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The answer's found in a section of state law called WAC 284-30-500(3). (WAC stands for Washington Administrative Code.) Here's the key section, with some highlighting we added:
(3) It is an unfair practice for any insurer to consider traffic violations or accidents which occurred more than three years in the past, with respect to the acceptance, rejection, cancellation or nonrenewal of any insured under a private passenger automobile insurance policy, unless, because of the individual's violations, accidents or driving record during the three years immediately past, the earlier violations or accidents are significantly relevant to the individual's qualifications for insurance.
So insurers generally cannot use the older data as a basis to reject/cancel/non-renew you, but there is no prohibition against using the older data to assess risk and rate -- meaning set the cost of -- your auto policy.
Even if you have a problem driving record, it's always a good idea to shop around for alternative rates, since insurers don't all charge the same rate for the same level of coverage.


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cry for
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus.
cry for (someone or something)
1. To express a want or need through crying. I've been rocking the baby for an hour, but she's still crying for her mother.
2. To be in need of something. My hair is just crying for a trim—it's been too long since my last trip to the salon.
3. To cry over someone or something's departure or absence. Oh, don't cry for me—I'll be back home at the end of the semester.
4. To yell or call for someone or something. I cried for my dad as soon as I saw the flood in the basement.
cry for someone or something
1. to weep for the absence or loss of someone or something. No need to cry for me. Take care of yourself. She cried for her lost cat.
2. to shout a demand for someone or something. She cried for help, but no one heard her. Tony cried for Walter, but he did not hear.
3. to cry or bawl, signaling the need or want for someone or something. (As done by a baby.) The baby cried for a bottle. Little Jimmy was crying for his mother.
cry for
Also, cry out for; have a crying need for. Be in urgent need of, as in This wall cries for a second coat of paint, or This car is crying out for a good washing, or There is a crying need for order in this house. The figurative use of cry for, literally meaning "implore" or "weep for," dates from the late 1500s, as does the use of crying for "demanding attention." The first variant, alluding to actually shouting out one's needs or desires, dates from the second half of the 1800s.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hilary Duff wed Canadian NHL star Mike Comrie on August 14, and the former Disney darling paid a visit to Access Hollywood Live to share many of the details of her big day, as well as discuss her new novel, "Elixir."
"The best moment [of our wedding] was definitely standing there and saying our vows," Hilary told Access Hollywood Live's Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Thursday. "It was so special — I was shaking.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Can't Get Enough Of Duff! Adorable Shots Of Hilary Duff!
U.S. & World
"I wasn't like, nervous, thinking I was doing the wrong thing, I was just nervous," Hilary explained. "The whole situation is scary and so intense. But it was amazing… It sounds so cheeseball, but we got to look into each other's eyes," she added.
Despite being a rough 'n' tumble hockey player, Hilary's groom experienced misty eyes during their vows – but it was Mike's best friend who brought the waterworks.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Love Connection: Celebs & Athletes
"[Mike and I] kept it together, but we both [had] pretty watery [eyes]," Hilary told Billy and Kit. "[Mike's] best friend is in perfect sight of me and he's crying and I'm like, 'Hey, buddy! Knock it off! You're gonna help me lose it!'"
Though Mike may have "held it together," Hilary describes the look on his face as she walked down the aisle as "so cute."
"I watched our [wedding] video actually and he just has the biggest smile on his face," Hilary beamed. "He looks really proud."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Authors — Hollywood's Fave Bookworms
The dashing duo took to the floor for their first dance as husband and wife to the sound of Benny King's classic, "Stand By Me" – but the moment didn't exactly go as planned.
"I made [Mike] take a dance class…maybe two," Hilary laughed. "He was so mad at me! He was like, 'We're just gonna go knock it out- we're gonna kill it. We don't need a dance class!'
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood's Smokin' Hot Couples
"I'm like, 'You need a dance class. You don't understand!'" Hilary continued. "Then, [on the day of the wedding], my dress is so tight that once we're making our way onto the floor and I'm like, 'Hey — change of plans. We're just gonna sway back and forth like middle school days. No dancing.' And he's like, 'You made me practice for four hours! I'm doing the dance!'
"We're having this full-on bickering fight before we go on and we're just smiling, and I'm like, 'Don't turn me around!'" Hilary laughed.
Although she's still basking in wedded bliss, the 23-year-old star recently conquered a new career goal – writing her first novel, "Elixir" (available in stores now).
"It took about a year to write the book," Hilary told Billy and Kit. "About six months before that, I was getting the itch to do something new… I met a few of the right people and they were like, 'If you want to write a book and you have ideas, let's do it!'"
While Hilary is still hard at work as an actress (she is currently shooting "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde" film, with Kevin Zegers and Thora Birch), she admits that being an author has its perks.
"[Writing] is such a different process," she said. "I really got to be home and with my dogs [instead of] preparing for performing in front of thousands of people. It was really great."
Copyright 2010 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: Hollywood Radar: November 4, 2010
PLAY IT NOW: Dish Of Salt: Hilary Duff On Married Life: It's 'Amazing, Exciting & Strange'
More from Access: [ Hilary Duff Weddings Authors ]


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Three U.K. has announced that it is extending its Feel At Home proposition to the U.S.A., Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Macau. Feel At Home allows customers to use their UK allowances to use data, text, call home and receive calls from home when abroad.
"We want customers to get the most out of their devices at home or abroad. High roaming charges stop people enjoying their phones while they're away and Feel At Home is the antidote to that.", says Dave Dyson, Chief Executive of Three. "Adding the USA to the mix is great news for our customers and shows our commitment to giving them the best experience in what is a popular destination. We plan to add more countries to the mix soon."
Three also confirmed its 4G rollout plans. From 2nd December, Three started upgrading customers with a 4G-ready device, so they can access the high-speed data technology when they are in an area with 4G coverage. This rollout will accelerate in January, with all customers with a compatible device able to access 4G at no extra cost by the end of Q1 2014 when they are in an area with 4G coverage.
Three says it aims to cover 50 cities with 4G by the end of 2014 and 98% of the population by the end of 2015.
You can now download the new Limerain App and follow Limerain on the go. Also follow Limerain on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS to be notified of any updates.
*thanks iclarified*
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- Posted using my iPhone 5s


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We Americans tend to be a unique breed
To the Editor:
While attending our local Veterans Day ceremonies Monday, some thoughts came to mind that I'd like to share with the people of Norwalk and Darien. We Americans are a unique breed having come to world prominence in the span of just a few hundred years. We've managed to eclipse civilizations that have been around for hundreds and even thousands more.
At the root of our success has been our love of liberty. It's been the driving force behind our desire to learn all we can, our ability to persevere against all odds and our willingness to share our good fortunes with all the peoples of the world.
We'd have no liberty had not farmers in Connecticut and the other colonies not taken up arms against the king. We'd have no liberty had not thousands more Americans representing every profession, race, color and creed served in the military in defense of our great nation. For the sacrifies they've made and continue to make, let us be grateful, not just on Veterans Day, but every day.
I also wish to express my deepest gratitude for all who exercised their liberty and cast votes on Election Day. It's one of the ways we Americans preserve that liberty.
Sen. Bob Duff


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- 2011
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- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
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- 2001
"Chancellor D" "i said no" "Lord of Hell" "r" "Rocco" "s.b." @kentague anxiety birthday cats cuddles dating david glasper David Tenant depressed doctor who dreams dr who england friends funny happy health Hello Kitty ivo kinky kittens kitties life love Mike music naughty poetry political romance romantic sex Sexuality sexy spanking stress Thumper tucson work
- Just Call Me Frank: One Womans Endeavour at Being Frank Currently the only blog I'm reading … 10
- Shona Paterson Good twitter friend and a great lady! 10
- The Misadventures of Kimby My old livejournal blog which is a mirror of this site (now). 0
- Meeble.com My incredibly talented friend's personal/band blog. They're worth checking out. 10
- Oleuanna.co.uk Sexy, Intelligent and Not Scared 0
- Singlemomdate's Blog The Single Mom's Dating Diary 10
Monthly Archives: April 2004
Published April 8, 2004 | By kimby
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Posted in Uncategorized


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Relationships with
Photo Credit: Anne de Baetselier's picture is courtesy of Showbizz-Site - De Smedt Peter. Photographic illustrations of Anne de Baetselier are copyright © by their respective holders. The images are published with permission or as allowed by the copyright law's fair use or quotation provisions. If any copyright holder objects to an image being included, please notify us and it will be removed immediately.
Disclaimer: This information about Anne de Baetselier is derived from astrological interpretation of Anne de Baetselier's date, time, and place of birth.


