text:
If you need House Plans or CHEAP HOUSE PLANS or even House Plans Online in Limpopo, look no further. www.hotfrog.co.za showcases more than 8 House Plans businesses across Limpopo. To find more related businesses and to filter by locality, use the left navigation menu.

Thohoyandou, Limpopo

we provide owners builders, home builders,constructors,companys with most imparative 1-stop  2Dand 3Darchitectural drawings such as house plans , working dawings,shops,churches, offices plans our drawing ,Redrawing of o…

Home BuildingHome ConstructionDrawing OfficeHome Builders

DDCO - Dennilton Design Co. (PTY) Ltd

Dennilton, Limpopo

(07) 8136 2766

Dennilton Design Co. (PTY) Ltd, is a design business in Limpopo Province around Dennilton area, with one branch in Johannesburg, specialising in Architectural Building Designs Structural Designs,3D Rendering, General W…

ARC Designs SA

Pietersburg, Limpopo

(08) 2620 3699

We offer you the best and the fastest service for your money.  We design the most practical house plans, and they are really nice

Building PlansHouse DesignBuilding DesignArchitectural Design

Senta Wessels Architect Technology

Louis Trichardt, Limpopo

(07) 9522 0003

General Architecture. Innovative and artistic design of Housing schemes, Private homes, Small businesses. Fine art in Watercolour or Oil on canvas. Portret paintings in watercolour or oil. Muriel art or wall art t…

House DesignArchitectural DesignArchitectural ServicesArchitect

FMX Draughting

Polokwane, Limpopo

(08) 2620 3699

…dream home or building into reality. 　All draughting done is in accordance with innovative thinking and space planning to ensure that all our clients requirements have been met. 　Buildings designed by FMX…

Building PlansHouse DesignBuilding DesignArchitectural Design

Kenkcad Concept Sales

Giyani, Limpopo

(08) 2055 0640

we supply individuals, architectural firms and structural engineering firms with a CAD and Draughting Services. we are found in Giyani, Lephalale, Nelspruit, Johannesburg and Pretoria. We do jobs in South Africa, Nigeri…

Building PlansHouse DesignBuilding DesignArchitectural Design

Shiluvane, Limpopo

078 203 0382

Home BuildingHome ConstructionHome Buildershome construction materials

Intersect Architects

Haenertsburg, Limpopo

082 375 9467

Building PlansHouse DesignBuilding DesignArchitectural Design

Businesses that regularly add new information and match your search

Most active

  • This week
  • All time
Business profiles just added to Hotfrog that match your search

Just added

Small Business Hub

Sharing tips, ideas and advice to help grow your small business.

View the Small Business Hub

Hotfrog AdVantage

Hotfrog AdVantage ads appear above the rest in Hotfrog feature pages. By upgrading today your ad will appear in front of potential customers before they notice your competitors.

Find out more


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Type: response

text:
Miele Service

Is this your business? Update now

Contact details Are these details correct?

Address: 17 Vostan Road, Canning Vale, WA 6155
Canning, Perth Metro, Perth Southern Suburbs
Tel: (08) 6253 5950
Fax: (08) 6253 5959
Email - none provided

Small Business Hub

Sharing tips, ideas and advice to help grow your small business.

View the Small Business Hub

Your profile without ads

Have you considered upgrading to Hotfrog AdVantage? No competitor advertising means exclusive focus on your business. You take centre stage.

Find out more

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-236-191-2.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2015-32
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for August 2015
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


WARC-Truncated: length

text:
Kanye West Mixtapes

  • G.O.O.D. Morning & G.O.O.D. Night (Deconstructed)
    G.O.O.D. Morning & G.O.O.D. Night (Deconstructed)
    Way back in 2009, G.O.O.D. Music's Malik Yusef released his sophomore album G.O.O.D. Morning & G.O.O.D. Night. While not exactly a radio-success, the LP went on to sell in excess of 600,000 copies, gaining acclaim for Yusef's poignant spoken-word stylings and some stellar guest appearances. For those of us who slept on Yusef's G.O.O.D. Music debut, the album has now resurfaced in revised (read: "Deconstructed") form. Featuring much of the same material included in the retail release, the new rendition piles on some new guest features and original tunes.
  • 31 Days (Hosted By Don Cannon)
    31 Days (Hosted By Don Cannon)
    For those unfamiliar, Eskeerdo is a GRAMMY-award-winning emcee/songwriter out of South Florida who's written for the likes of Kanye West, Rihanna and more.  31 Days is his latest project, which finds him rhyming about "his past, his struggle, his relationships and his climb" over popular instrumentals both new and old, from Tupac and TLC to ScHoolboy Q and Pharrell. Can you dig it? Let us know what you think, folks.
  • Best In The World
    Best In The World
    Jon Connor recently signed to Aftermath, but it hasn't affectedhis ability to release free music. Today, the rapper releases Best In The World which finds him going in over 20 of Kanye West's most memorable instrumentals.  The long-winded alternative title for the project is The Late Registration Of A College Dropout Who Had A Dark Twisted Fantasy Of 808s And Heartbreak. Hosted by DJ Drama.
  • 2001 Demo Tape (Unreleased)
    2001 Demo Tape (Unreleased)
    Hear 2001 Demo Tape (Unreleased) , the latest project from Kanye West, released on Sunday, April 21st, 2013. Kanye West continues to impress with each new leak, and 2001 Demo Tape (Unreleased) is no exception. It's strengthens Kanye West's already impressive body of work, which has seen positive change over the years. We're most definitely anticipating Kanye West's next offering. How do you feel about the production here? Check out Kanye West on Home (Windy).
  • G.O.O.D. Ass Mixtape
    G.O.O.D. Ass Mixtape
    These artists are featured on the project: Consequence, Common, Talib Kweli, CyHi Da Prynce, Shawn Chrystopher, Kanye West, Paije, GLC, Lil Wayne, Beyonce, Charlie Wilson, Major, Melanie Fiona. Thoughts? If you're feeling this, make sure to hit up Perajok's profile page for the latest info, news, songs, and mixtapes.
You may also like...


text:
-- Hot Rod Forum

Register FAQ Search Today's Posts Unanswered Posts Auto Escrow Insurance Auto Loans
Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board
User Name
lost password?   |   register now

  Home · Search · Member List · · Register

Home » Parts for Sale » Engine Parts for Sale « Previous Ad · Next Ad »

383 Bottom end Contact Seller
For Sale by Views Date Posted
kentactic 2327 January 28, 2013
Asking Price Condition Distance from you
$800.00 Excellent
Enter your zip code:

Description: Ive got a brand new 350 "010" 4 bolt block that has been zero decked, painted, line honed, bored .030, and had new cam bearings and freeze plugs installed. I also have a complete 383 Rotating assembly. I was building this but i think im abandoning it due to cost. The Cranks already installed. The rings are all gapped and installed on the speed pro hyper pistons which are 10.5:1 forged rods aswell. All parts included cost me 1000 bucks not including block and machine work.
Keywords: 383 Bottom end
Location (City, State, Country): hemet, CA

Powered by: PhotoPost Classifieds 2.42 vB3 Enhanced
Copyright 2005 All Enthusiast, Inc.

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:34 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2015, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 1999 - 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Page generated in 0.05202 seconds with 20 queries


text:
Thread: Alternator
View Single Post
  #6 (permalink)
Old 10-21-2012, 11:30 AM
69 widetrack 69 widetrack is offline
Faith - Respect - Trust
Last photo:
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Ontario
Age: 59
Posts: 3,508
Wiki Edits: 0

Thanks: 192
Thanked 639 Times in 573 Posts
Originally Posted by hotrodding vet View Post
I've done both I've kinda got it narrowed down to the belt is stretched or I need a bigger amp alt
If the belt is stretched, replace it...If your alternator is stock (70 amp or less) you need a bigger alternator. Check your out put at the battery, longer cables (maybe thinner cables than required) can effect the input to your battery.

If you externally charge the battery (with a plug in charger) and leave it for several days and it loses charge, you either have a bad battery or an electrical short in your vehicle.

Hope this helps
Reply With Quote


text:
View Single Post
  #2 (permalink)
Old 04-01-2005, 08:11 PM
coldknock's Avatar
coldknock coldknock is offline
Last photo:
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Social Circle, Ga.
Age: 43
Posts: 1,533
Wiki Edits: 0

Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
This is ridiculous. He's too lazy and irresponible to keep up with keys and use them?

Reply With Quote


text:
Register FAQ Search Today's Posts Unanswered Posts Auto Escrow Insurance Auto Loans
Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board > Tech Help> Engine> trying to get rid of that annoying check engine light!
User Name
lost password?   |   register now

Thread: trying to get rid of that annoying check engine light! Reply to Thread
Send Trackbacks to (Separate multiple URLs with spaces) :

Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board forums, you must first register.
Please enter your desired user name (usually not your first and last name), your email address and other required details in the form below.
User Name:
Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.
Confirm Password:
Email Address
Please enter a valid email address for yourself.
Email Address:
Please select your insurance company (Optional)

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Additional Options
Miscellaneous Options

Topic Review (Newest First)
01-18-2004 12:45 AM
jimfulco Get a Haynes book & a cheap analog voltmeter (mine was $5). A couple of jumper wires & you can read your own codes. Might also clean the throttle blade & IAC port if you haven't lately.
01-17-2004 08:26 AM
adtkart Could be any number of things listed. Could also be a bad injector, TPS, or many other things. Have the codes read and go from there.

