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Emotions run high at Fernwood centergun show
Conversations about the ethics of guns, the legality of guns, American culture and ethics surfaced Saturday at a large gun show held at Fernwood Hotel and Conference Center that drew hundreds.
The mass murders in Newtown, Conn., last month were on attendees' minds and helped fuel their passions about the gun debate.
Here's a sample of some sights and conversations from the show:
• "Let's face it. Criminals will always find a way to get guns. Why, then, can't we as regular, law-abiding people also be able to get guns? We should be able to protect ourselves," said Robin Bishop of Hackettstown, N.J., who came to the show to buy a new gun for home protection.
• If a picture is worth a thousand words, then so too perhaps are slogans seen on T-shirts: "Guns Don't Kill People, Guns Kill Deer"; "A Gun in the Hand Is Worth Two Cops on the Phone,"; "If Guns Kill People, Spoons Make People Fat"; "iPack"; "Fear a Government That Fears Guns."
• At a section where stun guns were sold, a merchant was showing one off. A young woman and an older man were looking at a stun gun..
The young woman asked the merchant, "Yeah, but are they legal in New Jersey?"
"Who cares if they are legal in New Jersey," said the older man. "If someone comes after you, you zap them — boom, end of story."
• A couple from Poland now living near Wilkes-Barre, Agata Pawlica and Mariusz Hacia, said they signed up to be members of the NRA for the first time on Saturday.
They said that if they ever have any legal worries with respect to their guns, the NRA will back them up. They also said it's good for insurance purposes. They said that having guns made them feel safe in their home.
Asked if they felt they would ever need a gun in Poland, they both said no. When asked why they thought they needed a gun in America, they said that they felt America was more violent.
They also said that, even though they loved the many cultures in America, it creates a sort of tension that increases the chances for violence.
• Monica Lagano of New York said that she was sickened by what happened in Newtown. But she argued that guns were not the culprit in that tragedy.
She felt punishing gun owners will solve nothing.
"Have you ever heard of fire starters? People who start fires to kill people? If someone wants to kill, they will find a way."
• Henry Jacobs, a recruiter for the NRA, said he would only speak his personal opinions to the press. He said he wasn't exactly sure what should be done about the violence in schools.
He said he didn't think there was enough money to put an armed guard or police officers in every school. He said gun-owning parents should take more responsibility. He said that his kids grew up around guns, that they never had any restricted access to the guns. He said he taught them never to point a gun at someone unless they intended to kill them.
He said that the message of never point a gun at anyone was so deeply ingrained that his son, an expert marksman, refused to play paint ball because he didn't want to point a gun at anyone.
• Jason Zavala, of Stroudsburg was at the show to buy a handgun for home protection. He said he believes guns are important because good people should be able to protect themselves.
"I don't want to be the guy who doesn't have a gun if a bad guy's got one."
Would violence that wouldn't normally escalate actually escalate if a gun were involved?
"Look, America is a violent place. Let's not lie. This country was founded on violence," he said. "Look what happened to the Indians. Look at the Civil War, for God's sake, it was cousin killing cousin. Until violence changes, I want to be able to protect myself."


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subset: commoncrawl


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While holidays may bring out our creative side, they also bring out our crazy side. Few things bring out both like holiday decorating. As a Geek Squad Agent I love to use technology, which in this case means one thing – a computer-controlled holiday light show. Here's a break-down of how to to put together this year's Halloween show.
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text: Taking on electrical repair all on your own is surely an exceedingly poor concept. Although you may get some novice wiring understanding, you're more effective off entrusting the job into a skilled. Not simply could you possibly end up messing issues up a whole lot worse (and consequently producing the ultimate professional call even more… Continue reading Electrical Repair Shop


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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani authorities have arrested two top leaders of the Islamic militant group India blames for the November massacre in Mumbai, Pakistan's prime minister confirmed Wednesday.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Pakistani security forces had rounded up a number of militant figures.
The top military officer in the U.S. on Wednesday said he is "encouraged" by Pakistan's recent arrests of "significant players" in the Mumbai attacks.
U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said the arrests amount to "first steps" toward determining who plotted the three day siege last month that killed 160 people in Mumbai, India's financial capital.
"There are more steps to follow," he noted.
He also thanked India for showing restraint against Pakistan, which it has accused of harboring the terrorist groups behind the November massacre.
Zarar Shah, a top operational commander of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, and Zakir Rehman Lakhvi, whose arrest had been reported Tuesday, were among the militant figures rounded up in recent days, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told reporters.
Gilani would not confirm the detention of Masood Azhar, the leader of another militant group, Jaish-e-Muhammad. But he said his government has launched its own investigation into India's allegations that the gunmen who killed more than 160 people in Mumbai had links to Pakistan.
The acknowledgment came three days after Pakistani security forces raided an LeT camp near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, in the first sign of government action against Lashkar-e-Tayyiba since the three-day siege of India's financial capital.
Both LeT and Jaish-e-Muhammad were formed to battle Indian rule in the divided Himalayan territory of Kashmir, and both were banned after a 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that brought the South Asian nuclear rivals to the brink of war.
The United States has listed LeT as a terrorist group with ties to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. According to the U.S. government, Lakhvi, 47, has directed LeT's military operations in southeast Asia, Chechnya, Bosnia and Iraq.
Pakistan's Defense Minister Choudhry Mukhtar Ahmed told CNN's sister network in India, CNN-IBN, that Lakhvi and Azhar had been arrested on Monday. Azhar has been in Pakistan since 1999, when he was released from an Indian prison in exchange for hostages aboard a hijacked Indian airliner.
Indian authorities say the sole surviving gunman in the Mumbai attacks told investigators that he was trained at an LeT camp near Muzaffarabad, along with the nine other attackers who were killed in the three-day siege. A Pakistani security official said the terror raids on banned militant groups are ongoing and have resulted in at least 15 arrests.
All About Pakistan • India • Lashkar-e-Tayyiba


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posted by Chelsboo6
উইনিই-দ্যা-পুঃ may seem like an innocent children's story on the surface, but after deeper inspection it doesn't appear to be so! Journals published in the Canadian Medical Journal have shed new light on the characters.
First written দ্বারা A. A. Milne in 1926, and after being acquired দ্বারা Disney, উইনিই-দ্যা-পুঃ went on to become one of the most successful children's series of all time. However, it turns out there are immense psychological undertones throughout the series and each character was meant to portray a different disorder. Tigger has severe ADHD, Piglet has anxiety, Rabbit has OCD, Owl has narcissism, Eore has extreme depression,Christopher Robin (Represents Schizophrenia (He has delusions দ্বারা seeing the other characters, they are not real to anyone else but him.) while Pooh represents an eating disoder!


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New York City Council Stated Meeting Report
Every two weeks the New York City Council meets for its Stated Meeting to introduce and pass legislation. As a regular feature, Searchlight covers these meetings and posts a summary of the bills passed.
STATED MEETING - May 5, 2004
Quote of the Day:
"This sends a message to taxpayers that when we use their money, that we use it with a goal of equality and full recognition of all under the law." -
Councilmember Christine Quinn, author of a bill that requires companies that contract with city government to provide domestic partner benefits to their employees.
Meeting Summary:
The New York City Council passed the "Equal Benefits Bill," (Intro 137-B) legislation that requires companies that contract with New York City for $100,000 or more to provide benefits to the domestic partners of their employees.
Municipal employees were given domestic partner benefits beginning in 1998, but currently companies or organizations that contract with the city are not required to abide by the same rules.
"Today the city of New York will very clearly say that we will not do business with companies that do not provide equal benefits for all of their employees," said Speaker Gifford Miller. "We should not sanction discrimination with our dollars, and we will not."
The bill had strong support from other city officials including the city comptroller and public advocate, as well as groups like the Central Labor Council and the Empire State Pride Agenda.
However, some City Council members opposed the bill because it also applies to religious organizations and institutions, some of which oppose gay and lesbian relationships.
"[It] forces religious institutions to violate their beliefs," said Councilmember Peter Vallone, Jr. "These religious institutions provide food for the hungry and clothes to the poor, and they are not making any profit. I think religious institutions should have been exempted."
Officials for the New York Archdiocese have said the organization may stop providing benefits to employees altogether or sue the city if required to provide domestic partnership benefits.
But supporters argued that bill took religious organizations into consideration by providing a provision that allows them to provide benefits - not by virtue of domestic partnership - but because family members live in the same household.
The bill passed by a vote of 43 in favor, 5 against, and 2 abstentions. Voting "no" were Democratic council members Simcha Felder, James Gennaro, Peter Vallone, Jr., and Republicans Dennis Gallagher and James Oddo. Allan Jennings and Michael Nelson abstained.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said he would veto the bill, arguing that the city should not use its purchasing power to promote social causes. The council has more than 35 votes needed to override the veto.
Over the next few weeks the City Council will focus almost exclusively on the $46 billion city budget, which must be adopted in June. (Click here for a full list of public hearings on the budget.)
The next Stated Meeting is scheduled for May 19, 2004.
For an archive of past meetings and council votes, visit Gotham Gazette's Searchlight.


