text:
Soon after we learned about the Booty Lounge, the mobile strip club that's been idling near Detroit's Ford Field during every Lions tailgate for the past decade or so, we heard from a few former patrons. And after finding the priceless Yelp review from a former scorned freelancer for the club that you'll see below, we thought it would be wise to gather some more honest appraisals of the place—especially since its future is now in peril.
Here's the abridged review, from "Brittany E." of Kalamazoo. It was posted on June 18, 2011 [sic'd]:
Booty lounge SUCKS!!!! The owner is a lying scam artist scumbag! I was asked to work for him and was told they would make us girls a ton of money. So as a dancer I did, hell ya money, why not? This is why not, its a dive, a joke, and he literally robbed us girls of hundreds of dollars... Don't waste your money or time here, because likely you will end up getting kicked out by cops after you pay big cover charge and spend money, not worth it, big black school bus with a sign on front says 'show me the booty' if you see it, walk away...
Brittany gave the Booty Lounge just a single star out of five.
This seemed like an unfairly biased review for the public record. So when we heard from P.J. from Detroit and David from Canada—two former patrons with rather differing opinions on the place—we asked them to share their own honest assessments of the establishment. The Booty Lounge, it turns out, is a polarizing place.
The Ambiance
P.J: "The Booty Bus has been around forever—since '02 or even longer. Ever since Ford Field moved down near Eastern Market. It's just an old converted school bus, painted red and black on the outside, and it's all black on the inside, with blue lights and everything. It's a stripped down bus with this cheap bench seating around the perimeter, made of plywood. The seating surrounds a hardwood floor, and there are a couple poles for dancing."
David: "I went back in 2007 or 2008, must have been. We'd always go to the Thanksgiving game. We were in Eastern Market tailgating, and the bus showed up, so we went over to check it out. You could see it pulling up, you know—it's a big black bus with 'BOOTY LOUNGE' on it. That obviously draws your attention... It's a small space. There's a pole or two, and a little fake stage. The scene is basically girls dancing, music playing, and drunk guys watching."
P.J: "They pack the bus full, and there's almost always a line of guys waiting outside. They seat you shoulder-to-shoulder next to guys. You're close enough that when a guy next to you is getting a lap dance, it can be kinda bizarre. The guy who owns it rents the bus out as a limo service, too. One year a friend of ours, without knowing, booked the Booty Lounge for her own birthday party. She had no idea what else it was used for. It was weird to go bar-hopping in it. It felt dirty."
The Value
David: "So we went up to the guy standing out front, and he told us to come inside and take a look. I was 23 or 24 when I went, but they definitely checked IDs at the door. They had a $10 cover charge, and they'd give you a bracelet so you could walk in and out all day. It was a great deal. You could go out and refresh your beer whenever you finished."
P.J: "It's just a bizarre setup. We went to waste time and check it out back then, but now, I'm a few years older and it just seems kinda gross. I'm pretty sure they checked IDs at the door, but I don't quite remember. If you were holding a can of beer in your hand, they'd let you go in with it... In the bus, there'd be two to four girls dancing. And they'd have them walk around the tailgate, too, attracting clients. But there was nothing sexy about it. We were packed in like sardines, you know? It was absolutely bizarre."
David: "It was about as clean as a strip club can get. I thought it was legit, and that's about it."
P.J: "I haven't been in about five years. It's been there since the Market tailgate started, which must have been eight or nine years back. There's still always a line waiting to get in. When I went as a paying customer, I thought it was as clean as that kind of thing can possibly be. But when we used the bus for that bar crawl night... It felt gross."
Ed. Note: We've also heard one unsubstantiated second-hand story concerning 15 college friends and a "white, tatted stripper." The tipster, who'd heard the story from a friend present for it, wrote: "The pregame began as you would expect it, with the guys taking shots, funneling beers (they brought their own keg), making merry—pretty standard stuff. That is, until the stripper started giving one of the guys a lap dance, which spontaneously turned into her whipping out his dick and giving him a blowjob in front of the entire group of dudes. I don't think he finished but I'd say they got their money out of the experience." We did not hear back from the young man who was (allegedly) present for it.
The Dancers
P.J: "The first time I went I was totally convinced the girls were straight up prostitutes. They were awful. And, I know, they were just there trying to make some extra cash... They were grotesque-looking girls. They always looked all drugged out, you know? They've gotten a little bit better. But it's nothing special."
David: "There were two to three girls dancing. I'd say they were definitely local girls, no question. They were good-looking girls. They weren't, like, ugly, fat strippers. I'd put them in their early 20s."
The Legality
P.J: "The first couple of years they came to the lot, they'd do a couple laps around Eastern Market so that people would see it was there. And then they'd park right in the middle of Eastern Market. Now they tuck themselves away from the crowds."
David: "There were definitely cops all over the place around Eastern Market. I went there two years in a row, and cops were everywhere."
P.J: "There were always cops patrolling around the bus. They knew it was there. I mean, it's a big old school bus that says 'BOOTY LOUNGE' on the side. It's funny that [police are investigating now]. We've known about it for years."
David: "I thought it was definitely legal... I mean, there was nothing wrong with that thing. I was there for six hours—because we never went to the game, we just tailgated the whole time. So you'd go in for 15 minutes, then leave and get another beer. People would tip if they got a lap dance, but that's about it."
The Verdict
P.J: "I give it 1 or 1.5 stars. The booty lounge is like going to a movie that you know is going to suck. But you like the genre—the strippers—so you go anyways. The ticket [cover charge] is overpriced, if you want any concessions [lap dances], you have to pay more money, and the theater [bus] is uncomfortable and dark. So watch the second-rate movie [strippers] then leave disappointed. You knew what you were getting yourself into, but you had to see it for yourself. So after a couple of not-so-great experiences, you learn your lesson and stop going to see dumb shit.
The half star is because they at least they let you bring your beer in."
David: "I'd give it 4.5 or 5 stars. It served its purpose for kids like me. It was fun and harmless. I mean, it's the cheapest strip club on earth."
The Detroit Police Department's formal investigation is now underway.
Photos via Facebook.


text: Artist Statement: "I create my work as an expression of our global culture's movement towards integration, as an attempt to mend a bridge between the inner and outer worlds, to celebrate the mystery of nature and the primordial depths of our consciousness, and to share with others my own unique perspective on life. Culturally speaking, my work embodies and aims to bring to awareness a major shift that is taking place on a global scale. Every facet of our lives is being called into question, from our use of energy, to our food, to our spirituality, to our relationship with one another and the Earth, and to how we view ourselves as a functioning species on this planet. There is a growing counter-culture of people who are serving as trail-blazers, leaving behind the old paradigm they have been brought up in in order to explore newer, more harmonious and progressive ways of living. I have met many individuals who have made incredible leaps of faith, going against the will of their families, societal counterparts, and everything they have known to be of service to the world and to honor the desires of their inner voice. Despite what is around them, these individuals have taken the responsibility upon themselves to gain a greater understanding of who they are, and of how they can help in the building of a more positive future. Many of these people have chosen to tribalize their lifestyles in order to understand how to relate to the Earth in a more harmonious way, while others function in more urban environments to spread awareness amongst the populous. Despite where they are or what they do, their function is the same: to lay down the foundations for humanity to move forward in a more sustainable and integrated way. My work embodies the nature of this counter-culture through its intuitive foundations, its freedom and its exploration of symbolic richness. In a more personal sense, the creation of abstract art is a deeply emotional release for me, and I feel that I can express so much within the language of color. My dream life is also incredibly active, and my dreams are often teaming with wild, beautiful abstract patterns and vivid, otherworldly colors. I believe that the abstract imagery in my dreams hold rich symbolic meaning, like a language, though it is something that is understood beyond the limits of my rational mind. Creating these free-flowing abstract works of art help me to get in touch with my intuition and the subconscious language that reveals itself through dreams. Aside from drawing much of my inspiration from dreams, I draw inspiration from the aliveness, richness, and diversity of the natural world. In nature, from one perspective, there seems to be such randomness and chaos, yet from a broader perspective, there is an organic harmony and balance - a living, breathing ying and yang. I am very intrigued by the pull of this natural dynamic between chaos and harmony, and I allow it to express itself through my work. My observation of this balance, and its re-creation in my work has helped me to develop a much deeper understanding of my own relationship with life. Creating these pieces is a way for me to go deeply into myself - it is a meditation, a form of prayer. As I create each piece, I discover that they each have their own personality, and they each become a different teacher with their own set of lessons. At the core of it, the creation of my work plays an important function in my life as a spiritual practice. It has become a way for me to learn more acutely about my own process of Self-unfoldment. As I explore the mysteries of nature and the depth of my own beingness through the creation of this art, it is my intention that what is expressing itself through me to be a signpost for others, speaking to them of the incredible mystery and beauty of their own Self-discovery."- Michael Lott

