instance, glue ivory eyeballs into statues' eye sockets. Other adhesives were made from egg whites, tree sap, tar, and beeswax, which the ancient Romans used to caulk the planking in ships. In the middle ages, the mysterious author Theophilus compiled instructions for producing various types of glue, including glue made of skins and stag-horns, glue made from fish bladders (now called isinglass), and "the glue of cheese" (now called casein glue). For fish glue, Theophilus recommended the bladder of the sturgeon, but alternatives included eel skin and "the bones of the head of the wolf fish." The first commercial glue factory, started in Holland in the early 18th century, used animal hides. Glue made from blood, which worked because of blood's coagulative properties, worked particularly well when bonding plywood, and was commonly used for this purpose until the mid-20th century.
Animal glue, popular for thousands of years, has fallen out of fashion in recent decades. Over the second half of the 20th century, synthetic glues have become more advanced, as they are cheap, uniform in quality, and have longer shelf lives. White all-use glues like Elmer's are made of rubbery mixtures called polyvinyl acetate emulsions, and while the Elmer's mascot is a smiling bull, the company says that it doesn't use any animal parts. Some manufacturers still distribute animal glues. Bookbinders are fond of them because they're slow to set, allowing binders plenty of time to work. But those manufacturers represent only a small portion of the hundreds of companies that make up the multibillion dollar industry.
These days, dead and unwanted horses aren't sent to the glue factory as often they are sent across the border, slaughtered, and harvested for their valuable meat. (The United States' longtime ban on slaughtering horses for human consumption was lifted this past fall, but the practice remains taboo.)* Other horses are rendered into meat for greyhounds and food for large cats at zoos. Hippophiles might cremate favorite horses—in some states it's illegal to bury them—while others simply take the horse to the local dump.
Got a question about today's news? Ask the Explainer.
Explainer thanks Jerrold Winandy of the University of Minnesota.
Correction, Feb. 15, 2012: This article originally and mistakenly stated that slaughtering horses for human consumption is illegal in the United States. The ban on slaughtering horses for this purpose was lifted this past fall. (Return to the corrected sentence.)


text:
NEW YORK >> The woman Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was talking to when he made racist remarks says she was assaulted by two men outside a New York City hotel.
Police say V. Stiviano spoke to detectives on Monday and told them the assault happened outside the Gansevoort Hotel in Manhattan's Meatpacking District on Sunday night.
Police say Stiviano said there was an exchange of words and she was punched in the side of the face. Police say they're investigating the possibility the unidentified men used racial slurs during the attack. Stiviano is of black and Mexican descent.
Messages seeking comment from Stiviano's lawyer haven't been returned.
Stiviano's audio recording of the Clippers owner led to his being banned from the NBA. Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has agreed to buy the Clippers for $2 billion.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I have compiled the latest GCC 4.7.0, on my Linux Mint 12, using gcc 4.6.1 (default).
Compiler compiled successfully, steps followed
- ./configure
- make
- make install
Binaries of gcc-4.7.0 are in /usr/local/bin/ after install step.
Now the goal is to make the new compiler the default while also keeping the old one around(no uninstall) i.e. I want to be able to do gcc a.c or g++ a.cpp directly in the terminal window.
I have been unable to find a proper series of steps that would help me accomplish this.
Also, doing /usr/local/bin/g++ hello-world.cpp generates iostream file/directory not found.
Any help is appreciated.


text:
SAN DIEGO (July 30, 2012) The Laser Weapon System (LaWS) temporarily installed aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) in San Diego, Calif., is a technology demonstrator built by the Naval Sea Systems Command from commercial fiber solid state lasers, utilizing combination methods developed at the Naval Research Laboratory. LaWS can be directed onto targets from the radar track obtained from a MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon system or other targeting source. The Office of Naval Research's Solid State Laser (SSL) portfolio includes LaWS development and upgrades providing a quick reaction capability for the fleet with an affordable SSL weapon prototype. This capability provides Navy ships a method for Sailors to easily defeat small boat threats and aerial targets without using bullets.
� 1998 -
2023 StrategyWorld.com. All rights Reserved. StrategyWorld.com, StrategyPage.com, FYEO, For Your Eyes Only and Al Nofi's CIC are all trademarks of StrategyWorld.com Privacy Policy


text:
Kooooooooooz :)
I got to see Kevin Kouzmanoff yesterday. After two years, I got to see the player who means the most to me in all of baseball. I got to see my all-time favorite baseball player here in San Diego. It was fantastic.
At about 5 p.m. last night, I was sitting in the bleachers when Colorado Rockies players started streaming out of the visitor dugout. I hustled over to the third base side of the field to see none other than Kouz.
It was so much fun to watch him. Though I didn't get to interact with him at all, it was so much fun to see him there, to watch him play again. To see his beautiful smile. I've really missed him a lot.
Though I wasn't paying much attention, the game went really badly. We had eight hits and no runs. The Rockies had seven hits and three runs. It stunk. Will Venable made a horrible error that was actually ruled a triple, but it cost us the game, so it should have been called an error. Even without the error though, the Padres' offense was nowhere to be seen.
Kouz went 0-for-4. He got on base in the top of the ninth on a force out. Defensively, he allowed made one really great play, but the throw wasn't in time to first base. He was not happy about that one. But it didn't matter (like the Padres could actually score a run).
We lost 3-0, which added another loss to our eight-game losing streak.
After the game was the Friday night fireworks. I thought it was going to be kind of pathetic, but they weren't kidding when they called it "Friday Night Fireworks Spectacular." It was a legitimately good show! It would have been more fun if the Padres had won, but it was very cool anyways.
I can't tell you how cool it was to see my baby again. I'm so thankful that he's back in the NL West. Last night was a wonderful birthday present.


text:
Bradley Manning, the possibly gay or trans private first class accused of trafficking secret documents out of the military to Wikileaks on a Lady Gaga CD, was described yesterday by NBC's Today as an "outcast" who joined the military to impress his father. That lamestream media defending the queers again!
Permalink | Post a comment | Add to adrian lamo, bradley manning, DADT, Lady GaGa, media research center, Military, NBC, Today, Transgender, wikileaks


text:
In a new book of poems titled Eintagsfliegen, which was released on Saturday in Germany, Grass terms Vanunu, a former worker at the Dimona nuclear facility, a "hero" for his decision to transfer secret information to England's Sunday Times in 1986. An Israeli court later convicted Vanunu of espionage and sentenced him to 18 years in prison.
In the poem titled "Hero of our days," Grass praises him as a "model" because "he helped to bring the truth" to the public.
The Nobel laureate garnered fierce criticism from Israel, as well as from German politicians and many journalists, for another poem published last April titled "What must be said." In it he blamed Israel for endangering world peace and accused the Jewish state of seeking to obliterate Iran.
Severe sanctions were placed on Vanunu after his 2004 release from prison. In their new book Spies Against Armageddon, Israeli journalist Yossi Melman and CBS News correspondent Dan Raviv write that "Shin Bet and Malmab [the director of security for Israel's defense community] claimed that he continued to be a security risk because of the knowledge in his head. Thus, they insisted that he banned from leaving Israel and his movements were restricted."
German media blanketed Saturday's coverage of Grass's new attack on Israel. The television station n-tv wrote on its website "Grass attacks Israel again," and the daily Die Weltwrote on its own website "Grass provokes Israel with new book of poems."
In his new poem, Grass writes about Vanunu's upbringing in Beersheba as the son of a rabbi, who "pursued the study of the Torah's rules and then decided to convert to Christianity." He depicts Vanunu as being in the same predicament as the biblical Joseph and how his brothers tossed him into a cistern.


text:
#1 Emergency Locksmith Service For Commercial And Residential Locks in Sherwood Heights. We Help You For Car Key, Home Lock, Lock Replacement And Repair, New And Remake Key As Soon As Possible.
Emergency locksmith service is quick and fast in case of any Emergency Lockout or emergency with locks of vehicles, houses, shops, etc. Your keys are left in the car or home and you have an emergency. Then we make it impossible to possible. Your keys are just a call away. You can call us at Locksmith Sherwood Heights at any time because we offer Emergency Locksmith Services 24/7 in Sherwood Heights. In case you are locked out of your home, office, or vehicle and you are searching for emergency locksmith services near me, you do not need to worry because we are here to fix the problem. We will help you with a phone call to resolve the Door Lock Opening issue and make sure you gain access to a property or business. We will be on your doorstep in a quick way to provide you with relief.
Our Emergency Locksmith Service in Sherwood Heights
- Quick And Fast Locksmith Service in Sherwood Heights
- 24/7 Expert Locksmith Working Team in Sherwood Heights
- 15 Minutes of Emergency Locksmith Service in Sherwood Heights
- Latest Lock Opening Technology in Sherwood Heights
- Professional Locksmith Team in Sherwood Heights
Emergency Lock Repair in Sherwood Heights
We work with the following types of locks in an emergency in Sherwood Heights:
- Padlocks in Sherwood Heights
- Deadbolts in Sherwood Heights
- Knob Locks in Sherwood Heights
- Lever Handle Locks in Sherwood Heights
- Cam Locks in Sherwood Heights
- Rim/Mortise Locks in Sherwood Heights
- Euro Profile Cylinders in Sherwood Heights
- Wall Mounted Locks in Sherwood Heights
At Locksmith Sherwood Heights we offer emergency locksmith service throughout the entire area of Sherwood Heights.
Quick And Fast Locksmith Service in Sherwood Heights
You are in trouble and need immediate help. If your pet is stuck in a cage, roam or in your vehicle and door is locked or stuck in a bad way. Obviously, this requires a quick response. We offer fast Emergency Locksmith Service in Sherwood Heights to solve such problems. Don't wait in trouble just make us a call, we will reach you in a quick and fast way.
24/7 Lock Expert Working Team in Sherwood Heights
Once you are in a problem and need help. But you are thinking of SOS then we are here. We help our customers at any rate and without considering the time. Our commitment is to Serve You 24/7. Once you reached us then it will become our first priority to get you out of the problem. We will resolve all kinds of Smart Lock problems.
15 Minutes Emergency Locksmith Service in Sherwood Heights
You are locked out in the cold and need locksmith urgent. Don't waste time, we are just a call away. Our objective is to reach our caller in 15 minutes. This Emergency Locksmith Service makes us better than others. We offer this service throughout Sherwood Heights. Along with our expert locksmiths we cover the whole area of Sherwood Heights. At Locksmith Sherwood Heights our services are rapid fast. We often reach our customers in less than 15-20 minutes.
Latest Locksmith Technology in Sherwood Heights
We offer emergency locksmith service at Locksmith Sherwood Heights in this modern world of the latest technology. We use lock opening latest technology when you spend thousands on lock purchases and do not want to break it. Our expert team at Locksmith Sherwood Heights will Unlock The Door without breaking and leaving a sign of tempers. It is possible due to our latest technology and trained locksmith team.
Professional Locksmith Team in Sherwood Heights
Our professional locksmith team at Locksmith Sherwood Heights is fully trained and equipped with all the latest Locksmith Lock Opening technology. Both of these always keep locks safe. When unprofessional and untrained locksmiths open locks then they temper them or break them. The team Locksmith Sherwood Heights believes in hard work. We solve lock issues without producing troubles because we are perfect in this emergency locksmith service in Sherwood Heights.
Can a Locksmith Open any Lock in an emergency?
Locksmith professionals can assist with any kind of locked door, even If you are shut out as well as your trick is left inside. A seasoned MLA approved locksmith will have a variety of means to get the door open for any type of lock, without damages to your door or lock
Can I call the emergency locksmith or police if I am locked out of my house?
If you are shut out of your home, you need to not bother the emergency services such as the Cops or Fire Brigade, we always suggest to call a locksmith in your area for this kind of solution. Locksmith professionals authorized by the Master Locksmiths Association are Vetted, Inspected & Qualified.


