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Our Dogs Of The Week
Each week, East Coast Adoptions features "Dogs Of The Week" offering you a chance to adopt a new forever friend, (sometimes at a reduced adoption fee). If you're interested in any of these dogs, On the application form simply insert his/her name in the dogs name box and select the location shown on this listing.
- We are a 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization - A Dogs In Danger Rescue, Inc. company.
- Our dogs and puppies are rescued from high kill shelters and are now available for adoption!
- They have been vaccinated, vet checked, health certified and dewormed.
- Hours: 8:30am-8:30pm, 7 days a week (most holidays are by appointment only)
- All adopters get 30 days free health insurance (covers solely accidents or illnesses).
- All of our locations sell crates, playpens and starter kits (leash, collar, food, toys, treats, bowl etc) for adopters.
- We do same day adoptions.
- Unfortunately, we can not hold a dog unless prior arrangements have been made.
- We are committed to saving the right dogs for the right people and offering support and education to ensure a successful forever situation for both our dogs and the humans who adopt them.
- You can find this and all of our adoptable dogs listed here on our website - You can view our dogs, fill out an application, find out more about us including our fosters or, simply drop us a line for more information.
$100 Adoption Fee
Bulldog / Mixed (short coat)
Medium Baby Male (not neutered)
Nemo is fostered in Sherburne, NY -
Contact Leah (call or text) at 315-750-9441 or you can email her at email@example.com.
You can find out more about this dog by clicking the button below.
German Shepherd Dog /Husky/ Mixed Medium Baby Male (not neutered)
Eddie is fostered in Smyrna NY -
Contact Sarah (call or text) at 908-745-9191 or you can email her at email@example.com.
You can find out more about this dog by clicking the button below.
Boxer / Labrador Retriever / Mixed
Medium Baby Male (not neutered)
Yankee is fostered in Earlville, NY
Contact Kara (call or text) at 607-238-3493 or you can email her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
You can find out more about this dog by clicking the button below.


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The great SAM ABELL will be speaking in Santa Monica on 12/2 at Bergamont Station. A great photographer, teacher and mentor to many; his lectures are inspirational and not to be missed!
Information from an eblast from asmpla:
A Canon Explorer of Light, he has photographed projects all over the world – some of which have become legendary among photographers. Abell's work manages to be (at least) three things at once: first-rate photojournalism, beautiful and beautifully composed, and poetic and moving.
Abell has also developed a highly-regarded career as a speaker and teacher, mentoring countless photographers for many years, including at the Maine, Santa Fe, and Julia Dean Workshops. As composed as one of his images, clear-eyed, and passionate, he is able to convey what makes images work – and what helps them fail – in ordinary language that anyone at any level can understand.
Whether you're an experienced pro or a student, and no matter what kinds of images you produce, you'll receive something from hearing Abell talk that is rare and energizing.
The author of several books, you can watch Abell discuss his work at the Geographic HERE
You can see more of Abell's work, and read a terrific interview about his book,
Sam Abell, The Photographic Life at:
Doors open 6:30, lecture at 7. Students: $5.00, everyone else $10.
LOCATION: Writers Boot Camp, Bergamot Station Arts Center, 2525 Michigan Avenue, building i, Santa Monica
DIRECTIONS: From the 10 Freeway going west, exit at Cloverfield, go north. At the first light/intersection go right onto Michigan, follow until it ends (a few hundred yards), and make a left into the Bergamot Station lot (you won't have a choice).
There is a map in front of the first buildings you'll see, and Writers Boot Camp is all the way down the buildings on the left side.
OR, click here for maps (Building i is the only one without its letter on the map, next to Building H): www.bergamotstation.com/map.html"

subset: commoncrawl


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Car rentals
Earn 1% back in WestJet dollars for every completed car rental reserved on our site.
- WestJet dollars are awarded on the cost of your rental before taxes, fees, charges and optional extras.
- Rental car transactions are not eligible towards annual qualifying spend in the WestJet Rewards program.
- WestJet Rewards ID must be provided at the time of reservation. Only one member per car rental will earn WestJet dollars.
- WestJet dollars cannot be divided between multiple WestJet Rewards members.
- Please allow up to 30 days for WestJet dollars to be posted to your account.
- A flight is not required to earn WestJet dollars.
- WestJet dollars can be earned for rentals in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe.
- All WestJet Rewards program terms and conditions apply. Visit our site for complete details.
WestJet dollars cannot be redeemed towards the cost of car rentals at this time.
Forgot to add your WestJet Rewards ID while making a car rental reservation? Request credit for your completed car rentals in three easy steps:
- Sign into your account.
- Open the WestJet Rewards section.
- Submit a new request under Missing rewards.
Glad we can help!


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We sure can use some good news, don't you think?
The pro-life campaign is changing hearts and minds.
The evidence:
More and more abortion clinics are closing down across America. So much so that the leftwing Huffington Post bemoans the "dramatic toll" that recent pro-life laws have taken on abortion clinics, with Arizona leading the way.
Tom Strode reports for the Baptist Press (via Christianity Today) that the reasons for closure vary, but the overall trend is clear:Abortion centers are shutting down at an unprecedented rate. The total so far this year is 44, according to the pro-life Operation Rescue, which monitors closings and health and safety violations by clinics nationwide. That number far surpasses the 25 surgical clinics shutdown last year and the 30 in 2011.
Among the 44 that closed this year are 42 clinics that provided surgical abortions, and two that offered chemical abortions by drugs. Some of the shutdowns have been of major clinics, including Virginia's No. 1 abortion provider: NOVA Women's Healthcare in Fairfax, Va., which shut down after state and local governments enacted regulations the abortion provider appeared unable to meet. The clinic had performed 3,066 abortions in 2012 and 3,567 in 2011.
The reasons given for the upswing in closings include:
- the increasing state regulation and oversight of clinics;
- a growth in pro-life opinion and activity, and
- a significant decline in the abortion rate.
- abortion doctors retiring or no longer being licensed.
A Planned Parenthood clinic closes in Bryan, Texas (photo: 40 Days for Life/Coalition for Life)
One of the clinics that closed this year was the Planned Parenthood center in Bryan, Texas. The closing came less than four years after Abby Johnson, responding to the call of her conscience, walked out of that clinic as its director and into the offices of the Coalition for Life.
Since her dramatic reversal, Johnson has become a leading pro-life advocate and has started a ministry to help workers leave the abortion industry. In a written statement after the announcement of the closing of the Bryan Planned Parenthood abortion center, Johnson pledges to "fight until every abortion clinic in this country has shut down" — "Knowing that the former abortion clinic I once ran is now closing is the biggest personal victory of my life. From running that facility, to then advocating for its closure, and now celebrating that dream … it shows that my life has indeed come full circle."
State legislatures enacted 69 pro-life laws this year, according to a report released Thursday (Sept. 5) by Americans United for Life. In all, 48 states considered about 360 such proposals in 2013, AUL reported.
The legislative action this year continued a recent trend in states: 70 "life-affirming measures" became law in 2011 and 38 in 2012, according to AUL.
Some measures have targeted making the procedure and clinics safer for women, and have helped escalate the number of clinic shutdowns. This year, states such as Alabama, North Carolina and Texas passed varied laws either requiring abortion clinics to meet the same health and safety standards as outpatient surgical centers, or authorizing the state to enforce such requirements. Also, in 2013, North Dakota and Wisconsin joined Alabama and Texas in mandating abortion doctors have admitting privileges at local hospitals.
Meanwhile, the abortion battle has gone digital as more states ban abortions by telemedicine.
Read the full Baptist Press article here. Christianity Today (CT) has previously reported on abortion clinic restrictions and legislation restricting abortion. CT also covered pro-life groups exposing abortion practices and how pro-lifers are winning the abortion battle.
H/t FOTM's Mike
Dr. Eowyn is the Editor of Fellowship of the Minds and a regular contributor to The D.C. Clothesline.


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Ready to get started? Or just want to learn more?Complete the interest form and an MSIP Program Coordinator will contact you. A variety of participation options are available, so coordinating with you allows us to provide the best support possible.
We're so glad you're interested in doing another authentic research project with more students!If you have completed at least one MSIP project, please complete the returning teacher/leader interest form, and we'll look forward to working with you again!
Funded by NASA's Mars Public Engagement Program, the Mars Education Programat Arizona State University (ASU) leads the Mars Student Imaging Project.


