ABERGELE Harriers’ top junior Josh Dixon ran for Wales on Saturday in the prestigious Aviva Home Countries International in Faenol Park.
Running superbly at present, Dixon completed the tough 7k course in a fantastic time of 26mins 30secs for 30th position in the very high quality international field.
On the same day Geran and Angie Hughes ran the Llangynhafal Loop fell race, over 4.75 miles with 1,750 feet of climbing on the Clwydian Hills.
Geran completed the very tough course in an excellent time of 46mins 19secs for 20th position overall, while Angie, making a return to racing after five months out with injury, ran equally well to finish in 1hr 9mins 34secs for 106th position on the day.
On the following day Dave Edwards continued his London Marathon preparation by running the Liverpool Half Marathon.
He managed a very satisfactory 1hr 53mins 10secs, well on target for his desired marathon time this year.
All Harriers are reminded that the final race of the Borders Road Running League will be held on Wednesday, April 29, in Wrexham, starting at 7.15pm.
A good turnout would be welcome.
Meanwhile Grahame Shone and Alan Lucas were off on their travels again, running the Elche Half-Marathon in Alicante, Spain, as part of a field of 1,800 runners.
Shone ran a magnificent 1hr 33mins 15secs for 481st position, sixth in his age category, while Lucas completed the course in 1hr 42mins 47secs for 1,029th position to finish seventh in his section.
CARNEDDAU Triathlon Club member Rachel James-Owens was in fine form as she completed the Liverpool Half Marathon in a new personal best of 2hrs 6mins.
This event was part of James-Owens’ training for Ironman 70.3 in Switzerland in June, which will consist of a 1.2 mile swim in Lake Zurich, 56 mile bike then a 13.1 mile run.
All of this has to be completed within seven and a half hours.
She is raising money for Jane Tomlinson’s Charity, Jane’s Appeal.
Having been diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2000, Jane Tomlinson went on to complete a full Ironman, two half Ironman events, the London Marathon three times, the New York Marathon, three London Triathlons and three long distance bike rides – John O Groats to Land’s End, Rome to Home and her final huge challenge, a 6781.8 km ride across America.


Charred broccoli with "misonnaise," one of many excellent dishes at the short-lived Ume.
It seems that the only constant for Daniel Patterson’s Uptown Oakland restaurant Plum, aka Ume, is change: Less than four months after the restaurant relaunched with a menu focused on Japanese-inspired small plates, Ume has closed, the San Jose Mercury News reports. The restaurant will be subsumed into Plum Bar, the ancillary — but more popular — cocktail bar next door, which will now feature an expanded menu, soft-serve ice cream, punch bowls, and much more seating.
After a quick renovation, Plum Bar + Restaurant (2216 Broadway) will reopen for both lunch and dinner on Wednesday, September 10.
It is the latest turning point in the tumultuous history of the restaurant formerly — and now once again — known as Plum. A press release sent out by the Daniel Patterson Group yesterday characterized Ume as merely a “pop-up,” and a representative of the restaurant group told me that the intention was always to test to see whether the restaurant’s Japanese-inspired cuisine and slightly more casual style of service would be a good fit for the neighborhood. That seems like a little bit of revisionist history — I certainly don’t recall the word “pop-up” ever being used in the early days of the Ume reboot.
Regardless, the verdict was clear: Despite generally positive reviews (including one from this critic), the restaurant often still had trouble filling seats. What people in the neighborhood wanted, Patterson concluded, was something even more casual and inexpensive. In short, what they wanted was more Plum Bar. And now, that’s exactly what they’re going to get.
Among other benefits, the expansion will allow Plum Bar + Restaurant to accommodate larger parties, which the bar never had room for previously when it was limited to the smaller adjacent space. The restructuring of the bar also coincides with a promotion for Ashley Miller, the opening bar manager at Alta CA (Patterson’s newest San Francisco outpost), who has been appointed Bar Director for the entire restaurant group. Miller will use Plum Bar’s expanded kitchen as her boozy base of operations.
“We loved Ume, and so did a lot of people, but it wasn't what the neighborhood wants,” Patterson said via email. He added that he eventually hopes to open another Ume — or a restaurant with a similar concept, in any case — at a different location.
According to Patterson, Ume chef de cuisine Dong Choi has moved back to Atlanta for family reasons and, thus, won’t be part of the new kitchen regime. That means the newly expanded Plum Bar + Restaurant is currently hiring.


The villains are multiplying on Ultimate Spider-Man this season, but in the Feb. 10 episode of the Disney XD toon, our friendly neighborhood web slinger will have a hard enough time just getting along with one of the good guys. Hawkeye, the Avengers' moody, gruff archer, makes his debut - and he and Spidey aren't exactly super friends.
"Spider-Man is in a lot of trouble and S.H.I.E.L.D. brings in Hawkeye to sort of act as his bodyguard and then it just goes awry," says Jeph Loeb, Marvel Entertainment's head of television. "We looked at those '80s movies with two guys who should never be partners, like Lethal Weapon, and that's what you get with Spider-Man and Hawkeye as they go up against a major super villain [The Beetle]. They may kill each other before they stop the guy."
Hawkeye is voiced by Troy Baker, a veteran of several Marvel animated series who will also voice the character in the upcoming Marvel's Avengers Assemble.
Ultimate Spider-Man airs Sundays at 11am/10c on Disney XD. Check out this exclusive clip from this week's episode, "Hawkeye."


The legal showdown between Google and Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood originally centered on whether Google would have to provide Hood with a slew of documents related to online copyright infringement by sites indexed in its search engine. But the fight has now taken a new direction, with Google and Hood feuding over whether he must provide Google with material that could reveal details of his office's relationship with the entertainment industry.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers today introduced a new bill that would protect consumers' rights to post bad reviews. The Consumer Review Freedom Act of 2015 would prohibit businesses from requiring consumers to sign contracts that restrict their ability to post reviews. The measure was introduced by Representatives Darrell Issa (R-Calif), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif), Blake Farenthold (R-Texas), and Brad Sherman (D-Calif), and is backed by Yelp, Angie's List, TripAdvisor and advocacy groups.
In February, when AT&T said it was going to roll out a 1 GB fiber service in Kansas City, the company announced that the price of service will depend on consumers' willingness to be tracked for ad-targeting purposes. People who accept AT&T's ad targeting -- which the company calls the "Internet Preferences" program -- can purchase 1 GB service for $70 a month. People who don't want to participate in Internet Preferences will be charged $99 a month for the same 1 GB service.
Regulators might have killed Comcast's attempt to take over Time Warner Cable, but the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Justice are inclined to support AT&T's $48.5 billion merger with DirecTV. That's according to "The Wall Street Journal," which reported today that regulators believe the deal will result in broadband deployment to rural America.
Before the deal collapsed this week, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler hadn't said much publicly about Comcast's $45 billion bid to take over Time Warner Cable. Now that the merger is dead, Wheeler no longer is keeping his views to himself.
Comcast reportedly will walk away from its $45 billion deal to acquire Time Warner Cable. The news comes shortly after reports surfaced that staff at the Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission oppose the deal, which would vastly increase Comcast's broadband footprint.
Comcast, which is still trying to convince regulators to approve its $45 billion merger with Time Warner Cable, is now facing questions about whether it lived up to the conditions of its acquisition of NBC Universal. When Comcast merged with NBC Universal in 2011, the company promised to refrain from managing the streaming video service Hulu -- a joint venture of NBC, Fox and Disney.
In the latest of a long string of moves by the entertainment industry against Web companies, the Recording Industry Association of America has sued MP3Skull for allegedly enabling consumers to download pirated music. "MP3Skull's database of MP3 links is vast and contains links to an enormous number of plaintiffs' copyrighted works," the record labels allege in a complaint filed on Friday in federal court in Miami.
Late last year, soon after Sony's servers were hacked, company attorney David Boies sent letters to news outlets demanding that they stop writing about emails that were never intended for public consumption. Boies told news organizations to destroy the "stolen information" that was hacked, and said that Sony didn't consent to any publication of the material.
Comcast's proposed $45 billion merger with Time Warner might run into a significant roadblock, Bloomberg reports. Antitrust lawyers with the Department of Justice reportedly are poised to recommend that the agency file suit to prevent the deal from closing. DOJ staffers intend to present their findings to top officials, who will then decide whether to go to court, according to Bloomberg.


Located within the boundaries of the Buckeye Union School District, kids within the Gowdey’s neighborhood will attend such highly-rated schools as William Brooks Elementary, Rolling Hills Middle and Oak Ridge High, which was just rated 56th of all high schools in California by SchoolDigger.com.
To experience the winning combination the Gowdeys discovered with Renasci Homes, tour Renasci’s four model homes at The Elms and The Oaks at The Promontory, open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 8014 Jura Place in El Dorado Hills. Homes at The Elms are priced from the high $600,000s, while the view homes at The Oaks are selling from the high $800,000s. For more information on The Elms or The Oaks, contact Community Sales Manager Janice Bothwell at (916) 932-4672.


