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WASHINGTON — The vetting of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is just beginning, but his public financial disclosures make one thing clear: He's not as wealthy as many already on the high court.
Public disclosure forms for 2017 show that the federal judge would come to the nation's highest court with only two investments, including a bank account, together worth a maximum of $65,000, along with the balance on a loan of $15,000 or less.
Separate from the disclosure forms, the White House said that between Kavanaugh's retirement account balance of $400,000 to $500,000, and the equity in his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, he has about an additional million dollars in wealth.
If confirmed, his relatively modest means would rank Kavanaugh in the lower tier in personal finances among members of court. Some of his potential future colleagues list millions of dollars in investments.
The records also showed that Kavanaugh, a federal appellate judge nominated by President Donald Trump to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy, had between $45,000 and $150,000 in credit card debt in 2016, which was paid off by the following year.
In 2016, he also reported a loan balance between $15,000 and $50,000.
The White House said some of Kavanaugh's credit card debt listed on his 2016 financial form was due to buying season tickets to the Washington Nationals for himself and several friends, but officials stressed that he was reimbursed for the friends' tickets in 2017.
The White House did not say how much of the debt came from ticket purchases, or name the friends involved in the transactions.
Other costs on the credit cards included home expenses and "other items."
The documents do not provide a complete record of Kavanaugh's finances.
For example, primary residences — often a person's biggest asset — are not listed. And the value of investments and debts is reported only in wide ranges, as is the amount of debt.
"At this time, the Kavanaughs have no debts beyond their home mortgage," White House spokesman Raj Shah said.
The annual salary in 2018 for a circuit court judge is $220,600, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
A 2017 report from the Center for Public Integrity said that at least six of the nine justices were millionaires, with Justice Stephen Breyer reporting a minimum net worth of $6.15 million in 2016 and Chief Justice John Roberts a minimum reportable net worth of more than $5 million. The report stressed that the disclosures are made in broad ranges, making it hard to know exact figures.
Regarding Kavanaugh being poorer than the others, many of whom had considerable earnings during years of non-government legal work, Shah said, "He's devoted his life to public service."
Follow the Bangor Daily News on Facebook for the latest Maine news.


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Interview with accused face-biting killer released
Austin Harrouff spoke with Dr. Phil when he was still in the hospital
Austin Harrouff spoke with Dr. Phil when he was still in the hospital
Austin Harrouff spoke with Dr. Phil when he was still in the hospital
Austin Harrouff has apologized to the family of the people he is accused of attacking and killing.
Harrouff made his statements to Dr. Phil during a Skype interview that took place while Harrouff was in his hospital bed and before he was arrested.
"I never wanted this to happen," said Harrouff.
Harrouff is seen sobbing on camera after Dr. Phil asked if he had anything to say to the victim's family.
"Look into the camera right now and if they are watching what do you say to them?
"I'm sorry for their loss and I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me and I'm so sorry and I never wanted this to happen. I'm so sorry. It's like a nightmare.
"Austin are you ashamed with what you did?
"Yes, yes, yes."
Harrouff is accused of randomly murdering John Stevens and Michelle Mischcon in an unprovoked attack in their garage back in August and chewing Stevens' face.
He's also accused of attacking Jeff Fisher, an innocent bystander, who tried to help the victims.
A toxicology report showed Harrouff was not high on the synthetic drug Flakka.
"Do you think you're mentally ill?, asked Dr. Phil.
"I guess so. I didn't know though," Harrouff said.
Harrouff's attorney Nellie King argued in court, releasing the video would interfere with her client's right to a fair trial.
He also released a statement:
"The legal defense team representing 19-year old Austin Harrouff says a video-recorded interview between their client and CBS television personality Phillip McGraw, known to audiences as Dr. Phil, represents just one of many pieces of evidence demonstrating the deterioration of Austin's mental health.
"The video "shows Austin when he was in a vulnerable state, recovering from acute medical and psychological trauma in the sanctity of his hospital room," attorney Nellie King said.
"Although defense counsel agrees with the trial court's ruling that nothing in the video clip provided is prejudicial to Austin Harrouff, "sensationalizing the details of this case pre-trial does nothing to advance justice in the courtroom," King said.
"Nor does this pre-trial discovery information help those suffering from this tragedy, including the family members of Mr. Stevens and Ms. Mischcon," she added.
"The circumstances of how Harrouff came to be videotaped in the hospital, while under guard by Martin County Sheriff's Deputies, and without the knowledge of lawyers representing him, is still under investigation."

subset: commoncrawl


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Body: SEDAN 4-DR
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I've seen a fair bit of buzz of the Library of Congress's recent announcement of a new initiative for transforming the bibliographic framework of the library community. The announcement notes a number of recent developments that are drivers for such a transformation, including RDA, FRBR, the semantic web of linked data, and a growing consensus that the library community needs to move beyond MARC as its central data standard.
There's another very important driver not explicitly mentioned in the announcement: the rise of open library data. More and more bibliographic and other library-related data is now freely available and reusable online, and it enables all kinds of improvements in resource discovery. I've previously discussed how open data for Library of Congress Subject Headings and Hathi Trust online books allows me to manage a catalog of over a million books, create rich subject browsing interfaces, and improve the quality of library catalogs at Penn. OCLC has also compiled data on millions of authors in VIAF, and now makes it available as open data. I recently downloaded their data set, and hope to get at least as much benefit out of is as I have with subject data to date. (I hope to report on early experiments before long.)
And there's more big news from OCLC. At last month's Global Council meeting, Karen Calhoun gave a presentation saying they were considering releasing letting members release WorldCat data under an open license. I'm very excited to see this development; as I said a couple of years ago (in a panel discussion that also featured Karen Calhoun) it would make a huge trove of the library community's bibliographic intelligence available to exploit and extend in all kinds of ways that could make it easier for library patrons to discover information resources. This is no small step for OCLC– at the time of our panel, OCLC was concerned that opening access to WorldCat data might threaten the sustainability of the WorldCat cooperative. If they're seriously considering opening their data now, I suspect that a good number of WorldCat members have indicated that it's an important and worthwhile thing to do, and that the benefits outweigh the risks.
If you also see potential in open library data, now is an excellent time to join in the discussions that the Library of Congress and OCLC are inviting. The more these and other leading organizations in the library community see how open data can advance the goals of the community, and how open data initiatives can get the support needed to be sustainable, the richer the knowledge base that our evolving bibliographic framework will support.
I don't yet know where and how the LC and OCLC conversations will be taking place. But I'd love to hear readers' thoughts and pointers about using and supporting open bibliographic data in the comments here.
Updated May 27 to clarify: I've heard from Roy Tennant that the OCLC proposal under consideration refers to WorldCat members releasing "their catalog data containing WorldCat records", not OCLC itself releasing data (as my post originally stated). This is still potentially a big deal, even if it doesn't mean opening up all of WorldCat. I've updated the post, marking edits with strikethrough and bold, and will talk about this more in the comment thread.


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Mallard ducks prepare to land on a small pond. Beautiful translucent textured border sparkles in sunlight. Zinc-framed, this impressive U-size vertical piece measures 20.5" wide x 30.5" high. It features two soldered metal rings along the top for hanging. For easy and secure hanging, we recommend the use of our optional Chain Kit (Item #70901).
- Brand Silvercreek
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profound thinking about something
(Redirected from Contemplates)
Contemplation is a thoughtful and searching reflection upon a topic. In religion, it is usually a type of prayer or meditation.
- "The kingdom of heaven is within you." And concerning the inner man, it consists of nothing but contemplation. Therefore the kingdom of heaven must be contemplation.
- Basil of Caesarea, Letters, translated by R. Deferrari (1926), p. 89
- About the twelfth century the possibility of sharing contemplation by means of preaching and other forms of apostolic activity began to be considered. This point of view was exemplified in the mixed life (contemplative and active) of the mendicant orders and was expressed in the formula: contemplata aliis tradere ("to transmit to others the fruits of contemplation").
- Gustavo Gutiérrez, A Theology of Liberation (1971),p. 7
Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical QuotationsEdit
- Quotes reported in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 133.
- The act of contemplation then creates the thing contemplated.
- Isaac D'Israeli, Literary Character, Chapter XII.
- But first and chiefest, with thee bring
Him that yon soars on golden wing,
Guiding the fiery-wheeled throne,
The Cherub Contemplation.
- John Milton, Il Penseroso (1631), line 51.
- In discourse more sweet,
(For Eloquence the Soul, Song charms the sense,)
Others apart sat on a hill retir'd,
In thoughts more elevate, and reasoned high
Of Providence, Foreknowledge, Will and Fate,
Fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute;
And found no end, in wand'ring mazes lost.
- John Milton, Paradise Lost (1667; 1674), Book II, line 555.
- When holy and devout religious men
Are at their beads, 'tis hard to draw them thence;
So sweet is zealous contemplation.
- William Shakespeare, Richard III (c. 1591), Act III, scene 7, line 92.
- Contemplation makes a rare turkey-cock of him: how he jets under his advanced plumes.
- William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night (c. 1601-02), Act II, scene 5, line 35.