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Yotosearch.com is a homepage hijacker that often affects Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Edge. This adware normally influences default search engine and new tab of targeted internet application. Thus, if you are seeing Yotosearch.com on these pages, be conscious on the current security state of your computer. Adware may be residing on the system that can bring other harm than altering your browser's start-up settings.
Most homepage hijackers including Yotosearch.com aims to modify your default search engine with its own because of its intention to generate online revenue. It is obvious that search results generated by Yotosearch.com are surrounded by paid links, which may generate profit for adware makers when clicked by visitors. As you can observe, advertisements are made to look like normal search results so that users may accidentally click on it and divert their browser to a promotional web page. Because of this unsolicited browser redirect issue, some users assumed that virus or malware is present on their computer.
In general, security experts never classed Yotosearch.com or any homepage hijacker as computer virus. This adware have unsolicited actions towards internet browser application, causing malicious behaviors but it lacks the attribute to be in the family of dreaded PC infection.
To be more precise, Yotosearch.com is classified as adware. A malicious program that spreads using various techniques, but mostly using freeware and shareware. It is bundled to various third-party applications and will be installing without user's approval. On some instances, it deceives users by promoting itself as useful tool that enhances web-browsing experience.
Even though Yotosearch.com is not known to be as harmful as computer virus, it is still deemed as threat to your online security and privacy. We highly advise removal of this browser hijacker as soon as possible. Simply follow the instructions below to easily delete Yotosearch.com from your computer.
Online Security Scanner Report for yotosearch.com:
|Feedback: Threats found
|July 12, 2017
|Not yet rated
|Feedback: No data
|July 12, 2017
|Currently Safe
|Feedback: No data
|July 12, 2017
Yotosearch.com Removal Procedure
This section contains comprehensive guide to help you remove threats from the affected computer.
Procedures on this page are written in a manner that can be easily understand and execute by computer users.
Stage 1: Scan the Computer with Sophos Virus Removal Tool
This rootkit and virus removal tool is free and easy to use. It scans, detects and removes any rootkit, malware as well as threat like Yotosearch.com home page hijacker. The tool is powerful enough to find malicious items that are hidden on the computer.
1. Download Sophos Virus Removal Tool from the link below. Save the file to your Desktop so that we can access the file easily.
Sophos Virus Removal Tool Download Link (this will open a new window)
2. After downloading, navigate to the file location and double-click it. This will start the installation procedure. User Account Control will prompt if you want to run the program, click Yes to continue.
3. On initial launch of the program, it will display a welcome screen as shown in the image below. Click Next to start the installation procedure.
4. Next, you need to accept the license agreement before Sophos Virus Removal Tool can be installed onto the computer. Choose 'I accept the terms in the license agreement'. Then, click Next button.
5. On the next prompts, please click appropriate button to proceed. At the end of the installation process, it will display InstallShield Wizard Completed. Just leave the Launch Sophos Virus Removal Tool with a check mark. Then, click Finish.
6. The tool will download necessary updates so Internet connection is required at this point. Lastly, Sophos Virus Removal Tool displays the welcome screen.
7. Click on Start Scanning button to begin checking the system for presence of rootkit and virus. The tool reveals items that were found linked to Yotosearch.com. It also detects and removes other malicious files.
Stage 2: Scan and Delete Adware with AdwCleaner
1. Download the tool called AdwCleaner from the location stated below.
Click here to download AdwCleaner (this will open a new window)
2. Once you have completed the download, please close all running programs on the computer.
3. Locate the file and double-click on adwcleaner_Ver.exe to start running the tool. Then, click on Scan button.
4. It searches for presence of harmful programs, plug-ins, add-ons, or any data that were found malicious and linked to Yotosearch.com. You need to Clean all items detected by this tool.
5. Once scan is done, the tool may need to reboot your computer to finalize the cleaning process.
6. After reboot, AdwCleaner will display the log file of the recent scan.
Stage 3: Remove Yotosearch.com Add-on and Cleanup the Browser
After the previous scans, you may have deleted Yotosearch.com from the affected browser. This next step will ensure that no more module of adware will be left on the browser. This free tool scans and checks the browser for unwanted add-on and extension, and if found, Avast Browser Cleanup will give you a report and suggestion.
1. Download this free tool and save it to your desktop.
Avast Browser Cleanup Download Link (This will open in a new window)
2. Please install the program. Start the process by double-clicking on the executable file avast-browser-cleanup-sfx.exe.
3. When run, Avast Browser Cleanup performs a test on the browser. If unwanted entries were found, it will display a button 'Remove all add-ons listed below and cleanup browser.' You may remove all or delete one entry at a time.
4. Avast Browser Cleanup will confirm before it permanently deletes the add-on. Please click Yes to proceed with the removal of Yotosearch.com on the affected browser.
Option: Alternative Method to Clean Up Internet Browser from Yotosearch.com
Cleaning your internet browser from clutter and unwanted add-on/extension is a must when dealing with Yotosearch.com. The procedure below discuss on resetting various browsers to its default state.
Remove Yotosearch.com from Google Chrome
1. Open Google Chrome application.
2. In the address bar please type the this string: chrome://settings/ and then, press Enter on keyboard.
3. Scroll down to bottom, then click Advanced…
4. Scroll to the bottom of the page until you see Reset and Clean Up section.
5. Click on Restore settings to their original defaults. If it prompts for confirmation, please click Reset Settings button to proceed.
This function will reset your home page, new tab page, search engine, and other areas affected by Yotosearch.com. Unwanted extensions will also be removed from the browser. This will not affect your bookmarks, history, and other saved data. You may also run Chrome Cleanup function from this page. An integrated tool from Google Chrome but with more advanced Adware scanner feature.
Reset Mozilla Firefox to Default
This section describes how to remove unwanted extension from Firefox that may be related to Yotosearch.com. This process can fix many browser issues by restoring Firefox to factory settings without affecting your essential information (bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, and Internet cookies) on the browser. If you desire to remove only specific extension, please see manual add-on removal from this link.
1. Navigate to Firefox menu at the top of the browser and access the Help area. Click on Troubleshooting Information.
2. A new tab will appear. You will notice a section on upper-right corner of the screen stating 'Give Firefox a Tune Up'. Click the Refresh Firefox button.
3. If confirmation window appears, click Refresh Firefox to continue.
4. Firefox browser will close and start the resetting process. When done, it will display a list of restored data. Yotosearch.com home page hijacker should be gone by now. Click Finish to open a fresh version of Firefox.
Restore Internet Explorer to Default Settings
1. Open Internet Explorer and navigate to top menu. Click Tools, and then Internet Options.
2. Select Advanced tab on Internet Options window.
3. On lower part of the window, under Reset Internet Explorer Settings area, click the Reset button. Please see image for reference.
Your data like favorites, bookmark, and history will remain it the browser. However, this process may delete add-ons by Yotosearch.com and other unknown objects. If you prefer to carry out the procedure manually, please view instructions here.


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U.S. Small Business Administration, South Florida District: Loan programs. www.sba.gov or 305-536-5521.
Small Business Development Center: Florida Atlantic University, www.fausbdc.com or 800-801-6520.
Broward Alliance: County's official public/private partnership for economic development. Assistance with relocation and expansion to Broward. www.browardalliance.org or 954-524-3113.
Broward County Library/Bank of America Small Business Resource Center: Main library, 100 S. Andrews Ave., 954-357-7565.
SCORE: Counselors to America's small business, www.score.org. Offices: Boca Raton, 561-981-5180; Fort Lauderdale, 954-356-7263; Hollywood, 954-966-8415; West Palm Beach, 561-833-1672.
Enterprise Development Corp.: Works with companies on matters such as strategic planning, edc-tech.org or 561-620-8494.
Micro Business USA: Helps start-up businesses through business training and loans. Meetings 6:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Call 305-438-1407.
The Florida Venture Forum: A networking group that identifies sources of capital and assists in business plan writing. www.flvencap.org or 813-335-8116.
Odeon Group (Small Business Administration Intermediary): Offers class on how to get an SBA loan and start a business, 10 a.m. Wednesdays, Miami, 305-681-9600.
Florida First Capital: Private nonprofit that offers the SBA's 504 loan program, ffcfc.com or 888-320-5504.
Web sites
www.sba.gov/advo: SBA's Office of Advocacy, a voice for small business and source of small business statistics.
www.sunbiz.org: Florida's Division of Corporations Site: offers information on doing business in Florida.
www.eflorida.com: Enterprise Florida: about and from the public-private partnership that is the principal economic development organization in the state.
www.business.gov: U.S. Business Adviser: federal government information.
ushcc.com: U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: promotes Hispanic-owned businesses.
The above resources might charge fees for some services.


