Updated August 3, 2014. For the new U.S. Diners Club Cards starting September 2014, please see our review here.
Annual Fee: $95 for primary card member, and $35 for an additional card member.
Best Use of Club Rewards Points: Club Rewards points are earned through spending with Diners Club cards. Club Rewards points can be redeemed for merchandise, gift cards, cash, travel, etc., at up to 1 cent per point. However, the best redemption option is to transfer points to frequent traveler accounts, mostly at 1000:1000. The current transfer partners include British Airways, Air Canada, Eva Airways, SAS, South African Airways, Thai Airways, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, Alaska Airlines, El Al Airlines (1000:20), Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Iceland Air, Southwest Airlines (1500:1200), Virgin Atlantic, Best Western (1250:3300), Choice (1250:2400), Hilton (1250:2000), Hyatt (1250:750), IHG (1250:1500), Marriott (1250:1500), Starwood (1250:750), and Amtrak. Please see our featured review SPG vs. MR vs. UR vs. TY about the four popular programs that allow points transfer to frequent traveler programs. The reason why we don't cover Club Rewards is because Diners Club hasn't accepted new personal applications for years.
Other Benefits: Complimentary access for card members to over 500 airport lounges worldwide, though with limited presence in the U.S. Primary rental car collision coverage - note while most credit cards provide rental car insurance, they are secondary, meaning your personal insurance's collision damage coverage kicks in before the credit card's. Please see our featured review on credit cards that come with primary rental card insurance for details. Car rental discount for Avis and Budget. All these benefits are available to additional card members.
Other Facts: While in many regions in the world you can still apply for a new Diners Club personal card, in North America, Diners Club has discontinued accepting personal applications since early 2000s.
History: Diners Club International used to be a major credit card company with its own payment network, just like American Express. In 1981, Diners Club International was purchased by Citi, which eliminated Diners Club network's presence in North America while keeping it for the rest of the world. In 2004, Citi made a deal with MasterCard so that Diners Club cards could be accepted not only in its own network but also in MasterCard network. In 2008, Citi sold Diners Club International to Discover which later combined its own network (mostly in North America) with Diners Club network, so that Diners Club cards issued outside North America would be accepted anywhere Discover is accepted. In 2009, Citi sold Diners Club's North American portion to Bank of Montreal, and Diners Club cards issued in this region continue to be accepted anywhere MasterCard is accepted.
For the existing Diners Club card members in the U.S., it makes sense to keep paying the $95 annual fee if you make use of airport lounge access program and/or primary rental car coverage. In addition, even without any category bonus, many card members find the card to be an excellent alternative to some of our favorite miles/points cards for general spending, such as Amex SPG, Amex EveryDay Preferred, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Citi Prestige.
If you are in the U.S., you can't get a new Diners Club Charge Card, and there are reasons why many existing Diners Club card members continue paying the annual fee year after year.


Need to Reinstall - Dont want to lose anything!
Thread: Need to Reinstall - Dont want to lose anything!
I have 64-bit Windows 10 but it seems like I must have installed FG x86 version instead of x64 version, not realizing x86 was actually the 32-bit version. Now I'm getting all kinds of running out of memory errors. I think I need to uninstall and reinstall from Steam and just want to make sure I don't lose access to modules I've bought, characters I've made and stuff like that. Any advice?
Alternatively, does anyone know if there is a setting in the game, where I can just switch it to 64 bit without reinstalling? Someone I know said to check if there is a 'compatibility mode' in settings. Just not at home right now.
The Steam version is exactly the same as the one you've installed.
The experimental 64-bit version was provided via the FG update process for a short time, but there were serious issues with image masking, so it is not recommended to use for anything other than testing - don't use the x64 version for actual play.
1) Reduce the amount of tokens you have in your \tokens\host and \tokens\shared directories.
2) Reduce the number of modules you have open.
3) If you're adding your own maps and images, keep these below 2048x2048 pixels. The biggest memory hog is images.
Memory use is currently worse for players than the GM - as the player client loads all images. There are improvements to this currently in the test v3.3.7 version. Are you a player or the GM when you experience memory issues?
Thanks for the reply. I am a player. At the end of our session last night, I deleted every token from my token library. Not sure if that was wise but dont know how to decide which to keep and which to remove. Now I get a few error messages about tokens missing when I load core books but it definitely helped with memory. I was able to load maps again and it stopped crashing. I've also let my DM know to only load what is needed. Thought I'd reinstall the 64-bit version too, but looks like that is not available at this time.
Last edited by Starky; December 5th, 2018 at 16:30.
Whilst memory issues are most apparent on the client side the solutions to the problem lie on the Host (DM) side. It is your DM that will need to do what Trenloe suggests, not you. Before getting worked up about it though check how much memory FG is using when connected to your game. If it is above or around 3.2Gb (assuming 64bit OS) then memory is the issue. Once your DM has cleaned up his campaign then you (and all other players) should nuke your cache before rejoining (nuke button is top right of the join screen).
Whilst playing decide if you really need all the modules that the DM has shared open. For example do you need the PHB open when playing the game or only when you need to level up.
Also, what ruleset are you using? If it's Starfinder, make sure the GM is now just sharing the new player specific core module - not the whole core rules. The old core rules was using a lot of memory on the player side.
We're playing D&D 5e with all the extra books - PHB, XGTE, UA etc. I also own all those extra books, don't know if that matters. I will let my DM know. Thanks.
Last edited by Starky; December 5th, 2018 at 17:30.
I will. Just hard to know what I'll need to refer to or use. Like some spells/feats/backgrounds/items and so on I take from different books. It's too bad it can't handle it, rather inconvenient, but I guess I'll just load and unload them as needed. Thanks.


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The EPL begins to embrace Latino talent
by Paul Gardner on Dec 27, 6:37 PM
All 20 English Premier League teams were in action on Boxing Day (Dec. 27). Between them, they scored 27 goals, meaning 2.7 goals per game, which is about average for the modern game.
Burley rants against diving -- and gets it badly wrong
by Paul Gardner on Dec 24, 12:27 PM
Craig Burley, I must say, comes over rather well on TV. Down to earth, with an attractive (and understandable) Scots accent, and a lively personality to deliver his various views.
MLS: a Soccer League without a Soccer Voice
by Paul Gardner on Dec 20, 12:48 AM
A few names to consider: Dick Walsh, Ken Macker, Bob Cousy, David Prouty, Howard Samuels, Doug Logan. All of them, within the past 50 years, have been Commissioners of American pro-soccer leagues. And not one of them had more than the flimsiest knowledge of the sport. Fittingly, none of them lasted very long in their soccer jobs.
College Cup serves up more bland brew
After several years of boringly vapid finals it can be safely said that the College Cup is now firmly established as the sport's most over-rated annual event.
Yet again English refs land themselves in trouble with silly simulation calls
by Paul Gardner on Dec 14, 2:11 AM
This past Saturday gave us a sharply well-defined view of just how big a mess the English EPL referees have got themselves into. Simulation is the problem -- or rather, their problem. That is to say, the English referees have created this problem.
Donovan departs in triumph. Pity about the soccer.
by Paul Gardner on Dec 8, 10:24 PM
The winner of MLS Cup 2014, the only winner, really, was Landon Donovan. He ended his wonderful career in triumph. He dominated the post-game activities, as he deserved to.
Klinsmann and Walton cast shadow over MLS Cup
by Paul Gardner on Dec 5, 7:07 PM
As MLS bows gracefully (well, that's my hope) off the soccer scene for a short while, and the English Premier League prepares to dominate the TV screens over the holidays, it's the moment to sort out some loose ends, or at least raise them as talking points.
MLS Cup: Contrasting midfields and the importance of strict refereeing
I'm thinking that a Galaxy-Revs MLS final is the best matchup we could have expected from the four semifinalists. In truth, there was little to choose between three of them -- Red Bulls, Seattle and Revs. All three are hectic teams, somewhat short of brain-power, but with plenty of over-charged midfielders. A combination that can make for exciting games -- not least because such teams are rarely, if ever, capable of controlling a game and keeping it under their control.
Today's Most Read Stories
U.S. Soccer should retreat from youth soccer
A look at U.S. Soccer's proposed operating deficit of $27.5 million
U.S. U-20s open Anthony Hudson era with 2-0 win over Mexico
U.S. women's national team roster for Olympic qualifying is picked
Watch: Meet Barcelona's new coach
All Archives >

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


NARS Fearless Red is a warm red with a matte finish that is limited edition and retails for $28.00. In comparison, NARS Fire Down Below is a warm red with a satin finish that is permanent in palette and retails for $28.00.
NARS Fire Down Below is 90% similar — it is darker, glossier.
How similar is Fire Down Below to Fearless Red?


