text:
Conservation and Environment in Mexico: Monthly Updates
Conservation in Mexico – Monthly Update July – August 2013
Turtle Project
July and August are normally the two months where there is a dramatic peak in the numbers of turtles laying eggs. However, this season the dramatic increase we expected was delayed until much later with our busiest night being 20 August where we managed to find and relocate 82 nests in a single night. This was a grand total of 7,910 eggs collected and protected in the space of 12 hours. Since that night the number of turtles has continued to stay at a relatively high level.
Unfortunately the weather at this time of year has been affecting the erosion of the beach more than normal. As a result we have had to move the hatchery further inland to stop it washing into the Pacific Ocean! All our volunteers have been fantastic helping to move posts, fences, shade cloths, sieve-palm fronds and grass roots to make the move as smooth as possible.
The number of people on patrol each night has increased to 8 volunteers, because of the increase in illogical turtle activity. This extra effort has been rewarded as we lost just four half nests to racoons and 40 to poachers. This is excellent when compared to a total of 913 nests protected by the end of August.
Lagoon Bird Biodiversity Surveys
With the increase of volunteers coming through the camp these summer months we have been able to do up to four surveys a week on the lagoon. We have been using both our own paddle boat and a motor boat driven by one of the locals who helps protect the lagoon from the damaging effects of fishing and tourism.
July saw a mass migration of Groove-billed Ani's (Crotphaga sulcirostis) arrive in the area. At first we spotted just one but during the last two months there were many more to be found at all our different survey sights on the lagoon. One of our most beautiful survey areas, called El Caiman, consistently gives us surveys with 20 or more species of birds with the Neotropical Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) being the most abundant bird with numbers of 250 individuals regularly recorded. There were also three different species of egret and five different species of heron that nest here and so a great number of juveniles and chicks were sighted in the last few months.
Crocodile Farm
Our strong partnership with the local crocodile farm continues. With our weekly trips encompassing everything from cleaning out croc pens, to sexing some of the younger individuals for separation into mating pairs and painting the pens and fences along the lagoon walkway. As a tourist attraction, intended to educate the local population, it is very important that the whole area is kept neat and tidy, and we are an important part of that team.
Our bird species survey around the adjoining lagoon continues. Each time there is a trip to the lagoon we carry out a survey and we have seen the arrival of the Groove-billed Ani's here also. We are regularly spotting the Russet-crowned Motmot (Momotus mexicanus), the Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana), and Yellow-winged Caciques (Cacicus melanicterus). Woodpeckers are heard most surveys too but we are not always able to get a sighting of them! We have now positively identified 68 different species of birds in this small area, almost all of which have been seen on a regular basis. Also when cleaning out certain areas of the farm we have spotted several different species of snake, large green iguanas shedding their skins and a salamander lizard.
Some of our luckier volunteers, depending on your opinion of raw meat, have been able to feed the crocodiles!
Camp Maintenance
Our camp maintenance these past two months has mostly been dedicated to relocating the hatchery to avoid it being washed away. We have had to re-implement the North hatchery to accommodate the influx of nests we are currently getting. In addition to this, we have repaired the roofs of the turtle pools which are now ready for use if we find an injured turtle that needs to be rehabilitated or quarantined.
Our main camp issue has been the removal of the "Palapa" (shelter built from palm tree fronds) that was used for R&R in break time. Unfortunately, this entailed about a month balancing on the edge of a cliff of sand slowly eroding into the ocean. However, after much hard work we had the old structure down and everyone happily relocated to the new rest area next to the kitchen.
Turtle Research Camp
Over the last two months with all our extra volunteers around camp we have been visiting another turtle camp once a week. This camp is different from our own in that they keep turtles captive so that research can be carried out on individual animals. Our involvement there included helping to bury their nests collected from the night before, clean out all the turtle pools and the turtles themselves (nothing quite like scrubbing a fully grown turtle clean with a toothbrush!). We also helped with the measuring of the juveniles so that their diet could be constantly monitored and updated. This was a great opportunity for our volunteers to see how things are run at a different turtle institution and how keeping captive turtles can increase our understanding of these rare and magnificent animals.
As you can see there has been a lot of exciting happenings here in Mexico and I look forward to bringing you more news soon.
Flora Blackett
Conservation Manager, Mexico


