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Did Sarah Palin Just Tweet Her Position on 'Homos'?
Former vice presidential candidate and reality television star Sarah Palin has remained quiet over the recent repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell. But she may have just made a statement... by re-Tweeting a conservative lesbian's columnist's Tweet about 'homos.'
Around 10 p.m. Eastern time on Monday night, conservative pundit Tammy Bruce Tweeted about the recent repeal of the military's discriminatory Don't Ask Don't Tell policy:
But this hypocrisy is just truly too much. Enuf already—the more someone complains about the homos the more we should look under their bedTue Jan 04 03:12:46 via web
The idea being, one imagines, that those who are most vocally anti-gay are the people who are most likely to be gay themselves, or at least to have, like, gay stuff "under their bed." Not the most original observation in the world, no—but look who apparently agrees with it!
That's a screenshot of Sarah Palin's Twitter, showing her re-Tweet of Bruce's original Tweet. How, well, odd! For one thing, a major political figure should probably not be using the word "homos," or quoting its use, even in a vaguely pro-gay rights context. Not even Sarah Palin, who owns Alaska! (Bruce is an out lesbian, so, according to the Official Rules, she is "allowed" to say "homos.")
But also: Why?
- She is coming out in support of DADT repeal and gay rights. Bruce thinks that Palin is expressing her point of view on "DADT, treatment of gays & attempts to marginalize us." Which isn't out of the question—Palin is not, in the context of her party, rabidly homophobic, and her stance on Don't Ask Don't Tell was limited to a sort of feeble "not right now" back in February. So, yes, maybe reality ungulate-shooter Sarah Palin is expressing her solidarity with gay soldier-types via microblogging. What a blow for the forces of freedom and openness!
- She didn't understand the Tweet. It's not the most professional way to come out, so to speak, in support of DADT repeal, is it? (Though, Jesus, why am I looking for professionalism from this woman of all people? I mean—she would come out for gay rights in a way that would piss off a lot of gay people, wouldn't she?) It's possible she—whoever is in charge of the Official Palin Twitter—just, well, didn't get the joke, or didn't understand the Tweet at all.
- She clicked the wrong button. Maybe! Though the re-Tweet's been up an awful long time.
- She thinks we should be looking for gay people hiding under beds.
In the end, of course, the joke is on me, for trying to figure out what goes on in the mind of the Sphinx of Wasilla. Enuf already!


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Tagged: Ruinat
The Guys with the Ties a Visit to Ruinart and Moët & Chandon
A visit to Champagne with Yair – Day 2 morning
The breakfast at L'hôtel restaurant Les Avisés, Chez famille Selosse was so neatly laid out, the coffee and pastries were perfect, (not easy)! the breads divine, accompanied with local cheeses and cured meats and a fried egg made to perfection what else would you ask for first thing in the morning after a perfectly good night sleep.
We parted with Thanks fairly early cause we have a full day schedule Starting at Ruinart – the most ancient champagne house 1729, a meeting with Ruinart Chef de Cave, Frederic Panaiotis
But first….
A visit to Rheims Cathedral,
We drove up north from Avize to Reims pass Epernay (we will return there soon enough, it is a very busy day…) we enter Avenue de Chamapgne and the Names of the BIG Houses of Champagne at the entrances to each of the Polished "suit wearing" champagne house appear on every corner , Here's Veuve Clicquot. Than Pommery on the corner of Bd. Henry Vasnier , from there up Rue Libergier.
The glory size and beauty of Rheims Cathedral "hits" you in the face. This cathedral is counted amongst the top 7 Gothic Cathedrals of Europe, proudly stands with Milan and Seville Cathedral, York minster, Notre Dame de Paris, Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence and Chartres Cathedral near Paris.
All the kings of France were once crowned in Rheims Cathedral. Along with the cathedrals of Chartres and Amiens, Rheims is a member of the illustrious triad of "High Gothic" or "Classical" French cathedrals built in the 13th century.
Yair gives me 20 minute to wonder around this wonder of medieval architecture where In 498-499, Clovis the first King of the Franks who united all the Frankish Tribes in Gaul was baptized by Saint Remi. However, the first king to be crowned was Pepin the Short at Soissons in 751, then again at Saint Denis in 754 by Pope Stephen II. From then on, all the Kings of France were crowned in Rheims by their archbishops.
But the symbol of the Cathedral and indeed the City of Rheims is without a doubt a statue of a smiling Angel at the North façade of the North Portal (the main entrance). It has a story that goes like this: At the outbreak of the First World War, the 13th-century Rheims Cathedral was seriously damaged by German shelling. The serene heavenly smiling statue of Angel on the north portal was decapitated by a burning scaffolding beam, during the fire of September 19, 1914. In the newspapers, this statue became the "Smile of Rheims" or "Smiling Angel", a symbol of French engineering and heritage destroyed by German brutality and bombs. The monument quickly became an emotional picture of the tragic and destructive consequences of war. From original fragments and a casting preserved in Paris, this famous figure was reconstructed after the war with American donations and was returned to its place on February 13, 1926. The Smile of Rheims was restored and the "Smiling Angel" welcomes you as you enter the huge Cathedral. This is the kind of building the gives you a sense of humility (although the aim is impress you with grandeur…) The interior of the cathedral is 138.75 m long, 30 m wide in the nave, and 38 m high in the centre.
And so are the so called Great Houses of champagne they have separated themselves from the "agriculture, farm look" side of champagne and reside in Grand houses meticulously kept, with driveways and gardens and proper "dress code" for all employees, after all, Noblesse oblige…
The day is set for our first meeting in Ruinart. Founded in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart, this is the first Champagne house in existence with the present, young and charming Chef de Cave, Frederic Panaiotis. He is really a most charming person who gives you a warm welcome. In the spacious tasting room, he has prepared for us a variety of wines from the NV Brut to the Dom Ruinart Rose Brut 1996, he emphasizes the difference in champagne making philosophy between the Artisans we met the day before and that of the "great Houses" who sell millions of NV champagne bottles every year, and "have to conform to a TASTE" their customers got used to… still in the last 10 years they opted to cut vineyard yields by almost 50%, thus improving the quality of the wines tremendously and reaching the level of elegance and delicacy Panaiotis believes is in the essence of champagne in a glass!
We tasted the NV Brut, Blanc de Blancs (Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, 100% Chardonnay, and Ruinart Brut Rosé, 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir, The Dom Ruinart Rose 1996 a very pleasant, precise wine with good touch, length and balance and the 1998 Dom Ruinart Brut with its lovely show of tiny bubbles in the glass. Dom Ruinart Brut 1998 is blended exclusively from Chardonnay grands crus, 66% from Cotes des Blancs and 34% from the northern part of Montagne de reims. I must say The 1998 Dom Ruinart is the most elegant wine of our visit, a very voluptuous wine with multilayer's of white flowers and fruits with roasted blanched almonds and excellent freshness and balance, WONDERFUL! Merci Frederic.
Sadly we has to miss the house's famous deep chalk cellars (called the crayeres) These were excavated around 50BC by the Romans, and are considered a French archeological monument. This is a magical place but alas we did not have time to take the cellar visit. (Some of these old "Grandes Maisons de Champagne" have kilometers upon kilometers of chalk cave/cellars at a constant 11º C, some of the tunneled caves require small trains to travel in or you spend the whole day underground (getting lost in the labyrinth of caves). But the virtual tour of the cellars on their internet site: http://www.ruinart.com is a "must visit", check it out (there's also a wonderful free, I pad app version).
Ruinart , 4 Rue Crayères, 51100 Reims, France. www.ruinart.com
Dom Thierry Ruinart, was a learned Benedictine of the congregation of Saint-Maur, been born on June 10th, 1657 and died on September 27th, 1709, in the abbey of Hautvillers in Champagne region. Ruinart collaborated with dom Pérignon with whom he studied and perfected the secrets of champagne-making process. He and Dom Perignon were really good buddies and we are heading across the mountains to the "headquarters of Perignon" Moët & Chandon. A little-known fact is that the talented Chef de Cave of Dom Perignon, Richard Geoffroy, was one of the winemakers for the 1996 Dom Ruinart!
Now we have to cross the Parc Naturel Régional de la Montagne de Reims that separates Reims and Epernay, it is better not to let a busy person like Benoît Gouez, chef du cave at Moët & Chandon to wait for you and we already asked for a 20 minutes delay…
We park our car near Dom Perignon's statue at the entrance to Moët, as you know Dom Perignon was one of the developers of the clear, bubbly, Champagne and the initiator of using cork and cage to seal champagnes, almost in the same way we know it today… Dom Pérignon learned to select the best wine from different grape varieties grown in different soils of the area and blend them to a perfect effervescent drink.
It must be said that the Dom didn't "invent" Champagne, since the art of the double-fermentation process to produce champagne came from the experimentation and later expertise of other cellar masters of his time as well, but his name is in the front of innovations in all aspects of developing the Champagne method to producing quality clear sparkling wine and it all began during his time in the second half of the 17th century partially due to his curiosity and relentless efforts (the mystery concerning the legend of popping bottles down Perignon cellar one morning lingers on either as a fact or maybe local urban legend?).
It is difficult to separate the monk Dom Pérignon from the trademark carrying his name (now belongs to Moët & Chandon) and this "line" is used for their high-end Champagne. Dom Pérignon and his close friend Dom Ruinart both ended up as namesakes of their trademark. Their abbey: Hautvillers, is located 4½ miles from Epernay, and overlooks the vineyards along the slopes of the Mountain of Reims is a testimony to their acheivments.
Dom Petrus (Pierre) Pérignon, (1639-1715) is burried in the abbey church of Hautvillers in Champagne France's where he served as cellar master at the Benedictine Abbey of Hautvillers for many years.
The entrance to Moët & Chandon premises, is full of chic, style and elegance in black silver and gold colours, a chandelier made of champagne glasses hanging from the ceiling, a celeb feeling in the air (perfect for those who like this style),
Benoît Gouez meets us in a more traditional setting of the tasting room. He conducts pleasant conversation re: Moët's recent champagne's aspirations and the influence of the Dom Pérignon's label and champagnes on the Moët line. The meeting is backed by two exemplary Moet wines of the last 2 decades: The Moët & Chandon 2002 and the Moët & Chandon 1992 Grand Vintage Collection
The Grand Vintage 2002 is one of the finest wine made under this label and can rival even some lesser vintages of Dom. It has fruit and elegance. Made from 45% Pinot noir, 15% Pinot meunie and 40% chardonnay. The aroma of apple blossom, pears and white wild flowers is apparent, with very long finish of rich and buttery brioche touch. Excellent champagne!
The Moët & Chandon 1992 Grand Vintage Collection Brut is a real keeper on it's 19 years of age still a very fresh wine, with flinty, mineral, extremely dry texture. The acidity is fully present with a kick, still very refreshing, and crisp.
A different style from the wines we had yesterday and the from your usual NV Moët & Chandon People use to sprinkle on one another from the winner's podium (This habit is beyond my understanding, still I guess mother earth needs a drink from time to time…)
I paid tribute to the Dom's statue on our way out, Thank you Benoît for your hospitality and patience, we're off to Ay to visit 2 smaller Houses in the afternoon
Moët & Chandon , 18 Avenue de Champagne 51200 Épernay, France
Our afternoon adventures and visits in the next post…
Your Wineguide

