text:
The Brea Canyon Monument
One flash of light but no smoking pistol
Fine steep for creepy peeper
I guess the lesson here is that you should be fully clothed while you spy on your neighbors:
A man has been ordered to pay more than $13,000 to his former neighbors who he spied upon while sitting naked in his house.
A jury Thursday ordered William Andrianse, 59, of Des Moines, to pay damages to Julie Weissinger, 40, who said she and her family were so upset they had to move away.
Andrianse pleaded guilty in 2004 to harassment and public exposure. After the Weissingers filed their lawsuit, he countersued claiming his neighbors violated his privacy by videotaping him with a night-vision camera they borrowed from police.
Jurors decided that Andrianse owed the Weissingers, and that they owed him nothing.
So he gets busted for getting nekkid and looking at his neighbors, but when they use the tools of the fascist police state to make salacious videos of him, um, looking at them while nude, they get a free pass? And it gets even worse—he was provoked!
Court records showed that Andrianse claimed that Julie Weissinger provoked his actions by"walking around in the house wearing a black teddy and bending over."
The police report said that Andrianse thought it was a mutual act and that he did not know Weissinger was "an unwilling participant."
Go figure. So, does that mean my neighbor's wife doesn't want me to spank myself or rub ice cubes on certain "sensitive areas" of my body?
Posted by Sean M. at 5:16 PM No comments:
I just lost my appetite
I like Chinese food as much as the next person, but I have my limits. Those limits most definitely include things like this:
The dish in front of me is grey and shiny.
"Russian dog," says my waitress Nancy.
"Big dog," I reply.
"Yes," she says. "Big dog's penis..."
We are in a cosy restaurant in a dark street in Beijing but my appetite seems to have gone for a stroll outside.
Nancy has brought out a whole selection of delicacies.
They are draped awkwardly across a huge platter, with a crocodile carved out of a carrot as the centrepiece.
Nestling beside the dog's penis are its clammy testicles, and beside that a giant salami-shaped object.
"Donkey," says Nancy. "Good for the skin..."
I don't care if it's going to give me heat vision, Nancy, much less good skin. I am not going to eat any kind of penis.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Click on that link, by the way, for some horrifying pictures and plenty more descriptions of awful, awful things you can order at Nancy's evil restaurant.
Update: Is this place Jade Garden? After all, "they put mega ding dongs in their food!"
Coup not cool
If you weren't concerned about that coup in Thailand, well, you should be now. The leaders of the coup sound seriously uncoool.
Thai coup leaders have banned go-go girls from dancing near tanks and troops on Bangkok streets as a distraction from the serious business of power, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
"It is not appropriate to entertain soldiers while they are on duty," Colonel Acra Tiprote told Reuters after a troupe of 10 women in tight camouflage vests and shorts posed with soldiers and tanks while making a music video.
What kind of topsy-turvy world are we living in when people are placing restrictions on where Thai go-go dancers can perform? And seriously, these coup leaders are just begging for a mutiny. If they were smart, they'd be requiring go-go girls to dance near soldiers. That's how things will work when I rule the world.
How to get cheap hits (and lots of them)
Write a post like the one I wrote yesterday with the word "sex" in the title and you'll have to beat away the perverts Googling "sex" with a stick. I've had more than 100 visitors today.
I bet a lot of them were disappointed with what they found here, too. I know I would be.
Dirty British sex perverts
Pastiness. Bad teeth. Snooty costume dramas. Horrible food with funny-sounding names. These are the things we tend to associate with our cousins across the pond. But not red hot dirty sex, right? Right?
Historical attitudes to sex in Britain will be laid bare for all to see this week in archives which reveal a nation rich in sexual experience and enthusiasm.
Oh boy. I can hardly wait.
The historical documents, to be given a public outing by the Center for Archive Studies at Liverpool University, include Britain's first ever sex survey, conducted 57 years ago but deemed too shocking for publication at the time.
The survey shows many British men had homosexual experiences, many were frequent visitors to prostitutes and many British wives were active in the pursuit of sex outside marriage.
Well, that all sounds pretty healthy. Buncha whoremongering poofters and cheating wives. Swell.
Caroline Williams, of the Center for Archive Studies, says the archives show that while sex has always been a part of major part of British -- and human -- life, attitudes have changed and broadened over the years.
What a scoop! Sex has always been important to humans! Who knew? Attitudes have changed? Whoah, that's some insight there.
I'd tell you to read the whole thing, but it's really oned of the more boring articles about deviant sex that I've ever read. Then again, we are talking about British people having sex.
I was at a party this weekend when some of the other guests started talking about how great Loose Change is. Unfortunately, we were all about to leave, so I didn't have time to sit them down and explain in detail why the movie is a travesty of a joke of a piece of shit. I did, however, get them to grudgingly admit that the "controlled demolition" theory of why the towers came down was dubious at best.
Speaking of Loose Change and 9/11 conspiracy theories, this takedown from a humor website is worth a look if you haven't seen it already. I think one of Ace's guest bloggers linked to it a week or two ago. And of course there's Screw Loose Change, your one-stop clearinghouse for debunking and fact-checking Dylan Avery's dumb ass.
Do you like surprises?
Yeah, me neither. But thankfully, I've never had one like this.
A western Iowa woman is recovering from the shock of finding a drowned bat in her tea mug after she sipped from the cup all day.
The brown bat, about the size of two tea bags, was found a few weeks ago by a 60-year-old Woodbury County woman, said Chuck Cipperley, an environmental director for the Siouxland health office in Sioux City.
"I knew the person, so I knew it was no joke," said Cipperley, who took the call from the woman.
The woman, who declined to identify herself, told Cipperley she found the bat when she was cleaning out the mug at night. She said she put the bat in a plastic bag before alerting the Siouxland health office the next morning.
Cipperley said the bat was sent that day Sept. 1 to the University Hygienic Laboratory in Coralville. Results showed the bat did not have rabies.
Just how big was this mug, anyway? (Or, I guess you could ask how small the bat was.) I mean, she was sipping from the mug all day and she didn't notice the dead animal that was in it. That's nice about the lack of rabies, though.
Posted by Sean M. at 10:34 PM No comments:
More genius at work
Getting drunk and getting behind the wheel is a bad idea. Trying to bum rush a bunch of bikers with a pool cue—also pretty stupid. Getting hit by your own car in the process? Well, then you've reached a new low there.
An alleged drunken motorist who brandished a pool cue while driving at a group of motorcyclists was hit by his own car after he stopped and attempted to approach the bikers on foot, the California Highway Patrol said.
Richard Brooks, 50, of Concord was pulled to safety by several of the motorcyclists after his car — which he left in reverse — knocked him into the highway Thursday morning...
And why did this potential Nobel Laureate try to attack the bikers? You'll love this:
Brooks, who was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and driving under the influence, told authorities he was offended by skeletons some of the riders wore on their leather Harley-Davidson jackets and what he perceived as their attempts to appear tough.
"It was his impression that they thought they were better than him," [CHP Officer Scott] Yox said. "They were irritating to him and he felt he needed to do something about it." [my emphasis, of course]
Well, you can't argue with that. And I don't mean that his reasons were sound—it's just that they're so crazy-stupid that it would be futile to try.
I hate California Nazis
Oh, this is just lovely.
Two flags or signs depicting swastikas were reported to be hanging from freeway overpasses Friday, the day the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana begins. Another swastika flag was spotted over the 101 Freeway in Encino, north of Los Angeles.
An officer removed one of the symbols reported to the California Highway Patrol around 5:55 a.m. at eastbound state Route 78 at Escondido Avenue in Vista, CHP officer Alicia Contreras said.
The second emblem, reported at the Sea World Drive overpass off of southbound Interstate 5, was not seen by the time officers responded, she said.
Some dickweed obviously did this because the Jewish new year began tonight at sundown, showing that even here in enlightened, tolerant California, you've still got knuckle-dragging troglodytes.
Update: On the other hand, maybe I shouldn't be so surprised that something like this would happen in a "Blue" state.
(via IndeedPundit)
Man, this story is just bizarre:
An undercover police operation took an odd turn Thursday when a Syracuse police officer pretending to be a john met a suspected prostitute who pretended to be a police officer.
The encounter ended with two women under arrest. Police charged Lisa Greene, 31, with first-degree criminal impersonation, prostitution and fifth-degree conspiracy. Elena Irwin, 20, was charged with fifth-degree conspiracy and possession of a hypodermic needle.
Police spokesman Sgt. Tom Connellan said a male undercover officer driving in a neighborhood known for prostitution was flagged down by Greene. The woman got in his car and the two went to a nearby parking lot to negotiate a price for sex.
She asked the cop if he was a cop and the police officer said no.
"That's OK, because I am," the woman told the officer as she pulled out handcuffs and a two-way radio and barked a command into the radio: "Move in!"
The officer, concerned the woman was armed and looking to rob him, forced her from the car, Connellan said. Moments later, officers who had been monitoring the situation arrived and grabbed Greene with the radio and cuffs at a nearby intersection.
A male officer pretending to be a female used the radio to find out who was on the other end, Connellan said.
Police found Irwin waiting in a car in a nearby alley.
So, let me get this straight...A cop pretending to be a john picks up A hooker pertending to be a cop, and when she bails, a male cop pretends to be her to pick up her partner, who seems to be the only one in the story who wasn't pretending to be somebody else. You just can't trust anybody these days, can you?
Well, I guess you never really could trust anybody when trolling for hookers, could you?
Damn those European socialists, always stifling the entrepeneurial spirit:
A fee of 25,500 euros ($32,000) is way too much for a woman to charge a man for fondling her bosom, a Finnish district court ruled.
The court jailed a couple in their twenties for more than a year for charging a 74-year-old who suffers from dementia a total of 25,500 euros to enjoy the woman's breasts on 10 occasions.
"Based on general life experience alone, it is indisputably clear that a 25,500 euro charge is disproportionate to the compensation in question," Judge Hasse Hakki, who heard the case, told Reuters Friday.
So, uh, Judge Hakki...has "life experience" with paying to cop a feel? Or is he saying that experience has taught him that the old man should've been entitled to, um, more than a feel?
But he said the court in Kokkola, about 300 miles north of Helsinki, would not decide "the proper financial value of the compensation."
Well, why not? I mean, if you can determine that 32 grand is too much for ten boob grabs, shouldn't you be able to set a reasonable price? You never know when that kind of information could come in...handy.
It's for your own good
Do not, under any circumstances, click this link. I'm warning you.
Okay, so you're going to click it. I know, I know. You're curious. Well, whatever you do, don't watch the video over there. Seriously, DON'T.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go see if they make a mouthwash for your mind.
(h/t Dave at Garfield Ridge)
Kind of slow, eh
Uh-oh. I guess this means I should get my "Serial Killer" tattoo removed.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Shylo Kujawski -- who has "Grand Theft Auto" prominently tattooed on his back -- was spotted acting suspiciously in a Vancouver suburb where several stolen cars had been reported.
Using the tattoo to identify Kujawski as a convicted auto thief, police said they then set up a stakeout that nabbed him attempting drive away in a stolen car.
Police said during the stakeout they also watched Kujawski thwart his own attempt to drive away in another stolen vehicle by accidentally disabling the car with the owner's steering wheel lock.
Somehow, I don't think that guy is going to be winning any Nobel Prizes. Unless they create a category for inept auto theft. But how likely is that?
Media figure silenced
In yet another shocking abuse of freedom of speech and the press in Chimpy McBu$hitlerburton's Amerikkka, a member of the media has been bullied into silence after making "controversial" remarks. Oh, wait...this happened in Canada.
The chairman of the publicly funded Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has resigned after remarks about bestiality and ruminations about defecation, Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda said on Tuesday.
Guy Fournier created an uproar in Canada's Lebanese community and in the media when he claimed that Lebanon allowed men to have sexual relations with female animals, but reserved the death penalty for those who did so with male animals.
In comments made in May, and replayed in a CBC weekend interview, he talked at length about the joys of bowel movements.
Now, I don't know where he got the idea that Lebanese men were allowed to have sex with female animals (although this website makes the same assertion--scroll about halfway down the page), but if you're a public figure, you might want to keep your feelings about pooping out of interviews that could be played on the teevee or the radio. After all, that's why they invented internet message boards and forums.
Oh, snap!
So, Hugo Chavez went to the U.N. and called Bush "the devil." Big deal. You can find that kind of thing on a thousand lefty blogs every day. What I liked most about this story was something John Bolton said:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Chavez's remarks were "not becoming for a head of state."
"I am not going to dignify a comment by the Venezuelan president to the president of the United States," Rice told reporters in New York. The main U.S. seat in the assembly hall was empty as Chavez spoke, though the U.S. Ambassador John Bolton told The Associated Press that a "junior note-taker" was present, as is customary "when governments like that speak."
Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark.
So, how long do you think it will be before some Dem politico expresses outrage over Bolton's "insensitivity"?
Update: Video of Chavez's freakout is available at Hot Air.
Offense taken
When I began to read this article, I expected there would be obscenities or racial slurs, but...well, you'll see what I mean.
A book of rhymes handed out to kindergarten classes across Maine is being criticized by some parents as inappropriate. "Schoolyard Rhymes" is a compilation of 50 verses included in bags given to 18,000 pupils through the Read With ME literacy project supported by Gov. John Baldacci and his wife Karen.
Get ready to be scandalized, people...
A few of the rhymes have raised some eyebrows. For example, one says, "Ladies and gentlemen, Take my advice, Pull down your pants And slide on the ice." Another one says, "Girls go to Mars to get candy bars. Boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider."
Erica Smith of Hampden, mother of a 5-year-old son who goes to the McGraw School, said the book is "completely inappropriate."
"It's rude. There are words in there that I don't allow in my house," said Smith, who complained to her son's teacher as well as the school principal. She also called the governor's office to voice her displeasure.
