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WASHINGTON - Who'll be the first to feel the sting?
Jobless Americans who have been out of work for a long time and local governments paying off loans to fix roads and schools are in tough spots when it comes to the automatic federal budget cuts scheduled to kick in Friday.
About 2 million long-term unemployed people could see checks now averaging $300 a week reduced by about $30. There also could be reductions in federal payments subsidizing clean energy, school construction and state and local public works projects. Low-income Americans seeking heating assistance or housing or other aid might encounter longer waits.
Government employees could get furlough notices as early as next week, though cuts in their work hours won't occur until April.
The timing of the "sequester" spending cuts has real consequences for Americans, but it also has a political ramifications. How quickly and fiercely the public feels the cuts could determine whether President Barack Obama and lawmakers seek to replace them with a different deficit reduction plan.
Eager to put pressure on Republican lawmakers to accept his blend of targeted cuts and tax increases Obama has been highlighting the impact of the automatic cuts in grim terms. He did it again Monday, declaring the threat of the cuts already is harming the national economy.
Republicans said he is exaggerating and point to rates of spending, even after the cuts, that would be higher than in 2008 when adjusted for inflation. All Obama has to do to avoid the damage, House Speaker John Boehner said at the Capitol, is agree to the GOP's recommended spending cuts - with no tax increases.
By all accounts, most of the pain of the $85 billion in spending reductions to this year's federal budget would be slow in coming. The dire consequences that Obama officials sais Americans will encounter - from airport delays and weakened borders to reduced parks programs and shuttered meatpacking plants - would unfold over time as furloughs kick in and agencies begin to adjust to their spending reductions.
"These impacts will not all be felt on day one," Obama acknowledged in a meeting with governors at the White House on Monday. "But rest assured the uncertainty is already having an effect."
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned the federal government would be unable to "maintain the same level of security at all places around the country" once the automatic cuts began to take effect.
The public will feel the results "in the next few weeks," she said, and "it will keep growing."
The majority of the federal budget is in fact walled off from the cuts. Social Security and veterans' programs are exempt, and cuts to Medicare are generally limited to a 2 percent, $10 billion reduction in payments to hospitals and doctors. Most programs that help the poor, like Medicaid, food stamps, subsidized school lunches, Pell Grants and supplemental security income payments are also exempt.
Still, the Pentagon will feel the brunt of half the cuts. Pay for active military is off-limits for cuts, so the rest of the defense budget must absorb the hit. The Obama administration said defense contractors already have ramped down work, contributing to a dip in economic activity in the fourth quarter of last year. The Navy has decided not to deploy an aircraft carrier as planned to the Persian Gulf.
Elsewhere, the White House's budget office said long-term unemployed Americans would lose an average of more than $400 in benefits during the year. The cuts do not affect state unemployment benefits, which jobless workers typically get soon after their loss of work. The federal reductions could begin immediately, though some analysts say the government could delay them for a short period to avoid a harmful hit on the economy.


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I've always been more of a New Order fan in the chain of things. But recently Joy Division has spoken to me more than ever. More in the production side of things with Martin Hannett than the dreadfully sad lyrics from Ian Curtis. Punk, in my eyes was pretty much dead by the time their debut LP, Unknown Pleasures was released. This allowed punk to die. They put it in the grave and but let it evolve and change in to something else.
Bernard Sumner's gave us his trademark gentle yet angular leads. Stephen Morris gave us drum-machine-precise beats, while pushing the envelope with electronic triggers. Peter Hook revolutionized the way a bass should be played. And well Ian Curtis was just sadly misunderstood. It's simply tragic, really.
- Digital (Substance)
- Interzone (Unknown Pleasures)
- Ceremony (Still)
- Isolation (Closer)
- Disorder (Unknown Pleasures)
- Warsaw (Warsaw)
- She's Lost Control (Unknown Pleasures)
- Transmission (Substance)
- Dead Souls (Licht und Blindheit single)
- Love Will Tear Us Apart (Love Will Tear Us Apart single)

subset: commoncrawl


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Encryption is an important tool for protecting databases and log files from unauthorized access and hacking. SQL Server built-in data encryption lets you encrypt files and store encryption keys within SQL Server. However, SQL Server 2005 doesn't allow the use of third-party encryption keys or key management applications in a native SQL Server 2005 encryption environment. Thus, companies using a third-party encryption product to secure data in other applications can't use that product to encrypt SQL Server data or manage SQL Server encryption keys.
A new feature in SQL Server 2008, Extensible Key Management (EKM), remedies this shortcoming by enabling encryption keys to be stored outside of the database in special hardware (e.g., smart card, USB device) or software modules called Hardware Security Modules (HSMs). In this introductory look at EKM, I'll explain how the feature works, and some new metadata views and functions that you can use to obtain information about EKM usage in SQL Server.
EKM and HSM
EKM, which is available in the Enterprise, Developer, and Evaluation editions of SQL Server 2008, makes it possible for encryption keys to reside outside of the database in HSMs and not with the encrypted data. Storing encryption keys in an HSM protects them from database owners and other higher-level database users who don't have access to the HSM used to store the encryption keys. Only those end-users who have the HSM device available during the encryption and decryption of the data can use the keys to encrypt new data or view already encrypted data. (Note that if an HSM device isn't used, members of the sysadmin group have access to the encryption keys.) To enable users to use third-party HSMs, SQL Server 2008's EKM lets third-party vendors register their EKM/HSM modules in SQL Server 2008.
Enabling and Disabling EKM
To use EKM in your database, you must first use the sp_configure system stored procedure to enable the SQL Server instance to allow EKM, as callout A in Listing 1 shows. After you enable EKM, you need to create an EKM provider (or more, if you're using more than one HSM) by using the new CREATE CRYPTOGRAPHIC PROVIDER Data Definition Language (DDL) statement, as callout B shows. Once you've enabled EKM and created the provider, you can use this provider either for encryption keys, as in Listing 2, or for credentials if you want to use the EKM provider module to secure logins, as in Listing 3.
At some point, you might need to disable a provider and enable a new provider in your database— for example, if your company chooses a different third-party encryption-key provider as its standard. SQL Server 2008 lets you disable providers while keeping them in the database until you're ready to delete the provider object permanently. This gives you ample opportunity to find all objects that use the old provider and change them to use the new provider, while keeping the old provider on hand in case of error. To disable a provider, you use the ALTER CRYPTOGRAPHIC PROVIDER statement, as Listing 4 shows.
Auditing EKM Usage
Database administrators and developers who have implemented EKM will need to understand the metadata views used to store EKM providers and information. SQL Server 2008 provides a series of new catalog views, dynamic management views, and dynamic management functions that DBAs can use to audit EKM providers and the usage of EKM. The examples in Listing 5 show how you can use these various views and functions to obtain information such as a list of providers currently in use in a SQL Server instance, a list of credentials that use EKM, a list of keys for each provider ID in your database, provider properties, and the encryption algorithms used for each provider ID.
A More Secure SQL Server
As we've seen in this quick tour of EKM, SQL Server's encryption capabilities have taken a big step forward in the 2008 release. Database administrators who hesitated to use encryption because of concerns that the encryption keys were being stored with the encrypted data now have a new tool in SQL Server 2008 which they can use to address these concerns. This article will help you get started using EKM; to continue your learning about EKM, see the SQL Server 2008 Books Online article "Understanding Extensible Key Management (EKM)" at msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb895340(SQL.100).aspx.


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By Grant Smith
Energy policy in the United States is more a political game than a serious public discussion. The newest incarnation of energy policy-by-advertising-
campaigns is the Clean Energy Standard, supported by the President and various members of Congress.
You really have to suspend reality once you head down the CES route. The premise is that we need all energy technologies to meet our electric demand, regardless of risk to the public pocketbook or to the public health. It includes the oxymoron of clean coal and cheap, safe nuclear power. There is simply no way that coal and nuclear power can deliver a sustainable economy or a healthy population.
While US policymakers chase after the politically expedient CES, the European Union, the largest economy in the world, has been seriously working towards a sustainable electric grid. The EU adopted a resolution that by 2020 all new buildings have to be zero energy buildings (i.e. use as much energy as they generate). It has also set specific targets for renewable energy. The European Parliament recognized in 2007 the "Third Industrial Revolution" (the confluence of telecommunications technology, renewable technology, and energy efficiency) as "the long-term economic vision and road map for the European Union." (Rifkin, 2011) This is not to say that there are no differences of opinion among European governments, but US policymakers, all from the same country, can't even agree what day it is. And there is no serious public discourse on how to move forward.
Fukushima and Chernobyl proved two things. Nuclear power can never be "safe", and one accident can have worldwide negative and lasting impacts. That is, nuclear fallout from meltdowns does not stop at the border.
Despite general agreement of a strategic approach to energy policy, the reaction of European governments to the nuclear meltdowns at Fukushima is varied, ranging from decisively moving away from nuclear power altogether to ensuring the safety of existing plants while adhering to current plans for expansion or holding steady. The public, however, is not consistently in agreement with governments that support nuclear power.
A decisive blow came to the nuclear industry when the conservative Merkel government in Germany, the EU's strongest economy, announced the phase-out of nuclear power within a decade. Merkel's decision was, in part, influenced by an ethics commission that was formed after Fukushima. The commission noted that the phase-out of nuclear power presented an opportunity for the economy by growing the renewables and efficiency sector. Other contributing factors appear to have been massive demonstrations against nuclear power and the Chancellor's party losing in regional elections in the aftermath of Fukushima. The Merkel government had weakened the previous government's attempt to phase out nuclear power. Siemens, a German company, also announced it would withdrawal from nuclear investment.
Switzerland and Italy were the other two European countries to react strategically against nuclear power in the wake of Fukushima. Italy has been toying with restarting nuclear power for some time. However, a national referendum in June put an end to those aspirations. 94% of Italians shot down the government's plans for new construction. Switzerland stopped the licensing process for three new reactors and announced plans to phase out nuclear power by 2034.
The non-nuclear countries of Austria, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal issued a declaration in May calling for stringent safety measures at nuclear power plants now and transitioning from both nuclear power and fossil fuels. The declaration found that nuclear power is incompatible with sustainable development and with effectively addressing climate change.
The governments of France and England remain staunch supporters of nuclear power. The British government issued its "Final Fukushima Report" in October 2011 stating that there's no reason to temporarily shut down any plants for safety reasons. The government is looking at a few sites for new construction. President Sarkozy views a nuclear phase-out as impossible. However, 51% of French citizens, according to a June poll, want nuclear power phased out within 25 to 30 years and 19% want a rapid phase out. A majority of the English are somewhat or strongly opposed to nuclear power as well. An international poll taken in June shows 51% in the UK against nuclear power. According to the same survey, 86% of the French and 80% of the English do not view nuclear power as a viable long term option.
The Fukushima incident has sparked a debate. The tenor of the debate in Europe is more towards the do-we-really-want-nuclear-
power than the how-do-we make-this-work end of the spectrum. Some countries continue to hitch their energy futures to the nuclear bandwagon. However many countries including the EU's strongest economy have made a decisive move away from nuclear power. Public opinion is shifting in opposition and there is little to no support for nuclear power as a long-term option.
Grant Smith is a senior energy policy analyst to the Civil Society Institute and former executive director of the Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana, where he worked for 29 years.
Copyright © American Forum. 2/12.