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Instead of re-applying sun cream, visitors to the Devizes International Street Festival on Bank Holiday Monday had to dodge puddles.
Waterproof jackets and umbrellas were needed rather than shorts and T-shirts.
Despite the heavy rain, hundreds of people came out and were determined not to let the rain spoil the day and they enjoyed top quality entertainment in the town centre.
Annual visitors Amanda Hopgood, 50, and friend Mick Penny, 70, were wearing shorts but keeping dry under umbrellas.
Ms Hopgood, of The Brittox, said: "We are not worried about the weather – your legs dry quicker wearing shorts! I come here every year, I've not missed one."
Mr Penny said: "It's great entertainment, we love all of it and especially the bands."
The free event organised by Devizes Outdoor Celebratory Arts, had performers from all over the world.
Third year students from Circomedia in Bristol were playing lollipop ladies and with their portable zebra crossings made sure it was safe for visitors, including Devizes mayor Sarah Bridewell, to cross.
Getting the music underway on the stage outside the Corn Exchange were The Long Notes playing their distinctive folk, roots and celtic music, followed by Cumbia All Stars from Peru.
Carnage Productions, from France, were due to abseil down the town hall but they cancelled on Sunday due to a member being injured.
However, Bongo Bolero, known as Dick Danger, wowed the crowds outside the town hall with his mastery on a 20ft+ high pole that was slippery due to the rain. His finale was plunging headfirst down the pole into a bucket of water on the ground, ironically the rain had stopped by this time.
The Strong Lady showed off her muscular prowess, firstly by tearing a thick paperback book in half, snapping in half a metal chain and then she progressed to lifting men, she had plucked from the audience, into the air.
Her closing stunt was the human carousel where she spun round two men sitting in straps by a bar on her neck.
Stalls were selling a variety of hot food in the Market Place including Thai, Caribbean, roast potatoes, burgers, sausage and mash.
The Kennet and Avon Brewery also had a stall for the first time at the festival and director Malcolm Shipp said: "There's a bit of British bulldog spirit going on considering it is chucking it down. It will still be a good day but not as good as it could have been."
Returning to the festival for the third time were madcap double act Richard Garaghty and Goronwy Thom who started their show during a respite from the rain.
Their impromptu gags on unsuspecting passers-by, parents with prams and a dog belonging to a member of the audience had everyone howling with laughter.
They are supreme showmen and by the end of their set – the rain falling again – they were on unicycles, removing items of clothing and juggling clubs.


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Why Romney Should Shift Gears in Presidential Race
As the inevitable GOP nominee, he should focus on Obama and the economy. Now.
The results of Super Tuesday voting mean that if a candidate isn't named Mitt Romney, he can't win the Republican presidential nomination without the political equivalent of a Hail Mary pass.
But the results also mean that Romney will continue being a punching bag for the other candidates and for voters who aren't sold on the former Massachusetts governor's credentials as a conservative.
By winning Tennessee and a couple of other states and coming so close in Ohio, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has firmed up his role as the not-Romney candidate. Still, he's strapped for cash and has a weak organization that didn't get him on the Virginia ballot and didn't file full delegate slates in Ohio. And he's way behind Romney in the delegate count.
The best thing that could happen to Santorum is for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to bow to reality and return to the speech-making and consulting circles. That would allow the Romney critics to unite behind one candidate and focus on him rather than fighting with each other about who's best qualified to be Romney's main challenger.
There's no chance of that happening anytime soon. By winning in his home state, Georgia, Gingrich has kept alive his win-the-South strategy. The odds against him are long and the delegate-rich targets are few, but he marches on.
So the race continues, more like an episode of Survivor than a presidential election -- except no one is getting voted off the island.
That's bad news for Romney, as well as for Republicans running for the House, Senate or other offices in November. He'll still win the GOP nomination -- eventually. But, like a playoff team that has to pull out all the stops to beat a pesky lesser team in one round and then has nothing left for the championship, a pushed-to-the-limits Romney may have trouble rallying against President Obama.
Romney would help himself -- and his party -- if he started laying out a detailed economic plan and spent time reminding voters that though the numbers say the recession is over, it doesn't feel that way in many parts of the country.
He should remind voters every single day that the unemployment rate remains high and that gasoline prices are heading toward a record. Not that a president can do much about gas prices, but folks paying $4 a gallon or more are going to feel less rosy about the overall economy.
Every day Romney spends trying to outrun Santorum and Gingrich -- not to mention the GOP's gadfly in chief, Rep. Ron Paul of Texas -- is one less day he and other Republicans have to zero in on the economy. It's the most important issue for Republican voters in the primary season, and it will be the central issue for all voters in the fall. It's the one issue that can send Obama into early retirement, but Republicans just aren't talking about it.
Every day Romney tries to prove he's as conservative as the other candidate, he digs himself a little deeper into a hole with independents and moderates, who hold the key to winning in November. Many of the words he says now to sell himself to the right are words that make it less likely that enough independents will move his way in the fall. And make no mistake, Republicans can't elect a president without a lot of help from voters outside their party. The math just doesn't work.
And every day he spends focusing on Santorum is another chance for Obama to define himself, raise more money and rest up for the big race ahead.
Romney is the inevitable GOP nominee. He needs to start acting that way.


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InnoDB Primary Key versus Secondary Index: An Interesting Lesson from EXPLAIN
I ran into an interesting issue today, while examining some EXPLAIN outputs, and wanted to share the findings, as some of this is undocumented. Basically, you can start with a very simple InnoDB table – 2 INT columns, Primary Key (PK) on the 1st column, regular index on the 2nd:
CREATE TABLE `t1` ( `id1` int(10) unsigned NOT NULL, `id2` int(10) unsigned DEFAULT NULL, PRIMARY KEY (`id1`), KEY `id2` (`id2`) ) ENGINE=InnoDB;
The query is:
SELECT id1 FROM t1;
This is a straight-forward query with no WHERE clause. Given no WHERE clause, we know there will be a full table or index scan. Let's look at EXPLAIN:
mysql> EXPLAIN SELECT id1 FROM t1G *************************** 1. row *************************** id: 1 select_type: SIMPLE table: t1 type: index possible_keys: NULL key: id2 key_len: 5 ref: NULL rows: 1 Extra: Using index
EXPLAIN returns NULL for "possible_keys". This means there was no relevant index (though we see one was used at some point): "It is possible that key will name an index that is not present in the possible_keys value. This can happen if none of the possible_keys indexes are suitable for looking up rows, but all the columns selected by the query are columns of some other index. That is, the named index covers the selected columns, so although it is not used to determine which rows to retrieve, an index scan is more efficient than a data row scan." http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.6/en/explain-output.html So "possible_keys" returns NULL, but key returns `id2`. Per the above, that means `id2` is a covering index. This part is a bit strange, as it is not readily intuitive why this is the case. I mean, the query asks for "id1", yet EXPLAIN says "id2" is the covering index. How is this possible and why isn't just the Primary Key chosen anyway? This is possible because of the way InnoDB's secondary indexes are stored. In InnoDB, secondary indexes are stored along with their corresponding primary key values, so by looking at the secondary index, you can see the primary key values. As for why this is chosen instead of the primary key, it took some digging, but I found the exact comments as to why in the source code (sql/sql_select.cc) in the find_shortest_key() function:
"As far as 1) clustered primary key entry data set is a set of all record fields (key fields and not key fields) and 2) secondary index entry data is a union of its key fields and primary key fields (at least InnoDB and its derivatives don't duplicate primary key fields there, even if the primary and the secondary keys have a common subset of key fields), then secondary index entry data is always a subset of primary key entry. Unfortunately, key_info[nr].key_length doesn't show the length of key/pointer pair but a sum of key field lengths only, thus we can't estimate index IO volume comparing only this key_length value of secondary keys and clustered PK. So, try secondary keys first, and choose PK only if there are no usable secondary covering keys or found best secondary key include all table fields (i.e. same as PK):"
So since secondary index entry data is always a subset of primary key entry, scanning the secondary index should generate slightly less IO than scanning the primary key. Fwiw, this also explains why key_len is less if you specify "USE INDEX (Primary)" to force it to use the PK over the secondary index:
mysql> EXPLAIN SELECT id1 FROM t1 USE INDEX (Primary)G *************************** 1. row *************************** id: 1 select_type: SIMPLE table: t1 type: index possible_keys: NULL key: PRIMARY key_len: 4 ref: NULL rows: 1 Extra: Using index
Note this reports key_len of 4, whereas the former reported 5. Hope this helps.


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Floyd Landis, the only Tour de France winner to ever be stripped of his title, admitted in an interview to using performance-enhancing drugs over the course of his cycling career.
In an interview with ESPN.com and in emails obtained by the The Wall Street Journal, Landis also claimed that several other cyclists, including his former teammate and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, took substances such as human growth hormone and steroids to improve their performance.
According to the Journal, Armstrong did not respond to messages seeking comment. He has been accused of doping on several occasions throughout his years in the sport, but has always denied the charges and has never been sanctioned.
In a series of e-mails sent to both ESPN and The Journal, Landis described his drug usage and methods used to avoid detection, such as learning how to conduct blood transfusions.
He also claimed that Armstrong taught him how the various drugs and techniques worked.
"He and I had lengthy discussions about it on our training rides during which time he also explained to me the evolution of EPO testing and how transfusions were now necessary due to the inconvenience of the new test," Landis wrote in an e-mail published by the Journal.


