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Wednesday, December 6, 2006. Chaos and violence continue in Iraq, the James Baker Circle Jerk finally spews, Dow Jones reports ten US soldiers dead in Iraq today from two IEDs, and the Democrats demonstrate that "bipartisan" is Beltway Latin for "Screw the voter."
Starting with the vocab lesson first, for all the gas bagging after the election by The Elector (in all their forms) and all the talk of "change" and "listening to the people," Democrats -- swept into power by voters wanting change -- demonstrate that "bipartisanship" is just Beltway Latin for "Screw the voter." First up was the character assassination took John Murtha out of the running for the post of House Majority Leader and allowed War Hawk Steny Hoyer to be installed. Last week Dems were supposed to be cheerleading around the nation over Silvestre Reyes who was being installed as House Intelligence Committee chair. "Yeah, Silvestre!" was the kind of "critique" the public got as the gas bags of the left (and 'left') tried to paint over the fact that others were (again) passed over. Now, Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!) notes an interview Reyes gave to Newsweek where he expressed his desire to send an "up to 30,000" additional US troops to Iraq.
The vocabulary lesson is not limited to House Dems, Democrats on the Senate Armed Service Committee collectively stated, "Screw the voter." As Robert Parry (Consortium News) observes, "Despite winning the Nov. 7 elections largely due to public anger over the Iraq War, congressional Democrats crumbled in their first post-election confrontation with President George W. Bush on the future direction of that conflict."
As elected Dems attempt to 'educate,' the mainstream press attempts to present the marginalized as the norm. Though polls repeatedly demonstrate US citizens want US troops out of Iraq, though polls repeatedly demonstrate that Iraqi citizens wants US troops out of Iraq, Big Media thinks they can pull one over on the public again.
Tossing Judith Miller onto the stake and burning her as the public scapegoat is supposed to satiate the masses and allow War Pornographer Michael Gordon to get off scott free again. (Gordo was Miller's writing partner quite often including on one story that was mentioned in the Times' mini-culpa.) Norman Solomon (Common Dreams) observes that Gordo and David Sanger have both contributed articles pushing the "the US must stay myth" and concludes: "What's now going on in mainline news media is some kind of repetition compulsion. And, while media professionals engage in yet another round of conformist opportunism, many people will pay with their lives."
It's not limited to the New York Times, but to stay on Gordo and the Times, FAIR notes that, on November 15, 2006, Gordo was on CNN telling Anderson Cooper "while the politicians in the United States would like to see a withdrawal of forces, particularly on the Democratic side, that's simply not realistic given how precarious the security situation is at this point in time" and drawing a comparison between Democrats who actually call for a withdrawal (there are a few of those) and 'insurgents': ". . . there are a significant number of players in Baghdad today who don't mind if the Americans withdraw. These are the militia leaders. They would be happy if the United States withdrew . . ." Now does any of that sound anything like a policy judgement or recommendation?
Because when attempting to foist his bad book off on the public, Gordo refused to weigh in on the war itself, telling Amy Goodman (Democracy Now!), "Well, that's a policy judgement and a political judgement that's really beyound the scope of our book."
But now, he can can make those judgements? Of course he can, he made them during the invasion as well -- in fact, he made them on CNN. March 25, 2003, Gordo took the CNN airwaves (Aaron Brown's now cancelled show) to cheerlead a US attack of a civilian target, a TV station, stating, "And personally, I think the television, based on what I've seen of Iraqi television, with Saddam Hussein presenting propaganda to his people and showing off the Apache helicopter and claiming a farmer shot it down and trying to persuade his own public that he was really in charge, when we're trying to send the exact opposite message, I think, was an appropriate target." Three year later, Juan Gonzalez (Democracy Now!) noted to Gordo that his [Gordo's] remark were "condemned by many journalism organizations around the world" and Gordo sputtered: "Well, I think, when -- you know, I don't know what was in General Franks' mind . . ." Blah, blah, blah. Gordo can't own his own mistakes, neither the can the paper.
Judith Miller was one person. The dog pile on her while others were ignored created a climate of impunity. Ditch digger Dexy is outed as a the go-to-boy (outed by a mainstream daily) for the US military and, if noted, it's reduced to an aside. While everyone obsessed and dog piled on Judith Miller's pre-war 'reporting' (which included co-writers), there wasn't time to call sob sister Dexy out. Even now, as the paper's attempts to marginalize US public opinion is called out, who's noting the story, filed from Iraq, that couldn't find a single Iraqi who wanted the US to withdraw (a position held by the majority of Iraqis)? No one.
Miller's departure changed nothing at the paper. But bash-the-bitch and golden oldies did allow many to feel, three years later, that they were 'commenting' as they again trotted out the name "Judy Miller." The only thing surprising about Gordo is that his war porn has taken so long to be called out.
Qais Al-Bashir (AP) reports a mortar attack in the Sadr City section of Baghdad which took 8 lives and left "dozens" wounded. while in Iskandariyah, a bomb claimed 4 lives and left at least 12 wounded. The US military reports a blast "near the Old Ministry of Defense building in the Rusafa neighborhood of central Baghdad" which killed at least 15 Iraqis and left 25 more wounded. Reuters reports that a bomber "blew himself up inside a minibus" in Baghdad resulting in 3 other deaths and at least 16 people wounded
KUNA reports a British soldier wounded in Basra "after armed clashes between British troops and an armed group". Conflicts in Basra have already resulted in the British pulling embassy staff out of the area. Reuters reports a police officer was shot dead in Hawija while a police brigadier was wounded in an attack in Baghdad and his driver shot dead, another shooting attack in Mosul left a college professor wounded, and in Khalis an attack on a farm workers traveling in a bus left one dead and eight wounded. On the college professor, CNN notes this is "a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki pledged that the government would protect professors and students in the wake of a Sunni insurgent group's threat to target professors and students."
Reuters reports three corpses were discovered in Mahmudiya, one in Kirkuk and a headless one in Mosul. And, in an update, Reuters notes that 48 corpses ("gunshot wounds . . . signs of torture) were discovered in Baghdad.
The US military notes: "A Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldier was killed during combatoperations in the Iraqi capital Dec. 3" and also says 'Woops! We issued the information on two deaths in two different press releases Sunday!' ICCC counts 2907 US troops dead in Iraq since the start of the illegal war. And AFP notes that the total of US troops who have died in Iraq has passed the 2900 mark and counting. This comes as Dow Jones reports that 10 US troops have been killed in Iraq today and cites MSNBC on the "two incidents involving improvised explosive devices." That would take the 2907 up to 2917. And possibly it will also give the New York Times and others still silent the chance to note that the 2900 mark was passed?
The James Baker Circle Jerk released their report today. The thing that should stand out the most is that the 142 page report is actually 96 pages (with illustrations) and that 36 pages are end credits -- including a special spotlight for each member. Apparently, notions of a group shot were ditched due to the fact that a visual like that would have most Americans asking who those Circle Jerkers were supposed to reflect? They're old, they're White (one African-American), they're male (one woman). "Tell Us What To Do About The War, Rich Gramps?" could be the working title.
Having stroked each other raw, the Circle Jerk spews 79 recommendations. With few exceptions, they're all based on a principle: "Stupid Iraqis! We will educate you!" You see that in "Recommendation 76" and its focus on "civilian tasks" and "key civilian agencies, including Treasury, Justice, and Agriculture" which "need to create similar technical assistance capabilities." Every now and then, a concrete recommendation stumbles in such as "Recommendation 72" which addresses the requesting of funds for the war ("should be included in the President's annual budget request, starting in FY 2008: the war is in its fourth year") or noting that need to keep an accurate count of incidents of violence and death.
But in the end, you're left with gas bags tasked to do the job that Congress should have. In the real world, the people's Iraq Study Group released their findings last week. Using the same phrase, The Nation notes a poll by World Public Opinion who will release their full results tomorrow. The summary of the polling is currently available. From that:
*1,326 Americans were surveyed.
*75% of respondents desire talks between the US and Iran (something Bully Boy is nixing, click here)
*58% of respondents want a timetable for withdrawal
*78% of those who identified Democrat "think U.S. forces should be out within two-years or less, including 61 percent who favor a one-year or less"
*Withdrawal is supported even stronger by respondents "if the majority of the Iraqi people say they want the U.S. to commit to withdraw U.S. forces"
From the summary: "A poll of the Iraqi public conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org in September 2006 found that 71 percent want U.S.-led forces to commit to withdraw within a year." Again, the full results will be released tomorrow.
Meanwhile William Roberts (Bloomberg) reports that Tom Vilsak (who declared he was running for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2008) has called for the withdrawal of "most American troops from Baghdad and southern Iraq" and declares, "We have created an opportunity for the people of that nation and its government to make fundamental decisions for themselves. We have given them enough time."
While Nancy Trejos (Washington Post) reports that Nouri al-Maliki wants a "regional conference on stabilizing his country but rejected a proposal from U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan that it take place outside Iraq."
Finally, in peace news US war resister Ehren Watada is noted as the United Methodists reflect on 2006: "United Methodists rallied in support of Army Lt. Ehren Watada, 28, who has refused deployment to Iraq because he feels the war is 'morally wrong' and 'a breach of American law.' He faces charges of missing troop movement, conduct unbecoming an officer and contempt towards officials. United Methodists joined a vigil and rally at Fort Lewis in Tacoma, where Watada is being held."
And as Indybay IMC notes, "December 8th through 10th with be National Days of Action to Support GI resistance and GI rights." More information can be found at Courage to Resist and in the Bay Area, "Friday, December 8th, 7:30pm at the College of Marin in Kentfield, segments of the film "Ground Truth" will be shown, and Iraq combat veteran-turned-war-resister Darrell Anderson will speak. Also that evening, at 7:30pm at the Buena Vista United Methodist Church in Alameda, the film "The Ground Truth" will be shown, and there will be a panel with Rev. Michael Yoshii, and Bob Watada and Rosa Sakanishi. That night in San Jose, there will be a reception and fundraiser for Kyle Snyder at 6pm at the San Jose Friends Meeting House. On Saturday December 9th, there will be a peace vigil in support of Lt. Ehren Watada, in front of the MLK, Jr. Library in San Jose from 12-4pm. Read more about these events."
democracy now
amy goodman
juan gonzalez
the new york times
michael r. gordon
the washington post
nancy trejos
robert parry
norman solomon
ehren watada


