text:
Q: Add a "default sorting" menu to child store pages I'm new to WordPress WooCommerce and I can't figure out how to add a "default sorting" drop-down filter to my category shop pages. I know it's on the plain old "SHOP" page, but my navigation doesn't even show that page (I set that up that way by choice). I have category pages (Cupcakes, Balloons, Plush, Cakes) and sub-category pages (for example: Cupcakes—Flavors Cupcakes—Assortments, Cupcakes—Holiday&Seasonal [etc.]), and I would like to have a "sort-by (price, popularity, average rating, newest) drop-down menu on ALL of those unique pages.
Seems like such a basic thing. Does anyone know how to do this? Is it even possible?
I am using the "Shoppest" theme.
Here is my full archive-product.php page code.
<?php

/**

 * The Template for displaying product archives, including the main shop page
which is a post type archive.

 *

 * Override this template by copying it to yourtheme/woocommerce/archive-
product.php
 *
 * @author      WooThemes
 * @package     WooCommerce/Templates
 * @version     2.0.0
 */

if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) exit; // Exit if accessed directly

get_header('shop'); ?>

    <?php

        /**
     * Shoppest - remove woocommerce_output_content_wrapper & breadcrumb
     *
     * woocommerce_before_main_content hook
     *
     * @hooked woocommerce_output_content_wrapper - 10 (outputs opening divs for the content)
     * @hooked woocommerce_breadcrumb - 20
     */
    do_action('woocommerce_before_main_content');
?>

<?php
    // check sidebar position
    $options = get_option('shoppest');
    $layout = ( isset($options['shop_layout']) && !empty($options['shop_layout']) ) ? $options['shop_layout'] : 'sidebarleft';
    //echo $option['shop_layout'];
    if ( $layout != 'fullwidth' ) {
        $cssclass = 'span9';
        if ( $layout == 'sidebarleft') $cssclass .= ' contentright';
    } else {
        $cssclass = 'span12';
    }
?>

<div role="main" id="content" class="<?php echo $cssclass; ?>">

    <?php // make show page title false ?>

    <?php if ( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_show_page_title', false ) ) : ?>

<?php woocommerce_page_title(); ?>

    <?php endif; ?>

    <?php
        /*
         *  Shoppest - remove woocommerce_archive_description [ that display description]
         *
         *  @hooked sama_shop_slider - 10
         */
        do_action( 'woocommerce_archive_description' );
    ?>

    <?php if ( have_posts() ) : ?>

        <?php
            $options = get_option('shoppest');
            $icon_layout = ( isset($options['shop_icon_layout']) ) ? $options['shop_icon_layout'] : true;
        ?>

                <?php
                    /**
                     * Shoppest - remove woocommerce_result_count
                     *
                     * woocommerce_before_shop_loop hook
                     *
                     * @hooked woocommerce_result_count - 20
                     * @hooked woocommerce_catalog_ordering - 30
                     */
                    do_action( 'woocommerce_before_shop_loop' );
                ?>

                <?php if ($icon_layout) { ?>

                        <?php _e( 'Display', 'samathemes' ); ?>

                            <button id="grid" class="btn btn-primary active"></button>
                            <button id="list" class="btn"></button>

                <?php } ?>

        <?php woocommerce_product_loop_start(); ?>

            <?php woocommerce_product_subcategories(); ?>

            <?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>

                <?php woocommerce_get_template_part( 'content', 'product' ); ?>

            <?php endwhile; // end of the loop. ?>

        <?php woocommerce_product_loop_end(); ?>

        <?php
            /**
             * woocommerce_after_shop_loop hook
             *
             * @hooked woocommerce_pagination - 10
             */
            do_action( 'woocommerce_after_shop_loop' );
        ?>

    <?php elseif ( ! woocommerce_product_subcategories( array( 'before' => woocommerce_product_loop_start( false ), 'after' => woocommerce_product_loop_end( false ) ) ) ) : ?>

        <?php woocommerce_get_template( 'loop/no-products-found.php' ); ?>

    <?php endif; ?>

    <?php
        /**
         * woocommerce_after_main_content hook
         *
         * @hooked woocommerce_output_content_wrapper_end - 10 (outputs closing divs for the content)
         */
        do_action('woocommerce_after_main_content');
    ?>

<?php
    /**
     * woocommerce_sidebar hook
     *
     * @hooked woocommerce_get_sidebar - 10
     */
    if ( $layout != 'fullwidth' ) {
        do_action('woocommerce_sidebar');
    }
?>

<?php get_footer('shop'); ?>

A: Take a look at whether or not your theme has an archive-product.php file in the woocommerce folder. This is a copy of the WooCommerce category template (which is displayed by archive-product.php.  As long as your template has the do_action( 'woocommerce_before_shop_loop' ); action hook then the woocommerce_catalog_ordering() function should automatically be called with a priority of 30... as it says directly in the code comments. Either your theme templates need to be updated for WooCommerce 2.0 or your theme has intentionally removed the woocommerce_catalog_ordering() function from the woocommerce_before_shop_loop.
<?php
/**
 * The Template for displaying product archives, including the main shop page which is a post type archive.
 *
 * Override this template by copying it to yourtheme/woocommerce/archive-product.php
 *
 * @author      WooThemes
 * @package     WooCommerce/Templates
 * @version     2.0.0
 */

if ( ! defined( 'ABSPATH' ) ) exit; // Exit if accessed directly

get_header('shop'); ?>

    <?php
        /**
         * woocommerce_before_main_content hook
         *
         * @hooked woocommerce_output_content_wrapper - 10 (outputs opening divs for the content)
         * @hooked woocommerce_breadcrumb - 20
         */
        do_action('woocommerce_before_main_content');
    ?>

        <?php if ( apply_filters( 'woocommerce_show_page_title', true ) ) : ?>

<?php woocommerce_page_title(); ?>

        <?php endif; ?>

        <?php do_action( 'woocommerce_archive_description' ); ?>

        <?php if ( have_posts() ) : ?>

            <?php
                /**
                 * woocommerce_before_shop_loop hook
                 *
                 * @hooked woocommerce_result_count - 20
                 * @hooked woocommerce_catalog_ordering - 30
                 */
                do_action( 'woocommerce_before_shop_loop' );
            ?>

            <?php woocommerce_product_loop_start(); ?>

                <?php woocommerce_product_subcategories(); ?>

                <?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>

                    <?php woocommerce_get_template_part( 'content', 'product' ); ?>

                <?php endwhile; // end of the loop. ?>

            <?php woocommerce_product_loop_end(); ?>

            <?php
                /**
                 * woocommerce_after_shop_loop hook
                 *
                 * @hooked woocommerce_pagination - 10
                 */
                do_action( 'woocommerce_after_shop_loop' );
            ?>

        <?php elseif ( ! woocommerce_product_subcategories( array( 'before' => woocommerce_product_loop_start( false ), 'after' => woocommerce_product_loop_end( false ) ) ) ) : ?>

            <?php woocommerce_get_template( 'loop/no-products-found.php' ); ?>

        <?php endif; ?>

    <?php
        /**
         * woocommerce_after_main_content hook
         *
         * @hooked woocommerce_output_content_wrapper_end - 10 (outputs closing divs for the content)
         */
        do_action('woocommerce_after_main_content');
    ?>

