Datasets:

souvorinkg

/

COCA

like 0

@@5102041 <h> Share <p> It is a paradox of the modern Middle East that an area so rife with common security , economic , and ecological challenges should be such an institutional desert when it comes to regional cooperation . A fascinating two-day conference this weekend at the American University in Cairo ( AUC ) discussed whether recent political openings might portend deeper multilateral cooperation in the near future . Sponsored by AUC and the Council on Foreign Relations , the meeting on " Regional Cooperation in the New Middle East " offered only the faintest glimmers of hope that the Arab Spring would auger a new burst of multilateralism in the Middle East . <p> The Middle East and North Africa ( MENA ) region is one of the most barren areas in the world when it comes to regional -- or even subregional -- organizations . There is no robust structure for cooperative security . Nor is there a political framework for negotiating differences and advancing collaboration on common challenges , from promoting counterterrorism to advancing energy security to combating desertification . Existing institutions ( like the Arab League ) have historically been weak . The region is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether measured in terms of trade and investment flows , transportation and telecommunications links , or the free flow of labor ; less than 10 percent of the region 's trade is intra-regional . <p> Six factors appear to explain the lack of robust regional institutions in the MENA area : <p> Perhaps most important , the region 's regimes are among the world 's leading defenders of national sovereignty -- suggesting that national leaders have purposely designed weak regional institutions . <p> Stark differences among regimes ( including constitutional monarchies and authoritarian republics ) over the sources of domestic political legitimacy cripple multilateral cooperation . <p> The region is characterized by enormous disparities in national wealth , particularly between " oil haves " and " oil have-nots . " <p> The growing influence of Turkey and Iran , two powerful non-Arab players with distinct regional visions , one a member of NATO and the other a sworn enemy of the West , poses an enormous obstacle to regional integration . <p> The endless Palestinian-Israeli dispute continues to divide the region . <p> The overwhelming weight of the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give to bilateral relationships with Washington , can not help but detract from alternative , regional approaches to cooperative security . <p> Yet , in the wake of the Arab Spring , as citizens demand more responsive governance , we 've seen some glimmers of deepening regional cooperation . <p> The most prominent shift has been the apparent reinvigoration of the Arab League . For decades , the League was a paragon of fecklessness and lowest-common denominator policies , offering Arab regimes a convenient scapegoat . Last year , the League suddenly sprang into action over Libya , providing invaluable diplomatic cover for UN Security Council Resolution 1973 of March 2011 , authorizing " all necessary means " to protect Libyan citizens from Moammar al-Qaddafi 's forces . ( Such vigor contrasted favorably with the League 's refusal to condemn Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir for crimes against humanity in Darfur . ) In the aftermath of Libya , the Arab League worked to engineer the orderly departure of longstanding Yemeni strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh . <p> More recently , the League has suspended the membership of Syria , called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a negotiated settlement among all Syrian forces toward a democratic transition in that country . The League has also participated actively in ongoing mediation efforts , jointly sponsoring the work of a special mediator with the United Nations . These developments suggested that the Arab League might be poised to transform itself along the lines of the African Union ( AU ) , whose founding Constitutive Act replaced the " non-intervention " absolutism of the preceding Organization of African Unity with a declaration of " non-indifference " toward internal assaults on democracy . <p> Still , the Cairo conference suggested we should not expect robust multilateral institutions in the Middle East anytime soon . The European experience suggests that strong regional institutions are most likely to arise in the presence of strong states . And the fact remains that most states in the MENA region are institutionally anemic and can claim little legitimacy . Vulnerable at home and abroad , most regimes in the region will cling to national sovereignty and resist constraints on their freedom of action at all costs . The Arab Spring , moreover , has deepened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Egypt and Tunisia , newly empowered Islamist governments are pushing toward greater citizen participation , whereas reactionary regimes , including in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia , are fighting a counterrevolution . ( Moderate monarchies , as in Morocco and Jordan , are somewhere between ) . Partly as a result , the emerging regional order is likely to be fragmented . <p> Going forward , the Arab League 's continued renaissance will depend on whether it expands its mandate , as well as capabilities , to address humanitarian , human rights , good governance , and peacekeeping challenges in the MENA region . Such reforms are essential if the League is to fulfill the seldom-invoked collective defense provisions of its Charter . Given the aforementioned divisions among its members , it is possible that we will see the emergence of a multi-speed Arab League -- characterized by emerging coalitions of the willing that want to move faster and further to develop real instruments of regional cooperative security . <p> The emergence of a prosperous Middle East will also require stronger regional institutions to foster economic integration and release the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With a population expected to double over the next twenty-five years , the MENA region needs dramatic growth to meet even modest employment goals , much less the social justice objectives of governing coalitions like Egypt 's Freedom and Justice Party . One of many challenges includes policy responses to dire projections about climate change-induced water scarcity . Particularly in the context of rapid population growth and urbanization , the region must embrace deeper cooperation on the sustainable management of shared watercourses and aquifiers , as well as the deployment of new technologies like desalination and solar energy . <p> Whether the countries of the region will rise to the occasion multilaterally will depend on the commitment of ruling regimes to improving the lives of their citizens . <h> Post a Comment <p> CFR seeks to foster civil and informed discussion of foreign policy issues . Opinions expressed on CFR blogs are solely those of the author or commenter , not of CFR , which takes no institutional positions . All comments must abide by CFR 's guidelines and will be moderated prior to posting . <h> About This Blog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Department 's policy planning staff explores how new threats and rising powers

@@5102141 <h> Welcome to Central Pennsylvania 's Susquehanna River Valley . <p> There 's a jewel to uncover at every trail , turn , and stop . When you visit , you 'll be reminded that life 's greatest joy is in the journey . You 'll follow winding rivers , roads , and pathways connecting you to one delight after another , inviting you to stop often , explore , discover , celebrate . It 's all here for you to explore , at your own pace , in your own time . <p> The National Amusement Park Historical Association ( NAPHA ) named Knoebels Amusement Resort ( Elysburg , PA ) as the Best Park for Families . In addition , its Phoenix roller coaster was voted by NAPHA members as the Favorite Wood Roller Coaster , and its Black Diamond roller coaster/dark ride was the Best New Attraction . Members also called Knoebels as their second Favorite Traditional Amusement Park . <p> The Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau ( SRVVB ) , is pleased to unveil five newly updated Bike Trails just in time for spring ! The bike maps were revised and redesigned by Julieyn Osterhoudt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce the winners of its Fourth Annual " Every Turn a Treasure " Photo Contest , which took place from August 1 , 2011 through January 1 , 2012 .

@@5102241 <h> Usage of content management systems for websites <p> This diagram shows the percentages of websites using various content management systems . See technologies overview for explanations on the methodologies used in the surveys . Our reports are updated daily . <p> How to read the diagram : 68.7% of the websites use none of the content management systems that we monitor . WordPress is used by 17.2% of all the websites , that is a content management system market share of 54.7% . <h> Do you want to stay informed about this survey ? <h> Share this page <p> Content management systems are web-based applications for creating and managing the content of a website . We include all such systems in this category , also systems that are

@@5102341 <p> " The police state in this country is growing out of control , " Paul wrote in a statement provided to The Daily Caller . " One of the ultimate embodiments of this is the TSA that gropes and grabs our kids and our seniors and does nothing to keep us safe . " <p> Paul has been a vocal critic of the TSA , and is the sponsor of the " American Traveler Dignity Act , " which would remove TSA agents ' immunity from prosecution for implementing invasive pat-down procedures . <p> In Paul 's Monday statement , he noted , " my ' Restore America Plan , ' in additional to cutting $1 trillion dollars in one year , eliminates the TSA . " <p> " We must restore the freedom and respect for liberty that once made America the greatest nation in human history , " he continued . " I am deeply committed to doing so as president of the United States . " <p> Rand Paul was detained on Monday after refusing a pat-down by

@@5102441 <h> Radiolab App : Be a Part of the Nerdiest Show On the Airwaves <p> WNYC 's Radiolab is audio storytelling at its best : Experimental , wonderful , and weird . The show 's new app for Android and iOS is designed to get you in on the action of making the crazy sound happen . <p> The app has a built-in recorder that allows you to capture audio wherever you are and submit it to the show for use on the air . Crowdsourced journalism , hurray ! As you 'd expect , the Radiolab app also allows you to browse the show 's archive , listen to podcasts streaming , and download them for listening on the go . If you think you 've got the chops to be a radio host yourself , the app also lets you record and submit the show 's credits . All of that for $2.99 . But wait , if you 're doing all that work for the show , should n't it be

@@5102541 <p> Home Harry Reid : The idea that Democrats would work with Romney is laughable <h> Harry Reid : The idea that Democrats would work with Romney is laughable <p> Submitted by Anonymous ( not verified ) on November 3 , 2012 - 11:39am <p> **Written by Doug Powers " All I ask is for Republicans to understand what legislation is all about . It 's the art of compromise and building a consensus . " -- Harry " Lead By Example " Reid , January 2012 In actuality , Harry Reid 's definition of " bipartisanship " is " Republicans doing what Democrats want but not the other way around . " If Mitt Romney is elected on Tuesday , Reid will continue to be true to form : <p> Five days before the election , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has ruled out trying to work with Mitt Romney should he win next week . " Mitt Romney 's fantasy that Senate Democrats will work with him to pass his ' severely conservative ' agenda is laughable , " Mr. Reid said in a statement on Friday , trying to puncture Mr. Romney 's closing election argument @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Obama promised in 2008 but has struggled to live up to . ... Mr. Reid flatly ruled out following Mr. Romney 's agenda , saying he and his colleagues have already voted down many of those proposals , including House Republicans ' budget , written by Republican vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan . " Mitt Romney has demonstrated that he lacks the courage to stand up to the tea party , kowtowing to their demands time and again . There is nothing in Mitt Romney 's record to suggest he would act any differently as president , " Mr. Reid said . <p> It 's almost like Harry Reid senses a Romney win and is trying to preempt premature panic among the base . However , Reid did go on to say that he 's confident of an Obama victory on Tuesday -- but I think he got that information from the same sources who told him Romney did n't pay any taxes for a decade , so that information is dubious at best . There 's a possibility that , if the stars align mightily for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of the Senate . It falls in the " unlikely " category , but the possibility does exist : <p> Of those 12 senate races , five are projected to be won by the Republican nominees and seven are projected to be won by the Democrats . This leads to 52 Democratic senators and 48 Republican senators . For the Republicans to win the senate majority , assuming a tie-breaking vote of the vice president if Romney and Ryan win , they will need to win any two of the of the following close seats : Massachusetts , Virginia , Indiana , Missouri , Ohio , Florida , Pennsylvania and Connecticut . The odds of a 50 seat Republican senate comes down to looking for two upset possibilities among the close races . Democrats

@@5102641 <h> Classifying the world and introducing logic <h> Timeline of Systematic Data and the Development of Computable Knowledge <p> This art-quality 4 ' 10 " x 16 " poster timeline of the History of Systematic Data and the Development of Computable Knowledge includes nearly 200 entries spanning millennia of events that have shaped the modern world of data and knowledge . Presented in its original version at the 2010 Wolfram Data Summit , this fascinating and impressive large-scale poster is the perfect piece of intellectual art for your library , office , or other wall , and is a unique gift

@@5102741 <h> 2 October 2012 <h> In the field <p> It 's a funny thing , being a farmer 's wife . Growing up as a Mainer , I did n't know any farmers , really . And now even when we 're back in Maine I feel like we might get a few head scratches when we tell strangers what my farmer does . He farms . Sure he does , they think . I think . <p> I 've gotten a little smarter about farming since coming to Iowa and you know , marrying a farmer . I now know what a combine is -- possibly the most brilliant piece of machinery ever . Seriously , it 's like a lawn mower , but instead of just cutting the grain at a very fast pace , it also strips it of it 's husk or bean pod or whatever , separates it from its cob/bean/whatever mates and deposits single kernals unharmed in the basket ( which is probably not called a basket ) . I 'm sure if you asked nicely it would be happy to box the corn , gift wrap it and address it to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also now used to the term " in the field " . Back in the day when someone would say that so-and-so is " in the field " , an image of a forlorn soul sitting out in a field , counting blades of grass would pop into my head . Now , I get it . So-and-so is out harvesting , plowing , planting , doing whatever it is one needs to do to cultivate the field to get it ready . I know that " grain " just refers to whatever crop is being grown out in the field -- corn and soy usually , but maybe alfafa or wheat or something else . <p> And now , I get the lifestyle too . When my farmer and I were first dating , he cautioned me pretty severely about the life I 'd be signing up for if I stayed with him . He warned me about the long days of harvest and planting , and warned me that that was and had to be the top priority when the time came . Some people work and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money based on the amount and quality of work they do basically at two key points in the year -- planting and cultivating in the spring , and harvesting in the fall . So it 's just concentrated . We all play our parts . My part is to run the clinic and take care of our boy . If I can take care of the house and keeping it clean and in one piece , that 's good too . His part is to be in the field , and take care of me and our boy whenever he can , and not complain about

@@5102841 <h> The development of the RTS , S malaria vaccine candidate : challenges and lessons . <h> Source <h> Abstract <p> RTS , S is the world 's most advanced malaria vaccine candidate and is intended to protect infants and young children living in malaria endemic areas of sub-Saharan Africa against clinical disease caused by Plasmodium falciparum . Recently , a pivotal Phase III efficacy trial of RTS , S began in Africa . The goal of the programme has been to develop a vaccine that will be safe and effective when administered via the Expanded Program for Immunization ( EPI ) and significantly reduce the risk of clinically important malaria disease during the first years of life . If a similar reduction in the risk of severe malaria and other important co-morbidities associated with malaria infection can be achieved , then the vaccine could become a major new tool for reducing the burden of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa . Encouraging data from the ongoing phase II programme suggest that these goals may indeed be achievable . This review discusses some of the unique challenges that were faced during the development of this vaccine , highlights the complexity of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the ongoing

@@5102941 <h> Remarks by President Obama in Address to the United Nations General Assembly <p> United Nations New York , New York <p> 10:12 A.M. EDT <p> PRESIDENT OBAMA : Mr. President , Mr. Secretary General , fellow delegates , ladies and gentlemen : It is a great honor for me to be here today . I would like to talk to you about a subject that is at the heart of the United Nations -- the pursuit of peace in an imperfect world . <p> War and conflict have been with us since the beginning of civilizations . But in the first part of the 20th century , the advance of modern weaponry led to death on a staggering scale . It was this killing that compelled the founders of this body to build an institution that was focused not just on ending one war , but on averting others ; a union of sovereign states that would seek to prevent conflict , while also addressing its causes . <p> No American did more to pursue this objective than President Franklin Roosevelt . He knew that a victory in war was not enough . As he said at one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Nations , " We have got to make , not merely peace , but a peace that will last . " <p> The men and women who built this institution understood that peace is more than just the absence of war . A lasting peace -- for nations and for individuals -- depends on a sense of justice and opportunity , of dignity and freedom . It depends on struggle and sacrifice , on compromise , and on a sense of common humanity . <p> One delegate to the San Francisco Conference that led to the creation of the United Nations put it well : " Many people , " she said , " have talked as if all that has to be done to get peace was to say loudly and frequently that we loved peace and we hated war . Now we have learned that no matter how much we love peace and hate war , we can not avoid having war brought upon us if there are convulsions in other parts of the world . " <p> The fact is peace is hard . But our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the United Nations helped avert a third world war , we still live in a world scarred by conflict and plagued by poverty . Even as we proclaim our love for peace and our hatred of war , there are still convulsions in our world that endanger us all . <p> I took office at a time of two wars for the United States . Moreover , the violent extremists who drew us into war in the first place -- Osama bin Laden , and his al Qaeda organization -- remained at large . Today , we 've set a new direction . <p> At the end of this year , America 's military operation in Iraq will be over . We will have a normal relationship with a sovereign nation that is a member of the community of nations . That equal partnership will be strengthened by our support for Iraq -- for its government and for its security forces , for its people and for their aspirations . <p> As we end the war in Iraq , the United States and our coalition partners have begun a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly capable Afghan government and security forces will step forward to take responsibility for the future of their country . As they do , we are drawing down our own forces , while building an enduring partnership with the Afghan people . <p> So let there be no doubt : The tide of war is receding . When I took office , roughly 180,000 Americans were serving in Iraq and Afghanistan . By the end of this year , that number will be cut in half , and it will continue to decline . This is critical for the sovereignty of Iraq and Afghanistan . It 's also critical to the strength of the United States as we build our nation at home . <p> Moreover , we are poised to end these wars from a position of strength . Ten years ago , there was an open wound and twisted steel , a broken heart in the center of this city . Today , as a new tower is rising at Ground Zero , it symbolizes New York 's renewal , even as al Qaeda is under more pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And Osama bin Laden , a man who murdered thousands of people from dozens of countries , will never endanger the peace of the world again . <p> So , yes , this has been a difficult decade . But today , we stand at a crossroads of history with the chance to move decisively in the direction of peace . To do so , we must return to the wisdom of those who created this institution . The United Nations ' Founding Charter calls upon us , " to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security . " And Article 1 of this General Assembly 's of Human Rights reminds us that , " All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and in rights . " Those bedrock beliefs -- in the responsibility of states , and the rights of men and women -- must be our guide . <p> And in that effort , we have reason to hope . This year has been a time of extraordinary transformation . More nations have stepped forward to maintain international peace and security . And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom and dignity . <p> Think about it : One year ago , when we met here in New York , the prospect of a successful referendum in South Sudan was in doubt . But the international community overcame old divisions to support the agreement that had been negotiated to give South Sudan self-determination . And last summer , as a new flag went up in Juba , former soldiers laid down their arms , men and women wept with joy , and children finally knew the promise of looking to a future that they will shape . <p> One year ago , the people of Cte D'Ivoire approached a landmark election . And when the incumbent lost , and refused to respect the results , the world refused to look the other way . U.N . peacekeepers were harassed , but they did not leave their posts . The Security Council , led by the United States and Nigeria and France , came together to support the will of the people . And Cte D'Ivoire is now governed by the man who was elected to lead . <p> One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were suppressed . But they chose the dignity of peaceful protest over the rule of an iron fist . A vendor lit a spark that took his own life , but he ignited a movement . In a face of a crackdown , students spelled out the word , " freedom . " The balance of fear shifted from the ruler to those that he ruled . And now the people of Tunisia are preparing for elections that will move them one step closer to the democracy that they deserve . <p> One year ago , Egypt had known one President for nearly 30 years . But for 18 days , the eyes of the world were glued to Tahrir Square , where Egyptians from all walks of life -- men and women , young and old , Muslim and Christian -- demanded their universal rights . We saw in those protesters the moral force of non-violence that has lit the world from Delhi to Warsaw , from Selma to South Africa -- and we knew that change had come to Egypt and to the Arab world . <p> One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world 's longest-serving dictator . But faced with bullets and bombs and a dictator who threatened to hunt them down like rats , they showed relentless bravery . We will never forget the words of the Libyan who stood up in those early days of the revolution and said , " Our words are free now . " It 's a feeling you ca n't explain . Day after day , in the face of bullets and bombs , the Libyan people refused to give back that freedom . And when they were threatened by the kind of mass atrocity that often went unchallenged in the last century , the United Nations lived up to its charter . The Security Council authorized all necessary measures to prevent a massacre . The Arab League called for this effort ; Arab nations joined a NATO-led coalition that halted Qaddafi 's forces in their tracks . <p> In the months that followed , the will of the coalition proved unbreakable , and the will of the Libyan people could not be denied . Forty-two years of tyranny was ended in six months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya is free . Yesterday , the leaders of a new Libya took their rightful place beside us , and this week , the United States is reopening our embassy in Tripoli . <p> This is how the international community is supposed to work -- nations standing together for the sake of peace and security , and individuals claiming their rights . Now , all of us have a responsibility to support the new Libya -- the new Libyan government as they confront the challenge of turning this moment of promise into a just and lasting peace for all Libyans . <p> So this has been a remarkable year . The Qaddafi regime is over . Gbagbo , Ben Ali , Mubarak are no longer in power . Osama bin Laden is gone , and the idea that change could only come through violence has been buried with him . Something is happening in our world . The way things have been is not the way that they will be . The humiliating grip of corruption and tyranny is being pried open . Dictators are on notice . Technology is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youth are delivering a powerful rebuke to dictatorship , and rejecting the lie that some races , some peoples , some religions , some ethnicities do not desire democracy . promise written down on paper -- " all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights " -- is closer at hand . <p> But let us remember : Peace is hard . Peace is hard . Progress can be reversed . Prosperity comes slowly . Societies can split apart . The measure of our success must be whether people can live in sustained freedom , dignity , and security . And the United Nations and its member states must do their part to support those basic aspirations . And we have more work to do . <p> In Iran , we 've seen a government that refuses to recognize the rights of its own people . As we meet here today , men and women and children are being tortured , detained and murdered by the Syrian regime . Thousands have been killed , many during the holy time of Ramadan . Thousands more have poured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dignity and courage in their pursuit of justice -- protesting peacefully , standing silently in the streets , dying for the same values that this institution is supposed to stand for . And the question for us is clear : Will we stand with the Syrian people , or with their oppressors ? <p> Already , the United States has imposed strong sanctions on Syria 's leaders . We supported a transfer of power that is responsive to the Syrian people . And many of our allies have joined in this effort . But for the sake of Syria -- and the peace and security of the world -- we must speak with one voice . There 's no excuse for inaction . Now is the time for the United Nations Security Council to sanction the Syrian regime , and to stand with the Syrian people . <p> Throughout the region , we will have to respond to the calls for change . In Yemen , men , women and children gather by the thousands in towns and city squares every day with the hope that their determination and spilled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those aspirations . We must work with Yemen 's neighbors and our partners around the world to seek a path that allows for a peaceful transition of power from President Saleh , and a movement to free and fair elections as soon as possible . <p> In Bahrain , steps have been taken toward reform and accountability . We 're pleased with that , but more is required . America is a close friend of Bahrain , and we will continue to call on the government and the main opposition bloc -- the Wifaq -- to pursue a meaningful dialogue that brings peaceful change that is responsive to the people . We believe the patriotism that binds Bahrainis together must be more powerful than the sectarian forces that would tear them apart . It will be hard , but it is possible . <p> We believe that each nation must chart its own course to fulfill the aspirations of its people , and America does not expect to agree with every party or person who expresses themselves politically . But we will always stand up for the universal rights that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections that are free and fair ; on governance that is transparent and accountable ; respect for the rights of women and minorities ; justice that is equal and fair . That is what our people deserve . Those are the elements of peace that can last . <p> Moreover , the United States will continue to support those nations that transition to democracy -- with greater trade and investment -- so that freedom is followed by opportunity . We will pursue a deeper engagement with governments , but also with civil society -- students and entrepreneurs , political parties and the press . We have banned those who abuse human rights from traveling to our country . And we 've sanctioned those who trample on human rights abroad . And we will always serve as a voice for those who 've been silenced . <p> Now , I know , particularly this week , that for many in this hall , there 's one issue that stands as a test for these principles and a test for American foreign policy , and that is the conflict between the Israelis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stood at this podium and I called for an independent Palestine . I believed then , and I believe now , that the Palestinian people deserve a state of their own . But what I also said is that a genuine peace can only be realized between the Israelis and the Palestinians themselves . One year later , despite extensive efforts by America and others , the parties have not bridged their differences . Faced with this stalemate , I put forward a new basis for negotiations in May of this year . That basis is clear . It 's well known to all of us here . Israelis must know that any agreement provides assurances for their security . Palestinians deserve to know the territorial basis of their state . <p> Now , I know that many are frustrated by the lack of progress . I assure you , so am I. But the question is n't the goal that we seek -- the question is how do we reach that goal . And I am convinced that there is no short cut to the end of a conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Peace will not come through statements and resolutions at the United Nations -- if it were that easy , it would have been accomplished by now . Ultimately , it is the Israelis and the Palestinians who must live side by side . Ultimately , it is the Israelis and the Palestinians -- not us -- - who must reach agreement on the issues that divide them : on borders and on security , on refugees and Jerusalem . <p> Ultimately , peace depends upon compromise among people who must live together long after our speeches are over , long after our votes have been tallied . That 's the lesson of Northern Ireland , where ancient antagonists bridged their differences . That 's the lesson of Sudan , where a negotiated settlement led to an independent state . And that is and will be the path to a Palestinian state -- negotiations between the parties . <p> We seek a future where Palestinians live in a sovereign state of their own , with no limit to what they can achieve . There 's no question that the Palestinians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is precisely because we believe so strongly in the aspirations of the Palestinian people that America has invested so much time and so much effort in the building of a Palestinian state , and the negotiations that can deliver a Palestinian state . <p> But understand this as well : America 's commitment to Israel 's security is unshakeable . Our friendship with Israel is deep and enduring . And so we believe that any lasting peace must acknowledge the very real security concerns that Israel faces every single day . <p> Let us be honest with ourselves : Israel is surrounded by neighbors that have waged repeated wars against it . Israel 's citizens have been killed by rockets fired at their houses and suicide bombs on their buses . Israel 's children come of age knowing that throughout the region , other children are taught to hate them . Israel , a small country of less than eight million people , look out at a world where leaders of much larger nations threaten to wipe it off of the map . The Jewish people carry the burden of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowing that six million people were killed simply because of who they are . Those are facts . They can not be denied . <p> The Jewish people have forged a successful state in their historic homeland . Israel deserves recognition . It deserves normal relations with its neighbors . And friends of the Palestinians do them no favors by ignoring this truth , just as friends of Israel must recognize the need to pursue a two-state solution with a secure Israel next to an independent Palestine . <p> That is the truth -- each side has legitimate aspirations -- and that 's part of what makes peace so hard . And the deadlock will only be broken when each side learns to stand in the other 's shoes ; each side can see the world through the other 's eyes . That 's what we should be encouraging . That 's what we should be promoting . <p> This body -- founded , as it was , out of the ashes of war and genocide , dedicated , as it is , to the dignity of every single person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Palestinians and the Israelis . The measure of our actions must always be whether they advance the right of Israeli and Palestinian children to live lives of peace and security and dignity and opportunity . And we will only succeed in that effort if we can encourage the parties to sit down , to listen to each other , and to understand each other 's hopes and each other 's fears . That is the project to which America is committed . There are no shortcuts . And that is what the United Nations should be focused on in the weeks and months to come . <p> Now , even as we confront these challenges of conflict and revolution , we must also recognize -- we must also remind ourselves -- that peace is not just the absence of war . True peace depends on creating the opportunity that makes life worth living . And to do that , we must confront the common enemies of humanity : nuclear weapons and poverty , ignorance and disease . These forces corrode the possibility of lasting peace and together we 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specter of mass destruction , we must come together to pursue the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons . Over the last two years , we 've begun to walk down that path . Since our Nuclear Security Summit in Washington , nearly 50 nations have taken steps to secure nuclear materials from terrorists and smugglers . Next March , a summit in Seoul will advance our efforts to lock down all of them . The New START Treaty between the United States and Russia will cut our deployed arsenals to the lowest level in half a century , and our nations are pursuing talks on how to achieve even deeper reductions . America will continue to work for a ban on the testing of nuclear weapons and the production of fissile material needed to make them . <p> And so we have begun to move in the right direction . And the United States is committed to meeting our obligations . But even as we meet our obligations , we 've strengthened the treaties and institutions that help stop the spread of these weapons . And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those nations that flout them . <p> The Iranian government can not demonstrate that its program is peaceful . It has not met its obligations and it rejects offers that would provide it with peaceful nuclear power . North Korea has yet to take concrete steps towards abandoning its weapons and continues belligerent action against the South . There 's a future of greater opportunity for the people of these nations if their governments meet their international obligations . But if they continue down a path that is outside international law , they must be met with greater pressure and isolation . That is what our commitment to peace and security demands . <p> To bring prosperity to our people , we must promote the growth that creates opportunity . In this effort , let us not forget that we 've made enormous progress over the last several decades . Closed societies gave way to open markets . Innovation and entrepreneurship has transformed the way we live and the things that we do . Emerging economies from Asia to the Americas have lifted hundreds of millions of people from poverty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three years ago , we were confronted with the worst financial crisis in eight decades . And that crisis proved a fact that has become clearer with each passing year -- our fates are interconnected . In a global economy , nations will rise , or fall , together . <p> And today , we confront the challenges that have followed on the heels of that crisis . Around the world recovery is still fragile . Markets remain volatile . Too many people are out of work . Too many others are struggling just to get by . We acted together to avert a depression in 2009 . We must take urgent and coordinated action once more . Here in the United States , I 've announced a plan to put Americans back to work and jumpstart our economy , at the same time as I 'm committed to substantially reducing our deficits over time . <p> We stand with our European allies as they reshape their institutions and address their own fiscal challenges . For other countries , leaders face a different challenge as they shift their economy towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So we will work with emerging economies that have rebounded strongly , so that rising standards of living create new markets that promote global growth . That 's what our commitment to prosperity demands . <p> To combat the poverty that punishes our children , we must act on the belief that freedom from want is a basic human right . The United States has made it a focus of our engagement abroad to help people to feed themselves . And today , as drought and conflict have brought famine to the Horn of Africa , our conscience calls on us to act . Together , we must continue to provide assistance , and support organizations that can reach those in need . And together , we must insist on unrestricted humanitarian access so that we can save the lives of thousands of men and women and children . Our common humanity is at stake . Let us show that the life of a child in Somalia is as precious as any other . That is what our commitment to our fellow human beings demand . <p> To stop disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public health . We will continue the fight against HIV/AIDS , tuberculosis and malaria . We will focus on the health of mothers and of children . And we must come together to prevent , and detect , and fight every kind of biological danger -- whether it 's a pandemic like H1N1 , or a terrorist threat , or a treatable disease . <p> This week , America signed an agreement with the World Health Organization to affirm our commitment to meet this challenge . And today , I urge all nations to join us in meeting the HWO 's sic goal of making sure all nations have core capacities to address public health emergencies in place by 2012 . That is what our commitment to the health of our people demands . <p> To preserve our planet , we must not put off action that climate change demands . We have to tap the power of science to save those resources that are scarce . And together , we must continue our work to build on the progress made in Copenhagen and Cancun , so that all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were made . Together , we must work to transform the energy that powers our economies , and support others as they move down that path . That is what our commitment to the next generation demands . <p> And to make sure our societies reach their potential , we must allow our citizens to reach theirs . No country can afford the corruption that plagues the world like a cancer . Together , we must harness the power of open societies and open economies . That 's why we 've partnered with countries from across the globe to launch a new partnership on open government that helps ensure accountability and helps to empower citizens . No country should deny people their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion , but also no country should deny people their rights because of who they love , which is why we must stand up for the rights of gays and lesbians everywhere . <p> And no country can realize its potential if half its population can not reach theirs . This week , the United States signed a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should each announce the steps we are taking to break down the economic and political barriers that stand in the way of women and girls . This is what our commitment to human progress demands . <p> I know there 's no straight line to that progress , no single path to success . We come from different cultures , and carry with us different histories . But let us never forget that even as we gather here as heads of different governments , we represent citizens who share the same basic aspirations -- to live with dignity and freedom ; to get an education and pursue opportunity ; to love our families , and love and worship our God ; to live in the kind of peace that makes life worth living . <p> It is the nature of our imperfect world that we are forced to learn these lessons over and over again . Conflict and repression will endure so long as some people refuse to do unto others as we would have them do unto us . Yet that is precisely why we have built institutions like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us recognize ourselves in each other -- because those who came before us believed that peace is preferable to war , and freedom is preferable to suppression , and prosperity is preferable to poverty . That 's the message that comes not from capitals , but from citizens , from our people . <p> And when the cornerstone of this very building was put in place , President Truman came here to New York and said , " The United Nations is essentially an expression of the moral nature of man 's aspirations . " The moral nature of man 's aspirations . As we live in a world that is changing at a breathtaking pace , that 's a lesson that we must never forget . <p> Peace is hard , but we know that it is possible . So , together , let us be resolved to see that it is defined by our hopes and not by our fears . Together , let us make peace , but a peace , most importantly , that will last . <p> Thank you very much . ( Applause . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this issue <p> President Obama urges Congress to act now on one thing that everyone agrees on -- ensuring that taxes do on 98 percent of all Americans and 97 percent

@@5103041 <h> Staten Island 's new PS 62 on the way in Rossville , like it or not <p> PS 62 in Rossville , a kindergarten through grade-five school with a capacity for 444 students , will be built at the intersection of Bloomingdale and Woodrow roads . Staten Island Advance <p> STATEN ISLAND , N.Y . - ROSSVILLE - When students set foot in the new PS 62 in Rossville in the fall of 2015 , they 'll be exposed to more than English and math . <p> On Friday , elected officials and members of the city Department of Education ( DOE ) and the School Construction Agency gathered at the future location of what 's expected to be one of the most environmentally friendly educational sites in the country , and the first of its type in the Northeast . <p> The kindergarten through grade-five school , with a capacity for 444 students , will be at the intersection of Bloomingdale and Woodrow roads . <p> It will house five pre-K/kindergarten classrooms , 13 standard classrooms and five more classrooms for special-needs students . Music , art , science facilities , a " gymatorium , " kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room will also be on site , as will four sustainability teaching nodes within the building that will focus on sun , wind , earth and water attributes . <p> The high-tech , 3.5-acre school will generate energy from the sun through photovoltaic panels . Geo-exchange pumps will be located on the site to heat and cool water that will be used for the HVAC systems . A wind turbine will serve to demonstrate to students how wind can generate energy . <p> Called a net-zero energy school , power used at PS 62 will equal the energy it produces . It also will have extra insulation and high-performance windows , to prevent heat or air conditioning from escaping . <p> " This will be , in my view , the most technologically advanced school in the country , " said City Councilman Vincent Ignizio ( R-South Shore ) . " We 're proud to have it here on Staten Island . " <p> The South Shore councilman said the community needs additional school seats : " We 're bursting at the seams . " <p> DOE Deputy Chancellor Kathleen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also attended . <p> " This is really not just a groundbreaking , literally , but also a groundbreaking in terms of New York City schools . This school is going to generate its own energy . It 's going to be a wonderful example of a green building that really is for the 21st century , " said Ms. Grimm . <p> She noted it will be in the vanguard of energy conservation , not just to save money but to save power , and constitute a laboratory for teaching children how important it is to save energy , and how to do it . <p> District Superintendent Erminia Claudio said magic will happen in the area . <p> " Not only is it going to be a wonderful experience for our Staten Island children , but all over the country , people are going to be watching this school , " she said , adding it will be one of Staten Island 's premier educational hubs . <p> CONTROVERSIAL <p> However , since the school was announced in January of 2011 , residents nearby have n't embraced it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . They say it 's going to ruin their neighborhood . Others questioned why it was necessary when another elementary school , PS 56 , is just a block away on Woodrow . <p> State Sen. Andrew Lanza ( R-Staten Island ) questioned the location of the school , especially since a large plot of land is available in Charleston . <p> " This one really befuddles me , " he said , adding the site is just a stone 's throw away . " We could build a high school , a K-8 , and a school for special needs there . " <p> Lanza called positioning PS 62 where it is a waste of taxpayer dollars when a property is already available down the road . <p> " It 's another school with no space for dismissal , " he said . " I 'm beside myself on this . It bothers me . There 's a lack of vision , planning and maybe more . " <p> PS 62 's planning process included the city having to purchase a house on Bloomingdale . The house was knocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called that a waste of taxpayer dollars . <p> " This one just strains the imagination about what possibly went into the decision process to make this happen , " he added , calling it bad for students , teachers and parents . <p> Meanwhile , Ignizio fully supports the location and said not only will PS 62 's presence be extremely helpful , but the site Lanza is referring to will be important down the road . <p> Several years ago , Ignizio thought a school a block from PS 56 was unnecessary , but as time elapsed , he said it had to be done . He once said the site would be perfect for a library . That 's no longer the case , he said , citing traffic studies . <p> PS 62 's design includes a separate street away from nearby homeowners that enables traffic -- pickups , drop-offs -- to flow through the property , not on neighboring Crabtree Avenue and Woodrow . <p> " This will provide capacity relief in 2015 to a walk-up population where people live , and their kids can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Relief Fund <p> The Staten Island Advance has partnered with Project Hospitality and St. George Theatre to establish a hurricane relief fund . Proceeds will directly help families whose homes or apartments were devastated in

@@5103141 <p> While acknowledging that there are greater employment opportunities for Latin Ameri- Line can women in cities than in the ( 5 ) countryside , social science theorists have continued to argue that urban migration has unequivocally hurt women 's status . However , ( 10 ) the effects of migration are more complex than these theorists presume . For example , effects can vary depending on women 's ( 15 ) financial condition and social class . Brazilian women in the lowest socioeconomic class have relatively greater job opportunities and job security ( 20 ) in cities than do men of the same class , although there is no compelling evidence that for these women the move to the city is a move out of pov- ( 25 ) erty . Thus , these women may improve their status in relation to men but at the same time may experience no improvement in their ( 30 ) economic standing . In addition , working outside the home , which is more common in urban than in rural areas , helps women in the ( 35 ) lowest socioeconomic class make contacts to extend exchange networks -- the flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who currently ( 40 ) have access to resources to those who do not . Moreover , poor women working in urban areas actively seek to cultivate long-term employer- ( 45 ) employee relations . When 11 an emergency arises that requires greater resources than an exchange network can provide , these women ( 50 ) often appeal for and receive aid from their wealthy employers . However , the structure of many poor women 's work -- often a labor force ( 55 ) of one in an employer 's home -- makes it difficult for them to organize to improve their economic conditions in general . ( 60 ) Not surprisingly , then , Latin American women in the lowest socioeconomic class differ in their opinions about the effects of urban migration ( 65 ) on their lives . Some find urban living , with access to electricity and running water , an improvement and would never return to the country- ( 70 ) side . Others , disliking the overcrowding and crime , would return to the countryside if there were work opportunities for them there . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative and positive impacts on women 's lives . In general , urban migration has not provided economic pros- ( 80 ) perity or upward mobility for women in the lowest socioeconomic class , despite their intelligent and energetic utilization of the resources available to them . **40;1011;TOOLONG ... Q22 : In the first paragraph , the author refers to the experiences of Brazilian women most probably in order to 12 A. support an earlier assertion made by social science theorists about the effects of urban migration B. provide an example of one area in which urban migration has failed to improve Latin American women 's lives C. substantiate the claim that the effects of urban migration can not be easily characterized D. illustrate the effect that urban migration has had on the economic status of Latin American women E. compare the effect that urban migration has had on the economic status of Latin American women with its effect on the economic status of Latin American men Answer : **40;1053;TOOLONG ... Q23 : NOTE : You must scroll to read the answer choices for this question . Which of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A. Although Latin American women disagree about the effects urban migration has had on their lives , they agree that migration has provided them with greater opportunities for stable employment outside the home . B. Although urban migration has improved the quality of life for Latin American women , it has weakened the social support systems that these women enjoyed in rural communities . C. The effects that urban migration has had on Latin American women 's lives are complex and are best evaluated in light of a range of issues concerning Latin American women 's overall quality of life . D. The effects of urban migration in Latin America are different for men than they are for women because of the relatively greater job opportunities and job security enjoyed by women in urban areas . E. Urban migration has led to an increasing disparity between the economic prosperity of Latin American women in the lowest socioeconomic classes and that of women in the higher socioeconomic classes . Answer : **40;1095;TOOLONG ... Q24 : The author mentions which of the following as a disadvantage of urban employment for Latin American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult for these women to obtain reliable , long-term employment . B. It is difficult for these women to organize effectively in order to obtain better wages . C. It is difficult for these women to find employers who are supportive when emergencies arise . D. The structure of their jobs makes it difficult for these women to participate in exchange networks . E. Working in urban areas makes these women more vulnerable to health problems than they would be in rural areas . Answer : **40;1137;TOOLONG ... Q25 : The author of the passage would most likely agree that the opinions of the Latin American women discussed in the third paragraph ( lines 60-85 ) are influenced by the A. fact that urban life has provided them with greater opportunities for upward mobility than did rural life B. relative importance they place on the benefits of urban exchange networks in comparison to those of rural networks . C. relative importance they place on the conveniences and drawbacks of urban life in comparison to those of rural life D. difference in the effects of urban migration on women of higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urban migration on men and women of

@@5103241 <p> You can find out by going to the iPhone 's music tab which is on the left column and look at the column " Play Count " . If you ca n't see this column , right you will have to click on anyone column and select Choose Columns . Then check " Play Count " and press the ok button . <p> Also , that does n't just count on the iPhone . It counts on the computer as well . So , you could have listened to it 50 times on the computer and 10 on the iPhone but the

@@5103341 your membership will automatically upgrade to a full year for $79 . <h> Formats <h> Book Description <p> The ten stories in this striking debut collection examine the perils of love and what it means to live during an era when people will offer themselves , almost unthinkingly , to strangers . Risks and repercussions are never fully weighed . People leap and almost always land on rocky ground . May-December romances flourish in these stories , as do self-doubt and , in many cases , serious regret . Mysterious , dangerous benefactors , dead and living artists , movie stars and college professors , plagiarists , and distinguished foreign novelists are among the many different characters . No one is blameless , but villains are difficult to single out-everyone seemingly bears responsibility for his or her desires and for the outcome of difficult choices so often made hopefully and naively . <p> The ten stories in this striking debut collection examine the perils of love and what it means to live during an era when people will offer themselves , almost unthinkingly , to strangers . Risks and repercussions are never fully weighed . People leap and almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these stories , as do self-doubt and , in many cases , serious regret . Mysterious , dangerous benefactors , dead and living artists , movie stars and college professors , plagiarists , and distinguished foreign novelists are among the many different characters . No one is blameless , but villains are difficult to single out-everyone seemingly bears responsibility for his or her desires and for the outcome Pre-order both items " , " Pre-order all three items " <h> Editorial Reviews <h> From Publishers Weekly <p> Starred Review . Ten finely delineated tales featuring protagonists entangled in less-than-ideal romantic scenarios constitute this year 's winner of the Grace Paley Prize . The best stories feature women caught up in liaisons with men either much younger or older . In " Quality of Life , " a 26-year-old woman begins seeing a wealthy man more than double her age , Mr. Fulger , who takes her out infrequently and presses money on her , which she takes because it " made her life more easeful . " She dates other men her age , but ca n't seem to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . In the title story , the granddaughter of a late , famous artist becomes involved with a young artist who may be playing her to obtain the precious notebooks bequeathed to her . Teetering on the brink of self-possession , Sneed 's protagonists are n't sure they trust themselves , such as the 55-year old narrator of " By the Way " who ca n't admit to her much younger lover her fears of faltering memory and mortality . Sneed writes with the care of a fine stylist and the heart of a . ( Nov. ) ( c ) ( c ) Copyright PWxyz , LLC . All rights reserved . <p> Sneed 's first collection was awarded the Grace Paley Prize in Short Fiction , an honor clearly deserved given the lucidity of her style , the depth of her perception , and her supple mix of wit , frankness , and compassion . Beautifully interiorized , her provocative stories explore unbalanced relationships , particularly between men and women of differing ages . Sneed also has a rare gift for convincingly articulating the sensations and emotions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a soul-killing arrangement between an elusive older man and a young woman , while a 55-year-old woman , a dancer , in love with a 35-year-old man , confronts the avalanche of fears age delivers . The volatile chemistry of fame and envy stokes the finely textured title story , which portrays a disaffected young woman confounded by the complications following the death of her grandfather , a renowned artist ; a delectably unsettling tale about a successful screenwriter at her high-school reunion ; and a masterfully counterintuitive story about an English professor and a movie star and his bodyguard . With a surprisingly futuristic and funny closing story , this is an exceptionally smart , connective , and moving collection . --Donna Seaman <h> More About the Author <p> Christine Sneed is the author of Portraits of a Few of the People I 've Made Cry , a 2009 AWP Grace Paley Prize winner , a finalist for the 2010 Los Angeles Times Book Award ( first-fiction category ) , winner of the 2011 John C. Zacharis First Book Award from Ploughshares , and winner of the Chicago Writers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published fiction category ) . The San Francisco Chronicle also chose Portraits as one of the fifty best fiction books of 2011 . Christine lives in Evanston , Illinois and teaches for the English Department of DePaul University in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago and the graduate writing program at Northwestern University . Portraits of a Few of the People I 've Made Cry is her first book , and the ten stories in this collection feature self-questioning protagonists . <p> Her second book , a novel titled Little Known Facts , will be published by Bloomsbury USA in early 2013 . It focuses on a successful Hollywood actor and the effects of his fame on his two ex-wives and his two grown children , especially his son . <p> Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in PEN/O . Henry Prize Stories , Best American Short Stories , New England Review , Glimmer Train , Ploughshares , The Southern Review , Meridian , Pleiades , Notre Dame Review , New Ohio Review , Massachusetts Review , River Styx , and a number of other journals . Christine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was awarded an Illinois Arts Council fellowship in poetry in 2003 and has received five Pushcart Prize nominations . Some of her literary influences include Alice Munro , Martin Amis , Jim Harrison , Deborah Eisenberg , Margaret Atwood , Anne Carson , Steve Almond , Penelope Fitzgerald , Penelope Lively and John Updike . <p> She earned a Master 's of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Indiana University - Bloomington and a Bachelor of Science degree in French language and literature from Georgetown University . <p> I must admit that I 've never been a big reader of short fiction . It 's not that I 'm not interested in the genre , and it 's not that I do n't cherish a really beautifully executed short story . I think it 's just that outside of reading them for college classes , I do n't seek out short stories . Like most readers these days , I 'm drawn to the longer narrative , the familiarity of the same characters painted on page after page of a long story . Perhaps it 's laziness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , characters , and situation every ten or twenty pages . It 's easier to continue lingering in a world of the familiar with the novel . <p> How much Christine Sneed 's book has changed my opinion of what a short story collection can accomplish . This book was so engrossing , so easily addicting , that I found myself very quickly slipping into the world of each of the new characters . This book made me nearly miss my train stop one morning . Sneed 's characters speak so uniquely and confessionally that they easily take form and start leading the reader into their worlds . Within one or two pages of each new story I found myself quickly acclimating to the new climate of the story and feeling the tug of believable , human , and understandable tension . While all of the voices in " Portraits " are female , I was so astounded at how different they each were--young , menopausal , insecure , frustrated , hopeful to a fault--and how relatable . I 'm in my late twenties , trying to find a career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found it so interesting that I felt such a connection to the protagonist in the story , " By the Way . " Even though she 's in her late fifties , divorced , close to wrapping up her career as a dance teacher , this woman 's voice reached out deeply into my own experience . I could understand her fears , her insecurities , her hopes , as if they were my own . I was astounded that Sneed could create character after character that could speak so honestly about the human experience , and yet each character was so remarkably different and believably drawn . <p> I will turn to this book again and again not just because it is a joy to read , but because it will serve as an excellent example for my own writing . <p> And Just as I think it 's perhaps a bit lazier to read a novel , I imagine that it might be a bit easier to write one . Only once does the author conceive the main characters and begin to build the world of conflict around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the writer is asked to find a voice for their players , and set them in a new and interesting situation . And several times the author must swiftly and deftly dig her character 's out of the mess she 's sunk them in . Sneed does this so poetically and effortlessly she has truly given me a new appreciation for the short story . And she 's written a collection that speaks of larger themes of love , helplessness , and resurrection that bind the stories together in that satisfying feel of a novel . I already ca n't wait for her next collection . <p> As an avid reader , I 've come across works that are both engrossing and lackluster , and " Portraits " is easily one of the most spell-binding and memorable works that I 've come across in a long time . Not having been captivated as much by a set of short stories since reading Munro or O'Connor , her work was a true delight to absorb . Sneed conveys so much passion and wisdom in such elegant fashion that I greatly look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live life without stepping on a few people along the way . " Portraits of a Few of the People I 've Made Cry " is a collection of stories from Christine Sneed telling stories of people living carelessly , where harsh repercussions are very real . From poor decisions in romance , to risks taken in the search for greater success , and more . The human experience and the regret and doubt that come make for a collection of stories that proves very enticing and hard to put down . " Portraits of a Few of the People I 've Made Cry " is an all-out excellent