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slhinnef@indiana.edu
Jacqui Bauer
jacmbaue@indiana.edu
Faculty member's work on Governance Commission highlights IU-Liberia connections
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- For the past two years, Indiana University faculty member Amos Sawyer has traveled back and forth between Bloomington and Liberia, where he chairs a Governance Commission that is charting an ambitious course of reform.
"The country has been ready for this type of change," said Sawyer, a research scholar and former co-director of the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis at IU Bloomington. "The leadership had not been ready, but now both are ready."
Amos Sawyer (left) and James Wunsch
The position of the Liberian leadership changed with the election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who took office in January 2006. Indiana University will award an honorary Doctor of Laws degree to Johnson Sirleaf during IU Bloomington commencement exercises this Saturday, May 3.
"I think it is important," Sawyer said of the Liberian president's visit to Bloomington. "There is a longstanding relationship between IU and Liberia."
Ties between the university and the West African nation date back at least to the 1930s, when ethnomusicologist George Herzog traveled to the Liberian coast to make cylinder recordings of music and drum language, which he later brought to IU. What some call a "special relationship" began in the 1960s, when J. Gus Liebenow, a noted expert on Liberia, began the African Studies Program at Indiana University. Today, the relationship includes:
The Liberian Collections Project at IU, the largest academic collection of Liberian archival materials, including documents, photographs, research materials, newspapers, government records and other items; and important Liberian collections at IU's Mathers Museum, IU Art Museum and Archives of Traditional Music.
Research being carried out in and about Liberia by IU faculty members, including ethnomusicologist Ruth Stone, historian Claude Clegg and others.
A partnership between the IU School of Law--Bloomington and the Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia and work done in Liberia by the Law School's Center for Constitutional Democracy in Plural Societies.
Also playing a major role has been work done at the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis and by Sawyer, who served as interim president of Liberia from 1990-93. Sawyer was on the faculty at IU in 1986-88 and returned in 2001.
In addition to supporting his own work, Sawyer said, the Workshop, established in the 1970s by IU political scientists Elinor and Vincent Ostrom, provides research materials and an intellectual framework for governance reform in Liberia.
Working under pressing deadlines and with little professional staff, the Liberian Governance Commission is developing policy statements and strategic framework documents to support land reform, anti-corruption efforts, national security, constitutional reform and the development of a sense of national identity.
Also, the commission has been working on the decentralization of government authority, aided by James Wunsch, a political science professor and director of Africa studies at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. Wunsch, who has done in-depth work on decentralization in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Botswana, received his Ph.D. from IU and is a visiting scholar at the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis.
Sawyer and Wunsch said the concentration of Liberian civil authority in the hands of the central government has led to inefficiency, instability and a risk of corruption. The Governance Commission is seeking to facilitate the empowerment of local leaders and the establishment of local governing councils.
"Fortunately," Sawyer said, "President Sirleaf is very keen on dismantling what she calls 'the imperial presidency.' She is encouraging these new approaches."


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After Medaka Kurokami defeated Myouri Unzen (the head of the disciplinary committee), she is recruited by the headmaster to join the "13 Party" - an elite and select group of 13 Abnormal students from Class 13. Medaka discovers that they are taking part in the Flask Plan, which aims to create perfect humans by sacrificing all the students in the school. It is up to Medaka and the rest of the student council to stop it.


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TODAY.AZ / Society
Eating habits change in Azerbaijan
/By AzerNews/
By Nigar Orujova
Do we eat to live or live to eat? This is a tricky question, since delicious Azerbaijani cuisine leaves no option but to devote one's life to enjoying it.
However, there are norms that people need to keep in mind to stay healthy.
The daily recommended intake of food of middle-aged men with an average range of mobility and exercise should be no more than 1,500-2,000 kilocalories a day, doctor of endocrinology Salim Akhadov told local press.
"In particular, women should consume 1,500-1,800 kcal, and men, 1,700-2,000 kcal," he believes.
However, the majority of Azerbaijani citizens does not keep to these diet regulations and consume much more than that.
"The problem is that the population prefers flour dishes, including cakes, national pastry, biscuits, and worse and more harmful potato chips. Moreover, people love to cook, adding as much oil as possible. This leads to a much greater consumption of calories a day," Akhadov said.
Azerbaijani cuisine is rich in calories, but during the era that it was first created and developed, people were more active, and used the high caloric intake properly. Nowadays, people especially in cities, prefer sedentary lifestyles, which is bad not only from the point of food consumption, but also for health in general.
Akhadov said the main problem is not how many calories a person consumes in a day, but how many of them he or she can burn for that day. When they are not burnt, food intake rich in calories leads to obesity.
"In large metropolitan areas including Azerbaijan, the citizens are mostly inactive. They prefer automobiles and realize a little physical exertion. This slows down the process of fat burning and leads to further cardiovascular disease and diabetes," warns the doctor.
There is no single international norm for caloric consumption, as it is a very personal issue. However, some countries make their own health recommendations. For instance, the UK recommends the average adult male to consume no more than 2,500 calories a day and an average adult female no more than 2000 calories. In the U.S., the norm is 2,800 for men and 2,200 for women.
Nariman Agayev, the Chairman for Research at the Sustainable Development Center, believes that the daily norm depends on the country, national cuisine, the culture of food consumption, climate, and health.
"Azerbaijanis did not eat less, but began to work harder. I think the usual rate for the majority of Azerbaijanis is 2,500-2,700 calories a day, like in the army. Those who are not working and not doing exercise, should eat less, about 2,000 calories," he said to local press.
On the contrary, he added, those who partake in in regular daily exercise, should eat more than ordinary citizens should.
Being that the Health Ministry often speaks of obesity in the local population, Agayev noted that a small portion of citizens still consume a lot more calories than necessary per day.
Statistical data for the past seven years shows that the Azerbaijani population has begun to consume more potatoes, vegetables, and fruits, as well as meat and fish, while preferring to eat less bread.
Bread consumption has decreased by 12 percent, while consumption of meat increased by 15.7 percent, potatoes by 26 percent, fruits by 35.5 percent, and vegetables by 32 percent in 2007-2013.
Eating habits are an indication of a nation's prosperity and culture. Azerbaijan's national cuisine has always been balanced and healthy and we need to keep it so for future generations to be healthy and prosperous.
URL: http://www.today.az/news/society/142749.html
Azerbaijan discloses number of people involved in self-employment program in 2021
Azerbaijan's traffic police to check citizens going on trips to liberated lands - ministry
Azerishig talks appeals of businesses for electric supply in liberated areas
Azerbaijan increases salaries of employees of some organizations financed from state budget
Azerbaijani citizens allowed to visit liberated Aghdam, Shusha once a year - ministry
Azerbaijan's population reaches over ten million
Country registers 1,151 new COVID-19 cases, 543 recoveries
Nominal salaries of hired workers up
Some 1,680 unexploded ordnance defused in liberated Shusha
Security agency detains suspected illegal armed group members


