text:
Argument: Choose Your Own Adventure for Policy Wonks Choose Your Own Adventure for Policy Wonks...
An expert's point of view on a current event.
Choose Your Own Adventure for Policy Wonks
Gaming out a military strike on Iran.
By Mark Jacobson
GOH CHAI HIN/AFP/Getty Images
Early this month, former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates noted the folly of military action against Iran to prevent its nuclear ambitions. Speaking in Virginia, he said, "The results of an American or Israeli military strike on Iran could, in my view, prove catastrophic, haunting us for generations in that part of the world."
Yet many in Washington believe that military action is not only a potential option, but the desirable option. The Truman National Security Project has launched an online war game called Tell Me How This Ends, which allows players to assume the role of a president who has committed to war with Iran. It demonstrates why Gates is right, why those who would argue for preemptive military action (at this time) are wrong, and why the current policies of Barack Obama's administration are navigating through an incredibly complex and dynamic landscape of political, military, and diplomatic situations.
The scenario is laid out upfront: You are the president, and you are at a decision point. U.S. intelligence has indicated that the Iranians have crossed the 20 percent enrichment "red line." In other words, you're in the region that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu displayed in his crude illustration of the pathway to an atomic bomb during the U.N. General Assembly meeting in September. The catch is, however, that there may yet still be time to dissuade the Iranians from weaponizing their assets. Indeed, in your advisors' view, it would still be months or years before the Iranians could build a weapon, and much longer before it could properly be mated with a delivery system such as a ballistic missile. The scenario does not -- for instructive purposes -- permit you to sit and wait. You must decide: Do you strike preemptively, or do you build a coalition before engaging in military action against Iran?
Yet many in Washington believe that military action is not only a potential option, but the desirable option. The Truman National Security Project has launched an online war game called Tell Me How This Ends, which allows players to assume the role of a president who has committed to war with Iran. It demonstrates why Gates is right, why those who would argue for preemptive military action (at this time) are wrong, and why the current policies of Barack Obama's administration are navigating through an incredibly complex and dynamic landscape of political, military, and diplomatic situations.
The scenario is laid out upfront: You are the president, and you are at a decision point. U.S. intelligence has indicated that the Iranians have crossed the 20 percent enrichment "red line." In other words, you're in the region that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu displayed in his crude illustration of the pathway to an atomic bomb during the U.N. General Assembly meeting in September. The catch is, however, that there may yet still be time to dissuade the Iranians from weaponizing their assets. Indeed, in your advisors' view, it would still be months or years before the Iranians could build a weapon, and much longer before it could properly be mated with a delivery system such as a ballistic missile. The scenario does not — for instructive purposes — permit you to sit and wait. You must decide: Do you strike preemptively, or do you build a coalition before engaging in military action against Iran?
What follows is a well-thought-out explanation of the political tensions and military realities of preemptive strikes, walking the deterrence tightrope, and executing a range of less aggressive to more aggressive responses and counter-responses. For example, at one point you are provided advice from your secretary of state reminding you of the importance of coalitions. Your national security advisor notes that a coalition probably won't really provide much military benefit, and your politically savvy chief of staff observes that you might not want to delay in order to build a coalition, as Americans may think you're putting "America's security to a vote at the U.N."
Being able to rewrite and replay history (on my iPad, no less), I played the scenario several times, each time selecting different options and pathways — a "Choose Your Own Adventure" for policy wonks, if you will.
I acted preemptively at times, cautiously at others, but in each I was faced with the challenge of escalating violence and a wider conflict. I found the Iranians reacting as they likely would in the real world and at times offering up a clumsy or unexpected response, reducing the effectiveness of my counters. As military theorist Carl von Clausewitz noted so adeptly, "In war more than anywhere else things do not turn out as we expect."
In other words, if there is one thing certain about war, it is uncertainty. Tell Me How This Ends reminds us that, even with the best understanding of an enemy's capabilities, intentions, and effectiveness, we may not know what is going on until events start to unfold. And, even if we guess right about its intentions, the enemy may come to seemingly illogical conclusions or be hampered by negligence, hastiness, disobedience, laziness, or pure exhaustion — the human factor in war.
In the several scenarios I played, I noted some important similarities. Despite various approaches, I could do little to prevent or counter Iranian attacks on commercial shipping and the subsequent spike of oil prices to $100 — and, in one less successful attempt, $200 — per barrel. Likewise, gas prices skyrocketed to $6 and $7 a gallon. This sort of economic shock would be devastating to a U.S. economy that has begun to recover after a horrible recession.
Of more importance, there was the inevitable loss of life associated with military action — the death of troops inevitable due to "hit-and-run" tactics by Iranian small boats against both commercial and coalition military vessels. Likewise, terrorist attacks, sponsored by the Iranians and perhaps Hezbollah surrogates, increased with each military move made by the United States. In some instances — even when I chose to de-escalate — these attacks were limited to Iraq, Israel, and the Persian Gulf region, but in others, the Iranians also increased the flow of advanced weaponry to insurgents in Afghanistan or supported terrorist actions against interests in Europe and the Americas. It was no surprise that the costs of this conflict with Iran began to skyrocket — from $2 billion to $9 billion per month, depending on the level of U.S. military intervention.
In the end, Tell Me How This Ends illustrates the operational difficulties of enforcing naval blockades, launching airstrikes, and solving technical problems associated with destroying deeply buried targets. It shows that even a well-planned, accurately targeted, and proficiently executed strike against a broad set of Iranian nuclear targets will only postpone — not halt — the regime's program and will likely have a significant set of malicious side effects. As Colin Kahl, a former Pentagon official for Middle East policy, has suggested, this is also the blind spot in current Israeli thinking about preemptive military action: It would "be nearly impossible to prevent Iran from rebuilding its program. Iran's nuclear infrastructure is much more advanced, dispersed and protected, and is less reliant on foreign supplies of key technology, than was the case with Iraq's program in 1981."
Gates's and Kahl's warnings provide the intellectual framework for the answers that Tell Me How This Ends provides: The only true military solution requires massive intervention. Lesser options would merely postpone Iran's nascent nuclear program. If war broke out in the real world, this option would result in thousands of U.S. troops (and perhaps coalition forces) killed and perhaps a wider war — which is not in the interests of the United States, Israel, or the tens of thousands of people who would likely be killed in such a conflagration. While Iran cannot be permitted to develop a nuclear weapon, the United States must make some very deliberate choices and exhaust a range of diplomatic and intelligence options before undertaking what will — despite its best efforts — become a very costly war with Iran.
Mark Jacobson is a senior advisor to the Truman National Security Project and a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. From 2009 to 2011 he served in Afghanistan as the NATO deputy senior civilian representative.
Tags: Economics, Iran, Middle East and North Africa, Military, National Security Agency
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"Pawtuxet, R.I. Casino, Rhodes on the Pawtuxet." by Hugh C. Leighton Co., Maunfacturers, Portland, ME.
Pawtuxet, R.I. Casino, Rhodes on the Pawtuxet.
Hugh C. Leighton Co., Maunfacturers, Portland, ME.
Used. No postmark, but handwritten date: May 13, 1912.
Hugh C. Leighton Co., Maunfacturers, Portland, ME., "Pawtuxet, R.I. Casino, Rhodes on the Pawtuxet." (1912). Rhode Island Postcards. 298.


text:
Q: Getting current URL from NodeJS's REQUEST module I'm using nodeJS and the request module. I'm trying to scrape data from a web page, but my data comes from an API which only gives me link-tracking urls.
For instance, this link:
http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-7227532-11292048?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.urbanoutfitters.com%2Furban%2Fcatalog%2Fproductdetail.jsp%3Fid%3D27074590

Actually leads here:
http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=27074590&cm_mmc=CJ-_-Affiliates-_-Threadfinder-_-11292048

I'm aware that most of the link is embedded in the original URL, but this isn't always the case, so please ignore it / don't post answers which suggest regex'ing my way out of this!
Using Request, how can I grab the page's URL (that is, the second link that the first redirects to) and store it as a variable?

A: This should do it:
request(url, function(err, res, body){
    // get final redirect url
    if(this.redirects.length){
        var destUrl = this.redirects[this.redirects.length-1].redirectUri;
        console.log(destUrl);
    }
});

A: Checkout the line #77 of request.js:
It provides a internal array in response object named redirects:
var request = require('request');
var url = "http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-7227532-11292048?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.urbanoutfitters.com%2Furban%2Fcatalog%2Fproductdetail.jsp%3Fid%3D27074590";

request(url, function (error, response, body) {
  if (!error && response.statusCode == 200) {
    console.log("%j", response['request']['redirects'])
  }
})