@@5103441 <p> I 've expended a lot of effort trying to point out the truth about the Chevy Volt fires , knowing I might not reach a broad audience but might get the chief disseminators of misinformation ( Rush Limbaugh , Bill O'Reilly , et al ) to say " Wow ! I guess I did n't realize that no Volt , ( other than ones deliberately destroyed ) , ever showed as much as a wisp of smoke ! I guess I had better retune my rhetoric ! " <p> Such were the musings of my politically naive brain , especially since I knew O'Reilly has seen my writing because " his people " talked to me . <p> What happened , instead , was more cruel disappointment : In his nationally syndicated column Saturday , the intellectually gifted and highly respected Charles Krauthammer , my hero-figure on the Right , joined the rest of the prevaricators . The topic was Obama 's failed energy policy , and the litany of drilling bans and incomprehensible failure to approve the eminently useful Keystone Pipeline . So far , so good . <p> But , just as I was savoring Krauthammer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Volt cited as yet another example of Obama 's misguided , interventionist energy policy . To make matters worse , Krauthammer could not resist attaching the adjective " flammable " to the Volt . <p> Now , Krauthammer is a smart , highly educated and well-informed individual . I have to assume he knows the truth . The fact that he persists in the myth of Volt combustibility and Obama-conception of the vehicle can not be in error . <p> I am , sadly , coming to the conclusion that all the icons of conservatism are ( shock , horror ! ) deliberately not telling the truth ! <p> This saddens me , because , to this writer , conservatism IS fundamental truth . It only damages its inherent credibility with momentarily convenient fiction . <p> So , Mr. Krauthammer joins the list of right-wing pundits I no longer take seriously . After all , how do I know they 're telling the truth when the subject is one I 'm not as familiar with as the Volt ? <p> That does leave everyone 's trusted favorite , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dependable , kind of your favorite uncle when you were growing up ... the Reverend Huckabee ! He would n't unjustly attack the most celebrated example of American engineering across the Forbes network . You 'll be notified if your comment is called out . <h> Comments <p> Bob I do n't know what to say . The first electric car was built in 1895 and the Volt is supposed to be some kind of big step up ? Frankly , I was hoping when GM became government motors , they would cancel the stupid Volt . <p> Let 's review the problems <p> 1 . The Volt can go 35 miles on the eletric charge , and then the charge runs out . So that 's pretty crappy. 2 . You 're still burning fossil fuels to use the Volt . It has a gasoline engine and to charge it , you are going to burn coal . 3 . People that have 32,500-40,000 dollars to spend are not going to by the Volt . They are going to by a Cadillac , Mustang or a Camaro. 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fact that you wrote an article to say " good news ! the fires we 're seeing in Volts has nothing to do with the car battery ! " <p> How many Volts have been recalled ? If the number is in the thousands , obviously there is a problem Bob . <p> How many production cars are recalled every year as part of routine safety improvements ? Answer me that one . <p> Coal does n't produce electricity . Less than 10% of electricity in California ( PG &E); is made from coal . Tell me , how many different ways can you power an internal combustion engine ? And tell me , how many different ways can you produce electricity ? <p> For the features and performance you get in a Volt , a comparable Lexus or Infiniti costs pretty much the same ... except a Volt is a car you can power off anything electricity is generated from . Tell me , why would you buy a gas-powered car instead of one for the same price that can be powered from gas OR electricity ? Hmm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Volt has gained the highest consumer satisfaction rating of any car . Even a 911 Porsche . <p> So who 's stupid . Thousands of owners who drive this car every day or you ? <p> I have driven my Volt for 14 months now and have use 23.5 gallons of gas in total . I have n't use any gas this year . I plug it in and drive on my home 's electricity . I can go 100 MPH in this thing ! If you recharge your Volt at work and home before the battery runs out you will avoid using gasoline . That 's the new fuel for cars . Electricity , not oil from a pipeline . <p> I have 14,000 miles on my Volt and have been to the gas station 3 times in a year . Never trill up , Not necessary in the Volt . <p> If you do n't buy gasoline a $40K car is pretty cheap . Electricity is way , way cheaper than gasoline . You do have to be able to do math to understand the economics of owning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ah , I love how Californians think they represent the rest of the country . Almost 44% of our electricity in the United States comes from coal , another 40+% comes from CNG or Nuclear energy , over 80% of our electricity comes from non-renewable fuel sources . While the Volt is an engineering marvel , I contend what is the point of carrying your stored energy in a battery which has a significantly lower energy content per lb. than say , diesel ... when the energy is going to come from Coal or CNG anyway for the vast majority of the country ? What is the advantage over a CNG powered car that does n't require CNG to be burned to create the electricity you are using ? Better yet , since we ARE dependent on Coal , what 's the advantage of battery-electric cars over diesels that could be fueled from algae that feeds off the CO2 emitted by our coal power plants ? Good luck selling a Volt in 10 years time for much more than scrap metal value . <p> The Pacific Northwest uses virtually no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not " representative " of the rest of the country ? Fine by me . Hey Easterners , find yourselves some other airplanes to fly , some other computers to use , and some other coffee to drink . <p> The NHTSA tested the Volt and ran it through one or more crash tests that would mimic a real world situation that a driver might face . The car caught fire a day or two later . <p> What part of this true statement is false ? This was reported by a highly regarded national automobile magazine that actually promotes alternative fueled cars and has reported extensively on many hybrid and electric cars , Those on the road and those up and coming cars soon to hit the marketplace ( if the companies do not go broke beforehand ) . <p> GM would n't have offered to replace the cars to owners that had already purchased them if there was not any truth to the fires . <p> Here 's the lie : playing it off like these cars have caught fire in peoples ' homes , while driving , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a lab environment . In fact , these liars do n't even MENTION that they were part of a test environment . <p> They 're intentionally misleading people by presenting skewed information , in exactly the same way as saying " people will die if they drink water " . Maybe if I refer to water as " dihydrogen monoxode " , you 'll start telling people they 'll die if they drink it as well ? It 's true , is n't it ? What part about " you 'll die if you drink dihydrogen monoxide " is false ? <p> " The NHTSA tested the Volt and ran it through one or more crash tests that would mimic a real world situation that a driver might face . The car caught fire a day or two later . What part of this true statement is false ? " <p> The car ( Volt ) never caught fire a day or two after a crash . The car was subjected to a side impact test , flipped upside and dragged over to a torage are without ever discharging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice . Three weeks later coolant corroded a circuit board cause a smoldering fire . Three weeks later . There are around 200,000 roadside fires per year and 0 have been Volts . After trying unsuccessfully to replicate the problem at vehicle level , the Volt battery ( not the Volt ) was tested by itself , fully charged , probed endlessy and smashed to smithereens . It eventually caught fire -- not exactly a real world situation . The fix was a safety enhancement so that if you are irrationaly concerned that after three weeks you may be stuck in a car that has been demolished , you 'll be OK assuming you have n't starved to death . <p> 1 . The severely damaged Volt battery was not de-energized by the NHTSA people after the crash test as a standard safety procedure recommended by GM . ( They did n't follow the rules of car safety . Remove the gas and or de-energize the battery ) Instead they left it in a storage yard and 3 WEEKS later it caught fire . Plenty of time for passengers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered us Volt owners the option of buying back our cars as they knew hardly anyone of us would take them up on that . The Volt has the highest consumer satisfaction rating of any car . Still couple of gold diggers sold their cars back to GM . GM employees quickly snatched up those rare used Volt at a good discount . Many of use owners ask about them , but they were gone fast . <p> Go drive a Volt and make up your own mind . You are being lead by idiots . <p> " The NHTSA tested the Volt and ran it through one or more crash tests that would mimic a real world situation that a driver might face . The car caught fire a day or two later . What part of this true statement is false ? " <p> The NHTSA re-testing that you refer to did not include any Volt , it was performed on battery packs only ( kind of like testing just a gas tank outside of a car ) . Also , the ' quickest ' that any of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cite the source that indicates two-days before a fire . ( There was , on one occasion , some instantaneous sparking , but that battery pack stabilized in a matter of seconds . ) <p> " The NHTSA tested the Volt and ran it through one or more crash tests that would mimic a real world situation that a driver might face . The car caught fire a day or two later . What part of this true statement is false ? " <p> The NHTSA re-testing that you refer to did not include any Volt ( thus that part of your statement is false ) , it was performed on battery packs only ( kind of like testing just a gas tank outside of a car ) . Also , the ' quickest ' that any of these tests produced a fire was 6 days ( so your ' a day or two later ' statement is false ) . Please cite the source that indicates two-days before a fire . ( There was , on one occasion , some instantaneous sparking , but that battery pack stabilized in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested the Volt and ran it through one or more crash tests that would mimic a real world situation that a driver might face . The car caught fire a day or two later . What part of this true statement is false ? " <p> The NHTSA re-testing that you refer to did not include any Volt ( thus that part of your statement is false ) , it was performed on battery packs only ( kind of like testing just a gas tank outside of a car ) . <p> The ' quickest ' that any of these tests produced a fire was 6 days ( so your ' a day or two later ' statement is false ) . Please cite the source that indicates two-days before a fire . ( There was , on one occasion , some instantaneous sparking , but that battery pack stabilized in a matter of seconds . ) <p> The battery ( not the vehicle ) caught fire after two weeks , not two days . And if you exaggerate the truth , you become a LIAR ! <p> Why have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money ( Nissan gets the same $7,500 tax credit for the Leaf as the American Volt ) , or those thousands of imports which really catch fire and kill their occupants ? Because you are targeting the wrong nation ! Let us American enjoy our award-winning Volt ! Get rid of the imports ! <p> Excuse me Ray , but it was not a day or two , but many weeks ! The car was also overturned during this whole time . After weeks of it being on it 's back , with a big side impact , sparks began to happen ( not fire ) and this was because of battery system coolant lines being crushed or leaking . GM has since reinforced this area of the battery . To date there is not a single case of a Volt sparking or catching fire after a crash , besides this one where , for some reason , the car 's battery was not discharged like what the manual for the car says to do in a major crash . <p> Do you honestly think a battery with tons of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas ? <p> Do n't just crash , but stick a piece of iron into a Volt battery , turn it upside down , dowse it with anti-freeze and let it sit for days , or maybe even weeks , upside down . <p> This is Forbes . It used to be about Capitalist Tool . I 'll venture Forbes Senior would never have gone as far as Fox News , and many others to miss-inform about the Volt . And as much as I 've doubted the son being made of the same cloth , I will take as a sign that his allowing Mr. Lutz some space in this magazine means there 's hope . <p> duh ! ... " the most celebrated example of American engineering of the last 30 years " <p> duh ! 1835 American Thomas Davenport was credited with building the first practical electric vehicle ..... <p> and today people are celebrating a car that can go forty miles on electricity ..... <p> dang ! I had tractors fifty years ago that ran propane but do you see John Deere , International Case and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Volt that runs natural gas at today 's $1.90 a gallon price and leave the electric motor in the vacuum machine sucking up the ignorance in Washington D. C. among those jack@ and elephant 's that act like turnips . <p> madmilker , You are either ignorant , or being political or a combination of the two . The Volt does 40 miles on electricity , but also does 100 mph . If you think it is so easy , build one yourself and find out . I have seen people spend $20,000 on modifying electric bicycles . This is very expensive stuff and adds up real fast . I am ok with natural gas , but why not push for both ? You know Obama is pushing for natural gas also . Maybe you should start bashing natural gas also ? With a Chevy Volt , I can buy 4 solar panels with a grid tie DIY kit for $1500 , it will compensate for half of the electricity used in a Volt . The energy made by the solar panel is credited at 0.14+ cents per KWh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0.07 cents per KWh . So the solar panels will compensate 100% of the cost of driving a Volt . Free driving . Try that with natural gas ! <p> The only way to understand is to find your own " balanced news " . Watch Faux News if you must , but in order to get accurate news you must also read the " other side " . One of the reasons for the Tea Party , Beck , Palin , Limbaugh and , yes , the Volt issues is that people only get their information from one clearly biased source . This creates what I call " low information voters " and it is destroying our country . Do n't lose faith , Bob ... just expand your world and embrace the difference of opinions . Hundreds of credible sources are extolling the virtues of the Volt -- just turn off Fox and Rush and see what the rest of the world thinks . I promise you that your world will seem brighter . Today , there was an article about the Canadian 's refusing to air Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in broadcasting news . <p> It was because of " low information voters " that Obama got elected and the Volt was pushed onto the market too soon , in order to force a green agenda . Why battries , why not natural gas , it is abundant and is cheap and burns clean . If you are so smart look into what the cost is to the enviorment to smelt these so called green energy battries . They poison the earth ten times more that a clean burning gas engine will . Also , take the toyota prious , another green car , which is better than the volt . But , it has a larger carbon footprint than a H2 hummer . The facts are out there , you just have to be an informed individual , not a lib or conservitive , just a good steward of your environment . <p> If we 're " low information voters " , you who dwell on HuffPo , WaPo , NYT , MSNBC , et al , are clueless voters . You do n't get any balance , just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media . To quote you , " Do n't lose faith , ( suzier ) ... just expand your world and embrace the difference of opinions . " In other words , you need to get out of your parents ' basement , clear your brain , and realize that you are being fed lies and libdope . <p> Well , I 'm on the left side of life , and I own a Nissan LEAF ( because you-all decided not to target Seattle as a Volt initial market ) , BUT , the United States needs rational people in BOTH parties to speak out against all the lies and acts of insanity . For example I have " environmental " friends who hate coal , natural gas , wind , and hydro power , but who then refuse to install solar on their household , and who refuse to even replace their light bulbs with CFLs . Well hello , and where do you think the power is going to come from ? ? ? <p> So , please dear God BE a conservative , but make sure you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the frauds in your own party -- and especially speak the scientific and engineering truths where those are knowable -- and NOT " politically correct " humbug ! <p> James makes a good point here ; whether you tend to lean to the left or the right , YOU have the ultimate responsibility to " check the facts " and from multiple sources too ! It takes some work , but jst as you would n't want anyone to pre-chew your food for you , do n't just swallow information blindly either , no matter where it comes from ! ANY new technology comes with some risk , but it is the price you pay to be on the forefront ! <p> I have bad news for you . The Volt is n't the only thing conservative media insists on lying about . " Lying " is a strong word , but as you pointed out , clearly the people saying those things have to know better , so what 's the conclusion ? If you start fact-checking thee guys , you 're going to find yourself routinely frustrated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be damned . <p> Exactly who is lying about the Volt ? This car is n't selling- period . It is extremely expensive for a little four passenger car about the same size as a Honda Civic that only gets forty miles on a battery charge . This is almost exactly the same range that the original electric cars got on a battery charge way back in the early 1900 ? s . Battery technology remains a problem , until range is extended electric vehicles will remain a boutique environmental statement for the well healed financially . Too bad the taxpayers have to subsidize a vehicle that only the 1% can afford to purchase and drive . <p> Bob , Do n't give up the fight . You and GM are to be congratulated . Finally , after four decades a U.S. manufacturer has out-engineered the European and Asian auto companies . Americans should be celebrating , not demeaning the accomplishment . As for the FoxNews crew , you 're right -- the only conclusion can be reached is that they are intentionally lying . I am a Republican . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . There is just too much oil money supporting my party . My annual savings from : no gasoline , no oil changes , no air filters , no 12v battery replacements , no transmission fluid changes , etc. more than makes up for the difference between the VOLT cost ( net after tax credit of $36,500 ) and a comparable gas-powered sedan in less than 4 years . That 's assuming $3.75 per gallon -- at $5.00 / gallon , the additional outlay for the VOLT evaporates in less than 3 years . After that , it 's all money in my pocket . Why is n't the car selling ? Simple : slow sales are normal at this early stage in the life cycle of a product that is so different . Sadly most potential buyers of new-concept products are wimps . They wo n't have the nerve to buy one until their neighbor has one . Keep defending the excellent automobile that you and GM have created . It will be named car of the century some day . <p> Ridiculous , I love the way the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans suggested GM fail . It was former President Bush who ammended the Tarp regulations meant for financial instutions only , and gave the auto industry 17 million of so when he ended his term . The decision kept them afloat with Obama having the last word . The Republicans suggested a managed bankruptcy , which is exactly what Obama did except for one fact . He thru the GM shareholders and Main Street Bondholders under the bus , and violated contract law in doing so , for the favor of the UAW , and for labor votes . Chapter 11 in effect cancells all prior contracts . They had their chance to wipe the slate clean , and start without debt . Now they are once again over 22 Billion in the hole with GM 's labor agreements . <p> The Chevy Volt was 1st seen in 2007 Obama was not in office . President Bush was on vid saying it 's a good thing to cut off oil from overseas . Also Fox News did a story from the North American Auto Show where the car debut . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kinda cool care &; help the US get off oil from the Middle East " that was back in early 07 . That vid has now been removed from the internet youtube no longer has it &; fox news archives have no searches for " For Host like new Volt " .... Funny huh ? I own one it 's great I have not put gas in it for going on 9 weeks now .. so HA ! <p> Mr. Lutz , You can throw up a strawman with the best of them . I know it 's easy and convenient for you to default to the lowest common denominator ( Volt fires ) as everything that is wrong with GM , but I contend that there are plenty of reasons Americans are furious with your company -- chief among them , that Government Motors should have been allowed to fail ... That 's right FAIL . You say you 're a conservative , but you have little faith in the most important facet of conservatism which is faith and belief in the market . Sure , it 's easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going great and your company is making money , but what about when you overextend ? What about when your entire cost structure is out of whack with astronomical labor costs and concessions to the UAW ? Then ... Not so much I guess . The market is supposed to discipline bad business decisions . In GM 's case it did n't . The federal government was right there to make sure that profits were privatized and losses were socialized ... That 's not being conservative ... That 's not a free market .... There 's a name for it , it 's called mercantilism . As a conservative , you should know that , so please , no more op-eds on Forbes . They are tiresome and annoying . It 's not about the Volt fires and you know it ... It 's about the worst sort of crony capitalism -- a plague that is quickly destroying this country . <p> BillyBob , Do n't disagree with any of your comments , but none of your points justify FoxNews commentators , or anyone else , lying about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the point of the spear that will help pop the oil price bubble once and for all . Sure , maybe GM should have gone backrupt , but it did n't , so does that mean we have to kill one of its great products to even the score ? Does n't make sense . I have 11,000 miles on my VOLt and have used less than 40 gallons of gasoline . Why would anyone want this American car not to succeed ? <p> GM did go bankrupt . They failed . I know , because I took a financial hit when my bonds were converted into shares of the new GM , and at a small fraction of their original value . <p> I can not understand how the right-wingers can consistently scream " GM should have been allowed to fail " , then immediately follow that up with demands that GM " pay back " the money that the treasury lost as a result of that bankruptcy . Either GM went bankrupt and the US treasury had their debts converted to an ownership stake in what you derisively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go bankrupt and my bonds were never converted for pennies on the dollar . <p> Your bonds were converted for pennies on the dollar because you as a bondholder took a back seat to the UAW and equity holders ( thanks to government meddling by the way ) . As far as the " bankruptcy " is concerned , sure you can call it a bankruptcy if you 'd like , but it was managed by the government through and through . How many bankruptcies put shareholders in line ahead of bondholders unless the government is making the rules ? How many bankruptcies give the bankrupt company a mulligan on their tax liabilities by allowing them to continue their " tax-loss carry forward , " under which GM can write off its past losses against future profits for years to come ? In normal bankruptcies that does n't happen . The rule of law in Chapter 11 bankruptcies was completely upended to protect an inefficient company and an even more inefficient labor structure ... But hey , blame it on right wingers if you want . <p> billybob , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything , do not want to mess it up . Will add , saw David Stockman and Bill Moyers of all people , together , in perfect synch , attacking this crony capitalism . The conservative objection to the Volt is not that it is an electric car , it is making the taxpayers and debt foot the bill , so please , please , ditch the strawmen , Lutz . If the Volt is such a great product , it will stand on its own . That is conservatism , free markets . Stop the subsidies at our expense ! But still Mr. Lutz , you brought over the GTO . Plenary indulgence granted . <p> Thanks Bob Lutz for your efforts . I do n't blame you for giving up . I gave up on the republican party also , and I am more conservative than anyone on the planet . Hey , I want machine guns legalized . This tells you how far right I am , and I am totally disgusted with my own party . I know this is a first term president and politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I have never seen politics spill over into bashing an American product . I will never vote republican again , until they stop this anti-American attacks on the Volt . I am voting for Obama , unless Trump or you Bob Lutz runs for pres . I really wish GM would just step up and defend themselves already . What Foxnews is doing goes beyond the 1st ammendment . Freedom of speech does not allow you to use it to hurt others with lies , they should get a nice lawsuit . Seriously , Bob Lutz I will vote for you as pres if you run . <p> So Bob Lutz comes out swinging for the Obama administration . Sure is getting very political around here . Maybe Lutz should address " The Chevy Volt , the car that had to be built " , but the car that very few want to buy . $7500.00 rebates for $41,000.00 . A car that must use high test gas , and gets about 28 MPG when using gas . Instead of making this why this car is a revolutionary marvel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that no one wants to buy them except for G.E . and after all they are the ones that are building the charging stations with plenty of money to do so , as they do n't have to pay federal taxes on the 50 billion the made . Indeed crony capitalism is the issue here , and with Lutz whom you could say was old GM , the thinking that got the company in trouble in the first place . No one is buying the hype or the finger pointing and the sales figures prove it , Mt Lutz . <p> James , you are ignoring the fact that thousands of Americans have bought the Volt , and thousands more are waiting to get one . You also neglect to acknowledge the enormous cost of oil to society and our country . Why do you " conservatives " happily accept the trillions that have gone to subsidize oil all the while whining about a few billion going to a technology that will give patriotic Americans the CHOICE to use domestic renewable energy instead of mostly foreign oil ? <p> So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sure is getting very political around here . Maybe Lutz should address " The Chevy Volt , the car that had to be built " , but the car that very few want to buy . $7500.00 rebates for $41,000.00 . A car that must use high test gas , and gets about 28 MPG when using gas . Instead of making this why this car is a revolutionary marvel , Lutz points fingers at Fox and avoids the fact that no one wants to buy them except for G.E . and after all they are the ones that are building the charging stations with plenty of money to do so , as they do n't have to pay federal taxes on the 50 billion the made . Indeed crony capitalism is the issue here , and with Lutz whom you could say was old GM , the thinking that got the company in trouble in the first place . No one is buying the hype or the finger pointing and the sales figures prove it , Mr Lutz . <p> Let 's talk about the hundreds of thousands ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decade that finally have a series of mass-market cars they can recommend for people to test drive and buy today . <p> The Volt is a fantastic vehicle ... a really amazing amount of very intelligent engineering went into it . <p> I say this as an owner of FOUR electric vehicles . I have drive most of them for 5 years . <p> It always amazes me that the media and people in general always go to the negative . They look at this one non-issue and expand on it and it becomes and " I told you so " issue . <p> Be realistic ! Many or the gas cars you believe to be " high-quality " cars were recalled in their first year of sales . Think the Lexus is amazing ? Look at it 's recall history ! And these were for legitimate problems . <p> You ca n't expect " joe public " to do anything but follow along with what the media focuses on . They do n't know and they do n't have the time to find the facts . <p> Go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see many BMWs , Hondas and Mercedes , but 0 Volt fires ! Why -- because there have been no real Volt fires but hundreds of thousands of other vehicle fires . Bad Karma or simple irony means some Volt naysayer will probably be involved in a car fire of their own soon . This too will be blamed on Obama . <p> Bob Lutz is voicing the same concerns as many Chevy Volt owners who happen to be Republicans too . They are noticing that the ones in the public eye who call themselves Republicans are very different from real-world Republicans . <p> That is , Republicans that own and drive Chevy Volts and love them for what they are . <p> A fantastic American innovation that will change automobiles forever . <p> All it takes is a test drive and you too will know the truth . <p> " The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself . " Plato <p> The Volt is the best car I 've owned . Handling , quality and acceleration of my BMW sports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dollars in most cars . After that 40 miles per gallon and the same performance . No regular maintenance costs or visits . Lease price less than a Toyota Camry hybrid . Buy price same after tax credits and It 's a much better car . It also does n't pollute the air at all except on a long trip . I feel sorry for everyone who puts their credit card in the gas pump slot and let 's the Oil Companies suck them dry . <p> My one year old Chevy Volt was hit broadside by a Chevy Tahoe two weeks ago . The airbags deployed , the doors are bashed in , we were n't hurt , the other guy 's insurance in paying for the repairs and I can not wait to get my Volt back . <p> I have commented often about this great car . It was conceived by GM before Obama , before the bailout , before today 's high gas prices . Mine has a lifetime average of 116 MPG . Performance is terrific . The ride is comfortable . After the tax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in another five years , I will have saved $15,000 to $18,000 on gas . There is nothing not to like about this great American car . <p> A good chunk of that savings was my Navy Retirement that I had to pay back to the Federal Government in taxes . Your tax break is someone else 's tax burden . Pay full price for a Volt and tell me how much you love it while I nurse my 13 year old vehicle along . <p> I appreciate your service to our country . Please be more upset that much , MUCH , larger part of your your Navy Retirement is going to the $40+ billion in annual oil company subsidies . You should be more upset about this , and the fact that our boys ( and gals ) continue to be in harms way patrolling the Straits of Hormuz . Us Volt owners are helping to end all of that , so I accept your thanks for that . <p> To all of the naysayers and disparagers of the VOLT , Bob Lutz , and GM , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up . Because with out doing so , you have no clue . This car is truly one of the great innovations of our time . Better yet , I 'll save you a trip to the Chevy dealership : just read the comments below by VOLT owners . Do you think these people are making this stuff up ? I know that they are not -- I 'm one of them . <p> After reading some of the vitriolic comments about the Volt and the bailout , I have a question . How many of these caustic commentators get most of their information from Fox News or similar sources ? I think it 's a fair question and the answers should give everyone something to think about . <p> One needs to have all of the information at hand when judging the veracity of comments . There are too many people running around yelling " Liar , liar , pants on fire ! " and not considering the potential accuracy of the claims made . They also ( like the author of this article ) most notably do NOT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " lies " . In the case of the Obama Administration 's energy policy , they just so happened to heavily subsidize the purchase of the Chevy Volt through tax credits and GM STILL failed to meet sales numbers . That 's my money going to buy a car I would n't want for other people I do n't even know ... sorry , but I object to that policy of this Administration . And the President and his spokespeople have claimed that support of alternative energy usage and higher fuel economy in vehicles ARE a part of his ENERGY POLICY , so how is there a lie in Mr. Krauthammer 's statement regarding that ? Oh , that right , the author of the article disingenuously twists the energy-policy comment into something about " Obama-conception " which had nothing to do with what Krauthammer said . Where 's the lie again ? ? And yes , after crash tests some Chevy Volts caught fire .. simple fact . You could look it up . That 's not to say that they will spontaneously combust , but neither did the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you would n't have known that from the press coverage . Portraying the Volt as " flammable " would n't be the MOST accurate statement , or the most fair , but it 's certainly not a lie , and well within the standards of journalism applied to the auto industry over the past half century .... like the coverage of Ralph Nader 's smear of the Corvair , the piling on to the Pinto , or intentional , faked pickup truck fires of more recent memory . Just because the Volt is " green " , and in compliance with the progressive agenda does n't mean it deserves some sort of media " pass " or favored treatment not afforded to other vehicles and projects no matter if it 's a liberal or a conservative reporting . <p> I will grant you that Krauthammer 's statement about the " flammability " of the VOLT is not a " lie " , but it certainly is not the " whole truth . " Krauthammer made no attempt to make it clear that no owner-operated VOLT has ever caught fire and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Nor did he offer a ' balancing ' comment that thousands of gas-powered vehicle fires , with injuries , occur every year . But whatever you call this mix of ' half truths ' or ' negative spins ' from FoxNews about the VOLT , the real story that underlies all of this that no one has addressed is : What is Fox 's motive for the anti-VOLT spin ? Are we witnessing here the Fox News team following a directive from on-high ( Rupert ) as a favor to his close friends in the oil industry ? <p> Mike -- please understand that there are a lot of Volt owners like myself who bought our Volts to stop sending money to our enemies , and not because it 's green . <p> I work as a contractor for a branch of the military , and on the days after 9/11 me and some other workers ( some of who were servicemen ) vowed to find a way to stop using so much oil . <p> In the 9 1/2 years after 9/11/01 , before I bought my Volt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Saudis . In the one year that I have had my Volt , my donation to the Saudis has dropped by over 90% . <p> If you want to continue support the people that knocked down those buildings , and killed those thousands of citizens on 9/11/01 , I suppose that is your right . But I do n't understand how a Navy retiree can think that is a good idea . <p> Mike , to your comment " That 's not to say that Volts will spontaneously combust , but neither did the Ford Pinto back in the 70 ? s " <p> Just to note , the accident described below where a Volt with four occupants was rear-ended by a bus surely have caused a Pinto to catch fire . What happened to the Volt ? While it was totalled , all occupants escaped unharmed , and there was n't so much as a whif of smoke from the Volt ( although there was smoke from the bus ) . <p> " That initial impact was n't too bad ... but then the bus hit us and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was a second where I was too scared to turn around and look at my kids . You could hear the bus 's engine IN the car ... the car then filled with a burning rubber smell and smoke and it wobbled from side to side a bit . You could hear the tires chirping as the traction control held the car in a straight line until we were able to pull to the side . An amazing performance actually . It 's hard to remember the details , but we were probably going about 40 at the time of the impact . If we were in a SUV or another top heavy car , I felt we would have flipped over or completely lost control of the car . The Volt was really , really good and held mostly steady and straight . Onstar came on immediately after we stopped , just like in the commercials . " <p> Mike . The reality is that gas cars catch fire every day , 792 of them on average . One person is killed every day in a car fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were tested . Statistically that means that the gas car fires are much more likely to happen . So it is a non-issue and the fact that you bring it up shows your uninformed bias . Read jimnj 's comments for lots of personal Volt experience . They are selling like crazy in europe because they do n't have right wing extremists attacking the car to promote their agenda to link Obama ( who is n't responsible for the Volt -- it was promoted by Bush ) to the car so they can try and imply he 's wasting taxpayer money . <p> Forget the fires . It 's the performance and the outrageous cost . A $7 -10,000 tax " forgiveness " and the real cost of the prop , $250,000 per vehicle . It 's criminal activity by a criminal administration at the taxpayers ' expense . <p> that 7500 tax credit was written by that well known liberal Dick Chaney. and the cost per vehicle of 250k , is a big fraud . you might have more to stand on if you just pointed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you do what was done to the Volt , you would also get a fire , and you get could an explosion . gasoline is a class explosive . they did n't follow instructions to secure the car . failure to do that will lead to problems , like fires . try doing the same thing to gas or diesel car and you will get the same result or worse <p> I concede the authors point that flammability is not a serious problem with the Volt . What is problematic is the cost of the vehicle and its limited range of 40 miles . The Volt is a triumph of central planning . The US taxpayers have lavishly subsidized an impractical toy that GM admits is purchased by buyers with an average annual salary of 175k . This is the Democrats idea of trickle up income redistribution ? For the price of the Volt , sans the government subsidy , a wise buyer could purchase two Honda Civics and have enough left over to take a family vacation in my home state of Florida . <p> Lutz you putz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and see that it is of course not just in this isolated incident that the right is dishonest and insane . it is in all matters . and you have spent your entire life being just as wrong as you are of course also completely wrong in your idiotic stance on global warming . you love for moronic US pony cars and SUVs and V8s is similarly wrong . those you despise on the ultra left are the righteous ones and always were . those who are good stewards of the earth , those who love the truth , those who care , those who think . it is of course not those who whore themselves to big oil , those who whore with satan and start wars based on obvious lies and kill millions of people while spending trillions you ca n't afford . <p> the true christian left is the correct stance . there are no christians on the right . no christian would ever support wars based on lies . you just managed to live all your life without ever thinking for a single moment . beastly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how you concluded global warming is a crock . and that 's how the right wing pundits work . I assure you they do n't know that they are lying . same as you do n't know you are lying when you say global warming is n't real . they are just mindless , just like you . <p> if you now at this late hour of your life should wisely choose to love the truth , take your first step by admitting that the Volt was born entirely from the shame of who killed the electric car and nothing else . then take a giant step to the left . then just maybe will you be allowed entry into heaven . but with your crimes it better be a bold declaration . <p> The right is stuck in their own ugly pit of negativity . Bob is right once people figure out that the right is just plain lying about the Volt maybe more people that watch the missinformation will start questioning it all . <p> I am a very happy right leaning Volt owner that is saddened by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my car for 6 months . Love how it drives love how I use very little gas . 115 MPG with 8K miles . Just took a 700 mile roadtrip with an average of 48 MPG , and thats in speeds 75+ ( I charged it 3 times ) <p> Not even the Prius can do that . GM has created a great car and the right is so full of miss contempt that they even try to hurt their own country just so they can rant . Sad Sad Sad indeed . <p> I will give you the point that the Volt catches fires the day after the accident . But , you are missing the main point . Why is it the government 's business to push any technology ? I do n't see it the government 's business to invest billions of dollars in the auto business to benefit GM . I want the government out of business . <p> To Gallagher and to epeon7 . How is the government 's assistance to GM and the VOLT program different from the assistance provided to home owners via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? How many trillions of dollars has that government assistance totaled over the years ? Or allowing oil companies to accelerate the deduction of drilling expenses in order to encourage more oil production ? Billions more in expense for the government / taxpayers ! Get real . The assistance to GM is insignificant by comparison . The investment in the VOLT program by GM and the government will lead to further battery innovations ( already in the pipeline ) and , like it or not , the program will , in the not too distant future , lead to lower oil/gasoline prices and savings for all car owners . <p> Most of the reporters that give negative comments about the Volt are masochists . They are anxiously expecting their imported vehicle to catch fire , but do n't want to get too burned so they can survive and complain about their incident . Well , Mr. Bill O'Reilly , your vehicle is ready to start a fire with you inside ! <p> A crashed Volt battery will burn after two weeks . The car did n't . No Volt on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ torches it on purpose . <p> Today , the media will sensationalize a story regardless of political leaning . And most of the rest of the media will jump on the initial report , giving it a longer life than it ever deserved . Like Ray Donovan in New Jersey in the 80 ? s , the key question remains : where do you go to get your reputation back ? <p> I 'm also guessing that Mr. Lutz would now sympathize a bit more with Toyota after everything they went through in the media a few years ago . <p> Today , the media will sensationalize a story regardless of political leaning . And most of the rest of the media will jump on the initial report , giving it a longer life than it ever deserved . Like Ray Donovan in New Jersey in the 80 ? s , the key question remains : where do you go to get your reputation back ? <p> When electricity is generated in a large , stationary plant it is able to be very efficient ( thanks to the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more efficient than a piston engine ) and then uses the exhaust ( with a little reheating ) for a steam turbine to gain more power from the same amount of energy . Electric vehicles are much more efficient than gasoline for this reason , using renewable energy to power them is just a bonus . <p> With all due respect , I am calling you a lier , here are the reasons : 1 ) . GM battery scientist/engineer called Chevy Volt " Battery may not last 10y " " Ridiculous project " , so basically it is a project coerced by management for PR purposes , not for the REAL . Just as Dr. N**** and Mr. M***** at GM ( name omitted here ) 2 ) . Everyone in the battery community have serious doubt about this , its high price and low customer acceptance . 3 ) . GM is reportedly lose &gt;20K on each Volt sold , basically this is a product just to expensive to be viable , even with manufacturing advancement , battery will be too expensive , just ask Meneham Anderman of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to manufacture the Volt ? with fixed cost such as equipment depreciation included ? 4 ) . I challenge you to contest my posting here ! <p> Ca n't speak to points ( 1 ) , ( 3 ) or ( 4 ) , but I challenge your suggestion in ( 2 ) that customer acceptance of the VOLT is low -- this is false . This car has the highest customer acceptance rating of any car ever produced -- over 93% ! Further , I do n't what battery community you are referring to that has ' serious doubts ' about the car , but there are battery development projects underway that will , in the not too distant future , be producing LI batteries capable of delivering 200-300 miles of range per charge . <p> Frank . I 'll contest your posting . GM has 7000 reservations in Europe for their version of the Volt ( made at the same plant here in the US ) . This car is going to be a huge hit for GM everywhere but the US until people wake up and realize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them commenting here ) consider this the best car they have ever owned . So word of mouth will spread as more and more people actually drive them . Now that they are given priviledged status in the carpool lanes they will begin to really take off . As far as expense -- have n't you noticed the BMW 's , Lexus 's , Mercedes , and Cadillac 's on the road ? People buy cars for a lot more than price . <p> More interesting than another refutation of the facts about the Volt is the sheer level of vitriol being poured on it from conservative media . That is something I 'm finding hard to come to terms with . Have these people forgotten that every single product of the space program was essentially financed by inefficient government procurement through NASA ? <p> I 've written something much longer that New English Review has published . It might be of interest to those reading these comments : <p> Ahh , a basic truth of modern politics . The only thing you can know for sure are those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything else you are subject to influence by those with more power than you have . <p> Dear Mr. Lutz , I sympathize with your response to the falsehoods being spread about the Volt , but this is exactly the same kind of strategy employed to deny global warming : deny evidence , make up a fake reality , consult sham experts , and create yet another issue for a culture war . The false attacks on the Volt and the effort to deny global warming are two sides of the same coin . <p> From 2005 .... General Motors Vice Chairman Robert Lutz said the automaker missed an opportunity to market itself as a technologically savvy company capable of producing hybrid vehicles . <p> Lutz said GM " missed the boat " on a marketing opportunity with hybrids -- an opportunity Toyota Motor Corp . has played to its advantage . " We business-cased it , took a hard , analytical look and thought the engineering and investment were irresponsible vis-a-vis our shareholders , " he said . " We failed to appreciate what Toyota has basically treated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubtful the business case for hybrids would work . <p> In hindsight , " we should have said , ' We 'll lose $100 million a year on hybrids , but we 'll take our advertising budget of $3 billion , make it $2.9 billion and treat it as an advertising expense , ' " he said . While Lutz said he finds it hard to view product as a form of advertising , " Toyota very cleverly has used hybrids to gain an improved perception of the brand . " <p> Anyone who thinks that gas-electronic technology is not better than spending $100,000,000.00 for an oil tanker and $30,000,000.00 for an off shore oil rig that will only be around for 10-15 years is crazy . The rail roads have been using diesel-electric technology since 1965 . Electronic motors have much , much more lugging/torquing power . If you do n't believe me pull out an electric drill or go to your local machine shop and see the electric motors that have been around for a long , long time . <h> Most Read on Forbes <p> I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Korean and pre-Vietnam era . I received an MBA from UC Berkeley in 1962 , with highest honors . I 've held top management positions at GM , BMW , Ford , Chrysler and retired from GM as Vice Chairman in 2010 at age 78 . My two successful books are " Guts : The Seven Laws of Business That Made Chrysler The World 's Hottest Car Company " ( Jonn Wiley+Son , 1998 ) and , more recently , " Car Guys vs . Bean Counters : The Battle For The Soul Of American Business " ( Portfolio Press , 2010 ) . I 'm a CNBC contributor and appear with some frequency on " Larry Kudlow . " I serve on numerous startup boards , am a Leigh Bureau professional lecturer and provide consulting services to a number of clients , including GM and Group Lotus . I tend to have strong opinions which I share with enthusiasm ... some would say " to a fault . " My personal motto is " Often wrong , but seldom in doubt . "

@@5103541 <p> " Ultimately you 're going to pay the price one way or another , " said Stoker . <p> An Orange County Grand Jury has indicted the 25-year-old former Montgomery resident on six felonies : five counts of grand larceny and one count scheme to defraud . <p> " By pretending to have a terminal illness , Vega inexcusably took advantage of the community 's hearts and minds , and profited off of their generosity , " Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said . " Our office will hold this individual accountable for fleecing the public through lies and deception . " <p> Hamlet of Wallkill resident Keri Ciastko , 28 , was one of those who helped get the charitable snowball rolling for Vega . <p> When Vega walked into Bella Couture back in 2010 , Ciastko noticed her short cropped hair and need for a wedding dress . She out two and two together and quickly and started making calls . <p> Ciastko said she helped Vega with everything from a veil to wedding shoes . She said she would the split the costs of wedding items with her sister-in-law Rachel Taylor and pulled money out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was five months pregnant and up at five in the morning , " said Ciastko . <p> Ciastko said when she first found out , she was angry . <p> " I feel kind of betrayed , " said Ciastko . <p> Preparing for the wedding , Ciastko said Vega 's claim of cancer was something she did n't hide . <p> " It was n't the elephant in the room , " said Ciastko . <p> Even when she saw Vega drinking and partying at her wedding , she said she thought it was strange but did n't think much of it . Ciastko said she asked herself what she would do if she were dying . Would n't she want to enjoy her time left too ? <p> " I just hope that the truth is found out , " said Ciastko . <p> The story Vega told in early 2010 was a heartbreaker . Then 23 years old , she claimed to be dying of acute myeloid leukemia . She said she wanted to marry Michael O'Connell , the father of her young daughter , before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a beautiful wedding and honeymoon . A Times Herald-Record story about the couple led to more donations . <p> According to the indictment , Vega accepted thousands of dollars in donated services and goods . The couple married in May 2010 , followed by a honeymoon in Aruba . <p> It all came apart four months later when O'Connell accused Vega of faking the illness and called the Times Herald-Record . Vega had offered a letter , purportedly from a Westchester doctor , as proof of her diagnosis , but the doctor 's staff later denied seeing Vega . Along with the felonies , Vega faces a misdemeanor charge of possessing a forged instrument . <p> O'Connell said the couple divorced over the incident , and he moved to Virginia to find work . On Monday , O'Connell said he later helped Vega join him in Virginia , hoping to help her turn her life around . They now have a second child , and O'Connell said the children need their mother . <p> " She 's a good mom , and that 's all that counts at the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want my kids to have their mother back . " <p> O'Connell was once Vega 's biggest critic and cooperated with the attorney general 's investigation . He still says his ex-wife should repay donors and apologize , but he said mental health treatment is a better option than jail . <p> The maximum prison sentence for any of the felonies is 4 years . Vega was taken into custody on April 3 in Virginia and extradited to Orange County , where she was arraigned on Friday . She pleaded " not guilty " and was sent to Orange County Jail on $10,000 cash or $30,000 bond . She 's due to appear on April 20 in front of Judge Robert Freehill . The state police assisted with the case . <p> O'Connell said Vega was in good spirits when she spoke to him by phone from jail . He and his family are taking care of the kids in New York <p> We reserve the right to remove any content at any time from this Community , including without limitation

@@5103641 <h> Discharge In Bankruptcy <p> The bankruptcy discharge varies depending on the type of case a debtor files : chapter 7 , 11 , 12 , or 13 . Bankruptcy Basics attempts to answer some basic questions about the discharge available to individual debtors under all four chapters including : <p> A bankruptcy discharge releases the debtor from personal liability for certain specified types of debts . In other words , the debtor is no longer legally required to pay any debts that are discharged . The discharge is a permanent order prohibiting the creditors of the debtor from taking any form of collection action on discharged debts , including legal action and communications with the debtor , such as telephone calls , letters , and personal contacts . <p> Although a debtor is not personally liable for discharged debts , a valid lien ( i.e. , a charge upon specific property to secure payment of a debt ) that has not been avoided ( i.e. , made unenforceable ) in the bankruptcy case will remain after the bankruptcy case . Therefore , a secured creditor may enforce the lien to recover the property secured by the lien . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the discharge varies , depending on the chapter under which the case is filed . In a chapter 7 ( liquidation ) case , for example , the court usually grants the discharge promptly on expiration of the time fixed for filing a complaint objecting to discharge and the time fixed for filing a motion to dismiss the case for substantial abuse ( 60 days following the first date set for the 341 meeting ) . Typically , this occurs about four months after the date the debtor files the petition with the clerk of the bankruptcy court . In individual chapter 11 cases , and in cases under chapter 12 ( adjustment of debts of a family farmer or fisherman ) and 13 ( adjustment of debts of an individual with regular income ) , the court generally grants the discharge as soon as practicable after the debtor completes all payments under the plan . Since a chapter 12 or chapter 13 plan may provide for payments to be made over three to five years , the discharge typically occurs about four years after the date of filing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a chapter 7 or 13 case if the debtor fails to complete " an instructional course concerning financial management . " The Bankruptcy Code provides limited exceptions to the " financial management " requirement if the U.S. trustee or bankruptcy administrator determines there are inadequate educational programs available , or if the debtor is disabled or incapacitated or on active military duty in a combat zone . <p> How does the debtor get a discharge ? <p> Unless there is litigation involving objections to the discharge , the debtor will usually automatically receive a discharge . The Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure provide for the clerk of the bankruptcy court to mail a copy of the order of discharge to all creditors , the U.S. trustee , the trustee in the case , and the trustee 's attorney , if any . The debtor and the debtor 's attorney also receive copies of the discharge order . The notice , which is simply a copy of the final order of discharge , is not specific as to those debts determined by the court to be non-dischargeable , i.e. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally that the debts owed to them have been discharged and that they should not attempt any further collection . They are cautioned in the notice that continuing collection efforts could subject them to punishment for contempt . Any inadvertent failure on the part of the clerk to send the debtor or any creditor a copy of the discharge order promptly within the time required by the rules does not affect the validity of the order granting the discharge . <p> Are all of the debtor 's debts discharged or only some ? <p> Not all debts are discharged . The debts discharged vary under each chapter of the Bankruptcy Code . Section 523(a) of the Code specifically excepts various categories of debts from the discharge granted to individual debtors . Therefore , the debtor must still repay those debts after bankruptcy . Congress has determined that these types of debts are not dischargeable for public policy reasons ( based either on the nature of the debt or the fact that the debts were incurred due to improper behavior of the debtor , such as the debtor 's drunken driving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from discharge under chapters 7 , 11 , and 12 . A more limited list of exceptions applies to cases under chapter 13 . <p> Generally speaking , the exceptions to discharge apply automatically if the language prescribed by section 523(a) applies . The most common types of nondischargeable debts are certain types of tax claims , debts not set forth by the debtor on the lists and schedules the debtor must file with the court , debts for spousal or child support or alimony , debts for willful and malicious injuries to person or property , debts to governmental units for fines and penalties , debts for most government funded or guaranteed educational loans or benefit overpayments , debts for personal injury caused by the debtor 's operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated , debts owed to certain tax-advantaged retirement plans , and debts for certain condominium or cooperative housing fees . <p> The types of debts described in sections 523(a) ( 2 ) , ( 4 ) , and ( 6 ) ( obligations affected by fraud or maliciousness ) are not automatically excepted from discharge . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are excepted from discharge . In the absence of an affirmative request by the creditor and the granting of the request by the court , the types of debts set out in sections 523(a) ( 2 ) , ( 4 ) , and ( 6 ) will be discharged . <p> A slightly broader discharge of debts is available to a debtor in a chapter 13 case than in a chapter 7 case . Debts dischargeable in a chapter 13 , but not in chapter 7 , include debts for willful and malicious injury to property , debts incurred to pay non-dischargeable tax obligations , and debts arising from property settlements in divorce or separation proceedings . Although a chapter 13 debtor generally receives a discharge only after completing all payments required by the court-approved ( i.e. , " confirmed " ) repayment plan , there are some limited circumstances under which the debtor may request the court to grant a " hardship discharge " even though the debtor has failed to complete plan payments . Such a discharge is available only to a debtor whose failure to complete plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . The scope of a chapter 13 " hardship discharge " is similar to that in a chapter 7 case with regard to the types of debts that are excepted from the discharge . A hardship discharge also is available in chapter 12 if the failure to complete plan payments is due to " circumstances for which the debtor should not justly be held accountable . " <p> Does the debtor have the right to a discharge or can creditors object to the discharge ? <p> In chapter 7 cases , the debtor does not have an absolute right to a discharge . An objection to the debtor 's discharge may be filed by a creditor , by the trustee in the case , or by the U.S. trustee . Creditors receive a notice shortly after the case is filed that sets forth much important information , including the deadline for objecting to the discharge . To object to the debtor 's discharge , a creditor must file a complaint in the bankruptcy court before the deadline set out in the notice . Filing a complaint starts a lawsuit referred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <p> The court may deny a chapter 7 discharge for any of the reasons described in section 727(a) of the Bankruptcy Code , including failure to provide requested tax documents ; failure to complete a course on personal financial management ; transfer or concealment of property with intent to hinder , delay , or defraud creditors ; destruction or concealment of books or records ; perjury and other fraudulent acts ; failure to account for the loss of assets ; violation of a court order or an earlier discharge in an earlier case commenced within certain time frames ( discussed below ) before the date the petition was filed . If the issue of the debtor 's right to a discharge goes to trial , the objecting party has the burden of proving all the facts essential to the objection . <p> In chapter 12 and chapter 13 cases , the debtor is usually entitled to a discharge upon completion of all payments under the plan . As in chapter 7 , however , discharge may not occur in chapter 13 if the debtor fails to complete a required course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a discharge in chapter 13 if he or she received a prior discharge in another case commenced within time frames discussed the next paragraph . Unlike chapter 7 , creditors do not have standing to object to the discharge of a chapter 12 or chapter 13 debtor . Creditors can object to confirmation of the repayment plan , but can not object to the discharge if the debtor has completed making plan payments . <p> Can a debtor receive a second discharge in a later chapter 7 case ? <p> The court will deny a discharge in a later chapter 7 case if the debtor received a discharge under chapter 7 or chapter 11 in a case filed within eight years before the second petition is filed . The court will also deny a chapter 7 discharge if the debtor previously received a discharge in a chapter 12 or chapter 13 case filed within six years before the date of the filing of the second case unless ( 1 ) the debtor paid all " allowed unsecured " claims in the earlier case in full , or ( 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier case totaling at least 70 percent of the allowed unsecured claims and the debtor 's plan was proposed in good faith and the payments represented the debtor 's best effort . A debtor is ineligible for discharge under chapter 13 if he or she received a prior discharge in a chapter 7 , 11 , or 12 case filed four years before the current case or in a chapter 13 case filed two years before the current case . <p> Can the discharge be revoked ? <p> The court may revoke a discharge under certain circumstances . For example , a trustee , creditor , or the U.S. trustee may request that the court revoke the debtor 's discharge in a chapter 7 case based on allegations that the debtor : obtained the discharge fraudulently ; failed to disclose the fact that he or she acquired or became entitled to acquire property that would constitute property of the bankruptcy estate ; committed one of several acts of impropriety described in section 727(a) ( 6 ) of the Bankruptcy Code ; or failed to explain any misstatements discovered in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information requested in an audit of the case . Typically , a request to revoke the debtor 's discharge must be filed within one year of the discharge or , in some cases , before the date that the case is closed . The court will decide whether such allegations are true and , if so , whether to revoke the discharge . <p> In chapter 11 , 12 , and 13 cases , if confirmation of a plan or the discharge is obtained through fraud , the court can revoke the order of confirmation or discharge . <p> May the debtor pay a discharged debt after the bankruptcy case has been concluded ? <p> A debtor who has received a discharge may voluntarily repay any discharged debt . A debtor may repay a discharged debt even though it can no longer be legally enforced . Sometimes a debtor agrees to repay a debt because it is owed to a family member or because it represents an obligation to an individual for whom the debtor 's reputation is important , such as a family doctor . <p> What can the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt after the case is concluded ? <p> If a creditor attempts collection efforts on a discharged debt , the debtor can file a motion with the court , reporting the action and asking that the case be reopened to address the matter . The bankruptcy court will often do so to ensure that the discharge is not violated . The discharge constitutes a permanent statutory injunction prohibiting creditors from taking any action , including the filing of a lawsuit , designed to collect a discharged debt . A creditor can be sanctioned by the court for violating the discharge injunction . The normal sanction for violating the discharge injunction is civil contempt , which is often punishable by a fine . <p> May an employer terminate a debtor 's employment solely because the person was a debtor or failed to pay a discharged debt ? <p> The law provides express prohibitions against discriminatory treatment of debtors by both governmental units and private employers . A governmental unit or private employer may not discriminate against a person solely because the person was a debtor , was insolvent before or during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was discharged in the case . The law prohibits the following forms of governmental discrimination : terminating an employee ; discriminating with respect to hiring ; or denying , revoking , suspending , or declining to renew a license , franchise , or similar privilege . A private employer may not discriminate with respect to employment if the discrimination is based solely upon the bankruptcy filing . <p> How can the Debtor obtain another Copy of the Discharge Order ? <p> If the debtor loses or misplaces the discharge order , another copy can be obtained by contacting the clerk of the bankruptcy court that entered the order . The clerk will charge a fee for searching the court records and there will be additional fees for making and certifying copies . If the case has been closed and archived there will also be a retrieval fee , and obtaining the copy will take longer . <p> The discharge order may be available electronically . The PACER system provides the public with electronic access to selected case information through a personal computer located in many clerk 's offices . The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an account to acquire access to PACER , and must pay a

@@5103741 <p> Just thought I would throw this out there , made my first all grain that was n't a BIAB style and I really was n't sure if I was going to like it so I did n't want to buy a new cooler and modify it to see , so I went to the craft store and bought a yard and a half of nylon , they called it tulle . I put it down in the cooler and put 11 pounds of grain in it and tied it up loosely so that it that it was not packed tight at all . I hit my starting and original gravity that my recipe was set at with figuring 70% efficiency , I just set the cooler up on the counter and drained the wort out into my pot like normal , ran some back through , then did a batch sparge , so just an idea if you want to try all grain without spending on the cooler , and I did enjoy all grain , so now Ill buy a cooler and modify myself . <p> The only issue for me is my cooler does n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since its warm ) the wort then gently pouring it through the grain again be useful for removing coudiness/sparging some more sugar ? <p> Or should I just accept I would get a perfectly crystal clear and efficient mash if I 'm not going to invest in equipment ? : P <p> Do you want crystal clear wort or would you be satisfied with crystal clear beer ? My wort comes out cloudy as h*** because I BIAB and I SQUEEZE the bag to get all the wort out that I can . My beers still turn out clear . <p> Do you want crystal clear wort or would you be satisfied with crystal clear beer ? My wort comes out cloudy as h*** because I BIAB and I SQUEEZE the bag to get all the wort out

@@5103841 <h> Blog Tools <p> HERCULANEUM , Italy -- They are poignant snapshots of sudden death : huddled clusters of skeletal remains in what were once beachfront warehouses , immortalized for eternity when Mount

@@5103941 <p> DENVER - After getting death threats and countless hate calls on Thursday , the owners of Rosa Linda 's Mexican Cafe were swamped Friday with customers who came from across Colorado to show their support . <p> The line of customers extended out onto the sidewalk . <p> " We live way out east by the airport , " said Natalie Jones . " But we drove all the way over to have some lunch and show our support . " <p> Jones was among hundreds of customers outraged by reports of the death threats . <p> The hate calls and emails came from people who were under the impression that the Aguirre family refused to serve Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney . <p> Oscar Aguirre told 7NEWS that they never refused to serve him . He said two former missionaries dropped by the restaurant in August and asked if the family would be willing to host a campaign event for Romney . <p> The Aguirres said Romney could eat there , but they did n't want the restaurant used for a campaign stop . <p> Earlier this week , Romney stopped to eat at a Chipotle restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that said Romney stopped at Chipotle ... but is not invited to Rosa Linda 's . <p> The hate calls started pouring in . Many of them from out of state . <p> One came in the middle of Aguirre 's on camera interview with 7NEWS . He put the call on his speaker phone . <p> The angry caller said , " Take you and all your B******s back to Mexico you ( expletive ) piece of crapola . " <p> In addition to death threats , Aguirre said the family-run restaurant has had to deal with canceled orders and reservations . <p> " Two people ordered $150 worth of food for lunch to be picked up ( Wednesday ) . They called later and said , ' Oh , you 're the one who does n't want Romney in your business ' and they canceled their orders , even though the food had been prepared , " he told 7NEWS . <p> Aguirre said he also has had numerous reservations made through Open Table , an online reservation service . <p> " We have to pay Open Table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " Aguirre said . " None of them showed up . " <p> When 7NEWS visited the restaurant just before noon Thursday , there were only a handful of customers inside . <p> " The Romney Campaign condemns this type of behavior in any situation . It 's unfortunate that incorrect information being circulated has led these community leaders to receive these threats , " said Chris Walker , a Romney Campaign spokesman . <p> Walker also reiterated that the Romney campaign did not contact Rosa Linda 's about a Romney stop there . <p> The Aguirres said it was some people from their church , who support Romney , who made the request . <p> Among the customers eating at the restaurant on Friday were a group of Romney campaign staffers . <p> One of them , Ellie Wallace , told 7NEWS " We hate that it 's happened and we wanted to come out for lunch today and show our support . " <p> Wallace said that had it not been for Westward linking Romney 's Chipotle appearance to the Aguirre 's August decision to not host a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . " <p> Patty Calhoun , the editor of Westword told 7NEWS , " It sounds like the Romney campaign is blaming the messenger . " She called it " a bunch of malarkey " and wrote a column about the controversy , saying some readers misunderstood the Westword story . <p> Oscar Aguirre told 7NEWS that he wanted to issue a public apology to Mitt Romney . <p> " Mr. Romney had nothing to do with this , " Aguirre said . " He 's a nice man . " <p> When asked about the tenor of phone calls and emails on Friday , Aguirre said , " When someone from Ireland calls me and says they heard what 's going on , it shows that people care . " <p> Aguirre then put his hands to his face . <p> It was clear that the positive phone calls and customer turnout Friday had as much , if not more , of an emotional impact than the negativity the family faced Thursday . <p> Initially the family was worried that the negativity would impact their ability to feed people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free meals ( video below ) . This year , we may serve above 6,000 free meals . Please let the American public know that we are not racist or bigots . We are just a working family wanting to help our community and our country by serving those in need , " he said , adding , " Please stop the hate . " <p> The Denver restaurant has been in business for 27 years and is located at 2005 W. 33rd Ave . <p> Watch a video of Thanksgiving

@@5104041 <p> Since the dawn of the Internet , the demand for good design has continued to skyrocket . From Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 and beyond , designers have remained on their toes as they define the trends and expectations of our online universe . The Internet is a great designer 's playground , and online businesses are growing more and more appreciative of what can be gained from a bit of well-executed eye candy . Over the past two years , this fact has become the backbone of a growing trend in online marketing : the infographic . <p> Infographics are visual representations of information , or " data viz " as the cool kids call it these days . The term " data viz " comes from " data visualization , " which implies that sets of data will be displayed in a unique way that can be seen , rather than read . This visualization should not be left up to interpretation , it should instead be designed in a way that provides a universal conclusion for all viewers . In the simplest terms , infographics are not too different than the charts and graphs that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <p> Of course , just as Web 2.0 changed 1.0 , today 's infographics are far more eye-catching than simple pie charts and bar graphs . Today , infographics compile many different data visualizations into one cohesive piece of " eye candy . " They have evolved with design trends , received some creative facelifts , and the Internet is now getting filled with interesting information delivered in enthralling ways . <p> While some design trends come and go , infographics are here to stay . With brands like USA Today , The New York Times and Google and even President Obama getting behind them , infographics are becoming a powerful tool for disseminating huge amounts of information to the masses . Companies large and small are using infographics to build their brands , educate their audience and optimize their search engine ranking through link-building . This is why learning how to design a good infographic is a must , and avoiding the common pitfalls of infographic design could mean the difference between landing a big client and losing them entirely . <h> Wrapping Your Mind Around Data Viz <p> @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website , flier , brochure , etc . Even some of the best designers , with portfolios that would make you drool , can not execute an effective infographic design . Creating infographics is a challenge and requires a mindset that does not come naturally to everyone . But that mindset can be gained through practice and by sticking to certain standards , the most important of which is to respect and understand data viz. Here are some simple rules to follow when wrapping your mind around proper data viz. <h> Show , Do n't Tell <p> A rule of cinema is to show , do n't tell . The same holds true for infographic design . The foundation of any good infographic is data viz. As an infographic designer , you may or may not determine the concept and compile all of the research for the final design , but either way you are responsible for turning that information into a visually stimulating , cohesive design that tells a story and that does n't miss a single opportunity to visualize data . Take this portion of an infographic about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infographic writes out the data , rather than visualizing it . <p> What 's wrong with this infographic ? It breaks the first rule right out of the gate . When you have an opportunity to display information visually , take it . Here , the tweets per second could have at least been shown in a bar graph . This would enable someone to quickly look at this section and see what 's going on ; by seeing the various heights of the bars , the eye could have quickly gauged the differences in tweets per second per event without having to read anything . <p> If you 're having trouble adhering to this rule , try keeping all of your text on one layer of your AI file ( excluding text inside charts and graphs ) . Every once in a while , turn off the text layer and see whether the infographic still makes sense . If there is n't any data viz , or if a bunch of pictures are missing context , then you are doing too much telling and not enough showing . <h> @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't Need You <p> It might sound harsh , but it 's true . If infographics were as simple as laying out a bunch of standard charts and graphs on a page , then clients would not need to search out great designers . Many tools are online that can create colorful pie charts , line graphs and bar graphs , so you have to take things to the next level for your design to stand out . Taking the data from above , which of the two graphs below do you think would make a client happier ? <p> Two ways to visualize the data from the Twitter example above . <p> If you answered Graph B , you 're catching on . Of course , not all data lends itself to creative and unique graphs . Graph A might work very well if the rest of the infographic shared a similar aesthetic . Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and produce a traditional bar graph or pie chart ; nevertheless , always consider ways to dress it up , as in the examples below : <p> @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <h> Typography Should Not Be a Crutch <p> Typography can make or break a design , but it should not be the solution to a data viz problem . More often than not , designers begin an infographic with a great deal of energy and excitement , but they lose steam fast as they continue down the page . This often leads to quick decisions and poor solutions , like using typography to show off a big number instead of visualizing it in some way . Here 's an example : <p> TravelMatch 's infographic highlights too much . <p> Whenever I see this , I 'm reminded of the " Where 's the beef ? " ad campaign , and I think , " Where 's the data viz ? " Although Sketch Rockwell is one of my all-time favorite fonts , this is a perfect example of relying too much on typography . <p> Any time a research number is provided to you for an infographic , ask yourself how it can be visualized . Percentages can always be visualized with creative pie charts ; numerical values in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graph ; and when numbers do n't fit on a consistent scale , you might be able to visualize them in a diagram . Here is another way the above data could have been visualized : <p> An example of how to visualize the TravelMatch data , rather than relying on typography . <h> Typography Has Its Place <p> All that being said , typography does have its uses , which should not be ignored when creating an infographic . Most of the time , you will want to focus your creative typographical energies on titles and headings . The title of the infographic is a perfect opportunity to use a fun and eye-catching font and to give it a treatment that fits the theme or topic . Just make sure the title is n't so distracting that it takes away from the reason we are looking at the infographic in the first place . The truth of the matter is that some infographic topics are boring , but the right title design can engage people enough to scroll through . <p> Similarly , headings help to break up an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giving you another chance to let your font-nerd flag fly . <p> The title of an infographic is your chance to draw attention to the design . <h> Organization And Storyline <p> Organizing an infographic in a way that makes sense and that keeps the viewer interested is not always easy , but it 's part of the job for most infographic designers . Usually , you will be given a lot of data and will need to create a visual story out of it . This can be challenging at first , but you can follow some general rules to make things easier . <h> Wireframe the Infographic <p> Wireframing an infographic enables you to work out a storyboard and layout for the design . You may have an idea of the story you want to tell , but as you start laying things out , you might hit a wall and have to start over . Having to reorganize after having already done a lot of the design is incredibly frustrating . Avoid this by setting up your storyline at the start to determine what data to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and make sure it all makes sense . This will also help to ensure that the color palette you will choose drives attention to the important points and keeps the eye flowing down the page . <h> Think Outside the Box <p> As you wireframe the infographic , you will identify section breaks that help to tell the story . Most infographics online have a vertical flow , in which each section has a heading to distinguish it from the last . This gets boring fast . Organizing the data and sectioning off information without relying entirely on headings and color breaks is a good way to break the monotony . <p> For instance , rather than going for a typical one-column layout , you could use two columns in certain parts . You could also break up sections with borders , with backgrounds of different shapes or give the entire design a road or path theme . Here 's some outside the box layouts to get your creative juices flowing : <p> There are many unique ways to lay out an infographic that will keep the viewer engaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a beginning , middle and end . Infographics deserve the same treatment . At the beginning of the infographic , introduce the problem or thesis . From there , back it up with data . Finally , end the infographic with a conclusion . <h> Visualize the Hook <p> Every good infographic has a hook or primary take-away that makes the viewer say " A-ha ! " As a designer , you should make this hook the focal point of the design if at all possible . Placing the hook at either the center or very end of the infographic is usually best , so that it grabs more attention . Give the most important information the most visual weight , so that viewers know what to take away . Here are some examples of well visualized hooks : <p> Hooks should either be in the center , beginning , or end of the infographic and need the greatest visual emphasis . <h> Cleaning Things Up With Color <p> The difference a color palette can make is amazing , especially in the world of infographics . The right palette can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the topic and more . The wrong palette can turn a great topic into an eyesore , harm the brand 's image and convey the wrong message . Here are some tips to consider when choosing colors for your infographic . <h> Make It Universal <p> In Web design , it 's always important to choose a palette that fits the theme of the website and that is neutral enough for a diverse group of visitors . Because infographics are primarily shared online , picking the right palette for an array of visitors is equally important . You must also consider what looks good online . <p> For instance , dominant dark colors and neons typically do not translate well on infographics ; neon on black can be hard to read , and if there is a lot of data , taking it all in will be a challenge . Also , avoid white as a background whenever possible . Infographics are often shared on multiple websites and blogs , most of which have white backgrounds . If your infographic 's background is also white , then deciphering where it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palette Is Easy on the Eyes <p> With all of the data that goes into an infographic , make sure that the reader 's eye easily flows down the page ; the wrong color palette can be a big barrier to this . Choose a palette that does n't attack the senses . And consider doing this before you start designing , because it will help you determine how to visualize the various elements . <p> If picking a color palette is hard for you , stick to the rule of three . Choose three primary colors . Of the three , one should be the background color ( usually the lightest of the three ) , and the other two should break up the sections . If you need to add other colors , use shades of the three main colors . This will keep the palette cohesive and calming , rather than jarring . <h> Use the Tools at Your Disposal <p> When picking colors , you do n't have to reinvent the wheel . A number of great websites out there will help you choose the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themes and a searchable database , as well as an easy tool to adjust the palette that you 're interested in . One issue with Kuler is that all of the palettes have five colors , and the colors are sometimes from completely different families , rather than shades of a few primary colors , so finding the right palette can be like searching for a needle in a haystack . <p> Another color-picking tool is COLOURlovers . This database is easier to search through : it breaks palettes into different themes and can be sorted by favorites . While most of the palettes also consist of five colors , the colors are not always given equal weight ; instead , the tool suggests which should be dominant . Here are some good and bad palettes for infographics : <h> Final Thoughts <p> While these standards are important to consider for most infographic designs , sometimes an infographic comes along that breaks all of these rules and still succeeds immensely . In the end , clients like " eye candy " and designs that " pop ! " While such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we all know a great infographic design when we see one , and your clients do , too . Use these rules to guide you into the infographic realm , but create your own techniques and standards after you 've gained some experience . <p> Amy Balliett is the co-founder of Killer Infographics , an infographic design agency located in Seattle , WA . Killer Infographics began as Submit Infographics , a user generated infographic gallery allowing designers to submit their work for review from a team of artists . After many requests , the company shifted into a design agency while still running the submission gallery . Since its inception in the fall of 2010 , Killer Infographics has produced over 750 viral infographics for companies large and small . <h> Steve Fenton <p> I understood the text version of the " empty seats " data . Even though I saw that first , I still ca n't get to grips with the infographic version . I know it should be telling me that there are enough empty seats to fill enough flights to keep a big airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't get it . <p> I can understand infographics are meant to be more appealing , but they should still give us the meaning . <h> Patrick 's <p> Glad someone else feels the " Airplane empty seats " infographic is illegible . The original " text-heavy " graphic is much better . <p> Sometimes words ARE better than pictograms , and learning how to assess that is as important as having visual skills . In the Airplane Empty Seats example , the story in words is just that : a story . Yes , it has data in it . And yes , it has a hook . But the sequencing of the data in words ( plus some humor ) + the drama of all those patading jets make it far better at conveying its message than the jumble of tiny icons found in the infographic . <p> +35 <p> 6 <h> Sandeep Paul <p> Some so called ' cool ' infographics ' are very difficult to understand . It took less than a minute to understand the first ' empty seats ' graphic where as the infographic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 minutes . Most of the infographics examples here are over-kill . <h> Another Alan <p> I 'm not completely sold on Tufte , but I do like his idea of " chartjunk " -- clutter that adds nothing to a piece of visual communication . I 'm all in favour of a bit of chartjunk now and then , but the plane graphic is almost entirely junk . As a result , it 's almost entirely meaningless . <p> I prefer the first -- but I do n't think it 's fair to critique it as an infographic . Because it 's not an infographic , it 's an illustrated piece of text . And that 's the best way to present that particular piece of information . <h> Jon Mason <p> I agree -- Graph A is far from perfect but it is a much clearer presentation of the information than Graph B. The client did n't hire you because they wanted to get away from Excel , surely they hired you because they wanted to get their ( data ) message across . I also agree that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better and possibly worse than the original . And as for the 3 " hooks " -- I could only see the NFL helmet as a hook , other two seemed just part of the clutter . <p> +8 <p> 11 <h> jason mark <p> I also could n't understand the " improved " infographic . I also thought in your A/B test that A was much easier to process , even if the color pallet was a little week and the bars were backwards ( traditionally tallest is on the right in roman languages so the bar chart gets TALLER with time not shorter ... <p> +11 <p> 12 <h> David <p> I thought this was a horrible example of trying to improve an infographic . The fact is , the reason we use inforgraphics is to display information in an easy to understand and visual manner . I believe the first example did everything needed from an infographic . It caught your eye , explained its purpose , and gave you the information it needed to . <p> The second infographic may look nice , but if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . While I did get it , after looking for a minute , not everyone will . I had to look at it for a longer than I would have liked to just to get the same information the other one gave me in seconds . <p> The whole point of infographics is to give information in a visual manner . I do n't think using text takes away from it 's visual appeal . I do know that loosing the information in the design does not get the job done . <p> I did really enjoy this post . Great information other than disagreeing with the TravelMatch example . <p> +11 <p> 13 <h> jakob <p> I just wanted to jump in real quick and point you to alternative views on the subject . As some of you might know there 's a bit of a quarrel going on in the infographic community regarding best practices of visualization . I guess many design communities have similar camps battling out " The Truth . " <p> While Amy does a great job motivating her design choices there are a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific angle would take issue with , like the fact that she denounces bar charts in favor of more flourished visualization . <p> It boils down to the fight between David McCandless and Stephen Few , both highly regarded professionals and leaders in their field , but adamantly in opposition to certain design practices that their nemesis holds dear . Obviously there is some common ground between them and viable alternative views on the subject , but I thought I 'd mention that the " do 's and don'ts of infographic design " can vary greatly depending on the school of thought you subscribe to and need not be the one this article put forth . <p> Please do n't take this as opposition to the article Amy wrote , but rather a suggestion for further reading : <h> DED <p> Jakob you make a very good important point . Coming from information visualization my first reaction to many info-graphics is not favorable . But , there is a place for them when they are done well . I personally fall in favor of Stephen Few in that battle you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've always been puzzled by the David McCandless vs Stephen Few thing ( which , as you say , pretty much summarises every argument about information graphics , ever ) . <p> They 're two separate fields : journalism and business intelligence . One makes graphics for communications , the other , for analysis . One 's goal is distinctive graphics that can attract passive audiences , the other , versatile graphical formats that can be interrogated by committed audiences . <p> The only thing they have in common is making visuals based on numbers . Why is there any conflict ? It 's like asking , who makes the best vehicles : Ferrari or JCB ? Or criticising Ferrari for making vehicles that are of little use on a building site . Or criticising JCB for making vehicles that do n't swoosh as they go by . <p> +5 <p> 16 <h> Mike <p> If the message of the data is lost in the visualisation , then the infographic has failed . The ' empty seats ' example falls foul of this : I understand the original version better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though the overall colour palette of the ' tweets per second ' speedometer is fine when taken in isolation , it 's completely off-brand for Twitter . The information is clearer than the original version , but the indicators on the dial do n't stand out from the background enough . I 'd have muted the background a bit more rather than relying on a dropshadow to separate them out . <p> Like any piece of design , you need to consider your audience and the context in which the infographic will be viewed . If it 's to go on a very businesslike website -- where the main design features are clean edges , whitespace , and a minimalist approach to its colour palette -- then anything involving cutsey icons is out . Do n't make the mistake of speaking down to your audience . <p> Most people are familiar with excel charts and find them intuitive to read and use . Whether or not they are ugly and boring is entirely in the eye of the viewer . The primary goal should be to speak to your audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the information accessible . <p> The experience for the reader can be enhanced by adding eye-candy , but it 's always a compromise with usability . There is no point in making something pretty just because you can if it leads to a frustrating reading experience . A very fine line to walk I 'm afraid . <p> +18 <p> 22 <h> Gerd Wippich <p> Thanks for this inspiring article , but IMHO an important aspect is missing : if you are designing infographics for the web , accessibility should be incorporated . This does not have to result in dull graphics , of course . <h> Digital Essence <h> Liz <p> I 'm excited to see an article on data visualization on Smashing , as it 's an area of design I really enjoy . However , despite your commendable efforts , I do n't think this article is accurate . <p> The primary goal of a data visualization is to clearly convey the significance of data using visual design . In all of your reworked examples , it is more difficult to understand the significance of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is particularly confusing , and in the Twitter example , the bar graph was much easier to understand at a glance ( although I still think it could be done more successfully than a bar graph ) . <p> If your pretty design is obscuring the data , it has failed as a visualization . This article is a huge " do n't " of infographic design . <h> Andy Kirk <p> Afraid I have to strongly agree with the majority of commenters ( hat tip to you all ) and suggest there is far more evidence in this article about how NOT to design a visualisation . <p> Regrettably I do n't have time to offer up a comprehensive but constructive autopsy of the piece ( Eds -- maybe an opportunity to offer a follow up piece in the near future ? ) . <p> Instead , I would point you in the direction of some helpful data visualisation design interviews with people from the infographics field , data journalism , statisiticians etc. and let them describe their own process of what to do and what not to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are essential to the web , I 'm afraid this article is making the case for eye candy , which brings the quality of an infographic down . Creativity ? Yes . Creativity is necessary to properly portray data , but it 's more of an effort to show data clearly and accurately , not with " bling " . I 'm afraid that the bling takes attention away from the data , and can often skew it in the name of hipness . <p> +7 <p> 27 <h> Amy <p> These responses are great and I appreciate everyone 's input ! As Jakob put it , there is a big debate in the infographic industry regarding what an infographic is and I clearly come out in favor of " eye candy " side of things , as we 've found more success for our clients in that arena . <p> In this article , I am trying to show examples of visually stimulating choices , but your comments make it clear that my examples came up short so I apologize for that . The point is that infographics offer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our experience , there is a preference for unique forms of visualization rather than simple charts and graphs . Still , as you 'll note in our portfolio ( http : **35;504;TOOLONG ... ) there is a mix of both because certain topics call for certain design choices . <p> Unfortunately , I was limited with the examples I could rework , as I had to get permission from the original owners of the work to use their infographics as " don'ts . " Next time , I 'll have our design team mock up some do 's and don'ts rather than go this route . All that said , the primary points of the article remain the same -- do n't miss an opportunity for data viz , tell a story with your design , do n't rely too heavily on typography , and choose a color palette that is welcoming and easy on the eyes . <p> Please keep up the candor in this discussion . It 's great to hear your thoughts ! This is my first time posting on Smashing Magazine and I have already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <p> +4 <p> 28 <h> Al <p> Hat tip for a fair response to fair criticism and for unreservedly making the case for eye candy . When the brief is to attract attention , make something that attracts attention . When the brief is to visualise data , then is the time to follow best practices and crack out the Tufte books . Do n't try to shoe-horn one into the other , making boring visualisations of weak data sets or turning important data into shallow eye candy . <h> K Mark <p> Not upset about the eye candy , just unable to understand the graphics . I 'm a numbers person , and still could not figure out how the graphics represent the stories . The more simple graphics are easy to understand and tell the story instantly . Is n't that more important ? <p> +7 <p> 32 <h> Joseph Cliff <p> I think an important facet here that needs to be addressed is lead generation . Upon simply reading the art of the graphics you can see they do a great job of informing us , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with aesthetics is to create traffic . Infographics build inbound links for a fraction of the cost of a traditional online marketing campaign and generate brand awareness . They just need to be captivating . Creating monotonous bar graphs and pie charts can be risky simply because you may not be re-posted . You want to get peoples attention , so much so that those people want to tell somebody else about it . I understand this process and an aesthetic approach creates a high probability of the content being shared . This gets a thumbs up from me . <p> +1 <p> 33 <h> Eric Geist <p> With apologies , I agree ; the " empty seats " infographic is incomprehensible at first glance and counter-intuitive on closer inspection . As the article -- excellent in many other ways -- points out , infographics need to be eye-catching ; but they also need to communicate complex information in a simple and easy-to-understand manner . - The actual calendar month references do n't add to our understanding ; in fact , they add a " red herring . " Does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not segmenting the data on a monthly basis ? - The arrow pointing at the text label for the 217 days makes It look like the amount of space allotted for that 217 days is the white space where the text is , when it 's actually the opposite . - Why are half the plane seats upside down , when no other elements are ? - The data key in the center is inconsistent : one data point is n't rounded , while all the others are . If there are 237M seats , that should translate to 522K empty planes , not 522,016. - The icon equivalency info should be below the data from which it 's drawn , not above ; when you see it first , it does n't mean anything . - The info that 1 plane icon = 6.5K planes and 1 seat icon = 2.9M seats is totally random , obviously assigned after the design , to justify the number of icons the design allowed . This is an unfortunate example of a design idea trumping the data it 's supposed to represent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " elements , at the expense of " macro " communication of the main point . And visually , it 's just a carpet of little elements that dull the senses and do n't resolve into direct communication . <p> +12 <p> 34 <h> In Seattle <p> It may just be me , but I do n't find the examples to be providing opportunities for particularly compelling stories . They seem to be providing 2 ' dimensions ' of information in a 2 dimensional space which is never going to capture people 's imaginations as a story regardless of how it is dressed up graphically . For example : in the twitter example , what makes this information interesting ? Is it that the top 3 events all relate to Japan ( Tsunami , New Year 's , and Japan v US in the World Cup final ) ? Is it that of the top 5 , they are all related to either Japan or the US or both ? How can this comparison be highlighted so that there are 3 or 4 dimensions of information in a 2 dimensional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to answer : " why is this interesting ? " <p> 0 <p> 35 <h> Rachael Kline <p> Perhaps some of the examples here are n't the most intuitive , but they certainly are more visually interesting than the " before " images , and to be honest , compelling graphics are what clients really want . <p> I think it 's important to remember that infographics are a huge tool for brand building and link building , and that overall clients tend to care more about compelling visuals and branding than they do meaningful data . In fact , a lot of clients ( and designers ! ) do n't have the mind for data visualization the way they do for design so it can be tough to hit the mark every time . <p> In doing infographics for clients , I 've come to realize something that I think a lot of freelance designers do n't understand until they 've worked with clients for a while : Yes , what I do is creative and artistic , but I have to also remember that that I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account the needs of the client , and best practices for infographics are ultimately based on the balance between client needs , eye candy and maintaining the integrity of the data -- all of which Amy outlines quite well . <p> It is totally possible and best practice to visualize any piece of data that you have , even if it is with simple pictograms -- it is possible to simply complicated data with practice . If you 're worried about the integrity of your data viz , then keep the graphs simpler and focus on the typography and maybe add a textured background to pretty up the design . And Amy is right -- plan bar charts and pie charts are a no-no ! Anyone can make those ! <p> Considering that this post is written for and by someone that works with clients , I think Amy does a great job of conveying what makes a good infographic . I agree with her that " eye candy " is an annoying thing to undertake , but if you 're working with clients you just have to grit your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <p> 36 <h> Liz <p> I respectfully disagree with your assertion that " compelling graphics are what clients really want . " Generally in web design , what clients really want is a successful solution to a business problem ( e.g. elevated brand image , more customers , more sales , greater brand exposure ) . Compelling graphics are just one part of that solution . <p> Part of a designer 's job is to steer the client toward what they need , not always what they want ( the classic example being a client who wants to take up whitespace with an awkwardly large logo ) . In the real world , we often have to make concessions , but in my experience the client often ends up less satisfied in those situations . <p> Data visualizations can be analyzed similarily . Eye candy is important , but if you 've decorated it so much that the data is obscured , that is not a successful project . In that case , why not just make a typographic or illustrative poster rather than a data viz ? <h> Kelvin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importance of typography in an infograph . In my 6 years experience designing exhibitions for a Science Museum , type is as important as the focal graphics point . <p> It is true that data visualization is practically taking the Excel document and enhancing it visually but that does n't mean not considering type . Typography is truly important because it gives structure , tone ( how do you explain the data ) , aesthetics and hierarchy to the infograph . <p> I have to add , that an iconic illustration of a subject-matter wo n't necessarily mean that it 'll be functional . For example , the " % Healthcare paid by government " is misleading because it shows the higher the percentage the more its government pays and the IV bag is fuller ; however , in reality , it should be the opposite , the fuller the IV bag the less the bag is used , or in this graphic definition , the less the government spends . <h> Kelvin Chiang <p> true . I think diminish is not the appropriate word . My thought was that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infograph , a piece as functional as one with a big graphic piece . Just to compare the two and how functional each one can be <p> 0 <p> 40 <h> tufteagreesNOT <p> None of these examples are good . Sorry to say that the excel chart at the top is easiest to read quickly . Is it the best way to render the data ? That is debatable . But the chart below it is very difficult to read . <p> If any of these charts were used to try to save people 's lives , you just got them killed .... ( see Tufte 's Challenger excerpt from " Visual Explanations " ) <h> ed.earnshaw <h> jason mark <p> Tufte is amazing , but I always want to like his data more than I do . Too academic for me to process , which ironically misses the point of visual data in my mind . In the micro he has good points but in the macro he 's more ironic than informative . <h> sandeep <h> Crayonz <p> So the hook should be a the start , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new at the end of a sm post , this just left me feeling that I will steer clear of the cool kids ' data viz ' . it appears to me that it 's another example of style over substance . The bar chart was by far the clearest example of data visualisation . Sorry but this post has utterly failed it 's objective for me . <p> +4 <p> 48 <h> Martin <p> Sorry , but this post is equal to Soulja Boy talking about how music should be done . One look at the website and there is no need commenting on the infographics . Data visualization is much more than just ( poor ) graphic design -- that is rule number one . This hip wave , where anybody feels like making infographics , is taking the overall quality and general consciousness so much down . Posts like this one -- no , actually the people who write them -- just make it faster and steeper . I do n't want to be mean I just do n't want to be too nice to people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as feedback ... <p> +9 <p> 49 <h> Mads <p> Well I 'm really not digging this article . It seems in these **34;541;TOOLONG you want to make an original designed infographic for every dataset . I think that you should really consider when to design a new way to show things and when not to . I think the tweetometer is too complex and the bargraph does the job better and gives a faster overview . <p> +2 <p> 50 <h> Christine <p> I 'm glad to see so many people are taking issue with this post , but I also totally get the balancing act of needing to please clients . I agree Tufte can be overly academic for some contexts , but I find that knowing what he teaches let 's me break his rules and add ' bling ' in smart ways . In truth , the best way to design an infographic can vary quite a bit depending on the audience , but starting with known best practices helps to avoid doing more harm than good with decorations . <p> I am disturbed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graphic should make sense with no words ... like if it 's for people who ca n't read . That 's a valid point in some cases , such as if crossing language barriers . Otherwise , words really help to convey meaning . That 's why we 're all using them to comment on this post . <p> The comment about this being just like clients who want to fill up all the whitespace with a giant logo is right on . I 've worked on projects where the client was stuck on a certain visualization method and could have gotten the message across more artfully and clearly with the help of more words and fewer symbols to decode via legends . Of course , ultimately the client gets what they want , but I would n't advocate taking whatever clients want and calling it the new best practices . <p> +4 <p> 51 <h> Ryan Bollenbach <h> Simplicity <p> At first , I thought this was going to be an article about how to not overdo infographic , using the empty seat graphic as an example of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position -- visualize at every opportunity possible . The objective of having charts is to help viewers quickly grasp the data they represent , it should not be viewed as an opportunity to exercise the most imaginative design . <p> Take the Top 5 Twitter Moments for example . Which one can you see the ranking and the magnitude of each moment in relation to the others the quickest ? <h> issy <p> Thanks Amy for breaking the subject down . Colour transmission also has cultural associations in its usage . As a UK and OZ designers the palettes tend to be quite a different series . To me the palette you use is sophisticated and very US style . These do n't adhere to hard and fast rules , the OZ palette is one all of it 's own . Colour is affected by our surroundings and palettes tend to group and be associated with industry groups and so forth . The Airplane seat ' stat ' is stunning enough in itself , the blue sky places the subject straight away and also the trivia snippet about , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Might make me look longer . If there are 237M empty seats then lastminute.com has some opportunities coming there way flying snakes and all . As for type , when there is a systemised hierarchy the reader catches on very quickly and scans the topics . Thanks for the links . <p> 0 <p> 56 <h> Paul Gailey <p> Excellent comments going on here on what is a polemical issue . Out of interest I did a Ctrl+F for SEO and found no instances of the term on the page . What I am trying to say is that if a consideration of how you expose the data and message is not contemplating search indexability , then it 's a sore oversight as their are options for how provoke user embeds , shares and expose the underlying data in search rich methods that will essentially amplify the reach of your message . <p> -2 <p> 57 <h> Craig Broadway <p> I honestly do not see what is so wrong with using text ! It can generally be assimilated more quickly , and clients do n't have to pay you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pieces are great , yes . And infographics certainly have a role in design and information dissemination . I just see warning lights in regards to the ability to read . I 've already seen how ' grate ' some ' ppl ' can spell . <p> +2 <p> 58 <h> Marc Archambault <p> The goal of any infographic should be to share an idea as clearly and as completely with as many people as possible . For the twitter example , yes , B is a slicker design , but the information is easier to grasp more quickly in example A , the dull ol ' bar graph . Honing in on information and clarifying meaning is also a good use of a designer 's brain . <p> +1 <p> 59 <h> Marcus Marritt <p> Good read Amy , we design plenty of infographics at Zabisco and I cant think of any briefs when we do nt apply the ' rules ' you discuss . Although a couple of points from me : the anti aging infographic you pull out in terms of pushing the visual ' hook ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the concept as I cant deciphor one key strong hook from this , there seems to be no one single illustration that pulls off the page above all others ( and isnt this what the ' hook ' should be doing ) . Some briefs ask for a visually stimulating infographic , which is when we can focus more on the design and illustration , while other briefs that are probably driven by a heavier content type require more a emphasis on displaying the content itself . The airplane example above is a good way to explain this point , if the brief for this was to show the content in a visually engaging way then I think the second circular version has nailed the brief . However , if the brief needed a bigger emphasis on being able to read the message in seconds , then the first landscape visual hits this brief . Whenever working on a brief with our design team , I find it vital to ensure we have the right balance of pushing the level of design and displaying the data / content in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infographics are overly designed , too much emphasis on great illustration and forgetting the whole purpose of creating a infographic which is to make a data / content story as easy to digest as possible and not just display in a overtly creative way just for the sake of it . Although this is driven by the brief itself , not all infographics need to give the user access to information in seconds ( if this was the case then simple bar and pie charts would do the job ) . One of the reasons , and there are many , why I love working on infographics is because the possibilities are limitless -- including industry pros who can have vastly different opinions . Lets keep pushing the field of infographics <p> -4 <p> 60 <h> nicko <p> just looking at the ViralMS Twitter graphic -- they are trying to get something very simple across -- the most active twitter moments , not as your version shows -- which of the highest activity tweets were highest ( of secondary importance ) , hence no need for visual representation . <h> @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submitting this story , I enjoyed all your tips and certainly see some valid points in there . <p> Although for me , your edict on infographics was just too simplistic , and could have been vastly improved by simply looking at your examples purpose before submitting them . <p> Some infographics are there to be pondered like a piece of fine art ( as you have attempted with the planes graphic ) , while others ( like the original Travelmatch infographic ) exist between the clicks of a mouse . In such a small time frame I must disagree with your assessment that a ponderous graphic would have been a stronger solution in place of type . A graphic such as the one you suggested would have slowed the pace , reduced the audience and ultimately failed in its purpose . <p> By disregarding the purpose of the infogrphic you disregard its very reason for existing , and in doing so cant possibly make a true assessment of its worthiness . <p> +4 <p> 62 <h> GREGORVIOS <p> Thanks . That was a fantastic article . I 've noticed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . However , I still ca n't help myself from clicking on a tweet labeled Infographic Curiosity always gets the better of me . <p> -5 <p> 63 <h> Tom <p> This article has some good points , but I ca n't help but feel that some of the suggested alternative visualisations for infographics that are not sticking to the article 's suggestions , are worse than the originals . <p> +4 <p> 64 <h> Peter Paul De Leo <p> True . The redesigned graphics are visually more exciting but far more confusing . Do n't over intellectualize . If your trying to attract consumers thru visually attractive graphics with few words and still gets to the point . Example : If your selling shaving cream for men , a picture of a beautiful woman and the words Shaving Cream , that should do it . <h> Saadcreative <p> I believe that many infographics lose their original interest and purpose . <p> The designer , more often than not , discociates the visual from the communicational aspect of an infographic and it results into beautiful , yet not verry understandable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he/she should make something better than a standard graphic , more appealing , and more impacting since that is the main goal of such a project . <h> melissa <p> Although there is some really great advice in here -- the examples of the ' redesigned ' info graphics you provided are not much better than the originals . In some cases , like the airline seat one , I had a harder time deciphering the ' visualized ' one than the original . Please try to spend some additional time looking for information graphics that are actually beautiful AND functional . To echo Saadcreative : <p> 1 . Communicate clearly : I do n't want to spend 5 minutes trying to navigate the ' eye-candy ' . Just because it LOOKS better does n't mean it works better . <h> Martin Silvertant <p> Very nice article . One question though . Why are the color palettes on the left considered to be bad ? I understand it for most because there 's too little contrast between the colors , but what 's wrong with the last one ? @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are also fairly monotone . <h> Okibi <h> Abriko <p> I think the autor needs to learn the first basic rule of a good infographic design : give the information fast and clearly . Even the " good " twitter infographic is slow to read , always look at the colour and which is what ... That 's a big fail , i prefer the " excel " one . <h> James F <p> As a student of Information Design I am very pleased that so many people are mentioning Tufte . I am glad this article defines itself as ' data viz ' a poor phrase I think should be reserved for exactly this kind of chart junk . We can call quality , clear , subtle work good design . <h> LDR <p> I feel moved to comment .. ( I work in this field , and feel passionate about it ) <p> Were this article written in the spirit of " here are things I happen to like -- take it with a grain of salt " I would have no complaint . <p> But this was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it proceeds to highlight horrible practices . That twitter gauge ? It fails in a number of ways . And I have n't the faintest idea of what the airplane-seat graphic is trying to communicate . Anybody serious in this field would never publish such things . <p> I urge those who may be new to data visualization to broaden their reading ( many good links in the comments already ) . Please do not take this article as the final word . <h> matt <h> Ingrid <p> I think some of the ways of displaying information are so unique that it makes them hard to read . ( Bar graphs may be boring but they 're about ten times easier to read than the Twitter speedometer . ) Also , too many infographics work too hard at being pretty and throw quantifiability out of the window . It should be possible to deduce percentages or ratios from the visuals , or as a last resort it should be written down . Designers should read up on Neurath and think a little harder . <p> +1 <p> 80 <h> Laura @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still agree with most people 's comments on how some of the examples are quite incomprehensible . I 'm quite interested in infographics in particular , and I always tend to go data first , design next . It may be boring sometimes , but when I was making infographics for a newspaper , I could n't get TOO creative . <p> I think the color part of the article was a bit too simple as the issue is much more complex . While those tips on color palettes may occasionally work well , color has a very important role in conveying messages and you can not always stick to the suggestions presented . For example , when color is used to label something in infographics , it 's a particularly strong attribute distinguishing elements from each other . In these labeling cases it 's most efficient to use colors with distinguishable names -- in other words , completely different hues , such as blue , green , red , yellow , brown , orange , etc ... The need to label more than five elements already breaks the relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( not of completely different hues ) . However , qualitative scales are best presented this way . <p> While the bad color palette example with different shades of blue would not work for most purposes , it would be the best way to represent quantitative data . Such sequential color scales are very intuitive to read in some cases ; just think of maps , for example , which are pure infographics ! That blue color scale could be used to present the depth of seas , for example -- and also pretty much the only sensible way to do that ! And while we 're not always creating geographically accurate maps , there are various cases in which we need to visualize quantitative data , and in most cases using only one hue makes the graph more comprehensible at first glance . <p> Sure , the color issue was n't widely dealt with in this article , but I just wanted to point this out because you can not simply define some color palettes " bad " . You could write multiple articles on color usage in infographics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . <p> 0 <p> 81 <h> Tim <p> You make out like infographics is a new web based term ... although I 'm now a web based creative my background is in design and illustration for educational publishing . Infographics are a great way to display information to kids in text books in a visual form . This is a term and practice I 've been using for almost 20 years . <p> 0 <p> 82 <h> Dee Zeiner <h> talentless in seattle <p> I disagree with most every statement made in this article . First off any " good designer " can design an info graphic . That 's what design is , ordering and displaying information so that it can be easily read , understood and hold your interest while doing so no matter if its typography or image . <p> Maybe if you were offering enough pay , or pulling from a pool that actually included good designers , and not people who stole a copy of the creative suite and now call themselves designers you could understand this . When you 're only willing to invest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . If you are crowd sourcing , well then consider the crowd . who has time to submit work they have done for free to someone else ? Most likely people who are not good enough to get paid for it <p> The examples are rubbish and the reasoning behind them is shallow at best , and your comments only serve to prove that point . <p> 0 <p> 84 <h> Bash <p> Dataviz Schmataviz , esp . the ' planes thingy . I identified straight away with the Dr Strangelove version , and glad it was n't just me that stared vacantly at the picture of a clutch/brakedrum/Dalek 's eyeball/beermat ( the round thing ) for at least five seconds before moving swiftly on . By the way , what 's a " Spedometer " ? Shurely shome mishtake ? <p> On a positive note , I always thought that Infographics laid eggs , so I learned something today . <h> Scott Eaton <p> The infographics are too cluttered and busy and hard to understand . The purpose of a data visualization is to get your point across as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sacrifice functionality for glitz . <p> 0 <p> 87 <h> Elizabeth Pastor <p> Information Design : Not For Sale Many people have responded to Amy Balliett ' s article on The Do 's And Don'ts Of Infographic Design , including Nathan Yau 's rebuttal . You will find many comments about why her points do n't make much sense , and why we all believe she needs to learn more about information design basics ( I mean , do you understand the chart above ? ) . Rather than continue on specifics about the actual infographics , I 'd like to elaborate on the deep personal disappointment I felt when I read Balliet 's Do 's and Don'ts . See full post : http : **35;577;TOOLONG ... <h> Sriraman <p> Amy , Let me say " Well presented " first . There may be different views for different people , even I ca n't full agree with few things , but those are not for a fight . I read the idea you try to present here and you succeed in that . <p> Thanks <p> 0 <p> 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reading through some comments makes me fell that people who write them have zero knowledge on the topic or just do n't want to hurt someone 's feelings . Critical view is way more useful than complimenting bad result ! This article presents vague and inaccurate explanation accompanied by critically bad visual examples . That is fact , not a point of view . Due to article 's exposition , it 's not something that should be left out with the idea that at the end of the day it is not that bad . It is . Popular articles like those make various CEOs want to present their data through crappy " infographics " which present more colors than data , more icons than information , more lenght than detailed view ... As many people misunderstand , data visualization is not advertising . Author of this article , as well as few other people commenting here , clearly do n't see the difference . And there is nothing bad about telling them that they are wrong . <p> 0 <p> 91 <h> Jeanine <p> Dee , I completely agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst article I 've ever read on information design , clearly displaying lack of knowledge on what design and information design is all about . A ' true designer ' would recognize that her commentaries and examples make no sense ; it is sad to learn that now when the opportunity exists to take design to the next level , this is the type of articles being written . <h> Web Axe <p> In follow up to Gerd Wippich 's comment above , please everyone , do n't forget the #1 rule : provide alternative text . It 's one of the oldest and most basic web accessibility rules , and so many people still miss this . This is good not only for accessibility , but also for SEO and when the image can not be rendered ( due to broken image source link , lowband , images turned off , etc ) . <p> +1 <p> 94 <h> claire stokoe <p> As an infographic designer i both agree and disagree with your points , i think that most graphics can not support themselves on visual data alone and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you used this as a promotional tool , i am not certain that i agree with this , i also used to write for Smashing and would never have based a post around my own work . There are many many more fantastic examples to prove your ideas . <p> thanks killerbunnie <p> 0 <p> 1 <h> Steve Fenton <p> I understood the text version of the " empty seats " data . Even though I saw that first , I still ca n't get to grips with the infographic version . I know it should be telling me that there are enough empty seats to fill enough flights to keep a big airport busy for two-thirds of a year , but I do n't get it . <p> I can understand infographics are meant to be more appealing , but they should still give us the meaning . <h> Patrick 's <p> Glad someone else feels the " Airplane empty seats " infographic is illegible . The original " text-heavy " graphic is much better . <p> Sometimes words ARE better than pictograms , and learning how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the Airplane Empty Seats example , the story in words is just that : a story . Yes , it has data in it . And yes , it has a hook . But the sequencing of the data in words ( plus some humor ) + the drama of all those patading jets make it far better at conveying its message than the jumble of tiny icons found in the infographic . <h> Sandeep Paul <p> Some so called ' cool ' infographics ' are very difficult to understand . It took less than a minute to understand the first ' empty seats ' graphic where as the infographic one did not make any sense to me even after 3 minutes . Most of the infographics examples here are over-kill . <p> +24 <p> 7 <h> Mike <p> If the message of the data is lost in the visualisation , then the infographic has failed . The ' empty seats ' example falls foul of this : I understand the original version better than the ' reworked ' one . <p> Also , though the overall colour palette @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when taken in isolation , it 's completely off-brand for Twitter . The information is clearer than the original version , but the indicators on the dial do n't stand out from the background enough . I 'd have muted the background a bit more rather than relying on a dropshadow to separate them out . <p> Like any piece of design , you need to consider your audience and the context in which the infographic will be viewed . If it 's to go on a very businesslike website -- where the main design features are clean edges , whitespace , and a minimalist approach to its colour palette -- then anything involving cutsey icons is out . Do n't make the mistake of speaking down to your audience . <p> +23 <p> 8 <h> James <h> jakob <p> I just wanted to jump in real quick and point you to alternative views on the subject . As some of you might know there 's a bit of a quarrel going on in the infographic community regarding best practices of visualization . I guess many design communities have similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy does a great job motivating her design choices there are a few statements that some people who come to visualization from the scientific angle would take issue with , like the fact that she denounces bar charts in favor of more flourished visualization . <p> It boils down to the fight between David McCandless and Stephen Few , both highly regarded professionals and leaders in their field , but adamantly in opposition to certain design practices that their nemesis holds dear . Obviously there is some common ground between them and viable alternative views on the subject , but I thought I 'd mention that the " do 's and don'ts of infographic design " can vary greatly depending on the school of thought you subscribe to and need not be the one this article put forth . <p> Please do n't take this as opposition to the article Amy wrote , but rather a suggestion for further reading : <p> Most people are familiar with excel charts and find them intuitive to read and use . Whether or not they are ugly and boring is entirely in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speak to your audience and bring your point across wherefore it 's necessary to make the information accessible . <p> The experience for the reader can be enhanced by adding eye-candy , but it 's always a compromise with usability . There is no point in making something pretty just because you can if it leads to a frustrating reading experience . A very fine line to walk I 'm afraid . <h> Liz <p> I 'm excited to see an article on data visualization on Smashing , as it 's an area of design I really enjoy . However , despite your commendable efforts , I do n't think this article is accurate . <p> The primary goal of a data visualization is to clearly convey the significance of data using visual design . In all of your reworked examples , it is more difficult to understand the significance of the information than in the original version . The plane example is particularly confusing , and in the Twitter example , the bar graph was much easier to understand at a glance ( although I still think it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . <p> If your pretty design is obscuring the data , it has failed as a visualization . This article is a huge " do n't " of infographic design . <p> +17 <p> 13 <h> Eric Geist <p> With apologies , I agree ; the " empty seats " infographic is incomprehensible at first glance and counter-intuitive on closer inspection . As the article -- excellent in many other ways -- points out , infographics need to be eye-catching ; but they also need to communicate complex information in a simple and easy-to-understand manner . - The actual calendar month references do n't add to our understanding ; in fact , they add a " red herring . " Does it matter which month is which , if you 're not segmenting the data on a monthly basis ? - The arrow pointing at the text label for the 217 days makes It look like the amount of space allotted for that 217 days is the white space where the text is , when it 's actually the opposite . - Why are half the plane seats upside down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key in the center is inconsistent : one data point is n't rounded , while all the others are . If there are 237M seats , that should translate to 522K empty planes , not 522,016. - The icon equivalency info should be below the data from which it 's drawn , not above ; when you see it first , it does n't mean anything . - The info that 1 plane icon = 6.5K planes and 1 seat icon = 2.9M seats is totally random , obviously assigned after the design , to justify the number of icons the design allowed . This is an unfortunate example of a design idea trumping the data it 's supposed to represent . - Overall , there are too many " micro " elements , at the expense of " macro " communication of the main point . And visually , it 's just a carpet of little elements that dull the senses and do n't resolve into direct communication . <p> +12 <p> 14 <h> jason mark <p> I also could n't understand the " improved " infographic . I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easier to process , even if the color pallet was a little week and the bars were backwards ( traditionally tallest is on the right in roman languages so the bar chart gets TALLER with time not shorter ... <p> +11 <p> 15 <h> David <p> I thought this was a horrible example of trying to improve an infographic . The fact is , the reason we use inforgraphics is to display information in an easy to understand and visual manner . I believe the first example did everything needed from an infographic . It caught your eye , explained its purpose , and gave you the information it needed to . <p> The second infographic may look nice , but if you wanted people to get that information , it failed miserably . While I did get it , after looking for a minute , not everyone will . I had to look at it for a longer than I would have liked to just to get the same information the other one gave me in seconds . <p> The whole point of infographics is to give information in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes away from it 's visual appeal . I do know that loosing the information in the design does not get the job done . <p> I did really enjoy this post . Great information other than disagreeing with the TravelMatch example . <p> +11 <p> 16 <h> Martin <p> Sorry , but this post is equal to Soulja Boy talking about how music should be done . One look at the website and there is no need commenting on the infographics . Data visualization is much more than just ( poor ) graphic design -- that is rule number one . This hip wave , where anybody feels like making infographics , is taking the overall quality and general consciousness so much down . Posts like this one -- no , actually the people who write them -- just make it faster and steeper . I do n't want to be mean I just do n't want to be too nice to people with lack of self criticism either . Try to take it as feedback ... <h> tufteagreesNOT <p> None of these examples are good . Sorry to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to read quickly . Is it the best way to render the data ? That is debatable . But the chart below it is very difficult to read . <p> If any of these charts were used to try to save people 's lives , you just got them killed .... ( see Tufte 's Challenger excerpt from " Visual Explanations " ) <p> +8 <p> 19 <h> Another Alan <p> I 'm not completely sold on Tufte , but I do like his idea of " chartjunk " -- clutter that adds nothing to a piece of visual communication . I 'm all in favour of a bit of chartjunk now and then , but the plane graphic is almost entirely junk . As a result , it 's almost entirely meaningless . <p> I prefer the first -- but I do n't think it 's fair to critique it as an infographic . Because it 's not an infographic , it 's an illustrated piece of text . And that 's the best way to present that particular piece of information . <p> Oh , and the cool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know , I asked them . <p> +8 <p> 20 <h> Jon Mason <p> I agree -- Graph A is far from perfect but it is a much clearer presentation of the information than Graph B. The client did n't hire you because they wanted to get away from Excel , surely they hired you because they wanted to get their ( data ) message across . I also agree that the proposed infographic on empty seats on planes is no better and possibly worse than the original . And as for the 3 " hooks " -- I could only see the NFL helmet as a hook , other two seemed just part of the clutter . <p> +8 <p> 21 <h> ed.earnshaw <h> K Mark <p> Not upset about the eye candy , just unable to understand the graphics . I 'm a numbers person , and still could not figure out how the graphics represent the stories . The more simple graphics are easy to understand and tell the story instantly . Is n't that more important ? <h> David Lindes <p> I do believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this article is making the case for eye candy , which brings the quality of an infographic down . Creativity ? Yes . Creativity is necessary to properly portray data , but it 's more of an effort to show data clearly and accurately , not with " bling " . I 'm afraid that the bling takes attention away from the data , and can often skew it in the name of hipness . <h> Liz <p> I respectfully disagree with your assertion that " compelling graphics are what clients really want . " Generally in web design , what clients really want is a successful solution to a business problem ( e.g. elevated brand image , more customers , more sales , greater brand exposure ) . Compelling graphics are just one part of that solution . <p> Part of a designer 's job is to steer the client toward what they need , not always what they want ( the classic example being a client who wants to take up whitespace with an awkwardly large logo ) . In the real world , we often have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ends up less satisfied in those situations . <p> Data visualizations can be analyzed similarily . Eye candy is important , but if you 've decorated it so much that the data is obscured , that is not a successful project . In that case , why not just make a typographic or illustrative poster rather than a data viz ? <h> Andy Kirk <p> Afraid I have to strongly agree with the majority of commenters ( hat tip to you all ) and suggest there is far more evidence in this article about how NOT to design a visualisation . <p> Regrettably I do n't have time to offer up a comprehensive but constructive autopsy of the piece ( Eds -- maybe an opportunity to offer a follow up piece in the near future ? ) . <p> Instead , I would point you in the direction of some helpful data visualisation design interviews with people from the infographics field , data journalism , statisiticians etc. and let them describe their own process of what to do and what not to do : <h> LDR <p> I feel moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and feel passionate about it ) <p> Were this article written in the spirit of " here are things I happen to like -- take it with a grain of salt " I would have no complaint . <p> But this was written as " here are good practices ... " then it proceeds to highlight horrible practices . That twitter gauge ? It fails in a number of ways . And I have n't the faintest idea of what the airplane-seat graphic is trying to communicate . Anybody serious in this field would never publish such things . <p> I urge those who may be new to data visualization to broaden their reading ( many good links in the comments already ) . Please do not take this article as the final word . <p> +5 <p> 29 <h> Al <p> I 've always been puzzled by the David McCandless vs Stephen Few thing ( which , as you say , pretty much summarises every argument about information graphics , ever ) . <p> They 're two separate fields : journalism and business intelligence . One makes graphics for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goal is distinctive graphics that can attract passive audiences , the other , versatile graphical formats that can be interrogated by committed audiences . <p> The only thing they have in common is making visuals based on numbers . Why is there any conflict ? It 's like asking , who makes the best vehicles : Ferrari or JCB ? Or criticising Ferrari for making vehicles that are of little use on a building site . Or criticising JCB for making vehicles