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Coran's trees and weeds
The "impressive" tree besides Coran Capshaw's Seven Oaks is a sycamore and not a beech ["Coran's place: Rock 'n real estate," News, April 29, 2004].
It is indeed an impressive tree. Sycamores rarely live long enough to attain that size, as they are easily damaged by high winds.
But the really amazing thing about Capshaw's place is that there was not a dandelion to be found. He should patent whatever he's doing, as he could make another fortune solving the age-old problem of dandelions proudly sprouting up everywhere.
Richard Davis
Free Union


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Tuesday, December 4, 2012
NHCSE gets it wrong on Northern Pass
Following Minnesota's Lead
Last week, the NHCSE posted a blog, "Minesota Power to Import Canadian Hydro," that opens with a fundamentally inaccurate central claim: "Following New Hampshire's lead, Minnesota Power taps into the benefits of clean, renewable, Canadian hydroelectricity..." We'll leave aside the persistent false assertion that big hydro is "clean" - the U.S. EPA excludes it - and focus on the more deeply misleading implications of Minnesota Power's "following" New Hampshire's lead.
In the first place, Northern Pass is not New Hampshire. If Minnesota Power is following any lead in proposing its Great Northern Transmission Line (GNTL), it would be that of a group of corporations, Northeast Utilities, Northern Pass, and Hydro Quebec, which in no way comprises "New Hampshire," however one wishes to construe the term.
More importantly, Minnesota Power is not even following the lead of Northern Pass et al. There is a fundamental difference between the proposed GNTL and proposed NP projects. The key point is that a new transmission line cannot be built in Minnesota unless the PUC, under highly specific statutory tests, finds the transmission line is "needed" for reliable electric service:
"The [Minnesota PUC] may only certify a project that is a high-voltage transmission line as defined in section 216B.2421, subdivision 2, that the commission finds is:
(1) necessary to maintain or enhance the reliability of electric service to Minnesota consumers;
(2) needed, applying the criteria in section 216B.243, subdivision 3; and
(3) in the public interest, taking into account electric energy system needs and economic, environmental, and social interests affected by the project."
The "need" criteria referred to in section 2, above, are stringent:
Subd. 3.Showing required for construction.No proposed large energy facility shall be certified for construction unless the applicant can show that demand for electricity cannot be met more cost effectively through energy conservation and load-management measures and unless the applicant has otherwise justified its need. In assessing need, the commission shall evaluate:
(1) the accuracy of the long-range energy demand forecasts on which the necessity for the facility is based;
(2) the effect of existing or possible energy conservation programs under sections 216C.05 to 216C.30 and this section or other federal or state legislation on long-term energy demand;
(3) the relationship of the proposed facility to overall state energy needs, as described in the most recent state energy policy and conservation report prepared under section 216C.18, or, in the case of a high-voltage transmission line, the relationship of the proposed line to regional energy needs, as presented in the transmission plan submitted under section 216B.2425;
(4) promotional activities that may have given rise to the demand for this facility;
(5) benefits of this facility, including its uses to protect or enhance environmental quality, and to increase reliability of energy supply in Minnesota and the region;
(6) possible alternatives for satisfying the energy demand or transmission needs including but not limited to potential for increased efficiency and upgrading of existing energy generation and transmission facilities, load-management programs, and distributed generation;
(7) the policies, rules, and regulations of other state and federal agencies and local governments;
(8) any feasible combination of energy conservation improvements, required under section 216B.241, that can (i) replace part or all of the energy to be provided by the proposed facility, and (ii) compete with it economically;
(9) with respect to a high-voltage transmission line, the benefits of enhanced regional reliability, access, or deliverability to the extent these factors improve the robustness of the transmission system or lower costs for electric consumers in Minnesota;
(10) whether the applicant or applicants are in compliance with applicable provisions of sections 216B.1691 and 216B.2425, subdivision 7, and have filed or will file by a date certain an application for certificate of need under this section or for certification as a priority electric transmission project under section 216B.2425 for any transmission facilities or upgrades identified under section 216B.2425, subdivision 7;
(11) whether the applicant has made the demonstrations required under subdivision 3a; and
(12) if the applicant is proposing a nonrenewable generating plant, the applicant's assessment of the risk of environmental costs and regulation on that proposed facility over the expected useful life of the plant, including a proposed means of allocating costs associated with that risk.
If built, GNTL will have to be a "needed" line. It will undergo serious scrutiny by the Minnesota PUC to determine that it is a reliability project. This proposed line is completely different from Northern Pass, which is not "needed." It is an elective project, a merchant venture proposed simply to make money for its owners. It has neither been examined nor requested by ISO-NE for reliability.
In fact, the proposed Northern Pass project is a highly eccentric concept - a transmission line that no one asked for and no one needs to keep the lights on. The NHCSE's false analogy attempts to "normalize" Northern Pass, but Northern Pass remains what it is: a new brand of merchant venture on the part of its corporate sponsors that has nothing to do with traditional projects like the proposed Minnesota line.
In assessing the "need" for a new transmission project, the Minnesota PUC wisely evaluates the "promotional activities that may have given rise to the demand for this facility" (216B.243, subdivision 3 [4]). Such analysis is rooted in an ancient Latin question - cui bono?- loosely translated, to whose good? Who stands to benefit most from the project? Who stands to lose the most? Have project sponsors created demand through marketing techniques and so-called outreach campaigns? New Hampshire would do well to follow Minnesota's lead and ask the same questions as part of the regulatory review of Northern Pass. Minnesota has many other important criteria by which we should measure this elective project. See above.
Posted by NH Jean at 8:55 PM
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UN Joint Statement: "Adultery as a criminal offence violates women's human rights"
GENEVA (18 October 2012) –In many countries of the world, adultery continues to be a crime punishable by severe penalties, including, in the most extreme instances, flogging, death by stoning, or hanging. Adultery laws have usually been drafted and almost always implemented in a manner prejudicial to women. Provisions in penal codes often do not treat women and men equally and establish harsher sanctions for women, and in some countries, rules of evidence value women's testimony as half that of a man's.
The United Nations Working Group on discrimination against women in law and in practice is deeply concerned at the criminalization and penalization of adultery whose enforcement leads to discrimination and violence against women. The Working Group notes that in some cases, sentences have been commuted on the grounds of unfair trial, including because of gender bias in the administration of justice, or because application of the death penalty for the crime of adultery is contrary to international standards. Nonetheless, the Working Group considers that adultery must not be classified as a criminal offence at all. The Working Group recognizes that in accordance with some traditions, customs and different legal systems, adultery may constitute a valid ground for bringing a civil proceeding and have legal consequences in divorce cases, the custody of children or the denial of alimony, amongst others. However, it should not be a criminal offence and must not be punishable by fine, imprisonment, flogging, or death by stoning or hanging.
Almost two decades ago, international human rights jurisprudence established that criminalization of sexual relations between consenting adults is a violation of their right to privacy and infringement of article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. States parties to the Covenant are obliged to ensure that domestic norms take account of developments in international law and incorporate interpretations of the decisions of international courts and international and regional human rights mechanisms, including the treaty bodies and special procedures.
Given continued discrimination and inequalities faced by women, including inferior roles attributed to them by patriarchal and traditional attitudes, and power imbalances in their relations with men, the mere fact of maintaining adultery as a criminal offence, even when it applies to both women and men, means in practice that women mainly will continue to face extreme vulnerabilities, and violation of their human rights to dignity, privacy and equality.
The Working Group, which is specifically mandated to report on good practices by States, notes that some States have remedied this violation of women's human rights. A good practice in this regard is to be found in a 1996 decision of the Guatemalan Constitutional Court which struck down the Penal Code's punishment of marital infidelity or adultery based both on the Constitution's equality guarantees and human rights treaties including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Similarly, in 2007, the Ugandan Constitutional Court overturned the adultery law that penalized women but not their male partners for adultery.
The Working Group therefore calls on Governments, which retain criminalization of adultery or which allow the imposition of fines, imprisonment, flogging, death by stoning or hanging for adultery, to repeal any such provisions.


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It's a rather slim week in the comic shops, so I thought I'd cast an eye on one release in particular that seems to be racking up some fairly divergent reactions, as Katherine Dacey notes in the latest Weekly Recon. Here are a couple of other opinions on Miyuki Eto's Hell Girl, in addition to the ones Dacey cited:
Blog@Newsarama's Chris Mautner is unequivocal in his dislike:
"Here it is, not even the end of January, and what will surely be regarded as one of the worst manga series of the year (at least in my house) comes tromping through the gates."
Johanna (Comics Worth Reading) Draper Carlson suspects the story might work better in a different medium:
"This was an anime series before it was a manga, and I think it probably works better that way. By the end of the book, I found the stories getting shorter and more repetitive, which would be less of a problem if they were stand-alone episodes."
Julie at the Manga Maniac Café gave it a B:
"There were five chapters in this first volume, and they were different enough to hold my attention. Though the outcomes were predictable and the characters were two-dimensional, the cutesy, detailed art helped to keep events moving along."
At ComicMix, Andrew Wheeler wonders if it's being pitched to the right age group:
"Hell Girl thus gets quite repetitive, and I have to admit that I was losing interest as I went along. The art style is full-blown shoujo, with immense eyes devouring entire faces with their dozens of points of light and welling tears. This is very much not for me, but – since it's rated for teens 16 and up – it also seems aimed away from its natural audience, the overly dramatic young teen girl. There are still some of them at ages 16, 17, and 18, but they're much more common at 13 and 14."
I'm kind of indifferent to the charms of Hell Girl, so I will veer in an entirely different direction with a recommendation for the week: if you're determined to spend money on manga but find the new releases uninspiring, go score yourself a copy of Osamu Tezuka's totally insane, pansexual thriller MW (Vertical). It's by no means perfect, but I can swear to you that you will not be bored for a single moment while reading it. How much more crazy-ass Tezuka gekiga is out there waiting to be licensed? I want more, because watching the God of Manga get his freak on is always worth every penny I pay. Both MW and Ode to Kirihito have been revelations, like finding out your kindly uncle was a cross-dressing jewel thief who dabbled in fomenting political unrest.