text:
'Treme,' Ep. 17: Mardi Gras Mayhem
Two years running, Treme has featured a sensory-overload pageant of a Mardi Gras episode. Let's get right to this one. New Orleans native son Josh Jackson is here again to help break down the music.
Patrick Jarenwattananon: A lot of the first few scenes are scored to the sounds of marching bands. First, what's all this business with the Muses parade and their glitter shoes?
Josh Jackson: Muses is an all-female parade krewe named after the goddess daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (memory) in Greek mythology. The nine muses each represent a certain art or science — e.g., Euterpe is the muse of music. (They also lent their names to streets in New Orleans.) The glitter shoes are highly prized "throws" created by the krewe members. Where can someone throw a shoe at you and have it not be considered an insult? Only in New Orleans.
PJ: And, of course, there's Antoine's school marching band. They try to do a Rebirth Brass Band classic in "Do Watcha Wanna," but they're finding out that learning music is a lot of work. It's going to take a lot to get to the level of the St. Augustine band.
JJ: Antoine tells them that they're killing it — and not in a good way. Marching bands are no joke during carnival time, and the St. Augustine Purple Knights have long had the city's top-notch unit, the Marching 100. Trumpeter Terence Blanchard was a member of that band. We get to hear them twice: They play "Big Chief" at the Muses parade when Colson arrests the kid with the gun, and "Sweet Freedom" when Batiste and the kids are watching.
PJ: Before we even get to Mardi Gras day, we see Antoine's band gigging at a venue called Prime Example. He welcomes a fellow to the stage named Al Johnson — a.k.a. "Carnival Time."
JJ: I love Antoine's joke: "Think you can remember the lyrics?" Al "Carnival Time" Johnson is locally famous for singing a song that gets heavy rotation during the parade season. He recorded "Carnival Time" in December 1959 for Ric Records, and he didn't collect royalties to this original song until 40 years later. Gotta love the music business!
PJ: The Sonny storyline proves to be one of two good excuses to get out into the country a little bit — to explore Louisiana culture outside New Orleans. He gets stuck on an oyster boat while he's straightening himself out. And Annie spends her Mardi Gras out in Eunice, La. In one place, Mardi Gras is a totally different affair — emphatically, no beads are allowed out in the country — and in the other, Fat Tuesday is just another day at the office.
JJ: Pointe a la Hache, in Plaquemines Parish, is literally the end of the road on the east bank of the Mississippi River. I suppose there's some symbolism there for Sonny. Oyster fishing is not easy work.
Annie visits the prairie Cajuns in Southwest Louisiana for a traditional courir de Mardi Gras. It's a cultural celebration brought from France and adapted to local customs that involves riders on horseback. They move from house to house, musicians in tow, playing songs, engaging in revelry and asking for ingredients to make a communal gumbo. This sometimes means asking for chickens. Everyone drinks beer and people flagellate each other with hand whips. As fiddler Dennis McGee says in Alan Lomax's American Patchwork television series, "You gotta be a good sport to be a Cajun."
PJ: About the music at the Cajun Mardi Gras: I counted at least five performances. The first was toward the beginning of the festivities, then as they walk down the road (Steve Earle/Harley joins them), then accordion player Wilson Savoy (of the Pine Leaf Boys, who we met in season one) plays during the chicken run, then the twin fiddlers play at the grave of fiddler Dennis McGee, and finally there's the party at the end where Annie is exhorted to play a little. Help me break that down.
JJ: Ryan Brunet and the Malfecteurs played "The Saggy Bottome" at the party. Brunet is an accordion player from Raceland, La. — or "down the bayou," as we say. Fiddlers Linzay Young and Joel Savoy play "Faiquetaigue" at the graveside. By the way, Faiquetaigue is the name of this particular courir just outside of Eunice, La. Wilson Savoy plays the traditional song, "La Danse de Mardi Gras," during the chicken run. Harley joins in on "Une Bamboche Trop Tard," and the courir kicks off with a waltz, "La Valse a Jean Billeaudeau."
PJ: Back in New Orleans, Mardi Gras sneaks up on Chief Lambreaux's tribe, but not surprisingly, they're ready to go. We hear two songs we've heard before in the show: "My Indian Red" when they launch, then "Shallow Water" under the I-10 overpass. Of course, Lambreaux is impassive as ever (at least until the end of the day).
JJ: Big Chief sure looked pretty. And he found himself a queen for the night. He might seem impassive, but he still has plenty of game.
PJ: We might pause to consider the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. From Oliver Thomas' recommendation, it seems like they have a lot of very important members — and I know "Zulu" means a lot in New Orleans. Is that why their fees and "throws" cost so much? Would they normally let some rich Dallas dude off the street on the float?
JJ: Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club is the pride of Black New Orleans. Never mind the minstrelsy and blackface: Not everyone is comfortable with that tradition, but it stands. Louis Armstrong was a King of the Zulu. The krewe is pretty open in terms of who can ride in the parade. Just pay the fees, and you can hand out coconuts, too! But like any goof krewe, there are levels in the pecking order. Some extremely powerful people are part of the Zulu club. All politics is local, remember?
PJ: Inside Ernie K-Doe's Mother-in-Law lounge, there's a really great band playing a song with the line, "Every time I hear that mellow saxophone." Is that one of the Nevilles up there? Who's the saxophonist?
JJ: Cyril Neville is singing a great New Orleans R&B tune first recorded by Roy Montrell for Specialty Records. Earl Palmer is the drummer in the original, which makes the Stray Cats version taste like dog food in comparison. Tim Green is the saxophonist at K-Doe's. He's been getting a lot of face time this season. That's a nice thing, since he's a very good player.
PJ: Now, for a really uncomfortable storyline: When Toni and Sofia set out, they pass by a trolley carrying the great clarinetist Pete Fountain. And when Toni goes to scatter Creighton's ashes, there's a brass band there playing "Down by the Riverside."
JJ: Creighton loved to join Pete Fountain's Half Fast Marching Club (you hear the pun, yes?) at Commander's Palace, a Brennan Family restaurant where Fountain starts his Mardi Gras celebration. Fountain plays "While We Danced at the Mardi Gras." The Storyville Stompers join the revelers at St. Ann for "Down by the Riverside," where Toni opens a Hubig's Pie bag filled with Creighton's ashes and sends him down the Mississippi.
PJ: To close out the night, Davis spots Sofia at Tipitina's, watching The Radiators. From what I know of them, they're a rock band, but very much a New Orleans rock band.
JJ: Swamp rock. These guys were the original fish heads, before there were Phish heads. We hear them play "Long Hard Journey Home" and "Where Was You At?" The Radiators were famous for playing Tipitina's sets that lasted into the wee hours of the morning. They have a few hundred songs in their repertoire. The band just played Brooklyn Bowl last week, and I missed what is likely to be one of their last shows. The Radiators have officially called it quits. Again.
PJ: Once again, the background playlist was banging, too. As far as jazz goes, playing "Killer Joe" on the radio during the Mardi Gras parade was a bit odd — seemingly a way of setting up that New York-New Orleans dichotomy again — but everything else sounded appropriate to the season. What else did you hear?
JJ: Funny thing, since "Killer Joe" was written by a Philadelphian, the living jazz master Benny Golson. That was Quincy Jones' version from the album Walking in Space.
This episode was chock-full of music. I heard Earl King's "Trick Bag" during a set break for the Soul Apostles. Sonny is playing along to Little Freddy King's "Mean Little Woman." The Meters play "Cabbage Alley" in the background while the Batiste family waits for the parades. Even the U.S. Marine Corps band gets some action with "South Rampart Street Parade" when Hidalgo launches the coconut pass to his cousin during Zulu.
Mardi Gras celebrations end at the stroke of midnight. No exceptions. And this is why the music for end credits is appropriately from Alex MacMurray, "The Day After Mardi Gras." Catholics prepare for Lent and get their ashes. Those don't come from Hubig's fried pie bags, for the record.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Christina Floyd tells her survivor story
Rex Bowman of the Roanoke Times tells the poignant tale of fighting off the murderous assault on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
6 comments
Christina Floyd did not waste valuable time in denial thinking "I cannot believe this is happening". She recognized she was fighting for her life very quickly and did so. I wish her every good wish in the future and in whatever she chooses to do to make sense of this tragic and senseless happening.
I also wish her condolences in the tragic loss of her friend, and the same for the fine young man's family.
It's inspiring, in a sense; instead of locking into a passive, helpless mode, she fought for her life. I hope I can have my wits about me if I'm ever in a situation like that.
Could it get more cold-blooded? Evidently so. "The last time Floyd saw Davis at the overlook, he was still by the wooden rail where he collapsed. He was later found down at the bottom of the precipice."
She kept her wits about her and fought back - she's an inspiration to us all. I wish her all the best - she's at the beginning of her life and ready to launch her flight into the world and she's already proven herself to be tough, smart and resourceful. She will be successful. Go Girl!
Aren't we now thinking that keeping women out of combat roles in the military is a little silly?
I want to marry that girl! Move over Sheena! If more women would fight back like this Darwinism would put a huge dent in the predatory whacko population in our society.


text:
Excellence in Vehicle Recovery and Rescue
The Mansfield Group has been trading for over 35 years and today is the UK's largest dedicated vehicle rescue and recovery operator specialising in vehicle rescue, recovery, storage, repair and parking solutions.
We are committed to ensuring that the highest standards are always achieved by providing the best customer and vehicle care in the region. This is succeeded through our total commitment to innovative technology systems, continuous training of all staff, state of the art workshop and recovery equipment, and a thorough understanding of our customers' needs.
How's the
weather where
you are?
Check the
traffic in your
at a glance


text:
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882 / Boston / United States)
» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
The Lords Of Life
The lords of life, the lords of life,-
I saw them pass,
In their own guise,
Like and unlike,
read more >>
- Hits: Number of visitors who read the poem on the given date.
- Posts: Number of visitors who posted the poem to a friend (via e-mail) on the given date.
- Dates that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list.
- Dates, poems and poets that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list. Statistics are generated daily.


text:
What Our Couples Say.
Request Info
No Hassle. No Obligation.
How We Can Help You.
Traveling Ministers
Need an officiant?
Our non-denominational wedding
minsters go anywhere, anytime.
Mobile Chapel
Want something unique?
Tie the knot in the fast lane
on our mobile wedding chapel.
Historic Chapel
Traditional and simple?
A convenient and elegant setting for your wedding or renewal of vows.