Don't just keep driving it with the light on or remove the bulb. It is on for a reason. You may end up sitting on the side of the road when it decides it has had enough.
01-17-2004 08:10 AM
reborn55 getting the coldes read is the proper thing to pinpoint problem. only reason I suggested the EGR passages is tha Ford has had problems in the past with a lot of Carbon buildup in the EGR p****ages causing the Check Engine light to do some crazy things.
01-17-2004 04:48 AM
Stitch I had an old Ford Zephyr one time and the oil light kept flashing at tickover , I reached up behind the dash with some long nose pliers and crushed the bulb - that cured it
01-17-2004 03:52 AM
Check engine light on my 89 mustang won't stop flashing... what can be done to get rid of the annoying light?? also what would make the 302 engine a little sluggish
Hmmmm...maybe the two go hand in hand. That's why the light came on. Jeez..what do you think is the original intent of the light anyhow? Just to pop the hood and look at it? It could be the oxygen sensor, it could be the EGR valve, it could be a multitude of things. But how would anyone know if the light DIDN'T COME ON. Sorry to go off but it is kind of a ridiculous question. When the light comes on, go to your local PepBoys, AutoZone, Advanced, etc. and they will check it for free. Zip, Nada, Zilch. Then you can fix what is wrong, the light will go out and probably prolong the life of the engine a little. BTW the numbers 710... that means OIL if you stand on the opposite side.

01-17-2004 12:40 AM
2-manytoyzs Go to this site and read the instructions on how to do your own EEC test with a test lite and a jumper wire. Instructions on how to read the codes and link to the 2 digit codes included. Could be a number of things. Read the codes first.

uh oh - link doesnt seem to be working for me. Try your search engine for that site or PM me and I will try to email you the info.
01-16-2004 02:05 PM
oldschoolrods electrical tape, or rip the dash out and smash the bulp sometimes the light can just come on for no apparent reason, some auto parts stores will check it for you for free and tell you whats wrong and if its not reading anything they'll turn the light off
01-16-2004 01:35 PM
poncho62 My guess would be O2 sensor, but to be sure, you need to get the codes read. You can buy a cheap code reader for under $20 for your Ford. A garage will charge you that much just to read it, so you might as well buy one.........invaluable tool in the later models.
01-16-2004 12:21 PM
reborn55 Check to make sure there isn't carbon buildup in the EGR or its lower port.
01-16-2004 09:51 AM
Necro can be anything as far as the check engine light. but most likely a bad egr sensor. sometimes the o2 sensors go bad and can cause the car to dump fuel . that would make the car stumble off line.
check fuel pressure should be no more than 45 with the vacuum off. on a stock engine and 35 with the vacuum on. give or take 3 psi in either direction.

how the rest of the cars tune up??
01-16-2004 08:08 AM
paperairplane catalytic converter?
01-16-2004 07:34 AM
NorthStar Black tape.

You need to read the codes to know where to start, but at a minimum look under hood and give everything a once over for something obvious.
01-16-2004 07:31 AM
trying to get rid of that annoying check engine light!

Check engine light on my 89 mustang won't stop flashing... what can be done to get rid of the annoying light?? also what would make the 302 engine a little sluggish on takeoff?? it drops almost to a stall when you hammer the gas but then takes off...

would the egr valve affect this??

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:19 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2015, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
Copyright 1999 - 2012. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Register FAQ Search Today's Posts Unanswered Posts Auto Escrow Insurance Auto Loans
Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board > Tech Help> Transmission - Rearend> what would you do - subframe vs. crossmember
User Name
lost password?   |   register now

Thread: what would you do - subframe vs. crossmember Reply to Thread
Send Trackbacks to (Separate multiple URLs with spaces) :

Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board forums, you must first register.
Please enter your desired user name (usually not your first and last name), your email address and other required details in the form below.
User Name:
Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.
Confirm Password:
Email Address
Please enter a valid email address for yourself.
Email Address:
Please select your insurance company (Optional)

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Additional Options
Miscellaneous Options

Topic Review (Newest First)
03-31-2002 04:18 PM
solowookie well I'm thinking that pretty much settles about any question I'd have. Phat had convinced me a long time ago to go with a crossmember, but I was just kinda curious how this subframe would compare. I guess it goes back to the fact that I could make it work, but in the long run I really won't save much. just exploring the opportunity as it arose.
03-31-2002 02:53 PM
pro1939 Hey fellow hot rodder,I'm doing a 41 dodge,and i talked with roy from Roys Hot rod garage and with his help i put in a Nova clip.It is narrower,and i had in and out a dozen times but it worked.i bought a 79 nova for 125 bucks,and got all i needed.Good luck.
03-31-2002 02:23 PM
Centerline Some things to think about.

1st. The Trans Am clip is too wide for an AD truck. In order to keep the tires inside the fenders you'll have to order rims with a great deal of back spacing. $$$$

2nd. Although it may sound like a good deal, by the time you replace the ball joints, rubber parts, rebuild the brakes etc it's going to cost you almost as much as the TCI suspension.

3rd. You may save some money up front but there will be a whole lot of labor later on trying to hang all your front-end sheet metal back on a frame that wasn't made for it. Also if you choose to narrow the clip so the tires will fit you now have to add new motor mounts etc since the stock units will be too narrow.

A lot of people seem to think that doing a clip saves a lot but it's a fallacy. What you save in money gets eaten up buying special parts to make everything work together. If it doesn't then your spending hours and hours figuring how to get all your sheet metal mounted correctly and aligning properly.

Go with the crossmember. If you have to use a clip go with a Nova, at least that won't be too wide.
03-30-2002 05:39 PM
solowookie there is a bodyshop up here that is really good, and if I did the subframe I'd pay them to help me put it in. he will allow me to do as much work as possible, and only charge me for his actually time helping me so cost would be minimal, and I'd have good help with this being my first project.
03-30-2002 03:48 PM
jalopy45 I would go for the crossmember. Cutting a frame in half then welding another section to it requires some extremely accurate measuring and someone who has a real good welding machine and a real good knowledge of welding and metals. Just seen too many screwed up jobs , that the only way to fix is with a new frame. A crossmember saddles under the frame and is a lot easier to place in the proper position.

[ March 30, 2002: Message edited by: jalopy45 ]

03-29-2002 05:53 PM
Oldbuz I don't know about anybody else but my money tree died I would go with the sub frame and put my labor into getting it to fit that way I could spend the money saved from the kit on somthing else

[ March 29, 2002: Message edited by: Oldbuz ]

03-29-2002 11:30 AM
what would you do - subframe vs. crossmember

ok guys what would you do?

I've been planning on doing a TCI crossmember oh Phats recommendations, but I was talking to a guy today (BTW found a 400 locally finally - won't have to pay shipping on one) and he's got a trans am subframe that is the heavy duty version, and it only needs new rotors & new bushing. (here's the kicker - its $75)

so - TCI crossmember would be nice, but would you pass up an opportunity to get the front susp. for $75, and thus get your project that much further underway?

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:47 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2015, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
Copyright 1999 - 2012. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Pantel Features New Outdoor Weatherproof

LCD HDTVs At 2008 Orange County Boat Show

Published online: Apr 10, 2008 News
Viewed 463 time(s)

Pantel (, brings excitement to marine, residential, and commercial outdoor entertaining applications by currently offering two LCD HDTVs in 32-inch and 42-inch screen sizes (additional sizes TBA). Now shipping, Pantel featured the luxurious, yet affordable, outdoor weatherproof TVs at the recent 2008 Orange County Boat Show, held in Anaheim, Calif. from April 3-6 at the Orange County Convention Center.

"Every season, consumer interest in marine and residential outdoor luxury, as well as commercial A/V applications, continues to grow," explained Joe Pantel, Chief Executive Officer of Surfside Concepts and Pantel Corp. "Our Pantel line of outdoor weatherproof TVs is revolutionizing the way boats, back yards, sports stadiums, restaurants, golf courses, as well as many other commercial and residential applications take advertising and standard cable or satellite TV viewing outdoors. Pantel's line of weatherproof LCD HDTVs is also protected against marine environments, making them the perfect addition to houseboats, yachts, and cabin cruisers that are susceptible to occasional sea spray and the salty air."

Outdoor residential and commercial entertainment used to be a very concerning and expensive project due to the threat of unpredictable weather. High definition TVs used outdoors had to be utilized under canopies or other types of overhangs, but that still did not always protect them from cold, heat, wind, and dust. Pantel TVs now allow homeowners and businesses to break free from the hassle, excessive expense, and these constant concerns thrown at them by Mother Nature. Besides residential use, such as on patios and in the back yard, Pantel outdoor weatherproof LCD HDTVs are perfect for commercial applications such as amusement parks, concert venues, race tracks, sports arenas/stadiums, outdoor exhibitions, restaurants, bars, hotels, and more.

Beyond being weatherproof, Pantel TVs come complete with an industry leading 802.11a wireless package that allows the user to broadcast audio and video wirelessly up to 150 feet.

Additional features of Pantel's outdoor weatherproof LCD HDTVs include:

Native resolution: 720p (1336 x 768)

Contrast ratio: 1600:1

Remote: waterproof

-  rain/snow shielded

-  wind/dust shielded

-  operable from -40 degrees - +140 degrees Fahrenheit

Super bright panel; can be used anywhere inside or outside the home, designed specifically for viewing outside during the middle of the day

Ultra-Wide 85/85 Degree (H/V) viewing angle; the picture will look clear and bright even at extremely wide viewing angles

-  PAN420 (42-inch): $4,450

-  PAN320 (32-inch): $3,950

Pantel has designed and tested its line of outdoor TVs in both extremes.the searing heat of Arizona desert summers, and the bitter cold of Minnesota winters. Pantel's proprietary dual flow ventilation system keeps Pantel TVs cool when it's hot and its state-of-the-art heatin

Follow us on Facebook!   Follow us on Instagram!   Follow us on Pinterest!   Follow us on YouTube!


text:
Manufacturer of the World's Finest Chess Products

  • The Outlet: Imperfect Chess Items from The House of Staunton!
  • New Products at The House of Staunton! Chess Pieces, Chessboards, Books, DVDs, & More!
  • The House of Staunton Clearance Items

    Chess Under the Microscope

    Magnify Your Chess Strength

    Product Code: B0039BT

    Publisher: Batsford
    Author: Paul Motwani
    Year of Publication: 1998

    Pages: 255
    Notation Type: Figurine (FAN)

    Book DescriptionIn this major work, Paul Motwani, the author of the critically acclaimed H.O.T. Chess and C.O.O.L. Chess, looks in-depth at key aspects of chess. His witty style will not only amuse but will instruct the reader by providing memorable insights into chess secrets.

