text:
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
If I Am Elected...
This didn't work in 2008, but since nobody but Ron Paul supporters seem particularly thrilled with the choice of candidates this year, I figure it's worth another shot.
Good evening, folks. I'd call you ladies and gentlemen, but you know what you are.
I am now going to discuss my platform. I would rather discuss the plataforma, but we can make dinner plans later.
Oh, I suppose I should tell you that this is my presidential platform. This is what you can expect, should you be high enough to cast a vote for me in 2012.
1) More Drugs!
Hey, if people being high gets me elected, I better keep 'em coming. Every year, everybody gets a government-issued 300-day supply of the drug of their choice. If you use it up in 100 days, that's your problem. Come on, people! You have to learn some self-control, for goodness' sakes.
Some of you are no doubt wondering why it isn't a 365-day supply. Look, you've got to work sometime or the whole country will tank and then nobody gets any drugs. In order to qualify for the government buzz, you must show at least 65 days on a payroll during the previous year. Pharmacists and Doctors are ineligible because they can get as much as they want anytime anyway. If you're on the dole, you'll have to get your drugs by mugging people like you do now.
To show you my sincerity, I shall personally be handing out syringes and bongs at random polling places on election day. Nothing to put in them until I'm elected, though, so get voting!
Now, some of you may be asking how I will fund this plan. That's simple. I am going to sell off all of our military resources and equipment to the highest foreign bidders. You can get a lot of bones for the price of a stealth bomber, let me tell you! Factor in all the various bombs, aircraft carriers, miscellaneous tanks and hand weapons? That should be enough to keep everybody high for at least 20 years, and probably fund the school systems to boot.
"But what will we do when someone attacks us?", I hear some nancy-boy saying. I've got it covered.
2) No More War!
Yes, I have the solution to war. I propose building a gigantic see-through dome over the entire country. This will keep bombs out.
Of course, it will also keep out rain, so we'll have to build a gigantic network of aqueducts and water-treatment plants from coast-to-coast, in order to facilitate the growing of crops. Special consideration will be given to those crops which can be made into pharmaceuticals.
To do this, I will authorize a plan whereby every man, woman, and child will work 65 days a year for the federal government. This will also solve the employment problem from proposal number one.
I realize that the Bomb Dome will tend to cut down on air travel. Too bad. See America First. By Rail. Yeah, that's the ticket! That should put AMTRAK in the black, too.
Of course, a gigantic dome will not only keep bombs and rain out, it will also keep pollution in. Therefore, to alleviate that eventuality...
3) SUVs Will Be Illegal!
Actually, I don't give a damn about pollution. I just hate driving behind them. You can't see a damned thing! So, no more SUVs. And anyone caught with a Hummer will be executed by having it fed to them in bite-size pieces. With one exception...
4) The President Will Be The Only One Allowed To Have A Hummer!
Hey, get back behind those barricades! I didn't say that the President would be the only one allowed to GET a Hummer. You're thinking of that fellow from Arkansas. No, in the interests of national security, I can take up as much space as I want. Hey, you got a problem with that? I'm the guy giving out the free buzz, remember? So move your crummy Miata to the side of the road and let me by.
By the way...
5) There Will Not Be An Inaugural Parade!
Why in the name of Beelzebub's left tit do you need to see the President (that is to say, me) marching down Pennsylvania Avenue? That's always seemed like a tremendous waste of money to me (that is to say, Your President.) So, take what you would have spent on the parade and put it into the general drug fund. Anyway, I don't feel like walking that far, even if I'm riding in my Hummer.
6) There Will Be An Inaugural Party!
And one hellacious one, too, you bet! But you won't be invited, unless you make a significant contribution to my campaign. Significance starts at $10,000,000.
Better yet, contribute to one of my many RE-election campaigns. You say I'm limited to two terms? Hah! I will win over and over again, because...
7) I Shall Repeal All Term Limits!
You think once I get in, I'm going to give anyone a fighting chance at getting me out? What government-issued goodies have you been smoking? And, just to make sure I can carry out this plan...
8) Congress Shall Be Abolished!
They suck, anyway, so they're history. Except for Ron Paul. He's the only one with any common sense, so what the heck, I'm appointing him Congress For Life. Not CongressMAN - CONGRESS. He's it.
As for the rest of those bums...
9) All Congressional Salaries & Pensions Will Be Abolished!
These monies will be put into the general drug fund, except those earmarked for Presidential Hummers. All of the frauds currently receiving Congressional salaries, and those past frauds receiving pensions, will be put to work constructing the Bomb Dome. They will NOT receive the usual 300-day drug benefit. Instead, in order to up their productivity, they will be force-fed crystal meth.
The only exception to the above is the aforementioned Ron Paul, who will have his pension upped 5% every time another of the Congressional Domeworkers keels over dead.
Insofar as who will be the vice-president when I'm elected...
10) My Running Mate Will Be Chosen At Random By Publishers Clearing House!
So, get those entries in today! Special priority will be given those who purchase subscriptions to High Times. If you get your entry in before October 1st, you'll be eligible for the special early-bird prize: A seat on the Supreme Court.
Remember this, though. If you win the nomination as my running mate, but you get some uppity idea about succeeding me as President after the election...
11) The Vice-President Will Be 247th In Line For Succession!
The 246 people before him in line will be a secret. That way, you'll think twice before offing me. I might be crazy, but I'm not stupid, and how do you know I don't have the Grand Dragon of the KKK at the top of the list? Better the buzz-giving devil you know.
As a special incentive...
12) Everybody Who Leaves A Comment On This Blog Gets To Be A General!
Or an admiral - your choice. There won't be an Army or Navy or anything, what with the Bomb Dome in place, but you'll still get to ride around in a jeep or on a yacht wearing a snazzy uniform. This is your last chance, so comment NOW!
13) Everybody Who Left An Unfavorable Comment Will Be Jailed!
You'd rather lick a pigeon? It had to be a good comment. It pays to read ahead. Too late now, pal. See you in the gulag!
14) All People Named Sullivan, Married To A Sullivan, Who Gave Birth To A Sullivan, Ancestors Of A Sullivan, Or Who Are Progeny Of A Sullivan, Get A Network TV Show!
Those who are able to prove direct relation to me get one on CBS, NBC or ABC. After that, my cousins, it will be Fox, the WB, UPN, and on down the line until those with nebulous relationships get either The Home Shopping Network or Spike.
15) Fast-Pitch Softball Will Be The Mandatory National Sport!
The President (ME) will be given five strikes and will only need two balls to walk. And, believe me, this President has 'em already.
16) Anyone Who Kicks A Kid Out Of School For Carrying Aspirin Or A Nailfile Will Be Castrated, Live And In Color, On The President Suldog Show, Wednesday, 8pm (9pm Central) On CBS.
It's frickin' hard enough to get kids educated without suspending them because of some hare-brained politically-correct nonsense about zero tolerance. Those school officials in violation of this policy who were born without the necessary equipment for castration will be given sex-changes and then castrated.
And, finally...
17) Anybody Who Isn't A Three Stooges Fan Will Have Their Choice Of Being Burned At The Stake Or Having Their Head Cut Off!
If you're a fan, then you know what your reply should be to that statement. If you have no clue? DIE! DIE! DIE!
But, first, I'd appreciate your vote. Thanks for your time!
I will now entertain questions from the floor.
76 comments:
I'd rather lick a pigeon!
- 4:49 PM, February 08, 2012
- Craig said...
I dated a girl named Sullivan, once. . . does that count?
And. . . what do you call it - pigeon-lingus???
Eeeeeewwwwwww. . .
- 4:58 PM, February 08, 2012
- Jackie said...
You lost my vote at SUVs will be illegal. I use to hate 'em for the same reason you do. Now, I am one.
- 5:59 PM, February 08, 2012
- Buck said...
Well, there's a lot to like about your platform, and I have ONE question (and a couple o' comments).
About which, this:
In order to qualify for the government buzz, you must show at least 65 days on a payroll during the previous year.
What about us retired people? Do 1099Rs count as payroll? My vote is dependent upon your reply.
And then there's THIS:
2) No More War!
You and Ron Paul. The fly in the Libertarian soup.
And this:
So move your crummy Miata to the side of the road and let me by.
Crummy Miata? You've screwed the pooch here. I can procure my own drugs easily enough. No votee, no tickee. You're toast.
I MIGHT be persuaded to vote for you, should you have the good sense to come to your senses in these oh-so-important spaces.
- 6:32 PM, February 08, 2012
- stopsign said...
At least your honest~ Except for the SUV thing I'd voted for ya.
- 6:44 PM, February 08, 2012
- stephen Hayes said...
First spend millions of dollars on advertising to capture my dim-witted attention, tell me the other candidates are socialists, a term I don't understand, who want to take away my guns and gut the military. Then I just might vote for you.
- 6:49 PM, February 08, 2012
I actually think I have a Sullivan somewhere in my family tree!
(Let me know if you get a knock on your door at 3am... you know some people have no sense of humor!)
- 8:22 PM, February 08, 2012
- silly rabbit said...
May I please be your Drug Czar?
- 8:51 PM, February 08, 2012
- Char said...
Pass that ballot!! Count me in. =)
- 9:34 PM, February 08, 2012
- lime said...
listen, i am already empress so i don't feel the need to be a general but i will still vote for you. as for the stooges i think i have that covered. each of our bedrooms is named for a stooge. i sleep in moe. gees, that just sounds so wrong....
- 9:39 PM, February 08, 2012
- Lowandslow said...
Actually, compared to the blah blah I've heard so far from the "professional" politicians, your platform sounds quite appealing. And I will agree to donate $10,000,000 to your re-election fund (like you're gonna need it...ha!) if; 1...you appoint me ambassador to somewhere cool, like Switzerland, and; 2...you don't cash the check. Whatdayathink? Deal? :)
- 9:55 PM, February 08, 2012
- 3GKnight said...
What kind of drugs? And I vote for Larry, Moe, and Curly as next in line for succession! All at once though.
- 9:57 PM, February 08, 2012
- IT (aka Ivan Toblog) said...
What I said before over at my place about your current job... can I have that?
April 13, right?
- 11:56 PM, February 08, 2012
- Carolina said...
(Are Jeeps not SUV's?)
I'll vote for you. Your plans are brilliant.
Have you sent this piece to the newspaper too? I dare you ;-) I wonder if they'll publish it.
- 2:31 AM, February 09, 2012
- Maggie May said...
I might just vote for you because you won't have anymore wars!
Oooops ....... knew there was a snag. I'm in England!
Good luck with it.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
- 8:11 AM, February 09, 2012
- Clare Dunn said...
I REALLY want to attend the Inaugural Party, so I am saving what's left of my Social Security Check to contribute to your campaign. (I can send it in installments...you will receive the final payment in 2098...is that OK?)
xoxoxo, cd
- 8:31 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Craig - Did you have sex with her? Think carefully your answer...
Well, nevermind. Just having sex with a Sullivan is hardly enough to qualify. We're a fairly horny bunch, so if we tried to give a TV show to everybody we ever had sex with, there'd have to be a couple hundred new cable channels.
El Presidente Suldog
- 8:40 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Jackie - You do realize, as much as I like you, you'll have to be shot. Nothing personal!
His Royal Majesticness
- 8:41 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Buck - As a retiree, you will be given a 600 day supply every 365 days. Did I forget to mention that? Sorry! Also, I'll let you be on the firing squad for SUV offenders. As for my being toast, that may be, but I'm incredibly yummy cinnamon raisin toast. So there!
His Imperial Suldoggedness
- 8:45 AM, February 09, 2012
- notactuallygod said...
That was FUN.
BTW, Manuel Noriega called; he wants his platform back!
- 8:45 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
My goodness! So many people who aren't willing to give up their SUVs! Well, sorry, but I already promised Buck he could shoot you, so hasta la vista!
Very Sorry Sultan Suldog
- 8:46 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Stephen - OK, so you want me to insult your intelligence? I guess I can do that. You're an addle-pated baboon and... No, wait, that won't work. If you were one, you wouldn't know what "addle-pated" means. Anyway, my one failing as a politician is my honesty. If it costs e your vote to be totally honest, then so be it (because a grandstand play like this will win me a hundred more votes! Yes!)
Your Honest-As-The-Day-Is-Long Ruler (if we're in Alaska during winter)
- 8:52 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Barbara - You keep a Sullivan up a TREE?!? Off with your head!
Oh, wait a minute. I think you're referring to some sort of lineage. OK, you can have the 4am slot on QVC,
Your Benevolent Rajah
- 8:54 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Silly Rabbit - I'm afraid there will be no drug czar. There WILL be a drugged czar, but I've got dibs on that. Sorry.
- 8:55 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Char - You seem to have the ballot confused with a joint. I'll pass you that, but you have to actually go out to vote, OK?
Your Kind Leader, who is always willing to elucidate (and happy to clean up afterwards, too)
- 8:57 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Supreme Exalted Empress Lime - Of course, being Empress, you will outrank me, but you are the sort of Empress who is loving and joyful to her pissants, so I will still adore you. If you don't feel the need to be a general, that's OK. I'll offer your position to Buck as additional incentive. As for naming your beds after stooges, I think that just earned you a prime-time slot (or a prime-time slut - take your choice!)