The Federal Tyres, Flex stores in Japan, and several Thai officials and drivers were at the Bira circuit for one of the special stages of the rally which went from Pattaya to Ubon Ratchathani then into Laos finishing at Pakse (10th-16th August).
Holder of the number 1 plate is last year’s winner, Thai national Nuttapon Angritthanon (Isuzu D-Max), closely followed by another Thai, Chamnan On-Sri (Mitsubishi Triton).
One well known competitor, but on two wheels rather than four, is the ex Moto GP rider Takuma Aoki, who these days has to use hand controls, having fractured his spine in a racing accident.
One interesting vehicle is the Japanese entry of the PHEV Mitsubishi Outlander of Takatsugu, with co-driver Kenji Ishida stating before the rally that they were a little concerned with water crossings and the plug-in electrics.
In the motorcycle division, again Thailand is tops with Manoch Abdullkalee with the number 1 plate, in front of teams from Japan, Cambodia and Sweden.
Last year there were 22 vehicles and 20 motorcycles that took part in this grueling Asian event.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mortgage and investment schemes targeting troubled U.S. homeowners jumped in 2010 and may increase further if the economy does not improve, the FBI said on Friday.
The FBI said in an annual report that pending investigations increased 12 percent in the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, to 3,129 cases. That in turn was a 90 percent jump from the previous fiscal year.
An FBI official said the trend will continue as more borrowers struggle to pay their mortgages.
"If we have continuing high unemployment and increased numbers of foreclosures, what we see is a greater percentage of the population of existing homeowners being vulnerable to these schemes," said David Cardona, FBI deputy assistant director.
The collapse of the housing boom and the resulting financial crisis has led to a wave of foreclosures. In 2010, 2.5 million foreclosures were initiated, with a similar number expected this year.
The FBI said mortgage origination schemes have declined due to the depressed market for home purchases.
Fraud targeting troubled borrowers, however, has increased and includes loan modification scams and foreclosure rescue schemes in which perpetrators convince borrowers they can save their homes through deed transfers and upfront fees.
Cardona said stock market fluctuations have also resulted in more Americans falling for fake investments.
The report listed "hot spots" for mortgage fraud. California, Florida and New York were among the hottest of those, in line with some of the worst unemployment and mortgage default rates in the country.
Since the FBI was tasked with rooting out criminal activity that exacerbated the housing crisis in 2008, it has been criticized as ineffective against powerful executives of companies tied to the housing and financial industry.
"Although we tried mightily we just didn't hit the mark," Cardona said, referring to the aborted investigation of Washington Mutual Bank in early August.
Cardona said the government struggles to prove criminal intent in corporate crime.
One of the biggest cases so far was a $3 billion fraud case involving the privately held mortgage firm Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. The chairman of the firm, Lee Farkas, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted on 14 counts of conspiracy, wire, securities and bank fraud.
Cardona said the FBI is hoping the government can win more high-profile cases through civil probes. He said the FBI is cooperating "closer now than ever" with the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
"We're going to see a quicker return on investment through civil means than showing criminal intent by some of these high-level officials," he said.


THERE IS something symbolic about the fact that one of the southern Iraqi towns from which the American-led occupation was forced last week was Kut. It was here that in 1916 a British invasion force was besieged by the Turkish army and eventually forced to surrender. Of course, the present occupation of Iraq doesn't yet face a disaster on this scale.
But the sense that the US and its allies-chief among them Britain-are becoming bogged down in a situation of which they are losing control is growing. It was crass stupidity to open two fronts simultaneously-ordering the Marines to crush the resistance in Fallujah and seeking to break the power of the radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr.
But the roots of the present crisis lie in contradictions inherent in the very project of Bush and his neo-con advisers. The military campaign was an advert for the model of "transformational warfare" that US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld has been seeking to impose on the Pentagon. A relatively small, highly mechanised and heavily armed force overwhelmed the Iraqi army and seized the main population centres within a few weeks.
A long term military occupation of Iraq would allow the US to dominate the Middle East and control access to its huge oil reserves. But here was the first contradiction. Rumsfeld's military doctrine calls for small, highly mobile, high-tech forces. But such an army isn't geared to occupying a large, socially complex country like Iraq. The task of occupation required a large army spread in small, often vulnerable packets around Iraq, creating the risk of politically embarrassing casualties for the Bush administration.
Earlier imperial powers like the British relied heavily on locally recruited mercenaries like the Indian army. But Bremer disbanded the Iraqi army, depriving the occupation of useful auxiliaries.
The US has tried to fill the troop gap by encouraging sympathetic governments to sign up to the "coalition of the willing". But the limits of this policy were exposed last week when the Ukrainian soldiers occupying Kut fled in the face of the insurgents.
Rumsfeld has accelerated the privatisation of the American military, filling Iraq with contractors and the ex-soldiers they hire as security guards. But these mercenaries aren't a military asset that the occupation chiefs can use, and are vulnerable to attack and kidnapping, as we have seen in the past fortnight.
The second great contradiction stems from the fact that, in the early 21st century, the US can't declare itself the colonial power in Iraq as Queen Victoria proclaimed herself Empress of India in the 1870s. So Bremer has had to try to assemble an Iraqi government that both is compliant with American wishes and enjoys democratic legitimacy.
The trouble is that the best way to gain legitimacy is through elections, and Iraqis would almost certainly use their votes to support political forces unpalatable to Washington.
Hence all the manoeuvring over what happens on 30 June, when the occupation is supposed to end. Till a few days ago the plan was for the US to hand "sovereignty" over to its hand-picked governing council with elections by the end of the year. Even these elections would change only appearances.
The US military occupation would continue, and Bremer is putting in place laws that will bind the hands of any elected government, leaving real power in the hands of the US embassy and the American corporations. Events of the past fortnight have now thrown this scenario into chaos. Bremer and the US military intended to avenge the lynching of four American mercenaries in Fallujah with a massive show of force.
All they have succeeded in doing is widening support for the resistance and exposing the weakness of the occupation. The siege of Fallujah is a terrifying reminder of the slaughter American firepower can inflict-600 people killed by last weekend. But it also revealed how skin-deep the power of the occupiers is.
Patrick Graham wrote in The Observer, "In the areas outside Fallujah, the US army controls only what it can shoot. Everything else is up for grabs." The US reliance on overwhelming force has so far secured no clear military victories and a severe political setback.
A battalion in the new Iraqi army refused to fight in Fallujah. Even the timeservers on the Iraqi Governing Council were forced into revolt. Some resigned, others publicly denounced American tactics. They knew that identification with an occupying power bombarding Iraqi cities would destroy them politically.
Bremer has been forced to back down and agree to a truce in Fallujah. Meanwhile, in southern Iraq, far from being crushed, Moqtada Sadr's forces were entrenched in the holiest places of Shi'ite Islam in Karbala and Najaf. Tony Blair has adopted a defiant tone, declaring that "dictators would rejoice, fanatics and terrorists would be triumphant" if the occupation were defeated. Rumsfeld announced that more American troops would be sent to Iraq to defeat the "thugs, gangs and terrorists" fighting his forces.
But Rumsfeld can't respond to the crisis in Iraq by sending ever larger numbers of troops there, as President Lyndon Johnson did in Vietnam. American conscripts fought in Vietnam, but the US now relies on volunteers serving in an active duty army that, at 480,000, is proportionally the smallest in US history.
In the latest issue of Foreign Affairs, Lawrence Korb, former US assistant secretary of defence, describes the enormous pressure this army has been put under by the demands of the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He quotes one expert who says, "Our volunteer army is closer to being broken today than ever before in its 30-year history."
According to Korb, "Only two of the army's ten active divisions are ready for conflict outside Iraq and Afghanistan." The conquest of Iraq was the first test of the Bush doctrine of preventive war. But it has made it difficult, if not impossible, for the US to apply that doctrine elsewhere in the world, for example in north east Asia or Latin America.
The Bush administration is caught in a vice. Iraq is turning into a quagmire, but withdrawal would be the biggest defeat for US imperialism since Vietnam. Iraq was meant to demonstrate America's unrivalled global "hegemony". But it is beginning to look like a trap from which Bush and Blair cannot escape.
'SIGNS THAT the new fighting is convincing some Iraqis to reassess their view of the insurgency are increasingly easy to find. Long lines have formed for blood drives and charity drop-offs to aid the besieged residents of Fallujah. Residents in many Baghdad neighbourhoods signed up to host displaced families from Fallujah, and banners and signs are posted at every corner declaring that the Sunni and Shia forces are now united.
A cigarette seller in Baghdad said yesterday he has decided to collect tax from customers and contribute the money toward any militia that is fighting the Americans. The American public and its news media are raising questions about Iraq becoming another Vietnam for its troops.
The Iraqis and the Arab media have already started drawing a parallel between Iraqis and the Palestinians, tapping into feelings of Arab national pride, honour and victimisation.
Despite US officials' claims that the uprisings have no grassroots support, the public's adherence to a cleric's call for a general strike demonstrates just how much the relationship between Americans and Iraqis has deteriorated in the past few weeks.
The streets of Baghdad were largely empty over the weekend, with the majority of businesses closed. Schools, universities and government buildings also closed. American military officials have so far contended that the 129,000 troops stationed in Iraq are sufficient.


England will not discover when key all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will return to action until the eve of the first Test against Pakistan.
Flintoff, 28, is currently resting his injured left ankle, which is due to be assessed once again in the build-up to the Lord's opener on July 13.
The problem flared during the third Test defeat to Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge and forced Flintoff to sit out the current NatWest Series.
A bone spur was removed from the joint last January but further surgery was ruled out this time.
"We will have another look in two weeks and see where we are," Flintoff, who has seen two specialists in the past fortnight, told Sky Sports.
"There is scar tissue in there and whether the bone fragments were the result of the operation or were already in there we don't know.
"We are going down the route of physio and exercises to strengthen the ligaments around the ankle.
"I'm not running at the moment, I'm doing a lot of cycling. I'm doing things that don't cause pain and trying to tick over.
"So far it's been good, there are no adverse effects."
Without Flintoff, captain in the absence of Michael Vaughan for the previous six Tests, England have struggled in their one-day campaign against Sri Lanka.
"I've been trying to watch but my days have been quite full," said Flintoff.
"I've seen bits here and there but probably not as much as I'd like to have done."