text:
As we've discussed several times in this space over the past few months, the GMAT will be changing on June 5th. There's been quite a bit of uncertainty about Next Generation GMAT (NGG), not to mention a fair bit of conjecture and a little too much fear-mongering (see our last post, "Locking in Your 700+ Before the Test Changes?", for more on the fear-mongering angle).
We're returning to the subject once more to present in the clearest terms what's true for NGG and what's not, so prospective test-takers have the best possible understanding of how it affects them and how it should affect their preparation. Here is what the new test will look like versus the old.
|Old GMAT
|Next Generation GMAT
|Analytical Writing Assessment
|2 essay
60 minutes
|1 essay
30 minutes
|Integrated Reasoning
|12 questions
30 minutes
|37 questions
75 minutes
|37 questions
75 minutes
|41 questions
75 minutes
|41 questions
75 minutes
|Total Testing Time
|3 hours 30 minutes
|3 hours 30 minutes
Let's start with an unadulterated review of the facts…
Integrated Reasoning (IR): The ONLY Change
NGG will be adding one new section: Integrated Reasoning. That's it. It will be replacing The AWA Analyze an Issue task. The specifics of the new section:
Location on the test: After the AWA task (Analyze an Argument) and before the Quantitative Reasoning Section.
Length: 30 minutes.
Number of Questions: 12
Types/Format of Questions: Graphics Interpretation, Two-Part Analysis, Table Analysis, Multi-Source Reasoning. To see sample questions for each type, click the respective links.
Computer Adaptive: Nope.
Calculators: Yup. You can't bring your own, but you will have use of an onscreen calculator for the IR section (and only the IR section).
Scoring: No information about the scoring on the IR has yet been released, but we do know what it won't be…
Next Generation GMAT: What's NOT Changing
Everything else. No, seriously. Aside from what we indicated above, the GMAT we knew and loved (okay maybe it was more of a love-hate relationship) is still our same old flame. Don't believe us? Let's clear up a few things:
Is the IR going to be part of your total score? No. GMAC (the people who create the GMAT) has said that the IR will get its own score, like the AWA. The Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning subscores, and the total score from 200-800 will stay exactly the same.
Will it be "harder" to get a 650 or 700+? Not really. The only thing that might make the
test a little more difficult is that the IR will be more taxing (if you let it) than the AWA task it's replacing. You may need to dig a little deeper near the end of test, but if you prepare the right way you'll have the same chance to get the score you want as you would've on the current version of the GMAT.
Will scores from the current GMAT be less valuable than NGG scores? Probably not. There's no telling how admissions offices are going to use the IR scores, but the word from GMAC is that scores will still be valid for 5 years. This leads us to believe that schools will still be focusing almost exclusively on the Quant, Verbal, and Total scores to effectively compare candidate GMAT scores.
The short story is: prepare now and take the test before June 5th and you don't have to deal with the new question types. If you have to take the test after June 5th, prepare thoroughly so that you are comfortable with the new question types but don't stress out too much over them.
Learn more and see sample Integrated Reasoning questions by visiting MBA.com
The bottom line is that GMAC has been very candid about the changes that are coming to the GMAT. The Quant and Verbal are staying the same, as is the way those scores and the total score are generated. Anyone (or company) that says or intimates otherwise is just trying to scare you into acting prematurely. Don't believe the B-S. Get the facts and plan accordingly. For more info direct from the horse's mouth, check out the information on NGG at the mba.com site or GMAC's site.
Stay cool. Stay calm. Be Prepared.
Until next time…


text:
<< Back
Ceilidh, Country and Old Time Dancing in the St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall
12 August 2019
Starts: 19:30
Ends: 22:00
Starts: 19:30
Ends: 22:00
Old Time, Ceilidh and Country Dancing to live music and with a tutor.
Entry on the door £5.00 per adult and £2.00 per child (16 years and under but still at school) Supper is included in this price.
Everyone welcome - dance or just listen to the music.
Contact: Lana on 01856873534


text: Here's JaVale McGee's latest addition to his growing repertoire of awesome celebrations. We've seen the fingerstache and the finger-lickin'-good three-point celebration, and now we have this. After blocking a Matt Barnes layup attempt in the third quarter of last night's Clippers-Nuggets game, McGee quickly retrieved the ball and pretended to autograph it in dramatic fashion before handing it back to the referee. Here's the moment in GIF form, courtesy of @cjzero:


text:
RE/MAX Prestige has been established in the
Lanaudiere region since 1984. From its
first day in business, RE/MAX Prestige has
never ceased to prosper. Accrued business
also means the obligation of hiring extra agents
and staff.
The Lanaudiere territory is the largest in the province of Quebec. Our main office is located at 10 Wilfrid-Ranger Street in St. Charles Borromée, Quebec. This prestigious and large building shows the determination and professionalism of all RE/MAX Prestige agents.
By appointment
No properties found for this search.


text: Kick it to the next level. The new Sidekick LX is sleeker and slimmer, including a large screen that incorporates high-definition LCD technology, a camera with flash, and mood lights which lets users set specific settings for various communication alerts. The LX is also Bluetooth capable, and has signature swivel screen, amazing keyboard, plus the killer MySpace experience, you can't miss.


text:
Father's Day and brown spirits: a perfect pairing at Hardware Grill
Owners Larry Stewart and Melinda Stewart of the Hardware Grill are hosting the restaurant's first-ever Brown Spirits Dinner next week.
On Thursday, June 20 at 6 p.m. chef Larry Stewart will create a three-course menu to be paired with Rampur whiskey, Breckenridge bourbon and Cardhu Scotch.
Nathalie Mulder from Breakthru Beverage Group will speak about each of the spirits and the pairing. Tickets are $75 plus tax and tip. Tickets are available by calling the restaurant at 780-423-0969.
Follow me on Twitter @eatmywordsblog


text:
The First Tee of Greater Seattle positively impacts the lives of young people by building character, instilling life-enhancing values and promoting healthy choices through the game of golf. Through after school and in school programs, we help shape young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance through educational programs. And it's making a difference.
Players learn values like honesty and responsibility by calling penalties on themselves and reporting their own score. By participating in First Tee, youth are introduced to Nine Core Values which are incorporated throughout the program.Read more
At First Tee, kids and teens are learning to play golf along with life lessons and leadership skills. And it's making a difference. Our programs are positively impacting youth, their families and their communities.Visit firsttee.org
First Tee offers group lessons to youth up to age 18 regardless of background or previous experience. Our coaches are trained to make kids feel comfortable and assure they have a positive, non-intimidating experience. All we ask is young people come with an open mind and positive attitude.Read more
Our chapter is one of many in theFirst Tee network. First Tee is reaching young people in all 50 states and select international locations on golf courses, in elementary schools and through other youth-serving organizations.


text:
Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Color: All Fired Up 550
Product DescriptionNEW Sally Hansen complete salon manicure-5 steps of a manicure in 1 bottle. Sally knows you're busy, so skip the salon but get results. With patented vita-care technology for advanced wear more shine, and nourishing care. Dare to compare to your favorite salon brand. 42 salon-inspired shades. 2010 cosmopolitan beauty award winner, 2010 allure best of beauty award winner.


