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Jeffrey Rense interview with David Oaks (founder of reverse speech technology which is considered pseudo science to the establishment) - the same establishment that says vaccines are safe and effective and who are taking away our freedom.
Jeff Rense and David Oaks evaluate short excerpts from Pope Francis's speeches forward and then "in reverse". Also, Mike Huckabee speaks out about the comments made against Trump by Pope Francis, recently, that he is not a Christian. So listen to this audio from the beginning. It is well worth it.
Every syllable is pretty clear. You can hear it yourself!
Reverse speech Pope Francis
18:18 I'm evil, you seek it
20:20 Eat the holy come
21:16 I rape the other kid
24:30 Murder was the Catholic answer
Reverse speech Donald Trump
29:50 America must serve God
31:00 I am the man (or is it I am Iman?) Iman means Faith in Arabic.
32:02 I heal this
32:40 Hillary lets see this email
33:38 America Now!
34:10 Believe It!
35:10 I was the one and I believe it
36:42 We love you
37:00 We value
37.27 Wake up, Wake up! We are the best America Yet!


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★★★ Want an alternative to the standard Facebook client? Get the most reliable Facebook client available! If you prefer an ad-free version download MyFace+ For Facebook for just $0.99 USD ★★★
APPADVICE: Facebook Gets A Facelift With MyFace+ For Facebook MADE IN Q8: This application is beautiful and will restore the glories of Facebook MYIDEVICE: This application is a comprehensive dashboard of your Facebook with a design more pleasing to my taste!
MyFace brings a new look to Facebook in a seamless and easy to use interface. Simplified navigation allows users simply tap status updates to reveal like, comment, and share options, swipe left to read and add comments, and swipe right view post and profile details.
• Simplified navigation and refined user interface
• Stunning HD photo previews and beautiful photo galleries
• Integrated Instagram style photo filters
• Full support for push notifications
• Enhanced status update options to update profile and multiple fan pages simultaneously
• Tag friends, post photos, and apply filters, post videos, and include locations
• View profiles
• Instant message chat
• View notifications (Notifications, Events, Birthdays)
• Search (People, Pages, and Groups)
• View Facebook status updates
• HD photo feeds
• Swipe a post to view comments
• Upload videos and photos
• Tag friends
• Drag-to-refresh
• Share posts
• View albums
• In-app browser
• Cover photo support
• Fan page support
• Receive notifications
• Send messages
• View events
• View specific post details
• View likes, comments & shares
• Global people, pages & group search
There is a lot more to discover in MyFace, try it out for yourself now!
SUPPORT AND ENHANCEMENT REQUESTS We value your feedback and please visit our support forum to submit support and enhancement requests at: http://360-studios.com/category/forum/ or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
★★★ Also check out MyFace+ for Facebook (Mac OS X Edition) available in the Mac App Store! ★★★
360 Studios Web Site MyFace+ for Facebook Support

subset: commoncrawl


text:
China Auto Logistics 2015 First Quarter Investor Conference Call Scheduled for Friday, May 15th at 8:00am ET
TIANJIN, China, via ETELIGIS INC., 08/11/2015 – – China Auto Logistics Inc. (the "Company" or "CALI") (NASDAQ: CALI), a top seller in China of luxury imported automobiles and a leading provider of auto-related services, reported today it will discuss 2015 second quarter and first half results during a live conference call and webcast on Monday, August 17th at 8:00am Eastern Time. This will follow distribution of a news release with the Company's 2015 second quarter and six month results on Friday, August 14, 2015.
To participate in the call, interested participants should call 1-888-430-8705 when calling within the United States or 1-719-325-2495 when calling internationally. Please ask for the China Auto Logistics 2015 Second Quarter Investor Conference Call. Conference ID: 3993306. There will be a playback available until 08/24/15. To listen to the playback, please call 1-877-870-5176 when calling within the United States or 1-858-384-5517when calling internationally. Use the Replay Pin Number: 3993306.
This call is being webcast by ViaVid Broadcasting and can be accessed by clicking on this link http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=115921or at ViaVid's website at http://viavid.com.
About China Auto Logistics Inc.
China Auto Logistics Inc. is one of China's top sellers of imported luxury vehicles. It also provides a growing variety of "one stop" automobile related services such as short term dealer financing. Additionally, in November, 2013, it acquired the owner and operator of the 26,000 square meter Airport International Auto Mall in Tianjin for $91.4 million, with plans to develop the auto mall, among other things, as the flagship site for a joint venture with Car King (China) Used Car Trading Co., Ltd. In August, 2014, the Company also announced a Strategic Cooperation Agreement with a leading auto dealer leasing and development company to greatly expand its high end imported auto business via the purchase and construction of new auto malls throughout China coupled with a new e-commerce platform.
Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this press release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause our actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, product demand, market competition, and risks inherent in our operations. These and other risks are described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Sun Jiazhen
Ken Donenfeld
DGI Investor Relations Inc.
Tel: 212-425-5700
Fax: 646-381-9727
SOURCE: China Auto Logistics Inc.


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Scouting and the Draft
Staying with the scouting theme, starting Monday, scouting director Logan White and his staff will be at Dodger Stadium preparing for the June 6 First-Year Player Draft. During that time, Logan will go through the painstaking process of putting together "the board," which is a preferential listing of all of the high school and college players that we would consider drafting.
In order to arrive at that list, Logan and his staff go over each player in detail with the area scout who originally filed a report, any cross checker who may have seen the player, look at any video of the player, review the player's medical history and determine the player's willingness to sign. In the end there will be about 600 names on the board. From those names, we will wind up drafting as many as 50 players, which is as many rounds as the draft goes now.
It is a very monotonous and tiring process and will take every bit of the eight days leading up to the draft. The way Logan has structured his staff, he has himself, special advisor Gib Bodet and Tim Hallgren who serve as national cross checkers, which means they see as many of the top players nationally as possible.
In addition we have three regional cross checkers — Tom Thomas in the West, Gary Nichols in the Midwest and John Barr in the East. All of these men will be with Logan the entire time here in LA. This is a particularly experienced group, as Hallgren, Nichols and Barr are former scouting directors.
Ned Colletti, Kim Ng, and myself also take part. In addition, farm director Terry Collins will arrive around draft day to lend support and also advise Logan on the farm system's needs as we get down to the end of the draft. Often Logan will bring in some area scouts to take part in the process so that they can experience what the draft room is like.
I have taken part in many drafts both as an area scout and as an assistant GM, yet I am always impressed with the amount of information that a scouting director must process in order to conduct a draft. In Logan, we feel like we have one of the best.
Today's L.A. Times has an interesting article by Steve Henson about the Dodgers' theories when it comes to the First-Year Player Draft.
And, for those who can't wait until June 1 to see another game at Dodger Stadium or want to scout a high school game, you can come down tomorrow at 2:30, when the City Section Championship game will be played between Chatsworth and Kennedy.
Chatsworth is currently ranked sixth in the nation by Baseball America and just happens to be my alma mater, where my old baseball coach Tom Meusborn, is still leading the nationally renowned program.
8 Comments
This is off topic, but- is anything being done to speed up the concession lines? It has been a common complaint and is something that can and needs to be fixed. Sometimes it takes more than an inning just to get a hot dog and beer.
that was a very informative blog. thank you. I also second xtraxisx coment about the lines at the stadium. I spent 3 innings in line the other day. That is not good. I wasted 1/3 of the game for food.
Sounds like busy times at the Stadium.
Very interesting stuff. Does Mr. White make the final decisions on picks or does that go to the GM?
What's the lineup for today?
interesting… very interesting. martin needed a day off but it is interesting that the first day he took off is the first dodgers loss in quite a while.
In Regards to the LONG LINES AT THE CONCESSIONS.
I have posed this question on this blog before – others have as well; Especially after Plaschke's article in the Times about it. They have yet to comment about it on the blog – which means the front office is ignoring it on purpose because they have no intention of fixing the problem. It *****… im just going to eat before the game…and probably drink before the game too. Although, it ***** not having that dodger dog and beer during the game….pretty soon the peanut guy is gonna have to stand in line.
Anyways, point is…dont count on them doing anything about this…and dont count on them to talk about it on this blog either. They're not going to criticize themselves (or admit anything).
sorry if i rant on here Josh – but the concession lines are REALLY REALLY aggrevating me!
Read the story about the Dodgers and Walter Reed during this Memorial Day weekend. Perhaps maybe you're just lucky enough to actually walk to the concession stands.
Please know that we are not at all ignoring the issue of long lines at the concession stands. Long before Plaschke wrote about it, we were trying to find ways to help shorten the lines, but there's only so much we can do from our end, as the concessions aren't directly handled by the Dodgers. I'll see if I can get some sort of progress update for you before the next homestand and thanks for your patience. Rest assured, though, we have no problem criticizing ourselves or admitting when there's something that needs fixing. We know we're not perfect and our goal is to improve the Dodger Stadium experience in every imaginable way, including the concession stands.


