Please note: These statistics are mostly made up.
Except the awesome part, that's totally real.
After a long break from music, I reconnected with my DJ roots a few years ago and I'm more passionate than ever. You can catch me spinning underground house and techno around Denver and I'm always working on a new mix.
I have a BA in Music & Psychology, so naturally I became a website developer. It's a long story but it makes sense in a crazy kind of way. I've done many different things over the years, but it all adds up to experience & perspective that I use to help people and businesses every day.
I'm a designer, front end developer, website integrator, digital marketer, UX consultant, author, speaker, business owner, community leader, growth hacker, change manager, event organizer and whatever comes up tomorrow.
I started off building simple websites by myself, and now my company NetSense Media does a bit of everything. We help people navigate the matrix & create successful digital solutions for companies of all sizes.
I started off building simple websites by myself and now I run my own company called NetSense Media. We do a bit of everything, we help people navigate the matrix & we create successful digital solutions for companies of all sizes. Check our video or visit our website for more info.


This tile is similar in shape to Old English Pantile that still have a place in the local architecture of the East of England. This profile of tile is also popular in many areas of the UK.
Whilst replicating the appearance of traditional pantiles, modern manufacturing methods ensure a roof with the highest performance.
Dry fixing is recommended at ridges, hips and verges. A wide range of matching accessories are available to complete a traditional roof design, including ventilating tiles. The tile is also compatible with the related Double Panne S.
Linear metres of battens/square metre with indication of gauge Average gauge of 275mm=3.63 l.m.


text:
package alix.lucene.analysis;

import org.apache.lucene.analysis.Analyzer;
import org.apache.lucene.analysis.TokenStream;
import org.apache.lucene.analysis.Tokenizer;
import org.apache.lucene.analysis.miscellaneous.ASCIIFoldingFilter;

public class MetaAnalyzer extends Analyzer
{

  @Override
  protected TokenStreamComponents createComponents(String fieldName)
  {
    final Tokenizer source = new MetaTokenizer();
    TokenStream result = new ASCIIFoldingFilter(source); // no accents
    return new TokenStreamComponents(source, result);
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


20 relatives from my mother's side has descended upon Perth, coming from Malaysia and Sydney. You might have guessed it from the title – yes, there's another wedding happening. And if you have been a regular reader of this blog, you'd know that this time it's my cousin Hun-Ye's.
To a wedding in Sydney, I go!
This entry was posted in Family on Thursday March 1, 2007 by mooiness.
Owh~ Congratulations to your cousin Hun-Ye then!
Bet she will be the prettiest bride on that day. Most gals dreamt of this day all their life but dunno if i'm being paranoid or wat i dread of the wedding ceremony and even the preparation.
Nvm stay single first haha.
blur ting: yeah it's not bad lah!
Look forward to more wedding photos!!!
But no way la my mom going to kill me if i'm going to do it so simple without the tea / wedding dinner.
Maybe i don't like crowds that's y i prefer to do the signing ceremony only then that's it. hahaha me with my wishful thinking.
Hmm.. your cousins are pretty!
On the other hand, even your cousin looks abit like you. Hello mooiness!
splashmilk: hah really? Could be the nose.