text:
Board member blasts pace of town hall fixes
Huntington Town board member Gene Cook says he is concerned that town hall is decaying from the outside in and that town officials are dragging their feet on repairs.
Cook, who has been in the concrete and construction business for more than 30 years, recently pointed out interior water damage on the east side of the building on Main Street in Huntington.
Cook says he was told by town General Services Director Thom Boccard that the damage is being caused by moisture getting in through the masonry walls, and the outside of the building needs to be waterproofed. Cook says he has been told the repair must be put out to bid and could cost as much as $750,000.
But "We could have our people in the General Services Department do the work for $25,000 or less," Cook said.
He said the waterproofing material could be purchased through state contracts with vendors and an aerial lift and scaffolding could be rented through a state contract for less than $10,000.
Town officials did not make Boccard available for comment, but Town Supervisor Frank Petrone said there is a protocol for repairs to the building because of local, state and federal safety laws and environmental standards. In addition, he said general services employees are not trained according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards to do that type of work.
Petrone said town officials know the building needs to be waterproofed. He said that in 2006 the east side of the building was treated at a cost of $2.64 per square foot, and the final bill was $19,866. Town officials have informal information that the current going rate is $5 to $6 a square foot, he said.
Petrone said a committee of the deputy supervisor, comptroller and director of engineering services reviews all capital projects and sets the priorities on which are done each year.
"This project isn't even No. 2 on the list," Petrone said.
Cook said he was disappointed to hear the explanations offered by Petrone and surprised to learn that town general services employees are not trained in this type of work.
"These are common-sense measures that OSHA puts out, and our guys should be trained constantly for this," Cook said.
He blamed the lack of training on the "unfortunate mismanagement" of Boccard.


text:
Yesterday, we reported on David Goyer leaving his showrunning duties for ABC's FlashForward focus on his film career, which included a mention of the inevitable Batman 3. At the time, it seemed like a continuation of the logical but as-of-yet unconfirmed rumor that director Christopher Nolan and screenwriter Goyer would return to Gotham. A new report Deadline, advances said heresay and ups the ante by about a million chips. Not only has Nolan cracked the story of the sequel to The Dark Knight and committed to participate, but Warner Bros. has recruited the modern auteur to "godfather" the newest film in the Superman franchise. It's unlikely that Nolan will direct the Superman sequel, but any portion of the reins handed to the man indicates a serious effort on the studio's part to make the best Superman while they still have the time.
For speculation on the future of two of the biggest superhero franchises on the planet, hit the break.
Recall that Superman sequel is in its own kind of production hell right now due to the critical and commercial underperformance (relatively speaking) of Superman Returns as well sa the ongoing legal battle for the rights for the iconic tale of Clark Kent. Last time we checked, all story rights will return to the families of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of the Superman comics, in 2013. Not only does this create a deadline for Warner Bros. to make a movie, but it puts into question the profitability of such a move. After all, why should the studio spend $232 million (the budget of Superman Returns) to reboot a struggling franchise if they do not have the rights to sequels to capitalize on the theoretical success of said film?
Nolan's involvement is surely a sign, however, that the studio has hope for the franchise. Superman is, of course, one of the most recognizable superhero brands on the planet. Warner Bros. values its relationship with Nolan, particularly after he delivered a billion dollar success in The Dark Knight; they bought into his mysterious (and expensive) Inception despite a premise that seems impossible to advertise, and they have let Nolan take his time in crafting a worthy follow-up to The Dark Knight, perhaps foregoing the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot.
I don't want to overstate Nolan's control over the project; it seems very unlikely that he will direct any Metropolis-based adventures. But if you're Warner Bros., and you truly want to unleash a successful Superman film on the moviegoing public, this seems the best way to announce your intentions: hire the guy who created the most critically acclaimed (and most profitable) superhero movie of all time to mentor the attempt. The sequel is now closer to fruition than before, but perhaps only marginally so. They still need a solid script, a director who knows what to do with the material, a star who can fill every inch of the Superman's red boots, and in all likelihood a deal for sequel rights beyond 2013 before this thing really gets going.
So what exactly will the next film look like if Warner Bros. makes it in the next couple of years? It seems that Bryan Singer and Brandon Routh of Superman Returns are out for good. Many directors–including Tim Burton, JJ Abrams, McG, and Brett Rattner–came and went before Singer was chosen. Clearly it's no easy task to find the director right for such a vision, though I imagine they are searching far and wide as we speak.
Consider the influence Nolan will have in his peculiar involvement. He is famous for bringing a gritty, realistic touch to his Batman films while shying away from a more traditional escapist approach to comic adaptations. Warner Bros. Pictures Group president Jeff Robinov has previously mentioned interest in making the Superman franchise "edgier". Especially after the announcement that Spider-Man franchise will be rebooted in a "gritty, contemporary" style, confirming a sea change in Hollywood's approach to costumed heroes, we have every reason to believe that any new Superman movie will be grounded in some form of realism. I'm excited about any forward motion on a new Superman movie, and am even more jazzed that Nolan, who has yet to make a bad movie, is attached in any manner. But I do wonder if a gritty Metropolis is the best approach to the infinitely wholesome character of Superman.
I approach the news of Nolan's commitment to a Batman sequel with much less reservation. Though The Dark Knight has the makings of a perfectly suitable end to Nolan's Bruce Wayne saga, it also set up a potential third movie that could conclude a wonderful trilogy. If you recall, at the end of The Dark Knight, Batman sacrificed his reputation for the good of Gotham to become an enemy of the state. I would suggest that the theoretical third chapter would be a redemption story for Batman, as he finds some way to balance the nobility of his intentions with the moral ambiguity of his vigilantism. It will be hard to top The Dark Knight, of course, in either the critical or commercial realm. But I trust Nolan's sense of integrity; if he didn't believe he had anything more to say on the subject, I truly believe he simply wouldn't return to the world, and let another director depict his own vision of Gotham. For me, his participation is confirmation that a Dark Knight sequel could be terrific.
Really, for how cool all this news is, we probably aren't much closer to seeing either Superman or Batman on the screen than we were yesterday. Warner Bros. always wanted to make a new Superman movie, but there still isn't a script, star, or director. Likewise, the studio always wanted Nolan to return (and he has!), and the story is "cracked", but the script is unwritten. But "cool" this news undoubtedly is, and I think it serves as a great foundation upon which to bat around theories on both of these franchises which permeate pop culture so thoroughly. I would love to hear your views in the comments below.


text:
Testors Acryl Flat 1/2oz US Army Helo
Check Store Availability
Please be aware that pricing and product availability in-store may vary from what's available online because each store is independently owned and operated.
This item is not available for purchase online. You may want to search our site for a similar item.
|Low Price:
Unavailable Online


text:
A Daughter in Danger?
Imagine if you found out your teenage daughter was falling in love with an older man on the Internet, concocting a plan to be together, 5,591 miles away in a war-torn country. This is an alert to all parents: Do you know what your child is doing on the computer?
When Shawn's daughter, Katherine, was 16, she made international headlines by running away to the Middle East to be with Abdullah, 20, whom she met online. Though she never met him in person, she was convinced she was in love.
Shawn got her daughter back ... but the terrifying ordeal isn't over.
Shawn and Katherine's sister, Mary, say when they talk with Katherine on the phone, something is different in her voice. They fear she's in serious danger and may even be brainwashed by this man she wants to marry.
Is Abdullah lying to her? Will he ever let her return to the U.S.?
Katherine's great aunt, Jill, and aunt, Tamara, are shocked and dismayed by their niece's fearless mission to be with Abdullah. Tamara says she's witnessed Abdullah's temper over the phone and thinks he's not who he says he is.
"Katherine needed her butt whipped."
Blind Faith or Naïveté?
Katherine joins the conversation via satellite from the Middle East. With Abdullah out of the room, will she speak freely about how she's being treated? When is she planning on coming home? Is there a marriage contract?
Did Katherine use code words with her family?