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|Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York
Disarmament, Non-Proliferation Must Proceed Together, Secretary-General Says,
Hailing Historic Summit as New Page in History of Security Council
Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's opening remarks to the Security Council summit on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament in New York, today, 24 September:
This is an historic moment … a moment offering a fresh start towards a new future.
President [Barack] Obama, a warm welcome. We salute your leadership.
This is the first Security Council summit on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. I have long advocated a stronger role for the Security Council. This was a major element of the five-point nuclear disarmament plan I announced in October last year.
The need for action is clear. Thousands of nuclear weapons remain on hair-trigger alert. More States have sought and acquired them. Nuclear tests have continued. And every day, we live with the threat that weapons of mass destruction could be stolen, sold or slip away. As long as such weapons exist, so does the risk of proliferation and catastrophic use. So, too, does the threat of nuclear terrorism.
Now … some might dismiss the goal of nuclear disarmament as utopian. The cynics say "Stop dreaming. Be realistic." They are wrong. Nuclear disarmament is the only sane path to a safer world. Nothing would work better in eliminating the risk of use than eliminating the weapons themselves. The Russian Federation and the United States are leading by example. I urge the Security Council to make the most of this moment. This should not be a one-time event. We must sustain the momentum.
First, we need new ways to increase transparency and openness regarding the weapons programmes of the recognized nuclear-weapons States. I urge the Council to start consultations on this matter. The Secretariat is ready to serve as a repository.
Second, we must make the best use of the United Nations disarmament machinery. I hope, for example, that the Conference on Disarmament can advance the programme of work it adopted this year, including negotiations on a fissile material cut-off treaty. For its part, the Council could promote universal membership in key treaties, work to improve compliance, and assess the need for new agreements, including a nuclear weapons convention. It could also strongly reaffirm the need for early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
Third, disarmament and non-proliferation must proceed together. I encourage nuclear weapon States here to consider additional measures to enhance security as a way of leading to total elimination. These could include, for example, ways to achieve the effective verification of the disarmament process.
At the same time, we must ensure that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has the resources and support it needs to implement its growing safeguards responsibilities. For too long, a divided international community has lacked the will, vision and confidence to move ahead. Together, we have dreamed about a nuclear-weapon-free world. Now we must act to achieve it. That starts now.
I congratulate the Council for convening this summit. I welcome the adoption of today's resolution and I again salute the leadership of [United States] President Obama. I pledge my continued support and look forward to future meetings on these vital issues here in this Council and beyond, including the crucial 2010 NPT Review Conference.
This summit truly adds a new page to the history of this Council. Let us now write a new chapter for peace, security and safety for all.
* *** *


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6-year-old Adrian Salazar was shot in the chest and injured in Denver overnight after bullets were fired into his house.
Drive-By Shooting Injures Boy Inside Denver Home
Sponsored By
Program: CBS4 News Top StoryCategories: News, Local News, KCNCTV, Top Story
Latest Videos
Suspects Throw Bottle Rockets In Car, Start FireThe crime happened in Colorado Springs.
Denver's Weather: Getting Hotter And HotterWatch Callie Zanandrie's forecast.
CBS4 nEWS uPDATE 07-05-20CBS4 IS COVERING COLORADO FIRST
Tire Slashing Suspect Sought In Wheat RidgeThe suspect damaged more than 5 cars last Saturday.
Colorado Congressional Candidate Lauren Boebert Thanks Trump FamilyThe Republican appeared at the Mt. Rushmore fireworks show with the first family .
Bandimere Speedway Hosts July 4th Event, Fireworks ShowThe event brought crowds, but did it adhere to the 175 limit set by Jeffco health officials.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman Calls Protests 'Siege'Protesters surrounded Aurora Police District 1 overnight.
'Rise Up Rally' Seeks To Repair Injustices To All GroupsThe rally was meant to engage younger groups wth justice for all message.
Illegal Fireworks Calls Flood 911 SystemsFireworks lit up the night sky over the Denver metro area on July 4th.
Performances At Stanley Marketplace Honor Independence DayThe Beverly Bells are some of the performers who will pay tribute to Independence Day.
Colorado Parks & Wildlife Watching For Suspected BUI'sColorado Parks and Wildlife officers are launching the Operation Dry Water campaign to curb BUI's.
F-16 Fighter Jets Flew Over Colorado For July 4thF-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft flew over Colorado communities July 4, to salute our nation's independence.
Hundreds Head To Big Soda Lake To Celebrate July 4thSome Coloradans celebrated Independence Day soaking up some sun at Big Soda Lake in Lakewood.
Man Drowns At St. Mary's Lake In Clear Creek CountyClear Creek County Sheriff's emergency crews and the West Metro dive team responded to St. Mary's Lake on Saturday afternoon.
Scattered Storms With Heavy Rain PossibleMeteorologist Chris Spears has your forecast.
Denver Mayor Reminds Residents To Celebrate July 4th ResponsiblyDenver Mayor Michael Hancock issued a video statement to remind Denverites to celebrate Independence Day responsibly.
Boy Killed In Crash While Tending To Carsick DogInvestigators said the driver, the boy's mother, turned around to tell the boy to buckle up as she approached the intersection in which the collision occurred.
Bandimere Speedway Hosts July 4th Events Under Strict GuidelinesYou can hear them from a mile away, but to see them you have to be part of a race crew or be one of the lucky 175 ticket holders who got in.
Tense Protests In Aurora End Peacefully & With 2 ArrestsHundreds of protesters dispersed peacefully after a night of tense protests in Aurora.
Rally Organized In Denver For Immigrants, Native AmericansDemonstrators plan to gather at Manual High School on Saturday to protest mass incarceration, immigrant detention and how Native American reservations are treated.
Bandimere Race To Go On Following Agreement With County Health DepartmentAn agreement was reached before Saturday's Bandimere Speedway event between the venue and the Jefferson County Health Department.
Child's Body Found In Eagle River, Sheriff SaysA child's body was found Friday afternoon in the Eagle River between Eagle and Dotsero.
Protests In Aurora End Peacefully After Hours Of DemonstrationsHundreds of protesters dispersed peacefully after a night of tense protests in Aurora.
CBS4 News Update, 7-4-20CBS4 is Covering Colorado First


