KISAH SEEKOR ANAK SINGA

Alkisah, disebuah hutan belantara ada seekor induk singa yang telah matai setelah melahirkan anaknya, Bayi singah yang lemah itu hidup tanpa perlindungan induknya. Beberapa waktu kemudian serombongan kambing datang melintasi tempat itu. Bayi singa itu menggerak-gerakkan tubuhnya yang lemah, Seekor induk kambing tergerak hatinya. Ia merasa iba melihat anak singah yang lemah dan hidup sebatang kara. Dan terbitlah nalurinya untuk merawat dan melindungi bayi singa itu.

Sang induk kambing lalu menghampiri bayi singa itu dan membelai dengan penuh kehangatan dan kasih sayang. Merasakan hangatnya kasih sayang seperti itu, si bayi singa tidak mau berpisah dengan sang induk kambing. Ia terus mengikuti kemana saja induk kambing pergi. Ia bagian dari keluarga besar rombongan kambing itu.

Hari berganti hari, dan anak singa tumbuh dan besar dalam komunitas kambing. Ia menyusu, makan, minum, bermain bersama anak-anak kambing lainnya. Tingkah lakunya juga persis layaknya kambing. Bahkan anak singa yang mulai beranjak besar itu pun mengeluarkan suara layaknya kambing. Ia mengembik bukan mengaum!. Ia merasa dirinya adalah kambing, tidak berbeda dengan kambing-kambing lainnya. Ia sama sekali tidak pernah merasa bahwa dirinya adalah seekor singa.

Suatu hari, terjadi kegaduhan luar biasa, seekor serigala buas masuk memburu kambing untuk dimangsa. Kambing-kambing berlarian panik, semua ketakutan. Induk kambing yang ketakutan meminta anak singa itu untuk menghadapi serigala.

“Kamu singa, cepat hadapi serigalah ittu! Cukup keluarkan aumanmu yang keras dan serigala itu pasti ketakutan!” Kata induk kambing pada anak singa yang sudah tampak besar dan kekar.

Tapi anak singa yang sejak kecil hidup di tengah-tengah komunitas kambing itu justru ikut ketakutan dan masih berlindung di balik tubuh induk kambing. Ia berteriak sekeras-kerasnya dan yang keluar dari mulutnya adalah suarau embikan. Sama seperti kambing yang lain bukan auman. Anak singa itu tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa ketika salah satu anak kambing yang tak lain adalah saudara sesusuannya diterkam dan dibawa lari serigala.

Induk kambing sedih karena salah satu anaknya tewas dimakan serigala. Ia menatap anak singa denga perasaaan nanar dan marah. “Seharusnya kamu bisa membela kami! Seharusnya kamu bisa menyelamatkan saudaramu! Seharusnya kau bisa mengusir serigala yang jahat itu!”.

Anak singa itu hanya bisa menunduk. Ia tidak faham dengan maksud perkataan induk kambing. Ia sendiri merasa takut pada serigala sebagaimana kambing-kambing yang lain. Anak singa itu merasa sangat sedih karena tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa.

Hari berikutnya serigala ganas itu datang lagi. Kembali memburu kambing-kambing untuk disantap. Kali ini induk kambing tertangkap dan telah dicengkeram oleh serigala. Semua kambing tidak ada yang berani menolong. Anak singa itu tidak kuasa melihat induk kambing yang telah ia anggap sebagai ibunya dicengkeram serigala. Dengan nekat ia lari dan menyeruduk serigala itu. Serigala kaget bukan kepalang melihat ada seekor singa dihadapannya. Ia melepaskan cengkeramannya.

Serigala itu gemetar ketakutan! Nyalinya habis! Ia pasrah, ia merasa hari itu adalah akhir hidupnya!. Dengan kemarahan yang luar baisa anak singa itu berteriak keras”.

“Emmbiik!”

Lalu ia mundur kebelakang. Mengambil ancang-ancang, untuk menyerunduk kembali. Melihat tingkah laku anak singa itu, serigala yang ganas dan licik itu langsung tahu bahwa yang ada dihadapannya adalah singa yang bermental kambing. Tidak ada bedanya dengan kambing.

Seketika itu juga ketakutannya hilang. Ia mengeram marah dan siap memangsa kambing bertubuh singa itu! Atau singa bermental kambing itu!. Saat anak singa itu menerjang dengan menyerudukkan kepalanya layaknya kambing, dengan sedikit berkelit, serigala itu merobek wajah anak singah itu dengan cakarnya.

Anak singa itu terjerembab dan mengaduh, seperti kambing mengaduh. Sementara induk kambing menyaksikan peristiwa itu dengan rasa cemas yang luar biasa. Induk kambing itu heran, kenapa singa yang kekar itu kalah dengan serigalah. Bukankah singa adalah raja hutan?

Tanpa memberi ampun sedikitpun serigala itu menyerang anak singa yang masih megaduh itu. Serigala itu siap menghabisi nyawa anak singa itu, di saat yang kritis itu, induk kambing yang tidak tega, dengan sekuat tenaga menerjang sang serigala. Sang serigala terpelanting. Anak singa kemudian bangun dan pada saat itu, seekor singa dewasa muncul dengan auman yang dahsyat!.

Semua kambing ketakutan dan merapat! Anak singa yang juga ikut takut dan ikut merapat. Sementara sang serigala langsung lari terbirit-birit. Saat singa dewasa hendak menerkam kawanan kambing itu. Ia terkejut ditengah-tengah kawanan kambing itu ada seekor anak singa.

Beberapa ekor kambing lari, yang lain langsung lari. Anak singa itu langsung ikut lari. Singa itu masih tertegun. Ia heran kenapa anak singa itu ikut lari mengikuti kambing? Ia mengejar anak singa itu dan berkata,

“Hai kamu jangan lari! Kamu anaksinga, bukan kambing! Aku tak akan memangsa anak singa!”. Namun anak singa itu terus lari dan lari. Singa dewasa it uterus mengejar. Ia tidak jadi mengejar kawanan kambing, tapi malah mengejar anak singa. Akhirnya anak singa itu tertangkap. Anak singa itu ketakutan.

“Jangan bunuh aku, ampuun!”

“Kau anak singa, bukan anak kambing. Aku tidak akan membunuh anak singa!”

Dengan meronta-ronta anak singa itu berkata, “tidak, aku adalah anak kambing! Tolong lepaskan aku!”

Anak singa itu meronta dan berteriak keras. Suaranya bukan auman tapi suara embikan, persis seperti suara kambing. Sang singa dewasa heran bukan main. Entah bagaimana mungkin ada anak singa bersuara kambing dan bermental kambing. Dengan geram ia menyeret anak singa itu ke danau. Ia harus menunjukkan siapa sebenarnya anak singa itu. Begitu samapi di danau yang jernih airnya, ia meminta anak singa itu melihat bayangan dirinya sendiri. Lalu membandingkan dengan singa dewasa.