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Choosing a collision repair shop can be difficult. You want to know whether your car will look like new again, how quickly you can get back on the road, and if the mechanics are reputable and knowledgeable. Our goal at Wheel 2 Wheel is to make our customer's vehicle look as good as it did prior to the accident. We make this goal a reality every day with our highly trained mechanics, a written lifetime warranty, and the best customer service anywhere in the Knoxville area.
Our pledge to our customers is to do whatever it takes to meet and exceed all expectations. We have built our business from a humble detail shop 17 years ago to what it is today by meeting this pledge daily.
Not only does Wheel 2 Wheel offer collision repair and service on all vehicle makes and models, but we also provide towing services when needed. We frequently service vehicles from every town surrounding Oak Ridge: Andersonville, Clinton, Coalfield, Hardin Valley, Harriman, Kingston, Knoxville, Lake City, Lenoir City, Oak Ridge
Call today for a free estimate. Let us show you how we care for your car, from Wheel 2 Wheel! (865) 272-1003


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Copyright © 2022 Steven Ashley. All Rights Reserved.
Please be advised that this website and all intellectual property contained herein is copyright protected. Please be further advised that no part of the contents of this website may be reproduced or transmitted or disseminated for any personal or public use in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the expressed prior written consent of the owner.


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With bicycles, buses, ferries, planes, rideshares, sidewalks, subways, taxis, and trains at Angelenos' disposal, why would any sane person choose car-dependency? Nobody Drives in LA celebrates sense and sensibility in transportation.
On October 12, Garden Grove will host Re:Imagine Garden Grove – A Downtown Open Streets Event, and for a few hours a few blocks of that city's streets will be closed to motorized vehicles and opened to pedestrians, pets, cyclists, skaters, &c. Similar open streets events have now taken place in cities throughout every permanently-inhabited continent, but this will be the first in Orange County.
On 18 August, members of the press were treated to a preview of the event. After a brief Q & A with members of Garden Grove's city council and Community Arts Resources' president and co-founder Aaron Paley, we boarded one of The OC Trolley Company's trolley buses and toured the event's route. For those of us who were interested, Paley led a short walking tour of Historic Main Street.
It's unsurprising to me that such a forward-looking event would take place in Garden Grove. It doesn't have the hustle and bustle of Santa Ana, the concentrated architectural charms of Orange, the high culture and consumerism of Costa Mesa, nor the natural beauty of Orange County's canyon and coastal communities. Garden Grove is, however, transforming from a homogenous post-war suburb into a progressive, semi-urban and highly diverse community. It also has a reputation, like most of Orange County, for car-dependency, but Re:Imagine Garden Grove is a valiant attempt to change that.
Having walked around Garden Grove fairly extensively, it only feels truly pedestrian-friendly along a single block of the two-block-long Historic Main Street, which naturally is the centerpiece of Re:Imagine Garden Grove's event. There are many other great areas of Garden Grove, but they often feel decidedly fragmented. Several of the city's events, like the Korean Festival and Tết, feel as culturally specific as their two associated enclaves — Little Seoul (officially the Korean Business District) and Little Saigon. I've never felt unwelcome in any of my explorations of the city, but there is an air of self-segregation that hangs over many neighborhoods.
Back on July 2, 1950, service on the Pacific Electric Railway's Santa Ana Line was discontinued, and thus most passenger rail service in Orange County ceased (there was at least Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway's San Diegan — since succeeded by Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner). Several smaller transit agencies provided bus service until the larger Orange County Transit District was established in 1971. In 1990 Metrolink launched the Orange County Commuter, which then only offered a single, weekday roundtrip and most motorists' relationships with the auto more resembled indentured servitude than the freedom promised by their advertising. Besides smog, heart disease, and lung disease, car-centric suburbs turned over about a quarter of their communities to freeways, parking lots, and streets.
One of the biggest bonuses of Los Angeles' similar (if much larger) CicLAvia events (which are also organized by Community Arts Resources) is their ability to bring Angelenos into communities in which they've never previously found themselves, thus helping them them to better understand the totality of their home. My favorite of those events was the fifth one, which connected the Westlake, Boyle Heights, Chinatown, and Exposition Park. The roughly three-mile long loop of Re:Imagine Garden Grove will only connect a small industrial area, the town's civic center, and a quiet residential neighborhood, but will hopefully both attract visitors from far beyond and serve as a showcase for what could be done again, on a larger scale, in more communities. This isn't meant to suggest that there aren't attractions within the area set aside for this first open streets event. Despite its size, there are several neighborhood attractions worth checking out and organizers have managed to cram in a host of events for the day.
In any event of this sort, food is one of the main draws. Sadly, I've only ever eaten at Louie's on Main which, though only established in 1953, is the oldest bar in the city. Across Main Street are Azteca Mexican Restaurant — known for its massive collection of Elvis paraphernalia — and quaint Zlaket's Market, established in 1927. Nearby is a much larger Vietnamese market, Dalat, which carries many products not stocked at non-Asian chains. Other neighborhood eateries include Doug's Downtown Grill, the Globe (a Belgian gastropub), Henry's Bar & Grill, King's Donuts, Maisano's Bakery, 7 Seas Sports Bar And Grill, and Value Pizza. On top of all that, there will be food trucks and a multi-cultural cook-off featuring Orange County chefs.
I always have my eye out for architecture, and there are several standout mid-century churches — First Baptist Church of Garden Grove, Garden Grove United Methodist Church, St. Olaf Lutheran Church, and Saint Columban Church — and tucked around the corner, the tiki-style Kona Gardens Apartments. The Garden Grove Regional Library is quite nice, not just for its architecture or the the pleasant Community Center Park.
Other neighborhood attractions in the area include the Charity Shop, The Colony of Performing Arts, Garden Grove Historical Society's Stanley Ranch Museum & Historical Village, and The Gem Theater. Other temporary attractions include live music, performances of Chinese and Vietnamese dance, a pop-up skate park, artisanal booths, ping pong, chess, a rock climbing wall and lessons in dance, martial arts, and fitness — and a beer garden.
Spanning the old Pacific Electric right-of-way will be a large public art installation created by Non Designs, and the right-of-way itself, which carried passengers from Santa Ana to Watts from 1905 until 1950, will be redeveloped as a short bikeway intended to suggest a better use for the long abandoned transit corridor which, if turned into a bike path, would connect those along the Santa Ana and San Gabriel rivers.
Further in the future the Santa Ana Branch right-of-way will likely see the restoration of passenger rail, but in the meantime if you'd like to take public transit to the event the area is served by OCTA bus lines 37 and 56. Nearby rail stations Anaheim Station, Orange Station, and Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center are all served by OCTA, Metrolink's Inland Empire-Orange County and Orange County lines, and Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner.
If all goes according to plan, Re:Imagine Garden Grove – A Downtown Open Streets Event will not just be five hours of fun for thousands of people, but inspire people to re-imagine the way in which we use community space, embrace a healthier lifestyle, and interact with our neighbors wherever we might live.
Eric Brightwell is an adventurer, writer, rambler, explorer, cartographer, and guerrilla gardener who is always seeking writing, speaking, traveling, and art opportunities. He is not interested in writing advertorials, clickbait, listicles, or other 21st century variations of spam. Brightwell's written work has appeared in Amoeblog, diaCRITICS, and KCET Departures. His work has been featured by the American Institute of Architects, the Architecture & Design Museum, the Craft & Folk Art Museum, Form Follows Function, Los Angeles County Store, Skid Row Housing Trust, and 1650 Gallery. Brightwell has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Magazine, LAist, Eastsider LA, Boing Boing, Los Angeles, I'm Yours, and on Notebook on Cities and Culture. He has been a guest speaker on KCRW's Which Way, LA? and at Emerson College. Art prints of his maps are available from 1650 Gallery and on other products from Cal31. He is currently writing a book about Los Angeles and you can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.