@@5104141 <h> Inside Family Guy : Back to the Multiverse <h> IGN talks to the man bringing Family Guy to Xbox 360 and PS3 . <p> by Colin Campbell <p> November 2 , 2012 <p> The trouble with games based on funny TV shows , apart from the fact that they 're mostly crap , is that the characters are not the same as the ones we care about . They may look the same , possibly even sound the same , but all too often they are flimsy avatars . They are strangers . They are unfunny . <p> TV shows like Family Guy fire gags at the viewer at a phenomenal rate , literally every few seconds . They barely bother with a cohesive narrative structure because they 're too busy having fun with the characters or mocking our culture or just messing with our heads . <p> Games do n't work this way , especially unimaginative games based on expensive licenses . They present familiar worlds . The player is expected the progress well-known characters along linear paths , dealing with whatever impediments the game 's mechanics place in the way ( shoot , melee , puzzle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment for comedy , exacerbated by gameplay 's inevitable reliance on repetition . The first time you see a character fall in the lake and come up with a gurning fish in his trilby , it may be amusing . Not so much the fifth time . <p> Activision 's VP of production Scott Bandy understood these problems when taking on the license , and beginning work with game studio Heavy Iron Studios and Family Guy 's production house Fuzzy Door . <p> He says , " The very initial conversation is , ' how are we going to deliver the humor that 's in this TV show with a gameplay aspect as well ? ' One of the things they do a lot on the show is cutaways . A lot of the big gags are done in a cutaway . That 's something that does n't lend itself well to gameplay . So how do we deliver that in an interactive experience ? " <p> The first gambit has been to install a lot of variety in the game . The TV episode - Road To The Multiverse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to read is Greg Miller 's preview of the game . ) In this episode , Stewie and Brian use a device that lands them , briefly , in a series of alternative worlds . One such , a Disney world , allows the writers to indulge in a sugary ' Snow White ' -style song-sequence , before delivering a grotesquely illustrated joke about Walt Disney 's rumored anti-semitism . <p> So the game uses the exact same device to move its characters from one world to another . The game is said to be around nine hours long and there are ten levels and eight universes , including Amish , Frat / Greek , Pirate and ' Disabilities ' . <p> " In each of those environments we adjust the humor and the jokes and the gags that we 're working with to be appropriate in that particular environment , " says Bandy . <p> " If you stretched out a four-hour experience and stayed in one environment for that long , that 's where you 're going to get fatigued . Were making it fresh enough to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guy sensibility . " <p> But what about that curse of all ' comedy ' games , the repetitious gag ? " We use a lot of banter between Brian and Stewie to deliver the humor and it was definitely a challenge . There 's a balance there , walking that line between making sure we are keeping it fresh in terms of the twists and turns that the story takes and the gags that go along with it . We 're very happy with the outcome , but it was definitely a challenge . " <p> Bandy says that the writing team at Fuzzy Door have had a lot of input into salting each level with plenty of jokes . " We worked very closely with the writers from the show . The scripts , the character lists , the environments , even stuff like the posters that populate the levels . Everything was either generated by Fuzzy Door or with their very close approval . <p> " It was absolutely critical for us to be able to work closely with Seth MacFarlane and the writers on the show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actors from the series . It 's got Seth 's take and his polish on the dialogue . It would have been a non-starter without that . The only way you 're going to satisfy a core fanbase as dedicated as these guys is if you can say , ' Hey , this is n't Activision thinking around what we believe a Family Guy game should be . This is us facilitating Fuzzy Door and Fox to be able to deliver their content to an audience in a new way ' . " <p> Family Guy on TV has always been outandishly self-referential , and the game will take this to new levels . " Once we came up with the idea of the multiverse and the different themed settings , we went back and pored over the episodes and to pull out as many of those references or moments as we could , and just blow that out . You say , ' Okay , now let 's take that up to 11 and milk everything we can in terms of humor ' . <p> " For example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an episode where Peter is walking around as a pirate in the modern day . This is where the creativity and the experience of the Fuzzy Door guys is critical . " <p> Gags are placed in the game in much the same way as shooting-game designers place enemies . " In Call of Duty , you 'd pick the place where a bridge is going to explode . For us it was , ' This is where the gag is going to trigger . ' That was new for me as far as thinking about the way we 're doing our layout and our pacing . We ca n't do a gag every 15 seconds . But we want to make sure that the gags we do put in there are ones people experience . " <p> So , this being a video game , will there also be jokes about gaming culture ? He says , " Yeah , we do some . In a licensed game , you have to be careful about other licensed games you might reference , but there are some moments in there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titles in the past . There 's a lot of self-deprecating jokes . We definitely did a bit of that . " <p> Part of the delight of licensed games , when they work , is inhabiting the worlds and characters we love , and enjoying those familiar moments . We can all hope , at some point in the game , to enjoy Cleveland Brown , distressed in a bathtub , or to be tickled by Glenn Quagmire 's libido . <p> Of course , licensed TV games have a poor history in terms of game review scores . Heavy Iron has worked on games for Wall-E , The Incredibles , Spongebob and Ratatouille , none of which have exactly drowned in plaudits . <p> Bandy says , " For the hardcore gaming press guys who are looking for innovative gameplay or giant cinematic set-pieces , obviously the review scores will not be at the highest range . But it 's a high-quality offering for fans of the series , for people who are playing the game to enjoy the gameplay , but also to get to that next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think we 've made all the right moves in terms of what we 've focused on and where we 're putting our bets . It 's like any other title , though . You have to let the thing go and hopefully it 's well-received . We 've got a good solid game , and for Family Guy fans , I think it 's going to be a must-have . I really do . " <p> Note - IGN is part of News Corp . which also owns Fox . <p> For daily opinions , debates and interviews on games you

@@5104241 <p> King James Bible ( Cambridge Ed . And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day : and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden . <p> American King James And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day : and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden . <p> American Version And they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day : and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden . <p> Douay-Rheims Bible And when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise at the afternoon air , Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God , amidst the trees of paradise . <p> Darby Bible Translation And they heard the voice of Jehovah Elohim , walking in the garden in the cool of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the presence of Jehovah Elohim , in the midst of the trees of the garden . <p> English Revised And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day : and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden . <p> Webster 's Bible And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day : and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden . <p> English Bible They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day , and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden . <p> Young 's Literal Translation And they hear the sound of Jehovah God walking up and down in the garden at the breeze of the day , and the man and his wife hide themselves from the face of Jehovah God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <p> The voice , we conceive , is the thunder of the approach of God and his call to Adam . The hiding is another token of the childlike simplicity of the parents of our race under the shame and fear of guilt . The question , " Where art thou ? " implies that the Lord was aware of their endeavor to hide themselves from him . <p> The voice of the Lord - The voice is properly used here , for as God is an infinite Spirit , and can not be confined to any form , so he can have no personal appearance . It is very likely that God used to converse with them in the garden , and that the usual time was the decline of the day , ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? leruach haiyom , in the evening breeze ; and probably this was the time that our first parents employed in the more solemn acts of their religious worship , at which God was ever present . The time for this solemn worship is again come , and God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sinned , and therefore , instead of being found in the place of worship , are hidden among the trees ! Reader , how often has this been thy case ! <p> And they heard the voice of the Lord God , .... Which they had heard before , and knew , though perhaps now in another tone , and very terrible , which before was mild and gentle , pleasant and delightful : some by it understand a clap of thunder , sometimes called the voice of the Lord , Psalm 29:3 and the rather because mention is made afterwards of a wind ; but rather the voice of the Son of God , the eternal Word , is here meant , who appeared in an human form , as a pledge of his future incarnation , and that not only as a Judge , to arraign , examine , and condemn the parties concerned in this act of disobedience to God , but as a Saviour of men , to whom , as such , he made himself known , as the event shows , and therefore they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as to flee from him ; and so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it , " the voice of the Word of the Lord God " , the essential Word of God then with him , and since made flesh , and dwelt among men as the Saviour of them ; and to him agrees what follows : <p> walking in the garden in the cool of the day ; or " at the wind of the day " ( q ) ; of " that day " in which man was created and fell , as some conclude from hence ; in the evening , at sun setting ; for very often when the sun sets a wind rises , at least a gentle breeze ; and this might bring the sound of the voice , and of the steps of this glorious Person , the sooner to the ears of Adam and his wife , which gave them notice of his near approach , and caused them to hasten their flight : some render it emphatically , " at the wind of that day " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wind which arose at that time , as a sign and testimony of the indignation of God , as the sound of a violent wind was a testimony of the coming of the Spirit of God , Acts 2:2 . <p> and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God , amongst the trees of the garden ; conscious of their guilt , and vainly imagining they could flee from his presence , which is everywhere , and hide themselves from his sight , before whom every creature is manifest , be it where it will ; and very foolishly fancying , that the thick trees and bushes in the garden would be a screen and shelter for them : and sad shifts do wretched mortals make to secure themselves from the wrath of God , who are ignorant of the justifying righteousness and atoning sacrifice of the Son of God : it is in the singular number in the original text , " in the midst of the tree of the garden " ( s ) ; which some understand of the fig tree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shade of which they hid themselves ; and particularly of the Indian fig tree , which is so large , that it is said that fifty horsemen may shade themselves at noon day under it ; nay , some say four hundred ( t ) ; but tree may be put for trees , the singular for the plural . <p> 3:6-8 Here we see what Eve 's parley with the tempter ended in : Satan at length gains his point . God tried the obedience of our first parents by forbidding them the tree of knowledge , and Satan doth as it were join issue with God , and in that very thing undertakes to seduce them into a transgression ; and here we find how he prevailed , God permitting it for wise and holy ends . 1 . We have here the inducements that moved them to transgress . The woman being deceived , was ring - leader in the transgression , 1Tim 2:14 She saw that the tree was - It was said of all the rest of the fruit trees wherewith the garden of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sight , and good for food . She imagined a greater benefit by this tree than by any of the rest , that it was a tree not only not to be dreaded , but to be desired to make one wise , and therein excelling all the rest of the trees . This she saw , that is , she perceived and understood it by what the devil had said to her . She gave also to her husband with her - ' T is likely he was not with her when she was tempted ; surely if he had , he would have interposed to prevent the sin ; but he came to her when she had eaten , and was prevailed with by her to eat likewise . She gave it to him ; persuading him with the same arguements that the serpent had used with her ; adding this to the rest , that she herself had eaten of it , and found it so far from being deadly that it was extremely pleasant and grateful . And he did eat - This implied the unbelief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's ; discontent with his present state , and an ambition of the honour which comes not from God . He would be both his own carver , and his own master , would have what he pleased , and do what he pleased ; his sin was in one word disobedience , Rom 5:19 , disobedience to a plain , easy and express command , which he knew to be a command of trial . He sins against light and love , the clearest light and the dearest love that ever sinner sinned against . But the greatest aggravation of his sin was , that he involved all his posterity in sin and ruin by it . He could not but know that he stood as a public person , and that his disobedience would be fatal to all his seed ; and if so , it was certainly both the greatest treachery and the greatest cruelty that ever was . Shame and fear seized the criminals , these came into the world along with sin , and still attend it . The Eyes of them both were opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them for what they had done Now , when it was too late , they saw the happiness they were fallen from , and the misery they were fallen into . They saw God provoked , his favour forfeited , his image lost ; they felt a disorder in their own spirits , which they had never before been conscious of ; they saw a law in their members warring against the law of their minds , and captivating them both to sin and wrath ; they saw that they were naked , that is , that they were stripped , deprived of all the honours and joys of their paradise state , and exposed to all the miseries that might justly be expected from an angry God ; laid open to the contempt and reproach of heaven and earth , and their own consciences . And they sewed or platted fig leaves together , and , to cover , at least , part of their shame one from another , made themselves aprons . See here what is commonly the folly of those that have sinned : they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to obtain their pardon from God And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day - T is supposed he came in a human shape ; in no other similitude than that wherein they had seen him when he put them into paradise ; for he came to convince and humble them , not to amaze and terrify them . He came not immediately from heaven in their view as afterwards on mount Sinai , but he came in the garden , as one that was still willing to be familiar with them . He came walking , not riding upon the wings of the wind , but walking deliberately , as one slow to anger . He came in the cool of the day , not in the night , when all fears are doubly fearful ; nor did he come suddenly upon them , but they heard his voice at some distance , giving them notice of his coming ; and probably it was a still small voice , like that in which he came to enquire after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lord God - A sad change ! Before they had sinned , if they heard the voice of the Lord God coming towards them , they would have run to meet him , but now God was become a terror to them , and then no marvel they were become a terror to themselves . <p> 8. they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden-The divine Being appeared in the same manner as formerly-uttering the well-known tones of kindness , walking in some visible form ( not running hastily , as one impelled by the influence of angry feelings ) . How beautifully expressive are these words of the familiar and condescending manner in which He had hitherto held intercourse with the first pair . <p> in the cool of the day-literally , " the breeze of the day , " the evening . <p> hid themselves amongst the trees of the garden-Shame , remorse , fear-a sense of guilt-feelings to which they had hitherto been strangers disordered their minds and led them to shun Him whose approach they used to welcome . How foolish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . <p> 3:6-8 Observe the steps of the transgression : not steps upward , but downward toward the pit . 1 . She saw . A great deal of sin comes in at the eye . Let us not look on that which we are in danger of lusting after , Mt 5:28. 2 . She took . It was her own act and deed . Satan may tempt , but he can not force ; may persuade us to cast ourselves down , but he can not cast us down , Mt 4:6. 3 . She did eat . When she looked perhaps she did not intend to take ; or when she took , not to eat : but it ended in that . It is wisdom to stop the first motions of sin , and to leave it off before it be meddled with . 4 . She gave it also to her husband with her . Those that have done ill , are willing to draw in others to do the same . 5 . He did eat . In neglecting the tree of life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the tree of knowledge , which was forbidden , Adam plainly showed a contempt of what God had bestowed on him , and a desire for what God did not see fit to give him . He would have what he pleased , and do what he pleased . His sin was , in one word , disobedience , Ro 5:19 ; disobedience to a plain , easy , and express command . He had no corrupt nature within , to betray him ; but had a freedom of will , in full strength , not weakened or impaired . He turned aside quickly . He drew all his posterity into sin and ruin . Who then can say that Adam 's sin had but little harm in it ? When too late , Adam and Eve saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit . They saw the happiness they fell from , and the misery they were fallen into . They saw a loving God provoked , his grace and favour forfeited . See her what dishonour and trouble sin is ; it makes mischief wherever it gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will bring shame ; either the shame of true repentance , which ends in glory , or that shame and everlasting contempt , to which the wicked shall rise at the great day . See here what is commonly the folly of those that have sinned . They have more care to save their credit before men , than to obtain their pardon from God . The excuses men make to cover and lessen their sins , are vain and frivolous ; like the aprons of fig-leaves , they make the matter never the better : yet we are all apt to cover our transgressions as Adam . Before they sinned , they would have welcomed God 's gracious visits with humble joy ; but now he was become a terror to them . No marvel that they became a terror to themselves , and full of confusion . This shows the falsehood of the tempter , and the frauds of his temptations . Satan promised they should be safe , but they can not so much as think themselves so ! Adam and Eve were now miserable comforters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the earth , the princes , the generals , the rich , the mighty , and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains . Genesis 18:33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham , he left , and Abraham returned home . Leviticus 26:12 I will walk among you and be your God , and you will be my people . Deuteronomy 23:14 For the LORD your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you . Your camp must be holy , so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you . Job 31:33 if I have concealed my sin as men do , by hiding my guilt in my heart Psalm 139:1 For the director of music . Of David . A psalm . O LORD , you have searched me and you know me . Hosea 10:8 The high places of wickedness will be destroyed--it is the sin of Israel . Thorns and thistles will grow up and cover their altars . Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ! " and to the hills , " Fall on us ! " Amos 9:3 Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel , there I will hunt them down and seize them . Though they hide from me at the bottom of the sea

@@5104341 <h> Login <h> Dave Matthews Band : Away From The World <p> NEW STUDIO ALBUM OUT SEPTEMBER 11 ON CD , DIGITAL , AND VINYL FORMATS <p> Dave Matthews Band ' s new studio album , Away From The World , will be released on September 11 in CD , digital and vinyl formats . The album was recorded with Steve Lillywhite , who produced the band 's first three studio albums - Under The Table And Dreaming , Crash and Before These Crowded Streets . The pre-order is now underway in the Official DMB Store and includes a free 5 track bonus disc of new songs recorded live on DMB 's 2012 Summer Tour . ( track list to be announced soon ) Also available are deluxe and super deluxe versions of the

@@5104441 <p> The possibility of Facebook entering China continues to be one of the most keenly discussed issues about the social network but , in the meantime , Mark Zuckerberg and his wife have made a subtle film debut in the country , with this a cameo appearance in a documentary about China 's Police force aired on broadcast channel CCTV . <p> The video , spotted by China Smack , includes the famous bystanders for a few seconds ( from 0:29 ) and has created plenty of discussion on the country top microblog Sina Weibo , with many appreciating the irony given that Facebook is blocked in China . <p> The appearance is apparently totally random -- coming during the couple 's latest trip to the country in March -- although we suspect that conspiracy theorists may have you believe otherwise . <p> Irrespective , we can marvel at the ( now ) newly weds blending into the backdrop as the boys in blue come on past , that 's something

@@5104541 <p> " There would be nothing like this happen if you would stay at home . " 2 <p> On Monday , March 3 , 1913 , clad in a white cape astride a white horse , lawyer Inez Milholland led the great woman suffrage parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in the nation 's capital . Behind her stretched a long line with nine bands , four mounted brigades , three heralds , about twenty-four floats , and more than 5,000 marchers . 3 <p> Women from countries that had enfranchised women held the place of honor in the first section of the procession picture . Then came the " Pioneers " who had been struggling for so many decades to secure women 's right to vote . The next sections celebrated working women , who were grouped by occupation and wearing appropriate garb -- nurses in uniform picture , women farmers , homemakers , women doctors and pharmacists , actresses , librarians , college women in academic gowns . Harriet Hifton of the Library of Congress Copyright Division led the librarians ' contingent . The state delegations followed , and finally the separate section for male supporters of women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to " march in a spirit of protest against the present political organization of society , from which women are excluded . " 4 <p> The procession began late , but all went well for the first few blocks picture . Soon , however , the crowds , mostly men in town for the following day 's inauguration of Woodrow Wilson , surged into the street making it almost impossible for the marchers to pass picture . Occasionally only a single file could move forward . Women were jeered , tripped , grabbed , shoved , and many heard " indecent epithets " and " barnyard conversation . " 5 Instead of protecting the parade , the police " seemed to enjoy all the ribald jokes and laughter and part participated in them . " 6 One policeman explained that they should stay at home where they belonged . The men in the procession heard shouts of " Henpecko " and " Where are your skirts ? " As one witness explained , " There was a sort of spirit of levity connected with the crowd . They did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the women , the event was very serious . Helen Keller picture " was so exhausted and unnerved by the experience in attempting to reach a grandstand . . . that she was unable to speak later at Continental hall sic . " 8 Two ambulances " came and went constantly for six hours , always impeded and at times actually opposed , so that doctor and driver literally had to fight their way to give succor to the injured " 9 picture . One hundred marchers were taken to the local Emergency Hospital . Before the afternoon was over , Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson , responding to a request from the chief of police , authorized the use of a troop of cavalry from nearby Fort Myer to help control the crowd . 10 <p> Despite enormous difficulties , many of those in the parade completed the route . Map the procession from near the Capitol to the Treasury Building . When the procession reached the Treasury Building , one hundred women and children presented an allegorical tableau written especially for the event to show " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling through the ages and toward which , in co-operation and equality , they will continue to strive " picture . The pageant began with " The Star Spangled Banner " and the commanding figure of Columbia dressed in national colors , emerging from the great columns at the top of the Treasury Building steps . Charity entered , her path strewn with rose petals . Liberty followed to the " Triumphal March " from " Aida " and a dove of peace was released . In the final tableau , Columbia , surrounded by Justice , Charity , Liberty , Peace , and Hope , all in flowing robes and colorful scarves , with trumpets sounding picture , stood to watch the oncoming procession . 11 The New York Times described the pageant as " one of the most impressively beautiful spectacles ever staged in this country " 12 picture . <p> At the railway station a few blocks away , president-elect Wilson and the presidential party arrived to little fanfare . One of the incoming president 's staff asked , " ' Where are all the people ? @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police told him . " 13 The next day Wilson would be driven down the miraculously clear , police-lined Pennsylvania Avenue cheered on by a respectful crowd picture . <p> The Washington march came at a time when the suffrage movement badly needed an infusion of vigor , a new way to capture public and press interest . Women had been struggling for the right to vote for more than sixty years , and although progress had been made in recent years on the state level with six western states granting women suffrage , the movement had stalled on the national level . Delegates from the National American Woman Suffrage Association ( NAWSA , and its predecessor associations ) had arrived in the nation 's capital every year since 1869 to present petitions asking that women be enfranchised . Despite this annual pilgrimage and the millions of signatures collected , debate on the issue had never even reached the floor of the House of Representatives . 14 In 1912 , Teddy Roosevelt 's Progressive Party became the first major political party to pledge itself " to the task of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 But the Progressives lost the election . <p> In November 1912 , as suffrage leaders were casting about for new means to ensure their victory , Alice Paul picture arrived at the NAWSA annual convention in Philadelphia . A twenty-eight-year-old Quaker from New Jersey , she had recently returned to the United States fresh from helping the militant branch of the British suffrage movement . She had been arrested repeatedly , been imprisoned , gone on a hunger strike , and been forcibly fed , 16 an experience she described in an interview as " revolting . " Paul was full of ideas for the American movement . She asked to be allowed to organize a suffrage parade to be held in Washington at the time of the president 's inauguration , thus ensuring maximum press attention . NAWSA accepted her offer when she promised to raise the necessary funds and gave her the title chairman of the Congressional Committee . 17 In December 1912 , she moved to Washington where she discovered that the committee she chaired had no headquarters and most of the members had moved away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first meeting of her new committee on January 2 , 1913 , in the newly rented basement headquarters at 1420 F Street , NW map . She started raising funds ; according to one friend , " it was very difficult to refuse Alice Paul . " 19 She and the others she recruited worked nonstop for two months . By March 3 this fledgling committee had organized and found the money for a major suffrage parade with floats , banners , speakers , and a twenty-page official program full item . The total cost of the event was $14,906.08 , a princely sum in 1913 , when the average annual wage was $621. 20 The programs and tableau each cost more than $1,000. 21 <p> Suffrage groups across the nation contributed to the success of the procession . From its New York headquarters , NAWSA urged suffrage supporters to gather in Washington : <p> WHY YOU MUST MARCH <p> Because this is the most conspicuous and important demonstration that has ever been attempted by suffragists in this country . <p> Because this parade will be taken to indicate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and the thousands of spectators from all over the United States gathered in Washington for the Inauguration. 22 <p> This call was answered . On February 12 , with cameras clicking , sixteen " suffrage pilgrims " left New York City to walk to Washington for the parade picture . Many other people joined the original marchers at various stages , and the New York State Woman Suffrage Association 's journal crowed that " no propaganda work undertaken by the State Association and the Party has ever achieved such publicity . " 23 One of the New York group , Elizabeth Freeman , dressed as a gypsy and drove a yellow , horse-drawn wagon decorated with Votes for Women symbols and filled with suffrage literature , a sure way to attract publicity . 24 Two weeks after the procession , five New York suffragists , including Elizabeth Freeman , reported to the Bronx motion picture studio of the Thomas A. Edison Company to make a talking picture known as a Kinetophone , which included a cylinder recording of one-minute speeches by each of the women . This film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was " hooted , jeered and hissed " by audiences . 25 <p> NAWSA officers prepared a strong letter to the president-elect for the " New York hikers " to carry to Washington . This letter urged that women 's suffrage be achieved during his presidency and warned that the women of the United States " will watch your administration with an intense interest such as has never before been focused upon the administration of any of your predecessors . " 26 Despite the tone of the letter , when the group reached Princeton , where Woodrow Wilson lived , they requested only " an audience for not more than two minutes in Washington as soon after your arrival as possible . " 27 Less than two weeks after his inauguration , Wilson received a suffrage delegation led by Alice Paul , who chose to make the case for suffrage verbally and apparently did not deliver the hikers ' letter . In response to the women 's impassioned plea , he replied that he had never given the subject any thought , but that it " will receive my most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the women . <p> The mistreatment of the marchers by the crowd and the police roused great indignation and led to congressional hearings where more than 150 witnesses recounted their experiences ; some complained about the lack of police protection , and others defended the police . Before the inquiries were over , the superintendent of police of the District of Columbia had lost his job . <p> The public outcry and its accompanying press coverage proved a windfall for the suffragists . The Woman 's Journal proclaimed , " Parade Struggles to Victory Despite Disgraceful Scenes , Nation Aroused by Open Insults to Women-Cause Wins Popular Sympathy . " 29 The New York Tribune announced , " Capital Mobs Made Converts to Suffrage . " 30 At its next convention , in November 1913 , NAWSA praised the " amazing and most creditable year 's work " of Alice Paul 's Congressional Committee , stating that " their single-mindedness and devotion has been remarkable and the whole movement in the country has been wonderfully furthered by the series of important events which have taken place in Washington , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the president . " 31 <p> Not one to mince words , famous reporter Nellie Bly picture , who rode as one of the heralds in the parade , bluntly stated in the headline to her article on the march -- " Suffragists Are Men 's Superiors . " With uncanny prescience , she added that it would take at least until 1920 for all states to grant woman suffrage . 32 Despite the pageantry of 1913 , Nellie Bly was right . It was to take seven more years before the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution , which gave women full rights to vote , finally passed both houses of Congress and was ratified by the required thirty-six states . ( To read the full text of the Nineteenth Amendment and a short discussion of its history , follow the link to the National Archives and Records Administration Web site under " Marching for the Vote " on the Topical Essays External Sites page . ) <p> Behind this description of the 1913 Washington Suffrage Procession -- one event in the long history of women 's campaign for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward Suffrage : An Overview -- lies a wealth of telling detail and the human stories that make history interesting and meaningful . A rich variety of suffrage materials in many formats lie scattered throughout the collections of the Library of Congress awaiting the curious reader in search of further details and other stories , of the sounds and sights of the fight for the vote . <p> The organizers of the parade intended its floats and pageant to have visual appeal for the media and thus to attract publicity for the movement picture . Photographers recorded the women 's activities for newspaper readers and these images live on in newspapers and photo archives . Easily the single most heavily represented suffrage event in the Prints and Photographs Division 's holdings , the march appears in more than forty images , including news photographs of the hike from New York to Washington , the marchers and crowds on Pennsylvania Avenue , and the pageant performed at the Treasury Building . A surviving stereograph of the parade suggests that publishers of these images , which appeared in three dimensions when seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be willing to pay for a permanent memento of the event picture . <p> The women 's march also inspired cartoonists , some of whom likened the suffrage movement to colonial America 's fight for independence . James Harrison Donahey , for example , substituted women for men in a cartoon based on the famous painting " Washington Crossing the Delaware . " In another such cartoon , women play the fife and drums in an imitation of Archibald Willard 's painting " Spirit of ' 76 " picture . 33 Suffrage and anti-suffrage cartoons appeared frequently in magazines and newspapers of the day . 34 <p> Vivid details about the march also turn up in a seemingly unlikely source . The Yidishes Tageblatt ( Jewish daily news ) , a Yiddish-language publication from New York City with a circulation of seventy thousand , devoted two columns to the women 's parade . The article claimed that twenty-five lost children stayed in police stations overnight and eighteen men asked the police to find their wives . 35 <p> A 1974 magazine interview with eighty-nine-year-old Alice Paul reveals the problems for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respects Miss Paul 's recollections of the event , sixty-one years after it occurred , differ from those of contemporary sources . She remembers a fairly peaceable parade in which the police did as well as could be expected : " Of course , we did hear a lot of shouted insults , which we always expected . You know the usual things about why are n't you home in the kitchen where you belong . But it was n't anything violent . " 36 The Senate hearings , on the other hand , show that many people felt the crowd was hostile and the police inept . <p> The other major point in which Paul 's memory differs from contemporary accounts is on the question of the place of African American women in the procession . In her view , the " greatest hurdle " in planning the parade came when Mary Church Terrell picture wanted to bring a group from the National Association of Colored Women . NAWSA had stated firmly that all women were welcome , but Paul knew " members from the South said they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have white women march first , then the men 's section , and finally the Negro women 's section . 37 A different picture appears in the Crisis , the journal of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People . After initial difficulties and attempts to segregate the African American women , " telegrams and protests poured in and eventually the colored women marched according to their State and occupation without let or hindrance . " 38 Ida B. Wells-Barnett was among those who objected strongly to a segregated parade ; she walked with the Illinois delegation . <p> Moving beyond sources related to a single event to examine other aspects of the history of women 's suffrage , researchers visiting the Library of Congress will discover collections of major significance in many different reading rooms . Most of these materials are discussed in greater detail elsewhere on this site -- just follow the links . <p> For materials in the Manuscript Reading Room , see Women 's Suffrage . Some of the relevant collections are : <p> Records of the National Woman 's Party <p> Records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <p> Records of the National Association of Colored Women ( on microfilm ) <p> Papers of the Blackwell Family <p> Papers of the La Follette Family <p> The Rare Book and Special Collections Division holds several important collections including personal and institutional libraries . <p> Legal materials on women 's suffrage -- congressional hearings and reports , relevant laws , articles in legal journals , and books -- are held in the Law Library . See a discussion of State Suffrage Laws . <p> Contemporary press coverage of the suffrage movement can be found in newspapers from around the country and the world . Many of these valuable primary sources can be read in the Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room , but some foreign-language newspapers are held by Area Studies reading rooms . <p> As you move through this Web site exploring the variety of formats available to study the women 's suffrage movement , you will find many other sources to open new avenues for continuing the investigation of the long and fascinating fight for women 's right to vote . <p> One of the great rewards of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new fact , locating an unknown photograph , or hearing the voice of a person you are studying . At the Library of Congress you can hold a letter written by Alice Paul , follow the path of the suffrage parade on a map of Washington , watch a film of suffragists , or scan old newspapers for Nellie Bly 's forthright words . If you listen carefully , our foremothers will speak to you .

@@5104641 <p> " I do n't know what 's going to happen with the 11-year-old , " Sgt. Mike Burgamy of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources explained . " We 're going to have to see what his condition is going to be before we present findings of the case . " <p> Glover , Usher 's ex-wife Tameka Foster ' s son from a previous marriage , was struck in the head by a passing jet ski Friday while riding an inner tube on Lake Lanier in Atlanta , GA . An unidentified 15-year-old girl was also riding with Glover , and reportedly suffered a broken arm and cut on her head . Burgamy said , " A pontoon was pulling the two adolescents on an inner tube , and the personal water craft went over the top of them . " <p> Both children were airlifted to Children 's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston after the accident , and Glover reportedly registered no brain activity . <p> ABC News reports that a friend of the family , Jeffrey S. Hubbard , 38 , was operating the jet ski at the time of the collision . " He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinterviewed , " Burgamy said . <p> Despite being engaged in a heated custody battle before the accident , Usher and Foster have been supporting each other . " Tameka and Usher do n't get along , but in this circumstance Usher is coming to her side , " a source told Us Weekly . " Usher practically raised Kile as his own . He 's known him

@@5104741 <h> Ahmadinejad : Iran has ' been able to control ' U.S. drone <h> Share this on : <p> Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that his country has " been able to control " the U.S. drone that Iran claims it recently brought down , Venezuelan state TV reported . <p> " There are people here who have been able to control this spy plane , " Ahmadinejad told VTV . " Those who have been in control of this spy plane surely will analyze the plane 's system . Furthermore , the systems of Iran are so advanced also , like the system of this plane . " <p> Ahmadinejad did not elaborate or specify what precisely he meant when he referred to people " who have been able to control " the drone . He spoke in Farsi , which VTV translated into Spanish . The Farsi portion of the interview was not audible . <p> Advertisement <p> President Barack Obama said Monday that the United States has asked Iran to return the drone aircraft that Iran claims it recently brought down in Iranian territory . <p> " We 've asked for it back . We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . <p> Ahmadinejad 's comments to VTV seemed to suggest that Iran did not plan to return the aircraft . <p> " The North Americans at best have decided to give us this spy plane , " Ahmadinejad said . " In the unpiloted planes , we have had many advances , much progress and now we have this spy plane . " <p> Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said the drone no longer belongs to Washington . <p> " The U.S. spy plane is among the assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran , " Vahidi told reporters Tuesday , according to the semi-official Fars News Agency . " Our country will decide what to do with it . " <p> The United States owes Iran an apology and needs to admit its crime , Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Tuesday , the Iranian Students ' News Agency report . <p> " The U.S. should know that what it did regarding violation of our air space can put international peace and security in danger , " he said . " The U.S. should take responsibility for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have not confirmed that the drone shown in a video released last Thursday by Iranian media is a U.S. aircraft . But Pentagon spokesman George Little has said that an American drone is missing and had not been recovered . <p> Two U.S. officials have confirmed to CNN that the missing drone was part of a CIA reconnaissance mission that involved both the intelligence community and military personnel stationed in Afghanistan . <p> Iran 's official Islamic Republic News Agency said the country 's armed forces had downed the drone near Kashmar , some 225 kilometers ( 140 miles ) from the border with Afghanistan on December 4 . <p> The Ahmadinejad interview was aired in Venezuela Monday night . <p> Officials say the fall of this drone is not related to an incident Tuesday in which a U.S. drone crashed upon landing at an airport in Seychelles . For one thing , they seem to be two different kinds of drones -- the one over Iran was apparently a sophisticated stealth-type

@@5104841 <p> Next week marks the release of Call of Duty : Black Ops II . As you 're undoubtedly aware , Call of Duty is a powerhouse franchise , and deservedly so . Since the original CoD appeared almost a decade ago , the series has consistently delivered some of the most breathless , shocking , spectacular , cinematic action in gaming . So with Black Ops II imminent , now seems like a perfect opportunity to reflect on some of the memorable standout moments that have defined the series . <p> Let 's go SPOILERS lie beyond this point ... <p> 10 . Surfacing at New York Harbour Hunter Killer Modern Warfare 3 <p> The opening Modern Warfare 3 mission Black Tuesday is an all-guns blazing mad dash through New York 's devastated financial district that offers a fairly confined street level assessment of the Russian assault on NYC . The following Hunter Killer mission momentarily shifts down a gear , with an eerie underwater sortie through a flooded Brooklyn Battery tunnel , before surfacing in New York Harbour to a smoking skyline vista that leaves no doubt in the mind of the player that World War 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no surprise Activision chose this mission to open the Microsoft press conference at E3 2011 . <p> 9 . De-Nazifying the woods The Forest Call of Duty 3 <p> A wonderfully paced , rising crescendo of a level . At first requiring a softly-softly snipey-snipey approach , with the relative peacefulness of the forest creating an edgy atmosphere , the player never quite knowing where the next Nazi 's going to spring from . Then it kicks things up a notch , with the battle intensifying as it moves between tight burrow-like trenches and wide-open spaces . Finally -- and a complete contrast to the cautious way the mission starts -- you 're given a mortar to play with , allowing you to merrily blow apart any of Hitler 's helmeted hobgoblins unfortunate enough to still be lurking in the forest . <p> This unnerving demonstration of the coldly efficient , detached nature of modern warfare as seen from the perspective of an anonymous thermal imaging TV operator aboard an AC-130 Spectre Gunship has a slightly surreal feel to it . It also has an irresistibly satisfying ' hey blowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it . <p> 7 . Beach landing The Battle of Pointe du Hoc Call of Duty 2 <p> Starts with a fellow soldier in the landing craft having a fear-induced puke . BLEEUURGH . This is quickly followed by the sound of bullets whizzing through the air . Then clouds of red mist as those bullets thud into flesh . Soldiers fall to the ground . Spray from a near-miss explosion obscures your view . Then the ramp is down and you 're running on to the beach . MORTAR BOOM . Down you go . Cue semi-deafened shell-shocked horror of war moment as you survey the scene around you . When you regain your senses the metaphorical implications of the vertical cliff face ahead of you become apparent . Your role to this point is one of spectator , but it 's still a breathless couple of minutes . <p> 6 . Hijacked plane sequence Turbulence Modern Warfare 3 <p> And there we were thinking Modern Warfare 's breathless airplane-based bonus mission Mile High Club was pretty special . But then MW3 's Turbulence comes along and takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a crash landing that rips the aircraft fuselage in two . <p> 5 . Planting the Russian flag at Reichstag Downfall Call of Duty : World at War <p> This ending has got it all . Explosions . Shouting . Smoke . Patriotism . Edge-of-the-seat tension . A surprise attack . Reznov wildly hacking a Nazi to death with a machete . A Russian flag flying as Berlin burns all around . Rousing music . Comradeship . Victory . Cheering . It 's a guaranteed vibrations down the vertebrae moment . <p> 4 . Crossing the Volga River Stalingrad Call of Duty <p> The first Russian mission in the original Call of Duty was a good indication of what developer Infinity Ward was going to bring to the FPS table , namely shock factor . The boat trip across the Volga River is loud and chaotic , disorientating and terrifying . It 's a master-class in scene setting , creating an unusual sense of powerlessness in the player even before it eventually throws you into the fray without so much as a rifle . <p> 3 . Betrayed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw this coming or not , the moment General Shepherd is revealed as one of the bad guys is thoroughly , tangibly , affectingly bleak . Not the first time Infinity Ward has landed us with a ' well done you survived the mission but hard luck we 're going to kill you anyway ' sucker punch , but it really does n't lessen the impact when it happens . The brutal , cold-hearted manner of the betrayal - Shepherd shoots Ghost and Roach point-blank and then sets light to their bodies before nonchalantly strolling away - propels the player crazy-eyed with vengeance into the game 's finale . <p> 2 . Nuclear death Aftermath Call of Duty : Modern Warfare <p> One of the most talked about gaming moments probably ever and undoubtedly Infinity Ward at its cinematic finest , the dev expertly hitting all the right notes on the shock scale . The frantic preceding Shock and Awe mission ensures adrenal glands are at full pump , and its apparent successful conclusion is a fist-pumping moment . But the high is short-lived , cruelly blown apart with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all that 's left is the unfathomable sinking feeling of futility as Sgt Jackson crawls from the downed chopper , inevitably to his death in the dirt of a scorched wasteland . A residual sense of gloom lingers with the player long after the screen has bleached to a sickening nuclear white . <p> Dressed like shrubbery for a **25;3079;TOOLONG dance deep in enemy territory , this is tense , terrifying , nerve-wracking and arguably *the* standout mission in the entire series , which is kind of funny as it 's so completely at odds with Call of Duty 's deafening , indefatigable **31;3106;TOOLONG signature style . As you weave unseen through enemy patrols , stopping occasionally to stealth snipe the occasional oblivious soldier , or lie prone in the grass as a tank rumbles by just feet away from your position , it 's genuine don't-forget-to-breath , edge-of-the-seat stuff . <p> Do your duty <p> That 's 10 of our best Call of Duty moments , but how about you fine citizens ? We 're sure you have some indelible campaign memories you 'd like to share . After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us know in the comments . <p> Surprised to see no Black Ops moments in there , I think meeting JFK was particularly outstanding . The moment Brooklyn gets blown up by a artillery shell in Big Red One is also memorable ; here was a character we had come to love immensely and suddenly he 's wrenched from us in a very typical horrific fashion , so close to the end of the war as well . The nuke scene in MW1 is of course one of the most memorable and outstanding moments in any game really . <p> i cant wate for balck ops 2 it is will b the best gane of the year by far seruoisley its the sequals to the best game of all time and its just the most perfact multipleyer expereince u can get on vidoegames <p> Number One on this list is definitely the best moment in Call of Duty story-wise . The best moment in general in Call of Duty nowadays is kicking 10 year old asses and laughing at their pathetic insults . For some ( if not most people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pure dark bliss ... <p> Either the first mission or the last mission of MW1 , for me . The first mission was balanced just so , frantic but never out of your control ( until the end , when the tanker starts taking on water ) . And then the ending , that sense of hopelessness as you watch your squad die in front of you , and then relief when you get saved by Nikolai ... Cod