Then you can find JSON representation of an array with redirect history including status code and redirect URL. (I found there're 3 redirects out of the URL you've provided)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
A Brief Introduction to Islam
By Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Ridha' Musawi Golpaygani (R. A.).
Risalah (Epistle) Concise Commandments of Islam. Translated by Mokhtasarol Ahkam. Published by Dar al-Quran al-Karim, 1992. Information taken from pages 1 to 3.
This article discusses briefly the essential nature of Islam and its comprehensiveness.
Note: the word Allah has been replaced with the word God to facilitate comprehension.
According to the everyday language and European culture of today, religion consists of a collection of views and teachings which discusses the relationship between God and man and how this relationship was established. In almost all European languages, the word 'religion' has a similar meaning and is derived from the Latin root ligare which means 'to bind'. Therefore, the word 'religion' means 'to bind again'.
What is important here is that unity must be brought between two entities which have become detached and far removed from each other, that is, between God and man, because based on a fundamental Christian belief, Adam was expelled from Paradise for having committed sin and thus became separated and removed from Allah. His happiness and salvation could only be found in reunion with Allah.
Therefore, the only mission of religion is to re-establish this relationship of unity. As a result, the understanding of Europeans of modern culture and the human sciences of religion has been founded and developed on such a basis and has also been deeply affected by it. This concept is precisely the opposite of the religious concept of Islam upheld by Muslims throughout history.
To introduce this faith, the word 'Islam', which is the special name of the religion and means 'submission' and 'obedience', has been used in the Quran and Islamic texts. It can be observed that Islam has a fundamental difference with other religions, especially with Christianity, in that all new human sciences have been affected by its precepts, even with regard to the ideals and the mission of religion.
As a result, it is natural that the foundations, content and nature of Islam be very different. What is propounded in Christianity at the present time is re-establishing ties with Allah, which should necessarily be done through Jesus Christ. While in Islam the question is obedience and submission to a great, and at the same time, practical belief system.
A Muslim must not only accept the articles of faith, but must also obey all the rules concerning the acts of worship and non-worship in Islam exactly the way they are recommended, because the source of true salvation is faith along with practice; sincere and practical belief, whether in regard to worship, conduct or laws and regulations.
Islam is the last Divine Religion and as such, must rationally and practically be the most comprehensive and complete religion. There is no religion as comprehensive as Islam. It has answers to all the various questions that man encounters, directly or indirectly, from the first moments of life, rather, from the moment of conception.
Yet this is only one side of Islam. It is not just a system for individuals; rather, it is a social religion with the ultimate objective of governing all dimensions of society. It not only wishes to subjugate the individual but also wishes to rule over and subjugate society as well.
In the common interpretation, it is belief and Divine Law, religion and government, religion and politics - politics in its most comprehensive and profound sense. It is politics in the sense that it deals with all social, economic, cultural and ethical questions of life.
Get PDF Get EPUB Get MOBI
Sayyid Muhammad Ridha Musawi Golpaygani

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
13 migrating women drown, 8 children missing during sea rescue operation
Tags: Lampedusa, catastrophe drowning, immigrants, rescue
A boat arrives in Lampedusa, Sicily, with refugees rescued off the coast of Libya. Photograph: Elio Desiderio/EPA. Click on the photo to read the full article in The Guardian.
Lampedusa in the immigration news again now that ships are again allowed to land immigrants. This is from The Guardian:
At least 13 women have died and eight children are missing after a boat capsized in rough seas off the Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday night as a patrol vessel attempted to save it.
Italian authorities have rescued 22 survivors from the boat, which was carrying about 50 people. Only four of the 13 recovered bodies have been identified by surviving family members, including that of a 12-year-old girl.
According to an initial reconstruction of events, all the people onboard moved to one end of the vessel as the rescue boat arrived, causing it to overturn. The boat, carrying mostly people from sub-Saharan Africa, had initially left Libya before sailing along the coast to reach the city of Sfax, in Tunisia, where another 15 people boarded before they continued their journey to Sicily, according to survivors.
Fuocoammare (Fire at Sea) trailer
Tags: winner, golden bear, Berlin Film festival, documentary, Gianfranco Rosi, Lampedusa, immigrants
For more info about the prizewinning film, the first time a full-length feature documentary has won top honors in Berlin, please cut and paste into your address line:
http://www.dw.com/en/berlinale-golden-bear-for-italian-refugee-documentary-fuocoammare/a-19063227
Lampedusa's Palermo home renovated, now apartments
Tags: Lampedusa, house, Home, apartment, Palermo, sicily, author, landmark, renovation, nice!
Italy's greatest 20th-century writer Giuseppe Lampedusa's house in Palermo is once again a home, for six families. It has been made into apartments. Here is a video report from La Repubblica:
402 immigrants arrived Lampedusa yesterday
Tags: immigrants, Syria, sicily, Lampedusa, safe, Europe, strait of sicily, women, Children
402 immigrants landed at Lampedusa, many of them Syrian families, and women and children
Last night 402 immigrants arrived at Lampedusa, a Sicilian island, the part of Europe closest to north Africa, aboard a the Coast Guard boat which rescued them. They were Somalis, Eritreans, and Syrians.
118 saved from rubber raft off Libyan coast
Tags: rescue, Italian Coast Guard, Africa, immigrants, rubber dinghy, rubber raft, 120 migrants, saved, mediterranean, Lampedusa
rescue off the Libyan coast
118 migrants were rescued from the rubber dinghy by the Doctors Without Borders ship Dignity at 38 nautical miles off the coast of Libya.
New York Times photo essay
Tags: Libya, detention, migrants, Lampedusa, horrors
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/28/world/africa/libya-migrants-mediterranean.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news#
1500 immigrants saved at sea in one day
Tags: immigrants, sicily, saved, Italy, Lampedusa, Porto Empedocle, boats, mediterranean, rescue
Five boatloads of immigrants saved off the Libyan coast by Italian military ships sent to get them.
Five overloaded, unseaworthy ex-fishing boats loaded with would-be immigrants were saved from danger near the Libyan shores . The Italian Navy had received a distress call via satellite phone warning that three boats were in need of rescue. The ships sent found five boats full of people and rescued all of them, taking them to Lampedusa and Porto Empedocle in Sicily. Read More
The Sicily of The Leopard
Tags: Leopard, gattopardo, documentary, YouTube, sicily, Lampedusa, literature
A 38-minute black and white documentary in Italian from 1960, about Sicily.
Mar 10, 2015 10:36 AM EDT
our family loved the documentary, my wife's grandmother was married in the church in Palma depicted in the film
- bill carroll
"It is a delirium," says mayor of Lampedusa
Tags: refugees, immigrants, boats, mediterranean, graveyard, emergency, influx, people, shipwreck, rescue, death, drowning, rubber boats, Lampedusa, Agrigentino
A night arrival of refugees on Sicilian shores
Two hundred arrivals at Pozzallo yesterday. Another 642 expected to land at Porto Empedocle today. The immigration center at the island of Lampedusa, which had been closed down because of the worst conditions, de-staffed and opened only for emergencies is now back in use, run by a non-profit. They have 250 beds but 1,215 people to house Read More


text:
Home News Wallan sit steady
Wallan sit steady
Chris Vecchie bowls for Wallan.
By Evelyn Leckie
TOUGH conditions and cold weather didn't put Wallan off Saturday's first day of a two-day match in the Gisborne and District Cricket Association's Johnstone Shield match.
The home side bowled Gisborne out for 149.
Gisborne's captain Jason McDonald won the toss and chose to bat, where Steven Docherty top scored with 70 runs.
Wallan's Steven Bell bowled out Docherty – one of his four wickets for the day. Bell finished with 4/17.
Wallan coach Chris Vecchie said he was pleased with the team's bowling efforts.
"We had tough conditions, ground fielding and catching was good despite it being slippery and wet," he said.
"I'm pretty pleased with how our team bowled, in particular Stevie Bell – he was the pick of the bowlers – he didn't give the batsman anything and we were rewarded with the figures.
"The boys did a good job to end up with no wicket down at the end of the day.
"Our main focus is getting there next week and getting the runs."
Wallan made a start in its batting innnings, with Brad Regan making 29 and Spencer Whittingham, 17.
The Magpies finished 0/47 after 14 overs, and will continue its innings at home this Saturday, on a special weekend for the club, who celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Wallan sit on top of the ladder, ahead of East Sunbury, Gisborne and Bacchus Marsh.
Children First spread Christmas cheer
Vehicle rebirthing leads to arrests
Mernda's train test


text:
Gary K. Thomas
Composer/Orchestrator/Arranger
Alone In A Crowd
Banana Sorbet
It's Around Here...Somewhere
It's Time For Bed
It's Time For Bed - Theme & Variations
The Cat and Mouse Tango
The Cat and Mouse Tango for Two Pianos
The Crafty Cricket
The Duck On The Icy Pond
The Jazzy Cuckoo
The Playful Parrot
White Sands, Blue Seas
Gary has been working as a Composer/Orchestrator/Arranger in
Los Angeles for over 25 years.
During that time, he has worked in many different capacities and on a wide variety of projects for both stage and screen, including some of the most successful films in history, such as "Avatar" and "The Bourne Ultimatum".
Coming from an eclectic musical background, Gary always seeks to bring this versatility to his compositions and arrangements and is at home with a variety of styles.
Currently, Gary is orchestrating on the hit TV Animated Series' "Star Trek: Lower Decks", whose newly released soundtrack shot straight to #1 on iTunes, as well as "Solar Opposites".
In addition, five of Gary's compositions have recently been selected by the Royal Conservatory of Music for the Piano Edition of their Celebration Series being published in '22.
Other new works include a Piano Sonata and a Theme and Variations for Solo Piano.
© 2021 by Gary K. Thomas. All Rights Reserved.