Man, what a letdown. That kind of stuff was covered with dust and cobwebs when I was a little kid. Heaven forbid any frogs, snails, or puppydog tails get mentioned. There would be statewide fainting spells and they might even have to recall the governor.
"The game of the century so far"
That's what Cindy Brunson of ESPNews called this see-saw gem between the Padres and Dodgers, and I'm finding it hard to argue with that assessment. Seven home runs for the Dodgers (including four consecutive shots to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth--only the fourth time in history that that's been done, by the way), a rare blown save by star Padres closer Trevor Hoffman, two times that the Dodgers came back from four run deficits, and a walk-off homer by Nomar...wow. I just wish I'd been at Dodger Stadium to see it. The fans who were there are going to be talking about this game for years, especially if the Dodgers can gut it out and make it into the postseason.
Posted by Sean M. at 1:17 AM No comments:
We're doomed
Scientists have found a shark that can walk on its fins. Next thing you know, they'll be using tools and weapons. And smoking.
Posted by Sean M. at 12:11 AM No comments:
Pay attention, morons
I'm becoming more and more convinced that a lot of trouble and heartbreak could be prevented if people would just pay attention to what the hell they're doing. Case in point:
School officials apologized after an X-rated font was used on a third-grade spelling packet handed out to parents. The font showed male and female stick figures in provocative poses to form the letters of the alphabet.
Officials with the Monroe-Woodbury School District in Orange County [New York] apologized last week after parents at Pine Tree Elementary School were given the spelling packet at an open house.
Administrators said the teacher did not use the font intentionally.
Well, that's comforting. And hey, it could've been worse—at leasst it was handed out to the parents and not the kids themselves.
Appreciate modernity.
India may be the world's largest democracy, but in a lot of ways it's still a pretty screwed up third world country. Take this, for example.
The leaders of a village in the Indian state of Rajasthan ordered 150 men to dip their hands into boiling oil to prove their innocence after food was stolen from a local school, a newspaper reported Sunday.
In late August the school's principal informed police that rice and wheat had disappeared but no action was taken, the Sunday Express said.
The council, or panchayat, of Ranpur village, 340 km (210 miles) south of state capital Jaipur, then decided to take the law into its own hands.
After 10 days spent trying to identify those responsible, it issued what the paper called the "medieval diktat."
The 150 men from Ranpur and two neighboring hamlets were told to pick a copper ring from a cauldron of boiling oil. The council elders then announced that the 50 who refused the order must be behind the crime. Many are now nursing their burns.
As they say on South Park, dude, that's pretty fucked up right there! Seriously, edcucated, well-adjusted people just don't do something like that in this day and age.
"I really didn't have a clue."
Sometimes it pays to be detail-oriented. This would be one of those times.
When moviemakers told Gallatin, Tennessee, Mayor Don Wright they wanted to use his office to film a scene with a superheroine, he kindly obliged.
But Wright was startled when the movie's title, "Thong Girl 3," and his role in its making was splashed across the front page of Friday's editions of the Nashville Tennessean newspaper.
"I had no idea what the movie was about," Wright said on Friday. "They told me it was about a superhero woman and there was no nudity or offensive stuff in it. Other than that, I really didn't have a clue."
No clue? You don't say. You know, you might've been spared this sort of embarrasment if you had, oh, I don't know, asked them what the fucking title of the movie was!
Please tell me they cut out the vocals
Speaking of skinny chicks with minimal talent, Paris Hilton's new album has been remixed by Danger Mouse and snuck into British music stores, where the remix CDs replaced 400 copies of the regular version of the CD on the sly. For the remix version, graffiti artist Banksy also redid the artwork. You can see the slightly NSFW artwork here.
(First link originally left in a comment thread here at Treacher's other blog.)
Plus-size models to attack Milan
I'm outraged! If this fascist gets her way, people watching fashion shows in Milan may have to watch models who weigh (GASP!) more than eighty pounds!
Italy's fashion capital is in a tizzy over a ban on overly thin models at Madrid's fashion week, fearing it could be next with its own catwalk extravaganza less than two weeks away.
Milan's mayor, Letizia Moratti, told a newspaper this week that she may bring the Spanish ban on underweight models to Italian shows.
Madrid is turning away models whose body mass index, based on weight and height, falls below a certain level.
"With those kind of rules, we'd have to turn away 80 percent of models. Naomi Campbell wouldn't be able to walk down the catwalk, she'd be too thin," said Riccardo Gay, head of the model agency of the same name that used to represent Campbell in Milan.
He also said Madrid had exaggerated the issue.
"Some designers have used extremely thin models, but we haven't. We tell models to exercise, eat well, go to bed early — sensible rules," he added.
Yeah, and I'm sure they make sure to tell the girls to keep it to three lines of cocaine a night.
Madrid's regional government imposed the rules on fashion week to protect the models as well as teenagers who may develop anorexia as they try to copy underweight catwalk stars.
Mario Boselli, head of the Italian fashion industry's chamber of commerce, said anorexia was a "rare phenomenon" in the fashion business.
And drunkenness ia a "rare phenomenon" at frat parties. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go die of laughter.
Harshing mom's mellow
Education is important, and some parents decide to reward their kids when they do their homework, but this doesn't seem like a very good idea...
A woman facing drug charges admitted in court that she smoked marijuana with her 13-year-old son, often to reward him for doing his homework.
Well, just so long as she didn't smoke with him before he did his homework...
Amanda Lynn Livelsberger, 30, pleaded guilty to several misdemeanor drug charges Monday in Adams Country [PA] court and will be sentenced Nov. 27.
She admitted she had been smoking marijuana with her son since he was 11 and said she had also smoked with two of his friends, ages 17 and 18.
And thus ends the reign of the neighborhood's "cool mom," who, if you do the math, gave birth to her son at the tender age of seventeen. Sounds like someone needs some better decision-making skills.
The article doesn't mention whether or not the authorities were going to bogart her son.
Five years ago
I don't really have anything deep or original to say about the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that someone else hasn't already said (and said more eloquently).
I just remember my brother waking me up that morning, telling me to turn on the TV. Something was going on in New York. We watched the events unfolding all day, unable to look away from what was happening in spite of the horror.
And then I remember the silence in the skies on that day and the following days, as all the flights were grounded. It was unnerving, not seeing or hearing anything up there.
I'll never forget that day, and that's the way it should be.
The chilling of dissent
No, I don't mean that Bu$hitler has forced the Dixie Chicks to play in Canada. I'm talking about the fact that a certain political party is calling for a teevee show to be yanked from the air before the public has seen it.
"Those fascist Rethuglikkkans ought to be stopped," one might say. But "one" would be wrong.
Who are the fascists now? I thought so.
Nude until winter
(Or, Another transparent attempt to lure pervert search engine hits to my blog by using the word "nude" in the title of a post)
Remember the Vermont town with all the nude teenagers that I posted about last month? Well, they're not going to put a ban on public nudity, deciding instead to rely on shrinkage to take care of it for them.
Mother Nature, not an ordinance, will draw the covers over public nudity in Brattleboro.
The town's Select Board decided Tuesday to take no action on an anti-nudity ordinance that was introduced in response to a clothing-optional movement launched by local teenagers this summer.
"Winter is coming. If spring comes and we still have a problem, we'll take another look at it," said Select Board Chairman Steve Steidle.
As I noted in my previous post, there's some hippy-dippy bullshit behind all of this public nudity, some of which was on display when the town debated a ban on public nudity:
One of the nudists, 19-year-old Adhi Palar, told the town board the issue was freedom.
"Our acting in nudity is an act of celebration of this history and traditional values as a place where you're allowed to be nude," he said. "I find that important, and I find that proud."
Uh...yeah. Take another hit off that bong, dude.
Not everybody is having fun here, though:
Town Manager Jerry Remillard said the town's image was tarnished by the uproar.
"We have been the brunt of phone calls from all over the world," Remillard said. "The media made this into nothing less than a circus."
Hard to believe that, in this day and age, people would show any interest in a bunch of teenagers parading around nude in public, isn't it? Next thing you know, they'll be attracting (gasp!) tourists.
Mom and Dad burn out
If your parents sell the house and make you live with them in a VW bus or move the whole family to some stinky hippie commune, don't say I didn't warn you. It seems they're reverting to their stinky hippie ways.
Some moms and dads might want to take a lesson from their kids: Just say no.
The government reported Thursday that 4.4 percent of baby boomers ages 50 to 59 indicated that they had used illicit drugs in the past month. It marks the third consecutive yearly increase recorded for that age group by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Meanwhile, illicit drug use among young teens went down for the third consecutive year - from 11.6 percent in 2002 to 9.9 percent in 2005.
"Rarely have we seen a story like this where this is such an obvious contrast as one generation goes off stage right, and entering stage left is a generation that learned a lesson somehow and they're doing something very different," said David Murray, special assistant to the director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
The annual survey on drug use and health involves interviews of about 67,500 people. It provides an important snapshot of how many Americans drink, smoke and use drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Actually, I don't have a lot of faith in the accuracy of these surveys. I mean, when someone contacts the average person and says, "Hi, I'm from the government, and I'd like to ask you about your illicit drug use," I think a lot of people are going to lie. I think a lot of people will even lie about how much they drink in situations like this.
But still, for some reason it's deeply satisfying to imagine a bunch of paunchy, gray-haired baby boomers smoking dope to regain some of their former hippie glory.
Excuse is unconvincing
Do you ever see a string of words which, taken one by one, each make sense, but as a whole are very tough to comprehend? That's what happened to me when I saw the following words: "Speeding driver blames lack of goats." I decided to investigate further (okay, I didn't really "investigate"--I just read the damn article):
A Swiss driver caught speeding in Canada explained that he had been taking advantage of the ability to drive fast without hitting a goat, police said on Wednesday.
Airtight logic there, basing your speed on what you're not going to hit. Anyway, here are some more odd words:
"A motorist from Switzerland, used to driving around hills and mountains, takes advantage of the ability to go faster without risking hitting a goat," read the traffic officer's notes of the incident.
Who is this traffic officer? Yoda?
"I've never been to Switzerland but obviously they must have a problem with that there," said police spokesman Joel Doiron, adding that in his 20 years of service he had never found a goat on the highways of eastern Ontario.
It doesn't sound like they have a "problem" to me. Sounds like they have the solution. Want to cut down on speeders on Ontario highways? You need some goats out on those roads.
And to think, the ingrates actually fined him!
I'm watching the Dodgers play the Brewers on the teevee right now, and I had forgotten that this guy is one of the Brewers' outfielders. It's a night game, but he hasn't been wearing sunglasses.
I bet he never gets tired of that joke.
An eternity
I'm a baseball fan, and I'm not the kind of fan who leaves a game early. I don't even mind when a good game goes into extra innings, but this is just effing ridiculous.
Talk about extra innings. A baseball game that began at 10 a.m. on Saturday in Alliance [Nebraska] ended Sunday at 4:05 p.m.
That's 30 hours and five minutes between the first pitch and the final out. Game organizers are counting on the contest being long enough to break a world record.
Forty players, ranging in age from 18 to 44, rotated in and out of the 84-inning game in hopes of setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest baseball game.
The record stands at 25 hours, set in Canada nearly three years ago.
There were a total of 234 runs scored in the game. How do you even do that? I'm guessing that they just didn't bother to play any real defense.
Anyway, after reading about that, I don't think I'll ever be bored by an extra-innings game in quite the same way again. I sure as hell hope they didn't cut off beer sales after the eighth inning, which is the biggest problem with games that go long. People would've gone homicidal.
Sometimes, it takes an outsider to remind you of the better points of your hometown. This weekend, that perspective was provided by D.C. resident Dave of Garfield Ridge, who's been in SoCal visiting his brother.
He had a great post with great pictures about their trip to Dodger Stadium, which is one of the most beautiful temples of baseball the world has ever seen. He enjoyed one of the tastiest hot dogs available to man and even saw some celebrities. And his bro survived a nasty encounter with a foul ball. As they say, read the whole thing.
I haven't been to Dodger Stadium for a season or two, and his post actually filled me with longing for the place. And for Dodger Dogs. Mmmmmmm...Dodger Dogs.
Dave also got to enjoy the best fast food burger anybody's ever eaten soon after touching down here. Seriously, In-N-Out is one of the reasons why I don't think I could ever live anywhere but California, and Dave reminded me about what a treat it is to have something so good nearby.
SoCal has its faults, but it's a pretty good place to live. Dodger Stadium (and The Big A, too), In-N-Out Burger, and a myriad of other things make this a great place to live. Sometimes, you just need a reminder.
The saddest thing
But what would the Taliban be doing in a diner? Maybe the food is Halal.
You learn something new every day
Hey, did you know that Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Stephen King conspired to murder John Lennon? And that they used headlines in news magazines to spread "government codes" announcing their intentions to do so? Well, thanks to the voices in this guy's head, now you do!
Seriously, the internets have to be the best thing to happen to crazy people since Xerox machines allowed them to cobble together their paranoid manifestoes for distribution to their fellow freaks.
(via Ace of Spades commenter krakatoa)
Me, myself, and I
Sean M.
A mild-mannered reporter for a minor suburban newspaper. You can reach me at breacanyonmonument at yahoo dot com.
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Right Wing Nut House
Roger L. Simon
Scribal Terror
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teamnormal
The H2
The Hatemonger's Quarterly
The Llama Butchers
The New Editor
THIS BLOG IS FULL OF WIN
Topic Drift
Villainous Company
The ha ha
Acid Keg
Channel 101
Cracked.com
Creased Comics
Damn Hell Ass Kings
Encyclopedia Dramatica
Fail Dogs
Homestar Runner
Hot Chicks with Douchebags
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Jay Pinkerton
Nobody's Watching
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This Blog Smells Funny
What Would Tyler Durden Do?
you're the man now dog!
Ye olde timey posts