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A Day of Egyptians, Totally Depraved Purity, Beautiful Losers, and Another Church Lie, But Not Under Law
Well, yesterday is another day in the bag. Regarding what kind of day it was, I will get to that after I describe my present life right now. It's a mess and I am fine with that. I find life too fun and try to cram too much fun stuff into my schedule. My definition of fun is accomplishing things. Moreover, I live life like a football game: when you don't score, that's failure, but it doesn't count on the scoreboard; I only keep track of the touchdowns because that's all that shows up on the scoreboard, nothing else counts. And if I don't keep track of incidents where I know I failed to score, you can bet I fail more to keep track of failures to score as judged by others; that's irrelevance x 2. And we might pause here to mention yet another example of under-law thinking: it focuses on the fact that you failed to score, not an analysis of why you failed to score so that you can score more in the future. In under-law thinking, which is a religious and secular thing alike, you are destined to fail, destined to fall, and the only solution is some sort of penance. This is worldly sorrow that walks hand in hand with under-law ideology as opposed to the repentance of under-love thinking. Repentance makes adjustments and changes for the better, while worldly sorrow seeks penance in a plethora of self-punishing endeavors.
One should think about how the Bible frames the two realities, but before we look at that, I want to add something to the very, very, long list of dissapologies that define my life. I am a person of the book, and that book is the Bible. And the fact is, the two realities of under-law and under-love (under grace which is the activity of love, or love in action) have two different score boards; one only counts touchdowns, while the other only counts failures to score. The Bible states that there is a great judgement at the end of time, and those under-law will be judged there according to the law. Those under grace will not stand at that judgement. That's why those of us under grace focus on love and not fear; we are not under condemnation. Human weakness is a hinderance to love, and not something we embrace as an excuse for what is supposedly inevitable: a fall, a failure.
And here is more dissapology: I am a thinker, and thinking is critical for human survival. This present reality is a fight to the death between individual freedom and slavery. All of reality boils down to that. This is why Christ said He came to set us free, and that we may have life, and have it more abundantly. I am far, far from knowing everything, but this one thing I know well: the enemy, which is slavery. This is an enemy that seeks to change our thinking in every venue of life: music, entertainment, school, social caste, professionalism, and friendly conversations around the office watercooler. This is why I often do something that is another thing I must refuse to apologize for: I do throw the baby out with the bathwater often and whenever possible. So, does that cause me to fail in scoring on your scoreboard? Well, get over it.
Yesterday started out with looking at big picture slavery; the Egyptian exhibit in Cincinnati. Some of the artifacts were not encased in glass and it was requested that they not be touched. Many were personal items like hair combs etc. I honored the request not to touch, and thereby denied myself of the experience of touching something that was handled daily by someone who lived 5000 years ago. But back to slavery. Like most cultures prior to the American Revolution, it was dominated by systems antithetical to personal freedom. Regarding the crux of human reality, the balance of freedom and slavery resides in the human soul and manifests itself in everything that is visible. Human government is a manifestation of the freedom/slavery reality. Others argue that this can also be framed according to life and death which is more on the theological side of things, and I would agree with that. Freedom and life/slavery and death.
Reality is interpreted through words. God created things, and named them with words. If words don't mean things, there is no reality and anything goes. And knowledge frees the mind first, then the existence of humanity. Hence, the Egyptians made literature very complex. In fact, if not for the Rosetta stone (on display at the exhibit), till this day, we wouldn't have a clue how to interpret hieroglyphs. There were even experts who were overseers of literature, the scribes. They were very important and highly regarded in Egyptian culture. However, this meant that the ability to communicate through literature was kept from the commoners. Ignorance and lack of knowledge is a primary tool of slavery. This is why the Egyptians believed some totally crazy stuff. It is unclear to what degree the upper echelon of Egyptian caste believed these superstitions, but suffice to say, if the commoners believe the Pharaoh is part human and part god, revolution is pretty much a dead issue. If the dark kingdom of slavery cannot keep the words from the great unwashed, they then seek to reinterpret the meanings of the words. This is why the founding fathers of Americanism made a really big deal over education: it is the sum total of freedom. They started the tradition of graduation ceremonies accordingly. Every time you go to a graduation ceremony, think about freedom. Every time you teach someone something new to them, you make them more free.
In the 400 years that the Jews were enslaved in Egypt, their literary abilities would have been all but completely diminished. This is why God did an end-around play with Moses who had been deeply educated in Egyptian literature, and why he was the author of the first five books of the Bible. It could also explain the long 40-year process in the wilderness as God knew that the Israelites were stripped of all grasp of reality except the reality of slavery.
After we returned from the long day at the exhibit, I agreed to watch a church movie with Susan. She denies that "Pure Flix" movies are "church movies" per se, but I am skeptical. I also perceive that these movies are made after the Hallmark genre of which I am not a big fan. In fact, I would rather have a colonoscopy than watch a Hallmark movie. So, we have a combination drug of church and Hallmark, but one will do all things for love, no?
Susan and I engaged in a short discussion of why these movies are called, "Pure Flix." Apparently, it's because the movies contain no R-rated material, are just good, clean entertainment, and have little to do with any church orthodoxy…per se. I was even more skeptical.
At times, I think it might be possible to know too much for your own good. The movie, "Moms' Night Out," was merely a comic version of the following church ideology:
Also in the vein of the mommy-saver Witney Capps, who states, "Whitney Capps is a national speaker and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, in-the-trenches Mom to four little boys and wife to her CEO. Fabulously flawed and happily transparent, Whitney offers hope to the too-tired Mom."
The movie clearly promoted the latest trending narrative to help people better understand church, and possibly save it. For years, while presenting itself as society's moral compass and a place where people could find real change, this proved to be nothing short of a ruse to draw people in while slowly assimilating them into the aforementioned ideology. Church is a gargantuan institution that will stop short of little in any effort to save it, and is in the midst of a mass exodus of the dissolutioned. And in typical cognitive dissonance, touts "pure movies" that are family oriented and for consumption by the totally depraved "sinners saved by grace." Go figure. The movie screams the narrative well articulated by Tullian Tchividjian in the above video from beginning to end complete with dorky husbands. And by the way, no venue demeans husbands like church. Why? Because husbands are gifted with leading the family spiritually through teaching and example. Husbands must be disqualified as individuals who should be listened to above the church. I understand that church wives are taught to obey their husbands, but that is only as far as the husband obeys the church and allows the church to think for him.
"Gee whiz Paul, can't you just watch a movie and enjoy it without finding a theological or philosophical fault someplace?" No. And why is that? Because I know the enemy, and the enemy of individual freedom is relentless and never rests. That includes politics also. If you pride yourself as one who is above the fray of politics, you are indicative of every sole presently occupying various and sundry mass graves peppered throughout the earth. Besides, thinking is fun. "Well, Paul, you don't want to throw out the baby with the bathwater." Yes I do, that's exactly what I want to do, and it's also fun, and how I roll. If you want an in-depth analysis of how the church presents itself as society's moral compass while being a bastion of evil and how its very orthodoxy demands such, I would recommend Chapters 7 and 10 of "The Church Lie."
The true family of God does not keep score of how much we lose at love while calling ourselves "fabulously flawed." However, the church is right about one thing: the world is drawn to that ideology because it, too, is under the condemnation of the law. The world has no objection whatever to "Beautiful Losers."
8 Responses
From the twitter feed of Daniel Akin, President Of SEBTS @danielakin
"I recently listened to a panel discussion @SEBTS on the history & effects of the lynching of blacks by whites. I would only add one thing: the greatest act of lynching continues everyday at the hands of white physicians who lynch black children from the wombs of their mothers"
Seems Dr Akin has never seen a picture of Kermit Gosnell, the most notorious abortion doctor —now in prison. Did he murder white babies? What on earth does race have to do with abortion?
There are no grown ups left in the institutions. They pander to identity collectivists in hope of gaining new emotionally underdeveloped followers to control.
It's sick.


text:
Welcome to your local Barefoot Resort homes for sale & real estate in North Myrtle Beach resource. For those who want to live near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, while enjoying a more laid back atmosphere, will find the right balance at Barefoot Resort in North Myrtle Beach. Tucked away at the far northern end of the world-famous resort beach city's Grand Strand strip, the Barefoot Resort neighborhood is bordered by the Intracoastal Waterway, Water Tower Road, Long Bay Road and State Route 22. This luxury resort community is scenic, breezy, and brimming with comfort, convenience, recreation and nature. For more information on Barefoot Resort properties for sale or to schedule a home tour, contact our North Myrtle Beach real estate experts today! Read more about Barefoot Resort real estate.
See All Real Estate For Sale in North Myrtle Beach
Search TODAY's New Listings by beds/baths, property size, listing status, days on market & more!
Plan to buy or sell a home in Barefoot Resort? Contact Jeff Cook Real Estate, your local real estate agents, for professional guidance through the Barefoot Resort housing market. Call 855-HEY-JEFF now!
In the subdivision, real estate listings are breathtaking, featuring a broad range of home prices for the gorgeous properties. Home styles include condominiums and Mediterranean, Tuscan and Low Country Charleston style structures. For those ready to buy a home in the area, listings start at around $250,000 for 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms in 1,100 square feet of space and go up to $1.5 million for 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms in 4,600 square feet of space. Additionally, there is a broad range of prices and styles of condominiums with prices of around $100,000 and going up to $300,000 for interested prospective residents.
Barefoot Resort offers North Myrtle Beach residents 2,300 acres of relaxed, beach-style living. The area is teeming with golf courses, green spaces, lakes and shopping centers for harmoniously upbeat living. Daily errands are easy for homeowners, thanks to the nearby Barefoot Market & Café and a Super Walmart across State Route 22 and the Intracoastal Waterway. Dining out is an adventure with options across the options over the Intracoastal Waterway, such as Umberto's at Barefoot Landing, Good Fellas Seafood Hut & Bar, Rockefellers Raw Bar and Rapone Original Brick Oven. Between the many golf courses and the nearby beaches, recreation abounds for Barefoot condominium and homeowners. The area is served by the Horry County School District, featuring Riverside Elementary, North Myrtle Beach Middle and North Myrtle Beach High Schools.
For home buyers searching for the quieter side of the Grand Strand, Barefoot Resorts is the perfect solution with stunning golf course views, private docks and boat access, and natural ponds.
Looking to purchase a home in Barefoot Resort? Allow our North Myrtle Beach real estate team to help you navigate the purchase of or expertly negotiate the sale of your Barefoot Resort property. As local real estate agents, we're well-versed in the unique market dynamics of Barefoot Resort real estate.
Contact Jeff Cook Real Estate to learn more about buyer and seller representation. Selling your Barefoot Resort house? Visit our market analysis page to receive a free home value estimate within minutes.
Search Homes For Sale in Barefoot Resort North Myrtle Beach
Back to North Myrtle Beach Real Estate