Discussion in 'Baby Club' started by KX, Aug 13, 2007.
Well madam has suffered severe constipation since I transferred her from breast milk to formula at 6 weeks old-may be a coincidence tho.
Anyway the Dr prescribed suppositries from the age of 3 months and she has been on them since-not healthy if u ask me.
She doesnt poo unless u insert a suppositry, and she screams in agony when passing a stool-if u can call it that as its usually 5 little rabbit pellet balls.
I give her the suppositries 3 times a week so she only poo's 3 times a week. We tried everything, she eats lots of fruit and veg, prune juice, tropicana, drinks lots of water but to no avail.
Anyway lately she has been passing pellets with about 3 tablespoons of blood in her nappy. No signs of of haemorroids. The nursery have also had blood stained nappies. She screams sore sore when she poo's. so we eventually managed to get an appointment with our own GP.
He is referring her to a paedo as he is 99% sure she has a tear in her bowl and will need an op to rectify it.
It is very common-her daddy had the same thing at 2 years old!
The Dr said the problem is hereditory and is more common in girls.
I feel sad to be honest at the thought of her going under an anaesthetic so young, but I know there are children who are in a worse predicament than her.
So the Dr said she should be sorted with an appt and op by the end of Oct. I will have a new born then! ahhh.
It just pisses me off no end that I have continuously raised this throughout her life but was told that 1:when she went onto solids it would sort itself out-it didnt 2: when she became mobile and running about it would subside, it hasn't.
Its a shame she has had to endure such pain passing stools for so long.
In the mean time we have to keep giving her suppositries and lactulose.
BIG hugs to rebecca ... if you need anything hun let me know its not a nice thing to happen to anyone let alone a little girl!
Im sure she will be a big brave girl, can you get your mum up or something? to help you out with the new baby so you can spend the time with rebecca?
Thomas was passing pellets and screaming in pain but it turns out it was the SMA Gold, changed him to C&G and he's been great.
oh hunni! bless your little princess!!!
dRS HERE WONT GIVE suppositries said they wont give them to babies!
Oh no, the poor thing! I hope that the op gets things sorted.
really feel for you hun, Charlie was constipated for years, bt for diffrent reasons.
She wouldnt go for 2 weeks at a time then would have to go in hospital for a clear out, she was on 4 types of medication, movicol, fibre gel, sena and lacotouce (sp?) and it still didnt budge, she got very good at holding on to it.
My health vistor told me she could have disabilty aloowence, so i claimed for her and got the middle rate, plus then i got carers allownce on top.
Shes grown out of it now thank god, but to watch her in pain was truly horrible so i can sympathise in what your going through.
Aww poor little thing .. hope the op sorts it out for her.
aww hun hugs! poor rebecca! Its horrible when they are constipated to see them in pain I really hope this op will be the end of her pain, then it will be all worth it! Just a shame it took them so long to realise!!!!


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Remember the Archer family? They were one our three 2017 Gift of Beautiful Trees recipients, and we recently cut their split maple tree down that was heavily damaged in last June's tornadoes. (You can read more about their story here). Not long after we removed that tree, Cub Scout Troop 1885 was looking for an opportunity to plant a tree for a service project and they heard about the Archers through our Gift of Beautiful Trees charity program. The perfect match!
With summer fast approaching, we needed to beat the heat and get the tree in ground soon. On May 8th, Troop 1885 met at the Archer's house, ready to dig! Okay, maybe Jeff did most of the digging. But we had plenty of helpers to move soil back into the hole and to water it in!
"What should I plant?" It's a complicated question, as every landscape is unique, and every homeowner has different expectations for what their ideal tree would offer. Should it be tall or wide? "Tidy" and easy to maintain? Flowering or fruiting? Should it offer sparse or dense shade? Is it purely for beauty as a landscape accent or does it have a job, like shading a driveway or home?
Thankfully, the Nebraska Forest Service has published an awesome list of suggested trees for 2016. The trees from that list are shown below, along with their seeds/fruit, foliage and fall color. Click the tree name for more information!
This list is not all-inclusive, of course, but it does provide great trees that are proven to thrive in our region and that are readily available. We work with select local nurseries that provide quality stock. Call us if you're interested in planting any of these species!
Mulch - but not too much!
Mulch is a useful tool that benefits and beautifies your landscape in many ways, but you need to make sure you're installing it correctly in order for plants to reap those benefits instead of suffer. Unfortunately, many landscaping companies install "mulch volcanos," and we see so many instances of these around town that it's practically burned into our minds as the correct way to do it! WRONG! Some might find these volcanos to be visually appealing, but boy do they make us arborists cringe!
Reduces root competition between trees, weeds and grass.
Reduces soil compaction from foot traffic.
Keeps weed whackers and lawn mowers away from the trunk and surface roots.
It looks nice. Unless you do it wrong. Mulch volcanos: Ugly. Mulch volcanos: BAD!
Keep mulch away from the trunk. Bark that is constantly damp is an invitation for disease, fungus and insects.
Keep it shallow. No more than 2-3", please!
Expose the root collar. Make sure the flare is visible at the bottom of the tree. Surface roots can actually grow upward, girdling the trunk and strangling the tree. Yes! STRANGLING!
Take it out the drip line (if you can). While this may not be feasible for all landscapes, it's most beneficial for the tree. As a bonus, you don't have to mow under the tree, exposing surface roots to lawn mower damage. It can be a real struggle to grow grass under a tree, anyway! Give up and install mulch!
In the second part of our tree planting blog series, we're tapping into the knowledge and wisdom of horticulturist and owner of Great Plains Nursery, Heather Byers. Great Plains Nursery, located in Weston, NE, focuses on growing high quality plants that are native or especially suited to our climate. They start their trees from locally-collected seeds and grow them with love! Here are three things Heather advises you to look for when shopping for a tree.
When choosing a new tree to add to your landscape there are lots of things to look for. Here are a few tips when purchasing a quality tree.
1. First of all… start at a LOCAL nursery or garden center.
If you can buy toilet paper and screws there, it's not the best place to find quality trees.
The root ball should be free of circling roots and contain lots of small, fibrous roots – a tree grown in the Rootmaker® containers and RootTrapper® bags are our highly preferred choice.
Check for stem girdling roots around the trunk – these are bad.
The root collar or flare should be right at the soil level. If it looks like a telephone pole then it's planted too deep and this can cause problems down the road.
Don't hesitate to dig around in the tree a bit before buying it – this is going to be your tree, so get to know it before you make the purchase.
Shade trees should have one relatively straight central leader.
Main branches should be well distributed along the central leader, not clustered together.
Temporary branches particularly on trees 1 inch caliper or less should be present along the lower trunk below the lowest main branch – in other words, it shouldn't be "limbed up" just yet.
The trunk should be free of wounds, sunburned areas, cracks, signs of boring insects, cankers or lesions. Properly made pruning cuts are acceptable.
The trunk caliper (thickness) and taper should be sufficient so that the tree remains vertical without a stake.
By following these basic guidelines you'll be enjoying your new trees for years to come.
Time to Plant: Part 1 - Pick the "Right Tree for the Right Place!"
Welcome, March! Spring is finally near, which means it's a good time to think about tree planting. This blog post is Part 1 of a series of 3 posts that will help guide you in planting a new tree this year! NOW is the time to start researching!
We recently had the pleasure of assisting a customer select a replacement tree after we removed one from their front yard. There were many factors we and the customer had to take consider before ultimately selecting a Ginkgo Biloba tree.
How did we decide on this tree? They were looking for a tree to plant near their driveway for shade, and a tree that would offer privacy for the house. The tree would have a somewhat limited canopy space later in its life because of other nearby mature trees and a power line. Ginkgos are heat tolerant, work well as street trees and are good for somewhat confined spaces. Lastly, the customer also loved the aesthetics of this tree and its gorgeous yellow fall color. Ginkgos are a great choice for southeastern Nebraska!
Many times, deciding on which tree to plant is more complicated than, "Hey - that one's pretty!" There are a number of factors that should be considered to responsibly select the "right tree for the right place."
Aesthetics - Use trees to create depth and visual appeal. Are you looking to add color? Height? Texture? Trees can really help frame a space and add a background to an empty lot. The US Forest Service suggests not placing a tree where it will split your lot or view into two equal halves.
Sun ray angles change throughout the seasons.
Privacy & Wind-breaking - Consider a low-branching conifer for hiding unsightly areas. Using a combination of densely planted conifer and deciduous trees provides the best protection from wind, dust, noise, light or nosy neighbors.
Creating Boundaries - If you simply need to define the boundaries of your property, a small narrow-crowned tree will do the trick.
This is often the most overlooked factor when selecting a new tree. You'll need to envision the planting site in 5, 10 or 20 years to consider the tree's mature height, canopy spread and root space. Sure, you can prune the tree as it grows to keep it properly elevated over sidewalks, driveways or your home, but it's best to select the right tree from the get-go so you won't need to rely on pruning in the future. But hey - when you need that pruning, give us a call, won't you?
At the nursery, those young canopies all look the same! Ask for assistance or do your research so you know what canopy shape you'll be dealing with when the tree matures. To the right, the US Forest Service illustrates common canopy shapes.
Trees mature into a variety of canopy shapes.
Typical root spread of a mature tree.
We cannot stress enough the importance of selecting a tree that is genetically inclined to thrive in our climate!
Soil & Drainage - Is your soil sandy, clay-y (is that a word? I'm using it...) or a combination of both? Sandy soils will require more water, and clay-y soils will require less water (no more often than every 7 days in the summer). An easy method to determine the drainage of a site is to dig a 12x12x12 hole in the planting site. Fill the hole with water. If the water drains in fewer than three hours, the drainage is excellent, and plants suited for dry locations will perform well. However, this method should be done only when the soil is already moist or the test will yield false results.
Also consider that high traffic areas generally yield compacted soil, which means poorer drainage.
Lastly, each tree species has a tolerance range related to acidity and alkalinity. If you're unsure of your soil pH, you can have a simple and affordable soil test performed by Midwest Laboratories here in Omaha.
Pests & Diseases - Research common pests and diseases for the trees you've got your eye on, and consider their long term care requirements and the costs and effects of repeated pest or disease treatments. You might consider a disease-resistant variety, like the Valley Forge Elm which is resistant to Dutch Elm Disease (vs. American Elm). Some trees are naturally resistant to most pests, like Ginkgo, Bur Oak and Goldenrain Tree.
A Bur Oak will drop large acorns, so you may not want to plant over your driveway or street.
Crabapples, female Ginkgos and Walnuts produce messy fruit that you may not want to scrape off your sidewalk or driveway (or the bottoms of your shoes!) These trees may be better to plant over a grassy or mulched area.
Lindens, tulip trees and maples produce samaras (Helicopters? Whirly-gigs?) that may clog gutters.
Kentucky Coffee Trees and Catalpas produce large seed pods that you may need to rake up periodically if you prefer a clean and tidy lawn.
Whew! That's a lot to consider!
So it's time to do some research. Please feel free to reach out to us if you need some suggestions or insight from a Certified Arborist!
Our friends at the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum composed a nice list of the best (and worst) trees to plant in Nebraska and we thought we'd make a nice visual to go along with it!
Click here to read more about why or why not to plant these trees!