@@5104941 <p> The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10 , 1948 constituted a step forward in the slow progress towards protection of human rights . The overarching principle of the UD is universality . Its provisions have equal standing . There are no moral grounds for self-serving " relativism , " which selects for convenience ; still less for the particularly ugly form of relativism that converts the UD into a weapon to wield selectively against designated enemies . <p> The 50th anniversary of the UD provides a welcome occasion for reflection on such matters , and for steps to advance the principles that have been endorsed , at least rhetorically , by the nations of the world . The chasm that separates words from actions requires no comment ; the annual reports of the major human rights organizations provide more than ample testimony . And there is no shortage of impressive rhetoric . One would have to search far to find a place where leadership and intellectuals do not issue ringing endorsements of the principles and bitter condemnation of those who violate them -- notably excluding themselves and their associates and clients . <p> @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world 's most powerful state , which also has the most stable and longstanding democratic institutions and unparalleled advantages in every sphere , including the economy and security concerns . Its global influence has been unmatched during the half century when the UD has been in force ( in theory ) . It has long been as good a model as one can find of a sociopolitical order in which basic rights are upheld . And it is commonly lauded , at home and abroad , as the leader in the struggle for human rights , democracy , freedom and justice . There remains a range of disagreement over policy : at one extreme , " Wilson idealists " urge continued dedication to the traditional mission of upholding human rights and freedom worldwide , while " realists " counter that America may lack the means to conduct these crusades of " global meliorism " and should not neglect its own interests in the service of others . By " granting idealism a near exclusive hold on our foreign policy , " we go too far , high government officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysts . Within this range lies the path to a better world . <p> To discover the true meaning of principles that are proclaimed , it is of course necessary to go beyond rhetorical flourishes and public pronouncements , and to investigate actual practice . Examples must be chosen carefully to give a fair picture . One useful approach is to take the examples chosen as the " strongest case , " and to see how well they withstand scrutiny . Another is to investigate the record where influence is greatest and interference least , so that we see the operative principles in their purest form . If we want to determine what the Kremlin meant by human rights and democracy , we pay little heed to Pravda 's denunciations of racism in the United States or state terror in its client regimes , even less to protestation of noble motives . Far more instructive is the state of affairs in the " people 's democracies " of Eastern Europe . The point is elementary , and applies generally . For the U.S. , the Western hemisphere is the obvious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington has faced few external challenges for almost a century . It is of some interest that the exercise is rarely undertaken , and when it is , castigated as extremist or worse . <p> Before examining the operative meaning of the UD , it might be useful to recall some observations of George Orwell 's . In his preface to Animal Farm , Orwell turned his attention to societies that are relatively free from state controls , unlike the totalitarian monster he was satirizing . " The sinister fact about literary censorship in England , " he wrote , " is that it is largely voluntary . Unpopular ideas can be silenced , and inconvenient facts kept dark , without any need for any official ban . " He did not explore the reasons in any depth , merely noting the control of the press by " wealthy men who have every motive to be dishonest on certain important topics , " reinforced by the " general tacit agreement , " instilled by a good education , " that it would n't do ' to mention that particular fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness . " <p> As if to illustrate his words , the preface remained unpublished for 30 years . <p> In the case under discussion here , the " prevailing orthodoxy " is well summarized by the distinguished Oxford-Yale historian Michael Howard : " For 200 years the United States has preserved almost unsullied the original ideals of the Enlightenment ... , and , above all , the universality of these values , " though it " does not enjoy the place in the world that it should have earned through its achievements , its generosity , and its goodwill since World War II . " The record is unsullied by the treatment of " that hapless race of native Americans , which we are exterminating with such merciless and perfidious cruelty " ( John Quincy Adams ) or the fate of the slaves who provided cheap cotton to allow the industrial revolution to take off -- not exactly through market forces ; by the terrible atrocities the U.S. was once again conducting in its " backyard " as the praises were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haitians , Vietnamese , and a few others who might have somewhat different perceptions . <p> The favored illustration of " generosity and goodwill " is the Marshall Plan . That merits examination , on the " strongest case " principle . The inquiry again quickly yields facts " that it would n't do ' to mention . " For example , the fact that " as the Marshall Plan went into full gear the amount of American dollars being pumped into France and the Netherlands was approximately equaled by the funds being siphoned from their treasuries to finance their expeditionary forces in Southeast Asia , " to carry out terrible crimes . And that the tied aid provisions help explain why the U.S. share in world trade in grains increased from less than 10% before the war to more than half by 1950 , while Argentine exports reduced by two-thirds . And that under U.S. influence Europe was reconstructed in a particular mode , not quite that sought by the anti-fascist resistance , though fascist and Nazi collaborators were generally satisfied . And that the generosity was overwhelmingly bestowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duly appreciative , recognizing years later that the Marshall Plan " set the stage for large amounts of private U.S. direct investment in Europe , " establishing the basis for the modern Transnational Corporations , which " prospered and expanded on overseas orders , ... fueled initially by the dollars of the Marshall Plan " and protected from " negative developments " by " the umbrella of American power . " <p> It is , again , of some interest that thoughts of that nature were " silenced with surprising effectiveness " during the 50th anniversary celebration of this unprecedented act of generosity and goodwill , the strongest case put forth by admirers of the " global meliorism " of the world 's most powerful state , hence of direct relevance to the question being addressed here . <p> The " prevailing orthodoxy " has occasionally been submitted to tests beyond the record of history . Lars Schoultz , the leading academic specialist on human rights in Latin America , found that U.S. aid " has tended to flow disproportionately to Latin American governments which torture their citizens , ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights . " That includes military aid , is independent of need , and runs through the Carter period . More wide-ranging studies by economist Edward Herman found a similar correlation world-wide , also suggesting a plausible reason : aid is correlated with improvement in the investment climate , often achieved by murdering priests and union leaders , massacring peasants trying to organize , blowing up the independent press , and so on . The result is a secondary correlation between aid and egregious violation of human rights . It is not that U.S. leaders prefer torture ; rather , it has little weight in comparison with more important values . These studies precede the Reagan years , when the questions are not worth posing . <p> By " general tacit agreement , " such matters too are " kept dark , " with memories purged of " inconvenient facts . " <p> The natural starting point for an inquiry into Washington 's defense of " the universality of Enlightenment values " is the UD . It is accepted generally as a human rights standard . U.S. courts have , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as evidenced and defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights . " <p> The UD became the focus of great attention in June 1993 at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna . A lead headline in the New York Times read : " At Vienna Talks , U.S. Insists Rights Must be Universal . " Washington warned " that it would oppose any attempt to use religious and cultural traditions to weaken the concept of universal human rights , " Elaine Sciolino reported . The U.S. delegation was headed by Secretary of State Warren Christopher , " who promoted human rights as Deputy Secretary of State in the Carter Administration . " A " key purpose " of his speech , " viewed as the Clinton Administration 's first major policy statement on human rights , " was " to defend the universality of human rights , " rejecting the claims of those who plead " cultural relativism . " Christopher said that " the worst violators are the world 's aggressors and those who encourage the spread of arms , " stressing that " the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behavior around the world , a standard Washington would apply to all countries . " In his own words , " The United States will never join those who would undermine the Universal Declaration " and will defend its universality against those who hold " that human rights should be interpreted differently in regions with non-Western cultures , " notably the " dirty dozen " who reject elements of the UD that do not suit them . <p> Washington 's decisiveness prevailed . Western countries " were relieved that their worst fears were not realized -- a retreat from the basic tenets of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights ... " The " Challenge of Relativity " was beaten back , and the conference declared that " The universal nature of these rights and freedoms is beyond question . " <p> A few questions remained unasked . Thus , if " the worst violators are the world 's aggressors and those who encourage the spread of arms , " what are we to conclude about the world 's leading arms merchant , then boasting well over half the sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dictatorships , policies accelerated under Christopher 's tenure at the State Department with vigorous efforts to enhance the publicly-subsidized sales , opposed by 96% of the population but strongly supported by high tech industry ? Or its colleagues Britain and France , who had distinguished themselves by supplying Indonesian and Rwandan mass murderers , among others ? The subsidies are not only for " merchants of death . " Revelling in the new prospects for arms sales with NATO expansion , a spokesman for the Aerospace Industries Association observes that the new markets ( $10 billion for fighter jets alone , he estimates ) include electronics , communications systems , etc. , amounting to " real money " for advanced industry generally . The exports are promoted by the U.S. government with grants , discount loans and other devices to facilitate the transfer of public funds to private profit in the U.S. while diverting the economies of the " transition economies " of the former Soviet empire to increased military spending rather than the social spending that is favored by their populations ( the U.S. Information Agency reports ) . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if aggressors are " the worst violators " of human rights , what of the country that stands accused before the International Court of Justice for the " unlawful use of force " in its terrorist war against Nicaragua , contemptuously vetoing a Security Council resolution calling on all states to observe international law and rejecting repeated General Assembly pleas to the same effect ? Do these stern judgments hold of the country that opened the post-Cold War era by invading Panama , where , four years later , the client government 's Human Rights Commission declared that the right to self-determination and sovereignty was still being violated by the " state of occupation by a foreign army , " condemning its continuing human rights abuses ? <p> Further questions are raised by Washington 's ( unreported ) reservations concerning the Declaration of the Vienna Conference . The U.S. was disturbed that the Declaration " implied that any foreign occupation is a human rights violation . " That principle the U.S. rejects , just as , alone with its Israeli client , the U.S. rejects the right of peoples " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly peoples under colonial and racist regimes and foreign occupation or other forms of colonial domination , ... to struggle to gain these rights and to seek and receive support in accordance with the Charter and other principles of international law " -- facts that also remain unreported , though they might help clarify the sense in which human rights are advocated . <p> Also unexamined was just how Christopher had " promoted human rights under the Carter Administration . " One case was in 1978 , when the spokesman for the " dirty dozen " at Vienna , Indonesia , was running out of arms in its attack against East Timor , then approaching genocidal levels , so that the Carter Administration had to rush even more military supplies to its bloodthirsty friend . Another arose a year later , when the Administration sought desperately to keep Somoza 's National Guard in power after it had slaughtered some 40,000 civilians , finally evacuating commanders in planes disguised with Red Cross markings ( a war crime ) , to Honduras , where they were reconstituted as a terrorist force under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the facts " that it would n't do ' to mention . " <p> The high-minded rhetoric at and about the Vienna conference was not besmirched by inquiry into the observance of the UD by its leading defenders . These matters were , however , raised in Vienna in a Public Hearing organized by NGOs in an attempt to break through the wall of silence erected to protect Western power from " inconvenient facts . " The contributions by activists , scholars , lawyers , and others from many countries provided a detailed review of " Alarming evidence of massive human rights violations in every part of the world as a result of the policies of the international financial institutions , " the " Washington Consensus " among the leaders of the free world . This " neoliberal " consensus is based on what might be called " really existing free market doctrine " : market discipline is of great benefit to the weak and defenseless , though the rich and powerful must shelter under the wings of the nanny state . They must be allowed to persist in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is deplored in a scholarly review of the post-1970 period by GATT secretariat economist Patrick Low , who estimates the restrictive effects of Reaganite measures at about three times those of other leading industrial countries , as they " presided over the greatest swing toward protectionism since the 1930s , " shifting the U.S. from " being the world 's champion of multilateral free trade to one of its leading challengers , " the journal of the Council on Foreign Relations commented in a review of the decade . <p> It should be added that such analyses omit the major forms of market interference for the benefit of the rich : the transfer of public funds to advanced industry that underlies virtually every dynamic sector of the U.S. economy , often under the guise of " defense . " These measures were escalated again by the Reaganites , who were second to none in extolling the glories of the free market -- for the poor at home and abroad . The general practices were pioneered by the British in the 18th century and have been a dominant feature of economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason for the contemporary gap between the first and the third world ( growing for the past 30 years along with the growing gap between rich and poor sectors of the population worldwide ) . <p> The Public Hearing at Vienna received no mention in mainstream U.S. journals , to my knowledge , but citizens of the free world could learn about the human rights concerns of the vast majority of the world 's people from its report , published in an edition of 2000 copies in Nepal . <p> The provisions of the UD are not well-known in the United States , but some are familiar . The most famous is Article 13 ( 2 ) , which states that " Everyone has the right to leave any country , including his own . " This principle was invoked with much passion every year on Human Rights Day , December 10 , with demonstrations and indignant condemnations of the Soviet Union for its refusal to allow Jews to leave . To be exact , the words just quoted were invoked , but not the phrase that follows : " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the omitted words was spelled out on Dec. 11 , 1948 , the day after the UD was ratified , when the General Assembly unanimously passed Resolution 194 , which affirms the right of Palestinians to return to their homes or receive compensation , if they chose not to return , reaffirmed regularly since . But there was a " general tacit agreement " that it " would n't do " to mention the omitted words , let alone the glaringly obvious fact that those exhorting the Soviet tyrants to observe Article 13 , to much acclaim , were its most dedicated opponents . <p> It is only fair to add that the cynicism has finally been overcome . At the December 1993 U.N . session , the Clinton Administration changed U.S. official policy , joining with Israel in opposing U.N . 194 , which was reaffirmed by a vote of 127-2 . As is the norm , there was no report or comment . But at least the inconsistency is behind us : the first half of Article 13 ( 2 ) has lost its relevance , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us move on to Article 14 , which declares that " Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution . " Haitians , for example , including the 87 new victims captured by Clinton 's blockade and returned to their charnel house , with scant notice , as the Vienna conference opened . The official reason was that they were fleeing poverty , not the rampant terror of the military junta , as they claimed . The basis for this discovery was not explained . <p> In her report on the Vienna conference a few days earlier , Sciolino had noted that " some human rights organizations have sharply criticized the Administration for failing to fulfill Mr. Clinton 's campaign promises on human rights , " the " most dramatic case " being " Washington 's decision to forcibly return Haitian boat people seeking political asylum . " Looking at the matter differently , the events illustrate Washington 's commitment to its uplifting rhetoric on " the universality of human rights . " <p> The U.S. has upheld Article 14 in this manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " by shipping miserable boat people back to torment under the Duvalier dictatorship , a respected ally helping to convert Haiti to an export platform for U.S. corporations seeking supercheap and brutalized labor -- or to adopt the terms preferred by USAID , to convert Haiti into the " Taiwan of the Caribbean . " The violations of Article 14 were ratified formally in a Reagan-Duvalier agreement . When a military coup overthrew Haiti 's first democratically elected President in September 1991 , renewing the terror after a brief lapse , the Bush Administration imposed a blockade to drive back the flood of refugees to the torture chamber where they were to be imprisoned . <p> Bush 's " appalling " refugee policy was bitterly condemned by candidate Bill Clinton , whose first act as President was to make the illegal blockade still harsher , along with other measures to sustain the junta , to which we return . <p> Again , fairness requires that we recognize that Washington did briefly depart from its rejection of Article 14 in the case of Haiti . During the few months of democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sudden and short-lived sensitivity to Article 14 as the flow of refugees declined to a trickle -- in fact , reversed , as Haitians returned to their country in its moment of hope . Of the more than 24,000 Haitians intercepted by U.S. forces from 1981 through 1990 , 11 were granted asylum as victims of political persecution ( in comparison with 75,000 out of 75,000 Cubans ) . In these years of terror and repression , Washington allowed 28 asylum claims . During Aristide 's 7-month tenure , with violence and repression radically reduced , 20 were allowed from a refugee pool 1/50th the scale . Practice returned to normal after the military coup and the renewed terror . <p> Concerned that protests might make it difficult to maintain the blockade , the Clinton Administration pleaded with other countries to relieve the U.S. of the burden of accommodating the refugees . Fear of a refugee flow was the major reason offered as the " national security " interest that might justify military intervention , eliciting much controversy . The debate overlooked the obvious candidate : Tanzania , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and would surely have been able to come to the rescue of the beleaguered United States by accepting a few more Black faces . <p> The contempt for Article 14 is by no means concealed . A front-page story in the Newspaper of Record on harsh new immigration laws casually records the fact and explains the reasons : <p> Because the United States armed and financed the army whose brutality sent them into exile , few Salvadorans were able to obtain the refugee status granted to Cubans , Vietnamese , Kuwaitis and other nationalities at various times . The new law regards many of them simply as targets for deportation though they were fleeing a conflict that lasted from 1979 until 1992 , when more than 70,000 people were killed in El Salvador , most of them by the American-backed army and the death squads it in turn supported , forcing many people here to flee to the United States . <p> The same reasoning extends to those who fled Washington 's other terrorist wars in the region . <p> The interpretation of Article 14 is therefore quite principled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " unworthy victims " do not . The categories are determined by the agency of terror and prevailing power interests . But the facts have no bearing on Washington 's role as the crusader defending the universality of the UD from the relativist challenge . The case is among the many that illustrate an omission in Orwell 's analysis : the easy tolerance of inconsistency , when convenient . <p> Articles 13 and 14 fall under the category of Civil and Political Rights . The UD also recognizes a second category : Economic , Social , and Cultural Rights . These are largely dismissed in the West . U.N . Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick described these provisions of the UD as " a letter to Santa Claus ... Neither nature , experience , nor probability informs these lists of entitlements , ' which are subject to no constraints except those of the mind and appetite of their authors . " They were dismissed in more temperate tones by the U.S. Representative to the U.N . Commission on Human Rights , Ambassador Morris Abram , who emphasized in 1990 that Civil and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the principle of universality of the UD . <p> Abram elaborated while explaining Washington 's rejection of the Report of the Global Consultations on the Right to Development , defined as " the right of individuals , groups , and peoples to participate in , contribute to , and enjoy continuous economic , social , cultural and political development , in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realized . " " Development is not a right , " Abram informed the Commission . Indeed , the proposals of the Report yield conclusions that " seem preposterous , " for example , that the World Bank might be obliged " to forgive a loan or to give money to build a tunnel , a railroad , or a school . " Such ideas are " little more than an empty vessel into which vague hopes and inchoate expectations can be poured , " Abram continued , and even a " dangerous incitement . " The fundamental error of the alleged " right to <p> Everyone has the right to a standard of living of himself and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the right to security in the of unemployment , sickness , disability , widowhood , old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control . <p> If there is no right to development , as defined , then this statement too is an " empty vessel " and perhaps even " dangerous incitement . " Accordingly this principle too has no status : there are no such rights as those affirmed in Article 25 of the UD , just quoted . <p> The U.S. alone vetoed the Declaration on the Right to Development , thus implicitly vetoing Article 25 of the UD as well . <p> It is unnecessary to dwell on the status of Article 25 in the world 's richest country , with a poverty level twice that of any other industrial society , particularly severe among children . Almost one in four children under six fell below the poverty line by 1995 , far more than other industrial societies , though Britain is gaining ground , with " One in three British babies born in poverty , " the press now reports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Margaret Thatcher was elected " and " up to 2 million British children are suffering ill-health and stunted growth because of malnutrition . " Thatcherite programs reversed the trend to improved child health and led to an upswing of childhood diseases that had been controlled , while public funds are used for such purposes as illegal projects in Turkey and Malaysia to foster arms sales by state-subsidized industry . In accord with " really existing free market doctrine , " public spending after 17 years of Thatcherite gospel is the same 42 1/4% of GDP that it was when she took over . <p> In the U.S. , subjected to similar policies , 30 million people suffered from hunger by 1990 , an increase of 50% from 1985 , including 12 million children lacking sufficient food to maintain growth and development ( before the 1991 recession ) . 40% of children in the world 's richest city fell below the poverty line . In terms of such basic social indicators as child mortality , the U.S. ranks well below any other industrial country , right alongside of Cuba , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States and has undergone many years of terrorist attack and increasingly severe economic warfare at the hands of the hemispheric superpower . <p> Given its extraordinary advantages , the U.S. is in the leading ranks of relativists who reject the universality of the UD by virtue of Article 25 alone . <p> The same values guide the international financial institutions that the U.S. largely controls . The World Bank and the IMF " have been extraordinarily human rights averse , " the chairperson of the U.N . Committee on Economic , Social and Cultural Rights , Philip Alston , observed with polite understatement in his submission to the Vienna counter-session . " As we have heard so dramatically at this Public Hearing , " Nouri Abdul Razzak of the Afro-Asian People 's Solidarity Organization added , " the policies of the international financial institutions are contributing to the impoverishment of the world 's people , the degradation of the global environment , and the violation of the most fundamental human rights , " on a mind-numbing scale . <p> In the face of such direct violations of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mention the refusal to take even small steps towards upholding them . UNICEF estimates that every hour , 1000 children die from easily preventable disease , and almost twice that many women die or suffer serious disability in pregnancy or childbirth for lack of simple remedies and care . To ensure universal access to basic social services , UNICEF estimates , would require a quarter of the annual military expenditures of the " developing countries , " about 10% of U.S. military spending noted , the U.S. actively promotes military expenditures of the " developing countries " ; its own remain at Cold War levels , increasing today while social spending is being severely cut . Also sharply declining in the 1990s is U.S. foreign aid , already the most miserly among the developed countries , and virtually non-existent if we exclude the rich country that is the primary recipient ( Washington 's Israeli client ) . <p> In his " Final Report " to the U.N . Commission on Human Rights , Special Rapporteur Leandro Despouy cites the World Health Organization 's characterization of " extreme poverty " as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause of suffering on earth " : " No other disaster compared to the devastation of hunger which had caused more deaths in the past two years than were killed in the two World Wars together . " The right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being is affirmed in Article 25 of the UD , he notes , and in the International Covenant on Economic , Social , and Cultural Rights , " which places emphasis more particularly on the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger ' . " But from the highly relativist perspective of the West , these principles of human rights agreements have no status . <p> Article 23 of the UD declares that " Everyone has the right to work , to free choice of employment , to just and favorable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment , " along with " remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity , and supplemented , if necessary , by other means of social protection . " We need not tarry on the respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests . " <p> The latter right is technically upheld in the United States , though legal and administrative mechanisms ensure that it is largely observed in the breach . By the time the Reaganites had completed their work , the U.S. was far enough off the spectrum so that the International Labor Organization , which rarely criticizes the powerful , issued a recommendation that the U.S. conform to international standards , in response to an AFL-CIO complaint about strikebreaking by resort to " permanent replacement workers . " Apart from South Africa , no other industrial country tolerated these methods to ensure that Article 23 remains empty words ; and with subsequent developments in South Africa , the U.S. may stand in splendid isolation in this particular respect , though it has yet to achieve British standards , such as allowing employers to use selective pay increases to induce workers to reject union and collective bargaining rights . <p> Reviewing some of mechanisms used to render Article 23 inoperative , Business Week reported that from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most successful antiunion wars ever , illegally firing thousands of workers for exercising their rights to organize . " " Unlawful firings occurred in one-third of all representation elections in the late ' 80s , vs. 8% in the late ' 60s . " Workers have no recourse , as the Reagan Administration converted the powerful state they nurtured to an expansive welfare state for the rich , defying U.S. law as well as the customary international law enshrined in the UD . Management 's basic goal , the journal explains , has been to cancel the rights " guaranteed by the 1935 Wagner Act , " which brought the U.S. into the mainstream of the industrial world . That has been a basic goal since the New Deal provisions were enacted , and although the project of reversing the victory for democracy and working people was put on hold during the war , it was taken up again when peace arrived , with great vigor and considerable success . One index of the success is provided by the record of ratification of ILO conventions guaranteeing labor rights . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Western hemisphere and Europe , with the exception of El Salvador and Lithuania . It does not recognize even standard conventions on child labor and the right to organize . <p> " The United States is in arrears to the ILO in the amount of $92.6 million , " the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights notes , part of the huge debt that Washington refuses to pay ( in violation of treaty obligations ) . This withholding of funds " seriously jeopardizes the ILO 's operations " ; current U.S. plans for larger cuts in ILO funding " would primarily affect the ILO 's ability to deliver technical assistance in the field , " thus undermining Article 23 still further , worldwide . <p> Contempt for the socioeconomic provisions of the UD is so deeply engrained that no departure from objectivity is sensed when a front-page story lauds Britain 's incoming Labor government for shifting the tax burden from " large businesses " to working people and the " middle class , " steps that " set Britain further apart from countries like Germany and France that are still struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welfare benefits . " Industrial " countries " never " struggle with " huge profits , starving children , or rapid increase in CEO pay ( under Thatcher , double that of second-place U.S. ) ; a reasonable stand , under the " general tacit agreement " that the " country " equals " large businesses , " along with doctrinal conventions about the health of the economy -- the latter a technical concept , only weakly correlated with the health of the population ( economic , social , or even medical ) . <p> The attack on unions has many effects . The U.S. Labor Department estimates that these violations of Article 23 account for a large part of the stagnation or decline in real wages under the Reaganites , " a welcome development of transcendent importance , " as the Wall street Journal described the fall in labor costs from the 1985 high to the lowest in the industrial world ( U.K. aside ) . The violations also contribute to undermining benefits guaranteed by the UD , including health and safety standards in the workplace , which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise in industrial accidents . Elimination of unions also helps to weaken democracy , as ordinary people lose some of the few methods by which they can enter the political arena . And it contributes further to the privatization of aspirations , dissolving the sense of solidarity and sympathy , and other human values that were at the heart of classical liberal thought but are inconsistent with the reigning ideology of privilege and power . <p> The " free trade agreements , " as they are common mislabelled ( they include significant protectionist features and are " agreements " only if we discount popular opinion ) , make further contributions to these ends . Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee in February 1997 , Federal Reserve Board Chair Alan Greenspan was highly optimistic about " sustainable economic expansion " thanks to " atypical restraint on compensation increases which appears to be mainly the consequence of greater worker insecurity , " plainly a desideratum for a good society and yet another reason for Western relativists to reject Article 25 of the UD , with its " right to security . " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pride in the Clinton Administration 's achievements , refers more obliquely to " changes in labor market institutions and practices " as a factor in the " significant wage restraint " that bolsters the health of the economy . <p> Some of the causes of these benign changes are spelled out in a study commissioned by the Labor Secretariat of the North American Free Agreement " on the effects of the sudden closing of the plant on the principle of freedom of association and the right of workers to organize in the three countries . " The study was carried out under NAFTA rules in response to a complaint by telecommunications workers on illegal labor practices by Sprint . The complaint was upheld by the U.S. National Labor Relations Board , which ordered trivial penalties after years of delay , the standard procedure . The NAFTA study , by Cornell University Labor economist Kate Bronfenbrenner , has been authorized for release by Canada and Mexico , but not by the Clinton Administration . It reveals a significant impact of NAFTA on strike-breaking . About half of union organizing efforts are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , by placing signs reading " Mexico Transfer Job " in front of a plant where there is an organizing drive . The threats are not idle . When such organizing drives nevertheless succeed , employers close the plant in whole or in part at triple the pre-NAFTA rate ( about 15% of the time ) . Plant-closing threats are almost twice as high in more mobile industries ( e.g. , manufacturing vs. construction ) . <p> These and other practices reported in the study are illegal , but that is a technicality , as the Reagan Administration had made clear , outweighed by the contribution to undermining the right to organize that is formally guaranteed by Article 23 -- or in more polite words , bringing about " changes in labor market institutions and practices " that contribute to " significant wage restraint " within an economic model offered with great pride to a backward world . <p> A number of other devices have been employed to nullify the pledge " never to join those who would undermine the Universal Declaration " ( Christopher ) in the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which had been sharply reduced from the ' 70s , drives many poor women to the labor market , where they will work at or below minimum wage and with limited benefits , and an array of government subsidies . The obvious ( hence surely intended ) effect is to drive down wages at the lower end , with indirect effects elsewhere . A related device is the increasing use of prison labor in the vastly expanding system of social control . Thus Boeing , which monopolizes U.S. civilian aircraft production ( thanks to massive state subsidy for 60 years ) , not only transfers production facilities to China , but also to prisons a few miles from its Seattle offices , one of many examples . Prison labor offers many advantages . It is disciplined , publicly subsidized , deprived of benefits , and " flexible " -- available when needed , left to government support when not . <p> Reliance on prison labor also draws from a rich tradition . The rapid industrial development in the southeastern region a century ago was based heavily on convict labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bidder . These measures maintained the basic structure of the plantation system after the abolition of slavery , but now for industrial development . The practices continued until the 1920s , until World War II in Mississippi . Southern industrialists pointed out that convict labor is " more reliable and productive than free labor " and overcomes the problem of labor turnover and instability . It also " removes all danger and cost of strikes , " a serious problem at the time , resolved by state violence that virtually destroyed the labor movement . Convict labor also lowers wages for " free labor , " much as in the case of " welfare reform . " The U.S. Bureau of Labor reported that " mine owners in Alabama say they could not work at a profit without the lowering effect in wages of convict-labor competition . " The resurgence of these mechanisms is quite natural as the superfluous population is driven to prisons . <p> The attack on Article 23 is not limited to the U.S. The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions reports that " unions are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , " while " Poverty and inequality have increased in the developing countries , which globalisation has drawn into a downward spiral of ever-lower labour standards to attract investment and meet the demands of enterprises seeking a fast profit " as governments " bow to pressure from the financial markets rather than from their own electorates , " in accord with the " Washington consensus . " These are not the consequences of " economic laws " or what " the free market has decided , in its infinite but mysterious wisdom , " as commonly alleged . Rather , they are the results of deliberate policy choices under really existing free market doctrine , undertaken during a period of " capital 's clear subjugation of labor , " in the words of the business press . <p> The ability to nullify unwanted human rights guaranteed by the UD should be considerably enhanced by the Multilateral Agreement on Investment ( MAI ) that is now being forged by the OECD and the WTO ( where it is the MIA ) . If the plans outlined in draft texts are implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrangements that provide still more powerful weapons to undermine social programs and to restrict the arena of democratic politics , leaving policy decisions largely in the hands of private tyrannies that have ample means of market interference as well . The efforts may be blocked at the WTO because of protests of " developing countries " that are not eager to become wholly-owned subsidiaries of great foreign enterprises . But the OECD version may fare better , to be presented to the rest of the world as a fait accompli , with the obvious consequences . All of this proceeds in impressive secrecy , so far . <p> Washington 's rejection of the Economic , Social , and Cultural Rights guaranteed by the UD does receive occasional mention , but the issue is generally ignored in the torrent of self-praise , and if raised , elicits mostly incomprehension . <p> To take some typical examples , Times correspondent Barbara Crossette reports that " The world held a human rights conference in Vienna in 1993 and dared to enshrine universal concepts , " but progress was blocked by " panicked nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ frustrated at the unwillingness of many countries to take tough public stands on human rights , " even though " Diplomats say it is now easier to deal objectively with human rights abusers , case by case , " now that the Cold War is over and " developing nations , with support from the Soviet bloc , " no longer " routinely pass resolutions condemning the United States , the West in general or targets like Israel and apartheid South Africa . " Nonetheless , progress is difficult , " with a lot of people paying lip service to the whole concept of human rights in the Charter , in the Universal Declaration and all that , " but no more , U.N . Ambassador Madeleine Albright ( now Secretary of State ) observed . On Human Rights day , Times editors condemned the Asian countries that reject the UD and call instead for " addressing the more basic needs for people for food and shelter , medical care and schooling " -- in accord with the UD . <p> The reasoning is straightforward . The U.S. rejects these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By calling for such rights the Asian countries are therefore rejecting the UD . <p> Puzzling over the contention that " human rights ' extend to food and shelter , " Seth Faison reviews a " perennial sticking point in United States-China diplomacy , highlighting the contrast between the American emphasis on individual freedom and the Chinese insistence that the common good transcends personal rights . " China calls for a right to " food , clothing , shelter , education , the right to work , rest , and reasonable payment , " and criticizes the U.S. for not upholding these rights -- which are affirmed in the UD , and are not a matter of " the common good " but are " personal rights " that the U.S. rejects . Again , the reasoning is straightforward enough , once the guiding ideas are internalized . <p> As an outgrowth of the popular movements of the 1960s , Congress imposed human rights conditions on military aid and trade privileges , compelling the White House to find various modes of evasion . These became farcical during the Reagan years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the behavior of client murderers and torturers that elicited much derision from human rights organizations , but no policy change . The most extreme examples , hardly worth discussing , involved U.S. clients in Central America . There are other less egregious cases , beginning with the top recipient of U.S. aid ( Israel ) and running down the list . Israel 's " systematic torture and ill-treatment of Palestinians under interrogation " has repeatedly been condemned by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International ( along with apparent extrajudicial execution ; legalization of torture ; imprisonment without charge , for as long as nine years for some of those kidnapped in Lebanon ; and other abuses ) . U.S. aid to Israel is therefore illegal under U.S. law , HRW and AI have insistently pointed out ( as is aid to Egypt , Turkey , Colombia and other high-ranking recipients ) . In the most recent of its annual reports on U.S. military aid and human rights , AI observes -- once again -- that " Throughout the world , on any given day , a man , woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed or disappeared , ' at the hands of governments or armed political groups . More often than not , the United States shares the blame , " a " practice that " makes a mockery of congressional legislation linking the granting of US security assistance to a country 's human rights record . " Such contentions elicit no interest or response in view of the " general tacit agreement " that laws are binding only when power interests so dictate . <p> The strongest popular support for sanctions was with regard to South Africa . After much delay and evasion , sanctions were finally imposed in 1985 and ( over Reagan 's veto ) in 1986 , but the Administration " created glaring loopholes " that permitted U.S. exports to increase by 40% between 1985 and 1988 while U.S. imports increased 14% in 1988 after an initial decline . " The major economic impact was reduced investment capital and fewer foreign firms . " <p> The role of sanctions is perhaps most dramatically illustrated in the case of the voice of the " dirty dozen , " Indonesia . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebellion in 1958 , the U.S. turned to other methods of overthrowing the Sukarno government . Aid was cut off , apart from military aid and training . That is standard operating procedure for instigating a military coup , which took place in 1965 , with mounting U.S. assistance as the new Suharto regime slaughtered perhaps 1/2 million or more people in a few months , mostly landless peasants . There was no condemnation on the floor of Congress , and no aid to the victims from any major U.S. relief agency . On the contrary , the slaughter ( which the CIA compared to those of Stalin , Hitler , and Mao ) aroused undisguised euphoria in a very revealing episode , best forgotten.The World Bank quickly made Indonesia its third largest borrower . The U.S. and other Western governments and corporations followed along . <p> There was no thought of sanctions as the new government proceeded to compile one of the worst human rights records in the world , or in the course of its near-genocidal aggression in East Timor , which , incidentally , has somehow not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rightly , because there is no need for intervention to terminate the decisive diplomatic and military contribution of the U.S. and its allies . Congress did however ban U.S. military training after the Dili massacre in 1991 . The aftermath followed the familiar pattern . Delicately selecting the anniversary of the Indonesian invasion , Clinton 's State Department announced that " Congress 's action did not ban Indonesia 's purchase of training with its own funds , " so it can proceed despite the ban , with Washington perhaps paying from some other pocket . The announcement received scant notice , though Congress did express its " outrage , " reiterating that " it was and is the intent of Congress to prohibit U.S. military training for Indonesia " ( House Appropriations Committee ) : " we do n't want employees of the US Government training Indonesians , " a staff member reiterated forcefully , but without effect . Rather than impose sanctions , or even limit military aid , the U.S. , U.K. , and other powers have sought to enrich themselves by participating in Indonesia 's crimes . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harsh repression of labor in a country with wages half those of China . With the support of Senate Democrats , Clinton was able to block labor and other human rights conditions on aid to Indonesia . Announcing the suspension of review of Indonesian labor practices , Trade Representative Mickey Kantor commended Indonesia for " bringing its labor law and practice into closer conformity with international standards , " a witticism that is in particularly poor taste . <p> Also revealing is the record of sanctions against Haiti after the military coup of September 1991 that ended the seven-month period of democracy . The U.S. had reacted to Aristide 's election with alarm , having confidently expected the election of its own candidate , World Bank official Mark Bazin , who received 14% of the vote . Washington 's reaction was to shift aid to anti-Aristide elements , and as noted , to honor asylum claims for the first time , restoring the norm after the military junta let loose a reign of terror , killing thousands . The OAS declared an embargo , which the Bush Administration at once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sanctions , the press explained , in its " latest move " to find " more effective ways to hasten the collapse of what the Administration calls an illegal Government in Haiti . " Trade with Haiti remained high in 1992 , increasing by almost half as Clinton extended the violations of the embargo , including purchases by the U.S. government , which maintained close connections with the coup regime ; just how close we do not know , since the Clinton Administration refuses to turn over to Haiti 160,000 pages of documents seized by U.S. military forces -- " to avoid embarrassing revelations " about U.S. government involvement with the terrorist regime , according to Human Rights Watch . President Aristide was allowed to return after the popular organizations had been subjected to three years of terror and he had pledged to accept the extreme neoliberal program of Washington 's defeated candidate . <p> The U.S. Justice Department revealed that the Bush and Clinton Administrations had rendered the embargo virtually meaningless by authorizing illegal shipments of oil to the military junta and its wealthy supporters , informing Texaco @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Presidential directive of October 1991 banning such shipments . The information , prominently released the day before U.S. troops landed to " restore democracy " in 1994 , has yet to reach the general public , and is an unlikely candidate for the historical record . These were among the many devices adopted to ensure that the popular forces that swept President Aristide to power would have no voice in any future " democracy . " None of this should surprise people who have failed to immunize themselves from " inconvenient facts . " With general agreement , the Clinton Administration advertises this as a grand exercise in " restoring democracy , " the prize example of the Clinton Doctrine . <p> The operative significance of sanctions is articulated honestly by the Wall Street Journal , reporting the call for economic sanctions against Nigeria . " Most Agree , Nigeria Sanctions Wo n't Fly , " the headline reads : " Unlike in South Africa , Embargo Could Hurt West . " In brief , the commitment to human rights is instrumental . Where some interest is served , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pragmatic criterion prevails . That too should come as no surprise . States are not moral agents ; people are , and can impose moral standards on powerful institutions . If they do not , the fine words will remain weapons . <p> Furthermore , lethal weapons . U.S. economic warfare against Cuba for 35 years is a striking illustration . The unilateral U.S. embargo against Cuba , the longest in history , is also unique in barring food and medicine . When the collapse of the USSR removed the traditional security pretext and eliminated aid from the Soviet bloc , the U.S. responded by making the embargo far harsher , under new pretexts that would have made Orwell wince : The 1992 Cuban Democracy Act , initiated by liberal Democrats , and strongly backed by President Clinton at the same time he was undermining the sanctions against the mass murderers in Haiti . A year-long investigation by the American Association of World Health found that this escalation of U.S. economic warfare had taken a " tragic human toll , " causing " serious nutritional deficits " and " a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . " It also brought about a sharp reduction in medicines , medical supplies and medical information , leaving children to suffer " in excruciating pain " because of lack of medicines . The embargo reversed Cuba 's progress in bringing water services to the population and undermined its advanced biotechnology industry , among other consequences . These effects became far worse after the imposition of the Cuban Democracy Act , which cut back licensed sales and donations of food and medical supplies by 90% within a year . A " humanitarian catastrophe has been averted only because the Cuban government has maintained " a health system that " is uniformly considered the preeminent model in the Third World . " <p> The embargo has repeatedly been condemned by the United Nations . The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States condemned U.S. restrictions on shipments of food and medicine to Cuba as a violation of international law . Recent extensions of the embargo ( the Helms-Burton Act ) were unanimously condemned by the OAS . In August 1996 , its judicial body ruled unanimously that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's response is that shipments of medicine are not literally barred , only prevented by conditions so onerous and threatening that even the largest corporations are unwilling to face the prospects ( huge financial penalties and imprisonment for what Washington determines to be violations of " proper distribution , " banning of ships and aircraft , mobilization of media campaigns , etc . ) . And while food shipments are indeed barred , the Administration argues that there are " ample suppliers " elsewhere ( at far higher cost ) , so that the direct violation of international law is not a violation . Supply of medicines to Cuba would be " detrimental to U.S. foreign policy interests , " the Administration declared . When the European Union complained to the World Trade Organization that the Helms-Burton Act , with its wide-ranging punishment of third parties , violates the WTO agreements , the Clinton Administration rejected WTO jurisdiction , as its predecessors had done when the World Court addressed Nicaragua 's complaint about U.S. international terrorism and illegal economic warfare ( upheld by the Court , irrelevantly ) . In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ingratitude " in return for the Cuban Democracy Act , " a forthcoming gesture to improve U.S.-Cuba relations . <p> The U.S. officially recognizes that " deliberate impeding of the delivery of food and medical supplies " to civilian populations constitutes " violations of international humanitarian law , " and " reaffirms that those who commit or order the commission of such acts will be held individually responsible in respect of such acts . " The reference is to Bosnia-Herzegovina . The President of the United States is plainly " individually responsible " for such " violations of international humanitarian law . " Or would be , were it not for the " general tacit agreements " about selective enforcement , which reign with such absolute power among Western relativists that the simple facts are virtually unmentionable . <p> Unlike such crimes as these , the regular contortions on human rights in China are a topic of debate . It is worth noting , however , that many critical issues are scarcely even raised : crucially , the horrifying conditions of working people , with hundreds , mostly women , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from industrial accidents in 1995 according to Chinese government figures , and other gross violations of international conventions . China 's labor practices have been condemned , but narrowly : the use of prison labor for exports to the U.S. At the peak of the U.S.-China confrontation over human rights , front-page stories reported that Washington 's human rights campaign had met with some success : China had " agreed to a demand to allow more visits by American customs inspectors to Chinese prison factories to make sure they are not producing goods for export to the United States , " and also accepted U.S. demands for " liberalization " and laws that are " critical elements of a market economy , " all welcome steps towards a " virtuous circle . " <p> The conditions of " free labor " do not arise in this context . They are , however , causing other problems : " Chinese officials and analysts " say that the doubling of industrial deaths in 1992 and " abysmal working conditions , " " combined with long hours , inadequate pay , and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's booming foreign joint ventures . " These " tensions reveal the great gap between competitive foreign capitalists lured by cheap Chinese labor and workers weaned on socialist job security and the safety net of cradle-to-grave benefits . " Workers do not yet understand that as they enter the free world , they are to be " beaten for producing poor quality goods , fired for dozing on the job during long work hours " and other such misdeeds , and locked into their factories to be burned to death . But apparently the West understands , so China is not called to account for violations of labor rights ; only for exporting prison products to the United States . <p> The distinction is easy to explain . Prison factories are state-owned industry , and exports to the U.S. interfere with profits , unlike beating and murder of working people and other means to improve the balance sheet . The operative principles are clarified by the fact that the rules allow the United States to export prison goods . As China was submitting to U.S. discipline on export of prison-made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison-made clothing to Asia , including specialty jeans , shirts , and a line of shorts quaintly called " Prison Blues . " The prisoners earn far less than the minimum wage , and work under " slave labor " conditions , prison rights activists allege . But their production does not interfere with the rights that count ( in fact , enhances them in many ways , as noted ) . So it passes unnoticed . <p> As the most powerful state , the U.S. makes its own laws , using force and conducting economic warfare at will . It also threatens sanctions against countries that do not abide by its conveniently flexible notions of " free trade . " In one important case , Washington has employed such threats with great effectiveness ( and GATT approval ) to force open Asian markets for U.S. tobacco exports and advertising , aimed primarily at the growing markets of women and children . The U.S. Agriculture Department has provided grants to tobacco firms to promote smoking overseas . Asian countries have attempted to conduct educational anti-smoking campaigns , but they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. state power through the sanctions threat . Philip Morris , with an advertising and promotion budget of close to $9 billion in 1992 , became China 's largest advertiser . The effect of Reaganite sanction threats was to increase advertising and promotion of cigarette smoking ( particularly U.S. brands ) quite sharply in Japan , Taiwan , and South Korea , along with the use of these lethal substances . In South Korea , for example , the rate of growth in smoking more than tripled when markets for U.S. lethal drugs were opened in 1988 . The Bush Administration extended the threats to Thailand , at exactly the same time that the " war on drugs " was declared ; the media were kind enough to overlook the coincidence , even suppressing the outraged denunciations by the very conservative Surgeon-General . Oxford University epidemiologist Richard Peto estimates that among Chinese children under 20 today , 50 million will die of cigarette-related diseases , an achievement that ranks high even by 20th century standards . <p> While state power energetically promotes the most lethal known form of substance abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures in other cases . On the pretext of the war against drugs , the U.S. has been able to play an active role in the vast atrocities conducted by the security forces and their paramilitary associates in Colombia , the leading human rights violator in Latin America , and the leading recipient of U.S. aid and training , increasing under Clinton , consistent with traditional practice , noted earlier . The war against drugs is " a myth , " Amnesty International reports , agreeing with other investigators . Security forces work closely with narcotraffickers and landlords while targeting the usual victims , including community leaders , human rights and health workers , union activists , students , the political opposition , but primarily peasants , in a country where protest has been criminalized . Military support for the killers is rising to " a record level , " HRW reports , up 50% over the 1996 high . AI reports that " almost every Colombian military unit that Amnesty implicated in murdering civilians two years ago was doing so with U.S.-supplied weapons , " which they continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on all states to promote the rights and freedoms proclaimed and to act " to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance " by various means , including ratification of treaties and enabling legislation . There are several such International Covenants , respected in much the manner of the UD . The Convention on the Rights of the Child , adopted by the U.N . in Dec. 1989 , has been ratified ( as of September 1996 ) " by all countries except the Cook Islands , Oman , Somalia , Switzerland , the United Arab Emirates , and the United States , " UNICEF reports . After long delay , the U.S. did endorse the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights , " the leading treaty for the protection " of the subcategory of rights that the West claims to uphold , Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union observe in their report on continued U.S. noncompliance with its provisions . The Bush Administration ensured that the treaty would be inoperative , first , " through a series of reservations , declarations and understandings " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , by declaring the U.S. in full compliance with the remaining provisions . The treaty is " non self-executing " and accompanied by no enabling legislation , so it can not be invoked in U.S. courts . Ratification was " an empty act for Americans , " the HRW/ACLU report concludes . <p> The exceptions are crucial , because the U.S. violates the treaty " in important respects , " the report observes . To cite one example , the U.S. entered a specific reservation to Article 7 the ICCPR , which states that " No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel , inhuman , or degrading treatment or punishment . " The reason is that conditions in U.S. prisons violate these conditions as generally understood , just as they seriously violate the provisions of Article 10 on humane treatment of prisoners and on the right to " reformation and social rehabilitation , " which the U.S. flatly rejects . Another U.S. reservation concerns the death penalty , which is not only employed far more freely than the norm but also " applied in a manner that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as have other studies . Furthermore , " more juvenile offenders sit on death row in the United States than in any other country in the world , " HRW reports . In the case of the U.N . Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel , Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment , the Senate imposed restrictions , in part to protect a Supreme Court ruling allowing corporal punishment in schools . <p> HRW also regards " disproportionate " and " cruelly excessive " sentencing procedures as a violation of Article 5 of the UD , which proscribes " cruel , inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment . " The specific reference is to laws that treat " possession of an ounce of cocaine or a $20 street sale ' as a more dangerous or serious offense than the rape of a ten-year-old , the burning of a building occupied by people , or the killing of another human being while intending to cause him serious injury " ( quoting a federal judge ) . From the onset of Reaganite " neoliberalism , " the rate of incarceration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has skyrocketed , almost tripling during the Reagan years and continuing the sharp rise since , long ago leaving other industrial societies far behind . 84% of the increase of admissions is for nonviolent offenders , mostly drug-related ( including possession ) . Drug offenders constituted 22% of admissions in federal prisons in 1980 , 42% in 1990 , 58% in 1992 . The U.S. apparently leads the world in imprisoning its population ( perhaps sharing the distinction with Russia or China , where data are uncertain ) . By the end of 1996 , the prison population had reached a record 1.2 million , increasing 5% over the preceding year , with the federal prison system 25% over capacity and state prisons almost the same . Meanwhile crime rates continued to decline . <p> U.S. crime rates , while high , are not out of the range of industrial societies , apart from homicides with guns , a reflection of U.S. gun laws . Fear of crime , however , is very high and increasing , in large part a " product of a variety of factors that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " the National Criminal Justice Commission concludes ( as do other studies ) . The factors include media practices and " the role of government and private industry in stoking citizen fear . " The focus is very specific : for example , drug users in the ghetto but not criminals in executive suites , though the Justice Department estimates the cost of corporate crime as 7 to 25 times as high as street crime . Work-related deaths are six times has high as homicides , and pollution also takes a far higher toll than homicide . <p> High-level studies have regularly concluded that " there is no direct relation between the level of crime and the number of imprisonments " ( European Council expert commission ) . Many criminologists have pointed out further that while " crime control " has limited relation to crime , it has a great deal to do with control of the " dangerous classes ; " today , those cast aside by the socioeconomic model designed to globalize the sharply two-tiered structural model of third world societies . As noted at once , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target mostly Black males . By adopting these measures , Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan observed , " we are choosing to have an intense crime problem concentrated among minorities . " " The war 's planners knew exactly what they were doing , " criminologist Michael Tonry comments , spelling out the details , including the racist procedures that run through the system from arrest to sentencing , in part attributable to the close race-class correlation , but not completely . <p> As widely recognized , the largely fraudulent " war on drugs " has no significant effect on use of drugs or street price , and is far less effective than educational and remedial programs . But it does not follow that it serves no purpose . It is a counterpart to the " social cleansing " -- the removal or elimination of " disposable people " -- conducted by the state terrorist forces in Colombia and other terror states . It also frightens the rest of the population , the standard device to induce obedience . Such policies make good sense as part of a program that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , living conditions and income stagnate or decline . On similar assumptions , Congress required that sentencing guidelines and policy reject as " inappropriate " any consideration of such factors as poverty and deprivation , social ties , etc . These requirements are precisely counter to European crime policy , criminologist Nils Christie observes , but sensible on the assumption that " under the rhetoric of equality , " Congress " envisions the criminal process as a vast engine of social control " ( quoting former Chief Judge Bazelon ) . <p> The vast scale of the expanding " crime control industry " has attracted the attention of finance and industry , who welcome it as another form of state intervention in the economy , a Keynesian stimulus that may soon approach the Pentagon system in scale , some estimate . " Businesses Cash In , " the Wall Street Journal reports , including the construction industry , law firms , the booming private prison complex , and " the loftiest names in finance " such as Goldman Sachs , Prudential , and others , " competing to underwrite prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line is the " defense establishment , ... scenting a new line of business " in high-tech surveillance and control systems of a sort that Big Brother would have admired . The industry also offers new opportunities for corporate use of prison labor , as discussed earlier . <p> Other International Covenants submitted to Congress have also been restricted as " non self-executing , " meaning that they are of largely symbolic significance . The fact that Covenants , if even ratified , are declared non-enforceable in U.S. courts has been a " major concern " of the U.N . Human Rights Committee , along with the Human Rights organizations . The Committee also expressed concern that " poverty and lack of access to education adversely affect persons belonging to these groups in their ability to enjoy rights under the Covenant on the basis of equality , " even the Civil and Political Rights that the U.S. professes to uphold . And while ( rightly ) praising the U.S. commitment to freedom of speech , the Committee also questioned Washington 's announced principle that " money is a form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with wide-ranging effects . <p> The U.S. is a world leader in defense of freedom of speech , perhaps uniquely so since the 1960s . With regard to civil-political rights , the U.S. record at home ranks quite well by comparative standards , though a serious evaluation would have to take into account the capacity to uphold such rights , and also the " accelerated erosion of basic due process and human rights protections in the United States " as " U.S. authorities at federal and state levels undermined the rights of vulnerable groups , making the year 1996 a disturbing one for human rights , " with the President not only failing to " preserve rights under attack " but sometimes taking " the lead in eliminating human rights protections . " The social and economic provisions of the UD and other conventions are operative only insofar as popular struggle over many years has given them substance . The earlier record within the national territory is shameful , and the human rights record abroad is a scandal . The charge of " relativism " levelled against others , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realities are for the most part " kept

@@5105041 <h> Which Actress Is Deciding Whether or Not to Keep Her Baby ? <p> This actress and her musician boyfriend ca n't decide if they should keep the pregnancy ( and the headlines ) or get rid of it . This actor got engaged and is hoping a magazine will pay to announce it . All of this , and the answers to your favorite blind items revealed . <p> As is their tradition Crazy Days and Nights released the answers to a slew of their blind items on New Year 's Day . Enjoy ! <p> 1 . " Over New Years , this C list actress told her A/B list musician boyfriend that she is pregnant . The pregnancy would probably cause huge headlines and affect each of the star 's careers . Right now the two are debating whether to secretly go ahead with the pregnancy or to terminate it , but either way they want to keep it secret , mostly because of their age . " BuzzFoto <p> 2 . " Everyone knows this cute actor , although you might be hard-pressed to name more than one role he played . He finally got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has n't been any announcement yet . Why not ? It 's because he 's hoping that some entertainment news program or gossip magazine will slip him a little extra money for the exclusive . Although he is gorgeous , we 're not sure he is gossip-worthy enough that a prominent show or magazine would have slated him as their lead story or their cover . Oh , wait ! We take that back . There is one TV show that just might

@@5105141 <h> The Need for Speed <p> The Need for Speed ( Full title : Road &; Track Presents : The Need for Speed ) is a 1994 racing computer and video game , developed by Electronic Arts Canada and published by Electronic Arts . It is the first in the Need for Speed series , which would span more than 17 titles to date . The premise of the game involves racing in sport cars , including several exotic models and Japanese imports . The game noted for its attempts in realism , and audio and video commentaries . Electronic Arts teamed up with automotive magazine Road &; Track to match vehicle behaviour , including the mimicking of the sounds made by the vehicles ' gear control levers . <h> Release Details <h> Special Edition <p> Released in 1996 , a little known edition of The Need for Speed , Special Edition , is sometimes considered the lost episode of Need for Speed , though it was n't significantly different from the 1995 PC release . <p> Available only on PC CD-ROM , it contained both a DOS and Windows 95 versions . The Windows 95 version supported DirectX @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various enhancements in the game engine . This was the last game in the series to support DOS as subsequent releases for the PC only run on Microsoft Windows 95 or above . <h> Game Modes <p> Four game modes are offered , two of which can be played ' online ' via modem connection . Network play over LAN or Internet is not a direct option . <h> Head To Head <p> Race against a single opponent - either AI or a human competitor over a modem connection . Avoid heavy traffic and cops in a race to the finish line . <h> Single Race <p> Race against 7 opponents all driving a specific car , or ' The Pack ' , consisting of 7 random AI cars . Modem play is available . Cops and traffic are nowhere to be seen . <h> Time Trial <p> Just you , the track and the clock . No AI or human opponents , no cops and no traffic . <h> Tournament <p> A tournament is essentially a set single race within a given car class . Each track can host @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is against 7 computer-controlled cars randomly selected from the same class as your own . Modem play vs a human opponent is not available in Tournament mode . <h> Cars <p> Cars included in The Need for Speed are divided into three classes , each representing model within specific performance brackets , such as speed and handling . Cars featured in the game include the following : <h> Class A <h> Class B <h> Class C <p> The Need for Speed also features a fictional bonus car named the " Warrior PTO E/2 " that can only be accessed by entering a cheat code . The car possesses unrealistically high speed and acceleration , sensitive handling , and also produces an unusual horn sound . <h> Tracks <p> The Need for Speed includes seven tracks , one of which ( Lost Vegas ) is initially locked and must be unlocked by playing through the game . Tracks are in two distinct styles ; Road courses are point-to-point affairs divided up rally-style into three separate stages , while Tracks are traditional circuit

@@5105241 <h> Woman gets 2 speeding tickets on same road , at same time <h> Sponsored Links <p> MCDONOUGH , Ga . -- <p> A woman is upset over receiving two speeding tickets on the same road at the same time . <p> Nyoka Patton said she has lived in the McDonough area for decades , and knew the speed limit was Industrial Boulevard was 35 mph and well-patrolled by law enforcement officers . She said she accepts receiving one ticket , but a second with the same time on it is too much . <p> Patton said she saw lights flashing behind her in June and assumed the officer was trying to get around her , but after a moment she and her husband realized she was being pulled over . <p> " I have n't had a ticket in 30 years , " Patton said . <p> By the time Patton stopped , she said there were two McDonough police officers behind her . She said one gave her a ticket for going 56 in a 35 . <p> " And then he said , ' Oh no , you 're not going anywhere , yet . This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " Patton said . <p> That 's when Patton said she got a ticket for going 62 in a 35 from the second officer . <p> " And it was on the same exact minute of the same exact day . Then I just went into total shock . I was so upset . I could n't even cry , " Patton said . <p> Pattol told Channel 2 's Eric Philips the officer told her he was making an example out of her . <p> McDonough Police Chief Preston Dorsey said one officer was stationed at one end of Industrial Boulevard , and the other was stationed at the opposite end . He said Patton sped up by the time she got into the range of the second officer seconds later . Patton said that is not true . <p> " This has taught me that you have good officers and you have hotdogs and McDonough has its share of hotdogs , " Patton said . <p> Dorsey said his officers did not do anything outside the letter of the law . <p> The Pattons retired and moved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly about the incident that they came back to McDonough to talk to Philips . <p> Patton has two court dates in McDonough in October . She said she

@@5105341 <h> User Contributions : <p> Creating Independence For People With Disabilities . provides assistance to disabled persons.KOGE has been a service organisation since its inception in 2007 . It 's primary focus is not to assist new businesses or institutions , as many think , but to give individuals , especially those with disabilities , opportunities for happier and more fulfilling lives.Now my organisation is bunkrupt due to the bad owrkers and we Grace w.Kolimba , Emmanuel C.Kolimba and charles M.Kolimba do contribute our aims to the United Nations Headquarter that if possible let you all join with us in assisting disabeledies people in thir facing difficulties . I charles Kolimba the Director of the organisation , do welcome all donors to donate in the disabeled people fund . The task of UNHQT is now leading well and do certify with your good sytem of reaching individual clients problems . Thank you for your efforts to make peace and love for evry country , every nation ,

@@5105441 <h> We 'll Say That It Is Good <p> Bug Girl pointed me to a lovely little video originally made just before the 2008 Democratic National Convention . Stoplight is a Focus on the Patriarchy affiliate . <p> The money quote : <p> But if God decides -- and it 's always up to God to decide -- if God decides that rain of biblical proportions would be a good and proper meteorological condition for that evening , we 'll see it , and we 'll say that it is gooood. <h> 2 Responses to " We 'll Say That It Is Good " <p> Did n't a hurricane interrupt the Republican National Convention in 2008 , too ? And the Democrats had some of the best convention weather ever . These people 's Notify me of followup comments also subscribe without commenting . <p> Notify me of new posts by email . <h> About the Author <p> Stephanie Zvan is an analyst by trade , but she 's paid not to talk about it . She also writes science fiction and fantasy , so she knows firsthand that the impact of a story is usually unrelated to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her busy , Stephanie is also one of the hosts for Atheists Talk , a radio show and podcast produced by the Minnesota Atheists . She speaks on science and skepticism in a number of venues , including science fiction and fantasy conventions . Stephanie has been called a science blogger and a sex blogger , but if it means she has to choose just one thing to be or blog about , she 's decided she 's never going to grow up . In addition to science and sex and the science of sex , you 'll find quite a bit of politics here , some economics , a regular short fiction feature , and the occasional bit of concentrated weird . Oh , and arguments . She sometimes indulges in those as well . But I 'm sure everything will be

@@5105541 <p> The following testimony is an account of the sovereign grace of God . This is a story of God ? s divine intervention in the lives of His saints in a small rural community which was touched by the power of God . In the fall of 1969 after graduation from Central Bible College in Springfield , Missouri my wife and I were faced with what to do and where to go and were praying about this situation . Our purpose in life and our preparation in the four years previous was to serve the Lord and His people , wherever He may send us . <p> My pastor , Rev. Boyd H. Bryan , of Evangelistic Tabernacle in Hialeah , Florida had moved back to North Carolina . Brother Bryan knew that there was a church without a pastor near him in the North Carolina District . Realizing that we were facing this major decision after graduation , he contacted us and gave us the name of elder Brother Whidden who was the Sectional Presbyter . <p> I contacted Brother Whidden by phone and he made arrangements for us to go to North Carolina and speak at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Carolina . In the fall of 1969 we drove to Eagle Mills for a morning and evening service at the church . The people were very leary of us because they thought we were ? northerners ? being that we were from the ? northern ? state of Missouri . During my sermon I mentioned that my mother ? s family were from the Charlotte area and that my wife ? s family was also from North Carolina . This immediately put the people at ease and therefore they accepted us as being one of them . After speaking at the church the people requested that I return as their pastor . <p> Pastor and Mrs. Charles Jennings and son Duane <p> The Lord had laid a tremendous burden on our hearts for this small church and these people . We returned back to Missouri , sold our mobile home and as soon as we could , we packed up and moved to this small rural community . <p> In October 1969 I was installed as the pastor of Eagle Mills Assembly of God Church . <p> The first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the offering was $19.00 . But the spiritual burden was intense for this community to experience a real genuine move of the Spirit of God . We were soon informed of the fact that the use of alcohol , both legal and non-legal ( moonshine ) was wide spread in this community and was the ruination of many men and families . I began going to the church everyday and staying most of the day in earnest prayer . During prayer one day the Lord spoke to me and gave me the verse in John 15:16 " Ye have not chosen me , but I have chosen you , and ordained you , that ye should go and bring forth fruit , and that your fruit should remain : " I knew then that whatever souls we saw brought into the Kingdom of God would remain and be faithful . <p> Soon after we moved there , some of the ladies came to my wife and expressed a desire to start a weekly prayer service . Their main concern was the salvation of their husbands . The ladies met once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made a prayer list of the relatives that they wanted to see saved . This was a very faithful band of intercessors with a real burden for those husbands and others who were slaves alcohol and the things of the world . They prayed without ceasing . <p> The women ? s prayer group <p> With out seeing any results of our prayers for approximately five months yet , there was no disappointment on the part of the prayer warriors but an expectation that God was going to do something special in the lives of many people . <p> While my wife and I were eating breakfast on Friday morning , March 13 , 1970 , ( Friday the 13th ) there was a knock at the door . Our neighbor Silas Mitchell , one of the husbands which was on the prayer list , was standing at the door with his little dog . It was very obvious that he had been drinking . When I asked him , ? what can I do for you , ? he replied with a clear straight forward answer , " Preacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by asking him , " do what ? " To which he said , " I am here to get saved ! " Meanwhile , Flossie , his wife was fearful as to why Silas said , " I am going to see that preacher . " She thought he was up to no good . Silas proceeded to tell us that he had been drinking with a friend of his for three days and was miserable . Silas was the type of man who was mean and somewhat violent when he was drunk . From the human standpoint , I was somewhat hesitant after being informed to his reputation , but spiritually I was prepared to help lead this man to Christ . As we sat down on the couch together , I opened my Bible and pointed out to him his need of salvation and God ? s plan for his redemption . But he seemed anxious to kneel and pray and soon dropped to his knees and did he ever pray . He prayed like a man who was desperate to be delivered , not only of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After being gloriously delivered from the bondage of sin and slave master of alcohol , this man was immediately sober but still reeked with the offensive odor of moonshine liquor . He needed no prompting to raise his hands in praise and declare his deliverance and his commitment to his Savior , Jesus Christ . He pointed to the radio on the shelf and declared , " someday my testimony will be broadcast over that radio " and approximately one year later that came to pass . <p> He was so anxious to tell his drinking buddy what had happened to him that we got into my vehicle and went to the cabin where his friend was living . When we arrived at that cabin that cold morning it was difficult to awaken his friend from his drunken stupor . After we finally got inside , Silas began to declare the wonderful works of God and the change that had just transpired in his heart and life . I sat there in utter amazement and wept as this man proclaimed the salvation of Jesus Christ and His transforming power . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled to go to work that afternoon and therefore we left this cabin and went to Silas ? barn where he had one half gallon canning jar of clear ? white lightening ? in a milk pail After finding one jar there , we proceeded to go to his equipment barn behind his house , where he had another jar hidden under the seat of his tractor . He had kept them hidden so that his wife would not find them and pour out the contents . He and I walked out into the woods with each one of us carrying a jar . We found a large rock in the woods and he told me to break the jars on the rock . My response was , " this is your victory , Silas , I will be a witness to your declaration of deliverance . You break them . " After breaking each jar on this rock he would raise his hands towards heaven and shout , " I ? m free ! " <p> We then went back to his house where we joined both of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Silas hugged his wife and cried like a baby . He got dressed and went on to work a sober and a changed man . Before leaving for work , he told his wife where a third jar of liquor was hidden , and we went with her to dispose of the contents of that jar . He never drank another drop of liquor from that day forward . <p> Needless to say that following Sunday morning Silas was in church and gave his testimony . He was indeed a changed man with an anointed testimony and this did not go unnoticed in the community where he was well known . That was a glorious service which was the beginning of a spiritual breakthrough in that community . <p> The word spread rapidly and other husbands and friends began to inquire as to what had happened to Silas . Other family members began to attend our services and there was a great spiritual expectation in each service . The Spirit of God was real and among us . <p> As the Word of God went forth a great conviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward and repent . One Sunday morning , Bill Norman , another man who had been bound by alcohol , ran to the altar crying out , " I don ? t want to go to hell , I don ? t want to go to hell . " There was no need to assist him in repeating the sinner ? s prayer . The Holy Ghost was upon him in strong conviction . <p> It was not long after that when that country church building was filled to capacity during Sunday morning and evening services . Prayers were being answered so quickly and dramatically that it was hard to conceive what was happening . It was truly amazing . <p> Not long after that James ( Jiggs ) Gaither , another one of the husbands whose name was on the prayer list , went to a Labor Union meeting . As soon as the meeting was over he came straight to the parsonage . Later he told us , that he was under such strong conviction that he could not wait to get out of the meeting and get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lord . His mother , Ruby Gaither , had been part of the women ? s weekly prayer group and his wife , Wilma , a faithful Christian . <p> One man , Glen Crews , while at work one day , was under Holy Ghost conviction so heavily , that during his shift he went to the restroom and cried out to God to forgive him for his sinful life . He was gloriously converted . His wife , Doris , and their family had been attending the church prior to this experience . <p> One day I received a call from a wife whose drinking husband , Bobby Brown , was on probation and had broken his probation . The Probation officer had just left their home and had threatened to send Bobby to jail . We quickly drove over to their home and we found Bobby Brown sitting in a chair so drunk that he could not stand up . I immediately felt the Holy Spirit take over and I rebuked Satan and the liquor that had him bound and started to pray over him . Shortly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house he was completely sober and was rejoicing in the salvation of the Lord . The next morning I went with Bobby to visit the probation officer and after telling him the story of Bobby ? s conversion , I assumed full responsibility for Bobby in lieu of jail . I never had to worry about seeing that probation officer again as God had done a miraculous work in Bobby ? s life . <p> All the above conversions plus many others all took place within a matter of a few months . There were sixty people saved in a little over a year . The word of these miraculous conversions had now gotten around throughout the community and as far away as Winston-Salem . Relatives of some of these men came from several miles away to check out and confirm the rumors that they had heard . The Lord was real in every service as people came expecting for God to do the unusual and the miraculous . It was my great pleasure to hold a water baptismal service in a near-by creek with Pastor Boyd H. Bryan ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filled with joyous singing and spontaneous praise . Several songs became representative of the experiences of individuals and of the Holy Ghost was doing in the church . The song that seemed to express the feelings of the people the most was the song written by Charles P. Jones , " I Would Not Be Denied . " <p> When pangs of death seized on my soul , Unto the Lord I cried , Till Jesus came and made me whole , I would not be denied . <p> Chorus : I would not be denied , I would not be denied , Till Jesus came and made me whole , I would not be denied . <p> As Jacob in the days of old , I wrestled with the Lord ; And instant with a courage bold , I stood upon His Word . <p> Old Satan said , My Lord was gone And would not hear my prayer , But praise the Lord ! The work is done , And Christ the Lord is here . <p> As the Lord continued to work in the lives of both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were made , both spiritually and physically . The church attendance grew numerically and a Sunday School addition was built onto the existing church building . <p> Pastor Charles Jennings points to the attendance record as Evangelist Stephen O ? Shields looks on <p> The promise that God had given me when we first came to pastor Eagle Mills Church was that He would give us fruit and that fruit would remain . He was faithful to His Word , as the new converts became strong workers for the Lord . In one revival with Brother Boyd Bryan , who was pastoring in Mooresville , North Carolina , some were delivered from the use of tobacco and others received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost . Mischief in the community , such as regular barn burnings ceased . Many lives were affected and many homes today still feel the affects of God ? s powerful move in that community . <p> Throughout the history of the Church for the last two thousand years there has been many miraculous spiritual moves of the Spirit of God in different times and places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His sovereign wisdom chooses where , when and how to send a wave of His saving grace . It is nothing that can be accredited to the goodness of any particular man or group of people , but we do know that the Lord responds to the prayers of His people . In Acts 12:5 , concerning the story of Peter ? s deliverance from prison , the writer , Luke , tells us that , " Peter therefore was kept in prison : but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him . " <p> The months preceding this outpouring of God ? s Spirit in conviction for sin , there were many saints that had sought the Lord . There were many faithful saints who had sought the Lord for years with a heartfelt burden for a genuine move of God in this community . The Apostle James tell us in James 5:16 that , " the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much . " <p> To our recollection Eagle Mills Assembly of God Church was established in about 1943 . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Templeton , Mrs. Lizzy Grant , Mrs. Ruby Gaither and others were still attending the church when the above wonderful events took place . Their faith was rewarded as a result of their steadfastness and stability in the Lord . <p> As we read historical accounts of revivals and refreshings sent from the presence of the Lord , we are often left with the desire to have been there and to have seen first hand the wonderful works of God . The revival which took place at this small country Pentecostal church never made the headlines nor will ever be recorded by church historians , but the reality of the genuineness of God ? s power was as evident as in any revival which has ever taken place . <p> If the Lord never heals another person , I will always believe that He is the Healer . If the Lord never saves another person , I will always believe that He is the Savior . <p> said , " Except a man be born again , he can not see the kingdom of God . " <p> John 3:3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need a Savior . The Bible says " For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God " ( Romans 3:23 ) . Admit that you are unable to save yourself from your sinful condition which has separated you from a holy God . <p> B. " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ , and thou shalt be saved , and thy house " ( Acts 16:31 ) . To believe on Jesus Christ is more than simply to acknowledge that He exists . To believe on Jesus as your Savior is to accept His sacrificial death as the only means of your salvation and that He conquered death by His resurrection . You must believe that it is " by grace are ye saved through faith , and not of yourselves : it is the gift of God " ( Ephesians 2:8 ) . <p> C. . The Bible says , " For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved " ( Romans 10:13 ) . To call upon the Lord means to cry out to Him in repentance for your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be baptized everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins " ( Acts 2:38 if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus , shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead , thou shalt be saved . For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation " ( Romans 10:9-10 ) . <p> Ask Jesus right now to forgive you and to save you . Repent of your sins and ask Him

@@5105641 <h> Enter your text to find synonyms <p> Our thesaurus is a dictionary of synonyms for many English words . On this page you can find a synonym ( or another word ) for a great deal . Whether you 're a writer , or student , or just a person interested in finding words like a great

@@5105741 <p> Haha . I 'm not bitter nor jealous with rich people , I know they work hard for it as well . What I mean is the luxurious people on the third world countries , they spend the money outside their country on luxury stuffs which is throwing the money on other stable countries instead of

@@5105841 <h> Storyline <p> During the most tumultuous time for media in generations , filmmaker Andrew Rossi gains unprecedented access to the newsroom at The New York Times . For a year , he follows journalists on the paper 's Media Desk , a department created to cover the transformation of the media industry . Through this prism , a complex view emerges of a media landscape fraught with both

@@5105941 <p> CommunityInvestmentsPlan Wichita and Sedgwick County are undertaking a joint initiative to update the Wichita-Sedgwick County Comprehensive Plan . <p> HOME Buyer Rebate Program A program for rebates to homeowners of the City portion of Ad Valorem , property taxes paid on qualifying new homes in qualifying developments for a period of up to five years . <p> Golf Fund Outlook and Options Download the document in which two scenarios represent proposals to address

@@5106041 <h> How to Create a Super Private BitTorrent Community for You and Your Friends <p> These are dark days for BitTorrent . Using it leaves you open to fake torrents , viruses , an ISP that throttles your connection , and media companies that snoop to see what you 're downloading . If you want to avoid all that , you can create an uber-private BitTorrent community that only you and your friends can access . Here 's how . <p> You 're open to these problems because most BitTorrent trackers allow anyone to come in and share files ( a BitTorrent tracker , for those that do n't remember , is the server that connects you with other BitTorrent users in order to download files ) . Those other people could include virus spreaders , snoopers , and other untrustworthy folk . While joining a private tracker can help , many users feel they are n't private enough -- after all , if you can get an invite , ca n't anyone ? <h> What You 'll Get : A Tracker Only Your Friends Can Join <p> You can do a lot of things to protect yourself , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and your best friends , you probably have a pretty solid collection of media and other files you could share without the need for other , less secure parties . We 've shown you how to share your own files using BitTorrent , but if you want a bit more privacy , you can create your own BitTorrent tracker right on your home computer . <p> When you 're done with this process , you 'll have a ( admittedly primitive ) BitTorrent tracker running on your PC , sharing your files through torrents you create . Send those torrents to your friends , and they can download the files directly from you , without any other parties snooping . If your friends share their files too , you can pool your torrents together in a shared Dropbox folder ( or something similar ) and have a pretty sizable library of stuff to download , without the need for other unsafe channels . <h> Step One : Set Up Your Torrent Client <p> To get everything up and running , you 'll need a torrent client that supports embedded trackers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an example , but you can perform the same process with Vuze for OS X or qBitTorrent for Linux . Sadly , Transmission does not support embedded trackers , nor does uTorrent for OS X. Here 's what you need to do : <p> Head to uTorrent 's preferences and click on Advanced . Scroll down to bt.enabletracker and double-click on it to set it to " True . " <p> Restart uTorrent for your change to take effect . <p> Reopen uTorrent and head back to the Preferences . This time , click on Connection in the left-hand sidebar . Take note of your listening port , and make sure " Randomize Port Each Start " is unchecked . <p> Go to Advanced &gt; WebUI in the preferences . If you are n't using the web UI to monitor torrents from afar , make sure " Alternative Listening Port " is unchecked ( even if " Enable Web UI " is unchecked , the " Alternative Listening Port " box must be unchecked or you 'll encounter problems ) . If you are using the web UI , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Port " instead of the port you found in step 3 . <p> Again , if you 're using OS X or Linux , you 'll have to do the same thing , but with your torrent client of choice . For more information on setting up an embedded tracker in Vuze , check out this wiki entry . qBitTorrent users , check out this how-to to set up your embedded tracker . <h> Step Two : Set Up DynDNS for Easier Connections <p> Now your computer is set up to act as a private BitTorrent client . However , there 's one catch : in order for your friends to connect to you , you 'll need to add your IP address to every torrent you create , and most IP addresses change over time -- which means your friends could get disconnected from your torrents . To solve this problem , we recommend setting up a service like DynDNS or No IP . We wo n't go into too much detail about this process here , since we 've shown you how to do it before . Once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friendly domain name so you do n't forget it -- you 'll need it in the next step . <h> Step Three : Create Your Torrents and Share Them <p> The last step is to actually gather the files you want to share , create torrents for them , and give those torrents to your friends . The process is very simple : <p> Go to File &gt; Create New Torrent and choose the file you want to share under " Select Source . " <p> Where 51413 is the port number you found when you created your tracker in step one . Also , replace **27;4600;TOOLONG with the friendly domain name you created in step two . <p> Check the " Start Seeding , " " Preserve File Order , " and " Private Torrent " checkboxes . The " Private Torrent " checkbox ensures that other BitTorrent users ca n't share the torrent via PEX and DHT , meaning only those you give the torrent file can join your swarm . <p> Click " Create and Save As " and save your torrent . Send it to your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you should begin seeding the torrent <p> Repeat this process for each file or group of files you want to share ( and have your friends do the same ) . This can take awhile initially if you 're sharing a large collection . You can share the torrent files however you want , but the simplest way is to create a shared Dropbox folder for you and your friends , where everyone dumps the torrents of the files they 're sharing . That way , you have your own mini search engine for finding exactly what you 're looking for on your private tracker . Make sure you leave your computer and torrent client on when you 're seeding , or your friends wo n't be able to download your files . <h> The Downsides to This Method <p> Like other BitTorrent privacy methods , this is n't perfect . This does n't actually give you fine-grained control over who joins the tracker , so if one of your friends hands a torrent off to someone else , they 'll be in on the tracker too without your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . In addition , anyone can seed on your tracker if they know your IP address or dynamic DNS hostname , but that 's unlikely -- and even if they did know it , all they 'd be able to do is seed their own torrents and take up resources on your computer ; they would n't be able to see what you 're downloading . <p> Download speeds will also be slower , since you 'll usually only be downloading the torrent from one person instead of many -- that means your download speed is pretty much limited to your friend 's upload speed . However , the extra privacy may be worth the slower speeds to you . After all , this does n't have to be your only method of using BitTorrent -- you can still download other torrents from public and private trackers as normal . This is just a simple way to take advantage of your network of friends , and share files with each other more privately than you can elsewhere . <p> This post is part of our Evil Week series at Lifehacker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things done . Knowing evil means knowing how to beat it , so you can use your sinister powers for good .