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I know, I know…
Hurry up and level!
But after sooooo long level capped, there is this little niggling voice in the back of my head saying:
"Stay away from 71"
The only thing I can think of is that once I hit 71 all the old BG's are out of the question for a while.
Is there something else that I must do before I hit 71, or should I just sit back, put the peddle to the metal and just "level damn it!"?
Actually speaking of things I know I have forgotten…
Thanks Tree Hugger Dave!
Thanks for watching the blog, keeping people aware of my real life health bars, and all those anti-Mage posts that are still in draft.
Can wait for your next post into the relative environental consequences of drinking coffee and playing WoW.
Although I don't want to know how the fight against global warming is synonimous with the conflict between light switch flicking Arcane, fossil fuel burning Fire and the hippy ice loving Frost Mages!
Gnomer and Out!


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Gaara was the jinchūriki of Shukaku — the One-Tail. The beast has a vast amount of chakra, even more so when compared to most humans. Shukaku's presence inside Gaara allowed him to manipulate sand at will. It was initially thought that Gaara's automatic Shield of Sand stemmed from Shukaku and the beast's own self-preservation instincts. However both Gaara's father and uncle stated that it was in fact his mother's will that moved the sand after she swore an oath to protect him no matter what before dying.[1] Because Shukaku is said to devour the soul of its jinchūriki if they were to fall asleep, Gaara has spent up to fifteen years not sleeping at all and when the series started he was driven mostly from a desire for his own existence, and blood-lust, the latter being a trait Shukaku can easily influence.
Partial Transformation
Half Shukaku Form
When Gaara became angry after a fight with Sasuke Uchiha, he slowly slipped into his half Shukaku form. In this form the gourd on his back slowly breaks down and begins to cover his body, covering his arms, and then his face. His face becomes distorted and it begins to look more like Shukaku's with yellow eyes and markings around the eyes and he grows a tail from the gourd. In this form, his speed and strength increase. He can use the sand on his arms to stretch his limbs to extraordinary lengths. This form allows him to even fire off his limbs at will, but still have them remain under his control, as he was able to pin Sakura Haruno to a tree and then slowly crush her as his battle with Naruto continued.
Miniature Shukaku Form
During his fight with Naruto Uzumaki, Gaara allowed the sand to cover his entire upper body, with only his feet remaining uncovered. While his facial features still remain slightly human, both his eyes resemble the Shukaku's. His body also has the same markings that Shukaku has on its body. Notably, the "love" kanji remains on his head. In this form, Gaara is able to use the Sand Shuriken, and can also use Shukaku's Wind Release to perform Wind Release: Infinite Sand Cloud — Great Breakthrough. His speed, attack, and defence greatly rises while he is in this form. Much like Naruto's fox shaped chakra cloak, the sand is capable of absorbing a wide variety of attacks. However, the defence given to his body still has one weak spot. Since his lower half is not covered, as seen by Naruto, a small explosion beneath his tail can make the entire sand form crumble, and fall apart. This was Gaara's downfall during his battle with Naruto.
Full One-Tail Form
Gaara could use his sand to instantly create a giant copy of Shukaku with himself hidden inside. While he is awake, Gaara still has control of Shukaku's body and can fight "normally" with it. He first turned into this form after Yashamaru tricked him into believing his mother never loved him due to a test his father set to see how well he could control the beast. While in this form, Gaara transfers his eyesight to that of Shukaku's body in turn resulting in his own eyes losing their pupils. Unlike his smaller Shukaku forms, this form seems to not be able to reform itself if damaged. For example, Gamabunta cut off one of the Shukaku's arms and it wasn't able to reform.
When Gaara needs Shukaku's full power, he would expose his upper body on top of Shukaku's head and use the Feigning Sleep Technique, which allows Shukaku to take full control over its body. While taking over the body, Shukaku's eyes will become more apparent, changing the irides' colour from light brown to yellow. Shukaku can use Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet, by pressing compressed air out of it's stomach, which can cause massive damage and tear down a large line of trees instantly, even dealing significant damage to Gamabunta.The major weak spot of the full Shukaku form is as expected by Gaara himself being Shukaku's chakra that keeps the large creation going. When Naruto successfully hit Gaara, he woke him, stopping Shukaku's increase in power as Gamabunta stated the longer Gaara was asleep, the more of Shukaku's real power manifested and if asleep too long the Shukaku will eat away at the host's psyche until it takes complete control. After Gaara was knocked out, the entire Shukaku copy was shattered, dissolving back into sand. Its full power is never seen as it was destroyed in a short time.
In Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, he showed far greater control over the Shukaku, able to create the tailed beast's head from nearby sand and fire a Tailed Beast Ball, something he was not able to do in the past.
- In Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3, Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 4, and Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 5, Gaara's miniature Shukaku form is playable as a transformation.
- Gaara's jinchūriki forms are noticeably different from the others in that it's not made of pure chakra, but of sand. It is, however, possible that the forms that Gaara has shown are partial transformations.
- In Naruto: Ultimate Ninja and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2, Gaara's half-Shukaku form is only playable when he uses his primary ninjutsu and secondary ninjutsu.
- ↑ Naruto chapter 547, pages 16-17
See Also
- Yugito Nii's Jinchūriki Forms
- Yagura's Jinchūriki Forms
- Rōshi's Jinchūriki Forms
- Han's Jinchūriki Forms
- Utakata's Jinchūriki Forms
- Fū's Jinchūriki Forms
- Killer B's Jinchūriki Forms
- Kushina Uzumaki's Jinchūriki Forms
- Naruto Uzumaki's Jinchūriki Forms
- Kinkaku's Jinchūriki Forms
- Sora's Jinchūriki Forms


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Zero Hedge
February 25, 2013
Who says necessity is not the mother of invention in the New Normal. While a tiny fraction of the Japanese population is enjoying the transitory effects of Abe's latest reflating "wealth effect" policy (even as China has made it clear said policy will end quite soon), the bigger problem for Japan is that even sooner, more and more of it will be reliant on hamster wheels to generate electricity, as LNG prices have just hit a record high and are rising at a breakneck pace, and as local nuclear power generation has collapsed to virtually zero. Which means one thing: electricity will soon become so unaffordable only those who are invested in the daily 2% Nikkei surges will be able to electrify their immediate surroundings.
So what is Japan's solution? A quite ingenious one: as Geek.com and ASR both report, Japan's Fujifilm has created organic printed sheet that harvests energy from body heat, or in other words, converts body heat to electricity. Finally, at least one key part of the Matrix "reality" is now fully operational – the use of human beings as batteries.
Specifically, Fujifilm Corp. and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) have developed a resin sheet that generates electricity, utilizing the temperature difference between human body and the air.
Our 4th of July Super Sale has been extended! Get double Patriot Points and free shipping on the hottest items!


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Eamon Dunphy believes that Rafa Benitez should not have taken the role as temporary boss at Chelsea.
His comments came after the Spaniard launched a broadside at a section of the Chelsea fans following the FA Cup victory over Middlesbrough on Wednesday.
He also expressed his disappointment at the title of 'interim manager' that he assumed following the sacking of Roberto Di Matteo and subsequently revealed that he will be leaving the London club at the end of the season.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Dunphy, while accepting that Benitez is a manager with a good track record, said taking the Chelsea job for a short period while the club is in transition was not the best move.
He explained: "Benitez's rant is borne out by frustration. His record as a coach, while not unblemished, is a good one. He has a strong personality.
"However, he shouldn't have accepted that job at Chelsea on the basis he'd only be doing it for seven months – it's a poisoned chalice! What's going on there is akin to a soap opera.
"Chelsea FC describe him as their interim manager and he complained about that – insofar it weakened his position. He is caught in a soap opera. The owner makes all the big decisions with regard to the players.
"Only a few weeks ago, Frank Lampard – a great servant to the club - was offered a new contract after months of speculation about his future.
"Then you have John Terry not starting against Manchester City last weekend. Benitez chose David Luiz instead – but I think it was Roman Abramovich's call."
Dunphy continued: "Quite simply, Chelsea is not a club you want to manage. Pep Guardiola snubbed them recently by opting for the Bayern Munich job. I doubt if any self-respecting coach will want the Chelsea job.
"I won't be surprised if Benitez's contract is terminated before the end of the season.
"Chelsea are a club in transition. I think the owner wants a clean sweep; a new style of play. The likes of Lampard, Terry and Ashley Cole will not be there for much longer."


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Leave it to Facebook to make a new and reviled change into a movie.
Facebook has now released a new app called Timeline Movie Maker to make a short film out of all the information on your new Facebook profile. The app, created by Facebook and advertising agency Definition 6, doesn't tell you much about what's going to happen and seems to be a tease to test it out, all that's written aside from the title is a green button that says, "Make Your Movie."
When you do, Facebook asks for permissions including all your profile information -- which means photos, stories, activities, locations and more -- into a one-minute documentary of you. Right now the app is only offered in English, French, Spanish, and German, according to ZDNet. The movie itself takes a few minutes to create and you can choose between five soundtracks and then share with friends.
By the way, the app itself chooses (like Facebook) what it considers to be most important in a user's life based on content shared.