text: Movies, TV-Shows in 2017 12345678910 The Witching HD HD The Witching IMDb 3.8 80 min Set just a few hours before Halloween Eve, the movie follows the members of a popular podcast, The Witching Hour, as they gather in the dark, sharing horror stories. But things go awry when they decide to go to the site where the Woodland Valley Witch was brutally murdered. Country: United States Genre: Horror Stars: Michelle Davidson Jesse David Ing Watch now! City of Sin SD SD City of Sin IMDb 5.7 97 min The movie follows a hardened detective who lays low to wait for a gang of vengeful hitmen that are on his tail. That fateful night is full of girls, guns and money as he enlists the help of the many intriguing hotel guests in an effort to evade the grave fate that lies in store. Country: United States Genre: Crime Drama Thriller Stars: Rosario Dawson Kevin Connelly Watch now! Mommy, I Didn't Do It HD HD Mommy, I Didn't Do It IMDb 5.9 84 min Ellen Plainview has finally finished law school, is practicing law, and looking forward to spending some much needed time with her 17-year-old daughter Julie. However, Julie is accused of a crime she didn't commit and since Ellen has a law degree, she hopes to prove her daughter's innocence. Country: United States Genre: Drama Stars: Danica McKellar Jonathan Bennett Paige Searcy Watch now! A Rose For Christmas HD HD A Rose For Christmas IMDb 6.4 83 min Andy is a passionate artist whose family has been building Rose Parade floats for generations. When her Dad gets sick, she is responsible for doing it and then clashes with one of the executive sponsors. As New Year's Day nears, they work together to meet the deadline and realize they've also been building a romance together. Country: United States Genre: Drama Stars: Karen Holness Venus Terzo Willa Milner Watch now! Sick of it All HD HD Sick of it All IMDb 4 86 min Sick of it All, a black and white noir style comedy which speaks to the child in all of us. The dark comedy is at once a memorable adult fable about one's lost youth, while in essence ... Country: United States Genre: Comedy Drama Mystery Stars: James Carolus Watch now! Amityville Exorcism HD HD Amityville Exorcism IMDb 1.4 77 min A family must put faith in a mysterious priest when an demonic force, connected to a decades-old murders in their home, possesses their daughter. Country: United States Genre: Horror Stars: James Carolus Titus Himmelberger Jeff Kirkendall Yolie Canales Kathryn Sue Young Steve Diasparra Marie DeLorenzo Austin Dragovich Watch now! War on Everyone HD HD War on Everyone IMDb 5.9 98 min Two corrupt cops set out to blackmail and frame every criminal unfortunate enough to cross their path, however, events are complicated by the arrival of someone who appears to be even more dangerous than they are. Country: United States Genre: Comedy Stars: Alexander Skarsgård Tessa Thompson Theo James Watch now! Mister Felicità SD SD Mister Felicità IMDb 4.9 90 min Martino's sister, Caterina, can't work anymore for health reasons and he replaces her as cleaner for dr. Guglielmo Gioia, a mental coach. While the doctor leaves, Martino pretends to be his assistant. Country: International Genre: Comedy Stars: Watch now! Jen Kirkman: Just Keep Livin? HD HD Jen Kirkman: Just Keep Livin? IMDb 6.8 69 min Jen Kirkman jokes about women's bodies, meditation, and a ghostly tour guide in her stand-up routine. Country: United States Genre: Comedy Stars: Watch now! Death Race 2050 SD SD Death Race 2050 IMDb 3.6 90 min The year 2050 the planet has become overpopulated, to help control population the government develops a race. The Death Race. Annually competitors race across the country scoring points for killing people with their vehicles. Country: United States Genre: Action Comedy Sci-Fi Stars: Manu Bennett Yancy Butler Malcolm McDowell Anessa Ramsey Marci Miller Burt Grinstead Folake Olowofoyeku Charlie Farrell Watch now! The Snare HD HD The Snare IMDb 5 90 min Three young people head to a remote holiday apartment complex, left vacant during the offseason, for a drunken weekend, only to be imprisoned on the top floor of their holiday apartment by a malevolent paranormal force. Country: United Kingdom Genre: Horror Thriller Stars: Eaoifa Foward Dan Paton Rachel Warren Watch now! Arsenal HD720p HD720p Arsenal IMDb 3.9 93 min The movie tells the intertwining stories of the Lindel brothers, Mikey a mobster and JP a company owner, who had only each other to rely on growing up, following Mikey as he attempts to rescue his kidnapped brother. Country: Korea Genre: Thriller Stars: Nicolas Cage John Cusack Adrian Grenier Watch now! Coin Heist HDRip HDRip Coin Heist IMDb 4.8 97 min United by dire circumstances, four unlikely allies from a Philadelphia prep school - the hacker, the slacker, the athlete, and the perfect student - band together to attempt the impossible: steal from the U.S. Mint. Country: United States Genre: Drama Stars: Blanche Baker Watch now! Leap! HD HD Leap! IMDb 6.8 89 min An orphan girl dreams of becoming a ballerina and flees her rural Brittany for Paris, where she passes for someone else and accedes to the position of pupil at the Grand Opera house. Country: United States Genre: Adventure Animation Family Stars: Maddie Ziegler Dane DeHaan Elle Fanning Watch now! Love on Ice HD 720p HD 720p Love on Ice IMDb 6.4 90 min Emily James, now 27 years old and considered a relic in the world of figure skating, gets an improbably shot to reclaim skating glory when a young coach sees greatness in her. Together, they find their love of skating goes beyond the ice. Country: International Genre: Drama Stars: Watch now! David Bowie: The Last Five Years HD HD David Bowie: The Last Five Years IMDb 8 90 min A documentary about David Bowie's final two albums "The Next Day" (2013) and "Blackstar" (2016) and Broadway musical "Lazarus". Country: United Kingdom Genre: Documentary Stars: David Bowie Watch now! Valley of the Sasquatch SD SD Valley of the Sasquatch IMDb 3.8 92 min A father, his son and two old friends arrive at an isolated family cabin for a weekend of hunting. A trip deep into the forest looking for wild game uncovers a tribe of Sasquatch that are determined to protect their land. Country: United States Genre: Horror Thriller Stars: Bill Oberst Jr. Jason Vail David Saucedo Watch now! Hickey HD HD Hickey IMDb 4 85 min Brilliant but insecure, young Ryan has 24 hours to save the store he hates in order to win the heart of the girl he loves. Country: United States Genre: Comedy Stars: Watch now! Golden Globe Awards HD HD Golden Globe Awards IMDb 5.6 131 min Comic Jimmy Fallon hosts a celebration of achievements in television and film, with actors Steve Carell, Anna Kendrick, Sofía Vergara and Brie Larson presenting awards and Golden Globe .. Country: United States Genre: Documentary Stars: Felicity Jones Diego Luna Carrie Fisher Watch now! 48 Hours to Live HDRIP HDRIP 48 Hours to Live IMDb 4.2 100 min A 3D hybrid merging the genres of film noir, dance, and mystery. A loner fresh out of rehab and hunted by both sides of the law returns home to solve the murder of his sister, and finds ... Country: United States Genre: Crime Musical Thriller Stars: Tommy Flanagan Danielle Savre Cody Longo Watch now! Bad Kids of Crestview Academy HDRIP HDRIP Bad Kids of Crestview Academy IMDb 7.1 100 min DETENTION SUCKS BUT IT'S KILLER FUN: It's four years later, and a new group of students has been placed in Saturday detention at the infamous and prestigious Crestview Academy. When ... Country: United States Genre: Action Comedy Thriller Stars: Sean Astin Gina Gershon Drake Bell Watch now! The Book of Love HDRIP HDRIP The Book of Love IMDb 5.7 106 min Henry is an introverted architect. After the death of his wife in a car accident, he sets out to help Millie, a homeless teen, to build a raft to sail across the Atlantic. Country: United States Genre: Drama Stars: Jessica Biel Mary Steenburgen Maisie Williams Watch now! The Summoning HD 720 HD 720 The Summoning IMDb 2.8 87 min When a law student uncovers chilling secrets and places her life at risk, a bitter, rough-around-the-edges detective gets assigned to her case. Country: United States Genre: Drama Mystery Thriller Stars: Eric Roberts Razaaq Adoti Watch now! The Crash HD 720 HD 720 The Crash IMDb 4.9 84 min In the not so distant future, a team of white collar criminals are enlisted by the Federal government to thwart a cyber-attack that threatens to bankrupt the United States of America. Country: United States Genre: Crime Thriller Stars: Frank Grillo Minnie Driver AnnaSophia Robb Watch now! 12345678910