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Dir/scr: Nour-Eddine Lahmari. Morocco. 2012. 111mins
A bold and atmospheric exercise in crime film noir set against the vibrant backdrop of contemporary Casablanca, Nour-Eddine Lahmari's cop drama Zero is a stylish, absorbing and impressively made film, driven by a wonderfully intense performance by Younes Bouab as a troubled cop Amin Bertale, nicknamed 'Zero' by those around him.
Younes Bouab is perfect as he troubled cop, brimming with righteous anger.
The film, which screened at the Dubai International Film Festival, could well intrigue buyers looking for a strongly made North African crime film and should feature in other festivals, especially those with a crime theme. Impressively performed and shot with a good deal of style and sense of location, it is a film that deserves attention.
Something of a lost soul, he is shunned by the heavily corrupt police department, and while pacing the mean streets of Casablanca makes a little money on the side working with Mimi (Zineb Samara), who poses as a prostitute with clients only for Zero to bust them and take money from the men to keep quiet.
Zero is also burdened by his disabled father who he grudgingly looks after – his angry father (Mohamed Majd) rants at his son, wants to smoke dope and lusts after women - but still does his best to tend to his needs. When he takes his father to hospital he meets the sophisticated Dr Kenza Amor (Sonia Okacha Chraibi) who he is attracted to.
When listening to a series of deadbeat complaints while on duty late one night, his life takes a change of direction when he meets a woman who is looking for her 15 year-old daughter who left the countryside and she fears has been corrupted in the big bad city. He sees the woman around the streets handing out flyers and decides to look into the case.
His decision sees him descend into a dark and steamy world of brothels and prostitution and he finds himself under threat from both gangsters and corrupt police, in the form of his police commissioner (Aziz Dadas) who hands out beatings to those who aren't with him.
The story is a familiar one and often used in Hollywood productions, but while writer/director Nour-Eddine Lahmari borrows certain classic film noir elements, he brings to the film a fresh and energetic sense of pacing, strong characters and a real appreciation for the cop-in-turmoil genre. Younes Bouab is perfect as he troubled cop, brimming with righteous anger, and gets better and better as the films spirals into glossy action when Zero makes his play to fight his way into a brothel.
Production company/contact: TIMLIF Productions, firstname.lastname@example.com
Producer: Redouan Bayed
Cinematography: Luca Coassin
Editor: Youssef Mernissi
Music: Richard Horowitz
Main cast: Younes Bouab, Zineb Samara, Mohamed Majd, Sonia Okacha Chraibi, Aziz Dadas, Raouya Fatima Harandi


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The road to a Monterey Bay League and Central Coast Section wrestling title still goes through perennial power Gilroy.
The defending CCS champion Mustangs made a statement Thursday, knocking off Palma 52-17 in a battle for supremacy.
Gilroy came into the match ranked No. 1 in the section with Palma seeded No. 2.
Tyler Escoto (220), Josiah Pulealli (195), Hildelv Manzur (HVT) and Kevin Piffero (103) were winners for Palma. Gilroy recorded six pins in keeping their supremacy intact. Five wrestlers for Palma were out with the flu.
Pacific Grove 76, Soledad 0
Josh Roman (134), Jordan Buntenbach (140), Luis Pina (160) and Keaton Klockow (197) were all winners by pins for the Breakers, who will compete in the Marin Catholic Invitational on Saturday.
Monterey 2, Palma 1
Brian Pacheco broke up a 1-1 tie with a goal late in the 41st minute as the Toreadores improved to 5-2 in the Monterey Bay League"s Pacific Division.
Monterey, which is 7-3-0 overall, surpassed last year"s entire win total. Hyunsik Lee produced his team-leading ninth goal of the season. Tim Morse had four saves for the Toreadores. Eduardo Munoz scored for Palma.
Alvarez 3, North Salinas 0
The Eagles bounced back after a heartbreaking loss on Tuesday, blanking North Salinas to improve to 11-2-0 overall and 5-1-0 in the MBL"s Pacific Division.
Pacific Grove 7, Trinity 0
Shawn Christopher and Jordan Jones had two goals apiece as the Breakers cruised past the visiting Trinity Christian Warriors.
Pacific Grove (6-4-3, 5-2) also got goals from Jack Giovinazzo, Daniel Pankratz and Alex Gonzales-O"Brien, while Ricardo Munoz was a standout for the Breakers.
Salinas 43, Notre Dame 38
The win was bittersweet for the Cowboys, who lost the services of guard Kiyana Rivera to an injury in the third quarter.
Sam Moore led a balanced Salinas (3-3) attack with 12 points while Cheyanne Kampa finished with 10. Marisa Given ignited the Spirts (9-9, 1-5) with 17 points, including four 3-pointers. Kiera Paulo finished with eight.
Christopher 51, Seaside 38
The Cougars are the class of the MBL"s Gabilan Division, remaining unbeaten in league play.
Sabrina Neal led Seaside with 18 points while Iwana Mason finished with six. Hanna Tabron ignited the Cougars (12-3, 6-0) with 14 points.
North Salinas 47, San Benito 45
The Vikings squandered a 16-point lead in the second half before recovering to edge San Benito. The win moved North Salinas into a tie for second in the Gabilan Division at 4-2 while the Balers slipped to 3-3.


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Poor Ralph Bellamy! For some reason, he almost was always cast as the guy who loses his fiancee or girlfriend to someone else in classic movies. Long before he played the evil Dr. Sapirstein in Rosemary's Baby, FDR in Sunrise at Campobello, or Randolph Duke in Trading Places, he was usually playing bland, good guy characters in films. That was his part in 1933's Headline Shooter, and this post is for this weekend's Journalism in Classic Film Blogathon, hosted by two great bloggers, Comet over Hollywood and Lindsay's Movie Musings. Be sure to visit their sites to read more great posts by other bloggers on this interesting film topic.
Headline Shooter was made in 1933 by RKO Studios. It's a fast moving film that comes in at 65 minutes! Try finding a movie of today that is that length! Directed by Otto Brower, screenplay by Agnes Christine Johnston and Allen Rivkin, music by the great Max Steiner, the film features Bill Gargan, Frances Dee, Ralph Bellamy, Jack LaRue, Wallace Ford, Betty Furness, Robert Benchley, Franklin Pangborn, Henry B. Walthall, and Dorothy Burgess.
Bill Allen(Bill Gargan), is a newsreel cameraman. He is brusque, always on the go, ready at a moment's notice to rush to the scene of a disaster to film it. He thinks he is the best at his chosen career, and his ego is enormous. Fellow cameraman, Mike(Wallace Ford) is his compatriot in the newsreel business. Early in the film, we see Bill filming the disastrous effects of an earthquake and meeting Jane Mallory(Francis Dee), a reporter on the scene writing about the earthquake. Bill and Jane immediately irritate each other and then they get wind of a story about a baby being delivered in an emergency room at a nearby hospital with no electricity available and they jointly rush to cover that news story. After the night's news has been covered, Jane and Bill have softened up their opinions of one another and we can tell they are interested in each other, but Jane confesses to Bill that she is engaged to Hal Caldwell(Ralph Bellamy), a banker in Riverport, Mississippi and that soon she'll be marrying Hal and giving up her journalistic career for one of domestic life in a sleepy, southern town. After a few more "meet cutes" with Jane, Bill starts telling her that she should marry him and dump Hal and during one of these discussions, news of a brewery fire is sent to Bill and he rushes off to film that event, leaving Jane behind.
Three events occur that drastically affect Bill's life. First, his good pal, Mike, is killed while filming the brewery fire, second, Jane has moved to Riverport in order to marry Hal, and third, Riverport just happens to get hit with a huge flood and Bill is sent there to film it for the newsreel company. Hal agrees to drive Bill around the area in order for him to get some good shots of the flood, and Jane accompanies the both of them. When examining a local levee, Bill and Jane discover the levee was poorly built and if it had not suffered from such poor construction, it might have held back the raging flood waters. There is a prominent family in town, the Beacons, and Judge Beacon(Henry B. Walthall) begs Bill to not reveal anything about the levee. The Judge's son-in-law built it and the news would devastate the family's reputation in Riverport. Bill refuses to keep quiet about the levee and the Judge, so disgraced about that news getting out to the public, commits suicide! All of this angers Jane, who was starting to have doubts about marrying Hal and giving up journalism, but she is so mad at Bill, she recommits to marrying Hal and tells Bill to get out of her life! The day before her wedding, Jane is contacted by a notorious gangster's moll(Dorothy Burgess). The moll is dying and she wants to make a deathbed confession to Jane, so that Jane will write a story about it for the newspapers. The confession is about the gangster, Burnett, being a part of an unsolved murder. To keep Jane quiet, she is kidnapped by cohorts of Burnett's. Bill gets information as to where Jane is being held by confronting Ricci(Jack LaRue), a gangster pal of Burnett's. After a shootout with gangsters, Bill rescues Jane and she admits that she loves him and wants to marry him, not Hal(poor Ralph Bellamy!)
As I pointed out earlier, this is a 65 minute film so it goes by very quickly. Scenes from a real earthquake, factory fire, and flood were used in this film to good effect. Bill Allen, the protagonist of this piece, is the hard-nosed news man;out to cover a story at all cost, this is his life. However, when his friend dies covering that brewery fire, it gives Bill a bit of pause. It forces him to slow down a bit and evaluate his life. He realizes he doesn't enjoy being alone and that he loves Jane. He realizes he'd have to alter his life if he had a wife and eventually a family, that rushing off to cover the news and ignoring those closest to him in his personal life wouldn't be allowed to continue. Jane Mallory is a good reporter, capable and also wanting to cover the news well. She enjoys her career a lot so when she announces her goal is to now marry a banker and retire from her career, it just doesn't ring true to her character's persona. At the end, when we know she'll marry Bill, we can happily imagine her keeping her career and being quite content as a working, married woman.
Headline Shooter is an obscure film. It's not been released on any dvds or even on VHS! I only saw it a year ago because it aired on Turner Classic Movies. Two scenes from the movie are on their page about the film and you can view them by clicking on this link: http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/2906/Headline-Shooter/videos.html. William Gargan, who seemed to have been heading for leading man status in the 1930s, inexplicably wound up playing second leads in the 1940s and was the lead on a detective tv show in the 1950s, Martin Kane. I admired his portrayal of Sam Peters in Cheers for Miss Bishop, the lovelorn best friend of spinster teacher Ella Bishop, and he was also praised by critics for his portrayal of Patsy's father in The Bells of St. Mary's. Gargan was also a nominee for Best Supporting Actor in 1940's They Knew What They Wanted, which co-starred Charles Laughton and Carole Lombard.
Frances Dee, aka Mrs. Joel McCrea in real life, was also an actress who had lead potential in the 1930s but in the 1940s and 1950s, mainly played secondary roles. She too appeared on television shows from time to time. She is best known as playing Meg in 1933's Little Women, co-starring with Katherine Hepburn, and having the lead in the Jacques Tourneur directed I Walked With a Zombie; sort of a modern take on Jane Eyre, but set in the West Indies with voodoo and eerie goings on. Crazy title, I know, but actually a pretty good film!
For a fast-paced look at journalism and love, circa 1933, you'll have to search hard to find it, but look for Headline Shooter.