@@5106141 <h> Source <h> Abstract <p> Heparan sulphate proteoglycans ( HSPGs ) have multiple functions relevant to the control of the CNS injury response , particularly in modulating the effects of growth factors and localizing molecules that affect axon growth . We examined the pattern of expression and glycanation of HSPGs in the normal and damaged CNS , and in astrocytes and oligodendrocyte precursors because of their participation in the injury reaction . The composition of HS glycosaminoglycan ( GAG ) chains was analysed by biochemical analysis and by the binding of antibodies that recognize sulphated epitopes . We also measured levels of HS sulphotransferases and syndecans . Compared with oligodendrocytes , oligodendrocyte precursors have more 2-O-sulphation in their HS GAG . This is accompanied by higher expression of the enzyme responsible for 2-O-sulphation , HS 2-O-sulphotransferase ( HS2ST ) and a fall in syndecan-1 . Astrocytes treated with tumour growth factor ( TGF ) alpha or TGFbeta to mimic the injury response showed upregulation of syndecan-1 and HS2ST correlating with an increase in 2-O-sulphate residues in their HS GAGs . This also correlated with increased staining with AO4B08 anti-GAG antibody that recognizes high sulphation , and reduced staining with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rat brain there was an overall increase in the quantity of HSPG around the injury site , mRNA for HS2ST was increased , and the changes in staining with sulphation-specific antibodies were consistent with an increase in 2-O-sulphated HS . Syndecan-1 was upregulated in astrocytes . The major injury-related change , seen in injured brain and cultured glia , was an increase in 2-O-sulphated HS and increased , suggesting novel approaches

@@5106241 <p> This 1957 photo shows seven of nine black students walking onto the campus of Central High School in Little Rock with a National Guard officer as an escort . <h> Sponsored Links <p> The state wants to end its long-running payments for desegregation programs , but three school districts that receive the money say they need it to continue key programs . And a federal judge has accused the schools of delaying desegregation so they can keep receiving an annual infusion of $70 million . <p> A federal appeals court will hear arguments Monday from both sides . The judges are expected to decide eventually whether Arkansas still has to make the payments and whether two of the districts should remain under court supervision . <p> The schools , which serve about 50,000 students , have come a long way since 1957 , when the governor and hundreds of protesters famously tried to stop the Little Rock Nine from entering Central High School . But thousands of white and black children still have to be bused to different neighborhoods every day under one of the nation 's largest remaining court-ordered desegregation systems . <p> Now parents are worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enrolling their children elsewhere . <p> The districts argue that desegregation should be about giving parents options between good schools , not strictly counting the number of white and black students . <p> " Anybody can put students on a bus , " said Bobby Acklin , assistant superintendent for desegregation at the North Little Rock School District . " It does n't matter to me who 's in the school , as long as we have a good program . " <p> State lawmakers have long derided the payments , and Arkansas Gov . Mike Beebe and other officials have pushed to end the practice , too . <p> The battle over school desegregation persisted for decades after the civil rights movement . In 1982 , the city schools sued two neighboring districts and the state for not doing enough to help with desegregation . <p> Two years later , a federal judge ruled that those districts had wrongfully separated white and black students . In 1989 , the schools and the state reached a settlement that required large payments to the Little Rock , North Little Rock and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . <p> Some Little Rock schools remain as segregated as the neighborhoods around them . And achieving racial balance is becoming more difficult as families leave the suburbs that supply white students to schools in majority-black city neighborhoods . Despite years of efforts , black students still score much lower on tests than white students . <p> The settlement did establish popular magnet schools in urban Little Rock , but the money has also been a source of constant controversy . District administrators have fought over how to spend the money . Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has alleged that the districts use desegregation funding elsewhere in their budgets . <p> In May , a federal judge accused the North Little Rock and Pulaski County districts of delaying desegregation to keep getting state money . <p> U.S. District Judge Brian Miller pointed to problems with student achievement and discipline , particularly in Pulaski County , a suburban district that takes in black students from Little Rock and North Little Rock and sends white children to both . <p> After weeks of testimony , Miller concluded that " few , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clue how to effectively educate underprivileged black children . " <p> Margie Powell , head of the court-appointed Office of Desegregation Monitoring , said the districts " got addicted to the money " rather than finding ways to pay for magnet schools and transfers on their own . <p> " I certainly understand their fear , " Powell said in an interview . " But years ago , we told them , ' You guys need to start thinking about ... how you 're going to survive without ' deseg ' money . ' " <p> District leaders said they ca n't support the same programs without help . <p> " We need the money , " Acklin said , explaining that it pays for initiatives that government monitors have said must be done " to balance the playing field . " <p> Many parents have stayed in Little Rock because of the district 's six well-regarded magnet schools . But Miller 's ruling could change that . District officials have warned of possible cutbacks and teacher layoffs , although it 's unlikely that any magnet schools would be closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private schools as a child , Tiffany Hadden sent her two children to Gibbs Magnet School , which offers foreign language programs . The potential effect of Miller 's ruling worries her , so Hadden put her kids on the waiting list at a charter school in downtown Little Rock . <p> " I do n't want to go anywhere , but I just did n't know what my options were , " she said . " I do have to look at what 's best for my kids , and I do n't have the money to go private . " <p> Even if the federal appeals court overrules Miller and keeps the state 's payments in place , it 's not clear how long the payments -- and the system they support -- will last . <p> After decades of issuing court orders , judges across the country have shown in recent years that they want to get out of school desegregation , said Wendy Parker , a professor at Wake Forest University . <p> " I think courts have gotten exhausted with it , " she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 've been successful . I think they 're stopping because they feel it 's time to move onto other issues . " <p> In other cities with schools that were desegregated by court order , such as Kansas City , Mo. , and Charlotte , N.C. , the classrooms eventually went back to reflecting the segregated neighborhoods around them , Parker said . <p> The Little Rock district was removed from court supervision in 2007 , the same time it stopped placing students outside their neighborhoods to balance schools . Magnet schools are still required to be balanced . <p> North Little Rock and Pulaski County are

@@5106341 <p> China 's demand has faltered with the slowing economy , pushing steel prices to a three-year low and making it tough for mills and traders to keep up with payments on the $400 billion of debt they racked up during years of double-digit growth . <p> As defaults have risen in the world 's largest steel consumer , lenders have found that warehouse receipts for metal pledged as collateral do not always lead them to stacks of stored metal . Chinese authorities are investigating a number of cases in which steel documented in receipts was either not there , belonged to another company or had been pledged as collateral to multiple lenders , industry sources said . <p> Ghost inventories are exacerbating the wider ailments of the sector in China , which produces around 45 percent of the world 's steel and has over 200 million metric tons ( 220.5 million tons ) of excess production capacity . Steel is another drag on a financial system struggling with bad loans from the property sector and local governments . <p> " What we have seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg , " said a trader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified as he was not authorized to speak to the media . " The situation will get worse as poor demand , slumping prices and tight credit from banks create a domino effect on the industry . " <p> Four decades ago , when we were lending money to steel companies , the US produced around 130 million tons of steel and China produced 25 million tons . Today , the US produces 80 million tons or so and China apparently produces over 700 million tons . Amazing overcapacity . <p> Since 2009 , China 's banks flooded the country with over $5 trillion in loans to pump up the economy in the face of flagging exports . Many empty cities were built . Now the lenders are finding out that the warehouses holding their collateral were empty too . <h> 3 Responses to " The Producers ..... of steel in this case " <p> 700 million tons ? Are they actually importing enough ore to cover that production ? Or are brand-new shapes being recycled just to keep the mills busy ? Or are they simply lying about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported by China . It is the Chinese government that collects , summarizes , and massages those figures , just as the US government does for its own statistics . <p> In the US , there are independent voices to question and explain government statistics . Remember that the US government report/website of jobs created and saved cost $18 million . It reported 100,000 new jobs within congressional districts that do not exist . <p> If China actually has explosive economic growth , it would be the first time that a totalitarian government has not lied about its growth figures . <p> The ( now reorganized ) Soviet Union reported explosive growth right up to the point that their economy collapsed , and their empire mostly dissolved . <p> The US government will report hopeful improvement and massive spending to " rebuild the economy " right

@@5106541 <p> I was messing around in my account and found this . I was aware of pay to watch , but was n't aware of a pay to broadcast . Will this effect twitch side of things too ? Or is this just for ads ? Details please .. JTV/Twitch has been free , of course you run your ads , but is this changing ? Might need to find a new broadcast home if/when I decide to return to casting again . <p> Those packages are more for commercial users , and they have been available for awhile . The only changes I 'm aware of that are coming for individual casters is that JTV is looking at making changes to the Pro account . But nothing definite yet . <p> braoadcasting at justin is free , with that pro broadcaster account you have some extra features ( read there ) like the viewer pro account jtv is not forcing you to buy it , you just do if you want the extra features <p> I was messing around in my account and found this . I was aware of pay to watch , but was n't aware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of things too ? Or is this just for ads ? Details please .. JTV/Twitch has been free , of course you run your ads , but is this changing ? Might need to find a new broadcast home if/when I decide to return to casting again . <p> It 's clearly part of their " focus on video " plan . The main feature seems to be to remove the ads from your stream . It looks kind of ridicules to me . Who is going to pay a $1000 a month just for 9000 viewer hours and 1TB of video storage space , plus any overage charges ? <p> I 'm pretty sure that for less then a $1000 a month , you could set up your own server to stream 9000 viewer hours of video , and store a terabyte of videos . Hell I have almost a terabyte of videos saved on my old desktop . <p> Then again , I ca n't imagine why anyone would pay $10 a month just to remove ads from JTV . But people seem to be doing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertisements , along with other various features . This is something completely optional - we will not force you to go premium .

@@5106641 of the free trial , your membership will automatically upgrade to a full year for $79 . <h> Special Offers and Product Promotions <p> Size : 16GB Item Shape : Wifi Color : Black <p> Six-Month Financing : For a limited time , purchase $149 or more using the Amazon.com Store Card and pay no interest for 6 months on your entire order if paid in full in 6 months . Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the promotional balance is not paid in full within 6 months . Minimum monthly payments required . Subject to credit approval . 1-Click and phone orders do not apply . See complete details and restrictions . <h> Frequently Bought Together <p> + <p> + <p> Price For All Three : $434.34 <p> These items are shipped : " An error occurred , please try again " , " Pre-order this item " , " Pre-order both items " , " Pre-order all three items " <p> Amazon.com Return Policy : You may return any new computer purchased from Amazon.com that is " dead on arrival , " arrives in damaged condition , or is still in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of purchase . Amazon.com reserves the right to test " dead on arrival " returns and impose a customer fee equal to 15 percent of the product sales price if the customer misrepresents the condition of the product . Any returned computer that is damaged through customer misuse , is missing parts , or is in unsellable ... Read more condition due to customer tampering will result in the customer being charged a higher restocking fee based on the condition of the product . Amazon.com will not accept returns of any desktop or notebook computer more than 30 days after you receive the shipment . New , used , and refurbished products purchased from Marketplace vendors are subject to the returns policy of the individual vendor . <p> For anyone out there who is considering whether or not to make the leap and purchase the iPad 2 , this review is for you . If you 're still debating between the iPad 1 and the iPad 2 check out my review of the first generation iPad right here on Amazon to see a discussion of its strengths and weaknesses with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) over the past 11 months . <p> Let me begin by saying this upfront , I do n't work for Apple , I do n't own Apple Stock , and whether you buy an iPad , Xoom , a laptop or a pad of paper and pencil I do n't get anything for writing this . I 'm not an Apple " fanboy " although I can give credit where credit is due and lately Apple has deserved a lot of credit for some of their products . <p> Physical Characteristics The iPad 2 is absurdly thin . More importantly than it 's thinness is its tapered edge which feels more natural in your hand . One of the biggest complaints about the original iPad was it really was n't tremendously comfortable to hold for long periods at a time . For a tablet device designed to be held , that 's a pretty big deal . Apple really has done an amazing job of cramming everything into an even smaller space than before and the difference is really noticeable when you 're holding the device . In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overall weight of the iPad 2 . That might not seem like a huge deal to most , especially when you consider the weight difference is n't tremendous when you 're already under 2 pounds , but I spend a good part of my day holding the iPad in my hands and the weight difference is surprising by the end of the day . The first generation is n't heavy by any means , but the iPad 2 outshines it . <p> New and " Improved " Apple doubled the RAM in the iPad 2 from 256MB to 512MB . What does that mean ? For most casual users , probably not a whole lot . There is a performance bump that everyone will see the effects of in things like loading times for webpages that are open in the background , but 256MB was sufficient for most daily use and games . If you 're planning to use your device for some of the more graphically intense games the iPad 2 does offer a better method of graphics processing that 'll help deliver faster images with fewer jerky movements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ e-mail you 're not going to know the difference . <p> The screen is the same for all real purposes . It is technically a " new " part in that it is n't identical to the old , it 's a bit thinner and more efficient , but it 's the same resolution . The Glass is thinner though , and this amounts to a fair bit of the weight loss from one generation to the next . In playing with the device it seems surprising but despite feeling lighter it actually feels more sturdy in your hands . I still would n't suggest dropping it , but if it were to fall the iPad 2 certainly feels like it might stand a better chance to survive . Try not to drop it though . <p> The addition of 2 cameras was expected . Some were a bit surprised to see the first generation released without the cameras . Whether it was for a price point consideration , or a means to get people to upgrade , Apple held off until iPad 2 . The cameras do a reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedicated digital camera , or really even the camera on your phone for most still images . The cameras do a substantially better job with video , and FaceTime is probably one of the best reasons to get the iPad 2 over the original iPad . For those who might not be familiar , FaceTime is Apple 's face to face conferencing system , kind of like Skype , or if you 'd rather , kind of like the Jetson 's TV/Phone . With the push of a button you can be having a face to face chat with a loved one just about anywhere in the world ( provided they 're on a wireless network at the time ) . FaceTime does n't work over 3G natively ( it can be used over a wifi connection created by a 3G device however ) so you 're not going to be able to use it in your car anytime soon . This is probably a good thing though . It is incredibly easy to use and if you know other people with an iPad 2 , iPhone 4 , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covers are n't really " smart " but they 're really very useful . Not only do they provide a stylistic enhancement of the device , but they serve a practical and functional purpose of doubling as a screen protector and stand in 2 configurations . You can find them in a variety of colors and from third market suppliers , and it 's a safe bet that more will be out soon to capitalize on the magnetic sensors in the iPad 2 . It 's unfortunate that this same feature ca n't somehow be retrofitted to the iPad 1 , I would n't have thought a case would be a compelling reason to consider a product over it 's competitor , but these covers are really so useful it 's hard to understand why they 've not been there since the beginning . <p> Multitasking Support One of the biggest knocks against the iPad when first released was the lack of native multi-tasking support . Jailbreakers added the feature quickly and Apple soon realized it would be a requirement for any future device 's success and released an OS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on that progress and takes it a step further with the increased RAM enabling more open applications to be suspended at once , and the time to open or close an application has improved as well . That said , even the first generation managed to open and close apps faster than most people would be used to on their computers , so while this is an improvement it 's more akin to showing off . <p> Apps One thing that Apple has clearly the advantage in for the moment is app availability . The App store has close to 70,000 iPad specific Apps , all of which will work on the iPad 2 . The new cameras will undoubtedly see this list expand rapidly , as will the inclusion of a gyroscope for gaming and motion based uses . There are also a substantial number of professional applications ranging from document creation to photo editing and vector drawing . Chances are if you can dream it , there 's an App for that ( and if not you might want to get started on one to fill in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing , and ultimately it 'll likely be a strong competitor , for now it still has a ways to go , but any potential buyer should consider the strength of the application market before buying a tablet . <p> Pros : Weight . Seriously . The minimal weight of this thing is by far the most impressive feature about it in my opinion . It seems to defy physics and logic that so much could be in such a small space working that hard for that long . <p> Battery Life . From full to dead my iPad 2 went just over 11 hours with the movie Robin Hood showing twice during that time , the screen at half brightness , wifi turned on , an Angry Birds marathon and a good portion of a book in ibook . That 's better than a work day and that 's constantly on . <p> Books . This is definitely a Pro , but reading itself could go either way . The great benefit to the iPad is having access to Google Books , ibook , Nook , and Kindle . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although for the most part they 're all usually about the same ) . Reading in the evenings in bed is great as the back light means you do n't have to worry about keeping others awake , but the glass screen causes some glare trouble when trying to read outside or near a sunny window . If you 're an avid outdoor reader the Kindle might still be your best bet . <p> Cons : Still no dedicated USB support . While there is a camera add-on that allows for certain USB devices to be used there is no option for mass storage . Some of the Android Tablets allow for this and if you find yourself wanting to use your tablet as a standalone storage device this might be something to consider . The device can read from certain flash drives though , but is largely limited to photo and video files . Jailbreaks offer solutions to this , but those come with their own issues as well . <p> Still no dedicated SD card slot . This is troublesome on two fronts . First , if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have an adapter which is just one more thing to carry around . Second , the lack of expansion means you 're limited to what you purchase in terms of storage . I purchased a 32GB iPad last time and never filled it up completely , so for me capacity was n't an issue . If you want to be able to have your entire movie collection with you though ... you may want to consider whether the iPad 2 can meet your space requirements . <p> HDMI output . Really this is a Pro and a Con . The iPad does allow for HD output over HDMI but again it requires an adapter . All of these adapters are additional purchases for features that some tablets offer built in . This can be a pain , but then again if you 're not likely to ever use HDMI Output then you 're not paying for something you wo n't use . <p> No Flash Support . This is becoming less and less of an issue as the internet and web developers are moving away from Flash for many websites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Adobe 's Flash to run properly ( including a lot of web based games ) . Before you pick a tablet consider what kind of websites you frequent and try and determine if they are Flash driven or not . If they are you may really want to consider something from the Android offerings as it is expected that they 'll have at least some Flash support . <p> If you 're in the market for a tablet device the iPad 2 should definitely be on your short list . If you 're uncertain it is always best to go and play with these things hands on first if you can . Best Buy is a good place for that , so are Verizon Stores since they have the Xoom and 3G iPad . Do n't get pulled into the hype and mania that comes with an Apple release . Read more <p> People need to be aware that the reviews you see for the iPad often reflect the old Mac/PC platform wars with some people making comments who simply do n't like iPads from a distance , without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the deplorable Apple mania they find so distasteful . They 're entitled to their opinion , of course , but it is unfortunate they skew the evaluation of this product without the deep acquaintance one needs in order to give it an insightful evaluation . <p> I have taught computer science at the college level for 26 years and have had computers with all kinds of operating systems . I do n't own Apple stock and have never known anyone who works at Apple . I therefore have no connection to Apple . <p> I have had my iPad for about a month and read a fair number of reviews before I purchased , spent some time using one at the store , and thought about what I might use one for , in contrast to my laptop with which I am well satisfied . People too often think of computers in terms of hardware , the specs and looks , instead of the software and the functionality . You should ask yourself , " What will I use this for that solves a problem I would like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardware , even though it is the hardware that makes an impression . <p> The iPad is not a laptop and is not principally a production computer , that is , a computer on which you are going to develop web pages , do serious graphics editing , or write a book . You could use your new Taurus to tow a trailer , but that is not what it is designed to do well . These things can increasingly be done on an iPad , but I do n't believe they will ever be what it is best at . It is a portable media machine with an inviting touch interface that requires a somewhat different set of skills , which take a modest amount of time to learn . Surfing the web , checking email , watching movies , playing games , looking at new cars , reading the Economist magazine , all work better on an iPad than a laptop . It does these things very well indeed . There are now 80,000 apps for a wide variety of activities--given its design intent . The apps are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bunch from the " app store " for little investment . As with Amazon , you can see what other people think of an app before getting one . <p> This would be a splendid acquisition for small children , for teens deep into social networking , for an adult wanting to drop into the love seat for a quick look at what is happening in the world , for a senior citizen who wants a simple , inviting system with few hassles , to stay in touch with grandchildren . The iPad is not a light laptop ; it is instead a different way to use computing to do a wide variety of consumption and communication--not principally production . <p> In my experience , its wi-fi is adroit from one environment to another . It " knows " where it is geographically , scans its environment for wi-fi , and accesses wi-fi seamlessly . At this point in time , we should expect no less . I can not address the 3G communications since I have a wi-fi only ( I am not convinced of the value of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotspot ) . I have never had it crash , though I have had to back myself out of apps that seemed to have no logical next step . This was the result either of my ignorance or the fact that there is less of a standard user interface from app to app than there is in classical GUIs such as OS X and Windows . <p> For the laptop lugging road-warrior , it should be noted , this is not going to be a full replacement . I now take my laptop and my iPad when I go into the college . But much of the time there , I use my iPad because it is so light , convenient and useable . I use it to teach my classes and often reference traditional texts from the iPad instead of lugging them along to class . I develop my own web pages on my 27 " desktop which is the right environment for such development ; I would n't expect to do that on an iPad . In education ( and evidently in medicine ) , it is proving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portable information access and transmission are critical will find this a compelling solution . The heavy Photoshop user or music track editor will still need a conventional computer , either laptop or desktop . <p> I purchased the 64GB version , which may be more storage than I need . But since it will drive my 50 " screen downstairs I figured I would begin to load lots of pictures and favored music , so it may prove a wise choice in the long run . It can swallow up entire evenings with the music-augmented slide shows it can do . In fact , you may begin to wonder if you need cable TV . Conventional content providers should be worried about the iPad since it provides yet another way for the user to determine viewing experience . But if you are still drawn to cable , it makes a fine remote control . <p> Before people evaluate this new kind of computing , they need to spend a month or so with it to identify what it does well and what would be better left to other kinds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( both glowing and critical ) are not well informed and so do not serve the readers well . So read these reviews with a critical eye . <p> October 18 2011 Update : <p> I continue to find my iPad remarkably productive and productive in ways I would not have anticipated . It does indeed redefine how we can use computing so that it does the work we want to do with minimal impediments . I now leave my laptop at school and take my iPad back and forth since 80 or 90% of the time the iPad does all I need to do . I use it 3 or 4 hours a day . <p> I just ordered my wife an 11 " MacBook Air with the larger RAM and storage , which might seem to contradict what I said in my review . I do n't believe it does for the following reasons . She needs to do serious editing of Word documents for the volunteer work she does for the college and still wants the joys of a 2-pound piece of elegant hardware . She is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's keyboard . A keyboard can be added to an iPad , but it 's a kludgy add-on that compromises the point of the iPad : an ultra-light slim , touch-interface device that does most of what traditional computing does without the impediments of mouse and keyboard and weight . The 11 " Air is a gem of engineering with many of the advantages of the iPad but it is more capable of the production I spoke of in my review since it is a full OS X Lion machine--so it is fully capable of running traditional production software such as Word or Photoshop or , for that matter , Windows . <p> The Air and the iPad illustrate the difference between a consumption device ( iPad ) and a production device ( Air ) . Much of what is appealing in the iPad can be had in the Air , but at the cost of an additional several hundred dollars . It 's not the solution I want since I do n't want the keyboard getting in the way when I want to curl up with a consumption device @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my teaching in class . My wife prefers the Air since email and other typing-intensive production activities are so important to her . In a word , the iPad is distilled essence of computationally assisted consumption . <p> SUMMARY : White iPad 2 64GB Wifi-only A really wonderful electronic device for media consumption with some moderate content creation potential . This will likely change as more apps focused on content generation are created . I find myself using it more and more simply because it is " always ready " and small enough that it is always near . If this device had a better file management system and a more robust way to share printers it would have gotten 5 out of 5 stars . As it is , the iPad 2 is a solid 4 star device . <p> DELIGHTERS ( Current features that exceeded my expectations ) FORM FACTOR : Thin and comfortable to hold . Small enough to toss in a bag or carry around the house so you find yourself using rather than trying to " remember " to do " that thing " the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some weight to it ( 1.3lb ) so prolonged reading in certain positions will cause fatigue . APP ENVIRONMENT : Really excellent variety and quality of applications for a broad range of uses and a broad range of prices . Also plays nice with content providers like amazon kindle , Google docs , and lots of news outlets . SLEEP MODE : It is seemingly " always ready " as it wakes from sleep very quickly . HDMI OUT : Granted there is a $40 accessory required it is nice to have the option of showing what 's on your iPad 2 to a larger audience . iOS : Overall the operating system is " cleanly " designed , features are easy to navigate and find . PROCESSING SPEED : Remarkably quick to load apps , web pages , pdfs , etc . <p> SATISFIERS ( Current features that met my expectation ) HOMESHARING : Being able to share my iTunes library ( music , movies , podcast , etc ) across my wifi network is wonderful and saves space on the iPad 2 . SCREEN : Bright , good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handles pictures and text with aplomb . PRICE : Reasonable considering the competition but nearly high enough to justify a " real " laptop AUDIO : Speaker is quite good for a handheld device , placement in portrait mode ends up in your lap but you can invert the iPad so not a huge deal . Also speaker faces rear of device instead of forward meaning you need to crank it louder than maybe otherwise necessary if it were forward facing . BATTERY LIFE : Battery holds up well even after a day of heavy usage , charges up easily over night . Can go 2-3 days without charging with moderate to light usage ) WIFI : This simply " works " . turn it on , detect a signal , and go . No messing around with complicated network settings . ONSCREEN KEYBOARD : Its responsive and surprisingly easy to use . However , scrolling to a separate numbers keyboard and lack of a " tab " button really disrupts workflow . <p> DISSATISFIERS ( Current features that did not meet my expectations ) FILE MANAGEMENT : File management @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " attach " files to apps or email them ? PRINTING : Unless you have an AirPrint capable printer ( new hardware to buy ) or one of a handful other printers you will need to use the atrocious " file management " system above to get the docs on you computer to print . Double whammy of pain ! CAMERAS : The two cameras are adequate for video chatting but taking stills is a joke . True I would n't want to shoot a lot of birthdays holding an iPad but I would like to use a program like " GeniusScan " to photograph documents for later reference . The 0.7Megapixel camera is capable of " barely legible " documents . COST PER GB : Paying &gt;$3 per GB ( $100 more for 64GB than 32GB ) is nearly twice what you 'd pay per GB for the difference in a stand-alone USB thumbdrive . TOUCH NAVIGATION : Ok so this is a general criticism of any touch device and there is no way to get around it really . Having " grown up " using keyboards and mice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do tasks differently . Press-Hold , Swipe , Two vs Three fingers . All for tasks I was so used to doing with a Tab or Right-click . <p> WISHLIST ( features I 'd like to see in the next-gen iPad ) Touchscreen : The capacitive screen works fine for many things but writing notes with a " fat " stylus is n't one of them . Having a touch screen that does n't require the " fat " stylus would greatly improve handwriting and note taking . USB or SD Card ports ( never gon na happen as Apple uses memory as a price differentiator but it does n't hurt to dream ) Retina display Infrared receiver/transmitter ( Can anyone say universal remote ! ) GPS Cheaper 3G antenna : $130 bucks extra for a 3G receiver plus I got ta buy a plan ? ugh . Smartcover : Would like to

@@5106741 <h> The Face of Pachinko <p> As previously argued the " illusion of control " that enables Japanese pachinko gamblers to think that they may win even though the odds are , on average , against them rests in the belief that they themselves have more guts , spirit ( konjou ) than the players sitting on either side of them . <p> This ( images above ) series of films Ryouzanpaku 1-6 ( 1996-1998 ) stars Hiroyuki Watanabe playing the leader of a " professional " pachinko playing group . A group by this name really existed . The name comes from a Chinese legend meaning a place where skilled aficionado outlaws meet . <p> Essentially all that Mr. Watanabe 's character does is shoot little balls up into a hole . As you can see from his expression , however , Watanabe 's character has true grit , or guts , and can put them all out on the table and play to the last ball . <p> The series also builds on a group motif . The pachinko professionals fight as a team . I would not be surprised if those that are addicted to pachinko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to lay it all on the line for those they love , even as they waste their family finances pumping the pachinko machine . <p> url=http : **30;4566;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;4598;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by url=http : **30;4630;TOOLONG ... on Flickr <p> url=http : **30;4662;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;4694;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by url=http : **30;4726;TOOLONG ... on Flickr <p> url=http : **30;4758;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;4790;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by url=http : **30;4822;TOOLONG ... on Flickr <p> url=http : **30;4854;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;4886;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by url=http : **30;4918;TOOLONG ... on Flickr <p> url=http : **30;4950;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;4982;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by url=http : **30;5014;TOOLONG ... on Flickr <p> url=http : **30;5046;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;5078;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by url=http : **30;5110;TOOLONG ... on Flickr <p> url=http : **30;5142;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;5174;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by url=http : **30;5206;TOOLONG ... on Flickr <p> url=http : **30;5238;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;5270;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by url=http : **30;5302;TOOLONG ... on Flickr <p> url=http : **30;5334;TOOLONG ... url=http : **30;5366;TOOLONG ... Face of Pachinko/url by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... url=http :

@@5106841 <p> This includes a major proposed rewording of 3.1.1 . Previous wording : 3.1.1 Notification of Alternative Content : Provide a global option for the user to receive cues in the presence of alternatives to rendered content ( e.g. visual icons rendered in proximity of content which has short text alternatives , long descriptions , or captions ) . Proposed new wording : 3.1.1 Identify Presence of Alternative Content : The user has the ability to have indicators rendered along with rendered elements that have alternative content ( e.g. visual icons rendered in proximity of content which has short text alternatives , long descriptions , or captions ) . ( Level A ) ( Also , we are tempted to include the sentence " When the indicator is inserted into content in such a way as to change its dimensions , the user has a global option to specify how layout/reflow of the document should be handled . " but think this will be handled by a separate success criterion. ) * Intent of Success Criterion 3.1.1 : When the author provided alternative content , it is wasted if the user can not find it . Thus it becomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of alternative content evident to the user . The user should not have to hunt and examine every time to see if it includes such content , as such searching can be time-consuming , especially for users whose disability makes input difficult , tiring , or painful . The user should be able to easily identify which items have alternative content , rather than being merely informed that alternative content is somewhere in the view . * Examples of Success Criterion 3.1.1 : o Distinct visual icons are rendered in proximity of content which has short text alternatives , long descriptions , captions . If the icon forces the text to extend beyond a fixed size container the user agent handles this using its global preference settings to determine whether it expands the container , provides scroll bars , or truncates the content . o When rendering a Web page using synthesized speech , the browser generates an audible tone to signify the word being read is an acronym , and the user can press the * key to hear the expansion . When the phrase being read is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the user can press + to hear the longdesc. o A button is displayed beneath the playing video to indicate that captions are available and to let the user toggle their display . * Related Resources for Success Criterion 3.1.1 : o ( Refer to the SC about handling

@@5106941 <h> Nature lovers , it 's time for all of us to do our election homework <p> Before you vote , take a moment to think . Clear your mind , close your eyes , and breathe deeply . Picture sitting on the warm sand at your favorite Connecticut beach last summer . Remember all the birds at your feeder this morning . Imagine all the trees turning slowly , gradually to their full autumn colors . Take another breath . This is the state you love , Dear Reader . Vote for it . <p> There are plenty of issues Connecticut will face in the next few years . The legislators we elect will decide on one bill to allow cell towers in public parks . Another would allow utility companies to cut trees on your property without your permission . Yet others would allow more pesticide applications near elementary schools . There are handfuls of legislation ahead that will affect the nature of Connecticut . <p> Time is getting short for you to research local candidates . Lucky for all of us , the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters , a nonpolitical nonprofit has spent the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-environment candidates , both Republican and Democrat , to endorse for state and national office . You can see their list at http : **35;7993;TOOLONG ... <p> Look especially at Linda McMahon 's and Chris Murphy 's standings on the environment . Each of the five districts will send someone to the House of Representatives . Be sure they reflect your love of nature , clean water , air and more . The National League of Conservation Voters ( www.LCV.org ) evaluates President Barack Obama and Gov . Mitt Romney , too . <p> Your votes for these national offices are truly critical . Since 2011 , the U.S. House of Representatives has voted more than 280 times to weaken clean air , clean water and wildlife protections . Many of these measures were designed to halt progress being made to safeguard wildlife by the Department of the Interior , Environmental Protection Agency and other federal entities . Because of opposition from Congress , the president or both , few of these bills have become law . More often than not , only a handful of votes on Capitol Hill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why the upcoming elections are especially important for the future of wildlife . <p> The National Wildlife Federation ( www.NWF.org ) is another apolitical nonprofit with a clear purpose -- to speak for the animals and protect the habitats and resources they need to survive . Read their write-ups on Romney and Obama 's stands on conservation . The NWF also has a clear list of upcoming legislation that will be decided by the very people you elect . Choose carefully , considering everything you care about , like nature , wildlife and the environment we all share . <p> Enjoy Guilford naturalist and children 's book author Kathleen Kudlinski 's daily nature notes and thoughts at her Pondside Place blog , **25;8030;TOOLONG . Email her at Kathkud@aol.com or write to her c/o the

@@5107041 <h> South Side Of The Sky Lyrics <p> A river a mountain to be crossed The sunshine in mountains sometimes lost Around the south side so cold that we cried Were we ever colder on that day A million miles away It seemed from all of eternity <p> Move forward was my friend 's only cry In deeper to somewhere we could lie And rest for the the day with cold in the way Were we ever colder on that day A million miles away It seemed from all of eternity <p> The moments seemed lost in all the noise A snow storm a stimulating voice Of warmth of the sky Of warmth when you die Were we ever warmer on that day A million miles away It seemed from all of eternity <p> The sunshine in mountains sometimes lost The river can disregard the cost And melt in the sky warmth when you die Were we ever warmer on that day a million miles away We seemed from

@@5107141 <h> At this point the polls show that " Neither " is running very well <p> As of July 5 , 2012 there were 6,278,428 registered voters in North Carolina . Of those , 2,726,102 were registered as Democrats , 1,970,791 as Republicans , 13,789 as Libertarian and 1,567,746 were Unaffiliated . Just a quick glimpse at those numbers tells you several important things about North Carolina politics . <p> ? Democrats have the edge , but not enough to guarantee any Democrat electability . Democrats would not win any statewide race if every registered voter voted . They only have 43% of the registered voters . <p> ? For a Republican to win a statewide race he/she must get all of the Republican vote plus nearly all of the unaffiliated vote . To the degree they do not achieve that , they must pull Democrat votes to win . <p> ? But none of that matters . What matters is turnout . The above projections hold true IF the rate of turnout is about the same in each party , but only if that 's true , and it hardly ever is . <p> ? So if either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher percentage of their voters they win . That is , IF they get a significant percentage of the Unaffiliated vote . <p> To understand the significance of all this one needs to factor in one other fact . Most blacks are registered as Democrats . Those who vote in any given election vote overwhelmingly for the Democrat ( 90%+ ) whoever it is , as some would say " even if it was a Yellow Dog running . " So no matter who is running as a Republican they are not going to get much of the black vote , no matter how they run . Whether a Republican is running as a " liberal , moderate or conservative " does not matter . They are not going to get much of the black vote . <p> Another interesting statistic . Of the voters who voted a straight party ticket in 2010 , only slightly more Democrats ( 51% ) voted a straight ticket than did Republicans ( 48% ) . <p> So what does that leave ? <p> The answer is simple . There are two ways someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just one way : They must get the Unaffiliated vote while carrying most of the Republican vote . Thus , the Unaffiliated voters are the swing voters and they control who wins . <p> And although the numbers are slightly different in Beaufort County they are close enough to the state 's to make the same assumptions true in Beaufort as in the state . <p> One more historical fact : Barack Obama won North Carolina in 2010 by only 14,177 votes . A number of people know that Libertarian Bob Barr got 25,722 votes . While you can debate where those 25,722 voters would have gone had a Libertarian not been on the ballot , it is easier to conjecture that the 13,942 people who wrote in someone 's name who was not even running were casting protest votes . Wonder how many of those 13,942 people today are glad they let Barack Obama win ? <p> Most Republicans in the state have taken great comfort in the polls since the filing closed . Almost all of them has shown McCrory leading Walton Dalton . But the dirty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But that is not how the election will play out . Voters will have a third choice other than Dalton or McCrory . <p> The Civitas Institute just published a poll done the first week of July . It should be a startling wake-up call for Republicans . What it shows is that Pat McCrory 's lead over Walton Dalton is within the margin of error when people polled were given a chance to " vote " for someone other than Dalton or McCrory . <p> This simply re-enforces what we have been saying here for months . It is a strategic mistake to assume how voters will respond in a two-race . The temptation is to view it as " Romney vs . Obama , " " Dalton vs . McCrory , " or Williams vs . Lawson and thus the winner there vs . Paul Tine . <p> It will not play out that way . Rather , the issue of who wins will be decided by turnout . If either the Democrats or Republicans turn out significantly more than the other then that candidate will likely win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swing to either party that candidate will win . Simple as that . <p> The House 6 race illustrates the idea as well as any other . Whether Williams wins or Lawson wins will be determined by who turns out in a low-turnout election . If Williams wins the chances are that many Republicans will simply not vote in November . But more importantly , many of the grassroots " true Republicans " will not get out and work to turn out the Republican vote against Tine . He will get most of the Democrat vote and will thus have to pull only a few Unaffiliated voters , which he can probably do . Without a heavy conservative turnout , Tine wins . Simple as that . <p> The same is true for McCrory , at least Down East . And history shows that it is almost impossible for a candidate to win the governorship without carrying the East . <p> What the political strategists must remember is that voters have three choices , always : Democrat , Republican or neither

@@5107241 <h> Other Formats <p> Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions , The Way of the Bodhisattva ( Bodhicharyavatara ) is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment , and to generating the qualities of love , compassion , generosity , and patience . This text has been studied , practiced , and expounded ... Read More <p> Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions , Shantideva 's Way of the Bodhisattva is a guide for anyone seeking to cultivate the mind of enlightenment and the qualities of love , compassion , patience , and generosity . Presented in the form of a personal ... Read More <h> Nook eBook Download <p> Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions , The Way of the Bodhisattva ( Bodhicharyavatara ) is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment , and to generating the qualities of love , compassion , generosity , and patience . This text has been studied , practiced , and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries , first in India , and later in Tibet . Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse , it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas -- those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake . <p> This version , translated from the Tibetan , is a revision by the translators of the 1997 edition . Included are a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama , a new translator 's preface , a thorough introduction , a note on the translation , and three appendices of commentary by the Nyingma master Kunzang Pelden . <p> " Shantideva 's work is required reading for an understanding of Tibetan Buddhism , and the clarity and crispness of this new translation make it an accessible way into the world . " -- Publishers Weekly <p> " If I have any understanding of compassion and the practice of the bodhisattva path , it is entirely on the basis of this text that I possess it . " -- H. H. the Dalai Lama <h> Book and Audio-CD Set <p> Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions , Shantideva 's Way of the Bodhisattva ( Bodhichary ? vat ? ra ) is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment , and to generating the qualities of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the form of a personal meditation ... Read More <h> A Commentary on The Way of the Bodhisattva <p> The fourteenth Dalai Lama , a living embodiment of the bodhisattva ideal , presents here detailed practical guidance based on sections of The Way of the Bodhisattva by Shantideva , the best-known text of Mahayana Buddhism . The Dalai Lama explains this classic and ... Read More <p> Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions , Shantideva 's Way of the Bodhisattva is a guide for anyone seeking to cultivate the mind of enlightenment and the qualities of love , compassion , patience , and generosity . Presented in the form of a personal ... Read More <p> Stay in Touch <p> Sign up for our mailing list to get updates on special offers , new releases , events , and more . Once you sign up , you can

@@5107341 <p> At a recent dance concert , I happened to sit with the director of one of Chicago 's finest church music programs . Talk turned to choruses in town . " If I hear a performance , " the gentleman said , " either in person or on a radio broadcast , I can always tell if it 's the Grant Park Chorus prepared by Christopher Bell . It 's as if he has some magic dust he sprinkles on his singers that gives them this incredible precision . " <p> Talking with the singers themselves confirms that there is an intangible , almost magical component as there is with all great conductors . But the singers offer more . " He has the best ears in the business , " two of them told me . " He misses nothing and he knows how to communicate what he hears and what he wants to reach his goal . <p> Bell has also had the privilege of working with a strong institution and tradition . The Grant Park Music Festival is marking the 50th anniversary of its remarkable chorus with six major programs that put this 100-plus professional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer concerts . <p> The efficient , flexible and tight ensemble has had only three directors in its half a century , including its founder , the legendary Thomas Peck . In 2001 , Bell , Belfast-born and Scotland-trained and -based , followed Peck 's longtime assistant Michael Cullen after both men died prematurely in the 1990s . Bell has continued their inquisitiveness about the repertoire and brought even more puckish joie de vivre . Even while conducting two ostensibly solemn works last weekend , he managed to sport some shoes that glowed well into the seating area . <p> Thus far the season has held two world premieres commissioned for the group 's golden anniversary , Michael Gandolfi 's silly " An Exaltation of Place " in June , which fizzled -- in its composition , not its execution -- and Sebastian Currier 's complex and subtle " Sleepers and Dreamers " earlier this month which scored with the audience and critics alike and is sure to be picked up by other organizations . Chicago linchpin Cedille Records has issued the first a cappella disc from the chorus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choral works , " to enthusiastic reviews . And Grant Park artistic director and principal conductor Carlos Kalmar 's similarly excellent orchestra was doing first-rate work behind the Pavilion at the Harris Theater accompanying the Paris Opera Ballet 's successful engagement there . Plus , selected members of the chorus even did their fine Broadway-babies part in the big Frank Loesser tribute concertsearlier this month . <p> Kalmar will lead two more major works with the chorus in August , both cantatas : Haydn 's " The Seasons " ( 10-11 ) and a Dvorak rarity , " The Spectre 's Bride " ( 17-18 ) to close the season . <p> Over the weekend , Bell himself was on the podium for Rossini 's unusual and thrilling , almost hourlong " Stabat Mater " and a 1978 work by one of Bell 's Edinburgh mentors , the late Briton Kenneth Leighton . <p> After his retirement from most composition , Rossini wrote this rarely solemn setting of a very solemn liturgy in two chunks , 1831-32 and 1841 , as a commission-favor for an influential Spaniard . It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the mourning Mary standing at the cross and requires a disciplined choir as well as four well-matched soloists ; key sections are unaccompanied . Bell had all of these Friday evening . Chicago soprano Jonita Lattimore , debuting mezzo Jennifer Holloway , Lyric Ryan Center tenor star Rebe Barbera and bass-baritone Ryan McKinny , another local debutant , handled individual solos , duets and quartets with care and naturalness -- and ears , evident in the singers ' easy blending . McKinny was especially noteworthy for his comfortable turns in both baritone and low bass registers . All four singers are testimony to the high level of training the top national opera apprentice programs are providing young American talent . <p> The Leighton performance was most noteworthy for the spectacular diction that is a hallmark of this chorus , Try singing , or even speaking , " through which the multitudinous monads are bound together , " a typical passage in the silly and pompous text by the French 20th century Catholic quasi-mystic Teilhard de Chardin . The evening opened with Rossini 's 1829 " William Tell " Overture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It

@@5107441 <p> She was dressed up as a construction worker with various tools around her belt . We were talking about them and she pointed out , " I forgot to bring my stud finder but I think I found one anyway . " Then cocked an eyebrow and brushed my shoulder . IS THAT WHAT TRYING TO GET PICKED UP FEELS LIKE ? ! I 'm seriously sorry to any girl I subjected to anything like that . It was awkward and she was obviously trying to just get the conversation headed in another direction but still . That line/move was so lame I wanted to laugh . But I did n't and she ended up being really cool . She 's a bit too old for my taste ( 26 in December I think ) but I did make friends with her . I do n't know what the point is here . I 've been on the receiving end of flirting but I guess girls usually leave it up to males to make the first move . It just caught me off guard I guess . Maybe it was because it could have easily been one if @ @

@@5107541 <p> @bryantee He means that ' ' if you do n't want me , let me go and let me be available to other women ' ' . Haha I said it maybe a little straightforwardly , but this is the basic meaning . When she chose him , he stood out of the crowd of other men for her , other people in general , so she picked him instead of others . And when she lets him go , she will put him again in the crowd of people , so someone else can choose him again , as did she

@@5107641 <h> Storyline <p> The Name of this Film is Dogme95 is an irreverent documentary exploring the origins of Dogme95 , the most influential movement in world cinema for a generation . The film tells how a ' brotherhood ' of four Danish directors armed with a radical Manifesto , has inspired , outraged and provoked filmmakers and filmgoers the world over . The rules of Dogme95 take filmmaking back to its brass-tacks - stories must be set in the here and now ; the films must be shot on location , with a handheld camera , using natural light , and direct sound ; the rules forbid murders and weapons ( staples of the much-loved action-movie genre ) ; and , most amusingly , the director must not be credited ( that holds also for the director of The Name of this Film is Dogme95 ... ) . Dogme95 was formally baptised in 1998 at the Cannes Film Festival , when Martin Scorsese 's jury awarded a top

@@5107741 <h> 8 Things to Do When You 're Stuck in a Hotel Room <p> For one reason or another , you might find yourself stuck in a hotel room when you thought you 'd be out exploring a new destination . It 's happened to me a few times -- the weather is often the culprit , or a sudden illness . <p> Rather than feel down about all the stuff you 're missing out on , here 's a list of the things I do to pass the time and make me feel like it 's still a fun part of my trip . <h> #1 : Research , Read and Learn <p> Whether it 's a guidebook , brochures from the hotel or hostel lobby , or you 're online -- spend your trapped time getting to know more about destination . I 've sometimes discovered a gem of a place to visit that I probably would n't have discovered without that enforced room time ! <p> Curiously enough some of that comes from those ubiquitous racks of tourist brochures often found in hostel and hotel lobbies -- usually the brochures in hard-to-reach corners that most travelers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Assuming you 're not stuck in your room with a contagious disease , take some time to get to know the staff at your accommodation . They 'll most likely be locals with lots of interesting tips for you and if you find you have some interests in common they might even help you get a taste of local life . <p> At the very least they 're likely to tell you the real truth about the best place to eat nearby or help you figure out something else to do if your plans have been totally disrupted . <h> #3 : Play Games You 've Forgotten <p> If you 're stuck with your travelling partner or it 's a weather-induced problem and you can find fellow travellers around , then dig deep into the depths of your memory and play some games you probably have n't played in years . <p> Even noughts and crosses will do if you 've got nothing but pen and paper . I always travel with a pack of cards -- you can even cross language barriers with a simple pack of cards ! @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supply of board games or packs of cards , so ask and you might even get the chance to learn a new game that 's popular in the country you 're travelling in. <h> #4 : Write a Letter <p> Remember how people used to write on paper with a pen and send it to each other ? There 's something really special about getting a handwritten letter but most people feel they never have time to write one , or have nothing to write about . <p> Now 's the perfect time to write a beautiful letter to someone you care about . And since you 're on holidays or a big trip then you 've probably also got plenty of news to tell them . ( Just do n't dwell on the " stuck in the hotel room " bit for too long ! ) <h> #5 : Get Creative <p> I 'm no artist ( in fact I 'm pretty much the opposite ) but in situations like this , I will actually grab a pencil and paper and try to improve my drawing skills . There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do -- origami , say , or something crafty that you have easy access to . <p> Something that always helps me relax and get creative in a situation like this is to remember that nobody 's going to race in , rip your drawing from your hands and publish it for the world to see . You 're just doing it for you , and it 's just meant to be for fun . <h> #6 : Learn To Use Your Camera Properly <p> I 'm sure that most of you , just like me , have numerous functions on your camera that you 've never used -- even reasonably simple " point and shoot " cameras these days have heaps of extra functions . Take this captive time to experiment with all the functions and figure out when it might be useful to use them . Knowing a few simple ways to use the manual settings on your camera can make the end result so much better than just using the automatic settings . <h> #7 : Plan Your Future <p> From chats with others I 've learned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about life in general when they 're on a trip . Use the time to make some detailed plans about some aspect of your future ! <p> For example , plan out a bunch of monthly goals for the next year , write up something like a " bucket list " for the next decade or two , or simply figure out a good schedule for achieving a few important goals in the weeks after you arrive back home after your trip . <h> #8 : Do ... Nothing <p> If your life is remotely like mine then your ability to take time for yourself and do nothing much at all may not be very well-developed . Sometimes , though , it can be really productive and relaxing ( yes , at the same time ! ) to simply sit and do nothing . Contemplate your navel ! <p> There are n't many times in life when there are n't too many things requiring your attention but if you 're stuck in a hotel room during a trip then you do n't need to work , you do n't need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk to anyone ( except perhaps your traveling companion ! ) . So enjoy it and do nothing for once ! <h> Learn More <h> You Might Also Like <h> About the Author <p> Amanda Kendle is an Australian travel addict who 's visited more than thirty countries . She works as a travel blogger , blogging trainer and social media consultant and is trying to get a novel published . You can follow her

@@5107841 <p> I 'm delighted that you 're visiting the Bowdoin Web site . On these pages , you 'll find information about the President 's Office , the staff who work here , how to

@@5107941 <h> Best Answer - Chosen by Voters <p> it depends on how much time u have .. but .. its simple ... do crunches , planks , all kinds of ab exercises . be consistent . stay away from soda , chips , cookies , sugars ... drink green

@@5108041 <h> The Other Side of Time ( 2000 ) <h> Victor J. Stenger <h> University of Hawaii <p> In The Creator and the Cosmos : How the Greatest Scientific Discoveries of the Century Reveal God , physicist Hugh Ross gives the following " proof of creation " : <p> " The universe and everything in it is confined to a single , finite dimension of time . Time in that dimension proceeds only and always forward . The flow of time can never be reversed . Nor can it be stopped . Because it has a beginning and can move in only one direction , time is really just half a dimension . The proof of creation lies in the mathematical observation that any entity confined to such a half dimension of time must have a starting point of origination . That is , that entity must be created . This necessity for creation applies to the whole universe and ultimately everything in it . " ( Ross 1995 , 80 ) <p> This claim is based on the ancient kalm cosmological argument , which has been used in recent years by theistic philosopher William Lane Craig during his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other theistic debaters who follow his lead . Craig states the argument as a simple syllogism ( Craig 1979 ) : <p> ( 1 ) Whatever begins has a cause . ( 2 ) The universe began to exist . ( 3 ) Therefore , the universe has a cause . <p> Ross interprets that cause as the creation . <p> Note that Craig is not saying that everything must have a cause , which is a frequent misinterpretation . Only something with a beginning is supposed to require a cause . However , he gives no reason for ( 1 ) other than a kind of " metaphysical intuition . " <p> While ( 1 ) can be challenged on a number of fronts , let me just mention one rebuttal that has been made from physics . Quantum electrodynamics is a fifty-year-old theory of the interactions of electrons and photons that has made successful predictions to accuracies as great as twelve significant figures . Fundamental to that theory is the spontaneous appearance of electron-positron ( anti-electron ) pairs for brief periods of time , literally out of " @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement ( 1 ) , something that begins without cause . <p> However , one might still argue that the quantum process , though random , is still a causal one . Rather than engage in a semantic dispute on this , let me move to statement ( 2 ) of the kalm syllogism and attempt to show that the universe did not necessarily have a beginning . This will also serve to rebut another theist claim : <p> Ross also uses the kalm argument to counter the common atheist taunt : " Who created God ? " He claims that God is not confined to a " half dimension " of time , and so need not have been created . I take this to mean that if I can demonstrate the universe is not necessarily confined to a half dimension , then Ross , Craig , and other theists who use the kalm argument will be forced to admit that the universe was not necessarily created . ( Of course they wo n't ) . <p> For this purpose , it should be adequate for me to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time axis . I do not feel compelled to prove that this scenario is true , just show how this is possible within the framework of existing knowledge . <p> My scenario is provided by inflationary big bang cosmology . Ross , Craig , and I agree that the big bang is strongly supported by astronomical observations . Inflation remains less firmly established , but remains the only current theory that successfully explains a wide range of observations . Furthermore , the model is falsifiable , and so maintains good scientific credentials . Indeed , with the 1992 COBE observation of a 1/100,000 fluctuation in the temperature of the cosmic microwave background , inflation passed at least one risky falsification test . <p> Suppose the universe was at some point in time completely empty of matter , radiation , or energy of any type . It was about as nothing as nothing can be , a void . Physicists can still describe the void in terms of general relativity . It is completely flat geometrically , with space and time axes that run from minus infinity to plus infinity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curvature would have to exist and this universe would no longer be a void . <p> In the absence of matter and radiation , Einstein 's equations of general relativity yield the de Sitter solution , which simply expresses the curvature of space as proportional to the cosmological constant . When the universe is flat , this term is zero and the equation then reads : 0 = 0 . This denotes the void . <p> This is the way things would have stayed were it not for quantum mechanics , which we can also apply to an empty void . The uncertainty principle allows for the spontaneous , uncaused appearance of energy in a small region of space without violating energy conservation . If that energy appears as matter ( that is , rest energy ) or radiation ( kinetic energy of massless particles like photons ) , then it will have to disappear in a short time interval to maintain energy conservation . This can be expected to happen randomly throughout the spacetime void , with no significant permanent result . <p> However , another possibility exists that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The fluctuation energy can appear instead as spacetime curvature within this tiny region , which is called a " bubble of false vacuum . " This bubble still contains no matter or radiation , but is no longer a " true vacuum " because of the curvature , as expressed by a non-zero cosmological constant . According to the de Sitter solution , the bubble will expand exponentially in what is called inflation . <p> The energy density is constant for a brief interval of time . As the volume of the bubble increases exponentially during that interval , the energy contained within also increases exponentially . Although the first law of thermodynamics may seem to be violated , it is not . The pressure is negative and the bubble does work on itself as it expands . By the time it has inflated to the size of a proton , in perhaps 10 42 second , the bubble contains sufficient energy to produce all the matter in the visible universe today . Frictional processes ( this is all in the equations--see Stenger 1990 ) bring inflation to a halt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the big bang takes over . <p> We can label as t = 0 the time at which the initial quantum fluctuation takes place . The expansion then proceeds on the positive side of the t-axis , as defined by the increasing entropy on that side . As first suggested by Boltzmann a century ago , the direction of time is by definition the direction in which the entropy of the bubble universe increases . <p> Now , what about the negative side of the t-axis , the other half dimension ? If we look at Einstein 's equations , nothing forbids an expansion in that direction as well . Physicists usually simply ignore that solution because most share Ross 's prejudice , expressed above , that time " proceeds only and always forward . " But the equations of classical or quantum physics , including those of general relativity , make no fundamental distinction between the two time directions . Where that distinction appears , it is put in by hand as a boundary condition . <p> However , a completely time-symmetric solution of Einstein 's equations for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time axis , proceeding away from t = 0 where the initial quantum fluctuation was located . This implies the existence of another part of our universe , separated from our present part along the time axis . From our point of view , that part is in our deep past , exponentially deflating to the void prior to the quantum fluctuation that then grew to our current universe . However , from the point of view of an observer in the universe at that time , their future is into our past--the direction of increasing entropy on that side of the axis . They would experience a universe expanding into their future , just as we experience one expanding into our future . <p> Would these different parts of the universe be identical , kind of mirror images of each other ? Not unless physics is completely deterministic , which we do not believe to be the case . The two parts would more likely be two very different worlds , each expanding in its own merry way , filled with all the other random events that lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some totally different kind of life . <p> This scenario also serves to explain why we experience such a large asymmetry in time , while our basic equations do not exhibit an asymmetry at all . Fundamentally , the universe as a whole is time-symmetric , running all the way from minus eternity to plus eternity with no preferred direction , no " arrow " of time . Indeed , the whole notion of beginning is meaningless in a time-symmetric universe . And , without a beginning , the kalm cosmological argument for a creator fails because of the failure of step ( 2 ) in Craig 's syllogism . <p> I have described a scenario for an infinite , eternal , and symmetric universe that had no beginning . The quantum fluctuation occurs at one particular spatial point in an infinite void . Obviously it could have happened elsewhere in this void as well . This multiple universe scenario is exactly what is suggested by the chaotic inflationary model of Andre Linde . While multiple universes are not required to deflate the kalm argument , they can be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have arisen naturally . Again , this scenario can not be proven , just presented as a possibility that provides a non-supernatural alternative to the theistic creation . For more discussion and further references , see Stenger ( 1999 ) . <p> Finally , by showing that the universe did not necessarily have a beginning , we can counter another common theist line of argument used whenever the claim is made that a spontaneous " creation " violates no known physics . The theist will say , " Where did physics come from ? " If their imagined God did not have to come from something ,