text:
Q: FxCop folder missing What is the issue?
I am trying to install FxCop 10. To install that, Microsoft Windows SDK 7.1 is required. I installed the SDK. Now, to install FxCop, I have to run FxCopSetup.exe, which is supposed to be located in the folder %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.1\Bin\FxCop. But, that folder is missing.
What I did to try to fix it?
I searched the web to fix the issue, and I tried a couple of workarounds that were suggested in a few discussions including (1) not doing a full installation of the SDK and (2) uninstall SDK, reboot, re-install SDK and reboot.
Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Btw, I'm running Windows 7 (if that's relevant).

A: In my SDK install, there is an FXCop folder: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\FXCop. Is there an FxCop folder somewhere in you SDK install? Apparently it's been moved...
Alternately, I have the FxCop installer on my Dropbox: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1311259/FxCopSetup-10.0.exe

A: It's in Program Files, not Program Files(x86).  I realized this when running a repair on the windows sdk when I couldn't find the folder, and seeing where it was copying files.

A: It worked for me when I only selected the "Tools" option to install.


text:
Home › Sport › Football › Premier League
Manchester United midfielder Mata signs new two-year deal
The 31-year-old Spaniard, who moved to Old Trafford from Chelsea in 2014, was scheduled to be out of contract at the end of this month.
Juan Mata joined United from Chelsea in 2014 (Adam Davy/PA)
Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has signed a new two-year contract, the Premier League club have announced.
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/manchester-united-midfielder-mata-signs-new-twoyear-deal-38235113.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/article38235110.ece/72470/AUTOCROP/h342/bpanews_3c407217-d893-4111-a00a-92ed283ecaca_1
"Manchester United is delighted to announce that Juan Mata has signed a new contract, which will keep him at the club until June 2021, with the option to extend for a further year," United said on their official website.
We can confirm Juan Mata has signed a new contract with #MUFC.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 19, 2019
Mata has scored 45 goals in 218 appearances for United, who are also considering an ambassadorial role for him down the line, Press Association Sport understands.
"It is a real honour to continue to represent this amazing club and our incredible fans," Mata said.
"I have been at Manchester United for five years and I'm proud to call Old Trafford my home.
"I'm looking forward to working with Ole (Gunnar Solskjaer) and his fantastic coaching staff; the vision that they have for the club is truly exciting and I am so happy that I will be a part of that."
Juan Mata, is understood to have been ear-marked for a future ambassadorial role at Old Trafford (Martin Rickett/PA)
Solskjaer added: "Juan is the ultimate professional and one of the most intelligent players I have worked with. He is a great example to our younger players in his approach.
"He understands what it means to be a Manchester United player and has embraced everything about this great club."
Since arriving at Old Trafford, Mata has won an Emirates FA Cup, a League Cup, the UEFA Europa League and FA Community Shield.
Juan is the ultimate professional and one of the most intelligent players I have worked with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
He has been capped 41 times by Spain and was a member of the squad that won the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 European Championship.
Mata has signed his new deal as fellow midfielder Ander Herrera and captain Antonio Valencia prepare to leave the club on free transfers.
There are also questions marks over a number of other key players, including Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and David De Gea.
Max Aarons commits to Norwich with five-year contract
Norwich right-back Max Aarons has signed a new five-year contract that will keep him at Carrow Road until 2024, the club have announced.
Guardiola confirms Sane to remain at City despite Bayern interest
Pep Guardiola claimed Manchester City's desire to keep Leroy Sane was "always there" after the champions opened their pre-season campaign with victory over West Ham in China.
Kieran Trippier quits Spurs for Atletico Madrid
Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of England full-back Kieran Trippier from Tottenham, with Danny Rose also possibly set to quit the Champions League finalists.
Hoffenheim confirm Joelinton is in talks with a Premier League club
German club Hoffenheim have confirmed striker Joelinton is in "concrete negotiations" with a Premier League club amid speculation that he is about to become Newcastle's first summer signing.