- 9:00 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Lowandslow - Sorry. I already cashed the check, sucker! Hah! However, I will appoint you ambassador to Greenland. That's about as cool as any place can get!
- 9:02 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
3 Girl Knight - You have stumbled upon my actual order of succession! Therefore, you must be killed. However, if you make some "heep-heep-heep" sounds, like Shemp, for the next 30 minutes, I may spare you.
Your Most Gracious Poobah
- 9:08 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
IT - Hmmmmmmmmm. A cryptic message. You must be one of my spies I've forgotten about. Yes, you can have my old job once I am elected. The drugs will make it even better! And, in reply to the second part of your message, the black bird flies at midnight!
Just A Citizen, Not The Actual President, No, It's Not Me, Shhhhhhh, Look The Other Way
- 9:11 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Carolina - Since you come from another country, you can't actually vote for me this time. I'll try to change that for the next election. As for sending this to the newspaper, I think the less they know about me, the better chance I have of being elected.
His Future Royal Highness (And I Do Mean HIGHness) James The First
- 9:13 AM, February 09, 2012
- Carolina said...
You may well be right about that too ;-)
- 9:14 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Maggie May - Ah! You stumbled upon my answer to Carolina before I even gave it. That shows rare perspicacity on your part (which can usually be wiped off with a napkin and some Windex.) Fell free to smoke the weed of your choice, with my blessings!
The Grand Exalted Mystic Ruler Of The Seven Seas (and a mud puddle in Toledo)
- 9:16 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Clare - Since I will be cutting off your social security the minute I'm elected, I don't think your deal offers me much incentive. However, I'll let you come to the party of you agree to be the painter of my official portrait. Deal?
- 9:17 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
not actually GOD - You seem to think I might be kidding. Well, even though your future president is indeed a kidder, and can take a joke as well as the next guy (provided the next guy is Stalin), I assure you this is all quite serial. I am docking you 10% of your next drug allotment. Please send it to my home address immediately and I'll do my best to forget this unfortunate incident.
- 9:22 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Carolina (again) - I may well be right??????? Of course I'm right. I'm the frickin' Emperor! How dare you question my sanity, or try to make my questions sane! Send me three million guilder in small bills and I might not lop off your head.
Have a nice day!
- 9:25 AM, February 09, 2012
Thanks for your information!
- 9:33 AM, February 09, 2012
- Bill Yates said...
Oh Most Illustrious Potentate Sully; although I fully support your campaign and will certainly vote for you under both my name and the name of several currently incarcerated individuals, I will be unable to actively participate in your campaign. I am currently focusing all my energy into the Occupy Mayberry movement.
- 9:39 AM, February 09, 2012
- Michelle H. said...
Question: Didn't you sort of put the Kabosh on yourself with the dome. I mean, television/cable systems are bounced off space satellites. So you (and all Sullivans or Sullivan-related people) won't have TV shows. Then, those people who like to watch The Three Stooges on rerun channels can't anymore, screwing them over. No televised inaugural party either.
Also, how are you going to get all the parts to build your Hummer, since most come from foreign corporations?
- 9:54 AM, February 09, 2012
- Craig said...
Well, I'm on record that I've only ever had sex with my wife; and her maiden name is, alas, not Sullivan.
But I'm horny (you know, the whole eight-kids thing); that's gotta count for sumthin', right?
Actually, now that I think of it, I think my birth-father's great-great-sump'n-sump'n was a Sullivan. Really! So - how 'bout it?
And I do love me some Stooges (altho, Lime is awfully persnickety about the whole 'sleeping with Moe' thing. . .)
But then, as Michelle H noted, I'm screwed anyway. But hey - getting screwed by a Sullivan. . . oh, wait. . . that's already a no-go. . . Damn, this is just so difficult. . .
- 10:16 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Anonymous - You're welcome. However, should that information ever come back to haunt me, I will club you in the yarbles with a shtookerfizzel. You have been warned.
- 10:21 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Bill - I understand. Your Potentate appreciates your efforts on his behalf, and on behalf of dead people who would no doubt have voted for me, and I wish you success in your efforts to oust that goody-two-shoes Andy. However, please don't harm Fife. I have promised him a job as my Head Of Imperial Security.
- 10:24 AM, February 09, 2012
- Carolina said...
Dear high and mighty frickin' Emperor. Your three million guilders are in the post. Unfortunately, guilders are no longer a valid currency, so I'm not sure what you're going to do with them/it/whatever. You could perhaps stuff your royal mattress with them?
- 10:30 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Michelle - You ask very logical questions. Therefore, you must be liquidated. Make a reservation for yourself and a bottled water at someplace romantic.
Be that as it may - and I'm the frickin' President, so it damn well will be - there will be low flying satellites within the Bomb Dome, mostly centered over Pittsburgh. That way, if they fall, the most we'll probably lose is a few penguins or pirates (or penguin pirates, and that will be just fine because I'm tired of one-eyed hook-handed people stealing our penguins.)
As for the parts to build my Hummer, I'll use the scrap metal from when the satellites fall, and with any luck they might slaughter a few steelers, too, so it will all be neatly wrapped up!
Your Inspirational Leader
- 10:31 AM, February 09, 2012
- Sueann said...
Whew! I am so relieved. I finally have someone I can vote for!!!
- 10:36 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Craig - Aw, don't worry about it. Your future Grand High Muckety-Muck is a forgiving sort. I'll tell you what - I'll let you have 90 minutes bi-weekly on MSNBC. It might be in your best interests to fill much of that time with Stooges. Just a helpful hint!
- 10:37 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Most Gracious Carolina, Soon To Be Newly-Crowned Queen of Netherlandia - I'm going to use them to wallpaper The White House. Thank you for your suggestions, though. Actually, I'll be stuffing my mattress with eclairs, just in case I want a midnight snack.
Ayatollah Sullivan
- 10:49 AM, February 09, 2012
- Craig said...
- 10:49 AM, February 09, 2012
- (not necessarily your) Uncle Skip, said...
A friend of mine, named Sullivan (he was John, but everyone called him Dennis, or Denny), has a sister. I dated her a couple of times.
You really may have a shot at this thing. I heard a real person (as opposed to a media wag) call the current stuff a "gop [sic] clown circus."
You might want to rethink Hummers, though. They're Aronold's vehicle of choice
- 10:51 AM, February 09, 2012
- Ruby said...
Suldog, for the next election, you've got my vote, your campaign is way better than the rest :) What about your foreign policy apart from no wars?
- 10:51 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
SueAnn - You could have been writing me in for many years, but I forgive you that oversight. As long as you make good this time around, I'll see to it that you don't have your gizzard extracted.
Your Surprisingly Benevolent Dictator
- 10:51 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Craig - Well done, my good and faithful servant! Reward yourself with an ice cold Panther Pilsner beer!
- 10:53 AM, February 09, 2012
- (not necessarily your) Uncle Skip, said...
Oh, and I think the April 13th IT's referring to is the date for the release of the new Three Stooges movie
- 10:54 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Uncle Skip - When I am elected, anyone who doesn't know what GOP stands for, or who can't give the dictionary definition of "republican", will be given jobs as Bomb Dome washers and low-flying satellite sweeper-uppers! As for Ahhhhhnold, he will my Chief Guy Who Picks Things Up And Puts Them Down. And, since you seem to have some sort of nebulous connection to somebody named Sullivan who doesn't know what his first name is, you get the 3:45 to 4:00 AM show on ESPN Desportes. Brush up on your Espanol!
- 10:59 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Ruby - My foreign policy is quite simple. The countries that send me the most free stuff will be considered valued allies. You should probably get a good head start for yours and mail me something nice. Small denominations would be best, if you decide to send money, and that way (if your currency is worthless, like Carolina's) it will cover more wall space.
- 11:02 AM, February 09, 2012
- (not necessarily your) Uncle Skip, said...
Gracias, mi jeffe!
- 11:03 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Uncle Skip - You dare to point out that Your Fearless Leader may possibly be ignorant about something? Remove one of your livers immediately!
- 11:06 AM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Todo va bien, el Tío Saltar. Siéntase libre para ir por un Hummer y que lo pongan en la Casa Blanca.
- 11:08 AM, February 09, 2012
- Michelle H. said...
It won't matter concerning the satellites over Pittsburgh. I'll be someplace romantic with the bottled water, which will be the last water in the Dome.
Why, you are asking yourself? With all those dropped satellites raining down in Pittsburgh, which -- by the way -- has 3 RIVERS, you now will be polluting the water supply. Millions of thirsty people on the East Coast will flock to the West Coast, using up their water until the supplies run dry.
And there will be me, holding the last bottled water in the Dome. Have fun in your presidency when the people riot, Mr President, because you know that all those drugs give people the munchies and they won't have anything to drink to wash the cheese curls lodged in their throats.
- 11:26 AM, February 09, 2012
- Michelle H. said...
Oh course, I know you won't drop any satellites here anyway. You would be destroying two things that you hold dear in your life:
PBS Television
Mr. Rogers Pittsburgh home
- 11:27 AM, February 09, 2012
- messymimi said...
Mr. (Future) President,
If you can convince the Powers-That-Be in Louisiana to put you on the ballot (which should be rather easy, as they put anyone on who slips them a little something0, you will have my vote.
Keep the drugs, though; i have a mild heart condition.
Sincerely, mimi
- 12:14 PM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Michelle - How'd you like to be Secretary Of The Interior (Of The Bomb Dome)? You show great insight. Just one question: Are you willing to take a satellite off the head? You'd be doing your country a great service. Think about it, but not too long, as your.future ruler has limited patience (and not too long left on his lunch hour, for that matter.)
- 12:20 PM, February 09, 2012
- i beati said...
General Kessler here. All sounds good you have the right name ..I'm not voting for Obamas !!
- 12:24 PM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Michelle (again) - Oh, OK, you've got a point there. Mister Rogers' home would be designated a national shrine. I'll move the low-flying satellites to New Jersey and hope they hit Eli Manning.
- 12:25 PM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Messy Mimi - Deal. I'll give the folks at the ballot commission a little lagniappe and see what happens. And thank you for the contribution to the general drug fund. Your generosity will be noted and taken into consideration should you ever commit any treasonous acts (such as spitting in my gumbo or something.)
- 12:27 PM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Thank you, General Kessler. Your jeep will be delivered sometime in November. Drive carefully.
- 12:29 PM, February 09, 2012
- Michelle H. said...
Only if the position offers Canadian health insurance.
- 1:07 PM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Michelle (Yet again) - Sure thing. Feel free to take all of your health care to Canada!
- 1:23 PM, February 09, 2012
- Jeni said...
So, for a comment one gets to be an admiral or a general? How soon do I receive either my stars or bars anyway? I love to give orders just hate following them. Is that a problem?
- 1:42 PM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Jeni - No problem whatsoever, so long as you don't mind taking orders from ME. I'll be the only one who matters, OK? For asking such an intelligent question, you can have both stars AND bars (but don't use them to make a flag and have any ideas about seceding.)
- 2:31 PM, February 09, 2012
- Chris said...
Sad thing is, I've heard actual real-live politicians with worse platforms.
I do like the dome idea. Maybe make it retractable for peacetime or rainy season.
- 2:37 PM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
Chris - Are you saying I am in some way UNserious? Off with your head, heathen!
(After you vote for me, of course. Thank you!)
- 4:00 PM, February 09, 2012
As the birth mother of a Sullivan and a potential potentate, can I get a repreive from the firing squad even though I own an SUV?
Oh, and can I PLEEEEESE keep my Social Security?
- 4:12 PM, February 09, 2012
- Suldog said...
I have no doubt that The Mother Of President Suldog Show (Monday, NBC, 9pm Eastern, 8pm Central) will earn you much more than what you're currently getting from Social Security. But, insofar as your SUV is concerned, I'm afraid there can be no compromise! So, from now on, yours will be known as a VUS.
(Shhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone! It's "SUV" spelled backwards! Hee-Hee!)
Your Son, The (future) President
- 5:08 PM, February 09, 2012
- Mich said...
You had my vote at "More Drugs"!!! Instead of a general, can I be the President's personal hitwoman?
I'm thrilled you joined my mailing list. :D Your first mailing will be on it's way with tomorrow's post!
- 8:13 PM, February 09, 2012
- lime said...
i hasten to clarify i do not sleep WITH moe. my bedroom is NAMED moe. (long story but the kids switched up bedrooms so many times we couldn't refer to the respective rooms without confusion so they were named after stooges) though as empress i think i will be changing it to larry as he is my favorite stooge. he was endearingly silly and had the best hair (clearly i am emulating him with my own hair some days). moe was just a big meanie.
- 1:50 PM, February 10, 2012
- Hilary said...
You've got my vote.. despite the cross-border thing.
- 3:40 PM, February 10, 2012