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PeeWee Longway, one of the rising trap artists out of Atlanta, drops off his latest project, The Blue M&M. The tape features appearances from Young Thug, Migos, & A$AP Rocky, with production coming from the likes of Honorable C.N.O.T.E., Metro Boomin, Zaytoven, Dun Deal, & KE On The Track.
Stream and tracklist after the jump. Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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Earth Day 2006 events planned for Friday, April 21
Goal of Earth Day forum to empower UH Manoa students to make their campus moreUniversity of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
UH Office of Sustainability
This year's Earth Day celebration at UH Manoa picks up on Chancellor Denise Konan's declaration that 2006 is "The Year of the Student," and activities planned for the event will focus on empowering that sector of the campus community to make campus operations more "Earth-friendly."
Events will take place on Friday, April 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at UH Manoa's Hawaiʻi Hall on the lawn facing Varney Circle.
The goal of the Student Sustainability Forum (9:30-11:30 am), the highlight of the day, is to clarify, record and acknowledge students' visions of the ideal future for the campus. Open discussion groups will focus on three topics vital to campus operations: Energy, Recycling/Materials, and Food. Each session will begin with a brief overview of the topic, and a summary of the status quo at UHM. Students then will discuss their vision of the ideal campus vis-à-vis the topic, and formulate suggested actions for improvements. Those vision statements and solutions will be presented to Chancellor Konan at a ceremony at noon.
Other activities will include Malama ʻAina Work Projects (9:30-11:30 am) such as planting the grounds around Hawaii Hall following a landscaping plan initiated and developed by students, and an Eco-Fair (9:30 am-2:30 pm) with sustainability exhibits, food made with locally grown and organic ingredients, handmade crafts and other green products, and music by local bands.
For more information, visit: http://sustainable-uh.hawaii.edu/index.php?sectrion=4&island=2


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Last week, entertainer will.i.am talked about his upcoming iPhone camera attachment that would boost the phone's resolution up to 14MP. The announcement is now official, and here's a look at how you can make your iPhone into a more more formidable camera. It looks kind of bulky and gaudy, but the iPhone 5 version does increase the camera's resolution as promised.
Read more @ Technabob


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Hello beautiful scrappers! I'm here to bring you some very exciting news!
It's 12-12-12… Let's celebrate this unique date in history together! We have an awesome sale, a really fun challenge with a GREAT PRIZE, and lots of chatting!! Make sure you keep an eye out for coupons, I heard the GingerBread Man will be running around GingerScraps Land leaving goodies. Whoot! We do not have a set schedule of times, but throughout the day GS staff members will be popping in and out of the chat room. Your welcome to hang out all day long and chat with your fellow scrappers! Head on over to the GS forum for all the details. Hope to see you there!!