subset: commoncrawl


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It will be a very busy 2016 for media networks in the Philippines.
This year is an election year, and this one will decide the fate of the presidency of the Philippines. ABS-CBN, TV5 and GMA, along with several minor players, will be on hand to cover the five-month period of conviction and decision, leading to the national elections on May 9, and finally to the inauguration on June 30.
The question is, will CNN Philippines, GMA News TV and AksyonTV be busy enough for the grind of the elections? The three news networks have had a rough outing last year, with only ANC and DZMM TeleRadyo continuing to showcase their usual journalistic excellence, and unless they prove the critics wrong on election day, they will endure yet another showering of boos.
On the entertainment side, this is where GMA needs to make a statement (yet again). Even though 'Eat Bulaga' and AlDub grabbed the headlines during the second half of 2015, the rest of GMA's programming, talents and staff still leave a lot to be desired, and if GMA were to be competitive and financially strong, they need more than just AlDub to survive.
Over at TV5, they are making a fresh start with a new ally. Viva Entertainment head Vic del Rosario is now leading the network's entertainment unit, and he hopes to make an impact with new shows that could reenergize the Kapatid network's stagnant and unpredictable programming.
As for ABS-CBN, there's no need for a forecast. Barring any possibility of overconfidence and complacency, this should be another successful year for the Kapamilya network, with new shows featuring both established and rising stars on the menu.
Sports programming suffered a big blow when ABS-CBN-operated Balls signed off for good last year. That said, there will be big shoes to fill for the remaining sports networks in the country, particularly TV5's Hyper and ABS-CBN Sports+Action, as they scramble for rights to some of the events that Balls covered.
FM's 90.7 Love Radio remained dominant last year, as are DZMM and DZBB on the AM band. Closing in on the top radio stations will once again be a very tough act for the rest of the field this year, especially with the possibility of a rebrand and a change in personnel looming for those who couldn't keep up.
And finally, as always, the endless questions of IBC-13's planned privatization (or closure) will continue to surface this year. The question of when, who and how will once again permeate curious viewers, as the fate of the embattled station remains a mystery even with the change of administration.
This should be an interesting year ahead, and From the Tube will be there to cover every step of the way. Good luck.


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STONEWALLING March 17, 2011
What does it represent?
Everyone knows what a "stonewall" is. It is a wall or fence made of any type of stone.
The word stonewalling has a different definition but BOY ARE THEY RELATED.
The definition of "stonewalling" is: Stalling or delaying especially by refusing to answer questions or cooperate.
We call it the "silent treatment" and it is mainly used by husbands.
I will continue today using comments out of Dr. Emerson Eggerichs' book on "Love and Respect". It is a must read for married couples.
We have discussed how when a wife criticizes her husband, she thinks she is helping him.
Prov.12:18 "…thoughtless words cut like a sword."
The husband usually interprets it as HUMILIATION.
He says to himself, "I don't deserve this kind of talk."
When a husband "stonewalls" his wife, it is a WARNING SIGNAL.
Unfortunately, "stonewalling" aggravates her and causes her to criticize even more because she feels her assistance is being refused.
Even though she criticizes out of LOVE, he only hears DISRESPECT.
In Professor John Gottman's extensive research, 85 percent of husbands eventually stonewall their wives during conflict. A man's blood pressure and heart rate rises much higher and stays elevated much longer than his wife's. Nothing escalates on a woman and she thinks that the conversation is increasing love between them. The husband on the other hand sees an argument coming on and he feels he will lose respect. At this point the husband will become quiet or walk away by himself.
If she asks him why he has walked away, he will tell her that he is trying not to react.
He is trying to do the HONORABLE and RESPECTABLE thing.
A wife gets so hurt by this action because she receives it as rejection and unloving.
STAY WITH ME LADIES! If your husband is a pathological "stonewaller" then it means that you could be a pathological criticizer and complainer. Ouch!!
OUCH!! OUCH!! Okay, we got through that! NOW WHAT?!?
The more the wife complains, the more the husband withdraws. The more the husband withdraws, the more the wife complains. WE ARE BACK ON THE CRAZY CYCLE.
Prov. 12:4 A wife "who brings shame" on her husband "is like sickness to his bones" NIRV.
Have you been his mommy, his teacher, or his holy spirit?
Emerson says the next action from the husband is called the coup de grace.
Look it up girls and beware. This is when he gets up and walks out as a bitter, hostile unloving human being and leaves his wife.
Then the divorce which is a funeral that never ends, BEGINS.
The coup de grace is the "death blow."
Coup de grace means the blow that kills.
STOP CRITICIZING!!! Stonewalling could be the warning signal.


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What is this all about
What exactly is life beyond the walls?
Life beyond the walls is about breaking free from whatever is holding you back from reaching your full potential of happiness, success, and satisfaction.
When you feel the walls closing in on you, yet you can see your dreams, hopes, and desires right in front you, you have to move beyond the walls.
This means staying true to who you are, true to your dreams, true to your goals, true to your happiness.
You have to become a SNOB™!!
I have redesigned the word S.N.O.B it's no longer a derogatory term, instead, being a snob means being Strong, Nontraditional, Organic, and Bold.
My goal is to assist you in learning ways to achieve this. I will work with you to understand what your full potential is and how you can reach that without losing who you are. I provide counseling, coaching, workshops, seminars, and groups! Throughout this blog, you will find free tips and tidbits on how to begin to break down your walls and become a SNOB™! Sign up to receive free newsletters to stay in the know and get exclusives offers and details.
Looking for a place to start diving in?
head over to my Blog section or check out some of these great wall breaking topics How to Stop waiting and Start living, Are you a Chronic Complainer, Stop Compromising yourself, Marriage Challenge week 1


