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Wal-Mart is the world's largest retailer with more than 4,300 stores in the United States and over 8,000 worldwide, with global sales topping $400 billion in 2009. Walton family owns Wal-Mart, and they own more wealth than the bottom 40 percent of Americans. Many research studies have thoroughly documented the negative impacts of Wal-Mart on local economies. These studies have shown that in cities and towns where Wal-Mart opened its stores the local stores went out of business and unemployment rose. After a single Wal-Mart opened in Chicago in September 2006, 82 of the 306 small businesses in the surrounding neighborhood had gone out of business by March 2008. The common customer thinks that he/she is getting a better price but that is not necessarily true and definitely not in the long run. Why, you would ask.
The answer lies in the nature of capitalism and monopolies under capitalism. Wal-Mart, Metro, Hyperstar and others like them are called big-box stores. These are the giants in the retail business. Then there are Multinational Corporations (MNC) in other fields like Nestle, Pepsi, Coke in food; Total, Exxon, Shell in oil and gas etc. Strictly speaking they will be labeled as oligopolies not monopolies. But the reality is that they operate as monopolies.
These MNCs have access to huge amounts of capital thanks to their brothers in global finance. Armed with this almost unlimited capital they enter different markets in the name of free and fair competition. The reality is that it is anything but free and fair. The local small businesses with limited capital cannot compete with these MNCs and go out of business. Once that happens then there is no real competition and they can jack up the price as much as they want. This is happening all over the world, country after country and industry after industry.
Let us take three of our local industries, shoe, milk and meat, as an example of this phenomenon. In every locality there used to be a "mochi" (cobbler) who used to not only repair shoes but also make new shoes. He was a highly skilled man who was very knowledgeable about leather and other related materials. The shoes he used to make were long lasting. One of the authors ( Dr. Zubair ) has personally witnessed his father wear a pair of mochi made shoes for fifteen years. With the advent of capitalism in our society, large multinational shoe manufacturing companies came and eliminated mochi from cities. The production capacity of these companies was more than what was needed. Instead of reducing production and curtailing their profit margins, these companies implemented a very devious plan. They kept the production high but through media campaigns created a desire based demand. Now new shoes are purchased not because the old ones are torn, but because they are "out of fashion", and fashion changes every year or two. Soon they realized that because they have hoodwinked people into purchasing new shoes even when the old ones are still wearable they don't need to make shoes that last several years. So why put effort into making long lasting shoes when it is more profitable to sell large quantities of lesser quality shoes? By the way a group of local entrepreneurs have started a very interesting business by supporting our local mochi. You can visit (http://themarkhor.com/) for details. Before any one suspects us of having any financial incentive in this regard, both of us solemnly pledge that we have no contact financial or otherwise with folks running markhor. In fact we would like to see mochi directly selling to the customer instead of markhor, but it is a step in the right direction and as such we commend it.
Fortunately milk and meat industry in Pakistan is still in the hands of local "gawala" (milk man) and "kasab" (butcher), but that is rapidly changing. Gawala is losing his business to big milk processing plants. The biggest of these is Nestle. Similarly the local kasab is losing to companies like Zenith and Metro. The reason that the capitalistic corporations give to lure the customers is mainly quality. They claim that the local kasab and gawala sell adulterated products. Both add water to their products to increase profit. I would concede that it is generally true in case of gawala and in some cases of kasab also.
Now consider what will happen when both the gawala and kasab cannot compete with the capitalistic corporations and go out of business like mochi. They will suffer for sure, but let us be callous and ignore their suffering. After all they were selling us adulterated products so they deserve to go out of business. What do you think these capitalistic corporations will do to us, their customers, once the local kasabs and gawalas are gone? They will jack up the prices, because then we will not have any local kasab or gawala as an alternative. As we have seen capitalism produces monopolies, the allusion of competition is just that, an illusion.
In the current situation we have huge number of people in both businesses. Just consider the annual sacrifice we make at Eid-ul-Idha. How many animals are sacrificed? Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people are involved in raising these animals in remote parts of the country. Then these people sell these animals to middlemen who bring it to the cities. The transporters are involved in this transportation process. Finally on the Eid day thousands of kasab are employed to sacrifice the animals. If we allow the kasabs to go out of business then this huge enterprise will be consolidated in few capitalistic hands like Zenith. The non-commercial disadvantages of that situation are numerous; our kids will never see (apart from a clips on Facebook ) how animals are sacrificed, for them Eid will be when we bring four extra bags of meat from Zenith. The negative effects on environment due to industrial scale animal raising is well documented. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimated that livestock are responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, a bigger share than that of transport (http://www.fao.org/a...ine/0612sp1.htm). Similarly the milk business involves a huge number of people. Once again if we allow them to go out of business we will be left at the mercy of Nestle and it's like. I would invite, those who doubt, to search how some of these capitalistic organizations got babies addicted to powdered baby milk formula ( http://archive.babym.../babykiller.pdf). A related, but bigger disaster to industrial scale animal raising is corporate farming, which is being promoted in Pakistan as a panacea and as a tool for lifting poor out of poverty. Those who have any illusion about what corporate farming is really about should read "Hungry for Profit: The Agribusiness Threat to Farmers, Food and the Environment" Edited by Fred Magdoff, John Bellamy Foster and Frederick H. Buttel.
Unfortunately our educated class is infatuated with technology, mass production, scalability. If you throw these words in any proposal the chances of it being approved increases in direct proportion to how many times you use these words in your proposal. The reality is that we should sit back and take a broader perspective as to which technology we should get, is mass production good for us in every field/industry, is scalability a holy virtue that we should strive for in every situation? These things are compulsion in graying western civilization. Most of the western world has rapidly aging populations. The median age in Europe is 40+ while ours is 22.6 years. We have 112 million ( about 57% of our population) people in 15-55 years age bracket. Europe cannot afford to have manual kasabs they have to have mechanized meat plants. They have built and installed those in their countries in amounts that they needed, so what to do with the factories which build these plants? Sell the huge meat processing plants to folks like us, who would buy every shiny machine that the western salesman pitches to us, whether we need it or not. Capitalism gets triple benefit out of this. 1) It keeps their factories, which makes those big shiny toys running 2) they put us under debt because most of these shiny toys are bought with debt money 3) enslaves us to their dictates, because once we lose our local skills and methods we have no choice but to accept their terms and conditions or else our plants (which are really their plants on our soil ) will not run.
The role of media in the propagation of capitalistic aims and objectives is very insidious. It blatantly attacks traditional order and provides subtle support to capitalistic enterprise. You must have seen reports and features on bad kasabs and gawals in both electronic and print media. Have you ever seen a negative report on Nestle, Pepsi, Zenith, Coke, Exxon, Shell etc. Do you think that all of them are angels and are sinless? Obviously not. But they provide the energy that keeps media running via advertisement. The local kasab and gawala cannot provide this energy to the media. Have you ever seen advertisement from a local kasab or gawala on TV? As such the media portrays them in the worst possible manner. Every bad report on local kasab and gawala implicitly makes the capitalistic alternates look really good and appealing. The explicit part is then done by the corporations directly by advertisement. First a TV channel will show a highly sensational "investigative" report on how local gawals are mixing really dirty looking bad stuff in the milk. All the while a really annoying sound track is played in the background. When your mind is fully prepared then an ad in the commercial break will appear. In the ad you will see beautiful, clean, very whitish kids, with their parents and grandparents and a very soothing voice will inform you that Nestle is "pure life"
Fortunately we are at a point where we have not lost all to global capitalism yet. Our leaders are rapidly pushing us in that direction in the name of progress but like in almost all fields, thanks to corruption, the progress is slow. So we have a God sent opportunity to take stock of our situation and think of ways to fight this global menace.
As we said earlier the most lethal weapon that these capitalistic corporations possess is capital. They use capital both as a weapon and as a reward to subjugate us. "Look if you let us implement our policies you will become 'advanced' and we will give you so many billions of dollars" they say. And through our educated class they have already brainwashed us into thinking that the amount of dollars is what matters ultimately and progress means automation, mass production etc. We do not realize that this, interest based, debt generated paper money is a fraud (Please see note at end). And worse part is that this fraud is now being Islamized by so called Islamic banking and Islamic finance. Other than the superficial prefix of Islam, practically there is no difference between the two. So we need to confront this fraud monetary/financial system and explain its reality to our people. Some of the proponents of Islamic banking/finance say that this is short term solution and is needed to provide an alternative. These folks are either deluding themselves or others; I am not sure which is it. What we are sure of is that on 29th October 2013, British Prime Minister David Cameron, announced that he wants city of London be become a hub of global Islamic finance and that London Stock Exchange will launch an Islamic Market Index (https://www.gov.uk/g...inisters-speech). Why do you think that a British PM has become so fond of Sharia? Because the fox knows very well that in reality it is the same capitalistic system and as such poses no real threat to them. Moreover they can control and manipulate it much easily if they are in control of the numbers, much like the manipulation of LIBOR.
The ethical short comings in our society in general, and in our business people particularly are a reality that we have to accept. MNCs use this excuse to malign our local businesses in our own eyes and ultimately take over. We can go on and on about adulteration in food, deception in weights and measures, frauds in contract etc, but that won't solve the problem. We have to revive the Islamic teachings in this area and the imams in our mosques are the best way for this. A significant percentage of Pakistanis do attend Jumma. It is during the Jumma khutba that the imams should emphasize the importance of fair business. We know this problem will not go away with a couple of sermons, but until we get a state where Sharia is implemented this is the least we can do. Prophet Shoaib (PBUH) admonished his nation regarding similar business practices but they did not pay any attention and were destroyed. Similarly if our business people do not change their habits they will also face destruction in the form of capitalistic onslaught.
A related issue is the growing individualism in our society. Capitalism thrives on and promotes individualism because it generates an atomized society. If you live in a family which has children, parents and grandparents then you don't need child day care centers, old people homes. One meal is shared between three generations, the effort to prepare, the utensils needed in the process, the energy consumed in the process etc is all shared. On the other hand if you split the family, then you will need money to pay strangers to take care of your children and grandparents in private child care and old people homes, once again, funneling money into capitalist structure. On a philosophical level an atomized society is much easier to control and manipulate, because members of such a society are afraid of and on guard from each other. But every human being needs protection and support in his/her hour of need. In a capitalistic society this need for protection and support is provided by capitalistic institutions like insurance companies. Islam puts this responsibility on the family. When it was brought to the notice of Hazrat Umer that no one is caring for an old man he inquired about his children. He was told that the old man has no children. He further inquired about any other relatives to which he was informed that the old man has a nephew. Hazrat Umer ordered the nephew to take care of the old man. Umer could have easily set a stipend for the old man but that would have violated the order of responsibility in an Islamic society.
Every society has a set of core beliefs around which it organizes itself. Those beliefs act like gravitational pull and keep the society intact. If the members of the society lose faith or have weak faith in those beliefs then the society disintegrates and reorganization takes place around new belief system. The interim period is marked by chaos, lawlessness, violence etc. I believe we are in such a period. Our belief in Tauheed, Quran & Sunnah is very weak. I know people will challenge me and point me to superficial facts like growing number of mosques, number of people going to Hajj (), religious channels on TV etc. But as we said these are superficialities, if we really believed in Tauheed, Quran & Sunnah then we would not fall in the capitalistic trap. The very fact that capitalism is taking over our society is a proof that the god of capitalism is replacing Allah in our hearts. We may deny it all we want to but our desires for fancy houses, cars, clothes, shopping malls etc. clearly point to where our belief lies. "Your craze for more and more and mutual rivalry for worldly gains has made you heedless. Until (in the same craze) you reach the graves." ( Quran 102:1,2 )
Note : Here are some quotes from people who are very well acquainted with this system:
"Banks lend by creating credit. They create the means of payment out of nothing."
Ralph M. Hawtrey, former Secretary of the British Treasury
"The modern banking system manufactures money out of nothing. The process is perhaps the most astounding piece of sleight of hand that was ever invented. Banking was conceived in iniquity (injustice) and born in sin. Bankers own the Earth. Take it away from them, but leave them the power to create money, and with the flick of the pen they will create enough money to buy it back again...
Take this great power away from them and all great fortunes like mine will disappear, and they ought to disappear, for then this would be a better and happier world to live in. But if you want to continue to be slaves of the banks and pay the cost of your own slavery, then let bankers continue to create money and control credit'."
Sir Josiah Stamp Director, Bank of England 1928-1941
(reputed to be the 2nd richest man in Britain at the time)
"The study of money, above all other fields in economics, is one in which complexity is used to disguise truth or to evade truth, not to reveal it."
John Kenneth Galbraith , economist, author, Money: Whence it came, where it went - 1975, p15