    Media Mail Eligible

    Media Mail® shipping from the US Postal Service is the cost-effective way to ship Books, Software and DVDs. With shipping rates starting at only 4.00, it's the most affordable shipping method available.

    Our Price: $9.95

    Product Details

    Shopworn N/A
    ISBN 9780713483901
    Manufacturer Batsford Chess
    Author(s) Paul Motwani
    Pages 255 Pages
    Publication Date Jan 1, 2003
    Notation Type FAN - Figurine
    Popular Collections N/A
    Popular Series N/A
    Hardcover? N/A
    Foreign Language? N/A
    Book Edition N/A

    Related Products

    • C.O.O.L. Chess Catalog Code: B0064BT
      The sequel to H.O.T. Chess. Grandmaster Motwani continues to explain his easy-to-use approach to chess thinking, and shows how Creative Original Opening Lines can bring astonishing over-the-board success. The many brilliant games in this book includes victories by Motwani over some of the world's leading players, whom he has outwitted in the early stages of the game.

      C.O.O.L. Chess

      Our Price: $3.95
    • H.O.T. Chess
      Secrets from Scotland to Unlock Your Highly Original Thinking Catalog Code: B0071BT
      The H.O.T. stands for Highly Original Thinking. The author's ideas extend beyond the situation on the board. He maximizes your strengths and exploits your opponent's weaknesses.

      H.O.T. Chess

      Our Price: $9.95

    What Our Customers Are Saying About The House Of Staunton


text:
Additions & Renovations
Interior living area with timber frame beams exposed

Timber Frame Barn Home Addition

A busy professional couple approached us initially to design and build a garden shed. The conversation quickly turned to their desire for a cozy family gathering room, a studio and workshop. They ultimately decided to build a Maquoit Signature Barn with a 6 x 8 connector to their existing home. The finished result is a warm, richly stained pine timber-frame structure paired with classic casual furnishings that invite a relaxed atmosphere in the main living area.

The loft naturally became a guest bedroom and studio and the full daylight basement beneath the barn home addition serves as a woodworking space with a connection created throught the original foundation. The barn home addition has sweeping views of the surrounding fields and gardens and adds warmth and character to the property.


text:
Ben Folds Five Returns: An Essential Playlist

Ben Folds solo in 2010 at the House Of Blues
Ben Folds solo in 2010 at the House Of Blues
Photo By Groovehouse

The eight-year run of '90s indie act the Ben Folds Five was fruitful in many ways. We got the most catchy song about a Christmas abortion ever in 1997's "Brick", three excellent studio albums full of snarky, romantically-challenged piano-based indie-rock, and we were introduced to one of the best songwriters of the past two decades in lead singer Ben Folds.

(So let's tally it up. So far in 2012 we will see reunions from At The Drive-In, Refused, Stone Roses, The Promise Ring, Black Sabbath, and maybe -- just maybe -- another turn from Jawbreaker. Oh, and maybe the Spice Girls.)

A Folds solo career would come after the BF5 splintered in 2000, with singles like "Rockin' The Suburbs" and "You Don't Know Me" (with help from Regina Spektor), plus a handful of albums full of grand, quirky power-pop. Folds acid tongue just grew sharper in the '00s, as the musician aged into a loveable curmudgeon. A sort of slack-ass Randy Newman for Generation Y.

Last week, the BF5 finally made their reunion plans public and Folds posted a picture to Twitter of himself, bassist Robert Sledge, and drummer Darren Jessee in full-tilt boogie in a studio, cooking up a spring album.

All told, BF5's three studio efforts -- a self-titled 1995 album, 1997's sorta-smash Whatever And Ever Amen, and 1999's weighty and underrated The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner -- were charming, semi-flawless affairs full of Folds' emotional, bombastic lyrical beat-downs of former flames, jocks, and parental units.

The group reunited for a one-off charity event in 2008, and last year they recorded three songs for Folds' own career retrospective, The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective, which hit stores last fall, telegraphing this reunion. Folds himself was here in Houston back in May 2010 for a House Of Blues gig.

Over the years since the band's breakup in 2000, the legend of the BF5 only grew and grew, as Folds reeled in new fans through his more commercial solo work, which wasn't nearly as coarse as BF5.

The second single off Whatever, "Brick", was a fluke hit on MTV and radio, though Folds was uncomfortable with such a personal song getting so much airplay. Folds thought it weird to be put into a live set, considering the song's somber tone compared to songs about being dumped and getting stoned.

The rest of the album remains solid to this day. "One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn Faces", "Song For The Dumped", and "Battle of Who Could Care Less" were great pop chestnuts, fitting snugly into the time after grunge and before nu-metal.

Oh, you need to know more about the Ben Folds Five? Of course I made a mix-tape for you to browse. Of particular note is "Best Imitation Of Myself" from their 1995 debut, for it's perfect encapsulation of everything I loved, and currently love, about the BF5.

Sponsor Content

All-access pass to top stories, events and offers around town.

Sign Up >

No Thanks!

Remind Me Later >


text:
Get Over It: Five Rocker Muses Who Totally Suck

Sting, we need to have a talk about this Roxanne.
Sting, we need to have a talk about this Roxanne.
Photo by Jason Wolter

We've all been there: with a crush so big and bad that it completely muddies your ability to think clearly and infects your brain like an earwig, in love with someone who realistically is kind of a crapbag, pining after someone who, plainly, just sucks. We all know that this thick veil of fantasy can be very difficult to lift. The worst is watching a friend go through this.

How can one compassionately shake the sense into someone? How can you sensitively tell a friend, "Dude, she sucks, get over it?" Sometimes the truth hurts, but we need to hear it. Look guys, it's time to hang it up on these girls and move on. There are plenty other rock chicks in the rock sea. These girls SUCK.

5. Beth from "Beth," KISS Beth is a spineless a-hole. You call her and say it will be a few hours, and it turns into the whole night, and all she does is mutter some crap about feeling alone? Beth isn't really going to stand up for herself. At first you might think, "Sweet! I can walk all over Beth, and it's cool!"

But let me tell you what is going to happen: While you and the boys are finding the sound, Beth is finding someone else to sleep with. Beth is sooooo cheating on you, KISS. Time to find a girl with a little backbone.

Besides, you don't even really dig Beth, KISS. If you did, you'd go home. Instead, you and your adult male friends are playing with makeup. Looks like you've got a lot to think about, KISS.

Get Over It: Five Rocker Muses Who Totally Suck

4. Sharona from "My Sharona," The Knack Sharona is a real tease. I'm not saying girls ever have an obligation to "give it up," because, well, that is insane and irresponsible. What I am saying is that you should never have to beg anyone to do anything as much as you are trying to beg Sharona to give you a piece.

It not only degrades her, but it really degrades you, The Knack. She is obviously getting some sweet satisfaction out of stringing you along. This is clearly just a game in your mind, The Knack. Also, just how old is she? You might enjoy the touch of the "younger kind," but that can get you into some real trouble. Before you beg the next one, better ask for some ID.

3. Roxanne from "Roxanne," The Police Listen, The Police. Talk to my friends in The Knack and ask them what I said about begging. Let me make this clear: you are begging a girl to stop hooking. This is not something any self-respecting person should ever have to do.

Look, I'm sure Roxanne is very attractive and likely highly skilled in the ways of lovemaking, given all the on-the-job training. But really? I'm sure you can find a girl who is just as skanky behind closed doors that doesn't get paid for it.

And also, The Police, where are you going to take her out even if you get the chance? It sounds like she has poor fashion sense and wears really whorey makeup. Can you bring her home to meet the parents like that? Unless they really love Kelly Bundy, they aren't gonna go for it.

Get Over It: Five Rocker Muses Who Totally Suck

2. Jessie's Girl from "Jesse's Girl," Rick Springfield Look, Rick Springfield. You are in a bad way with this chick. You are so caught up in your fantasy about her, you can't see the clear signs why she is no good. First of all, you haven't even taken the time to learn her name, and it seems like she's been dating your friend for a while. What's up with that?

Secondly, she has a terrible sense of humor and doesn't appreciate a smooth guy like you. How is it that you have been funny and cool with the lines, and she still blows you off? You should lay the mack on someone else. I'm betting you get different results.

Lastly, and most importantly, she baby-talks. That is the most abysmal trait ever! You claim you want a "woman like that," Rick? A real woman doesn't "talk cute." You know, because she is an adult. I'm guessing Jessie's girl has some serious issues you don't want to uncover.

Get Over It: Five Rocker Muses Who Totally Suck

1 Diane from "Jack and Diane," John Cougar Mellencamp Diane is the absolute worst. She is a shiftless loser with absolutely no aspirations or goals of her own. Seriously, Jack. You want to be a football star? Hey, it's a big dream, but if you work really hard at it, maybe it could happen. You could at least end up playing D1 in college if you are pretty good.

But Diane? What's her big dream? To sit in the back seat of your car. Really? What the hell is that? Where I come from, we used to call girls like her "jersey chasers." It's called ambition, Diane. Look, you don't have to dream of being the next Meryl Streep or Madonna or whatever, but shit. Maybe you could go to school to be an RN or a teacher, or something!

Jack, Diane will suck the life out of you. And when you tear your ACL and can't play anymore, she's out the door. Jack, you can do so much better.

Sponsor Content

All-access pass to top stories, events and offers around town.

Sign Up >

No Thanks!