EU guidelines for Brexit negotiations. Diktat più che Linee guida.
Mr JC Juncker e Mr D Tusk hanno stilato delle linee guida per i negoziati Brexit, documento approvato dal Consiglio di Europa a 27.
Se questo documento sia o meno vincolante per gli stati dell'Unione Europea lo si vedrà nel tempo.
Di certo, esso non è vincolante per il Regno Unito.
Ne pubblichiamo il testo completo sia per corretta informazione, che deve rifarsi sempre alle fonti, sia perché i media lo hanno riportato in maniera del tutto fantasiosa. Leggendo molti articoli ci si chiedeva di cosa mai stessero parlando.
I Signori lettori sapranno ben leggere ed intendere.
A nostro personale avviso, sarà ben difficile che Mrs Theresa May accetti un simile protocollo. Noi non lo avremmo accettato né nella sostanza né nella forma.
Sembrerebbe essere un inizio con il piede sbagliato.
Delegations will find attached the draft European Council (Art. 50) guidelines following the United Kingdom's notification under Article 50 TEU, prepared by the President of the European Council.
On 29 March 2017, the European Council has received the notification by the United Kingdom of its intention to withdraw from the European Union and Euratom. This allows for the opening of negotiations as foreseen by the Treaty.
European integration has brought peace and prosperity to Europe and allowed for an unprecedented level and scope of cooperation on matters of common interest in a rapidly changing world. Therefore, the Union's overall objective in these negotiations will be to preserve its interests, those of its Member States, its citizens and its businesses. The United Kingdom's decision to leave the Union creates significant uncertainties that have the potential to cause disruption, in particular in the UK but also in other Member States.
Citizens who have built their lives on the basis of rights flowing from the British membership of the EU face the prospect of losing those rights. Businesses and other stakeholders will lose the predictability and certainty that come with EU law. With this in mind, we must proceed according to a phased approach giving priority to an orderly withdrawal.
In these negotiations the Union will act as one. It will be constructive throughout and will strive to find an agreement. This is in the best interest of both sides. The Union will work hard to achieve that outcome, but it will prepare itself to be able to handle the situation also if the negotiations were to fail. These guidelines define the framework for negotiations under Article 50 TEU and set out the overall positions and principles that the Union will pursue throughout the negotiation. The European Council will remain permanently seized of the matter, and will update these guidelines in the course of the negotiations as necessary.
1. The European Council will continue to base itself on the principles set out in the statement of Heads of State or Government and of the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission on 29 June 2016. It reiterates its wish to have the United Kingdom as a close partner in the future. It further reiterates that any agreement with the United Kingdom will have to be based on a balance of rights and obligations, and ensure a level-playing field. Preserving the integrity of the Single Market excludes participation based on a sector-bysector approach. A non-member of the Union, that does not live up to the same obligations as a member, cannot have the same rights and enjoy the same benefits as a member. In this context, the European Council welcomes the recognition by the British Government that the four freedoms of the Single Market are indivisible and that there can be no "cherry picking".
2. Negotiations under Article 50 TEU will be conducted as a single package. In accordance with the principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, individual items cannot be settled separately. The Union will approach the negotiations with unified positions, and will engage with the United Kingdom exclusively through the channels set out in these guidelines and in the negotiating directives. So as not to undercut the position of the Union, there will be no separate negotiations between individual Member States and the United Kingdom on matters pertaining to the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union.
3. On the date of withdrawal, the Treaties will cease to apply to the United Kingdom, to those of its overseas countries and territories currently associated to the Union, and to territories for whose external relations the United Kingdom is responsible. The main purpose of the negotiations will be to ensure the United Kingdom's orderly withdrawal so as to reduce uncertainty and, to the extent possible, minimise disruption caused by this abrupt change.To that effect, the first phase of negotiations will aim to: – settle the disentanglement of the United Kingdom from the Union and from all the rights and obligations the United Kingdom derives from commitments undertaken as Member State; – provide as much clarity and legal certainty as possible to citizens, businesses, stakeholders and international partners on the immediate effects of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union. The European Council will monitor progress closely and determine when sufficient progress has been achieved to allow negotiations to proceed to the next phase.
4. While an agreement on a future relationship between the Union and the United Kingdom as such can only be concluded once the United Kingdom has become a third country, Article 50 TEU requires to take account of the framework for its future relationship with the Union in the arrangements for withdrawal. To this end, an overall understanding on the framework for the future relationship could be identified during a second phase of the negotiations under Article 50. The Union and its Member States stand ready to engage in preliminary and preparatory discussions to this end in the context of negotiations under Article 50 TEU, as soon as sufficient progress has been made in the first phase towards reaching a satisfactory agreement on the arrangements for an orderly withdrawal.
5. To the extent necessary and legally possible, the negotiations may also seek to determine transitional arrangements which are in the interest of the Union and, as appropriate, to provide for bridges towards the foreseeable framework for the future relationship. Any such transitional arrangements must be clearly defined, limited in time, and subject to effective enforcement mechanisms. Should a time-limited prolongation of Union acquis be considered, this would require existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory and enforcement instruments and structures to apply.
6. The core principles set out above should apply equally to the negotiations on an orderly withdrawal, to any preliminary and preparatory discussions on the framework for a future relationship, and to any form of transitional arrangements.
7. The two year timeframe set out in Article 50 TEU ends on 29 March 2019. III.
8. The right for every EU citizen, and of his or her family members, to live, to work or to study in any EU Member State is a fundamental aspect of the European Union. Along with other rights provided under EU law, it has shaped the lives and choices of millions of people. Agreeing reciprocal guarantees to settle the status and situations at the date of withdrawal of EU and UK citizens, and their families, affected by the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union will be a matter of priority for the negotiations. Such guarantees must be enforceable and non-discriminatory.
10. A single financial settlement should ensure that the Union and the United Kingdom both respect the obligations undertaken before the date of withdrawal. The settlement should cover all legal and budgetary commitments as well as liabilities, including contingent liabilities.
11. The Union has consistently supported the goal of peace and reconciliation enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement, and continuing to support and protect the achievements, benefits and commitments of the Peace Process will remain of paramount importance. In view of the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland, flexible and imaginative solutions will be required, including with the aim of avoiding a hard border, while respecting the integrity of the Union legal order. In this context, the Union should also recognise existing bilateral agreements and arrangements between the United Kingdom and Ireland which are compatible with EU law.
12. The Union should agree with the United Kingdom on arrangements as regards the Sovereign Base Areas of the United Kingdom in Cyprus and recognise in that respect bilateral agreements and arrangements between the Republic of Cyprus and the United Kingdom which are compatible with EU law, in particular as regards the situation of those EU citizens resident or working in the Sovereign Base Areas.
13. Following the withdrawal, the Union with 27 Member States will continue to have the rights and obligations of the Union with 28 Member States in relation to international agreements. The United Kingdom will no longer be covered by agreements concluded by the Union or by Member States acting on its behalf or by both acting jointly. The European Council expects the United Kingdom to honour its share of international commitments contracted in the context of its EU membership. In such instances, a constructive dialogue with the United Kingdom on a possible common approach towards third country partners and international organisations concerned should be engaged.
14. While the future location of the seats of EU agencies and facilities located in the United Kingdom is a matter for the 27 Member States, arrangements should be found to facilitate their transfer.
15. Arrangements ensuring legal certainty and equal treatment should be found for all court procedures pending before the Court of Justice of the European Union upon the date of withdrawal that involve the United Kingdom or natural or legal persons in the United Kingdom. The Court of Justice of the European Union should remain competent to adjudicate in these procedures. Similarly, arrangements should be found for administrative procedures pending before the European Commission and Union agencies upon the date of the withdrawal that involve the United Kingdom or natural or legal persons in the United Kingdom. In addition, arrangements should be foreseen for the possibility of administrative or court proceedings to be initiated post-exit for facts that have occurred before the withdrawal date.
16. The withdrawal agreement should include appropriate dispute settlement mechanisms regarding the application and interpretation of the withdrawal agreement, as well as duly circumscribed institutional arrangements allowing for the adoption of measures necessary to deal with situations not foreseen in the withdrawal agreement. This should be done bearing in mind the Union's interest to effectively protect its autonomy and its legal order, including the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
17. The European Council welcomes and shares the United Kingdom's desire to establish a close partnership between the Union and the United Kingdom after its departure. While a relationship between the Union and a non Member State cannot offer the same benefits as Union membership, strong and constructive ties will remain in both sides' interest and should encompass more than just trade.
18. The British government has indicated that it will not seek to remain in the single market, but would like to pursue an ambitious free trade agreement with the European Union. Based on the Union's interests, the European Council stands ready to initiate work towards such an agreement, to be finalised and concluded once the United Kingdom is no longer a Member State.
19. Any free trade agreement should be balanced, ambitious and wide-ranging. It cannot, however, amount to participation in the Single Market or parts thereof, as this would undermine its integrity and proper functioning. It must ensure a level playing field in terms of competition and state aid, and must encompass safeguards against unfair competitive advantages through, inter alia, fiscal, social and environmental dumping.
20. Beyond trade, the EU stands ready to consider establishing a partnership in other areas, in particular the fight against terrorism and international crime as well as security and defence.
21. The future partnership must include appropriate enforcement and dispute settlement mechanisms that do not affect the Union's autonomy, in particular its decision-making procedures.
22. After the United Kingdom leaves the Union, no agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom may apply to the territory of Gibraltar without the agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom.
23. Until it leaves the Union, the United Kingdom remains a full Member of the European Union, subject to all rights and obligations set out in the Treaties and under EU law, including the principle of sincere cooperation.
24. The European Council recognises the need, in the international context, to take into account the specificities of the United Kingdom as a withdrawing Member State, provided it remains loyal to the Union's interests while still a Member. Similarly the Union expects the United Kingdom to recognise the need of the 27 Member States to meet and discuss matters related to the situation after the withdrawal of the United Kingdom.
25. While the United Kingdom is still a member, all ongoing EU business must continue to proceed as smoothly as possible at 28. The European Council remains committed to drive forward with ambition the priorities the Union has set itself. Negotiations with the United Kingdom will be kept separate from ongoing Union business, and shall not interfere with its progress.
26. The European Council endorses the arrangements set out in the statement of 27 Heads of State or Government on 15 December 2016.
Articolo precedente Liberals democratici. Stanno iniziando a ripensare all'aborto e dintorni.
Articolo successivo Mezzogiorno. Lenta ed inesorabile agonia: lo stanno assassinando.