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Google Drive, Google's cloud storage service, is finally here, and it's no surprise that the competition is prepared after years of rumors.
Cloud storage services such as Dropbox and Microsoft's Skydrive have been adding new features ahead of the Google Drive launch, and I've been getting anticipatory e-mails from other competitors, reminding me of their existence, for weeks now.
So how do all these online storage services compare to the new Google Drive? We've put together a chart covering all the big features of the major services. Here are some of the highlights:
- SkyDrive offers the most free storage at 7GB, and users who signed up before April 22 can get 25 GB free for a limited time.
- Google Drive undercuts all of its competitors on monthly pricing, but Microsoft's Skydrive–which doesn't offer monthly pricing–is cheaper on an annual basis.
- SugarSync is the only service that can sync to any local file folder, but SkyDrive allows access to an entire remote Windows PC using two-step authentication.
- Watch out for file-size limits. Box has a limit of only 100MB; SugarSync doesn't have any limits; and Google Drive's 10GB is much more generous than those of the other three services.
- Web apps, public link sharing, and private file sharing are table stakes at this point.
- The offerings from Google and Microsoft have their downsides: Neither one supports the other's mobile platform.
Of course, comparison charts won't tell you everything you need to know. You might, for example, prefer Dropbox because a lot of other people are using it, or Google Drive because you already use lots of other Google services and want to tie in cloud storage. Use the feature comparisons as a baseline, and then find the cloud storage service that's right for you.
Follow Jared on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ for even more tech news and commentary.