Remind Me Later >


text:
How-To Geek

Have Fun Typing Like a Hacker with Hacker Typer [Geek Fun]

Are you looking for a quick bit of good fun to “impress” your less computer-savvy family and friends with? Then you need Hacker Typer. Hacker Typer lets you produce awesome looking “1337 code” with just a few keystrokes.

When you visit Hacker Typer you can select how your screen will appear and set the typing speed using the options available on the start screen. Click on Hack when you are ready to begin.

Once you have clicked through you get a fresh, clean screen and a blinking cursor to start with. Just begin typing with any combination of keys or hold down a single key such as the Spacebar and watch the hacker code pour forth!

Here is what it looked like in full screen mode on our system. This could be a lot of fun to have displayed on that second monitor!

UPDATE: The link has now been updated to reflect the change in address for the website.

Hacker Typer Homepage [via BoingBoing]

Akemi Iwaya (Asian Angel) is our very own Firefox Fangirl who enjoys working with multiple browsers and loves 'old school' role-playing games. Visit her on Twitter and .

  • Published 04/28/11

Comments (20)

  1. John

    Anyone know of any screensavers like this, but not like the Matrix Code screensavers? Multiple monitor support preferable.

  2. Luke Rogerson

    It just shows a load of ads for me. Strange. Maybe the server got overwhelmed and he had to divert somewhere else?

  3. trm96

    This is kinda cool… I think your link is wrong, it should be as in your screenshot.

  4. Van Dame

    It has since been moved to

  5. Ryan

    Dead link

  6. Ryan

    It’s moved…..

  7. Emir

    dead link… it was hacked

  8. Emir
  9. Bhoss

    Dead link….anyone find out the real DL site?

  10. tjX

    Look at the screens…

  11. Lemar
  12. AsianAngel

    @Richard – Either manually hold down any key or use something to weigh a key down…it will go on and on and on. ^_^

  13. AsianAngel

    @Everyone – I have updated the link above. ^_^ I am guessing that the heavy traffic the website was getting yesterday and today “encouraged” them to make some changes. >_>

  14. HKB

    Perfect Scare on April fools!
    Thank you for sharing!

  15. AsianAngel

    @HKB – Not a problem…this was just too much of a fun thing not to write up. ^_^

  16. Hayden

    Ah, the wonderful complexity of C. I wonder what would happen if someone actually compiled this…

  17. chins

    awesome C.. im gonna compile dis code …

  18. Ktown

    Awesome ;-O

  19. Cooler

    Super Kool! Perfect way to freak out my coworkers lol

  20. Cowboy

    This is an awesome site. I work IT for a major restaurant chain and when I go down into the stores via logmein and see employee’s using computers for personal reasons (facebook, craiglist, etc) I quickly take control of the url bar and paste in and hold down the enter key… pretty funny to see how they frantically start trying to close windows and such…. so much easy fun…

Enter Your Email Here to Get Access for Free:

Go check your email!


text:
Getting your refund and paying for tax preparation is easy.

Find an office near you

Most taxpayers-- over 80 percent-- file their taxes electronically, according to the Internal Revenue Service. Since electronic filing was introduced in 1990, the IRS has processed over one billion individual tax returns. Considering the increasing number of online identity theft cases, some taxpayers might be a little hesitant about going with this option. Here's why you should e-file:

Unlike paper, sophisticated filing software provides guidelines and instant feedback on your tax return. An incomplete tax return or one containing errors will take longer to process, which is an added risk for paper filing.

Because of the widespread anxiety over digital identity theft, the IRS only authorizes tax preparers and software companies that meet their high standards for security and efficiency to e-file. Before committing to a certain company, make sure to check if it's included on the IRS authorized list.

Whether you're paying or being paid, everyone wants to be done with taxes as quickly as possible. E-filed tax returns typically have faster refunds than paper returns. According to the IRS, most refunds are issued within 21 days after the return is processed. Paper returns tend to take longer to process so IRS advises to check the status of your refund 6 weeks after mailing. If you want your return to come extra speedily, choose direct deposit when you designate payment preferences too.

Filing a tax return online is presented as an "easy" way to do your taxes. In reality, there are some valid concerns that should come along with filing such an important document without a tax professional. Our trained experts at H&R Block are well-equipped and readily-available for advice, recommendations, and even just assurances for anyone who might not be fully comfortable with this high-tech process.

Pay Nothing Out Of Pocket

Pay fees from your refund with our Federal Refund Anticipation Check.119

See How
Learn More - Refund Anticipation Check

W-2 Early Access

Get a jump on your taxes with W-2 Early Access.

Learn More
Learn More - W-2 Early Access

Need Live Support? 1-800-HRBLOCK (1-800-472-5625) or Find An Office


text:
HRC Blog

HRC Reps at Creating Change

Jose Antonio Vargas SpeakingPost by Rohmteen Mokhtari, Former HRC Coordinator, Family Project

Last week I was fortunate enough to attend the 25th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change in Atlanta (aka HOTlanta). Organized by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the conference brings together a diverse group of over 3,000 attendees all committed to advancing social justice.

This year, as in years past, I was inspired by the power of the gathering’s affirming and inclusive space. For many in the community who’ve faced the silencing effects of judgment and rejection on a daily basis, spending three days in such a supportive and open environment can be life-changing.

The conference had many memorable moments. My favorites include:

  • Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Jose Antonio Vargas sharing his own journey coming out as a gay undocumented American and calling for comprehensive immigration reform
  • Members of the Queer Muslim community announcing the formation of a new national organization, the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity
  • Deepak Bhargava of the Center for Community Change speaking of the importance of standing with all marginalized communities fighting for social justice
  • Bishop V. Gene Robinson speaking movingly of the inevitability of justice for the LGBT community and the important role of faith communities in the movement
  • Office Depot’s EVP of Global Human Resources recounting the incredible story of how his company went from a 43 to a 100 on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index

HRC was represented at Creating Change by a dozen staff as well as volunteers from the Atlanta Steering Committee. Staff presented sessions on inclusive schools, religion and faith, federal advocacy, and health and aging.

We’d like to send a big thank you to everyone who stopped by the HRC table to say hello.

See yall in Houston next year!

comments powered by Disqus


text:
FIND HRTV In Your Area   About HRTV   SHOWS   Facebook     Twitter     Instagram

Browse By
Video Search
You are viewing: All videos
  • Play
    RACE REPLAY: 2015 Bing Crosby Stakes
  • Play
    What's It Like to Ride American Pharoah?
  • Play
    RACE REPLAY: 2015 San Diego Handicap
  • Play
    HRTV Extra Bonus Coverage Returns Sunday
  • Play
    Go For a Ride on Masochistic
  • Play
    Behind the Scenes with Masochistic
  • Play
    Bayern Returns in the San Diego Handicap
  • Play
    Marathoners Assemble in Cougar II
 -  of

The Horizon First Light: Competitive Edge

Sunday, Aug 03 2014

(not rated)
Brad Free takes a deeper look into the developing career of the Todd Pletcher-trained Competitive Edge.
For more from The Horizon, click here!

Rate this Video:

2000 characters left

No comments have been posted to this Video

Follow HRTV

Join friends of HRTV in the social world and share updates, opinions and news!

Web site design and development by
©2012 HRTV. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Nantucket Fever

Nantucket Fever: Entomologist Andy Spielman's Search for the Creeping Carrier of Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis and Lyme Disease

by Peter Wehrwein

Andy Spielman admits he was not the obvious candidate for the job. An entomologist and a member of the school's prestigious tropical public health department for 14 years, he had built his career primarily on mosquito research. Babesiosis, it was well known, was spread by ticks.

To the casual bug avoider, the difference between insect and arthropod might seem slight, but scientifically speaking they are worlds apart. But when Spielman's friend, George Healy, a researcher at the Centers for Disease Control, helped diagnose a second case of human babesiosis on Nantucket in 1973, Spielman was intrigued. Although a handful of human cases had been reported worldwide, babesiosis was known, for the most part, as an animal disease. Here was a chance to tackle a problem that was scientifically enticing and perhaps of major public health significance.
Over the next several years, Spielman would throw off conventional wisdom and become one of the world's foremost authorities on tick-borne diseases and the environmental forces that shape them. His research solved the puzzle of babesiosis on Nantucket. He identified a new species of tick, Ixodes dammini, which is responsible not only for the emergence of babesiosis in the United States, but for a whole new group of tick-borne diseases, the best known of which is Lyme disease. Sam Telford III, a young colleague in Spielman's lab, identified a third tick-borne pathogen three years ago and has a paper in the works that will finger a fourth. And Telford and Spielman have recently played a key role in the preliminary testing of a Lyme disease vaccine. Yet Spielman says to marvel at how chance favored a Harvard mosquito expert with such a productive career as a tick researcher is to misunderstand his particular brand of research and perhaps public health research more generally.

"I am not a mosquito specialist. I am not a tick specialist. I am a transmission specialist," says Spielman. "I am interested in the etiology and mode of transmission of vector-borne infections. That is what public health entomology is all about."

Dr. Andrew Spielman

Looking back now, Spielman says with a broad smile and laugh that "God, I had no idea what I was doing" as he boarded the ferry for Nantucket one chilly morning in the fall of 1973 for the first of many times. But actually, Spielman did know a good deal. For starters, because of Healy's brilliant diagnostic skills, he knew he was dealing with a protozoan called Babesia, a blobby, single-celled parasite that comes in 70 or so different varieties. It was no coincidence that the Nantucket index case was initially misdiagnosed as malaria. The periodic shaking chills and drenching sweats of malaria are very much the same as in babesiosis. And the underlying parasites of the two diseases have the same nasty habit of destroying red blood cells. But unlike malaria, babesiosis had been known mainly as a disease of animals, primarily cattle. In fact, almost a century earlier, legendary Harvard researcher Theobald Smith had made the watershed discovery that a protozoan (now known as Babesia bigemina) could cause disease in a warm-blooded animal and be spread by an arthropod (the Boophilus cattle tick) while investigating a cattle disease in Texas. [Smith was a faculty member for about 20 years in the Comparative Pathology Department at Harvard Medical School, which later divided into HSPH's Department of Tropical Public Health and the medical school's Department of Pathology.] Because of Smith's discoveries, and other work that followed, Spielman could be reasonably sure that a tick was the culprit behind Babesia on Nantucket.