    <?php
        /**
         * woocommerce_sidebar hook
         *
         * @hooked woocommerce_get_sidebar - 10
         */
        do_action('woocommerce_sidebar');
    ?>

<?php get_footer('shop'); ?>

Updated based on your template code:
Just because you are using WooCommerce 2.0 doesn't mean that your theme's templates were updated.  I have had to do that for several clients.  However, the action hook do_action( 'woocommerce_before_shop_loop' ); is present.
I would:

*

*verify whether it is in the markup (view source) and being hidden by CSS

*check all the functions for something that would remove the function:  remove_action('woocommerce_before_shop_loop', 'woocommerce_catalog_ordering', 30);

*check all the function for a modified definition of woocommerce_catalog_ordering()

*rename the archive-product.php template to something else temporarily archive-productTEST.php so that WooCommerce will load it's default template instead

Without access to your site/code that is about all I can suggest.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This dream shows the desire to hear from someone or to change your current situation. You need either a new opportunity or a new challenge. If by reading it a pleasant feeling comes up, then your future is protected; if it produces anxiety, it may indicate that you need to take things more positively. If the letter is from a friend, you need support; if it comes from a company or institution, you crave changing your job; however, if you dream that you do not receive letters, it should encourage you to get in touch with your loved ones. It could be that they are requiring your help. The letter could also come from your unconscious that tries to give you a message about your behavior or circumstances. It is important that you pay attention to it. For some superstitions, dreaming of a letter portends unexpected news. For others, it predicts a close marriage.


text:
Q: Как сделать, чтобы пользователь сам вводил элементы списка? Дана задача:
Дан список списков А, содержащий M элементов,
в каждом из которых N вещественных чисел.
Найти величину x1xn + x2 xn-1 + ... + xnx1,
где xi - максимальный элемент i-го элемента списка A.
Вот мое решение
import random
A = []
S = 0
M = int(input('Введите кол-во списков в списке A: '))
N = int(input('Введите кол-во чисел в каждом списке M: '))
for i in range(M):
    for j in range(N):
        A = float (input('Введите число: ')
#A = [[round(random.uniform(-10,10), 2) for j in range(N)] for i in range(M)]
print ('Список А', A)
for i in range(M):
    S = S + max(A[i]) * max(A[(M-1) - i])
print ('Искомая величина:', S)

Но при таком решении список теряет себя и А становится просто вещественным числом, как я понимаю. Нужно чтобы список сохранялся.
Если использовать строку, прописанную в комментарии, то всё работает, но числа генерируются рандомно, а не вводятся с клавиатуры.

A: Выражение:
A = float (input('Введите число: ')

не добавляет новые элементы в список, оно означает примерно следующее:

*

*Где-то в памяти создается некий объект с неким значением, соответствующим тому, что пользователь ввел с клавиатуры.

*Этот анонимный объект передается как аргумент для конструктора класса типа float и порождает соответствующий объект в памяти.

*В таблице идентификаторов создается идентификатор A который связывается с объектом типа float.
Ранее идентификатор A указывал на объект типа list, теперь указывает на объект типа float.

Для добавления элементов в список обычно используют метод list.append(item). В Вашем примере, необходимо сделать что-то вроде:
for i in range(M):
    A.append(i)
    A[i] = []
    for j in range(N):
        A[i].append(float (input('Введите число: ')))

Либо:
for i in range(M):
    A.append([float(input('Введите число: ')) for _ in range(N)])


text:
https://apnews.com/article/fb47f6fc362019d866f7784b96b10918
At the Movies: 'The House of Yes'
MATT CRENSONOctober 9, 1997 GMT
Normal people remember what were doing the day JFK was shot.
The Pascal family lives it.
The Pascals shuffle around their giant white house outside Washington, D.C., in 1983 unable to absorb the enormity of what happened two decades ago on Nov. 22, 1963. Jackie-O (Parker Posey) strides the hardwood floors in pink chenille and a pillbox hat, reads assiduously about the Kennedy assassination and occasionally does something self-destructive. Anthony (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), back home after dropping out of a fancy school, can't quite put his finger on what he does all day.
Only Marty (Josh Hamilton), who recently escaped to New York, seems to have shaken off the Kennedy curse.
Or so he thinks. But within seconds of bringing his fiancee home for Thanksgiving, Marty is sucked into the black hole of emotional obsession that is his family.
Thanksgiving at the Pascal place gets pretty ugly pretty fast, as holidays with family frequently do. The Pascals don't approve of Marty's new mate one bit, and they have some distinctly dysfunctional ways of expressing their displeasure.
``What exactly are you trying to do?″ his mother (Genevieve Bujold) asks accusingly within minutes of his arrival.
``Be normal,″ Marty snipes in reply.
Meanwhile Jackie-O is whimpering at the bathroom mirror and little brother Anthony is entertaining the new guest by hitting on her.
``We've never had a guest,″ Anthony sheepishly explains when she finally questions his odd behavior.
Pretty soon it's obvious why nobody's ever visited the Pascals. And the family obsession with the Kennedy assassination is just a tiny piece of it.
The Pascals are supposed to represent everything that's morally repugnant about the leisure class. They're decadent, snobby and cold. They're no good to anybody, including themselves.
Jackie-O is in and out of mental hospitals and keeps going off her medicine. Anthony is a model sociopath. And mother does not win any prizes for warmth.
Oh, by the way. ``The House of Yes″ is a comedy. And a pretty funny one, too.
Parker Posey has a ball with Jackie-O, the uncontrollable rich kid who's either frighteningly insane or merely spoiled. She gleefully terrorizes her entire family into granting her every desire, especially the most prominent among them _ a decidedly unhealthy attraction to her twin brother, Marty.
Pitted against that irresistible force, Marty's fiancee, Lesly, doesn't stand a chance. Played by Tori Spelling, whose infinite plainness oddly suits her for the role, Lesly spends most of the movie cowering in her room trying to decide what to do.
It's not that the Pascals don't like lovely Lesly. It's just that she seems to be making Jackie-O very upset. And when Jackie-O gets upset, people get hurt.
Naturally, Marty pays dearly for his attempt at normalcy. But in a way, he deserves it _ he's as responsible as anybody for what the Pascal family has become.
``The House of Yes″ is based on the play by Wendy MacLeod and it shows. Most of the lines have the stagey feel of being aimed more at the audience than the other characters. It's one of those ``let's put a whole bunch of really weird people together in an isolated setting and see what happens″ productions.
``The House of Yes″ is written and directed by Mark Waters, and produced by Beau Flynn and Stefan Simchowitz. It is rated R.
Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:
_G _ General audiences. All ages admitted.
_PG _ Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
_PG-13 _ Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.
_R _ Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
_NC-17 _ No one under 17 admitted.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package com.tsanikgr.whist_multiplayer.util;

public interface ICrypto {
	String encrypt(String message);
	String decrypt(String message);
	void changePassword(String newPassword);
	boolean isReady();
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Michelle Foy (she/her)
Michelle Foy joined Chinese Progressive Association as the Finance Director in 2018. As Finance Director, Michelle provides oversight and support on financial controls, management and budgeting for CPA and CPA's fiscally sponsored projects. Prior to CPA, Michelle worked as RoadMap's Program Manager, an organization devoted to providing capacity building and organizational development to social justice organizations and alliances across the nation. She has played many roles in non-profit, progressive and left organizations for over two decades in finance and operations, including as coordinator, collective member, and currently as advisory board member with the Center for Political Education. Michelle is a member of the Causa Justa::Just Cause and Kendra Alexander Foundation board of directors. Michelle is guided by the mentorship and support she has received from many different generations of activists and organizers from movements for racial, economic, and gender justice; in the fight against the prison industrial complex; the labor movement; and those committed to rebuilding an organized left in the U.S. She grew up politically and otherwise in Colorado before moving to the Bay Area in 1997.