text:
Posted by Editoress on 04/1/03
National Introduction to Cycling Program Piloted for Kids!
Courtesy Al Roberts
After thirteen years of dedicating his spare time and hours to the Sprockids Program, founder, and teacher, Doug Detwiller, witnessed his dreams step it up to the next level within Canada last weekend.
"I've always wanted to take the program to the next level. I'm a teacher, and I work with kids and that's my passion, that's what I want to do."
The launching of the Sprockids/Canadian Cycling Association's (CCA) National Introduction to Cycling Program (NICP) was official this past Saturday, March 29, 2003. The launch party was hosted by Detwiller, in Gibsons, BC.
The program will be piloted throughout 2003, and hosted by five of seven, National Development Centres across the country. Cycling BC will also be assisting the pilot by helping five sites start up their programs throughout the province.
The Sprockids program allows the integration of mountain biking into the elementary school curriculum. Teachers are given instruction and lesson plans on how to relate mountain biking to a variety of school subjects. Besides school topics, kids are taught, among others, life skills, leadership skills, values, and responsibility.
The Sprockids program successfully teamed up with the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) in 2001. Through that partnership, IMBA Sprockids has been introduced to kids in over 12 different countries.
In an IMBA press release, Sprockids founder Doug Detwiller explains. "Sprockids is about kids - kids having fun on mountain bikes and building self esteem∑Kids today want to be part of something and they want to be active. Sprockids gives them something to belong to and reaches out to kids our schools might miss with their more traditional sports offerings."
The Sprockids/CCA NICP will focus on children ages 9-12, and the philosophy of the program will be evident within the Canada-wide initiatives.
Several representatives from around the country were present for the special occasion. Among them was Dieppe, New Brunswick, National Development Centre Head Coach, Luc Arseneau. Speaking of the need of such a program, Arsenault is excited about its' potential. "There's a big gap, at the fundamental level (of cycling), and Sprockids is the answer."
Sprockids Graeme Bant, a Grade Eight student and Grade Two ride leader, shared his views on the Sprockids program at the launch as well. "It's good that they have it - a lot of my friends, they don't get out much. So, they come to Sprockids, they come out, and they like it a lot." Bant has been in the program for three years, was second in the under 15 men XC BC Cup series last year and has been racing for Steed Cycles for two seasons. He aims to be the top rider in his category. At thirteen years old, Bant has also become a ride leader for his school's grade two group rides, through the Sprockids program.
Following the spring and summer programs of 2003, the pilot leaders of each region will meet in the fall to review the outcome of the year's results. Changes and recommendations will be made. Following that meeting, the program will be fully launched in 2004 across the country.
Some Notes About the Open House:
CCA/Sprockids' Mission Statement:
"Through the sport of cycling, young people will have the opportunity to develop the skills, values and strategies that will lead them throughout their lives and enable them to successfully reach their full potential"
Gift for the CCA
A plaque of the Sprockids Logo was presented to the Canadian Cycling Association from Sprockids. The gift was beautifully carved by Sprockids rider, and Eliphinstone High School student, Houston Krohmon, 15.
Doug Detwiller and wife, Petra, hosted the launch in their backyard after the grueling group ride in the surrounding hills. The site was amazing, topped with double BBQ's fired up, and nicely grilled hamburgers waiting for all. Two tents were set up to keep everyone dry in the inevitable BC rain.
Overheard at the Sprockids Launch BBQ:
"Wow. I can't believe how many people are here today, even in the rain!"
"Believe it. If Doug's organizing things, there's always a crowd!"
For more information:
Sprockids Official Site: www.sprockids.com
Sprockids/CCA's NICP: www.canadiancycling.ca/e2/sprockids
IMBA Sprockids: www.imba.com/sprockids
Photos to follow.
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


text:
"Men are disturbed, not by the things that happen,
but by their opinion of the things that happen."
- Epictetus
The first of the seven hills on the promontory has been the most important and dynamic part of the city in all ages. When the city was first founded, the acropolis was a typical Mediterranean trading center surrounded by city walls. This trading center was enlarged and rebuilt during Roman times. The most prominent buildings and monuments of the Roman era were built in the vicinity of the Hippodrome. Very few relics of these works have endured to the present day.
The imperial palace, known as the "Great Palace", used to spread over an area extending from the Hippodrome down to the seashore. Only the mosaic floor panel of a large hall remains from this palace today. The Augusteion, the most important square of the city, used to be here, and between the square and the main avenue there was the Millairium victory arch. The road used to extend as far as Rome and the stone marking the first kilometer was located here. The baths, temples, religious, cultural, administrative and social centers were all in this district. The area maintained its importance in the Byzantine and Turkish eras. Therefore some of the most important monuments of Istanbul such as the Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art and the Basilica Cistern are all located around the Hippodrome. The main streets in the city (those leading down to the harbor and those extending toward the city walls in the west) started at the Hippodrome and followed the slopes of the hills. The streets were lined with business establishments and mansions. The side streets were narrow and some were stepped. Some of the main streets had two-galleried sidewalks. There were spacious squares along the route and the side roads forking from these squares led to the city gates. The main avenue was called the Mese, and Via Egnetia, the road to Rome, started at the Golden Gate (Altmkapi).
Hippodrome means square for horses. The Hippodrome was built by the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus towards the end of the 2nc* century and it was extended to an immense size by Constantine the Great. Some historians claim that it could seat thirty thousand spectators, while others put the figure at sixty thousand. The main attraction was the two or four-horse chariot races. In Roman and Byzantine times, the Hippodrome served as the city's main meeting, entertainment and sports center until the 10tn century. Like many of the other monuments in the city, it lost its importance with the Latin invasion in 1204. Besides the chariot races and gladiator fights with wild animals, there were performances by musicians, dancers and acrobats. There were many public holidays during Roman times to allow opportunities for all these activities.
The Hippodrome was shaped like a gigantic "U" and the imperial box, built like a balcony with four bronze horses on its roof, was situated on the eastern side. The sand-covered surface of the Hippodrome was divided into two by a low wall around which the chariots raced. On this wall stood monuments brought here from different corners of the empire and the statues of famous riders and their horses. Successful chariot drivers were very wealthy and could have anything they wanted. Originally there were 4 teams of drivers whose supporters' clubs formed large quarrelling factions and competed for position and prestige in the city. From time to time politics intermingled with the races, and the clashes between competing forces turned into bloody massacres.
The original ground level of the Hippodrome was 4 or 5 meters lower than the present surface. Three monuments have remained to our day: the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpent Column and the Walled Obelisk. In the Turkish era, too, festivals, ^ceremonies and performances used to be organized here. The Palace of Ibrahim Pasa opposite Sultan Ahmet Mosque is the sole example of the imposing private residences of the 16th century. This elegant building now houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art.
Only the round southern end of the vast Hippodrome has survived. This is a brick structure decorated with tall vaults. In later ages, all of the stone blocks and columns of the Hippodrome were used for building material. The ruins in the park to the right of the entrance to the Hippodrome belong to 4th" and 5th century private palaces, and a little further along there are the remains of the Byzantine Hagia Euphemia church.
Related posts
Powered by BlogEngine.NET 18.104.22.168 |
Sign in
Original Design by styleshout, Adapted by onesoft


text:
TriStar Motors is not your ordinary DMV Approved Dealer Education Provider.
Most of the 50 or so competitors purport to be experts in the auto industry.
Most competitors charge low fees which range anywhere between $75 – $200.
Most of the providers are insurance brokers trying to cross sell you surety bonds.
Some own their own registration service hoping to gain your business upon being licensed.
Some are former attorneys who have never actually SOLD a car as a retail used car dealer.
Some are retired DMV Inspectors trying to peddle you special access to the licensing process.
Most have jumped into the car dealer education business in the hopes of earning fast money.
TriStar Motors has been a DMV Approved Education provider for over 23 years.
Our curriculum is reviewed every month to incorporate updates in the law.
We are licensed retail car dealers, licensed auto brokers & licensed BPA registration agents.
We walk the walk to talk the talk and we answer dealer questions every day, 7 days a week.
We specifically address the California Vehicle Code and Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations in our training.
Our philosophy in teaching this dealer education course is simple.
We assist the applicant to understand the legal framework available.
We emphasize the legal ramifications of running a dealership in California.
Becoming a licensed used car dealer in California is one of the most HIGHLY REGULATED industries.
Prospective dealers need to fully understand what they are getting themselves into by getting licensed.
We build our dealer applicants the strongest business foundation possible.
Our instructors come from many aspects of the car dealer industry. Our founders were experienced law enforcement training management all retired S.F.P.D. When a licensed dealer violates laws and regulations they will likely face a civil lawsuit from a car dealer attorney representing the consumer.
The dealer will likely face charges for violations of the California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act ( CLRA )
The dealer could also face charges by local, state and federal authorities on a consumer protection violation.
The dealer could also face inquiry, an administrative investigation and revocation hearing by the California DMV.
We are experts at the dealer licensing business and we have years of assisting used car dealers in all of these scenarios.
Every DMV Dealer Education Provider is legally required to cover certain topics.
Every instructor who offers the course must follow guidelines as outlined by DMV.
Because of this mandate prospective dealer applicants looking to get licensed assume we are all the same.
The truth is not so readily apparent. WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.
Most providers give students a brief understanding of each topic.
TriStar Motors gives students a comprehensive overview of each topic.
We explain how to accomplish all of the tasks required of a licensed used car dealer.
The background knowledge and information we provide in this course is unmatched by our competition.
Our fees are not comparable to other providers because we are not offering the same product and service.
It's like comparing apples to oranges, or buying a clean title car for a salvage title price.
If you are solely looking for a course certificate for the lowest price possible please use our competition.
Our company stands 23 years strong in quality dealer education and probably would not be a good fit for you.
You definitely get what you pay for in the car dealer education world.
If you are interested in actually learning how to
run a smooth compliant used car business
then TriStar Motors is the first
and only choice.