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Democracy Now! – 2006-10-30 23:32:46
Visit the Breaking the Silence Web site at:
Videos and photos
JUAN GONZALEZ: Yehuda Shaul joins us now from San Francisco. Welcome to Democracy Now!
YEHUDA SHAUL: Good morning.
AMY GOODMAN: Could you talk to us a little bit about what you're hoping to accomplish on your tour?
YEHUDA SHAUL: I'm here in the United States, because, I would say, we in Breaking the Silence see the act of breaking the silence as an act of taking responsibility. As ex-Israeli soldiers, who've served as combat soldiers in the Occupied Territories and were there and committed all what we're talking about, we're part of the occupation.
After we were discharged and realized what we were doing and what was going on around us, there was only two options, as I see it. There's or to lock ourselves in the room, cry and ask forgiveness, or to stand up and take responsibility and demand from others to take responsibility.
So, in my eyes, breaking the silence, standing up and telling the stories and trying to bring people to know and to realize and to understand what it means, occupation, on a daily basis, through these testimonies that we publish and the pictures that we had in the exhibition, is demanding from Israeli society to take responsibility for it, for what is being done in their behalf.
And in my eyes, in our eyes, responsibility doesn't end with ex-soldiers who served there or with Israelis, or the idea if our army as Israelis is doing all these things. Responsibility is to every human being in the world, and for sure for Americans, because in the end of the day for all what Israel does, there is only one country in the world that, you know, the chief of staff and the prime minister of Israel has to report in the end of the day, and that's the United States of America.
For that reason, I think that people of America must know what's going on there and must break their own silence and take civil responsibility, human responsibility, to what is being done there.
AMY GOODMAN: YEHUDA SHAUL, tell us your story. How did you end up in the military? How did you decide to leave?
YEHUDA SHAUL: In Israel, every Jewish Israeli is obligated by law to serve in the military — men for three years, women for two years. And when I reached the age of eighteen, I was drafted for three years. I served as a combat soldier and a commander. Two years out of my three years were in the Occupied Territories, and fourteen months were in Hebron.
And during my service in the Occupied Territories, I just did whatever I had to do, whatever were my missions, fulfilling my missions, leading my soldiers, doing all sorts of things — what it means, occupation — and suddenly like three months before I was discharged, I was sitting down and trying to imagine myself as a civilian. I told myself, you know, in three months, I'm going to give back my weapon, my uniform, stop being a combat soldier, and again going back to civilian life.
And for me, that same moment, you know, the exact moment of stop thinking as a professional combat soldier was a moment of — maybe I can call it an enlightenment, you know? It's a moment of stop seeing things through the eyes of a soldier and start seeing things through an eye of a civilian. It's like, again, stop seeing things from in the system and start observing it from outside.
And when I suddenly looked at myself from the outside and looked backwards, you know, to what I've done in the past two years and ten months in the Occupied Territories as a soldier, I was totally shocked. I realized that something mad was going around me. Suddenly I realized that the situation that I took part in brought me to do stuff that, you know — I wanted to believe that it wasn't me. But, you know, I couldn't escape it. It was me. And when I realized that, I felt that I can't continue my life without doing something about it.
And that's when I started to speak with some of my soldiers, some of my comrades, and I discovered that we all felt the same, but we didn't have the courage to speak about it. You know, it was something that we didn't — it was somewhere in the back of the mind, but we didn't open it inside the unit. And because we all felt the same, we all felt that something wrong is going on around us, we decided to break the silence.
And I was discharged in March 2004. In June 2004, we started our activities with a photo exhibition and video testimonies from our service in Hebron. As I said, I served fourteen months in Hebron, so it was obvious that we're going to start from there. And the idea of the exhibition, we called it then, is to break the silence surrounding what's going on in the Occupied Territories, in what we called "Bringing Hebron to Tel Aviv," because you must understand that, you know, what's going on in the Occupied Territories is like the biggest secret in Israeli society. It's like the taboo. You never talk about it. It's like something that happens in the backyard. It's the dirt from the back yard that no one wants to have it in the front. And for that reason —
JUAN GONZALEZ: I'd like to ask you about all of these thousands of Palestinian prisoners. From your perspective, as someone who's obviously had to participate in the capturing and imprisonment of some of these Palestinian civilians, what is this doing to Palestinian society, to have so many people locked up for such a long period of time under Israeli control?
YEHUDA SHAUL: I have no idea. I'm not a Palestinian. Just, you know, looking from the outside, seems like breaking all the family structure. I don't know, just trying to think of, you know, all the people that we arrested, bumping in the middle of the night through the windows, through the doors, through the roofs, waking up the family, taking people.
No one knows when they're going to get back, why they were taken. You know, this is — just, you know, almost every night in the Occupied Territories, you do an arrest operation. Every night you come back with what we saw in the pictures before, or you see now, of handcuffed, blindfolded Palestinians, who are just, you know, were now arrested, waiting to be taken to interrogations at the secret services.
But also, there's another kind of Palestinians, as you see now in the picture, and that's kind of what we call in Hebrew, or I will translate it, what we called "dry outs," or if I would professionally translate it, "detainees." And these are Palestinians, you know, when you stand in the checkpoint and you ask from all the Palestinians to stand in a very nice one line, and suddenly one of them starts screaming or leaves the line, so you must educate him, right? They must know who's the boss. So you detain the man aside.
You took him, handcuff, blindfold — five, six, seven hours, it could be more, it could be less. Or you call a Palestinian in the checkpoint, you ask from him his ID. He smiles too much. You must educate them.
And all the system is built on fear. It's built of just oppressing, I don't know, of not being able to treat Palestinians as equal human beings to you, because the job is to do things that you don't do to equal human beings, you know, to bump in the middle of the night to a family from the roof and wake up all the family, separate men from women and just search all the house.
It's something that you don't do to an equal human being to you. It's something that I never done in Israel, but in the Occupied Territories, as a combat soldier, as an occupier, that's my daily job, 24/7, house after house.
AMY GOODMAN: We have to leave it there, but we will link to Breaking the Silence and your tour, where you'll be in this country, as we speak to him today in San Francisco.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.


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Caption: This writer's version of the doge meme uses the Official Dogecoin website's logo and the hallmark off-center rainbow Comic Sans font, with improper grammar. See more on the meme's history.
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In a sign of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in general becoming more mainstream than ever, there is now a cryptocurrency based on the doge (AKA dogge, or shibe) meme called dogecoin, or doge for short. Here's 5 Fast Facts about this new cryptocurrency. See the newest update to Dogecoin here.
1. One Dogecoin (Doge) Is Worth Approximately 1/100 Cent (As of 12/10/13)
While Dogecoin is not currently traded on any exchanges, Dogecoin has been traded at a rate of 10,000 Dogecoin for $1. The trade happened on the Dogecoin subreddit:
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While the negotiations were clearly very intense, the Dogecoin finally changed hands, establishing a market rate for doge everywhere.
Of course, that doesn't mean a million Dogecoins could realistically be sold for $100. There is not enough demand for dogecoin to likely sustain such a transaction — yet. (Edit:12/10/13: Redditor offers .2 BTC for doge)
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2. Wow, A Total of 100 Billion Doge Can Be Mined
Screencap of BitcoinTalk.org where the announcement for dogecoin was made, prompting such excitement.
Dogecoin uses Scrypt encryption meaning it is like Litecoin in that it cannot be effectively harvested using ASICs, or specialized Bitcoin-mining equipment. Essentially, this means that Dogecoin, compared to Bitcoin, is not as susceptible to being quickly mined by people with powerful, purpose-specific hardware. However, Scrypt-based cryptocurrencies like doge can still be mined very effectively using graphics cards and therefore, the average user will not be able to mine very much doge against people with pricey, but relatively common consumer hardware.
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The block reward structure depicted above (or how fast miners get paid in doge to verify dogecoin transactions) uses a fairly common halving structure, leveling out at 10,000 doge per block, or mining unit, after block 600,000. Currently, doge has been mined only to block 4,000 as of 12/9/13.
3. Dogecoin's Wallet Appears to Be Based on Luckycoin
This image, posted in the dogecoin subreddit, shows that after trying to encrypt one's dogecoin wallet, a warning would indicate the user could lose all of their "Luckycoin." It seems likely that Doge was based on Luckycoin as both cryptocurrencies use Scrypt. Dogecoin probably simply copied the Luckycoin wallet.
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Still, doge has little need to be a legitimately unique cryptocurrency since it is based on a gimmick, comparable to Sexcoin, which like doge offers little to no distinguishing features other than the marketing spin. Though in doge's case, the appeal is "wow" not sex.
4. There Are Over 500 People Actively Mining and Creating Doge
In dogecoin's most popular mining pool, a website where users put their computational resources together to amass doge, over 500 people are currently mining the cryptocurrency. The project has been a huge success and led the creator of the pool to immediately seek out a new server to handle the load.
Many joke that Doge is actually not mined by computers, but by the following process (5mb gif that is worth it).
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5. Such Dogecoiners Appear to Be Very Bullish About The Future Value of Dogecoin
A Bitcoin cliche is that the cryptocurrency is "going to the moon," or set to raise in price dramatically. Currently the second highest regarded post on the reddit doge forum is titled "Such Moon! Very Going!":
Still, other dogecoiners remained bearish, using a simple doge-graph to convey that doge would likely follow a ubiquitously cited Bitcoin adoption pattern (below doge-graph):
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Massive rally for Catalonia's secession in Barcelona
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards who support the secession of Catalonia gathered in Barcelona on the region's main holiday Wednesday, just weeks before a highly anticipated verdict in a case against 12 leaders of the separatist movement.
Supporters of Catalan secession came from all parts of the wealthy northeastern region to its main city. Many carried flags or wore T-shirts supporting Catalan independence as they met for the rally in a large public square.
The Sept. 11 holiday memorializes the fall of Barcelona in the Spanish War of Succession in 1714. Since 2012, it has become the date of massive rallies for the region's secessionist movement.
The Barcelona police said that around 600,000 people turned out for the event.
Polls and the most recent election results show that the region's 7.5 million residents are roughly equally split between those in favor and those against breaking with the rest of Spain.
Spain's caretaker prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, who has tried to thaw tensions with Catalonia since taking power last year, wrote on Twitter that "Today should be a day for all Catalans. For the path of dialogue within the Constitution, harmonious coexistence, respect and understanding."
This year's rally comes while a dozen leaders of Catalonia's 2017 failed attempt to secede await a verdict from the Supreme Court on charges that include rebellion. They face spending several years behind bars if found guilty, and a heavy punishment would most likely spark public protests in Catalonia. The verdict is expected this month or next.
The movement, however, is going through its most difficult period since separatist sentiment was fueled by the previous decade's economic difficulties, from which Spain has only recovered in recent years.
The pro-secession political parties have yet to agree on what the response to a guilty verdict by the Supreme Court should be. That has earned the criticism of the leading grassroots groups which have fueled the secessionist drive.
Regional Catalan president Quim Torra says that a guilty verdict would provide an opportunity to make another push for independence, without specifying how that could be carried out.
"The objective of independence should be the horizon of this country after the verdict," he said in a recent interview on Catalan public television.
Other separatist politicians think the best move is to call regional elections in an attempt to increase their representation in the regional parliament and focus on gaining the backing of more than half of Catalans. Those against independence complain that the separatists have monopolized the holiday for their political ends.
But some activists have accused all their political leaders of not taking concrete steps to achieve their goal. Radical activists recently expressed their anger by throwing garbage and excrement on the doors of the offices of pro-secession parties.
"Not only have we not advanced, but we have taken some steps backward," Elisenda Paluzie, the head of the influential pro-secession grassroots group ANC, told the crowd. "We demand that our leaders don't let us down."