It will be the second straight trip to the state finals for Henke and Boyles.
Belleville East also advanced four players. Sophomore Christian Cowulich placed fourth in singles while the Lancers doubles team of Austin Klug and Josh Thomas, placed third.
The top four placewinners in both singles and doubles from all sectionals earn bids to the state tournament.
Junior Erik Weiler continued to show one of the top power games in southern Illinois as he defeated Edwardsville teammate Luke Motley 6-2, 6-4 in the singles final. In doubles, it was the Tigers tandem of Zach Trimpe and Alex Gray with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Alex Goldacker and Alex Roth of Jerseyville in the final.
Edwardsville, which finished with 27 points, also got a third place finish from freshman Seth Lipe and senior Carson Ware.
O’Fallon sophomore Dominic Macaluso rolled to an easy 6-2, 6-1 win over Triad’s Brendan Grigg in the singles final to lead the way as the Panthers early won the Triad Sectional. O’Fallon, which finished with 27 points, also got a third place finish from Niko Papachrisanthou who beat Triad’s Nick Parsons 6-2, 6-1 in the third place match.


More than 60 publicly reported incidents of mishandled guns occurred in schools in the past five years, finds a new analysis.
Current and former principals whose schools were the scenes of shootings have formed a network to support other school leaders in the aftermath of violence.
Hundreds of teachers across the Sacramento Unified school district walked out of their classrooms and onto picket lines last week for the first time in 30 years, staging a one-day strike alleging unfair labor practices by the California district.
A program meant to diversify New York City's infamously segregated specialized high schools failed to admit representative numbers of black and Hispanic students this school year, figures released last week by district officials show.
Arizona faces a loss of $340 million in federal funding because the state hasn't followed the Every Student Succeeds Act's rules for testing its students, say U.S. Department of Education officials.
Back is Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Back is Roe v. Wade. Back is climate change. and the word "democratic." A new proposal incorporating those revisions was presented to the Michigan board of education last week.
A union lobbyist who worked just one day as a substitute teacher is entitled to a pension worth potentially tens of thousands of dollars annually, the Illinois supreme court has ruled.
New York City's health department last week ordered all ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools in a neighborhood of Brooklyn to exclude unvaccinated students from classes during the current measles outbreak.
The story, "Where Districts Spend on Principals, Scores Rose," in the April 10, 2019, edition of Education Week used the incorrect academic year in describing the year in which new principals were placed in schools as part of the Wallace Foundation's Principal Pipeline Initiative.
Eight states—including three of the nation's largest, California, Florida, and Michigan—are doing a "poor" job of looking out for vulnerable students in their plans to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act, according to an analysis by the National Urban League.
Students can understand and benefit from being introduced to algebraic concepts even in elementary school, a forthcoming study finds.
High levels of lead in topsoil boosts the likelihood that 5-year-old boys will have cognitive difficulties, a study concludes.
edweek.org’s free e-newsletters cover all of the critical areas of the K-12 landscape so that the best news and analysis is delivered to you as news breaks.


Turkish construction workers among the victims as aircraft tries to land in fog.
Turkish officials later put the death toll later rose to 34, although American officials said that one man survived the crash and was being treated.
"Thirty-four people were killed in the accident: an American, 28 Turks and the five crew. There is one survivor, who is seriously wounded," a source at the Turkish embassy in Baghdad told AFP newsagency.
Cahit Kirac, the governor of Adana, told CNN Turk television that the aircraft was carrying 29 Turks, one American and a crew comprising a Russian, a Ukrainian and three Moldovans.
The aircraft belonged to Moldova's Aerian Tur Airlines and the workers on board were from the Turkish construction company Kulak, the Turkish foreign ministry said.


BEIRUT (AP) — Syria's military media says the evacuation and transfer of thousands of Syrians from four besieged areas has resumed.
The reciprocal evacuations from two pro-government villages and two opposition-held towns was disrupted by a bombing Saturday that killed more than 120 pro-government evacuees, mostly children.
The Central Military Media says 3,000 residents of the pro-government villages, Foua and Kfarya, left Wednesday in 45 buses bound for government-controlled Aleppo.
Another 11 buses carrying opposition fighters left Madaya and Zabadani, near Damascus, heading toward the northern rebel-held Idlib province.
The opposition-run Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the transfer, which it says includes 800 armed men from both sides.
The population exchange has been criticized by rights groups, which say it rewards siege tactics and amounts to forcible displacement.


Earlier, I posted on the central place of immigration and related issues in the run-up to the French presidential election. For those interested, I've selectively translated a Le Monde summary of candidate positions on immigration (translation here).
M. Bayrou supports "case by case regularization" [of illegal aliens] on the basis "of clear criteria and established rules" over a specified period (five years, for example) provided that the candidate holds a work contract, speaks French and has mastered the way of life and "basic values of France".


This overstuffed new musical, co-written by Pulitzer winner Quiara Alegria Hudes, at least has lovely melodies by Erin McKeown.
Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gizel Jiménez, Danny Bolero, David Patrick Kelly, Michael Mulheren, Latoya Edwards, Marinda Anderson, Andrew Cristi, Shawna M. Hamic, Marcus Paul James.
Immigration, parental absence and cyber-relationships all figure in to the road trip musical “Miss You Like Hell,” an earnest — and now very Trump-topical — show that too often gets stuck in a traffic jam of multiple themes, characters and storylines. The book by Quiara Alegria Hudes, writer of the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Water by the Spoonful” and the Tony-winning musical “In the Heights,” has the same longing spirit of both of those tenderhearted shows. Now playing at Off Broadway’s Public Theater after a premiere in late 2016 at San Diego’s La Jolla Playhouse, “Miss You Like Hell” — an exploration and refinement of Hudes’ earlier play “26 Miles” — is overstuffed with ideas and incidents that don’t add up to a sweeping, satisfying whole.
Long-absent mom Beatriz (Daphne Rubin-Vega) unexpectedly arrives at the doorstep of her 16-year-old, half-Latina daughter Olivia (Gizel Jiménez), who is living with her father in Philadelphia. Beatriz wants her to go on a weeklong road trip for some much-deferred mommy time, but Olivia, with her heart broken too many times by the mother who abandoned her, is understandably wary.
Beatriz is concerned about her daughter’s dark demeanor, especially after reading the blog by the literature-loving Olivia, “Calling All Castaways,” which reveal hints of suicide.
Unbeknownst to Olivia is the fact that this cross-country journey has another purpose: The trip will end in an immigration hearing for the Mexico-born Beatriz, and where the daughter’s testimony could help her mother from being deported.
But the show almost stalls just as it begins, starting with Beatriz’ sketchy 4 a.m. arrival, the vagueness of Olivia’s unseen father, and the too-quick-to-be-true acceptance of the road trip invite.
The human touches of the mother-daughter dynamic are the most appealing part of the show. Rubin-Vega (Tony-nominated for “Rent” and “Anna in the Tropics”) is fierce and funny as the hard-driving, quick-witted mother, while still owning her character’s many imperfections. Jiménez gives a break-out performance as the damaged daughter, who finds solace with like-minded millennials on the internet. She treads the line between self-possessed toughness and walking-wounded with complete authenticity.
In the tradition of road trip narratives, mother and daughter encounter colorful characters (including a retired gay couple with a mission of their own, played with quirky charm by David Patrick Kelly and Michael Mulheren) as well as hardships and setbacks (car problems, an arrest, clearing up an old marijuana misdemeanor).
The production, staged by Lear deBessonet, is low-tech to a fault, with an undistinguished set, basic choreography/movement and minimal use of an ensemble. However, singer-songwriter Erin McKeown makes an impressive stage debut with music that is eclectic and appealing, though the lyrics she co-wrote with Hudes are too often an odd mix of fleeting grace and awkwardness.
Still, there’s some lovely melodies, including Rubin-Vega’s “Over My Shoulder;” “Tamales,” sung with tenderness by Danny Bolero as a widower they encounter along the way; and “Yellowstone,” sung by Latoya Edwards, a devoted fan follower of Olivia’s lonely-teen blog and who becomes a side-trip destination. And by the end, it’s hard not to be moved by the newly earned parent-child bond, by lessons learned on a road well-traveled and, ultimately, by walls that stand in the way of loving families.
Newman Theater at the Public Theater; 299 seats: $90 top; reviewed April 5, 2018; opens April 10, 2018. Running time: 1 HOUR, 45 MIN.
Production: The Public Theater presents a musical in one act with book and lyrics by Quiara Alegría Hudes; music and lyrics by Erin McKeown.
Crew: Directed by Lear deBessonet; choreography, Danny Mefford; sets, Riccardo Hernandez; costumes, Emilio Sosa; lighting, Tyler Micoleau; sound, Jessica Paz; music director, Cody Owen Stine; orchestrations, Charlie Rosen & Erin McKeown; production stage manager, Scott Taylor Rollison.
Cast: Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gizel Jiménez, Danny Bolero, David Patrick Kelly, Michael Mulheren, Latoya Edwards, Marinda Anderson, Andrew Cristi, Shawna M. Hamic, Marcus Paul James.


Theresa May’s visit, her first since becoming UK prime minister in 2016 begins on Tuesday in South Africa. She will also travel to Nigeria and Kenya as part of a trade mission aimed at boosting post-Brexit fortunes.
She said the UK wanted to “deepen and strengthen its global partnerships” as it prepared to leave the EU in 2019.
In South Africa, May will hold bilateral talks with President Cyril Ramaphosa after delivering a keynote speech on trade and how UK private sector investment can be brought into Africa.
On Wednesday, May will meet with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in the capital. The two leaders are expected to discuss the threat of Boko Haram in the country.
She will wrap up her Africa tour in Kenya on Thursday with a meeting with Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta. The prime minister will be accompanied by a business delegation from the UK.