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I'm really enjoying a blog called Help Me! by Marianne Power. This brave, honest, insightful and laugh-out-loud-funny blog deals with Marianne's gutsy challenge of reading (and really following) one self-help book per month for a year.
So far, I've read all of her posts on Get the Guy by Matthew Hussey, Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers, and Money, A Love Story by Kate Northrup.
I've lapped up Marianne's hilarious and sometimes emotional tales of chatting up strangers, jumping out of a plane, doing stand-up comedy (that's about the WORST thing I could think of having to do), posing naked, attending a naked yoga class, tackling her finances, walking on fire, and surrounding herself with plenty of positive post-it affirmations.
I can really relate to Marianne as she courageously reveals her secrets, fears and insecurities. And for each book Marianne has explored, I've learned something that I'm going to incorporate into my own life.
In Get the Guy, Matthew Hussey recommends seeing yourself as a "High-Value Woman". This means knowing that you deserve to be treated with respect and only accepting good behaviour from men.
The last guy I had a thing with was tall, attractive and young. He hated his job, drank a lot, and had very little interest in getting to know me. And still I continued to text him. Until I saw him with another woman.
I felt yucky for a few moments until I remembered that I too was open to meeting somebody else. I wasn't kidding myself. This relationship was going nowhere fast.
Though this scene wasn't what I would have wished for, I was grateful to have witnessed it because it gave me the kick up the arse that I needed. To move on. To really be open to something better. And to finally understand that I am a High-Value Woman. Another, more suitable man will be lucky to get to know me.
I used to worry that asking for what I wanted and believing that I deserved to be treated well would come across as needy, high-maintenance or even crazy. Now, I don't care if that's how some men might perceive me. The right ones will know different.
In Feel the Fear And Do It Anyway, Susan Jeffers insists that we do one thing each day that scares us because then we'll know that we're growing and moving forward in life. She explains that the more we feel the fear and do it anyway, the easier it becomes and the more empowered we feel. She suggests repeating the affirmation: "I can handle it."
Marianne found this month exhausting but also exhilarating. She reports feeling more alive. Although she felt terrified, she did it anyway, and her life became infinitely more interesting and exciting.
The next book Marianne took on was Money, A Love Story. I thought: "Boring!" However, after perusing her posts, I see how telling my initial response was. One of my beliefs around all things finance is that it's boring and I'd rather put my attention on something, anything, else. That is why, according to Kate Northrup, my finances are not something I can boast about. Yet…
This book also makes a connection between how you value yourself and how much abundance you have in your life. Turns out valuing yourself is essential in this self-help business. It sounds obvious but it's amazing how little we show ourselves this value.
One exercise Kate suggests is to list three things you value about yourself each day. Most days, I focus on what I'm grateful for, which really lifts my mood. From now on, I'm going to include self-value in my practise. Today, I value my talent for writing, my discipline in exercising, and my ability to make new friends.
Last night, I read Marianne's first post on Rejection Therapy. This isn't a book but a self-help game devised by Jason Comely. There is one rule to this game and that is to get rejected once a day by another human being.
One of my biggest fears is of rejection. Because getting rejected confirms that I'm not good enough to be accepted, wanted or loved. As Marianne explains, we're hardwired to fear rejection because, "historically, our chances of survival were dramatically increased if we stayed with the group, which is why being shunned in any way – even snubbed at a party – can feel fatal."
At a concert a few weeks back, one of my good friends asked me if I still found it hard to chat up men. "Yes," I gulped as I took a quick swig of cider.
"Well then," she announced with a glint in her eye. "Your challenge is to chat up one guy before we leave."
In shocking news, I readily accepted my friend's challenge. I wanted to get over this limiting fear. And I had just spent an evening seeing how effortless it was for my friend to strike up conversations with men.
So I marched over to stand beside a man who was watching the band alone. And so I stood. I too looked at the band. Every so often, I glanced sideways at him. I was thinking too much.
What will I say? I could ask him if he's enjoying the music. But that's a stupid question. Of course he's enjoying the music! He's here alone, enjoying the music. If I were my friend, I'd have chatted him up already.
Then, a girl to his right started chatting to him. Look how easy it is! When they stopped speaking, I glanced sideways at him again. He was wearing a coat. At an indoor concert!
"Are you not roasting?" I blurted out.
"Not tonight," he answered.
"Where's your coat?" he wondered.
"In the cloakroom. It's free and it's just down the stairs."
Yes, a fascinating conversation. And I decided I didn't fancy him after all. But I did it. And I was proud of myself. I knew that it could only get easier.
Last night, after reading about Rejection Therapy, I decided to take on this horrifying challenge for the rest of the month. I woke up in the middle of the night and remembered my promise to myself. My heart thumped faster inside my chest. But I also felt excited.
Like Marianne Power, I'm really living. And in Susan Jeffers words, no matter what, "I'll handle it."
I'll let you know how I get on…
Images: favim.com


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The afore-promised celebrity criticisms of the Farbenlehre.
"Wake up, Dr. S — there is science afoot!" via.
Goethe delivered in full measure what was promised by the title of his excellent work: data toward a theory of colour. They are important, complete, and significant data, rich material for a future theory of colour. He has not, however, undertaken to furnish the theory itself … but really postulates it as a phenomenon, and merely tells us how it originates, not what it is.
(Arthur Schopenhauer, Über das Sehn und die Farben/On Vision and Colors. 1810.)
Which fact we have already seen well-defended by my b'loved Werner H. so I will not dwell on Schopenhauer's criticism other than to say I generally like the things he has to say on just about any subject and agree with him here as usual.
"One of the most important works."
(Wassily Kandinsky, qtd. in Rowley, Allison. "Kandinskii's theory of colour and Olesha's Envy." Canadian Slavonic Papers. September-December 2002.)
A Russian artist and one of the famous Blue Four, Kandinsky is the father of abstract painting and was an instrumental theorist and professor for the Bauhaus before the National Socialists destroyed a bunch of their compositions. Kandinsky taught the most basic design courses at Bauhaus and used Goethe's color wheel in his avant-garde art theory lectures. Also, note the hotness. Girls Like a Boy Who Reads [scathing criticisms of Nazis and protests against the public destruction of his art which eventually lead him to flee to Paris ahead of persecution by said Nazis]!
"Farbenkreis zur Symbolisierung des Menschlichen Geistes und Seelenlebens," Goethe, 1809. This is the aforementioned color wheel that art rebel hottie Wassily Kandinsky would use in lecture.
Can you lend me the Theory of Colours for a few weeks? It is an important work. His last things are insipid.
(Ludwig van Beethoven, Conversation-book, 1820.)
Love how he goes from wanting to read Goethe because he considers his work important to "His last things are insipid." Man, Beethoven had such an attitude.
He was such a crazy deaf grump by the time he died. Amazing and bittersweetly comical that a creative genius was also so churlish and curmudgeonly — like he genuinely made other peoples' lives hard despite bringing beautiful music in to our world. The generosity of his composition and fame in the wide world is so jarring in juxtaposition with his infliction of discomfort and temper on the people close to him. The complexity intrigues me and also amuses me somehow but makes me sad too. That reminds me: I need to plan an Immortal Beloved Movie Moment.
Shit, now I've given over most of the last entry on Theory of Colours to talking about Beethoven. What can you do. Thoughts happen.


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Think you've got a long commute? You're not alone. A
2017 Census Bureau survey
found that Americans average nearly 27 minutes on a one-way trip to the office. An
earlier census study
revealed that 61 percent of us spend at least one hour driving to the office. What to do when you need a car that can rack up miles but not your debt ratio?
Here are seven of today's lowest-priced cars that deliver good fuel economy and have features to ensure your sanity on long drives. The first four are tops among Edmunds editors for
extra-small sedans
. Other choices in the class round out the list in alphabetical order. Prices are for base models and include destination fees.
To get the best price, it helps to know how to drive a stick shift. But even though manual transmissions often help extract maximum fun out of small cars, they aren't always the best choice for gridlocked commutes. Thankfully, all these cars offer an automatic transmission.
(Manufacturer's suggested retail price: $15,135)
The Ford Fiesta has a pint-size price but hardly feels cheap. Sporty and agile handling, high-quality interior materials and the wonderfully intuitive Sync 3 infotainment propel the Fiesta to the top of our budget-friendly list. It returns 31 mpg combined, and there's even a hatchback version for enhanced utility. On the downside, passenger and cargo space are small, even for this class, and that sharp handling comes at the expense of a smooth ride.
Forget what you heard about the old Rio. Today's Rio is a sophisticated small car without the sophisticated price. With 32 mpg combined, the Rio returns solid fuel economy. And like the Fiesta, it has alert handling. Hard plastic abounds inside, but the overall interior design and construction are first-rate. Standard features are a bit bare-bones, so it's worth spending extra money for upgraded infotainment and safety. But even in base trim, the Rio delivers excellent value.
The Accent is Hyundai's take on the Kia Rio; both cars share the same mechanical underpinnings. Like the Rio, the Accent offers invigorated handling, 32 mpg combined and an impressive interior. A recent redesign opened up more front and rear legroom and excellent cargo space. However, unlike the Rio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard in the Accent (they're optional in the Rio). But flat, shapeless seats could take a toll on longer commutes.
The current Yaris is essentially a rebadged Mazda 2, which is no longer sold in the U.S. Not only are Mazda's traditional handling and performance magic baked in, but so is the automaker's keen eye for interiors. The Yaris also comes standard with features that others charge extra for, such as automatic emergency braking and voice-controlled infotainment. It also delivers 35 mpg combined. A cramped back seat won't win friends on longer trips, however, and the rear seat doesn't fold completely flat.
America's largest automaker also does small very well. The Spark comes from General Motors' Korea division, and what works well for a megatropolis like Seoul also works for America's urban centers. The Spark delivers 33 mpg combined and can squeeze into nearly any parking space. An array of standard features includes iPhone/Android smartphone integration and onboard Wi-Fi. A high roofline offers good access and visibility, but don't expect much rear legroom or cargo space.
No non-hybrid budget car can match the Mirage's 43 mpg on the highway and 39 mpg combined. Its tiny 9-gallon tank is rated to deliver up to 359 miles between fill-ups, which should keep long-range commuters going most of the week. But you'll be moving slowly as the Mirage's three-cylinder engine struggles to keep pace with traffic. This Mitsu also suffers from lots of road noise and an overall lack of refinement.
The Versa is the lowest-priced car on our list and one of the most affordable for sale today. It has a roomy interior with a large back seat and a huge trunk. It also rides comfortably on rough roads. Fuel economy is strong at 34 mpg combined. But the Versa isn't perfect. It is slow, has a cheap-feeling interior and lacks the engaging qualities that other cars on our list enjoy. But for commuting competence at a price similar to a vaunted Swiss timepiece, the Versa is hard to beat.
EDMUNDS SAYS: You don't need to buy used to get a budget-friendly commuter car. There are several great new cars that deliver excellent fuel economy and tech features to make the drive less of a grind.
This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. Dan Frio is a reviews editor at Edmunds. Twitter: @danfrio; Instagram: danfrio
Related links:
— Edmunds Top-Ranked Extra-Small Sedans: https://edmu.in/2NXrDIf
— Edmunds Top-Ranked Extra-Small Hatchbacks: https://edmu.in/2V7cVSJ
— Video: Best New Cars for 2019-2020: Latest Cars, Trucks and SUVs: https://bit.ly/2AgOF7z