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For the growing population of elderly adults in the world, as well as those of all ages who suffer from disabilities, building accessibility can be a significant problem. Things that are common to most people, like walking upstairs, can be difficult or impossible for others. Fortunately, there are affordable accessibility technologies that can help remedy this problem. Elevator installation, repair services or lift installation, repair services, or ramp installation and repair services are the main accessibility improvement service companies that install, repair, maintain these accessibility solutions.
For purposes of this topic, we are not talking about commercial-style elevators in hotels, massive high-rise or office buildings, etc. The elevator, lift, ramp technologies discussed here are mostly for home use, or for use in smaller offices or other facilities that may be outside the scope of disability compliance laws. The accessibility improvement activities of the elevator installation and repair services lift installation and repair services, and ramp installation and repair services here are aimed at individual residential consumers and smaller facilities or locations that need improved accessibility.
In this article, we'll discuss the differences and ideal use cases for elevators, lifts, ramps, highlight the differences between accessibility improvement installation and repair services, and focus a bit on each of these three accessibility technologies in turn.
There are significant differences between elevators, lifts, and ramps, and each is often suited to specific areas or best use cases for improving accessibility. Some elevator installation, repair services, lift installation and repair services, and ramp installation and repair services specialize in just one of these three accessibility improvement areas. That is mostly because the technology, skills, and equipment needed to install, repair, and maintain elevators, lifts, ramps vary quite significantly between those accessibility improvement sectors.
Of course, there are accessibility improvement, elevator, lift and ramp installation and repair companies that may deal with two or all three of these different sectors, and bill themselves as something like an accessibility solution company or similar name. Elevator, lift, ramp installation and repair accessibility improvement companies often offer complete accessibility packages and can install or repair any accessibility improvement product.
Regardless, selecting an elevator installation and repair services, lift installation and repair services, or ramp installation and repair services an accessibility improvement company to install, repair, or maintain an accessibility product, or selecting an accessibility improvement company that does more than one thing, both should provide consumers with quality work and satisfactory outcomes for their accessibility needs.
There are distinctions between the different functions of elevator installation and repair services, lift installation and repair services, and ramp installation and repair services, about installation vs. repair vs. maintenance.
These distinctions are not exclusive to these sectors, of course, as many home and office product contractors work in much the same way. Examples include electricians, plumbers, general contractors, and similar categories. As ever, some small minority of elevator installation and repair services, lift installation and repair services, and ramp installation and repair services may only specialize in one of either installation or repairs, rather than both. However, most of the elevator, lift, ramp installation and repair accessibility improvement companies, by the nature of their skills and equipment, will be able to undertake installation and repair, as well as preventative maintenance activities.
Elevators are an excellent solution for multi-level office buildings or homes for those who use a wheelchair. These can take many forms, and there are many options available from qualified elevator installation and repair services an accessibility improvement companies.
In general, all these products work on the same principles as commercial elevators and lower or raise a platform to get to different floors. There are three primary types:
Typical repair and maintenance tasks on elevators are complicated, as there are a lot of moving and mechanical parts and specialized equipment involved. Accessibility improvement experts can ensure lifts remain in good working condition and repair any elevator problems that may develop in short order.
There is some overlap between lifts and elevators, as you can see from the above – two of the three types of elevators are also called lifts. However, in the context of accessibility improvement, there is another type of lift that is different and worth discussing, and that is the chairlift. Lift installation and repair services may be interchangeable with elevator installation and repair services companies regarding the elevator and lift-type devices discussed above, but when it comes to chair lifts, they are exclusively the domain of lift installation and repair services.
Chair lifts are designed for people who can generally walk and get around but might have difficulty climbing stairs, either due to joint pain, energy, fatigue, or for other reasons. Chair lifts can typically be installed as part of an existing staircase in a home or office. Chairlift accessibility improvement systems consist of a chair with an integrated motor, and a rail system mounted to the wall adjacent to the staircase. The motor lets the chair go up and down the rail under power, saving the need for users to climb upstairs.
Lift installation and repair services can advise consumers on whether their existing staircases, wall layout, and other factors will allow for a chair lift installation, and what kind of accessibility improvement will work with their home architecture and space. In some cases, modification or renovation of stairs may be required to install a chairlift.
Like elevators, these lifts have complicated mechanical and structural elements, and all lift repairs and maintenance works are best left to professionals. Lift installation and repair services companies can usually fix any problem that develops and provide preventative maintenance to keep the chairlift working like new!
Ramps are the simplest form of accessibility solution and can take many forms. Ramp installation and repair services point out that ramps are ideal for both groups of people highlighted in the last two sections – that is, those who use wheelchairs and those who have difficulty climbing stairs.
Ramps are usually installed external to a home or office, to allow for smooth, gradual, flat sloping access from the parking lot or driveway up to the door of the building. Often, ramps are added next to existing stairs. Ramps can be generally wedge-shaped or may be built in a more convoluted or circuitous fashion depending on space considerations. Ramp installation and repair services an accessibility improvement companies can provide some different material choices for ramps, as well as ramps that are permanent or portable/removable. Typical materials include metal, wood, concrete, or composites.
Ramps generally require the minimal amount of repair or maintenance, as they are usually static with no moving parts. However, to ensure ramps remain safe, durable, and functional, occasional maintenance by ramp installation and repair services, or repairs of cracks, breaks, or damage, can ensure a ramp remains usable for many, many years.
In conclusion, there are different options for accessibility improvements to a home or office. Elevator installation and repair services lift installation and repair services, and ramp installation and repair services companies can provide solutions to allow those with limited mobility to navigate and enjoy their home and office environments and make life a little bit easier for them.
|Company name:
|Hunter Contracting Services
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Citizens Union - This century-old civic organization monitors the City Council, has provided a voters guide to every Primary and Election in New York since 1910. Its research and education arm, Citizens Union Foundation, founded in 1948, publishes Gotham Gazette.
City Project - City budgets. CP's Big Apple Budget School runs workshops on major NYC budget and policy issues. CP's advocacy arm -- Alterbudget -- targets specific policy proposals.
Industrial Technology Assistance Corporation - A non-profit that helps small manufacturing firms stay competitive in the digital age.
NY Democrats - All the info on elected Dems.
NY Historical Society - The regularly updated homepage of New York Historical Society includes a daily "This Day in New York History," as well as illustrated descriptions of past, present and future exhibitions. Also available is information about the group programs and an online store.
NY League of Conservation Voters - This statewide nonprofit endorses candidates for local, state and federal offices; lobbies elected officials on environmental issues, and keeps the environment in the public dialogue.
NYC League of Women Voters - Elections and voter info.
NYCivic - Founded in 2002 by former Parks Commissioner Henry Stern, this one-man good-government group offers regular opinion pieces about an eclectic mix of public policy issues, and invites reader response.
SoHo Alliance - The SoHo alliance is run by the umbrella group for all SoHo block associations, and reports on news and development in SoHo.
The American Institute of Architects, NY Chapter - NYC architects weigh in on NYC planning, building and preservation issues.
The Independence Party of New York - All the info on the state's third largest party.
The Political itCH - The political itCH (the CH is for City Hall), is a report on what's being written about NYC politics in the city's papers. Bob Hardt of NY1 squeezes it all into a narrative and throws in a bit of his own color each weekday.
United Way of New York City - A non-profit that works to pinpoint and help solve problems for the city's neediest residents by collaborating with other NYC organizations and agencies and doing plenty of community outreach.


