text:
Martin Sheen backtracks over Zero Dark Thirty petition criticism
The West Wing star's name appeared alongside fellow actors Ed Asner and David Clennon's in a protest against the picture's graphic scenes, which depict U.S. intelligence chiefs waterboarding and humiliating detained prisoners for information in the real-life hunt for terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.
The petition urged Academy members to boycott the movie and not give it their vote in the categories for Best Picture and Best Actress for Jessica Chastain.
But Sheen has now spoken out to clarify his stance on the film, claiming he never meant to hurt the film's Oscar chances because he wanted to make a stand against torture itself, not Zero Dark Thirty.
The liberal actor admits, "It's my own fault", explaining to the New York Times that there was a miscommunication about the petition between himself and his assistant.
Instead, Sheen was full of praise for Bigelow and Boal's thriller, revealing he "was very moved and troubled by it". He also applauded the filmmakers for highlighting the methods allegedly used by the C.I.A. to put pressure on terrorists, adding, "(It has) done great, great service to the issue."


text:
Item #1097
Annual. Appropriately named, Bouquet Blend was developed especially for cut flower use with longer, sturdier stems. Large ruffled flowers come in scarlet, rose, salmon, cream, pink, blue, lavender and white on long stems. 5' - 6' vines will grace a trellis with a multitude of blossoms to delight your senses!
Seedling Image
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5'-6' vines
Days to Emerge:
Seed Depth:
Seed Spacing:
When to sow outside: RECOMMENDED. Cold winter climates: 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost, or as soon as the soil can be worked. Mild winter climates: Late fall to early winter for early spring bloom.
When to start inside: 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost.
Special germination instructions: To hasten germination, soak seed in water for 12 - 24 hours, or nick with sandpaper before sowing.
Artist: Roberta Lutgens
Item #1097
3.00 grams
These are some simple techniques you can use to extend the life of your cut flowers from days, to over a week.
1) In the morning or early evening,…More…

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Dear Annie: We are facing an imminent irreversible mistake with a family heirloom. My husband's elderly father is determined to sell a generations-old coin collection to a coin shop and then split the money between his three sons.
My husband and his brothers would rather have the coins themselves for the sentimental value. No one involved is in financial trouble of any kind, and all the brothers would do their best to divide the heirlooms fairly. But when any of them tries to bring it up, their dad's explosive temper puts an end to the discussion.
The weirdest, most hurtful part is that Grandpa wants my husband to deliver the coins to an unknown third party to sell, and he is keeping them in a sealed box, not even letting our young daughter view them once. This floored my husband and almost drove a huge wedge between them, as he has never felt trusted by his father. Yet my husband is one of the most responsible, honest and trustworthy people I've ever met.
We feel sad that his family may lose this piece of history forever, but I did try to get my husband to stay on friendly terms, as we may not have Grandpa around much longer. Is there any hope of changing his mind? — Boondoggled in Boise
Dear Boondoggled: Has Grandpa had a full medical checkup lately? He doesn't seem to be entirely rational. Even if he believes selling the coins would be more equitable than leaving the collection to his children, it is peculiar that he would not want his granddaughter to see them first — unless, of course, Grandpa has already sold many of the coins and doesn't want anyone to know.
If Grandma is in the picture, please see whether she knows what's going on. Otherwise, your husband and his brothers could try to discuss this one more time, together, with their father. But unless Grandpa requires a conservator to handle his affairs, the decision is his.
Dear Annie: We have run into an unbelievable problem trying to travel with a family member who is wheelchair-bound due to a debilitating stroke. The hotels seem to have only a single king-size bed in all of their mobility handicap rooms — those set up with a roll-in toilet area and shower. In other words, none of the rooms with two doubles or two queen-size beds are handicap accessible.
Imagine all of the wheelchair-bound or otherwise disabled folks who need to travel with someone but don't want to share the same bed or, like us, are a couple with a disabled adult child.
Surely hotels could think this through better. — Need a Place To Sleep
Dear Need: We agree that offering only king-size beds in handicap-accessible rooms is inadequate, although it is likely an issue of space. A king-size bed allows more room for a wheelchair. A rollaway bed is often sufficient to make up the difference, but it would make more sense to have two double beds, which is standard in other hotel rooms. Every hotel is different. When you are looking to book a room, speak to someone at the front desk to see whether they can accommodate your preferences.
Dear Annie: Reading "M.P.'s" experience with a person coughing behind her during a play brought back a wonderful memory of when I attended a performance of "The Belle of Amherst" at the Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia.
This is a one-woman show, and there was one audience member who kept coughing. The actress, in character and without missing a beat, said, "My dear, do you need a glass of water?" With that, she continued the performance, the audience had a giggle and the coughing woman left. This made for a special memory that amuses me every time I think of it. — Smiling in Virginia
Dear Readers: Be sure to set your clocks forward one hour before going to bed tonight.
This Classic Annie's Mailbox column was originally published in 2014. To find out more about Classic Annie's Mailbox and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit Creators Syndicate at www.creators.com.


text:
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The Clash
Saturday Shorts: Serious Sam, Diablo 2, Dilithium, SFxT, Breaking Bad, Arkham City
The shorts post is rather long today, so we're going to go ahead and race to the finish with it.
The Clash headlines
The Clash's London Calling hits Rock Band
Rock Band kicks February off with a bang by introducing one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved albums of the punk rock era – and after. London Calling, in its entirety, arrives as premium DLC in just a few days.
New BioWare teaser shows Clash cover
London calling.
Styx and REO Speedwagon for Wii Rock Band
Wii Rockband's getting Styx, REO Speedwagon, System of a Down, The Clash and tons of other stuff this week.Which is all very exciting, but not enough to make us format a list of tracks. Find it, instead, in the press release after the break.


text:
Enbizaka no Shitateya
|Original / Romaji Lyrics
|English Translation
Kidate no yosa to tashika na ude de kinjo demo hyouban no musume
With virtue and a reliable disposition, she is a popular girl in the neighbourhood.
"Watashi to iu mono ga ari nagara ie ni kaette kiyashinai"
"Although he has a person like me, he never returns home."
Haha no katami no saihou hasami togeba togu hodo yoku kireru
The sewing scissors are a keepsake of my mother's. If you really sharpen them, they'll cut even better.
Kyou mo machi wa itsumo no toori aa odayaka de heiwa na nichijou
Oodoori de ano hito wo mikaketa tonari no onna wa ittai dare?
Today the town is the same as always. It is indeed as calm and peaceful as everyday is.
I saw that person in the main street. Who on earth is the woman next to him?
Aruku no sugata koraekirezu sono basho wo sugu hanareta no
I couldn't bear that appearance as they walked. I left that place immediately.
Hoho wo namida de nurashi nagara kimono no nuinaoshi ni sei wo dasu
While my cheeks become wet with tears, I work hard on re-sewing the kimono.
Machi wa naniyara fuon na kuuki nanika jiken ga okottarashii
Hashi no mae de ano hito wo mikaketa tonari no onna wa ittai dare?
The town has an uneasy atmosphere for some reason. It seems that some crime broke out.
I saw that person in front of the bridge. Who on earth is the woman next to him?
Midori no obi ga totemo niau wa aa sonna ko ga konomi na no ne
The green obi really suits her. Ah, I guess that kind of girl meets your taste.
Akaku manako wo harashi nagara obi no shuuzen ni sei wo dasu
While my red eyes are swelling, I work hard on repairing the obi.
Machi wa niwaka ni sawagi hajimeta futatabi jiken ga attarashii
Kanzashi ya de ano hito wo mikaketa tonari no onna wa ittai dare?
Chaos has suddenly started in the town. It seems that a crime happened again.
I saw that person in the hairpin shop. Who on earth is the woman next to him?
Ittai nani wo shiyou to iu no? Hontou ni misakai ga nai no ne
What on earth does he think he's doing? He really has no boundaries.
Hasami no iro konna datta kashira? Kyou mo shigoto ni sei wo dasu
I wonder; were my scissors always this colour? I work hard on my job today too.
Youyaku shigoto mo hito danraku shita
Ai ni kite kurenai no naraba
Kochira kara ai ni yukimashou
I've finally reached the end of my work.
If you will not come and see me,
Then I will go to meet you.
Kiiro ikanzashi kami ni sashite
Anata konomi no onna ni natta wa
Dou? Watashi kirei deshou?
I put the yellow ornate hairpin in my hair.
I've become a woman of your taste.
Well? Aren't I pretty?
Kyou wa machijuu ga oosawagi kondo wa otoko ga korosareta
Kore de kazoku yon-nin ga subete nanimonoka ni korosaretarashii
Today the whole town is in an uproar. This time a man was killed.
It seems this entire family of four was murdered by someone.
Maru de tanin mitai ja nai maru de tannin mitai ja nai
It was as though I was a stranger to him. It was as though I was a stranger.
Akaku some matta saihou hasami togeba togu hodo yoku kireru
The sewing scissors have been stained red. If you really sharpen them, they'll cut even better.
Translated and transliterated by Hikarin
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text:
Barclays is cutting back its UK IT workforce by axing 422 jobs - mainly at Radbroke Hall in Knutsford, northwest England.
The bank euphemistically said that the lay-offs are part of "essential changes to technology and infrastructure". A well-placed source told The Reg that affected staff should expect more details on Monday.
Barclays stressed that the cuts would not affect their IT services, but would let the bank (net income for 2011: £6.1 billion) innovate and streamline "so that we can innovate in new technologies and services for our customers, and be as effective and efficient as possible". The bank reckons the reorganisation could create 40 new positions. (AtW's comment: 422 jobs loss)
Barclays promised that they would aim to redeploy affected workers across the company as much as possible. A spokesperson added: "Whilst regrettably this will mean job losses, we will make every effort to mitigate compulsory redundancies and are working closely with Unite and impacted staff."
Unite union officer David Fleming thundered: "The decision by Barclays Technology to cut 422 jobs is a New Year's blow for the staff. The vast majority of jobs will be going from Radbroke Hall, Cheshire. There will also be jobs cut in Northampton and a scattering among other sites around the country."
In November, Barclays Capital cut IT contractor rates by 10 per cent. Barclays employs 57,000 people in the UK. ®
Source: Barclays axes 422 UK IT staff ? The Register