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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Junior Rebekka Simko (Mentor, Ohio) placed fifth overall -- capturing First Team All-Conference status -- to lead the No. 13 Nittany Lion women's cross country team to an impressive third-place finish Sunday at the Big Ten Cross Country Championships at Michigan State University. Redshirt-freshman Robby Creese(Mount Airy, Md.) was the top finishing Nittany Lion on the men's side, taking 23rd overall to help the Blue and White to a sixth-place showing in the team standings.
No. 7 Michigan took top honors in the women's standings, scoring 55 points to better instate rival and No. 15 Michigan State with 75 points. The Nittany Lions totaled 96 points for third. Defending NCAA champion Wisconsin dominated the men's race with a 33-point total, ahead of Michigan with 65.
Remaining with the lead pack when the race started to separate, Simko closed well to finish fifth overall, covering the 6,000-meter course in 20:27. The junior, who has been Penn State's top finisher in the last three competitions, also showed impressive improvement from a year ago, shaving over 70 places off her 2011 finish. The effort was also good for the first all-conference citation of her Big Ten career.
Also running well up front was junior Victoria Perri (Philadelphia, Pa.), who finished up in 20:46 for 15th overall - just one spot shy of a spot on the all-conference team. Next up was senior Brooklyne Ridder (Cincinnati, Ohio), who ended her Big Ten cross country career on a high note, placing 17th overall with a finishing time of 20:52.
Classmate Natalie Bower (Pleasant Unity, Pa.) would turn in a top 30 finish in her final conference cross country appearance, running 21:02 to take 28th individually. On Bower's heels was sophomore Leigha Anderson (Carlisle, Pa.), who took home a 31st-place standing as the Lions' fifth and final scorer, finishing in 21:05.
Junior Emily Giannotti (Coudersport, Pa.) and sophomore Katie Rodden (Ardmore, Pa.) also turned in outstanding finishes at the Lions' sixth and seventh runners, with Giannotti placing 32nd in 21:06, and Rodden - who improved over 40 places from a year ago - crossing in 21:11 for 34th.
Michigan State's Sara Kroll took the individual title, finishing in 20:12 to better Iowa's Mareike Schrulle, who finished second in 20:16.
The men's squad also reaped the benefits of a tight pack, as all five Nittany Lion scorers finished with a 12 second spread, between their first and fifth runners. In fact, the pack was the tightest of the race, as Indiana had the next closest one-through-five at 34 seconds.
Creese impressed in his first-career Big Ten cross country appearance, moving well through the race and coming home strong to finish 24th in 24:30 over the 8,000-meter course. Redshirt-sophomore Matt Fischer (Kennett Square, Pa.) was next in line, finishing 34th overall in 24:35, followed closely by senior Tyler Jones (Chalfont, Pa.), who finished 35th in 24:36. Fischer was another Nittany Lion to make an impressive jump from a year ago, bettering his 2011 finish by over 30 places.
Junior Nick Scarpello (Jamison, Pa.) ran as the Nittany Lion number four, bringing home a 37th-place standing with a finishing time of 24:39. Senior Sam Masters (Columbia, Mo.) rounded out the Nittany Lion scorer, placing 39th in 24:42.
Sophomore Chris Campbell (Newtown, Pa.) also scored a top 50 finish on the afternoon, placing 49th overall in 24:54. Senior Tyler Corkedale was Penn State's number seven in scoring, finishing 53rd in 24:57.
The Nittany Lions will be back in action next weekend, hosting the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships on Nov. 9 at the Blue-White Golf Courses.


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SwissKubiK multiple watch winder unit from the Calf Leather collection.
SwissKubiK Watch Winder Multiples Calf Leather – Double Winder Tan with White stitching
SKU: SK02.CV002 Category: Classic Watch Winder Multiple Leather Tags: SwissKubiK, SwissKubiK Watch Winders
Swiss Watch Winding Technology as selected and recommended by leading Swiss Watch Brands.
- Watch winder for multiple automatic watches.
- Made in Switzerland.
- Cube measuring 10 x 10 x 10 cm or ca. 3.94 inches x number in multiple.
- Weight 750 grams or ca. 26.5 ounces per single unit, this model has 2 units.
- Supplied with standard size watch support, optional small watch support available on request.
- Window protect available as an optional extra2
- Each unit in the multiple is powered by two standard alkaline "C" Cell batteries giving a life span of ca. three years.
- 1900 rotations per day, 950 clockwise and 950 counterclockwise.
- USB computer interface allows personalized and individual programming of the number and/or direction of rotations.
- Adjustable watch support with extra security clip that is available in two different sizes.
- Pause or standby mode holds the watch in the vertical position.
- LED on-off switch flashes green once every 5 seconds indicting normal operation even when in rest phase. Red flash every 5 seconds indicates low battery level, batteries need to be replaced inside 3 months.
- Three year world wide warranty.
SwissKubik multiples are individual units physically joined in the factory to produce a single block of watch winders. Combinations can be one color or made up from different colors.
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Welcome to my website. My name is Sergio Goldenberg and I am digital media professional and researcher with a unique combination of academic and industry experience. For over a decade I have led multi-platform projects, from content creation and user-experience design to technical development and implementation, with emphasis in advanced video and news delivery solutions.
I am a Ph.D. candidate in Digital Media from Georgia Tech working on the intersection of Computer Science and Journalism, specifically on how to redefine the News Story and the Journalism Theoretical Framework.
For five years I managed Georgia Tech's Experimental Television Lab, where I lead the development of interactive video applications for smart-tvs, tablet devices, desktop computers, video game consoles, and touch tables. Under the direction of my advisor, Dr. Janet H. Murray, we created forward-thinking prototypes for the American Film Institute, Cartoon Network, mtvU, History Channel, Alcatel-Lucent, and Cisco. I have also worked with Dr. Irfan Essa on Computation + Journalism efforts and with Dr. Ian Bogost on NewsGames research.
Until 2011, I was an Adjunct Faculty at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile's Journalism School – College of Communications, where I taught Digital Media and Interactive Narrative courses for the Journalism undergraduate program and Convergence in Journalism courses for the Master's program. I also worked as a researcher for the World Internet Project, a global online usage study, done in association with the University of Southern California.
I have been involved on the research, design, implementation, and operations of media platforms in multi-platform environments for more than a decade, with extensive experience in the creation of new strategies and business opportunities.
I am currently the Director of Technical Product Management for TV and Mobile Applications at CNN, specifically focused on CNNgo. Previously, I was the Sr. User Experience Lead at Upwave, Turner Broadcasting's health and wellness multi-platform property.
From 2010 to 2013 I worked for CSE, an Atlanta based integrated digital marketing agency as a Senior Developer and User Experience Lead, where I have created high-visibility websites, mobile applications, and cutting-edge experiences for AT&T, CNN.com, USA Today, Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, and Synacor. I have also headed the architecture and implementation of next-generation video interfaces and solutions for Comcast's newest set-top boxes.
In 2007 and 2008, I worked for The Weather Channel in Atlanta, where I was involved in the HD upgrade of their interactive weather graphic systems using VizRT.
Before coming to Atlanta, I was a Web Developer, Project Leader and Online Content Editor for Canal13.cl, the internet portal for one of the most important television networks in Chile. During my five year tenure, I led the UX/UI design, information, code architecture, business development, and content production of over 50 new web sites. I also led a pioneering project to integrate TV and Web real-time results delivery during the national Elections.


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30-Year-Old Teacher Fed Third Grade Students His Semen! (Arrested)
20 Year Veteran Teacher Arrested For Blindfolding, Gagging & Feeding Third-Grade Students His Semen
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
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Nicole McDonald has reluctantly documented her family's experience as her twin sons who were attached at the head faced their most difficult surgery yet last week. But if supporters of her family read anything she hopes, it's her message to them and the doctors who saved her children.
In a lengthy and emotional Facebook update on Saturday, the Illinois mother shared that as she and her husband "emerged from the depths of the hospital" in New York City last week, they were forced to face the fact that their family's private battle has quickly become a national story.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
"For those of you who don't know us, it might be interesting to note that we do not have TV or Internet access at home," she wrote. "We don't get to watch the news on a regular basis and we have literally spent the last 36 hours at the boys' bedside or waiting for updates from the doctors in the Caregiver Support Center at Montefiore."
McDonald's 13-month old sons, Jadon and Anias, were separated following 16 hours of surgery at Montefiore Medical Center.
McDonald noted that at first, she didn't want to take her family's unique situation public, but agreed because they wanted to help show the medical miracle that would soon separate her sons.
"Our biggest desire was to show how brilliant the team at Montefiore has been and to give the hospital the credit it deserves," she wrote. "The real heroes of this story are the people who have put countless hours, days and months into the success of today."
McDonald had been sharing updates on the surgery as the boys returned to their room one by one.
Hours later, McDonald wrote that the brothers had been "finally reunited."
"How surreal. I now realize that I always saw you as separate because seeing you like this is really nothing different to me," McDonald wrote. "When I stand at your bedside, Jadon, it's almost as if Anias is still there. Anias, when I leaned over you I protected my hair from Jadon. But the view is still the same. This is how I always saw you. I love you so much. Now it's time to step forward into the new chapter of our life. I'm ready to fight and I know you are too."
McDonald earlier described the atmosphere as "one of celebration mixed with uncertainty." She says Jadon did better than Anias during the procedure, adding that doctors predict he may not be able to move part of his body at first.
"When they told me they were wheeling Jadon up first, it took me a second to comprehend," she wrote. "I actually asked why they rearranged the room because I hadn't really internalized the idea that there would be 2 beds in here."
McDonald and her husband first found out they were having twins during a routine ultrasound when she was 17 weeks pregnant. But hours after learning the big news, the couple was called back for a repeat ultrasound, a call she said is "every pregnant mother's nightmare."
"It was on that day, in that dark room, that our whole life changed," McDonald wrote in a GoFundMe page for the family. "I was informed that I was pregnant with craniopagus twins, which in normal language means twins who are joined at the head. I was given the option on many occasions to abort my precious babies. I kindly declined. I had heard their heart beats...they spent their life listening to mine. It was my job as their mother to give them life and I decided that I would give everything up, if need be, to do so. Miracles happen...and there is one (really, two :)) unfolding before our very eyes."
McDonald went into labor on Sept. 9, 2015 and an emergency c-section was performed at Rush University Medical Center.
The boys were named Jadon and Anias.
While the babies started having some health problems shortly after birth, things quickly "went downhill" for the McDonald family.
"Anias started having trouble breathing," McDonald wrote. "Because of the way he was positioned in my belly, his chin was against his chest and his jaw couldn't grow. His airway was also constricted. As he required more oxygen for day to day life, his breathing got worse and worse, until eventually he was back on oxygen."
Months later, the couple met with a specialist in hopes of successfully separating the twins. Fast forward to October, the babies have undergone their final surgery, but their most difficult.
The family's GoFundMe page had raised $161,161 as of Friday, exceeding their goal of $100,000 to aid with the babies' medical care.
McDonald thanked those who helped her family during the trying time, saying "each and every one of you is a hero in your own way."
"The people who literally lift us up and carry us when we feel like we just can't take another step. We are so blessed to have so much support in our corner," she wrote.
Most recently, McDonald said the boys are stable, but "there are some things happening that I can't really find the words to explain or allow myself to dwell on."
"Every thing changes from hour to hour and we just have to remember that the brain responds in crazy ways when it's been cut through," she wrote. "We still cannot hold the boys because they are intubated so we sit at their bedside and hold their hands, give them massages and kiss their faces. When I have a better understanding of their actual status, I will do my best to update. Thank you so much for your heartfelt support."


