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Nine members of the Hope College swimming and diving teams have received all-conference honors from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).
Headlining the honorees is senior Libby Westrate of Grandville (Grandville HS) who has been named the women's MIAA most valuable swimmer for the second year in-a-row. Westrate was a triple winner at the conference championship meet capturing the 50, 100 and 200 free. Over her conference career, she was an individual gold medal winner 11 out of a possible 12 times. She was the four-time champion in the 100 and 200 free. She was also a member of seven of Hope's MIAA champion relay teams. She holds the Hope records in the 50, 100 and 200 free and the MIAA record in the 50 free.
Joining Westrate as a four-time all-leaguer is senior Josh Grabijas of Howell (Howell HS). Honored for a third consecutive year is junior Nick Hazekamp of Janesville, Wisc. (Joseph A. Craig HS). Senior Erin Holstad of Traverse City (Traverse City West HS) is a first-time honoree.
Five Flying Dutch are among a league-record 11 freshmen to be honored -- Hannah Larson of Jackson (Jackson HS), Klare Northuis of Holland (Holland HS), Sarah Sheridan of Richmond, Ind. (Richmond HS), Jorgie Watson of Grand Rapids (GR Catholic Central HS), and Lindsay Wiederhold of Plainwell (Plainwell HS).


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Not Having It: Lebron James Responds To A Fan Disrespecting His Mother And Rightfully So Goes At Him! "I Dont Give A Fxck What You Say"
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Largest Donation Ever From High School Students
Her students gave the largest donation ever made by a U.S. high school to help clear mine fields in southeastern Africa.
Colorado teacher Christine Sundberg emphasizes that her mission is to inspire the students to whom she teaches African History in the Hinkley School's International Baccalaureate Program.
The students' inspiration has carried them far—they planned and carried out a project to raise funds and awareness to combat the international problem of clearing land mines. The project included
- An eight-mile walk to raise money from sponsors and raise awareness of the international land mine problem
- An African dinner where the students decorated the table with African fabrics and presented a slide show
- A land-mine awareness day at school, where some to the students simulated what it would be like to go through the day with the type of injuries that land mines inflict.
The students even created a Web page to share their activities and personal perspectives.
These efforts raised $6,000 for Adopt-A-Mine, run by the United Nations Association of the U.S.A. This, the largest donation ever made by a U.S. high school, was combined with other monies to clear a minefield in Mozambique. Sundberg then arranged to accompany two of the students to watch the minefield's clearing and interview a land mine victim.
Newspapers and television picked up the story. Congressman Thomas G. Tancredo (R-CO) paid tribute to the project in Congress, and United Nations Outreach and Communications Coordinator Zach Hudson commended the fundraising at a ceremony at the school. Paul and Heather Mills McCartney recognized the effort in their work with the U.N. Adopt-A-Landmine's Night of a Thousand Dinners project. More than one minute of a seven-minute promotional video was dedicated to the Hinkley students and Sundberg.
Her Continuing Focus on Africa
In 1995, Sundberg's career as an educator took her to the International School of Tanganyika, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where the taught in an International Baccalaureate program. During her two years there, Sundberg helped sponsor community service at Mother Teresa's outreach in Tanzania and at the Kindwitwi leper colony. She was also named Teacher of the Year.
At Hinkley High School, Sundberg provided a resource for an increasing number of African refugee or immigrant families who spoke Swahili while she promoted historical and cultural understanding by organizing an African discussion club. She also sponsored a multicultural club, RUSH, which led to a schoolwide multicultural assembly. RUSH promoted awareness of the diverse student body that encompassed more than 40 languages and even more cultures.
In addition to her educational responsibilities at the Hinkley School, Sundberg is an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado at Denver. There she teaches African history, the history of South Africa, African independence movements, and Africa in novel and film.
The Aurora Sun Sentinel named Sundberg their 2004 Critics' Choice Best Teacher. The article noted, "Sundberg said she believes in teaching students about problems, and then not only teaching them how to find solutions, but requiring them to be the solutions themselves."
About the Author
Christine Sundberg is the 2006 winner of the Applegate-Dorros Peace and International Understanding Award, presented to an NEA member, local affiliate, and/or NEA state affiliate whose activities in education contribute to international understanding and motivate youth to work for world peace.


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It was a warm, clear, perfect late summer evening. I arrived a bit later than others, and found that this birthday party was different than others I have attended, for there were girls. I was a bit awkward at first, but the games at the party helped facilitate interaction between the participants. Hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and cake were served, and dusk soon fell. The birthday boy was almost a year older than me, mature, well muscled, and the star athlete of our grade school. "Come on." Someone yelled, let's play "Spin the Bottle!"
I was clueless, but game. Everyone huddled around the circle far out in the grass well away from the lights of the house. A large piece of cardboard was placed in the center of the circle with a bottle upon it. I watched and quickly caught on. Geez, they're supposed to go off somewhere and kiss! The girls, it seemed, had been planning this most of the night. The guys were willing participants. I think I was the only rookie. I quickly scanned the potential pairings. I was happy I liked most of the girls that were there. Although there were a few I didn't know too well. But the excitement of this opportunity was intriguing, to say the least. The bottle was spun. Jim. "Oooooo," went the circle. It was spun again. Ken. "No way!" he said. So it was spun again. Gail. Jim and Gail went off in the distance. "God, they're really going to do this," I thought. The bottle was spun again. It slowly came to rest pointing directly at me. "Uh, oh," I thought. "Oooooo," went the group. The bottle was spun again. Laurie. The girls giggled. My heart pounded. Jim and Gail soon returned.
I looked across the circle and felt a bit relieved. I had always liked Laurie in school. She had blonde, tightly curled hair, was friendly, and had always been fairly attractive. We got up from the circle. "Where should we go?" I asked quietly. "There's a tool shed over there," she said.
We walked the 50 feet in the dark with a slight bit of moonlight now reflecting off the dew on the grass. We were both anxious and very nervous. The pressure was on, but we had no clue how to begin. After passing the shed, Laurie turned to me. "We might as well do this." We both closed our eyes and leaned forward. Our noses bumped. We laughed nervously. The next try, I kept my eyes open, Laurie's were closed. Our lips touched.
Now I had kissed some girls on the cheek before – you know – the pleasant peck after a date, but this was different. We both found the other's warmth comforting, tender, and almost magical. We kept kissing. Unfortunately, we knew the others back at the circle would expect us soon, so we walked back and took our seats, hoping the bottle would land on us again.
Flash forward 33 years…
"I just landed at O'Hare."
"How are we going to do this?"
"Why don't you meet me there. It's easier if I drive straight there, rather than doubling back to get you. We're late already. I'll save you a plate in case dinner is almost done." So my wife and I drove separately to my 30-year high school reunion.
As expected, I arrived early. I called my wife to assure she understood the last minute directions to the club.
"Well, I might as well do this," I thought. So I walked up to the front door of the club and there was one of my best friends outside smoking a cigarette. "Charlie?" "Wes? Oh, my God! It's been so long! Go on inside. Everyone's upstairs. Our table's all the way to the back."
I registered at the reception desk and walked in. I scanned the room.
"Laurie?" Seriously, she was the first person I saw. Time had been good to her. She looked pretty much as I had remembered after we left high school. This was the first reunion she had attended. And she remembered. "Do you remember when we played Spin the Bottle?" It was her first kiss, too, I learned.
We asked the usual things. Where are you living? Married? Kids?
I soon learned she had lost her husband earlier this year to leukemia and had a 15 year old daughter and 13 year old son. Both wanted to become doctors. She was working as a lawyer to support them. We danced briefly and kept making social rounds that evening with our other long lost friends.
I had hoped to continue our conversation the next evening. But she was not there. Like before, life came calling.
The memories occurred so long ago that they had become a dream. But it was not a dream, was it? Two lives had once intersected, then diverted, then intersected again. Similar, yet so different. But I found it was good to reconnect and remember. Each of us who attended the reunion had a chance to remember that, indeed, those days were special, formative, but all-too-brief…
…much like a first kiss.


