Thank you, [Palestine Center intern] Marion [Messmer], and thank you to the Palestine Center for having us. I think this is a very timely topic. It's one that, unfortunately, given events around the region I think it's not getting it's due attention, specifically in this city [Washington,DC], but we'll try to remedy that to the extent that we can on some level. Before I get into the substance of my talk, [I have] just a couple points by way of framing the issue at least as I see it. I think it's important to make a couple distinctions between concepts that are often used interchangeably, particularly by U.S. policy makers and sometimes activists. But there is a distinction between (and it's intuitive, it's obvious), sometimes they're used interchangeably, the peace process is a term we're all familiar with, negotiations, and the two-state solution. These are not necessarily equal. They theoretically ought to be complementary and working in unison, but I think at least in my presentation I'll be pointing out that's not actually the case.
The peace process is, to put it in succinct terms, the negotiation infrastructure. It's the policies and procedures and mechanisms that go, again, ostensibly in support of a negotiations process between Israelis and Palestinians. And of course the two-state solution is the goal of both the "peace process" and the negotiations. That said, the failure of the peace process, I think has serious implications. So they're not all the same thing, but clearly the failure of the peace process I think has implications for the two-state solution itself.
So I'm going to take a bit of a broad view of this thing called the peace process and try to pick apart why I think it has failed and probably was destined to fail from the outset, just by its very structure. But before getting into what I see as the reasons for its failure, just to start with some misperceptions or myths.
The first myth that is prevalent around Washington is that the Arab Spring killed the peace process. The Arab Spring didn't kill the peace process; the peace process was already dead. If it wasn't already dead, then it was at least brain-dead and comatose for a very long time. What the Arab Spring did, I'll get into that maybe at the end of my presentation.
The second myth you hear around Washington, particularly from policy makers, is "we can't want it more than the parties do." Implicit in that statement is a notion that somehow the parties can do it on their own. And that is simply not the case. If the parties can do it on their own, clearly they would have. But we have obviously a vast power imbalance as well as other circumstances that don't allow the parties to do it on their own; in a way that's a cop out.
And lastly what is a partial myth, or at least is an exaggeration, is that, in my view this is probably the most controversial of the three points, is that the gaps simply are too wide. Frankly, on this I think that the jury is still out. I think you could make a very compelling argument that the gaps are too wide, that it's, in other words, impossible to negotiate a two-state solution because the minimal Palestinian demands simply don't meet the maximum Israeli capacity to meet those demands. So, there is that argument, but I think it's probably overstated. I think it's theoretically possible to arrive at a two-state solution. My own view is that the problems of the peace process have less to do with substance than they have to do with the process itself.
So, getting into the actual reasons, I think that these will be intuitive but I'll break them down in explicit terms. The first, which I already referenced, is the huge imbalance in power. Clearly, you have two parties that are not equals, one is the occupier, one is the occupied; one has vast diplomatic, military, strategic resources at its disposal, the other lacks those same resources and assets. So clearly a negotiations process needs outside intervention to help level the playing field on some level- at least that's the theory.
And that's why Palestinians of course have always preferred internationalization of the conflict, and within that, Arabization, relying on Egypt, relying on other powers in the region to make up for that imbalance in power. But the reality that we've seen, for example if you take the [Middle East] Quartet, the group that includes the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, that it's supposed to represent the international community, the international consensus on arriving at a diplomatic process. What the Quartet is in reality is fake multilateralism. It's not a genuine multilateral approach. It is like [the] Oslo [Accords]…I would say the Madrid process before Oslo was close to being genuinely multilateral but of course it had its flaws.
And I would say that what the Quartet has actually done, as one of the mechanisms that is designed to serve this peace process, is it's actually, if you can imagine, exaggerated the imbalance of power. It's actually increased the imbalance of power more than currently exists. And that's on both levels- the diplomatic level and the level of the parties. Between Israelis and Palestinians, it exaggerated the difference, the gap, and in terms of the international community, the U.S. has always taken a leadership role, but I would say the Quartet has given the U.S. an even greater dominance over this process. So again it's a kind of fake multilateralism.
Secondly, the purpose, the goal of the process, was distorted from a very early stage. And again, I think the Quartet is a useful model in looking at the peace process. Essentially, it took what was supposed to be a bilateral process mediating between two sides of a conflict into micromanaging the politics and affairs of one side, namely the Palestinians. So the whole purpose of third-party mediation was simply distorted.
It's a phenomenon that I refer to as microlateralism, as opposed to bilateral or multilateralism. And it's one of the reason why I think we've seen this increase in process for its own sake, as this has been a key problem with this process for a very long time, in that U.S. policy makers are focused with preserving the trappings of a process, irrespective of whether there's any substance or any movement in that process or whether, as I would argue, in fact it is having opposite effects, that it is actually harming prospects of a negotiated settlement.
And the third point is the process has been simply too fragmented and detached from reality to, again, relate it to the process for its own sake. It's too piecemeal, it's too disconnected for it to have any meaning for the parties. And we see that in the classic, you know, Leila [Hilal] and I worked together on the negotiations, and we saw this ongoing dynamic; there was this desire to distinguish between day-to-day events, and day-to-day negotiations, focus on day-to-day issues, and what we call "permanent status." Of course the two are linked. And we see this also perpetuated in distinctions made between economic progress or state-building, but no progress at the diplomatic or political level, when in fact these are all interconnected and interdependent.
And more tangibly, there's a literal fragmentation, certainly of the West Bank, and even, certainly between the West Bank and Gaza, but even within the West Bank itself, as a territorial and demographic fragmentation that is happening on the ground. At a political level also, between Hamas and Fateh, this kind of dismantling of the constituent parts of reality. I mean, the process has actually contributed to this disaggregation and incoherence of the current reality.
An analogy that I often make with American and other policy makers is it's like disassembling the parts of an engine and then wondering why the car doesn't work. You know, [we've] taken apart all the pieces and lay them out on the side and now we can analyze them and clean them, but why does the car not move? And it's not an exact one-to-one analogy, but I think it's useful.
There are, of course, many, many examples of this imbalance and these three issues are interconnected. All you have to do is look at, for example, the "road map" [for peace], the treatment of the "road map" versus the so-called Quartet Principles. The "road map" is the official plan of the Quartet and the international community; it was enshrined in a UN Security Council resolution and it was completely neglected and thrown by the wayside almost at the very moment that it was produced. And then you take this other Quartet utterance that they made in response to an event, an event that they condoned by the way, a Palestinian election, and it has become kind of sacrosanct; it has become virtually scripture in terms of how it is appealed.
So, again you see the imbalance of how it is applied from one side to the other. The idea of a settlement freeze, which was in the road map, that was completely forgotten, but that Hamas has to observe these three conditions- we're going to adhere to that to the letter. So there is a clear imbalance.
An interesting concept, I think especially in the context of the Arab Spring is all of the lessons of the Arab Spring that are being internalized by American policy makers and by Europeans and others: that we can't control the affairs, that we can't determine outcomes of elections, we can't micromanage the affairs of these countries. All of the infantilizing, micromanaging approach to the Arab world has been set aside, with the exception of the Palestinian case, where you see a perpetuation and a deepening of this kind of a mindset, of what I refer to as microlateralism.
Just to give you a quick quote from the State Department's spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, last spring in response to a question about Palestinian reconciliation. And this is a quote, she says, "What matters to us and what matters to the process that we are trying to keep on track here is that [Mahmoud] Abbas remain the [Palestinian Authority] President, that [Salam] Fayyad remains the [Palestinian Authority] Prime Minister, so we're not going to speculate on what the effect might be." In essence she's saying that Palestinians can do whatever they want as long as these two internal domestic political realities remain exactly as we want them. They would never do that in Egypt. They might be ambivalent about a Muslim Brotherhood member becoming president or have different views on different things, but they certainly… it's at least one lesson that has been internalized but completely neglected on the Palestinian side.
And I think another reality is that there's a complete disregard for Palestinian domestic needs, aspirations, and even Palestinian politics. One of the things that I often tell U.S. policy makers is that it's a mistake to assume that the Palestinians' ultimate goal is statehood per se, as opposed to something broader like freedom, which can be achieved in different forms. That leads them to assume they'll expect any state, whatever shape, and I think that's a mistake.
Another lesson that hasn't been learned is that Palestinians, just like the leadership in Syria, just like the governments in Egypt, and Tunisia, and Bahrain, and elsewhere, also need political legitimacy, they need domestic legitimacy. And this is not an issue that a lot of American policy makers lose sleep over, but it's something that they ought to.
And in that context, the idea that you could take a divided Palestinian leadership and somehow forge an agreement is, again, another one of these bizarre standouts vis-à-vis the rest of the region, where there's a focus on consensus building and that there's no one party that can make a constitution on its own, and go forward on its own. As in Egypt and Tunisia, there's this emphasis on consensus-building, except in the Palestinian case. Palestinians are expected to make an agreement with Israel while there is this kind of huge social and political division notwithstanding the fact that for Palestinians, the idea of a final status agreement is their constitutional moment – I would say it's even more existential than that. Constitutions can be revised but the state, once it's negotiated with Israel, is more or less a permanent reality.
Well thank you very much, Palestine Center interns, for inviting me to be a part of this distinguished panel, I appreciate the opportunity. Especially, as Marion mentioned, I'm working right now on a book examining [President Barack] Obama administration's strategy towards resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, so I really appreciate the opportunity to kind of try out some of my material on an audience to see if you think I'm on the right track or not.
I want to make four brief points about the Obama administration's strategy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. One is that despite the changed rhetorical style of the Obama Administration, despite the president himself really expressing unprecedented sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian people when he addressed the Muslim world from Cairo in June 2009, the reality has been that the M.O. (the Modus Operandi) of the Obama administration has been no different than [former President George H.W.] Bush I, no different than [former President Bill] Clinton, and no different than [former President George W.] Bush II in terms of how the negotiations are actually structured.
Now, is it any wonder then that the United States failed so miserably in its self-declared role of being an honest broker to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process when this was their declared modus operandi? To take Israeli ideas, to work them over, and to force them on Palestinians!
Now unfortunately, what I think Palestinians have realized over the course of the Obama era is that the reality has not changed and I think that this was demonstrated most dramatically in a series of very vexatious meetings between George Mitchell and his negotiating team– George Mitchell was of course the U.S. special envoy for Middle East Peace until he resigned in shame in May 2011–and the negotiations support unit of the Palestinian negotiating team. They held two very vexatious meetings on September 16 and 17, 2009.
So here's Mitchell's team, which was led by David Hale, who was his deputy at the time, now his replacement, opening the meeting by trying to assuage "Palestinian misgivings" regarding the quality of the package with Israel. So from the outset, the United States understands that what their offering the Palestinians is unacceptable. But the Palestinians shouldn't hold out for a comprehensive freeze on Israeli settlements, because after all, according to David Hale (this is a quote from the minutes of the meeting), "a freeze is a flexible concept." Well a freeze is not a flexible concept, if you look at the road map. The road map says very clearly that Israel has to stop all settlement construction including the so-called natural growth of settlements.
And then David Hale tries to convince Palestinians that "restraints on settlements is better than unrestricted growth everywhere." So a glass half-full is better than a glass half-empty in Hale's mind I guess. He continues to say that "we cannot force a sovereign government to do anything. We can use persuasion and negotiations and shared interests instead." Well Saeb Erekat, who was the head Palestinian negotiator, replies to this, "Of course you could if you wanted; how do you think this will reflect on the credibility of the United States if you can't get this done?", referring to a full Israeli settlement freeze.