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You've got the ring. You've got the nerve. You've got, most importantly, the girl you want to marry. Alright, let's do this! Oh wait, you're popping the question in the background of a Kansas City news broadcast. Here comes trouble!
Perhaps it was this hapless dude's fault for picking the outside of an airport terminal to propose to his girlfriend. Not exactly a Venetian gondola. Or perhaps it was the reporter's fault for flagging them down, questioning the wisdom of their marriage, demanding to inspect the woman's ring, camera in their face, broadcasting painful seconds of uncomfortable questioning and blank stares.
Oh well. We wish you luck—you'll always have Kansas City International Airport. [via Daily What]
You can keep up with Sam Biddle, the author of this post, on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
*This Password is the same one used for your school Portal account. The portal has different names at each school, so you may also know it as: myACC, My CCA, CCDConnect, CCCSConnect, MyCCConline,Crossroads, eWolf, AccessNJC, MyMCC, MyOJC, myPCC, myPPCC, Go2TSJC, or The Rock.
For security reasons, please Log Out and Exit your web browser when you are done accessing services that require authentication!


text:
Learning from the past
The German family business was founded in 1845 by Carl Philipp Fissler in Idar-Oberstein. Today the brand stands for cooking with pleasure and passion and is one of the world's leading brands for high-quality cookware.
Learning from the past
The German family business was founded in 1845 by Carl Philipp Fissler in Idar-Oberstein. Today the brand stands for cooking with pleasure and passion and is one of the world's leading brands for high-quality cookware.
Fissler is still family-owned, as it was over 170 years ago, and employs around 700 people. Worldwide a Fissler brand product is bought every three seconds. By the way: some 90% of all products are manufactured in Germany.
Carl Philipp Fissler founds the company in Idar-Oberstein – originally as a plumbing and fitting business.
Fissler invents the field kitchen and switches its focus to the production of pots and pans.
Fissler develops vitavit®, the first pressure cooker with a multi-setting control valve.
Fissler is the first German manufacturer to produce a nonstick (PTFE) coating to ensure the pans are particularly durable and easy to clean.
In Hoppstädten-Weiersbach, in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Fissler founds a second plant with a production area of 11,000 m2. Fissler also presents the innovative saftomat® roaster with a strainer inset for automatic liquid feed.
The first stainless steel cookware line with stay-cool metal handles conquers the market.
Fissler introduces the Fissler magic line cookware range, which offers ingenious functions and products that are designed to satisfy the requirements of modern cooking methods. The line wins 15 international design awards.
To mark its 150th anniversary Fissler sets new standards with the CookStar all-stove base.
Fissler shows a sense of family with the new cast-aluminum black edition line. The high-quality coating permits low-fat cooking and is particularly suitable for simple and quick meals.
Modern design and attractive additional functions: Fissler introduces the new cooking system intensa® onto the market.
Cooking with class: Fissler presents the premium cookware line solea® which combines individual design with ingenious functions.
The new pressure generation: With the vitavit® comfort and the vitavit® premium, a new generation of pressure cookers has arrived in German kitchens.
At home in German kitchens for 165 years. Fissler cookware - "Made in Germany".
The pressure cooker line vitavit® is complete with the new model vitavit® edition.
Cooking can be so much more than a necessary task - the new luno® premium line.
Do you have any questions, suggestions or wishes with regard to our products ? The Fissler Customer Service will be pleased to help you.
» contact
Are you looking for a specialist dealer for Fissler products? You will find the international dealer search function here.
» dealer search