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Mineral, CA – Because of the shutdown of the federal government caused by the lapse in appropriations, the National Park Service (NPS) has closed all 401 national parks, including Lassen Volcanic National Park. All visitor facilities including Kohm Yah-mah-nee visitor center, Loomis museum, Drakesbad guest ranch, Manzanita Lake cabins, campgrounds and roads – including Lassen National Park Highway thru the park– are closed. The park will remain closed until the government reopens.
Park Superintendent Darlene M. Koontz stated that park visitors in all overnight campgrounds and lodges will be given until 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 3 to make travel arrangements and leave the park. In addition, all park programs and special events have been canceled, including: school group programs, youth camping programs, and ranger-led talks at Kohm Yah-mah nee Visitor Center.
Lassen Volcanic National Park hosts 1,100 visitors on average each day in October; nationally, more than 715,000 visitors a day frequent the National Park System. The park will lose an estimated $1,600 of entrance and camping fees each day of the shutdown and the park concessioner will lose an estimated $125,000 in revenue. Nationwide the NPS stands to lose approximately $450,000 per day in lost revenue from fees collected at entry stations and fees paid for in-park activities such as cave tours, boat rides and camping. Gateway communities across the country see about $76 million per day in total sales from visitor spending that is lost during a government shutdown. Visitors spend about $15,807,000 a year in the communities around Lassen Volcanic National Park.
In Lassen Volcanic National Park, 115 employees are on furlough because of the shutdown and another 25 concessions employees are similarly affected. A limited number of employees remain on duty, providing security and emergency services.
Nationwide the shutdown has also furloughed more than 20,000 National Park Service employees; approximately 3,000 employees remain on duty to ensure essential health, safety, and security functions at parks and facilities. About 12,000 park concessions employees are also affected.
Because it will not be maintained, the National Park Service website will be down for the duration of the shutdown. NPS.gov has more than 750,000 pages and 91 million unique visitors each year.
For updates on the shutdown, please visit www.doi.gov/shutdown.
About the National Park Service. National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.
-from press release


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"Doctrinal interpretation is the providence of The First Presidency. The Lord has given that stewardship to them by revelation. No teacher has the right to interpret doctrine for the members of the Church." Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of the Prophets
I can't even begin to tell you how strongly I personally feel, about the comments that are made in this video (below) in regards to WHO has the right, and authority to interpret Mormon Doctrine!
As a former Seminary teacher, who loves loves her library of commentaries, by many respectable and credible LDS Church Scholars, I firmly believe that our Prophets are THE final word, when it comes to interpreting scripture.
This may not seem like it would be a controversial topic among members of the Church. It should be a no brainer, right? Unfortunately, it is not. More and more conversations about LDS doctrine, and WHO can interpreted it, are being scrutinized. In my opinion, LDS scholars are being given far too much weight, in this area.
I have a deep love for studying the doctrines of the Church. My personal library will attest to this fact. I am a lover of truth! I can also get into some pretty deep doctrinal conversations, on occasion. In fact, I even love to speculate about some of our doctrines. It can really be fun. Better than going to Disneyland!
However, there is a line that cannot be crossed when it comes to what we embrace and teach in regard to "What is LDS Doctrine"? From the perspective of a teacher, the doctrines of the Church, as explained and interpreted by our prophets, must be kept intact and honored.
My pet peeve, worst excuse about WHO we should or should not look to for correct interpretation of Mormon doctrine, has to be - hands down - when the issue of whether a certain prophet being dead or alive, enters the conversation! Ugh!
What's yours?
Kathryn Skaggs
Note: Please don't leave comments about the "man on the moon", and those of the like. I am talking about common sense doctrines, where the Spirit will readily confirm the teachings of our prophets. I've had too many of those type conversations in my past life, online:-)
FYI: This guy is NOT a Mormon.
Continue reading at the original source →


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Press release from AB Volvo´s Board of Directors
The Board of AB Volvo has today decided to withdraw the proposal to the Annual General Meeting to raise the ceiling for the performance-based variable salary from 50% to 60% of the fixed salary for the 250 most senior executives in the Volvo Group. The Board also withdraws its proposal to increase the number of shares in the long-term incentive program for these senior executives.
In a comment regarding the decision, the Chairman of AB Volvo, Finn Johnsson, states:
"The remuneration programs to senior executives in Volvo should be market adapted and in line with other comparable companies. After a thorough analysis, the Remuneration Committee of AB Volvo has concluded that the present program needs to be changed in order to achieve this."
"Simultaneously, we have noted that the proposal presented created debate, internally as well as externally. The Board has primarily taken special note of the internal viewpoints from senior executives as well as other employees. As a result, the Board does not want to present a proposal that adversely affects cooperation within the Group in these exceptional times."
Consequently, the Board will propose to the Annual General Meeting on April 1, 2009 to decide on unchanged programs for variable salary, that is, variable remuneration amounting to a maximum of 65% of fixed salary for the President and a maximum of 50% for other senior executives.
The Board will also propose unchanged terms for the long-term incentive program of a maximum 40,000 shares for the President and 10,000-20,000 for other senior executives. The program is proposed to be effective only in 2009.
March 4, 2009
For more information, please contact Finn Johnsson, Chairman of AB Volvo,
tel +46 31 66 11 81.


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Continuing Erosion of the Iranian Regime's Legitimacy
The gravest threat to the survival of the repressive regime in Tehran may be the continuing attacks on its perceived legitimacy. Part of the factional infighting undoubtedly reflects a simple power struggle. However, religious principles also appear to be at stake. A number of Muslim clerics are denouncing the authorities for their misbehavior.
For instance, Iranian cleric and blogger Mohsen Kadivar recently applied several Islamic principles to the Iranian government:
The fourth question concerns attempts by some to cite the protection of the Islamic state to justify suppressing people's efforts to defend their own rights.
The response is that an Islamic state cannot be protected through violence.
The fifth question is about what Shari'a law says are the signs of suppressive guardianship.
The response is that a leader who fails to respect Shari'a law, promotes violence, and rejects the public's demands is a clear sign of oppressive guardianship and that leader is oppressive. The recognition of those signs is the responsibility, firstly, of Islamic jurists (experts in religious law) and, secondly, of ordinary people.
His words alone will not topple Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and those behind and around him. But as the regime's moral foundation further erodes, the long‐term possibility of significant changes in Tehran grows.
Americans should cheer for the advance of liberty in Iran. But the U.S. government, with precious little credibility for promoting democracy in Iran, needs to stay far away. The last thing Iranian human rights advocates need is for their struggle to become a contest between the Iranian and American governments instead of the Iranian government and Iranian people.