text:
KEARNS, Utah -- The U.S. Speedskating coaching scandal became even messier Friday.
One speedskater, reigning national short-track champion Simon Cho, faces a disciplinary hearing after confessing Friday that he tampered with a Canadian rival's skate at the 2011 World Team Championship. Short track interim coach, Jun Hyung Yeo, was suspended Friday by the federation for failing to report that tampering.
And the man at the center of the scandal, head coach Jae Su Chun, remains suspended and also could be disciplined for not reporting the tampering.
But investigators commissioned by U.S. Speedskating to investigate said they didn't find evidence that Chun engaged in "a pattern of physical and emotional abuse" as alleged by skaters, or Cho's claim that Chun ordered the skate tampering.
The situation left one skater caught in the middle confounded -- less than two weeks before the first World Cup event and 16 months before the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
"I have no idea what to do," said Jeff Simon, among those who alleged he was abused by Chun and who has earned a spot on the World Cup team.
"It seems as nobody is taking decisive action. They have known about these issues for some time. They are quick to point fingers at other people when all the problems have arisen within."
Simon took issue in that the tampering case was such a small part of the allegations initially brought by more than a dozen skaters yet seemed to be the focus of Friday's action.
Greg Little, whose New York law firm conducted the investigation, denied the report was an exoneration of Chun.
"There are limitations on what we can say," Little said, noting an upcoming arbitration hearing. "It is not an exoneration, and not an endorsement of (Chun's) coaching methods."
Federation officials said Friday they hoped to have a new coach named by the end of the day or at least by Monday, yet gave no clue as to who that might be -- other than to say it would not be one of the coaches of the splinter FAST Team.
A dozen members of the FAST team, including Simon, have filed a demand for arbitration that seeks Chun's permanent dismissal, and many have said they would refuse to skate for him if he is reinstated.
Cho also said he would not skate again for Chun, a fellow native of South Korea.
An arbitration hearing is set for Nov. 1 in Salt Lake City, but skaters only have until Oct. 13 to decide if they will be part of the fall U.S. World Cup team, which begins Oct. 19 in Calgary.
Cho didn't qualify, and said the distractions of the skate tampering were a big reason.
Cho admitted Friday at a news conference that he sabotaged the skate of Canada's Olivier Jean. But he said he did it at the direction of Chun after the coach made the command a third time in Korean.
"When he spoke in Korean, I knew he was serious," Cho said Friday at his attorney's Salt Lake City office. "The repetitiveness and aggressiveness of how he came at me was very intimidating. ... I knew he wasn't going to take no for an answer."
Cho, 20, said Simon witnessed the first request in English.
Little said Yeo and Chun both acknowledged to investigators that they knew Cho had tampered with a rival's skate immediately after it took place yet did not report it to authorities.
That's why the federation suspended Yeo as well. Chun was suspended last month, and has denied all charges.
"As to who said what to whom and what the motivating factors were, we cannot say," Little said, noting there were three or four conflicting stories.
"There's not sufficient evidence to conclude that Jae Su directed Simon Cho to tamper with the skates."
Cho also said he personally witnessed Chun douse a skater with water and hit one with a notebook.
Little, whose firm interviewed more than three dozen people as of the investigation, found the abuse allegations problematic because there was no clear-cut definition of what constituted abuse.
Little said the most serious allegation of physical abuse, in which Chun was accused of beating up a skater in an elevator, could not be proven. Little said the skater when interviewed described a different scenario.
Little's investigation did hint at problems within the organization.
Investigators acknowledged the athletes lacked "consistent trainer support" and the trainers who were present didn't know their bodies.
At the same time, funding was reduced in part because the men's team had such a poor showing last season.
"There was the general perception of skaters that no one at U.S. Speedskating would listen to them about their concerns much less act on them," Little said.
Simon said late Friday that's still seems to be the case.
"I feared for my career prior to this. I'm afraid for my future," he said before working out at the Olympic venue.
Cho's future, meanwhile, remains unclear though he said Sunday he expects a suspension or ban.
Tamara Castellano, a spokeswoman for U.S. Speedskating, said the organization was "shocked and disappointed" to learn about the skate tampering and does not support or condone Cho's actions.
A disciplinary panel will be convened to determine possible sanctions against Yeo, Chun and Cho.
Federation officials could not say how long that would take.
"The conduct at issue is repugnant and antithetical to the values of the Olympic Movement and inconsistent with Team USA's commitment to fair play," Patrick Sandusky, a spokesman for the U.S. Olympic Committee, said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press on Friday morning.
"We regret that an American athlete was involved, and intend to actively engage with U.S. Speedskating to ensure that appropriate action is taken."
Cho said he was embarrassed by his actions and called his decision to comply the "biggest mistake of my life" and one he regrets.
He also said he apologized to Jean in a phone conversation Thursday night.
"He sounded personally understanding," Cho said of his conversation.
Cho said the tampering occurred after the U.S. team had already been eliminated from competition.
He maintained Chun was angry at the Canadians and convinced they had aided another team to knock out the U.S. Cho said the tampering took just a few seconds, and was done with a blade bender normally used to ensure a skater's blade follows the proper radius in short track.
"I always knew it was wrong that day," Cho said. "I was very scared. I was frightened. And I was intimidated."
He said Chun at the time said he would take full responsibility if the tampering were ever discovered. But when Cho spoke with him about it a month ago, he said Chun denied any involvement.
"I hope that I can make up for my mistake and continue to skate in the future," said Cho, a 2010 Olympic relay bronze medalist, and 2011 individual world champion.
Chun's attorney, Russell Fericks, said his client never pressured Cho to tamper. "That is a sad and extremely unfortunate canard," Fericks said.
He said Chun was very pleased with the findings by White & Case, and was eager to help U.S. Speedskating "patch up" the team.
Whether that is possible remains to be seen.
A handful of skaters who support Chun, and have passionately defended him, attended Friday's news conference at the Olympic oval. Others who vehemently oppose him were there as well.
Only Simon wanted to talk.
"To me it's disheartening to be in this situation, and all my teammates are in it," he said.


