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The Huffington Riposte
Offering a conservative counterbalance to the extreme left-coast liberalism of The Huffington Post
AMERICA HAS ELECTED ITS FIRST EUROPEAN PRIME MINISTER AS ITS PRESIDENT - SHOULD WE BE GLAD OR SAD, OR MAYBE WE SHOULD SOBER UP FROM OUR 2008 BINGE
AS WE PROGRESS FURTHER AND FURTHER
into the fetid swamp that America is becoming
in the Obamanation, it is good to look back
from time to time and to see where we
were and where some were predicting
we would go.
One of the most prescient writers and commentators
is Mark Steyn.
Here is something he wrote back in
March of this year.
- Leo Rugiens
Back during the election campaign,
I was on the radio and a caller demanded to know
what I made of the persistent rumor
that Barack Obama was born in Kenya.
"I doubt it," I said.
"It's perfectly obvious he was born in Stockholm.
Okay, maybe Brussels or Strasbourg."
And the host gave an appreciative titter, and I made a mental note to start working up a little
"Barack Obama, the first European Prime Minister
to be elected President of the United States"
shtick for maybe a year into the first term.
But here we are 20 minutes in [THIS WAS WRITTEN ON MARCH 23 2009], and full-scale Europeanization is already under way: Europeanized health care, Europeanized daycare, Europeanized college education, Europeanized climate-change policy… Obama's pseudo-SOTU speech was America's first State of the European Union address, in which the president deftly yoked the language of American exceptionalism to the cause of European statism. Apparently, nothing testifies to the American virtues of self-reliance, entrepreneurial energy and the can-do spirit like joining the vast army of robotic extras droning in unison, "The government needs to do more for me…" For the moment, Washington is offering Euro-sized government with Euro-sized economic intervention, Euro-sized social programs and Euro-sized regulation. But apparently not Euro-sized taxation.
Hmm. Even the Europeans haven't attempted that trick. But don't worry, if that pledge not to increase taxes on families earning under $250,000 doesn't have quite the Continental sophistication you're looking for in your federal government, I doubt it will be operative very long.
Most Americans don't yet grasp the scale of the Obama project. The naysayers complain, oh, it's another Jimmy Carter, or it's the new New Deal, or it's LBJ's Great Society applied to health care… You should be so lucky. Forget these parochial nickel'n'dime comparisons. It's all those multiplied a gazillionfold and nuclearized – or Europeanized, which is less dramatic but ultimately more lethal. For a distressing number of American liberals, the natural condition of an advanced, progressive western democracy is Scandinavia, and the US has just been taking a wee bit longer to get there. You've probably heard academics talking about "the Swedish model", and carelessly assumed they were referring to the Britt Ekland retrospective on AMC. If only. And, incidentally, fond though I am of Britt, the fact that I can think of no Swedish dolly bird of the last 30 years with which to update that gag is itself a telling part of the problem. Anyway, under the Swedish model, state spending accounts for 54 per cent of GDP. In the US, it's about 40 per cent. Ten years ago, it was 34 per cent. So we're trending Stockholmwards. And why stop there? In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, government spending accounts for between 72 and 78 per cent of the economy, which is about the best a "free" society can hope to attain this side of complete Sovietization. Fortunately for what's left of America's private sector, "the Welsh model" doesn't have quite the same beguiling euphony as "the Swedish model". But, even so, if Scandinavia really is the natural condition of an advanced democracy, then we're all doomed. And by "doomed" I'm not merely making the usual overheated rhetorical flourish in an attempt to persuade you to stick through the rather dry statistics in the next paragraph, but rather projecting total societal collapse and global conflagration, and all sooner than you think.
There are two basic objections to the wholesale Europeanization of America. The easy one is the economic argument. The short version of late 20th century history is that Continental Europe entirely missed out on the Eighties boom and its Nineties echo. A couple of weeks back, the evening news shows breathlessly announced that US unemployment had risen to seven per cent, the highest in a decade and a half. Yet the worst American unemployment rate is still better than the best French unemployment rate for that same period. Indeed, for much of the 1990s the EU as a whole averaged an unemployment rate twice that of the US and got used to double-digit unemployment as a routine and semi-permanent feature of life. Germany, the economic powerhouse of Europe in the Sixties and Seventies, is now a country whose annual growth rate has averaged 1.1 per cent since the mid-Nineties; where every indicator – home ownership, new car registrations – is heading down; and in which government agencies have to budget for such novel expenditures as narrowing the sewer lines in economically moribund, fast depopulating municipalities because the existing pipes are too wide to, ah, expedite the reduced flow. Even flushing yourself down the toilet of history is trickier than it looks.
Of course, if you're one of the seemingly endless supply of Americans willing to turn up at the president's ersatz "town meetings" to petition the seigneur to take care of your medical bills and your mortgage and the gas in your tank, the Euro-deal looks pretty sweet. When they deign to work, even the French can match the Americans in hourly productivity. Unfortunately for boring things like GDP, the Euro-week has far fewer hours. There are government-mandated maximum 35-hour work weeks, six weeks of paid vacation, more public holidays, and, in the event that, after all that, some unfortunate clerical error still shows the calendar with an occasional five-day week, you can always strike. The upshot is that, while a working American puts in an average 1,800 hours a year, a working German puts in 1,350 hours a year – or 25 per cent less.
It's tempting to assume these are deeply ingrained cultural differences. "It's The Good Life, full of fun, seems to be the ideal," as the Gallic crooner Sasha Distel smoothly observed. But, in fact, until the Seventies Americans and Europeans put in more or less identical work hours. What happened is that the Protobamas of the Continental political class legislated sloth, and, as is the way, the citizenry got used to it. Indeed, the proposed European Constitution enshrines leisure as a constitutional right. Article II-31: "Every worker has the right to limitation of maximum working hours, to daily and weekly rest periods and to an annual period of paid holiday." There's no First Amendment or Second Amendment, but who needs free speech or guns when life is one gentle swing in the government hammock?
When American commentators notice these numbers, it's usually to crank out a why-oh-why-can't-we-be-as-enlightened? op-ed. A couple of years back Paul Krugman wrote a column asserting that, while parochial American conservatives drone on about "family values", the Europeans live it, enacting policies that are more "family friendly". On the Continent, claims the professor, "government regulations actually allow people to make a desirable tradeoff - to modestly lower income in return for more time with friends and family."
As befits a distinguished economist, Professor Krugman failed to notice, that for a continent of "family friendly" policies, Europe is remarkably short of families. While America's fertility rate is more or less at replacement level – 2.1 – seventeen European nations are at what demographers call "lowest-low" fertility - 1.3 or less - a rate from which no society in human history has ever recovered. Germans, Spaniards, Italians and Greek have upside-down family trees: four grandparents have two children and one grandchild. The numbers are grim, and getting grimmer. The EU began the century with four workers for every retiree. By 2050, Germany will have 1.1 workers for every retiree. At Oktoberfest a decade or three hence, that fetching young lad in the lederhosen serving you your foaming stein will be singlehandedly propping up entire old folks' homes. Except he won't. He'll have scrammed and headed off to Australia in search of a livelier youth scene, or at any rate a livelier late-middle-aged scene. And the guy taking his place in the beer garden won't be wearing lederhosen because he'll be Muslim and they don't like to expose their knees. And, come to think of it, he's unlikely to be serving beer, either. The EU would need at least another 50 million immigrants – working immigrants, that is (they're not always, especially with Euro-welfare) – to keep wrinkly old Gerhard and Jean-Claude in the social programs to which they've become accustomed.
To run the numbers is to render them absurd: It's not about economic performance, public pensions liabilities, entitlement reform. Something more profound is at work. Europe has entered a long dark Oktoberfest of the soul, drinking to oblivion in the autumn of the year, as les feuilles mortes pile up all around.
Let's take the second part of Paul Krugman's assertion: These "family-friendly" policies certainly give you "more time". For what? High-school soccer and 4-H at the county fair? No. As we've seen, kids not called Mohammed are thin on the ground. God? No. When you worship the state-as-church, you don't need to bother showing up to Mass anymore. Civic volunteerism? No. All but extinct on the Continent. So what do Europeans do with all that time? Forget for the moment Europe's lack of world-beating companies: They regard capitalism red in tooth and claw as an Anglo-American fetish, and they mostly despise it. And in fairness some of their quasi-state corporations are very pleasant: I'd much rather fly Air France than United or Continental. Where are Europe's men of science? At American universities. Meanwhile, Continental governments pour fortunes into prestigious white elephants of Euro-identity, like the Airbus 380, the QE2 of the skies, capable of carrying 500, 800, a thousand passengers at a time, if only somebody at some airport somewhere would build the extended runways you need to handle it.
But what about the things Europeans supposedly value? With so much free time, where is the great European art? Do they paint, write, make movies? Not so's you'd notice. Not compared to 40 years ago. Never mind Bach or even Offenbach, these days the French can't produce a Sasha Distel or the Germans a Bert Kaempfert, the boffo Teuton bandleader who somewhat improbably managed to play a critical role in the careers of the three biggest Anglophone pop acts of the 20th century – he wrote "Strangers In The Night" for Sinatra, "Wooden Heart" for Elvis, and produced the Beatles' first recording session. If that sounds like a "Trivial Pursuit" answer, it's not. Eutopia turned out to be the trivial pursuit; to produce a Bert Kaempfert figure right now would be a major accomplishment Europe can't quite muster the energy for. "Give people plenty and security, and they will fall into spiritual torpor," wrote Charles Murray in In Our Hands. "When life becomes an extended picnic, with nothing of importance to do, ideas of greatness become an irritant. Such is the nature of the Europe syndrome."
The key word here is "give". When the state "gives" you plenty – when it takes care of your health, takes cares of your kids, takes care of your elderly parents, takes care of every primary responsibility of adulthood – it's not surprising that the citizenry cease to function as adults: Life becomes a kind of extended adolescence – literally so for those Germans who've mastered the knack of staying in education till they're 34 and taking early retirement at 42 (which sounds a lot like where Obama's college-for-all plans will lead).
Genteel decline can be very agreeable - initially: You still have terrific restaurants, beautiful buildings, a great opera house. And once the pressure's off it's nice to linger at the sidewalk table, have a second café au lait and a pain au chocolat, and watch the world go by. At the Munich Security Conference in February, President Sarkozy demanded of his fellow Continentals, "Does Europe want peace, or do we want to be left in peace?" To pose the question is to answer it. Alas, it only works for a generation or two, and then, as the gay bar owners are discovering in a fast Islamifying Amsterdam, reality reasserts itself.
In 2003, the IMF conducted a study of Eurosclerosis and examined the impact on chronic unemployment and other woes if the Eurozone labor market were to be Americanized – that's to say, increase participation in the work force, reduce taxes and job-for-life security, etc. The changes would be tough, but over the long-term beneficial. But it's too late for that: What's "changed" is the disposition of the people: If it's unsustainable, who cares? As long as they can sustain it till I'm dead. That's the second and most critical objection to Europeanization: It corrodes self-reliance very quickly, to the point where even basic survival instincts can be bred out of society in a generation or two. In America Alone, I cited a headline that seemed almost too perfect a summation of a Continent where entitlement addiction trumps demographic reality: "Frenchman Lived With Dead Mother To Keep Pension." She was 94 when she croaked, so she'd presumably been getting the government check for a good three decades, but hey it's 700 euros a month. He kept her corpse under a pile of newspapers in the living room for five years, and put on a woman's voice whenever the benefits office called. Since my book came out, readers send me similar stories on a regular basis: "An Austrian woman lived with the mummified remains of her aunt for a year, Vienna police said Wednesday." In Europe, nothing is certain except death and welfare, and why let the former get in the way of the latter?
It's interesting that it never occurred to the IMF that anyone would be loopy enough to try their study the other way around – to examine the impact on America of Europeanization. For that, we had to wait for the election of Barack Obama. Which brings us to the third problem of Europeanization: What are the consequences for the world if the hyperpower embarks on the same form of assisted suicide as the rest of the west? In quite the wackiest essay Foreign Policy has ever published, Parag Khanna of the Brookings Institution argued that the European Union was now "the world's first metrosexual superpower". And he meant it as a compliment. Mr Khanna's thesis is that, unlike the insecure American cowboy, Europe is secure enough in its hard power to know when to deploy a little sweet-smelling soft power. Seriously:
The EU has become more effective—and more attractive—than the United States on the catwalk of diplomatic clout… Metrosexuals always know how to dress for the occasion (or mission)… but it's best done by donning Armani pinstripes rather than U.S. Army fatigues… Even Turkey is freshening up with eau d'Europe… Stripping off stale national sovereignty (that's so last century), Europeans now parade their 'pooled power,' the new look for this geopolitical season…
Brand Europe is taking over… Europe's flashy new symbol of power, the Airbus 380, will soon strut on runways all over Asia... But don't be deceived by the metrosexual superpower's pleatless pants—Europe hasn't lost touch with its hard assets…Europe's 60,000-troop Rapid Reaction Force will soon be ready to deploy around the world… Just as metrosexuals are redefining masculinity, Europe is redefining old notions of power and influence. Expect Bend It Like Brussels to play soon in capital cities worldwide.
And on and on, like one of those pieces an editor runs when he wants to get fired and go to Tuscany to write a novel. The Airbus 380 is a classic stillborn Eurostatist money pit, the Rapid Reaction Force can't deploy anywhere beyond a Europe Day parade down the Champs Elysee, and given that the governing Socialist caucus on the Brussels city council already has a Muslim majority I doubt they'll be bending it themselves that much longer. This is the logical reductio of the Robert Kagan thesis that Americans are from Mars, Europeans are from Venus. It's truer to say that Europeans are from Pluto, which was recently downgraded to "dwarf planet" status. A dwarf superpower doesn't have policies, it has attitudes – in part, because that's all it can afford. An America that attempts Euro-scale social programs would have to reel in its military expenditures. After all, Europe could only introduce socialized health care and all the rest because the despised cowboy across the ocean was picking up the tab for the continent's defense. So for America to follow the EU down the same social path would have huge strategic implications for everyone else, not least Europe. We would be joining the Continentals in prancing around in Armani pinstripes and eau d'Europe as the bottom dropped out of our hard assets. And Putin, Kim Jong-il, the mullahs et al might not find the perfume as heady as Mr Khanna does.
Even in its heyday – the Sixties and Seventies - the good times in Europe were underwritten by the American security guarantee: The only reason why France could get away with being France, Belgium with being Belgium, Sweden with being Sweden is because America was America. Kagan's thesis – Americans are from Mars, Europeans are from Venus – will look like paradise lost when the last conventional "great power" of western civilization embraces the death-cult narcissism of its transatlantic confreres in the full knowledge of where that leads. Why would you do anything so crazy? Ah, but these are crazy times: Europeans are from Pluto, Americans are from Goofy.
THE EUROPEANIZATION OF AMERICA
by Mark Steyn
BARRY SOETORO aka BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA
He is not eligible to be
because he is not a Natural Born Citizen
as required by Article Two, Section One, Clause Five of the United States Constitution.
This is a fact regardless of
where he was born (Mombassa, Hawaii, Chicago, Mecca or Mars).
He is not eligible
because he was not born of
TWO PARENTS
BOTH OF WHOM WERE UNITED STATES CITIZENS
at the time of his birth as required by the Constitution.
His father was a subject/ciitizen
of Kenya/Great Britain at the time of his birth and afterwards.
It is even possible that he is not a United States
citizen at all if he was born in Kenya, as three witnesses have testified. Because his mother could not pass her US citizenship on to her son because she did not live continuously in the United States for five full years after her fourteenth birthday as required by the US immigration law in effect during that period of time.
http://www.TheObamaFile.com/ObamaNaturalBorn.htm
Also, an excellent introductory primer on Obama Presiidential Eligibility is to be found at:
http://people.mags.net/tonchen/birthers.htm
His usurpation can only be corrected (1) by Congress through his Impeachment and Removal [something which will never happen in a Congress controlled by Pelosi/Reid], or (2) it can be
corrected by his resignation, which could happen if the public presssure on him to resign becomes great enough, or (3) by his removal by the United States Supreme Court affirming a Quo Warranto decision of the United States Federal District Court for the District of Columbia [which process Attorney General Eric Holder would never allow to even begin] or (4) by an amendment to the Constitution,
which will never happen because that again would require the agreement of a Congress controlled by Pelosi/Reid.
Posted by Leo Rugiens at 9:09 AM
Leo Rugiens
A Texan who loves the truth and hates the lying, cheating, and deliberate prevarication that characterizes so much of our civic discourse these days. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ RIPOSTE, n. 1. Fencing: a quick thrust after parrying a lunge 2. a quick sharp return in speech or action; counterstroke. - The Random House Dictionary of the English Language........... You can contact me by sending an email to me at: leorugiens23@gmail.com
THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA THINK BARNEY FRANK IS THE SM...
LESBIANS, GAYS, BISEXUALS AND TRANSGENEDERED CELEB...
THE RICCI DECISION SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNANIMOUS, BUT...
DO WE REALLY NEED OBAMA'S BIG-BANG-HEALTH-CARE REF...
OBAMA IS COMFORTABLE WITH HATE SPEECH SPEAKER HARR...
WITH OBAMACARE, CANADIANS WILL HAVE TO START GOING...
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER, MD, PSYCHIATRIST, PUNDIT, ANA...
OBAMA'S KENYA BIRTH CERTIFICATE FOR SALE ON EBAY -...
ESTIMATES OF OBAMA'S HEALTH PLAN EXCEED $1 TRILLIO...
FROM OBAMA'S VANTAGE POINT WATERBOARDING MUST SEEM...
AMERICA HAS ELECTED ITS FIRST EUROPEAN PRIME MINIS...
HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME! I GOT GOVERNMENT ON THE ...
HERE COMES HAZARDOUS HEALTH CARE, DOES ANYONE CARE?
WITH WHOM SHOULD AMERICA STAND -- THE BLOODY TYRAN...
BARRY SOETORO aka BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IS A USURPE...
IN THE END, HISTORY WILL SAY OF THE OBAMAMANIACS W...
STEYN ON CANADA, THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE OBAMA HE...
OBAMA SAYS ONE THING, DOES ANOTHER, DENIES HE SAID...
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THE MULLAHS WHO GUIDE THE HAND OF AHMADINEJAD HAVE...
IT IS GOVERNMENT'S ROLE TO GO AROUND STIRRING UP A...
EATING, DRINKING, SMILING, LAUGHING AND DANCING WI...
THE EDITOR OF NEWSWEEK SAYS THAT OBAMA IS LIKE GOD
THE CLOUDS ARE GATHERING ACROSS THE LAND; IF NOTHI...
IT IS ALARMING THAT OBAMA HAS ALIGNED HIMSELF AND ...
OUR TIMES HAVE CRIED OUT FOR JUST SUCH A BEING, AN...
MEET BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, THE SNAKE CHARMER, WHO ...
"DON'T TREAD ON ME" HOW THE RATTLESNAKE BECAME T...
AMERICA WON'T FAIL, NOT IMMEDIATELY, IT WILL LINGE...
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BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA REVEALS HIS TRUE INNER MUSLIM...
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEVILLE CHAMBERLAIN'...