Launched in November 2012, KA's Beauty proudly offers a wealth of experience within the industry, combining 45+ years of expertise and training! Therapist's Kerryann, Kirsty and Amy provide both a professional and friendly service offering Dermalogica, OPI and Shellac nails as part of their top quality product range.
We'd love you to write a review of KA's Beauty Norwich – could you? Share your experiences and help build a directory of the best beauty salons in Norwich by adding a KA's Beauty Norwich review. Is KA's Beauty Norwich owned by you, then claim it today. Claiming a business will enable you to edit the contact details and update the description.


text:
Crop Germplasm Research: College Station, TX
ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Crop Germplasm Research » Research » Research Project #434259
Hinze, Lori
Frelichowski, James - Jim
Yu, John
Udall, Joshua - Josh
Research Project: Management and Utilization of Cotton Genetic Resources and Associated Information
Location: Crop Germplasm Research
Objective 1: Efficiently and effectively acquire genetic resources of cotton and its wild relatives; maintain their safety, genetic integrity, health, and viability; and distribute them and associated information worldwide. Sub-objective 1A: Regenerate about 5% of the NCGC (approx. 500 accessions) annually at the Counter Season Nursery, Liberia, Costa Rica, and at field and greenhouse resources at College Station, TX. Produce quantities of seed sufficient to meet the needs of the research community and to maintain accessions in long-term backup storage. Sub-objective 1B: Distribute viable seed and associated information for all available accessions to users of the NCGC. Sub-objective 1C: Strategically broaden the genetic diversity of the NCGC through the acquisition of additional cotton germplasm by means of germplasm exchanges and plant explorations. Objective 2: Develop more effective genetic resource maintenance, evaluation, and genetic marker characterization methods and apply them to priority genetic resources of cotton and its wild relatives. Record and disseminate evaluation and characterization data and digital images via GRIN-Global, CottonGen, and other data sources. Sub-objective 2A: Characterize about 5% of the NCGC annually using a comprehensive and standard descriptor set developed for community use and upload into GRIN-Global and CottonGen. Sub-objective 2B: Create standardized digital image libraries of the NCGC to document the morphological diversity of its contents, and make these libraries available to users through placement in the public databases GRIN-Global and CottonGen. Sub-objective 2C: Systematically analyze genetic diversity using new/revised core sets of molecular markers specific to primary and secondary gene pools of cotton to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of cotton genetic resource management and genetic improvement. Sub-objective 2D: Coordinate the cooperative evaluation of cotton genetic resources for priority agronomic traits. Objective 3: With other NPGS genebanks and Crop Germplasm Committees, develop, update, document, and implement best management practices and Crop Vulnerability Statements for cotton genetic resource and information management. Objective 4: Devise more efficient and effective cotton genetic enhancement approaches, and apply them to generate breeding stocks incorporating genes from cotton land races and wild relatives for improved yield, fiber quality, seed quality, and/or resistance/tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
The Gossypium genus is composed of at least 50 recognized species of differing ploidy levels and contains a wealth of genetic variability ranging from highly improved allotetraploid species to wild diploid species. The National Cotton Germplasm Collection contains much of the diversity of the genus, and its long-term objectives are to acquire, conserve, characterize, evaluate, and distribute accessions, with the goal of making these resources available for genetic improvement efforts within and outside the USDA. Under the current project, we will make efforts to acquire new germplasm through plant explorations and exchanges that target current gaps in the Collection. To make the inherent variability of the Collection useful, it must be described and evaluated. For this reason, this project will generate phenotypic descriptions of genetic resources, and evaluate these materials for drought stress tolerance, agronomic traits, and fiber quality. Recent advances in cotton molecular genetics have provided the molecular markers needed to measure genetic diversity, characterize new acquisitions, ascertain areas of deficiency, and maintain the integrity of accessions while regenerating the Collection. Recognizing that parts of the Collection are not readily usable due to species incompatibilities, day-length flowering responses, and the perennial nature of accessions, pre-breeding efforts are needed to improve access to and utility of these portions of the Collection. Information generated by this project will be made publicly available in the GRIN-Global and/or CottonGen databases.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In this season's Reading for Writers, we get forensic with CSI: Crime Story Investigations. The best crime fiction is renowned for its tight plotting, compelling narrative, quick pace, and morally ambivalent characters. Writers across all genres can learn from the classics.
Featuring five of Australia's best crime writers speaking about the crime stories that influenced them, CSI: Crime Story Investigations will interrogate the nature of what makes a crime novel engaging and delve into the darkest parts of human nature. Ideal for crime writers and any writer looking at picking up the pace in their own work.