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Viruses often innovate in the relative safety of a closed door classroom. If you use attempt to use technology in unexpected ways, or if you use tools before they become the norm, you may be a virus. There are many innovators out there, but most, like viruses, are difficult to see. It is only through the sharing of stories, that they become visible.
Virus can replicate but only within living host. If you are a virus, do you dare share your strategies and learning experiments with colleagues? In my experience, viral replication begins through such conversation and conversion. Open sharing may be just the thing that ensures that your district; your school; your department remains vibrant.
Once your peers or members of the ICT department identify you as a change agent, it may trigger the natural defenses of your school or system. The immune system is made up of those who want to maintain the status quo. It might be the technicians who place limits and filters on the tools you use, or it may be the colleagues who aren't ready to adapt their practices to the realities of a changing world. Regardless of the antibodies you face, know that it is natural for any body to defend the status quo. The most intrepid change agents are used to barriers, and though they may be slowed, their viral nature will be resistant to the system's natural defenses.
While viruses are immune to antibiotics, they do need to be aware of vaccination programs. Innocuous policies are commonly adopted in order to protect the system from disruptive change. "Personal devices are not allowed on the network." "Facebook and other social media sites are filtered." "Cell phones will be confiscated if they are seen." While effective in protecting the system in the short term, such inoculations tend to expire as neighbouring school systems evolve.
The metaphor leads me to believe that our education system is in need of an epidemic. Innovative practices will have to go viral in order to infect the practices of educators at all levels. If we are to re-imagine education, schools will need the services of an ever-evolving range of viruses. Care to join me for an educational pandemic?
Image credits: Viral Flu via Novartis AG; Ambulance by chriswong3238


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Star Trek: The Next Generation's second season will be released on Blu-Ray on 4 December 2012.
Like the first season, the second season has been painstakingly re-mastered for high-definition, with each episode rebuilt from its source film elements from scratch. As a bonus for fans, the set will include a specially-extended cut of the fan-favourite episode The Measure of a Man. A longer cut of the episode was specially prepared back in 1988 for writer Melinda Snodgrass. Snodgrass kept her copy of the extended cut and loaned it back to the remastering team, allowing them to create this extended version of the episode.
The set will also include a brand-new roundtable discussion between the original TNG castmembers as they talk about the show twenty-five years on from its launch.
CBS has also revealed that the first season sold almost 100,000 copies in its first five days on sale in the USA alone, a highly impressive figure (making back more than half of the money invested in remastering the season) given the high retail price of the set.


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I've taken a couple weeks off from writing here because I had some other projects involving my music collection that I wanted to get started on…..but I have also been a little bored with the whole blogging thing lately. So here's what I've been doing with myself lately…..
iPod & iTunes
When I bought my new iPod 120 gb I was sure I could easily fill it but I didn't take into account the actual time to take my CDs and burn them in. The first thing I did was figure out how to upload the albums in my Dell DJ 30 back to the computer. When I would load my Dell DJ, I would delete the songs off my hard drive because I knew there was a way to reload it. I reloaded everything and then transferred to iTunes…..the most I had to do was change a few details and update some cover artwork but the process was simple. Good thing too because I had some bands in the DJ with a ton of albums: KISS, Sabbath, Maiden, Priest, UFO, Saxon, MSG, Scorpions, Dio. Once I got everything into iTunes, I started uploading more CDs and I've been storing everything on an external hard drive. It's been a long process because I've been stopping and listening to a lot of lost classics. The other iPod project was loading my daughter's Nano with selected classics from KISS, Saxon, David Lee Roth, Ozzy, and AC/DC and transferring everything she had on the computer's hard drive to the external.
Collectorz.com – Music Collector
I have had the Music Collector software for four years and I still haven't catalogued my CD collection. When I bought it a few years ago, I started a list but then we started house hunting, bought a house, moved, etc. My collection lived in various states for the last few years and, now that they are organized, I decided to get a new start cataloging them.
Posters & Pictures
Another Metal hobby of mine is collecting posters and pictures of my favorite bands and albums. I have a ton of old poster and promo flats that I've picked up from local record stores and Ebay and I have been able to snag some black & white promo shots of bands on Ebay. After 3 years of being in my house, my wife and I decided we might as well decorate and the upstairs music room is all mine so I've been going through things deciding which ones to frame.
So that's where I'm at now but I should be back blogging soon. My collections have renewed life and that also makes my interest renewed, hopefully I can translate that into some consistent posts…..


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- Home
- Government
- Divisions
- Emergency Management
- Disasters & Hazards
- Disaster Planning
Disaster Planning
While it is true that emergency preparedness can cost your business money, not planning at all can cost your business much more.
Individuals / Families
See how you can prepare yourself and your family for a disaster.
Kids & Young Adults
See what kids and young adults can do to be better prepared for a disaster.
Pet & Animal Owners
Pets have become an important part of many people's lives, and you must plan for them just as you would for the rest of your family. Pets do require some special considerations, however.
Pledge To Build An Emergency Kit
You can Pledge to Prepare by putting together an Emergency Kit. This is a collection of items that will help you to survive following a disaster if help cannot reach you immediately.
Pledge To Get Involved In Preparedness
Make a pledge to get involved in preparedness.
Pledge To Learn About Hazards & Responses
Make a pledge to learn about hazards and the proper responses to take.
Pledge To Make a Communications Plan
Make a pledge to make a communications plan.


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Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, and one of the international airlines experiencing steady growth in all its operations, inaugurated non-stop services from the Omani capital Muscat to Bangkok, providing a direct link between the two points. As of November 28, 2007, the carrier operates five direct flights a week between Muscat and Bangkok.
In this regard, Ziad Bin Karim Al Haremi, Oman Aviation Services ( Oman Air ) CEO said that launching services to Bangkok is
in response to market demand for direct and reliable services between Muscat and Asia Pacific. Oman Air operations to Bangkok will improve business relations between our two friendly nations. There are immense investment opportunities in Oman, and the Sultanate many attractive tourist facilities will now be directly accessible to people in Asia. We have selected Thailand as our base for expansion into the region and want to take advantage of the opportunities it can harness from the boom in passenger traffic through the new Suvarnabhumi Airport, he added.
Al Haremi stated that Bangkok route is one of the most effective routes as statistics show the number of Omanis who visited Bangkok last year amounted to 38,000, he said. The importance we give to Thailand he said is evident by the fact that it has been preferred to be our first destination to the Far East, adding that the Suvarnabhumi airport's higher passenger handling capacity was among the key reasons for this decision. He further stated, "We expect to see higher load factor after the initial launch".
"With the ongoing expansion witnessed in our network to reach more destinations to serve Oman, Oman Air would become the logical choice for customers flying for leisure or business to the Sultanate."We are going to work in every way to try to increase the presence in Asia Pacific, and will look at tapping all the markets." The CEO added.
He believed that increasing economic relations between Oman and Thailand, had resulted in a marked increase in business and tourist traffic between the two countries, which requires enhanced connectivity, saying that Oman Air Bangkok flights would not only link the two capital cities but also offer convenient connections to Bangkok and onward to other cities we operate to.
"Oman Air will continue to introduce more new destinations, increase frequencies, and extend its route network as part of its
Corporate Communications & Media of Oman Aviations Services (Oman Air) stated that, "Oman Air is using on the Far East Long haul destination its modern and comfortable Boeing 737 - 800 on temporally basis, and would use high-capacity aircraft on this route, hence Oman Air en gineering team is currently inspecting such, to select the one that could serve the Bangkok route. The Company fleet will consist of 12 Boeing 737-800 Aircrafts (By end Jan 2009), 7 Airbus A330 Aircrafts (Mix of dash 300 & dash 200) with deliveries starting in 2009 and, commitment to some 6 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Oman Air would be the first airline in the Gulf region to undergo such move to obtain the Dreamliner aircrafts, which are expected to be delivered to the carrier in 2012, 2014, and 2015.
"The Management is actively preparing a 5 Year plan while an International consultancy firm will be engaged to prepare a 20-year plan. Once the plans are ready and approved by the Board, the actual number of aircrafts will be known then. Boeing and Airbus will be invited to discuss Boeing 787 and Airbus 350 respectively. This is where Oman Air is heading, the latest aircraft with the latest In-flight Entertainment Systems. The company is going to three Class configurations on some of our future long haul routes. Concurrent with this ambitious growth plan, the airline aims to embark on a major restructuring and rebranding initiative. "For the rebranding Oman Air invited few companies to come forward with their creative ideas, and once we see something that meets our expectations, then they will do a full fledged job on rebranding. That is going on across the board, starting from business cards and going all the way to aircraft." They stated.
It should be noted that when the government became the principal owner of the company, it has had a big impact on the
Founded in 1993, Oman Air is currently operating direct international flights from Muscat to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, Kuwait, Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Jeddah, and Riyadh in the Middle East. Also, operates direct flights to destinations in India such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Kochi, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, Chennai, Lucknow, Jaipur, and Karatchi and further to Chittagong in Bangladesh, London, and Bangkok, besides operating domestic flights linking Muscat with Khasab and Salalah.