text:
From the Logan County Department of Public Health
Send a link to a friend
[January 15, 2013]
If you are caring for someone in your
home with the flu, it is important to know how to keep yourself and
others in the home from getting sick as well. Keep the sick person
away from other people as much as possible, especially those who are
at high risk of complications from the flu.
Take these additional steps to help protect yourself and others
in your home from getting the flu.
Everyone in the
house should clean their hands with soap and water frequently,
including after every contact with the sick person.
Remind the sick
person to cover coughs and sneezes and clean his or her hands
Avoid being
face-to-face with the sick person. Anyone with an increased risk
of severe illness from the flu should not care for the sick
Hold small
children who are sick with their chin on your shoulder so that
they will not cough in your face.
Keep surfaces clean by wiping them down
with a household disinfectant.
[to top of second column]
The Logan County Department of Public Health has a limited supply
of flu vaccines still available. The hours for vaccines at the
health department are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
No appointment is required. The influenza vaccine will also be
available on the HOPE Mobile during its regularly scheduled stops.
The cost of the seasonal flu shot is $25 for adults, $16.75 for
children 6 months through 18 years of age who have no health
insurance or health insurance that doesn't cover vaccines, and free
to those with a Medicaid or Medicare card.
For more information on the seasonal influenza vaccine, call the
Logan County Department of Public Health at 217-735-2317.
For more information, visit
www.flu.gov and www.lcdph.org.
[Text from file received from the
Logan County Department of Public
< Top Stories index
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text:
Enjoy Memorial Day Weekend in Stowe at the 22nd Annual Spring Vermont Open Studio!
Memorial Day Weekend in Stowe and across Vermont, for that matter, will be dotted with yellow signs – for what you ask? Only one of the biggest statewide celebrations of the visual arts and the creative process – the Spring Vermont Open Studio! The public is invited to visit artists and craftspeople in their studios all over Vermont, some of which are only open to the public during this event, and gives everyone the opportunity to see the work of these artisans up close. The Spring Vermont Open Studio weekend will feature approximately 240 artist's and artisan's works from glassblowers, jewelers, potters, weavers, quilt makers, furniture makers and so much more.
22nd Annual Spring Vermont Open Studio
May 24-25, 2014
Click here for a downloadable PDF Schedule
Spring Vermont Open Studio Weekend is supported by The Vermont Arts Council and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing. The Vermont Crafts Council is a non-profit organization serving the Vermont visual arts community.
Look for the yellow wayfinder signs and posters that will help you locate the studios you want to visit, or visit the Vermont Crafts Council website to request a free Vermont Studio Tour Guide booklet, which are also available at Vermont Information Centers or from the individual participating studios and galleries.
People who have experienced the Spring Vermont Open Studio tend to return year after year, because each year there is more to discover. Visitors to the Green Mountain Inn can say the same. Make your plans now to visit Vermont and tour our vast assortment of studios and stay in our historic Inn. Learn about the dynamic participating artists located right here in Lamoille County like Seasholtz Glass Design, Wind's Edge Studio, My Earthwork and Paint on Purpose. We hope to welcome you soon!


text:
R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)banter general discussions etc
17 posts • Page 1 of 1
R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
It's my sad duty to inform you that Barrie, aka Mr Mud sadly passed away just before Christmas.
Barrie had been ill for some time and had been in and out of Hospital for a few months now but when I last spoke to him at the beginning of December he seemed very upbeat and was talking about some forthcoming physio to get him back on his feet again and looking forward to getting out of Hospital.
Unfortunately having spoken to Barrie's nephew earlier today it would appear that he took an unexpected turn for the worse a couple of weeks ago which caused complications with his breathing that ultimately led to his death.
Barrie was one of life's characters and had story's a plenty from his time working across the globe with several large multinational oil company's. Barrie had a true passion for cars and loved his Fronteras, lavishing far more money on the several he owned than most people would have ever considered but he always seem to love driving them and being involved with FOG.
Barrie will be sadly missed by his family and all those that knew him.
Rest In Peace mate.
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
Very very sad news.
My thoughts go out to Barry's family.
R.I.P Mr Mud.
FOG Administrator
Frontera Technical Support
Often Imitated Never Bettered
Its here, the FOG Annual Meet 2014 viewforum.php?f=123
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
R.I.P mr mud
Our thoughts go to your loved ones
i hate having Dyslexia
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
Never had the pleasure of meeting Barrie, but still always sad when anyone looses there fight.
Be at peace Barrie.
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
From previous experience death @ this time of year is particularly horrible, everyone else is all festive & happy.
Although unknown to me, thoughts are with his family.
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
R.I.P mr mud
condolence's to the family
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
Very sad news indeed! I never met Barrie but we did convers on FOG a couple of times.
Condolenceses to his family.
Bobster & Chrissy
Comments on Betsy here please!!! viewtopic.php?f=115&t=56282
Frontera's do it better in MUD!!!
West Midlands Area Rep
Its here, the FOG Annual Meet 2014 viewforum.php?f=123
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
Sorry to hear this sad news Mark
Thoughts are out to Barrie and his loved ones - R.I.P. Mr Mud
Seems inappropriate to be asking at this moment in time Mark, but did we ever meet Barrie up the woods? Thinking of the guy that came up with you in the early woods and S.E. introduction laning day/s. Also when Paul, Steve and me came down to Slindon a couple of years or so back.
Last edited by Retro Pedro on Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
No Pete, the guy your thinking of is another of my mates who also oddly enough is called Pete but he's never actually signed up to FOG as he's not really a fan of Forums and the such like.
Don't think Barrie ever ventured up to the woods although I believe he visited Robs (Rospicer) old workshop a few times to collect various bits and pieces and could often be found drinking coffee in my workshop / garage.
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
OK Mark
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
Very sad news, our thoughts go out to Barrie's family.
Will let Rob know when I next speak to him, as he's in Oz at the mo.
Check out the index thread below where pics/reviews from all our past meets can be found!!!!
click here for the SE Events Index/links Thread...see all the reviews and whats coming up soon!
Looks like I'm in trouble with the Mrs's again...
She asked me what I'd most like to do to her body...
Apparently "Identify it" is not the correct answer!
MAKE IT or BREAK IT! TEAMXTREME4X4
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
RIP Friend
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
such sad news - all our thoughts are with family & loved ones
R.I.P Mr Mud
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
Sad news, while I never met Barrie we did converse on FOG a few times.
RiP Barrie, thoughts are with family and friends at this sad time.
This posting may have been helpfull, on the other hand probably not... Either way, I may have had drink when posting it in which case it's probably not as helpfull as it could have been
Work safe, and remember all technical problems can be resolved with a hammer, the trick is knowing where to hit it and how big a hammer to use (I often find it may also help to have a spare bit in the shed to replace the bit you have just mullered )
Work in Progress (or not as the case may be) I give you.... 'O-no' the truck.
Comments on 'O-no' the truck may be left here
Work in Progress (or not as the case may be) I give you.... 'Truck'
Comments on 'Truck' the truck may be left here
Owning a 2.8 is a hobby in it's self...
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
Very sad news, RIP Mr. Mud.
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
didn't know barrie, but very sad news indeed.
sleep tight my friend..
Re: R.I.P Barrie (Mr Mud)
I never met Barrie either but have spoke to him a lot on FOG and Barrie always had great advice on Frontera's too.
R.I.P Mr Mud
FOG thoughts goes out to your loved ones.
My first Frontera (1993 2.4i LWB). viewtopic.php?f=46&t=27691&p=309004#p309004
Comments on my (1993 2.4i LWB). viewtopic.php?f=32&t=41426
My present Frontera (1999 2.2 DTI LWB). viewtopic.php?f=46&t=52970&p=568393#p568393
Comments on my (1999 2.2 DTI LWB). viewtopic.php?f=32&t=52971
R.I.P Sable!(2005 to 2013)
17 posts • Page 1 of 1
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text:
Dear Em.
Ive havent got any thing to say so I cant say much. As for when we are going home I know just about as much as you do. It is getting nice and cool here now. Grass is beginning to grow and every thing is getting green and nice. Hope to see you soon.
Poem printed on the front of postcard
Here's greetings from the Border-land
Where the wind blows to beat the band,
O'er valleys fair and mountains high
Kissed by the sun from a cloudless sky.
Where the soldier boy with his ready gun
Tramps the desert under a scorching sun.
Yes, this is the land where the cacti grow
And the long-eared burro tries to crow.
Where the centipede walks on a hundred legs
And the rattlesnake lays its soft-shelled eggs
The tarantula too, and vinagroon
Bask in the sunshine and lazily roam
Over the rocks and through the sand
Away out here on the Border-land.
By the Poet-Lariat
(Copyright Sept. 1916 by Jos. T. Grant)
© Copyright 2008 by Richard Landers, All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission.


text:
Rihanna's restraining order against former beau Chris Brown could make it difficult for him to attend the Grammys this year.
Brown asked a judge in Los Angeles to lift the order that prevents him from being within 100 yards his old flame so he would not get kicked out of next month's ceremony at the Staples Center.
"It can be a problem with award shows," Brown's lawyer told Judge Patricia Schnegg, according to E! Online.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
The original ruling would make it illegal for him to make it past the door while Rihanna—who was nominated for 6 Grammys this year—is in the building.
Judge Schnegg praised Brown for recently completing a year of weekly counseling sessions.
"Once a week is a lot," she said, "and you did it in a fine fashion."
The embattled rapper also has to complete 180 days of community service and remain on probation for five years following the 2009 felony assault charge. Brown was convicted of hitting then-sweetheart Rihanna in the face on the eve of the Grammys in 2009 and sending her to the emergency room.
Schnegg said she will talk with Rihanna's lawyer before making a final decision.
Selected Reading: E! Online, MTV UK, Huffington Post


text:
deed to(redirected from deeded over to)
deed to
1. verb To transfer legal ownership of something, often property, to someone else. A deed is a legal document that proves one's ownership of something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "deed" and "to." "Over" is sometimes used before "to." My grandfather deeded his house to me in his will. Do you really think she'll deed her whole collection over to me?
2. noun The legal ownership of something. In this usage, "deed to" is a set phrase. According to my grandfather's will, I now have the deed to his house.
See also: deed
deed something (over) to someone
to grant something, such as land, to someone; to transfer legal title to something to someone. Grudgingly, he deeded the land over to Walter. He deeded the property to his niece.
See also: deed