text:
Spike TV has renewed Bar Rescue for season four and another round of 20 episodes. Half of season three has already aired and there's no word yet on when the next 10 installments will run.
Here's the press release about year four:
Network Orders 20 More Episodes of Hit Original Series Starring Jon Taffer To Premiere this Fall
New York, NY, May 9, 2013 – Spike TV has greenlit 20 more episodes of the network's popular original series, "Bar Rescue" starring renowned bar and nightlife expert Jon Taffer. From the producers of "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition" and the first 11 powerhouse seasons of "The Biggest Loser," "Bar Rescue" features Taffer, as he wields his nearly three decades of experience in the restaurant, bar and nightclub business to help give failing establishments one last chance to transform themselves into profitable businesses.
"Bar Rescue" is among Spike TV's original series that have successfully managed to broaden the network's audience base. The third season, which premiered on Sunday, February 10 averaged a robust 1.8 million viewers, its highest ever, and improved the timeslot by a staggering +282% with Adults 18-34 and +195% with Adults 18-49. The series drew a franchise-high 2.2 million viewers on April 7 and delivered more Men 18-49 than the highly-acclaimed "Mad Men."
In "Bar Rescue," Taffer travels nationwide, targeting a different failing establishment in each episode. His approach may ruffle feathers along the way, but Taffer pulls no punches and values bottom lines above hurt feelings. Owners and employees he believes are standing in the way of success are urged to check their egos at the door, as he employs a proven scientific approach to solving the problems befalling bars.
"Bar Rescue" is produced by Eyeworks USA and Executive Producers JD Roth, Todd A. Nelson Brant Pinvidic, DJ Nurre, Tim Warren and Jon Taffer. Sharon Levy is Spike TV's Executive Vice President, Original Series, Tim Duffy is Senior Vice President of Original Series for Spike TV, and Justin Lacob, Director of Original Series, serves as the network's Executive in Charge of Production.
Spike TV also has announced that Taffer will be featured in the Spike pilot "Hungry Investors." With Eyeworks USA producing, Taffer teams up with two fellow restaurant industry experts to seek out "diamonds in the rough" — neighboring establishments that are failing miserably, despite having amazing potential to succeed. The 'Hungry Investors' put the struggling restaurants to the test in a head-to-head, challenge-based competition and the one enterprise that shows the most promise of turning things around earns a significant cash investment. Executive Producers are JD Roth, Todd A. Nelson, Brant Pinvidic, DJ Nurre, Andy Scheer and Jon Taffer.
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com.
What do you think? Are you a fan of the series? Will you be tuning in?


text:
Brian Johnson: Host of PhilosophersNotesPhilosophers Notes
Related Links:
Brian's always been passionate about understanding what makes great people great and applying the truths they embodied to make his little dent in the universe.
After selling his last business (Zaadz) and traveling for a bit, Brian decided to give himself a Ph.D. in Optimal Living with a Specialization in Greatness and Bliss.
He figured he'd get a Master's when he'd distilled 100 of his favorite books into concise, fun, inspiring summaries. Then, on a flight from Tokyo to LA, he had one of those "Aha!/hallelujah!!" moments when he opened the SkyMall to an ad for a company that summarized business books for "busy executives." He decided someone should do summaries of self-development books for the "busy self-actualizer" and that that someone should be him. ☺
Enter: PhilosophersNotes. (Imagine CliffsNotes. Only shorter. And cooler. And a *lot* more inspiring. ☺)
He's currently on sabbatical in Bali working his way through two suitcases of books while he re-wires his consciousness, creates PhilosophersNotes #51-100 and enjoys daily massage and sunrise yoga.
He's 34.


text:
- This event has passed.
Leadership Lessons
July 28, 2021 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 2:30 pm on Wednesday, repeating until June 2, 2022
Tune in for the ministry leadership advice and encouragement you need each week.
Dr. Todd Gray hosts weekly Facebook Live interviews with different pastors and leaders from around the nation. In this videos you will discover everything from evangelism encouragement and personal testimony to advice about what not to do and book recommendations.
Join us Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. EDT to watch more lessons on Facebook Live.


text:
"When people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I can honestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago," Mrs. Obama said.
The first lady spoke on the convention's opening night, exactly one week after Ann Romney delivered what one CNN analyst called "political velvet," an address at the GOP convention in Tampa that took her sometimes robotic businessman husband, Mitt Romney, and turned him into a charismatic candidate who will be a champion of working-class Americans.
Michelle Obama has an easier job ahead of her in convincing voters of the president's likability; his favorability in this area ranks far above that of his GOP opponent. But she still worked to counter a perception that Obama is a cool and sometimes distant president who has been slow to build relationships outside the White House.
She also weighed in on what drives Obama's decision-making process, noting letters that he reads at night with "concern in his eyes" from struggling Americans.
"As president, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people. But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as president, all you have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are," she said.
Both Obamas have talked openly about the importance of the family dinner and spending time with their two daughters, 11-year-old Sasha and 14-year-old Malia, outside of the demands of the White House.
Campaign officials said Michelle Obama's focus would be to help augment the campaign's strategy to use the convention as a way to show "what drives (the president) every day."
A senior campaign official was more specific in the hours leading up to the speech. Describing the first lady as "the most popular political figure in America," the official said the aim was for her to highlight the president's personal experience and serve as a "character witness" for her husband.
She stuck to the planned themes.
"I have seen firsthand that being president doesn't change who you are — it reveals who you are," Mrs. Obama said.
She further touched on her own story, growing up on the south side of Chicago, and shared stories about the values handed down by her parents.
"We learned about gratitude and humility, that so many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean, and we were taught to value everyone's contribution and treat everyone with respect," Mrs. Obama said.
One thing Michelle Obama didn't do was go on the attack.
"The first lady has not attacked political opponents in any way over the past four years," the official said while speaking to CNN reporters covering the convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Lisa Burns, a professor of communications at Quinnipiac University with a focus on media and first ladies, said she's not surprised by the positive tone of the speech.
"With the wives, they aren't there to provide the real red meat for the political junkies. There's enough of that from other speakers," Burns said. "Their job is to reach out to the undecided voters and people who are tuning into the campaign for the first time — so they want to keep it positive."
Burns said it will take more than the first lady's speech to drum up the support necessary for her husband to win reelection.
"She can definitely make a difference tonight, but ultimately when people go to the voting booths, they're not voting for the wife," Burns said.
However, she faced a friendly audience on Tuesday.
The first lady is known as a warm, open woman whose latest favorable numbers in a CNN/ORC International poll hit 65%. Obama campaign officials describe her as the "most popular political figure in America."
Just four years ago, she was being portrayed as an Afro-sporting, machine gun-toting, Angela Davis figure fist-bumping her husband in a cartoon on the cover of the New Yorker.
She's built her likeable reputation by tackling such issues as childhood obesity with her "Let's Move!" campaign, holding several high-profile events at the White House and appearing in public service announcements to encourage children and their parents to maintain an active lifestyle. She also started a vegetable garden on the grounds of the executive mansion.
Even her eye for fashion has gained admiration.
Mrs. Obama regularly opts to wear cardigans and skirts from such retail chains as J. Crew over high-end designers, putting her on similar shopping grounds as female middle-class voters.
She wore a dress by New York designer Tracey Reese for her convention appearance.
The women's vote is especially key in this election, as Democrats work to paint Romney and the Republican Party as out of touch with female voters.
In a recent interview with Parade magazine, the first lady indicated she'd like to add women's health issues to her list of causes if her husband is elected to a second term.
Michelle Obama has stepped up in recent days to help fill the void left by her husband's busy campaign schedule, meeting with family members of the victims in the Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin, stumping for her husband on the campaign trail and calling for volunteers to rally voters in battleground states.
She continued that prominent surrogate role in a bid to set the tone for her husband's final push toward Election Day.
The president watched his wife's speech from the White House with the couple's daughters who had their first day of school on Tuesday — a particularly significant day for eldest daughter Malia, who started high school.


text:
A few years ago I created Jewelry for Isaac Bonewits.
He created renderings of several designs
and sent them to me to create
for his special line of Jewelry.
One of them is Dagda's Club.
In his Words:
"Show your devotion to the manliest god of them all: the All Father, the Good (at everything) God, the fabulous Dagda!
"Fiery father of the Gods of Erin, the Dagda is the Supreme Druid, the Mightiest Warrior, and Danu's Most Fertile Stud. His famous club could kill or resurrect, depending on which end He tapped you with.
"Honor the Dagda by wearing this silver or bronze amulet, designed by Isaac (includes the ogham letters for "Dagda" on the back)."
This represents the Irish All-Father's magical club,
which was a Druid's wand,
a warrior's weapon,
and a Healer's Blessing of fertility.
Entwining snakes embossed on a club,
topped by three tri-spirals.
A back Bail allows a hidden yet sturdy way
of wearing it on a chain or cord.
Script of the artist "Bonewits"
and producer "Merlin" of
Amulets by Merlin found on the back.
Isaac's Amulets are a beautiful combination of design,
comfort and concept.
You may purchase these amulets through my site.
Each piece purchased Isaac's Household receives a royalty
to both help extend his legacy promoting good will
and clarity to the world.
To learn about Isaac Bonewits,
his writings and more,
you may visit his website.
If you would like something special made
please visit my How to Order Custom Page


text:
It's 2010 and everyone is dancing. Well, maybe not everyone but at least Donny Osmond and Mickey Mouse, as I saw this morning at the unveiling of Dance Star Mickey, the newest plush incarnation of everyone's favorite rodent.
Donny Osmond, reigning Dancing With the Stars champ, was on hand to unveil the new toy which, I'm glad to report, actually dances really well. Mickey stands about two feet tall and packs a lot of gear that makes him wiggle his tail with surprising fluidity. He gets down in six styles, including soul, disco, and techno, but sadly there's no fist pumping in that last one. But he does squeak out some suggestions while dancing to pump up his audience.
His moonwalk ain't bad, either. And despite his impressive dancing abilities Mickey doesn't lose any softness on the outside, remaining cuddly as ever to the touch.
While Dance Star Mickey's limber moves stole the spotlight, Donny himself couldn't help challenging life-size Mickey to a little dance contest of their own.
Dance Star Mickey, whose moves are powered by two AA batteries, mambos onto shelves in October and will electric slide into your home for $69.99.
Toy Fair is the annual event where we get to completely regress back to childhood and check out all of the awesome toys coming out for the rest of the year. And well, we love toys.