text:
Israel approves construction of 2,500 houses in illegal West Bank settlements
Jan. 24, 2017 5:37 P.M. (Updated: Jan. 26, 2017 1:52 P.M.)
(AFP/File)
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman approved plans for the construction of 2,500 housing units in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, Israeli media reported.
According to The Times of Israel, the vast majority of the new housing will be built in the settlement blocs of Ariel, Etzion, and Maale Adumim -- the latter being the focus of a Knesset bill seeking to annex it to Israel.
The Jerusalem Post, meanwhile, said that 100 of the units would be built in the settlement of Beit El, as part of a previous agreement to provide housing to settlers who were ousted by Israeli authorities from the illegal outpost of Migron in 2012.
"We're building, and will continue to build," Netanyahu reportedly said after the announcement.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted Lieberman as saying that "we are returning to life as normal in Judea and Samaria," using an Israeli term for the West Bank.
Lieberman also reportedly stated that he would seek permission to build a "Palestinian industrial park" in the southern occupied West Bank district of Hebron.
While Lieberman said the industrial park would be "one of the largest industrial zones in the West Bank," it remained unclear whether it would fall under Israeli jurisdiction or be administered by Palestinians -- and if so, why it needed approval from the Israeli security cabinet.
Spokespersons for both Netanyahu and Lieberman did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi slammed the settlement construction plans on Tuesday.
"Once again, the Israeli government has proved that it is more committed to land theft and colonialism than to the two-state solution and the requirements for peace and stability," she said in a statement.
"It is evident that Israel is exploiting the inauguration of the new American administration to escalate its violations and the prevention of any existence of a Palestinian state."
The move comes only two days after Netanyahu pledged to lift all restrictions on settlement construction in occupied East Jerusalem and to advance settlement expansion in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, Israel's Jerusalem municipality approved permits for the construction of at least 566 new illegal Israeli settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday, with another 105 housing units planned in Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem.
It remained unclear whether the newly approved construction in the Palestinian neighborhoods would be for the purpose of Jewish-only settlements. A representative from the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem - (ARIJ) told Ma'an on Monday that their organization was investigating the municipality's approvals.
France denounced the push in East Jerusalem settlement building, reiterating that "UN Security Council Resolution 2334 of Dec. 23, 2016, underscores the illegality of settlements under international law," and demanding "an immediate and complete halt to such activity."
The decisions to expand settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory come as Israeli politicians were reportedly putting such plans on hold until after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump last Friday.
Despite former US President Barack Obama having routinely condemned Israel's settlement expansions, US officials failed to take any concrete actions to end settlement building under his administration, and instead seemingly encouraged the enterprise through consistent inaction over Israel's violation of international law and continued support of the Israeli government through inflated military aid packages.
Trump, meanwhile, has been a vocal supporter of Israel and its settlement expansion.
Rights groups have highlighted that each of the some 196 government-approved Israeli settlements scattered across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as the scores of settler outposts deemed illegal by the Israeli government, are all built in direct violation of international law.
While members of the international community have rested the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on the discontinuation of illegal Israeli settlements and the establishment of a two-state solution, Israeli leaders have instead shifted further to the right.
More than half of the ministers in the current Israeli government have publicly stated their opposition to a Palestinian state and advocated for annexation of the West Bank.
A number of Palestinian activists have criticized the two-state solution as unsustainable and unlikely to bring durable peace, proposing instead a binational state with equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Search Search Find a retailer Find a retailer Contact us Contact us
Venous disorders
Small veins visible through the skin of your legs are called spider veins. Spider veins are early symptoms of venous disorder. Compression wear can help to relieve symptoms and prevent formation of further spider veins.
What are spider veins?
Do you see small deep-colored veins on the skin of your legs that appear like tree branches or a spider's web? On thighs, these so-called spider veins mostly represent a merely aesthetic problem that can be removed through certain endo-vascular procedures in most cases. Spider veins develop if the valves of the superficial veins are not working properly, causing the blood to flow backwards and stagnate in the veins. Like leg symptoms, such as heavy legs and leg pain, the spider veins are early symptoms of venous disorder that can progress into serious venous insufficiency.
Spider veins, also called telangiectasia, are small, visible, and incompetent superficial veins under the skin with less than 1 mm in caliber. They are not to be confused with normal visible veins in persons with thin, transparent skin.
Spider veins can be found in different areas of the leg and sometimes on the arms and face. They form a network under the skin that looks like a spider's web. That is also where their name originates from. Small spider veins are of a rather bright red color. Larger dilated veins (1 mm to less than 3 mm in diameter) are called reticular veins and have a bluish color.
When found on the thighs, spider veins mostly represent a merely aesthetic problem that can be removed in most cases by endo-venous procedures.
When spider veins are present around the ankle, they are called corona phlebectatica. This manifestation is the first cutaneous sign ofthe development of serious venous insufficiency. Please consult your doctor or a vein specialist. He will be able to confirm the diagnosis and to select the most appropriate treatment for you.
What causes spider veins?
Spider veins are enlarged veins in which the venous valves do not close properly anymore. The blood in these veins flows back towards the feet instead of to the heart and pools in the veins. This leads to an increased pressure in the affected vessels which, over time, can weaken the vein walls causing them to dilate further.
Spider veins are not only a sign of aging. Younger individuals with a genetic predisposition might acquire them.
During pregnancy, or if additional risk factors such as an occupation that involves extensive standing and/or sitting or overweight are present, the likelihood for the development of spider veins increases.
What can I do about spider veins?
In many cases, spider veins are harmless and tend to be an aesthetic matter. But they may also be the first signs of venous disorder or, if located around the ankle as corona phlebectatica, of a more serious venous insufficiency.
Compression works
If you are diagnosed with spider veins, your doctor can prescribe medical compression stockings to apply a controlled pressure on your leg. By compressing the leg strongest at the ankle and decreasing going up the leg, the compression stocking gently squeezes the vein walls together, thereby easing blood flow back towards the heart, reducing venous pressure, and improving overall blood circulation.
Medical compression stockings can help to prevent formation of additional spider veins. They may also reduce associated symptoms, e.g. leg swelling. In addition, progression of an underlying venous disorder and the risk of developing a blood clot can be reduced by wearing compression stockings.
Are there other treatment options for spider veins?
If spider veins are removed for aesthetic reasons, the aesthetic doctor will use an endo-vascular procedure to occlude the visible veins. The procedure of choice is sclerotherapy, an ultrasound-guided procedure that involves cannulating the vein and injecting a foaming agent or sclerosant that leads to occlusion of the vein. In the best case, the collapsed vein is reabsorbed into local tissue and fades over time.
Compression stockings are recommended to be worn after the treatment for the best possible outcome.
Any feeling of discomfort in the legs or visible cutaneous signs of dilated veins (called spider veins) can be early signs of venous disorder.
Basic medical knowledge on venous disorders
With the term Chronic Venous Disorder (CVD) we describe a long-standing condition involving impaired venous return.
If vein valves don't close properly, a reflux results: the blood leaks downwards and stagnates in the vein, thereby leading to venous hypertension. This condition is known as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) which may cause edema, skin change, and, in some cases, ulcerations.
If left untreated, chronic venous insufficiency can result in the formation of serious disorders, including phlebitis and pulmonary embolism. To distinguish the different manifestations of CVD, the CEAP classification system is used.
Acute venous disorders usually occur without pre-existing conditions, but they can also be triggered by chronic venous disorders. In any case, medical treatment is immediately required. Acute venous disorders include superficial thrombophlebitis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism, post-thrombotic syndrome, and variceal bleeding.
What is compression therapy?
Medical compression therapy applies a type of elastic device on limbs or other body parts to exert a controlled pressure on them. Thereby, the device squeezes the vein walls together and improves the circulatory rate. Medical compression also helps with reduction of edema and recreates conditions beneficial for the healing of chronic inflammatory disorders.
How to get compression products
Learn what to do when you start having first signs of a venous disease or after you have been diagnosed. Learn how to obtain a prescription for compression products and how to get the fitted compression garment.
Get rid of misconceptions on compression wear
Rumors, misconceptions, reluctance, and preconceived ideas on compression wear persist. For too long, medical compression stockings have struggled with their dated image that is far from today's reality. It's time to get rid of the most popular misconceptions.
Services Our app


