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Posts Tagged 'Turn-based strategy'
Quick Look: Sid Mierer's Civilization: The Board Game
Posted: April 1, 2013 in boardgames, Lifestyle/Culture, Other
Tags: beating around the bush, boardgames, Civilization, Civilization V, fame and glory, Fantasy Flight Games, Sid Meier, Turn-based strategy, Video Games
So I've played enough games now that I'm comfortable giving some quick impressions on my latest purchase. To coincide with the launch of Civilization V in 2010, Fantasy Flight Games also released a boardgame, simply called Sid Meier's Civilization. In 2011, the game received its first expansion pack, Fame and Glory, although so far there doesn't seem to be any hints or rumours of a second. I bought both the main game and the expansion at the same time as I figured there was no point beating around the bush, plus I have a core group of four others that I play with, so I needed the extra space F&G afforded me.
In a word: It's good. It's also long. Generally speaking, if we start a game at 7, we can have it done and dusted between 12-1, depending on how things are going. The first session we tried with five people, we were nowhere near finishing when it came to midnight, and two of our number had to go home. The second 5-player session we tried, again, we weren't finished by 1am and decided to call it quits, although looking at the lay of the land, one of our number might have been able to win it in the next turn. I've also played two 2-player games, in the first one I got trounced, and the second one wasn't finished because we had a late start and it was a weekday.
Yeah, that's another thing – so far I haven't really been playing that well. I've won plenty of Spartacus matches, RISK, Game of Thrones etc… but for some reason I can't seem to get a handle on this game. It's definitely about momentum – you need to get a second city up and running as quick as possible, and you can't suffer any set-backs (like taking on some barbarians and losing, which can and does happen). Also, you have to play to your faction's strength as much as possible. True to the PC game, there are multiple ways to winning – Culture (uses a track you simply have to get to the end of) Technology (be the first to research the Level V tech), Economy (You have to collect 15 coins) and Military (You have to be the first to take someone's capital). Each faction in this game lends itself to certain tracks, and provided you get a good economy set-up going, you can open up others to you as well quite easily. If you don't play to your faction's strengths though, you can fall behind and/or get your ass handed to you very easily (which is what happened to me in one of the one-on-ones).
Still, this flexibility make sit a very interesting game, but you really have to commit from the off or you just meander about not really doing anything. There are a lot of rules as well, so it can be hard for people to keep it all in their head. It's quite easy though to 'disable' some elements of the game from the expansion however, if you need to. If you only you could disable victory types, like I often do in the PC game (Domination all the way, baby).
The only long-term problem I see with this game is that, eventually, people are going to know what strategies they prefer, and in turn what factions they prefer playing as. I can see this leading to a situation where everyone just chooses the same factions over and over, and so in turn you know what their strategy is going to be from game-to-game. Also, if you don't get momentum going quickly, you're essentially a non-entity from the beginning, and that's without any having even touched you. In other games, I've easily come back from a weaker position or still been able to significantly affect the outcome of the game, but in Civ there's not as much scope for that – military conflict is dialled down because it's only 1/4 of this game essentially, and while there are some tech/culture card effects that could be considered 'offensive', it's down to whether or not you actually acquire those cards.
In the other boardgames that I've played so far, you're not so … locked? I mean in Spartacus every House as its own play style, but there's a lot of luck involved and it also depends on what assets you ultimately end up acquiring. A Batiatus player may never have more than say, two gladiators (which makes his abilities hard to use), but he could still win the game through some shrewd playing. same with Glaber and Guards, or Tullius and Slaves. Civ is a lot more 'hands-off' in the sense that someone could just sit there, and still win, and if no-one is in a position to do anything about it can be a bit depressing as you feel impotent.
Still, it's a good boardgame, and I reckon we're going to get many, many good play sessions out of it. I hope they do decide to expand on it with more releases.


What gametes can be formed from AB and ab?
1- We take the first allele of the first trait (A) with the first allele of the second trait (B) to form the first gamete, AB .
2- To form the second gamete, AB , Take the first allele of the first trait (A) again with the second allele of the second trait (B).
3- Take the second allele of the first trait (a) with the first allele of the second trait (B) to form the third gamete, aB .
4- The last gamete is aB from the second allele of the first trait (a) with the second allele of the second trait (B).


The property is located between Bridgeville, DE and Federalsburg, MD allowing anyone to conveniently serve the Delmarva Peninsula .
Well maintained industrial facility currently used to serve the entire Delmarva Peninsula. This property consist of a 5,000 SF office building and a 10,000 SF warehouse. The warehouse has 2 large bays for tractor trailers. The property comes with 2 acres of land with most of it being fenced paved for good outside storage.


The University of Delaware's Tom Kaminski, professor of kinesiology and applied physiology, recently took part in a concussion media day with Triax Technologies in New York City. The day included interviews with Fox News, a lecture on head impacts in soccer and demonstrations at The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan.
Kaminski was featured with FIFA Women's World Cup champion Abby Wambach of the U.S. national team, considered to be the most prolific header in the women's game. The pair are old friends from their days at the University of Florida, where Kaminski was an athletic trainer and Wambach was the star player for the national champion Gators. Read more on UDaily.


Take Master Classes with TOP Choreographers!!!
South Dakota Public Broadcasting Radio: "Dancers Choose Art Over Drugs"
Reported By Chynna Lockett. Aired February 24, 2017 For full written transcript and audio recording, please click here.
Fox News: "Art Beat: High school dancers create works inspired by visual arts"
Rapid City Journal: "'Choose Art' helps students find healthy outlets for expression"
Rapid City Journal article by Max B. O'Connell Journal Staff Writer. Posted February 21, 2017 Click here for full article.
Academy of Dance Arts Awarded South Dakota's Charter Membership for the National Honor Society for Dance Arts For more information about the NHSDA, please visit our page here.