The rest of my day was full of pot holes and mud. Everything I wrote smelled like eggs, and I got lost 7 times over. When I got back home to Bắc's place, I swore I was buying my plane ticket home.
But the next day I woke up rejuvenated, happy to be un-sick and rested — it's amazing the difference a night's sleep makes. I even had clean underwear, and Bắc had made some omelet for breakfast. It was going to be a beautiful day.
Feeling alive and full of optimism, I finished with my morning routine by 8:00am — no interruption. My friend Jenny texted me: Pilates at 10:30? I wrote back: Deal. I finished washing the dishes, mopping the floor, and cleaning up the remains of the cockroach Bắc had accidentally squished with her motorbike on the way out, then rode my bike to the Tay Ho district.
The juxtaposition of luxury and basic living is what makes being here so interesting: every day, every action, every moment is full with dynamic energy, a constant motion that is either nauseating or liberating. In this dynamism, I do not exist. There is no time. I feel like a ghost among people, gliding in and out of other's lives, living only to write about what glimmers around me.
And now, after another 30 minute bike ride through clouds of diesel, humidity and my own frustration, I am sitting in a French chocolateria, unsuccessfully having a conversation with the waitstaff.
I ask them if they eat the cookies they make? They think I want to take my cookies to go. I say No, no, I am still eating my cookies, but was just curious if you like cookies. The man behind with counter, with the best English, says the cookies are better in a bag. Hunh? We smile at each other knowing we have no idea what the other is saying, and drop the conversation all together. Small talk doesn't seem to be an option. I go back to my writing. They go back to their standing.
I am smaller than this whole long country. It swallows and engulfs me, I cannot ever hope to swim beyond it's pull. From poverty to opulence I go swinging, and there is a sweet humility in this uncontrollable ebb and flow. Nothing to do but let it move me like a wash, until I am cast upon some other remote shore at the whim of the world's tide. Not knowing where I will end up, these few short weeks are teaching me to be content with less, and indifferent to more.
I have considered getting my own apartment, to live closer to the center of town, hang out with the ex-pat community, eat western food, find a familiar center. On my American dollar, I could afford a two story house, a maid and a cook for myself alone, but this to me smacks of a perverse kind of comfort, and precisely the kind of thing I should avoid. I have not travelled across this big deep world to live a life of forgetful ease.
I look up again from my writing. I am the only customer. The floors are spotless. Three employees, all crisp and groomed — the men in ties and slacks, the woman in some kind of french apron — are standing around, ready to serve. I am consuming a lot of sugar and caffeine these days, but I tell myself anything for my writing. "Yes, darling, whatever you want, darling. Where would you like to write, darling? What would inspire you, darling?" and so on, as a teacher once suggested. I think that 3 cookies (1 chocolate chip, 1 pepper espresso, 1 chocolate cherry) and an iced mint creme espresso with sugar syrup and milk is hardly an indulgence if it gets me pumping out the good word.
Sinatra is playing in the background.
The cafe manager hops over when I look up. I ask for another coffee. "I need more caffeine to keep up my energy for writing!" I smile to him. "Oh, yes," he says, "I think you battery can charge here, if you like." He points to the outlet. Miscommunication again. I smile and take the opportunity to plug in my laptop. "Ok! Thank you very much!" I say, and he plugs in my charger for me. Go with the flow.
When I have the courage to open to Vietnam's entire spectrum, I become a mirror. I am washed clean of any identity, left empty and nameless. Every day is new, I have no roots, and any notions of "my life" and "my self" in these daily rivers, are gone.
Why am I here? It feels like love. But it is not Vietnam alone that lifts me; it is just that Vietnam allows me to reflect my own simple truth– that I am actually nothing more than nothing in all the world's spaces.


text:
import json
from unittest import mock

from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model
from django.contrib.auth.models import AnonymousUser
from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
from django.http import HttpResponse
from django.test import RequestFactory, TestCase
from jwt import exceptions

from request_token.middleware import RequestTokenMiddleware
from request_token.models import RequestToken
from request_token.settings import JWT_QUERYSTRING_ARG

class MockSession(object):

    """Fake Session model used to support `session_key` property."""

    @property
    def session_key(self):
        return "foobar"

class MiddlewareTests(TestCase):

    """RequestTokenMiddleware tests."""

    def setUp(self):
        self.user = get_user_model().objects.create_user("zoidberg")
        self.factory = RequestFactory()
        self.middleware = RequestTokenMiddleware(get_response=lambda r: HttpResponse())
        self.token = RequestToken.objects.create_token(scope="foo")

    def get_request(self):
        request = self.factory.get("/?%s=%s" % (JWT_QUERYSTRING_ARG, self.token.jwt()))
        request.user = self.user
        request.session = MockSession()
        return request

    def post_request(self):
        request = self.factory.post("/", {JWT_QUERYSTRING_ARG: self.token.jwt()})
        request.user = self.user
        request.session = MockSession()
        return request

    def post_request_with_JSON(self):
        data = json.dumps({JWT_QUERYSTRING_ARG: self.token.jwt()})
        request = self.factory.post("/", data, "application/json")
        request.user = self.user
        request.session = MockSession()
        return request

    def test_process_request_assertions(self):
        request = self.factory.get("/")
        self.assertRaises(ImproperlyConfigured, self.middleware, request)

        request.user = AnonymousUser()
        self.assertRaises(ImproperlyConfigured, self.middleware, request)
        request.session = MockSession()

        self.middleware(request)
        self.assertFalse(hasattr(request, "token"))

    def test_process_request_without_token(self):
        request = self.factory.get("/")
        request.user = AnonymousUser()
        request.session = MockSession()
        self.middleware(request)
        self.assertFalse(hasattr(request, "token"))

    def test_process_GET_request_with_valid_token(self):
        request = self.get_request()
        self.middleware(request)
        self.assertEqual(request.token, self.token)

    def test_process_POST_request_with_valid_token(self):
        request = self.post_request()
        self.middleware(request)
        self.assertEqual(request.token, self.token)

    def test_process_POST_request_with_valid_token_with_json(self):
        request = self.post_request_with_JSON()
        self.middleware(request)
        self.assertEqual(request.token, self.token)

    def test_process_request_not_allowed(self):
        # PUT requests won't decode the token
        request = self.factory.put("/?rt=foo")
        request.user = self.user
        request.session = MockSession()
        response = self.middleware(request)
        self.assertFalse(hasattr(request, "token"))
        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)

    @mock.patch("request_token.middleware.logger")
    def test_process_request_token_error(self, mock_logger):
        # token decode error - request passes through _without_ a token
        request = self.factory.get("/?rt=foo")
        request.user = self.user
        request.session = MockSession()
        self.middleware(request)
        self.assertIsNone(request.token)
        self.assertEqual(mock_logger.exception.call_count, 1)