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Dafnne is a beautiful, amazing, gorgeous girl who likes to have fun and isnt scared of anyone but when it comes to defending what's there's best believe she will be the main one trying to do something about it . Many guys try to flirt with her but she still doesn't fall even though they will make her promises or tell her how beautiful she is Shes not someone who trustes people easy. She does not fall for guys as easy as others. Dafnne doesn't believe in rumors but when it comes to family she snaps. There will be haters on her all the time but it isn't her or her attitude its because of how pretty or perfect she is people want to be like her but it isn't possible .
by John Hug December 05, 2013
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I followed Ancestry.com's directions about where to find the actual naturalization records to which the index card was referring. I ordered his file from the National Archives-Great Lakes Region in Chicago through their online ordering system for $7.50. I received it very quickly, but I was disappointed to find that it only contained his petition for naturalization. In any event, I was excited to at least have the petition because it did provide info that I did not have, such as his military service dates and his date of entry into the U.S. (though I believe it was his second date of entry after he was sent back to Canada for falsifying his military records).
I will not post the actual petition because it contains information on his second wife, who is still living (I should probably ask my aunts how to get in contact with her). I will, however, share the pertinent information contained in the document.
- Filed under Section 329 at the district court of the U.S. in Detroit, Michigan
- Full name is Clifford Robert Drouillard
- Resided at 3191 Wadhams Rd. in North Street, St. Clair, Michigan
- Worked as a mechanic
- Born on 10 Jan 1932 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada
- Medium complexion
- Brown eyes
- Brown hair
- 5'8" tall
- 170 pounds
- Scar on center forehead
- Citizen of Canda
- Married to B. on 14 Nov 1964 in Port Huron, Michigan
- B. was born in 1936 in Pembroke, Ontario
- B. entered the United States with him in May 1961 at Port Huron, Michigan
- B. had not been naturalized
- Served in the U.S. Marine Corps under service no. 1348427 from 25 Oct 1952 to 2 Mar 1954
- Entered military service at Detroit, Michigan
- Honorably discharged on 2 Mar 1954 (I had my suspicions about that one)
- Had resided continuously in the U.S. since 15 May 1961
- Had 4 living children
- Witnesses were Leo F. Drouillard, railroad switchman, of 3188 Wadhams Rd. in North Street and Eva G. Caughill, housewife, of 3596 Pollina Ave. in Port Huron. (his brother and sister)
- Alien no. was A8 857 380.
- Filed on 26 May 1965 at Detroit, Michigan
- Denied by Judge Kaess on 11 Jul 1967 due to failure to establish proper documentation
I was disappointed that there was no documentation proving why they chose to deny his petition. I decided to check out the good moral character references on the USCIS website one more time to see what I could find. I had only skimmed them before. I sure am glad that I decided to look at them in more detail.
What I found was that Section 329 allows an alien who has served in the U.S. military to petition for naturalization in a more expedient manner than the normal course. This is the section under which my grandfather filed his petition. The document in which his case was referenced was an interpretation of Section 329.1 Naturalization based upon honorable service in the armed forces during wartime. He is mentioned in Footnote 33, which is attached to this part of the interpretation:
In determining whether the petitioner has met the burden of establishing good moral character, the inquiry into these matters shall extend to the petitioner's entire lifetime. Should the inquiry disclose relevant adverse conduct or activity which occurred during a reasonable period of time immediately preceding the date of the petition, and/or during the period between the date of the petition and final hearing, and the adverse information is of sufficient weight and probative value to warrant the finding, it shall be concluded that the petitioner has not sustained the burden of proof, and he shall be deemed ineligible for naturalization.He is also mentioned in Footnote 35, which is attached to this part of the interpretation:
(7) "Separated under honorable conditions" requirement . (i) Undesirable discharge . A petitioner who was issued an undesirable discharge from the Marine Corps in 1954 because he falsified his name, age, place of birth, citizenship, arrest record, and previous military service was held not to have met this requirement, since under section 13254 of the Marine Corps Personnel Manual an undesirable discharge is defined as a separation under conditions other that honorable, issued for unfitness, misconduct, or for security reasons.They are obviously talking about my grandfather because this matches up with the story he told me and the dates of military service he gave in his petition. Also, the alien number in the footnote matches the alien number on his petition, so I know for certain they are talking about him and not a person with the same name. Apparently, he received an undesirable discharge, which is somewhere between honorable and dishonorable. Because the interpretation is referencing all of this, I know there must be more info than just the petition.
After much research, I found on the Blood and Frogs blog that the USCIS usually has more information than what is on file at the National Archives for naturalization occurring after 1906. I've decided to go ahead and request his A-file (alien file) from the USCIS under the Freedom of Information Act. I have to submit proof of death, but that shouldn't be a problem because they will accept obituaries and SSDI printouts as proof. I also have a proof of death certificate from the funeral home. I thought I read that the agency had to respond within 20 days to an FOIA request, but I also saw on the ProGenealogists blog that it can take 18-20 months, so I may have to be patient. They have a genealogy record search program, but because his records are more recent than the files covered by that program, I cannot request them through that program.
In the meantime, I may also try requesting the records from the U.S. District Court in Detroit. They have what seems like a simple online ordering system, and they also have an online records search system, though I don't know if records from 1965-1967 are available online. I have my doubts about that. Registration for the online system is free, but you have to pay for search results. I'm just not exactly sure what to request from the U.S. District Court. I have the petition number, his alien number, and the dates, so maybe that will be enough for them to retrieve the rest of the file.
I also need to order the military records, especially since I now have the dates and service number. I did find an unusual social security card in my grandmother's photo albums that I inherited when she died in 2008. It was a social security card for a man that I didn't recognize. I don't know anyone in the family by this name, so I have no idea why we would have a social security card for him. I am beginning to wonder if this was my grandfather's friend that he was covering for in the military. I did a little searching, and found that there is someone around my grandfather's age with that name who appears to still be alive and living in Fort Gratiot, St. Clair, Michigan. However, it was a common name, so I'm not sure if this living person has any relevance or not.
So, stay tuned! It may be several months before I get any additional information, but I will keep you posted.