text:
Legislative Mandates
The following legislative mandates have been part of the Title X appropriations language for each of the last several years. Title X family planning services projects should include administrative, clinical, counseling, and referral services necessary to ensure adherence to these requirements.
- None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be made available to any entity under Title X of the Public Health Service Act unless the applicant for the award certifies to the Secretary that it encourages family participation in the decision of minors to seek family planning services and that it provides counseling to minors on how to resist attempts to coerce minors into engaging in sexual activities.
- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no provider of services under Title X of the Public Health Service Act shall be exempt from any State law requiring notification or the reporting of child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest.
Content last reviewed on August 3, 2016


text:
ZURICH (Reuters) - Prosecutors in Tokyo raided offices of Swiss drugmaker Novartis NOVN.VX on Wednesday as part of an investigation into alleged use of manipulated data to promote its best-selling blood pressure drug Diovan.
Japan's health ministry filed a criminal complaint against Novartis's local unit in January, saying it may have violated the law when it cited studies based on allegedly manipulated data in advertising.
Novartis said at the time that it had implemented corrective measures.
In a brief statement on Wednesday, it confirmed the Tokyo prosecutor's office was conducting an on-site investigation at its offices in the country and said it would cooperate fully.
Anyone found guilty of exaggerated advertising of drugs in Japan can be punished with up to two years in prison or a fine of as much as two million yen ($19,100), or both.
Several Japanese hospitals have stopped offering Diovan after two universities retracted papers printed in foreign medical journals on the drug's effectiveness in preventing strokes and heart disease.
Japan is an important market for Novartis, accounting for around a quarter of Diovan's global sales before the scandal. Annual sales of Diovan in Japan have topped 100 billion yen ($954 million) since 2005, according to Novartis Pharma.
In October, after the criticism of its use of data emerged, Novartis said it had overhauled its management in Japan and set up a compliance advisory panel to prevent future problems.
Its pharmaceuticals head David Epstein said the company would work hard to rebuild the trust of Japanese customers.
Reporting by Caroline Copley in Zurich and Chang-Ran Kim in Toyko; editing by Tom Pfeiffer


text:
|Running days
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text:
Posts tagged 'Mother Nature '
Grossest foods in the world….cont'd
#9 Kopi Luwak, or Kopi Alamid
(also known as cat poop coffee)
Nature plays a big hand when developing distinct flavors in coffee—volcanic soils of Hawaii for Kona coffee, or Jamaica's foggy mountains for Jamaican Blue Reserve, are some examples. In the Philippines, Mother Nature's #2, gives Kopi Luwak its special taste.
Kopi Luwak is made from coffee beans partially digested by Asian Palm civets, a type of cat/weasel. After civets eat the coffee cherries, a special enzyme exclusive to their stomach ferments the coffee beans which accounts for the subtle caramel flavor and aroma of the brew. Once the civet goes #2, the beans are collected from the droppings, and are then washed, roasted, and ground into the one of the world's most expensive coffees running anywhere from $100-$600 a pound.
There are different theories for the history of kopi luwak, the most popular being native farmers, denied a taste of the delicious coffee they worked so hard to harvest, resorted to another way of collecting the beans for personal use. I, on the other hand, have a much more Filipino, albeit practical, theory. I like to think a farmer's grandmother, after seeing the civets eat so much of the coffee fruit, tsked, "sayang naman" (what a waste!) and went about salvaging the coffee beans from the poop.
I am fortunate enough to have my own stash of this caffeinated cat poop. Knowing my love of coffee, my aunt and uncle brought me several jars as a gift from Manila. During a family gathering, I brewed a small pot of kopi luwak, and passed out tiny half espresso servings to everyone. (Hey, it's expensive). Maybe it was the way I prepared it, drip method as opposed to the recommended French press, but I didn't savor anything caramel-y about it. It just tasted and smelled, thank goodness, like regular coffee.
However, my cousin Noni did meow after the first sip—does that mean anything?
1 comment March 6, 2011


text:
'Ivy Bridge', Intel's next generation of processor technology, will be unveiled toward the end of Q1 2012 rather than the early part of the year.
At its annual developer conference in September, Intel executives talking about Ivy Bridge's release unanimously used the phrase "early next year".
That's usually code for the first quarter, but it was hoped Ivy Bridge, the 22nm version of the 32nm Sandy Bridge chip architecture - the second-gen Core i series - would appear sooner rather than later.
Not so, say motherboard maker moles cited by DigiTimes: Ivy Bridge won't launch until March 2012 "at the earliest".
Ivy Bridge is a key component of the large numbers of second-gen Ultrabook skinny laptops Intel hopes World+Dog will buy in 2012. ®


text:
Back at it: Waldo brings Microsoft calling
Why was a bill that would merely have suggested that state agencies consider using freeware killed this session? That's what Charlottesville whiz kid Waldo Jaquith wants to know.
Although he's down in Blacksburg working on his degree at Virginia Tech, that doesn't mean he's lost his local political edge. In fact, he's up to his old tricks, and this time it appears he's rankled software behemoth Microsoft.
Jaquith, an entrepreneur, activist, and one-time city council candidate, wondered why state agencies shell out huge sums of money for commercial computer programs when they could get the same or better products for free. So he approached Delegate Mitch Van Yahres to see if he'd sponsor a bill encouraging the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) to give equal consideration to open source software, known as "freeware," which can be downloaded from the Internet.
Jaquith is no stranger to shaping public policy. He helped change federal law when he challenged corporate giant Mattel on an Internet filter to be installed on public computers. In the process, he allegedly became the first person to be subpoenaed by email.
And he's an expert on freeware, having used and created it for his own web development company, Munk & Phyber.
So when Jaquith suggested the new legislation, Van Yahres listened– and took action, sponsoring a bill requiring that freeware be considered along with commercial options.
Word of the bill may have reached the Seattle area. When the bill was introduced back in January, the General Assembly had some visitors. Jaquith says a Microsoft representative accompanied by five computer industry lobbyists descended on Richmond to deter delegates from passing the bill.
Though all six lobbyists were concerned, says Van Yahres– who met with the lobbyists– the Microsoft rep seemed "over sensitive." Van Yahres believes he saw an "element of fear" driving Microsoft's aversion.
Microsoft certainly has reason to fear government action. The federal antitrust case against Microsoft nearly brought the software giant to its knees, eating up years of time and costing millions of dollars.
Microsoft representatives did not return The Hook's calls by press time, but Tom McCrystal, owner of web design firm Creative Perspectives, says he understands.
"If I were working for Microsoft," says McCrystal, "I'd be really, really concerned."
Microsoft's SCC filings reveals that its "margins and growth rates are eroding," says McCrystal, a Republican who supported the bill and accompanied Democrat Van Yahres to his Richmond meeting with the lobbyists. While the Washington state-based corporate giant still has market supremacy, McCrystal says constant threats from competition make its position precarious. "I'm not sure I'd want to be in their position in the market," he says.
Judging by the open source bill's fate– it was "indefinitely passed over" in the Science and Technology committee by unanimous vote– Microsoft's powers of persuasion remain formidable.
But Van Yahres says although the bill was essentially killed, he's happy with the outcome.
While the state code remains unchanged, the Assembly sent an official letter to VITA pointing out the availability of freeware and reminding the agency that it is permitted to use such software whenever possible.
VITA spokeswoman Diane Horvath says there are already instances in Virginia government where freeware is in use. To make sure all agencies are aware of the option, however, VITA will soon add links to freeware in its procurement guide, used by all state government entities considering new software.
And for anyone wondering why freeware isn't mandated as a cost-saving measure (especially during the current budget crisis), Horvath says low cost doesn't always equal best value.
The agency must consider ease of interfacing with local and federal government as well as system maintenance, which is often part of the purchase price of a commercial program.
"We'd rather keep our options open," says Horvath.
Jaquith, however, fears that without a bill formalizing the freeware option, the Microsofts of the world will continue to curry favor through lobbying efforts.
He points out that Governor Mark Warner, a vocal supporter of freeware, continues to use a Microsoft Windows application for his website, governor.virginia.gov.
"That," he says, "tells me that VITA making a rule is insufficient."
Even in Blacksburg, Waldo Jaquith manages to affect public policy.


text: An excellent finishing oil, mellow and fruity, in the Provençal style - cuvée designating an oil that has been blended within the A L'Olivier workshops. Made with olives from Andalusia, in the south of Spain, to which are added an Italian variety. The oil's subtlety and lightness make it suitable for a wide number of uses. We recommend using it in salad dressing, white fish, and in marinades for chicken.


