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For craftsmanship to be truly timeless, it must be not only consistently brilliant in execution but also adaptive in spirit, keeping pace with shifting tastes.
Such agility has long been mastered by Baccarat, the venerable French crystal company, which will celebrate its 250th anniversary next year.
In anticipation of that milestone, the brand has just unveiled a gleaming new Manhattan flagship store, a setting that pays homage to Baccarat's enduring legacy while also projecting a forward-thinking sensibility.
The 2,800-square-foot space was designed by Rafael de Cárdenas Ltd./Architecture at Large.
With offices in New York, London, and soon Paris, Cárdenas has become well-known for devising bold, au courant shops, restaurants, and residences.
At first glance, the traditional artistry of Baccarat's ornate offerings (explored in Baccarat: 250 Years of Craftsmanship and Creativity from Rizzoli) might seem out of sync with Cárdenas's distinctively edgy style. But Baccarat has for years been collaborating with inventive contemporary designers—Philippe Starck, Arik Levy, and Jaime Hayon among them.
And Cárdenas shares the brand's affinity for striking forms and crisp, elegantly chiseled details, all of which feature prominently in the new outpost.
"I approached the project with faceting and cutting in mind," he says.
Paneled in corrugated Macassar ebony, the double-height front gallery highlights a range of the French brand's signature pieces.
References to such techniques abound, whether in the glass façade's etched triangular motif or the front gallery's corrugated Macassar-ebony walls, embedded with LEDs and strips of mirror.
That double-height space serves as a showcase for some of the firm's signature pieces, including chandeliers installed in a whimsical constellation overhead and exquisite candelabra arranged on freestanding boxlike pedestals. Deeper within the shop are rooms for additional displays of jewelry, decorative objects, stemware, and the full range of light fixtures.
Through-out these areas Cárdenas chose materials—from warm-gray suede and black granite to white-gold leaf and stainless steel—that either foreground or reflect the precious items. Several wall expanses are shingled in crystal tiles from a soon-to-be-released line with exciting architectural applications. The overall atmosphere is moody and intimate. "Crystal lends itself to a dark palette and dim light," Cárdenas notes.
Creating dynamic spaces is clearly on the company's mind: Just blocks away, construction is under way on the Baccarat Hotel & Residences, a 50-story tower designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill that promises to be as dazzling as the new flagship. As Cárdenas says of Baccarat's legendary workmanship, "They certainly don't cut corners." Baccarat flagship, 635 Madison Ave., New York, NY; baccarat.com
More From Architectural Digest:
Aerin Lauder's debut home collections
Thom Filicia talks to AD about his design for Delta's new outdoor Sky Deck lounges


text: nairda 8 Report post Posted December 7, 2012 Another potter and I will be 'team teaching' a 6-week long introductory class (2 hours each week) at a small local art center. I'll be doing the wheel part and the other potter will teach hand building. We'll both be present at the first class and then we'll take turns in the following weeks. First class will intro wheel & hand building. Second & third wheel only, fourth & fifth hand building only and the last class will be glazing. While we've both taught before, we've never done a team class. Any suggestions or words of wisdom to offer? Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites

subset: commoncrawl


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Last week, the computer named Watson took on two of Jeopardy's all time champions in a two day match. Developed by IBM, the computer was designed with the intent of attempting to respond the unique "answer first" trivia format of the show. It trounced the human opponents on both nights of the challenge and not by small margins either. And with its win, it raised the possibilities of what the computer could do in the next generation.
I was rather surprised at the muted reaction of the librarian blogosphere. With the exception of a post at Henderson Valley Eggs, there wasn't any sort of commentary. Given the glimpse of capability that the computer like Watson represents, I would have hoped that there would be a bit more excitement about the possible library applications. While Watson is probably not ready for prime time at the reference desk (due to how the program was deconstructing the clues), I could not help but marvel at the potential.
My excitement in getting a computer like Watson in the library is having a tool that can handle known requests (as in "I want Cross Fire by James Patterson" or "What books on biology do you have?"), some harder requests ("I want the movie that came out last year with Stallone in it" or "Can you tell me what order the Lillian Jackson Braun books came out in?"), or just requests that require deep scanning ("It's a book with a red bicycle on the cover and it's about an aunt's suicide"). I'm not sure that the computer would be able to handle all types of requests, but I think on a long enough timeline it would be able to handle complex speech. (I'm trying to imagine if it had Google's voice recognition data that it gathered from its Goog-4-1-1 information access number; now that would be pretty awesome.) But, in the meantime, I don't believe there would be shortage of questions it could answer. Think IM, text, and chat questions; it runs a search, shows it to a human operator who approves or corrects, then the reply is sent. The turnaround for easy questions could be under a minute; corrections or harder answers could be not much more.
As I called it a tool, I don't see it as a replacement for any library staff. As such, I can see it freeing up staff so as they can be able to offer more programs, services, or be able to have time for additional librarian work both at and away from the desk. It's a great technology and I would hope that one of the future challenges that would Watson's programmers would take up would be trying to handle reference style questions. For those who may balk at a computer with this kind of capability, I personally feel that it is an inevitable technology; as such, rather than shunning it, it should be embraced and integrated as soon as possible.
I've linked the library scene from The Time Machine below as an idea of future capability (even if the hologram needs some serious customer service training).


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Dacryocystorhinostomy is a type of surgery sometimes used to treat
blocked tear ducts in adults. It is rarely used in
This procedure creates a new passageway between the tear duct sac and
the nasal cavity, bypassing the blocked tear duct. To do the procedure, the doctor needs to make a cut (incision) in the skin by the eye. A tube is inserted through
the tear duct sac and into the nose through a hole in the bone. This tube is
left in the nose and stitched in place.
Adults who have long-term tear duct blockage that is not caused by an
infection often need to have dacryocystorhinostomy. If the person has a tear
duct infection, surgery will be delayed until the infection has cleared.
local or general anesthesia can be used during this
Antibiotics applied to the eye or taken by mouth are
used to prevent infection after surgery.
After about 3 days, you
return to the doctor's office to check the placement of the tube and to have
the stitches removed. The tube is left in place for at least 6 weeks.
The risks of dacryocystorhinostomy include:
You will have a small scar where the surgery was done.
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Ashish Kumar Sen in Washington DC
US President Barack Obama's administration -- frustrated by Afghan President Hamid Karzai's reluctance to sign a security agreement that would keep US troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014 -- has asked India to lean on the Afghan President to initial the pact.
The Obama administration senses an opportunity for this matter to be raised when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets Karzai in New Delhi on Friday.
"The United States did tell us that: President Karzai is coming. Perhaps it is a good idea to convey that it would be good to finalise this (US-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement)," an Indian official said on the condition of anonymity.
The request was conveyed to Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh who wrapped up three days of meetings in Washington on Wednesday. Sujatha met senior officials at the State Department, the Pentagon and top lawmakers on Capitol Hill. US Secretary of State John F Kerry dropped in on Sujatha's meeting with his deputy, William Burns, at the State Department on Tuesday.
US officials have sought the help of Afghanistan's neighbours to urge Karzai to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) that sets the framework for a long-term US military presence in Afghanistan, but is also key to billions of dollars in critical military and civilian aid to Afghanistan.
"India has always welcomed a BSA between the United States and Afghanistan, without getting into the details as to what it is in its present form. That is something that is for Afghanistan to decide and for it to come to an understanding with the United States," the Indian official said.
"In our interactions with our foreign partners … we say it would be a good idea. We say, 'Yes, we think it would be good for Afghanistan to sign this agreement,'" the Indian official added.
A loya jirga in Kabul in November approved the BSA and asked Karzai to sign it by the end of the year. But Karzai has refused to do so, while setting new conditions for the US.
James Dobbins, the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, as well as the leaders of Russia, China and Pakistan, have all personally urged Karzai to sign the BSA.
"And there is ... overwhelming support within the population (for the BSA). And I'm hopeful that over time that will begin to have an effect along with whatever advice he gets from friendly neighbours of whom, for instance, his upcoming visit to India could, I think, be quite influential because he highly respects and has good relations with the Indian Government," Dobbins said.
The Obama administration has kept open the option of withdrawing all US troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014. US officials mentioned this so-called zero option in their discussions with Sujatha Singh and her delegation in Washington.
On a visit to Kabul in November, US National Security Adviser Susan Rice told Karzai that the US would have no choice but to start planning for a post-2014 future in which there would be no US or NATO troops in Afghanistan. Karzai, however, appears willing to wager that the Obama administration would not make good on its threat.
In 2011, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's refusal to sign a bilateral security agreement with the Obama administration led the US to pull out all its troops in December that year.
While in India, Karzai is expected to follow up on a wish list he presented to New Delhi in May for military hardware, including helicopters, tanks and artillery.
India has invested $2 billion in aid and reconstruction in Afghanistan. It has also trained Afghan military officers. However, New Delhi has stopped short of selling weapons to Afghanistan out of concern that such transfers would provoke Pakistan.
The Indian official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said a decision on Karzai's wishlist would be made sometime this week.
Ignoring most voices
The Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) sets the framework for a long-term US military presence in Afghanistan
PM Manmohan Singh will meet Karzai in New Delhi on Friday
Manmohan Singh and leaders of Russia, China and Pakistan have reportedly urged Karzai to sign the BSA
A loya jirga in Kabul in November approved the BSA and asked Karzai to sign it by the end of the year
But Karzai has refused to do so, while setting new conditions for the US
India seeks access to Headley
WASHINGTON: India has sought access to LeT operative David Headley, the Mumbai terror attack convict now lodged in a US prison, as it insisted on bringing to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 assault. Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, who concluded her four- day US trip during which she met top American officials, strongly raised the issue of access to 52-year-old Headley by Indian intelligence agencies, sources said. Remaining non-committal, the US officials said that they were working on it. — PTI