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Heart Shaped Box
A heart-shaped box. Not because I like Valentine's day, but because I think the third album by Nirvana is awesome... With special help from my girlfriend! The box is not hermetically closed, the circular walls are not glued to the bottom. Have a look at the extra photo's in the 'more options'-page. The width can't be larger then the length. If you try this, the width will be made equal to the length.


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what's happening in Rwanda?
I've been a bit incommunicado of late. Sorry about that, there are lots of looming deadlines in my future and preparing to be out of town on a tour du monde for an entire month is consuming most of my blogging time. Speaking of, if you're up for hanging out in Shanghai, Chengdu, Nanjing, Montreal, Miami, DC, or Chicago in March, let me know. I'll be giving public talks in Nanjing and Montreal and presenting at conferences in Montreal, Miami, and Chicago and would love to connect.
Anyway, my inbox is alarmingly empty of hate mail, so let's talk Great Lakes politics for a bit. In late January, we passed the two-year anniversary of renegade Congolese general Laurent Nkunda's arrest by the Rwandan government. Nkunda has been held under house arrest just outside Kigali since that time without charge or trial. As Rwandan Minister of Justice Tharcisse Karugarama told Kenya's Daily Nation, Nkunda's case isn't easy. Trying a case you don't want to try never is.
The main impediments to trying Nkunda have to do with issues over extradition to the DRC, including the fear that the DRC's amnesty law will allow Nkunda to walk free and the fact that Rwandan law prohibits extradition to states that use the death penalty, which the DRC does. Of course, the real place Nkunda should be tried is the ICC, and don't think for a minute that it wouldn't be possible for Rwanda to arrange a transfer of Nkunda directly into MONUSCO's hands, where he could be transferred to ICC custody with little fuss, thus avoiding the Congolese courts entirely. But that would mean a full trial of Nkunda in the public eye, which no one in Rwanda wants, because, as we've discussed before, Nkunda knows everybody's secrets and would have little to lose by exposing them.
Meanwhile, back in Goma, Nkunda's one-time-number-two/current leader of the CNDP/possible leader in the FARDC depending on whom you ask Bosco Ntaganda has been involved in some shenanigans of his own of late, most recently involving a Nigerian plane that arrived in Goma carrying several million dollars in cold hard cash, apparently to buy gold. From Ntaganda. You can't make this stuff up, although, as Jason notes, one has to wonder about the type of shady characters who think Goma is the place to buy gold. Everybody knows the gold goes through Butembo, Bunia, and Bukavu. Duh.
Ntaganda, by the way, is still avoiding an arrest warrant from the ICC, despite living quite openly in Goma and going about his everyday business of maintaining a parallel administrative structure for CNDP governance in Rutshuru territory and, apparently, trying to get away with multimillion dollar smuggling deals. I hear he can regularly be seen out and about enjoying Goma's finest dining establishments. So why won't anyone arrest Ntaganda?
Meanwhile, the Rwandan government has had no problem prosecuting cases against its political enemies. Four exiled Rwandan leaders, all former members of the RPF regime and trusted Kagame deputies including former army external intelligence head Patrick Karegeya and Lt Gen Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, were sentenced to 20 and 24 year prison terms in absentia by a Rwandan military court.
Finally, longtime friend/fawning admirer of Kagame Stephen Kinzer did an overnight about-face on his view of Kagame, calling him an authoritarian in a piece for the Guardian. As Jason notes, it's hard to overstate what an extreme change this is; I expect we won't be seeing any more fawning pieces about Kinzer like this one in the New Times anytime soon. Indeed, it appears the New Times has already turned on him.
On a brighter note, the Voice of America reports that the government of Rwanda has agreed to review some of its laws restricting press freedom, free speech rights, and political freedom after being criticized at the meeting of the UN Human Rights Council. This would be a welcome change if it actually happens; as it currently stands, the broadly-written genocide ideology law makes it possible for any critical speech directed against the government to be construed as promoting genocide. My hopes that such a review will have any significant effect are limited, however, especially seeing as a Rwandan court just sentenced two journalists who wrote pieces critical of Kagame prior to August's elections to 7 and 17 years in prison.


text: Chicago charter schools are public schools that are open to all Chicago children. Charters are approved by the Board of Education but operate independently from the board and each other. Charter schools can be operated by community organizations, universities, foundations and teachers, but are held accountable to high academic standards by the Board of Education. In exchange, charter schools are given freedom from many regulations that are applicable to other public schools, giving charters more flexibility in the classroom. Students from across the city can apply but are chosen through a lottery.


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So... we made a game console.
And by "we" I mean you. OUYA wouldn't exist without you.
Just last summer, we shared an idea for a simple, beautiful, powerful game... Read more
OUYA is coming
Get excited!!!
OUYAs will begin shipping to Kickstarter backers on March 28. That's right. Parts are in the factory and assembly lines are buzzing. We'll gradually ramp up production as... Read more
OUYA is coming to stores
Our loyal-est loyalists...
We have some good news today. Because of the support for OUYA you showed, some of our favorite stores are going to carry OUYA when it officially launches to... Read more
OUYA Devs jam worldwide, CREATE 166 game prototypes in 10 days
Not much longer to wait for your OUYA... and everything's looking good. At OUYA HQ we're starting to see games, games, games.
We shipped our developer consoles on time, so... Read more
It's Open Season!
We just licked the stamps and waved a fond farewell to 1,200 OUYA Developer Consoles.These are the early versions of OUYA that developers will use to start making games.... Read more
Dev Consoles are shipping on time!
Hey OUYAs,
Feast your eyes on this...
Our office OUYA – the latest prototype we've been putting through the paces every day (and most nights) as we jam toward shipping... Read more
The big hardware update (and more)
It's that time again to update you on our progress. We've been focused on two things -- making OUYA, and talking with great game developers who are excited about OUYA.... Read more
The train keeps on rolling
Hi OUYAs,
Our campaign ended a month ago, and we've been heads-down cranking on OUYA.
I'm writing to give you the full update. In fact, I will continue to send... Read more
15 hours to go...
We've made it! We're counting down our final hours on Kickstarter, and at 10 p.m. PT tonight, we'll be celebrating. But until then, it's business as usual. We've got jobs... Read more
Cue the global countdown: less than 40 hours to go, we've got global news to share
With fewer than 40 hours remaining in our Kickstarter campaign, it's still business as usual at OUYA headquarters. We continue to jam on the task at hand, but we've got... Read more
Today--with five days left on Kickstarter--we have some quick updates. Consider it a one-two punch. And, I'm going to get all "stream of consciousness" on you. Why? Because we've been... Read more
VEVO music videos and a "last week of Kickstarter" special edition console and controller
We're counting down: This is our last week on Kickstarter!
Until now, we have been all about games and gaming, but--as many of you have noted--OUYA can go far beyond... Read more
Final Fantasy comes to OUYA
We've been saying that OUYA will offer all kinds of games.
This morning, we are honored to announce that OUYA is partnering with Square Enix to bring you one of... Read more
2 For Friday: OnLive comes to OUYA, Controller Makes Full Frontal Debut
Hey Kickstarters!
We've got an awesome update to kick off the weekend.
We know you've been dying to see more of OUYA and its controller -- and today, you just... Read more
Update #5: Happy birthday to me!
Hi backers,
It's my birthday today -- and since you all have been so unbelievably awesome, I wanted to give youa little gift. Some of you asked for the... Read more
Update #4: Our first exclusive game
We'd like to introduce you to Robert Bowling, president of the game developer Robotoki, and an early backer of our Kickstarter. You might recognize Robert from his work with the... Read more
Welcome Muffi!
So it's time for us to reveal our secret weapon, someone who has been working with us tirelessly behind the scenes to bring OUYA to life, and today we're pulling... Read more
What a week. While continuing to work on making OUYA, and of course now managing our Kickstarter, we've received thousands of excited comments, pointed questions, and lots of encouragement. Thank... Read more
Do you realize what you've done? You proved consoles aren't dead. You shocked the world. And us!
We are blown away by your support. With your help, we just raised... Read more


