Looking to get a free credit score and credit report each month? And without any ads or follow-up spam calls later for credit cards or loans? May seem surprising, and almost impossible, seeing the plethora of such apps or websites around, but OneScore has stuck to that promise so far.
The company is founded by Anurag Sinha, Rupesh Kumar and Vibhav Hathi – all former ICICI Bank-ers. Anurag is also a former colleague from Walnut, where he was instrumental in setting up Walnut Prime (Line of Credit for Walnut app users). He’d mentioned his new company and app name when we’d met a few months ago, and some of us had checked out the OneScore app at the time.
Till now I had only requested my annual free credit report from CIBIL and used to check on their website once in a while for any changes or discrepancies. I make all payments on time and in full (no revolving credit, thanks) and had an idea about my credit score range, so didn’t really bother using any other app for this. One such recent app I checked out of curiosity was CRED – for credit card payments. CRED fetches your credit score and credit report from Experian and CRIF High Mark credit bureaus (one time, when you sign up). Some other friends/colleagues have used other apps around, which are invariably followed by loads of spam emails and calls for loans/credit cards, so I’d stayed away from such aggregator apps/websites.
OneScore is a simple and straightforward app, and doesn’t ask for any permissions. Once you input your phone number and email id, it fetches your free credit score and credit report from Experian. Information about your current credit score, utilised limit, history of all payments (including late payments if any), list of all active and closed loan and credit card accounts, age of credit accounts, recent enquiries in 30 days etc are all neatly displayed in the app.
So long as you use the app, you can get your updated free credit score and credit report each month. The credit utilisation was off to quite an extent, probably because some banks hadn’t reported the latest overall credit limit correctly. Got to know later that there is also an AI-based credit score improvement planner in the app, which is shown to you if you have a low credit score.
In case you notice a discrepancy, you can send an email to Experian from the app itself. I saw an incorrect entry from SBI and emailed Experian, who took their own sweet time to check and finally get back to say it was genuine as confirmed by the bank. I had to then file a complaint on the SBI website to get them to look into it, and although they say it has been resolved, I guess only a visit to their branch will finally close this.
Update: From August 2020 onwards, the OneScore app also fetches your free CIBIL score, in addition to Experian.
Download the OneScore app to get your free credit score and credit report, without ads or spam calls 😉


So you may have thought about starting a new WordPress website, but have been put off by the perceived cost. A lot of people are confused about how much it actually costs to start and maintain your own WordPress website, and a quick internet search does nothing more than add to the confusion. So, what does it actually cost to start and run your own website?
To answer this question, we have broken the main costs down into their components below:
Cost 1: Domain Names
Cost – Free to thousands of dollars.
Once you have decided on a website name, you will have to rent or buy a domain name which is close to or the same as your website name. Most WordPress beginners decide to rent a domain name yearly. For basic names, prices start from just a few dollars per year. However, more sought-after domains can sell for tens of thousands. Some domain name providers do special offers, including free domain name rental for the first year.
Cost 2: Website Hosting
Cost – Anything from a couple of dollars per month to thousands.
If you want to build a website, you need to have somewhere to store it. Although many people don’t really understand where websites “come from”, they actually do have a physical location. While it is possible to host your own website, most people choose to use a specialist hosting provider. When you do this, you pay a hosting company to store your website and data securely on a server. For small websites and blogs, this will only cost a couple of dollars per month. However, prices for larger sites can easily run into the thousands.
Cost 3: Custom Themes And Plugins
Cost – Depends what you buy.
Although you can get away with basic plugins and free themes on WordPress, you won’t be getting the most out of your website. If you really want to drive visitors to your site and start making some money, you will need to spend at least a little bit of money on premium themes and more advanced plugins.
Cost 4: Content Creation
Cost – Up to hundreds of dollars per day.
Although you might decide to be a web ‘purist’ and create your own articles and visual content, most website owners pay someone to do this for them. Content creation takes a lot of time, and it can become quite costly if you start employing people to do it for you. Unless you have a very good business plan, and know that you are going to be able to make a fair bit of money from your website, create your own content at the start to save some money.
So, How Much Does It Cost?
In reality, you should be able to get away with costs of less than $50 per year if you choose a cheap domain and the most basic hosting on the web. However, these costs can quickly rise if you start buying premium features and paying for content.


The only real 'horror' story I have about not eating, wasn't even the fact that I didn't eat. It's that, I know I can't eat until after at least two hours of being awake at a con. And I ate breakfast, 30 minutes after getting up. I ended up throwing it all back up right before getting to the convention center. ): It wasn't pleasant.
Otherwise, I'm generally the one in my group that says "Hey I'm hungry, lets go eat. Because I know you guys aren't keeping up with your hunger." Depending on the con we're at will determine what we eat, since we don't bring our own food. But, it's something to keep us going. (Even if it's as gross as McDonalds. I always end up regretting eating it when I do. But it's cheap, and it doesn't involve me crossing an 8 lane road.)
Next con: Nekocon
What I'm working on:
(New) Evie - Disney's Descendants
(New) Fukami - Wadanohara and the Great Blue Sea
(New) Darling Charming - Ever After High
(New) Ladybug - Miraculous Ladybug
(New) Rin Hoshizora (Fruits Idolized) - Love Live!
(New) Raven Queen (SDCC 2015 Exclusive) - Ever After High
(New) Chat Noir - Miraculous Ladybug
(New) Patchouli Knowledge - Touhouvania


I blogged recently about making the decision to switch from car to wheelchair van, and since vans are out-of-the world expensive, I’ve been checking other alternatives – like public transportation.
Unfortunately, I don’t live anywhere near a bus stop, and even if I did, I’d bet that half the time, according to many stories I’ve heard, either the bus driver won’t stop to pick me up or will claim the ramp is broken.
Our community offers paratransit service (disparagingly called a “concierge service” by one local politician who obviously doesn’t get the need for it). But when, as I’ve heard, a rider is dropped off at 8 a.m. for doctor’s appointment scheduled for two hours later, it’s not exactly a helpful service.
A few wheelchair accessible cab/vans are available for trips around the area, but only when the drivers feel like working and only if you’re willing to pay a rate much higher than other taxis charge. (How can that be legal?)
The very personal challenge of getting from here to there affects everything from our jobs to our medical care, and from our education to our social life. At a local forum on this issue, the room was packed with people frustrated, angry, and ready to do something about the lack of accessible public transportation.
One mother, for instance, couldn’t understand why her son’s expensive wheelchair was badly damaged on his school bus. Another was close to tears describing how she spends most of the day taking her three children with special needs to where they need to be because they can’t rely on public transportation.
A man in the audience said he’ll lose his job in 100 days due to planned cutbacks in paratransit routes. He works for the state, which underfunds the local paratransit system compared to other cities in the state. But some bureaucrat(s) apparently thinks it’s better for this man to become unemployed and go on public assistance than to adequately fund our paratransit routes.
These problems aren’t limited to my community. A 2012 report by the American Association of People with Disabilities found that:
- Many public transit systems– particularly older rail and bus systems, as well as Amtrak–are still inaccessible to people with disabilities.
- Paratransit services required by the ADA are plagued by poor oversight, high costs to transit agencies and, and woefully inadequate service.
- Taxi services continue to be out of reach for people who use wheelchairs, both due to discrimination by drivers and because of physically-inaccessible cabs.
- Significant access problems remain for people living in rural communities.
- 560,000 people with disabilities never leave their homes due to transportation difficulties.
It’s that last one that scares me most. As it gets harder to get my wheelchair in and out of the car, I find myself cancelling plans to meet friends for dinner or deciding not to go to a movie. In other words, my transportation problem isolates me.
And it’s isolating to so many others. For instance, how many of us end up in nursing homes partly because they have no independent means of transport? How many can’t keep a job because they can’t get to the job? How many suffer from depression because they’re stuck inside 24/7?
I’ve had good luck riding BART in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Metro Rail in Washington, D.C. Seattle has good taxi service. (I’m told, its metro rail service is also easy to use, though I haven’t tried it yet.)
Safe, affordable and accessible public transportation seems like a right to me, and should be found in more than just those three cities. Do you have it in your community?