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Wednesday: Hili dialogue
Greetings on the last Hump Day of the year ("วันโคก" in Thai): Wednesday, December 28, 2022. It's also the fourth day of Coynezaa, and National Chocolate Day.
Read how chocolate is made here. It starts with a tree and its seeds:
From Image Source: https://bloguldeciocolata.files.wordpress.com/
It's also Call A Friend Day, National Card Playing Day, Pledge of Allegiance Day (the Pledge was given official Congressional Sanction on this day in 1945), and the fourth of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Readers are welcome to mark notable events, births, or deaths on this by consulting the December 28 Wikipedia page.
Da Nooz:
*Congressman-elect George Santos of New York, a Republic elected to represent parts of New York City and Long Island, finally admitted that he made up important parts of his professional history, including that he went to college, who employed him, and even denying, falsely that he was under criminal indictment. And yet, despite this, he's going to try to take his seat!:
Ending a weeklong silence, Representative-elect George Santos admitted on Monday to a sizable list of falsehoods about his professional background, educational history and property ownership. But he said he was determined to take the oath of office on Jan. 3 and join the House majority.
. . . "My sins here are embellishing my résumé," Mr. Santos told The New York Post in one of several interviews he gave on Monday.
Mr. Santos admitted to lying about graduating from college and making misleading claims that he worked for Citigroup or Goldman Sachs. He once said he had a family-owned real estate portfolio of 13 properties; on Monday, he admitted he was not a landlord.
Mr. Santos, the first openly gay Republican to win a House seat as a non-incumbent, also acknowledged owing thousands in unpaid rent and a yearslong marriage he had never disclosed.
"I dated women in the past. I married a woman. It's personal stuff," he said to The Post, adding that he was "OK with my sexuality. People change."
The admissions by Mr. Santos added a new wrinkle to one of the more astonishing examples of an incoming congressman falsifying key biographical elements of his background — with Mr. Santos maintaining the falsehoods through two consecutive bids for Congress, the first of which he lost.
Mr. Santos acknowledged that a string of financial difficulties had left him owing thousands to landlords and creditors. But he failed to fully explain in the interviews how his fortunes reversed so significantly that, by 2022, he was able to lend $700,000 to his congressional campaign.
Mr. Santos also firmly denied committing a crime anywhere in the world, even though The Times had uncovered Brazilian court records showing that Mr. Santos had been charged with fraud as a young man after he was caught writing checks with a stolen checkbook.
"I am not a criminal here — not here or in Brazil or any jurisdiction in the world," he told The Post. "Absolutely not. That didn't happen."
In the court file, Mr. Santos is identified by his full name and date of birth, as well as by the names of his mother and father. The documents show that Mr. Santos confessed to the crime and was charged, but that the case remains unresolved because authorities were later unable to locate him.
Would a Democrat try to cling to office after that? I'll take bets on whether he'll be seated in Congress (my bet is "nope").
Oh, he also claimed to be a Jew but he's not. Perhaps that's the worst lie of all.
*Here's Trump's Christmas message to us all on Truth Social. Ho ho ho! As reader Ken notes:
We've long known this guy was unhinged, but now he's claiming to be "Clairvoyant"? (And can you explain the quotation marks he puts around "Trump"?)
*Over at UnHerd, Ayaan Hirsi Ali has an article called "The year the West erased women". It is not, as you might think, a jeremiad against transsexual women, although she does question whether they should be accepted as identical in every way to biological women. Her point is that Western countries are squabbling about dictionary definitions of women at the same time that other countries are seriously damaging biological women (and of course Muslim countries like Iran force gay males to transition to transsexual women). But she is not a transphobe, though she'll be called one (h/t: pyers):
A word of clarification. I am immensely sympathetic to the plight of transgender people and believe they ought to have the same moral and legal rights as everyone else. To be against militant trans activists' gender ideology is not to be transphobic. Rather, it is simply to agree, as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie succinctly put it, that "trans women are trans women". Adichie was savaged for this and other statements evincing wrongthink, but acknowledging that trans women are distinct from women, that there are potential conflicts between their rights, and that gender ideology opens the door to abusive men masquerading as women, should not be controversial. Standing up for the rights of transgender people should not mean pretending sex does not exist altogether.
. . . Elsewhere in the world, the erosion of our understanding of what it means to be a "woman" has more immediate consequences.
Consider what has taken place in Kenya, Iran and Afghanistan in just the past two months. In Kenya, while women in America debated what we should call a person born with a cervix, FGM has taken a new and insidious form. In Iran, the female-led protests that followed the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman who was arrested for breaking mandatory dress code laws, have been met with an equally inhumane response. Reports abound of Iran's security services raping protestors and shooting at the faces and genitals of female protesters. And in Afghanistan, the Taliban government reintroduced Sharia Law, meaning women are now barred from walking outside without a male relative and must cover up with a burqa or hijab when outside the home. Earlier this month, a woman was publicly flogged for entering a shop without a male guardian. Last week, the Taliban banned women from studying at university
Is it really a coincidence that, in the same year the West forgot what it means to be a woman, we decided it was acceptable to turn our backs on women in those countries? The above is what happens when a society stops caring what it means to be a woman; when a centuries-old fight for emancipation becomes relegated to semantics.
It's a good thing she still has security guards!
*In another deliberate attempt to defy the Iranian regime and its oppression of women, a female chess champion is competing in an international match—without a hijab! That's against the law, for Iranian women representing their country in international sports competitions must wear the headscarf.
An Iranian chess player has taken part in an international tournament without a hijab, according to media reports, the latest of several Iranian sportswomen to appear at competitions without one since anti-government protests began.
Iranian news outlets Khabarvarzeshi and Etemad, in reports on Monday, said Sara Khadem had competed at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, without the hijab – a headscarf mandatory under Iran's strict dress codes.
Photos posted by both outlets appeared to show her with no headscarf during the tournament. Khabarvarzeshi also posted a photo of her wearing a headscarf but without saying if it was taken at the same event.
Khadem, born in 1997 and also known as Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, is ranked 804 in the world, according to the International Chess Federation website. The website for the Dec. 25-30 event listed her as a participant in both the Rapid and Blitz competitions.
The protests mark one of the boldest challenges to Iran's leadership since its 1979 revolution and have drawn in Iranians from all walks of life.
Women have played a prominent role, removing and in some cases burning headscarves, while protesters have taken heart from what they have seen as shows of support from both female and male Iranian athletes.
In October, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi competed in South Korea without a headscarf, later saying she had done so unintentionally.
In November, an Iranian archer said she did not notice her hijab falling during an awards ceremony in Tehran, after a video appeared to show her allowing the headscarf to drop in what was also widely assumed to be a show of support for protesters.
Unlike Rekabi, who said she "accidentally" forgot her hijab while climbing, Khadem has no excuse. She's brave, and I wonder if she'll go back to Iran, where she'll be forced to apologize or go to jail. Here's a photo from the Reuter story:
*It's time for some persiflage, and that means reading the WaPo article "The 10 most bizarre celebrity apologies of 2022." Some of them certainly deserved to be issued, none more than these two:
In a March profile of the Kardashian sisters and their mother, Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian told "Variety," "I have the best advice for women in business: Get your f—ing a– up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days."
Predictably, receiving such a directive from a reality TV star whose parentage was her original claim to fame rubbed many people the wrong way. So in an appearance on "Good Morning America," Kardashian, 42, apologized and said her words were "taken out of context." "It wasn't a blanket statement towards women, or to feel like I don't respect the work or think that they don't work hard," she said. "I know that they do. It was taken out of context, but I'm really sorry if it was received that way."