Point number two, during the Obama administration, there was a continuation of this notion that we should have negotiations for the sake of negotiations, or more process for the sake of process, as Khaled [Elgindy] called it. This I think was recognized, or acknowledged, most clearly by George Mitchell himself in the run-up to Israeli and Palestinian negotiations, which lasted a whole of three days, in September 2010. When he announced the resumption of negotiations on August 20, 2010, Mitchell actually threw out the window 20 years of history of U.S. involvement in the peace process by saying, "Only the parties can determine terms of reference as the basis for negotiations, and they will do so when they meet and discuss these matters." So in other words, UN Security Council resolutions don't matter, the history of negotiations and what was agreed to at Annapolis, as my two co-panelists can testify to, didn't matter. What mattered was getting the negotiations underway and hoping that Israelis and Palestinians can just work it out without any terms of reference, without any reference to UN Security Council resolutions and so forth.
Now to set the stage for the resumption of the negotiations, which, if you look at the documentary evidence available, not only in the Palestine Papers but in Wikileaks as well, you'll see how the United States brow-beat the Palestinian negotiating team back to the table, even though both the United States and the Palestinians recognize that there is absolutely no chance of success for the negotiations. It was negotiations for the sake of negotiations.
And to convene negotiations, as Khaled mentioned, by having these negotiations, you raise hopes and when you fail at the negotiations you dash those hopes. And it was just astounding for someone as experienced a diplomat as George Mitchell, who led an end to a very attractable conflict in Northern Ireland in the 1980's to see him convene negotiations just three weeks before Israel's "settlement moratorium" expired, knowing that this moratorium in and of itself wasn't sufficient to get Palestinians back to the table in the first place, and also knowing that there was no possible way that Israel would extend this so-called moratorium after it ended. Well, as anyone could have predicted, these negotiations blew up in the face of the United States just three weeks later and have been permanently stalled since then.
Now here's the Bush administration back in 2004 arguing in front of the International Court of Justice why the ICJ had absolutely no jurisdiction to rule on whether Israel's wall in the West Bank was legal or not. Here's what the Bush administration says: "The U.S. believes that the giving of an advisory opinion in this matter risks undermining the peace process and politicizing the court." So in other words, an international institution could not adjudicate an Israeli-Palestinian issue because of the "peace process," and the existence of the peace process in 2004 is kind of like the existence of the peace process today, in other words non-existent.
Compare that statement from the Bush administration to what the Obama administration has been saying. Here is Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the UN explaining why the United States in February 2011 had to veto a resolution in the Security Council condemning Israeli settlements after the Obama administration had spent its first two years in office condemning Israeli settlements. Here's what Rice said trying to explain this logically: "The resolution must be measured against one overriding standard: will it move the parties closer to negotiations and an agreement?" And in her mind, of course, if the Security Council weighed in on whether Israeli settlements were legal or not, and of course we've all been very educated over the last few days from the Levy Commission, of course, Israel's settlements are legal after all, who knew? I didn't. News to me. There's no occupation either, and the earth is flat!
So Rice said that of course the United States can't vote for this resolution because if the United Nations were to pass a resolution condemning Israeli settlements, this "risks hardening the position of both sides. It could encourage the parties to stay out of negotiations" – as if there were negotiations happening then – "and if and when they did resume, to return to the Security Council whenever they hit an impasse." Now I could pull up similar statements to why the United States opposed Palestinian UN membership, why the Obama administration opposed the recommendations of the Goldstone Report, why the United States worked to undermine the UN investigating Israel's attack on the [Gaza] Flotilla. All of these things were rejected by the Obama administration because it didn't fit into its peace process paradigm. And anything that didn't fit into this paradigm undermines that so-called peace process.
Now, four, to conclude, what I think this has led to by the Palestinian negotiating team, rather belatedly, is the fact that Palestinians can never get a fair shake out of any U.S. dominated peace process. It's simply impossible based on the political reality of the United States and therefore, there has been a very conscious decision to what I call "re-internationalize" the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by taking it out of this U.S.-dominated context of failure, that we have seen for the last two decades plus, and moving it back to where the issue belongs, and that is within the UN, which is more fair than the United States, which bases its decisions on human rights standards and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international law and the Fourth Geneva convention and so forth. The United States often argues that the UN is not an impartial venue to adjudicate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the opposite is true. The UN is the exact appropriate venue to impartially adjudicate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In that September 2009 very contentious set of meetings between the U.S. and the Palestinian negotiating team, Saeb Erakat, the head of the Palestinian negotiating team, said, "I've been doing this for 16 years; this is the last shot." And I think it's pretty clear from actions subsequent to the demise of the "peace process" in September 2010 that Palestinians are very serious about this was the last shot at a U.S. dominated peace process. I think for us, the challenge is to continue to undercut the claim that the United States is an honest broker and to do that is not hard, all you need to do is to look at Dennis Ross' own declarations on the subject, and to help bring this issue back to the UN in order to create favorable circumstances for an eventual solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Well, Josh [Reubner], it's interesting because you've obviously placed a lot of responsibility and blame at the feet of the U.S., but the Palestinians, I think, also have a role to play in the current situation. And I am going to speak just a little bit about where the Palestinian strategy stands now and some of the challenges that face the Palestinians in terms of getting out of the current stalemate.
I think you meant that the Palestinians have clearly intended to internationalize their strategy, but I don't think it's that clear. I think in the past year and a half, the Palestinians have been pursuing three directions, one of which is negotiations with Israel. We had negotiations or some kind of talks between Palestinians and Israelis that was sponsored by the Jordanians in January. We've had some direct talking between Palestinians, between Saeb Erekat and different Israeli officials, that have not been claimed as talks, but somehow they are meeting and they are discussing something. I think there is still a semblance of a negotiation track underway. There is also a direction of internal political reconciliation with Hamas that the PLO [Palestine Liberation Organization] has stated its commitment to. And then the third one is this international diplomatic effort to advance Palestinian statehood at the UN. But I think with each of these strands of processes or efforts, we haven't seen the Palestinians wholeheartedly commit to any of them, nor have we seen an explanation, nor do we have an understanding of how these three strands fit together.
We have to understand that the Palestinian leadership chose to go to the UN Security Council rather than the UN General Assembly. And in doing that, they knew that they would get a clear veto from the U.S., that it would be a dead end. So why is it that they didn't go to the General Assembly? Was it strategic in the sense that they were leaving different options open for the future? Was it that there was an effort to sort of engage public opinion? Or was it an attempt to internationalize the strategy? And there isn't real clarity on that. And I think that the Palestinians have had some success in gaining statehood status at UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization], which is significant. But the International Criminal Court rejected the Palestinian petition for state status and the ability to approach the court because the ICC said that Palestine is a non-member state at the UN. And that is a very decisive opinion that stands on the record that the Palestinians have not been able to clear this hurdle of admission to the UN as a full state.
Now Hamas is another player in the game. And what is Hamas's direction? Well Hamas has stated its own commitment to reconciliation, but is also seemingly playing games. It's just recently defied the electoral commission in saying that they are not going to participate and allow the commission to register for national elections. So Hamas has also backed away from reconciliation, as has the PLO. And its primary approach seems to entrench its control in Gaza, perhaps waiting out to see what happens with the Arab Spring. But, it's not pursuing violence, but it hasn't presented another strategy.
Civil society is the third player on the Palestinian scene. While the political factions are sort of treading water, Palestinian civil society activism and intellectual elites are trying to move forward with different initiatives such as support for Boycott Divestment Sanctions (BDS) vis a vis Israel's civil disobedience, nonviolent struggle, and widening questions and criticisms of the two-state solution. But yet, we've had no major significant third Palestinian force emerge. So, we are quite in a strategic stalemate on the Palestinian side.
And I think for the past two decades, the Palestinian leadership has sort of based the prospect of political settlement on the notion that if we say that we will put forward the minimal demands on permanent status, and the Israelis will then see it in their self-interest to preserve the Jewish state, and the U.S. will be motivated by everyone's pragmatisms to push forward toward the two-state solution. So, Palestinians say that they will give up the right of return in order for the 1967 borders and this is a minimal equation that meets Israeli practical interests in saving the Jewish democratic state.
That process has failed, but in the meantime, the PA is more entrenched and simultaneously more dependent on Israel, more dependent on international donors. So, its political flexibility to challenge the status quo has been narrowed. Going to the UN was met with U.S. punitive action when the congress withheld develop assistance funds, or put a hold on it. Subsequently that hold has been lifted, but the Palestinians were told that "if you challenge the status quo of stalemate, of process for process without outcome, we will withdraw our external assistance." And so that locks the Palestinians in. Dependence on Israel for the tax revenue (Israel is collecting the customs revenue, which is a major source of revenue for the PA) is forcing the Palestinians to continue cooperating with Israel, again narrowing the political space for Palestinian strategic movement.
The regional uncertainty right now has put the Palestinians in a very difficult position. There is very little international leverage right now for the Palestinians as the world looks on to other conflicts. And presumably, Hamas is also waiting out the situation as Islamists rise to power in Tunisia and Egypt. And the U.S. warns Islamists, "Is there perhaps a new opening for Hamas?" So, there is a bit of playing a waiting game.
I think the PA has also, through the years of negotiating, sidelined civil society. Because of their premise of minimal asks, they have not really reached out to civil society. Rather, they have been afraid of engaging them because they see potential for civil society to challenge this premise. So when the PA went to the Security Council and applied for statehood in September 2011, they sought to draw up street support. The public square in Ramallah [West Bank, Palestine,] was filled with people cheering on Mahmoud Abbas as he gave this very emotional speech in the General Assembly, so there was an effort and a response to public opinion at that point.
I think reconciliation has also been a response, or the effort to achieve reconciliation has been a response to public opinion. But, in fact, the PA, the PLO, is disconnected from the masses and civil society is similarly disconnected. So, there isn't a mass to draw on to generate pressure and movement and momentum in one particular direction. This impasse is entrenched on the Palestinian side. I think there is a large question about the role and the continuing existence of the PA, and what this role plays in preventing the Palestinians from developing a strategy that would draw on international law and international legitimacy.
So there is a question of how can you balance this commitment to diplomacy with a need to leverage international law? What are the options for the PA and the Palestinians? I mean, a lot of people are dependent on the PA's salaries and a lot of people are invested in the relative stability and quiet that comes through PA-Israeli cooperation. The PA is a service provider in the Territories, so you cannot simply withdraw the PA, you need to look at solutions how to get the Palestinians out of the box that they have found themselves in, in terms of dependency on Israel and the international community. What are the specific asks for the U.S., for other donor countries, the BRIC states [Brazil, Russia, India and China]? Are there other states that can play a role if the U.S. is not able to? And what role could they play? What to ask of the emerging Arab countries? And then, finally, is this two-state outcome realistic, or do we need to think of alternative strategies and paradigms?
Khaled Elgindy is a researcher and analyst on United States policy in the Middle East. He is currently a visiting fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution. From 2004 to 2009, he served with the Negotiations Support Unit in Ramallah as an advisor to the Palestinian leadership on permanent status negotiations with Israel. He was a key participant in the most recent round of negotiations launched at Annapolis in November 2007. Mr. Elgindy received his M.A. from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Leila Hilal is a widely published consultant on conflict mediation policies in the Middle East. She is currently the director of the New America Foundation Middle East Task Force. From 2002 to 2007, she served as a legal adviser to the Palestinian Negotiations Department and acted as an external adviser to the Palestinian negotiating team as part of the Annapolis bi-lateral peace talks of 2008. Hilal obtained her J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School and LL.M. from Harvard Law School.
Josh Ruebner is a political activist and frequent speaker on Palestinian issues. He is currently the National Advocacy Director of the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and a former analyst in Middle East Affairs at the Congressional Research Service. He is the author of the forthcoming book tentatively entitled "Shattered Hopes: Obama and the Quest for Israeli-Palestinian Peace." Mr. Ruebner received his M.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.