    @mock.patch("request_token.middleware.logger")
    def test_process_request_token_does_not_exist(self, mock_logger):
        request = self.get_request()
        self.token.delete()
        self.middleware(request)
        self.assertIsNone(request.token)
        self.assertEqual(mock_logger.exception.call_count, 1)

    @mock.patch.object(RequestToken, "log")
    def test_process_exception(self, mock_log):
        request = self.get_request()
        request.token = self.token
        exception = exceptions.InvalidTokenError("bar")
        response = self.middleware.process_exception(request, exception)
        mock_log.assert_called_once_with(request, response, error=exception)
        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
        self.assertEqual(response.reason_phrase, str(exception))

        # no request token = no error log
        del request.token
        mock_log.reset_mock()
        response = self.middleware.process_exception(request, exception)
        self.assertEqual(mock_log.call_count, 0)
        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 403)
        self.assertEqual(response.reason_phrase, str(exception))

        # round it out with a non-token error
        response = self.middleware.process_exception(request, Exception("foo"))
        self.assertIsNone(response)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We invite you to visit our new company retail store "Chaga Shop" on the first floor of the hotel "Hyundai".
Enjoy bright and unique flavor of our products!
We are proud of our reputation, and we have been working on our products' quality and assortment for years. Our work has been awarded at the Russian and International Fairs.
Company retail store "Chaga Shop"


During the years, thanks also to the merging of other shipyards and particularly of "Rodriquez Cantieri Navali", specialist in aluminum shipbuilding, the company expanded its range of production and continued investing heavily in technological researches devoted to the best development and exploitation of the construction materials (FRP and aluminum), along with hull optimization and stability systems, so that the history of Intermarine is a succession of "technological first".
A dedicated department, known as "Rodriquez Marine Systems", produces, since 1998, auxiliary on-board components, such as monitoring and control systems, hydraulic systems, and stabilization systems.
The main characteristic of Intermarine is the capability to develop, design, build and test vessels tailored to the customer requirements.
The Company operates three shipyards: the synergy between the specific production facilities and the research, engineering and development centers, allows the optimization of the production processes.
The Headquarters of Intermarine and the Research and Development Department are located in Sarzana and La Spezia, where the activities are focused on the construction and the outfitting of vessels in composite material (mainly Mine Countermeasure Vessels and Fast Patrol Boats). The shipyard optimized for the construction of craft in aluminum or steel is located in Messina.


Residents of The Forum Condominium live in close proximity, share common facilities, and jointly pay condominium expenses. Thus, adequate rules are needed to assist in maintaining a compatible community with a warm, congenial atmosphere.
The Forum Condominium Association carries a number of insurance policies as required by the Condominium's basic documents. Included among these policies are the Property (including Flood and Earthquake coverage of $1,000,000 each), Boiler and Machinery/Equipment Breakdown, General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Directors and Officers Liability, Employee Dishonesty, Workers Compensation, and above-ground storage tank liability coverage policies.
Most users of this website surf the net. Here are a few sites we've found to be handy.
The Forum was visited by four planners from the White Flint Partnership. The outlined the hope of seven developer corporations to build a pedestrian-friendly area centering on the Pike from Montrose Parkway to south of White Flint Mall. To see what they're planning check out their site whiteflintpartnership.com.
Community groups in the area formed Friends of White Flint. Check them out at friendsofwhiteflint.org. Also check out Pike & Rose, in development across Rockville Pike from The Forum.
If you want to find a book in a library branch; check out the route and schedule of RideOn buses, or many other other County services, go to the County's website. Go to montgomerycountymd.gov.
Know Seniors Who Need Help?
Check out Metro for schedules, travel times, delays and more. Go to wmata.com.
In addition to news, go to the website for restaurant reviews, museum exhibits and more. Check out washingtonpost.com.
We are recycling small batteries by dropping them off at the front desk. We can now do the same with toner cartridges. Don't put these reusable items in the trash! The Forum's Energy Conservation Committee will turn them into cash for our community. Recycle your toner cartridges. You'll help the environment and help the Forum (a little, but every little bit counts!).
METAL CLOTHES HANGERS and small metal items...Put them in the specially labeled metal recycling bin in the back of the building.
What is the Maintenance for Fee Program?
Work listed below the first section will be billed with a check due from the Resident made out to the Forum Condominium and given to the front desk Residents who have not paid previous balances will not be scheduled for work other than emergencies.
What's on The Forum website?
Go to theforumcondominium.com, register, entering the informaion you wish public with your e-mail address required. You'll receive by e-mail a randomly selected password. Go back the website and login. If you choose, open your profile and enter yuor own preferred password. The website is organized as follows. If you have difficulties or questions, cleck on contact me, select webmanager and enter you question.