Another important piece of historical evidence that Spielman had in mind as the ferry churned across Nantucket Sound was that the ticks would probably have a hearty appetite for rodent blood. In 1938, Ernest Tyzzer, who succeeded Smith as Harvard's George Fabyan Professor of Comparative Pathology, published a rather obscure paper in Parasitology that mentions a Babesia infection of voles (a mouse-like creature) on Martha's Vineyard, an island near Nantucket and another treasured vacation spot. Moreover, his detailed drawings showed that the kind of Babesia that Tyzzer found in the voles on Martha's Vineyard looked to be very similar to the Babesia making people sick on Nantucket. Tyzzer was something of a misanthrope, according to Spielman, but his quirky personality paid scientific dividends as he pursued an interest in animal diseases. Spielman says he knew about Tyzzer's paper "from way back." "There was a collection of old departmental papers and reprints in our lunchroom at that time," he explains. "While I was in there having lunch, if there was nobody else around, I would look at those old papers just out of curiosity." So from Smith, Spielman knew he would be dealing with ticks. From Tyzzer, he had the clue that rodents would be involved.

Spielman headed out to Nantucket not only with mouse traps, but with bulky raccoon traps that he had cadged from Massachusetts's eastern equine encephalitis research station. His research assistants were not seasoned field biologists but a slightly jittery Vietnam veteran (Spielman thinks he may have been suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome) and his girlfriend. On the island, the trio depended on bicycles for transportation, and when they rode down Nantucket's cobblestone streets, the raccoon traps tied to the backs of their bikes came tumbling down. And somehow Spielman had gotten confused about their destination. It was the UMass biological field station they were looking for, not the Max Planck field station. "We had no idea what we were doing!" Spielman says once again, for emphasis.

But Spielman was finding that the Nantucket voles were largely Babesia free. Instead, it was the red blood cells of the white-footed mice that were choked with Babesia. That mice, not voles, turned out to be the reservoirs for Nantucket fever was a lucky break for Spielman. The maintenance and mowing schedule of the UMass field station had inadvertently created the "edge" habitat ideal for mice. Ecologically, edge is the boundary area between two habitats, which in this case were meadow and brushy, covered terrain.

Homing in on the white-footed mouse put Spielman on the path to his crowning achievement, identification of the Ixodes dammini tick as the vector of Nantucket fever. When he returned to Nantucket the next year he began looking for the Babesia-carrying creatures in earnest. At this point, if Spielman had paid too much attention to what other experts were saying, he might have missed out on the discovery. Partly because the kind of Ixodes ticks he was seeing on Nantucket had not been previously observed north of Georgia, Spielman was told that the ubiquitous Dermacentor variabilis, or dog tick, was probably spreading Nantucket fever. Dog ticks also made sense because Rocky Mountain spotted fever was on the rise at that time on the East Coast, and dog ticks spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Spielman recalls talking to one Massachusetts tick expert early in his investigation: "He kept rattling on about how obvious it was, that it wasn't interesting, that it is the dog tick and that is all you need to know." A group at Ohio State even went as far as to publish a paper (later retracted) that identified the dog tick as the Nantucket fever vector.

Yet Spielman kept on seeing the speck-sized deer ticks, not dog ticks. And where he saw them was especially interesting: on the skin of white-footed mice. Plucking the ticks off by hand, Spielman counted roughly 19 deer ticks for every dog tick on the mice. That ratio was reversed when it came to the voles. Because vole blood was hardly ever infected with Babesia, and mouse blood was, it didn't make sense that the dog tick, which favored voles, was the vector. No, thought Spielman, the Ixodes ticks found on white-footed mice had to be what was spreading babesiosis on Nantucket.

deer tick, photo by Andrew Spielman

For a century, the standard of proof for causation in infectious disease research has been fulfillment of Robert Koch's famous postulates. First, isolate the organism from an infected animal. Second, reinfect another animal with that organism. And third, recover the original organism from the animal just infected. If Spielman was to nail down the case against the deer ticks, it would mean leaving the lovely Nantucket field station and getting down to work in the lab.

Using Babesia isolated from a human patient, Spielman infected a hamster with the protozoan. Immature lab-reared deer ticks feasted on the infected hamster. Once they were sated and presumably loaded with carrying Babesia, Spielman set the ticks loose on 11 non-infected hamsters. Spielman waited three weeks and then drew blood from the hamsters. Ten of them were infected with Babesia. Koch himself would have approved.

The work was described in November 1976 in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. In that paper and others, Spielman identified the culpable tick as Ixodes scapularis, a variety of tick that had been identified way back in 1805. Three years later, Spielman officially proclaimed the Nantucket tick a new variety of arthropod, naming it Ixodes dammini after Gustave Dammin, a prominent pathologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Naming a disease-spreading tick for someone might seem like a dubious honor, but ever since Carl Linnaeus set up the current taxonomic classification system in the 18th century, naming a new species for someone has been a way for biologists to immortalize themselves, mentors, or loved ones. Spielman chose to honor Dammin because he had helped him with his research and was a property owner on Nantucket (Dammin's wife came from one of Nantucket's most prominent families). Spielman built his case for I. dammini being a separate species from I. scapularis on the observations that the two ticks had very distinct ranges (I. dammini in the Northeast, I. scapularis in the South) and that I. dammini was morphologically different, especially at the nymphal stage. He also marshaled DNA evidence to make his case.

Since then, Spielman has been fighting a protracted, but probably losing, battle for I. dammini's identity as a separate species. Siding with researchers in Georgia, the editors of the Journal of Medical Entomology have officially ruled that, taxonomically speaking, Ixodes dammini is no different from Ixodes scapularis and therefore the two species should be "synonymized" under the Ixodes scapularis name. Spielman disagrees. Aside from any pride and politics (Lyme disease research has become highly politicized in recent years) Spielman says maintaining I. dammini's separate identity is key to understanding the ecology and epidemiology of tick-borne diseases. Southerners don't get Lyme disease. And it is immediately clear why that is so, says Spielman, if you understand that the South doesn't have the I. dammini tick that spreads the disease.

One hundred and twenty miles west of Nantucket, in Lyme, Connecticut, just a couple of years after the outbreak of babesiosis, Anne Mensch and Polly Murray were seeing an equally odd, but more alarming, outbreak of disease in their community. The disease was arthritis, and the victims were young children. By 1975, Mensch and Murray had gotten a young rheumatologist at Yale named Allen Steere involved. Steere says he and his colleagues saw the hallmarks of arthropod-transmitted disease nearly from the beginning of his investigation into Lyme arthritis, later named Lyme disease: the cases clustered in a rural area, the hit-and-miss pattern, and symptoms generally showing up in summer and fall when arthropods are most active. In fact, one of Steere's brilliant strokes was to focus his epidemiologic investigation not on arthritis, which turned out to be one of the many symptoms of Lyme disease, but on patients' recollections of an unusual reddish, bull's-eye-shaped rash. As it turned out, this condition was reminiscent of erythema migrans, an obscure skin condition seen in Europe that was known to be  caused by a tick bite. In the summer of 1977, one of Steere's subjects saved a tiny tick that had recently bitten him. Yale researchers identified it as an Ixodes dammini tick, the same kind of creature Spielman identified on Nantucket. The connection between Lyme disease and babesiosis had been made. It would be, however, another five years before Willy Burgdorfer, a researcher at the National Institute of Health's Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, identified exactly what the ticks were spreading that was causing Lyme disease: a squiggly bacterium, or spirochete, that has since been named Borrelia burgdorferi.

In November, 1994, a 68-year-old woman came to the Nantucket Cottage Hospital after five days of fever, mental confusion, and headache. Initially, doctors thought she might be another victim of babesiosis or Lyme disease or both. The woman recalled having been bitten by a tick five days before getting sick. But blood tests showed no sign of either Borrelia burgdorferi or Babesia microti. It was Telford, again drawing on Tyzzer's 1938 Parasitology paper as a reference, who figured out that the woman was infected with third pathogen, Ehrlichia bacteria. Thus, a third disease, human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), was added to the roster of ills wrought by deer ticks. Now Telford has identified a fourth pathogen, this time a virus, lurking in the guts of deer ticks. So far, he has only isolated it in ticks, and deer tick virus (as Telford is calling it) has not yet been linked to any human disease.

Lyme disease is by far the most common of the deer tick diseases with about 15,000 cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year, according to David T. Dennis, MPH '74, the coordinator of the CDC's Lyme disease program. Those cases were concentrated in 80 counties in 8 states--Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Annual babesiosis and HGE cases number less than 100, though lack of reporting and missed diagnosis seriously undermine the reliability of the statistics on all the tick-borne  diseases. Though culling the deer herd has worked on an experimental basis in island situations, Dennis says in most situations controlling deer and mouse populations is not a feasible way of controlling Lyme disease. Because most people get bitten by deer ticks near their homes, simple things like clearing away leaves can help control the disease by making backyards less accommodating to mice. Dennis said one of the most exciting experiments in tick control involves deer feeding stations designed so that when the deer eat, they rub up against some material soaked with insecticide that kills the ticks but doesn't harm the deer. Spielman tested a similar system for mice.

Meanwhile, SmithKline Beecham and Connaught are pushing ahead with development of a Lyme disease vaccine. Spielman led the Phase II testing of the SmithKline Beecham vaccine among residents of Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Block Island. Steere is the investigator in charge of the larger Phase III trials. "This is a disease that is likely to be conquered, but we are not exactly there yet," says Steere. Dennis and other public health officials are wary, however, about the eventual marketing of a vaccine. "Selectively used, it could be attractive," he says. "But without good education, there could be a huge demand for this kind of protection when the cost may exceed the real benefit."