text:
New Fluke Calibration products specials!!
New Pace products here. Look for special deals!
Test Equipment Sales is a leading supplier of electrical, medical, science and telecommunications equipment. We carry the latest oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power supplies and more. Whether you need industry specific dynamic equipment or want the most modern devices for an affordable price, Test Equipment Sales brings high quality electric signal analyzers, dc power supplies and much more.
Our signal generators are superior grade new and used devices from BK Precision, Instek, Agilent/Keysight and others. You'll find sweep generators, RF signal generators, function generators and many others. We carry equipment priced competitively and include all of the photos and details that you need to determine its value for your operations. In addition to generators, adjustable power supplies, analyzers and scopes, we also carry hundreds of modern and used oscilloscopes. Whether you are looking for the latest technology with all kinds of functions and USB compatibility or you just need something simple for an experiment, we offer the best test equipment.
Our customer service staff is always ready to assist you in finding the right equipment for your needs. You can contact us at 1(800) 684-4651 or email at email@example.com any time with questions about Test Equipment Sales products. Serving our customers for 24 years and counting!! Woman owned small business.


text:
Frank Lampard admits 200th goal for Chelsea against West Ham was 'special'
Frank Lampard says it was a 'special' feeling to score his 200th career goal for Chelsea against West Ham on Sunday.
Last Updated: 18/03/13 8:43am
The veteran Blues man struck in the 19th minute against his old side with a well-placed header to put the hosts on course for their 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
Lampard was happy to reach the milestone and credited team-mate Eden Hazard, who provided the assist before scoring himself in the second half.
"It's special. It's obviously a landmark I've been getting towards," he told Sky Sports.
"I'm just pleased to get there and pleased it's an important goal for the team.
"I've been very fortunate to play for the club for a long time here with great players and players who put the ball on a plate sometimes for you like Hazard did there so I'm thankful.
"I think he's got the world at his feet and he can handle that pressure because he's that good."
Despite reaching the landmark, Lampard was frustrated not to make it 201 when he uncharacteristically blasted a chance over the crossbar in the second half.
He added: "I'm really annoyed. I won't sleep tonight.
"I love scoring goals and I love being able to arrive in the box. I think I relaxed a bit on that one and skied it over the bar."
Chelsea dominated against the Hammers, as they carried on the momentum from the second half of the FA Cup quarter-final with Manchester United, which they drew to force a replay on Easter Monday, and the Europa League defeat of Steaua Bucharest.
"The good thing is we have had three very good games, but the bad thing is we have the international break now," manager Rafa Benitez said.
"Hopefully, mentally, they will relax, they will change their environment and they will come back with a fresh mind and fresh legs."
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police are investigating after missiles were hurled from the away end in the direction of Chelsea's players as they celebrated Lampard's goal.
The incident could lead the Football Association to take disciplinary action.
CCTV footage will be studied to identify the offenders.


text: I have been using Strength and Flexibility DVD for six months. I find it to be very pleasurable to do, especially the upper body flow (wrist-elbow-shoulder sequence). Sometimes time flies when I practice. Despite, I still have had a chronic pain in my left shoulder blade that nothing seems to help c..read more >>