text:
nickelback in - CD Reviews, DVD Reviews, News
NICKELBACK Bassist MIKE KROEGER Selling Maui Home For $4.9 Million
According to the Los Angeles Times, NICKELBACK bassist Mike Kroeger is selling his Maui, Hawaii home for $4.88 million. The 5,000-square-foot estate, which sits on a cliff, features four bedrooms, including a guest bedroom with a separate entrance above the two-car garage, and 4.5 bathrooms. Between the house and the ocean are a ...
And Justice for None - FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
"Blabbermouth can fucking suck it, 'cause they never fucking knew me..." Never underestimate the power of publicity, positive and negative. Ivan Moody and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH are riding their latest mount of angst rock into the summer as early on concert breadwinners. Yet surrounding Moody is unnecessary hullabaloo as he fights personal demons on ...
Posted in: CD Reviews
NICKELBACK Frontman: 'This Is A Great Part Of Our Career'
Earlier this month, Canadian rockers NICKELBACK sat down with Leona Graham just before their intimate concert for lucky Absolute Radio listeners to discuss a number of subjects, including the story of how "Rockstar" was banned, their latest album, gig mishaps, playing in bands with their kids and much more. You can now watch the chat ...
SAMMY HAGAR: 'Red 'Til I'm Dead' Preview Clip Feat. 'I Can't Drive 55'
On Sunday, April 1 at 10:00 p.m. EST, AXS TV will premiere the 2017 all-star concert film "Red 'Til I'm Dead: Sammy Hagar's Rock N' Roll Birthday Bash". Filmed live at Sammy Hagar's world-famous Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, "Red 'Til I'm Dead" gives viewers an all-access pass to the Hagar's legendary annual ...
SAMMY HAGAR And EDDIE MONEY To Take Over AXS TV This Sunday Night, April 1
AXS TV, the premier destination for classic rock programming, celebrates two of rock's most beloved showmen in the "Nothing But Sammy And Eddie" night — a lively evening featuring classic music videos, insightful interviews, and epic live performances by Sammy Hagar and Eddie Money on Sunday, April 1 starting at 7 p.m. EST / 4:00 ...
DANKO JONES Begins Recording New Album
According to multiple Instagram posts made by the band, Canadian hard rock trio DANKO JONES has entered The Farm Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia to record a new album with producer Garth "GGGarth" Richardson (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, TESTAMENT, THE MELVINS), presumably for release later this year. DANKO JONES's eighth studio album, "Wild Cat", came ...
STEEL PANTHER: 'We Specifically And Intentionally Like To Be Shiny And Bright'
Prior to the group's January 24 performance in Manchester, England, STEEL PANTHER vocalist Michael Starr and drummer Stix Zadinia were interviewed by Heavy TV. The full conversation can be seen below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): On how the group's latest album, 2016's "Lower The Bar", was received: Stix: "I think during ...
METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES, IRON MAIDEN Among 2017's Top-Grossing North American Tours
METALLICA, GUNS N' ROSES and IRON MAIDEN are among the rock and metal acts included on Pollstar's Year End Top 200 North American Tours chart, which determines its rankings by a tour's overall gross (that is, the number of tickets sold multiplied by the average ticket price). Unlike Pollstar's recently revealed Top 20 Worldwide Tours, ...
METALLICA's 'Hardwired' Tops BILLBOARD's 2017 'Top Rock Albums' And 'Hard Rock Albums' Charts
METALLICA's "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct" has topped Billboard magazine's year-end Top Rock Albums and Hard Rock Albums charts. The disc, which came out in November 2016, sold 1.1 million units in the 2017 chart year, the only rock album to top 800,000 units. METALLICA also ranked as the No. 2 act on Mainstream Rock ...
ROB HALFORD, FOREIGNER, NICKELBACK Among Newly Announced Guests On SAMMY HAGAR's 'Rock & Roll Road Trip'
AXS TV, the premier destination for classic rock programming, has announced the premiere date for the return of the network's most popular original series, "Rock & Roll Road Trip With Sammy Hagar Presented by Mercury Insurance". The Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar, cruises across the country for even more candid conversations and unforgettable jam sessions with ...
SAMMY HAGAR: 'I Wanna Be The Oldest Living Rock Star On The Planet One Day'
In a brand new interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Sammy Hagar, who celebrated his 70th birthday in October, said that he is planning to slow down his partying in order to prolong his life. "I wanna be the oldest living rock star on the planet one day," he said (hear audio below). ...
Members Of SLIPKNOT, KORN, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, POISON, Others React To Passing Of MALCOLM YOUNG
Members of SLIPKNOT, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, WHITESNAKE, POISON, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, STRYPER, KORN, OVERKILL, KREATOR, SEPULTURA and VOLBEAT are among the rock musicians and scores of other artists who reacted on social media to the passing of Malcolm Young. The 64-year-old guitarist and co-founder of the legendary Australian hard rock band AC/DC had been suffering ...
Watch NICKELBACK Perform At Red Rocks Amphitheatre On 'AXS TV Concerts'
NICKELBACK's performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado will air as part of the AXS TV Concert Series presented by Mercury Insurance on Wednesday, November 15 at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT, only on AXS TV. The multi-platinum rock band brings its "Feed The Machine" tour to the historic venue, delivering a high-octane, hit-filled ...
SMASHING PUMPKINS Frontman Defends NICKELBACK
According to The Pulse Of Radio, SMASHING PUMPKINS mainman Billy Corgan defended NICKELBACK and its chief songwriter, frontman Chad Kroeger, in a new interview with the "Joe Rogan Experience". After Rogan took a shot at the Canadian rockers, like so many people tend to do, Corgan responded: "I don't know enough about their world, but ...
NICKELBACK Releases Music Video For One Of Its Heaviest-Ever Songs, 'The Betrayal (Act III)'
NICKELBACK's music video for the song "The Betrayal (Act III)" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's ninth album, "Feed The Machine", which was released in June via BMG. NICKELBACK leader Chad Kroeger told Music Choice about "Feed The Machine": "This album is definitely heavier, as a whole, than a lot ...
NICKELBACK Announces Las Vegas Residency
After a nearly seven-year absence from Las Vegas, multi-platinum, chart-topping rock band NICKELBACK is returning to Sin City in February 2018 for an impressive five-night run at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. MONSTER TRUCK will open all five shows. The limited run is made even more special with the announcement that these ...
SAMMY HAGAR's 70th-Birthday Film 'Red Til I'm Dead' Coming To Big Screen In December
Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer, famed partier and entrepreneur Sammy Hagar is bringing his epic multi-night birthday bash at his Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to movie theaters nationwide on December 5, 2017. Cameras will be on hand to capture all the action at the rock legend's world-famous bar for this ...
KISS, POISON, SEPULTURA, LIVING COLOUR Members, Others React To Reports Of TOM PETTY's Death
**UPDATE**: CBS originally confirmed Petty's death per the Los Angeles Police Department, but TMZ claims the musician is off life support with a "do not resuscitate" order from his family, and is still clinging to life. He is not expected to live through the day. The CBS news division said ...
GUNS N' ROSES, SLIPKNOT, JOURNEY, QUEENSRŸCHE Members, Others React To Mass Shooting At Las Vegas Concert
GUNS N' ROSES, SLIPKNOT, JOURNEY, QUEENSRŸCHE and WHITESNAKE members are among the rock musicians who have reacted on social media to the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history after a gunman opened fire at a country music concert Sunday night in Las Vegas, killing more than fifty people and injuring more than four hundred ...
Red Hands Black Deeds - SHAMAN'S HARVEST
Jefferson City, Missouri's SHAMAN'S HARVEST has already dipped its toes in the ocean of commercial success, most notably with "Dragonfly" from 2009's "Shine". The group has the right sound and style at the right time rendering them fit to capitalize and ride that wave. The band's sixth full-length album, "Red Hands Black Deeds", exists at ...
CHEAP TRICK To Release First Holiday Album 'Christmas Christmas'
Rock And Roll Hall Of Famers CHEAP TRICK will rock in the Yuletide season with the release of their first holiday-themed album, "Christmas Christmas", out October 20 on Big Machine Records. Arriving mere months after their criticallyacclaimed eighteenth studio album, "We're All Alright!", CHEAP TRICK co-produced the holiday collection alongside their longtime collaborator, Grammy Award ...
COREY TAYLOR On Feud With CHAD KROEGER: 'He's The One Who F**king Started It'
Corey Taylor says that he has been "trying to bury" his dispute with NICKELBACK after Chad Kroeger blasted STONE SOUR as "NICKELBACK Lite" and called out Taylor for allegedly saying that it was "easy" to write a hit song. In an interview posted in June with Sweden's Metal Covenant, Kroeger said that STONE SOUR was ...
NICKELBACK Joined By AVRIL LAVIGNE For 'Rockstar' Performance In Los Angeles
Canadian singer Avril Lavigne took the stage for the first time in three years last night (Friday, September 8) to perform the song "Rockstar" with NICKELBACK during the band's concert at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Also appearing with them was a fan named Owen, who was plucked out of the audience by ...
ROY MAYORGA: STONE SOUR Is 'Everything I've Wanted In A Band'
Heather Brown of the 105.9 The Grizz radio station conducted an interview with STONE SOUR drummer Roy Mayorga prior to the band's July 16 appearance at this year's Chicago Open Air, which was held at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois. You can listen to the full chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). ...
COREY TAYLOR Says CHAD KROEGER's Bandmates 'Apologized' For 'NICKELBACK Lite' Comment
Corey Taylor says that the members of NICKELBACK apologized to him for Chad Kroeger's comments after the latter blasted STONE SOUR as "NICKELBACK Lite" and called out Taylor for allegedly saying that it was "easy" to write a hit song. In an interview posted last month with Sweden's Metal Covenant, Kroeger said that STONE SOUR ...
STONE SOUR's COREY TAYLOR Greeted By 'F**k NICKELBACK' Chant At CHICAGO OPEN AIR
STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor was greeted by a "Fuck NICKELBACK" chant during his band's performance at the Chicago Open Air festival appearance this past weekend. The dispute between STONE SOUR and NICKELBACK started when the latter group's frontman, Chad Kroeger, blasted STONE SOUR as "NICKELBACK Lite" and called out Taylor for alleging saying that ...
SLIPKNOT Will Not Perform At This Year's KNOTFEST, Says COREY TAYLOR
For the first time since its 2012 inception, SLIPKNOT's Knotfest music festival will not include performances by the band that founded and curated the event. According to Billboard, this year's Knotfest festivals, including one already announced for October 28 in Toluca, Mexico, and a U.S. date, again paired with Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest, expected ...
COREY TAYLOR: 'CHAD KROEGER Is To Rock What KFC Is To Chicken'
Corey Taylor has once fired back at Chad Kroeger after the latter blasted STONE SOUR as "NICKELBACK Lite" and called out Taylor for alleging saying that it was "easy" to write a hit song. Asked about the remarks on the KISW 99.9 radio station at this past weekend's Pain In The Grass event in Auburn, ...
STONE SOUR Guitarist: Being Called 'NICKELBACK Lite' By CHAD KROEGER Is 'Ultimate Insult'
STONE SOUR guitarist Josh Rand has responded to NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger after the latter blasted STONE SOUR as "NICKELBACK Lite." Asked about the remarks in a new interview with Musik Universe, Rand said (hear audio below): "There's no sense in me tearing into [Chad]. It's obvious he'd been drinking the entire time he was ...
COREY TAYLOR Says CHAD KROEGER Is 'An Idiot' Who's Got 'A Face Like A Foot'
Corey Taylor has fired back at Chad Kroeger, calling the NICKELBACK frontman "an idiot" who's "got a face like a foot." Kroeger slammed STONE SOUR in a recent interview, calling the Taylor-fronted group "NICKELBACK Lite" and challenging Corey to "write a hit song." Speaking with Sweden's Metal Covenant, Kroeger started out by telling the site: ...


WASHINGTON: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Wednesday arrested eight persons - believed to be either Indian citizens or Indian Americans - for using fruad means to help hundreds of immigrants remain in the US illegally as students.
PTI quoted special agent Charge Francis as saying that hundreds of foreign nationals were aided by the arrested persons to remain in the US illegally by helping to portray them as students. "Homeland Security Investigations special agents uncovered a nationwide network that grossly exploited US immigration laws," Francis said.