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Minnesota Sports Rewind
Teddy Bridgewater's knee injury in 2016
Mackey & Judd go over Teddy Bridgewater's gruesome knee injury in the 2016 NFL preseason; (4:00) Where were you when you heard about the injury?; (08:00) What happens if Teddy doesn't get hurt?; (18:00) Would Teddy ever play in Minnesota again?; (20:00) Was trading for Sam Bradford the right move?; (24:00) The rankings of the knee's between Bridgewater, Culpepper and Bradford; (27:00) And where does the 2016 Vikings season rank in terms of Minnesota meltdowns?
Minnesota Sports Rewind: The 2011 Minnesota Twins
Mackey & Judd rewind to the 2011 Minnesota Twins which was highlighted by the heels of a division champion and free agent addition Tsuyoshi Nishioka only for them to lose 99 games; (07:00) The origin of the #ItsHappening; (11:00) Was Nishioka the worst free-agent signing in Twins history; (27:30) How much did injuries play apart in the 2011 Twins' demise; (38:00) Is Francisco Liriano's no hitter the most forgotten no-no of all time?
Minnesota Sports Rewind: 1992 Twins
One year after the Twins won the 1991 World Series, Mackey & Judd recap the 1992 Twins, which was a 90-win team but missed the playoffs; (3:50) The legend of Eric Fox; (08:00) What was the mood before the July series against Oakland started?; (14:00) Did Mark McGwire's steroid use help end the Twins season?; (17:00) Is John Smiley one of the most forgotten about Twins trades in team history?; (25:00) Could the Twins have extended their championship window?; (30:00) Where would you rank this Twins team among all-time teams?
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Mackey & Judd recap the 2001 MLB Draft with the Twins taking Joe Mauer No. 1 overall; (3:30) What was the initial reactions of the Twins drafting Mauer; (5:10) Would the Twins have better off drafting Mark Prior; (16:30) Should the Twins have moved Mauer out of the catcher position; (25:00) Did Joe Mauer live up to his No. 1 pick hype; (30:00) Would you take the short burst of Mark Prior or the borderline Hall of Fame career of Mauer; (33:00) What if Mauer played football instead of baseball?
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Before the State of Hockey: Why the North Stars left town - Minnesota Sports Rewind
Phil Mackey and Judd Zulgad rewind to when Minnesota lost the North Stars to Dallas; (02:00) A hilarious letter from Norm Green on why he moved the team; (05:00) Judd explains the timeline of what led the team to move to Dallas; (14:00) What could or should have happened to keep the North Stars in Minnesota?; (17:45) How would things have played out if the North Stars had stayed?; (20:30) How much have the Wild filled the void?; (29:30) Mike Modano joins for his memories of the move.
'We'll see you tomorrow night!' Rewinding Game 6 of the 1991 World Series
Phil Mackey, Judd Zulgad and Derek Wetmore recap Game 6 of the 1991 World Series; (09:30) How would social media reacted if it had existed prior to the 1991 World Series?; (15:00) Is Kirby Puckett a first-ballot Hall of Famer without his heroics?; (21:00) How cool was it that Joe Buck emulated the same call in 2011 that his dad in 1991?; (28:10) Twins Hall of Famer, Kent Hrbek joins for his memories of the series.
The Wild's cinderella run to the Western Conference Finals
Phil, Judd and Declan recap the 2002-03 Wild's run to the Western Conference Finals, which featured the team overcoming two 3-1 series deficits to Colorado and Vancouver; (04:00) What do you remember most from the team's run?; (12:00) Where does the Wild's run rank among all Minnesota sports teams?; (16:30) Do the Wild go this far without Jacques Lemaire?; (23:20) What the hell happened against the Ducks in the Western Conference Finals?; (26:11) Wes Walz joins and tells the boys what he remembers from the series.
Part 1: Remembering the 1998 Vikings offense - Minnesota Sports Rewind
In part 1 of the 1998 Vikings on Minnesota Sports Rewind, Phil and Judd recap the greatest offense in team and at the time NFL history; (07:00) Your favorite memories of the 1998 season; (27:45) Former Vikings wide receiver Jake Reed joins and remembers his favorite memories of the '98 season; (45:00) If Brad Johnson doesn't get hurt, does he have the same season as Randall Cunningham?
Brett Favre's revenge tour against the Packers - Minnesota Sports Rewind
Phil and Judd rewind the Vikings 2009 Week 4 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, which was Brett Favre's first matchup against Green Bay; (11:00) Where does this game rank among Minnesota sports satisfactions; (15:00) Between the Vikings win and Game 163 for the Twins, was this the best 48-hour stretch in Minnesota sports history?; (21:00) Where does Favre rank in Vikings and Minnesota sports history; (27:50) Former kicker Ryan Longwell joins to talk his memories of Favre and the 2009 season; (46:00) Do you miss the Metrodome?
The Wild sign Zach Parise and Ryan Suter - Minnesota Sports Rewind
Phil, Judd and Declan do a deep dive on the Wild signing Zach Parise and Ryan Suter on July 4 2012; (05:00) What are your memories of that day?; (16:00) If Boudraeu had coached this team from the get go, how different would it have been?; (24:48) Where does this signing rank among free agents and trades that happened in Minnesota sports; (27:00) Zach Parise joins the show to talk his signing, tenure, what he would've like to see added to past teams and how strange it was to almost be traded; (44:00) Who is on the Mount Rushmore of all-time Wild players.
Wolves upset Michael Jordan's Bulls in 1997!
Phil Mackey and Judd Zulgad rewind the Timberwolves' first win in franchise history over the Chicago Bulls in 1997; (05:00) How far would the Wolves have gone if Marbury didn't demand a trade the next season? (11:00) Why Kevin Garnett and Marbury were the most dynamic polarizing athletes in Minnesota at the time; (14:50) How much did Marbury screw up by forcing his way out; (22:45) Is Tom Gugliotta the most underrated player in Timberwolves history?; (27:13) Tom Hanneman, who covered the Wolves and the win; (47:00) Some breaking news regarding Kevin Garnett and Glen Taylor comes through.
Remembering the last Twins playoff win
Phil Mackey and Judd Zulgad recap the last Twins playoff win in the 2004 Game 1 ALDS at Yankee Stadium; (11:00) Since then, the Twins are 0-16 in postseason play; (28:39) Michael Cuddyer joins to give his memories of the victory; (44:00) What was missing from the 2004 team that would've pushed them over the top; (50:00) What series against the Yankees did the Twins have the best shot at a series win?
Adrian Peterson's 296-yard game - Minnesota Sports Rewind
On the latest Minnesota Sports Rewind, Phil Mackey and Judd Zulgad breakdown Adrian Peterson setting the single-game rushing record with 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers in his rookie season in 2007; (09:00) Was this the beginning of "peak" Adrian Peterson?; (18:00) Where does AP rank among all-time running backs; (30:17) Former Vikings quarterback Brooks Bollinger who played in said game, joins the show to talk Peterson; (47:00) Where does Peterson rank among all-time Vikings?
The Best Team That Never Was - The 2006 Twins
On the latest Minnesota Sports Rewind, Phil Mackey, Judd Zulgad and Derek Wetmore recap the 2006 Twins team which featured an MVP in Justin Morneau, Cy Young winner Johan Santana, and batting champion Joe Mauer. What would have happened if Francisco Liriano hadn't gotten hurt? Who was your favorite Twins "Piranha?"; (26:19) Justin Morneau joins the show to talk about what he remembers the most about the team; (42:00) Was this the greatest Twins team to never win a World Series?
Straight Cash Homie
Phil Mackey, Judd Zulgad and Tom Pelissero do a deep dive into the 2004 Minnesota Vikings! From Daunte Culpepper's near-MVP season to the Randy Moss - Joe Buck "mooning" incident, this was one of the more entertaining seasons in Vikings franchise history. Is Daunte's 2004 season the most underrated great QB season in NFL history? Was Mike Tice a good NFL head coach? If Randy Moss was able to stay focused on football and football alone, would he currently be regarded as the greatest WR of all-time?
The Herschel Walker Trade
Phil Mackey, Judd Zulgad and Manny Hill dissect perhaps the most prominent trade in NFL history -- a trade on Oct. 12, 1989 that sent Herschel Walker from the Dallas Cowboys to the Minnesota Vikings for what wound up being a HAUL of top draft picks. What impact did this trade have on the Vikings? On the NFL? And what would have happened if the Vikings held onto those draft picks? If you enjoy Minnesota Sports Rewind, please give us a 5-star review on Apple or Spotify!
100 minutes | Dec 19, 2019
'Pull Your 84 Jerseys Out'
Phil Mackey, Tom Pelissero and Judd Zulgad reminisce about one of the most infamous seasons in Minnesota Vikings football history -- 2010. The Vikings were coming off a four-year crescendo that culminated in a trip to the 2009 NFC Championship Game. The band was ready to get back together for one more run! But nobody could have predicted all of the things that happened next. Randy Moss' return to Minnesota. Brad Childress' firing. The Metrodome roof collapsing. And Brett Favre's career coming to an unceremonious end. This episode contains countless inside stories from the 2010 Vikings season. Please give Minnesota Sports Rewind a 5-star review wherever you listen to podcasts!
The Johan Santana Trade
Phil Mackey, Judd Zulgad and Derek Wetmore dive deep into one of the biggest trades in Minnesota Twins history -- Johan Santana to the New York Mets for Carlos Gomez, Philip Humber, Kevin Mulvey and Deolis Guerra. What if the Twins had taken the Yankees or Red Sox packages that included players like Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury, Melky Cabrera and Phil Hughes? What if Johan had signed an extension in Minnesota? Should Johan be a Hall of Famer? And much more!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
~Home~
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~Atelier Atrotica~
Paisley P. Peinforte
Hits count 627
I'm going to ask you all to indulge my whinging for a moment, because I think this is an important screed.
I hate the new Sailor Moon based game "Moon Drops".
Now, mind you, I am a consummate Sailor Moon aficionado. I have played basically every game for the series I could get my hands on. So when "Moon Drops" came out, I was all over it like Shampoo on Ranma. It was a new game! With Sailor Moon! (I even sideloaded the APK to play this game because I don't have a Japanese Google Play account. That's how excited I was.)
This was going to be Fantastic!
No, it wasn't fantastic.
Moon Drops is a game very much in the vein of King's Candy Crush Saga. Move the brightly coloured objects into the right spots, and achieve certain goals in order to progress. Now, unlike Candy Crush, it's a bit more forgiving. Rather than locking you out for a day after you've used up your allotted number of lives, it locks you out for 30 minutes. This is a blessing and a curse, but I'll get back to that in a mo'.
Moon Drops, like Candy Crush is "freemium". What this means is that while it is, in theory, possible to play through the entire game without spending a penny, the fast way to proceed is by purchasing special items that either give you more "lives" or make it easier to remove the obstacles placed in your way by the game. Obviously, to incentivize the player to part with their hard-earned cash, the game adopts a certain level of difficulty after a time in order to frustrate the user so they'll want to pay to make things easier.
A bit on the Psychology of "Freemium" games– its premise is based on the notion of 1- fostering a sense of achievement, and 2 - exploiting the fact that we hate to lose our progress. Let's use my story as an example.
Playing Moon Drops, I destroyed the first 16 or so levels with ease. It was a bit of an exhilarating rush. Everything from the sounds and the uptempo music you experience whilst in the midst of a victory blitz of that nature is designed to make you feel good. (Just like Video Poker machines). So I was pleased. Here was a nice little time-waster of a game, with colourful avatars of the Sailor Senshi.
"I could get to like this," I thought.
Then, difficulty increased.
Now you had to break blocks by making matches. Or move items down from the top to the bottom by making matches. Again, nothing unreasonable. This is how games like this maintain interest. Sometimes there was a time limit, sometimes you just had to use certain types of matches. Levels took longer, but it was tolerable.
Then came level 26. (I think that was the number)
Unlike other freemium games of this ilk–like say Pokémon Shuffle–this game is unapologetically punishing. It does not make it easy to eliminate two sets of objects at once, which makes clearing levels easier for an observant player. No. The objects are all placed at random. This level was set up like a funnel, with four objects that needed to be brought down to the bottom of the screen.
Obstacles:
1 - Two of the objects were pinned behind massive walls of bricks that needed two matches each to break.
2- The fourth object ISN'T EVEN ON THE BOARD and and doesn't show up till you've cleared two of the others (by which times you're almost out of moves) so you can't strategize at all.
Even with 39 moves this level took three days of trying, and then just sheer dumb luck and good fortune to get past. (Mind you, I steadfastly refused to pay for any items.)
It was to the point where, when I closed my eyes, I could see the afterimages of diamonds and teardrops and moon crescents dancing about. I could hear the saccharine, candy-coated music playing in my head all the time.
That's when I realised this had to stop.
As I said before, freemium games are carefully crafted to create a sense of addiction by design. Without descending too deeply into a hyperbolic pit, It's a digital drug. You get sucked in by easy levels, and then all that progress is threatened by new, diabolical levels that are so tough that without paying–or sacrificing days upon days upon days of head-bashing effort that really comes down to whether the random number generator will give you the right drops in the right place, since the level is deliberately designed to make it impossible to strategise–you will lose everything you're worked towards. (and make no mistake, this game becomes something like work very quickly)
In this case, the game exploits the notion of the Sailor Moon Mythos.
"You're _THIS_ close to unlocking Jupiter! You can't not unlock Jupiter!" is what the mind screams when you've finished Sailor Mars' path only to find that the next level has NOT unlocked because you need to go back and finish supposedly optional side levels which are harder than the devil's member after seeing the American GOP debates last night.
And I say no.
Nintendo, at least, was considerate to its players. Respawn times were short (15 mins) and you could easily clear boards without paying. You could have *fun* playing Pokémon Shuffle and keep on having it. This game, however, was designed to knobble you over the head.
I looked at myself, and my behaviour patterns. Every free moment when I wasn't doing something else vital, like eating or working, I was trying to clear that accursed level.
Rather than learning Japanese, or writing my forever-delayed novel, or doing something productive, I was sucked into that vortex of candy-coated sugary addiction.
Certainly, one can cast blame on me. "Oh, play responsibly, Paisley. You don't *have* to invest so much time into it."
But you do. You rather do. The game leverages your need to advance in the worst way possible. It is set up to create a gambler's addiction complex in your head. And for someone like me–who does have a slight obsessive streak–this quickly becomes dangerous.
It's basically the ultimate Dark Kingdom plot device, if you stop and think about it. It uses the veneer of the Senshi to suck you down into a labyrinthine pit of addiction and either takes away your money, or your free time, and possibly your sanity.
It is not engineered to be a fun, challenging game like Tetris or the old Sega Columns games. It is designed to pry open your wallet… and to get you what? A new story of the senshi? No. Some cute pictures and stock-animated interactions that Takeuchi-sensei probably had the barest level of input in.
I looked around and realised how many hours would be going down this pit if I kept playing. Unlike a game like say, The Last of Us, or Metal Gear Solid, where you are rewarded with a deep narrative at the end, this would net me nothing at the end of the day other than the feeling of empty satisfaction I would get from clearing levels of glittery baubles.
And that's why I hate Moon Drops. It literally wants to rob me of either my money or (a chunk of) my life giving back nothing really good in exchange, and I would rather part with neither. There's so many other things I could be doing that are far more worthwhile Other games that I could play, even, that give me something far richer back experientially. And if I just wanted a quick time-waster, there are games for that too.
No, this is a trap. A candy-coated trap and I hate it. I hate that Sailor Moon is associated with it, that kids with less willpower or self-awareness will be suckered in by it. That parents are going to lose their money to it.
Those who know me know I'm a VERY easygoing person, and I usually don't get riled by these sorts of things. Live and let live, I always say. But this… No.
This is one step too far. It is diabolical, and I hate it. It is wretched.
Today, I'm deleting Moon Drops from my tablet and my life and good riddance. Think of me what you will, but I have no regrets.
About Paisley P. Peinforte
Having successfully invaded both America and Canada from her home base in Windsor, Paisley has become horribly corrupted by the world. She hates active voice and wishes to god Twitter had an edit button. Dedicated to "creating the greatest 'Ship of them all", she ponders horribly terrible, idiotic things for your amusement.
Share the memetic infection this post!
~explanation~
I'm a snarky, semi-horrible human being given to penning intentionally bad epic slashfiction involving improbable objects and individuals, with the ultimate ambition of befouling Kindle with it one day,which is ostensibly what this blog is for.
In practice, however, it tends to mainly be a circular file for my various thoughts and ideas, some whimsical and others not, in addition to my various Photoshop experiments, mainly collections of what I generate for Twitter.
Popular Pontifications
Silly Theory: Bill is Susan! (Series 10 spoilers, obviously)
SaaS Sucks, shows Sakura, sadly.
A View of the Stormfront
Virtual Unreality
Ho Dear
The horrific life of Mr. Hankey at 120 Backstreet
© 2014+ Paisley P. Peinforte. All Rights Reserved, but who cares? Seriously, why would you want to steal THIS? Go outside and take a walk!