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My BIL, John, is getting married to his fiancee Amy in two weeks. The festivities leading up to this wedding have been cringe-worthy to say the least. They include:
– Wedding invitations requesting an 8/27 RSVP response for a 10/10 wedding. We discovered after the fact that the John and Amy have an "A list" and a "B list." I assume we're supposed to be happy that we're at least considered A list and didn't need to wait for members of the A list to decline John and Amy's kind invitation to receive one of our own.
– Wedding invitations that included the verbiage "We are registered at X and Y, if you wish to bring a gift." This verbiage was not included in an insert or on a wedding website. This verbiage was centered in the middle of the invitation when one opened it. It was literally the first thing one saw – even before the wedding location.
– Wedding registries at X and Y included potato chips; Excedrin; a Batman piggy bank; and several kinds of candy.
On to the shower…
I offered to throw Amy a small bridal shower in my home for John's side of the family. At first, my offer was accepted. It was then declined with the request that I assist Amy's sister Stephanie with the shower Stephanie was already planning for Amy's side of the family. When I discovered the guest list for Stephanie's shower had 120+ people on it, I declined but reiterated my offer to throw a smaller shower for just John's side of the family in my home. My offer was accepted the second time, and we had a lovely bridal shower with 20 guests, no games and plenty of food for all.
This past Saturday, I attended the shower Stephanie threw in Amy's honor. Of the 120+ invitations that went out, approximately 40 guests accepted. We arrived and everyone was provided lunch and cake. We then sat for approximately 40 minutes waiting for the hostesses to clean up lunch and cake before Amy was allowed to open gifts. During this 40 minute wait, one of the bridesmaids walked the room with a bucket and raffle tickets. I wish this bridesmaid was selling raffle tickets for a child's school fundraiser. Instead, this bridesmaid was informing guests that they had elected not to play games for prizes at the shower. Instead, guests were invited to PURCHASE raffle tickets for a prize drawing. Tickets were $2 ea or 3 for $5. All funds raised from ticket sales would go to Amy to offset wedding costs. When asked, I politely demurred by stating I had no cash on me. I did hear another guest state, "Oh. If Amy needs money, I can give her money but I have no interest in raffle tickets." That guest literally became my new hero.
After we left the shower, my MIL thanked me for throwing Amy a shower for John's side of the family as she "would never have lived it down with FIL's sisters had they attended a shower where raffle tickets were sold."
I almost can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans occur at the actual wedding! 0930-15
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November 29, 2017, 5:22 am
Looks like this is shaping up for a good train wreck somewhere. Some of the registry sounds unbelieveable, but at least if you get there early you can get something inexpensive and yet still say honestly that you did indeed get something off the registry. Betting there will be a money dance, a money tree, or wishing well; and possibly instead of a cash bar, the one where you get a ticket for a drink and the next one you have to buy from the bride, one of the tickets that was turned in and being reused… (there is one in the annals where this was done. The bride was sitting on a stool with a jar full of the tickets, you wanted another drink you had to pay like $5 to get one …) Please update us.
November 29, 2017, 10:04 am
NostalgicGal said: "Betting there will be a money dance, a money tree, or wishing well"..
Let me fix that for you: "Betting there will be a money dance, a money tree, AND wishing well" 😉
It is interesting that only 1/3 of the invited guests showed up for the shower. It sounds like they're casting a very wide net!
November 29, 2017, 12:48 pm
My guess is the 120 invites likely included lots of out of town people who would not be traveling a long distance to eat lunch but would potentially feel obligated to send a gift in their absence.
November 29, 2017, 4:49 pm
Ugh. My mom wanted me to do a money dance at my wedding.
No, Mom….and oh yeah, NO!
November 30, 2017, 10:14 am
That's because YOU have class!
December 5, 2017, 5:15 am
Thank you, LadyV, I try to.
My mom and I had a HUGE fight over not having a money dance.
That's "how it's done" at weddings (according to my mom), not mine, I think it's tacky Mom.
"Oh….so you're saying I'm tacky?!?"
Sigh. No, that's not what I'm saying….sheesh.
November 29, 2017, 8:40 am
– Wedding registries at X and Y included potato chips; Excedrin; a Batman piggy bank; and several kinds of candy.
When my brother got married, I think he found the wedding registry process faintly ridiculous, so he put things like a bottle of Coke and some M-n-Ms on the registry. I think he was doing it to lighten the mood.
When we were setting up our registry at Target, it was almost all the usual kind of stuff — and then we added a box of Pop Tarts just for the heck of it. 😀 Nobody got them, but we hope it gave people a chuckle.
November 29, 2017, 4:11 pm
I agree. I work For a retail store that does a lot of wedding registries. Often times I have a gram scan things just because they are bored or they think it'll be funny or one of their friends might buy it.
November 29, 2017, 4:42 pm
I was invited to a wedding once where they registered for a wii. The bride later told me after finding out on her own that her fiancé had done that and when she realized she was mortified and made him take it off. Apparently he told her that he didn't know what a wedding registery was for and thought it was just gifts to congratulate you on being married and assumed you could ask for whatever you liked! He's a sweet man, I think just a bit clueless!
November 29, 2017, 9:37 pm
Hey, it's gifts for BOTH of them, why not put a wii next to the sterling silver 'toast server' ? It's getting to be that the gamer box or boxes is a natural accessory next to the 60″ 4K tv in the living room. Just like the coffeetable in front of the couch that never wears it's cushions, they're being used on the floor…
November 30, 2017, 8:08 am
Years ago when my friend got married, he didn't really have a registry. But I gave him a gift he had joked about wanting to receive. I figured why not since it's practical, and you know you're going to use it. My friend thanked me for the TP.
December 1, 2017, 12:18 pm
Love it. 🙂 For ours we got a lot of towels. Nothing matched but they all worked just fine. I think they've all finally died after over three decades, but that was the type of gift we really appreciated.
November 30, 2017, 7:22 pm
Forgive me, we don't really do wedding registries in my country, but – why was this a problem? I thought it was nice to see that they were asking for affordable items, unlike other stories I've read on this site where people have expected family members to buy presents worth well over $400 (like baby showers, where people would expect someone else to buy them a pram or a cot!) Who is going to spend more than $50 on a present? I know in the old days you were supposed to buy a couple something to furnish their house but that was because no-one moved out until they got married, so they had nothing. In my country, buying housewares for a wedding hasn't been the norm for decades.
December 2, 2017, 4:02 pm
I don't remember putting weird stuff on the wedding registry, but for our baby registry when Target sent out completion coupons we would add basically anything we were purchasing onto the registry, since the coupon was for 15% off anything on the registry.
I did add a few things onto the wedding registry that were expensive, with the expectation we'd buy it ourselves after the wedding with the discount (which we did).
November 29, 2017, 9:09 am
"– Wedding registries at X and Y included potato chips; Excedrin; a Batman piggy bank; and several kinds of candy."
Totally LOL'd. This made my day.
November 29, 2017, 12:07 pm
I would just give them a $5 gift card to Spencers. They seem classy enough to shop there.
(Sips her tea)
November 29, 2017, 4:51 pm
At least they were considerate and didn't register for Excedrin PM, which is more expensive.
November 29, 2017, 9:57 am
"If Amy needs money…" I love this guest.
Looks like it's been a couple of years since this submission- if the OP sees this, I'm sure we'd love an update.
November 29, 2017, 11:11 am
RE: A list and B list.
We had this, I hate to say. Etiquette faux pas it may be, but I felt like I didn't have a choice. Long story short: my mother has a large extended family (all close emotionally but not geographically) and wanted to invite all of them. I agreed to her siblings and the spouses, but not the children. That was still quite a few people, and we had a small venue with a hard limit. So the "A" list included wedding party, immediate family, our close friends, our parents' close friends, and that extended family. Most the extended family declined the invite. We live quite some distance away from them and we married in winter, making that long drive a little dicey, and some would have had to arrange for child care on top of it. So, faced with a bunch of declines, we popped out the "B" list and sent out a fresh batch of invites. This list included some co-workers and a few other friends. I suppose we could have invited everyone, assuming (correctly, as it turned out) that the extended family would decline. But what if they hadn't? Disinvite people? Move the venue? I thought those would be worse.
So, I see good reason for an "A" list and "B" list (and sometimes "C" list). I understand why it is a problem, etiquette-wise. The key is to try not to make it obvious. I don't know if we succeeded or not in that. I hope so.
November 29, 2017, 11:23 am
It's definitely poor form. But I lost sympathy with "I almost can't wait to see what kind of shenanigans occur at the actual wedding". Taking pleasure in the incorrect actions of others (especially when you've already seen the impact on the mother-in-law and other guests at the shower) isn't ideal. I don't know- maybe I've gotten to be an old codger. But mourning the loss of civility seems more logical. Laughing is understandable in some situations: it's a natural expression of shock and surprise. But circling like an etiquette vulture is what gives those who concern themselves with matters of etiquette a bad reputation.
November 29, 2017, 3:52 pm
I understand your point, but sometimes that sort of laughing attitude is the only way to handle a train wreck a'coming with aplomb. It's the tactic I employ with a particularly difficult relative. I play a mental bingo, checking all the boxes of things I can't stand. Racist or sexist comment? Check! Fat-shamed someone? Check! Tried to force us to pry/go to church? Check! Slammed my career? Check! Didn't tip? BINGO! And that – plus booze – is how I make it through family visits.
November 29, 2017, 5:03 pm
I see your point too. I've heard of taking a shot for each unacceptable remark in a certain category, going for "necessary" errands in order to take a break and busying yourself with other guests or other tasks as a way of coping. In that case, however, you are dealing with an ongoing dynamic that is personal to you and probably not sharing the running results of your "bingo" or mental monologue with others. When it crosses your lips (or keyboard), it's more public. Anticipating the prospect of enjoyment or humor in the missteps of others aloud is best eschewed.
November 29, 2017, 12:54 pm
I don't understand the idea of watching a train wreck in the making and running to jump on board. When the first indications of tackiness and greed surfaced why not step back and stay out of the mess? As it is, OP, I don't give you a pass for adding to the greed. As a family member, you weren't supposed to throw a shower anyway. And I'm assuming this is your husband's family? Then why do you have to get involved at all? It makes it look as if you approve of the shenanigans.
When receiving an invitation that specifically mentions gifts, you are not required to buy those gifts. You are actually not required to buy a gift at all, but should you feel compelled to do so, then a small token would suffice. And if it is your husband's side of the family then there is little to no effort required of you. Your husband is an adult and can decide how he wants to handle things. And that's it. But I can guarantee that not stepping back and staying out of the melee means you are implicated in it all. Why you wanted to get involved is beyond me, since it sounds as if staying home and bathing the cat would be far more pleasant than planning a shower and buying a gift for this bride-and-groomzilla.
November 30, 2017, 3:57 am
I'm sorry, but first you castigate the OP for being a family member and not being able to throw a bridal shower, but then you ask why she has to get involved in her husband's family as though she weren't part of the family. And perhaps the OP wanted to show how a shower SHOULD be done.
December 1, 2017, 1:24 pm
If OP wanted to show how a shower should be done then she definitely wouldn't have thrown one for a family member. If she had stayed out of everything and left it up to her husband's family then she couldn't be aiding the greediness. That would leave it up to her in-laws to do the right thing. As it is, she has clarified that it wasn't a shower but a tea. I'm not sure one can throw a tea for a bride-to-be and not have it become or be mistaken for a shower, which is what happened in OP's case, but at least OP did try to keep to etiquette rules.
November 29, 2017, 2:27 pm
On the edge of my seat waiting to hear how the wedding goes. What an awesome post. I'm surprised they didn't make you self address your own thank you card envelope.
November 29, 2017, 4:34 pm
They did. I've just given up on the addressing your own thank you note as it's a losing battle.
I also don't actually do it so maybe that's why I don't ever get a thank you note?
December 1, 2017, 11:01 am
I went to a bridal shower many years ago. An adorable little girl wandered around the room with a box of envelopes and pens. Most of us didn't know what it was for and the little girl couldn't answer the question. Finally someone asked my aunt, the mother of the groom. She said, through gritted teeth, "it's for your thank you note".
None of us ever got one. I've often wondered if we were supposed to either put a stamp on the envelope or throw cash into the box to pay for one.
November 29, 2017, 3:28 pm
First, I'd like to clarify that while I referred to the event I threw as a shower, it was actually an afternoon tea in honor of BTB. At least, that was the wording on the invitations sent. No mention of gifts. It wound up essentially turning into a shower when all invited brought gifts anyway. That, however, was never the intention of the tea.
Second, this submission was written the same day as the shower. I was still in shock. Now, I tend to feel bad that this poor girl doesn't have anyone to tell her these things don't put her in the best light. I certainly don't circle like an etiquette vulture.
As far as the wedding, it was perfectly nice – no drink tickets or money tree in sight. There was a photo booth and for a period of time, guests were invited to pay $1 to enter the photo booth to get their picture taken with the bride and groom. This was billed as being in lieu of a dollar dance. I chose not to participate. After attending the shower and a bachelorette party (where gifts were also expected) and hosting the tea, DH and I also chose not to bring anything other than warm wishes to the actual wedding itself.
There have been more showers (baby) and birthdays (nieces/nephews) since. Guest lists are always extensive and frequently number 100+. Baby showers always include requests for diapers (for a raffle) and children's books (instead of a card) in addition to a gift from the registry. Birthday parties always include gift ideas. I've never again offered to either host or assist with hosting another of these events. When I do attend, I bring what I'm comfortable with purchasing and don't wait for a thank you note.
November 30, 2017, 9:12 am
As a book person, I'm never bothered by the "children's book instead of a card" request. Even if you go the shower and just give your well wishes, it's usually in the form of a card, and cards are, also IMHO, insanely expensive for something that is largely just thrown away at some point. Yes, you can find cheap cards or make your own, but that's not my point, many cards I've seen at stores are up to $5 or more. You can find a kids book pretty cheap, and still inscribe it with a nice sentiment, and it will at least get used at some point.
November 29, 2017, 3:53 pm
My thoughts on this:
Registries are a mixed bag. Clearly, putting them on the invitation is truly tacky and I am surprised that more couples don't know this -but many like having a direction to go – ideas. I think the potato chips and batman piggy bank were an attempt at humor. I didn't find that wrong – just funny – I would probably buy those items just for fun. It is hard because everybody has an opinion and somebody is going to find some fault with whatever you choose. Best just not to do it.
Actually, I have attended a couple of "fund raisers" and people just seemed to go crazy for the raffle tickets. They buy and buy and buy – I often wondered how that would go down at a party. Give away the cash collected just for fun – perhaps the 50/50 thing and give away the rest to a charity. Then I think it is probably bad form to ask that from my guests. It is just that people seem to like it so much I gave it a thought. I opted just to do bingo – I bought and gave away the prizes. They seemed to like that too. Clearly, this didn't go well at the shower.
A & B lists. Sometimes there are good reasons for this. It can be done with the best of intentions but weddings are very political – once somebody caught wind of it – the couple wouldn't live it down. You can send out invites to everybody – (believing that most out of town guests won't make the trip) but then exceeding your seating capacity when everybody actually comes – or you invite just the out of towners – all the relatives from across the country that would have been very upset not to have been invited but really have no intention of making the trip – and all of those other guests you would have liked to have now can't come because it would be insulting to give out a last minute invite. A friend of mine wanted to invite my husband and Ito her son's wedding but knew early on that there were already way too many people invited and it might not be possible. I told her not to worry about it – we wouldn't be able to make it anyway – she did call us up later and invited us when it turned out there were available seats. We still didn't go.
December 1, 2017, 9:17 am
I've also seen situations where people put small things like that on their registry intentionally so that if there are any kids who want to give their own gift, or guests who haven't much money but would feel they should get a gift, they can. It can be a way of letting guests know that a $5 gift is fine. Since a lot of people feel very uncomfortable if they don't give a gift, I think it is actually considerate to put some very low cost things on the registry to make people more comfortable if they can only afford a small gift. Or it could just be an in-joke.
I think also that given that so many more people will have already lived independently (either individually r as a couple) before marriage that the old idea of wedding gift being to help people set up home is obsolete, so asking for things which are fun rather than just home wares is not unusual or wrong.
A&B lists are primarily an issue of it's obvious ,or if people learn they have been B listed. If the couple were discreet about it then I don't think they did anything wrong.
The raffle at the shower is weird but it doesn't sound as though anyone was pushy about you buying tickets, and presumably it was arranged by the bride's sister, not the bride herself.
I don't think there was anything particularly egregious about what's described.
November 29, 2017, 4:21 pm
I really don't see the problem the A and B lists either. I've happily been a B List invite at a few weddings. It's kind of great – no pressure to attend any of the pre-wedding activities and if in the end you don't go there's no hard feelings. These were also people where I felt like I was a B List person and that was completely fine – I wasn't super close with them. I was the co-worker / later in life friend mentioned above. At the end of the day I was happier to be invited and go to the wedding as a B list than to not go. But that's the beauty of a B list invite – you don't have to go!
November 29, 2017, 9:47 pm
I'm with you on the invite priority listing. Venues only have so much space and weddings are horrendously expensive anyway. I've been B-listed and I frankly have better things to worry about that how many people were invited before I was.
One wedding I attended as a Plus One for an A-lister, and just as my A-lister friend sent the RSVP, my friend who was getting married asked me for my address so she could send me an invite. I told her I was already coming as a Plus One and looking forward to it. The freed-up B List slot went to someone else. No hard feelings. A good time was had by all.
On the other hand, weddings seem to bring out the nitpickers of the world. I guarantee that my entire family would be cast into the e-hell flames for multiple offenses that just aren't that big a deal.
November 30, 2017, 4:43 pm
To my knowledge I've never been the recipient of a BList weddding invite so either it's never happened, or the bride and groom truly treated every guest as equal celebrant in their big day. If that's the case then I think they pulled it off without summoning the fires of ehell. I have been the recipient of a B List plus one. The bride and groom initially gave no plus ones because of the large list but after RSVPs came in, they offered the singles a plus one. I thought this was a nice gesture because they could have just pocketed the savings from having a smaller reception.
November 29, 2017, 4:47 pm
I would forget about being on the A or B list.
I would park myself firmly on the C list….as in C you later.
November 29, 2017, 5:13 pm
Wish we had a "like" button because this is funny! A and B lists are fine as long as they cannot be discerned by guests (as might be done with an overly early date for RSVP) or for less formal events where it's phrased as "if you're available, I'd SO appreciate your presence! A guest who accepted has had a mishap that prevents their attendance…" Then you thank them for coming with a bit of extra gratitude since they are "helping you out".
December 3, 2017, 11:20 am
My daughter was recently texted a photo of a printed Bat Mitzvah invitation and asked to attend. I said no because (a) it was far and on a weekend where it would have been challenging to get here there but also, (b) it meant that there were printed invitations, but my daughter was the B list and was being invited because not enough of the A list could attend. I didn't feel that I needed to drive for a long time and wait around (I wasn't invited) for an event for which she was on the B list.
On the other hand, I've gone to some extremes this year so she could attend B'Nai Mitzvot of friends even when the logistics were challenging. If you really must have a B list, try not to make it obvious.
November 30, 2017, 10:13 am
It's too bad this submission is two years old – I would LOVE to hear an update on the actual wedding!
December 1, 2017, 7:48 pm
And by now there has probably been a baby shower or 2. I'd like to hear updates as well
November 30, 2017, 7:12 pm
I once was invited to the reception but not to the wedding. It was held at the groom's family home backyard and they were limited on room. The reception was a casual affair backyard party. Was I a B list guest in this case?
December 14, 2017, 12:19 pm
Not necessarily. I once was invited to a reception-only – a VERY nice one at the bride's family home. The wedding was small – family-only.
December 1, 2017, 8:27 pm
My husband wanted a money dance.
I said no.
His friends insisted we had to have a money dance.
I said no.
I said it was tacky.
And besides, due to the location, there would be no dancing. (Long story.)
Husband tried again.
I had to get firm to the point of rude to get him to quit.
One of the few decisions I made I'm still proud of.
December 1, 2017, 9:30 pm
I think the last part about knowing her FIL's sisters would be horrified by the shower raffle was the worst part. That shows she's not just oblivious to her boorishness; she knows perfectly well that she's being a boor and she goes ahead with it anyway.
December 3, 2017, 2:06 pm
The side note on inexpensive things on a wedding registry:
Here we have where the B&G (usually the bride) will register at one of the local businesses (laugh not, the local feed and farm supply store, the tractor dealership, and the hardware store get registered at.., buy the couple a shovel… ) and a table will be set up. Things the B&G have selected are put on the table, along with the date the shower or wedding stuff will be picked up. Choose what you want, take it to the register, buy, and it will be carded and set back on the table. (some places like the variety store they will wrap it and card it and remove it). Inexpensive to really pricy will go on the table, at the variety store it's not unusual for a pile of the 99c spices to be there. Sometimes though, the table will go empty early and the store has to tell the HC to come refill the table! (one wedding, in a month they had to refill it twice). Some would come by to find most of the stuff was still there because they'd picked too pricy for most people's taste and budget, and be upset nobody bought the table off.
(One case the parents who owned a business had bought a very expensive china service for 12, and that's what was on the table, buy a piece and subsidize their $6k present to their daughter, you couldn't begin to start for $30 (which is pretty pricy here for a gift) and finally had to let people go in on a piece, and as of the wedding five pieces had been bought-the cheap stuff like the salt and pepper shakers (separately!) One plate had six names on it. It made a lot of bad will for the parents to do that…. and the store didn't sell china, to boot. So the B&G hadn't gone through and picked regular merchandise from the business.)
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Search Buddhist Channel
Horyuji: Buddhism's cradle in Japan
By STEPHEN FORSTER, The Japan Times, June 5, 2011
Horyuji, Japan -- When UNESCO cast its beady, critical eye on Japan 18 years ago to assess the country's cultural and natural merits with a view - in the agency's ponderous prose - to "inscription on the World Heritage List," it settled on four places that became the nation's first entries to those ranks so adored by tourism associations.
<< High art: Horyuji's Central Gate (Chumon) and the pinnacle atop its five-story pagoda.
Those four comprised the lush, rain-every-day island of Yakushima, which lies 70 km off the southern tip of Kyushu in Kagoshima Prefecture; the still largely virginal forests of Shirakami Sanchi straddling Akita and Aomori prefectures in northern Honshu; the beautifully deadly fortress of Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture; and the Buddhist monuments of Horyuji in Nara Prefecture.
It may have come as rather a surprise to some that Horyuji, located 14 km southwest of the city of Nara, should have been selected ahead of obviously much more famous Kyoto - and indeed Nara itself. But Horyuji really is exceptional. As well as being a landmark in Japanese history and the oldest existing Buddhist temple in the land, the complex of Horyuji contains the world's oldest wooden buildings.
The name most closely associated with Horyuji is that of Shotoku (574-622), who as prince regent is credited with having dispatched the first envoys to China and promulgating Japan's first national constitution. He also made enormous efforts to promote the incipient faith of Buddhism.
It was Shotoku who probably founded Horyuji, which was first built in 607, just 20 years after the official espousal of Buddhism. The original buildings were reportedly destroyed by fire in 670, and reconstruction on the present site, northwest of the original, began during the next decade on a larger scale.
The approach to Horyuji today from the otherwise unremarkable town of Ikaruga is suitably impressive in the form of a grand avenue of stately black pines. And once among the temple precincts, a benign air hangs over the place — even when it swarms with gaggles of excursion schoolkids blithely indifferent to it all in their away-day excitement.
Horyuji is divided into two areas, and it is the larger Western Precinct that visitors enter first. This contains the Main Hall (Kondo), a five-story pagoda and the Central Gate, dating from around 710, that are the temple's oldest buildings.
In the construction of Horyuji, there was a significant break with tradition in that the Kondo and pagoda are arranged side by side rather than following the traditional axial plan. Despite this novelty, the buildings themselves reflect architectural styles common in China a century earlier.
The Kondo features several bronze statues of Buddhas cast around the time of Horyuji's founding and notable for their expressions of naive complacency. But it is the 34-meter-high pagoda that exerts the greatest attraction. In ascending order, the five roofs diminish in size in the proportions of 10:9:8:7:6. The roofs also get progressively steeper, lending an overall soaring effect — as if the thing is about to leap off into flight.
As well as being aesthetically pleasing, the pagoda is a monument to architectural genius. The pagoda is like a stack of five boxes resting on top of one another, pegged together by a central column called the shinbashira — an arrangement unique to Japan. Each story is able to slide horizontally independent of the others. In the event of a sudden shock, each floor transfers its kinetic energy to the shinbashira, whence it is safely dispersed to the ground. Thanks to this design, the pagoda has been able to withstand all the earthquakes and typhoons that have been thrown at it since the eighth century. It rocks.
Around the base of the pagoda there appear a series of clay bas-reliefs depicting famous moments in Buddhist history. The most striking of these is the north tableau, portraying the death of the historical Buddha: the bodies of his elderly disciples are distorted in a grief and despair whose power has not diminished over the intervening 1,300 years. However, as these bas-reliefs are pointlessly kept in darkness, you won't see a thing unless you're packing a torch.
In 1941, commemorating the 1,350th anniversary of the death of Shotoku, a museum called the Daihozoden was built beside the Western Precinct to house Horyuji's outstanding Buddhist artworks. Among these, the most magnificent is the extraordinary, tall, willowy form of the Kudara Kannon, which manages to be at once both mild and imposing. Though Kudara is the Japanese name for the ancient Korean kingdom of Paekche, the origins of this unique, intriguing statue are unknown.
Beyond the Daihozoden, in the Eastern Precinct, the most striking building is the Hall of Dreams (Yumedono), an octagonal pavilion whose roof is surmounted by a dramatic "flaming jewel." True to its evocative name, a sense of mystery seems to hover over this unusual structure. Among the stories accounting for its name, one recounts how, after devout Shotoku had been pondering the Sanskrit scriptures, a strange old geezer appeared to him in a dream and obligingly explained all the difficult bits.
Not far from the Hall of Dreams stands the nunnery of Chuguji, which is not so remarkable for its architecture. But even if the monumental structures of the Western Precinct didn't exist, it would be worth trekking out to Horyuji simply to view Chuguji's main sacred object.
Housed here is the delicately refined wooden image of the bodhisattva Maitreya that is arguably the finest sculpture in Japan. Appropriately for Horyuji, which has such strong foreign leanings, it is not known whether the hand that crafted this gem was Japanese or Korean. In camphor wood, darkly tanned by centuries of incense smoke, the bodhisattva is a slim figure, smiling sweetly and pensively, his right hand beneath his chin, his arm resting on his knee. And it is possible here to be the most deeply pious of atheists and still feel spiritually moved by the sheer sublimity of the masterpiece before you.
Getting there: Nara is just over 40 minutes by JR train from Kyoto. From JR Nara Station, Horyuji Station can be reached in 12 minutes. It is then a 20-minute walk or 5-minute bus ride to the temple complex.