Al Jazeera English‘s live blog from Cairo reported today at 6:12 p.m., Cairo time (11:12 a.m., New York time) that “the Egyptian Museum was fire bombed and the army is now trying to put out the fire.” In a recent news report, Al Jazeera stated:
The worst of the fighting was just outside the world famous Egyptian Museum.
CNN has now posted live footage of the mayhem in front of the museum, recorded from a balcony overlooking Tahrir Square in Cairo. At 1:16 into the video, Ivan Watson of CNN says this about the situation at the museum:
What you’re looking at right now is the Egyptian military spraying water from hoses in front of the Egyptian Museum, where flames erupted after the pro-regime combatants appeared to have thrown petrol bombs at the anti-regime opposition.
Here’s CNN’s report. (You can click the “full screen” icon at the right of the red bar, below the image, to get a better view.)
It’s astonishing, in light of the manifestly misleading, wishful-thinking statements by Zahi Hawass about the safety of Egypt’s antiquities, that Kate Taylor of the NY Times, relying on her phone interview yesterday with Hawass, reports on only “two episodes of looting that he said took place Friday night,” while ignoring or underplaying other subsequent episodes, including break-in attempts earlier this week at the Egyptian Museum, widely reported but unmentioned by Hawass.
The Associated Press had reported on Monday on “a fresh attempt to loot some of the country’s archaeological treasures” from the Egyptian Museum. “A military general at the museum said soldiers arrested about 35 men trying to break into the building on Sunday, and another 15 on Monday.” This does not jibe with Hawass’ declaration, in an update on his website yesterday, that “the monuments are safe because of both the army and the ordinary people.”
On his website, Hawass assures the world that “commanders of the army are now protecting the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, and all of the major sites of Egypt (Luxor, Aswan, Saqqara, and the pyramids of Giza) are safe. The twenty-four museums in Egypt, including the Coptic and Islamic museums in Cairo, are all safe, as well.” (Hawass also reported that he has just been “appointed as the Minister of Antiquities, a newly created department that will be charged with the care and protection of all Egyptian monuments and museums.”)
The latest Hawass update, posted today, provides a more detailed list of all the sites that he says “are safe.”
But online reports from international Egyptologists paint a more disturbing, if not officially confirmed, picture. Egyptologist Margaret Maitland‘s Eloquent Peasant blog, a go-to source for antiquities-related news in this unstable situation, links to a variety of reports from those on the ground or with close connections to archaeological sites. (Scroll down for her most recent updates.) Various online reports, none officially verified, suggest that serious looting may have occurred at Saqqara, the Memphis Museum and elsewhere.
Hawass has an enormous stake in having the world believe that Egyptian antiquities are safe. But his credibility as a reliable source is questionable. Now, with the disturbing visual evidence of an endangered Egyptian Museum, the world needs a full and accurate report of the current status of one of the world’s greatest cultural repositories and its celebrated holdings.
Going forward, Egypt needs to institute far more comprehensive disaster preparedness for its museums and archaeological sites. As Larry Rothfield, co-founder and former faculty director of the Cultural Policy Center at the University of Chicago (and author of a book on the looting of the Iraq Museum) wrote to me in response to this post:
The problem with
Hawass’ position is that he fails to take responsibility for having
failed to put in place contingency plans to protect his museum. Note that he
says there were only three tourist police in the entire building, and
they were there only because they got stuck having missed the chance to
leave before curfew.
If Egypt is unprepared for disaster, the same is
probably true of many other countries (the United States included). Any
repatriation arrangement must be predicated on well-established
disaster contingency planning backed by budgetary help from wealthier
institutions, where necessary.
For a joint statement on the Egyptian crisis from the Association of Art Museum Curators, Association of Art Museum Directors, American Association of Museums, Association of Academic Museums and Galleries, and College Art Association, go here.


Catching up on the news this morning I came across this article in the Greenville News on Pete Buttigieg (pictured above with his husband Chasten Glezman) and his presidential campaign --- an article which included this quote:
"Buttigieg, an openly gay man who is married, told The Greenville News and Anderson Independent Mail that his Episcopalian faith has grown stronger through marriage because his marriage has made him a better person. "My marriage and my faith go well together," he said. "We live in a country that is committed to the idea that people of any faith or no faith all have an equal claim on the blessings of life in our country. He said more people are accepting LGBTQ equality today, including in South Carolina.”Just take a minute to breathe this in. We are not “there yet” on full inclusion in our church by any means, but we are here.
We are in a place where a married gay Episcopalian can talk about his faith and marriage on a national platform because of the hard work we have done in the Episcopal Church to be the church of Ed Browning where there are no outcasts; the church of Barbara Harris where there are no half-assed baptized; the church of Louie Crew Clay where there is Joy Anyway; the church of Michael Curry where love is the way; and the church of the persistent widow in Luke’s gospel who keeps coming back again and again until justice rolls down for absolutely everybody.
We are not “there yet” but we are here.
So let us take a moment to rejoice and be glad in that. And then let us get back to work.
Because someday we will be there. And it will be because of the work every single one of us committed to the full inclusion of all God’s beloved in all the sacraments persisting for as long as it takes. La lucha continúa.


Fritz and Susy Zuch enjoy what many kayakers would call the perfect lifestyle.
The Zuchs live next to the Methow (MET-how) river in Washington State; one of America’s premier kayaking rivers. They own four Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayaks. They also own their own business so, as Fritz says, “When the river’s perfect and the weather’s fine, we go kayaking.”
Their four-kayak flotilla
You’ll often find Fritz and Susy running the Class II – III sections of the Methow, each in their own Sea Eagle 330 inflatable kayak. Their favorite 18-mile run takes them four or five hours.
Or you may see their mini-flotilla shoot by — Fritz, Susy, their kids, or friends — each in their own Sea Eagle. “We look like a whitewater kayaking company with our four matching 330’s,” says Fritz.
Class I – III rapids
The Methow, named after the Methow Indian Tribe, flows southeast from its headwaters in the northern Cascade Range. It twists and turns through the mountains and valleys of Washington State and empties into the mighty Columbia River. Fritz gives a local kayaker’s perspective. “The Methow starts as a Class I – II river then changes to a Class II – III. At Black Canyon, it becomes a Class III – IV river. That’s where the whitewater companies run their businesses. As you go east, the river gets wilder and wilder as it’s squeezed into a series of steep canyons. When it hits the Columbia, it widens and slows.”
The river’s flow varies through the season, says Fritz, because, “The Methow is fed largely by glacial and snowpack melt.” The Methow’s popular “Kayak Season” — five to seven weeks when the river runs fast — from about mid-to-late June to early-to-late July. But you’ll see dedicated kayakers on the Methow from May through August.
The river’s flow is measured in CFS, or cubic feet per second. 10,000 CFS is ideal in the Methow. “Above that, the water’s so stirred up you can’t see obstacles easily,” Fritz reports. “And below 1,000 CFS, you’re scraping bottom.” “There are several websites that continually report the CFS,” says Fritz. “We use the U.S. Geological Survey’s site, http://www.usgs.gov/.”
What’s the Zuch’s attraction to boating? “For us,” says Fritz, “it’s the beauty of the river and surroundings. There’s something soothing about being on the river. Throw in some rapids, and you’ve got an adrenaline rush, too.”
“Dude, that’s awesome!”
Fritz and Susy pumped a bit more adrenaline than they bargained for recently. They put in at a beautiful, sandy beach in a lazy section of the river they hadn’t run before. Launching after a relaxing picnic, they soon heard rapids ahead.
The Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) had placed abutments on both sides of the river, narrowing it significantly and creating a chute. “There was no turning back,” says Fritz. “Susy lined up perfectly and I followed” through the chute. “We popped through the chute,” says Fritz. “We found a place to pull out and decided we wanted to go back and do it again!”
The Zuchs later learned from local 20-something adventure kayakers that the areas’s called the D.O.T. Chute. “You went down the D.O.T. Chute in an IK (inflatable kayak)? Dude, that’s awesome!”
Kayak Season has passed for now but the Zuchs aren’t done boating by a long shot. Besides their four 330’s, they also own a larger Sea Eagle SE9 they use for fishing, and have their eye on a Sea Eagle Sport Runabout.
Nearby alpine and sub-alpine lakes await them. “And there’s absolutely great Salmon and Steelhead fishing in the Columbia,” Fritz tells us. And after all — when you live on the Methow River, Kayak Season’s never that far away.


Keep your gear by your side with the Propper Men s Tactical Short. With nine pockets, there s room for everything you need. The polyester/cotton ripstop naturally resists fading, shrinking and wrinkling, while DuPont Teflon fabric protector repels liquids and resist stains. For extra durability and comfort, our Tactical Shorts come with a sturdy snap closure with French fly, heavy-duty double seat, reinforced pocket closures, action-stretch waistband, and 9 inseam.
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National social care charity Community Integrated Care proudly announces its membership of the Association for Real Change.
Community Integrated Care is one of the UK’s largest health and social care charities. It supports over 4500 people across England and Scotland with learning disabilities, mental health concerns, autism and age-related needs, such as dementia, and in 2012 had a turnover of £93 million.
Community Integrated Care has joined the Association for Real Change as part of its new Five Year Strategy, which has seen the charity commit to becoming ‘The UK’s Leading Health and Social Care Charity’ over the coming five years. Amongst the objectives of Community Integrated Care’s new strategy is to champion ‘Customer Focus’, ensuring that the people they support have complete direction over the services they receive and their rightful stake in society, and to build lasting strategic partnerships with key organisations in the social care sector, such as ARC.
Neil Matthewman, Chief Executive of Community Integrated Care, says:
“Association for Real Change puts the rights of people with learning disabilities at the forefront of all that they do; similarly, Community Integrated Care is committed to becoming the UK’s leading care provider, championing the rights and inclusion of the people we support. We are committed to becoming an active supporter of ARC and are excited at the possibilities of this partnership.”
Jacqueline Bell, CEO at ARC UK, is very happy to welcome CIC to ARC, saying:
“Community Integrated Care’s Charter commitment to providing care and support delivered with respect, dignity and courtesy and their determination to make sure that every person uses their right to influence the decisions that impact on their lives, certainly chimes with ARC’s own Code of Practice, and really reflects the draft Driving Up Quality Code, set to be launched in September 2013 for providers across England. We’re looking forward to collaborating with Community Integrated Care and working together to build on their passion to provide high quality, values-led services.”