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Archive for date: October 17th, 2018
You are now in Conservation Corner Features category.
Map Your Microclimates
October 17, 2018 /in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle Falkenthal
Every garden has areas where plants flourish, and other areas where plants struggle. Structures, walls, fences and other plants can affect the amount of sun and shade in a garden. Every garden is completely different, even if it is located in the same general climate zone.
There may be hills and hollows in your front yard that collect cold air. Or, if your property is sloped, you may not get frost when your neighbors do.
The first step to a new or renovated landscape is walking around your property during the day and observing it closely.
Which plants are keepers?
Decide which plants work and which should be removed. Outline the canopy area of the plants being retained. Note the name, general size, and health of the plants. Which are more drought-tolerant? Many plants can thrive on less water when they are well established, with deep healthy roots. Old rose bushes and large shade trees are two good examples.
Note sun and shade
Areas of your landscaping under large shade trees become individual microclimates. Photo: Ken Lund/Creative Commons License
Mark the areas that receive sun all day, and areas that are shaded all or part of the day. Also note which areas receive only partial sun, or a few hours of direct morning sun, midday sun, or late afternoon sun. In choosing landscape plants, select those that are appropriate for the sunlight patterns of the garden. Plants marked as "full sun" will not be happy in full shade, and vice versa.
Group plants for similar needs
When selecting and grouping plants, note the water requirements of each plant. Make sure plants with different water needs are not placed together. Some sun-loving plants have moderate water needs, and some have very low water needs. If these are mixed together, one will always suffer if the watering routine works for the other types.
This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Microclimate-Watersmart-Home-845X450.jpg 450 845 Gayle Falkenthal https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Gayle Falkenthal2018-10-17 16:25:542018-10-17 16:25:54Map Your Microclimates
City Councilman Calls for Big Fixes at Public Utilities Department
October 17, 2018 /in Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Andrea Mora /NBC San Diegoby Paul Krueger
City Councilman Scott Sherman wants significant changes at the San Diego Water Department. Sherman's call for action came Oct. 16, during a city council discussion of an independent audit of the problem-plagued department. That audit, along with reporting by the NBC 7 Responds team, uncovered significant delays in the department's effort to replace broken water meter boxes and lids. Auditors also discovered that some department employees were working less than four hours of their eight-hour workday.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Andrea Mora https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Andrea Mora2018-10-17 10:15:332018-10-18 10:17:11City Councilman Calls for Big Fixes at Public Utilities Department
Metropolitan Water District Looks to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Address Climate Change
October 17, 2018 /in Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Andrea Mora /California Water News Daily
The Metropolitan Water District (MWD) Board of Directors has voted to develop a Climate Action Plan with a goal of providing a complete framework of how to reduce the district's carbon footprint. The plan will include reducing the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced in the delivery of water to Southern California as well as a comprehensive plan to combat climate change. The MWD board also voted to award an $815,000 contract to Rincon Consultants, Inc. to assist in creating the plan, which will be developed over the next 18 months. Rincon Consultants maintains more than a dozen offices in mostly Southern and Central California.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Andrea Mora https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Andrea Mora2018-10-17 10:13:242018-10-18 10:14:43Metropolitan Water District Looks to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Address Climate Change
State High Court Rejects Berkeley Group's Suit to Drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
October 17, 2018 /in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Andrea Mora /San Francisco Chronicleby Bob Egelko
The California Supreme Court rejected a conservation group's lawsuit Wednesday seeking to drain Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a source of water for San Francisco and surrounding Bay Area communities. Restore Hetch Hetchy, a Berkeley group, argued in its suit that the location of the dam and reservoir, which flooded a valley in the park after construction in 1923, violates a provision of the California Constitution requiring reasonable water use. But a state appeals court in Fresno ruled in July that Congress had overridden state laws when it authorized construction of the dam and reservoir.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Andrea Mora https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Andrea Mora2018-10-17 10:09:352018-10-18 10:11:44State High Court Rejects Berkeley Group's Suit to Drain Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
October 17, 2018 /in Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Andrea Mora /Water News Network
Every garden has areas where plants flourish, and other areas where plants struggle. Structures, walls, fences and other plants can affect the amount of sun and shade in a garden. Every garden is completely different, even if it is located in the same general climate zone. There may be hills and hollows in your front yard that collect cold air. Or, if your property is sloped, you may not get frost when your neighbors do. The first step to a new or renovated landscape is walking around your property during the day and observing it closely.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Andrea Mora https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Andrea Mora2018-10-17 10:06:372018-12-05 10:02:59Map Your Microclimates
Fire Danger To Persist Into Midweek In Southern California
October 17, 2018 /in Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Ed Joyce /AccuWeatherby Faith Eherts
While the peak wind speeds are in the past with the season's first Santa Ana wind event, gusty winds and a heightened fire threat will persist into Wednesday across Southern California. Santa Ana winds are dry, gusty winds that blow towards the shore from inland desert regions, typically across Southern California during the autumn months. While travel disruptions, flight delays and the risk of property damage and power outages will diminish on Wednesday, the dry air and a breeze will continue to cause some problems.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Ed Joyce https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Ed Joyce2018-10-17 09:58:452018-10-18 10:17:40Fire Danger To Persist Into Midweek In Southern California
300th Nutria Captured, Creature Now Breeding In Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
October 17, 2018 /in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Ed Joyce /Fox26 (Houston)by Liz Gonzalez
An invasive, rat-like creature shows no sign of slowing down. Biologists with California's Department of Fish and Wildlife say they've now captured the 300th Nutria. They made the discovery Friday in Merced County. "It's no cause for celebration," said Peter Tira, Public Information Officer for the California Department Fish and Wildlife. The discovery comes as biologists have now discovered a breeding population for the Nutria in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. At least 11 young females and males have been found in and around the community of Lathrop.
https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png 0 0 Ed Joyce https://www.waternewsnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/water-news-network.png Ed Joyce2018-10-17 07:16:312018-10-18 10:18:53300th Nutria Captured, Creature Now Breeding In Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta


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Bowers Museum Provides Hunger Relief, Virtual Online Programming
THE BOWERS MUSEUM recently took a part in pandemic relief efforts by donating free meals, groceries and art kits to the community.
BY LAURIE HANSON • December 19, 2020
For the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana the powers of art provide healing and solace even in these trying times.
Though the museum is closed for now, they have creatively implemented hunger relief and gone virtual online to serve others during the pandemic. Their efforts include having provided 23,193 meals to frontline medical and emergency personnel, low-income children, families, seniors and the homeless. Additionally, they also provided 1,148 bags of groceries and 1,527 art kits to low-income children and seniors. In 2021, the museum plans to offer free groceries to their low-income afterschool families from Santa Ana.
"These efforts are important to us for many reasons, including supporting our community," said V.P. of Programs and Collections Victoria Gerard, who started as a volunteer with the Bowers Museum 10 years ago. "2020 has been challenging for everyone, the Bowers Museum included."
During the first stay-at-home orders in March, the museum immediately launched "Bowers at Home," with an online platform including weekly multi-lingual art lessons and instructional videos for children and/or families, free lectures, art projects for seniors, and virtual exhibitions.
"The vision for this portal was to provide free programming that could spark joy and combat isolation during such uncertain times," Gerard said. She believes art, culture and history are crucial parts of one's life. Through this, she values the preservation of the past while desiring to make it relevant to current situations. It is with this and more that Gerard believes in her work.
"Art can heal, and history can inspire," she explained. "Culture places you within a larger human story. Now more than ever, I think museums have a role to play in fostering togetherness and creative thinking."
In addition to "Bowers at Home," the museum now offers a virtual program schedule featuring fun and compelling information about their collections, exhibitions, greater overall community, and mission. Three virtual tours led by their Docent Guild members are offered every week with themes rotating bimonthly.
"I am so proud of how our Bowers team adapted to the trying circumstances of 2020," Gerard said. "While transitioning to virtual platforms is new and can present challenges, it has also had many positive side effects."
Among the effects are how the museum can share content with people outside of Southern California and into the greater world. It is Gerard's hope they can continue leveraging their technology to increase greater access to the museum in the future.
Though the museum has been closed now for 9 months and counting due to COVID-19, they look at this year with pride while having hope for the next one. They recently received awards for Best Museum in Orange County by both the Los Angeles Times and Orange County Register.
They also received one of the highest national recognition awards after a rigorous review and inspection by the American Alliance of Museums. It is given only to the top 3 percent of all museums in the country.
"The Bowers is humbled and grateful by the outpouring of support that has allowed the museum to adapt and continue to serve the community, despite what sometimes seemed insurmountable obstacles," Gerard said.
The Bowers Museum first opened its doors in 1936, located on the homestead of founders Charles and Ada Bowers. They bequeathed the land to the City of Santa Ana so that a museum could be established within Orange County. Since that time, the museum has grown and preserves local history in its effort to bring Orange County to the world. Their mission is to enrich lives through the world's finest arts and cultures via their exhibitions, collections, and programming, according to Gerard.
As part of that commitment, they are now offering a free monthly virtual family festival streamed live on Facebook. It includes entertainment, art projects and a recipe. Also, two featured exhibitions are available for viewing in addition to their permanent galleries. The exhibitions are Inside the Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Preserving the Magic and
Treasures in Gold & Jade: Masterworks from Taiwan. Both have digital online guides available in English, Spanish and Mandarin.
Furthermore, in their support of education, the Bowers offers virtual school tours for classes and small educational groups, with scholarship funding available. By the end of the week, they will have five digital educator resource guides freely accessible on their website with three more guides to be released in the coming month, according to Gerard.
With the Bowers at Home portal serving as a "one-stop webpage," the museum offers easily accessible links to all their free online programming. There the public will find videos and audios of past lecturers, exhibitions on YouTube, and art lessons from Kidseum. Also offered are a variety of ticketed programs featuring premier virtual lecturers, artist talks, panel discussions and gallery tours. Arrangements for art kits pickups can also be made.
Coming up in 2021 is the museum's First Annual Chocolate Week from Jan. 26 to Jan. 31. It is kicked off with daily virtual programs and culminates with a chocolate-themed virtual family festival. Hosted in partnership with 'LA's Chocolate Guru,' Dr. Lee Theisen, it features premiere chocolate-makers from around the world.
Going on now through mid-February is the Walt Disney Archives: 50 Years of Preserving the Magic, extended for a second time and now running through Feb. 28. Also coming next year is Treasures in Gold & Jade running through May 30 in the Bowers' East West Bank Gallery. It features sculptures from two of Taiwan's premier artists, Wu Ching and Huang Fu-shou. Gerard said the most effective way to help is by giving a donation of any amount. Currently, their Board of Governors are matching all gifts up to $50,000. "We're encouraging our supporters to donate before Dec. 31, 2020 to help the Bowers raise an unprecedented $100,000 for our end of year appeal, and ensure a stable 2021 for the museum," she said. For more information on how to give, please visit their website at www.bowers.org.


Panoro Energy ASA (the "Company" or "Panoro" with OSE ticker: "PEN") has provided an operational update on recent progress on its Dussafu asset, offshore Gabon.
An updated, detailed presentation has been posted on its website. The presentation is now available at www.panoroenergy.com.
Furthermore, the amended Field Development Plan ("FDP") for the Tortue oil field, part of the Dussafu asset, has been approved by the Gabonese regulator, the Direction Général de Hydrocarbures (DGH).
In addition, the Borre Novre drilling rig has recently arrived in Gabon, with the drilling operations to commence in Q1 2018.
John Hamilton CEO of Panoro, said "To complement our updated independent reserve review, we are pleased to report operational progresses at Dussafu. The amended FDP is a very important milestone for Panoro, and with drilling operations expected to start shortly, we remain on track to start producing at Dussafu during 2H 2018".