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Irrigation 101
Preventing backflow
The irrigation system supply will require a backflow preventer. The type required will depend on the design of the irrigation system. There are two kinds of backflow, and not all devices protect against both.
- Back siphonage happens when water wants to travel from an area of high pressure to low pressure. For example, if an irrigation system is running and the street pressure drops due to a nearby fire, the water will be siphoned back toward the supplyside as the pressure in the street becomes lower. All backflow preventers, when properly installed, protect against back siphonage.
- Back pressure occurs when elevation or other causes result in a higher pressure on the irrigation system than on the supply due. For example, if the system is off and there is a pipe full of water on a slope above the backflow location, it will exert a back pressure on the water tap. The degree of pressure varies with how high above the backflow preventer the water is stacked. Only a properly installed reduced-pressure-type device protects against back pressure.
There are other considerations in backflow selection, such as the size of the system and degree of potential hazard. The final decision of which device you need is dictated by the water authority that has jurisdiction.
Selecting sprinklers
The most important decisions you must make in designing your system are determining which sprinklers you need and where to install them. Base your selection on the size and shape of the area to be irrigated, and stay within the limits of the available pressure and quantity of water.
Sprinkler spacing should be "head-to-head." That means that if a sprinkler head has a radius-of-throw of 35 feet, it should be spaced 35 feet from other sprinkler heads. A sprinkler that throws 12 feet would be spaced 12 feet from all other sprinklers. Head-to-head spacing is extremely important in small turf systems in order to provide uniform water application.
Uniformity is an important component of any irrigation system design. The more uniform a water application, the less operating time an irrigation system needs to make up for dry spots. The less time the system operates, the less water the system uses. Uniformity is based on the nozzling and spacing of individual sprinklers. Depending on its radius of throw, each sprinkler applies a specific amount of water over a specific area in a specific amount of time. This is the precipitation rate, and it is measured in inches per hour.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2020 Penton Media Inc.


text:
On this page I have shared the Official firmware file for the model HCL V1, Inside the package that you will download is already available Firmware [Stock ROM], Tool for Flashing, Drivers, and Guide on How to Flash HCL V1,
Download Firmware HCL V1 Stock ROM [ flash file ]
– File Name : HCL_V1_R1_20121208.zip
– File Size : 178 Mb
– How to Flash : Follow Tutorial
– Firmware Link : DOWNLOAD LINKS
Short Guide How to flash HCL V1
- Extract the Firmware are downloaded, use winrar, winzip or Compatible application to Open Zip / winrar file
- After extracting the file on your computer, you will find several files on package Firmware, Flashing Software, USB drivers and manual intruction
- Install USB driver & Make sure Driver installed properly, if necessary restart your computer after installing the driver, For Windows 64bit user, make sure you have disabled the USB driver signature also Make sure that on Device Manager Driver is properly installed.
- Open The Tool for Flashing Such as SP Flash Tool, QFIL, Load The Firmware file
- Connect Your Phone into the PC on Download Mode
- Click Start Flashing and Wait Until Download Complete
Note :
- make sure you have done it backup All file or data On the phone, Cause all Storage data on the phone will be erased after succesfull flashing or failed Flashing. so Be careful
- Also Backup All Primary Partition Such as Imei Area, Baseband, Modem or Complete Full Backup your Original phone
- Firmware On this Page can use purpose bootloop, software error, update error, hanging and dead issue.
Budget:$ 178,00


text:
Go green with propane mowers. Propane-powered mowers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% compared to gasoline mowers, and offer a range of additional benefits: lower fuel costs, longer operating intervals between fueling, no loss of cutting power, decreased fuel spillage and the virtual elimination of fuel pilferage.
Lower your mower fleet fuel costs by 40% by switching from gasoline to propane. At a savings of over $1.00 per gallon compared to conventional gasoline, the investment in going green really pays off! [Many commercial mowers use up to 1,000 gallons of fuel a year]
Mowers running on propane have proven to have the same power as gasoline powered mowers. In addition to comparable power, propane provides longer run times than gasoline with dual propane tanks – each providing 7.5 gallons for a total of 15 gallons of fuel per mower.
Blossman Services, Inc. has an array of EPA & non-EPA Certified Conversion Kits to best fit the needs of your fleet. Moreover, Blossman has a robust fueling infrastructure and a nationwide network of fueling retail partners through Alliance AutoGas.
Propane mowers can still operate on ozone action days. Businesses that switch from gasoline to propane mowers often tout their move to 'go green' in marketing messages, and some colleges that make the switch promote their decision to alumni. For more information, check out some of our propane mower case studies.
For details about how to begin a green mower program, call toll-free 1-888-BLOSSMAN.
Protect Your Home When the Lights Go Out >>


text:
A Texas middle school band director accused of texting sexually explicit messages to a 15-year-old student was named teacher of the year at his school a few days earlier, according to NBCDFW.com.
Police in Grapevine, TX, told the Associated Press that John McDaniel, a 32-year-old educator at Colleyville Middle School in the Dallas area, was arrested Thursday, the last day of school.
McDaniel was charged with soliciting a minor online and having improper relations with a student, AP reported.
Investigators said he allegedly had inappropriate exchanges with the girl for several years. McDaniel, who's free on $10,000 bond, was placed on administrative leave.
Police said the girl's brother was checking her email and found a nude photo of her that allegedly was sent to McDaniel.
Grapevine police on Friday did not have details on an attorney for McDaniel.


text:
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text:
In a temporary model flat, Thonet will be presenting current furniture designs and classics from its diversified programme from 19 March to 31 May 2015 at the stilwerk in Vienna. An exciting mix of styles and strong colour accents characterise the look of the new popup store and make it a hotspot for trendy living. In cooperation with Gaggenau, the exclusive brand for kitchen appliances, which presents its new Vooking concept kitchen especially for vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians at the popup store, the showroom is an ideal location for catered events. The opening event for the new store takes place on 19 March 2015 within the framework of the stilwerk event WohnFrühling.
Dining room, living room, kitchen or office – plenty of contemporary interior furnishing examples in various residential situations are presented in the 330 m² ground floor of the Thonet Loft at stilwerk. In addition to contemporary products such as the desk S 1200 by Randolf Schott and the chair 404 by Stefan Diez, Thonet also presents its iconic tubular steel desk S 285 by Marcel Breuer. In another area of the space, visitors to the showroom also get inspiration for furnishing their terrace: a seating area with chairs from programme range S 40 by Mart Stam and the matching table S 1040 invites its users to take a moment to rest outside.
The overall concept of the popup store is supported by numerous partners: in addition to the German company Gaggenau, which can look back on a long tradition of craftsmanship equal to Thonet, the carpeting manufacturer Vorwerk, the enamel ware company Riess, the porcelain manufacturer Augarten and the cutlery company Carl Mertens are participating in the show.
Official opening event for the Thonet popup store
within the framework of WohnFrühling at stilwerk
on 19 March 2015, 7 p.m.
Thonet popup store at stilwerk Vienna
from 19 March to 31 May 2015:
im Design Tower
Praterstraße 1
A–1020 Wien
» Download PDF "Pressrelease Pop-Up Store Vienna"
firstname.lastname@example.com – www.stilwerk.de/wien
Opening hours stilwerk:
Mondays through Fridays 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Saturdays 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
For further information and images of all products please contact our
PR agency
Contact presse Thonet en France
Virginie Jouve
Tel. +33 1 49 29 06 06
E-mail jouve.v(at)wanadoo.fr
Contact Thonet en France
Valérie F. Lécuyer
Tél. +33 6 95 69 26 86
E-mail valerie.lecuyer(at)thonet.de
Contacts presse Thonet
Claudia Neumann, Anne Polch, Hanna Reif
Eigelstein 103-113
50668 Köln
Tél. +49 (0) 221 – 91 39 49 0
Fax +49 (0) 221 – 91 39 49 19
E-mail thonet(at)neumann-communication.de
Thonet GmbH
Susanne Korn
Michael-Thonet-Straße 1
35066 Frankenberg
Tél.+49 (0) 6451 – 508 160
Fax +49 (0) 6451 – 508 168
E-mail susanne.korn(at)thonet.de