text:
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Robusto
Rocky Patel went through about 150 blends to come up with the Vintage: a perfect balance of flavor, complexity and richness, and a smooth earthy smoke with notes of cedar and espresso. This mild to medium Robusto cigar is made with 12 year old Honduran Broadleaf wrapper and 7 year old filler and binder. Best of the Best in 2004 Robb Report and 92 in Cigar Aficionado.
Out of stock


text:
REMORegular price€50.00 Sale price
Reproduction of the original art of Benjamin Savignac
in limited edition of 100.
Printed on satin quality art paper 300 gsm.
Wrapped in silk paper and shipped in a cardboard
tube to ensure safe delivery all around the world.
Each print is hand-signed and numbered.
Frame not included.
Made in France - Ref:002210RMO


text:
National budget for 8.27.08
GateHouse News Service National Budget
For 8/27/08 editions
Here are the top national stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/. Please submit stories below no later than 6 pm local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly.
Contacts: Jean Hodges, (630) 348-3350, (630) 956-8834, email@example.com
Michael Toeset, (630) 348-3356, (630) 835-8870, firstname.lastname@example.com
LABOR DAY RAIL: History and facts about Labor Day and U.S. workers. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/homepage/x418533629/Labor-Day-rail
SUBMITTING TO THE NEWS SERVICE: Find out what we're really looking for on ghnewsroom.com.
WEB IDEA: Package your weekend's best content for Monday web readers. Read about it at ghnewsroom.com.
FINAL CUT TUTORIALS: Editing techniques and tips for news & sports. Check out multimedia editor Tom Sudore's blog.
Lifestyles (Wednesday is Food)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Weekly food rail, with a recipe for pumpkin seeds, critics' take on Progressive Hamburger Press Set and more. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/food/x2090471647/Food-for-Thought-What-to-do-with-all-those-pumpkin-seeds
FOOD PAGE: Cheap junk food vs. pricey health food.
FOOD VIDEO: This week, creamy beef and potato stroganoff.
BISON, THE OTHER RED MEAT: Bison has other red meat licked. PEORIA
ZERO-WASTE KITCHEN: Chef whips up zero-waste kitchen – Chicago caterer Greg Christian didn't like to see the tons of food scraps, paper plates, plastic forks and glass bottles generated by his business go into the garbage, but he wasn't sure recycling and composting would be practical in a commercial kitchen. So he researched the issue, drew up a plan, and today operates a zero-waste commercial kitchen — the first Chicago caterer to do so. SPRINGFIELD http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/food/x2045582759
WARDROBE WOES: Should you let your kids pick their own clothes? CHICAGO SUBURBAN
PICKING THE RIGHT INSTRUMENT: Start off music lessons on the right note - A beginner's guide to helping children choose a musical instrument. Ledger, Fay, on wire now
With photos
OPEN ADOPTIONS: Rise of open adoptions puts new face on old process - Agencies that once espoused secrecy in adoptions now endorse contact between birth parents, adoptive parents and the child. PEORIA
BOOK: REDEFINING HEALTH: Writer reveals struggle with chronic illness - Until she found herself desperately searching for a subject during a nonfiction book workshop at Emerson College, Laurie Edwards never considered writing about her experience with chronic disease. MetroWest, Morton, on wire now
With photos
BOOK: Children's book tells a familiar story: The child that just won't get Up – Ask Billy Young why she wrote and self-published a book about a somewhat extraordinary, though sleepy-headed, boy who can't drag himself out of bed in the morning and she has a simple, two-word answer: "My son." PEORIA http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x633546308
BRITT: Toon on Bill Clinton at the Democratic convention.
KENT BUSH: Obama's VP game a big let-down for press, public. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/kansas/x2090472445/Kent-Bush-Obamas-VP-game-a-big-let-down
CHUCK SWEENEY: Hillary-Barack 'feud' overhyped by media pack
I wondered how much of the "disgruntled Hillary supporters" story being hyped in the news is real and how much is made up by pack journalists who have to fill 24 hours of cable TV "news" shows with manufactured controversies they can call "BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!
DAVE BAKKE: Flying to Springfield? Double-check your ticket - With her father about to undergo angioplasty in Arkansas, Sandy Sopin bought a ticket to fly from Seattle to Springfield, Mo., where she was to rent a car and drive to her parents' home. Unfortunately for her, she fell victim to the old "wrong Springfield" trick. She bought a ticket to come to Springfield, Ill., instead of Springfield, Mo. And that was her entry into GWOT — the Global War on Travelers.
ANNE PALUMBO: The drawbacks of being a "cougar" (i.e. dating younger men). http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/opinions/columnists/anne_palumbo/x499362735/Anne-Palumbo-The-drawbacks-of-dating-a-younger-man
ELIZABETH DAVIES: It's not your imagination -- school has started
PETER COSTA: Ted Kennedy: The dream lives on - Ted Kennedy approached the podium on the opening evening of the Democratic National Convention in Denver to pass the torch to a new generation. In the midst of chemotherapy for a malignant brain tumor, he had gone against doctors' advice to attend and said, "nothing – nothing is going to keep me from this special gathering tonight."
CNC, on wire now
EDITORIAL: China a force to be reckoned with - The torch has gone out in Beijing, but in many ways it has just been lit on China's ambitions and influence in the world. An editorial from the Peoria Journal Star.
EDITORIAL: Obama's V.P. selection inspires confidence - A couple of different theories have been expressed regarding soon-to-be Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's choice of Joe Biden to join him on the ballot, their owners largely determined by their respective political persuasions. An editorial from the Peoria Journal Star.
NASCAR CONTENT: Centerpiece on Carl Edwards vs. Kyle Busch; 3 Questions with Joey Logano; rail; NASCAR page.
FOOTBALL BRIEFS: Features items on Texans' Rosevelt Colvin, plus NFL Whispers on the Steelers, Seahawks and Texans, as well as Fantasy Buzz on Matt Ryan, Matt Leinart and Kevin Curtis. PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY
BEES! Police chasing a hit-and-run suspect find him in woods next a beehive - and everyone gets stung, but the suspect didn't notice because he was high on heroin. By Eric Tsetsi. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/east/x590310183/Chase-suspect-makes-beeline-for-beehive
FORECLOSURE SUICIDE: Husband reflects on wife's suicide and the threat of foreclosure - News of Carlene Balderrama's apparent suicide (an investigation is officially ongoing, according to a spokesman for the Bristol County District Attorney's Office) received international attention. Taunton Gazette, Winokoor, on wire now
LIEBERMAN'S SILENCE: Lieberman quiet on McCain vice president pick - Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., did little Monday to quell speculation about being considered for a vice presidential spot by presumptive GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain. Norwich Bulletin, Smith, on wire now
STICKS AND STONES: Brad and Jera Deal are among Peoria's nouveau riche. While their business, Sticks and Stones, is becoming a national sensation, in Peoria they are not household names. Only three years ago, the Deals set up Sticks and Stones as a business that creates handmade keepsake gifts by framing black and white photographs of letters from objects found in nature and architecture. Now, it's a $10 million a year operation that even has Oprah placing orders. PEORIA
TEEN JOBS INCENTIVE: John Hancock funds nearly 600 teen jobs this summer - John Hancock, the South Boston-based insurer, boosted the number of teen jobs it supported this year partly by requiring employees to raise money for teen jobs if they wanted a Boston Marathon number. Ledger, Chesto, on wire now
TRAVEL AGENTS FEEL DOWNTURN: Travel agents feel downturn
The time for summer vacations and exotic destinations has come to a close, and travel agents say they sold less of them because of higher gas prices and the advent of "staycations," where people stick closer to home. PEORIA