Measured by overall association (A), between-state association (B), and within-state association (C).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Injury prevention & control: data & statistics (WISQARS). https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/. Accessed February 8, 2017.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Health resources and services administration health workforce. https://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/topics/ahrf.aspx. Accessed February 8, 2017.
National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Research Institute, Inc. Table 1: SMHA mental health actual dollar and per capita expenditures by state (FY2004-FY2013). http://www.nri-incdata.org/. Accessed May 15, 2015.
Hedeker D, Gibbons RD. Longitudinal Data Analysis. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley; 2006.
In the past 15 years, there has been a 22% increase in the national suicide rate in the United States,1 while the total number of psychiatric hospital beds in the United States decreased from 34 to 22 beds per 100 000 residents.2 Bastiampillai et al2 suggest that the availability of psychiatric hospital beds may be a risk factor in a complex network of suicide risk factors.
We obtained state-level data from the Area Health Resource File on the number of psychiatric hospital beds (private and public short-term general hospitals), the number of substance abuse beds,3 suicide rates,1 and per capita mental health spending from 1999 to 2013.4 Between-state and within-state associations between psychiatric hospital beds, substance abuse hospital beds, mental health spending, and suicide rates were statistically estimated using a hybrid mixed-effects Poisson regression model (with annual state population size used as an offset).5 In the hybrid model, the between-state effect is estimated from the mean of the predictor over time and the within-state effect from the mean-deviation for each year. As confirmed with the University of Chicago institutional review board, the analysis of state-level aggregated US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention data is exempt from approval because all records are deidentified, and no informed consent is required.
The simple inverse association is clearly apparent when considering the parallel time series only (Figure, A). However, the overall association is produced by between-state differences in the availability of psychiatric hospital beds (risk ratio, 0.987; 95% CI, 0.981-0.993; P < .001), accounting for a 1.32% increase in the annual suicide rate per 1 fewer psychiatric hospital bed per 100 000 residents (Figure, B). However, there is no within-state association between changes in the number of psychiatric beds and changes in suicide rates (risk ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.998-1.004; P = .50), despite considerable within-state variability in psychiatric hospital bed availability (Figure, C). In addition, there were no significant between- or within-state effects of the availability of substance abuse beds on suicide rates. Finally, we found a small but significant between-state inverse effect of mental health spending on suicide rates (risk ratio, 0.999; 95% CI, 0.998-.999; P = .04), indicating a 0.01% decrease in the suicide rate for every dollar spent on mental health spending. However, there was no significant within-state association.
The availability of psychiatric hospital beds and substance abuse beds in short-term general hospitals was not causally related to suicide rates. Some between-state associations were found; however, they were confounded with other state-level differences. Yoon and Bruckner6 found an overall inverse association between the state-level availability of public psychiatric hospital beds and suicide rates; however, our analysis suggests that this was a between-state association, and that changing the availability of psychiatric hospital beds within a given state will not reduce suicide rates. Changes in the number of substance abuse beds and amount of mental health expenditures were similarly unrelated to within-state changes in suicide rates.
Our study is limited by the lack of available data on long-term psychiatric hospitals and stratification by public and private hospitals.
Our findings indicate that attention should focus on determining how existing psychiatric beds are used rather than their absolute number. What are the proportions of high-risk patients being treated as outpatients vs inpatients, and how do their suicide rates compare after adjusting for risk profiles? Suicide risk is linked to rates of the diagnosis of major depression and how effectively it is treated at the outpatient level. Given that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data on suicidal behavior, psychiatric diagnoses, and treatment in 18 states indicate that from 2005 to 2010, the rate of people receiving psychiatric treatment before dying of suicide was only 28.5%, there is considerable room for improvement. By focusing on hospital bed capacity, we may miss more fundamental deficits in detecting and treating patients at risk for suicide.
Corresponding Author: Robert D. Gibbons, PhD, University of Chicago, 5841 S Maryland Ave, Room W260, MC2000, Chicago, IL 60637 (rdg@uchicago.edu).
Author Contributions: Dr Gibbons had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
Drafting of the manuscript: Gibbons.
Administrative, technical, or material support: Gibbons.
Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Gibbons has been an expert witness on statistical issues related to suicide for Pfizer, GSK, and Wyeth and is a founder of Adaptive Testing Technologies, which distributes computerized adaptive tests for mental health measurement. The terms of Dr Gibbons' consulting arrangements have been reviewed and approved by the University of Chicago in accordance with its conflict of interest policies. Dr Mann receives royalties for the commercial use of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale from the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene. No other disclosures are reported.