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Four hundred thousand years ago, give or take, our earliest ancestors domesticated fire, making it possible for future generations to enjoy all the benefits of cooked food, heated homes and multi-burner propane grills. Since then, we've been so enamored by fire that it wasn't until relatively recently that anyone got around to thinking much about ice. And so Quest for Fire became a story for the ages, while Ice Run might only describe a typical Saturday night. But when it comes to the world of mixology, ice beats fire cold.
"Ice is really the cornerstone of the American bar," says Chad Solomon, a New York-based cocktail consultant with Liquid Relations, and co-founder of Cuff & Buttons cocktail catering. Solomon is one of the growing number of bartenders across the country who are taking a fresh look at ice as not just a cocktail accessory, but an integral component of a well-made drink. Solomon credits Frederic Tudor—known as Boston's "Ice King"—for creating both the supply and the demand for commercially distributed ice in early America. In the first half of the 19th century, Tudor approached hotel bars and fine drinking establishments with the idea of chilling their juleps, cobblers and punches; the result was a total transformation of the country's drinking culture. "It was a quantum leap in terms of the enjoyment of mixed drinks by patrons," Solomon says. "People were hooked almost immediately to the colder, more refreshing kinds of drinks."
While less than 200 years separate Tudor's icehouses from the rattle and crash of modern ice machines, much has happened to ice along the way—and for many contemporary bartenders, this hasn't been entirely a good thing. The conditions under which early commercial ice was formed and harvested meant that bartenders often worked with ice that was firm and frigid, with little of the dissolved air or impurities that shorten ice's life span; as a result, insulated blocks of this pond ice could last through the summer. Much of today's machine-made ice, by contrast, is lighter and relatively warmer; it melts quickly, rendering drinks watery and insipid. But thanks to the work of dedicated bartenders, patrons once again are experiencing the quantum leap in quality that good ice can bring to a drink.
Thad Vogler, the barman behind Bar Agricole in San Francisco, compares using good ice in cocktails to upgrading your kitchen stove. "Say you're working on a two-burner electric range, and all of a sudden someone gives you a six-burner industrial Wolf gas range. What you'd be able to do with heat is entirely different from what you'd ever imagined," Vogler says. "It's sort of what happens when you use good ice: Your job is to make things cold, and all of a sudden you have this tool that works so much better. It immediately raises a drink a couple of points on a scale of 1 to 10 when you use good ice."
By freezing purified water in large blocks or custom molds, and by using ice from high-end machines, these bartenders are making drinks colder and with precisely the desired amount of dilution. And while the art of shaking or stirring drinks with custom ice is a field unto itself, perhaps nowhere is ice's impact more evident than in the drinks that are served with ice as a component. From simple pours of whiskey on the rocks to elaborately swizzled punches, bartenders are acknowledging that ice is as important an ingredient to these drinks as any spirit or mixer. Once typically viewed as a simple filler in the glass, ice has become cool.
Short and Long
While wandering through Osaka one night in late 2006, Buffy Charlet and her friends decided to stop for a drink. They sat down at a tiny bar that served only whisky, placed their order, and were astounded by what was placed in front of them. "When the glasses came out, we thought it was just phenomenal," says Charlet, a bartender at Ford's Filling Station in Los Angeles. "The ice was in these big, perfect cubes; it was absolutely beautiful."
Charlet and her friends cajoled the bartender into showing them the preparation: A large block of ice was brought out from a back room, and with a few precise maneuvers with a sword, he sliced flawless two-inch cubes from the block. "It fit perfectly in the glass, and they did that for each glass of whisky," Charlet says. "I've never encountered anything like that since—and I'm a bartender."
While swordplay is still blissfully rare behind American bars, several bartenders are taking their own stabs at crafting large, dense cubes for drinks served on the rocks. The aesthetics are certainly impressive, as Charlet would attest, but the reasons go beyond simple appearances. "Anything on the rocks—be it a simple whiskey or an Old Fashioned or something like a sour—you want to set that down in front of a guest at its absolute coldest, with a nice, large piece of ice that's going to preserve the drink in its ideal balance of strong and weak," Solomon says. "As the clock ticks, it's going to be a totally different drink based on the size and density of the ice."
Most cocktails are served "up," without ice, and are meant to be consumed quickly, before they become unpleasantly tepid. Drinks served on the rocks, however, provide a chance to slow down. Perhaps the quintessential and most venerable rocks drink is the Old Fashioned, a mixture of bourbon or rye, sugar and bitters; excellent variations include versions made with aged rum or genever, a malty gin from the Netherlands, as well as the Oaxaca Old Fashioned, a tequila-and-mezcal approach served at Death & Company in New York. Other classics—such as the bitter, garnet-hued Negroni, the classic New Orleans Vieux Carré and the Whiskey Sour—are often served on ice, as are contemporary drinks such as Beretta's simply named Cachaça Aperitif.
When served on the rocks, a drink can be lingered over and enjoyed as it develops in the glass. When the ice is of low quality, however, what often develops is a watery mess. Solomon estimates that, by using a single large piece of very cold, dense ice, a drink's life expectancy—the time when it's at peak quality—can be more than doubled. Vogler agrees. "A large piece of ice retains a lower temperature longer, and it'll keep a drink colder longer, without turning it to water," he says.
To reach cocktail perfection, bartenders are turning to the past, and to the best of modern technology. Solomon says that several years ago, while tending bar at New York's Milk & Honey, he and owner Sasha Petraske, along with other bartenders, began experimenting with freezing large blocks of ice in industrial freezers, then custom-carving large chunks for individual drinks. While the process eventually proved burdensome and inefficient to do for every drink, some bars continue the practice for at least some drinks on their bar menus, such as the Whiskey Cocktail served at Slanted Door in San Francisco. Solomon and other New York bartenders have found satisfaction in special molds that produce perfect 2-inch cubes. For quality ice on a larger scale, ice machines from Kold-Draft—ones that produce dense, frigid, 1 1/4-inch cubes—have become standard equipment at some bars.
Skeptics may discount the role that larger, colder cubes of ice play in a drink, but when Charlet and her friends were served their whisky in Osaka in glasses with bespoke cubes, the effect was memorable. "The ice was what caught your eye, and you started to notice more the color of the whisky and the smell," she says. "It was stripped down to basics, and it really focused you on the drink."
Classic tall drinks, such as the tequila-based Paloma or the whiskey-based Presbyterian, along with the familiar Gin and Tonic, also need care in the ice department to prevent the delicate balance of flavors from collapsing into a diluted mess. Some bartenders address the issue with stacks of Kold-Draft cubes; this is the approach Vogler takes with his Agricole Mule, and that is used in drinks such as the Company Buck at Death & Company.
Other bars, such as Little Branch in New York, use long spears of ice that are shaped to the size of the glass. The spears can be carved from large blocks, but an easier and more efficient way to make them is to use customized molds. "The idea is that once the drink goes over ice in the glass, you just want one giant, solid piece of ice that touches the bottom of the glass," Solomon says. "The fact that it's solid instead of cubes means that the drink cannot attack the surface areas of the ice and make it break down. That single, solid spear is far more durable."
But bigger is not always better. A rock or spear of ice can minimize dilution while providing a chilling base, but some drinks have flavors so strong or concentrated that they need additional dilution. These drinks call for a supremely icy chill, both to make the drink more refreshing but also to pace the rate of dilution, extending the life span of the drink.
Some of the first drinks to be iced were powerfully flavored slow-sippers, and bartenders used finely crushed or shaved ice to create the desired effect. The practice applies to long drinks, such as juleps, as well as to short drinks, such as smashes (basically a smaller julep) and brambles, including Vogler's own Rangoon Gin Bramble. "You can sip a drink like a julep really slowly over time," Vogler says. "It's intense and concentrated and strong, and at the end of the drink it's still palatable, but it's softer because of the gradual dilution."
One of the best examples of the benefits of crushed ice is the category of drinks known as swizzles. Typically served in tall chimney glasses that have been packed with crushed ice and gently agitated with a bar spoon or, more properly, a multi-branched lele twig from Martinique—the original swizzle stick—swizzles are intensely cold and richly flavored, not to mention a spectacular sight. "You get a cool effect where it chills down the glass and the whole thing freezes, with a strong frost standing out on the glass," Vogler says. "The ice just won't melt—it's so packed in there that you have a critical coldness, and it melts very, very slowly."
Usually made with robust rums and lime juice, and often employing flavorful bitters, syrups or liqueurs, swizzles are a product of the Caribbean. Perhaps the epitome of swizzledom is the Queen's Park Swizzle, a fragrant, minty drink that originated at the Queen's Park Hotel in Trinidad; in 1946, Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron wrote that this drink was "the most delightful form of anesthesia given out today."
Many of today's swizzles are descendants of the Queen's Park, such as the Twenty Seventy Swizzle served at Forbidden Island in Alameda, Calif. Bar owner Martin Cate explains that the powerful flavors of a swizzle's ingredients mean the gradual dilution from crushed ice is a necessary component. "If you were to just stir these drinks with ice and strain into a cocktail glass, it'd be really rich, and just too much," Cate says. "But swizzle it, and let it sit and look at it for five minutes, and it gets better and better. It has a long curve before it tastes watery."
Tiki pioneers, such as Donn Beach and Trader Vic, were masters at applying the swizzle concept to a range of exotic drinks, and Cate uses their techniques in drinks served at his bar. Beach, for example, advocated flash-blending drinks—such as the Port-au-Prince and the Pearl Diver's Punch—with crushed ice for a few seconds using a stand drink mixer (the type used to make milkshakes and blended coffee drinks), which resulted in a resolute coldness, a gentle and long-lasting dilution and a pebbly texture far removed from the slushy goop disgorged from industrial drink-mixing machines today. Cate replicates this technique using a drink mixer and small cubes of standard restaurant ice—"You put a Kold-Draft cube in a drink mixer, it's like listening to a car accident," he says—and says that the result is a cold drink that maintains its flavorful integrity without turning into a watery slurry.
For shaken drinks, such as a Mai Tai or Zombie, Cate uses a tip he learned while tending bar at Trader Vic's: He combines both large cubes and crushed ice with the drink ingredients in a shaker. "It actually changes the texture of the drink to use different types of ice," he explains. "The cubes give it more agitation and froth, and the crushed dilutes faster and chills, so you get that nice, icy frost on the outside of the glass."
Professional bartenders have an arsenal of implements and machines that help them create the perfect ice for each drink, but similar feats can be accomplished at home (see sidebar on this page). While a few special tools may need to be purchased, the results will make the investment worthwhile. "The two things with ice in drinks is reduction in temperature and dilution. It depends on how much you want to invest to do those things well," Vogler says. "Once you've used good ice, it's really hard to go back."