Jesamy playing with the fun folks at Hide&Seek.
This past year we've had a couple of opportunities to work with the fabulous Game Design studio, Hide&Seek. If you haven't come across them yet, Hide&Seek is leading the impressive conversation of games as a cultural movement and as a way for organisations to achieve their goals in a playful and engaging manner. These guys are legendary and fabulous fun, so we work with them whenever we have the opportunity.
We recently collaborated to build two online financial tools that were designed to help people cope with the upcoming UK benefits system restructure and Universal Credit implementation. We worked with Behavioural Economists, researchers and Hide&Seek to produce, design and build prototypes to help users develop long-term financial resilience. The principles of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, game mechanics and user experience design all played a critical role in the approach. We're very excited to see the production code released to the public in the forthcoming months.
We also worked with Hide&Seek on the user experience design for a Kickstarter campaign for their new mobile game, Tiny Games. Seriously folks, designing a game with a group of game designers couldn't be more fun. Everything is a game – including your "Time off In Loo" – a game that challenges the players to guess the length of time another player spends in the toilet. Lols. "Time Off In Loo" is incidentally one of the games you'll be able to experience in the app when it launches. Jesamy are thrilled with Hide&Seek's KickStarter success and absolutely can not wait for the TinyGames iPhone app to go live on App Store soon. Check out some of our work and watch the Kickstarter campaign video below.
Tiny Games – Kickstarter Video from Hide&Seek on Vimeo.


Released on 24th November is this collection of twelve Sherlock Holmes scripts written by Leslie Charteris and Denis Green.
In 1944 Leslie was hired to help write the long running radio show, The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which starred Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. For nine months he and his friend Denis Green wrote for the weekly show and this is the first collection of scripts from that period. None of the shows have survived so this is a unique opportunity to discover what happened when the creator of the Saint wrote for Sherlock Holmes.
Available from Amazon and Radio Spirits.
You can watch The Saint on Netflix, iTunes, Amazon UK.
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, have confirmed that The Saint, starring Adam Rayner, Eliza Dushku, Sir Roger Moore and Ian Ogilvy will be getting a digital HD/VOD release on July 11th this year.
This is the long awaited TV movie version of the TV pilot that was originally shot back in 2013.
No word, as yet, on a DVD release.
Former Saint Ian Ogilvy's new film, We Still Steal the Old Way, is available on DVD and Blu-Ray from April 17th.
Sothcott (Vendetta), WE STILL STEAL THE OLD WAY harks back to classic Brit crime capers like Perfect Friday and Robbery,but brought bang up to date by drawing its inspiration from the audacious 2015 Hatton Garden jewellry heist, and taking a timely jab at banking bigwigs.
Patrick Bergin (Sleeping With The Enemy, Patriot Games); Tanya Franks (Broadchurch); Vaz Blackwood (Creep); and the great Billy Murray (Rise of the Footsoldier, EastEnders), giving a scene stealing, swaggering performance as Richie's truly nasty nemesis Vic Farrow.
Fans of Simon Templar might be interestes in this new book by author Ian Dickerson. Who is the Falcon? is a comprehensive history of The Falcon, the fabulous private eye who was always ready with a hand for oppressed men, and an eye for repressed women and who owes his print and film career to a certain Mr Templar. You can order the book directly from the publisher or from Amazon.
Whilst our poetical tastes run more to the adventures of Charles Charleston Charlemagne St Charles the latest issue of Arete magazine is rather interesting. It features a 74 page narrative poem entitled Minding the Halo as well as an interview with the poet Philip Hancock. If you've ever watched Return of the Saint than you'll discover that Philip has captured the imagery of the time perfectly.
Brilliance Audio will complete their release of forty-nine Saint audio books on September 20th as The Saint Abroad, The Saint and the Fiction Makers, The Saint and the Hapsburg Necklace, The Saint and the People Importers, The Saint in Pursuit, The Saint in the Sun, The Saint on TV, The Saint Returns and Vendetta for the Saint all get released on MP3 CD.
Brilliance Audio continue their release of the audiobooks on MP3 CDs with The Saint in Europe on May 31st we are reliably informed.


Martek and DSM have been in the midst of a polemic in 2011 when consumer groups accused Martek LifeDHA algal oil of being genetically modified and used in the preparation of DHA fortified milk by Horizon Organics and infant formulas. Martek have sustained that their algae oil was non-GMO. However, their patents claim genetic modification of algae to perform in the production of high levels of fatty acids omega 3 DHA. It is still unknown to us if the algae commercialized by Martek as LifeDHA is modified as per their patents. We have therefore decided to list this product as yellow even though it is on the market.