Directory of most governments' embassies and consulates worldwide.
Directory of national government websites and web portals worldwide, including diplomatic missions abroad by country.
Links to useful trade information for dozens of countries worldwide. Includes information about local companies, contact numbers for government and local business service centers, policy information for investment and financing of SMEs, tips on starting up an SME, economic data, news, and research.
Listing of individual countries and their official representatives, embassies and consulates around the world.
A worldwide resource guide with listing to government agencies and resources by country.
Directory of the international community of non-governmental organizations.
• Starting in Importing or Exporting?


Summers over and it's time to bundle up for Fall.
Check out the work of wonderful MN textile folk. Pull out your sweaters and check out some new fabric.
I thought it would be fun to show you all some of the cool new items that we have in the shop.
Our first MN Yarn Shop Hop was a success. Our yarn/pattern were inspired by Princess/General Leia and the new Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan.
And because folks have asked... Our One Year Anniversary Party when really well. It ended up lining up with the first Local Yarn Store Day. So we had lots of fun things to offer folks. And also cupcakes.
We had tasty cupcakes from Sarah Jane's Bakery and I almost have my Wonderland Yarns Which Way shawl.


The results you get in life are a direct result of your habits.
That's great news because if you want better results in the future, then simply start creating better habits today.
After all, it's not the one-off race you run or the 10-day detox you do that matters in the long run. It's the little things you do day-in and day-out that truly make the biggest difference over time.
If you're like so many other people I've helped over the years, you need to create healthy habits that actually stick. It's not that exercising or eating well is necessarily difficult, it's that doing so consistently is a challenge.
We've all been there. We get pumped up to start a new program or reach a new New Year's resolution, but within just a few weeks we've fallen back into our old habits that keep us "comfortable".
To create healthy habits, it's important to remember that we humans do not like change and that's because change means "pain". Not brutal, physical pain, but simply enough discomfort that is outside of what we're used to–also known as our comfort zone.
It's more comfortable to sleep in than to get up an hour earlier. It's more comfortable to sit on the couch than to workout. It's more comfortable to pick up the phone and order pizza than to spend 20 minutes preparing dinner.
It's not that you're lazy or lack willpower (I'll tell you why in a second), but you should understand that we're ALL naturally lazy and so anything new is initially going to be somewhat challenging.
This can be very liberating en route to creating healthy habits that stick for good.
I always tell my readers and clients to be realistic about what's expected with any given healthy habit you're looking to create.
For example, be realistic and expect that you'll have some more muscle soreness after your first workout in a few months (or forever). If you aren't, then that initial soreness will be enough pain to keep you from working out consistently.
Keep in mind that if you're not used to cooking food from scratch, your first few attempts at homemade meals may take longer than expected. But again, you become more proficient with practice–like with anything else. So just keep at it!
Your real problem is your environment.
The idea that willpower, self-control, and discipline are required to create healthy habits like eating well and exercising consistently is simply not true.
Willpower is very much like a muscle that gets fatigued with constant use. The more you resist temptations and use your brain to make decisions (like we all do), the more you drain your willpower. That's why the end of day is the "weakest" time for most people.
You need to create an environment that will support you in your moments of weakness.
That's why it's so important to have done-for-you meal plans and follow-along workouts at your fingertips. They take the thinking out of "what to do", especially after a long day when you're tired and low on willpower.
Health doesn't have to be complicated. I'm here to make it simple for you. Want in?