Begitu melihat bayangan dirinya, anak singa itu terkejut,”oh, rupa dan bentukku sama dengan kamu. Sama dengan singa, Si Raja Hutan!”

“Ya, kamu sebenarnya adalah anak singa, bukan anak kambing!” tegas singa dewasa.

“Jadi aku bukan kambing? Aku seekor singa!”

“Ya kamu adalah seekor singa, raja hutan yang berwibawah dan ditakuti oleh seluruh isi hutan! Ayo iaku ajari bagaimana menjadi seekor raja hutan!” kata sang singa dewasa.

Singa dewasa lalu mengangkat kepalanya dengan penuh wibawa dan mengaum dengan keras. Anak singa itu lalu menirukan, dan mengaum dengan keras. Ya mengaum, menggetarkan seantero hutan. Tak jauh dari situ, serigala itu berlari semakin kencang karena ketakutan mendengar auman dari anak singa itu.

Anak singa itu kembali berteriak penuh kemenangan,

“Aku adalah seekor singa! Raja Hutan yang gagah perkasa!”

Singa dewasa tersenyum bahagia mendengarnya.

Setelah kita selesai membaca cerita diatas, apakah kita sadar jangan-jangan kondisi kita, dan sebagian besar orang disekeliling kita mirip dengan anak singa diatas. Sekian lama hidup tanpa mengetahui jati diri dan potensi terbaik yang dimilikinya.

Betapa banyak manusia yang menjalani hidup apa adanya, biasa-biasa saja, ala kadarnya. Hidup dalam keadaan terbelenggu oleh siapa dirinya sebenarnya. Hidup dalam tawanan rasa malas, langkah yang penuh keraguan dan kegamangan. Hidup tanpa semangat hidup yang seharusnya. Hidup tanpa kekuatan nyawa terbaik yang dimilikinya.

Berdasarkan pengamatan yang telah saya lakukan terhadap orang-orang disekitar saya. Diantara mereka ada yang telah menemukan jati dirinya. Hidup dinamis dan prestatif. Sangat faham untuk apa ia hidup dan bagaimana ia harus hidup. Hari demi hari ia lalui dengan penuh semangat dan optimis. Detik demi detik yang dilaluinya adalah kumpulan prestasi dan rasa bahagia. Semakin besar rintangan menghadapnya maka semakin besar pula semangatnya untuk menaklukkannya.

Namun tidak sedikit yang hidup apa adanya. Mereka hidup apa adanya karena tidak memiliki arah yang jelas. Tidak faham untuk apa dia hidup, dan bagaimana ia harus hidup. Saya sering mendengar orang-orang yang ketika ditanya, “Bagaimana Anda menjalani hidup Ana?”, mereka menjawab dengan jawaban yang filosofis,

“Saya menjalani hidup ini mengalir bagaikan air. Santai saja!”

Tapi sayangnya mereka tidak benar-benar tahu filosofi ‘Mengalir bagaikan air’. Mereka memahami hidup mengalir bagaikan air itu ya hidup santai. Sebenarnya jawaban itu mencerminkan bahwa mereka tidak tahu bagaimana mengisi hidup ini . bagaimana cara hidup yang berkualitas. Sebab mereka tidak tahu siapa sebenarnya diri mereka? Potensi terbaik apa yang telah dikaruniakan oleh Tuhan kepada mereka, Bisa jadi mereka sebenarnya adalah ‘seekor singa’ tapi tidak tahu bahwa dirinya adalah ‘seekor singa’. Mereka menganggap bahwa dirinya adalah ‘seekor kambing’ sebab selama ini mereka hidup dalam kawanan kambing.

Filosofi menjalani hidup mengalir bagaikan air yang dimaknai dengan hidup santai saja, atau hidup apa adanya bisa dibilang prototype, gaya hidup sebagian besar penduduk negeri ini. Bahkan bisa jadi itu adalah gaya hidup sebagian besar masyarakat dunia Islam saat ini.

Coba liat keseliling kita, pasti kita sadar bahwa teman-teman kita yang telah kita tinggalkan dahulu kemdian kita kembali lagi, mereka sebagian besar masih seperti yang dulu. Hanya sedikit yang mengalami perubahan karena telah memanfaatkan potensi dirinya sendiri.

Kenapa mereka tidak berubah?

Jawabnya karena mereka tidak tahu bahwa mereka harus berubah. Bahakan kalau mereka tahu mereka harus berubah, mereka tidak tahu bagaimana caranya berubah. Sebab mereka terbiasa hidup pasrah. Hidup tanpa rasa berdaya dalam keluh kesah. Dan cara hidup seperti itu yang terus diwariskan secara turun temurun.

Ada seseorang sastrawan terkemuka, yang demi melihat kondisi bangsa yang sedemikian akut rasa tidak berdayanya sampai mengatakan,

“Aku malu jadi orang Indonesia”

Di mana-mana, kita lebih banyak menemukan orang yang bermental lemah, hidup apa adanya dan tidak terarah. Orang-orang yang tidak tahu potensi terbaik yang diberikan oleh Allah kepadanya. Orang-orang yang rela ditindas dan dijajah oleh kesengsaraan dan kehinaan. Padahal sebenarnya jika mau, pasti bisa hidup merdeka, jaya, dan berwibawah, serta adil dan sejahtera.

Sudah tidak terhitung berapa jumlah masyarakat negeri ini yang bermental kambing. Meskipun mereka sebenarnya adalah singa-singa yang siap menerkam mangsanya. Banyak yang minder dengan bangsa lain. Seperti mindernya anak singa bermental kambing pada serigala dalam kisah diatas. Padahal sebenarnya Bangsa ini adalah bangsa besa! Ummat ini adalah umat yang sangat besar!.

Bangsa ini sebenarnya adalah singa dewasa yang sebenarnya memiliki kekuatan dahsyat. Bukan bangsa sekawanan kambing. Sekali rasa berdasaya itu muncul dalam jiwaw anak bangsa ini, maka ia akan menunjukkan pada dunia bahwa ia adalah singa-singa perkasa yang tidak boleh diremehkan sedikitpun oleh bangsa lain.

Bangsa ini sebenarnya adalah Laskar-laskar Sriwijaya perkasa yang menguasai nusantara. Juga sebenarnya adalah majapahit yang digjaya dan adikuasa. Lebih dari itu bangsa ini, sebenarnya, dan ini tidak mungkin disangkal, adalah ummat Islam terbesar di dunia. Mungkin ada sekitar dua ratus juta ummat Islam di negeri tercinta ini.

Banyak yang tidak menyadari apa makna dari dua ratus juta ummat Islam Indonesia. Banyak yang tidak sadar, dianggap biasa saja. Sama sekali tidak menyadari jati diri sesungguhnya.