Photo by Richard Chase

NEXT ARTICLE: Front & Center


text:
You and I can prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections

This year's Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)/Condom Week (12 - 18 February 2006) theme is - Just the two of us can prevent STIs - which aims to inspire individuals to seek STI treatment before they infect or re-infect their sexual partners.

Flu Vaccine Could Have Far Reach Under Best Circumstances

GENEVA, Nov. 8 -- Data presented on Tuesday at an international conference on bird flu indicate that drug manufacturers could produce enough influenza vaccine starting sometime in 2008 to protect between a quarter and half the world's population over the course of a year, should a new and dangerous strain of flu virus emerge.

New body to examine SA's food safety

A new initiative by the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) will improve food safety standards of the whole food supply chain, to the benefit not only of the food industry, but also of South African consumers according to the CGCSA's Michael Broughton.

Create a culture of vaccination

One precaution South Africans can take in the advent of an expected influenza strain evolving from Southeast Asia's avian flu is to have routine vaccinations. Professor Barry Schoub, the executive director of the National Institute for Communicative Diseases, and Dr Andrew Jamieson of the SAA-Netcare Travel Clinic, said today that developing a culture of being vaccinated would help progress the logistical framework within which influenza vaccines would be provided to South Africa in the event of a pandemic.

Masters in Medical Science and Postgraduate Diploma Occupational and Environmental Health

This programme is intended to provide graduates with the knowledge, skills and competence in the fields of occupational and environmental health. The course will provide health professionals with the skills necessary to render effective, ethical and quality occupational and environmental health services in the private, public and academic sectors.

An Evaluation of a modified school vision screening programme

A modified school vision screening programme (MSVSP) developed for use by school health nurses was evaluated. The procedure was the comprehensive vision screening programme which is based on the modified clinical technique originally used in the Orinda study.

Dirty Needles Misjudged in AIDS in Africa

The World Health Organization's long-held position that dirty needles cause 2.5 percent of African HIV exposures is too conservative, says a leading researcher at the U.N. agency, prompting questions about a congressional bill focused mainly on unsafe sex. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has launched a review of all research linking AIDS and medical injections, possibly laying the groundwork for changes in how the legislation's $15 billion in funding is distributed. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., a member of the Senate's health panel, requested the review after he turned up a WHO report listing four separate studies that find dirty needles responsible for 8, 15, 41 and 45 percent of exposures in sub-Saharan Africa. The report, dated Dec. 19, 2002, concludes that the lowest attributable fraction calculated on the basis of the data provided by the authors (8 percent) exceeds our 2.5 percent modeled attributable fraction, suggesting that our estimate is conservative. Yvan Hutin, a WHO researcher who wrote the report, acknowledged the 2.5 percent number was probably low, although just how low remains a point of debate. Regardless, he said, it would be wise to consider an education campaign on unsafe needles, perceived by many as an easier and cheaper problem to correct than unsafe sex. If this information was available when Congress was balancing the spending priorities in the AIDS bill, which President Bush signed last month, Congress would have poured far more money into needle education and possibly even a clean-needle exchange program. But some at WHO say cost isn't the only issue. Because it is widely believed that sex is more responsible for AIDS than needles, they contend the message would be diluted if needle and sex education were given equal weight. That position outrages Sessions, who suspects it's the reason WHO continues to tout an estimate its researchers acknowledge is low. A major part of the AIDS bill could be rerouted if new research about injections surfaces, Sessions said. But HHS officials aren't saying how likely that is, or even when the study is expected to be finished. Sessions' interest in the connection between AIDS and injections was heightened in March after he invited Dr. David Gisselquist to testify to the Senate. After reviewing some 19 years of research, Gisselquist concluded that at least one-third of AIDS exposures in sub-Saharan Africa are due to contaminated needles in medical treatment. Gisselquist contends that because WHO's focus has been on unsafe sex for so long, it's deliberately overlooking good research like his. But although Hutin now doubts the 2.5 percent number, he says Gisselquist's estimate is inflated. Similar concerns are raised by Gary Cohen, president of BD Medical Systems, a New Jersey-based company that makes disposable syringes that permanently lock after they're used once. The syringes cost about 6 cents each, he said. For $75 million to $100 million a year, Cohen said, all of Africa could be supplied with the safe syringes. He contends that a needle distribution program is the most effective way to combat the problem because many people in Africa don't have the option to demand clean needles. Source: (The Pop Reporter 9 June, 2003).

IHRG requires an HIVAIDS education and training facilitator

The Industrial Health Research Group requires an HIV/AIDS education and training facilitator with working experience of the public health sector. To apply, please send your CV and a letter of application summarising how you believe your knowledge and experience meet the criteria for this position. Include the names, and contact details of two referees. Submit, to:The Director, Industrial Health Research Group,Protem 1, Lower Campus, UCT.Phone: 021 6503508, Fax: 021 6855209 e-mail: Closing date for applications 18th November, 2002

Mining diseases unacceptably high

The burden of disease resulting from working in mines is unacceptably high in South Africa, Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Tuesday. Speaking in the National Assembly during debate on the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Amendment Bill, she said about 25 000 compensation applications were made each year for occupational lung diseases resulting from working in mines. In the past, occupational health has often been neglected, and yet the fact remains that globally over one million workers die from work-related diseases and injuries, and there are over 160-million cases of work-related diseases annually. The amendments in the bill might appear to be minor, but had far-reaching implications, as they will unblock some of the problems experienced thus far, she said. Among other things, the bill extended the length of time during which an ex-miner could apply to be medically examined from six to 24 months. Tshabalala-Msimang said one of the most important provisions in the bill was one that limited commission for agents who assisted mineworkers in accessing compensation. A fee of not more than half a percent of the benefit paid to the sick worker could be charged, and the bill made it an offence to charge more. The measure received the support of all sides of the House, and will now go to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence.(Source:SAPA, 22 October 2002)


text:
B.C. Terrorism Plot: Charges In 'Al-Qaeda' Type Plan, RCMP Say

Posted: Updated:

VANCOUVER - RCMP say they have foiled a domestic terror attack hatched by two Canadian citizens, driven by an "al-Qaida ideology" to blow up the British Columbia legislature during Canada Day celebrations.

The force was informed of the alleged plot in February by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and a five-month investigation culminated with the arrests of two people in Abbotsford, B.C., on Monday, RCMP announced on Tuesday.

"This self-radicalized behaviour was intended to cause maximum impact and harm to Canadian citizens at the B.C. legislature on a national holiday," Assistant Commissioner Wayne Rideout said at a news conference in Surrey, B.C.

"They took steps to educate themselves and produce explosive devices designed to cause injury and death.

"The suspects were committed to acts of violence and discussed a wide variety of targets and techniques."

John Stuart Nuttall, 38, and Amanda Marie Korody, born in 1983, appeared in court Tuesday morning in Surrey, and were charged with three counts each: knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity, making or possessing an explosive device, and conspiracy to place an explosive device with the intent to cause death or injury.

RCMP released photos of what they said were the home-made bombs contained in pressure cookers, that police say are similar to a pair of bombs that killed three people and injured more than 260 during the Boston Marathon two months ago. The RCMP categorically ruled out any links to the Boston bombings.

"Our investigation revealed that these individuals were inspired by al-Qaida ideology but there is no evidence to indicate that these individuals had the support or were acting at the direction of a terrorist group, per se," said Assistant Commissioner James Malizia.

The RCMP revealed little about the suspects and their background or what may have motivated the alleged conspiracy, other than repeatedly saying the plot was linked to an "al-Qaida ideology."

When asked whether the alleged plot had a religious motive or was instead driven by something else, Malizia was vague.

"In this case here, the ideology had to do with a criminal act, wanting to pursue criminal acts on behalf of an organization that they believed in, and that organization and the ideology behind that organization as you know it is the al-Qaida ideology," he said.

However, the couple's Surrey landlord questioned where they might have acquired the money for the alleged plot. She said while they paid their rent on time, the couple lived in poverty and on social assistance, didn't have a car or bike and wore "torn clothes," noting that sometimes Korody dressed in what she believed was a burka.

The landlady said the couple even had to borrow money from her, on one occasion as little as $20.

"It is general knowledge, if you don't have anything, you know, how can you buy all these things and bring them it to Victoria and come back, you know," she asked.

The landlady even called Nuttall a polite person who was never harsh with anybody in her family.

Tom Morino, a lawyer who has represented Nuttall in the past, said he received a call from RCMP and spoke to him for about a half an hour from the lock-up on Monday evening. He also spoke to Korody for about 15 minutes.

Morino said he had not received any information from police about the case, but he said he will be involved, though he said he cannot represent both the accused.

Morino said he represented Nuttall previously. In 2002, Nuttall pleaded guilty to a robbery charge in Victoria and was sentenced to an 18-month conditional sentence.

A March 2003 story about the case in the Victoria Times-Colonist said drug addiction fuelled a criminal record that already included previous convictions for robbery, kidnapping and aggravated assault.

Court records for both John Stuart Nuttall and John Stewart Nuttall — an alternate spelling also used on the indictment filed Tuesday — also list convictions for dangerous possession of a weapon, mischief and multiple convictions for assault.

Morino said in 2002 that Nuttall was under the influence of cocaine and didn't remember much of what happened. He told the court then that Nuttall had entered a methadone treatment program and appeared to have turned his life around and was doing "remarkably well."

On Tuesday, Morino urged the public — and police — not to jump to conclusions about the two accused.

"We have to be careful about the hyperbole and use of these kind of descriptions of al-Qaida and such," he said, suggesting RCMP may have "self-serving reasons" for using such language about the alleged crime.

The RCMP said the force has been following the suspects' activities for months and said investigators ensured the alleged bombs were harmless. They offered few details of the five-month Project Souvenir, which involved the national Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, but did say that the investigation involved covert activities.