text:
The International Space Station. A NASA photo.
MOSCOW (AP): A Soyuz capsule carrying three astronauts successfully docked with the International Space Station on Thursday, bringing the size of the crew at the orbiting outpost to six. The new crew's six-month mission will include a spacewalk with the Olympic torch.
American Michael Hopkins and Russians Oleg Kotov and Sergei Ryazansky travelled six hours in the capsule from the Russian-leased launch pad in Kazakhstan before linking up with the space station's Russian Poisk research module at 6.45 am Moscow time.
Kotov is the most experienced member of the crew with two previous six-month missions in space under his belt, while Hopkins and Ryazansky are both on their first missions.
The incoming crew entered the station nearly two hours after the docking, where they were welcomed by Russia's Fyodor Yurchikhin, NASA's Karen Nyberg and Italy's Luca Parmitano, who have been on the orbiting lab since May and will be returning to Earth in November.
Kotov and Ryazansky will have the honour of taking the Olympic torch into open space in November as part of the relay of the Olympic flame ahead of the Winter Games being held in Russia's Sochi in February. The torch will not be lit however, because of safety concerns. It will only arrive at the station in November with the next mission.
Shortly after entering the station, Hopkins, Kotov and Ryazansky had a chat via a video-link with their families back at the Baikonur launch pad where they had seen them off more than eight hours before.
Radiant but visibly tired, the astronauts were yawning as they were talking to their families. They had been up for about 20 hours.
Hopkins' mother described the launch as a "heart-stopping experience."
"It was a pretty good ride, mom. It was a lot of fun," Hopkins replied in the live broadcast on NASA TV.


text:
Full Detailed Specification & Dimensions
Ex Display
LEICHT German Ex Display Kitchen (RRP £40,000), NEFF Appliances, Silestone & Dekton Worktops, Cambridge, BI1018E1
Base Units
Used Kitchen Exchange's Styling Advice
|Brand & Range of kitchen units
|RRP (inc VAT)
|Material & Colour – Doors + Carcasses
|Base & tall units: Petrol Blue
Wall Units: Synthia Oak
|Material & Colour – Worktops
|Sink run: 12mm Rougui Silestone
Island: Dekton 80mm Down Stand
|External Dimensions
|Island: 2800 x 1170
Units: 2250 x 6150
|Elements list (from left to right)
|See floor plan below.
|Appliances included
|NEFF Single Oven (Slide & Hide)
NEFF Steam Oven
NEFF Warming Drawer
Caple Hob (C950i)
Caple Hood (CR700)
Quooker Flexi Tap
Silgranit Sink
NEFF Dishwasher
NEFF Stove
|Are kitchen cabinets current stock?
|Is the kitchen removed for the buyer
|No, removal is excluded from the price. Our specialist team have advised a cost of £900 to complete
|Ex-Display Condition
Viewings can be arranged, please email with your contact details, postcode and ideal viewing times.
If you require a delivery quote, please contact us with the following information: Your name, postcode, storage requirements if required and telephone number
Please see below for full measurements, elements and surveyor notes.
Ex Display
Base Units
Used Kitchen Exchange's Styling Advice
With the average kitchen weighing in excess of 1 ton delivery is an important consideration.
Our inhouse team are specialists in collecting and delivering a used kitchen. We provide the correct insurance, appropriate lifting equipment and specialist vans at the correct height, weight tolerance and racking that your kitchen needs to be transported safely.
To read more about our service and self collection please click here.
Once you have found the kitchen you wish to buy, please contact us to request a quote.
Used Kitchen Exchange Ltd Registered office at Rose Lea House, 63 Coroners Lane, Farnworth, Cheshire, WA8 9JB Registered in England No.9875521, VAT No. 23624616 ("the Agent")
The Agent advertises the sale of kitchens and or kitchen equipment on the web ("the Goods") on behalf of a third party ("the Vendor").
The Agent is appointed by the Vendor to sell Goods to the Purchaser. The sale of the Goods will be in accordance with these Terms and Conditions of Sale" ("henceforth "these Terms") If the Purchaser does not accept these terms and conditions, the Purchaser will be unable to purchase the Goods.
1. Obligations
The Agent's Duties, the Agent will:
The Purchaser' Duties, the Purchaser agrees that:
2. Prices and Payment
A 10% deposit of the total price of the Goods ("the Deposit") must be made to the Agent to secure the sale of the Goods. The Deposit is non-refundable. Full payment for the Goods is must be received by the Agent no later than 14 days before collection of Goods by the Purchaser or an alternative date that is agreed between the parties.
All payments are to be made by bank transfer: no other payment method is acceptable. (Note, please allow time for bank transfer of payment.)
If payment is not made on the specified dates, the Agent, acting on behalf of the Vendor, is entitled to terminate this contract and retain the Deposit.
The Agent may alter the price of the Goods at any time prior to payment of the deposit of the Goods
3. Disclaimer
Without liability the Agent may at any time prior to collection of the Goods withdraw the sale.
4. Dispute
The Agent offers a 14day Purchaser Protection Policy in the event that there is a problem with the Goods. The 14days commences from the day that the Goods are collected and notice must be received by the 14th day through a completed Customer Services form on the Website. The Agent will try to resolve the problem and will issue a recommendation to resolve the issue to the parties concerned.
The parties will try to resolve any disputes amicably using utmost good faith. If the parties are unable to resolve their dispute they agree to conciliation by a Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution ["CEDR"] mediator. If conciliation is unsuccessful in resolving the dispute either of the parties may refer the matter to the courts.
5. Default and Limitation
All guarantees, warranties and associated remedies stated in this agreement are exclusive. No other guarantees or warranty, whether written, oral or implied or inferred from any course of dealing or usage or trade shall apply. Except as expressly and specifically provided in this agreement, all guarantees warranties and other terms implied by statute and or common law are, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, excluded from this agreement (including those of merchantable, satisfactory quality, fitness for a particular purpose).
Except for any liabilities which cannot be excluded by law, despite any contrary provision of this agreement the Agent's maximum aggregate liability arising under this agreement whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or any other statutory liability shall not exceed 10% of the website or reserve price for the Goods whichever is the greater.
The Agent shall not be liable for any loss of income, profits, goodwill, data, contracts, loss of use or production, loss of bargain or for any indirect and/ or consequential loss or damage in contract, tort or otherwise.
6. The law
The Contract shall be governed by English law.Where the Purchaser is a Consumer, these terms shall not affect the consumer`s statutory rights.
Contact details: Tel: 0151 541 9420 and www.usedkitchenexchange.co.uk
Additional Terms for Collection and Delivery of Kitchens (if applicable):
The Agent or its Specialist delivery team (Agent) will provide Services for the collection and delivery of kitchens:
Agents Duties:
Purchaser Duties:
The cost for the Services shall be due 14 days prior to the provision of Services. Additional charges will become due for payment 14 days following receipt of an Invoice.
Rescheduling of Services
The Agent may at any time reschedule the provision of the Services due to factors beyond its reasonable control.
How will I know if a kitchen will fit my space?
Approved Used Kitchens
Our sales information will give you both the external dimensions of the kitchen space and a full elements list (cabinets, end panels, pilasters etc). This is to make is easier for you to assess size and suitability. Unless you have an exact match, It is wise to choose one which is slightly too big for your space to allow for reconfiguration. Used Kitchen Exchange are not kitchen designers, but if you do have any questions re the measurements give we are happy to help. For more information about choosing the right kitchen for your space click here.
Ex Display Kitchens
Like our selection of Used Kitchens, Ex Display kitchens are listed with external measurements and an elements list. In addition, we will also let you know if the units/doors are current stock. Sometimes we are given plans by the showroom which may also help.
How will know the kitchen is in good condition?
Used Kitchen Exchange independently survey most of the kitchens listed on our website. If the kitchen hasn't been inspected by us the listing will stipulate this. All listings will contain information with regards to condition, wear and tear or damage and will include photographs too. Please be aware that kitchens advertised as "used" are second hand kitchens; it is therefore reasonable to expect some additional cleaning and possibly some minor alterations when refitting. For more information about our Approval process for used kitchens please click here.
Can I view the kitchen before I buy it?
Yes, and we would advise that you do. Viewings are made by appointment only, so please contact the office on 0330 058 6877
Are the prices fixed or am I able to make you an offer?
The prices for our kitchens are always heavily discounted and take into consideration the original sales price, quality, condition, and size, however our sellers are normally open to sensible offers
Do the items you sell come with any warranties?
For Ex Display Kitchens the listing will contain information re any warranties given with products, however no warranties are given on Used Kitchens. In the unlikely event of there being a problem when you collect your kitchen please contact us immediately on 0330 058 6877 and we will seek resolution for you as soon as possible. Used Kitchen Exchange give a 14 days dispute resolution window to all purchasers. This is an added service and doesn't affect your Statutory Rights
Is VAT applicable to my purchase?
Prices listed on our site are inclusive of VAT (where applicable) and the sales price agreed is the total price that you will pay. Sometimes it is possible to gain a VAT invoice for the purchase of an ex display kitchen. If you do need one of these, please check with us that this is available before you buy.
How do I buy a kitchen from Used Kitchen Exchange
In order to secure your purchase we require a deposit equivalent to 10% of the agreed purchase price. You will received notification for full payment from 14 days prior to collection.
Will the kitchen be flat packed?
Unless otherwise specified the kitchen will not be flat packed. Once you have made a purchase, you will received full instructions to help you with the collection of your kitchen
Will the Kitchen be wrapped when I collect?
Unless otherwise specified the kitchen will not be wrapped.
Will I be able to buy more units to match the kitchen I choose?
The listing will contain information with reference to the availability of matching units
What happens if there is a problem when I collect the kitchen?
In the unlikely event of an issue when you collect the kitchen, please contact us and we will seek resolution for you as soon as possible. Used Kitchen Exchange give a 14 day dispute resolution window to all purchasers. This is an added service and doesn't affect your Statutory Rights
Who will I be buying the kitchen from?
Once you have paid your deposit you will be given the sellers name and address and our terms of sale, this will form a Buyers Contact between yourself and the seller of the kitchen
Do you offer a re-fit service?
Used Kitchen Exchange do not re-fit kitchens for purchasers, but we are happy to pass on the details of 3rd party fitters who can.
Used Kitchen Exchange offer all purchasers 14 days' purchase protection from the date of collection of the goods. If you think you may have a problem, all you need to do is let us know by completing our Customer Resolution Form. By doing this you will be asking us to help resolve your problem fairly and as quickly as possible.