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Wednesday, Sept. 19, will be all about military servicemen and their families, as the county's Veterans Affairs office hosts its first-ever Veterans Expo.
The event, to be held that day at Springdale Recreation Center, gives the county's military veterans a place where they can learn about an array of local services available to them.
More than 20 organizations and agencies will have representation there.
The expo will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Farmers may reap payments from no-till conservation practices.
A hidden crop exists in the rich fields being no-tilled across the Midwest. And unknown to many farmers, a concerted effort is underway to harness that crop.
The crop is carbon, and it holds very big potential. The most modest estimate of the carbon value to a farmer using no-till is $5 to $7.50/acre while the most optimistic estimates run $50/acre. Proponents of the new crop envision carbon being traded on the Chicago Board of Trade alongside corn and soybeans.
A lot must happen before the carbon crop becomes reality. But the wheels are turning and a program may reach the farm in a few years.
Decreasing greenhouse gases. The carbon program relates to the global issue of greenhouse gases. Many countries, including the U. S., have agreed to reduce greenhouse gases sometime in the next decade.
Carbon dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas. It is produced naturally and by humans through the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation and conventional plowing. However, reduced-till practices can prevent the production of more carbon dioxide than it produces. The soil's ability to store or sequester carbon and start carbon dioxide from developing has captured people's attention.
"This represents an enormous opportunity for American agriculture," reports Richard Sandor, chairman of Environmental Financial Products, Chicago, IL. "I think the trading of carbon allowances provides the farmer the ability to grow one crop on top of the soil and another crop below the soil. And they will get paid to do something with positive social benefits."
Sandor, recently named senior adviser for Price Waterhouse Cooper on greenhouse gas trading, is helping design a carbon trading system to buy and sell carbon. Farmers who store carbon would sell their carbon sequestering abilities to industries or companies not in compliance with carbon dioxide standards.
The carbon trading system is being patterned after the sulfur dioxide market created four years ago, which Sandor helped develop. Basically, the sulfur market involves companies like public utilities that are unable to comply with sulfur dioxide emission standards. The non-complying utilities purchase emissions rights from other utilities with emissions levels below the standard.
Last year, $3 billion in sulfur allowances were traded on the market. "This is more than 50% of the value of the U.S. wheat crop," Sandor says. "Carbon would be the largest of all. Our estimate is for $4 to $6 billion additional net-farm income nationally from carbon."
Circle of life. Carbon is stored or sequestered in the soil through no-till and minimum-till farm methods. Converting cropland to grass or trees, restoring wetlands, and conservation buffer practices also promote carbon sequestration.
Trite as it sounds, carbon is part of the circle of life. Plants extract carbon dioxide from the air and change it to oxygen and carbon through photosynthesis. The carbon is incorporated into plant tissues and oxygen released into the air.
When plants die, decomposition releases carbon dioxide again, unless decay is delayed or the carbon stored in the soil. No-till planting and crop residues delay decomposition and leave more carbon for soil storage. In the meantime, carbon builds soil quality.
Farm conservation groups support carbon sequestering as a way to increase conservation practices. Adoption of conservation practices like no-till has stalled over the last few years at about 37% of U.S. crop acres. Carbon sequestering could provide an additional incentive to encourage more farmers to adopt no-till methods.
How much carbon. Before a carbon market can begin, scientists must determine how much carbon is sequestered in soils by different conservation methods. Several conservation groups are trying to do this in a program called the Iowa Carbon Storage Project. Currently, historical conservation data from all Iowa counties is being analyzed by a computer simulation model at Colorado State University. The university's Natural Resources Ecology Lab designed the special computer model called Century. The model was tested a year ago with conservation data from five Iowa counties.
Once the carbon analysis is complete, the results will be used to show agriculture's potential for carbon sequestration. Right now, agricultural soils are not included as a solution to carbon dioxide emissions in the global greenhouse gas discussions, according to Tim Kautza, National Resources Conservation Service. This winter, the U.S. and other countries involved in the greenhouse gas talks will meet again. The U.S. plans to provide the Iowa carbon information in hopes that ag soils will be included as a carbon sequestering option.
Some of the groups involved in the Iowa project are the National Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Energy, EPA, Conservation Districts of Iowa, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
A carbon market. Meanwhile, Sandor and his company are working for clients to develop a protocol for carbon trading. "All the work we've done is aimed towards creating a commodity in just the same way that the Board of Trade defines USDA grain standards," he says. "I can easily foresee carbon sitting side-by-side with corn futures and the hedging of this commodity along with traditional commodities.
"A utility, instead of reducing its own emissions, may find it profitable to offset its emissions by buying rights from farmers," he adds. "The farm soils would be the oxygen factories or carbon sinks."
The details of trading carbon are still being worked out. These include who has rights to the carbon sequestration value, length of the contract, how the tillage practices are verified, and how the program is monitored.
Another question yet to be answered is who will represent farmers when selling the carbon allowances. Sandor says he expects farmers will work with groups like a cooperative to sell carbon rights. "The co-op would certify that the carbon was sequestered in the same way it buys beans or corn," he explains. "It will take years. But we're beginning to see lots of local groups interested." Some of those interested include state Farm Bureau groups.
Worldwide, several carbon markets are being set up, including the United Kingdom and Australia. Major global companies like Royal Dutch Shell and British Petroleum anticipate carbon trading and are remodeling to reduce carbon emissions, according to Sandor.
No doubt, the groundwork being conducted for U.S. agricultural soils could help farmers capture some monetary values while cleaning up the air.


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Find Your Perfect Home.
New Lisbon Real Estate
New Lisbon is located in Wisconsin. New Lisbon, Wisconsin has a population of 2,486. New Lisbon is more family-centric than the surrounding county with 27.74% of the households containing married families with children. The county average for households married with children is 26.82%.
The median household income in New Lisbon, Wisconsin is $39,292. The median household income for the surrounding county is $45,135 compared to the national median of $53,482. The median age of people living in New Lisbon is 37.5 years.
New Lisbon Weather
The average high temperature in July is 83.9 degrees, with an average low temperature in January of 5.2 degrees. The average rainfall is approximately 34.6 inches per year, with inches of snow per year.
View Homes for Sale in New Lisbon
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Real Estate Near New Lisbon
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- / World & News
- / Countries of the World
- / Ghana
Facts & Figures
President: John Dramani Mahama (2012)
Land area: 88,811 sq mi (230,020 sq km); total area: 92,456 sq mi (239,460 sq km)
Population (2014 est.): 25,758,108 (growth rate: 2.19%); birth rate: 31.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 38.52/1000; life expectancy: 65.75
Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Accra, 2.573 million
Other large cities: Kumasi, 2.019 million (2011)
Monetary unit: Cedi
- Ghana Main Page
- Military Rule Gives Way to Civilian Government and Stability
A West African country bordering on the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana is bounded by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It compares in size to Oregon, and its largest river is the Volta.
Constitutional democracy.
Several major civilizations flourished in the general region of what is now Ghana. The ancient empire of Ghana (located 500 mi northwest of the contemporary state) reigned until the 13th century. The Akan peoples established the next major civilization, beginning in the 13th century, and then the Ashanti empire flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Called the Gold Coast, the area was first seen by Portuguese traders in 1470. They were followed by the English (1553), the Dutch (1595), and the Swedes (1640). British rule over the Gold Coast began in 1820, but it was not until after quelling the severe resistance of the Ashanti in 1901 that it was firmly established. British Togoland, formerly a colony of Germany, was incorporated into Ghana by referendum in 1956. Created as an independent country on March 6, 1957, Ghana, as the result of a plebiscite, became a republic on July 1, 1960.
Premier Kwame Nkrumah attempted to take leadership of the Pan-African Movement, holding the All-African People's Congress in his capital, Accra, in 1958 and organizing the Union of African States with Guinea and Mali in 1961. But he oriented his country toward the Soviet Union and China and built an autocratic rule over all aspects of Ghanaian life. In Feb. 1966, while Nkrumah was visiting Beijing and Hanoi, he was deposed by a military coup led by Gen. Emmanuel K. Kotoka.
Military Rule Gives Way to Civilian Government and Stability
A series of military coups followed, and on June 4, 1979, Flight Lt. Jerry Rawlings overthrew Lt. Gen. Frederick Akuffo's military rule. Rawlings permitted the election of a civilian president to go ahead as scheduled the following month, and Hilla Limann, candidate of the People's National Party, took office. Rawlings's three-month rule was one of Ghana's bloodiest periods, with executions of numerous government officials and business leaders. Two years later Rawlings staged another coup, charging the civilian government with corruption. As chairman of the Provisional National Defense Council, Rawlings scrapped the constitution, instituted an austerity program, and reduced budget deficits over the next decade. He then returned the country to civilian rule and won the presidency in multiparty elections in 1992 and again in 1996. Since then, Ghana has been widely viewed as one of Africa's most stable democracies. In Jan. 2001, John Agyekum Kufuor was elected president. In 2002, he set up a National Reconciliation Commission to review human rights abuses during the country's military rule. He was reelected in Dec. 2004.
In presidential elections in December 2008, Nana Akufo-Addo, of the governing New Patriotic Party, won just over 49% of the vote, and John Atta Mills, of the main opposition party, National Democratic Congress, took almost 48%. In the runoff election, necessary because neither candidate received 50% of the vote, Atta Mills eked out victory, with 50.23%. It was the closest election in Ghana's history.
President Atta died in July 2012. His four years in office were marked by stability and an increase in oil production. Vice President John Dramani Mahama was sworn in shortly after Atta's death. Mahama won the presidential election held in December, taking 50.7% of the vote. He prevailed over Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party.
See also Encyclopedia: Ghana .
U.S. State Dept. Country Notes: Ghana