text:
Mazie Hirono on Tax Reform
Democratic challenger; Representative (HI-2)
A: Quite simply, I support eliminating tax breaks for the richest 2% of the country. Further, we must simplify the tax code, and we must eliminate the corporate welfare it currently includes. Also, I oppose repealing the estate tax. At a time when our deficit is more than eight trillion dollars, and growing larger each day, it is fiscally irresponsible to pursue a policy that will cost the country $1 trillion in the first ten years.
The AMT sets a minimum tax rate of 26% or 28% on some taxpayers so that they cannot use certain types of deductions to lower their tax. By contrast, the rate for a corporation is 20%. Affected taxpayers are those who have what are known as "tax preference items". These include long-term capital gains, accelerated depreciation, & percentage depletion.
Because the AMT is not indexed to inflation, an increasing number of upper-middle-income taxpayers have been finding themselves subject to this tax. In 2006, an IRS report highlighted the AMT as the single most serious problem with the tax code.
For 2007, the AMT Exemption was not fully phased until [income reaches] $415,000 for joint returns. Within the $150,000 to $415,000 range, AMT liability typically increases as income increases above $150,000.
OnTheIssues.org Explanation: This vote extends the AMT exemption, and hence avoids the AMT affecting more upper-middle-income people. This vote has no permanent effect on the AMT, although voting YES implies that one would support the same permanent AMT change.
Proponents support voting YES because:
Rep. RANGEL: We have the opportunity to provide relief to upward of some 25 million people from being hit by a $50 billion tax increase, which it was never thought could happen to these people. Almost apart from this, we have an opportunity to close a very unfair tax provision, that certainly no one has come to me to defend, which prevents a handful of people from having unlimited funds being shipped overseas under deferred compensation and escaping liability. Nobody, liberal or conservative, believes that these AMT taxpayers should be hit by a tax that we didn't intend. But also, no one has the guts to defend the offshore deferred compensation. So what is the problem?
Opponents recommend voting NO because:
Rep. McCRERY: This is a bill that would patch the AMT, and then increase other taxes for the patch costs. Republicans are for patching the AMT. Where we differ is over the question of whether we need to pay for the patch by raising other taxes. The President's budget includes a 1-year patch on the AMT without a pay-for. That is what the Senate passed by a rather large vote very recently, 88-5. The President has said he won't sign the bill that is before us today. Republicans have argued against applying PAYGO to the AMT patch. In many ways PAYGO has shown itself to be a farce.
|Comparison of Progressive Tax Plan & Bush's Plan
|The Wealthy
|The Low Income
|Progressive Caucus American Peoples Dividend
|President Bush's Tax Cuts
|2012 Governor, House and Senate candidates on Tax Reform:
|Mazie Hirono on other issues:
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text:
lundi 22 février 2016
Hi Provence
Megan Portavoce
Megan Portavoce
mardi 6 mai 2014
Come to an end.
My maternity leave is ending and I return to work on Monday.
Alain will then take his two weeks of paternity leave, then we hand her over to the nounou across the street, for the petty sum of 1000€ a month. Aiee! Nobody ever said having kids made good financial sense.
I have tried to write many times in the past four months, but each time have been unable to organize my thoughts due to a baby needing to be taken care of, fatigue, or just general daze.
We stayed in the hospital for eight days because S. was being treated for jaundice in the néonatal unit. I spent most of my time watching her sleep and thinking, hey this motherhood thing is a piece of cake! Nowhere near as hard as everyone makes it out to be!
(As opposed to now: Hey little girl. Aren't you very very sleepy? Don't you want to take a nice long nap so mommy can take a shower, take a nap, or generally do something non baby related?)
The return home was quite an adjustment, as to be expected. The first couple of weeks, I slept in our extra bedroom next to her crib, as she was usually waking up three times a night, and I didn't want to have to keep climbing up and down the ladder to our mezzanine bed.
After about a month, My parents came for a month, but didn't stay with us. They rented a 'maisonette' about ten minutes walk away. We spent most days hanging out at our apartment, watching S. sleep, holding her, feeding her, changing her.
Easter was spent with Alain's family, and then mom and dad returned home.
She started sleeping through the night a little after that, a bit over two months old.
All in all, she is a happy baby. She now can roll over, lift her head and torso up off the floor, make noise, smile, grab things, and is starting to laugh. She has discovered her fingers, and thinks they are the best things in the whole world.
Alain speaks to her in French, and I speak to her in English, but we haven't yet decided on mommy/maman daddy/papa. I don't like 'maman' but mommy sounds like mami (grandma) in French.
In May we took her to Alain's and my work places to show her off, and everyone was impressed with how calm and happy she was, didn't complain even after being passed around from person to person.
I wish I could post some pictures, but I promised not too. I think she looks a lot like the baby below, only with brown hair and brown eyes.
My mother-in-law showed us some pictures of her as a baby, and S. looks very much like her so far.
Libellés : S. | 3 commentaires
lundi 17 février 2014
Someone had other plans.
Our daughter S. decided to make her appearance weeks ahead of schedule.
(We have decided not to post her full name, birth date, or photos online, at least for now. I will be happy however to email anyone the details)
Thank goodness my suitcase was more or less ready, i had made a copy of my file (one to keep at work, one for home), and we had more or less finished the apartment.
Went to bed the other night and all of a sudden felt and heard a pop!
No water (yet), not really painful, but a pregnancy symptom i had never felt before (which is saying something, since i had almost every one in the book from the drooling to the facial twitching). I told Alain that i felt something pop, but he thought it was nothing. I went online, and sure enough, a lot of women said they felt the same thing, and that the real gushing of water didn't start until later. Um, honey? Think we should go to the hospital just to check. At any rate, it will be a good 'practice run'- see how long it takes, where to turn, where to park.
It took us about 20 minutes to arrive. Checked in at the night desk, they hooked me up to the monitors. Indeed, it was my water that broke, and the contractions were becoming strong and more regular.
I'll spare you the rest of the details, but she arrived a little after six the next morning. A full head of brown hair, eye color- undecided. I say blue, Alain says brown. She weighs 2.56 kg, length 48 cm. Not too small for being a bit before term.
So far, she has been really good, only cries when hungry, and content to just be held. We are staying four days. I am really pleased with the hospital and personnel. Alain went to City Hall to declare her and has been busy fetching and buying last-minute stuff.
She had an ultrasound of her hips performed, since her grandma's Breton side has a history of hip problems. Looks good so far. Also, a minor infection, so she is being treated with antibiotics. She thus has a tiny catheter in her hand, but doesn't seem to mind.
All in all, a sweet, super-cute little French-American! (Or will be, once I go to the US Consulate).
Libellés : S. | 3 commentaires
samedi 15 février 2014
One more month... More or less. One more week of work.
I was actually supposed to stop February 4th (six weeks before D-Day) but now French law allows pregnant women to delay their pre-natal rest up to three weeks before, with the doctor's consent. Besides being a bit tired and not sleeping well, I am feeling okay. So i preferred to delay as long as possible, and thus have more time afterwards.
For anyone wondering, I will have 16 weeks, at about 60% pay. Not bad. Better than my job in the US- unpaid leave or vacation, which takes a long time to accumulate at 2 weeks per year!
Baby's room is more or less ready, and my suitcase is packed. We had our first birth preparation class at the hospital a week ago. It was two hours long, and went over labor, when to leave for the hospital, what happens when you arrive, etc. The next one is next Monday, again two hours, going over the actual delivery and the aftermath, and finally, the last session ten days later, how to take care of the baby.
I actually had been seeing an independent mid-wife because it was impossible to get through to the hospital to set the appointments. I was however a bit disappointed with her-individual appointments, difficult to ask questions, and focusing more on visualization (relaxation, imagining the baby in your arms) than the nitty gritty. The sessions were very brief, and she wasn't going to do the whole eight sessions. Alain wasn't allowed to participate either. I finally got fed up and managed to weasle my way in at the traditional classes. I'll go over my allotment of 8 reimbursed sessions, but it is worth it.
So that is that. Five more days of work, then just waiting...
Libellés : Baby | 4 commentaires
mardi 21 janvier 2014
I think I am entering the 'tired' stage of pregnancy. And no, not just physically tired.
Tired of lying down, tired of sitting, tired of standing, tired of walking
Tired of climbing six flights of stairs to get to work
Tired of heartburn, tired of cramps, tired of being tired
Tired of waiting to see doctors, tired of blood and urine tests, tired of waiting for the results
Tired of paperwork, tired of trying to figure out cryptic insurance coverage brochures
Tired of having to ask people to give up their seats on public transportation, tired of waiting for public transportation
Tired of not being able to have espresso, wine, or tea
Tired of answering the same three questions over and over again (sex, due date, name)
Tired of avoiding answering the same two questions over and over again (normal delivery or cesearian, breast feeding or bottle)
Tired of going to baby stores, tired of hauling baby stuff in and out of the car (in the rain), tired of mounting the baby stuff, tired of organizing baby stuff
Tired of waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, tired of then not being able to fall asleep because of stress
Tired of wearing the same four items every week
Ah well. I guess it all comes with the territory. I am lucky to have had no real problems thus far (knock on wood). Just crabby. Ready (and yet, SO NOT) for the next stage.
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Authorities ID teen killed at Cypress house party
In the wake of the Saturday night house party shooting that left two teens dead and 19 hurt, extra Katy Independent School District police officers were at Morton Ranch High School on Monday morning as a precaution.
According to friends, both deceased teens attended Morton Ranch High School.
Steve Stanford with Katy ISD says that aside from extra officers on hand, there also will be grief counselors there to speak with students about what happened this past weekend.
"A lot of students who were at party are at school today," said Stanford. "There is lots of shock."
Nicole Ray with the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District said Monday morning that a crisis management team would be at Cypress Springs High School for as long as needed.
"We'll be seeing increased security, along with a support staff on hand to assist our administrators with anything they may need," said Ray. That support staff includes counselors who can speak with students about this weekend's tragic events.
A teenager who attended the house party says gunshots began in the house and continued outside as people ran into the streets seeking cover.
Shaniqua Brown, 17, says Saturday evening's birthday party "was not rowdy at all," and many people were dancing when they heard the shots.
Authorities are seeking two gunmen who are ages 17 and 22.
Queric Richardson, 17, died at the party and a 16-year-old girl at Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital.
According to friends, both deceased teens attended Morton Ranch High School in the Katy Independent School District.
Richardson, a junior, who would have turned 18 on Thursday was remembered as a generous and humorous guy who loved to play basketball.
Britnee Segura, a 16-year-old junior at Morton Ranch High, was stunned to learn about the shootings when she awoke on Sunday, checked her Instagram account and saw her friend's photo with "RIP" in the comments.
She said she soon spoke to Queric's brother, Lawrence Guidry, by phone, who confirmed the death.
"He just said that he was hurt," she explained.
At least 19 others were wounded in the shooting, said Garcia.
The party was advertised on Twitter as an 18th birthday celebration with the hashtag #Fab3HouseParty. Brown said word about the party was also spread through Instagram, a photo-sharing app and website.
Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia said promoting the party on social media likely invited strangers to the home.
He said evidence indicates that there was no one-on-one confrontation prior to the shooting.
The initial investigation indicates that someone pulled a pistol and fired one celebratory shot into the air, he said.
"Someone else recklessly reacted to the gunfire and shoots into the crowd," said Garcia, adding that about 10 shots were fired.
The sheriff called the incident a "a horrible combination of immaturity, access to a firearm and the inability to control oneself."
Garcia said social media "caused part of the problem we're dealing with," but said social media could also help find the suspects.
"We are asking those armed with social media to help the Harris County Sheriff's Office bring closure to this incident," he said. "If you, out there, know someone involved in this case … I ask you to use your smart phone and download IWatchHarrisCounty (app)."
Partygoers scrambled after the first shots were fired about 11 p.m. at the home in the 7300 block of Enchanted Creek Drive, near Fry and FM 529, said Brown.
Pools of blood were visible outside the two-story brick home Sunday morning, and the garage door was bent after people had pushed it upward while trying to escape.
More than 100 people, mostly young adults, were at a house celebrating Mariah Boulden's birthday, said Thomas Gilliland, spokesman with the Sheriff's Office.
One of the wounded included a female, who was sent by Lifeflight helicopter ambulance to Memorial Hermann Hospital.
The others shot have injuries ranging from serious to non-life threatening, said Gilliland. Some were shot in the foot or ankle. Others were shot in the hip, he said. Most of the injured were from 17 to 20 and were taken to five area hospitals.
Three others not shot, but hurt in the incident, also were taken to a hospital, Gilliland said. They reported injuries such as twisted ankles. One neighbor said she thought a teen broke his leg trying to jump her fence as he fled the gunfire.
After the shooting, people were making a mad rush to get out of the house, he said. Witnesses told deputies that some people broke second-floor windows and jumped.
So many people were trying to get out of the garage, they forced the garage door forward and pushed it off its tracks, Gilliland said.
When deputies arrived, they saw some people lying on the ground and others running.
"It was a pretty chaotic scene," Gilliland said.
Hours after the shooting, A. Henry described how the celebration turned into terror.
He was in the house, near the kitchen when he heard the first shots.
"It sounded like a balloon popping," said the 19-year-old Cypress Springs graduate.
Partygoers suddenly got quiet, he said, then the gunfire returned.
Henry said he thinks he heard between 10 and 12 shots fired, but was uncertain because the situation was hectic. The shooting seems to last between three to five minutes, he said.
At one point, he was trying to move people toward the garage to help them and himself out. He saw two people on the floor, bleeding.
Uncertainty crossed his mind.
"I hope I make it out alive," he recalled thinking.
Karen Briones was visiting relatives in the neighborhood when they heard the shooting, she said.
She saw the party earlier Saturday when on her way to a convenience store. After Briones returned to her relatives' home, on the other side of the neighborhood, they heard gunfire. She and a few relatives drove back down the street to investigate, she said.
"Girls were crying and screaming, banging on people's doors asking them for help and to call 911," Briones said.
The party was advertised on Twitter as an 18th birthday celebration. Brown said word about the party was also spread through Instagram, a photo-sharing app and website.
At least one parent was in the house, said Christina Garza, a spokeswoman with the sheriff's office.
No drugs or alcohol are suspected in the shooting.
Garcia said Boulden's mother was in the home during the party.
Bruno Figueroa lives a few houses down the street and said he heard five to 10 shots. He looked out his window and saw a crowd of at least 30 people running down his street.
"Kids were running everywhere," he said.
Figueroa said people suddenly began ducking into back yards and behind vehicles in driveways, apparently trying to hide from a car that was slowly coming down the street. Figueroa said that from his upstairs window he could hear the people who were hiding nearby.
"They were crying, yelling, 'My brother got shot,' 'Why did they do this?'" he said.
Figueroa said as soon as the slow-moving car rounded a corner and then sped away, the people who had been hiding gathered back in the street.
Houston Chronicle reporter Craig Hlavaty and The Associated Press contributed this story.