text:
Tasting mountain wines in San Francisco
Some blind tastings confirm what you know. Others do just the opposite, bringing a wrecking ball to your presuppositions. The best blind tastings are a little of both.
That was the case at yesterday's "Altitude Matters" tasting, in San Francisco's Financial District, where Stonestreet winemaker Graham Weerts and Gillian Handelman, Jackson Family Farms' Director of Wine Education, presided over a blind tasting of six wines–four reds, two whites–about which we knew nothing, except that they could have come from anywhere in the world, but from elevations of at least 1,000 feet–and, presumably, that at least one of them was a Stonestreet wine, although not even that was assured.
The objective, Graham explained, was not necessarily to identify what variety or varieties the grapes were, or even where they came from, as this: To discern if we could "tie together" some themes common to the wines, which then might provide a better context for understanding all high altitude wines.
High altitude grapegrowing is itself marked by certain conditions, based on the nature of the terrain. Soils tend to be depleted; water is scarce; the roots of the vines find easy proximity to minerals in the soil, but, on the other hand, the grapes' exposure to sunlight, and particularly ultraviolet light, is greatened. In the case of Stonestreet, whose vineyards are on Alexander Mountain above the Alexander Valley, the grapes often are above the fogs that swathe the valley and lower elevations, making daytime temperatures warmer, especially in the mornings. But due to the famous effects of temperature inversion, nighttime lows are higher than on the valley floor, making for more consistent overall conditions. Because the grapes struggle, they develop thick skins, hence bigger (often much bigger) tannins than valley floor grapes, but they also, oddly, develop higher acidity. These are all major factors in determining the flavors, textures and longevity of mountain wines; yet, as Graham took pains to state, "We're not saying mountain wines are better, just different."
Here are the six wines and some comments about them:
Picher Achleiten 2012 Gruner Veltliner. I didn't know it was Gruner but neither did anyone else, to judge by the comments (the attendees, numbering about 50, seemed mostly to be somms). I liked the wine's dryness, grace and power, its amazing minerality and acidity, as well as a touch of green pyrazine.
Finca Dofi 2011 Priorat. This was a massive wine, rich in iron and black currants, with grippy tannins and big acidity. I didn't even try to guess what it was, but just marveled at its power.
Telle Nere 2011 Etna Rosso. Made from variations of the Nerello grape, this might have been a Northern Rhône Syrah, for all the grilled meat and black pepper notes. But, nope, it's from Sicily.
Stonestreet 2010 Rockfall Cabernet Sauvignon. I knew it was a distinguished, young wine, probably Cabernet. But with all that graphite and conifer going on, I missed its California origins.
Chave 2008 Hermitage. This was the tightest, most reserved wine of the tasting. I could barely get anything out of it for the first 30 minutes it sat in the glass. Then crushed blackberries and black licorice emerged. One or two of the somms got this right.
Stonestreet 2011 Upper Barn Chardonnay. I knew this instantly: that bright acidity, the pellucid mouthfeel, as pure as mountain stream water, the lemon verbena, peach and honey flavors that finish so dry. Surely it was a Stonestreet Chardonnay from a recent vintage.
But wait. This shows how psychology factors in. We already knew that Wine D was a Stonestreet. Would Graham have included two Stonestreets in a six-wine tasting? Thus I began to doubt myself. When Gillian asked for comments, I raised my hand and said I thought it was a Stonestreet Chardonnay, but, given Wine D, I was prepared for it to be something else.
Well, of course, Graham did include two Stonestreet wines, so it was gratifying to have gotten at least one of the lineup correct. It needs also to be said that I was impressed by how much the somms knew of such a wide range of world wines. I, by contrast, probably was more familiar with the world's wines before I became a specialist in California wine. There's only so much time in the day, and my emphasis, bordering on obsession, on tasting California wine leaves me few days in the year to taste much else. Afterwards, I was with my wonderful colleague at Wine Enthusiast, Virginie Boone, and I told her how much I admired the somms' knowledge.
"Yes," Virginie replied, "but they probably wouldn't recognize a Lodi Zinfandel." Touché.
What linked all six mountain wines?
-Not entirely fruit-driven, but herbs and minerals
-Great structure, including acidity (none of the wines was adjusted)
We are at 2,200 feet elevation and can attest to the validity. It's beautiful! Go Mountain Vineyards!
Interesting topic. I find mountain and high-elevation vineyards very fascinating.
There should be a distinct made between hillside (or mountain) vineyards and high-elevation vineyards. For one, Hermitage and Achleiten are not above 1000 ft elevation, but they are steep hillsides. So, not all the wines in the tasting were "high-elevation."
Second, not all high-elevation vineyards are on steep slopes. Most of the vineyards in Colorado and the Valles Calchaquies in the Salta region of Argentina are on relatively gentle slopes in high valleys. In truly high-elevation vineyards, such as in these places, then the UV plays more of a role than in vineyards that are 500-2000 ft (where 5 of the 6 wines you tasted are).
The "more consistent overall conditions" you allude to does pertain to hillside vineyards compared to valley vineyards (Pritchard Hill vs. Oakville), but is not true for a blanket statement of all elevated vineyards (see high-elevation valley vineyards above).
Slope and aspect were probably more defining characteristics in those wines than any actual elevation. Upper Barn is west-facing, Hermitage is south-facing, Achleiten southeast, etc. I'm not sure any commonality of the wines can be attributed to the elevation. And the five links you listed can be found in valley floor wine, too! Perhaps expert winemakers is the true link!
Finally, did you really take a swipe at sommeliers because they have broad knowledge on a subject and might not be able to distinguish a Lodi Zin, when you (a CA expert) admitted you couldn't even pick out a CA cabernet?? Come on, Steve!
Steve, you did give them props. I guess I just don't see the point of including Virginie's quote and your, "Touché."
No surprise that you couldn't pick out the Priorat. I can't think of any imported wine region that has been so thoroughly and broadly Parkerized, possibly more so than even Napa itself. Perhaps the group of Aussie "cult" wines that came into the US a dozen or so years ago, but that's about it.
I always am highly amused when I meet an "anti-Cali" somm who has half a dozen Priorats on his list that are every bit as over-the-top as anything coming out of Napa.
Great article and great tasting. Always good to see you. Loved the comments from Graham regarding not only the elevation, but the slope of the vineyard and how that stressed the grapes. His reference to the placements of solar panels at angles gave a great visual on how to capture more of the sun's power. Some high elevation vineyards are just tall and flat. These wines all had steep slopes that further stressed the vines with less top soil, less water retension, and more sun exposure.
So many angles to consider, even for the vines.


text:
Fresh from Robert Miller's "Dallas Morning News" column: Dallas Opera President Dr. Kern Wildenthal and his wife Marnie (past president and current co-chair of the TACA Board of Governors) will be honored November 5th by The Senior Source as recipients of the 2010 Spirit of Generations Award. This award honors individuals and groups who have contributed by thought, word and deed to all generations of the greater community.
Corporate underwriting chairman for the awards luncheon at the Hilton Anatole is former Dallas Opera president and current board member Martin J. Weiland.
Congratulations from all of us at the Dallas Opera on this well-deserved accolade!
Suzanne Calvin, Mgr./Dir. Media & PR


text:
Click Locations below for details:
I believe that every special needs child has the potential to grow and change and learn to become a more fully connected person. –Andrea Bowers
Andrea Bowers is a Neuromovement® specialist who works primarily with special needs children.
She uses hands-on, touch therapy lessons that help children develop the neural connections they need to improve their movement, their thinking, their emotions and their relationships.
Andrea has helped children with such conditions as:
- Autism spectrum disorder and Aspergers
- Spastic, Athetoid, and Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
- Learning challenges
- Stroke and brain injury
- Brachial plexus injury
- Torticollis (a.k.a. dystonia)
- Scoliosis
- Undiagnosed developmental delays
- And genetic disorders such as Downs Syndrome, brain malformation, Lissencephaly, Arthrogyposis and Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum.
- Traumatic birth injury
- Hypoxic brain damage
Her work is based on the brains unlimited capacity to learn and develop. She has studied five holistic methods that teach a childs' brain to move beyond their limitations. – Feldenkrais and Anat Baniel Methods, and Masgutova (MNRI) and QRI Reflex Integration (Low level Laser), and Sue Hitzman's Melt Method connective tissue work.
Andrea was inspired to work with special needs children because her own son, Donald, has severe quadriplegic athetoid cerebral palsy. Hands-on sessions have helped him to become an independent, self-sufficient young man who now lives on his own, has graduated from college and is a professinal artist. See DonaldRyker.com.
His brain has developed fully, so that his condition has not kept him from becoming a happy, healthy, whole person . –Andrea Bowers
Andrea loves to help children learn to communicate and move and play. In addition to the touch therapy sessions, she teaches parents new ways to see the potential in their children and how to continue their child's learning process between sessions. Parents learn to judge which therapies and home or school environments are benefiting their children and which are not.
She helps parents and professionals select achievable goals for school IEPs and create the steps to work toward those goals. She also advises on the use and fit of wheelchairs, walkers, special seating, and communication devices, based on each child's needs.
Without learning to know ourselves as intimately as we possibly can, we limit our choice. Life is not very sweet without freedom of choice. ~Moshe Feldenkrais
For a worldwide listing of certified NeuroMovement® professionals serving Children with Special Needs, please visit www.NeuroConnect.world


text:
Our graphic and web backgrounds are ideal to make your design project stands out with great style. We offer psd background texture pattern, web 2.0 backgrounds, abstract backgrounds and other backgrounds for web pages and graphic design.
We create free and premium graphic, design and web resources. We thrive on bringing you the best of the best in each of our beautifully crafted resources. Share the love around, enjoy it at will, and be sure to give us your feedback to make pixeden your favorite place to hang out. Join now and follow us to receive exclusive freebies and get to know our premium plans and services from $6 a month.
72,448,674 Downloads
Receive alerts for New Resources by Email


text:
Reset password
Enter the email address associated with your account, and we'll email you a link to reset your password.
Thank you!
We've sent an email to with a secure link to reset your password. If you don't receive anything after several minutes contact us at email@example.com. We're happy to help.
Talk to an agent about your upcoming project Request a callback
1. Search
Browse a wide variety of locations or search for specific features
2. Book
Connect with hosts to ask questions and nail down the details
3. Complete
Elevate your next project or event with a unique venue
Your question about Production in Chippendale, AU has been successfully sent. Our guide will review and publish it on the movie page soon.


text:
On his knees, Nawroz prays. He is a condemned man about to die in a brutal way.
His crime: The killing of his lover's husband.
The judge: A local warlord in Kand, Afghanistan.
The executioner: The victim's father.
A mobile phone video captured the grisly scene.
Read the full story from CNN's Nick Paton Walsh and Moni Basu
During a vist to Bagram Air Base - the nerve center of American operations in Afghanistan - CNN's Nick Paton Walsh takes a look at the sacrifices members of the U.S. military have made in America's longest war.
By Nic Robertson, CNN
Ten years ago, as the first bombs began to fall on Afghanistan, I was almost 500 miles away with our live satellite transmission dish on the roof of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Two weeks earlier the Taliban had forced me out of the country, but before they did I managed to get to their spiritual capital Kandahar, and to our make-shift office in a dusty, drab one-storey villa.
That visit was now proving vital. My cameraman, Alfredo Delara and I set up our staff there - two Afghan brothers - with a camera and satellite phone. Their job was to be CNN's eyes and ears once we were forced out of the country.
At that time, no other TV network had a presence in Kandahar. So as the United States began its response to the 9/11 attacks on October 7, our staff were able to relay details of the bombs falling around the airport.
Later we would learn the target was the al Qaeda training camps where Osama bin Laden's fighters had infamously been recorded swinging on monkey bars and crawling through mock tunnels.
That night it was enough to know the United States had gone to war.
Read the full story from CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson
There was little to celebrate in Kabul this week as the United States marked the tenth anniversary of its invasion of Afghanistan. The war against the Taliban is already the longest in America's history and there are few signs that it will be ending any time soon.
The Afghan capital has experienced a number of deadly, high-profile attacks this year. A supermarket, the airport, a hospital, a police station, the Defense Ministry, the supposedly impregnable Intercontinental Hotel, the British Council and the U.S. embassy have all been targeted.
The U.S.-led war in Afghanistan marked its 10th year Friday having passed two major milestones: The Taliban has been forced out of power and Osama bin Laden is dead.
But there was little observance by U.S. troops in Afghanistan, where a month earlier many participated in commemorations to mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"We really celebrated the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and we were out here in Afghanistan," Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John Toolan Jr., commanding general of ISAF troops in southern Afghanistan, told reporters during a briefing on Thursday. FULL POST
The Taliban have been forced out of power, Osama bin Laden is dead, and al Qaeda, by many accounts, is not nearly as powerful as it once was.
But 10 years after the start of the war in Afghanistan, many issues still plague the country.
CNN.com asked five people - either Afghans or Afghanistan experts - to explain what they think is the most important thing needed for a successful Afghanistan.
Check out what the iReporter, the professor, the non-profit researcher, the regional expert and the Afghan journalist had to say.
October 7, 2011, marks the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, a conflict that has drawn passionate praise and criticism since its beginning.
The war began in response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001, with the goal of ending al Qaeda terrorist activity.
To look back on 10 years of war, CNN asked service members, contractors and Afghans how the conflict changed their lives. We gathered 10 of those that outline 10 very different experiences in the years of war, but the contributors all have one thing in common: Their lives will never be the same.
Check out the full interactive: 10 years, 10 perspectives
If you've been involved in the war in Afghanistan, we want to hear your stories, too. Share them on CNN iReport.
America's veterans are proud of their military service, but in a new report published Wednesday, they expressed ambivalence about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In a new Pew Research Center report on war and sacrifice, half of post-9/11 veterans said the Afghanistan war has been worth fighting. Only 44% felt that way about Iraq, and one-third said both wars were worth the costs.
Some of those costs were outlined in the Pew study, which comes out as the United States marks the 10th anniversary Friday of the Afghanistan conflict, the longest-running war in the nation's history.
For instance, four of every 10 veterans reported they had difficulties adjusting back to life at home after the combat zone, and 37% said they suffered from post-traumatic stress, even though they might not have been formally diagnosed as such.
"The ambivalence that many post-9/11 veterans feel about their military mission has a parallel in the mixture of benefits and burdens they report having experienced since their return to civilian life," the report said.
Read the full story and check out the complete report from the Pew Research Center
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh talks to a man who, at age 16, watched the first bombs fall in Afghanistan 10 years ago.
Ten years after the war in Afghanistan began, take a look at some U.S. Department of Defense video that shows the U.S. air bombardment on the Taliban on October 7, 2001.