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Started this discussion. Last reply by tom sarbeck Dec 18, 2014. 50 Replies 1 Like
As a long time atheist and free-thinker I am constantly reading about others who have had the temerity to stand up for what they DON'T believe in. One of the names that keep coming up is that of…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by booklover Oct 20, 2012. 5 Replies 0 Likes
I was tooling through the meme bank for the past couple of days and I got an idea for a thread. I am wondering just what you guys think is the single most destructive memetic device in use today. A…Continue
Started May 4, 2012 0 Replies 0 Likes
I am not really sure how many of the readers of this site feel about activism but occasionally a cause comes along that I feel that at least a certain amount of activism is called for. Nixing the…Continue
Started Apr 30, 2012 0 Replies 0 Likes
I like this story:…Continue
Ficking Chucken has not received any gifts yet
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:37am 1 Comment 0 Likes
This will be a live Webcast from Oxford on Thursday at 4:00 pm (London Time). I am thinking about 8:00am est. 12:00pm Alaska Standard Time (Where I live)
The Participants:
The Archbishop of Canterbury
Sir Anthony Kenny
Professor Richard Dawkins
Should be interesting. Go to the "Origins of Nature" website to find out more info. (You may also need a world time zone map.) Also look for…Continue
Posted on February 22, 2012 at 4:52pm 5 Comments 1 Like
Riots in Kabul over the burning of some books
Iran pushing it's luck with it's nuke program.
Warhawks in the US already sharpening swords.
Israel always praying for a reason to fight. (PS They have nukes)
The rest of the Middle East praying that Israel makes a move.
Putin (despite the wreck he made of the Russian economy...Except for the petro industry) solidly in charge of an always Ready -For- Action Military.
China gonna have to choose a…Continue
Posted on February 17, 2012 at 2:04am 7 Comments 0 Likes
One of the things that bothers me the most is what I have termed The "Test". Everybody here knows what the "Test" is...it's that moment during the conversation with a person or group of people who you are probably meeting for the first time when someone will inevitably say something along the lines of "Thank God for T.V....otherwise we would never know who Snookie REALLY is". (You can replace 'T.V.' with anything you like; the "Test" remains the same.) As all eyes turn towards you you…Continue
Welcome, Ron! Glad you could join us. :D
Please consider joining a group to meet people and talk about anything that's on your mind, Hang With Friends. As Bushrat you might be interested in either Wildlife or Secular Sexuality.
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The NFL draft is a kind of auction, with auction-like dynamics. It's also akin to a marriage. It only takes one, not a crowd, to get married and the opinion of the one outweigh the many. When analyzing the draft, I've been known to say things like between three players of the same true value, the one that gets drafted is the one whose value is most overestimated (1). I've also said things like one scouting opinion isn't important, but the envelope of opinions is. The distribution of those opinions is crucial to knowing when a player can be drafted (2).
In the diagram above, there are three distributions, with different peaks, means and spreads. Player A, in black, has a tight distribution of values and barring any issues with uniqueness of position, there is a consensus where he will be drafted. Player B, in red, has a broader distribution, but is unlikely to suffer more than half a round of variance in draft position. Player C, in purple, has an envelope encompassing two whole rounds of the draft. It's the player C types that create a lot of controversy.
The player the Dallas Cowboys drafted in the first round, Travis Frederick, is exactly one of those types. He was highly ranked before the combine, but suffered because of his bad 40 time. People like Gil Brandt, who had him ranked 27th best at the time, dropped him because of his 40 time. Perusing various links, such as this one, you see rankings ranging from 31 (Gary Horton) into the 90s. Now please note that draft pundits really don't count, NFL teams do. But for the sake of argument, we're using media scouts as an estimator of the envelope of NFL opinions. And that envelope of values encompass two whole rounds of variance.
So, what happens when you must have a player whose valuation envelope is a broad distribution? This player must be taken pretty far from the mean, in the tails of the "high value" side, or else you risk losing him (3). What is guaranteed though, is that the pundits on the other side of the mean from you will undoubtedly scream bloody murder. That's because a draft pundit's opinion is his life's blood, and they make their money validating and defending that opinion, usually in print, and sometimes on television. That it's one of many doesn't matter if that's how you make your living. So of course pundits will scream.
2013 was a draft with few good players. If estimates are valid that there were only 16 or so players truly worth a first round pick, then by default you're overdrafting your quality by a half round by the middle of the first round. If the span of Frederick's valuations really ran from, say, mid second to the beginning of the fourth, then the so-called overdraft is not, it's entirely the function of three things: first, the perceived need for the player and second, such a broad valuation envelope that Dallas had to draft him in the tails of the distribution. Third factor, the lack of talent overall in the draft that led to overdrafting in general.
1. Jonathan Bales, before he became a New York Times contributor, favored this comment (common sense, IMO) and used it to help validate a pet drafting theory of his. I never saw enough rigor in his theory to separate it from the notions of BPA or need, as it was more a collective efficiency concept. IMO the notion hardly led to the invalidation of BPA or needs based drafting.
2. In the early 2000s, I wrote a Monte Carlo simulator of the draft, which explicitly used those distributions to estimate where players would be drafted. More discussion of that code, released as a Sourceforge project, is here.
3. Let me note that in "must have" situations, teams whose draft record no one complains about .. New England say .. will draft players above their worth. Belichick's rationale, given in the link, is instructive. An excerpt is:
Now, the question is always, "How much do they like him and where are they willing to buy?' I'm sure for some teams it was the fourth round. For some teams it was the third round. But we just said, 'Look we really want this guy. This is too high to pick him, but if we wait we might not get him, so we're going to step up and take him.'
PS – tskyler, a Cowboys Zone forum contributor, has a very nuanced fan analysis of the Frederick draft here, one worth reading.