text:
Product added to cart
CO-MS-500-B 14oz Navy - Custom Winning Boxing Gloves Next CO-MS-500-B 14oz Orange - Custom Winning Boxing Gloves Previous
Winning® Professional Boxing Gloves
CO-MS-500-B 14oz Purple - Custom Winning Boxing Gloves
Out of stock
- Winning® Professional Boxing Gloves, CO-MS-500-B, 14z, Velcro Design, Purple
- Custom color
- Hand crafted in Japan
- Best quality leather
- Anti-thumbing stopper
- These gloves are in stock and ready to be shipped
- We carry all standard MS-500-B colors, plus custom combinations and Limited Editions
Winning® Professional Boxing Gloves
CO-MS-500-B, 14oz, Velcro Design
- Custom color
- Hand crafted in Japan
- Best quality leather
- Anti-thumbing stopper
- These gloves are in stock and ready to be shipped
- We pride ourselves on our speed of delivery. Customers in most destinations should expect to receive their items within days.
- Goods will be dispatched within two business days after cleared payment. They will be sent via DHL Worldwide Express, FedEx International Priority or UPS Worldwide Express, with a tracking number provided.
- The estimated delivery time to the USA is 2~4 days and to most countries 3~5 days (customs clearance might occasionally delay the delivery).
- Any charges due to import duty and local taxes are not included in the shipping fees and are the responsibility of the buyer.
- These charges may be collected by the delivering freight company depending on destination.
- Please check with the respective authority to determine if any excess charges may be applicable.
Write Your Own Review
We found other products you might like!
W-5 - Tote Bag - Large - Winning Boxing
As low as US$ 30


text:
TV continues to exist in an eternal state of flux: Consumers aren't quite sure where it's heading and manufacturers are still trying to pull the right strings to get the next phase off the ground. But there are more than a few complications keeping us in this proverbial purgatory of television and streaming content.
But change is going to come, and amid news that Google is interested in entering the cable TV business and continued rumors that Apple will be releasing its own branded television set, we also have to wonder what's going to happen with streaming services like Hulu and Netflix. TalkPoint CEO Nick Balletta says that the real battle to hedge is with cable companies.
"It's the cable guys you have got to worry about," he says. "The people that own and control the last model are going to be the ones to get really worried about it." Forget applications having a say in all this: The real war is going to be fought between cable networks and the content providers that want to move on to a new format.
Balletta says one of the short term consequences will be cable companies metering bandwidth. And why wouldn't they? Carriers are losing out on the money they formerly got from customers subscribing to their content packages. According to a Fierce Cable report, Cable One, the tenth largest cable operator lost 23,000 subscribers over the third quarter. Cox Communications is also taking steps to penalize customers who exceed their bandwidth caps in attempts to bump them up to pricier plans.
And content providers are struggling with this, given that they can and are making money off of streaming revenues. CBS recently reported its third quarter growth was partially in thanks to streaming sales.
This all makes the tug-of-war between Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube seem like kids' stuff. But while cable companies and major content providers fight it out over the big picture, these portals are still exercising their influence for when the time comes. "Farther off, I think [YouTube] will challenge Hulu first. Netflix is more like a library. Google is a beast and you have to keep an eye on those guys," Balletta says. "They have the muscle and cash to weather the storm." About Netflix's PR blunder this year, he says "everybody gets a mulligan," and reasons that since the product is still good, the company will survive its PR nightmare.
So where are we heading? Balletta says connected TVs will hit their stride in about a year, during the holiday shopping season of 2012. Between now and then, there's a seemingly endless amount of fragmentation to be dealt with before we can truly cut the cord.
Editors' Recommendations
- How to watch The Weather Channel without cable
- YouTube TV takes the No. 1 streaming spot with 5 million subscribers
- Here's what you can do if Roku loses YouTube in December
- Google's new Chromecast will need more than a remote to beat Roku and Amazon
- How to get the new Chromecast with Google TV for free


text:
Ann Edmondsby Adri Sahagun • March 04, 2019
Ran the Disney Princess Half marathon on Feb 24, 2019. Used these inserts to help with shin pain.
Buy Now
Alignment - Patented Heel Cup
Satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back!
Protalus ® insoles have helped thousands of people feel their best. To get the most out of your insoles, we recommend trying them for at least 30 days. That's why we offer a 90-Day love them or your money back guarantee that includes shipping and exchanges.
30 Days
...for gentle alignment to begin.
60 Days
...to feel full comfort.
90 Days
...to feel happy feet, hips, and back.
*90-day Money-Back Guarantee not applicable to Subscription orders.
Try a pair Risk Free with our Money‑Back Guarantee
Free Exchanges
Does the size not fit you? No problem - we will happily exchange them. For up to 90 days after your initial purchase we exchange our product for a different size.
Free Returns
No matter how much you have used our insoles we will refund your full money at any time within 90 days from your purchase with no restocking fee.
90-day Money-Back Guarantee not applicable to Subscription orders.
Patented Technology Makes It Possible
The difference lies in our patented TRI-Planar technology. Other insole companies place a stump under the arch and call it support. Our insoles focus on the cause of the problem rather than the symptoms, designed to help your body maintain a neutral ankle joint position, while still allowing full ranges of healthy movement. Proper joint alignment improves movement efficiency, reduces fatigue, and prevents injury to help you do what you love.
Comfort - Premium Materials
Secure shopping with every transaction!
Protalus.com is powered by Shopify which is certified Level 1 PCI DSS compliant.
What is PCI DSS?
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a security standard for organizations that handle credit and debit card information. The standard was created to increase controls around payment data to reduce fraud. If you want to sell online and accept payments from Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover, your software and hosting needs to be PCI compliant.
Is Protalus.com covered by Shopify's security measures?
Yes, as a Shopify store, Protalus.com's transactions all run through the Shopify secure checkout system.
How can I learn more?
Check out Shopify's security page for more details at: https://www.shopify.com/security/pci-compliant


text: In under 24 hours, HTC has done a complete U-turn on their former flagship Desire phone after public pressure (we assume), announcing via its UK Facebook page that "contrary to what we said earlier, we are going to bring Gingerbread to HTC Desire." Great news for owners of the year-old phone, though we wonder how they shrunk the Sense UI down? [Facebook]


text:
major macro economic indicators
|2022 (e)
|2023 (p)
|GDP growth (%)
|Inflation (yearly average, %)
|Budget balance (% GDP)*
|Current account balance (% GDP)
|Public debt (% GDP)**
(e): Estimate (f): Forecast *Grants included **Including debts to the Central Bank and Kuwait
- Lower terrorist risk than its Sahelian neighbours
- Support from donors and international organisations
- Macroeconomic stability, to some degree, even in challenging circumstances
- Mineral (iron ore, gold, copper) and fishery resources
- Energy potential (gas, oil, renewables)
- Relatively significant domestic budgetary resources
- Poor governance including high levels of corruption, non-existent insolvency treatment
- Under-diversified economy is vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices
- Growth not very inclusive, weak education system and high unemployment
- Limited formal economy
- Very little arable land, as more than 2/3 of country surface is dessert
- Exposure to volatile weather patterns
- Persistent community tensions: discrimination against the Haratines, or black Moors, who make up 30% of the population and are descended from slaves of the Beydanes, also known as white Moors
A gradual improvement in economic activity
In 2022, growth will keep recovering from the recession in 2020, as exports and domestic demand continue to gradually improve. Gold exports are notably expected to increase alongside production. After a fire disrupted operations at the Tasiast gold mine (operated by Kinross Gold) in June 2021, output will rebound and will be further boosted by the planned expansion of the mine. However, the environment will be less favorable for iron ore exports, as prices are expected to moderate due to a slowdown in Chinese demand. On the other hand, copper exports could increase and will benefit from international prices and global demand. Non-extractive exports, driven by fishery products, are expected to increase in 2022. Household consumption will gradually rebound in 2022, as the vaccine rollout continues to progress (around 14% of total population were fully vaccinated in November 2021). Agricultural activities are expected to keep recovering in 2022, supporting household income (50 % of the population depends on agriculture, livestock and fishery). As the Priority Plan (ProPEP 2020/22) – notably aiming at supporting economic diversification and develop food security - continues to be implemented, government consumption is expected to be supportive. This will be reflected in growth in the services and industrial sectors. Investment (31.6% of GDP) is expected to remain moderate in 2022, as the authorities' ambition to increase infrastructure investment could be tempered by limited fiscal space. Gross fixed capital formation will nonetheless be supported by investment aimed at tapping into the country's hydrocarbon potential. Revenues from this sector are not expected to benefit the country in 2022, as production at the offshore gas field Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA, shared with Senegal), discovered in 2014, is scheduled for 2023.
Debt restructuring and twin deficit
The fiscal balance will still be in deficit, but will narrow in 2022. Revenues from mining and fiscal receipts will continue to benefit from the economic recovery . Pending the boost from gas revenues, they will be supported by measures outlined in the 2022 budget to improve revenue mobilization. In 2022, authorities will continue to prioritize social and infrastructure spending by containing growth of recurrent expenditures. The end of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) will also translate into higher debt servicing costs. With the country maintaining a primary fiscal surplus (which excludes interest on debt), public debt is expected decrease slightly in 2022. Authorities are also expected to continue their debt restructuring strategy (ongoing talks with China and India, pending decision on the G20 framework) after they found an agreement with Saudi Arabia (which suspended USD 8.2 million of debt payments) and Kuwait (restructuring of USD 82.7 million) in 2021. The country could also receive further support from the IMF, following the conclusion of the previous ECF arrangement in March 2021. Although it is expected to shrink, the current account deficit will remain large in 2022. Capital goods imports, notably for the development of gas projects, will continue to fuel a large trade deficit despite rising exports. Both the services and primary revenue accounts are also expected to remain deep in deficit. Current international cooperation could increase, supporting inflows in the secondary income account, and a reduction of the current account deficit. The latter will continue to be financed by FDI related to the development of the LNG project and concessional loans. Favourable terms of trade in 2021 supported an increase in gross international reserves, which cover more than 5 months of non-extractive imports.
The president is working with the opposition
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani was sworn in as President in August 2019 after he won the election with 52% of the vote, despite challenges from the opposition. His party, Union for the Republic (UPR) has been holding the majority in the National Assembly since 2018 (97 of 157 seats). The next legislative and presidential elections are scheduled in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The administration is expected to continue his anti-corruption drive , most notably illustrated by the arrest of the former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (2009-2019) in June 2021 on corruption charges. Furthermore, the president has worked to ease tensions with the opposition, calling on them to tackle poverty, unemployment and inequality, and to improve the education and health systems. Mauritania will continue to consolidate relations with African countries, as suggested by its participation in the African Continental Free-Trade Area (AfCFTA) to strengthen economic ties in the region. In addition, historically close links with Gulf countries helped in the recent restructuring negotiations with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Cut in 2017, diplomatic ties with Qatar were re-established in March 2021.
Last updated: February 2022