Are you struggling to get your kids to bed on time? Do you lose your temper when one of your children (or all!) are not listening to you the first time you ask them to get ready for bed when its time for bed? Here are 5 tips on establishing bedtime routines, the easy way!
Our schedule has changed since I last wrote about my daily routines so here is an update on our successes and failures!
The kids and I spend a lot of time together. My husband gets home pretty late so it's harder to stay focused on our routines when he pulls in the driveway closer to 8pm. Thankfully, it's more of an exception than reality. We may not always get to eat dinner together with him, so we gather around the table while he eats and we tell him about our day.
I wake up really early to teach Chinese students online. I have found my energy has waned and struggled by night time to keep up with the kids. Since my husband has a physically strenuous job, night time is downtime for all of us during the weekdays.
With this fast-paced age of information across social media outlets, devices are making a multitude of sounds several times a day. It can become a great distraction when connecting with each other after a long, busy day.
Removing devices temporarily for a short period of time can bring you peace and strength your relationships.
Part of our routine after dinner is eliminating all distractions (devices, including phones) for 30 minutes. This is the time to communicate and catch up on our day's activities. We sit in the living room and talk about anything that comes to our minds.
This is also a great time to do a family devotion. Get into the Word. Just start with 5-10 minutes praying and discussing the Lord's greatness and what you are thankful for.
A read-aloud is also a great way to spark a discussion. We also enjoy trivia questions either on the bible or animals/insects.
Does your husband get home late and you need some to recharge without the fam for a few minutes? Schedule time for just Dad and the kiddos. Make it one day a week so there is something to look forward to. Ask your husband to take them for ice cream, something easy and simple after a long, exhausting day. My family has enjoyed building a bond fire together, watching a funny video or just settling down on the couch and playing a game. This also allows me to slip off to my room and begin my self-care routine for the next day. Woo Hoo!
We decided 9:30 pm is "get ready for bed" time. Every family is different, so it may be later or earlier for yours. It gives my husband enough quality time with the kids before bed and us a chance to reconnect for a few minutes before falling asleep. Don't forget to schedule in time with each other. It's essential to make time for one another.
It's a great habit to find ways to get prepared for the next day. Have the kids tidy up their room, remind them of any activities for tomorrow and lay out their clothes for the next day. Allow them time for prayer and reading as they wind down from a busy day.
For you moms, make sure your clothes are laid out for the next day too, including socks and shoes! It makes a huge difference as it helps get you up quickly and keeps you energized for the day.
Then, talk to your spouse. Enjoy this time together — it's peaceful and quiet!
When our family has a consistent schedule every night, waking up is SO much easier. Be consistent with going to bed every night and you'll sleep beautifully! I don't have issues with falling asleep anymore because I wake up really early and go to bed by midnight since I work a couple of hours at night (in the summer only).
Wrapping up, establishing bedtime routines for our family is essential for mental, physical and spiritual health. It also sets up the next day for success. I am thankful for our daily routines! It gives me a peace of mind about what's expected and can plan my day accordingly. There is a time or season to be spontaneous but, it should be a rare treat. Routines give families a sense of security and purpose throughout the day.
I pray this has encouraged you to think about your daily obstacles and determine if you can eliminate them by using routines as a guideline. It keeps me focused as I tend to get distracted by messes in the house and the dings from my phone. It's also healthy for spouses to schedule time alone to reconnect and refresh, thus, ending on a good note before sleep creeps up on us.


text:
UC student robbed at gunpoint: 'It can happen to anybody'
Two University of Cincinnati students were robbed at gunpoint early Wednesday morning while coming home from getting pizza.
UC student robbed at gunpoint: 'It can happen to anybody' Two University of Cincinnati students were robbed at gunpoint early Wednesday morning while coming home from getting pizza. Check out this story on cincinnati.com: http://cin.ci/1jicRrv
amarotti@enquirer.com Published 12:28 p.m. ET April 30, 2014 | Updated 8:14 p.m. ET April 30, 2014
Peoples(Photo: Provided)
Three adults and two juveniles were arrested Wednesday for an armed robbery that occurred near the University of Cincinnati, police say.
Mike Frank, 22, and his girlfriend, Holly Gruber, 20 - both UC students - were coming back from getting pizza at about 1 a.m. Wednesday. They were in the 300 block of Joselin Avenue in University Heights when four people approached them.
"We were just walking home," Frank said. "We were only about three or four houses down from where I live. They came out of the parking lot, pulled guns on us, told us to get on our knees."
With a gun to each of their heads, Frank said he didn't have much time to think.
"It just happened so quickly," Frank said. "No matter what, I was just going to cooperate ... It's not worth losing my life over a cellphone or wallet."
Spears (Photo: Provided)
The suspects took both victim's cellphones and Gruber's purse, jumped into a blue vehicle and sped off, according to the report. An officer spotted the vehicle and pulled it over in the 3100 block of Spring Grove Avenue.
During the stop, the officer recovered four semi-automatic handguns and the stolen merchandise.
Cincinnati and UC police arrested Calvin Spears, 26, Markell Peoples, 19, Nahkeem Chappell, 18, a 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy, according to the incident report.
The five will be charged with two counts each of aggravated robbery and carrying a concealed weapon, according to the release.
Frank, who has another year left at UC, plans to live in the area next year. He said he's not necessarily scared, but will travel in bigger groups of people after dark.
"We've always been told to walk with other people, and I thought walking with just (my girlfriend) would be fine because usually our part of the neighborhood is pretty safe because there are cops around all the time," he said. "But it's eye-opening to know that it can happen to anybody."
Read or Share this story: http://cin.ci/1jicRrv


As a student, tutoring is a fantastic way to gain valuable resume experience. Learn more about why you should get involved!
Whether it's a Prezi or a Powerpoint, these tips will help you deliver a killer presentation!
Does your office dress code have you stumped? Check out this guide.


Great Thanks International Initiatives Invitational - Art Worldwide.
they do everything so that the world and the idol of the art of seeing the works of contemporary artists.
Cosmo Expressionizm. My style of art in person at the painting I named as Cosmo Expressionism.


text:
.class public Landroid/app/ResultInfo;
.super Ljava/lang/Object;
.source "ResultInfo.java"

# interfaces
.implements Landroid/os/Parcelable;

# static fields
.field public static final CREATOR:Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator;
    .annotation system Ldalvik/annotation/Signature;
        value = {
            "Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator",
            "<",
            "Landroid/app/ResultInfo;",
            ">;"
        }
    .end annotation
.end field

# instance fields
.field public final mData:Landroid/content/Intent;

.field public final mRequestCode:I

.field public final mResultCode:I

.field public final mResultWho:Ljava/lang/String;

# direct methods
.method static constructor <clinit>()V
    .locals 1

    .prologue
    .line 65
    new-instance v0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo$1;

    invoke-direct {v0}, Landroid/app/ResultInfo$1;-><init>()V

    sput-object v0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->CREATOR:Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator;

    return-void
.end method

.method public constructor <init>(Landroid/os/Parcel;)V
    .locals 1
    .parameter "in"

    .prologue
    .line 76
    invoke-direct {p0}, Ljava/lang/Object;-><init>()V

    .line 77
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readString()Ljava/lang/String;

    move-result-object v0

    iput-object v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mResultWho:Ljava/lang/String;

    .line 78
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v0

    iput v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mRequestCode:I

    .line 79
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v0

    iput v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mResultCode:I

    .line 80
    invoke-virtual {p1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->readInt()I

    move-result v0

    if-eqz v0, :cond_0

    .line 81
    sget-object v0, Landroid/content/Intent;->CREATOR:Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator;

    invoke-interface {v0, p1}, Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator;->createFromParcel(Landroid/os/Parcel;)Ljava/lang/Object;

    move-result-object v0

    check-cast v0, Landroid/content/Intent;

    iput-object v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mData:Landroid/content/Intent;

    .line 85
    :goto_0
    return-void

    .line 83
    :cond_0
    const/4 v0, 0x0

    iput-object v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mData:Landroid/content/Intent;

    goto :goto_0
.end method

.method public constructor <init>(Ljava/lang/String;IILandroid/content/Intent;)V
    .locals 0
    .parameter "resultWho"
    .parameter "requestCode"
    .parameter "resultCode"
    .parameter "data"

    .prologue
    .line 37
    invoke-direct {p0}, Ljava/lang/Object;-><init>()V

    .line 38
    iput-object p1, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mResultWho:Ljava/lang/String;

    .line 39
    iput p2, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mRequestCode:I

    .line 40
    iput p3, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mResultCode:I

    .line 41
    iput-object p4, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mData:Landroid/content/Intent;

    .line 42
    return-void
.end method

# virtual methods
.method public describeContents()I
    .locals 1

    .prologue
    .line 50
    const/4 v0, 0x0

    return v0
.end method

.method public toString()Ljava/lang/String;
    .locals 2

    .prologue
    .line 45
    new-instance v0, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    invoke-direct {v0}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;-><init>()V

    const-string v1, "ResultInfo{who="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget-object v1, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mResultWho:Ljava/lang/String;

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, ", request="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget v1, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mRequestCode:I

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(I)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, ", result="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget v1, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mResultCode:I

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(I)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string v1, ", data="

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    iget-object v1, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mData:Landroid/content/Intent;

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/Object;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    const-string/jumbo v1, "}"

    invoke-virtual {v0, v1}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->append(Ljava/lang/String;)Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;

    move-result-object v0

    invoke-virtual {v0}, Ljava/lang/StringBuilder;->toString()Ljava/lang/String;

    move-result-object v0

    return-object v0
.end method

.method public writeToParcel(Landroid/os/Parcel;I)V
    .locals 2
    .parameter "out"
    .parameter "flags"

    .prologue
    const/4 v1, 0x0

    .line 54
    iget-object v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mResultWho:Ljava/lang/String;

    invoke-virtual {p1, v0}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeString(Ljava/lang/String;)V