Dua ratus juta ummat Islam di Indonesia, maknanya adalah dua ratus juta singa-singa yang siap menerkam. Penguasa belantara dunia! Itulah sebenarnya. Sayangnya, dua ratus juta yang sebenarnya adalah singa justru bermental kambing dan berperilaku kayak kambing. Bukan layaknya singa!. lebih memprihatinkan lagi, ada yang sudah menyadari bahwa dirinya sesungguhnya adalah singa tapi tetap memilih untuh tetap menjadi kambing. Karena telah terbiasa menjadi kambing maka ia malu untuk menjadi singa-singa perkasa yang siap menerkam siapa saja yang mengganggunya! Malu untuk maju dan berprestasi.

Yang lebih memprihatinkan lagi, mereka yang memili tetap menjadi kambing itu menginginkan yang lain tetap menjadi kambing. Mereka ingin tetap jadi kambing sebab mereka tidak mampu jadi singa dan mereasa nyaman jadi kambing. Yang menyedihkan, mereka tidak ingin orang lain jadi singa. bahkan mereka ingin orang lain jadi kambing yang lebih bodoh.

Marilah kita hayati diri kita sebagai seekor singa. Allah telah memberi predikat kepada kita sebagai ummat terbaik dimuka bumi ini. Marilah kita bermental menjadi ummat yang terbaik. Jangan menjadi ummat yang bermental terbelakang. Allah berfirman, “Kalian adalah sebaik-baik ummat yang dilahirkan untuk manusia, karena kalian menyuruh berbuat yang makruf, mencegah dari yang mungkar dan beriman kepada Allah!”.

Wahai saudaraku kinilah saatnya kita untuk bangkit, mari bersama kita kenali potensi diri kita. Janganlah kita hinakan diri kita ini dimuka Allah yang telah menciptakan makhluknya dengan kelebihan-kelebihan. Marilah sekarang kita kenali potensi diri kita, agar kita menjadi ummat yang terbaik. Serta mari kita jadikan Bangsa Indonesia ini bangsa yang besar, yang ditakuti oleh serigala-serigala yang hendak memakan bangsa kita ini.

Sekaranglah saatnya bagi kita semua bangkit. Bangkit dari keterpurukan. Marilah kita tinggalkan mental kambing yang telah melekat didalam tubuh kita. Bangkitlah wahai saudaraku, ingatlah harapan itu masih ada. Allahu Akbar.

(Sumber : Ketika cinta bertasbih Part 2 : 391 dengan perubahan seperlunya)

Ada no fue una mujer convencional. Vivió en Londres en la época Victoriana, nació un 18 de diciembre de 1815 (aun no se determina bien el año). Hija del famoso Poeta Lord George Gordon Byron y una adinerada mujer llamada Anabella, quienes se separaron dos meses depues de nacer Ada, pues Byron era un hombre de letras, poeta, bohemio, conquistador de mujeres y soñador, mientras Anabella era una mujer estricta y disciplinada.

Fuente: http://www.chicaslinux.org/?q=node/122

What fun!! And for an extremely good cause.

I didn't want to oversleep so I actually only catnapped last night. I could have used my alarm clock but I haven't set it for nearly 2 years.. since I retired.  So I tossed and turned, LOL, instead.  Up at 6am, showered, packed important items (insurance card, emergency phone numbers, small amount of cash) in an around the neck type card holder wallet thingy. Took extra caution with my feet, putting a bandaid on the back of my problem heal. Dressed in warm sweatlike pants and top and headed out at 7:15am.  Sign in started at 7:30 and the walk started at 8:30am.

The organizers deserve a "well done pat on the back" for a super organized event. EVERYTHING went smoothly. From the short time spent at the sign-in table, to the clearly marked signs throughout the Detroit Zoo to controlling the flow of handouts of sponsor freebies. 

Speaking of freebies... there were so many, too many to mention. In addition to healthy snacks, several companies provided diabetes-related products. I collected two bags full of stuff. One for me and one for hubby, who wasn't able to walk with me... next time, he said.

There were people of all ages participating. From cute babies to some folks, I am guessing, older than me.  My eyeballs were taking it all in. People watching. A group dressed in witch costumes were delightful as were a group of sliders, at least I think that was what their t-shirts read. Or maybe it was gliders. They walked with those stick thingys that look like ski poles.  Kind of neat how they walked synchronized. Must have been walking together for some time.

Before and after the walk, we relaxed under a huge white tent. A DJ from one of the local radio stations entertained and encouraged people to dance. And boy did they. A favorite. Line dancing. I knew the steps but was too chicken to strut my stuff in front of strangers. :D

I have to tell you, I was proud of walking the full 2 miles without stopping to rest. I started off slow, picked up some speed, then slow again. I stayed in the middle of the pack the whole way.  The zoo animals were an added attraction though I just glanced at them as I walked.  I saw a tiger, lion, family of kangaroos, monkeys plus lots of other animals I can't remember now.

I checked my feet after returning home and again several hours ago. No blisters. Yippee!! I didn't wear socks, just knee highs.  So I hope they will provide a little bit of protection when do more walking. I just HATE socks!!

In all, I walked 3 miles today. Don't tell my foot doctor!!

1. 3.6 "Take The Deviled Eggs" quiz -- free game

   Quiz 3.6 ... 5. While Luke snooped through Jess' dresser drawer, the phone rang. Who was it that called Luke? ... 13. Jess finally confesses to Luke he'd been ...

   www.funtrivia.com/playquiz/quiz21671518d0630.html

2. takethedevileggs

   JESS: Motor Trend's not gonna be giving it any awards, but it'll get me from ... [ Luke starts going through Jess' dresser drawer. ...

   www.geocities.com/fanfor_simpleplan/takethedevileggs.html

3. Book 3.1, Chapter 4

   ... Four - writing in blue is Hannah's, and writing in red is Jess's " ... Jess was just inspecting the beautiful oak dresser when a voice behind her said, "Oi! ...

   www.geocities.com/it_is_the_book/book3b1c4.html

4. The Pirate Queen: Christina Bauer

   With both hands Jess tore through the entire dresser. ... Jess stood motionless by the opened dresser, her fist clenching ever tighter ...

   www.timewalks.com/sampleA.html

5. Writing.Com: Ancient Trees Chapter 1

   Chapter one of a story about a woman who discovers a secret about her lineage. ... followed Jess into the bedroom and jumped soundlessly onto the dresser as she ...

   www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1403913

6. Chapter XX. The Last Night

   Juist another sax nichts, Jamie, Jess would say, sadly. ... box was packed and strapped, and stood terribly conspicuous against the dresser. ...

   chestofbooks.com/novel/.../Chapter-XX-The-Last-Night.html

7. Chapter XVIII. Leeby And Jamie

   By the bank of the Quharity on a summer day I have seen a barefooted girl gaze at ... "Put it on the dresser," said Jess at last, "an' I'll get it the morn. ...