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NEW YORK (AP) – Starbucks is using its coffee cups to jump into the political fray in Washington.
The world's biggest coffee chain is asking employees at cafes in the Washington D.C. area to scribble the words "Come Together" on cups for drink orders on Thursday and Friday. CEO Howard Schultz says the words are intended as a message to lawmakers about the damage being caused by the divisive negotiations over the "fiscal cliff."
It's the first time employees at Starbucks U.S. cafes are being asked to write anything other than customers' names on cups.
While companies generally steer clear of politics, the plea to "Come Together" is a sentiment unlikely to cause controversy. If anything, Starbucks could score points with customers and burnish its image as a socially conscious company.
(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Also Check Out:


text:
Fixed board leashes can help you keep your board. They do it all the time. They also can seriously injury riders and there is evidence that leash use may have led to the recent kiteboarder fatality in Belgium. There is another unconfirmed report of a board impact temporarily paralyzing a rider in the Gorge. Both of these riders were wearing helmets. There is NOTHING to indicate that a rebounding board will cooperate and only hit an area protected by a helmet.
Additionally, there are several cases in which a board struck the helmet and pierced it and impacted the riders' skulls. Does this happen all the time? No. Does it happen often enough to bring the use of fixed leashes into question? YES. Helmets should be worn to protect against accidental lofting and dragging however.
Fixed leashes have no place in safe kiteboarding based on the accident experience. There is room for innovation for new leash designs that may be less prone to recoiling and causing injury. For now though the risk posed by fixed leashes as supported by the history of accidents far exceeds the benefit provided by them. Body dragging to recover your board is not that difficult in many cases. If you are concerned about having your runaway board drift into surf and possibly hit bathers, you have a problem. Picking another spot to ride may be one solution.
It is time to ditch the fixed board leashes.
FKA, Inc.
transcribed by:
Rick Iossi
[ This Message was edited by: RickI on 2002-11-18 14:17 ]


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I've got my entry up! Yay!
I hope i win.
SlyOwl wrote:If it's cool with you Dan, could I enter the castle part separately in addition, as a Floating Grass Castle?
Robin Hood wrote:You're welcome to if you want to.
However, I feel inclined to point out that it is very unlikely to get a significant grade, since the entire castle is in your other creation, which has more besides. But it's up to you.
mystuffiscool wrote:^What?
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


text:
Solavei Brings BlackBerry Z10 to the U.S. Early — For Nearly a Thousand Bucks
Aspiring wireless carrier Solavei is looking to grab some attention by offering its customers first crack at the new BlackBerry — at least for customers willing to pony up nearly $1,000 for an unlocked model.
The carrier is announcing later on Monday that customers who want the new BlackBerry can get it from its retail partner, GSM Nation. Solavei is one of a new breed of cellular providers that sell service under their own plans, using the networks of one of the major carriers. In Solavei's case, it's using T-Mobile's network.
Solavei's pitch is that it offers cheap unlimited service, as well as the opportunity to save money or even potentially make money each month by recruiting friends to sign up.
At $999, Solavei's BlackBerry is not only way more than most people pay for a smartphone, but is one of the priciest unlocked devices on the market, and more than the BlackBerry typically sells for unlocked. RIM is selling the BlackBerry unlocked through carriers in the Middle East for around $700.
That said, Solavei customers can order the device starting Monday, while U.S. customers looking to get a subsidized version of the phone will have to wait until mid-March. BlackBerry announced the Z10 last month, and has started selling it in the United Kingdom and Canada, among other places.
"We believe in giving our members access to the latest phones and wireless capabilities," Solavei CEO Ryan Wuerch said in a statement. "Solavei not only gives its members the opportunity to pay less for unlimited mobile service, but even the opportunity to earn income by sharing Solavei with others."
Solavei says it has signed up more than 120,000 members since September, and has paid out more than $5 million in commissions since its launch.