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Home » IAQ, the Flu, and You — Minimizing Airborne Illnesses
Indoor Air QualityVentilationFiltration and UVDuct Cleaning
IAQ, the Flu, and You — Minimizing Airborne Illnesses
Jen Anesi
This season's strain of Influenza A, also known as the flu, was particularly potent and widespread. The virus officially reached epidemic status in the U.S. the week of Jan. 5, when the percentage of total deaths caused by the flu surpassed the epidemic threshold of 7.2 percent. While the outbreak peaked in mid-January, the less severe Influenza B is expected to peak in March or April. For contractors, fighting the flu and other airborne illnesses offers a humanitarian service to society, as well as a potential boost to their bottom line.
Influenza 101
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that can cause mild to severe illness and, in some cases, death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/flu), infants and young children, the elderly, and those with certain health conditions are at a higher risk for serious flu complications.
"The flu is spread through respiratory secretions, like coughing and sneezing," explained Dr. Matthew Sims, director of infectious disease research for William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich. "In the air, it can survive basically until it's dried out. Once it lands on surfaces, it has a maximum lifespan of about eight hours."
At the 1,070-bed Beaumont Hospital, which is part of the sizable Michigan-based regional Beaumont Health System, Sims preaches hand washing, covering your cough, and staying home when ill as the best ways to keep from catching or spreading the virus. But, aside from taking the standard personal precautions, other things can be done to improve IAQ and limit the spread of the flu and other illnesses.
HEPA, HEPA, Hooray!
At Beaumont, High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are frequently used to trap bacteria and viruses to keep them from spreading between rooms. Standards set forth by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) mandate that, in order to be classified as a true HEPA filter, the filter must trap a minimum of 99.97 percent of airborne particulates that are 0.3 micrometer in diameter.
Some HEPA filters, such as the ones used in hospitals, are capable of trapping up to 99.995 percent of the potentially harmful bacteria and viruses that attempt to pass through them. During the Swine Flu (H1N1) outbreak in 2009, Beaumont utilized portable HEPA filters to remove viruses from the air as a precautionary measure. The filters are also frequently used on airplanes to help prevent the spread of illness.
"They're good for hospitals, where they can bring in portable HEPA filters," Sims said, though he added that the most common way people are exposed is by direct contact with someone who is ill. "You're probably going to get it from the person standing 3 feet away who coughs in your face," he said.
Still, Sims said HEPA filters have a practical application in some homes, especially where higher-risk individuals, like infants and the elderly, reside. "It's hard to know what products are going to help in a house," he said, "but there's definitely a role for HEPA filters."
Also popular, and often used in conjunction with HEPA filters, are ultraviolet (UV) lights, which can often be installed relatively easily in existing HVAC systems. In contrast to a filter, which traps viruses and bacteria, exposure to UV light kills pathogens, providing cleaner, fresher air.
"UV lights have been very clearly shown to kill influenza, but it takes time to do that," Sims said. "There are papers out there that say using these UV lights can help, but it's a matter of contact time. It takes time to kill a virus."
Aaron Engel, vice president of marketing and communications for Sanuvox Technologies Inc., Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada, agreed that ensuring maximum exposure time to the UV light is the key to effectively killing as many potentially harmful airborne particulates as possible.
"Ultraviolet technology has been used for more than 100 years, and it's often used in hospitals and water treatment. It's exceptionally effective at sterilizing and deactivating microorganisms," Engel said. "But it's how that technology is delivered that makes the difference between a good unit and a not-so-great unit."
Sanuvox's most popular residential unit, the Sanuvox R+, features an 18-inch UV light embedded in the ductwork that is curved in on itself. The air is spun around the light using a turbulator, allowing the air to be exposed to the light longer than with a straight UV light, mounted perpendicular to the ductwork, said the company.
"If a UV system is sized properly, there should be no problem in airborne sterilization of the biocontaminant," Engel said. "Will that keep you from getting sick if I sneeze right in front of you? Obviously, there's not much we can do there, but if you have a UV system that's sized properly, certainly you can lower the concentration of airborne contaminates in the home or the building."
Electric Avenue
Newer to the range of IAQ solutions are electrified air cleaners, which ionize particles as they pass through an electric field. The particles then adhere to the filter media more easily.
"Residentially, this allows you to put an air cleaner in an existing filter tract," said Rob Goodfellow, vice president of marketing for Dynamic Air Quality Solutions, Princeton, N.J. "It's only about 1 inch deep. It can be easily installed on any service call."
Electric air cleaners are often less pressure resistant than other filters, Goodfellow added, which can "save a lot of fan energy" while still maintaining a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) between 13 and 15.
Megan Leick, marketing and communications project coordinator for Aprilaire, Madison, Wis., said another advantage to air cleaners is that they often do not need to be cleaned or replaced as often as other filters. Leick acknowledged that Aprilaire's Model 5000 needs to be cleaned just once a year.
"We're 98 percent efficient in killing airborne bacteria-sized particulates," Leick said. "If they're airborne viruses, we're looking at about 80 percent."
Shawn Laskoski, vice president of product marketing for Trane, said the Trane CleanEffects whole-house air-cleaner filters also do not need regular replacement, can be easily accessed, and can be vacuumed clean or washed with water.
"The Trane CleanEffects can trap virus particles down to 0.1 micron in size," Laskoski said. "Its air-cleaning technology eliminates a variety of allergens and particles, allowing homeowners to literally breathe easier."
Laskoski added that sales of the CleanEffects filter were up 10 percent in January compared to January 2012.
Cleaner Ducts, Cleaner Air
IAQ solutions that improve air quality, even if they do not specifically trap or kill viruses and bacteria in the air, can still improve overall health. Cleaner and fresher air provides significant advantages to individuals as they effectively attempt to stave off infections such as the flu or common cold.
"Allergies can trigger parts of your immune system," said Beaumont Hospital's Sims. "That can make things harder to deal with."
"It's definitely all related," said Lane Jeffryes, CEO and president of Rotobrush Intl. LLC, Grapevine, Texas. He added, "The number one reason for consumers requesting duct-cleaning services is allergies and asthma."
Jeffryes said Rotobrush, which manufactures duct-cleaning equipment and accessories, works with contractors, teaching them how to properly service and maintain ductwork.
"Our philosophy is to inspect the ductwork to make sure it's properly sealed and cleaned. We also make sure there's proper filtration so it doesn't get dirty or compromised down the road."
Jeffryes added that, even if a home has a HEPA filter, it will be far less effective if the ductwork is not up to par.
"If they put a wonderful filter in, the air will just find the path of least resistance and suck in air from gaps in the ductwork," he said. "In most cases, if the ductwork is dirty, it's generally leaky or they've compromised the filter situation."
The No. 1 thing contractors can to do help sell IAQ solutions is to simply make customers aware of the services they offer and the improvements those solutions can make. "There are brochures and surveys the contractor can give to the homeowner," Engel said. "This helps the contractor sell."
"We've trained technicians to put it into terms a homeowner can understand, like asking if they see the dust flying when they open the curtains on a bright day," Goodfellow added. "We also encourage technicians and owners alike, on any call, to ask if the family suffers from allergies. It's also important to mention the flu season, and the options available to minimize the chances of infection."
Leick said they recommend that technicians take a moment to observe their customers and look for clues when they are out on a service call. "If they see portable humidifiers, hand sanitizer, and tissues all over, they may be in dire need of help."
Leick said listening to the homeowner is also key in determining the best IAQ solutions for their home. "We really try to encourage finding the right fit for each homeowner. If it's someone who says, 'Well, I'm only sneezing in the fall,' then you're going to want to recommend a lower-end air cleaner that's just going to remove dust because you certainly don't want to take advantage of anyone."
Jeffryes stressed the importance of properly inspecting the ductwork and other equipment before offering any solutions. "We teach our contractors to go there and inspect all aspects of the system," he said. "Our philosophy is to carefully inspect the ductwork to make sure it's properly sealed and cleaned, and to provide proper filtration so it doesn't get dirty or compromised down the road."
"We find that homeowners are really looking for these solutions," said Goodfellow. "If it's not colds or the flu, it's pollen and allergies. There's always stuff in the air. Technicians should be offering IAQ solutions on every call. The people answering the phone, the receptionist, everyone should be doing the same thing, too. It requires a coordinated effort."
Recent Articles by Jen Anesi
Samsung HVAC Goes 'All In' at Sales Meeting
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HVAC Gears Up for the Battle of the Wall
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Jen Anesi is Legislation Editor. She can be contacted at 248-244-6495 or jenanesi@achrnews.com. Jen's responsibilities include covering state and federal legislative and regulatory actions relevant to the HVACR industry, running the annual Best Instructor and Best Trainer contests, managing the Regulatory Update section of The NEWS, and producing the monthly Tech of the Month feature. She has six years of writing and editing experience, holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University, and is currently working toward her MA in English at Wayne State University.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Each bracelet has been lovingly handcrafted to create a unique piece just for you. The products used are silver plated metal beads and the semi precious stone Howlite known for its calming properties and used to relieve stress. Available in a variety of colours. Mix and match with other pieces from the Rose Mae collection.
Silver plated Butterfly Bracelet in Howlite stone . Made from 6mm silver plated beads and has a 4mm silver plated bead either side of the stone butterfly. Bracelet size: Circumference approx 6 inches Butterfly: approx 1.5 inch. Elasticated using strong clear elastic therefore fits most wrists comfortably.


Production and broadcast must have occurred between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018.
Entries must be submitted online by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Friday, January 11, 2019 to be entered into the awards program.
For more information, contact the office at 517-484-7444 or [email protected].
Group 1: Public radio stations with a $2 million budget or less.
Group 2: Public radio stations with more than a $2 million budget.
All public television stations will compete in one public television division.
*Stations may enter any of the listed Personality categories. If a station wins Best or Merit in more than one Personality category, the highest points won in any of the Personality categories will be applied to the Station of the Year competition.
Only those public radio and television stations who enter the Station of the Year category are eligible for Station of the Year. Station of the Year will be based on the total cumulative points for ALL awards won, with weighted points in the Station of the Year Category.
**Tie Breaker: In the event of a tie for both commercial and public stations, the station with the most Best awards will be awarded Station of the Year. If a tie still remains, the station who placed Best in the Community Involvement category will be awarded Station of the Year.


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Safaa Jabbar, (;born July 20, 1993) is an Iraqi professional footballer who currently plays for Naft Al-Janoob in the Iraqi Premier League. He plays as a  defender.

International debut
On October 3, 2015 Safaa Jabbar made his first international cap with Iraq against Jordan in a friendly match.

References

External links

Iraqi footballers
1993 births
Living people
Iraq international footballers
Al-Mina'a SC players
Naft Al-Basra SC players
Najaf FC players
Association football fullbacks

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Organizational Architecture is proud to help our clients find great people!
Reese Pharmaceutical Company is adding a Customer Service Representative role. Here you will responsible for serving customers and consumers by providing product and service information, resolving product and service issues, and providing and processing information in response to inquiries, concerns, and requests.
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"Alex is very professional and carries herself with an ease and friendliness that make you comfortable during the engagement shoot and the wedding. She pays attention to each detail of her business, answering any and all questions in a very timely manner, and everything I received was packaged nicely with a lot of care. This attention to detail is carried throughout every aspect of her work and most importantly it shows in the photographs she takes.
The engagement shoot was a fun way to get to know Alex, and get to know how you are in front of the camera, a huge benefit before the day of! Our shoot was fun and flexible with us changing outfits and walking around to capture the perfect shot. " K.W.


Dashcam Viewer now runs on Microsoft Windows 7 and 8! See the download page for more info.
Added movie playback and GPS data support for Powerucc Panorama II dashcam. Dashcam Viewer now supports the Mini 0801, BlackVue DR400, DR500, and Powerucc Panorama II dashcams.
Added graphical displays of shock-sensor data for Panorama II, Mini 0801, and Blackvue DR400/500 cameras.
Preferences: Added "auto-fix" option for correcting biases between camera timezone setting and computer timezone setting. Try this is you see the movie but the graph cursor is not moving.
Preferences: Timezone offset setting is no in hrs/min/sec instead of decimal hours.
Fixed sizing of splash window.
Check out this thread on the dashcamtalk.com forum.


A highly unusual and wonderfully light converted coach house. The original building was recently remodelled and given a new life by the owners and the property sits at the far end of their Aldbourne Road garden. The property offers a completely independent detached home over two floors with three bedrooms and spacious central kitchen / reception space; quiet outside areas and gated off street parking and it could suit a wide variety of needs. Not least live / work space or could suit those needing an additional loft bedroom for young children or guests. A real one-off. Askham Road runs north off Uxbridge Road into Aldbourne Road and is east of Askew Road. Wormholt Park and the Ark Conway Academy Primary School are close by and Westfield / Shepherd's Bush tubes are within easy reach, as is the East Acton Central Line tube station.
1152 sq ft / 107 sq m approx.


'Bay to Bay' will be available for sale starting in September.
THUNDER BAY - It likely won't end the confusion for the alarmingly high number of people who mix up Thunder Bay and North Bay.
New Ontario confirmed their attendance in this weekend's BrewHa! Festival some months ago, and the two breweries figured it would be a better time than ever to brew together.
"New Ontario, they came up we like did. [They] saw a need in their community, started brewing from home, and they're very passionate about beer." Sleeping Giant co-owner Kyle Mulligan said.
Brewmaster Mike Harrison started New Ontario in 2015, and has enjoyed success in the North Ontario market since.
In that sense, the collaboration was a no-brainer.
Harrison described the beer as a "big, juicy, hoppy," India Pale Ale with a lot of flavour and a hazy colour.
'Bay to Bay' is expected to hit the market at the end of September.
Both Sleeping Giant and New Ontario will have their own tent set up at this weekend's BrewHa! Festival.
Harrison said he considers it a marquee event for craft beer breweries in the region.
Although the collaboration beer won't be ready in time for the festival, New Ontario will feature their flagship blonde ale, a radler, and "a few other surprises," while Sleeping Giant will have a chai milk stout, a French farmhouse ale, and a kettle sour, among others.