text:
This article was written by Mark Mazzetti, Scott Shane and Alissa J. Rubin.
WASHINGTON — They are the Sopranos of the Afghanistan war, a ruthless crime family that built an empire out of kidnapping, extortion, smuggling, even trucking. They have trafficked in precious gems, stolen lumber and demanded protection money from businesses building roads and schools with American reconstruction funds.
They safeguard their mountainous turf by planting deadly roadside bombs and shelling remote American military bases. And they are accused by American officials of being guns for hire: a proxy force used by the Pakistani intelligence service to carry out grisly, high-profile attacks in Kabul and throughout the country.
Today, American intelligence and military officials call the crime clan known as the Haqqani network — led by a wizened militant named Jalaluddin Haqqani who has allied himself over the years with the C.I.A., Saudi Arabia's spy service and Osama bin Laden — the most deadly insurgent group in Afghanistan. In the latest of a series of ever bolder strikes, the group staged a daylong assault on the United States Embassy in Kabul, an attack Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, charged Thursday was aided by Pakistan's military spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI. According to two American officials, cellphones used by the attackers made calls to suspected ISI operatives before the attack, although top Pakistani officials deny their government played any role.
But even as the Americans pledge revenge against the Haqqanis, and even amid a new debate in the Obama administration about how to blunt the group's power, there is a growing belief that it could be too late. To many frustrated officials, they represent a missed opportunity with haunting consequences. Responsible for hundreds of American deaths, the Haqqanis probably will outlast the United States troops in Afghanistan and command large swaths of territory there once the shooting stops.
American military officers, who have spent years urging Washington to take action against the Haqqanis, express anger that the Obama administration has still not put the group on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations out of concern that such a move would scuttle any chances that the group might make peace with Afghanistan's government.
"Whoever is in power in Kabul will have to make a deal with the Haqqanis," said Marc Sageman, a former C.I.A. officer who served in Pakistan during the Soviet-Afghan war. "It won't be us. We're going to leave, and those guys know it."
When their threat was less urgent, the Haqqanis — estimated at 5,000 to 15,000 fighters in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan — were not a top priority for the Americans. But even then the United States also had little leverage against them. The Haqqanis have expanded their reach and numbers as top American officials have tried repeatedly over the last decade to berate and cajole officials in Pakistan to cut ties to a group it considers essential for its own security, all with little effect.
"Some have become convinced that after 10 years, it's a bridge too far to try to change Pakistan's strategic calculus," said Col. Bob Cassidy, who recently returned from Kabul after serving as a top aide to Lt. Gen. David Rodriguez, a senior American commander in Afghanistan.
Now largely run by two of Mr. Haqqani's sons, who experts say are even more committed Islamists than their father, the network is in a position of strength as the United States tries to broker a peace deal in Afghanistan before pulling its troops from the country.
In recent days, top Haqqani network leaders have indicated that they are willing to negotiate, but on their own terms. The group maintains close ties to the Taliban, but often works independently, and some intelligence officials see Haqqani operations like the American Embassy attack this month as a very public message from the group that it will not be cut out of any grand bargain.
One former American intelligence official, who worked with the Haqqani family in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation in the 1980s, said he would not be surprised if the United States again found itself relying on the clan.
"You always said about them, 'best friend, worst enemy.' "
Militia and Ministate
With a combination of guns and muscle, the Haqqani network has built a sprawling enterprise on both sides of a border that barely exists.
The Haqqanis are Afghan members of the Zadran tribe, but it is in the town of Miram Shah in Pakistan's tribal areas where they have set up a ministate with courts, tax offices and radical madrasa schools producing a ready supply of fighters. They secretly run a network of front companies throughout Pakistan selling cars and real estate, and have been tied to at least two factories churning out the ammonium nitrate used to build roadside bombs in Afghanistan.
American intelligence officials believe that a steady flow of money from wealthy people in the gulf states helps sustain the Haqqanis, and that they further line their pockets with extortion and smuggling operations throughout eastern Afghanistan, focused in the provinces of Khost, Paktia and Paktika. Chromite smuggling has been a particularly lucrative business, as has been hauling lumber from Afghanistan's eastern forests into Pakistan.
They are also in the kidnapping business, with a mix of pecuniary and ideological motives. In May, the group released the latest of a series of videos showing Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, an American infantryman held by the network since June 2009, with a Haqqani official. David Rohde, then a reporter for The New York Times, was held hostage by Haqqani operatives from November 2008 to June 2009.
Over the past five years, with relatively few American troops operating in eastern Afghanistan, the Haqqanis have run what is in effect a protection racket for construction firms — meaning that American taxpayers are helping to finance the enemy network.
Maulavi Sardar Zadran, a former Haqqani commander, calls this extortion "the most important source of funding for the Haqqanis," and points out that a multiyear road project linking Khost to Gardez in southeastern Afghanistan was rarely attacked by insurgent forces because a Haqqani commander was its paid protector.
"The Haqqanis know that the contractors make thousands and millions of dollars, so these contractors are very good sources of income for them," he said in an interview.
Other road projects in the region have been under constant assault. According to an authoritative report written by Jeffrey A. Dressler of the Institute for the Study of War, Haqqani militants "repeatedly targeted road construction projects which, if completed, would provide greater freedom of movement for Afghan and coalition forces."
But the group is not just a two-bit mafia enriching itself with shakedown schemes. It is an organized militia using high-profile terrorist attacks on hotels, embassies and other targets to advance its agenda to become a power broker in a future political settlement. And, sometimes, the agenda of its patrons from Pakistan's spy service, the ISI.
Last month, Afghanistan's National Intelligence Directorate released recordings of phone calls intercepted during the June 28 attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. In the exchanges, Haqqani network leaders in Pakistan instruct their operatives in the hotel to shoot the locks off rooms, throw in grenades and make sure no one escapes.
Later, as a fire blazes, the recordings capture the voice of Badruddin Haqqani, one of Jalaluddin's sons, who the State Department says is in charge of kidnappings for the network.
On the tape, Mr. Haqqani asks: "How is the fire?"
A militant named Omar replies: "It's a big fire, and the smoke is blinding me." Omar says he will not be able to move away from the fire, and Mr. Haqqani asks if he has bullets.
"Yes, I have a lot of ammunition," Omar says. "God willing, I'm very relaxed, lying on this mattress, waiting for them."
Mr. Haqqani laughs and says: "God will give you victory." More than a dozen people were killed in the attack, which American officials say they think was carried out with some ISI help.
A NATO officer who tracks Haqqani activities in southeastern Afghanistan gave a blunt assessment of the Haqqanis' brutal ways of intimidation, saying: "They will execute you at a checkpoint, or stop you and go through your phone. And, if they find you're connected to the government, you'll turn up in the morgue. And that sends a message."
According to a senior American military official, cross-border attacks by the Haqqanis into Afghanistan have increased more than fivefold this year over the same period a year ago, and roadside bomb attacks are up 20 percent compared with last year.
For years, American officials have urged Pakistan to move against the Haqqanis' base of operations in North Waziristan. They typically are rebuffed by military and intelligence officials in Islamabad, who say that Pakistan's military is overstretched from operations elsewhere in the tribal areas and is not ready for an offensive against the Haqqanis.
As a result, the United States has fallen back on a familiar strategy: missiles fired from armed drones operated by the C.I.A. But because the Haqqani network's leaders are thought to be hiding in populated towns like Miram Shah, where the C.I.A. is hesitant to carry out drone strikes, American officials said that the campaign has had only limited success against the group's leadership.
1980s Allies
A quarter-century ago, the Haqqani fighters were not the targets of C.I.A. missiles. They were the ones shooting C.I.A.-supplied missiles, the shoulder-fired Stingers that would devastate Soviet air power over Afghanistan.
Jalaluddin Haqqani was in temporary alliance with the United States against its greater adversary, the Soviet Union, just as his network today is allied with a Pakistan that sees Afghanistan as a critical buffer against its greater adversary, India. His clan's ruthlessness and fervent Islam were seen then as marks of courage and faith on the part of men Ronald Reagan called freedom fighters.
Representative Charlie Wilson, the late Texas Democrat who made the mujahedeen his cause, called the elder Mr. Haqqani "goodness personified."
American intelligence officers who worked directly with Mr. Haqqani had a somewhat less starry-eyed view. "He was always a wild-eyed guy," said the former American intelligence official who worked with the Haqqanis. "But we weren't talking about getting these guys scholarships to Harvard or M.I.T. He was the scourge of the Soviets."
The Haqqani fighters would roll boulders down mountains to block passing Soviet convoys, said the official, who requested anonymity because he remains a consultant for the government. "Then they would sit up in the hills and pick the Russians off all afternoon," he said.
Jalaluddin Haqqani's fierce temperament was matched by his devotion to the rules of Islam, the official said. Shot in the knee one time during the daytime fast of Ramadan, Mr. Haqqani had medics dig the bullet out without anesthesia rather than violate a religious tenet by swallowing pain medication, the official said. There is little doubt in Afghanistan that if the family were to gain power, it would institute strict Islamic rule.
For Americans who worked with them in the 1980s, the fact that the Haqqanis are now fighting their former American allies is no shock. The Russians were the foreign occupiers before; now the Americans are.
"The Haqqanis have always been the warlords of that part of the country," said Mr. Sageman, the former C.I.A. officer. "They always will be."
Limited U.S. Options
On Feb. 19, 2009, the day before Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Pakistan's new senior military commander, was due in Washington for his first meetings with the Obama administration, the American Embassy in Islamabad sent a classified cable to the State Department.
American officials believed that General Kayani, Pakistan's onetime spymaster, had for years overseen Pakistan's covert support for militant groups like the Haqqani network, and the cable offered blunt advice about the coming talks.
"The single biggest message Kayani should hear in Washington is that this support must end," said the cable, written by Ambassador Anne W. Patterson.
In the 30 months since, few in Washington believe that Pakistan's support of armed militia groups has diminished. American officials who were once optimistic they could change Pakistani behavior through cajoling and large cash payments now accept a sober reality: as long as Pakistan sees its security under threat by India's far larger army, it will rely on militant groups like the Haqqanis, the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba as occasional proxy forces.
The new urgency for a political settlement in Afghanistan has further limited Washington's options for fighting the Haqqani network. During high-level discussions last year, Obama administration officials debated listing the group as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization," which allows for some assets to be frozen and could dissuade donors from supporting the group. While some military commanders pushed for the designation, the administration ultimately decided that such a move might alienate the Haqqanis and drive them away from future negotiations.
Officials chose to take the more incremental step of naming individual Haqqani leaders as terrorists, including Badruddin and Sirajuddin Haqqani. Senior American officials said there was once again a fierce debate inside the Obama administration about whether to put the entire group on the terrorist list.
But as Washington struggles to broker an endgame for the Afghan war, there is widespread doubt about whether the Haqqanis will negotiate, and whether their patrons in Islamabad will even let them. After a decade of war, there is a growing sense among America's diplomats, soldiers and spies that the United States is getting out of Afghanistan without ever figuring out how a maddeningly complex game is played.
"Is there any formula for Pakistan to agree to stop supporting the insurgency in Afghanistan and instead help broker and be satisfied with a political settlement?" asked Karl W. Eikenberry, who served as both America's top military commander in Afghanistan and its ambassador to the country.
"We don't know the answer to that question," he said.