text:
Note: With Bruce down and out with the flu, as well as buried under 6 feet of snow, Chris Warner is stepping in today.
By Chris Warner
This week, I've resolved to start restricting my views of Super Bowl highlights, though I reserve the right to occasionally blurt out, "Intercepted!" in my best Al Michaels voice.
After watching (and re-watching) New England's final defensive play, the involvement of certain players sticks out to me.
Cornerback Malcolm Butler picks off the pass, jumps forward, and falls to the ground. Cornerback Brandon Browner, whose aggressive jam of Jermaine Kearse freed up Butler, raises his hand in the air and sprints toward the Patriots' bench. Dont'a Hightower, who tackled Lynch the play before, rushes to Butler as defensive lineman Sealver Siliga envelops the cornerback in a protective, appreciative bear hug.
As we approach the 2015 draft, remember that each of these players came to New England in a different way. Butler answered the call as an undrafted rookie. Browner arrived as a free agent in March. Hightower came to Foxboro after getting selected in the first round of 2012. Siliga was signed to New England's practice squad after getting released by Seattle in 2013.
So, as much emphasis as we place on the draft every year, we need to remember that teams get built in myriad ways.
For now, though, a look at this year's picks. (Plenty of solid sources online, with NEPatriotsDraft.com as one of our current go-to's):
Round One (32nd overall)
Round Two (64)
Round Three (96)
Round Three (Projected compensatory pick)
Round Four (from Tampa Bay via Logan Mankins trade)
Round Four (128)
Round Six (From Tampa Bay w/ Jonathan Casillas trade)
Round Seven (From Tennessee, w/ Akeem Ayers trade)
Round Seven (From Houston via Ryan Mallett trade)
That makes nine picks, which seems like an awful lot of rookies to add to a championship roster. For now, though, we'll take a round-by-round look at the types of players the Patriots need and players they've selected for that position in previous drafts.
Round One: Lineman (Either Side Of The Line)
With depth issues nibbling at their heels (and knees, and ankles) on the offensive line this year, the Pats will want to add some talent on the interior OL. Securing depth on the DL should help, too.
Past First-Round Picks: Richard Seymour, 2001; Ty Warren, 2003; Vince Wilfork, 2004; Logan Mankins, 2005; Nate Solder, 2011; Chandler Jones, 2012; Dominique Easley, 2014.
Easley has battled injuries, but the Pats' overall record with first-round linemen shows that they'll get a contributor at least or a potential starter here.
Round Two: Backup Quarterback (Ha! Just kidding.)
Round Two: Lineman (The Other Side Of The Line)
If they get offense in the first, they get defense in the second, and vice-versa.
Past Second-Round Picks: Adrian Klemm, 2000; Matt Light, 2001; Marquise Hill, 2004; Ron Brace, Sebastian Vollmer, 2009; Jermaine Cunningham, 2010.
Remember that Vollmer pick? I recall having seen his name in some draft magazine ranked as a late-rounder/undrafted free agent who might be worth a look. New England tends to take chances here, and doing so on a lineman seems worth it.
Round Three: Pass Rusher
Yes, it was part of the game plan, and – save for The Juggle Catch and Some Guy Named Chris Matthews – the plan worked, but rushing four defenders made it seem as though Russell Wilson had enough time in the pocket to scan the field, make a chicken salad sandwich, eat it, and complete a pass.
As for the current roster, Rob Ninkovich celebrated his 31st birthday on Super Bowl Sunday (and what a way to celebrate). Chandler Jones wore down a bit and could use a young, dynamic bookend.
Past Third-Round Picks: Shawn Crable, 2008; Jake Bequette, 2012.
Not a perfect record here, but 2015 promises a great deal of rookie depth at this position, making it the right spot to find a solid pick.
Round Three: Defensive Back
Every team would have a drop off after Darrelle Revis, but Logan Ryan and, at times, Kyle Arrington helped raise the region's consumption of booze and/or Lipitor on opponents' long passes. Malcolm Butler paid off, big time, and the team should be able to find more talent on Day Two.
Past Third-Round Picks: Brock Williams, 2001; Guss Scott, 2004; Ellis Hobbs, 2005; Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon, 2013.
Ryan showed up in spurts this season, while Harmon got the interception that sealed the divisional win vs. Baltimore. He has shown solid range and awareness.
Round Four: Linebacker
As athletic as Jamie Collins is, watching Marshawn Lynch haul in the same wheel route pass that helped doom Green Bay was a difficult way to go into the two-minute warning. New England could look for another speedy, quick linebacker here.
Past Fourth-Round Picks: None.
If Jerod Mayo comes back, and if Casillas continues to contribute on defense, the Pats might look at other positions; however, this seems like a sweet spot to seek out linebacker help.
Round Four: Offensive Lineman
So many injuries at this position. Soo many.
Past Fourth-Round Picks: Greg Robinson-Randall, 2000; Kenyatta Jones, 2001; Rich Ohrnberger, 2009; Bryan Stork, Cameron Fleming, 2014.
New England's riding a bit of a hot streak with last year's selections. Stork starting at center settled down the offense and Fleming filling in as an extra lineman haunted the Colts rushing defense. The club will look to repeat this type of feat on Day Two.
Round Six: Special Teamer
In recent years, the Patriots have picked players in this area of the draft specifically as special teamers. In 2014, New England's special teams made a serious impact (just ask the Jets' field goal unit).
Past Sixth-Round Picks: Jake Ingram, 2009; Nate Ebner, 2012.
Ingram couldn't stick around as a long snapper, but it shows the seriousness with which Belichick takes the position. The team could consider another receiver/returner type like Matthew Slater (a Round Five selection). Or they could wait until Round Seven…
Round Seven: Wide Receiver
Remember back in October when Tom Brady lacked weapons? Four touchdown passes to four different receivers? Sure. I guess we'll take it.
Past Seventh-Round Picks: David Givens, 2002; Julian Edelman, 2009, Jeremy Ebert, 2012, Jeremy Gallon, 2014.
Not too shabby, considering the contributions of Givens and Edelman to New England's Super Bowl runs. While the Pats look set at the position, it seems like a good idea to bring in competition for younger receivers like Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce. The latter's greatest contribution to New England's cause may have been catching a slant pass in front of Malcolm Butler during practice.
Round Seven: Running Back
Pats look loaded here. It remains to be seen if they hang on to Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. They'll have trouble trying to duplicate the latter.
Past Seventh-Round Picks: Patrick Pass, 2000; Antwoine Womack, 2002.
Pass, much like Brandon Bolden now, played a little bit of everything during his time in Foxboro, from special teamer to pass-catcher to blocking fullback for Corey Dillon (no mean feat at 215 pounds). If New England can find a versatile back here – say, a Bolden with better receiving ability – they should jump on him.
Any thoughts on what position the Pats should look to draft where, let us know below.
You can follow Chris Warner on Twitter at @cwarn89


text:
Dispatches from the drug war
Two quick reports from the front:
- In a significant retreat from its previous position, Eric Holder's Justice Department has announced it won't impose federal laws on states that have legalized marijuana. It's about time.
- But in Framingham, it's still the cops vs. the hippies. "The Grateful Head," the town's first head since cops trashed the Psychedelic Emporium a decade ago, opened on Rte. 9 this spring, with all the necessary permits from town departments. Now the Framingham Police have shut it down and seized its inventory. As a result, the town is facing yet another potentially expensive lawsuit.
So in Washington, officials are finally starting to hear the voices of the people and adjust to the 21st century. But it's still 1968 in Framingham. Here's a question to ponder: When are the civilians in Framingham going to take charge of their police department?