In November, some 900 fans paid for signed copies of Bob Dylan's new book, "The Philosophy of Modern Song," costing $600 each. In each copy was a signed letter from Jonathan Karp (chief executive of the book's publisher, Simon & Schuster) confirming its authenticity, but when fans started to examine closely, they realized that the signatures looked exactly the same.
Dylan, 81, came clean soon afterward in a Facebook post: He had used an autopen, a device that replicates a signature, to get all the books signed. "In 2019 I had a bad case of vertigo and it continued into the pandemic years. It takes a crew of five working in close quarters with me to help enable these signing sessions, and we could not find a safe and workable way to complete what I needed to do while the virus was raging. So, during the pandemic, it was impossible to sign anything and the vertigo didn't help. With contractual deadlines looming, the idea of using an auto-pen was suggested to me, along with the assurance that this kind of thing is done 'all the time' in the art and literary worlds," he wrote. "Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately. I'm working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that."
Simon & Schuster offered full refunds to all who had purchased signed copies.
Meanwhile in Dobrzyn, Hili's kvetching about winter again!
Hili: We have to discuss it.
Hili: How to shorten this winter.
In Polish:
Hili: Musimy to przedyskutować.
Ja: Co takiego?
Hili: Jak skrócić tę zimę.
From David:
From Seth Andrews:
From Malcolm; a good cat video from FB. Sound up:
Over at Mastodon, it's now official: God is not on Trump's side:
I don't think this tweet from Masih needs translation:
#ایذه
پنجشنبه یکم دی ماه
سوگواری مادر #آرتین_رحمانی نوجوان ۱۷ ساله، که در شامگاه چهارشنبه ۲۵ آبان ماه با شلیک مستقیم گلوله توسط سرکوبگران جمهوری اسلامی کشته شد.
در انقلاب ایران ده‌ها کودک توسط ماموران حکومت کشته شدند و برای همین «حکومت کودک‌کش» لقب گرفته است.#مهسا_امینی pic.twitter.com/cO4W3HMRZz
— Masih Alinejad 🏳 (@AlinejadMasih) December 27, 2022
From Malcolm. What a great idea! Making steps fun to use!
Great idea! pic.twitter.com/udcL0nxbc3
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden) December 26, 2022
A tweet from Pinkah with an amazing optical illusion:
I struggled to explain these to my psych students. The key: in each video frame, the row of pixels at the leading edge is a different color than the rest of the shape, but the same as the shape in the next frame. Apparent motion at the edge pulls the rest of the shape along. https://t.co/Rvlvjlgarp
— Steven Pinker (@sapinker) December 26, 2022
From the Auschwitz Memorial: sterilization experiments at Auschwitz began 80 years ago today. Read about them at the link given in the tweet, and about the odious Clauberg here (he wasn't arrested until 1955, and died two years later in jail).
28 December 1942 | Prof. Carl Clauberg began his experiments on female prisoners at Auschwitz II-Birkenau to develop a non-surgical mass sterilization method. In April 1943 Clauberg moved to Block 10 in Auschwitz I.
Our #lesson about experiments: https://t.co/YzoPoDD08j pic.twitter.com/NVul7sZgEM
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) December 28, 2022
Tweets from Professor Cobb, who points out that "grass" in Japanese is slang for "LOL". The translation: "Old people in Ibaraki are grass."
茨城の年寄りが草 pic.twitter.com/G97684ba6H
— 草ッターwwwww (@kusatta_www) December 27, 2022
I put up this tweet before, and thought it was a fake. It is: see here and here. It's fricking PhotoShopped! What's more, the fraudster, Kittiya Pawlowski, used other people's photos of snow leopards and also made FOUR fake photos.
O..my..gosh 🙋♀ A rare snow leopard roaming on Mount Everest at 18,000ft, photo published in @thetimes
📸by Kittiya Pawlowski. pic.twitter.com/ojxLOJgcko
— Wonderful Destinations by heart ❤ (@WonderfulDest) December 27, 2022
All I can say is that this guy is fast and that Tube stops in London must be close together in some places!
This is incredibly badass…dude ran from one London Underground stop to the next and got back on the same car pic.twitter.com/TGgSzS2CDJ
— Wu-Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) December 26, 2022
And the video in the second tweet explains how it was done:
Myself and @NoelsieC created this video 8yrs ago for our YouTube channel @EpicChallenges – great to see it still sparking interest! Answers to a lot ppl's questions can be found here: https://t.co/xBvLElR8se
— James Heptonstall (@JHepto) December 27, 2022
Posted on December 28, 2022 December 28, 2022 by whyevolutionistruePosted in Hili Dialogue Posted at 6:45 am
18 thoughts on "Wednesday: Hili dialogue"
Littlejohn says:
Put your fingertips on the centers of the two cubes. Don't move your fingers. The cubes plainly are moving. There is no optical illusion. They move.
whyevolutionistrue says:
Nope, not moving. Try again.
steve oberski says:
Put the cursor anywhere on any of the cubes.
They are not moving.
EdwardM says:
Correct. Not only that, if you use the pause button, you can see precisely what Dr Pinker is saying; the leading edge pixels are a different color than the very next frame. What surprises me is that my eyes really are good enough to catch that a single line of pixels is momentarily a different color. My brains made a mess of it, but my vision caught the change.
Michael Sternberg says:
The cube outlines remain still, as advertised, but zebra patterns overlaid onto each quite "fat" edge clearly do move, and induce blinking as a side effect.
This is similar to motion perceived from sliding a striped film mask over interlaced cartoon frames to reveal, e.g. classically, a galloping horse.
Greg Z. says:
Alas, George Santos will be sworn in and will serve. Congressional ethics rules pertain to after a member is sworn in and there is not much Congress can do. He's probably done some illegal fund-raising or financial stuff but a GOP-controlled House will not investigate.
Ultimate chutzpah: "I am Catholic. Because I learned my maternal family had a Jewish background, I said I was 'Jew-ish'."
Mark Sturtevant says:
I was wondering if the thousands owed in unpaid rent could at least lead to conviction and jail time.
Or perhaps Brazil could try to extradite Mr. Santos for the existing charges there.
j a higginbotham says:
He will be seated, for political party reasons. There has not been much about his finances, how he recently got access to money.
Filippo says:
A couple of days ago in an article about Santos, the NY Times made it a point to mention in the headline to the effect that Santos had not included in his work experience "odd" jobs he had had in his "early years." Anyone here not had at least one "odd" job in their "early" years? What is the Times's problem with "odd" jobs? Are "odd" jobs below the collective social status of the elite Times? Perhaps Santos should have included those "odd" jobs so that the Times could report (as is its wont from my reading/observation – anything must be self-evidently "odd" if the Times says so) that Santos was an "unlikely" candidate and/or winner.
silverapplequeen says:
God had better tweets when he was on Twitter. Jus sayin
Paul Hughes says:
According to the Spanish newspaper "El País", Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, her film director husband and their young child will not return to Iran. She has run into trouble before, complaining about Iran not letting its sportspeople play against Israelis, so it is definitely not safe for her to return. Sources close to the player say the family are settling in Spain, but the exact place is not being divulged for security reasons.
grogalot says:
Islam & Sharia: The women really have it tough. A comment from Hitch: "They can't kill a virgin, but they can rape her, then she isn't a virgin any longer, so then they can kill her."
It is serious in Iran and the crazies have nothing against killing their own for Sharia reasons. This insight from Hitchens gives thought to the burka situation. It seems that hair is the problem. If a woman shaves her head, is she still required to cover it? Muslim answer: "Of course, we can't stone her if she has no hair, but we can wait until her hair grows out and then we can stone her." Cheers. GROG
DrBrydon says:
It would be an interesting world if lying prevented a person from being elected to Congress. Santos is, perhaps, only the most egregious example. I don't remember, though, that the forces of propriety made much noise when Fetterman lied throughout his about his medical condition, which may, yet, interfere with the performance of his duties. I'll join any reform campaign that treats every liar equally.
Lysander says:
Those are my principles, and if you don't like them… well, I have others.
Chetiya Sahabandu says:
And yet, despite this, he's going to try to take his seat!
Dire. Very dire. I hope people like this do not undermine public confidence in the institution of government. For so long we've had people of integrity in office and now this nincompoop comes along. The good news is that this looks like an isolated case, and I have no reason to doubt the honesty of the honourable members of congress in general. Santos is an anomaly.
I hope we can get through this together.
I was going to follow the previous sentence with 'We always have', but I realized that, if that were true, we would have had dishonest members of congress in the past. We haven't, so it isn't, so I didn't.
Maybe Trumpers just sees things very clearly.
Merilee says:
Hempenstein says:
Very cool about the keyboard steps @ the Odenplan tunnelbana stop. That was the last one before mine (S:t Eriksgatan) every morning en route to the lab @ Karolinska. There was once a trolley museum underground @ that stop, but I think it may have moved.
Garnet on A thread about universty DEI s…