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Tips On How To Keep Your Shocks In Top Condition
The shocks on your car need attention from time to time in order for them to work at their optimum level. Several times over the past few seasons, teams I have helped experienced shock failures. So it is in our best interest to check our shocks often and have them tested and/or rebuilt on a periodic schedule.
We talked to several of our shock experts on the topic of shock maintenance, and they offered some great advice. The shock companies are very involved with the racers and usually have their technicians in attendance at many major racing events. So they see and hear a lot about the pitfalls that can affect a racing shock's performance.
We developed a set of questions about shocks and presented them to our experts. Here is what they had to say.
1. Are there maintenance differences between twin-tube and monotube shocks?
Not really. "The two main things you worry about are seals and breakdown of the oil," says Jeff Sandt with Pro Shocks.
Nate Thiesse from QA1 Racing Shocks offers, "All of our racer revalveable/rebuildable shocks have a similar year-end maintenance schedule, regardless of twin-tube or monotube designs."
"Maintenance for both types of shocks are very similar. If possible, gas shocks should be checked for pressure on a regular basis," says Mark Bush, Afco's shock guru.
Curtis Henquinet of hlins Shocks says the only difference between each kind of shock is in the gas reservoir.
"Maintenance for both monotube and twin-tube shocks is basically the same. A regular maintenance schedule for freshen ups should be provided from the manufacturer," offers Scott Keyser, who designs and supports Integra shocks.
2. Can shock pressure cause premature wear and/or failure?
"The more pressure you run, naturally, will cause greater stress on seals and other components," says Sandt.
"Gas pressure settings in a monotube shock are very important to the performance of the shock valving and consistency," Keyser says. "If the proper amount of gas pressure is not run, the oil will foam and the shock will begin cavitating. Then the shock will fade easily and also lose its valving characteristics. Run with the manufacturer's recommended settings to eliminate any complications or premature failures."
"The gas pressure will not cause any premature wear or failure unless extreme pressures are used," Henquinet says.
"Radical valving, such as 11, 12, and 13 valves, that some racers utilize today create huge pressures resulting in forces that generate much higher shock temperatures. I usually recommend a much more frequent freshening of those shocks than I would a standard straight four-valve," says Thiesse.
"Excessive, extreme pressures could cause mechanical problems within the shocks in addition to having negative effects on handling. Users should follow the manufacturer's recommendations on pressure," according to Bush.
3. Are your shocks user rebuildable?
"Yes, Afco shocks are rebuildable provided the user understands the internal workings of the shocks and has access to a quality shock dyno," says Bush.
"QA1 shocks are revalveable and it's not uncommon for a racer at the track to be revalving a shock in the race trailer," says Thiesse.
"Yes," says Keyser, "Integra Shocks are completely user repairable, revalveable, and serviceable. Revalving kits, tools, and instruction manuals are available to the racer."
"Pro Shocks are not user rebuildable. We incorporate a different design to flow the oil, and we feel our shocks are best serviced by us," declares Sandt.
Henquinet says hlins shocks are completely owner rebuildable and revalvable.
4. Can a user send shocks to you for repair and/or to rebuild?
For those of you who plan to travel next year, Thiesse says that QA1 has a network of authorized service centers that range from California to New Hampshire and from Minnesota down to Texas, as well as international service centers in New Zealand and Australia.
Keyser with Integra says, "Customers can call us and send their shocks in to be rebuilt or repaired."
As we learned in Question 3, Pro Shocks does all the repair and retuning of their shocks.
Bush offers, "Afco shocks can be sent directly to our factory or to one of our authorized rebuild centers located throughout the USA and abroad."
"The racer can either send their shocks to us for repair or to one of our various dealers," says Henquinet of hlins Racing Shocks.
5. What maintenance schedule should the racer be on to help eliminate failures?
"The best maintenance is to check for bent parts, leaks, and basic shock function. All of this can be checked by the user. They only need to push the shock in and make sure it does not bind or leak. We also recommend changing the oil at least once a season," explains Henquinet.
Thiesse, too, recommends changing the oil and freshening the shocks every 20 to 25 races, for a normal season, depending on the conditions and environment to which the shocks are exposed. "If you run on tracks where higher shaft speeds and temperatures are generated, we recommend you change the oil and check the shock more frequently," says Thiesse.
Keyser tells us that it is a good practice to remove all the shocks from the car and visually inspect them to ensure that no damage occurred either from track conditions or a wreck.
He further states: "The shock bearings should be cleaned, checked for binds, and then sprayed with penetrating fluid to keep them free from binding. Shock shafts should be spun to check for bends and visually inspected for imperfections or 'pits' that may cause seal damage or oil leaks."
Bush says, "Shocks should be inspected visually on an event basis for obvious problems such as leaks, dents, binds, and so on. Gas shocks should be monitored for pressure prior to race day if possible. All shocks should be thoroughly checked after crashes, after running on extremely rough racetracks, or if the race car went airborne at any wheel."
"We like to advise our competitors that use our single or double-adjustable shocks to freshen them up every 500-600 laps," says Sandt. "Non-adjustable shocks need rebuilding at the end of every season. You should check or dyno the shocks after every race."
6. What is the best way for the user to check their shocks?
"The best way is to have the shocks checked on a quality dyno by a competent technician. Users can make basic checks for bent shafts by completely extending a shock then compressing it while twisting the shaft back and forth all the time checking for tight spots," Bush says.
Sandt tells us: "The best way to check our shocks without a dyno is to stroke them by fully extending the shaft, putting it on the floor, and giving it a good push down. If you feel a spot with no resistance, the shock has air in it and should be sent back to us for maintenance." Henquinet gave us a very similar answer.
Both Thiesse and Keyser gave almost the identical answer-the best way for the racer to check his or her shocks is by using a shock dyno. Both agreed that most racers don't have that luxury, although there are several affordable dynos on the market today that are designed for the local racer. If no dyno is available, then "hand stroke" to check for any dead spots. But be warned that hand stroking cannot tell you if a shock's valving has gone bad because a person cannot bring the shock up to enough speed to check for valving tolerances.
7. Can shocks be mismatched to a particular type of racing?
"Yes, I cringe when I see a weight-conscious Street Stock racer put a small body shock on the front of his 3,200-pound car. It takes a fair amount of dampening to control a big car like that," Thiesse says.
Sandt thinks that some valvings work on some race cars, but not on others. An example of that theory is an asphalt car with a conventional setup versus a car with a Big Bar and Soft Spring setup.
Bush says, "Yes, it is very important to use not only shocks with proper valving, but also the correct type of shocks for the track conditions and type of race car."
Integra's Keyser insists that they "do not recommend the mismatching of twin-tube and monotube shocks on different corners of the car."
8. In both dirt and asphalt racing, the shock can experience extreme limits of travel and force. Which corner for each type of racing gets the most abuse, and why?
"The left rear on a Sprint Car is very important, while on an asphalt Late Model it's the left front. Like the Sprint Car, the left rear on a dirt Late Model and an IMCA-type Modified is the key to a good setup" says Sandt.
"It really all depends on the type of racetrack," says Henquinet. "However, in asphalt racing the right front usually is the most abused, while in dirt racing it is the right rear. These shocks generate the most heat, but the real abuse comes when the car hits something."
Another view is voiced by Thiesse: "In dirt racing, the left-rear shock in a Modified or Late Model seems to become the droop limiter, although we don't recommend the shock to be used in such a manner. In asphalt racing the huge rebound forces on the front [usually more on the left front] of the car can create high internal pressures and heat. These conditions tend to stress the O-rings and seals and may require a higher maintenance program."
"In pavement cars, we find that the most abuse is put onto the front shocks," Keyser says. "Most pavement cars are running a big sway bar along with very soft front springs that are run close to or totally coil bound. This type of setup puts a lot of the load of the chassis on the shocks themselves.
"In order to get the cars to pin the nose to the ground for optimum handling and aerodynamic reasons, the front shocks are often built with six times the amount of rebound found in a typical dirt car shock. That adds stress to the valving system and oil in the shocks, and header heat from a pavement car's exhaust has a huge wear factor on the front shocks," explains Keyser.
"Hiked up dirt chassis tend to top out the left-rear shock and bottom out the right-front shock. Asphalt race cars that use soft front springs can bottom out the front shocks during braking. Severe shock bottoming out can be very detrimental to the life of the shock. Shock bumpers can help prolong the life of shocks that tend to bottom," Bush suggests.
9. What typically causes premature failure of a racing shock?
"All of what we have talked about above!" exclaims Bush. "Hiked up dirt race cars tend to bind the shocks [top and bottom], which can damage shafts, seals, and rod guide bushings."
"The most damage that occurs to shocks are from track conditions, wrecks or poor maintenance," Keyser says. "All shocks need to be maintained weekly and put on some type of rebuild schedule. Dirt shocks are more likely to develop imperfections in the shafts because of the track surface and rocks or debris that they may encounter."
"A shock is a mechanical device with many components such as seals and O-rings that can fail at any time due to dirt and grit, heat and binding," Sandt adds. "Spring collapse will also create rubbing on the shock, which will wear it out. However, crashes still seem to get more shocks than anything else."
From Henquinet's experience, "Premature failure usually is the result of crashes. The other main cause is bottoming out or spring contact."
QA1's Thiesse agrees: "Anytime a shock is bottomed or topped out it can cause premature failure. One of the biggest issues with today's dirt Modifieds or dirt Late Models is the extreme indexing of the birdcages. If your shock is attached to this birdcage, it could travel the bearings past its full misalignment range and bind the shock. The bind will cause a side load to the piston rod and will prematurely wear the O-ring and bushing in the closure nut and ultimately cause the shock to leak."
10. Is there a preferred mounting height for shocks (piston position in the tube) in relation to the amount and direction of travel each shock will experience?
"The rule of thumb used to be 60 percent of the travel was allowed for the compression stroke. Today, there is no right or wrong answer, as long as the shock can function without topping or bottoming out," Thiesse offers.
Henquinet tells us, "Generally, you want the shock to be mounted so it is as close to the middle during the actual use on the track. However, you have to make sure it does not bottom out or top out. Where the main piston is located within the shock body has an effect on the efficiency of the shock, but it is very slight."
Bush offers a different view: "Ideally, the piston should operate as deeply in the shock body as possible. This arrangement provides the most stability for the shaft and piston assembly and enhances seal, bushing, and shaft life."
"Integra recommends that the shocks be mounted in a manner which is bind-free, with about 50 percent of the shaft showing with the chassis at ride height," according to Keyser. "This mounting procedure will aid in the prevention of the shock bottoming or topping out, both of which may cause damage to the shock."
The bottom line is that racers need to help their shocks by installing them properly to eliminate binding, checking them often, and having them rebuilt periodically. Think about how you use your shocks and what they go through. Then you will be able to avoid the pitfalls that go with shock problems.