text:
Hi there.
My name is joseph and i just finished watching your kilimanjaro video. It's something i am planning to do next august/september and I am trying to find out as much about the climb as possible prior to doing it.
Altitude is going to be my weakness as I have never exposed myself to that height before and I was wanting to know whether you did any previous climbing at that height prior to the climb?
Nope. No hiking at that height. Although we do live in Colorado (where the elevation is a mile above sea level), and went for a few hikes in the mountains, up around 9,000/10,000 feet. The best preparation we did was to go to Washington D.C. for 12 days prior to our climb and be tourists. We talked about 5-7 miles/day in Washington D.C., and that made all the difference once we were on the mountain. (Other people we were climbing with were sore… we experienced very little of that in the first few days.)
Also, how much was the climb and which company did you do it through? would you recommend them?
Yes. We would definitely recommend them. It was a little more expensive than some of the other packages we could have gotten, but completely worth it. I think it cost $2600 each for 9 days in Africa (which included a 1 day safari, all of our accommodations before climbing and after coming off the mountain, and everything on the mountain). It did not include airfare, which was about $1800 each.
We went through Kevin Cherilla (www.kcsummits.com) on the American side, who partnered with Simon Mtui in Tanzania and (name of company I don't remember).
Kevin's contact info is Kevin Cherilla firstname.lastname@example.com 602.686.6146
Hope this is helpful for you!
Questions about climbing Kilimanjaro
Hi there.
- $29 for water?
- Sunday's Inspirational Story: From Ike to Destiny


text:
The Newton County Board of Education is expected to choose a new superintendent next week and will also vote on a new director of research, testing and evaluation.
Newton County School System Superintendent Gary Mathews said Wednesday that BOE Chair Abigail Coggin requested the board vote on a new superintendent at its next scheduled meeting, May 14 at 7 p.m.
The BOE named its top three finalists for the system's superintendent position in April. Finalists included Samantha Fuhrey, the deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction for NCSS; Samuel Light, the superintendent of the Illini Bluffs Community Unit School District #327 in Glasford, Ill.; and Noris Price, the deputy superintendent for the Clarke County School District in Athens.
The three choices are vying to be the next superintendent of the Newton County School System, replacing Mathews, who will retire June 30 after three years of holding the position.
"This is one of the most important decisions I have made in my life. It is more difficult for me because this decision will not only affect my children, but that of 19,000 more children in our community," Coggin previously said. "We only have one chance to give our children a basic education.
"The superintendent has a large amount of influence over how we educate these students."
In addition to possibly naming the next NCSS superintendent, Mathews said a new director of Research, Testing and Evaluation will be up for a vote from the board during the meeting.
Carl Skinner, the current director, announced his resignation in March and will soon move to Kansas City, Mo.
There he will serve as the deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction.
Skinner resigned after accepting a position as deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction in the Hickman Mills C-1 School District in Kansas City.
He is following Dennis Carpenter, the district's former deputy superintendent of operations, who is taking over as superintendent at Hickman Mills.
Mathews also said that NCSS officials are working to fill the principal position at Alcovy High School.
He said applicants will be screened for the position this Friday (May 10), and interviews will be conducted within the coming weeks.
The principal position for AHS was reposted in April, as the screening committee was not pleased with the overall quality of the 13 AHS principal applicants.
The open position closed May 8.


text:
Explosion Isolation with Slide Valves
Whether it is silos, mills or extraction systems, our slide valves enable a safe isolation, and are also available for demanding CIP, dust or gas applications.
The RSV slide valve is suitable for the isolation of fully developed explosions to the maximum explosion pressure.
The REDEX® Slide has been specifically developed for the isolation of pressure-relieved devices with a reduced explosion pressure.
Both slide valves are also particularly suitable for abrasive media.
The system to be protected is equipped with pressure and/or infrared detectors. These can detect an explosion and send a signal to the knife gate valve. Depending on the size, one or more gas generators are activated, which close the slide valve due to the generated pressure. The closed slider blade effectively prevents the propagation of flames and pressure waves. Fast closing times also enable extremely short installation distances. During normal operation, the slide valves can be opened and closed pneumatically.
Sizes and application areas
The REDEX® Slide is available in nominal pipe sizes from DN 80 to DN 150, the RSV slide valve in nominal pipe sizes from DN 50 to DN 400. Thanks to their practical design, both knife gate valves are suitable for all flow velocities and dust loads, they do not cause any pressure drop, and can be installed vertically, horizontally or at any angle.
Your advantages
- Variably applicable.
- Extremely short closing times.
- Short installation distances thanks to a compact design.
- Flexible installation options at any angle.
- No loss of pressure.


text:
COURSES WYNANTSKILL — Hunter Education Training is scheduled 7-11 p.m. April 19 and 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. April 21 at the Bailey Mt. Fish & Game Club Inc., 531 Snyder's Lake Road. Pre-registration required. Registration will be 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the club until the class is full. For information, call 286-9620. TROY — Petra Jancovicova from Anchor No. 5 will lead a free, two-part beginning embroidery class 6-7:30 p.m. April 23 and 30 at the Lansingburgh Branch, 27 114th St. Register by calling 235-5310. Programs for 16 and older, adults and seniors. MEETINGS AVERILL PARK — The Sand Lake Historical Society meets at 7:30 p.m. April 9 at the Sand Lake Baptist Church, Route 43. Kathy Arbogast will speak "Buttons." She is active with the Half Moon Button Club and The Mohawk Valley Button Club. ALBANY — The New York State Disaster Preparedness Commission announces the 2013 meetings which will be held at 1 p.m. in the first floor conference room of Building 7-A, Harriman State Campus. April 17, June 26, July 10, Sept. 19, Oct. 23, Nov. 21. WATERFORD — The Friends of the Waterford Public Library will meet to discuss and plan 2013 events and fundraising activities at 11 a.m. April 20 in the Community Room at Van Schoonhoven Square. DINNERS RENSSELAER — A ziti dinner will be served 4-7 p.m. April 20 at St. John & St. Joseph's Church, 50 Herrick St. Eat in or take out. The cost is $20. To benefit youth attending World Youth Day. TROY — The Men's Club of St. Michael's The Archangel Church, 175 Williams Road, will serve a lasagna dinner 5-7 p.m. April 16. Adults, $12; children, $4; advance tickets, $10. For information, call 273-3750. VALLEY FALLS — The Valley Falls United Methodist Church, 16 State St., will serve a roast beef dinner April 24. Sittings at 5 and 6 p.m., with take-outs available at 5 p.m. Menu will include roast beef and gravy, mashed potatoes, two vegetables, condiments, rolls, and assorted pies. Adults, $12; children 6-10, $6; children 5 and younger, free. Reservations encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. Call Sharon or Bob at 753-6053 for reservations. PROGRAMS WATERFORD — The Waterford Historical Museum and Cultural Center presents The White Hurricane: The Blizzard of 1888 at 10 a.m. April 9 at the center, 2 Museum Lane. This is part of the museum's springtime Tuesdays at 10 program series. Admission $5 for museum members, $6 for the public.
Community calendar for April 2, 2013
Start the conversation


text:
(This Old House) -- A tide of foreclosed properties has been sweeping into the beleaguered housing market, bringing down property values, dislocating families, and sending municipal governments scrambling to manage the crisis. But some buyers see a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the gloomy headlines; they are buying up foreclosed properties at ultra-low prices.
Real estate agent John Lynch of Keller Williams Greater Cleveland West says he has interested buyers calling from all over the country, and as far away as Israel. Some are buying in bulk. "One investor I am working with right now wants to buy 200 houses all under 10K."
Would-be homeowners are not excluded from the bonanza. Despite economic fears and the struggling housing market, Tonya Perkins-Stoudermire of McMullan Realty in Cleveland says this may be an ideal time to think about the dream of first-time home ownership.
She tells the story of a friend who waded into the foreclosure market and came out ahead. "My girlfriend bought a house last summer. It has two baths, a two-car garage, and two fireplaces. She loves it. Her house is $350 a month, with taxes and insurance. She's in her late 40's and had been a renter all these years."
Those are the high notes, but these agents tell other stories, too. There's the one about a far-away buyer who learned he owned a bunch of vacant lots, instead of houses. "It's not for the faint of heart," says Lynch. Lynch has seen the same house at foreclosure auctions more than once. "That hurts us all," says Lynch.
A check-in with real estate professionals, home inspectors, and federal housing officials offers these words to the wise on buying a foreclosed property.
• Budget carefully. Agent Tonya Perkins-Stoudermire says don't let a small price tag lure you into a quick deal. Be sure to ask yourself a number of questions: Do you have the money for the extensive repairs these houses often need? "Do you have a crew. If you plan to rehab and then rent, can you afford the house if you don't find a tenant? If you do your homework, there's little risk," says Perkins-Stoudermire.
• See the house for yourself. "You can't buy them sight unseen," says Bill Richardson, president of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). "If you're an investor from Chicago and you're buying in Tucson, you'll need someone to evaluate the house in person." This Old House: What to expect from a home inspection
• Look at the neighborhood. Your homework should include evaluating the neighborhood. You may not be able to recoup the cost of the repairs if the value of the house is depressed by widespread foreclosures or high crime in the area. Tonya Perkins-Stoudermire says she also encourages buyers to study the neighborhood's appeal at all hours, including at night. This Old House: How to identify a promising neighborhood
• How long has the house been empty? The longer the vacancy the more damage there is, in most cases. Bill Richardson, of ASHI, says if a house hasn't been "moth-balled" carefully, a long list of ailments set in. "The plumbing seals dry out, sewer gases back up, and bugs that are in the sewer get a chance to get into the house. That's true for the sinks, toilets, and washer drains," says Richardson.
• Was it winterized? Don't turn on the utilities until you know the condition of the pipes. If the pipes cracked during a cold spell, water will leak into the walls, and mold could take hold when you turn the water back on. This Old House: Dealing with mold
• Look at the landscaping. ASHI's Bill Richardson warns, "If the house has been neglected, untrimmed trees, vines and bushes contribute to the deterioration of the house." Vines crawl into the windows, and tree seedlings send roots down into the foundation. "It doesn't take very big trees to mess up pavers, and dead branches crash into the house," says Richardson.
• Contract for a private inspection. Banks generally require a home inspection when lending money for a mortgage. But even if you're paying completely out of pocket for an ultra-cheap find, all the pros say it's crucial to get an up-to-date inspection.
Richardson says previous inspections "are only a snapshot in time," and conditions change dramatically. "There's no caretaker on these properties. I've looked at quite a few," says Richardson. "We've seen vandalism. We've seen previous owners steal cabinets and fixtures. Copper piping has been stolen."
In some cases an inspection will prevent further damage. For example, if inspectors determine the pipes are cracked, repairs can be done in advance. Richardson said inspectors charge $300 to $500.
• Consider a HUD house. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is currently holding approximately 39,000 houses whose previous owners held mortgages insured by the federal government. HUD houses go to market about six months after foreclosure. Local governments get the first option to buy. After that, buyers who pledge to live in the house have the first opportunity to offer a bid. If the house is still on the market after a period of about 10 days, the listing is opened to investors. Owner occupants end up with about half of HUD's properties, according to HUD officials.
A fraction of the total foreclosure market, HUD's inventory is concentrated in Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and other states where the mortgage crisis has been especially severe. But if one of these houses suits your fancy, HUD spokesman LeMar Wooley says the feds offer a few advantages. "You will know the fair price of the property" because HUD updates its appraisals regularly. It offers a "property condition report" too, though that report is not updated. Wooley is thus among the chorus of experts urging buyers to pay for their own home inspection before closing the deal.
If HUD appreciates the value of a good inspector, inspectors likewise say HUD houses are better protected. "The feds often take the steps to winterize the houses. They put anti-freeze in the traps, and drain the pipes. When HUD's involved it's a little bit better," says ASHI president Bill Richardson.
• Don't expect to profit from a quick sale. Investors who buy intending to do as little as possible to a house, hoping to resell for a profit when the market turns around, may find little profit and a lot of headache. Some cities are cracking down on neglectful property owners, charging penalties that increase over time, and unmaintained homes lose value quickly.
But real estate pros and housing officials report that, overall, investors are a welcome and all-too-scarce resource, and most are fixing up the houses they buy for rent or resell. What's more, investors and new owner-occupants might get the satisfaction of helping to turn a hard-hit neighborhood around.
All About Foreclosures


