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American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is in contact with the Japanese Red Cross to see how it can help. Meanwhile, donations that will support American disaster relief efforts in Japan and throughout the Pacific can be made at redcross.org to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami. A $10 donation also may be made by texting REDCROSS on your cell phone to 90999.
The Salvation Army has opened a section of their Tokyo headquarters to provide shelter and meals for those who could not get home. A Salvation Army team in Tokyo is sending an assessment team to Sendai Friday night to assess damage and soon will begin providing basic necessities. Donations can be made by calling (800) SAL-ARMY; online at salvationarmy.usawest.org; or by post to The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Relief Fund, P.o. Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263--728. Please make a note that your gift go to Japan Earthquake/Tsunamis. A $10 donation also may be made by texting the words Japan or Quake to 80888.
UNICEF is monitoring the situation in Japan. The relief agency has staff and emergency supplies already posted throughout the region to assist vulnerable children and families if needed. To donate through UNICEF.
The Buddhist Temple of San Diego plans a special service at 7 p.m. Saturday led by Rev. Yushi Mukojima at 2929 Market St., in Grant Hill dedicated to the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami. The temple will accept donations for disaster relief.
How to contact relatives/friends in Japan:
The U.S. State Department advises U.S. citizens, both in Japan and in the United States to contact the Department of State at JapanEmergencyUSC@state.gov or by phone. For those in United States or Canada, call (888) 407-4747. For those outside those areas, call (202) 501-4444. For updates, State Department officials recommend the following websites: japan.usembassy.gov/ (U.S. Embassy in Japan) ; travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_5378.html (Consular Affairs Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Page); travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_5377.html (Travel Alert). The State Department has strongly urged Americans to avoid tourism and non-essential travel to Japan through April 1.
Continuous coverage from Japan:
Cox Communications has opened TV Japan Feed to all customers so they may watch live continuous news coverage from Japan. The premium channel is available free now on Cox Channel 400.
If you’re in the ocean, get out. If you’re heading there, turn around. There’s a tsunami on the way.
Police and lifeguards hustled early Friday to warn the public to stay high and dry after one of the biggest earthquakes in history -- an 8.9 planet-ringer --spawned a tsunami off Japan.
Scientists say it was the smart response to a threat that actually was never really much of a threat. A damaging tsunami is plausible. But San Diego has never been hit by one.
And for reasons of geology and geography, it isn’t likely to happen soon. |
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I don't know if chess.com let's you claim a draw by 50 move rule, but I would be careful to include a pawn push every 49 moves.
pretty sure you can claim by 50 move so be careful
In one of my recent games I couldn't.
Aren't you just giving this guy what he wants? He wants to put off losing as long as he can and you're letting him put it off longer. What exactly do you think you're accomplishing?
You've got a point, it doesn't really matter if he will resign. You can win whenever you want.
I thought discussion of ongoing games was forbidden.
Well the official drawing rules are:
It is 50 moves from the time that you last moved a pawn, which was move 56 (and not 50 moves from the start of the game).
Sorry, I kind got into discussing the game instead of just rules. Play however you want, but just be aware of what the draw rules are.
Also, it is 50 moves from the time that you last moved a pawn
or a capture. Black can force white to capture pieces a couple times.
I have no respect for the poster. Stop trying to gloat about your poorly played victory.
El_senior, that's a ridiculous thing to say. I believe that the post is in poor taste, but the player is clearly not discussing or consulting about the ongoing game,
It's not at all ridiculous. He posted an ongoing game, and the first two responses clearly gave pertinent information that is advantageous to him and disadvantageous to his opponent.
Five minutes before he started this thread (10:07 p.m. by my time zone), the OP posted the same ongoing game in another thread (post #3, at 10:02 p.m.), and in that post he didn't even bother removing his opponent's name from the game. The OP is so impressed with how much time he spent setting up his conditional moves instead of finishing off the mate that he wants to ensure maximum coverage for his little stunt.
The bigger twit in this game isn't the guy with the White pieces (although it's close).
You guys are right - it was in poor taste. And I already knew about the 50 move rule, btw -- who doesnt.
"Tashkent Grand Prix Highlights with GM Irina Krush and IM Danny Rensch!"
"An Evening with the Masters"
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Carolina Journal News Reports
ELIZABETH CITY — Former First District Congressman Frank Ballance received a four-year prison sentence yesterday for his personal usage of state money, which he had obtained in grants for his non-profit organization when he was a leader in the State Senate.
His son, state District Judge Garey Ballance, was also sentenced to nine months in federal prison for failing to file tax returns. Both could serve time together at a facility in Butner. Frank Ballance must report by Dec. 30, and after serving his time he will have three more years of supervised probation.
After leaving a federal courthouse in Elizabeth City, Garey Ballance blamed his woes on “a Republican prosecutor and a Republican judge.” Frank Ballance said U.S. Attorney Frank Whitney and assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Duffy exaggerated the severity of his crimes. Both Ballances are Democrats.
“There was some misspent money,” Frank Ballance told reporters yesterday. “That’s all this case was about. There’s never been a grand conspiracy.”
The leader of the state Republican Party said that justice was served with the sentencing.
“It is a shame someone trusted by the people would betray that trust for his own personal gain and the gain of his family members.” said state GOP chairman Ferrell Blount in a statement. “The only silver lining to this episode is that he is no longer in a position of public trust.”
State Democratic Party spokesman Schorr Johnson did not provide a statement on Ballance’s sentencing before the publication deadline for this article.
U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle issued the sentences in Elizabeth City. Both Frank and Garey Ballance had pleaded guilty to the charges against them.
In September 2004, a federal grand jury indicted both Ballances. Frank Ballance was charged with diverting more than $100,000 in state funds meant for the John A. Hyman Memorial Foundation. The funds went to his son, daughter, mother, church, and law firm while he was a state senator. He was also chairman of the foundation.
Garey Ballance was charged with failure to file a federal income tax return for the year 2000, a misdemeanor that had a maximum punishment of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. He failed to report receiving $20,000 from the foundation as well. He used the money as a down payment on a sports utility vehicle.
His future as a Warren County district court judge is unclear. Running unopposed, he was re-elected to the bench in November 2004. Under the terms of a plea agreement, Garey Ballance could continue as a judge. Shortly after his admission of guilt in March, the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission said it would review his situation.
In November 2004 Frank Ballance pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. According to the terms of his plea agreement, he could have received up to five years in prison. He resigned his congressional seat last year, citing health problems.
“The most important thing is Frank Ballance leaving office,” said state Republican Party chief of staff Bill Peaslee, “because he was a person who couldn't be trusted with public funds.”
Don Carrington is executive editor of Carolina Journal. Associate editor Paul Chesser contributed reporting for this article. |
Itanium's cache size is one of the topics slated for discussion at this week's ISSCC show in San Francisco.
Larger cache sizes will continue to be a driver as the 64-bit Itanium chip continues to evolve, according to Intel Corp. officials.
The next generation of the Itanium 2 chip will come in three versions with either 3MB, 4MB or 6MB of Level 3 cache, and the two cores in the Itanium chip set for release in 2005 will each have their own Level 3 cache.
Those are some of the details of the next round of Itanium 2 chips that that Intel officials will talk about this week at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference in San Francisco. Last month, Intel altered its Itanium roadmap
, with plans to add another Itanium 2 chip next year and put dual-core processing into its Montecito processor. The dual-core technologywhich enables Intel to put two full processors onto the same piece of silicon and fit it into the same package, essentially doubling the processing powerinitially was expected to appear in chips after Montecito, which is scheduled for release in 2005.
Larger on-die caches enable the processor to access data more quickly and reduce the amount of time it takes to seek memory data off of the chip.
The next Itanium 2 chip, code-named Madison
, will not only have three different L3 cache sizes, but also will run at three different frequencies, including 1.5GHz, according to Nimish Modi, general manager of Intels Enterprise Processor Division.
"The combination of different cache SKUs and different frequency SKUs will allow us to offer in the market three different price points in Madison," Modi said, declining to say what the other two frequencies will be.
For Montecito, each of the cores will have their own L3 cache, which will give it more than two times the cache of preceding processors, Modi said. The chip also will have an arbiter that will work as the interface between the two cores and the system bus, processing requests from the core for the systems bus. That will enable Intel to offer the dual-core technology within the same footprint as the Madison and Madison 9M, which is due out next year, Modi said.
OEMs and enterprises will then be able to protect their current investments by simply trading out chips when they want more processing power rather than by having to bring in entire new systems.
The ISSCC show comes a week before Intel hosts its spring Intel Developers Forum, in San Jose, Calif. At that show, the Santa Clara, Calif., chip maker is expected to discuss Deerfield, its lower-power chip designed for high-density rack and blade architectures, and its Centrino
family of mobile products, which will include the Banias chip and related chipsets and will be launched in March. Deerfield will be released in the second half of the year.
Industry observers also expect to learn more about Prescott
, the chip many say will become Pentium 5 and will be built using the .09-micron process, which will shrink the die size and cut Intels production costs. |
Getting physical Windows 8 Modern UI XAML with the Physics Helper XAML
- Posted: Sep 03, 2012 at 6:00 AM
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Today's Mobile/Modern UI Monday project from Andy Beaulieu is in an area that I just can't get enough of, Physics in our app's. This project not only brings us a Physics Helper, but one for XAML and works in three of the major XAML platforms, Windows 8/Modern UI, Windows Phone and Silverlight
Today I released version 1.1 of Physics Helper XAML, which allows you to easily create 2D Physics Games and Simulations for the following platforms:
- Windows 8
- Windows Phone 7
- Silverlight 5
XAML has great support for 2D graphics including hardware acceleration, making it an excellent candidate for 2D physics based games. And because of XAML's extensive form controls and powerful project templates, it makes it super easy to create your games menus and input UI. Also, it is possible to target the three platforms using a single set of XAML assets for graphics and logic.
I personally used the Physics Helper XAML project as the core for my first (and award winning) Windows 8 game, Physamajig. To get started yourself, I recommend:
Physics Helper XAML allows you to easily create 2D physics based games and simulations for Windows 8, Windows Phone 7 and Silverlight 5 using C# or VB. It is a port of the Physics Helper and uses the Farseer Physics Engine.
Why a Separate Version?
When I began porting the Physics Helper project to Windows 8, I realized that there were many breaking changes in WinRT and missing functionality such as Behaviors. It was much simpler to create a new version for Metro/WinRT and then port that new version to Windows Phone and other platforms. I think that the end result is much simpler and cleaner, as an added bonus!
For more details and how to get started, see the Documentation page.
Here's a snap of the Windows 8 Solution;
And of it running (which compiled and ran for me the very first time, which is always nice...
This is one of those projects that you really need to play with or see in a video. Static pictures just doesn't do it justice.
As you saw mentioned above, there's a nice getting started guide too;
Sample ProjectsOnce you have a development environment and hardware setup, you can download the source codeand check out the sample projects inside the VS11 solution.
Demo.SimpleSet Demo.Simple as your startup project and run the solution. This shows a no-code scenario with a ragdoll and stack of blocks. Here are the main parts of the simple demo:
- ucBlock.xaml defines the Block sprite.
- ucRagDoll.xaml defines a rag doll with appendages and joints bringing them together.
- MainPage.xaml creates instances of ucBlock and ucRagDoll. There is one line of code in MainPage.xaml.cs which calls ScaleToObject. This allows the game canvas to scale to full screen.
Demo.AdvancedSet Demo.Advanced as your startup project and run the solution. This shows how to dynamically add and delete user controls, track performance, and use nested Storyboard animations inside physics objects. Here are the main highlights of the advanced demo:
- the code-beind file MainPage.xaml.cs shows how to handle the TimerLoop and Collision events raised by the PhysicsCanvas.
- The AddAnItem method shows how to dynamically add a complex UserControl containing multiple sprites and joints.
Using Visual Studio
Let's walk through creating a simple physics simulation using XAML inside Visual Studio.
With this helper, your just a little code away from having physics in your next Windows 8 Modern UI app... |
Iowa Hurler Stifles Hoosiers
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Despite an early lead, Indiana fell to Iowa, 7-3, in the opener of a four-game set on Friday at Sembower Field. Iowa starting pitcher Nathan Johnson went the distance, giving up just one hit over the final six innings, and finishing with a career-high 14 strikeouts.
"You have to give their pitcher (Nathan Johnson) credit," Indiana head coach Bob Morgan said. "From the fourth inning on, we didn't do much with our bats. We basically beat ourselves, today, with the walks and the wild pitches we gave up. Every walk hurt us. Johnson really took control of the game, especially after the third inning. We tried to get back into the game with our running, but as you saw, we just couldn't get it done. But as I said, give plenty of credit to their pitcher, because he pitched an outstanding game."
IU (19-13, 3-6 Big Ten) struck first, pushing across two runs in the bottom of the first. Designated hitter Jay Brant collected a one-out double to get things started, and Seth Bynum followed with a single, scoring Brant for the game's first run. Bynum went to second on the play as the Hawkeye third baseman mishandled a throw. Joe Kemp delivered the first of his four base hits, a single up the middle, and Bynum scored to make is, 2-0.
Senior Ryan Donley belted his third home run of the season in the second inning, a solo shot to left field to put Indiana up, 3-0.
That would be all the offense the Hoosiers could muster.
Iowa (9-20, 2-7 Big Ten) scored its first run in the third inning when second baseman Andy Lytle singled and came around to score on Kris Welker's double to left-center. In the fourth, rightfielder Nate Yoho scored the Hawkeyes' second run. Yoho singled to right, advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt, moved to third after tagging up on a fly ball and eventually came home on a Josh Lewis wild pitch.
The Hawkeyes gained a 5-3 lead in the fifth. Lewis walked L.J. Mims to lead off the frame and nine-hole hitter Jason White homered to right field.
Iowa pushed across two more runs in the seventh, on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly, and held on for the win.
Lewis suffered the loss on the hill for the Hoosiers, slipping to 3-4. The sophomore pitched 4.2 innings, scattered five hits and was responsible for five earned runs. He walked four and struck out four. Senior Adam Pegg came on the relieve Lewis with two outs in the fourth. Pegg gave up four Hawkeye hits, walked one and struck out three. He was responsible for two runs, but only one of them was earned.
Johnson gave up eight hits and walked two as he improved to 3-2 on the season. Only two of the Hoosiers' runs were earned.
Kemp was a bright spot for Indiana offensively, finishing 4-for-4 with one RBI. He was the only IU player to collect more than one hit.
The Hoosiers and Hawkeyes continue their series on Saturday with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Sembower Field.
Check back soon |
Multitasking is a huge concept for devices today. The idea of a single use, single feature device is becoming increasingly rare. Today, the lines are really blurring in technology - between mobile and desktop devices, between phones and media players, between TVs and computers. Even alarm clocks have WiFi built in. And especially among teenagers, the idea of multipurpose, connected devices is becoming more and more important.
For teenagers, one of the most important concept of our lives is being connected to each other - we like being in touch with all our social circles, be it for friends around the corner from school to friends across the globe. Media, entertainment, and pictures are also huge features - consider the huge importance of music, movies, video games, and Facebook albums in today’s world. And in portable devices especially it’s become more and more critical to have these features to ensure that you appeal to teens.
A few years ago, the idea of having a Zune with a web browser or an iPod touch that has serious gaming on it wasn’t even something people considered. If you wanted to email or IM people, you’d use a computer. Gaming was done on a console or Gameboy. But now, the idea of building these features together hasn’t just become a convenience for teens - it’s a necessity. The fact is that the market wasn’t capable or expected to offer this service in years past, forcing users to buy separate devices - why older people, perhaps, are more insistent on separate, specific featured gear for each situation. It’s only now, as these multifunction devices have been made - at an affordable price point - that the new generation of technology users is becoming attached to them over the past system of specific devices for specific uses.
Teens are becoming more and more attracted to devices that multitask - iPod nanos with cameras built in, a Zune HD that plays games and has Facebook, and of course, the titanic success of the App Store (not just for Apple, but Android and other devices as well); in short, the extending of portable media players beyond media. These connected media players that not only do media, but internet and beyond, are becoming must-have device for teenagers: delivering in one package the huge wealth of features that teens want.
And this multitasking concept becomes even more important going into the summer - when most high school and college students, being off from school, go off to camp or travel. In these situations, having a device or two that can function as almost everything a young adult wants - music, video, Facebook, Twitter, gaming, pictures, emails, even eBooks is huge. One device, one charger, only one thing to worry about losing or breaking, for a teenager at camp or traveling, is a huge thing.
Finally there is another huge reason that teens are using converging devices is simple – pricing. The golden rule of teenager’s technology usage is pricing – or specifically, lack of pricing. As a general rule, teens have no money, and when spending it, hate spending their own money. (When it’s their parents’ money, think the exact opposite). So buying one device that accomplishes everything they want to do at a “good enough” level for what they want saves them the need, and therefore the money, of buying 4 or 5 dedicated gadgets that may do those same tasks, albeit slightly better then the multitasked device. Money, and teen’s unwillingness to spend it, is a huge reason for the popularity of these multifunction devices among the youth market.
So overall, it’s these devices, multipurpose, connected, and increasingly mislabeled portable media players - that do far, far more then portable media – that are what’s big in tech for teenagers right now, especially considering the time period of summer vacation: where having such a device is hugely important for a traveling or away from home teen. |
View Full Version : Rogers & Spencer Finds A New Home
February 3, 2011, 10:20 AM
I submitted an "experimental" bid on GunBroker.com and ended up as the winner of a Rogers & Spencer by Euroarms. The auction ended yesterday; and the pistol is being shipped today. I'll post some pics and comments when it arrives.
February 3, 2011, 10:51 AM
Congratulations on your purchase! Rogers and Spencers are the best designed historical cap and ball guns out there! Did you bid on the gun offered by the first-time seller? If so, you're a braver man than I. Let us know when your new baby arrives.:)
February 3, 2011, 11:39 AM
Did you bid on the gun offered by the first-time seller? If so, you're a braver man than I.
Yes, that's the one. I agonized over it for quite a while before breaking my long standing rule to never bid on an auction where the seller has no feedback.
There's "brave" and there's "stupid"...we'll soon know which one is appropriate in this case. :D I paid with PayPal; and have made direct contact with the seller. He is supposed to ship the gun and send me a tracking number today. We'll see what happens.
February 3, 2011, 05:39 PM
So far, so good. Seller sent me a tracking number this afternoon. Tracking shows that FEDEX picked up the package at 3:30 PM in Lufkin, TX. :D
February 3, 2011, 07:22 PM
I have a Euroarms R and S.
It is sweet.
February 3, 2011, 07:42 PM
There is another one that is ending tomorrow with an additional conversion cylinder
February 3, 2011, 09:13 PM
Have you got a link? A search of GunBroker didn't find that one for me.
February 4, 2011, 07:53 AM
I am not sure how to post a link on the forum, but i could send it to your email. Try auction #213527337
February 4, 2011, 08:02 AM
That R&S with the conversion cylinder, the seller states no FFL needed. I believe that's incorrect. Shipped with the conversion cylinder it's considered a hand gun. The conversion cylinder would need to be shipped separate. I wouldn't risk receiving it as a single package.
February 4, 2011, 10:42 AM
Thanks for the auction number. I found the listing. Since that is a new gun, I'm sure it will be nicer than the gun I won; but that starting bid is a little too rich for me.
At this point, I really have no desire for a conversion cylinder. The indoor range where I shoot my modern guns doesn't allow BP; and the outdoor range doesn't allow anything but muzzle loaders.
February 5, 2011, 04:47 PM
My pleasure, I am always checking g.b. for deals.
February 8, 2011, 04:52 PM
Hey Napp, Has your new baby arrived yet? Let us know how things come out.
February 8, 2011, 09:20 PM
I was just going to post an update when I saw your question.
Yes, it arrived late this afternoon. The seller shipped it within 24 hours of the auction ending. Unfortunately, it sat at the FEDEX hub in Hutchins, TX for a few days because of the icy road conditions (it was originally projected for delivery on Saturday, 5 Feb.)
I must say that my worries about buying from a new seller on GunBroker were all for naught. The pistol is in much better shape than I was expecting for the $230 winning bid. The bore is shiny and bright, the action is tight, the timing is spot-on, and the bluing is probably 95% or better. I did find a couple of small places where the bluing was worn. I had to really look hard to spot them; because they were covered with cold blue that very closely matched the original bluing. All the screw slots are straight and clean with one exception. The locking screw that allows the cylinder pin to be removed shows evidence of a screwdriver slipping a time or two. Not serious...but not perfect, either.
The previous owner had obviously maintained the pistol very well. He apparently is a stickler for detail. That was obvious when I unwrapped the pistol from his packaging. It was packed as well as any package I have ever received...from any source. The amount of bubble wrap and tape used would have protected the gun if FEDEX had dragged it behind the truck from Texas. :D
If the weather allows I will take it to the range tomorrow and give a more complete report. I will also try to get some pictures posted tomorrow.
February 10, 2011, 12:04 PM
Finally got some pictures. The weather still hasn't allowed any range time.
February 10, 2011, 12:52 PM
the R & S with the spiller & burr influenced the Remington design and i kinda remember, but may be wrong that designers from R & S and S&W also worked with Remington's on design.
looks to me the grip angle maybe better than other revolvers of the time.
does the cylinder have the safe notches where the hammer can be placed so it won't rest on a cap like the remington 1858? i could not see clearly enough in the photo.
very nice one of my favorites from that era....enjoy
February 10, 2011, 03:22 PM
The Rogers & Spencer does not have cylinder 'safety notches':
FWIW, the original design for the gun we now call the '1858' Remington, the 1860 Remington-Beals Army Model, also had no 'safety' notches. They were added late in the production run of the next model, the 1861 Remington Old Model Army and continued with the next model, the 1863 New Model Army, which is the one we now call the 1858 New Model Army based on the patent date stamped on the barrel.
February 10, 2011, 05:00 PM
Looks like the R&S cylinder of yours has had two nipples replaced as the two at 3 & 4 o'clock don't match the other 4.
February 10, 2011, 09:49 PM
February 11, 2011, 08:25 PM
I am due to pick up a Rogers &Spencer revolver tomorrow (Saturday, 12-Feb-11) from a private member of Pioneer Gun Club of KC Mo. for $150.00. Took a look at it last summer and did not buy it then. (still owed VISA & Cabela's a bunch of money on several BPCR's.) It is in fine condition, excellent blueing, tight lock up, no dings - scratches etc.
Just FYI: When anyone posts an auction number all you have to do is highlight the number, right click, and google it. It will go to google search and then you can go directly to the item.
I did that with the above cased R&S revolver on GB and it works like a charm.
February 17, 2011, 06:33 PM
Just got home from the range. I'm extremely pleased with the purchase. I ran through seven full cylinders with no attempt to clean or lubricate between cylinders. The gun fired the last cylinder just as well as the first cylinder...no hang fires or misfires.
First thing I noticed was that the cylinder doesn't shave as much lead from a .454 ball as I see on my Pieta 1858 and 1860. It does shave a ring; but not as pronounced as the other two guns. The next thing I noticed is that the front sight has been filed by the previous owner. The R&S has a round pedestal sight rather than a blade. The sight on mine has been "sharpened" to a very fine point and cold blued.
All firing today was with 20 grains of Triple 7 FFFG using a pre-lubed wad between the powder and a .454 ball. I used Remington #11 caps. My initial shots were made at 15 yards using my normal 6 o'clock hold. The grouping of these initial rounds was right on POA. I moved my point of aim to the center of the bull and the rounds grouped tightly in that area. It appears that the sight work done by the previous owner was directed toward getting the POI to coincide with POA at 15 yards. If that was his intent, he did a good job.
I didn't fire the weapon at any other distance today; nor, did I use any other charges. It will be interesting to do so on future trips.
February 17, 2011, 07:14 PM
Good show napp. :D
February 17, 2011, 07:19 PM
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In case you weren’t aware of it, Captain Super Muslim XXX (in his guise as mild-mannered President No Drama Obama) took time out from his busy past few weeks having the IRS audit-murder reporters in Benghazi in order to take control of the world’s weather systems and send a killer tornado to Oklahoma yesterday. Oh , here let Rand Paul’s BFF Alex Jones explain it to you.
|By: TBogg Monday January 28, 2013 6:30 pm|
Investigative reporter and “too smart for Mensa” boy genius Matt Boyle seems to have discovered an assault on our very American way of life where others would only see a weird co-inky-dink.
|By: TBogg Sunday October 21, 2012 7:40 am|
In an effort to throw the election to their Kenyan sleeper agent so they can export Sharia law to Kansas (and only Kansas because the A-Rabs have a real hard-on for the Godforsaken Hellhole State for some reason) the mad mullahs of Iran have ululated a desire to enter into nuclear talks with the US… but they want to wait until after the election to see who wins first because they think that Mitt Romney is a thin-skinned pissy douchebot with a creepy family too.
|By: TBogg Thursday August 9, 2012 4:00 pm|
Remember when NPR got all huffy-puffy when Lisa Simeone, the host of World of Opera got all in trouble and stuff because she supported Occupy Wall Street by hate-playing La bohème (which is an Italian communist opera based upon the popular American musical Rent) over and over until banksters started to feel twinges of guilt that they quickly got over by strangling a hooker in the back of a limo? Yeah, there was some kind of ethical/conflict of interest thing problem, by which we mean the financial institutions who underwrite NPR were mildly chafed by Simeone’s obstreperousness.
Well say hello to Adam Davidson of NPR’s Planet Money and the New York Times.
|By: TBogg Saturday January 28, 2012 1:00 pm|
According to “one of America’s fastest rising authors” (it says so right here and it is on the internet so it must be true) it seems that President Hussein Obamar has been using Black Panther beat-down threats or maybe even Kenyan magic juju to enslave most of the Supreme Court so that they won’t declare him a foreign usurper and therefore rule his presidency null and void, tap tap no erasies.
|By: TBogg Thursday July 14, 2011 7:13 pm|
In an effort to explain why the jury in the Kenny Gladney trial took less than the time it takes to watch an episode Law & Order: Special Victims Unit to return with a verdict of GTFO, Andrew Breitbart’s crack team of trained bonobos have been working day and night and even through their naptimes to explain what malignant force in the universe has the power to not only corrupt our system of justice but also to defy the laws of time and space and physics and no rights turns on a red. |
Information about this record
04891cgm a2200733 a 4500
080514s2008 cau123 vleng d
40|a 21455 |b Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
__|a TEFMT |c TEFMT |d TEF |d GK8 |d JED
1_|a eng |a fre |a spa |h eng |j eng |j fre |j spa
__|a n-us-ma |a n-us-nv
_4|a GV1247 |b .M492 2008
_4|a 791.43/72 |2 22
00|a 21 |h [videorecording] / |c Columbia Pictures presents ; in association with Relativity Media ; a Trigger Street/Michael De Luca production ; a film by Robert Luketic ; produced by Dana Brunetti, Kevin Spacey, Michael De Luca ; screenplay by Peter Steinfeld and Allan Loeb ; directed by Robert Luketic.
3_|a Twenty-one |h [videorecording]
__|a 2-disc deluxe ed. ; anamorphic widescreen.
__|a Culver City, CA : |b Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, |c [c2008].
__|a 2 videodiscs (123 min.) : |b sd., col. ; |c 4 3/4 in.
__|a DVD, region 1; Dolby Digital 5.1.
__|a For PC, requires DVD-ROM drive, active Internet connection, Windows XP (Home/Professional/Media Center Eition) SP2 or Windows Vista, Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 or later, Windows Media Player v10 or greater and hard drive with at least 1 GB of free space.
__|a For PSP, requires a PC with the same requirements as above and a Memory Stick PRO Duo with at least 1GB of free space, PSP firmware version 3.11 or later, and a USB A to mini B. cable. Optional PLAYSTATION 3 playback requires a PSP and PC with the same requirements above plus PS3 firmware version 1.60 or later.
__|a English, dubbed French or dubbed Spanish dialogue; optional English, French or Spanish subtitles.
__|a Closed-captioned in English for the hearing impaired.
1_|a Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, Kevin Spacey.
__|a Director of photography, Russell Carpenter; editor, Elliot Graham; music, David Sardy.
__|a Based on Bringing down the house : the inside story of six MIT students who took Vegas for millions / by Ben Mezrich.
__|a Videodisc release of the motion picture produced in 2008.
__|a Aspect ratio: 2.40:1.
__|a Special features, disc 1: filmmaker commentary. Special features, disc 2: bonus digital copy of the film; "Basic strategy : a complete film journal" (making-of featurette); "21 : the advantage player" (the cast explains blackjack and cardcounting); "Money plays : a tour of the good life" (featurette).
__|a Ben Campbell is a young, highly intelligent, student at M.I.T. Wanting to transfer to the Harvard School of Medicine, he learns that he cannot afford the $300,000 for the tuition. Ben is introduced into a small but secretive club by his math professor Micky Rosa. The club has four other students: Jill, Choi, Kianna, and Jimmy. Micky is teaching them the skill of blackjack card counting. Intrigued by the desire to make money, Ben joins his new friends on secret weekend trips to Las Vegas where, using their skills of code talk and hand signals, Ben makes hundreds of thousands of dollars winning blackjack at casino after casino. Ben only wants to make enough money for the tuition and then back out. Ben's greed and arrogance put Micky, as well as the group, on the radar of a brutal casino security enforcer, named Cole Williams. Cole holds a personal grudge of some kind against Micky which threatens to undo everything the students have learned and earned.
10|a Mezrich, Ben, |d 1969- |v Film adaptations.
20|a Massachusetts Institute of Technology |x Students |v Drama.
_0|a Cardsharping |v Drama.
_0|a Blackjack (Game) |v Drama.
_0|a College students |x Conduct of life |v Drama.
_0|a Film adaptations.
_0|a Feature films.
_0|a Action and adventure films.
_0|a Thrillers (Motion pictures)
_0|a Video recordings for the hearing impaired.
_0|a Crime films.
1_|a Luketic, Robert, |d 1973- |4 drt
1_|a Brunetti, Dana. |4 pro
1_|a Spacey, Kevin. |4 act |4 pro
1_|a De Luca, Michael, |d 1965- |4 pro
1_|a Steinfeld, Peter. |4 aus
1_|a Loeb, Allan. |4 aus
1_|a Sturgess, Jim. |4 act
1_|a Bosworth, Kate, |d 1983- |4 act
1_|a Fishburne, Larry. |4 act
1_|a Mezrich, Ben, |d 1969- |4 aut |t Bringing down the house.
2_|a Columbia Pictures. |4 pro
2_|a Relativity Media. |4 pro
2_|a Trigger Street Productions. |4 pro
2_|a Michael De Luca Productions (Firm) |4 pro
2_|a Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Firm) |4 dst
__|a C0 |b PAU |
Like I promised in my last tutorial that I would be doing my further tutorials based on what readers want. So, here I am with the first one of the lot. I find a lot of girls asking me what kind of eye makeup they should sport with saree or lehenga which has golden/copper zari work on it. So, I came up with a pretty simple look which would suit each of your saree with zari work, no matter what the base color of the saree is. This one is for you Deepika hope you like it.
1. Lakme compact powder.
2. Lakme eye quartet in desert rose
3. VOV make up kit.
4. VOV 2 color eyebrow powder set
5. Maybelline hypercurl mascara
6. Elle 18 kajal
7. Golden eye crayon.
8. Streetwear eyeliner in black.
Step by Step Tutorial:
Prime your eyes with your favorite primer or concealer and groom your eyebrows with an eyebrow powder or a dark brown eye shadow.
Use a golden highlighter below your brow bone. I have used the pale golden shade form Lakme Eye Quartet.
Take a golden eye crayon and apply it over 2/3rd your upper eyelid.
Use some powder golden eye shadow over the crayon layer. You can use just powder golden eye shadow and leave out the crayon part if you have a properly pigmented golden one in your kitty. I have used VOV eye shadow in golden and the eye crayon.
Take the copper shade from the Lakme eye quartet in Desert Rose and apply on the outer 1/3rd of the upper eye lid. Blend the golden and the copper properly at the point where they meet.
Take a matte brown eyeshadow and blend the harsh edges on the crease.
Draw a thick winged line with black eyeliner on the upper lash line.
Finally, add loads of mascara and kajal and you are done!
This is how it should look!
You can tone it down a bit by lightly brushing some matte brown eye shadow over it. Be confident and wear any lip color (sans red) of your choice with this look.
Coming up is the eye tutorial request of another reader next. Do tell me yours!
Dark Blue Smokey Eye Makeup
Shimmery Grey Black Smokey Eye Makeup Tutorial
Silver Plum Eye Makeup Tutorial
Lakme Eye Quartet Botanica Green Eye Makeup Tutorial
Easy Office Eye MakeUp Tutorial
Silver Smokey Eye Makeup Tutorial
Eye makeup tutorial using MAC Siahi Fluidline
Golden Black Eye Makeup Tutorial
Easy 3-minute Neutral Eye Makeup Tutorial
Eye Makeup: Soft Smokey Eyes- Makeup Tutorial
Blue Pink Eye Makeup Tutorial
Eye Makeup Tutorial : Golden Bronze
Diwali Makeup Tutorial – Glitterly Golden Blue Eyes
Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia Eye Makeup Tutorial
Pretty Green Eye Makeup Tutorial
Soft Green Eye Makeup Tutorial
Golden Brown Eye Makeup Tutorial
Indian Wedding Golden Blue Eye Makeup Look Tutorial |
User Post (4 total)
odessasteps Scrapple Since: 2.1.02 From: MD, USA Since last post: 130 days Last activity: 96 days # 1 Posted on 2.1.06 1658.49 | Instant Rating: 6.41 I keep hearing commercials during Flames' games on teh radio for Japanese Village Steak House. Is it any good? Ever eat there? Mark Coale Odessa Steps Magazine The Affirmation, Baby Blog Promote this thread!
Bullitt Shot in the dark Since: 11.1.02 From: Houston Since last post: 3 days Last activity: 3 days # 2 Posted on 2.1.06 1844.18 | Instant Rating: 6.82 "Japanese Village...awesome...awesome..." It's nothing too special, in my opinion. If you're looking for steak, Hy's or Caesar's are your options. These are my awards, Mother. From Army. The seal is for marksmanship, and the gorilla is for sand racing.
Freeway Scrapple Since: 3.1.02 From: Calgary Since last post: 307 days Last activity: 4 days # 3 Posted on 2.1.06 1914.34 | Instant Rating: 6.98 Originally posted by Bullitt "Japanese Village...awesome...awesome..." It's nothing too special, in my opinion. If you're looking for steak, Hy's or Caesar's are your options. Caesar's is amazing. DVDs; Blog Calgary Flames: 19-11-4 Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights: 13-13-0-6
The Goon Boudin blanc Moderator Since: 2.1.02 From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Since last post: 5 days Last activity: 2 hours # 4 Posted on 2.1.06 2014.57 | Instant Rating: 8.08
Originally posted by Bullitt "Japanese Village...awesome...awesome..." Wow. All this time, I thought it was saying, "Japanese Village...ah-so...ah-so..." I'll have to listen more closely. No, I've never been there.
This is a pretty minor, but bizarre story. And, the lake is not exactly tiny; 100 feet deep and 5 acres in size. Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070621/ap_on_sc/chile_missing_lake_6;_ylt=Am1Gt7Hdvr_IAAzu2mAAkL3lWMcF Weird stuff.
The W message board ZimBoard ©2001-2014 Brothers Zim This old hunk of junk rendered your page in 0.14 seconds. |
The Class-A Clearwater Threshers open the second part of their season with a 4-17 record as the farm system continues to struggle.
It’s never too early to establish a winning culture, but in Clearwater, where prospects get down to business in the competitive Florida State League, players have experienced nothing but extreme failure the last two seasons.
The Threshers were trying to rebound from a 55-82 2004 campaign under the misguided Mike Schmidt managerial experiment, another in a long line of joke personnel decisions. They’re off to another bad start this second half with former Reading Phillies manager and player Greg Legg at the helm. For the season, Clearwater is now 22-68.
With so many levels of the organization comprised of high school talent or foreign amateurs, very few players come to the Phillies with a history of competing at a high level. Between Triple-A Scranton and Low-A Lakewood, the Phils farm system had a .464 winning percentage in 2004, in addition to short-season Batavia, with a record of 28-46 (.378).
It’s the same story this season. Double-A Reading (44-50) has been mired in the Eastern League cellar all year. Aside from homegrown talent like Michael Bourn and Chris Roberson, essentially the same type of slashing outfielder, the brightest moments have come from older players like Randy Ruiz and pitchers Allen Davis and Chris Rojas, all transplants from other organizations.
As for homegrown talent, Juan Richardson, thought to be the slugging future at third base, had a brutal start to the season and seldom plays his position anymore. Shortstop Danny Gonzalez, once praised for his hard work, was released before mid-season. Both Richardson and Gonzalez were ranked at one time by Baseball America.
The bulk of hyped talent resides in Clearwater this season, but the early results are less than impressive. Opponents are hitting .297 off Zach Segovia (2-9, 5.85). Segovia was a second-round choice in 2002 out of high school and missed all of last season with shoulder surgery. And Scott Mathieson, another high school draft pick and ranked by BA, is a mediocre 1-4 with a 4.16 ERA.
In short, the minor leagues are in turmoil once again, with a disturbing talent void in Double-A and troubling results from former top prospects, including Gavin Floyd, who has all the "tools" except the one that counts.
Aside from Ryan Howard and a couple of surprises among minor league free agents, there’s been little to celebrate down on the farm.
Talent isn't the issue, just as talent isn't the only issue with the big club. The minors suffer from too many high school picks, poor development and coaching decisions and a losing mentality that's plagued the organization for years. |
|Show All Stats|
2012-13: Posted an even or better plus/minus rating in 14 of 16 contests ... Recorded a career- high, 17 penalty minutes on Jan. 24 at PHI. 2011-12: Tallied an assist while making his NHL debut on Dec. 20 at NJD. ... Recalled from Connecticut (AHL) on Dec. 18. ... Was one of seven NHL rookie defensemen to have tallied at least one shorthanded assist/point this season (one). ... Ranked third on the team in fighting majors (12). ... Was credited with three hits and posted a plus-two rating, while skating in a career-high, 21:54 of ice time on Mar. 13 vs. CAR … Tallied four assists and a plus-four rating in three games to begin his NHL career from Dec. 20 at NJD to Dec. 23 vs. PHI, following his recall from Connecticut (AHL) on Dec. 18. ... Tallied two primary assists, posted a plus-two rating and was credited with a game-high, six hits on Dec. 23 vs. PHI. ... Tallied a shorthanded assist and logged 11:40 of ice time while making his NHL debut on Dec. 20 at NJD. ... Ranked fourth on the team in playoff penalty minutes (16). ... Made his playoff debut on Apr. 12 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Ottawa.
2012-13: Registered one assist in ten games with Connecticut. 2011-12: Was tied for third on Connecticut with a plus-four rating at the time of his recall on Dec. 18 … Recorded his first shorthanded point of the season with an assist on Dec. 16 vs. Bridgeport. 2010-11: Established career-highs in games played (60), assists (10) and points (12) with Connecticut and Syracuse of the American Hockey League. ... Tied for fourth among Connecticut defensemen in goals (2), and fifth in assists (7) and penalty minutes (135). ... Recorded his first AHL multi-point effort with two points (one goal, one assist), including his first goal with Connecticut, and posted an AHL career-high, plus-three rating in a 3-2 win on March 2 vs. Springfield. ... Tallied his first point as a Whale with an assist on Nov. 27 vs. Bridgeport. ... In addition, he registered his first career AHL playoff point with an assist on Apr. 16 at Portland. ... Was acquired by the Rangers from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Nigel Williams on Nov. 23. ... Ranked third among Syracuse defensemen in penalty minutes (14) at the time of his trade. 2009-10: Recorded two goals and four points in 36 games with San Antonio. ... Notched his first career AHL goal on Jan. 23, 2010 vs. Milwaukee. 2008-09: Made his professional debut with Iowa on Oct. 10, 2008, vs. Peoria, and registered his first career point with an assist on Feb. 16, 2009, vs. Lake Erie.
2010-11: Registered two shots on goal in one game with Elmira. 2009-10: Established career-highs in goals (1), assists (12), points (13), plus/minus rating (plus-14), shots on goal (42) and penalty minutes (50) with Bakersfield. ... Notched two points (one goal, one assist), including his first professional goal, on Dec. 4 at Stockton. ... Tallied back-to-back two-assist performances on Oct. 24 vs. Victoria and Oct. 28 vs. Ontario. .. Recorded two assists and 14 penalty minutes in nine playoff games.
2007-08: Appeared in 45 career games in one season with the University of Minnesota Gophers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), registering one goal and six assists for seven points, along with a team-high, 92 penalty minutes. ... Recorded an assist on the team's lone goal in the WCHA Final Five title game against Denver. ... Helped lead Minnesota to the NCAA Regionals, where they were eliminated by the eventual champions, Boston College. ... Notched his first collegiate goal on Nov. 23 at Michigan. ... Registered an assist on the game-winning goal on Dec. 1 vs. Michigan Tech.
2006-07: Captured the 2007 Clark Cup Championship with Sioux Falls of the United States Hockey League (USHL). ... Led the league in penalty minutes (215) over his 57 games. ... Ranked sixth on the team with a plus-5 rating. ... Recorded two points (one goal, one assist) on Apr. 4 vs. Waterloo. ... Tallied three assists in eight playoff contests. 2005-06: Split the season between the Southern Minnesota Express of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) and the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). ... Helped lead Southern Minnesota to the Robertson Cup Final Four. ... Ranked third on the team in penalty minutes (115). ... Tallied one assist in three games in the Buc Bowl with Green Bay (USHL). 2004-05: Made his USHL debut and skated in 13 games with Green Bay.
HIGH SCHOOL CAREER
2003-04: Played his senior season of high-school hockey as a forward at Eden Prairie High School, finishing second on the team in scoring with 16 goals and 41 points in 28 games.
His favorite movies are Dumb and Dumber and Happy Gilmore. ... Favorite music group is the Dave Matthews Band. ... First job was docking boats on Lake Minnetonka. ... Enjoys golfing, boating and fishing. ... Single.
July 2, 2008 -- Signed with Anaheim as an undrafted free agent. Nov. 23, 2010 -- Traded by Anaheim to Rangers in exchange for Nigel Williams.
LONGEST POINT STREAK: 3 games from 12/20/11 to 12/23/11 (four assists)
LONGEST ASSIST STREAK: 3 games from 12/20/11 to 12/23/11 (four assists)
MOST ASSISTS, GAME: 2 on Dec. 23, 2011, vs. Philadelphia
MOST POINTS, GAME: 2 on Dec. 23, 2011, vs. Philadelphia (2 assists)
MOST PIM, GAME: 16 of Feb. 5, 2012, vs. Philadelphia
MOST SHOTS, GAME: 3 on March 19, 2012, vs. New Jersey
FIRST NHL GAME: Dec. 20, 2011 (Rangers at New Jersey)
FIRST NHL ASSIST: Dec. 20, 2011 (Rangers at New Jersey) |
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By Helen Murphy
BOGOTA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Colombia's FARC rebels on Saturday admitted to holding two police patrolmen and a soldier it seized last week and pledged to free them in an apparent goodwill gesture at the end of a tense week of peace negotiations with the government.
The captured soldier had not previously been announced by the Defense Ministry.
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the biggest armed group in Latin America, said in a statement it would release the three security officials to the International Committee of the Red Cross and a local peace group.
"We communicate to the families that they are in good health and receiving respectful and dignified treatment," said the statement, dated Feb. 1. "It doesn't cease to surprise us that the defense ministry remained silent" about the soldier.
The announcement comes after a difficult week of peace negotiations in Cuba as the two sides traded barbs amid an increase of violence, kidnappings and attacks on economic infrastructure.
For more than a decade, U.S.-backed strikes against the FARC have severely weakened the rebels and limited their ability to attack the country's economic drivers, helping attract billions of dollars in foreign investment.
But the escalation of violence in recent weeks has left scores of insurgents and government troops dead, demonstrating that even while the FARC is weakened, it is by no means dead.
The government has demanded the FARC stop its practice of kidnapping while the guerrillas this week made clear it would continue to capture members of the armed forces which it regards as "prisoners of war."
President Juan Manuel Santos took the biggest gamble of his political career and faced pressure from opposition leaders when he started talks with the FARC. Attempts by previous governments to end the conflict have ended in shambles and helped energize the rebels and intensify fighting.
The FARC, as the drug-funded group is known, vowed last year to abandon kidnapping for ransom, but this week it seized and later freed three oil workers.
Over its history, the FARC has held dozens of police officers, soldiers and politicians hostage, including French-Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, seized in 2002, and three Americans taken a year later.
Betancourt and the U.S.-defense contractors were rescued by the military in 2008, when Santos was defense minister.
In a separate statement on Saturday, the FARC - which began in 1964 as a Marxist agrarian group fighting social inequality - accused former President Alvaro Uribe of trying to ruin the peace talks. It also said he had ties to right-wing paramilitary groups and drug traffickers.
Uribe, who battered the group for two straight terms and is credited with bringing it close to defeat, has been a loud critic of the talks, accusing Santos of seeking a name in the history books above all else.
Santos, despite being at the sharp end of Uribe's criticism, called on the FARC to respect his predecessor.
"The national government rejects the communique issued today by the FARC in Havana and demands respect to the dignity of ex-President Alvaro Uribe," the president's office said.
"The negotiation table is aimed at seeking an end to the conflict so such declarations in no way contribute to that end." (Reporting by Helen Murphy; Editing by Sandra Maler) |
No. 150 for the sitting period 6 February8 February 2001
9 February 2001
Orders for production of documents and government responses to such orders were a significant feature of the sitting period.
The government made a statement on 6 February refusing to produce documents in response to the order of the Senate of 4 October 2000 requiring the documents relating to taxation minimisation schemes. The Assistant Treasurer, Senator Kemp, said that the government had adopted the novel approach of obtaining from the Democrats the grounds they would accept for withholding some documents, and had decided that all of the documents required were covered by those grounds. The grounds largely related to protecting investigations. In debate on the government statement, Senator Cook claimed that he had been told that some of the documents were available under a freedom of information request on the payment of a large fee, and that this somewhat undermined the governments claim that the documents could not be disclosed. The matter will no doubt be pursued.
A very detailed order passed on 6 February required the production of documents relating to the awarding of the contract for the Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor. Documents were produced on 8 February in accordance with the deadline, but with a statement indicating that some documents had been withheld on the now familiar ground of commercial confidentiality, but offering to provide them on a confidential basis.
Two batches of documents were produced on 6 February in response to the order of 4 December 2000 relating to opinion polling on taxation by departments.
An order passed on 7 February requires the government to produce Federal Court and Administrative Appeals Tribunal decisions which the government claims have unintentionally broadened the scope of the definition of research and development activities and an explanation of why the decisions are unacceptable to the government, together with other information mainly about projects which did not meet the definition. Presumably there will be no claim that the court and tribunal decisions are confidential.
An order passed on 8 February requires the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to produce a report on retail grocery prices. The Commission has produced reports in the past in response to these kinds of Senate orders.
Legislation: Bicameral transactions
Two pieces of legislation were the subject of somewhat complex procedures resulting from dealings between the Houses.
The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Bill, a government bill initiated in the Senate, was returned with amendments made in the House by the government, in part reversing Senate amendments but in part offering alternatives. The Senate eventually agreed to the amendments made in the House with further amendments made in the Senate. Because of the numbers of amendments involved, the minister in charge of the bill moved separate motions to agree with each of the House amendments, and senators then moved amendments to those amendments. Where the further Senate amendments consisted of the omission of clauses inserted by the House amendments, the question was divided and the question that the Senate agree with the particular clauses was put.
In relation to the Australian Research Council Bill and a consequential bill, in respect of which the government had rejected Senate amendments in the House, the end result was that the Senate did not insist on some amendments, insisted on others, and made further amendments in place of those disagreed to. In order to bring about this result, it was necessary to divide the question that the Senate not insist on its amendments disagreed to.
The Senate on 6 February adopted the changes to arrangements for estimates hearings, recommended by the Procedure Committee:
- the abolition of supplementary hearings on additional estimates, with effect from the beginning of 2001
- allowing Senate parliamentary secretaries to represent House of Representatives ministers (but not Senate ministers) at estimates hearings, with effect from the beginning of 2002.
After a great deal of negotiation, the Senates order allocating departments to the legislation committees for estimates hearings was amended on 8 February to allocate the new Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs to the Finance and Public Administration Committee.
Senate Daily Summary
This bulletin provides Senate staff and others with a summary of procedurally significant occurrences in the Senate. The Senate Daily Summary provides more detailed information on Senate proceedings, including progress of legislation, committee reports and other documents tabled and major actions by the Senate. Like this bulletin, Senate Daily Summary may be reached through the Senate home page at www.aph.gov.au/senate
Inquiries: Clerk's Office
(02) 6277 3364
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This is part of the tenth round of airports issued by Alpha India Group. AIG Ground creates high quality Afcads for both FS2004 and for FSX default and add on scenery airports. Airports are created drawing on the best available resources and aim to simulate the real world airport as closely as possible but also to ensure good levels of traffic with realistic parking and good flow of traffic around the airport. By Paul Harrison and Alpha India Group.