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text:
I did not have telepathic declassification on my 2022 bingo card.
Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.
All your base are belong to Tunch.
Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.
If you're pissed about Biden's speech, he was talking about you.
I'd hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.
In my day, never was longer.
Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity
"But what about the lurkers?"
Black Jesus loves a paper trail.
You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2008 / The Suspension of Reality Tour
The Suspension of Reality Tour
by John Cole | September 5, 2008 8:08 am | 86 Comments
This post is in: Election 2008, Did You Know John McCain Was A POW?
Vote for me, or I will give another speech.
After sleeping on it, it is clear what the Republicans are doing this year- they are asking us all to suspend reality and pretend that up is down, black is white, and that more of the same is the real reform. It really is the only way to explain how they think that the people best positioned to clean up after eight years of disastrous Republican rule are… two Republicans.
And the suspension of reality is woven throughout McCain's speech. The entire presentation was a contradiction. It is hard to figure out how to deal with someone who will state the following:
The — the constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these
problems isn't a cause. It's a symptom. It's what happens when people
go to Washington to work for themselves and not for you.
Again and again — again and again, I've worked with members of both
parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will
govern as president. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get
this country moving again.
Is he serious? Did he not watch his own convention? Did he miss the nasty, snide, and condescending presentations from Romney and Giuliani the night before? Did he pay no attention to Lyndsey Graham, just an hour earlier, claiming Obama's entire campaign is based around a loss in Iraq? Did he miss the untested and unproven running mate of his, Sarah Palin, launch vicious and snide remarks about Obama? Has he not paid attention to the last 3 months of his own campaign? Does he forget repeatedly accusing Obama of choosing to lose awar to win an election?
I understand that convention speeches have to throw out red meat, but compare what was said at the Democratic convention and what was said at the Republican convention. The Democrats attacked McCain's positions and ideas. The Republicans attacked Obama with nasty personal attacks. If McCain wants to take a step toward ending partisan rancor, he could cancel the 2012 Republican National Convention.
How are we supposed to take McCain seriously when he talks about alternative energy when both he and his running mate have voted against it every chance they get? How are we supposed to take them seriously when they discuss balanced budgets when Sarah Palin left her town 20+ million in debt after formerly being in the black and McCain's plan for fiscal responsibility calls for… more tax cuts. How are we supposed to take them seriously when McCain spends months stating that the VP should be ready to lead from day one, and then he picks someone who is so not ready for the job that the campaign refuses to allow the media to interview her. How are we supposed to take them seriously when they claim they have the honesty and integrity needed to reform Washington, when the first week of Sarah Palin has brought us nothing but brazen and nonstop lies about the Bridge to Nowhere (and that is what it is- a sociopathic and brazen lie. It is rather chilling to watch someone so new on the political scene that quickly and eagerly lie to the American people and not think anything about it).
And on and on and on. The Suspension of Reality tour requires you to not answer these questions, and just vote McCain- because he is change you can believe in! In short, they have no ideas. They have no answers. They have nothing but a biography, and you know what the next eight weeks will look like- a lot like this:
They got nothing.
Previous Post: « The Only Honest Man on Television
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oh really
John McCain is the greatest public speaker since George W. Bush.
So much talent in one party.
jibeaux
I'm just sayin' that I love this blog.
How fucking dare you continue to trash Palin's daughter…
All that is true but you are expecting the voting public to have a grasp of reality, which for the most part, they do not. McCain is running ads saying that Obama's only answer to our economic problems is to impose painful tax increases on middle class people. Apparently, there's no law against that. People will believe the advertisements — they couldn't just lie about that, could they? — because they don't get information from any other source.
Also, Barack Obama is a negro. I don't know if you've noticed that.
Right now, the latest polls are showing a tie. Maybe they got nuthin', but it seems to be enough.
You promised there won't be a lime green screen.
when Sarah Palin left her town 20+ million in debt after formerly being in the black
Wow. Sexist AND racist.
I think the GOP sees that Americans are angry about the past eight years. However, they believe that we are angry about traditional political corruption. They think we are angry about selling political influence and abusing powerful positions for sexual reasons (think Abramoff, Delay, airport bathrooms, house pages, etc.).
The reform they are pitching is reforming these abuses.
They don't realize that people are really angry about authoritarianism, abuse of the constitution, wars based on lies, the destruction of the middle class, crony capitalism, incompetence, putting party and zealotry above purpose, etc.
So, if you limit the scope of what you are angry about, you can delude yourself to believe that McCain/Palin are outsiders and reformers.
yeah, this whole season is like being in a strange psychology experiment, except that unlike Milgram, it's for real. or maybe the GOP really IS lord of the universe.
where's the monitors for this experiment, dammit?
ps: props for fixin' the site.
LITBMueller
Line of the day, John, courtesy of Red State:
It was not a great speech. John McCain is no Sarah Palin.
Further comment is unnecessary…
It's the POW-POW-POW tour for the next 8 weeks. They're running on biography.
I'm trying to reach out to independent friends for some of their thoughts. I realize that I have my pro-science googles on a lot of the time, and I'm just curious what they think.
pps: anyone have any suggestions about how to complain to yahoo? their front page news feed is the ap, i guess, because the news headlines are a non-stop mccainlovefest. ewww.
Bob In Pacifica
There is something about being separated from reality. You don't have to worry about facts. I expect in a couple more elections we'll have the Republicans claiming it was Lieberman and the Jews who did this to us.
Yeah, change. Change into George Bush from a George Bush buttboy. Change you can count on.
Nice job, John. And keep her family out of it.
germ78
What really got me excited about John McCain's speech was thinking of all the hilarity that will ensue when people start adding things to the chroma-key blue background.
After sleeping on it myself, and not seeing the whole speech, there is a contradiction in the speech itself. McCain wants you to think that he will pursue a good idea wherever it comes from. But raising taxes can never be a good idea. He promises to keep taxes low, and he is doing it for the sake of party orthodoxy. Similarly Palin's first attack on Obama after the community organizer thing was "He will raise your taxes". To the Republican audience this may even have been true. They are trying to appeal to the people Michael Moore, of all people, described as RINOs because they are Republicans because "the Democrats will raise my taxes". This is not a sign of energy or confidence.
I'm predicting that Sarah Palin is going to be the all-time harshest rebound ever. She simply isn't who they think she is, and when that sinks in (after all this) it's going to be an unpleasant comedown.
Where are the references to Palin's daughter in the text? Perhaps John cleaned it up.
gbear
John McCain doesn't even care what anyone else said before him – his acceptance speech was the gold ring that he's been grabbing at for all these years.
The winning of the presidency is everything. The functioning as president is secondary. This is why he doesn't see his age as an issue. If he can get thru the next two months and win the election, he's fulfilled his lifelong dream, and this is why his speech last night felt more like a testimonial dinner than the kickoff for a new quest.
The Moar You Know
pps: anyone have any suggestions about how to complain to yahoo? their front page news feed is the ap, i guess, because the news headlines are a non-stop mccainlovefest. ewww
No, I don't, but I have noticed the same thing, and it predates McCain – they have a heavy pro-GOP bias. I don't even think that it's AP's fault – someone over there at Yahoo must be manually selecting stories for the front page that are as pro-Republican and pro-McCain as possible.
Just don't go there is my advice.
Sarah Palin is exactly who they think she is. That is to say, she's a Rovian-age partisan double-talker who'll happily launch hand grenades at her liberal opponents and run on whatever wacko fundie anti-tax corporate welfare platform the GOP demands of her.
The only difference between her and Dick Cheney is subtlety. Independents trusted Dick back in 2000. They won't have any of that faith in little Sarah.
That part of the speech was aborted.
Notorious P.A.T.
I remember watching "Bob Roberts" in theatres and thinking that no one so obviously unqualified could get elected to office.
Hahahahahahaha!
I don't even think that it's AP's fault
Actually, yes, it is AP's fault.
It's subtle, but it's there. If you squint really hard. And put vaseline in your eyes. Ever since last Friday any attack against McCain or Palin is an attack on Palin's family. And it's sexist.
Why do you bring up the children? Leave them alone.
If Palin's husband ran for the vice presidency you wouldn't bring them up, would you?
Sexist.
D.N. Nation
Right now, the latest polls are showing a tie.
NonyNony
After sleeping on it, it is clear what the Republicans are doing this year- they are asking us all to suspend reality and pretend that up is down, black is white, and that more of the same is the real reform.
Of course they are. If they have to run this on the issues, they lose. So they need to use their magic Jedi-like powers to confuse the electorate and make them think that reality is the opposite of what it really is.
It's worked in the past. They managed to convince half the country that the idiotic privileged son of a former President was a down-home good-ol' boy who was smart enough to be the Commander In Chief who would bring Honor and Dignity back to the White House. Twice. Why not roll the dice and try it one more time?
There wasn't anything to clean up. This is one of those Internet traditions known as "snark". Become aware of your Internet traditions, "my friend".
The tone of this convention reminded me of nothing so much as the 1992 Republican convention. As a Democrat, I found that somewhat heartening – after all, the Dems won in '92.
Seriously, the parallels are striking. The McCain/Palin convention spent a lot of time on divisive rhetoric to shore up conservative support, just as in '92. The most applause lines, the most red meat rhetoric, was reserved for former Buchananite Sarah Palin, just as they were for Buchanan himself in '92.
What we're seeing is a GOP playing so hard to the right that they're scaring off moderates and independents, and ignoring the economy just as everyone else is concerned about it. Again, just as in '92.
At this point, all Obama needs to do to lock up the general election is to come off as competent, patriotic, and presidential in the debates. Independents and moderates are only looking for confirmation that Obama doesn't resemble the right-wing caricatures they've been hearing. Once he exceeds that low bar, expect his polling numbers to jump up by another 5 points.