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Home » Games » Marvel's Avengers Release Date, News, Trailer and Rumors
Marvel's Avengers Release Date, News, Trailer and Rumors
At E3 2019, gamers were given a sneak peek of the upcoming releases for 2019 and beyond, including an official reveal trailer for Marvel's Avengers. The highly-anticipated action title will serve as the first entry in what's been described as a "multi-year, multi-game partnership" between publisher Square Enix and Marvel. With the game's release date less than a year away, fans have begun piecing together news in order to better understand what developer Crystal Dynamics has in store.
Here, we'll be covering everything you need to know before Marvel's Avengers releases, including story and gameplay details as well as some exciting rumors. Make sure to check back as we'll be updating this story following any new announcements from Square, Crystal, or Marvel.
When is Marvel's Avengers' release date?
Marvel's Avengers is scheduled to release on May 15, 2020, for PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Google Stadia. As mentioned briefly before, Square Enix will be publishing Marvel's Avengers with Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics handling production. Additional assistance will be provided by Deus Ex developer Eidos Montreal, Crystal Northwest, and Nexxus Software.
The game was first teased back in 2017 and at the time was being referred to as "The Avengers Project." The teaser trailer depicted recognizable items relating to each member of the Avenger destroyed and covered in rubble, suggesting the team of heroes was defeated.
The video's description highlighted that the project now known as Marvel's Avengers is "being designed for gamers worldwide and packed with all the characters, environments, and iconic moments that have thrilled longtime fans of the franchise. Featuring a completely original story, it will introduce a universe gamers can play in for years to come."
When and where does the story take place?
Marvel's Avengers takes place outside of both the Marvel comic-book and cinematic universes in a completely separate Marvel games universe, despite The Avengers' MCU-inspired designs. The trailer above suggests the game's timeline will jump forward a few years following a catastrophic event during A-Day, a celebration of the heroes' achievements.
The event is interrupted by an attack on the Golden Gate bridge orchestrated by Taskmaster, a well-known Marvel villain with the ability to mimic the movements of others. We learn that despite The Avengers' efforts, Taskmaster was able to successfully carry out the attack, resulting in massive amounts of destruction and the loss of many lives, including Captain America's.
The incident leads to low morale among the team and a negatively-skewed public perception regarding the heroes. The Avengers are ultimately disbanded, at which point we're told, "Five years later, with all Super Heroes outlawed and the world in peril, the only hope is to reassemble Earth's Mightiest Heroes."
Crystal Dynamics has all but confirmed that Captain America's perceived death in the game's opening isn't permanent given he's listed as a playable character. Additional playable characters include Hulk, Thor, Iron-Man, and Black Widow. You may or may not have noticed a notable name missing from that list–Hawkeye; although the character hasn't been confirmed to be in the game, rumors suggest he'll be included with a later update/expansion.
Marvel's Avengers will feature an all-star cast of actors who will lend their voices to the iconic heroes. Notable roles include Troy Baker as Bruce Banner, Jeff Shine as Captain America, Travis Willingham as Thor, Laura Bailey as Black Widow, and Nolan North as Tony Stark.
What is the gameplay like?
Marvel's Avengers is confirmed to have two separate modes: a single-player campaign and an online multiplayer component that sees four players teaming up for side missions that connect back to the story. Crystal Dynamics has assured us that the game will be narrative-focused, however, co-op will not be locked to a player's progress in the story. Instead, players will be able to switch back and forth between co-op and single-player as they level up one or more characters.
The game will incorporate elements of action games and RPGs, with players able to customize their hero's appearance and tailor abilities to fit their playstyle. Given the diversity in The Avengers' arsenal, combat will vary depending on which character you're controlling. Fortunately, players will not be forced to stick with just a single character and will have the opportunity to master multiple heroes.
Loot and Progression
This all sounds like the perfect recipe for a live-service game, leading many to believe Marvel's Avengers will be the super-hero equivalent of games like Destiny and The Division. However, gamers shouldn't be too concerned about monetization since it's been confirmed that all post-launch playable characters and story content will be free; this leads us to believe the game will feature paid cosmetic items, otherwise known as skins.
The game will reward players with loot for completing missions in both single-player and online co-op. While we don't have any specifics, it appears this will be in the form of different modifiers/attachments for their equipment. This will allow players to develop characters that feel unique without straying too far from the hero's intended role.
The final word on Marvel's Avengers
Although the industry is littered with live-service games, we haven't seen one centered around a roster of characters as widely-recognized as Marvel's Avengers. Therefore, it'll be interesting to see what creative liberties, if any, Crystal Dynamics has taken in designing their iteration of the beloved heroes.
So far, reception appears to be evenly split amongst fans. While many believe the game seems to show promise and may even go down as one of the best games of this console generation, others accuse The Avengers' bland, second-rate MCU designs as being indicative of a larger, underlying identity-crisis plaguing Marvel's Avengers.
No matter where you happen to land on the spectrum, it's safe to say Marvel's Avengers will be one of the most discussed games of 2020 along with Cyberpunk 2077 and the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Remake. For now, all we can do is stay on the lookout for further updates from Crystal Dynamics and Marvel.
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Tags: Games
Justin Fernandez
Whether its PC or console, AAA or Indie, New-York born and raised Justin has a natural curiosity to seek out hidden gems and share them with other gamers. He also maintains his own YouTube channel in addition to writing and managing the social media profiles for GamingScan.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Join the Gyllenhaals for a two-hour bird walk through Columbus Park on Chicago's far west side. Although the park is in a densely urbanized area and miles from Lake Michigan and major rivers, eBird has recorded almost 200 species of birds there. We expect to find 30 to 40 species on an early September morning, including a mix of summer residents and early migrants (with perhaps a half dozen warbler species and maybe a thrush or two). We will also look for late summer wildflowers and insects and talk about the ecological and human history of the park. There are further flung areas of the park that we can optionally explore that will take until about 10:30 for those who are interested. .