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Thank You, Sir, May I Have Another
Here we go again — and again, and again, and again. This from an Atlantic dispatch from a post-election GOP dinner in Washington:
The debate within the Grand Old Party has begun to take shape along familiar lines. Some call on the party to moderate its positions; others insist it only needs to articulate them more forcefully. Then there are those who darkly foresee the day the American people, having chosen the path of disaster, get their comeuppance.
"Oh yes, we are all very sad," a silver-haired business lobbyist named Michael Maibach said when I asked him how Republicans were coping. "Some of us have turned to drugs; others are in therapy."
But Maibach turned serious as he contemplated the second term afforded Obama, a man whose "hero is Saul Alinsky," who was "raised in two former colonies and never had a continental experience." The fact that he was reelected, Maibach said, was a sign of a country whose character was in decline, where responsibility had fallen out of favor.
So, Americans voted for Obama over Romney because they're bad people and cannot recognize a Marxist anti-colonialist when they see one? If I were a liberal Democrat, I would donate money to this conservative organization to encourage people like Maibach and their way of — and I use the term loosely — thinking.
Sen.-elect Ted Cruz disagrees, sort of, but … wow:
Cruz, standing to the side of the podium before a Crayola-blue curtain with a microphone clipped to his tie, insisted in an impassioned 30-minute speech that blaming the voters was not what he was there to do.
"More than a few conservatives say, well, if the voters want to bankrupt our country, let them suffer the consequences," he said. But the real problem, Cruz said, was that "Republicans were curled up in the fetal position, so utterly terrified of the words 'George W. Bush'" — for whom Cruz once worked, as a campaign adviser and in the Justice Department — "that we never bothered to contest" Obama's economic arguments. The "utterly ridiculous notion" of a "war on women" also went unchallenged, in Cruz's telling.
The other speakers at the dinner — which was also attended by two members of Congress, Raul Labrador of Idaho and Steve King of Iowa, as well as a former Commerce Secretary, Carlos Gutierrez, and emceed by Bill Kristol, the editor of the Weekly Standard — were even more adamant that it was the method, not the message, that lost the election for the GOP.
Romney never contested Obama's economic arguments? Really? Republicans would have done better had they embraced and defended the George W. Bush record? This is funny, but as a conservative, I don't think it's ha-ha funny. But wait, there's more:
"2012 was the exact opposite of the kind of the election we at the American Principles Project think the Republican Party and the conservative movement need to run," said Frank Cannon, the group's president. It was an election, he explained, in which Republicans accepted the notion of a "truce" on social issues and spent $1 billion single-mindedly trying to convince people they would be better stewards of the economy.
Looking at the API board of directors' list, I bet that I agree with them close to 100 percent on social issues. But honestly, to say that Romney, or any 2012 GOP nominee, ought not to have based his campaign on economic issues after four years of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression is a fairly egregious example of 20/20 hindsight.
Anyway, the significant thing about this report is what it suggests about the GOP's activist class. Of course this is just one anecdote, and I hope not one that indicates the direction of the post-election discussion among this class of conservative. Because if this is the kind of thing going on among these elites, things are going to have to get worse for us before they get better. Imagine a group of liberal elites having a Washington dinner after Dukakis's loss, griping that Americans were too corrupt to see what an idiotic scam the whole Reagan-Bush thing was, and how they'd have won if only they had doubled down on Great Society-style liberalism.
But what do I know? Hey babe, let the GOP eagle soar!


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During Thursday night's Best of the Best Awards reception, Club Industry recognized five club companies in six categories for their programming and gave its first-ever vendor awards.
At the reception, which was sponsored by Wyman's of Maine and included drinks and appetizers, the club winners took to the stage to share details about their winning programs.
Those winners were: LifeStart Wellness Network, Chicago, for Best New Member Integration Program and Best Nonmember Program; Medical University of South Carolina Wellness Center, Charleston, SC, for Best Behavior Modification Program; Newtown Athletic Club, Newtown, PA, for Best New Member Sales Program; The Keller Pointe, Keller, TX, for Best Community Program; and Herbert Wellness Center at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, for Best Children's Program.
Mike Flanagan, LifeStart Wellness Network president, took to the stage first with Liz Prebish, LifeStart's director of nutrition, and Katie Folkema, LifeStart's general manager, to accept the award for Best New Member Integration Program and Best Nonmember Program. Flanagan shared how the MyPath program helps participants identify their own starting point on their path to healthier living. Their individualized approach helps tailor the program to the specific needs of each participant. Flanagan continued on to discuss their other winning program, PT-55, which was a winning program in 2011 as well. He credited Prebish for its continued success as LifeStart incorporated more nutrition aspects to the program. Aimed at engaging sedentary nonmembers by providing short, motivating, effective and affordable workouts, PT-55 comprehensive approach led to 45 percent of nonmembers joining the club after the program ended.
Janis Newton, assistant director of the Medical University of South Carolina Wellness Center, accepted the award for Best Behavior Modification Program for the MUSC Healthy Charleston Challenge. She oversaw the first state-wide program in South Carolina that addressed obesity and chronic disease prevention. She told the audience how the program wouldn't have been possible without the support of the director of the facility, Bobby Shaw. The 12-week lifestyle change program was designed to increase physical activity and empower participants as they developed healthy lifestyle habits. Newton has seen more than 700 participants finish the program and more than 20,000 pounds lost since it was created.
The Best New Member Sales Program award went to Newtown Athletic Club (NAC), which was represented by Linda Mitchell, director of marketing and public relations, and Amanda Konigsberg, director of sales. Mitchell credited the overwhelming opportunity her boss, Jim Worthington, presented her when he asked her to generate a net increase of 400 new memberships to support the NAC's $5 million, 12,000-square-foot expansion. She told the audience the program did a great job of generating revenue, but she said that without her boss's encouragement, none of it would have been possible.
Clint Konkle, fitness coordinator and lead personal trainer at The Keller Pointe, accepted the award for the Best Community-based Program for the Lifestyle Improvement Challenge. He spoke about how Keller Pointe partnered with the city of Keller, TX, to offer a variety of events for the community that helped make the program a success. The plaque that Keller Pointe received was not the only award the facility garnered for the Lifestyle Improvement Challenge. The city of Keller, with which Keller Pointe partnered on the program, also was awarded a $25,000 grant for its participation in the Lifestyle Improvement Challenge from Baylor Regional Medical Center to help incorporate more outdoor fitness opportunities for the community.
The Best Children's Program was awarded to Herbert Wellness Center at the University of Miami, which was represented by Rhonda DuBord, camp director and Herbert Wellness Center associate director, and Ashley Falcon, assistant director of wellness. DuBord told the audience about how the Mini Canes Recreational Sports Camp is much more than a sports camp. With Falcon's help, she said they have incorporated wellness concepts varying from physical fitness to financial wellness.
Judges for the facility portion of the Best of the Best contest were: Karen Woodard-Chavez, president, Premium Performance Training; Paula Neubert, general manager, Greenwood Athletic and Tennis Club; Debbie Lee, director of marketing, Gainesville Health and Fitness Centers; Eddie Tock, owner, Eddie Tock Consulting; Thomas Kulp, director, Solution Consultants; Laurie Cingle, owner, Laurie Cingle Consulting and Coaching; Ann Gilbert, director of fitness, Shapes Total Fitness for Women; Christine Thalwitz, communications and research director, ACAC Fitness and Wellness; Maria Yannuzzi, regional programs manager, Merritt Athletic Clubs; and Casey Conrad, owner, Communication Consultants.
For the first time, Club Industry gave Best of the Best awards to vendors. Vendor submissions were narrowed to three finalists in each category by online voting. Then, club operators and consultants in the industry were selected to judge the three finalists at the show. The contest was close, with most of the finalists separated by just one point.
Finalists in the best club management software category were ABC Financial, ASF International and Shape.net. The winner was ABC Financial. The judges noted that ABC's software was easy to use and was innovative.
Finalists in the best elliptical category were the Octane Fitness Lateral X, the Precor AMT and the Technogym Excite. The winner was the Octane Fitness Lateral X.
"No other elliptical feels like it does what this one does," one judge noted about the Octane Fitness Lateral X. "In reality, they are similar, but with such varying degrees of change available, it seems incredibly unique. Members love new, exciting offerings in equipment. This provides that from the moment you get on the piece."
Another judge noted, "There is a certain novelty to this product, but it is strong, tested and solid enough to stay and really entertain and engage users."
Finalists in the best stationary bike category were the Precor RBK 885, the Star Trac E-RBE and the Technogym Excite+Recline. The winner was the Precor RBK 885.
One of the bike judges commented, "This decision was difficult. The products are all great. But I feel the Precor model offers the best multiple options for aging, overweight, etc., members who we need to help more. The program offering with this bike is by far the best and easiest to use and comfortable even for people who don't know how to use them initially."
Another judge noted that the Precor bike had broad/comprehensive programming along with an easy display panel that offered good user feedback. He also noted that it had comfortable ergonomics with a strong/solid construction.
Finalists in the best treadmill category were the Precor TRM 885, the Star Trac E-TRxe and the Technogym Excite+Run Now. The winner was the Star Trac E-TRxe.
One judge said that the Star Trac treadmill struck a happy medium between too much and too little. Another judge noted its stable deck and user-friendly interface with fitness coach component.
Judges for the vendor portion of the Best of the Best contest were: Ken Baldwin, assistant professor at State University of New York and executive director for the National Posture Institute; Scott Chovanec, president of Scott Chovanec and Associates; Ellie Ciolfi, owner of Fitness Rx Personal Training; Percy Reynolds with Gold's Gym; Donna Krech, owner of Victory Management Inc.; Mark Miller with Merritt Athletic Clubs; Anthony Slayen, vice president of operations and innovation, Valley of the Sun JCC; and Kevin Steele, chairman of the Medical/Scientific Board at Performance Health Systems and principal at Communication Consultants Inc.