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Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Teriyaki noodles with Chinese broccoli
I feel like I have not been in my kitchen in for-EVER! I mean I make toast and things like that, but I have not been cooking like I usually do. My upcoming plan is in full swing, with hopes that everything goes as it should...I will release the news soon!
Tonight was a good night to be inside cooking its pretty chilly outside and I really do find my qi when I am in the kitchen. This was a quick week night meal that turned out pretty tasty.
I find Chinese broccoli at my local grocery store, and I like that its leafier than regular old broccoli, but if you can't find it, the normal stuff with do just fine.
Teriyaki noodles with Chinese broccoli
cooked noodles- udon, soba, rice or whatever you prefer
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 block tofu cubed
1 garlic clove-minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger-minced
6-8 mushrooms-sliced
8-10 stalks of Chinese broccoli
black onion seeds- optional
3 Tbsp tamari
2 Tbsp palm sugar
1 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp sesame oil
mix together and set aside
In a cast iron pan or non-stick heat oil add tofu. let brown.
Add garlic, ginger and mushrooms. Allow to sauté for a few minutes
Throw in broccoli, just allow to green up a bit
Pour sauce over and allow to thicken a bit
Serve over noodles.
5 comments:
- AnonymousJanuary 31, 2013 at 7:53 PM
Looks delicious! Now you've got me wondering what kind of 'plan' your talking about.ReplyDelete
Oh this looks delicious!ReplyDelete
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I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday! I'm flying home later today from California. I can't wait to get home and put up a few Christmas decorations and sit down at my sewing machine and whip up a few projects for presents. Speaking of presents...
Outside cover: 1 - 11"x15" cotton fabric
Lining (contrasting fabric): 1 - 11"x15" cotton fabric
Handles: 2 - 3.5"x11" cotton fabric
Crayon Pocket (double thickness): 2 - 4"x11" cotton fabric
Paper Pocket (single thickness): 1 - 5.5"x11" cotton fabric
Stamp Pocket (contrasting fabric): 1 - 4.5"x11" cotton fabric {Note: In the process of writing this tutorial I used the word "Stamp Pocket" and "Sticker Pocket" interchangeably -- sorry! They are one and the same.}
Fusible Interfacing: 2 - 11"x15" (for outside cover and lining); 2 - 3/4"x11" for handles
Velcro: 3" strip
Note: Use 1/2" seams unless otherwise indicated.
Now for the fun stuff... Please note there is a corresponding photo to each Step for clarification. Click on the photos to enlarge them and see them more clearly!
Have fun creating!
Saturday Night Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Frugacious Friday @ Finding Fabulous
Christmas with Fabric @ Sassy Sites
Friday Fun Finds @ Kojo Designs
Get Your Craft on Thursday @ Life as Lori
Hookin' Up with HOH
Show & Tell @ Blue Cricket Design
Linky Party @ Saturday Morning
Get Your Craft On @ Today's Creative Blog
Tell Me Tuesday @ Vintage Pollyanna
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday @ Coastal Charm
Boardwalk Bragfest @ Bobbypin's Boardwalk
Craftastic Monday @ Sew Can Do


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We've analysed that Temasek ignored MM's warning against extractive industries (OK "mining" to be precise) when it went into shale gas https://atans1.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/temasek-ignoring-mm-iii/
The news sometime back that Shell is paying US$4.7bn for a shale gas firm confirms that Temasek and other SWFs are correct. Err except that the seller, private equity firm KKR, is reported to have paid US$350m juz 11 mths ago for a "significant minority interest". KKR invested via debt convertible into equity.
So jury is out on whether Shell, Temasek, etc. are bubble blowers and buyers.
One wishes Temasek were ahead of the curve (StanChart, Indonesian telcos, Asian banks) instead of being in the middle (hopefully — like the Chinese banks*) or at the back (Merrill Lynch, Barclays, ABC Learning, Shin: anything else?)
There are reports that Temasek will be a keystone investor in the AgriBank of China. If true this will be the third major investment in a Chinese bank. The other two have been good investments.


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Maybe somebody should do something?
The recovery has stalled. It is unlikely that America will find itself back in recession but the possibility of a double dip cannot be dismissed. The problem is not on the supply side of the ledger. Corporate profits are still healthy. Big companies continue to sit on a cash hoard. Large and middle-sized companies can easily borrow more, at low rates. The problem is on the demand side. American consumers, who constitute 70 per cent of the total economy, cannot and will not buy enough to get it moving. They justifiably worry that they will not be able to pay their bills, or afford to send their children to college, or to retire. Banks, with equal justification, are reluctant to lend to them. But as long as consumers hold back, companies remain reluctant to hire new workers or raise the wages of current ones, feeding the vicious cycle.
There are things that could be done!
Under normal circumstances, this would be the time for the federal government to take bold action to ward off a double dip. For example, it could put more cash in peoples' pockets while giving employers an extra incentive to hire by exempting the first $20,000 of earnings from payroll taxes, for a year or two. It could lend money to state and local governments. It could launch a new Work Projects Administration (modelled after its antecedent during the Great Depression) to put the long-term unemployed to work on public projects. It could amend the bankruptcy law to allow people to include their prime residences in personal bankruptcy, thereby giving homeowners more leverage to get mortgage lenders to mitigate the terms of their loans.
But these are not normal circumstances.
No, they're not. People need to realize that the rules have changed. Republican policy is that by continually cutting taxes (and doing nothing else), happy and profitable businesses would use that excess cash to hire people. And once upon a time, the more workers you hired, the more money you could make, but that's not true anymore. Today, companies with excess cash -- which is the current situation, by the way -- could use that money to hire American workers, or they could buy rows and rows of dill pickles. Both are about as critical to their main mission of making as much money as possible for their shareholders -- now that they can replace workers with automation or with much cheaper labor abroad. Getting millions of Americans back to work is only of interest to the public -- you and me and the officials we elect -- and not to the private sector.
So there needs to be public solutions, like the ideas mentioned above.
It's just common sense.
But these are not normal circumstances.


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- Dennis Avery, R.I.P. - June 22, 2020
- I Finally Read Walden - May 5, 2020
- COVID-19 Reading: A Sand County Almanac - April 21, 2020
Independence Day – popularly known as the 4th of July – has special meaning for us here at The Heartland Institute. Our mission is to solve social and economic problems by increasing individual freedom. Our vision is the same one that motivated the Founding Fathers on that fateful day of July 4, 1776.
Amid the fireworks, parades, and picnics with family members and friends, the values we are celebrating can sometimes get lost. I hope you will remind those around you that we are celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a truly revolutionary document that changed the course of human history.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
These are the Declaration of Independence's opening words. They declare war on slavery and tyranny and proclaim a moral foundation for the assertion of freedom and limited government.
Governments, the Founders wrote, derive "their just powers from the consent of the people," and when a government becomes destructive of the people's rights and liberties, "it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
Government seems to be encroaching on more and more of our lives with each passing day. Our job – and yours – is to persuade our friends and neighbors that this great nation was built on opposition to big government. As Friedrich Hayek once wrote, "We must make the building of a free society once more an intellectual adventure, a deed of courage."
Have a great holiday!


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My Receiver copy has gone to buggery
Imagine the black field flashing white every millisecond with epileptic fury.
Also, the menu still acts like the button's are where they would be if the screen still took up the entire area, making it very hard to use it.
I tried to find the installer but it was no longer there. Either I accidentally deleted it or it disappeared on its own. Does anyone know how to get the installer back and/or uninstall/fix the game (I'm not very good with coding)
Missing installer
The place to discuss all things Receiver.
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So I got this Meme from Avitable...feel free to post it as well....
My favorite age: 21
My best friend: Vanessa
My celebrity crush: Christian Bale
My defining characteristic: at the moment? my Red Hair (see my previous post below)
My most evil moment: Watching an ex-flame of Misk's face as we danced together at a friend's wedding. Then smirking at her when he couldn't see and kissing him like crazy.
My favorite food: My own fettuccine Alfredo
My grossest injury: Oh goodness...ok, I was about 6, and we had this huge plant by the window that I would stand on to see out the window better....one night, my foot slipped, and I was straddling the edge of the planter it was in.....a very intimate part of my anatomy got cut....yeah...
My biggest hatred: Injustice and bigotry.
My most illegal activity: When I was in high school I was hooked on cocaine for a little while.
My need for justice: When cruel people who are in charge of something abuse that power to terrorize and demean others.
My most knowledgeable field: Christian Bale.
My life's goal: Own a house with a front porch, swing and a bit of land for privacy that I can retire and pass away in...
My mother's influence: My real mother taught me how to be an independent person and how to fend for myself. My step-mother taught me how to be a good wife and mother.
My nerdiest point: 3rd grade. I knew everything and aced all the tests, even if I didn't do my homework. Turned out I was a gifted child. And the only one from my elementary school who was sent to a special class for gifted kids at another school the next year.
My oldest memory: My cousin Danny sticking what he thought was a dead bee down my shirt and slamming my chest. The bee was, infact, NOT DEAD. My mother says it was right around the time I turned 3.
My perfect date: Romantic Dinner, on or near a beach, some slow dancing, then a walk on said beach and sitting with Misk talking as the sounds and smells of the ocean surround us and provide one of nature's most spectaular music symphonies.
My unanswered question: Why did Mae have to die?
My random fact: I was not given a middle name at birth, legally. When I married, I changed my name to include the one my mother had used for me my whole life.
My stupidest decision: Juan Merida. My oldest friends know who he is and why.
My favorite television show: Currently on air? Weeds. Of all time? M*A*S*H
My style of underwear: standard cotton bikini style. But I like them colorful hehe.
My favorite vegetable: Green beans
My weakest trait: I worry too much about everything
My X-men power: Wind gusts and accute short term psychic power....oh yeah, and smokin' slim body and hair to my waist.
My strongest yearning: To be financially secure
My moment of Zen: having my morning tea and a cigarette right after the kids are at school for the day.


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In this month's organization checklist, we'll wax a bit nostalgic with remembrances of what "May Day" meant to school children in the 1950s and figure out what to do with the heirloom documents and fabric items you've perhaps been fortunate to collect. Here's the link to the .PDF version of the checklist. Print it out, and work through the challenges. Be sure to send me a quick note via Facebook or as a comment to this blog post, to report on your progress at FINALLY GETTING ORGANIZED this year!
Hopefully you'll find this month's activities a fun diversion and great preparation for the upcoming months of vacations and family reunions.
Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
Your friend in genealogy.