At no time during the investigation was public security at risk, Malizia said. The devices shown in the photographs were inert, and posed no public threat, police said.

Several leading members of B.C.'s Muslim community were shocked at the alleged home-grown plot.

"These names don't ring a bell at all. They're not even Muslim names," said Adam Buksh, president of Surrey's Jamia Mosque, in the city where police say both Nuttall and Korody were living.

Buksh said members of his mosque and the B.C. Muslim Association do not condone radicalism.

"In my mosque, if I see any kind of things like that happening ... I will stop them in their tracks and report them to the authorities," he said. "We are law-abiding."

David Ali, spokesman for the B.C. Muslim Association, was doubtful the two suspects were part of any mosque.

"I don't think we expect anything of that sort in B.C., and people are very vigilant," he said.

After the Boston Marathon bombings, Buksh said members of the RCMP expressed some concern about a backlash against Muslims but no such thing materialized, Buksh said. Both men hoped the same will hold true for the alleged domestic plot.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark said she was profoundly shocked by news of the arrests.

"But let me say this to those who resort to terror: You will not succeed," Clark told reporters at the legislature in Victoria.

"You will not succeed in damaging our democratic institutions. Just as importantly, you will not succeed in tearing down the values that make this country strong."

Federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews applauded the work of the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation.

"Yesterday's arrests demonstrate that terrorism continues to be a real threat to Canada," Toews said in a statement.

"The RCMP has assured me that at no time during the course of this investigation was there an imminent risk to the safety of Canadians.

Earlier on HuffPost:

B.C. Terror Suspects
Share this
Current Slide

Suggest a correction

Around the Web

RCMP makes several arrests in possible BC terrorism plot

Canada to announce terrorism charges after BC arrests

Terrorism charges to be announced by Mounties in BC

Feds call for vigilance, 28 years after Air India bombing


text:
Daniel Baylis Headshot

The Future of Business is a Mix of Capitalism and Loving Thy Neighbour

Posted: Updated:

I'm not a fortune teller, and I don't have a crystal ball. But I can see the future.

It looks like this: In the coming years, the most successful businesses will have cause at their core.

"Woah. Stop the press," you are probably thinking, "What does that even mean?"

Cause at the core of business is not a complicated notion. In fact, it's already happening. Having "cause" is a set of guiding values and actions that are embedded into brand architecture. Cause is a way of engaging in the marketplace with the recognition that the surrounding social and ecological landscapes deeply affect business. Cause is standing up for something. Cause is the enemy of greed, but the brother of profit.

Before you dismiss this article as hippie propaganda, hear me out. In my last post, I argued that capitalism could save the world. And I stand firmly by that statement. But many readers were left with the question of how, exactly, capitalism would save the world. Fair enough.

But before I give you some concrete examples capitalism and cause as successful waltz partners, it's important to recognize what true "cause" is not. Placing cause at the core of business is not cause marketing. This gimmicky endeavor that started in 1970s was a quick-grab for positive public opinion by partnering a for-profit corporation with a non-profit organization. And although cause marketing has certainly helped finance the important work of numerous NGOs, it's too one-offish to be deemed truly sustainable. Cause is also not CSR (corporate social responsibility). When cause is truly at the core of business, the idea of ghettoizing "good" to some "CSR department" is just downright outlandish. True cause is deeply woven into the very core of business.

And when cause is at the core of business, two important things happen: Business grows, and the great social and ecological setting improves.

But let's look at some case studies.

Warby Parker is a perfect example of a business that has cause at the core. The NYC-based eyewear company has a "buy a pair, give a pair" model that has enabled thousands of individuals to access low-cost eye treatment and corrective lenses. But they go further than simply airdropping hipster reading-glasses into rural regions of India. In recognizing that "charity" can lead to a culture of dependence, they support NGOs (such as VisionSpring) that train low-income women to sell affordable glasses in their communities. The intention is not simply to aid, but to build local economies. Oh yeah, and they are one of the only carbon-neutral eyewear brands in the world.

Co-founder of Warby Parker, Neil Blumenthal, states that, "It's not just about increasing profits, it's about how we can be active problem solvers." And in this case, the company is making fashionable eyewear, but also addressing barriers to affordable glasses in a developing nation.

This double implication of profit and cause is the future of all successful businesses.

When it comes to household and personal care goods, Seventh Generation is a company that has built cause into its very framework. Founded in 1988, the Vermont-born business is setting the new standard of respectful cleaning products. For the past six years, Seventh Generation has been a member of Whole Planet Foundation, whose mission is poverty alleviation through microcredit in developing communities. Seventh Generation has been making money while doing good for nearly twenty-five years.

Companies with "cause at the core" are not as rare as you might think. There are thousands of enterprises across North America who have "doing good" woven into their business models. Many of these businesses have been certified by a third-party monitoring organization called B Lab. The certification procedure to qualify as a "B Corporation" is a similar process to the way Fair Trade USA certifies equitably produced coffee, or USGBC certifies LEED buildings.

To qualify, each business must meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, as well as meeting a variety of standards for higher accountability. One of the reasons I feel compelled to sing the praises of B Corporations is because they've succinctly summarized the future of commerce in their "Declaration of Interdependence": "We envision a new sector of the economy which harnesses the power of private enterprise to create public benefit."

The companies who have qualified as B Corporations are using the power of business to address social and environmental challenges. They have put cause at the core.

And to their declaration, I offer up a verbose response: "Praise!"

Ask anyone with a shred of a conscience, and they'll tell you that they want a cleaner and more equitable world. With the rise of social media, consumers are becoming increasingly more intelligent and aware of the implications of their purchases. We are shopping not only for value, but with values. That's a major culture shift.

In the future, I see a day when the Coca-Colas, the Nikes and the Apples of the world will think beyond the traditional corporate foundations, the ghettoized CSR departments and the star-studded annual gala to truly embedding cause at the core of everything they do and who they are. A day when Nike will go from "just doing it" to also "being it." Because one thing is for sure, the brightest organizations of the future will respond to today's most important consumer demands by readjusting their values and actions to capitalize on the sea change towards doing good.

That's right, "capitalize." Because when cause is at the core of capitalism, major environmental and social shifts will begin to take place. And nobody needs a crystal ball to predict what the future of business success will look like: "cause at the core."

It's doing good, because it's good for business.


text:
Donald D'Haene Headshot

The Question We Shouldn't Ask About Rape

Posted: Updated:

Whenever I hear someone state there are options for women when they are being confronted by a potential rapist, a shiver runs down the length of my spine and a knot forms in the pit of my stomach.

Nevertheless, I keep an open mind. Increasing public awareness is always a good thing, no?

But when I hear someone say, "Perhaps rapists will think twice if they think they'll meet fierce resistance," those knots burst into frayed ropes.

It's not that I disagree that fighting off would-be rapists is appropriate in some cases. I just don't want to see one more guilt trip dumped on women who have been sexually assaulted and are made to feel that not screaming and/or not fighting is labelled "do(ing) nothing"!

Of course, the guilt trips are usually accomplished in subtle ways. OK, sometimes not-so-subtle. Like when women are praised who use force to resist rape by calling it a "viable alternative."

Even worse, I grew up with "men and women of faith" telling me that a woman who does not physically fight off a rapist is guilty of "fornication." Yes, I know, right out there on the level of former Indiana Republican Senate candidate Richard Mourdock's stating rape "is something God intended to happen."

Methinks only the rapist comes out of both of these scenarios without blame. Am I right?

I can remember as clear as yesterday my mother delivering the message that she was taught: if a woman doesn't fight, she is a sinner. Even though I was uneducated on the subject, there I was, a child, arguing, "that just does not make sense. What if a woman is afraid for her life? What if she freezes in shock?"

But what did I know? A lot apparently.

Well, it seems the more things change the more they stay the same. I'm still arguing my points decades later.

I've heard of a male prosecutor who suggested that victims "should fight back and not submit," adding, "physical injuries heal a lot faster than the emotional scars."

Tell that to my close friends "Mary" and "Natalie."

"Mary" was a 16-year-old virgin who was asked to join her workmate on a double date. Her 20-something friend promised she would never leave Mary alone. They would go out for dinner and then back to the workmate's home for a house party.

Later that evening, as soon as the workmate and her boyfriend left Mary and her date alone in the living room to go an adjoining room, Max made it clear a sexual act was going to take place. Mary screamed for her friends' help. Neither responded. She ran to the phone. Max grabbed the phone and used it to bash Mary on the head. She fought and screamed during the entire rape, but to no avail.

"Natalie" was asked if she needed a ride home from one of her fellow University students. Pulling to the side of the road, "Sam" pulled out a knife and laid it on the dashboard. No words were spoken. Natalie was raped and although she says she was emotionally numb to the experience itself, her survival was foremost on her mind.

Both rapes happened decades ago. One fought. One didn't. Mary screamed. Natalie froze in silence.

Although both women reacted in completely different ways, both share emotional scars, feelings of guilt and shame, and both asked, "Could I have done more?"

Were their lives really in their own hands?

In the years since, Mary and Natailie have heard messages like, "Demonstrations of female power are well and good but the psychological mantle of victimhood has diminished such efforts."

I suggest the psychological mantle of victimhood will be helped more by demonstrations of understanding and empathy and less by people who judge a woman's choice to do "nothing" when a perpetrator is doing "something."

Are we still asking, did she stop it, instead of, why did he do it?

Krista Ford Backlash
Share this
Current Slide


text:
Posted: Updated:
Inventor of the world wide web Sir Tim Berners-Lee | PA

Inventor of the world wide web Sir Tim Berners-Lee has warned that the UN should not be allowed to 'run the Internet'.

The British communications pioneer told the BBC that he was concerned about elements of a meeting of communications officials in Dubai where a new treaty is under discussion.