LEXINGTON, N.C. — A man was shot Tuesday night in Lexington, according to a press release from the Lexington Police Department.
Lexington police were called to 418 Garden Drive around 8 p.m.
Officers found Frank Edwards, 46, lying on the ground with gunshot wounds to the arm, hand and torso.
Edwards told police that he was shot on Baney Drive and unknown suspects stole his 2003 Jaguar and left the area.
Later that night, officers recovered the Jaguar in the area of Cotton Grove Road and Albemarle Street.
Edwards is in stable condition at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem.
Police ask anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the police department at (336) 243-3302 or Crime Stoppers at (336) 243-2400.


Monday’s meeting between President-elect Donald Trump and two dozen media executives and on-air personalities fully deserves the adjectives unprecedented, extraordinary and disgusting.
Two weeks after the election—in which he won a majority in the Electoral College despite losing the popular vote by a wide margin—Trump berated the assembled media officials for alleged sins during the election campaign, condemning specific reporters, including some who were in the room.
Each of the five networks sent at least one top executive, and in some cases three or four. None of the executives or journalists had the courage to walk out, denounce Trump as a bully, or warn that the First Amendment would be under attack under a Trump administration as never before in the history of the United States.
The very fact that the media heads agreed to such an “off the record” meeting is an abomination. The president of the United States is not “commander-in-chief” of the media. But Trump summoned highly paid television anchormen and women, and their even more highly paid corporate bosses, who cravenly submitted to a tongue-lashing at Trump Tower.
Trump was accompanied at the session by his chief of staff Reince Priebus, chief White House strategist Stephen Bannon, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, campaign spokesman Jason Miller, Republican National Committee communications director Sean Spicer, and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Bannon is an ally of the “white nationalist” and “alt-right” elements who patronize Breitbart News, the ultra-right online site that Bannon ran until he signed on as Trump’s campaign CEO in August. His appointment as co-leader of Trump’s White House staff, sharing authority with Priebus, signals the entry of the fascistic right into the mainstream of American capitalist politics.
After Monday’s media session, according to Conway, there was a “receiving line” of media executives and anchors to meet Bannon, who played a largely behind-the-scenes role during the campaign. “Many people wanted to meet him and talk to him, make some eye contact, exchange some business cards with him. That’s just a fact,” she told the MSNBC program “Morning Joe” on Tuesday.
The closed-door meeting between Trump and the media is a gross violation of the by now threadbare tradition, more than two centuries old, whereby the press is supposed to constitute a “Fourth Estate,” an independent watchdog on the activities of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the government.
It is true that for more than a generation, the corporate-controlled media has largely defaulted on this role. More than 40 years have passed since critical coverage of the Vietnam War culminated in the publication of the Pentagon Papers, and the exposures of White House criminality in the Watergate scandal culminated in the forced resignation of President Richard Nixon.
Today, the watchword of the corporate media is conformity and complacency, while what passes for the “news” is spoon-fed to them by the White House, Pentagon, State Department and CIA. While individual reporters may still take risks and challenge authority—a rare occurrence—the major news organizations, owned and controlled by giant corporations, are engaged in the manufacture and dissemination of government and corporate propaganda.
Trump’s session with the television broadcasters was followed by a closed-door meeting Tuesday with the publisher of the New York Times, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, and a longer on-the-record discussion with Times reporters and columnists, leading to a flurry of reports claiming that the president-elect was “moderating” his positions on a number of issues.
These reports are, on their face, complete nonsense. Trump told the Times that climate change may be caused by human action, that a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton was a bad idea, and that he disavowed support from white racist and alt-right groups. Even if these were taken for good coin—and there is certainly no reason to do so—this is setting an absurdly low bar for calling Trump a changed man.
So anxious were the networks to stay on the right side of the president-elect that NBC, in its report Tuesday night on Trump’s purported shifts in policy, did not refer to where these comments were made, at a meeting with the New York Times, in order to avoid reporting on its own encounter with Trump the day before.
Trump treats the media with complete contempt, while basing his election campaign in large part on free media publicity. He has not held a press conference since July, preferring to be flattered in interviews by sympathetic Fox News hosts. He has not held a press conference since the election to explain to the public his plans for the new administration, another longstanding democratic tradition trampled on.
The shameless rush by the media establishment to ingratiate itself with Trump, only days after an election campaign in which they for the most part portrayed him as a political pariah and moral monster, expresses not only the protracted disintegration of American democracy in general, but more specifically the closing of ranks within the American ruling class behind the ultra-nationalist “America first” orientation he embodies.
This has found a no less noxious expression in the prostration of the Democratic Party before Trump, led by President Barack Obama, and the lineup of its congressional leadership, from incoming Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer to the supposed “lefts” Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, behind Trump’s program of economic nationalism and trade war.
If this is how Trump treats the corporate-controlled media, owned by billionaires like himself and staffed by multi-millionaire celebrities who would never think of questioning the capitalist system, what can be expected when the Trump administration encounters genuine criticism and opposition from the working class? This is a government whose actions and appointments demonstrate ferocious hostility to democratic rights.
The working class must prepare its own response. This includes defending and increasing the influence of the only genuine media voice of the socialist working class, the World Socialist Web Site.


It turns out you don't need to be a savant like Dustin Hoffman's character in Rain Man, or an MIT mathematics prodigy in order to count cards. There's a relatively simple approach that can give you a slight advantage over the dealer when playing Blackjack, and this site can help you master it.
You've probably assumed that since you can barely remember your telephone number, memorising every card that's been dealt from a deck is an all but impossible task. But that's not how this approach to card counting works. Based on the face value of each card you see in play, you simply keep a +1 or -1 tally in your head. As a game progresses, that number, whether it ends up positive or negative, gives you a good idea if the remaining cards will work in your favour, or the dealer's.
If it still sounds complicated, you should really just head on over to this site and try it out. It explains in more detail how and why this technique works, and lets you test your card counting skills against a computer dealer.
At set intervals the site will quiz you on the running count, and over time you can adjust how quickly the interactive trainer deals cards, since the dealer in a real casino isn't going to stop and wait for you to check your maths in your head.
Don't expect to walk into a casino and clean up at every Blackjack table after mastering this technique, though. There is still an element of randomness to the game, this just helps give you a slight advantage if you know how to play the game, and bet properly.


IT’S not just you — Australia continues to deliver slow internet connections, ranking far behind New Zealand, Thailand, and Kenya.
AUSTRALIA still lags behind the rest of the world in internet speeds, with a new report revealing the nation is languishing in 50th place behind the likes of New Zealand, Thailand, and Kenya.
But Akamai’s latest State of the Internet Report showed Australia had made modest gains in internet speeds, just nowhere near enough to match our Asia Pacific rivals despite the accelerating rollout of the $46 billion National Broadband Network.
The quarterly report on the world’s internet speeds showed Australia climbed from 51st place to 50th spot during the first three months of the year, overthrowing the United Arab Emirates from the top 50.
Average download speeds in Australia reached 11.1 megabits per second, and grew by 26 per cent since last year.
But nearest neighbour New Zealand put the country to shame, with an average speed of 14.7mbps and a speed boost of 40 per cent since the same time last year.
Globally, South Korean internet users can access more than double the average speeds of Australian connections at 28.6mbps, as can Norwegians and Swedes.
Australia also ranked 47th in the world for connections over 15 megabits per second, with just under one in five internet users qualifying for the mark.
To put the speed in context, you need at least five megabits per second to stream high-definition shows from Netflix, and 25mbps for Ultra HD quality.
Australia’s low ranking out of the 241 countries ranked for broadband performance comes despite the growing rollout of the National Broadband Network.
But an NBN Co spokesman said it was important to note the Akamai report covered “millions of people who don’t yet have the NBN network”.
NBN Co yesterday revealed more than five million Australian homes and businesses were ready to be connected to the network, but only 2.2 million had an active NBN service.
The NBN was designed to deliver a guaranteed minimum connection speed of 25mbps, with all homes and businesses connected by 2020.


An American flag gently drapes over a coffin sitting in finely groomed sand, as a helmet and boots sit by its side. ?Taps? plays in the background, and the about 1,000 white crosses staked in the ground symbolize America?s newest fallen soldiers.
Since Feb. 15, the Veterans for Peace in Los Angeles have been showing their support for U.S. soldiers who have died in Iraq by maintaining the display and going out to show their support each Sunday. Just on the north side of the Santa Monica Pier, the white crosses sit in military rows to honor soldiers killed.
?These are all of my brothers and sisters (who) are here,? said Peter Dudar of Veterans for Peace. ?Veterans for Peace began the honor of our fallen soldiers, not the government.?
Boards depicting photos of killed mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, friends and loved ones who served in the military line the sidewalk. Those strolling to the water read lists of names, ages, ranks, cities lived in and causes of death.?This is about life,? said Larry Alpert of Veterans for Peace. ?This country is not all about good. We are here to bring out the awareness and truth to the lowest common denominator of Americans that these deaths are not what we want.?For every one American soldier that is killed in this war, 60 Iraqis are killed as well, Alpert said. He added that if they were to acknowledge the number of Iraqi deaths during the war and ongoing conflicts, the whole beach would be filled with crosses.
Those that pass by and want to pay their respects to a soldier may do so freely with flowers and notes.The organization has been given a piece of the beach on which to show their support, but with more and more soldiers dying every day, they are running out of room. Veterans for Peace are replacing the white crosses, which represent one death, to red crosses, that each represent 10 deaths. In the front row, blue crosses symbolize the new deaths that occurred during the week.
John and Seakutu Riverson of Fairfax, Va., said it is a beautiful thing that people come out every Sunday to show their support for those who served our country.?We wanted to pay our respects to someone (who) we didn?t even know ? a soldier who died trying to save the life of another soldier who fell overboard in the water and never came back up,? said John Riverson.
Sally Marr, co-producer of ?Arlington West,? a film about the beachfront monument, said that the Veterans for Peace are trying to let people know what war is really about.
She said they support the peace process, but the fight is hard, especially considering the possibility of a draft, which has been disputed by both presidential candidates but which Marr fears is possible.
?This whole, ?There will be no draft? talk is a lie,? Marr said. ?We are told (so) by soldiers (who) come home talking about ? inside word of (an approaching) draft.?
Veterans for Peace said that about 98 percent of the people visiting the memorial have a positive reaction. But some feel as though this is a protest, and it?s not, she said.
?Some feel as though we should not be telling the general public about this, but the soldiers that have been there and know what it is like, appreciate it,? Marr said.
Karley Sorensen, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., left a nametag and flowers for a soldier she didn?t even know.?I found someone that was from my hometown off the board of names,? Sorensen said. ?All the families of these fallen soldiers are forever changed and traumatized because of this war.?