There's little question that the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is among the most feature-rich offerings in the electric toothbrush marketplace. And most Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 reviews will confirm that this is an excellent 'value for money' product that ensures dental health and oral hygiene.
If you're in a hurry, be sure to check out these 3 major decision-making factors before you rush out to order the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush.
And if you'd like to learn all about it first, go ahead and read the rest of this detailed Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 Electric Toothbrush review.
1. Are there any glaring problems with this model?
No. In fact, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is a fantastic and efficient product. The only model from Oral-B that's possibly better is the Genius 9000. If you had to pick something to call a drawback with the Genius Pro 8000, it would be the price which is higher than you might like.
It isn't the perfect electric toothbrush – but comes pretty close. For good, healthy teeth and gums, improved oral hygiene and a comfortable cleaning experience, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 can't be beat.
2. Are other alternatives just as good?
The typical buyer who is looking at the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is one looking for a feature-loaded and high-value electric toothbrush. Price often isn't the primary consideration; value is.
So when it comes to which electric toothbrush models are best with a range of cleaning modes and other bells and whistles, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 scores really high. Another great choice would be the Oral-B Pro 9000, which if anything, is even better than the Genius Pro 8000.
But if you're looking for a good all-round electric brush and don't care as much for the smartphone app and other advanced features, then the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 will save you a few dollars.
To get a better idea of the factors to consider before choosing an electric toothbrush, be sure to browse through our Best Electric Toothbrush Buyer's Guide here.
3. Where to buy the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush?
Online e-commerce portals like Amazon are often the best places to buy because you'll frequently find discount coupons and special deals going on which can help you save money. It's also convenient and delivery is free. Another option is to look on eBay for one.
If you're only comfortable purchasing offline, you'll find this model in most retailers like Walmart, Target and Boots.
Two years after it launched a blockbuster success with Oral-B Pro 6000 , the bestselling model got some more improvements and tweaks to morph into the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000.
For some users, the added features may seem redundant, even useless. But the changing consumer mindset and entry into the market of younger audiences whose tastes and preferences differ slightly has led to these extras in an already popular brand and model of electric toothbrush.
For instance, while some think the Bluetooth connectivity with a smartphone app isn't adding value, there's a generation who loves the idea of actively tracking teeth cleaning and records it to an app almost as second nature!
The option to select from any of 5 distinct cleaning modes – Daily Clean, Gum Care, Sensitive, Whiten & Pro Clean – ensures that no matter what your unique teeth cleaning needs, there will be one to meet them. This becomes especially advantageous if more than one person shares the same brush handle, as it can cater to their unique specifications.
Most users will require only the regular Daily Clean mode for brushing and plaque removal. However, having additional modes to cater to those with sensitive teeth and gums, braces, prior dental work and other special needs is a welcome addition.
It is possible to cause damage to your teeth and gums by pressing too hard with an electric toothbrush. To prevent accidental injury, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 has an inbuilt pressure sensor.
The sensor informs you whenever you're pressing too hard while brushing. It lights up an LED in red color, so that you can stop applying pressure immediately. This is particularly helpful to first-time users of an electric toothbrush who may not realize that it doesn't require pressure but mere application of the brush head to skim the tooth surface.
While the device doesn't have as good battery life as Philips Sonicare models, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 does last for 12 to 14 days after a single full charge.
It's an interesting tweak to 'personalize' your Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush . A 360 degree ring lights up in a different color of your choice, letting you create an experience that's uniquely yours. It lights up every 30 seconds – and turns red whenever you apply too much pressure.
The box contains everything you need to get started, including a charging station and travel case. The latter helps protect your toothbrush against damage during travel, and keeps it from getting activated unintentionally while inside a suitcase or bag.
An interesting modern technological innovation is Oral B's position detection feature. This analyzes the way you clean your teeth based on the position of your brush during the activity, and offers you feedback so that you won't miss out on any portion. It makes sure you get the greatest benefit from cleaning and enjoy great dental health and oral hygiene.
Most feedback on Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 review sites harp on this point – that the device is far more expensive than other models like the Oral B Pro 1000 electric toothbrush. For the range of features available, it is indeed fairly priced. The important question, then, becomes whether you are likely to use and benefit from them. If yes, then go for it.
While the app and position detection technology are fascinating, the process of putting it to good use isn't intuitive or easy. Setting it up and learning how to use it can be difficult. And for a 2 minute brushing experience, some feel it's too much effort.
With 5 cleaning modes, a pressure sensor, a choice of brush heads and a good travel case, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 has all ingredients of a well designed and packaged electric toothbrush.
It's true that many other Oral B models have the same (or similar) features. But there are some aspects that are unique to the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 and set it apart from the rest.
For one, the Genius line of electric toothbrushes from Oral B have bluetooth connectivity. Once you pair your device with an Android or iOS smartphone, the technological features can be activated and enjoyed.
The companion mobile app lets you enable 'Position Detection', a technological innovation that lets you track the position while you brush via the phone's front-facing camera. The data is processed and displayed instantly on the smartphone screen, showing you any areas you have missed cleaning. You can thus avoid any overlooked areas, giving better cleaning results.
In a sense, the app and its technology serve as personal monitors that watch over you while you clean your teeth. Imagine how effective you'd be if a dentist or oral hygienist were looking over your shoulder and offering advice. That's exactly how this is supposed to work.
It ensures that you'll brush for the desired amount of time, spending adequate time on each quadrant, and use the right technique – all through the feedback provided by real-time observing of your brushing method.
And the benefits aren't all theoretical. The company has shown through studies that more than three-quarters of all users don't brush their teeth for long enough, and even fewer spend equal time on all zones. Especially ignored are the back teeth (molars) because it's harder to reach them while cleaning. Not surprisingly, these are the teeth often prone to cavities and requiring filling or extraction later.
The Position Tracking technology was devised in response to this need. It helps coach patients to clean their teeth thoroughly and for long enough to remove plaque and avoid cavities. With a visual display that's easy to understand, users are more likely to develop better brushing technique and enjoy improved dental hygiene.
Along with the benefits of this technology comes one of the biggest drawbacks of the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 – a learning curve to set this up and get it running. But for the value it is likely to deliver, this should be a small price to pay.
A smartphone holder that plugs on to a bathroom mirror or wall using a suction cup is included in the package. The arms are adjustable to accommodate smartphones of different sizes. After fixing the holder to the mirror, your phone's front-facing camera can be directed at your face to track motion while you brush.
The pressure sensor in an Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush serves the same function as in all other models – and helps avoid damage to teeth and gums due to the application of excessive force while brushing. With any electric toothbrush, cleaning efficiency does not depend upon pressing forcefully. It happens just by the brush head skimming over the tooth surface. So pressing down too hard can damage both your teeth as well as the brush head, which wears out faster.
With a pressure sensor, you'll receive visible notification whenever there is extra force on the brush head by way of an LED in the SmartRing glowing red. Simultaneously, the motor slows down, stops pulsating and changes in tone, so that you'll know there's a problem.
Another innovation of the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is its round brush head. This makes the brush head small and compact, allowing access into remote nooks and crannies inside your mouth such as behind the last molar teeth. Bigger brush heads with smaller handles often find it hard to reach inside these areas.
An interesting element when you actually use the Pro 8000 to clean your teeth is how deep inside the mouth you'll be able to reach, as compared with other models and brands.
Some users are also thrilled by the ability to 'personalize' their electric toothbrush through the SmartRing which can be made to glow with a different color of your choice. There are 12 options to choose from.
So much for design. Let's discuss ease of use and how this brush is better than others in its class. There have been many aesthetic improvements made to the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 over the earlier Smart series of brushes.
It's slimmer, for one, and this makes the brush easier to handle and move. The body is uniformly cylindrical and houses a larger battery that lasts around 2 weeks. Size and weight aren't usually primary considerations when you buy a toothbrush, yet these are what influence your day to day usage the most. If a brush is too heavy or difficult to use, you'll tend to shorten your brushing sessions or adopt incorrect technique.
For children, however, the Oral B kids electric toothbrush is better suited because it's designed specifically for younger users.
The Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is 24 cm long when the brush head is attached, and has a girth of 2.6 cm, weighing 140 grams. The body is a sturdy plastic and comes only in white color.
The handle is water resistant and water won't seep through if it spills on the surface. In fact, the brush is so completely sealed that you could even use it in the shower or rinse it under a tap. Leaving it immersed under water could cause problems, though.
In appearance, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 won't win any beauty contests. It is a dull uniform grey/white with buttons and icons that light up to indicate specific functions, even if you can choose from 4 handle colors – orchid purple, rose gold, black and white. One tells you the brushing mode in use. Another measures battery life. A third is the pressure sensor.
The power button is located in the upper third along with the cleaning mode selector button, both within a rectangle panel that's a break from the uniformity of a plastic body.
Icons are sited below this to inform a user about the current mode in use. A design flaw seems to be that there isn't an indicator for the most common Daily Clean mode. Perhaps the manufacturer assumed that this would be a default setting, and only any change from this universal norm needed to be notified to a user.
Operating and using the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is child's play. Pressing the power button turns on the motor. Press and hold the button for 2 seconds and it turns off. Only firm pressure will turn it on, so the chance of accidentally powering on the electric toothbrush is low.
Switching from one cleaning mode to another involves pressing the mode selector button repeatedly. It's the one with a downward facing arrow on the button. The indicator LED lights up to say which mode is currently active.
A battery level indicator LED near the bottom of the handle glows white and shows through 3 bars the amount of charge it still retains. When you're down to the last bar, it's time for a recharge.