text:
Medusa Throw Pillow, Decorative Accent Cushion, Eclectic Gamer Room Decor, Fantasy Art - Harlequin, Pink & Gold Snakes
‣ Handmade | Ready to ship in 3-10 business days.
‣ Made to order in the US, Mx or EU (See Production & Shipping).
‣ No returns/refunds unless missprint, fault or lost. Read More
🇺🇸 Free Shipping to the US!
🇪🇺 European Customers please read this before ordering
🌏 All shipping includes tracking number.
Product Description & Notes:
Automatic 15% OFF pillows when purchasing two or more!
Entirely handmade, these high quality Decorative Throw Pillows feature vibrant prints, with artwork designed and illustrated by me. They are made to order, and sew it by hand, one by one just for you at the moment you order. Many designs that have a 'centerpiece' have different color versions, do check them out!
IF LOOKING TO RECEIVE DIFFERENT ARTWORK (or color if available) ON FRONT AND BACK SIDES, please order from this link.
Medusa Throw Pillow, Decorative Accent Cushion, Eclectic Gamer Room Decor, Fantasy Art - Harlequin, Pink & Gold Snakes
• Printed on both sides. This design has the same front and back unless two different designs are being shown in the pictures.
• Please note that exact colours may be a little different from as they look on screen.
• Sizes: are Small 12x20'', Square 18x18'' or 22x22'' when the case is flat, with stuffing they may appear a bit smaller than that because of the bulk.
• Concealed zipper, black or white depending on the design.
• Pillow case cover: 80% polyester, 20% fleece. Machine washable.
• Pillow case insert: 100% polyester, handwash only.
• Printed using the sublimation technique, precision-cut and hand-sewn after printing
• Designed around the world, with love and wickedness, by me :P
• Material sourced from China and US or Poland depending on the Printer's location.
• Printed and shipped from the United States, Mexico, or Latvia, depending on the customer's location.
Throw Pillows are printed in either the United States, Mexico or Latvia, and shipped from either the United States or Latvia.
They take usually between 3 and 7 business days to be printed, sewn and ready, + the shipping time which depends on where you are.
US: 3-5 days. Canada: 5-12. Europe: 5-10. Elsewhere: 10+
All orders have tracking, for international orders it may stop at customs, depending on your country's post service.
Wash the item only with cold water. Machine wash with similar colors garments using a gentle cycle. Tumble dry on low settings or hang dry. Do not bleach or dry clean.
Three Sizes. With or Without Stuffing
• Sizes in inches:
Small 12x20''
Square 18x18''
Square 22x22''
• Printed on both sides.
• Concealed zipper, black or white depending on the design.
Vibrant print that doesn't fade
Each design you see is drawn, painted or assembled by me with passion and care, and then printed and sublimated by hand by my printing partners and shipped to you.
Previous customers say
I received this beautiful Daruma cushion yesterday and it's stunning. It's a quality item, beautifully designed and the colours are so bright. Great customer service - really prompt replies when I asked questions. Aidan is the best!!
Lovely! Even cooler than the picture can show. My friend is going to love this gift.
Thank you so much.
Shannon - 12/08/20
Video Sample


text:
GNOME Proves It Can Listen
Off the Beat: Bruce Byfield's Blog
With one announcement, suddenly the prospects for the free desktop have changed.
I'm referring, of course, to Matthias Clasen's announcement that, having dropped fallback mode, GNOME will support a core of extensions that will recreate the GNOME 2 interface.
This announcement marks a major reversal of GNOME's policy. For the past two years, the project has officially defended the radical redesign introduced by GNOME 3, making few -- if any -- acknowledgments of users' complaints.
In fact, eighteen months ago, influential members of GNOME were arguing against encouraging extensions for GNOME Shell at all. For instance, Allan Day, one of the leading designers of the GNOME 3, wrote in a discussion on the gnome-shell list:
"Facilitating the unrestricted use of extensions and themes by end users seems contrary to the central tenets of the GNOME 3 design. We've fought long and hard to give GNOME 3 a consistent visual appearance, to make it synonymous with a single user experience and to ensure that that experience is of a consistently high quality. A general purpose extensions and themes distribution system seems to threaten much of that."
In particular, Day argued that the panel be protected against extensions, calling it "vital for giving GNOME 3 a distinctive visual appearance. If we do have extensions, I would very much like to see the top bar made out of bounds for extension writers, therefore. We have to have at least *something* that remains consistent."
At the very least, Day advocated extensions being labeled as experimental, to make sure that nobody mistook them for an official part of GNOME.
Nor was Day the only one. Another developer worried, for example, that extensions would lead to fragmentation of the GNOME.
Despite such reservations, the GNOME Shell Extension site was launched around the same time as the discussion. However, until recently, it remained low-key, and GNOME continued to do little to address user complaints -- signs that suggest that the views of designers like Day prevailed in the project.
I may be reading too much into the circumstantial evidence, but, from Clasen's announcement, it appears that a quiet palace revolution has been taking place in GNOME -- if not since GUADEC, when change in the project was first discussed, then at least since the GNOME Boston Summit in October.
"While certainly hope that many users will find the new ways comfortable and refreshing after a short learning phase," Clasen writes, "we should not fault people who prefer the old way. After all, these features were a selling point of GNOME 2 for ten years!"
From this conciliatory tone, it sounds as though GNOME is now doing what it was reluctant to do eighteen months ago.
Meanwhile, Day is no longer talking about branding and keeping the design vision intact, but blogging that the user experience "isn't just about the Activities Overview or System Settings" and focusing on application design instead. He says he supports extensions and themes, and claims that the above use of his comments was taken out of context.
Still, to all appearances, a reversal of GNOME's direction does seem to have occurred, and seems likely to create problems of its own. In particular, GNOME will have to make extra efforts to ensure that changes to core code don't break the official core extensions.
All the same, having criticized GNOME loudly and frequently for refusing to listen to user complaints, I have to applaude this long overdue outburst of common sense. Not only is GNOME making provisions for those who prefer GNOME 2, but it is doing so with a graceful compromise that saves face for everybody.
The ripple effect
Clasen's announcement may or may not mark a change of influence and atmosphere within the GNOME project. However, the effects outside the project may be of even greater magnitude.
Over the last year, dis-satisfaction with GNOME 3 has created a diversity of choices on the desktop. Alternatives like Xfce and LXDE have found a new popularity. So has Linux Mint, with Mate, its fork of GNOME 2, and Cinnamon, a series of extensions that recreate GNOME 2 on top of GNOME 3.
The question now is: will this diversity continue once the reason for it no longer exists? How many users return to GNOME now that it offers what they want?
If KDE's recovery from its own user revolt is used as an analogy, then I might be tempted to suggest that in another couple of years GNOME should be able to regain its former dominance of the free desktop. Possibly, it might lose a few percent of users, but it might be predicted to have approximately a third of the desktop.
However, the two user revolts are probably less similar than they might first appear. Unlike GNOME, KDE addressed user complaints a few months after they were made. Moreover, the complaints about KDE 4 had more to do with a lack of features rather than a revised work flow, and KDE showed by its systematic approach to restoring those features that it had always intended to do so. For these reasons, KDE's experience is probably not a useful comparison.
No doubt, some users will return to GNOME, prefering to rely on an established and once large brand. But whether the returnees will be numerous enough to send alternatives like Linux Mint or Xfce into a decline is another matter. Having settled on one re-creation of GNOME 2, many could see no reason for moving to another one, especially if the move offers no significant differences.
Chances are, too, that, having learned to distrust GNOME, some users will not be easily won back. At the very least, it will take time -- and, most likely, a few killer features -- to lure large numbers of users back to GNOME.
This uncertainty promises to make the next year or two on the free desktop interesting to watch.
But for now, the take-away is that GNOME has proved that it can listen to users. Never mind that the project should have done so months ago. The software programmers-turned-diplomats who orchestrated the reversal have chosen to do a difficult thing, but it seems the right one for both users and the GNOME project itself.
Gnome is back to twoNot before time!
I know it's difficult, but actually once folk out here are using your creation, and remember to most of us our machine is just a tool not an end in itself, we don't want it to change on a whim so we have to re-learn how to use it.
I've always thought that was a Micro$oft trait, and been really glad they don't sell hammers and screwdrivers or carpenters would have to go on a course to learn how to use every new one they bought!
I've stuck with Gnome (on Ubuntu) but had to spend time and energy getting it back to something approximating to Gnome2 and hopefully there are plenty more out there who will just head right on back to the fold now we know it's safe.....
Too late, too late.. Specifically, 18 months too late. Seems like a classic Ivory Tower, doesn't it?
Pantheon ShelleOS Luna is coming along nicely now. Pantheon is faster than Unity and Gnome 3 shell, cleaner and lighter, but with plenty of visual appeal.
Gnome 3Too Little Too Late.
With Cinnamon and Mate leading the way, who wants to wait and see what sort of waffling the Gnome 3 crowd will come up with next.
Fool me once, shame on me, tell me I'm too stupid to know what I want/need in a desktop and I'll go elsewhere.
In other words, couldn't care less what the Helen Keller crowd of Gnome 3 folks will do next.
Returning to Gnome 2 ???Proof will be in the puddin'......... One can only hope hierarchies will listen more and dictate less.
Issue 272/2023
Buy this issue as a PDF
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
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An All-Snap Version of Ubuntu is In The Works
Along with the standard deb version of the open-source operating system, Canonical will release an-all snap version.
Mageia 9 Beta 2 Ready for Testing
The latest beta of the popular Mageia distribution now includes the latest kernel and plenty of updated applications.
KDE Plasma 6 Looks to Bring Basic HDR Support
The KWin piece of KDE Plasma now has HDR support and color management geared for the 6.0 release.
Bodhi Linux 7.0 Beta Ready for Testing
The latest iteration of the Bohdi Linux distribution is now available for those who want to experience what's in store and for testing purposes.
Changes Coming to Ubuntu PPA Usage
The way you manage Personal Package Archives will be changing with the release of Ubuntu 23.10.
AlmaLinux 9.2 Now Available for Download
AlmaLinux has been released and provides a free alternative to upstream Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
An Immutable Version of Fedora Is Under Consideration
For anyone who's a fan of using immutable versions of Linux, the Fedora team is currently considering adding a new spin called Fedora Onyx.
New Release of Br OS Includes ChatGPT Integration
Br OS 23.04 is now available and is geared specifically toward web content creation.
Command-Line Only Peropesis 2.1 Available Now
The latest iteration of Peropesis has been released with plenty of updates and introduces new software development tools.
TUXEDO Computers Announces InfinityBook Pro 14
With the new generation of their popular InfinityBook Pro 14, TUXEDO upgrades its ultra-mobile, powerful business laptop with some impressive specs.