text:
His predecessor moved over to the plant protein business
Richards takes senior post at Maple Leaf Foods
Maple Leaf Foods has named Casey Richards senior vice president of marketing and innovation.
He takes over from Adam Grogan who was chosen to oversee Maple Leaf's fast-growing U.S.-based Greenleaf plant protein business.
Richards will also continue to oversee the Maple Lef's pastry business.
He will join Maple Leaf's senior leadership team.
He came to Maple Leaf from ConAgra and has been with General Mills and Nestle.


text:
Show advanced search
Plans, drawings and materials submitted to the Council are protected by the Copyright Acts (Section 47, 1988 Act).
You may only use material which is downloaded and/or printed for consultation purposes, to compare current applications with previous schemes and to check whether developments have been completed in accordance with approved plans.
Further copies must not be made without the prior approval of the copyright owner.
By following the link below you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to the copyright and other limitations before you will be allowed to view the rest of the site and the associated documents.
Please note that the difficulties customers experienced in relation to opening some documents/plans on our website have been resolved. In the rare circumstance that you are unable to access the relevant documents, please email email@example.com to request the information.
I agree with the copyright notice above and would like to view Planning Applications.
The Forum, Marlowes,
Hemel Hempstead,
Get In Touch


text:
Conference evaluation survey is a primary research questionnaire to understand the success of the conference by collecting post-conference feedback from attendees.
Because as an organization or event planner, your attendees are your customers. The best way to get collect meaningful feedback is to directly ask your customers, so you can get the most relevant information to conduct your post-conference evaluation effectively.
According to the recent study by Eventbrite, 53% of corporate and conference event creators will host more events in 2020 with the same budget and team.
However, in order to attribute for increasing expenditure on conferences, it is critical for ROI that organizers collect critical information from attendees to meet metrics, locate areas of improvement and grow the effectiveness and attendee experience with each event using simple and easy to answer conference evaluation surveys. Below is a questionnaire template with the top conference evaluation survey questions to ask your attendees :
Professionals from various industries are always encouraged to participate in seminar to network with fellow professionals working for different organizations, to polish their skill sets, enhance their communication skills, possess additional confidence and motivation to work harder at the job. QuestionPro's easy to customize seminar evaluation questionnaire sample template is quite straightforward for you to enter desired question and answer options which are easy and quick for the seminar attendees to fill out. You can analyze the most popular session of the seminar, was there anything that the attendees not appreciate, which factors were impressive and where can the seminar be improved in the future. Ask questions about topics of the seminar, staff in charge, motivational factors to attend the seminar, reason for attending, can be edited and included in the survey from this seminar evaluation template.
Workshop survey template offers 10 customizable questions which can be asked to the attendees after or before conducting a workshop. This sample questionnaire is primarily to be sent after a workshop is held in order to understand whether the workshop met the attendees' expectations or not and how can the quality of the workshop be improved. The question examples in this template can be broadly implemented by researchers to analyze the workshop topic, speakers, and overall quality.
Workshops are one of the best ways to learn or enhance skills and understanding of a certain subject. But for someone conducting a workshop, have you ever wondered how good your workshop was and have you identified if it was really helpful and people got some information out of it? These are some broad questions, helpful in gathering insights into what improvements or enhancements to make your workshop well-rounded and helpful? The ideal way to acquire this information would be through survey software.
Online survey software is an ultimate tool to collect and deduce information. It is not only a data store for your collected information but can provide statistical and research outcomes from your data.
Event feedback surveys have become the norm in today's business world. There are multiple events that take place around the world. Each event is unique and has a specific objective and a defined target audience. These events help the attendees for various reasons from marketing, sales, training and many more. Using these survey questions the researcher can collect objective and actionable feedback that can be used to host much better events in the future and provide satisfaction to its attendees.