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New Nukes
Taxpayers are spending nearly £1 million a month on a quango that is unable to do the job for which it was created and will be scrapped if the Tories win the general election. The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), formed in October, has a chairman, Sir Michael Pitt, who is being paid £184,000 a year for a four-day working week. It has well-appointed new offices in Bristol and has hired dozens of staff, including seven commissioners on salaries equivalent to £100,000 per year. But the organisation is unable to perform the task it was set, approving planning decisions for big energy and infrastructure projects such as nuclear power stations and high-voltage transmission lines, because the Government has yet to define the legal guidelines it should apply. Insiders say those criteria are unlikely to be approved before the general election and now the Tories have pledged to scrap the agency. The Government had originally planned to set out the IPC's final guidelines last November in "national policy statements" on energy, transport and other areas. The documents were published, but only in draft form because of a continuing public consultation that is essential if the Government is to avoid a legal challenge from groups opposed to the 18 projects earmarked for IPC scrutiny. They include new nuclear power stations at Hinkley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk as well as a 37-mile (60km) national grid overhead high voltage transmission line running from Bridgwater to Seabank near Avonmouth. Jean McSorley, nuclear campaigner for Greenpeace, said: "It looks like these decisions will be put off until well after the general election, meaning more delays and uncertainty."
Times 28th Jan 2010 more >>
French energy giant EDF holds a "potentially significant influence" over the success of the Government's nuclear new-build programme, the National Audit Office has warned.
Construction News 28th Jan 2010 more >>
THE political block on allowing new nuclear power plants north of the Border is "a tragedy for Scotland", the UK's energy minister claimed yesterday. Lord Hunt told The Scotsman that SNP ministers' ideological opposition to nuclear power would cost Scotland jobs and expertise which it could have imported around the world. The minister re-entered the debate on using nuclear power on a visit to Scotland yesterday to announce the 26th round of offshore licensing for the North Sea oil and gas industry in Aberdeen. He claimed there was a chance for Scotland to lead the world in nuclear expertise, in the same way as it does in the oil industry.
Scotsman 28th Jan 2010 more >>
A Select Committee meeting in the House of Commons was disrupted this morning by a small group of anti-nuclear activists. The incident took place during a packed session of the Department of Energy and Climate Change Parliamentary Select Committee on the proposed nuclear and other energy National Policy Statements, as representatives from pro-nuclear energy giants EDF, E.ON and RWE npower and the Association of Electricity Producers gave evidence.
Nuclear People Power 27th Jan 2010 more >>
Earth First 27th Jan 2010 more >>
A group of nine anti-nuclear campaigners staged a two-hour protest outside the Nuclear New Build Conference in central London this morning in protest at industry attempts to paint nuclear power as a "green" technology and win public support for new nuclear reactors.
ANTI-PYLON protestors are marching between two villages on Saturday in a show of strength against 'environmental damage and vandalism'.
Weston & Somerset Mercury 27th Jan 2010 more >>
Eon sent a letter to Barbara Janke , Council Leader, offering to speak to Councillors in Bristol about the Nuclear Power Station at Oldbury. Well done to Mark Wright for stimulating their interest.
Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy 27th Jan 2010 more >>
A silent protest is planned for the 6th February at the Leisure Centre in Thornbury 30 minutes before the meeting with DECC to emphasise the point that we need to be listened to and not just heard.
Sellafield
Anti-nuclear campaigners Radiation Free Lakeland have slammed the chairman of the West Cumbria Stakeholders Emergency Planning Committee. David Moore (pictured) has said that the Sellafield site poses no serious emergency planning issues and is now the 'preferred option' for new build. In a press release, Radiation Free Lakeland say: "The basis for this statement is hard to fathom. In 2009 there were two near emergencies at Sellafield, and in the Autumn the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) declared that the risks presented by the site were: "far too high".
Get Noticed Online 26th Jan 2010 more >>
THE Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change wants to see West Cumbria capitalise on the jobs boom offered by nuclear new-build but health and safety are top of the government agenda.
Whitehaven News 27th Jan 2010 more >>
PLANS for a nuclear power station near Millom have suffered another set back. Cumbria County Council today (Wednesday) became the latest authority to oppose plans to build a plant on farmland in Kirksanton and Braystones, near Egremont. The council has instead backed proposals to build a plant near Sellafield.
NW Evening Mail 27th Jan 2010 more >>
BBC 27th Jan 2010 more >>
Wylfa
An extraordinary meeting of Anglesey County Council was held last Thursday to discuss the possibility of bringing a bio- mass electricity generating station to Penrhos, Holyhead which could create 600 jobs.
Holyhead and Anglesey Mail 27th Jan 2010 more >>
WYLFA B will be a target for terrorists, anti-nuclear campaigners claimed in Parliament last night. Dr Carl Clowes warned the site's close proximity to RAF Valley also meant there was huge potential for disaster, telling MPs there had been a recent near miss of two Hawk jets.
Daily Post 28th Jan 2010 more >>
FIRMS bidding for the contact to clean up the Dounreay nuclear site have been told the budget will be capped at 150 million a year for a planned 15 years. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) made the announcement yesterday ahead of a competition to return the Caithness complex to a near greenfield site by 2025. Firms will compete for ownership of Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (DSRL), the company licensed to carry out the work. The successful bidder will take over DSRL in 2012 and complete the clean-up. Funding was expected to peak at 200m a year through 2011-15, to cover major construction projects, including cleaning the notorious waste shaft, and the reduction means some work may have to be deferred. However, the award is still seen as a good outcome in the face of cuts in public spending.
ENVIRONMENT Agency chiefs have concluded a wind farm planned for Oswaldtwistle Moor would have no affect on nuclear waste buried nearby. Hyndburn Borough Council invited the agency to comment on the planning application after residents raised concerns that disturbing a mine formerly used as a dumping site would release radioactivity.
Lancashire Telegraph 25th Jan 2010 more >>
The Obama administration is considering granting as much as $18.5 billion in loan guarantees to the nuclear industry to build new reactors, and Congress is considering adding billions more to expand nuclear power in the U.S., even though the problems of safety and what to do with nuclear waste remain unsolved.
Centre for Media and Democracy 26th Jan 2010 more >>
President Barack Obama, trying to save the stalled U.S. climate change bill, appeared to back away from creating a market in planet-warming emissions on Wednesday, while reaching out for Republican votes by promoting nuclear energy and offshore drilling.
Reuters 28th Jan 2010 more >>
A Japanese electric utility – TEPCO – is mulling a stake in a Texas nuclear plant under development by NRG Energy Inc which is a leading contender for billions of dollars in federal loan guarantees.
President Barack Obama said his focus on nuclear disarmament had strengthened U.S. diplomacy in dealing with North Korea and Iran, and he warned Tehran faced "growing consequences" over its nuclear program.
Yahoo 28th Jan 2010 more >>
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Bill Hewitt, and members of Scottish Clergy against Nuclear Armaments (SCANA) have launched an initiative at Holyrood seeking to place nuclear weapons and Trident at the heart of the General Election campaign.
Ekklesia 27th Jan 2010 more >>
Filed Under: News 2010


JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A downtown Jacksonville nightclub has increased security after police said a man was shot over the weekend.
After police said a 28-year-old man was shot in the back early Saturday morning at De Real Ting Cafe on West Adams Street, the business owners of the club decided to change the age requirement for anyone wanting to get in.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the man was shot inside the club after it had closed. Officers said the man ran out of the club and two people drove him to a hospital.
Management is not aware of any bullets, gun residue NOR shell casings INSIDE the club even after the extensive search by local evidence technicians."
The business, which is known as a popular place for people to enjoy Caribbean food and music, was closed Monday, according to one employee. But the club made immediate changes after the shooting to make sure people stay safe. A post of the club's Facebook page states that security will be enhanced and "effective immediately, only 21 and up will be allowed in the establishment."
The gunshot victim told police he was in the club for about an hour then heard some women behind him yelling. He said he heard a gunshot and realized he was shot.
Investigators said there was a fight inside of the club, but the victim denied any involvement in the altercation. He told police he does not know who would have shot him and he does not believe he was the intended target. The man is expected to be OK.


text:
The 2017 Hurricane forecast is in
Forecasters expect a busy season
Updated: 12:37 PM EDT May 26, 2017
Warm ocean waters could fuel an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, while storm-suppressing El Nino conditions are expected to be scarce, U.S. government forecasters said Thursday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast calls for 11 to 17 named storms, with five to nine hurricanes. Two to four hurricanes are expected to be "major" with sustained winds of at least 111 mph.Forecasters expect warmer-than-average waters across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, weaker-than-average wind shear and a weak or nonexistent El Nino, said Ben Friedman, acting NOAA administrator.
MIAMI, Fla —
Warm ocean waters could fuel an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season, while storm-suppressing El Nino conditions are expected to be scarce, U.S. government forecasters said Thursday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast calls for 11 to 17 named storms, with five to nine hurricanes. Two to four hurricanes are expected to be "major" with sustained winds of at least 111 mph.
Forecasters expect warmer-than-average waters across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, weaker-than-average wind shear and a weak or nonexistent El Nino, said Ben Friedman, acting NOAA administrator.


Anderlecht/Berlin, December 2011 - Bosch Transmission Technology B.V. in Tilburg, a specialist in the development of CVT push belts, especially in the area of steel belts, and hofer pdc GmbH from Stuttgart, a specialist in the development of energy-efficient drives and transmissions, have on Tuesday 6 December 2011 at the 10th International CTI Symposium and Expo in Berlin, signed a contract for the cooperation in the series development and industrialization of CVT.
With this agreement Bosch Transmission Technology B.V. and hofer powertrain want to respond to the rising, worldwide interest in CVT technology. Both partners want to bundle their comprehensive knowledge and commonly develop energy-efficient transmissions.