text:
HomeOther NewsU.S. City Named Street In Honor Of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
U.S. City Named Street In Honor Of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
September 26, 2016 Cholo Brooks Other News 0
By John Hinton Winston-Salem Journal
Mayor Allen Joines reads a proclaimation giving the honorary name of President Sirleaf Lane to Liberia Street in the Happy Hill neighborhood in honor of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (seated).
The city of Winston-Salem named Liberia Street for Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in a ceremony Saturday in the city's oldest black neighborhood.
Winston-Salem is a city in and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. With a 2015 estimated population of 241,218.
Mayor Allen Joines read a proclamation naming the street "President Sirleaf Lane" to about 50 people who attended the ceremony. Many of the attendees are current or former residents of the Happy Hill Garden neighborhood.
The sign in Sirleaf's honor is at the intersection of Liberia and Alder streets.
"She is a true definition of freedom, justice and equality for all people of Liberia," Joines said of Sirleaf in the proclamation.
Sirleaf visited Winston-Salem this weekend as part of her trip to the United States for the U.N. General Assembly's annual meeting in New York. She is the first foreign head of state to visit the city during Joines' 15-year tenure as mayor.
Sirleaf, 77, is the first democratically elected female president of an African nation. A graduate of Harvard University, Sirleaf is a former World Bank economist.
She is serving her second term as president of Liberia after she was re-elected in 2011. During that year, Sirlear shared the Nobel Peace Prize with two other women — Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen.
Sirleaf said it was a great honor to have Liberia Street named after her.
"I've resisted at home people naming things after me because I said 'you don't that when I am in office. Do that when I leave office,'" Sirleaf said jokingly. "Since this is not at home, I am pleased to accept it. It's not only a honor for me, but also it's a honor for the Liberian people."
Sirleaf Lane or Liberia Street was part of the Schumann plantation in the early 1800s. Dr. Friedrich Schumann freed his slaves in 1836, and they traveled to Liberia, where many freed blacks from the U.S. settled. Most of Happy Hill's first settlers were former slaves who had lived or worked in the Moravian town of Salem.
In 1872, the freed slaves bought plots of land in the community that became known as "Liberia" and "Happy Hill." By the 1920s, it was known mostly as Happy Hill.
James Hunder Sr., the president of Liberian Organization of the Piedmont, told the crowd that the naming of Liberia Street for Sirleaf was an historic moment.
"We gather here and stand on the broad shoulders of former slaves and former slavemasters," Hunder said.
He then announced a proposal to build a dormitory in Happy Hill for students from Liberia who would attend local universities and colleges. The project is his organization's way to help educate Liberian students who would return to their country and help rebuild it.
Rence Callahan, a partner with Walter, Robbs, Callahan and Pierce, a local architectural firm, said the project would be a 20-bed, two-story house with office space. There is no timetable for construction, and the Liberian Organization of the Piedmont would lead efforts to pay for it, Callahan said.
The project would cost between $1.75 million to $2 million, he said.
Liberia suffered from a 14-year civil war followed by the Ebola epidemic in 2014, Hunder said. The West African country's population is about 4.5 million people.
More than 250,000 died in the Liberian civil war that ended in 2003. A decade later, Liberia was ravaged by the Ebola epidemic that left more than 4,800 people dead.
Sirleaf has been credited with helping rebuild her country and maintaining peace after the war, Joines said. Her second term as president ends in January 2018.
In her remarks, Sirleaf thanked Hunder and the Liberian Organization of the Piedmont for their efforts to help Liberian students.
After the ceremony, Sirleaf talked briefly about the possibility of Hillary Clinton being elected in November as the first female president of the United States.
"We look forward to working with female heads of state all over the world, including in the U.S.," Sirleaf said.
Apostle Edith Jones, the president of the Ecclestiastes Deliverance Center on Alexander Street, said she welcomed Sirleaf's visit to the Happy Hill neighborhood.
"We are very excited to see such a beautiful woman who has done so much for her country," said Jones, the vice president of the Happy Hill Neighborhood Association. "It was a beautiful experience."
SOURCE: Winston-Salem Journal
jhinton@wsjournal.com (336) 727-7299 @jhintonWSJ


text:
<?php

/**
 * @file
 * Hooks provided by the Chaos Tool Suite.
 *
 * This file is divided into static hooks (hooks with string literal names) and
 * dynamic hooks (hooks with pattern-derived string names).
 */

/**
 * @addtogroup hooks
 * @{
 */

/**
 * This hook is used to inform the CTools plugin system about the location of a
 * directory that should be searched for files containing plugins of a
 * particular type. CTools invokes this same hook for all plugins, using the
 * two passed parameters to indicate the specific type of plugin for which it
 * is searching.
 *
 * The $plugin_type parameter is self-explanatory - it is the string name of the
 * plugin type (e.g., Panels' 'layouts' or 'styles'). The $owner parameter is
 * necessary because CTools internally namespaces plugins by the module that
 * owns them. This is an extension of Drupal best practices on avoiding global
 * namespace pollution by prepending your module name to all its functions.
 * Consequently, it is possible for two different modules to create a plugin
 * type with exactly the same name and have them operate in harmony. In fact,
 * this system renders it impossible for modules to encroach on other modules'
 * plugin namespaces.
 *
 * Given this namespacing, it is important that implementations of this hook
 * check BOTH the $owner and $plugin_type parameters before returning a path.
 * If your module does not implement plugins for the requested module/plugin
 * combination, it is safe to return nothing at all (or NULL). As a convenience,
 * it is also safe to return a path that does not exist for plugins your module
 * does not implement - see form 2 for a use case.
 *
 * Note that modules implementing a plugin also must implement this hook to
 * instruct CTools as to the location of the plugins. See form 3 for a use case.
 *
 * The conventional structure to return is "plugins/$plugin_type" - that is, a
 * 'plugins' subdirectory in your main module directory, with individual
 * directories contained therein named for the plugin type they contain.
 *
 * @param string $owner
 *   The system name of the module owning the plugin type for which a base
 *   directory location is being requested.
 * @param string $plugin_type
 *   The name of the plugin type for which a base directory is being requested.
 * @return string
 *   The path where CTools' plugin system should search for plugin files,
 *   relative to your module's root. Omit leading and trailing slashes.
 */
function hook_ctools_plugin_directory($owner, $plugin_type) {
  // Form 1 - for a module implementing only the 'content_types' plugin owned
  // by CTools, this would cause the plugin system to search the
  // <moduleroot>/plugins/content_types directory for .inc plugin files.
  if ($owner == 'ctools' && $plugin_type == 'content_types') {
    return 'plugins/content_types';
  }

  // Form 2 - if your module implements only Panels plugins, and has 'layouts'
  // and 'styles' plugins but no 'cache' or 'display_renderers', it is OK to be
  // lazy and return a directory for a plugin you don't actually implement (so
  // long as that directory doesn't exist). This lets you avoid ugly in_array()
  // logic in your conditional, and also makes it easy to add plugins of those
  // types later without having to change this hook implementation.
  if ($owner == 'panels') {
    return "plugins/$plugin_type";
  }

  // Form 3 - CTools makes no assumptions about where your plugins are located,
  // so you still have to implement this hook even for plugins created by your
  // own module.
  if ($owner == 'mymodule') {
    // Yes, this is exactly like Form 2 - just a different reasoning for it.
    return "plugins/$plugin_type";
  }
  // Finally, if nothing matches, it's safe to return nothing at all (or NULL).
}

/**
 * Alter the available functions to be used in ctools math expression api.
 *
 * One usecase would be to create your own function in your module and
 * allow to use it in the math expression api.
 *
 * @param $functions
 *    An array which has the functions as value.
 */
function hook_ctools_math_expression_functions_alter(&$functions) {
  // Allow to convert from degrees to radiant.
  $functions[] = 'deg2rad';
}