Gun laws can vary greatly between states, and they can be hard to find when you’re just digging through your state’s dense legislative information. If you want to know how firearms are supposed to be handled in your neck of the woods, here’s what you can do.
For starters, don’t bother with your state’s legislative website unless you’re fluent in legalese (it’ll look like this). Instead, Allison Anderman, the Managing Attorney for the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence and the Americans for Responsible Solutions Foundation, suggests you do your research through an advocacy group directory like theirs.
You can search by state, get a quick rundown of how each state handles purchasing, storage, carrying, see gun crime stats, and you can also find a gun law fact sheet for each state, which breaks down how the state’s gun laws stack up compared to the rest of the country. While there are other groups that have similar directories, Anderman says the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence site is the most comprehensive and accurate compilation of state gun laws out there.
If you still want more information, however, Anderman suggests you talk to the people who are involved in making change:
“Another way for people to learn about state gun laws is to join their state-level advocacy group. Those groups are generally led by individuals who have been working on this issue for many years and have a very good understanding of the laws in their state.”
Who knows the laws better than the people fighting or supporting them? Not only can you learn a lot, but it’s also one of the best ways to lobby for change if you’re not happy with what you learn, says Anderman. If you want to reach out to government officials directly, give them a call. Don’t email or send letters. Calls have to be dealt with directly, while any type of mail can sit there for ages, or get lost in the mix.


Disenchantment is an American fantasy animated sitcom series directed by Matt Groening and Josh Weinstein.
Starring Abbi Jacobson, Nat Faxon, John DiMaggio, Tress MacNeille, David Herman, Maurice LaMarche, Matt Berry, Billy West, Lucy Montgomery, Noel Fielding and others.
Netflix on Thursday, September 05, 2019 released the trailer:
Disenchantment | Official Part 2 Trailer | Netflix.
Princess Tiabeanie, 'Bean', is about to be married to Prince Merkimer (Matt Berry). It is an arranged marriage and Bean isn't too happy about it. She is fun loving and free spirited and marriage is the last thing she wants to preoccupy herself with. Then she meets Luci (Eric Andre), a demon, and Elfo (Nat Faxon), an elf, and things get rather exciting, and dangerous.
Here is the full cast and characters of Disenchantment.
The Disenchantment series is produced by The ULULU Company and Rough Draft Studios.
The average duration of each episode is 22 - 36 minutes. Country of origin: United States. Original language: English.
More information about Disenchantment you can get at:
Official website: netflix.com/title/80095697
Wikipedia: Disenchantment (TV series)


We celebrated Tom’s 5th Birthday with a party that was all about DINOSAURS!
Tom has been seriously obsessed with dinos lately. He knows tons about them. He loves reading dinosaur books, he loves watching dinosaur shows, he LOVES watching Jurassic Park. (He’s not scared of that movie AT ALL. Last night he said, “Close your eyes, Mom! The part where the man’s arm comes off is coming up.” Gross.)
Anyway, his party was on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. And I mean — beautiful.
It was like…almost 70 degrees that day. AMAZING.
And we had Tom’s party at our pool’s clubhouse which is on a lake. It was really great.
We only invited a couple friends this time, and all of our family was there. Tom had the best day EVER. I really think it was everything he wanted.
Tom helped me with a lot of this party set up: He put the little dinosaurs on the cupcakes. He helped me make the party hats (by adding “spikes” to them). It was his idea to put the inflatable dinosaurs in the bouncy house. It was so much fun planning with him – so fun.
It was a wonderful celebration, and we all had a great time, especially my little dinosaur-loving boy.
Biggest hits: The paper mache dinosaur egg “gift bags” and THE BOUNCY HOUSE (best purchase ever — we use it all the time).
Biggest miss: I’d made “dinosaur feet” to put over their shoes to dance in — FAIL! They wouldn’t stay put and pretty much frustrated every party goer! I think they even made someone cry. Way to go, Mom! (At least the dance song was short!) Ha!
P.S.: Almost everything you see is from the Dollar Tree. The dinosaurs, dinosaur hats, tablecloths, the display board, party hats (we added the spikes) are all from there. I have crazy love for that store.
I loved this party! And my sister said it was her favorite. Score! I was really laid back and relaxed about this one, which I feel like is the norm now. Because, you know, it’s a kid’s birthday party! I loved, loved how happy Tom was. The best.


New additions to the Interactive Gallery for 2019!
Ripley travelled the world collecting hundreds of oddities. See fossilized dinosaur eggs, portrait of Ray Charles made of confetti, an authentic shrunken head, amazing 10-ft. moving robot made of car parts, life-size matchstick dolphin. 14 galleries of rare collections from around the world… what an adventure! Measure up against the world’s tallest man. Unique illusions and interactives, with bizarre videos. Ageless fun.
Purchase admission to any single Mariner’s Cove Boardwalk attraction or bundle your fun and SAVE! Double play tickets allow admission to any two of Ripley’s Believe it or Not!, Wax World of the Stars or, Mariner’s Cove Real Miniature Golf. Triple Play tickets allow admission to all three!


Now for the perspective from one law enforcement officer who we have heard from before.
Darren Sims is an officer with the San Bernardino Police Department.
Last year, he told us about the challenges of being a black policeman - especially in San Bernardino where the majority of officers are white, and the majority of citizens are Latino.
Being black and having a badge has given him a unique perspective as cops face more scrutiny from communities of color.
Sims told A Martinez over the phone that after fatal shootings like the ones that occurred in Baton Rouge and Minneapolis last week, the job scrutiny has increased more than ever.
Getting out of a vehicle and going on a traffic stop... My job is obviously to enforce the law and make sure everyone's safe. I've pulled someone over a couple of times this week, I've gotten "My hands are on the steering wheel. Don't shoot me." The idea is that every time a cop pulls someone over now they may be shot. The idea that law enforcement is blood thirsty and out to kill people and that is completely un true.
On what he would say to set people's fears at easy during a routine traffic stop
I'd say, "My name is Officer Sims. I work the San Bernardino Police Department. I pulled you over for speeding," or "I pulled you over for a tail light," or "I pulled you over for running that stop sign. Do you have your license and registration?".... I try to use my verbal communication skills to lower tensions and help the process go smoothly.
The racial epithets that he constantly hears as a black cop
I've accepted it as part of the job. I don't get upset at it. I think as I mature in this profession, I start to see things for what they are. I don't think that people are angry at police officers on an individual basis. I think people are angry and don't trust the uniform that we wear and what we stand for. When I go out there and someone yells a racial slur, they're not yelling at me. They're yelling at what I stand for. They don't like what I stand for. If we were in a store or I was off duty in plain clothes, would they have said that to me? And the answer nine times out of ten is no.
On whether police officers take on too many roles in the community
I think as a whole law enforcement officer, we take on a lot of responsibilities. Obviously there's a mental health issues. As police officers we contact subjects that have mental health issues... We have medical issues that we have to address and we have to cater to. There's a lot of different hats we have to wear as cops. And in my opinion it can stretch us thin. It seems like you have to be an expert in almost everything. We have to react almost perfectly all the time. And if we don't, the one time that we don't we're going to be scrutinized and laid out as a target by the media and by the community.
On what needs to be done to fix the void between police and the communities they serve
I think there has to be some work done on both sides. If someone is contacted by law-enforcement, and it can be something as minor as an infraction, for that officer's safety they're gonna give you verbal commands. And those verbal commands are going to be for your safety and his safety. The moment that you disobey those commands... you have committed a misdemeanor. That is not the time to debate it or fight your case ... On the other hand law enforcement, we have to slow down. We have to understand that there is some apprehension, especially with the black community. I'm not saying we have to do our job any less safe or any less safe, but we have to... go out to the football, we have to go out to the basketball games, we have to go out to the different sporting events... We have to show our face
On whether or not he's been stopped by police
I have been stopped. I was riding somewhere up in San Bernardino county and I get off the freeway and I got stopped by the police. I pulled over turned my lights off, turned my music off and he told me why he stopped me.... It was peaceful. It was perfectly fine. There was one thing that one of my buddies that I was with, he didn't like very much. He said, "Why is that officer touching is gun? Is he gonna shoot you?" No, our guns and out tools are on our belt and sometimes it's just really comfortable to keep our hands on those tools. It doesn't mean that we're trying to be aggressive or intimidating. I do it at work all time and I don't even realize it.
On what he tells those who are too scared of cops to ask for their help
I'd like to think that if anyone was in need of help and they needed us, that they would call us. Our job isn't about making people scared of us. Our job is to keep people safe. We're here to enforce the law. I don't go to work every day and say "I wanna be in a shooting." I don't. Force is a part of our job that is ugly and raises a lot of questions, but it's a necessary part of our jobs to keep ourselves safe.
Answers have been edited for clarity.
To hear the full conversation, click the blue player above.