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Archive for the 'Middle East' Category
Iran between a pragmatic pseudo-liberal and a theocratic hardliner
Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani is thought to be a pragmatic conservative, ready to do whatever is necessary to protect mostly his own interests. In a 1999 sermon at the Tehran University he praised the government for using force to suppress student demonstrations. On July 17, 2009 , his highly anticipated speech at the Friday prayer satisfied neither the green opposition movement of the youth in the streets of Tehran nor did it rehabilitate his arch-enemy Ahmadinejad and his role in the most recent elections.
Rafsandjani is walking a tightrope in trying to preserve his influence and keeping pressure on Ahmadinejad and his supporters and at the same time not to alienate the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On the one hand he is a supporter of freedom of expression and civil society, and on the other hand he founded the radical Ansar-e-Hezbollah movement in Iran. In 1999 Hezbollah was involved in violent attacks on student protesters at anti-government demonstrations which lasted for about a week and resulted in a number of students being severely injured, some paralyzed and even murdered.
During his Friday prayer Rafsandjani spoke of doubt that has begrudged the people of Iran in this bitter era after the election. He suggested in order to return the trust to the people all, including the system, government, security forces, police and the people should move in line with the law. At this time it is worth mentioning that it was Rafsandjani and other Mousavi supporters who themselves deviated from the rule of law by demanding new elections when there was no legal basis for it. During his sermon Leader Ayatollah Khamenei reminded the opposition of the importance of the rule of law: "By Allah's favor, the presidential election was accurately held, and the current matters should be pursued legally."
It was Rafsandjani who did not adhere to the law and yet he is now stating the obvious after the fact that protesters have already taken their demands to the streets. That kind of twisting the facts is malicious to say the least. It is the makings of a pragmatic politician who sees his fortunes threatened and is now desperately trying to take advantage of frustration that is settling in among the young generation in Iran. He wants to leave the door to debate open but fails to recognize that there cannot be a reasonable debate with people taking to the streets and chanting death to the dictator from their roof tops. He fails to recognize that protestors want a revolution yet Rafsandjani wants to protect only his own interests.
How did it get to the point that the country of the Iranian revolution is almost going to be torn apart between the forces of a modern, young, moderate Iran and a theocratic, old and conservative leadership? The answer of the theocrats is to suppress freedom in an effort to contain this threat to the system. The answer of the opposition is to revolt against the regime. The losers are most certainly people of Iran, young and old, who are about to be crushed in a vice between this two gigantic millstones.
Rafsandjani who's role in the current revolt is appalling, nevertheless is most likely the only one who could lead the country out of the current deadlock. If you are going to drown you probably have to grab whatever you get, and Rafsandjani's pragmatism is maybe just the right thing to pull them out. In the moment the nation of Iran does not really have any alternative.
The United States, Israel and its allies are about to raise the stakes for Iran in its nuclear stand off with the west. The New York Times has floated the prospects of tough sanctions against the nation of Iran from the Obama administration. There is talk about extreme economic sanctions by cutting off Iran's imports of gasoline and other refined oil products. Iran imports about 40 percent of its gasoline from abroad. The sanctions could be implemented soon after Obama's deadline to revive talks on Iran's nuclear program ends in mid-September.
In the meantime the administration is rallying its allies behind a gasoline embargo, which is supposed to change Iran's cost-benefit analysis according to president Obama. Congress is preparing legislation that would give the president the authority to act on extreme sanction. A bill, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, has already 71 sponsors a majority in the senate and is expected to pass the house as well. US lawmakers consider this bill to arm the president with sanctions authority more appropriate than authorizing the use of military force. They seemed to have learned from the Bush debacle after all.
Of course by some stretch of imagination this energy embargo scenario could also be viewed as an act of aggression not unlike war and its use of military force. Such a draconic measure is therefore not without risk. it could further destabilize an already weakened regime in Iran and change a rather benign and contained situation into uncontrollable violence and bloodshed. This will not be enough to deter the U.S. and its allies as long as the violence remains within Iran. The U.S. has certainly a long history in such ruthless endeavors.
There is also the possibility that Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will capitalize on tough sanctions and rally his fellow countrymen behind him. Enemy number one for most Iranians is still the U.S. and sanctions will only help to reinforce anti-American sentiment in the region. After his defeat in the first Persian Gulf War Saddam Hussein was hugely unpopular, but a decade lasting of crippling sanctions transformed him into Iraqi's favorite leader once again.
In Iran's nuclear standoff with the west the door is slam shut, neither the U.S. nor the theocratic leadership seem ready to compromise. The only hope to open a window of negotiations is through the pragmatic conservative Ayatollah Rafsandjani. His support for a free market domestically and his moderate position internationally brings him closer to the U.S. than any of the other Iranian clerics and in stark contrast to president Ahmadinejad. It can be assumed with absolute certainty that Rafsandjani is the main force behind the opposition movement and the current mini-revolt against Ahamdinejad and the Islamic revolution itself.
The fronts in this historic struggle for dominance are clear. Leader Khamenei and Ahmadinejad stand for the integrity of the Islamic revolution and are pitted against more moderate reformers around clerical businessman Rafsandschani and Mousavi. Initially everything seemed to fall in line with the Supreme Leader almost hastily anointing his candidate Ahmadinejad as the winner of the current election. Nobody expected the president to alienate his conservative friends by promoting Rahim Mashaie to the post of vice-president.
After Khamenei signaled his anger with this choice Ahmadinejad decided to ignore the Supreme Leader's wish for almost a week before he finally gave in and demoted Mashaie to the post of his new chief of staff. Over the course of this row with the hard line, conservative leadership in Iran several of his ministers resigned from their posts causing a major stir among the theocratic system. His opponents immediately seized the opportunity to sense unease amongst conservatives over the disputed elections, and saw there claims of election fraud confirmed.
Some have even argued that Ahmadinejad was preparing for a coup d'état to install a military dictatorship in Iran. I think this is wrong. We have no credible evidence that the president is planning such radical action against Leader Khamenei. In his defense Ahmadinejad himself characterized his relationship with Khamenei like that of a father and son, going beyond politics and administration.
Still uncertainty remains about why would Mr. Ahamdinejad provoke his closest allies at a time when his opponents are already fiercely attacking him. The most likely explanation is, he lost his nerves. In an attempt to reach out, he wanted to include more moderate forces in his new cabinet. That did not ring through with ultraconservative, hard line members in the government. Unsure about how to resolve the current dispute with the opposition and end the threat that street protests pose to the system he charged ahead and fired some of his conservative members in the government.
Though we cannot be sure about the motives, friction between Leader Khamenei and his protégé Mr. Ahmadinejad became apparent yesterday during the official endorsement ceremony for his second term as president. A video shot during the procedure clearly showed how awkward the two men approached each other. In another sign of turmoil major critics of the recent election, including Mr. Rafsandjani, did not participate in the endorsement. In the meantime another influential ultraconservative cleric instructed the president to consult with parliament before naming his new ministry. Indeed Ahmadinejad seems to be marginalized in his power over the influential theocrats.
Among all the accusations and problems that have befallen the nation of Iran, Rafsandjani's influence has gained importance but is still up against the ultraconservative Supreme Leader of Iran. We can only speculate about the outcome of this confrontation but can be fairly certain about the main actors in this drama. Although his motives are questionable moral objections have to be abandoned in favor of an end that justifies the means of ending a nuclear standoff with the west. But here is the problem. Rafsandjani who can help to end this international dispute can only do so by committing treason on the Iranian revolution and risking civil war in Iran. Today's protestors in the streets of Tehran should be fearful to get what they wished for.
Posted in Middle East, Politics, posts in english, U.S.A.
Tagged with Ahmadinejad, Friday prayer, gasoline embargo, green movement, Iran, Iranian Revolution, Khamenei, Obama administration, pragmatism, president of Iran, Rafsandjani, street protest, Supreme Leader, theocratic, tough sanctions, ultraconservative
What change? – one step forward two steps back
The reformist opposition in Iran is still dedicated and vowed to continue their fight against what they claim are fraudulent election results. In the meantime the demonstrations have for the most part abated and the streets of Tehran are back to a kind of normalcy again.
Some leaders of European governments have submitted their protests to the Iranian theocratic rulers about how they chose to deal with demonstrators in the last couple of days. Yesterday the president of the United States expressed his criticism saying he was appalled and outraged about the post-election crackdown.
This interference in their internal affairs seemed to have angered Iranian leadership who accuse mainly the US and UK in being supportive of violence in the streets of Tehran. After expelling two British diplomats from Iran the UK did the same with their Iranian colleagues in London. The US joined this diplomatic row and withdrew invitations to Iranian diplomats to attend US Independence Day celebrations on July 4.
This is reminiscent of the Bush-neoconservative era of exclusive axis-of-evil type of policy rather than change under which premise Obama run and successfully won the White House in the November election. Obviously Obama is becoming choosy again and does not want to sit down with just anybody anymore. If a covert attempt to regime change in Iran is his only answer to the problems in the Middle East than yes we can and change is possible more and more resemble empty phrases. The unvitation is clearly a step backwards in the crucial relationship between these two countries.
It was the first time since Washington cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in 1980 that Iranian diplomats had been invited to the embassy parties, but the move to withdraw the invites was largely symbolic as no Iranians had even responded.
"The president's policy of engagement is obviously delayed, but we are going to have to deal with the government of Iran," Senator John Kerry, chairman of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Reuters.
The best U.S. option for pressuring Iran, the world's fifth biggest oil producer, was to drive down crude prices by reducing America's dependence on imported energy, Kerry said.
Mohammad Marandi, who is the head of North American Studies at Tehran University, said mistrust of the United States and Britain was rife, partly due to the "very negative" role of U.S.- and British-funded Persian-language television stations.
"They are working 24 hours a day spreading rumours and trying to turn people against each other," he told Reuters.
"In the short term relations will definitely get worse, but in the long term the U.S. really has to re-think its policy and to recognize that regime change is not possible in Iran."
25. June 2009 at 11:17 am
Posted in Middle East, Politics, posts in english
Tagged with election, fraud, Iran, Obama, regime change, Tehran
Friedman confuses occidental motives with oriental needs
Mr. Friedman is a distinguished book author and columnist for the Times, one of our foremost experts on globalization and all things political for that matter, and yet he does not seem to understand the political situation in the Middle East.
His article 'Bullets and Barrels' about the recent developments in Iran is confusing to say the least. At first he concedes that past elections were legitimate but then concludes that this time the regime panicked and stole the election. His analysis is entirely based on the speculative assumption that Mousavi supporters are the majority in the nation of Iran.
I can only speculate about his motives and as to how he reaches this conclusion but he seemed to completely ignore Ahmadinejad's popularity. In this election Ahmadinejad was widely believed to have run a more successful campaign than his challengers, he was seen by many as the more popular candidate during the televised debates.
While many in the west rush to judgment about Ahmadinejad they never really challenged Khamenei and the Iranian Revolution. I assume because of overwhelming support of the system among the Iranian populace. Ahmadinejad is their candidate of choice. As George Friedman points out, the question is not why Ahmadinejad won, but why so many thought he would not win.
The writers own analysis that this election was a referendum against the regime is counter to anything we know about Iran at this point. I have not found any reasonable argument in his article that would support this thesis. Like many he seems to be entirely captivated by the flow of information out of Iran that is coming from new technologies, but surely a revolution against the Iranian Revolution will not be achieved by Twitter and social networks.
Friedman also does not distinguish between reform and moderation as core-motives in this election. Reform that challenges the theocratic system of rule in Iran would be hugely chaotic and ultimately negative for the Middle East. He confuses motives of occidental governments with the needs and desires of their oriental counterparts. As long as we do not approach the Middle East with a genuine desire for peace any attempt to bring about change will fail.
21. June 2009 at 10:54 pm
Tagged with Ahmadinejad, election, Iran, Iranian Revolution, Middle East, NYT
Iran – has the West already won?
Iran's supreme leader during Friday's prayer sided with President Ahmadinejad over the disputed election results. He called it an absolute victory , proven by the big difference in vote count between the two challengers. Khamenei made clear that street protests would not make any difference and gave a stern warning to those responsible to resort to reason and pursue any further complains the legal way. Here are some excerpts from his speech from the Huffington Post:
"Some of our enemies in different parts of the world intended to depict this absolute victory, this definitive victory, as a doubtful victory," he said. "It is your victory. They cannot manipulate it."
"If the difference was 100,000 or 500,000 or 1 million, well, one may say fraud could have happened. But how can one rig 11 million votes?"
"It must be determined at the ballot box what the people want and what they don't want, not in the streets," he said. "I call on all to put an end to this method. … If they don't, they will be held responsible for the chaos and the consequences."
"Some may imagine that street action will create political leverage against the system and force the authorities to give in to threats. No, this is wrong," he said.
"All of them (the four candidates) belong to the system. It was a competition within the ruling system,"
This explicit statement regarding the system of government gives a hint about the real struggle that must be going on behind closed doors among the theocratic elite in Iran. At stake is not only an allegedly rigged election but rather the existence of the Iranian Revolution itself. Whether the protesters themselves led by Mousavi and Rafsanjani are aware of this daunting challenge is not clear. But what should be clear among those taking to the streets is that this revolution against the revolution will not be accomplished by Twitter and social networks alone. As supreme leader Khamenei reiterated those responsible for blood, violence and chaos have to take responsibility.
There have been many accusations, during Khamenei's prayer and before, of western governments trying to meddle with Iranian internal affairs (also here). Whether US., Great Britain and what he called Iran's other enemies try to force a showdown over Iran's non-elected theocracy and shake up the foundation of its system of rule is uncertain although possible given the general uninhibited elation in western media over the street protests. I hope all those concerned know what they are doing and are willing to accept responsibility.
The next days and weeks will define this struggle and although the outcome is uncertain, Iranian leadership must not ignore it. The hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets have already shaken the foundation of the Islamic Revolution. If the theocratic leadership remains stubborn and does not recognize since the overthrow of the Shah a generation's life has passed, they are poised to meet the same faith.
Posted in Middle East, Politics, posts in english, Uncategorized
Tagged with Ahmadinejad, election, fraud, Iran, Iranian Revolution, Khomenei, theocratic
Iran – coup d'état or voter fraud
We should care more about seeking the truth than give in to passion in the heat of the moment. While 'Tweeting' has its merits and is certainly a lot of fun it is not in any way a true representation of the actual situation in Iran. Many Iranians mainly in rural areas do not have access to this form of communication and we must not make the mistake to ignore them. Iran is still a very remote nation for most of us and is therefore important to be informed as comprehensively as possible to make a fair judgment of the situation in Iran.
We have heard many accusations of voter fraud from Mousavi himself and his followers, but also from many outside of Iran. What these accusations have in common is that they are not based on rational arguments but rather a preconceived sentiment towards Iranian politics. We want to free Iran from its theocratic rule and mold it according to our western democratic society. This arrogance is the reason why we rush to judgment and overwhelmingly condemn the election as fraud. We do not need proof because an anti-liberal like Ahmadinejad must not be legitimately elected. We can also not ignore that our own political elite has a vested interest in regime change in Iran because of a nuclear stand-off that threatens their own ideas of security.
Georg Friedman is founder of STRATFOR Global Intelligence and in 'Western Misconceptions Meet Iranian Reality' he presents us with a different analysis. A mass movement of people in Iran towards liberalization is a myth. Iranians are for the most part still supporting their revolution that started about 30 years ago. Friedman calls the pseudo-revolt based on Twitter 'I-pod liberalism', something that does not represent the Iranian populace. Many of those who actually want regime change speak English but this I-pod owning Anglophones are not exactly the majority in Iran.
Mousavi supporters base their claim of wide-spread fraud on polls that have been conducted shortly before the election. These polls show a head to head race between the contestants, some even saw Mousavi ahead. To those Ahmadinejad's overwhelming victory was stunning.
Iran is a vast country and polling is notoriously difficult when phones are not universal and once you have a phone it is not sure that you can make a call. Most people in Tehran have a phone and a majority most likely voted for Mousavi but people outside of Tehran that could not be reached with a phone were not included. These polls were therefore misleading and do not in anyway support Mousavi's claim.
Friedman challenges the common perception that Ahmadinejad has total control over the vote counting. he seems to say like it or not but the process is democratic. Their is sufficient oversight and Ahmadinejad has powerful enemies who would not hesitate to use any irregularities against him. He certainly knew that he would be called on any irregularities, like in any other democracy, and risk a revolt.
Moreover these accusations totally miss the point of Ahmadinejad's popularity. The president of Iran is popular because he speaks to most important issues of piety, corruption and national security. For most Iranians and for those outside the professional elite in Tehran, which are the overwhelming majority, he is the candidate of choice when it comes to these issues.
During one of the election debates Ahmadinejad challenged Mousavi's connection to Rafsanchani's sons, who are widely believed corrupt figures, and this resonated well among Iranians who strongly support a candidate fighting corruption. Similarly the claim that reformist supporters of his challenger, like former president Kathami, had been willing to suspend the uranium-enrichment program tapped into popular support for the program.
A major point in the fraud accusation is an alleged underrepresentation of the Mousavi vote in Iran's Azeri-majority provinces. Mousavi is Azeri and therefore should have won the popular vote. This completely ignores the fact that Ahmadinejad served as an official for eight years in two Azeri provinces. He also speaks perfectly Azeri and artfully quoted from Azeri poetry during the campaign. The assumption that Mousavi was somehow assured of the Azeri vote is simply not grounded in reality according to the Politico.
Not all polls are designed to be equal. One that was conducted by the Washington based organization Terror-Free-Tomorrow before the debates assigned a twenty point lead to the incumbent over his challenger. Moreover Ahmadinejad was perceived to have done well during the debates while his challenger did poorly. In Friedman's own words: 'That he won is not the mystery; the mystery is why others thought he wouldn't win'.
Tagged with Ahmadinejad, election, Iran, polls
US to Israel – make peace with Palestine
Not everything is quiet on Obama's front. Economic crisis, unemployment, the crisis on Wall Street, executive compensation, General Motors, the environment just to name a few issues he has to tackle and he is only in his mid fifties. Oh, not to speak of a record current account deficit that is now poised to break through the alarming 1 trillion dollar mark.
On foreign policy two wars, in Irak and Afghanistan, are still looming high and no end seems in sight. The solutions promised to the people in the Middle East are a reason for deep frustration. Israel-Palestinian peace negotiations seemed to have stalled in part because of lack of leadership from the US. And above all the nuclear stand-off with Iran.
President Obama has more than once stated during his campaign speeches that he is frustrated with the lack of progress in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. He sees it as a "constant sore" that "infect[s] all of our foreign policy". Vice-president Jo Biden and General James Jones, Obama's national security adviser, wowed to be 'more forceful toward Israel than under Bush'.
This has alarmed a powerful pro-Israel lobby group in the US to get Congress to deliver a written letter to president Obama in an attempt to right what seemed wrong for Israeli hardliners. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) calls on the US to remain a devoted friend of Israel. Aipac wants to maintain the current pace of negotiations with the Palestinians and does not see this conflict crucial to peace in the Middle East. By the way Aipac also wants military attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities something the Obama administration clearly rejected so far.
Aipac is very powerful and has considerable influence over American lawmakers. Their message is clear, that there will only be a two-state solution when Israel is ready for it. Well, they had about 60 years now, that is a lot of prep time. So, hopefully Obama stays the course so as to this region will have peace in our lifetime.
There are considerable forces that work against a two-state solution. Netanyahu's speech about the conditions for a formation of a Palestinian state was meant to be rejected and certainly will not in anyway open a door for successful peace negotiations.
The Obama administration is under considerable stress concerning the nominations of some of their top administrative positions. In March Chas Freeman, a veteran American diplomat and former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, had to withdraw as chairman of the national intelligence council. Behind this move is arguable Freeman's criticism of Israel.
The "Israel Lobby", he argued, was stifling any discussion of US policy options in the Middle East except those endorsed by "the ruling faction in Israeli politics" – a situation that could "ultimately threaten the existence of the state of Israel".
This underscores the alarmingly powerful influence Aipac has in Washington and although the last elections brought hope of change, so far its the same ol same ol. Wait, maybe not so fast. Obama has obviously sacked a state department advisor on Iran. Dennis Ross, Hillary Clinton's special adviser on Iran has been removed from his post because of reports that Tehran was unwilling to engage with him. Ross is believed to be very close with Israel. The real reason for his removal is his rejection of the Obama administration's approach to the Middle East. Mr. Ross sees himself eye to eye with Aipac and Netanyahu. Well his boss did not like it and fired him.
I hope we will see more of this, because it is absolutely clear by now that peace in the Middle east will only come if Israel will be forced to accept it.
Tagged with Aipac, Israel, lobbying, Netanyahu, Obama, Palestinians, Washington
One man's battle for peace in the Middle East
While the most recent events in Iran get extensive coverage the world over, another significant development on the political stage is being ignored. Western media beat themselves to the bunch in broadcasting every fart coming out of Iran, and yet they did not report a visit of the Gaza Strip by a former president of the United States.
Jimmy Carte is regarded by many in the US as the president wearing a cardigan reminding them to save and not to spend money they don't have. Seems pretty smart and farsighted now, doesn't it. So when Jimmy Carter visits the poor people of Gaza the world should listen and observe when he has to 'hold back tears'.
The former US president was due to tour areas destroyed by Israel's 22-day war against the Hamas-ruled territory earlier this year. The offensive killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, many of them women and children, and left large areas of the impoverished strip in ruins.
Thirteen Israelis died during the conflict.
Carter told students at a graduation ceremony in the Strip: "I have to hold back tears when I see the deliberate destruction that has been raged against your people."
One person that did certainly not listen and who's heart seemed out of stone is Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. In a recent speech he outlined his vision for Israel and peace. Unfortunately while he praises the right of Israel to live in their 'historic homeland' he completely fails to recognise the same right for the Palestinian people.
Demilitarization of Palestinians, Israel's right to expand existing settlements and the demand for resettling Palestinian refuges outside of Israel are all but unacceptable for the poor people of Gaza and the West Bank.
And the simple truth is that the root of the conflict was, and remains, the refusal to recognise the right of the Jewish people to a state of their own, in their historic homeland.
Netanyahu justifies all this and destroys the glimmer of hope for the Palestinian people with one sentence. He is not ready to grant his neighbors the same right he demands for Israel, to build a free, independent and true neighbor state. Under these conditions Palestinians had to reject Israel's terms.
It is up to true leaders like Jimmy Carter to recognize injustice and to bring it into the public view. Though this fight seems to resemble Cervantes Don Quixote 'tilting the windmills' it is a true fight and it is as important as peace itself in the Middle East.
Tagged with Gaza Strip, Israel, Jimmy Carter, Palestinians, West Bank