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Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on Monday proposed replacing the current Illinois Gaming Board with a paid board that would oversee gambling in Illinois. He said expanded gambling is inevitable to finance the state's capital program.
CHICAGO - Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan suggested Monday that some kind of gambling expansion is inevitable to finance a state capital program but said a new and fortified Gaming Board should oversee the growing casino industry.
The Chicago Democrat also announced plans to revive a financial bailout plan for Chicago-area mass transit on Friday, even though a regional sales tax increase central to the plan is opposed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Republican legislative leaders.
Public transportation and the gaming-for-capital plan are intertwined as the Chicago Transit Authority prepares to begin imposing service cuts and fare hikes on Sunday to offset chronic budget deficits. Madigan wants to prevent the so-called "doomsday" for commuters, but Republicans have said they want a capital-construction program to benefit their districts in return.
Madigan said the House will come up with the necessary minimum of 71 votes, including some votes from Republicans, to approve the transit-relief package. The Senate is scheduled to convene Friday.
"We will see what the House sends us, if anything," said Cindy Davidsmeyer, spokeswoman for Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago.
Jones has not opposed raising the regional sales tax a quarter-cent. But the GOP caucus led by Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, believes transit officials should consider budget cuts and "reasonable" fare increases instead, a spokeswoman said.
House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, has suggested an alternative: shifting a share of the state sales tax on gasoline to the region's transit agencies. Madigan said that's a bad idea because it would create a hole in the state budget.
The issue of transit riders' fates surfaced as Madigan sought to focus attention on his proposal to overhaul the Gaming Board.
A capital plan the Senate approved recently would raise $13 billion for construction projects by authorizing three new casinos, including one for the city of Chicago, and by allowing existing riverboats to expand. Madigan would not say whether he'll support more than a Chicago casino, but he said gambling is politically the "only viable way to have a public works construction program."
"Gambling is something to be avoided -- by everybody," he said at a Chicago news conference.
Madigan proposed replacing the Illinois Gaming Board with a "truly independent" panel to oversee a larger gambling landscape. Unlike today's board of volunteer appointees, the new gaming panel would not be part of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration.
The carefully selected board of paid experts would generate their operating funds through annual fees from casino operators, Madigan's office said. Meanwhile, Gaming Board operations would be governed by new ethical safeguards, such as stricter "revolving door" prohibitions on regulators who try to get jobs in the gaming industry.
Rebecca Rausch, a spokeswoman for Blagojevich, said the administration is interested in reviewing Madigan's proposal to revamp the board. The Democratic governor supports the Senate-approved capital plan and its gambling component.
Besides the CTA, the Pace suburban bus system plans to implement fare hikes and service cuts if aid from Springfield does not arrive. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley on Monday held a news conference urging state lawmakers to find a solution.
"This is do-or-die time," Daley said.


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Preventing Falls in Older Persons - American Family Physician
Aug 15, 2017 - The American Geriatrics Society and British Geriatrics Society recommend that all adults older than 65 years be screened annually for a history of falls or balance impairment. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and American Academy of Family Physicians recommend exercise or ...
American Family Physician : Article
Caregiver Care - American Family Physician
Jun 1, 2019 - Eighty percent of adults requiring long-term care currently live at home in the community, and unpaid family caregivers provide 90% of their care. Family caregivers serve as a critical extension of the U.S. health care system, and the demand for family caregivers is expected to increase...
American Family Physician : Article
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Drone strikes killing more civilians than US admits, human rights groups say
Two influential human-rights groups say they have freshly documented dozens of civilian deaths in U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen, contradicting assertions by the Obama administration that such casualties are rare.
In Yemen, Human Rights Watch investigated six selected airstrikes since 2009 and concluded that at least 57 of the 82 people killed were civilians, including a pregnant woman and three children who perished in a September 2012 attack.
In Pakistan, Amnesty International revisited nine suspected U.S. drone strikes that occurred between May 2012 and July 2013 in the territory of North Waziristan. The group said it found strong evidence that more than 30 civilians were killed in four of the attacks.
The basic circumstances of each of the drone strikes had been previously reported by local and international news outlets. But the human-rights groups said they were able to shed further light on each of the incidents by interviewing survivors, other witnesses and government officials in both countries.
Most drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen occur in geographically remote areas that are often hostile to outsiders, making independent assessments extremely difficult.
The groups findings coincide with another report released Friday by a United Nations human-rights investigator, who estimated that 2,200 people have been killed in drone strikes over the past decade in Pakistan alone.
Of those casualties, at least 400 were civilians and another 200 were probable noncombatants, according to the U.N. official, Ben Emmerson. He said the statistics were provided to him by Pakistans Foreign Ministry.
The U.S. government almost never publicly acknowledges its role in individual drone strikes and its legal justification for targeting specific people is shrouded in secrecy.
Partly as a result, estimates of drone-related casualties vary wildly. Sorting out how many people were legitimate targets under the laws of war and how many were bystanders is an even greater challenge.
In their reports, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International both called on the Obama administration to make its drone-targeting policies more transparent and to publicly investigate reported civilian casualties.
The full picture will only come to light when U.S. authorities fully disclose the facts, circumstances and legal basis for each of its drone strikes, Amnesty International concluded in its report, titled, Will I Be Next? U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan.
Caitlin Hayden, a White House spokeswoman, declined to comment on the reports findings. But she cited a speech given by President Barack Obama in May, when he announced newly narrowed guidelines for drone attacks. Obama said drones would only be used against people who pose a continuing, imminent threat to the United States and only in cases in which the avoidance of civilian casualties would be a near-certainty.
As the President emphasized, the use of lethal force, including from remotely piloted aircraft, commands the highest level of attention and care, Hayden said in an e-mail.
Drone strikes in Pakistan are carried out by the CIA under a covert program. In Yemen, the CIA and the militarys Joint Special Operations Command both conduct drone attacks. Spokespersons for the CIA and Pentagon declined to comment.
Amnesty International highlighted a July 6, 2012, drone attack in the village of Zowi Sidgi, near the city of Miram Shah, in which it said 18 civilians including a 14-year-old boy were killed.
In that case, a group of male laborers had gathered in a tent for dinner when a missile blast killed 10 of them. A few minutes later, as rescuers arrived on the scene to treat the wounded, another round of missiles killed another eight people, according to Amnesty.
In Yemen, Human Rights Watch singled out a Sept. 2, 2012, airstrike in the village of Sarar that blew up a minibus, killing 12 passengers, including three children and a pregnant woman. The group said the Yemeni government, which works closely with U.S. counter-terrorism forces, later admitted the attack had been a mistake and compensated families of the victims.
In most of the other drone strikes cited in the reports, the human-rights groups acknowledged that the scenarios were much less clear cut. They acknowledged that many of those who died were suspected members or al-Qaida or the Taliban. In other instances, civilians died alongside armed combatants.
But in virtually all cases, they said, it was impossible to know whether the targets met Obamas threshold for posing an imminent threat to the United States because U.S. officials have kept that information a secret.


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The Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger have accepted Big Ben's suspension and will move forward. Luckily for them, the NFL has set them up to still be very successful next year and they aren't afraid to capitalize on Big Ben's transgressions for which they were so quick to punish him.
By reminded that Roethlisberger's ban is six games long with the option of being reduced to four with good behavior. Now let the following just sink in for a second:
The Steelers' first six games: one 2009 playoff team (Baltimore), zero games in primetime
The Steelers' final ten games: six 2009 playoff teams (Cincinnati twice, Baltimore, New Orleans, New England, New York Jets), five games in primetime
Did the NFL expect the sports world to read the above with anything but a puzzled look?
Two things are clear:
1) The league wants to protect the Steelers to allow them to have a fighting chance at making the playoffs.
2) The league wants to capitalize on Big Ben's return by putting him in primetime. (By the way, if Roethlisberger's suspension does go the full six games, the first three games he plays in upon returning are all in primetime).
Unfortunately for the league, the schedule was released a day before the suspension was handed down to Pittsburgh's quarterback. That meant that when Roethlisberger's ban was unveiled, fans immediately looked to see what games he'd miss, when and where he'd return and how the schedule would shake out for the pride of western Pennsylvania.
What they found when looking down the schedule was six winnable games while Ben is on the sidelines. If he misses all six, his first game back then comes in Week 8 at New Orleans on Sunday Night Football. Ironically, the game is on Halloween Night. Hopefully, fans in the Crescent City will come to the Superdome dressed as everyone's favorite sexual assaulting quarterback.
The more realistic option is that Ben misses four games, meaning his return comes in Week 6 at home when the Browns come to town. That means Roethlisberger would have two "tune-up" games against Cleveland and Miami before getting into the real teeth of the Steelers' schedule starting with that big game in New Orleans against the Super Bowl champs.
If one looks deeper, the NFL continued to have the Steelers' best interests in mind when make the 2010 schedule, seeing as they conveniently gave Pittsburgh their bye in Week 5. If Big Ben is reinstated after the four games, head coach Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh offense would have two weeks to reacclimate and get themselves straight in practice before they take the field with their starting quarterback in the lineup again.
Surely, these situations can't all be coincidental, right? The NFL wouldn't be trying to protect one of the league's most prominent franchises? They aren't looking out for the Rooney family? Ask a Bengals fan those questions and see what they say. Can we honestly say that if this happened to a team with an owner who has been a thorn in the side of the league (say, Jerry Jones), that things would be fair and equal?
(I bet that if Tony Romo were suspended for the first four games of the year that the Cowboys schedule would go Eagles, Giants, Saints, Vikings.)
The most nauseating part of all of this is the way the NFL is capitalizing on something that they have professed as being abhorrent and irresponsible. To put the Steelers on national television for what could potentially be Roethlisberger's first three games back and to have them in primetime for five of the final ten weeks of the year reeks of foul play.
After sitting him down for his discretions, the league is not afraid to capitalize on the publicity and viewership that can be had with Pittsburgh's high-profile position in the NFL's primetime lineup. Surely, Roger Goodell cannot think that Big Ben is the right face to have on the NFL's product moving forward, at least not until Big Ben stops exposing himself to college students in bathrooms.
But Goodell's advisers must not have been moved by the commissioner's suspension and stand against sexual assault. Or maybe they were just too focused on the financial windfall that could come from Big Ben's return to the league in primetime, in the home of the Super Bowl champs, on Halloween no less. Cash is king.
Anyway you look at it, the NFL dropped the ball with this one. They effectively served their fans a cow pie sandwich, with the Big Ben suspension sandwiched between the schedule release and the NFL Draft. Now that we have it digested (yummy), the real aftertaste of what the NFL did for the Rooney family and the Pittsburgh Steelers is far more sour than sweet.
Most teams need to pay millions of dollars to get offensive lineman to provide that kind of protection. The Steelers got a little for free for the 2010-11 NFL season.