A contoured rubber grip gives the handle a secure feel in your hand while brushing. You no longer feel fearful when the brush is wet and slippery that it'll fall out of your hand. The indented dots help produce enough friction to allow bold and rapid movements without hesitation or unease.
The handle's bottom is smooth, with a small recess to fit in a projecting bit on the charging station. This design element also keeps the brush from rolling off a flat counter top.
The Smart Ring LED is near the top, at the neck of the handle. Depending on your selection, it will glow with different colors… except for the pressor sensor which is always red.
The brush and all accessories come in matching colors, so there's no clash of contrast at all. Everything – the charger, smartphone holder, brush body and brush head – are available in white, black, orchid purple or rose gold.
There are several options for cleaning modes in the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000.
All of them are found also in other Oral B models. But the Pro-Clean is a newer innovation that's introduced only with the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000. It replaces the Deep Clean mode and is designed to produce a thorough cleansing through vigorous brushing action. In fact, while running in this mode, your brush head will pulsate at an extra 3,000 times a minute.
Usually cleaning modes are preset to run for 2 minutes, which is the typical recommended brushing duration by dentists. The inbuilt timer is configured for two kinds of modes – standard or professional.
With 'Professional' mode, the quad-pacer function is activated. At the end of 30 seconds, the brush will stutter for a few seconds to let you know it's time to move to another quadrant, before starting up again. At the end of two minutes, a longer stuttering break indicates the end of a session.
You can switch off the electric toothbrush briefly for a few seconds without interfering with this timing sequence. However if the brush is turned off for more than 30 seconds, the timer resets and a new cycle will begin from scratch.
You can choose between the two available timer profiles. For this, you should press and hold the MODE button for 2 seconds, and toggle between timers by pressing on the power button. To confirm your choice, press once more on the MODE button. The LEDs light up to indicate your chosen mode and profile which are now active.
How Does The Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 Work?
Cleaning efficiency of an electric toothbrush is a function of the brush head, motor power and technology used. With the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 , the brush heads deliver oscillating-rotating motion along with pulsations at a high frequency to clean your teeth and gums.
Oral B technology is proprietary and patented. Its brush heads are engineered to be able to clean each tooth, one by one, and to reach every corner of your mouth for a more effective cleanse.
The heads have a dynamic 3D motion that lets the bristles adapt to the teeth as you move the brush along. This enables plaque breakdown and removal of any food debris impacted in the crevices between teeth.
Depending upon your unique needs, you may prefer one of the three kinds of brush heads included in the package. All Oral B brush heads are interchangeable and you can use them with any handle . Ideally, the right head should be combined with an appropriate brushing mode for the best results.
Oral B Cross Action brush heads have bristles set at angles to each other for a better cleaning effect. When the brush passes over teeth, the angled bristles more easily reach into crevices between adjacent teeth as well as along the gum line, dislodging food debris and preventing plaque build up.
Sensitive brush heads have softer bristles which are not angled but straight. This produces a gentler cleaning effect without abrasions or injury to the gums and surface of teeth.
The 3D White brush head is tougher and has a cup right in the middle to polish tooth enamel and give it a bright gleam. It is similar to the cleaning effect you enjoy after visiting a dentist.
Like other models, the brush heads of Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrushes also need replacing once every 3 months – if not sooner. The nice feature of this top-line toothbrush is how many ways you'll be reminded of this.
The companion smartphone app keeps track of your usage and tells you after the requisite number of minutes of usage that its time to replace the brush head. The indicator bristles on most brush heads will also remind you by changing color from blue to white. And a visual inspection of the bristles themselves will reveal when they are damaged or distorted.
To avoid forgetting, you can even pre-schedule delivery of replacement brush heads on an automated calendar from an online retailer like Amazon.
A charging station is inside the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 package and it also doubles as a storage space for extra brush heads that fit inside a compartment protected by a molded plastic shell. You can store spare brush heads safely without worrying about damage or dirt. This is especially helpful if there are many people sharing the same brush handle.
An LED display on the handle indicates when it is time for a recharge. As soon as the translucent battery icon flashes red, or when only the last bar is lighted up, you should charge the battery. Connecting it to the charger makes the battery icon glow a steady green, indicating that the battery is charging.
It usually takes 20 to 22 hours for a full recharge. When your toothbrush is almost fully out of power, it will require at least a 30 minute charge before you can use it for a single cleaning session. To be on the safer side, you might consider leaving the brush on charge whenever it is not in use. That way you won't run out of power suddenly.
The latest version of the Oral-B app that runs on a smartphone supports the Genius Pro 8000 and other models in this range. The key component of this technology is the position detection function that helps ensure better cleaning of your teeth.
The app is cross-platform compatible, running well on both Android and iOS phones and devices. However if you use a Windows phone or other alternative platform, the app may not work with it. The app relies upon bluetooth connectivity to pair your Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush with your smartphone for tracking and recording data. The app itself can be downloaded for free from the iTunes or Google Play Store services.
The application is versatile and robust, loaded with many features to enhance your value from using the toothbrush. At the same time, it requires some learning and practice to understand and take advantage of all its functionality.
You will be able to integrate the app with your calendar so that you can browse your day's engagements and schedule while cleaning your teeth, or catch up with news and updates. This can be distracting at times, though, and interfere with adequate brushing. If you don't like this, it's easy to turn off these notifications.
You have already learned about the Position Detection technology that uses the smartphone's front-facing camera to track brushing activity and guide you to areas that are overlooked or unattended. The visual display is intuitive and easy for anyone to follow.
To motivate yourself to achieve clean and healthy teeth, you can take one of many 'challenges' that score you on how well and regularly you brush. This can help develop a good habit and better brushing technique. The social proof of displaying badges of accomplishment can motivate some users to enjoy better oral hygiene and dental health.
The app also lets you set personalized goals and gives you tips or advice on better tooth care. It even recommends products and services that will enhance your oral hygiene. For example, if you desire whiter teeth, you can get tailored recommendations for how to change your routine to get this result, including the right cleaning mode, brush head or toothpaste to use.
Your Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 app also offers a Professional Guidance component that connects you to a dental pro and empowers collaboration towards your dental health. Your dentist can even prescribe extra brushing time or tweak your cleaning schedule and mode through the app itself.
All the data generated through using your Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush is stored and backed up online. You can even share it with other related services for extra value. The logs can be incredibly illuminating and motivational as you review your progress over weeks, months and even years. And it will be amazing to see how your habits develop and sustain over time.
The app works well and records information without any glitches. The brush itself can backup data from the last 20 cleaning sessions. On the whole, the only drawback is that you must fire up the app each time you want to store or view data on it. But considering the value you'll get from it, this is a small price to pay.
Only a few competing brands offer top of the shelf models like the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush , so the range of comparable products is small. Oral-B and Philips are the only major players in this space.
Before considering whether or not the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is your best choice, you must decide what you really want an electric toothbrush to do. If all you need is a device to clean your teeth and keep your mouth healthy, this may have too many features for your taste.
On the other hand, if your focus is on everything to maximize dental hygiene and oral health, and you intend using the several features included in the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 , then it could be a great investment. With a selection of cleaning modes, great design and a good battery life, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 is a wise choice for most users. And for this value, the price is reasonable.
When you begin using this toothbrush, you'll begin to appreciate the nuances of design and ease of use such as how easily the compact brush head lets you access areas behind the last molar teeth, or how different modes let you effectively remove plaque and avoid gum injury. And the app's functionality will thrill you as you continue using it and see the progress being made in a clear visual display.
Q: Is the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 an oscillating brush?
A: Yes. The patented 3D motion combines rotation, pulsation and oscillation to deliver an excellent cleaning experience.
Q: What is Gum Care mode?
A: It is a lower speed setting that is gentler on sensitive teeth and gums, stimulating blood flow and improving gum health through a massaging action.
Q: What is Daily Clean mode?
A: This is the most commonly used regular brushing mode where the combined oscillating and rotating action of the brush head cleans teeth and removes food debris impacted between teeth and gums. It removes dental plaque upto 300% more effectively than a manual toothbrush.
Q: What is ProClean mode?
A: This is a newer mode offered in the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush . It delivers extra force through an added 3000 movements per minute over and above the regular Daily Clean mode. It can be intense and uncomfortable for some users, but delivers superior cleaning effect.
Q: What brush heads are included? Is it compatible with other heads?
A: The Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 comes with 3 brush heads – Cross Action, Sensitive and 3D White. They are all interchangeable. The same brush handle can also be used with other kinds of brush heads like Floss Action, Precision Clean, TriZone and Pro Results heads.
Q: Is a pressure sensor included?
A: Yes, the Oral-B 8000 has a pressure sensor that indicates too much force with a glowing red LED display. This helps prevent injury to teeth and gums from pressing too hard.
Q: Does the 8000 have bluetooth?
A: Yes, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 uses bluetooth to connect with a smartphone app that delivers several additional features for tracking and monitoring use and progress.
Q: What is Position Detection?
A: In the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 , a new technology called Position Detection helps with self-tracking to ensure thorough and complete cleaning. It also records personal statistics, encourages better brushing technique and engages users through games and challenges to develop a healthy cleaning habit.
A: Yes, the Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush comes with a 2 year warranty. You can extend it further by an extra year just by registering online on Oral-B website for free.
A: The battery lasts for 48 minutes of use following a full recharge. This means with typical use, you'll have to recharge your toothbrush once in every 12 to 14 days.
A: A full recharge can take 12 to 20 hours. When completely discharged, a 30 minute recharge will allow enough power for a single cleaning session of 2 minutes.
A: Yes, the Genius Pro 8000 comes with a charging station that can connect to any bathroom socket. It is not wall mounted, but has to be placed flat on a countertop.
A: Yes, a travel case is included in the package.
Hopefully this Oral-B Genius Pro 8000 electric toothbrush review has addressed your major questions about the device. If you have any further questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment.