With trillions of dollars worth of business being traded every day in the financial markets, there can be no doubt that both the financial system and global businesses rely on the efficient operation of our major exchanges... they are truly mission-critical to the economy in every sense.
Undertaking to replace such an important system can never be taken lightly. Indeed, one of the world's main exchanges had been enhancing and maintaining their system for about 20 years. Although they had known for some time that it needed replacing, the cost and risk of a rewrite in a low-level language such as C++ or Java had always been prohibitive. And high-level languages could not provide the necessary performance or scalability. Eventually, however, driven by the need to replace obsolete underlying hardware and software, combined with the need to overcome important scaling and flexibility constraints, the exchange decided it was time to reimplement their trade-management system using new technology.
Many POCs have clear-cut goals, such as: "We must get modules A, B, and C implemented in no more than 3 weeks; the system has to process X gigabytes per hour with turnaround for individual messages of no more than 80 milliseconds; it has to run on less than 10 CPUs; and it has to meet all operability and robustness requirements." The POC with the exchange had all of these and one additional, critical one: the existing development team, steeped in traditional programming languages, had to want to switch to Ab Initio®.
The joint Ab Initio/exchange team developed and implemented a number of new ideas and approaches during the POC. They figured out the sizing of the hardware platforms needed to meet the response and latency times. While a number of server configurations were tested, the efficiency of the Ab Initio infrastructure meant that, in the end, only 3 cores of a modern Linux blade were needed to handle a critical part of this international market infrastructure. One can imagine the faces at the exchange when they learned that a small server was sufficient to run it!
The joint customer/Ab Initio team built an architecture that could support all the flexibility needed to handle changing market circumstances: new exchange products, different regulatory frameworks, and other industry-wide initiatives. Toward this end, a modular service-based architecture using Ab Initio's publish/subscribe capabilities was adopted. This not only allowed the application to be decomposed in a logical manner, but also created a resilient architecture with processing distributed across multiple servers. As one would hope, all aspects of the system were designed to ensure transactional integrity, and specific effort went into ensuring that the application provides the real-time performance required of a modern exchange.
All the numerical and architectural requirements of the POC were met in a matter of just a month. The toughest requirement, getting the exchange team on board with Ab Initio, became the easiest to meet: the development team leader declared that he would be ten times more productive in Ab Initio than in a standard third-generation language; and he had the backing of his team, based on their own first-hand experience.
With the POC finished, the key business owners agreed upon an internal project plan, including schedules and costs. The development team provided conservative estimates for the development and test activities – at least 40% faster with Ab Initio for the whole effort – to make sure they would be successful and leave room for the unforeseen. They were secretly salivating at the prospect of getting the project done even faster and under budget, and being hailed as heroes.
The system went live in 2010 and is now being deployed to further exchanges around the world. And best of all, the business owners have a new relationship with their IT development team. They can count on systems being done faster than they could have hoped for previously, and these systems have a degree of robustness and flexibility that will allow the business to grow without impediments.


What a fun and interesting evening last night. We held a great CPD twilight session at the Dana Centre in South Kensington, where the 4th Floor is home to the RCA. Holly May Mahoney and Niall Morahan took us through some fascinating aspects of their PROJECT 42 (http://www.proj42.com/#welcome1) in which they try to encourage "fearless learning".
Lots of lively discussions, and super tasks – opening food packaging with restricted sight and movement and building laughing houses – made for an entertaining and informative session with all our teachers taking something new back to the classroom.


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POSCO revises up sales target after Q1 profit rises to 10-year high
POSCO raises sales target after Q1 profit hits 10-year high
Kyung-Min Kang and Sung-Mi Shim
Apr 26, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
POSCO's lithium reserves in Argentina soar to $31 bn
Hyundai Motor, POSCO steelmaking tie-up to develop hydrogen tech
Hyundai Motor, POSCO tie up in hydrogen projects
Hot-rolled steel plates produced by POSCO.
South Korea's largest steelmaker POSCO said on Monday it's raising this year's sales target by 17.5% after posting its highest quarterly profit in nearly a decade on strong demand amid China's move to cut steel production.
On a consolidated basis, which includes results of its affiliates such as POSCO International, POSCO Chemical and POSCO Energy, the steelmaking group's operating profit rose 120% to 1.55 trillion won in the first quarter from the year-earlier period, the company said in a regulatory filing.
The operating profit marks the largest amount since 1.7 trillion won in the second quarter of 2011.
First-quarter revenue increased 10.5% on year to 16.07 trillion won, it said.
"All of our business divisions, including steel, infrastructure and new growth, showed improved earnings, boosted by the growing COVID-19 vaccinations and economic boosting measures by governments around the globe," said Jeon Joong-seon, chief of POSCO's strategic planning division, during a conference call with analysts.
Buoyed by the stellar first-quarter performance, POSCO said it is raising its revenue target for this year to 32.8 trillion won from an earlier goal of 27.92 trillion won. It also raised the steel-product sales target to 35.4 million tons in 2021 from an earlier forecast of 35.3 million tons.
UPBEAT OUTLOOK
POSCO, the world's fifth-largest steelmaker by output, said steel demand is outpacing supply with the recovery of the global economy.
"Our contracts with local and foreign clients for product shipments are already over until the end of June," said Kim Young-joong, POSCO's marketing strategy chief. "There's a supply shortage particularly in Europe, boosting prices."
The price of hot-rolled steel plates is hitting fresh record highs almost every day, rising to $1,500 per ton recently, he said.
Hot-rolled steel plates, created by rolling out slabs produced from a casting system, are used as a basic material for steel products.
The hike came as POSCO and other steelmakers are raising prices of their key products amid strong demand for steel used in cars, ships and construction.
Steel demand from automakers and builders dried up throughout last year as many countries imposed lockdowns in efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic.
However, POSCO now expects a significant improvement in sales and profitability this year, helped by a rebound in the automobile industry and increased cross-border shipments.
CHINA'S OUTPUT CUT TO PROVIDE TAILWIND
Analysts said the steel price uptrend will persist this year as a supply shortage is expected to deepen on China's announced crude steel production cut as part of its carbon emission reduction efforts.
The Chinese government recently said seven of the 23 steel plants in Tangshan, an industrial prefecture-level city in the northeast of Hebei province, will cut their steel output by 50% in the first half and 30% in the second half.
Industry watchers said Chinese steelmakers that do not meet the quality standard set by the authorities are forced to cut their production under Beijing's drive to pursue a carbon-neutral policy.
Steel products made at POSCO's Gwangyang steel mill.
On Monday, POSCO Chemical also reported spectacular first-quarter results.
Operating profit in the January-March period more than doubled to an all-time high of 34.3 billion won on a consolidated basis.
Revenue increased 20.6% on year to a record 467.2 billion won.
Shares of POSCO finished up 2% at 362,500 won on Monday, outperforming the broader Kospi market's 1% gain. The stock has risen 33% so far this year.
Shares of other Korean steelmakers are performing well on the upbeat industry outlook.
Hyundai Steel Co., the country's No. 2 steelmaker, has gained 31% year to date, while Dongkuk Steel Mill has advanced 191% this year.
Write to Kyung-Min Kang and Sung-Mi Shim at Kkm1026@hankyung.com
Mar 04, 2021 (Gmt+09:00)
KDB mulls sale of HMM to POSCO
POSCO aims for top spot in EV battery materials market


The fees are listed on the first page of your contract, but you can also see them by clicking here.
The last thing we want to do is apply these fees. We would prefer the successful payments, but these fees represent the real cost to Sunshine Loans, so please make sure you have enough in your account for the direct debits.


Of all the daily horrors inflicted on New York City subway riders, there are few experiences more vexing than the "good service" trap. It begins with a glimmer of hope: You consult the MTA's website or app and are told that the trains are running without problems, which you believe, because who would even lie about something like that. But when you arrive at the station, your train is 15, 16, 20 minutes away, if it's coming at all. Betrayed, you stare into the pitch-black tunnel, once again questioning the MTA's empirical grasp of the world around us.
There are plenty of reasons for the "good service" trap, none of them reassuring. For one thing, the system's ancient technology means that the MTA literally doesn't know where most of its trains are at any given moment. It may also sometimes take a minute to update the website after major incidents (possibly due to the fact that they're using a web browser from 1995).
But there's another explanation for the frequent discrepancy between service promised and service reality, which is that the MTA's definition of "good" is wildly out of line with how the average human being experiences the concept of "good." The MTA basically admitted as much last week, in a tweet explaining that subway service is technically classified as "good" if a train arrives within five minutes of scheduled headways. Because the MTA's planned headways are all over the place outside of peak hours—from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.—a 13 minute wait for an F train at 8:30 p.m. is still considered "good service."
Reached for comment, MTA spokesperson Shams Tarek told Gothamist that planned headways shift throughout the day and differ for each line. Absent planned work or service disruptions, the longest scheduled interval between trains is 20 minutes, which is the case for most trains after midnight. So, under the MTA's rubric, waiting 25 minutes for a subway can still be considered "good service." This is either metaphysical subjectivism or gaslighting, depending on your philosophical leanings.
Pressed about whether the MTA has any plans to reevaluate their understanding of Good vs. Bad, as the tweet indicated, Tarek said he'd get back to us. In the meantime, next time you find yourself a victim of the "good service" trap, soothe yourself with the recent musings of the man in charge of the subway: "There is no clock ticking because there is no clock. We are nowhere."
TL;DR: " : Good Service = a train will almost possibly might show up at some point before Jesus comes back."
Kinda up for grabs since the Whisperers killed Jesus in the mid season finale.
Never attributed it to the quality of service.
The fact that the MTA is admitting the use of the term to basically be that of a mindfu*k, simply goes to show how far & rapid this agency is & has fallen.
I don't find this all that shocking. The idea that there's a threshold after which a delay is reported makes sense. Now, I think they shouldn't be tracking just en-route OTP (if you have 12 trains all 20 mins late after going through some QB flagging sans supplement, they're late, but they aren't gappy, though the fact that service is slow should be noted), but that, and the implied critique of off-peak headways are different subjects.
For one thing, the system's ancient technology means that the MTA literally doesn't know where most of its trains are at any given moment. It may also sometimes take a minute to update the website after major incidents (possibly due to the fact that they're using a web browser from 1995).
Knowing where all the trains are and having a computer track them would go a very long way towards providing good, actionable data for commuters. Set the parameters for good service and let the computer write the announcements and provide alternatives (taking the entire state of the system into account).


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