text:
I wanted to give you all a taste of what the folks on the Electric Goodies Newsletter get from time to time, so I've put up the EPIC REMIX of "every morning orange and blue" off of halt:
Clocking in at over 28 minutes long, this is an ethereal soundscape unlike any other.Well, maybe it's a little like sigur ros. This song was created quite simply by using an audio stretching program on the original mix of "every morning". I played around with it on a few of my tracks and really liked the results on this one. I actually liked the audio-wash effect on this so much that I'm going to be using this on a song called "The Chaos" that's due to be on the next Psycliq album. Members of the newsletter have already gotten several clips of that track, too, so there's some further incentive to join up. This also marks the first native Psycliq remix to be put onto Mergers & Acquisitions, but I think it still loosely fits the definition of the collection.
And don't forget, download Light The Tree for Some Holiday Cheer for free today! It will only be available through the holiday season, then it goes in the vault for another year.


text:
In my case, I need to delete the session who logged in with the same credential in previously. It shouldn't allow keeping same user credentials to more than one user. So that I need to terminate the session if a new user logged in with same credentials. I need to serve only to the new user session.
I have tried in my metadata like below but I couldn't disconnect the previous session of the same user name.
private final ConcurrentHashMap<String, Map<String, String>> sessions = new ConcurrentHashMap<String, Map<String, String>>();
private final ConcurrentHashMap<String, String> userinfo = new ConcurrentHashMap<String, String>();
@SuppressWarnings({ "rawtypes", "unchecked" })
synchronized public void notifyNewSession(String user, String sessionID, Map sessionInfo)
throws CreditsException, NotificationException {
assert (!sessions.containsKey(sessionID));
sessions.put(sessionID, sessionInfo);
if (userinfo.containsKey(user)) {
System.out.println(">>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>> REMOVED USER NAME : " + user);
System.out.println(">>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>> REMOVED USER SESSION : " + userinfo.get(user));
userinfo.put(user, sessionID);