text:
Renting GSA Property
Many business owners and realtors are not aware that they may lease space from the federal government. Federal space has much to offer in the way of amenities, and generally utility and cleaning costs are well below industry average.
Historic Buildings Filming on Location>>
Urban Development/Good Neighbor Program>>
Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976 [PDF - 97 KB]


text:
In a country where it's a nearly ubiquitous custom to kiss a Mezuzah upon entering and exiting a building, at a time when said country is all up in arms about Swine Flu, is probably a bad combination. But the question has already been asked. Can kissing a Mezuzah contribute to the spread of the disease?
What's the need for the question? Of course yes. Flu is extremely contagious, and it stands to reason that an object that collects bits of saliva from passersby can function like a hub for H1N1. But the Rabbis were asked anyway. Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar had this to say on the subject, "If a specific order is given in the matter, the mezuzah must be kissed from the air, to ensure that the custom is not forgotten." That's a pretty fair compromise, but why must an order be given? We all know that the flu spreads from salivary contact. Do we need an order to tell us so?
Meanwhile, six out of seven doctors interviewed on the subject declined to comment about Mezuzahs in particular, for fear of getting in trouble with the Rabbis. No comment. There was only one doctor brave enough to tell the truth. Kissing Mezuzahs (sans Rabbi Amar's air-kissing technique) increases the spread of Swine Flu, is dangerous, and people should refrain from doing it. His name is Ilan Youngster, and he based his warning on research he presented a year and a half ago sampling 70 Mezuzahs, which all turned out to contain many dangerous bacteria.
"Perhaps," he continued, "because of the fact that the mezuzah is a religious object, people are afraid to sterilize it."
Rabbi Amar responded to Youngster's recommendation with ambivalence. On the one hand, he didn't want the Health Ministry to issue an advisory against the practice, however, he recommended that anyone who wants to follow Youngster's advice, "…put his hand near the mezuzah and kiss it, so as not to miss out on this good and important custom."
I would ask Rabbi Amar about the commandment of "shmor et nafsheha" which is a Biblical obligation that a Jew watch over his health and well being, which I'm guessing should override a mere custom, but Amar wasn't available for comment. I also didn't call him for one either, for fear of getting in trouble with the Rabbis.


text:
Issue 58 June 1, 2012 | Focus on WASH-Related Diseases
The World Health Organization lists more than 20 diseases that are related to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) conditions. This issue focuses on three of those:
- cholera,
- diarrhea, and
- typhoid fever
Information and resources for each of the three diseases include fact sheets, videos, recent peer-review studies, and links to additional resources. Future issues will focus on additional WASH-related diseases.


text:
What Does QOTD Mean in Social Media? QOTD Meaning in Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram etc.
Are you looking QOTD meaning or definition on the internet then you are at the right page, with the help of this website we provides all meanings of different types of Slangs. We always add these slangs into our "Words & Slangs" Category. You can visit our "Words & Slangs" Category to find more slangs definitions.
In this article we are talking about QOTD, in your mind you may be different types of question about QOTD like what is QOTD? QOTD Definition / QOTD Means? The Meaning of QOTD, What is the meaning of QOTD? What does QOTD stand for? What is the meaning of slang word QOTD? What is the meaning of acronym QOTD? What does acronym QOTD stands for? What is the definition of QOTD? What does QOTD mean? What does mean of QOTD in Facebook? What does mean of QOTD in Instagram? What does mean of QOTD in Pinterest? What does mean of QOTD in Snapchat?


text:
This is Freddy and he is a fierce, furry handful. Not satisfied with dry kibble and fresh water, catnip, a selection of toys that would be the envy of kindergartens, and squeezing in a good 20 hours of sleep each day, Freddy MUST have his Whiskas Temptations treats.
MUST as in "your skin will hang in ribbons because you held the snack too high above his head" kind of must.
A MUST that can only be satisfied with crunchy little squares of mystery meatish ingredients that doesn't explain why the heck this cat could possibly love them so much.
Seriously, have you read the ingredients? I tried giving him pieces of chicken breast. Nope. I offered yummy little strips of salmon jerky. Forget it. I even tried some healthy little crunchy heart shape meaty snacks. Go away. All of these other treats had ingredients I could gather from my fridge, freezer and pantry.
But nooooooo. Freddy the house panther wants Whiskas Temptations Now!!!
Bonus slow motion cat tongue at the end because cat tongues are wondrous.
Video was shot with my GoPro Hero 2 on a very cheap tripod. I recently drilled a hole into an extra GoPro Hero 2 case to make room to add an external microphone. So cheap, so so cheap microphone!


text:
Fade to Light Fashion Show: Review
Wednesdays Fade to Light fashion brought the style, the drama, and the party. The nine designers sent looks around a U-shaped runway on the Crystal Ballroom's famous bouncy floors strutting through groups of floor VIP seats while fans up in the balcony cheered on.
In short, it was a really good show.
Designer: ElizaBeth Rohloff
What I loved: Rohloff has been making her sassy hats and fascinators for years and the demographic that wears them clearly enjoyed her use of materials and embellishments.
Hoping to be helpful: The wrap bubble skirts would make me wary as woman with hips overemphasizing something most of us are trying to downplay.
Designer: Emit
What I loved: Everything. The laser cutouts of genius, intricate patterns turn silhouettes into something very far from basic. Each one felt as interesting as the last, and I left wanting more.
Hoping to be helpful: Keep making them.
Designer: Bad Wolf Clothier
What I loved: The impeccable plaid suit for new line Bad Wolf Clothier stepped right out of a 1960s film (in a good way).
Hoping to be helpful: With a serious shortage of menswear designer in the city, I would encourage the young line to focus on their strength of menswear over the women's apparel.
Designer: Au Clothing by Michelle Lesniak
What I loved: A new collection by the current Project Runway champ, Lesniak's take on fall with swinging plaid skirts and tailored separates was right on the money. Her opening look take on a vamped up secretary with a huge tie-bow blouse was one of my favorites of the entire night.
Hoping to be helpful: Get in more stores Lesniak, we want you.
Designer: Studio SKB
What I loved: Designer Sharon Blair put on a dramatic pre-set affair climbing the stage to have all her long beautiful hair hacked off live in an impressive display of support for Locks of Love (See the video of that here). In addition, this was my favorite collection of Blair's to date. The thoughtful details like lace paneling, and vintage vibe made for a great overall collection.
Hoping to be helpful: The only thing not gelling for me was the prints, everything in a solid I'd pack up and take home.
Designer: Quick Study
What I loved: The idea of Quick Study is a line for women who bike to have stylish and functional clothing. The premise (along with a particularly cool striped number) is strong.
Hoping to be helpful: I support the concept, but didn't see how the clothes seemed particularly bike friendly. Additionally, the materials were cute, but there were some cohesiveness issues with the pieces not feeling like they were from the same family quite yet.
Designer: Chicago Harper
What I loved: Designer Joshua Buck has some of the most impressively made and beautifully tailored menswear shirts in the city. If he made men's shirts all day every day, I think the world would be a better place.
Hoping to be helpful: I've said it before and it is my only concern. Buck's fashion forward Euro aesthetic is a tough sell for most Portland gents, but, for the record, they should get on board.
Designer: Wandering Muse
What I loved: Wandering Muse works to double down on your fashion dollar with pieces that can be transformed into multiple looks.
Hoping to be helpful: Once again an impressive concept, but I would caution Muse to make sure style still trumps idea and to reexamine some of the color combinations.
Designer: Bryce Black
What I loved: No current designer in town puts on a show quite like Black. His piece opened with a hilariously campy video of Black espousing on being fabulous while lounging in a graveyard before female and male models stomped the runway in Black's anything-but-average leather and distressed looks. Finally, it ended when the audience realized the models were actually members of the Nonsense Dance Company who brought the house down with a booty shaking choreographed number to "Grown Woman" by Beyonce
Hoping to be helpful: If Black wants to have a quiet ready-to-wear line in town, this isn't the way to do it. (But he's not.)