/**
 * @} End of "addtogroup hooks".
 */


text:
Klitschko vs. Fury odds tightest since 2011
Written by	Joseph Herron
Although most die-hard fight fans are currently buzzing about Cotto/Canelo and Golovkin/Lemieux stateside, sports enthusiasts across the pond are anxiously awaiting the big Heavyweight showdown on October 24, between incumbent champion Wladimir Klitschko (64-3, 53 KOs) and undefeated challenger Tyson Fury (24-0, 18 KOs).
The meeting of the boxing behemoths is slated to take place at the ESPRIT Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany, which traditionally holds almost 55K spectators. With a little less than two months still remaining until the highly anticipated event, over 40,000 tickets have reportedly been sold.
So why the excitement for Klitschko vs. Fury?
Not only is the long-reigning champ facing a hungry, young, boisterous and undefeated contender in 27 year old Tyson Fury, but Wladimir will be uncharacteristically looking up at his 6'9" opponent when they inevitably square off on fight night as well.
The aforementioned factors potentially explain the tightest betting odds leading into a Klitschko bout since his anti-climactic meeting with two-division world champion David Haye on July 2, 2011.
Even though the younger Klitschko (-400) is still the clear betting favorite, currently listed at 4 to 1 against Fury (+300) for the upcoming title fight, it's his most narrow "Sports Book" margin since being labeled as a 2 to 1 favorite against the explosive "Hayemaker".
While five out Wlad's previous six opponents have been undefeated leading into their eventual loss to Klitschko, Fury's height, reach, unusual athleticism and overall ring intelligence make him a very live underdog in the minds of most boxing experts… even more so than formerly unbeaten, Olympic gold medalist Alexander Povetkin.
Before the dominant Ukrainian's contest with "Sasha" in October of 2013, Klitschko was listed as a surprisingly wide 7 to 1 favorite; more than likely due to the huge disparity in height and reach. Despite going into the title fight with very good power and a deep amateur pedigree, most didn't view the 6'2" former WBA "regular" belt holder as a terribly dangerous threat to the heavyweight throne.
And while many of the 39 year old champion's performances have left something to be desired by the blood-thirsty boxing fans, most pundits and die-hard followers are expecting an unusually competitive scrap on October 24th.
So even though Klitschko vs Fury odds are already listed as a spirited 4 to 1 contest, gamblers could see the line shrink as we approach fight night.
(Klitschko vs Fury | News)
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The 457th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrived at Bagram Airfield. Includes footage of landings, taxiing, parking the planes, assorted shots of F-16s and Pilots, and interviews with the commander and one of the pilots.
Posted On May 13, 2016 in Air Force, Military with 0 Comments.Tagged: armed forces, Bagram Airfield, F-16, fighter jets, Military, military exercise, military training, military videos, pilot, US Military.


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I decided to start making vegan wraps when I got extremely bored with lunch meal deals. If you are vegan, there is only option for you - falafel and hummus wrap... So I thought I will just give it a go, and started adding all different ingredients for my wraps to make them nice and fun.


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Establishment politicians, such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and the mainstream media are allied against Donald Trump. When he says black, they say white. When he says hot, they say cold. So it should come as no surprise that they equally disagree when he says America's economy is struggling. Despite that, facts are on his side.
GDP is the monetary value of all output (goods and services) made within a region (country or state) during a time period (quarters or years). If this number increases year-over-year, then the economy is growing, if not, it is stagnant or shrinking. In simple terms, the bigger America's GPD and the faster ir grows, the better.
However, GDP growth alone can paint a misleading picture. Because it does not account for population changes. For example, if the population grew by 2%, then GDP would need to grow by 2% in order to preserve the economic status quo. In effect, the average person would be no better off in this scenario. Real growth occurs when the economy grows relative to the population.
The economy has been slowing down since the 1960s, and this trend is only getting worse. Since the 2010 "recovery" from the great recession, America's economic growth has averaged an anemic 0.15%. To contextualize this, the economy grew by 0.34%, more than twice as fast, during the Great Depression (1929-39).
2. The rich are getting richer, the rest are left behind.
The bridge of class income inequality in America has been growing ever since 1974, and it is now as bad as it was during the roaring twenties. That's great if you happen to be the Great Gatsby himself, but if you're an ordinary fellow, it spells trouble.
Inequality is not necessarily a bad thing, but too much (or too little) has been proven to be seriously detrimental. Too much inequality, and the country becomes dysfunctional and corrupt, like Brazil or Russia. And too little and it becomes sterile and oppressive, like in the USSR or Sweden.
3. We don't make anything anymore.
America was once the world's leading industrial manufacturing country. In the past 50 years America cannot compete and has lost it's lead to continents, such as Asia and the invention of robots that can do the work twice as fast for 0 pay.
In 1979, 19,553,000 Americans worked in good paying manufacturing jobs; in 2015 only 12,300,000 did, an absolute decrease of 7,221,000 million jobs. Many of these workers that lost their jobs ended up in low-paying service jobs, although some just dropped out of the labor force altogether.
Places such as Detroit, look at Cleveland, look at Camden are evidence of how badly the loss of manufacturing affected America's economy.
The economy is growing at a snail's pace, inequality is rampant, regular people are poorer now than they were 30 years ago, finding work is a full time job, our industries are lambs at the slaughter, and our trade deficit and national debt are smothering what chance we have left to rekindle the flame of prosperity.
Donald Trump is right: economic ruination is the new norm, and if we don't do something now, the next generation will inherit a much poorer country than did the last.
Previous PostRussia's Satan 2 - Why You Should Have The Hell Scared Out Of You!
'Income inequality' is a natural function of prosperity. There is nothing to fear from it.
It's destructive to scare people about that.
In N. Korea there is tremendous equality except for the statistically insignificant power elite. The 'dear leader' lives very well along with the military, but everyone else is nearly equally destitute.
You have switched the symptoms and the causes. Control brings crime and poverty. Control or power is always corrupted.
Hmmm interesting take. Never thought of it like that!