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text: Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums :: View topic - What's your favourite holiday? Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in What's your favourite holiday? Goto page 1, 2 Next Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Holidays View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message SirimaJoined: 01 Dec 2003Posts: 1 Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 5:20 am Post subject: What's your favourite holiday? In one year has many holiday such as New Year's Day, Songkran Day and Christmas Day.In my mind New Year's Day is the most special holiday for me because this is a long holiday but other holiday are only one or two days.Furthermore we can enjoy this global festival in anywhere and it's a good chance for sending card or gift for friend.The important reason is we can go to travel in suburb or other country in this holiday because our office are closed.So my family always go to travel in beautiful place such as the sea or natural parks. Back to top Chonticha UvimolchaiJoined: 13 Jun 2004Posts: 3 Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 3:50 am Post subject: Favorite Holidays My favorite holiday is Christmas Day. It is a long holiday, which we can travel around the world happily. It's the time for everyone to be happy and enjoy their lives. On this special holiday, we get to open our gifts from our parents or relatives and everyone is happy. Christmas Day is one of my favorite holidays, i think it's a great holidays! Back to top eiab_eiabJoined: 13 Jun 2004Posts: 3 Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 7:50 pm Post subject: Hi! Everyone, my name is Eiab and my favourite festival in my country is Songkran. Songkran is a very very fun festival that can make me relax with the water thrown by somebody else. I will be even more happy if I can play with my own family. Mostly, I spend time with my family, playing in these 3 days. It was very fun that I willmet all of my cousins today. We use water gun to squirt on other people. In the evening we will pour the water on adult hands (people we know) that we pay respect and wish for them. Anyway, Songkran, in the old time did not allow people to use water gun or there are no water gun in that time. They will pour the water softly on other people or paint powder with mixing water on somebody else. In conclusion, I think songkran now is a bit more fun. Back to top CanadianMegJoined: 18 Jun 2004Posts: 36Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada Posted: Fri Jun 18, 2004 4:31 pm Post subject: My favourite holiday is Valentine's Day. I believe that love is the most important thing in the world. Yes, some of you may say that happiness, friends, and family would be more important... But think about this: How could you be happy without love? To be happy about something is to love it. Also, if your friends and family make you happy, is that not based on love? Sorry if I have bored you, but this is something that I am passionate about, and I believe that a day spent to celebrate love is a day well spent. Have a great night! _________________Hi! My name is Megan and I am a 15 year old girl from Montreal, Quebec. If you want to perfect your english or french, feel free to correspond with me! "As soon go kindle a fire with snow, as to quench the fire of love with words."-Shakespeare Back to top apple+peach=watermelonJoined: 17 Jun 2004Posts: 19 Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 4:42 am Post subject: Re: What's your favourite holiday? hello my fellows iam Nancy come from China ,in my opinion ,my favourite holiday if summer vocation ,we have a long time to stay at home ,i can do anything if i want .so what a bout u Back to top hamacahnJoined: 17 May 2004Posts: 11 Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2004 9:24 pm Post subject: My favorite holiday ! I like Christmas. It's romantic. But,if I don't have lover,I will very very sad. But when I don't have lover,I make a hullabaloo with my frinds.Go to karaoke(singing a song)and take a purikura(photo seal).It's very fun. But I appeared to be sad. If I have lover, I want to go Disney land. Disney land is very fun and very beautiful at night. I want to buy many pooh goods. Just it, I'm very satisfanction. Back to top PitivutJoined: 20 Nov 2004Posts: 1 Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 10:55 pm Post subject: In my opinion, I think Christmas and New Year's Day is my favorite because I can go to anywhere else for a long time. In that holiday, the seasons is in winter. I feel so good in this seasons. It's like a lazy seasons, haha. I usually go to Chiang Mai in this holiday and stay in my parents home. In the morning you can see fog around the city. I think Christmas and New Year's Day is the best holiday for me. Back to top TseJoined: 24 Nov 2004Posts: 3 Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:17 pm Post subject: holidays My favourite holidays is Christams. beacuse in christmas i can receive more gift from my friends. Back to top reoJoined: 27 Sep 2004Posts: 64 Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 5:30 pm Post subject: hi Hello!!Every one!!! Nice to meet you My favourite holidays is Christams,too. What do you want to do on Christams day??? I'm going to go famous place to look at the night view Thank you Back to top weadingJoined: 06 Jan 2005Posts: 11Location: China Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 5:21 am Post subject: i like spring fastival because i can get a lot of money from my parent and their friends~~ Back to top ElenielJoined: 13 Jan 2005Posts: 53 Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2005 9:16 am Post subject: Hi, I'm from Korea and I love our traditional holiday called Seolnal. It's similar to New Year's Day, but the Seolnal follows the lunar calender. We eat our traditional food, and we bow to elders and they give us money. Another holiday I love is Chuseok, and it is our traditional holiday, too. Best point of those holidays are that those are quite long - we have the longest holiday except our vacations. On Christmas or New Year's Day, we can just rest one day, so I don't enjoy them much. Back to top szmeillJoined: 16 Nov 2004Posts: 26Location: Suzhou,China Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 6:12 pm Post subject: when i was in school, i like winter holiday and summer holiday. they are very long and i have enough time to go home or go to travel. although spring festival and workers'day and national day are all very importent and be cared by people, i do not like them very much. during that period, too many persons go out to travel or go home to meet their folk. it is too crowd on the road. so when these holidays are coming, most time I will stay in one city and rest in home._________________************* Hello everyone! ************* Back to top Nanchu KidsJoined: 29 Sep 2004Posts: 168Location: Japan Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:11 pm Post subject: I am Hirayana GYUNYU Back to top hammmmerJoined: 22 Feb 2005Posts: 9 Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 1:02 am Post subject: eiab_eiab wrote: Hi! Everyone, my name is Eiab and my favourite festival in my country is Songkran. Songkran is a very very fun festival that can make me relax with the water thrown by somebody else. I will be even more happy if I can play with my own family. Mostly, I spend time with my family, playing in these 3 days. It was very fun that I willmet all of my cousins today. We use water gun to squirt on other people. In the evening we will pour the water on adult hands (people we know) that we pay respect and wish for them. Anyway, Songkran, in the old time did not allow people to use water gun or there are no water gun in that time. They will pour the water softly on other people or paint powder with mixing water on somebody else. In conclusion, I think songkran now is a bit more fun. I understand what is the Songkran day, Who can tell me when is the Songkren day ? Back to top tiffany=pinkyJoined: 22 Mar 2005Posts: 1Location: taiwan Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 8:18 am Post subject: haha~my name is pinky^^ B(5)93AG008 Hello. My name is Tiffany. My favorite holiday is Valentine's Day. Because the love is very important in a person's life. I believed the love can let our life more colorful. Lover just as the sun always bright up our live. Maybe someone doesn' t like Valentine's Day because they are no lover. But undeniable everybody is full of imagining to this holiday, as if the candle light dinner and the present in Valentine's Day. Anyway .I think on Valentine's Day can be with one's own favorite person .It is a very cheerful thing. _________________my name is Tiffany^^ but....my nickname is pinky....not a monkey> < due to i like pink pink pink!!! Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Holidays All times are GMT - 8 HoursGoto page 1, 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Jump to: Select a forum Student Forums----------------ComputersCurrent NewsCultureEnglish SchoolsFamilyFilm and CinemaFoodHealth and FitnessHelp CenterHobbiesHolidaysLearning EnglishLiteratureMaking FriendsMusicOpinionsPetsScienceSportsThe Strange and MysteriousTOEFL and Other English ExamsTravel You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Dave's ESL Cafe is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. 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Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Wow, another BETA post! I would have never believed that the wonderful BETA weekend would have taken such a hold. 6 years so far, awesome. Thank you Scott Wagner for starting this 6 years ago. You'll have to go back to the other BETA posts for a history of what BETA is.
We were a group of 10 this year, heading up to our BETA house in Tofte, along the North Shore.
Check in is at 4 PM, I wanted to pick up the keys and have the house opened for the first arrivals near 5 PM.
I decided to run from Caribou Highlands on Friday. Some friends of mine were spending a few nights at Caribou Highlands so I was able to visit and borrow a shower! Good planning.
I ran from Caribou Highlands, to Oberg and back, 14.8 miles per the GPS. This route is along the 50K/25K/50M/100M Superior races so I know it like the back of my hand. It didn't disappoint. Such a beautiful trail. I spotted huge mushrooms, blueberries and raspberries. While picking berries I heard a thrashing in the woods and was afraid I'd find myself sharing the bush with Mr. Bear. Nope, Mr. Bear was Mr. Chipmunk! Ha!
The day was very humid and hot, a rarity for the North Shore, even in July. I was dripping wet and was struggling while climbing Moose Mountain and Mystery Mountain. My body is not the same as pre hysterectomy. I'm hot and sweaty all of the time and my heart rate is elevated while climbing. It is what it is, nothing I can do to change it. Just enjoy the surroundings around me and WALK. That's what I did.
I covered nearly 15 miles in 4 hours, took a cold shower and headed to the house. Maria, Doug and Bill arrived after I unpacked my gear and settled in. Nancy, Tom, Alicia and Jeffrey arrived next, then Guy and Jenny later in the evening.
For our run on Saturday, Nancy, Tom, Alicia and Jeffrey were headed to one end of the trail and the rest of us were headed for another. Doug was going to venture for a run on the trail with us instead of crewing which was a first. It was so great to have Doug running with us! When Doug mentioned he was going to run 11 miles instead of the 26 Maria, Bill, Guy and Jenny were going to tackle I quickly stated that I was in for 11 as well. I was feeling the Afton 50K two weeks prior and Friday's 4 hour run in my legs. 11 was perfect, I thought.
We dropped water and cars along the route and then began our run in Silver Bay. I love this section. Well, I guess I love all of the sections! Silver Bay to Tettegouche includes the Bean and Bear Lake overlook. So awesome and so many great memories of past races and past BETA's. We spoke of Pierre and John's crash here during BETA 1. Pierre stating "I'm Bonking!" John wishing for Red Bull! Good stuff.
By the time we reached 7 miles I was totally soaked and huffing and a puffing. My breathing was heavy, my heart rate was high and I was really having a hard time. I was sweating so heavily, as was everyone. It was hot and so so humid. Our bodies couldn't evaporate and cool in this humidity.
Bill lead the group and was quickly out of sight. Maria stopped to allow us to catch up atop a huge rock outcrop. I reached the top and just laid down flat on my back to catch my breath. Ugh. I stated that if we had a car right here I would stop and head back to the house. We were all going to be running out of water, it was so warm we were drinking more than planned.
I followed at the end of our train, winding up the trail. Eventually I told Doug to just keep on, I was going to take a walk break. I had to catch my breath. I couldn't run and breath correctly. I walked through a few shady areas, just taking in all of the beauty of the trail. I wasn't pissed off at all that I couldn't run through this, I was fine with walking along. This is just such a turn around for me. I have always loved running in the heat and humidity. My PR 100 Mile Race was at Lean Horse, at near 100 degrees. I found myself thinking deeply about many many things as I walked along. Eventually I began to zone out and wonder if I was on the correct route. I had better pay attention!
With the State Parks closed due to MN Government Budget disagreement, there weren't many people out on the trails near Tettegouche Park. I knew I was nearing the finish for me as signage posted the state park. Guy's car and water supply was at mile 11. I was so thankful to have made it this far! As I was coming down the end of the trail, Jenny was climbing back up to me, with a bottle of water in hand. Ahhh, I quickly drank the water she offered and called her my trail angel. As I came into the lot Doug poured me another bottle of water. Ah, refreshing! They had been resting 15 minutes before I arrived. Guy and Jenny decided to end the day at 11 miles too so we all took off and headed back to the house for more water and cold showers!
Doug, Guy and Jenny went back to pick up Bill and Maria. I believe Bill ran 18 and Maria 26. Lots of miles on a horrific humid day.
I hung out on the deck, reading, then walked along the rocks at our backyard, Lake Superior. It really was nice to be able to enjoy the house and landscape, not running all day into night. Nancy, Tom, Jeffrey and Alicia arrived with Tom and Alicia running 23 miles. Great work!
We had an incredible dinner, lots of fun conversation and made new friendships. Another BETA weekend, more memories and fun running. Next year: BETA VII!
*More photos posted on Facebook.
4 comments:
- Happy said...
I feel like there's got to be a way to manage the sweats--there's got to be. You're really resourceful and know all about how food affects the body. I'd do some research. I know you'll be 100% again!!
- Rasan said...
such a cute Site.please visit for more.....
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- Serta Mattress said...
Thanks for the info on the headbands!! Between work, workouts, and play, I also wear them at some point everyday!
- AnneG said...
Your story is so inspirational. I love the food you feature on here! have you tried Greenie Guru Juice
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|System: Xbox One*, Xbox 360, PC
|Dev: Respawn Entertainment
|Pub: EA Games
|Release: March 11, 2014
|Players: 1 (2+ Online)
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p
|Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
Map design is incredibly versatile, allowing both Pilots and Titans to fight concurrently without feeling constrained or out of place. To me, this is the biggest achievement in TitanFall. Without this, the multiplayer that flows throughout the entirety of the game would feel unnecessarily confined. These maps allow for Titans, while obviously being more powerful, to be vulnerable to nimble Pilot attacks on foot, and vice versa. So even though you may find yourself without your metallic guardian, you can still be an effective force in the match.
Lastly, when I heard TitanFall would only be six verses six, I was a bit disappointed. I'm quite used to the 64-player madness that is Battlefield 4, and thought this low number of players would be boring and feel small. I was completely wrong. TitanFall gets around this issue by supplying NPC soldiers to the battlefield that play a role especially in the Attrition game mode. This makes the games feel larger and more complete, while keeping the core action on the 12 players that are tearing each other apart on-screen. To be completely honest, I couldn't imagine the craziness that would ensue if there were more than 12 players in a TitanFall game.
So, no, TitanFall is not perfect. But it is a huge step forward for the FPS genre. It brings new mechanics to the table and throws several FPS conventions out the window, while keeping enough familiarity to keep FPS fans engaged. There is so much going on in a TitanFall match that you will be unable to catch it all (even though you will try) and the solid soundscape just adds to the immersion with a limitless supply of projectile, Titan computer, Pilot voice, and ambient sounds that might scramble you brain a little. But that's part of the fun, right?
In short, TitanFall has the goods. If you have an Xbox One, buy this game. If you don't have an Xbox One or gaming PC and love FPS multiplayer games, go buy an Xbox One and buy TitanFall. They even have a convenient bundle for you. Even though I wish TitanFall had a more complete campaign, it doesn't detract from the fact that it is probably the most fun multiplayer FPS I've ever played. Sorry Battlefield. Now, if you'll excuse me, my Titan is ready.
"Order Confirmed. TitanFall incoming."
Joshua Bruce
Video Director
Date: March 11, 2014
Game Features:


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Public Information Centre
THAI's Public Information Centre was established on 16 November 1998. The centre provide information to the public which reflects the transparency in all areas of operations as well as management of the organization. The Public Information Centre offers an easy channel for the public to access any information about the organization most of which are readily available upon request. The Management of Thai Airways International has placed a strong emphasis on the importance of information process especially in today's world where Information Technology has increasingly become part of our lives. The main goals of the Public Information Centre are to utilize information and communication networks for the benefit of important decision-making process while ensuring that THAI remains actively competitive in the aviation industry and globalization era.
The Public Information Centre is a supportive unit where the target group consist of the management, the public, students, media, investors, analysts, THAI's employee, and those from related to aviation industry. The centre provides fast and up-to-date news and information of THAI, other airlines, business and tourism in order to help develop a better understanding of air transport and its related operations among the target groups.
- · To serve the public by providing accurate and clear information about THAI in compliance with the Information Act B.E. 2540 as a state enterprise.
- · To ensure that the public has correct understanding about the company's operations.
- · To collect, categorize and manage information systematically.
Exemplary Unit under the auspices of The Ministry of Transportation and Communications
Following the cabinet request made to all the governmental departments to select official unit which operated in compliance with the Information Act B.E. 2540. THAI's Public Information Centre was selected by the Ministry of Transport and Communications as the most efficient information providing centre. With a highly systematic indexing technique and professional application of up-to-date management technique in handling of diverse information.
Public Information Centre
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (Head Office)
Ground Floor, Building 9, 89 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road Bangkok 10900
Tel : 0-2545-3321
Fax : 0-2545-3322
E-mail : firstname.lastname@example.com


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Hey Everyone! It's almost Turkey Day but before I dig into my calorie infested meal I took a little looksy around the world. First stop! ASIA!
I am in LOVE with this hair! It's by Alice project its one of NINE hairstyles made especially for this event. They are SNSD (or Girl's Generation) Inspired and super amazing. I have on Yuri and I used my Fading Summer HUD to make this color mix.
Another cute item from the event is this dress. This is from Sassy and as soon as I saw it I had to have it. I had a little delivery issue since my internet was glitchy but the owner helped ASAP. I DEFINITELY recommend places with good customer service AND great product. This is the Anastasia dress in pearl but it comes in many other cute colors as well
There are just SO many great things I could go on and on but nothing is better than seeing for yourself so go check it out!
See you all later! Mwahs & Happy Shopping
Love Always
Lili Continue reading


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WASHINGTON — Wind farms, motorsports tracks, global banks and other businesses won revived tax breaks in a $75.3 billion package included in the last-minute budget deal passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama.
The tax-break extensions, mostly for companies, made it into the bill past Republican demands for spending cuts and Democratic resistance to business benefits. Both parties have complained for years about some of the special-interest provisions.
The package of tax extensions survived attempts to curb them to reduce the U.S. budget deficit, which has exceeded $1 trillion for four years. Their beneficiaries and lobbyists received a reprieve and a chance to bargain for another extension this year.
The breaks are "generally economically useless or harmful," lowering General Electric's tax bill, padding accounting firms' research-credit business and letting lawmakers repeatedly tap lobbyists and companies for donations, said Bob McIntyre, director of Citizens for Tax Justice. The Washington group favors higher taxes on companies.
"If you make them permanent, you get the campaign contribution once," McIntyre said. "You do it every year or two, they have to ante up again and again."
Most of the tax breaks had expired at the end of 2011 and will be continued through 2013. The companies that benefit say the on-again, off-again breaks are important though the uncertainty makes it almost impossible to use them to plan business investments.
Although they are lumped together, the miscellaneous tax breaks include a variety of items, from multibillion-dollar benefits for big companies to much smaller changes designed to increase Native American employment.
Some are broad, such as the credit for corporate research, which is supported by a coalition of technology companies, manufacturers and lawmakers including Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the Finance Committee. The two-year extension of the research credit would cost the government $14.3 billion in forgone revenue.
Some of the tax benefits are specialized, such as a $11.2 billion, two-year extension of the active financing exception, which lets GE, Caterpillar and Citigroup, among others, defer taxes on financing income they earn outside the United States. That allows their earnings to be treated like the income of nonfinancial companies with non-U.S. operations.
The congressional supporters of this provision include Pat Tiberi, an Ohio Republican, and Richard Neal, D-Mass., senior members of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Other breaks are narrow and often ridiculed by lawmakers. They include $78 million worth of accelerated depreciation for motorsports tracks, $248 million in special expensing rules for films and television programs, and a $222 million provision that directs excise taxes on imported rum to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"You can see where Congress's heart is, perhaps its soul as well," McIntyre said.
Alex Brill, a former aide to Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee, said tax breaks that some consider questionable — such as the motorsports benefit backed by International Speedway Corp. and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. — are often made temporary as a compromise.
Whirlpool Corp. benefits from a $650 million tax credit extension for manufacturing energy-efficient appliances. JPMorgan Chase and other financial institutions are aided by the $1.8 billion extension of the New Markets Tax Credit for investments in low-income areas. That is supported by Rep. Jim Gerlach, R-Pa., and Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
Restaurants such as Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. and McDonald's Corp. benefit from the $1.9 billion extension of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for hiring workers from disadvantaged groups.
The bill includes a one-year extension through 2013 of the production tax credit for wind power, at a cost of $12.2 billion. That will save as many as 37,000 jobs in an industry that's expected to stall this year, the American Wind Energy Association said.
Matthew Kaplan, an associate director at the energy research group IHS Inc., said developers raced to complete projects in 2012 to claim the credit. The projects that are left over probably aren't far enough along to be completed in 2013, even with the extension of the credit, he said.
"We still anticipate a significant drop-off in wind build" this year, Kaplan said in an interview.
By changing the rules to let companies claim the credit at the start of construction instead of when a project begins producing electricity, Congress ensured that some development will continue this year.
The budget agreement also includes a $1.3 billion, one-year extension of a tax break on write-offs of mortgage debt, a tactic becoming increasingly common as banks seek to move beyond the housing crisis. Borrowers won't have to pay income taxes on the principal forgiven as part of a loan modification or during a short sale in which they sell their homes for less than they owe.
Real estate agents, homebuilders and consumer advocates pushed for the extension, saying it was needed to avert a wave of foreclosures that could depress home prices.
The bill includes 50 percent bonus depreciation on capital investments, letting companies recoup their costs more quickly. Taxpayers will continue to be allowed to deduct states sales taxes instead of income taxes from their federal returns, a benefit to people in states such as Texas that lack a state income tax.
The tax breaks have a history of last-minute or retroactive inclusion in legislation. They were one of the sweeteners the Senate added in 2008 to win support for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Their last extension came in 2010, as part of the agreement to extend the income tax cuts that are largely being made permanent now.
House Republicans, including Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, had talked throughout 2012 about dropping some of the extensions. In the end, Camp, of Michigan, never produced a bill and will address the provisions as part of a tax overhaul he is drafting this year.
Instead, a bipartisan Senate Finance Committee measure from August that kept most of the provisions intact was inserted into the final deal passed by Congress.
"There's no logical basis for any temporary tax policy, basically, and yet here we are, and they're all extended again," said Brill, a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, which advocates a smaller government. "Not including those provisions would have caused a firestorm from the business community and elsewhere at the 11th hour."
Unrelated to the tax extensions, the bill raises $12 billion by allowing holders of pretax 401(k) retirement accounts to transfer some of their balances into post-tax Roth-style accounts. Those who convert the accounts must pay the taxes up- front.
Not in the bill are tax rises Obama wants, including higher taxes for private equity managers' carried-interest income, multinational companies' offshore profits, and oil and gas companies. Those industries remain potential targets as the president searches for revenue to pair with future spending cuts.
Jim Snyder and Clea Benson in Washington and Iain Wilson in Sydney contributed to this report.


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Davis Cup: South Korea lead 2-0 as Indian rookies struggle
Published: 02nd February 2013 10:25 AM | Last Updated: 02nd February 2013 10:25 AM | A+A A-
It was a disappointing start
to India's Davis Cup campaign here Friday as rookie Vijayant Malik
conceded the second singles due to severe cramps despite putting up a
valiant fight following a humiliating loss by debutant Ranjeet
Virali-Murugesan in the first singles, giving South Korea a 2-0 lead on
the first day of their Group I Asia/Oceania first round tie.
Ranjeet, who is India's No.1 player for the tie, was thrashed 1-6, 0-6, 1-6 by the unranked Min-Hyeok Cho at the R.K. Khanna Tennis Stadium.
After a humiliating loss in the first singles, Vijayant, ranked 537, gave the home crowd something to cheer with his spirited performance against Suk-Young Jeong, who is ranked 321.
But in the third set, with the score at 4-6, 5-7, 0-3, he felt excruciating pain in his left leg and collapsed on the court and conceded the match.
It was a sad end to Vijayant's heroics that raised some hopes for the hosts after an embarrassing loss in the first singles.
Vijayant attacked from the outset and was on top of his game right. He led the first set 2-1 but some unforced errors helped the Jeong claw back into the game to make it 4-2. Vijayant, however, came back strongly in the next two games and pocketed the fourth game with a brilliant ace (4-4).
But the Korean made the best use of his experience and went for the kill whenever he found the opportunity while Vijayant failed to finish off points.
In the second set, Vijayant continued in the same breadth and took a 1-0 lead. It was a see-saw battle in the second game as the Indian came back from 0-40 to make it 40-40 but failed to seal it.
Egged on by a sizeable crowd, Vijayant soon made it 2-1 and but Jeong was soon back on level 2-2 despite the Indian saving four game points.
The match was evenly balanced at 5-5, but Jeong was indomitable in the last two games and won the set 7-5.
Vijayant started feeling a niggle in his left leg in the second set and opted for medical help during the break. By the third set, trailing 0-2, Vijayant collapsed on the field with severe cramps. He first conceded the game and after some treatment he gave it up finally.
Earlier in the day, the unranked Cho dominated from the baseline and toyed with Ranjeet, who is ranked 511.
It was an erratic performance by the inexperienced Ranjeet, who was included in the side after several top players revolted against the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and made themselves unavailable for national duty.
Ranjeet gifted away easy points. Though he hit a few aces and managed to hold on to rallies twice, he committed too many unforced errors.
Cho, who is basically a doubles player, made the best use of his experience in thrashing the 27-year-old India.
The Korean said his ploy was to make Ranjeet work for the points.
"I was aware of the fact that he was an inexperienced player. So the ploy was to make him work hard for the points," he said.
India are fielding an inexperienced team in the Davis Cup following a rebellion by senior players, led by Somdev Devvarman. Leander Paes is the only old face in the team.
On Saturday, Paes will be teaming up with another rookie Purav Raja for the doubles.