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Aurora-health-care-names-new-chief-legal-officer
Aurora Health Care Names New Chief Legal Officer
Michael Grebe brings nearly 25 years of experience to role
MILWAUKEE – Aurora Health Care, the largest integrated health care system in Wisconsin, today announced the hiring of Michael Grebe as chief legal officer. In this role, Grebe will help Aurora navigate challenges in today's complex and ever-changing health care environment.
"Michael has served as a key strategic advisor to numerous corporations and businesses, and is an active member of the Milwaukee and Wisconsin businesses and legal communities," said Mike Lappin, chief administrative officer and corporate secretary. "He brings to us a unique set of business, strategic and leadership skills and experiences to Aurora's executive team, complementing the strong expertise of our legal team."
Throughout his nearly 25 year career, Grebe has served as a partner at Quarles & Brady and most recently as executive vice president and general counsel to HUSCO International, Inc.
"As health care regulations evolve, and competitive situations change, it's important to have the right resources in place to best serve the needs of our patients," Grebe said. "I look forward to joining Aurora and working to fulfill its purpose of helping people live well."
Grebe earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin and his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College. He will start in his new role on March 6.
About Aurora Health Care:
Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin-area health care provider and a national leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Aurora is Wisconsin's most comprehensive health care provider and the state's largest private employer. Aurora serves more than 1.2 million patients every year via a comprehensive network of facilities, services and providers, including 15 hospitals, more than 150 clinics, more than 70 pharmacies and more than 33,000 caregivers. As evidenced by more than 300 active clinical trials, Aurora is dedicated to delivering innovations to provide the best possible care today, and to define the best care for tomorrow. Get helpful health and wellness information via the Aurora MyHealth blog, our Facebook page, our Twitter account and our Pinterest account.