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Historic Preservation
SDHS Foundation
Connect With Us
Welcome to the South Dakota State Historical Society. Created by the Legislature in 1901, the Society has been the keeper of state's history ever since. Today we operate five program areas—archaeology, archives, historic preservation, museum, and research and publishing. Explore South Dakota's history—list your home on the National Register of Historic Places, read our publications, study in our research room, and visit our museum. Find out more about the South Dakota State Historical Society here.


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We have always known that our church is not the building; it's the people, but now that is made particularly clear. During this time of COVID-19, our church will meet entirely online. Join our live stream worship service featuring engaging music and relevant teaching from the Bible at pbc.org/livestream, the PBC YouTube Channel, and Facebook.
In our current sermon series, we will look at how our unity in the kingdom of God should shape our interactions in a divisive culture. By tracing the theme of the kingdom throughout Scripture, we'll see how God's people strive to bless the world.
Audio, video and text versions of each message in the series will be available weekly in the Sermon Library.
Race and justice can be uncomfortable topics to talk about. However, our leadership team at PBC believe that we, as the church, have a responsibility to play a role in addressing racism and injustice in our society. Click the button below and lean into these topics with us.
VBS At Home
This year PBC is bringing VBS home to your family! Climb aboard for mountains of fun at Rocky Railway Vacation Bible School! On this faith-filled adventure, kids discover that trusting Jesus pulls them through life's ups and downs. July 27-31.
Learn more and register at pbc.org/vbs.
Feeling isolated during this time? We'd love to connect you to our community. All of our ministries continue to offer weekly online connecting points that can help PBCers and our newcomers get plugged in. We also have new small groups that are forming for connection, prayer and fellowship. Fill out a Connect Card and we'll follow up. If you need prayer, fill out a Prayer Request.
Welcome to Faith in Real Life! This is a collection of mini-sermons (under 7 minutes each) where we cover various topics and discuss difficult questions that come up as we seek the Lord's leading in our lives and minister to the world around us. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to date on our latest content.
Recent Mini-Sermon Series:
Racism & Christ
Christ & COVID-19
Why Am I Suffering?
Finding God's Will
Final layout plans for the Worship Center, playground, and entryway are now available! Check out the architectural renderings and short video update from the elders and the remodel team at pbc.org/remodel.
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Scott Grant - October 7, 2018
Crown of Life
Human incapacity to know the future is the cause for untold human anxiety. Jesus, on the other hand, knows the future. In Revelation 2:8-11, he tells members of the church in Smyrna what's going to happen to them and what they should do about it. How can Jesus' knowledge of the future, even our future, help us?
Scripture References: Revelation 2:8-11


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LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis) is the
most common laser surgery for correcting
nearsightedness (myopia) and
astigmatism. LASIK makes a small
flap in the cornea and removes some of the tissue exposed by the flap. The
laser removes tissue from the
cornea very accurately without damaging nearby
LASIK is an
outpatient procedure. It is done under
local anesthesia in a surgeon's office or a same-day
surgery center. The operation on one eye takes about 10 to 15 minutes. The
entire process usually takes less than 2 hours, including preparation time,
care right after the surgery, and paperwork.
After surgery, you
may wear a patch or contact lens on the eye and get a prescription for pain
medicine. Someone must drive you home and then back to the surgeon's office the
next day. During this second visit, the surgeon will examine your eye and
prescribe eyedrops to prevent infection and reduce inflammation. More follow-up
visits are required, usually the next week and then throughout the first year
after surgery.
LASIK usually requires very little recovery time. Most
people who have the surgery see quite well the next day. There is little or no
pain after LASIK, unlike photorefractive keratectomy (PRK).
LASIK surgery may be used to correct
mild to moderate
nearsightedness. It is also thought to be the best
procedure for correcting high nearsightedness (greater than 7
diopters), although the results of surgery become
harder to predict with higher amounts of nearsightedness.
general, for correcting nearsightedness over 3 diopters, both LASIK and PRK are
better than radial keratotomy (RK).
LASIK is an elective, cosmetic
procedure that is done to correct nearsightedness in otherwise healthy
The procedure may not be done for people who:
Over the short term, LASIK has been
shown to be very effective in reducing mild to moderate nearsightedness
(myopia). Almost everyone notices improvements in their
vision. But not everyone gets perfect 20/20 vision.
For people
with myopia of less than 6
diopters, studies showed that after surgery,
For people with myopia between 6 and 12 diopters, studies
showed that after surgery, about:1
Little is known about the long-term outcomes of LASIK.
Doctors continue to improve the technique and to study the long-term results.
The risk of complications from LASIK surgery is
low and decreases with a more experienced surgeon. Look for a corneal
specialist or surgeon who does the surgery often.
and side effects from LASIK may include:
Serious vision-threatening complications are rare but may
LASIK is considered safe. LASIK has been approved by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1995. No deaths have been
reported as a result of the operation. And serious complications are rare. But
the procedure may have long-term side effects or complications that experts do
not yet know about.
If you are thinking about having surgery to
nearsightedness, consider all the options
(including LASIK, PRK, epi-LASIK, corneal ring implants, intraocular
lens implants, and radial keratotomy), and discuss them with your doctor. Ask your doctor
the questions that you have about surgery (for example, what are the risks, benefits, and possible outcomes), so that you understand your options and can make the best decision.
LASIK is being done more frequently than PRK, largely
because of the good results and the quicker visual recovery that LASIK offers.
There is no agreement about whether LASIK is superior to PRK or vice versa for
people with mild to moderate nearsightedness.
It is important to
keep a record of your original eye measurements from this procedure (your
doctor can give them to you), in case you need cataract surgery in the future.
This is helpful in calculating future implants after cataract surgery.
To learn more, see the topic
Organizing Your Medical Records.
LASIK is a
cosmetic procedure. The cost of refractive surgery
varies in different locations, but it can be a significant expense. Most
insurance companies do not cover the cost of refractive surgery.
Complete the surgery information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you prepare for this surgery.
CitationsSakimoto T, et al. (2006). Laser eye surgery for
refractive errors. Lancet, 367(9520):
Last Revised:
June 24, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, MPH, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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Robotics Industry News
Tregaskiss' SURESTART™ Contact Tips Reduce Arc Start Failures by Up to 50 Percent
Tregaskiss Posted 02/16/2010WINDSOR, Ontario. February 16, 2010-To reduce arc start failures that can lead to costly rework and downtime in robotic welding applications, Tregaskiss offers its SURESTART™ Contact Tips. According to extensive field trials and R&D lab tests, SURESTART Contact Tips reduce arc start failures by up to 50 percent and prevent early, unexpected burn backs, making them exceptionally reliable on even the most critical robotic welding applications. The contact tips are especially beneficial for applications with a high volume of tacking and short welds using solid wire in CV (Constant Voltage) welding modes. SURESTART Contact Tips come in 20-count blister packages, which offer excellent protection against welding environment contaminants and can be easily stocked in facility vending machines.
SURESTART Contact Tips are designed for use on TOUGH GUN™ Robotic MIG Guns, and are part of Tregaskiss' patented TOUGH LOCK™ Contact Tip family. They can be paired with Tregaskiss' TOUGH LOCK Retaining Heads and offer all the same features and benefits as TOUGH LOCK Contact Tips, including a dual lead-thread design that allows them to be rotated 180 degrees to create a new wear surface and extend their life.
SURESTART Contact Tips are available for multiple wire diameter sizes ranging from .030- to .052-inches.
For more information on Tregaskiss Products, call 1-877-737-3111 or fax 1-877-737-2111 in Canada & USA, write Tregaskiss, 2570 North Talbot Road, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, N0R 1L0, email email@example.com or visit Tregaskiss.com. Internationally, call +1-519-737-3000 or fax +1-519-737-2111.
Tregaskiss is an industry leader in the development and manufacturing of MIG welding guns and peripherals, and offers its products worldwide. Its brands include TOUGH GUN™ Manual, Robotic MIG Guns and Peripherals, TGX™ MIG Guns and TOUGH GARD™ Anti-Spatter. Tregaskiss is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW), Glenview, Ill. ITW is a diversified multinational manufacturer of highly engineered components, assemblies and systems.


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|About Us
Biscayne Times is the monthly news magazine for the Biscayne Corridor, from downtown Miami to Aventura, including all the island communities.
We are a unique type of niche publication, geographically targeted and committed to the interests of our well-educated, prosperous readers, more than 75,000 of them.
Our customers demand and receive intensely local journalism that is smart and sophisticated, presented in an uncluttered advertising environment free of prurient messages. You could call us a clean-cut, hyper-local, niche newspaper-magazine hybrid, though that's quite a mouthful.
We are now in our 14th successful year and are continuing to grow despite recent adverse economic conditions. For that we have our loyal readers and satisfied advertisers to thank.
For more information see our media kit below. And please feel free to call us at any hour. Thank you for your interest.
Jim Mullin
Jim Mullin, publisher / editor
Download our current Media Kit (PDF file).
Volume 18, Issue 4, June 2020
Oliver Sanchez stays active with help from Artist Relief
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For a better way to think about debt-ceiling, see Keith Hennessey's post from yesterday.
Even if you disagree with me, and you think we need to take extreme measures to force President Obama to agree to spending cuts, and you're willing to damage the U.S. government's contracting credibility by starving it of cash by denying it the ability to borrow more, …
… what makes you think the President and his team are going to do so in a way that you like or that creates leverage for Congressional Republicans? Remember, he has the flexibility to decide which payments get delayed.
Today President Obama signaled what he would do in this situation. He will start warning politically powerful constituencies: seniors, veterans, and troops, that they are at risk of not being paid on time, and their Republican Congressman is responsible for it, and his or her phone number is 225-XXXX. I have no idea why some conservatives think it's smart strategy to hand the President this kind of political club.