text:
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Pain and Suffering
9 comments:
- emilyoboe said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- November 4, 2007 at 2:40 AM
- emilyoboe said...
have you read The Gift of Pain (alternately titled Pain: the Gift No One Wants) by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey? I think you might enjoy it, it relates a lot to what you're also saying about pain.
- November 4, 2007 at 2:41 AM
- T. said...
I've read other Yancey but not that one. Will look out for it!
- November 4, 2007 at 7:43 AM
- Elaine Fine said...
- November 4, 2007 at 10:45 AM
- Mitch Keamy said...
quality post. god work, t.
- November 5, 2007 at 11:24 PM
- rlbates said...
Very nice post T! Please submit it to the next SurgeXperiences (http://surgexperiences.wordpress.com/2007/11/02/surgexperiences-108-to-be-hosted-at-aggravated-docsurg/)
- November 7, 2007 at 7:19 PM
- T. said...
Thanks! You're the second person who has suggested that!
- November 7, 2007 at 9:47 PM
Hello everyone!
I´m studying English Philology at the University of Jaen (Spain). I was looking for information about The Yellow Wallpaper by Perkins Gilman because I must write a paper about it and I´ve found this blog. It is very interesting! And for all who haven´t read The Yellow Wallpaper, please read it! It is amazing, so many symbols and feelings... I think there is a meaningful connection between creativity and madness, pain and suffering. Just think about Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway, and a looong etc. The title of my paper: Relationships between Literature and Madness...
- March 12, 2008 at 8:59 AM
- T. said...
Hi, Inma -
Thanks for stopping by! If you have an interest in literature and madness, I think you'd enjoy Kay Redfield Jamison's book Touched with Fire: Manic Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament - though it's such a well-known book you've probably read it already!
I actually mentioned Hemingway in another post I wrote, about electroconvulsive or "shock" therapy. So many famous people went through that - him, Sylvia Plath, Artaud...
- March 12, 2008 at 9:20 PM


text:
|First View:
The phone number was searched from here:
You have been called by this number and you know more about the caller? Then the answer is yes! With your comment the phone number and the caller will be publicly displayed here. By this way you can contribute to make annoying callers a thing of the past.
The following websites have reports about 310-697-6180:
Last review: Tue, Aug 09, 2022 13:29:33
1 of 15 websites report problems with this phone number!


text:
Butch Jones, Tennessee players visit children injured in Chattanooga fatal bus wreck
The Tennessee football team felt helpless watching the news about the fatal bus wreck in Chattanooga from afar.
Determined to find a way to make an impact, coach Butch Jones and four Tennessee players on Wednesday visited the children injured in the crash.
Jones, defensive end Derek Barnett, running back Alvin Kamara, linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin and kicker Alex Jones arrived at the airport in Knoxville at 6:30 a.m. to fly on the team plane to Chattanooga.
They spent about 90 minutes at the T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital at Erlanger with the injured Woodmore Elementary School students, their parents and the hospital staff.
"Your heart goes out to the children and all the families, but also the employees, doctors and nurses working around the clock," Jones said after arriving back in Knoxville. "I thought it was the least we could do."
The Vols tried to brighten the day of the injured children by interacting with each of them, signing autographs and taking photos. Every child and family received a Tennessee T-shirt and hat.
"You walk into a room and there is a little girl who can't talk, but sees you and her eyes light up and she's in a cast and giving you a thumb's up," Jones said. "That is something that I will remember and I know our players will remember for a lifetime. When we got back into the car to drive back to the airport it was silent."
Jones plans to have the children visit the Tennessee campus and "do something special" with them during halftime of the spring game.
The visit provided Jones and his players with a reminder of everything they have to be thankful for during this holiday week.
"I tell you, it puts things into perspective," Jones said. "It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done."


text:
'Duck Dynasty': Why you should be watching it
When "Duck Dynasty" returned for its third season last week, it was greeted by an audience of 8.6 million viewers. Pretty good for an A&E reality series about bearded bayou brethren who manufacture duck calls and love to go bird hunting.
Except that's not what "Duck Dynasty" really is. Viewers who have ducked this show thus far, assuming it's just another mocking redneck display on the order of "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," have it all wrong. And they're missing out.
Nor, by the way, is this a show that has much to do with the duck-call business (life has many distractions for the Robertson clan), nor is it a show that dwells on people killing animals (are you listening, Morrissey?).
Instead, "Duck Dynasty" (airing two half-hours at 10 p.m. EST Wednesday) is a warm and witty family show that is more akin to a classic sitcom than it is to the likes of "Buckwild."
Typically, an unscripted series aims to jolt and titillate the viewer with the bizarreness of its characters and their weird lifestyle.
By contrast, the backwoods Louisiana setting of "Duck Dynasty" provides colorful trappings for a comfortably eccentric and engaging brood. Watching the Robertsons, you don't look down on them as just a bunch of odd ducks. Instead, you may find yourself wanting to share a Mason jar of sweet tea with this quack pack and join their fun.
But that, of course, assumes you could hold your own with their down-home bons mots. These duckmen are funny!
In one scene last week, Willie Robertson, the self-proclaimed "redneck millionaire" who serves as the president of Duck Commander, weathered a fusillade of wisecracks as cantankerous uncle Si and brother Jase teased him about his reluctance to rough it during their planned duck-hunting trip.
Si: "Willie's idea of roughing it is opening a garage door manually."
Jase: "... Having the wrong comfort setting on his sleep-number bed."
Si: "... Watching a DVD instead of Blu-ray."
Jase: "... Having to unload his dishwater because (wife) Korie's out of town."
Si: "... Having a shower head that has only three bouffant settings."
These quips (whether spontaneous or prepared, and who cares?) reflect the sly charm and skilled delivery you'd expect from your favorite sitcom.
The story premises feel just as pleasantly familiar. On one of last week's episodes, Willie and Korie are looking forward to their high school reunion. Except Willie can't quite fit into the leather jacket Korie bought him only weeks ago.
Maybe he needs to shed a bit of the bulk he's gained since high school. It's a mission that leads him in various humorous directions including — mortifyingly for this red-blooded male — Korie's yoga class.
Meanwhile, Si's dog, Ruby, won't hunt. Literally. Si's crotchety manner seems to invite Ruby and any other canine to defy his every command. But after doggedly searching for a pooch that will do his bidding, he finds the perfect specimen: Amid much ribbing from the other guys, Si has chosen a poodle.
"He's got 'killer' written all over him," Si declares.
Then back to Willie the night of the reunion. He slips into his jacket with ease. His weight-loss regime has been a success.
Or has it?
"A great wife saves the receipt," Korie confides to the audience — "and takes the jacket back for a bigger size when nobody's looking."
Oh, snap! A final twist this perfect is worthy of the meticulously plotted "Modern Family" at its best or "The Cosby Show" in its prime.
Just how "unscripted" is "Duck Dynasty"? It doesn't matter. The ties that bind these characters are true-to-life, and the star quality they exhibit just being themselves couldn't be faked.
The rest — self-aware but not self-conscious — feels like a smart collaboration between them and the show's producers. The upshot is a delightful hybrid. Comedy foie gras.


text:
Creative Christmas card brings together family, deployed dad
Father serving in Iraq still gets in the family photo
Father serving in Iraq still gets in the family photo
Ashley Williams Sistrunk is used to spending time without her husband, Brandon. As a staff sergeant in the Air Force, he's missed the birth of three of his four children. This year, he's deployed in Iraq for the holidays.
But he's with his family on their Christmas card.
Sistrunk got her husband to hold the "Merry" half of a "Merry Chirstmas" card on his base overseas, while she held the other half of the message with their children in Colorado Springs.
To her surprise, the photo has received major attention across social media and even been spotlighted in national media.
"Having a piece of your heart across the world, fighting for your country, it's a just a whole other level of emotions," Sistrunk told KKTV.
"I'm going to try not to cry. Just reading some of the comments of, 'Oh that's so cute,' but also people feeling out sadness in it. But then seeing that we're trying to put a positive spin on the holidays even though he's not here."