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Governor issues proclamation urging Mainers to take part in community service on MLK Day
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) � Maine Gov. Paul LePage is proclaiming Monday to be the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
LePage on Sunday said King is being remembered for his dedication and work aimed at ensuring civil rights for all Americans.
In his proclamation, the governor says the Martin Luther King holiday was designated as a national day of volunteer service when it was enacted in 1994. He says it's the only federal holiday commemorated as a national day of service.
The proclamation calls on Mainers to pay tribute to King's life and work by participating in community service projects on Monday and throughout the year.


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A hot tip to top up your retirement pension
Additional voluntary contributions can be like rocket fuel for a pension, yet few people are taking up the option
Last week, we asked Twitter users what an Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) was and if anyone had one; within 10 minutes we had more than 100 answers. The results of our straw poll will not make for happy reading for the nation's pension-fund managers. Nearly a third of people who responded admitted that, like the man on the bus who didn't know what a tracker was (bet he does now), they were clueless.
Another 60 per cent of those polled said that while they knew what an additional voluntary contribution was, they were more concerned with making the involuntary contributions to all their various bills, while just 10 per cent said that they were sufficiently clued-in to be able to put extra money aside for the their retirement.
With hundreds of thousands of people struggling to make their wages last until the end of the month, it is little wonder that long-term savings have taken a back seat for most of us since this grim recession began. Our hard times are not the only reason pensions have been put on the back-burner by most people – these funds have not done us proud in recent years.
Back in 2008, most pension funds here were disproportionately weighted towards Irish equities, with bank shares (remember them?) in particular attracting most canny investors. These portfolios lost about 40 per cent of their value as bank stocks collapsed, which left many convinced that pensions were a mug's game.
There have also been dire headlines about defined-benefits schemes threatening to wind up or pay significantly reduced expected incomes to its members in retirement. So many people have been left wondering what happens if the retirement income they have counted on doesn't come through? Or what if just a small portion of it does, when the time comes for pension-holders to walk away from work with the gilt-edged carriage clock?
Fears surrounding defined-benefit schemes are legitimate when you consider that four out of five final salary schemes are running a deficit.
So what to do? Well, first you need to work out how much you will want for your retirement. Pension experts typically advise you to aim for 50 per cent of your salary. That can be hard. Let's say you are 40 years old and are putting €400 a month towards your pension through a combination of your own contributions and your employer's. You will be saving €5,000 a year, which sounds like a lot – but it is not.
Even when a State pension of €11,976 is factored in, you will still face a shortfall of more than €3,000 a year when the time comes to hang up your four-dimensional tablet or whatever high-end work tools we will have in 30 years.
A comfortable option
This is where AVCs come in. Put simply, they are a type of defined-contribution scheme where your eventual pension pot is determined by the investment performance of the money you invest. If you want to have a retirement that is comfortable, you need to start putting money aside now – and it doesn't matter what age you are.
If you want a €350,000 nest egg for your retirement, you will need to save more than €230 a month from the age of 25. If you have passed that milestone and have now hit 35, you will need to put aside almost twice that amount and twice again if you are 45.
We know that there are few people who can put sums like that aside but even if you can't, it is worth saving something – which is where AVCs come it.
"They are a top tip for those who want to fund their tax-free cash in full, or just want to ensure they save as much tax efficiently into their pension as possible," says Jim Connolly, head of pensions at Standard Life. "Ninety five per cent of people do not avail of what is an excellent benefit for pension-savers."
AVCs are most useful for people who are behind in their retirement saving, uncertain about the future value of their final salary pension scheme, or who wish to fund their tax-free cash (up to 1.5 times a final salary in a defined-benefit scheme) or 25 per cent of their fund's final value in a defined-contribution scheme
Research published by Standard Life earlier this year (and admittedly less thorough research by Pricewatch last week) shows that just 5 per cent of people are making AVCs despite the fact that it allows people to save up to 40 per cent of your salary tax efficiently each year.
The people in the Revenue Commissioners know how hard it is for the private sector to save for pensions comparable to the public sector – so there are generous annual pension-saving limits that workers can avail of.
Most people will not be able to afford to save the full allowance but it might be prudent to consider saving some money on top of their company's contribution to the pension via additional voluntary contributions.
If you are 30 and earning €35,000, you are entitled to save up to €7,000 or 20 per cent of your salary into your pension. As you get older, the percentage of your annual salary you are permitted to save increases. In your 40s, you can save up to 25 per cent of your salary, 30-35 per cent of your salary in your 50s, and up to 40 per cent if you are aged 60 to 75.
AVCs can be like rocket fuel for your pension savings, if you save enough into them over time, and with good market returns. If you had saved €500 a month into AVCs, it equates to savings of €38,000 after six years and four months. With some stock and bond market funds up more than 30 per cent in that time, that would have become €50,000 today.
Accessible products
Quality pension products offering a wide range of investment choices are now very accessible, from as little as €25 a month. Not everyone, though, is comfortable or able to choose a risk-appropriate investment for themselves. They would like to know their money is being "actively" managed and in risk-appropriate assets that allow them to sleep at night.
You can also hire someone to do the legwork in actively tweaking your portfolio. One such example is Standard Life's Myfolio, which allows ordinary investors access to actively managed funds (traditionally the preserve of high-net-worth individuals) from €25 a month.
This pension is described by some as anxiety-adjusted pensions – in other words, the fund manager aims to actively maximise your returns while allowing you to sleep peacefully at night.