   chestofbooks.com/novel/.../Chapter-XVIII-Leeby-And-Jamie.html

8. ---CHAPTER FIVE---

   Jess said with a bit of sarcasm. ... Jess looked over at Daisy to see if ... and bathed, leaving behind in the bedroom a small gift for Jess on Jess' dresser. ...

   tonygill.co.uk/roar5toend.htm

9. GeekCulture Photo Gallery

   Geek Culture Home > Photogallery > Geek Culture Galleries > Gaggles ... Jess the Dresser. Dinner at Nanette's. View from Empire State. Page 1 of 2. Page: [1] 2 ...

   geekculture.com/cgi-bin/pro/emAlbum.cgi?...+of+Geeks/New+York+Trip

10. Blogger: User Profile: "We the Peeps"

    Deb--educated, well-spoken, respectable, sassy, analytical, creative and a snappy dresser. =Jess--smart, sarcastic, extremely opinionated, and a great writer. ...

    www.blogger.com/profile/03850890154875589847

11. //On My Knees\\

    ... Daniel - a quick peck from Jess and he was out the door. ... He cracked up and held himself up by hanging onto the dresser. Jess grinned as she let it sink in. ...

    www.angelfire.com/space2/sydneyhanson/omk6.html

12. "The Crow: The Outlaw Torn"

    "I'm better off now," Vera said to her friend, Jess. ... Believe me," said Jess, " I know how you feel. ... they say," continued Jess, "if something is meant ...

    www.angelfire.com/or/crowffa/outlaw.html

13. kellyharrison's Xanga Site

    I was riding with Jeff when Jess called me and said she had run out of gas. ... on a chair super hard, I pushed a cart into a wall and I ran into Jess' dresser! ...

    www.xanga.com/KellyHarrison

14. jennzy101's Xanga Site

    8. Jess. Now answer the following questions: 1. Who on your top 8 are you the closest with? ... 12. Which one of your top 8 friends is the best dresser? jess ...

    www.xanga.com/JeNNzY101

15. Moorhead Area Public Schools - Independent School District #152

    District Info About the District Contact Us Departments Employment ... Bolgrean, Brittany Just, Stephanie Dresser, Jess Overby, and Nikki Langdahl (Manager) ...

    www.moorhead.k12.mn.us/news/WAPItem.aspx?ID=256

16. Jess Coffer

    Art Department: The Eye. Visit IMDb for Photos, Filmography, Discussions, Bio, News, Awards, Agent, Fan Sites. ... Game (2009) (post-production) (set dresser) ...

    www.imdb.com/name/nm2186344

17. Jess Alexander (I) - Filmography by year

    Jess Alexander (I) on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... Now Playing Movie/TV News My Movies DVD New Releases IMDbTV ... Charlie (2004) [set dresser] ...

    www.imdb.com/name/nm1388254/filmoyear

18. A Boy and His Bird: Fan Fiction

    ABaHB Menu. Main. News. News Archive. ABaHB Articles. Credits. Crow Reflections. Crow Q&A ... City of Angels. Salvation. The Crow 4. Other. Stairway to Heaven ...

    www.abahbnews.com/Misc/fiction/outlaw.html

19. Holly Marie's Charmed Haven - studio one

    Ashley smiled as she got to Jess's house, but no-one was there. She found a note pinned on Jess's dresser. ... Love ya, Jess xx" Ashley shook her head and ...

    sophiehmclaura.proboards46.com/index.cgi?...&action=display&thread=538

20. Gregory Jbara - Dressing Room Cam Images Who's Who (DRS)

    (Joanna's new dresser) Jess Scoblick (dresser) Joanna Gleason ("Muriel") 3/5/05 - 4/30/06 ... (dresser) Patrick Bevilacqua (personal assistant, Lithgow, Pryce) ...

    www.gregoryjbara.com/cam/whos_who/index.html

21. Joe the Dresser

    In 1967 Jess was singing Tristan und Isolde with mezzo-soprano Irene Dalis, a ... Jess Thomas was a very commanding figure, and he felt that the current dresser ...

    spearheadnews.com/Interviews/JoetheDresser.htm

22. Pop Quiz: Jessica Simpson | Jessica Simpson, Pop Quiz | POPSUGAR ...

    I just got - I wanna love your forever and apparently I am a Jess fanatic! ... awww old school (scary dresser) jess. 1 year 37 weeks ago. Report Comment. lill2441. 13 ...

    popsugar.com/96761

23. The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Window in Thrums, by J. M. Barrie

    I see Jess at her window looking for the son who never came back as no other can ... Leeby was at the dresser munching it from a broth-plate, while Hendry, on his ...

    www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/9/1/20914/20914-h/20914-h.htm

24. Flickr: Photos from _hairplay

    Flickr is almost certainly the best online photo management and sharing ... Jewelry by Best Dresser. Model: Jess P. (my sister) � All rights reserved. ...

    flickr.com/photos/_hairplay/page3

25. Loki on my dresser on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

    Hand sculpted and painted clay Shaman with a drawer that opens for keeping wishes. ... Thank you Jess. I'm a bit older than you, but still a child in my heart. ...

    www.flickr.com/photos/mariah_hawk/365363145

26. Resources & Links: GOOD furniture

    I bought a dresser at Target and it is the biggest POS. ... Quoting Jess.[OMG][WTF][BBQ]:" i was gonna tell you... don't go buy that dresser. ...

    forum.baby-gaga.com/about296271.html

27. Musings on Infinity

    By a friend of Jess' host mum. Who's a professional dresser. ... And when Jess and I went back tonight I got to buy dango (grilled rice cakes in ...

    tarpy.livejournal.com

28. [Anna Alden]

    ... but take that medicine Jess give me,' an she pointed to a box on the dresser. ... A home-made dresser, evidently made out of boxes, but very well done, stands ...

    lcweb2.loc.gov/wpa/10110527.html

29. Oliver's Bungalow

    There is also a matching dresser scarf, but I'm not going to buy that just yet. I'm not sure Jess uses dresser scarves. Links to this post. Labels: embroidery, ...

    www.oliversbungalow.blogspot.com

30. MySpace.com - Previously, on LOST - 19 - Female - woodstock, New York ...

    MySpace profile for Previously, on LOST with pictures, videos, personal blog, ... weeks ago, and your mom gave Jess a dresser for her appartment, and your mom ...

    myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=11264052

31. Bookreporter.com - CITIZEN VINCE by Jess Walter

    ... of his existence and finding only props: nightstand, dresser, ashtray, clock. ... Excerpted from CITIZEN VINCE � Copyright 2005 by Jess Walter. ...

    bookreporter.com/reviews2/0060989297-excerpt.asp

32. CitySchemes | Contemporary Furniture

    ... Search. HOME " Catalog " JESS. My Account | Cart Contents ... Cometa Double Dresser $1,759.00. Cometa Nightstand 4 drawers $769.00. Sirio Bed $1,099.00 ...

    www.cityschemes.com/index.php?manufacturers_id=177

33. CitySchemes | Contemporary Furniture

    Cometa Double Dresser. Date Added: Manufacturer: JESS. Price: $1,759.00 ... Manufacturer: JESS. Price: $769.00. Compact Cd Holder. Date Added: Manufacturer: SINT ...

    www.cityschemes.com/products_new.php?page=17

34. The World of Jess " Bethanie Mattek is a Good Dresser

    jesseddy.com/blog/?p=70

35. hipsterbookclub.com

    In Terabithia, 11-year-old Jess Aarons's goal for the upcoming fifth grade year ... with Burke, a tomboy and awkward dresser immediately cast out by her peers. ...

    hipsterbookclub.com/reviews/copy/bridge_to_terabithia_katherine_pat...