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It is a blatant imaginary system imposed onto physical reality, that's what money is: a mind creation that represents the relationships of power and abuse that we created in order to have more than others, and use others to do the work for ourselves. This is a mind problem that has become our current economic system backed up by the necessary political powers to make it 'real,' when it is absolutely not so. It is our creation, and it is our responsibility.
Continuing from:
307. CapitalismUS: Pursuit of Happiness
308. Might Makes Right: CapitalismUS
- 309. Equal Distribution of Power
- 315. Rights and Equal Money Capitalism
What is economic power?
The power wielded by a businessmen is the power to create wealth through production, and trade. In regards to trade in a free market, a businessmen can only entice you to do his bidding, by offering you something that you judge to be of equal or greater value in return as judged of your own free-will. His power is the power of persuasion: the power to appeal to one's mind. Such power is derived by creating value–such as when Bill Gates (Microsoft) creates better products at lower prices. The businessman's spiritual tool is the mind–and its material counterpart–is the dollar.
A fundamental building block in our consciousness is the notion of and belief of power endowed to money and the 'benefits' that come with it, which makes of money and end in itself and with this, Power became a disease in the human mind wherein our 'creative powers' have built an entire fixed system where by 'the way the system works' we justify abuse, control, subjugation and the ability to decide upon others according to and directly proportional to the amount of wealth/ economic power individuals have, created by the necessary deceptive means as implied in the quote above.
I quote Bernard Poolman:
"There is No Morality. There is No Self Honesty. There's No Consideration. There can be No Trust. You have No Integrity. There Can be No Integrity with the Current System. You Cannot Live within the System, with Integrity. It is Not Possible. You Have to Change it to What is Best for All, but…Will you? Not Really, because – you Can't: "you'll 'Lose too much'", you See – because you're already Possessed too much. That's the Demon within you – your Possessions: "I am Possessed by what I have, I can't give it up – therefore, I can't Share, I can't Give as I would like to Receive, because I already HAVE." – Encryption, encryption, encryption…Backchat, backchat, backchat – Self-Righteous, Justified."
This belief and justification of such Economic Power decides who stands at the top of the pyramid, who lives and who dies, who must live a life enslaved to a job to 'make enough money to go by' and who will be more focused on how to capitalize such wealth, which is in essence the disease of greed and power.
Money was created to fix a very simple problem: how to create a medium of exchange that could give a value to two or more different things that were going to be traded, which is also entailing the requirement for a unit of account. Money is a convenient tool to exchange goods and services in a common unit. The exchange rate came into the picture later on, which is in itself a relationship of Power between Nations and 'monetary authorities,' which is the hegemonic structure where abuse was installed.
It is a Store of Value which enabled individuals to convert perishables into more durable goods – right, but it became a lot more than this since the amount of 'durability' that wealth has is more than just a mere practical form to secure your earnings, it has become an addiction in itself where earning more, having more, wanting more has overruled any form of common sense in an individual that 'tastes the glory of power' and becomes entrenched with the right of 'pursuing happiness' to do so, which is openly acceptable in our dog-eat-dog capitalist ideology and world. So 'Storing Value' as money transformed into ourselves becoming and embodying such Amount of money that we have and call it 'our wealth,' our 'power' and justify it as our Lifestyle and Right to Be Happy.
These are the very basic functions you'll find Money exists for – so, how was it become our God and who has decided that only a few could really enjoy the 'powers' of it when having more than enough to do those basic trading operations? Well, it became a way to Control and Accumulate Money in itself as a form of Power/Control over others, this is through our own accepted and allowed 'Authorities' that are able to decide the Value of a currency in comparison to others, which reflects what we currently call our first and third world countries, there's also the process of fixing prices and the rest has been explained where these regulations provide all the necessary legal means to make the most profit without any form of responsibility toward everyone involved in the creation of such Money as Value that became a Power/wealth in itself for some.
By becoming a monetary authority, states can manipulate "the Forces" that determine price levels and international capital flows. This is what creates the ever justifiable 'monetary policy autonomy' between nations, and this is what moves the world as we know it. A single authoritarian decision to create value systems that benefit some, neglect the majority and is perpetuated through legal means – this is where such 'Economic Power' resides, Not the Individual.
The greater concentration of this power, the better and our hegemonic system flourishes every time that we buy and consume from the Multinational Corporations and Enterprises that have become the real hegemons in our world system. It is this desire for Power that currently sets the 'regulations' and policies that are tailored to suit the interests of those that already hold the power, this is thus not a problem of 'the System' only, but of Human Nature existing in such cynical manner where No regard toward Life is existent, but we all Feed the machine through our very own desires to also have such power, so there's no one to blame for other than our very own mind-mechanisms that have created money as a means to abuse in itself.
The main problem is conceiving this power as 'good' and 'great' and 'your right to property, liberty and happiness' instead of looking at the consequences that such mechanisms are creating in our world. The imposition of currency values as Exchange Rates determine which country dominates another through trade where the motive is self interest and greed, why has there been no motivation to create a single currency? Because there would be no benefit in that, there would be no acceptance from equal currencies to accept another country's capital to buy cheaper labor to then ship the goods to be sold at a higher price abroad, isn't it? Slavery, famine, homelessness, debts, lack of health, subordination, immigration, and any other form of abuse and slavery is accepted and allowed by this hegemonic system we've all complied to, a single VALUE we believe is real and 'just' by the means it was proclaimed to be so.
So, how to Equalize this Economic Power within our current system?
The key begins within the individual realizing that this current system of abuse called our monetary policies, economic system and the executives behind it must cease to exist as they do now, that implies a reform through political means – democracy is the way to implement a new political and economical system that actually restores to money its very basic functionality of being a medium of exchange, a unit of value and account – and that it serves to enable people to buy goods and services according to the amount of money earned through the labor they support the system with, it is thus a giving and receiving motion wherein there will be no ability to abuse, since Equal Profit share means that no matter what position you are in within the system, you get equal amount of money from the total profit made by the business/ corporation, and the same in any other governmental dependency, charge, service that you give outside of a main organization.
The Value of Money will be life in itself, no longer someone's desire to win more in Wall Street or exploiting 'Free Trade' in third world countries. It is and will be a functional tool that enables us to distribute life to all people that contribute to participate in the system, co-creating a sustainability that everyone can benefit from.
One currency would be the most practical of course since our Exchange Rate Regimes are only created out of the relationships of power an inequality that are currently accepted in our world-system. However we will only see how Currency exists – for further reference on currency, read: ¿What will be the Currency in an Equal Money System?
The definition of Wealth will be an actual integrity of man willing to give and receive in equality, where money is the meaning of a generosity and appreciation for what we do to maintain and sustain a world system that is supporting each other equally. Appreciation means a-without price- it is recognizing the value of our own work for the benefit and convenience it provides for us all.
There will be no more concentration of power since all profit will have to be immediately distributed to everyone in an equal manner. This is the end of corporatocracies, poverty, the elite, wars, imperialism, the have not's, the middle class and third world countries – everyone will have access to the most dignified manner of living we are able to construct/ build and create for each other, as Equals.
Any desire for greed or power would be treated as a mental disease which will surely a security measure o ensure no human being is every again wanting to hoard any form of 'economic power' in the name of self interest.
For further reference, read the Equal Money Wiki
Place your questions as the Equal Money Forum and Equal Money Capitalism at Quora
Visit the Group Capitalism vs. Equal Money group on Facebook.
Read the Equal Money Wiki
Read Economist's Journey to Life
Artwork by Matti Freeman
Why People Fear Equality, Part 3 03/06/2013
Fear of Equality, Part 2. 03/03/2013
Fear of Equality, Part 1. 03/02/2013
Eau de Van Gogh – Day 325
Day 314: The Children of the Law of One (Part Five)
Day 315: The Children of the Law of One (Part Six)
Prisoner of the Mind, Body and Spirit: DAY 313