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Harsh?: Judge Gives Suspect 6 Months In Jail For Saying "Bullsh*t" In His Courtroom!
NBC reports "Judge Robert Ruehlman got into an exchange with Taliband suspect Jamel Sechrest in court Wednesday"
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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Hello a quick introduction my major experiance of Java has been college work I did 2 semesters one based around GUIs. In my first semester it was mostly theory which was very dissapointing but my second semester I had a very hands on lecturer and really enjoyed it unfortunatly this was a fairly advanced course and while I did well in it I don't think I had fully understood some fairly basic OO concepts such as inheritence since I didn't get assigments to practice them in the first semester. While I had all this theory in my head I misunderstood it and late in the second semester it all started making sense. I was fairly handy when it came to coding and debugging it's just the inheritence stuff like say Mountain Bike extends Bike that sort of stuff.
A couple of months ago in my spare time I decided to try and do some Java and I wanted to do something with poker or at least cards my first challenge was fairly simple create a Card class and a Deck class and a Deck Test class. I had done this before but it was a nice refresher and got it done fairly quick.
I then decided to build a GUI to show all the cards in the deck and as a test if a card was clicked a message box would pop up show what card it is. This wasn't too hard what I decided to do was create a Graphic Card class which extended Card. I don't have the code with me but I think the additional methods were things like drawCard which took in a compent to draw it on along with width height and I think where to draw it. Once again pretty simple and it worked it showed up all the cards(I got images for them off the internet).
I then added a contains method which took in two integers (mouse x and mouse y) and returned a boolean if the point was in the card, so when a position was clicked it would make this method call to all the Graphic Cards and if it returned true it would call the method printCardName. Now at this stage I started working on a website with a friend and left this project.
I went back to it over the weekend and wasn't really happy with the way this worked so changed things around, I wanted to expand on the poker idea and decided to make a simple video poker game. I changed it so there is a Class called CardCollection which is extended by Hand and Deck. I scrapped the graphic card class and added a StrengthChecker class(determines the strength of the hand passed to it) it only works for 5 card hands at the moment but I quite like it and it works I also started a VideoPoker and once again this worked quite well in the command line I was able to show a hand and toggle whether a card was held or not and print out the strength of the finishing hand, all very good. But then I started on a GUI for the game I was able to display the deck(well an image representing the deck) and the five cards, but putting any interactivity on top of this proved beyond me. What I want is that when the player clicks the deck it will invoke the dealFirstHand method and then when a player clicks the cards it toggles whether they are held or not and when the player clicks the deck again it will deal out second hand. Now I was kind of thinking Image would have a contains method similar to that of the shape class which I worked fairly extensively with before. Unfortunatly it didn't. Now I thought a way to avaoid this was to put some buttons in but I wasn't keen on that I also thought maybe since theres always going to be 5 cards and 1 deck I could just have an If point is in range1 then toggle this card1 that sort of thing. I think this would work but I thought there had to be a way to check if an image is clicked. I couldn't find any solution for this with a quick internet search I didn't delve too deeply but I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction for this.
Now I don't know why this didn't occur to me yesterday but I've just checked BufferedImage would the getData method from that be a way to go about things?
Also one other thing I that confused me. I cant exactly remember the problem my Deck class had an Array of Card objects I would have been under the impression that I could then put GraphicCard objects(which extends Card) but I don't think I was able to anyone help me on this?
I think I had a few more minor things but I can't remember the exact details right now and I don't have the code with me to check so I might add these at another time.
Anyway that was a fairly long winded post so thanks to anyone who took the time to read it, and if anything wasn't clear please don't hesitate to let me know.


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Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
Wednesday November 2, 2011 6:17 pm
2011 Holiday Gift Guide: Zomm Bluetooth smartphone leash
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Smartphones, Features, Wireless / WiFi, Family, Women, Men, Techies, Teens, Under $100, Under $250, Under $500
We've spent some time with the Zomm "wireless leash" and have come away impressed by the simplicity of the device, as it's one of those things that make you wonder why a product like it hasn't been available until now. With that, we thought it would be a good inclusion in our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. The Zomm can be attached to your keychain, and connects to your smartphone over Bluetooth. Once paired, it becomes your wireless alarm system for your phone. For example, if you walk away from your phone, Zomm will sound a notification alarm and start vibrating, letting you know that you've left your device more than 30 feet away. This way, you don't leave a restaurant without your phone, or spend forever looking for it because you left it in the car (or, that you are in your car driving and left your phone at home!) Cool enough, but it does more.
Zomm also has an integrated speaker and microphone, so it also acts as a hands-free calling device. If your phone rings, Zomm will ring as well, and you just press the Z button to take the call without having to fish around for your phone while driving. Zomm also has a built-in panic alarm. Hold down the Z button and the alarm will go off. Continue holding it, and the Zomm will use the Bluetooth connection to your phone to dial 911, and it will let you speak with the authorities right from the Zomm device. This is seriously a cool piece of technology that is a must-have for those people who constantly leave their smartphones behind in cabs and restaurants, or just anyone who wants an extra layer of security with them at all times. You can get a Zomm from Amazon for $76.
Read More | Zomm Bluetooth Smartphone Leash
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Student or Learner
I hope I've "ranked" (or should I rather use a different verb, e.g. classified?) this thread into the right section...
I'd like to ask about the signature - the FAQ read: (can I say it this way?)
But I can't find any link to edit my signature in the "Edit Profile" section. How do I set my signature, please?
After you have registered, you may set your signature. This is a piece of text that you would like to be inserted at the end of all your posts, a little like having headed note paper.
If the administrator has enabled signatures, then you will have the option to include your signature on any posts you make. If you have specified a signature, then the forum will automatically append your signature to any messages you post. You can disable signatures on a per-post basis by un-ticking the 'Show Signature' checkbox when you compose your message.
You may turn the signature on and off on posts you have already made by editing the post and altering the state of the 'Show Signature' option.
You can set your signature by editing your profile.
Or is it impossible because it was not enabled here?
By the way, I wanted the signature to be written at the end of each of my post, would it be possible?
I just wanted to write something like "Please, correct my mistakes, so that I could improve my English skills." or "Feel free to correct me to help me improve my English." (is it correct, by the way? ) there.