text:
The antidote to the poison you just drank
Filtered: Only entries tagged as Thor displayed.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 11:06 AM
Dude, my friends wrote a book! You can buy it! You should buy it. Buy it now!
One of my favorite of the recent posts on Reproductive Ryan Gosling. My very own poppy is a co-founder and contributor!
Awww, look at the tiny Avengers! So tiny!
A little goat! Hopping! On a bed!
I love Marion, and I love Raiders of the Lost Ark, but... yeah. Baskets. *facepalm*
Female Holmes and Watson.
Blue And Bluer celebrates one of the great film classics, Grosse Pointe Blank.
Some Game of Thrones humor.
A little Daily Show for you.
Heh. Poor Michelle.
SANDWICH POLICE. That is all.
Now here's something you can base a system of government on!
Can't remember if I posted this before, but it's worth a repost if I didn't: Elmo and Grover as Street Fighters.
An old script for an episode of the original Star Trek that was never filmed is going to get turned into a webisode by the New Voyages crew. Nice!
There are birthday cake Oreos? Where can I get them?!
Oh hey, it's that time of year again! March M.O.D.O.K. Madness!
I kind of want this bird nest bed.
Some pics from, and a new trailer for, Men in Black 3. I want to like this, because the original Men in Black is such a great movie, but... I just don't know.
Another movie I want to like is John Carter. You can watch ten minutes of it right here. I was hoping to be really impressed by this, but despite some clever moments (and an inspired choice of when to cut short the clip), I could take or leave this movie.
Some really cool props from Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor are up for auction.
Cool Star Wars crayons.
Cute Saruman figurine. All right, maybe cute isn't the right word, but whatever, I like it, is the point.
Wow. Mike Mignola did a book cover for Heart of Darkness. Two great tastes that taste great together!
I've mostly soured on the whole Simpson-izing thing, but these Simpsons versions of Scooby and Shaggy are fun.
Look out! Tiger Batman!
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Thursday, September 8, 2011 02:28 PM
Apparently Nike has finally actually created those self-lacing shoes from Back to the Future II.
"George Lucas offers a compelling argument against George Lucas."
Beards and Bellies started updating again!
A man attempted and failed to rob a 7-11 in San Diego while wearing a Gumby costume. The best part might be the fact that the clerk had never heard of Gumby and described the costume as a green Spongebob Squarepants.
Warner Bros. has come up with some unique advertising for the movie Contagion: a living billboard that grows the name of the movie out of bacteria and mold.
They've finally actually started selling .xxx domains. So in case you were waiting for that to happen to start your porn site, now's the time.
Super Punch highlights the art of Julian Callos, which is pretty impressive.
A fellow by the name of Matt Rhodes draws his own, cartoony version of Lord of the Rings. His accompanying comments are interesting and bittersweet. (Via)
The Legend of Zelda album.
Google became even huger today by buying Zagat.
The Diablo III closed beta has begun. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!
Loving this small sampling of the art of Chris Foss. I remember getting a book of spaceship art out of the library when I was a kid, copying the drawings and coming up with my own, and either Foss or somebody imitating him must have drawn that book, because this looks very familiar.
Watch a deleted scene from Thor here. It's not all that exciting, I'm afraid - just a more detailed introduction of Sif and the Warriors Three - but still. Thor deleted scene! You know you have to watch it.
Tagged (?): Advertising (Not), Art (Not), Cartoons (Not), Celebrities (Not), Craft (Not), Crime (Not), Diablo 3 (Not), Internet (Not), Links (Not), Movies (Not), Music (Not), News (Not), Products (Not), Recyclotron (Not), Thor (Not), Tolkien (Not), Video (Not), Video games (Not), Zelda (Not)
Friday, April 29, 2011 09:56 AM
Oh man, I'm not going to have to subscribe to yet another art jam blog, am I? Bristolwhip's current theme is tattoos, and this piece by Jemma Salume is amazing.
Dan Hipp imagines a Dirty Harry vs. zombies movie. Check out the impressive cast and credits at the bottom of the poster!
Finally, an ad featuring actual clips from Steven Spielberg's Terra Nova. Looks like Jurassic Park crossed with Avatar.
io9 takes a look at public domain superheroes, including Thor. All these are fair game as subjects of your next comic book/novel/poem, so have at it!
A nice big poster showing off the large alien cast of Green Lantern.
Awesome new clip from Thor featuring Thor's allies fighting Destroyer, plus the Japanese trailer, which has even more exciting new footage.
Science creeps slowly closer to being able to erase memories.
Big Boi is collaborating with Modest Mouse on their new album?! That's an interesting combination.
I haven't watched Aqua Teen Hunger Force in a long time, but I used to really enjoy the show. Now comes the news that the show is changing its title, its setting, its premise, and its theme song! Maybe. Sort of. Just click through and listen to the meat puppet. Oh, and guess who did the new theme song? Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age!
Somebody dressed up a broken urinal as Darth Vader. Man, I love street art.
I've seen this link a number of places now, and it really is interesting, so I'm just going to break down and post it: "Overthinking Star Wars: The Economics of Death Star Planet Destruction." (Via)
Tagged (?): Art (Not), Cartoons (Not), Celebrities (Not), Comic books (Not), Green Lantern (Not), Links (Not), Movies (Not), Music (Not), News (Not), Recyclotron (Not), Science (Not), Star Wars (Not), Steven Spielberg (Not), Tattoos (Not), Thor (Not), TV (Not), Video (Not), Zombies (Not)
Monday, April 11, 2011 11:02 AM
Game of Thrones family sigil desktop wallpapers!! Awesome. It's too bad that I hate all the Greyjoys (especially Theon, whose chapters I can barely read, he's such a complete dick), because their sigil and words are so excellent.
Dan Hipp has been at it again, posting all kinds of amazing illustrations on his blog, including a Predator fighting a Wookiee, a poster for The Wolverine lamenting the film that could have been, and a truly fantastic Tintin/Alien mashup image.
Check out the teaser for Daniel Radcliffe's next film, a period ghost story called The Woman in Black.
The next Superman movie has its General Zod.
Famous sci-fi scenes recreated with a cast of peeps.
I was going to post links to all the coolest recent additions to Reelizer, but there are too many. Just go there and look around yourself.
A great Beetlejuice illustration.
The second item here purports to reveal the truth behind Olive Garden's claims that it sends its chefs to Italy to learn real Italian cooking. Unsubstantiated, obviously, but certainly seems believable.
A selection of neat nesting dolls from a recent art show.
You're stuck on an important video conference call with the Romulan ambassador, but you desperately need to go to the bathroom. What do you do? As usual, Riker has the solution. (Via)
The first trailer for Lars von Trier's Melancholia (which is slightly NSFW, due to brief, distant nudity). It's technically a sci-fi film, as there's an important plot element involving a mysterious planet suddenly appearing and heading for Earth, but it seems to be much more about relationships and people being really emotional. Looks intense.
A trailer for the new Mortal Kombat web series, based on that video that went viral a while back. Sadly the trailer is nowhere near as cool and exciting as the original video was. It's just a rather clumsy fight scene.
Looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger's getting back into movies in a big way.
Some very nice Thor art on this blog. (Via)
Tagged (?): Aliens (Not), Art (Not), Books (Not), Celebrities (Not), Comedy (Not), Comic books (Not), Craft (Not), Food (Not), Game of Thrones (Not), George R.R. Martin (Not), Links (Not), Mortal Kombat (Not), Movies (Not), News (Not), Predator (Not), Recyclotron (Not), Song of Ice and Fire (Not), Star Trek (Not), Star Wars (Not), Superman (Not), Thor (Not), Video (Not), Web comics (Not), Wolverine (Not)
Monday, February 21, 2011 12:06 PM
A nice piece of Super Mario Bros.-themed art featured on Drawn.
Hey, GRRM and Paris finally got married! Also, another new behind-the-scenes video from HBO's "Making Game of Thrones" blog. This one is sort of a travelogue of Westeros, giving us a quick sketch of each of the various different realms. Pretty exciting!
GeekDad provides a visual roundup of the action figures and statues at the recent 2011 Toy Fair.
A sign that fails to be reassuring.
Slave Leia will always be an icon of the geek world. Here's Jessica Rabbit in the slave Leia costume, and an otherwise rather dumb and unimaginative music video that features Alessandra Torressani dressed as slave Leia.
The fantasy world map.
A lot of the trailers I've seen so far for Thor have not impressed me, but this one did.
Steve Kloves, who co-wrote all of the Harry Potter films, has been hired to help polish the script for Akira.
Here's a cool project: making figures along the line of the old MUSCLE toys. I used to love those things. (Via)
Super Punch showcases some great art pieces by Tom Fowler.
Robocop is not done his good work in Detroit! Francesco Francavilla is auctioning off an illustration of the fellow to help feed the city. (Via)
Hey. Cool bat.
The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets' brilliant concept album, Spaceship Zero, has been out for a while, but they just finally got around to putting together a snazzy video for "20 Minutes of Oxygen," one of the excellent (if deeply depressing) tracks from the record.