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"It was an awakening that would signal the beginning of the Kingdom Hearts saga. Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is the tale of a new trio of heroes, told across three scenarios utilizing the groundbreaking technology of the PSP. Exciting new features are introduced on top of the traditional controls, game system, and visual style of its predecessors.
The Keyblade is said to hold phenomenal power. One legend says its wielder saved the world, while another says that he wrought chaos and ruin upon it."
—From Ansem's Report (Kingdom Hearts)
Long before Sora took up the Keyblade, there were other Keyblade masters. One of these masters, Xehanort, disappeared one day along with his apprentice. This event proved to be a foreshadowing of great disaster to come. Aware of the threat, another master ordered his three apprentices to seek out Xehanort and his cohort.
Beat all bosses, master the mini-games, collect every secret. Our massive guide to Birth by Sleep covers the game inside and out.
Japanese gamers have been playing the latest title in the Kingdom Hearts franchise since January, and Square Enix announced today that North America will have to wait a bit longer for the PSP game. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is set to launch stateside on September 7. Read More »
New concepts, new ideas, new games, more money. Read More »
Square Enix makes sure the series continues on PSP, NDS and mobile phones. Read More »
Also known as: Kingdom Hearts X
Release Region: United States
Release Date: September 7, 2010
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Region: United Kingdom
Release Date: September 10, 2010
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Region: Japan
Release Date: January 9, 2010
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Region: Australia
Release Date: September 9, 2010
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Region: Japan
Release Date: January 9, 2010
Kingdom Hearts: Birth ... at IGN
Kingdom Hearts: Birth ... at GameSpy
Kingdom Hearts: Birth ... at GameStats


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Nothing "wise" about advocating poaching
Hunting season just closed here in Montana, and I oiled my rifle for its annual winter hibernation. After all, hunting regulations -- and the law in general -- are something I respect. It's too bad that more community leaders out West fail to grasp that fundamental tenet of citizenship.
In central Idaho last month, a local sheriff had to answer some uncomfortable questions about a raffle he was helping to promote. The prize is a .308-caliber Winchester rifle. Nothing new there - it's a standard prize for selling raffle tickets in America's more rural neighborhoods.
But the devil is in the marketing. The rifle is given away with a shovel and is being labeled as an "SSS Wolf Pack" rifle. SSS is shorthand for the local expression "shoot, shovel and shut up." And that is the half-in-jest way of dealing with inconvenient wildlife that happens to be protected by law. In particular, the phrase is used in conversations around wolves, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Sheriff Doug Giddings bends over backwards trying to explain this. "No, we are not advocating shooting wolves," the top lawman in Idaho County told the press. SSS, he now says, stands for "safety, security and survival."
Yeah. Right. This hayseed wouldn't make the cut to play sheriff on the Dukes of Hazzard.
He is not alone. At my county fair here in Montana, the local "wise use" club also raffled off a rifle, this one a nice .243 caliber. I might have bought a ticket, except they were calling it the "Annoy Molloy" rifle. Does the name Molloy ring a bell? Federal Judge Donald Molloy was the fellow who put wolves back on the endangered species list, after they were off it for one year.
Now we have local bumper stickers that say "Throw Molloy to the wolves." Alas for these folks, he has a lifetime appointment to the bench, courtesy of the Founding Fathers and the U.S. Constitution.
And guess what: This last hunting season, at least two "sportsmen" decided to shoot, shovel and shut-up. Actually, they just shot and left the wolves to rot alongside the road in northwest Montana. Another vandal did the same thing with a grizzly bear, which is also protected by federal law, over in Montana's Lincoln County.
Now, some folks hate wolves, some folks love 'em. Most of us are in the middle, shouted out by the loudmouths on the extremes. But nobody benefits from disrespecting the law. We do not live in a country where we can pick and choose which laws to follow. These rifle raffles are going off half-cocked, shooting their proponents in the foot.
Each wolf that gets shot illegally and stuffed down a badger hole is one more setback for those who want wolves off the endangered species list. It's also one more piece of evidence for those who say Western states cannot be trusted to manage their wildlife. Those of us who hunt and fish should know better than most that, even if it's inconvenient and frustrating at times, there is a greater value in following the law than in flouting it. Anarchy is bad for wildlife. Lawlessness nearly wiped out our wildlife resources in the 1800s, from bison to whitetail deer. The rule of law rebuilt America's wildlife heritage into the envy of the world.
Yes, wolves are controversial, and they can do real damage to livestock and sometimes to big game herds. The same is true for coyotes, mountain lions and bears. They are all part of our wildlife legacy. They can be successfully managed for the long term if all sides cool the rhetoric, come to the table, respect the best science and reach a reasonable plan.
Not that any law is perfect. If you don't like it, work to change it. But don't circumvent it. Democracy is a wonderful thing: Let's not blast holes in it.
Ben Long is a contributor to Writers on the Range, a service of High Country News (hcn.org). He is the senior program director for Resource Media in Kalispell, Montana.
Note: the opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of High Country News, its board or staff. If you'd like to share an opinion piece of your own, please write Betsy Marston at [email protected].


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(AAA Repair)
The aorta is the largest artery in the body. The abdominal portion of the aorta carries blood to the abdomen, pelvis, and legs. Sometimes the walls of the aorta weaken and bulge in one area. This is called an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). AAAs are most often caused by atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of arteries, and high blood pressure.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Reasons for Procedure
Reasons for Procedure
Surgery to repair an AAA is often done when the aneurysm:
- Causes physical symptoms such as abdominal pain
- Reaches a size of 2 inches (5 centimeters) across or has been growing rapidly. Smaller aneurysms are watched closely. They are rarely repaired with surgery.
- Has burst—Surgery must be done right away.
Preventive AAA surgery generally has a good outcome for people who are relatively healthy. Emergency surgery to fix an AAA rupture has a much lower survival rate, due to the rapid loss of blood.
Possible Complications
Possible Complications
Your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:
- Problems from general anesthesia, including lightheadedness, low blood pressure, and wheezing
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Damage to organs
- Death
Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:
- Smoking
- Heart disease
- Previous episodes of transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke
- Lung disease
- Weakness due to cancer
- Diabetes
- Obesity
What to Expect
What to Expect
The procedure varies. It can be done before a rupture as a preventive measure or after a rupture on an emergency basis. The preventive procedure is outlined here.
Prior to Procedure
Your doctor may need detailed pictures of your abdomen, heart, and lungs. These can be made with:
Your doctor may also need a record of your heart activity. This can be made with an electrocardiogram.
Your doctor may ask you to see a cardiologist—a doctor who specializes in heart conditions. The cardiologist will check your heart before surgery.
You may need to stop taking certain medications 1 week before surgery. Talk to your doctor about your regular medications.
On the day of the procedure, you will be given an antibiotic by IV. You may also be given a laxative or enema to clear out your bowels.
General anesthesia will be used. It will block any pain and keep you asleep through the surgery. It is given through an IV.
Description of Procedure
In most cases, an incision is made from the breastbone to below the belly button. The aorta is clamped slightly above and below the aneurysm. Any blood clot on the inside of the aorta is removed. An artificial wall is used to strengthen the area. This is called a graft. The graft will be stitched to the normal aorta on either side. Then, the clamps are removed. The wound is closed with stitches.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
How Long Will It Take?
About 4-6 hours
How Much Will It Hurt?
Anesthesia prevents pain during the procedure. Most people will be sore after the procedure and will be given pain medications.
Average Hospital Stay
The length of your hospital stay depends on your overall condition. Ask your doctor how long you should plan to stay.
Post-procedure Care
At the Hospital
While you are recovering at the hospital, you may receive the following care:
- You will be sent to the intensive care unit for monitoring.
You will have tubes in place, which may include the following:
- IV—provides medications and fluids
- Urinary catheter—monitors urine output
- Arterial catheter—monitors blood pressure
- Central venous catheter—monitors pressure in the heart
- Epidural catheter—provides pain medication
- Nasogastric tube—inserted through the nose and into the stomach to remove secretions and provide nutrition until your intestines regain normal function
At Home
When you return home, do the following to help ensure a smooth recovery:
- To help prevent further problems, you and your doctor will need to work to increase your overall health. This can be done with medications and a healthy lifestyle. If you are a smoker, you should talk to your doctor about quitting.
- Follow your doctor's instructions.
Call Your Doctor
Call Your Doctor
After you leave the hospital, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:
- Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge at the incision site
- Signs of infection, including fever and chills
- New abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Any change of color or sensation in your legs or feet
- Burning, pain, or problems when urinating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abdominal cramps or diarrhea
- Unusual fatigue or depression
- Disorientation or confusion
- Numbness or tingling in the legs
- New, unexplained symptoms
- Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain
In case of an emergency, call for emergency medical services right away.
The Society for Vascular Surgery http://www.vascularweb.org
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada http://www.heartandstroke.com
Updated December 3, 2014. Accessed March 11, 2015.
Hall SW. Endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (Home Study Program). AORN Journal. 2003;77(3):630-642.
6/2/2011 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance
Mills E, Eyawo O, Lockhart I, Kelly S, Wu P, Ebbert JO. Smoking cessation reduces postoperative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2011;124(2):144-154.e8.
Last Updated: 5/2/2014