text:
Even if you don't keep a close eye on new developments in physics, you've probably heard of the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking. He prided himself on making his complex physical concepts accessible to the public and writing the bestseller, "A Brief History of Time."
And if you are a fan of Conan O'Brien, "The Simpsons" or "Star Trek," you might have seen him brandishing his cool wit during guest appearances on those shows.
Even if you are familiar with his academic work, however, there are many interesting facts you might not know about Hawking, stretching from his time at school and gradual development of disability to his opinions on the future of the human race.
Many find it surprising, for instance, that, despite his influential body of work, Hawking was never awarded the Nobel Prize. We'll talk about some of the remarkable distinctions he did receive, however.
Another interesting fact: Hawking was born on Jan. 8, 1942, which just happened to be the 300th anniversary of Galileo's death.
But this has just been the warm-up. Next, we'll delve into some fascinating and unexpected facts about Hawking, including some things about his profoundly inspirational story.
Received Mediocre Grades in School
These days, we know Hawking as a brilliant mind whose theories are difficult for a nonscientific mind to grasp. This is why it may come as a shock to learn that Hawking was a slacker when it came to his school studies.
In fact, when he was 9 years old, his grades ranked among the worst in his class [source: Larsen]. With a little more effort, he brought those grades up to about average, but not much better.
Nevertheless, from an early age he was interested in how stuff worked (ha!). He talked about how he was known to disassemble clocks and radios. However, he admitted he wasn't very good at putting them back together so they could work again.
Despite his poor grades, both his teachers and his peers seemed to understand that they had a future genius among them, evidenced by the fact that his nickname was "Einstein."
The problem with his mediocre grades was that his father wanted to send him to Oxford, but didn't have the money without a scholarship. Luckily, when it came time for the scholarship exams, he aced them, getting a near perfect score on the physics exam.
Had an Aversion to Biology
Stephen Hawking took a liking to mathematics from an early age, and he would have liked to have majored in it. His father, Frank, however, had different ideas. He hoped Stephen would study medicine.
But, for all his interest in science, Stephen didn't care for biology. He has said that he found it to be "too inexact, too descriptive" [source: Larsen]. He would have rather devoted his mind to more precise, well-defined concepts.
One problem, however, was that Oxford didn't have mathematics as a major. The compromise was that Stephen would attend Oxford and major in physics.
In fact, even within physics, he focused on the bigger questions. When faced with deciding between the two tracks of particle physics, which studies the behavior of subatomic particles, versus cosmology, which studies the large universe as a whole, he chose the latter. He chose cosmology despite the fact that, at that time, he says, it was "hardly recognised as a legitimate field" [source: Hawking].
In explaining why, he said that particle physics "seemed like botany. There were all these particles, but no theory" [source: Larsen].
Was on Oxford Rowing Team
Biographer Kristine Larsen writes about how Hawking faced isolation and unhappiness during his first year or so at Oxford. The thing that seems to have drawn him out of this funk was joining the rowing team.
Even before being diagnosed with a physically disabling illness, Hawking didn't have what one would call a large or athletic build. However, row teams recruited smaller men like Hawking to be coxswains -- a position that does not row, but rather controls steering and stroke rate.
Because rowing was so important and competitive at Oxford, Hawking's role on the team made him very popular. Remembering Hawking from those days, one fellow boatsman called him "the adventurous type" [source: Larsen].
But as much as the rowing team helped his popularity, it hurt his study habits. Occupied with rowing practice for six afternoons per week, Hawking started "to cut serious corners" and used "creative analysis to create lab reports" [source: Larsen].
Was Given a Few Years to Live at Age 21
As a graduate student, Hawking gradually started showing symptoms of tripping and general clumsiness. His family became concerned when he was home during his Christmas break from school, and they insisted he see a doctor.
Before seeing a specialist, however, he attended a New Year's party where he met his future wife, Jane Wilde. She remembers being attracted to his "his sense of humor and his independent personality."
He turned 21 a week later, and shortly after he entered the hospital for two weeks of tests to discover what was wrong with him. He was then diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a neurological disease that causes patients to lose control of their voluntary muscles. He was told he'd probably only have a few years to live.
Hawking remembered being shocked and wondering why this happened to him. However, seeing a boy dying of leukemia in the hospital made him realize that there were others worse off than him.
Hawking became more optimistic and started dating Jane. They were soon engaged, and he cited their engagement as giving him "something to live for" [source: Larsen].
Helped Create the Boundless Universe Theory
One of Hawking's major achievements (which he shares with Jim Hartle) was to come up with the theory that the universe has no boundaries in 1983.
In 1983, the effort to understand the nature and shape of the universe, Hawking and Hartle combined the concepts of quantum mechanics (the study of the behavior of microscopic particles) with general relativity (Einstein's theories about gravity and how mass curves space) to show that the universe is a contained entity and yet has no boundaries.
To conceptualize this, he told people to think of the universe like the surface of the Earth. As a sphere, you can go in any direction on the surface of Earth and never reach a corner, an edge or any boundary where the Earth can be said to "end." However, one major difference is that the surface of the Earth is two-dimensional (even though Earth itself is three-dimensional, the surface is only two-dimensional), while the universe is four-dimensional.
Hawking explained that spacetime (see the sidebar on this page) is like the lines of latitude on the globe. Starting at the North Pole (the beginning of the universe) and going south, the circumferences get bigger until beyond the equator, when they would get smaller. This means that the universe is finite in spacetime and will re-collapse eventually -- however, not for at least 20 billion years [source: Hawking]. Does this mean that time itself would go backward? Hawking grappled with this question, but decided no, because there is no reason to believe that the universe's trend from ordered energy into disordered energy will reverse [source: Hawking].
Lost a Bet on Black Holes
In 2004, the genius Hawking admitted he had been wrong and conceded a bet he made in 1997 with a fellow scientist about black holes. To understand the bet, let's backpedal a little to understand what black holes are in the first place.
Stars are gigantic -- they have so much mass that their gravity is always incredibly strong. This is fine, as long as the star continues to burn its nuclear fuel, exerting this energy outward, thus counteracting gravity. However, once a massive enough star "dies" or burns out, gravity becomes the stronger force, and causes that big star to collapse on itself. This creates what scientists call a black hole.
Gravity is so powerful in this collapse that not even light can escape. However, Hawking proposed in 1975 that black holes are not really black. Rather, they radiate energy.
But, he said at the time, information is lost in the black hole that eventually evaporates. The problem was that this idea that information is lost conflicted with the rules of quantum mechanics, creating what Hawking called an "information paradox."
American theoretical physicist John Preskill disagreed with this conclusion that information is lost in black hole. In 1997, he made a bet with Hawking saying that information can escape from them, thus not breaking the laws of quantum mechanics.
Hawking was such a good sport that he could admit when he was wrong -- which he did in 2004. While giving a lecture at a scientific conference, he said that because black holes have more than one "topology," and when one measures all the information released from all topologies, information isn't lost [source: Rodgers].
Had Numerous Awards and Distinctions
In his long career in physics, Hawking racked up an incredibly impressive array of awards and distinctions. We don't hope to be exhaustive in this small space, but we'll go over some of the highlights.
In 1974, he was inducted into the Royal Society (the royal academy of science in the U.K., dating back to 1660), and a year later, Pope Paul VI awarded him and Roger Penrose the Pius XI Gold Medal for Science. He also went on to receive the Albert Einstein Award and Hughes Medal from the Royal Society.
Hawking had so well established himself in the academic world by 1979 that he attained the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge in England, a position he would keep for the next 30 years. The chair dates all the way back to 1663, and the second person to hold it was none other than Sir Isaac Newton.
In the 1980s, he was invested as a Commander of the British Empire, which is a rank in the U.K. just under being knighted. He also became a Companion of Honour, which is another distinction given in recognition of national service. There can be no more than 65 members of the order at one time.
In 2009, Hawking was awarded the United States' highest civilian honor of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
All the while, Hawking attained at least 12 honorary degrees. However, the Nobel Prize eluded him.
Was a Children's Book Author
Perhaps one of the most unexpected facets of Stephen Hawking's resume is that of being a children's book author. In 2007, Stephen and his daughter, Lucy Hawking, collaborated to write "George's Secret Key to the Universe."
The book is a fiction story about a young boy, George, who rebels against his parents' aversion to technology. He begins to befriend neighbors, one of whom is a physicist with a computer. This turns out to be most powerful computer in the world, which offers portals to see and enter into outer space.
Of course, much of the book is meant to explain heavy scientific concepts, such as black holes and the origin of life, to children. In this context, it is very fitting that Hawking, who always sought to make his work more accessible, would want to write such a book.
The book was written to be the first of a series that would continue George's adventures. The next one in the series came out in 2009 and is called "George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt."
Believed in Possibility of Aliens
Considering all of Hawking's work in cosmology, people are understandably interested in his opinions on the possibility of alien life. During NASA's 50th anniversary celebration in 2008, Hawking was invited to speak, and he mentioned his thoughts on the subject.
He expressed that, given the vastness of the universe, there very well could be primitive alien life out there, and it is possible, other intelligent life.
"Primitive life is very common," Hawking said, "and intelligent life is very rare." Of course, he threw in his characteristically sharp humor to say, "Some would say it has yet to occur on Earth" [source: Hawking]. He went on the say that humans should be wary of exposure to aliens because alien life will probably not be DNA-based, and we would not have resistance to diseases.
Hawking also did an episode on the possibility of aliens for "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking" on the Discovery Channel (once a parent company of HowStuffWorks.com).
In this episode, he explains that aliens might use up their own planet's resources and "become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they could reach." Or, they could set up a mirror system to focus all the energy of the sun in one area, creating a wormhole -- a hole to travel through spacetime.
Took Zero-gravity Flight to Save the Human Race
In 2007, when Stephen Hawking was 65 years old, he got to take the ride of a lifetime. He was able to experience zero-gravity and float out of his wheelchair thanks to Zero Gravity Corp. The service involves an airplane ride in which sharp ascent and descent allows passengers to experience weightlessness in flight for several rounds, each about 25-seconds long.
Hawking, free from his wheelchair for the first time in four decades, was even able to perform gymnastic flips. Hawking also booked a seat with Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to ride on a sub-orbital flight.
But perhaps most interesting about this is not what he was able to do, but why he did it. When asked about why he wanted to do this, he of course cited his desire to go into space. But his reasons for going and his overall support for space travel went deeper than that.
Due to the possibility of global warming or nuclear war, Hawking has said that the future of the human race, if it is going to have a long one, will be in outer space [source: Boyle]. He supported private space exploration in hopes that space tourism will become affordable for the public. He hoped that we could travel to other planets to use their resources to survive [source: Daily Mail].
Read on for lots more information about Stephen Hawking, physics and other related subjects.
Last editorial update on Mar 14, 2018 06:42:20 am.
5 Facts About Marie Curie and the Winningest Nobel Prize Family in History
Having one Nobel Prize winner in the family is a huge accomplishment. But the extended Curie family had five winners – and one was awarded twice.
Related Articles
- Blum, Matt. "The Geekly Reader: George's Secret Key to the Universe by Lucy and Stephen Hawking." Wired. July 23, 2008. (June 18, 2010)http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2008/07/the-geekly-re-3/
- Boyle, Alan. "Hawking goes zero-G: 'Space, here I come.'" MSNBC.com. April 26, 2007. (June 18, 2010)http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18334489/
- Gates, Evalyn. "Einstein's Telescope." W.W. Norton & Company, 2009.
- Hawking, Stephen. "The Beginning of Time." Lecture. Hawking.org. 1996. (June 18, 2010)http://www.hawking.org.uk/index.php/lectures/publiclectures
- Hawking, Stephen. "The Direction of Time." New Scientist. July 9, 1987. (June 21, 2010)http://books.google.com/books?id=Kc5qky1dIkIC
- Hawking, Stephen. "Stephen Hawking's 60 Years in a Nutshell." Plus Magazine. Jan. 2002. (June 18, 2010)http://plus.maths.org/issue18/features/hawking/index.html
- Hawking, Stephen. "Why We Should Go Into Space." Lecture. NASA. April 21, 2008. (June 18, 2010)http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/223968main_HAWKING.pdf
- Hogam Jenny. "Hawking concedes black hole bet." NewScientist. July 21, 2004. (June 19, 2010)http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn6193-hawking-concedes-black-hole-bet.html
- Larsen, Kristine. "Stephen Hawking: A Biography." Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005. (June 18, 2010)http://books.google.com/books?id=yL3RBMEI5OgC
- MailOnline. "Mankind must colonise other planets to survive, says Hawking." MailOnline. Dec. 1, 2006. (June 18, 2010)http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-419573/Mankind-colonise-planets-survive-says-Hawking.html
- Moskowitz, Clara. "Stephen Hawking: Aliens may not come in peace." CSMonitor.com. April 27, 2010. (June 18, 2010)http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0427/Stephen-Hawking-Aliens-may-not-come-in-peace
- PBS. "Stephen Hawking's Universe: Singularity." PBS. (June 18, 2010)http://www.pbs.org/wnet/hawking/strange/html/singular.html
- Rodgers, Peter. "Hawking loses black hole bet." PhysicsWorld. July 22, 2004. (June 21, 2010)http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/19926