Balancing act: Are online games a waste of time or relief for the mind?
After a day of negotiating legal contracts, Gail Serota sinks into her couch with her iPad and immerses herself in playing "Candy Crush."
The Miami real estate attorney finds playing the mobile game relaxes her.
"It's a good stress relief," she said.
Whether for relaxation or diversion, full-time workers are squeezing time into their schedules for mobile games. They are launching flying birds, flicking onscreen candies, and building words on virtual boards using their smartphones or tablets.
Spil Games reports about 700 million people play online games, or about 44 percent of the world's online population. And those numbers are expected to rise.
The habit can be addictive and not just for actor Alex Baldwin, who was kicked off a plane for refusing to turn off his phone in the middle of a "Words with Friends" match. Other players admit to being so immersed they have left their children stranded at sports practices, gone late to work and even injured themselves as they tried to reach new levels of play.
Serota of Weiss Serota Helfman reluctantly acknowledges that at times she has become so caught up in completing a level of "Candy Crush" that she has arrived late at an event.
"When you're in the moment, you're focusing on the game and you're just not thinking about other things," she said.
Not long ago, most gamers were young men playing on at-home consoles. Now, the advent of smartphones and tablets has changed gaming so much so that 46 percent of players are women, according to Spil Games' 2013 state of online gaming report.
"We have so much on our minds and just want an escape," said Marci Siegel, a medical recruiter and working mother who enjoys "Candy Crush" and "Words with Friends." Siegel estimates she spends about seven hours per week playing the games on her phone.
"Sometimes, my day is so crazy that I need a little guilty pleasure," she said.
Critics contend that playing online games is a time-waster. Gamers argue it brings balance to their lives by offering entertainment, stress relief, social connections and mental stimulation. For players that log in with Facebook or Google Plus, the games allow friendly competition and social interaction.
Recognizing the appeal, employers have begun finding ways to leverage gaming in the workplace. Tapping experts, they are designing games to motivate workers, recruit talent, teach new skills, boost performance and encourage wellness.
Through Facebook, Marriott Hotels has introduced "My Marriott Hotel," which offers players a virtual chance to manage a hotel restaurant kitchen before moving on to other areas of hotel operations. Marriott said it wanted to harness the exploding popularity of social media gaming to help generate interest in hospitality careers and fill positions worldwide.
And the United Kingdom's Department of Work and Pensions uses gamification to encourage innovative thinking through a social game called Idea Street. Game mechanics, points and leader boards have encouraged thousands of employees to submit ideas. To maintain interest, an innovation team publishes a weekly newsletter that focuses on the ideas gaining the most attention and those that may need tweaking.
Going forward, experts say workplaces likely will show more interest in gamification. In 2012, 20 percent of Forbes Global 2000 companies featured a gamified application. Research firm Gartner predicts that by the end of this year, 70 percent of those companies will have implemented at least one.
Gartner also predicts some attempts will fail.
"It's not just about entertainment," Burke said. "It's about designing an experience, creating ongoing engagement and customizing the application as you go."
For workers like Ryan Bard, who grew up playing video games, the draw is positive reinforcement - a rarity in many workplaces. Just about every interactive game employs some kind of reward system to keep players engaged.
Bard, a father of two and information technology support provider at a South Florida vacation services firm, said it is the micro-achievements that entice him to spend hours of free time playing games on consoles, computers and mobile devices. "It's not just beating a game and getting to the end," he said. "There are lots of layers and rewards built in."
Of course, it's hard to deny the addictive nature of mobile gaming with challenges and prizes that are dribbled out to keep players hooked and spending. Maria Redlich tries to control the time and money she spends on games. For five years, she has spent three hours or more a day playing "Mafia Wars," "Castle Age" and, more recently, "Uno" and "Scrabble" on her computer and tablet. A former Miami-Dade classroom teacher and now a reading coach, Redlich said the online games provide an outlet for her frustration while testing her resolve.
"I see people spending a lot of money and I could easily do that ... but I have to remind myself it's supposed to be a way to relax," she said.


LOUIS VAN GAAL has warned his Manchester United stars to keep a lid on their emotions as they bid to end their derby misery at Old Trafford tomorrow.
Van Gaal fears United's desperation to halt City's run of four consecutive wins could result in another red card.
Chris Smalling was sent off in the first derby at the Etihad Staidum in November - one of five dismissals United have suffered this season, while they also had Jonny Evans banned retrospectively for spitting.
United skipper Wayne Rooney this week issued a "game of pride" rallying call to his team-mates while Maraoune Fellaini says United must be "committed and aggressive". But Van Gaal has demanded cool heads.
"It takes a lot of talents to be a professional player, and one of them is the ability to control your emotions," he said.
"When you have already got a yellow card you must make sure you don't get another one and get sent off.
"The number of red cards we have had this season is a record for me as a manger. We have had five and that is unbelievable. It is not good.
"I always warn before these kind of games that we have to control our emotions."
Van Gaal claims he fears City less than last Saturday's opponents Aston Villa "because they will not be so defensive and will not try to hit us with long balls".
But he also admitted that losing twice to City will not be as bad as losing home and away to Swansea.
"It is very bad for Manchester United to lose twice to Swansea. That is a bigger failure than if we lose to City twice. That is always possible. But I dream of winning."
City boss Manuel Pellegrini insists he is "not afraid" of losing his job and believes he still has the support of his players and the club's Abu Dhabi owners.
"Why am I so sure? Because I have experience, you know when a squad is behind you when you are working and you know when you work well or work bad," he said.
"But you can't talk about something which is not your decision. But if you ask me why I'm not afraid - I'm not a coward. I am not afraid because we are in the correct way but a bad moment."
Skipper Vincent Kompany faces a fitness test today after feeling his hamstring tighten up in the defeat at Crystal Palace on Monday.


After the OSCE summit in Astana, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is one of the most debated topics among experts and political analysts. They speak of possibility of Azerbaijan’s aggression, on the one hand, and of the deadlock the talks reached, on the other. Executive director of UK-based LINKS NGO Dennis Sammut commented to PanARMENIAN.Net on his vision for the future of the conflict settlement process.
During the recent midterm elections in the U.S. Congress, the Armenian community of California strongly supported Congressman Adam Schiff. Schiff, the author of the Resolution 252 calling for proper recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Washington, the politician seeking increase in aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and maintenance of military aid parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Rep. Adam Schiff at U.S. House of Representatives comments to PanARMENIAN.Net on the election campaign and his position of the issues vital for the Armenian community.
Currently, public attention, not excluding that of the American Armenian community has been focused on mid-term elections in the U.S. Berdj Karapetian, Chairman of California Armenians for Jerry Brown gave his comments on the situation in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
The possible war in Iran, unsettlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, ambitions of Turkey and Russia in the South Caucasus made the region highly explosive. With Georgia and Azerbaijan's continuous threats to “restore the territorial integrity”, the situation does not improve. Director of the Institute of Political and Social Studies of the Black Sea and Caspian Region, professor Vladimir Zakharov comments on the latest developments to PanARMENIAN.Net.
The Armenian community of California in the upcoming midterm elections in the U.S. Congress strongly supports a faithful friend of American Armenians, Congressman Adam Schiff. Schiff is the author of the Resolution 252 about the Armenian Genocide leading a multi-year struggle for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Washington, for the increase in aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, to maintain military aid parity between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Maureen Shanahan, Communications Director for Rep. Adam Schiff at U.S. House of Representatives has told PanARMENIAN.Net on the election campaign, on the eve of the elections.
The OSCE Minsk Group has accomplished its Field Assessment Mission in the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. A year has passed since signature of the Protocols on normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. What can Armenia expect in the future and how can the latest developments in the region tell on the most delicate issues: resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Armenian-Turkish reconciliation. Head of the Modus Vivendi Center, historian Ara Papian comments on the situation in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
The situation around Iran’s nuclear remains tense. The recently adopted UN Security Council resolution inflicted new sanctions against the country. For Armenia, which enjoys neighborly relations with Iran and implements a number of joint programs, establishment of dialogue between Tehran and the West is extremely important. Iranian Foreign Minister, Dr. Manouchehr Mottaki commented to PanARMENIAN.Net on the prospects of Armenian-Iranian relations and Tehran’s approaches to regional problems, including the Karabakh conflict.
Nagorno Karabakh issue has again become a subject of hot debates among politicians and experts. The recent statement by Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair countries originated a chain of opinions and comments. Head of RIA Novosti’s CIS and Baltic States Department Alan Kasayev elaborated on the current situation in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
The latest developments in the South Caucasus, specifically in Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone gave rise to various forecasts and comments. With Azerbaijan's frequent threats of war and blackmail as well as failure of Armenian-Turkish rapprochement process, the situation gets more and more tensed. Deputy dean of history chair of Moscow State University, Dr. Alexei Vlasov commented on the situation to PanARMENIAN.Net.
The underworld of New York is often portrayed as men’s warfare; however one of the most influential crime bosses in the history of the city was a Prussian immigrant Fredericka Mandelbaum. Also called ‘The Queen of Fences’, this woman became one of the strongest criminal figures of her day, buying stolen goods and reselling them, financing criminal endeavors, and even opening a school for young criminals.