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February 11th, 2013
Can religion prevent violence?
By Jim Roope, CNN
(CNN) – When tragedies happen like the shooting at Newtown, Connecticut, the question of faith often comes up. How can horrible events like that be allowed to happen?
Rabbi Marvin Heir with the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, said he's not surprised that people question religion, and, God in tragedies.
How does religion compete with today's world? Would more religious influence in our society and the inherent moral ethics that comes with it increase humans' choosing good over evil?
Salam Al-Marayati, President of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles said religious doctrine must be separate from religious ethics. In religious ethics we find common threads.
Hear more perspectives on the role of religion in our world from religious thought leaders in the player above.
Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. And listen to CNN Soundwaves on our SoundCloud page.
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Fine Gael's presidential candidate Gay Mitchell has said he would join the British Commonwealth in exchange for a United Ireland.
Speaking on The Last Word's debate on Today FM, alongside the other six presidential hopefuls, he said he would be "disposed" to the idea if it meant having a 32-county republic.
He told the host Matt Cooper, "If it was the price of a United Ireland I would be disposed towards the idea...We have to stop thinking like this – we have blinkers on our heads all the time, we all think that we're inclusive, so long as we're inclusive of our own narrow view."
Mitchell's comments were an attack at McGuinness who called the Commonwealth "wrong".
McGuinness said, "Gay is saying that he would accept that the Queen of England would have precedence over the Irish president.
"I don't accept that at all. I believe that would be totally and absolutely wrong."
Speaking after the debate, Mitchell said the Commonwealth had evolved since 1949, when Ireland left. He described it as a trading bloc that doesn't necessitate the Queen as its figure head.
Mitchell said "The majority of members are republics – 33 – and five countries have different monarchs…Mandela led South Africa back to the Commonwealth in 1994. Regardless, it is a matter for the government."
McGuinness called the debate pathetic.
A president with no power - what the Irish leader can and cannot do
Gay Mitchell slammed over throwaway suicide remark
Presidential wannabe Mitchell turns fire on Gallagher and Higgins as bid falters
During the two-hour debate each of the seven candidates spoke.
Mary Davis also took issue with some of Mitchell's comments about Ireland hosting "some Olympics".
Davis, who organizes Ireland's Special Olympics, said "We were a group of people who got together and actually did something." She added that the President of Ireland should celebrate diversity.
Independent candidate Sean Gallagher said he would like to see immigrants and Diaspora return to Ireland for the "Irish Expo" which will celebrate the centenary of the Easter Rising. He spoke about building a "new type of patriotism".
David Norris also called for the anniversary of the Easter Rising to be marked by reading the 1916 Proclaimation at the General Post Office (GPO) on O'Connell Street, in Dublin. He also invited presidents from around the world to "vow to cherish all the people of the planet equally."
Michael D Higgins said the anniversary of the Easter Rising was not the only anniversary on the calendar, referring to the founding of the Labour Party.
Dana Rosemary Scanlon called for the initiation of an annual Presidential address. She also spoke about the creation of a forum for the young people of Ireland where they could directly address the Irish head of state.