This kit went together smoothly and without a hitch. The construction quality was excellent, and the directions are complete and thorough. It worked the first time, and provides an interesting display.
This device is rather small. At 4" across and 5" high (about 10cm wide and 13cm high) it does not require much table space. You may prefer (as I do) to leave off the front cover for easier viewing of the small globe, and to help illustrate how it works.
I had no problems whatsoever during construction. My suggestions below are only of the most minor possible nature, and are related only to a few small details of appearance.
PCB: The printed circuit board was of good double-sided material, with plated-through holes and pre-tinned connections. It has a nice green solder mask to prevent bridges, and a sharp clear stencil for labels. However, it would have been helpful to position the part value's label next to the component, rather than under it. Also, as a matter of personal preference, I would like to see all the parts oriented in a consistent direction, such as placing all resistors in an east/west manner and so forth.
It was a clever idea to use the PCB itself as a structural element.
Optoelectronics: It was a huge convenience to have the IR emitter and detector in the kit. This may actually be one of the biggest selling points of the kit. My experience with my published levitator design was that many people have difficulty locating and purchasing the correct component.
LNS Technologies went to some length to ensure you don't accidentally exchange these two components. They look quite similar, so LNS put a helpful colored sleeve on each one to tell them apart.
Power supply: This kit operates from a 12v DC 500mA wll-mounted power pack (included). Although the small box has a huge "Jameco AC Adapter" label, this power pack is a DC device by design.
The printed circuit board carries a full-wave rectifier to ensure that a reversed connection cannot damage any components. A filter capacitor is also included, because some power packs may have insufficient DC smoothing of their own. An LM78L09 voltage regulator provides regulated 9v power.
This is a simple and effective power supply that runs cool and should last forever. However, I think it would have been convenient to provide a connector instead of permanently soldering the transformer wires to the PCB.
Lifting coil: It was wonderful to have the complete and finished lifting coil included in the kit. Since I have built a few coils by hand myself, I appreciate having it provided in the kit. This is a huge time savings in construction, and ensures it works properly in the circuit.
Flight: The circuit is smooth and stable, and I found it easy to launch the globe into suspension. The device tolerates a reasonable amount of knocking about without dropping the globe. For example, you can pick up and gently move the levitator without interrupting the flight. Since this is not a large device, the flying height is only about a half inch (5mm) and the lifting weight is correspondingly small.
When the power is turned off, the globe falls down. This is to be expected since there are no permanent magnets involved. However, I would really like to someday see an enterprising engineer plan for this in the design, and provide something to safely catch the ball so it doesn't break apart or roll off the table.
Troubleshooting: The manual includes a troubleshooting section with a list of the usual inspection points. It reminds you to check for component polarity, solder bridges, parts placement and so forth.
Now here is the truly wonderful feature -- if all else fails, you are invited to send your kit to their repair service with a nominal $10 fee for labor costs and shipping charges. I feel this is quite generous, and will guarantee successful operation.
Conclusions: This is a small, inexpensive, easy-to-build kit with a very high probability of working successfully. I recommend it!