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Hotel Rancho Luna Beach
Swimming Pool
Welcome to the Rancho Luna Hotel
The Horse Riding is Included
Standard Room Patio & Garden
Hotel Rancho Luna Pool
Rancho Luna Hotel Reception
Rancho Luna Twin Room
Club Amigo Rancho Luna Restaurant
Rancho Luna Bar
Lobby Internet Cafe
The Tennis Court
Hotel Club Amigo Rancho Luna is located on Playa Rancho Luna, between the sea and the mountains. It is a particularly excellent place to stay if you wish to combine diving and other water sports with urban rides and ecological tours.
The recently remodeled all-inclusive two-story Bauhaus-style edifice dates from the Soviet era, but the purely functional architecture has been enlivened by fresh coats of paint.
Dolled up with tropical color schemes and rattan furnishings, the 222 bedrooms are comfy enough, but not enough to make you wish to linger, despite international programming on the satellite TVs. Instead, you'll want to spend your time by the sand beach or the Olympic-size pool, both of which are palm-shaded.
The two restaurants win no gourmet prizes, and the buffet and a la carte dishes here are limited in range. The cappuccino bar makes amends for coffee addicts.
Entertainment is not sophisticated. The staff perform cabarets, and work hard to keep guests amused day and night, but there's simply not that much to do after sunset.
By day, scuba diving a big draw; the hotel has introductory lessons, and the on-site dive operation has certification courses. And there are a modicum of non-motorized watersport and recreational activities, such as volleyball. However, if you want to use the tennis court, bring your own racket and balls! A high point is wide range of tour excursions to the Sierra Escambray, Trinidad, and further afield.
Cienfuegos City is less than 30 minutes drive away.
From 1st September until 8th December 2018 the swimming pool of Hotel Rancho Luna will be closed for reparation works. During this period, guests can use the swimming pool at Faro Luna Hotel. The hotel will also guarantee the transportation as well as some drinks & snack.
© 2018 Nigel Hunt
Not Reviewed By Nigel Yet
Activities program for kids
Air conditioning
Bicycle tour friendly area
Car rental desk
Children's swimming pool
Conference halls & rooms
Daytime activities programme
Evening entertainment - cabarets
Field sports
Games room
Gym & fitness centre
International cuisine
Internet on hotel's PCs
Laundry & Ironing Service
Lobby bar
Mastercard & Visa (not USA bank issued) accepted
Medical services
Modern building
Nightclub, disco or dance hall
Pool bar
Post office
Reception staff speak Spanish, English, French, German, Italian
Safety - uniformed security personnel 24hrs
Scuba diving school
Shop(s) with basic supplies, souvenirs & gifts
Swimming pool
Taxis desk
Telephone - national & international calls
Tennis court(s)
TV room/bar (international channels & videos)
Water sports (non-motorised)
Description and facilities details coming soon.
220 voltna vtičnica
Balkon (odvisno od razpoložljivosti)
Heißes U. Kaltes Wasser
Satelitska TV
Zakonska Postelja
Description and facilities details coming soon.
Description and facilities details coming soon.
More Hotels in Playa Rancho Luna & Punta La Cueva:
UK prodaja :: Audrey :: +44 20 7498 8555 ali 0800 298 9555
USA & Kanada prodaja :: Jeffery ali Bastien :: Klic brezplačen 888 361 9555
Turistični center Havana :: Idelsis :: +53 7 863 9555
(manj kot 10 dni)


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A Look Through Barbour's Archives with End Clothing
Continuing last week's tour of Barbour's HQ, the End team took the opportunity to explore the brand's archive room and came across a number of stunning jackets from different eras. The collection encompasses garments that date back to 1910 and features not only well-worn jackets, but jackets that look as if they've barely been touched over the years, too.
First up is Uncle Harry's coat, the earliest coat in the archives dating back to 1910. It is a double-breasted jacket designed to protect the wearer against foul weather in all situations and features a velvet collar and waxed thread for waterproofing.
Pictured next is a cape-style jacket from the 1920s. Although it bares little resemblance to what we recognize as typical of Barbour today, the jacket was wildly popular in its time, with thousands produced and sold. Designed to meet the needs of horsemen, the jacket was created to protect those who faced the elements on top of their horses as carriage drivers.
Shown in picture three is the A7 International. Originally sold with an accompanying pair of trousers, the jacket was created with a comprehensive list of features designed to aid and improve the motorcycle rider's experience. The chest pocket was set at an angle to allow gloved hands easy access to maps, the collar was cut short to create room for a pudding bowl helmet, and the jacket was belted in order to give it some aerodynamics, preventing it from flapping about in the wind.
Featured in both picture four and five are two Solway jackets each aged differently. The Solway jacket first appeared in the 1970s and was one of the first country jackets. It is this use in Britain's countryside that has created these two remarkably different jackets. The first has been lavished with frequent coatings of wax, accompanied with a buildup of grease and dirt which has given it this rich, almost leather-style appearance. The second has been left untreated, allowing the elements to strip it of its original wax coating, leaving it with the lightweight feel of a normal cotton jacket.
Shown in image six is the Longshore Smock. Made in 1938 as the predecessor to the Solway, the Longshore Smock continues to show Barbour's primary concern, comfort and functionality. Cut generously, allowing for many layers to be worn beneath it, the Smock was worn while lying in the sand, creating more wear and tear on the front and creating the need for the large funnel collar in order to protect the wearer.
Next up is an example from the 1950s of the A7 international which retains the recognizable details of the 1937 model, this time incorporating a wool lining. It is this versatility and ease of customization that has constantly helped to propel the brand.
The jacket pictured in image eight is the PVC jacket which was most likely used in a poultry factory. And while vastly different from the outdoor styles that have become associated with the brand, contains a selection of the functional details that made them great.
Last up is a subdued version of Barbour's Motoring jacket. Designed to be worn while driving an open-topped car, the wearer actually sits in the jacket offering three layers of protection at the front, where the worst of the elements would hit the driver. As with many of the styles in the archive, it is lined with a unique tartan fabric and retains the angled map pocket and corduroy collar that have now become hallmarks of the brand.