Obama should be able to do this easily. The only significant hurdle is that he has to do it while playing under Jackie Robinson rules and Clinton rules. But Obama's been playing by Robinson rules for his entire career, so that shouldn't be a problem. And as the Palin/McCain campaign has gotten uglier – and as criticism of the media has increased from the blogosphere – the mainstream press (i.e., outside of Fox and the right wing punditry) has become more hesitant to apply Clinton rules – to Obama anyway, if not to the Democrats in general.
So, I think the GOP misread the electorate and badly played their hand for the convention, and I'm feeling pretty good about Obama's chances come November.
John McCain on the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act:
"This is government playing a much, much greater role in the business of a private enterprise system."
This is only true if you think the "business of a free enterprise system" is to swindle the employee.
I've been thinking a little bit about the "Hockey Moms" label that Palin is so proud of, and how it plays off the "Soccer Moms" catchphrase of previous elections.
Whether you liked it or not, the "Soccer Moms" label was kind of brilliant. It extended a conservative frame around a modern popularity for a sport that had previously been considered "foreign", due to its popularity in Europe and South America. "See," it said, "you can still go for newfangled things like soccer while supporting national security and safety for our children, even in a multi-cultural world."
But hockey? Is there a whiter sport in the world? It's pretty much the antithesis of "multi-cultural". So, of course, it plays well to the Republican base. But to independents and moderates? To Hispanics or Asians? Probably not so much. Let's face it, if you're living in the Southwest, hockey is unlikely to be the first sport you identify with.
For a party seeking to broaden its base in a tight election, it's seems rather tone deaf.
Conservatively Liberal
But… but… but McCain is a POW and he is a MAVRICK, a MAVRICK I tells ya! And Sarah can arm wrassel a grizly bear while feild dressing a bull moose and giving burth to a enfant! They are rebel refomers and they have you runing skared!
What are Osama/Bieden ofering? A dead feetus in every pot? Passing out free marijewanna pot joints at public skouls? Handing the keys too the White House too the turists? Changeing the hand over the heart to a turist fist bump? Rap musik in evry mall? Uppity watermellons? Kummunitiee orginizers?
They are limp liebrul weennies compered to the Republican Power Couple!
/fundie
Richard Bottoms
Palin, then known as Sarah Louise Heath, and a friend then traveled to Honolulu and enrolled at Hawaii Pacific University, a private, nonsectarian school. She attended only as a freshman during the fall of 1982, school spokeswoman Crystale Lopez said.
Book 'em Dano
I thought Hawaii was an elitist state?
Variously, yeah he watched, yeah he knows and remembers, etc. I don't intend to offend–but this exact campaign, style and substance convinced you to vote for Bush, twice. And you're obviously not stupid or inattentive. They're advocating the exact same bullshit, and claiming it'll work for them. And tens of millions of 'Murkans will buy it. I weep for my country.
This is my proposed question to Palin on the L.L. Fair Pay Act.
"Governor Palin, I'd like to ask you about some proposed legislation called the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Ms. Ledbetter was a worker who was paid as much as 40% less than her male colleagues, and a jury agreed with her that she had been discriminated against because she was a woman. The Supreme Court, however, said that she should have filed her suit long before she ever knew that she was being paid less. The proposed law would have clarified when a person's right to pursue their claim for discrimination begins to run. John McCain wasn't around to vote, but stated that he would have voted against it because it would have led to "frivolous lawsuits." I'm a woman who does not consider her ability to help provide for her family to be frivolous, and I wonder if you agree with me or with Sen. McCain?"
What are Osama/Bieden ofering?
That's Osama/BinLieden to you.
Rick Massimo
John, I finally figured it out: Just like Palin's speech was written for her before they knew that it was going to be, um, Palin's speech, McCain's speech last night was written when they thought Lieberman was going to be the VP nominee. That not only explains the bit about reaching across the party lines and "I don't work for a party" and blah blah blah, but it explains the crypto-fascist "Country First" signs that were everywhere (why have they gotten exactly no shit for those, by the way?).
Put McCain and Lieberman, the old Republican and the old (former)(fake) Democrat arm in arm behind those signs, and, well, it's still bullshit, but you can see what they'd be trying to say. Put Sarah Palin in there and it was more like "Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein McCain."
This is what needs to be beaten.
Sirkowski
Sarah Palin had an affair.
Damn! I'll never become a fundie if I can't learn to talk like them.
I guess I can live with it.
You'd be tasered before you could start your second sentence, and Steve Schmidt would put a sudden end to the press conference.
The Other Steve
I pray for our nation's safety and future, that McCain/Palin does not win.
Dammit you're obtuse. Look, they're everywhere. For example:
Did he miss the nasty, snide, and condescending presentations
Clearly this is describing the media's reaction to Palin's daughter.
Did he miss the untested and unproven
Another slam on Levi's condom.
Has he not paid attention to the last 3 months
Why not just go ahead as say it? TRIMESTER! There, feel better, you anti-prego punk?
The whole post is a slam on Palin's kids. Just ridiculous.
TheFountainHead
Can someone please explain to me how we catch up to history?
John?
No. Seriously. I swear to God I'll donate $100 to Obama today if anyone can make that make any kind of sense.
Ned Raggett
Might have been mentioned in comments elsewhere but did anyone catch Obama on O'Reilly last night? Friend of mine did and was quite intrigued — his thoughts, summed up:
* Fox 'knows what time it is' and O'Reilly doesn't want to end up like Limbaugh
* 'Grudging respect and admiration' was the tone — sample O'Reilly line: "Obama's strong…he's not a wimp."
* My friend felt that Obama came closest to 'sputtering' when asked about Iraq but that he got on firmer ground when explaining details of his opposition, to the point where O'Reilly said "ok, ok, moving on…"
* My friend concluded that McCain — or Palin? — would need to do something comparative to look competitive, especially since Fox and O'Reilly will be pushing this for some time to come.
Get out the checkbook, 'Head. They will continue to ignore, devalue, underfund and denigrate science and expertise of all kinds; they'll continue to fuck up the education system, until anybody's stupid ass illiterate fundagelical idea is as good as any other; they'll continue to export talent and jobs, until we're exporting cheap shoes to China; they'll ignore the energy situation until the oil runs out, and then move away. And we'll catch up to the dark ages.
harlana pepper
"We create our own reality."
Seriously. I swear to God I'll donate $100 to Obama today if anyone can make that make any kind of sense.
Because STFU!!
Now go donate that $100.
Oh, most definitely, but d'ya think they're going to have those youtube style debates where I could be many states away? I do think it would be a terrific question, and I was going to buy one of those Flip video cameras pretty soon.
wasabi gasp
Get the unanimous opinion that George W Bush is the Worst President Ever.
If this website doesn't go down soon I won't get my work
done for this week. I count on its outages to feed my family.
If The Enquirer's story checks out then we'll have a ticket with two adulterers.
Cindy will then force Palin out.
DBrown
John, you raise good points and as a life long liberal I am lost how anyone (except the repubic polcats that run things) can follow and keep such twisted logic running in their brain. So my question is to you – how did you handle and justify that type of thinking much of your life? I really want to understand how you handled such a mess in your mind?
Jon H
"eight years of disastrous Republican rule are"
Actually, eight years of disastrous rule by a Republican "reformer with results".
Remember that bullshit from 2000?
We've seen what Republican reform looks like. The Obama campaign should get some of that "reformer with results" crap on tape and show it along with McCain promising reform.
"Suspension of reality" has been the strategy since Gingrich became House Speaker.
Sadly, it's worked.
. . .but this exact campaign, style and substance convinced you to vote for Bush, twice. And you're obviously not stupid or inattentive.
I have a theory that will be tested in this election and over the next 10 to 25 years, and that is that starting sometime in the 1968 through 1972 period the "swing" portion of the electorate came to pull the lever for the Republicans at the top of the ticket if all things were more or less equal. Basically they became the default choice, and in large part for the issues that Republicans have been using over that period: the cultural war and a perceived advantage on national security and budget issues. I think that has flipped over the last 2 to 6 years, so that no longer when the Republicans roll this crap out people believe it. To put it another way the curtain has been drawn back. That is not to say everyone suddenly see it, just enough that the Republicans no longer can basically win by default by turning the election into a discussion of these issues.
Jim Pharo
This is dangerous. The Republicans are demonstrating a willingness to act on the most ridiculous denials of reality. Palin as rock-star. McCain as strong leader. Policy prescriptions they know are ludicrous. And on and on and on.
In fact, there is not one thing that these guys have said over three days that is not on some fundamental level a lie.
Life begins at conception. We just need to re-train our workers using community colleges. Lowering taxes creates jobs. We've always been at war with Eurasia.
This is not tit-for-tat political battling. This is the creation of a movement that, win or lose in November, is going to haunt our society for generations to come.
It's a cliche, but I can't help but weep for the future we are letting these people create.
How about a tickle fight between the two instead?
So my question is to you – how did you handle and justify that type of thinking much of your life? I really want to understand how you handled such a mess in your mind?
Probably the same way I rallied to Bill Clinton's defense when he was scurrilously accused of fooling around with Lewinsky, or thought that Teddy K. could not really be at fault for Chappaquiddick, and felt that Carter was not really at fault for Desert One, or claimed that Rostenkowski was a hero and would never have stolen postage, and god knows what other stupid positions I have taken in my life.
When the jerk is one of your jerks, your brain looks for ways to excuse the corruption, the dishonesty, the thievery. Some people grow out of that flaw, but many, many people never do. They call themselves 'true believers', and they are toxic.
My theory is that when all is said and done that legendary 'bitter' comment from Obama will be proved. (I am enough of an optimist to think that this won't be some sort of sign for nasty shit to happen.)
croatoan
I know the Republicans are running from Bush, but the Democrats need to remind people that the Republicans were in control for most of his administration. Republican president. Republican House. Republican Senate. Republican Supreme Court. Republican war in Iraq. Republican failure with Hurricane Katrina. We already know what will happen with the Republicans in charge.
John PM