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Rose Gold Classic Living Locket Bracelet with Swarovski Crystals
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As our first-ever oval Locket bracelet, the Rose Gold Classic Bracelet Living Locket® with Swarovski® Crystals is a gorgeous way to showcase the Charms that reflect who you are. Smart, stylish and sophisticated, this Locket Bracelet is distinctive as a one-piece bracelet: a Locket-and-Chain-in-one! With both the Locket and Chain made from durable Stainless Steel, this attached Chain will live the life of the Locket, and is adjustable from 7" - 8.5". Featuring an elegant Oval-shaped Locket that lays comfortably on the wrist, the classic hinged closure opens to the back, keeping it securely closed. Our Classic Bracelet Living Locket® is perfect for layering and adds a bit of romantic, vintage flair to your jewelry collection.
- Holds approximately 4-6 Charms (depending on size)
- Includes Locket + Chain
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Swarovski Crystals
- Not compatible with large or medium Plates
- Includes free gift-ready packaging


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Vevo, considered by many as the best place to see the latest music videos, is a popular staple on YouTube, but now the music video service is in talks with Facebook to make a more lucrative deal, reports said today.
Vevo has 43 million hits each month -- no mean feat for a company only in existence for two years. However, there have been disagreements with Google, namely because of clashes with record executives over icensing fees andthe rights to show music videos. For whatever reason, the entertainment industry seems leery and almost hostile to Google, but seems to embrace Facebook. Right now, however, there's still a year left to go on the Vevo-YouTube contract.
But for Vevo, it's about what makes more money and the easiest place to do business, CNET wrote, and Facebook's users stay online much longer.
U.S. & World
Whoever Vevo partners with, the company will likely insist on maintaining a significant amount of control. Launched in 2009, Vevo offers music videos from three of the top four record companies: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and EMI Music. YouTube helped create Vevo's back end and Vevo's videos are best known for appearing on YouTube.
With Facebook placing an emphasis on music sharing, a partnership with Vevo now makes more sense than ever, but it's unknown if Vevo is even seriously thinking of jumping ship or using this as leverage in negotiations with Google.


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I've been a happy owner of a French car in over eight years with my now aging Peugeot 406 from 1996. When I bought it in 2001, it felt like a brand new car, and a major step up from my previous (and first) car: a Volvo 142 from 1970. One of the coolest things of the 406 was its 4-digit code you had to enter on the left side of the steering wheel before you could start the engine. Not only did it make me feel super important when I stepped into the car, it was also a pretty advanced anti-theft feature. Perhaps most important of all, it was a very rewarding feeling to see your passangers' reactions every time they first discovered this killer James Bond feature.
The Peugeot 406 has been serving me well during all these years, but recently, it's been struggling to keep up with the little things, like showing the outside temperature on its internal display, or letting me in through its drivers door, or not dropping its exhaust pipe on the ground.
One day when the 406 was taking me to Patrick for lunch out at Tuna Park (Sweden's most popular shopping mall!), Patrick commented on its poor shape and said it looked "tired." I think this might have been the last nail in the coffin for the 406's already weak self-esteem, because just a few days later it broke down completely on the parking lot at Tuna Park and wouldn't let me start it — the James Bond feature was broken!
I had to tow it to my sister's car dealer and I realized that even if they can probably fix or work around this problem, it might be time to start looking for a replacement. I was also told that I should be happy if I could sell it for anything more than 1,000 Euros…
After some thinking and investigation, I'm now a proud owner of yet another French car:
Citroën C4 HDI 1.6 EGS (2007, diesel). My third car.
I love it! It's very fuel efficient, it has a very neat 6-speed semi-automatic gearbox (Citroën calls it EGS), and maybe most important, it actually lets me drive it! It's classified as an environmental friendly car in Sweden — the CO2 emission is 120g/km — but right now I'm still enthusiastically trying to find reasons to drive it, so if you count the distances I'm driving it without a meaningful destination, the CO2 emission is a lot higher.


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The VintageView 2-foot Wall Series is a double depth wine rack that holds 12 bottles. Six rows, two bottles deep, and two feet tall.
The brand new 2-foot Wall Series 12-bottle rack is compact enough to fit in restricted spaces yet grand enough to create a standalone, modern look on wide-open surfaces. Constructed of commercial-grade steel, it will display your bottles in a two-deep configuration, and age better than any wine in your collection. As with our entire Wall Series offerings, these new racks are stackable and may be cut, allowing multiple configurations for any wine room project. Constructed of high-quality steel with powder coated or plated finishes, our racks are durable, easy to install, and great for both residential and commercial applications.
This black is a powder coat and has a soft appearance. It is less shiny than a semi-gloss finish. The WS series racks are designed to hold standard-sized wine bottles when placed 7.5 inches apart. They will hold split-sized bottles when placed 5.5 inches apart.
VintageView wine storage fits in a kitchen pantry, hallway, cabinet, under a staircase, or racks an entire residential cellar. VintageView allows you to find the right bottle at a glance.
Founded in 2001, Wine Master Cellars® was built around the concept of providing an alternative to traditional cork-forward wine racking. After years of development modifications, the VintageView® wine rack was born, and with it came the option to store wine the way it was meant to be stored....with the label in full view!
Though the VintageView® racks look fairly simple at first glance, there are numerous angles and material specifications that must be met in order to insure the proper support of valuable wine collections. All VintageView® racks are built to exact specifications with the final product going through a multi-point quality control program before any rack is approved and packaged by the factory. Despite building thousands of racks in each production run, our quality control program has never been compromised and Wine Master Cellars® is the first to replace any products that don't meet our exacting requirements. Our goal is 100% customer satisfaction with all VintageView® racks. All VintageView® racks carry a limited lifetime warranty.
VintageView® racks are built from the finest A500 and A1018 cold-rolled steel and welded to safely support the wine bottles. Our sourcing staff insures that materials are perfect and that welds are exact, with little or no possibility of weld failure. Our racks, wine bottle green and satin black, are finished with a powder coat and our Platinum Series are brushed, nickel plated and sprayed with a clear coat for a finish resembling a brushed stainless steel. VintageView® racks come in 36 different configurations ranging from simple wall strips to free-standing island point-of-purchase displays. Your wine collection is as important to us as it is to you and we take exceptional pride in the fact that you entrust the VintageView® rack to your wine storage / display needs.
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This class has methods that do mathematical calculations...I know...duh. Well, the methods of the Math class are static, meaning you don't have to instantiate an object to call them. You can simply call them like this.
You DON'T have to do this:
Math mathObject = new Math(); mathObject.METHOD();
You don't HAVE to do it that way...but you can, but no one I know does that. />
Well, we'll make a method that does a very simple calculation. We'll make an addition() method.
class OurMath { public static int addition(int a, int b ) { int sum = a + b; return sum; } }
Notice how we declare our int return type for the method. This makes it so we can assign it to an int variable in a main method or something.
Also notice the int variables in the parentheses. These are called 'parameters'. These are what's going to be included in the method when it's called.
It's going to be called like this.
int number = OurMath.addition(1, 3);
Well, anyone know what number is going to equal after that? That's right! Four!
You HAVE to call the method with 2 parameters. If you call it any other way, you're going to going to get a compile error saying something along these lines. cannot find symbol: method addition(int)
static Class Variables
Well, back again to the Math class. It has 2 double variables, E, and PI.
class Math { static double E = 2.718...; static double PI = 3.141596535...; }
This is how we declare static (AKA "class") variables. Let's go back to our class...
class OurMath { static int five = 5; public static int addition(int a, int b ) { int sum = a + b; return sum; } }
Well, now we can access our five variable through doing this.
int ourVariable = OurMath.five;
The main reason of using static is to make non "object"-ive data or methods.
Hope this tutorial helped anyone that needed it!