text:
Greetings and Happy New Year. Perhaps it's fitting that one of my final posts here will be about "The Last Barn Dance," a lovely film in the making. Here's the synopsis: "Randy Lewis knows that losing his dairy business would mean losing his livelihood – his farm is limping along through an economy that has decimated most other family farms in Alamance County – but Randy is most worried about losing his way of life and ending a family heritage that has hosted nearly 50 years worth of barn dances. The farm is fragile, the band is old, the barn is beaten, and Randy, with no kids of his own and little faith the younger generation will pick up the pieces, is trying to save the dance."
It's been nearly four years since "Farm Fresh North Carolina" was published, in March 2011. Because I moved to the Netherlands in late 2014, I will only rarely add to this blog. However, it is filled with still-relevant information, so feel free to use the search function.
For farm-travel fun in neighboring Southern states, check out my sister books, also published by UNC Press, "Farm Fresh Tennessee" and "Farm Fresh Georgia."


text:
Argen Duncan
With the farmers market season under way, growers have less produce than usual but hope that will change.
The Portales and Clovis farmers markets have been open since June.
"We're selling the little stuff," said Margie Plummer, manager of both markets. "We don't have a lot ready right now because of the weather."
The heat, wind and previous lack of rain set Plummer's garden back a month, she said. Other growers are in the same position, and some have given up.
Even if the weather continues to hinder growers, Plummer said, they'll have plenty of produce, just not as much as they would otherwise.
Now, Plummer said, three or four vendors are selling squash, red potatoes, onions, garlic, greens and a few bell peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes. The same vendors offer the same produce at both markets, she said.
Throughout the season, Plummer expects 10-15 vendors to participate in the market. Green chile, watermelon, peas, beans and more tomatoes should appear later in the summer.
About the second week of August, she expects to hold a grand opening at the Portales market. Last year, the event included live music, giveaways and a coloring contest for children.
Plummer plans to have much of the same activities this year. In addition, representatives of the New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service have offered demonstrations, recipes and so forth at the market in the past.
Don Wiley, who sells produce and his wife's homemade soap at both markets, said while the weather has slowed things down, things are starting to look up.
"The rain we got (Monday) night sure helped," Wiley said.
His land received a little more than an inch of rain that night.
Wiley, who grows 30 different vegetables just inside the Curry County border, said he expects to harvest cucumbers, spaghetti squash, potatoes and green beans in about a week. Watermelon, cantaloupe, corn and black-eyed peas are among the produce he expects to have later in the year.
Wiley touted the quality of produce as the reason people should shop at farmers markets.
"The quality of the vegetables they get they won't find anywhere else because everything the farmers sell is picked the day before or the day of the market," Wiley said, adding that doesn't happen in stores.
Farmers also sell only their best produce and may offer items customers can't find in stores or restaurants, he said.
Plummer said the freshness of the produce means it has more nutrients. Also, customers know what conditions, pests and chemicals the fruits and vegetables were subject to, she said.
The farmers markets are scheduled to run through October. Wiley said he would sell produce from his greenhouse for a couple of months afterward.


text:
L.L. Bean makes custom boots for Red Sox players
Boots not for sale to public
L.L. Bean is painting its Bootmobile red in honor of the Red Sox's World Series championship and providing custom-made red hunting boots to each member of the team and staff.
The company will unveil the red Bootmobile during the duck boat parade Saturday to celebrate the Red Sox's achievement.
Click to see photos of the boots.
Chief Operating Officer Steve Fuller said Friday that Bean wanted to thank the Red Sox for the World Series win at Fenway Park.
"Winning the World Series in Boston is an exhilarating and thrilling accomplishment and we want to thank the Red Sox for this, as well as all of the years of enjoyment they have given to the fans of New England and beyond," he said.
Bean and the Sox go way back.
Both Fenway Park and L.L. Bean celebrated their 100th anniversaries last year, and Bean made Totes and boots from the Fenway tarp that was pulled over the field during rain delays.


text:
Lexus leads as auto industry quality better than ever: survey
Toyota Motor Corp's <7203.T> luxury brand Lexus topped a U.S. vehicle dependability study of owners of 3-year-old cars and trucks as model-year 2010 vehicles improved to record-high quality levels.
The industry's cars, introduced in 2009 when the sector was hitting a 28-year sales low during the recession, saw a 5 percent improvement in quality, falling to 126 problems per 100 vehicles from 132 last year, according to the J.D. Power and Associates survey released on Wednesday.
Lexus led with a score of 71 problems per 100 vehicles.
"The continuous improvement in long-term dependability means consumers should have more confidence in three-year-old vehicles, whether they are keeping their current vehicle or shopping for a used car," David Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power, said in a statement.
Vehicle dependability is important to automakers because fewer problems translates into more loyal customers. J.D. Power said that 54 percent of owners who don't experience any problems with their vehicles stay with that brand for their next purchase. That loyalty rate slips to 41 percent when three or more problems are experienced.
Twenty-one of the 31 brands measured improved their scores in the survey, with U.S. domestic nameplates improving at a slightly greater rate than imports. The domestics narrowed their scoring gap with imports to 10 problems per 100 vehicles with an overall average of 133, from a gap of 13 last year.
In 2009, U.S. auto sales hit their lowest level since World War Two when, adjusted for population, and both Chrysler and General Motors Co underwent government-sponsored bankruptcies and Ford Motor Co borrowed heavily to avoid the same fate. Chrysler Group is now controlled by Fiat .
Following Lexus, which led for a second year in a row, were Porsche (94 problems per 100 vehicles), Ford's luxury Lincoln brand and Toyota (each at 112), Daimler's Mercedes-Benz brand (115) and GM's Buick (118). Lincoln was the top ranked brand in the 2011 study.
Rounding out the top 10 were Honda Motor Co's <7267.T> namesake and luxury Acura brands (119 and 120, respectively), and Chrysler's Ram pickup truck and Suzuki <7269.T> (122 each). Mazda <7261.T> and GM's Chevrolet brand also scored lower than the industry average at 124 and 125, respectively.
The bottom five scoring brands in the survey were Volkswagen (174 problems per 100 vehicles), Chrysler's Jeep brand and Mitsubishi <7211.T> (each at 178), Chrysler's Dodge (190) and Tata Motors Ltd's Land Rover brand (220).
Among individual models, the Lexus RX had the highest dependability in the industry with just 57 problems per 100 vehicles, marking the first time in the survey a crossover or SUV topped the list, J.D. Power said. Chrysler's Ram scored the biggest improvement, cutting its problems by 52.
Toyota, through its namesake and Lexus brands, saw its vehicles earn seven segment awards, while GM had four and Honda, and its Acura brand, led in two segments.
(Reporting By Ben Klayman in Detroit; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)


text:
Mold, roaches, disrepair at Quincy's Snug Harbor public housing
Sixta Sanchez isn't afraid to speak up about the mold and the cockroaches she has endured at different times during more than two decades living in the Snug Harbor section of Quincy's public housing complex that lines the riverbanks of Germantown.
"We pay rent here, and we have to live healthy with the children," Sanchez said Tuesday as she stood outside her apartment under the midday sun.
Since May, state housing inspectors have documented deplorable conditions and health violations in multiple homes run by the Quincy Housing Authority. Last week, they deemed the 400 units in Snug Harbor as the worst of the 938 state-funded housing units managed by the agency.
Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development also issued a blistering assessment of Quincy, faulting the housing authority for failing to detect and then fix dozens of serious health and safety violations uncovered in recent inspections.
Sanchez and many of her neighbors in Snug Harbor on Tuesday afternoon agreed with the state findings.
"They're not doing what they're supposed to do here," Sanchez said of the housing authority. "I've had issues with mold and roaches."
Her 6-year-old son has asthma, which is not uncommon among residents and their children in the Snug Harbor units. Snug Harbor Community School is just around the corner from Sanchez's home and has one of the highest rates of asthma of any school in Quincy. A 2009 report from the State Department of Public Health showed nearly 17 percent of the students there with the respiratory problem that is often triggered by mold.
Heavy mold and mildew, caused by water infiltration, is one of the chief reasons that state inspectors last week ordered a family of three to relocate from a housing authority apartment in Snug Harbor.
Teams from the state housing department have inspected 171 units since June 16 and plan to inspect hundreds more in a "top to bottom" examination of housing conditions.
"The things that I have seen are extremely concerning, and physical conditions are very bad," James Marathias, the director of facilities maintenance for the state housing agency, said last week. "DHCD remains very concerned with findings at Quincy Housing Authority."
One of Sanchez's neighbors, who asked not to be named because of fear of reprisal from the authority, said she has asked for months for Quincy Housing Authority to repair her bathroom floor.
"I have been in my apartment for 14 years and my bathroom floor has never been done. The whole thing is covered in duct tape," the woman said, adding that she was afraid that if she complained, she'd be evicted and end up homeless.
Not far away on Taffrail Road, Elizabeth Marks said that no matter how much she scrubs her bathroom tiles, the mold keeps coming back.
Marks said the problems in her apartment aren't bad compared to others, but the mother of a 15-year-old son said she's exasperated after living in Quincy's public housing for the last 11 years.
"I stopped calling maintenance after a while," she said as she stood in her kitchen, where many of the floor tiles are broken. "You have to call the health department on them (to get a response)."
Many residents in Snug Harbor said they planned on going to tonight's neighborhood forum at O'Brien Towers to air their concerns about public housing in Germantown.
Chris Burrell may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or follow him on Twitter @Burrell_Ledger.