Group of credit cards on computer keyboard with VISA and MasterCard brand logos.
Allowing someone to move money through your bank account seems a harmless thing to do. It may even be mutually beneficial if the person you're helping gives you a small fee in return for the favour. But acting as a "money mule" makes you an accessory to a crime and if found out, will have serious implications for you in your future dealings with financial institutions.
A money mule is like a drug mule, but instead of being the courier of drugs from one destination to another, a money mule is used to electronically transfer money that was acquired illegally - usually stolen in online banking fraud - to criminals. Typically, mules are paid for their services.
Criminals are resorting more and more to this kind of fraud ever since the banks began using biometrics to verify account holders, and it has grown to such an extent that it has been defined as a new category of fraud by the South African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS).
More than 90% of money mule transactions are linked to cyber-related crimes such as phishing, online auction fraud, business e-mail compromise and CEO fraud, according to a 2017 report by Europol, the European Union's law enforcement agency.
If you get reported for having acted as a money mule, your name and ID number will be listed by the SAFPS, which hosts a database of the names of people involved in various types of fraudulent behaviour. Being listed on such a database has far-reaching implications because it is shared among financial services providers.
The SAFPS hasn't begun listing people for money muling yet but will be doing so as soon as the systems are in place for the banks to report this type of misdeed to the SAFPS, says Manie van Schalkwyk, the executive director of SAFPS.
"Only the banks can report to the SAFPS and only after they have investigated and have prima facie evidence of money muling. After that, the perpetrator's chance of getting a bank account going forward will be near impossible," Van Schalkwyk warns.
Be wary of anyone claiming that they can't get their hands on their "own" money because they don't have a bank account.
If they have a South African cellphone number, they don't need a bank account. Their employer or whoever owes them money can send it to them via money transfer, a service offered by most of the big banks.


There are things that are adorable but make complete sense: babies, puppies, kittens, small phones, you get the point. Then there are things that are cute that make no sense: monkeys eating bananas, a ball of yarn and so on. A miniature chandelier would usually be sensibly cute. But putting that miniature chandelier in a light bulb? Boy, I don't know why I love this so much.
And you're going to have to love this a lot because the tiny chandelier will run you more than $600 (€480). Still, if chandeliers are now marks of excess, tiny chandeliers poke fun of that excess (and $600 tiny chandeliers poke fun at you for poking fun at excess).


Articles > Market Commentary > Sprint Withdraws Bid to Acquire T-Mobile; Walgreens to Keep HQ in the U.S.
Sprint Withdraws Bid to Acquire T-Mobile; Walgreens to Keep HQ in the U.S.
Stocks ended the day higher, seemingly shaking of the recent global turmoil. Sprint (S) announced today that they are withdrawing their bid to acquire T-Mobile (TMUS). This announcement comes on the same day that the wireless company named their new CEO, Marcelo Claure. Walgreens (WAG) has decided to keep its headquarters in the United States. The company recently acquired all of Alliance Boots, which is located in Europe, and many investors thought that they would relocate their headquarters to Europe to lower taxes.
Wall Street overall disliked this decision, pulling Walgreen's shares down 11%.
Sprint (S) drops plans to acquire T-Mobile (TMUS).
Groupon's (GRPN) fails to impress, shares fall 15%.
Bank of America (BAC) raises quarterly dividend.
21st Century Fox (FOX) withdraws bid for Time Warner (TWC).
3 reasons why buyers should beware of ETFs.
United States Cellular (USM) up on analysts upgrade despite lower earnings.
5 easy ways to save $1000 this year.
Should you risk failing at every job?
Sprint Withdraws Bid to Acquire T-Mobile; Walgreens to Keep HQ in the U.S.. InvestorGuide.com. WebFinance, Inc. http://www.investorguide.com/article/15170/sprint-withdraws-bid-to-acquire-t-mobile-walgreens-to-keep-hq-in-the-u-s-igd/ (access:April 18, 2019).


One of the best aspects of living in Norris is being so close to Norris Dam State Park -- it takes less than ten minutes to drive to the dam from the New Norris House. And although I haven’t tried it, you can walk from the community path on our property to the community center and get on the Norris Watershed Trail System which links to the state park’s trails.
I’ve spent many evenings exploring the meadows along the Song Bird Trail below the dam and hiking around the historic mill on Clear Creek. The Andrews Ridge trail system has views of the lake and is ideal for trail running, but my favorite place to explore is the River Bluff Trail on the west side of the Clinch River just below the dam. In just 3.1 miles, the trail passes through several plant communities as it climbs and descends the ridge across north, east, and south facing slopes. The many microclimates found along the trail are home to an impressive variety of spring wildflowers. The park even hosts wildflower walks every year around this time.
Not sure the species of this fern as its fronds were just unfurling from their winter sleep!
DIY Network features the New Norris House!
Turkeys and deer and snakes—oh my!
We won a Residential Architect Design Award!


HOPE FOR A NEW LR: Dr. Preston Clegg, senior pastor of Second Baptist Church of Little Rock, delivered the New Year's blessing at the inauguration of Frank Scott.
One glaring omission in my coverage (and that of others) of the Jan. 1 inauguration of Frank Scott as Little Rock mayor was the stirring "New Year's blessing" Preston Clegg, senior pastor of Second Baptist Church in downtown Little Rock, delivered to close the ceremony. Much of the inaugural ceremony evoked the black church. Scott himself is a preacher and he often sounds like one in political speeches (he closed his inaugural remarks with a story about Esther from the Bible). Folks in the audience clapped and said "yes!" and "amen!" throughout, but when Clegg delivered his long, lyrical prayer for Little Rock the crowd turned up considerably.
It was a superlative sermon of sorts that lays bare Little Rock's critical failings in the course of calling for a better tomorrow. I'm including it in full, courtesy of Clegg, below. Let me know if anyone has video. Clegg's pastorly delivery definitely added an element.
We give you thanks and praise, O God, as we stand on the precipice of history in our city today. We thank you, because we know that you are the God of history and in history. You have seen the glories of our city and the sins of it.
You’ve seen all the joy and laughter and good work within this city over the decades. And you saw it when strange fruit hung from southern trees, even here. You saw it when 9 young people at Little Rock Central held up a mirror to our faces and a window into your own heart. You saw it when all the grandmas cried tears of joy when their babies walked across the stage at graduations and you saw it when all the grandmas cried tears of anguish because of violence in their streets. You saw it all because you are the God of history and the God in history.
But you’re not just the God of the past behind us but also the future before us. We are here, all of us, because we dream of a city where the common good is a little more common and a little more good. We long for a city in which those who live south on Geyer Springs Road and north on Kavanaugh recognize that their destinies are intertwined together. We long for a city in which the folks who live in Pleasant Valley and the folks who frequent Jericho Way know each other’s names. We long for a city in which our prisons are empty and our universities are full. We yearn for a city in which those of many faiths who name you by many names and those of no faith at all, recognize that ALL of us are smarter than ANY of us and ALL of us are stronger than ANY of us, and ALL of us are better than ANY of us.
And today- these memories that stretch back into our past and these dreams that stretch forward into our future, collapse into this present moment, this eternal now- and it’s why we dance in your presence and recognize this sacred moment in this new year.
We pause today, to give thanks for our brother, our friend, and your servant Frank Scott, Jr. We give you thanks for all the people who have shaped him over the course of his life: his family, teachers, ministers, friends, mentors, and co-workers. We thank you for those who ran against him for this very office, and we give thanks that they brought out the best of Frank as he brought out the best of them, displaying a politics worthy of our humanity. We thank you that, in his campaign, he appealed to our better angels, in a day when so many politicians appeal to our lowest demons because their vote counts just the same. We thank you for Frank’s sharp mind, big heart, and listening spirit. Today, we pause to thank you for Frank Scott and for the high and holy ground on which he stands.
We pray today, O Lord, that his campaign of integrity would give birth to an administration of faithfulness. Surround him with good counsel, that seeks the good of ALL in this city and not the narrow agendas of SOME. Embolden him for the weary days ahead, and grant him the strength of your joy for the hard days. Give him discernment to know your voice amidst all the voices. Give him eyes that will always see the least of these and ears to hear the cries of pain in this city. Give him vision that will lead us all closer to your beloved community. When he is in the right, build him up and give him fortitude and resolve. Where he is in the wrong, as we all are from time to time, correct him and make him right. And keep him humble enough to recognize the difference. Grant him a wisdom from on high that cannot be achieved, only received. In short, empower him to be precisely who the people of this city elected him to be, which is Frank Scott Jr.
And far be it from us, O Lord, to place such a weight as this upon his shoulders and pat him on the back and say, “Do well.” No way. We all stand around him today. We stand beside him today. We stand behind him today and altogether, in one voice say, “It’s time.” It’s time. And not just time for him, it’s time for all of us. It’s time for every child in every school in this city to know that we see them and we love them, and we are striving for them to receive the education they deserve. It’s time for those saints who teach them to know of our support and solidarity. It’s time for our churches and synagogues and mosques to leave the building and be the good news we pronounce within. It’s time for those who protect and serve to do just that. It’s time for the homeless to find, not just shelters, but homes. It’s time for our leaders to lead with integrity and character. It’s time, for walls to give way to bridges and old wounds to find their proper healing. It’s time for us ALL to claim our complicity in our problems and our responsibility in the solutions. It is time!
Frank..ly…it’s time. And in this way, O Lord, we don’t just feel as though we’re standing on the precipice of history, but on the precipice of eternity…so bless us in this holy moment, in which your eternity is kissing our time.
Bless this man, whose personal story carries in it the unity we desire for our whole city. Bless this man whose vision captured this city and became our vision. And bless this city so that it can bless all who call it home.
And all those who stand with Frank said, AMEN.
And all those who will seek the good of this city said, AMEN.
And all those who believe it’s time said, AMEN.