text:
Robert Menendez on Health Care
Democratic Sr Senator; previously Representative (NJ-13)
|Medicare negotiating to lower drug prices
|Tom Kean, Jr.
|Robert Menendez
|An annual limit on federal Medicare spending
|Tom Kean, Jr.
|Robert Menendez
A: No one should ever have to choose between filling their prescriptions and their refrigerator. That's why I've led the fight to block President Bush's continued cuts to Medicare. Just as doctors are sworn to "do no harm," neither should the federal government implement a drug benefit that's too confusing for seniors to get the medications they need. I'm fighting to make sure New Jerseyans have a comprehensive drug benefit.
KEAN: No. Unlike my opponent, I support Health Savings Accounts, Association Health Plans and medical malpractice reform to make healthcare affordable and accessible.
MENENDEZ: We must expand access to affordable healthcare for everyone. Unlike my opponent, I support limiting tax breaks for the wealthiest 1% to pay for it.
KEAN: Given the tremendous fiscal burden that Medicaid places on the federal government, clear guidelines and fiscal rules, combined with state flexibility, could allow all parties to work toward the equal challenge of containing ever-increasing Medicaid expenses. New Jersey must pursue non-traditional avenues of cost containment, including employing today's technological advancements to streamline paperwork, rooting out waste and fraud and utilizing disease management programs to improve outcomes.
MENENDEZ: Tom Kean Jr. and his friends in the Bush administration have chosen to create bigger and bigger federal deficits by granting tax breaks to giant corporations and the super-rich, rather than address the vital health care needs of America's families. No one should ever have to choose between filling their prescriptions and their refrigerator. Everyone deserves quality health care & access to vital medicine at an affordable price.
MENENDEZ: I'm working hard to move our nation from a disease-based health care system to a prevention-based system. Ultimately, we save both lives and money if we focus on prevention & early diagnosis, as opposed to spending more to treat diseases once they've progressed. Last year, I wrote the Patient Navigator, Outreach & Chronic Disease Prevention Act. This bipartisan legislation guides patients through the healthcare maze, thus reducing costs and improving efficiency.
KEAN: How is it that a tenured Congressman can speak so little about how he's worked to build bipartisan coalitions? Bob Menendez has voted at least twice against providing a prescription drug benefit for Medicare, voted at least 3 times to cut $115 billion from the Medicare program and voted against creating tax-free Medical Savings Accounts for our seniors, families & working professionals. This is exactly why we need an independent reformer in Congress
Opponent's argument to vote No:Rep. HEATH SHULER (D, NC-11): Putting a dangerous, overworked FDA in charge of tobacco is a threat to public safety. Last year, the FDA commissioner testified that he had serious concerns that this bill could undermine the public health role of the FDA. And the FDA Science Board said the FDA's inability to keep up with scientific advancements means that Americans' lives will be at risk.
Proponent's argument to vote Yes: Rep. HENRY WAXMAN (D, CA-30): The bill before us, the Waxman-Platts bill, has been carefully crafted over more than a decade, in close consultation with the public health community. It's been endorsed by over 1,000 different public health, scientific, medical, faith, and community organizations.
Sen. HARRY REID (D, NV): Yesterday, 3,500 children who had never smoked before tried their first cigarette. For some, it will also be their last cigarette but certainly not all. If you think 3,500 is a scary number, how about 3.5 million. That is a pretty scary number. That is how many American high school kids smoke--3.5 million. Nearly all of them aren't old enough to buy cigarettes. It means we have as many boys and girls smoking as are participating in athletics in high schools. We have as many as are playing football, basketball, track and field, and baseball combined.
Rep. FRANK PALLONE (D, NJ-6): In the last Congress, we passed legislation that enjoyed bipartisan support as well as the support of the American people. Unfortunately, it did not enjoy the support of the President, who vetoed our bill twice, and went on to proclaim that uninsured children can simply go to the emergency room to have their medical needs met. As the Nation moves deeper into a recession and unemployment rates continue to rise, millions of Americans are joining the ranks of the uninsured, many of whom are children. We can't delay. We must enact this legislation now.
Opponent's argument to vote No:Rep. ROY BLUNT (R, MI-7): This bill doesn't require the States to meet any kind of threshold standard that would ensure that States were doing everything they could to find kids who needed insurance before they begin to spend money to find kids who may not have the same need. Under the bill several thousands of American families would be poor enough to qualify for SCHIP and have the government pay for their health care, but they'd be rich enough to still be required to pay the alternative minimum tax. The bill changes welfare participation laws by eliminating the 5-year waiting period for legal immigrants to lawfully reside in the country before they can participate in this program. In the final bill, we assume that 65% of the children receiving the benefit wouldn't get the benefit anymore. It seems to me this bill needs more work, would have benefited from a committee hearing. It doesn't prioritize poor kids to ensure that they get health care first.
Proponent's argument to vote Yes: Sen. PATTY MURRAY (D, WA): President Bush vetoed a bill that would make vital improvements to the program that has helped ensure that millions of seniors and the disabled can get the care they need. This bill puts an emphasis on preventive care that will help our seniors stay healthy, and it will help to keep costs down by enabling those patients to get care before they get seriously ill. This bill will improve coverage for low-income seniors who need expert help to afford basic care. It will help make sure our seniors get mental health care.
SUPPORTER'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING YES:Sen. ENSIGN: This amendment is to means test Medicare Part D the same way we means test Medicare Part B. An individual senior making over $82,000 a year, or a senior couple making over $164,000, would be expected to pay a little over $10 a month extra. That is all we are doing. This amendment saves a couple billion dollars over the next 5 years. It is very reasonable. There is nothing else in this budget that does anything on entitlement reform, and we all know entitlements are heading for a train wreck in this country. We ought to at least do this little bit for our children for deficit reduction. OPPONENT'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING NO:Sen. BAUCUS: The problem with this amendment is exactly what the sponsor said: It is exactly like Part B. Medicare Part B is a premium that is paid with respect to doctors' examinations and Medicare reimbursement. Part D is the drug benefit. Part D premiums vary significantly nationwide according to geography and according to the plans offered. It is nothing like Part B.
Second, any change in Part D is required to be in any Medicare bill if it comes up. We may want to make other Medicare changes. We don't want to be restricted to means testing.
Third, this should be considered broad health care reform, at least Medicare reform, and not be isolated in this case. LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Amendment rejected, 42-56
SUPPORTER'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING YES:Sen. COBURN: The underlying legislation, S.1200, does not fix the underlying problems with tribal healthcare. It does not fix rationing. It does not fix waiting lines. It does not fix the inferior quality that is being applied to a lot of Native Americans and Alaskans in this country. It does not fix any of those problems. In fact, it authorizes more services without making sure the money is there to follow it.
Those who say a failure to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act is a violation of our trust obligations are correct. However, I believe simply reauthorizing this system with minor modifications is an even greater violation of that commitment.
OPPONENT'S ARGUMENT FOR VOTING NO:Sen. DORGAN: It is not more money necessarily that is only going to solve the problem. But I guarantee you that less money will not solve the problem. If you add another program for other Indians who can go somewhere else and be able to present a card, they have now taken money out of the system and purchased their own insurance--then those who live on the reservation with the current Indian Health Service clinic there has less money. How does that work to help the folks who are stranded with no competition?
LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Amendment rejected, 28-67
Proponents support voting YES because:
Rep. DINGELL: This is not a perfect bill, but it is an excellent bipartisan compromise. The bill provides health coverage for 3.9 million children who are eligible, yet remain uninsured. It meets the concerns expressed in the President's veto message [from HR976]:
Opponents recommend voting NO because:
Rep. DEAL: This bill [fails to] fix the previous legislation that has been vetoed:
Veto message from President Bush:
Like its predecessor, HR976, this bill does not put poor children first and it moves our country's health care system in the wrong direction. Ultimately, our goal should be to move children who have no health insurance to private coverage--not to move children who already have private health insurance to government coverage. As a result, I cannot sign this legislation.
Proponents support voting YES because:
This legislation is an overdue step to improve part D drug benefits. The bipartisan bill is simple and straightforward. It removes the prohibition from negotiating discounts with pharmaceutical manufacturers, and requires the Secretary of Health & Human Services to negotiate. This legislation will deliver lower premiums to the seniors, lower prices at the pharmacy and savings for all taxpayers.
It is equally important to understand that this legislation does not do certain things. HR4 does not preclude private plans from getting additional discounts on medicines they offer seniors and people with disabilities. HR4 does not establish a national formulary. HR4 does not require price controls. HR4 does not hamstring research and development by pharmaceutical houses. HR4 does not require using the Department of Veterans Affairs' price schedule.
Opponents support voting NO because:
Does ideological purity trump sound public policy? It shouldn't, but, unfortunately, it appears that ideology would profoundly change the Medicare part D prescription drug program, a program that is working well, a program that has arrived on time and under budget. The changes are not being proposed because of any weakness or defect in the program, but because of ideological opposition to market-based prices. Since the inception of the part D program, America's seniors have had access to greater coverage at a lower cost than at any time under Medicare.
Under the guise of negotiation, this bill proposes to enact draconian price controls on pharmaceutical products. Competition has brought significant cost savings to the program. The current system trusts the marketplace, with some guidance, to be the most efficient arbiter of distribution.
Status: Cloture rejected Cloture vote rejected, 55-42 (3/5ths required)
The American Public Health Association (APHA) is the oldest and largest organization of public health professionals in the world, representing more than 50,000 members from over 50 occupations of public health. APHA is concerned with a broad set of issues affecting personal and environmental health, including federal and state funding for health programs, pollution control, programs and policies related to chronic and infectious diseases, a smoke-free society, and professional education in public health.
The following ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to:
Conquer Childhood Cancer Act of 2007 - A bill to advance medical research and treatments into pediatric cancers, ensure patients and families have access to the current treatments and information regarding pediatric cancers, establish a population-based national childhood cancer database, and promote public awareness of pediatric cancers.
A bill to preserve access to Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program during an economic downturn.
A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the treatment of autism under TRICARE. Revises TRICARE (a Department of Defense [DOD] managed health care program) to authorize treatment of autism spectrum disorders, if a health care professional determines that such treatment is medically necessary.
|2010 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Health Care:
|Robert Menendez on other issues:
NJ Gubernatorial:
Chris Christie
NJ Senatorial:
Frank Lautenberg
Dem. Freshmen
in 112th Congress:
AL-7:Terri Sewell
CA-33:Karen Bass
DE-0:John Carney
FL-17:Frederica Wilson
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa
LA-2:Cedric Richmond
MA-10:Bill Keating
MI-13:Hansen Clarke
RI-1:David Cicilline
GOP Freshmen
in 112th Congress:
AL-2:Martha Roby
AL-5:Mo Brooks
AZ-1:Paul Gosar
AZ-3:Ben Quayle
AZ-5:David Schweikert
AR-1:Rick Crawford
AR-2:Tim Griffin
AR-3:Steve Womack
CA-19:Jeff Denham
CO-3:Scott Tipton
CO-4:Cory Gardner
FL-12:Dennis Ross
FL-2:Steve Southerland
FL-21:Mario Diaz-Balart
FL-22:Allen West
FL-24:Sandy Adams
FL-25:David Rivera
FL-5:Rich Nugent
FL-8:Dan Webster
GA-2:Mike Keown
GA-7:Rob Woodall
GA-8:Austin Scott
ID-1:Raul Labrador
IL-8:Joe Walsh
IL-10:Bob Dold
IL-11:Adam Kinzinger
IL-14:Randy Hultgren
IL-17:Bobby Schilling
IL-8:Joe Walsh
IN-3:Marlin Stutzman
IN-4:Todd Rokita
IN-8:Larry Bucshon
IN-9:Todd Young
KS-1:Tim Huelskamp
KS-3:Kevin Yoder
KS-5:Mike Pompeo
LA-3:Jeff Landry
MD-1:Andy Harris
MI-1:Dan Benishek
MI-2:Bill Huizenga
MI-3:Justin Amash
MI-7:Tim Walberg
MN-8:Chip Cravaack
MO-4:Vicky Hartzler
MO-7:Billy Long
MS-1:Alan Nunnelee
MS-4:Steven Palazzo
GOP Freshmen
in 111th Congress:
NC-2:Renee Ellmers
ND-0:Rick Berg
NH-2:Charlie Bass
NH-1:Frank Guinta
NJ-3:Jon Runyan
NM-2:Steve Pearce
NV-3:Joe Heck
NY-13:Michael Grimm
NY-19:Nan Hayworth
NY-20:Chris Gibson
NY-24:Richard Hanna
NY-25:Ann Marie Buerkle
NY-29:Tom Reed
OH-1:Steve Chabot
OH-15:Steve Stivers
OH-16:Jim Renacci
OH-18:Bob Gibbs
OH-6:Bill Johnson
OK-5:James Lankford
PA-10:Tom Marino
PA-11:Lou Barletta
PA-3:Mike Kelly
PA-7:Patrick Meehan
PA-8:Mike Fitzpatrick
SC-1:Tim Scott
SC-3:Jeff Duncan
SC-4:Trey Gowdy
SC-5:Mick Mulvaney
SD-0:Kristi Noem
TN-3:Chuck Fleischmann
TN-4:Scott DesJarlais
TN-6:Diane Black
TN-8:Stephen Fincher
TX-17:Bill Flores
TX-23:Quico Canseco
TX-27:Blake Farenthold
VA-2:Scott Rigell
VA-5:Robert Hurt
VA-9:Morgan Griffith
WA-3:Jaime Herrera
WI-7:Sean Duffy
WI-8:Reid Ribble
WV-1:David McKinley
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(202) 224-4744