Helping students develop a valuable network of industry contacts is a cornerstone of Miami Ad School's placement program. Over the course of a two-year portfolio program, students will have networking opportunities with their teachers, all working art directors, copywriters, graphic designers and photographers and the weekly guest speakers. Students in their second year will be able to make meaningful connections with their mentors at Industry Labs (where students take classes at an agency) and with their colleagues and creative directors at one of the hundreds of internship opportunities Miami Ad School provides every year. It doesn't end there, however. The school's quarterly portfolio reviews give students a chance to interview with as many as a dozen ad agencies, design firms and even media and entertainment companies—as the opportunities open to our graduates are more diverse than ever.
All of these contacts are the reason that Miami Ad School's placement rate is 95% within six months of graduation.
Ana Dorta-Duque (above) is a good example. After connecting with interested companies at the June portfolio review in Miami, Ana interviewed with several recruiters and signed on with the Brooklyn office of the social media agency Laundry Service. Through the process, she also made valuable connections that could serve her well as her career progresses.
Many of the new hires met their future employers at one of Miami Ad School's Portfolio Reviews. Some were hired as a result of impressive internship performances and some by teachers who knew they had spotted someone they wanted to work with. Still others found their opportunities via the Job Leads for Life program that provides graduates with hundreds of job leads every year—at all industry levels—throughout their careers.
Prepare for a creative career of your own. Apply Now! or Learn How to Apply.


S'mores are synonymous with summertime. Now that the start of fall is only a few weeks away, it is time to indulge in the Valley's tastiest campfire-inspired eats. Here are five Phoenix restaurants to enjoy a s'mores dessert.
Beckett's Table in Phoenix takes the traditional s'mores dessert (you know, graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate) and kicks is up a notch–big time–with the addition of peanut butter and bacon. The chocolate-dipped, crispy bacon adds a yummy smokiness to the dessert, and the peanut butter adds some welcome creamy texture.
Salut Kitchen Bar in Tempe celebrates the sweet dessert with your own creative version with a make-your-own-s'mores set at your table over a small flame. The classic interpretation is served with graham crackers, marshmallows and Hershey chocolate.
Part of its summer menu, Z'Tejas is dishing up a unique interpretation of the classic campfire sweet. An ooey gooey cake of marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker is served alongside another summertime favorite: a root beer float made with vanilla ice cream and IBC Root Beer.
Offering a straightforward, super traditional s'mores dessert, the Tableside S'mores at Frank & Albert's of Arizona Biltmore comes complete with Hershey chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows–and a flame to cook up your dessert right at your table.
One of the Valley's most unique s'mores desserts, The Melting Pot offers the chocolaty deliciousness in fondue form. The fondue version of this classic dessert presents milk chocolate with marshmallow cream, flambéed and topped with bits of graham crackers. The fondue is served alongside strawberries, bananas, cheesecake, Rice Krispies Treats, marshmallows, pound cake and brownies as dippers.
Check out these roundups of the Valley's best restaurants for visitors and best sweet corn dishes!