text:
Paranormal Investigation UK
Professional Paranormal Investigation Team
Your Area...
Many spontaneous cases have ordinary explanations in terms of physical causes or the mental states of the witnesses. Some commoner cases which might not have such explanations are:
Precognition Cases.
Cases of seeming 'precognition' of future events are fairly frequent, though difficult to interpret. Many of them occur in dreams, and only come to appear 'precognitive' in the light of their subsequent fulfilment. Ideally, there should be some record, or corroboration, of the dream's content, produced prior to the confirming event, as well as a careful investigation and record made of the confirming event. The basic and obvious step for anyone involved in possibly anomalous experiences (including dreams) is to keep a reasonably detailed diary!
Extrasensory Perception Cases.
Cases in which a person seems to have become spontaneously aware of a scene outside the range of her/his ordinary senses, or to have 'picked up' the thoughts, emotions or predicament of a distant person (often someone close) are not uncommon. The percipience's experience may take various forms: a vague emotional disturbance or feeling of alarm, an impulse to act, hearing hallucinatory voices or seeing a 'vision' of the scene or event concerned. A fair proportion of cases of apparent spontaneous extra-sensory perception take place during dreams, and present problems of interpretation similar to those raised by 'precognitive' dreams.
'Out-of-the-body' Experience Cases.
Many people have at some time or another had an experience as of quitting their physical bodies and experiencing surroundings that differ from the physical to a greater or lesser degree. The surroundings may be so similar to the physical as to be mistaken for them but seen from a position not coincident with the body in physical space. In such cases, attention should be given to any reported events noted by the expedient that s/he could not have seen from the position of the physical body. Careful note should be taken of sensations reported by the expedient during separation from and return to the physical body, and of conditions of viewing, state of mind and other features, notably how close or different the experience was from normal physical conditions. The physical and mental state of the experiment before the experience should also be recorded.
Apparition Sightings.
These are cases in which a person, not dreaming, ill, insane or under the influence of drugs, sees a figure which could not be that of a real person or hears a voice when it is certain that no-one spoke. It is highly likely that most such experiences are hallucinatory. However, some of these hallucinations may be called 'veridical' in that they exhibit correspondences, not easy to explain, with external events, or with the experiences of other percipients.
Poltergeist Cases and other Paranormal Physical Events.
It is doubtful whether the miscellaneous physical effects commonly lumped together as 'poltergeist phenomena' have any common denominator. The German word 'Poltergeist' means 'noisy spirit', and in a few cases the phenomena have, for whatever reason, seemed 'intelligent' or even mischievous. In the majority of instances, however, the phenomena are trivial and appear more or less aimless. Among the phenomena most commonly reported in poltergeist cases are thumps, raps, scratching and scuffling noises; footsteps; the displacement or propulsion through the air of various sorts of objects, usually small ones like stones or crockery, but sometimes sizeable ones like articles of furniture; the opening of doors; the disturbance of bedclothes; inexplicable outbreaks of fire; switching on or off of electric lights; whispers and voices; the appearance of mysterious luminous patches; cold breezes; inundations of water of which the source cannot be traced; and smells suggestive of putrescence or burning.
Other paranormal physical events include reports of events coinciding with a traumatic event, e.g. a clock stopping at the moment of someone's death.
Conducting Investigations.
Study of the Relevant Literature.
An essential preliminary to the investigation of any kind of spontaneous case is a careful study of the relevant literature.
Essential Procedures.
Different types of cases will require different additional procedures. For instance, crisis apparitions might require confirmation of a reported death from newspaper notices or public records; significant dreams involve detailed investigation of the reliability of the dream report and the confirming event, while poltergeist or haunting cases would involve surveillance of the relevant areas. However, certain procedures must be carried out as a matter of routine in all cases where there is even a hint of paranormality.
(a) Interview witnesses
The most important aspect of any investigation is to obtain, as far as possible, a detailed and accurate picture of the events. This usually means conducting in-depth interviews with the people directly involved and possibly with other relevant witnesses. For this reason, the next section, Conducting Intervieews, deals with this question in some detail.
(b) Keep detailed and continuous records
At the outset, you need to record the details of the witnesses: name, age, contact point. If the case appears promising, it is important to obtain signed statements from witnesses and experients. It may be necessary to note down what the interviewee says, and compose a statement from the notes, or make a transcript of a tape-recording. In such a case, the interviewee should be asked to read the statement and to make whatever corrections and additions s/he desires before s/he signs it. Before witnesses are invited to make statements they should be assured that their names will not be published without their consent, and that, in the event of publication, pseudonyms will be used if so desired.
The relevant information to be collected would include items such as:
- time and date at which the experience took place and the duration of the events concerned
- what the witness(es) were doing and their state of mind at that time
- whether the witness has had a similar experience before
- the circumstances - (where appropriate) how well the scene was lit (if the experience was visual) and what sounds were heard (if the experience was auditory), what else was happening at that time
- if other people were in the household, where were they during the experience
- an impression of the health, education, interests and reliability of witnesses (there are usually plenty of clues in people's behaviour, relationships and surroundings).
Where this is appropriate, the scene of the alleged paranormal events should be visited as soon as possible and a record made of the relevant information. (A camcorder with a wide angle is the obvious tool, but a pencil, squared paper and tape measure can be very useful for plans.)
(c) Make follow-up visits.
Follow up visits are advisable for a number of reasons. In many cases, the phenomena are not so frequent that one would expect to witness anything on just a single visit. Also, a case which seems promising after a single visit may appear much less so after one gets to know the locality and the people involved; and, conversely, a case that is at first not very impressive may later grow in stature.
(d) Equipment.
The obvious necessities include a notebook and pen/pencil, and other easily obtainable recording equipment such as a tape recorder and a still/video camera. There are of course many other instruments being used by researchers, such as electromagnetic field (EMF) meters, infrared meters, motion detectors etc. A discussion of their uses, as well as guidance on conducting vigils, can be found on the website of the Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena (ASSAP),www.assap.org.
Conducting Interview.
(a) Establishing a framework.
Where the phenomena are extended over a period of time, it is important to organise a party of several capable and responsible investigators. It should be decided beforehand what plan of action to follow should phenomena take place, and agreed who is to assume command in the event of unforeseen contingencies. The framework of the investigation should be established and agreed with the experients during the initial interview.
(b) Keeping records - investigators.
It is essential to ensure that during a 'ghost-hunt' the times of all events and of the comings and goings of persons in the vicinity are accurately recorded. Investigators should synchronize watches at the start of an investigation, and each should maintain a separate log-book. In addition a tape-recorder with an extended play tape should be kept continuously running to provide a general record of events; comments may be dictated into it as required. Should phenomena take place, the witnesses should as soon as possible write independent accounts of them, and investigators who did not witness them should take care to record any relevant circumstances - such as the positions of members of the household - within their immediate knowledge.
(c) Keeping records - experiments.
In addition to the records kept by the investigators, the occupants of the building or locality concerned should be asked to keep a journal in which phenomena are fully recorded as soon as they occur, with crucial details as to time, light, the position of persons in the vicinity, and so forth. The occupants should also be encouraged to take films and tape-recordings and to attempt whatever experiments and methods of control seem appropriate.
What to do and what not to do - the basics of an investigation
- When you become involved in an investigation, remember that you go as an individual, representing only yourself. Observing the following points will help avoid potential pitfalls.
- Don't go by yourself. Most cases are reported by genuine experients, but some people have strange motives for calling an investigator. Moreover, two heads are better than one when it comes to making observation and asking questions.
- Keep relations with the experients and witnesses as relaxed as possible. Consult them about your plans in terms they can understand. You may need to reassure them that investigators don't charge fees.
- Keep an open mind and avoid preconceptions. Your expectations may interfere with your observations.
- You're likely to be regarded as an expert. But be tactful, and even reticent, in expressing your views, especially if the situation may involve mental or emotional problems.
- Don't play amateur psychiatrist or get involved in family affairs. A good way to ease the situation is to encourage everyone to take a detached interest in the problems of the investigation, and reassure them that the only likely harm is from the state of their nerves. If attitudes permit, a visit from a clergyman or medium may help.
- Respect confidentiality and explain your procedure for protecting it.
- Take particular care where children are involved. Make sure that a parent or guardian is present during an interview.
- Avoid publicity. However, if reporters have already made contact with the people involved it may be helpful to establish good relations: their observations, equipment and judgements can be of value.
- Remember that the practical skills essential to successful investigation can only be acquired by experience and by a willingness to learn from mistakes. An investigator needs patience, humour, an open mind and a willingness to make repeated fruitless excursions.
Establish good relations, just as you would do with any new acquaintance: exchange of pleasantries and small talk help put people at their ease.
If possible, use a tape recorder, having asked for permission, but be prepared to make notes as well. It is best to interview witnesses separately, but often impossible in practice, especially on first visit. However, people sometimes have admitted in private to having 'gone along' with the testimony of others while holding different opinions, so take the opportunity if one arises.
Do not rush the witness, and allow him/her to tell the story in their own way without interference on the first telling. Encouraging comments and promptings will hopefully produce extra details without putting ideas into the person's head. Questions and clarifications can come later, when you go over the story with the witness again (and often again). Usually people are very willing to discuss their experience once they feel at ease, and this second, essential, stage, enables you to make sure that your record is accurate, to fill in the gaps, and to obtain extra details, even if at this stage they might appear trivial. Involve the witness in retelling the story in different ways, in different order and from a variety of perspectives. Make your questions as open as possible (e.g. 'How did you feel then?' offers more scope for replies than 'Were you frightened?').
Bear in mind that some people have vivid imaginations and may unintentionally and helpfully provide you with details which never existed. Errors of memory, speculation and wishful thinking are often part of the scene, and it often takes a lot of repeated probing and patient sifting to arrive at a reasonably accurate picture.


text:
A few of my clients have purchased "The Saltbox" coop from the My Pet Chicken site.
I had hoped to provide a product review on the site, but there is no space to do so. so I'm posting a review below.
I do not recommend the Saltbox coop for a number of reasons.
1. The coop is too small for "3-4 hens" as it is advertised. This coop is not adequate housing for 3-4 hens, with or without a run. This product is poorly categorized and advertised. The following paragraph from the website is misleading:
Designed for up to 4 chickens
With plenty of roosting and nesting space, you can happily house up to four standard-size chickens, or up to six bantams. Keep in mind this coop, like every coop we sell at My Pet Chicken, is NOT intended for full-time confinement. The run is convenient when you can't let your flock roam freely, but make sure your flock has several hours per day outside.
This coop is too tiny for 1-2 hens, even with a run.
The paragraph that follows recommends it as a broody box or hospital, which is a more accurate description.It also suggests that you'll get a bigger coop soon.
We love this model for first-timers because it offers inexpensive entree into the hobby. If you're like most of our customers, you'll double or triple your flock within a few years, and you'll end up having to build or buy a larger coop – but you'll love having this one on hand. Whether you use it to isolate an injured or sick bird, to give a broody hen the space to hatch her own babies, or to transition new juvenile chicks to life "outdoors" while protecting them from your established flock, you'll always be glad to have it around!
So why spend $400 on this one now? Better to spend a little more or pay someone to make it and get a more permanent solution!
2. The roosting and nesting area is not adequately ventilated. The hens will suffocate or die of heatstroke in the summer if the door is kept closed at night! A good coop needs to have some sort of ventilation/crossbreeze. I was assuming the window could be opened, but it cannot be.
3. The latches on the side doors are not "predator proof," as advertised. A smart raccoon would figure out how to open these latches. They are well within easy reach of the roof. The kind of latches on the nesting box should be used on all doors to the coop.
4. The predrilled holes for the hardware are not properly placed. Once installed, the latches did not close at all for one of my clients, and the other client has to work at it to get the latch closed on the door to the roost area.
5. The wood splinters easily. My clients had splintering where they inserted the screws, and at the corners of the lift-off nest box lid. A hardwood, rather than a softwood,should have been used.
6. The drop tray is not deep enough to slide out with all the poop and bedding on it. It is far too shallow.It should be 1 1/2 – 2 inches deep to handle chicken litter.
7. There is no room to put the feeding/watering dishes, either hanging or on the ground. The site recommends, and my client purchased, the 11lb plastic feeder. However, if you add that to the enclosed wire area, that reduces the already scarce space. With the feeder and the waterer in this tiny coop, we would be better off raising quail! There is no room for the feeder, waterer, and 2 birds, let alone 4. Also, the frame and wood do not appear adequate to support a hanging feeder. They certainly could not support the hanging waterer.
8. The plastic waterer and feeder barely fit through the door. They have to be tilted sideways to fit through the door.
Poor product, misleading advertising! I'd be suspicious of their other coops' quality and advertising claims, too.