text:
Although Gnus is my primary mail reader, there's lots of things i like about Gmail (actually, Gmail is my primary inbox: Gnus reads mail from there). For instance, a little feature i love in Gmail is those markers that tell you whether you're one of the direct recipients of a mail. When seeing a long list of mails in a mail list, i can quickly identify those with me explicitly in the To: or Cc: headers: chances are i'm slightly more interested in them.
In Gnus, one can customize the information shown in the message list by tweaking the variable
gnus-summary-line-format. If you press
C-h v gnus-summary-line-format to see all the formatting options, you'll see there's a lot of information to be shown, but not the one we want. But, as is always the case, we have a hook to extend the format to our hearts content: the
%uX directive, where
X is any letter you want. When Gnus sees that directive, it calls
gnus-user-format-function-X, a function you must write returning a string that gets inserted in the summary line. So here we go: first i define a string with a regexp of my email addresses:
(defvar *jao-mails* "jao@foo\\.org\\|jao@baz\\.com\\|jao@grogle\\.com")
and then i function which returns a "»" if i'm the only recipient of the message, or a "~" if i'm in the To:, Cc: or BCc: headers among others:
(defun gnus-user-format-function-j (headers) (let ((to (gnus-extra-header 'To headers))) (if (string-match *jao-mails* to) (if (string-match "," to) "~" "»") (if (or (string-match *jao-mails* (gnus-extra-header 'Cc headers)) (string-match *jao-mails* (gnus-extra-header 'BCc headers))) "~" " "))))
Then all that is left is using it in my
(setq gnus-summary-line-format "%U%R %~(pad-right 2)t%* %uj %B%~(max-right 20)~(pad-right 20)n %s\n")
Notice the
%uj doing the trick here. I'm sure you'll come up with other uses to this extension mechanism, which, by the way, is also available for
gnus-group-line-format, the variable governing how lines in the *Group* buffer are displayed.


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Judiciary Committee debates gun control bills
Joseph Moore,
Nebraska News Service
LINCOLN -- A lively discussion over gun and ammunition control legislation took place during a Judiciary Committee hearing of the Nebraska Legislature on Jan 23.
Among the bills discussed was LB50, introduced by Sen. Brad Ashford of Omaha. The bill would hold gun owners civilly liable for damages resulting from the unreasonable placement of a firearm where a minor or mentally handicapped individual could get it.
The committee also heard testimony on LB148, introduced by Ashford. This bill would include ammunition in certain offences involving firearms. Among other provisions, the bill would make it illegal for anyone previously convicted of a felony to possess ammunition. The law already makes it illegal for convicted felons to possess a firearm.
Also up for discussion was LB128, introduced by Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln. The bill would make it a crime to disarm a police officer performing his or her duties.
"I was surprised to hear from law enforcement about the prevalence of this act," said Coash referring to disarming a police officer.
Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha expressed strong opposition to LB128. "I hate this bill and I hate what it stands for," he said.
Chambers took issue with the fact that the bill equates attempting to disarm an officer with actually doing it and could result in a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He also objected to the absence of language in the bill requiring that the offender know the person is a police officer, citing the prevalence of undercover officers in his North Omaha district.
"If this scruffy white guy approaches me with a gun, am I supposed to do nothing about it?" asked Chambers.
Prosecutor John Freudenberg, representing the Attorney General's office where the bill originated, agreed that the bill should be amended to require knowledge that the person being disarmed is a police officer.
Chambers changed his mind about LB148, the bill to include ammunition in some firearm offenses, after hearing testimony from attorney Jerry Soucie. Soucie said the bill would impose a mandatory minimum sentence of three years on previously convicted felons found in possession of ammunition. He said this would cost the state $160,000 every time there is a conviction.
Soucie also said the statute would most likely be applied disparately in different parts of the state with rural counties less likely to seek prosecutions for ammunition possession.
Chambers said he supported the bill before hearing Soucie's testimony but is now opposed to it. "You pushed the right buttons to make me look at this bill in a different way," he said.
Of particular concern to Chambers is the possibility that police officers could plant ammunition on a suspect to trump up the charges. He said he has seen this practice often in his district.
"The Omaha police are basically gangsters," Chambers said.
Several people testified in opposition to LB50, which would impose civil liability on gun owners for the unreasonable placement of a firearm where a minor or mentally handicapped individual could get it.
National Rifle Association lobbyist Ron Jensen said the language of the bill is too vague and could potentially criminalize lawful firearm possession.
Jeremy Cody, a member of the Nebraska Firearm Owner's Association, said he would prefer introducing youth education programs to teach children to stay away from firearms.
"These programs have proven successful at teaching children to stay away from guns," Cody said.
Ashford, who sponsored the bill, said that the gun store owners he spoke to in Omaha expressed support for the bill.
"We are asking that firearm owners be responsible," Ashford said, adding that the bill called for common sense safety measures.