@@5250541 <p> King James Bible ( Cambridge Ed . ) Epaphras , who is one of you , a servant of Christ , saluteth you , always labouring fervently for you in prayers , that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God . <p> American King James Version Epaphras , who is one of you , a servant of Christ , salutes you , always laboring fervently for you in prayers , that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God . <p> American Standard Version Epaphras , who is one of you , a servant of Christ Jesus , saluteth you , always striving for you in his prayers , that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God . <p> Douay-Rheims Bible Epaphras saluteth you , who is one of you , a servant of Christ Jesus , who is always solicitous for you in prayers , that you may stand perfect , and full in all the will of God . <p> Darby Bible Translation Epaphras , who is one of you , the bondman of Christ Jesus , salutes you , always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God . <p> English Revised Version Epaphras , who is one of you , a servant of Christ Jesus , saluteth you , always striving for you in his prayers , that ye may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God . <p> Webster 's Bible Translation Epaphras , who is one of you , a servant of Christ , saluteth you , always laboring fervently for you in prayers , that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God . <p> Weymouth New Testament Epaphras , who is one of yourselves , a bondservant of Jesus Christ , sends greetings to you , always wrestling on your behalf in his prayers , that you may stand firm--Christians of ripe character and of clear conviction as to everything which is God 's will . <p> World English Bible Epaphras , who is one of you , a servant of Christ , salutes you , always striving for you in his prayers , that you may stand perfect and complete in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Translation Salute you doth Epaphras , who is of you , a servant of Christ , always striving for you in the prayers , that ye may stand perfect and made full in all the will of God , <p> Always laboring fervently for you in prayers - Margin , " or striving . " Greek : " agonizing . " The word denotes the intense desire which he had for their salvation ; his fervent , earnest pleading for their welfare . <p> That ye may stand perfect and complete - Margin , as in Greek , filled . The desire was , that they might maintain their Christian principles unadulterated by the mixture of philosophy and error , and completely perform the will of God in every respect . This is the expression of a pious wish in regard to them , without any affirmation that any had been absolutely perfect , or that they would be perfect in this world . It is , however , a command of God that we should be perfect ( see Matthew 5:48 ) , and it is the highest wish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complete in moral character , and may do all the will of God ; compare the notes at 1 Corinthians 13:9 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? . That ye may stand firm , perfectly instructed , and fully persuaded of the truth of those doctrines which have been taught you as the revealed will of God : this I believe to be the apostle . <p> Instead of ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , complete or filled up , almost all the MSS. of the Alexandrian rescension , which , have ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? that ye may be fully persuaded . The word ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? signifies such a complete persuasion of the certainty of a thing , as leaves the mind which room nor inclination to doubt ; and ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? , the verb , has the same meaning , viz. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by demonstrative argumentation and exhibition of unquestionable facts . <p> This is such a persuasion as the Spirit of God , by means of the Gospel , gives to every sincere and faithful man ; and from which arises the solid happiness of the genuine Christian . They who argue against it , prove , at least , that they have not got it . <p> Epaphras , who is one of you , .... A native of Colosse , and one of their faithful ministers ; see Colossians 1:7 . <p> A servant of Christ ; not merely in the same sense as every believer is , but as he was a preacher of the Gospel , in which he faithfully served his Lord and master , Christ : <p> saluteth you ; sends his Christian respects to you , for whom he bore a sincere love and hearty affection , as appears by what follows : <p> always labouring fervently for you in prayers ; in all his prayers , which were many and frequent , he never forgot his dear flock at Colosse , of which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even to an agony , as the word signifies ; he wrestled with the Lord as Jacob did , nor , as he , would he let him go without a blessing for this church ; he was incessant , importunate , and fervent in prayer for them : and what he prayed in particular for them was , <p> that ye may stand perfect ; in Christ Jesus their head , and in his spotless righteousness ; see Colossians 1:28 and continue believing in him , and looking to him for righteousness and strength , in whom all the fulness , the perfection of grace dwells ; and where the saints only are , and can continue to be perfect : <p> and complete in all the will of God ; or " be filled " in it , have a perfect knowledge of the revealed will of God , both as to doctrine and practice , and be enabled to act according to it . <p> Lit. , in every will . Will means the thing willed , as Luke 12:47 ; James 5:30 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shall do all my will ( ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ) , i.e. , perform all the things willed by me . Ephesians 2:3 , desires , strictly willings . So here the sense is , everything willed by God . The connection is apparently with ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ye may stand . For a similar construction see John 8:44 ; Romans 5:2 ; 1 Corinthians 15:1 ; 1 Corinthians 16:13 . As Meyer observes , this connection gives stand both a modal definition ( perfect and fully assured ) and a local definition ( in all the will ) . <p> A touching illustration of priestly service , See Scofield Note : " 1Pet 2:9 " as distinguished from ministry of gift . Shut up in prison , no longer able to preach , Epaphras was still , equally with all believers , a priest . No prison could keep him from the throne of grace , Song he gave himself wholly to the priestly work of intercession . <p> labouring fervently-As the Greek , is the same , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1:29 and 2434Col 2:1 ) , literally , " striving as in the agony of a contest . " <p> in prayers-Translate as Greek , " in his prayers . " <p> complete-The oldest manuscripts read , " fully assured . " It is translated , " fully persuaded , " Ro 4:21 ; 14:5 . In the expression " perfect , " he refers to what he has already said , Col 1:28 ; 2:2 ; 3:14 . " Perfect " implies the attainment of the full maturity of a Christian . Bengel joins " in all the will of God " with " stand . " <p> 4:10-18 Paul had differed with Barnabas , on the account of this Mark , yet he is not only reconciled , but recommends him to the churches ; an example of a truly Christian and forgiving spirit . If men have been guilty of a fault , it must not always be remembered against them . We must forget as well as forgive . The apostle had comfort in the communion of saints and ministers . One is his fellow-servant , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out their own salvation , and endeavouring to promote the salvation of others . The effectual , fervent prayer is the prevailing prayer , and availeth much . The smiles , flatteries , or frowns of the world , the spirit of error , or the working of self-love , leads many to a way of preaching and living which comes far short of fulfilling their ministry . But those who preach the same doctrine as Paul , and follow his example , may expect the Divine favour and blessing . <p> Luke 1:1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us , Romans 15:30 I urge you , brothers , by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit , to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me . Colossians 1:7 You learned it from Epaphras , our dear fellow servant , who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf , Colossians 1:28 We proclaim him , admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom , so that we may present everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ labor , struggling with all his energy , which so powerfully works in me . Colossians 2:1 I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea , and for all who have not met me personally . Colossians 4:9 He is coming with Onesimus , our faithful and dear brother , who is one of you . They will tell you everything that is happening here . Philemon 1:23 Epaphras , my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus , sends you greetings . James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete , not lacking anything . <p> Alphabetical : a all always and assured bondslave Christ earnestly Epaphras firm for fully God greetings He his in is Jesus laboring mature may number of one perfect prayer

@@5250641 <p> ABATE of New York Promoting Motorcycle Safety , Awareness , &; Education since 1974 . New York 's State Motorcycle Rights Organization ( SMRO ) <p> May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month Please look out for motorcycles ! <p> ABATE of New York is a corporation , not a " motorcycle club " . We are a group of individuals from different backgrounds coming together to ensure that the motorcycling lifestyle will still be an enjoyable lifestyle for our children and grandchildren . We do this by making sure that motorcyclists ' point of view is presented to our legislators . <p> We encourage all our members to be informed , registered voters . We write letters to our elected officials and stay aware of what is going on with motorcycle legislation , education and other transportation issues . We spread the word about motorcycle safety , awareness , and education . And to do that we have events and motorcycle runs . Yes , we sit at meetings each month but we also ride our motorcycles ... a lot ! A member is not required to attend meetings but we do like to see all your smiling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and events . <p> We do n't all ride motorcycles 1974

@@5250741 <p> November is a busy month for the family . Farm auctions and the annual Helping Hand Oyster Supper take up much of Grandma 's time . The oyster supper was the most important fundraiser for the Butler Union Church . <p> Of national interest is the election of Franklin Roosevelt for an unprecedented fourth term . Grandma 's feelings probably reflect the sentiment of many voters in 1944 . Sadly we are reminded the war is not yet over ; another young soldier is reported missing . <p> Wednesday , Nov. 1 , 1944 : This is Arthur Hayes sale day . Dad went to Hillsboro on federal loan business . I started to walk to the sale , but Jess Masters ' family let me ride with them . A balmy day with a strong wind from the south . I bought one chicken feeder . The others went too high for me . We got seven tons of coal . K.D. Burris ' men put it in the coal house . Had an early supper and drove to Morrisonville to see Ella Graves -- the stepdaughter of Henry Best from McPherson , KS . She was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 1944 : This is Household Science day at Ida Brown 's . It is Fern Turner 's meeting . A very nice day . I took Irene Eckhoff to her corner and Mayme Ware to her gate . I bought 14 yards bleached muslin at 22 cents per yard . Enough for the backs of Geraldine 's two quilts . The A.T . A. annual oyster supper at Ware 's Grove . Keiths took us . Had a big crowd . I got some cuttings for some pretty chrysanthemums . I wonder will they grow . Returned Mrs. Young 's finished flower garden quilt top Mrs. George Ware . <p> Friday , Nov. 3 , 1944 : Weather still continues very nice . Carl wanted to go to Litchfield to buy overshoes , so I went along . He did n't find any . I bought unbleached muslin , enough to make drapes for the living room windows . I picked enough ripe tomatoes to make catsup . Carl and John Keith had a settlement for the year . He paid John $115combining , etc . <p> Saturday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had an early dinner , so we could go to Frank Reike conservator sale . Said sale was held where Merle now lives . The house has been sold to a Rev. Greer . I got two aluminum pans , two paring knives , a spatula , two pint cups , a tablespoon , and a few other things for 65 cents . Carl got two wrenches and a .50 cross cut saw . Weather is getting cooler . <p> Sunday , Nov. 5 , 1944 : We went to Sunday School . Ate a lunch and I then dressed a chicken to fry . Merle 's came for supper . We had gingerbread with whipped cream on it . Carole Sue has a new brown check snow suit and hat . She and I waved a flag and I sang , " It 's My Flag Too . " She tried to sing it too . She played a long time with some corn meal and a spoon and two measuring cups . She is a very busy child . <p> Monday , Nov. 6 , 1944 : Rainy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ring hogs . They finally got it done . I made 13 small pints of cocktail of pears , peaches , pineapple and maraschino cherries . Three jars of apple butter , and cooked tomatoes for catsup . I dug most of my gladiolas . Went to Mrs. Hayes for some coleus cuttings that Mary Burris brought there for me . <p> Tuesday , Nov. 7 , 1944 : Election day . National . Roosevelt is running for a fourth term . It is too long in my opinion for one man to hold that office . But it is a bad time for a new man to try to step into such a turmoil , so I voted for him again . Four years ago it was bad , but now the job is still more complicated . Roosevelt seems to be winning . No rain . <p> Thursday , Nov. 9 , 1944 : Carl got up about four o'clock . Did n't read the clock right . I cooked two pumpkins , made some catsup and banked my good roses . Carl went to Keels ' sale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the early evening . Carole Sue was so full of pep . <p> Friday , Nov. 10 , 1944 : I had one awful mess of dishes and pans to wash . I baked a pumpkin pie and we had cauliflower , sweet potatoes and green beans for dinner . As tomorrow is Armistice Day , we went after groceries , main thing was yeast . I met Margaret and Carole Sue at the 10 cent store . We shopped together . Frank Keith hauled our last load of beans to town . We had to keep them because of such an amount to be sold . <p> Saturday , Nov. 11 , 1944 : This is Armistice Day . James Ward and family drove to Piper City to visit with Wayne 's . They went pheasant hunting and got several birds . Ida Brown with the Farmers ' Store truck moved our dishes , stoves , etc. out to Jim Gorman 's in preparation for the sale tomorrow . George and May Stein helped . I took Marian Sammons and Ruth Keith to a Home Bureau meeting at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lesson on accessories , and it was one of the most interesting lessons we ever had . <p> Wednesday , Nov. 15 , 1944 : This is Cy Bullington 's sale and our Helping Hand serves the lunch . We had wieners , meat loaf , chili , coffee , and pie . About as cold a day as we have had . He did n't have a very big crowd , and we had lots of wieners , pies and buns left over . <p> Saturday , Nov. 18 , 1944 : Carl paid W. Goby $170 . We got our evening chores done up early and went to the show -- Henry Aldrich in Plays Cupid . Went then to Merle 's and brought Carole Sue home with us . After the lights were out , she said , " Mommy Best , hold my hand . " She held on to my thumb until she went to sleep . <p> Monday , Nov. 20 , 1944 : I thought I would wash as it is to be a very busy week , but looked like rain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and small aprons for the bazaar . I made the parts to a doll , but did n't get it finished . <p> Tuesday , Nov. 21 , 1944 : Clarence Ward 's sale . All day it looked as if it would storm and was so chilly . Helen Sammons Skinn went to the sale with us . She bought a stack of sheet music , and I bought an 80 cents apple peeler and a few aluminum lids . <p> Thursday , Nov. 23 , 1944 : I finished my bazaar sewing , made an apron , popped corn , and we took Mary Nimmons to the 47th annual bazaar and oyster supper . The auditorium would n't hold the crowd , and the dining hall was so crowded , the waiters could n't get through . We took in $127 , so they said . Mary Nimmons came home with us and stayed all night . We had lettuce and sliced tomatoes from the garden . First killing frost visited us . <p> Saturday , Nov. 25 , 1944 : Baked a cake . We killed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Merle 's and Lorene Sammons went out for a time . Larry went to bed with " Cumpa Best

@@5250841 <p> For immediate release Nov. 6 , 2012 Environmentalists Announce New Keystone XL Demonstration at the White House on November 18 Oakland -- In the wake of President Barack Obama 's re-election , environmentalists today called for a demonstration outside the White House on Nov. 18 to show the president that he has their support if he denies the permit for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline . The demonstration will follow 350. org 's " Do the Math " event at the Warner Theatre and will feature thousands of activists , a 500-foot pipeline , and several speakers -- including Bill McKibben , who led the Keystone XL protests last summer in which ... <p> Bill McKibben just sent this email to 350. org supporters in the United States and Canada <p> Dear Friends <p> We wanted to share with you the news : this afternoon the Obama Administration announced that they are denying the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline . You did good work , against some of the longest possible odds . <p> For years , the knock on the President Obama was that he backed down too easily in the face of opposition . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again by passing a 60-day time limit on the President 's final decision , he stood strong and denied the permit . And that was despite the most explicit threats from Big Oil : that they would exact ' huge political consequences ' if he did the right thing on Keystone . Make no mistake -- this is a brave decision . <p> And make no mistake about this either -- Big Oil will do everything it can to overturn that decision , because they are not used to losing . They have one weapon -- money . They 've used it to buy the allegiance of many Representatives and Senators and now they 'll use Congress to try and get their dirty work done . That 's what happened when the President delayed the permit last November , and we should expect them to try again now . <p> That 's why we 're going to Congress and Big Oil , beginning next Tuesday the 24th . If you can join us , we 're meeting at noon on the West Lawn , and you should wear a referee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whistle ' on the corruption that passes for business as usual on Capitol Hill , where people take money from companies whose interests they vote on . If this happened at the Super Bowl it would be a national scandal ; we 've got to make sure it 's seen that way in our political life too . We know it 's short notice , but we hope we can get at least 500 people there . Not to get arrested , at least not this time , but to make quite a noise . <p> We 'll be fighting to prevent Keystone , but we 'll also be fighting to shut off the flow of handouts to the oil , gas , and coal industries , and to take away their right to use the atmosphere as an open sewer into which to dump their carbon for free . This industry , simply because it iss rich , has been cosseted too long . Time to fight back . <p> What you 've done these past eight months is quite amazing -- and against all the odds . We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but we have shown that spirited people can bring science back to the fore . Blocking one pipeline was never going to stop global warming -- but it is a real start , one of the first times in the two-decade fight over climate change when the fossil fuel lobby has actually lost . <p> Rest assured they 'll fight like heck -- their world-record profits depend on it . We better fight just as hard , because the world depends on it . <p> 350. org founder and Keystone XL protest leader , Bill McKibben , had the following reaction the news that the State Department is expected to reject the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline later this afternoon . For more coverage of the announcement , please visit 350. org . <p> " Assuming that what we 're hearing is true , this is n't just the right call , it 's the brave call . The knock on Barack Obama from many quarters has been that he 's too conciliatory . But here , in the face of a naked political threat from Big Oil to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up strong . This is a victory for Americans who testified in record numbers , and who demanded that science get the hearing usually reserved for big money . <p> We 're well aware that the fossil fuel lobby wo n't give up easily . They have control of Congress . But as the year goes on , we 'll try to break some of that hammerlock , both so that environmental review can go forward , and so that we can stop wasting taxpayer money on subsidies and handouts to the industry . The action starts mid-day Tuesday on Capitol Hill , when 500 referees will blow the whistle on Big Oil 's attempts to corrupt the Congress . " <p> Early last summer when folks decided to take on the Keystone Pipeline , we set up tarsandsaction.org so we could have a broad front supported by many groups . Matt , Linda , Rae , Duncan and Josh came on board and got to work -- those of you who came to DC to get arrested met them in person , and the rest of you have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . <p> Now the good news is that we 're going to try to keep them going -- in fact , we 're bringing them aboard 350. org as our US Climate Action Team . They 'll still be working hard on tar sands but expanding their work to take on issues like fracking , and systematic change like ending fossil fuel subsidies and attacking the idea that corporations are people . <p> Since many of you belong to both tarsandsaction.org and 350. org , we know you 've been getting duplicate emails , and that seems pointless . From now on you 'll hear from the 350. org US Action Team ( US because 350. org also exists in 188 other countries , where people are also hard at work ! ) , and from the other good folks at 350 when important news breaks related to climate change . <p> We 're going to go ahead and add everyone here to the 350. org email list , where you 'll get critical updates from this team on ongoing organizing on Keystone XL and other similar issues . But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here and we 'll remove you ( we 'll be sad to see you go ) : **28;5669;TOOLONG unsubscribe/ <p> We have the funding we need to get this moving , but to keep the Action Team in the field long term , we 'll need a bit more on hand . We do n't do a lot of asking for money at 350. org -- we 'd much rather you were out taking action yourself -- but if you can pitch in to keep these folks going at it , I would be very grateful . Here 's where you can donate : act.350.org/donate/20111 <p> Of course it 's been a tough year economically for many of us , so if you do n't have funds to spare , do n't even think about giving . There are plenty of ways to help out . <p> For me this is the very finest of Christmas presents . I 've enjoyed working with these five actioneers enormously , and I 've watched them fit in seamlessly with the young people who run 350. org . If we 're going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limitless ) money , we 're going to need to be a lean loving fighting machine . This will help -- but only if you 're a part of it . <p> I 'm feeling entirely fired up about 2012 . This time last year I had no idea that we 'd be fighting Keystone together , or that I 'd be spending time in jail , or any of it ; I 'm pretty sure the year to come will be just as exciting . <p> In a news analysis published today , the New York Times concludes that while the tax bill provision on Keystone XL will likely kill the project , the victory will do little to stop future pipelines , stall tar sands development , or slow down global warming . After all , the world needs energy , the tar sands have it , and therefore , they 're going to be developed , atmosphere be damned . <p> It 's a compelling argument that 's been made over and over again during the fight against Keystone XL . Here 's why it 's wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things that made " economic " sense . That 's why ever mile of the Colorado river is n't dammed , why we have n't cut down every last inch of Brazilian rainforest , or , to pull from another time period , why the British Empire finally abolished the slave trade even though it was great economics . As it turns out , there are other forces in the world than supply and demand . Just because morality is hard to quantify , does n't mean it ca n't change history now and then . <p> As political opposition to the tar sands grows , it 's going to be nearly impossible for oil companies to build the pipelines they need to get tar sands oil out of landlocked Alberta . You thought the fight against the Keystone XL pipeline was contentious ? Just check out the struggle over the Enbridge Northern Gateway , a pipeline that was slated to be built from the tar sands out to the coast of British Columbia . Thanks to the opposition from indigenous communities along the entire pipeline route and people up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to stall the project for yet another year of environmental review . The delay , along with the news on Keystone , has fired up the anti-tar sands movement even more . When Goliath teeters , David puts another stone in the sling-shot . Continue reading " Keystone XL Victory Will Help Stop the Tar Sands " <p> We 've been doing our best the last couple of weeks to keep you up-to-date on the machinations about Keystone in Washington . " Our best " in this case has only been so-so , because the whole process has been incredibly confusing . <p> But it seems to be getting a little clearer now . Today the House agreed to legislation for a payroll tax cut that also includes language forcing the president to decide one way or the other on the Keystone pipeline in the next 60 days . <p> Our hope is that the president will use the opportunity to deny the permit , and sooner rather than later . His administration has made it clear many times over the past few weeks that the demand for quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pipeline . As White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer tweeted a few days ago : the bill " simply shortens the review process in a way that virtually guarantees that the pipeline will NOT be approved . " No one could responsibly approve such a project under the gun ; even the Canadian government announced this month that they would delay the review of proposed pipelines to the Pacific for a year because of environmental concerns . <p> You have patiently and firmly explained to the president for the last six months why this pipeline is a bad idea -- and by " you " I mean the twenty top scientists who sent a letter explaining the climate impacts , the ten Nobel Peace Prize laureates , the dozens of tribal leaders who signed the Mother Earth Accord , the 1253 people who got arrested , the 12,000 who circled the White House , the 500,000 who filed public comments on the plan , the many many more who sent letters and emails and made phone calls to the White House and Congress . <p> You 've done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need you to make one more grand push , and as soon as we know you 'll know . <p> In the meantime , please enjoy the holidays . We 're getting our first small snowfall of the season in Vermont , which I 'm taking as a good omen . <p> Newt Gingrich went out of his way to try to smear us as extremists . Not only is he wrong about who we are -- he 's also wrong about who the real extremists are . The real extremists are the people who want to dig up forests to get dirty oil to send 1700 miles across precious drinking water only so that it can be burned and put catastrophic amounts of carbon into the atmosphere to alter our planet 's climate for good . That 's extremism . <p> About 48 hours ago , I told you we 'd probably have a clearer picture of what was going on with the pipeline fight in 48 hours . <p> I was wrong , mistaken , and also incorrect . As it stands now , things in Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House 's consent , passed a payroll tax cut plan with a rider attached that would have forced a speedy review of Keystone . That sounds bad -- except that administration spokesmen said quite bluntly that if they were forced to do a quick review they 'd deny the permit . <p> That sounds good -- except that now the Tea Party caucus in the House has decided they do n't want the payroll tax cut , and they do want the Senate to come back to DC for more talks , and ... you get the drift . At least for the moment , Keystone is flotsam on the unchartable tides of DC politics . Continue reading " 48 Hours Later ... an Update on Congress " <p> This morning , the Senate passed a bill that requires a 60-day , expedited approval process for the pipeline in return for a payroll tax cut , and the President has said he will sign it . <p> The news has been swirling around Washington the last few days , with one report after another of deals and deadlines . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months ago , when we started the campaign to stop this pipeline , almost no one had even heard of this thing and now it 's the center of frantic bargaining -- that 's a real tribute to your efforts ) . <p> Here 's what we do know : <p> The dirty energy industry wants the pipeline fast-tracked , and is demanding that the President grant or deny a permit within two months . They 're going to do all they can to make that happen . <p> The administration knows that Americans do n't want that permit granted . They know because many of you encircled the White House in November , and submitted more public comments than on any energy project in history , and because yesterday the climate movement flooded the White House switchboard with so many phone calls that the busy signal was the sound of the day . For all that work , thank you . <p> Here 's what we do n't know : what happens next . <p> Our hope -- and what you should ask the President for when you write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will say the obvious thing : <p> " Two months is not long enough to review the pipeline . The Canadians themselves have just delayed review of their tar sands pipelines over safety concerns , and we 've just come through a year that set a record for billion-dollar climate-related disasters ; I 'm not going to do a rush job just to please the oil industry lobbyists . So this pipeline is dead . " <p> Since the State Department has already , in essence , said two months is not enough time , this should be straightforward . <p> We should know how it 's going to play out within 48 hours or so . We 're of course ready to fight like heck . <p> Once you 've done that , I recommend eggnog , football , caroling , Hannukah-shopping -- and checking the email every once in a while ? We 're hanging fire on this , and we 'll let you know when we find out what 's going down and if rapid reaction of some kind is required . <p> So so many thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ P.S. We know one other thing too . On Thursday night the Republican debating society came out in favor the pipeline , which is easy for them to do since they 've all now denied climate science . Newt Gingrich in particular blamed " San Francisco environmental extremists " with holding things up . I 'm sure our California crew is happy for the shout-out , but it seemed a little unfair to Nebraska farmers , Texas ranchers , Florida College students , New York trade unionists , Wall Street occupiers , and even us Vermont granola eaters . We 're a big broad bunch and we 're going to stay that way ! <p> As I type this , Big Oil 's representatives in the House and Senate are pushing legislation that would rush approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline . Up until now President Obama has stood strong , threatening to reject any bill that includes the pipeline . But in the last hour , some terrible news has begun to leak from DC : President Obama seems to be on the verge of caving on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crucial -- the President needs to hear from you that cutting a back-room deal with Big Oil on Keystone XL is unacceptable . If he steps up makes a public threat to veto this bill , he can stop this pipeline in its tracks . <p> To keep his promises , President Obama needs to veto legislation that would rush approval of Keystone XL . This pipeline is a threat to our climate and jobs and needs to be stopped . <p> President Obama came into office promising to " end the tyranny of oil . " This is his chance to prove he was serious . If he 's not , he needs to know right now that there will be real consequences . <p> Big Oil cut a back-room deal with the dirtiest Members of Congress to attach this legislation to a must-pass tax cut bill . These kinds of deals exemplify the tyranny Big Oil exercises over our government , and underscores why the President needs to threaten a veto . <p> Your calls right now are absolutely crucial , and you should also be getting ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks to come . We 're dusting off our plans to go to Obama 2012 offices and raise a ruckus . Call the White House , but also get in touch

@@5250941 <h> I think you probably know roughly what to expect . <h> About <p> My name is Hank , I make videos on YouTube that have helped to create pretty much the coolest community of people ever . I like science , corndogs , cute things , books , and anglerfish . The universe has no edge . <h> Connect <p> I think that talking about the " post-scarcity economy " is weird seeing as how so many people already live in a post-scarcity world , and yet still manage to create scarcity for themselves . <p> By all accounts , what you need to live a satisfied , pleasant life can be purchased relatively inexpensively nowadays . People 100 years ago would look at the lifestyle of a middle class American and their jaws would drop at the wealth . Meat for breakfast , lunch , and dinner , three hour trips from Chicago to Salt Lake , instant communication with anyone anywhere , Honda Civics , 2,000 square foot houses . <p> I have n't done a lot of research , but when I hear about post-scarcity , I think of the two things that scarcity really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or biological <p> Lingering , vestigial want <p> I 'm afraid that lingering want will always exist . We will find ways to create scarcity ... we will find the things that are difficult to create , and we will value them more highly and feel better when we acquire them , at least for a little while . And when I say all this in the future tense , I mean that it 's already happened . <p> Wanting , as I have said , is my favored definition of " alive . " So , I do not have faith in our ability ( certainly not my ability ) to stop it . And it 's a testament to our capacity for lingering want that we continue spending massive amounts of resources on unnecessary luxuries while many people still have real , physical needs that have not been satisfied . <p> Not that I 'm judging , or if I am , I am judging myself . I 'm writing this on a macbook air while sitting on a leather sofa in a 1,200 square foot house .. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that this vestigial want is a uniquely powerful force that seems to eliminate any possibility of a post-scarcity world . <h> AD <h> Hank 's Tumblr <h> Navigation <h> Pages <h> Credits <h> About me <p> My name is Hank , I make videos on YouTube that have helped to create pretty much the coolest community of people ever . I like science , corndogs , cute things ,

@@5251041 <h> " I Was In The First Ever Girls On the Run ! " <p> It 's of Molly Barker , the founder of Girls on the Run , and the group of girls who were part of the first ever GOTR team . While out on a run , Molly had the idea for GOTR , and she worked tirelessly to write a curriculum and bring the program to a local Charlotte elementary school . In 1997 , her dream became a reality . But Molly and the girls had no idea that GOTR would become a huge non-profit that has since served over a quarter of a million girls in the United States and Canada . <p> When I shared the image , a Healthy Tipping Point reader named Sarah commented : " Hey , I 'm in that picture ! " ( She 's standing up and wearing a yellow shirt . ) Turns out , Sarah is still living in Charlotte , where GOTR first started . And since participating , she 's continued running and served as GOTR assistant coach . I asked her to share her story . <p> Take it away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third and fourth grade , so I was nine and ten . As a kid , I was a major tomboy ; so much so that I went through a stage where I wore boys ' boxers instead of girls ' underwear . I loved playing outside , PE class , and playing on the playground . I was quiet and a little shy . I also loved animals and remember wanting to be a veterinarian . My parents also say that I was stoic and determined . <p> Both of my parents worked , so they were always looking for organized after-school activities for me . They were both running enthusiasts , and I think they thought Girls on the Run would be a good way to introduce me to the sport . My dad also thought that it might help me with other sports down the road . They first heard about the program when I brought a Girls on the Run flyer home from school . My dad called Molly to get more information , and apparently they had a long talk . He hung up impressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up . <p> The original Girls on the Run curriculum not only included an end-of-season 5K , but a camping trip . Most of my specific memories are from the 5K and camping trips . In general , however , I remember really looking forward to the days I got to go to Girls on the Run . I had a lot of friends in my group , and we liked running around the big track and playing games in the field . I remember at the beginning of the season hearing Molly talk about everyone doing a 5K at the end , but not really believing her that we would . It sounded long ! I also remember Molly 's energy -- she was always smiling and always excited to see us . My group was very rambunctious , and I remember Molly 's patience . She had endless patience ! She was good with all of the personality types in my group and gave the same amount of attention to the loudest girl as she did to the quietest girl . ( I was a quiet girl and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was very cool , and I kind of viewed her as a more fun version of a teacher . <p> I also started to learn in Girls on the Run that I 'm not a very competitive person . By third grade , I had tried soccer and basketball and did n't really love those settings . In Girls on the Run , however , I had the chance to set a goal for myself ( the 5K ) and work towards reaching it on my own . I did n't need a lot of external pressure or competition to thrive -- just support , which is what we got in GOTR . I really liked the feeling of personal accomplishment at the end of Girls on the Run , and have since learned that those are the situations in which I do best . <p> Since we were the first and only Girls on the Run in my two years , we did n't have a dedicated GOTR 5K as they do now in many big cities . The first year we ran in Charlotte 's Reindeer Romp . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , seeing all of the people , and realizing that the race was actually going to happen -- I think I had doubted that the entire season . I vividly remember the race organizers giving out little bells for us to tie on our shoes and thinking that was really cool ( kids really do remember the little things ) . I ran the race with my mom , and I remember thinking that 5k was the longest distance ! The course seemed to keep going and going . I also remember how good it felt to see the finish line and how excited I was that I 'd finished . That 's a pretty great feeling no matter your age or the distance . <p> Several years after my last season of Girls on the Run , Molly reached out and invited me to run in one of the first GOTR-specific 5Ks . I ran with my dad and was shocked at how much the program had grown and how many people were participating ! Then , my friend Caroline ( who was also in the original group ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school . <p> I certainly attribute GOTR to introducing me to running . I think a lot of peoples ' battle with running is mental -- they do n't enjoy it and do n't think they can do it . Doing Girls on the Run showed me early on that running can be fun , and it gave me the opportunity to discover what I was capable of . I learned in GOTR that I could run if I put my mind to it , and it could be something I enjoyed . In high school , college , and since college , running has really been a tool for me . It 's a time to clear my head , spend quality time with myself , bond with friends , gain confidence , push myself beyond what I thought was possible , and accomplish some life goals . I think that showing young girls that running can be fun is a great mission , and GOTR can really set girls up for a healthier future . <p> Molly has been really great about keeping in touch with several of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her a lot over the years , have heard her speak several times , and have gone to a couple of GOTR events with her to represent the original group . Since I live in Charlotte now , often run into her around town . She is still a role model and an inspiration to many of us . One of my more recent memories of Molly happened last year when I was training for a marathon -- I was on one of my final long runs and was really struggling . It was hot , I was a long way from home , and I really wanted to walk . I was running through a park and crossed paths with Molly , who was walking with her daughter . I thought to myself , " Oh perfect , someone I know and can stop and talk to ! This is a perfect excuse to stop and rest . " As Molly saw me , she said , " Hey Sarah ! I heard you 're training ! " So I stopped to talk and she said , " Oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've got it ! Keep going ! " and really pushed me on to finish the run . Seeing her at that point was great motivation , and it put my mind in a better place . She was still a little bit my coach , fourteen years after GOTR . <p> While writing this , I talked to my mom about my Girls on the Run experience , and she reminded me of something I said back in third grade . Apparently I came home from Girls on the Run one afternoon and very confidently declared to her that this program was going to be as big as Girl Scouts one day . I must have known it was something special , even as a third grader . <p> It has been incredible watching GOTR grow from our first little group into what it is today . I am really proud of and impressed by Molly , and I 'm not surprised by how many people volunteer to support her mission . Every time I hear someone mention Girls on the Run , I always want to brag that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very cool fun fact and claim to fame ! <p> What a wonderful story ! I teared up when I reached the photo of Sarah finishing the Boston Marathon . I hope GOTR will be available for my ( future , unborn ) daughter someday . If not , maybe I 'll start a chapter ! <p> Aw this post makes me so happy ! Great story Sarah . There is a GOTR chapter in Toronto but unfortunately that 's a little far for me to travel in order to help out . However , I still would love to take part in it some day , and help create memories for young girls like the ones you 've shared here . <p> Loved this ! I really hope they accept me to help out in the fall ! Do you know if every chapter has assistant coaches ? I think I might rather start as an assistant since I 've never been involved before . <p> Wow ! Sarah , you could have been describing my daughter , right down to the day she told me that Molly Barker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be just as big as Girl Scouts ! My daughter is not competitive either , but has found a love through GOTR that I hope lasts as long for her as it has for you . She just finished her 6th and final GOTR in elementary school . We are hoping to figure out how to bring Girls on the Track to her middle school next year . Thanks for sharing your story <p> I coached a Girls on the Run team for the first time this spring . I think I got as much out of it as the girls . I would strongly suggest anyone to volunteer to coach ( the curriculum is very easy to follow ) . Also , you can volunteer race day if you are n't able to coach . It is an incredible event and they always need a lot of volunteers . <p> No fair ... this has me in tears over here . Literally . I just feel so amazed by all the literally hundreds of thousands of people who continue to give their hearts and souls to this program . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now . You are ray of light , girl . A ray of light ! <p> My daughter just finished her 2nd GOTR season , and she and I and my mom did the 5k together . I love the GOTR curriculum and my daughter is completely hooked . I already asked our coach about being an assistant when the current assistant 's daughter " graduates " to middle school . <p> I did witness something really heartbreaking during our GOTR 5k this spring . A dad was a " running buddy " and was berating his daughter almost the whole race for not running more and was literally pulling her along by the arm to make her run . My little group was doing a consistent run 2 min/walk 2 min schedule and they kept passing us when he dragged her and then we passed them when they walked . She was almost in tears and I wanted to chew him out ( or punch him/trip him you name it , I was really upset ! ) . If Molly is reading this comment , what would you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOTR and just devastating for the girl involved . <p> How neat that Sarah found you and saw herself in this picture ! I also think it is so cool to hear her reflections on participating as a child . I think it 'd be interesting to hear a child 's perspective right after they participate , too ... maybe the next season you coach ? <p> Thank you both for sharing . I really love this story . I 've know of and had friends who have been involved with girls on the run for a few years . This has inspired me to get involved . Molly really is an inspiration ! It 's a testament to what a small dream can become ... <p> Such a great story ! ! ! Every time I read something about GOTR , I get more &; more sure that I want to be involved with it . I 'm actually applying for an assistant coach position for the fall near my college ! <p> Congrats on finishing your marathon , Sarah ! I 'm training for my first one in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will serve as my motivation ! <p> I also love the camping picture , I remember that night vividly ! I believe that was my first night camping outside , and now I am an outdoor instructor as one of my professions . So many wonderful things in my life can be traced back to GOTR . <h> Disclaimer <p> I 'm not a Registered Dietitian ( RD ) . For specific medical counseling , please contact a Registered Dietitian or your doctor . My blog posts are

@@5251141 <h> How to Find a Literary Agent <p> You do know , do n't you , that if you hope to have just about any trade publisher consider your book manuscript , you 'll need a literary agent ? <p> Good . But how do you go about finding one ? Here 's my advice : <p> If you know a published writer or are a member of a writing group that has one or more published writers , ask the author for a recommendation . <p> Peruse magazines geared toward writers , and other literary-themed publications , for profiles or other references to agents . <p> Attend writing conferences and attend presentations by agents . At smaller events , you might even have an opportunity to meet one . <p> Enter writing competitions that offer consultations with agents as part of their award packages . <p> Research and evaluate agents at online directories . <p> If you choose only one of these options , opt for the last one : Go to the Web site of the Association of Authors ' Representatives or to AgentQuery . AAR members abide by a reassuring code of conduct , and AgentQuery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of whom decline to join the AAR for one reason or another or have not yet qualified for AAR membership but are just as reliable . ( There 's also Preditors and Editors , which evaluates literary agents and other publishing professionals . ) <p> Never pay an agent up-front to review your manuscript or represent you , and never pay for editorial services an agent offers or recommends . No reputable agent will request money up-front ( other than , possibly , a copying and postage fee ; see below ) or refer you to an editor who charges you for their assistance . ( They may , however , suggest several such services without recommending one in particular . ) Professional agents will represent you if they think your manuscript is ready to be published or may offer you some advice if they think it shows promise ; rarely , they 'll actually offer to polish your novel a bit -- free -- before sending it out . <p> Increasingly , legitimate literary agents are inserting a clause into contracts specifying an expense-reimbursement fee of up to $500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional fees can be charged without your written consent , and they will not offer to edit your manuscript or outsource that service if you put out some more funds . Furthermore , agents often do n't accept the expense payment if they do n't get you a publishing contract . Most reputable agents , however , refrain from charging you up-front at all . <p> How , then , do agents make a living ? If an agent agrees to represent you , they are gambling on the chance that your manuscript will sell , and they will collect a 10-20% commission on sales for their services . If they suggest some revisions , invite you to resubmit the revised manuscript , and take you on , they 'll hope to recoup their expenses , and more , the same way . If they reject your manuscript outright , that means they do not feel that representing you is a good investment , and they will not charge you for turning you down . <p> If several agents reject your manuscript , they 're telling you something -- and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent you . They 're telling you that your manuscript is n't ready for prime time , so get back to work on it , set it aside and get started on another project , or seek help in a writing group , class , or program . Before too long , it will be time to seek an agent again -- and perhaps the next time , you 'll get lucky . <h> Related Articles <h> Share <h> Join Over 50,000 Email Subscribers and Get a Free eBook ! <p> Subscribe to DailyWritingTips.com via email and you 'll be able to download our ebook , " Basic English Grammar . " <p> You will also get all our writing tips delivered to your email inbox , completely free ! <p> The download link will go along with the first email ( you might need to wait up to 24 hours ) . <h> 15 Responses to " How to Find a Literary Agent " <p> Rebecca on March 21 , 2011 9:31 am <p> I 'm looking for a literary agent for my teen non-fiction book . I sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I did hear back from a literary agent in NY about my children 's picture book but they declined . I was grateful I received a response . <p> Some literary agents ' claim ' they 'll get back to you , especially if you send your query via email . This is n't true -- do n't hold your breath . One of my goals is to open up my own agency/production company . I will get back to people , even if it 's to say , " Thanks , but no thanks . " I do my best to keep my word and to walk my talk . <p> Robinu on March 21 , 2011 12:50 pm <p> I ca n't speak for the US but in Canada this is not true . There are several trade publishers that a writer can submit their manuscripts to without having an agent represent them . Granted if your soul desire is to become a best-selling author , then yes you do need an agent to get into the likes of Random House or McLelland and Stewart , but in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a proven track record so it 's advantageous to start small , get a book published by a smaller publishing house , and then start the search for an agent . <p> Micki Perepeczko on March 22 , 2011 12:33 pm <p> Query Tracker.com is also another amazing site where you can find agents , track your queries and a successful forum -- very friendly folk on this forum as well plus success stories from queries and book deals <p> shooby on March 24 , 2011 8:48 am <p> Hey , I really tried to find literary agent to publish my book . I went to many publishers to help me in my book , but it was useless . I take many dates and a lot of promises . Thank you for giving me good steps to find respectable literary agent . Sport <p> Michael Cole is a Tool on May 14 , 2011 2:12 pm <p> Rebecca , <p> You 're too emotional out of it . If " submitters " ca n't endure that , they wo n't survive out there , if their book hits big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : look what happen to Stephenie Meyer ( yeah , the hot mom who wrote Toilet -- sorry , Twilight ) . <p> If you become an agent , you could be VERY busy and ca n't reply to those you 're not interested . So , do n't blame on them -- if you do n't hear from them in a month , send a follow-up and a week no reply ? It 's passed . <p> Charlene Oliver on May 31 , 2011 9:54 pm <p> I am a published author with the publisher Beautiful-Books in London , my autobiography titled " I 've never Been to Me " is my life 's story being the first white woman signed to the Motown Label , than having a number one hit world wide has made me want to really put my hand to writing , not just song writing , but novel writing . Being in the music industry for 30 years + It has given me a skin as tough as nails , knowing the ups and down in the industry is earth shattering , no American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard way ; Earn It ..... I have written a suspense thriller titled " Oliver 's Army : The Book and the Quill . I guess my character thinks the way I do , that is press through the toughest moments in life , and when you have been kicked in the teeth one more time get up and do it again . Persistence is the name of the game in all areas of writing , live it , breathe it , love it and never quit and your dreams will happen . Charlene <p> Joanna R. Himes-Murphy on August 12 , 2011 10:46 pm <p> I 've written a book about surviving domestic violence , but I do n't know where to look for an agent to help me . It used to be when I was a freelancer I could go to Borders or Barnes and Nobles . I really need some advice on this . <p> Tim De Felice on August 14 , 2011 11:07 am <p> OK ! I have a self published a children story . I have also been writing a novel for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agent to accept my querry for either of them . I am not sure but it seems I am losing to the numbers game . is there any way to find an agent that can be recomemded to a new author ? I need help and i want to be published , and i am willing to be patient . it just seems the light at the end fo the tunnel keeps getting further and further away . Thank you for your advice . <p> GN001 on August 20 , 2011 3:21 pm <p> I 've just started taking my writing seriously after throwing out several small stories written on the fly on the internet and receiving very positive pieces of feedback from hundreds of readers ( Even fanart based on my characters ! Thank you so much guys ! ) . <p> I 've been buzzing around /lit/ websites researching the industry and it looks as tough as I thought it would be , the articles on this website are immensely helpful to the budding writer , thanks guys ! <p> Chris R <p> Jamesha Barton on October 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I am currently seeking an agent to assist me in finding a legit book publishing company . I have been searching for months to find an self publishing company to help get my book out , but after doing some intense research , I realized that , that is not what I want to do . I have been hopping to find someone to represent me to a company that will help me succeed my goals . <p> thank you , much . <p> Andrew on March 2 , 2012 6:37 pm <p> A research manuscript , regarding " A United Republican Opposition in the Age of Obama , " almost ready for production or publication . How can I find a conventional , paying publisher(s) to get a quality-Random/Penguin publisher for my manuscript ? <p> mike on March 10 , 2012 1:53 pm <p> What are your credentials that makes your political opinion carry any weight ? Are you a former politician , reputable journalist or an amateur who 's opinion does n't matter ? Political Science PhDs with real bona fides do n't get published by those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research based and are frankly BS . Academic presses publish the research boks and you wo n't make a living that way , unless you are lucky like the woman who wrote about Lincoln that president Obama read . You have to make your Bones in another career to make it as a political author . <p> Alexander Duncan on July 30 , 2012 11:23 am <p> The whole retail/commerical structure of publishing in Canada and the world is dying . No one reads books . Books are cheap or free online . Amazon can mass sell most if not all books much cheaper than bookstores . Copyright is an almost meaningless concept now . My recommendation to an aspiring author is publish yourself online , using a free POD press if you want to create physical books , and promote yourself using blogs , etc . And do n't ever imagine that this is going to make you money or that you are going to be famous . If that 's your motive , give up now . The world of the future is a world of universally available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are extraordinarily lucky , in such a word you will never be more than a drop in the bucket . Get over it ! <p> Sara on October 2 , 2012 6:01 pm <p> Wow , Alexander , I do n't even know where to begin . <p> " No one reads books . " <p> WTF ? ! I read constantly . As do my mom , dad , sisters , friends .... When my husband and I moved we had more boxes of books than anything else and that was after we already got rid of some . I know many people who wo n't so much as get a kindle or a nook because of how much they love the feel of a book in their hands . People read books . <p> Furthermore , there 's no such thing as a free lunch , dear . Things that are " given away for free " on the internet are done so 1 . in a promotional/beginners capacity , but will not be free forever , 2. because they are of a quality that no one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by advertisers -- the piper 's still getting paid , just not by you . Although we do have access to many " free " things via the internet , and it has admittedly changed many , many things , the future of the world is not a future where everything is free or our economy will simply collapse . <p> I 'm not saying that publishing a novel is the fast track to fame and fortune , but there are many successful writers out there who have found their niche and done quite well for themselves . Think of your favorite authors ( although I suppose no one would have any if no one reads ... ) and remember that they were once just " a drop in the bucket " who refused to accept it and became more . <p> Leanne on October 5 , 2012 9:25 am <p> Sara , nicely stated ! <p> Alexander , everyone needs a dream . It is what gets you out of bed in the morning , and makes the day worth living . I have found that again in writing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . I stay up very late at night editing the hell out of it . Getting published , and sharing my work , is a big part of that dream . I aspire to be better , and to make my dreams come true . <p> Your world of everything " free " sounds boring and gray

@@5251241 <h> We Will Be A City Upon A Hill <p> January 25 , 1974 First Conservative Political Action Conference <p> There are three men here tonight I am very proud to introduce . It was a year ago this coming February when this country had its spirits lifted as they have never been lifted in many years . This happened when planes began landing on American soil and in the Philippines , bringing back men who had lived with honor for many miserable years in North Vietnam prisons . Three of those men are here tonight , John McCain , Bill Lawrence and Ed Martin . It is an honor to be here tonight . I am proud that you asked me and I feel more than a little humble in the presence of this distinguished company . <p> There are men here tonight who , through their wisdom , their foresight and their courage , have earned the right to be regarded as prophets of our philosophy . Indeed they are prophets of our times . In years past when others were silent or too blind to the facts , they spoke up forcefully and fearlessly for what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Barry Goldwater walked a lonely path across this land reminding us that even a land as rich as ours ca n't go on forever borrowing against the future , leaving a legacy of debt for another generation and causing a runaway inflation to erode the savings and reduce the standard of living . Voices have been raised trying to rekindle in our country all of the great ideas and principles which set this nation apart from all the others that preceded it , but louder and more strident voices utter easily sold cliches . <p> Cartoonists with acid-tipped pens portray some of the reminders of our heritage and our destiny as old-fashioned . They say that we are trying to retreat into a past that actually never existed . Looking to the past in an effort to keep our country from repeating the errors of history is termed by them as " taking the country back to McKinley . " Of course , I never found that was so bad -- under McKinley we freed Cuba . On the span of history , we are still thought of as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a nation , and yet we are the oldest continuing republic in the world . <p> I thought that tonight , rather than talking on the subjects you are discussing , or trying to find something new to say , it might be appropriate to reflect a bit on our heritage . <p> You can call it mysticism if you want to , but I have always believed that there was some divine plan that placed this great continent between two oceans to be sought out by those who were possessed of an abiding love of freedom and a special kind of courage . <p> This was true of those who pioneered the great wilderness in the beginning of this country , as it is also true of those later immigrants who were willing to leave the land of their birth and come to a land where even the language was unknown to them . Call it chauvinistic , but our heritage does set us apart . Some years ago a writer , who happened to be an avid student of history , told me a story about that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hard-pressed by a King who was flouting the very law they were willing to obey , debated whether they should take the fateful step of declaring their independence from that king . I was told by this man that the story could be found in the writings of Jefferson . I confess , I never researched or made an effort to verify it . Perhaps it is only legend . But story , or legend , he described the atmosphere , the strain , the debate , and that as men for the first time faced the consequences of such an irretrievable act , the walls resounded with the dread word of treason and its price -- the gallows and the headman 's axe . As the day wore on the issue hung in the balance , and then , according to the story , a man rose in the small gallery . He was not a young man and was obviously calling on all the energy he could muster . Citing the grievances that had brought them to this moment , he said , " Sign that parchment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every home into a grave and yet the words of that parchment can never die . For the mechanic in his workshop , they will be words of hope , to the slave in the mines -- freedom . " And he added , " If my hands were freezing in death , I would sign that parchment with my last ounce of strength . Sign , sign if the next moment the noose is around your neck , sign even if the hall is ringing with the sound of headman ? s axe , for that parchment will be the textbook of freedom , the bible of the rights of man forever . " And then it is said he fell back exhausted . But 56 delegates , swept by his eloquence , signed the Declaration of Independence , a document destined to be as immortal as any work of man can be . And according to the story , when they turned to thank him for his timely oratory , he could not be found nor were there any who knew who he was or how he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doors . <p> Well , as I say , whether story or legend , the signing of the document that day in Independence Hall was miracle enough . Fifty-six men , a little band so unique -- we have never seen their like since -- pledged their lives , their fortunes and their sacred honor . Sixteen gave their lives , most gave their fortunes and all of them preserved their sacred honor . What manner of men were they ? Certainly they were not an unwashed , revolutionary rabble , nor were they adventurers in a heroic mood . Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists , 11 were merchants and tradesmen , nine were farmers . They were men who would achieve security but valued freedom more . <p> And what price did they pay ? John Hart was driven from the side of his desperately ill wife . After more than a year of living almost as an animal in the forest and in caves , he returned to find his wife had died and his children had vanished . He never saw them again , his property was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no regret , only pride in the part he had played that day in Independence Hall . Carter Braxton of Virginia lost all his ships -- they were sold to pay his debts . He died in rags . So it was with Ellery , Clymer , Hall , Walton , Gwinnett , Rutledge , Morris , Livingston , and Middleton . Nelson , learning that Cornwallis was using his home for a headquarters , personally begged Washington to fire on him and destroy his home--he died bankrupt . It has never been reported that any of these men ever expressed bitterness or renounced their action as not worth the price . Fifty-six rank-and-file , ordinary citizens had founded a nation that grew from sea to shining sea , five million farms , quiet villages , cities that never sleep -- all done without an area re-development plan , urban renewal or a rural legal assistance program . <p> Now we are a nation of 211 million people with a pedigree that includes blood lines from every corner of the world . We have shed that American-melting-pot blood in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone 's freedom . Those who remained of that remarkable band we call our Founding Fathers tied up some of the loose ends about a dozen years after the Revolution . It had been the first revolution in all man ? s history that did not just exchange one set of rulers for another . This had been a philosophical revolution . The culmination of men 's dreams for 6,000 years were formalized with the Constitution , probably the most unique document ever drawn in the long history of man 's relation to man . I know there have been other constitutions , new ones are being drawn today by newly emerging nations . Most of them , even the one of the Soviet Union , contain many of the same guarantees as our own Constitution , and still there is a difference . The difference is so subtle that we often overlook it , but it is so great that it tells the whole story . Those other constitutions say , " Government grants you these rights , " and ours says , " You are born with these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and no government on earth can take them from you . " <p> Lord Acton of England , who once said , " Power corrupts , and absolute power corrupts absolutely , " would say of that document , " They had solved with astonishing ease and unduplicated success two problems which had heretofore baffled the capacity of the most enlightened nations . They had contrived a system of federal government which prodigiously increased national power and yet respected local liberties and authorities , and they had founded it on a principle of equality without surrendering the securities of property or freedom . " Never in any society has the preeminence of the individual been so firmly established and given such a priority . <p> In less than twenty years we would go to war because the God-given rights of the American sailors , as defined in the Constitution , were being violated by a foreign power . We served notice then on the world that all of us together would act collectively to safeguard the rights of even the least among us . But still , in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The great powers of Europe still had the idea that one day this great continent would be open again to colonizing and they would come over and divide us up . <p> In the meantime , men who yearned to breathe free were making their way to our shores . Among them was a young refugee from the Austro-Hungarian Empire . He had been a leader in an attempt to free Hungary from Austrian rule . The attempt had failed and he fled to escape execution . In America , this young Hungarian , Koscha by name , became an importer by trade and took out his first citizenship papers . One day , business took him to a Mediterranean port . There was a large Austrian warship under the command of an admiral in the harbor . He had a manservant with him . He had described to this manservant what the flag of his new country looked like . Word was passed to the Austrian warship that this revolutionary was there and in the night he was kidnapped and taken aboard that large ship . This man 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , suddenly spied a flag that resembled the description he had heard . It was a small American war sloop . He went aboard and told Captain Ingraham , of that war sloop , his story . Captain Ingraham went to the American Consul . When the American Consul learned that Koscha had only taken out his first citizenship papers , the consul washed his hands of the incident . Captain Ingraham said , " I am the senior officer in this port and I believe , under my oath of my office , that I owe this man the protection of our flag . " <p> He went aboard the Austrian warship and demanded to see their prisoner , our citizen . The Admiral was amused , but they brought the man on deck . He was in chains and had been badly beaten . Captain Ingraham said , " I can hear him better without those chains , " and the chains were removed . He walked over and said to Koscha , " I will ask you one question ; consider your answer carefully . Do you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nodded dumbly , " Yes , " and the Captain said , " You shall have it . " He went back and told the frightened consul what he had done . Later in the day three more Austrian ships sailed into harbor . It looked as though the four were getting ready to leave . Captain Ingraham sent a junior officer over to the Austrian flag ship to tell the Admiral that any attempt to leave that harbor with our citizen aboard would be resisted with appropriate force . He said that he would expect a satisfactory answer by four o'clock that afternoon . As the hour neared they looked at each other through the glasses . As it struck four he had them roll the cannons into the ports and had them light the tapers with which they would set off the cannons -- one little sloop . Suddenly the lookout tower called out and said , " They are lowering a boat , " and they rowed Koscha over to the little American ship . <p> Captain Ingraham then went below and wrote his letter of resignation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , " I did what I thought my oath of office required , but if I have embarrassed my country in any way , I resign . " His resignation was refused in the United States Senate with these words : " This battle that was never fought may turn out to be the most important battle in our Nation 's history . " Incidentally , there is to this day , and I hope there always will be , a USS Ingraham in the United States Navy . <p> I did not tell that story out of any desire to be narrowly chauvinistic or to glorify aggressive militarism , but it is an example of government meeting its highest responsibility . <p> In recent years we have been treated to a rash of noble-sounding phrases . Some of them sound good , but they do n't hold up under close analysis . Take for instance the slogan so frequently uttered by the young senator from Massachusetts , " The greatest good for the greatest number . " Certainly under that slogan , no modern day Captain Ingraham would risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Every dictator who ever lived has justified the enslavement of his people on the theory of what was good for the majority . <p> We are not a warlike people . Nor is our history filled with tales of aggressive adventures and imperialism , which might come as a shock to some of the placard painters in our modern demonstrations . The lesson of Vietnam , I think , should be that never again will young Americans be asked to fight and possibly die for a cause unless that cause is so meaningful that we , as a nation , pledge our full resources to achieve victory as quickly as possible . <p> I realize that such a pronouncement , of course , would possibly be laying one open to the charge of warmongering -- but that would also be ridiculous . My generation has paid a higher price and has fought harder for freedom than any generation that had ever lived . We have known four wars in a single lifetime . All were horrible , all could have been avoided if at a particular moment in time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words of John Stuart Mill when he said that " war is an ugly thing , but not the ugliest of things . " <p> The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing is worth a war is worse . The man who has nothing which he cares about more than his personal safety is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself . <p> The widespread disaffection with things military is only a part of the philosophical division in our land today . I must say to you who have recently , or presently are still receiving an education , I am awed by your powers of resistance . I have some knowledge of the attempts that have been made in many classrooms and lecture halls to persuade you that there is little to admire in America . For the second time in this century , capitalism and the free enterprise are under assault . Privately owned business is blamed for spoiling the environment , exploiting the worker and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those who make the charge have the solution , of course -- government regulation and control . We may never get around to explaining how citizens who are so gullible that they can be suckered into buying cereal or soap that they do n't need and would not be good for them , can at the same time be astute enough to choose representatives in government to which they would entrust the running of their lives . <p> Not too long ago , a poll was taken on 2,500 college campuses in this country . Thousands and thousands of responses were obtained . Overwhelmingly , 65 , 70 , and 75 percent of the students found business responsible , as I have said before , for the things that were wrong in this country . That same number said that government was the solution and should take over the management and the control of private business . Eighty percent of the respondents said they wanted government to keep its paws out of their private lives . <p> We are told every day that the assembly-line worker is becoming a dull-witted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there is n't a socialist country in the world that would not give its copy of Karl Marx for our standardization . <p> Standardization means production for the masses and the assembly line means more leisure for the worker -- freedom from backbreaking and mind-dulling drudgery that man had known for centuries past . Karl Marx did not abolish child labor or free the women from working in the coal mines in England ? the steam engine and modern machinery did that . <p> Unfortunately , the disciples of the new order have had a hand in determining too much policy in recent decades . Government has grown in size and power and cost through the New Deal , the Fair Deal , the New Frontier and the Great Society . It costs more for government today than a family pays for food , shelter and clothing combined . Not even the Office of Management and Budget knows how many boards , commissions , bureaus and agencies there are in the federal government , but the federal registry , listing their regulations , is just a few pages short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During the Great Society we saw the greatest growth of this government . There were eight cabinet departments and 12 independent agencies to administer the federal health program . There were 35 housing programs and 20 transportation projects . Public utilities had to cope with 27 different agencies on just routine business . There were 192 installations and nine departments with 1,000 projects having to do with the field of pollution . <p> One Congressman found the federal government was spending 4 billion dollars on research in its own laboratories but did not know where they were , how many people were working in them , or what they were doing . One of the research projects was " The Demography of Happiness , " and for 249,000 dollars we found that " people who make more money are happier than people who make less , young people are happier than old people , and people who are healthier are happier than people who are sick . " For 15 cents they could have bought an Almanac and read the old bromide , " It 's better to be rich @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick . " <p> The course that you have chosen is far more in tune with the hopes and aspirations of our people than are those who would sacrifice freedom for some fancied security . <p> Standing on the tiny deck of the Arabella in 1630 off the Massachusetts coast , John Winthrop said , " We will be as a city upon a hill . The eyes of all people are upon us , so that if we deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us , we shall be made a story and a byword throughout the world . " Well , we have not dealt falsely with our God , even if He is temporarily suspended from the classroom . <p> When I was born my life expectancy was 10 years less than I have already lived ? that ? s a cause of regret for some people in California , I know . Ninety percent of Americans at that time lived beneath what is considered the poverty line today , three-quarters lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those figures is less than 10 percent . We have increased our life expectancy by wiping out , almost totally , diseases that still ravage mankind in other parts of the world . I doubt if the young people here tonight know the names of some of the diseases that were commonplace when we were growing up . We have more doctors per thousand people than any nation in the world . We have more hospitals than any nation in the world . <p> When I was your age , believe it or not , none of us knew that we even had a racial problem . When I graduated from college and became a radio sport announcer , broadcasting major league baseball , I didn ? t have a Hank Aaron or a Willie Mays to talk about . The Spaulding Guide said baseball was a game for Caucasian gentlemen . Some of us then began editorializing and campaigning against this . Gradually we campaigned against all those other areas where the constitutional rights of a large segment of our citizenry were being denied . We have not finished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go , but we have made more progress in a few years than we have made in more than a century . <p> One-third of all the students in the world who are pursuing higher education are doing so in the United States . The percentage of our young Negro community that is going to college is greater than the percentage of whites in any other country in the world . <p> One-half of all the economic activity in the entire history of man has taken place in this republic . We have distributed our wealth more widely among our people than any society known to man . Americans work less hours for a higher standard of living than any other people . Ninety-five percent of all our families have an adequate daily intake of nutrients -- and a part of the five percent that do n't are trying to lose weight ! Ninety-nine percent have gas or electric refrigeration , 92 percent have televisions , and an equal number have telephones . There are 120 million cars on our streets and highways -- and all of them are on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home at night . But is n't this just proof of our materialism -- the very thing that we are charged with ? Well , we also have more churches , more libraries , we support voluntarily more symphony orchestras , and opera companies , non-profit theaters , and publish more books than all the other nations of the world put together . <p> Somehow America has bred a kindliness into our people unmatched anywhere , as has been pointed out in that best-selling record by a Canadian journalist . We are not a sick society . A sick society could not produce the men that set foot on the moon , or who are now circling the earth above us in the Skylab . A sick society bereft of morality and courage did not produce the men who went through those years of torture and captivity in Vietnam . Where did we find such men ? They are typical of this land as the Founding Fathers were typical . We found them in our streets , in the offices , the shops and the working places of our country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our destiny , nor should we try to do so . The leadership of the free world was thrust upon us two centuries ago in that little hall of Philadelphia . In the days following World War II , when the economic strength and power of America was all that stood between the world and the return to the dark ages , Pope Pius XII said , " The American people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions . Into the hands of America

@@5251341 <p> Let me start off by saying that in the natural order of things , girls appear to be the preference . They tend to make up 51% of the population overall , because men tend to do stupid things and die off before they 're 40 . So if you trust in nature , nature is saying that the world is a better place when there are more girls around than boys . It 's not just me saying girls are better . <p> I myself have two daughters , a 9-year-old and a 6-year-old , and I 've learned from those girls how to be a better man . If I 'd had a boy , then there 'd be two shitty versions of me . The last thing I need to do is fail twice with two different people : me and my son . But I benefit from an uncomplicated relationship with my daughters--I get to observe how great they are . I 'm always learning from them , and they are well-mannered with far better living habits than I have . When I get up in the morning , for instance , they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . I 'm not capable of any of that . <p> Men are more like Microsoft : They 'll just make a fake version of what that chick made , then try to intimidate everybody into using their product . <p> But on a deeper level of ability , my girls are interested in other people . They notice stuff and take part in doing things that I do n't know if a boy would notice . They do the right thing , they treat people well , and they listen to other people--boys at their age are just these little balls of want . This is , of course , a generalization ; a lot of girls end up being selfish and obnoxious as grown-ups , just like some men are really sensitive and thoughtful . But I generally prefer females to spend a lot of time with . Girls are good roommates ; they 're good company when you go shopping ; they 're a lot of fun to hang out with in the car when you 're just sitting in traffic . Those little things add up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's a good time to have a girl in the 21st century because things are changing , with more opportunities for women . But girls are still the underdog , which means they 'll work harder , and everybody loves an underdog . The next Steve Jobs will totally be a chick , because girls are No. 2--and No. 2 always wins in America . Apple was a No. 2 company for years , and Apple embodies a lot of what have been defined as feminine traits : an emphasis on intuitive design , intellect , a strong sense of creativity , and that striving to always make the greatest version of something . Traditionally , men are more like Microsoft , where they 'll just make a fake version of what that chick made , then beat the shit out of her and try to intimidate everybody into using their product . <p> Wait a second--why am I trying to persuade someone to have a girl ? It 's backward . The fact that people have kids because they want something from them is bizarre . As soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the rest of your life anyway . It 's not about you anymore . I say this so when you have a girl , you do n't ask yourself : What am I going to get out of this girl ? You 're supposed to focus on : What does this girl need from me and what kind of parent do I need to be to her ? That 's the question you should be asking yourself right now , not whether or not you