Oracle SQL Developer is a graphical tool that enhances productivity and simplifies database development tasks.
An open source IDE written in the Java programming language. A tools platform into which other tools and functionality can be seamlessly integrated by writing and incorporating modules.
Tomcat By SW includes many industry-standard components for developing and deploying Tomcat-based solutionsWhat's new in this version: * Updated Tomcat to version 5.5.
Hexadecimal file editor that handles both data and resource forks.
About Oracle9i JDeveloperOracle9i JDeveloper is Oracle s award-winning Java, XML and Web Service IDE.
bmGlyph is a tool which allow you to create nice rendered fonts and use it in your game or application.
BlueJ is an integrated Java development environment developed specifically for introductory programming learning and teaching. It is ideal for small-scale development.
About Abeille Forms DesignerBuild professional graphical user interfaces for OS X with Abeille Forms Designer.
About CodeWarrior CodeWarrior for Mac OS is a powerful award-winning integrated development environment that includes a fully object-oriented application development framework called PowerPlant.


What Are The Pros And Cons Of Owning A Home?
INCHARGE INSTITUTE OF AMERICA, INC.
Most people consider buying a home at some point in their lives, while others prefer or choose to remain renters. Renters enjoy the worry-free aspects of renting and don't have the responsibilities that go along with owning a home. Others don't pursue home ownership because they're not sure if they can afford it.
When you carefully choose a house you can afford, the outcome can be significant: By paying your mortgage, you are building equity in a place of your own. Equity is the portion of the property that you actually own. Equity increases by paying your monthly payments, and your home may also appreciate in value over time.
Tax Advantages: As a homeowner, you can deduct on your federal and state income taxes the amount of mortgage interest and real estate taxes you pay each year if you itemize deductions.
Once an owner, always an owner: A first home often leads to a better second home. Owning and properly maintaining the property also offers a sense of accomplishment.
Retirement Savings: Long-term home ownership can provide beneficial retirement security through the growth of equity.
There are no guarantees: Even if you work hard at maintaining your home, property values can drop, depending on the neighborhood in which you live. This is why it's important to choose a house and neighborhood that have strengthening value in the real estate market.
Being a homeowner is usually more costly than renting: Mortgage payments are generally higher than rent, and include the added costs of home repairs and maintenance. As an owner, you must pay for any unexpected costs such as a new roof or heating system. This is why a family budget and a savings strategy are important.
Financial trouble from illness or loss of a job: When you own a home and fail to keep up with your mortgage payments, the mortgage lender could call the loan, which means payment in full or foreclose on the mortgage. This could result in the loss of your home as well as the equity you've built. A renter, on the other hand, can downsize to a cheaper apartment to cut expenses.
Owning a home usually makes moving difficult and complicated: After you purchase a home, you may not have as much flexibility in choosing a new location to live or work.
Determine whether you want to rent or buy.
Determine a price you can afford.
Choose the kind of home you desire.
Begin the house hunt/select a home.
The InCharge Guide to Homeownership This is a practical, easy-to-understand guidebook for potential homebuyers with little or no experience in homeownership. This self-paced manual is ideal for steering you through this potentially daunting process.
Published by:INCHARGE INSTITUTE OF AMERICA, INC.


text:
Uma Thurman stars as Campari calendar girl
1st Aug 2013 5:00 AM
Uma Thurman posing for the Campari Calendar. Bang Showbiz
UMA Thurman is the star of the Campari Calendar 2014.
The 'Kill Bill' actress has been announced as the leading lady for the new iconic calendar, called 'Worldwide Celebrations'.
It was shot by renowned fashion photographer Koto Bolofo and each month focuses on a special festival from different cultures around the world.
The 43-year-old beauty enthused: "To be a part of such a globally-renowned project for an iconic worldwide brand is a pleasure. I particularly admire the theme this year as I am able to share a worldwide journey of discovery, passion and style with Campari lovers around the globe.
"Each month, the true essence of a 'global celebration' has been captured beautifully thanks to Koto, a highly-acclaimed photographer with a keen eye for creating intriguing, stimulating and truly dynamic imagery."
Koto - who has shot for the likes of Vogue and GQ magazines - was chosen to spearhead the calendar's 15th edition since he perfectly embodies the global theme, having been born in South Africa, raised in the UK and is now living in France.
Koto commented: "Campari's ethos of consistently creating striking and powerful imagery for its world-renowned Calendar aligns perfectly with what I consistently strive to achieve in my work.
"To work on this project with a beautiful and talented actress such as Uma Thurman is an honour, and has provided me with an opportunity to push the Calendar's boundaries and defiantly capture the passion and style which is centred on this year's truly inspiring theme."
Uma follows in the footsteps of other Hollywood actresses, including Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes and Penelope Cruz, by posing for the Campari Calendar.
calendar girls fashion and beauty uma thurman


With a 4-day withdrawal, ADVOCIN® treats and controls BRD late in the feeding period.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: Extra label use of ADVOCIN in food-producing animals is prohibited. Do not use in cattle intended for dairy production or in calves to be processed for veal. ADVOCIN has a pre-slaughter withdrawal time of four days. See full Prescribing InformationOpens in a new window.
1 TerHune TN, Skogerboe TL, Shostrom VK, Weigel DJ. Comparison of pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin and enrofloxacin in calves challenged with Mannheimia haemolytica. Am J Vet Res. 2005;66(2):342-349.
Baytril is a trademark of Bayer.


In Book 2 of the "Kane Chronicles", the Texas-based author of the "Tres Navarre" mysteries cleverly uses hilarious, romantic, magical, and thrill-packed entertainment to educate young adults about ancient Egyptian mythology. He's very sneaky that way. But we're not surprised since he did the same thing with Greek mythology in the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series. Ditto with Roman mythology in the "Heroes of Olympus" series. Face it, you're going to need a roadmap to keep track of all the different ways Rick Riordan has brought the legends of ancient gods and heroes into the present day. But in spite of the globe-trotting complexity of the action in this book, and the relative unfamiliarity of the gods, monsters, and mythological concepts it introduces, this is a deceptively easy book to enjoy.
What happens when a filmmaker, vintage photograph collector, and author of a reference work on Sherlock Holmes decides to write a YA novel? What happens is this creepy, funny, weird fantasy involving monsters, time travel, and children with super powers, all accompanied by an atmospheric selection of black-and-white photos.
She has won the Newbery Medal (for" The Hero and the Crown"). She has won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award (for "Sunshine"). She has entertained us with tales of vampires, fairies, dragons, and Robin Hood, as well as folk tales spruced up as novels. As the wife of Peter Dickinson, she dwells in a reactor-core of magic and beautiful storytelling that could reach critical mass at any time. All that being said, if she doesn't produce a sequel to this book, I will be seriously miffed with her.
In the first six books of the Greywalker series, Seattle-based private eye Harper Blaine uses her unique abilities to interact with such paranormal beings as vampires, ghosts, poltergeists, necromancers, zombies, Chinese demons, Native American monsters, Egyptian gods, and Thames riverspawn. Her cases have taken her underground, into the ivory tower of academics, back in time (sort of), into the wilds of "Twilight" country, and back from the dead. Now, finally, in Book 7 she fulfills the possibility inherent in a series by an author who lives on a boat, in a magical mystery involving the paranormal sea-life of Puget Sound.
In the second book of the Ashtown Burials, Order of St. Brendan journeymen Cyrus and Antigone Smith have survived the test that determined their right to seek shelter in the Order's sanctuary at Ashtown, somewhere on the Wisconsin shore of Lake Michigan. But they have also earned the distrust and resentment of many other members of the order, by losing the Dragon's Tooth.
The trail of "things to read after Harry Potter" has already led me past many books in which real-world characters get mixed up in the world where fairy tales and children's stories are real. Off the top of my head, these include the work of authors Chris Colfer, Eoin Colfer, Ian Beck, Frank Beddor, Michael Buckley, Marissa Burt, Michael Ende, Lev Grossman, Tom Holt, Lisa Papademetriou, and Sarah Beth Durst; even if I've forgotten twice as many, my point is made. If you've been following developments in my book review column, you might appreciate the variety that gives spice to this theme.
Here is the third "Greywalker" mystery featuring Harper Blaine—a former ballerina turned private detective who, since a near-death experience two books ago, can see, move, and act inside the realm between the natural and the supernatural, called the Grey. Harper has already added experience with vampires, revenants, and poltergeists to her curriculum vitae. In this third outing, she gets to add zombies and a native American monster named Sisiutl.
Halli Sveinsson's world has been shaped by heroes, but the time of heroes passed long ago. Still he yearns to be like his ancestor Svein, one of twelve legendary warriors who sacrificed their lives fighting off the Trows—a race of tunnel-dwelling, man-eating monsters who have not been seen since the slain heroes were buried with their swords.
Five books ago, Tavi of Calderon was an active, resourceful, good-naturedly trouble-prone farm boy whose prospects in life were dimmed by the fact that, unlike everyone else in Alera, he had absolutely no fury-craft—that is, no control over the spirits of air, water, wood, metal, earth, and fire. While others had these powers to a greater or lesser degree—and those with the most fury-craft tended to rise to the highest positions in society—Tavi couldn't even turn the lights on or off without help. Nevertheless, we watched him grow into an admirable young hero, thanks in part to the unique approach to problem-solving that his disability forced him to develop.