Hong Kong (Chek Lap Kok) International Airport is the main airport serving the island of Hong Kong, replacing the famous Kai Tak airport in 1998. It is a major transport hub in Asia, proving a gateway into mainland China from Europe and the Americas. In 2009 it was the 13th busiest airport in the world with passenger numbers exceeding 45.6 million and is the second busiest cargo airport in the world, handling in excess of 3.4 million tons of cargo in the same year.
Hong Kong International is the principal hub of Cathay Pacific Airways, Dragonair, Hong Kong Express Airways and Hong Kong Airlines. Air New Zealand, Qantas and Virgin Atlantic all use the airport as a stopover point for flights on the "Kangaroo Route" between Australasia and Europe with many other international airlines using the airport as a stopover or entry point to mainland China and southeast Asia. In all, Hong Kong International handles flights from approximately 90 different airlines with over 150 destinations worldwide.
The airport has significant cargo facilities, serving around 60 different cargo airlines on a regular basis. Hong Kong International has minimal general aviation facilities, primarily servicing business jets through the Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre (BAC). The airport also has a large maintenance area with hangar and apron facilities for more than a dozen wide and narrow body aircraft simultaneously.
Hong Kong International airport is also the home of the Government Flying Service, providing search and rescure, medical evacuation, police aerial support and other services for the Hong Kong government. In 2009, the Government Flying Service had 3 fixed wing aircraft and 7 helicopters based at this facility.
To Mariano Bonaccorso for his detailed knowledge of operations at VHHH which proved invaluable in assigning airline appropriate parking spots. The genesis for this airport design is Mariano's excellent FS9 version, ade9_vhhh_imaginesim_mcb.zip.
ADE (Airport Design Editor) by Jon Masterson is an invaluable freeware utility for developing Afcads and the latest version - 1.47 - is significantly advanced with the addition of the graphic Approach code editor, written by Jim Vile. My thanks to both Jim and Jon for all their help and support on this and all AIG projects.
This parking design is intended to be used with Imagine Simulation's FSX version of VHHH - it will not work with the default FSX VHHH airport.
Some general aviation packages (including the default FSX GA traffic) have single engine light aircraft using VHHH which is prototypically unrealistic. Such aircraft would typically utilize Shek Kong Airfield (VHSK), located in Hong Kong's New Territories, and it is recommended that flightplans sending light aircraft to VHHH be edited, replacing VHHH with VHSK. The AI Flight Planner utility provides a simple way to achieve this substitution.
ImagineSim chose not to implement animated jetways in their VHHH scenery. It has not been possible to remedy this situation in this airport design as it is a fundamental limitation in the scenery. If you'd like animated jetways at VHHH, email ImagineSim and let them know!
The excellent ground traffic provided by ImagineSim in their VHHH scenery does not service the cargo, general aviation, military or maintenance areas. It was not possible to add a default vehicle network to these areas without compromising the functionality of the whole airport.
Some AI aircraft have incorrect wingspan values. FSX uses these values to determine which parking spots are used and so if an AI aircraft has its wingspan set too low, it may park in a spot which is too small. Where possible, space has been left around parking spots so that this does not cause problems, however in some areas (notably the general aviation parking) this was not possible. It is strongly recommended that you use a utility (such as AI Aircraft Editor, supplied with ADE) to correct the wing span values of AI aircraft to avoid this problem.
The archive aig_vhhh_hong_kong_fsx_imaginesim.zip has 12 files and directories contained within it. View them...
This list displays the first 500 files in the package. If the package has more, you will need to download it to view them.
|Filename/Directory||File Date||File Size|
|AIG Ground FSX.png||09.01.09||26.71 kB|
|Imagine Simulation||08.01.10||0 B|
|VHHH Hong Kong||08.01.10||0 B|
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We are pleased to announce the release of Coopr 3.0 (3.0.4362). Coopr is a collection of Python software packages that supports a diverse set of optimization capabilities for formulating and analyzing optimization models.
The following are highlights of this release:
* More sophisticated logic for solver factory to find ASL and OS solvers
* Various solver interface improvements
* New Solver results object for efficient representation of variable values
* New support for asynchronous progressive hedging
* Changes in rule semantics to limit rule return values
* Changes in the expected order of rule arguments
* Constant sums or products can now be used as constraint bounds
* Added full support for the !ConstraintList modeling component.
- Usability enhancements
* More explicit output from runph and runef commands
* Added support in runef to write the extensive form in NL format
* Add controls for garbage collection in PH
* Efficiency improvements in generation of NL and LP files.
* Significant efficiency improvements in parsing of Pyomo Data Files.
* More robust MS Windows installer (does not use virtual python
Note that this is a major release of Coopr that changes the expected formulation of Coopr models. See the Coopr blog for further details about deprecated functionality, which will be disabled in future releases.
See https://software.sandia.gov/trac/coopr/wiki/GettingStarted for instructions for getting started with Coopr. Installers are available for MS Windows and Unix operating systems to simplify the installation of Coopr packages along with the third-party Python packages that they depend on. These installers can also automatically install extension packages from Coin Bazaar.
- Coopr Developer Team
Coopr is a collection of Python software packages that supports a diverse set of optimization capabilities for formulating and analyzing optimization models.
A key driver for Coopr development is Pyomo, an open source tool for modeling optimization applications in Python. Pyomo can be used to define symbolic problems, create concrete problem instances, and solve these instances with standard solvers. Thus, Pyomo provides a capability that is commonly associated with algebraic modeling languages like AMPL and GAMS.
Coopr has also proven an effective framework for developing high-level optimization and analysis tools. For example, the PySP package provides generic solvers for stochastic programming. PySP leverages the fact that Pyomo's modeling objects are embedded within a full-featured high-level programming language, which allows for transparent parallelization of subproblems using Python parallel communication libraries.
Coopr development is hosted by Sandia National Laboratories and COIN-OR:
See http://groups.google.com/group/coopr-forum/ for online discussions of Coopr. |
Since No Child Left Behind was enacted in 2001 with bipartisan support, public schools have been faced with the false choice between performing well on standardized tests or losing funding.
This pressure has led to some deception from schools in their progress reports to the federal government — we’ve seen everything from under-reporting violence to avoid being labeled as a “persistently dangerous” school, to misrepresenting the real drop-out rate, to excluding low-performing students from standardized tests, to physically changing students’ test answers used to measure school progress.
This last strategy was found to be employed in at least 44 Atlanta schools.
In fact, 178 school principals and teachers were accused of some level of involvement in physically changing incorrect answers on their student’s standardized tests.
Fifty-six schools were investigated, 44 of them — almost 80 percent — were found to be cheating, according to the CBS News report. And the evidence seems to be piling up: 82 out of the 178 educators investigated have confessed to cheating.
Meanwhile former superintendent Beverly Hall, named Superintendent of the Year in 2009, is accused of being aware of the cheating. According to the Associated Press, official government reports show Hall ignored reports of cheating. Hall is denying the accusations.
A 2005 article by the Reason Foundation’s Lisa Snell points to a trend in deception and misrepresentation to meet No Child Left Behind Standards. Despite 56 criminal charges including sexual offenses, assault with a deadly weapon, robberies and batteries in the 2003-2004 school year, Locke High School in Los Angeles was not labeled a “persistently violent” school.
Wesley Elementary School in Houston won several awards and was featured on Oprah for “defying the odds.” In 2004, the Dallas Morning News found that its 5th graders, who scored in the top 10 percent while at Wesley, scored in the bottom 10 percent the following year as 6th graders at a new school.
In 2003, the New York Times reported that Houston schools were misrepresenting and omitting drop-outs by listing them as transfers, among other strategies. The Houston School District found that more than half of the 5,500 students who left in the 2000-01 school year should have been declared dropouts.
In 2004, Oak Ridge High School in Orlando boosted its test scores by eliminating 126 low-performing students from its attendance roles.
And these are just some examples of the illicit actions taken by schools who fear being reprimanded by No Child Left Behind. But it is uncertain that reforms could change this trend.
In 2010, the Obama administration issued a “Blueprint for Reform” which proposed changes to No Child Left Behind. The Obama plan would retain the requirement for annual reading and math tests, the New York Times reports. But the focus of testing would shift from the number of students who are proficient to each student’s academic growth.
The reform would also eliminate the provision that schools failing to meet testing requirements for two consecutive years must provide busing to other schools for students wishing to transfer. This clause is often cited as the reason many schools cheat.
As for the Atlanta schools, educators could face criminal charges.
According to CBS News, tampering with state examinations is a felony in Georgia and educators found guilty could face up to 10 years in prison. Wouldn’t it just be easier to educate the kids?! |
The Liujiang skeleton, consisting of a well preserved cranium and limited
postcranial material, was discovered in a small cave at Tongtianyan in the
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 1958 by people collecting fertilizer (Wu
1959). Liujiang was initially described by Wu (1959), with Wu and Zhang (1985)
providing additional comparative anatomical information. TheAiluropoda-
Stegodon fauna found in association with Liujiang were interpreted as being
of Middle Pleistocene age but the contemporaneity of the fauna and human
skeletal remains have not been established. Wu (1959) did not support a Middle
Pleistocene age for the human skeletal materials arguing that the morphology of
the cranium suggested a more recent date. This is supported by morphological and
metrical comparison with other East Asian crania, for instance Minatogawa 1
(Suzuki, 1982; Wu, 1992; Hanihara, 1994). More recently a Uranium series date of
67,000 +6000-5000 was reported for Liujiang (Wu 1988, 1990, 1992) which would
make it the earliest example of modern Homo sapiens from the East Asian
region. However, the stratigraphic relationship of the dated stalactite layer
and the human skeletal materials can not be confirmed (Chen and Zhang 1991). At
present it must be said that the Liujiang skeleton remains undated.
By both modern and Neolithic standards Liujiang
has a long and low cranial vault, with an occipital bun, little obelionic
flattening and no sagittal keel. The facial skeleton is short but relatively
broad for its height. The superciliary ridges are moderately developed, with
some depression of the root of the nose and low, rectangular orbits. Facial
prognathism is greater than the average amongst modern and late Neolithic Chinese but is
similar to the early Neolithic male average. The
mastoid processes are extremely small, and along with the pelvic morphology
makes me uncertain as to the male sex of Liujiang (Brown In Press). Both teeth
and palate are moderate in size, with congenitally absent third molars, a small
odontome in the center of the palate and a shovel shaped right lateral
There is nothing particularly East Asian about the facial skeleton of
Liujiang. While the nasal bones are flattened, the nasal aperture is not very
tall and the antero-lateral surfaces of the malars are not rotated forwards like
in Chinese Neolithic and
modern facial skeletons. Low, rectangular orbits are common in the Late
Pleistocene and early Holocene throughout the world and this should be
disregarded when determining East Asian affinity. Unlike Upper Cave 101
only limited statistical comparisons have been conducted with Liujiang. Both
Suzuki (1982) and Wu (1992) place Liujiang closer to Minatogawa 1 than
101, with the former study also distinguishing Liujiang from modern East
Brown, P. 1998. The first Mongoloids: another look at Upper Cave 101,
Liujiang and Minatogawa 1. Acta Anthropologica Sinica 17 (4):255-275.
Brown, P. In Press. Modern human origins in East Asia: a view from the late
Pleistocene and Neolithic
of China and Japan. In K.
Omoto (ed.), Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Origins of the
Japanese, pp. International Research Center for Japanese Studies, Kyoto.
Chen, T. and Zhang, Y. 1991. Palaeolithic chronology and possible coexistance
of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens in China. World
Hanihara, T. 1994. Craniofacial continuity and discontinuity of Far
Easterners in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Journal of Human
Evolution 27: 417-441.
Suzuki, H. 1982. Skulls of the Minatogawa Man. In H. Suzuki and K. Hanihara,
The Minatogawa Man, pp. 7-49. University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo.
Wu, R. 1959. Human fossils found in Liukiang, Kwangsi, China. Gu Jizhuidongwu yu
Gu Renlei 1:97-104.
Wu, X. 1988. The relationship between Upper Palaeolithic human fossils of China and Japan. Acta
Anthropologica Sinica 7:235-238.
Wu, X. 1990. The evolution of humankind in China. Acta
Anthropologica Sinica 9:312-322.
Wu, X. 1992. The origin and dispersal of anatomically modern humans in East
and Southeast Asia. In T. Akazawa, K. Aoki and T. Kimura (eds) The evolution
and dispersal of modern humans in Asia, 373-378. Hokusen-sha, Tokyo.
Wu, X. and Zhang, Z. 1985. Homo sapiens remains from Late Palaeolithic and Neolithic China. In R. Wu and J. W.
Olsen, Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Archaeology in the People's
Republic of China,
pp. 107-133. Academic Press, London.
Wu, X.-Z. 1992. The origin and dispersal of anatomically modern humans in
East and Southeast Asia. In T. Akazawa, K. Aoki and T. Kimura (eds.), The
evolution and dispersal of modern humans in Asia, pp. 373-378. Hokusen-sha,
Table 1. Comparative dimensions of Upper Cave 101, Liujiang and Minatogawa
||Upper Cave 101
|max. cranial breadth |
Entries tagged with: Deep Sea Diver
photos by Autumn Andel
Beck / James Blake / Japandroids
Being an "I told you so" person is never a good look, but seeing everyone freak the fuck out over the sisters Haim at Treasure Island was kind of like, "well, yeah." They excel as performers, and everything about the way Haim presents itself to the world is somehow both impeccably rehearsed and completely natural and off-the-cuff. It's a wonder that it took the three sisters until their mid-twenties, even, to shred together for an elated, packed festival crowd, screaming while San Francisco sparkled in the background. I saw them play maybe six or seven years ago, to a handful of people at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, and even then it was a no-brainer: Haim was a name we'd all be hearing. But don't necessarily expect Days Are Gone, their new successful new solo debut, to paint this whole picture; If anything the LP is just a roadmap for Haim's live show, which thrives on a shared musical chemistry that's better than anything that can be planned in advance. [SF Weekly]The 2013 Treasure Island Music Festival wrapped up on Sunday (10/20) after beginning a day earlier. Unlike day 1's mostly-electronic lineup, day 2 sold its turntables and bought guitars for sets from Beck, Sleigh Bells, Japandroids, Real Estate, Haim, Lord Huron, Palma Violets and more. Alright, James Blake and Animal Collective played too, but you get the picture. You can check out a set of pictures of day 2 in this post.
If you missed them, day 1 pics are here. More of day 2 below...
Portland festival MusicFestNW is returning this year to multiple Portland venues from September 3-8 with a ton of bands including Animal Collective, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Superchunk, Deerhunter, Charles Bradley, Shuggie Otis, Joey Bada$$, Bonnie Prince Billy, Chromatics, Glass Candy, Flume, Youth Lagoon, Washed Out, The Thermals, TItus Andronicus, Bob Mould, Baroness, Austra, Ty Segall, The Bronx, The Men, Mount Eerie, White Lung, and many more. Ticket info is coming soon.
Initial lineup below...
Treasure Island Music Festival is returning in 2013 to The San Francisco Bay on October 19-20. This year's lineup includes Thom Yorke's Atoms For Peace project, Beck, Animal Collective, James Blake, Japandroids, Disclosure, Tricky, Little Dragon, Sleigh Bells, Phantogram, Holy Ghost!, Real Estate, and more. Tickets for the festival go on sale Friday (5/31) at 10 AM PST.
Full lineup below...
photos by Sarah Frankie Linder, words by Andrew Sacher
Delorean / Savages
We kicked off our free BrooklynVegan SXSW day parties yesterday (3/13) in Austin at the Main & The Jr (aka the old Emo's location, aka 603 Red River St) with sets from Delorean, Robyn Hitchock, Savages, Camper Van Beethoven, Caveman, Braids, Maserati, Caitlin Rose, Anamanaguchi, Indians, Marnie Stern, Team Spirit, Torres, and Deep Sea Diver. Pictures from the party are in this post, and more are on the way soon.
The biggest surprise for me personally was Torres (aka Mackenzie Scott), whose self titled debut is great, but she really takes it to another level live. Her band is super tight, loud, and confident (her guitarist has some rock star moves) and Mackenzie has some serious pipes that she doesn't even fully reveal on the album. It was a much heavier show than I expected, and if you can catch her at one of her other upcoming SXSW shows, highly recommended.
Torres was followed by other great sets on the outdoor stage (Glasslands Stage), like the noisy math rock of Marnie Stern (who played a lot of her great new album), the danceable video game punk of Anamanaguchi, and a set from post-rockers Maserati, who along with Caveman, cooled things down for a bit. But that cooling down didn't last long, because once Savages took the stage, they were possibly even more intense than CMJ. They played some new stuff that they didn't have back then, and once that album finally drops, I've got pretty high hopes for it. Finally, Delorean wrapped up the outdoor stage with a dancey set. It was nice to end the day with some familiar tunes like "Real Love." Then Maserati came out and joined Delorean for a cover over Gary Numan's "Cars." Not really.
Meanwhile, indoors Deep Sea Diver kicked things off around the same time as Torres outside and they were followed by the fun-rock of Team Spirit, Copenhagen's Indians (who were a 3-piece and were better that way than when I saw him solo), a rousing country set from Caitlin Rose, the new electronic sound of Braids (which we also heard at CMJ), and the show ended with sets from two musical veterans: Camper Van Beethoven and Robyn Hitchcock. Robyn was great and he is especially funny on stage with his in-between song banter. He referred to the overheard sounds of Delorean from the other room as the sounds of devils, and "if they had been heard 200 years earlier, marches of men would have been sent to destroy these fiends," (or something like that).
In addition to the music, Onkyo was there, sampling their new headphones which hit stores next month. mophie, maker of invaluable iPhone chargers, were giving away discount cards good at their pop-up shop which was set up right across the street on Red River. We were also serving complimentary Jameson, and Zico coconut water, and free vegan queso and chips from Food For Lovers. We also had BrooklynVegan t-shirts for the first 50 people in the door, thanks to American Apparel. Also thanks to our other sponsors, Korg, Vox, Blackstar, Creative Recreation, Signazon, WILLCALL, Mirrored Media, and Redigi.
Our day parties continue today (3/14) with sets from Cloud Nothings, Parenthetical Girls, Death, METZ, Milk Music, Beach Fossils, Widowspeak, and more.
More pictures from yesterday's party below...
follow @BVSXSW on Twitter. here's another BVSXSW lineup announcement...
As you know, BrooklynVegan is returning to Austin for SXSW this year and throwing four days of day parties at The Main & The Jr aka 603 Red River Street at the corner of 6th aka the old Emo's location. Those happen Wed (3/13), Thurs, Fri and Saturday (3/16). All shows are 100% FREE with RSVP.
Seattle trio Deep Sea Diver released their debut album, History Speaks, last year and you can stream the whole thing below. While heavy on rhythm, the record is a showcase for frontperson Jessica Dobson's songwriting and strong voice. She has spent time as Beck's touring guitarist, and is currently a member of The Shins. Perhaps you recognize her from there.
Much of the country will have a chance to check out Deep Sea Diver when they head out on tour with their Pacific Northwest neighbors Telekinesis. That tour makes a stop in NYC on May 9 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are still available. The band will also be heading to SXSW so look for them if you'll be in Austin that week. All tour dates are listed below.
Says the PR
On the heels of a highly successful, critically acclaimed sold-out 2012 festival, the Sasquatch! Music Festival unveils its 2013 lineup, which once again features 4 days of music. The festival, hailed as "a model of well-paced programming...in a four-day schedule as efficient and natural feeling as an expertly built algorithm" by NPR Music while Wired notes, "leave the landscape out of it and Sasquatch! has a lineup to kill for," runs May 24-27 (Memorial Day Weekend) at TheWoot. 2013 Lineup below...
Gorge, the internationally acclaimed concert venue carved in the basalt cliffs high above the Columbia River Gorge in Quincy, WA.
Frightened Rabbit @ T5, Nov. 2010 (more by Lionel Bergeron)
SXSW has just announced another round of bands for the 2013 edition of the annual music festival that will happen March 12 - 17. This brings the total current number of acts to around 1300. Someome of the highlights include Vampire Weekend, Frightened Rabbit, The Thermals, Black Lips, Camera Obscura, Merchandise, Bleached, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Eagles of Death Metal, Parenthetical Girls, Indians, Night Beds, IO Echo, KEN Mode, Prince Paul, Pure Bathing Culture, Sepalcure, UK motorik post-punks TOY, Finnish instrumentalists K-X-P, Toronto's Moon King, UK indie rockers Splashh (not Brooklyn Splash with one "h") and loads more. Head to BV Austin for the whole Round 3 list.
The 2012 music lineup was announced today for Bumbershoot: Seattle's Music & Arts Festival, which is produced by non-profit arts organization One Reel and takes place over Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1-3, at Seattle Center. The 42-year-old urban festival stands on top nationally in its variety as it showcases both familiar and up-and-coming regional and national talent in many musical genres, as well as in comedy, theater, literary and visual arts, dance, film and children's programming.The complete Bumbershoot 2012 lineup below...
Bumbershoot's Mainstage in KeyArena will feature two multi-act performances each day. Artists scheduled to perform there include groundbreaking alternative rock band Jane's Addiction, jazz legend Tony Bennett, electronic phenom Skrillex, a hip hop double bill with Mac Miller and Big Sean, M83, and AWOLNATION among others. Additional Mainstage acts will be announced in coming weeks.
Tickets are all-inclusive. All festival offerings, including Mainstage admission on a first-come, first-served basis (no separate pass required), and late-night electronic music curated by Decibel Festival for Bumbershoot After Dark, are included in the price of a single-day or 3-day ticket |
Author of the month: Cornelia Funke
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke Chicken House £12.99
"Jim Carrey," shudders the gentle-looking woman. She is wearing a midnight-blue sequinned top, and all of the hotel chandeliers are reflected back as her shoulders shiver their disapproval. The top, by the way, is day-into-evening wear with just the chic-est reference to Venetian carnival, because she is doing a book launch after this interview, and her best-known book so far, The Thief Lord, is set in Venice.
"You know, they tell you they're passionate about the book, and then you see they don't even get the characters," she says again in a heavy German accent.
Cornelia Funke, best-selling children's author, has movie moguls lining up to sign her dance card right now, and - expressions of horror notwithstanding - she is having a really good time sifting out the frogs.
For 17 years, all she knew was success in her home country, Germany: a place with no tradition of celebrating children's authors in newspapers. "Your readers know about you, but not the media," she says.
But last September, her book The Thief Lord was published in the US and went to number two on the New York Times bestseller list. "Another Rowling!" Unlike the Germans, the US press was not about to let this pass unnoticed by anybody over 14.
The day the book became a bestseller the profiles began. "There was a big article in the Wall Street Journal and everybody jumped at me - I did interviews for three weeks. At home, my German publisher, who normally has to fight for children's books to be covered, suddenly had all the big magazines clamouring," says Funke.
"All the studios and the producers were asking for the rights for The Thief Lord; Mark Odesky who did Lord of The Rings, and the guys who did the Matrix, suddenly, they were all there," she tells. This being her first exposure to this kind of thing she did what any novice would. She sent them the proofs of her next book, Inkheart, before choosing to whom she would sell the rights. To both books.
Which is where the hapless Jim Carrey comes in. "The producer claiming to be the most passionate of all about my work suggested Jim Carrey for Dustfinger (a character in Inkheart, a complex man, weak, bewildered, desperate, devious but also capable of good). That was just an awful thought." Her face curdles again at the memory. Movies matter to Funke. The Thief Lord is actually dedicated to Bob Hoskins, a man she has never met, but who appeared in her mind, she says, during the writing.
"I had never planned to have a detective in that story and suddenly Bob Hoskins walked into my imagination, and he became such a central character for my story. It's a wonderful thing to imagine an actor while you write, because it gives your character so much depth and intensity, you can imagine every gesture and you nevertheless don't steal from a real person."
So real is her imaginary involvement with Hoskins that she signed up with The Chicken House publishing company in the UK because Barry Cunningham, its founder - and coincidentally the man who signed Rowling when he was at Bloomsbury - told her over the phone he looks just like Hoskins.
Funke started life as an illustrator, but bored with the stories, she started writing her own. Her two works so far translated into English, Thief Lord and Inkheart, are both big books, several hundred pages long, and Inkheart - nearly 600 pages - is the first, of course, of a trilogy. There are some big claims being made for these huge books now - talk of their universal themes. Philip Pullman's Northern Lights is on the Observer's list of the 100 best novels . Funke's novels, too, are read by adults as well as children.
I ask her how a German author writes without writing about the Holocaust. "I have been waiting for this question," she says slowly. "I am happy I have it finally." Forty-four years old now, she talks about this at some length, in a rather confused way. She says she couldn't write about the Holocaust because she knows very little about it: "My parents were children, so even they didn't have any part".
She says, adamantly, that German history is not a subject for her - she prefers to work for Amnesty - but what's odd is that a large part of Inkheart is about book-burning, as it happens. As fine-tuned as she is to every Hollywood actor's personality traits and suitability to play her characters, she sounds blithely ignorant of connections within her own work.
I talk it over with an expert, my 13-year-old. "Course," she says, "all these books have that stuff, good, evil, fascism. Look at Harry Potter - full of talk about pure bloods, and so on. But the authors aren't really writing about it; it's just what they use in the story." Dina Rabinovitch
· Inkheart by Cornelia Funke can be ordered p&p-free from the Guardian book service on 0870 066 7979.
Biggles in the Baltic by Captain WE Johns, Oxford
Growing up in the sticks in the 1960s wasn't a whole lot of fun for a boy if you had no interest in cows, horses or bracing walks. The only relief was a fortnightly trip to the County Ground in Swindon to watch Don Rogers jink past a few sub-standard third-division defences.
The isolation was almost inescapable; the countryside was a foreign land and so was the city. London was a large and frightening place we went to twice a year, and my Dad always made sure he wore a suit for each visit. We might have been hicks, but at least people would see we were smart hicks.
Biggles was my escape route - a passport to action and the exotic. In the course of roughly 100 books, the air ace, James Bigglesworth, had fought two world wars and proved himself a top notch agent on every continent. And I fought alongside him every page of the way. I was the invisible member of the Biggles quartet. Not quite as central as Ginger, maybe, but a whole lot more valuable than Algy and Bertie.
For an early induction into 20th century world history, British colonialism and geography, the collected works of Capt WE Johns could not be faulted. But such things were not on my mind at the time. I had come to Biggles on the back of the Enid Blyton Five Find-Outers series and Michael Bond's Paddington Bear books, and even though I was only nine it felt as if I was leaving my childhood behind.
This was a man's world. Literally. You could read dozens of Biggles books without coming across a woman, and when you did your heart sank. I didn't need girls in books: I had two elder sisters in real life. Which was more than enough to be going on with. So when Biggles did occasionally start moping for the French secret agent, Marie Janis, I'd give him a ticking off. "Come on, man. Get back to what you do best. Killing the Boche."
And it was usually the Germans. The second world war may have been over for 20 years, but it was still going on as far as boys my age were concerned. And as far as our parents were concerned, for that matter, I suspect. We once had a German cub scout to stay for a couple of days and my mum had to ask me not to use the word Jerries when I was enacting one of my many imaginary ambushes on the stairs. "Just say 'the enemy'," she warned.
You knew where you stood with Biggles. There was good and there was evil and nothing in between. It was a black and white world - even down to the line illustrations in the text - that perfectly mirrored my own interior landscape, fuelled by starvation rations of black and white TV, and whose only other military history came through the black-and-white comic strips of the few war picture libraries I could sneak past the parental thought police.
Biggles in the Baltic stands out as a classic. It may have been written as a piece of wartime propaganda in the 1940s, but it seemed plausible enough to me. Why wouldn't Biggles & Co manage to occupy an uninhabited island and blow up the ammunition depot at Kiel, sink a U-boat and a troop transport, capture the secret code book, hijack the Germans' latest aircraft and still escape from the clutches of Biggles' arch rival, Von Stalhein? After all he had a week to do it.
If the details varied, the basics didn't and most of the Biggles books were formulaic to the point of interchangeability. But that was part of their charm. Give me a lantern-jawed hero with a spitfire over a pointy-headed magician with a beard anytime. Tally ho, chaps. Chocks away.
Pirates! by Celia Rees, Bloomsbury £12.99 Ages 9-15
A swashbuckling, ruby-red tale of exploitation, adventure and true love, this is by far the best read this autumn. Give this to your children to read and the words will create vividly coloured pictures in their mind. Which is what you want from a book, after all.
The Heroes Series by Geraldine McCaughrean, OUP £4.99
Theo, 11, is hard to please with books. He has read all of these and still wants more. There are four so far: Odysseus, Hercules, Perseus and Theseus. McCaughrean has won all the major awards; this is myth-telling without jokes, but full sentences. "You could make this into a computer game," said Theo. "Twelve levels." There is no higher praise. DR |
Vanguard Plans Int’l Bond Funds—Finally
Vanguard Group, after years of deliberating about whether international bonds were an investment class worthy of its focus, filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission detailing plans to market two bonds—one focused on investment-grade debt outside the United States and the other on sovereign credits from the emerging markets.
Vanguard, the third-largest U.S. ETF fund sponsor by assets, said it will offer conventional mutual fund shares of the two new bond funds as well as ETF shares. The two funds and the estimated expense ratios of the ETF versions are:
- Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund, 0.30%
- Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund, 0.35%
The international bond fund will be hedged, meaning that whatever currency exposure a given bond has will be neutralized by the fund’s hedging strategy, Vanguard said in a press release on the two proposed funds. The emerging markets fund will meanwhile own dollar-denominated credits, according to the filing.
International bonds have become an increasingly popular investment in recent years. That’s particularly true of the emerging markets. The single-biggest international bond fund is focused on developing market credits. It’s the iShares JPMorgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Index Fund (NYSEArca: EMB), and it has $3.15 billion in assets, according to data compiled by IndexUniverse. The iShares fund, like the one Vanguard is planning, holds dollar-denominated bonds.
State Street Global Advisors has two broad international bond funds that have also attracted significant assets. SPDR Barclays Capital International Treasury Bond ETF (NYSEArca: BWX) has $1.65 billion in assets, while its SPDR DB International Government Inflation-Protected Bond ETF (NYSEArca: WIP) is a $1.3 billion fund.
The Investment Grade Fund And Its Index
Vanguard said its international bond fund will track the Barclays Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted Index (hedged).
The benchmark includes a wide spectrum of more than 7,000 global government, agency and corporate securities in 57 countries in Asia, Europe, Canada and South America, Vanguard said in its press release.
By hedging currency exposure, Vanguard said the fund’s returns should more closely correlate with the underlying performance of international bonds without currency distortions. Vanguard, citing Lipper Inc. research, said most international bond funds offered today don’t use hedging strategies.
Vanguard said the investment-graded international bond portfolio will be available in a mutual fund wrapper in the “Investor,” “Admiral” and “Institutional” share classes for 0.40 percent, 0.30 percent and 0.25 percent, respectively. That would make the “Institutional” share class the only category cheaper than the ETF.
This week, the NYSE expects to hear from the SEC. What will it mean for ETF investors?
Our annual fixed-income conference is coming up in a little more than a week and I can’t wait.
When it comes to reinvesting dividends, mutual funds have ETFs beat.
With VIX spiking, it’s tempting to pile in or bet against it. Both are a bad idea. |
For the second time in three days, the Sixers are underdogs playing sub-.500 teams on the road. Chicago's record isn't really a good indication of the type of basketball they've been playing since the trade deadline, though. In fact, they've gone 12-1 at home since then, so being six point dogs seems more logical than insulting. After the jump: Stats, Keys, Discussion.
Look at the stats, then throw them away. This is not that Bulls team, blah, blah, blah. I'm sick of talking about how good these teams are playing, or how much they have to play for. The Sixers need this win. They need any win they can get at this point. They lead the season series 2-1, with the first win coming in Chicago and the second at the Spectrum, in dramatic fashion. The win at the Spectrum was really a statistical anomaly. The Sixers attempted only 3 three-points the entire game, they only got to the line 14 times and they still scored 104 points.
Of course, 31 of those points came from Thad, and yes, they're really going to miss him tonight. There are several things I think we need to keep track of heading into the game, here they are in bullet form.
- Miller guarding Rose is a mismatch, but is it more of a mismatch than Rose guarding Miller on the other end? The last time they met, Miller was quietly dominant with 13 points, 13 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals. Rose led the Bulls with 19 FGA, and 20 points, but he didn't go to the line a single time. Advantage Miller. The game before, the roles were somewhat reversed, with Miller putting up 26 shots for his 28 points, while Rose needed only 19 shots for 24. In that game, the Sixers scored 103 points, despie shooting only 39% from the floor and hitting only 2 threes. In the first meeting, Rose made the highlight reels with a nice crossover on Miller, but Miller played a much more efficient game than Rose, again. 15 points, 10 assists, 3 steals and zero turnover. Overall, I'd say Miller has outplayed Rose in the series and if he's smart tonight, he'll make it three out of four.
- Willie on Gordon - This is a rare game where I believe Green will start on the opposing shooting guard, rather than the point guard. I'm actually far more concerned with his defense against Gordon than I am with Miller on Rose. We've all heard the chatter about Willie's on-the-ball defense, personally, I think it's over-rated and his work on-the-ball only looks good in comparison to what he does when he's not guarding the ball. More than any other perimeter player, he loses his man off screens, loses track of his man and just generally gets beat by his man moving without the ball. I'm crossing my fingers that Gordon doesn't shake free for too many threes in this one. If Willie can play like he did in the third quarter at Charlotte, he may be able to match Gordon's scoring for a stretch, which would be a big help.
- A strength advantage - I always felt that John Salmons was a little soft when he was with the Sixers, and while he's made a ton of strides offensively, I still feel like he isn't quite up to the task defensively at the three. He definitely doesn't have the size or the strength to keep Iguodala from doing whatever he wants to do on the offensive end, and there really isn't much help coming off the bench at the three either. With the off day, the national coverage (Iggy sat down with Craig Seger's suit earlier today for an interview which will be aired during the game tonight), I'm expecting big things from Iguodala tonight. In fact, I'll be disappointed if he doesn't assert himself and take advantage of this mismatch.
- Which Sam will show up? This is a tired question to ask, but it's relevant because the motivated Sam was on full display the last time these teams met. He was able to avoid foul trouble and dominated the paint throughout the night. His 19 boards and 4 blocks absolutely controlled the paint. He was on the floor for 35 minutes. In the other two games, he managed only 26 minutes and 7 rebounds total.
I feel like I could go on and on with the keys for this one, but let's leave it at this. The Sixers need a win tonight. Maybe they don't realize it, the certainly haven't played the past two games like the must-wins that they were, but it's a fact. A win tonight, and they're tied for fifth. A loss and I don't think the sixth seed is even a guarantee anymore.
The tip is at 8pm, on TNT. |
2008 FERRIS STATE SOFTBALL -- BLOG 15
Kraai Sets Record; Ferris State Splits With National Power Wayne State
By Sandy Gholston
BIG RAPIDS – Put the two top softball teams in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on the same field and it’s only natural to expect to hard-fought battles.
And, that was precisely the way things played out as the second-place Bulldogs had a shot to wrest the league’s first-place spot from the visiting Warriors in a doubleheader Friday at the FSU Softball Field. The fans who survived some early-afternoon rain and thunderstorms were treated to a pair of classics. Wayne State (28-13 overall, 15-3 in the GLIAC) won the opener 1-0. Ferris (25-14, 14-4 in the GLIAC) rebounded, in a major way, to salvage a split with a 1-0, 10-inning victory in game two.
For the two rivals, plenty was at stake as the top spot in the league was hanging in the balance as well as positioning in the regional rankings. The Bulldogs, winners of eight of their last 10 games to gain recognition in the recently-released National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 Softball Poll, wanted to keep the good times rolling against a quality opponent.
|Ferris State’s McKenzie West gets an out at second base against Wayne State’s Lindsey Perry during Friday’s Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader. (Photo/Sandy Gholston)
“We knew we were going to be in for two tough games and because of that we knew we were going to have to come out ready to play and ready to try and win some tough ones,” said senior third baseman Katie Kraai, who became Ferris’ career leader in doubles, with 44 (Anne Bentley had 43 from 1997-2000), as she smacked one in the opener against the Warriors. “We had a tough loss in the first game, but that was when we knew we had to come back and do whatever we had to do to get that second one and we did it. It wasn’t easy, but we managed to do it and we needed to do it.”
Facing the 19th-ranked team in the nation (Wayne State) and one of the best pitchers in the country (Molly Yetman) meant Ferris had its work cut out.
“There are not too many teams I would honestly say I would be happy to walk away with a split against, but this is a very good team we played and I’m happy to be able to get a split. … It was big for us to get that second win,” Ferris head coach Keri Becker said as she got a big win in the circle from pitcher Holly Bruntjens (10-7) who surrendered four hits, two walks and struck out five. Kraai’s 10th-inning RBI single up the middle was the difference in the game. “I told them after the first game I didn’t want them to feel deflated. It was the opposite. I wanted them to feel excited and that was how I wanted them to come back and I think they did that.”
Wayne began Friday with a one-game lead over the Bulldogs in the GLIAC standings and ended the day with a one-game advantage after the split.
If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at |
Zayd ibn Harithah
|This article relies on references to primary sources. (September 2013)|
|Zayd ibn Harithah
زيد بن حارثة (R)
|Born||Zaid ibn haritha
|Other names||Zaid mawla Muhammad|
Zayd ibn Harithah (Arabic: زيد بن حارثة) or Zayd mawla Muhammad (c. 581-629 CE) was a companion of Muhammad who was at one stage regarded as his son. He is the only companion whose name appears in the Qur'an (33:37).
Zayd is said to have been ten years younger than Muhammad, suggesting a birth-year of c. 581. He is also said to have been 55 (lunar) years old at his death in 629, indicating a birthdate of 576. He is described as “a short, flat-nosed man, of a very dark brown skin.”
He was born into the Udhra branch of the Kalb tribe in the Najd (highlands) of central Arabia; he claimed a pedigree twelfth in descent from Udhra ibn Zayd al-Lat, who was in turn alleged to have been a great-great-grandson of Kalb ibn Wabara. Zayd's mother, Suda bint Thaalaba, was from the Maan branch of the Tayy tribe.
When Zayd was “a young boy of an age at which he could be a servant,” he accompanied his mother on a visit to her family. While they were staying with the Maan tribe, horsemen from the Qayn tribe raided their tents and kidnapped Zayd. They took him to the market at Ukkaz and sold him as a slave for 400 dirhams.
Zayd’s family searched for him, but without success. A lament is attributed to his father, Harithah ibn Sharahil: “I weep for Zayd, not knowing what became of him. Is he alive, is he to be expected, or has Death come over him? By God, I ask yet do not comprehend. Was it the plain or the mountain that brought about your end? I wish that I knew: Will you ever return? In this world only for your coming back I yearn. The sun reminds me of him when it dawns, evoking his memory as the dusk falls. When the winds blow, they stir up memories like dust. O how long my sorrow and fear for him last!”
Slavery in Mecca
Zayd was purchased by a merchant of Mecca, Hakim ibn Hizam, who gave the boy as a present to his aunt, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. He remained in her possession until the day she married Muhammad, when she gave the slave as a wedding present to her bridegroom. Muhammad became very attached to Zayd, to whom he referred as al-Habib (“the beloved”).
Some years later, some members of Zayd’s tribe happened to arrive in Mecca on pilgrimage. They encountered Zayd and recognised each other, and he asked them to take a message home. “Carry a message from me to my people, for I am far away, that close to the House and the places of pilgrimage I stay. Let go of the grief that has deeply saddened you, and do not hasten your camels all over the earth. I live with the best of families, may God be blessed; from father to son, of Ma’add they are the noblest.”
On receiving this message, Zayd’s father and uncle immediately set out for Mecca. They found Muhammad at the Kaaba and promised him any ransom if he would return Zayd to them. Muhammad replied that Zayd should be allowed to choose his fate, but that if he wished to return to his family, Muhammad would release him without accepting any ransom in exchange. They called for Zayd, who easily recognised his father and uncle, but told them that he did not want to leave Muhammad, “for I have seen something in this man, and I am not the kind of person who would ever choose anyone in preference to him.” At this, Muhammad took Zayd to the steps of the Kaaba, where legal contracts were agreed and witnessed, and announced to the crowds: “Witness that Zayd becomes my son, with mutual rights of inheritance.” On seeing this, Zayd’s father and uncle “were satisfied,” and they returned home without him.
In accordance with the Arabic custom of adoption, Zayd was thereafter known as “Zayd ibn Muhammad” and was a freedman, regarded socially and legally as Muhammad’s son.
Conversion to Islam
At an unknown date before 610, Zayd accompanied Muhammad to Ta'if. Near Baldah on their way back to Mecca, they met Zayd ibn Amr and offered him some of the cooked meat that Zayd was carrying in their bag. Zayd ibn Amr, an outspoken monotheist, replied, "I do not eat anything which you slaughter in the name of your stone idols. I eat none but those things on which Allah's Name has been mentioned at the time of slaughtering." After this encounter, said Muhammad, "I never stroked an idol of theirs, nor did I sacrifice to them, until God honoured me with his apostleship."
When Muhammad reported in 610 that he had received a revelation from the angel Gabriel, Zayd was one of the first converts to Islam. While Khadijah was the first Muslim of all, she was closely followed by her neighbour Lubaba bint al-Harith, her four daughters, and the first male converts, Ali, Zayd and Abu Bakr.
In 622, Zayd joined the other Muslims in the Hijra to Medina. Once settled in the new city, Muhammad urged each Muslim to “take a brother in God” so that each would have an ally in the community. Most of the emigrants were paired with a native of Medina, but Zayd was paired with Muhammad's uncle Hamza. Hamza accordingly trusted his last testament to Zayd just before his death in 625.
A few months later, Muhammad and Abu Bakr sent Zayd back to Mecca to escort their families to Medina. The return party consisted of Muhammad's wife Sawda, his daughters Umm Kulthum and Fatimah, his servant Abu Rafi, Zayd's wife Baraka and their son Usama, Abu Bakr's wife Umm Rumman, his children Asma, Abdullah and Aisha, and a guide named Abdullah ibn Urayqit; and Abu Bakr's kinsman Talhah also decided to accompany them.
Marriages and Children
Zayd married at least six times.
- Durrah (Fakhita) bint Abi Lahab, a cousin of Muhammad. They were divorced; the dates are unknown, but Durrah's two brothers were divorced from Muhammad's two daughters in 613.
- Baraka (Umm Ayman), Muhammad's freedwoman. They were married "after Islam" and their son was born in 612.
- Humayma bint Sayfi (Umm Mubashshir), the widow of Al-Baraa ibn Maarur, a chief in Medina. Al-Baraa died in August or September 622, so the marriage to Zayd was presumably in or after 623.
- Zaynab bint Jahsh, a cousin of Muhammad. They were married in 625 and divorced in late 626.
- Umm Kulthum bint Uqba, a maternal sister of Caliph Uthman. This marriage was ordered by Muhammad in 628, but it ended in divorce.
- Hind bint Al-Awwam, a niece of Khadijah.
Zayd had three children.
- Usama, son of Baraka, who had descendants, but their number "never exceeded twenty in any given generation."
- Zayd, son of Umm Kulthum, who died in infancy.
- Ruqayya, daughter of Umm Kulthum, who died while under the care of Uthman.
Marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh
Around 625 Muhammad proposed that his cousin, Zaynab bint Jahsh, should marry Zayd. At first she refused on the grounds that she was of the Quraysh. Ibn Kathir asserts that differences between Zaynab's social status and Zayd's were precisely the reason why Muhammad wanted to arrange the marriage: "The Prophet was well aware that it is a person’s standing in the eyes of Allah that is important, rather than his or her status in the eyes of the people... their marriage would demonstrate that it was not who their ancestors were, but rather their standing in the sight of Allah, that mattered."
Abolition of Adoption
After these events, the traditional Arab form of adoption was no longer recognized in Islam; it was replaced by kafala. Three verses of the Qur'an were written about this. Al-Tabari states that Q33:40 was revealed because "the Munafiqun made this a topic of their conversation and reviled the Prophet, saying 'Muhammad prohibits [marriage] with the [former] wives of one's own sons, but he married the [former] wife of his son Zayd.'"
Zayd reverted to being known by his original name of Zayd ibn Harithah and was no longer considered Muhammad's legal son after the revelation of Q33:5:
Ibn Saad indicates that Q33:37 was a specific instruction to Muhammad and Zaynab to marry and that it explains why their marriage was necessary.
- "Behold! Thou didst say to one who had received the grace of Allah and thy favour: 'Retain thou (in wedlock) thy wife, and fear Allah.' But thou didst hide in thy heart that which Allah was about to make manifest: thou didst fear the people, but it is more fitting that thou shouldst fear Allah. Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary (formality), We joined her in marriage to thee: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the Believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them. And Allah's command must be fulfilled." —Sura al-Ahzab Quran 33:37 (Translated by Yusuf Ali)
Zayd was "one of the famous archers among the Prophet's Companions." He fought at Badr, Uhud, Trench and Khaybar, and was present at the expedition to Hudaybiyyah. When Muhammad raided Al-Muraysi, he left Zayd behind as governor in Medina.
Zayd commanded seven military expeditions.
- Al-Qarada in November 624. He captured a caravan of merchandise, but most of the Meccan merchants escaped.
- Al-Jumum in September 627.
- Al-'Is in October 627.
- At-Taraf, a raid in the Nakhl region "on the road to Iraq".
- Wadi al-Qura. Zayd raided the area in November 627, but the Fazara tribe counter-attacked, killing some of the Muslims, while Zayd was carried wounded from the field. Zayd swore revenge and, after he had recovered from his injuries in January 628, he returned to Wadi al-Qura with a larger army. This time he defeated the Fazari.
- Hisma, or Khushayn, against the Judham tribe in October 628.
- The Battle of Mu'tah in September 629, where Zayd was killed.
According to Aisha, "The Messenger of Allah did not ever send Zayd ibn Haritha in an army without putting him in command of it, even if he stayed after he appointed him."
Zayd led his final expedition in September 629 C.E. A Muslim force of 3,000 men set out to raid the Byzantine city of Bosra. However, a Byzantine force of "100,000 Greeks joined by 100,000 men from Lakhm and Judham and Al-Qayn and Bahra and Bali" intercepted them at a village called Mu'tah. Zayd held the standard at the Battle of Mu'tah until he was struck down by a spear-thrust and he bled to death. The other two leaders, Ja`far ibn Abī Tālib and `Abd Allah ibn Rawahah, were also killed, and the Muslim army was routed.
On hearing of Zayd's death, Muhammad went to the family. "The daughter of Zayd wept before the Messenger of Allah and the Messenger of Allah wept until he sobbed. Saad ibn Ubada said, 'Messenger of Allah, what is this?' He answered, 'This is the yearning of the lover for the beloved.'"
- Powers, David, Zayd, the little-known story of Muhammad's adopted son, Pennsylvania University Press, 2014
- Watt, Montgomery, Muhammad at Mecca, Oxford University Press, 1953
- Watt, Montgomery, Muhammad at Medina, Oxford University Press, 1956
- Lings, Martin. The life of Muhammad from the earliest sources.
- Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa’l-Muluk, vol. 39. Translated by Landau-Tasseron, E. (1998). Biographies of the Prophet’s Companions and Their Successors, p. 10. New York: State University of New York Press.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari p. 6.
- Muhammad ibn Saad, Tabaqat, vol. 3. Translated by Bewley, A. (2013). The Companions of Badr, p. 28. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari pp. 6-7.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari p. 7.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari pp. 8-9.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari p. 9.
- Muhammad ibn Ishaq, via Yunus ibn Bukayr, cited in Kister, M. J. (1970). “A Bag of Meat.” A Study of an Early Hadith. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 33, 267-275.
- Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah. Translated by Guillaume, A. (1955). The Life of Muhammad, p. 99. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Bukhari 5:58:169. Bukhari 7:67:407.
- Guillaume/Ishaq p. 111.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari p. 201.
- Muhammad ibn Saad, Tabaqat, vol. 8. Translated by Bewley, A. (1995). The Women of Madina, pp. 21, 25-26. London: Ta-Ha Publishers.
- Guillaume/Ishaq pp. 114-115.
- Guillaume/Ishaq p. 234.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari pp. 171-172.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 3 p. 32.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 8 pp. 24-26.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 8 p. 157.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari p. 65.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 8 pp. 264, 295-296.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 3 p. 481.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 8 pp. 72-73.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 8 p. 163.
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari p. 180.
- Ismail ibn Kathir, "Zaynab bint Jahsh" in Wives of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
- Landau-Tasseron/Tabari pp. 9-10.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 8 pp. 73-75.