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"What we want to know," the barber said, "is where has the media been? Because these problems aren't new." It was a Tuesday afternoon in Ferguson, and we were at a barbershop a few blocks from where 18-year-old Michael Brown had been gunned down by Officer Darren Wilson nine days before. Barbers and patrons were giving us the gossip. Police had long been harassing the black community, they said. One customer reported seeing officers taking backpacks from young black men and emptying the contents on the ground. When asked if Wilson had been among them, he said yes.
Now Ferguson was reeling from a new form of brutality: St. Louis County cops had fired tear gas the previous night. Locals in the vicinity of the protests told us their throats were still sore and they feared another round. We thought this was important information and shared it on Twitter. We were not prepared for what happened next.
Within minutes, the door flew open and a camera crew from Al Jazeera America entered, followed by a crew from CNN, both of whom confirmed they had seen our tweets. Customers quickly finished their business and fled the scene. A barber who had been telling us his idea for a St. Louis reality show—"Rich white people live like us for 60 days, making $700 a month, see how it feels walking in our shoes" — announced he did not do media, and walked out. The camera crews rearranged the chairs and the clientele. One of us ended up getting a 20-minute fake haircut because a producer thought it would make an appealing background shot.
This is life in Ferguson, Missouri, in late August 2014: a media circus in which the complicated racial politics of St. Louis County's 90 municipalities are parsed by pundits who, weeks before, could not have found Ferguson on a map.
But when the circus leaves town, as it is already starting to do, what will be left behind? Will St. Louis really have changed?
Everything might feel different in Ferguson—money, support and attention have been rolling into the town from all over the country in the past few weeks—but with the media's eye trained on the woes of just one St. Louis suburb, many are ignoring the larger picture. The economic problems of Ferguson's surrounding North County—more than 200 square miles of economically hard-hit towns, many majority black, located north of St. Louis's bottomed-out inner city—remain unresolved and, outside of Ferguson, unaddressed.
St. Louis, once the fourth largest city in the country, buoyed by the Mississippi River trade, is a metropolis of ruins, dotted with neighborhoods full of smashed windows, broken doorways and crumbling walls that are living reminders of the city's mid-century decline. North County, originally a quiet area of blue-collar communities, became an escape route from the city's job loss, social unrest and decaying infrastructure. White families fled first in the 1950s and 1960s, followed by black families in the 1980s and 1990s. These days, North County is where struggling black St. Louis families come looking for a place to call home, only to find that the basic amenities necessary to raise a family—jobs, public transportation, a functional education system—are in short supply.
Entrance to the abandoned Jamestown Mall, which opened in 1972 and closed in June 2014. | Photo courtesy of the authors
Today, ruins dot the North County landscape too. An abandoned mall, its closed entrance declaring "Cash paid for anything of value." A meadow, lush and random, in the space where the Wyndhurst and Terwood apartments—bulldozed in the 1980s for an airport extension that never materialized—once stood. A closed-down, castle-shaped playland turned night club turned day care turned abandoned failure. A faded wall of fame in Kinloch, Missouri's first black incorporated town, proclaiming its historic achievements, before the population dwindled to 600 and it became capital of North County's drug trade, another airport expansion casualty. Kinloch's roads lead nowhere but are still blockaded with "Road Closed" signs, in case you mistakenly detected a sense of possibility.
By GLENN THRUSH
The St. Louis metropolitan area is a city of migration, but that migration is not limited to the historic patterns of successive white and black flight. Migration is an everyday occurrence. Many St. Louisans—especially poor and black St. Louisans—live in a state of permanent transience, moving from one apartment complex to the next, one suburb to the next, multiple times per year, on a futile hunt for safety and affordability. Canfield Green Apartments, where Michael Brown resided, is a typical example.
Hand-to-mouth living has made the notion of "hometown" debatable, particularly since the 2008 foreclosure crisis decimated the area. With families constantly moving between municipalities with populations of less than 500, many start thinking of North County itself—NoCo for short—as home.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/08/ferguson-st-louis-suburbs-poverty-110363.html#ixzz3BcPeF1YN


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Not sure what the point is of a site countdown when the game is confirmed and, today, 15 screens for NASCAR 2011: The Game were get put up on the new site. But that countdown's still a-tickin' anyhow.
Okie doke! Well, take a gander at 11 in-game shots that include tracks at Martinsville and Phoenix, and what looks like the garage from a career or season mode. The four fullsize shots of the cars for Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle are wallpapers, if you are so inclined.
NASCAR 2011: The Game [Official Site]


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


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The basic rules and important tips for interior in country style decorating and country style home decor with all country homes parts, country home decorating, country style decorating, country style home decor with some tips of ceiling, floor, windows, wall, lighting and country style furniture tips and rules.
Country style decorating - country style decor - country style home decor - country style furniture - ceiling in country style - interior in country style - wall in country style - country style decorations - country style interior design - country style interiors.
This is not the first time i write about country style decorating for interiors, there are several catalogs of interiors country style decorating for homes at our site, so if you like country style in your home so i suggest this below link for you:
Country - Country style ... and in memory of my grandmother once opened the cabin interiors: to smear mud and straw walls, whitewashed and decorated with colorful towels, embroidered towels. Flowers, dried flowers, fabric walkway and a portrait of Taras Shevchenko in pride of place ... Stop! Those nostalgic memories are not quite correspond with the direction of country music, but the thinking is correct.
|Country style decorating , 10 Tips for Country style home decor
Although the term was born in the United States, and it was originally a classic American ranch, but nowadays the concept of country style embodies the image of a country house in the country in which you live, rich elements of the life countryside around the world. If you want, country- interior gathers in itself the best of cozy and comfortable that we got from past generations. Selection of country style in the design of the house suggests that you - the person for whom the concept of "family" and "nature" are inextricably linked. You did not forget their roots and trying to avoid urbanistickih trends.
Basic rules and tips for country style home decor:
1. Organization of space may be, at first glance, quite chaotic: rooms flow into one another, a large living room can be output not only in the bedroom, but in the closet. The main rule of zoning areas - maximum functionality.
In finishing facilities are the dominant natural, organic materials (or their high-quality imitation). Be sure and use a lot of wood, textured plaster, stone, masonry, linen, cotton, paper wallpaper and simple ceramic tiles. It is interesting to look articles of brass or bronze, skilful hand forging.
Wall tips and rules for country style decorating:
walls in the country play the role of design background, so often painted in calm pastel colors and / or plastered. In this case, the corners, piers or doorways are often decorated masonry. Another option - simple paper pasting wallpaper and unobtrusive small figure. It is interesting and original look room whose walls are lined with wood from floor to ceiling, or only to the middle of the wall (at the top of this it is better to paint in full color)
Windows tips for country homes decor:
windows in the interior, styled country can be as swing verandnye "the floor" and small devitrified. Rustic charm and comfort will give windows framed by shutters. It is not only elegant but also very practical. On the window sill must stand pots and vazonchiki with bright colors. A better pick up the curtains of linen or cotton cloth, no-frills and fanciful draperies.
Country homes ceiling decorating tips:
ceiling in country-house is just wood, the wood will let a little "rough-hewn". Suggest dividing the ceiling with massive beams and curbs.
Similarly, wooden and "structural" should look and floor . You can choose laminate, in structure and color identical to the natural wood, but effective only on the floor will look like oak boards, opened with several layers of lacquer. Although the flooring can be a stone or tile, but it is the main condition of the material expression of country style.
This house is not bright evening light . Day of the rooms offer plenty of natural light shining from the windows, but with the onset of dusk, "go dark" and should be in the room. After all, a person close to nature, and it is this nuance, trying to sound country-interior, lives in the natural biological clock. Therefore it is better to opt for table lamps with shades, fringed, floor lamps and sconces. Chandeliers are also more likely consist of several glass diffusers on a wooden or metal base, or are inverted wicker basket.
dominant feature of the interior in the style of country music is definitely furniture . It is a simple straight lines and clear shapes of chairs and cabinets, seasoned geometry tables and sofas emphasize the simplicity and practicality. Furniture should be executed from the unpolished wood - rough, but very natural. Beautifully looks wicker furniture, especially if it is matched set. But the main point that attracts attention in the design of country music acts rocking chair with a carelessly thrown over her plaid, tartan. This is where you want to hide from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis!
color scale is compiled from 3-4 echoing shades, they should not be contrasted with the interior decoration of the room. For a country characterized by creamy undertones and smooth color transitions. And one important piece of advice - do not use white color.
interior design country-suggests simplicity and a flight of fancy at the same time. There should be a high-tech accessories or deliberate pathos. Use simple picture frames, pillows with lace, paintings on pastoral themes. Welcome items hand-made: embroidered cloth, rag rugs, and mentioned at the beginning of towels. In general, anything that carries a rustic motifs regularity and tranquility, filled with national spirit your community and family values - will be completely fit the style of country music.


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Hopefully this isn't too broad.
I've got little experience with NoSQL databases, but I know that they are rising in popularity. As a developer that is extremely concerned with security, I'm wondering, in general, what the pros and cons are from a security perspective when it comes to using NoSQL databases.
For example, are they safe in general? Are they vulnerable to the same types of attacks that are a threat to traditional Relational databases? Are there new vulnerabilities associated with them that someone like me - with only relational DB experience - might never have heard of? And are there best practices/recommendations for NoSQL databases like those you can easily find for relational databases?