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David Ramsey To Star In Arrowverse Series 'Justice U' In The Works At The CW – The Hamden Journal
David Ramsey is putting together a new gang of superheroes for The CW.
The actor, who plays John Diggle in Arrow as well as a number of other DC-related series, is to headline Justice U, which is in development at the youth-skewing broadcaster.
Ramsey's Diggle is a former bodyguard and master sergeant in the U.S. Army as well as co-founder of Team Arrow.
In the new series, which is set in the Arrowverse, after years of fighting alongside masked heroes, Diggle embarks on a new mission to recruit five young meta humans to live undercover as freshmen at a prestigious university. There he will oversee their education and train them to become the heroes of tomorrow.
In addition to starring in the series, if it is picked up to pilot, Ramsey, who has directed a number of Arrowverse episodes, will helm the pilot.
It comes as Ramsey, who has also featured in Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Batwoman and Superman & Lois, has struck an overall directing deal with Berlanti Productions and will helm multiple episodes of series within the Arrowverse, alongside guest starring in others.
Based on the DC Comics characters, the series comes from Superman & Louis co-exec producer Michael Narducci, who has also worked on series including The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, and Grey's Anatomy exec producer Zoanne Clack.
Produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, David Madden and Geoff Johns exec produce alongside Narducci and Clack.
Ramsey, who has also starred in series including Dexter and Blue Bloods, is repped by APA, manager Nils Larsen of Integral Artists, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.