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With the new year on the horizon, its time to celebrate the year gone past by sharing some of the best and brightest campaigns on IndieGoGo. These are campaigns that have knocked it out of the park with their GoGoFactor, fundraising goals, or overall idea and execution. For the next three days, we'll be sharing … read more
Tag: Beginnings: A comics anthology
Year in Review Part I: IndieGoGo's Best of 2011
December 27, 2011 · indiegogo-wp · · Share
Indiegogo, You've Been Trumped, theatre, Solz, Campaign Examples, year in review, best campaigns, Best of IndieGoGo, IndieGoGo Blog, Glass Wings for Chichester, Arab Winter, Temple of Transition, Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth, Women Make Movies, SCARLE+: Out Positive Youth, Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie, Devil Deal Blues, My Sucky Teen Romance 1, 2, XStylus Crayon, The Chronicles of Skin, Stealing Cthulhu, Clockwork Watch- The Arrival, Save Alterna Comics, Beginnings: A comics anthology, Decentralized Dance Party SASKATOON- HALLOWEEN EDITION!, Parijat Desai Dance Company India Tour, Completing The Film Tiny Dancer, Guilded, IDEO.org, Lovecraftian Letters, walk in love. store, Teres Kids- Happy Active Clothing, 65 Days of Static, Chai Town- New CD, Graham Stookey's New EP, The Battle We Didn't Choose, Angelo Merendino, The Color of Food, FIT Photography Exhibit, Conspire Theatre, Lake Water, Demon Dreams- Theatre Fundraiser for Japan, YouInspire, Deader Days, Platoon of Power Squadron, Hollabacks I've Got Your Back Campaign, I am Undocumented, I Made America, 100 Poems, Tried & True, The Warm Light House, Greatest Campaigns, Best Creative Campaigns, Gaming, music, Art, Comic, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film, Photography, Transmedia, Video / Web, Writing


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Marvel Cosplay Covers 2016 - Scarlet Witch #1023 August, 2016 Awesome People Cosplay Photos News Press Releases Comments 0
First of all, I'm so excited that Marvel is bringing back the Cosplay Covers this year! It's such a generous and cool gesture toward the cosplay community, from such a behemoth of a company. It's the ultimate thumbs up, to one of their most devoted fanbases.
I'm incredibly grateful to be a part of the 2016 Cosplay Variant Cover Series again. I made a whole new costume, for the opportunity, and because I absolutely adore Wanda. The re-design of her costume is so beautiful, and allowed me to play with embroidery as well as wire/jewelry work.
The photo was taken by Brian Boling, and the entire Series is produced by Judith Stephens.
My variant cover is for Scarlet Witch #10, and will be released in a few weeks. If you want a copy, please plan ahead and let your local comic shop know! There is only one cosplay cover comic book in each box, so your comic dealer has to order enough to have the cosplay cover in stock.
I realized that I only wrote about my Inhumans cover from 2015 on FB, never on my blog, and I wanted to give an extra big Shout Out to Judy for doing so much work on both runs of the Cosplay Covers series. There is so much organization, communication, and paperwork involved, before any cover can be created. Judy took every photo for the 2015 covers, and all but 1 for this year. She also was the point of contact for all cosplayers, and had to organize location space, studio space, and manage everyone's schedule, as well as get all of their costumes approved!
Judy photograhed me in my Medusa costume, for Inhumans #1.
I'm so thankful for this opportunity, and hope that those of you, who snagged an Inhumans Variant cover are enjoying it. And of course, that we all can get our hands on the cosplay covers this year! Thank you again, Marvel!


text: AMD Live!™ Ready - Support AMD® Socket AM2 CPU- NVIDIA® nForce 500 SLI Technology- Dual channel DDR2 800- ASUS Q-Connector- ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 Shop Modal header The Best C/P SLI Solution on AM2 Platform NVIDIA nForce® 500 SLI™Designed for NVIDIA® SLI™ technologyNVIDIA nForce® 500 SLI™ media and communications processors (MCPs) deliver a complete range of solutions for AMD-based discrete platforms. Performance enhancing features include NVIDIA® LinkBoost™ technology to automatically increase bus speeds and NVIDIA SLI™ technology for scalable graphics performance. NVIDIA SLI™ TechnologyNVIDIA SLI™ (Scalable Link Interface) takes advantage of the increased bandwidth of the PCI Express bus architecture and features intelligent hardware and software that allows two GPUs to efficiently work together to deliver earth-shattering, scalable performance. For some applications nearly 2X performance! (From www.NVIDIA.com) AMD Socket AM2 Supports AMD Socket AM2 Athlon 64 FX / Athlon 64 X2 / Athlon 64 / SempronThe M2N4-SLI supports AMD socket AM2 single-core Athlon 64/ Sempron and dual-core Athlon 64 X2/ Athlon 64 FX processors with 2MB / 1MB / 512KB L2 cache, which is based on 64-bit architecture. It features 2000 / 1600 MT/s HyperTransport Bus, dual-channel un-buffered DDR2 800 memory support and AMD Cool ´n´ Quiet! Technology Dual-Core CPU The advanced processing technology contains two physical CPU cores with individually dedicated L2 caches to satisfy the rising demand for more powerful processing capability. Dual-Channel DDR2 800 DDR2 is the next generation memory technology to replace the current DDR. With the highest speed up to 800MHz, DDR2 memory provides great performance for 3D graphics and other memory demanding applications. AMD Cool ´n´ Quiet! TechnologySupports AMD Cool ´n´ Quiet! Technology, which monitors system operation and automatically adjusts CPU voltage and frequency for a cool and quiet environment. Fanless Design Provide a cool environment without all the baggage Cooling fans, though a popular thermal solution, also come with noise and malfunction likelyhood. ASUS Motherboard´s fansless concept is specifically created to provide a cool environment without all the baggage. ASUS has devoted special efforts to address the thermal issues across the motherboard, and most notably the areas that reside the CPU, power, Northbridge and Southbridge. The heat sinks and strategic board layout are tailor made to dissipate heat in the most efficient manner. ASUS Q-Fan 2 ASUS Q-Fan2 technology intelligently adjusts both CPU fan and chassis fan speeds according to system loading to ensure quiet, cool and efficient operation. Gigbit LAN The NVIDIA native Gigabit LAN controller delivers transfer speeds up to ten times faster than conventional 10/100 Ethernet connections. Gigabit LAN is the networking standard for the early future and is ideal for handling large amounts of data such as video, audio, and voice. 6 Channel Audio The M2N4-SLI uses an onboard Audio CODEC that lets you enjoy high-quality 6-channel audio without having to buy advanced sound cards. Serial ATA 3Gb/s RAIDThis motherboard supports next-generation SATA hard drives based on the new SATA 3Gb/s storage specification. The onboard NVIDIA nForce 500 SLI MCP allows RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1, RAID 5 and JBOD configurations for four SATA connectors. Max. 10 USB 2.0 ports supportsUSB 2.0 is the latest connectivity standard for next generation components and peripherals. Backwards compatible with current USB 1.1 peripherals, USB 2.0 delivers transfer speeds up to 40 times faster at 480Mb/s, for easy connectivity and ultra-fast data transfers. S/PDIF-out on Back I/O Port This motherboard provides convenient connectivity to external home theater audio systems via an coaxial S/PDIF-out (SONY-PHILIPS Digital Interface) jack. It allows to transfer digital audio without converting to analog format and keeps the best signal quality. ASUS Q-ConnectorThe ASUS Q-Connector allows you to connect or disconnect chassis front panel cables in one easy step with one complete module. This unique adapter eliminates the trouble of plugging in one cable at a time, making connection quick and accurate. ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 The ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 allows users to restore corrupted BIOS data from a USB flash disk containing the BIOS file. This utility saves users the cost and hassle of buying a replacement BIOS chip. ASUS EZ Flash 2 EZ Flash 2 is a user-friendly BIOS update utility. Simply press the pre-defined hotkey to launch this tool and update BIOS from a USB flash disk before entering the OS. You can update your BIOS only in a few clicks without preparing an additional floppy diskette or using an OS-based flash utility. GreenASUSThe motherboard and its packaging comply with the European Union´s Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). This is in line with the ASUS vision of creating environment-friendly and recyclable products and packaging to safeguard consumers´ health while minimizing the impact on the environment.