text:
Compar MobiliCompar Mobili | Contemporary Dining Furniture | Modern Dining ( For inquiries on the items shown below, please contact us, providing your address and contact details for an individual quotation. )
Compar MobiliItalian modern furniture manufacturer COM.P.AR founded in 1984. The company combines innovative design and functionality in unique way. It offers contemporary solutions for modern living spaces. You can find in their catalogues such furniture pieces as tables, chairs, accessories for living and dining rooms. Coffee tables in Art Nouveau style and modern comfortable armchairs, chic dining tables, bar stools, racks, side tables offer elegance, functionality, exclusive quality, uncompromising unique design look.
Special attention paid to the high quality materials, company uses eco-friendly materials in manufacturing, which correspond to European health and safety standards.
Furniture parts like table tops are made of wood and glass, frames usually made of aluminium chrome, various materials used for upholstery, accessories, all materials provide durability and luxury appearance.
Compar has clear understanding of market demands, good customer service and offers reasonable prices.
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text:
I have had this discussion on other threads and I wanted to get your opinions on what most fellow Atheists consider an "Atheist".
I have always considered an "Atheist" as someone who does not believe in even the possibility of a God/Gods, an afterlife, reincarnation of any kind, energies "living on" or being "transferred to other forms" after death, ghosts/souls, and/or superstitious beliefs.
I have not considered Buddhists atheists as they still believe in "energies" and the sorts; and believe that people who say that they believe in the "possibility" of an afterlife as agnostics or the sorts - I have been an atheist for example since I was 15-16 and maybe an agnostic for a couple of years before then.
For example, I am sure that Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Ayaan Hirsi Ali and the likes all fit into the aforementioned definition of an "Atheist". So, what do you think?
Views: 815
In other words, you'd be an non-skeptical atheist.
Still an atheist.
Still an atheist.
Glad we have that settled.
Simply one that doesn't have a positive belief of a deity or deities. agnostic/gnostic (as often as the term is misused as a noun) refers to knowledge-and practically speaking everyone is agnostic, meaning no one knows for sure on the existence of such beings. You can be an agnostic atheist or an agnostic theist. Everyone can believe in the supernatural or not. atheism just refers to the god question, nothing else. I can tell you from personal experience that aspects such as skepticism, intelligence and the such are not exclusive to this group, it's just in this one area, the god question, we may display more skepticism (yet be still completely obtuse in other areas or hell even in the very area that defines an atheist). Most atheists do not believe in the supernvtural, but that shouldn't be part of the definition-not only does it not apply to every atheist but also it has a tinge of arrogance in the implication.
after that, it's all up to you, and i think i pretty much restated several responses already :P derp.
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text:
It's the most glorious week of the year. CMJ is finally here! Most CMJ-newbies and even some seasoned veterans will find the abundance of shows, unofficial parties, day-showcases, RSVP-only parties, and things to do during CMJ week a bit overwhelming. As a WCDB alumni (key word: alumni) I have the added challenge this year of doing it all without a badge, that wonderful golden ticket that lets you in to (almost) any show during the week. However, over the years I've found that most of the smaller shows are free, some of the medium sized shows are free w/rsvp, and a lot of the cool stuff to go to aren't in traditional music venues or are even shows at all. The only shows that definitely require a CMJ badge to enter are the big ones: shows at Bowery Ballroom, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Terminal 5, and Webster Hall. And who wants to go to those? Because really, CMJ isn't about seeing Savages play at Terminal 5 (capacity: 3,000) during CMJ 2013, it's about seeing their first live shows in the U.S. before their debut album came out, at Glasslands (capacity: 275) and Public Assembly (capacity: 400) during CMJ 2012.
Every year I try to find a nice balance between bands I love and bands I've never heard of before. It's my own opinion that the quality of the festival and number of bands that I'm excited to see decreases slightly every year, but I'm trying to stay optimistic. Here are the showcases I'm most excited about, some "bands to watch", and other things I'm looking forward to during CMJ next week. See you there?
Bands to Watch
the bold CMJ dates below are free, even if you don't have a badge!
Joanna Gruesome
SO GOOD SO GOOD SO GOOD. Seriously, look past the name. Their debut album Weird Sister came out September 2013 on Slumberland Records (swoon) and it's surely one of my favorites of 2013. It's amazing. I'm in love. Go see them.
~ RIYL: Riot Grrrl, noisepop, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Where to catch them:
Tuesday 10/15 @ Ran Tea House (Force Field PR showcase) 12:10am | $5 without badge
Wednesday 10/16 @ Pianos (Kanine Records/SESAC party) – 3:30pm
Wednesday 10/16 @ Pianos (Old Flame Party) 7:45pm
Thursday 10/17 @ Cakeshop (Capeshok Presents) midnight
Friday 10/18 @ Shea Stadium (Portals Music) 9:00pm
Friday 10/18 @ 285 Kent (Pitchfork showcase) 11:15pm | unofficial show, $10 with or without badge
Saturday 10/19 @ The Rock Shop (Lost Colony party)
Saturday 10/19 @ Death By Audio (Agency Group showcase)
Perfect Pussy
debut cassette demo I HAVE LOST ALL DESIRE FOR FEELING is incredible.
thumbs down for no free shows:
Wednesday 10/16 @ The Flat (SHOT! Presents) | $8 or free w/CMJ badge
Friday 10/18 @ 285 Kent (Pitchfork showcase) | unofficial show, $10 with or without badge
~s/t debut album comes January 2014 via Frenchkiss Records
Thursday 10/17 @ Pianos showroom (Frenchkiss Records showcase)
Saturday 10/19 @ Pianos showroom (Bowery Presents CMJ show)
the band in Heaven
dreampop shoegaze from West Palm Beach, FL
debut album Caught in a Summer Swell out September 2013 on Decades Records
thumbs down for no free shows:
Thursday 10/17 @ Parkside Lounge (S/T Management)
Thursday 10/17 @ Pianos (Frenchkiss Records / Label Group)
Friday 10/18 @ (Decades & Timberwolf Showcase)
Continue reading CMJ 2013: A Preview


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text: Andrea is a digital artist who likes to swim and snorkel. She also spent 8 years in the military, 14 months of which she served in the Gulf War. Andrea admits she loves drinking coffee morning noon and night. Old school R&B is her favorite music. Check out her interview in the members area to find out more about this interesting gal.


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The Fuel from Waste Network has been busy. So busy, in fact, that we've not had a chance to update the blog for a while!
We'll be remedying that asap. We have news of initiatives, actions, articles published, research, TV broadcasts and further development and refinement of future plans.
First up: Fuel from Waste is due to be featured on GBS TV Kenya's "Waste Energy" feature on Saturday at 7.30. Have a look at the current feature and follow the link to catch that broadcast – http://gbskenya.com/waste-energy/
Drop in to our Youtube Channel for films showing the background and work of the Fuel from Waste Network: http://www.youtube.com/user/Fuelfromwaste
More, coming soon.


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#Staples3D Partners with 3D Systems to Test 3D Printing as a Service
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — April 11, 2014 — Staples, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS) today announced a partnership with 3D Systems, a leading provider of 3D content-to-print solutions, to pilot 3D printing services in two stores in New York City and Los Angeles.
Staples' new 3D experience store in New York City features a photo booth that lets customers scan their likeness to create a personalized figurine. (Photo: Business Wire)
Each store features an immersive 3D printing experience center that lets consumers and small businesses create personalized products and use 3D printing hardware. Customers can also bring in their own 3D print-ready files to have them printed.
"3D printing offers enormous potential for small businesses, and by using Staples, they can print with the technology without having to invest in it," said Damien Leigh, senior vice president of business services for Staples, Inc. "The test with 3D Systems will help us learn about our customers' needs for a local 3D printing service, and how Staples can help them make more happen for their business through 3D printing."
"Staples established reputation as a leader in home office and small business solutions makes them an ideal partner for testing out live, consumer-facing 3D print services," said Rajeev Kulkarni, 3D Systems' vice president and general manager, for consumer products division. "We have been thrilled with the retail experience and response from our audience, and the difference it makes being able to see, touch and experience 3D printing."
With the new experience centers, both small businesses and consumers are able to learn more about 3D printing through demonstration areas where they can use design software and see 3D Systems printers in action. Each store will have a photo booth to capture customers' facial images for the purpose of personalizing 3D products like figurines, and customers can also print personalized smart phone cases.
Each store has an expert from 3D Systems on-site, along with trained Copy & Print associates to help guide customers on their 3D printing journey. The items will be printed on site or through 3D Systems and shipped directly to their offices or home.
Staples previously announced in May of 2013 that it would be the first major U.S. retailer to carry 3D printers, with the launch of the Cube® from 3D Systems on Staples.com. The company has since rolled out 3D printing hardware and accessories in a limited number of stores, and expanded its overall product selection.
About Staples
Staples makes it easy to make more happen with more products and more ways to shop. Through its world-class retail, online and delivery capabilities, Staples lets customers shop however and whenever they want, whether it's in-store, online or on mobile devices. Staples offers more products than ever, such as technology, facilities and breakroom supplies, furniture, safety supplies, medical supplies, and Copy and Print services. Staples also offers free shipping for Staples Rewards Members, in most cases overnight. Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples operates throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. More information about Staples (SPLS) is available at www.staples.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20140411005551/en/
Staples, Inc.
Mark Cautela, 508-253-3832
Email Contact


text: I noticed today that my secure email was using the self signed cert. I did some poking around and saw that dovecot and posfix might be to blame. I went into: vi /etc/dovecot/dovecot.conf and added: ssl_cert_file = /var/www/server.example.com/ssl/server.example.com.crt ssl_key_file = /var/www/server.example.com/ssl/server.example.com.key and then: vi /etc/postfix/main.cf and added: smtpd_tls_cert_file = /var/www/server.example.com/ssl/server.example.com.crt smtpd_tls_key_file = /var/www/server.example.com/ssl/server.example.com.key Everything seems to work now with ssl/tls with my Godaddy cert. Is this correct?