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"Neocons' Ferguson Freakout": Why Their Latest Attack On Obama Makes Them Look So Silly
Near the very end of his Wednesday speech to the U.N. General Assembly — a speech that pundits described as "Wilsonian" and "the most liberal foreign policy address" of his career — President Obama acknowledged that despite its claim of global leadership, the United States sometimes falls short of living up to its self-professed values. "I realize that America's critics will be quick to point out that at times we too have failed to live up to our ideals," Obama said. "In a summer marked by instability in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, I know the world also took notice of the small American city of Ferguson, Missouri," Obama continued, "where a young man was killed, and a community was divided."
This was the geopolitical equivalent of a boss trying to prove to her employees she's relatable by noting that even she sometimes makes mistakes. And if they noticed this moment at all, most people likely saw it for what it was: a harmless act of genuflection, delivered by a U.S. president in service of his ultimate goal, rallying global opinion behind another American war in the Middle East. In other words, nothing to see here, folks; keep it movin'.
But as we now know all too well, neoconservatives are not like most people; their response to Obama's Ferguson remark was nothing short of apoplectic.
"I was stunned," neocon hero and former Vice President Dick Cheney said of the Ferguson reference during an appearance on Sean Hannity's Fox News show later that night. The president's rhetorical pairing of the turmoil in Ukraine and the Levant with that in Ferguson, Cheney said, was simply unacceptable. "In one case, you've got a police officer involved in a shooting, there may be questions about it to be sorted out by the legal process, but there's no comparison to that with what ISIS is doing to thousands of people throughout the Middle East," Cheney said, before huffing: "To compare the two as though there's moral equivalence there, I think, is outrageous."
Washington Post columnist and fellow neoconservative Charles Krauthammer hit a similar note in his response (also delivered on Fox News, naturally) by dusting off a circa 2009 anti-Obama talking point and describing the speech as "a continuation of the apology tour." Echoing Cheney, Krauthammer declared Obama "intended [to draw] a moral equivalence" between ISIS and America. He then snarked about the silver lining of having Obama "talking about our sins" at the U.N. in New York City, rather than doing so while on foreign soil. (Like, say, Montreal, where Krauthammer spent his childhood.)
Last — and considering this is the man who helped organize the smear campaign against Bowe Bergdahl — very much least, there was Richard Grenell, former top aide to every neoconservative's fantasy presidential candidate, ex-U.N. Ambassador John Bolton. Writing at, yes, Fox News' website, Grenell argued the president's mentioning Ferguson was "a big mistake." Grenell conceded that "humility and self-reflection are admirable leadership qualities" but nevertheless warned how Obama's speech "gives foreign diplomats from Arab countries and Russia the excuse they need to dismiss America's condemnation of their actions." Because they were otherwise so primed for genuine cooperation…
To state the obvious, it is not surprising to find neoconservatives blasting the president, even if he's currently launching a war against ISIS that, in significant respects, justifies itself intellectually through neoconservative-friendly arguments. Dedicated neoconservatives tend to be rigid partisans when it comes to politics, uninterested in compromise and focused primarily on controlling U.S. military power. What's striking about the neocon attack isn't its churlishness, therefore, but rather its transparency. Think of the characteristic emotional tics of neoconservatism — its paranoia, its insecurity, its obsessive fear of looking weak — and look back again at the words of the president's neocon critics. They're all there.
An example: For Cheney, Krauthammer and Grenell, the obvious but unstated assumption is that an American president addressing the United Nations must do so as if he has something to hide. Obama's attempt to emphasize the U.S.'s role as both leader and member of the international order — to approach the world as an eager partner instead of an overbearing hegemon — is offensive to them because it treats the idea of a global community as an aspiration instead of a nuisance. Most neoconservatives, as Grenell's old boss Bolton infamously made plain, aren't much interested in the idea of a U.N. Since the U.S. can militarily do almost whatever it wants, they don't see the purpose.
Along the same lines, the response from all three men included expressions of outrage at the president's supposedly drawing a moral equivalence between ISIS and Ferguson's police. The fear of the pernicious results of moral equivalency can be found throughout the right, but in the realm of foreign policy, it's most pronounced among neoconservatives, for whom any recognition of the most basic shared humanity between the U.S. and its foes — and I'm talking basic, here; like the capacity to make mistakes — is tantamount to swearing off any claim to moral legitimacy. The fact that the United States is a more humane, responsible and decent global citizen than the genocidal ISIS is obvious enough to most of us (and not saying much, either). But, again, the neocons are the exception.
Finally, the neocon pushback also highlights what is to my mind one of their most distinctive and revealing features — their utter lack of interest in domestic policy. Neo-imperialists that they are, neocons often see domestic politics solely through the lens of foreign affairs. And because they're so zeroed-in on what they imagine the world's perception of the U.S. is (as well as what it should be), they'll not infrequently analyze domestic events with a kind of myopia that prioritizes the U.S. #brand above all else. Richard Grenell doesn't know enough about the goings on in Ferguson to understand that Michael Brown's killing had nothing to do with his alleged robbery, which officer Darren Wilson did not know of when he came into conflict with the teen. He refers to it as a "burglary-turned-shooting." (I suppose we could chalk Grenell's mistake up to laziness and/or a desire to mislead, but I'm feeling generous.)
At this point, nearly 13 years after they set up shop in the White House and spent years directing and discrediting U.S. foreign policy, I'd forgive you for wanting a break from having to transport yourself into the gloomy world of the neocons' minds. But as the ongoing war with ISIS and the aforementioned freakout over Bowe Bergdahl have recently made clear, neoconservatism still has an outsized influence in Washington, if nowhere else. That's partially because any theory justifying neo-imperialism is bound to have nine lives among the D.C. elite. But it's also in part the consequence of too many analysts and observers coming across statements like those of Cheney, Krauthammer and Grenell and declining to cut through the bullshit and acknowledge the truth — namely, that these men are very, very silly.
By: Elias Isquith, Salon, September 25, 2014
September 27, 2014 Posted by raemd95 | Dick Cheney, Ferguson Missouri, Neo-Cons	| Charles Krauthammer, Domestic Policy, Eastern Europe, Fox News, ISIS, John Bolton, Middle East, Richard Grenell | Leave a comment
"What Exactly Is Going On Here?": An Interview, Arranged By Republican Strategists
President Obama made clear this morning that when it comes to rescuing American POWs, the nation's commitment is unconditional. "Regardless of the circumstances," he said, in reference to a question about Bowe Bergdahl, "whatever those circumstances may turn out to be, we still get an American soldier back if he's held in captivity. Period. Full stop."
Those comments, however, have not stopped questions about how Bergdahl was captured and whether he deserted his post. The New York Times reports this morning on an account from "a former senior military officer briefed on the investigation into the private's disappearance," who claims Bergdahl "had become disillusioned with the Army, did not support the American mission in Afghanistan and was leaving to start a new life."
The furious search for Sergeant Bergdahl, his critics say, led to the deaths of at least two soldiers and possibly six others in the area. Pentagon officials say those charges are unsubstantiated and are not supported by a review of a database of casualties in the Afghan war.
"Yes, I'm angry," Joshua Cornelison, a former medic in Sergeant Bergdahl's platoon, said in an interview on Monday arranged by Republican strategists.
Though we don't yet have all the details, and some of the allegations may be "unsubstantiated," the emotional reaction from servicemembers is easy to understand. But it was those other eight words that also raised eyebrows: "an interview on Monday arranged by Republican strategists"?
What exactly is going on here? The release of an American POW from his Taliban captors in Afghanistan has become a political operation in which Republican strategists direct reporters to specific sources?
BuzzFeed's Rosie Gray and Kate Nocera reported this morning on the behind-the-scenes effort.
A former Bush Administration official hired, then resigned, as Mitt Romney's foreign policy spokesman played a key role in publicizing critics of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the released prisoner of war.
The involvement of Richard Grenell, who once served as a key aide to Bush-era U.S. ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton and later worked for Romney's 2012 campaign, comes as the Bergdahl release has turned into an increasingly vicious partisan issue.
The piece added that similar interviews were arranged with a variety of conservative media outlets, including The Weekly Standard, the Daily Mail, the Wall Street Journal, and Fox News.
One of Grenell's partner at Capitol Media Partners told BuzzFeed the firm is not being paid for these efforts.
By: Steve Benen, The Madow Blog, June 3, 2014
June 5, 2014 Posted by raemd95 | Bowe Bergdahl, GOP, Republicans	| Conservatives, Fox News, media, Richard Grenell, Taliban, U S Military | Leave a comment
"The Bowe Bergdahl Story Is Right-Wing Crack": And Sure Enough, Republicans Are Hitting The Pipe Big Time
I was amazed but not surprised by my Twitter feed Monday. More than 200 tweets from conservatives, I would estimate, calling me a host of names and Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl a menu of worse ones. That's the most ever in one day, I think, even more than for my most scorching anti-NRA columns, which have heretofore set the gold standard for inspiring drooling right-wing vitriol.
I was not, as I say, surprised. This story has every element right-wingers dream of. Every dark suspicion they harbor about President Obama can be wedged into the narrative conservatives are constructing about how Saturday's prisoner exchange supposedly went down and what the president's presumed motivations were. So I knew instantly, when I read Michael Hastings's 2012 Rolling Stone profile of Bergdahl on Sunday afternoon, that this was going to be the next Benghazi. The story is right-wing crack. And sure enough, Republicans are hitting the pipe big time.
Some of the wilder criticisms of me notwithstanding, my column Monday made two basic points. First, if a Republican president had swapped five Taliban leaders for Bergdahl, all the people howling today would be spinning it positively. And second, while there are legitimate questions here—yes, I wrote that it was "fair to ask whether the price" of Bergdahl's freedom was "too high"—what we're about to get is another relentlessly politicized series of investigations that will be aimed not at determining the truth but at trying to turn possible errors of judgment by the White House into high crimes and misdemeanors. That's the game here. Anyone who denies it is being naively or intentionally delusional.
Time, even the short amount that has passed between then and now, has proved me all too prescient—not that I'm patting myself on the back; it was a painfully easy call. The most notable development Tuesday was that former Romney adviser Richard Grenell was found to be setting up interviews for soldiers in Bergdahl's battalion who wanted to go public trashing him. It may be, as Grenell's partner said, that the soldiers found him on Twitter and it just kind of worked out that way. But the bottom line is what it is. These soldiers joining forces with a PR guy who used to work for John Bolton and then for candidate Mitt Romney, a man who is so deeply enmeshed in partisan politics, puts a political coloration on their words whether they mean it to or not.
I'm not defending Bergdahl here, and I didn't Monday. Somebody on Twitter made a big deal out of the fact that I put the word "deserter" in quotes. You're fucking-a right I did. He's not officially a deserter. He is officially a sergeant in good standing. People can believe he is a deserter all they want, and maybe he is. But is the military's official position worth nothing? That's an interesting right-wing posture.
The military should investigate whether Bergdahl was a deserter, and it should court-martial him if the evidence supports doing that. In the meantime, what end is served by the character assassinations of him and especially of his father, who's a citizen with all the usual rights? The creepy bottom line of the right-wing position, mostly unstated but often implied in tweets and comments, is that the U.S. government should have just left Bergdahl to die. That's an appalling position. Bring him back alive, then let him face whatever justice he must face. But bring him back. That's what civil societies do. What kind of society and leader lets their captive soldiers die in enemy hands? Recall that the guy who wouldn't even trade a Nazi general for his own son (who died in German custody) was named Stalin.
That is why John Bellinger, a national-security lawyer in George W. Bush's administration, said on Fox that he believes the Bush administration would have done exactly the same thing the Obama administration did. From Think Progress:
Asked about reports that Bergdahl deserted his unit in 2009, Bellinger added that the former hostage "will have to face justice, military justice." "We don't leave soldiers on the battlefield under any circumstance unless they have actually joined the enemy army," he said. "He was a young 20-year-old. Young 20-year-olds make stupid decisions. I don't think we'll say if you make a stupid decision we'll leave you in the hands of the Taliban."
By: Michael Tomasky, The Daily Beast, June 4, 2104
June 5, 2014 Posted by raemd95 | Bowe Bergdahl, POW's, Republicans	| Conservatives, John Bellinger, Poilitcs, Prisoner Exchanges, Richard Grenell, Right Wing, Taliban | 1 Comment
"Captive To The Right-Wing": You Can't Be Gay And Work For Romney
The resignation of Richard Grenell is a sign that the former Massachusetts governor will cave to anti-gay forces.
Two weeks ago, the Romney campaign hired Richard Grenell—a long-time Republican and former staffer for the Bush White House—to act as a spokesperson on foreign policy and national security. Grenell received tough criticism from Democrats for a series of sexist tweets, but that wasn't enough to spark reticience from the Romney team.
What was, however, were attacks from religious conservatives on Grenell's sexuality. Conservative activists hammered Romney for hiring an openly gay spokesperson, and questioned Grenell's commitment to the conservative cause. "Suppose Barack Obama comes out — as Grenell wishes he would — in favor of same-sex marriage in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention," wrote Matthew J. Franck at the National Review, "How fast and how publicly will Richard Grenell decamp from Romney to Obama?"
This afternoon, Grenell announced his resignation from the Romney campaign, citing the relentless attacks on his sexuality:
I have decided to resign from the Romney campaign as the Foreign Policy and National Security Spokesman. While I welcomed the challenge to confront President Obama's foreign policy failures and weak leadership on the world stage, my ability to speak clearly and forcefully on the issues has been greatly diminished by the hyper-partisan discussion of personal issues that sometimes comes from a presidential campaign. I want to thank Governor Romney for his belief in me and my abilities and his clear message to me that being openly gay was a non-issue for him and his team.
A few things to highlight. First is the remarkable fact that, in 2012, a gay person can't serve as spokesperson for a Republican campaign, lest they attract criticism from conservative activists. Second, and significantly, is the fact of Romney's weakness; as standard-bearer for the GOP, Romney was well within his rights to hold fast and reject attacks from the Right. That he didn't—and allowed Grenell to resign—is a sign of Romney's skittishness with social conservatives. He is worried enough about their support that he will cave to anti-gay bigotry if necessary. It's also fitting that this comes on a day when we're still debating President Obama's decision to run on the killing of Osama bin Laden. Bowing to pressure from bigots isn't a great way to inspire confidence in your "resolve."
One last point. This incident is a better indication of how Romney would govern than anything he's said or any plan he's released; he is completely captive to the right-wing, and will cave if they push him. It's something to keep in mind if you're tempted to describe the former Massachusetts governor as a moderate.
By: Jamelle Bouie, The American Prospect, May 1, 2012
May 2, 2012 Posted by raemd95 | Election 2012	| Anti-Gay, Bigots, Conservatives, GOP, Mitt Romney, Politics, Richard Grenell, Right Wing, Sexuality | 1 Comment


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