    .line 55
    iget v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mRequestCode:I

    invoke-virtual {p1, v0}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 56
    iget v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mResultCode:I

    invoke-virtual {p1, v0}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 57
    iget-object v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mData:Landroid/content/Intent;

    if-eqz v0, :cond_0

    .line 58
    const/4 v0, 0x1

    invoke-virtual {p1, v0}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    .line 59
    iget-object v0, p0, Landroid/app/ResultInfo;->mData:Landroid/content/Intent;

    invoke-virtual {v0, p1, v1}, Landroid/content/Intent;->writeToParcel(Landroid/os/Parcel;I)V

    .line 63
    :goto_0
    return-void

    .line 61
    :cond_0
    invoke-virtual {p1, v1}, Landroid/os/Parcel;->writeInt(I)V

    goto :goto_0
.end method

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Drone attack near Mirali kills seven militants
MIRAMSHAH, Feb 14 Four foreigners and three local militants were killed in a US drone attack on a house near Mirali town in North Waziristan on Sunday.
According to official sources, the house of a man, Khanadan Khan Dawar, said to be a collaborator of militants, was attacked in Zoor Babar Eidek village at about 3.30pm. The drone fired two missiles at the house.
Local people said seven bodies had been pulled out of the debris. An official said four foreign militants were among the dead but their nationality had not been verified.
The sources said that some people had taken the bodies to an unspecified place.
Agencies add "We have sent our team to assess the situation and get details. It's a remote area and the communications system is bad," an official told AFP.
He confirmed the casualties and said the dead included "four foreigners, possibly Uzbeks". Pakistani officials usually use the term "foreigners" to refer to Al Qaeda-linked militants.
A local government official said the targeted compound was used for training insurgents. A car was also destroyed in the missile attack.
A barrage of US drone strikes hit Pakistan's northwest tribal belt in January, most concentrated around Miramshah.
On February 2, a swarm of US drones fired a large volley of missiles at an extremist stronghold in North Waziristan, killing at least 16 militants, but there had been a lull in such raids since then.
More than 780 people have been killed in the US strikes in Pakistan since August 2008, and American officials say they are a vital tool in the battle against militants and have killed a number of high-profile targets.
Sunday's two-missile strike was on a militant compound, said security officials, adding that there was no information about the identity of those killed.
Matters with IMF expected to be settled today: Dar


Call to Schedule an Appointment (845) 827-1125.
The summer is a fun time after the hustle and bustle of the school year. Vacations are planned and kids are playing outside from sunrise to sunset. But, don't forget the dentist.
County Dental cares for the well-being of our patients and New York residents.
Here are some daily dental hygiene tips County Dental recommends to protect your mouth and overall health tips while having fun this summer.
Remember to continue the routine of brushing twice a day and flossing daily. It is recommended to remind children over the summer to maintain a consistent brushing and flossing routine. Between activities, camps and vacations kids may forget about this important oral health responsibility.
County Dental recommends replacing your toothbrush at the beginning of summer and have extras on hand, especially when on vacation.
Drink eight to 11 glasses of water a day. Drink more water if you are spending more time outside to maintain proper hydration.
Get your daily family workout completed by not calling it a workout, but family game time.
Continue to get the recommended amount of sleep per night.
Don't wait until the rush in August when school is near for a dental checkup. Schedule an appointment with County Dental this month to start the summer and upcoming school year on a healthy note.
Make sure your kids follow pool rules. Running on slippery pool decks, diving into shallow waters or bumping the pool ledge with their mouth causes many children to either chip or knock a tooth loose.
Pack an emergency dental care kit to take along for vacation. Essentials for this kit, according to the Academy of General Dentistry, are a handkerchief, gauze, a small container with a lid, ibuprofen and your dentist's contact information.
Summer can really throw your routine for a loop. But by following these oral health tips for summer, your kids can start the school year with prepared and with a healthy smile. Schedule an appointment today.


CNN's Gloria Borger says that sources familiar with Michael Cohen's thinking say he has "hit the reset button" and is continuing his commitment to speak the "real truth."
Michael Cohen, the President's former fixer and ultimate loyalist, is sending a clear signal to President Donald Trump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, that "the truth is not you(r) or your client's friend," according to sources with knowledge of Cohen's thinking.
Two sources familiar with Cohen's thinking say he has "hit the reset button" and is continuing his commitment to speak the "real truth."
In particular, the same sources say Giuliani is wading into dangerous territory when he asks Cohen to "tell the truth" about the Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and Russian meddling in the election.
For the past year, Cohen has vehemently denied participating in or knowing about any collusion with Russia during the 2016 campaign. These new comments from sources close to Cohen suggest he might have information about Trump and others in the President's orbit to share with investigators, though Cohen hasn't publicly revealed any details yet.
Cohen believes that Giuliani and the President are trying to send him a message, a source familiar with Cohen's thinking said. Cohen feels the message is that if he crosses them, they will continue their "attacks" on his character and say that he is lying. Cohen is referring all inquiries to his attorney, Guy Petrillo.
These sources would not comment on whether Petrillo has been meeting with prosecutors in New York and referred inquiries about any potential case to Petrillo.
A source familiar with Cohen's thinking says that he will not be "a punching bag for anyone's defense strategy."
In television interviews Sunday, Giuliani expressed confidence that Cohen does not have any potentially incriminating information to share with prosecutors, saying he had "zero" worries.
"I do not expect that Michael Cohen is going to lie," Giuliani said on CNN's "State of the Union." "I think he's going to tell the truth, as best he can, given his recollection. And, if he does that, we're home-free."
Giuliani reiterated in a text to CNN Monday morning, "the truth will set you free. The President did nothing wrong with Michael Cohen. Everything has been a dead-end because there is nothing there."
Lanny Davis, Cohen's adviser, is declining to comment on any issue involving the investigation. One source adds that Cohen has not been informed which criminal charges he might be facing.
The sources made it clear that, in his interview with George Stephanopoulos to ABC last month, Cohen carefully chose the areas to distinguish himself from the President: First, one source said, "why did (Cohen) say I respect the FBI? ... Who has said the FBI is a corrupt institution? The President."
"If you link them all together, you can see that Cohen is not anyone's punching bag," says one source. "He is exercising his discretion to send a direct message between the eyes to the President of the United States."
Cohen is saying, this source adds, that he is "no longer taking a bullet for you (Trump), no longer a flunky." It is, this source says, "his July 4th moment."
Cohen has been interviewed by Senate and House intelligence committees for about 15 hours and has turned over roughly 2 million documents to investigators, sources say.
This story is breaking and being updated.
Pompeo's Mideast reset: New beginning or old cliché?


He rarely gave interviews or held press conferences, but instead used Twitter as his megaphone to publish his message.
Trump doesn't use email or a computer, but does use his Samsung Galaxy smartphone and Twitter. Why? Because it's the device he's always got with him and Twitter is fast: tap out 140 characters and boom — he's done.
He keeps his routine simple and it works for him . . . and the media.
Why does the media report so much on his tweets?
The easier you can make it for journalists to cover your brand, the more media coverage you'll get.
he can tweet early in the morning (we're talking 3am here), so he'll be covered by morning news shows in the U.S.
Trump has "trained" major media outlets to look to his Twitter feed as sources for their latest stories covering him and his presidency.
Trump uses Twitter as his social network of choice, excluding the rest. While his campaign staff does use other social networks, Trump consistently uses Twitter to publish his message.
In doing so, he's trained journalists, governments, and CEOs to watch his Twitter feed for his positions and steps he'll be taking in his presidency.
Trump's consistent use of Twitter has built a habit for himself and for those covering his presidency: Twitter is the Trump News Network (TNN).
The Washington Post showed the global effect from one week of Donald Trump's tweets on world markets, companies and internet searches. How did they open their article?
Trump often tweets in the wee hours of the morning, ensuring his message gets out well in advance of the major morning news shows. By doing so, he enables journalists to report on his latest tweets, their meanings, and what they can hold for the U.S.
Trump is a master at dominating headlines: getting ahead of the U.S. news cycle is one of his most effective tactics in ensuring he's the top story of the day.
Trump doesn't mince words: he makes his point assertively, often in a brash style and across multiple tweets.
There is no mistaking Trump's position on a topic: he declares his opinion in simple language and no-nonsense terms (one of the reasons many political analysts say his message resonated with so many Americans).
Want to make it even easier to get media coverage for your brand from Twitter? Build a newsroom from your tweets.
Again, this made journalists' jobs easier, as they didn't even have to search Trump's Twitter account for his tweets. Instead, they go could to his website newsroom and get exactly what they needed.
You don't need a staff do this: you can embed your important tweets on a website page easily, then call it your "Media Center" or "Newsroom." The impact it will have on getting media coverage for your brand will be exponential.
Notice how simple these tactics are? Trump focused on his strengths, kept his messaging simple, and let his team do the rest.
Don't have a team? No worries: skip the newsroom and use the other four tactics. Soon you'll see your brand in the headlines, just like Trump.


text:
jax.debug package
=================

.. currentmodule:: jax.debug

.. automodule:: jax.debug

Runtime value debugging utilities
---------------------------------

:doc:`debugging/print_breakpoint` describes how to make use of JAX's runtime value
debugging features.

.. autosummary::
  :toctree: _autosummary

  callback
  print
  breakpoint

Sharding debugging utilities
----------------------------

Functions that enable inspecting and visualizing array shardings inside (and outside)
staged functions.