@@5251441 <h> Information Tools <h> Workforce Quality <p> Overall , Virginia boasts one of the best-educated and most productive workforces in the country . It employs a higher percentage of people in science and engineering than any other state in the nation , and has been successful both in providing higher education opportunities to its population and in attracting highly educated workers from other states . However , regional educational attainment varies considerably , suggesting that weaknesses exist . <h> Why is This Important ? <p> Workforce quality is closely tied to labor productivity , making it a key determinant of economic growth and wages . In today 's dynamic economy , jobs increasingly require education beyond a high school diploma . Education not only prepares individuals for the tasks required by a job , but also enhances an individual 's ability to adapt to new working environments . <p> In recent years , knowledge-intensive industries have become a key contributor to the growth of the national economy and to U.S. exports abroad . Skilled workers in knowledge-intensive industries generally experience lower rates of unemployment and faster wage growth than those in other sectors . <h> How is Virginia Doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's workforce . One view presents a remarkably well-educated labor force with a significant number of advanced degree holders . The other shows a low level of educational attainment among large segments of the population in some geographic areas . <h> Educational Attainment <p> Virginia has an impressively high percentage of skilled workers , reflecting the state 's large knowledge-intensive sector . Virginia ranked first in the nation in the percentage of its workforce ( 6.6 percent ) in science and engineering ( S &E); occupations for 2010 . Maryland 's percentage of workers in S &E; was 6.0 percent , while North Carolina ( 3.8% ) and Tennessee ( 2.6% ) were lower than the national average of 4.0 percent . <p> The percentage of Virginia 's workforce with advanced degrees also demonstrates Virginia 's commitment to education , as well as its ability to attract educated workers . In 2011 , Virginia ranked fourth in the nation for the most master 's degrees ( 10.6% ) , fifth for the most professional degrees ( 2.5% ) , and eighth for doctorates ( 1.5% ) as a percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of the population had a master 's degree , 1.9 percent had a professional degree , and 1.2 percent a doctorate degree . <p> In comparing Virginia to its peers , Maryland ranked higher than Virginia in all three degrees , with 11.2 percent having master 's degrees , 2.8 percent professional degrees , and 2.4 percent doctorate degrees . Virginia , however , ranked above both North Carolina ( 6.5% master 's degrees , 1.5% professional degrees and 1.1% doctorate degrees ) and Tennessee ( 5.6% master 's degrees , 1.5% professional degrees and 1.2% doctorate degrees ) . Massachusetts led the U.S. nationally in master 's degrees ( 11.7% ) and tied with Maryland in doctorate degrees ( 2.4% ) ; Maryland led the U.S. in professional degrees ( 2.8% ) . <h> Worker Productivity <p> Worker productivity , defined as output per worker , is an alternate measure of workforce quality . Unlike educational attainment , which captures the inputs into workforce quality , worker productivity measures the average output of workers . High labor productivity typically results in higher standards of living . <p> Virginia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when the state started growing more rapidly . In 2010 , Virginia 's output-per-worker value -- $79,896 -- was higher than the national average of $75,393 ( adjusted in year 2005 dollars ; see Data Sources note ) . Virginia ranked 11th among all the states , an improvement from 13th in 2001 . Maryland ( $78,706 ) , North Carolina ( $73,222 ) , and Tennessee ( $64,588 ) all had a lower rate of productivity than Virginia . Delaware ( $106,087 ) was again the leading state in worker productivity in 2010 . <p> These achievements in workforce quality , however , mask a weakness in Virginia 's labor market . In 2011 , 12.2 percent of Virginia adults lacked a high school diploma -- the 24th highest among the 50 states . Montana had the lowest at 7.7 percent . The percentage of Virginia 's population without a diploma was lower than North Carolina ( 15.3% ) and Tennessee ( 15.8% ) , but higher than Maryland ( 11.1% ) . The national average was 14.1 percent . <p> Within Virginia , rural regions have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious impediment to economic growth . In 2006-2010 , the percentage of adults with less than a high school diploma was nearly 26 percent in the Southside and Southwest regions and above 18 percent in the Eastern and Valley regions . However , these represent significant improvements over 2000 , when more than 34 percent of Southside and Southwest region residents 25 years and older were without a high school diploma . In the Eastern and Valley regions , over 24 percent did not have a diploma . <h> What Influences Workforce Quality ? <p> The existence of a skilled workforce is an indicator of both the presence of industries that need them and a measure of a state 's ability to educate or attract skilled workers . Thus , workforce quality can be improved both by investing in education and by creating a business-friendly environment that attracts knowledge-intensive businesses and the skilled workforce that these businesses employ . <p> Looked at another way , low educational attainment reflects in part the lower number of high quality employment opportunities in some regions of the state . Without employers who value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education . Those who do obtain more education often migrate to higher-employment regions . <h> What is the State 's Role ? <p> States can create a high quality workforce by investing in education and skill training and creating educational and workforce systems that can adapt quickly to new skill requirements demanded by the market . Virginia 's greatest contribution to workforce readiness is in the 50,000 degrees that are produced in its public colleges and universities every year . In addition to this , over 46,000 career readiness certificates , which certify individual employability skills , have been awarded by community colleges and one-stop employment centers since the program began in 2004 . <p> Virginia is also working to retrain workers through its Workforce Investment Act ( WIA ) program , which assists older youth , adults , and dislocated workers in finding and keeping new jobs . <p> States can also indirectly improve their workforce quality by promoting an environment that attracts knowledge-intensive businesses . Once these businesses enter the market , they will then demand skilled workers , which in turn will induce more individuals to invest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from other states . <p> S &E; occupations are defined by 77 standard occupational codes that encompass mathematical , computer , life , physical , and social scientists ; engineers ; and post-secondary teachers in any of these S &E; fields . People with job titles such as manager are excluded . Because of this difference and the sample-based nature of the data , estimates for sparsely populated states and the District of Columbia may be imprecise . <p> Note : The District of Columbia has been omitted from the chart . The District of Columbia is an outlier with 21.59 percent in S &E; occupations , but this is partly due to a high percentage of people working in or with the federal government . <p> Less than High School Diploma -- U.S. Census , Educational Attainment 2000 and American Community Survey 2011 ; 2006-2010 regional figures are based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates between January 2006 and December 2010. http : //factfinder2.census.gov ( updated annually in December ) <p> Worker Productivity -- Calculations based on gross domestic product and employment data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2005 chained dollars . The District of Columbia is excluded in the state rankings . ( updated annually in November ) <h> At a Glance : Workforce Quality in Virginia <p> Performance Trend : State Influence : significant <p> National Ranking : Various sources measure and rank different aspects of state workforce quality . Virginia overall has an impressive number of highly skilled and educated workers -- but also a relatively high percentage of adults who lack a high school diploma . There are also significant disparities in skills and educational achievement among the state 's regions . <h> Related Agency Measures <h> State Programs &; Initiatives <p> The Virginia Jobs Investment Program provides customized recruiting and training services to companies that are creating new jobs or implement technological upgrades . In the last five years , the program has helped 2,439 companies recruit and train 75,660 Virginians . <p> Virginia Community College Workforce Services : The Office of Workforce Development Services helps community colleges align education with economic development by preparing a skilled labor force . Community colleges serve more than 700 employers and more than 130,000 individuals in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Virginia Workforce Network ( VWN ) is a system of one-stop career centers that work to train and find jobs for area residents as part of a mandate under the Workforce Investment Act . This Act works through statewide and local workforce investment systems to increase the employment , retention , earnings and occupational skills of participants . <p> The Virginia Career Readiness Certificate is an assessment-based credential that gives employers and career seekers a uniform measure of key workplace skills . A Career Readiness Certificate is a portable skills credential , assuring employers that

@@5251541 <h> Also See <p> Later on today , I will hit the publish button on my final article as a full-time writer at Green Car Reports , turn off my computer , and officially end my time as an automotive journalist . <p> Today , I start the transition from automotive writer to electric car advocate , a role I 've wanted for many years , but--as many will attest--one which rarely pays the bills . <p> You see , while I 've only been working here at Green Car Reports for a few years , my love affair with plug-in cars started way back in 1984 . <p> I had just turned five , and my two elder sisters--10 and 15 years my senior--received a weekly encyclopedic magazine in the mail called The Tree Of Knowledge . <p> Every week , the magazine would arrive with teen-friendly articles on everything from cell division to the basics of thermodynamics , the evolution of classic music , and how bones repair . <p> And so , after my sisters had read it , the precocious Mini-Me would sneak into their bedroom , and sit on the floor , cross-legged , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words . <p> It was then that it happened : I encountered my first electric car . <p> Staring back at me from the pages of the magazine encyclopedia was a cutaway diagram of a 1976 Enfield electric car , showing its physically big , yet underpowered motor , its massive 48 Volts of lead-acid batteries , and a sweeping , electrically-heated front windshield . <p> It was bright red , about the same size as a Morris Mini-Minor , and made perfect sense to me . <p> I was in love . <p> From that point on , I was fascinated by everything electronic . <p> In between hours of music practice , school work , and the occasional bit of helping out on the farm , I tinkered with radios , motors , and eventually , computers . <p> But it would be another 21 years , after graduating as a professional musician , that I would start to pay close attention to electric cars again . <p> My 1965 Morris Minor--a car I purchased a few years after graduation , in the ultimate pursuit of a childhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ servicing under the care of its elderly former owner . <p> Its replacement , a roaring 1.8-liter Morris Minor hot-rod woody wagon from 1962 , drank gasoline like a fish , and it was n't as fun to drive on everyday commutes as I thought it would be . <p> I first came across Nikki as one of the hosts of EVcast . Her professional style and knowledge of electric cars really elevated the quality of the show and I always appreciated that . So while EVcast has ended , TransportEvolved nicely fills that space . <p> Her writing on GCR has been fantastic . As much as she tried to be objective , you could always tell in her heart she was an EV girl and believed in the subject she was writing about ( sadly not true of a lot of " green " writers " ) . There was never any doubt that Nikki was on the side of EVs , even if she had to point out a weakness or two . <p> A fond farewell Nikki and best of luck in all you do . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much time looking at downright biased and substandard journalism that your work and all the writing I find here at GCR is something I trust and derive enormous benefit from . <p> I 'm finding resistance to EV 's is dropping . For heaven 's sake , I bought one ! The time is coming but we do need people to communicate because the major car companies , in bed with the oil companies , are still not behind this revolution and are actively holding it back at times . <p> I 'm very sorry to hear that your leaving , I have enjoyed your articles very much . I myself am a long time car enthusiast who is ready to give up exaust notes for EV silence , and all the perks of plugging-in . So I wish you and your wife all the best , keep up the fight for EVs . Thank You , Chris ( CDspeed ) <p> Good Luck on your journey . I agree that for EV 's to be successful , they have to be as down-to-earth , nuts-and-bolts , default-option as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single working Mom can drive home from her Walmart job in an EV . <p> Thank you Nikki for your hard work here at GCR . I 've learned so much through your informative posts , and I will miss your contributions . I wish you the very best , as you continue to educate and open the world 's eyes to the benefits of plugging in . You 're appreciated ! <p> After the hurricane page , GCR is the next site on my browser , which is largely Nikki 's doing , inspiring me to bring a Leaf from south London to Jamaica . I 'm sure we will be following you in the future too . <p> The voice of a " true believer " where plug-in vehicles are concerned will certainly be missed on this blog . Advocacy is needed though in a world that takes an increasingly sceptical attitude towards plug-ins and I 'm sure you can make a difference in the regard in your new job , Nikki . <p> Maybe things are not as bleak as they seem though for plug-ins , it @ @

@@5251641 <h> Rage and Destruction as the Basis of Obama 's Middle East Policy <p> While the ongoing crisis in the Middle East is widely perceived by conservatives as Obama 's policy failure , the conflagration in the area may be precisely what the current administration wants . <p> The Obama administration appears to be hell-bent on completely eradicating the map the Western powers created via the 1919 Treaty of Versailles by allowing or actively stoking the fires in the Middle East . <p> Why would this be ? <p> While Dinesh D'Souza has been heavily criticized for his analysis of Obama 's youth and the influence of his anti-colonialist father , his insights ring true in view of current events . As D'Souza has said , " If Obama views America as the neocolonial occupier of Iraq and Afghanistan , then Muslims fighting against America are anti-colonial resisters and deserve a measure of sympathy . " Add to that list other nations of North Africa and the Middle East . <p> Obama 's anti-colonialism , along with radical liberation theology learned at the feet of " God damn America " Jeremiah Wright , plus the radical leftist influences of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combine to support an anti-colonialist and anti-West ideology that sees America exceptionalism , influence , and power as detrimental to a new world order that is " spontaneously " erupting around the globe . <p> To Obama , the Middle Eastern boundaries set up by the West in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles would be an example of Western hauteur . For him , Islam should be considered indigenous to the region , while Western influence is seen as anathema . The recent uprisings fomented by radical Islamists could mean the end of Western influence as the entire map of the Middle East is redrawn by insurgents who will jettison at last the configurations created by the West . <p> The tendency of the radical left , of which Obama and his administration are a part , is to believe that any existing structures and boundaries established by the Western powers , be they domestic or foreign , are thoroughly rotten and deserve destruction as irredeemable . The far left views Western institutions and constructs as being so arbitrarily and unjustly constructed , so oppressive , and in the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of colonialism , that the best solution is to allow these edifices to burn down so that new entities may , like the proverbial Phoenix , rise from the ashes . In the Middle East as well as perhaps elsewhere , those entities will be characterized by Muslim extremism rather than Western influence . <p> To put it another way , a Gotterdammerung immolating Western influence is preferable to what was cobbled together at Versailles and which has limped along as neither fish nor fowl for some one hundred years . Once things have burned to the ground , the authentic voice of the indigenous peoples , unsullied by Western influence , can speak . <p> In other words , the radical policies Obama advocates domestically are being applied globally . His domestic and international agenda are based on the same ideology , an ideology characterized by rage . <p> Leftist radicals are always more inclined to destruction rather than reform as a supposedly redemptive influence on civilizations . They are always impatient with gradual reformation and careful syncretism , as rage is seen as the authentic emotion and as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most authentic emotion , should be met with placation by the existing " establishment , " or the establishment risks total destruction . When the establishment is the wicked and colonizing West , rage and destruction are doubly justified . <p> The destruction of the Twin Towers , for instance , was thought justified by some on the far left because the U.S. had made Muslims angry . Norman Mailer , for instance , likened the towers to " two huge buck teeth , " proclaiming the rubble to be more beautiful than the buildings themselves . " Everything wrong with America led to the point the country built that Tower of Babel , which consequently had to be destroyed . " <p> What a tribute to Rage and Destruction , the gods of the left . <p> The twin gods rule the policies of the current administration . Such is the Obama administration 's fervor for America to placate rage and to be reduced to at least parity with other nations that an angry Iran is basically being allowed , through sheer passivity on the part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Middle East -- excluding Israel , of course-- achieves supposed equality with the West . Obama , by means of his passive aggression , constant foot-dragging and failure to establish a " Red Line " , is basically enabling the development of nuclear weapons despite the apocalyptic vision of present-day Iranian leadership , whose rulers openly advocate Israel be obliterated from the map . <p> Ironically , the true theme of the Obama administration should be " back " rather than " forward , " as apparently the goal is to return the Middle East and the entire world to an Edenic world that supposedly existed before the predations of white Western colonialism . It appears the gods of Rage and Destruction are to accomplish the great movement backwards . <p> Back to the days of Saladin . <p> Back to the storied One Thousand and One Nights . <p> Back to the sweet sound of the call from minarets . <p> Back to the glories of Alhambra . <p> Back to a Muslim Empire and the caliphate . <p> Back , back ... <p> Level it all to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lands restored to their " rightful " owners and the power given back to the indigenous inhabitants . <p> Alas , such utopianism is not a hopeful future , but an attempt to return to some imaginary past in hopes that things will be as they once were . It is sheer vanity in the deepest sense of that term . <p> Blaming America and the West for the inevitable loss of impetus every empire suffers as its foundational premises and military might wither actually permits no vision other than a backwards looking and ultimately destructive one . Punishing the West and seeking to purge the Middle East of Western influence is a futile and destructive endeavor , as the exhaustion and decay that accompanies the decline of all civilizations remains unaddressed , rendering reform impossible . <p> The elevation of King Farouk as ruler of Egypt decades ago serves as an instructive example of the folly of returning a nation to former greatness by seeking a utopian return to the idylls of the pharaohs . As Richard Cavendish points out , rather than dealing with the decay within and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anointed Farouk partly because he was seen as a salutary relief from Western influence . The grossly obese and morally prurient king was seen with approval by some simply because he was not a British puppet . Though he spent money recklessly , had an insatiable appetite for prostitutes and chorus girls , and possessed an embarrassing proclivity toward kleptomania , at least he was n't British . <p> Leaders such as Ataturk and the Shah of Iran , both of whom admittedly perpetrated terrible human rights violations , have passed into quiet anonymity mostly because their attempts at modernizing their countries included Western-style reforms . They therefore are regarded as inauthentic by the radical Muslim movement that has gained increasing influence ever since 1979 , when the radical Muslim Ayatollah Khomeini was elevated to leadership in Iran in place of the Shah . Increasingly , radicals like Khomeini are elevated to places of world leadership as they are seen as authentically enraged and thus fundamentally purer representatives of the Muslim and Arab world , just as today , the Muslim Brotherhood sees its reductionist ideology as a purer version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his ilk are indicators that the greater the exhaustion of any given civilization , the more ferocious , strangely and weirdly simplistic , yet actually feeble and even idiotic the ideology accompanying its decline will be . Simplistic , angry , and destructive ideology is always the sign of a depleted civilization . <p> Thus the world saw Mao Tse Tung 's advocacy of a pure China cleansed from the influence of the West result in the building of useless backyard coke furnaces , doctors of philosophy being forced to carrying buckets of manure , and violinists and pianists who dared to play Western music having their fingers smashed while millions of Westernized " degenerates " were sent for re-education to the countryside . <p> The rage against the West characterized by the infamous Red Guards and the hope of a return to a purer , simpler age resulted not in paradise , but in the deaths of some 50-70 million Chinese . <p> Thus we see this administration 's advocacy of rage and destruction , whether it is passively or actively complicit in the Middle East conflagration , accomplishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . <p> In the meantime , the rage is stimulated and accompanied by a severity of the sort reserved for ideologies at the dead end of their influence , as noted above . Severity in turn results in brutality such as chopping off the hands and feet of converts to Christianity , stoning women to death for imagined adulteries , and hanging homosexuals . The idea seems to be that even if what replaces Western influence is initially worse and drags nations back to the Stone Age , at least truly indigenous rage is authentic and achieves something , even if it is destruction . <p> Gradual syncretism and reasoned dialogue are rejected in favor of returning to an imaginary but supposedly pure past free of repressive Western influence . Inevitably , a fictional and impossible return to the past results in forcible repression , as attempting to retain stasis , much less a return to an idyllic past , is impossible without bloodshed . <p> In the long run this administration , whether willfully or passively , is handing over entire nations to an exhausted ideological construct that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Middle East , but perhaps even our own country . <p> " Back , " not " forward " appears to be the summation of Obama 's own reductionist view of America , the Middle East and indeed the entire world . If his ideology prevails , not just the Middle East , but the entire world may be subject to a destruction from which it may never recover . <p> It may be no Phoenix , a shining bird of hope , that arises to restore the world , but instead , as W.B. Yeats wrote , a brute beast with a " gaze blank and pitiless as the sun ... a rough beast , its hour come round at last , slouching toward Bethlehem to be born . " <p> Fay Voshell holds an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary , which awarded her the Charles Hodge Prize for excellence in systematic theology . Her articles have appeared in American Thinker and National Review . She was selected as one of Delaware GOP 's " Winning Women "

@@5251741 <p> What is this tape , and does it actually work ? As a part-time athlete who played tennis for years and years ; I have sore knees , a tempermental shoulder and lower back issue that creeps up from time to time . If this tape works , I might be looking like a mummy the next time I head to the golf course . <p> Dr. David Geier , Orthopaedic Surgeon and Director of MUSC Sports Medicine in Charleston , South Carolina says there is a time and place for this stretchy cotton tape everyone seems to talking about and wearing . <p> Olympic athletes are loving Kinesio tape <p> Photo credit : <p> Ryan Pierse <p> " It depends on what you are using it for , " expalined Dr. Geier . " For shoulder pains and knee issues , I see some merit . " <p> At one televised event , I saw a female athelete with the tape on her side , her back and on her calves . I asked Dr. Geier if this was overkill . <p> " It could be , " Geier stated , implying that it may be helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes you think it is doing something , and it may not be . " <p> Can you say Placebo Effect ? <p> Geier did say some doctors at the Medial College of South Carolina are recommending it , but to make it work , it has to be applied correctly . <p> " It has to be applied in a certain direction and a therapist needs to show the athlete how to put it on correctly , " adds Geier . " If you do n't know how to put it on , it wo n't do any good . " <p> Kinesio tape is n't all that new , it has been around since the 1980s . <p> The Kinesio tape brand was founded by Kenzo Kase , a Japanese chiropractor to support injured muscles and joints of his patients . <p> Olympic atheltes were given the tape to try at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and they seemed to like the way it felt and looked . <p> " Looked " is the key word there as some think the athletes are wearing it to make a fashion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm waiting for the first NBA player to use the tape to spell out the initials of his newborn son or when will Nike get involved in having the strips cut into swooshes ? <p> I also asked Dr. Geier if athletes using the tape are in danger of additional injuries since the tape corrects muscle balance . He did n't so , but he said there are unanswered questions . <p> Look for Kinesio tape while you watch the remaining days of the Olympics and then into football , basketball and at the U.S. Open tennis later this month . <p> Rick C. Limpert is a freelance writer and columnist in Atlanta . He 's a writer and photographer who has covered technology , sports , and events all over the world including fitness and heath events . His works have been featured in numerous

@@5251841 <h> Fiction <h> All That <p> Once when I was a little boy I received as a gift a toy cement mixer . It was made of wood except for its wheels -- axles -- which , as I remember , were thin metal rods . I 'm ninety per cent sure it was a Christmas gift . I liked it the same way a boy that age likes toy dump trucks , ambulances , tractor-trailers , and whatnot . There are little boys who like trains and little boys who like vehicles -- I liked the latter . <p> It was ( " it " meaning the cement mixer ) the same overlarge miniature as many other toy vehicles -- about the size of a breadbox . It weighed three or four pounds . It was a simple toy -- no batteries . It had a colored rope , with a yellow handle , and you held the handle and walked pulling the cement mixer behind you -- rather like a wagon , although it was nowhere near the size of a wagon . For Christmas , I 'm positive it was . It was when I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " hear voices " without worrying that something is wrong with you . I " heard voices " all the time as a small child . I was either five or six , I believe . ( I 'm not very good with numbers . ) <p> I liked the cement mixer and played with it as much as or more than I played with the other toy vehicles I owned . At some point , several weeks or months after Christmas , however , my biological parents led me to believe that it was a magic and/or highly unusual cement mixer . Probably my mother told me this in a moment of adult boredom or whimsy , and then my father came home from work and joined in , also in a whimsical way . The magic -- which my mother likely reported to me from her vantage on our living room 's sofa , while watching me pull the cement mixer around the room by its rope , idly asking me if I was aware that it had magical properties , no doubt making sport of me in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children , playfully telling them things that they pass off to themselves as " tall tales " or " childlike inventions , " unaware of the impact those tales may have ( since magic is a serious reality for small children ) , though , conversely , if my parents believed that the cement mixer 's magic was real , I do not understand why they waited weeks or months before telling me of it . They were a delightful but often impenetrable puzzle to me ; I no more knew their minds and motives than a pencil knows what it is being used for . Now I have lost the thread . The " magic " was that , unbeknown to me , as I happily pulled the cement mixer behind me , the mixer 's main cylinder or drum -- the thing that , in a real cement mixer , mixes the cement ; I do not know the actual word for it -- rotated , went around and around on its horizontal axis , just as the drum on a real cement mixer does . It did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was being pulled by me and only , she stressed , when I was n't looking . She insisted on this part , and my father later backed her up : the magic was not just that the drum of a solid wood object without batteries rotated but that it did so only when unobserved , stopping whenever observed . If , while pulling , I turned to look , my parents sombrely maintained , the drum magically ceased its rotation . How was this ? I never , even for a moment , doubted what they 'd told me . This is why it is that adults and even parents can , unwittingly , be cruel : they can not imagine doubt 's complete absence . They have forgotten . <p> The point was that months were henceforward spent by me trying to devise ways to catch the drum rotating . Evidence bore out what they had told me : turning my head obviously and unsubtly around always stopped the rotation of the drum . I also tried sudden whirls . I tried having someone else pull the cement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulling ( " incremental " meaning turning my head at roughly the rate of a clock 's minute hand ) . I tried peering through a keyhole as someone else pulled the cement mixer . Even turning my head at the rate of the hour hand . I never doubted -- it did n't occur to me . The magic was that the mixer seemed always to know . I tried mirrors -- first pulling the cement mixer straight toward a mirror , then through rooms that had mirrors at the periphery of my vision , then past mirrors hidden such that there was little chance that the cement mixer could even " know " that there was a mirror in the room . My strategies became very involved . I was in kindergarten and home half the day . The seriousness with which I tried must have caused my parents no little anguish of conscience . My father had not yet even received tenure ; we were barely middle class , and lived in a rented house whose carpets were old and thin -- the mixer made a noise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take photographs as I pulled the mixer , staring with fraudulent intensity straight ahead . I placed a piece of masking tape on the drum and reasoned that if the tape appeared in one photo and not in the other this would provide proof of the drum 's rotation . ( Video cameras had not yet been invented . ) <p> During Talk Time , before bed , my father sometimes told me stories of his own childhood adventures . He , an intellectual , had been , according to his stories , the sort of child who set traps for the Tooth Fairy ( pyramids of tin cans at the door and windows of his room , string tied from his finger to the tooth below his pillow so that he would wake when the Fairy tried to take the tooth ) and other " mythical " figures of childhood , such as Santa Claus . ( Talk Time meant fifteen minutes of direct conversation -- not stories or songs -- with a parent as I lay tucked into bed . Four nights per week Talk Time was with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were very organized about it . ) I was , at this age , unfamiliar with Matthew 4:7 , and my father , a devout atheist , was in no way alluding to Matthew 4:7 or using the tales of his fruitless childhood traps as parables or advice against my trying to " test " or " defeat " the magic of the cement mixer . In retrospect , I believe that my father was charmed by my attempts to " trap " the mixer 's drum rotating because he saw them as evidence that I was a chip off the block of ad-hoc intellectual mania for empirical verification . In fact , nothing could have been farther from the truth . As an adult , I realize that the reason I spent so much time trying to " catch " the drum rotating was that I wanted to verify that I could not . If I had ever been successful in outsmarting the magic , I would have been crushed . I know this now . My father 's tales of snares for the Easter Bunny or strings for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I cried over them sometimes my parents guiltily believed that I was crying over my frustration at not being able to catch sight of the rotating drum . I 'm positive that this caused them anguish . In fact , I was crying with sadness , imagining how devastated my father would have felt as a child had he been successful in trapping the Tooth Fairy . I was not , at the time , aware that this was why the Talk Time stories made me sad . What I remember feeling was an incredible temptation to ask my father a question as he delightedly described these traps , and at the same time a huge and consuming but amorphous and nameless fear that prevented my asking the question . The conflict between the temptation and my inability to ask the question ( owing to a fear of ever seeing pain on my father 's pink , cheerful , placid face ) caused me to weep with an intensity that must have caused my parents -- who saw me as an eccentric and delicate child -- no little guilt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's magic . Under various pretexts , they bought me an exceptional number of toys and games in the months following that Christmas , trying to distract me from what they saw as a traumatic obsession

@@5251941 <h> Ozzie Guillen Experienced One of His Classic Meltdowns After His Team Lost Last Night <p> After Marlins closer Heath Bell blew a save in the bottom of the 10th inning by giving up two runs and Miami lost 13-12 to the Brewers , Guillen went off and ripped his pitching staff for giving up 13 runs in the game . He was also quick to make sure that reporters did n't place blame for the loss squarely on Bell . <p> " Make sure Miami people do n't expletive Bell , " he yelled Ed. note : Need a fun drinking game for the 4th of July ? Take a shot for every time we have to bleep Ozzie from here on out . Annnnnnnd ... GO ! . " Bell gave up two runs . How about the rest of the expletive 10 or 12 runs they scored ? That 's why this expletive game is not expletive fair . " <p> He did n't stop there , either . " It 's Ozzie talking expletive ? No . It 's Ozzie talking the truth , about how expletive we were before that expletive inning . Put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case you do n't quite understand how he felt about the game -- or you just have n't had your fill of shots yet -- Ozzie had a little more to say , too . " I think that was a very expletive big league baseball game , both sides . The only good thing about it for Milwaukee , they win . Very bad pitching ... errors all over the place . We finished

@@5252041 <h> Their View : Either side would have tough four years ahead <p> I drafted this column before the polls closed , not knowing how things would play out Tuesday ; but naturally I ca n't resist updating it to acknowledge how things played out . <p> What I saw most clearly , thinking Tuesday morning about the future , was that whichever party won the presidency should n't get comfortable . The U.S. still faces some very real problems , some of which may not have widely acceptable solutions . <p> Our economy has not fully recovered , the deficit remains dangerously high , and we 're rapidly approaching a deficit-related " cliff . " Longer-term problems include : past inattention to education and infrastructure ; the aging of our population combined with rising health-care costs ; climate change ; energy costs and dependence on foreign oil ; and the fact that we spend vast sums to protect military bases and interests around the globe . <p> If Republicans won , they 'd lose in 2016 . <p> The party has moved too far to the right to stay relevant in the 21st Century . That point was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neatly , as networks intercut between the largely young and ethnically varied supporters waiting for Obama and the older , mostly white group supporting Romney . <p> A Romney victory would have given us several more far-right U.S. Supreme Court justices . With their help , President Romney could have delighted the Tea Party and angered many women by making abortions illegal , and could pursue the fight against gay marriage , which is <p> Advertisement <p> laughable to the young and loses support among older folks every year . Election Night illustrated this too : in two states , voters for the first time voted their approval of gay marriage , while two other states voted to legalize recreational marijuana . <p> Romney 's economic promises were wholly inconsistent with each other . Four years would have revealed that unmistakably to the voters who believed in 2012 that maybe he could work magic ; and after four years President Romney could no longer blame Obama for not getting us out of the Bush recession fast enough . <p> Meanwhile , just as Hurricane Sandy pushed climate change back into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make Republican denials sound even hollower . <p> Republican extremists , emboldened by success , would have pushed Romney to extremes unpalatable to the rest of us -- forgetting that Romney narrowed the 2012 race only by denying at the last minute everything he 'd said for two years . No etch-a-sketch would have been big enough to wipe four full years from the collective memory . <p> But the Democrats also have reason to worry about 2016 . <p> Four short years after Bush left office , as we 're still struggling to dig our way out of the mess , the Republicans nearly won . They nearly won with a candidate whom even Republicans could n't make themselves like , advocating the policies that helped create our financial problems . Fair or unfair , by 2016 Democrats will own those problems in the public mind . <p> This was also the first presidential election since the Supreme Court 's ruling in Citizens United . Nationally and locally , PACs used abundant , untraceable funds to say increasingly outrageous things without fear of liability . The 2016 elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's creativity . <p> Republicans , controlling many state governments , will continue their carefully planned effort to restrict voting among the folks most likely to vote Democratic . Fewer early-voting opportunities , more photo-I.D. requirements , and other " minor reforms " will subtract from the Democratic vote totals in 2016 . <p> On the national level , Tea Party Republicans ( and party leaders who fear them ) greeted Obama 's initial election by deciding that destroying him was more important than doing the best they could for the country . Will they greet his re-election as a warning to work with him toward solving problems ? One hopes so ; and one hopes that if they continue their obstreperous course their constituents will see them for what they are ; but it 's more likely that Republican House members will automatically call the sky red if Obama says it 's blue , and then try to blame him for not getting a consensus on the sky 's color . <p> Republicans will again play " chicken " with the nation 's economy the way teenagers do with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the road to avoid disaster -- or that if he does n't the public wo n't be able to see whose fault the disaster is . <p> Civility and compromise are at a pretty low ebb in the political world . That 's partly because of the Republican flight to the right , but also because we live in a time when every political sneeze is analyzed ad nauseum in cyberspace , and on talk radio and TV , before anyone can say " God Bless You . " Gridlock will leave voters even more disgusted with both parties in 2016 than it did this year . <p> I did n't have to know who won Tuesday to know that politicians in both parties need to relearn some manners , and be more flexible and creative in seeking practical solutions to very serious problems . <p> Part of that change needs to start with each of us . As I wrote Tuesday morning : " Wrongheaded as some of us will think he is , the next president is neither a traitor nor a devil . At some level he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his view of the country may differ sharply from ours . We owe him frank but fair criticism and more respect publically than some of us will think he deserves . " <p> " Could you do that ? " someone asked . Had Romney won , I 'd have tried . <p> Peter Goodman and his wife Dael live

@@5252141 <p> AMENA : Beauty is anything that reminds me of what 's good , right , loving &; true . Something that is a bass line . Sometimes it 's a conversation . Sometimes it 's seeing how a difficult experience changed someone 's life for the better . <p> CATALYST : How do you reconcile the tension of commercial viability ( making a living from producing art ) and your own artistic integrity ? Or is there even a tension ? <p> AMENA : I feel this tension sometimes when I am asked to write a piece for a particular event or organization according to their theme . The good thing is I am always writing things I agree with , but the tension comes in trying to fit certain messaging into the art of spoken word . It is a tender dance and takes a lot of prayer and drafting , plus communication with the team I 'm working with . <p> One thing I always have to work on as an artist is the discipline of just creating , whether I am working on a project or not . This way I keep the freedom of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various projects for work purposes . <p> AMENA : My creative process starts with music , preferably John Coltrane or Miles Davis . I almost always do a free write before I write anything else . The combination of the free write and the jazz gives me a chance to write unedited and with no end goal in mind except to get my words and thoughts flowing . One of my obstacles is the constant fear that something I 'm writing is n't good enough . This thought often keeps me from just sitting down to write versus coming up with all sorts of errands to run and items to clean ! I find when I finally sit down to write , it 's a relief and I 'm glad to have at least started the process . <p> CATALYST : We are all " called " to be makers , according to the creation mandate in Genesis . What is the relationship between your art and your calling ? How do you see yourself fulfilling your calling through your art ? <p> AMENA : To me , art is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to do so He can shine through it . As long as I am using my words for good and living a life that matches those words , I feel like I will be fulfilling my calling and my art . <p> Love it . Thank you Amena . We too often see beauty in a utilitarian manner . Beauty exists in all its manifestations simply for its own sake ; it is God 's nature . I recall my first impressions of the Hubble space telescope photos . Some of the images were breathtakingly spectacular and I was caused to ponder , who are they beautiful for ? No one sees them ...... until now , of course . All those eons of time passed and the only one who sees them is God ; then I think , " Oh yes " . That 's it , and that 's enough . It 's about God . You and I are part of His created " beauty " . Each of us is creative ..... and that 's beautiful . <p> Comment by Jesse - Oct 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the father of a one year old boy and , although I agree with the fact that flouride should be avoided , i think it 's a better to leave there decisions to the doctors and nurses wich are qualified to decide this . and i mean real doctors and nurses , even if we are talking about the ones that get their degree online . That does n't mean they

@@5252241 <p> I am schizophrenic , can we look at the possibility that reincarnation is the reason i am hearing voices ? Perhaps we do n't know everything about the process of reincarnation . I have only come up with : maybe we have some connection to our past lives because we leave something behind in every universe or if theres only one universe in this universe and from every life we live . You might need to know about reincarnation to answer this the way i want you to . <p> i have also wondered if parallel universes overlapping ( if they can do that ) is the cause for my illness . Tell me why parallel universes can not do that . Tell me why theres no possibility of me being connected to another universe causing confusion in my brain . <p> I want to go beyond the thought ' If i hear voices then they must be gods " . <p> thank you . I think because of the parallel universe question this applies to science . or that this is a science question in a way . <p> I am schizophrenic , can we look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voices ? Perhaps we do n't know everything about the process of reincarnation . I have only come up with : maybe we have some connection to our past lives because we leave something behind in every universe or if theres only one universe in this universe and from every life we live . You might need to know about reincarnation to answer this the way i want you to . <p> i have also wondered if parallel universes overlapping ( if they can do that ) is the cause for my illness . Tell me why parallel universes can not do that . Tell me why theres no possibility of me being connected to another universe causing confusion in my brain . <p> I want to go beyond the thought ' If i hear voices then they must be gods " . <p> thank you . I think because of the parallel universe question this applies to science . or that this is a science question in a way . <p> What do you hope to accomplish by asking a science forum ' what if ' and ' possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives you a troll pass ? <p> i really am schizo , i have no smart people around me so i was trying to get help . do nt be so skeptical , just like a atheist is of the existence of god . Just answer the questions . i do nt even know what a troll is . <p> The ' Parallel Universe Theory ' once advanced by Stephen Hawking has since been retracted by him . <p> Previously , Hawking , 62 , had held out the possibility that disappearing matter travels through the black hole to a new parallel universe -- the very stuff of most visionary science fiction . <p> " There is no baby universe branching off , as I once thought . The information remains firmly in our universe , " Hawking said in a speech to the conference . <p> " I 'm sorry to disappoint science fiction fans , but if information is preserved , there is no possibility of using black holes to travel to other universes , " he said . " If you jump into a black hole , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but in a mangled form , which contains the information about what you were like , but in an unrecognizable state . " <p> yes , i am on medications . I see a psychiatrist also . I go to therapy on a bi weekly basis . The problem with schizophrenia is that they can not tell whats real and whats not real so they believe the real voices . I also do so . But anyways , <p> In my day to day life , I do n't really think too much about these matters so I can not easily provide you with an ' executive summary ' of the topic . Perhaps one of our science types will jump in with more details . <p> I am schizophrenic , can we look at the possibility that reincarnation is the reason i am hearing voices ? Perhaps we do n't know everything about the process of reincarnation . I have only come up with : maybe we have some connection to our past lives because we leave something behind in every universe or if theres only one universe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might need to know about reincarnation to answer this the way i want you to . <p> i have also wondered if parallel universes overlapping ( if they can do that ) is the cause for my illness . Tell me why parallel universes can not do that . Tell me why theres no possibility of me being connected to another universe causing confusion in my brain . <p> I want to go beyond the thought ' If i hear voices then they must be gods " . <p> thank you . I think because of the parallel universe question this applies to science . or that this is a science question in a way . <p> Hey there , I think you will find many people suffer from various forms of mental illness , so you 're not alone there , the thing is though that usually people that are thus afflicted may suffer from any number of hallucinations , delusions or hear voices . This is why they are given medication and treatment to prevent these problems occuring . Science has no records of anybody ever actually being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would think it 's pretty safe to assume what you are hearing or imagining is n't real . I would stongly suggest though you discuss these thoughts further with your psychiatrist so they can help you stay grounded in reality . <p> I am happy to tell you about black holes , but there is a whole page on Wikipedia which explains them very well so I wo n't even paraphrase and just instead give you the opening quote and wiki link , should you wish to continue reading : <p> " A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity prevents anything , including light , from escaping . The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole . Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that marks the point of no return . It is called " black " because it absorbs all the light that hits the horizon , reflecting nothing , just like a perfect black body in thermodynamics . Quantum mechanics predicts that event horizons emit radiation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperature is inversely proportional to the mass of the black hole , making it difficult to observe this radiation for black holes of stellar mass or greater . " <p> I would also like you to understand that there is nothing to be frightened of from black holes , they are beyond our complete understanding and certainly beyond any measure of control we may have , so they will do what they will do , interesting to learn about but also certainly irrelevant to be afraid of worried by . Anything beyond our control is not worth worry or fear , it would just be a waste of time . <p> Schizophrenia affects about 1% of human populations across the world . So you 're not alone . The big issue for each person with the condition is how they respond to it and how well the treatment works . <p> The biggest issue is insight into how it affects you . Many schizophrenics learn to recognise that the voices are not real things and can ignore what they say just as anyone can not bother taking notice of other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio playing in the background . Others seem unable to learn this . Despite having had the condition for years they will respond automatically to what the voices tell them to do without question or reflection . <p> We can have no inkling of how you are nor of what your therapists are trying to achieve with you . But a good thing for you to focus on , I suspect , would be on working out a way to think about whether you want to pay any attention to the voices at all or to pick and choose from what the voices say rather than presume that they 're saying anything important or relevant . <p> I 'm not particularly smart when it comes to parallel universes or medical diagnosis , but I would suggest that schizophrenia is a very serious condition and perhaps the best way to go about easing your suffering is not to focus on things which modern science is only on the fringes of understanding . If it provides you with a distraction , so be it , but if you put all your efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be disappointed . <p> That is a standard response from a troll when accused of being a troll . Certainly , someone unfamiliar with forums may not know what a forum troll is : but they will almost certainly know what a troll is . And even if they did n't know what a troll was , then the reply to " Do you think claiming to be schizophrenic gives you a troll pass ? " would be : " What is a ' troll pass ' ? " . Just sayin ' . <p> I am schizophrenic , can we look at the possibility that reincarnation is the reason i am hearing voices ? Perhaps we do n't know everything about the process of reincarnation . I have only come up with : maybe we have some connection to our past lives because we leave something behind in every universe or if theres only one universe in this universe and from every life we live . You might need to know about reincarnation to answer this the way i want you to . <p> i have also wondered if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the cause for my illness . Tell me why parallel universes can not do that . Tell me why theres no possibility of me being connected to another universe causing confusion in my brain . I want to go beyond the thought ' If i hear voices then they must be gods " . <p> thank you . I think because of the parallel universe question this applies to science . or that this is a science question in a way . <p> You know there is at least one mind in your brain ... where there is one there may be more ! <p> The voices you hear are produced in your own brain in a similar way to how the brain produces your dreams . So just like dreams the voices are real to you , and can be dangerous for you if you trust them ! Remember that YOU are the master in your brain , the voices are like " cancer minds " trying to take you over ... trying to make you do their bidding . Did you notice that dreams have no moral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are probably not self conscious ... they are disassociated parts of the " thinking machinery " that is the origin of your thoughts ... You probably understand that you do nt really create your own thoughts ? You wish and " reach out " for a thought and the thought develops in front of your " mental eye " . When you are close to sleep you sometimes get thoughts in your mind that you did nt yourself bring up ! Your voices are stronger examples of the same phenomenon . Ordinary people have stronger barriers against voices so they do nt usually hear them ... but they are there in all of us ! Remember NEVER to believe in what they say ... NEVER EVER TRUST THEM ! <p> You probably have dreams , they seam real when you experience them but are not , right ? I get dreams too . These are not messages from another dimension but signals that fire up in our brains , and our brain has the tendency to give meaning and weave a continuum to what it perceives , most of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sometimes it does n't . <p> Imo our brain creates patterns that are representations of what we have experienced before . When we perceive something , this pattern is associated to patterns or models we have established and we recognize the new pattern as an apple , or a person , or associate properties its far ( small ) or near ( larger ) . This means that for everything you see that you have seen before , there may be a pattern in your brain , a model which can be associated with a number of properties , objects and events that are also modeled in your brain . This allows you to recognize stuff , but also to imagine stuff that does nt exist , which is a helpful ability , to create , imagine , or recall things you do nt see ( where did I put my keys ? ) . Its similar with hearing , you have patterns of sounds words music voices in your brain , models that allow you to relate the sound pattern to th correct words , and allows youu to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with your mouth or to imagine and formulate ideas , phrases ( " yeah if she was there I would say hey how about a movie . Hey Im thinking and not actually talking , whoo-hoo , Im talking in my head , maybe she will say ... hey Id like to see the new girly movie , hey Im imagining myself talking and also imagining her voice talking back at me " ) . Think about Bill Clinton , remember his voice , " I did not have sexual relations ... " , JFK with his accent " because its hard " , or Palpatine in Star Wars " I can feeeeel your anger " , theres a vast , vast , array of dialogue from many characters in your brain that you can recall from movies and people you have heard talking in some situations , thats on top of the ability to imagine phrases . <p> So when our brain is stimulated in certain ways , we experience hallucinations , and there is often no way to distinguish it from reality because reality ( as experienced/perceived ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created based on stimulus from the outside for which there 's a half decent match with patterns we already have , and hallucinations are triggered internally . By the way , when people drive fast , we all experience hallucinations in a way , that is , the brain makes approximations about objects location in our field of vision and when the objects move too fast ( because we drive fast ) its processing speed ability is exceeded it has a hard time being precises but takes best guesses as to where objects are ( whether its really there or not , we see the approximation ) , which means that if an object disappears , for a fraction of a second or a second you will REALLY SEE an object that is NOT Really there . On top of that our brain as I said gives **28;819;TOOLONG the experience , so that even things that are nt right sorta appear to be real or make sense , most of the time . <p> So your brain has all the mechanisms to create voices you hear , a giant database @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying , the ability to imagine voices you invent and a mechanism to make it appear real ( because most of the time what we experience is a useful representation of whats going on around us , it makes the experience better and helps you make better decisions to have an experience where all things are tied up and relations are perceived , but sometimes it not an accurate representation but that 's usually the exception ) <p> I think you have to learn that you must question what you perceive based on context , if theres no one to make the sound , you know that in your case there is a huge chance theres no one there and that you are having a mini audio dream , and ignore it . Use context to evaluate it . Unlike most people ( newbies ) who do nt have hallucinations and would think hey theres an invisible man that no one sees ( because its not happen to them yet ) , you can be a more experienced guy and figure out quickly that there is actually no one there @ @ @ @ @ @

@@5252341 <h> We Need to Talk About Kevin Quotes <p> " ... You can only subject people to anguish who have a conscience . You can only punish people who have hopes to frustrate or attachments to sever ; who worry what you think of them . You can really only already a little bit good . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " I thought at the time that I could n't be horrified anymore , or wounded . I suppose that 's a common conceit , that you 've already been so damaged that damage totality , makes you safe . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " You can call it innocence , or you can call it gullibility , but Celia made the most common mistake of the good-hearted : else was just like her . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " Yet if there 's no reason to live without a child , how could there be with one ? To answer one life with a successive life is simply to transfer the onus of purpose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cowardly and potentially infinite delay . Your children 's answer , presumably , will be to procreate as well , and in doing so to distract themselves own aimlessness onto their offspring . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " I realize it 's commonplace for parents to say to their child sternly , ' I love you , but I do n't always like you . ' But what kind of love is that ? It seems to me that comes down to , ' I 'm not oblivious to you - that is , you can still hurt my feelings - but I ca n't stand having you around . ' Who wants to be loved like that ? Given a choice , I might skip the deep blood tie and settle for being liked . I wonder if would n't have been more moved if my own mother had taken me in her arms and said , ' I like you . ' I wonder if just company is n't more important . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything that went wrong with kids and turned to for their every salvation . This dual role of scapegoat and savior was Jesus was probably paid better . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " It 's always the mother 's fault , ai n't it ? " she said softly , collecting her coat . " That boy turn out bad cause his mama a drunk , or she a junkie . She let him run wild , she do n't teach him right from wrong . She never home when he back from school . Nobody ever say his daddy a drunk , or his daddy not home after school . And nobody ever kids just damned mean . ... " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " Everything people do that does n't work has to be somebody else 's fault . Next time you know , geezers 'll be suing the government for getting old and kids 'll be taking because they came out ugly . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only that it does n't tell well . And of our consuming diversions as we age is to recite , not only ourselves , our own story . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " I did n't care about anything . And there 's a freedom in apathy , a wild , dizzying liberation on which you can almost get do anything . Ask Kevin . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " You were ambitious - for your life , what it was like when you woke up in the morning , and not for some attainment . Like most people who did not answer a particular calling from an early age , you placed work beside yourself ; any occupation would fill up your day but not your heart . I . I liked it enormously . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " No eleven-year-old has any real grasp of death . He does n't have any real concept of other people--that they feel pain , even that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real to him , either much easier to throw away . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " It must be this overarching commitment to what is really an abstraction , to one 's children right or wrong , that can be even more fierce than the commitment to them as explicit , difficult people , and that can consequently keep you devoted to them when as individuals they disappoint . On my part it was this broad covenant with children-in-theory that I may have failed to make and to which I was unable to resort when Kevin finally tested my maternal ties to a perfect mathematical limit on Thursday . I did n't vote for parties , but for candidates . My opinions were as ecumenical as my larder , then still chock full of salsa verde from Mexico City , anchovies from Barcelona , lime leaves from Bangkok . I had no problem with abortion but abhorred capital punishment , which I suppose meant that I embraced the sanctity of life only in grown-ups . My environmental habits were capricious ; I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after submitting to dozens of spit-in-the-air showers with derisory European water pressure , I would bask under a deluge of scalding water for half an hour . My closet wafter with Indian saris , Ghanaian wraparounds , and Vietnamese au dais . My vocabulary was peppered with imports -- gemutlich , scusa , hugge , mzungu . I so mixed and matched the planet that you sometimes worried I had no commitments to anything or anywhere , though you were wrong ; my commitments were simply far-flung and obscenely specific . <p> By the same token , I could not love a child ; I would have to love this one . I was connected to the world by a multitude of threads , you by a few sturdy guide ropes . It was the same with patriotism : You loved the idea of the United States so much more powerfully than the country itself , and it was thanks to your embrace of the American aspiration that you could overlook the fact that your fellow Yankee parents were lining up overnight outside FAO Schwartz with thermoses of chowder to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dwells the tawdry . In the conceptual dwells the grand , the transcendent , the everlasting . Earthly countries and single malignant little boys can go to hell ; the idea of countries and the idea of sons triumph for eternity . Although neither of us ever went to church , I came were a naturally religious person . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " We 'd been assured it would n't be painful , though she might experience ' discomfort , ' a term beloved of the medical profession that seems to agony that is n't yours . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " Okay , it 's like this . You wake up , you watch TV , and you get in the car and you listen to the radio . You go to your little job or your little school , but you 're not going to hear about that on the 6:00 news , since guess what . Nothing is really happening . You read the paper , or if you 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is just the same as watching only even more boring . You watch TV all night , or maybe you go out so you can watch a movie , and maybe you 'll get a phone call so you can tell your friends what you 've been watching . And you know , it 's got so bad that I 've started to notice , the people on TV ? Inside the TV ? Half the time they 're watching TV . Or if you 've got some romance in a movie ? What to they do but go to a movie ? All those people , Marlin , " he invited the interviewer in with a nod . " What are they watching ? " <p> " Had I catalogued the downsides of parenthood , " son might turn out to be a killer " would never have turned up on the list . Rather , it might have looked something like this : <p> 1 . Hassle . 2 . Less time just the two of us . ( Try no time just the two of us. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ballet teachers . The kid 's insufferable friends and their insufferable parents. ) 4 . Turing into a cow . ( I was slight , and preferred to stay that way . My sister-in-law had developed bulging varicose veins in her legs during pregnancy that never retreated , and the prospect of calves branched in blue tree roots mortified me more than I could say . So I did n't say . I am vain , or once was , and one of my vanities was to feign that I was not. ) 5 . Unnatural altruism : being forced to make decisions in accordance with what was best for someone else . ( I 'm a pig. ) 6 . Curtailment of my traveling . ( Note curtailment . Not conclusion . ) 7 . Dementing boredom . ( I found small children brutally dull . I did , even at the outset , admit this to myself. ) 8 . Worthless social life . ( I had never had a decent conversation with a friend 's five-year-old in the room. ) 9 . Social demotion . ( I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in tow , every man I knew--every woman , too , which is depressing--would take me less seriously. ) 10 . Paying the piper . ( Parenthood repays a debt . But who wants to pay a debt she can escape ? Apparently , the childless get away with something sneaky . Besides , what good is repaying a debt to the wrong party ? Only the most warped mother would feel rewarded for her trouble by the fact that at last her is hideous , too . ) " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " I never , ever took you for granted . We met too late for that ; I was nearly thirty-three by then , and my past without you was too stark and insistent the miracle of companionship ordinary . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " I wonder if I would n't have been more moved if my own mother had taken me in her arms and said , ' I like you ' . I wonder if company is n't more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Talk About Kevin <p> " It is n't very nice to admit , but domestic violence has its uses . So raw and unleashed , it tears away the veil of civilization that comes between us as much as it makes life possible . A poor substitute for the sort of passion we like to extol perhaps , but real love shares more in common with hatred does with geniality or politeness . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " In truth we are bigger , greedier versions of the same eating , shitting , rutting ruck , hell-bent on disguising from somebody , if only from a three-year-old , that pretty much all we do is eat and shit and rut . The secret is there is no secret . that is what we really wish to keep fom our kids , and it the true collusion of adulthood ... " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " Now that children do n't till your fields or take you in when you 're incontinent , there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that with the advent chooses to reproduce at all . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " Tragedy seems to bring out all varieties of unexpected qualities in people . It was as if some folks got dunked in plastic , vacuum-sealed like backpacking dinners , and could do nothing but sweat in their private hell . And others seemed to have just the opposite problem , as if disaster had dipped them in acid instead , stripping off the outside layer of skin that once protected them from the slings and arrows of other people 's outrageous fortunes . For these sorts , just walking down the street in the wake of every stranger 's ill wind became an agony , an aching slog through this man 's fresh divorce and this woman 's throat cancer . They were in hell , too , but it was everybody 's hell , this sloshing sea of toxic waste . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " I was reminded of the time I got a free upgrade to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connery . Tongue-tied , I could n't think of a thing to say besides , " You 're Sean which presumably he was aware . " ? Lionel Shriver , We Need to Talk About Kevin <p> " These were good people and they had been good to us and we had therefore had a good time . To conclude otherwise was frightening , raising the specter of some unnameable quantity without which we could not abide , but which we could not summon on demand , least of all by proceeding in virtuous accordance with an established formula . <p> You regarded redemption as an act of will . You disparaged people ( people like me ) for their cussedly nonspecific dissatisfactions , because to fail to embrace the simple fineness of being alive betrayed a weakness of character . You always hated finicky eaters , hypochondriacs , and snobs who turned their noses up at Terms of Endearment just because it was popular . Nice eats , nice place , nice folks- what more could I possibly want ? Besides , the good life does n't knock on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you believed with sufficient industry that we had had a good time with Brian and Louise in theory , then we would have had a good time in fact . The only hint that in truth you 'd found laborous was that your enthusiasm was excessive . " ?

@@5252441 <h> Book Description <p> PUBLISHERS WEEKLY : " This sincere , laugh-out-loud confessional from Turner candidly reveals and revels in the flaws and dysfunctions of the author and her family . The " controlling , compulsively cleaning , wine guzzling " narrator with " neurotic tendencies " explains that anyone who enters a potentially lifelong romantic relationship has made a terrible mistake " akin to jumping onto subway tracks to retrieve a fallen pen . " That does n't apply to her , however , when she meets Mike and realizes that she had " gleefully jumped onto the subway tracks , because I wanted that pen . " The two agree to skip children , but eventually have two loving daughters who fill their lives with even more hilarious moments . From family problems , breastfeeding , her experiments with pot in Mexico , and lessons learned in Russia while " majoring in vodka , " Turner is not afraid to voice her private thoughts and never takes herself too seriously . She details her pregnancy and child-rearing techniques in a refreshingly honest way , claiming that she should have been awarded a medal for managing to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is light-hearted and riddled with comedic episodes that young mothers in particular will relate to and enjoy . Although the narrative is occasionally scattered as it jumps between stories , it remains a quick and thoroughly entertaining read . " <p> This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store chronicles what happens when a little girl who scorns the idea of marriage and children ( in favor of becoming a stiletto-wearing , attache-carrying Secret Agent ) , majors in Russian , minors in Vodka , and then one day finds herself with child ... and in-laws . <p> " Reading This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store is like going to your neighbor 's house for a play date and discovering that she 's just as clueless and crazy as you are . " -Stacy Dymalski , Confessions of a Band Geek Mom <p> " A.K. Turner 's witty essays explore the raw realities of raising children so they wo n't become serial killers , showing that it 's okay to put the little darlings to bed and then guzzle a bottle of hooch . This is the perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . " -Elaine Ambrose , Menopause Sucks <p> From The Quivering Pen : This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store by A. K. Turner ( Fever Streak Press ) : Did Erma Bombeck ever guzzle vodka ? If she did , she might have come close to the ribald domestic humor in Turner 's " momoir " This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store . The subtitle of the book is " Unapologetic Admissions from a Non-Contender for Mother of the Year " and Turner pulls few punches in her self-deprecating descriptions of life as an " unexpected parent . " Scan the chapter titles and you 'll get an idea of what 's waiting for you inside : " Do as I Say , Not as I Do " and " I 'm Not Having Twins , Bitch , " for example . Here are the Opening Lines : The family portrait of my youth resembles The Brady Bunch mixed with suppressed anger and mental instability , topped off with a healthy dollop of alcoholism . It was the usual amount of familial dysfunction , the type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a couple down the street divorces . A swapping of spouses takes place , and then people get married again . I hate the word " swapping ; " it makes the entire situation sound much more sordid than it probably was . Sordid or not , the end result left me with step-siblings twice over , as my mother married their father , which was a limited engagement , and my father married their mother , which continues to this day . It helps to have a flow chart to keep it all straight . <p> PUBLISHERS WEEKLY : " This sincere , laugh-out-loud confessional from Turner candidly reveals and revels in the flaws and dysfunctions of the author and her family . The " controlling , compulsively cleaning , wine guzzling " narrator with " neurotic tendencies " explains that anyone who enters a potentially lifelong romantic relationship has made a terrible mistake " akin to jumping onto subway tracks to retrieve a fallen pen . " That does n't apply to her , however , when she meets Mike and realizes that she had " gleefully jumped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . " The two agree to skip children , but eventually have two loving daughters who fill their lives with even more hilarious moments . From family problems , breastfeeding , her experiments with pot in Mexico , and lessons learned in Russia while " majoring in vodka , " Turner is not afraid to voice her private thoughts and never takes herself too seriously . She details her pregnancy and child-rearing techniques in a refreshingly honest way , claiming that she should have been awarded a medal for managing to be kind at any point during her pregnancy . The book is light-hearted and riddled with comedic episodes that young mothers in particular will relate to and enjoy . Although the narrative is occasionally scattered as it jumps between stories , it remains a quick and thoroughly entertaining read . " <p> This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store chronicles what happens when a little girl who scorns the idea of marriage and children ( in favor of becoming a stiletto-wearing , attache-carrying Secret Agent ) , majors in Russian , minors in Vodka , and then one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " Reading This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store is like going to your neighbor 's house for a play date and discovering that she 's just as clueless and crazy as you are . " -Stacy Dymalski , Confessions of a Band Geek Mom <p> " A.K. Turner 's witty essays explore the raw realities of raising children so they wo n't become serial killers , showing that it 's okay to put the little darlings to bed and then guzzle a bottle of hooch . This is the perfect cross between Nora Ephron , David Sedaris and Chelsea Handler . " -Elaine Ambrose , Menopause Sucks <p> From The Quivering Pen : This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store by A. K. Turner ( Fever Streak Press ) : Did Erma Bombeck ever guzzle vodka ? If she did , she might have come close to the ribald domestic humor in Turner 's " momoir " This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store . The subtitle of the book is " Unapologetic Admissions from a Non-Contender for Mother of the Year " and Turner pulls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " unexpected parent . " Scan the chapter titles and you 'll get an idea of what 's waiting for you inside : " Do as I Say , Not as I Do " and " I 'm Not Having Twins , Bitch , " for example . Here are the Opening Lines : The family portrait of my youth resembles The Brady Bunch mixed with suppressed anger and mental instability , topped off with a healthy dollop of alcoholism . It was the usual amount of familial dysfunction , the type that involves your parents divorcing at the same time that a couple down the street divorces . A swapping of spouses takes place , and then people get married again . I hate the word " swapping ; " it makes the entire situation sound much more sordid than it probably was . Sordid or not , the end result left me with step-siblings twice over , as my mother married their father , which was a limited engagement , and my father married their mother , which continues to this day . It helps to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more need be said . Turner is brilliantly comical in the a vein of Sedaris and Burroughs . Making light of heavy topics , and elevating family dynamics and dysfunction to a high-art ! Highly recommended ... it will make you feel so normal . <p> Full disclosure , I know the author and witnessed some of the early anecdotes . But the truly entertaining parts are AK/Amanda/Mandy 's thoughts on adulthood , marriage , and parenthood . She 's a little scattered , but so real . I think that if you read it , you will be jealous that I got to spend some time one on one with her in high school and wish you could now . <p> This might be the funniest book I have ever read . AK Turner shares hilarious stories about owning pets , traveling , drinking , raising kids , and hanging out with the in-laws , among other things . I especially appreciated her raw honesty about parenting -- the subject we 've all been tempted to lie about , pretending that it is just as easy as the parenting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and again ) when I need a good laugh ! <h> ebooksdisplayonwebsite <h> This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store <h> More About the Author <p> AK Turner grew up in Maryland , studied vodka in Russia , and now lives in Idaho with her husband and two daughters . She writes a humor column for the Boise City Revue and created " The Writers ' Block " on

@@5252541 <h> 976 Acres of Colorado Farm , CRP Land to Be Offered to the Public <p> KANSAS CITY , Mo . ( PRWEB ) November 14 , 2012 - Qualified buyers will have the opportunity to purchase cropland with long-term CRP contracts in Colorado . These 976 acres of land are located near Vona , Colo. , and will be offered to the public in three separate tracts and in its entirety during a live and online multi-tract auction . <p> Conducted by Virgil George , employing broker with United Country -- Rocking X Land Company , LTD , of Burlington , Colo. , the live auction will take place at the Vona Community Center located in Vona , Colo . The auction will begin at 10:30 a.m. , and registration for the event will start at 10:15 a.m . Online bidding is available at http : //www.proxibid.com/rxl . <p> These three Kit Carson County , Colo. , tracts include long-term CRP acreage , good soil types and water , plus a mix of native grasses . They are located close to the local elevator with paved access and Interstate 70 . <p> " Our seller recognizes the value @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words , an auction -- to sell their property , " said George . " What does this mean for buyers ? It means they have the opportunity to purchase part or all of a great Colorado land holding before the end of the year . Today 's market conditions and the auction format allow sellers and buyers to come to a meeting of the minds quickly with a competitively achieved fair market value . In times like these , an auction is the best way to establish what real market value is . " <p> Detailed information about the property for sale , as well as details about the auctions , can be found online at http : //www.COLandAuction.com , by emailing rxl@centurytel.net or by calling 719-346-5420 . <h> About United Country <p> United Country Real Estate is the largest fully integrated network of conventional and auction real estate professionals in the United States and Latin America . The company has been an innovator in real estate marketing since 1925 . United Country supports nearly 550 offices across the U.S. , Costa Rica , Panama and resort areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes one of the largest portfolios of property marketing websites ( more than 3,500 separate sites and traffic of approximately 3 million visitors per month ) , multiple United Country real estate catalogs with national distribution , an extensive buyer database and national advertising of local properties that reaches more than 90 million homes per week . United Country has recently been recognized by Franchise Business Review , AllBusiness.com , The Land Report , Entrepreneur and The Wall Street Journal as one of the top U.S. real estate companies . <h> Social Reach : <h> Viewer Response : <p> United Country Real Estate , headquartered in Kansas City , Missouri , is the only national franchise system specializing in residential , farms , ranches , commercial and recreational properties for sale throughout the small towns and

@@5252641 <h> Contact Us <h> Ohio Sen. Brown : Card check is ' not going to happen ' <p> One of organized labor 's top backers in the Senate acknowledged Tuesday that " card check " legislation is basically dead . <p> Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown ( D ) said that while he had supported the Employee Free Choice Act ( EFCA , or " card check " ) , its chances of passage were virtually none at this point . <p> " It 's not going to happen now , " Brown said on WVIZ radio in Ohio . <p> Labor had high hopes of passing EFCA through Congress in early 2009 , when President Obama strode into office with strong majorities in the House and Senate . But opposition by business interests and the defection of centrist Democrats meant the legislation had effectively withered on the vine by the end of the 111th Congress . <p> Supporters of EFCA have hoped for a rewrite of the legislation that might make it more palatable and allow it to be passed in a modified form . But with increased Republican representation in the Senate and a GOP

@@5252741 <p> The ripple effect of drug abuse , a problem that stretches beyond its user and touches each person in a community , is dealt with best when tackled from a variety of angles , speakers said Thursday at the seventh annual Drug Awareness Summit Thursday . <p> In response to the spread of drug abuse in the local community , the Carroll Meth Awareness Coalition has sponsored the summit for a number of years , to provide an opportunity , said coalition Chairman Reagen Clayton , for the community to learn more about what plagues it and to bring the problem to an end . <p> This year 's summit went beyond the problems of meth use and featured speakers knowledgeable on the growing trends among teens and young adults , prescription drugs and synthetic drugs . It was held all day Thursday at Tabernacle Baptist Church . <p> Tracy Wilson , a counselor at Carrollton 's Resolutions Counseling , coordinated the event and introduced the speakers , stressing the importance of the summit 's name . <p> " A lot of people think that if things are legal or are just on the cusp of becoming illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " Wilson said . " But sometimes the legal drugs can be more dangerous than the illegal ones . " <p> Wilson said that while the legal enhancers are a nationwide problem , it 's still an issue in Carroll County . <p> " If you gave me five minutes , I could drive around to places of business within a two-mile radius of this church , and I could bring back all kinds of stuff that is dangerous that is both legal and illegal , " Wilson said . " It 's very much a part of our community . " <p> A public information officer from the Drug Enforcement Agency Atlanta field division , Chuvalo J. Truesdell , spoke on synthetic drugs and their growth in the U.S. and Georgia . <p> " Law enforcement is important in this fight , of course , " Truesdell said . " But the first thing I think about to fix the problem is community . We need folks from the education aspect , law enforcement and treatment . We try to take a broad approach to get it from every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current status of " trendy " drugs like bath salts , K2 or spice and salvia . He also reported on Atlanta 's status as the epicenter of drug cartels , which has effects in the metro area . <p> Dr. Ross Aikins , a postdoctoral fellow with the National Development and Research Institute in New York , addressed trends in adolescent substance abuse and the history of drugs -- " how we got where we are today , " he said . <p> Aikins spoke on the history of " fad " drugs that are growing in popularity and use , including salvia , K2 or spice , synthetic marijuana , bath salts and " smiles . " <p> " It 's like playing Whac-a-Mole to make these drugs illegal , " Aikins said . " As soon as something 's outlawed , a road chemist tweaks it enough to make it legal . And a lot of times , that new ' legal ' drug they 've created is more dangerous after they play with the chemical makeup . " <p> Bremen resident Lance Dyer , the founder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story about his fight against synthetic drugs following the death of his son earlier this year . <p> " I 'm not trying to pull your heartstrings with this story , " Dyer said . " I am trying to scare you . This is not the drug war of the 1980s . This is a fight against organized , money-fed mini-cartels that could n't care less about you or your kids . " <p> Dyer echoed the previous speakers ' claim that legislating and outlawing the drugs is " like a game of Whac-a-Mole . " <p> " They list one drug on the illegal list , and three more pop up in its place , " Dyer said . " As soon as Gov . Deal signs something into law , there 's already a new strain out there for our kids to buy . " <p> Several dozen nursing students from West Georgia Technical College attended the summit , dressed in white scrubs and sitting in a large group near the front of the church . <p> Janet Roman , a nursing school instructor who coordinated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's important for the people who will soon work in our hospitals to learn what to look out for drug-wise . <p> " When they start at a hospital , they need to be able to recognize the symptoms and drugs that a patient might be using , " Roman said . " And they might have family members of their own who have drug problems , so being