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Getting ready for the annual broadcast of the Academy Awards takes a lot of preparation and a whole week to get it just right.
It wasn't always so complicated.
The awards were first passed out at a ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles in 1929.
U.S. & World
The awards moved to the Ambassador Hotel the next year and then on to the Biltmore.
Twelve years later, Oscar came back to Hollywood Boulevard for three years at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and then Oscar was off to the Shrine and on to the Pantages. Then the awards even headed out to the beach and Santa Monica's Civic Auditorium from 1961 to 1968.
And then the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion opened its doors to the show and swapped years with the Shrine Auditorium from 1969 to 2001.
Since 2002, the Kodak Theater has been Oscar's party place.
But now Kodak can no longer afford to pay for its name on the theater. The Eastman Kodak Co. is in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings and has received court approval to end its sponsorship deal with the Hollywood theater.
So the Academy is weighing its options for the show two years from now.
The Nokia Theater is the most talked about alternative for the future.
But as for this year, fans are excited.
"It's nice to see and to imagine that next week the stars will go here and celebrate the Oscars," said fan Anne Birnitzer.
Follow NBCLA for the latest LA news, events and entertainment: Twitter: @NBCLA // Facebook: NBCLA


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Aug, 15 - 11:00AM - 1:00PM
Aug, 16 - 11:00AM - 1:00PM
Aug, 15 - 1:00PM - 4:00PM
Listings provided courtesy of Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS). All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. 3 tree icon refers to an NWMLS listing.
"3 tree" icon designates the listing as a NWMLS listing.


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Former cadets of the Kentucky Military Institute gathered in Venice from April 18 to 20 for their bi-annual reunion, but this year's get-together had special significance.
As the group of former cadets -- some sprightly, some not so -- gathered at Biehl Park in the shadow of Venice Theatre on Friday morning for a celebration anticipating a summer renaming of the Hatchett Creek Bridge as the KMI Bridge took place.
Following an online petition organized by local businessman Patrick Keigher, and with the full support of both Venice City Council, the Venice Historical Society and state Sen. Nancy Detert (R-Venice), what began as a dream grew into reality.
"It's a reflection of the importance the institute had upon the growth of Venice, but at the same time we're humbled by the support of Venice and their enthusiasm for this project" said Larry Humes, a member of the KMI class of 1965 and organizer of the reunion. "All the former cadets here this weekend have come to appreciate the institute's contribution to Venice has not been forgotten."
The project earned the support of Detert, who was approached with the idea a year ago. A bill now is on the floor in Tallahassee seeking to officially rename the bridge in July.
"Sen. Detert has been fundamental in supporting this cause," Humes said. "All the institute alumni and the Venice community are confident this renaming is going to happen."
The renaming of the bridge was initiated by Keigher to honor the memory of the institute and its place in the history of Venice.
"It's strange because the Hatchett Creek flows away from the bridge, eastward," Keigher said. "The present name doesn't make any sense."
Keigher, who owns the Florida Coconut Oil store in Venice Center Mall, created the petition on gopetition.com early 2012.
"I wasn't a cadet at the institute myself, but I've talked with many of the alumni over the years and it struck me, as I came to fully understand the impact the institute had upon Venice," he said. "I simply felt the city should have a permanent memorial befitting the KMI."
For 78-year old Mike Auxier, class of 1953, the morning had a special poignancy.
"I haven't been in Venice since 1962," Auxier said. "This could be the last time I'm capable of traveling from Kentucky, so it's wonderful to be part of this event."
Standing beside Auxier was his grandson, David Coleman.
"This is a proud moment for me," Coleman, 38, said. "I've learned more about my grandfather's time as a cadet at the institute in the last 48 hours than I have in my entire life. It's an honor to be with him here today, among his buddies, and be exposed to a part of his life I never fully understood before. This morning is a wonderful moment for all of the cadets."
Tee times still available
for Kids' Needs golf event
Tee times are still available for the Kids' Needs golf tournament set for Saturday at Oyster Creek Golf Club in Englewood.
Kids' Needs is an all-volunteer nonprofit that helps Englewood students stay safe and in school. The tournament is its only fundraising event.
The 18-hole tournament begins with doughnuts and an 8 a.m. shotgun start at the course, 6651 Oriole Blvd., Englewood. The $45 cost per player includes greens fees, cart, lunch and prizes.
Mulligans and prize drawing tickets also will be available.
Registration forms available at www.kidsneedsenglewood.org; at Key Agency, 1201 S. McCall Road, Englewood; or at Oyster Creek Golf Club.
Note the names, addresses and phone numbers of players and attach a check payable to Kids' Needs.
Walk-in registration also will be available at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at the course.
All proceeds will benefit Englewood youth by providing clothing, school supplies, toiletries and educational programs for needy children in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Alumni of KMI celebrate bridge
Former cadets of the Kentucky Military Institute gathered in Venice from April 18 to 20 for their bi-annual reunion, but this year's get-together had special significance.


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If you are responsible for the marketing at your club, you are always searching for the newest technique, idea or strategy that will result in more membership sales. And, although more sales are the goal, any good marketer knows that the first thing that must happen is a response rate to an ad. If you don't have prospects in front of you, there won't be a sales presentation.
One way to increase the response rate of an ad is to lower the barrier — make it easier for the consumer to take action toward buying. The fitness industry has attempted to make buying easier for consumers by offering incentives like a reduced enrollment fee, no enrollment fee or a two-for-one special. Another method is to offer trial memberships that allow the prospect to try the facility before joining. Such trials may be for one day or one week, but can be as long as 30 days. The theory is that the free offer entices the prospect to come in and after using the facility once will realize the value of membership and feel more comfortable about joining. Although there are two schools of thought as to the long-term effectiveness of trial memberships, they have consistently proven to get a response rate and are particularly useful during times of the year when walk-in traffic is slow.
Although the promotion isn't new, one type of trial membership that uses a twist is the fitness study. This promotion gained popularity about five years ago and has been successful at attracting new-to-exercise prospects by offering them the ability to participate in a free fitness study for four weeks. Participants' fitness levels are measured at the beginning of the study and then again at the end after exercising three times per week for the study period. Of course, all participants receive a proper induction to the club, along with a high level of contact during their stay with the expectation that they may eventually decide to join.
Interestingly enough, clubs have been able to market the free fitness study with direct mail, flyers, inserts and newspaper ads with similar response rates, indicating that it is the promotion and not the medium that compels consumers to respond. And, so long as the effort is organized and staffing is adequate to provide a high level of service, these promotions average a 30 percent conversion rate of turning participants into club members. This is a substantially lower closing percentage than a sales situation where a prospect visits a club with the intention of talking to someone in membership, but when you run the numbers it can be worthwhile. For instance, assume you spend $600 on a newspaper ad in which 50 people respond to participate; at the end of 30 days, with just a 30 percent conversion, that means 15 new members. That's a $40 customer acquisition cost on the hard marketing dollars, which is great.
Although I have been an advocate of the free fitness study, the one thing I questioned was the "free" aspect. My concern was that "free" might devalue the offer and it might result in a high number of less than serious or unqualified respondents. This concern stemmed from my experience that constant price offers and discounts don't result in more sales long term, but create a "discount-minded" consumer who won't pay what a club is worth. So, rather than discounting, I always try to find ways to market value and maintain price integrity. This approach seems to ensure long-term success in an ever-increasing competitive marketplace.
Applying the "selling on value" belief to the fitness study made me question whether giving it away was the best approach. Unfortunately, because the study was working, none of my clients wanted to sway from the equation. As a result, I never got the chance to test my theory.
In April, however, the free fitness study concept resurfaced in the wake of below-budget numbers for March, combined with the uncertainty of the war in Iraq. Our management team decided we needed a low-barrier promotion to get people walking through the doors and we agreed to give the free fitness study concept a try at our HEALTHY INSPIRATIONS Weight Loss & Lifestyle Centers in Rhode Island.
Like the earlier fitness study concept, individuals needed to commit to three times per week for the duration of the program (six weeks in ours) and be subject to fitness testing on the front and back end of the study. Participants' names would be confidential, but the results of the study could be used and published.
We changed a few things to better suit the program to HEALTHY INSPIRATIONS and our focus on weight loss. For one, we changed the title to a "Free Fitness & Weight Loss Study." Second, we required that participants not be currently exercising. Third, we asked for individuals who needed to lose 20 pounds or more. Because so many Americans don't exercise and 64.5 percent of them need to lose 20 pounds or more, we felt these changes in the criteria were minor and the barrier to responding remained very low.
The one change we did make and place in the ad was requiring a $20 refundable deposit from each participant. That requirement was stated as follows: "$20 deposit required (deposit is refundable upon completion of study)." As you will see from the results, it appears that the $20 may have had a bigger impact than you would expect.
Looking at the results achieved from our free study, a number of different variables should be evaluated.
- Response rate
As was mentioned earlier, the typical fitness study enjoyed successful marketing regardless of the medium. Responses to ads enjoyed higher than average response rates. The ad size that was used to market the HEALTHY INSPIRATIONS study was no different than the normal ad size run the rest of the year. The biggest difference was placement — it went into the TV program section, not the health section where we normally advertise. The center received more telephone calls from this ad than any other we had run in the previous 12 months. We booked all 40 available spots and even took names for a waiting list.
- Dropout rate
In the previous fitness studies, if 50 participants began, an average of 10 would have dropped out half way through the study. That's a 20 percent dropout rate. Although some may find that high, if you compare that to the rate at which new, paying members stop using the club, 20 percent isn't shocking.
Out of the 40 who started with the HEALTHY INSPIRATIONS study two had to stop in the middle of the program for medical reasons. Medical reasons or otherwise, that's a low 5 percent dropout ratio.
- Completion rate
The completion rate for the typical fitness study was lower than the initial dropout rate, with an average of 65 percent of the people maintaining two times per week attendance throughout. Although twice weekly attendance was less than the requirement, this group was at least still coming with some regularity.
With the HEALTHY INSPIRATIONS study the completion rate was 90 percent, representing individuals who averaged two times per week, each week throughout the study.
- Conversion rate
As was mentioned earlier, about 35 percent of the people on the typical fitness study converted into some form of regular membership. With the HEALTHY INSPIRATIONS study the conversion rate is around 42 percent, but the study was just finished and the sales staff has not been able to present each participant with membership options. This leads me to believe that the conversion rate will exceed 50 percent.
What all this means is that across the board, this study met or exceeded the results achieved on prior fitness studies where no money had been taken.
This marketing study didn't follow scientific guidelines and should be retested where two studies happen simultaneously, in similar markets, with one collecting the $20 deposit and the other not. Even without perfect comparison conditions some theories can be deduced.
First, it is possible that by having an upfront fee — albeit refundable — a greater sense of value was created in the consumer's mind. This could have two effects. One, it might have resulted in a higher response rate. Two, if participants placed a higher value on the study it might have impacted their compliance with attendance. Twenty dollars isn't much, but it isn't free. Therefore, someone who didn't think they wanted to participate wouldn't waste their money.
Second, the $20 acted as a filter to deter individuals who weren't serious. This would account for the substantial decrease in dropout rate, as well as the higher completion and conversion rate. It is analogous to sales presentations: start with a higher qualified prospect and you'll always have a higher closing rate.
Until more testing is done to confirm or refute these initial findings, we'll never know how much of a difference $20 made in the success of the study. I would argue, however, that anything that establishes value is going to result in greater success. A number of studies support this argument, showing that the more someone pays for a membership the longer they stay a member. Unfortunately, to anyone in the industry, it is no secret that club operators are still addicted to advertising and devalue all fitness clubs by relying on discounts. Certainly, as single club operators we may not be able to do anything to stop others from discounting, but are there other ways in which we can control our marketing efforts that will create more value in everything we do?
Whether you agree with these theories, I leave you with one challenge. With all the free trial membership options our industry has tried, why not do some creative testing as it relates to creating value? What would happen if you enforced your guest fees unless the prospect does have a valid pass? Maybe this would require you to lower your guest fee initially to help soften the transition. Or, perhaps you begin offering one-week memberships at a reasonable rate so if someone was interested in joining they could try it without any pressure. This doesn't abandon the sales process, just that if someone didn't want to buy after the membership presentation your salespeople have a solid, no BS alternative close to offer.
There are many areas in which you could experiment with creating value. Adding $20 is just one example. With a little creativity and a lot of courage to do the abnormal, you may stumble upon another marketing insight that will change the way you drive prospects through your doors.