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1 - MEET WITH YOUR MORTGAGE PROFESSIONALIt is important to meet with your Mission Viejo Branch Loan Consultant at the very beginning of the process. They can calculate exactly how much you can afford to spend on a home.
Gather Documents. You will need to bring a few pieces of information with you to your initial consultation. Click here for a list of these documents and have them ready for your Loan Consultant.
Application. The initial meeting can be done over the phone, in person, or by submitting the electronic loan application. We recommend that first-time homebuyers come into the office so we can better guide you through the process. Based on the information gathered for the application, your Loan Consultant can determine what options are available to you.
Contact Mission Viejo Office to Schedule an Appointment
Credit Check. Lenders must review a potential borrower's credit history and get credit/FICO scores from major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax). This helps the lender to make a more informed decision regarding loan prequalification.
The FICO score represents the statistical summary of data contained within the credit report. It includes bill payment history and the number of outstanding debts in comparison to the borrower's income. The higher a borrower's credit score, the easier it is to obtain a loan or to pre-qualify for a mortgage.
If the borrower routinely pays bills late, then a lower credit score is expected. A lower score may persuade the lender to reject the application, require a large down payment, or assess a high interest rate in order to reduce the risk they are taking on the borrower. In instances where your FICO score needs improvement before continuing on with the loan process, we can help to raise your score and get you back on the path to homeownership.
Pre-qualifying and Pre-approval. After basic calculations have been done and a financial statement has been completed, the borrower can ask the lender for a pre-qualification or pre-approval letter.
A loan pre-qualification letter states that loan approval is likely, based on credit history and income. Pre-qualifying lets the borrower know exactly how much money can be borrowed and how much money will be needed for a down payment.
A loan pre-approval letter states that a specific loan amount is guaranteed and that a lender will actually loan the borrower money after an appraisal of the property and a purchase contract and title report have been drawn up.
A pre-approval letter is more binding and it means the lender has already performed a credit check and evaluated the financial situation, rather than rely on the borrowers own statements like what is done in pre-qualification.
There are two basic ratios that lenders use to determine how much to preapprove a borrower.
Ratio #1: The borrower's total monthly housing costs compared to their total monthly income.
• The borrower should write down, before deductions, the total gross amount received per month. • The number in step 1 should be multiplied by .28. This is what most lenders will use as a guide to what the total housing costs are for the borrower. Depending on the percentage, a higher percentage may be used.
Ratio #2: The borrower's debt to income
• The borrower should write down all monthly payments that extend beyond 11 months into the future. These can be installment loans, car loans, credit card payments, etc. • The total number in the first step should be multiplied by .35. Total monthly debt should not exceed the resulting number.
2 - PREPARE TO BORROWYour Mission Viejo Branch Loan Consultant will give you an idea of the costs associated with your loan and your monthly payments by giving you a copy of your Loan Estimate and discussing it with you. This will allow you to look at your overall budget and prepare for homeownership. Ask questions! We are here to help. Visit our FAQ for some common inquiries.
3 - FIND YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENTA dependable Realtor® will help you work within your budget and find a home you love. Ask your friends and family for their Realtor® recommendations. We can recommend high-quality Realtors® in your area.
4 - FIND A HOME AT A PRICE THAT WORKS FOR YOUHave a discussion with your Realtor® about what you want in a home. It helps to have a list of must-have features and some nice-to-have features so that you know where you can compromise. Keep on the lookout for things that might raise your monthly payment. Mello Roos taxes or association dues might put you over budget. Your Realtor® can help. Stay within your budget when writing offers. As long as you stay within budget, it may be better to go below, at, or above the seller's asking price. While writing offers and negotiating a purchase price, you may need to ask the seller to pay closing costs or ask them to make certain repairs, depending on the situation. Your Realtor® and loan officer can guide you through these decisions. We can send a pre-qualification letter to you and your agent when you write an offer. This will strengthen your offer by telling the seller that you are ready and able to purchase the home.
This is a brief outline on how the Mission Viejo Branch of Broadview Home Loans home loan process works. Each and every loan is different and you may find that your process works a little differently. Not to worry, we will be with you every step of the way. Purchasing a home can be overwhelming. Don't get discouraged if you do not understand a form or a part of the process. We can explain anything that is confusing. For more information on the terms used in this outline see our Loan Lingo page.
Loan Package. After your appointment with a Loan Consultant, your loan is given to a Production Assistant, who will run automated underwriting approvals, verify employment, order an appraisal, order escrow, order title information, and prepare the loan package. At this time your loan package will be ready for signatures.
In Processing. Once your loan has been entered into the computer system, it is then given to a Loan Processor. The loan processor compiles all the necessary information and paperwork needed to finalize your loan for submission (i.e. credit report, appraisal, escrow instructions, and title report).
Submitted to Underwriting. After all of these items are received, your loan is then submitted to an underwriter. The underwriter is the person who takes all the information provided and validates that the input on the original application was accurate. Once the validation is complete, final loan approval with conditions is then issued.
Loan Approval. As part of your loan approval, you may be asked to provide additional information to the underwriter. Once all of these items have been received and "signed-off" by the underwriter, we then order your loan documents.
Loan Documents. After the loan documents have been drawn, they require signatures and notarizing which is normally completed at your escrow company. If that is inconvenient, we can arrange for you to sign them at our office, your home or your office.
Review and Funding. After signing, loan documents are returned to the funding department to be reviewed and to prepare the loan for funding. Once the loan has funded, it is then recorded. Once the recording by the County Recorder's office has taken place, your loan has been completed. You can then move in to your new home!
6 - ENJOYING HOMEOWNERSHIPRemember that homeownership will help you and your family maintain financial stability and build wealth over time. Feel accomplished in your investment. Keep in touch with us even after the loan process is over. We are happy to answer any questions! If you are looking to make renovations to your home, please visit our Referral List for some of the trusted professionals we work with. It is a good idea to look at your home financing options every few years. When rates are low or when your financial plans change, refinancing can often be a tool to help you reach other financial goals. Give us a call to discuss home financing options at any time.


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MoDOT Crews Prep for White Christmas
JEFFERSON CITY - A white Christmas is welcome news for some, but for crews at the Missouri Department of Transportation it means more work.
"It goes with the territory. Is it something that people really strive to want to do? No. I mean it's Christmas day," said Jason Shafer, MoDOT's central district maintenance engineer. "It's what we do as a public service organization. We remove snow from the roadways in winter time. It's going to snow on Christmas."
Heavy snowfall is predicted in the southern parts of the state Tuesday and early Wednesday. Latest predictions show 1-3 inches between route 54 and I-44, 3-6 inches south of I-44, and as many as 9 inches of snowfall along some parts of the Missouri-Arkansas state line.
Visibility on the roadways will be limited with winds around 25 mph. That means if you're traveling where the heavy snowfall is predicted, MoDOT says to take some precautions.
"You've got to plan your trips out when the weather gets bad. Take your time, slow down, and drive safely," said Shafer.
One way to plan out those trips is to use the MoDOT traveler map, available online here. There is also a MoDOT app available for tablets and smartphones that shows road conditions.
MoDOT crews in the southern regions will be reporting and mobilizing as early as noon Tuesday to try to beat the inclement weather. Crews will also be out in the central regions, but heavy snowfall is not expected.


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Fullerton public employees' pay and pension data
PAY DETAILS for Fullerton's 898 city employees (2019).
PENSIONS of Fullerton's 758 retired city employees (2019).
THE AVERAGE annual pension and benefit package for full-career retired city employees in 2019 was $95,216.10.
FULLERTON'S RETIRED city employees received pensions and benefits in 2019 totaling $43,323,672.48.
SEARCH FOR FULLERTON EMPLOYEES' salaries or pensions by name.
Fullerton Joint Union High School District's pay and benefits
PAY AND BENEFITS for the school district's 1,891 teachers, administrators and other employees (2017).
Fullerton Elementary School District's pay and benefits
PAY AND BENEFITS for the school district's 2,174 teachers, administrators and other employees (2015).
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Today in the ASSEMBLYTODAY'S EVENTS CALENDAR Includes links to audio and video.
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RESEARCH A BILL in the LegislatureTo find out the status of a bill in either the Senate or the Assembly, CLICK HERE.
Category Archives: KABC
HJTA president Jon Coupal talks taxes on KABC radio
Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, talked taxes last week with Dr. Drew Pinsky and Leeann Tweeden on KABC radio. To listen to the interview, click here for Part 1 (mp3 – 6 mins) and here for … Continue reading
Posted in Gavin Newsom, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, Jon Coupal, KABC, Prop. 13 Comments Off on HJTA president Jon Coupal talks taxes on KABC radio
Newman recall campaign a topic today on KABC Radio
This morning Joel Fox, publisher of the highly respected Fox & Hounds political blog, was a guest Kids & Toddlers Bouncy Castles of talk show host Doug McIntyre on KABC Radio. The discussion was about the Democrats' ongoing shenanigans in … Continue reading
Posted in 29th State Senate District, Doug McIntyre, Joel Fox, Josh Newman, KABC, Recall Comments Off on Newman recall campaign a topic today on KABC Radio


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Discussion of parts & where to find those vintage or reproduction parts and equipment
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A Pennsylvania man who shared his own wanted poster on Facebook was arrested just 45 minutes later by police.
Anthony James Lescowitch Jr. had been evading arrest on assault charges since November, the Times Leader newspaper reported.
It didn't take Freeland police long to find him after Lescowitch posted a department message about him to his own Facebook page.
"lol i f***** love it, A**HOLE," he wrote.
Posing as a woman who wanted to have a drink, police lured Lescowitch to another location and promptly took him into custody.
"CAPTURED!!!!!! SHARES OUR STATUS ON FACEBOOK ABOUT HIMSELF, CAPTURED 45 MINUTES LATER," the department wrote on its Facebook page.


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On 5 April 2016 the JRC presented the interactive and collaborative online European Energy Efficiency Platform. This beta platform is conceived to fill the gap opened by scattered data and fragmented knowledge resulting from a rapidly growing energy efficiency market. It is expected to be both a one-stop shop for information retrieval and a meeting point for experts to exchange data and reduce redundant activities.
Saturday, September 26, 2015 - 16:00 to 20:00
La Notte dei Ricercatori è un'iniziativa promossa dalla Commissione Europea fin dal 2005 che coinvolge ogni anno migliaia di ricercatori e istituzioni di ricerca in tutti i paesi europei. L'obiettivo è di creare occasioni di incontro tra ricercatori e cittadini per diffondere la cultura scientifica e la conoscenza delle professioni della ricerca in un contesto informale e stimolante.
Last Updated on 29 Mar 201629 Mar 2016Total Views 8282
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The European Energy Efficiency Platform is an open collaborative tool for a strong and connected energy efficiency community.
The content in it is divided in six thematic and four cross-thematic areas.
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Cross-thematic AreasPolicies and TargetsTechnology and StandardsEconomics and FinancingBehaviours and SocialEnergy Service CompaniesStay
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The present report aims to provide an overview of the main issues at stake with the calculation methods for energy savings generated by measures implemented by EU Member States under Article 7 of the Directive 2012/27/EU on Energy Efficiency (EED).Stay
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text: Im 16 years old, had thick curly hair UNTILL i cut my hair for summer. This is how it grew back :O Baldness runs in my grandfathers but they balded in their 20's not at 16! My hairline has hardly receded http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=35co37r&s=5 How could this happen? what treatment should i take as i am only 16? I saw a doctor and he gave me meds for inflamation, and that cleared that up PLease help