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In this article we will learn how to download Stock Rom of Sony Xperia Z2 L50u. As the stock firmware (stock rom) of any phone is in a zip file. In which you will find the stock firmware of Sony Xperia Z2 L50u, Sony Xperia USB Driver and an Sony Xperia Flashtool (Xperia Flash Tool), which you can easily flash Sony Xperia Z2 L50u. If you do not know how to flash the Sony Xperia Z2 L50u, you can flash Stock Rom by following the Detailed Guideline Article given below.
Sony Xperia Z2 L50u Stock Rom (Stock Firmware) Download
|Device Model
|Sony Xperia Z2 L50u
|File Name
|Android Version
|How to Flash
|Follow Tutorial
|File Size
|Firmware Link
|Download Firmware
 How To Flash Sony Xperia Z2 L50u
Step 1 :Â Firstly download Stock Firmware available from Stockflashfile.com for your Sony Xperia Z2 L50u Phone Model. Once downloaded, extract it in your computer.
Step 2 :Â Once you extract the zip package, you will also get Sony Xperia Z2 L50u Stock Firmware, USB Driver and Flash Tool of the phone and also information about how to flash Sony Xperia Z2 L50u.
Step 3 :Â If your computer does not have your phone USB drive install, then install the USB driver provided in package (leave it if it is already installed).
Step 4 :Â Now open the Xperia Flash tool and load the Firmware (FTF) from the firmware folder.
Step 5 :Â Connect your Sony Xperia Phone to your computer using USB Cable.
Step 6 : Now you have to click on Flash Button to begin flashing process.
Step 7 :Â Once Flashing Process is completed you have to disconnect your phone from computer.
Step 8 :Â If you do not have any experience with Stock Firmware (Stock Rom) Flashing then you can click on the Full Flashing button below and take a step by step about it.
Once It's Read
[Danger of data loss]*Â When you flash stock firmware in your Sony Xperia Z2 L50u, then all the data on the phone is being deleted forever, so we suggest you make a backup before flashing stock firmware (stock rom).
[Warranty]*Â Flashing your stock firmware (stock rom) in Sony Xperia Z2 L50u does not end your phone's warranty so you do not have to worry about it.
(Sony Xperia Original Firmware)*Â If you are searching the original firmware of Sony Xperia, you can download All Original Stock Firmware from Sony Xperia here.
[Help]*Â If you are having trouble Flashing Stock Rom in any of the Phones, then feel free to ask us at the Comment Box. We will help you as soon as possible.


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Search and book self-catering holiday homes around Europe online with Avander - the European holiday rentals website. Whether you plan your summer holidays at the sea or you only want to spend a long weekend at any of big European cities, Avander gives you the choice of apartments, holiday homes, villas, chalets and other holiday rentals in many popular destinations in Europe.
Enjoy your summer holidays in one of many apartments in Croatia, in a beautiful villa in Italy or in a holiday house with swimming pool in Spain. Do you plan ski holidays in Alps? Choose from a variety of apartments and chalets in all popular ski resorts in Austria, Switzerland, France or Italy. Whether it's just the two of you, a group of friends or a family trip, you can find ideal home for your holidays right here.
Searching holiday homes with Avander is quite easy and straightforward. Use combination of filters such as accommodation type, facilities, equipment or distance to the beach or ski lift, and narrow your search results exactly to your preferences.
Our goal is to offer a wide selection of holiday homes in a simple and easy-to-follow format. That is why each property detail gives you an overview, a section of photos, structured and well-arranged facilities section, location map with distances to attractions, and of course price list and availability calendar.
Renting a holiday home is a popular alternative to booking a hotel. Holiday home gives you more space, comfort, privacy and flexibility than a hotel room. You are in charge of your time, you do not follow group program or a joint timetable. You can learn more about local life, taste local cuisine and try to live like a local. Find your ideal holiday rental in comfort of your home and book online with Avander.


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|Happy Birthday, Facebook!
1. Does Facebook help us feel better by fulfilling our need for social connection? The authors of one study text-messaged people five times per day for two weeks and asked people about their Facebook use and their well-being. The more people used Facebook at one time, the worse they felt the next time they were text-messaged. In addition, over the two weeks of the study, the more people used Facebook, the more their life satisfaction decreased.


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Archive for the 'Print Server' Category
Samba – A short guide for sharing files and printers
Samba is a service in Unix like operating systems which can be used to share folders across a Windows Network. Samba is a standard service among almost all the Linux distributions.Samba can perform the following operations.
- Act as file server among Windows and Linux machines
- Act as a printer sharing service
- Act as a domain controller for a Windows network
- Act as a client under a Windows domain Read the rest of this entry »
Printer sharing using CUPS
Introduction to CUPS
CUPS is the standards-based, open source printing system for UNIX Based operating systems. CUPS stands for Common Unix Print System. It serves as the default print server for almost all the linux distributions. It consists of the following components Read the rest of this entry »


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EURUSD outlook and for the next week's expected to check the overall EURUSD trend. Main observations for EURUSD historical price.
Rise in Eurozone Employment May Strengthen Euro Next Week. EURUSD may climb The US Dollar is likely to rise next week as the US bear trend, targeting the.
chart type and compare EURUSD against other companies. 52 Week Range: April Forex Seasonality Sees USD Weakness versus AUD, GBP, and EUR.
XEs free live currency conversion chart for Euro to US Dollar allows you to pair Dollar exchange rate is the USD to EUR rate. The currency code for.
View a Indian Rupee to Euro currency exchange rate graph. EURUSD0. ; USDJPY 0. ; GBPUSD0. ; USDCHF 0. ; USDCAD0. ; EURJPY 0. Currency Forecast; Technicals; leu firming 1. 1 pct to 4. 4747 in next 12 months. USDollar Index. 100. . 0. 404. 0. 41. More. More. EURCHF Bounces Off Top of Trend the dollar obviously strengthens and the exchange rate of the EURUSD will EURGBP Outlook and Trade Idea for Next Week. Mar 27, 2017 EURUSD Attempts to Break Out of 2016Trend AUDUSD may continue to retrace the decline from the previous week as the with the next region of.
Euro Dollar Exchange Rate EURUSD Trend; Average(4) Histogram; Variance; US Jobless Claims At 5Week Low. Euro Exchange Rate News. Dollar (EURUSD) Forecast for Next Week: Will Greece Deliver Acceptable Reforms? Euro to US Dollar (EURUSD) Forecast for Next Week. EURUSD Forecast October 1014 1. Oct 15, 19: 50: EUR: No Change At Next Weeks ECB; I turn from neutral to bearish on EURUSD. The euro could be next.
EURUSD next week trend trading idea and price EURUSD next week trend trading idea and price prediction for EURO US DOLLAR (FXIDC: EURUSD. EUR to USD: This Could Spark the Next Drop More Downside for the Euro to Dollar Exchange Rate? The EUR to USD the Fed might find next weeks retail.
EURUSD Forecast, Technical Analysis The new 2017 high of 1. 0905 is the next line. EURUSD had a positive week. Get free information about EURUSD pair including EUR USD Live Rate, Trend. neutral. Volatility. 28. News. FX Week Ahead: RBA Rate Decision, FOMC Minutes.
Euro FxU. S. Dollar (EURUSD) EUR USD (Euro US Dollar) and this might be potentially a nice trade for next week.
EURUSD exchange rate. Charts, forecast, current trading positions and technical analysis on EURUSD. EURUSD exchange rate. Charts, forecast, current trading.