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How to Use the Free YouTube Video Editor
categories: image editing, social media, video editing, YouTube, YouTube
How to Use the Free YouTube Video Editor
The YouTube Editor is not the most powerful editor you will ever use. However, it is free, and it includes all the basic editing tools you need to make a professional looking video. It is also an online tool, so you can use it anywhere you have an internet connection, and on any computer that you have access to.
My note: The author forgets to mention that the editor exists now also as an app for mobile devices, thus competing with other "free" mobile apps for video editing such as Splice, iMovie etc.
It can be a great addition to "spice up" videos posted on Instagram, Tweeter and other social media, besides YouTube.


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Ocotillo Golf Resort, Gold Course
18 Reviews
- 3751 S Clubhouse Dr, Chandler, AZ 85248
- (480) 917-6660
- www.worldgolf.com
The Gold Course at Ocotillo Golf Resort is a 9-hole regulation length golf course in Chandler, Arizona. This championship layout features 4 sets of teeboxes for the enjoyment of golfers of all skill levels. There are 2 other courses on this same property, the Blue Course, and the White Course. Online tee times may be available at Ocotillo Golf Resort or at nearby golf courses, usually offered at a discount from the normal rate.
Note: The info in our database is normally accurate, but occasionally there may be inaccuracies. If you spot any inaccuracies, please point it out to us here.
Tee Times for Ocotillo Golf Resort (and other courses)
4 Stars (18 Reviews) - Last updated on July 15, 2014
There is a Yelp.com page for "Ocotillo Golf Resort & Bernard's Fine Dining - Chandler, AZ"
The score on Yelp is 4 out of 5. That score is an average of 18 ratings, and it is rounded to the nearest 0.5. Also note that sometimes Yelp excludes from that score any reviews that that it classifies as "not recommended."
Read reviews on Yelp.com
Please login to add your review.


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Transgender student wins legal victory against Orono school district
Maine Supreme Court: District illegally barred girl from using girls' bathroom
In a precedent-setting case, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Thursday sided with a transgender student who claimed RSU 26 discriminated against her when school officials barred her from using the girls' bathroom at an Orono elementary school.
The court ruled 5-1 that RSU 26 violated the Maine Human Rights Act when it prevented Nicole Maines from using the girls' bathroom at Asa Adams School in Orono in the fall of 2007.
Thursday was an emotional day for Maines and her family.
"I still don't really know how I'm feeling. I know it's probably a form of happiness and I'm over the moon, it's just that it hasn't sunken in yet," Maines said
For her family, deciding to sue the district and go public was not an easy one, but Maine's mother Kelly said it was necessary to make sure her daughter was given the same rights as all of her classmates.
"The question was could we say, 'Well sorry, Nicole, but you don't have rights like the rest of the people do, so we're just going to sit back and take it,' or was it 'Look, it's a long process you have to go through it but at the end, we may win, we may lose but at least you know you stood up for your rights,' and that's what we knew we had to do," Kelly Maines said.
"They're just babies," Nicole's father Wayne Maines said, "They want to go to school and have a good life, learn and grow."
Click here to watch the video
During the five-year legal battle, RSU 26 said it thought it was doing what it was supposed to do, because no school had dealt with a similar issue.
"The way we looked at it as we were trying to comply with what we thought that the law said and that's what the Orono School Department was doing," Melissa Hemey, attorney for RSU 26 said.
A male student had twice followed Maines into the girls' bathroom at her elementary school, saying he should be allowed to use it as well. It was after those incidents, that the school told Maines she'd have to use a unisex staff bathroom.
"This is an issue that 10 years ago was rarely raised and now it's raised regularly," Hemey said, "Getting guidance around that and having politics is going to be really important because it is an issue all over the state and in the country."
The Maines family has high hopes that the state Supreme Court ruling will raise awareness across the country, but for now they plan to focus on healing.
"We've always told them to be proud of who they are and let the system do what it is supposed to do. And it did and they learned an extremely valuable lesson. We've learned an extremely valuable lesson," Wayne Maines said.
The case marks the first time that the high court had been asked to interpret amendments to the MHRA approved by the Legislature in 2005. Those amendments "prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations, educational opportunities, employment, housing, and other areas," according to the ruling.
Hemey said there are no plans for an appeal.


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This Dog is Dern Fed Up
Earlier this week we sent out a request for your fun photos of "driving dogs" – random dogs captured whilst at the wheel of a car. So far, your photo submissions have been great, especially the pics where the window is actually rolled down while the dog is sitting in a parked car. Wha?! Seriously people. What have we all agreed on regarding dogs cooped up in hot cars with all the windows closed. Not good.
Anyhoo – stepping down off my soap box, given the theme of the week, I had to share this hysterical find from our creative friends over at Sh*tMyPetsRuined.com, featuring a highly annoyed American Eskimo shamelessly broadcasting the fact that he is sick and tired of waiting in the Staples parking lot for his driver to return. Please note that it appears to be an overcast day and the windows are indeed rolled down offering proper air circulation ; )
Is it just me or...
Does the drivers seat of this car seem to be unnaturally close to the steering wheel? Either our impatient friend cleverly jacked the seats to offer optimal honking ability or perhaps the driver is Shorty from Pit Boss.