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Rick Santorum went on MSNBC's Morning Joe this morning where Joe Scarborough asked him if he regrets bringing the issue of contraception into his campaign. Rickles got flustered and turned pissy fast. He said, "I've never had any record or anything about talking about access to contraception." Umm. Not to cross you, oh Holy One, but YES YOU FUCKING DO.
In fact, that is a large part of what you've spent your campaign talking about. So please, spare us your indignation at Joe Scarborough, and for the love of God (and you do love God, don't you?), do not accuse Mike and Joe of "playing sort of gotcha politics," simply because they dare to ask you about things that have come out of your mouth.
By the end of the appearance, Santorum has been pushed to the edge of his patience, and has a little tantrum (a Santantrum!):
Come to any of my…now almost thousand town hall meetings, and let me assure you, I don't think the word contraception has ever come up except in the context of this HHS [issue]. Let's just deal with reality instead of what the media tries to do, which is to pigeonhole you and tell a narrative.
He then doubles down with, "The only reason I would talk about this issue, as I said, is with respect to government mandates of people of faith. That's why this issue continued to be talked about."
OK, let's deal with reality, as you suggest, Rickory Dickory Dock. The fact is that a) you've talked about the birth control (both mandated and not) and related issues until you're blue in the face and b) between your comments, and the comments of your backers, contraception—specifically your hatred of it—is the number one thing most of us, at least us ladies, associate with you. Does that upset you? Why don't you start crying like John Boehner? You're already approaching his level of tanning, so you might as well go for broke.
Rick Santorum: Mitt Romney is a big government heavyweight [MSNBC]


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Is peak oil imminent? Lots of people seem to think so.
The data (released by BP a company who have a vested interest in oil scarcity) don't agree. Proved reserves keep increasing:
The oil in the ground will run out some day. But as the discovery of proven reserves continues to significantly outpace the rate of extraction, the claims that we're facing immediate shortages looks trashy.
Some may try to cast doubt on these figures, saying that BP are counting inaccessible reserves, and that we must accept that while there are huge quantities of shale oil in the ground, the era of cheap and readily accessible oil is over. They might cite the idea that oil prices are much higher than they were ten years ago. Yet this is mostly a monetary phenomenon resulting from excessive money creation beyond the economy's productive capacity. Priced in gold, oil is still very cheap — almost as cheap as it has ever been:
The argument that the vast majority of counted reserves are economically inaccessible is fundamentally flawed. In the long run there is only one equation that really matters in determining whether oil is extractable, and that is whether there is a net energy gain; whether energy-in exceeds energy-out. If there's a net energy gain, it's feasible. Certainly, we are moving toward a higher cost of energy extraction. Shale oil (for example) has a lower net energy gain than conventional oil, but still typically produces five times as much energy as is consumed in extraction.
But the Earth's extractable hydrocarbons will eventually dry up, whether that's in 500 years or 200 years. If we want humanity to have a long-term future on Earth, we need to move to renewables; solar, hydroelectric, thorium, synthetic hydrocarbons. And the market will ensure that, eventually — as the cost of renewable energy continues to fall, more and more of us will adopt it. I don't buy the myth that markets are stupid — if humanity needs renewable energy (I believe we do) the market will see to it (I believe that is slowly happening). Markets are just the sum of human preferences.
According to the International Renewable Energy Institute:
Power from renewable energy sources is getting cheaper every year, according to a study released Wednesday, challenging long-standing myths that clean energy technology is too expensive to adopt. The costs associated with extracting power from solar panels has fallen as much as 60 percent in just the past few years.The price of generating power from other renewables, including wind, hydro power, concentrating solar power and biomass, was also falling.
So no. I'm not lying awake at night worrying about imminent peak oil. There's plenty of extractable oil, and renewable energy will eventually supplement and replace it. But will politics get in the way of energy extraction? The United States has huge hydrocarbon reserves, yet regulation is preventing drilling and shipment, leaving America dependent on foreign oil. And the oil companies themselves are largely to blame — after Deepwater Horizon, should anyone be surprised that politicians and the public want to strangle the oil industry?
If there's an imminent energy crisis, it will be man-made. It will come out of the United States' dependency on foreign oil. Or out of an environmental catastrophe caused by mismanagement and graft (protected cartels like the energy industry always lead to mismanagement). Or out of excessive red tape. Or war.


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Yesterday, I was invited to attend the first ever PHIL BIKE EXPO in the country, and was asked to do a talk as well. I spoke on behalf of the whole triathlon community, and was encouraged by the enthusiasm of Sarita Zafra of TRAP (Triathlon Association of the Philippines) and David Almendral of Light N Up Marketing.
I am now very glad they cajoled me into coming, because this was a landmark event for all cycling enthusiasts in the Philippines. I have been lucky enough to participate once in the famous Las Vegas Interbike Expo, and I honestly think what the organizers did last weekend achieved a bit of the same atmosphere. There was a half pipe, lots of speakers, activities, and all sorts of bike organizations and advocacies present. It was not just a bazaar for bikes and biking accessories.
I genuinely wish this endeavour great success and am very excited about how much better the Phil Bike Expo next year will shape up to be! Congratulations to all the participants and organizers!!!


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In an effort to improve mobility in my arthritic knee, I'm seeing a physiotherapist who has given me a new exercise programme. Since the best place to add something to my day is the beginning, I'm getting up earlier.
Beautiful morning skies are an added bonus.
The post title comes from the song "Feeling Good" by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, made famous by the fabulous Nina Simone.