.. autosummary::
  :toctree: _autosummary

  inspect_array_sharding
  visualize_array_sharding
  visualize_sharding


Is there such a thing as a 'turnaround day' do you think? If there is, I might just be having one right now. The last couple of weeks have been a bit 'full on', a bit 'flat out' in recording terms and today, I have to start preparing for another epic adventure which starts on Monday.
Last week (it seems so long ago now!) I recorded a chunky little tome as part of the ongoing series of fantasy adventure novels - 880 pages in 4 days - busy indeed! This week, I did some recording with RNIB (details to follow soon) and then went to Games Workshop HQ to work with the brilliant audio producer Matthew Renshaw on another epic, sprawling, semi-apocolyptic (!) adventure in space with, who else, but the Space Marines - yaay!
Before the end of the month, there will be news of further audio releases from Games Workshop, but just for now, the only new audio entertainment I can officially mention is: Painkiller by Nev Fountain, simultaneously released in print and as an audio-book on February 18th.
But when she finds what appears to be her own suicide note, Monica begins to question everything. She has no memory of writing it - so who did? And if someone tried to kill her once, what's to say they won't try again . . .
NJ Fountain is an award-winning comedy writer, chiefly known for his work on the radio and television show Dead Ringers. He has also contributed to programmes such as Have I Got News For You, 2DTV and the children's sitcom Scoop. He also writes for Private Eye.
I'm very grateful to Nev for asking me to co-read this novel with Nicola Bryant: it's as twisty, red-herringy and intriguing as you might imagine from a writer such as Nev and it was a great pleasure to work with the team at Chatterbox and my producer, Nikki Ruck. Can't wait to give it a listen!


text:
Clearwater's Dolphins Reunion at Westfield Countryside
By Kyle Vohland	0
Clearwater, FL – Come celebrate the first gathering of dolphin sculptures since their debut in Pier 60 Park during the summer of 2012. This Dolphin Reunion, free display, can be enjoyed from November 11 – 20 at Westfield Countryside Mall, 27001 US Highway 19 N, Clearwater on the upper level above the ice rink. Dolphin sculptures have been loaned by their owners for this display. This Clearwater Regional Chamber initiated public art project spans 10 …
PLYMOUTH LOBSTER CRAWL: Vandals steal Nelson Park lobster sculpture
PLYMOUTH – Artist Diana Naples spent 100 hours meticulously adhering tiles to the 150-pound lobster sculpture, just featured as one of the major highlights on the Lobster Crawl tour. The Chamber hosted its Lobster Release Kick-off Party at Cabby Shack on Water Street Wednesday, Aug. 3, and Naples was one of the thirty artist honorees to receive recognition for her work. Then, sometime in the wee hours of Saturday morning, vandals stole the lobster, ripping …
CT Sub Trail Bracket Installation
Kyle recently delivered 20 submarines to Groton, CT for the CT Sub Trail community-based art project. While he was there, he taught the artists how to install the brackets to their mini-submarine.
McTell art display unveiled in Thomson
After more than two years of planning and collaboration, the Thomson-McDuffie Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled the McTell's 12-String Strut art design project with a reveal party at the Thomson Depot on Friday. Local artists from around the county were introduced and took turns unveiling their individually designed 7-foot Stella guitar replicas, in honor of blues music legend Blind Willie McTell. "This project began about 2½ years ago when the Georgia Department of Economic Development …
Icon Poly included in 2016 Nebraska Passport
LINCOLN — The Nebraska Tourism Commission has announced the stops that will be on the summer 2016 Nebraska Passport, including several in Central Nebraska. "The Passport Program encourages travelers to explore the state collecting stamps while reconnecting with Nebraska and supporting small businesses and attractions," said Kathy McKillip, Nebraska Tourism Commission executive director. "Year after year, the program gains popularity. In 2015, more than 24,600 travelers collected stamps, and we expect 2016's participation to be …
Crane art combines artists, patrons and community
KEARNEY — More than 300 people gathered Saturday at the Museum of Nebraska Art to attend the Cranes on Parade 3 art auction. Presented by Kearney Dawn Rotary, the auction featured 14 full-sized crane sculptures along with 13 smaller study cranes and other assorted crane-influenced artwork by regional artists. Susan Bigg, the co-chair for the event, said the amount of money raised during the auction will be released in about a week. "We raised a …
Artists designs to celebrate subs' history in Connecticut
GROTON, Conn. (AP) – Artists in southeastern Connecticut are being called upon to design sculptures of submarines for a public art project celebrating 100 years of subs in the Groton area. The Connecticut Sub Trail will showcase 20 miniature fiberglass subs, each about 5 feet long. They'll be officially displayed at the Groton 4th of July Parade. Art teacher Joy Supples proposed the idea. Supples works for Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Connecticut Technical High School. …
Sculpture trail would celebrate history of submarines in Groton, region
Groton — An art teacher wanted to create a "sub trail" as part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first submarine to the U.S. Naval Submarine Base, and her idea has taken hold. Teacher Joy Supples' plan was to have local artists create a "fleet" of submarine sculptures, similar to the "Whale Tail" art project in New London a few years ago. About a dozen sponsors have come forward …
McTell's 12-String Strut – New public art display will roll out in Thomson on March 18, 2016
THOMAS, GA – 2/11/2016 (PRESS RELEASE JET) — The Thomson-McDuffie County Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to present a new public art design project located in McDuffie County. Titled McTell's 12-String Strut, the project is meant to recognize and honor the legacy of Blind Willie McTell, his music, and the fact that such an influential musician was born and lived in McDuffie County. Local artists will create unique designs for 12, 7-foot-tall polyurethane replicas …
From the pedestal to the street
Already Birmingham's best-known symbol, Vulcan has been reimagined as a new public art display focused on celebrating the city and raising awareness for what it has to offer. "Today, we take the symbol of our great city and use that as a way of creating a public identity for our great city, to let visitors know that Vulcan represents the best that this city has to offer," said Birmingham Mayor William Bell during the unveiling …
Three little pigs
If you saw a painted pig at Bruster's Real Ice Cream in September, it wasn't a judgment of your diet. It's part of a new campaign reminding Vestavia Hills residents to support their local businesses. At its September luncheon, the Chamber of Commerce launched its "Shop, Dine, Play" initiative and introduced four outdoor painted fiberglass pig statues. One pig stays at the Chamber office on Merryvale Road, and the other three rotate between city businesses. …
Cranes on Parade with Artist John Lillyman
There's a new attraction at the Merryman Performing Arts Center; it's tall and colorful but totally silent…. So what is it? Another crane in the Kearney Dawn Rotary Club's Cranes on Parade. The auction for all of the cranes will take place on March 12th. View the video


text:
Samsung releases iPhone 4S vs Galaxy S II Product Spec sheet
Chris Burns - Oct 5, 2011, 5:46 pm CDT
In a rather simply yet powerful gesture from Samsung, a graphic has been released with the headers Product Spec, Samsung Galaxy S II, and iPhone 4S which show a simple comparison between the two competing devices. This less than 24 hours after the first announcement of Apple's newest flagship smartphone. What we can see here is a truly comparable set of devices with what appears to be an Android winning out in the end – see that blue text? That's where the Galaxy S II is 1-upping the iPhone.
What Samsung wishes to make clear here is that more than a couple of points are in the lead for Samsung while the iPhone is perhaps lagging behind. What's not quite so clear is the fact that yes, the iPhone actually does have a few winning pointers here as well. The Samsung Galaxy S II works at 4G speeds – not just on one carrier too, on three (so far), while the iPhone connects only at 3G. The dual-core processors on these devices are appearing here to be evenly matched, save for the idea that the Galaxy S II has the option of either a 1.2 GHz or 1.5 GHz, (these of course showing up on different models on different carriers.)
One of the points where the Apple device is clearly the victor is in the screen resolution – its Retina Display having 960 x 640 pixels inside the relatively small 3.5-inch screen, while the Samsung device, regardless of its ultra-awesomely bright Super AMOLED Plus display, has just 800 x 480 pixel resolution inside both its 4.5 and 4.3-inch screens. Video capture is similar at 1080p with both new models, but Samsung boasts an extra "High Profile" spec that we know and love quite well.
A strange place Samsung takes the lead is the carrier availability, showing the iPhone to be at AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon all at once even though they're not on pre-sale yet, while Sprint & AT&T are shown for the GSII with T-Mobile on the way as a bonus. Perhaps the most clear place the Samsung Galaxy S II beats out the iPhone 4S is its pricing, with a $199-$229 range with unlimited memory (within reason) beating out the iPhone's $199-$399 range with limits on memory for all three models. Have a look at the full chart by tapping the gallery thumbnail above- and enjoy!
Topics AppleiPhoneSamsung


I appreciated the coverage of Fillmore Center in the Western Addition section of San Francisco ("Tenanting a Big, Controversial Project," Dec. 9). Despite the problems reported, the project is now 95 percent complete. It is providing homes for an economically and racially integrated 600 families, many of whom are from the Western Addition.
The current development team has successfully moved toward completion of its several goals -- affordable housing, increased neighborhood employment, assistance to minorityes and women contractors, and the provision of neighborhood amenities.
A total of 223 of the units, or 20 percent, are affordable to low-income households, while 335, or 30 percent, are affordable to middle-income households. The development has pumped more than $13 million in wages directly to the neighborhood workers. Special use and contracts for minority and women contractors generated contracts in excess of $21 million. Fillmore Center has provided a 16,000-square-foot community center, and careful design has made it possible to preserve nearly half the site as open space.
As a 25-year resident of the Western Addition, I can attest to both the historical problems and the current successes of the Fillmore Center. Creating housing and new retail uses of this magnitude, which are good neighbors to our surrounding subsidized housing, has been a daunting task and one that is not yet finished.
The agency remains committed to achieving its goals with this development in a way that embodies the best of urban design and city living. LEROY KING The writer is president of the San Francisco Redevelopment Commission.


Then you can also help by filing a complaint with the PSC at https://www.psc.state.ms.us/nocall/complaint.aspx.
Finally, spread the word about scams you encounter or otherwise hear about.
"Remind your family, friends, and neighbors not to give their personal or bank account information to people they do not know," Brown wrote. "Legitimate businesses and government agencies will not call you and threaten action against you. If they need to contact you, they will send you letters. When in doubt, hang up, look up the company's telephone number, and call them back to ensure that the call you received was legitimate.