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Michael Spezio
Associate Professor of Psychology
|Office Address:
|Steele 118
|Office Phone:
|(909) 607-0914
Academic History
- B.S., Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University
- M.Div., Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
- Ph.D., Biochemistry, Cornell University
- Ph.D., Cognitive & Systems Neuroscience, University of Oregon
Areas of Expertise
Social neuroscience, affective neuroscience, applied cognitive neuroscience, neuroscience of autism, virtue science, and religion & science.
Personal Interests
- Social neuroscience, which seeks to understand how the brain contributes to understanding other people. Social neuroscientific investigation of empathy, political decision-making, moral action, compassion, and contemplative practice. Understanding autism. Applications of eyetracking, fMRI and dEEG to understand the link between mental and neural processes.
- Transdisciplinary approaches to complex problems such as human moral action, human freedom, and religious experience.
Selected Research and Publications
- Gazzola, Valeria*, Michael L. Spezio*, Joset A. Etzel, Fulvia Castelli, Ralph Adolphs, & Christian Keysers, "Primary Somatosensory Cortex Discriminates Emotional Significance in Social Touch," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109(2012)E1657–E1666. (* = shared first authorship)
- Spezio, Michael L., Laura Loesch, Frederic Gosselin, Kyle Mattes, & R. Michael Alvarez, "Thin-Slice Decisions Do Not Need Faces to be Predictive of Election Outcomes," Political Psychology 33(2012)331-341.
- Reimer, Kevin S., Christina Young, Brandon Birath, Michael L. Spezio, Gregory Peterson, James Van Slyke, and Warren S. Brown, "Maturity is Explicit: Self-Importance of Traits in Humanitarian Moral Identity," Journal of Positive Psychology 7(2012)36-44.
- Reimer, Kevin S., Michael L. Spezio, Warren S. Brown, James van Slyke, Gregory R. Peterson, Kristen R. Monroe, "Virtuous Courage: New Methods for the Interdisciplinary Study of Virtue," in Science, Ethics, and Politics: Conversations and Investigations, Kristen R. Monroe, Ed., Paradigm Press, 70-85.
- Joseph Tao-yi Wang, Michael L. Spezio, & Colin Camerer, "Pinocchio's Pupil: Using Eyetracking and Pupil Dilation To Understand Truth-telling and Deception in Sender-Receiver Games," American Economic Review 100(2010)984-1007.
- Mattes, Kyle, Michael Spezio, Hackjin Kim, Alexander Todorov, Ralph Adolphs, & R. Michael Alvarez, "Predicting election outcomes from positive and negative trait assessments of candidate images," Political Psychology 31(2010)41-58.
- Adolphs, Ralph & Michael Spezio, "Social Cognition," in The Handbook of Neuroscience for the Behavioral Sciences, Volume 2, G. G. Bernston & J. T. Cacioppo, Eds. (New York: Wiley and Sons, 2009), p. 923-939.
- Spezio, M. L. & Ralph Adolphs, "Emotion, Cognition, & Belief: Findings from Cognitive Neuroscience," in Delusion and Self-Deception: Affective and Motivational Influences on Belief Formation, T. Bayne & J. Fernandez, Eds. (New York, NY: Psychology Press, 2009)87-105.
- Spezio, M. L.*, A. Rangel*, R. M. Alvarez, J. P. O'Doherty, K. Mattes, A. Todorov, H. Kim, & R. Adolphs, "A neural basis for the effect of candidate appearance on election outcomes," Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 3(2008)344-352. (* = shared first authorship)
- Adolphs, R., M. L. Spezio, M. Parlier, & J. Piven, "Distinct Face-Processing Strategies in Parents of Autistic Children," Current Biology 18(2008)1090-1093.
- Spezio, M. L., P.-Y. Huang, F. Castelli, & R. Adolphs, "Amygdala Damage Impairs Eye Contact During Conversations with Real People," J Neurosci 27(2007)3994-3997.
- Spezio, M. L., R. E. Hurley, J. Piven, & R. Adolphs, "Abnormal Use of Facial Information in High Functioning Autism," J Autism and Developmental Disorders 37(2007)929-939.
- Spezio, Michael L. and Ralph Adolphs, "Politics and the Evolving Neuroscience Literature," in The Affect Effect: Dynamics of Emotion in Political Thinking and Behavior, W. Russell Neuman, George E. Marcus, Ann Crigler, and Michael MacKuen, Eds. (Chicago: University of Chicago, 2007)71-95.
- Spezio, Michael L., Ralph Adolphs, Robert S. E. Hurley, and Joseph Piven, "Analysis of Face Gaze in Autism Using 'Bubbles', Neuropsychologia, 45(2007)144-151.
- Spezio, Michael L. and Ralph Adolphs, "The Neural Basis of Affective and Social Behavior," in The Handbook of Psychophysiology (3rd Edition), John Cacioppo, Ed., (Cambridge: Cambridge University, 2007), 540-554.
- Neumann, Dirk, Michael L. Spezio, Joseph Piven, & Ralph Adolphs, "Looking You In the Mouth: Abnormal Gaze in Autism Resulting from Impaired Top-Down Modulation of Visual Attention," Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience 1(2006)194-202.
- Adolphs, R. & M. L. Spezio, "Role of the Amygdala in Processing Visual Social Stimuli," Progress in Brain Research 156(2006)363-378. (* denotes shared first authorship)
- Spezio, Michael L., "Relating Political Theory and Virtue Science: A Reflection on Human Dignity, Empathy, and the Capabilities Approach," in Theology and the Science of Moral Action: Virtue Ethics, Exemplarity, and Cognitive Neuroscience, Routledge, 2012.
- Van Slyke, James A., Gregory R. Peterson, Warren S. Brown, Michael L. Spezio, & Kevin S. Reimer, Theology and the Science of Moral Action: Virtue Ethics, Exemplarity, and Cognitive Neuroscience, Routledge, 2012.
- Spezio, Michael L., "The Cognitive Sciences: A Brief Introduction for Science & Religion," in J. Haag, G. Peterson, & M. L. Spezio, Eds., The Routledge Companion to Science and Religion, Routledge, 2012.
- Haag, James, Michael L. Spezio, and Gregory R. Peterson, Co-Editors, The Routledge Companion to Science and Religion, Routledge, 2012.
- Spezio, Michael L., "Human or Vulcan?: Theological Consideration of Emotional Control Enhancement," in Transhumanism and Transcendence: Christian Hope in and Age of Technological Enhancement, Ron Cole-Turner, Ed., Georgetown University Press, 2011, pp. 146-162.
- Spezio, Michael L., "The Neuroscience of Emotion & Reasoning in Social Contexts: Implications for Moral Theology," Modern Theology 27(2011)339-356.
- Peterson, Gregory R., James van Slyke, Michael L. Spezio, Kevin Reimer, Warren Brown, "The Rationality of Ultimate Concern: Moral Exemplars, Theological Ethics, and the Science of Moral Cognition," Theology & Science 8(2010)139-161.
- Spezio, Michael L., "Interiority and Purpose: Emerging Points of Contact for Theology and the Neurosciences," invited Editorial, Theology & Science 7(2009)119-121.
- Spezio, Michael L., "Rationality and Interpreted Experience: The Efficacy of Phenomenal Consciousness," in The Evolution of Rationality: A Festschrift in Honor of J. Wentzel van Huyssteen, Eerdmans, 2006.
- Spezio, Michael L., "Narrative in Holistic Healing: Empathy, Sympathy, & Simulation Theory," in Spiritual Transformation and Healing, Joan D. Koss and Philip Hefner, Eds., Altamira Press, 2006, pp. 206-222.
- Spezio, Michael L. "Brain and Machine: Minding the Transhuman Future," Dialog 44(2005)375.
- Spezio, Michael L., "Freedom in the Body: the Physical, the Causal and the Possibility of Choice," Zygon 39(2004)577-590.
Awards and Honors
Love, Compassion, and Care: Virtue Science and Exemplarity in Real Life and in the Laboratory 5/13 — 4/15
($1.27 million)
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Institution: The John Templeton Foundation
Compassion and Christian Contemplative Practice: 1/11 — 12/12
Toward Interdisciplinary Research Involving Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience ($50,000)
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Institution: The Fetzer Institute
Project Title: Major Research Instrumentation Grant: Acquisition of a High-Density Electrophysiology Laboratory for Intercollegiate Research and Training in Cognitive Neuroscience ($420,000)
Role: Co-Principal Investigator
Institution: The National Science Foundation (NSF)
Tools for Recognizing Useful Signals of Trustworthiness (TRUST) ($839,000) 8/11 — 7/12
Project Title: Protocols for the Analysis of Interpersonal Trust
Role: Director of the Dyadic Interactional Electroencephalography Component
Institution: Air Force Research Laboratories, Dayton, OH
(P.I.: Ralph Adolphs)
Project Title: Towards an endophenotype for amygdala dysfunction
Role: Co-Investigator
Institution: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIH/NIMH)
R01 MH077843-01A1 7/07 – 6/12
(P.I.: Joseph Piven)
Project Title: Neural circuitry of social cognition in the broad autism phenotype
Role: Co-Investigator
Institution: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIH/NIMH)
Science and Transcendence Advanced Research Series Award (Renewal Grant, $200,000) 1/09 — 8/11
Project Title: The Rationality of Ultimate Value: Philosophical and Neuroscientific Investigations Toward a Science of Virtue
Role: Co-Investigator
Institution: Center for Theology & the Natural Sciences
- 2010-2013. National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) grant for dense array EEG. Co-Principal Investigator. (with Alan Hartley, David Moore, Cathy Reed, and Stacey Wood)
- 2010-2011. Transdisciplinary Approaches to the Science of Christian Contemplative Practice, Fetzer Institute. Co-Principal Investigator. (with Andrew Dreitcer and Frank Rogers)
- 2009-2011. Science and Transcendence Advanced Research Series Grant, Center for Theology & the Natural Sciences. Co-Investigator. (with Warren Brown, Greg Peterson, Kevin S. Reimer, and James Van Slyke)
- 2007-2008 Science and Transcendence Advanced Research Series Grant, The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (with Warren Brown, Gregory Peterson, Kevin Reimer, and James van Slyke)
- 2007-2008 BLAIS Fund Award, Claremont Graduate University (with Paul J. Zak)
- 2005-2006 Varela Award, Mind and Life Institute
- 04/03-04/04 National Research Service Award, National Institute of Mental Health
- 07/98-11/01 National Institutes of Health Training Grant in Systems Neuroscience
- 2000 Center for Theology and the National Sciences Science & Religion Course Prize
- 1990 Graduate Teaching Fellow Award, Cornell University
Prof. Spezio is a social neuroscientist whose research focuses on emotion, empathy, moral action, contemplative practice, and the development of mindfulness and virtue. In addition to experimental work, his interdisciplinary research includes philosophy of mind, moral philosophy and ethics, religious studies, and theology. He has been on the Scripps College faculty since 2007 and is currently visiting faculty at Caltech in affective and social neuroscience. He is co-editor of the 2011 Routledge Companion to Religion and Science and of the 2012 Theology and the Science of Moral Action, also from Routledge.
Courses Taught
- Research Methods & Design (Psyc104/104L)
- Cognitive Psychology + Lab (Psyc120/120L)
- Cognitive Neuroscience + Lab (Psyc123/123L)
- Social Neuroscience (Psyc129)
- Emotion (Psyc130)


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A lot of the albums that I've given the "essential" label represent a sound that's proven to be influential and innovative, so that knowing their place within alternative music is important for the sake of understanding the genre. By this definition Kill the Moonlight by Spoon doesn't fit in with the category because it didn't change much of anything; but it's still a must-listen album because of how easily lovable it is and it's role of representation for a band that doesn't get enough love in my opinion. Metacritic named Spoon the top artist of the 2000's because of how consistently great their records were, and I still firmly believe that Britt Daniel has the coolest voice that you'll find in the genre, but Spoon is rarely mentioned among the elite alt-rock bands from the past decade for some reason. That's why Kill The Moonlight is extremely important, within a terrific discography this is the album that has an iconic claim to it and will likely define the career in the future of a band who deserves to be remembered.
Continue reading Essential Albums: Spoon- Kill the Moonlight


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Product 181/247
Made of wood, our Nature Bake wooden baking molds offer you the option of baking and serving your culinary creations in one beautiful piece. From the table to the oven, charmingly quaint and rustic, they are perfect for both sweet and savory recipes, a great way to show a homemade touch. All our wooden molds are 100% natural and sewn with natural fiber. PacknWood is a well-established French manufacturer that specializes in the design and elegant disposable food packaging. PacknWood offers the largest selection of plates, skewers, mini dishes, bake ware, serving-ware which are made from the most unique and natural materials: Bamboo, Wood, Palm Leaf, Sugar Cane and Cornstarch all with a French touch to the design and presentation.
PacknWood Wooden Baking Mold Baking Liner Included 30 oz. Capacity (Case of 100) B0084X5TE2