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March 30th, 2012
Sheldon meets Spock on 'The Big Bang Theory'
At long last, Sheldon came face-to-face with Leonard Nimoy... sort of.
Thursday night's episode of "The Big Bang Theory" saw Sheldon debating whether to open the box for a classic "Star Trek" transporter toy, because doing so would decrease its value.
He was visited in a dream by his Mego Spock action figure, voiced of course, by Nimoy. He urged him to open the box because playing with a toy is only logical.
It didn't take long for Sheldon to break the toy, so he switched it with Leonard's toy, which was still in the box.
Spock once again tells Sheldon in a dream (this time on a "Star Trek"-esque planet) that this is the wrong thing to do, and Sheldon got attacked by a Gorn.
Sheldon was caught red-handed when Leonard opened his box and had to confess the truth, in his stammering Sheldon way. Sheldon wished Leonard all the best with his transporter toy.
"Yeah, that's a big fat whopper, I hope it breaks."
In the meantime, Raj's girlfriend-less ways got the best of him and he agreed to an arranged marriage. Before long, his betrothed revealed that it would only be a marriage of convenience, because she was gay.
A classic Raj reaction to this: "Like dude-on-dude but with women?"
Raj made it clear that he is strictly metrosexual: "I like women and their skin care products."
Bernadette realized Raj needed companionship and got him a puppy. "Let's go see if you fit in my man purse!"
It was good to see the show continuing the theme of Raj's loneliness, but the Spock plotline could have taken place in practically any episode (though it will still go down as classic Sheldon).
Did you enjoy Nimoy's "appearance"? Will Raj ever find love? Did you miss Amy Farrah Fowler? Share your view on video or comment below.
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Tom Brady felt the power of the New York Giants' pass rushers when he was sacked five times in their first Super Bowl confrontation.
Four years later, the New England Patriots' offensive linemen expect another fierce attack on their quarterback in the championship rematch on Feb. 5. The Giants will indeed have plenty of strong, speedy pass rushers zeroing in on Brady.
This year, they're definitely the best defensive line in football,'' Patriots right guard Brian Waters said Friday.The wave of good football players they throw at you definitely makes them a difficult task.''
There's Jason Pierre-Paul with 16 1/2 sacks, Osi Umenyiora with nine and Justin Tuck with five. Chris Canty and Mathias Kiwanuka also can put pressure on the quarterback.
They've got good pass rushers across the board,'' left guard Logan Mankins said,and when their backups come in they're good, too, so you're going to always have four guys that are very good pass rushers in the game.''
At least Brady has Super Bowl experience against an aggressive Giants pass rush.
The Patriots' quest for a perfect 19-0 season ended with a 17-14 loss in the 2008 Super Bowl. After the Giants scored the decisive touchdown with 35 seconds left, Brady was sacked for the fifth and final time.
Mankins didn't care to discuss his memories of the Giants' pass rush on that day.
That was four years ago,'' he said Friday.Next question.''
But Umenyiora thinks the Patriots view the upcoming game as a chance to get even.
Of course,'' he said.I mean, if I were them, that's what I would be doing. Great players - Mankins, (Matt) Light, the (Sebastian) Vollmer kid. They have some very good football players. They were embarrassed about that last game and they are going to do everything in their power not to allow that to happen.''
The Patriots have had some memorable, if regrettable, games when Brady's gotten hit.
In the opener of the 2008 season, he suffered a season-ending knee injury when he was hit by Kansas City safety Bernard Pollard. In a 33-14 wild-card playoff loss to Baltimore on Jan. 10, 2010, Brady was sacked three times. The next year, he was sacked five times as the New York Jets won a divisional playoff game 28-21.
But Brady has received decent protection recently. He was sacked a respectable 32 times in the regular season. In the playoffs, he wasn't sacked in a 45-10 win over Denver and was sacked just once in a 23-20 win over Baltimore in the AFC championship game.
The Giants sacked him just twice in their 24-20 win on Nov. 6. But one of those sacks, by Michael Boley, forced a fumble and the Giants took a 10-0 lead on the next play on Brandon Jacobs 10-yard run.
Tom has been in this position before,'' said running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who may do more blocking than usual.We have to come out and just be assignment sound.''
At times, the Giants use four defensive ends, trying to generate speed against the power of the offensive linemen.
That's the biggest difference,'' Waters said,knowing who you're going against from play to play. You have to know that every one of those guys have different elements of their game from JPP (Pierre-Paul) and his long arms and his super athletic ability to a guy like Tuck, who is a veteran, a guy who is always going to give you one look and do something different to the bigger guys in the middle, the guys who are real physical.''
So what's an offense to do?
It can keep an extra blocker in, a running back or wide receiver. It can have a wide receiver or tight end throw a chip block before starting his route. It can throw quick passes before the pressure reaches Brady.
Draw plays and screen passes can slow down pass rushers by making them hesitate before charging the quarterback, but the Patriots have used those infrequently this season.
Deion Branch came up with an original tactic for him and his fellow wide receivers.
Well, if we can switch positions with the linemen, hopefully (defensive) linemen move out and then we block the corners,'' he said with a laugh.But, overall, there's a lot of things we can do. We'll make those adjustments on the sideline.''
They can also fight.
Umenyiora said he and Patriots left tackle Light did that in their first meeting this season.
I've actually fought him twice, a for-real fight on the football field twice. Me and him have history and we are going to rekindle that,'' Umenyiora said.He wasn't as bad in the Super Bowl, but this past game we fought again. I don't know what it is he does, but there is something he is doing that really gets under my skin. I am not that type of guy. He is the only guy I have ever fought on the football field.
``I think he is more important to his team than I am right now. So if we both fight and get kicked out (Pierre-Paul) and Tuck will have a field day.''
AP Sports Writer Tom Canavan in East Rutherford, N.J. contributed to this story.


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The Big Lebowski Costumes
The Big Lebowski is one of the most cherished films of all time, with a cult following so big that it might not even be considered a cult anymore. The Coen Brothers wrote, directed and produced the film, which was released in 1998 and originally didn't do too well in theaters. After word of mouth spread, Lebowski found new life on the home video market and became widely recognized as one of the most important films of the decade. With entire conventions created to celebrate the fictional life of The Dude, it is clear that many fans live by his sage advice to abide. If you're one of the legion of Lebowski's Urban Achievers, we've got a plethora of Big Lebowski costumes and shirts that you're sure to enjoy.


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Picking the Right Replacement Windows for Your Home
And how you can avoid getting ripped off
Four years ago, Tony Tucker decided the time had come to look into replacement windows for his Takoma Park, Md., house. The original windows didn't keep the 70-year-old Cape Cod snug, even after the installation of newer storm windows. Some windows were permanently stuck shut; others had to be propped open.
See also: Rules of thumb about repairing or replacing.
Tucker was right to consider new windows. Experts recommend replacements when windows are leaky, tough to operate or have only one pane of glass (aka single-glazed). New materials and technologies have brought to market products that pay for themselves over time by reducing energy bills and eliminating the cost of repainting every few years.
But after doing some research and meeting with sales reps, the Harvard-trained health care analyst's project stalled. Choosing windows and a vendor turned out to be "much more complicated than the health care debate," he says. "There was a lot more to learn, more people I could have talked to. But it was already hard to sort out the information I'd gathered. I just didn't want to get ripped off."
If replacing windows is not quite navigating Medicare Part B, it does confront consumers with a daunting array of options — in three categories: the window system, the material it's made of and the type of glazing. Your home improvement goals and budget will shape your choices in each category.
Choosing the right window system depends on how much of the window you need to replace to solve your existing problems. There are at least three different systems: sash replacements, sash replacements in a unitary frame and "prime windows," or full window units with structural frames and sills like those used in new construction. If your old window frames are rotted and you see signs of water damage in the wall framing, you'll probably want to go with prime windows (be sure to find the source of the leak and fix that first). If, on the other hand, the frames are sound and square, you may be able to get away with simply replacing the sash.
Replacement windows come in vinyl, aluminum, wood, clad wood or fiberglass. Each looks and performs differently, and cost differences among materials vary widely. As a general rule, the most expensive choice is clad wood, which combines a traditional look with low maintenance and energy efficient performance. By contrast, vinyl windows, which offer good energy performance but usually look heavier and lack traditional details, tend to cost the least.
Double-pane insulating glass is now standard with most replacement windows, but you can add special features: low-E coatings and gas fill can enhance energy performance, while other choices address noise control, safety, security, privacy and reduced cleaning. All, however, come at a price.
High Anxiety Sales Approach
Determining the type of replacement windows you want is in many ways the easiest part. Finding a dealer with reputable business practices and a skilled installer may require more effort. According to the Better Business Bureau, the volume of complaints about home improvements, including window replacement, is second only to car repairs.
Window replacement sales reps are notorious for high-pressure tactics. Edward Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Better Business Bureau of Metro Washington, D.C., and Eastern Pennsylvania, warns consumers against dealers who push for a cash-only transaction or up-front payment. "These are red flags," he says.
Other problems he sees frequently: sales reps who mislead homeowners about window replacement-related tax deductions or a window's energy cost savings.
Cold calling is a common practice of dishonest sales reps who often trawl older neighborhoods, preying on people who don't know wood from clad wood. Tucker made the mistake of inviting such a salesman into his home. The man was determined not to leave without a deal, he says. "After two hours, I had to threaten to call the police."
Another tactic some window sellers use is to quote a price that's good only for that day. A variant is to quote a price, then offer to drop it dramatically if the prospective buyer is willing to sign a contract before the meeting ends. In each case, the salesman is attempting to keep the homeowner from getting competing bids from other companies.
The Pitfalls of Installation
The complaints Johnson hears about are not limited to sales reps. Installers often take longer than expected or install the wrong product — whether intentionally or not. Homeowners are often disgruntled over the poor quality of the job.
Industry insiders say the best way to identify reputable replacement window installers is to look for certification by the American Window and Door Institute or Installation Masters. And while it could take some scouring, look for complaints about specific companies on the Better Business Bureau website and RipoffReport.com.
Here are some steps that Tucker took — and you can take, too — to identify which windows are right for you and to avoid rip-offs:
- Define and prioritize your goals for replacement windows regarding energy efficiency, maintenance reduction, noise control, security and appearance.
- Gain at least a basic understanding of the properties, costs and tradeoffs associated with various replacement systems (PDF), materials (PDF) and glazing options.
- Don't assume that national name-brand windows are better than lesser-known brands. Buy only replacement windows rated by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). Also look for products certified by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA). Use NFRC performance data to compare specific window models.
- Resist unsolicited sales presentations. Seek estimates only from local dealers/installers with solid track records who can provide credible references.
- Shop around. Don't be pressured into making a quick decision by today-only price offers.
- Check dealer claims about your eligibility for window replacement tax credits.
- Before installation begins, compare the brand and model numbers of the windows brought to your home with those listed on the contract. If your installer obtained the windows from a dealer, ask to see the installer's order sheet.
- Don't make a big down payment. Make sure the payment schedule stipulated in the contract allows you to maintain leverage throughout the installation process. As always, don't make a final payment until the project is completed to your satisfaction.