text:
<?php

namespace Oro\Bundle\WorkflowBundle\Exception;

class InvalidTransitionException extends WorkflowException
{
    const UNKNOWN_TRANSITION = 1;
    const NOT_START_TRANSITION = 2;
    const STEP_HAS_NO_ALLOWED_TRANSITION = 3;

    public static function unknownTransition($transitionName)
    {
        return new self(
            sprintf('Transition "%s" is not exist in workflow.', $transitionName),
            self::UNKNOWN_TRANSITION
        );
    }

    public static function notStartTransition($workflowName, $transitionName)
    {
        return new self(
            sprintf('Transition "%s" is not a start transition of workflow "%s".', $transitionName, $workflowName),
            self::NOT_START_TRANSITION
        );
    }

    public static function stepHasNoAllowedTransition($workflowName, $stepName, $transitionName)
    {
        return new self(
            sprintf(
                'Step "%s" of workflow "%s" doesn\'t have allowed transition "%s".',
                $stepName,
                $workflowName,
                $transitionName
            ),
            self::STEP_HAS_NO_ALLOWED_TRANSITION
        );
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


THUNDER BAY – On behalf of our School Council, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We were overwhelmed and humbled by the response our Community Town Hall received last night.
Thank you to the parents, students, community members, media, MP Patty Hajdu, and City Councillors Brian McKinnon and Brian Hamilton for joining us. Your comments, concerns, questions and suggestions spoke from the heart and we can't thank you enough. As we said last night, there is power in community and it was an honour to be a part of such a supportive community last night!
Thank you to Lisa LaBelle from Thunder Bay Counselling Centre for your insights and guidance as we steer through this trying time. Thank you to Christ Lutheran Church for providing meeting space to us at no cost, you are incredible neighbours!
After last night, we're filled with hope, resiliency and determination to ensure that your voices are heard. Hammarskjold remains #VikngProudand #VikingStrong. We Are Vikings!!


text:
package org.apache.metron.elasticsearch.utils;

import com.google.common.base.Splitter;
import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
import com.google.common.collect.Iterables;
import org.apache.metron.common.configuration.writer.WriterConfiguration;
import org.apache.metron.elasticsearch.writer.ElasticsearchWriter;
import org.elasticsearch.client.transport.TransportClient;
import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.Settings;
import org.elasticsearch.common.transport.InetSocketTransportAddress;

import java.net.InetAddress;
import java.net.UnknownHostException;
import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
import java.util.*;

public class ElasticsearchUtils {

  private static ThreadLocal<Map<String, SimpleDateFormat>> DATE_FORMAT_CACHE
          = ThreadLocal.withInitial(() -> new HashMap<>());

  public static SimpleDateFormat getIndexFormat(WriterConfiguration configurations) {
    return getIndexFormat(configurations.getGlobalConfig());
  }

  public static SimpleDateFormat getIndexFormat(Map<String, Object> globalConfig) {
    String format = (String) globalConfig.get("es.date.format");
    return DATE_FORMAT_CACHE.get().computeIfAbsent(format, SimpleDateFormat::new);
  }

  public static String getIndexName(String sensorType, String indexPostfix, WriterConfiguration configurations) {
    String indexName = sensorType;
    if (configurations != null) {
      indexName = configurations.getIndex(sensorType);
    }
    indexName = indexName + "_index_" + indexPostfix;
    return indexName;
  }

  public static TransportClient getClient(Map<String, Object> globalConfiguration, Map<String, String> optionalSettings) {
    Settings.Builder settingsBuilder = Settings.settingsBuilder();
    settingsBuilder.put("cluster.name", globalConfiguration.get("es.clustername"));
    settingsBuilder.put("client.transport.ping_timeout","500s");
    if (optionalSettings != null) {
      settingsBuilder.put(optionalSettings);
    }
    Settings settings = settingsBuilder.build();
    TransportClient client;
    try{
      client = TransportClient.builder().settings(settings).build();
      for(HostnamePort hp : getIps(globalConfiguration)) {
        client.addTransportAddress(
                new InetSocketTransportAddress(InetAddress.getByName(hp.hostname), hp.port)
        );
      }
    } catch (UnknownHostException exception){
      throw new RuntimeException(exception);
    }
    return client;
  }

  public static class HostnamePort {
    String hostname;
    Integer port;
    public HostnamePort(String hostname, Integer port) {
      this.hostname = hostname;
      this.port = port;
    }
  }

  protected static List<HostnamePort> getIps(Map<String, Object> globalConfiguration) {
    Object ipObj = globalConfiguration.get("es.ip");
    Object portObj = globalConfiguration.get("es.port");
    if(ipObj == null) {
      return Collections.emptyList();
    }
    if(ipObj instanceof String
            && ipObj.toString().contains(",") && ipObj.toString().contains(":")){
      List<String> ips = Arrays.asList(((String)ipObj).split(","));
      List<HostnamePort> ret = new ArrayList<>();
      for(String ip : ips) {
        Iterable<String> tokens = Splitter.on(":").split(ip);
        String host = Iterables.getFirst(tokens, null);
        String portStr = Iterables.getLast(tokens, null);
        ret.add(new HostnamePort(host, Integer.parseInt(portStr)));
      }
      return ret;
    }else if(ipObj instanceof String
            && ipObj.toString().contains(",")){
      List<String> ips = Arrays.asList(((String)ipObj).split(","));
      List<HostnamePort> ret = new ArrayList<>();
      for(String ip : ips) {
        ret.add(new HostnamePort(ip, Integer.parseInt(portObj + "")));
      }
      return ret;
    }else if(ipObj instanceof String
            && !ipObj.toString().contains(":")
            ) {
      return ImmutableList.of(new HostnamePort(ipObj.toString(), Integer.parseInt(portObj + "")));
    }
    else if(ipObj instanceof String
            && ipObj.toString().contains(":")
            ) {
      Iterable<String> tokens = Splitter.on(":").split(ipObj.toString());
      String host = Iterables.getFirst(tokens, null);
      String portStr = Iterables.getLast(tokens, null);
      return ImmutableList.of(new HostnamePort(host, Integer.parseInt(portStr)));
    }
    else if(ipObj instanceof List) {
      List<String> ips = (List)ipObj;
      List<HostnamePort> ret = new ArrayList<>();
      for(String ip : ips) {
        Iterable<String> tokens = Splitter.on(":").split(ip);
        String host = Iterables.getFirst(tokens, null);
        String portStr = Iterables.getLast(tokens, null);
        ret.add(new HostnamePort(host, Integer.parseInt(portStr)));
      }
      return ret;
    }
    throw new IllegalStateException("Unable to read the elasticsearch ips, expected es.ip to be either a list of strings, a string hostname or a host:port string");
  }
}


Wow I love these! They look so simple to make yet so effective, and the possibility of colours/patterns is endless. Thanks for sharing!
wow.. they look so decorative .. hand made ones give you a pleasure and satisfaction..
so cute.... haven't used napkin rings in ages. Love all your handcraft stuff.
This is a great way to add that something special to your Easter table- great post!
These are glorious! Love Easter for getting crafty - bright spring colours will make your Easter table look wonderful.
These are really pretty, you would never believe they began life as a toilet roll middle. They look quite easy to make and would look lovely on any table.
Wow, they looks lovely and they are so easy to make! Thank you so much for the inspiration.
aww this looks so pretty and fun to make!
These look great, my little ones would love to make some for their nanny as a gift.
How adorable. These look great!
These turn out really cute. I;d love to make some for an Easter party.
What a fantastic Easter craft, such a fab idea!
This is so cute. Loving the idea a lot.
Aw these are adorable I love the colours ! Now I just need to try and replicate it myself!
Such a great Easter project! My kids would love to make something like this, I am sure!
They are so pretty and you wouldn't know it was toilet roll at the base.
These are so great, my daughter would love making something like this too!