After reading John McCain's speech last night (could not bring myself to watch) vis a vis (is that elitist?) all of the previous speeches, I think that McCain has a two-prong plan for the final two months: (1) McCain will campaign primarily in the swing states and present his mavericky and grandfatherly image to independents to try to convince them that he will really reform Washington because, after almost thirty years, clearly he knows everything that is wrong with Washington; (2) Palin will campaign primarily in the Bible belt to the fundamentalists, trying to take out states that might have been up for grabs to Obama; no press will be allowed to speak to her or to view any of her events, in order to avoid reporting on her view that electing her and John McCain will bring about the Rapture and her proposal of creating an alternative energy source by incinerating Democrats and the "liberal media."
BTW, wtf is McCain doing making education a highlight of his campaign? I thought Republicans hated the Department of Education and No Child Left Behind. Is McCain going to say something like this: "Having graduated fifth from the bottom of my class at the Naval Academy, I now know how important it is to have a first-class education…"
I gotta tell, since I am from Illinois, I have been ambilivent about Obama because of the way politics works here (given how Illinois Democrats and Republicans scratch each other balls and take my money), but I am going to do everything in my power to make certain that Obama is elected president and that every single Republican who has been involved with the Bush Administration for the last eight years ends up in jail!
gopher2b
There was a time when Republican ideas were better, and more importantly, the people elected to office to implement those ideas actually believed in them. It will rebound, but in the meantime the party needs a thorough cleansing….which it is about to get.
Rick Massimo:
… it explains the crypto-fascist "Country First" signs that were everywhere….
I was talking with a Russian friend the other night who told me he couldn't stop laughing at that "Country First" slogan.
Turns out, it was one of the Communist Party's major slogans in Soviet times.
He also says that the media is increasingly resembling the media of the Soviet Union in the late 80's.
You know, you've got to start worrying when emigrant Russians, who came who here to escape the Soviet Union, start saying that the US is beginning to look real familiar.
It's not like they don't the signs. And they're very prone to exaggerating either. The friend quoted here is particularly dry and understated, even for a Russian.
It's not like they don't know the signs. And they're not very prone to exaggeration either. The friend quoted here is particularly dry and understated, even for a Russian.
it is clear what the Republicans are doing this year– they are asking us all to suspend reality and pretend that up is down, black is white, and that more of the same is the real reform.
This year? Only this year?
Yep, while McCain's "Change you can believe in" was previously known as Stay the Course, it's totally different coming from a former POW. You did know he was a POW, right?
Burning question this morning for the patriots, though, should be where the hell was Country First McCain's flag lapel pin last night. He wasn't wearing one. Or any pin. Could have at least worn something for the baby Jesus.
One point cracked me up during McCain's speech. While he was going on his "We're gonna drill the fuck out of this country first, then drill some more!" to wild applause, the camera panned the audience to someone waving a partially green "Environmentalists for McCain!" sign. Yep, now that's Stay the Course change you can believe in.
go to electoral-vote.com and breathe easier.
Makes perfect sense since the torture techniques they used are copied from the Communist Chinese and the phrase they use for torture is the same one the Nazi's used.
The trifecta, one might say.
D. Mason
Here's the question that's been bugging me. How are so few people noticing that they're basically copying Obamas campaign? I watched most of both conventions with a friend who has also been keeping a close eye on the races so far. We both noticed that in addition to running against the Republicans in office, they're co-opting the Obama campaigns rhetoric and even positions. I'm not that old and have really only been watching politics since the shit-storm after Bush v Gore. Maybe this kind of thing is common in politics but to me it seems rather bizarre.
ThymeZone
Best comment out there on the tubes I've seen today, this synopsis of McCain's speech:
I have stood up to our party, so I am a Maverick. Our party has sucked. Elect us again and we won't suck. POW! Sarah! We will not suck, my friends. I have devoted my whole life to being ready for this opportunity to prevent us from sucking again. Elect me.
lawnorder
Anyone with regards logic as a good thing and has any shred of intellectual honesty has left the GOP already. This is just window dressing to make their laying supporters feel good about themselves.
Thanks Jon H
They are running Bush's 2000 campaign.
"I look forward to explaining to people that I've got a record," Bush said, "I'm a reformer with results … If you want somebody from outside of the system, if you want somebody who can't lay claim to being a chairman of an important Senate committee … come and join this campaign."
Bush is now selling himself as a maverick governor who took on the special interests….
+5 dude. That is totally true.
rawshark
ThymeZone Says:
Do you listen to sports radio? KTAR this morning, Wolfly and Brown were talking football and Frank Catoliendo's(sp) name came up. He's the guy on TBS who does impressions, he's got a good Bush one. Anyway Brown says that he wonders if Frank has a McCain impersonation, Wolfly says he hopes it's better than McCain's. Then they went and ripped into his speech. Wolfly actually used the word 'creepy' to describe McCain smiling. Normally I don't care for their show, I listen because there is nothing else on. This morning I'm a fan.
Bubblegum Tate
Maybe they got nuthin', but it seems to be enough.
This is by far the most depressing thing. They should be getting their ass kicked, but they're not–they're running very close.
Sarah says that in her 7th month of pregnancy her water broke just before a scheduled speech in Dallas. Instead of going to a hospital, she delivered the speech and then returned to her home in Alaska – a trip of 6 to 7 hours flying time that included waiting for connecting flight from Seattle to Anchorage.
She then drove 45 miles home to Wasilla.
Maybe she should have named the baby Kegel.
I think the GOP sees that Americans are angry about the past eight years. …
I disagree with you here. Americans are displeased with both Bush and Congress, but I don't know that they are particularly angry, or maybe it's that the shallow and lazy media have never really investigated the source or people's disastisfaction.
But one thing that is clear is that many people love and approve of authoritarianism, and will eagerly toss aside the Constitution if the president claims that it will keep them safe.
And the small, but energized fundamentalist core of the Republican party are neither angry nor disastisfied, and are eager to see their religious agenda advance. These people have found their Joan of Arc in Sarah Palin.
By contrast, the Democratic base never transformed their anger into substantive political change. No incumbent politician has been voted out of office for favoring authoritarianism.
Sarah Palin will never sink on her own. She has to be pushed over the political edge by the Democrats. She must be shown to be a fraud. Her most unsavory actions (advocating book banning, loving earmarks, firing good employees, leaving a deficit, Troopergate vindictiveness) have to be brought front and center.
Hardcore GOP supporters may not care about reality, but Obama and Biden have to fight hard for moderates and independents.
gil mann
Obama's been playing by Robinson rules for his entire career
I'm trying to imagine the baseball pitcher equivalent of Alan Keyes.
mannemalon
Anybody else starting to get seriously alarmed, that a psychotic, egotistical, peter principle, dim witted bitch is a 60 day sprint away from being the #2 to a 72 year old cancer survivor?
This shit is starting to bug me out. If you've been paying attention to any of this stuff, it's becoming evident that we're dealing with a small-time mind rising to the top of a small, kooky isolated segment of the country, who thinks she's actually hot shit. One of those in their own world my own arrogance blocks my ability to see that I only have modest amounts of intelligence types.
This shit is seriously like a movie. Are the bad guys gonna pull this one out? If it was a Hollywood movie, Obama would swoop in at the last minute and whoop ass. But seeing Bush get re-elected killed any of that life's awesome goodness will prevail stuff.
Like what if McCain-Palin actually wins? Has anyone really actually tried to comprehend that yet?
people have been talking about how palin would take over if mccain kicked it.
shit, it isn't even that.
if mccain's cancer comes back for number five (sheesh), and he's a like 75 year old in chemo, palin is gonna be running the show.
shit, my pops died last year at 74 from melanoma. it got him the second time around because he refused to do chemo again – it wrecked him so fuckin' bad the first time.
mccain doesn't have to die in office. all he has to do is get sick again.
Then God help us all, and I'll charge $400/month to board in my spare room up here in Nova Scotia.
vaux-rien
This is dangerous. The Republicans are demonstrating a willingness to act on the most ridiculous denials of reality. Palin Reagan as rock-star great communicator. McCain G.W. Bush as strong leader. Policy prescriptions they know are ludicrous. And on and on and on.
In fact, there is not one thing that these guys have said over three days thirty years that is not on some fundamental level a lie.
Look, these folks still haven't grasped the relationship between taxes and spending and they're deeply confused about the notion of "smaller government" but it doesn't matter because they're the folks who would never think to question their leaders. It just doesn't matter what they're told as long as the boilerplate includes the right balance of fear, resentment and empty promises.
I think Obama/Biden should just leave Sarah alone in her Bush-like cocoon until the last two weeks or so. Totally ignore her. Then come out blazing about the book banning, earmarks, abuse of power and deficit. Let her brag about all that great experience for six weeks, then nail her!
McSame's campaign will not see it coming, and it hits when the public is really paying attention.
Especially the deficit, because people really are disgusted with the GOP for the lack of fiscal responsibility. "Is this the type of fiscal responsibility that should be a heartbeat away?" (reminding everyone about McSame's age at the same time).
tavella
What he said.
What I found interesting and scary, was the fact that when the crowd started cheering McCain, it was obvious that you wouldn't have been able to hear what he was saying. But they cheered anyway. He could have been promising to stick things up their Mom's butts, but it wouldn't have mattered.
Republicans, man. What a scary, scary bunch. As a non-American, I consider them a bigger threat to my family's safety than Al Quada.
Do something.
I like the name — Suspension of Reality Tour — but it's so, so, hmmm, so elitist. There's no way it will resonate with the snow machining, moose and helicopter wolf hunting, Earth-is-6000-years-old, Bible-thumping, evolution-hating "real" people of Wasilla and other small-brained small-towners.
Maybe they'd feel more comfortable calling it simply
The Phony Baloney Tour
For those who like the Suspension of Reality Tour name, but want something longer, it's possible that the addition of a few words would make it even better. Something like:
The Magical Mystery Suspension of Reality Tour
That would give McCain the opportunity to grab yet another song without permission.
Just curious. Is that different from The Suspension Bridge to Nowhere Tour?
grumpy realist
Well, I predict that if McCain and Palin get elected, the US will very very quickly learn that reality doesn't play out like a Hollywood movie. The Lone Ranger doesn't come riding over the horizon, the cavalry doesn't arrive in time, and death-daring odds of 500 to 1 end up with people dead 499 times out of 500.
I'm mordantly watching America's slide toward the historical trash pit and getting my Russian and Chinese up to par. The people on that side of the planet may be bastards, but at least they're not *idiots*