Jennie Marsh has been named Director of Victim Services for the Kansas Department of Corrections. She has been the KSDOC’s victim services coordinator since January, 2002. Prior to that Marsh was a senior case advocate for The Crisis Center, Inc. Marsh holds several titles including, KSDOC Leadership Development Academy graduate, Volunteer Management Institute graduate, President of the Kansas Organization for Victim Assistance (KOVA), past Secretary of KOVA, Kansas Correctional Association and American Correctional Association, a member of the National Association of Social Workers, 2005 Kansas Department of Corrections Central Office Employee of the Year nominee, and 2002 recipient of the Kansas Parole Board Benjamin H. Day Award. She received a bachelor’s degree in social Work from Kansas State University and a masters in social work administration from the University of Kansas. Marsh is also licensed with the State of Kansas as a master level social worker.


Weightlifting might not be one of the most popular Olympic sports, but it’s arguably one of the hardest.
It’s men and women vs. mass in these competitions — a true test of athletic excellence.
Here’s when and how you can watch the events.
Women’s 48kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Men’s 56kg Group B, 9 a.m.
Women’s 53kg Group B, 9 a.m.
Medal Event: Women’s 53kg Group A, 2:30 p.m.
Medal Event: Men’s 56kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Men’s 62kg Group B, 9 a.m.
Women’s 58kg Group B, 9 a.m.
Medal Event: Women’s 58kg Group A, 2:30 p.m.
Medal Event: Men’s 62kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Men’s 69kg Group B, 9:30 a.m.
Women’s 63kg Group B, 9:30 a.m.
Medal Event: Women’s 63kg Group A, 2:30 p.m.
Medal Event: Men’s 69 kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Men’s 77kg Group B, 9:30 a.m.
Women’s 69kg Group B, 9:30 a.m.
Medal Event: Women’s 69kg Group A, 2:30 p.m.
Medal Event: Men’s 77kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Men’s 85kg Group B, 9:30 a.m.
Women’s 75kg Group B, 9:30 a.m.
Medal Event: Women’s 75kg Group A, 2:30 p.m.
Medal Event: Men’s 85kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Men’s 94kg Group B, 2:30 p.m.
Medal Event: Men’s 94kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Medal Event: Women’s +75kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Men’s 105kg Group B, 2:30 p.m.
Medal Event: Men’s 105kg Group A, 6 p.m.
Men’s +105kg Group B, 2:30 p.m.
Medal Event: Men’s +105kg Group A, 6 p.m.


Josh McGuire believes Tevita Pangai Jr and Joe Ofahengaue are ready for Origin.
AUSTRALIA lock Josh McGuire believes Tonga pair Tevita Pangai Junior and Joe Ofahengaue are ready for State of Origin football - if they want to play it.
McGuire is bracing to face his fellow Brisbane forwards when they clash in Saturday's historic Test between the Kangaroos and the Mate Ma'a in Auckland.
It will be the first encounter between the two nations and the first time McGuire attempts to bring down the powerhouse Tongan young guns.
"I'm excited for Tevita Pangai and Joe, two guys I have got to experience every week at training," McGuire said.
"They are very passionate Tongans. The occasion is going to great."
Tonga's rapid rise as an international powerhouse has been largely credited to the defection of Andrew Fifita (Australia) and Jason Taumalolo (New Zealand).
However, the island nation has also been boosted by the decisions of Pangai Junior and Ofahengaue to commit to the cause.
Pangai Junior remains eligible to be selected for NSW, while Ofahengaue joined Queensland camp this year as a squad member.
McGuire, who has been a Maroons regular for the past four years, said the sky is the limit for Pangai Junior in particular.
"He's very powerful, strong and fit. Very professional," McGuire said.
Tevita Pangai Junior will start in the second row for Tonga against the Kangaroos.
"Joe and him are both knocking on the door for Origin football.
"The good things about the way the rules are this year, that they can play both.
"It's good for the game to have those guys playing at the highest level.
"Those guys are very much capable of playing at any level."
With 13 Test matches under his belt - six of those for Samoa - McGuire has plenty of experience to pass on to his younger teammates.
But McGuire insisted he is ready to pass the baton on to arguably two of the most destructive talents in the NRL.
"I'm at a stage now in my rugby league career where I'm fortunate enough to stand behind these big guys and let them go for gold," he said.
Joe Ofahengaue will come off the bench for Tonga against Australia.
"I'm very fortunate enough to be at a club at the Broncos where we have TPJ and Joe. Guys who are 115kg but are fit and fast and have footwork.
"I was fortunate enough to have guys who helped me along the way and if I can do anything to help them I will.
"But at the moment I don't have to do too much."


Esteban Restaurant, located at Casa Munras Garden Hotel, invites you to savor the bounty of spring this Easter, Sunday, April 21, 9am-1pm, with a delicious brunch served in our gorgeous Marbella Room. Price is $55 per adult and $25 per child ages 4-12. Children age 3 years and younger are free. For reservations, please call 831-324-6773.
Executive Chef Gus Trejo’s swoon-worthy brunch menu includes: fresh house-made scones, croissants, and pastries; abundant seafood featuring Pacific Northwest smoked salmon, prawns, and oysters with accompaniments; and classic breakfast dishes like waffles and made to order eggs and omelets. Vegetarian fare includes fresh salads, grilled veggie harvest (blanched and oven-roasted), and a curated California Artisanal cheese board.
For those with a hearty appetite, honey roasted ham and herb crusted rack of lamb are carved to order with Chef’s accompaniments. All About the Kids’ Corner is especially for the younger crowd and no brunch is complete without the tantalizing Sweet Station, including such delights as chocolate crème brûlée, Easter cookies and baked apple streusel. Please click here to view the full menu.
As a special feature, guests may pre-order one of three signature paellas when making a reservation. They will be placed in the center of their table 10 minutes after the party sits. Paella sizes range from small (2-4 people) for $38, medium (4-6 people) for $64, and large (8-12 people) for $112. Please note that a deposit will be taken at time of reservation for a paella.


There are a few whiskies that will bring a wistful twinkle, and maybe even a tear, to the eyes of a whisky geek. The GlenDronach Revival Aged 15 Years is one of them.
When it was discontinued in 2015, it sparked a mad dash to the nearest whisky store or website as any aficionado who knew his or her whisky stockpiled as many bottles as possible. Predictably, once it was gone, the price quickly tripled, fetching £150-£160 instead of the previous £50-£60.
And now, GlenDronach has brought it back - fulfilling a three-year-old promise - and made it available worldwide. The whisky community, and this includes me, is delirious with joy.
The Revival is so celebrated especially for its maturation: It's known as one of the "sherry bombs" that sets the standard for sherry-matured whisky. Usually, such whiskies feature aromas of cherries, raisins, plums, toffee, dark chocolate, cloves, ginger, and other aromatic and rich attractions. Priced at £62 - and often better than whiskies double or triple the price - it's also one of the more affordable sherry bombs currently available, especially for its age.
Introduced in the 1990s, that iteration didn’t last long as GlenDronach was mothballed in 1996. It owes its rescue and subsequent renown to the BenRiach Company's purchase of GlenDronach, which returned Revival to production, bottled at 46% ABV (Alcohol By Volume) with its first release in 2009.
The new revived bottle of the Revival has already won the highest ranking of Double Gold at San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Since the Revival was discontinued, the distillery (and its holding company) was bought by Louisville-based drinks giant Brown-Forman (owner of Jack Daniel’s) in 2016. It’s good to see that so far the company isn't getting in the way of letting a truly superb distillery do what it does best, especially as this exceptional whisky makes its triumphant return.


LAWRENCEBURG, Ky. (WKYT) - A mother who lost two teenage sons to overdoses on the same day shared her message for students at Anderson County High School.
"We live every second of every day missing Nick and Jack," Becky Savage said. "It's so hard to even comprehend sometimes."
A family photo of six is now a photo of four after Savage lost two of her sons.
"They came in. They checked in with me about 12, 12:30 and then I went to bed."
The next morning [June 14, 2015], she went to Jack's room for some laundry. He was unresponsive. She yelled for Nick, who was downstairs with friends, but he didn't run up to help. That's when she called 911.
"Little did I know there was another 911 call that came out of our basement," she said. "Nick's friends had heard me calling for help and went to wake up Nick and Nick was unresponsive as well."
They both overdosed. Savage said her boys drank at a graduation party and took pills offered to them.
She never expected this. They'd never been in trouble before.
Savage said she wants students to know, a decision only has to be made one time to impact family and friends forever. She spoke at Anderson County High School, hosted by student group 'Saving Our Students'.
Savage said, "I want these kids to know that they're important, that choices they make can have a lasting impact, not only on them, but on their family and friends, and to focus on making good choices."
She went on to say she hopes her sons lives continue to make a difference.
"Every crowd I look out to I know there are Nick and Jack's out in that crowd, good kids, kids who maybe are naive to the dangers that are out there and we're just hoping to touch one life."
County officials from the sheriff's office, coroner's office and courthouse were also at the presentation, talking with students.