36. The British Antique Dealers' Association : Fruitwood & Pine Low Dresser

    Fruitwood & Pine Low Dresser at Jess Applin Antiques, in Cambridge, England. ... An 18C low dresser with a pine top and fruitwood drawers and legs, the handles ...

    www.bada.org/art-and-antiques/detail/37730

37. Kate Hudson Heaven The #1 Kate Hudson Fansite kate-hudson.org

    Kate Hudson fansite with the latest news and pictures, media, downloads, information, fun section, a ... Jess ... most consistent best dresser on Tinsel town's ...

    kate-hudson.org/kate/news.php?archive=1199175600&...

38. 1bruce1: Sweet Valley High #100: The Evil Twin

    Jess and Lila are, of course, competing over who gets the most. ... dresser: it's the third one she's left, accusing him of talking to Jess behind her back. ...

    community.livejournal.com/1bruce1/60238.html?thread=1141326

39. I found it on Craigslist!

    See how to makeover a dresser, redo a side table, refresh frames, paint candlesticks, and ... by Jess Chamberlain. FRESH TAKE: DRESSER. Go dark and dramatic ...

    www.sunset.com/sunset/home/article/0,20633,1728480,00.html

40. Holes Inside, a Young Adult fanfic - FictionPress.com

    Young Adult, Family/Hurt/Comfort, Jess looked awkward and her mouth twitched to the side. ... And Daniele, ever the sharp dresser, was secretly unimpressed. ...

    www.fictionpress.com/s/2550521/11/Holes_Inside

41. The Thoughtful Dresser: Halston

    The Thoughtful Dresser. Because you can't have ... Jess Cartner-Morley writes: Halston's original success was in being at the forefront of a defining moment in ...

    thethoughtfuldresser.blogspot.com/2008/02/halston.html

42. The Buffy and Angel Trivia Guide

    ... suggested by Jess ... Eyghon pushes Buffy against a dresser with the table and Buffy falls ... her standing up against the dresser as if she never fell. ...

    www.triviaguide.net/category/buffy-episodes/buffy-s2/208b

43. Rotary Club of Edmonton Mayfield

    Jess was born in Athabasca (still no bronze statue of him on main street - is ... In 1967, he left Dresser and joined R. Angus and established the Human Resources ...

    www.clubrunner.ca/CPrg/Home/storyitem.asp?cid=451&iid=12897

44. glbtq >> literature >> Cross-Dressing

    In literature, the gay male cross-dresser and the lesbian cross-dresser are depicted quite differently. ... Gordon and Leslie Searle, Jess was born with a ...

    www.glbtq.com/literature/cross_dressing,6.html

45. August Rush Cast Information

    August Rush Cast Information from Fandango. ... Jeffrey Rollins - Set Dresser. Jess Rosen - Sound Editor. Jessica Lichtner - Script Supervisor ...

    fandango.com/MoviePage.aspx?mlp_tab=movie_details&...

46. Find a Meetup Group - Cross Dresser and Transvestite Meetups - Walnutport

    Walnutport, PennsylvaniaCross-Dressers residents with shared interests planning meetings and ... Meetup Groups about: Cross Dresser and Transvestite, Drag Queen ... Jess ...

    crossdress.meetup.com/cities/us/pa/walnutport

47. VQR " The Problem of Human Consumption

    Paul, in this case, is a widower. ... Jess has grown into an awkward beauty. ... by Paul, on the dresser, under the scrunchies, then by Jess, in the box on the ...

    vqronline.org/articles/2004/summer/almond-problem-human-consumption

48. Lady Jess.. " After Pics...

    Posted by: Lady Jess in Such Is Life ... The view facing the dresser. view toward the bed. My new dining room table. And the new laptop. ...

    lady-jess.com/2005/such-is-life/after-pics

49. Jessica Speart - The Lions' Roar

    "I called Dr. Dresser at the Cincinnati Zoo and put all ... Dresser was kind enough to allow Speart to fly out and interview her. ... ( oh oh, look out, Jess...

    www.jessicaspeart.com/intent.html

50. kyle - new fiction from robin bradford

    Jess was almost thirty-five, the magic better-make-a-baby age. ... She emptied the contents of the old dresser drawers onto the bed in a mound and ...

    www.austinmama.com/kyle.htm

The Act overturns a few United States Supreme Court decisions which, according to Phelps Dunbar, LLP, "had narrowed the ADA's protections."

The Amendments Act expands the scope of those covered under the 1990 act.  "Although not changing the ADA’s technical definition of disability," writes Timothy Bland of Ford & Harrison, LLP, "Congress states that the term must be interpreted in favor of broad coverage to the maximum extent permitted under the terms of the law. "

The ADAAA says that whether a condition substantially limits an individual’s major life activities must be determined without regard to the effects of mitigating measures, such as medication.  "As a result of these changes," writes Bland, "millions of persons not previously covered by the ADA will now qualify for its protections."

The ADAAA also relaxes the requirement that forced persons who claimed they were being discriminated against because they were perceived as having a disability to prove that the perceived disability substantially limited a major life activity.  Effective January 1, such persons need only to prove unlawful discrimination.

The act also expands the scope of the term "subtantially limits" where one is required to prove that he or she is substantially limited in a major life activity - a prerequisite to be protected as an individual who has an actual disability.

As a 14E I have more responsibilities. Table VIII comes from field artillery. They call it gunnery tables. Four times a year Patriot air defense units must be able to prove that they can move from the motor pool to the field. Once at the field we must be able to fire missiles. Unlike field artillery, live missiles cost several million American dollars a piece, most of the time we just simulate missile launch with dummy missile canisters and computer simulations. Field artillery units can fire live rounds more often because their rounds are cheaper than ours.