Words and pics: Raven06a
First of all, I want to thank you for having me on the blog. Writing for The Reptile House is quite an honour.
Before going into my kit, some context about milsim in Chile is needed. I’ve been playing airsoft since 2005, back when it had barely arrived in the country. Nowadays we have close to, if not more than, 5000 active players out of a population of some 18 million people. Of the 5000, there’s a small niche community which is more focused on milsim play. At a guess, I’d say it’s no bigger than 500 players.
Now, out of that lot, I’d say that only half are serious on the reenacting side of things. So, reenactment/mil-inspired kits are still kind of nascent here in Chile. However, the community has been growing more and more which is encouraging for those of us who like that part of the hobby.
I am part of a team called IVa Patrulla (4th Patrol) which has been around for almost 8 years now. As a team we’ve always been a little competitive; trying to focus on our gameplay and finding ways to improve it, when we catch ourselves being sloppy in the field.
As far as kit is concerned I’d like to say that I’m loosely AFSOC-oriented, with my main focus being on Special Tactics Squadron CCTs. It all started back in 2014 when I decided to run a couple of radios and slap a patch on a replica LBT6094 – just as a way to lean away from all the Seal kits. Of course, my research at that time was limited to Seals. And that’s when I set my sights on actually putting together something more credible, but always user-centered.
About that: I don’t consider myself to be a reenactor. I use pictures as the basis of what’s plausibly available to a certain unit. I then build around that, combined with a bit of judgement and common sense. I don’t intend to be picture perfect (and I admire guys who do it down to a T), but I’m not gonna run an MP5 because I saw a training pic of a CCT using one.
A lot of the research process has involved reading and investigating. You can find tons of info on Seals, Devgru, Marsoc, Green Berets etc – and a little on CAG. But amongst the obscure and not entirely understood stuff is Air Force Special Operations. Be that PJs, TACPs, CCTs and SOWTs among others.
The real guy community is so small and tight knit that there is really very little info out there. If you ask me, Air Force Special Ops guys DO really live by the quiet professional motto. And I think that has something to do with why I’m trying to learn about them.
Once my research was mature, I started to understanding the nature of STS’s mission profile, and why individuals may choose one type of kit over another. In essence, an STS guy has to be a riflemen/doorkicker just as much as the next guy in the unit he embeds with.
I won’t go into much detail here, but guys from Combat Control School (or the Pipeline) go to Advanced Skills Training before qualifying to embed with another combat unit (be that Marsoc, Seals, Green Berets or whatever). Once they embed, they train with their ‘foster unit’. So, it makes sense then that they adopt SOPs and gear which is compatible with their foster unit.
Back in 2010 or so, a certain squadron based in Pope AFB acquired several Crye CPCs since, allegedly, “Delta had them”. That alone tells you about their operational needs and budget (which of course, will vary depending on the unit). Now, since SOF Airmen are considered such a force multiplier in the field, they try to blend in as much as possible. Just running more antennas can be a clear tip to the enemy that, “That’s the guy who calls in the airstrikes.” Therefore, a typical SOF Airman will try to look no different from any other SOF guy in his unit.
Gear-wise, I’ve narrowed my reference scope on the last couple of years (say 2014-2017), drawing inspiration from every single pic I’ve seen without going overboard with details.
My direct action kit is nothing really special or rare. I currently carry a Crye AVS with an assortment of Tyr Tactical pouches plus the Crye AVS Radio pouches. One of my favorite pieces of gear from that selection is the Assaulter’s Zip On panel. It’s usually more than enough for day long ops and it can easily be removed when I need to go lighter. I’m not much of a first line kind of guy, so I just carry my pistol – although I’m thinking about going the Ronin battle belt route, so I can offload some things.
I bought my AVS at a reputable surplus store, out of Fort Bragg. It came from a kit bag full of Seal gear, which had been traded to pay for some house repairs after a huge storm. The seller told me the Seal was from, “A very famous team stationed here”. While I’m not crazed about it, it is indeed a fun anecdote…and reason enough to never sell the AVS.
My helmet is a TMC Maritime (or Super High Cut as it is now called) with an A-Two cover and some other bells and whistles. Only recently did I move my TCA Comtacs Dual Comms to the Arc adapters and I think it was a good decision.
By the way, while I love real kit, replica kit also has a place – although I always try to buy real stuff if money allows.
As for primary, I have two platforms: an STS-inspired M4 (KWA) with tons of replica stuff. While I’d like to dress it up with real optics and the like, I can’t justify it right now. My other platform – which I love – is a Top Tech HK416 with a HAO SMR.
That’s what I use when I’m feeling more 24th STS (which is JSOC’s STS unit). The 416 draws some inspiration from CAG blasters, which I know kinda stuck with some 24th guys as well.
On a side note, I’ve been eyeing a TM NGRS, but at the moment I think I’ll stick with buying more gear…
When trying to look the part, I add some details like pens, maps, Garmin GPS and my trusty Suunto M9. As I said earlier, I try not to go overboard. Again, my logic is based upon what works for me; and so I won’t add a PRC177 however cool it looks, since two radios are good enough for my needs.
I’ve been told by some guys on the forums that my kit looks pretty authentic and real. When I think of it, I actually feel kinda proud – even if it’s not picture perfect. But it is user-perfect, and that’s how I think a real world guy would go about it.
Take what’s useful, ditch what’s not.


Ross Reels Colorado LT reel. Designed around Ross' original Colorado click and pawl system, the new award-winning Colorado LT retains the same ruggedness and the signature all-metal clicker of its older brother. However, that is where the similarities end as the Colorado LT is built with a new aesthetic and modern design evident in its large arbor and highly detailed porting. Adding to its elegant simplicity, the Colorado LT boasts only 15 different parts in total, all designed, machined, and assembled in Montrose CO. Made of 6061-T6 proprietary aluminum alloy and fully machined from a solid one-piece frame and solid one-piece spool for maximum strength and rigidity. All metal click/pawl mechanism with a stainless steel pawl, gear, and spring. Machined marine-grade bronze bushing which rotates on a stainless steel spindle with a quick release spool and easy left-hand to right-hand retrieve conversion. All models less than 3 oz. The most awarded click and pawl reel ever. Stocked in two sizes, the 3/4 holds up to a WF4 +55 and the 4/5 holds up to a WF5+55.


Those of you who live locally probably are familiar with the creature called Angelyne.
For those of you who aren't, she is a famous woman because she had a rich boyfriend who bought billboards for her all around Los Angeles. You could pay her to show up to things. She drives around town in a pink corvette and is unfriendly. Also, she's not aging gracefully.
Normally I don't care how people's age, well not that much (the older I get), but she still dresses like she's twelve.
She unbelievably travels with a fan covering her face half the time and giving people the stink eye for the other half. Well, that is if she doesn't pull over in some parking lot, park in the handicapped spot and try to sell her shitty t-shirts.
She's a Hollywoodicon. I'd miss her if she wasn't here.
Have you ever wondered what the interiors of the car look like?
I didn't think so.
For more see Findadeath


The United Nations (UN) body said that the world will miss its aim of universal education by 2015. A report released by the UN body mentioned that millions of children and adults still remain without education. The Asian country of India has the biggest population of illiterate adults, 287 million, which accounts for 37% of the total population of such people all over the world.
Irina Bokova, the director general of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) said, ?In 2008, the EFA Global Monitoring Report asked??will we make it?? With less than two years left before 2015, this Report makes it clear that we will not?. The report also said that out of those who are going to school, a significant number is not learning even the basics and the international learning crisis is costing governments $129 billion on a yearly basis.
The report also stated that the lack of funding is one of the main obstacles in achieving education for everyone and the global economic slowdown was named as the reason for this situation. UNESCO said that the finance gap has reached $26 billion. The agency said that the overall education aid to less developed countries was static between 2009 and 2010 at $14.4 billion and then fell in 2011.
The countries – including India – have been advised by the UN body to improve their tax regimes in an attempt to provide more funds to the education sector.
Photo Credits: WUNRN


Bishop Fulton Sheen's renowned and inspiring television series, Life Is Worth Living, was watched by millions of viewers from all walks of life and every religious belief. This book contains the full-length scripts of more than forty of those top-rated programs that drew thousands of letters weekly to Sheen from his viewers in response to the advice and insights he gave on his show.
Bishop Fulton Sheen's renowned television series, Life is Worth Living, was watched by millions. This book contains the full-length scripts of 44 of those top-rated programs. His timeless insights give wise, personal and inspiring guidance on the problems affecting our lives in today's world. It offers a stirring statement of Sheen's whole philosophy of life and living.