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8×12 Ranch Style Vinyl Shed
Siding Color: Granite Gray
Roofing Color: Granite Gray
Features & Options:
• Dutch Lap DBL 4″ Vinyl Siding
• One set of double fiberglass doors
• 1 window and 2 vents
• 2″x4″ Treated Floor Joists
• 3/4″ PerformMAX® Flooring with Textured, Skid Resistant Finish
• 30 Year Architectural Shingles
• 1 2×8 Shelf $96
• 1 set of shutters – White $40
Delivery Fee $199
Rent-to-Own Price: $268.29/mo
Location: Dickinson, ND
Please Note: Extra delivery fees will apply for distances greater than 10 miles from this location.
1 in stockRequest Info PLEASE NOTE: This is a down payment. Additionally, there will be a Sales Tax charge and Shipping charge. If you have questions on what these other charges will be, please "Request Info" before giving your down payment. If you are buying with Rent-to-Own or Financing, please use "Request Info" instead of reserving with a down payment.


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© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and Infection Control Today. All rights reserved.
Researchers have discovered a monoclonal antibody that is effective against avian H5N1 influenza, seasonal H1N1 and the 2009 H1N1 influenza.
Researchers have discovered a monoclonal antibody that is effective against avian H5N1 influenza, seasonal H1N1 and the 2009 H1N1 influenza. Scientists at Sea Lane Biotechnologies, LLC, in collaboration with Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, St. Jude Research Hospital and the Scripps Research Institute, have shown that this antibody potently prevents and treats the Swine H1N1 influenza in mouse models of the disease. Results are published July 8 in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens.
Previous work on this antibody, A06, demonstrated "first in class" activity against the evolutionarily distant Avian H5N1 and seasonal H1N1 influenzas. The authors believe that the antibody targets a conserved region of the viral coat protein, hemagluttinin, accounting for the extended breadth of activity against multiple, genetically distinct strains.
In this study, the authors isolated A06 from a combinatorial library derived from a survivor of highly pathogenic H5N1 infection. They demonstrate that the antibody is effective against 2009 pandemic influenza in a cell culture assay and also in mouse models of disease when given before and after lethal influenza infection.
In late 2009, the WHO declared the first influenza pandemic in 40 years due to the 2009 "Swine" H1N1 influenza virus which swept the globe. Fortunately, the swine flu proved to be mild. The pandemic did, however, point out the weaknesses in the current treatment options available to stop a more virulent pandemic. Vaccines take months to prepare and many strains of influenza are already resistant to small molecule treatments like Tamiflu. Antibodies, like A06, could provide a significant line of defense against a more serious pandemic threat and contribute to efforts to create a universal vaccine.
This study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of monoclonal antibodies to protect and treat influenza. While the study was limited to mice, the activity is reflective of the potential benefit to humans. Anti-influenza antibody therapeutics could help to fill the current gap in the existing arsenal of treatments against influenza and could, one day, help to contain a deadly pandemic, according to the authors.
Reference: Kashyap AK, Steel J, Rubrum A, Estelles A, Briante R, et al. (2010) Protection from the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic Influenza by an Antibody from Combinatorial Survivor-Based Libraries. PLoS Pathog 6(7): e1000990. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000990