A new Toy Story short will premiere in front of the new Muppets movie. This is apparently a different short from the one about Barbie and Ken going on vacation.
GeekDad looks back on 25 years of Zelda. The original Legend of Zelda is still one of the best video games of all time.
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Wednesday, February 9, 2011 10:41 AM
(Last updated on Wednesday, February 9, 2011 11:54 AM)
A lovely illustration.
Evan Shaner demands that you OBEY GRODD!
Another fine Star Wars illustration from Mister Hipp.
That art jam blog I like so much recently took on Ghostbusters with some wonderful results.
Some very nice Battlestar Galactica puppets are up for sale on eBay. C'mon, you know you had that Battlestar Galactica puppet show all planned out in your head and were only waiting for this moment to realize it.
If you are a fan of both the Phoenix Suns and Star Wars, then today's TeeFury offering is for you. (Via)
Cinematical has some quick news bites: Nathan Fillion will voice Hal Jordan in the animated film Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Also, there's going to be a How to Train Your Dragon 2 about Hiccup becoming the leader of his Viking clan. Poppy and I watched the original How to Train Your Dragon a little while ago, and although it was very predictable, it was also entertaining and surprisingly moving.
Heh. This Wicked Witch of the East doorstop is pretty clever.
Watch a creepy trailer for a movie called Frankenstein's Army, which is set near the end of WWII, and features Hitler using Victor Frankenstein's notes to replenish his dwindling troops in just the way you might expect.
Speaking of trailers, Cinematical has the trailers for Thor and Captain America running back to back here. The Cap trailer is looking good! I'm excited.
The other day I posted an unofficial, bootleg sort of video of Galactus in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, so I thought I should follow up with the official video, which is no less terrifying. (Via)
Behold the genius of the Keep Calm and Carry On poster generator. (Via Amy)
IMPORTANT LATE ADDITIONS:
No nudity, but probably NSFW all the same, Harry Potter-themed pole dance video. (What? I'm human, aren't I?)
Hamster-powered mecha.
Tagged (?): Animals (Not), Art (Not), Battlestar Galactica (Not), Captain America (Not), Cartoons (Not), Celebrities (Not), Clothing (Not), Comic books (Not), Craft (Not), eBay (Not), Ghostbusters (Not), Green Lantern (Not), Harry Potter (Not), Links (Not), Movies (Not), News (Not), Oz (Not), Products (Not), Recyclotron (Not), Shirts (Not), Sports (Not), Star Wars (Not), Thor (Not), TV (Not), Video (Not), Video games (Not)
Friday, February 4, 2011 10:39 AM
Hey, did you know author China Miéville (whose work I should really get around to reading one of these days) has a web comic? It's pretty fantastic so far. Eerie, atmospheric, and foreboding.
Evan Shaner draws cool stuff!
Some amusing sketches of the dreaded Jar Jar by Ramón Pérez.
Samuel L. Jackson mentioned in a talk show interview that he'll be playing Nick Fury in Thor and Captain America, and that he will be accompanied by a female sidekick. io9 has a list of the actresses supposedly auditioning for the part, and is also taking a stab at guessing who the character might be.
io9 presents a thorough rundown of every new sci-fi/fantasy TV show that could be coming this fall.
Bill Shatner's doing a metal album. I'd listen to that.
The promising but rarely updated Picture Book Report is coming to a premature end. Sad face.
Video of soap bubbles freezing in mid-air.
In case you haven't seen Volkswagen's fantastic, ridiculously cute, Star Wars-themed Super Bowl ad yet, you can watch it here.
Blastr points out a very young Elijah Wood in a small but pivotal early role in Back to the Future II.
A collection of some of the most recent new photos from the Captain America movie.
Batman vs. Galactus. My money's on Batman.
Super Punch presents a huge collection of Valentine's Day-related items, including many downloadable/purchasable valentines.
Tagged (?): Advertising (Not), Art (Not), Batman (Not), Books (Not), Captain America (Not), Celebrities (Not), Comic books (Not), Commercials (Not), Holiday (Not), Links (Not), Lists (Not), Movies (Not), Music (Not), News (Not), Photography (Not), Recyclotron (Not), Spider-Man (Not), Star Wars (Not), Super Bowl (Not), Thor (Not), TV (Not), Video (Not), Web comics (Not)
Check out these golden snub-nosed monkeys. They are totally cute, yo.
Here's a trailer for a movie called Rubber, which is about a sentient tire that kills people. I couldn't quite fit this one into my Philly Film Fest schedule; I'm regretting that now.
Thor versus Jaws! Awesome.
Can't say I'm too thrilled by this first image from the movie version of X-Men: First Class. But I will withhold judgment for now. (Angel's a woman now? With the what?)
A large gallery of concept art for the animated "Tale of the Three Brothers" sequence from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.
A Katamari Damacy-inspired episode of Laugh-Out-Loud Cats.
The crew of the Enterprise tests experimental acid drive technology.
Mattel is putting out a set of Hot Wheels called Video Racers with built-in point-of-view digital video cameras. You can play back the video on a small screen on the bottom of the car, and/or copy it to your computer via USB. Crazy!
Mario versus Guile.
George Lucas told Seth Rogen he sincerely believes the world is going to end in 2012. Rogen naturally concluded Lucas must have a spaceship ready to take him off Earth when the time comes.
Here's an interesting list: the 5 best and the 5 worst Sundance purchases. In this context, "best" and "worst" are referring to the sale price compared to the eventual box office take. The fact that Son of Rambow is on the "worst" list makes me sad. I really liked that movie!
Entertainment Tonight got some revealing footage from the set of Sherlock Holmes 2, and also interviewed the film's stars. Be warned: the video starts automatically as soon as you get to the page.
Here's a collection of some great postwar West German sci-fi magazine covers.
You probably already heard about the awful flooding they've been dealing with in Australia, but did you hear they also have to worry about sharks swimming in the streets?!? Among other sightings, a couple bull sharks were spotted going by a McDonalds. That's messed up. (Via)
Scandal! (Also, big Harry Potter spoiler alert.) They changed Snape's death scene in Deathly Hallows Part 2! But it's cool, don't freak out. They just changed the setting. And they got Jo's blessing. So it's all good. Whew.
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All Terrain Ice Cream Truck!
A scientist is going to clone a mammoth! On the one hand: awesome!!! On the other hand: the movies have taught us that this is certain to go horribly awry so... hmm.
Heh. Here's a fun X-Men family tree.
A man in southern Georgia is using webcams, a bunch of shotguns, and remote controls to kill wild hogs over the internet.
Remember that cool Mortal Kombat video that went around the internet a while back? Warner Premiere has green-lit a 10-episode web series based on it. Nice!
So, that Alien prequel that's been in development forever is not happening after all, which is sad, but apparently Ridley Scott and Damon Lindelof are going to salvage what they can from the script and turn it into a different movie called Prometheus, still starring Noomi Rapace.
A Wrinkle in Time reenacted in 90 seconds by a cast of mostly kids.
Joseph Conrad co-wrote a sci-fi novel with Ford Madox Ford called The Inheritors. It's about people from the Fourth Dimension scheming to occupy the Earth. Who knew?? Anyway, you can download the whole thing for free right here. (Via)
Ron Howard talked a bit about his Dark Tower project when he appeared on Howard Stern's radio show recently, providing a few more details about how the story would be split up between the movies and the miniseries, and also confirming that Viggo Mortensen and Javier Bardem are the frontrunners to play Roland. I'd love either of those actors in that part. I really hope they can actually pull this off somehow.
More great posters have popped up on Reelizer.
In a painfully appropriate twist, some Pakistani-produced candy bars called Toxic Waste Nuclear Sludge were recently found to contain more than twice the PPM (parts per million) of lead tolerated by the FDA.
Hey, that Lord of the Rings/dollar bill mashup T-shirt that was up for vote on Threadless a while back made it through and is now purchasable! (Via)
Some great pieces from a recent video game-themed art show.
Science is cruel sometimes. Here's an old video of a couple of guys dropping cats in regular old 1G, then tossing them around in 0G.
A LEGO version of the trap from Ghostbusters.
A truly wonderful SNL digital short in which Pee-Wee Herman and Andy Samberg get wasted together.
Cinematical has a couple of intriguing/amusing pics from Syfy's next opus, Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, which features the talents of both Debbi Gibson and Tiffany, not to mention a giant snake and a giant gator.
Robert Downey Jr. is going to play everybody's favorite super-smart, talking, time-traveling dog in a DreamWorks animated film version of the Rocky and Bullwinkle short, Peabody and Sherman. How... odd. Seriously, who will even want to see this movie?
Some cool new pics from Captain America and Thor.
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A bomb disposal team was called to Birchington yesterday (January 5) after a report of suspicious objects at Grenham Bay.
At around 4pm the objects were reported to have been seen in sand at the bay. High tides have since covered the objects – which were reported to have been approximately 300 metres from the shoreline – and they have not been located again.
Kent Police contacted the Ministry of Defence for an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team to inspect the scene.
The MoD has been contacted for further details.