Director: Paul Fegan (2016)
Take a rousing ramble around the Highlands of Scotland with this folk music documentary.
Britpop casualty and former Arab Strap frontman Aidan Moffat has decided to head in a new musical direction. No I’d not heard of the band either.
He’s updated traditional folk songs with new lyrics about his modern urban experiences.
At heart they remain earthy tales of domestic abuse and alcoholism.
Before setting off on tour he showcases them to an unimpressed folk expert, traveller Sheila Stewart.
Sadly the formidable singer is sidelined for some light hearted nonsense about the Loch Ness monster.
Fascinating and frustrating in equal measure, Where You’re Meant To Be is at its best when Sheila, the scenery and the songs are allowed to do the talking.
The tour ends with a crowd pleasing rendition of the title song, proving there’s life in the old songs yet.


Beautifully crafted custom Stoner home Clydesdale Park! Formal dining room & great room will greet you. Living rm w/cherry built in entertainment center & gas fireplace. Kitchen features hickory & cherry, upgraded appliances, granite, & breakfast bar. Main flr master w/ walk in closet & gorgeous bath w/ soaking tub & large seated shower. Downstairs offers large game/family room w/ surround sound, 2 spacious bedrooms & 2 baths. Oversized 2 car garage. All the upgrades you will want & love!
Information source: Information and Real Estate Services, LLC. Provided for limited non-commercial use only under IRES Rules. © Copyright IRES.
Information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.
Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed by the MLS.
Listing information last updated on July 19th, 2018 at 9:19am MDT.


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Credit Acceptance Corporation is a finance company that provides automobile loans and other related financial products. While evaluating options for upgrades, its many challenges include: a large IT environment with three data centers, running over 1,700 virtual machines and around 60 databases ranging from 10GB to 14TB, multiple point solutions for data protection, and meeting compliance requirements.
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SHIPPING & RETURNS
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Buyer responsible for return shipping costs. If we do not receive item within 30 days of return authorization no refund will be issued. 50% off items FINAL SALE. Please see full Return Policy at check out.
Shipping PolicyFree Shipping on orders $30 & over anywhere in the U.S.!
In store return policy is STORE EXCHANGE or STORE CREDIT only within 30 days of purchase. As noted on receipt and on in store signage. Thanks for your cooperation and understanding!


2012 End of the Year Breakfast
The breakfast was an opportunity for us to thank the mentors for volunteering their time and talents to our students within the College of Arts & Sciences and College of Social Sciences, Health, & Education. It also allows for mentors and students to meet and network with each other, as well as Xavier faculty and administrators.
Thank you to the faculty, staff, mentors and students who attended the breakfast. We are blessed to have celebrated with you and look forward to working and connecting with you in the future. Special thank you to the Women of Excellence, whose support made this event possible.
2012 Spring Breakfast Photos
2012 Mentor of the Year - Peggy Gruenke
2012 Mentee of the Year - Jennifer Perri
This event was made possible through the generosity of the Women of Excellence Giving Circle


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These elements include the Dock, the Menu bar, Desktop icons and background windows. This results in the front window remaining bright and sharp, while the surrounding elements simply melt away. Try out the sixteen built-in Finer Focus themes. Each theme has its own characteristics, such as color and varying amounts of dimming, blurring and fading.
Control the speed at which Finer Focus reacts to your actions as well as choose from various ways to temporarily hide all Finer Focus effects should you wish to do so. This gives you complete control over Finer Focus and your desktop environment.
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Born in Eretz-Israel to a distinguished family of Jews from Spain. Najara lived and worked in Damascus, Safed, and Gaza. He wrote in many fields, such as biblical commentary and sermons of Halacha. His main publicity came from his many songs, which he sang with his pleasant voice, often using melodies of foreign songs that were common among the Jewish and non-Jewish public of his time. He is considered to be one of the greatest Hebrew poets of the period after the expulsion from Spain.
Some of his works are still performed today, see in the JMRC concert Rabbi Yisrael Najara- the Original Versions.
Sources: Encyclopedia Judaica; Concise Encyclopedia of Jewish Music; Be'eri, Tova. Booklet of the concert- Rabbi Yisrael Najara- the Original Versions.
Further information about Najara can be found in "Song of the Month" of February 2010.
For full biography, see: Jewish Encyclopedia.
A more recent, though short, biography, can be found in Hava Tirosh-Samuelson's review of Mikve Israel.
Another more extensive biography can be found at Halakha of the Day.


Here above is Roy Trent M6ROY 1933-2017 sadly now silent key. Roy was a founder of Ham Radio Solutions although Roy was an M6. He had been involved in radio communications since 1963 along with myself Howard G4YKB. We couldn't have progressed the company to where we are today without Roy's vast knowledge, intuition and expertise.
For any 'League Of Gentlemen' fans, this picture was taken on our annual pilgrimage to the Hadfield War Memorial (Royston Vasey) as seen in the opening credits of the internationally famous T.V. show
I would like to introduce a very special friend David G4UNB based in Radcliffe, Lancashire. U.K.
Dave has been a G4 for 30 years plus and has had some of the best contacts throughout the world we have ever known, including the International Space Station and some of those elusive islands found throughout the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, Dave has an extensive radio station as can be seen in the images above. His antennas include a G4YKB long wire, a G4YKB allband vertical and a Fan dipole, running up to 400watts the U.K. legal limit on HF from his beloved Ranger HF Amplifier
Above is the station of G0TGR ,Dave in Bury Lancashire U.K. Dave is known to his radio friends as Tigger , He can be heard on the HF bands working the world and particularly his many friends in the USA along with his frequent contacts with Bob VP8LP on the Falkland Islands. Bob is famous for his reporting by amateur radio of the invasion of the Islands which led to the Falklands war.
Various antennas can be seen in the picture including a G4YKB long wire which is so covert it is difficult to even see it!
This is Jose EA4 inspecting His G4YKB multiband vertical on the roof of His house in sunny Barcelona Jose uses a Yaesu FT990 and an Ameritron amplifier at around 500 watts on HF.
We are able to ship all our antennas worldwide.
Shipping costs to are displayed on the purchase page and are visible prior to you completing any payment.
Important - please be aware you that may have to pay import duties in your country if your delivery address is outside the E.U.
These are two very good close friends:- Renae K9DOand Dave W9HW Both Renae and Dave are active on Ham radio along with the rest of their family. Dave is an enthusiastic restorer of vintage radio equipment. They have two shacks in their home in New Lennox Illinois, USA one dedicated to vintage equipment all fully restored and in full working order, plus a more "modern" collection in shack two. The pictures are of the "vintage shack" which I am sure you will agree is amazing and of great interest to the enthusiast.
Pictured here from left to right is Howard G4YKB looking cool in his shades, in the middle is Joe G0DUD and Ted G0AHR. This picture was taken in 1983 at the Ham Radio Convention, Birmingham National Exhibition Centre.
Above is a link to our friends at Modern Radio
Modern Radio was established over 60 years ago and supplies, electrical parts, electronic components, antennas, leads, plugs, adapters, everything you need for your hobby plus free sound advice.
They have recently re-located to Farnworth Bolton. Visit Modern radio in Gladstone Road Farnworth or online where you will find a mail order service for all your requirements.
This is Joshua, our 12-year-old computer genius who regularly rescues friends and family with their IT issues. Joshua has put many hours work into building our website and keeping it updated.


Kodak recently created a press release with some detail into the new Android smartphone they’re going to release at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show. They stated the focus of the phone will be around the camera hardware and software, with an emphasis on ease-of-use and wide range of editing.
They also stated in the press release that the phone will be created by the Bullitt Group, the same group who, a few years back, designed the rugged Cat Phones, which were from the Caterpillar company.
“Kodak is one of the world’s most recognisable brands. It is trusted by consumers as a marque of quality and innovation,” says Oliver Schulte, CEO Bullitt Mobile. “We’ve taken that heritage and used it to inspire a range of beautifully designed devices that will let users take great pictures and edit, share, store and print them in an instant.”
Some of the features Kodak and Bullitt have added into the smartphone include pre-installed remote access so friends and family can help out the owner of the phone with navigating the device. However, the press release stated clearly that the phone will not conform to the current market of easy-to-use phones by compromising on design, but will rather have “as much focus on design [as] usability.”
The phone is said to be the first of many coming from Kodak and Bullitt, with more products like a tablet and connected camera to be released later in the year. Kodak needs a bit of a boost with a loss in market share and stock price in recent years, and if this is successful, the Kodak name could be brought back to life.


A handwriting workshop was organised in our school on the occasion of MEJSP on 14 th February 2015. It was organised with the objective of providing tips towards the improvement of handwriting for classes V to VIII. Thirty seven students from different schools participated in the programme. The names of the school were Tezpur Jatiya Vidyalaya and Bihaguri High Secondary. Along with this 15 students of class V from Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, Tezpur also participated in this programme. The programme was conducted by Mandira Didi. She helped the students by imparting knowledge on the improvement of their handwriting. The programme concluded with refreshments that was arranged for the participants.