The 14T PATRIOT Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer (we call'em tangos) have it easy. Missile canisters go on launchers, from there they are raised into position to be fired. During training, most of the "cans" are empty dummies. A missile can looks like this:
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Patriot missile cannisters"][/caption]
Those are PAC-3 cans. They have four missiles per canister.
The can get loaded by crane:
[caption id="attachment_291" align="alignnone" width="68" caption="Crane loading missiles"][/caption]

After the missile are loaded, the 14 Tangos drive the launchers out to a launch site. it's a remote site because the blast radius of the missile means we have to be far away. Through a fiber optic or VHF data link, we can fire the missiles remotely.

While the 14 Tangos go to their launch site, the main crew is setting up the rest of the equipment, "the Big 4":

1. The AN/MPQ-53 and AN/MPQ-65 Radar Set
2. The AN/MSQ-104 Engagement Control Station (aka "the Van")
3. The OE-349 Antenna Mast Group
4. The EPP-III Electric Power Plant

Each piece of equipment has cables that must be connected. The EPP is a big truck with two massive generators : "two 150-kilowatt, 400-hertz diesel engines which are interconnected through the power distribution unit. These generators are mounted on a modified M977 HEMTT. Each EPP contains two interconnected 283.9-liter (75-gallon) fuel tanks, and a fuel distribution assembly with grounding equipment. Each diesel engine can operate more than eight hours with a full fuel tank. The EPP delivers its power to the Radar and ECS through massive cables stored in reels alongside the generators."

The radar the ECS van get connected to each other and to the EPP and AMG. The AMG is a pair of big antennas that provide communications (both unencrypted and encrypted). Before you had digital cable and fiber optics routed to your home to watch teh pr0n, the U.S. Army had digital radio and fiber optic modems (but no on demand pr0n).

Maintenance is very important. That soldier in the photo with the open hood is checking the coolant levels on a HMMWV. Just like you car, generators and army vehicles need their fluids checked. Bolts must be tightened, cables inspected and other equipment checked. The battery maintenance officer (typically a Warrant Officer) must report to the commander and exercise evaluators that we are good to go. ALL vehicles and generators must be in good working order.

There is other equipment too. The battery maintenance officer and his enlisted lackeys get a truck so that they can fix our stuff. The commander gets his HMMWV and a command post tent. The medics and cooks have their tents. They have nothing to do while we train, they usually watch DVD's. No joke, most of what does go on is classified and these folks have no clearance. After we hook up the power and data cables the fun begins.

The ECS has computers that fire the missiles. they can also simulate firing missiles, diagnose problems, recommend fixes and run canned training missions. evaluators score us on how well we do on training missions. If we are a go the first time we are "Q1" and can wait another three months. If we have problems but make it after a restart we are Q2. We stay out in the field UNTIL WE PASS THE EXERCISE. Yes. That is because the air defense mission is so important. Units have stayed out so long that commanders have ordered extra rations to feed the unit. We must pass, failure can kill.

Now once a year we fire live missiles. Nothing beats a live fire. It's like a giant bottle rocket (only you feel the sound in your kidneys). Here is an account of 5-7 ADA's live fire in Crete (they are stationed in Europe).

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Donald Hendricks from the brigade’s Headquarters Battery, the officer-in-charge of the mission, said the exercise was the culmination of more than four months of training by Soldiers of the 5-7th.

“All of the certification these guys go through ... this is the capstone to that, the icing on the cake,” Hendricks said.

Soldiers from the Hanau, Germany-based battalion began training for the live-fire exercise in October. Hendricks explained that the training was an intense and sometimes stressful process monitored by the battalion’s electronic missile maintenance officer.
...

and a missile fired for real in OIF

the sirens you hear are real air raid sirens

UPDATE: most of the images here are taken from the 1-1 Air Defense Artillery Unit homepage (U.S. Army in Japan)

Στην Ιστικάλ αυτές τις μέρες όλες οι προθήκες των βιβλιοπωλείων είναι γεμάτες από το νέο βιβλίο του Ορχάν Παμούκ. Τιτλοφορείται "Masumiyet Müzesi", ήτοι «Μουσείο της αθωότητας». Είναι μια ιστορία αγάπης που εκτυλίσσεται στην Κωνσταντινούπολη ανάμεσα σε έναν πλούσιο άνδρα και μια φτωχή κοπέλα. Το πολύ καλό βιβλιοπωλείο-κατάστημα μουσικής-καφέ-μπαρ και γκουρμέ εστιατόριο (όλα σε ένα!) "Ada", που σημαίνει "Νησί" και δεσπόζει με τη μεγάλη ανοιχτή βιτρίνα του πάνω στο σουλάτσο της Ιστικλάλ (στο νο. 158Α, στη γωνία με το Orhan Adli Apaydin Sok., στη γειτονιά Asmali Mescit), είναι ένα πολύ ωραίο μέρος να ρίξεις μία ματιά στο βιβλίο, ακούγοντας τζαζ ή έθνικ μουσική.

Δες και εδώ.

Printed in the Guardian, Eastern Graphic and West Prince Graphic.

STEPHEN PATE
P.E.I. Disability Alert, Charlottetown
Wednesday October 8th, 2008
Editor:

The Green Party, Liberals and NDP would improve the lives of Islanders and Canadians with disabilities if elected on Oct. 14. We contacted all Island candidates for a local response. The Conservative Party did not reply.

It’s my understanding local Conservative candidates were told by the Prime Minister’s Office not to respond on campaign issues. Stephen Harper likes to control the media.

It appears the Conservatives plan nothing of substance to improve the lives of Islanders and their families living with disabilities after the election.

There are 22,000 Islanders with disabilities, which affect one-third of Island homes. They have lower incomes than non-disabled people, lack supports like wheelchairs or home care, have higher drug costs, and suffer discrimination in work and society generally. Many of the same issues are faced by seniors.

A disabled person who is unable to work will be living at 60 per cent of the poverty line on P.E.I. The Green Party and NDP would increase incomes for the disabled to at least the poverty line for those unable to work due to disability. The Liberal Party would partially move the disabled closer to the poverty line. The Conservatives have no announced plan.

Both the Green and NDP support forms of national pharmacare for those high drug costs. The Liberals have a $900-million commitment that lacks specifics. The Conservatives have no announced plan. Assistive devices like wheelchairs are expensive and 4,000 Islanders still need something. The Greens and the NDP promise coverage for all people needing supports. The Liberals will work with the provinces, which has created spotty results in the past. Again, the Conservatives have no announced plan.

The Green and NDP have promises to beef up Canada’s legal protection of the disabled. The Liberals and Conservatives did not respond on that question.

It’s pretty dry stuff but important. We have trouble getting politicians to change things based on election promises. Without a commitment before the election, there is rarely any change. Please talk to your candidate.

The beginnings of the habit in Europe of continual and increasingly rapid change in styles can be fairly clearly dated to the middle of the 14th century, to which historians including James Laver and Fernand Braudel date the start of Western fashion in clothing. The most dramatic manifestation was a sudden drastic shortening and tightening of the male over-garment, from calf-length to barely covering the buttocks, sometimes accompanied with stuffing on the chest to look bigger. This created the distinctive Western male outline of a tailored top worn over leggings or trousers which is still with us today.