Fight Right - Family Times is an award-winning magazine with staff-written news, feature stories and artwork that inform and inspire Central New York parents and their children.
Kelly loves Valentine's Day: It's this colorful holiday right smack in the middle of the dreariest part of winter that brings splashes of pink, red and purple to an otherwise white, brown and gray landscape.
It's also a great time to reflect on our most important relationships. As a couple, we've learned that a good gauge of our relationship is how we handle conflict.
It seems petty now, but at the time an issue as small as how to cook a little, bitty egg grew to the size of a whole flock of chickens. But we managed to sit down and resolve the issue like adults. Once Alan realized he had touched a nerve, he apologized. We talked not only about the right to cook eggs as we please, but, also, more importantly, how to choose our battles wisely.
One key to coping with conflict in romantic relationships is to really listen to what your partner is saying. Coming from a large, raucous Italian family, Kelly was brought up knowing how to hold her own in an argument. So, Kelly developed a bad habit from a very early age: She listened to what someone else said with the sole intent of figuring out how to counter it.
This, she now realizes, was an unfair tactic, considering she married a nice, unsuspecting boy from the rural Mountain West whose family used humor to smooth over bad feelings and rarely argued or even confronted one another if they disagreed.
Another point to consider: Avoid using dirty fighting tactics. Such tactics are very easy to adopt but can prove hard to break. Many of these nasty habits have been packed in our emotional baggage long ago, lugged with us from our families of origin.
Some common dirty fighting tactics include hurling insults or using sarcasm to intentionally hurt the other person. Such strategies are often employed as an attempt to feel stronger and more powerful than your partner. Whoever penned the adage about "sticks and stones" was dead wrong. Words do hurt and can injure, although often we may not see the wounds.
Also, withdrawing, acting aloof or giving the silent treatment are not helpful tactics. Giving yourself a little time to cool off if things get heated and emotions run high is OK, but waging a cold war against someone you love is not.
When we were engaged, we made a pact never to ignore each other or practice silence as a weapon in our relationship. Even though tension might be thick at times in the Taylor household, we still speak civilly to one another, and it has helped us maintain our relationship no matter what our differences of opinion may be.
Children learn what they see. If children see parents striving to work out their differences in respectful ways, they will learn to do likewise in their own relationships. Effective conflict resolution takes work, practice and compromise, but in the end a healthy marriage and a more harmonious home are ample reward for the effort.
Alan and Kelly Taylor live in Liverpool with their five children. Kelly holds a master's degree in family studies; Alan is an assistant professor in Syracuse University's Department of Child and Family Studies. Write to them at editorial@familytimes.biz.


The SUMMIT Classic Collection features deluxe undercounter appliances designed to bring modern luxury into the home. Outdoor entertaining is easier with the SBC590OS, our dual tap beer dispenser designed for safe and long-lasting use in the outdoors. The 304 grade stainless steel exterior is designed to stand up to the elements in style, while an integrated Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter protects the unit from circuit breaks. This unit is front-breathing to allow built-in installation under counters. The user-reversible door includes a sleek handle in brushed stainless steel. Frost-free operation helps to minimize user maintenance and keep your beer stored at a stable temperature, with a dial thermostat located in the front kickplate for easy temperature adjustment. Serve two of your favorite brews from 1/6 kegs with the twin tap system. This unit ships with a complete Sankey tap kit that includes a 5 lb. CO2 tank and regulator, draft tower, connection hardware and cleaning kit. A two-piece stainless steel drip tray is included to help keep your countertop spill-free. Inside, the reinforced stainless steel floor helps to protect the unit when loading kegs. At just 24" wide, the SBC590OS is the ideal finish for any outdoor home bar with high beer standards. To convert this model for freestanding use, order the SBC590 Kit.


"There is a necessity for a paradigm shift in our pondering the pathogenesis of a number of sclerosis."
Challenging Charcot's speculation that inflammatory reaction is the first contributor to demyelination, Dr. Rodriguez and associates take a clean, daring examine the explanations and attainable remedies of MS.
Assuming oligodendrocyte damage as a prerequisite to MS, the authors discover viruses, pollution and genetic defects as attainable culprits. They current novel ways to interrupt and opposite demyelination. This publication examines the correlation among axonal loss and scientific deficits, together with the implied function of the CD8+ T telephone and perforin. It assesses proteases, particularly, kallikrein 6, that are strongly linked to energetic demyelination. via directing normal autoantibodies opposed to oligodendrocytes that exhibit remyelination in animal versions, the authors envision scientific trials for remyelination enhancement.
As the world over famous experts in a variety of MS disciplines, the authors discover genetic instruments for deciding on sufferers who're probably to event spontaneous remyelination. Epidemiology experiences supply extra avenues of therapy. Examples comprise uric acid, statin medicines, estrogen and progesterone.
MS impacts approximately 400,000 humans within the usa, lots of whom are between18 and forty years of age. With their novel, multifaceted method of uncomplicated science—and their functions in realizing reason and treatment—the authors provide aid to clinicians and desire to sufferers.
This can be an the world over revered and authoritative paintings, delivering in-depth insurance of all elements of pleural illness. development at the strengths of the well-received first version, the booklet incorporates a thorough easy technology part, helping knowing of the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms that underlie ailments of the pleura.
Customer textual content provides finished info at the affliction, its motives and signs, comparable medical conditions, and the newest advances in therapy, medicines, and examine. additionally addresses social matters and precious aid enterprises. Discusses grownup day providers and gene treatment. DNLM: Alzheimer Disease--Encyclopedia.
Prime infectious illness researchers and pharmaceutical scientists comprehensively assessment the newest genomic applied sciences and their software to the prevention, prognosis, and therapy. The authors' cross-disciplinary process, with services received from learning disease-causing viruses, micro organism, fungi, and protozoa, unearths how series details from varied pathogens has exposed novel objectives for drug discovery, antigenic determinants for vaccine improvement, in addition to diagnostic instruments.
Molecular Pathology of Liver ailments integrates the normal wisdom of physiological and pathological methods within the liver with a balanced emphasis on basic ideas; well timed advances in mobile and molecular mechanisms; and utilized pathology. The textbook is geared up into numerous sections, every one of including an array of chapters that steadily and cohesively difficult on pertinent liver biology and pathology.
The expression of these survival proteins is not restricted to hypoxic or ischemic lesions. HIF expression can be induced or increased by pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines, and protein denaturation in injured tissue induces HSP expression [2, 90]. All these proteins are expressed at the border between active inflammatory lesions and the adjacent normal tissue. While hsp70 is found at the edges of all inflammatory lesions in the CNS, the expression of HIF-1α is restricted to lesions following hypoxia-like tissue injury .
Glutamate receptors in the CNS of MS patients reportedly had altered expression, and the presence of a specific glutamate receptor correlated with the presence of axonal damage . In MS, macrophages and microglia were immunoreactive for the glutamate-producing enzyme glutaminase, which co-localized with dystrophic axons . Nitric oxide (NO) is a signal transducer involved in glutamate-induced excitation, is expressed by activated microglia, astrocytes, and macrophages during inflammation in the CNS , and is induced by several different cytokines including IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-1β .
Evidence for Immunopathogenic Heterogeneity in Multiple Sclerosis . . . Immunopathologic Heterogeneity May Be Stage-Dependent . . . . . . . 21 22 24 27 30 Remyelination in MS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Clinicopathologic Spectrum of CNS Idiopathic Inflammatory Demyelinating Disorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis . . . . . .


This weekend, Dad and I got the 1983 VW Jetta Turbo diesel running again. After sitting in my garage for almost a year, and sitting at Emelie's old apartment before that for another year, it runs again. The main problem was that the prime had bled down in the injector pump (which also draws the fuel from the tank-- it has no fuel pump). So by re-priming the pump with diesel, we got it started.
We also have replaced the glow plugs, the battery, the injector heat shields, the fuel filter, the thermostat and we did a oil and coolant change. There are still some issues I will need to address in the near term-- it needs a new driveshaft where a CV boot has failed, and the radiator needs to come out (it leaks a tiny bit). Plus new shoes are in order with winter coming upon us.
Aside from all that, it will be nice to have a second car so Jakki can work and get to her practical nursing classes. Tonight I'll try to put up some more pictures and post again.
Yesterday evening, we returned from a few days along the St. Joe river in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest with my Dad and his friend Vaughn. We had a blast biking the Hiawatha trail and learning to fly fish. See the pics in the gallery! We hope everyone has a fun, cool, and safe 4th.
Boy am I tired. When Jakki and I bought this house last year, it came with a non-functional sprinkler system. This weekend I finally got it mostly running. At first, I thought the only problem was that the water service was not hooked up to the 5 zone manifold.
This morning (Sunday) I got up and was at Home Depot 15 minutes after it opened (7:15am). I got some couplers to fix a break and return the sprinkler heads I bought the day before, as they did not fit. At this point only zone 1 really works. I dink around with zone 2 and discover a dead solenoid on the manifold valve. One more trip to HD. I bought a new head for zone 2 and a new head for zone 5 plus some soaker hose for the newly discovered soaker head. At this point new sprinkler heads, buried under dirt and lawn are making their presence known. I fix two more breaks caused by the $%@*#^@ previous owners and head back to HD for more couplers because even more breaks have surfaced (starting with a swelling in the soil, ending in a full-on geyser). I think I've finally got it down, the service lines are 1" and the feeder lines are 3/4", and I have a new Oetiker tool for crimping on hose clamps. All zones produce water at this point.
The break I just fixed in the hosta bed in back has another break not six inches from it, and I'm out of clamps and couplers, so time to make the fifth and final trip to HD. That does it. I have plugged the mysterious end on zone 4 that appears to go to the neighbors, and fixed all breaks in evidence. I have a brand new racheting hose cutting tool at this point as well. Jakki and I do one final test of all the zones. Everything is working and and I'm the walking dead at this point.
That was 30 minutes ago, and after a shower and a nice couch to lie on, Jakki and I can make it rain in our world any time we like. Anyone want to start a irrigation installation company?
My aunt and uncle, Paul and Kristi, who are living on their boat currently in La Paz Mexico have begun their seasonal journey to the mainland to have their boat hauled out for hurricane season.
Just a quick note to let everybody know again that we are indeed departing La Paz this morning. We will be out of internet access for up to 5 weeks, but will write when we can. Our first anchorage today will be Caleta Lobos, about 12 nautical miles away. An extinct volcano that flooded with sea water several million years ago, with lots of caldon cactus around the caldera. Then tomorrow we will enter the National Park islands of Isla Espiritu Santo and Isla Partida and do some hiking and snorkeling. Eventually we will work our way half way up the Sea of Cortez and over to San Carlos. Then fly to Seattle by mid-June. See some of y'all in Eitzen for Beth's birthday and the 4th of July parade!
Well, this past week was pretty tough, especially for Jakki. Her father passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday the 28th. We made an emergency dash down to Arkansas to be with her family and take part in the funeral. Jakki's dad wasn't in the best of health, but he had a great year of hunting, fishing and raising his daylillies. The obituary can be found at this link. Using photos from his life, some of which were taken by Jakki on her visit last July, the funeral home created a short video which can be viewed at this link. The weather was good for the service and the interment, and we got to see lots of Jakki's family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jakki and her family during this tough time.
We miss you Alice Bea!
Well, this weekend marks the one year anniversary of going to the hospital in Little Rock with acute pancreatitis. And wouldn't you know it, I'm back in the hospital again. Shortly after filling up the last load in the moving truck, a fever hit, and we went to the Deaconess Emergency Room (yep, the place where I work). After a CT and some blood work, they said I should be admitted because I was having a pancreatitis attack, and my white blood cell count was high. So I'm looking at the prospect of having yet another drain put in to empty a pseudocyst. Plus possibly a trip to Virginia Mason in Seattle for some surgery to clear this up once and for all. Right now, I'm feeling fine-- no pain, no fever and they are letting me eat until midnight, when I have to fast for my drain placement tomorrow. Mom is here and I found a WAP to get internet access. Jakki, my sister and dad are coming up soon. It's kind of interesting being in the hospital again, but feeling pretty good. I'm able to walk around as much as I want (as long as I bring my tree of IV antibiotics with me) and I'm able to notice more of the world around me. Last night was a rough night's sleep, with lots of beeping and a phlebotomist jabbing me in the arm at 4:00am. Mom also wanted me to mention the music they play here. I can hear it over in my office, so I guess it never struck me as interesting. One of the things this hospital does, and it might be because we have more babies born here than any other facility in Spokane, is play a tinkly little tune on the PA system when a baby is born. Mom just thinks it's so sweet. Maybe we can take a walk down the nursery and check out the buns, fresh from the oven. So that's all for now-- more tomorrow after the anethesia wears off and I can see the keyboard again. Wish me luck!
So here I sit, editing down some photos and listening to Jakki's Rwandan music for her Intercultural Communications class. We just planted some honeysuckle Flo gave us on our recent trip to Seattle to see off Paul and Kristi. It was a great trip, we got to see lots of family and friends.
In other news, work has been going great. I really like the people I work with, and I'm settling in fast. Taking the bus is proving to be OK as well, especially since I got a new laptop bag from Timbuk2. This weekend, Jakki and I are taking a break from it all and staying home for once. Maybe we'll BBQ some sort of critter.