text:
USC researchers figure out how to 'grow' carbon nanotubes
Move over, silicon. In a breakthrough in the quest for the next generation of computers and materials, researchers at USC have solved a long-standing challenge with carbon nanotubes: how to actually build them with specific, predictable atomic structures.
"We are solving a fundamental problem of the carbon nanotube," said Chongwu Zhou, professor in the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and corresponding author of the study published on Aug. 23 in the journal Nano Letters. "To be able to control the atomic structure, or chirality, of nanotubes has basically been our dream, a dream in the nanotube field."
If this is an age built on silicon, then the next one may be built on carbon nanotubes, which have shown promise in everything from optics to energy storage to touch screens. Not only are nanotubes transparent, but this research discovery on how to control the atomic structure of nanotubes will pave the way for computers that are smaller, faster and more energy efficient than those reliant on silicon transistors.
"We are now working on scale up the process," Zhou said. "Our method can revolutionize the field and significantly push forward the real applications of nanotube in many fields."
Until now, scientists were unable to "grow" carbon nanotubes with specific attributes — say metallic rather than semiconducting — instead getting mixed, random batches and then sorting them. The sorting process also shortened the nanotubes significantly, making the material less practical for many applications.
For more than three years, the USC team has been working on the idea of using these short, sorted nanotubes as "seeds" to grow longer nanotubes, extending them at high temperatures to get the desired atomic structure.
A paper last year by the same team in Nature Communications outlined the technique, and in the current Nano Letters paper, the researchers report on their latest major success: identifying the "growth recipes" for building carbon nanotubes with specific atomic structures.
"We identify the mechanisms required for mass amplification of nanotubes," said co-lead author Jia Liu, a doctoral student in chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, recalling the moment when, alone in a dark room, she finally saw the spectral data supporting their method. "It was my eureka moment."
She added, "To understand nanotube growth behaviors allows us to produce larger amounts of nanotubes and better control that growth."
Each defined type of carbon nanotube has a frequency at which it expands and contracts. The researchers showed that the newly grown nanotubes had the same atomic structure by matching the Raman frequency.
"This is a very exciting field, and this was the most difficult problem," said co-lead author Bilu Liu, a postdoctoral research associate at USC Viterbi. "I met Professor Zhou [senior author of the paper] at a conference, and he said he wanted to tackle the challenge of controlling the atomic structure of nanotubes. That's what brought me to his lab because it was the biggest challenge."
In addition, the study found that nanotubes with different structures also behave very differently during their growth, with some nanotube structures growing faster and others growing longer under certain conditions.
"Previously it was very difficult to control the chirality, or atomic structure, of nanotubes, particularly when using metal nanoparticles," Bilu Liu said. "The structures may look quite similar, but the properties are very different. In this paper we decode the atomic structure of nanotubes and show how to control precisely that atomic structure."
Additional authors of the study are Jialu Zhang of USC and Xiaomin Tu and Ming Zheng of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
The research was funded by the Office of Naval Research and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense.
More stories about: Electrical Engineering, Emerging Technology, Faculty, Publications, Research


text:
Log In
Create A New Profile
Recent Messages
The Moon is New
Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
All posts are those of the individual authors and the owner of this site does not endorse them. Content should be considered
and not fact until verified independently.
This user doesn't exist or has been deactivated.
Upload a picture
Forest Service Web Site
R. Maese, c/o DCV, 16336 Molino Dr, Victorville, CA 92395
DCV Web Site
Random post
Thread list
USA Hot Springs Database
Court rules on opinions
Hot Springs Area Topographic Map
Spillway Trail Topographic Map
Wizard's pictures
Privacy Policy
Top Users
Free Our Forests
[Yosemite Photos]
[Yosemite News Forum]
[Yosemite Camping]


text:
Information on this page is for customers in
{{ town-name }}
Natural Gas Pipeline Safety
More than 2.2 million miles of pipelines and mains quietly, reliably and efficiently deliver natural gas everyday for use by residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Ensuring Your Safety
Like all forms of energy, natural gas must be handled properly. We work very closely with industry and government agencies and stay abreast of new technologies and security methods to ensure the highest levels of service and safety. Despite an excellent safety record, a gas leak caused by damage to a pipeline may pose a hazard and has the potential to ignite.
A variety of measures are used to ensure pipeline safety including:
- Coordination with Dig Safe (Massachusetts) and Call Before You Dig (Connecticut)
- Visual inspection programs
- Design and construction techniques
- Workforce training
- Industry safety practices and government oversight
- Pipeline markers and facility mapping
- Public education programs
Preparing for Emergencies
We work with emergency responders, state and local agencies to prevent and prepare for emergencies through training and periodic drills. These exercises test procedures, logistics, communications and more. Emergency plans and procedures are periodically updated and made available to state authorities.
Commitment to Safety
We work with industry groups to continually enhance pipeline safety and training methods. At the state level, we work with regulators on programs designed to ensure the safe operation of the natural gas distribution system for customers and residents. And, as new technologies are developed in pipeline design, construction, inspections, and operations, we will continue to invest in pipeline integrity programs that will allow for the continued safe and secure delivery of natural gas.
Pipeline Markers Show the Way
Whether you are at home, at work, or in a public place, it's likely you are in an area served by natural gas pipelines. Since pipelines are underground, line markers are sometimes used to indicate their approximate location along the route.
The markers display the material transported in the line, the name of the pipeline operator, and the telephone number where the operator can be reached in the event of an emergency. Markers only indicate the general location of a pipeline and cannot be relied upon to indicate the exact position.
Because many lines are not marked, it is critical that you contact 811 prior to any excavation.
Know What You're Digging Into
The greatest risk to underground natural gas pipelines is accidental damage during excavation. Even minor damage such as a gouge, scrape, dent, or crease to a pipeline or its coating may cause a leak or failure.
To protect pipelines and other underground facilities, the law requires that all excavators contact 811 before excavation work begins on public or private property. This applies to homeowners as well, digging to install a mailbox, fence posts, landscaping, etc.
Dig Safe or Call Before You Dig will contact the gas utility owners of underground facilities in the immediate area so the location of pipelines can be marked prior to excavation. This service is performed at no cost to you. Underground pipelines often run along a public street, but may also be near private property. The area along each side of the pipeline is known as a right-of-way, which gives the facility owner the "right" to restrict certain activities, even on private property.
Right-of-way locations must be respected and are usually marked on maps filed with local municipalities. Dig Safe and Call Before You Dig can provide excavators with specific details regarding precautions required in addition to having the location of underground facilities marked.
Failure to comply with the law can jeopardize public safety, result in costly damages and lead to substantial fines.
Calling Before You Dig
Dig Safe or Call Before You Dig is available to process requests for locating and marking underground facilities near an excavation project. Excavators are required by law to contact 811 at least 72 business hours before excavation work begins on public or private property.
Eversource & Customer Owned Pipes
Eversource takes safety seriously and looks to ensure natural gas is delivered safely and efficiently. We make sure to properly maintain our gas pipes and inspect them periodically. However, at times you may find you have questions about which parts of your service are privately owned and which parts we maintains
We maintain the gas pipes that run along your street and end at your gas meter. Gas pipes that run from your meter to your furnace, water heater or other appliances are your responsibility. If you have an underground pipe on your property that leads to an outdoor gas grill, gas light, pool heater or another building, a licensed plumber should inspect that pipe periodically. If underground pipes are not maintained they could corrode and leak.
Also, make sure the outside meter, regulator and any vents on the outside of your home are unobstructed. Keep them clear of snow, ice buildup and other obstructions such as raised flower beds, shrubs, mulch and stone or wooden walls. Blocked vents can cause improper operation or can cause carbon monoxide levels to increase in your home.
Safety information provided in partnership with the Northeast Gas Association.


text:
Flip Chart Volleyball
This magnetic and writing tactical board is ideal for lectures in the dressing room, arena, auditorium, or even open-air. Flip Chart Volleyball has a built-in tripod with adjustable height which allows efficient travel due to its small and thin format when unset.
It's equipped with 2 pins on top to append paper blocks. There's also the variant with wheel support for better mobility that can be attached and folded. The 100% customization allows coaches to create various layout solutions to suits their needs.
- 1 Flip chart volleyball (Personalizado)
- 2 equipos de imán
- 1 bola imán
- 1 bolígrafo de borrado en seco
Our products are 100% customizable, you can customize them as you desire. Use the "Customize" menu on each customizable product page to choose what you customization you want. If you wish some customization that is not included in the available options you can describe it in "Special Customizations" field. Our team will build a custom layout just for you.
We guarantee that the customization will be as you idealised. At the moment it is only possible to get a simulation of the final product after payment. To do so, simply ask it in the "Order Notes" on the cart page. Our team will contact you as soon as possible with the layout for your approval. You can ask for all the changes you think are necessary. If you are not satisfied, we will refund the paid amount.
Since our products are fully customizable our team need to manufacture them one by one. Each customization is unique and tailored-made according to coaches' choices. On every product page you can get an estimate of how long would it take to finish the production, right below the "Add to cart" button. This value is an estimate, the real manufacture time may vary. After that your order it's ready to be shipped or picked in store. Check our options:
Standard Manufacturing - FREE
You have time? With this default option your order will be waiting to be manufactured according to the existing queue of production line. You order will be produced after all standards order done before you as well as all express orders.
Express and Priority Manufacturing - 9.5€ (currently not available)
Get your order quickly? Place your products first in our production line and get your order ready to be shipped before everyone else. Normally orders with this option take one third (1/3) of time of the standard orders. If you wish to get your order quickly, add this option in the cart page.
You can select your preferred shipping method during checkout on our online store. Yes, we ship worldwide and all the following options can be tracked anytime after being manufactured. Here are our solutions:
Pickup in Store - FREE
In a rush? This is the fastest delivery method since it doesn't require any shipping transit. Visit our facilities in Odivelas, Lisbon (Portugal) and pickup your products without any costs. On top of that you'll get a FREE tactical notebook. We'll contact you as soon as your order is ready.
Standard Shipping - FREE*
Willing to wait? Receive your order at your door, the classical way. Your order will be manufactured and then shipped to your destination. After fulfilled you will receive the order in 2 business days if the destination is Portugal or Spain. Destinations in Europe can take up to 3/5 business days and other internationals destinations usually take 1 to 2 weeks. Delivery times might depend on the carrier's current shipping traffic. *This option is free to selected countries.
You can choose your favorite payment option during checkout on our online store. Pay your order using any of these 100% secure payment methods:
- Credit or Debit Card
- PayPal
- Multibanco
- MB Way
We work every day to exceed your expectations, however, if you are not completely convinced, don't worry ... it is normal to change your mind.
You can exchange your order up to 14 days after receiving it for FREE, as long as the products retain their original characteristics and without signs of use and must also be in the original packaging. Contact us for more information.