- Hawarey, Dr. Mosab (2010). The Journey of Prophecy; Days of Peace and War (Arabic). Islamic Book Trust.Note: Book contains a list of battles of Muhammad in Arabic, English translation available here
- Watt, W. Montgomery (1956). Muhammad at Medina. Oxford University Press. p. 96. ISBN 978-0195773071. "One was a little-known expedition about September 627" (free online)
- Guillaume/Ishaq p. 664.
- Guillaume/Ishaq pp. 664-665.
- Guillaume/Ishaq pp. 662-664.
- Abū Khalīl, Shawqī (2003). Atlas of the Quran. Dar-us-Salam. p. 242. ISBN 978-9960897547.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 3 pp. 32-33.
- Guillaume/Ishaq p. 532.
- Bewley/Saad vol. 3 p. 33
- Guillaume/Ishaq p. 534.
- Guillaume/Ishaq pp. 534-535. |
"She never did so before," at last said Bessie, turning to the Abigail.
"But it was always in her," was the reply. "I've told Missis often my opinion about the child, and Missis agreed with me. She's an underhand little thing: I never saw a girl of her age with so much cover."
Bessie answered not; but ere long, addressing me, she said:
"You ought to be aware, Miss, that you are under obligations to Mrs. Reed: she keeps you: if she were to turn you off, you would have to go to the poor-house."
I had nothing to say to these words: they were not new to me: my very first recollections of existence included hints of the same kind. This reproach of my dependence had become a vague sing-song in my ear: very painful and crushing, but only half intelligible. Miss Abbot joined in:
"And you ought not to think yourself on an equality with the Misses Reed and Master Reed, because Missis kindly allows you to be brought up with them. They will have a great deal of money, and you will have none: it is your place to be humble, and to try to make yourself agreeable to them."
"What we tell you is for your good," added Bessie, in no harsh voice, "you should try to be useful and pleasant, then, perhaps, you would have a home here; but if you become passionate and rude, Missis will send you away, I am sure."
"Besides," said Miss Abbot, "God will punish her: He might strike her dead in the midst of her tantrums, and then where would she go? Come, Bessie, we will leave her: I wouldn't have her heart for anything. Say your prayers, Miss Eyre, when you are by yourself; for if you don't repent, something bad might be permitted to come down the chimney and fetch you away."
They went, shutting the door, and locking it behind them.
The red-room was a spare chamber, very seldom slept in: I might say never, indeed, unless when a chance influx of visitors at Gateshead Hall rendered it necessary to turn to account all the accommodation it contained: yet it was one of the largest and stateliest chambers in the mansion. A bed supported on massive pillars of mahogany, hung with curtains of deep red damask, stood out like a tabernacle in the centre; the two large windows, with their blinds always drawn down, were half shrouded in festoons and falls of similar drapery; the carpet was red; the table at the foot of the bed was covered with a crimson cloth; the walls were a soft fawn colour with a blush of pink in it; the wardrobe, the toilet table, the chairs, were of darkly polished old mahogany. Out of these deep surrounding shades rose high, and glared white, the piled-up mattresses and pillows of the bed, spread with a snowy Marseilles counterpane. Scarcely less prominent was an ample cushioned easy-chair near the head of the bed, also white, with a footstool before it, and looking, as I thought, like a pale throne. |
I have completed five rounds of Taxotere but I still have ascites. I am going for my third tap in the past 6 months. The radiologist takes out 2-3 liters every time. would like to hear from you all regarding your experience. Any particular Chemo which has successfully addressed this problem. Thanks
I am so tired of the ascites. I am being drained every 3 - 4 weeks. Anywhere from 3 1/2 liters to up to 7 one time. Nome of the chemo's helped. I am not taking anymore chmo. I am still washed out from the last dose on Dec 28th. Can't get me red cells up. Still nausua & diaherra (diarrhea) all the time. I hve been in bed since Christmas. Can't get my energy back. I do feel better after they drain the abdomen. Good luck. Yvonne
I had 3 1/2 liters removed during surgery and by the time I started chemo 3 weeks later I was full again.I was put on Carbo and Taxol and 2 days later I noticed it going away.In 7 days it was all gone.
Hello...Taxotere is known for retention of fluids, so you will probably have the fluid until well after your treatments have finished. I've just completed 6 rounds of Taxotere/Carbo and have swollen ankles and wrists due to the retention of fluid. Luckily I don't get it in the abdomen. Maybe your Oncol. could arrange to have the fluid drained from your abdomen if it's causing discomfort for you. Wishing you all the best...hugs...Helen..
I had 8 liters removed during surgery, and like Rebecca, started chemo 3 weeks later and was full again. I had problems with it seeping, as well. It came out my incision until it was healed enough to be closed completely. Then, it moved to the vaginal cuff area, which took longer to heal. It took about 2 months to stop. I finally got rid of the ascites after 3 treatments of Taxol/Carbo. Taxol is harder on the body than Taxotere, though. My side effects from Taxol were severe muscle/joint pain, especially in my legs, and of course, lowered blood counts. Best wishes to you. I hope you find relief soon.
I am so sorry. I have been lucky and have not had that situation, but so many of the ladies on here have. All of my Gemzar seems to collect in my feet and ankles, but that is nothing compared to ascites. I can't imagine what that is like for all of you. I hope your onc finds something that will eliminate that recurrence as that drainage thing can't be fun. Good luck in finding that magic elixir that will get rid of this for you.
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Unionism in Scotland
|This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Unionism in Scotland is a political movement that seeks to keep Scotland within the United Kingdom in its present structure as one of the countries of the United Kingdom. It is part of the wider British unionist movement and is closely linked to British nationalism and the notion of Britishness. There are many strands of political Unionism in Scotland, some of which have strong ties to Unionism and Loyalism in Northern Ireland. Unionism is a movement often categorised primarily as being in opposition to Scottish independence.
The political union between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England (also including Wales as an English possession) was created by the Acts of Union, passed in the parliaments of both kingdoms in 1707 and 1706 respectively, which united the governments of what had previously been independent states (though they had shared the same monarch in a personal union since 1603) under the Parliament of Great Britain. The Union was brought into existence under the Acts of Union on the 1 May 1707.
With the Act of Union 1800, Ireland united with Great Britain into what then formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The history of the Unions is reflected in various stages of the Union Flag, which forms the flag of the United Kingdom. The larger part of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1922, however the separation of Ireland which originally occurred under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 was upheld by the British Government and the Unionist-controlled devolved Parliament of Northern Ireland, and chose to remain within the state today, which is now officially termed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The 300th anniversary of the union of Scotland and England was marked in 2007.
Status of the term
Unionism is the status quo in Scotland; it is not a single movement, and is not revolutionary. There are other uses of the term unionism in Scotland which, at least historically, took precedence. Amongst these is the name of the Unionist Party, which was the full title of the Tory party in Scotland before the organisation formally merged with the Conservative and Unionist Party in England and Wales in 1965, adopting the latter name. This party was often known simply as the Unionists. 'Unionist' in the names of these parties is rooted in the merger of the Conservative and Liberal Unionist Parties in 1912. The union referred to therein is the 1800 Act of Union, not the Acts of Union 1707.
The term may also be used to suggest an affinity with Northern Irish unionism, rather than unionism in Scotland.
The former Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore MP has written that he does not call himself a Unionist, despite being a supporter of the union. This he ascribes to the Liberal Democrat position in regard to Home Rule and decentralisation within the United Kingdom, noting that: 'for me the concept of “Unionism” does not capture the devolution journey on which we have travelled in recent years.' He suggests the connotations behind Unionism are of adherence to a constitutional status quo.
Unionism and political parties
The three largest and most significant political parties that support unionism in Scotland are the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative and Unionist Party, all of which organise and stand in elections across Great Britain. However, these three parties have differing beliefs about what Scotland's status should be, particularly in their support of devolution (historically Home Rule) or federalism.
The Conservatives, as a UK-wide party, fielded candidates in Scotland until the creation of a separate Unionist Party, which merged into the UK-wide Conservative Party in 1965. In 1968 the Declaration of Perth policy document committed the Conservatives to Scottish devolution in some form, and in 1970 the Conservative government published Scotland's Government, a document recommending the creation of a Scottish Assembly. Support for devolution within the party declined and was opposed by the Conservative government in the 1980s and 1990s, and remained opposed in the run up to the 1997 Scottish devolution referendum. There is a small Scottish Unionist Party, which broke from the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement It has no representation in either the UK or Scottish parliaments. Jacobitism, which took place across Britain, was supported from the outset by Tories in both England and Scotland, but became associated with Scottish nationalism, and was popularised as a key part of the Scottish national identity by the writings of Walter Scott, who was a unionist and a Tory.
The Labour Party has also had a mixed relationship with devolution. In 1950, it abandoned its previous support for Home Rule. Following the Kilbrandon Report in 1973 recommending a devolved Scottish Assembly, the Labour government of 1974-1979 introduced the Scotland Act 1978 to Parliament, which initiated a referendum on devolution. Failing to pass, the referendum was shelved. When the party returned to power in 1997, they introduced a devolution referendum which resulted in the enactment of the Scotland Act 1998 and the creation of the Scottish Parliament.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats have previously been supportive of Home Rule as part of a wider belief in subsidiarity and localism. The party is generally supportive of a federal relationship between the countries of the United Kingdom.
Political opposition to unionism
Notable opponents of unionism in the Scottish Parliament are the Scottish National Party (SNP) who have formed the Scottish Government since 2007 and the Scottish Green Party. The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) and Solidarity seek a return to Scotland being a sovereign state and a republic, independent of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Of these parties, only the SNP currently has representation in the UK Parliament, which it has had continuously since winning the Hamilton by-election, 1967. The SNP and the Scottish Greens both have representation within Scottish Parliament.
Other support of unionism
In 2007, official celebrations of the 300th anniversary of the union of Scotland with England were muted, due to the proximity of the Scottish Parliamentary elections, which was two days after the date of the first meeting of the parliament of Great Britain on 1 May. The union has become a subject of great historical interest recently, with a number of books and television series being released. Surrounding January, the anniversary of the signing of the union treaty but not the actual incorporation, the issue was heavily covered by the media. A £2 coin marking the anniversary was distributed by the Royal Mint.
On 24 March 2007 the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, one body which has been vehement in its defence of the union, organised a march of 12,000 of its members through Edinburgh's Royal Mile to celebrate the 300th anniversary. The high turnout was believed to be in part due to opposition to Scottish independence. The Orange Order used the opportunity to speak out against the possibility of nationalists increasing their share of the vote in the 2007 Scottish Parliament election. However, the SNP secured a plurality and a minority government under Alex Salmond following the election.
In the run up to the Scottish Independence referendum, which threatened to see Scotland become its own sovereign state independent of the United Kingdom, the Orange Order held a Unionist march and rally in Edinburgh which involved 15,000 Orangemen, loyalist bands and no voters from across Scotland and the UK. This was followed by a Unity rally by the "Let's Stay Together Campaign" in London's Trafalgar Square where 5,000 English people gathered to urge Scotland to vote "No" to independence. Similar events were held in other cities across the rest of the United Kingdom including in Manchester, Belfast and Cardiff.
Ties to Unionism in Northern Ireland
There is some degree of social and political co-operation between some Scottish unionists and Northern Irish unionists, due to their similar aims of maintaining the unity of their constituent country with the United Kingdom. For example, the Orange Order parades in Orange walks in Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, many unionists in Scotland shy away from connections to unionism in Northern Ireland in order not to endorse any side of a largely sectarian conflict. This brand of unionism is largely concentrated in the Central Belt and west of Scotland. Loyalists in Scotland are seen as a militant or extreme branch of unionism. Orangism in west and central Scotland, and opposition to it by Catholics in Scotland, can be explained as a result of the large amount of immigration from Northern Ireland. A unionist rally was held in Belfast in response to the referendum on Scottish independence. Northern Irish unionists gathered to urge Scottish voters to remain within the United Kingdom.
In the Scottish independence referendum, 2014, 55.3% of voters rejected independence in favour of remaining a part of the United Kingdom by comparison to 44.7% who voted for independence. Out of 32 council areas in Scotland only 4 favoured independence, these being: Glasgow (with 53.5% Yes votes), Dundee (where 57.3% of people voted for independence), West Dunbartonshire (where 54% of people voted for independence) and North Lanarkshire (which had 51.1% Yes votes). Orkney, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and Shetland returned the largest % No votes at 67.2%, 66.56%, 65.67% and 63.71% respectively.
In the 2011 census 8% of people in Scotland identified themselves as "British only" and 18% described themselves as "Scottish and British only". Britishness was more prominent in areas which rejected independence by a large margin, with 26% of people from East Renfrewshire identifying themselves as "Scottish and British", this was followed by East Dunbartonshire (25%), Renfrewshire (21%) and South Ayrshire (21%). 12% of people from Shetland and Argyll and Bute identified themselves "British only" - after this came the Borders, Orkney, Moray and Edinburgh where 11% of people called themselves "British only". The largest % of people who identified themselves as either "Scottish and British only" or "British only" was in East Dunbartonshire (34%) and East Renfrewshire (35%). Unionism in Orkney and Shetland has been seen as so severe that it was suggested prior to the referendum that should Scotland become independent then the isles themselves could secede from Scotland in favour of independence or political union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland as a British Overseas Territory (similar to the Isle of Man) however, like most of Scotland, the majority of people from the Northern Isles identified themselves as "Scottish only" in the 2011 census. In Orkney, Shetland, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Highland, Angus and Argyll and Bute over 7% of people identified themselves English, Welsh and/or Northern Irish.
Religion could be seen as a contributing factor towards Unionism. Traditionally, Roman Catholic areas have been more sympathetic towards Irish unity and the break-up of the British state. Of the four council areas with the highest % Roman catholic population, three voted in favour of independence - these being North Lanarkshire (35% Roman Catholic), West Dunbartonshire (33%) and Glasgow (27%). Inverclyde houses the largest proportion of Catholics in Scotland at 37% and narrowly rejected independence by a margin of 50.1% No to 49.9% Yes. South Ayrshire has the highest proportion of Christians who follow the Church of Scotland at 44% followed by Dumfries and Galloway where 43% of people are Church of Scotland protestants. Both of these areas are often considered to be hard-line Unionist areas. Of the Conservative and Unionist Party's three constituency seats in the Scottish Parliament, two of them are found in South Ayrshire (Ayr) and Dumfries and Galloway (Galloway and West Dumfries). In the Independence Referendum, 57.9% of voters from South Ayrshire rejected independence. Nationally, 6.77% of Church of Scotland Christians said they were "British only" and 24.79% said they were "Scottish and British only" whereas only 5.28% of Roman Catholics identified themselves as "British only" and 13.89% described themselves as "Scottish and British only".
Polling suggests that, when forced to chose a single identity, 65% would describe themselves as "Scottish" whilst 23% would call themselves "British" - 2% identified themselves as "English". Over recent years, the figure for "Scottish" only has slowly declined after reaching the height of 80% in 2000 - the current figure for 2014 has been the lowest for atleast 15 years. The largest figure for choosing "British" was 24% in 2013 followed by the current figure for 2014. Almost a third of people described themselves as "Equally Scottish and British" whilst only a fourth described themselves as "Scottish not British" - at the same time 5% of people described themselves as "more British than Scottish" whilst 6% said they were "British not Scottish". This is the highest recorded level of British sentiment in Scotland since 1997 - trends suggest that the figure is slowly increasing across time.
List of unionist organisations in Scotland
The following is a list of active political parties and organisations in Scotland who support the union.
- Parties with parliament/local government seats
- Other parties
- Alliance for Workers Liberty
- Britain First
- Britannica Party
- British National Party (BNP)
- Communist Party of Britain
- National Front (NF)
- Respect Party
- Scottish Unionist Party (SUP)
- UK Independence Party (UKIP)
- Other groups
- "Cameron plans a clever game of cat and mouse on independence - Scotsman.com News". Edinburgh: News.scotsman.com. 2008-09-27. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- "Michael Moore MP writes: I am not your average unionist". Libdemvoice.org. 2011-12-21. Retrieved 2013-06-22.
- "Microsoft Word - Steel Commission Report March 2006 formatted.doc" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-06-22.
- "Scottish independence: Lib Dems push federal UK plans". 2012-10-17.
- "Scottish Green Party Manifesto 2007, pp24-25". Retrieved 2008-08-17.
- [dead link]
- "Scotland | Edinburgh and East | Orange warning over Union danger". BBC News. 2007-03-24. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- "Edinburgh Evening News". Edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- Spiro, Zachary. "'Day of Unity' grassroots rallies across the UK". Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). Retrieved 22 September 2014.
- Libby Brooks. "Orange Order anti-independence march a 'show of pro-union strength'". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
- "Orange Order descends on Edinburgh to protest against 'evil enemy' of nationalism ahead of Scottish independence vote". Mail Online. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
- "Orange Order march through Edinburgh to show loyalty to UK". Financial Times. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
- "10-bradley-pp237-261" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-04-30.
- Spiro, Zachary. "'Day of Unity' grassroots rallies across the UK". Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group). Retrieved 22 September 2014.
- "Scottish independence: islands consider their own 'home rule'". 2013-03-17. Retrieved 2014-04-15.
- "National Identity". 2012. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
- "Religion". 2012. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
- "Table DC2204SC - National identity by religion". 2011. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
- "'Forced choice' national identity". 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
- "Scottish Social Attitudes". 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-18.
- Britain First official website. Statement of Principles. "Britain First is a movement of British Unionism. We support the continued unity of the United Kingdom whilst recognising the individual identity and culture of the peoples of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We abhor and oppose all trends that threaten the integrity of the Union". Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- Beaton, Connor (21 June 2014). "BNP splinter joins anti-indy campaign". The Targe. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- "Why does Scotland matter?". British National Party. 27 July 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- British National Front website. What we stand for. "We stand for the continuation of the UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND - Four Countries, One Nation. Scotland, Ulster, England and Wales, united under our Union Flag - we will never allow the traitors to destroy our GREAT BRITAIN!". Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- "Scotland : The Respect Party – Peace, Justice & Equality". The Respect Party - Peace, Justice & Equality. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- "Scottish independence: Nigel Farage to appear at UKIP pro-Union rally". BBC News. BBC. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- "Scottish independence: Orange Lodge registers to campaign for a 'No' vote". BBC News. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
- Scottish Unionist Party
- Unionist Party (Scotland)
- Sectarianism in Glasgow
- Unionism in England
- Unionism in Wales |
Weapons made with shark teeth from 100+ years ago are not only awesome, but they may also help us uncover clues about species distribution. Thank you to Chris Philipp for allowing us to film in the oversized Anthropology collection, and for letting us borrow the artifacts in this video for the shoot! Read more about Shark Weapons
Blogs & Videos: Collections
Where biology and engineering meet: let's puzzle out what the function is for some of our specimens! QUIZ SHOW!
Huge thanks to Destin from Smarter Every Day for his help with this episode; stay tuned for more soon, and be sure to check out his channel!
http://www.youtube.com/smartereveryday Special Guests: Anna Goldman and Destin! Read more about What the Function? with Smarter Every Day!
Collections-based research involves a wide variety of people interested in vastly different scales of space and time--from population genetics in mice to global climate change to galaxies across the universe Read more about Video: Fields of Thought
Get a first-hand look at the backbone for the whole collection – the infrastructure. See what goes into installing the collection’s compactor units and see how these nuts and bolts do more than hold everything together. Read more about Video: Equipment
Meet the other members of this inaugural team and learn about what skills are needed for the upkeep of this important collection. Check back in on Monday for the final video in the series for a first-hand look at the backbone for the whole collection – the infrastructure. See what goes into installing the collection’s compactor units and see how these nuts and bolts do more than hold everything together. Read more about Video: The Team
In our recent history, it has not been uncommon for scientists to collect plant and animal specimens from the remotest corners of our planet, and then bring them home to be a part of a collection at a museum. It’s also not uncommon for some of these specimens to remain undescribed (meaning that no official characterization of the animal has been published in the scientific literature) for years, due to the large number of specimens in the collection. Many times, new species have been discovered hiding among the specimens in a collection, sometimes 50 years after the specimen was collected. Of course, it helps if the animal is fossilized – this is the reason scientists are still discovering new species of dinosaurs that once walked the earth! Read more about Not One, Not Two, But Four New Species!
Today, new species of mammals are often discovered in the more remote areas of our planet, and most of them are small animals, such as shrews, bats or rodents. To discover a new carnivore is an exceptional feat, and especially in the Americas. In fact, scientists haven’t discovered a carnivore in the Americas in 35 years! Recently, however, the “olinguito” was revealed as a new species in the raccoon family, although it was first noticed years ago in the collections at The Field Museum. Read more about Hiding in Plain Sight at The Field Museum
Humans are an inconsistent lot, but you would think that might not apply as much when it comes to science, and yet it does. Even in science are still plenty of ways in which topics lead to opposing and confused viewpoints. Around my institution these days the terms “applied” and “basic” science are being kicked around at the same time we are discussing “species” as a theme that cuts across research programs. Read more about Species in a world that thinks there is a clear division between basic and applied science
Nina Cummings, who ably heads our photo archives in the museum shared with me an interesting blog post she saw recently. It was from The Library of Congress and was written by Bill LeFurgy, their digital initiatives manager of the National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program. The title of the blog post was “What do researchers want from institutions that preserve digital content?” Here at the museum we are working through our digital initiatives so the post resonated on several fronts. The opening statement included this: “User expectations influence so much of what stewardship organizations do. We collect and preserve all content primarily to support use.” Read more about What do researchers want?
Over the course of a year we do plenty of evening events of all kinds. It is always fun to go support people who work in the Bird Division when possible, but last Thursday (2 May) there were multiple events happening across the city at the same time. Read more about Another Thursday night for the Bird Divsion |
75th Anniversary Production
by Thornton Wilder
directed by Stephen Rayne
January 25-February 24, 2013
“Dazzling! The stark visual eloquence of Ford’s Theatre’s revival of Our Town informs Thornton Wilder’s portrait of the ordinary joys and sorrows of fictional Grover’s Corners, NH. Director Stephen Rayne reimagines the Gibbses and Webbs as interracial families, which reminds you that Our Town is about humankind, and not any one kind of human. Of all of Our Town’s concerns, the awareness of the brevity of life looms as its most poignant.” –The Washington Post. Read more reviews.
Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama presents a timeless commentary on the transience of human existence.
Teenagers George and Emily meet, fall in love, marry—and suffer the slings and arrows of everyday life. Wilder transforms their ordinary story into a poignant and captivating exploration of mortality and the interconnectivity of human beings.
In celebration of the play's 75th-anniversary year, Stephen Rayne (The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Sabrina Fair and Parade) returns to direct a diverse cast, creating an Our Town for our time.
“Our Town is a play which transcends differences in culture, class and race, and speaks to the great themes common to all great art: love, death and marriage,” Rayne said. “From its first production in 1938, the play struck a powerful chord with the American psyche, and it is as fresh and relevant today as it was then. I am hoping to bring a fresh perspective to this great classic and present a production that Ford's and Mr. Wilder will be proud of.”
Recommended for ages 12 and up; play contains complex language and themes. Dates and actors subject to change.
Performance is 2 hours and 30 minutes (including two 12-minute intermissions).
Our Town 75th Anniversary Special Events
In honor of the 75th anniversary, Ford’s Theatre will present a series of events:
Our Town 75th Anniversary Celebration
February 4, 2013, at 7 p.m. – FREE!
Ford’s Theatre celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Broadway opening for Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. The Thornton Wilder Society’s Thornton Wilder Prize will be awarded on stage at the event. Please note: This event does NOT include a performance of Our Town. Tickets are free but required.
Reading: Wilder’s Classic One Acts
Monday, February 11, 2013, at 7 p.m. – FREE!
Ford’s Theatre presents an evening of classic one-acts by Thornton Wilder, read by students from American, Georgetown and Howard universities. The evening includes The Long Christmas Dinner, Pullman Car Hiawatha and The Happy Journey to Trenton and Camden. Tickets are free but required.
Our Town Pre-Performance Seminar
Tuesday, February 12, 2013, at 5:30 p.m.
Join us for a pre-performance seminar with Tappan Wilder, the playwright's nephew and literary executor, in a dialogue with Penelope Niven, author of a major new Wilder biography. A copy of Niven’s newly released biography, Thornton Wilder: A Life, and a light dinner are included in the price of admittance. Tickets are on-sale to members and groups now for $40. Tickets go on sale to the public on January 6, 2013, for $45. Tickets to Our Town sold separately.
Lead Sponsor: Exxon Mobil Corporation
Production Sponsor: Qualcomm; American Express
Media Partner: WAMU-FM
Please note: The January 30 performance at 7:30 p.m. is a private performance.
Photo of Craig Wallace, Kimberly Schraf, Nickolas Vaughan, Alyssa Gagarin, Portia, Jenn Walker and James Konicek by Scott Suchman.
Dates and Times |
What does it take to be a champion?
In the NFL of 2013, not as much as one would think.
With either Colin Kaepernick or Joe Flacco guaranteed to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, it begs the question—does having the 15th-ranked passing offense (Baltimore) facing off against the 23rd-ranked passing offense (San Francisco) diminish the value and excitement of the Super Bowl?
Flacco's 8-0 touchdown/interception ratio in this year's postseason exceeds the efficiency ever produced by the likes of Tom Brady, John Elway or Terry Bradshaw during "the only time of year that matters."
Common sense would likely kick in—no way we'd consider Flacco to be in their class.
Reinforcing the obvious: that the entirety of the regular season supersedes the short four-game postseason. Only, we tend to pick and choose who we'd like to ascend. If Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers played the way Flacco is right now in the postseason, the "experts" would scream substantiation.
What (insert sarcasm) regular-season exploits could possibly top that?
Flacco has won more road playoff games than any quarterback in NFL history and his Super Bowl opponent sports an undefeated playoff record (2-0).
Is Joe Flacco a better quarterback than Peyton Manning and Tom Brady?
Did you know: It took Peyton Manning over half a decade to win as many playoff games as Colin Kaepernick already has under his belt.
Either Flacco or Kaepernick is set to reach the top of the mountain.
For the masses who have been raised to look upon the Super Bowl as the ultimate pinnacle of professional sports, many have come to look the value of "rings" as the ultimate criteria for evaluating quarterbacks.
Because the quarterback position is the most important position in football, most assume that the quarterbacks who win the most championships are the ones who are at the top of the food chain.
That just doesn't always happen to be the case:
- Joe Namath
- Jim Plunkett (twice)
- Jim McMahon
- Phil Simms
- Doug Williams
- Jeff Hostetler
- Mark Rypien
- Trent Dilfer
- Brad Johnson
Oftentimes the best quarterback in football fails to win a championship.
Did you know: Out of the 29 quarterbacks named league MVP since the merger, only six have won the Super Bowl during their MVP seasons.
It's a matter of practicality really: rarely does the best player in football end up simultaneously playing for the best team in football.
To further complicate matters, oftentimes the best teams in football are not the ones who end up winning championships.
Even since the dawn of the 2000's, the league has been replete with inferior championship teams:
- 2001 New England Patriots
- 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
- 2006 Indianapolis Colts
- 2007 New York Giants
- 2010 Green Bay Packers
- 2011 New York Giants
Good teams naturally, but not quite the best teams in professional football.
The advent of the "single elimination" rewards 3-4 game "hot streaks" over a sustained level of dominance over the course of an entire season.
That's why 9-7 teams like the 2008 Arizona Cardinals can come minutes away from being crowned Super Bowl champions.
It's exciting to see how unpredictable the playoffs can be—that doesn't make the actual outcomes reflective of who is better than who.
Simply put, the "any given Sunday" moniker is true—even Buster Douglas could knock out Mike Tyson.
Is Colin Kaepernick a better quarterback than Aaron Rodgers?
When was the last time the Super Bowl featured two quarterbacks who wouldn't even crack the Top 10 the league has to offer?
It's easy to focus upon the "Harbaugh Bowl."
Perhaps the significance of inferior quarterback play can be covered up by sub-plots.
Super Bowl XLVII is a testament to the playoffs' flawed structure.
Because we are not being treated to the best two teams in football.
We're certainly not being treated to the top two quarterbacks in football.
We're getting a "Sub-Plot Bowl"—full of theatricality and promotion.
Truthfully, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers needed to be eliminated from playoff contention. The masses needed a serious wake up call.
A champion will be named in New Orleans, Louisiana—it's just that the team and quarterback representative involved will fall a little short of "Super."
It might not be a popular opinion, but "it is what it is."
Ryan Michael is a Senior Writer for Bleacher Report. Any questions, comments or professional inquiries can be directed to his email at: email@example.com.
Follow him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/#!/theryanmichael |
PbR is inspired by the local search techniques used in combinatorial optimization. An instance of a combinatorial optimization problem consists of a set of feasible solutions and a cost function over the solutions. The problem consists in finding a solution with the optimal cost among all feasible solutions. Generally the problems addressed are computationally intractable, thus approximation algorithms have to be used. One class of approximation algorithms that have been surprisingly successful in spite of their simplicity are local search methods [1,64].
Local search is based on the concept of a neighborhood. A neighborhood of a solution p is a set of solutions that are in some sense close to p, for example because they can be easily computed from p or because they share a significant amount of structure with p. The neighborhood generating function may, or may not, be able to generate the optimal solution. When the neighborhood function can generate the global optima, starting from any initial feasible point, it is called exact [64, page 10].
Local search can be seen as a walk on a directed graph whose vertices are solutions points and whose arcs connect neighboring points. The neighborhood generating function determines the properties of this graph. In particular, if the graph is disconnected, then the neighborhood is not exact since there exist feasible points that would lead to local optima but not the global optima. In PbR the points are solution plans and the neighbors of a plan are the plans generated by the application of a set of declarative plan rewriting rules.
The basic version of local search is iterative improvement. Iterative improvement starts with an initial solution and searches a neighborhood of the solution for a lower cost solution. If such a solution is found, it replaces the current solution and the search continues. Otherwise, the algorithm returns a locally optimal solution. Figure 5(a) shows a graphical depiction of basic iterative improvement. There are several variations of this basic algorithm. First improvement generates the neighborhood incrementally and selects the first solution of better cost than the current one. Best improvement generates the complete neighborhood and selects the best solution within this neighborhood.
Basic iterative improvement obtains local optima, not necessarily the global optimum. One way to improve the quality of the solution is to restart the search from several initial points and choose the best of the local optima reached from them. More advanced algorithms, such as variable-depth search, simulated annealing and tabu search, attempt to minimize the probability of being stuck in a low-quality local optimum.
Variable-depth search is based on applying a sequence of steps as opposed to only one step at each iteration. Moreover, the length of the sequence may change from iteration to iteration. In this way the system overcomes small cost increases if eventually they lead to strong cost reductions. Figure 5(b) shows a graphical depiction of variable-depth search.
Simulated annealing selects the next point randomly. If a lower cost solution is chosen, it is selected. If a solution of a higher cost is chosen, it is still selected with some probability. This probability is decreased as the algorithm progresses (analogously to the temperature in physical annealing). The function that governs the behavior of the acceptance probability is called the cooling schedule. It can be proven that simulated annealing converges asymptotically to the optimal solution. Unfortunately, such convergence requires exponential time. So, in practice, simulated annealing is used with faster cooling schedules (not guaranteed to converge to the optimal) and thus it behaves like an approximation algorithm.
Tabu search can also accept cost-increasing neighbors. The next solution is a randomly chosen legal neighbor even if its cost is worse than the current solution. A neighbor is legal if it is not in a limited-size tabu list. The dynamically updated tabu list prevents some solution points from being considered for some period of time. The intuition is that if we decide to consider a solution of a higher cost at least it should lie in an unexplored part of the space. This mechanism forces the exploration of the solution space out of local minima.
Finally, we should stress that the appeal of local search relies on its simplicity and good average-case behavior. As could be expected, there are a number of negative worst-case results. For example, in the traveling salesman problem it is known that exact neighborhoods, that do not depend on the problem instance, must have exponential size . Moreover, an improving move in these neighborhoods cannot be found in polynomial time unless P = NP . Nevertheless, the best approximation algorithm for the traveling salesman problem is a local search algorithm . |
Then Dropbox kicked in and tried to upload the screengrabs and text I had already written for this feature. It's slow enough when you try and do that on mobile broadband, but this was excruciating. It was apparently happening at 686kbps, but Dropbox was obviously lying to me. I was actually achieving speeds of around 25-30kbps using my modem.
Skype logged in without issues, though it didn't connect a video call when I tried it – somewhat understandably – and you'd struggle to even make a Skype voice call on dial-up. Windows Live Messenger didn't even bother to log in automatically.
So I went through the usual services I check every morning. First Twitter – I started TweetDeck. The columns looked to be refreshing for absolutely ages and took over a minute to appear. At the same time (more fool me) I tried to load Facebook – which didn't load at all. TweetDeck then loaded a solitary tweet while still attempting to refresh the other two columns.
FREEZE: TweetDeck was more like a lame duck on dial-up
Giving up, I decided to look at Twitter on the web. Unfortunately the website didn't even work properly. Loading Twitter.com was staggeringly slow and it didn't even to bother log me in automatically as it does usually. Either this is some security thing as I'm using a different connection on this PC, or I'm pretty second class as a dial-up user.
WHO: Twitter refused to remember me on my second-class connection
I left Twitter open and decided to do some work. I often use Google Docs but this time decided to work offline. When I tried to access an – admittedly large – spreadsheet in Google Docs, loading was very slow. But I wasn't surprised – if there's a web app dial-up wasn't designed for, it's Google Docs.
However, it's not all doom and gloom; Gmail wasn't too bad and loaded fine on the simple HTML view for slow connections.
One of the main problems I had with dial-up while trying to do work is that I use Google all the time to look up various stats and other information. I was surprised that Google searches took an age to appear – Google Instant didn't work, while non-text search results like the images and videos didn't really appear! I was surprised that Google doesn't seem to adapt for slower connections as I thought it might – aside from the lack of Google Instant the page looked identical.
The most painful thing was that at various points it seemed like I was slowing to a total crawl, so I had to disconnect and reconnect.
After hours, I looked at Facebook. The service works OK on dial-up – but only if you're patient. It loads pretty sluggishly and the Top News column expands constantly as you start to browse it, because new elements are still loading.
The norm for some
It's no wonder we all used to rely so much on magazine cover CDs for programs to install; downloads are obviously super slow on dial-up and can take many, many hours. Something as bloated as Apple's iTunes takes around 8-10 hours to drip through your connection.
But there are some sites that work extremely well on dial-up – the BBC text-only or mobile sites have all the same great information and the plethora of sites specially adapted for the iPad, such as http://touch.facebook.com, are great examples of sites that are great on a dial-up connection.
So, by the end of my day, I'd actually got rather used to being on a slow connection. That's not to say I really enjoyed it of course – at times it was extremely difficult. It's just that I was able to adjust what I was doing. Instead of listening to stuff on Spotify or Last.fm I just used iTunes. Instead of looking at Facebook several times a day I just looked at it once. And downloading files? I didn't bother doing that at all.
But, of course, this was a single day for me. A lot of people have no choice. The Government's 2009 Digital Britain report said that "Up to 10 per cent of homes are still in not-spots, not-a-lot spots or not-at-all good spots" for broadband. A sobering thought for those of us so used to fast access.
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Gadsden saw violence in summer of '63
Published: Saturday, August 24, 2013 at 9:30 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, August 25, 2013 at 11:00 p.m.
Times were different in Gadsden when Robert Avery and James F. Smith were growing up. It was the segregated South.
Efforts were under way to change those conditions in 1963. Avery, just 14 at the time, already was a veteran of the civil rights movement, having been to other cities for marches and protests.
However, a murder that drew national attention brought the movement to Gadsden and Etowah County that summer.
Avery and Smith took part in the demonstrations and protests, and suffered the pain of the violence that followed.
Avery grew up on Tuscaloosa Avenue and Smith grew up in Lincoln and Miller Heights in East Gadsden. They met at Carver High School, one of two black high schools in Etowah County.
Smith was raised by his grandparents. “We all came up in church,” he said.
His grandmother often kept him out of trouble — “She always made sure I went to the right bathroom ... drank from the right water fountain” — and instilled the value of hard work.
“She taught me not to just sit back and wait for it,” Smith said. “My grandmother was a domestic and I'd go with her and cut the grass, rake leaves, polish the silver ... just whatever I could do to make enough to give me a little spending money.”
Avery worked as a caddie at the Gadsden Country Club. Smith, the oldest in his family, said he was too scared to get a job at the whites-only establishment, but Avery's older brothers worked there, too, and looked out for him.
Even though blacks did not like segregation, Smith and Avery recalled finding ways to laugh about it.
Avery has fond memories of hanging out around the segregated water fountains. “I can remember the 'white' and 'colored' water fountains in Sears at the bottom of the stairs,” he said.
“It was the big thing to get to the bottom of the stairs and drink out of the white water fountain and run out the door without getting caught.”
The people separated themselves as well. “One time when it was hot outside, a bunch of white kids would be at Sears and we'd pretend like our water fountain was real, real cold,” Avery said. “The white kids would be standing around their water fountain and they'd just look at us with envy because theirs wasn't that cold.”
Then he and his friends would leave, hide and watch the white kids sneak a drink from the black water fountain to see if the water was any cooler.
Most of the lunch counters and restaurants in the city were segregated. “You couldn't go sit at a counter and get something to eat,” Avery said.
Smith said white employees at many of the lunch counters would make comments, using the derogatory slang of that era, pointing out that they did not serve blacks.
“We'd say, 'That's quite all right. We don't eat them, either,'” Smith said.
A few businesses served both blacks and whites, but most services were duplicated and provided separately for the races.
There was a black movie theater and bowling alley, and blacks could only sit in the balcony at the white theater.
The hub of the black community was on Tuscaloosa Avenue, Avery said.
Instead of a few large grocery stores in town, there were a lot of small neighborhood grocers.
Growing up, Avery said, he and most black kids were taught to “be something.”
“My parents taught us to reach for the stars,” he said. “They always said you could be anything you wanted to be.”
Even though he faced restraints in careers, Avery said, “Education was stressed at my house.”
The shooting death of William Moore, a white postman from Baltimore, turned the civil rights movement's focus toward Etowah County.
Moore left Chattanooga, Tenn., headed for Jackson, Miss., to deliver a letter to Mississippi Gov. Ross Barnett. The letter expressed his disappointment in the segregation that still abounded in the South.
He was shot and killed on U.S. Highway 11, near Keener, on April 23, 1963.
Local and national reporters raced to Gadsden from Birmingham after hearing news of the shooting death of a white man marching against segregation.
Some lawsuits, mainly for equal labor rights at Goodyear and Republic Steel, had been filed by 1963, but demonstrations started after “freedom marchers” were arrested trying to complete Moore's walk.
State police warned that those who attempted to make the walk would be arrested.
Broadway actress Madeleine Sherwood led another group trying to begin a march at the site where Moore was slain. One deputy recalled that Sherwood, who later played the Reverend Mother in the TV show “The Flying Nun,” was taken to jail.
Local residents staged marches on Broad Street, and there were riots at the Etowah County jail.
Most of the time groups demonstrated downtown, but they often would leave from the Skyliner, a teen club that was in a building still standing at Sixth Street and Meighan Boulevard.
They would walk through areas now known as public housing in the Sixth Street area, go down Tuscaloosa Avenue to 11th Street and end up at the jail or on Broad Street.
“All along the way we'd ask people to join us,” Avery said. The crowd grew to about 1,500 one day.
He said the demonstrations downtown were geared to the businesses with segregated lunch counters.
Avery was arrested three times in one day, along with hundreds of other demonstrators in Gadsden.
“When they found out we were juveniles, they let us go,” he said. “We'd go right back out there and march some more, and they would arrest us again.”
The arrests were for unlawful assembly, Smith said, if people were walking more than three abreast.
Avery said the purpose of the protests and marches was to get arrested.
“That was just another way to bring national attention on the civil rights movement,” Avery says.
Smith, 16 at the time, recalls going in the men's restroom at the Etowah County Courthouse during one of the demonstrations.
“I was washing my hands,” he says. “Someone came up behind me and hit me on the back of the head so hard I fell down. They said 'You got a short time to live.'”
It was while he and others were being herded through a corridor at the courthouse, headed to jail, when he first felt pain from a cattle prod.
Birmingham is known for the use of attack dogs and fire hoses against civil rights protesters.
Cattle prods — introduced in Gadsden that summer — were used by law enforcement under the guise of controlling crowds. Avery said they were introduced by Col. Al Lingo, director of the Alabama Highway Patrol at the time, and he still carries scars from them.
“I got hit in the privates several times and I have a permanent scar inside my leg where they held it there and burned it,” he said. “It wasn't a good feeling. They'd use them in tender places.”
Smith said he was hit several times in the buttocks. “You talk about pain ...,” he said. “It was a gauntlet on both sides of the hall with those cattle prods.”
Actor Marlon Brando displayed one of the cattle prods when he later appeared before Congress to speak out against segregation.
All the prisoners were moved out of the county jail the night of a major demonstration at the courthouse and were taken to Camp Gadsden, a road camp on U.S. Highway 278 for “chain gangs,” Avery said. Some stayed there up to 14 days.
A number of celebrities visited Gadsden that summer, including the Rev. Martin Luther King and actors Charlton Heston, Paul Newman and Tony Franciosa.
King spoke in a overflow crowd at St. Johns Methodist Church on Avenue C — one of the few churches that would allow mass meetings.
“A lot of churches were afraid they might get bombed,” Smith said.
Extra law enforcement officers were hired. “If you could hold a stick, they deputized you,” he said. “They would run tag numbers for intimidation. People would leave the meeting and they'd look for excuses to stop you.”
The sacrifices that summer were small, Avery said, compared to the difference the civil rights movement made for African-Americans.
“We didn't know if it would do any good,” he said. “But I think all were ready to do whatever it took to affect those changes.”
The civil rights movement remained strong in Gadsden until the bombing at 16th Street Baptist Church on Sept. 15, 1963. Four young girls were killed.
The following year, the Civil Rights Act was approved.
MONDAY: Teenagers hitchhike to March on Washington.
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Earlier this month we had the privilege of sending questions on PvP to Bioware. Rob Hinkle, Senior Systems Designer (often working on PvP) was kind enough to send back his answers. We got to know him a little bit with some general questions, then we got into the nitty-gritty with some questions on Mechanics, Ranked Warzones, and New Warzone Ideas.
Hit the jump for the interview in full and my comments at the end.
Question 1: What is your favorite warzone to play?
Rob: The new Warzone in 1.6 (Ancient Hypergate) might end up being my fav as I really like the different strategic options, but right now it is Novare Coast.
Question 2: What is your favorite class to play in PvP?
Rob: Lethality Sniper for me! All that juicy internal damage just waiting for a big heavily armored target. Plus, it is one of the skill trees that doesn’t see a lot of play, and I enjoy being different.
Question 3: When can we expect queuing up against specific teams (grudge matches), and guild practice matches?
Rob: We know there is some demand for this kind of thing, and we would love to make it happen. However, right now it is behind a couple of other interesting new PvP features in priority. Not that I can say what those features are, yet…
Question 4: Are there any plans to ever change from the vertical progression of PvP gear to horizontal, especially with free-to-play? (i.e. will gear in the future still be a large factor in performance?)
Rob: As we move forward, we want to tighten up the minimal gear level and maximum gear level power gap while inside PvP. ToR is an MMORPG, so we feel that players need some goal to achieve and a path for their characters to continue to improve, but we also recognize that many players want structured PvP to be based on skill and tactics, and not who has the bigger blaster. This is a fine line to walk, and personally, I feel that from launch until now we have had gear matter a little too much.
Question 5: Any plans for new brackets (like 10-30, 30-49, 50) with the larger servers and free-to-play?
Rob: New brackets all depend on how the queuing population trends. Our goal is always to create a balance between waiting long enough to create as “good” of a game as possible without forcing players to wait so long they feel like trying to PvP is a negative experience.
Question 6: There have been issues with people getting stuck by the “invisible” door after respawn from dying in a Warzone. Would it be possible to implement a system similar to PVE where your timer countdown would leave your body on the ground until time elapsed and then you would respawn and thus have no need for doors?
Rob: Love this idea, it is extremely similar to some options we’ve kicked around internally. It is definitely on the list of “things we want to do”, but so far haven’t risen to the top of that list.
Question 7: Will we get Elite War Hero armorings at some point, like the PvE players did with Campaign armorings? I am sure many players want to min-max their gear.
Rob: At the moment, we have no plan for selling just the armoring by itself for Elite War Hero.
Question 8: With pre-season of Ranked Warzones in-game, how do you see that system being used and working? What areas have your team been focused on improving and/or fixing? Is there any timetable you can give us for when we will see the start of the first season of the ranking system?
Rob: We view the seasons of PvP much like a sports season, it gives a definitive start and end to a competitive PvP cycle, and gives players the chance to be crowned champion of PvP for a time being, with all the trappings such a champion should receive. Since first proposing the concept of seasons, it has undergone a couple of design transformations, hence the ongoing development of “Season 1”, but it is still coming!
New Warzone Ideas
Question 9: Will you ever make more maps of the current warzones we have? It seems like it would be easier than creating an entirely new game mechanic from scratch and would keep the PvPers from getting bored.
Rob: Anything is possible, and there is definitely a demand for more Huttball maps.
Question 10: Will we ever see Taris-style arena duels, 2v2, 4v4?
Rob: Definitely a possibility. We recognize there is a gap for small organized teams to flex their PvP muscle, and arena fights seem like a natural way to fill that gap.
Question 11: What is the future of Ilum and world PvP?
Rob: Ilum will again become relevant to the game world, though perhaps not in the same way it once was.
Question 12: Is there anything you can tell us that we haven’t heard yet that PVPers can look forward to seeing in the next couple of updates?
Rob: We are in the midst of finalizing our PvP plans for 2013, so nothing to announce just yet, but stay tuned. It should be an interesting year!
That was the end of the interview, so I would now like to comment on some of these tidbits as the PvP writer. Overall, I am pleased with the amount of information we did get. When we were collecting these questions together to send to them, we specifically picked these questions that would give us information about upcoming and current mechanics, while simultaneously assuaging fears about gear gap and things like that.
Before we get a bunch of comments on how we didn’t “hit them with harder questions,” I specifically did not ask about class balance because that is a never-ending battle when developing an MMO, and I am aware of that. They will address class balance issues; it just takes time and patience. It isn’t like they are an elected official that has an obligation to communicate with the public. This is a private company that is meeting with us out of the love they have for the fans and the game. I will gladly soak up anything they can tell us, but I will not attack them.
That being said, I want to quickly address a few of the things that Rob told us.
First off, I really get a kick out of the fact that Rob likes playing a Lethality Sniper. I have a Gunslinger main as well, so I really find that an interesting pick. It is not very overpowered (disproving the myth that the Devs only play the Pyrotech and the LOLSmash Juggs). Also, like he said, heavily-armored targets fall quickly to it. It is amusing to see him actually play the “counter” for the two “overpowered” classes mentioned above.
Next, he said that queuing up against certain teams in grudge matches was behind “a couple of other interesting new PvP features in priority.” I am just fascinated by that statement, and I cannot wait to hear more!
I am really encouraged by the fact that he said he personally felt gear had mattered too much up to this point. He spoke of having progression without having such a large gear gap, i.e. tightening up the gear gap. This seems like a good way to go.
I was a little disappointed that Elite War Hero armorings are not in the plans to be available on a vendor. That would be a nice way to min-max, so hopefully they change their mind on this.
I am excited about the chance to do arenas at some point, so I am glad that is in the works.
What did you think about the interview? Let us know in the comments! |
Second day of the week-A A +A
By Marc Lopez
Monday, March 31, 2014
“I GIVE up.” She tells herself. Dr. Ryan Stone (in the movie Gravity) has every good reason to sleep herself to death. She is 372 miles above the Earth. With no gravity, no communication, no companion. No shuttle to bring her home. She is in a hopeless situation.
“I get it, it’s nice up here. You could just shut down all the systems… just close your eyes and tune out everyone…what’s the point of going on?” She imagines astronaut, Lt. Matt Kowalski talking to her.
Don’t you feel just like that on a Monday morning? Like Dr. Ryan Stone? You just want to keep closing your eyes and tune out everyone.
Your alarm clock rings. You press the snooze button. It rings again. It’s asking you the question: “What is it going to be— a miserable Monday or a magnificent Monday?”
Do you want to know one way that can help you make your Mondays magnificent? Make Monday the second day of the week, and Sunday, the first.
What you do on Sunday has a big impact on the quality of your Monday. Rest, reflect, and re-create on Sundays!
Rest by sleeping more, instead of shopping more. Take a good nap. Try sleeping an hour earlier in the evening so you feel refreshed when the alarm beeps on Monday morning!
Reflect, take time to pray pleasurably! Enjoy God! By yourself and with the community! Converse with Him…the whole day!