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China's New Diplomatic Weapon: Red Flag Limos
More In autos
- Parking in China Can Be a Long March
- GM Wants Cars to Talk More in China
- China Auto Show Goes High-Tech
- Bigger Families, Bigger Cars? China's SUV Makers Pin Hopes on Two-Child Policy
- Ford Brings Its F-150 Raptor to China, Where Pickups Face Rocky Terrain
- Video: BMW Loses Its Top Electric Team to A Chinese Start Up
Forget panda diplomacy. China has added a new weapon to its soft-power arsenal -- home-grown luxury cars.
On Friday, Beijing donated 20 Chinese-made Hongqi, or Red Flag, sedans worth around $2.3 million, to the Pacific nation of Fiji.
At a ceremony in Suva, Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama described the gift as "generous" and "timely"— the cars will go straight to work next week as the country hosts a high-level meeting of G77 group of developing nations.
Fiji and China have been on friendly terms since 1975, when Fiji became the first South Pacific island nation to forge diplomatic ties with Beijing.
The Hongqi is no stranger to politics, either.
First produced in 1958, the luxury sedan was synonymous with Chinese power trips in the Mao era and the early reform years, used to transport top Chinese politicians and foreign dignitaries visiting China.
When former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai needed a nap, his own personal Hongqi had a switch he could flick that allowed him to stretch out in the back, an engineer who worked on the original design told state broadcaster China Central Television in an interview last year.
In the wake of global oil shocks manufacturer China FAW Group Corp ceased manufacture of the Hongqi in 1981. Production re-started in 1995.
Now FAW is priming Hongqi's latest H7 model for a slice of China's market for luxury cars.
FAW's hopes for the old brand's revival are high. The Hongqi H7 means the monopolization by foreigners of the high-end auto market in China could "be smashed at one stroke," a statement on FAW's website reads.
Yet sales thus far have been modest amid persistent doubts over quality and after-sales service. According to data from consultancy LMC Automotive, 460 Hongqi H7s were sold between the time it rolled off the production line in middle of last year and the end of March.
Those numbers could improve as the government steers its car fleet in a more domestic direction, away from the Audis and other foreign brands that have dominated over the last decade. State media recently cited FAW group president Xu Xianping as saying 10 provincial governments and some central government departments have plans to begin using Hongqi cars.
To that, add the government of Fiji. After the G77 powwow, the cars will be deployed to several ministries, according to reports in Fiji media.
As China extends its diplomatic reach, expect to see Red Flags chauffeuring the powerful on more streets around the world.
-- Colum Murphy


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By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 29th Jan 13
Business Standard, 29th Jan 13
Even in the visually spectacular field of missile testing, the sight of a submarine-launched missile breaking through the surface is a breathtaking one. On Sunday, Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) scientists cheered excitedly as their indigenous, submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) leapt out of the water, its rocket motor fired soon after clearing the surface, and it soared off in a while plume to accurately strike a target 700 kilometres away.
To nobody's surprise, the underwater launch went exactly according to plan. This missile, called in turn the K-15, the Shaurya, and now the B-05, had already been launched 10 times from under water and thrice from land. This exacting test schedule is designed for assurance, since this is a missile that cannot afford to fail. Until a better one is developed, this will be the backbone of India's underwater nuclear deterrence.
That means that it will arm the INS Arihant, India's first and only nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine, or SSBN. Tipped with nuclear warheads, the K-15 will be launched from the Arihant only after a nuclear attack on India. New Delhi's "no-first-use" nuclear policy prohibits the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons.
That means that India's land-based and air-based nuclear weaponry, such as the Agni-series of missiles, might already have been destroyed by a pre-emptive enemy nuclear attack. The Arihant, and the B-05 missiles that it carries, are far more difficult to tackle, since they lurk underwater in complete secrecy. The underwater leg of the nuclear triad (land-launched, air-launched and submarine-launched weapons) has always been regarded as the most survivable. It is the ultimate currency of a nuclear exchange.
Going by what the DRDO said about its own test, the B-05 is well up to the task. "The Missile, developed by DRDO, was launched from a pontoon and was tested for the full range. It met all the mission objectives. The parameters of the vehicle were monitored by radar all through the trajectory and terminal events took place exactly as envisaged," said an MoD release on Sunday.
The B-05 (or K-15, or Shaurya) is no ordinary ballistic missile. Top DRDO scientists briefed Business Standard that it is not a ballistic missile at all. It could better be characterised as a hypersonic cruise missile, since it remains within the earth's atmosphere.
A ballistic missile suffers from inherent disadvantages, since it is a relatively crude device, akin to a stone that is lobbed upwards, propelled by a rocket. After the rocket burns out, gravity comes into play, pulling the missile warhead down towards the target. Buffeted by wind and re-entry forces, accuracy is a problem; and, since the ballistic missile's path is entirely predictable, shooting it down is relatively easy.
The Shaurya has overcome most of these issues. Its solid-fuel, two-stage rocket accelerates the missile to six times the speed of sound before it reaches an altitude of 40 kilometers (125,000 feet), after which it levels out and cruises towards the target, powered by its onboard fuel. In contrast to conventional ballistic missiles that cannot correct their course midway, the Shaurya is an intelligent missile. Onboard navigation computers kick in near the target, guiding the missile to the target and eliminating errors that inevitably creep in during its turbulent journey.
"I would say the Shaurya is a hybrid propulsion missile", says Dr VK Saraswat, the DRDO chief, talking to Business Standard in 2010. "Like a ballistic missile, it is powered by solid fuel. And, like a cruise missile, it can guide itself right up to the target."
Making the B-05 even more survivable is its ability to manoeuvre, following a twisting path to the target that makes it very difficult to shoot it down. In contrast, a ballistic missile is predictable; its trajectory gives away its target and its path to it.
The problem with the B-05 (or K-15, or Shaurya) remains its relatively short range of just 750 kilometres. While it could reach major cities in most countries if it were launched from just off the coast, that would necessitate a perilous submarine journey to the vicinity of the coastline. Therefore, the DRDO is also developing a longer-range missile, dubbed the K-4, which will have a range of almost 4000 kilometers. An Indian SSBN that is armed with the K-4 missile would be able to strike most likely targets from a safe patrol location in the Bay of Bengal.