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Job Description
Swedish IT Support Representative wanted here in international outsourcing giant in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We're looking for you to have an affinity for IT and a minimum of 2 years tech support experience. Come work for a company where 80% of promotions come from the internal team – this is truly a company you can grow with.
Your Tasks:
- You will be responsible for tackling and resolving IT issues via phone, email and possibly online chat.
- You will strive for a positive attitude with customers and reach a successful outcome.
- When needed you will escalate tech issues to tier 2 tech support in a timely manner, follow up and schedule call-backs to ensure total customer service satisfaction.
Our Client:
Work for the worlds #1 customer experience driven outsourcing giant here in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. There is a strong promise of career progression here as 80% of promotions come from the internal team. Amazing teams, company benefits and employer right here in Amsterdam.
Main Requirements:
You will need the following in order to qualify for this job:
- Near native Swedish
- Good level of English
- Excellent communication skills (written & verbal)
- 2 years IT Support experience needed
- Comfortable with troubleshooting in a multitude of environments
- Strong interest in all things technical
- Sympathetic to customers various technical understanding
- Good PC Skills
- You are currently based in Amsterdam – as there is no relocation package
Where is the job located?
Amsterdam – the Netherlands – The cultural capital city of the Netherlands that has several well-known and not so well-known attractions. Amsterdam is an amazing city for anyone looking to live in a truly multilingual city right in the heart of Europe,
Interview & Salary:
You will be sent a language test (Swedish), be asked to sit a Skype interview with the hiring manager and if successful you will be invited for 1 more Skype/Phone interview.
The is a competitive salary that is accompanied by a number of great company benefits (life assurance & health plan) this is a company you will want to grow with.
Keywords: Swedish IT Support, Swedish Speaking IT Support, Swedish jobs Amsterdam, Swedish jobs Holland


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Robert Christian, DFLA Fellow
Matt Tuman, DFLA Fellow
Matthew Tyson, DFLA Fellow
- You can reach any of our staff by calling our office or via our online contact form.
Meet Kristen, Executive Director of DFLA
Kristen Day is the Executive Director of Democrats For Life of America and oversees all operations of the Washington, D.C. office.
Kristen began her interest in politics at Michigan State University where she was elected to serve as a Precinct Delegate during her sophomore year. She worked for State Representative Rick Sitz and went on to work for the Government Affairs Office at Michigan State University. After graduation, Kristen followed her lifelong dream to work on Capitol Hill where she eventually rose to serve in the highest position as the Chief of Staff for Congressman Jim Barcia.
One of her passions was working to pass pro-life and pro-family legislation and also advocated for Democrats who oppose abortion. Working for the Democratic Co-Chair of the Bi-partisan House Pro-life Caucus, Kristen set up a whip operation to alert pro-life Democrats when critical pro-life votes were going to come on the Floor or in Committee. Also, in this capacity, she helped Democrats For Life connect with other pro-life Democratic elected officials and private citizens who were interested in helping the organization grow. Additionally, she worked with pro-life groups to remind them that pro-life Democrats are not only needed but essential, for pro-life legislation to pass the House and Senate.
Day's articles have been published in the LA Times, Washington Post, Harvard Crimson, the National Review and other Publications. She is the author of Democrats For Life: Pro-Life Politics and the Silenced Majority published by New Leaf Press in July 2006. The book outlines the history of the pro-life Democrat movement. She was published in the 2006 Notre Dame Journal on Law and Public Policy with a piece entitled, "Politics and the Culture of Life-Why I am Still a Democrat."
Day speaks on behalf of women and pro-life Democrats. She has been a guest on radio talk shows like NPR's Talk of the Nation and has appeared on FOX News, MSNBC, EWTN and other major news outlets. She has been quoted in USA Today, The Washington Times, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle and other news outlets.


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Want to learn more about Lincoln College? Great! We want to help you get to know us better too.
If you'd like to receive additional information about Lincoln College and the admissions process, please complete the following information. One of our admissions counselors will be in touch with you shortly after you submit it. Please be as thorough as possible when completing this form. Any field marked with an * is required.


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Jaxen Office Table or Workstation
availability:In stock
sku: WS-058
Rs 20,000
Product Description
? High-quality Laminated Sheet Top
? Iron Frame with Powder Coating Paint (better than ordinary paint)
? Imported PVC Edging
? Long-term durability
? Market competitive price
Other Accessories with Office Tables, Workstations and Meeting Tables
We are wholesalers of office chairs, office tables, workstations, bar stools, visitor chairs, plastic chairs. Call us for more details about our products.
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The UC College of Medicine, founded in 1819 by medical pioneer Daniel Drake, MD, is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation.
From graduate degrees to continuing education, the college offers a broad spectrum of educational opportunities.
The UC College of Medicine is continuing its upward path in cutting-edge research to enhance discovery sciences and facilitate translation of these discoveries to improve health and clinical care while recruiting new faculty. The new undergraduate program fosters scientific curiosity and investigation for our students. We are creating an environment of advanced clinical care that surpasses any in the region.
The College of Medicine features 26 academic departments, offering clinical, education and research opportunities.
The UC Cancer Center focuses on disease-based centers of excellence to offer a multidisciplinary approach to cancer care, education and research.
The UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute provides advanced evidence-based treatment and active research of complex neurological conditions.
The UC Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute builds upon its nationally known cardiovascular diseases discoveries to make significant contributions to research, education and patient care.
The Center for Integrative Health and Wellness promotes the value of treating the whole person and works to provide evidence-based wellness initiatives across the Academic Health Center and into the community through education, research and clinical care.
Hoxworth Blood Center was founded in 1938 and serves over 30 hospitals and medical facilities in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Hoxworth Blood Center also is a leader in the coordination of research projects developed for the advancement of transfusion medicine, including clinical trials for transfusion medicine-related products.
The College of Medicine has identified four institutes in which we have outstanding quality, a track record of success, opportunities for funding and ability to advance translational research and deliver high-quality personalized care.
The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine is known for its strong educational programs. From medical degrees to summer research programs, the College of Medicine offers some of the most innovative and captivating science and research opportunities in the nation.
Today is
Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020
This program is intended to offer a sound theoretical background and intensive hands-on training in the principles, techniques and technologies that are relevant to current research in the Biomedical Sciences. Graduates of this program will most likely find employment as research staff in biomedical research institutions (universities, medical centers), in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and government agencies. In addition, this program provides excellent training for students who want to enter PhD programs but have had little exposure to bench research in their undergraduate years.
Phone: 513-636-4545 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Website
The Master of Science degree program in Clinical and Translational Research has two tracks. The Principal Investigator (PI) track is designed to provide clinical professionals (physicians, nurses and other terminal degree clinical professionals) with the necessary preparation for successful career developmental and independent investigator awards. The Clinical Research Professionals (CRP) track is designed to provide current and future clinical research staff (clinical research coordinators, managers, biologists, health care workers with a Bachelor's degree) training and experience to coordinate, manage, and lead collaborative research projects & clinical trials.
Phone: 513-558-0809 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Website
The Epidemiology Program stresses environmental, occupational, clinical, quantitative, community, molecular and genetic epidemiology, while Biostatistics offers training in data analysis and interpretation of results, which are tied to environmental and biomedical research. These programs are closely linked, with faculty and students working together on interdisciplinary research activities. The Environmental and Occupational Hygiene Program prepares graduates for entry-level positions with industry, labor organizations or government, and also enhances established careers.
Master's Programs available in Environmental Health include:
The Genetic Counseling program offers a unique partnership between UC and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center—one of the top three pediatric medical centers in the nation. Our students have workspace and clinical rotations on the same floor of the hospital as the specialists they work with, allowing them to take classes in biology, counseling techniques and genetics, and then meet with a couple who just learned their baby will be born with Down syndrome.
Phone: 513-636-8448 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Website
Our full-time and part-time MS programs prepare students for productive careers in academic institutions, industry and government in the expanding field of immunology.
Phone: 513-636-0254 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Website
The full or part-time master's program offers diverse opportunities in learning and research, thereby providing the fundamental knowledge base required for successful entry into technical and scientific positions at an advanced level. Students who have completed the MS degree have also pursued additional biomedical science-related degree programs in professional or graduate schools.
Phone: 513-558-5510 | email@example.com | Website
The MS in Pharmacology program is a specialized pharmacology program in Safety Pharmacology and Drug Toxicology geared toward preparing students for careers in preclinical & clinical drug safety, a required component of the FDA drug approval process. By connecting students with experts in industry combined with hands-on research training, students are prepared for potential employment in government, pharmaceutical industry including contract research organizations (CROs) and specialized pharmaceutical firms, or advanced academic or professional degrees (PhD, MD or DVM).
Phone: 513-558-2333 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Website
The MS in Physiology is a one-year program that has been highly successful at helping college graduates strengthen their academic credentials for application to U.S. medical schools.
Phone: 513-558-3102 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Website
Our accredited Master's of Public Health Degree Program offers access to world-class faculty and practice-based placements with regional and global institutions of excellence including WHO, the CDC, NIOSH and the EPA.
Phone: 513-558-5704 | firstname.lastname@example.com | Website


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Ray Shero nominated for General Manager of the Year
Penguins GM one of three finalists for NHL award
Marc Bergevin of the Montreal Canadiens, Bob Murray of the Anaheim Ducks and Ray Shero of the Pittsburgh Penguins were all named Monday as first-time finalists to be the NHL's general manager of the year.
Shero made key additions to an already-strong Penguins roster throughout the lockout-shortened year that helped propel the Penguins to their first Atlantic Division title since 2008 and the No. 1 seed in the East.
He obtained center Brandon Sutter and goalie Tomas Vokoun in offseason trades and brought in defenseman Douglas Murray and forwards Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow and Jussi Jokinen before the trade deadline.
The Penguins eliminated the New York Islanders in six games in the first round of the playoffs and will face Ottawa in the Eastern Conference semifinal series that will begin Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.
Bergevin led the Canadiens to the Northeast Division title and a No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs in his first season as an NHL general manager. Montreal, 28th last season in the 30-team NHL, was the league's most improved team before being ousted by No. 7 Ottawa in the postseason's first round.
Bergevin hired Michel Therrien as head coach and added defenseman Francis Bouillon and forwards Brandon Prust and Colby Armstrong to the roster. He also acquired forward Michael Ryder in a midseason trade.
Murray helped guide Anaheim to its best regular-season finish in franchise history. The Ducks won the Pacific Division and earned the No. 2 seed in the West, but they were eliminated by No. 7 Detroit in a Game 7 loss at home on Sunday night.
Voting for the award was conducted among the 30 club general managers and a panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media. The winner will be announced during the Stanley Cup finals.