text:
In Life, and Especially Death, John F. Kennedy Changed TV
NEW YORK | It's a measure of how long ago President John F. Kennedy died that, at the time, television was described as a young medium. With the shooting in Dallas, TV grew up.
Coverage that November weekend 50 years ago signaled, at last, that television could fulfill its grand promise. It could be "more than wires and lights in a box," in the words of newsman Edward R. Murrow, and not just the "vast wasteland" that Federal Communications Commission chairman Newton Minow had branded it just two years before.
Rising to an unprecedented challenge, television could perform an incalculable public service. It could hold the country together: Americans convened in a video vigil, gathering before an electronic hearth. Nonstop broadcasts by America's three networks provided a sense of unity, a chance to grieve together, a startling closeness to distant events.
And television, exhaustively chronicling the murder, memorial and burial, gave viewers the final scenes of a political career ushered in almost in tandem with the video age.
In life and especially in death, John F. Kennedy changed television forever.
Back in 1956, TV in its infancy had introduced many Americans to the young politician as he made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic vice presidential nomination.
Four years later, he was running for the presidency, with TV joining him on the campaign trail.
His landmark televised debates with Republican nominee Richard Nixon helped seal the deal. Some 70 million Americans watched the first debate, with the telegenic Kennedy deemed the clear winner. Televised debates would become staples of future presidential campaigns.
Once in office, Kennedy and the growing medium of television (households owning a TV had soared to 46.9 million in 1960 from 9.8 million a decade earlier, according to Nielsen) created further indelible images.
His inaugural address in 1961 was seen by millions as he urged Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you...." He charmed viewers with his televised press conferences, which were candid, off-the-cuff and sometimes talk-show-host witty.
Once, a newsman asked Kennedy if, given the burdens of the presidency, he enjoyed the job — and would he recommend it to others?
"The answer to the first is yes, and the second is no," he quipped, his face crinkled in a grin. "I don't recommend it to others — at least, for a while."
Viewers loved his wife, Jackie, too. In February 1962, all three networks — CBS, NBC and ABC — aired her tour of the newly restored White House. More than 80 million Americans tuned in.
"Television brought John Kennedy and his family into America's living rooms as had been the case with no president before," sums up historian Robert Caro, whose books include a multi-volume biography of Kennedy successor Lyndon Johnson.
Then, on Nov. 22, 1963, and in the days that followed, TV devoted itself to an all-consuming national tragedy.
"Television intensified all the emotions of those four days. It intensified the shock and horror of the murder, and then the murder of the murderer," Caro said, referring to Lee Harvey Oswald's slaying. "It intensified the grief and the mourning and the mystery. And it intensified the healing process of the funeral ceremonies."
But TV also assisted with a seldom-recognized part of the transition process, Caro adds: It reintroduced a man who for three years toiled in the margins — Johnson, Kennedy's vice president — as he was summoned to command at a crisis point of trauma and alarm.
Says Caro, "You have to recognize the relationship of television not only to the dead president, but also to the new president taking over — his reassuring, calming effect on the public because of his demeanor."
Johnson's demeanor was first on display just hours after the assassination as he arrived from Dallas at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington on Air Force One, accompanying the casket and Mrs. Kennedy, still in her bloodstained pink suit.
Clustered nearby were some 50 members of the media, including NBC News correspondent Robert Abernethy, whose primary memory is how "eerily quiet" it was as they waited.
"The reporters and crews, nobody said much — or could say much," recalled Abernethy, now 85 and still busy as the host of "Religion & Ethics Newsweekly" on PBS.
He and his counterparts from the other networks offered spare commentary on the sad scene as the newly sworn-in Johnson stepped to the forest of microphones and, striking just the right blend of resolve and humility, told the nation, "I will do my best. That is all I can do. I ask for your help, and God's."
This was one of so many unforgettable moments that had begun, for many viewers, with the stark on-screen message "CBS News Bulletin" as the voice of anchor Walter Cronkite had cut into the lunch-hour soap "As the World Turns."
"President Kennedy has been the victim of an assassin's bullet in Dallas, Texas," Cronkite reported. "It is not known as yet whether the president survived ..."
All too soon, Cronkite, by then on camera with his eyes moist and voice choking, made his memorable pronouncement that Kennedy had died.
"We began dispatching people in all directions," CBS News Washington bureau chief William Small said. "We sent one remote to the White House, one to the Hill. We didn't have a third, so we improvised: We took a Greenbrier station wagon and put the guts of a remote (a camera and other equipment) in it and headed it toward Lyndon Johnson's house."
Like many others in command roles, Small didn't leave the bureau for the next four days, "from the shooting to the burial."
"When I finally got home," he said, "I asked my wife, 'What was it like?' She said, 'There was no one on the streets. Everyone was watching television.'"
Never before had the public been privy to such a seismic event beyond their own experience delivered with such you-are-there thoroughness and immediacy.
The three networks threw out regular programming and suspended commercials for blanket coverage of unfolding events in Dallas, Washington and elsewhere from Friday through Monday, a span of consecutive TV coverage not exceeded until September 2001.
And the nation was transfixed. Following the White House confirmation of Kennedy's death, nearly half of all the country's TV homes were in use. A few hours later, nearly two-thirds of all TV homes were tuned in. And on Monday afternoon, during the funeral coverage, viewers in 81 percent of the nation's homes had their eyes glued to the screen, according to Nielsen.
This upended a world where people still got most of their news from print, when newsreels still accompanied the features at movie theaters.
"It was the coming of age of television news," said Dan Rather, who was in Dallas to coordinate CBS' coverage of a political visit by the president that was expected to produce little actual news.
At the instant Kennedy was shot, Rather was standing nearby on what was meant to be the presidential motorcade route's last stop, where cameramen would hand off film for Rather to rush to the lab for processing.
Though he didn't witness the shooting, the future CBS anchor saw the president's limousine rush by and it "seemed to be heading in the wrong direction," Rather says. "When I got over the overpass to the grassy knoll, I knew what had happened was really bad. That scene of chaos, confusion and fear in front of the textbook depository is as vivid to me today as the day I experienced it."
ABC News' Bob Clark was riding in the press car of the motorcade as one of the pool reporters.
"Oswald was shooting directly over the press car. We heard the shots," Clark recalled. "Then our car raced off, following the president's car to the hospital, not having any idea what was going on."
At Parkland Memorial Hospital, it was immediately clear Kennedy had been gravely injured.
"The president was lying in the backseat of the limousine," Clark reported in his first phone dispatch, "his head cradled in the first lady's lap. At this stage, there was no official word as to whether Mr. Kennedy was still alive. But he lay motionless on the backseat of the car for some two minutes while a stretcher was wheeled out from the hospital."
The visual that viewers saw during Clark's account wasn't Clark, but the seal of the president of the United States. This, of course, was an age before digital technology, portable video and all but the most cursory satellite transmission. The relative primitiveness of the available tools becomes a further testament to the networks' achievement.
For example, the cameras used for live transmission were full-size rigs, "and we only had a limited number of them," said Small. This posed a particular challenge in covering Monday's funeral procession in Washington.
After the funeral at St. Matthew's Cathedral, Kennedy's flag-draped coffin was carried on a horse-drawn caisson the several miles to Arlington National Cemetery, where he would be buried. TV covered the somber passage every foot of the way.
"We enlisted every correspondent we had," Small recalled. And as the caisson moved past each camera position, that camera crew would leapfrog down the line beyond the next camera. "Some cameras were in four positions during the day," Small said.
TV's funeral coverage, even viewed today, seems perfectly suited to the occasion. It was meditative and dignified. Telecast in black-and-white (as most TV still was), the somber monochrome seems fitting as it captured Kennedy's flag-draped coffin in the Capitol Rotunda, the riderless horse, the veiled widow with her 3-year-old son in a salute, the eternal flame at the gravesite.
These sights gave the viewer a chance to absorb, and mourn, the enormity of what had taken place.
And yet, they came just a day after an awful counterpoint: Oswald's on-screen shooting.
It occurred during a photo op where the media could glimpse the accused assassin as he was transferred from city police custody to the county jail. NBC was on the air live when nightclub owner Jack Ruby lunged for Oswald, who, flanked by deputies, was cut down at point-blank range.
Never before had a real-life homicide aired live on TV.
"He's been shot, Lee Oswald has been shot!" NBC correspondent Tom Pettit erupted. "It's absolute panic here in the basement of Dallas Police headquarters."
The other two networks had missed airing the murder live, but CBS brought a pioneering dimension to the murder scene. Within two hours, it had engineered what was likely a first for TV news: a film playback of the shooting in slow motion and freeze-frame.
Kennedy's shooting two days earlier had not been aired live. But it was captured on film by a spectator, Abraham Zapruder, with his 8mm movie camera.
Then, amazingly, this unique visual record did not air for more than a decade. In 1963, the images seemed too disturbing for the public to behold — and 50 years later, the 486 frames continue to horrify, even as they have fueled conflicting theories of who, and how many, fired the shots.
Nowadays, the idea that the president's every public minute could evade documenting by professional media — not to mention scores of ordinary onlookers and self-styled citizen journalists — seems inconceivable.
"In today's world," said Rather, "you would have had cameras all over the place, and it would have been very difficult not to have pictures of the limousine with the president slumped over" — that is, video from every angle showing the killing in high-def detail, repeatedly broadcast and viewable on YouTube.
Rather draws a cautionary picture of such a murder covered in today's hopped-up media environment, with many rival channels digging for details while voicing on-the-fly theories of what had happened and who might be behind it.
The atmosphere of necessary restraint 50 years ago "may have worked to the country's advantage," Rather said. "The information the nation needed came in due course as it made its peaceful transition of power at the top."
To argue for restraint can be heresy in journalistic circles, but even that weekend traumatized Americans were conflicted about the information coming to them via TV.
"The viewing ordeal was almost uncannily strange," wrote The New York Times' TV writer Jack Gould, describing "a battle within one's self not to hear more and an uncontrollable hunger to obtain additional information." Meanwhile, both viewers and broadcasters grappled with "an inclination to think about what the future may hold and an embarrassed realization that it was much too soon to do so."
A half-century later, this is a struggle that TV, along with its audience, still grapples with.