@@5252841 <h> United Rentals ' 7% Jump - A Long no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article . ( More ... ) <p> United Rentals ( URI ) jumped 7.6% on Sept. 4 , 2012 , from the previous day 's close of $32.31 to day 's high of $34.65 , before settling to the day 's close of $34.42 . <p> The knee jerk reaction on the stock price was probably because of the earlier news that the rating agency Standard &; Poors raised the company 's credit rating a notch and said that it has improved its operating performance and credit measures . <p> A Year 's Following <p> I have owned United Rentals ' stock since August 2011 , when the price bottomed at $14.87 , and it has always been an extremely volatile component in my portfolio . Ten percent swings are not uncommon for this stock . On June 21 , 2012 , I had discussed a comprehensive list of catalysts that could potentially result in United Rentals ' outperformance in 2012 and 2013 . An excerpt is included below : <p> So what is the best time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ URI 's beta is 2.47 , and it easily swings 10% both ways in a week 's time . With the Fed 's latest Twist , the market might be heading towards choppy trading , treading waters for next few weeks or going lower , causing good entry points for investors . After this 8%+ slide , investors should not panic . For new investors , this is the time to start nibbling on URI , instead of taking a huge bite . <p> Source : " Top 12 Reasons URI Must Be On Your Summer Shopping List " <p> Why URI 's operating performance matters <p> In response to the June article , a gentleman had rightfully raised the point in the comments section that the Debt/Equity ratio for the company is high , and that if it " sneezed , it 'd lose it all . " My rebuttal in the comments was the following : <p> Total debt/total capital is 97% , agreed , but the industry average is high already at 75% . Of course , there is this risk and " if they sneeze , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the company did reduce the percentage of debt used in its capital structure this year which is encouraging . <p> Operating performance for a company that is this highly leveraged is very important in this economy . United Rentals ' free cash flow is negative and is expected to remain negative for the remainder of the 2012 . L ooking at the Interest Coverage and Quick Ratios of the company , there is a risk for investors that the company could face trouble servicing its debt ( if the market sees rental rate declines ) , considering that its operating profits or current assets alone are not high enough to satisfy its interest obligations . <p> Apart from the overall sluggish recovery in the U.S. ( note that United Rentals operates in U.S . and Canada only , so there is no business impact due to the recessions in Europe ) , this was one reason why , in spite of an extremely high TTM EPS growth , the company 's stock kept wobbling up and down without conviction even while it kept rising from the teens . <p> @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised the company 's rating from B to B+ on Tuesday and stated that the " outlook is stable , " traders jumped in to make hay . <p> Catalysts Still In Play <p> The 12 catalysts discussed in the June article are very much still in play . The July earnings showed that the company swung to a loss due to the RSC Holdings acquisition , but revenue jumped 58% and more importantly , the margins improved considerably . <p> The two most important catalysts that will continue to propel this stock for the next six quarters or so are the following : <p> Equipment rental rates ( 7% increase in 2012 ) and utilization rates have improved in 2012 and the trend has remained positive since 2010 and is expected to continue into 2013 . Increased rental rates contribute the United Rentals ' revenues as well as margins , especially when the company is working hard in cutting its costs . <p> The b usiness c ycle is another reason why United Rentals is the right investment in the Industrial sector . Commercial constructors and industrials coping from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than own the equipment . <p> Even if the economic recovery speeds up unexpectedly , there are additional advantages for stakeholders to continue renting the equipment versus buying . In a high speed economic recovery scenario , one would prefer to use capital investments for growth purposes rather than cutting costs on rentals , especially because they usually need many types of equipments and buying all the required equipments could damage rather than help their balance sheets . <p> United Rentals is thus well positioned to gain in either scenario . <p> Other Positives <p> Apart from the above mentioned fundamental factors , there are other positives that investors should take note of . <p> As shown below , the company has given positive EPS surprises consistently since 2011 . <p> Revenues are expected to rise substantially from 2011 levels until 2014 . In the chart below , the 2011 numbers are actuals and the numbers for years 2012-2014 are estimates . <p> In July 2012 , United Rentals announced pro forma financial guidance for the second half of 2012 . The company said it was positive for the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40% in the first half to 45% in the second . It also stated an expected 6.5% year over year increase in the rental rates and an improved utilization rate of 68% . <p> Construction activity has bottomed in the United States and is expected to pick up from here . This bodes well for United Rentals as increased activity in the commercial construction and industrial space will bring higher revenues for the company . <p> With the RSC Holdings acquisition , the company 's fleet now contains a broader selection of equipment and has added flexibility to meet high demand , making United Rentals an 800 pound gorilla in the equipment rental domain . <p> The company has made successful attempts of improving its balance sheet , by improving the Debt/Total Capital ratio from 97% to 83% , bringing it much closer to the industry average of 75% . <p> Conclusion <p> In July 2012 , analysts at Credit Suisse had raised the target price for United Rentals to $47 , close to its 52 week highs . At $47 , the stock would be trading a little over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the company keeps giving positive EPS surprises as it has in the past many quarters , taking into account the highest estimated EPS of $5.02 , the stock could trade well above $50 in the next 12-18 months . <p> Risks <p> As with any other investments , there are risks associated with investing in URI . <p> Utilization rates have improved slightly in 2012 , but if this trend discontinues , investors should start getting cautious . <p> Further slowdown in the economic recovery in the United States could result in a delayed increase in industrial and construction activity , making the stock out of favor for investors . <p> As discussed above , increasing rental rates are an important catalyst for URI . Any hiccups in this rising trend could impact the company 's revenues and stock 484 people who get email alerts on . <p> Get email 185,349 people who get the Investing Ideas newsletter . Get the Investing Ideas newsletter <h> Share this article <p> CodeSpeed is an investor from Coral Springs , Florida who also works at a Fortune 500 Financial Services company as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Florida , Warrington School

@@5252941 <h> If It Was Meant Then It Will Be lyrics <h> Mary Irwin If It Was Meant Then It Will Be lyrics <p> Just want to make you smile What is wrong with that ? Do you think we have a chance ? Do you think we just <p> You say to me you wan na get up Why do n't you talk to me for awhile ? Boy I am not trying to rush I just want to make you smile What is wrong with that ? Do you think we have a chance ? Do yo think we just click So good for a relationship ? <p> Small town boy I realize and know you are busy And it 's okay because I understand <p> You know who you are I wo n't make a scene But I care to ask you What if it is meant to be You know you are a star I might make this easy But no matter what Whatever will be will be If it is meant then it will be If it is meant then it will be <p> You ask me why I am so much for this I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you are still wondering I say well I wo n't lie just tell you the truth Maybe I am just too foolish Not to realize what you are doing <p> Small town boy Lyrics from : http : **34;3457;TOOLONG ... There are lies and rumors And it 's fine because I do n't listen to them <p> You know who you are I wo n't make a scene But I care to ask you What if it is meant to be You know you are a star I might make this easy But no matter what Whatever will be will be If it is meant then it will be If it is meant then it will be <p> Wherever your heart is That is where you would fine your treasure Wherever the path takes you I still want to support you <p> Would that still be okay ? Is this wrong , to like you Is this wrong , to like you like this <p> You know who you are I wo n't make a scene But I care to ask you What if it is meant to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy But no matter what Whatever will be will be If it is meant then it will be If it is meant then it will be <p> Sing it one more time <p> You know who you are I wo n't make a scene But I care to ask you What if it is meant to be You know you are a star I might make this easy But no matter what Whatever will be will be If it is meant then it

@@5253041 <h> How did Darwin come up with evolution ? <p> Charles Darwin did not " come up " with evolution . Evolution always existed , and Darwin rather eloquently explained one theory ( or a number of theories , depending on how you read his work ) on how evolution takes place . <p> during his voyage to South America on the HMS Beagle , Darwin began to notice the differences between very closely related species , as well as the specialization of other species to certain tasks . Combined with the differences of isolates species ( ie those on the Galapagos Island ) he observed what he thought to be evidence of the theory of natural selection . <p> Another young man was thinking along the same lines in malasia at the time , his name was Wallace , and he communicated dearly with Darwin thought the writing of " the Origin of Species " . <p> There is little dispute as to whether this stands as a viable scientific theory . There is not much that can prove it wrong , although science has continued to enhance natural selection and the other theories of evolution over time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a variety of reasons

@@5253141 <p> Our WeeElite Program recognizes excellence in customer satisfaction . To display the ResellerRatings Elite badge , companies must meet stringent ratings standards , and they must subscribe to the ResellerRatings Merchant Member program to actively participate in resolving customer issues at ResellerRatings . <p> ResellerRatings Elite is not a guarantee or a warranty that you will receive excellent service , but companies that qualify for ResellerRatings Elite have the highest customer satisfaction ratings of any companies listed on our site . <p> If you see the ResellerRatings Elite badge on a website that does not appear to qualify , please let us know . <p> " I fount " a matter of fax " online in a google search , They had the lowest price for the bulb i needed for my T.V. a day or two after i purchased the product . A representative called me asking to up charge my order , or if he could have permission to . because the light I ordered was n't available at the time But they did have blah blah blah such and such extra special light bulb for only an additional $85 ... So I was n't to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money back low and behold the light appeared at my door step some few days later . Guess they had it after all .. A couple attempts to get my opinion on their service , was made by customer service after my purchase , so here it is . " <p> This review was modified by LifesshortEnjoy on November 07 2012 06:14:47 PM <p> I ordered and paid for my product and everything seemed great . I got an email a few hours later saying because of " problems they are having in Japan right now . " Suspicious enough to raise concern , but since they hosed me on free shipping on checkout I figured if they would offer the free shipping , I would accept the more expensive item replacement they were suggesting ( apparently you have to somehow request the free shipping prominently advertised through some secondary checkout screen ... bogus ) . <p> I also asked for them to send me an updated invoice with all new charges . They did n't , but charged my credit card anyways . I found out because my

@@5253241 <h> Translation of take care of in Spanish <h> Translation by Vocabulix <p> English <p> Spanish <p> to care for ; take care of <p> cuidar a <p> to take care of <p> llevar <p> to take care of <p> cuidar <p> Next winter I 'm going to Spain , where i hope to study Spanish . It 's easy to visit Germany . Munich is a big city in Bayern ... It 's a nice city . Lot 's of restaurants , nice buildings , a lake nearby and really friendly people . Are you using any literature in your studies ? You want to study Spanish ? I can help you . Where do you life in England ? I have visited London last year . It was very amazing . It was a great trip . I got ta tell you , that I am not really good at it . I 've just passed the first lesson and I had more than 35 mistakes , out of 25 words , funny is n't it .

@@5253341 <h> Obama Gets a Look at the Bottom of the Bus , Courtesy of Petraeus <p> It seems like since the beginning of his administration , the Blamer in Chief has been throwing people under the proverbial bus whenever things go wrong , from former President Bush to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton . <p> Now , Fox News has reported that two former Navy SEALs ' requests for assistance during the Benghazi attack that ended up killing four Americans were rejected three times by the CIA annex . <p> Not willing to take the hit , CIA Director David Petraeus ordered a statement issued to the press that neither he nor anyone at the CIA had anything to do in the CIA told anybody not to help those in need ; claims to the contrary are simply inaccurate , " according to the statement . <p> Earlier this week , The Blaze reported that Clinton had requested more security for the Benghazi mission before the attacks occurred on September 11 , but the request was rejected by Obama . <p> Petraeus ' denial of involvement in rejecting the SEALs pleas for help leaves the president twisting in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or anyone at the CIA , then the order could only have come from the Oval Office , assuming ordinary protocol was followed . <p> The father of one of the slain SEALs , Charles Woods , has called the White House version of what happened at Benghazi a " pack of lies . " He said in an interview , " To me -- I 'm an attorney , this may not legal test of murder -- but to me , that is not only cowardice . For those people who made the decision and who knew about the decision and lied about it are murderers of my son . " <p> Obama spent part of Friday dodging direct questions about the refusal of aid during the Benghazi attack . Instead of answering , he talked about " gathering all the facts " and said , " Nobody wants to find out more what happened than I do . " <p> There 's good reason to believe he knows exactly what happened and will continue lying about it at least until after the election . To the mainstream media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth is , it seems more and more likely that the blood of those slain Americans is on the hands of the president . <p> Why has n't Petraeus resigned ? Does he need the job that bad ? Anyone with any intergrity would not want to be associated with this corrupt regime . <p> http : **34;5264;TOOLONG . ... Donnie Cheesman <p> Commander David Petraeus serves the American people -- first ; not Oba'ma first . <p> deseartu <p> The President does n't have a conscience because Satin does n't have one ! One in the same ! the new Hitler , and if re-elected , everyone who voted for him can then look in the mirror when the world self destructs ! Thanks for your vote ! You ca n't fix stupid ! <p> http : **34;5300;TOOLONG . ... Donnie Cheesman <p> David Petraeus is a man of honor -- he will not betray those in uniform or lie to American citizens for Ba'rak Oba'ma . <p> http : **35;5336;TOOLONG ... Kenneth Lee <p> Petraeues saw the writing on the wall and was not going to be road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dog ( both judasbama and billary ) . He got his facts out first and not last . <p> Dr. Pepper MJ <p> Impeach Hillary for her being resposible for Benghazi and the she will start to sing instead of protect the white house guest . Remeber no one has to demand information on Benghazi . All that needs to happen is the demand for Hillary to step down and then you will hear her tell the truth . <p> Dr. Pepper MJ <p> Impeach Hillary for her being responsible for Benghazi and the she will start to sing instead of protect the white house guest . Remember no one has to demand information on Benghazi . All that needs to happen is the demand for Hillary to step down and then you will hear her tell the truth . <p> http : **35;5373;TOOLONG ... Who do you think it is ? <p> Contact your Congressmen and Senators demand that Obama is IMPEACHED and charged with Treason for the murders of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens , Sean Smith a Foreign Service information officer , and Tyrone S. Woods and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security personnel at the consulate in Benghazi <p> Hank <p> It 's about time Petraeus stood up . My respect for him has been greatly diminished since he was bought by Obama . <p> Michael <p> With regret do I suggest that it wo n't matter how much you press the media outlets to change their philosophy and focus to cover that which they are indifferent to . You must understand that they have shifted their rationale from objective , fact-based reporting to advocacy journalism wherein they take a position and defend it by assailing -- or not reporting -- that which does not " merit " their interest . <p> JohnW <p> I know a couple of democrats who have the atitude of " I always vote democrat and always have " I am very conservative and ca n't understand why they would sabatage our country just because some family tradition.This admin. is n't even dem they are plain outright communist . <p> djw663 <p> Commander in Chief , not a title to be taken lightly ; on the golf course or on vacation while America has been facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not done I do n't go on vacation , too many families depend on me to make the right decisions everyday and if something is broken I fix it ; today , right now not after I play golf for four and a half hours . Golf can wait my top priority is my family , my employees and their families because without them , well you know ! I will rejoin my family ASAP and playing golf does not help anyone unless it is meeting with the leader of a nation to build relations and I do n't see Obama doing that . <p> pearl87 <p> Something tells me Obama 's hands are no strangers to blood , anymore than his lips are to lies . <p> http : **32;5410;TOOLONG The Lone Gunman <p> I think that by the new year , we will know that the stand-down order came from Obama . What we know already from internal military sources is that Africom Commander , General Carter Ham , is being replaced by Obama because he objected too strongly to the stand-down order . That kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The more we put things together on this , the more it looks like Obama was the

@@5253441 <h> Gothic Council Tries to Figure Out Nick Cave <p> A little while back , I was tasked with defining the seven ages of goth . Basically , the goal was to go from the birth of the genre to its modern forms and incarnations based on the years which each of those subgenres were at their height . It was a fair bit of writing that pleased pretty much no one because goths are happiest when they 're pointing out how much more they know about goth than you , but there was always one huge , glaring omission to the article that I could n't hide : Nick Cave . <p> The man , whom as I 've pointed out is awesomely insane , defies all attempts to nail him into a box . It 's not just that you have to deal with the fact that he 's fronted three iconic bands with three totally distinct sounds in addition to his solo work , it 's that even within those bands he has never , ever fit in with a defined period of gothic evolution . <p> Yet , there is absolutely no doubt that Cave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an anomaly , woven inside a movement without directly affecting or being affected by that movement . <p> I had given up attempting to categorize the man on my own , and decided it was time to have the Gothic Council rule on Mr. Cave 's rightful place in the gothic world . Joining me this week is living historian Morrighanne Burns , Hex of the deathrock act Culture Decay , Church of Melkarth ' s Jvstin Whitney , DJs Regen Robinson and Martin Oldgoth , blogger Drusilla Grey , and Carmilla Voiez , author of Starblood . <p> Morrighanne Burns : He 's a morbid cowboy with the heart of a lion and the soul of Oscar Wilde . I have never been a huge uberfan of Cave 's music , but from reading his novels and watching films based on his screenplays I have come to appreciate him more as I have aged . <p> Hex : He 's a post punk icon with a quick temper , a strange fascination with the Deep South and gave birth to the name of a very famous song that inspired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Pussy . <p> Rocks Off : I 'm sorry ? <p> Jvstin Whitney : I should n't need to elaborate . He 's a weepy crybaby that no one with measurable amounts of testosterone should want to ever listen to . I remember an ex-girlfriend who made me listen to his garbage all the time and I was all , " You 're probably always depressed because you listen to this pussyfest all day . " TURN UP

@@5253541 <h> When You 're Scared to Death , Do Something Anyway <p> We all face fears . Fear of flying . Fear of heights . And the worst of all : fear of failure . Fear has the uncanny ability to paralyze us . So what do we do when we feel its icy-cold hands of restraint ? We do what we must : we move . <p> Photo credit : <p> For the longest time , I was afraid to be who I was . I was trying to live someone else 's dream . But one day a friend came along and told me the words I was longing to hear : <p> You are a writer . You just need to write . <p> Then something amazing happened : I began to live into my true calling . Friends , family , coworkers all saw it . They encouraged and affirmed my passion , which only fueled my pursuit even more . I began to do better work and enjoy life more . My wife saw this , too . <h> Do n't rob the world <p> Through this experience , I realized something : When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we deprive the world of a gift . <p> I 've had my fair share of fears in my life . I 've been timid and intimidated . Shy and apprehensive . But even when I 'm acting courageously , those feelings have never gone away . <p> I recently interviewed a preacher who had delivered thousands of sermons in his lifetime . When I asked if he still gets nervous , he said , " I ca n't remember a time when I was n't anxious . " <p> You know that fear you feel when you 're about to do something great ? That never goes away . Turns out , the truly courageous ones just learn to name that feeling and move anyway . <p> When I stepped into my passion , I was afraid , but I decided to do something despite how I felt . And it made all the difference . I realized : <p> Real failure is n't as bad as we imagine . <p> When you pursue your passion , the universe makes room for your dream . <p> People love following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procrastinating , I finally pursued my dream . I decided to become a writer . To my surprise , I saw success far more quickly than expected : I launched a popular blog , got a publishing contract , and found my true fans -- all within a year . <p> How did this happen ? Simple . I believed in the dream before it happened . I did n't wait for fear to go away ; I started living into the reality I was longing for . <p> You know , we 're about to graduate from our undergrad , and moving is always scary . On top of that , I 'm starting a Master 's program in the fall , and it was terrifying to apply for it , but it was worthwhile when I was accepted ! <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Thanks for sharing , Adrian . <p> http : //smallbirdstudios.com/ Fran <p> This could n't come at a more perfect time . Our magazine launches tomorrow , and I did n't anticipate this fear/ nervousness/ anxiety , but it is there and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down our readers and already huge support . Thanks so much for this . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Awesome . Good luck . Way to leap ! <p> http : //becomingpeculiar.com/ Kathleen Quiring <p> Um . Did you mean to say it 's NOW available on Nook ? ( Rather than " It 's NOT available on Nook " ? ) <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Great catch . <p> Rick Carr <p> A friend of mine tells me , " Sometimes you just have to jump off the cliff and build the wings on the way down . " I 'm finding that 's true . <p> I 've started a photo project to raise money for a cancer center . It 's going to cost a couple of thousand to build a display and print &; frame 20 images . I 'm counting on businesses to support it , anything they donate over the cost goes to the center . I went to a local radio station and asked them to promote it . They 're on board . It 's a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Love that . <p> http : //colebradburn.com/ Cole Bradburn <p> Last time I was afraid and did something anyway : Everytime I hit publish on a poetry post . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> awesome . love that you 're doing it . <p> Allie <p> This was the conversation I had this morning in the early quiet . Thank you , Jeff . Just " move anyway . " Good stuff . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> You 're welcome , Allie . Thanks for reading . <p> Lisa R <p> I 've started referring to myself as a writer , and a suprising number of people want to take a look at my novel when it 's finished . I get the idea that they 're impressed I 've taken a leap . My boys are proud too that mom has a passion like they have a passion . Their passion is baseball . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> This is really cool , Lisa . <p> Ben Thompson <p> Jeff . thanks in part to you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ **26;6709;TOOLONG . We felt we had this amazing message , but for a few years kept putting it off in fear . Then , we decided to go for it starting at the begininng of April and it has been awesome . We feel like we have a message that needs to be shared regardless of our fear <p> Thanks for reminding me of this -- and that we need to be courageous even after success has been achieved . It 's not something that we realise I do n't think . This courage is so important and that we need to display it even in success was at first a surprise -- but deep down something I felt and have experienced myself . It takes so much courage to keep choosing yourself , to believe you are a writer , and to act -- and write -- like one . <p> Thanks for sharing Jeff . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> you 're welcome , friend . <p> NicoleFrench <p> I really patted myself on the back for starting my book , but now the fear that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to push through it and keep going . Thanks for the encouragement ! <p> You write and I feel encouraged . What a gift you have . I for one am grateful that you step out and use your gifts as you do . Thank you for your newletter , your Writers Manifesto and now for this ebook . I know where to go for doses of authentic writing and for big chunks of inspiration . I first discovered you through my friend and fellow blogger Shelly Miller at Redemptions Beauty . Again , gratitude right here . <p> You write and I feel encouraged . What a gift you have . I for one am grateful that you step out and use your gifts as you do . Thank you for your newletter , your Writers Manifesto and now for this ebook . I know where to go for doses of authentic writing and for big chunks of inspiration . I first discovered you through my friend and fellow blogger Shelly Miller at Redemptions Beauty . Again , gratitude right here . <p> http : //tcavey.blogspot.com/ TCAvey <p> Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <p> Love the realizations you had- especially that the world will make room for my dream . <p> Also important is that people really do like to follow someone- why not be someone worth following ? <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Thanks ! Well said . <p> http : **28;6737;TOOLONG Chris Neiger <p> I 'm just now learning that the fears wo n't always go away , you just need to work through them . It 's only taken me 30 years . Better late than never . <p> I bet there 's a study on why writers have such a hard time believing they 're writers . It seems so common among us all . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Really does . It 's crazy . <p> Mark Cross <p> First of all , congratulations on the launch of your new eBook . I downloaded it to my kindle and will read it this weekend . <p> Hesitation , in that first moment of fear , is the leading cause of death in gazelles and dreams . <p> The last time I was afraid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setup my blog and began creating content . I 've had " it 's all about me " blogs before . I 've learned more about blogging lurking here than I ever did in all those self-absorbed blogs of my past . <p> I am a writer . You have reawakened that reality in me and for that I will forever be grateful . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> So you 're saying we are gazelles ? Sounds like Dave Ramsey . <p> Mark Cross <p> Allow me to clarify . I SUSPECT hesitation , in that first moment of fear , is the leading cause of death in gazelles and dreams . <p> Disclaimer : As to the gazelleness of any specific person . Any resemblance to real persons , living or dead , is purely coincidental . But , if the hoof fits ... = ) <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> : ) <p> http : **35;6767;TOOLONG ... Melody Harrison Hanson <p> Yes . I am most afraid when I am writing about things that really matter to me , women in the evangelical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gut clench is the sign that you 're doing something important ? I du n no , but I found myself wondering that yesterday when I was writing about discovering my voice as an evangelical woman . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> I can relate to writing what scares you . Stay encouraged , Melody . You 're being courageous . That 's never easy . <p> http : //suzysammons.com/ One <p> Jeff , over and over , you write so directly TO ME This is the 2nd time this has happened : when I 'm still noodling my post , I check your always-inspiring words , and today I see not only the idea , but the IMAGE that matches my post . Can I steal your image ? ( kidding ) . I have to be bold and invite you to my idea of " vibrating thresholds . " Thank you and have a great Friday ! I am blessed by your work . -suzy ! <p> http : //suzysammons.com/ suzy sammons <p> Um . It 's me , " Suzy Sammons . " Bad login @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) <p> http : **34;6804;TOOLONG . ... Stephanie <p> Great post , Jeff ! Glad you 've conquered your fear and are living your dream . I 've realized that life is too short to live it afraid so I 've been doing things the last few years that I can check off my mental bucket list . I really need to add the list to my blog because I love the satisfaction of being able to cross things off a paper or digital list . My top three favorite conquered fears ( not physical fear but fear due to the thought of rejection or ridicule ) : Started a blog , began flying lessons , and occasionally work as a background actor in TV/film as my schedule permits . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Stephanie , one thing to note : I have n't conquered anything . It 's a daily battle , this struggle to be me . <p> http : //rebootingworship.com/ Jamie Kocur <p> When was the last time I was scared and did something anyway ? I feel like this is the story of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think I 'd rather hide out in my house all day . However , I 'm constantly being forced out of my comfort zone . As well as a writer , I 'm a singer who 's trying to put my own songs out there . Performing is not something I 'm really comfortable with , but it comes with the territory . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> If this is the story of your life , you 're doing GREAT ! <p> Mikezserdin <p> Really enjoyed this post Jeff . Timely . I " liked " the book at Amazon . Great work . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> thanks , Mike . <p> http : //www.writetobeyou.com/ Rory G <p> " When you pursue your passion , the universe makes room for your dream " I love this quote , Jeff and it really speaks to my experience . I have been pursuing and developing my reflective writing workshops since January and I really do feel now , after only a few months , that an energetic field has opened up which I have stepped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soul . Things are now unfolding because I allowed myself to ' own ' all of my strengths and experiences without denigrating myself for trying . You explain things simply and I love that . Dance with fear and find growth and meaning . And then share the love -- as you are doing ! Life is never smooth , but when the bumpy bits are actually fun -- enjoy them ! Continued success with the new book -- it is well deserved . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> thanks , Rory ! <p> NickZ <p> Thank you . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> you 're welcome . <p> http : //marleeward.com/ Marlee <p> Hey Jeff , I talk about this with my clients a lot . Fear is a funny thing . It can manifest and cloak itself in many ways . You mentioned the fear of failure , but an often unrecognized manifestation of fear is actually the fear of success . Sometimes we are afraid of what will happen if we DO achieve -- and that fear is so much harder to identify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our bodies sensor for protecting us from danger . The problem is our brain ca n't distinguish legitimate fear from illegitimate fear . So the only way to overcome fear is to do as you suggest -- feel the fear and do it anyway . <p> And I think that is the hardest part . What I 've found most helpful in overcoming that obstacle , however , is my faith . My belief that I do n't have a spirit of fear , the belief that I 'm commanded to trust instead of fear , and the belief that I 'm never without ever present help in all I do has helped me to take those steps of courage required to life out my purpose . <p> You know what I mean ? <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> totally . <p> http : //www.mltcreative.com Billy Mitchell <p> Fear is a natural part of taking risks . One of the first things I had to do to overcome my fear when starting my business many years ago was to face it and turn it into fuel . <p> @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears as part of the process and do my best to overcome them with optimism , innovation , ideas and action . It 's okay to fear failure too as long as you learn from it , do n't give up and keep moving . <p> I loved your post Jeff and as a recent subscriber , I 'm enjoying them all and looking forward to more to come . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> thanks , Billy ! <p> http : **28;6840;TOOLONG adriel booker <p> Yesterday . And it felt good . <p> I 'm learning that fear only comes when it relates to something important to me . It does n't just show up for meaningless stuff . For me that means fear can be an indicator for me : stop , listen , take note -- something meaningful is going on here . <p> Just wanted you to know that I do n't get notified when you respond to one of my comments . I just happened to come back to this post and saw your response here . Do you know if that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your replies ? I know you reply often to readers , so thought I 'd ask . I would have thought Disqus would notify via email ... <p> Jamie Fortune <p> Stop , listen , take note-could not have said it better . <p> http : **30;6870;TOOLONG Turndog Millionaire <p> So very true . I have huge anxieties , but you just need to push through and follow what feels right <p> It 's scary and at times crazy , but great things never happened without some sort of risk <p> Matt ( Turndog Millionaire ) <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> yep <p> http : **35;6902;TOOLONG Susan Szafir <p> Jeff -- I just came across your blog . Great writing . I look forward to reading more . Its amazing how much writing ( or not ) is driven by fear . I recently took a poetry class from David Wagoner that was totally out of my league , but I muddled through . Faced my fears and hopefully am a better writer for it . Thanks for the gentle reminder to persevere . <p> http : //www.creativehogg.com/ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my compass to do things that are relevant . Whenever something scares me I know to keep moving forward . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Awesome , Josh . I 've learned a similar lesson . <p> http : //www.workyouenjoy.com Adam Rico <p> Jeff , I do a lot of corporate training and every time I train a new subject I 'm scared to death I 'm going to flub the class . <p> I have visions of the the class participants renting a plane and sky writing , " This is the best you could get us ! Next time give us someone who knows what they 're doing . " <p> Thank goodness it 's only happened once so far ... <p> But thanks for your post . Always inspiring . <p> Cecilia <p> A couple of weeks ago when I was about to pack a bag and take off -- again ... Good to hear others feel the same way - that the fear is still there , despite how many times we do that thing that frightenes us ... <p> http : **26;6939;TOOLONG Larry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long preaching ministry at a campground . I get a little nervous everytime . <p> http : //talesofwork.com/ kimanzi constable <p> Great post here and on Michael Hyatt 's blog . Congrats on the success of the new book , it 's awesome to see you moving forward everyday Jeff . You 're living your dreams and inspiring others , that 's a killer combination . <p> http : //www.unorule.com/ Luis Javier Lpez Arredondo <p> Yes , death is inevitable as far a we know , and frightening . What I think it is so frightening is the unknown , we really do n't know anything certainly . That is why I came up with this thought : ' Faith gives us the courage to live with the only certainty of the unknown ' <p> My story about writting my blog started when I felt like dead , the second time . I can tell you that the sensation of not knowing where I was had been the most terrorific one in my life . <p> I recovered , and It has n't been until last week when I felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learnt , I shared my conclusions in one of my last posts . In summary , it seems life prepare us to death , as Ric Elias said in his TED speech , so , that is my faith to face the unknown inevitable . For me , is like living going back , advancing in life to death , looking bacwards to avoid looking at the unknown and learning from our past . <p> I have other thought right now , I do n't want to be prepared for death too fast . <p> http : **32;6967;TOOLONG Ngina Otiende <p> Love these two statements , <p> " real failure is n't as bad as we imagine " <p> and <p> " people love following courage " <p> http : **30;7001;TOOLONG Denise Smedley <p> People DO love following courage . When I see someone about to launch something new , I naturally follow along , and silently root for them to succeed -- it 's fun to watch . <p> Michelle Gregory <p> your post reminds of a wonderful quote by Howard Thurman that i 've tried to live by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself what the world needs . Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that . Because what the world needs is people who have come alive . " <p> perthpom <p> This is one of those serendipitous articles for me . I 'm going through a heart-breaking , gut-wrenching split with my wife . The love of my life , the mother to my 2 amazing kids . She is my everything and I have to let her go . So , as you might imagine , one of the most powerful emotions in me at the moment ( along with a trillion others ) , is fear . Fear of the future , fear for my kids , fear for myself , fear for my wife , fear for holding down my job . Although your article is about finding your passion and making it happen , it also chides well with other fears in life . It has given me a lift when I am in a horrible place , that I desperately want to leave , but at the moment the walls have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . I just have to learn to live in this space , until I can find the courage to take down the walls and walk into the unknown . <p> Jan P. <p> I traded an art major for an accounting major over thirty years ago because it was the " smart " thing to do at the time . It is one of the biggest regrets of my life . Over the past year or so , my job of eleven years has become increasingly complex , raising the standard of excellence I aspire to , farther from my reach . At the same time , I 've had opportunities to write and paint again , which in turn have stirred up a lot of positive support and affirmation . I know quitting one 's day job , is n't generally regarded as a " smart " thing to do , but I am sensing that this particular chapter in my life is calling for more faith and trust , and less leaning on " smart " . I have put my notice in and will be transitioning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . Although I have a surprising peace about this most of the time , there have been ( and no doubt will continue to be ) hurdles of fear to clear along the way . Steven Pressfield says " the real ( artist or writer ) is scared to death " . It seems like peculiar criteria , but I can absolutely identify with it , so it is strangely affirming . <p> Anna <p> I think fear is a constant companion for insecure people like me . The last time that I felt his " bite " is very recent . <p> I decided to take a trip and I started thinking about all the possible problems that invariably began with the magic word " IF " , for example , and " If I were wrong ? " . I know this is a stupid attitude and when we manage to overcome fear , any fear that paralyzes us , we can become stronger than before , so I left all my fears at home and I left for my trip . <p> Yg0727 <p> I love it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rob the world . " That 's an interesting way of looking at it . I usually view my writing time as selfish navel-gazing . I 'm not sure if I can believe that my stories make the world a better place . Then again , I only need to touch one person for it to count , right ? <p> http : **28;7033;TOOLONG Laura Rath <p> Great post on Michael Hyatt 's blog ! And congrats on your book and the best seller lists ! I 'm heading over to Amazon now to buy it for my Kindle . Blessings , Laura <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Thanks , Laura ! <p> Jamie Fortune <p> A few years ago I met the daughter I gave up for adoption when I was 21 , it was open adoption , but I remember in the hospital after giving birth I wrote her a lengthy letter for her parents to give her once she was old enough-one of the things I must have shared with her is my ambition to write a book . One of the very first things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have you wrote your book ? Reality hit me hard and I felt as if I was a failure in her eyes . I did start a spiritual blog a few years ago but have since left it hanging , many tell me to get back to my writing because they loved my writing , this blog was forwarded to me by a dear friend , I think she is telling me something . Looking forward to your words of encouragement and learning more ! Now to stop commenting and get back to a few incomplete writings I need to get out there ! <p> Allysahn <p> It 's never too late to start again , and again , and again . I left writing for 15 yrs and began again 6 years ago . Since then , I took writing courses , was president of the writers ' guild , wrote a YA novel and got a job at the local newspaper where I worked for three years and had my very own column . It 's never too late to start again and be a writer . <p> @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ! <p> It seems there are daily reasons to fight fear , small and large . But I feel like for the first time I 'm actively working at fighting against it , and so for that I am grateful . And I am so thankful for those who encourage , support , and give a helping hand . So , thank you . <p> http : //goinswriter.com/ Jeff Goins <p> Welcome , Stacey ! <p> http : **27;7091;TOOLONG Fiona Biedermann <p> I am a writer . Both you and Stephen Pressfield have opened my eyes in recent days . I have changes to make in my life to realise the real me and face down my fears . Your book ' You are a Writer ' has been the catalyst -- thank you <p> Delivered <p> I feel trapped in a Jeff Goins push to the next level game world that spins out of control and upon stopping all makes sense somehow . and follows some sense of inner relief of peace-cool -- <p> Jim Martin <p> This is an outstanding post Jeff . I will link to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ <p> I love this ! You outline reasons very well on why we should chase our dream ! Thank you ! loseyourfearofwriting <p> Now available wherever books are sold : <h> Free Updates <p> Sign up for free updates , and get a copy of my eBook , The Writer 's Manifesto

@@5253641 <p> As everything analog shifts to digital , we can collect a huge amount of data about ourselves . As I noted in our earlier story , the trend was spearheaded by researchers who wanted a " quantified self , " or self-knowledge through numbers that measure things such as how long we sleep or how many stairs we can climb in a day . Most people do n't have the patience to sift through all the data that they could collect about themselves . But a number of new devices are making it easier to do , bringing us the opportunity both to improve our lives , have more fun , and think more about privacy issues . <p> This shift to quantified self gadgets is also coming with a change in attitudes about privacy , or at least it seems that way . The technology is racing ahead , before we really decide whether we prefer personalization over privacy . Webcams , camera phones , and motion-sensing systems are just the beginning of this technological explosion . Used in conjunction with the cloud , or web-connected data centers , the quantified self movement promises to capture a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Big Data infrastructure that enterprises are creating to safely store all of this information . In that sense , the Quantified Self really enlists just about every technology company imaginable in the service of recording our daily lives . <p> For the narcissists among us , this is like heaven . WordPress.com , which hosts our VentureBeat blog , reported that in 2011 , I wrote 1,787 posts consisting of 1,097,692 words . Now I know my goal for this year is to do 1,788 posts with 1,097,692 words . However , it was worth noting that I was the least efficient writer at VentureBeat , with 614 words per post and the least traffic per post compared to my fellow writers , who were less wordy and had higher average traffic per post . <p> A lot of this trend started in video games , which have taken it to an extreme . In Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 , for instance , I know everything about my performance in multiplayer combat since the game launched on Nov. 8 . I have played the game for 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lieutenant Colonel II , or 58 . I 'm about 72 percent of the way through the multiplayer ladder and have 80 wins and 120 losses . In the multiplayer combat matches , I have 1,375 kills and 3,213 deaths , for a 0.427 kill/death ratio . I 've had 93 headshots and 366 assists with a 9 percent accuracy rate . <p> To my non-gaming friends , my dedication is impressive . Of course , other players know just how bad I am . My total score is 162,490 , which places me at No. 5,518,786 in the overall Call of Duty multiplayer universe . On average , I score 826 points a match , which is kind of pathetic compared to my performance in Call of Duty Black Ops from last year . But that game had some much easier ways to kill , such as the remote-controlled exploding car , rewarded after I could get just two kills in a row . <p> In the virtual world of the game , it 's easy to record digital stats . But with the proliferation of new devices that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . The history of this behavior goes as far back as 1955 to Jerry Davidson , who has obsessively recorded his life . Kevin Kelly blogs about The Quantified Self and all things related to self-surveillance . <p> " Unless something can be measured , it can not be improved , " Kelly wrote . " So we are on a quest to collect as many personal tools that will assist us in quantifiable measurement of ourselves . We welcome tools that help us see and understand bodies and minds so that we can figure out what humans are here for . " <p> Now I can move on to more important measurements such as how much activity I engage in during the day . The Striiv " personal trainer in my pocket " tells me I am walking an average of 9,968 steps in a day , or about 4.7 miles . I burn 1,053 calories in a day for about 106 minutes in the day . That earns me 40,425 points in a day which I can use to play the Striiv game and motivate myself . My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7.8 miles , walked at CES . I burned 1,806 calories that day . I can compete against other Striiv users through daily challenges , which " gamifies " the exercise activity by making it into a social competition . <p> You can get more information back from the Basis Band from Basis Science . Basis gives you a wrist band that tracks your heart rate , skin temperature , ambient temperature , and your galvanic skin response ( GSR , or how much you are sweating ) . The sweat and the heart rate gives the added information about how stressed out you are . If you match this up to your Google Calendar , you could figure out which person stresses you out the most or how much your heart rate leaps when you are stuck in a traffic jam . <p> Basis also has a web site that you can use to see the results of your daily activities , such as calories burned , the number of steps you have taken , the hours of sleep , and the points you have earned . All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Basis web site . You get positive reinforcement in the form of points for your activities . <p> " There is a lot of interesting stuff happening in the quantified-self movement , " said Jeff Holove , chief executive of Basis Science , in an interview . " It is understanding ourselves better and measuring ourselves better and , in the case of health , using that data to inform our decisions on how we live our lives . We are gathering scientifically meaningful data and then translating it to a much broader audience than the people who have the knowledge and stamina to deal with lots of data . " <p> Basis boils the metrics down to things that can be easily understood , though " quantified selfers " can dig into the data further if they wish . Nike , FitBit , Jawbone and a number of other companies have similar devices . As far as self-measurement goes , Microsoft 's Kinect motion-sensing system is pretty good at capturing your whole body . Bodymetrics ( pictured above ) uses Kinect to understand your body shape so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on your form as you go virtual shopping . <p> With sleep monitors like Gear4 ? s upcoming Sleep Clock ( pictured left ) , you do n't even have to wear a wrist band to get more information about yourself . The Sleep Clock will use a Doppler radar to detect your breathing and movement during the night . <p> It can calculate the exact number of minutes you slept in a night , how many minutes it took to fall asleep , and when is the ideal time to wake you up . It can tell the difference between when you are in a deep sleep , when it is n't good to wake you up , to a light sleep . After a year of such data , it will be much easier to wake up at exactly the lightest point in your sleep cycle . <p> There are downsides to knowing so much about ourselves . The problem is very similar to people " oversharing " information about themselves on social networks such as Facebook or Twitter . If the federal authorities got hold of your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying during an interview , since GSR can be used in lie detector tests . <p> George Orwell , the author of 1984 , the seminal novel about Big Brother watching you , could n't have planned a better way to capture everything that we do in a day . But because of the potential benefits , many people seem eager to be measured , as long as their privacy is protected . The space where you can operate privately is becoming more and more constrained . <p> If you want to fly , for instance , the Transportation Security Adminstration airport scanners can now collect extremely detailed imagery of what you look like under your clothes . The full-body scanner data is supposed to be used for safety purposes only , but it 's certainly spooky . But would n't it be great if the TSA could tell you , " you 're thinner this time . " <p> Steve Jobs , the former chief of Apple , created some of the key technology for monitoring our lives with the iPhone and the iPad , which can measure our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other deeply personal kinds of data . Yet he railed against reporters who invaded his privacy by disclosing information about his deteriorating health . <p> Will Wright , the world famous game designer who created The Sims and SimCity , believes that all of the Big Data collected about our personal lives can be used to create new kinds of mobile-based games which he calls " personal gaming . " Personal gaming is a game that is customized for each individual player , taking into account real-life situations surrounding the player that make the game more interesting to that player . <p> " How can we make a system that understands enough about you and gives you situational awareness ? " Wright said in a recent interview . " It could take into account what time of day it is , where you are , how much money is in your pocket . Imagine if you could open Google Maps and it shows you things that are interesting to you on the map . " <p> Although he realizes many people are guarded about privacy , he notes that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . And they will willingly share it if they could be virtually guaranteed a great deal of entertainment in return . If you entice people with enough game-oriented entertainment , they wo n't mind sharing that information , he said . Wright has created a company called HiveMind to execute on this vision . <p> " It blurs entertainment , lifestyle , and personal tools , " Wright said . " With that data , the world and the opportunities for entertainment within it become more visible to you . " <p> " If we can learn enough about the player , we can create games about their real life , " Wright said . " How do we get you more engaged in our community of writers . You can even make a few bucks publishing stories here ! Learn more . <p> You are now an esteemed member of the GamesBeat community . That means you can comment on stories or post your own to GB Unfiltered ( look for the " New Post " link by mousing over your name in the red bar up top ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @

@@5253741 <h> A Better Way to Talk About Faith <h> Tags : <p> Given global demographic changes , it 's a vital question . " The most certain prediction that we can make about almost any modern society is that it will be more diverse a generation from now than it is today , " the political scientist Robert D. Putnam has written . " This is true from Sweden to the United States and from New Zealand to Ireland . " <p> In the United States , the question holds special significance for the simple reason that American society is highly religious and highly diverse and -- on matters concerning faith -- considerably more politically polarized than a quarter-century ago . <p> The United States prides itself on welcoming people of different faiths . The Bill of Rights begins with a guarantee of freedom of worship . In 1790 , George Washington sent a letter to a Jewish congregation in which he expressed his wish that they " continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants , " and declared that the government " gives to bigotry no sanction . " In 2010 , Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- the so-called " Ground Zero Mosque " -- became an important addition to a long and noble tradition of inclusion . ( It 's a speech worth reading . ) But while there have been widespread efforts over the past generation to promote and celebrate ethnic and racial diversity -- everything from " Sesame Street " to multicultural studies to work force sensitivity training -- the one topic that has often been kept off the table is faith . Americans have grown more comfortable talking about race , ethnicity , gender and sexual orientation , but not faith . It 's too personal , too divisive , too explosive . How do you conduct a productive conversation among people whose cherished beliefs -- exclusive God-given truths -- can not be reconciled ? <p> That 's a process that a Chicago-based organization called the Interfaith Youth Core ( IFYC ) has refined into something between an art and a science , demonstrating how to bring college students together across faith and belief lines so that they develop greater respect , comfort and appreciation for one another and their traditions . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for cultivating interfaith leaders and a blueprint for organizing Better Together campaigns , campus-based interfaith engagements that produce reliably positive outcomes , according to students and faculty . Last year , the organization trained students who ran campaigns on 106 campuses . Over the next five years , IFYC plans to spread its message and work to 1,500 colleges . <p> " We can shape environments and programs to produce more of these leaders . We do n't have to wait for God to drop a Martin Luther King Jr . on us , " says IFYC 's founder Eboo Patel , who is a member of President Obama 's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and author of the forthcoming book , " Sacred Ground : Pluralism , Prejudice , and the Promise of America . " <p> It comes as no surprise that many Americans harbor unfavorable attitudes toward those who hold different beliefs , notably Muslims and Mormons , but also evangelical Christians , Catholics , Jews and , the most disdained group of all , atheists . Large majorities of Americans believe that Islam and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own faiths . However , most Americans say that they know little or nothing about Islam or Mormonism . Would their thinking change if they knew , for example , that the most important value in Islam is mercy and that Muslims hold a reverence for Jesus , or that , for Mormons , the most important value is " working to help the poor " ? <p> Most likely -- particularly if they got to know people who embodied those values . In their book , " American Grace : How Religion Divides and Unites Us , " Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell draw on social science to show how strongly our relationships shape our attitudes about other groups . " We can show in a quite rigorous way that when you become friends with someone of a different faith , it not only makes you more open-minded to people of that faith , it makes you more open-minded about people of all other faiths . It makes you more tolerant generally , " says Putnam . " That 's the fundamental premise of the Interfaith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Together campaigns are based on these insights : the most reliable way to improve attitudes about religious groups is to intentionally foster meaningful relationships across lines and gain " appreciative knowledge " about other faith traditions . The worst thing society can do is to continue what it 's doing today : allowing attitudes to be shaped by the shrillest voices , the voices of intolerance , political expedience and xenophobia . " If we do n't talk openly about faith and bring people from different traditions together , we forfeit the conversation to people who are happy to build barriers , " notes Patel . Quoting the philosopher Michael Sandel , he added , " Fundamentalists rush in where liberals fear to tread . " <p> What is the secret to facilitating exchanges that lead to meaningful relationships ? " You need to begin by focusing on a value that is commonly shared -- like mercy , compassion for the poor , care for the environment or service -- something that invites people to bring the best of who they are and the best of what their tradition is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president for leadership . " You walk away from a conversation like that inspired and appreciative about the diversity around you . " <h> Related in Opinion <p> Next , leaders reach out across the campus to bring students together to act on a widely shared value through service . In 2010 , for example , students at the University of Illinois engaged thousands of volunteers and sent a million meals to Haitians after the earthquake . This year , students from Ohio University cleaned up a local waterway . At Augustana College , in Rock Island , Ill. , they held a Thanksgiving fast-a-thon and raised money for a local homeless shelter . At Dominican University , in River Forest , Ill. , they organized a " Speed Faithing " exchange . Elsewhere , students organized blood drives , interfaith dinners , campaigns against sexual violence and assistance for homeless youth -- in each instance , reflecting on how their commitment to help others is informed by their beliefs or worldviews . <p> This is different from the way interfaith dialogues are typically structured . Here , the conversations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intentionally include agnostics and atheists ; and they are not focused on religious teachings per se but rather students ' relationship to their faith or their philosophical beliefs . <p> All this is critical , explained Vatina McLaurin , an incoming junior at Augustana , who helped lead the fast-a-thon campaign and who was raised as a Christian but identifies as an agnostic or " seeker . " " When you 're asking students to engage in conversation about faith , " she said , " it 's important to remind them that they do n't have to speak for their whole religion . They 're just there to talk about their faith or beliefs in a personal way . " <p> Nor is the goal of an interfaith conversation to arrive at agreement . " Interfaith work is n't about watering down our religion and coming to some consensus about things , " explains Aamir Hussain , a Muslim student at Georgetown University who helped students from Georgetown and Syracuse University , historic basketball rivals , mobilize a food drive . " It 's about building relationships so we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an evangelical Christian currently pursuing a combined medical degree and Ph.D . at the University of Illinois , recalled the campaign he worked on to assist Haitians with food . " We had people from every political and religious tradition , " he explained . " Many have been at odds with one another . If you put them in a room with certain topics you could create the most abrasive argument . But we brought them together to help people in need and , through that process , people were inspired by one another -- and they learned new things . " Damhorst learned about the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam , or repairing the world , and the importance of service in Islam and Jainism . <p> It 's not without conflict . Damhorst has gotten pushback from evangelical friends . " Some say that even collaborating with people from other faiths is a disservice -- because it affirms the validity of their beliefs , " he said . " Others fear that if they come to the table for an interfaith dialogue , they 're going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- or maybe even start to question their faith . " <p> That 's not his experience . He says that his own faith has been strengthened by this work . " When faith is just a series of ideas in your head , one does find it offensive to have it disagreed with , " he says . " But when faith is lived out in action , it 's more impermeable than if it 's just a concept . " <p> Americans celebrate diversity . But one of the mistaken beliefs about diversity is that it leads to greater tolerance . Putnam 's research indicates that , unless people make a concerted effort to build bridges , diversity leads to greater social fragmentation -- with lower rates of trust , altruism and cooperation . " What ethnic diversity does is cause everybody to hunker down and avoid connection , " he explained . " It 's not just the presence of diversity in your neighborhood . You 've got to actually be doing things with other people in which you have a personal attachment . Diversity is hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IFYC founder Eboo Patel today is how to make interfaith cooperation as much of a social norm as multiculturalism has become . As part of that process , IFYC is providing guidance to a select group of colleges to demonstrate what a college-wide model interfaith program could become . <h> Related <p> One of them is Dominican University , which is changing its curriculum , redesigning student outcomes , engaging students and faculty , and aligning its academic calendar -- all with interfaith cooperation in mind . Donna Carroll , the school 's president , envisions a day when any student who walks across the stage to receive a diploma from Dominican University will have gained a solid understanding of interfaith cooperation . " Because we are educating the next generation of arguably global leaders , it 's part of our responsibility to ensure that this is a component of the educational environment , " Carroll explained . " All you have to do is turn on the news and you can recognize that . " <p> Indeed , if you take a stroll along the Internet , cable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortage of dire warnings from people who dread a clash of civilizations and often deride interfaith cooperation as nave . In this vision , safety means maintaining a fortress mentality and keeping a firm divide between us and them . Another path to follow is the one espoused by George Washington , that all Americans " enjoy the good will " of others . To make that hope real , says Patel , people who care about tolerance need to cultivate specific leadership skills today : " We need more people to show how our religious differences fit within the overarching framework of pluralism that is part of the American tradition -- this magnificent and

@@5253841 <p> We really believe Harvelle 's is something special . It looks great , sounds great , and attracts great artists such as Sheila E. , Vintage Trouble , Shorty , and the ongoing Toledo Show . Did I mention the Vespertines play there every Monday night ! ? Those other artists are great but if you 're looking for a local Long Beach line-up , of high quality musicianship , Harvelle 's on Monday nights is the place to be

@@5253941 <h> Other Answers ( 8 ) <p> I actually do n't know I love guys that wear skinny jeans . A lot of guys are starting to where jeans that are way to big for them hahaha . Just try to let it go cause some girls like guys with skinny jeans and others girls like guys that wear their pants on their ankles . <h> Source(s) : <p> Exactly what the guy above me said ... But they kinda do look cool , depending with what you 're wearing and stuff , I actualy one out of 10 times in a month do

@@5254041 <h> Driven to succeed : How we 're depriving teens of a sense of purpose <p> Finding purpose can help youth discover their own path to success , says Damon . <p> By Terri Lobdell <p> Miranda Chatfield graduated from Gunn High School in 2008 having done everything she was supposed to do . Smart and determined , she aimed for admission to an Ivy League college , took challenging classes and studied hard , often into the wee hours . The result was a prized admission to Cornell University . <p> Her achievements came at a high cost , however . <p> " I remember fear -- being fearful of my teachers , my classes . I was ... just so constantly worried about academics . ' What if I failed this test ? ' ' What if I have three tests on the same day ? ' ' I just ca n't go on . I ca n't make it . ' Desperate feeling , " Chatfield , now 22 , said . " I 've only begun to reflect on it in the last year , and it sounds strange , but maybe to some extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't want to think about that anymore . But there were times when I had stayed up the whole night ... and I had a test at 8 a.m. , and I just felt like I could n't do it . " <p> She describes the Gunn environment then as competitive , judgmental and " hostile to learning . " Her parents , she said , pushed her but were not as demanding as other parents . She felt the added pressure , though , of other students ' parents being " transferred " through her peers onto her . The high anxiety among peers at school , and on Facebook , was contagious . <p> " I was thinking once I got to Cornell , everything would be perfect . But I learned ... it does n't seem to end , " she said . Within two years , she was burned out , anxious and lost . She needed a break . <p> " I did n't feel like I belonged there , " she said . " In a certain way , I was n't really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year off to reflect and recharge , Chatfield returned to Cornell this fall with greater self-knowledge , better coping skills and renewed purpose . <p> Trevor Bisset also aimed for " the prize " of a top college and drove himself at Palo Alto High School to perform at the highest levels academically , athletically , and as a student leader . He had plenty of company , he said , recounting how the right college admission was " the end-all , be-all " for many of his peers . This quest carried with it a fear of failure -- fear of failing parents , friends and the advantages of a privileged upbringing . Not getting into that top college for many students , Bisset said , " would say something terrible " about their worth as human beings . <p> Bisset , who graduated in 2005 , was rewarded with admission to Pomona College . But instead of thriving , Bisset spent his first two years at Pomona " acting out , drinking way too much , and very depressed . " Hitting rock bottom , he stopped out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reflect . " --- Like Chatfield and Bisset , many Palo Alto adolescents spend their high school years in a contest for credentials , accumulating grades , scores and accolades they hope to leverage into a rosy future at a top college . For many , this is an intensely competitive , stressful process that crowds out other activities important to healthy development . Increasingly , it is a process that is not sustainable for many young people -- despite their tremendous abilities and stellar performances -- and contributes to a rising tide of mental health issues , a sense of drift , emptiness , " something missing , " or a lack of joy , according to many educators , psychologists , parents and other youth experts . <p> These concerns also apply to students with more modest goals and achievements , who end up feeling " less than , " discouraged , isolated or hopeless in the midst of a pressure-cooker culture . <p> " Is everybody talking about this ? Yes . I go to a conference once a year with colleagues at peer institutions . @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , " said Julie Lythcott-Haims , Stanford University dean of freshmen and undergraduate advising and a Palo Alto parent . " The mental health outcomes are an acute concern , but even without them ... I think we would all be lamenting that something is amiss ... regardless of how elite the school is or how selective or how high the achievement level of the student . " <p> Increasingly , the experts who examine these troubling youth trends say it 's the adults , not the youth , who have lost their way . With the best of intentions , adults have undermined the normal , healthy process of youthful exploration , engagement , risk-taking and idealism through overprotective , over-involved parenting , teach-to-the test schools , and a hyper-competitive , commercialized college admissions process . The result is youth who feel pressured to adopt unfulfilling , short-horizon goals and meet ever-greater expectations along a narrowly defined path to success , without due regard to their own inclinations , health or well-being . <p> Many parents recognize these forces and the problems created . Some rail privately against it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most feel daunted in the face of a prevailing culture that craves achievement and status and are challenged to bring balance to the equation , even within their own households . <p> It is not for lack of trying . As a community , during the past decade , concerned citizens have spawned a wide variety of committees , panels , conferences , studies and programs , all of which have focused on stress reduction , parent education , homework and testing policies , broader visions of success , the importance of balance and self-care , how to identify the signs of mental health disorders , and how to help a young person in trouble . The efforts have contributed to a more caring , connected community , many say . <p> However , according to Weekly interviews with students , parents , educators , psychologists and others working with youth , too many young people still feel driven beyond healthy limits by the demands they feel from parents , schools and the college admissions process . By most accounts , the pressures have not receded over the past decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accelerated . <p> Many are wondering how to make the treadmill stop . And if it stops : Will young people still be as smart , as accomplished , as respected ? If they get off the treadmill : Will they still be able to live a good life ? --- William Damon , Stanford School of Education professor and psychologist , has spent years studying this set of issues and believes that it is a sense of purpose -- intrinsic , sustaining and noble -- that is missing in the majority of today 's youth , causing many of them to drift and founder . And it is this lack of purpose that should be attracting community attention , and not just its by-product , stress . <p> " People do n't worry about the right things , " Damon said . " The biggest problem growing up

@@5254141 <p> Commissario Bonavia : Those are the ones in the cemetery ... A great many of them are buried right here : in cement . But what are you gon na do , tear down half the city ? ... Where do you live anyway ? <p> Deputy D.A . Traini : Here in the vicinity . <p> Commissario Bonavia : Well , watch out . One of these days you 'll turn on the tap , and blood will run out ... Or you 'll see something in a crack in the wall , scrape it out and what

@@5254241 <h> Inquirer Editorial : DHS has to be a better boss <p> August 14 , 2012 <p> The horrendous starvation death of Danieal Kelly in 2006 exposed serious flaws in the city 's Department of Human Services and its inability to protect vulnerable children . <p> A recently announced reorganization of DHS will try to addresses those weaknesses by giving private contractors direct supervision over cases of abused and neglected children . It goes without saying that such a move will require much better oversight than DHS has provided in the past . <p> Nonetheless , the overhaul at this point has to be seen as another positive step being made by DHS Commissioner Anne Marie Ambrose since she took over the troubled agency in 2008 . An overhaul of how DHS handles cases was among three dozen reforms recommended by a blue-ribbon panel after Danieal 's death . <p> Story continues below . <p> Initial investigations would still be conducted by DHS , and the agency would remain legally responsible for the children under its system . The plan is modeled after similar approaches in New York and Florida . But there are serious questions about whether it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 children in Philadelphia died from substantiated child abuse . DHS was involved in 12 of those cases . <p> Under the new program , called Improving Outcomes for Children , DHS will contract 10 private companies , which it calls community organizations , to deal directly with children in foster care and families who receive in-home services . Ambrose says the current system will be streamlined so families do n't get mixed messages from working with several case workers and agencies . <p> Families will be assigned to community organizations in their neighborhoods , which should make it easier for them to attend meetings closer to home and build trust with social workers . In turn , their proximity should allow contracted agencies to forge better relationships in the community and identify problems earlier . <p> It is hoped that the plan will clarify roles and responsibilities to prevent the missteps that occurred with Danieal . The 14-year-old child with cerebral palsy weighed only 46 pounds when her bedsore-covered corpse was found in a rundown rowhouse . DHS and the private contractor assigned to her case failed . Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on criminal charges . <p> By phasing the plan in over four years , Ambrose will have time to make changes as necessary . She also told the Inquirer Editorial Board she would n't hesitate to scrap the strategy if it does n't work . That 's the right attitude . <p> DHS must make sure its contractors and subcontractors are doing their jobs - and when they are n't , it must act before a child is harmed . DHS has for decades used outside agencies to handle cases , but never to this extent . To make

@@5254341 <p> " If you want to know what it looks like , go to Spain , go to Greece , go to Argentina . Go to any one of a couple hundred countries that have hit that wall . There is a wall . There is a limit . It 's more difficult this time . We 've got deeper , bigger problems . <p> If you were looking at a stock chart , of the ability of this Congress to work together , it would not be a stock you would buy .... <p> Continue reading the John Mauldin interview below ... <p> Advertisement <p> To hear which company has one of the highest grade gold deposits <p> in the entire world , as well as a number of other <p> extraordinary projects click on the logo : <p> " As it turns out , we have found so much natural gas and oil in this country , with the new procedures and the new technology , that we can become energy independent in less than ten years , maybe even by the end of the decade . <p> If we start exporting natural gas , which we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be the first LNG terminal , just the one in McAllen is going to produce $70 to $80 billion a year of positive trade balance . <p> If we start exporting value-added natural gas , in the form of fertilizers and plastics and other products that you make from natural gas , we could have a positive trade balance in less than ten years . That would be a shock to the world . Nobody sees that coming . <p> That would make the dollar so remarkably strong , when combined with the balanced budget , that we would actually deserve to be the reserve currency again . America could be the America that we all think that it should be in our mind , that we would like it to be . <p> I think the choice is between America becoming America , what we think of as America , in our hearts , what we want America to be , or we become Italy or Spain . I want to be the America that I grew up with in my mind . I think America really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . <p> It 's going to allow our dollar to become strong enough that we can invest overseas with true income producing assets . That 's the choice we have in front of us , and I like to think we will make the right choice . If we screw it up again ( and go the way of Italy and Spain ) , then , well , it 's going to be a tough time for my kids and for a lot of us . " <p> Mauldin also had this to say regarding the Fed : " They will ease , that 's the only tool they 've got left in the box . They 've got a hammer , the world is like a nail , they are going to ease . They ca n't lower rates anymore , so that 's what they 've got to do . <p> They feel the need to do something . I would prefer they do n't , they need to stop that . It 's not having any effect . They need to save their bullets for when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis in Europe , the global economy , the US , gold , energy and much more . The extraordinary KWN interview with John Mauldin is available now and you can listen to it by CLICKING HERE . <p> The interviews with Jean-Marie Eveillard , John Mauldin , Gerald Celente , Ben Davies , Rick Rule and Egon von Greyerz , are available now . Also , be sure to listen to last week 's line-up of other KWN interviews which included Bill Fleckenstein , Dr. Keith Barron , Nigel Farage , Peter Schiff , John Embry and James Turk by CLICKING HERE . <p> Today John Mauldin stunned King World News when he went into detail about events that will , " ... be a shock to the world . " Mauldin , President of Millennium Wave Securities , also warned , " Nobody sees that coming . " Here is what Mauldin had to say : " The problem is the deficit . We hit the wall , I do n't think most people really understand how catastrophic it would be to hit that wall . It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US . It 's not in anybody

@@5254441 <h> do people think that people in the middle of the country are stupid <p> j.c. , i live in kansas , just wanted to know what people on both coasts thought , and by the way , i do nt apologize for being conservative . first were racists , so is the next step us being stupid or has that always been the thought <p> Re : do people think that people in the middle of the country are stupid <p> well , that is definitely what is taught in colleges . i went through a brainwashing sociology curriculum at an east coast university and yes , all the professors basically came right out and said that everyone who lives where you live are stupid and should be ignored . <p> do n't give up hope though , not all of us fell for the propaganda . in fact you should feel honored ... YOU 'RE the target of the Marxists ire and insanity ! <p> Re : do people think that people in the middle of the country are stupid <p> well , that is definitely what is taught in colleges . i went through a brainwashing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the professors basically came right out and said that everyone who lives where you live are stupid and should be ignored . <p> do n't give up hope though , not all of us fell for the propaganda . in fact you should feel honored ... YOU 'RE the target of the Marxists ire and insanity ! <p> Quoting : Anonymous Coward 706857 <p> its really frustrating man , nearly all of the soldiers are from the midwest , were friendly as hell and we have honor . maybe thats why we cant keep up with the liberals <p> Re : do people think that people in the middle of the country are stupid <p> Well , I 'm from the east coast but I 've lived in the midwest and on the west coast , so I have at least some perspective . I would n't say that midwesterners are stupid , but many that I came across were quite ignorant , often willfully . But I 'd take that over the utter pretention of the west coast any day .... <p> Re : do people think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , I 'm from the east coast but I 've lived in the midwest and on the west coast , so I have at least some perspective . I would n't say that midwesterners are stupid , but many that I came across were quite ignorant , often willfully . But I 'd take that over the utter pretention of the west coast any day .... <p> Quoting : Anonymous Coward 5240732 <p> ya i know the type , there an expert on any topic you bring up , sort of difficult to have a real discussion with someone when they have that mindset <p> Re : do people think that people in the middle of the country are stupid <p> well , that is definitely what is taught in colleges . i went through a brainwashing sociology curriculum at an east coast university and yes , all the professors basically came right out and said that everyone who lives where you live are stupid and should be ignored . <p> do n't give up hope though , not all of us fell for the propaganda . in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Marxists ire and insanity ! <p> Quoting : Anonymous Coward 706857 <p> They really do teach us that " flyover country " is full of racists and morons . I doubt that it 's true . What is true , however , is that the north east is full of academic elitists who know nothing about how the real world works . I live in Maryland and most of the people here are assholes . I hate it here and , if I had the financial resources , would gladly relocate to some place like Kansas or Montana . <p> Makes me think about movies where the setting is middle America and there 's always a kid who says " I got ta get out of this town . I need to get to New York . " If you like concrete jungles , inner city violence , high cost of living areas and arrogant pricks , by all means move to a coastal state . <p> Re : do people think that people in the middle of the country are stupid <p> well , that is definitely what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sociology curriculum at an east coast university and yes , all the professors basically came right out and said that everyone who lives where you live are stupid and should be ignored . <p> do n't give up hope though , not all of us fell for the propaganda . in fact you should feel honored ... YOU 'RE the target of the Marxists ire and insanity ! <p> Quoting : Anonymous Coward 706857 <p> They really do teach us that " flyover country " is full of racists and morons . I doubt that it 's true . What is true , however , is that the north east is full of academic elitists who know nothing about how the real world works . I live in Maryland and most of the people here are assholes . I hate it here and , if I had the financial resources , would gladly relocate to some place like Kansas or Montana . <p> Makes me think about movies where the setting is middle America and there 's always a kid who says " I got ta get out of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ " If you like concrete jungles , inner city violence , high cost of living areas and arrogant pricks , by all means move to a coastal state . <p> Quoting : Anonymous Coward 1447583 <p> believe me , we know this and were scared shitless