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Channeling Orwell: AP's Kravitz Celebrates Allegedly Recovering Housing Market, Flushes Bad Starts Data Down Memory Hole
After reading Derek Kravitz's final report of the day at 4:45 p.m. on the housing market at the Associated Press, aka the Administration's Press, I just had to check the other wires to see if they were sipping from the same housing-market-in-recovery koolaid.
The answer is no. At Reuters, Jason Lange's 3:22 p.m. dispatch reported that "Output at U.S. factories slipped in March and builders started construction on fewer homes, offering cautionary signals for an economy that appeared to be gaining traction." At Bloomberg, Timothy R. Homan wrote: "While warmer weather may have spurred home construction at the beginning of 2012, a competing supply of cheap existing properties may be steering potential buyers away from purchasing a new home. That means home construction may not help boost the economy in 2012." Both of these assessments make Kravitz's take on housing, which included omitting very negative data on housing starts, seem that much more bizarre (my comments in italics follow each paragraph):
It's been a long time since the market for new homes has looked this good.
The number of single-family homes under construction, a seasonally adjusted 241,000 in March, is barely higher than the all-time low of 235,000 set in October 2011, and didn't get that low in 42 years of recordkeeping until July of last year.
Rising rents and a healthier job market are inspiring more people to consider buying.
Builders are responding to rising rents by building more multi-unit dwellings which are usually rental properties, not by building more single-family homes. Later in the report, Kravitz notes, as he has in three other reports since Sunday, that "Employers have added an average of 212,000 a month from January through March." Trouble is (seasonally adjusted), employers in this "healthier job market" only added 120,000 of those jobs in March. The trend is stable at best if April turns around, and deteriorating at worst if it doesn't.
Builders are responding to the demand by laying plans for more homes this year than at any other point in past 3 1/2 years.
"Building permits" don't represent active "building." Housing starts do (at least its initial phase), and they dropped significantly in March, by so much that they were, as Bloomberg noted, "less than the lowest estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg and the slowest since October." Kravitz went from giving them equal time with permits in his opening report today, to downplaying their importance 90 minutes later, to not mentioning them at all in his final report.
And banks are helping both by approving more loans.
Kravitz clearly hasn't learned what I've learned, which is that in many part of the country banks will not lend for spec home-building, even in parts of the country that are doing well. So it's getting to the point where the only way a builder will start building a home is to have a buyer already lined up.
All that points to a better year for the housing market, though a full recovery could take several years.
Kravitz's case is weak, and as noted, his optimism is not shared at Reuters or Bloomberg — or by yours truly.
A more complete analysis of today's housing data release is at my home blog. You'll learn a lot more there than you will in any of the reports Derek Kravitz submitted today — especially his final one, which puts his one-day performance on a par with Anne D'Innocenzio's Orwellian whitewash several weeks ago of March's Conference Board consumer confidence report (which went from "falls" to "dips slightly" to "roughly flat" to a "rosy outlook" in the course of a single business day).
Cross-posted at NewsBusters.org.


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Well as you know it's been a while since I posted last......1st thing I wanted to mention is that I listed a new FREEBIE for you all! Something for Easter :) And I might need to be reminded to change more often.....here lately I've got too much stuff going on and I have been forgetting to get stuff done!!! Here is a quick link to my freebie page!
Another AWESOME thing is...I finally got a new "Vintage" sewing machine!!!!!! I am so excited over this machine......I've been without a machine for a while because the last one I had was HORRIBLE....feed dogs never worked right....Just made me wanna take it by the cords and whirl it down the hillside! LOL
But my hubby helped me do some research on sewing machines......I got an AWESOME Deal off one from eBay......I got it today and I am so excited to get started on something!!! I just need a new fresh idea!!!! So give me some time :D
Oh,back to my machine...I got a vintage, one owner Viking Husqvarna!! And it came with 64 pre-filled bobbins....the ORIGINAL owners manual...she hardly ever used it, but kept it serviced! Not a scratch on it anywhere!!! All accessories included! it is absolutely awesome :) I will share a pic of it for you to see :)
What a deal I got on this baby!!! It sews like a dream!!!!
I hope to keep you better posted from now on.....I'll be starting a new blog as well about my weight loss journey that I am in the middle of working on......Hopefully some things will be changing around the Ridge soon..........Thanks to ALL of my WONDERFUL customers who have emailed me, and stood beside me no matter if I am making something new or just facebooking :) I ♥ you all!!!!!!!
Enjoy the freebie...........See you soon! ♥


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Data Retention Directive Incompatible With Fundamental Rights According To EU Court Of Justice's Advocate General
from the not-quite-what-we'd-hoped-for dept
Almost exactly a year ago, we wrote about two important cases before Europe's highest court, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ). They both involved the European Union's Data Retention Directive, which obliges telecoms companies to retain metadata about their customers -- now an even more contentious issue in the wake of Edward Snowden's leaks. One case was from Ireland, brought by Digital Rights Ireland, which needs donations to carry on its great work, and the other from the Austrian digital rights group AKVorrat (which probably also needs support.)
As is usual, before the ECJ makes its ruling, the court's Advocate General offers an opinion. It's not binding, but it's generally taken into account, and is often indicative of how the court will find. Here's what the Advocate General has just published:
In his Opinion delivered today, Advocate General Pedro Cruz Villalón, takes the view that the Data Retention Directive
is as a whole incompatible with the requirement, laid down by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, that any limitation on the exercise of a fundamental right must be provided for by law. According to the Advocate General, the Directive constitutes a serious interference with the fundamental right of citizens to privacy, by laying down an obligation on the providers of telephone or electronic communications services to collect and retain traffic and location data for such communications.
Specifically, he says that from the retained data it is possible to create a detailed and thus intrusive picture of someone's private life, and also notes that by storing this information, there is an increased risk it will fall into the wrong hands, causing damage to the privacy of the person concerned. Because of the seriousness of its incompatibility with fundamental European rights, the Directive should have spelt out key details, rather than leaving it to the Member States of the EU to interpret the rules as they thought best. He also found that:
the Data Retention Directive is incompatible with the principle of proportionality in that it requires Member States to ensure that the data are retained for a period whose upper limit is set at two years.
According to the Advocate General, there is no reason why the upper limit should not be set at just one year. Unfortunately, despite these serious flaws, he did not suggest that the Directive should be rescinded. Instead:
the Advocate General proposes, after weighing up the various competing interests, that the effects of a finding that the Directive is invalid should be suspended pending adoption by the EU legislature of the measures necessary to remedy the invalidity found to exist, but such measures must be adopted within a reasonable period.
In other words, the Advocate General seems to think the problems are fixable, provided the EU adopts suitable measures to address the issues he has raised.
That makes the current opinion something of a mixed bag. On the plus side, it has clearly found that the Data Retention Directive in its present form is incompatible with fundamental European rights; but against that, the Advocate General not only suggested that the problems could be rectified, but even explained how that might be achieved.
The full Opinion is, of course, much more complex than the rough summary above, and experts will argue over what the details might mean for data retention in Europe. In any case, what counts is the final judgement of the ECJ, which may have views that differ from the Advocate General's Opinion in important ways. At least we are now closer to finding out.
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Filed Under: court of justice, data retention, ecj, eu, fundamental rights, privacy