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Mosquitoes with EEE found in Amherst
Infected mosquitoes collected on July 23, DPH says
The first mosquitoes to test positive for Eastern equine encephalitis in the state this year have been found in western Massachusetts, the Department of Public Health said.
The infected mosquitoes were collected on July 23 in Amherst, the DPH said.
The finding raises the EEE risk level in Amherst to moderate, the DPH said.
Belchertown is already at moderate risk due to the occurrence of a horse infected with EEE virus last year.
The remaining surrounding towns of Granby, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, South Hadley and Sunderland are considered to be at low risk.
There have been no human cases of West Nile virus or EEE in Massachusetts this year. There were seven cases of EEE last year among Massachusetts residents.
EEE is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Initial symptoms of EEE are fever -- often 103 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit -- stiff neck, headache and lack of energy; in severe cases, symptoms can progress to confusion, disorientation and coma.
West Nile virus is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people infected with West Nile virus will have no symptoms. West Nile virus symptoms tend to include fever and flu-like illness, but in rare cases, more severe illness can occur.


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Flooring is one of the more permanent aspects of your home – on average, consumers who live in a house for 20 to 30 years tend to replace the flooring only once during that time. As such, a 10-15 year expected lifespan on most flooring means that you'll want to ensure that your floors stay in top condition, looks-like-new, let you avoid any unnecessary costs. Some flooring repair companies can help preserve your flooring in excellent condition; some specialize in fixing problems that may arise, or both. And if the worst happens, and you need to get a new floor installed, those flooring experts can help remove your existing flooring in preparation for new flooring installation, too. Variously, these experts are flooring repair, flooring removal, and flooring restoration and maintenance services companies.
In this article, we'll highlight the differences between the missions and services offered by flooring repair, flooring removal, and flooring restoration and maintenance services companies, as well as discuss what each company does regarding specialized services in turn.
Important to note that many of these services may go by other names, and some companies may perform one or more of these services. Additionally, full-service flooring installation companies may also offer some or all the services highlighted in this article. For more information, or to determine the capabilities of specific companies in your area, research is often the best bet.
However, there are some differences between flooring repair, flooring removal, and flooring restoration and maintenance services companies and the differences are worth understanding, even if your local companies do not categorize themselves in the same way.
In general, these providers may be described as follows:
Flooring repair services are usually the first type of company to call if your floor has damage, especially physical damage. Whether it's broken pieces of a hardwood floor, torn or damaged carpet, ripped, stretched, or compromised vinyl, broken tiles, cracked concrete, or anything similar, flooring repair services have the knowledge and tools to help set things right.
While the exact techniques used, as well as the areas of expertise, will vary from company to company and material to material, in general, flooring repair services seek to fix damaged flooring in place to avoid removing significant pieces for replacement. It often accomplished via cutting, removal, and replacement of damaged flooring parts. If it is not possible to match any suitable replacement material, flooring repair experts can often suggest decorative features that can be worked into existing flooring to camouflage the existing damage.
In the case of damaged subflooring structure, flooring repair services may need to remove a more significant part of the flooring, to get to the cause of the damage and repair it. In these cases, they may disassemble or uninstall pieces of the existing floor, and then replace it after their work is complete.
Unfortunately, in some cases, flooring repair services must be the bearers of bad news and let homeowners know that a problem is too significant to repair without ripping out the flooring in that room or area. In these cases, the company may be able to install new flooring themselves or refer you to an affiliated and trusted flooring installation firm once their work is complete.
By contrast to the other two types of services discussed in this article, flooring removal services are relatively straightforward in what they do. Typically, they are employed to remove existing flooring. It usually must be performed before the installation of new flooring.
Flooring removal services will safely and effectively remove existing flooring, as well as any underlying materials (under-padding, adhesive, tack strips, etc.). Usually, customers will need to remove any appliances and furniture from the area before their work, to allow for full access to the worksite. Once the flooring material is removed, as well as any other material, flooring removal services will often apply solvents or physical means to remove adhesives, cement, or other residues left from the flooring they just removed. That returns the floorboards or sub-flooring to a functional state, which can then dry out and be ready for the installation of new flooring materials.
In the case of existing concrete flooring that is intended for removal, heavy equipment may be required, and the process may be more extensive. That is atypical, however, for homeowners, and much more common in the case of businesses and industrial settings. In general, most homes do not have the kind of slab concrete floors that would need heavy demolition by flooring removal services, except foundation slabs or basements, and those generally don't fall into the category of flooring that would be worked on by these companies.
Finally, the services offered by flooring restoration and maintenance services. These companies have two different prongs of expertise – maintenance on the one hand, and restoration on the other.
The maintenance portion of flooring restoration and maintenance services may involve many different functions, depending on the company. These can include cleaning services for carpet, tile, vinyl, concrete, and hardwood, offering professional steam or deep-cleaning that you can't accomplish with consumer-grade products. It may also involve stripping, waxing, or re-sealing of floors, especially regarding concrete floors. For some vinyl flooring types, as well as carpet, flooring maintenance services may include stretching or leveling, to smooth out any bunching or creases that can develop over time from use, home settling, or other factors.
Often, these flooring restorations and maintenance services may also offer some of the flooring repair services that are more traditionally under the purview of flooring repair services. As much of the restoration work that they undertake crosses over into the flooring repair category, and they have a lot of the same skills and equipment, it should not be surprising that many flooring restoration and maintenance services companies also offer various types of flooring repair. Additional maintenance tasks may include minor flooring repairs or touch-ups, such as replacing a broken tile, re-grouting of tile, buffing or sealing concrete or wood flooring, or similar.
On the restoration end of things, flooring restoration and maintenance services will often offer several types of restoration options for worn out or aesthetically compromised flooring. That is especially true for long-term flooring options like hardwood, concrete, and tile, as opposed to vinyl or carpet, these are more often replaced than restored. For hardwood, flooring restoration can involve replacing damaged flooring pieces and flooring refinishing/resurfacing work. Flooring refinishing and resurfacing involves the physical or chemical stripping of existing finish and sealants until it is down to bare wood, and after that new stain and sealant can be applied. That allows restoration or modification of the existing flooring to a new color or type of stain, giving the option for a change in décor without changing out entire floors. The same holds true with concrete flooring, where most often chemical strippers are used, and after a new stain or paint finishes applied to the concrete, before final re-sealing and polishing. For tile floors, without swapping out the tile, sometimes restoration may include removing existing grout and re-grouting or adding a protective sealant layer after a deep cleaning.
In conclusion, there is a wide range of services available for the maintenance, restoration, repair, and removal of flooring. Whatever type of flooring you have, and in what condition it is, experts from flooring repair, flooring removal, and flooring restoration and maintenance services can provide the services needed to fix, restore, or remove your existing flooring in preparation for new flooring installation. They'll know best if your existing flooring can be repaired, salvaged with a restoration, refinishing, or resurfacing, or if it is beyond repair and must be removed and replaced with the new floor. Ultimately, using these companies can help you save time and money, they provide you with an accurate assessment of your floor's condition, and the prospects for flooring repair or restoration before work commencing. With some expert help and a little tender loving care on your part, your floors should be in like-new condition in no time!
Often floorings made of concrete. Concrete floors are incredibly robust and stable. However, they are at risk of damage, too. Cracks can also appear in the concrete. If the concrete was not laid or finished correctly, damage could occur. Heavy loads cause damage to concrete floors. If the floor gets damaged, you should hire a concrete flooring repair service provider. If the damage is left untreated, the problem can get worse. It is advisable to consult concrete flooring repair, refinishing contractors, concrete flooring repair services. Those professionals know concrete inside out and can offer help on the correction of the current problem. They also suggest ways to prevent future concrete flooring damage.
If a concrete floor installed correctly, it is almost immune to significant damages. If cracks appear in the concrete, you need to call in a concrete flooring repair service provider. This damage happens from contraction or expansion of the concrete. It is not a structural problem but looks unsightly. Concrete flooring repair can improve the situation. Bits of concrete can flake away. If something is dropped on the concrete before it is dry, this can cause damage, too. Concrete construction services do not always finish correctly. Concrete flooring refinishing, repair services can correct all these issues.
If concrete floors develop depressions, they need filling. The concrete flooring repair service will remove any protruding material and then add a cement mixture to fill in the hole. As chemicals can be involved, you need to employ a concrete flooring repair service for this job.
The concrete flooring refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair services will keep the area wet when filling, as any dry areas can cause future cracks to develop. The area left to dry to avoid shrinkage and then flattened. When the surface is drying, the concrete flooring construction, refinishing services will keep the area wet. Once they are satisfied that the concrete flooring construction, refinishing is complete, the area leveled and coarse particles removed.
Anomalies sometimes show up after concrete flooring construction, refinishing, repair. It's vital to employ the most professional concrete refinishing, repair contractors, and concrete flooring refinishing, repair services provider.
The concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair service pros investigate the underlying problem before beginning. Once the cause of the damage assessed, the concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair service pros offer the best remedy. Sometimes it is necessary to reinforce the concrete flooring with steel to prevent further damage.
You see a crack, or a bump and decide that you need a concrete refinishing repair contractor or concrete flooring repair services. What causes the damage? Many factors could be to blame. Concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair services evaluate the situation and act accordingly.
Which concrete flooring repair you choose, depends on the damage to the concrete. These are some of the issues that concrete flooring repairs can help.
Small cracks and surface damage
These issues are unsightly but may not be structurally dangerous. You will use concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair services because the area that is damaged is on view and you are unhappy with the finish. An overlay can be applied if the problem is not overwhelming. The concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair services perform a partial repair, taking out the damaged area and replacing it. Alternatively, the concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair provide a full repair, taking out the old concrete and replacing any steel reinforcement. Depending on the position of the concrete flooring and the reasons for the damage, concrete flooring refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair services employ the relevant solution.
Structural Repairs
You need to use concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring, refinishing repair services for structural repairs. This damages the integral structure of a building. Professionals assess the cause of the damage before undertaking concrete flooring repair.
One can fill deep structural cracks, but cracks will form elsewhere if the ground is unsound or heavy loads regularly applied to the floor. Concrete flooring refinishing, repair services identify the causes and recommend the best course of flooring repair, refinishing for you.
If the damage is very severe, the concrete must be removed and replaced. The concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair services ensure the rest of the building is sound before attempting any work. Preparation is essential for any concrete flooring repair. It helps to repair the immediate problem and to prevent future damage. It saves you time and money in the future and the need for calling concrete refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair services.
Concrete flooring refinishing services offer concrete flooring repair for homes or commercial buildings, both interior & exterior. There are a variety of finishes that concrete flooring refinishing services can provide, depending on your preference and the type of floor that finished.
Polyaspartic coatings
The benefit of this type of concrete refinishing services in the short time they take to dry. They are very durable as a coating, and one can use the floor in a matter of hours. The coating is suitable for a concrete flooring refinishing service in any weather, and at any time of the year.
Epoxy Floor Coatings
Another concrete flooring refinishing service is Epoxy Floor Coating. It provides a durable finish as well and is resistant to slips, chemicals, and temperature changes. There are many options for finishes and colors, and it is easy to install. Concrete flooring refinishing services can advise on this.
Polished Concrete
A concrete flooring refinishing service can polish concrete. Concrete be finish with a high shine, and it is easy to clean and to maintain.
Concrete flooring refinishing services can overlay an existing concrete floor with a different finish. You may choose concrete flooring refinishing services if you decide to make a different decorative effect for your concrete floor, or if you need flooring repair service.
Concrete Protection
Concrete needs protection against future damage. Concrete flooring refinishing services can prevent water damage or damage from chemical spillages. In some buildings, this protection is required to conform to safety standards. You can seek advice from concrete flooring refinishing contractors and concrete flooring repair services on how to achieve this.
Decorative Concrete flooring Finishing
Concrete can be a dull surface, and concrete flooring refinishing services often offer decorative finishes. You may choose a stamped finish. One can install it by the concrete flooring refinishing services as an overlay. If one selects an option, a new concrete applied with a stamped pattern incorporated into it. Concrete flooring refinishing services have many patterns to choose from the list.
The concrete refinishing services may suggest a stained effect. One can achieve it with a water-based or acid stain. It can be highly decorative, and some concrete flooring refinishing services can incorporate a logo into the stained floor for commercial buildings.
Epoxy finishes are popular in areas with heavy footfall. Concrete refinishing contractors and contractors often provide this finish in warehouses and showrooms. The decorative finish one wants, one can achieve, but the surface should also be durable and resistant to damage.