He took part in a giveaway Owen to have fun!
Wrote the article Star Stable Online.
Commented subject Giveaway tasks verification not working!.
I cannot confirm the "I'm not a robot" task. So I'm toast.
Second the quests are not that intrigueing if you aren't into reading or against making progress because you need to collect reputation. But back in the days I really liked to play it.
For one it's more of a kids game and I mean for children ranging from about 8-16. There are some older players but those sometimes visit because of a payment called Lifetime Star Rider (yes you need to pay for the game if you want to play longer).
Giveaway tasks verification not working!


The Artist Management team are the main Hay Festival point of contact for festival speakers, publicists and agents. They can help you with travel and accommodation arrangements and anything else you might need to make your visit to Hay Festival easy and fun.
In 2019 the Festival runs from Thursday 23 May to Sunday 2 June.
Get in touch to let us know your accommodation and travel requirements.
We do not book accommodation for publicists – please use our official accommodation partner VisitHay.
If you are appearing as part of the festival programme, or if you represent someone who is speaking at the festival, then the Artist Management team can book accommodation on your behalf, and will be happy to work to your requirements and budget (most rooms range from £100–£250 per night during the festival).
We charge a 15% admin fee to cover our time in finding, vetting and booking accommodation. This fee will be added to the cost of your accommodation when we invoice you.
When will you provide the details of accommodation allocated?
Two weeks before the festival starts. We block book accommodation year on year as rooms are in such high demand. We then gather all the information from speakers to see what everyone requires for their visit and allocate rooms accordingly.
Can I get a room in Hay itself?
Hay is a small town and rooms within walking distance of the festival are over-subscribed. We will do our best to meet everyone's requirements, but a lot of our rooms are a short drive outside of Hay.
When do I need to confirm to guarantee a room?
By Friday 26 April 2019.
Hay-on-Wye only has one hotel, and a limited number of B&Bs. Because of high demand lots of local people do pop-up bed and breakfast for the festival week only, so it might be that we place you in a room in a private house. We do vet all of the accommodation we use, and we go back to the same reliable providers year after year.
What if I need to cancel my room booking?
If you give us at least two weeks' notice before the festival starts we will not charge you. If you give us less than two weeks' notice we will do our best to refill the room with another booking. If we can't, we are still obliged to pay for the room and will have to pass this cost on to you. The latest date that we can guarantee charge-free cancellation is Wednesday 8 May 2019.
Directions and travel options can be found on our travel page.
Hereford Train Station is the closest to Hay, a 40 minute drive. If you're a festival speaker arriving by train we can arrange transport between Hereford Train Station and Hay. Please inform us of your train arrival and departure times as soon as you know them. We like to leave Hay one hour before your return train is due to depart.
WHAT IF MY TRAIN IS DELAYED ON THE DAY?
If your train is delayed please call our transport desk on 01497 570 877 to inform us of your new arrival time.
We have a small car park opposite the festival site. Speakers may only use this car park on the day(s) of their event(s). You will need to state your name and your event number to the security staff on the gate to gain entry. Please use alternative parking if you are visiting the festival site on other days.
CAN I USE FESTIVAL CARS/SHUTTLE BUSES?
Events at Hay Festival last for an hour (unless otherwise specified in the programme). A typical one-hour event consists of a 45-minute talk (either by a single speaker or as an 'in conversation' between a chairperson and one or more speakers); and we usually open the last 15 minutes of the session to audience Q&A.
HOW LONG BEFORE MY EVENT SHOULD I ARRIVE?
Please come straight to the Artists Reception desk to let us know you've arrived, and make sure you're in the Green Room at least one hour before the start time of your event.
WHAT IF I HAVE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS?
Please enter details of your technical requirements and your PowerPoint presentation (if applicable) on our online form.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS?
PowerPoint slides should be formatted as 'On Screen Show (16:9)' in the Page Setup menu. Images used in PowerPoint presentations can be 72dpi or higher.
We have always recorded all Hay Festival events for our audio archive online and now film some events for our Hay Player. As part of our global partnership with them the BBC put some clips and extracts of various events on the BBC Arts Online digital platform. Your session may be excerpted on different BBC platforms in the UK and internationally. If you would not like your event included in this activity please let us know before the festival.
DO I GET ANY COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS?
Speakers are entitled to tickets to their own event(s), plus up to ten complimentary tickets to other events (subject to availability). We reserve an allocation of tickets for speakers, so in some cases when an event is sold out to the public we may have a few seats left for speakers. You will be able to reserve these a fortnight before the festival when you receive your confirmation email.
DO YOU NEED MY CONTACT DETAILS?
Please let us know your mobile number so we can contact you on the day if needed. Email Marta your mobile number.
WHO DO I CONTACT DURING THE FESTIVAL?
You can contact Marta, Heather or Ellen on our onsite landline 01497 570 877. This line is only active during the festival. You can otherwise reach us before/after the festival in the office on 01497 822 620.
Please contact Marta Codello if you have any other questions.


CTI offers a full line of independent carbide metallurgical analysis to ASTM procedures for: density, hardness, porosity, structure and grain size. In addition to these services CTI also offers access to SEM/EDAX, XRD, particle size, independent pressing, presinter and sinter or Sinter-Hip testing of grade powders.
Our full in-house metallurgical laboratory allows CTI to offers a full line of independent carbide metallurgical analysis to ASTM procedures for: density, hardness, porosity, structure and grain size. In addition to these services CTI also offers access to SEM/EDAX, XRD, particle size, independent pressing, presinter and sinter or Sinter-Hip testing of grade powders.
Grade Determination from Sample Part.
Material Certification and Adherence to Specifications: Click Here for printable pdf file.


Of course, The Huffington Post (where I originally read this headline) loves to sensationalize headlines in order to attract readers (they have a habit of sensationalizing things – but is that anything new with the news?) In some ways, sensationalized headlines can have a major impact on how society behaves and interacts – as well hurting or helping the stock markets – and I do take issue with that as I really prefer objective news sources.
This article has direct consequences with main line of business which is architectural renderings – so it is a legitimate concern for people in my field and it did get my attention. But I have a few points to make in regards to the WSJ article. Let me begin by giving you a little information about my background.
Over a summer ago, I day traded for slightly over a month right as the economy went sour. Without going into too much personal detail, I traded a lot stocks and a lot of value in that time-frame. I actually was given a TD Ameritrade Apex account based on the amount of trades I was making. I walked away just about even.
Later on, I talked with a few people over at TD Ameritrade and a couple of them stated that they were amazed that I walked away with my "shirt intact." Now, I'm not trying to brag about this. But what I am trying to convey is that I'm also not a "complete fool" either – I do have some first-hand knowledge of the stock market, commodities, as well as general economic issues on both a micro and macro level – probably more so than the majority of people. And I have a good sense of market psychology.
That being said, I witnessed how the market behaves in times of panic. I've also witnessed how the news feeds into people's fears of how things "really" are. You see, people in many ways behave to some degree with pack/herd mentality. For example, if you're in a crowded club and everyone around you starts to run for the door – your natural inclination would also make you want to run for the door as well – even if you have no clue as to what is going on. I could probably easily list over a hundred examples how we all tend to behave and mimic each others patterns. The same applies to the stock market – if bad news hits a newspaper or television channel about a company – investors usually won't take the risks and will pull their stock, causing more people to suddenly yank their stocks out as well.
What we are currently experiencing in this country and even on a global level is simply fear which originally had some roots in reality (reality being high oil prices and bad lending practices.) Consumers are afraid to spend money because they are afraid they will need it later on. They're also afraid that they may lose their jobs. Businesses are also afraid that they will lose projects and further income. And to a large degree, this is actually what is happening. People are in a negative feedback loop – instead of gaining "consumer confidence", they are holding back and waiting to see how and if things will improve. And in many ways, this also is a similar pattern to how the stock market behaves.
This feedback loop is dangerous. Essentially, people don't want to spend money so businesses aren't making money as well. And since the businesses don't make money, they have to lay off or fire people. Now, those people are definitely not spending any more cash because they're out of a job. And this process keeps repeating until you essentially hit "rock bottom" or something is put in place to restore that confidence. It is a very dangerous downward spiral that keeps on feeding on itself.
So our "consumer confidence" is currently in fairly bad shape. We're basically driving an old, beaten-down used car and when one thing starts to break, other pieces start experiencing problems as well – which is the point of that Wall Street Journal article. Business Real Estate is currently suffering because our overall economy has started to tax that particular part of the system.
However, "it is what it is" and there's no sense in complaining because the damage has already been done. Instead of letting our "lack of confidence" drive our fears, we as a nation really need to stand up to the issues and say to ourselves – "this can be fixed and even better yet, improved upon." We really need to stop thinking "bad" and start using the word "good" again. In this country's toughest times – at the end of the depression and the start of WWII – after the attacks of 911 – we as a country picked ourselves up and did exactly what we needed to do. We started to build and spend again. We started to invest once more in our futures. We need to take that broken down car and repair it – or better yet, build a new and improved one. We need to fix our method of going about producing once again.
What we are currently experiencing is nothing short of a global enema. It is a global colonic. It is the fallow for the fields. It is a growing pain. It is a trimming of fat from the meat. Where some of you see gloom and doom – I see that we are in the process of healing as a nation. We need those periods of trouble in order to fix what is wrong and improve for the future. We, in some ways need this "wake up call" in order to move forward. And it's not as bad as some people make it out to be. We've actually cut down to some degree on pollution here in the United States due to having less money in our wallets – we are driving less. We are also being less wasteful. We aren't buying bottled water and disposable diapers like we used to. And regardless of whether or not you "believe" in global warming, I think we are all of the opinion that we should research more efficient means of energy production. There have been a lot of positive lessons we have taken away from these troubling times.
So, while I'm not advocating that we all go out and blow our next paycheck, what I am saying is that we need to recognize that we bring a lot of this economy on ourselves simply due to a lack of confidence and feelings of insecurity. On the other hand, we will run into some problems a long the way to improvement. But we can work through these issues. You have to spend to some degree in order to keep businesses and employment alive. And perhaps most important of all, we need to start thinking optimistically again in order to support one another.
Being "Overly Friendly" in Business? Wow!