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Welcome to Watch List, where we identify five things on TV to watch while you stay at home and make a dirty martini, which just sounds so DIRTY. LET'S GO!
KHLOE & LAMAR – 10:00PM Sunday (E!) This is the latest Kardashian reality show from E!, following in the footsteps of "Keeping Up With The Kardashians," and "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami," and "Kourtney and Kim Take New York," and "Bruce Jenner Sells Crap on QVC." This iteration features Khloe (you know her as the kind of big one) and her husband Lamar Odom of the Lakers walking around being Khloe and Lamar Odom. The premiere's big issue: Will Lamar make the NBA All-Star team? You see, that's why these shows are so popular. They really resonate with the common man. ANTICIPATION: KOOL!
UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS – 9:00PM Sunday (PBS) You ever read a review for a snooty costume drama and the critic says that the movie is "very 'Upstairs Downstairs,'" as if you should know what that means? Well anyway, HERE is what they're referencing: the classic British miniseries about oh-so-proper British servants and the snooty rich people they must serve. On Sunday night, PBS reboots the miniseries with this "sequel" set a few years after the original series ended. If you're a fan of restrained longing and winsome glances, this is all you. ANTICIPATION: STIFF UPPER LIP!
THE COMEDY AWARDS – 9:00PM Sunday (Comedy Central, CMT, TVLand, VH1, SpikeTV) Usually, when an event is simulcast across five different networks, it's some kind of telethon to help starving children in Montenegro. But this is just a plain old award show, so… I dunno. Anyway, it's your first ever award show dedicated strictly to comedy, and in attendance are Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, and Eddie Murphy, who is receiving the special Icon Award. I assume they'll be polite and skip over the past two decades of Eddie's career. ANTICIPATION: FUNNY!
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE – 11:30PM Saturday (NBC) Helen Mirren, everyone's favorite mature crush, is your host tomorrow night. She'll be joined by the Foo Fighters. It'll be very "Upstairs Downstairs." ANTICIPATION: YUKS!
HUMAN PLANET – 8:00PM Sunday (Discovery) Ever marvel at people who can survive in wildly remote places on Earth such as Western Sahara, Siberia, and Ohio? This new Discovery series takes a look at how man is able to thrive even in places where he shouldn't. It's a testament to our hardiness as a species. Yeah, I said it. We're awesome. What are YOU gonna do about it, emperor penguin? ANTICIPATION: MEN!
Weekend Watch List: Khloe! Lamar! Konnected!
Welcome to Watch List, where we identify five things on TV to watch while you stay at home and make a dirty martini, which just sounds so DIRTY. LET'S GO!


text:
If you encounter an issue with the SAP Integration for Vault Professional the first thing to do is to enable debugging in the "vault_sap_interface.xml" file.
This is located in this folder
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Vault Professional 201x\Explorer\Extensions\Integration for SAP.
Edit this file with Notepad and change DEBUG="0" to DEBUG="1"
Then restart the Vault Client and reproduce the error.
Then in the SAP Integration click SAP>About
Click Export to XML
Name the log file as Debug (for example).
Error messages will appear in this debug file.
If you cannot find the solution to the error yourself, you will need to supply both the "vault_sap_interface.xml" and the debug file to Autodesk support for further investigation.
IMPORTANT NOTE - If you leave debugging turned on, the debug file will grow significantly over time. So once you captured the error, remember to set it back to DEBUG="0"


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I used one of the Valentine stamp sets from last year by Taylored Expressions. It doesn't see ink too often, and that is really a shame because it is such a CUTE stamp set. I need to make myself break it out more often. Keeping the blast from the past theme, I also used Valentine papers from last year's My Mind's Eye release. I still love these papers...the colors are some of my favorites! Here is what I created:
I hope you take some time to follow along the blog hop! I can't wait to sit down with a cup of coffee and peruse all the lovely inspiration. Have a wonderful day today! ♥♥♥
Until later,
~Lea L.
P.S. If you are loving the blog hop, why don't you join in next month! It will be lots of fun!


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Princess Tea explores a castle under the sea
Album 1
on photos below to enlarge.]
[June 10, 2014]
Send a link to a friend
Saturday morning Lincoln Christian church was transformed into a
beautiful palace under the sea as the annual Harvest of Talents
Princess Tea took on the theme "Under the Sea."
The event, which is exclusively held for little girls and their
grown-up girlfriends, included elaborately decorated tables, sea
urchins hanging from the rafters, and fish swimming across the front
stage area.
There was even one table that featured happily swimming goldfish in
a lovely glass vase.
The girls themselves were dressed in their finest for the occasion,
some sporting tiaras and wands.
2013 Miss Logan County Fair Queen Crystal Quint was on hand as a
special guest, but as it was clearly stated in the morning prayer,
every little girl there was clearly a queen for the day.
The annual event includes special beverages, snacks, and petite
lunch items served by the designated hostess of each table. The
little girls enjoy craft projects and coloring activities before and
after lunch, and many other special activities keyed to appeal to
specific ages and the gentler gender.
Pictures by Nila Smith
Click here to go to Album
Back to top


text:
Is it wine o'clock, yet? No? Well, don't despair as there will be a special occasion just around the corner (Christmas, maybe or a retirement party) where a wine gift will be just the thing.
If you're into the distinct flavours of a crisp Chardonnay, prefer a pleasantly provoking Pinot Grigio or fancy a full bodied Rioja - we can all agree that there is a wine out there to suit everyone. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or occasional drinker with a discerning palette, personalise your vino experience with our selection of wine gifts - it's sure to tickle your taste buds.
There is a certain air of sophistication that comes with cracking open a bottle of the good stuff, pouring yourself a glass and settling down to unwind for the evening. Adding class to your dinner, jazzing up that sauce or even making your own - being a fan of the vino has a lot to offer and our wine gifts will delight with every sip. TFrom wine racks to personalised glasses, port to bottle openers and accessories, it really is all here.
Wine fans rejoice! You can now personalise wine glasses, enjoy your own bottle of plonk and even showcase your finest Chateauneuf-du-Pape with a new wine rack. We have personalised wine gifts a plenty - we even have vineyard tasting tours - so you're spoilt for choice in more ways than one.
Read More


text:
Britannica School Elementary
- Coverage Dates: Current file
- Update Frequency: Daily
- Audience: Elementary students and teachers
Britannica School Elementary is designed especially for intermediate readers at the elementary and early middle school levels. Thousands of shorter articles cover subjects for school and fun, from nations of the world to animals and sports. Features include a world atlas, subject browse, compare countries, and more. Learning games are also included on the site.
Database Provider: Encyclopædia Britannica,
Express Link (bookmark): http://www.galileo.usg.edu/express?link=zebk


text: Guest Tt Josh Report post Posted July 3, 2015 So, let's begin with WEEK 9!FOUR LUCKY ONES will be picked...RANDOMLY!Also, lucky ones will be contacted via Private Message!NOTE: Lucky ones need to reply my Private Message in 7 days! or else we will pick another lucky one!................................................................................................................................WHAT YOU NEED TO DO1) Become a member for our Tt eSPORTS PLUS+ Community & Data Management Platform (required)(You will need to upload a photo...any photo of yours or avatar...we suggest you to upload your photo, so I know how you look like! hahaha)2) Register our Tt FORUM! as you need to be a member in order for you to comment! (required)3) Leave a Comment (look at the example below for what to comment) (required)EXAMPLE:"I'VE REGISTERED! PICK ME! by TtJOSH"----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"TtJOSH" is my username for Tt eSPORTS PLUS Community & Data Management Platform!So you will need to USE YOUR OWN USERNAME for Tt eSPORTS PLUS Community & Data Management Platform! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I noticed some of you commented before but I can't locate your account from the Platform! Make sure you guys register the Platform! If not, your comment will not be counted! Here's the link to register: http://plus.ttesports.com/en 7 nataGomb, chokers, Liauchil and 4 others reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
Sharing a bottle of wine on Friday nights is something Jamie and I have done since our early months of dating. For my birthday last year, he planned a trip to Paonia, Colorado, where we toured the wineries and vineyards and sampled lots of good local wine. I love supporting local businesses whenever possible.
The Denver area has a few wineries, although we're pretty short on vineyards, so the wine-tasting experience in the city isn't quite the same as it is at the actual vineyard. The other weekend Jamie and I stopped by the Boulder Creek Winery to taste a few of their wines. The last one was a sweet, rich port, which the server said would change our lives if we ate a few chocolate-covered espresso beans while sipping the port. The flavors of the chocolate and espresso with the port was a wonderful combination, and while I won't say it changed my life, it was so good that it inspired me to make these cookies.
These cookies are soft and chewy, almost like a chocolate chip cookie but with hints of coffee and subtle bits of crunch from the espresso beans.
The batter is similar to a classic chocolate chip cookie batter, although I substituted some low-fat cream cheese for butter to lighten them up a little. I also included some other variations on flavors and add-ins in the recipe below.
I've heard of a trend of adding cornstarch to cookie batter to keep the cookies soft and chewy for people who don't like crisp cookies. I'm a big lover of the soft and chewy kind, and I will say, my cookies have never needed any special ingredients to keep them that way. I'm not bragging, I'm just saying, I don't make crispy cookies, because, quite simply, I don't overbake them. Baking them until they look like they're done means they will be way overdone by the time they set up out of the oven, because the residual heat in them continues to bake them even out of the oven. So the key to soft cookies? Take them out when they look underdone, and they will set up into very soft, gooey cookies.
At any rate, I tried the cornstarch thing in this recipe just for the heck of it, and was really happy with the texture. They're soft and chewy, full of chocolate chunks, vanilla and a hint of salt. They were exactly what a cookie should be, and really delicious with a few sips of port.
And although there's no red or pink in this recipe, or anything in the shape of hearts, I think this would make a wonderful Valentine's recipe.
Chocolate-Covered Espresso Bean Cookies
printable recipe
cookie batter:
- 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 18 whole chocolate-covered espresso beans
- 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 - 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl down and beat in the egg and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl in spoonfuls, mixing on low until combined. Stir in the chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans and chocolate chips. Batter will be very thick.
Scoop rounded tablespoons onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper, spacing them 2 inches apart. Place a whole espresso bean on half the cookies. Bake for 8 - 8 1/2 minutes, just until pale golden. Don't overbake! Cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet then cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the filling, beat the cream cheese and espresso powder (1/2 tablespoon yields a pretty subtle coffee flavor - use the full tablespoon for a more pronounced flavor) until the espresso powder is dissolved in the cream cheese (2-3 minutes). Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing until smooth. Add the milk, and beat for another minute until smooth and creamy. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
Take the cookies that are not topped with an espresso bean and turn them over. Scoop a dollop of filling onto each (about a tablespoon), and top with the cookie with the espresso bean. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Refrigerate any leftover filling for another recipe.
Chill the cookies in the fridge for about an hour to firm up the filling a little. Serve with coffee, hot chocolate, port, or dessert wine.
Yields about 3 dozen cookies / 18 cookie sandwiches.
White Chocolate Mocha Cookies: Use white chocolate chips instead of bittersweet chocolate.
Chocolate Chocolate-Covered Espresso Cookies: Swap out 1/2 cup of flour for 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
Chocolate Chip Cookies: Use all butter for the cookie batter instead of butter and cream cheese (1 1/2 sticks butter). Omit the chocolate covered espresso beans and use a full cup of chocolate chips. Omit the filling.
Chocolate Espresso Filling: Swap out 1/2 cup of powdered sugar for 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
For a lighter cookie: Omit the filling and add a tablespoon of espresso powder to the cookie batter instead.
From Curly Girl Kitchen.