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Sometimes photo editing is really difficult and I'm not even talking about the actual editing, I'm talking about the editing software itself. I've crashed out a few times on a few different software applications, but this time, it's Luminar 3. I'm back in business again. I've learned a few things and had a few things I already knew reinforced. The most important thing that I already knew is to backup your work. Please do this. Because I do this, my Luminar 3 crash was not utterly devastating. When considering how to approach your backup, I would advise you whatever software you are using, to make a high-quality jpeg version of your final edit. This is in addition to the backup of your drives that you are already doing.
What I learned is that Luminar 3 is not currently capable of handling a large library. In my subsequent research on how to rethink my approach, I found this Matt Suess video to be a really good starting point. In the video, he offers a few options of how to work around this library issue. I would recommend watching it and then considering which variation you might want to apply or modify for your library set-up.
This crash was a complete drain on my creative energy and time in general. I keep track of the time I spend on photography and this past week, this crash took 11 hours of work time to fix. This does not include the backups I ran of my drives. Hopefully, the fix will hold. As of the writing of this post, it seems solid.
This photo is my first edit under my newly revamped set-up:
This photo has a total of four layers. The first was some basic edits, a crop and details enhancer. The second was a Luminar Look applied called Camden Fade. It is an analogue film style look. The third was my black and white conversion layer. I applied a blue filter within the black and white conversion and then increased the yellow luminance. The fourth layer includes a filter called the Orton effect and a vignette.
The original file is this one:
This is a file that I very possibly will be revisiting. I like the black and white edit, but I also think the color edit alternatives here are interesting.
Do you like this particular interpretation? Feel free to leave a comment below.
Added to Cee's Black & White Photo Challenge, Bricks or Stone and Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Monochrome.


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Thursday, August 7, 2008
Handwriting Analysis Fails to Tie Ivins to Anthrax Letters
The FBI cannot match Ivins and the handwriting in the anthrax letters. As summarized by World Net Daily:
"Casting further doubt on the FBI's anthrax case, accused government scientist Bruce Ivins passed two polygraph tests and a handwriting analysis comparing samples of his handwriting to writing contained in the anthrax letters, U.S. officials familiar with the investigation say.The WND article points out other problems with the FBI's case:
Officials confirm that FBI handwriting analysts were unable to conclusively match samples of Ivins' handwriting with the writing on the anthrax envelopes and letters".
Investigators also failed to uncover other critical evidence linking Ivins directly to the letters. For instance:So much for an air-tight case.
* No textile fibers were found in his office, residence or vehicles matching fibers found on the scotch tape used to seal the envelopes;
* No pens were found matching the ink used to address the envelopes;
* Samples of his hair failed to match hair follicles found inside the Princeton, N.J., mailbox used to mail the letters.
Also, no souvenirs of the crime, such as newspaper clippings, were found in his possession as commonly seen in serial murder cases.
What's more, the FBI could not place Ivins at the crime scene with evidence, such as gas station or other receipts, at the time the letters were mailed in September and October 2001.
lab records reviewed by WND show the number of late nights Ivins put in at the lab first spiked in August 2001, weeks before the 9/11 attacks."
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American Physical Society Sites|APS|Journals|Physics Magazine
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"For pioneering contributions to the theory of quasicrystals, including the prediction of their diffraction pattern."Background:
Paul J. Steinhardt, the Albert Einstein Professor in Science and Director of the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, is in the Department of Physics and the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. He received his B.S. (Physics) at Caltech in 1974; M.A. (Physics) in 1975 and Ph.D. (Physics) in 1978 at Harvard University. He was a Junior Fellow in the Harvard Society of Fellows from 1978-81 and on the faculty of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pennsylvania from 1981-98, where he was Mary Amanda Wood Professor (1989-98). He is a Fellow in the American Physical Society and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He received the P.A.M. Dirac Medal from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in 2002 for contributions to the inflationary theory of the universe. He co-edited Physics of Quasicrystals and Quasicrystals: The State of the Art; he also co-authored Endless Universe: Beyond the Big Bang. His current research is on inflationary cosmology and an alternative, known as the `cyclic universe; the properties of synthetic quasicrystal and disordered dielectric structures with application to photonics; the search for natural geological sources of quasicrystals; and theories to explain quasicrystal growth and stability.
David Awschalom, Chair, L. Radzihovsky, J. Moodera, N.D. Goldenfeld, M. Beasley


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At Edward Jones, we help clients achieve their serious, long-term financial goals by understanding their needs and implementing tailored solutions. To ensure a personal client experience, we have located our 15,000+ branch offices where our more than 7 million clients live and work. In a typical br...