Re-create wisely. Instead of watching a movie, read a good book. Or read your child one! Since Margot and I got married, we made a decision not to have a cable TV at home. It has allowed us to converse more, thus deepening our relationship with each other and with our children. We are now working on how to regulate WI-FI access at home. Replacing cable TV with books and the real world has really been rewarding for us!
When you have rested, reflected, and recreated well on a Sunday, you will feel more renewed to welcome the “second day” of the week!
“It’s still a matter of what you do now… plant both your feet on the ground and start living life. Hey, Ryan, it’s time to go home.” Says Lt. Kowalski.
Dr. Ryan decides to wake up and die another day. As soon as she makes the decision, like a splash of cold water, ideas on how to get home, pumps her up with adrenaline!
Choose to be awe-inspiring at work today. Do everything with excellence. Hit the road. Step into the gym. Remember the most difficult part of exercise is just the first 10 steps, from your bed to your gym shoes. Tune out technology, tune in to a real conversation with the people that matter most to you. At work and at home. Pray pleasurably. God can’t wait to help you make today, the best day of your life. (So far!)
Choose to have a Magnificent Monday!
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on March 31, 2014. |
Comedian and atheist Phyllis Diller, with strange hair-dos, wild clothing, self-depreciating jokes, and a trademark laugh, is dead at the age of 95. Those close to her said that Diller died in her sleep this morning at her home, with family, in Brentwood, California.
She was born in 1917, later married, and had five children. Allegedly, her husband encouraged her to become a comedian and eventually Joan Rivers was one of her prodigies. She broke into comedy during a time when it was difficult for women to become comedians, but she needed money. She inspired Joan Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg, and Ellen DeGeneres.
Joan Rivers recently appeared on "Watch What Happens Live" and said, Diller "broke the way for every woman comedian.”
She began her 50-year career at the Purple Onion, and talked about her fictitious husband, Fang. She was also a regular on talk shows, appeared in movies and TV with Bob Hope and Groucho Marx, as well as worked with Joan Rivers, and was a voice over in the movie “A Bugs Life”. Groucho Marx gave her, her start on TV, on the show “You Bet Your Life”.
Many of her one stage jokes included her fictitious husband "Fang" and her life.
"I don't like to cook; I can make a TV dinner taste like radio," she'd say.
"Fang's idea of a seven-course dinner is a six-pack and a bologna sandwich. The last time I said let's eat out, we ate in the garage."
"I put on a peekaboo blouse. He took a peek and booed."
Then she'd launch one of her patented guffaws: "Ah-HAA-haa-haa!"
In her private life, she was an atheist, but she once stated that her religion was kindness.
"We were not created by a deity. We created the deity in our image."
And in the November 2001 issue of A&U magazine Diller said:
"Religion is such a medieval idea. Don't get me started. I have thought about every facet of religion and I can't buy any of it."
Interviewed for a 2011 profile in Out magazine, Diller was asked how she'd want to be remembered. She replied:
"For being funny. Well, I should say being kind. I am a kind person. I'm kind to everybody. I treat everybody the same, and I'm proud of that. In fact, that's my religion."
During her skits, she would often complain about her looks and later in life, she had many cosmetic surgeries.
“Would you believe that I once entered a beauty contest?” she said. “I must have been out of my mind. I not only came in last, I got 361 get-well cards.”
According to the Washington Post, Diller had more than a dozen plastic surgeries, which she discussed candidly in her comedy routines, jokingly saying, “When I die, God won’t know me. There are no two parts of my body the same age. If I have one more facelift, it’ll be a cesarean.”
The L. A. Times said she had her teeth straightened, breast reduction, a tummy tuck, a brow lift, nose done, under-eye lift, cheek implants, tattoo eyeliner, chemical peel, and a face-lift.
"I never liked the way I looked, and you know what that does to your self-esteem," she told the Chicago Tribune in 1989. "I've never looked so good in my entire life."
She first went public with her face-lift in 1972. Her candor about her plastic surgeries later earned her an award from the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery as "the first person to have the courage to proclaim her surgery and show her results publicly."
As for the unlit cigarette she sometimes used in earlier skits, she stated that she felt like she needed something in her hand for when she raised it and called it an attention getter.
Various entertainers, including Joan Rivers and Ellen DeGeneres, released statements about her death.
"I'm beyond saddened by the death of Phyllis Diller. We were friends — Melissa and I had a wonderful time with her at lunch just a month ago," her statement to Access Hollywood read. "The only tragedy is that she was the last from an era that insisted a woman had to look funny in order to be funny. If she had started today, Phyllis could have stood there in Dior and Harry Wiston and become the major star that she was. I adored her."
Ellen DeGeneres wrote, "We lost a comedy legend today. Phyllis Diller was the queen of the one-liners. She was a pioneer."
Both her marriages ended in divorce.
Her son, Perry, her daughters, Sally Diller and Suzanne Mills, four grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter, survive her. |
The email open rate
tells you how many of your recipients actually opened your email. Open rates are generally determined by a tiny one pixel by one pixel transparent gif somewhere in the layout of the email. When the email is opened, a request is received by your server to provide that image, just as if it was a product photo or a background pattern. Once you have your total number of transparent image requests tallied, it is expressed as emails opened / emails sent: that is your Open Rate. However, this may not be the most accurate representation of how many of your emails are actually opened!
The Mobile Revolution Has Devalued Open Rate Calculations
Many email marketers continue to rely strongly on open rates even though recent developments in email clients and the explosion of mobile web enabled devices has severely handicapped the accuracy of open rates. Because many of these email readers have images turned off by default, none of the images included in your email become visible to these recipients. Unfortunately, this includes that critical 1 x 1 pixel transparent gif that communicates the "open" to your server. Therefore if you are sending emails to 100,000 users, with half reading your emails on desktop or laptop computers through email clients that allow images, and the other half reading them on various devices that prohibit images, then your open rate calculation is severely underestimating the actual number of emails read… by fully one half!
Extrapolated Open Rate May Be a Closer Approximation
Although it has not yet received wide industry adoption, an Extrapolated Open Rate calculation may be derived through an analysis of the browser types that your subscribers are using and correlating that to your open rate. Even though it is effectively impossible to make an accurate determination as to exactly which users will have images on vs. off, it's a fairly safe assumption that most mobile - and a reasonable percentage of large provider services such as Gmail and Hotmail - will be set to off. In this case a sample Extrapolated Open Rate calculation could be:
100,000 emails sent
20,000 emails reported by transparent gif as opened for an Open Rate of 20%
Conventional images on email clients: 60%
Assumed images off email clients: 40%
Therefore 60,000 emails resulted in 20,000 opens for a rate of 33.3%, a rate which can be extrapolated as closer to the actual open rate for the entire 100,000 emails sent.
Massive (Negative) Effect on Click-Through Rate
Since open rate is the basis for that all important click-through rate
(CTR) calculation, the differences between a CTR determined through conventional open vs. an extrapolated open can be enormous. Let's assume that in your conventional open calculation you show your CTR as 5%. However, that is based on a total open of 20%: Out of 20,000 opened emails, 5% or 1,000 were unique click-throughs. The numbers fall considerably if you're using the extrapolated open figure of 33%. In this case out of 33,300 opened emails, 5% is no longer 1,000, but 667 or 3.33%! Of course there have always been some recipients who read emails with images off, so to panic and think that your CTR has plummeted from 5% to 3.3% overnight is an overreaction. Consider the extrapolated CTR to be a more accurate estimate, not a reflection of your campaign's sudden failure.
At the current state of technological development, there is no real way to determine that the reason for the transparent gif not being requested to your server was because the email was unread, deleted outright or displayed as images off. Perhaps one day in the distant future some email Einstein will figure out a way to have images off emails call home and duly inform the sending server. Until that time, the best we can do is craft email newsletters
that users want to read and will enjoy keeping images displayed for. |
Sunday, April 22, 2012
CAM ART WAR
CAM Art War from ve strata on Vimeo.
On Thursday, 19th April AirSpace studio artists met up in order to burn artworks as a show of solidarity with Antonio Manfredi, Art Director of Casoria Contemporary Art Museum, Naples.
Antonio made world news earlier in the week with his art burning protests, which spread across the sea to John Brown in Harlech, Wales. See coverage of the burnings on the BBC here.
We were asked to show our support and join in the burning.
We met in the yard armed with our various artworks:
Pete Smith had brought a box full of his ceramic hands.
David Bethell brought a shire horse sculpture.
Behjat Omer Abdulla had 'WAR' the first drawing in the series of works he has been making in the past 4 years.
Bryan Holdcroft had brought a drawing.
Joyce Iwaszko brought a painting.
Glen Stoker brought an etched photographic piece.
My piece has been hanging in my studio for the past few years, and was originally meant as a message to the people of Stoke-on-Trent, an urge to be socially conscious and active - but also a message to myself. Sometimes, the job of the artist is one which leaves you feeling undervalued, and so a message like this can be important.
As everyone arrived and the fire was lit, the group went very quiet. There was a strange sense of trepidation and excitement in the air,as we one-by-one placed our works in the fire to burn.
We hope that in some small way that our burning will draw attention to the cause. As Antonio Manfredi has pointed out, with cuts to the arts threatening to close museums and art galleries across Europe, the public will not have a chance to see artists' work - so why not just burn it, if it is so undervalued?
THE ART BURN CONTINUES: CAM ART WAR NOW SPANS 4 COUNTRIES
Artists - please show solidarity with us by burning art.
Greece: Antonio Manfredi, Naples.
Wales: John Brown, Harlech
England: AirSpace Gallery!
Germany: Thursday, 26th April - Artists in Berlin set to burn art: Barbara Fragogna , Ahner Petrov, Alexander Rodin and Martin Reiter will burn some of their work produced in art center Tacheles in Berlin
Let us know if you plan a burning of your own. |
Thanks for helping soldiers’ families for holidays
Dear citizens of Fayette County: Wow! It was absolutely amazing to see the faces of so many brave little soldiers at Fort Benning when Santa came into the room laden with all of the wonderful gifts you so generously donated this past holiday season.
I know it’s a cliche, but they lit up like a Christmas tree and their collective glee sounded like a chorus of angels.
What a joy it was to be able to see these children having such a good time when so much of their days and nights revolve around wondering when – or if – mommy or daddy is coming home from the war.
For a brief time over 1,000 children got to be, well, children. They got to celebrate the season and forget for a bit that nagging uncertainty that is a part of their everyday lives.
It was also such a treat to see the reassurance on the faces of the waiting parents; and we’re told constantly how much it means to the soldiers that someone is taking care of their families.
It has been eight years since our mission started, and you have never failed to come through. I wish each and every one of you could see how happy you have made our littlest soldiers and their families.
Your generosity didn’t stop there. In addition to Santa’s visit, you went above and beyond in providing Christmas to 12 very needy and most deserving families. These families were facing hardship before their loved one deployed, and the deployment made their situation even worse. Without your help, these families would have had no Christmas at all.
I wish I could thank each and every one of you by name, but that’s not possible in this forum. Please know that your generosity means more to me than words can express.
There are, however, a few organizations that I would like to mention. My thanks go out to Clothes Less Traveled, Fayette Senior Services Center, The Kiwanis Club, The Republican Party of Fayette County and several of our schools.
When I asked for your help in my last letter, I said I was thinking about a song that ends with the line, “and the difference is you.”] That couldn’t be more true.
Fayette County, you are making a huge difference. Eight years ago, I saw the need to help the children of deployed soldiers. You have made my dream a reality. There is no way I could do this without you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you and God bless.
Embracing Military Families
Peachtree City, Ga. |
Utah Library Association IFC receives the 2013 Gerald Hodges IF Chapter Relations Award
For Immediate Release
CHICAGO — The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) announces that the Utah Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee is the recipient of the 2013 Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award.
The Intellectual Freedom Committee of the Utah Library Association built “a strong Intellectual Freedom cohort in the State of Utah. In one year they had a fivefold increase in membership, developed and implemented training programs, successfully assisted in fighting a highly publicized banned book situation, publicized Intellectual Freedom issues, developed relationships with community organizations; recruited students, new graduates and paraprofessionals, and forged bonds and closer relationships as a committee.” Barbara Pickell, Hodges Award chair said, “The achievements of the Utah Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee epitomize the values and goals that are recognized by the Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award.”
The Hodges Award recognizes an intellectual freedom-focused organization that has developed a strong multi-year, ongoing program or a single, one-year project that exemplifies support for Intellectual Freedom, patron confidentiality and anti-censorship efforts. The award, named after Gerald Hodges, who joined the ALA staff in 1989 as director of membership services and the Chapter Relations Office, consists of $1,000 and a citation. Hodges was the associate director of communications and marketing at his death in 2006, but intellectual freedom and chapter relations were still his passions. A charter member of the ALA Legacy Society, he willed a portion of his estate to support ALA's intellectual freedom efforts. Memorial contributions in recognition of Hodges came from many friends, colleagues and ALA chapters following the establishment of the Gerald Hodges Fund.
This is the first year the award was given in his honor and will be presented at the IFRT 40th anniversary celebration. Come join the IFRT from 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2013 at the magnificent Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St. at Michigan Ave., Chicago) for the celebration. The evening will include live music, building tours, delicious edibles, and signature libations.
Tickets for the celebration are $30 for IFRT members, $40 for non-members and $20 for students. To purchase a ticket, just visit http://ala13.ala.org by June 24 and go through the Annual Conference registration site. If you already have registered for the Annual Conference, you can just add this ticketed event. Note: if you do not want to attend the rest of the conference, you can purchase tickets just for this event. Just begin the registration process and then select “Ticketed Events.” Tickets will not be available at the door.
In celebrating the 40th anniversary, IFRT will also celebrate our first chair of the Round Table, John Phillip Immroth (1973–1974). Proceeds from the 40th anniversary celebration will go to increase the endowment of the John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award. You can help. Your event sponsorship donation of $100, $250 or $500 will help to continue this prestigious award for many years to come. This year’s Immroth award winner, Amnesty International, will also be presented at the celebration. The bulk of your sponsorship donation is tax-deductible. To become a sponsor of the IFRT 40th anniversary celebration, contact Shumeca Pickett at email@example.com or (312) 280-4220. |
Monday, February 28, 2011
I get into these craving moods every once in awhile.
The last thing I was craving was stuffed cabbage. Still haven't made it cause no one in this house will eat it and I can't see making a whole pan just for me.
The next thing I was craving was fish tacos.
A girl I work with was talking about them. She's originally from California and was telling me that they are quite popular there. I thought it was funny that they weren't here. I mean I live in the Ocean State after all. There is an abundant amount of reasonably priced (sometimes downright cheap) seafood to be had here in Little Rhody. Why aren't fish tacos popular here?
So I set my mind on making them. Now I needed a recipe. A good recipe. If was going to make these for the first time and hopefully get my family to want me to make them again, they had to be good.
That's where Melissa comes in. I tend to call her Sweet Melissa, cause well, she is one of the sweetest people that I have met in the blog-o-sphere. She's one of those people that even though you haven't met in person, you just know that you would hit it off. She's one special lady in more ways then I ever could convey here.
Kind beyond measure, brave and inspiring, that is Melissa. She is also one helluva good cook, so when she suggested that I give her fish taco recipe a try, I was all over it.
I now have to tell you. It's official. My husband and kids just might like fish tacos more then the traditional meat or chicken. It's true. We all LOVED these! Loved them! I double the recipe and I'm so glad I did cause we ate them for dinner and then we ate them again for lunch the next day. So delicious! I added in some caramelized onions, cause you know I'm all about the onions.
Melissa has a great recipe for salsa on her site that she used with these tacos. I'm so not about the salsa or heat, I think you all know that by now. I also know that so many of you are all about the salsa so check it out here!
Like many of you, Melissa likes her food hot and spicy and she was really happy she made the salsa. I was really happy I made these tacos.
Twelve 1- to 1 1/2-ounce pieces of halibut or cod (I used cod and doubled the recipe, so glad I did!)
12 corn or flour tortillas
oil for deep frying (I used vegetable oil)
1 cup flour
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups beer (I used Melissa's suggestion of Boddington's Pale Ale)
garlic powder, pepper, cayenne and salt, to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup yogurt
Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet until oil temperature is about 375°F.
Mix flour with spices. Stir flour mixture into the beer and mix until well blended. Pat fish completely dry, then dip in batter until thoroughly coated. You don't want it too thick, but one nice goopy layer will do. You'll know the right consistency when you get it. Honest.
Place fish in hot oil in a single layer. Do not let pieces touch each other. Cook fish until batter is crispy and golden brown, a few minutes per side. Drain on a rack over paper towels.
For the sauce: Mix the mayo and yogurt together. Pretty easy stuff.
To assemble, heat the tortilla either over a gas flame, like we do, or in a hot skillet. Place a piece fish on each tortilla, drizzle with white sauce and top with salsa, lettuce or cabbage and a squeeze of lime, some caramelized onions, avocado.....whatever you like on your tacos. Fold and eat!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Time: 7:10 pm
In my mug: tea and honey.
In my belly: Eggs, toast and ham (we had breakfast supper).
Beside me: a snuggly Moose.
In my ears: the clicking of the keyboard.
On the nightstand: Latest issues of Cooking Light, Saveur, Food & Wine, lots of hair scrungies, box of tissue, Aquaphor and hand cream.
What I'm craving: Cadbury mini eggs. My absolute favorite thing about spring is knowing that these luscious morsels are coming out!
In my head: recipes, recipes, recipes! I'm making fish tacos this weekend. I've been craving them and I finally found a terrific recipe (thanks Sweet Melissa).
I'm thankful that: Moose is doing well. We are slowly getting into a routine with the shots and Moose's blood sugar is leveling out.
I'm grateful for: my cozy little house, my warm blanket, my snoring hubby on the couch, and getting to watch Steven Tyler twice a week on American Idol!!
Monday, February 21, 2011
3 slices bacon, diced
1 cup of finely chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or less if you would like this with less spice)
2 small garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
3 cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
4 ounces Mascarpone or cream cheese
3/4 cup panko (Japanese Breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 pound Penne (or pasta of your choice)
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Remove all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic, stir for 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, allow to melt, and then add the flour and stir for a minute. Gradually whisk in 3 cups of milk; simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 1/4 cups of cheddar and all of the Parmesan cheese and marscapone. Return bacon to sauce and season with salt and pepper.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add panko and stir until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish or similarly sized gratin dish. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until very al dente. Drain well. Toss pasta and cheese sauce and season again with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake until hot and topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Friday, February 18, 2011
I haven't made a cake in a long time.
A really long time.
I actually made this cake about a month ago. I baked it up, frosted it, photographed it and then it was happily eaten by my family and friends. After that, um, I kinda forgot about it. Yup, I left this post on the back burner so to speak. So, ta-da, a month later here it is. Please tell me that I'm not the only blogger who does this? If I go back into my edits, I will confess, I have about a dozen other posts just sittin' and waitin'. So I just treat these lost posts like little presents that I bought and tucked away, and then comes the day I discover them again, and it's like opening up that present all over again. Ok, maybe it's not that good, but I do "oooh and ahhh" and say "man that was yummy" a lot when I re-discover them. Then I have to force myself to remember details about the recipe that I really should have jotted down at the time. Such is the life of a busy blogging Mom.
So getting back to my cake making....it's not that I don't like cake or that I don't like to make it, it's just one of those things that I don't think to make very often. Mostly saved for special occasions and birthdays, it's not on the top of my baking list, and that's just a shame isn't it?
I got this recipe from the Queen of the Blog-o-Sphere herself, the Pioneer Woman. One word totally got me...PISTACHIO. I love pistachio. I love the nuts. I love the ice cream. I love the pudding. Naturally I thought I'd love the cake.
I was right.
This recipe starts with a boxed cake mix I know, the horror of it all. Let me terrify you even more when I tell you that it uses boxed pudding mix as well!
Straight outta the cupboard and into the bowl.
That's the way I roll.
I tried to marbleize my batter, but when it comes to marbleizing, I always seem to screw it up, so all I did was take a knife and swirled it ever so slightly. Not much marbleizing going on, but it's got a nice swirl.
I added an Espresso Glaze to my cake cause it looked a little naked to me and really who wouldn't want to bite into a moist piece of cake topped with that chocolaty goodness?
Pistachio Cake with Chocolate Espresso Glaze
1 box white cake mix
1 package (4oz) pistachio pudding mix
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 whole eggs
3/4 cup chocolate syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bundt pan.
Mix all ingredients but chocolate syrup and beat for two minutes on medium-high. Pour 3/4 of the batter into the bundt pan. Add chocolate syrup to the remaining batter and mix well. Pour chocolate-laced batter on top of the pistachio batter.
Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Note: You can use a knife to swirl chocolate batter into the pistachio batter for more of a marbled design.
1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
½ cup Dutch processed cocoa
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
3 tablespoons strong brewed coffee - you may need an additional tablespoon to get it to the consistency you need.
Whisk together the sugar , cocoa & espresso powder. Add coffee and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cake. You can put this in the fridge for a 1/2 hour or so to harden up a bit.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
I had high hopes for February. Number one, it wasn’t January.
On February 1st we found out Moose now has diabetes most likely due to the prednisone that he’s been on for over 6 mths. We had been weaning him off the pred when we got this new diagnosis and have started him on 2 other meds since.
The first few days were a nightmare. He drank buckets of water and peed buckets too, often not being able to hold it. I can’t tell you how many times I have steam mopped my kitchen floor in the past 2 weeks, but lets just say, more than once a day on average.
We have to take his blood glucose every 4 hours, which means drawing blood. No fun. We also give him insulin every 8hrs, which means setting the alarm to get up at midnight to give him a dose, and letting him out again for the 12th time of the day, then getting a few more hours of sleep before he wakes us back up at 3am or 4am to pee again. We haven’t been getting much sleep.
The first few days of trying to get blood had me in tears. In desperation, I finally went on YouTube of all places and typed in “taking a blood sample from your dog” and lo and behold, I found lots and lots of videos and a new way to draw blood that is painless for Moose, which makes Mama very, very happy. We take his blood samples from inside his front lip and he doesn’t even flinch. I’m tellin’ ya, I have the most wonderful dog in the world. He’s been through so much and he’s still such a trooper.
So his glucose levels are finally coming down. We are breathing a huge sigh of relief.
This is going to be a lifestyle change for all of us, but we would do anything for our precious baby.
If you have a dog with diabetes, I'd love to hear from you. Any tips, suggestions, or just a few words to let me know it's going to be ok will really boost my spirits.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Most of you who have read this blog for any amount of time know what an onion freak I am.
Up until this point in my life caramelized onions were my nirvana. Sticky, sweet and golden brown goodness. I could sit with a pan full and eat them until they are gone. Better then any candy, or cookie in my book.
Then I came across these.
HEAVEN IN A PAN!
If you are an onion lover like me, YOU MUST MAKE THESE.
Creamy, sweet and caramelized. Melt in your mouth good. I ate them straight out of the pan, and then forced myself to stop when I looked down and realized half were gone.
I found this recipe on Proud Italian Cook. I love her site. Every time Marie posts a recipe the words "I have to make this" come out of my mouth. I have one file just filled with her recipes alone. If you haven't visited Marie's site I highly urge you to get your Italian on and try any of the deliciousness she makes.
I’m not a big red meat eater, but a few times a year John and I will get a nice rib eye and grill it up. I’m so looking forward to making these creamed onions to go with that big fat steak for Valentines Day. Red meat and onions for Valentines, yup, that's how we roll.
Roasted Parmesan Creamed Onions
recipe from Proud Italian Cook
4 medium to large yellow onions
Salt & pepper
1 cup heavy cream
¼ cup of white wine
Peel and slice the onions into ¼ inch thick slices. Carefully place them on a parchment lined baking sheet, keeping the rings intact. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 375 for about 15 minutes.
While the onions are roasting, place the heavy cream and wine in a small saucepan and simmer until it starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat and set aside.
After the onions are out of the oven, carefully transfer them to a shallow baking dish, again, keeping the rings intact. (I skip this step and keep them on the baking sheet). Slowly pour the cream sauce over all the onions. You can add more black pepper at this point if you’d like. Raise the oven temp to 450. Sprinkle each onion with grated or shaved Parmesan cheese.
Cover baking dish with foil and return to the oven for another 20 – 25 minutes. Remove foil and let the onions get nice and brown and caramelized for about 5 more minutes.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
We are a family that is all about composting. We have a big composter in the back yard, and even though my soil is frozen solid, we still save our scraps and I throw them on the pile or in one of the frozen raised beds.
Now you're probably wondering why I'm writing about composting when I have a post titled Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Brownie Babies huh?
Well the nice folks at Hefty sent me some Hefty Basics compostable dinnerware and some coupons for me to give away to 3 lucky blog followers. I know it seems silly to get excited about paper plates but I'm so happy to know that big companies like Hefty really care about the environment and designed a plate that I can rinse and thrown into the compost pile.
These plates are stronger than everyday plates. They are biodegradable and are free of inks, dyes and coatings. I think that's kinda cool, and if I'm going to buy disposable plates, I don't want them sitting in a landfill for 10 years. Hefty has also partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation on a quest to plant 10,000 trees for every 10 new likes on Facebook. They also sent me a cool cover letter printed on recycled paper embedded with wildflower seeds that I can plant whenever I can see the grass again!
So if you'd like to win a coupon for a free package of Hefty Basics Paper Plates, leave me a comment answering this question....
Do you compost?
If you're a follower, let me know, I'll give ya 2 chances to win instead of 1. Not a follower....well come on and join and you'll get 2 chances too.
I'll choose the 3 winners on Tuesday, February 15th by midnight EST.
I received this product to review and share. The 3 winning coupons were provided by Hefty.
Now on to the brownie babies!
Brownie Babies photographed on a Hefty basics plate no less. Huh, wonder how that happened???
I made these brownie bites for the Super Bowl. I thought they would be easy to just pick up and off you go.
I often make brownies in cupcake pans cause they are super transportable for the kids and cause, well they just look damn cute, the peanut butter filling doesn't hurt too much either.
You can top these anyway you like. I used whipped cream and cherries but feel free to put whatever you like on top.
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownie Babies
recipe from Kraft Foods.
1 pkg (19 – 21oz brownie mix, 13x9 size) + ingredients to make the brownies.
1 – 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla
Oven to 350. Prepare the brownie mix as directed on package. Spoon batter (about 2/3 of the way up) into 20 paper lined muffin cups.
Beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, peanut butter and vanilla with a mixer until blended. Spoon 1 rounded tablespoon into the center of the batter in each cup, pressing it lightly into the batter. Bake for 30 minutes or until centers are set. Place on a rack to cool.
Monday, February 7, 2011
It is so unbelievably hard for me to write down my soup recipes.
I don't know if you are like me, but soup is kind of a free form art for me.
I never really make it the same way twice.
I use up whatever veggies I have and throw in some frozen organic ones from Trader Joes. I just kinda make due with whatever I have on hand, so it's really a struggle for me to be able to blog a soup recipe, but I'm going to try to at least give you some direction, cause I think everyone should be able to make a decent soup.
Since nothing is growing in the garden at this time of year (yeah there is still a good 2 feet of snow on the ground) I utilize frozen veggies in this soup.
Oh, I have to tell you one little secret that my family has no clue about. I've been doing it for years and they have no idea.....ok..here it is...I put diced turnips in my veggies soup and tell them all it's potato.
They have no clue and eat it right up. I suppose if any of them read this post my secret is no more huh?
Veggie & Barley Soup
recipe from Lisa@ The Cutting Edge of Ordinary
8 - 10 cups chicken broth or stock or a mixture of both
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, sliced thick
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1/2 - 3/4 cup pearl barley
1/2 of a bag of frozen mixed vegetable
1/2 of a bag of frozen diced turnips
small handful of frozen peas
salt & pepper to taste
In a large stock pot heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add in the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the broth or stock to the pot. Add in the carrots and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. Add in barley and frozen vegetables and simmer for an hour - hour and a half or so, or until the vegetables and barley are cooked.
Just a little footnote.....I have a very unhappy hubby this morning. Steelers lost. I want to say there is always next year but I'm sure that's the last thing he wants to hear today :( |
Although infants who sleep in a bed with an adult are at greater risk for accidents or sudden infant death syndrome, a government-sponsored study shows it happens more often than it used to, especially common among black and Hispanic families.
Studies have shown strong association between infant bed sharing and SIDS, noted the background information for a new study, published online this week in JAMA Pediatrics. The study author, Dr. Eve R. Colson of Yale University School of Medicine, noted that the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests infants sleep in their own bed in the same room with their parents, but not in the same bed.
The research was based on data collected from 18,986 people in the National Infant Sleep Position Study, using phone surveys in 48 states, conducted yearly. Most of the respondents were mothers of infants. More than half were 30 or older, college educated and had incomes of at least $50,000. Four out of five participants were white.
The number of infants sharing beds more than doubled from 6.5 percent in 1993 to 13.5 percent in 2010. Among black and Hispanic families, it increased throughout the study period, while for white families it increased until the year 2000, but not thereafter.
The number of black infants co-sleeping with adults rose from 21.2 percent to 38.7 percent over the entire study period, the highest in the study. For Hispanic infants, it increased from 12.5 percent to 20.5. percent.
For white infants, in 1993 it was 4.9 percent, up to 9.1 percent in 2010.
"We found that black infants, who are at highest risk of sudden infant death syndrome and accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed, share a bed most often. Compared with white infants, black infants are 3.5 times more likely to share a bed," Colson and her colleagues wrote.
An article in USA Today said that "caregivers who perceived physicians' attitude as against sharing a bed were about 34 percent less likely to report that the infant usually shared a bed than were caregivers who received no advice."
Infants were also more likely to share a bed if the household income was less than $50,000 compared to those in a higher income range. Fewer families co-slept in the Midwest, compared to the West and South. Co-sleeping was also more common with infants up to age 15 weeks, compared to older, and with being born too early, compared to full-term. The researchers said they hoped that identifying factors associated with sharing will lead to ways to change behaviors.
Confounding the issue is the fact that another recent multi-center study published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that when mom and baby sleep together, baby is more apt to breastfeed longer, compared to babies who sleep separately.
According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, the "durations of any and exclusive breastfeeding were longest in the often bed sharing group, and shortest in the rare and non-feeding groups." Babies who slept in infant co-sleepers attached at bedside were not considered to be bed sharing, it said.
The benefits of breastfeeding are well documented and include health and developmental benefits, money savings and more. Ironically, breastfeeding is also associated with lower risk of SIDs. But given that co-sleeping can increase that risk, the authors of that study call for strategies to promote breastfeeding without increasing the incidence of bed sharing.
Not everyone agrees the practice of bed sharing is dangerous. In an editorial in the same issue of JAMA Pediatrics, Dr. Abraham B. Bergman, Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, said, "I find the report disquieting because evidence linking bed sharing per se to the increased risk for infant death is lacking."
He said that the campaign against bed sharing stems from recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics. "When condemning a widespread cultural practice, the supporting data should be clear," he wrote. "The studies cited to support the AAP's position share a common flaw: nonuniform and unverifiable information on the cause of death."
Other studies, including an international one by German researchers, found there is a link between SIDs and adults sleeping with infants. That risk is especially strong with parents who smoke and with very young infants, younger than 3 months of age, it said.
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SORT BY Relevancy
With the 2-2 draw between the LA Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders now in the books (and a very similar fixture just around the corner), Daryl and Taylor review their specific predictions, discuss what went right and what went wrong for both sides, and break down exactly what Boyz II Men brought to the table. The guys also discuss Juan Agudelo's failed trial at Wolves, thank donors, and answer listener questions (which range from the history of the substitution rule to a comparison of MLS to European leagues). Download/stream and enjoy!
Join Dr. Bessie as she talk to mothers and daughters around the World! You don't want to miss this week exciting topic!
Who's the listener in your mother and daughter relationship? Call into the show at 347-539-5078. Visit us on www.mdbn.org
What's the worst sandwich to get for Christmas? Which dead celebrity should you take to Disneyland? What SEC school is most like Newton's Third Law of Motion? Is going to law school a good idea? These and other important questions our listeners posed are answered by me, a confirmed idiot.
The Write Stuff is proud to be a media sponsor of the Bay Area Family Literacy Day taking place on November 1st. Family literacy is a critical component to getting your children to read & enjoy reading. Further, your children will discover the vastness of their creativity. Imagine one day you're at home when a large, terrifying tornado comes out of nowhere, whips up your house and your dog, and lands you in a world full of yellow brick roads, munchkins, a cowardly lion, and a tin man without a heart.
What if you found a golden ring with power that could turn you into a dark lord or queen? It mesmerized you, called to you, and haunted you until it consumed your mind. You'd fight hobbits, and creatures of both dark and light, travel mountains, and align yourself with wizards of extraordinary power.
You may recognize the two worlds mentioned but what they have in common is that these tales take us to realms far away from what we know. We are immersed into lands of magic, and mystery. In fact, one of the best things about being a writer is that you can create the world you want. Is it filled with dragons and sorcerers? Do dogs rule the Kingdom? Do the fish and crabs dance under the sea while they save a mermaid from an evil witch with the body of an octopus? Are you the chosen one, given the ability to change the course of two worlds? Can you command a ship with a crew as you head into the unexplored regions of space? Will you step through a gate that takes you to another world as easily as going from one room to the next?
Are you are Realm Explorer?
Join me as we talk with author and teacher Annie Lima Douglass as she takes into the imaginations of authors and the realms they create to fill us with wonder. You can join in at 646-595-2083, press 1 to be live on air. Or, you can download the WLUV Radio mobile app. Any way you can, join us.
Proverbs 14: 1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
Where have all the Godly women gone? Where can we search for them again?
This is not to say that there aren't any at all. Of course not. Yet the prevaiing image of women is far from godly. And we as a culture have swallowed up what it means to be a woman. We're not talking about women being strong, powerful, innovators, and leaders. They've been that way since God created us. No, we are referring to the image of womanhood being defined as something apart from what the Lord has called us to be.
Join me as we talk about this issue with our guest Reverend Teirrah McNair. You can call in at 646-595-2083, press 1 to be live on air. Or you can download the WLUV radio mobile app. Any way you can, join us.
These presentations will be Universal Leadership Skills training sessions designed to equip the listener with all the skills sets related to successful contemporary leadership in any configuration of human organization. From the Community of Self to the Largest Community Organization
Don't Give Up Radio show is designed for people who have already over come great challenges but still have a way to go reaching their goals. The show speaks to the listener's soul via the words of guest, their life experiences and songs that pulled them out of the abyss. Jacquie wants the listener to be their own best hero, because the greatest hero of all, thought they were worth it and gave his life for them.
Guest: Stephanie Winans
Purchase Song: My Side of The Story on iTunes: http://bit.ly/1t0z6pN
Join Vanessa and Sabrina as they bring you Episode 37 of WMMA Jam Live, produced by Fresh Start Entertainment, Professional Event Sponsors, XionX, Iron Jaw Custom Mouth Guards and Boost 365 Energy! Here at WMMA Jam Live, we believe in doing everything big, and what better way to do that than by bringing you the latest news from the WMMA world. Tonight we'll be joined by RFA's Kyra "Mogwai" Batara. Als during tonights show Vanessa 1 listener will win a redemption martial arts tshirt through a trivia question We've got all this and more coming up this Wednesday on WMMA Jam Live!
"Who’s in Charge"
Friday, October 24, 2014, 8:00 PM Eastern Time
Calling all Patriots!
We invite you to join us tonight for the next installment of “Who’s in Charge” as we come to the end of our third week of on air excellence, continuing our mission to deliver information and offering solutions for some of the most pressing problems facing the average American today.
On this installment of the “Hard Times Survival Strategies series,” Mike will be discussing things the consumer needs to know:
How to save money on car insurance,
How to avoid some more of your credit cards tricks
How to determine if that “work from home” opportunity you’ve been offered is right for you.
Then the next installment of our popular series “Let Energy Freedom Ring:”
A brief explanation of how geothermal heating and cooling could be just what you need to save you from a future of rising energy costs and the possible loss of your personal independence in your golden years.
If you want to find out why tens of thousands of people around the world have come to trust and value Mike’s teaching, we invite you to examine his bio and lifetime achievements at the AmericanPatriotRadio.com home page.
Plan to join us what you don’t know does hurt you! As always the forums and phone lines will be open for the listener’s questions and participation.
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Poverty in the African American Community
Poverty in the African American Community
Poverty is a frequently used and implicit idea. However, the definition of this idea is highly challenged. Perhaps, one of the greatest problems that every nation is facing today is poverty. The problems of poverty are tremendously spreading not only to those nations who lacks power but also to those nations who is powerful like the United States. Specifically this essay will view the factors that cause poverty among African Americans and the solution that might be helpful to reduce or even erased poverty. Furthermore the main aim of this essay is to know the best way to deal poverty encountered by the African American community.
In history, from 1450 -1750, the North American continent experienced enormous changes. The European explorers ventured to what they called then as the “New World” in search of vast amounts of natural wealth. Corollary to these exploratory activities, these European explorers also traveled to Africa and began a trans-Atlantic slave trade. Millions of Africans were brought to the Americas and traded there as slaves. This mass movement of people led to a new social and economic system; with the color of the skin as a determining factor whether one would live as a slave or as a free citizen.
By 1750, both the free and enslaved black people showed an intense attachment to America. After 1750, many African-Americans already found their freedom. In 1830, Philadelphia held the first meeting of the American Society of Free Persons of Color (later became the National Negro Convention). This organization for the black people was created to establish a black community and seek true freedom. Although the black communities in America or the so-called African Americans are now free, there are still problems in discrimination of black people resulting to poverty. The discrimination of jobs, education and health tend to be the factors of their agony.
It is in fact that poverty has affected many lives of individuals. Records show that many people are suffering because of the problem in poverty. But who is really the most affected in poverty. The effect of poverty is very obvious among children of this generation. In poverty, children suffer especially in terms of education. Because of poverty most of the parents cannot afford to give their children proper education. Ruth Sidel states that “until the children are educated for life they live a margin of society for life and in the long run will be losers.” Also, due to poverty, children do not enjoy life as they must enjoy it. Most of the children from poor families have to work earlier so that they can help their parents. Although health is itself an outcome, it can also be viewed as a pathway by which poverty influences other child outcomes, such as cognitive ability and school achievement. Poor children experience increased rates of low birth weight and elevated blood lead levels when compared with nonpoor children. These conditions have, in turn, been associated with reduced IQ and other measures of cognitive functioning in young children and, in the case of low birth weight, with increased rates of learning disabilities, grade retention, and school dropout in older children and youths.
Wherever and whenever a glimmering of the new view of poverty is found, there is found also increased interest in its causes. Poverty on a world scale has many historical causes: colonialism, slavery, war and conquest. There is an important difference between those causes and what is called factors that maintain conditions of poverty. It is well known that many nations of in the world, faced by devastating wars, such as World Wars I and II, were reduced to bare poverty, where people were reduced to living on handouts and charity, barely surviving.
Through the years they had brought themselves up in terms of real domestic income, to become thriving and influential modern nations of prosperous people. On the other hand, the factors of poverty (as a social problem) are ignorance, disease, apathy, dishonesty and dependency. These factors are to be seen simply as conditions. No moral judgment is intended. They are not good or bad, they just are. If it is the decision of a group of people, as in a society or in a community, to reduce and remove poverty, they will have to (without value judgment) observe and identify these factors, and take action to remove them as the way to eradicate poverty. These factors, in turn, contribute to secondary factors such as lack of markets, poor infrastructure, poor leadership, bad governance, under-employment, lack of skills, absenteeism, lack of capital, and others. Each of these are social problems, each of them are caused by one or more of the big five, and each of them contribute to the perpetuation of poverty, and their eradication is necessary for the removal of poverty.
Although, poverty is fast emerging and the causes continuously affect the poverty situation of African American community, there is still hope to conquer and stop this spread out. There two optimal solutions that can be imposed in order to get rid of poverty. First, the government of the United States of America should give priority on providing jobs among their sovereignty. The most that can be expected is that these services would put people in a proper starting position to take part in the economy. To actually achieve such participation requires jobs and possibilities for self-employment. One way to create jobs is a sustainable development program. Rebecca Blanks states that “residents can work their way out of poverty through the establishment of job training programs.” Since United States of America is one of the most powerful countries, public investment in social and economic infrastructure and in sustainable energy use would create large numbers of jobs for which relatively little schooling is needed. Furthermore, it is believed that what the impoverished in America really need is not money, but a way to make money for the nation itself. In line with this some recommendations are imposed. One is that welfare for poor people must be supplied only under the condition that the individual receiving the benefits be enrolled and involved in a state-funded job placement program that will aid the individual in finding a job or educate the individual in a trade skill that is in demand in that area and then help them find a job. Since the goal is to make the individual productive in order to earn their benefits, it would not be counter-productive to allow for those still unable to find a job through this process to continue to receive benefits while enrolled in volunteer programs for charities and other non-profit organizations.
In conclusion poverty must be given priority not only in the African American community but also in all over the world. This growth of poverty level is largely due to misunderstanding poverty. Measures controlling poverty should be linked to the suitability of the country, as reasons of poverty changes due to social conditions of the country. Many problems in social structure when accumulated, poverty is borne. That may be unemployment, over population, education, government performance. Poverty then needs to be controlled in two ways, that is, through job creation which requires proper training for individuals and education or literacy. And since the United States of America is a powerful nation, the best way to deal with poverty is to educate people. Because educated people could be a great asset for a nation and literate individuals might help the government to alleviate the growth of poverty in their nation.
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Research Scholar since 2003
Elsesser received her Ph.D. in Psychology from UCLA, where she has taught courses on the psychology of gender and gender in the workplace. Elsesser also holds two graduate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), an M.S. in Management and an M.S. in Operations Research. Her research focuses on gender issues in the workplace including gender differences in leadership, gender discrimination, workplace friendship between men and women, workplace romance, and sexual harassment. She has also consulted on several large-scale national studies relating to gender and work. Elsesser’s research is partly inspired by her experiences as a quantitative equity trader. Often the token female among fellow traders, Elsesser co-founded one of the most successful proprietary trading groups in Wall Street history while employed at Morgan Stanley.
Her current book-in-progress, The Sex Partition : The Greatest Barrier to Women's Success at Work, describes her research on the barriers women face establishing mentor and peer friendships with men at work. One such barrier stems from heightened awareness of sexual harassment. Over the past 20 years, efforts to increase the awareness of sexual harassment issues in the workplace have been lauded, and a "more is better" attitude has prevailed with regard to sexual harassment prevention in the workplace. However, these overzealous efforts at preventing harassment have left male employees fearing sexual harassment accusations and choosing to stick with other men when it comes time for dinners, drinks, late-night meetings, or business trips. As a result, female colleagues miss out on valuable networking opportunities, and have difficulties forging beneficial relationships with senior male managers.
Elsesser also enjoys sharing her research and her thoughts on gender issues in popular media. She has published in the New York Times and has discussed gender issues on television on Fox News America Live, and radio on NPR’s Talk of the Nation, BBC World News, KNX – Los Angeles, KIRO -Seattle and Sirius Satellite Radio. She was one of CNN’s Most Intriguing People of the Day, and has been cited in the Sunday Times (London), Bloomberg Magazine, Salon.com, and Elle magazine among others. Her work has been noted in media outlets from The Economist to The Howard Stern Show. For more detailed information on her work, visit her website, www.kimelsesser.com
Elsesser, K. M. (expected publication spring 2014). Gender bias against female leaders: A review. In M. Connerly and J. Wu (Eds.) Handbook on Well-Being of Working Women. New York: Springer.
Elsesser, K.M. & Lever, J. (2011). Does gender bias against female leaders persist? Quantitative and qualitative data from a large-scale survey. Human Relations, 64(12), 1555-1578.
Elsesser, K. M. & Peplau, L. A. (2006). The glass partition: Obstacles to cross-sex friendships at work. Human Relations, 59, 1077 - 1100. |
American Idol: The Top Five girls are easy to pick (+video)
American Idol recap: On Tuesday night, the 10 women competing to make the American Idol finals were unevenly matched. Some excelled, others left viewers wondering how they made it to Vegas. Did your Idol favorite shine?
When the show starts with American idol host Ryan Seacrest standing in a hallway, bathed in techno pastels you just know it's going to be a good night.
On Tuesday, the Top 10 girls performed and for the first time this season, America was able to vote for their favorites. Another first, not just for the season but for the series, is the new American Idol app that allows people to log their votes during the course of the show and submit them at the end. Each viewer is given 50 votes to split amongst the contestants as they see fit. It's nice to see American Idol trying to really embrace social media and technology more but there's something about it that seems vaguely wrong, like when your grandparents open a Facebook account.
Did you struggle with who should get your 50 votes? Well, the good news is that the talent (or lack thereof) was so unevenly distributed amongst the American Idol girls that it should have been relatively simple to decide who deserved to go home; what might have been a bit harder was choosing five girls who deserve to stay. Watching the performances on Tuesday, it was hard to believe that anyone in their right mind would ever group these individuals in a Top 10, suggesting that they were even in the same hemisphere when it came to talent.
The most obvious example of this was Zoanette Johnson. Listening to Zoanette attempt to cover Tina Turner's, "What's Love Got to do with It," was all in all a painful experience. Painful to listen to, painful to watch. and perhaps most painful was to think about the fact that Zoanette actually took up a slot in the coveted Top 10, displacing one of the tens of thousands whose talent was more deserving of that opportunity.
The American Idol judges all agreed that the performance was terrible. Randy Jackson called it a mess and Mariah Carey lamented that America couldn't see all of Zoanette's little moments off stage - as if any degree of charm and enthusiasm could excuse the judges for their ridiculous decision to keep Zoanette around for this long. Nicki Minaj added that she could watch Zoanette all day but that the "regular person" may not agree. By regular, we can only assume Nicki means one who isn't suffering from delusions.
Another girl whose performance made viewers wonder how she made it this far, was that of Adriana Latonio. Adriana sang, "Stand Up For Love," by Destiny's Child and by the end, Nicki had written her off, telling her to work at her singing a little bit and come back next year. Ouch. Although whether that comment was as insulting as Nicki's catty, "I like your little ball gown," is questionable.
So with Zoanette and Adriana out of the way, the task of deciding which girls to put into the American Idol Top 10 becomes 20 percent easier - no matter what Mariah tries to tell us. Speaking of which, does anyone really know exactly what Mariah is trying to tell us? Her addition on the panel makes it crystal clear that the four-judge format has never really worked for Idol and the fact that Mariah is the forth and final judge to speak only makes her superfluousness even more evident. Next season Idol should give America the opportunity to vote for their favorite judges - chances are it would save us a lot of time and American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe a lot of money.
As easy as it was to identify Zoanette and Adriana as the worst of the night, calling the best of the night was equally easy. There were four girls whose talents surpassed that of the rest of the group so clearly that it is unimaginable that they were ever considered to be in the same league. The first to remind viewers why everyone keeps saying it is a girl's season was Angie Miller. Although her song, "Never Gone," by former Idol contestant Colton Dixon was a touch on the too-earnest side - perhaps even reminding viewers why they chose to send Colton home last season - there is no denying Angie's talent as a vocalist. She could be a favorite to win, although her likability factor is still a work in progress.
Kree Harrison, on the other hand has no issues with likability, especially in Nicki's eyes. Nicki, who refers to Kree as her "wife," is infatuated with Kree's effortless sexiness. Others are infatuated with Kree's absolutely amazing vocals and relaxed confidence. Randy called her one of the best vocalists in the competition after her performance of Faith Hill's, "Stronger." (Has anyone else noticed that Kree is a spitting imagine of Melanie Lynskey, the actress who played the not-so-wicked stepsister opposite Drew Barrymore in Ever After?)
Following Kree and Angie in the stellar performance department were Amber Holcomb and Candice Glover. Amber earned a standing ovation from all four judges after her rendition of Whitney Houston's, "I Believe in You and Me," forcing Randy to declare that Amber was "in it to win it." Although Candice's song choice, "Ordinary People," by John Legend, was a touch more obscure than Amber's, her vocals are such that it hardly mattered. Every time she opens her mouth to sing it's easy to see that she will be one to beat this season.
Then there were the others:
Breanna Steer sang Beyonce's "Flaws and All," which pretty much summed up her performance.
Aubrey Cleland just may have done enough to earn herself the fifth spot in the top five. Although her performance of "Big Girls Don't Cry," by Fergie wasn't flawless, the judges all agreed that they loved her vibrato almost as much as her dress.
One of the moments that left viewers confused no doubt, was the judges' accolades for Janelle Arthur. Her rendition of, "If I Can Dream," by Elvis, did not even come close to earning her the redemption she needed after being chosen over Rachel Hale for a spot in the Top 10. Nicki calling her one of the best vocals of the night made less sense than her calling her a "little marshmallow."
Finally there was Tenna Torres who sang,"Lost," by Faith Hill. Although all of the judges enjoyed it, Tenna just didn't do enough to earn herself a spot in the top five - despite how much Nicki liked her hair and "boobs." You can't help but feel sorry for Kree, trapped in a marriage to someone so disrespectful.