text:
Dirty Dancing Sequel Announced: Jennifer Grey And Other Team Members Confirmed
NewsMovies
The sequel of the hit summer romantic movie, Dirty Dancing, is now in the works, said the CEO of Lionsgate, Jon Feltheimer. The movie has been renewed after 33 years of the release of the original movie. It is confirmed that Jennifer Grey, the one who starred in the original movie and played the role of Baby Houseman, will be returning for the movie. Her summer camp was enlivened by an affair with her dance teacher, Johnny Castle, played by Patrick Swayze.
Unfortunately, Patrick Swayze is not with us today as he passed away in 2009. The actor was suffering from pancreatic cancer and died at the age of 57.
Dirty Dancing Sequel Details
Very less is known about this project so far, but it is confirmed that Jonathan Levine will be directing this movie, and Jennifer Grey will be the executive producer of the film. Jonathan is well known for his work in 50/50 Warm Bodies.
Image Source – Time Out
Jon Feltheimer said that it is going to be exactly the same kind of romantic movie that the fans were expecting waiting for. The original movie made a profit of $214m at the box office, and the budget of the movie was just $6m. One of the songs from the movie, (I've Had) The Time of My Life, won a Golden Globe and an Oscar. The song became a fixture of pop-cultural reference because of the climactic scene during which the couple dance to the song and culminates in an impressive lift.
Image Source – Timeout
A Secret Cinema immersive screening that was first played in the year 2016 and was lined up to be on its lineup of London in July 2020, but due to unavoidable circumstances, it has been postponed by a year. Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, a spinoff film in 2004, which starred Romola Garai and Diego Luna, and was set in 1985 Cuba, was released and got moderate reviews.
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Anime Movie Coming Out Soon!
Akshita - October 15, 2021 at 11:31 AM
Charlie Cox's Daredevil Enters Sony Pictures And Marvel Studios Spider-Man 3
Kabir - December 11, 2020 at 1:40 AM
Ava 2: Is It Happening? Every Detail You Need To Know!
6 Underground 2: Release Date, Cast, Plot and Everything you need to know
Now You See Me 3: Release Date, Cast, Plot and Everything you need to know


text:
Working for birds in Africa
AfricanBirding Group
Bulletin Features
Conservation Applications
Save Kenya's Coastal Forest - Fundraising Appeal
ABC APP
Dowsett Checklists
iGoTerra Checklists
Sounds Database
ID Quiz
Library and references
Country Recorders
Congo (Dem. Republ.)
Malaŵi
Mauritius and Rodrigues
The Birds of Morocco: An Annotated Checklist
Fri, 12/21/2012 - 13:24 -- abc_admin
Michel Thévenot, Rae Vernon and Patrick Bergier. 2003. BOU Checklist No. 20. Tring: British Ornithologists' Union and British Ornithologists' Club. 594 pp, 74 colour photographs, 7 maps. ISBN 0907446-25-6. Hardback.
ABC Bulletin 11.1 March 2004
Considering how many birdwatchers visit Morocco these days, it is surprising that such a book has not been published before, but this actually represents a huge advance for Moroccan ornithology, building on and vastly improving the previous reference available from 40 years earlier, Heim de Balsac & Mayaud (1962) Les oiseaux du nord-ouest de l'Afrique. I echo James Monk's foreword in congratulating the authors on their accomplishment.
Very nicely produced, if somewhat old-fashioned and conventional in style, the meat of the book is of course the mass of information for each species, all duly referenced, which although inevitably rather dry, provides a clear source of baseline information by region, for future authors to detect trends and changes. The summaries for each species account are succinct, but the accounts themselves could arguably have been made more interesting had they included more comments on population trends to date, or by highlighting what we don't know as well as what we do. I feel duty bound to comment on the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita information, which is a good example of this, providing a very thorough summary from numerous sources, important documentation of the decline of the species, but there's little by way of comment or interpretation of more recent trends, nor on their conservation status. Sixty-five pages of references provide an important and up-to-date bibliography. An extensive, 20-page long gazetteer lists all localities and geographical features within Morocco mentioned in the text. There are useful overviews of climate, geology, vegetation (illustrated by some beautiful photos, together with some of the speciality bird species) and geographical divisions. There are signs of poor organisation in places, for example the text and map of the geographical divisions are separated by several pages, and this map is then reproduced (without a title) on both the inside back and front covers - a missed opportunity for other useful information to appear there.
The conservation section includes a map of 'important bird localities' which is also referred to as 'important bird areas' in the legend. This seems like an adaptation from BirdLife's list of IBAs, but it would have been a good opportunity to reinforce such a list if so. This may simply be a case of the timing of publication being too close to do so. Another status that would have been useful to cite with a map might have been SIBEs (Sites d'Interest Biologique et Ecologique), although I realise that not all of these are directly relevant to birds.
I do think it is a pity that no attempt was made to include Arabic species names as well as French, Spanish and English. It is also a shame to note that there are no Moroccans amongst the authors - something that I feel sure will not be the case for future updates on this type of work, and I suspect marks the end of an era. It is a reference that will be key for many years to come, and anyone seriously interested in Moroccan ornithology will simply have to have it. Let's hope it will provide the basis and information for the production of more popular texts or maybe even a Moroccan field guide, and get more Moroccans interested and involved in the fascinating bird fauna of their country.
Chris Bowden
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We're not going to lie. Making sauces is a long and tedious process; they need to be flavourful and concentrated yet not overpowering, all while balancing a very precise consistency and temperature. Otherwise, they're probably no good and should be headed straight to the bin. However, the beauty of creating sauces also lies in the process. There are an endless number of sauces you can create and discover on your own. All you need is some imagination.
Here's a rundown on what actually goes into making a sauce, and how to create new ones by layering it with different flavours.
The main component of a sauce is its liquid base. This is usually some type of stock, dairy product (milk, cream or butter) or tomatoes mashed up into a liquid consistency.
The thickening agent helps to increase the viscosity of the liquid without changing the main flavour profile too much. There are various types of thickening agents such as roux (clarified butter and flour), starches and a liaison. Starches such as cornstarch and arrowroot are commonly used, while a liaison is a mixture of egg yolks and cream that thickens the sauce while giving it a rich mouthfeel.
The combination of the liquid and its thickening agent will give you a leading sauce. Once you have that, it's time to layer with flavour. The addition of herbs, spices, essences and liquor produce secondary sauces, and this is where you can get creative.
Below are some of the famous Mother Sauces, and how you can evolve them by adding various flavour profiles and ingredients.
Turn it into cheese sauce: add cheddar cheese, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and season with cayenne pepper.
Turn it into herb white wine sauce: add white wine, cream, butter, fresh herbs, season and lemon juice.
Turn it into mushroom sauce: add sliced fresh mushrooms, minced shallots, sherry, lemon juice and butter.
Turn it into Béarnaise sauce: add finely chopped tarragon, wine vinegar, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.


As the work week begins . . . you have a choice !!
You can enter the parking lot of your workplace and release a heavy sigh (as most American workers do every day), or you can wake up and decide what opportunities lay before you and how YOU can be involved to make a difference !!
I've been working on this myself. It's easy to sit at a keyboard and jot down words to share. I often wonder if what is written by people is practiced or espoused. Is it great motivational insight only? I can't really handle that if it is.
You see I've made a choice myself. I choose to live abundantly vs. die indifferently !!
There's a true reason behind such a statement. Too many people float around every day. Their work is "just a job." They don't feel what they do makes a difference. It has to be an incredible burden to painfully slog through the day thinking that what you do has little to no impact.
I don't buy it !! I really don't.
You see, even not making a choice is . . . in itself . . . a choice. You can't sit idly by and think you're not impacting other people. Therefore, you're making a difference, but maybe not one you intended. I can't sit by and just waste away thinking that by coasting I won't make waves.
I want to make waves !! I want to be uncomfortable each and every day in what I do in all aspects of my life. There is too much at stake and too many lives to be reached.
In HR I hear too many of my peers lamenting what they can't do. Or, how their organization doesn't value their contribution or HR itself. I know this happens. But, what are you doing to make a difference ?? Do you even look to see if that is what you can do ??
We have an incredible opportunity each and every day. We can take the people we work with and allow them to shine, contribute and make waves !! I don't feel that people want to just "exist" in the workplace. I'm not talking engagement here. I'm talking impact !! Employees want to add value to the Company, not just put their time in. I would challenge anyone who says that this isn't the case. If it is, or if that is the general vibe in your workplace, then evaluate yourself first to see if you've made the choice to change that attitude.
We can bring light to an organization !! We don't have to get stuck in the trenches in the darkness, mire and muck. We should cut through the trenches with vitality, intentionality and strength !! This goes beyond passion.
YOU make a difference everyday in all you do !! This isn't some rah, rah speech. It's a fact. The question is, what difference are you making ??
It's a new week. You have a choice . . .
Author Steve Browne (Admin)Posted on August 25, 2013 Categories HR Strategy, LeadershipTags Change, Choice, Difference, encouragement, HR, Human Resources, intentional, OHSHRM, Positive, SHRM, workplace5 Comments on You Have A Choice !!