I work for a company that does data collection. I have searched to see if I could find a Linux program that is designed for this but have had no luck. Any suggestions?
Are you looking for a databases, a spreadsheet.
Have you considered OO.o's base, it's simple, easy, and it integrates seamlessly withe the other OO.o components.
It's pre-installed w/ SL. Look in office in the menu.


text:
Install - Gentoo Linux
**********************

Links
=====

`Tomcat Guide`_

Configuration
=============

The configuration files appear to be in:

::

  /etc/tomcat-5.5/

Context
-------

::

  /etc/tomcat-5.5/Catalina/localhost

Port
----

Edit ``server.xml``:

::

  /etc/tomcat-5.5/server.xml

Change the port in the ``Connector`` section:

::

  <Connector port="8080" maxHttpHeaderSize="8192"
      maxThreads="150" minSpareThreads="25" maxSpareThreads="75"
      enableLookups="false" redirectPort="8443" acceptCount="100"
      connectionTimeout="20000" disableUploadTimeout="true" />

Applications
============

The ``webapps`` folder is:

::

  /var/lib/tomcat-5.5/webapps/

Log
===

Error messsages can be viewed in:

::

  /var/log/tomcat-5.5/

.. _`Tomcat Guide`: http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/java/tomcat-guide.xml

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


In the plaza on top of Windfall Island there is a school called Mrs. Marie's School of Joy. If you go talk to the teacher inside she'll tell you about a gang of four boys who never listen to her. She asks you to catch their leader, a boy named Ivan, to talk some sense into him.
Outside the school there is a gang of four boys walking around. If you go talk to them and speak with the boy in the hat he'll tell you the gangs name is the Killer Bees. He'll challenge you to a competition of hide and seek. He explains the rules how they won't hide indoors and they won't leave the island. If you find them they will run and you have to catch them. You have to catch all four of them.
After the boys scatter head through the archway to the left of Mrs. Marie's School and turn left. The first boy is behind the bush. Once you get close enough he'll take off running. Run after him and all you have to do to catch him is touch him.
Next head over to where Tott is dancing in front of the shrine. Behind the stone is the second boy. Catch him when he runs.
Next head over to the Southwest corner of the island to the bomb shop. If you walk to the left side of the building you can sidle across the ledge and get to the back of the shop. The third boy is hiding there. Chase him down when he runs.
The last boy Ivan is on top of the tree nearest to the mailbox. Roll into the tree and you'll knock him out of the tree. After you chase him down they will reward you with a Piece of Heart.
They will then ask you to apologize to Mrs. Marie for them and when you do she'll reward you with 50 rupees. When you walk back outside the Killer Bees will tell you it's Mrs. Marie's birthday soon and that she likes Joy Pendants. Head down to the bomb shop and roll into the tree that is by the front door and a Joy Pendant will fall out.
The Killer Bees will ask you if you can give the pendant to Mrs. Marie. Head back up to the school, equip the Joy Pendant and show it to Mrs. Marie. She then tells you she'd be really happy if she had 20 Joy Pendants and rewards you with 20 rupees. Once you give her 20 Joy Pendants she will reward you with the Cabana Deed. Once you receive it, you will be able to go into the house on Link's Oasis. Once you give Ms. Marie 40 Joy Pendants she will give you the Hero's Charm, which is a mask that allows you to see the health bars of enemies when you are locked onto them.
To unlock a special attack called the Hurricane Spin you must gather 10 Knight's Crests. The best way to look for them is to defeat a lot of darknuts; you can even see them wearing it, or you can find some in chests. After you have gathered enough, head to Outset Island to pay Orca a visit. Go to the back of his house where you will see a Knight's Crest on a shelf. Check it and show Orca your 10 Knight's Crests. He will start rambling about his past and then teach you the Hurricane Spin. Yippee! Be be careful though, as it costs magic.
This is a pretty simple sidequest. On Windfall Island there is a brick building. A pictographer named Lenzo lives there, and he will say that he lost his pictobox. To find it, find the dancing elvis impersonator and there will be a door behind him. When you enter, it appears to be a jail. Smash some pots and stand on the switch you find. The door will open and Tingle (the guy in the cell) will come out and thank you. Now you are free to go in and explore!
If you move a crate, there will be a hole in the wall. Go in, and go the following path: Right, left, straight, right, left, straight, left, right, right, straight, right. You get to a room with a treasure chest containing the Picto Box! Don't bother finding your way back through the maze, just look for a wooden floor and get dumped into a cove. Go back to the building and give Picto Box to Lenzo. He'll let you keep it, but you must complete 3 tasks for him. The first is to stake out the mailbox and catch the secret admirer, the second is the jumpy guy who is in the cafe during the day and the third involves catching the moment when the guy who walks around town comes passed the woman in the new orange dress. Now get into your boat and sail to the Forest Haven. It doesnt matter if you've beaten that temple or not. Near where the Korok who was playing a violin was standing, there should be a rainbow colored light on the wall. Get an empty bottle and trap the orb emenating the light. Give that to Lenzo on Windfall and he will put it in your box, giving it color!
Zunari, the merchant on Windfall Island, uses the money he got from selling his sail to you to open an open air shop specializing in decorative items. Unfortunately for him, the only item he has for sale is the Town Flower. You can help him diversify his inventory by trading with the Goron merchants scattered around the Great Sea. (They are never called Gorons in the game, but will be recognized by any whose played Ocarina of Time or Mask of Majora.) Each time you trade and get a new item, the Goron merchant will start supplying Zunari with that item for his shop. Altogether there are 12 different items; you get a reward from Zunari when he has at least 3 items for sail, and another when you trade the last item to one of the Gorons.
The Gorons will never give you any value for the item you trade, so each time you have to pay the same amount as you would to Zunari for the item you're trading for. This amount is small to start with but grows rapidly, so have at least one wallet upgrade and some ready cash before you start. The decorative items are carried in your Delivery Bag and you may only carry three at a time. Also, each Goron will only make three trades per day, so the Song of Passing may come in handy. There is quite a bit of travelling to do between the Goron's locations, so the Ballad of Gales will make this go much more quickly.
Mother $ Child Isles: B of G to Windfall Island where you can pick up any items you need, then sail west.
Bomb Island: B of G to Forest Haven and sail north.
After your second visit to the Forsaken Fortress, go to Maggie's house above the auction on Windfall Island. (This was Mila's house earlier but Mila's father spend everything he had for ransom while Maggie's father made a lot of Rupees from the treasure that Maggie brought back.) Talk to Maggie's father and Maggie to learn that Maggie is secretly in love with Moe the Moblin, a resident of the Forsaken Fortress. Her father is trying to put a stop to it by intercepting all the mail between Maggie and Moe. Maggie gives you a letter to Moe to post for her, so take it to the nearest post box; you have to spring for the postage.
Wait a while, at least one game day, and return to Maggie's house to find the postman having an argument with Maggie's father. The postman has a letter from Moe but refuses to let the postman deliver it. The postman gives up and says something about needing a refreshment. Now go to the pub above Zunari's shop to find the postman. He can't seem to find the solution to his problem in the bottom of his glass, so he asks you to give Moe's letter to Maggie yourself.
Go back to Maggie's house again, go past Maggie's father who doesn't suspect you of anything, and show the letter to Maggie. From the contents, it seems that Moe's interest is more culinary than romantic, but somehow Maggie interprets it as a marriage proposal. She's so pleases than she gives you a Piece of Heart as an engagement gift.
Mila, once this richest little girl in town, is dressed in rags and lurks the streets after dark after she is rescued from the Forsaken Fortress. Talk to her near the potion shop at night and she shoos you away. Walk away for a bit and she starts down the slope toward the main gate. Now it's time to play Sam Spade and tail her. Try to keep her just within sight and duck behind a wall as best as you can if she stops to see if she's being followed. There is at least one point where she starts to suspect something but you pretend to be a cat and she continues on her way. If she does spot you then she runs off; go into a building and come out or play Song of Passing twice to restart. After leading you around the town, she comes to Zunari's shop and starts trying to crack the safe. Run up and talk to her to catch her in the act. A conversation starts where you try to steer her straight, so don't let her off scot-free but don't just turn her in either. (Picking the first response to each question will do the trick.) Mila is grateful for turning her away from a life of crime so she gives you an Empty Bottle as a reward.
After getting the Color Pictobox you will have learned that Linda and Anton have been secretly attracted to each other but too shy to say anything. Take a color picture of Linda, then show it to Anton as he strolls around town. Seeing the picture, he finally makes up his mind to ask her to have coffee with him.
Wait a while, at least one game day, and go to the pub above Zunari's shop. Linda and Anton are there as a couple. Talk to Linda and as a reward for getting their relationship started she gives you a Piece of Heart.
After filling all of these, talk to the man on the park bench again to get a Piece of Heart as a reward.
Go through the shop with the battleship game to reach a ledge in front of the windmill. Talk to the man in the orange shirt and yellow hat to find out that windmill would probably work if the wind was blowing the right direction and the power switch was on. The wind has to be blowing directly into the windmill, in other words to the north. (The man in the orange shirt will tell you the wind is blowing in the right direction if it is.) Direct the wind north and then find the switch. You can narrow your search to the area surrounding the building, and sure enough if you follow the ledge to the left of the shop with the battleship game you'll come upon a ladder. Climb up and press the switch to start to windmill.
For the next part you need Fire Arrows. If it's not night already then use the Song of Passing to make it so. Get on the windmill as before, and when you are halfway up, take out your Fire Arrows and get ready to shoot. At the apex of the ride, Shoot a fire arrow directly into the light fixture, aiming for the small torch in the center. If you aim correctly, the lighthouse should light and a chest will be revealed on a tiny island near the Bomb Shop. Talk to the man in orange in front of the windmill, he's so happy the windmill is going again he gives you a Piece of Heart. Now get to the ledge to the left of the bomb shop, set the wind direction to southwest, and glide to the island to get to the chest and collect a second Piece of Heart.
After restoring the windmill and with a Pictograph slot open, talk to the two women gossiping in front of the auction and they start speculating whether Lenzo is romantically involved with one of the other women in the village. Board the ferris wheel and ride it to Lenzo's balcony, then go in and enter the tunnel between the two chests. You come out at the foot of the stairs and find Lenzo talking to a woman in orange. Take a picture of the pair before they notice you, then head out; Lenzo will be startled to see you coming from that direction but he won't be angry. Now go back to the gossiping women and show them the photo. They can see that Lenzo and the woman are just friends interested in Pictographs, but they give you Treasure Chart #24 as a reward for satisfying their curiosity.
This page was last edited on 29 January 2017, at 02:57.