text:
New Oil Field Acquired
TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN, May 16, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –Tethys Petroleum (TSX: TPL)(LSE: TPL) today announced Chegara Production Limited ("CPL"), its 100% owned subsidiary, has signed a Production Enhancement Contract ("PEC") for a new oil field, the Chegara Group of Fields ("Chegara"), in Uzbekistan. In addition Tethys announced it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU"), which agrees a timetable for the potential signing of an Exploration Agreement for a highly prospective Exploration block.
-- New 25-year Production Enhancement Contract on oil field -- Existing producing oil wells -- Significant upside in undrilled areas - additional geophysical data to be acquired -- MOU for potential Exploration Agreement on an exploration block in North Ustyurt Basin
Dr David Robson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Tethys, added:
"We are delighted that we have been awarded this new oil field in Uzbekistan. I would like to thank our partners, Uzbekneftegaz, Uzneftegazdobycha and Uznefteproduct, for their support and hard work in negotiating this new contract. We believe the Chegara Group of Fields has good potential through increasing production in existing wells and also large upside in undrilled areas. It has only had minimal, initial drilling work carried out on it and we believe with additional geophysical data we will be able to develop this field more efficiently and increase production substantially. In addition the newly signed MOU now sets out a clear timetable to potentially signing an exploration agreement for a block in the Ustyurt basin which we believe has very similar geological characteristics to the Akkulka block where we have our Doris oil discovery."
The Chegara Group is an underdeveloped group of fields located 14 kilometers south-west of the existing Tethys asset of North Urtabulak, and contiguous to the prolific Urtabulak gas condensate Field, within the world-class Amu Darya Basin. The reservoirs comprise Upper Jurassic age carbonates at an approximate depth of 2,650 meters, trapped below a regionally prevalent salt and anhydrite seal. The oil is of moderate gravity and at present there are 3 producing wells all flowing naturally under reservoir pressure. This currently has limited existing oil production, and will form the baseline production under the new Chegara PEC with Uzbekneftegaz. Tethys believes there is substantial additional production potential in the field.
Tethys has collected and interpreted a significant volume of historic seismic, drilling, geological and production data relating to the Chegara Group of fields, and plans to initially work over the existing well stock using technologies and techniques that have been successfully implemented to increase production on the North Urtabulak Field over the previous 12 years under a very similar contractual arrangement. Furthermore, it is intended that additional geophysical data will be acquired on the field to identify undrilled areas that provide high potential upside. Currently there are only State reserves assigned to the field and no figures yet under NI 51-101 reporting procedures.
The contract will become effective following standard regulatory approvals, which include the issuance of a Presidential Decree and the completion of a Feasibility Study. The PEC has a term of twenty-five (25) years and under the new PEC CPL is allocated refined products for the crude oil it produces and sells these outside Uzbekistan. Furthermore Tethys has been granted exclusive rights to carry out operations with liquid hydrocarbons on Chegara.
The MOU signed with NHC Uzbekneftegaz sets out a fixed timetable to potentially sign an Exploration Agreement for a large Exploration block in the North Usyturt basin in Uzbekistan. TPL will submit a proposal for an exploration program for the block by the end of June 2012. After approval by NHC Uzbekneftegaz and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan an Exploration Agreement will be negotiated.
Tethys is focused on oil and gas exploration and production activities in Central Asia with activities currently in the Republics of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This highly prolific oil and gas area is rapidly developing and Tethys believes that significant potential exists in both exploration and in discovered deposits.
This press release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to our operations. Such forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. See our Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2011 for a description of risks and uncertainties relevant to our business, including our exploration activities (which are incorporated herein by reference). The "forward looking statements" contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Sabin Rossi, – All Investor Queries
+1 416-947-0167 (FAX)
Veronica Seymour, – All Media Queries
Vice President Corporate Communications
Office: +44 1481 725911
+44 1481 725922 (FAX)
Corporate Brokers:
FirstEnergy Capital LLP.
Hugh Sanderson / David Van Erp +44 207 448 0200
Seymour Pierce Richard Redmayne / Jonathan Wright / Stewart Dickson Office: +44 207 107 8000
Quam IR Anita Wan
Office phone/fax: +852 2217 2999
FTI Consulting – London
Ben Brewerton / Edward Westropp
info@tethyspetroleum.com
www.tethyspetroleum.com
Mobile site: http://m.tethyspetroleum.com