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Ever since legendary automotive designer Harley Earl created what was arguably the first concept car in 1938, the public has been enthralled to witness the ever-expanding limits of technology combined with auto designers' unrestricted imaginations.
Traditionally, concept cars were usually extreme flights of fancy. With exaggerated bodywork and wildly impractical technology (on-board nuclear generator, anyone?), concept cars of the past boldly tossed reason out the window while pointing the way to a more fun motoring future.
The public almost came to expect that concepts -- shown by automakers at trade shows and other events to gauge opinion and guide it -- would either never make it to mass production or would be so watered down as to be unrecognizable when introduced for sale.
But sometimes concepts actually do make it to production. And there's a general historic trend that automakers gravitate toward making more "conservative" concepts that they can easily adapt into sellable cars during bad economies. In that spirit, we present to you these 10 concept car success stories.
For the No. 10 car on our list, continue to the next page.
Chevy Volt
The Chevrolet division of General Motors created the Volt hybrid electric-gasoline vehicle as a concept, first. Now, of course, anyone who has even a passing relationship with cars knows that they went on sale to the public in late 2010.
And even though all the big automakers have hybrids or other alternative fuel vehicles in their line-up, it wasn't an immediate slam-dunk decision at GM to bring cars like the Volt to market.
Even Bob Lutz, the GM marketing maverick who championed the Volt, at first ridiculed hybrids such as the Toyota Prius. But with truck and SUV sales down, the price of oil up, and a sagging economy forcing a government bailout of GM, it was clear GM needed to embrace new thinking.
The Volt was one of the most dramatic examples of GM's shift in strategic focus, boasting a 60-mile-per-gallon (25.5-kilometer-per-liter) equivalent when combining gasoline and electric modes. To some degree, you have to squint to see the relationship between the concept vehicle unveiled in 2007 and the production version than went on sale in 2010.
For example, the gun-slit headlamps and retro-squarish body made way for larger, Ford-esque HID headlamps and a wind tunnel-approved body that greatly lowered the coefficient of drag.
GM has taken some heat for pricing of the Volt -- at $40,000 or so, it's asking a premium price for a family sedan (albeit a highly efficient and technologically stunning one).
Still, the auto world has largely heaped praise on the Volt. Even though hybrids had been around for years, after the Volt's market entry, the GM "extended-range electric" managed to be innovative, practical to drive and unusually refined compared to hybrid and full-electric competitors.
To see the ninth car on our list, go to the next page.
Honda/Acura NSX
Honda certainly isn't known for being the sexy car company. Quite the opposite -- tuner cars notwithstanding, a Honda is what you drive in order not to draw attention. It's one reason why thieves love them.
That said, Honda runs a robust racing and performance division, from which it often derives race-tested innovations for its production cars. In 1985, Honda brass decided it wanted to make a production supercar -- and it wanted to be competitive with the best in the world. Honda launched its NS-X project (originally it was hyphenated) and used assorted Ferrari models as the benchmarks. If the NSX looks suspiciously like an 80s-era Ferrari, it could have something to do with the fact that Honda hired Pininfarina, the design studio best known for creating the sexy contours of Ferraris, in its quest to build a supercar [source: Pininfarina].
The NS-X prototype first appeared publicly at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show.
By the time it hit the market in 1990, the around-$60,000 NSX was hailed as a technological marvel. Badged as an Acura, it was the first car to be built with an all-aluminum monocoque construction, making it lighter by far than traditionally manufactured cars [source: Honda].
With sales of sports cars flagging by the mid-2000s, Honda decided it made little sense to go forward with a planned reboot of the model, and announced in 2005 it would stop producing the NSX.
The ray of bright news for NSX fans -- after scrapping plans for a V-10 NSX successor in 2008, Honda has more recently said it is hard at work on an eco-friendly supercar that would be inspired by the old NSX.
Speaking of old, the next car on our list gives credence to the saying "what's old is new again." To find out what it is, continue to the next page.
Volkswagen New Beetle
Let's give credit where due -- the New Beetle -- penned by legendary auto designer J. Mays and Freeman Thomas, was sheer genius.
Say what you will about its polarizing looks, which seemed to divide people into two distinct camps. There are those who think it's as cool as all get-out; and those who think it's just plain weird, with its turtle-shell body that seems not to know whether it's coming or going.
The genius of the New Beetle lies not in the car itself, but in what it represented. In paying homage to the original Beetle, beloved by untold numbers of Baby Boomers, Volkswagen's re-imagined version tapped into a well-spring of nostalgia. And sales. The Concept 1 made its debut at the 1994 Detroit Auto Show; overwhelming positive feedback prompted VW to place the car into production.
Soon, other car companies started clamoring for a piece of the retro-nostalgia pie. Chrysler came out with the PT Cruiser, a throwback to 60s-style panel wagons, while Ford made an attempt to go "retro" with its Thunderbird nameplate. By 2010, the retro craze had brought muscle cars back to the future, with Ford's Mustang, Dodge's Charger and the Chevy Camaro all getting resets.
It's hard to believe the "New Beetle" has been around for more than 20 years. So long, that it has finally gotten a complete re-do -- starting in 2012. The successor is longer, flatter and more aggressive-looking than the "aww"-invoking Bug of yester-decade. But like its predecessors that sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, the newest "new" version clearly pays tribute to the design roots that won the model so many admirers.
To find out what car made the number-7 position in our list, head on over to the next page.
Ford GT
With all the good car names taken, sometimes a manufacturer would rather just rely on the aura of a known brand rather than make up a faux-Latin name that makes people scratch their heads and say, "huh?" On the previous page, you read about some of them.
One more to add to the list is the Ford GT. Also a concept at the time of its unveiling (2004 Detroit Auto Show), the GT evoked the memory of Ford's GT40 race car of the 1960s. Primarily due to licensing issues, Ford abandoned thoughts of reviving the full GT40 name and instead just called it the GT.
The timelessly classic lines don't give much of a clue as to the modern GT's advanced technology. Among other new features on the modern GT were an aluminum engine, aluminum spaceframe and modern, computerized fuel injection [source: Ford].
One area that does ring authentic to the past is the 550-horsepower GT's fuel economy -- it gets a ghastly 14 miles to the gallon (6 kilometers to the liter) in combined city and highway driving.
With cars, beauty and speed always come at a price. But as our next concept-turned-consumer good shows, the price doesn't always have to be fuel efficiency. Go to the next page to see a green speed demon that you can own, if you have enough green.
Porsche 918 Spyder
For many years there seemed to be an unwritten rule when it came to car building cars: If you wanted high performance and fuel efficiency, well, you always had to choose just one. Even early hybrid performance cars didn't seem to do much in the friends-of-the-environment department. Typically their electric motors were used simply to hike up rated horsepower rather than get more miles to the gallon.
The Porsche 918 Spyder concept -- approved for production -- wraps the old "power versus fuel economy" argument in a tidy cocoon and dispatches it with the methodical efficiency of a ravenous arachnid. Debuting at the 2010 auto shows in Geneva and Beijing, the 918 Spyder put a green twist on the well-liked but out-of-production Porsche Carrera GT. Public reaction to the 918 was swift and positive, prompting Porsche bigwigs to fire up the assembly lines [source: Porsche].
Not one, but two electric motors augment the 500-horsepower gasoline engine, and the electrics add a combined 218 effective horsepower. If there was ever any doubt that the trend toward alternative fuel vehicles was here to stay, surely outfitting of supercars such as the 918 Spyder with efficient powerplants lays those doubts to rest.
The hybrid electric motors aren't just for delivering raw power, either. The car is capable of returning efficiency ratings in the neighborhood of 80 miles per gallon (34 kilometers per liter).
But before we get too carried away in praising this Porsche, we need to make clear that with supercar performance and technology comes a supercar price tag. This replacement for the much salivated-over Carrera GT is expected to set a buyer back by about $850,000. Just goes to show that what automotive engineers say is true -- while the Porsche does amazing things to get its 918 Spyder so efficient, "there's no such thing as a free lunch."
While that may be the case, there is such a thing as two, or even three for the price of one. To find out which concept will inspire at least three different production car brands, go to the next page.
Toyota iQ
To keep average global temperatures from going much higher and causing civilization-threatening weather, the countries of Europe are demanding more stringent emissions requirements of automakers for their fleets.
Where does that leave luxury sports car makers like Aston Martin? One possibility is that it prompts them to form unusual alliances, like the one they entered into with Toyota to re-brand the Toyota iQ as the Aston Martin Cygnet.
OK, let's back up -- what's a Toyota iQ? It's a quirky little pod of a car meant to move a person or three around a city with little fuss -- and little flash. Its tiny size means it's easy to park. As a "city car," it's similar in size and concept (hmm, and even name) to the Smart Fortwo.
Not only will Toyota also build the iQ microcar for the U.S. market as a Scion (whose buyers already like small, quirkily practical vehicles), but it has licensed the platform to Aston Martin to sell in Europe as the "Cygnet." Aston Martin, the brand popularized by Her Majesty's favorite blunt instrument of diplomacy, Agent 007, will give the iQ, ahem, Cygnet, its own signature look and slap on an additional $34,000 or so to the $16,000 sticker price.
Like the rest of the cars on our list, the iQ began life as a concept vehicle. It first appeared in public at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Back when the term "think outside the box" actually meant something, the next car on our list took the directive literally. Continue to the next page to learn what it is.
Audi TT
Today, the elliptical profile of the Audi TT almost blends into the background of automotive shapes we see on the road, it's become so commonplace. But when the TT concept appeared in 1995, its oval geometry was revolutionary in an industry still enamored with rectangles, straight lines, and -- when designers got really adventurous -- wedges.
If the Audi bears a vague resemblance to another ovoid-shaped car on our list, the Volkswagen New Beetle, well, that's no coincidence. The Audi TT was also designed by J Mays and Freeman Thomas at VW's California design center. Its first public appearance was as a concept at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show.
The "TT" in Audi TT is a reference to the Tourist Trophy race on the Isle of Man, in which Audi's corporate forbear enjoyed many years of success.
The TT would get a second-generation redesign in 2006 (and would be known as the TT Mk2), becoming less bulbous, flatter, and more modern-looking. But as with other remakes, the designers appear to have left the soul of the reference vehicle intact when creating the replacement.
The next car on our list is a classic American comeback story. Find out the details on the next page.
Chevy Camaro
In the new muscle car wars, the Blue Oval Boys -- Ford Motor Co. -- shot first. And they made a killing with their retro-inspired Mustang, released in 2005.
Around the same time, crosstown rival General Motors was undergoing its own design renaissance, of sorts. Seeking to claw back market share that had been gobbled by more adventurously designed imports, GM was fielding a bevy of status quo-disrupting vehicles. The jewel in its crown was a revived Camaro. After four generations of Camaro since 1966, GM pulled the plug on the model in 2002.
The "new" Camaro would be bold, powerful, nostalgic and yet futuristic at the same time. The concept met to rave reviews in 2006, and despite the narrow market for sports cars, GM quickly confirmed that it was intended for production. The model went on sale in 2009 and famously appears as the Autobot "Bumblebee" in the Transformers movies.
So far we've covered lots of cars from the modern era, but even in the days of wilder, more preposterous concept cars, some actually did get built. Find out about one such instance, and icon, on the next page.
Chevy Corvette Sting Ray
In 1961, Chevy designers created a vehicle that looked like it could have sprung from the pen of a modern-day Hot Wheels artist. Dubbed the XP-755 Mako Shark, the car sported a long snout bristling with vents, massive rocker-mounted exhaust pipes and a shark-inspired two-tone paint job.
A smash hit at auto shows, the Mako Shark went on to become -- largely untampered with -- the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray.
In an early example of product placement, General Motors supplied a Mako Shark car to appear on the popular television series Route 66 (it was one of many vehicles the company routinely put on the program) [source: General Motors].
To this day, the Sting Ray remains one of the more memorable and classic iterations in the Corvette's long and storied evolution.
The final concept car on our list is a fire-breathing, radioactive, giant lizard from Japan. OK, not literally, but this entry from the Land of the Rising Sun has terrorized its much higher-priced rivals on the track since its debut. Learn more on the next page.
Nissan GT-R
Among enthusiasts of Japanese performance cars, no list of greatest rides would be complete without mentioning the Nissan Skyline, in particular its GT-R variant. Popular with the "drifting" crowd, the GTR nonetheless went on indefinite hiatus in 2002.
Nissan unveiled one truly "conceptual" concept of a re-imagined GT-R in 2001, but it was a later concept attempt in 2005, the GTR-Proto, that would eventually see life as a production vehicle. The new GT-R, minus the "Skyline" moniker, went on sale in Japan in 2007 and in the United States the following year, followed later by other world markets.
With original performance of 485 horsepower, 434 foot-pounds of torque and a 193-mile per hour (310.6-kilometer per hour) top speed, the GTR delivered world-class supercar performance for about $80,000. (Performance numbers later improved as both Nissan and aftermarket tuners found ways to free-up and bolt-on horsepower.) Affectionately known as "Godzilla," the GT-R still isn't what you'd call easily accessible to Joe Lunchpail. But it's a much more believable aspiration for working stiffs than the GTR's six-figure competitors from Europe.
So there you have it -- 10 examples of proof that automotive designers' and cool car enthusiasts' dreams can and do come true. For lots more articles, photos and other information about concept vehicles, follow the links on the next page.
Jeep Celebrates the Gladiator at Easter Jeep Safari
Jeep unveils six concept trucks based on its new Jeep Gladiator. HowStuffWorks looks at both the Gladiator and the concept cars it spawned.
Related Articles
- Abuelsamid, Sam. "Frankfurt 2007: Toyota iQ concept details and pics." Autobloggreen. Sept. 12, 2007. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://green.autoblog.com/2007/09/12/frankfurt-2007-toyota-iq-concept-details-and-pics/
- Auto In The News. "Have We Seen the Demise of the Concept Car?" Aug. 23, 2010.(Dec. 13, 2011) http://www.autointhenews.com/have-we-seen-the-demise-of-the-concept-car/
- AutoTalk.com. "Aston Martin Cygnet Confirmed for Production." Oct. 11, 2010. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.autotalk.com/aston-martin-cygnet-confirmed-for-production-6743/
- Bowman, Bill. "Mako Shark Chevrolet Corvette Concept." GM Heritage Center. (Dec. 16, 2011) http://history.gmheritagecenter.com/wiki/index.php/Mako_Shark_Chevrolet_Corvette_Concept
- Carautoportal.com. "Audi TT." (Dec. 14, 2011) http://www.carautoportal.com/audi/audi-tt.php
- Edmunds.com. "Volkswagen New Beetle History." (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.edmunds.com/volkswagen/new-beetle/history.html
- Ford Media. "Living Legend Comes to Life as Ford Delivers First Production 2005 Ford GT." Aug. 4, 2004. (Dec. 14, 2011) http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=18864
- General Motors Press Release (Archive). "Auto Buyers Have Spoken: GM Will Build An All-New Chevrolet Camaro." Aug. 10, 2006. (Dec. 16, 2011) http://web.archive.org/web/20070225053150/http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayServlet?target=http://image.emerald.gm.com/gmnews/viewmonthlyreleasedetail.do?domain=3&docid=27934
- Harley, Michael. "Audi TT-S to be Official Car of the Tourist Trophy Races." Autoblog.com. April 25, 2008. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/25/audi-tt-s-to-be-official-car-of-the-tourist-trophy-races/
- Honda.com. "Honda to Discontinue Production of the NSX Sports Car." July 12, 2005. (Dec. 16, 2011) http://world.honda.com/news/2005/4050712.html
- Lassa, Todd. "Chevy Volt Is Early; Corvette Is Late." Motor Trend. Sept. 28, 2007. (Dec.14, 2011) http://blogs.motortrend.com/chevy-volt-is-early-corvette-is-late-1129.html
- Nissan. "Nissan Announces New Nissan GT-R." Oct. 24, 2007. (Dec.15, 2011) http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2007/_STORY/071024-01-e.html
- Pininfarina. "Honda HP-X." (Jan. 20, 2012) http://www.pininfarina.com/index/storiaModelli/modelli.html?scheda.php?id=36&cmp=anno&ord=desc&sl=0&ids=1a6cbefaafe007a7d9b765f7b345b49f
- Porsche.com. "Porsche 918 Gets Green Light for Series Development." July 28, 2010. (Dec. 13, 2011) http://www.porsche.com/uk/aboutporsche/pressreleases/pcgb/?pool=uk&id=2010-07-28
- Savov, Vlad. "Porsche 918 Spyder concept is the most beautiful hybrid we've ever seen." Engadget. March 2, 2010. (Dec. 13, 2011) http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/porsche-918-spyder-concept-is-the-most-beautiful-hybrid-weve-ev/
- Siler, Steve. "2010 Chevrolet Volt -- Official Photos." Car and Driver. August 2008. (Dec. 13, 2011) http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2011-chevrolet-volt-official-photos-car-news
- St. Antoine, Arthur. "The Asphalt Jungle: Ayrton's Car." Motor Trend. April 2006. (Dec. 16, 2011) http://www.motortrend.com/features/editorial/112_0603_the_asphalt_jungle_ayrton_senna/
- Toyota. "TMC to Tweak iQ for Individuality -- Aston Martin Version Planned for Europe." June 29, 2009. (Dec. 15, 2011) http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/09/06/0629_2.html