The final prediction for the top five don't quite require a soothsayer but let's make them anyway:
- Angie Miller
- Kree Harrison
- Amber Holcomb
- Candice Glover
- Aubrey Cleland (This is the only one on this list that is dubious, but the great white dress should be enough to earn her a spot.)
Do you agree with these predictions? Feel free to make your own in the comments below and tune in Wednesday night when the Top 10 boys compete for their place in the Idol finals. |
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Solving time: roughly 10 minutes (with pen)
THEME: Bowling - rebus puzzle where (X) and (/) are used to denote STRIKE and SPARE, respectively
Rebus puzzles spread puzzle fun around because they involve not just the typical set of longer Across answer, but crosses as well. In this puzzle, STRIKE and SPARE phrases have to work up and down, and most of these phrases seem strong, lively, and, most importantly, in the language. Only two [STRIKE]s and two [SPARE]s on the whole grid, but you get eight affected answers. I have only two slight aesthetic problems with the puzzle. First, the rebus squares are not symmetrical, a fact made more evident (and thus displeasing) by the fact that they are Almost symmetrical. The [STRIKE] at the beginning of 35D: Begins to play ([X]s up a tune) and the [SPARE] at the end of 10D: "Hurry!" (No time to [/]) have that delicious reverse mirror image symmetry, but the [STRIKE] at the beginning of 17A: Appeal to caprice ([X] one's fancy) has no corresponding symmetrical [SPARE] on the grid. The [SPARE] in 62A: Go all out for a party, say ([/] no expense) would have to come at the end of the answer, not the beginning, for the symmetry to be complete. I Like Symmetry. How much? I LOVE the new Honda Civic ads that end with a little "ding" sound as the final "C" turns around the face the other way, creating not only a palindrome but a word the second half of which is a mirror image of the first. My (college) graduating class of 1991 gave itself the name of Palindrome. Dorky, yes, but it only happens once a century (for a while), so ... yeah, it's dorky. Still, I [heart] palindromes - but only single-word palindromes, none of that "A man, a plan, a canal, panama" crap. Oh, I almost forgot: the second thing that bugs me (very mildly) about the puzzle is that it should NOT have any other "X"s in it, so that the rebus is not confusing - you signify [STRIKE] with an "X," so all other "X"s should be debarred. And yet ... this lone actual letter "X" sits in the middle of [SPARE] NO EXPENSE, making the down cross, LATEX, look like LATE [STRIKE], which sounds rebus-y, but isn't. A minor blemish on an otherwise mostly lovely puzzle visage. Oh, and you will note on my scan of the puzzle that in my rush to finish the puzzle, I forgot the notation for [SPARE] and just wrote in "SP" - what would one have to do in competition to have a grid that was considered correctly filled? Would proper rebus signification count? Speaking of bowling, here's how they roll in Arkansas, which apparently is in the process of renaming itself "Dorkansas":
1A: Bulova alternative (Omega)
My first thought: "Do I know any other kinds of caviar?" ROE wouldn't fit. EGGS. Those aren't really alternatives. Oh, right, it's BELUGA caviar. Bulova's a watch. So ... ROLEX? TIMEX? Ugh. This whole NW was a bit choppy for me. Because I hadn't figured out that the puzzle was a rebus yet, I couldn't see 1D: Picketing, perhaps (on [X]) and was instead wondering if there was a three-letter word that meant "picket fencing." Also I misread 14A: Manicurist's expertise (nails) as "manicurist's EXPENSE" (I even just now mistakenly typed the clue that way), and while I guess manicurists would count the purchase of fake NAILS as an "expense" on their tax forms, the answer seemed a bit forced. Luckily for me, the lovely Sharon GLESS (4D) appeared and helped calm the waters. Remember when Cagney and Lacy was like the most badass cop show on TV? Sharon Gless was an alcoholic cop Way before that Dennis Franz guy. And now all cops are basically stage dummies ogling "scientific" evidence and muttering one-liners on their search for the apparently THOUSANDS of psychotic genius child-torturing serial murder-rapists that walk among us. Seriously, why are these ridiculous cookie-cutter cop shows so popular? I mean, Cold Case?! COLD CASE!? How can anyone even get past that ridiculous hair, let alone take the premise of the show seriously?
16A: Relative of butterine (oleo)
This was easy, and OLEO is a Pantheon word, but what the #$@# is "butterine," aside from the worst coinage ever (well, worst since AIRMADA)? "It's not butter ... it's butterine!" Oh, wait, is it a hybrid of butter and margarine? So the suffix is pronounced with a short "i" sound as in "saccharine," not a long "e" sound as in "gasoline?" Why would you make such a hybrid? The best thing I could find about "butterine" (in the one minute that I tried) is that it was part of a UC Davis cheerleading cheer, dating back to the 1920's: "Bossy Cow-Cow / Honey Bee-Bee / Oleo Margarine / Oleo Butterine / Alfalfa HAY!" I think a crowd of Aggie fans is supposed to shout that last word. When this is what passes for a cheerleader pyramid, it's hard to know:
28A: Viking Ericson (Leif)
Poor Leif. Probably got to North America centuries ahead of Columbus (if Newfoundland counts...) - Norsemen may eventually have gotten as far as Minnesota! - and yet, he gets no respect - the Rodney Dangerfield of the exploring world. All glory goes to Columbus, bringer of slavery and pestilence. But did you know?: in 1964, President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson declared October 9 to be "Leif Erikson Day" in the United States. I demand that we all celebrate this next year. It's time Leif Ericson reclaimed his rightful place in history. As of now, he's not even the most famous "Leif."
56A: Pentagonal part of a diamond (plate)
50D: Compulsive lifter (klepto)
These are very clever clue / answer pairs. Love the phrasing, and especially love the colloquial quality of both "lifter" and KLEPTO. One of Sahra's favorite comics at the moment is about Superman's dog, Krypto. Krypto should have a nemesis (or Bizarro Krypto) called KLEPTO. That would be hot.
22D: Popes' headgear (tiaras)
23D: National rival (Oriole)
OK, on the first one: what? I thought MITRES, maybe. TIARAS are for princesses! Well, I'm technically wrong on this, though I think these things look more like crowns than TIARAS? Is it sinful of me to ask why the Catholic Church is clinging to fortunes in gold and jewels when most of its followers are living in poverty? Here we see Pope Pius XII showing off his mad poping skillz while rocking the three-tiered "neck-breaker" tiara. Old Skool.As for ORIOLE - look, I know why you clued it that way, and I fell right into your little trap, assuming "National" was the rental car company and fumbling around with HERTZ and AVIS and DOLLAR and what not. The problem is ... I know that the MLB is trying to manufacture rivalries, but until the Nationals or the Orioles a. start playing more than once a year, or b. start winning in general, then "rivalry" is a massive stretch. The Nationals have only been in existence, what, two years? And neither they nor the Orioles have had a winning record in that time. Rivalries are like trees falling in the woods. The Orioles and Nationals have not made a sound that anyone can hear, so their rivalry Does Not Exist, however much the greater Baltimore-D.C. metro area wishes it did.
41D: 1980's TV show with a stenciled logo (The A-Team)
44D: Musician Brian (Eno)
I never saw a single episode of "The A-Team" growing up, yet I have this weird love for it, as it seems to represent everything horribly, but now campily, wrong with the 80s. Remember when blowing @#$# up was just good fun and bad guys were clownishly incompetent? Good times. Brian ENO is hereby inducted into the Pantheon, as he is everywhere you want to be, puzzle-wise. He is the composer-producer who played with Roxy Music (love them) and later gained fame as a producer of albums for bands like Talking Heads and U2. He is considered the "father of ambient music," about which Eno has said, paradoxically: "it must be as ignorable as it is interesting." Well, you're half way there, as I'm ignoring it just fine. ENO is also a "fruit salt," which seems to be a euphemism for antacid AND, according to one box I read, "urinary alkaliniser." Salut!
Signed, Rex Parker, King of CrossWorld
late addendum: I just finished today's NY Sun Puzzle, and - awesome coincidence - it not only contains ENO, but clues it as "Antacid brand" - woo hoo! Learned something in the morning, used it in the afternoon. Serendipity. Nearly as perfect an experience as my trip thru the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru this morning, which couldn't have been faster unless I'd tried to complete the whole transaction without actually stopping. Maybe next time. |
The site was switched to the amazing WordPress in hope to make the content management easier. This wasn’t particularly difficult, and the main issue I experienced was missing PHP modules. Personally I prefer to keep the installation at minimum and install only those modules which are absolutely necessary. Unfortunately there is no summary about which PHP modules WordPress is using and which functionality you would miss if you do not have them. So after digging through the WordPress source code the following list was created, and I’d like to share it.
The following PHP modules are silently used by WordPress. Which means if the module is not available, there will be no warning, or error, just some functionality will not be available.
- php5-zlib – provides support for deflated/gzipped decoding for HTTP transactions if CURL is not used.
- php5-iconv – if present, is used to strips bad chars from the UTF8 input when a new post is created. Also if you use the Post via E-mail functionality, this module is used to convert the character encoding of your emails to UTF8. Which makes it mandatory for those of us who blog in languages other than English which use more than Latin1 character subset. If your posts via email is shown using the wrong encoding, install this module.
- php5-gd – if present, is used to create the image thumbnails. Without this module only the “Full Size” will be available for the images in your Media Library. Note that the thumbnail may be created at the time when the image is uploaded, so just installing this module won’t make the thumbnails automatically appear for the images which are already present in your library. You may need to reupload those.
- php5-mbstring – is essential for a proper handling of multibyte chracter encodings (i.e. non-English). You must have it installed if you do not use UTF8 (but why?)
- php5-fileinfo – if installed, is used for proper MIME type detection for multisite upload handler.
- php-5-curl – extensively used for various HTTP downloading/browsing (plugin installation and so on), for providing RSS feed and for Google spellcheck with the TinyMCE editor. However every case this module is used has the fallback to regular socket ops if not working, so this module is not essential.
- php5-xmlreader and php-xmlwriter – used for RSS generation, OEMBED and SimplePie support. Those likely will not work without those modules installed.
- php5-spl – used for generating unique IDs for plugin objects. Fallbacks to built-in algorithm when this module is missing. Not sure if having it provides any visible benefits.
- php5-openssl – used for HTTP support. Without it requesting from, and posting to HTTPS web sites may not be possible.
- php5-ftp – required for FTPS upload support. If this module is missing, you will not see FTPS in the Connection options. Note that this module is NOT required for plain FTP upload, which is supported via built-in routines.
- php5-ssh2 – required for SFTP support. If this module is missing, you will not see SFTP in the Connection options. Unfortunately it seems like very few PHP installations provide this module.
- php5-pspell – if installed, is used by the TinyMCE spellchecker. If you install it, make sure you install the dictionaries as well.
In my case FTPS upload was disabled and the image thumbnails were not generated because of missed modules.
This list only applies to version 3.3, although I do not expect the module usage to change significantly within versions. |
This abridged version was a very good listen. The story is timeless, yet gives an interesting view of 19th century St. Petersburg. The narrator did a great job, although his British accent (made Cockney for the rougher characters) was a bit disconcerting for this American reading a book about Russians.
It makes me wonder what the other 20 hours in the full version contained, and whether it would have been worth it. But then again, my short attention span has never made it past the beginning of a Dostoevsky novel, so I probably made the right choice.
I'm not a scientist or a mathematician, and this book reminded me why. It was a bit dry in places, and the math often seemed to prove the obvious - that networks are not always random, but rather some nodes are more connected than others. Could have been said in a much shorter format. Also, it seemed to confuse some issues, like web pages vs. Internet infrastructure. Still, this book gave some interesting things to think about.
The first chapter: yeah, yeah, we get it. Technology has changed the world.
But the rest of the book provides a good definition of globalization, and provides some thought-provoking insights on economic issues. The good news is that it is from a not-necessarily-economist point of view.
There seemed to be a lot of categorizing and simplifying, but I guess that is what over-important authors do. Too many anecdotes and quotes bogged it down a bit. The the writing also seemed to be a bit patronizing at times, which was not helped by the narrator's voice.
Definitely get the abridged version; I don't think I could have made it through 19 hours.
I can only comment on the first part, the raw reading of the text, since I wasn't able to get through much of it. It is definitely not for listening to while driving. Obviously, Sun Tzu's writing is not straight forward modern western commentary, rather an eastern expository on principles of fighting and war which repeats itself and speaks in metaphor. The narrator's voice was also difficult to listen to, because it was slow and somewhat monotone. Although this may convey Sun Tzu's mood, it was not enough to keep me engaged.
I had to give this at least two stars because I couldn't make it past the first hour or so to see if it really is helpful or not. It has been an influential book, so the principles are worth knowing, but probably better digested in a skim-able book.
I agree with other reviewers who point out the painfulness of listening to Stephen Covey speak about this stuff. His tone also put me to sleep, and seemed condescending. But then again, I can't stand listening to Garrison Keillor's commentaries either...
Really, I'm afraid slow pace of the author and the narrative indicated that the ideas might not be all that revolutionary.
Not knowing much about Iran, I feel I learned alot about the Iranian people and the revolution from this book. Nafisi weaves a great narrative with personal stories about herself and her friends and students. I personally could have done with less of the literary review that was omnipresent and a bit detailed at times. I agree with another reviewer that the narrator's voice gives life to the story, but her accent (it was almost pretentious in the pronounciation) did get a little grating toward the end. Definitely worth a listen if you want to know more about life in Iran for almost two decades after the revolution.
These stories seemed more of the human interest type than "travel writing." However, they were very interesting and entertaining. The wide variety of topics, from a tiger lady in NJ to fertility trekkers in Bhutan, were well narrated. Orlean was sure to give educating background and context to each of her stories, while also putting a human face to the issues. Well worth listening to!
This is an important work and gives good insight into the interagency and intelligence processes, the origins of the Islamist extremist threat, and the events of 9/11. Because it offers more detail than most people can probably bear, it may be better to buy the book so you can skip the parts that are not interesting to you. The narration is questionable at times, but bearable. Worth the price.
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If your leg appears to be infected you will want to do something about it. Ignoring the problem can be a huge mistake because even a minor infection can become serious if left untreated. The type of treatment required will always depend on the exact nature of the infection. It will also depend on whether it is the skin, lymph nodes, or bone that is infected.
Cellulites is the most common type of leg infection. This most often appears in the lower leg, but it can be found elsewhere as well. In a lot of instances this infection will have been caused by bacteria of the streptococcus variety. The cells just below the skin are the ones that tend to get infected and this will be noticeable as pain, inflammation, and hotness. Cellulites will most often occur as a result of a simple cut. This break in the skin does not need to be large for bacteria to get below the surface. Once these germs are there the body launches the inflammatory response to combat them and it is this that causes the symptoms. As well as cellulites infecting the skin it may also infect the lymph nodes as well.
The usual way to treat cellulites is to take antibiotics. This will of course mean a trip to the doctor’s surgery in order to get the medication prescribed. In most instances the inflammation should subside after about a week. Oral antibiotics will usually be enough to deal with the problem but if this doesn’t work it may be necessary to have intravenous antibiotics – this will probably involve a stay in hospital. Doctors will be able to prescribe some other medications to help deal with any discomfort caused by the cellulites.
Osteomyelitis is another condition that is caused by a bacterial infection. This can be far more serious than cellulites because in this instance the bone is infected. The treatment for this condition will almost always involve a stay in hospital. Before any treatment can commence it may be necessary to take a sample of the bone tissue to find out what type of bacteria is responsible for the symptoms. Once the type of bacteria is established it will then be a case of providing the most suitable intravenous antibiotics. If a lot of pus builds up inside the leg it may be necessary for this to be drained.
MRSA infections are on the rise and this is bad news for all of us. This type of infection is notoriously hard to treat because it is resistant to a lot of antibiotics. A simple MRSA infection can develop into something a lot more serious if it is not dealt with. An infection in the skin can develop to infect the bone and blood stream. The usual way to treat this infection is to provide intravenous antibiotics such as Vancomycin – worryingly there is now some bacteria that has grown resistant to this antibiotic as well. |
Ten years ago, then Boeing Commercial Airplanes boss Alan Mulally declared in front of the Seattle Rotary Club that Washington state wasn’t a great place to do business. “I think we suck,” he said.
I was reminded of that comment after attending the Technology Alliance luncheon in downtown Seattle yesterday, one of the biggest gatherings of leaders of the tech industry. And while Technology Alliance chair Cheryl Vedoe didn’t use as colorful of language as Mulally, the message was the same.
Yes, we suck when it comes to educating our youth.
The poor state of Washington’s education system was a theme that ran through the entire event, from Vedoe’s brutal comparisons between Washington and Massachusetts to keynoter Rich Barton’s plea to institute a system that rewards teachers based on their merits.
Vedoe, the CEO of Apex Learning, ran though a laundry list of stats about the state’s educational system. In fact, so many that my head was spinning by the end of it. The report card wasn’t one that you’d like to take home to mom and dad.
—Washington ranks 37th in total bachelor degree production among residents 18 to 24 years old, dropping five spots compared to 1998.
—Washington ranks 32nd in science and engineering bachelor degrees and 35th in PhDs.
—Washington ranks 20th in reading proficiency for 4th graders, and 9th compared to other high-tech peer states. By comparison, half of Massachusetts 4th graders are proficient in reading, compared to just one third in Washington.
—Only 37 percent of Washington state middle school students are proficient in reading, and only 40 percent are proficient in math.
—77 percent of Washington students finish high school on time, compared to 83 percent in Massachusetts. Nearly three quarters of Massachusetts students enroll in college, compared to 48 percent in Washington.
—Washington ranks 30th in funding for K-12, dropping five spots since 1999.
—Washington ranks 49th in funding for higher education on a per-student basis.
In fact, Vedoe compared the findings to that of Groundhog Day, where things always stay the same. “I am here telling the same story now a few years later about where we are in education,” she said.
Despite the fact that Washington state is actually falling behind in key areas, Vedoe said the tech industry is moving forward and thriving. However, the innovation economy is moving forward, largely through the import of talent from other places.
“It seems you can grow an innovation economy by largely relying on imported talent. And that’s what we are doing — relying on imported talent. The question for us to consider is as a state: Is that really what we want to do? Don’t we want those children who grow up here in Washington, our own citizens, to have a fair shot at the jobs that we are creating here?”
During his keynote remarks, Zillow co-founder Rich Barton, who supports charter schools and a state income tax, said we’ve been unable to change public education in any meaningful way.
“We are a high-tech state. We are a wealthy state, and I can’t believe that’s going on. And I don’t really understand why,” said Barton, referencing some of the charts shown during Vedoe’s presentation. “Many of the people in this room probably send their kids to private school, and that’s part of the problem. I do too. It’s bad. I am the product of great public schools in Connecticut. And I wish we had public schools here that could compete.”
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I've heard a number of arguments both for and against using third-party patch management tools over Microsoft tools -- some of them well-reasoned, some not -- and, over time, I've compiled the most consistent and intelligent ones. People who are looking for detailed assessments of why it might make sense to go with a third-party tool in their organization can start here, and there might also be compelling reasons in these lists for...
people to change their minds, either pro or con.
Five reasons to use third-party patch tools:
- Additional features: Third-party patch management systems often have additional features that aren't present in the standard Microsoft way of doing things. For instance, Service Pack Manager 2000 allows the administrator to create multiple arbitrary groups of computers to better govern who gets what updates.
- Automation: Some third-party applications have automated functions that are above and beyond what's available by default, and they don't require scripting to be effective.
- Additional coverage and information: Many of these tools have detailed reporting and research functions -- for instance, the ability to automatically generate a summary of what's installed on a given machine and relevant details from Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that apply to each fix.
- Better feedback: The aforementioned Service Pack Manager, for instance, logs detailed results about each deployment, including how long it takes for the target machine to reboot.
- A more comfortable paradigm: Some people are just happier with the way a given third-party product works to roll out fixes, whether because of the workflow or even just the interface.
Five reasons not to use third-party tools:
- Internal consistency: If you have one department that's using a third-party tool and another that's using the standard Microsoft deployment methods, it can become confusing for people trying to maintain standards across organizations -- and it might not be convenient or politically possible to get everyone to use the same tools. In such a case it might be best to fall back on Microsoft standards.
- Retraining: When people come in from another company or department where no such third-party tools are in use, you'll need to retrain them. If this happens often, it can be a drain on time and energy.
- Unneeded additional features: Not every organization needs the advanced features offered by third-party products. Sometimes the defaults work just fine.
- Troubleshooting: If something goes wrong, it's best to have as few variables as possible to figure out the source of a problem. This includes the presence of third-party products, so if you are a believer in running clean and lean, you may want to work without third-party tools.
- Cost: Sometimes you just can't afford anything more, and that can be the most compelling reason of all. Granted, many third-party tools have free trial versions, but you'll have to shell out money for them at some point if you intend to do more than just see how they work.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Serdar Yegulalp wrote for Windows Magazine from 1994 through 2001, covering a wide range of technology topics. He now plies his expertise in Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows XP as publisher of The Windows 2000 Power Users Newsletter and writes technology columns for TechTarget. |
Book your room at Holiday Inn Richardson
One King Bed, Non-Smoking, AccessibleMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child)
Standard RoomMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children)
Standard, One King Bed, Non-SmokingMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child)
Two Double Beds, Non-SmokingMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children)
Executive, Two Beds, Non-SmokingMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children)
3-star hotel with restaurant and indoor pool
Situated in Richardson, this hotel is 2.8 mi (4.5 km) from University of Texas at Dallas and within 6 mi (10 km) of Collin Creek Mall and Richland College. Medical City Hospital and Hawaiian Falls Firewheel are also within 6 mi (10 km).
This hotel features a restaurant, an indoor pool, and an outdoor pool. Free WiFi in public areas and free self parking are also provided. Additionally, a 24-hour fitness center, a bar/lounge, and a sauna are onsite.
All 220 rooms offer free WiFi, room service, and satellite TV. Other amenities available to guests include coffee makers, free newspapers, and free local calls.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
In addition to an indoor pool and an outdoor pool, Holiday Inn Richardson provides a sauna and a 24-hour fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access.
This 3-star property offers access to a business center. Event facilities measuring 6800 square feet (612 square meters) include conference space. This business-friendly hotel also offers multilingual staff, coffee/tea in the lobby, and complimentary newspapers in the lobby. Onsite self parking is complimentary.
- Conference space size (feet) - 6800
- Conference space size (meters) - 612
- Total number of rooms - 220
- 24-hour fitness facilities
- Free! Free Wi-Fi
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Conference space
- Free! Complimentary newspapers in lobby
- Business center
- Number of floors - 6
- Indoor pool
- Outdoor pool
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Laundry facilities
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Multilingual staff
- Free! Free self parking
Available in all rooms: Free! Free Wi-Fi
Available in some public areas: Free! Free Wi-Fi
Free! Free self parking
- Free! Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- Connecting/adjoining rooms available
- Free! Free Wi-Fi
- Pay movies
- Free! Complimentary newspaper
- Climate control
- Free! Free local calls
- Coffee/tea maker
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Satellite TV service
- Room service (limited hours)
Where to Eat
Austins Lounge - Onsite cocktail barHappy hour is offered.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
An indoor pool and an outdoor pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a sauna and a 24-hour fitness center.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the “Special or Accessibility Requests" section of “Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible path of travel
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- Accessible parking
- In-room accessibility
- Accessibility equipment for the deaf
- Braille or raised signage
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-out time is noon
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
We should mention
The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation. |
Published: Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 10:09 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 7:55 a.m.
Ian Christopher Haydel, 15, a native and resident of Houma, died Sunday, Sept. 26, 2010.
Visitation will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. today at Chauvin Funeral Home. Mass will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, with burial in the church cemetery No. 2.
He is survived by his loving parents, Chris and Tammie Beadle Stire Haydel; adoring brother, Hunter Thomas Haydel; and his paternal grandmother, Bonnie “MiMi” B. Haydel. He is the nephew of Gregory Haydel, Bryan Haydel, Mark and Brigitte Haydel, Alison Haydel Crane and husband, Allen, and Kelly Haydel Leffingwell. Ian is the cousin of Lamerlis Esbrook, Bethany Greathouse, Mark Esbrook, Walter Greaux, Mark Greaux, Autumn Lewis, Steven and Emily Haydel, Seth and Adam Haydel, Lauren, Kaitlin, and Erin Crane, and Parker and Peyton Leffingwell.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Thomas and Ramona Beadle; his maternal great aunt, Anita “Grammie” Theriot; his maternal great-grandmother, Lorena Theriot; his paternal grandfather, Dr. K. Thomas Haydel; his paternal uncle, Lester “Stevie” Haydel; and his paternal great-grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. H.L. Haydel, and Mr. and Mrs. S.C. Barnhill.
Ian was a parishioner of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral. He was a sophomore at Vandebilt Catholic High School. He had a passion for sports and was a member of the Vandebilt football team as No. 16. He excelled on the basketball and baseball teams as well. Ian also enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf and wakeboarding. He loved life and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. Ian had a charisma and brought joy and laughter to everyone he encountered. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
In lieu of flowers, please send all donations to Vandebilt Catholic High School to the Ian Haydel Endowment Fund.
Chauvin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged. |
PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Calgon Carbon Corporation (NYSE: CCC) announced that the Company’s Board of Directors has named Timothy G. Rupert independent Lead Director of Calgon Carbon Corporation’s Board of Directors effective May 1, 2014. This follows last month’s announcement that Randall S. Dearth will become Chairman of the Board also effective May 1, 2014. Mr. Dearth is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of Calgon Carbon.
Tim has been a director of Calgon Carbon Corporation since 2005 and the Chairman of the Company’s Compensation Committee since February of 2008. He retired in 2007 as President and Chief Executive Officer of RTI International Metals, Inc.
Commenting on the announcement, outgoing Chairman Seth E. Schofield said, “Tim has always been a strong advocate for our shareholders. He will work well with Randy and bring important independence to our corporate governance.”
Pure Water. Clean Air. Better World.
Calgon Carbon Corporation (NYSE:CCC) is a global leader in innovative solutions, high quality products and reliable services designed to protect human health and the environment from harmful contaminants in water, and air. As a leading manufacturer of activated carbon, with broad capabilities in ultraviolet light disinfection, the Company provides purification solutions for drinking water, wastewater, pollution abatement, and a variety of industrial and commercial manufacturing processes.
Calgon Carbon is the world’s largest producer of granular activated carbon and supplies more than 100 types of activated carbon products - in granular, powdered, pelletized and cloth form – for more than 700 distinct applications. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Calgon Carbon Corporation employs approximately 1,100 people at more than 15 manufacturing, reactivation, and equipment facilities in the U.S., Asia, and in Europe, where Calgon Carbon is known as Chemviron Carbon. The company also has more than 27 sales and service centers throughout the world.
For more information about Calgon Carbon’s leading activated carbon and ultraviolet technology solutions for municipalities and industries, visit www.calgoncarbon.com.
This news release contains historical information and forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements typically contain words such as “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” or similar words indicating that future outcomes are uncertain. Statements looking forward in time, including statements regarding future growth and profitability, price increases, cost savings, broader product lines, enhanced competitive posture and acquisitions, are included in the company’s most recent Annual Report pursuant to the “safe harbor” provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. They involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the company’s actual results in future periods to be materially different from any future performance suggested herein. Further, the company operates in an industry sector where securities values may be volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond the company’s control. Some of the factors that could affect future performance of the company are higher energy and raw material costs, costs of imports and related tariffs, labor relations, availability of capital and environmental requirements as they relate both to our operations and to our customers, changes in foreign currency exchange rates, borrowing restrictions, validity of patents and other intellectual property, and pension costs. In the context of the forward-looking information provided in this news release, please refer to the discussions of risk factors. |
Parallels suggested between Jesus & Horus
Alleged comparisons between
Jesus' and Horus' life events.
What do similarities between Jesus and Horus mean?
There are an amazing number of identical or very similar life events,
characteristics, and teachings shared by Horus and Yeshua of Nazareth (Jesus
Christ). Horus was considered a god in ancient Egypt. Jesus is/was considered:
|A Jewish prophet by Jewish Christians in the first century CE, |
|As a man-god by later Christians, and|
|As history's second greatest prophet by Muslims.|
If these points of similarity were between Horus and any other historical
Jewish individual -- for example Pilate, the Procurator of Judea -- then there
would be universal agreement that someone in ancient times had simply copied
elements of Horus' story and falsely attributed them to Pilate. That is, both
life stories would be myths -- events that never happened but which have great
But Pilate was not involved. The first century CE individual was Yeshua of Nazareth! His story is found
documented in in the Christian Scriptures -- the New Testament of the Bible.
How these points of coincidence are interpreted depends upon one's view of
||If it is viewed as an inerrant book, free of error,
whose authors were inspired by God, then one would
suspect that a massive fraud must have taken place. The events really formed part of
Jesus' life because the Bible is free of error. Somehow the events were also
attributed to Horus in Egypt for many centuries before Jesus' birth through fraudulent means.|
|If the Bible is viewed as a historical document, like other cultures' holy
books, then it is obvious that events in Jesus' life were copied from stories
that had been associated with Horus for many centuries before Jesus' birth.
The events are fictional. Probably none actually happened in reality. |
After removing these myths from the Gospel, there would be not much left of the stories other than an an account
|An exceptional Jewish itinerate preacher and native healer who had an
|Who, at the age of about 35 gathered a small group of followers and
toured the Galilee,|
|Spread a type of reform Judaism that matched the teachings of Hillel
from the first century BCE, |
|Was convicted of aggravated assault in the Jerusalem temple, and |
|Was routinely executed for treason by the occupying Roman army, along
with thousands of others in the first century CE.|
In short, Jesus' story would be very similar to that promoted by the
Jesus Seminar today.
Life events allegedly shared by Horus and Yeshua (a.k.a. Jesus)
There is a near consensus that Yeshua was born circa 4 to 7 BCE.
By that time, stories from the life of Horus had been circulating for a few centuries. If any copying occurred by the writers of the Egyptian or
Christian religions, it was the myths and legends of Horus that were incorporated into
Jesus' biography, not vice-versa.
Tom Harpur, an author, journalist, Anglican priest, and theologian, studied the works of three authors
specialized in ancient Egyptian religion: Godfrey Higgins (1771-1834), Gerald
Massey (1828-1907) and Alvin Boyd Kuhn (1880-1963). Harpur incorporated some of
their findings into his book "Pagan Christ."
1 He argued that all of the
essential ideas of both Judaism and Christianity came primarily from Egyptian
Harpur writes, in his book:
"[Author Gerald] Massey discovered nearly
two hundred instances of immediate correspondence between the mythical Egyptian
material and the allegedly historical Christian writings about Jesus.
Horus indeed was the archetypal Pagan Christ." 2
One problem with comparing events in the life of
Horus and Yeshua relates to time. Horus was a leading figure in Egyptian
mythology for millennia. Folklore about him naturally proliferated during this
interval. So, for example, there is more than one story about the method by
which he died. Thus, if the writers of the Christian Scriptures (New Testament)
did copy events from Horus' life, they would have had multiple options from
which to choose. Further, one cannot directly compare crucifixion in 1st century
CE Judah, with a simlar procedure in ancient Egypt. Roman crucifixion followed
a specific procedure by which the victim was made to carry the crosspiece
through the city, clothing was stripped from him, his limbs were tied -- or
in rare instances, nailed -- to the cross, etc. Nothing precisely like this existed in
ancient Egypt. So, one cannot strictly call Horus' execution a crucifixion, even
if he was tied to a tree and died of exposure.
What it the significance of the many parallels between Horus and Jesus?
To many religious liberals and skeptics, it appears obvious that the early beliefs that grew up around Jesus' life were copied from the myths surrounding Horus' life which had been circulating for centuries before Jesus' birth.
To many religious conservatives, it would appear that -- centuries before Jesus' birth -- Satan created myths about Horus' life in anticipation of Jesus, in order to cause confusion, doubt, and disbelief.
Comparison of some life events of Horus and Jesus:
||Yeshua of Nazareth, a.k.a. Jesus
||By a virgin. There is some doubt about this
||By a virgin. 3
||Only begotten son of the God Osiris.
||Only begotten son of Yehovah (in the form of the Holy Spirit).
||Miriam (now often referred to as Mary).
||Seb, (a.k.a. Jo-Seph). 4
|Foster father's ancestry:
||Of royal descent.
||Of royal descent.
||In a cave.
||In a cave or stable.
||By an angel to Isis, his mother.
||By an angel to Miriam, his mother. 3
|Birth heralded by:
||The star Sirius, the morning star.
||An unidentified "star in the East."
||Ancient Egyptians paraded a manger and child
representing Horus through the streets at the time of the
winter solstice (about DEC-21). In reality, he
had no birth date; he was not a human.
||Born during the fall. However, his birth date is now celebrated on DEC-25. The date was chosen to occur on the same date
as the birth of Mithra, Dionysus and the Sol Invictus (unconquerable Sun), etc.
||By angels. 3
|Later witnesses to birth:
||Three solar deities.
||An unknown number of wise men. 3
They are said to have brought three gifts; thus the legend grew that there were three men.
|Death threat during infancy:
||Herut tried to have Horus murdered. He was not successful.
||Herod tried to have Jesus murdered. He was not successful.
|Handling the threat:
||The God That tells Horus' mother "Come, thou goddess
Isis, hide thyself with thy child."
||An angel tells Jesus' father to: "Arise and take the young child
and his mother and flee into Egypt."
|Rite of passage ritual:
||Horus came of age with a special ritual, when his eye was
||Taken by parents to the temple for what is today called a bar
|Age at the ritual:
|Break in life history:
||No data between ages of 12 & 30.
||No data between ages of 12 & 30.
||In the river Eridanus.
||In the river Jordan.
|Age at baptism:
||Anup the Baptiser.
||John the Baptist, a.k.a. John the Baptist.
|Subsequent fate of the baptiser:
The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above
essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.
- Tom Harpur, "The Pagan Christ; Recovering the Lost Light," Thomas Allen, (2004), Page 5.
Read reviews or order this book.
A Canadian Broadcasting Corp. documentary based on this book won the Platinium
Award at the WorldFest Remi Awards in 2008.
- Ibid, Page 85.
- Ibid, Page 80. Items as seen in the Temple of Luxor,
built by Amenhotep III, a pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty, before 1700
Copyright © 2004 to 2013 by Ontario Consultants on
Originally written: 2004-APR-25
Latest update: 2013-JUL-13
Author: B.A. Robinson |
Girls on Pop: On Twitter and 'Twilight'
By PopEater Staff Posted Oct 14th 2009 02:30PM
Jon Gosselin (we kid, we kid), the idea that Lindsay Lohan should put down her keyboard and slowly back away from the Twitter, the delightful lunacy of 'Twilight' merchandising, and celebrity death hoaxes - all with special guest star Kate Spencer from VH1's The Fab Life!
A steady diet of pop culture keeps the ladies of PopEater in perfect shape to discuss celeb gossip and entertainment. Like Howard Stern with more estrogen and less hair, these pop culture experts have a brutally honest take on the world of the famous. Did we say brutal? We meant pithy. Welcome to PopEater's weekly video podcast, Girls on Pop!
Missed the last few episodes? Find them here:
PopCast No. 12: This Week in Swine
PopCast No. 11: Celebrity TMI
PopCast No. 10: Battle of Gosselin and K-Fed
PopCast No. 9: Kanye Can'tye Keep Quiet
Stories we discussed this week:
>> Jersey Boy Apologizes to Zach Braff for Suicide Hoax
>> Popeater Snags Exclusive Jon Gosselin Interview
>> Lindsay Lohan Loses Her Cool on Twitter
- Filed under:
- Gut Reactions -
- Movie News -
- Music News -
- TV News -
- Girls Video Podcast -
- Celebrity Scandal
- Jennifer Aniston
- Paris Hilton
Kate Middleton is officially a princess. She walked the aisle in an Alexander...
According to Denise, she's not sure that her estranged ex is completely sober....
Popeater Hot Topics
- Gene Simmons to women: Stop depending on men
- Jim Parsons to star in NBC's ?Elf' animated holiday special
- FOX411's pic of the day
- ?Sons of Guns' Stars Arrested for Alleged Child Cruelty
- Bed Hopping, Backstabbing and More Drama in Store for 'General Hospital'!
- Harold Perrineau Joins the DC Universe as a Never-Before-Seen Character in 'Constantine'
- Kelly Rowland Cradles Baby Bump During Night Out With Ciara: Picture
- Gwyneth Paltrow, Jamie Chung, and Kate Mara Are All Rocking the Leather Jacket You Have to Have For Fall: Shop the Cool-Girl Style
- Ryan Gosling Steps Out After Welcoming Baby Esmeralda With Eva Mendes: Photos |
Sept. 24, 2002
This Week: Bay Area Rivals
The 22nd-ranked Santa Clara men's soccer team will take on two of its rivals from the Bay Area this week beginning first with California Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in Buck Shaw Stadium. The Broncos will then have a few days to rest before taking on top-ranked Stanford at Maloney Field on the Stanford campus Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.
Santa Clara vs. California
The Broncos and Golden Bears will meet for the 36th time when they kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night in Buck Shaw Stadium. Cal holds the all-time series advantage between the two schools with their 11-21-3 record, but it is the Broncos who came away with a 1-0 triple-overtime victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year at Stanford. The Broncos have taken two of the last three including a 5-0 win in Buck Shaw during the 2000 season.
Scouting the Golden Bears
California enters Thursday night's match at Buck Shaw Stadium with a 4-2-1 overall record and a three-match winning streak. The Bears have shutout their last three opponents, defeating Saint Mary's 4-0, Denver by a 1-0 count and San Francisco by a score of 2-0. Mike Munoz is the team leader in points, having scored three goals and assisted on one other, while Patrick Fisher trails closely behind with five points coming on two goals and one assist. Goalkeeper Josh Saunders has seen all but 20 minutes between the pipes for California, posting a 0.71 goals-against average in just over 637 minutes of play.
Santa Clara vs. Stanford
The Broncos and Cardinal will square off for the 41st time in the two school's history this Sunday at Maloney Field on the Stanford campus. The Broncos trail in the all-time series with a 16-19-1 record, and have a 1-5 record since 1998, but their lone victory was a shootout victory over the Cardinal in the first round of the 1999 NCAA Tournament. The two teams have met 18 times since 1987 with the Broncos holding a 9-7-2 record during that time span.
Scouting the Cardinal
Stanford enters the week with a perfet 7-0-0 record and the No. 1 national ranking. The Cardinal have posted five shutouts in their first seven matches while averaging just over three goals per match on offense. Roger Levesque leads the offensive charge for the Cardinal, having posted 18 points which have come on four goals and 10 assists. Johanes Maliza ranks second on the team with 13 points coming on five goals and three assists. Robby Fulton and Andrew Terris have split time in goal for Stanford, with Fulton not having allowed a goal in over 312 minutes of action while Terris has allowed four goals in 315 minutes of action.
Broncos Win adidas Classic for First Time Since 1999
No. 24 Santa Clara won the SCU/adidas Classic last weekend for the first time since 1999, defeating San Jose State by a 2-0 score on Thursday, and capping the tournament title with a 3-2 victory over Cal State Fullerton Saturday evening. Freshman Kelechi Igwe was named the Offensive MVP of the tournament following his game-winner against CSUF, while Audren Cashman garnered Defensive MVP honors for his play in both games. Will Weatherly was selected to the all-tournament team for his two-goal performacne in the two matches, while Ryan Cochrane also earned all-tournament honors for anchoring the Bronco defense.
Broncos Win Rivalry Series Opener
Intercollegiate athletic teams from Santa Clara University and San Jose State University have increased incentive to win when they play each other with the creation of a rivalry series, Santa Clara Director of Athletics and Recreation Cheryl L. Levick and San Jose State Director of Athletics Chuck Bell announced in conjunction with Dean Munro, the executive director of the San Jose Sports Authority. The first game of the series will took place last Thursday when the Spartan men's soccer team traveled to Buck Shaw Stadium to take on the Broncos in the annual adidas Classic. Santa Clara came away with a hard fought 2-0 win over the Spartans to take the first lead in the series. The second match of the series will occur on Saturday, September 28th when the two volleyball teams meet at 7 p.m. in the Leavey Center. The annual winner of the series, presented in association with the San Jose Sports Authority, will be determined by a points system based on head-to-head competition in the 13 sports in which the two schools compete. The head-to-head winner of each sport receives a predetermined number of points for that particular school. The winner of the series will be announced at the final scheduled competition between the two schools.
Up Next for the Broncos: USF/Diadora Classic
The Broncos will remain in the Bay Area next weekend as they take part in the USF/Diadora Classic next Friday and Sunday at Negoesco Stadium on the campus of the University of San Francisco. Santa Clara will take on Brown University in the first game Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. and will conclude its play in the tournament with a noon kickoff against Harvard on Sunday. The Broncos have never met either of the two Ivy League schools they will face next weekend in San Francisco. |
9 Policies Conservatives Were For Long Before They Were Against Them
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In 2001, the GOP's budget guru, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, was excited for the opportunity to vote for Bush's "temporary" tax cuts. "I think we ought to have this income tax cut fast ... to make sure we get a good punch into the economy, juice the economy to make sure that we can avoid a hard landing," he said at a committee hearing. "The economy has soured," he continued. "And it is my concern that if we keep waiting and seeing we won't give the economy the boost it needs right now."
Fast forward 10 years, to this August. President Obama was poised to call for an extension of a payroll tax break -- and an additional break for businesses -- and Ryan began singing a very different tune. "Those things are all temporary," he told Fox News. "They are demand-sided. And they are proven not to work and they still facilitate uncertainty for businesses." Suddenly, tax cuts -- the GOP's answer to every economic issue of the past four decades -- were "proven not to work."
"What's plaguing our economy today," he said, is "the amount of uncertainty as to what the future holds for them on regulations, on taxes, on interest rates and all of those things." He said that the temporary nature of the cuts "exactly exacerbates those problems."
Obama had made a point of the fact that the proposals contained in his jobs package had all been embraced by Republicans in the past, but that didn't prevent them from bashing it, just as they had decried many other erstwhile conservative ideas as so much misguided "socialism" when proposed by Democrats.
Before the memory-hole swallows them up, consider nine other ideas that Republicans had long championed, and were then picked up by Democrats and became toxic within the GOP caucus. They tell us not only how serious Republicans are about undermining the administration, but also how far both parties have lurched to the right -- the Democrats are offering inherently conservative proposals to deal with the problems we face, and today's Right considers those policies to be way out in left field.
1. The Health-Care Mandate
Late last year, when a federal judge ruled against the mandate ( two other courts disagreed, and the Supreme Court will end up deciding the question), Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, rejoiced. "Today is a great day for liberty," he said. "Congress must obey the Constitution rather than make it up as we go along." It was an odd testament to freedom, given that Hatch himself co-sponsored a health-care reform bill built around an individual mandate in the late 1990s.
Journalist Steve Benen noted that while "the record here may be inconvenient for the right ... it's also unambiguous: the mandate Republicans currently hate was their idea."
It was championed by the Heritage Foundation ... Nixon embraced it in the 1970s, and George H.W. Bush kept it going in the 1980s. For years, it was touted by the likes of John McCain, Mitt Romney, Scott Brown, Chuck Grassley, Bob Bennett, Tommy Thompson, Lamar Alexander, Lindsey Graham, John Thune, Judd Gregg, and many other ... notable GOP officials.
According to NPR, the mandate was the Right's response to progressive proposals to establish a single-payer system. Mark Pauly, the conservative economist widely credited with the idea, explained that "a group of economists and health policy people, market-oriented, sat down and said, 'Let's see if we can come up with a health reform proposal that would preserve a role for markets but would also achieve universal coverage.'" |
Seeking Women: 28 - 48
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Last Activity: > 3 months ago
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The person I would like to meet
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This sounds like something on my resume.
I'm meticulous, efficient and loyal to my
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My idea of a great date
A quiet place to get to know one another. A walk
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Proteas Win Again Over Sri Lanka
South Africa 123-3 (Chetty 51no) beat
Sri Lanka 119-4 (Madushani 63no) by 7 wickets
First Twenty20 International, Potchefstroom
Sri Lanka Women remain winless on their tour of South Africa after the hosts followed up their 2-0 triumph in the ODI series by winning the opening T20 International at Senwes Park.
Trisha Chetty batted throughout South Africa’s run chase, ending on 51 not out of 54 balls as they got home with three balls to spare. Lasanthi Madushani had earlier batted throughout the Sri Lankan innings after they had been asked to bat by Proteas skipper Mignon du Preez.
The 26 year-old reached her maiden 50 off 51 balls and helped Sri Lanka post a modest 119 for four from their 20 overs. Unfortunately, she lacked much support from her colleagues. The opening stand with Chamari Attapattu yielded 30 runs in 38 balls, but she was stumped off Dane van Niekerk for 14.
Captain Shashikala Siriwardene made 15 of a second-wicket partnership of 42 but she was run-out. Yasoda Mendis and Eshani Kaushalya both fell in single figures as the Sri Lankan innings lacked any real late charge.
The South Africa bowlers were all fairly tidy, with Suné Luus (two overs for 24) perhaps the only exception. The wicket takers were Marizanne Kapp (1-15), Marcia Letsoalo (1-16) and van Niekerk (1-11).
South Africa’s opening pair of Lizelle Lee and Chetty then got their side off to an excellent start to put the result beyond any real doubt. Lee made a sprightly 28 off 22 balls, hitting five boundaries, as the pair shared 42 in 35 balls for the first-wicket.
It was then over to Chetty to guide the rest of the chase. She lost her skipper Mignon du Preez for just two, but received adequate support from Marizanne Kapp (15) and Dane van Niekerk (19 not out).
The Sri Lankan bowlers, like their counterparts, were all relatively economical. Siriwardene was the pick of them, getting through her four overs at a cost of 14 runs and picking up the wicket of Kapp.
The second of the three T20 Internationals is on Saturday, again at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom.
© Cricket World 2013 |
August 29, 2011
All in the family
Beardsley clan celebrates its 100th reunion
Joe McIntyre/staff photographer
Reuben “Chester” Beardsley, 83, of Homer, left, and Kenneth Beardsley, 82, of Cazenovia, right, are the oldest members of the Beardsley family. The family celebrated its 100th Beardsley reunion Sunday at Suggett Park.
The Beardsley family has come together for an annual reunion for each of the past 100 years — they have preserved records dating back that far to prove it.
Nearly 100 members of the Beardsley family turned out Sunday at the Rotary Shelter in Cortland’s Suggett Park to mark their latest annual reunion in the past century. It was most of the extended family. They ate, reminisced, and sifted through memories in photo albums.
Attendance in the past 99 reunions had its highs and lows, as the family spread, and gatherings were not always held in the same place each year.
But the Beardsleys always found a way to make it work, without fail, said family members Shirley Hall and Lori Trenk, who live in Texas.
At 83 years old, Reuben “Chester” Beardsley is one of the family’s eldest living member. Beardsley said he has not been to many reunions in recent years, making this year more special.
“I’m seeing some of my relatives I haven’t seen in years, or have never seen,” said Beardsley, who lives in Homer. “It’s pretty significant and I’m glad they’re still getting together.”
Part of the fun this year, Trenk said, was seeing new faces. The extended family has many different last names.
“As they came in, we’re asking, ‘Who are you?’ And then they would remember one of the forebears — then we’re like, ‘Oh, you’re Wallace or you’re whatever,” Trenk said. “Some have no descendants left. We’ve got to keep track.”
Past reunions have been held in places like church reception rooms and did not always draw the whole family. Hall said she worked to make sure this year’s reunion was different.
“As far as I know, we’ve always done one,” said Hall, who lives in Texas. “The 100th reunion — it’s got to be something special.”
Much of the Beardsley family is scattered around New York state, many in Cortland and Broome counties.
They trace their lineage to William Beardsley’s family, which came from England in 1636 and moved to Connecticut. William Beardsley eventually became a judge and had a large family, Trenk said.
A descendant of William’s, named Markus Beardsley, settled in what is now Whitney Point around 1850. From there, Trenk said, the family spread to the areas of Lincklaen and Willet.
Trenk and her sister, Christine Huff, have made a hobby of researching their family roots.
“My father, Robert Beardsley, died when I was 2 years old and we never knew anything about our family until 15 years ago, when we reconnected with my father’s family,” Huff said. “We knew nothing about our roots.”
Huff, who lives on Long Island, has copies of the family’s “reunion books,” which chronicle each annual get-together and who showed up. There are also photographs in albums that date back to the early 20th century.
After looking through those records, it is easy to see why the family found a way to reunite each year for a century, Huff said.
“Markus came down (from Connecticut) knowing he brought family, four other siblings,” she said. “I think he felt family, it was a strong thing in him.”
He made a return trip in the 1860s to put a new headstone on his father’s grave in Connecticut, which Huff said was uncommon to do back then.