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A Solar-Assisted Heat Pump Water Heater
Water heating in residential buildings has become more important as the overall efficiency of buildings has improved over the last decade, with energy efficiency code requirements for A/C, lighting, and the building envelope. Modest improvement in energy efficiency for electric-storage water heaters was implemented in 2015, with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). But much greater improvements remain to be made.
Residential heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) save more energy than standard electric-resistance water heaters, because they are more efficient. HPWHs ranging from 50 gallons (189 liters) to 80 gallons (303 liters) are currently rated with a uniform energy factor (UEF) as high as 3.4, as indicated under the advanced-product list published by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA). And over the last ten years, PV conversion efficiencies have improved as costs have decreased. A design that integrated PV and HPWH would improve overall efficiency at low costs.
As part of the effort to create zero energy buildings and high-efficiency water-heating systems, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC)—under contract with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)—has developed a PV-assisted heat pump water heater (PV-HPWH) prototype. This prototype combines two 310 watt-peak solar PV modules and grid-tied microinverters with a commercially available 189-liter HPWH. Using the HPWH's integrated tank to store solar energy, the PV can be used with little grid interaction, thus avoiding net metering issues.
We began an evaluation of the PV-HPWH prototype in February 2016 at the FSEC hot-water systems laboratory in Cocoa, Florida. For testing, we utilized an automated hot-water load schedule totaling 59 gallons (223 liters) per day, which represents an average three-to-four-person family's water use. We obtained an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.5 for the first month of February. COP is defined as the delivered hot water energy divided by the grid electrical energy used to produce the hot water. Larger COPs indicate higher efficiency. Further analysis excluding the PV contribution indicated a HPWH-alone performance COP of 2.1 in February, which is nearly identical to manufacturer claims for this first-generation unit.
The PV-HPWH prototype evolved with a series of implemented control improvements. Beginning in March 2016, we upgraded the system to automatically change the thermostat setting from 126°F (52°C) (baseline) to 140°F (60°C) depending on the power produced by the PV and the microinverters. The thermostat setting change was triggered by a minimum PV power threshold of 260 watts averaged over one minute. Following that change, during the month of April, the factory-supplied 4,500W bottom heating element was removed and replaced with a 750W element. The bottom heating element was then rewired and independently activated via an electronic controller and software developed at FSEC. The upper heating element was unchanged.
System Description
A diagram of the PV-HPWH as tested is shown in Figure 1. The HPWH used in the study is rated at 600 watts; however, depending on tank temperatures, the data indicated that the power draw ranged from 490 watts to 700 watts. A higher-than-rated power draw was routinely demonstrated as the compressor operated and heated water approaching the highest thermostat setting of 140°F (60°C) The fix-mount PV modules facing south at a 24° tilt produce the highest power during the midday hours (from 11 am to 2 pm). On average, the power produced by the PV modules was 369 watts during the midday period. The balance, or net energy, to operate the HPWH compressor came from the grid.
To match the energy produced by the PV modules to the electric-resistance-heating elements, we implemented power control circuitry using capacitive reactance, resulting in a two-stage electric resistance heating element. Further refinement of the developed controller led to techniques to maximize compressor operation efficiency and store most PV energy as hot water, with limited interaction with the grid and little waste of solar electricity produced. Once a full tank of 140°F (60°C) temperature water was reached and the compressor was shut off by the HPWH thermostat, additional heat energy was transferred into storage via the two-stage electric-resistance element. We tempered the hot-water delivery temperatures by using a mixing valve set at 126°F (52°C), which enabled the HPWH tank to act as thermal storage for the PV-generated electricity.
Increasing temperatures in the 189-liter tank from the 126°F (52°C) baseline to beyond 140°F (60°C) is the thermal storage equivalent of 2.2 kWh. Data indicated that thermal storage levels beyond 140°F (60°C) appeared during 75% of the days analyzed. Peak hot-water temperatures reached beyond 149°F (65°C) in May and August, as measured at the hot-water outlet port during the 3:49 pm hot-water draw, and averaged 144°F (62°C) in late afternoon. This allows the system to avoid any water-heating electrical demand during early evening hours—reducing the "duck curve" often associated with rapidly rising electrical demand from homes with PV systems during those hours.
On a daily basis, tank water heating in response to early morning cumulative hot-water draws (22 gallons or 83 liters) began around 7:30 am, but the heating process was interrupted at 8:30 am by a thermostat set up to 115°F (46°C). Hot-water recovery using the HPWH compressor was completed at 10:30 am, when solar resources are typically higher, by resuming a 126 gallon (52°C) thermostat set point. This process is illustrated in Figure 2, showing data and control thermostat set points recorded on August 23, 2016. During the example day, the compressor turns on at 7:38 am for only ten minutes, due to previous day storage and the 120°F (49°C) thermostat setting, and is followed by 192 watts of electric-resistance heating. The compressor resumes heating at 9:07 am as solar output increases and completes recovery by 11:30 am. The operation of the two-stage electric-resistance heating operation is visible in the afternoon, indicating extra energy being stored at a rate of 396 watts and 192 watts, respectively.
Figure 3 illustrates test results from the prototype PV-HPWH operating in central Florida. The bar graph shows the daily COP of the overall system for the month of September 2016, as defined by the following relationship:
|Hot water energy out
|Grid electrical energy in
Figure 4 shows the daily solar radiation from the two PV modules (dotted line) in watt-hours per square meter per day on the right axis. COPs around 6 are typically achieved on days with daily plane-of-array solar radiation above 4 kWh per square meter. Variation in the COP on any particular day is affected not only by the solar irradiance, but also by its distribution against loads on that particular day. Efficiency is further influenced by the solar irradiance on the preceding day, as this determines the stored thermal energy over evening hours. Overnight tank thermal storage is particularly important for the efficiency of serving early morning hot-water draws.
Figure 4 also shows measured long-term performance recorded through January 2017. Average monthly COP is shown on the left y-axis, and kWh per day of electricity consumption is shown on the right y-axis. Performance of the PV-HPWH has been exceptional, demonstrating average monthly COPs as high as 6.6 and 7 for the months of May and July respectively. COPs leveled off at around 6 for the months of August through October and declined in November. Further improvement could be realized by utilizing a portion of the 18% of total energy produced by the PV/microinverters that is unused and is fed back into the grid during the early morning and late afternoon hours. Future development work aims to maximize PV-supplied energy to be used by the system, and to island the electric power if desired so that there is no interaction with the grid.
Performance data for the months of December and January 2017 reveal COPs of 5.1 and 4.8 respectively. These COPs are consistently higher than the COPs for February 2016, when controls optimization and the two-stage heating element were not in place.
We also performed a time-of-day analysis to determine the hourly peak-demand reduction potential of the PV-HPWH against standard electric-resistance water heating. Figure 5 presents the hourly demand as compared to a 50-gallon (189-liter) standard electric water heater (red line) that was operated simultaneously in the laboratory.
The plot also shows the diversified water-heating-only demand profile (black dashed line) of 60 residential electric water heaters operating in Florida homes. These water heaters were recently monitored as part of the DOE Building America Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) study. Because it stores an extra ~2.2 kWh of thermal energy, the PV-HPWH would not increase the late afternoon ramp-up demand on utility generation caused by the PV systems' decreasing electricity production.
Table 1 summarizes the PV-HPWH's performance for the 12 months from February 2016 through January 2017. Analysis performed on the data after May 2016, when the auxiliary heating by electric resistance was implemented for additional heat storage, indicated that the solar contribution from the PV and microinverters averaged 65.6% of the total electricity used by the system. The average long-term COP of 5.4 was exceptional.
Table 1. Summary of PV-HPWH performance (February 2016–January 2017)
|Average Monthly Daily Electric Consumption
|Average Monthly COP
|Average PV Energy Generated
|Added Storage Above 126°F (52°C)
|Average Hot Water Max Temp Stored
|Average Daily Hot Water Delivered (w/126°F Mix Valve Setting)
|1.2 kWh/day
|0.7–2.1 (max-min) kWh/day
|5.4 kWh/ day
|4.5/7.0 (max–min) kWh/day
|2.3 kWh/day
|2.1 kWh/day
|2.1 kWh/day
|57 gallons
(215 (liters)
|211,868 kJ
The unit modified to a PV-HPWH was a first-generation HPWH with a UEF of 2.45. Many second-generation HPWHs have UEFs of 3.1–3.7. It should be noted that the COPs described here are actually much more impressive than they seem at first, since the UEF test procedure generally allows tested HPWHs to avoid use of the electric-resistance heating elements, which can significantly degrade real-world performance.
Performance data collected from the PV-HPWH to date show that this is the highest-efficiency electric water-heating system ever tested under FSEC's hot-water system evaluation program, which was conducted under the DOE Building America program through 2016. Figure 6 places the PV-HPWH at the top of the chart, with an average grid electricity use of 1.2 kWh per day. Note that the conventional 50-gallon (189-liter) electric-resistance tank used about 7.6 kWh per day with an integrated annual COP of approximately 0.8. Accordingly, the prototype PV-HPWH saved 83% of the energy typically needed for conventional electric-resistance water heaters.
The prototype PV-HPWH showcases innovative strategies for distributed PV systems that limit the grid interaction with water heating, and provides increased thermal energy storage. Sophisticated controls have been modified through experimentation such that higher tank temperatures are achieved during the day when solar availability is high without triggering the compressor during early morning hot-water draws. The system utilizes a custom appliance control module interface to vary thermostat settings (115°F to 140°F, or 46°C to 60°C) depending on time of day and solar radiation levels. It also prioritizes thermostat settings on a time-of-day basis. By altering the thermostat down to 115°F (46°C) during early morning draws, the system can disrupt compressor heating recovery normally set to 126°F (52°C) and shift the remainder of recovery to times when adequate solar resources are typically available (after 10:30 am). When tank temperatures are satisfied, the remaining PV electricity is stored in the tank using staged electric-resistance elements. Typical performance sees hot-water storage greater than 149°F (65°C) at sunset, but is limited at that point. A mixing valve provides hot water at the target temperature (126°F, or 52°C). By dynamically altering tank temperature, an equivalent of ~2 kWh of electrical energy is stored for use during evening hours. Typically, there is no water-heating grid electricity demand during utility summer peak periods. Thus this system reduces the "duck curve" that results from many residential PV installations.
The prototype PV-HPWH system equipment had a retail cost of $2,053, including the HPWH, PV, microinverters, controls, and tempering valves. This is significantly less than traditional solar-thermal systems, which average $6,000–8,000. Key advantages of the PV-HPWH technology include
- simplified installation, which is likely to reduce installed costs;
- no need for plumbing or pumps; no need for freeze protection;
- PV output at given irradiance higher under cold conditions, when water-heating loads are higher;
- solid-state components, leading to greater long-term reliability; and
- a PV-to-thermal storage strategy that typically produces 2.2 kWh of evening load shift relative to standard electric-resistance systems.
Analysis of data from the original prototype suggests even better performance is possible. We anticipate further refinement of the controls within a heuristic control framework (learning prevailing household hot-water load and weather patterns). Also, the latest generation of HPWH compressors operate at a power level of ~50 watts less than the unit used in our demonstration. Finally, in northern climates, 303-liter hot-water storage tanks could be utilized along with additional PV modules to further improve performance.
learn more
See the full report upon which this article is based, including modeling of the PV-HPWH across various climate zones.
Download the advanced-product list published by the NEEA.
For information about the 2013 DOE Building America PDR study, see Parker, Danny, et al. Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase I: Shallow and Deep Retrofits, FSEC-CR-2018-16. Final Report prepared by Florida Solar Energy Center, February 2016.
FSEC's hot-water system evaluation program, conducted under the DOE Building America program through 2016, found that the newer General Electric HPWH, the GEH50DFEJSRA (more recently produced by Bradford White), has a 3.25 UEF with a compressor power of 550 watts.
To evaluate the potential of PV-HPWH technology across North America, we performed a simulation analysis using a calibrated TRNSYS model of the system. This simulation very accurately described the laboratory performance seen in Florida. With the PV-HPWH located inside the conditioned space, performance was estimated across 19 highly diverse North American climates. The results showed strongly improved performance over standard HPWH systems. A two-module PV-assisted system appeared adequate in warmer climates, but a three-module system was best in colder climates. System COPs ranged from 2.4 to 3.7 across climates in the two-module system. The use of newer lower-wattage compressors would probably improve upon these simulation results.
We made a preliminary evaluation of relative economics, using an installed-system cost estimate along with state-level electricity prices. Including provision for the federal solar tax credit on the solar element, the estimated simple paybacks were 6–11 years. Economics were best in locations with the highest electricity costs, such as Hawaii, California, and New York. However, economics were positive in all locations. Finally, an evaluation of relative greenhouse gas emissions showed that the PV-HPWH technology could significantly reduce emissions over electric and natural-gas water heating of all types across all 19 regions. A pilot demonstration of the PV-HPWH technology in a residential water-heating field project seems the next logical step.
Refinement based on results could lead to development of a new generation of residential water-heating equipment addressing the combined needs for very high-efficiency and effective energy storage while greatly reducing associated greenhouse gas emissions.
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I've had a number of people inquire when I will write about this. At this point, all I can say is that it has been a fascinating experience (and an exhausting number of months). For those of you who want to know more, here's where you can find the preliminary proxy. I will write more as we get further along in the process, but for now….
Lost in all the excitement about the Oracle announcement was some wonderful news relating to a litigation against Sun.
Almost three years ago, a company named Trilogy (now Versata Software) filed suit against Sun in the Eastern District of Texas. For a number of years, Sun had licensed from Trilogy what is known as configurator software – a program that enables a company to track components and build hardware configurations. (I own a Mini. If you go to the Mini website you can assemble online the type of vehicle you want, including all components and options. This is an example of configurator software.)
Sun paid many millions of dollar to Trilogy for the use of the software and additional support, but it never worked to our satisfaction. In 2002, we made the decision to look for an alternative and adopted an Oracle platform with additional features created by Sun. Needless to say, Trilogy was not happy with the loss of business and chose to sue Sun alleging patent infringement, copyright misappropriation and breach of contract, among other claims. As we proceeded with discovery, it was clear that Trilogy was extremely confident in their position as reflected in their unwillingness to engage in any meaningful settlement discussions.
For us, the case was a difficult one to assess. Although we were certain we should prevail, we knew that it would be challenging for a jury to understand the complex technology and intellectual property laws presented in the case. And, the jury would be one located in Marshall, Texas, which has the reputation of being very favorable for plaintiffs.
On April 16th, we started trial confident in our position, but concerned about our ability to communicate it in a very short period to a jury with almost no technical experience. Facing us was Trilogy's damage claim of $49m – with the possibility of treble damages, attorneys fees and interest.
After six days of testimony and evidence, the jury returned its verdict – finding completely in favor of Sun on all claims. The jury even determined that Trilogy's patents were invalid, which should be wonderful news to others facing suit by Trilogy.
I've been asked how we were able to achieve such a overwhelming result. In short, the answer is "talent". This isn't meant as braggadocio, but rather a reflection of a team of skilled and focused attorneys led by Sun's Chief IP Counsel, Noreen Krall, and Jeff Randall of Skadden, Arps. Throughout the litigation, they continued to adapt to the challenges of new issues and facts, but always maintained conviction in their view that Sun should prevail. To both of them and the rest of the team – a big "thanks".