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Social studies educators have organized themselves into formal subgroups of NCSS, such as local school district social studies supervisors, state social studies specialists, international educators, and college and university faculty members. Each Associated Group has its own membership dues, which are in addition to NCSS membership. Learn more about the various groups by clicking on their titles, below. To join an Associated Group, please contact Member Services at 301-588-1800 ext. 111.
Council of State Social Studies Specialists (CS4)
CS4 provides a vehicle for the exchange of ideas among the specialists, consultants, and supervisors who have responsibilities for social studies education in the various state departments of education/public instruction. CS4 officially meets once a year, just prior to the NCSS Annual Conference. Regular Member $50.
College and University Faculty Assembly (CUFA)
CUFA consists of higher education faculty members, graduate students, and others interested in working with social educators such as social scientists, historians, and philosophers. As well as being an advocacy organization for social studies education, CUFA members provide a forum for communication among professional educators, and examine social studies from a theoretical and research perspective. CUFA conducts its own program and business meeting during the NCSS Annual Conference. Regular Member $60; Student Member $15.
International Assembly (IA)
The International Assembly provides a forum for collaboration and interchange of ideas among NCSS members from the United States and foreign countries. IA promotes linkages among NCSS educators to enhance professional development, to enrich social studies learning, and to share research, learning activities, and teaching methods with global perspectives. IA conducts its own program and business meeting during the NCSS Annual Conference. $25.
National Social Studies Supervisors Association (NSSSA)
NSSSA promotes the common interest of social studies supervisors in instruction, curriculum materials, research, teacher training, and social action. Based on the belief that interaction between teachers and students is the most vital element of an education system, NSSSA encourages and assists in the development of social studies instruction. It extends its services and assistance to supervisors at state and local levels in their efforts to initiate similar organizations. NSSSA conducts its own program and meeting at the NCSS Annual Conference. Regular Member $40.


text:
Help Solve the Mystery: Where Are the Kidnappers Holding Elizabeth Burke Hostage?
Show Creator & Executive Producer Jeff Eastin Will Help Fans on WhereIsElizabethBurke.com – Leading up to the Mid-Season Premiere of WHITE COLLAR on January 17
At the end of the summer finale of WHITE COLLAR, Elizabeth Burke, the wife of FBI agent Peter Burke, was kidnapped by criminals hunting for Neal Caffrey's stolen Nazi treasure. USA is offering fans the opportunity to weigh in on where they think Mrs. Suit is being held, via its site WhereIsElizabethBurke.com. Each day, fans will find a new clue, including exclusive video and audio, from the crime scene along with additional evidence. Jeff Eastin will select one lucky fan to be featured on air.
From Tuesday, January 3 through Tuesday, January 17, fans can post their guesses on WhereIsElizabethBurke.com and receive feedback and hints from Jeff Eastin, when WHITE COLLAR returns on USA that night at 10/9c.
WhereIsElizabethBurke.com is connected to the network's popular Character Chatter platform, which harnesses and amplifies the social buzz around the series by funneling a real-time feed of text, images, and video from all social streams including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube.
Currently in its third season, WHITE COLLAR focuses on the unlikely partnership between con artist Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer) and FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). Caffrey's expertise helps Burke catch other elusive criminals, proving that in order to solve the hardest crimes, you must hire the smartest criminal. But this season we're not sure whose side Caffrey is really on. The series also stars Tiffani Thiessen, Willie Garson, Marsha Thomason, Hilarie Burton and Sharif Atkins. The upcoming second half of the third season features the directorial debut of series star DeKay and appearances by guest stars including Joe Manganiello, Dylan Baker, Beau Bridges, Tom Skerritt, Hal Ozsan, Ross McCall, Diahann Carroll, Elizabeth Gillies, Graham Phillips, Lola Glaudini, Will Chase, Murphy Guyer, Tom Degnan, Bailey Chase and Debra Monk.


text:
New mom Heidi Klum will be returning to the world of fashion just six weeks after giving birth to daughter Lou Samuel when she hosts the Victoria's Secret fashion show, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
"Heidi is superwoman. She had a baby a few weeks ago and she is hosting the most high profile fashion show in the world," Ed Razek, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Victoria's Secret told People. "Victoria's Secret is thrilled to have her back. There is no one like her."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Heidi Klum: From Supermodel To Super Mom
Heidi's fellow Victoria's Secret Angels are also happy to have her back – and not surprised to see her working so soon after giving birth.
"She can do it all," model Alessandra Ambrosio told the mag. "She's a great mom and she's got so much going on. She's an inspiration."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood's Hottest Moms & Their Loveable Little Ones
Heidi on the other hand was coy about her return. When asked about her plans after giving birth to her fourth child with husband Seal, she told the mag, she wanted "to take it easy and see what happens."
The annual lingerie and skinfest takes place on November 19 and will air on December 1 on CBS at 10 PM EST.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: 'Project Runway' Season 6
PLAY IT NOW: Heidi Klum Talks 'Project Runway' & Pregnancy
PLAY IT NOW: Access Exclusive: Heidi Klum's Barbie World
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Heidi Klum - Victoria's Secret - CBS - Style - Seal


text:
Tybee Island, Georgia
This restored Tybee Island, Georgia, rental promises 100 percent relaxation.
Don't worry about shaking off the sand. This weather-beaten 1920s cottage—once considered a teardown—has been spruced up just enough to make shabby look chic. When local preservationist Jane Coslick breathed life into the Georgia house she'd named "99 Steps to the Beach," she managed to enhance its character instead of erasing it. Today, arriving guests discover a structure so original that even its flaws seem inviting.
Local art fills white walls, and the decor features a sea-and-sky palette. Rooms don't feel dressed up. Instead, Jane let her building blocks—pine floors, plank walls, pocket windows, and exposed ceiling rafters—speak for themselves. Junkyard finds add to the cottage character. Seating ranges from wooden porch chairs painted Caribbean hues to a comfortable sofa and chairs dressed in soothing solids and bold stripes.
A Savannah native, Jane has an intuitive feel for what makes a great beach experience. That's clear on the screened porch, where beach-weary renters can enjoy ample shade and bug-free breezes. A wicker rocker, a table made from an old ship's wheel, and a rope hammock drift above the deep-blue wooden floor. "You can't beat a porch. You just can't," says Jane, who also works as a designer. "I had a client once who didn't want to build a porch. I said, 'Well, then don't come to Tybee.'"
This dune-facing porch, along with the surf's steady roar and the rustle of palm fronds, makes you feel like a castaway despite proximity to neighbors and civilization. And the cottage is truly just 99 steps from the beach. Either direction offers great walks. Less than a mile to the south is Tybee's main commercial district and a broad fishing pier jutting into the ocean. The north point boasts Fort Screven and the Tybee Island Light Station, which has been guiding ships safely into the Savannah River for 270 years. It also signals a great place to settle in for a long weekend.
(published October 2006)


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The rock band Rush, unhappy that their song, "The Spirit of Radio" was playing on Rush Limbaugh's show, have sent a cease-and-desist order to Limbaugh, demanding he stop using their music on his radio program, TMZ.com is reporting:
The band has since fired off a cease and desist letter to Rush (radio) … saying, "The public performance of Rush's music is not licensed for political purposes and any such use is in breach of public performance licenses and constitutes copyright infringement."
The letter continues, "Accordingly, we hereby demand that you immediately stop all use of Rush's music and confirm that you will do so."
Rocker Peter Gabriel also reportedly demanded Limbaugh stop using music also. His song, "Sledgehammer" was playing when Limbaugh called Fluke a "slut," TMZ reported.
The singer has demanded that his music also be pulled from Limbaugh's show, according to his Facebook page:
"Peter was appalled to learn that his music was linked to Rush Limbaugh's extraordinary attack on Sandra Flute," read a statement on Gabriel's Facebook page yesterday. "It is obvious from anyone that knows Peter's work that he would never approve such a use. He has asked his representatives to make sure his music is withdrawn and especially from these unfair aggressive and ignorant comments."
Passionate liberal and PETA lover Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders has been silent on the fact the opening riff of her '80s song "My City Was Gone" opens the Limbaugh show. Her fans are pleading with her on her Facebook page to stop allowing Limbaugh to use her song.
There are stories on the Internet about Limbaugh's use of the song resulting in the royalties going to PETA, but it's not known whether that's true.