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SPOKANE, Wash. (Aug. 2, 2006) – Three weeks ago, the U.S. Men's National Team was looking for its first victory in 2006 FIVB World League play after losing two matches to Poland.
This weekend, it finds itself in first place in Pool A. Moreover, it will face the team that once held the No. 1 position – Serbia and Montenegro – on Aug. 4-5 at the Spokane Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wash. Both matches will begin at 8 p.m. PDT and will be shown live on CSTV.
The United States improved its record to 4-2 with four straight victories over Japan, losing just one set during that time. Serbia and Montenegro also has a 4-2 record, with a three-set loss to Japan and a four-set loss to Poland. The United States wins the tie-breaker between the two teams due to the point differential by which it won and lost its matches as compared to Serbia and Montenegro.
The United States knows that Serbia and Montenegro will bring plenty of firepower to the showdown at the Spokane Arena.
"Serbia and Montenegro certainly presents different challenges than Japan," U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. "They have more experience and have consistently been a better team internationally.
"From our end, we have to build on what we achieved against Japan and maintain a consistent effort."
Although Serbia and Montenegro has never won the World League title, it finished second in 2005 and 2003 and third in 2004 and 2002 (competing as Yugoslavia). Yugoslavia also won the OIympic gold medal at the 2000 Summer Games.
In 2006 World League play, Serbia and Montenegro's scoring leader has been 6-foot-7 opposite Ivan Miljkovic, who has 81 points on 71 kills, five blocks and five aces in just four matches. He did not play in the first two matches against Japan due to injury.
Andrija Geric, a 6-7 middle blocker, is second with 74 points on 47 kills, 21 blocks and six aces. Geric has played in all six of his team's matches. His blocking total of 21 is fourth among all World League players.
The United States continues to be led by 6-4 outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.), who has 94 points on 78 kills, 14 blocks and two aces, which is fourth among all World League players. Jim Polster (Laguna Niguel, Calif.), a 6-6 outside hitter, is second with 65 points on 49 kills, 10 blocks and six aces.
McCutcheon does not expect any changes to the U.S. roster from last weekend's matches against Japan in Minneapolis, Minn.


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In part 1 of the year in review I talked about some of the great applications and content that have been created on top of the Flash Platform. In part 2 I talked about the partnerships and what that has enabled this year. Now I'm going to turn to the tools and technologies from Adobe. When I look back at my own personal history with Flex and the Flash Platform, coming with Flex 1.5 and Flash Player 7, it's amazing to see the progress we made this year.
The biggest news came at MAX. We provided beta versions of Flash Builder 4, Flash Catalyst, and ColdFusion Builder. Three tools that cover a broad spectrum of RIA development. Flash Builder 4 built on top of our momentum with Flex Builder and introduced a new data-centric development methodology as well as some long-asked for productivity enhancements. Flash Catalyst is a completely new tool that lets designers bring in designs from Photoshop and Illustrator and turn them into working, interactive Flash content without writing any code. And of course ColdFusion Builder provided ColdFusion developers an Eclipse-baesd tool from Adobe that works seamlessly with Flash Builder and lets ColdFusion developers quickly work on ColdFusion and HTML projects. The three tools work together to let designers and developers collaborate around all parts of an RIA project. And the next generation of Flash Professional also got a sneak peak at MAX with the announcement that Flash CS5 will support creation of native iPhone applications.
We also started to lay out our vision for services at Adobe in 2009. Before and during MAX we provided betas and some new information about the Adobe Flash Platform Services. This includes things like LiveCycle Collaboration Services which lets you easily add real-time collaboration components to your Flex and Flash applications. We debuted a Distribution service that lets you track and distribute Flash content across a number of popular properties. There was also the Try/Buy service codenamed "Shibuya" which will help Flash developers directly make money from what they build on the Flash Platform.
Both of our runtimes, AIR and Flash Player, saw beta versions of the next generation. We provided beta access to Adobe AIR 2 which provides developers a lot more access to native functionality as well as adding next-generation HTML support and performance optimizations. Developers had access to a beta of Flash Player 10.1 later in the year which is the first version of Flash Player that is intended for smart phones. Developers got to see how this version of the player would run on the desktop with new memory optimization and support for multi-touch gestures. Flash Player 10.1 will be released for Mac, Windows, Linux, and smart phones like the Palm Pre and Google Android later this year.
Adobe was also busy in the server space. ColdFusion 9 was released this year and it included much deeper support for Flex and AIR applications as well as the ability to tightly integrate with Microsoft Office documents (including SharePoint) and some nice code enhancement for long-time ColdFusion developers.
And finally, this was a big year in openness for the Flash Platform. We've worked hard to keep the Flash Platform as open as possible by doing things like open sourcing the Tamarin virtual machine and providing the SWF and AMF specifications in addition to contributing to existing open source projects like the Eclipse foundation. This year we open sourced two new projects, the Open Source Media Framework and the Text Layout Framework. The Open Source Media Framework (OSMF) provided a standard way to create and extend the way video content plays on the Flash Platform. The Text Layout Framework (TLF) brought world-class text capability to the Flash Platform. It included support for right-to-left languages like Hebrew and Arabic and gave developers very detailed control over exactly how text was rendered by the Flash Player. Both technologies are available with all of Adobe's open source initiatives on http://opensource.adobe.com.
Between the tools, new services, the runtimes, the servers, and our open source efforts, it's been a big 2009 and we've set the stage for a bigger 2010. We can't wait to see what our community does with these technologies. You are the ones that keep the Flash Platform moving and keep us cutting edge. Thanks for a great year!