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To study the internals of database systems as an introduction to research and as a basis for rational performance tuning.
The study of internals will concern topics at the intersection of database system, operating system, and distributed computing research and development. Specific to databases is the support of the notion of transaction: a multi-step atomic unit of work that must appear to execute in isolation and in an all-or-nothing manner. The theory and practice of transaction processing is the problem of making this happen efficiently and reliably.
Tuning is the activity of making your database system run faster. The capable tuner must understand the internals and externals of a database system well enough to understand what could be affecting the performance of a database application. We will see that interactions between different levels of the system, e.g., index design and concurrency control, are extremely important, so will require a new optic on database management design as well as introduce new research issues. Our discussion of tuning will range from the hardware to conceptual design, touching on operating systems, transactional subcomponents, index selection, query reformulation, normalization decisions, and the comparative advantage of object-oriented database systems. This portion of the course will be heavily sprinkled with case studies from database tuning in biotech, telecommunications, and finance. Also, since the book that Philippe Bonnet and I have written has many tests associated with it, you will get the benefit of those tests.
Because of my recent research (and product) interests, this year will include frequent discussions of
We will also discuss, if we have time several related topics found at the end of these lecture notes (i) high performance replicated database systems without the use of two phase commit, (ii) case studies from Wall Street, (iii) a self-tuning technique that improves on LRU, and (iv) a data structure for data warehouses.
Here are some experiments having to do with database tuning .
Here is how to call C from K: Don Orth's description of how to call C from K.
Here are Alan Fekete's slides on snapshot isolation Snapshot Isolation and Fixes to It and the even better fixes (but in a paper) due to Michael Cahill, Uwe Roehm, and Alan Fekete.
Here is Joe Conron's nice paper on indexes (from when he was a master's student).
Some results from database tuning projects. Presented as rules of thumb. Here is one very nice tuning project by Yuhong Chen. Here is another by Ilya Finkelshteyn Here is a third by Marina Balina Here is a fourth by Pratik Daga.
Here are Alberto Lerner's excellent notes on performance monitoring. Here you can find his thesis.
Here are notes about materialized views in Oracle.
Here is a call to a new organization of databases by the Turing Award winner Jim Gray
Here are two very nice and very practical papers about data warehousing by one of the foremost practitioners in the field: Ralph Kimball on constructing an enterprise data warehouse and Ralph Kimball on why to use star schemas in dimensional modeling.
Finally, here are the rules about academic honesty.


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The following upcoming public meetings are scheduled in Lehigh Acres monthly. The public is encouraged to attend and participate in local issues.
- Lehigh Acres Community Planning Panel (LACPP) meets on the second Wednesday evening of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the annex of the Lehigh Acres Sheriff's substation at 1299 Homestead Rd. Enter through the rear door. The Architectural Review Board (ARB) is a part of the LACPP.
- The Lehigh Community Council meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at 1299 Homestead Rd., the annex to the Brava Substation of the Sheriff's Office. For more information go to: www.lehighcouncil.com.
- The East County Water Control district board (ECWCD) usually meets at 1120 Village Lakes Blvd. in front of Town Lakes. It may meet at the Utility Building on E. County Lane, For a list of meeting dates which can vary from month to month, call 368-0044.
- The Lehigh Acres Fire and Rescue Department meets monthly, usually on Tuesdays or Wednesdays at 6 p.m. at Fire Station 104 on Gunnery Rd. and 16th St. Call 303-5300 for more information.


text:
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View your account balance (and all your account information) by logging into EasyWeb Internet banking and opening your My Accounts page.
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Please note that the answers to the questions are for information purposes only for the products discussed. Individual circumstances may vary. In case of discrepancy, the documentation prevails.


text:
'Go Home Thomas' Egg and Sausage Sandwich
Weekend brunch was pretty much a given when I lived in Portland. Somehow I braved the inevitable long lines in the rain on many a Saturday (free coffee helps) in hopes of demolishing a platter of build-your-own hash browns or an egg and bacon sandwich.
Laurie Wolf devotes an entire chapter to the meal in Portland, Oregon Chef's Table, a testament to its popularity. While many restaurants offer over-the-top dishes of fried meats smothered in gravy, Southeast Portland's Toast offers simpler (but no less hangover-curing) dishes like their egg and sausage sandwich named 'Go Home Thomas.' Their recipe offers directions for making each element from scratch, including the English muffin.
Why I picked this recipe: Egg and sausage may seem like an obvious choice for a brunch recipe, but this totally DIY recipe had me excited to try my hand at homemade English muffins.
What worked: The muffins were full of nooks and crannies, and the smoked paprika in the sausage was an inspired addition.
What didn't: I would have liked a little less sausage and a little more cheese in my sandwich (who doesn't want more cheese?), but that is easily fixed next go-around.
Suggested tweaks: Be sure to well-season the sausage mixture before cooking; you can test a small bit in a skillet before assembly to make sure you've added enough salt. Also, scrambling the eggs was a fine option (especially when making several sandwiches at once), but I'm sure the dish would be great with a runny fried egg instead.
Reprinted with permission from Portland, Oregon Chef's Table by Laurie Wolf. Copyright 2012. Published by Lyons Press. Available wherever books are sold. All rights reserved.
- Yield:serves 6
- Active time: 1 hour
- Total time:12 to 24 hours
- For the Sausage
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- Smoked paprika, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- For the Muffins
- 3 1/4 plus 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dry active yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup cornmeal
- For the Eggs
- 12 large eggs
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese, for assembly
For the sausage, combine the sausage ingredients in a medium bowl. Let sit in refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours. Divide into six portions and press into circles. Cook on griddle for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
For the muffins, mix the 3 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, bread flour, salt, yeast, sugar, and water in large bowl. Add the water and mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Cover; let the dough double in size (2 to 3 hours at room temperature, or in the refrigerator overnight).
After the dough has doubled, mix together remaining all-purpose flour and cornmeal, and liberally flour counter with cornmeal mixture. Transfer the dough to counter and roll out the dough until approximately 3/4- to 1-inch thick.
Cut dough into rounds [Ed note: I used a 3-inch biscuit cutter] and place on a well-oiled griddle on low to medium heat. Let brown on one side, flip, and oil again. The muffins will be done when they push back readily in the center.
For the eggs, whisk the eggs with salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add butter to a nonstick pan and stir to cook. Keep stirring the eggs into the center of the pan; try to keep the eggs almost omeletlike, not small pieces.
To assemble, Toast six muffins until golden brown. Place a sausage patty on six halves, then some scrambled eggs, top with cheese, and cover with other muffin halves.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Church is the Mission - Colossians 4:2-6
This is a sermon by Melvin Tinker from the morning service on 15th December 2019.
Click here to read the bible passage (opens in new window).
An audio-only recording is also available
There is no charge for our sermon recordings, but if you'd like to help with our costs, please make a donation.
Copyright information: The sermon recordings are copyright and are available for personal use only. If you wish to use them in other ways, please contact us for permission.


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paragraphThere are now 6 estate agency offices along the M4 corridor from Bridgend in the east to Llanelli in the west. The offices are at Bridgend, Porthcawl, Maesteg, Port Talbot, Swansea, Skewen, Neath and Llanelli. The business is run on a 'one-stop shop' ideal where financial services are provided by the Mortgage Centre at Neath."Having been established for thirty years, this family run independently run estate agents boasts five sales offices and one lettings office from the Vale of Glamorgan to Carmarthenshire along the M4 corridor. Having recently under gone new website renovation along with the rebranding of the logos and introduction of Facebook and Twitter you can be sure that this family business use the latest technology mixed with their solid belief in great traditional customer service"
Check out our available properties
You can see the properties we're currently marketing for sale by clicking the button below:View properties