The pace of change accelerated considerably in the following century, and women and men's fashion, especially in the dressing and adorning of the hair, became equally complex and changing. Art historians are therefore able to use fashion in dating images with increasing confidence and precision, often within five years in the case of 15th century images. Initially changes in fashion led to a fragmentation of what had previously been very similar styles of dressing across the upper classes of Europe, and the development of distinctive national styles, which remained very different until a counter-movement in the 17th to 18th centuries imposed similar styles once again, finally those from Ancien Régime in France.[4] Though fashion was always led by the rich, the increasing affluence of early modern Europe led to the bourgeoisie and even peasants following trends at a distance sometimes uncomfortably close for the elites - a factor Braudel regards as one of the main motors of changing fashion.

The fashions of the West are generally unparalleled either in antiquity or in the other great civilizations of the world. Early Western travellers, whether to Persia, Turkey, Japan or China frequently remark on the absence of changes in fashion there, and observers from these other cultures comment on the unseemly pace of Western fashion, which many felt suggested an instability and lack of order in Western culture. The Japanese Shogun's secretary boasted (not completely accurately) to a Spanish visitor in 1609 that Japanese clothing had not changed in over a thousand years.[6] However in Ming China, for example, there is considerable evidence for rapidly changing fashions in Chinese clothing,
Albrecht Dürer's drawing contrasts a well turned out bourgeoise from Nuremberg (left) with her counterpart from Venice, in. The Venetian lady's high chopines make her taller.
Albrecht Dürer's drawing contrasts a well turned out bourgeoise from Nuremberg (left) with her counterpart from Venice, in. The Venetian lady's high chopines make her taller.

Ten 16th century portraits of German or Italian gentlemen may show ten entirely different hats, and at this period national differences were at their most pronounced, as Albrecht Dürer recorded in his actual or composite contrast of Nuremberg and Venetian fashions at the close of the 15th century (illustration, right). The "Spanish style" of the end of the century began the move back to synchronicity among upper-class Europeans, and after a struggle in the mid 17th century, French styles decisively took over leadership, a process completed in the 18th century.

Though colors and patterns of textiles changed from year to year,[9] the cut of a gentleman's coat and the length of his waistcoat, or the pattern to which a lady's dress was cut changed more slowly. Men's fashions largely derived from military models, and changes in a European male silhouette are galvanized in theatres of European war, where gentleman officers had opportunities to make notes of foreign styles: an example is the "Steinkirk" cravat or necktie.

The pace of change picked up in the 1780s with the increased publication of French engravings that showed the latest Paris styles; though there had been distribution of dressed dolls from France as patterns since the 16th century, and Abraham Bosse had produced engravings of fashion from the 1620s. By 1800, all Western Europeans were dressing alike (or thought they were): local variation became first a sign of provincial culture, and then a badge of the conservative peasant.

Although tailors and dressmakers were no doubt responsible for many innovations before, and the textile industry certainly led many trends, the history of fashion design is normally taken to date from 1858, when the English-born Charles Frederick Worth opened the first true haute couture house in Paris. Since then the professional designer has become a progressively more dominant figure, despite the origins of many fashions in street fashion.

Modern Westerners have a wide choice available in the selection of their clothes. What a person chooses to wear can reflect that person's personality or likes. When people who have cultural status start to wear new or different clothes a fashion trend may start. People who like or respect them may start to wear clothes of a similar style.

Fashions may vary considerably within a society according to age, social class, generation, occupation sexual orientation, and geography as well as over time. If, for example, an older person dresses according to the fashion of young people, he or she may look ridiculous in the eyes of both young and older people. The terms "fashionista" or "fashion victim" refer to someone who slavishly follows the current fashions

One can regard the system of sporting various fashions as a fashion language incorporating various fashion statements using a grammar of fashion. (Compare some of the work of Roland Barthes.)

The Conservative Party platform released on October 7th contains no new initiatives for those living with disabilities.

Apparently local Conservative candidates were told by the Prime Minister’s office not to respond on campaign issues. Stephen Harper likes to control the media. Tom DeBlois promised me face to face he would reply but didn’t. It appears the Conservatives plan nothing of substance to improve the lives of Islanders and their families living with disabilities after the Election.

There are 22,000 Islanders with disabilities which affects one third of Island homes. The have lower incomes than non-disabled people, lack supports like wheelchairs or home care, have higher drug costs, and suffer discrimination in work and society generally. Many of the same issues are faced by seniors.

A disabled person who is unable to work will be living at 60% of the poverty line on PEI. The Green Party and NDP would increase incomes for the disabled to at least the poverty line for those unable to work due to disability. The Liberal Party would partially move the disabled closer to the poverty line. The Conservatives have no announced plan.

Both the Green and NDP support forms of National Pharmacare for those high drug costs. The Liberals have a $900 million commitment that lacks specifics. The Conservatives have no announced plan.

Assisted devices like wheelchairs are expensive and 4,000 Islanders still need something. The Green and NDP promise coverage for all people needing supports. The Liberals will work with the Provinces which has created spotty results in the past. Again, the Conservatives have no announced plan.

The Green and NDP have promises to beef up Canada’s legal protection of the disabled. The Liberals and Conservatives did not respond on that question.

It’s pretty dry stuff but important. We have trouble getting politicians to change things based on election promises. Without a commitment before the election, there is rarely any change.

Please talk to your candidate.

The Conservative Party platform released on October 7th contains no new initiatives for those living with disabilities.

Apparently local Conservative candidates were told by the Prime Minister’s office not to respond on campaign issues. Stephen Harper likes to control the media. Tom DeBlois promised me face to face he would reply but didn’t. It appears the Conservatives plan nothing of substance to improve the lives of Islanders and their families living with disabilities after the Election.

There are 22,000 Islanders with disabilities which affects one third of Island homes. The have lower incomes than non-disabled people, lack supports like wheelchairs or home care, have higher drug costs, and suffer discrimination in work and society generally. Many of the same issues are faced by seniors.

A disabled person who is unable to work will be living at 60% of the poverty line on PEI. The Green Party and NDP would increase incomes for the disabled to at least the poverty line for those unable to work due to disability. The Liberal Party would partially move the disabled closer to the poverty line. The Conservatives have no announced plan.

Both the Green and NDP support forms of National Pharmacare for those high drug costs. The Liberals have a $900 million commitment that lacks specifics. The Conservatives have no announced plan.

Assisted devices like wheelchairs are expensive and 4,000 Islanders still need something. The Green and NDP promise coverage for all people needing supports. The Liberals will work with the Provinces which has created spotty results in the past. Again, the Conservatives have no announced plan.