text:
Bush to America: Do Not Question Your King
Washington Post:
Bush administration officials unveiled a bold new assertion of executive authority yesterday in the dispute over the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, saying that the Justice Department will never be allowed to pursue contempt charges initiated by Congress against White House officials once the president has invoked executive privilege.
Breathtaking in its audacity. I've said for quite some time that the most serious damage Bush is doing to our country is the structural damage to the system of checks and balances. So if the President can claim executive privilege for any reason and there is no Congressional or Judicial oversight, what does this do to the ability of the other branches of government to restrain the imperial president?
Before the conservatives respond with a reflexive defense of Bush, bear in mind that in 2009, there may well be a President Hillary, and you just might want to exercise oversight on her administration.
I really can see only one recourse left to Congress at this time:
Article 3: Contempt of Congress.
In his conduct of the office of President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon [...] had failed without lawful cause or excuse, to produce papers and things as directed by duly authorized subpoenas [...] and willfully disobeyed such subpoenas. The subpoenaed papers and things were deemed necessary by the Committee in order to resolve by direct evidence fundamental, factual questions relating to Presidential direction, knowledge or approval of actions demonstrated by other evidence to be substantial grounds for impeachment of the President. In refusing to produce these papers and things, Richard M. Nixon, substituting his judgement as to what materials were necessary for the inquiry, interposed the powers of the Presidency against the lawful subpoenas of the House of Representatives, thereby assuming to himself functions and judgments necessary to the exercise of the sole power of impeachment vested by Constitution in the House of Representatives.
In all this, Richard M. Nixon has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
Wherefore, Richard M. Nixon, by such conduct, warrants impeachment and trial and removal from office.
Sid Schwab 7/20/2007 11:47 AM
In a thoughtful world, the people calling loudest for his impeachment ought to be those America-loving, Constitution-quoting conseratives. Bush, without exaggeration, is leading the country toward dicatorship, and those cheering the loudest are those that ought to be most appalled. Ironically, it is also they who, by impeaching Clinton for a reason hardly as significant as the overthrow of democracy, have insulated bush against it: it'd simply be played as "political theater" and the Dems are too inept to counter it. Your kid is peeing on a counter. bush is crapping on the Constitution.
scalpel 7/20/2007 12:52 PM
He can fire all the attorneys he wants, for any reason he chooses. It's his Constitutional right.
Impeachment = liberal wet dream. Wake up and change your shorts.
Scalpel,
As conservatives were so fond of saying in 1998, "It's not the crime, it's the cover-up." In Clinton's case, the 'crime' was a perfectly legal blowjob but the coverup involved perjury. In this case the crime is legal but dubiously ethical firing of USAs, but the coverup involves obstruction of justice.
And there's no more likelihood of impeachment and conviction than there was in 1998, because there aren't 16 honest republicans in the Senate. But it is at this point the only way for Congress to re-assert itself as a co-equal branch of government.
scalpel 7/20/2007 1:43 PM
Now you're comparing the crime of lying under oath (confirmed by DNA evidence, no less) to the suggestion of impropriety based upon a debatable interpretation of presidential constitutional authority?
Apples and oranges.
JimII 7/20/2007 1:46 PM
It is you who needs to wake up. This has nothing to do with impeachment. It has to do with how you want a Democratic president to govern. I honestly don't want to see the FBI infiltrating pro-life groups. I don't want to see people who own guns having their phones tapped. I don't want to see a liberal president who believes she does not have to answer to the Congress for anything.
Impeachment is appropriate when the president misuses his authority, as Bush did in having attorneys fired because they failed to conduct specific investigations to his liking. But more importantly, outrage is appropriate.
If you aren't angry, you aren't paying attention. Stop worrying about identity politics for just a second and look at what this man has done to our government.
You are right -- they are apples and oranges. lying about legal but embarrassing sex is a petty crime. By Bush's own actions we see that it is not even worth jail time! But for a president to arrogate to himself more power than any previous president in American history, for a president to attempt to fundamentally shift the balance of power between the branches of government, for a president to view his office as above the law and beyond accountability -- that is dangerous. There may be no law against it, but this is exactly the sort of behavior the founders intended impeachment as redress for.
Not all conservatives wanted to impeach President Clinton; for all I care, it is his business (and that of his contract partner, Hillary) whom he bonks. Well, assuming that such person(s) are mentally competent to offer informed consent to said bonking.
I will add that the fired attorneys are political appointees and serve at the pleasure of the president. No pleasure, no serve.
But the funny thing about your quote re the Nixon impeachment is -- on the day he left office, Nixon _still_ had a higher approval rating than the current Congress. :-)
Felix.
If you'd stop watching Olbermann's tripe and take a break from reading the rabid mouth-foaming rants on Kos and Huffiepoo's sites, you'd have less angst about the fact that Bush has never been defeated by any liberal ever.
And maybe, just maybe, you'd quit your futile and desperate attempts to try to take him down (just once!) and focus more on making our country a better place than trying to teach Daddy a lesson.
Hillary will never be president. Change your shorts again.
Lyle 7/20/2007 5:06 PM
Watch how fast executive privilege and 'Hey, the consitution only means what i say it does' disappear as noble and lofty concepts in the eyes of conservatives the first time President Obama or President Clinton uses them.
you'd have less angst about the fact that Bush has never been defeated by any liberal ever.
oh man, you hit the nail on the head! that's why we all detest bush!! you got us! he's got us, shadowfax!
it's not the coke-binging, draft dodging, warmongering, gay bashing, mexican hating, wet braining, muslim inciting, zenophobe coddling, science detesting, bible thumping, constitution hating, torture sympathizing, fear infesting, gas guzzling, creativity hating, abstinence-pushing, embryo kissing douchebaggery that makes us dislike the man.
it's that a liberal has never beat him... EVER!
has any conservative ever beat Bill, by the way?
put on your blue dress, then.
Micheal 7/20/2007 5:21 PM
I'm sorry, but didn't Clinton fire all 98 attorneys in his first year?
JimII 7/20/2007 10:43 PM
micheal,
Hi, welcome to the fact-based community. Every President "fires" every U.S. Att'y (USA) when he takes office. Bush did at the beginning too, but then fired USA's midstream. And he fired them because they were not investigating Democrats or they were investigating Republicans. In NM, for example, the USA failed to yield to unethical pressure from a Senator & US Rep to investigate a Democrat, and so that guy lost his job.
So, the Democratic President will "fire," actually they'll just resign, all of the USAs. Then new ones will get put in. If, that President then fires one or nine of those USAs because he or she wants the USA to go after his or her political enemies and the USA refuses, that's wrong. It's unethical. It is a crime against our system of government.
How is it that there is a person on the planet who doesn't know that? Did you read any stories on it? Seriously. I mean, if you think it is okay to interfer with on going investigations, alright, whatever. But you really should know what is going on.
Other bits of trivia: we did not find WMD in Iraq; human beings are the cause of global warming; and random mutation coupled with natural selection is responsible for the various species of animals on the planet.
The more you know.
Jimii,
of course WMD were found in Iraq, in the form or 155mm artillery shells with chemical-warfare payloads.
On global warming, I am forced to take a contrarian position just because your glib cedulous statements irritate me:
"Greenland" was, a thousand years ago, actually a green, verdant, land, abundant with crops. If, for the sake of argument, I accept the hypothsis that any increase in temperature over the past decades is due to humans, that still doesn't show why this would be a bad thing at all.
More solid arguments, less ideology, please -- or leave the arguing to our host, who seems much better at it.
shrodingers cat 7/21/2007 3:21 PM
One thing I can say for Shillary, if, and God forbid when, she gets her dick sucked by a White house intern, I think she will have to forsight not to lie about it. She learned that from Billy.
I meant foresight, or was it foreskin. Either one works.