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By Emmanuel Legrand
The success to placing music is based on knowledge, opportunism and building a network of music supervisors. A previous instalment looked at the way the synch market works in Hollywood. Here are ten tips on how to better approach this market and maximise your chances to place music, based on discussions and comments from MusExpo's Synch Summit in April 2014.
1 - Do your homework.
In short: Make sure you know who does what and which shows they work on. Key to a successful synch business is about building relationship. But before you approach any music supervisor it is imperative to do some basic works: identify the supervisors, try to understand how they work, what shows they work on, what genre of music they need, how they like it delivered, etc. To meet with supervisors, some events such as MusExpo's Synch Summit or Mark Frieser's travelling Sync Summit (the most recent event was held in Paris and the next one is in June in Los Angeles) can provide valuable access to some key supervisors. At MusExpo's Synch Summit, over 20 supervisors shared views with the audience, but most of all, they explained how they worked, what they expected and the best way to deal with their needs. This is usually the best way to gather info and start in the competitive business of song placement. "Do some research," says brand consultant Lauri Lambert from L3 Entertainment. "We get a lot of music that is inappropriate."
2 – Less is more
Do not flood supervisors with too many tracks! Once you understand who needs what, act wisely by trying to send what you consider are your best tracks. What you send and how you send it in terms of format can vary according to each supervisor. Some like MP3s, other still work with CDs, others will make do with a link to a site where they can download music files and data such as bios. For example, Cybele Pettus, Sr. Music Supervisor at Electronic Arts, does not want CDs and prefers download, and does not want to get more than three tracks from one source. This requires to be selective. "Get me your best stuff," advises one supervisor. "Be selective with what you send," adds L3's Lambert. Some rights holders send regular information to supervisors like Denmark's Iceberg which send a newsletter every three weeks, with no more than three tracks with instrumental versions and lyrics.
3 - Which genres fare best?
In theory, there's no boundaries to what can be placed, it all depends on the context, and the nature of the project, but some music genres will do better than others. Instrumental tracks are always in need, especially for on-air promos, and songs with strong musicality with catchy hooks are in demand. Electronic music is a genre that does cross boundaries and is "very popular," says Benjamin Budde, head of creative at Budde Music & Global Publishing in Berlin. "Classic songs from our catalogue, like 'Big In Japan' also do well with synchs," adds Budde. Former Universal Music Publishing CEO David Renzer, now chairman/CEO of the Spirit Music Group, says synchs can also "continue to breathe life into copyrights" with the use of catalogue material in series and films. Renzer says "heritage" bands such as T-Rex or The Who get good responses from music supervisors. But he states that even an act without a recording deal such as Big Data, signed to Spirit, has already "two or three synch deals in the pipeline." Video games are song-intensive and tend to require upbeat, metal and hip hop tracks, but not only, according to EA's Pettus. Hence the importance to follow point 1.
4 – Clear rights beforehand and do not sell what you don't have.
Make sure you have all the rights cleared from your end (especially for songs using multiple samples). This will help speed up the process, especially if time is an issue (see below), but it will also set the foundation for a good relationship with supervisors. Providing lyrics is also useful so that supervisors know from the outset if the songs can be usable in a mainstream context. The worst case scenario for a film studio or a TV production company is sued by a right owner who had not given clearance for synch rights. This can singlehandedly destroy a long established reputation with music supervisors (and can also put the job of supervisors at risk). Iceberg CEO Manfred Zahringer advises labels and publishers to talk their composers and artists through the process beforehand and obtain their approval for the use of their music in synchs at an early stage in the relationship. "Some people do not want music in ads," he explains. "I would not sign a band that would not want to do ads." Another step is to clear everything, and make sure all the rights holders and in the loop. "We are very careful about clearances,' says Zahringer. "We would never forget [to list] a composer and have not made a single mistake in 14 years. If you forget one, supervisors are in deep shit and you are away from the picture."
5 - One-stop-shop works better
Try to bundle recording and publishing rights so that you end up offering tracks that can be cleared through one single deal. The wrong scenario is when a publisher approaches supervisors with a view to propose track without either clearing recording right, or without having checked with the artist if they are OK with the process. Imagine if a supervisor likes your music, but then discovers that the recording rights are not available because the artist does not want to license music for ads, or TV shows (Tom Waits, for example). Yasmine Gallus, manager song marketing at Budde Music in Berlin, explains: "Sometimes it is hard to clear the masters and by the time you manage to do it, the deal might be gone. When we don't have the recording rights, we consult with the owners of the masters beforehand."
6 – Time is of the essence: Be reactive and act quickly
In an ideal world, supervisors would like to have enough time to secure music and close deals. In reality, due to the amount of projects they are in charge of, most of the deals are made under the gun. So those who can react fast enough tend to get the best deals. "We win [deals] because we are quick to react," explains Budde's Gallus. Zahringer is adamant that "you should never let mails unanswered," even it it means working in the middle of the night to close a deal.
7 - Think metadata
|The Fox synch team at MusExpo
(Pic: KC Morse for A&R Worldwide)
Memo to rights holders: Metadata needs to be accurate, or you could lose a lot. It is usually not on top of people's priorities but metadata is a key component in the synch mix. During a panel at MusExpo, a Fox music supervisor stated that too often tracks were sent to them without accurate or complete metadata and urged rights holders to ensure that correct metadata was embedded with each tracks. It facilitates the identification of the songs and also helps guaranteeing payment, especially if tracks travel around the world with TV shows or films and can generate performing rights.
8 - Understand budget constraints, be flexible during negotiations
|Budde Music's Benjamin Budde
(Pic: KC Morse for A&R Worldwide)
Not everything gets licensed and not everything deserves six figure cheques. Each project has its own budget, and a song placement on a TV show that uses dozens of songs will not pay the same as a song in the opening credits of a feature film. On-air synchs can trade for a few hundred dollars, while TV shows can pay few thousands dollars for a song, and songs on blockbusters can fetch go for six figures. With advertising, superstars can claim several hundred thousands if not over a million dollars for the use of a hit song, especially if this is a global campaign. However, many experts point out that rates tend to be under pressure, if not going down, but the amount of music licensed is growing steadily. "Budgets are going down and if sometimes you can succeed with one big sync, it is much better to make sure that you have synchs on a rolling basis," says Budde. Spirit's Renzer suggests to look at "the newer non traditional synchs" such as online shows created strictly for online purposes, or micro synchs for online usage. "Making your copyrights available to be licensed at a lower cost is important," he explains. "You have to pursue al these new opportunities. For example, YouTube and Vevo involve synch licensing so that's a new area."
9 – Be patient – it takes time to build trustworthy relationships
Anyone who has been in the business of synchs tells the same story: It does not happen overnight. There is a learning curve to understand the business, then time is needed to build a network of contacts, and more time to make deals. But if you have to have the right repertoire and the right approach it should pay dividends. "They [music supervisors] have to believe in you as a trustworthy person and it does not happen after just one meeting," says Zahringer, who admits it took his two to three years to start navigating with some confidence in the sector -- and he is learning all the time.
10 – Be persistent – do not give up, and try harder
Patience is one thing but persistence in reaching out to music supervisors is key to building a business, with the proviso that you have to be careful not to "harass" them. "I sometimes waited four to six years to get my first meeting [with some supervisors]," says Zahringer. "It can take a while." For Spirit's Renzer, the best advice to rights holders looking for synchs is "persistence." He elaborates, "It's a crowded business, there are lots of people chasing that same opportunity so you have to be persistent, have good judgement and sometimes be flexible on deal-making. Make sure you also have the right tools – online database, pitching tools – so that the process is made easy for the end-user." For Budde's Gallus success in this field is all about building "strong relationships," but with an attitude. She explains, "Focus on your artists and be passionate about your artists. Supervisors know we are passionate about music, and that we help build the profile of our artists. So make sure you are behind the bands."
10bis – Be lucky!
[Typed while listening to Todd Terje's "It's Album Time" (Olsen Records) and Irina Bjorklund's "La vie est une fete"]


text:
I want to encrypt sensitive data on my app server (facebook app) in such a way that my app may only decrypt this data when the user is in an active session. I need to be able to reliably derive/regenerate/salt a key to encrypt/decrypt this data, and I would like to use something that facebook will only send to my app when that user is actively logged in, will always be the same between sessions for that specific user, and is not easily forged from information available to other users or apps. Is there any such piece of secret information in either the OAuth 2.0 or the Facebook Connect API that is both user & app specific and will be consistent between sessions?
The purpose for this is to retain a private key of a key-pair that I generate for each user... thus allowing users to exchange bits of sensitive data between one another (or rather, for my app to exchange bits of sensitive data internally) in such a way that this information is secure even if data on the app's server becomes compromised... (I do understand that if the app's server remains compromised for a period of time, that this sensitive information may still be gathered from all users that have had active sessions while the server was compromised. But, I would like to minimize the amount of damage possible in the event that the server becomes compromised... such that any data extracted from the server is useless without each individual user's secret information/key)


text: Don't go without, this is the complete collection of everything you need to have great sex. Grab the goods you need to get wild with sex essentials such as lubes, licks, massage oils, condoms, rubs, wipes and gift sets - get ready to live out every single fantasy with our range of sex essentials. Stay safe with condoms, try new sensations with our comprehensive range of stimulant gels. These sex accessories are about to shake up your sex life and make orgasming so much easier. You're welcome.


text:
We had Thanksgiving this year at my aunt and uncle's house with 26 people. It was a big crowd so we needed three tables for dinner and I had the fun pleasure of decorating the tables. The first table featured velvet leaves and fruit, the second had more elegant natural elements, and the kids table had playful bright leaves and pumpkins. I loved that each one had its own unique feel but they all went together. They were the perfect warm backdrops for a plate piled high with corn pudding, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and turkey.
I also have to thank my cousins Tori and Mimi for helping and my mom for always having so many craft supplies around. I love that this is a whole family holiday from the table to the desserts!


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One-day HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY Conference Expanding a Humanistic Vision for a 21st Century Psychology Saturday 7th October 2017 Resources for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA, 9am-5pm Cost: £60 - includes lunch, refreshments and live music from Jennifer Maidman and Annie Whitehead (ex Penguin Cafe…
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This is a newsletter for all those who have been involved with our Ten Directions ecotherapy training, including past and current students and people who are considering joining the programme in 2017. Within Tariki we have a growing community of people who share an interest in taking therapeutic work outdoors and we want to keep you in touch with us and with one…
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Grounded in Faith: Psychotherapy and Pureland
Since the time of the Buddha people have looked to Buddhism as a source of salvation from their unhappiness and confusion. In the modern age, psychotherapy has become a route which many people choose to help them face and move beyond their personal suffering. Not surprisingly many Western therapists tend to gravitate towards Buddhist ideas and, conversely, Buddhists are often interested in exploring how their faith…
Posted by caroline brazier on September 4, 2012 at 14:35
I wrote this article for Running Tide back in January but it didnt get published and as Running Tide has only just come out, things had obviously moved on. I'm putting it up here because it seems like a pity to waste a good article - or even a mediocre one!
Going Back to Go Forward: The Birth of Tariki Trust
How often do you wish you could go…
Posted by caroline brazier on March 13, 2012 at 22:49 — 4 Comments
May 27, 2020 at 2pm to July 29, 2020 at 4pm – on line, zoom and email
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You'll love this! 205 Killer Photoshop Actions
Photoshop can do some magical things. By combining all sorts of tools, you can literally make thousands of variations to a single photo.
And with this Photoshop Action Set, you can do it all with pretty much just a click. If you're looking for a ton of new creativity to add to your Photoshop toolbox, then have we got the right stuff for you! From PhotographyPla.net comes a massive Photoshop Action Set Bundle!
Photoshop Actions Bundle Highlights:
- 200+ Photoshop Actions
- You'll get 14 premium Photoshop action sets for a total of 205 individual actions! Just think of the huge variety of photos you can create, all from a single image.
- Great Assortment
- With 14 different action sets, you're bound to find more than just a few that you'll enjoy. This bundle includes the following actions: Fashion, Autumn, Vintage, Sunset & Sunrise, Black & White, Faded & Hazy, Light Leaks, Monochromatic, and more!
- Non-Destructive
- Don't worry about ruining your original image. Every one of these actions leaves the original photo layer untouched, so you can simply undo any actions you don't like.
- Easily Customizable
- Since each action's effects are put into their own layers, it couldn't be simpler to customize all of the actions to your specific needs.
- Photoshop Versions
- The actions in this bundle require Photoshop CS4, CS5, or CS6.
These high-quality action sets normally cost $238 when purchased individually, but for a limited time only, you can get the entire bundle of 205 actions for just $17!
See all the actions and before and after photos
See all the actions and before and after photos