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B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: email@example.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 1, 2011) – It's another week of updates on U.S. Men's National and A2 Team players competing around the world.
U.S. middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) and his Brazilian Superleague team Vivo/Minas won their first playoff semifinal match over Sesi-SP, 16-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11.
Holmes started the first four sets and scored three points.
Vivo/Minas advanced to the semifinals with a 32-30, 24-26, 25-20, 22-25, 15-12 victory over BMG/Montes Claros on March 24 in their second match of the best-of-three quarterfinals.
Holmes scored 11 points, including four blocks.
Vivo/Minas will play Sesi-SP in the second semifinal match on April 2.
Zenit Kazan, the Russian Super League team of U.S. setter Lloy Ball (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.), made it to the final of the CEV Champions League, but fell to Italy's Trentino BetClic, 25-17, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20 on March 27 in Bolzano, Italy.
In the final, Priddy scored 10 points on nine kills and one block. He was credited with 20 receptions, 45 percent positive and 30 percent excellent. Ball scored three points on two kills and one ace. He set the team to a 0.30 hitting percentage. Ball was named the tournament's best setter.
To view photos from the match, click here. To view match video, click here.
Kazan advanced to the final with a 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 victory over Super League foe Dinamo Moscow on March 26. Priddy scored 13 points on 11 kills (0.67 hitting percentage), one block and one ace. He was also credited with 10 receptions, 40 percent positive and 30 percent excellent. Ball scored four points on one kill and three blocks and set the team to a 0.46 hitting percentage.
To view photos from the match, click here. To view match video, click here.
The Russian Super League began best-of-five playoff series on March 30. Kazan won its first playoff match over Yaroslavich Yaroslavl, 25-18, 25-19, 35-33.
Priddy scored 12 points on 10 kills (0.56 hitting percentage) and two blocks. He was credited with 13 receptions, 77 percent positive and 23 percent excellent. Ball added six points on one kill and five blocks. He set the team to a 0.52 hitting percentage.
U.S. middle blocker Andy Hein (Carol Stream, Ill.) substituted in the second set and started the third for Yaroslavl, scoring two points on two kills.
U.S. setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Fakel Novy Urengoi fell to Dinamo Moscow, 25-20, 19-25, 26-24, 25-19. Hansen scored two points on one kill and one ace. He set the team to a 0.30 hitting percentage. To view photos from the match, click here.
Playout series among the bottom four teams in the league, which includes Ural Ufa, the Russian team of U.S. opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii), and U.S. middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) and his team Kuzbass Kemerovo, will begin April 1.
U.S. setter Jonathan Winder (Irvine, Calif.) and PAOK won their ninth straight Hellenic league match on March 26 with a 25-17, 20-25, 19-25, 25-22, 15-13 victory over league-leading Iraklis, including U.S. opposite Brook Billings (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and outside hitter Ryan Owens (Evanston, Ill.).
Winder started the first three sets and did not score. He helped set the team to a 0.36 hitting percentage. Billings led all scorers with 25 points on 20 kills (0.47 hitting percentage) and five blocks. Owens added 12 points on eight kills, three blocks and one ace. He was credited with 19 receptions, 47 percent positive and 21 percent excellent.
To view photos from the match, click here.
Only a few people were allowed to watch the match due to unruly fans who threw objects on the court during the previous match between the two clubs.
With the victory, PAOK shares second place in the league with Olympiacos and Panathinaikos heading into next week's final round of regular season matches. Iraklis will need one more point against Ethnikos Alexandroupolis at home on April 2, to secure home advantage in the playoffs for the title. The top four teams will compete in the playoffs.
Outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Olympiacos defeated Panellinios Athens, 25-23, 25-23, 25-20. Fans from this match also had to be removed for throwing things onto the court.
Jablonsky scored 11 points, including 10 kills.
Led by U.S. opposite Will Price (Gaithersburg, Md.) who had 20 points, GS Lamia defeated Ethnikos Alexandroupolis, 25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 25-15 on March 26. Price scored on 16 kills, one block and three aces.
In the playoff for first-sixth place in the Polish league, U.S. middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) and his Polish league team Asseco Resovia Rzeszów fell to ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19, 25-19 on March 26.
Millar scored 11 points on 10 kills and one block.
Asseco Resovia Rzeszów lost again, this time to Tytan AZS Częstochowa, 25-22, 22-25, 18-25, 25-22, 15-10, on March 30, but Millar did not play.
In the battle for seventh-10th place in the Polish league, Fart Kielce, including U.S. libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) lost its second straight match to Indykpol AZS UWM Olsztyn, 25-19, 21-15, 25-21, 34-32.
Lambourne was credited with 18 receptions, 72 percent positive and 44 percent excellent.
U.S. outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) led all scorers with 21 points, but it wasn't enough as his Italian Serie A league team Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia fell to Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza, including U.S. outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.), 25-11, 22-25, 25-22, 25-23, on March 27.
Anderson scored on 19 kills (0.36 hitting percentage) and two aces. He was credited with 37 receptions, 73 percent positive and 32 percent excellent. Rooney led his team with 16 points on 14 kills (0.46 hitting percentage), one block and one ace. He was credited with 36 receptions, 64 percent positive and 22 percent excellent.
Marmi Lanza Verona, including U.S. middle blocker Theo Brunner (Ridgefield, Conn.) and U.S. outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) defeated Casa Modena, 25-22, 25-20, 21-25, 23-25, 16-14 on March 27.
Lotman scored 14 points on 11 kills (0.53 hitting percentage) and three aces. He was also credited with 26 receptions, 54 percent positive and 35 percent excellent. Brunner added 10 points on seven kills and three blocks.
U.S. middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) and his Italian team Copra Morpho Piacenza, which have been struggling this season, got an upset victory over Bre Banca Lannutti Cuneo, the second-place team in the league, 25-18, 25-15, 22-25, 18-25, 15-11.
Holt scored 11 points on six kills, one block and a match-high four aces.
The final round of Serie A matches will be played April 3.
U.S. opposite Gabe Gardner (San Clemente, Calif.) and his Italian Serie A2 league team Sir Safety Perugia defeated Canadiens Mantova, 27-25, 25-18, 25-19 on March 27.
Gardner scored 11 points on nine kills, one block and one ace.
U.S. outside hitter Scott Touzinsky (St. Louis, Mo.) and his German league team SCC Berlin defeated VfB Friedrichshafen, 27-25, 25-20, 14-25, 25-21 on March 26.
Touzinsky scored eight points on seven kills (0.78 hitting percentage) and one block.
U.S. middle blocker Matt Denmark (Edmond, Okla.) substituted in the second set and started the third and fourth for VfB Friedrichshafen. He scored four points on one kill and three blocks.
To view photos from the match, click here.
Unicaja Almeria, the Spanish league team of U.S. middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.) and outside hitter Riley Salmon (League City, Texas), advanced to the gold medal match of the Spanish Cup tournament, where it fell to CAI Voleibol Teruel, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 25-23 on March 26.
Smith scored seven points on five kills, one block and one ace. Salmon played as a substitute and scored one point on one kill.
Smith had his best match of the Cup tournament in the semifinals when Almeria defeated Palma Volley, 25-16, 25-19, 29-27. He scored 10 points on three kills, five blocks and two aces.
The team announced on March 30 that Salmon was leaving for personal reasons. The playoffs will begin on April 2.
U.S. setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) and outside hitter Eric Vance (Camarillo, Calif.) and their French B league team Chaumont defeated Narbonne, 25-22, 25-27, 25-23, 25-21 on March 26.
Vance scored 18 points on 15 kills and three blocks. Thornton scored two points on two aces and set the team to a 0.57 kill percentage.
Nils Nielsen (Fallbrook, Calif.) and his French A league team Tours defeated Tourcoing, 25-14, 25-19, 28-26. Nielsen scored five points.


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�He will definitely break her heart!� That�s what an �insider� says about the current relationship between country music sensation Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, one of the cutest members of the boy band �One Direction.�
Well, Taylor is probably looking for a broken heart. More grist for the mill of her songwriting, which is ever-so-personal. Miss Swift is only 22. She is making the most of it, from Taylor Lautner to John Mayer to Jake Gyllenhaal to Conor Kennedy and now Harry Styles. Good for her � to be young! She seems to have it under control.
Just because Tom Cruise is a Scientologist that doesn�t mean he�s not into a good old-fashioned Christmas. He is. And that extends to the books he reads to daughter Suri. Tom reads Suri �The Night Before Christmas,� �Frosty the Snowman� and �Santa�s Toy Shop.� Apparently, Tom�s mother read these to him as a child.
These are from the Little Golden Books collection, and are illustrated in classic watercolor style. (Tom especially loves the picture of Frosty peering into the window of a pastry shop.)
I know � you�d rather I told you Tom was indoctrinating Suri with the works of L. Ron Hubbard. But this was just a sweet, normal item. A revolutionary approach to gossip!
Speaking of things Christmas, some of you might remember a 1965 movie titled �Jack Frost.� It was a Russian production with an all-Russian cast. It was a fairy tale about a girl who falls for a prince who isn�t very princely � in fact, he�s kind of a schmuck. There are travails for the girl and her bad boy, including something to do with the head of a bear. (The Russians have a thing for bears.) It does end happily, despite the machinations of an evil witch, putting the girl into some kind of winter hibernation. The movie played for years as a kiddie matinee, wretched, hilariously dubbed into English. (One of the many reasons it became something of a cult classic.)
Now we hear that Angelina Jolie�s roduction company at Universal is mulling an American remake. Angelina is said to be a fan of the original film. Well, no surprise there. Miss Jolie prefers her screen material on the dark side. Maybe she�ll play the spell-casting witch?Remember how effective Jolie was in �Alexander� as Colin Farrell�s seductive mother, Olympias. She was a woman who never went anywhere without a passel of snakes and a handbook of plots. She ended badly, but had a heck of good time while she lasted.


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[SPOILER ALERT: The following story contains spoilers about Monday's Season 8 finale of How I Met Your Mother. Read at your own risk.]
How I Met Your Mother told us to "get ready for the mother of all secrets" on Monday's Season 8 finale and it was legendary. That's right: We finally met The Mother! So who is she?
The future Mrs. Mosby, or "The Girl with the Yellow Umbrella" as she is credited, is played by Tony-nominated Once actress Cristin Milioti.
Get the scoop on 39 must-watch finalesWe still don't know how Ted meets her (except on the train platform, obviously), but now we know the circumstances leading up to that wedding day. It begins with Ted ( Josh Radnor) showing Lily (Alyson Hannigan) his renovated house while Marshall (Jason Segel) brings baby Marvin to Minnesota to see his family before they move to Rome. But Ted's not planning on moving in to the house any time soon — he's actually put it up for sale to move to Chicago, aka "a Cleveland-y New York," the day after Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and Robin's (Cobie Smulders) wedding because he still has feelings for Robin. (Sigh.) He tells Lily about last week's futile locket search attempt/their handholding in the rain.Lily reveals she knows where the locket is. In 2008, a drunk Robin, lamenting Ted's upcoming wedding to Stella, dug it up to take it with to her to Japan. But Lily had put it in a racecar pencil box, which is in Ted's apartment. "This is going to be the best wedding gift ever," he says. "Ted, be careful," Lily warns.
Upfronts: Get the latest on CBS' fall scheduleCut to Friday morning. It's 56 hours before the wedding, and everyone's making their way to Farhampton, Long Island, for the nuptials. Barney and Robin had just attempted to break up an obnoxious couple (Casey Wilson and Keegan-Michael Key) at dinner, and Marshall's coming back from Minnesota after learning that there's a judgeship opening for him in New York that he has yet to tell Lily about. Lily and Ted are driving out there, and he plans to take the train back to head to Chicago. And who's buying a train ticket there with her bass guitar and yellow umbrella? The Mother.
The best part of the reveal? They went with an unknown. (Milioti has also guest-starred on 30 Rock as "sexy baby" writer Abby Flynn.) Viewers can't have any preconceived notions of what she might "be" like based on the actress playing her, like they would with, say, Jennifer Morrison or Sarah Chalke (granted Stella would've been The Mother had the show been canceled all those years ago.) Plus, Ted has never met her before, so why should we "know" her? It's hard to imagine anyone would have too much of a problem with the reveal; it was necessary. There'd be hell if they didn't do this. Fans have been waiting and begging impatiently for years to meet her and while there are still puzzle pieces to fit in (the biggest, of course, being her and Ted meeting), this is the optimal way to tease and excite fans to tune in (or come back, in some cases) for the final season."It was a pretty big umbrella to fill, casting the title role in a series that's been on the air for eight years," co-creator and executive producer Carter Bays said in a statement. "And yet Cristin Milioti is, against all odds, exactly what we were looking for. She made us laugh on 30 Rock, she made us swoon in Once, and her ukulele skills are no joke. We're thrilled to welcome her to the How I Met Your Mother family, and look forward to getting to know her — and the character she plays — much better in the coming final season."Bays adds that Season 9 will "tell the epic story of the longest wedding weekend ever," giving more weight to speculation that the whole season will play out in real time. He and co-creator and executive producer Craig Thomas have said that Season 9 will "take some risks with time."What do you think? Are you glad we finally met The Mother? What do you think will happen in Season 9? Check out the clip of the reveal below.