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The company offers horizontal continuous casting and indirect extrusion to manufactured extruded products with consistent geometries, features and properties. Extruded shapes are manufactured to exceed ASTM standards. Precision saws add value by turning shapes into nearer-net components, the company says. In-house engineering and tool shop ensure fast response to quotes and flexibility in scheduling and manufacturing.
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text: For me that everybody tries to be an expert when the have no idea what they are talking about. It's as bad as the World Cup, when people who don't give two ****s about cricket 99% of the time. Such examples include the OMG DR0P PONTING bunch. Move along people and go die.


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Market Scene: Hollywood Farmers' Market in Early Fall
My 82-year-old grandmother just tried her first jujube. Not the gummy, rainbow-colored candies you get at the movies, but the ancient Chinese fruit that looks like a nut and is sometimes called the "Chinese date." Crunchy and sweet like a pear, jujubes shrivel and soften as they ripen and are incredibly healthy—containing lots of calcium, potassium, riboflavin and vitamin C.
Bruce from Yingst Ranch in Littlerock, California—near Palmdale and Lancaster—urged her to try these fall fruits. She dove in and loved them. She was just as eager to try the Dragon fruits from Pedro's Certified Organic Ranch in Fallbrook too, but there weren't any samples and she was a bit scared off by the price tag of these exotic, kiwi-strawberry flavored fruits.
In fact, as we wandered around the Hollywood Farmers' Market together, my Bubbie ("grandma" in Yiddish) seemed willing to try just about anything including the chili peppers that Tezo from the South Central Farmers was roasting in a rotating grill that looks like the spinner used in bingo. (The mild ones were not her idea of mild, she told me, but they tasted good.)
Along with all of the unfamiliar produce we're lucky enough to have access to here in Southern California, she told me about the giant pomegranate tree that used to grow behind my great-grandparents apartment building on the Lower East Side of Manhattan as she picked some lovely, leathery skinned specimens for my husband and father at one of the many vendors who had them.
The market was filled with other fall treasures—quinces, crispy Asian pears and winter squash—plus the lingering delights of late-summer like heirloom tomatoes, Rosso Bianco eggplants, and every grape variety imaginable.
The countdown has officially begun for Sea Fever Seafood's California Spiny Lobster. The season officially opens on October 5th. I hope he'll have some at the market on Sunday, October 9, if the folks at the Santa Barbara Harbor & Seafood Festival on October 8 don't snag them all. Fortunately, though, the season lasts through the winter, so I'll be at the ready with my lobster bib the following week. Maybe I'll even invite my Bubbie over for dinner so she can add it to her list of farmers' market deliciousness she's tried this trip.
Hollywood Farmers' Market
Selma Ave between Ivar and Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 (map)
farmernet.com Sundays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., open year round rain or shine.
See all the photos in the slideshow »
In Season
Figs Pluots Quince Pomegranates Grapes Jujubes Sugar Plums Winter Squash Chili Peppers Hungarian Sweet Peppers Bell Peppers Asian Pears Apples Dragon Fruit Tomatoes Eggplant
Coming Soon
California Spiny Lobster Potatoes Passion Fruit Citrus Sunchokes Persimmons Broccoli Cauliflower Walnuts Pistachios
About the Author: Food and wine writer Leah Greenstein is based in Los Angeles and she is a convert to the cult of invert sugar.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Change the TTL value for your DNS records
Your domain's TTL values determine how frequently your DNS records get updated. Lower values mean your DNS gets updated more quickly — which means if you make changes to where your website or email are hosted, they take effect more quickly.
You can change your domain name's TTL values but (unfortunately) there is no value that lets your DNS changes take effect immediately. Most of these changes take effect within 2 hours, but can take up to 48 hours.
- Follow the directions to access the DNS Manager.
- Click Edit.
- In the TTL column, click the value you want to change.
- Select the new value you want to use.
- Click Save Zone File.
It can take up to 48 hours for your changes to take effect across the internet.


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Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has revoked the license of a Renton insurance agent who submitted dozens of bogus life insurance policies, apparently to collect the commissions.
Angela M. Scott, a former agent for Primerica Life Insurance Co., lost her license, effective April 9.
"By using fraudulent and dishonest practices and demonstrating incompetence, untrustworthiness and financial irresponsibility, Ms. Scott violated" state insurance law, says Kreidler's order.
From June 1, 2010 to May 2011, Scott submitted 88 term life insurance policies to the insurer. The premiums were to be paid through automatic withdrawals from the applicants' bank accounts.
But of the 88 applications submitted, 76 had invalid bank account numbers. Some 67 had invalid social security numbers. And 52 listed phone numbers that didn't work. When the banks didn't pay the premiums because of the incorrect account numbers, Scott submitted 60 money orders for policies' first payments.
An investigator for Kreidler's office reviewed 15 of the policies and could find no driver's licenses or other information indicating that the applicants were in fact real people. Nor could he find any trace of three people whom Scott claimed had introduced her to those applicants.
Scott has the right to demand a hearing to contest the revocation.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
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