Daniel Tobler is a partner on the Private Clients and Real Estate teams.
He advises private clients on matrimonial property and inheritance law and assists both private and institutional clients on issues of private law relating to real estate. He also acts as executor of wills, estate distribution agent and deputy, and provides assistance to holders of advance care directives. He focuses on reaching amicable solutions between clients and their contractual partners or the opposing party. In contentious matters he assists colleagues from the Litigation and Arbitration team in issues of substantive law in his fields of specialism.
Personal estate planning is a constantly evolving process. It is essential to review and adjust existing arrangements regularly to reflect any changes in your personal circumstances and financial situation. Current need for action may in particular be identified with regard to the dealing with digital data, gifts and loans as well as occupational benefits schemes.


text:
Apple's Next iPhone
iPhone 4S: Upgrade or wait?
By Lex Friedman
Apple unveils iPhone 4S
iOS 5 to ship October 12
iOS 5: What we already know
iCloud to make official debut on...
iCloud: What we already know
Apple announces Cards iOS app
Summary: iPhone 4S grabs the spotlight...
Apple surprised many on Tuesday when it introduced its new iPhone 4S—not because people weren't expecting a phone. They were just expecting a different one.
Rumors surrounding Apple's iPhone event had suggested that Apple would jump straight to the iPhone 5 (or maybe even release two phones!). As it turned out the company followed the same course it took in 2009 when the iPhone 3G gave way to the iPhone 3GS.
That means there's still an iPhone 5 out there, being prepped for a future release—most likely next year, if Apple sticks to schedule. So if you're in need of a new iPhone, should you hold out for a (still-hypothetical) iPhone 5?
In a word: No.
In more words: Here are three reasons not to dismiss the iPhone 4S in favor of a future iPhone 5:
A phone by any other name…
Let's briefly recall all the iPhones Apple released to date. There's the original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and now the iPhone 4S. In that brief, five-iPhone history, Apple historically changes the iPhone's number when the form factor changes, and adds an S when it doesn't.
Put another way: Apple called the iPhone 4S the iPhone 4S because it looks nearly identical to the iPhone 4. Apple didn't land on the iPhone 4's design by accident; it's an elegant look and feels good to hold, and I don't blame the company for choosing not to abandon that shape for the next version of the phone.
Had Apple dubbed its new phone the iPhone 5, critics would surely have argued that the company should have called it a 4S instead, since it's an internals-only makeover, not an exterior one. The rumor mill wrongly predicted that Tim Cook and company would unveil a device called the iPhone 5 (myself included); it's not Apple's job to correct such rumors or set exact expectations in advance. So even if we thought we'd meet a new phone called the iPhone 5 packed with new features, we needn't be let down by the introduction of the iPhone 4S instead. We were mostly right: There's an impressive new iPhone on the market, and its name isn't precisely what we expected.
Excellent feature updates
All that said about the name, don't let the "S" fool you. While we're waiting to get our hands on an iPhone 4S just like everybody else, the features Apple demonstrated at its Let's Talk iPhone event ranged from impressive to jaw-dropping.
The iPhone 4S offers plenty to get excited about. First, there's the camera. It offers eight megapixels, coupled with the phone's ability to take in more light than the iPhone 4's camera could—and those two improvements alone would be plenty. But Apple says that the iPhone 4S's A5 chip offers an image signal processor that rivals those in modern DSLRs, vastly improving colors and white balance. And the camera can now snap its first picture in barely more than a second.
Even more exciting than the camera is Siri, the voice-powered assistant built into the iPhone 4S. This is certainly a feature that we'll need to test to measure how well it lives up to Apple's claims, but there's no doubt Siri is a window into the future. Siri's ability to understand natural language, and to remain contextually aware of the current conversation, is remarkable. Here's a transcript from Apple's Siri video:
Woman: Is it going to be chilly in San Francisco this weekend?
Siri: Not too cold. Maybe down to 61 degrees in San Francisco.
Woman: What about Napa Valley?
Siri: Doesn't seem like it. It won't get below 68 degrees.
Though Apple barely glossed over it, the iPhone 4S also supports dictation anywhere the virtual keyboard appears. That's a feature Android phones have offered for some time, and its appearance in iOS is a welcome one. If the iPhone 4S's transcription works quickly and accurately, composing small snippets of text (for emails, tweets, and messages in the iMessage feature of the forthcoming iOS 5 update) could get much easier.
And it's worth remembering that thanks to the A5 chip that powers the iPhone 4S, the smartphone should perform as speedily as the iPad 2. The iPad 2 doesn't feel hugely faster than today's iPhone 4, but the performance boost is perceptible, and the A5 boost will likely feel similarly appreciable on the iPhone 4S.
Hey jealousy
If you own an iPhone 4 today, it's still an amazing device; the iPhone 4S hasn't changed that. It looks good, sports the Retina display, takes nice pictures, and works well. And let's not forget that many folks still rock the iPhone 3GS—another perfectly fine phone.
By the same token, if you're eager for a new iPhone now and buy the iPhone 4S, don't expect you'll regret your decision if Apple has released an iPhone 5 by this time next year. The iPhone 5 will probably get a new look, and maybe it'll be another smidgen faster or sport a slightly fancier display.
Make no mistake: You'll want it. If you're an early adopter, you'll drool over Apple's next iPhone no matter what. But if you're drooling over the iPhone 4S already, don't feel obligated to wait. The iPhone 4 remained Apple's top iPhone for 16 months—the longest such iPhone tenure to date. Perhaps the iPhone 4S will hold that top spot for 20 months now. Apple's not saying, and won't.
You can feel confident that Apple's not going to pull a fast one and release an iPhone 5 three months from now, right after you buy the iPhone 4S and re-up your carrier contract. That kind of iPhone switcheroo would alienate every iPhone 4S customer, and you can be certain that Apple's learned a lesson about taking care of early adopters.
Buy the buy
Obviously, your next step is a personal decision. If you still use an iPhone 3GS and it makes you happy, I'd say stick with it. If you use an iPhone 4 and don't feel motivated to buy the iPhone 4S whether because of upgrade costs or its features don't entice you—more power to you.
But if, on the other multitouching hand, you're fired up about the iPhone 4S, I don't think you should force yourself to wait for the iPhone 5. The next generation iPhone is here today; the next-next generation is a giant unknown.
[Lex Friedman is a staff writer at Macworld.com]
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