Two days, two high-profile defections from Muammar Qaddafi's regime.
On Wednesday, Moussa Koussa--Qaddafi's foreign minister and former intelligence chief--resigned and fled to London. Today, former Libyan foreign minister and U.N. General Assembly president Ali Abdussalam el-Treki refused to become Qaddafi's next U.N. ambassador, defecting to Egypt instead. Tripoli is awash in rumors of other defections.
So, how should we interpret these developments? Koussa and Treki aren't the first Qaddafi officials to resign, but the last wave--which included the regime's justice and interior ministers--occurred much earlier in the Libyan uprising. Do the recent defections, as British Foreign Secretary William Hague suggested on Thursday, signal that Qaddafi's regime is "crumbling from within?"
Here's why Qaddafi's government may indeed be teetering:
- Koussa was a Qaddafi confidant Koussa, a "pillar" of the Libyan regime since Qaddafi's 1969 coup made the calculation that Qaddafi's days in power are numbered, The New York Times' David D. Kirkpatrick and Alan Cowell explain. Noman Benotman, a Libyan militant-cum-think tank analyst tells CNN that Moussa's move "attacks the center of gravity within the regime."
- Koussa has intelligence Western officials are increasingly counting on a wave of defections within the Qaddafi regime--and not military victory by the rebels--to oust Qaddafi, and "Koussa will have unique insights into whether that is possible and how it might come about," the BBC's Gordon Carera notes. Koussa can also provide information on Qaddafi's war plans, state of mind, and willingness to negotiate an exit strategy, Vivienne Walt points out at Time.
- Koussa received sanctuary A Western diplomat tells Adam Tanner and Paul Taylor at Reuters that Koussa's reception in London "sent a message to other Gaddafi loyalists that they could still get sanctuary, even if they were associated with the bloody crackdown on Gaddafi's opponents." But, significantly, British officials claim Koussa has not been granted immunity from prosecution. "Some Western officials and analysts say the risk of landing in court in The Hague is an obstacle to persuading Gaddafi and his entourage to go into exile, and other top aides to defect," Tanner and Taylor add.
And here's why Qaddafi government may not be mortally wounded:
- Qaddafi still has supporters A Qaddafi spokesman said on Thursday said the Libyan leader "is surrounded by many people who admire him" and that Qaddafi and his sons will stay "until the end." Taylor and Tanner at Reuters add that Qaddafi's "call to rally against foreign aggression could continue to find support." And even if he loses many friends, Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught adds, Qaddafi is "a law to himself."
- Qaddafi's keeping those supporters close Opposition sources tell Reuters that Qaddafi is "keeping ministers and senior officials under close watch near or in his family's compound."
- Qaddafi still has military strength Qaddafi's forces have been driving the rebels back east all week. On Tuesday, U.S. Admiral Mike Mullen told Congress that Qaddafi's military capabilities are "fairly seriously degraded" but "that does not mean he's about to break from a military standpoint."
This article is from the archive of our partner The Wire.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to firstname.lastname@example.org.


Chien-Ming Wang spoke with reporters this week and, according to Peter Abraham of the Journal News, the right hander said that he will not begin throwing until January following shoulder surgery and he thinks he will pitch in 2010, but wasn’t certain it would be for the Yankees.
He had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff at the end of July and it’s obviously going to be a slow recovery if he can’t even begin to throw until the new year. Wang earned $5 million this year and it seems like without any idea of when he’ll return and if he’ll be the same pitcher when he does come back, the Yankees could decide to non-tender the 29-year-old instead of offering him arbitration.
They could offer him arbitration, but he could get a raise and earn upwards of $7-8 million next season. A team looking to decrease payroll might decide that paying that much for a player who won’t play for most of the season might be too much. Instead they will likely offer him a minor league contract. That way they could keep him on the team and he wouldn’t be on the 40-man roster this offseason.
There might be a problem with that because this offseason’s crop of pitchers is pretty thin and teams might decide it is worth it to sign him to a major league deal. He was the major league’s winningest pitcher from 2005-07. Could the Yankees be willing to pay him to avoid this risk?
Ideally they would have an agreement worked out with him before they non-tender him. Which he might be open to.
“I would like to stay in New York,” he said. “But I don’t know what will happen.”


I’m not sure who said it first, but I agree with the sentiment: “A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.” We’re all struggling to make sense of the financial crisis that has spread around the world, to learn some lessons that will guide us as we go forward. One of my worries is that many of us will learn the wrong lessons — specifically, that we will become too conservative and risk-averse, that we will learn to fear creativity rather than embrace it.
It’s easy to portray the credit crunch as a case study of creativity run amok. Who’s the genius who invented subprime loans? Weren’t we all better off before the creation of a $500-trillion market in derivatives, hard-to-understand financial contracts that are at the root of so much of what’s gone wrong? Shouldn’t we declare, once and for all, that our fascination with “disruptive” technologies, “breakthrough” innovations, and financial “reengineering” does more harm than good?
Leave it to Warren Buffett, one of the world’s richest men, to offer the most valuable advice on this score. In a recent hour-long television interview, Buffet gave a masterful course on how the world got into this financial mess.
At one point, his interviewer asked the question that is on all our minds: “Should wise people have known better?” Of course, they should have, Buffett replied, but there’s a “natural progression” to how good new ideas go wrong. He called this progression the “three I’s.” First come the innovators, who see opportunities that others don’t. Then come the imitators, who copy what the innovators have done. And then come the idiots, whose avarice undoes the very innovations they are trying to use to get rich.
The problem, in other words, isn’t with innovation — it’s with the idiocy that follows. So how do we as individuals (not to mention as companies and societies) continue to embrace the value-creating upside of creativity while guarding against the value-destroying downsides of imitation? The answer, it seems to me, is about values–about always being able to distinguish between that which is smart and that which is expedient. And that takes discipline. Can you distinguish between a genuine innovation and a mindless imitation? Are you prepared to walk away from ideas that promise to make money, even if they make no sense?
It’s not easy — which is why so many of us fall prey to so many bad ideas. “People don’t get smarter about things that get as basic as greed,” Warren Buffett told his interviewer. “You can’t stand to see your neighbor getting rich. You know you’re smarter than he is, but he’s doing all these [crazy] things, and he’s getting rich…so pretty soon you start doing it.”
Andrew Oswald, a professor of economics at the University of Warwick, has a more poetic way of making the same point. Oswald is a pioneer of a field that might be called “happiness economics” — the study of the interplay between money and human satisfaction. His rigorous academic work confirms the advice that we hear in our churches and from our shrinks — the relentless pursuit of wealth may fill your bank account, but it will leave you empty as a human being.
“The curse of humanity is that people feel compelled to look over their shoulders,” Professor Warwick told my colleague Polly LaBarre a while back. “Happiness and self-esteem depend on rank and relative income. We are consumed by relativism. If your neighbor drives up in a new Lexus, and you’re still driving the Toyota that you were perfectly satisfied with yesterday, you start to become dissatisfied.”
So don’t use the financial crisis as an excuse to stop taking chances or downsize your ambitions. But do use the crisis as an opportunity to take stock of what really matters — and to stop looking over your shoulder.
Are you ambitious, motivated, curious, and forward-thinking? Join me and the Harvardbusiness.org team for a dinner in Boston next Thursday, November 6th, to discuss the management and leadership challenges you face and where you turn to for advice. We’d like to hear from you. If you’re interested in joining us please email email@example.com.


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by Rex Wockner
International News Briefs
The Pink Life LGBT Solidarity Association in Ankara, Turkey, and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission have teamed up to demand that Turkey’s “Law of Misdemeanors” be rewritten to protect transgender people’s rights to free expression, association and movement.
“In recent months,” the groups said, “the harassment of transgender and transsexual persons in Turkey has intensified as police abuse the country’s Law of Misdemeanors to legitimize daily fines, extortion, eviction, detention and police brutality. The law gives security forces tremendous leeway to punish any noise, disobedience and disturbance, with virtually no oversight in how the law is applied or recourse to those who are penalized.”
The groups said trans people are routinely fined $67 under the law’s Article 32, which applies to anyone who disobeys an order issued “to protect public security, public order or commonweal,” and are fined $34 under Articles 36 and 37, which target anyone who “makes noise with a purpose of discomforting or breaking the peace of others” or “disturbs others to sell goods and services.”
“In Ankara, transgender people report being regularly … taken into custody and being kicked, slapped, punched and physically brutalized,” the groups said. “Persecution of transgender people in Istanbul has … become especially vicious with the introduction of a bonus system (that) gives officers ‘points’ for the number of fines they issue and lawbreakers they apprehend.”
The groups said trans people in Istanbul are being apprehended in broad daylight while shopping or running errands and subjected to fines, detention, extortion, police brutality and eviction from their homes.
For more information or to join the campaign against the law, see http://tinyurl.com/transturkey.


Johnnie Walker Double Black is an interesting twist on Johnnie Walker Black Label. It was rolled out for general release in 2011 after a successful launch in travel retail. Double Black adds to the normal Black Label profile by including more Islay whisky and casks that have been heavily charred, giving a more intense flavour with a greater emphasis on smoke while keeping true to the sophisticated Johnnie Walker style.
Its nose is fairly light but oily, with dry oak, honey and gently stony smoke. The flavour is full bodied and complex with the signature Johnnie Walker peat smoke shining brightly through rich raisins and sultanas. Apples, pears and orange zest bring freshness while creamy vanilla and spice bring softness and sweetness to the tongue. Its long warming finish combines spicy oak tannins and lingering smoke.