Some of the Beardsleys had to pause and ponder the question of whether their family would likely keep the tradition going for another 100 years.
“That’s the hope,” Trenk said.
“That’s hard to know, we just look for next year,” Huff added.
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My 27 hours, 42 minutes and 30 seconds in the Arizona desert were some of the most challenging, yet rewarding moments in my life. My mood ranged from sheer elation to fatiguing funk – sometimes just minutes apart – but my journey to that point fully prepared me for any obstacle that presented itself. When the low points started descending upon me, I conjured up the sage advice I received from my fellow ultrarunners, dismissing the doldrums with ease (or at least stuffing them far down into the pain cave). Failure was not an option; I would continue on until no longer possible.
When there’s no where else to run
Despite racking up several marathons and ultras, I didn’t think a 100-miler was in my future. But less than 2 hours after expressing that sentiment to a couple of my ultrarunner friends during a 12-hour race last year I was coveting the JJ buckle another friend had just earned. She raved about the race, saying it was great for first-timers. Because it was held around Halloween (or “Jalloween”), costumes are encouraged. Given costumes were de rigeur for my first marathon, the Marathon du Medoc, this was particularly apt. The fact one could earn a buckle for finishing at least 100K was another plus (severe knee problems had forced my friend to drop to the “wuss out” option, but she still proudly wore her 100K buckle).
Since the 2011 date hadn’t yet been set, the next day I was Googling “2011 full moon schedule” knowing the race would be held on the full moon weekend closest to Halloween. The first option – Oct. 15-16 – wasn’t ideal as I knew the temps could still be quite toasty (I’m not a fan of heat). But I was ecstatic to see the second option – Nov. 12-13 – as it not only might mean cooler weather, the race would start on my birthday. I checked the race website religiously over the next couple of weeks, waiting for the date announcement. Impatient, I emailed the race director. I jumped for joy when he confirmed it would be in November. I must have been one of the first to sign up once registration opened.
I need direction to perfection
I dubbed 2011 “The Year of the Ultra” where I’d be taking on longer distances and more challenging terrain than ever before. Before Javelina I was to run the White River 50 in July, a tough yet stunning course with an elevation gain and loss of 17,400+ feet. I took a stair-step approach to my training, first tackling shorter races on demanding courses. The shorter distances improved my form & technique on technical trails without overwhelming me. Once I built up my confidence I moved up to longer distances.
After completing White River I turned my focus to Javelina. I ran the ET Midnight 51K in Rachel, Nevada for some night running (the race starts at midnight under a full moon), then worked in a couple of back-to-back runs over the next couple of months. Because my longest run to date had been 55 miles during a 12-hour race in May, I wanted to get in at least one run of 100K before Javelina. So on our 11-year wedding anniversary I dragged my dear husband out for a REALLY long run. Unfortunately I went out too fast and faded about 35 miles in. Knowing he’d be called upon to light a fire under my ass at Javelina when my motivation flagged, my darling cajoled me into running another 15 miles after encouraging me to take a break and change my shoes and socks. While it would have been nice to get in the full 100K, at least I got some practice with continuing on when my body was screaming to stop.
My weekly mileage was in the 55-70 mile range, although I had one 80+ week where I ran a marathon on Sunday and a 50K the following Saturday. I typically got in at least one mid-week run of 10-15 miles, and also started incorporating some speedwork toward the end of September. These runs were lower in mileage (4-6), but my goal was to run at a pace where I was pushing myself yet still was somewhat comfortable. My monster week culminated in a 26-mile run on the first half of the White River course that featured 2,500 feet of climbing on singletrack switchbacks, followed by a 12-mile run on a paved trail the next day, and ending with a trail 50K the day after. During my taper I worked in a couple more 10+ mile runs, along with some shorter tempo runs.
Another head aches, another heart breaks
It had been a while since I experienced a true taper, and I began to go bat-shit crazy. I not only was consumed by the weather reports, I obsessed over my lap splits (I developed a spreadsheet with pace splits for 26-, 28- and 30-hour finishes). My wish for cooler weather seemed like it would be granted, although it was moving TOO far in that direction as the forecast called for rain as well. It was clear I’d have to pack far more than what I anticipated.
The overall aches and slight sore throat started the final week of the taper, so I began downing the vitamins, especially the vitamin C (even though I knew I’d just pee it out). I abstained from alcohol, opting for water and chamomile tea. While I had taken up yoga again to try to gain some flexibility, I skipped the class before the race since I figured the extra sleep would better serve me. In fact, any time I felt the sleepies coming on, I laid down for a nap, even if just for 20 minutes. As for race jitters, my biggest concern was knowing I’d experience several low points; I just didn’t know what would cause them. I simply had to have faith I’d be able to work through them and that they would eventually pass.
Time, truth and hearts
Since I wanted to have a full day to chill out in Fountain Hills before the race, we caught a late flight to Phoenix Thursday night, arriving just after 11 p.m. My sister Kim was in town, so she gave us a ride to our hotel. We slept in on Friday, grabbed some breakfast at the hotel restaurant and met Kim at the arts & crafts fair a block from the hotel.
None of the merchandise really appealed to me, until I spied a booth with hand-tooled belt straps. I had purchased a $3 belt at Goodwill in Seattle so that I could wear my Javelina buckle home (ever the optimist!), but I wanted to eventually upgrade to a nicer one. I asked the belt-maker how long he’d be there on Sunday, thinking I could hobble over after the race. Just as he was answering (5 p.m.), I heard behind me, “Are you Betsy?” I turned around to see Kelly and Jo, a poster on RWOL and his wife. (Kelly was running his 2nd 100-mile race, two months after finish the Leadville 100 in just under 26 hours. A fantastic performance in its own right, it’s even more remarkable considering he ran his first 5K just 14 months before!) We chatted excitedly as runners do, until I saw Kim was getting bored and wanted to move on. I hadn’t seen her in over a year, so I bid Kelly and Jo adieu.
Since this was no time to cut calories, I went off on a quest for food. Problem was, most of it was your typical fair food – fatty and fried. Thank goodness I found a Thai place with grilled chicken skewers, which I gobbled down with a large bottle of water. After meandering through for another hour (still nothing caught my eye, save for a shawl I bought for Kim), I was ready for more food. By then we were at the “gourmet” area, where I tucked into some bison meatloaf and mashed potatoes with green chiles and fresh corn.
After lunch we met up with some other running friends at the hotel and headed to the packet pickup at race “jeadquarters” at McDowell Mountain Regional Park. Once there it really hit me: “I’m going to run 100 miles!” I collected my goody bag and bib and my husband got a picture of me at the start line. Several folks had opted to camp out; while it meant not having to deal with parking the next day, there was a good chance they’d have to contend with rain. I was happy with our choice of staying in a warm bed. After a hearty dinner of sushi I snuggled into that bed and was surprised to get a decent night’s sleep.
Because I had set everything out the night before, there wasn’t much to do that morning except eat breakfast and down a few cups of coffee. I was thrilled when I looked outside to see a clear sky; perhaps the forecasted rain would be kept at bay (queue the foreshadowing music). I donned my “costume” – a sheer black skirt and calf sleeves with spiders sewn on, gaiters and hat with a web overlay and a web-print cape with yet more spiders. The air was rather cool, but still quite pleasant. Still, I threw on a Snuggie to stay warm until the race started.
I want to shine on in the hearts of men
As the witching hour approached runners began lining up at the start line. My goal was to take it super slow for the first two laps – 3.5 hours or so – and then try to hold on as best I could. I kissed my darling goodbye and lined up at the back of the pack. It’s SHOWTIME!
I could tell many of the runners around me had the same strategy to take it easy in the beginning as I didn’t feel the frantic rush I often do. I settled into a steady, comfortable pace and walked even the shortest, most gradual hills. But within the first mile I experienced a wardrobe malfunction – my cape had flipped around, causing the spiders to stab the backs of my legs. I had hoped to wear it the entire race, thus making me eligible for the “best costume” award, but my No. 1 priority was to be comfortable. I took the cape off and ditched it at the Coyote Camp aid station at mile 2.
After leaving Coyote Camp the trail got steeper and rockier, but the scenery was stunning. I recalled the mantra of a fellow RWOL forumite for his first 100-mile attempt: “I am the luckiest man in the world right now.” Talk about a positive attitude! While he ended up having to DNF at mile 75, I was impressed with his fortitude and ability to stay optimistic even when things got really rough. Knowing I’d go through similar lows, I kept reminding myself 1) I CHOSE to do this, and 2) I was so fortunate to be in a position to even attempt such an endeavor. And besides, it was my birthday! (Being the attention whore I am, I made sure all the aid station volunteers and anyone else within earshot were aware of this).
Because the race is so well supported – there were three remote aid stations, plus the main one at Javelina Jeadquarters – I opted to carry two handhelds instead of a hydration pack. I also packed my Nathan vest in one of my drop bags, but never needed to use it. I stored several gels, a headlamp and a rain coat in my Jackass Junction bag, and more gels, another rain coat and warm clothing in my main bag. Since I had a tendency to bonk during my long training runs, I ate a gel or some other bit of food every half hour. And even though we had cool temperatures, I carried a baggie of salt tabs in case of an electrolyte imbalance.
The course comprises six 15.4-mile loops with a 9-mile partial loop at the end (101.4 miles total). We switched direction every loop, which meant we would see the frontrunners. About 2 miles out of Jackass Junction (the halfway point of the loop) I spied a shirtless Hal Koerner barreling toward me. He made it look so effortless! (He’d go on to smash the course record, finishing in 13:47). A couple of miles later I saw the women’s frontrunner, Liza Howard, gliding along; she too would break the women’s course record with a time of 15:46.
Meanwhile, I kept to my steady slow pace, knowing it would enable me to finish strong. I sauntered in to Jeadquarters in 3:26, stopping just briefly to kiss my darling, fill my bottles and grab some food. Although the first half of the counterclockwise loop is uphill, it’s a gradual, smooth trail. I ran as much as I could, but still wanted to take it easy since I had several more miles/hours to go. The temperature started to rise a bit, but I was still very comfortable. I made up some time on the downhill section after Jackass Junction, although given the rocks I took more gingerly steps. I grabbed my cape at the last aid station and finished lap 2 in 3:39.
You know you gotta help me out
I was ready for “real” food by then, so I grabbed a sub sandwich and a few pickles. I was still in great spirits, and had no chafing or blisters. But soon after leaving the Coyote Camp station I began to feel some severe bloating in my belly. Had I eaten TOO much? I tried working up some burps, to no avail. As the pressure built I remembered a tip from another RWOL forumite: “Is it a problem or inconvenience? Find a solution for the problem, block out the inconvenience.” While I was certainly uncomfortable, I wasn’t going to let a little bit of gas ruin my race. I not only stopped taking in food as frequently, when I reached Jackass Junction I sat my ass on the john and let ‘er rip. A fart never felt so good! Newly energized (and de-gassed), I tore up the trail down from Jackass Junction. As friends came toward me and asked how I was doing, I gleefully replied, “I farted!” However, I refrained from sharing that information with Hal, who passed me THREE TIMES on that one loop alone.
While our pacers could join us starting on our fourth loop, I thought I’d wait until completing that loop before asking my darling to come along. But as I was nearing the end of my third loop I had a change of heart; I wanted him to see at least some of the trail in daylight, plus it would be a nice birthday present to myself. Even though he wasn’t quite ready to hit the trail when I arrived, he teared up to hear I wanted his company. Since we’d hit nightfall during this loop, I tied a long-sleeved shirt around my waist and put on my headlamp. We each grabbed a slice of pizza and headed out.
I was just over 45 miles in to the race, but still felt pretty strong. My walk breaks became more frequent, but my darling was impressed with my stamina. He’d pause briefly to grab a gel or adjust something, only to see me several yards up the trail. I was on track for a 26.5-hour finish, so I continued to surge on. A little over an hour in to that loop it got dark enough for the headlamp, but the temperature was still perfect. By the time we neared Coyote Camp I was thankful my darling was with me as the batteries on my headlamp began to die and I had neglected to grab some from my Jackass Junction drop bag. Ever the Johnny-on-the-spot, he switched out the batteries while I grazed and made a pit stop.
The end of this loop would be a critical one: not only would it be the longest I’ve ever run (100K), I also had the option to stop. Going in to the race I was concerned it would be a huge temptation as I imagined I’d see runners lounging in deck chairs enjoying frosty beverages. But I tuned out everyone else and concentrated on grabbing what I needed from my drop bag. Even though people caution you to “beware the chair,” I allowed myself a very short break as I gobbled down a burger before heading out on the 5th loop.
You’re gonna bring yourself down
This is where my race got tough. Just after passing through Coyote Camp I began to feel droplets of rain. I still wasn’t cold, so I kept my shirt tied around my waist. But then the droplets turned into a steady shower, so I threw it on. I also started to feel a hot spot on one of my toes, and I knew I’d have to take care of it at Jackass Junction. The hot spot got more intense, so when we saw the Tonto Tavern aid station had been set up (it was for the last partial loop), I asked if they had anything to treat blisters. Alas, it was a water & food only stop, although the volunteer did offer me a snort of tequila. (I declined).
With just over three miles to go before hitting Jackass Junction, I tried to ignore the hot spot as much as possible. By now the rain was really coming down, so I had something else to grouse about. Soon the lights of Jackass Junction came into view, which meant a few moments of reprieve. I plopped myself down in a chair by a heater and pulled off my shoe and sock.
Holy moley – what a doozy! I had about a dime-sized blister on the side of my second toe. I gave everyone the heebie-jeebies as I set about cleaning it up. While the aid station had bandages and duct tape, I had to use the pin on my bib to pop it. (My darling sterilized first it in the heater). I sat stoically as the pain seared through my toe. We slathered on some Neosporin and covered it with the bandages and duct tape; it would have to do until I could get my foot properly cared for at Jeadquarters.
The rain and cold had started to take its toll, as several runners huddled around another heater waiting to be taken back to Jeadquarters. Unfortunately one of them was a friend of ours; she doesn’t do well at night and the rain took any fight she had left. She still would leave with a 100K buckle, but I know she was disappointed. After downing a hot cup of chicken broth I threw on my rain coat and trotted down the trail.
While I expected there’d be rain – they’d been predicting a storm all week – the intensity shocked me. This was Arizona! It’s supposed to be sunny and hot. The downpour lasted a couple of hours, mucking up the trail and dampening my spirits. While I was relatively comfortable on top, the rain plastered my skirt to my legs, causing them to get really cold. All I could think about were the dry warm clothes waiting for me at Jeadquarters.
But a couple miles out of the main aid station the rain thankfully subsided and my skirt dried out. I was still soaked through up top, but I quickly changed out of my wet shirt and jacket and threw on two long-sleeved shirts and another jacket while the medic tended to my feet. In addition to replacing the duct tape on my blister with a more appropriate bandage, he also re-taped the balls of my feet, first spraying them with Tuf Skin so the tape wouldn’t slide off. I then changed into a pair of Injinji toe socks and my larger Cascadias and prayed these would solve my feet issues for the remainder of the race.
Don’t you put me on the backburner
Although I had just one more long loop to run, I knew it’d be a slog. The dry clothes and shoes certainly helped, but I was beginning to get pretty punchy. The downpour started up again, so I threw on a large garbage bag at the next aid station. I also allowed myself a quick sit, savoring a cup of hot chocolate with my peppermint Gu. The carnage continued, as several more runners were huddling around the heater, contemplating pulling out.
While I wouldn’t say I felt good, stopping wasn’t even a consideration. My dreams of a 26 1/2 hour finish were dashed, but I felt I could still reach my goal of finishing between 27 and 28 hours. Other than the rain, my only other issue was having to stop several times for bio-breaks. By now I was hitting the port-o-potty at every aid station, plus I had to make another pit stop among the cactus (my dutiful husband helped cover up the present I left in the desert. He must love me very much). Given how much I had to pee, I wondered if I was drinking TOO much. But I kept checking my fingers for bloating and everything seemed okay. However, as we were nearing the end of the 6th loop I took off my handhelds to see a couple of sausages staring back. While the bloat hadn’t yet reached my fingers, it was quite obvious in my hands. I downed a salt tab and began drinking Gatorade exclusively.
I’ve got soul but I’m not a soldier
Practically everyone I’ve talked to who’s run a 100-miler says sunrise is one of their favorite moments of the race. Not only can you ditch the headlamp, the dawn brightens your mood and rids you of your negative thoughts. It certainly energized me, especially since the rain had finally stopped. Once we passed the Tonto Tavern aid station we saw several runners with glowstick necklaces signaling they were on their last loop. I yelled out encouragement to each of them, knowing I’d soon be there.
I had a couple more obstacles to overcome first, however.
About a mile out from Coyote Camp my darling started receiving texts from our friends asking for an ETA (two of them had already finished, but they planned on coming back to Jeadquarters to see me finish). Another was a good friend of ours, Wes, who had come down from Flagstaff to videotape. My darling stopped to reply, but when he tried to catch up to me he rolled his ankle in the rocky section. While it looked like a bad one, he told me to continue on; he just needed a few moments to recover.
By the time I hit the CC aid station he was no longer in sight. I didn’t want to continue on without seeing how he was doing, so I borrowed a phone from a volunteer to call him. He hobbled in just as I reached him; even though he reiterated I should continue on, I decided to walk with him the 2 miles back to Jeadquarters.
Just out of Coyote Camp the trail became extremely mucky with shoe-sucking mud. It caked onto the bottoms of our shoes, adding what seemed like 10 pounds to each foot. The stuff was tough to scrape off, and we began to kick every stump, log and rock we saw to try to rid ourselves of it.
Wes was waiting for us as we rounded the final corner into Jeadquarters. He was getting ready to run his first marathon in a couple of weeks, so he asked if I wanted him to pace me the final 9 miles (my darling was out due to his ankle). However, I decided I wanted to go solo, losing myself in the special playlist I created to push me in the last couple of hours. I filled my bottle, gulped down another salt tab, snapped the glowstick around my neck and plugged in my ear buds for what I figured would be the last 2 1/2-3 hours of the race.
I wanna stand up, I wanna let go
While all the songs on my playlist were uplifting and motivating, one was a standout: “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers. I originally heard it on a video of Joan Benoit Samuelson winning the first women’s marathon at the 1984 Olympics. It’s carried me through several races, and in the months leading up to Javelina I pictured myself crossing the finish line with it pulsing through my ears.
Spurred on by the music I picked up my pace considerably as I headed down the trail (both Garmins had died, so I had no idea of my actual pace). When I reached the mucky section I tried as best I could to maneuver around it. I also warned people coming toward me to do the same. As I passed the Coyote Camp aid station I yelled out, “No offense, but I’m so glad I won’t be seeing you again!” The volunteers cheered me on as I skedaddled along.
While I was still taking walk breaks, especially along the rocky section, I was making great time. As I would come up on other runners many of them would do a doubletake as they hadn’t expected anyone to be that strong at that point in the race. But something takes over me as I near the end: I’m a “horse can smell the barn” kinda gal.
Once I made the turn at the Tonto Tavern aid station I made a quick pitstop in the bushes, but fortunately no one passed me. I picked up my pace even more as the trail became a smooth, gradual downhill. Although I didn’t keep track, I must have passed at least 15 other runners by then.
All these things that I’ve done
Although I had played The Killers’ song twice already, with just over a half mile to the finish I stopped to queue it up again. One of the course marshals saw me stop and yelled, “Keep going! You’re almost there!” I yelled back I was putting on my power song, and sure enough, as the initial piano key strokes started playing I leapt into a sprint.
The rest was a bit of a blur; I remember seeing Wes at the corner again, sprinting himself so he could get me at the finish line. Spectators lined the trail cheering me on. When I saw my darling I threw my hands up and burst into tears. The race director handed me my buckle as I grabbed my darling for a big hug and a kiss. My friends surrounded me with huge smiles on their faces, congratulating me. I plopped down in a chair and relished the moment.
While my 27:42:30 finish put me in 116th place out of 174 entrants, my 2:14:53 last lap placed me 23rd overall!
Over and out, last call for sin
While everyone’s lost, the battle is won
With all these things that I’ve done
All these things that I’ve done
(Time, truth and hearts)
If you can hold on
If you can hold on
Postscript: It’s now a little over two weeks later and I’m finding recovery from a 100-miler takes a LONG time. I’ve only run about 28 miles since, and it wasn’t pretty. But I’m hoping I’ll be able to ease back in soon. After all, I’m already signed up for my next 100-miler: Rocky Raccon in February! |
J.J. Conley lounges against the cushions of a private room at Lucky’s. He studies his glass of Syrah and takes a sip. He is a smallish man, elegantly dressed, looking something like an aging GQ model. He isn’t the scruffy commoner you would expect to be running a burger joint. But Conley’s is not a common burger joint–for decades it has been a curious, almost intimidating place to eat.
J.J.’s Gourmet Burger Café is a pure reflection of its owner. Loaded with bravado, rules and charm, the entire place exposes his soul. Yet J.J. would disagree with you. It is his way.
“Naïve people believe just about anything,” Conley says, adding, “Good lies make good stories.”
Born Jerry James Conley to a German immigrant who never quite had his adoption papers in order, J.J. had the paternally-invented last name of Conley. It was a non-issue until he was scrutinized by the F.B.I for clearance to work with sensitive information as a defense airman. A hasty call to dad revealed the truth that papa had hoped “would never become an issue.” Hansberger was his real last name. The feds frowned but gave J.J. a choice of last names. His choice would settle the issue. Keeping the name given to him in a Tulsa hospital years ago, he remained a Conley.
The Tulsa Public Schools system in the 1950s was under attack by two young students who, admittedly, were keen to have the attention of the class through look-at-me antics. According to Conley, future actor Gailard Sartain and he were in constant trouble. By their 7th grade, the administration had had enough. With a touch of mischievous humor, J.J. claimed that the two were “possibly responsible for numerous teacher resignations and we were idiots, (who) couldn’t read, couldn’t write. They told our parents they did not care what was done with us except to find a new school system and not put us in the same school.”
As a result, Sartain enrolled at Cascia Hall while Conley was admitted to the Oklahoma Military Academy. J.J. explains, “I was going to become an officer, and he was going to be a Catholic.”
“I’ve known Jerry for what seems like an eon,” reports Sartain. He recalled J.J.’s “flair for the things that shouldn’t be done in civilized society.
“Yes, I was a willing accomplice in some nefarious endeavors,” he adds. “Wonderful memories.”
Joining the Army and eloping at 17 with his 18-year-old girlfriend was a jolt to J.J.’s parents.
“She could have been arrested,” Conley says. “I thought I was going to die in Vietnam. I thought at least she would get some money, but we barely lasted until boot camp. She fell in love with another guy and is still married to him.” J.J. headed to Vietnam for a tour of duty. After enduring enough hysteria to last a lifetime, Conley left the service and utilized his GI bill.
He attended three universities for short periods of time. After racing a motorcycle up and down the fourth floor of Cordell dormitory in Stillwater, Conley claims that the OSU President personally advised him that he was no longer welcome in Stillwater. UCLA is barely a memory, but Conley stayed at Loyola for a semester before becoming disenchanted with too many rules.
“I will be missing Vespers again,” he told his Catholic friends.
Conley decided to follow the footsteps of his grandpa and father who were master journeymen. His grandpa was the master carpenter at the San Francisco Opera House until he died. His grandma formed the first wardrobe union in California. Gaining his union card in the mid-60’s, J.J. became a master lighting technician working on numerous CBS TV shows like The Smothers Brothers, The Jonathon Winters Comedy Hour and many others. The union sent him to work the setup and lighting board for the Joffrey Ballet, the 1968 Academy Awards, as well as working the nightclub shows of numerous big name entertainers like the Four Seasons and the presidential campaign of Hubert Humphrey.
FREE LOVE AND PROFITABLE PAPERS
Rubbing elbows with scores of Hollywood types, led J.J. to Topanga Canyon’s 8 acre Elysian Fields, a hippie nudist colony that lasted through 2001. According to Roman and Greek mythology, Elysian Fields was the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and virtuous. For Conley, it could be said that his association with the clothing-optional people of the Elysian fields smacked him with high adventure, Sixties freedoms and high times. A little bit of Heaven and a little bit more of Hell.
Along with his high-rolling LA compatriots, J.J. headed for decadent escapades in Spain and France. This band of beautiful people draped with gold chains, expensive sunglasses and great tans took to the streets of Pamplona, home of the stampeding bulls. Plied with nasty Fume de Toro brandy and other ingestible contraband, J.J. found himself on a mission to extricate a travel mate from the boarded up, no-way-out corridor that would soon contain the thundering herd of beasts. When he reached his compadre, J.J. tried to reason with him, saying, “let’s do this another day.”
Too late. The cannon noise ricocheted down the cobbled streets loud as a thunderclap. The hoofed mob would soon be upon them. Crouched in a doorway, clutching the wood with a desperate embrace, they survived the cacophony of snorts and screams. Finally, they were the only two left on that section of the street. Laughing, breathing heavily, safe. But they were unaware of the format. No one had shown them the rulebook.
Once the bulls reach the ring, they are released to careen back up the street only to be taunted with rolled up newspapers and red colored fabrics. The tired bulls drunk with rage and the tormentors drunk with spirits confronted each other once more. J.J. joined others in the forbidden challenge of climbing aboard a confused, marauding creature. Battered, bleeding and spotted with excrement, the bulls proved nonnegotiable. The good news was the badges of blood and stool that soiled his clothing entitled J.J. to a night of free drinks before leaving for France.
Elysium Institute’s membership in the American Sunbathing Association gave them a free pass to over 200 domestic au naturale resorts in Europe. While in France, they soaked up the sunshine at the largest facility in the country. By the second day they had already overstayed their welcome. They were bid adieu for introducing the clientele to the pleasures of psychedelics and mingling with too many of the mademoiselles.
Conley returned to California clothed and careered. In the days to come, he would find it difficult to leave the Hollywood lifestyle, the house overlooking Ventura Boulevard and meeting a new somebody every day. However, the letters from Tulsa kept urging him home. He grew weary of the arrogance of the show business stars.
“When the blue spot is turned off they are nothing,” he says.
In 1973 he returned home. He rented an old house at 7th and Peoria and brought a little “Bohemia back to Tulsa.” The result was a shop called the Rubicon that sold California-style jewelry and beads as well as head shop materials like rolling papers.
Recognizing a need for wider rolling papers (for tobacco and such), J.J. created Tulsa Tops papers. They were 1.5 times wider and could be used in a rolling machine or rolled by hand. After gaining a trademark in New York, they became a national winner, beating EZ Wider and all the other big boys. He eventually sold the paper rights to a tobacco company.
RICCO’S BLUE ROSE
Recalling a quote from an LA acquaintance, comedian Lenny Bruce, who said, “There is nothing sadder than an old hipster,” Conley determined he was getting too old to be a hippie. In 1983, he sold all the Rubicon fixtures and converted the space to The Dragon’s Tree restaurant that, according to its matchbook cover, provided “spirits, pleasure and cuisine.” This short-lived effort made way for a highly successful speakeasy.
Named Ricco’s Blue Rose, this low-profile bar enjoyed immense success during Oklahoma’s drink-by-the-wink era of illegal alcohol sales. An Edgar G. Robinson logo replete with tipped hat and a blue rose adorned the Ricco business card. When a gangster dies, the tradition was to send a blue rose. This edgy symbol got the tongues wagging. Business went from good to great.
“If my reputation got bad, I enhanced it. The more wicked you are, the more they want to come,” J.J. says after another pull on his vino. “Naïve people believe just about anything. I am not selling drugs. I am selling liquor illegally, but we are just having fun.” Getting into Ricco’s was part of the intrigue.
The parking lot was in back. The front door was locked and the back door was electronically switched with video camera surveillance. Entrance was granted by flashing your blue, hard plastic membership card to the camera before a security person would permit access. Lacking a card, a pretty woman was seldom turned away. Just inside the door, an attention-getting sign requested that you “ unload your gun and take off your ski mask before entering.” Another let you know that once you leave, you can’t come back in. You stay in or you stay out.
Inside were the beautiful people. Prominent lawyers, doctors, executives and “only the prettiest women” were allowed into the joint. Many were Vietnam vets. They were a pretty tight group. He never felt a need to carry a gun and there was never a fight.
Ricco’s was not a large facility. The main floor had two small bar tops and comfortable furniture. The walls still contain photos and messages from the many movie stars that J.J. cavorted with or admired: John Wayne, Dean Martin and the Lone Ranger, for example. This was the “medicinal era” so it would not have been surprising if someone had a gram of cocaine or some disco biscuits in his pocket. Yet, drugs were not pedaled there.
The police were suspicious. There had to be something illegal going on there. A vice cop ambled into the bar one sunny afternoon. He asked J.J. if he minded a little inspection. Told he had the run of the house, the uniformed man searched every room, every inch of the basement before heading to the second floor with hopes of a damning violation. The highlight of the tour for J.J. was the cop assuming an aggressive stance before throwing open the second floor bathroom door as if there would be criminals hiding inside. The news report said the police investigation was complete and no drug activity was uncovered.
The story spread across the city’s newspapers and news at 10. The police received some heat from the public that they must have been too shallow in their investigation. There must be something going on at Ricco’s. J.J. just let the story build. People clamored to become part of the scene. The cost of membership cards permitting the purchase of alcoholic drinks just went up.
Initially, the VIP membership cards at Ricco’s were a few dollars, then $5, then $20 and finally topping out in the hundreds. When asked what he learned about the success of the rapidly escalating membership fees, Conley responded, “One born every minute. Did not matter what I charged, they just kept on coming.”
THE BIRTH OF JJ’S GOURMET BURGER
Then liquor became legal. J.J. quit the business immediately, saying, “Well, this is no fun now!” So he reinvented himself, again, this time as a restaurant. Hoping to “cultivate some culture,” he served flaming escargot, steaks and other high-end foods. It did not take long before he pared this down to today’s gourmet burger. Now many Tulsa high-end restaurants have such an offering, but J.J. always makes sure his is the most expensive.
His mostly rib eye with a little chuck to hold-it-together burgers were the first gourmet hamburgers in Tulsa. The starter has shrimp and several vegetable pieces in a delicious sticky seeded dressing and various nibble-size crackers. The main course is, of course, the succulent burger, but wait, there is more: a cup of sweet baked beans, one perfectly smoked rib, thinly sliced cucumber, cantaloupe… and more. The final experience is a decadent chocolate brownie with walnuts and cappuccino. But take heed regarding the ordering process or you will be rebuffed, although very politely.
Let’s back up. On a small entry table rests a placard that tells you to be prepared to show your membership card. What? The card can be procured at the conclusion of your first dining experience. Not before. Maybe not at all.
This is J.J.’s domain. It is an autocracy. Remember that he is the Burger Nazi, and you will go far. If customers stroll in with bad hygiene, random piercings, loads of tattoos, tank tops or other offensive manner of dress, they will be asked for their membership card. Since they do not have one, they are reminded this is a members-only burger café. Mystified by the announcement, they stumble out into the street, hungry. On the way out, there is the sign that says, “Take this man to McDonalds. They have crayons there.”
Further, it is important to understand his business plan. The café is open Monday – Thursday, 11-1 only. There was a limit of 50 burger presentations each day, but that has been reduced to 25. It was just too busy. Once sold, the kingdom closes for the day. Also, no credit cards or checks. In addition, don’t ask to split an order with your spouse or request the burger to be cooked to your preferred doneness. No chance on either. Those and similar requests will get this smiling response, “you know, right up there at 15th and Peoria are several places that will cook and serve your meal any way you want.” The arrogant, standoffish attitude is a hook. It works.
In 1980, J.J. ended phone service to the café. Around 1990 there was a glowing article in the Tulsa World about J.J.’s Gourmet Burger Café. The response was incredible. Patrons were lined up out the door and down the sidewalk. Conley reacted by closing for a week hoping they would all go away and reduced his parking lot by half. Smiling, J.J. declares, “I have done everything I can to slow business down, and it has not worked.”
“Occasionally some Gomer comes in here and wants me to burn up his burger. I just won’t do it. Gomer tells me, ‘that’s bad fur yer bidness.’ I tell him, ‘works for me.’ The criticism is just the price you pay for glory.”
The sole server is J.J. Himself, and his long-time friend and employee, Bernie Burt, handles the cooking chores. He takes your order or delivers his pronouncements of no-can-do dressed very smartly. Conley is a clotheshorse. He recalls the day when people would wear a tie to go to the Will Rogers Theatre to watch a film. Presumably, both he and Sartain took off their fancy duds before digging tunnels in Conley’s backyard as they re-enacted every action movie shown at the theater situated just across the street.
Las Vegas dealers used to wear tuxedos, now they wear parachute pants and flip-flops. J.J. won’t go.
“I can dress casually,” he says, “but if I go out or go to somebody else’s place, I don’t want to embarrass them.”
He started out with the button-down, Ivy League style, and just stuck with it.
“I am never going to wear a JC Penny blazer and wing tips again. So I over-do it. So what? It is my only Jones. I don’t bowl, have kids or chase women. All I have is me, so if me wants to dress nice, it is quite a bit less expensive than other habits.”
He used to play golf but now there are just a bunch of poorly-dressed guys playing instead of smartly-dressed business types. So he nailed his Ping clubs to the restaurant wall. People comment on how nice they are. Conley tells them, “I want to cut them up and throw them away.” It just drives them crazy.
For years, J.J. has ordered all his clothes online. He likes the English style including the watch fob and other gold chains. Conley is a huge fan of Italian suits with angled /Hacking suit pockets and split vents.
“Anyway,” he laments, “they don’t make my size (for regular retail). I’m a dwarf!” But he looks good.
He looks good all the way to the bank as well. Conley says he’ll never change the business again. It’s too good and everybody likes it.
“I’ll just stay with it,” he says.
Steve Gerkin DDS, CSW is a wine-educator, co-owner and winemaker for Twin Feathers Winery and adjunct professor for the Hotel and Restaurant Administration department of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. |
Review by Paul Nelson
I FIRST met the late Dorothy Fields in the early 1970s through Maurice Levine
who was MD for Broadway musicals and the producer of a series of evenings
at the 92nd Street Y called Lyrics and Lyricists. These evenings presented
well-known writers of Broadway shows talking about their life and career and
the whole was illustrated with their songs.
Now at the Jermyn Street Theatre you can meet Dorothy Fields all over again in a bright show called Dorothy Fields Forever, which gives a fair crack of the whip to more than 30 of her numbers.
As with all compilation shows there is always that friction when numbers are included or not, according to the listeners' tastes but by and large this show is more satisfactory than most in that department.
It also has its surprises. It presents Rebecca Lock, a girl new to me who has all the promise of being a new musical star, and it reaffirms Angela Richards as being one.
An added bonus is the presence of Andrew Halliday, last seen at the same
theatre in Over My Shoulder. Here he works the same magic with more familiar
Some of the Broadway musicals that Miss Fields was associated with but never made it to these shores are represented. Redhead for example, which starred Gwen Verdon as a cockney girl with an atrocious accent, was an Agatha Christie styled comedy which included police chases, a waxworks and so on. In it she sang a novelty number called 'Erbie Fitch's Twitch and the number gets a roof lifting performance by Halliday. It's not the sort of song you hear everyday, nor would want to, but it stands out like a gem in an evening of gems.
For those who have little knowledge of Dorothy Fields, she was born into a theatrical family, and was dissuaded from following in their footsteps. However, luckily for us she took little notice and with her brother Herbert, wrote for Broadway and films gaining a modicum of success initially then going on to really great things. In Hollywood she wrote for Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (Swing Time) and in the theatre for such as Ethel Merman.
In the beginning she worked with Jimmy McHugh and their first song to make it was for a show called Delmar's Revels. It was written for a poor street boy and his girl friend (Bert Lahr and Patsy Kelly) who were in rags, then the curtains opened and all the chorus girls came down the stairs dressed in jewels. The song was I Can't Give You Anything But Love and was cut from the show, it did however resurface in Blackbirds of 1928 where it was a great hit.
She also collaborated with the great Jerome Kern, Arthur Schwartz, Sigmund Romberg, Albert Hague and even Fritz Kreisler.
Two of my favourite shows, which also never crossed the Atlantic, were A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and By The Beautiful Sea, both written for the star Shirley Booth. From the first of these Angela Richards absolutely sure footedly sings He Had Refinement, and from the second Susannah Fellows sings Lottie Gibson's Specialty. Both numbers hark back to the time when musicals had showstoppers that didn't necessarily involve the entire company doing acrobatics. An engaging performer could do it all.
Modern audiences however, will remember Dorothy Fields for her later collaboration with Cy Coleman on the shows, Sweet Charity and Seesaw. Both are represented at Jermyn Street by this talented company. They are brilliantly accompanied by Nathan Martin on piano, who also gets a chance to show off his voice in The Way You Look Tonight.
As I said at the beginning of this review, everyone would have their favourites and here it is for David Kernan to call the tunes. That he has chosen wisely can be seen for the next three weeks. It is certain that musical lovers would be sorry to miss it.
Dorothy Fields Forever, a celebration of the lyrics of Dorothy Fields,
Devised and Directed by David Kernan, Co-devised and written by Eden Phillips.
Choreography by Nick Winston with Musical Arrangements by Nathan Martin. Produced
by Jermyn Street Theatre in association with Edenco.
With Angela Richards, Susannah Fellows, Andrew Halliday, Rebecca Lock, Daniel Crossley and Nathan Martin. |
June 29th, 2011
Marilyn Flo Rockett Esch, 83, of Conover, died Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at the Alberta House in Conover. The Esch family has entrusted the funeral arrangements to Drum Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Conover.
William Charles Boyd, 61, of Newton, died Tuesday, June 28, 2011, at his residence. Arrangements are incomplete with Drum Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Conover.
Filing for 2011 municipal elections will start Friday for most cities and towns in Catawba County.
Those wishing to file for election or re-election can visit the Board of Elections office in the Catawba County Government Complex from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Board of Elections Director Larry Brewer said potential candidates can also file for election through the mail, but said “most people come by the office because there are other forms to fill out, also.”
Every day, the occasional train pulls a short line of box cars along portions of the Norfolk Southern Railroad in Catawba County. After chugging through farmland and rural pastures in Maiden, the railroad enters Newton, and then Conover — passing an array of abandoned textile and furniture plants that once thrived with life.
But since the millennium, the plants that once powered the county’s economy have lost about 34,000 jobs to other areas of the country and overseas. This caused some to say the furniture and textile industry in the Greater Hickory area was dead.
Newton firefighters spray a 2001 Chevrolet pickup truck that caught fire Wednesday in the driveway of a home at 1001 N. Davis St. in Newton.
Newton Fire Chief Kevin Yoder said the truck owner turned the vehicle on, left the air conditioning running and then returned inside his home. When the owner went back to the truck minutes later, the car was smoking and on fire.
Yoder added that his department first received a call of a garage fire and subsequently dispatched multiple fire engines to the scene. Yoder said that normally only one engine responds to a regular car fire call.
Police are searching for three individuals who broke into a Newton apartment Tuesday and strangled and choked a 73-year-old woman that was inside the home.
Authorities say Austin Chislom, 17, of Newton, was one of three suspects to enter a Newton woman’s apartment at about 7:10 p.m. Tuesday. The suspects allegedly strangled and choked the 73-year-old before stealing multiple firearms from the residence.
Post 48 opened the first round of the Region IV playoffs Tuesday with a bang.
Hickory scored four runs in the first two innings and got strong pitching performances from Tyler Poole and Jeremy Null. The duo combined to strike out 12 Gaston batters and allowed one run, as Post 48 won the opening game of a best-of-five series against the Braves, 4-1.
Lincolnton — A Newton man was arrested in connection with a 2010 shooting incident outside a Denver bar.
Chad Eugene Moten, 34, of Newton, was arrested by Lincoln County sheriff's detectives and charged with attempted murder, after police got "a break in the case" on June 18.
On Jan. 1, 2010, Jeremiah Seth Hoyle got into an altercation with the suspect inside the Neat Martini Bar at 751 N. N.C. 16, according to Lincoln County detective Kelly Paris.
A rape survivor will share her story with area law enforcement, mental health clinicians and other local groups today to help educate working professionals about sexual violence.
Debbie Smith, and her husband Rob, will be the keynote speakers at the seventh annual Sexual Assault Response Team Conference held today from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Tri-City Baptist Church in Conover.
A Tennessee man was taken to the hospital Tuesday after an unlicensed juvenile driver struck him in a Kmart parking lot in Conover.
Authorities and witnesses said a juvenile driver was exiting the Kmart parking lot off U.S. 70 in Conover at about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday when his
Kia Soul struck a 60-year-old man walking along the pedestrian crossing adjacent to the store’s entrance.
Conover Police Sgt. B. Lowdermilk said the white male victim was taken to Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory and was “talking and alert.”
The juvenile driver was the only occupant in the car.
Newton Police were able to locate and arrest a Statesville man Tuesday that stole money from an area grocery store after distracting an employee.
Authorities say Burley Roberts Mayberry, 37, of Statesville, walked into the El Caporal grocery store in Newton at about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday and stole an undisclosed amount of money from the store's cash register. Â |
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Ochre Court is located on Ochre Point Avenue in Ochre Point. Ochre Point developed in the middle of the nineteenth century into an intensively fashionable setting for summer houses. Originally owned by Ogden Goelet, a Gilded Age banker and real estate developer, as his family's summer residence, it was the first of four Newport mansions by Richard Morris Hunt. Hunt drew inspiration for the fifty-room limestone palace overlooking reddish cliffs on the edge of the Atlantic from late Gothic French architecture. With high roofs, turrets, whimsical gargoyles, and tall chimneys, Ochre Court recalls the style of Francois I, a transitional era when established elements such as the Gothic pointed arch and heavy stained glass were lightened by newly-emerging Renaissance details that include rounded arches and delicate lacy ornamentation.
Inside, Hunt used details from French Renaissance chateaux and churches to create a Great Hall that soars upward for three stories and dramatically frames a seaward vista. Radiating from the space, impressive ground floor reception rooms such as a dining room, ballroom, library, and private upstairs family rooms were richly designed with imported antique fireplaces and lavish wall coverings. The ever-present Atlantic Ocean is framed by windows and terrace entrances, reflected in mirrored walls, and repeated in symbolic motifs. Hunt emphasized the Goetlet's social position and their patronage of learning and the arts with exuberant decoration both in the house and on the grounds in classical ceiling paintings, royal heraldic devices, carved emblems and statues, and a rainbow of antique stained glass.
The Goetlets were an established American dynasty that had grown from humble 18th century trade into vast 19th century investments. Ogden was not only a noted banker and real estate investor, but also one of the world's most renowned competitive yachtsmen. His wife, Mary Wilson Goelet, was one of the most important hostesses of her generation in a time when the operation of Ochre Court during a typical eight-week summer season required 27 house servants, eight coachmen and grooms, and twelve gardeners. Their daughter, May, married the eighth Duke of Roxburghe, taking with her an $8 million dowry, while their son, Robert, became a major force in the development of American railroads, hotels, and real estate. It was Robert's gift of Ochre Court to the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 1947 that established Salve Regina College in Newport.
The estate grounds, designed by Olmsted Brothers, had formal perennial gardens and walkways shaded by several mature specimen trees that include the dramatic Copper Beach ("Fagus sylvatica aropunicea"), a European variety that reaches a height of 80-90 feet. Exquisite blossoms of the Far East Kousa Dogwood ("Cornus kousa") still transform the grounds in June with dense flower heads surrounded by creamy-white bracts. A lifestyle away from its Gilded Age splendor, the stately mansion housed the entire college for the first few years of Salve's existence. The original 58 women students lived on the third floor, attended classes on the second floor, studied, prayed, and dined on the first floor, and snacked and purchased books in the basement. Eight Sisters of Mercy who comprised the postwar faculty established their own modest living area in the servants' quarters. Today, although Salve Regina has grown to encompass over 75 acres and more than two dozen buildings, Ochre Court remains its heart.
Ochre Court has received many awards and public recognition for campus-wide preservation. These include:
2000: Save America's Treasures, by the White House Millennium Council and National Trust for Historic Preservation.
2000: Preservation Award for Stewardship, by the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission.
1999: National Preservation Honor Award, by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
1997: The Antiquarian Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Historic Preservation, by The Preservation Society of Newport County.
1997: Resolution of Appreciation, by The Victorian Society in America.
Harrington, Richard B. Ochre Point-Cliffs Historic District [including Salve Regina University]. National Register of Historic Places designation report. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior/ National Park Service, 1975.
Moe, Richard. A Walking Tour of Salve Regina University. Pamphlet. [Newport, RI: Salve Regina University, n.d.]. |
When did children’s birthday parties become so overblown that they deserve their own reality show? Whatever happened to the ol’ fashioned stay-at-home birthday party? Before we go back to throwing parties 1980s style, though, a few things need to happen.
- We need to be able to invite just the friends our kid wants at the party
- Children need to be entertained by chairs and music instead of lasers, enormous inflatable structures, and dressing up like miniature street walkers
- An expectation for birthday party food should be cake. Not chicken nuggets, pizza, hot dogs, cake, ice cream with an accompanying sundae bar and a separate buffet for the parents with alcohol. Although booze would make some of these soirees more bearable.
Let’s begin with #1. We have raised our children to include everyone, to be everybody’s friend. This is not the real world. Buck up kid, and learn early that you will not like everyone, and not everyone will like you. When you are sitting at work one day and 3 of your co-workers go out to lunch and don’t ask you, it’s going to be a hard lesson to learn. You will not be able to march into your boss’ office and demand that lunch invitations be placed in everyone’s mailbox. Therefore, this difficult lesson must begin with birthday parties. When we have to invite everyone in the class, that’s a lot of kids, a few of whom my child has no desire to spend his special day with. And his mother has no desire to spend 15 bucks on to watch said child spin in circles and hit my kid on the head every 10 minutes.
#2: When I was in first grade, I had a Strawberry Shortcake-themed birthday party. In my living room at home. Everything was Strawberry Shortcake – my dress which I was so excited to wear to my birthday party, my cake which my mom made for me, the tablecloth, plates, and napkins. A family friend who was an artist made me a big poster of Strawberry Shortcake without the strawberry on her hat and we played “Pin the Strawberry on Strawberry Shortcake’s Hat.” We played musical chairs and drop the clothespin in the empty soda bottle. We ate our cake, drank juice and VOILA! It was a super-fun birthday celebrated without my parents having to forfeit buying groceries for the week to pay for my 7th Birthday Extravaganza. I wasn’t at all upset that Pat Benatar didn’t show up because I had no expectation or experience with such outlandish and lavish birthday party scenarios.
Fast forward 30 years, and we are living in an age in which elementary school-aged children celebrate their births for no less than $500. We parents have given in to peer pressure and feel the need to have our kids’ parties at The Bounce House-Gymnastics-Dress Your Daughter Like a Whore-Karate-Pottery-Kindgom otherwise we will suffer the criticism of the girls on the playground. The 30-something year old girls known as other moms.
And #3: Although I appreciate that some hosts want to feed my child and all the party-going adults to the point of vomiting, it really is not necessary. I can handle two hours without a sub sandwich or slice of pizza. A simple water bottle is sufficient. I don’t want it on my conscience that the birthday girl just lost part of her college fund because her parents wanted to keep up with the Jones’ and offer complimentary ice sculpture tequila shots at their kid’s “Lil’ Diva” party.
And this is the part where I let you know that I am a hypocrite. This is the first year in which I have sort of fallen prey to all of this birthday party hoopla. Prior to this year, I organized Monkey Man’s parties. Each year was a different theme with the games (researched and executed by yours truly), cupcakes, and goody bags all coordinated. I had the parties in a church hall because my father-in-law is a pastor and we could get a bigger space than my living room which was and is not spacious enough for 20 preschoolers. And last year we had it at the movies, and I provided all their snacks by sneaking them into the theater. There are several reasons I snuck the snacks in: 1) C’mon, everyone brings their own food to the movies 2) No one needs to eat 1,000 calorie popcorn 3) I live and die by a budget. Call me cheap if you must. My husband does.
Getting back to this year. I am working full time and don’t have the time or energy to party plan. I love planning parties, but I also love to sleep, so I decided to hand this one over to someone who does this as her job and I’d just catch some zzz’s instead of googling party games. However, in my defense, I did not spend anywhere close to $500. I found a local YMCA that has sports parties and Monkey Man loves all kinds of sports. Add to that the price, which was pretty close to what I would have spent organizing it on my own, and I was sold. We invited only the boys in his class, so although I farmed this party out, I did not do it to keep up with the Jones’. The kids played basketball, dodgeball (the parents even played a round against the kids!), and flag football for an hour, ate some chips and a cupcake with juice, then played in the Wii/X Box arcade for 45 minutes. Monkey Man played with his friends and said several times during the party, “This is the best party ever!” It was a simple party that I could’ve done at my house, but because of time of year, and the need to keep my sanity, I outsourced it. Simple, fun, and yes, Monkey Man, the best party ever.