text:
Understanding Quadrature Encoders
/ Understanding Quadrature Encoders
OneboxVision 0 Comments
1. Encoder and Applications Overview
An encoder is an electromechanical device that can measure motion or position. Most encoders use optical sensors to provide electrical signals in the form of pulse trains, which can, in turn, be translated into motion, direction, or position.
Rotary encoders are used to measure the rotational motion of a shaft. Figure 1 shows the fundamental components of a rotary encoder, which consists of a light-emitting diode (LED), a disk, and a light detector on the opposite side of the disk. The disk, which is mounted on the rotating shaft, has patterns of opaque and transparent sectors coded into the disk. As the disk rotates, the opaque segments block the light and, where the glass is clear, light is allowed to pass. This generates square-wave pulses, which can then be interpreted into position or motion.
Encoders usually have from 100 to 6,000 segments per revolution. This means that these encoders can provide 3.6 deg of resolution for the encoder with 100 segments and 0.06 deg of resolution for the encoder with 6,000 segments.
Linear encoders work under the same principle as rotary encoders except that instead of a rotating disk, there is a stationary opaque strip with transparent slits along its surface, and the LED-detector assembly is attached to the moving body.
Figure 1. Optical Encoder Components
An encoder with one set of pulses would not be useful because it could not indicate the direction of rotation. Using two code tracks with sectors positioned 90 deg out of phase (Figure 2), the two output channels of the quadrature encoder indicate both position and direction of rotation. If A leads B, for example, the disk is rotating in a clockwise direction. If B leads A, then the disk is rotating in a counter-clockwise direction. Therefore, by monitoring both the number of pulses and the relative phase of signals A and B, you can track both the position and direction of rotation.
Figure 2. Quadrature Encoder A and B Output Signals
In addition, some quadrature encoders include a third output channel – called a zero or reference signal – which supplies a single pulse per revolution. You can use this single pulse for precise determination of a reference position. In the majority of encoders, this signal is called the Z-Terminal or the index.
So far, this document has addressed only what are called single-ended incremental quadrature encoders. These are called single-ended because the A and B signals are both referenced to ground, so there is one wire (or end) per signal. Another commonly used type of encoder is a differential encoder, where there are two lines per each A and B signal. The two lines for the A signal are A' and A, and the two lines for the B signal are B' and B. This type of configuration is also called push-pull because all four lines are always supplying a known voltage (either 0 V of Vcc). When A is Vcc, A' is 0 V , and when A is 0 V, A' is Vcc. In the case of a single-ended encoder, A is either Vcc or it floats. Differential encoders are often used in electrically noisy environments because taking differential measurements protects the integrity of the signal.
With incremental encoders, you can measure only changes in position (from which you can determine velocity and acceleration), but it is not possible to determine the absolute position of an object. A third type of encoder, called an absolute encoder, is capable of determining the absolute position of an object. This type of encoder has alternating opaque and transparent segments like the incremental encoder, but the absolute encoder uses multiple groups of segments that form concentric circles on the encoder wheel like a bull's-eye on a target or dartboard. The concentric circles start in the middle of the encoder wheel and, as the rings go out toward the outside of the ring, they each have double the number of segments than the previous inner ring. The first ring, which is the innermost ring, has one transparent and one opaque segment. The second ring out from the middle has two transparent and two opaque segments, and the third ring has four of each segment. If the encoder has 10 rings, its outermost ring has 512 segments, and if it has 16 rings, the outermost ring has 32,767 segments.
Because each ring of the absolute encoder has double the number of segments of the prior ring, the values form numbers for a binary counting system. In this type of encoder, there is a light source and receiver for every ring on the encoder wheel. This means that the encoder with 10 rings has 10 sets of light sources and receivers, and the encoder with 16 rings has 16 light sources and receivers.
The advantage of the absolute encoder is that you can gear it down so that the encoder wheel makes one revolution during the full length of machine travel. If the length of machine travel is 10 in. and its encoder has 16-bit resolution, the resolution of the machine is 10/65,536, which is 0.00015 in. If the travel for the machine is longer, such as 6 ft, a coarse resolver can keep track of each foot of travel, and a second resolver called the fine resolver can keep track of the position within 1 ft. This means you can gear the coarse encoder so that it makes one revolution over the entire 6 ft distance and gear the fine encoder so that its entire resolution is spread across 1 ft (12 in.).
2. How to Make an Encoder Measurement
To make encoder measurements, you need a basic electronic component called a counter. Based on its several inputs, a basic counter emits a value that represents the number of edges (low to high transitions in the waveform) counted. Most counters have three relevant inputs – gate, source, and up/down. The counter counts the events registered in the source input, and, depending on the state of the up/down line, it either increments the count or decrements it. For example, if the up/down line is "high" the counter increments the count, and if it is "low," the counter decrements the count. Figure 3 shows a simplified version a counter.
Figure 3. Simplified Model of a Counter
An encoder usually has five wires that you need to connect to the instrument, and, depending on the encoder, these wires vary in color. You can use these wires to provide power to the encoder and to read in the A, B, and Z signals. Figure 4 shows a typical pinout table for an incremental encoder.
Figure 4. Incremental Encoder Pinout
The next step is determining where you should connect each of these wires. Considering the counter described above, signal A is connected to the source terminal, making this the signal from which the pulses are counted. Signal B is connected to the up/down terminal, and you can connect the +5 VDC and ground signals to any power source – in most cases, a digital line in a data acquisition device card suffices.
Once the edges are counted, the next concept you need to consider is how those values are converted to position. The process by which edge counts are converted to position depends on the type of encoding used. There are three basic types of encoding, X1, X2, and X4.
X1 Encoding
Figure 5 shows a quadrature cycle and the resulting increments and decrements for X1 encoding. When channel A leads channel B, the increment occurs on the rising edge of channel A. When channel B leads channel A, the decrement occurs on the falling edge of channel A.
Figure 5. X1 Encoding
The same behavior holds for X2 encoding except the counter increments or decrements on each edge of channel A, depending on which channel leads the other. Each cycle results in two increments or decrements, as shown in Figure 6.
The counter increments or decrements similarly on each edge of channels A and B for X4 encoding. Whether the counter increments or decrements depends on which channel leads the other. Each cycle results in four increments or decrements, as shown in Figure 7.
Once you have set the encoding type and counted the pulses, converting to position is a matter of using one of the following formulas:
For Rotational Position
Amount of Rotation is
where N = number of pulses generated by the encoder per shaft revolution
x = encoding type
For Linear Position
Amount of displacement is
Where PPI = pulses per inch (a parameter specific to each encoder)
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text:
Bruiser the pig crashes Pacific Grove political forum
The Pacific Grove candidates forum provided a mix of pigs and politics Thursday night at the recreation center when Bruiser the pet pig showed up with his family, the Hanes.
Updated: 11:00 PM PDT Sep 9, 2016
Caitlin Conrad
WEBVTT BRUISER AND THE CITYSAYS HE CANNOT LIVE IN THECOUNTY.CAITLIN CONRAD HAS THE LIVE FROMMONTEREY.CAITLIN: SOME MAY HAVE THOUGHTTHE CONTROVERSY WITH BRUISER THEPIG IS OVER, BUT HIS FAMILY SAYSIT IS JUST GETTING STARTED.>> GO BRUISER.CAITLIN: IT WAS QUITE THE MIX OFPIGS AND POLITICS WHEN BRUISERSHOWED UP.>> TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT HE ISGOING TO BE RELOCATED AGAINSTOUR WILL.CAITLIN: THE FAMILY TOOK THEIRPET TAKE TO THE EVENT TO SAY ITWAS THERE LAST NIGHT WITH HIM.IT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE LASTNIGHT.WHEN HE WENT TO HIS NEW HOME, HEDID NOT GET ALONG WITH HIS NEWROOMMATE.THE HANES SAY THEY PLAN TO TRYAGAIN THIS WEEKEND AND HOPE TOMAKE THE LIVING TEMPORARY --SITUATION TEMPORARY.THE PROBLEMS WITH BRUISERSTARTED IN 2014 WHEN A NEIGHBORBEGAN COMPLAINING ABOUT HIMSMELLING.AFTER A TWO-YEAR SAGA, A PACIFICGROVE HEARING OFFICER ORDEREDRESERVE TO BE RELOCATED OUTSIDETHE CITY LIMITS.THE HANES ARE HOPING TO APPEALTHE CASE IN MONTEREY COUNTYSUPERIOR COURT, BUT SAY THEYWILL HAVE TO GET HIM A NEW HOME.>> I'M GOING TO MISS WAKING UPWITH THE PINNIE MORNING ANDFEELING HIS LOVE.CAITLIN: THEY WERE PAYING MONEYIN PENALTIES BUT THEY ARE PASTTHE 45 DAY MARK.THEY ARE AT FIVE DOLLARS A DAY-- $500 A DAY.DAN: HE COULDN'T GET ALONG WITHBACON, HOME?.
The Pacific Grove candidates forum provided a mix of pigs and politics Thursday night at the recreation center when Bruiser the pet pig showed up with his family, the Hanes. The Hanes family handed out Hershey Kisses and Hugs from Bruiser to forum goers and had a bright pink poster reading #SaveBruiser on display. Lisa Hanes coaches the Pacific Grove Middle School Cheerleaders and the team was also out to support the pig, chanting 'Hashtag Save Bruiser' for all to hear. "Tonight is the official night that he is actually going to get relocated against our will," he said. The controversy over Bruiser the pet pig started two years ago and the legal battle may just be getting started. Two years ago the Hanes' neighbor began complaining to the city about the pig. Animal control was called out to the house to take look and code enforcement got involved. The problems involved the smell of feces and the accumulation of excrement, as well as a gray area surrounding having a pet pig within city limits. By January of 2016 a compliance notice was issued to the Hanes, asking them to remove feces from their property. In May the city decided the Hanes had not complied and requested the family get rid of their pet the deadline of June 20, 2016, but they kept Bruiser. A hearing was held on June 22 and the order to relocate the pig outside of city limits was upheld. Bruiser had to be gone by August 22, 2016, or the Hanes would owe $500 a day in fees starting September 6, 2016. "We have cried a lot of tears in our family," Lisa Hanes said about the decision to find a new home for Bruiser.On Friday, Bruiser was to a new home in Monterey County, but he didn't get along with his new roommate, another pet pig named Bacon. But the Hanes are hoping the attempt the relocation Saturday, and hope it will be temporary.The Hanes have filed an appeal with Monterey County Superior Court and are awaiting their court date. "We have a lot of confidence that hopefully we are going to win this appeal, we've been pleading with the city again, and again, to say please change this, let us keep him," Lisa Hanes said. In the meantime, the Hanes said a new home is necessary so they can save their funds for legal fees instead of paying penalties to the city. As of Midnight Saturday they will owe $2,750. A request for comment on this story from the City of Pacific Grove was not returned.
PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. —
The Hanes family handed out Hershey Kisses and Hugs from Bruiser to forum goers and had a bright pink poster reading #SaveBruiser on display.
Lisa Hanes coaches the Pacific Grove Middle School Cheerleaders and the team was also out to support the pig, chanting 'Hashtag Save Bruiser' for all to hear.
"Tonight is the official night that he is actually going to get relocated against our will," he said.
The controversy over Bruiser the pet pig started two years ago and the legal battle may just be getting started.
Two years ago the Hanes' neighbor began complaining to the city about the pig. Animal control was called out to the house to take look and code enforcement got involved.
The problems involved the smell of feces and the accumulation of excrement, as well as a gray area surrounding having a pet pig within city limits. By January of 2016 a compliance notice was issued to the Hanes, asking them to remove feces from their property.
In May the city decided the Hanes had not complied and requested the family get rid of their pet the deadline of June 20, 2016, but they kept Bruiser.
A hearing was held on June 22 and the order to relocate the pig outside of city limits was upheld. Bruiser had to be gone by August 22, 2016, or the Hanes would owe $500 a day in fees starting September 6, 2016.
"We have cried a lot of tears in our family," Lisa Hanes said about the decision to find a new home for Bruiser.On Friday, Bruiser was to a new home in Monterey County, but he didn't get along with his new roommate, another pet pig named Bacon.
But the Hanes are hoping the attempt the relocation Saturday, and hope it will be temporary.The Hanes have filed an appeal with Monterey County Superior Court and are awaiting their court date.
"We have a lot of confidence that hopefully we are going to win this appeal, we've been pleading with the city again, and again, to say please change this, let us keep him," Lisa Hanes said.
In the meantime, the Hanes said a new home is necessary so they can save their funds for legal fees instead of paying penalties to the city.
As of Midnight Saturday they will owe $2,750.
A request for comment on this story from the City of Pacific Grove was not returned.