When looking at the paintings of Piet Groenendijk, one is immediately struck by a delicate balance of personal vision and cool objectivity: an ability to distance himself from the objects he is portraying. Everything is weighed up, considered, and, in a few strokes, laid bare on canvas. Here much is left out. There is no room for detail. He paints, as it were, the essence of things. His paintings reveal a heightened degree of abstraction, expressed in the non figurative way in which a dune or a tree is painted. His landscapes are populated by a series of modern objects traffic signs, automobiles and so on; witnesses of activity by mankind.
Piet was educated at the Amsterdams Instituut voor de Schilderkunst.
The paintings of cities like New York or Berlin, as well as the African work is often carried out working alongside other painters. He regularly works in conjunction with the Dutch painters Voss and Hagendoorn and the German painters Leippert and Krigar. His work is represented in several musea.
The work displayed here, apart from the studiowork, is painted “after nature”.


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For safety reasons, children are not allowed to wear jewellery of any kind other than for pupils with pierced ears who must only wear small studs. Any jewellery worn to school, as well as watches, must be taken off at the request of staff and the safety of personal possessions remains the responsibility of the pupil.
School Clothing - Uniform
There is a school uniform that all children are required to wear. If at any time your child is unable to wear uniform to school we must be informed of the reason. The uniform consists of either a navy school sweatshirt or cardigan; a yellow polo shirt with logo; black skirt for girls - trousers for girls and boys; dark socks and black shoes (not trainers) appropriate to the demands of an English winter and the school playground! In summer, girls have an alternative uniform of a yellow and white summer dress and boys may wear black shorts.
For indoor PE, girls and boys will need a white tee shirt and black shorts. In line with LEA expectations, it is our policy that pupils work barefoot during gymnastics/movement lessons.
Please make sure all items of clothing are clearly named.
It is important that your child has appropriate outdoor clothing to suit the seasons and our changeable climate: when coming to school and enjoying playtimes during winter, children need warm, waterproof coats, hats, scarves and gloves. Summer brings dangers associated with the damage the sun can do to health: sunhats, protective sunglasses and sunscreen to protect skin are necessary to keep pupils safe outdoors.
Uniform can be bought from ShipShape online here. They will deliver to school for FREE!


The country's efforts to save an endemic rare bird, the Formosan blue magpie, have borne fruit, a local conservationist said yesterday.
Liao Shi-ching (
"It is rare to see so many of these birds together," Liao said, adding that the scene could serve as evidence of Taiwan's achievement in conserving the endangered bird species.
"The picture really indicates that Taiwan's conservation work is going very well," Liao said, "I have even seen families of Formosan blue magpies near Taipei city."
Liao and other members of the birding association are frequently out in areas where the birds are known to visit and rarely do they see so many birds at the same time.
However, Liao declined to say whether this was a clear indication that the birds' numbers have significantly increased. He said a proper study should be undertaken by the Council of Agriculture.
But Liao said he believed the numbers are "increasing" because of the introduction of the Wildlife Protection Act in 1991 and increasing public awareness of the need to protect the birds.
The Formosan blue magpie, also known as the "Long-tailed mountain lady" is one of Taiwan's 14 endemic bird species. It lives in the mountains at elevations of 300m to 1,200m.
Although one of the main threats to the survival of Formosan blue magpies is illegal capture, Liao said reports of such cases are decreasing because of rising awareness of preservation.
The Formosan blue magpie was named Taiwan's national bird last year.
PIVOTAL ROLE: Taiwan’s importance in the global chip supply chain can be bolstered by domestic equipment manufacturing, President Tsai Ing-wen said Efforts must be made to better secure Taiwan’s place in the global supply chain by localizing production of equipment and facilities used by the semiconductor industry, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday. Tsai discussed the issue during a meeting with representatives from the Taiwan Electronic Equipment Industry Association at the Presidential Office in Taipei. Product shortages throughout the COVID-19 pandemic — particularly of automotive chips — highlighted the pivotal role of Taiwan in the global supply chain, she said. Tsai thanked the association for cooperating with the government on the shared goal of localizing production of important semiconductor industry equipment.
TRACING UNDER WAY: The CECC has identified six transmission chains among 25 recently confirmed COVID-19 cases, including those linked to a restaurant and a bank The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday reported 54 new COVID-19 infections — 44 imported and 10 local — and identified six transmission chains among local cases. Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said the imported cases are 18 who tested positive upon arrival at the airport and 26 who tested positive during quarantine. Of the local cases, seven are associated with a cluster infection at a Tasty Steak (西堤牛排) outlet in Taoyuan’s Zhongli District (中壢), one is linked to a family of four with COVID-19 reported on Monday, one is a family member of an
BILINGUAL NATION 2030: Those interested can apply online, while recruitment would continue until all of the positions are filled, the Ministry of Education said The recruitment of foreign English teachers for elementary and junior-high schools would be expanded in the 2022-2023 school year as part of Taiwan’s efforts to become a bilingual country, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday. In a statement, the ministry said that it has since 2004 hired 81 foreign nationals per year to teach English in 16 smaller counties and cities to build a better English-learning environment for students. However, for the 2022-2023 school year, the number of foreign English teachers recruited would increase to 531, with some of them to be posted to Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan
Taiwan’s 5G service would not interfere with civil aviation, as there is a broad guard frequency band between the two systems, the National Communications Commission (NCC) said yesterday. The 5G system’s possible risks to flight safety came under scrutiny after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last week warned that 5G services in the C-band spectrum might interfere with radio altimeters on certain types of aircraft, which could prevent a plane from stopping on the runway after landing. Pilots use radio altimeters when landing under low-visibility. Major US carriers last week also said that 5G service plans offered by AT&T and Verizon


Raj Kapoor’s Bobby and Guru Dutt’s Pyasa are the two romantic films that shaped and moulded Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s view of love and life.
Says Rakeysh, “Actually . I first saw Bobby at the Regal theatre in Connaught Place in Delhi in 1973 when I was 10 with my family.Movie-going was always a big event for the family. My father was great fan of Raj Kapoor.And Raj Saab was launching his son in Bobby.So it was a specially important film for our family.”
Rakeysh was addicted the romance of Bobby. ” I must have seen Bobby at least ten times when it first had its golden-jubilee run.Each time, it was in the theatre and not on the small screen. I remember falling in love with the film and with Dimple Kapadia. That was a child’s amazement at a film that shaped his romantic perceptions.”
Then later when hr grew up Rakeysh saw Bobby with the eyes of a filmmaker. “Then I saw what great filmmaking skills had gone into it. Somewhere deep down Bobby remains entrenched in my heart. And then as filmmaker nobody can beat Raj Kapoor Saab. The whole treatment of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet was totally RK.”
Rakeysh fell in love with the concept of love watching Rishi romance Dimple. “Rishi Kapoor epitomized love romance and And Dimple Kapadia completely changed our lives.She changed the way we looked at a Hindi film heroine. She defined the very concept of a ‘breath of fresh air.’ She was so comfortable with her sexuality. We had never seen anything like her.”
What made Bobby even more memorable for Rakeysh was its music. “What songs by Laxmikant–Pyarelal! Lataji at 40 sang like a 16-year old for Dimple. Music today in our films has become a tool for marketing and not a tool for creative expression.The only better interpretation of Romeo & Juliet than Bobby is Titanic. The sacrifice of love at the end worked for me. The forced happy ending in Bobby spoilt it for me. For me the film ends when Rishi and Dimple jumps into the river.A really great love story must have a tragic end. Shakespeare told us this.”


I made this runner for my sister last spring and was able to give it to her early this
summer. I don't get to see her very frequently. She lives in Florida and I live in Las Vegas. I did this slightly sneaky thing to insure that the size was correct. I sent a "survey" to all my sisters to mask what I really wanted to know. In addition to type and size of dining tables, I asked favorite colors, and other things to create confusion. The pattern is an Ondori (sorry, but dont know pattern name or what book it came out of) that I adjusted the length to make it appropriate for her dining table. I used Aunt Lydia's crochet cotten, size 10 crochet hook.


Here in Washington, the first we saw of a government response was last Monday when we heard that the Seattle immigration office, also home to the local ICE office, would be closed because of the virus for that day. Later that day we heard that it would be closed “for two weeks.” This caused a lot of confusion since there was no notice, and the agency does not answer the phone. https://patch.com/washington/seattle/seattle-immigration-office-closes-following-coronavirus-scare
Business seems to be back to “normal” now at USCIS. Appointments for interviews and fingerprints and even citizenship ceremonies at the office are back on track. Anyone who feels ill is encouraged not to come to the office and to seek rescheduling of appointments. It’s not a normal time, obviously.
The immigration courts are places where lots of people gather. Should the courts close temporarily? Will they? Twitter seems to be the place to look. @DOJ_EOIR. Announcements for the Seattle court are day by day. https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/coronavirus-immigration-jails/2020/03/12/44b5e56a-646a-11ea-845d-e35b0234b136_story.html
Immigrants in detention centers are at high risk for exposure. Since these immigrants are not held for any criminal or danger reason, the government should consider releasing them to complete their cases in a non-detained setting, even if that is months from now.