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Confessions of a repeat offender
Back for another session in the confessional, a young woman realizes that falling is part of the journey.
Father Don leans forward in his chair. The air of the confessional is quiet, cool, and light.
The small Polish priest is in all-black attire, save for the strip of white collar at his throat. He offers his hand to me. I take it in mine, soft. We briefly shake hands and I seat myself on the edge of the chair in front of him. I want to get in and out quickly.
"Hello, Father." I smile at him, crossing my forearms and hands over my legs to hide how short my shorts are. He smiles warmly at me and kindly does not take notice of my gesture.
"Welcome. How long has it been since your last Confession?"
"Maybe a month or so, Father."
"OK. Let's pray that you make a good Confession." He bends his head down, his soft hands folded at his knee. His muttering is nearly inaudible. I bend my head down, making up a prayer and finishing before him.
His gray-white hair is slicked back, smooth and clean, with a razor-straight part off to the right side. His frame is small, suggesting he has perhaps taken the Lenten practice of fasting too far. His shoulders and chest are the same size as the 11-year-old boys who tend to the candles and incense at Mass. There is something about him. Humility. In his face. In the quiet bend of his arms. In the slope of his shoulders and neck. My shoulders straighten in his presence. I tug my shirt down to thoroughly cover my somewhat exposed midriff. Then I begin.
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned."
I first came to him when I moved to the apartment on Crescent Street. I called my mom to tell her how close I was to St. Isidore's, to its high spire shooting out of the highway only three streets away from my new home. I can walk there, I told her. I knew she would be pleased.
It's an old church, one of the first in Grand Rapids. Its high cathedral ceilings and large stained glass windows brightly illuminate the life-sized Stations of the Cross circling the walls of the church. The inscriptions below them are in Polish. Most of the parish is Polish, and they read in their first language easily.
I cannot read the Polish, but I don't need the Stations interpreted. The anguish in Christ's face as the weight of the cross crushes his right shoulder to the ground, the agonized twist of his mouth as his knees dig into the dirt. He has fallen for the first time. No words are needed to explain this Station to me. I often sit before it as I prepare for Confession.
There is a light bulb next to the door of the confessional. I wait for it to turn green. Red means someone is in the middle of confessing. Green means Father is available. I kneel at the pew and watch for the green light. Today, I am ready to confess my sins.
"I've been too intimate with my boyfriend," I will tell Father Don. It's always the same thing. Only last time I wouldn't confess it. Not that I wouldn't confess it, because I said it out loud to him. But I wouldn't feel bad about it.
"I don't feel guilty about it, Father," I admitted reluctantly.
Father stopped fiddling with the rosary beads in his softly pruned fingers. I could see dents where the chain connecting the beads had left their mark. He was silent, looking straight at me, waiting for me to change my mind. It wasn't changing.
"What do I do if I don't feel bad about it?"
"Well," the beads began winding around his fingers again, "you accept that it isn't the right thing to do whether you feel guilt for it or not."
I thought about what he said. I wanted to do the right thing.
"I can't confess it, Father. I don't think it was wrong."
It was a dead heat. Father Don looked at me. I looked at him. The beads were still.
"Then I can't absolve you."
I shrugged and put my chin in my hand, examining the carpet closely. I knew I couldn't do it, so I stood up.
"OK then." Father Don stood up too.
"Come back and talk to me anytime." His voice was hopeful. His eyes were full.
"OK, I will. Thank you, Father."
I walked out of the confessional that day, hoping I'd turned a new page. But I didn't. It wasn't long before I was back again with the same story. Only this time, I was ready to really confess.
"I've been too intimate with my boyfriend," I tell Father Don. I am aware of how Victorian I sound. I wish I could use the word sex, but I think I'd die in the confessional if I did.
"OK, OK." His eyes are on the carpet. His head bobs up and down slowly in understanding. He doesn't hold last month against me. I think he's relieved that I'm back.
He begins to speak slowly. "I visit the prison from time to time, you know. Priests are often called there," he tells me by way of explanation. But I already know this. He told me this three weeks ago, and three weeks before that. I know this story so well I could recite it. Instead I nod.
His voice is quiet and slow. He is patient with his delivery. "For my security and for my safety, a guard is present and between the inmate and me is a table. You see, the table separates us so that nothing can happen to me. He cannot reach me across the table."
I nod again and twist the ring on my index finger around and around. I want to look as humble as he looks.
"That's how it should be with your boyfriend. Do not be alone with him. And always keep a table's length between the two of you." Father Don rolls his eyes slightly at his own words. It's an effort to let me know that he realizes how silly I find this. "Then nothing can happen."
We exchange grins. We know I am an adult woman, and we both know how his advice sounds. But he wants me to follow it anyway. His eyes seem to beg just try it. I promise it will work! I nod appreciatively. This time I will do just as he says. I want him to believe it.
"Anything else?" he asks. I continue with my Confession.
Father Don perches in the chair of the confessional waiting for me. It's been a month since I saw him last. His head is bent down to his chest when I walk in. I wonder if I have to wake him.
"Father?" I call out timidly. His head shoots up from his chest. He comes to life and smiles full at me.
"Hello! Come. Have a seat. Welcome." His voice is still soft. Still warm. Still full of humility. I hope he recognizes me this time. His smile suggests he does.
I begin. "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It's been about a month since my last Confession."
I explain to him how it is with men. How it isn't working. How I want to get married. How far my boyfriend is from being ready. Father nods. The light streaming through the windows falls between us. I watch a ballet of dust in silence.
"Uh-huh, uh-huh. I see. My sister is a nun, but she did date before. Do you know what she always tells me?"
I do. I know because Father Don has already told me what she always tells him. I don't know how to answer him. Do I lie and play dumb? In the confessional? Or do I tell Father that he's already told me his celibate sister's dating advice? I hesitate, my mouth slightly open. I tug at the hem of my skirt. It rides up past my knees if I don't watch it.
"Have I already told you about this?" There is a light in his eyes. A band of recognition.
"Uh . . . I think so." My skirt lays over my knees now. I look straight ahead at him.
"Oh, oh . . . so you know. But it bears retelling. She says, 'A woman chases a man until he catches her.' "
This is one of Father's favorite things to say. You can tell. His eyes gleam. I know he loves how clever this phrase is. I want to think it's clever too.
"That's good," I say, smiling at its cleverness.
"When she stops chasing him, he catches her," he repeats, jabbing the air at every syllable for emphasis. "So you need to let go. Let him catch you." He smiles his shy smile.
It's impossible for me to not like him. Even if he sent me away without absolution before. Even if he never remembers me. Maybe he does remember. I come in every month with the same stories, the same sins. I keep falling the same way. Aren't we both just telling the same stories?
My penance is to sit in front of the altar. To contemplate God. On God's will for me. I silently slip into a pew two rows back from the altar. The air smells like Murphy's Oil Soap and incense.
The Polish Stations surround me. They are enormous. Bigger than life-size. Jesus falls for the second time. Jesus falls for the third time. I let my knees rest on the cool kneeler. The cushion exhales as it adjusts to my weight. I brush the seat of my skirt to make sure it isn't riding up again.
I hear a click from the back of church. In the cavernous quiet, it echoes. I hear a swishing, a padding of feet getting closer, moving swiftly. I do not turn around because this is church. I run my fingernails through the grooves in the wood of the pew and look up just in time to see Father Don. He nods to me as he passes by, careful not to interrupt my prayer.
I'm supposed to be praying; that's part of my penance, part of my "supposed tos." There are so many "supposed tos" here, and I am constantly failing, constantly falling. The Stations of the Cross dominate even this large cathedral. The enormity of them circles the interior of the church like a narrative too big for any of us to follow. But I can try. I mean to try.
Ahead of me, Father Don is tiny and he moves quickly, rearranging items on the altar, a book here, a candle stand there. Maybe I am not supposed to be watching him; maybe he is a distraction from my contemplation of God. But it doesn't feel like it. The magic of perspective makes him even smaller than he is, like a hummingbird darting around the altar, feeding it, guarding it, bringing it to life. He is dwarfed by the falling figures, but his movement makes them disappear. When he is done, he bends his middle toward the tabernacle and darts off to a side room where his priestly garments and priestly life await him.
I smile at him though he doesn't see me, and then I fold my hands around my face to pray. I can smell the spicy scent of the pews in them and it is a comfort. Enough of a comfort, at least, until my next visit.


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An international team of engineers, physicists, and chemists have created the first fiber-optic solar cell. These fibers are thinner than human hair, flexible, and yet they produce electricity, just like a normal solar cell. The US military is already interested in weaving these threads into clothing, to provide a wearable power source for soldiers.
In essence, the research team started with optical fibers made from glass — and then, using high-pressure chemical vapor deposition, injected n-, i-, and p-type silicon into the fiber, turning it into a solar cell. Functionally, these silicon-doped fiber-optic threads are identical to conventional solar cells, generating electricity from the photovoltaic effect. Whereas almost every solar cell on the market is crafted out of 2D, planar amorphous silicon on a rigid/brittle glass substrate, though, these fiber-optic solar cells have a 3D cross-section and retain the glass fiber's intrinsic flexibility.
The lead researcher, John Badding of Penn State University, says the team has already produced "meters-long fiber," and that their new technique could be used to create "bendable silicon solar-cell fibers of over 10 meters in length." From there, it's simply a matter of weaving the thread into a fabric.
( via extremetech.com )