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Sadat X – On Fire featuring Cormega & Lanelle Tyler Video
Official music video by Sadat X performing "On Fire" featuring Cormega & Lanelle Tyler directed by Eye Grustle, 99 Ways Ent., & The Embassy Elite. This joint is fly, smooth and something to rewind and listen to again. Sadat X is sharper than ever and Cormega never skips a beat. Turn this joint UP! #FeelGoodHiphop


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To: Congressman Michael Grimm ( R ) and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries ( D)
Created By: Ilya Galak ( R ), Michael Califra ( D ), Lisa Giangrande ( R ), Bill Taitt ( D )
A special thank you to Hesham El-Meligy for his advice
"Not only the wealth, but the independence and security of a country, appear to be materially connected with the prosperity of manufacturers. Every nation, with a view to those great objects, ought to endeavor to possess within itself all the essentials of national supply. These comprise the means of subsistence, habitation, clothing, and defense" – Alexander Hamilton
"The American consumer is also the American worker, and if we don't do something to protect our manufacturing base here at home, it is going to be hard to buy any retail goods" – Lindsey Graham
"Capitalism works better from every perspective when the economic decision makers are forced to share power with those who will be affected by those decisions" – Barney Frank
The biggest and most immediate threat to the health of out national economy is the sick state of the middle class.
Once the envy of the world and the great engine of prosperity that drove our national economy, the American middle class has been under pressure for more than thirty years. The offshoring of good-paying manufacturing jobs along with stagnant wages and the rising costs of everything from energy to health care and a college education have left the middle class hanging on to the American dream by their finger nails.
Yet there is a deafening silence from many of our elected representatives on the topic of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States.
With so much riding on the prosperity and growth a regenerated manufacturing base would bring to this country– which includes solutions for many of the social ills brought about by unemployment and service jobs that pay so little many Americans working full-time cannot afford to feed their families – that is simply unacceptable.
This nation is the wealthiest the world has ever known. It became an industrial power, then a superpower because of its ability to manufacture things. Yet we have let that base of our prosperity slowly erode as the investor class in search of ever-higher profits abandoned American workers in favor of cheap labor overseas.
Since the year 2000, more than 50,000 factories have closed their doors. The country lost 3.5 million manufacturing jobs, half a million of which were in high-tech industries such as telecommunications and electronics.
The addiction to cheap foreign labor at any price has gotten so extreme that, even as we speak, the MTA is planning to use Chinese steel in a massive project to replace the deck on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, even though, as the New York Times noted in an editorial on August 4th, 2013, "China has a very well-deserved reputation for producing inferior and often dangerous products." That reputation was validated when California bought Chinese steel to renovate San Francisco's Bay Bridge; a decision which led to delays and huge cost overruns because of faulty welds by the Chinese steel manufacturer.
Every time an American job is outsourced to China or other slave-wage countries, the American economy loses the spending power and tax revenues that worker's job generates. Every time an American worker is forced to take a low-paying service job, that worker's disposable income shrinks, making it harder for that worker to stay in the middle class and decreasing demand across the economy.
Simply put, we need more American manufacturing. We need to stop sending jobs and the dollars they generate overseas. We need to start exporting high-quality goods produced in the United States to markets around the world again, and to bring our trade deficits back into balance.
Our question to our elected representatives is simple. 1-What do you propose to bring back American manufacturing jobs? And 2- what do you propose to generate the development of new industries here in the United States?
We want you to work with us directly – citizens of from all backgrounds and experience – to cut though the bureaucracy and formulate policies that you can bring to the House of Representatives. These polices might include tax policy, education, direct government spending on our dilapidated infrastructure and other things that will not only create jobs for the millions who don't now have them, but to regenerate the manufacturing base in this country, and thus the American middle class. This is the only way we can again have an economy that works for everyone and not just a select few. We would like you to present bi-partisan legislation, call it the "Make It in the USA" bill, no later than May 2014.
Our goal is to inspire a "Make it in the USA" movement, the sole purpose of which would be to fight to bring manufacturing back to the U.S.; save the manufacturing jobs we already have and to push for policies supporting new American industries whose jobs cannot be outsourced.
It is time to declare your allegiance to the American worker. It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat; the one thing we should all be able to agree on is that this country needs its manufacturing sector back if it is going to regenerate the middle class. We are tired of politicians who use wedge issues to divide us. That is over. We want you to help us achieve the goals outlined here. Working for us is why we elect you. Working against us is why we won't.
"We the People" have already begun brainstorming real world solutions. If you feel that you want to bring in your own policy experts to find answers, please do; if you want to use any of our ideas, you are welcome to do that, too. But we expect action.
Leonid Markman (I – Bklyn):
Our main problem is taxes. The higher the taxes, the more expensive it is to manufacture goods at home. Accordingly, businesses will look for ways to survive by reducing labor costs. The declining technological manufacturing, I believe, under today's governing policies, will go straight to India. While the industries that will continue to do business with the well-to-do Chinese will be the ones who can't afford to move their production elsewhere. India will be the second place, after China, where masses of American jobs will set sail to. The second problem is Healthcare. Most of our career politicians not only have no understanding of private business; I believe that they don't even see the difference between big and small business. Now medium and small businesses, to survive the expenses of taxes and health insurance, will simply lay off employees and put more responsibility on themselves and their remaining workers. Look around, thousands of businesses, even those that have been running for decades, are closing their doors. There can't be any talk of big earnings, only of survival. And lastly, businesses need more freedom to choose their strategies, and less regulation. In New York, inspectors go around the most vulnerable small businesses where the owners themselves work with maybe one or two employees. They give out fines for about $500-$1000, because price labels aren't stuck on all the goods, or the minimal price for credit card purchases is not clearly displayed, or there's a piece of paper lying just outside the doorway, which could have come from anywhere. This disorder in the factories of Russia once led to the revolution. Oh, I don't know if such a comparison would be valid.
Source: Citizens Magazine
Steve Lawton (D – SI):
I think we need to find solutions to combating poverty. Here is the real problem. Three points to make. 1. Both parties are responsible for this. US "trade agreements" and currency markets have opened the door to find new markets to produce in to feed our demand. 2. The current situation was advocated for under the "free market" argument. Yet it is totally orchestrated and regulated by the Government, but in this case very favorable to American Corporations and not the American people. China's industrial expansion has been made possible by the American Dollar. Most of their trade (although they are trying to change this now) is backed by the American dollar. So China is an extension of the American market now. 3. Organized Labor has been the only sizable objectors of these policies
Source: Staten Island Politics Facebook group forum
Richard Bell ( R – SI):
There is so much to say on this topic I could be here all day. I used to manufacture automation control devices. There are regulations from so many agencies you can't count them and they are a big problem. Just one example, the DOT has regulations on how "hazardous" materials have to be shipped. There is no distinction between an eye dropper bottle size of acid and a railroad tank car size of acid. The regulations stipulate what size box it has to be shipped in, what the packing material must be, how many "hazardous" labels and what size the labels must be and exactly where the labels must be placed on the box. It's all gone too far. I agree we must be smart and safe about such things, but these regulations more than doubled the cost of a gallon of acid for my business, which adds nothing to my product and only adds to the cost of my overhead. This adds to the cost to my customers and makes me less competitive with devices from Asia.
Joann Olbrich (D-SI):
1) Stop rewarding those companies that send American jobs overseas with tax breaks, and instead punish them by taking away their subsidies and tax breaks, and put heavy tariffs on goods manufactured outside the US. 2) Reward with tax breaks and subsidies those companies that produce in the United States, with American workers getting a living wage.
Source: Staten Island Politics Facebook group forum
Ilya Galak (R-SI):
Regarding the "race issue" and "social responsibility": Jordan sneakers. They sell from $350.00 to $450.00. Regular good quality sneakers cost approx. $35. Kids of all races are crazy to purchase Jordan sneakers. I assume Michael Jordan makes a lot of money licensing his famous name. That is totally fine with me. The only question is – aren't Jordan sneakers made in sweat shops in Singapore and Thailand? If yes, wouldn't it be better if Jordan produced in our African -American communities? It would help people who are the most disadvantaged to get jobs –and training if the company supplied it – get help break the cycle of poverty and dependence? Training and jobs will lead to less crime in African –American communities. I am sure if his sneakers would bear the label "Made in United States," Jordan's business would be even more successful and a model for others.
Michael Califra (D-SI):
Don't pressure the Fed to raise rates before a strong recovery is underway, which will help keep US exports competitive on world markets and help keep US factories open. Eliminate tax breaks that assist companies in moving production abroad. Pass a stimulus similar to the two-year $109 billion bill passed in the Senate last session – large enough to create 1.5 million construction jobs rebuilding our infrastructure, but stipulating that only US manufactured steel and other materials are used in those projects. Invest in high-speed rail, again using only US produced materials. Invest in a national smart-energy grid and enact a clean-energy program that focuses on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, which moves us away from fossil fuels; this should include investing in the development of eclectic vehicle charging stations on Interstate highways to help facilitate the demand for those vehicles, all of which will require development of US manufacturing.
Elik Yuzhny (R-Bklyn):
As Montesquieu said: "Useless laws weaken the necessary laws." Politicians compete with each other over who is going to propose and get more legislation approved. That is how they measure the effectiveness of politicians. Every day there are new laws and new regulations are coming from politicians, and tons of government agencies are popping up here and there. How much legislation do we need? Ten laws for each American? 20? 50? We have to start a different competition between politicians and agencies – who will propose to "repeal laws" and "repeal more regulations ".We need to stop creating all those absurd laws and regulations that kill our businesses and regulate our daily lives. We have to start repealing these laws to let people and businesses breathe. We need laws against political corruption, not for it.
Alan Galak ( D – Bklyn):
About a year ago I was fortunate enough to visit Italy. Among its many wonders was something I consistently saw in every souvenir shop and store I visited: easily more than half of all of the products said "Made in Italy." In fact, one store had a huge sign glued onto its front window which blatantly said "Made in Italy; NO CHINA".
By no means is this an isolated incident. Ever went shopping for home appliances? If you have, then you may have noticed how many quality refrigerators and microwaves the Canadians are making. Also, I've been reading and hearing on the news about how the Germans have maintained a good economy and an industrial sector rivaling China's.
So we have countries today that have a healthy amount of manufacturing, all the while treating their workers in a civilized manner. Among the biggest factors attributing to their success is how their tax policies and incentives work. They reward companies that manufacture domestically, and penalize those that outsource (unlike us who do the exact opposite). But I am mostly saying is that there are success stories out there, and we should learn from them.