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Ally Financial Inc., the auto lender rescued by the U.S. government during the 2008 financial crisis, is helping the Treasury Department divest its stake by seeking as much as $2.7 billion in an initial public offering.
Treasury plans to pare its holding to 17 percent by selling 95 million shares for $25 to $28 apiece, according to a regulatory filing today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The government currently owns 37 percent of the Detroit-based company, a former subsidiary of General Motors Co.
"Over our 90-year history, we have successfully differentiated ourselves from our competition by providing premium services for automotive dealers," Ally said in the filing. "We have multigenerational relationships with many of our dealers and have been a trusted partner through various economic cycles."
The IPO is the culmination of a more than three-year process for Ally, which originally filed to go public in March 2011. The company, which provides car loans, bank accounts and other savings products, shelved the plan in June of that year until equity markets improved. Chief Executive Officer Michael Carpenter later said the bank had to resolve problems with its mortgage unit before restarting the process. The company's money-losing mortgage business entered bankruptcy in May 2012 and got court approval to end the process in December.
The U.S. stake in Ally, which was reduced in November to 64 percent from 74 percent, was cut to 37 percent in January when the government sold about $3 billion of common stock to private investors.
Third Point LLC, the hedge-fund firm led by billionaire Daniel Loeb, said in January that it amassed a 9.5 percent stake, making it one of Ally's largest shareholders. Affiliates of Cerberus Capital Management LP own 8.6 percent, according to today's filing.
Citigroup Inc., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Morgan Stanley and Barclays Plc are leading the IPO. Ally plans to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ALLY.
Ally, known as GMAC when it was the finance arm of GM, won Federal Reserve approval to become a bank holding company in December 2008. The change enabled it to tap a U.S. rescue that swelled to $17.2 billion. Treasury said in a statement that it has recouped $15.3 billion of that sum, not counting the IPO.
In all, as much as $12.8 trillion was spent, lent or committed to bolster financial firms and automakers in the crisis. Lenders including Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase & Co. took rescue funds that were repaid with interest in 2009. The U.S. wound down its $182.3 billion rescue of insurer American International Group Inc. through a series of share sales that ended in 2012.


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Flipboard is an extremely popular news reading app for smartphones and tablets running on the iOS and Android Operating Systems. Flipboard was originally designed for the iPad, which was later updated to add support for the iPhone and iPod Touch followed by Android smartphones and tablets. Flipboard is one of those apps which I've been using almost everyday on my iPad.
Flipboard recently released the version 2.0 of this amazing app. The new Flipboard allows you to collect and save articles, photos, audio and video by organizing them into beautiful magazines. You heard it right! Now you can even create you own digital magazines on Flipboard. These magazines can be made public to share them with the Flipboard community or you can choose to make your magazines private.
What's new in Flipboard 2.0?
- You can now collect and save content into your own magazines, tap the new "+" button to get started.
- Your magazines are public, but can be made private (viewable only to you).
- Use the new bookmarklet to add items to your magazines from your browser.
- Get Flipboard notifications when people like, comment or subscribe to your magazines.
- Easily email or share magazines to Facebook, Twitter, G+, etc.
- Personalized recommendations for more to add to your Flipboard.
- Search is now front and center on your Flipboard, with new and improved results.
- Faster page-loading and faster flipping performance.
Flipboard 2.0 has also introduced a new commenting system which allows you to comments on articles and even use @mentions to interact with other Flipboard users. Apart from that, Flipboard also brings new "Flip It" bookmarklet which lets you flip the current page on Flipboard. This update is currently available only for iPad and iPhone users. Android users might have to wait for few weeks before getting their hands-on these amazing new features.


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UNDP and UNOSAT join forces to leverage the power of satellite imagery analysis in support of crisis managementOct 10, 2017
Geneva – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Operational Satellite Application Programme (UNOSAT) of the United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) will strengthen collaboration for the integration of geospatial technology in support of emergency and crisis response after signing a new set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) earlier today.
UNOSAT and UNDP will cooperate in the areas of early warning and preparedness, risk assessments and recovery planning at country level. UNOSAT will serve as privileged point of contact in the UN system to ensure UNDP has a streamlined access to satellite-based analyses, and also to special assessments from UNOSAT, including support towards the Global Cluster for Early Recovery, development of Post-Disaster Needs Assessments (PDNA), and Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessments (RBPA). Deployment of UNOSAT expertise in the field and access to UNOSAT training and capacity development courses and tools are also covered under these SOPs."Following the positive piloting of our collaboration, the SOPs will improve UNDP's operational capacity to use satellite mapping analysis and become more effective in all phases of the crisis cycle" said Bruno Lemarquis UNDP Crisis Response Unit Director a.i. "The poorest and most vulnerable are disproportionately affected by crises, the SOPs will ensure that our UNOSAT expertise reaches all UNDP country offices, furthering our efforts in reaching the furthest first and leaving no one behind", said UNITAR Executive Director Nikhil Seth.Contact information
UNDP: Jahal de Meritens, Tel.: +41 22 917 8704, or at email@example.com
UNOSAT: Einar Bjorgo, Tel.: +41 22 767 4020, or at email@example.com


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'Loser Dance': The Harlem Shake With Chinese Characteristics
The Harlem Shake has arrived in China.
Unlike the Gangnam Style parody phenomenon of 2012, which seemed to really gain traction in China only after it had already laid waste to the rest of the global Internet, the latest viral music video craze has managed to catch on with the world's largest population of Internet users not long after conquering banned-in-China YouTube.
The Harlem Shake – or Halin Yao, as it's known in Mandarin – is based on an electronic dance track of the same name by Brooklyn-based producer Baauer. Each roughly 30-second video begins with a single person dancing alone to the music (typically wearing a helmet) while others in the room sit idly by. Then the bass line drops, the video cuts and suddenly everyone in the room is convulsing, shimmying or thrusting suggestively, often with the help of props.
Cultural critics have attributed the success of the meme, which has nothing to do with the original Harlem Shake (a dance born New York in the 1980s and popularized in the early 2000s), to its being short, catchy, and easy to produce and customize.
The formulaic simplicity of producing a Harlem Shake video has obvious appeal in a country that, by its own admission, struggles with creativity. But the meme also appears to have tapped into China's diaosi (or loser) mentality – a self-effacing rejection of rigid social norms and expectations that has caught on among Chinese youth in recent years.
One of the more popular Chinese takes on the Harlem Shake, produced by employees of Shanghai-based online men's magazine Neonan, has been widely advertised on Sina Corp.'s Weibo microblogging platform as the work of "insane losers." Many have simply taken to calling the Harlem Shake the "loser dance."
That's not to say slacker twenty-somethings have a monopoly on the genre. In this version, two grannies get in on the act:
A number of critics have suggested the Harlem Shake meme might already be dead in the U.S., though China could very well inject some new life into it. Searches reveal more than a dozen Chinese Harlem Shake videos so far, including this one filmed in a pharmacy.
For those who prefer to get all their shaking in one place, here's a compilation:
-- Josh Chin. Follow him on Twitter @joshchin
Like China Real Time on Facebook and follow us Twitter for the latest updates.
Related: Internet a Buzz With the 'Harlem Shake'


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Suegra knows I've been trying to avoid junk food and now she is trying to sabotage me.
Yesterday she came home with this…
She smiled wickedly, held the box under my nose and said in a sing-song voice like you hear from the street vendors throughout Latin America, "Traigo donas, por los que les gusten…"
It seems like a kind gesture, but don't be fooled, gente.
I am not eating one.


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With little more than a month to go before the inaugural Thunder On The Mountain, preparations are heating up at Mulberry Mountain in anticipation of the nation's premier Country Music and Camping Festival. The lineup features headliners Toby Keith, Luke Bryan, and Big & Rich, along with Thompson Square, Montgomery Gentry, Gretchen Wilson, Justin Moore, Easton Corbin, Shooter Jennings and so many more. Tickets are moving quickly but there are still multiple options available, including the luxurious VIP packages and hotel program, so be sure to grab your event passes and lodging soon! Cowboy rockstars Big & Rich will be getting the party started early on Thursday night, June 6th so strap on your spurs and dig in for an action packed weekend of great music, food, and adventure. Newly crowned ACM Entertainer of the Year, Luke Bryan, will headline Friday night's performances on the Main Stage and, as he puts it in his 2012 single of the year, you "won't want this night to end". Make sure to have your Red Solo Cup at the ready for Saturday night's knockout show by America's favorite superstar, Toby Keith. Saddle up for some fun on the mountain!Thunder on the Mountain features one of the greatest Red Dirt lineups in the country including: Shooter Jennings, Randy Rogers Band, Casey Donahew Band, Josh Abbott Band, Stoney LaRue, Pat Green, Kevin Fowler, Bleu Edmonson, Brandon Jenkins, Cody Canada and the Departed and Roger Creager. Thompson Square, ACM's vocal duo of the year, and riding high with their hit "If I Didn't Have You" at #2 on country radio, is lined up to deliver one of the best performances of the weekend. Also make sure to be on hand for a guaranteed stellar performance by Easton Corbin, the first male country artist in nearly 20 years to have his first two singles go straight to #1 on the ACM charts. His new album, All Over the Road, is rapidly rising in rank with hits "Lovin' You Is Fun" and "All Over the Road." In between gettin' down to your favorite musicians, take some time to enjoy the abundance of activities available on-site at Thunder on the Mountain and the beauty of the Ozarks. Brand new activities include canoe, kayak, raft, and tube rentals from BYRD'S Adventure Center. Take your free shuttle to drop off points at either 3.5 or 7.5 miles and relax and enjoy a peaceful float down the scenic Mulberry River. Other featured activities include hiking the Ozark National Forest, fishing, swimming, a giant water slide and the ferris wheel. Looking for an adrenaline rush? Check out BYRD's 4x4 adventure packages for all kinds of offroad excitement! Still need a ticket? Treat yourself to the exclusive Thunder on the Mountain luxury program by considering a VIP event pass or hotel package. Hotel packages mean you will wake up in your own bed, enjoy a hot shower and a free breakfast, and jump on the Hotel Hopper shuttle to bring you to and from the festival grounds at beautiful Mulberry Mountain. All hotels are located a short drive away in Van Buren, AR, and will be available in three tiers, offering a variety of quality, value, and affordability with packages for 3 or 4 night stays. VIP at Thunder is an all-inclusive package complete with shaded VIP camping, front row seating, meals, discounted beverages, hot showers, friendly staff and more. Patrons can can also chose reserved seating packages, where guests can be comfortable and convenient in front of the Main Stage. Upgrades are also available, contact Pipeline Ticketing at (785)749-3434, 10am-6pm central, to upgrade your GA tickets to VIP today! For all ticketing information visit the official website at: www.thunderonthemountain.com.
Countdown Is On For Thunder On The Mountain Country Music Festival
Progressive jam giants Umphrey's McGee's return to Las Vegas for the seventh installment of the massively popular UMBowl production was marked once again by a stand-out tour closing dual evening extravaganza where all stops were pulled out and the power given directly to the fans, for better or for worse.
On June 24, Round Records & ATO Records will release GarciaLive Volume Six: July 5, 1973 – Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders, the latest installment of the celebrated GarciaLive archival series. The three-CD set was recorded at the 200 capacity Lion's Share club formerly located in the small town of San Anselmo, CA, just 20 miles north of San Francisco. The performance features Jerry Garcia performing with friend, mentor and legendary keyboardist/vocalist Merl Saunders. The duo is joined by drummer Bill Vitt and bassist John Kahn, who soon became a lifelong Garcia collaborator.
Progressive jam giants Umphrey's McGee's return to Las Vegas for the seventh installment of the massively popular UMBowl production was marked once again by a stand-out tour closing dual evening extravaganza where all stops were pulled out and the power given directly to the fans, for better or for worse.