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Redesign Soft LaunchFebruary 09, 2003
Anything look different? The old default is still available here, if you're curious.
Text is finally dark on a light background. I was even having trouble reading the white–on–blue text of the last design, and that was one of the main driving forces behind this one. Let this be a word of advice: if you're designing for large areas of text, always always always use a light background and dark type. Always.
You might notice a horizontal scrollbar. I've scrapped any semblance of catering to 800x600, so this is now a 'best viewed at 1024' site. I think designing for 800x600 is pointless anyway, since most people run their browser windowed rather than full–screen even at that small size. Since I'm not selling anything and I don't have quotas to hit, I can afford to stop catering to the absolute lowest common denominator and take a step or two up the ladder.
I've also abandoned CSS positioning for now and went back to tables. The main reason for it isn't a lack of faith in the former, more a sense of familiarity with the latter. This was a really complex design to build, and I made the decision from the start to just skip the headache.
Mezzoblue now has a logo of sorts. It's more effective as displayed in the bottom right corner, but I'm still not entirely sure about this particular pattern. I've been playing around with a variant which may find their way up here. "evil octopus" is what I'm calling the idea, if that helps any.
Regrettably, I've had to change from .html to .asp extensions on archive files. Any links to existing archives are now broken, but this shouldn't be a huge problem because I haven't seen any referrals to them yet anyway.
Anyway, there isn't really any new content yet, but I think the organization of existing content is going to be far easier to manage. I'm also using Blue Spark for smaller content updates, so it will most likely start improving as I work out the kinks.


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Warehousing & Distribution
The Arvato SCM/ E-Commerce Group has a global presence in America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, and operates more than 110 locations and storage areas with more than 1.3 million square meters. All locations are directly managed by Arvato employees. Our combination of B2B and B2C expertise offers real added value. We can both send pallets and pack packages for the final customer and ship worldwide. We naturally support our clients' omni-channel processes, such as Click & Collect, retail availability, and Return-to-Store.
Single-source warehousing and distribution across all channels
Award for our clients Douglas and C & A in the multi-channel category
During the Shop Awards 2015 at the Internet World Business show, our clients Douglas and C & A were distinguished with a prize in the multi-channel category. C & A won for its compelling Click & Collect lounges.
In Click & Collect, Arvato provides support with deliveries of online orders in the retail business, where we have two different basic variants:
1. Easy delivery of packages in the retail business and pick-up of returns
2. Implementation of "Carrier Service Points" in the retail businesses
Today, Click & Collect is a viable solution in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Great Britain, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Poland and Denmark. Other countries can be built up on request.
With the combination of B2B and B2C logistics, arvato gives you a comprehensive look at your current business.
Your benefits
Value added services
We offer you customer-specific labeling (boxes/ pallets) and sorting of cartons (e.g. by delivery or store number) as well as revision of inbound goods received at the warehouse.
International transport network
Our Transport Management system ships about 50 million packages worldwide.


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Print out the Buy 1, Get 1 FREE Littlest Pet Shop coupon for a great deal at Toys R Us!
Littlest Pet Shop is B1G1 at Toys R Us this week, using the above coupon you *should* be able to get 2 for FREE!! But, should your store not allow you to do this great deal, try buying 4 and using the coupon. You will still get 4 for the price of 1. Not as good as FREE, but still a great deal!
(Call before you go, because some stores are saying they don't have the B1G1 sale.)
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Littlest Pet Shop at Toys R Us
Posted by Saving Sherry at 1:03 PM 0 comments
Labels: toys r us
Mt. Dew at Target Deal
So, while perusing my local Target add I spotted a $5 Gift Card wyb 5 12 packs, but they annoyingly put "Come in and check out our sale prices!" instead of a price. (Grr) So, I checked the blogosphere and found that some people are reporting that Pepsi is 5/$15, which makes a good deal, BUT I also spotted a Target coupon for $1/2 Mt. Dew which makes this a REALLY good deal if you are a Mt Dew drinker (as I am) because it will be $1.20 each after 2 coupons and the gift card!
Posted by Saving Sherry at 12:52 PM 0 comments
Labels: Target
I'm going to try again!
Okay, the baby is 3 months old and basically sleeping well, so I'm not quite as exhausted as I was before! My hats off to all the blogger moms out there who have had babies and just kept blogging! I just couldn't do it!
My goal is to get started finding everyday deals and posting them. I'm not sure that I will be able to do all of my normal stores (especially not this weekend) but I'll try to take baby steps and get back into this. I've missed it and I haven't been deal hunting for myself so my pantry is starting to get bare!
Thanks for hanging in here with me!
Posted by Saving Sherry at 12:29 PM 1 comments
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Meijer Shopping List for the Week of March 14
Potatoes 5lb bag is $1
Naval Oranges 5lb bag is $2.50
Michigan Apples 3lb bag is $1.50
Meijer Ground Turkey is $1/lb
Pork Spareribs are $1.79/lb
Meijer Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts are $1.99/lb
Kraft Singles are $2
$1/2 Meijer Mealbox
$1.50 each after MM
Coupon Match-Ups
Grands Biscuits are $1
$.30 printable
$.40 after coupon
Chex Mix is $1
$.50 printable
FREE after coupon
Green Giant Steamers are $1
$.50 printable
FREE after coupon
Land O Lakes Butter is $1
$.50 printable or here
$.50 in the 2/7 SS
FREE after coupon
Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes are $1
$.40 printable
$.20 after coupon
Old Orchard Juice is $1.67
$.50 printable
$.50 Meijer Mealbox
$.17 after MQ and MM
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish are $1
Fruit Snacks Deal:
Buy 4 Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks at $6.44
use 2 $.50 printables
get a $2.50 OYNO Catalina
$.53 each after coupons and Cat
See anything I missed? Please let me know!
Posted by Saving Sherry at 8:09 PM 2 comments
Labels: Meijer
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Kroger Shopping List for the Week of Jan 4
Cuties Clementines are $3.88
$.55 in the 12/6 SS (expires 1/6)
$.55 printable
$2.88 after coupon
Texas Grapefruit 8 lb bag is $3.88
Naval Oranges 8 lb bag are $3.88
Sunburst Tangerines are $.20 each
Red Delicious Apples 3 lb bag are $2
Kroger Gallon Milk is $1.98
Pork Chops are $1.49/lb
Coupon Match-Ups
Freschetta Pizza is $3.99
$.75 in the 11/1 and 11/15 SS
$1 printable
$2.99 after coupon
Juicy Juice 64oz or 8 pack is $1.99
$1/2 printable (it's really a MQ, not a Target Q, I promise!)
$1.49 each after coupon
Select Big K 2 Liters are $.59
Kroger Peanut Butter is $1
P&G Deal continues this week. (Since I didn't post last week, here is the full list of deals and the rules!) Buy $25 in participating P&G products, get $5 instantly off your order. BUT WAIT! It's $5 off any NON-P&G products. There is no limit to the amount of discounts per transaction. $25 is accumlated on PRE-coupon totals.
Tide Laundry Detergent (liquid: 40 to 64 loads powder: 63 to 80 loads) is $11
$1 in the 12/27 P&G
$10 after coupon
Tide Stain Release is $5
$3 in the 12/27 P&G
$2 after coupon
Bounce Fabric Softener (100 to 120 ct) is $5
$.25 in the 12/27 P&G
$4.50 after coupon
Downy Fabric Softener (48 to 60 loads) is $5
$.25 in the 12/27 P&G
$4.50 after coupon
Bounty Paper Towels (6 or 8 rolls) is $7
$.25 in the 12/27 P&G
$6.50 after coupon
Charmin (9 Mega Rolls) are $11
$.25 in the 12/27 P&G
$10.50 after coupon
Dawn Dish Detergent is $2
$.25 in the 12/27 P&G
$1.50 after coupon
Head & Shoulders Shampoo and Conditioner is $6
$2/2 in the 12/27 P&G
$5 each after coupon
Duracell Batteries are $3
$1 in the 12/13 RP
$2 after coupon
Always Pads or Liners are $5.50
B1 Liner, G1 Liner FREE in the 12/27 P&G
B1 Pad, G1 Pad FREE in the 12/27 P&G
$2.25 each after coupon (don't forget the FREE product count toward your $25 total)
Pampers Diapers (Jumbo) are $9.77
$2 in the 12/27 P&G
$7.77 after coupon
Pampers Wipes Tubs are $2.59
$.50 in the 12/27 P&G
$1.59 after coupon
That's all I see for now. See anything I missed? Please let me know!
Posted by Saving Sherry at 8:37 PM 3 comments
Labels: kroger
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Meijer Shopping List for the Week of Dec 13
Meijer Gallon Milk is $1.75
Meijer Dozen Large Eggs are $.79
Blackberries are $1
Naval Oranges 4lb are $1.99
Clementines 5lb box are $4.99
Coupon Match-Ups
Coke or Pepsi 12 Packs are $2.50 (limit 4)
Dole Canned Fruit is $.99
$1/3 in the 11/8 SS
$.50 here
FREE or $.66 each after coupon
Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese is $.99
$.55/2 in the 11/22 SS
$.55/2 here
$.49 each after coupon
Nestle Tollhouse Morsels are $1.99
$1 in the 11/1 RP
$1 here
$.99 after coupon
Pillsbury Cookie Dough is $1.99
$1 here
$1 in the 11/15 GM or 11/22 SS
$.99 after coupon
Carnation Evaporated Milk is $.99
$.50/2 in the 11/1 RP
$.49 each after coupon
M&M Bagged Candy is $2
$1/2 here
$1/2 Meijer Mealbox
$1 each after MQ and MM
Mott's Apple Sauce or Juice is $1.67
$1/2 Meijer Mealbox
$1.17 each after MM
See anything I missed? Please let me know!
Posted by Saving Sherry at 11:28 AM 2 comments
Labels: Meijer
Kroger Shopping List for the Week of Dec 14
Kroger 1/2 Gallon Milk is $1
Kroger Cheese is $1.50
Navel Oranges 8lb are $3.88
Russet Potatoes 8lb are $1.68
Organic Red or Golden Delicious Apples are $.99/lb
Cook's Shank Portion Ham is $1.19/lb
Cumberland Gap Boneless Ham is $1.49/lb
Top Round Roast is $2.49/lb
Coupon Match-Ups
Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese is $1.25
$.55/2 in the 11/22 SS
$.55/2 here
$.75 each after coupon
Nestle Tollhouse Morsels are $1.99
$1 in the 11/1 RP
$1 here
$.99 after coupon
Nestle Cookie Dough is $2
$1 here
$1 in the 11/1 RP
$1 in the November All You
$1 after coupon
Bird's Eye or Freshlike Vegetables are $1
$.35 in the 11/15 SS
$.30 after coupon
Duncan Hines Cake Mix is $1
$.55/2 in the 10/11 SS
$.50 each after coupon
Dole Canned Fruit is $1
$1/3 in the 11/8 SS
$.50 here
FREE or $.67 each after coupon
Pillsbury Grands, Crescent Rolls and Cinnamon Rolls are $1.66
Various Coupons in the 11/15 or 12/6 SS or 12/13 GM
Prices Vary ($1.17- $1.47ish each after coupon)
All Laundry Detergent is $3.99
$2 in the 12/7 RP
$1.99 after coupon
Those are the best deals I see. See anything I missed? Please let me know!
Posted by Saving Sherry at 10:30 AM 0 comments
Labels: kroger