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Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg Play Shoot-'Em-Up With '2 Guns'
Rating: R Running Time: 1 hour 49 minutes
Stars: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Bill Paxton, Edward James Olmos
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
We won't take too much of your time here; 2 Guns is a slam-bang affair with snappy dialogue, terrific chemistry between its stars and some delightfully villainous turns by a couple of fine veteran screen actors.
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Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg play a pair of undercover cops assigned to bring down the same Mexican drug kingpin — only neither knows the other is a fed.
That plot slowly unfolds over the first 30 minutes of the film; unfortunately, the movie's ads dispense with the surprise in 30 seconds.
No matter; that leaves us plenty of opportunity to marvel at the easy charm of Washington and Wahlberg, whose likability and chemistry engender a sweet Butch-and-Sundance quality.
Through the endless gunfights, twisting car crashes, fiery explosions and merciless beatings, these two guys never break a sweat (or a bone).
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The two are alternately pursuing and being pursued by the kingpin, played with grand bravura by the invaluable Edward James Olmos. Hot on their tail is a sleazy CIA operative, played by an almost unrecognizable Bill Paxton.
In this telling, the CIA is actually nothing more than an enormous partner of the Mexican drug cartel; the script doesn't even try to paint Paxton's character as rogue. The two cops draw the CIA's ire by robbing a bank that's full of cash the agency has been skimming from the drug trade.
Seriously, when did the line "We're CIA" become movie shorthand for "We're Satan incarnate"? They could sure use an image consultant over in Langley.
Director Baltasar Kormakur has come all the way from Iceland to make this desert shoot-'em-up, and he does a nice job filling the screen with dust and buzzing flies. But mostly he simply gets out of the way of Washington and Wahlberg, and lets them perform their special brand of movie star magic.
Bill Newcott is a writer, editor and movie critic for AARP Media.
Also of Interest:
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- See more Movies for Grownups reviews from 2013
- Classic cars: Then and now
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Popular World Fusion CD
Composed of father and son guitarists, John Eurell Sr. And John Eurell Jr, Sundad is making their name as an acoustic band whose compositions, recordings, and live performances are filled with attractive rythyms, harmonies, and chord changes. The first repertoire is generally composed of finger-style acoustic guitar instrumentals which have been described as'World Fusion, New Age' and Jam-Band music. Live performances frequently include other great musicians whom Sundad likes to perform with.
Their first CD, Journey To perpetuity, received a first round Grammy designation for 2005 Best recent World Album. The CD debuted at 3, stayed in the Top 50 for six straight months, aired across the usa on over 180 public radio stations, worldwide in Spain, Belarus, Canada, Romania, Australia and Japan and ranked 23 on the 2005 Top 100 Radio Airplay Chart. The CD also received a 2008 first Round Grammy proposal for Best POP Instrumental Album. On Sirius/XM Satellite radio, the track Chets favourite made the Top 40 Most played songs for eleven weeks running ( 2008/2009 ) including 2 weeks at Number One. Sundad also made the Top 40 Most Played Artists for ten weeks straight over that time span.
'Open Sesame', the first track on the CD, was featured on NPR's'All Songs Considered : Open Mic' where it garnered the highest listener review rating among the eight songs featured – 4.23 out of a probable five. Also reviewers on GarageBand.com voted the track as all time Best Guitars in the World Fusion category – a title which was held for over a year and a half.
John Sr, and John Jr. Love improvising and the prevailing song selection provides plenty of room to breath.
Began to play guitar at the age of 12 and has been playing guitar for over 40 years. His special style of playing and composing comes out of a fusion of all those genres.
In the 60's, 70's and 80's he played with a number of well-known local bands in the Westchester, NY area including electrical Abraham and Satsang. After raising his folks John made a decision to get back into performing and out of that grew the Sundad band.
John Jr. Has studied guitar with his pa, as well as guitarists David Snider and Lou Ubriaco.
Most Popular Fingerpicking Acoustic Guitar Music
Award-Winning New Age Acoustic CD