Presidential legacies tend to be based on factoids for the most part. George Washington is the wooden teeth guy on the dollar bill. Abe Lincoln is the civil war guy. Andrew Johnson was the impeached guy. Taft was the fat guy. Know anything else about Taft? I didn't think so.
Clinton will be known as the other impeached guy who got the blowjob from the fat chick. So yes, conservatives beat him in a sense.
Good luck on trying to beat Bush. I predict he will be known as the terrorist ass-kicking guy when all is said and done. But you've got 18 months left.
911DOC 7/21/2007 8:05 PM
i didn't think we had a king in america. and i thought the earth was semi-flat. i'm glad you are here to explain it all.
I predict he will be known as the terrorist ass-kicking guy when all is said and done. But you've got 18 months left.
and every historian that has ever graduated high school, can count to three and knows that a book is something you read chuckles at you...
HIBGIA 7/23/2007 6:17 AM
It's not about Clinton. Or Hillary. Or that Bush fired the attorneys (yes, that is his right, whether or not I agree with the firings.)
The issue is, he just issued an executive order saying "I can fire who I want, and if I make an executive order about it, then YOU CAN'T QUESTION ME." THAT'S what goes against our system.
The whole basis of our government is checks and balances...the Exec does something, Justice and/or Legislature go "whoah there pardner...let's take a look at that." What Bush is doing is TAKING AWAY THE OVERSIGHT.
I repeat what has been said here often...people who think this is about "hating Bush" (Scalpel)...take a step back from your defensive, cocky, liberals-suck attitude, and imagine if President Hillary or Obama were to make a decision that YOU DIDN'T LIKE, and using Bush's precedent, said "oh, so sorry...it's done, and you can't question me. I'm the President, and don't have to answer to you."
If that doesn't bother you, that's fine. But then how about admitting, right here and now, that you would have no problem living in a monarchy. That's what your saying, isn't it?
(and to make sure nobody gets distracted from the topic and berates my grammar instead of my argument...)
that should have said "that's what you're saying, right?"
JimII 7/23/2007 10:30 AM
"More solid arguments, less ideology, please -- or leave the arguing to our host, who seems much better at it."
There is no ideology in the fact that human beings are causing global warming, or the fact that we did not find WMD in Iraq.
Here's the frustrating thing, every single peer reviewed article on the topic has come to the same conclusion on global warming. There is no way I could add anything to that. There is no way someone other than a scientist writing a peer reviewed article could add anything to it.
Ditto for the WMD. Old artillery shells that were not usable is not a WMD. The Bush administration did not claim they found the WMD we invaded for. But again, this is not something you argue for. This is a fact that everyone who looked at it agrees on. There were no WMD in Iraq.
The ideology would be involved in how to address the problem. Not the presence or absence of the problem. There is no ideology in anything I wrote. (Except I suppose that you should be angry about a president inteferring with on-going investigations by US attorneys. But is that controversial?)
See, the country can't function if we stop using facts. If you insist on asserting things that are untrue, we can't even get to the point of talking about ideology.
No one, no one, is say the president doesn't have the authority to fire attorneys. He doesn't have the authority to fire them for the reason he did. Bringing up nonsense like the fact that other presidents did the same when they took office doesn't help.
Bill Clinton invoked executive privilege during the course of 6 separate investigations (including the Lewinsky scandal, which was denied by a federal judge).
Don't suggest that President Bush is the first president to try to use that technique, or that his use of it is somehow worse than his predecessor. The precedent has already been set, and it wasn't by Bush.
You win. It is just about politics. Whoever is in office can do whatever they want. The only way to evaluate their actions is to determine if you belong to their party. You've changed my opinion.
It is actually quite a burden lifted; worrying about what is right.
Actually, Dianne Feinstein, Demo of CA, was calling for the firing of at least one of the DAs. Or was she part of the conspiracy, too?
Clinton didn't "lie", he committed perjury and denied justice to a third party. And lost his law license.
And, btw, he lied every chance he got.
So you don't believe in the power of executive privilege. Great. I sort of agree with you. But it would be nice if you guys didn't act all high and mighty by suggesting that Bush invented the concept.
Hypocrisy is unbecoming.
Febrifuge 7/24/2007 7:03 PM
Felix said:
<< "Greenland" was, a thousand years ago, actually a green, verdant, land, abundant with crops. >>
The story I heard was that when Leif Erickson and his crew re-discovered the place around 1000 AD, they called it "Greenland" in order to put a positive spin on it and encourage more people to come there.
Meanwhile, the other place they'd put on the map, the one with the hot springs and fascinating rock formations, the one that isn't totally horrible climate-wise and might be a place where you'd actually want to live, they called that one "Iceland."
Greenland might be okay for part of the year on the southern coast, but it's never been a verdant expanse.
HIBGIA 7/25/2007 1:55 PM
I never said he invented the concept. And I don't care if someone else set a precedent, or who it was.
My point is the same...ANY time one branch of the government attempts to circumvent the system, it is cause for concern.
And please GOD stop talking about what Clinton did or didn't do...THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS DISCUSSION IS ABOUT. The fact that every time a Republican is criticized, people answer with "well, Clinton this and Clinton that" BOGGLES MY MIND.
Is your argument that it is ok for any given president to do this? (by this I mean "whatever the hell he wants") Fine, we disagree on that.
Or is your argument the one I used when my parents got mad at me..."well, he did it first!!!"?
You said Bush set the precedent. Read your own comments, and try not to yell.
Apparently it IS OK for a president to use executive privilege. The precedent was set a long time ago. If you don't like it (like some of you didn't like the electoral system in the 2000 elections - hehe) we have a mechanism through which it can be changed.
But oddly enough, it doesn't involve yelling at other anonymous commenters on internet medical blogs.
Whodathunk?
girlvet 7/27/2007 9:17 PM
Hillary for prez......
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
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Genzyme only had one leader for more than 25 years, and it has found a new one in David Meeker, now that the company is part of Paris-based pharmaceutical giant Sanofi.
Meeker will become the CEO of the Cambridge, MA-based Genzyme unit starting Nov. 1, and will report to Sanofi CEO Chris Viehbacher, according to a Sanofi statement. Meeker will oversee divisions that work on rare diseases and multiple sclerosis, while other parts of Genzyme's former business have been integrated into Sanofi's global operations.
Genzyme, the biotech giant that Henri Termeer led for most of its history, agreed to be acquired by Sanofi in February for about $20 billion after several months of negotiations. The company struggled through manufacturing shortages of a couple of its most important enzyme replacement therapies—Cerezyme and Fabrazyme—before ultimately agreeing to be acquired.
"After working closely with David over the past six months, I am confident that he is the best person to lead Genzyme," Viehbacher said in a statement.
Meeker, who got his M.D. from the University of Vermont Medical School, joined the company in 1994 as a medical director to work on a cystic fibrosis gene therapy program, according to the Sanofi statement. He worked his way up in the company's rare disease operations, and oversaw the commercial introductions of Aldurazyme, Fabrazyme, and Myozyme. He became chief operating officer of Genzyme in 2009.


Join Sheena Bell as she gives you the tools to communicate with your peers. Learn how to initiate those tough conversations and provide support for your friends. Sign up for this workshop in the main office.
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New frame built by former lotus employee with original Lotus factory body work. New left right side a-arms and sway bars by Burt Curtis. many new or rebuilt parts.
# 43 built, only 22 now exist.
many new parts new drive lines, u joints, donuts etc.
all new bearings, ring and pinnion professionaly set.


Comprised of 3 members appointed by the Board of Supervisors, the Rapho Township Zoning Hearing Board assures fair and equitable application of the Township's Zoning Ordinance. This Board serves a 3-year term and does receive remuneration for meetings attended ($75 per meeting).
The Zoning Hearing Board acts as a decision making body for hearings related to certain zoning regulations, authorizing special exceptions, interpretations and appeals of the Zoning Ordinance and approving or rejecting variances from the Zoning Ordinance. Zoning Hearing Boards are sometimes referred to as the "smallest court" because their decisions are legally binding and an appeal of a Zoning Hearing Board decision is appealed through the court system.