The Green and NDP have promises to beef up Canada’s legal protection of the disabled. The Liberals and Conservatives did not respond on that question.

It’s pretty dry stuff but important. We have trouble getting politicians to change things based on election promises. Without a commitment before the election, there is rarely any change.

Please talk to your candidate.

Johnny Grey Studios designed the Dexter kitchen inspired by the character's South Florida lifestyle reflecting Miami's Art Deco architecture and tropical setting.

Grey chose to depart from the typical predictable kitchen.  His blog discusses his desire to get away from the typical work triangle and create a space that will appeal to the visitors' senses.

Immediately upon seeing the kitchen you can't help but notice the curved walnut countertops.  I am reminded of the display Grey designed a few years ago for the Electrolux booth at KBIS.  It's very disappointing there are not more pictures of the kitchen available.  I was able to find many photos of the Dexter Dining Room.

Grey used many natural materials including Aspen, Walnut, Blogged Oak, Zebra grain Maple, Bloodwood and Teak Tiles.   He used Caesarstone on the countertops, windows and bookcases to give a nod to Miami's modern architecture.  Paints were also inspired by Miami and ranged from ocean blues to spicey hues.

Metropolitan Home's Showtime House is located at 23 Gramercy Park South and will be open to the public for tours until October 26, 2008. Proceeds from the tour ticket sales will benefit Nemcova's non-profit organization, Happy Hearts Fund. For more information about tickets and tours at the showhouse, visit www.methome.com/showtime.

I'll be the first to admit that the combination of laser-equipped 747s and mirror-covered drones sounds like a rather silly way to blast ICBMs out of the sky. But in the missile defense world, even seemingly-goofy inventions can have a major impact.

One of the most interesting paradoxes of the Cold War is how much leverage that the United States got from Reagan's plans to build the Star Wars defensive system. Almost no one, even in the White House, thought it would work. The Soviets knew from their own research that it probably wouldn't work. And, if it did function as planned, the Strategic Defense Initiative would never have been "cost effective at the margins." It would always have been easier and cheaper for Moscow to add two units of offense to get around every one unit of defense from the United States. Given all that, why was the Soviet Union ready to trade away the store at Reykjavik, and during other arms negotiations between 1985 and 1988, if the U.S. would just promise not to build this thing that everyone knew we couldn't build anyway?

<sarcasm>

Really? gee i guess the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missile was a waste? Shooting down a missile with a navy missile, what a waste(espically if you try to shoot a satellite). Why the army spends money on this stuff I don't know. It'll never work. Even Obama.....</sarcasm>

• The Latest Star Wars Woes: Launching Fake Targets via time (with links to two ooold articles bashing US missile defense)
• Missiles Over Georgia; Interceptors in Poland? (Updated) Yes Wired, the Russians did shoot missiles at Georgia-duh!
• Missile Defense Smackdown Continues... (Updated) yeah.. your deserve to get smacked, calling the tests scripted. Any beacon on the missile is for range safety (I know I'm a 14E and a air defense soldier)
• Star Wars' Turns 25, Eats $120 Billion; Worth It?--hmmm ask Georgia
• Missile Agency Boss: Defenses 'Work,' but Not Too Well-mush say something nice about Russians, resist urge to smack Ivan....

It works, trust me. I've met the soldiers who are a part of Ground-Based Midcourse Defense. They are the most professional people you'll ever meet. They have faith in the system because they are National Guard soldiers. They are protecting their homes (and yours too if you live in the US of A).

Via Wikipedia: PAC-3

The PAC-3 missile is also much more maneuverable than previous variants, thanks to dozens of tiny rocket motors mounted in the forebody of the missile (called ACMs, or Attitude Control Motors). However, the most significant upgrade to the PAC-3 missile is the addition of a Ka band active radar seeker. This allows the missile to drop its uplink to the system and acquire its target itself in the terminal phase of its intercept, which improves the reaction time of the missile against a fast-moving ballistic missile target; the PAC-3 missile is, in fact, accurate enough to select, target, and home in on the warhead portion of an inbound ballistic missile. The active radar also gives the warhead a "hit-to-kill" capability that completely removes the need for a traditional proximity-fused warhead. This greatly increases the lethality against ballistic missiles of all types.

For a science mag, you Wired folks should know better....

O projeto ADAonline combina o texto de Ada ou Ardor : crônica de uma família, romance de Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977), com anotações do professor Brian Boyd (um dos maiores especialistas mundiais na obra de Nabokov), capitulo a capitulo, além de incorporar materiais suplementares, tais como ilustrações, e uma lista de motivos verbais e temáticos do romance.

A partir de hoje, o projeto do English Department, da University of Auckland, indica o Blog do Machado de Assis em sua lista de sites relacionados.

Nas palavras do Professor Boyd:

Tenho certeza de que Nabokov teria gostado de Machado de Assis se o tivesse lido. Não creio que o tenha lido, mas, por todos os meios, assinalemo-os como espíritos literários aparentados.

O Blog do Machado de Assis, agradecido, também indica ADAonline.

According to the ADA, Title II of the ADA applies to State and local governments, including towns and townships, school districts, water districts, special purpose districts, and other small local governments and instrumentalities. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all services, programs and activities provided by towns.

Thus people with disabilities must have an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from a town's services, programs and activities. To accomplish this, the ADA sets requirements for town facilities, new construction and alterations, communications with the public, and policies and procedures governing town programs, services and activities.

In addition, Handicapable is also providing a free copy of the ADA Requirements for Small Business for your review.

Please feel free to share your experience with small business or small towns meeting these ADA requirements.

JAKARTA - Partai Keadilan Sejahtera (PKS), tampaknya, bakal menjadi parpol pertama yang calegnya tanpa masalah. Seluruh caleg PKS untuk DPR yang didaftar ke Komisi Pemilihan Umum (KPU) bisa lolos. Hal sebaliknya justru menimpa Partai Damai Sejahtera (PDS). Calon anggota DPR yang didaftarkan PDS ke KPU dan tidak lolos untuk sementara ini paling banyak.

Lantaran seluruh calegnya lolos, tak pelak, Humas DPP PKS Mabruri berbinar-binar. Mabruri mengatakan, di antara 580 caleg PKS yang didaftarkan kepada KPU, tidak ada satu pun yang dicoret KPU. Menurut dia, hal itu wajar. Sebab, PKS memiliki persiapan yang matang saat menyusun berkas daftar caleg. "Persiapan sudah kami lakukan jauh-jauh hari sebelum pendaftaran," kata Mabruri di Jakarta kemarin (27/9).

Berdasar catatan koran ini, belum ada parpol lain yang menyamai pencapaian PKS. Hal itu tidak terlepas dari belum selesainya rekapitulasi DCS per partai yang dilakukan oleh KPU. PAN, misalnya, kehilangan empat caleg. Partai Demokrat 1