Berners-Lee said it would be "a disruptive threat to the stability of the system" if the UN was to extend its influence over the web.

Currently the Internet is controlled by a range of groups, many based in the United States.

They include Icann, which is a nonprofit group in California that maintains the web address system on behalf of the US government.

Some countries including Russia have argued that the UN's International Telecommunications Union should play a greater role in the management of the internet.

A clause put forward by Russia for a new telecommunications treaty at the World Conference on International Telecommunications says:

"Member states shall have equal rights to manage the internet, including in regard to the allotment, assignment and reclamation of internet numbering, naming, addressing and identification resources and to support for the operation and development of basic internet infrastructure."

That has been taken by some as a move to switch powers from Icann and other bodies to the ITU, or another UN-run agency.

But Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who is the director of the World Wide Web Consortium standards group, said that could endanger the fundamental principles of the web - and would probably just be less efficient.

"I think it's important that these existing structures continue to be used without any attempt to bypass them," he said, according to the BBC.

"These organisations have been around for a number of years and I think it would be a disruptive threat to the stability of the system for people to try to set up alternative organisations to do the standards."

He added that countries who want the ability to block and filter the Internet more easily in their countries should be resisted.

"A lot of concerns I've heard from people have been that, in fact, countries that want to be able to block the internet and give people within their country a 'secure' view of what's out there would use a treaty at the ITU as a mechanism to do that, and force other countries to fall into line with the blockages that they wanted to put in place," he said.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said that Sir Tim Berners-Lee made his comments while in Doha, but this is incorrect.

From Our Partners


text:
Huffpost Technology

Microsoft Felt 'Embarrassment' Over Kin Failure

Posted: Updated:

Microsoft's Kin failure sank morale at the company's Redmond campus according to an employee who emailed us after the news broke. "Embarrassment all over campus from the rank and file about the Kin announcement," says this Microsoftie.

Read the whole story at

Around the Web

Microsoft Kin One and Two review -- Engadget

Microsoft Kin Review: The Best Cellphones You'll Never Buy

Microsoft's Kin gets tribute site | Beyond Binary - CNET News

RIP Microsoft Kin

From Our Partners


text:
Huffpost Media
Michael Calderone Headshot

Glenn Beck: New Web Network GBTV Has To 'Be Bigger Than Me'

Posted: Updated:
Beck during a rally in Jerusalem's Old City, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011; AP/ Bernat Armangue | AP

NEW YORK -- ESPN fans are likely to tune into the sports network each day without knowing what those four letters stand for. Glenn Beck says he wouldn't mind the same thing happening with his new web-only TV network, GBTV.

"I argued that the network shouldn't be called GBTV, because I don't want it about me," Beck said Tuesday, shortly after wrapping up his second day there. "I want it bigger than me. It's got to be bigger than me."

During a studio tour with reporters, Beck spoke at length about the future of GBTV, which has already brought in 230,000 paying subscribers. Soon, the conservative radio host and former Fox News star hopes to roll out more interactive features for "The Glenn Beck Program," which airs daily from 5 to 7 p.m. He boasted of eventually offering high-quality programming across the network, in the vein of HBO. Beck said he also plans to build a studio and entertainment center in Dallas, where he will soon be moving.

But the people dropping $9.95 a month to subscribe to GBTV want to watch Beck. He has a devoted following, evident during his "Restoring Honor" rally last year in Washington, D.C., and Tuesday, as guests in the studio audience offered him books and gifts after the show. For the GBTV experiment to work, Beck needs to first satisfy the hardcore fans now willing to shut off Fox News at 5 p.m to switch to his network.

Before rolling out an ambitious programming block or putting the famed chalkboard in a moving truck and setting off to Texas, the priority for Beck is to produce a strong television show each day from New York -- one that people might be willing to be pay for.

"My first goal," Beck said, "was to put on the show and make sure everybody says, 'Oh, it's not a webcast.'" That point was echoed by Chris Balfe, president of Beck's Mercury Radio Arts. Balfe cut in to say that their aim is to "deliver television over the Internet, not Internet television."

At this point, Beck says he's fine with a few first-week kinks, like the teleprompter cutting out yesterday before comedian Brian Sack delivered a punch line. He's happy just to "get in the ballpark" early on with established networks like Fox News and CNN.

"We're pushing the envelope and doing things that we shouldn't be doing right now," Beck said. "We have a lot to work out. Give us six months and we'll change the way it's consumed."

Beck vowed he would shake things up once viewers are comfortable watching his show on a laptop or iPad. He doesn't want the program to be a passive experience.

If viewers are unsure about a topic Beck is discussing on the show -- for instance, QE3, a potential third round of quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve -- they might be able to click words on the on-screen chalkboard to open up windows offering additional information. Viewers could also then find past Beck monologues on QE3, ranging from the most basic explanation to more advanced discussion allowing them to "go past the show."
Beck also plans to start using Skype during the show to increase viewer interaction.

"We just want people to be comfortable and say, 'I know what this is,'" Beck said, referring to the network's early focus. "Then we'll introduce piece by piece the different things that say, 'Oh wait, this is something entirely different. This is not television.'"

Around the Web The Home of the New Glenn Beck Program

Glenn Beck | GBTV | Glenn Beck New Show | Mediaite

WATCH: GBTV Launch Event now ON DEMAND for ... - Glenn Beck

Wall Street Journal: GBTV Already Has More Subscribers Than ...

As GBTV Readies for Launch, the Challenge of Influence Looms for Beck

Glenn Beck Bets Big on GBTV

Happy Trails! Glenn Beck Is Moving to 'Backwater' Texas

Here's Glenn Beck's New Set for GBTV


text:
Huffpost Politics

Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributors

Alan Dershowitz Headshot

Defeating Freeman: A Patriotic Duty

Posted: Updated:

Those who successfully challenged the nomination of Charles W. Freeman, Jr. to become chairman of the National Intelligence Council should be praised for an act of high patriotism. It would have been disastrous for the United States to have, as the person responsible for overseeing "policy-neutral intelligence assessments" for the president, a zealot who is anything but policy-neutral when it comes to two of the most important areas of international conflict.

Freeman not only has extremist views regarding the Middle East and China, but he has been beholden to lobby groups that are anxious to influence intelligent assessments regarding Saudi Arabia and China. Freeman bowed out when it became clear that his highly questionable financial ties to the Saudi and China lobby would be deeply probed by inspectors general, congressional staffers and the media. He couldn't handle the truth about his financial ties to these lobbies which do not serve the interests of the United States. The heavy thumbs of the powerful Saudi and Chinese lobbies would have subtly, and perhaps invisibly, weighed on Freeman's intelligence assessment.

Freeman is an ideologue who apparently believed that China should have been more aggressive in its crackdown on the peaceful Tiananmen Square protestors. At the same time, he has been critical of American support for Israeli efforts to stop violent terrorists from blowing up Israeli schools buses and firing rockets at Israeli kindergartens. There is only one rational explanation for why a smart intelligence official would be so irrational as to express more sympathy for brutal Chinese repression of peaceful dissent than for Israeli self-defense against violent terrorism: Freeman has been bought and paid for by lobbies that he does not wish to alienate. He has a long history of playing the tunes selected for him by those who have paid him. He is an ideological zealot when it comes to the Middle East. Senator Charles Schumer correctly characterized his views as "over the top" and an "irrational hatred of Israel."

Freeman acknowledged that he is deeply and emotionally committed to a fundamental change in US policy toward Israel. That is certainly his right as a private citizen or even as an elected official. But his extremist views would not have served him, or our nation well, as the person responsible for what are supposed to "policy-neutral intelligence assessments." An ideologue with such heavy financial baggage is simply incapable of policy-neutrality, and he should have known that.

If there was ever any doubt about his neutrality, he eliminated it by his over-the-top reaction to those who challenged his qualifications for the job based on his record. He railed against "the Israel lobby" blaming it, and it alone, for his failure to get the job. He ignored those human rights advocates who were outraged by his defense of the Chinese repression of the Tiananmen demonstrators and his unwavering support for the most repressive regime in the Middle East. He ignored environmentalists who worried that he was far too beholden to oil interests. And he ignored patriotic Americans who support the U.S. policy in the Middle East because they believe it is good for America, for democracy and for the war against terrorism.

Freeman was not alone in invoking the "power" of the Israel lobby and accusing it of unpatriotic actions. He teamed up with Stephen Walt, the discredited academic who has recently made a career of blaming all of America's ills on "The Lobby." Here is how Walt gleefully put it: "For all of you out there who may have questioned whether there was a powerful 'Israel Lobby' or admitted that it existed but didn't think it had much influence...think again." Walt ignored the fact that the powerful Saudi, China and foreign oil lobbies were supporting Freeman because they believed, quite correctly, that his assessment of intelligence would be anything but neutral when it came to protecting their interests. He also ignored the fact that AIPAC--which Walt considers the puppet master of the Jewish Lobby--took no position on the Freeman nomination, and that those who opposed it included critics of Israeli policies.

So let me understand the Freeman-Walt position. When the Saudis, the Chinese and foreign oil lobbies (with a small "l") exercise their influence, that is freedom of speech and the right to petition the government. But when the Israel Lobby (capital "L") challenges an appointment, such action is "dual loyalty," "un-American" and "unpatriotic." Their other position is that any time people of diverse backgrounds and views independently challenge a government decision that relates to the Middle East, this represents the collective action of the notorious and powerful Israel Lobby, rather than the heartfelt views of individual patriotic Americans.

The truth is that the Freeman appointment was bad for America, bad for peace in the Middle East, bad for human rights in China, bad for Tibet, bad for the environment, and bad for "policy-neutral intelligence." Those who challenged it performed a patriotic duty. They should be praised for helping the Obama administration avoid a serious blunder that threatened to compromise the president's ability to act in the interest of the United States on the basis of policy-neutral intelligence. All Americans owe them a debt of gratitude.