THE NUMBERS ARE TERRIFYING
Thriver Sisterhood is committed to making a difference.
A United Nations statistic reveals that 1 of 3 women world-wide will be sexually abused. This number includes females sexually abused as children, teens and adults. 82% of all juvenile victims are female. 90% of adult rape victims are female.
Millennials, ages 18-34 in 2015, now number 75.4 million in the US. One third of them means 25.13 million women who have been sexually abused. These Millennials account for 29 percent of box office sales.
There is a huge following of abuse survivors on social media and many groups focused on women’s rights, empowerment, and support from others. Joyful Heart is active across all social media including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Vimeo, etc. Abuse No More has 70,000 survivors and 85,000 supporters on Facebook. NAASCA-National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse is another Facebook group.
The Millennium Project in collaboration with the United Nations has designated Women’s Rights as one of the 15 Global Challenges. Connecting with this organization which has 42 nodes around the world can broaden the universal base of viewers even more. These people, their friends, families, co-workers, and followers can all be touched by this project.
The Thriver Sisterhood is creating an extensive website with interactive discussions, information both personal and statistical, referrals and links to support groups and activist groups, and inspiring, uplifting content. There will also be presences on Facebook and other social sites
This script would have never been written had Nancy Harkrider not made a decision to go into group therapy. It took her falling apart during a live television talk show to find her redemptive path. Nancy believes that those women in her group and her counselor are the reason she is thriving today.
The very personal approach in this fact-based story is not a downer. It is positive, engaging, and even humorous as it explores how people can heal and thrive despite serious wounding. And – how they can help prevent such abuse in the future.


Victory was within reach of the Crescenta Valley Major All-Stars in their Section 2 Tournament opener on Saturday. That was until the fifth inning.
Trailing District 40 champion Encino by a run, the wheels came off in an unfortunate way for the locals, who ended up on the losing end of a 14-5 final Saturday afternoon at Sierra Madre Little League in the tournament opener for both teams.
Heading into the fifth inning, Crescenta Valley, the District 16 champion, trailed just 6-5.
Crescenta Valley will now face West Lancaster or Arcadia American at 3 p.m. Sunday with the winner advancing to a Monday game at 6 p.m. and the loser going home from the four-team, double-elimination tournament.
Follow Grant Gordon on Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon.


The important dets:Director: Donald Petrie Genres: Action, Comedy, Crime, Detective, FBI, Original Content
Year Released: 2000 Metacritic Rating: 5.1/10 Mediocre Movies Rating: 5 / 10 Laughing Snorts
Watching this film for the first time since early 2000’s I sit and cringe in my seat as it is a little too relatable. As a girl growing up in country Tasmania, given hand me down boys clothes and surrounded by country blumpkins, you could say it’s taken me a while to discover and show the world my girly side. Such is relatable to Special Agent Gracie Hart, a tomboy detective who can solve a case better than she can do her makeup (which is a good thing I guess!)
After the agency is altered of a bomb threat at upcoming Miss United States beauty pageant, Gracie suggests an undercover detective go in to investigate and protect the event. Somehow Gracie lands the role and she must completely change her very being into the girl that lives inside. Cue facemasks, a series of failing to walk in stilettos and the inability to hold in the most unattractive snorting laugh a girl could ever have. Gracie learns to slowly appreciates the new girlfriends she makes along the way.
Watch this mediocre movie if… you were born in the 90’s and want a classic throw back to snuggle into OR if you are a Gen Z and need to go back in time to one of the greatest mediocre classics of all time. This film is also relatable to girls who feel a little less appreciated for being different to the stereotypical girl gangs clinking champagne glasses on Insta.


CSS - Style Text - Know Css - Web Standard
Css Table - Web Development - Create Website - Website Style
Mathematics forms bridges between knowledge, tradition, and contemporary life.
The continuous development and growth of its many branches, both classical and modern, permeates and fertilizes all aspects of applied science and technology, and so has a vital impact on our modern society. The book will focus on these aspects and will benefit from the contribution of several world-famous scientists from mathematics and related sciences, such as: Ralph Abraham, Andrew Crumey, Peter Markowich, Claudio Procesi, Clive Ruggles, Ismail Serageldin, Amin Shokrollahi, Tobias Wallisser
Table Layout In Css
Isn't table layout something web designers want to avoid? Yes, but rather than use tables for layout, this book is about the ways that tables themselves are laid out by CSS, a process more complicated than it appears. This concise guide takes you on a deep dive into the concepts necessary for understanding CSS and tables in your web layout, including table formatting, cell alignment, and table width.
Short and deep, this book is an excerpt from the upcoming fourth edition of CSS: The Definitive Guide. When you purchase either the print or the ebook edition of Table Layout in CSS, you'll receive a discount on the entire Definitive Guide once it's released. Why wait? Make your web pages come alive today.
- Formatting-learn how elements such as display values, anonymous objects, and table layers relate to each other when you assemble CSS tables
- Cell border appearance-understand two distinct approaches (the separated model and the collapsed model) that govern how (or if) borders merge
- Table sizing-determine table width by using either a fixed- or automatic-width layout, and learn how heights are calculated
CSS Templates Articles
CSS Templates Books


Since 2005, Pixels & Verbs, LLC, has been helping organizations in the Austin area meet their business needs.
We grew out of repeated requests for the part-time services of our co-owners (Linda McMahon and Scott McMahon) in the areas of technical documentation and digital photography, as well as requests for sales of our available landscape photography. As the number and scope of these requests increased, Linda resigned her position directing the product documentation efforts for MessageOne, Inc., and focused her efforts full-time on Pixels & Verbs.
Since that time, we’ve continued to expand our client-base.
Pixels & Verbs believes in providing high value for your consulting/contracting dollar. We’ve used consultants ourselves and can’t stand being billed for little or no results.
We like working closely with our clients to ensure their needs are met. Your level of involvement directly impacts the quality of the finished product. The more you’re involved, the better able we are able to understand and meet your needs. We won’t be shy about offering our opinions, and appreciate open-mindedness. We’re not resistant to change and hope you aren’t either; after all, growth is optional, but change is inevitable and, for the most part, a good thing.
We also work hard to stay involved in our local community, giving back in as many ways as we can so that others can grow and thrive.
CEO and co-owner, Linda brings 20+ years of experience in professional business communications, documentation management, training, and business management to benefit your organization. She is well-versed in various writing styles and has managed documentation departments and efforts for major software and semiconductor design operations; notably, MessageOne, Inc. (since acquired by Dell), and Intrisity, Inc. (since acquired by Apple).
Linda also has experience as an software trainer, having presented training courses both in the United States and Europe. Her training background also includes the development of traditional and elearning courseware.
Linda has also completed training in the development of business requirements and associated documentation. She is also trained as a digital photographer.
Linda is a senior member of the Society for Technical Communications (STC) and is a member of IEEE, the IEEE Professional Communications Society, eLearning Guild, ASTD, and IIBA. Linda holds an AAS degree from El Paso Community College, completed specialized coursework in technical writing and computer technology at Austin Community College, and has over 50 additional college credit hours in various disciplines.
Linda is also active on the following social networking sites:
|Pixels & Verbs, LLC | Promote Your Page Too
Scott is the primary photographer for Pixels & Verbs, working on a part-time, by-appointment-only basis. His photography has been featured in calendars, on postcards, corporate marketing collateral, and in and on various other materials.
Scott also manages Pixels & Verbs network and hardware resources and serves as the organization’s technical advisor. He has a BS from the University of Waterloo (EE major, CS minor) and 20+ years experience with various high-tech organizations, including AMD and Apple, and was a founding member of Intrinsity, Inc (now part of Apple). He is a member of IEEE and ACM.


Manchester United defender Jonny Evans in Northern Ireland squad to face Malta
Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has been named in a strong Northern Ireland squad for the friendly in Malta.
Last Updated: 25/01/13 5:39pm
Five uncapped players are included in the 23-man group for the game at Malta's Ta'qali National Stadium, including Inverness Caledonian Thistle striker Billy McKay, who has scored 20 goals in 27 games this season.
Hull City defender Alex Bruce, who switched allegiance after playing twice in non-competitive matches for the Republic of Ireland, could also make his first appearance for Northern Ireland.
Other potential new caps are Ryan McLaughlin (Liverpool), Adam McGurk (Tranmere) and Trevor Carson (Bury).
Striker Kyle Lafferty and defender Chris Baird have been left out as the duo are suspended for the next World Cup qualifier against Russia.
Northern Ireland squad to face Malta on February 6: Carroll, Mannus, Carson, Hughes, J Evans, McGivern, Cathcart, McAuley, Lafferty, Bruce, Davis, Norwood, C Evans, McGinn, Brunt, Ferguson, McLaughlin, Shiels, Ward, Grigg, McKay, McCourt, McGurk