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Near the end of his latest hilarious HBO stand-up special, in which he irreverently deconstructed his childhood "Noah's Ark" storybook, Ricky Gervais turned almost serious and offered what we'll take as his philosophy of comedy.
"I think a comedian should take you to places you haven't been before, otherwise you could do it yourself," he said. "There's enough anodyne comedy out there... obvious stuff that doesn't make any difference at all."
Gervais also made clear that he has no patience for "this spate of comedians saying, 'sorry' when they go too far."
We'll keep his two-pronged approach – avoiding the obvious and saying what you think, damn the consequences – in mind this weekend as we prepare for a welcome double-dose of the Gervais wit, in a couple of very different forums.
"The Ricky Gervais Show" – an animated show in which he and writing partner Stephen Merchant banter with pal Karl Pilkington, a purveyor of bizarre theories – returns for a second season on HBO Friday.
Getting much more publicity, of course, is Gervais' latest – and, sadly, last – stint as host of the Golden Globes on NBC Sunday.
Finding laughs in less-than-obvious places worked for Gervais in his original, UK version of "The Office," the show that made him a major comedy force. Instead of writing the usual mindless guffaw-a-minute sitcom, Gervais and Merchant employed the humor of the uncomfortable to wrench uneasy laughs out of a too-close-to-home, soul-crushing workplace.
He and Merchant found a different kind of humor in an even more unlikely source in Pilkington, a radio producer who believes "The Flinstones" is rooted in historical fact and who has an odd fascination with monkeys. Gervais and Merchant pick apart Pilkington's detailed ramblings, laughing more at him than with him, though he's seemingly confident enough in his strange beliefs not to care that he's the joke.
The no-apologies Gervais was on display in "Extras," his and Merchants' brilliant attack on shallow celebrity culture and fame, bringing in stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Kate Winslet and Ian McKellen to play obnoxious versions of themselves. The series ended with Gervais' sell-out actor character fleeing a Reality TV show for has-beens.
Gervais' smart and fearless humor made last year's Golden Globes the most entertaining awards show in recent memory, as he targeted Mel Gibson's drinking (he went easy on him knowing what we know now) and even hurled a divorce joke at a seeming sacred (tofu) cow like Paul McCartney.
We're looking forward to more unabashed puncturing of pretensions Sunday night, whether the celebs are in on the joke or not.
In the meantime, as we await a weekend of laughs, courtesy of Gervais, here are some final serious words about the state of humor from his HBO special:
"There's also a witch-hunt at the moment with people saying, 'Oh, is there anything we shouldn't make a joke about?'
"No – there's nothing you shouldn't joke about. It depends what the joke is....
"Comedy comes from a good or a bad place. It's up to you to decide what that is."
U.S. & World
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, Miltie-media NY City News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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When I consider every thing that grows
Holds in perfection but a little moment,
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky,
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wasteful Time debateth with decay
To change your day of youth to sullied night,
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.
Sonnet 15: Translation to modern English
When I consider that every living thing holds its state of perfection for only a brief moment; that this huge stage, the world, presents only sham performances, which the stars secretly influence; when I realise that men grow like plants, encouraged and inhibited by the same weather, show off when flushed with youthful sap, then declining when full grown, wearing away until their youth has been forgotten; then the consideration of this short, unpredictable life makes me see you as rich in youth in the face of the plans of Time and Decay to change your day of youth to dingy night. And, at war with Time because of my love for you, as he's taking from you I'm renewing you in my poetry.


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Whenever my sisters and I get together, the subject of casseroles always come up. There are five of us, and I imagine trying to feed us on a budget was no easy task. My mother's answer was cost-effective casseroles.
I remember when dinner was what my mother chose to make.
We would sit as a family and eat whatever she prepared without complaint. We did not nag her about our preferences, or refuse what was put before us. And trust me, many times I would have liked to. We might have snuck off to the bathroom to spit something in the toilet, but those times were saved for dire circumstances such as the dreaded salmon and peas. Too many trips to the bathroom during dinner was a red flag.
Whenever my sisters and I get together, the subject of casseroles always come up. There are five of us, and I imagine trying to feed us on a budget was no easy task. My mother's answer was cost-effective casseroles.
She had many recipes, like the above-mentioned salmon and peas. The mere mention of it brings a shiver down my spine. It was, like many of her dishes, based on a basic white sauce. Besides the canned salmon and frozen peas (at least they weren't canned), I cannot say what was in it. This concoction was served over saltine crackers.
Another casserole that my oldest three sisters particularly despised was another white sauce base; the main ingredient was hard boiled eggs. It actually sounds much worse than it was, at least to my recollection. Perhaps I have just been able to block it out.
But things were different back then. Kids were not indulged like they are today. I don't remember my mother ever asking me what I wanted for dinner.
I am sure I am not alone when I admit that I ask this very question on most nights. And I bet I am also not alone when I say that I often fill these requests like a short order cook. One child might get pizza while the other has chicken nuggets. My husband and I will have an entirely different meal.
I am not sure how this happened to become a regular occurrence. It is absurd, and I am totally against it. But it is easy. I should be ashamed of that answer. I am a little. I suppose I have grown tired of arguing with Kyle to eat something I know he will just gag on and end up cleaning up a very unpleasant mess. If people would just eat what I cook and appreciate my talent I would cook elaborate meals every night.
So how did children become so over indulged? My kids go out to eat so often that they grow weary of it. They may say they aren't in the mood for a particular restaurant we choose.
Growing up, I went out to eat once a year, on my birthday. It was a special occasion, and I always went to the same place and ordered the same thing. I chose The Village in Portland, Maine, and ordered fried clams.
The fact that I can remember the few other times we went out to eat goes to show that it was a rare occurrence.
Strangely enough, all of my sisters grew up to have sophisticated palates.
So does overindulging the kids make them worldlier? Will they grow up to have exquisite taste or will they turn from their upbringing and feed their own children casseroles?Maybe it skips a generation.


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Ellen DeGeneres has at least one fan on the "American Idol" panel of judges she plans to join this year, fellow talent evaluator Kara DioGuardi.
"I think it's a genius decision," DioGuardi told People magazine. "I wish I had thought of it."
DioGuardi said she's watched DeGeneres' talk show and believes the newest judge will be fair, but sympathetic. She also predicted DeGeneres will bring harmony to the show, a departure from the tension her predecessor, Paula Abdul, sometimes had with Simon Cowell.
U.S. & World
"Ellen will get along with everyone 100%," she said. "I was on her show once and she's lovely, generous, very kind. I think it's going to be great."
Get more: People


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Cal-Cruz Hatcheries – Act Now
This documented case of animal abuse at Cal-Cruz Hatcheries is not an isolated incident. Rather, animal cruelty is standard in the meat-, egg-, and dairy industries, and the most effective step each of us can take to help stop it is to simply leave animals off our plates.
You can help animals like those abused at Cal-Cruz Hatcheries:
- TryVeg.com: Request a free Vegetarian Starter Guide for yourself or a friend
- Reach out to others: Share this investigation with a friend
- Choose compassion: Check out these chicken-free products and recipes.
- Support Our Work: Our ability to expose animal abuse and empower others to choose compassion at every meal is only made possible by the generosity of our supporters. Your donation today will help us build a kinder tomorrow.