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Disney princesses come to life in once-in-a-lifetime photoshoot
Every parent believes their baby daughter is a princess. A photographer from northern California made that a reality for six parents in a recent photo shoot.
Karen Marie, who created the once-in-a-lifetime photoshoot at Belly Beautiful Portraits, has two daughters (and a son) of her own.
"Disney has always been a big thing in my life," she said. "I've always loved Disney and princesses. I have two little girls myself, but they're getting older. They're practically teenagers."
Babies have also always been a big thing in Karen's life.
"I'm a former labor and delivery nurse. My entire career has been about babies. After I had my son, my mother-in-law said 'pictures are all we have,'" she said.
That led to a new career in photography, which led to the recent photo shoot.
"I've had this idea in my head for so long," she said. "My staff and the lady who makes the gowns all sort of came together to create this six sets."
The lady who created the gowns - Valerie Best, who owns Sew Trendy Accessories.
Karen and her team created the sets and put out a call for six baby girls. Fifty parents applied.
"Originally, we had nine babies who were supposed to be there, so we had backups, but that day, we only had six. So even if the babies were crying, they had to be the princesses," she said.
The 8-hour photo shoot likely won't be the last of its type for Karen, who said she would love to do more Disney-themed shoots.
"I want to do twin girls with Elsa and Anna. I definitely want to do The Lion King," she said.


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Colossus, the hulking wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia that was once billed as the tallest in the world and featured in movies and television, is slated to end its run in August, officials said Tuesday.
Park officials would not elaborate on why it was being shut down, but banners around the theme park in Valencia announced its end to visitors.
"Colossus, the king of wooden coasters, ends its 36-year reign on August 16," according to a statement from the park. "Six Flags Magic Mountain will announce exciting future plans for the park we think our guests will love at a later date. In the meantime, don't miss your last chance to ride Colossus."
The popular ride opened in 1978 and was considered one of the tallest and fastest wooden roller coasters in the world. It features two identical side-by-side tracks, runs at 62 mph, is 13 stories tall and offers a pair of drops greater than 100 feet, according to Magic Mountain and published reports.
An accident in which a young woman died on the ride just after it opened prompted its closure for a year, and the trains were replaced, among other adjustments
In the 1983 comedy, "National Lampoon's Vacation", Colossus was seen by viewers as part of Walley World, the fictional amusement park that became the obsessive quest of Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase. It was also seen on episodes of "Doogie Howser, M.D.," "Knight Rider," "Wonder Woman," and "The A-Team."
The coaster was designed by Bernards Construction, based in the city of San Fernando. It cost $7 million to build.
One side of the ride is currently running backward. That will last until June 15, and it will resume running forward until it closes.


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Allied Health and Health Sciences School Rankings
In the US, a whole industry has arisen focused on the ranking of universities and colleges, with the majority of these rankings focused on bachelor's and master's degree programs at universities and 4-year colleges, or the institution as a whole. National and international organizations such as US News & World Report, The Princeton Review, Forbes, The Washington Monthly and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) based in Shanghai, China, regularly publish general rankings designed to identify the "best" graduate and undergraduate schools and programs according to quality and value. However, a number of allied health and health sciences programs are also found at the community, technical and career college levels. This doesn't mean there are no rankings to consult for these programs, though! Two main sources of community college rankings are The Washington Monthly and Community College Week, and schools and programs may also ranked by industry-specific publications, so do a library search. There are also less "official" student-based rankings like StudentsReview, and some professional associations (such as the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions) have reports from surveys about various schools and programs, which provide still more "rankings." Such associations may also offer awards and honors for teaching excellence, and looking at who they have honored can also be used to supplement your 'ranking' of schools.
Each of these sources, however, has its own particular set of criteria for evaluating schools and programs. In the case of the controversial Gourman Report (which ranks both undergraduate university and professional programs), the author specifically refuses to disclose his methodology. How then should all these rankings be interpreted?
First, the ranking reports often come with detailed data to support conclusions, and while data collection can be subjective (in the case of student surveys in particular), the editors of these reports usually make an effort to ensure that statistics are comparable. So the reports can be used by you to compare institutions and schools on the basis of the data provided.
Second, the statistics that come from the rankings can also suggest topics that need to be studied in more detail. For instance, these programs often offer co-ops or industry internships, but if the graduation rate and employment of grads are low, you may want to ask why.
All university and college rankings have one other thing in common: they are a list of institutions and schools. Scanning the list might suggest an allied health and health sciences school that you had not considered or perhaps even heard of. Used this way, the rankings can help expand your list of schools that can then be researched in more detail.
However, you should never judge an allied health and health sciences school or program based on rankings alone. Rankings are important, but there are other factors that need to be taken into consideration. Schools that are less prominent may have a program that suits your needs better than any nationally ranked schools. Lesser known regional universities and colleges can also be a good choice if you wish to remain close to home during your studies. Often times, these schools have the strongest relationships with local industries and employers. Once you have accumulated this information, you can create your own allied health and health sciences school rankings.
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Date-Worthy Hair and Makeup Looks
Roses are red, violets are blue. Need a hot date look? These celebrity hairstyles are for you
Celebrities like Kerry Washington and Camilla Belle know that being sexy is all about owning (and playing up) your best features. You know what you've got, so work it to your advantage by taking inspiration from these irresistible celebrity hairstyles and makeup looks. Bold lips, daring eyes, flirty hair -- all of these looks will work well for day or night dates, or heck, even day dates that turn into night. They're sure to make any guy melt for you.
So whether it's your first date or your fiftieth, be confident and sexy in your skin by turning up the heat with these easy celebrity looks. Oh and as for all those previous dating questions -- you might want to consult another site; we're all about the beauty advice here. Sorry.
SEE NEXT PAGE: Christina Ricci
Older comments
by brianna121791 Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 08:05PM Report as inappropriate
by EricaC123 Saturday, February 16, 2013 at 02:17PM Report as inappropriate
Nice styles
by Monique3 Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 08:01AM Report as inappropriate
Love Hilary's look.
by amber.flute Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 06:46PM Report as inappropriate
a lot of these looks are so pretty
by NillaButterfly Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 03:00PM Report as inappropriate
Some of these looks are fabulous. Some look like these women rolled out of bed. Not a good look, unless that's what was intended.
by robyne00 Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 06:37AM Report as inappropriate
Sorry, but Marion's smokey eye is a little overdone for me and Hillary and Audrey's hair makes them look a little frazzled. Everyone needs to have their own look though, don't they?
by alictasia Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 11:02AM Report as inappropriate
Love Rihana's silver makeup! gorg!
by ladyboarder9669 Saturday, July 7, 2012 at 10:48AM Report as inappropriate
like the carrie underwood one
by NYdesichick Sunday, June 24, 2012 at 04:03PM Report as inappropriate
by Nicole2814 Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 05:20PM Report as inappropriate


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So, you know, I read a bit. The web, blogs, news, that sort of thing. I don't have a fifth gen gaming console, like the Wii, or Xbox-360, or PS3. Those things are way beyond my means, but you see a lot of news about them, bluster, sabre-rattling and failure rates.
It's pretty much axiomatic that after the launch of a new gizmo you'll get a lot of news pieces on the web about failures of this device or that. Too fragile, screen scratches too easily, unit sets fire to the cat, blows up grannies, and so on. It doesn't necessarily mean that there's actually any problem.
Dean Takahashi has a Q&A posted with Xbox hardware guy Todd Holmdahl. Go read it.
Now, this is how you don't deal with a unit-failure issue like this (real or imagined). Reading Holmdahl's responses, the reasonable reader can reasonably infer that there's a huge failure problem. Maybe there isn't, but Holmdahl makes it seem like there is one. He's practically screaming it in your face, so much so that it looks like a really, really big one.
How do you reasonably infer that? Imagine that you were in Holmdahl's position, and there was no problem at all. How would you answer the questions, in that case?
Now compare them with Holmdahl's answers – or perhaps I should say answer (singular) since he's really holding the line on this. See the difference? That difference is a disaster. Either from an actual unit-failures perspective, or from a PR perspective.
Whether there's a problem or not, he's just made a whole lot of people certain there is.