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As promised, here's the final installment. You can find the download links for the final version of the code at the end of this article. Feel free to use this code and tweak it any way you wish. For demo purposes, the menu is on all the pages but you can easily factor this out into its own form. I would normally make this a separate control, but you will probably be integrating this application into your existing navigation anyway, so...
The membership system in ASP.NET 2.0 is pretty much plug-and-play right out of the box. When I worked with it first, I took some time to read up on the new membership controls before trying them out. For this particular topic, I cannot recommend the following two books highly enough:
* Murach's ASP.NET 2.0 Upgrader's Guide (Lowe & Murach) * Pro ASP.NET 2.0 in C# 2005 (MacDonald & Szpuszta)
Just to recap, at this point you should have a working Guest Book application and database. The only thing left to do is to configure the membership system and add some administration forms to allow us to edit, update, delete and publish comments posted by users.
The next item on our list is to use the WSAT tool to add an admin user, create the admin role and add the new admin user to that role. By using a role, we can grant extra privileges to admin users in the future if needed. We can just do it once rather than having to grant them to each admin user individually. A picture is worth a thousand words, so please refer to the pics for guidance.
Access the WSAT by clicking on the icon at the top of Solution Explorer in VS 2008. Note that the administrator role is already set up in the config file and all you have to do is add the admin user to this role. I'm including a picture showing how to set up the access rule using the tool. The main problem people encounter here is the order of the entries in the authorization section of the config file. The administrator role is listed before 'users'. See the config file picture in part II of this series for clarification.
We will add a new form called guestBookAdmin.aspx to the Admin folder which shows a list of the comments awaiting moderation in a GridView. Clicking on one of these brings up the commentDetails.aspx form. This is almost a replica of the addComment.aspx form which is populated with the data for this comment. The comment ID is passed to this new form when the 'select' link on the guestBookAdmin form is clicked. This is then used as a parameter to the stored procedure when fetching the data for this comment. Note also, that there is now a 'publish' check box. The administrator uses this to put a comment live after it has been edited and approved.
Just a few words about the ObjectDataSource control here. This is an amazingly helpful control which we can use to create a declarative link between our front-end Web controls and our data access methods. Note that our data access class must have a default, parameterless constructor and none of the select or update methods can be static. This is just another reason why I prefer to inject a business layer between the front and back-ends. It gives us a nice comfort zone for future code customizations in the shape of new business rules and the like. Plus, we get to use a more friendly syntax. Ideally, each record should be a custom object but that's another story!! Bring on the new Entity Framework :-)
Be sure to check out the brand new security video tutorials from Scott Mitchell.
Download Code:
GuestBook.zip (99.61 kb)
GuestBook-DB.zip (1.01 kb)
Tags: asp.net, c#, guestbook
ASP.NET | C# | Vista
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I searched all over before for an example guest book with SQL database and could not find just what I wanted. This is exactly what I was looking for.
Thanks for the guest book example and education.
Glad to be of help Jeff. Like you, it surprised me when I looked online for sample code for a guest book and couldn't find anything for such a common application...
Hi agrace,
Nice!. Just what I need. Thanks!!
Onlye 1 thing don't work. I have not Stored procedure named "GetCommentsSummary". Is it possible get it thanks!
I get a clean DB of this Guest book
It should have been included in the DB script download, but here it is again:
CREATE PROCEDURE [dbo].[GetCommentsSummary]
-- SET NOCOUNT ON added to prevent extra result sets from
-- interfering with SELECT statements.
SELECT DISTINCT dbo.Guestbook.CommentId, dbo.Guestbook.Name,
dbo.Guestbook.Email, dbo.Guestbook.Website, dbo.Guestbook.Location,
dbo.Guestbook.Comment, dbo.Guestbook.PostDate, dbo.Guestbook.Live
FROM dbo.Guestbook
ORDER BY PostDate ASC
I'm using your guestbook as a learning tool but it seems I have lots more to learn. I'm not able to make it work. Somehow I'm missing a few stored procedures. I cannot locate GetcommentsByID, DeleteComment and UpdateComment. I looked at all your zpped files and they don't seem to have them either. Could you provide those procedures for me?
This post is good, whenever I just visit blogs I comes across some shitty articles written for search engines and irritate users but this information is quite good. It is simple, good and straightforward.


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It's "Top Heavy 2" As Google Rolls Out Update To Its Page Layout Algorithm
Another week, another update to part of Google's search algorithm. This time, Google announced a refresh of its Page Layout filter that it first announced back in January, or what's often called the "Top Heavy" update. Updates, Updates It's the fourth Google update in the past two weeks. The rundown so far: Panda Update 20: Sept. 27, […]
Another week, another update to part of Google's search algorithm. This time, Google announced a refresh of its Page Layout filter that it first announced back in January, or what's often called the "Top Heavy" update.
Updates, Updates
It's the fourth Google update in the past two weeks. The rundown so far:
- Panda Update 20: Sept. 27, 2012
- EMD Update 1: Sept. 28, 2012
- Penguin Update 3: Oct. 5, 2012
- Top Heavy 2: Oct. 9, 2012
The Latest On Top Heavy
The head of Google's web spam team Matt Cutts announced the update today on Twitter and called it "minor," saying it noticeably affects 0.7 percent of English-language queries:
Minor weather report: Update of goo.gl/OpIDL launching today. ~0.7% of English queries noticeably affected.
The link in Cutts' tweet points to Google's original post about the Page Layout algorithm from January, which explains the algo thusly:
We've heard complaints from users that if they click on a result and it's difficult to find the actual content, they aren't happy with the experience. Rather than scrolling down the page past a slew of ads, users want to see content right away. So sites that don't have much content "above-the-fold" can be affected by this change.
If you click on a website and the part of the website you see first either doesn't have a lot of visible content above-the-fold or dedicates a large fraction of the site's initial screen real estate to ads, that's not a very good user experience. Such sites may not rank as highly going forward.
Our own story from the initial release also has more information: The Top Heavy Update: Pages With Too Many Ads "Above The Fold" Now Penalized By Google's "Page Layout" Algorithm.
On the latest update, Google tells us that it is now live globally and no, it doesn't have more specifics to share about how the filter may have been changed since it was first launched in January.
Getting Caught & Freed By Top Heavy
While officially the filter is called the "Page Algorithm" update, we and others have taken to calling it by the more descriptive "Top Heavy" name, since it focuses on penalizing pages that are top heavy with ads.
This is the second confirmed refresh of this particular factor in Google's ranking system:
- Top Heavy 1: Jan. 19, 2012 (impacted less than 1% of English searches)
- Top Heavy 2: Oct. 9, 2012 (impacted 0.7% of English searches)
There may have been other refreshes of Top Heavy that aren't confirmed, of course. We have asked, but Google won't confirm if there were others. We number updates here for common reference by others and only for those that are confirmed.
For Top Heavy 1, the impact was said initially to be less than 1% of global queries. Google also told us today that it was about the same for English-language searches. That compares to an impact on 0.7% of English searches from Top Heavy 2.
The update means those who were hit by Top Heavy before potentially are now freed, if they made changes Google recommends. Those hit by it with the latest update will have to make changes and then wait until the next refresh of Top Heavy. The articles below explain more about how this type of filtering cycle works:
- The EMD Update: Like Panda & Penguin, Expect Further Refreshes To Come
- The Return Of The Google Dance
Google has promised more alerts for webmasters about its algorithm changes, and that's certainly playing out over these past two weeks.
Postscript (October 10): Visualizing The Top Heavy Impact
There are a number of services that aim to show changes in Google's search results by tracking a set of keywords and measuring the volatility in which pages rank on a day-to-day basis. We have images from three services that help visualize how a Google algorithm update like Top Heavy can change search results. The images below are from, in order, SerpMetrics.com, SERPs.com and MozCast.
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
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DANCE ALBANY — Capital USA Dance 7-10 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Polish Community Center, 225 Washington Ave. Ext. Members, $10; non-members, $13; students, $5. DRIVER EDUCATION RENSSELAER — A defensive driving class will be held 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Rensselaer County, 544 Broadway. The cost is $39. Registration is required and can be made by calling 465-3403 or Raymond Frankoski at 286-3788. FISH FRIES SPEIGLETOWN — The Transfiguration Parish will hold its fifth annual fish fry 4-7 p.m. Fridays Feb. 16 through March 22 (except Good Friday) at the Transfiguration Parish Hall on Hillview Drive. Eat in or take out. Dinners will include a fish fry, coleslaw and French fries. Macaroni and cheese will also be on the menu. Desserts and a beverage will also be available for an additional charge. BREAKFASTS WYNANTSKILL — St. Jude's Knights of Columbus will serve an all you can eat pancake breakfast 8-11 a.m. Feb. 17 in Dammann Hall, 24 Dana Ave. The menu features all the pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, hash browns, fruit, and bagels that you can eat served with hot coffee. Adults, $7; children under 12, $4; children under 6, free. For information, call 283-1162. COHOES — The Cohoes Knights of Columbus will serve an all you can eat breakfast buffet 8:30-11:30 a.m. Feb. 17 at 255 Remsen St. Adults, $7; children under 5 are free. All are welcome. ANTIQUES SHOW ALBANY — The Tawasentha Chapter of the NSDAR 42nd annual Antiques Show and Sale will be held 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 16 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Academy of the Holy Names, 1075 New Scotland Road. Admission will be $5. SUPPER COLONIE — The American Italian Heritage Association, 1227 Central Ave., will hold a pot luck supper and free movie about Italy at 6 p.m. Feb. 22. Participants are asked to bring an entree to share. For information, call Virginia Paratore at 489-4982. TUTOR TRAINING EAST GREENBUSH — A Spring Tutor Training Workshop will start in March at St. Mary's Church 163 Columbia Turnpike. The training will be held from 6-9 p.m. Wednesdays, March 13, 20, 27 and April 10, 17 and 24. A Volunteer Opportunity Information Session will be held at 7 p.m. March 6 at the church. Call 274-8526 to reserve a spot.
Community Calendar for Feb. 12, 2012
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