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This is the governing body for certification in Disciplined Agile.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Agile transformation is hard because cultural change is hard. It's not one problem that needs to be solved, but a series of hundreds decisions affecting lots of people over a long period of time that affects relationships, processes, and even the state of mind of those working within the change. Disciplined Agile (DA) is unlike any other framework, because it's based on empiricism, industry data and adoption of proven practices. The result is a huge wealth of structured information that allows you to map your challenges into a tree structure of proven strategies that other people have found to work in practice. In effect you can apply the DA framework to identify process improvements that reflect the actual situations faced by your teams.
Disciplined Agile (DA) is an IT process decision framework for delivering sophisticated agile solutions in the enterprise. It builds on the existing proven practices from agile methods such as Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), Lean software development, Kanban, Unified Process, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Agile Modeling and others to include other aspects necessary for success in the enterprise. Discipline Agile (DA) fills in the gaps left by mainstream methods by providing guidance on how to effectively plan and kickstart complex projects as well as how to apply a full lifecycle approach, with lightweight milestones, effective metrics, and agile governance.
This two day workshop is not technical and is suitable for all team members. Many group exercises reinforce the principles learned. The workshop is also valuable for management tasked with moving from traditional approaches to agile.
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2013 WBC Group A Preview
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Friday, February 9th, 2013
Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): Follow @RJA206
With the World Baseball Classic starting not too long from now, it's time to preview all of the teams and their individual superstars. Group A is perhaps the most talented division. Japan, China, Cuba, and Brazil will make up the structure of Group A, which will begin play in Fukuoka, Japan on March 2nd. This division appears to be one of the strongest and definitely one of the most interesting.
2009 WBC Highlights from the final – Japan vs Korea:
Japan: The Japan team is quite possibly the team with the best chance to challenge the United States. Despite having players like Ichiro Suzuki and Hiroki Kuroda unwilling to participate, Japan still has a talented roster featuring players from the NPB. Kenta Maeda, a 24-Year-Old Right-Handed Pitcher for Hiroshima, will be one of the leaders on the Japanese pitching staff. Hayato Sakamoto, who hit .311/.359/.456 with 14 HRs for Yomiuri in 2012, will anchor the team's Infield. Sakamoto could be a player that could be wearing a MLB jersey in a couple of years.
There is a very good chance that Japan will end up playing for the Championship. It is definitely a bummer that Suzuki, Kuroda, Yu Darvish, Hisashi Iwakuma, and Norichika Aoki will not be playing for Japan. Between these five guys alone, they total six WBC appearances. Having five of their country's top players refuse to play has to be confusing for the other Japanese players. On the other hand, it will give the other players a chance to shine in the international spotlight. Japan will be a difficult team for any country in the world, let alone this division, to beat this year.
Baseball is slowly growing in China. Thanks to people like Art Howe, this year's hitting coach for China in the WBC, players in China are getting more and more opportunities to learn the nuances of the game from some of the best coaches in the world. In fact, the China coaching staff this year features Bruce Hurst and John McLaren as well. Even though China only has one player with Major League experience on their roster, China could put up a fight to possibly become the second team to advance from this division.
Bruce Chen, a 14-year MLB veteran, will chief the China pitching staff. Chen doesn't have a dominating arsenal of pitches, but he has the command to be a pretty dominant pitcher, especially when facing younger, less experienced hitters. China should be thrilled that Chen decided to come play for them. Aside from Chen, the China roster also features Wei Wang and Haifan Yang. Wang, who previously played in the Mariners farm system, is a catcher who has played in the 2006 WBC, but he missed the 2009 WBC due to a torn ACL. Wang will look to provide the Chinese team with power and veteran game calling from behind the plate. Yang is the youngest players on the Chinese roster, actually in the entire WBC as well, but he might be the most projectable young Chinese arm.
People should try not to overlook the Chinese team this year. With Bruce Chen guiding pitchers like Yang and Wei Wang hitting for power in the middle of the lineup, China will put up a good fight against any of the teams they face.
Imagine this. Cuba faces the USA in the WBC Championship. An Outfield of Yoenis Cespedes, Leonys Martin, and Dayan Viciedo faces the USA outfield including Ryan Braun, Giancarlo Stanton, and Adam Jones. Unfortunately, this won't be possible because they now place in the U.S. Nonetheless, Cuba still has a couple of players that have the talent to be in the Majors in the coming years.
Yulieski Gourriel has been around for a very long time. A Third Baseman – who can play Second and Shortstop as well, Gourriel was All-WBC in 2006. It is surprising that he never defected from Cuba and came to play in the USA. However, perhaps that shows his loyalty to his country and provides us with a reminder that for some people, their ultimate goal in life is not to play in the Majors. Jose Abreu, 25, is quite possibly one of the best hitters on the face of the planet. He has never left Cuba, but the powerful First Baseman has drawn comparisons to Ryan Howard and Barry Bonds. While it's a shame we won't see Abreu in the Majors in 2013, the WBC will be a great chance for the rest of the world to see just how much of a monster Abreu is.
Cuba should be favored to advance to the next stage from Group A. In fact, they probably should be favored to take down the dominant Japanese team. For what they lack in pitching, Cuba makes up for in power. Look for the Cuban team to play in many high-scoring games.
I was wrong in doubting Brazil prior to the WBC Qualifiers. Yan Gomes led his fellow Brazilians, against all odds, to the point where they are now. However, Yan Gomes has decided to step out of the WBC to focus on training for the upcoming MLB season. Now, the fate of the Brazil team will lie in the hands of Manager Barry Larkin. Larkin will have to find a way to get the most out of players like White Sox prospect Andre Rienzo. Even though Brazil has proven a lot to get to this point, the chances of them advancing past this point are slim to none.
"Group A of the World Baseball Classic is very talented. The chances of one of these teams ending up playing for a championship are very likely. Between Cuba's powerful hitters, Japan's young pitching, China's outstanding coaching staff, and Brazil's first year in the WBC, it would be impossible for this group not to provide everyone with many memories. At this point, if I had to choose which top two teams I believe will advance, I'd have to go with Cuba and Japan."
(*The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com*)
Today's feature was prepared by our Baseball Writer Sam Evans. We highly encourage you to leave your comments and feedback at the bottom of the page and share in the discussion with our readers. You can also follow Sam on Twitter Follow @RJA206
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Posted on February 10, 2013, in The Rest: Everything Baseball, World Baseball Classic and tagged barry larkin wbc, brazil, Brazil WBC, bruce chen, bruce chen wbc, china, china wbc, cuba, cuba wbc, haifan yang, japan, japan wbc, jose abreu cuba, jose abreu wbc, Wei wang wbc, world baseball classic, yan gomes, yulieski gourriel. Bookmark the permalink. Comments Off on 2013 WBC Group A Preview.


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HELSINKI (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless will begin selling Nokia's new Lumia smartphones this autumn, helping the Finnish company to fight back against Apple and Samsung in the United States
The Nokia Lumia 822, which will run on Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 software, will include an 8 megapixel camera and allow for wireless charging, Nokia said on Monday. No details on pricing or exact sale dates were available.
AT&T will start selling Nokia's high-end Lumia 820 and 920 phones in early November.
Once the world's biggest mobile phone maker, the Finnish company has fallen far behind in the lucrative smartphone market, where Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy models dominate. The new Lumia line is key to Nokia's hopes for recovery.
With its cash reserves falling, analysts have said that Nokia needs to show a turnaround in the next several months if it is to survive.
Microsoft is due to unveil its Windows Phone 8 software later on Monday.
Reporting by Helsinki Newsroom; Editing by David Goodman