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Random Photos Part Three
An amazing man. Martin Luther King Jr.
An amazing man. Martin Luther King Jr.
Posted by ent lawyer at 12:30 PM
Labels: Britney Spears, Courtney Love, David Beckham, John Mayer, Kate Bosworth, Katy Perry, Kevin Costner, Kristen Bell, Liev Schreiber, Lindsay Price, Naomi Watts
Is it just me or is Courtney looking really good?
Mr. Costner...........
Yuck John Mayer.
I bet NeYo's show was very "neat".
Courtney still looks good!
I second that Agent It. Courtney looks still sober, but sad. Gawd that family pics are cute! David Beckham doesn't look old enough to have a son that grown. I hate Katy Perry with Mayer, you in danger girl.
What's going on with Brittany's dress? Looks like her breast is about to fall out.
I didn't know Curtis and Lindsay were together
the family, I'm tired today
Ugh to all of the above except Liev. Long live Liev!
Happy MLK Day. I think it's just perfect that Obama's inauguration and MLK's holiday coincide. I hope he can look down and embrace this moment knowing his sacrifice was not in vain.
My favorite MLK day moment was on the L in Chicago. A man got on the quiet packed morning train and started singing Stevie Wonder's version of Happy Birthday. That man had a powerful voice! I was smiling all day :)
Indeed, Costner reveal
MLK is an inspiration. He is a perfect example of the power of one person changing (albeit slowly) the way people think/deal with one another.
John Mayer kind of looks like a young Charlie Sheen there.
(Think Platoon) He and Katy do seem happy. I hope he doesn't break her heart.
Jennifer Hudson is beautiful. She simply glows
I'm sick of Britney.
Seeing Jennifer Hudson dressed like a normal human makes me realize just how gorgeous she is. Damn.
Kate Bosworth looks weak.
I know she's off the deep end, but I will never not love CLove.
My BF and I had the pleasure of seeing The Mountaintop w/Sam Jackson & Angela Bassett last year and it was beyond amazing and SO powerful. Thank you, Dr. King.
@Puggle! HAHA! I still think of "neat" every time I see him with performers.
Curtis Stone wearing his baby in that Ergo carrier is Mom Porn
Does Brit know her boob is making an appearance? Love her, but don't need to see the nip.
Wow, Kate Bosworth, I beg you to eat. Skin and bones is not attractive. I hope her fiance is encouraging her to get help for her eating disorder.
The I Have A Dream speech gives me chills. What an amazing man.
I'm also sick of Britney.
I will never not like Courtney Love. Hole is one of my favorite bands.
I can't stand Jillian Michaels.
Some of us like it cold!
Part Two - no snark allowed in conjunction with MLK so needed a second post...
Dear Jillian Michaels - I love Biggest Loser and have watched from the beginning. My BF even auditioned for the first round of contestants years ago (now he is too skinny). I have watched you get more dramatic and more angry with every season. What happened? You used to be the loveable hardass and now its just plain mean. This is the most painful season to watch bc your behavior is painful to watch. I just have ??? for you. This is coming from a unbiased fan who wonders why you went back bc it seems clear (at least to me) that your heart isn't in it anymore. Either that or you pissed off all the editors.
So go enjoy that cute baby friend and revel in being a mom! They grow so fast and you shouldn't waste a minute of that precious time (by yelling at people in a magic gym on TV).
@Redd. Liev will always be Cotton Wary From Scream. 100 % cotton.
Dr. King was so amazing. It's so sad he didn't live to see President Obama in office.
I can see a big resemblance between Kate Bosworth and Edie Sedgwick in that photo.
Yeah.....Courtney looks.....clean?? And her skin looks good, too. Shocking.
I wonder way too much about Kate Bosworth. Like does she really look back at herself in Blue Crush and think "wow, I looked awful, so glad I weigh half that now, with thinning hair and a bony face." Yuck.
I wish Jhud nothing but happiness after such personal tragedies..
Kate B is proof thinner isn't better!
And Curtis Stone!! Loved him since that show in oz when he and the other guy drove around in their camper van..
I wish Jhud nothing but happiness after such personal tragedies..
Kate B is proof thinner isn't better!
And Curtis Stone!! Loved him since that show in oz when he and the other guy drove around in their camper van..
Happy Birthday to MLK! Such an inspiration! The I Have a Dream speech still makes me cry.
John Mayer looks almost clean. Special occasion?
I've never liked Kevin Costner. Another one who gave me the creeps, much like Tom Crud.
I, too, love Courtney Love and I hope she is or gets well.
@Dia, I agree about MLK and Obama, what a wonderful coincidence and glad to see you posting, I feel like you haven't been posting as much.
Poor Kate Bosworth, I think she looks sickly and pale. And her hair looks so thin.
ITA. Jillian is just out and out mean this season. I did used to like her in the beginning, but now I just can't with her.
I'm glad to see a fellow BL watcher! I thought I was the only one left.
I'm glad that Dolvett is still on. He seems nice and competent, and is very easy on the eyes.
I didn't know today was the President's inaugural and it's MLK's b/day?! Oh, people, that just put a big ol' smile on my face!! Thank you!
(I've been avoiding the news for the last few weeks; it's a self-preservation thing for a sensitive chick like me.)
Jessica Chastain just seems very much like this decade's Hillary Swank. She'll probably win at least two Oscars -- Hollywood loves her, and she's in some movies with huge box office -- but as for the public no one really seems to care.
Amy, I care about what jessica Chastain does. She's this generations Meryl..I swear that's how I believe her career will play out. No offense to Meryl of course.
Yeah totally awesome that Barack is sworn in on the MLK holiday! I remember being in the 3rd grade when he was killed and it was a very sad day. Our school put the flag at half staff. What wonderful things he could have done had he had the chance. Shame, shame.
Bet you $100 that Kevin Costner has no idea who Ne-Yo is.
I can't believe Katy Perry and John Mayer are still together.
I do not like C Love. At all. She's trash.
I also hope John doesn't break Katy's heart, but I feel like he's bound too. :(
Kate B is just so sick with an eating disorder it's sad.
@Dia and @green
I watch TBL as well and I just don't see Jillian being meaner? Didn't she go all soft in the second epi and let them tell her what they could tolerate or not? What'd I miss?
Jon & Katy, get out of my city before you infect us all with the plague.
Man if Courtney can get it together, anyone can. I don't like her but i hope she stays sober.
Britney needs a bra.
Like Chastain's red dress and camel coat - nice!
Did CLove raid Bieber's closet?
Jennifer H looks good. Great smile!
Schreiber can be shirt-optional any day of the week.
At least Courtney has a coat at Sundance. Does anyone else remember years ago she tried to usher in the "outside in freezing weather without a coat" chic? That fad lasted about a cold minute.
Dolvett is HOT! If I was a contestant now I think I'd want to be Team Dolvett. Bob's forehead is freaking me out these days. Sorry Bob. Still want to do yoga with you.
My BF and I watch together. He has a huge crush on Alison Sweeney and I like to tease him about it. I love watching the transformation. Hard work does pay off!
Thanks @all about eve! Real life is interfering with my gossip time. I haven't been able to keep up with both. And, frankly it's a leaving a huge whole in my ... Just kidding ;)
Like that OctoP*ssy thread yesterday! That was a gem that keeps on giving and giving and giving.
Martin Luther King - A Knock at Midnight.
Youtube this immediately.
Jennifer lacefronts kill me
Kate is funny looking
Richard Blanco, chosen as poet laureate by Obama. Here's a link to what he wrote for today's inauguration, I thought it was beautiful. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/21/text-of-inaugural-poem//
Agent! Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem. Wow!
I would definitely be on Team Dolvett! Bob's hipster glasses look so dumb!
Mr Green Mountain had a huge crush on the contestant Tara when she was on. We also watch the show together, usually eating pizza while doing so. So bad! But I also love watching the transformations. It's amazing.
Linky love for the awesome inauguration poem - thank you, Agent!
@Audrey, I'm guessing you missed the whole post enty did about her dress from Sunday. He considers it a sign of Crazy Britneymaking a comeback. Lets hope not.
Hi Dia, miss your posts :) Hope all is well!
That poem genuinely moved me. I love that poetry is part of the inaugurations. - Kelley
That poem genuinely moved me. I love that poetry is part of the inaugurations. - Kelley
Thank you, Agent, for sharing that! Beautiful!
prolixe, thanks for fancy link:)
He' s the sixth poet to have the honor. It began with JFK and poet Robert Frost.
Britney, put a harness on those chichi balls already! And for someone so wealthy, there is no excuse for that Mickey Rourke hairline. Get your hair did!!
Bosworth looks ... Oh, I don't even know this lady. I'm gonna let her be, with her teeth-gritting, fist-clenching, shaking, euphoric I'm-sure-totally-healthy thing going on over there.
Courtney Love looks great, but I wish she could have pulled herself together more for her daughter when she was growing up. Hopefully they can begin to build a trusting relationship now.
Courtney looks like she's had a lot of good plastic surgery. I almost didn't recognize her - certainly wouldn't if she passed on the street. For a weird perspective, she's got a small role in "Sid & Nancy" as Nancy's junkie friend in NYC. She looks like an entirely different person, not just a younger version of CoLo.
It's funny that Lindsay Price popped up today- it was only last night that I was reading about how her parents are adopted siblings
It's funny that Lindsay Price popped up today- it was only last night that I was reading about how her parents are adopted siblings
Mala Propism - I read somewhere, like 100 years ago, that Courtney Love tried out for the Nancy role. It's too bad she went out and lived it -- sans the stabby part, thank goodness!
Kate Bosworth looks GROSS. Girl - please start eating! You look like you're about to literally die!
Hope all is well in real life and always happy to see your great comments :)
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The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items.
Cloisonné intricate inlay and layers or enamel
Created in vivid floral designs using the centuries-old craft of cloisonne. The solid copper memento is intricately filigreed with gilding, painted with beautiful enamel, fired and polished.