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Fudgey Banana Brownies
These brownies are seriously dangerous. Dangerously delicious. I was a bit skeptical about how they'd turn out. I figured the banana would just serve to boost the moistness of the brownies. When I took my first bite, I realized that the banana flavor is actually pretty strong.
Hubby did thank me for warning him that they were banana flavored. I think if you bit into one and weren't expecting the banana flavor, it would really throw you off!
I threw these brownies into the freezer so we wouldn't eat the whole pan of them in a day or two… They were great cold, at room temperature, and even better zapped in the microwave for a few seconds. Of course, if you have a warm gooey brownie, you might as well top it with a scoop of ice cream and some leftover dulce de leche. That was definitely my favorite way to enjoy these brownies!
Three Years Ago: Perfect Summer Salsa and Dairy Free Cheesecake Pops
Fudgey Banana Brownies
Yield: 16
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 medium bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1/3 cup dark cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
Beat butter, crisco, sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy. Add mashed banana and vanilla and beat until combined.
Add flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
Press batter into a lightly greased 8×8 baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out semi-clean. Cool before cutting into 16 pieces.
Recipe adapted from Becky Bakes
Don't forget about Bloggers Bake for Hope – Bloggers Bake. You Bid. 100% of proceeds go to Komen for a Cure. Register to bake by April 30th, come back for bidding May 4-6.
2 Responses to "M&M, that spells MMmmm… (Eat to the Beat)"
Yum! My coworker used to make something very similar to these and I would chow down on them 🙂 Thanks for participating!
Yum! When no one is around, I dip pretzels into the Nutella jar my husband keeps in the pantry. These sound like they would be just up my alley! What a fun idea too – will have to try these with the kids sometime.


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Wasp-sting deaths like Quebec mayor's are rare
Canada sees perhaps 3 or 4 deaths each year from reactions to insect venom, allergist estimates
The death of a Quebec mayor who was stung multiple times after stepping on a wasps' nest while gardening is a tragic but cautionary tale for those who run afoul of bees, hornets or other stinging insects — especially if they have a severe allergy to their venom, experts say.
Lucie F. Roussel, mayor of La Prairie, died in hospital Sunday after being stung at least 15 times in the garden of her cottage near Stratford, Que., municipal authorities said.
There are conflicting reports as to whether the 51-year-old widowed mother of two teens had an allergic reaction, but La Prairie spokeswoman Chantal Charron said Roussel had never been diagnosed with an allergy to wasp stings.
"She was not diagnosed by a doctor. She did not know that she was allergic — if that was the case," Charron told The Canadian Press, noting that Roussel had emergency injectable epinephrine at her home because her late husband had been allergic.
Dr. Susan Waserman, an allergist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., said it's extremely uncommon for someone to die as a result of insect venom directly, although there are a few cases in the medical literature.
"It's possible, but it's rare," Waserman said Tuesday from Hamilton. "This is not a common phenomenon."
Most deaths that result from insect stings are caused by a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, which can be marked by such symptoms as breaking out in diffuse hives, having difficulty breathing, feeling lightheaded and sometimes vomiting, she said.
"Usually, most acute allergic reactions occur within minutes to an hour," Waserman said, noting that people may feel their tongue start tingling and their throat swelling.
"And if you have no reason to believe you are allergic, many people are caught off guard, and they don't generally carry an epinephrine auto-injector."
Symptoms of anaphylaxis can vary from one person to another and even from one reaction to the next, said Beatrice Povolo, a spokeswoman for the charitable advocacy group Anaphylaxis Canada.
What makes this allergic reaction so life-threatening is that the airways swell and close up, the blood pressure plummets and the heart starts beating irregularly — all signs the person is experiencing anaphylactic shock.
"Our key messaging to patients is always to be prepared," said Povolo, advising anyone with a diagnosed allergy to insect stings to carry two epinephrine auto-injectors, the second as backup or in case a double dose is needed.
'All the EpiPen does is buy you time'
Epinephrine is a form of adrenalin, given by a shot typically in the muscles of the thigh, that can counteract the allergic reaction until the affected person can receive medical treatment in hospital or by paramedics.
"Realize that all the EpiPen does is buy you time," stressed Dr. Mitch Shulman, a Montreal emergency medicine specialist who has treated many patients for stings over the years, including some who developed anaphylaxis.
"If you've used the EpiPen, you must be seen in an emergency room or by somebody who's competent. And the reason is the venom is still in your system," he said, explaining that the epinephrine will wear off, potentially allowing a rebound reaction hours later, which can be even more serious than the original attack.
Waserman said that sometimes people don't know they are allergic to insect venom, even though they may have already been stung once before.
"Often it takes some degree of exposure in order to become allergic, so that most people think that a first exposure isn't enough. But a lot of times, people don't remember ever having had a first exposure or they've had it but had such a mild reaction or no reaction."
Anyone who suspects they may be allergic to stinging insects should ask to be referred to an allergist, who will do skin tests to confirm if they react to the venoms of particular bugs.
2 brands of epinephrine auto-injectors
If any of the tests are positive, the patient can begin immunotherapy — a series of shots incorporating the venom that are usually given over a five-year period to gradually build up protective antibodies that prevent an allergic reaction.
There are two brands of epinephrine auto-injectors sold in Canada — EpiPen and Allerject — which Waserman said can be purchased without a prescription from pharmacies across Canada. Unused, EpiPen's effectiveness lasts about a year, while Allerject is good for about 18 months, she said.
Even those without a diagnosed allergy might be wise to carry one when outdoors, Waserman said.
For "people who are in the country, far from medical care in remote areas, it's not a bad idea if you're an outdoorsy person ... to keep an epinephrine auto-injector with you in the event that something like this arises out of left field," she advised, referring to Roussel's case.
"It's not common, but in adults venom is a major cause of anaphylaxis. We're not talking about huge numbers of people — only about two per cent of Canadians are at risk. We do not have many deaths across the country — every year, maybe three or four people in Canada at most."
Still, potentially life-threatening allergies to insect stings, foods and other substances are on the rise in Canada and elsewhere in North America, said Povolo.
While completely avoiding bugs is virtually impossible during the warm-weather months, gardens, golf courses and cottage country are particular outdoor hotspots for insects like honey bees and yellow jackets, which can deliver more than just a sting to those susceptible to allergic reactions, she said.
Her message is simple: "Really be conscious of your surroundings and always be prepared."


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Diabetes: Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high.Fact: More than 2 million Canadians have diabetes.
Current research continues to show connections between diabetes and dementia. In fact, following recent discoveries, some scientists have been referring to dementia as a third form of diabetes (in addition to Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes).
With Type 1 diabetes, formerly called Juvenile diabetes, the body does not produce insulin, a hormone released by the pancreas. With Type 2 diabetes, which is more common, the body does not make or use insulin properly. The risk of Type 2 diabetes increases with age, especially beginning in mid-life.
High blood glucose or blood sugar—the hallmark of diabetes—is bad for your body and for your brain.
The links between diabetes and dementia in later life are complex. One connecting factor may be glucose, a blood sugar that is a major source of energy for our brains. The body regulates glucose by producing insulin. High blood sugars occur when the body does not produce enough insulin or the organs, like muscle, the heart or brain, fail to respond to the insulin.
Insulin is important to the brain because this organ uses a lot of energy. But too much insulin in the blood stream can be harmful to the brain. This form of insulin toxicity may contribute to some of the intellectual loss seen in persons with diabetes.
Studies suggest a two-fold increased risk for developing dementia in later life in persons with diabetes in their middle or later years. Research shows that risk factors for diabetes such as midlife obesity and lack of physical activity are also risk factors for Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia as we get older.
In addition, diabetes can cause other health problems that may increase the onset of dementia.
Being overweight contributes to the diabetes-dementia connection since the fatty tissue that accumulates with obesity reduces the efficiency of insulin in the body, which can then alter the activity and health of brain cells.
Although the risk for dementia is increased in persons with diabetes, individuals should recognize that many people with diabetes live a full healthy life with normal intellect. Studies show that careful control of blood sugars, based on blood testing, seems to reduce the risk. Periodic low blood sugars have not been shown to be harmful to memory except in extreme cases.


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You are currently browsing the daily archive for August 13, 2012.
In Utah a few weeks ago, I saw a deer, recently dead . . . judging by the redness of some remaining tissue, but scavengers like ravens and coyotes had mostly picked clean its intact ribcage, which itself would soon be hauled away in sections by the larger beasts. Binghamton, the 1905 ferry, is dead.
Riverwater ravens and coyotes have been picking her clean but ever so slowly. I took the next three fotos last October, 2011.
Here's a post I did with interior shots, including this
elegant staircase leading up to the bar.
Fast forward 10 months: Sally Seymour took these fotos late last week as they traveled downriver in the rain.
The river has been scavenging, but
ever so slowly, as if to say . . . I know some of this beauty could be saved but it
just "aint gonna happen."
If one option is letting the vessel disintegrate and travel downriver piecemeal, then I hope a huge machine gets in here and devours it in a day BUT invites me in to take fotos of each bite.
But oh . . . that bar!!
Fotos 5, 6, and 7 by Sally Seymour. All others by Will Van Dorp. And thanks to Walter Stevens for sending this background article along . . published early December 2011.