Netflix's Gilmore Girls revival has barely been out in the world for a day, but fans are already in the throes of visceral reactions.
Whether you've binged it all and are only awake now because of all the coffee — or you're waiting, for some inexplicable reason, you will feel all these reactions on a deep, spiritual level. Below are some spoiler-free Gilmore teasers to lure you back to Stars Hollow.
Hard day for anyone watching the Gilmore Girls revival and having their first realization that time passes.
Popular themes include bingeing all four 90-minute episodes in one sitting and then having to cope with the emotional upheaval.
6 hours later and just finished binge watching @GilmoreGirls !!! It was sooooo good, got emotional. Please tell me there will be more !
Of course, the emotions can start sooner. If you haven't watched, stock up on tissues.
Oh, and those last four words? No spoilers here, but... GET READY.
Gets to the end of Gilmore Girls.
If you have the emotional fortitude to plan a theme for your feels, kudos to you.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is now streaming on Netflix.


WARSAW, Poland – Poland's justice officials say they are seeking to prosecute seven communist-era judges and prosecutors who imprisoned pro-democracy fighters in the 1980s.
Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said Tuesday that authorities want to lift the immunity of the seven, who "lawlessly deprived of freedom" those protesting the 1981 communist-imposed martial law. He said the aim was to bring them to justice. He did not disclose their identities.
It was not clear when the motions, written by special history-focused prosecutors, would be sent to court.
Poland's right-wing ruling Law and Justice party, which has introduced controversial charges to the justice system, has made it a priority to punish and remove from public life justice officials of the communist era. It argues it is acting in the interest of the victims.


Does an opinionated question and the desire to change a tradition make someone a rebel?
At times, when people stand up for what they believe in or for something that they believe needs to be implemented in the world but goes against the opinions of majority of the population, they are labeled as rebellious.
They are looked down upon and thought of as troublemakers for the simple reason of having a differing perspective towards certain situations. More so, for questioning the moral values behind cultural practices that have been followed over centuries.
The real question is whether these well-informed individuals are correctly labeled so or are they, unlike people have been for many decades, thinking beyond just the traditional value of some practices.
For example, there is a young girl living in a small village, where the sole purpose of women is to give birth to and raise children, whilst cooking food for the entire family. After spending over ten years in this village witnessing this ‘tradition’, she disagrees with this practice and questions why the women, along with performing these duties, can’t earn a living as well. Especially if they wish to and believe they have the mental and physical capacity to do so.
Does this opinionated question and the desire to change this tradition make that young girl a rebel? No. In fact, it makes her a rational thinker who is putting forward a genuine query that her mind has brought up after wonderment regarding said village for several years.
Another distinct case of someone wrongly being labeled as rebellious is of a young boy, for example, who has been expected to become an engineer and make a career out of it for his entire adulthood, ever since he was born.
Say this boy grows to learn that he has no interest in that field whatsoever but instead is exceedingly fond of photography and has an exceptionally unique artistic touch while taking photos.
He then manifests that he wants to make a career out of photography but everyone around him immediately refuses exclaiming that this is not a feasible career path. Will calling this young boy rebellious be appropriate? No, as he is simply standing up again the mindset of only conventional career paths being practical in the long run.
Hence, he is using his own individualistic thinking and interests to write his own life’s journey, which is nothing short of rational thinking.
In conclusion, before labeling individuals as plainly rebellious, the reasons for their opinionated gestures and refusal to follow certain norms should be taken into account.
Many at times they might turn out to be making a remarkably sensible point and helping our society to move towards a more progressive lifestyle.


Suffolk's Latitude Festival will be one of the first music venues this summer to trial a new scheme aiming to boost plastic recycling and reduce marine pollution.
The Co-Op is running a so-called "deposit return scheme" where festival goers are encouraged to return their plastic water bottles to vending machines in exchange for a voucher to spend at one of their stores on site.
The bottles will then go on to be recycled.
Reducing the amount of plastic that makes its way to landfill is really important to us and our members.
I’m excited that, in partnership with Live Nation and Recycling Options, we have the opportunity to bring these machines to the UK only a few months after they were officially given the green light by the Government.
The pilot will also see reverse vending machines installed at Download festival in Leicestershire and Reading and Leeds festivals to encourage people to recycle their plastic bottles.
Melvin Benn, Managing Director of Festival Republic, said: “We welcome over 350,000 revellers across these four iconic festival sites.


When it comes to promoting swachhta or encouraging youngsters to prepare for Olympics 2020, the Delhi Police Welfare Society seems to be setting new milestones.
Everyone is hoping Indian athletes to win big in Olympics 2020. But, one organisation that is working to make the dream come true is Police Families Welfare Society (PFWS). It is training the children of Delhi Police for Olympics 2020.
Suchana Patnaik, president, PFWS, is happy that two children, Nishta and Dhruvay — trained under the society — have qualified for nationals, in shooting. “The previous president Shefali Verma took many initiatives. There are about 155 police colonies in Delhi, and we had only one welfare centre. But in the last one year, we have opened 10 centres, and planning to come up with more,” says Suchana, who has been heading PFWS since February; after her husband, Amulya Patnaik took charge as Commissioner of Police, Delhi.
The society, which was established in 1972 for the welfare of police personnels, wasn’t prominently active until a few years back. Recently, the society organised a Swachhta drive from October 2 to 5. “We meet twice a week. The meeting is attended by centre staff, wives, team leaders and we work on the road maps and sort out the issues,” shares Patnaik.
Members of PFWS during the swachhta drive organised from October 2 to 5.
“We initially built trust in the community, and it wasn’t an easy task to do so. To ensure a sense of belongingness, we addressed their needs and provided them with opportunities,” says Sushi Singh, vice-president, PFWS.
Today, there are a lot of activities that PFWS is engaged in. Among other initiatives, Mission Olympics 2020 is their dream project, and has covered the maximum number of police colonies. “We started training children at Summer Camps this year — choosing five games from the Olympics format. In the first season, we selected 100 kids. In the second season, 150 are shortlisted. We help them, but being an NGO, we need sponsors, too,” adds Patnaik.
Children show posters painted to create awareness about clean environment.
Alongside, there are regular workshops and seminars organised twice a month. The training centre also has stitching, yoga, aerobics, dance and other activities. “Celebrities, physiotherapist, nutritionists and sports experts conduct sessions to boost the morale of our kids. This is apart from the everyday training session at New Police Lines Ground, Kingsway Camp in north Delhi; by trained Delhi Police coaches,” adds Patnaik.


BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Police say they are searching for a suspect after a south-central man was shot outside of his home Thursday.
Jerome Police Chief Dan Hall says officers received a report of shots just after 11 p.m.
Officers say 32-year-old Antonio Fregoso was injured in the shooting and was taken to the Twin Falls hospital.
Fregoso was listed in serious condition Friday morning.
Hall also says that he does not believe the shooting was random and police are pursuing several leads.


MSN handing out lumps of coal for the holidays?
MSN finally reinstated the advanced link queries, but now they seem to have disappeared, leaving search marketers and site owners with no link information.
MSN, please say it isn't so.
As earlier reported, the MSN Live Search team had reinstated the link queries, though with a twist... now requiring a "+" in front of either the link: or linkdomain: query operators. But now it appears that the query is no longer working again.
Live Search link query results.
Live Search linkdomain query results.
Hopefully, this is just a glitch, but if not, then hopefully the Live Search team will make up their minds once and for all and either reinstate the special queries or kill them altogether.
The problem is that search marketers and Web site owners alike use these queries to measure and benchmark their visibility on the Web, as well as the success of their link building. These queries were originally decommissioned due to extreme load from automated queries.
Now that MSN has launched its new Webmaster Center, there is a thought that it will build this into its interface. While this may help alleviate the automated queries, it will probably be limited to the site that is validated within Webmaster Center. Unfortunately, this means that there won't be any way to measure against similar or competitor sites.
Discuss: MSN handing out lumps of coal for the holidays?


With the cut-off date a couple of days away, only two people have registered as candidates for mayor in St. Lazare.
But town spokeswoman Geneviève Hamel said that candidates will often wait until the last minute to file their names.
“They come in on the last day,” said Hamel, noting that the deadline for registering for the June 17 byelection is May 18.
St. Lazare residents will be electing a new mayor to replace Pierre Kary who resigned on April 1 due to health and work reasons.
So far, the two candidates are Robert L. Grimaudo and Benoit Tremblay.
based on three platforms: the environment, community and co-operation.
Catholic Church at 1980 Ste. Angelique Rd., right next to city hall.
be useful in making peace at the often acrimonious city council.
an earlier interview. “I think my experience would be valuable in St.


Merrill Lynch & Co Inc. may get up to $5 billion in a capital infusion from Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.
Temasek is in advanced talks with the largest US brokerage and its board has given preliminary approval for the investment, the Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.
However, pricing, timing and regulatory issues would still need to be negotiated between the two companies, the Journal said.
A Merrill spokeswoman could not be immediately reached for comment. In Singapore, Temasek spokesman Mark Lee said: "Like we told the Wall Street Journal, we decline comment."
Merrill Lynch faces huge potential write-downs on assets underpinned by risky subprime mortgages. The company's $8.4 billion write-down in the third quarter cost Chairman and Chief Executive Stan O'Neal his job, leaving new Merrill leader John Thain with the task of cleaning up.
Analysts estimate Merrill could further slash the value of these subprime-related assets by an additional several billion dollars. Last month, the company said its total exposure to subprime mortgages and collateralized debt obligations was $27.2 billion.
A Temasek capital infusion into Merrill would be the latest in a series by sovereign wealth funds into western banks hurt by this year's credit crunch.
Earlier this week, China Investment Corp agreed to pump $5 billion into Morgan Stanley as the US investment bank posted a fourth-quarter loss fuelled by $9.4 billion of losses in subprime mortgages and other assets.


PORTLAND — A portion of Route 17A is currently closed because of water flooding over the road, according to the Department of Transportation.
The road is shut down between between Route 17 and Summer Street, according to the DOT.
Such flooding is a fairly common occurrence, a Portland police dispatcher said Saturday — it happens a few times a year.
The Connecticut River floods the nearby fairgrounds when there is a good amount of rain, which spills across the roadway.