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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612599995071848428.post2951346995401565214..comments2020-12-26T16:48:54.184+01:00Comments on Martina's Blog: 19.7.2013Martina Braschlerhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7612599995071848428.post-82450325928617021382013-07-20T04:34:08.659+02:002013-07-20T04:34:08.659+02:00Good morning, how are you? My name is Emilio, I ...Good morning, how are you?

My name is Emilio, I am a Spanish boy and I live in a town near to Madrid. I am a very interested person in knowing things so different as the culture, the way of life of the inhabitants of our planet, the fauna, the flora, and the landscapes of all the countries of the world etc. in summary, I am a person that enjoys traveling, learning and respecting people's diversity from all over the world.

I would love to travel and meet in person all the aspects above mentioned, but unfortunately as this is very expensive and my purchasing power is quite small, so I devised a way to travel with the imagination in every corner of our planet. A few years ago I started a collection of used stamps because trough them, you can see pictures about fauna, flora, monuments, landscapes etc. from all the countries. As every day is more and more difficult to get stamps, some years ago I started a new collection in order to get traditional letters addressed to me in which my goal was to get at least 1 letter from each country in the world. This modest goal is feasible to reach in the most part of countries, but unfortunately, it is impossible to achieve in other various territories for several reasons, either because they are very small countries with very few population, either because they are countries at war, either because they are countries with extreme poverty or because for whatever reason the postal system is not functioning properly.

For all this, I would ask you one small favor:
Would you be so kind as to send me a letter by traditional mail from Switzerland? I understand perfectly that you think that your blog is not the appropriate place to ask this, and even, is very probably that you ignore my letter, but I would call your attention to the difficulty involved in getting a letter from that country, and also I don't know anyone neither where to write in Switzerland in order to increase my collection. a letter for me is like a little souvenir, like if I have had visited that territory with my imagination and at same time, the arrival of the letters from a country is a sign of peace and normality and an original way to promote a country in the world. My postal address is the following one:

Emilio Fernandez Esteban
Calle Valencia, 39
28903 Getafe (Madrid)
Spain

If you wish, you can visit my blog www.cartasenmibuzon.blogspot.com where you can see the pictures of all the letters that I have received from whole World.

Finally, I would like to thank the attention given to this letter, and whether you can help me or not, I send my best wishes for peace, health and happiness for you, your family and all your dear beings.

Yours Sincerely

Emilio Fernandez
Emilio Fernandezhttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
640K ought to be enough for anybody (idea)
See all of 640K ought to be enough for anybody, no other writeups in this node.
|640K Barrier
|Teenage genius computer hacker myth
|random coolness on my hard drive
|Another Fine Myth
|Space Ghost Coast to Coast
|Why do Christians bring their kids up as Christians?
|I want to napalm an area the size of Kansas and laugh at the inadequacy of the word "immolate"
|Rush Limbaugh
|Keeping your sugar daddy
|Everything2 is not a TV set!
|Bad technology forecasts
|Guitar groups are on the way out
|Duck, Duck, Moo
|The single greatest cause of atheism
|Whatever makes you happy on a Friday night
|Bill Gates
|SIG Sauer
|vector graphics


text:
Possible Duplicate:
Recent feature changes to Stack Exchange
For example, in If you just witnessed tactical downvoting, is it a reportable offense? Jeff announces that the window for reverting a downvote has been reduced. Larger features will make it to a blog entry but a lot of things like this won't.
Think of it as "living release notes". All it would be is a list of changes by date with short descriptions with links to a short description of the change, possibly with a link to something back here (if relevant) and/or the SO blog (again, if relevant).
It'd be nice to keep track of what's changed (and why).


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Although National Poetry Day is a British holiday, I am honoring it anyway. A bit late, too.
Poetry is so diverse. It can rhyme. It can flow and roll or it can punch you in the gut. It can make you cry or laugh. Or both.
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
I can feel the rhythm as I read. And the words… Love. But who doesn't love Robert's stop in the woods that snowy eve? (Don't answer that. If you don't like this, I'd rather not know. I'm not sure we could be friends anymore.)
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogroves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Oh, how many times have I warned my son to beware the Jabberwock, I do not know. But he was reciting it at 4 years old. All chortling in his joy.
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;
Let's just bask in the beauty of these lines and not continue to the hateful fantasies Oberon plans to inflict upon Titania. Good times. Gotta love The Bard. (If anyone calls me on this being a play not a poem, I shall hex them with a ladybug infestation. You have been warned.)
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Ah, Dylan. I'm raging, dude. I will not go gentle.
Okay, let's get serious. Because poetry is serious. Actually, it's not. It is what it is. People say they don't "get" poetry. I get that. I used to say it. But poetry is what you make it. It's what you take away from it.
Shakespeare, Blake, Wordsworth, Lord Byron, Emerson, Thoreau, Whitman, Poe, Longfellow, Burns, Frost, Thomas, Browning…so many, many more. They each have touched me and changed me. It could be a single poem or a collection—doesn't matter.
Emily Dickinson is the poet who has influenced me the most. Maybe because she's awesome. Maybe because her words came along at the right time in my life to resonate deeply with me. I don't know. But I have a book of her poetry with faded highlights from over twenty years ago. Those words are nostalgic and beautiful.
Poetry is everywhere.
It's the clouds drifting through the sky, the squirrels scurrying up a pine tree, the leaves losing chlorophyll and blazing bright red, your morning coffee with steam swirling out of the mug, a hug from your child. It's a book of words highlighted by your own hand twenty years earlier. Some writers can weave words so prettily it makes you cry. And I love them. But there are also words that fill your heart when you live in the moment.
Poetry is every day.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening – Robert Frost
Jabberwoky – Lewis Carroll
Midsummer Night's Dream / Act 2, Scene 1 – William Shakespeare
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night – Dylan Thomas
This is my letter to the World – Emily Dickinson
My Sunday thoughts in…way over 200 words.


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Table of Contents
Colorado Commission Recommends Repealing Law Banning Newspaper Theft
A Colorado commission that reviews criminal laws voted 17–1 on Friday to recommend repeal of a law criminalizing the theft of free newspapers. Under current Colorado law, taking more than five copies of a free newspaper with intent to prevent others from reading it is illegal. The penalty limit for stealing under 100 copies is $1,000, which jumps to up to $2,500 for 100–500 copies and then to up to $5,000 for more than 500 copies. The law also makes it possible for newspapers, advertisers, and readers to sue for damages—and, most importantly for FIRE's mission, specifies that the law covers student periodicals. The commission's recommendation will now go to the Colorado legislature for approval.
Commissioners argued that the law unnecessarily complicates the Colorado criminal code, citing the fact that only five cases have been brought under the law since it was enacted in 2004. Yet isn't it equally possible to see a small number of incidents being reported as a testament to the law's efficacy at deterrence, rather than an argument for repeal?
As FIRE knows all too well, newspaper theft is a common form of censorship, certainly on college campuses. A wide variety of individuals and groups, including Greek organizations, sports teams, administrators, and public figures steal periodicals-often for the purpose of keeping unfavorable news from reaching the community. Hundreds of cases have been documented by FIRE, the Student Press Law Center, and the First Amendment Center since 2000. The state of Maryland and the cities of Berkeley and San Francisco have similar laws protecting free newspapers. Newspaper theft often goes unprosecuted; the laws in Colorado, Maryland, and California send a clear message that stealing free newspapers will not be tolerated.
The Colorado commissioners also claimed that you cannot steal free newspapers, as they are different from "something that has value," as state public defender and commission member Doug Wilson put it. Sorry, but that's crazy. Even if a periodical is free, it still has monetary value: Printing and distributing the news requires significant funds for staff, printing, and delivery, whether papers are funded by advertisers, university budgets, or donations.
Perhaps an analogy will be helpful for Doug Wilson here: Let's say that the Denver Broncos do a giveaway in which everyone who attends a free event gets a free foam finger that says "Broncos #1 Fan." Someone sees a crate of 1,000 of these fingers sitting around at the event and, knowing that they will be given away for free, decide to take the entire box. By Doug Wilson's logic, that person did nothing wrong because the fingers are to be given away for free and are therefore not "something that has value." Does this sound even close to right to you?
And that's just foam fingers. The uninhibited circulation of independent news is inherently valuable—invaluable even—for a free society. If it wouldn't be OK to steal all the "free" foam fingers, why is it OK to steal "free" newspapers?
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