Happy 7th Birthday, Buddy. I love you to the moon and back, bunches and bunches. |
Live TV is best when things are happening and news is breaking right now. It's immediate and often, hopefully, more compelling.
That's why I and the "Squawk Box" producers were happy with theAmerican Heart Association'splan to lift the news media embargo on the Abbott versus Merck study at 8 a.m. ET this morning. That'd be right in the middle of their show. Breaking and potentially stock-moving news about huge drugs made by a Dow component. It had all the elements, including controversy about the results.
But it wasn't to be. Sometime Sunday afternoon a major wire service transmitted its embargoed story on the Zetia versus Niaspan study results. It was sent with the usual notation that the piece is under embargo until a certain date and time.
But apparently someone at a relatively small, local midwestern TV station didn't see the admonishment and posted the wire story on its Web site.
After catching or being told about the error, the station took it down almost immediately. But it was too late. "Google Alerts" grabbed it and so did other Web sites. The info was out there for everyone to see. The embargo had been inadvertently broken.
After a meeting of the minds between AHA, "The New England Journal of Medicine," and the two companies involved, it was decided that the embargo would be lifted for everyone else at 6 p.m. ET Sunday.
Reporters for other wire services and media outlets suddenly had to scramble to get their finished stories out a good 14 hours sooner than planned. And with data as important and sensitive as these, that kind of rush job isn't necessarily a good thing.
The upside, perhaps, is that it gave Wall Street analysts several hours to digest and comment on the results for their investor clients, rather than the hour-and-a-half they would've had before the opening bell if the embargo lifted at 8.
This isn't the first time an embargo has been broken and it won't be the last. If the circumstances were different, the AHA and NEJM would likely put the reporter or news outlet that broke it in the naughty corner.
This appears to be an honest mistake.
But it could have been and should have been avoided. I ain't perfect and there but for the grace of God go I, but I don't understand why a major wire service pushed out a story around 18 hours before an embargo lifted. It opens wide the door for an embargo break.
There's no reason that I can see to justify copy going out so early, especially in today's push-button news transmission world.
It needs to stop.
Questions? Comments? Pharma@cnbc.com and follow me on Twitter at mhuckman |
Dave Boehler has a good article at ye olde newspaper with quotes from the coach himself, GM Paul Fenton, and some player reaction too.
I spoke briefly with Fenton yesterday as well.
As great as it would be to know right away who the next coach will be, Fenton is going to be very thorough again this summer as he’s talking with candidates for this job. And why should he do anything different? Nobody can argue with the quality of the candidates that he has hired over the years, as most of them had great success in Milwaukee and are now coaching in the NHL somewhere.
“I don’t have a timetable for that. I’ll go through the same process as I did when I hired Kirk, and when I hired Lane, and when we hired Claude, and I hired Peter, and I hired Todd Richards….they’re all very fortunate to all come through a great system, great city, great American League city, and a franchise that continues to have success. I’ll go through the same process so that we’ll be able to pick a good coach to fit for Milwaukee.”
If you are a fan who likes the ‘big picture’, I’m sure whoever we get will be great. If you like knowing the news before it breaks, good luck handicapping candidates. The information leaks of the Ian Herbers hiring in Canada? Don’t expect them for this job. I was driving to a wedding in Stoughton when Jason Karnosky texted me the news that Kirk was coming last summer.
But I can tell you who one of the candidates will be, and who one of the candidates won’t be.
Assistant coach Stan Drulia will most definitely be in the mix.
“I will interview Stan,” Fenton says. “He’s been a head coach, he’s now got his foot in the door and I’ve gotten to know him a little bit, and I’d give him consideration for the job right now. I thought he did a very good job (last season), especially coming into a different situation — it isn’t often that you lose your minor league coach to an NHL team as quickly as we did. For him to be able to come in and step away from his duties as a head coach (in the ECHL) and familiarize himself with our organization, I thought he did an admirable job.”
A few readers have suggested that Director of Player Development Marty Gelinas would be a great fit for the position, having a previous relationship with all of the players in the system, and even a few games of assistant coaching experience this past season in the first few games after Kirk left.
I asked Fenton if he knows if Marty has any interest in changing career paths.
“He doesn’t. No, I’ve already spoken with Marty. He has no interest in it.”
So while I’m sure this isn’t something that Paul planned on being on his summer to-do list, I’m sure that when all is said and done, we’ll have another top-notch coach in town. But now we play the waiting game. |
City must take advantage of slipComment on this story
London - Having had their Premier League title charge reignited by Liverpool's loss to Chelsea, Manchester City will be wary of letting the opportunity slip when they meet Everton in arguably their toughest remaining game of the season.
Manuel Pellegrini's men sit in third place with 77 points, three behind leaders Liverpool and one adrift of Chelsea, but with an extra match to play and a superior goal difference, three successive wins should secure the trophy.
Their final two games are at home to Aston Villa and West Ham United, both woefully out of form, and the 2011-12 champions would back themselves strongly to take six points against sides in the bottom half of the table.
The trip to Goodison Park on Saturday(1630 GMT) looks less straightforward, however, as Everton, who have lost two of their past three matches, still have an outside chance of finishing fourth for the first time since 2005.
City fought back from a goal down to win 3-1 when the sides last met, and Argentine right back Pablo Zabaleta said they could not waste the opportunity.
“The next game is Everton away and we know it is going to be tough. Everton away has been difficult for us. They are playing for fourth place so nothing is going to be easy and we need to show character, personality. We have got a big chance.
“We said before Crystal Palace we need Liverpool to drop some points. They have but nothing is settled. We need to continue working hard like we have done during the whole season and hopefully we can win the next three games.
“Now everything is in our hands again. We have three games to play, and everything is in our hands again. We know we must win those games if we are to win the title again but it's going to be very difficult.”
Pellegrini may risk attacking midfielder David Silva, who missed the win over Crystal Palace with an ankle injury.
Everton find themselves in the awkward position of being able to hand local rivals Liverpool a boost in their challenge for the title should they win, and while the players are unlikely to fight for anything other than victory, some fans may not be too unhappy if they lose to City.
Defeat by Southampton was a major blow to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League and fourth-placed Arsenal need a home win over West Bromwich Albion on Sunday (1230) to secure a place in Europe's elite club competition for the 17th consecutive season.
Liverpool travel to Crystal Palace on Monday (1900) with plenty of time to digest whether or not Everton did them a favour, but regardless of where they are placed in the title race, manager Brendan Rodgers told his players to enjoy their unexpected rise to Premier League heavyweights.
“We want to win, of course, and we are in a brilliant position,” Rodgers, whose side are guaranteed a top-three finish, said.
“But we must enjoy it - this is brilliant, the supporters are loving it, we are showing the real scale of the club and what these players are about, and that is just as important.”
The other team in the title race are second-placed Chelsea, despite manager Jose Mourinho's claims to the contrary, and they could take advantage if either Liverpool or Manchester City slip up in the season's final stretch.
They are at home on Sunday to struggling Norwich City, who dropped into the relegation zone following defeat by Manchester United, and will be looking to bounce back after losing to Atletico Madrid in their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
Manchester United will be out to prove the 4-0 defeat of Norwich in Ryan Giggs' first match in charge since replacing David Moyes was more than just a one-off, but will come up against a rejuvenated Sunderland side on Saturday fighting for their Premier League life (1400).
The Black Cats moved out of the relegation zone on goal difference after the weekend's victory over Cardiff, having previously beaten Chelsea away and drawn at Manchester City, and will be looking for more goals from Connor Wickham, who has netted five times in three matches.
“In the box Connor is a big presence and he keeps defenders busy,” fellow striker Fabio Borini said.
“He scored from two corners on Sunday and that's what we need from him. He's a big lad who is physically massive and gives us that extra presence in the box.”
Aston Villa will look to arrest an alarming slide that has seen them pick up one point from six matches to leave them three points outside the relegation zone when they host Hull City on Saturday (1400), while West Ham will be aiming to beat Tottenham Hotspur for the third time this season when they meet at Upton Park (1145).
Saturday's other matches see Newcastle United host bottom club Cardiff City, Fulham travel to Stoke City and Swansea City play Southampton (all 1400). – Reuters |
Both had a straight-talking, speak-your-mind attitude, family said.
Mother and son, who were close in life, became close in death.
On Dec. 20, Piscitelli became sick and had to be hospitalized. On Dec. 22, his mother took ill and was hospitalized.
Mrs. Piscitelli, 62, died Thursday in her Annadale home of complications of an aneurysm. Christopher, her 36-year-old son, died five days earlier, on Jan. 18, of cancer.
"We were all together on Thanksgiving," said Star Bongiorno, Mrs. Piscitelli's daughter and Piscitelli's sister. "No one was sick. We had a blast like we always did. She went into the hospital on the 22nd and my brother was also in the hospital, too. It was a nightmare."
Mrs. Piscitelli was in Lenox Hill Hospital and Christopher Piscitelli was in New York Presbyterian Hospital, both in Manhattan.
"We were running back and forth, then she had surgery and she never came out of it," she said. "My brother was scheduled to have surgery, but he never made it."
Mrs. Piscitelli was born Barbara Pao in Manhattan and as a child moved with her parents to Brooklyn, where she graduated from Sheepshead Bay High School. She settled in Annadale in 1978.
She had been working for 23 years as a supervising school aide at Bernstein Intermediate School, Huguenot, and was working at the time of her death.
Mrs. Piscitelli was a beloved figure among the children and faculty she served at the school, family said.
"The kids were crazy about her," said Mrs. Bongiorno. "They would come back — after they are married, with their own kids — to see her. She was very, very loved."
Her son, Christopher, also was beloved everywhere he had lived and worked — on Staten Island, in Ireland, and in Brooklyn, where he had settled.
He managed and tended bar at the Thomas House in Dublin from 2008 to 2011. The bar, located at 86 Thomas St., closed its doors on Wednesday — the day of his funeral — in his honor. It also held a live Skype session during his wake in Brooklyn, so Piscitelli's friends in Dublin could participate in honoring him.
Mrs. Piscitelli was devoted to her family and cherished time spent with them, especially her grandsons.
Along with her daughter, Star, surviving are her husband of 40 years, Dominick; her daughter, Vanessa Aiello; a sister, Margaret Marsh, and two grandsons.
The funeral will be Monday from the John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals, Eltingville, with a mass at 10 a.m. in Our Lady Star of the Sea R.C. Church, Huguenot. Arrangements include cremation. |
Passionate about sport. Innovative in our approach. Ready to be amazed. Betfair is a different sort of betting business.
There are many parts to the Betfair story; market-changing products, technological innovation, a continual understanding of the potential needs of customers, but overall it is a story of success. In a short space of time, it has grown from an idea to a financially secure organisation making good on global ambitions.
Headquartered in London, England, but with offices all over the world, we’re a truly global business. And, while we offer a range of online betting products from casino games to poker, and mobile apps to interactive racing TV, we couldn’t be further removed from the traditional bookmaker. That’s because the way we do business removes the need for one all together.
We’re talking about the betting exchange. The original innovation behind Betfair, it was the first of many revolutionary ideas – and it’s just one of the reasons that we’re now home to the biggest betting community in the world. With a customer base of over 4 million plus more than 2,000 employees and operations in Australia, the US, Ireland, Romania, the UK, Portugal and Gibraltar as well as Malta, things are only going to get better.
Betfair is one of the world’s largest international online sports betting providers and pioneered the first successful Betting Exchange in 2000. The Betting Exchange, where customers come together in order to bet at odds sought by themselves or offered by other customers, has eliminated the need for a traditional bookmaker. Driven by world-leading technology the company now processes over five million transactions a day from its three million registered customers around the world. In addition to sports betting, Betfair offers a portfolio of innovative products including casino, exchange games, arcade and poker.
That’s especially true in the States, where business is booming. We already run one of the largest interactive wagering companies in the country, TVG, and across all of our products, we process more transactions every day than the New York Stock Exchange. It’s big business – and it’s about to get bigger. Our offices in Denver, Los Angeles and Portland are getting ready to kick it up a notch as we expand TVG and launch the betting exchange Stateside.
We are committed to your development.
We know where we want to be as a business – ahead of everyone else in our industry. It’s not something we can do on our own. So to get there, we need to work, grow and improve together.
Working here you will be challenged everyday to work collaboratively and leverage the most out of opportunities, helping us to make the right decisions, at the right time and in the right way.
In return you will work and learn with industry experts on projects you can feel proud and passionate about. We develop our people to work on everything from skills and capabilities through to behaviors and relationship management. This means real development and progression in an evolving industry.
We firmly believe that no one knows better how to improve our business than the people working in it. That’s why we regularly ask for our employees input, which helps drive performance even higher.
You make your own luck here with your drive and intelligence being matched by a collective ambition to succeed.
We’re all driven by a desire to give our customers the best products and services in sports betting.
Our culture reflects the nature of our business. So we’re all enthusiastic about sport, technology and betting. And we’re all dedicated to giving our customers the best products and services. Acting with fairness and integrity in every aspect of our operations is a big part of what we do.
In every Betfair office, talented, passionate individuals come together to keep us forging ahead. It’s a tall order and we think each and every one of them deserves to be inspired, engaged and developed in their work. That’s why we’ve worked so hard to make Betfair a friendly, welcoming place to be.
The rewards for joining Betfair US are exceptional.
Our pay and benefits are generous, reflecting the success we’ve already had and that which we envision for the future. But what we offer goes far beyond cold hard cash – as a business, we want to look after our people. Which is why we offer benefits that include:
- 25 days holiday (varies according to location)
- Cash bonus scheme
- Comprehensive medical insurance
- Travel season-ticket loan (varies according to location)
- Learning and development opportunities
- Employee referral scheme
- Comp & Benefits
- Work/Life Balance
- Senior Management
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
I worked at Betfair full-time (more than an year)Pros
Great gambling company. Was on great track in USACons
Now off track in USANeutral OutlookApproves of CEO
Getting an Interview
Getting an Interview
- Application Details
I applied online. The process took a week – interviewed at Betfair in October 2011.Interview Details
Betfair appears to be a great company to work for. Their managers and talent acquisition people are direct, honest, and intelligent (e.g., they ask probing questions which indicates the types of smart people that work there). It is rare that an internal corporate recruiter not only call with the results of the decision, but to provide substantive feedback. I wish them all the best in growing the business in the US.Interview Questions
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- What are the successes of your career? Answer Question
Let us know if we're missing any workplace or industry recognition –
Betfair was founded in 1999 and pioneered the first successful Betting Exchange. Today we employ 1700 people globally and are headquartered in Hammersmith with offices in Dublin, Malta, Gibraltar, Italy and Romania.
Betfair offers Exchange, Sportsbook and Gaming products to over 950,000 customers. We are one of the largest betting and gaming operators in the UK.
Betfair also owns Betfair US, which comprises of TVG, a licensed US horse racing wagering and television broadcasting business based in California and currently operating in California and New Jersey. |
International Concerns About Chemical Weapons in Syria
Sixteen years after the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) entered into force, its prohibitions on the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons have become an international norm which leaves no tolerance for defiance by anyone, including the few countries – Syria being one – that remain outside the Convention. That said, events taking place in Syria highlight the importance of universality to achieving a global chemical weapons ban. The Syrian Government is known to hold large stockpiles of chemical weapons, and there is mounting evidence that chemical weapons, including the nerve agent sarin, have been used in a number of locations in Syria.
Australia has called on the Syrian Government to ensure the safety and security of its chemical weapons stockpiles, and expressed deep concern about the alleged use of these weapons against the Syrian people. While Syria is not yet Party to the CWC, it has an obligation not to use chemical weapons as a State Party to the 1925 Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare (the 'Geneva Protocol').
The Director-General (DG) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), wrote to the Syrian authorities in December 2012, as did United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) Ban Ki-moon in July 2012, urging Syria to become a member of the CWC without delay. The risk of further chemical weapons' use in Syria, or their falling into the hands of terrorists, remains cause for grave concern.
Following the allegations of chemical weapons' use by Syrian Government forces, on 20 March 2013, the United Nations (UN) received a formal request from Syrian authorities for a 'specialized, impartial and independent mission' to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons near the city of Aleppo. In response, UNSG Ban Ki-moon announced that the UN would conduct an investigation of all allegations of chemical weapons use in Syria, with assistance from the OPCW and the World Health Organisation (see boxed insert). Following a formal request to DG OPCW, a special meeting of the Executive Council was convened on 27 March and CWC States Parties pledged their full support. Australia and many others have expressed support for a comprehensive UN investigation into all reports chemical weapons' use in Syria and urged the Assad Government to give UN inspectors unconditional access.
At the time of writing, the Terms of Reference for the UN mission, including sites to be visited, had yet to be finalised and the investigation team was still awaiting permission to enter Syria. In the interim, the UN team has conducted fact-finding activities in Turkey, a CWC member country bordering Syria that has reportedly received victims of chemical weapons attacks seeking medical attention.
Investigating the Alleged Use of Chemical Weapons
The CWC allows for the investigation of alleged use (IAU) of chemical weapons by or against a State Party. An IAU is initiated pursuant to Articles IX (Consultations, Cooperation and Fact-Finding) or X (Assistance and Protection against Chemical Weapons) and conducted in accordance with Part XI of the Verification Annex and any detailed procedures established by the Director-General (DG) of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). These procedures also extend to investigations of alleged use of riot control agents as a method of warfare.
Any State Party can request an IAU of chemical weapons by another State Party through the DG of the OPCW. However, where the alleged use is by a State not party to the Convention, or in territory not controlled by a State Party, the request for an IAU involving the OPCW must be made through the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UNSG). Should such a request be made, the OPCW would put its resources at the disposal of the UNSG and cooperate closely with him/her in accordance with paragraph 27 of Part XI.
Investigation of alleged use of chemical weapons by a non-CWC State Party against another non-State Party, or within its own territory, is the responsibility of the UN. When requested by a UN Member State, the UNSG has the authority to investigate alleged uses of chemical, biological and toxin weapons. This authority has its origins in UN General Assembly resolutions 35/144C of 1980, 37/98D of 1982 and 42/37C of 1987, which were reaffirmed by UN Security Council resolution 620 of 1988.
Arrangements for the conduct of investigations of alleged use involving the OPCW, but initiated through the UN, are governed by the 2000 OPCW Relationship Agreement with the UN and the more recent 2012 Supplementary Arrangement Concerning the Implementation of Article II(2)(c) of that Agreement.
Thus far, the OPCW has not received any IAU requests from CWC Member States. However, 12 investigations of alleged use of chemical weapons were conducted by the UN in various countries between 1980 and 1993, prior to entry into force of the CWC. |
The show began with a bang thanks to Sperling and Larry Hochman's specially created "A Frank Overture," played with elegant pizzazz by the Phil, which stretched for nearly 10 minutes as the audience recognized hit after hit surfacing only to melt into yet one more. Sperling assembled a superlative cast—Ann Hampton Callaway, Victoria Clark, Jason Danieley, Marc Kudisch, Bryn Terfel, and Mary Testa, plus John Bolton, Bernard Dotson, and Michael Seelbach as a trio of "boys" offering snappy support—who didn't put a foot wrong all night. All five of Loesser's Broadway shows were represented—though there was nothing from "Pleasures and Palaces," a 1965 out-of-town flop with some great songs, or "Senor Discretion Himself," finished by others long after Loesser's death in 1969—as well as pop songs and movie tunes. Particularly welcome was the integrity of the performances of Loesser's stage work, including dialogue within numbers and clear dramatic context and character intentions.
High on the standout list has to be the material from Loesser's semi-operatic classic "The Most Happy Fella." Mary Testa gave a master class in how to interpret a lyric, as a tired waitress in "Ooh! My Feet!," and Marc Kudisch sang a sensual and impassioned "Joey, Joey, Joey." Somebody should sign Terfel to play Tony immediately. The opera star proved that he's no slouch as a stage actor, nailing Tony's Italian accent and nervous agitation in a stunningly sung "Rosabella." Danieley and the "boys" offered a mischievously winning "Standing on the Corner," then Terfel and Clark brought the house down with their gloriously voiced and beautifully acted rendition of "My Heart Is so Full of You."
Clark also shone on a transparent "Anywhere I Wander," from the film musical "Hans Christian Andersen," to which she lent a lightly Celtic inflection, and a vulnerably giddy "If I Were a Bell," from "Guys and Dolls." Testa got to show her considerable range in a well-judged "Adelaide's Lament," also from "Dolls," and a bluesy and sinuous "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?," aided by Larry Moore's evocative orchestration. Danieley scored on a very 1940s sexy and swinging "On a Slow Boat to China," only to pivot to a powerful and haunted "Never Will I Marry," from "Greenwillow."
Kudisch offered an antic and amusing "I'm Hans Christian Andersen," then got seriously butch with a driving "Luck Be a Lady Tonight," from "Dolls." Cabaret stalwart Callaway reigned in the pop department, first with a delightful "I Hear Music" (music by Burton Lane, the one song of the night for which Loesser only wrote the lyric) that started small with piano accompaniment and built carefully (in Hampton's own arrangement and B. Mays' orchestration) to full orchestral glory. Later, backed by a jazz quartet, she contributed a smoky and impeccably phrased "I Wish I Didn't Love You So," written for Betty Hutton, a Loesser favorite, to sing in the film musical "The Perils of Pauline." Bolton got a chance to step out of the trio and into the spotlight in a sprightly "Once in Love With Amy," from "Where's Charley?," that had the audience enthusiastically joining in the traditional sing-along.
The evening climaxed in a spectacular one-two punch. Robert Morse, who had earlier welcomed the crowd with opening remarks, returned to re-create his J. Pierpont Finch in the comic classic "I Believe in You," from "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." Now 80, Morse still has the irrepressibly impish Ponty locked inside him, and he gleefully let the kid out, though he was unfortunately hampered by a crackling head mike. Then Jo Sullivan Loesser, the tunesmith's widow and Broadway's original Rosabella, arrived to make some gracious closing remarks and sing a melting, crystalline "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year," floating her final high note into the ether as if time was so much twaddle. An imaginative finale mixing two comic duets, "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and "No Two People," eventually involved all and was memorable for Kudisch's hilariously spot-on imitation of Ricardo Montalban, who introduced "Baby" opposite Esther Williams in "Neptune's Daughter."
Sperling's trenchant commentary, delivered in turns by the company, included Loesser's advice to his good friend novelist John Steinbeck: "Don't avoid the corny stuff; just don't let 'em catch you at it." And Loesser never did.
Presented by the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, NYC. Mon., March 26, 7:30 p.m. |
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Worms Reloaded - PC Game Review
An updated and upgraded version of the classic artillery game "Worms Armageddon", Worms Reloaded features more of the same madcap humor and skill-rewarding gameplay that characterized its predecessors.
"Worms Reloaded" is a 2d turn-based artillery game for 2 to 4 players (though single-player also exists in the form of AI opponents and timed challenges). Each player controls a team of 4 worms, and play proceeds with one worm per team on every turn (i.e. a worm from red team goes, then a worm from blue team goes, then a worm from green team, and so on). The goal of the game is to eliminate all of your opponents' worms without being eliminated yourself, and in order to accomplish this task you are given many tools. These tools range from benign (teleporters, construction tools, grappling hooks) to destructive (bazookas, grenades, sticks of dynamite). The game features physics and destructible terrain, so each attack can result in a chain reaction of launched worms and explosions.
The new features of "Worms Reloaded" include a smooth, cartoonish graphical style, new gadgets and weapons, and more customization for the worms themselves in the form of different hats. The new weapons are fairly inventive and fit into the cartoonish and volatile nature of the Worms series. These include the "Buffalo of Lies", which charges forward, causing an explosion whenever it comes into contact with something, the "Termites", which dig random tunnels through a stage, and the "Sentry Gun", which fires at any moving enemies nearby. The new weapons feel like more than just gimmicks - they're items that help to change the nature of the game.
Worms Reloaded is a game that's fairly easy to pick up, but very VERY difficult to master. Being a game that's fundamentally about physics, it rewards players who can make difficult shots based on wind conditions and angle, and tends to punish those who can't (at least in a competitive sense). Hence, it's a game best played with someone who's near to you in skill; there are very few "handicaps". Yet at the same time this high level of skill involvement (combined with a healthy dose of random mayhem) means that it's a fun game to play or even watch, simply in appreciation of particularly good shots or chain reactions. If you go into it without really caring about losing, then it's unequivocally a fun, exciting game. It can even be played with a single computer; players simply use the keyboard whenever it's their turn, rather than each player having their own controller.
Overall, Worms Reloaded is definitely a fun and exciting game, but the main problem is its $20 pricetag. It's a great game, sure, but for a formula that's over a decade old, with some minor upgrades and new gadgets, it just seems like too much. Yet if you DO decide to pick it up anyways, Worms Reloaded offers a fun and frantic gaming experience.
We purchased this game with our own funds in order to do this review.
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Mauritius West Coast & Center Condo Rental Photos and Description
Penthouse and apartments with fantastic views
The guest house is at the foot of the mountain "Tourelle du Tamarin 'with a fantastic view over the bay of Tamarin. Wr have different apartments, all have a wonderful example. T. breathtaking views. The guest house has a beautiful tropical garden where you can look at a tropical cocktail sunsets in a hammock and enjoy.
Or you are here after taking a dip in the pool and relax in one of the lounge chairs. To spend a relaxing day by the pool or in the garden and just let your mind wander once this is the perfect place.
Whether you want to make trips around the island or want to spend on one of the nearby beaches the day. The ideal location of the guest house this is all possible.
But not only during the day, this guesthouse offers space to relax.
You have the entire system with all its amenities. Whether it is the garden, the pool, deck chairs, hammocks. Just everything you could need for a relaxing stay.
We also organize from time to time like BBQs. Book your hotel stay at one of our Maid to give them time to prepare a meal or to have creolisches prepare breakfast.
Or let the day just relax on your private balcony or terrace and enjoy the calm of the evening.
Many restaurants around the guesthouse also offer the Mauritian and international cuisine course. ie enjoy your vacation and Mauritius - we take care of the rest ...
The central location of the guest house in the west of the island allows you relaxed Mauritius to explore. From here, you have to know the ideal starting point to Mauritius properly. Tamarin itself has several good restaurants, shopping centers and supermarkets. From the Tamarin Bay down to Black River, the whole place is lined with sandy beach. Here are z. T. beautiful private houses on the beach, which you can partially alone enjoy the beach, perfect for snorkeling, swimming and sunbathing.
Not far is the National Park, the Grand Bassin, Chamarell, the seven colored earth and the Le Morne Brabant. Behind the Le Morne then begins one of the most beautiful coastlines of the island with fantastic views.
The city Port Louis, Quatre Borne or Rose Hill is easily accessible from Tamarin from - to bus or by car.
You want to get married in Mauritius and want to do in a family environment and not in anonymous hotel like this? How about a wedding ceremony on a catamaran and a stay in our guest house? For this purpose, particularly in a Penthouse or Apartment Bellevue. Ask us, we them make you an all-round offer for their very own dream wedding.
Our service for you: We offer our guests a variety of services. Be it the laundry, beach towels in the rental, telephone and of course Wi-Fi for free use in the whole house.
The rooms are cleaned daily and linen and towels are changed regularly.
You go on holiday - we take care of the rest ...
Any special requests? Organization of birth or wedding anniversary surprise or else? No problem, just contact us at ...
Details for Apartment Bellevue 1 Bedroom, Sleeps 4, 1 Half Bathrooms
- Long-term Renters Welcome
- Low Allergen Environment
- children welcome
- smoking allowed
- wheelchair inaccessible
About Rudi and Doris Assmann
In 1994, during our first visit, we fell in love with Mauritius and – even though our hometown of Cologne in Germany is also a fabulous place to live in - decided to come and live here someday.
After having travelled the world, staying in all kinds of places, from 5 Star hotels to tiny B&Bs, we eventually made our long time dream come true and opened our own Guesthouse in the idyllic seaside village of Tamarin on the West coast of Mauritius.
It is our ambition that our guests should experience an unforgettable stay on the island in a relaxed atmosphere.
If you have any queries regarding excursions or individual activities, or have any special wishes – just ask, we'll make it happen (miracles will cost extra)
Doris and Rudi Assmann
Rudi and Doris Assmann purchased this condo in 2006 |
US 3887393 A
A battery holder assembly for holding a cluster of four elongate battery cells in the handle of a battery-powered movie camera or the like. The complete assembly includes a removable cassette for receiving and retaining the four battery cells in a side-by-side assembled relationship. The cassette, in turn, is received within a housing formed by the handle. In the battery holder assembly disclosed, electrical connection will not be completed with a battery cell that is improperly inserted in reversed polarity orientation.
Description (OCR text may contain errors)
United States Patent [191 La Rue, Jr.
[ June 3, 1975 4] BATTERY HOLDER ASSEMBLY Inventor: Mervin W. La Rue, Jr., Barrington,
Assignee: Bell & Howell Company, Chicago,
Filed: Dec. 15,1972
Appl. N0.: 315,387
US. Cl. 136/173 Int. Cl. H01m 1/00 Field of Search 136/173, 166, 131, 132
References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,036,597 8/1912 Fisk 136/173 2,397,469 4/1946 Casanov 136/173 P 1/1971 Page 136/173 2/1971 Brindley et a1. 136/173 Primary ExaminerJohn l-l. Mack Assistant Examiner-H. A. Feeley ABSTRACT A battery holder assembly for holding a cluster of four elongate battery cells in the handle of a batterypowered movie camera or the like. The complete assembly includes a removable cassette for receiving and retaining the four battery cells in a side-by-side assembled relationship. The cassette, in turn, is received within a housing formed by the handle. In the battery holder assembly disclosed, electrical connection will not be completed with a battery cell that is improperly inserted in reversed polarity orientation.
4 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures BATTERY HOLDER ASSEMBLY Thisinvention relates generally to retainers for holding plurality of batteries and, in,particu lar,-to a multicell battery holder assembly for. the handle of'a movie camera or the like. I I i A principal object of this invention is to provide a battery holder assembly which is foolproof in the sense that it will not permit a completed electrical connection with any battery cell that is improperly inserted into the holder assembly in reversed polarity orientation. This is achieved by end walls in the assembly which provide for each battery cell a pair of aligned contact receiving apertures in cooperation with spacer means providing a raised surface region on the interior surface of the end walls adjacent a predetermined one of each of the pair of aligned contact-receiving apertures and configured to form a socket for receiving the protruding positive battery terminal only. If a battery cell is improperly inserted into the assembly in reversed polarity orientation, its flat negative terminal will not be received within the positive terminal socket but rather will abut against the associated raised surface on the end wall and will be thur prevented from contacting the electrical contact member which extends into the associated contact receiving aperture.
It is also a principal object of this invention to provide a battery holder assembly which is convenient and easy to use. A removable, elongate cassette is provided for receiving multiple battery cells in a clustered sideby-side assembled relationship. The cassette comprises an elongate portion and a detachable cap portion which isattachable to the elongate portion in only two possible 180 axially-rotated orientations to insure the proper relationship of the contact-receiving apertures in the base and cap portions. When the-cassette is loaded with the requisite number of battery cells, it is simply inserted into one portion ofa two-piece receiver housing which is formed by the handle of the batterypowered device itself. The second portion of the receiver is engaged in place to secure the cassette and establish electrical connection between the battery cell terminals and corresponding electrical contacts which are mounted in the receiver housing to enter the contact-receiving apertures. The cassette is preferably insertable into the receiver housing in only two possible 180 axially-rotated orientations to insure correct asso ciation of the electrical contacts and the multiple battery cell terminals.
The foregoing objects and other features and objects of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:
FIG. I is an isometric view of one portion ofa battery holder receiver housing.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of one portion ofa battery retaining cassette.
FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a second portion of a battery retaining cassette.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the complete battery assembly taken at lines 4-4 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at lines 5-5 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at lines 6-6 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken at lines 7-7 of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken at lines 8--8 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 9 is a bottom elevation of the battery holding assembly of FIG. 4.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 7.
Referring first to FIGS. 4 and 6, the battery holder assembly is shown as part of the handle or pistol grip 22 of a battery-powered motion picture camera. Briefly, the battery holder assembly 20 comprises a cassette 23 for holding multiple battery cells and a housing 25 enclosing a space within the handle 22 for receiving the cassette 23. The housing comprises a first portion 24 which as best illustrated in FIG. 1 is rigidly affixed to, or integral with, the body of the handle 22 and a complementary second portion 26 which is detachably secured to the first housing portion 24 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.
Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the battery holding cassette 23 is shown in detail. As seen, the cassette 23 comprises an elongate portion 28 which is detachably securable to a cap portion 30 by latching tabs 60 and cooperating latching tab apertures 62. The side walls of the elongate portion 28 should be sufficiently resilient to permit the latching tabs 60 to be engaged and disengaged with the apertures 62 by pressing inwardly on the associated side walls of the portion 28. As illustrated, portions 28 and 30 of the cassette are configured to cooperate to form a cluster of four elongate compartments forenclosing and retaining four battery cells in side-by-side parallel relationship. The end walls 32 and 34 of the two portions 28 and 30 of the cassette are each provided with four contact-receiving apertures. In particular, the end wall 32 is provided with four contact-receiving apertures 36, 38, 40, and 42, each of which is arranged to axially align with one of the four battery cell compartments and with a complementary one of the four contact receiving apertures 44, 46, 48, and provided in the opposing end wall 34.
The apertures 36, 42, 46, and 48 are preferably each formed in a socket recessed in the surface of the associated end wall as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. The sockets for the apertures 36, 42, 46, and 48 are further formed by the respective adjacent raised and diametrically positioned spacer block pairs 52, 54, 56, and 58. In this manner, the interior wall surface region adjacent each of the apertures 36, 42, 46, and 48 is configured to form a socket for receiving only the protruding positive terminal of the battery cell (in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 10) and not the larger diameter negative terminal surface at the opposite end of the battery cell. The purpose of this arrangement is to prevent electrical contact from being made with the negative terminal of any battery cell which is inserted into the cassette 23 misoriented with its negative terminal surface against one of the spacer blocks 52, 54, 56, or 58.
It should be noted that the positive terminal contact apertures 36 and 42 on the cassette end wall 32 are diagonally positioned with respect to one another, and that the positive terminal contact apertures 46 and 48 on the cassette end wall 34 are also diagonally positioned with respect to one another. Moreover, the arrangement of the locking tabs on the elongate portion 28 of the cassette and the cooperating locking tabe receiving apertures 62 on the cap portion 30 permits the portions 28 and 30 to be locked together in only two possible 180 rotated orientations. This insures that the cassette 23 when assembled with always have a positive terminal contact aperture in paired alignment with a negative contact terminal aperture.
As previously noted, the cassette 23 is designed to be longitudinally received within a receiver housing 25 formed as part of the handle 22 of a battery-powered motion picture camera. In the particular embodiment disclosed, the housing 25 comprises a fixed portion 24 which is fixedly attached to or integral with the handle 22 and which defines the top surface of the receiving housing containing terminal contacts 78, 80, 82, and 84, as well as the axially positioned alignment and connecting bayonet shaft 66. The housing 25 further comprises a complementary detachable portion 26 which defines the bottom surface of the receiver housing containing the terminal contacts 86, 88, 90, and 92 and the tubular bayonet receiving socket member 104. The detachable portion 26 of the housing 25 is attached by positioning the detachable portion 26 for engagement with the integral portion 24, advancing the portion 26 to engage the bayonet cross-pin 68 in conventional bayonet socket slots 106 provided in the bayonet socket member 104. A toggle arm 108 picotally connected with the receiving socket member 104 is used to rotate the socket member 104 to securely engage the cross-pin 68 in the bayonet slots 106. The toggle arm 108 is retained in its recessed lock position shown in FIGS. 4 and 9 by the bias force exerted by a spring member 110, thereby maintaining the detachable portion 26 of the housing 25 firmly secured to the integral portion 24.
Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, it should be noted that the elongate portion 28 of the cassette 23 is provided with an elongated keyhole aperture 64 to limit the orientation of the cassette 23 in the housing 25 to only two possible 180 rotated orientations in order to insure alignment of the cassette positive terminal contact apertures with corresponding positive terminal contacts in the housing 25 and concomitant alignment of the cassette negative terminal contact apertures with corresponding negative terminal contacts in the housing 25.
At this juncture, consideration can be given to the structural arrangement of the contacts provided in the housing 25. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 7, the positive terminal electrical contacts 80 and 82 mounted in the integral portion 24 of the housing are diagonally positioned relative to one another as are the negative contacts 78 and 84. Similarly, the positive terminal electrical contacts 86 and 92 mounted in the detachable portion 26 of the housing are diagonally positioned relative to one another as are the negative contacts 88 and 90 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8. Each of the positive and negative battery terminal contacts 78, 80, 82, 84, 86, 88, and 90 is spring loaded by its associated mounting member to insure a satisfactory electrical connection with its associated battery terminal. Moreover, the several mounting members 94, 96, 98, 100, and 102 (variously depicted in FIGS. 4 through 8) serve to establish the desired electrical circuit interconnections for the battery cells. Referring in particular to FIGS. and 8, it is seen that the battery cells in the particular embodiment illustrated are connected in series with contact mounting members 96 and 98 (FIG. 5) serving as the negative and positive output terminals, respectively, of the series battery cell circuit. Tracing the connections from FIGS. 5 and 8, it is seen that the negative terminal of battery cell 76 is electrically connected via contact 84 to the negative output terminal and contact mounting member 96. The positive terminal of battery 76, in turn, is connected via contacts 92 and and mounting member 100 to the negative terminal of battery 74. The positive terminal of battery 74, in turn, is connected, via contacts 82 and 78 and mounting member 94 to the negative terminal of battery 70. The positive terminal of battery 70 is connected via contacts 86 and 88 and mounting member 102 to the negative terminal of battery 72. Finally, the positive terminal of the battery 72 is connected via terminal contact 80 to positive output terminal and mounting member 98.
As previously noted, each of the positive terminal apertures 36, 42, 46, and 48 of the cassette 23 are provided with associated raised spacer blocks for the purpose of preventing a misconnection between the associated positive contact and a negative battery terminal due to misorientation of the battery in the terminal. As exemplified in FIG. 10, the negative terminal of the battery abuts against the spacer blocks 54 and in this manner is held away from the positive terminal contact element 82. In furtherance of this feature, the positive terminal contact elements 80, 82, 86, and 92 are each configured to have a single central contact point (e.g., contact point 82a shown in FIGS. 7 and 10) which enters the positive terminal aperture provided in the cassette 23 and lateral shoulder portions 82b which abut against the cassette 23 exterior surface adjacent the positive terminal contact aperture to limit the extent of inward penetration of the contact point 82a into the positive terminal contact aperture in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 10. The negative terminal contact elements 78, 84, 88, and 90, in turn, are each preferably configured to have a pair of laterally spaced points (e.g., points 78a shown in FIG. I) which can enter the associated negative terminal contact apertures 38, 40, 44, and 50 in the cassette 23 but are too widely spaced to enter the positive terminal contact apertures 36, 42, 46, and 48 which are preferably of slightly smaller diameter than the negative terminal contact apertures.
To load the battery holder assembly, four batteries are inserted into the elongate portion 28 of cassette 23 in proper orientation, the cap portion 30 of the cassette is secured to the elongated portion 28 in either of the only two possible axially rotated orientations. and the cassette 23 is inserted into the integral portion 24 of the receiver housing 25 with the keyhole aperture 64 oriented in either of the only two possible 180 axially rotated orientations for receiving the bayonet cross-pin 68. The detachable portion 26 of the receiver housing is secured in place in engagement with the portion 24 by rotating and locking the toggle lever 108 so that the bayonet cross-pin is secured in its receiving slots 106. It should be noted that the detachable portion 26 of the receiver housing can be secured to the integral portion 24 in only on possible orientation.
It can now be seen that the battery holder assembly of this invention is convenient and easy to use and foolproof in the sense that it will only establish electrical connection .with all of the battery cells if the cells are properly loaded in correct polarity orientation in the battery cassette. Moreover, to further insure proper electrical interconnection, the battery cassette itself can only be inserted and secured in the receiver housing in one of two possible correct orientations, and the detachable portion of the receiver housing can be secured to the fixed portion of the receiver housing in only one possible orientation.
What is claimed is:
1. A battery holding assembly for elongate battery cells of the type having a central protruding positive terminal at one end and a negative terminal surface at the opposite end, said assembly comprising:
an elongate cassette for receiving and retaining a predetermined number of said battery cells in a sideby-side assembled relationship, said cassette comprising a first portion and a detachable second portion with one end wall formed as a part of said first portion and an opposite end wall formed as a part of said second portion, said first portion being attachable to said second portion in only two possible 180 rotated orientations;
means projecting longitudinally within said cassette for defining a longitudinal compartment for each of said predetermined number of batter cells, said cassette end walls providing for each battery cell compartment a pair of aligned contact-receiving apertures, a first one of said pair of aligned contactreceiving apertures having a minor diameter and a second one of said pair of contact receiving apertures having a major diameter larger than said minor diameter;
spacer means providing a raised surface region on the interior surface of each of said end walls adjacent the first one of each of said pair of aligned apertures and configured to form a socket for receiving the protruding positive battery terminal only, whereby electrical contact may be prevented with properly oriented in said cassette, said electrical contact elements including a negative electrical contact element having a dimension larger than the minor diameter and smaller than the major diameter.
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver housing comprises a first portion and a second detachable portion with one of said receiver housing end walls formed as a part of said first portion and the second of said receiver housing end walls formed as a part of said second portion.
3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said inwardly protruding contact elements are each spring urged inwardly to establish effective electrical contact with said battery cells.
4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein each of said contact elements which is positioned to enter a contact-receiving aperture having one of said sockets associated therewith for receiving only a positive battery terminal is provided with means for limiting the extent of entry of said contact element into said contactreceiving aperture. |
We don't usually think of GPS-enabled ankle bracelets as a way to thwart the police. But a Swedish human-rights group is refashioning the technology into a "potentially life-saving personal alarm" for activists and organizers in countries where the police are not big on human rights.
Stockholm's Civil Rights Defenders handed out the first five of the group's new durable, high-tech bracelets last week, and hopes to outfit another 50 human-rights workers over the next 18 months, based on fundraising success. The bracelets are equipped with GPS and a cell phone module. If the bracelets are forcibly removed when activated, they will send an alert to the Civil Rights Defenders, nearby colleagues and allies, and anyone following the project on Twitter or Facebook saying who is in trouble and where. (Watch the video below for more information.)
How will that save the bracelet-wearer? Civil Right Defenders calls the bracelets the Natalia Project, after Chechen human rights leader Natalia Estemirova, who was kidnapped and murdered in 2009 while documenting abuses by government-backed militias. "This devastating loss of life could have been prevented had the correct authorities been made aware as soon as she had been kidnapped," the group says in a press release.
With the capability to alert the world in an instant, the Natalia Project will apply pressure on the attackers. The fact that the whole world will immediately be aware of an attack forms a virtual, defensive perimeter around human-rights defenders, who are at risk, as these regimes want to avoid international attention and criticism. [CRD]
"It's a life-tracking device that could very well live up to its name," says Elizabeth F. Ralph at Foreign Policy. When human-rights activists are "disappeared," publicity is often the only thing that can keep them alive, and time and information are their lifelines. But the Natalia Project bracelets aren't foolproof. Any group committed to killing a civil-rights activist might not hesitate to immediately kill instead of kidnap its target, or cut off the activist's hand or foot to remove the bracelet, and it seems plausible that a GPS-enabled device could be used to track a worker by a government agency or well-equipped militia.
Still, the bracelets are probably a huge improvement over what many human-rights activists have now — very little. "An army of human-rights defenders are risking their lives to protect the freedoms of others, but who is defending them?" asks Rebecca Grant at VentureBeat. And incorporating potentially millions of people through social media is a smart innovation. Besides, war zones like the North Caucuses aren't the only place where civil rights activists are in confrontation with security forces.
"During widely covered protests like Occupy Wall Street, law-enforcement agencies around the U.S. showed off various new, tech-powered methods of dealing with crowds engaged in civil disobedience," notes Adario Strange at DVICE. Groups like Civil Rights Defenders remind us that technology, the great equalizer, can be harnessed by the other side, too.
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Once you’re in the cave, colors reach out of the darkness. Lush greens, violet pinpoints and swirling blues float toward you. With a swipe of changing light they seem to move: The greens recede, the purples throb, ruby reds and phosphorous oranges jump from the black like a psychedelic fever dream.
"It’s psychedelic, all right, but those aren’t drugs or special effects," says WR Russ, executive director of the Arizona Rockfest and Earth Science Fair. "Those are naturally mined minerals, glowing and changing, under ultraviolet light."
Those who think Earth science is dull as dirt have never been to Rockedelic Caverns.
The 40-foot, man-made mystery cave, an anchor attraction at this year’s Arizona Rockfest, shows the edgier side of rocks and minerals by putting geology in a different light.
What do you get when you cross a gem and mineral show with a high-energy scavenger hunt? The Arizona Rockfest and Earth Science Fair, which returns to Tempe Diablo Stadium today, is a cleverly packaged slate of science-based activities bringing kids and rocks together in the hope that sparks will fly.
"We have a 200-ton fossil dig," says Russ. "We’ve got gold panning, geode cracking, spin-the-wheel and stage shows." Rockfest offers more than 20 activities for boys and girls, young kids, tweens and teens. "We tell the teachers and parents, ‘Have the kids wear raggedy pants when they come,’ " says Russ. "They’ll be digging in the sand and making things with cement. We have literally bucket-loads of rocks and minerals to give to the kids."
Arizona Rockfest is an eclectic reinvention of the 32nd annual Mineralogical Society of Arizona’s Show. Like many of its more traditional counterparts, Rockfest will display exotic treasures from more than 70 national and international dealers. "We’re going to have lots of attractions for adults, too," says Russ. "Everything from 25-cent stones to cultured diamonds and pearls."
But the play of light off a rose quartz or the dramatic hue of turquoise doesn’t pack enough "oomph!" to make kids drop their Xboxes.
"You don’t want a museumtype atmosphere, where kids have to be quiet and just stand there staring at things," says Russ. "You want some handson activities that let kids be kids."
CRACKING GOOD TIME
Kids can play archaeologist on the Fry’s Rockin’ Fossil Dig, where planted discoveries lurk beneath an ocean of sand.
"We have seven different types of fossils: Brachiopods, crynoids, petrified wood, dinosaur fossils," says Russ. "They’ll range in size from 1 ounce to 20 pounds, and the Riparian Institute will be on hand to help kids identify what they find."
They’ll have no trouble identifying the gold flakes in the Panning for Gold attraction, but the Kids Caught Knapping exhibit teaches young ones an ancient stonecraft called flint knapping. It’s an American Indian method of chipping and shaping stones. "You chip away until you make an arrowhead or a knife blade, whatever you might need," says Russ.
And Geode Cracking personifies the value of looking deeper.
"A geode is a round, plainlooking rock," he says. "We put it on a machine, break it open and you find there are all these crystals inside."
By blending lots to do with something to think about, Rockfest aims to engage every family member. "Every year, the kids get off the buses and we don’t have to tell them where the fossil dig is," says Russ. "They go right to it." Young ones gravitate to the activities, adults can browse the gem displays, and teens float between the two.
The fun-and-fossils formula has struck a vein in the East Valley. "We’ll probably draw in the range of 3,000 kids this year," he says. "We’ll get about 1,700 from the schools (today), then the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts on Saturday and Sunday."
While Rockfest makes for an educational outing, a good field trip or a merit badge for Scouts, its creators are digging even deeper.
"This whole event was developed under these words: ‘Children are our future,’ " says Russ. "We strive to teach out here. We want to get these kids excited because they are our future geologists." |
Peterborough Lido (< 1 mile)
Three outdoor heated pools: a 50m, a teaching and a paddling pool in a Grade II listed building. Seasonal opening for a family splash about! Also a large lawn area with play facilities, balcony and refreshment area. What better way is there to enjoy the summer sun?
Regional Fitness Swimming Centre (< 1 mile)
Grasslands Equestrian Centre (< 1 mile)
Railworld (< 1 mile)
A large Wildlife Haven and habitat creation project, steam engines in the process of restoration, the worlds first 100MPH hover train, a large garden railway, and an amazing 7 track OO gauge model railway.
Lakeside SuperBowl Peterborough (< 1 mile)
Laserforce (< 1 mile)
An exciting, participation fantasy game allowing players to be the space hero that they have always wanted to be, in a safe environment.
Activity World (1 miles)
Featuring an exciting multi level indoor play area for children upto 1.55m (max age 12)and Toddler World for children up to 1m.
New Ark Adventure Playground (2 miles)
Big Sky Adventure Play (2 miles)
Big Sky Adventure Play
Features huge indoor play areas for over and under 4s plus rides and amusements mostly included in the price, like Skyrider, Pedal Karts and Track, trampolines and bouncy castle.