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If you are planning to have a concrete swimming pool designed and built in your garden at your dream home in Crete, another part of Greece or Cyprus then this page is for you.
Based on experiences - mainly in Crete, the general advice would be that you will need to consider the key question: Is the expense to build a swimming pool worth it? You need to weigh up the running costs versus how much of the time the pool will be utilised.
To build an outdoor swimming pool in a private Greek land plot is straight forward from an architect's and real estate developer's point of view. Across Greece there are a number of local specialist construction companies to take on the job of cement, tiling and installing the water pump and filter systems for foreign buyers.
Importantly, you need to take the decision to include a pool for a new house at the outset, regardless if your future house is your holiday or retirement home. The obvious reason is related to building costs, but there are other considerations - mainly the local government bureaucracy and tax implications. The later are most important if you intend to use your dream home to generate income for short term rental to holiday makers. In that case an EOT License is required. (See page bottom for link).
This article from the Brits in Crete team sets out some of the pros and cons of adding a private swimming pool at your residence on the island of Crete. It also applies to anywhere else in Greece.
Picture right: Foreign resident, John Westover's standard sized swimming pool with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Olive Groves and the Mediterranean Sea beyond.
Photo: Johnwestover1, Member of Brits in Crete Forum. With Permission
A standard pool size would be 8 x 3 metres or 8 x 5m, or thereabouts. Cost to build is one element, but you should be aware that depending on your local Greek tax office and which 'legal' definition your pool falls under, you may have to include it under "Luxury Tax" and declare it as part of your annual tax submission. Speak to your Crete Accountant on this point. If you are hiring an architect, discuss the pool at the planning stage.
Before making a decision for your swimming pool, you should address a checklist of questions:
* How much time will I, family or visiting friends and relatives swim in the pool; actually use the pool?
* How much value does a swimming pool add to the property?
* Each year Crete is receiving less rain, what happens if there is a water shortage or restrictions put in place for water usage?
* How much does the garden size pool cost to run month-by-month?
* Are the costs justified?
* If on a pension, or limited income can you afford the running costs?
* Are you really sure you want to spend the money on a pool?
Q - How much time will you or your family and relatives spend dipping in the Crete pool?
The swimming season can stretch from April right through until the Christmas holidays if the weather is kind. But in truth it is more likely to be consistent from late May until mid-September only. Climate change has impacted on the traditional annual weather pattern in Crete where summer seems to start later and last longer -- well into November.
Q - How much value does a standard swimming pool add to the property?
Speak to your Architect or Mechanicos for a building cost estimate, then ask your real estate agent about the house re-sale value with a pool. There is no hard and fast rule. There is also the question of size. If it is only to be used by the visiting grandchildren or other youngsters several times during the summer, would a "play pool" be better? or if for adults what about a jacuzzi, that could be used for much of the year?
Q - Each year Crete is receiving less rain. What happens if there is a water shortage or restrictions put in place on water usage?
Q - How much does a pool cost to run month-by-month?
€100 for chlorine / chemicals alone per month is not unusual. A monthly regime requires that:
Q - Are the costs to build then maintain a pool on Crete justified?
Justifying the expense is a personal decision, often one based on ego and living out a dream. That is why it is important to draw up a list of pros and cons for adding a pool to your home. For example: Are you prepared to undertake all the work of upkeep or do you need to hire a maintenance man?
Other considerations:
Q - If you are receiving a pension, or fixed income is the total cost of the ongoing investment justified versus the time you use the pool?
Not everyone coming to Crete to live is of the same mind. If you are a sun worshipper and you need to cool off with a dip in the pool every half hour in hot weather that is one thing. But if you like to read a good book and just look at the water perhaps there are better ways to spend your money - a landscaped garden, could be one? As with everywhere else in Europe, living costs continue to rise. Budgets should be realistic and planned for 3 years hence. Allow for 10 per cent annual increases in running costs.
With the high possibilty of more water restrictions every summer, due to the lack of sufficient winter rain, are you sure you want to spend the money on a pool?
We offer some comments both the pro's and con's of building a swimming pool in your back garden - Views and opinions as expressed by members in the Brits in Crete Forum:
"To retire and live in a nice house in Crete with a swimming pool has been our dream for many years and now it's time to make that dream come true."
"I love to swim and when in land-locked middle England and later in London I spent a lot of time in pools but now I live within 4 minutes of the big one out there and when we move I doubt we'll be more than 15 minutes away which will suit me fine. Another benefit we've found by going down to the big 'pool' is that we've widened our circle of Greek friends simply by saying "kalimera" to total strangers and taking it from there. Personally, the last thing I want is a pool especially as there's a big one at the coast.I came here to relax not work on pool maintenance. "
"I don't know much about borehole water but have heard of some serious problems recently with boreholes in parts of Crete near the coast producing saline water as the water table has dropped so much. Levels are dropping far faster than they can be replenished. This may be something to bear in mind if it might affect your pool in the future."
"The maintenance on a jacuzzi is the same as on a pool and, because the water is warmer, the chemical levels are more critical. The maintenance of our pool takes no longer than half an hour per week, a small price to pay (in my opinion) for the pleasure it gives."
"We have a pool and we certainly don't regret it - it does need topping up with water, and it does need cleaning etc. It also uses quite a bit of electricity to keep the pumps going in the summer months but as it's not used at all for more than half the year It's not keeping us much out of pocket. You should be aware though that goats and sheep do tend to fall in and drown if your property is not fenced in. It's distressing and messy to get the poor drowned animal out, so bear that in mind."
"I have had experience of the local sheep taking a dip in my pool! Subsequently I have had a gate fitted, if they had drowned it would have been an expensive accident which I would have had to square with the shepherd! The main problem after their adventure was that despite the pool getting a thorough clean, it turned a disgusting slimey pea green a couple of weeks later which made a busy week for my housesitters who had to clean it out in my absence!"
Comments that inevitably lead to a private pool joke...."I had never thought of swimming with sheep or goats. Do they do the b-a-a-a-rest stroke?"
If you have any comments you wish to add, please contact us, so that they may be included here.
If you wish to find threads on the subject of swimming pools in Crete, check the Brits in Crete Forum through the search function at the top of this page. Best to put one word in search such "pool" or "swimming" and set it to "all posts" .
Finally, as Swimming Pools in Crete can be taxed as part of property taxes in Greece, be sure to use a licensed architect or mechnicos to handle all the bureaucracy and the planning, building and commissioning of a pool in a private home, especially if you plan to rent it out. Your real estate developer or agent can also advise you. Trying a go it alone or "DIY" building of a garden pool may backfire on you. Our advice is always consult the professionals.
Further reading on swimming pools if you plan to rent out your property in Crete to be found on our "Getting a Greek Government approved EOT License" page.
Return to Swimming Pools Index Page to Visit Other Useful Articles on Building a Swimming Pool in Crete, other places in Greece or Cyprus
Useful Language Translation for: "swimming pool"
el: πισίνα,
it: piscina,
fr: piscine,
de: freibad,
es: vaso de agua,
tr: yüzme havuzu,
cr: bazenom,
ru: n плавательный бассейн,
zh: 游泳池,
ko: 수영장,
ja: プール,
nl: zwembad,
sv: simbassäng,
pt: piscina,
da: svømmepøl,
fi: uima-allas,
hu: úszómedence,
pl: basen,
cs: plovárna(krytá),
no: svømmeplass,
id: kolam renang,
bg: къпина|капина на открито.


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From NBC's Brenda Shepard and Mark Murray
In a surprising result, Texas Congressman and 2008 presidential candidate Ron Paul (R) won the presidential straw poll at the Conservative Political Action Conference, capturing 31% of the vote. Three-time CPAC straw poll winner Mitt Romney (in '06, '07, and '08) finished second with 22%, followed by Sarah Palin with 7%, and Tim Pawlenty with 6%.
When the announcement of Paul's victory was made, many in the crowd responded with "boos." That said, as people left the convention, "Ron Paul" chants could be heard coming from across the hotel lobby.
Other results from the straw poll: Just 2% approved of President Obama's job; 62% approved of the job congressional Republicans are doing; 73% had a favorable view of GOP Sen. Jim DeMint; 70% had a favorable view of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck; 56% had a favorable view of John Boehner, and 51% had a favorable view of Mitch McConnell.
Though 10,000 were registered at CPAC, just 2,395 participated in the straw poll. Almost half of them (48%) were students, and more than half (56%) were 25 years old or younger. Men made up 64% of participants.


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not the only blog to have a hard time figuring out the signature.
So here's old crow, made into a punch, apparently with the critical addition of orange slices and a plastic shopping bag. Is the bag inflated with the breath of Foster Brooks perhaps? Is it poorly rendered miracle whip? Only the internet can tell. Please assist with the explaining, internet.
If you really want to act like a pirate, take the high road and make some grog, which was originally just watered down rum. See, water would quickly go rancid on a ship at sea, and sailors mixed it with rum because the alcohol prevented putrification, preventing disease, if not sensibility. Too bad Old Crow is whiskey. Ah well. Not everything can come full circle.
1 shot rum
1 teaspoon sugar
(preferably superfine)
Squeeze of lime juice
Cinnamon stick
Boiling water
Stir all ingredients, adding enough boiling water to fill mug or glass.
|Click for 1210x1600.
|Not our usual watermark. Courtesy of Unknown Leaky Basement.


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Tracy Morgan's apologies regarding his homophobic rant a few weeks back littered the web (as here and here), as did reactions to his anti-gay routine. However, most of the condemnation of Morgan has circulated around his framing of homosexuality as a "mistake" as well as his failure to take gay bullying seriously. Additionally, Tina Fey was been singled out with calls that she needs to fire Morgan (a move that Melissa McEwan of Shakesville aptly described as "an echo of the age-old stereotype that boys will be boys and it's up to women to soften them and control them and deliver consequences for moral failures").
In contrast, what received scant attention was Morgan's anti-lesbian rant "that there is no way a woman could love and have sexual desire for another woman, that's just a woman pretending because she hates a fucking man."
In a move that is far from new, Morgan denied lesbians even exist, then went on to make many homophobic jokes about gay men. The blogosphere largely responded to this story in kind, leaving out (or not mentioning) Morgan's anti-lesbian joke.
Here I am reminded of Adrienne Rich's classic essay, "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence," in which Rich eloquently and exhaustively examines how the denial of sexuality for women is a means to control and suppress ALL females, not just lesbians.
Rich's key point that male (hetero)sexuality is forced upon women can be linked to Morgan's rant, which itself can be read as a comedic enforcing of compulsory heterosexuality. As Morgan's "joke" suggests, women only "pretend" to be lesbians to get back at men. Yes, Morgan, because all desire revolves around the mighty phallus.
Apparently Morgan fails to appreciate that without his gay and lesbian co-workers, he, as Tina Fey put it "would not have lines to say, clothes to wear, sets to stand on, scene partners to act with, or a printed-out paycheck from accounting to put in his pocket."
"30 Rock," in contrast to Morgan, does recognize lesbians exist and does a good job of joking about lesbian identity without offense (as Fannie's Room argues here).
As noted at After Ellen, "It's no secret lesbians love Tina Fey" and, to her credit, Fey seems to understand that there is no such thing as equal opportunity joking. In her GLAAD award acceptance speech she noted "so much what makes the difference between a joke being offensive and being funny is the context it is in and the intention behind it."
In regards to Morgan, the intention was clearly not to promote acceptance or to breakdown stereotypes. Instead, it was hate speech masquerading as comedy. As Renee of Womanist Musings argues,
"Morgan like many comedians believes that comedy is specifically designed to be a shield that makes hate speech acceptable. Instead of claiming to be 'an equal opportunity jokester,' what he should have said is that he is an equal opportunity bigot."
Tami of What Tami Said echoes this sentiment, noting "No comedy is really equal-opportunity. Why? Because our society is not equal opportunity. We are not all the same." To illustrate her point, she argues that jokes about those who have privilege in society are not going to have real world consequences in the same way that jokes about marginalized groups are, that "No matter how many stupid jokes you tell about George Bush, none of this is likely to change for him. Nor will things change for people like him. Put it this way, no one is likely to stop hiring heterosexual, Christian, rich white men, because of George Bush." No, nor is anyone likely to try and claim that heterosexual, rich, white men don't exist.
You know what doesn't exist? Being "an equal opportunity jokester." You know what does? Women loving and having sexual desire for other women.


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5 Reasons Why Every Rock Climber Should do Yoga
Aug 26, 2014
Rock climbers, when they do fall on the side of a stereotype, are buff and reluctant to do yoga. As if there's some strange stigma of yoga being an exercise for the weak. We would not have yoga classes at BKB if that were the case. Yoga and rock climbing are two of the world's oldest sports, and are naturally complementary.
1. Animals do it. The term "downward dog" is literal because dogs, wisely, are constantly stretching. They have a primal instinct to stretch their bodies out, as did the cavemen who climbed rock walls.
2. Core strength. Yoga is not as simple as breathing – all of those inhales and exhales are necessary to hold difficult, strengthening poses. Having a strong core is essential to rock climbing.
3. Balance. When you're stuck between a rock and a hard place, you need to be able to keep your body perched perfectly. A good sense of balance is key to staying on the wall without wasting energy.
4. Increased Flexibility. Constantly working out your arms can add undue stress on your upper body and overdevelop muscles. Regular stretching can counter that stress and even help increase your reach.
5. Focus. One of the most beneficial aspects of yoga is to keep your mind focused on your breath, and your movement. Rock climbing is no different: when you're on the wall, it's easy to be distracted by your fears, your anxieties, and whatever else is happening off the wall. The meditative nature of yoga helps counter that.
Next time you're climbing, be sure to check out our yoga classes! See the schedule here.
Jul 11, 2020