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QFC, Fred Meyer cash-back surcharge roils customers
QFC, Kroger charging for cash-back service
With ATM fees at an all-time high, consumers are turning to cash-back options at grocery stores and pharmacies as a way to avoid the increasing cost of getting cash.
SEATTLE -- With ATM fees at an all-time high, consumers are turning to cash-back options at grocery stores and pharmacies as a way to avoid the increasing cost of getting cash.
But if you're getting cash back at a Kroger-owned store - like QFC or Fred Meyer - you'll have to pay a fee.
Here's the breakdown, according to Kroger:
Kroger said on Twitter that the surcharge is "designed to save our customers money versus the ATM fees, and it gives you a safer and more convenient way to get the cash you need."
But that wasn't enough to satisfy some customers, who said they'll be looking for other grocers.
A spokesperson for Kroger told KUOW that EBT cards are an exception to the rule: it's free to get cash back using an EBT card.
So, how can you avoid fees for cash back? Try to stick to your bank's ATMs, or shop at stores that aren't adding surcharges for cash-back.
Idaho 'Cult Mom' Lori Vallow wants case dismissed over 'speedy trial' concerns after 1,169 days in jail


NELSON Mandela Bay Metro can now look forward to a festival to end all festivals if last night's official launch of the Nelson Mandela Bay cultural festival lives up to its promises.
All the speakers at the event emphasized the need for the metro to recognise creative artists and give them their rightful place in society.
Sports, Arts and Culture portfolio Head, Nomamerica Magopeni urged for the revival of the relationship between government and the creative people of the city.
Taking to the podium to give the key note address, Deputy Executive Mayor Councillor Chippa Ngcolomba asked all attendees to observe a moment of silence for both the xenophobic attacks across the country and local teacher Jayde Panayiotou who was recently abducted and murdered.
"We must not allow a situation like this to ever happen again, so I think we should mobilise our communities and take a stand against these murderers who kill people and have now found an excuse to continue to do this. We must reject that" he urged.
He highlighted at least three very important objectives that the metro hopes to achieve through during the festival – to showcase local talent on a bigger stage, for the festival to feature annually on the national calender thereby attracting tourists into the metro, and to position the metro as one of the most progressive in the country that must attract investors to continue to invest in it.
"This must become key focus for business and government alike" he said.
Port Elizabeth born and bred member of the Film and Publication board Palesa Kadi was the guest speaker who introduced herself as that African child from the metro – a cultural activist who has been to Cape Town working in Robben Island and is now based in Pretoria.
"As a board, we have initiated a programme that looks to educate children from disadvantaged communities and introduce them to the creative industry.
She added that for the metro to make a decision and commit to such a festival meant that there is an agenda, and that agenda is to empower its local artists.
Event organiser, Dr Anele Mbasane of Harmocept Holdings said the city could not continue to sell itself short when it has amazing talent that should be invested in and showcased to the world where they will be recognised.
"We should be able to claim our space in the world through our people. It cannot be that our only claim is that we are the only city in the world that has been named after the world's icon, the late Nelson Mandela".
The city along with its key townships and its tourists can look forward to a whole month full of music extravaganza, starting on the July 3 and ending on August 1.
He also promised an international act to perform at a jazz festival on August 1.
The majority of performances will come from the Eastern Cape artists.
Music activist and artist representative Thandile Petshwa of Isingqi Records and the Nelson Mandela Metro Music Association felt that the initiative is part of the solution to the plea by local artists regarding their treatment.


Previous bloggee Jonathan Elliott is back, this time with something very big and very grey. This whale-like vehicle is a 1965 Cadillac DeVille Coupe, and it's very probably the least coupe-ish coupe ever made. Well, apart from this obviously. It's a nice build though, and you can see more images of Jonathan's DeVille via the link above.


May's sunshine brings the perfect time to enjoy refreshing cocktails and chomp down spicy snacks while enjoying some beautiful scenery. This month's pairing's box provided the perfect recipes and ideas for an incredible day in the sun!
Turntable Kitchen is an awesome subscription service that sends curated vinyl records filled with interesting new music, access to a downloadable mixtape, recipes and a premium ingredient to cook them. Anyone looking for an off-the-beaten path experience will love it.
An upbeat, eclectic musical adventure, this duo creates a new version of the dance party that everyone will want to be a part of.
Yum-the perfect addition to almost everything!


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Mullan welcomes the launch of Foyle Pride Festival
Sinn Féin MLA Karen Mullan has welcomed the launch of the 2018 Foyle Pride Festival.
The Foyle MLA said:
"This year marks the 25th Foyle Pride Festival and I would like to pay tribute to the organisers and volunteers who, year on year, make the festival a success.
"Sinn Féin are proud to support Foyle Pride – it's a wonderful platform for raising awareness and campaigning on issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community.
"The year's jam packed programme is fun, inclusive and there is something for the whole family.
"Huge steps forward towards full equality have been made in recent years but fifty years after the civil rights campaign, there is still more to be done, including the extension of marriage equality across the island of Ireland.
"Remember, pride and first and foremost a protest. The people of Derry should come out and send a loud and colourful message that Derry stands against inequality and discrimination.
"I would encourage people to show their support and solidarity by attending Pride events, including the annual parade on Saturday 25 August."
Major step forward for new £2m St Marys youth club in Creggan -Campbell
Duffy welcomes free microchipping programme for family pets