text:
The official builds will ensure regular updates and stable patches. Currently, the nightlies and experimental builds are already available to download. So, you can install the official Honor 4X Lineage OS 14.1 Nougat ROM and Gapps package on your device.
Note: Official Lineage OS builds are quite stable but they're still in the early stage. So, there could be some bugs/issues with this custom ROM which you can report to the community for quick fixes. Install/flash this custom ROM on your device at your own risk but always remember that the Lineage OS team will back you up.
Lineage OS Custom ROM Details
- Build status: Official
- Android Version: Android 7.1.2 Nougat
- Supported Device: Honor 4X (cherry)
Download Lineage OS ROM for Honor 4X
Download the Official Honor 4X Lineage OS ROM and Gapps package from the below download links. Transfer them to your device before proceeding with the installation process.
How to Install Lineage OS on Honor 4X
You can install the Official Lineage OS ROM on Honor 4X from any custom recovery like TWRP/CWM/Philz. We've written a quick guide on this page on how to install Lineage OS ROM using TWRP recovery.
Install Lineage OS using TWRP
- Download and transfer the Lineage OS ROM and Gapps files to internal storage.
- Boot your device into TWRP recovery. You can simply Google how to enter recovery mode on your device.
- In TWRP recovery, click on Wipe » Advanced Wipe. Here select the following options shown in the screenshot below. Do not select the option which reads 'Internal Storage' at any cost, as it will wipe off EVERYTHING, including your custom ROM file.
- Go back to TWRP main menu, tap on Install and select the Lineage OS Zip file that you transferred to your device in Step 1.
- After selecting the .zip file, do Swipe to Confirm Flash on the bottom of the screen to begin the custom ROM installation process. This may take some time.
- Once your custom ROM is successfully flashed, you'll see Wipe cache/Dalvik option, select it and then do Swipe to wipe on the bottom of the screen.
- Now flash the Lineage OS Gapps file similarly like you flashed the custom ROM file.
- After flashing both custom ROM and Gapps files, reboot your device.
We will update with latest updates and security patches on this page. So, keep checking this page for Honor 4X Lineage OS updates.


text:
Coating Paul Frank Star
The latest digital printing technology has enabled us to produce a limited edition of single 100% cotton pillowcases that have wonderful colors and precise details. The picture shows both, front and back side of the pillowcase. Equipped with a practical zipper closure.
Delivery date
Czechia 18. 6.•
Slovakia until 20. 6.•
Europe usually until 26. 6.
Material: Cotton deluxe digital
Size: 1x 40/40 cm
7,40 €
In Stock • On The Way • Not Available • Price with VAT
HINT Don't forget filling


text:
Hello. I was wondering how to load Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) on my phones. I have a Pearl 8100 and Curve 8310 that I plan to bring with me to Indonesia and most likely loan out to friends there who don't speak/read English. I have searched the web and downloaded various versions of the OS and used the Desktop Manager for different installed packages looking for an option for Indonesian and had no luck so far.
They are both on v188.8.131.52. Any advice appreciated!


text:
The family of Rebecca Zahau, whose body was found naked and bound at a multimillion dollar, historic mansion in Coronado, Calif., in July 2011, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in San Diego federal court alleging that she was murdered.
Zahau's mother, Pari Zahau, and sister, Mary Zahau-Loehner, are seeking $10 million in damages and a trial by jury, according to the complaint filed Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
The lawsuit names Adam Shacknai and Dina Shacknai, the brother and ex-wife of Zahau's multimillionaire boyfriend Jonah Shacknai, as well as Dina Shacknai's twin sister, Nina Romano, as defendants.
Dead Woman Found Naked, Bound at Historic Mansion
Zahau, 32, was found "dead, naked, bound and gagged, with a rope noose around her neck" on July 13, 2011. She was discovered on the grounds of the Spreckles Mansion, which belonged to Jonah Shacknai, the multimillionaire founder and CEO of Medicis Pharmaceutial Corporation in Scottsdale, Ariz., the complaint said.
Zahau's mother and sister allege that Adam Shacknai, Dina Shacknai, and Romano "participated in some manner in the planning, implementation, execution and subsequent concealment of the scheme to murder" Zahau, according to the complaint. The suit does not provide any specific evidence against them.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of the two-year anniversary of Zahau's death, which had been ruled a suicide.
Jonah Shacknai is not named in the lawsuit.
Mystery Mansion Death: Family Shocked, Devastated
Authorities discovered Zahau's body in the back yard of the Spreckles Mansion on July 13, 2011. Adam Shacknai told police he found her with a rope around her neck hanging from a balcony off the main house and said he had cut her down.
Zahau's hands were bound behind her back and her feet were bound, but her hands and feet did not appear ever to have been bound together, police said. Though Adam Shacknai said she was hanging from a rope, investigators did not disclose what kind of material bound her hands and feet.
Zahau's death came just days after Jonah Shacknai's 6-year-old son Max fell down the stairs at the mansion. He died of his injuries on July 16, 2011. Police ruled his death an accident.
ABC News' attempts to reach Adam Shacknai, Dina Shacknai and Nina Romano were not immediately successful. Calls to the Zahaus and their attorneys listed in the lawsuit were not immediately returned.


text:
Willis and Towers Watson have merged. Visit willistowerswatson.com
View our solutions by
Premium allocation systems provide formal, yet versatile mechanisms in which insurance premiums, fees and other charges are allocated among participants in an equitable manner. A robust yet flexible allocation system can result in all parties being satisfied that they have been dealt with fairly.
Establishing the appropriate methodology is the most important part of the process and it is important that the participants understand and offer commitment to their "buy-in"
Willis has produced a model which has been used for a number of major clients. Through our experience we can provide guidance on how best to calibrate the model, which factors and weightings to use in allocating the premium (and/or other charges) and the impact that each of the might have.
Once an initial allocation has been produced, caps can be applied to restrict the movement (up or down) on the expiring premium. This capping will produce either a surplus or deficit allocation and therefore the model includes a series of Iterations which allocates the remainder (+ or -) until the best allocation has been produced.
In addition to providing a clear audit trail for transfer pricing purposes, a good premium allocation model can also provide a clear incentive for participants to improve their risk management.
Willis can help in the following areas:
All Premium Allocation Contacts


text:
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