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City of Red Deer
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Net Zero Part Two: Misleading Language
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Article from Canadians For Affordable Energy, AffordableEnergy.ca
As I continue to offer comment on the whole Net Zero by 2050 discussion, I am starting with a series of pieces to lay some groundwork. My recent blog, Net Zero Part One: Defining the Terms explained the challenges with the language used by the "Net Zero" lobby.
Today's blog digs a bit further on the problematic language behind the Net Zero by 2050 agenda.
The advocates of Net Zero by 2050 talk in very rosy terms about how they want to eliminate the bad practices.
In particular, they say their plan is to de-carbonize society and thereby eliminate carbon dioxide pollution. Trudeau's carbon taxes are all about achieving these ends. You have to pay more, but that's necessary because Trudeau says we need to de-carbonize and eliminate carbon dioxide pollution.
But stop and think about that.
Trudeau and his ideological allies are twisting language here to advance their agenda. This is part of a trend of course – remember the Liberals don't use the term tax when describing their carbon taxes, instead calling them by misleading terms such as "Clean Fuel Standard" or "CFS". It isn't only a Trudeau trend either – Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole has endorsed carbon taxes in his so-called climate plan but insists on calling them by other names. And so the trend continues in respect to terms like de-carbonization and carbon dioxide pollution.
First, remember from high school science that carbon is an abundant element and every living thing contains it. You can't de-carbonize the world, nor should you want to: doing so would bring a very quick end to any life on the planet. That is enabling a bad outcome, not ending a bad practice. De-carbonization has become a term of common usage. But using it suggests you support an incoherent agenda. Reducing emissions is one thing and can have merit, but de-carbonization is incoherent.
Second (and still from high school science) remember that carbon dioxide is a molecule that is essential for life: plants thrive on it, we exhale it with every breath we have. CO2 levels swing up and down over centuries and millennia and geologic cycles in ways we are only beginning to understand. We know human activity is producing a lot of CO2 right now, but the levels are well below what they have been in the past. And as societies become more affluent, they become more efficient in their use of resources and the CO2 levels per unit of human activity drop.
Moreover, we have observed in the last few decades a dramatic increase in global green vegetation cover. That makes sense. CO2 is food for plants – just go to a greenhouse and note how they try to heighten CO2 levels to improve growth rates – so more CO2 means more abundant forests, more productive farms, etc. This isn't pollution: this is life.
But saying these things – obvious things I remind you, that we learned as adolescents – gets you into trouble these days. The Net Zero crowd wants to deny the obvious as a means to advance their green agenda. It is easy to fall into the trap of using the language of "de-carbonization" or "carbon dioxide pollution" but both terms lead down a deceptive road that is inconsistent with the science we know, and ultimately leading to a more and more costly society.
Trudeau's carbon taxes – as expensive as they are – are just a foretaste of what the misleading language around Net Zero really means: less affordable energy, higher food bills, and a higher cost of living.
Net Zero Part 3 will be published on Todayville Tuesday, June 8
Click here for more articles from Dan McTeague of Canadians for Affordable energy
Dan McTeague | President, Canadians for Affordable Energy
An 18 year veteran of the House of Commons, Dan is widely known in both official languages for his tireless work on energy pricing and saving Canadians money through accurate price forecasts. His Parliamentary initiatives, aimed at helping Canadians cope with affordable energy costs, led to providing Canadians heating fuel rebates on at least two occasions.
Widely sought for his extensive work and knowledge in energy pricing, Dan continues to provide valuable insights to North American media and policy makers. He brings three decades of experience and proven efforts on behalf of consumers in both the private and public spheres. Dan is committed to improving energy affordability for Canadians and promoting the benefits we all share in having a strong and robust energy sector.
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An 18 year veteran of the House of Commons, Dan is widely known in both official languages for his tireless work on energy pricing and saving Canadians money through accurate price forecasts. His Parliamentary initiatives, aimed at helping Canadians cope with affordable energy costs, led to providing Canadians heating fuel rebates on at least two occasions. Widely sought for his extensive work and knowledge in energy pricing, Dan continues to provide valuable insights to North American media and policy makers. He brings three decades of experience and proven efforts on behalf of consumers in both the private and public spheres. Dan is committed to improving energy affordability for Canadians and promoting the benefits we all share in having a strong and robust energy sector.
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Here's what another Bank of Canada rate hike means for Canadians
By Tara Deschamps in Toronto
The Bank of Canada hiked its key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point Wednesday, bringing it to 4.5 per cent — the highest it's been since 2007.
The increase marks the eighth consecutive rate hike since the central bank began raising from near-zero in March.
The Bank of Canada said Wednesday that it expects this to be the last rate hike of the cycle.
The rate hikes are intended to reduce stubbornly high inflation, which peaked over the summer and has been steadily declining since, but many economists feel the shock to the economy could lead to a recession.
Here's a look at what the rate means, how analysts are interpreting it and what it could mean for consumers.
What is the key policy rate and what does it do?
The key policy rate, also known as the target for the overnight rate, is how much interest the Bank of Canada wants commercial banks to charge when lending each other money overnight to settle daily balances.
Knowing how much it costs to lend money, or to deposit it with the central bank, helps set the interest rates charged on things like loans and mortgages.
Lowering the rate generally makes borrowing money more affordable, while raising it makes such activities more expensive.
Why is the bank using the rate to target inflation?
Inflation is a measure of how much the prices of goods and services are rising or falling. High inflation is a sign of an economy that's overheating.
Canada's annual inflation rate reached a peak of 8.1 per cent in June, the highest level in four decades.
It has eased since then, reaching 6.8 per cent in November and 6.3 per cent in December. And shoppers have seen even higher price increases for common expenses like groceries. Grocery prices have been rising at the fastest pace in decades and were 11 per cent higher in December than they were a year ago.
Economists and the central bank want to see a further easing of inflation, which is why interest rates have been rising so quickly in the hope of cooling consumer spending patterns.
"Inflation is still too high and short-term inflation expectations remain elevated," the bank said in its most recent announcement. "The longer that consumers and businesses expect inflation to be above the target, the greater the risk that elevated inflation becomes entrenched."
What does this mean for my mortgage?
Mortgage rates tend to increase or decrease in tandem with interest rates.
When Canadians buy homes there are two kinds of mortgages they can select — fixed rate or variable. Fixed-rate mortgages allow borrowers to lock in the interest rate they will pay for a set amount of time, while variable-rate mortgages can fluctuate.
After the Bank of Canada's rate hike on Wednesday, prime rates can be expected to rise to 6.7 per cent and variable rates will be set at about 5.75 per cent and above, said Leah Zlatkin, a mortgage broker with LowestRates.ca.
Assuming their mortgage has a 25-year amortization and they had a 15 per cent down payment, she said a homeowner with a variable mortgage rate of 5.45 per cent on a home priced at $700,000 will have a monthly mortgage payment of around $3,716.
The same mortgage at 5.7 per cent will see monthly mortgage payments increase to about $3,805, a $89 jump per month, she added.
"This will put greater pressure on an already struggling housing market," Zlatkin said in a news release.
"For homeowners in Ontario who are seeing increased property taxes in addition to rate hikes, it's likely this will be the worst squeeze homeowners have felt yet."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2022.
Fiscal room tightening as economy teeters, associate finance minister says
By Mia Rabson in Hamilton
Canada's associate finance minister says it's going to be a "turbulent" year for the economy, but Randy Boissonault insists the government still has some spending room for big priorities including a new health-care deal with the provinces.
Boissonnault was speaking before the cabinet meets on the second of a three-day cabinet retreat in Hamilton, Ont. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is set to give an economic update to cabinet later Tuesday.
"There's lots of uncertainty," Boissonnault said. "So we're going to be watching this every step of the way as we get ready for budget (2023). We still have fiscal room to be able to do the things we need to do but the fiscal room has tightened."
He said the war in Ukraine and inflation are among the issues causing both uncertainty and economic harm.
On Monday, a joint report from the Business Council of Canada and Bennett Jones warned that the fiscal forecast laid out in the last federal budget and the fall economic statement was likely too rosy.
The report, written by former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge and former Liberal finance policy adviser Robert Asselin, said the government's forecast was based on a "plausible but optimistic" set of economic and interest-rate assumptions that are unlikely to come true.
They warn there is a "high likelihood of a more severe recession" this year and that the Liberal promises on everything from health-care funding and enhanced national defence spending to infrastructure improvements and climate change are going to cost a lot more than projected.
Boissonnault said that report is one of many the government will look to as it makes its economic forecast ahead of the next budget. He said he thinks the fiscal reality will fall somewhere between the best- and worst-case scenarios laid out in the fall economic statement.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said affordability and making Canada competitive were his priorities heading into this cabinet meeting.
Ongoing talks with the provinces for a new health funding deal are also front and centre and are one of the issues that could change the government's spending plans. The provinces have asked for billions over the next decade to bring their health systems back from the brink of collapse.
Ottawa is insisting on accountability for any new health funding and Trudeau has not publicly committed to meet the premiers' demands.
Trudeau started his day Tuesday meeting with Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath, the former leader of Ontario's NDP. The pair said housing was among their chief topics of conversation.
Housing prices and a lack of affordable housing in particular have become a key issue for governments at every level.
The cabinet meeting in Hamilton comes as it prepares for the return of Parliament next week. The industrial city, known predominantly as a steel town, is also one of the most competitive politically, particularly between the Liberals the NDP. The Liberals won three of the four seats in Hamilton proper in 2021, edging out the NDP in one seat that party had held since 2006.
Cabinet was also given a sharp reminder of the loud opposition they face among a group known as the "freedom convoy." A small protest greeted Trudeau Monday afternoon as he arrived.
A larger group, about three dozen or so, returned in the evening, where they waved flags, yelled and set off fireworks — including some they appeared to aim at the building.
Most disbanded by 11 p.m. but at least one protester spent most of the night honking his horn off and on, reminiscent of the air horns from the big rigs that blocked much of downtown Ottawa for three weeks almost a year ago.
This coming weekend will mark the one-year anniversary of the convoy's arrival in Ottawa. The weeks-long blockade and accompanying blockades at several border crossings prompted Trudeau to invoke the Emergencies Act for the first time since it replaced the War Measures Act in 1988.
The final report from the public inquiry into that decision is due in February.
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Iron compound makes water safer to drink
November 3rd, 2020 Posted by Rae Lynn Mitchell-Texas A&M
"Chlorine does a nice job of cleaning water, but we now know that it also reacts with water in a way that generates more than thousands of these byproducts," says Virender K. Sharma. (Credit: Getty Images)
A new technique using ferrate, an iron compound, could improve the safety of drinking water, researchers say.
Treating water with chlorine—a process called chlorination—kills germs and bacteria in water, making it safe to drink.
Although chlorination effectively cleans water and helps prevent waterborne diseases, it also generates many disinfection byproducts, or DBPs, that can be harmful to human health.
"Chlorine does a nice job of cleaning water, but we now know that it also reacts with water in a way that generates more than thousands of these byproducts," says Virender K. Sharma, professor at the Texas A&M University School of Public Health.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors the levels of DBPs in drinking water so people aren't exposed to too much of these toxic chemicals. Any time drinking water exceeds these levels, it can cause harmful health consequences.
Sharma's research group developed a pretreatment process that decreased the number of DBPs in water disinfected with chlorine.
For the pretreatment, the researchers applied ferrate— a supercharged form of iron—to water before it was chlorinated.
"It's pretty simple. You just add the ferrate stick to water, wait a while, then treat the water with chlorine," Sharma says.
The researchers found that the water pretreated with ferrate before chlorination had lower levels of DPBs and was less toxic to cells.
The reseearchers tested the toxicity by comparing the pretreated and chlorinated water samples on cells and found that those doused with the pretreated water lived longer. They measured the levels of DBPs in each water sample by using NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometer technology.
Sharma has worked with ferrate for more than 20 years. The new study builds on years of research in his laboratory using ferrate to tackle environmental problems.
"I'm always looking to solve environmental problems, and ferrate is such a powerful oxidant, so I had a feeling it could solve this problem," he says.
The study appears in Environment International.
Source: Texas A&M University
Original Study DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105641
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