text:
Three students described as "persons of interest" were taken into custody after the fight in the cafeteria at Spring High School, about 20 miles north of Houston. Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia said authorities were not searching for any other suspects and that everyone involved in the fight were students from the school district.
"We believe a confrontation of some sort occurred ... that ultimately led into a physical confrontation that produced weapons," Garcia said. "There has been some information that this may have been gang related."
Two victims were hospitalized with minor injuries. A third, identified only as a 16-year-old, was in surgery. No other information was available on the teenager who was killed.
Garcia said a "cutting instrument" was used in the attack but offered no details.
Some parents said the fight was the continuation of a disturbance that broke out Tuesday. Officials at the school, which has about 3,000 students, would not confirm their comments.
"Every parent sends their child to school believing school should be one of those safe haven places," Spring Independent School District Superintendent Ralph Draper said. "This is what we spend our nights and days working toward and what I lose sleep over.
"In my nearly 30-year career, this is the one thing you pray never to experience."
Parent Tara Campbell said she received text messages from her daughter about the fight and that her daughter said students who witnessed the episode snapped cellphone photos of the victims as they lay on the ground.
Campbell said she intended to have her daughter home-schooled, saying she's grown tired of fights at the school.
"Last year there were gang fights consistently," she said. "This is ridiculous. This is an ongoing situation."
Lakesia Brent said her son, a sophomore at the school, sent her multiple text messages asking her to come pick him up.
"He's just afraid," she said, adding that fights at the school were a problem in the last academic year.
The school was placed on lockdown following the stabbings, which occurred about 7 a.m., and students were released to the care of their parents later Wednesday.
Many parents were upset that the school district did not provide them information in a timely manner.
Draper defended the district's actions, saying they focused on two goals - securing the school and making sure no action was taken to compromise the investigation - before communicating information to parents about what had happened. He said students were not immediately released because some of them were potential witnesses who needed to be interviewed by investigators.
"When street violence pours into the school, it compromises the safety of all our students," Draper said.


text:
April 10, 2006, NEW YORK --
April 10, 2006, NEW YORK -- NASA announced today that it will launch a new robotic mission to the moon in late 2008, piggybacking on the already-scheduled Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The new mission, called the LCROSS, or Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, takes advantage of the extra payload capacity of NASA's new Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV). The new mission has two components: An impactor will slam into the moon's South Pole, sending up a massive plume of lunar dust almost 40 miles high. Meanwhile, an orbiting satellite will fly through the plume, sampling the ejected debris for water vapor, a sign of ice. Then the satellite will itself impact the lunar surface in a separate area, sending up another plume for analysis by the LRO and Earth based observatories. "This mission will generate a huge amount of data," said Scott Horowitz, assistant administrator for NASA's Exploration Directorate. "It'll generate quite a few PhD theses."
The new mission is designed to fit an extraordinarily tight $80 million budget, and to weigh fewer than 2,025 lbs. The satellite portion of the spacecraft is built around the EELV's payload adapter - the device that links the LRO to the EELV's upper stage, and the impactor is the upper stage itself. "This spacecraft is really high-heritage," said Dan Andrews, a project manager at NASA Ames. "The sensing portion is basically a big hunk of aluminum that we've fitted with the rest of the components of a spacecraft."
More From Popular Mechanics
The impactor will orbit the Earth twice after the LRO separates, and reach the moon's south pole in roughly 90 days, impacting the surface at an angle of about 75 degrees and a velocity of 6600 mph. The impact crater will be about 16 feet deep. "It's pretty high energy," says Andrews. "The spent upper stage has the mass of a large SUV."
The material in the impact plume will be large enough to fill more than 10 Space Shuttle payload bays. Although the bulk of the debris will fall back to the lunar surface within hours, an exosphere will remain for days. If there is water vapor in the plume, it will remain in that exosphere, making it easier to detect. According to Andrews, the plume will be large enough to be detected by amateur astronomers on Earth. "It's a pretty large swath we're kicking up," he says. It might also create a visible flash.
In order to take advantage of the extra 2,025 lbs of EELV payload capacity unused by the relatively light LRO, NASA solicited over 19 proposals, which were quickly narrowed down to four potential missions. The LCROSS mission won in part because of its simplicity and because of the crucial role water ice will play in NASA's plans for manned interplanetary missions. If ice does exist, it might be possible to mine it, separate it into hydrogen and oxygen, and use it for rocket fuel. Scientists believe if there is ice is most likely to exist in the shadows of the lunar poles. According to NASA officials, the impactor will most likely target the Shackelton crater.
The satellite portion of the spacecraft will take visual photographs of the impact at about one per every other second. Out of the $600 million price tag for the two missions, LCROSS costs only $73 million.
An artist's conception of the LCROSS mission. Left: The upper stage impactor separates from the payload adapter/satellite. Right: The upper stage impacting the lunar pole. Courtesy NASA.


text:
There's a story that showed up on US Weekly about how Princess Catherine is dealing with Hot Harry's reportedly imminent engagement. According to a royal biographer:
"Kate and Cressida aren't a natural fit, left to their own devices."
The article goes on to say that Kate has been gracious and welcoming and has offered to help "princess" (verb) Harry's girlfriend maybe soon-to-be fiancé but they're hitting you at the "natural fit". Or lack of "natural fit"…stirring the potential for some Royal Girl Sh-t.
The contrasts are evident: Kate is pragmatic and controlled. Also, boring. Cressida is more of a free spirit. And she wears scrunchies while accessorising with designer shoes. Did Fergie just come to mind? There's definitely a similarity there. And back then, they thought that Fergie was a bad influence on Diana. You think Cressy will loosen up her future maybe-sister-in-law?
Oh I think Katy Cambridge is a lot more rigid. Which is why the dinner party you want to be invited to is not over at her place, but over at Cressida's. And then it becomes a question of popularity. Cressy's the "fun" one. While Kate… isn't.
All Girl Sh-t grows from somewhere.


text:
Nickelodeon has ordered a fourth season of their popular sitcom Big Time Rush. Not only does the show attract a lot of young viewers but the musical group Big Time Rush is a hit with its music tour and on the music charts.
The cable channel has ordered 13 new installments. They'll go into production early next year.
Here's the press release from Nickelodeon:
Network Orders 13 Episodes with Production Beginning Q1 2013
NEW YORK — August 6, 2012 – As music sensation Big Time Rush crosses the U.S. this summer performing to sold-out audiences and arenas, and with their hit single "Windows Down" climbing the charts, Nickelodeon has ordered a fourth season of their self-titled hit comedy series Big Time Rush. Created by Scott Fellows and produced in partnership with Sony Music, the series chronicles the adventures of four best friends living the dream in Los Angeles, balancing their newfound fame, fans, music and girlfriends. Starring Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Carlos Pena and Logan Henderson, Big Time Rush is slated to commence production on 13 episodes early 2013 in Los Angeles.
The band's summer anthem "Windows Down," sparked by their strongest first week sales to date, is trending to be their biggest hit yet at radio, digital sales providers and online, with their music video approaching nearly three million views. "Windows Down" will be Big Time Rush's third consecutive charted single at Pop radio. The "Big Time Summer Tour" has the band entertaining fans in 60 cities, making appearances across the U.S., Canada and South America. Their debut, gold-certified BTR and follow-up album Elevate, both entered the Billboard charts in the top 15 and currently total over 1.25 million albums sold worldwide and 3.5 million singles in the U.S.
"Our viewers continue to love the stories, music and comedic misadventures of Kendall, James, Carlos and Logan. Their authentic friendship and brotherhood connects them to each other and their audience, both on camera and when performing in front of thousands of screaming fans," said Marjorie Cohn, President, Original Programming and Development, Nickelodeon Group.
Currently in its third season, Big Time Rush ranks as one of the top ten live-action series with kids 2-11, kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14 across all of TV. The series premiere of Big Time Rush was the highest-rated and most-watched live-action debut among all Nickelodeon series with kids, tweens and total viewers (6.8 million). Also an international breakout hit, Big Time Rush ranks within the top 10 programs on Nickelodeon in key markets with key demos, including Germany, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, UK, Spain, Netherlands, Poland, South Africa and Australia, and is seen in over 100 territories and in 20 languages via Nickelodeon channels and syndication.
Big Time Rush's original songs are written and produced under the guidance of Sony Music, and are written by some of today's most successful songwriters and producers, including One Republic's Ryan Tedder (Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson), Evan Bogart (Rihanna, Beyoncé, Hot Chelle Rae), Toby Gad (One Direction, Alicia Keys, Fergie), Claude Kelly (Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera, Pitbull), "Tricky" Stewart (Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey) and Fraser T. Smith (Taio Cruz, Adele).
Big Time Rush was created and is executive produced by Scott Fellows. The creative mind behind Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified Survival Guide, Fellows also executive produced the hit live-action series. A prolific writer, producer and creator, Fellows has written for and produced live-action and animated series including Nickelodeon's The Fairly OddParents, Doug, 101 Dalmatians and KaBlam!. He served as show runner for Nickelodeon's live-action comedy series 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd and has written many of Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards as well as the Teen Choice Awards, the Billboard Awards and the Country Music Awards.
About Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including Arista Nashville, Beach Street Records, Bystorm Entertainment, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Epic Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, Kemosabe Records, Legacy Recordings, MASTERWORKS, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA Nashville, Reunion Records, Roc Nation, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Syco Music, Verity Music Group and Volcano. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 33rd year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 17 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).
What do you think? Are you a fan of Big Time Rush? Are you looking forward to season four?