The Hampton Brewers Fayre (2 miles)
The Hampton Brewers Fayre
features a colourful multi level adventure soft play frame full of slides, climbs, balls and bounces, plus dedicated toddler zone with smaller versions of the big fun.
Andronicas Ceramics Studio (2 miles)
Andronicas Ceramics Studio
Create a unique piece of art by you at our ceramics studio! Choose from dragons, fairies, bowls, cars and loads more. Design and paint it, then weâll do all the hard bits for you to make it special. Our coffee shop downstairs also means you can enjoy food and drink while you paint. Yum!
AMF Peterborough (2 miles)
Kids love bowling, and if they are under 6 they can use a ramp and gutter guards. Great family fun!
Peterborough Adventure Playcentre (3 miles)
Peterborough Adventure Playcentre
As well as the indoor play area if you pre-book you can try your hand at a large range of adventurous activities including high and low ropes, mountain biking, orienteering, archery, aerial runway, slippery slope, outdoor peg-pole wall, indoor bouldering wall and problem solving activities.
Ferry Meadows Country Park (3 miles)
Ferry Meadows Country Park
With meadows, lakes and woodland to explore, Ferry Meadows Country Park gives you the space to relax, enjoy an exhilarating cycle ride, walk in the woods and experience nature and the great outdoors.
Peterborough Skydome Ice Rink (3 miles)
Teamworks Karting Peterborough (3 miles)
Teamworks Karting Peterborough
is a state-of-the-art kart circuit featuring sensationally speedy but child-friendly go-karts. Featuring catering and party facilities as well as the best-trained staff and safe, responsive and speedy karts: 7 days a week! For over 8s.
Rainbow Crazy Ceramic Cafe (5 miles)
Rainbow Crazy Ceramic Cafe
is an indoor activity where children and adults can come and choose a piece of pottery and paint their own design making it unique. We have a wide range of pottery to choose from, suitable for all ages. We have now introduced Woodart to our studio giving you more choice.
Nene Valley Railway (6 miles)
Nene Valley Railway
Enjoy a vintage train ride, explore the travelling post office, and learn the difference between diesel and traction engines. And for good reasons, their Thomas is considered the 'official' Thomas The Tank Engine!
Thorney Heritage Museum (7 miles)
Thorney Heritage Museum
Concentrates on the time from the first settlement by these monks, but relates human life to the geology and water courses of the natural world.
Pigeons Farm (7 miles)
Children's Farm with hands on daily activities where children really do get close to the animals. Feed the animals, collect the eggs, enjoy the indoor and outdoor play areas, petting barn, Jumping Pillow, bale climbing, and Gobots
Battlefield Live Peterborough (7 miles)
Battlefield Live Peterborough
Authentic combat entertainment experience using military grade infrared gaming guns for anyone aged 7 to 70. Scenarios include Capture and Hold a Base, Sniper Alley, Rescue a VIP, and Team Combat, all with special lighting and sound effects.
Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre (8 miles)
Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre
Feed the friendly animals, hop on our bumpy Tractor Ride, explore the Straw Bale Maze, discover the 18th century working Watermill and play in our indoor Activity Barn. Come rain or shine, experience an action-packed, fun-filled day.
Tallington Lakes Leisure and Ski Centre (9 miles)
Tallington Lakes Leisure and Ski Centre
Lots of water sports, off road karting, dry slope for skiing, tobogganing and snowboarding, a climbing wall, water zorbing, adventure playground and heated outdoor pool. Wow!
Burghley House (10 miles)
Hidden inside the Garden of Surprises mirrors exaggerate, mazes confuse, squirts of water distract, the dank moss house captivates, transforming sculptures dazzle, the grotto entices and the longitude dial educates and astonishes!
Stamford Leisure Pool (12 miles)
Stamford Leisure Pool
Leisure pool with flume and wave machine, plus 25 metre pool for swimming development and exercise.
Pots of Fun Ceramic Cafe (12 miles)
Pots of Fun Ceramic Cafe
Roll up, roll up, make your own masterpiece right here! Choose from a selection of items and decorate as you wish, plus baby hand and foot print options and some rather unusual parties...
Hamerton Zoo Park (12 miles)
Hamerton Zoo Park
Terrific and well cared for collection of animals, they also recently built two excellent standard completely new play areas, one for babies and toddlers and the other for older children.
Barnwell Country Park (12 miles)
Barnwell Country Park
Three way marked waterside trails, numerous picnic spots, a wealth of wildlife and facilities. There are also a children's play area and an orienteering trail and two wheelchair accessible bird hides.
Oundle Treasure Trail (12 miles)
Oundle Treasure Trail
is a walk about 2.2miles long and should take about two and a half hours to complete. Oundle is a picturesque town, steeped in history. The trail includes a walk through the town, across the water meadows, along the river bank and ends in the beautiful Barnwell Country Park.
Bowl 2 Day (13 miles)
Bowl 2 Day
Bowling is a fantastic social activity suitable for all ages and abilities. It's a great way to exercise gently, develop balance, co-ordination and burn calories: get off the couch, get onto a lane!
Play 2 Day (13 miles)
Play 2 Day
Children's play and activity centre for 0 to 11 year olds, plus tenpin bowling and laser tag.
Toplodge Fineshade Wood (13 miles)
Toplodge Fineshade Wood
is a popular family visitor attraction in the heart of the Rockingham Forest. With two great play areas and a whole wood to explore; families can play, picnic, walk or cycle and then recharge their batteries at the cafe.
Fossils Galore (14 miles)
Learn all about fossils and how to find them. A number of activities on offer such as a Dinosaur hunt and a fossil or crystal hunt in a sand pit. You can also pan for gold or break some geodes.
Lets Play (15 miles)
- a four storey Pirates Galleon full of slides, balls, climbing and swinging with separate play area for the under 4's
Bourne Outdoor Swimming Pool (15 miles)
Bourne Outdoor Swimming Pool
There are two pools, one a paddling pool for the toddlers and the main pool which is 48m long and 12m wide. Open from May to September (weather permitting).
Rally Karting (15 miles)
Driving age limit around ten to twelve depending on height, contact for information. For safety they generally recommend those drivers less than 12 years old should only be on the track with youngsters of similar ages.
Johnsons Old Hurst (15 miles)
Johnsons Old Hurst
By no means a full day but a fun stopover if you're after a gambol around the field and playground or, er, sausages! Farm shop and tea rooms with play area and fort, and visual access to farm animals including crocodiles!
Lakeside Lodge Golf and Bowling (15 miles)
Paint A Pot Place (15 miles)
Paint A Pot Place
is a ceramic painting caf;© and craft studio providing a safe environment in which children and families can be creative. As well as painting pottery, we also do decopatch and childrenâs parties are a speciality.
Skylark Maize Maze and Funyard (15 miles)
Skylark Maize Maze and Funyard
Jungle Safari Maize Maze and Giant Funyard! Complete the Monkey Maze and the Jungle Bungle challenge to win Monkey Nuts. Plus: Go Karts, Pesky Pigeon Tractor Ride, Zip Wire, Pig Racing, Bouncy Castles, Happy Hands Trail, Giant Sand Pit with Mini-Diggers and more!
Scalextric Racing (15 miles)
Race around recognisably world famous race tracks without having the risk of personal injury. 6000 Square feet of floor space for teeny tiny race frenzy!
Alleycatz (16 miles)
State of the art tenpin bowling facility with pinspotters and glow lanes, classic healthy family fun with kiddie leagues and special offers too.
Metheringham Swimming Pool (16 miles)
Doodles Pottery Painting (16 miles)
Doodles Pottery Painting
is a pottery painting studio based just outside Spalding. We offer drop in and paint sessions as well as parties for adults and children. Enjoy coffee and cake while you paint from the onsite cafe too. Please note limited opening.
Leos Funzone (16 miles)
There are multi levels packed with climbing walls, slides, swings, spinning panels, wobble floors, ball pools, interactive games and much more. For babies and toddlers there is a separate stimulating play area.
The Play Barn (17 miles)
The Play Barn
The Springfields Centre offers gardens with display fountains and nature walks, indoor and outdoor play, plus new Jurassic Mini Golf with life sized dinosaurs in the beautiful landscaped prehistoric garden.
The Raptor Foundation (17 miles)
The Raptor Foundation
A bird of prey sanctuary and hospital. It is a unique and exciting place for children and adults alike to meet and learn about owls, falcons, hawks and buzzards in a 30 acre site.
Cromwell Museum (17 miles)
The purpose of the Cromwell Museum is to interpret his life and legacy through portraits, documents and objects associated with Cromwell. Impressively impartial!
Fermyn Woods Country Park (17 miles)
Fermyn Woods Country Park
Situated in the heart of the Rockingham Forest, the park offers access to fantastic woodlands, meadows, thickets, marshes and ponds to explore.
Fun Farm (17 miles)
Come and meet Harry the Spider in his Spooky cave. There is a Super Wavey Waterfall Slide, a fun Log Maze and Snakey Tube Slides.
Thanks for all the great things to do in Peterborough with kids you keep sending in.
Now we have the easter and summer holidays fast approaching, we're trying to find the best days out and as many fun things to do with kids as possible, especially cheap and free family friendly places to visit this year - theme parks, waterparks and swimming pools, museums, indoor playcentres and softplay for toddlers, petting farms, wildlife parks and zoos, aquariums, horse riding, castles, steam railways, pottery making and ceramic cafes, roller and ice skating rinks, karting tracks, snowdomes, dry and indoor ski slopes, climbing walls, activity centres, outdoor play at the best local parks, ten pin bowling alleys and all the other best family tourist attractions, that you can visit at the weekend.
Also teachers may find the site useful for ideas for the best places to take their classes on school journeys with many historical and educational atractions listed
So, if you've been for great days out with the kids, or a school trip, which isn't shown above, just send in an email and we'll add it on so people visiting on holidays and all the other children in Cambridgeshire can enjoy the great day out as well.
Places to go in Cambridgeshire
Kids fun in Norfolk
Things to do in Cambridge
Things to do in Essex
Places to visit in Peterborough
Where to go in Hertfordshire
Bedfordshire days out
Things to do in Ely
Theme parks in Norfolk
Swimming in Peterborough
Play centres in Peterborough
Zoos in Peterborough
Ice skating near Peterborough
Tenpin bowling near Peterborough
Dry ski slopes near Peterborough
Places to go in London
Zoos in Cambridgeshire
Places to visit in Suffolk
Places to visit near Huntingdon
Days out near Wisbech |
By Jim Schutze
By Rachel Watts
By Lauren Drewes Daniels
By Anna Merlan
By Lee Escobedo
By Eric Nicholson
I recently read your article by Ann Zimmerman, "It's Our Turn To Be Heard" [April 17]. I extol the efforts of the Mexican-American community. I applaud the stand that Yvonne Gonzalez, Alfred Carrizales, Adelfa Callejo, and their colleagues have taken. The aggressive position they have seized to represent Mexican-American youth is something to be proud of.
Unfortunately, some of the statements made by Lee Alcorn do not (and I state that emphatically) represent the views of the African-American community with a minute amount of intelligence. "I call them vultures...I don't give a damn about Hispanic children." Alcorn should probably go pick up a few history books and read about the alliances that African-Americans and Mexican-Americans have formed from the dawn of time.
I am African-American, and I am beginning to think that the only prerequisite to becoming a leader in our community is the ability to make ignorant statements--and execute the most incognizant assignments--at the most inopportune time possible. Alcorn's comments are distressing commentary from someone representing a major Dallas organization, the NAACP. If he would focus more of his time trying to educate African-American children, instead of vying for camera shots, the children in the district might advance in the area of learning.
"Viva La Raza" to all of the Mexican-Americans who are trying to show self-reliance and give a positive image to the youth that they exemplify. An old African adage states, "It takes an entire village to raise a child." It is amazing that other people recognize and adhere to this statement more readily than those who coined the phrase.
To the staff writers at the Observer, I would request, to avoid further embarrassment of the African-American community, please do not interview Alcorn. The two "sound bites" that were previously mentioned were more than enough. Who knows what remarks he might make if you give him 4 or 5 pages to spout the absolutely useless rhetoric that he is so effective at articulating.
Up and up
I've been a faithful reader of your publication for a long time, even before it became fashionable. Being an African-American, I've listened to other blacks trash the Observer for being biased in its reporting, and in stories about people of color in this city and just in general. Well, I haven't seen it! To the contrary, it appears to me that the Observer is pretty much on the up-and-up. And in particular I miss Laura Miller, especially in light of the latest scandal(s) at City Hall concerning Al [Lipscomb] and Paul [Fielding].
I enjoyed the piece on Betty Culbreath ["Betty's in Charge," March 27]. Everything I've ever heard about her has always been positive, and that includes your article and the resulting letters.
I have to disagree with your review of the new downtown restaurant, Fish ["Catch and release," March 13]. I have dined there twice. I tasted some of the items on the menu that your critic seemed to think weren't up to par, or just downright bad. Sorry, I have to disagree with her. The food that was served to me was delightful, the service pleasant, and the waiter knowledgeable. Ms. Critic seemed to have overlooked their signature dish, Green Soup--a big winner. Also, perhaps her hearing was off that night too, because I heard some of the best "bar piano" music in Dallas. I'm sorry she had to present such a dismal review of a delicious newcomer to the Dallas restaurant scene.
Give Denton its due
I am a student at the University of North Texas who lives in Denton. I understand that your publication cannot always cover all the news in all of the areas surrounding Dallas. However, I resent your publication taking credit on behalf of Dallas for all of the local music talent. A majority of the bands that you write about--claiming they are from Dallas--are from Denton, Fort Worth, or some other non-Dallas area. Also, the music venues where many of these bands get their start are in Denton, and you never support these venues. As a frequent reader, I would like to see more credit given where credit is deserved. |
Drive Type: rwd
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
Ford has made a few notable tweaks to the lower end of its F-150 lineup, giving customers a more affordable version of the four-door SuperCrew body style. The popular SuperCrew could previously only be had on XLT models and above, but Ford has announced that 2014 F-150s with the base STX trim can get the more versatile body.
The STX SuperCrew brings the price of a four-door F-150 down from $34,525 to $33,145. Like the XLT SuperCrew, the STX will be available with the choice of a 5.5- or 6.5-foot bed, while a 5.0-liter V8 can replace the base 3.7-liter V6 for $4,425. Ford has not released pricing on the different bed lengths yet, but opting for the 6.5-foot bed on the XLT raises the price $1,240 and forces buyers into the 5.0-liter V8. We'd expect a similar arrangement on the STX.
The other big news for fans of affordable pickups is the addition of an STX Sport Package on the base-level truck. It adds 20-inch wheels, black exterior accents, black-and-gray cloth seats and decals on the truck's box. The Sport Package is available on all three of the STX's body styles, with Ford listing the price as $980 with current discounts.
A few weeks ago we brought you news of a one-off Mustang Cobra Jet that Ford was donating to charity. The car was set to be auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson in Las Vegas to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Now that auction has taken place, bringing in an impressive $200,000 for MS research.
That's a lot of zeros for a Mustang, much less one you can't even drive on the street. But the unique pony car, bearing serial number 2014 BJMS CJXX1, packs a 5.0-liter supercharged V8, competition gearbox, wheelie bar, roll cage... all you could want, in short, in a turn-key drag racer. And all that for a good cause.
Don't look for a tremendous shifts in automotive market share over the next three years because it might not be coming. That's at least according to the annual Car Wars report by John Murphy, from Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research.
In the report's analysis of automakers' market share from 2013 to 2017, it predicts only small changes among the major companies. Ford and Honda see the biggest positive effect with an estimated 0.5 percent increase in their shares over the next three years; to 16.2 percent and 10.3 percent respectively. On the flip side, European automakers and Nissan are expected to lose 0.2 percent each to fall to 8.3 percent and 7.8 percent each respectively. The rest of the industry is predicted to hold steady as it is now.
The biggest loser in that prediction might be Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles. The report certainly throws a wet blanket on its plan for significant gains in market share. Murphy told The Detroit News that the company's goal was "almost unattainable." |
- 10sBalls | Tennis can't be Tennis without Balls - http://www.10sballs.com -
The Tennis Gods Rapture
Posted By Deepa On May 30, 2011 @ 4:56 am In Top Story | No Comments
So, the rapture didn’t come. We are all still here, living to see another day, although some of us are doing that with considerably less money. However, those among us who are still looking to fulfill that feeling of an intangible and all-knowing being coming down to earth and intervening in our daily goings-on need not look any further than the first week of Roland Garros. Looks like the Tennis Gods have a sense of humor based on the rapture-worthy twists they decided to serve up this week. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the proceedings:
Even though he did the draw himself, Rafael Nadal had the displeasure of drawing human tree/tennis player John Isner as his first round opponent. Now, the fact that he is an American and can’t fit in an airplane seat should make you think that this will be easy work for the King of the Clay. I am sure Mr. Nadal was as surprised as I was to find himself down 2 sets 1 after losing two tie-breaks to the beanstalk doppelganger. While Isner never managed to serve his way to any match points, he certainly gave everyone something to talk about when he made Nadal look undeniably human at Roland Garros between the 3rd and 4th sets. Rafa managed to make it happen in the end, playing his first 5 set match at Roland Garros ever. Raptured.
Speaking of Nadal, remember that guy who is his main rival? No no, I’m not talking about Novak Djokovic. I’m talking about that other guy, the one with 16 grand slams and a gold medal, the man who today made it into his 28th consecutive grand slam quarter final today? Roger something right? There is no clearer sign that the world may actually be coming to an end when “Roger Federer” and “under the radar” are used in the same sentence so many times in one week. The mighty Fed has been left out of the conversation to such a degree that ESPN showed a post-match press conference of his in which there wasn’t a single English question asked. Sign of the times? Raptured.
Speaking of favorites, remember Kim Clijsters? She was nearly every “expert’s” pick to win the whole tournament. This prediction was made despite the fact that she hadn’t played a clay tournament for multiple years and that she hadn’t played a match since her loss in Miami to Victoria Azarenka and the fact that she injured her ankle recently while dancing at a wedding. Still, Kim was undoubtedly a favorite for one reason or another. Then the tennis gods struck. Clijsters went down to the 114th-ranked Aranxta Rus of the Netherlands in the 2nd round. So long favorite. Clijsters made a total of 65 errors during the match, 66 if you include that unfortunate get-up from Fila. Raptured.
What about our women’s no. 1? What has Woz been up to these days? Well, as of yesterday, she has moved on from the clay to the grass as she was kindly shown the exit by veteran Daniela Hantuchova. By all accounts, Sunshine should have won this match. She has a winning record against Hantuchova who is as famous for her ability to choke away a match as she is for her portfolio. However, as is the case in the slam with no lights, the sun set on Caroline Wozniacki as Dani held her nerve and showed the world no. 1 (who is eight years her junior) how they do things in the pros. Raptured.
As I may have alluded to earlier, there isn’t much expected of Americans when it comes to clay-court tennis. That’s why it may be surprising to know that all 6 American boys in the juniors draw won their first round matches. Raptured. Patrick McEnroe will be happy with that.
Oh, and to top this week off, Maria Sharapova has become a top favorite to win this whole thing. She has made just 9 double faults in this tournament so far. Not in a set, not in a match, but in the whole tournament.
Oh Roland Garros, I was hoping for a quiet week.
Article printed from 10sBalls | Tennis can't be Tennis without Balls: http://www.10sballs.com
URL to article: http://www.10sballs.com/2011/05/30/the-tennis-gods-rapture/
Copyright 2011 10sBalls.com. All rights reserved. |
My church printed this article I wrote, along with this photo, in our bulletin. For perspective, I attend Granada Presbyterian Church in Coral Gables, thus the "Granada Man" comment.
That’s me, New Years Day, 1981. My dad took me to the Miccosukee Indian Village. The whole family went, actually. But I don’t remember being with the family much that day. All I remember is being with my dad, the vast expanse of saw grass under a clear blue sky, men wrestling alligators, a beautiful young Miccosukee girl, and a knife for sale in the gift shop I wanted… badly.
This photo represents so many things to me. It represents those precious days of my youth; those rare occasions when we got out of the old neighborhood in the Miami suburbs to enjoy the natural treasures that surround us. We can miss them, these occasions, if we don’t take the time to experience them.
This photo also represents for me the heart of every man. The heart that cries out to be unleashed and experience this adventure called life. It is a heart that cannot be tamed. As I looked out over the saw grass, images of unexplored territory and trails to be carved came rushing in. There is danger at every turn. There are gators, panthers, bears… oh my. A person could die out there. Then I thought, cool.
So, here I am so many years later, still with so much left to explore. I find myself surrounded by other men; brothers with the same desire to explore and to conquer; to live. But it’s not just about cutting trails with machetes or catching a big fish to cook over an open fire. It’s about being the men God called us to be. We are not tamed, but we are His. What does that mean? It means we search Him out daily. We carve the trails, not because we are lone rangers on a selfish quest for vainglory; that is what small men do. We explore the wild and we explore it as brothers, because we desire to live out this adventure with Him, and for His glory; a quest we cannot seek on our own. Our hearts are calling out His name. This is at the heart of the men’s ministry we call, Granada Man.
And the single hawk bursts into flight
And in the east the whole horizon is in flames
I feel thunder in the sky
I see the sky about to rain
And I hear the prairies calling out Your name –Rich Mullins- |
Defense Attorney Larry Bronson and Gambino Crime Family Associate Steven Kaplan Charged with Racketeering Conspiracy
ROSLYNN R. MAUSKOPF, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and MARK J. MERSHON, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging defense attorney LARRY BRONSON and Gambino family associate STEVEN KAPLAN with racketeering conspiracy, including acts of witness tampering, bribery, and obstruction of justice. BRONSON is also charged with contempt of court.1
The defendants were arrested this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. before United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis, at the U.S. Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York.
According to the indictment and a detention memorandum filed today by the government, BRONSON used his status as an attorney to corruptly assist La Cosa Nostra in its criminal activities and to obstruct justice on its behalf. Specifically, BRONSON, together with KAPLAN, who is an alleged associate of the Gambino family, engaged in repeated acts of witness intimidation and efforts at bribery in connection with an investigation and prosecution of crimes -- including interstate prostitution, wire fraud, money laundering, loansharking, and extortion -- involving the Gold Club, a strip club owned and operated by KAPLAN in Atlanta, Georgia.2 As alleged in the indictment, BRONSON used his role as an attorney to help members of La Cosa Nostra use threats and intimidation to tamper with individuals subpoenaed to testify in the grand jury, and attempt to bribe witnesses to testify untruthfully to the grand jury and at trial, to include:
coaching Gold Club employees who had been subpoenaed to the grand jury to exculpate KAPLAN;
bribing a Gambino associate they suspected of cooperating to ensure his silence; and threatening
to reveal a witness's extra-marital activities to his wife if he was truthful in the grand jury.
These acts were initially designed to prevent KAPLAN from being indicted, and, after he was indicted and brought to trial on racketeering charges, to influence the outcome of the trial. Ultimately, KAPLAN pled guilty to racketeering.
BRONSON is also charged with hosting meetings in his Manhattan law office attended by members of organized crime who were on supervised release and under court order not to associate with each other. Finally, BRONSON is charged with disseminating to organized crime members information about individuals he believed were cooperating with the government in organized crime cases.
"Lawyers who choose threats and bribery over advocacy and legal skill to win cases become willing partners in the criminal activity of their clients," stated United States Attorney MAUSKOPF. "By crossing this line, Bronson violated the basic tenets of ethical lawyering and made a mockery of his oath as a member of the bar."
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge MERSHON stated, "The charges unsealed today reveal a sordid partnership between a mob associate and a member of the bar, both of whom were working to the detriment of the criminal justice system. The men and women of the FBI have zero tolerance for this type of behavior and will always seek to bring those who engage in it to justice."
If convicted of racketeering conspiracy, BRONSON and KAPLAN face a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The government's case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Caren Myers.
Name: LARRY BRONSON
Name: STEVEN KAPLAN
The Department of Justice believes that it is important to keep victims/witnesses of federal crime informed of court proceedings and what services may be available to assist you. |
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[[caption-width-right:348:Left to right: Clara, Jake, Angela, Louis, Eric and Ronin]]
''Bring Dice And Chips'' is a weekly webcomic about the gaming and personal lives of a group of [[TabletopRPG tabletop roleplaying game]] players. It is featured weekly in [=DriveThruRPG.com's=] online newsletter. The humor comes from the conflict of the expectations of the characters, each of whom represents a different kind of role player:
* Clara is the GameMaster. She tries using the games to tell a good story, but her friends usually have other things in mind. Yet she is too shy to force things to go her way. She's also somewhat insecure, probably for not being as attractive as Angela. Recently she started a relationship with Louis, Erik's psychiatrist, a fact that has changed the strip's dynamics in unexpected ways.
* Jake is a "Munchkin", a player who just wants to show off his mastery of all game mechanics and rules. He's also a [[Franchise/StarTrek Trekkie]] and kind of clueless about everything else.
* Angela is a [[LiveActionRolePlay LARPer]] who dabbles in tabletop, looking for more moments to perform. She plays a sexy priestess. Despite her looks and kinky attitude, she may be the most well-adjusted person in the group (at least compared to the rest.)
* Erik is a fat geek who works at a tech support job he hates; roleplaying is his way to escape from reality. He actually has serious issues, enough that he assaulted his boss once and is under psychiatric counseling. He's gotten worse recently, apparently believing he's actually Thor. His shrink is now dating Clara.
* "Ronin" is a mystery; no one knows his real name, and he likes it that way. He's "that guy," full of great ideas, but always scaring you just a little. Like Angela, he's more sane and nice than he seems.
* Louis is Eric's shrink; he joined the group to watch over him after his arrest and "study" roleplayers. (it turns out he had done some roleplaying in his youth though.) Then he and Clara hit it together. So much so, that her suffering under the group's crazy antics have shaken him off his detached demeanor and now wants revenge on them! Cold, calculated revenge...
One noticeable thing about the comic is the recent art shift: it used to be made using a drag-and-drop art program called stripgenerator [[http://stripgenerator.com/strip/395319/bring-dice-and-chips-on-being-a-girl-gamer/view/fresh/]] but currently has an actual artist.
!Tropes in Bring Dice And Chips:
* ArtEvolution: VERY noticeable.
* CoatHatMask: Ronin dresses like Radio/TheShadow.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Clara CAN be though (and clever) when pushed too far.
* TheDitz: Jake
* EvenTheGirlsWantHer: Angela. Or so she claims.
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler:Ronin during the superhero campaign. (He was TheMole.)]]
* HollywoodPudgy: Clara.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Ronin
* LoveMakesYouCrazy: Louis.
* PlotTailoredToTheParty: [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in-universe: Louis comes up with a superhero campaign that makes the guys look incompetent (while making the girls look good.)
* SadlyMythtaken: Erik is acting as if he now believes he ''really'' is Thor.
* SliceOfLife: Gaming life that is.
* SeriousBusiness: roleplaying. |
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Rated 4 out of 5Â by HappySailor Awesome, but not for my smalll butt...
This pants are very cool and "true to size" - but I personally did not like the back pockets - did not flatter my butt at all - like in the model actually. Will return.
Rated 3 out of 5Â by TMonkey Love the flare. Bad zipper.
I love these jeans! Fit great and are pretty true to size. My only complaint is the zipper is weak. It doesn't stay zipped. I'm going to contact FP to see if this can be remedied, but it is a little sad to see a $150 pair of jeans with a weak zipper. Also, it's a bummer that they are not offered in different inseam lengths. You can cut the bottom and let fray naturally over time, but the frayed edge they come with is so cool and I was sad to have to cut it off to get them to a good length for me (I'm 5'4").
Rated 5 out of 5Â by lillbit Oh YES!
These are soooo different! You'll def. get stopped while wearing these sweeties! Just tried them on and with super high heels, they'll just about graze the floor (I'm 5'5) but I'm okay with that. I'm 128 lbs and the 27 fit perfectly! I walked out with another pair but will def. keep an eye on these for a sale? If I see they go low in inventory, then I'll dish out the $150. They're worth it!
Rated 5 out of 5Â by Shar OMG!!! Amazing Jeans!
I saw these jeans and HAD to have them! I was correct - they are just amazing! The jeans are so different from other wide-leg styles that are out there. They are truly unique and can be worn with so many different tops and in so many ways. The fabric is soft, comfortable, and really cool. I feel like I've traveled in a time capsule, back to the 70s!!! They do run a bit snug - I am usually a 25 or 26 in most jeans, but after reading other reviews, I ordered these in a 27 - perfect fit!!! They are not too long, and I can wear them with platforms or sandals. They are very flattering, and the way they move when I walk just makes me feel so elegant. I am about 5ft. 5in. tall, and they are not overwhelming at all. I highly recommend getting these amazing jeans while you can! You won't be sorry - they are really just one of the best pair of jeans that I own - and, I own a lot of jeans!!!! Love!
Rated 4 out of 5Â by calxoxo ick factor:(
LOVE LOVE LOVE THESE PANTS! buttttt, i just received them in the mail and they were in a ball, literally, and then stuffed in a bag wrapped in tape... i read another review that said the same thing. there was so much tape on the bag that it was difficult to get open... in that sense i am very disappointed. im sure they were returned and now they smell funny. ill wash them a few times... just a bummer when your spending 150+ bucks on a pair of pants.... :(
Rated 5 out of 5Â by BlueInk My New Favorite Jeans!
I absolutely LOVE these jeans! Besides the fact that they look amazing on they are SO soft!!! I'm only 5'1" so most flare jeans don't end up being flare after I hem them but even after having several inches cut off of these the flare is still extreme! Good job FP! Fortunately I was able to try them on in the store because they run VERY SMALL! I had to go up 2 sizes from my normal size to get the fit of the first picture so SIZE UP! I reeeeeally hope FP makes these in lots more washes!
Rated 5 out of 5Â by vintijgirl BELLS WILL BE RINGING!!
I initially ordered a size 26 once I saw the measurements for the 28, but they were too tight so I ordered a sz 28...BETTER. (Not too sure what they were measuring...natural waist or drop waist.) These fit great and the bells are awesome. I have other bellbottom jeans, but the bells on these are awesome and not to be compared to my other ones. Buy if you can find them.
Rated 5 out of 5Â by xena3711 RIDICULOUSLY PERFECT!!!
Lucky to have gotten these jeans.
They were gone before they made it onto the racks.
Super sexy, 70's jeans.
Lightweight, long - but not too long, distressed, flattering jeans.
Elephant ear flares.
Be ready for the looks, everyone will be envious..... |
When I was growing up, chef’s salads were all the rage. I remember trying to transport this idea to Spain; we, one of my roommates and I, were hosting a luncheon in her mom’s home in Tarragona. I don’t remember what else was on the menu, but I do vividly recall that the guests unabashedly balked at our chef’s salad, which we served topped with Russian dressing. (I don’t remember what surprised me more: the fact that they were so displeased with the salad, or the fact that they verbalized their feelings!) Though I had a bit of a setback then, combined with an epiphany regarding the fact that what I might like might not be what others enjoy, I also realized something: there are many ways to recreate a basic.
Fast forward to many moons later, and, well I guess I wasn’t too scarred after all. Here I am, making chef’s salads once again. Only, my friends, this chef’s salad is not the same as the ones I (or my mom!) used to make; this chef’s salad is a Latin-style version.
Now stay with me here!
Photo by my daughter, Sofia Markusfeld
Basically the thinking behind this chef’s salad came out of the fact that many of my relatives and friends are now gluten free, and therefore even my one-time bread loving comrades are not enjoying sandwiches like they used to. However, many of the carnivores among them still enjoy meat and cheese. So in this case, what I did was take the inside of my version of a Cuban sandwich (one of my favorites!) and put it on the outside, atop mixed greens. You’ll see in the picture that there’s a ramekin of grainy mustard. So, what’s in this particular version? This chef’s salad has a kind of ropa vieja (shredded meat) of pernil (slow-roasted pork shoulder), julienne-like slices of manchego cheese, some grape tomatoes, and assorted greens. In addition to the grainy mustard, oil and vinegar, or just a few squeezes of fresh lemon or lime, are options. Other chef’s salads I’m making include marinated and roasted portobello mushrooms with roasted red pepper and a cilantro vinaigrette….and there are others! More than a recipe, my friends, I’m again conveying one of my favorite ways of thinking: the sky’s the limit! Would love to hear about your chef’s salads. In the meantime, ¡Buen provecho! Enjoy! |
Learn something new every day More Info... by email
The term corporate wellness refers to the implementation of specific health-oriented programs as an extension of benefits to promote good health habits among employees. Also known as workplace wellness, the potential to realize a return on the investment of such a program is not lost on employers. For one thing, increased employee wellness generally leads to increased productivity. For another, a corporate wellness program may help to reduce the costs of health insurance. Of course, employees benefit from being provided with an outlet to reduce work-related stress and access to various health service solutions.
In the U.S., corporate wellness programs are becoming increasingly popular. They are also expanding in scope. For example, while many businesses have provided health-related incentives such as on-site gym facilities for years, many are now adding additional services that range from massage therapy to nutritional counseling. In addition, many human resource managers have seized the opportunity to make their corporate wellness programs perform double duty. For example, lunch hour and coffee break stretching sessions can be combined with team-building games.
In addition to improving productivity, corporate wellness also appears to reduce absenteeism. Several reasons for this can be speculated. However, it seems reasonable to assume that the primary reason may be due to a reduction in certain conditions among employees that promote absenteeism, such as obesity. Statistically speaking, employees that are overweight are much more likely to suffer “office colds” and other medical problems that can keep them away from work.
There are other benefits to initiating a corporate wellness program that are less obvious, one of them being to improve employee retention. It’s a fact that recruiting and training new employees is an expense that can quickly add up. However, greater employee satisfaction can result in fewer turnovers and minimize the need for this expenditure. In addition, offering a corporate wellness program may attract better-qualified candidates for employment. As an added bonus, a company that embraces corporate wellness tends to be perceived as “caring,” which translates to a positive public image and enhanced community relations.
A corporate wellness program is not a one-size-fits-all plan, however. In fact, there are companies and individuals that specialize in tailoring a program according to the employer’s size and physical accommodations. The usual menu of choices for a program typically consists of health seminars, personal counseling, and on-site fitness checkups. However, many programs offer additional services, such as massage sessions, yoga and Pilates. Group activities designed to promote personal accountability and team-building skills may include boxing, self-defense training, and even extended boot camps. |
2012 AMA MX
MX Sports Pro Racing released the 2012 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship schedule, which will again consist of 12 rounds.
The 2012 AMA MX season opener will be the traditional Hangtown Classic in California May 19, and conclude Sept. 8 at California track that will be determined.
In between will be all the circuit known to the AMA Motocross Championship – Freestone, Thunder Valley, High Point, Budds Creek, RedBud, Spring Creek, Washougal, Southwick, Unadilla and Steel City.
Davey Coombs (MX Sports Pro Racing President) says: “We are very fortunate to have so many great, iconic motocross tracks as part of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship-tracks that challenge the racers and have strong, loyal fan bases that come out to see these races.
“This series is the pinnacle of professional motocross, and the growth we’ve seen in the last three years for both the live audiences and television viewers watching from all over the world has been outstanding.”
The Motocross series will also have an expanded TV package with NBC Sports Group, and will be streamed live on allisports.com.
Once the MX racing gets underway, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto will be looking to defend his AMA Motocross title. But the Californian will have much work with the talent heading into 2012 – Red Bull KTM’s Ryan Dungey, TwoTwo Motorsport Honda’s Chad Reed and Joe Gibbs Racing Yamaha’s James Stewart.
And many challenges will also surface from other teams, incluing Team Honda Muscle Milk, the Yoshimura Suzuki factory team, MotoConcepts/Alessi Racing, the new L&Mc Racing Honda team spearheaded by legend Jeremy McGrath, and more.
In the 250 Class, newly-crowned champion, and Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider, Dean Wilson will not only have to defend his title against the best young riders in America, he will also be pursued by the two most recent MX2 World Champions. Frenchman Marvin Musquin and German sensation Ken Roczen have each earned Grand Prix titles on 250cc motorcycles, and will now join forces at Red Bull KTM to challenge Wilson for the most-coveted outdoor title in the sport, a Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Add in the formidable GEICO Honda team, DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha, Rockstar Energy Suzuki, JDR KTM, in addition to Troy Lee Designs/Lucas Oil Honda, and the 2012 season is ripe for exceptional competition, MX Sports says.
Additionally, the Women’s Motocross Championship will be included at eight rounds. Led by defending champion, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Ashley Fiolek, who claimed her third title in four years as a pro, the world’s fastest women riders are set to bring even more excitement to the series. Fiolek can once again expect serious competition from her primary rival, and fellow multi-time champion, Jessica Patterson of the DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha team, MX sports says.
Tickets for all 12 rounds of the 2012 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship will be on sale on Moto Monday, Dec. 5. Fans eager to get a head start on plans for next summer can simply log onto the official website of American Motocross at AlliSports.com/motocross.
2012 Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship Schedule
- Hangtown Motocross Classic*, Sacramento, Calif., May 19
- Freestone Raceway*, Wortham, Texas, May 26
- Thunder Valley Motocross*, Lakewood, Colo., June 2
- High Point Raceway, Mt. Morris, Pa., June 9
- Budds Creek Motocross, Mechanicsville, Md., June 16
- RedBud*, Buchanan, Mich., July 7
- Spring Creek Motocross*, Millville, Minn., July 14
- Washougal MX Park, Washougal, Wash., July 21
- Moto-X 338*, Southwick, Mass., Aug. 11
- Unadilla. New Berlin, N.Y., Aug. 18
- Steel City Raceway*, Delmont, Pa., Sept. 1
- TBA* Southern Calif., Sept. 8 |
WHEELS SET SPECS
Wheel size: 700c
Weight: 1485gm set [650gm/835gm].
Spoke count: bladed 14F/16R
Rim: 33mm deep alloy clincher by 22mm wide Delta rim
Freehub: CNC machined Titanium – Shimano/SRAM 10/11 or Campagnolo 10/11
PowerTap option: G3 hub
Category: Road Race, Triathlon, Time Trial, Fitness, Training
Featured technology: Paired spokes, Delta Rim Technology, Differential Flange Diameter, Dish Reducing design™, Jacketed Nipple Design™
Upgrades available: Prima Plus and Hero
Rolf Prima – Vigor – Featured technology
- Paired Spokes
- Delta Rim Technology
- Dish Reducing design
- Differential Flange Diameter
- Jacketed Nipple Design™
- Internal Nipples
- Aero - Wind Tunnel Results
This is what we are known for. Paired spoking is when the spokes meet at the rim in pairs. In conventional wheels the spokes are evenly spaced. Tensioned spokes pull not only down toward the hub, but also outward toward the flanges. When spokes are paired at the rim, these left and right pulling forces are neutralized. If using conventional lacing, these lateral forces try to pull low spoke count wheels out of true. Pairing the spokes allows us to use fewer spokes on lighter rims than anyone. Found on all Rolf Prima wheel models.
Delta Rim Technology
Through computer aided modeling, design iterations and countless hours of wind tunnel, lab and field testing, Rolf Prima has developed a rim shape which greatly improves aerodynamics, ride feel and overall handling. The ultimate in any design is efficiency. For wheels, design efficiency manifests in saved weight and power savings which leads to increased rider speed. The Delta Rim Technology is a shaped profile that improves tire fit, creating a more aerodynamic interface with the tire as well as better tire support. Our wider tire bed fits tightly to the tire sidewalls smoothing airflow and better supporting the tire sidewalls. This improves turning precision, ride comfort and overall handling. A wide tire bed provides the base for Delta’s shaped sidewalls which are designed to continue smooth air flow along the rim and improve wheel stability in cross winds.
Dish Reducing design
Rolf Prima's Dish Reducing Design reduces the dish of the drive side spokes, increasing stiffness and making for a more stable and smoother ride. Dish Reducing Design technology is used on all Rolf Prima wheel models.
Differential Flange Diameter
Rolf Prima's Differential Flange Diameter technology transmits drive torque in the rear wheel across both flanges to increase the number of pulling spokes. This means even with Rolf Prima's low spoke counts, you still have the same number of pulling spokes as a traditional spoked wheel. Differential Flange Diameter technology is used on all Rolf Prima wheel models.
Jacketed Nipple Design™
Rolf Prima's Jacketed Nipple Design moves the spoke bend away from the high stress areas of the spoke, increasing spoke life. The Jacketed Nipple Design is used in all Rolf Prima deep section, areo rims.
By using internal nipples Rolf Prima is able to reduce stresses on the nipple because the nipple is in compression. Building with internal nipples also decreases overall wind drag of the wheel, increasing aerodynamic benefits. Internal nipple technology is used on all Rolf Prima road and triathlon specific wheel models.
Aerodynamics - Wind Tunnel Results
Can Rolf Prima wheels make you faster? YES .. .. At 23 mph, 80% of an average rider's power output is used just to overcome the wind resistance. We have designed our wheels to decrease the wind resistance, meaning more of your power goes into relentless forward motion.
Click here to see Aero test protocol & FAQ's |
Jewish World Review August 5, 2011 5 Menachem-Av, 5771
The Evil Mind of the Mass Murderer
By Suzanne Fields
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Nothing so focuses the mind on the nature of evil like mass murder. The numbers magnify a singular horror, and become collectively unfathomable. Josef Stalin, who knew something about mass murder, showed his cold-blooded ruthlessness when he called one death a tragedy, many deaths a statistic.
Anders Behring Breivik, the Oslo shooter, would understand. He defies our ability to explain. He startles us with his ideological rationalizations, perverting Christian ideas beyond recognition, testifying only to his own crazy interpretations. But in sadness and fear, we endlessly probe his psyche, seeking causes and looking for reasons impossible for the human heart to comprehend.
His twisted mind required that his justification reside in "a higher good," which he spelled out in a 1,500-page manifesto posted on the Internet for all the world to read. It exposes a worldview rooted in a demented political vision of violently erasing Islamic influence from Europe. He blames Europeans for allowing their "purer" population to be "corrupted" by Muslims with high birth rates and ideas that threaten, he says, the very survival of the West. He advocates killing political leaders and religious followers.
Theodore Dalrymple, a British psychiatrist who works with prisoners, interprets these murderous rants from a psychological perspective. "I assume that when he was shooting all those people, what was in his mind was the higher good that he thought he was doing," he told The Wall Street Journal. "And that was more real to him than the horror he was creating around him."
Unlike Islamist terrorists, the Norwegian did not set himself up to die, but wanted to stay around to cooperate with the police and state his case, believing that his explanation would persuade millions of Europeans to take his point and act on it.
If we didn't think he was insane to do what he did, surely the logic of his wish to stay alive to deliver its rationale was insane. Try as we might, the explanation for his murderous rage won't be found in his childhood, his thwarted childlike wishes or his toilet training. Gone are the days — good riddance — when we put responsibility for evil on family discipline (or lack of it).
Nor can we blame the culture that nourished him. Some of the people quoted appreciatively by Breivik have felt compelled to disavow him. That shouldn't be necessary. It's clear that his mishmash of ideas were not coherently put together, but drawn up by a psychopath.
Environmentalists didn't think it necessary to defend themselves in the wake of the Unabomber, though the Unabomber drew on many of their ideas when he set out to destroy others. Interpretations of individual human behavior are always complicated, and all those writers and cultural leaders quoted, both positively and negatively, by the Oslo shooter testify only that he put everything he read through the filter of a deranged mind.
It's silly to describe Breivik, as one Norwegian analyst did, as a "Christian version of al-Qaida." A lone lunatic is a lone lunatic, and there's nothing Christian about it. Dalrymple is correct that we feel compelled to understand evil in ways that don't require us to trouble ourselves about goodness. Evil animates the mind.
It's no coincidence that John Milton opened "Paradise Lost" by focusing on Satan, or that readers of Dante's "Divine Comedy" prefer the Inferno to Purgatorio and Paradiso. Evil is tangible. Goodness is more abstract. That doesn't mean there isn't a human need, even craving, to understand why people are good. It's just that virtue is more elusive, less dramatically defined.
John Jacques Rousseau said that evil is a deviation from what is natural. He blamed society and culture when things go wrong. Charles Darwin and Sigmond Freud complicated matters, but modern biological science now challenges us with new questions about innocence and guilt, free will and determinism, blameworthiness and accountability. If Breivik is found to be legally insane, he will be treated differently by the courts than if he is shown to be rational and in charge of his actions.
The bedrock of Western justice still rests on individual volition and blame, but the lines of good and evil are blurred more than they used to be. We grieve with all those lives touched by the mass murderer in Norway, and count on the courts to see clearly into the evil at work. We may never fully understand how so much could go so wrong in the mind of one man.
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© 2006, Creators Syndicate, Suzanne Fields |
Fermented pizza (Microsoft product)
From Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia
The contributions of over sixty scientists have resulted in this revolutionary recipe for fermenting pizza:
- Outsource a pizza from a Microsoft Partner Program Member, such as Papa Murphy's.
- Using a large syringe, inject the pizza with a slurry of blended yeast, barley, hops, and filtered water.
- Place the pizza in the trunk of a Toyota Corolla.
- Park the car in an unshaded parking lot on a hot summer day.
- Wait seventeen days.
edit Market strategy
We caught up with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to ask him a few questions about fermented pizza.
"Fermented pizza is an idea whose time has come," says Ballmer. "Our market research shows that over 90% of people who enjoy alcohol also at least occasionally eat pizza at the same time. Over 90%! Think of an analogy to the cheeseburger. Sure, you could have a burger, and a glass of melted cheese, and a glass of ketchup, and a packet of fries. But isn't it better to combine them all into one glorious entity?"
Asked whether a software company can realistically compete in the pizzeria market, Ballmer scoffs loudly.
"Microsoft has proven that there is no sector of the economy which we cannot conquer," he boasts. "We decimated games like Everquest and World of Warcraft with our superior MMORPG, Asheron's Call. We destroyed the iPod with our Zune. We annihilated the Playstation 2 with our XBox. We acquired Yahoo! at less than half of its market price. And don't even get me started on what I did to Google. Am I worried about Domino's and Little Caesar's? Those dough-tossing pantywaists? I am not."
A cornerstone of Microsoft's strategy for marketing fermented pizza is their tried-and-true method of "bundling."
"When you purchase a fermented pizza, you don't just get a fermented pizza. You also get a Pepsi, a beer, a glass of lemonade, a salad, some crazy bread, a Halo 2 lithograph, a sports watch, and a DVD with Internet Explorer 7," explains Ballmer. "The price will be a little higher, but customers want those features."
Asked why an alcoholic pizza would be served with beer, Ballmer elaborates: "Well, it's in case you aren't satisfied with the default level of drunkenness provided by the pizza. Look, no one's saying you have to drink the beer. Not everyone is going to make use of every feature in the package. But it's there if you need it."
Test markets for fermented pizza yielded some unfortunate results. Consumers reported diarrhea, vomiting, and uncontrollable obesity. Also, people were less than enthusiastic about the taste of fermented pizza. As one focus group put it: "It tastes like a stale, moldy pizza that's had beer spilled on it. Actually, most of us are pretty sure that's exactly what it is."
Ballmer is quick to dismiss these concerns. "Those features are exactly the reason people enjoy fermented pizza so much," he explains. "Market research shows that 'plus-size' models are becoming increasingly popular and that people nearly always feel better after vomiting than before."
"However," Ballmer continues, "in order to satisfy all corners of the market, we've released a patch. The patch is made out of DDT-soaked oilcloth and is sewn to the bottom of the pizza before it's placed in the trunk. It prevents beetle larvae from infesting the pizza while it's fermenting. Although these beetles aren't bugs per se, we've found a surprising degree of market resistance to them. In the future, we're considering simply bundling a glass of DDT with the fermented pizza package so developers can debug any problems that arise."
"Let's be clear about something," Ballmer concludes. "This is a fucking great product. It's great with the patch, and it's great without the patch. I. Love. This. Fucking. Pizza."
edit Critical Views
Microsoft's competitors do not share Ballmer's enthusiasm about fermented pizza. August Busch IV, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, points out an obvious flaw with fermented pizza. "Everyone knows that one of the primary drawbacks of traditional beer is that it makes you urinate all night," Busch notes. "But fermented pizza is just a whole other ball of wax. It takes two slices of this stuff to equal the alcohol content of one beer. So if you're going to stay up late and have the equivalent of twelve drinks... that's three medium pizzas! So where does it go? Hmm? Answer me that: where does it go? Are you starting to see the problem, here?"
Apple CEO Steve Jobs, however, doesn't object to the concept of fermented pizza - just the execution. "The real problem is, the pizza is just too big," says Jobs. "It's clunky. It's cheese-colored. It's round. It's just not... sexy." Jobs revealed that Apple is undertaking a five-year plan to develop a fermented pizza that is neon pink, shaped like a guitar, and roughly the size of a quarter. Despite the fact that the product has not been developed, Apple is already working on a commercial where a fresh-faced outdoorsy kind of guy in his early twenties is counting his change, comes across a fermented pizza, and then the whole world explodes into an acid trip of awesomeness. |