text:
9/7 Passing the torch
In Spring Training 2002, I had lunch with Doug Glanville right after one of our practices. People who don't know, Doug played in Chicago, but he was the center fielder in Philly before I was there. He took me to lunch. I didn't know what he wanted to talk about. We sat down, and the first thing he said was, "It's inevitable." I said, "What do you mean?" He said, "It's inevitable. You're going to come and take my job and I will go somewhere else. My job right now is to make sure, as much as possible, that you're ready to come to the big leagues."
He said, you're the young guy. What happens in baseball, he explained, is the young guy comes up and take the older guy's job, and the older guy goes somewhere else to play. Then, someone comes up and takes center field from you. It's the cycle of baseball. It's just the way things go in life.
I had the chance to do that in Texas. I did that with Julio Borbon. I wish I had another year with him to make sure he was fine, but at the same time, he was ready. I have a similar chance to do that here with Brett. You don't know how long until he's ready. I don't know long I'm going to be here. That word "inevitable" — it's going to happen. He's a great talent out there, five tools, very explosive. But at the same time, you can't come up here and dominate at the big leagues. You have to have that baseball I.Q., and I think it's important for veterans like me to pass the torch and make sure whoever comes in behind me is 100 percent ready.
I'll take him out to lunch. At the end of 2009, every road trip, Julio and I went to lunch. We sat and talked. Andruw Jones, too. We'd sit and have conversations. It's one of those things where I don't have to look over my shoulder because I know there's always somebody coming.
That's the way it works. When Brett's ready, I'll move on. That's just the nature of the game and I accept that and I understand that. I want him when he comes up to go through all the good times and know everything negative that I've gone through in baseball — being outrighted, being designated — I don't want him to have to go through that. I want him to come here ready.
— Marlon
45 Comments
Shows the kind of teammate you are Marlon! We love you as a Cub and we hope that you stay here as long as possible! No matter what happens at the end of the season, we will never forget your heart, hustle, loyalty and effort on a daily basis. I feel bad that you didn't get to experience winning in a Cubs uniform, because it is by far the most special and sensational thing to experience in baseball! Hopefully next year you can come back and we can have a year like 2007 and 2008 again!
Hey Marlon, how do you feel about playing as a right fielder? We might need one if things don't work out as planned, and I for one would love to keep you on this team. I echo what evan said prior to me about your baseball work ethic. As cliche as this sounds, you are my favorite player, and will be no matter what team you play for. I just hope it's the Cubs next year, otherwise your stay in Chicago would have been way too short!
Marlon Byrd, you are a true team player. God bless you & whoever raised you to be the outstanding individual you are. You have respect for the game, for its beauty, & for its need not just for talent but also for hustle. My heart sank when you were hit earlier this season, mostly concerned about your well-being, but also for the purely selfish fact that I wouldn't get to see you play for many weeks, as you recovered. You are a gamer! Take care.
Almost brought a tear to my eye…. A truly compassionate man… One of the best men to have played the game….Marlon you will go on to do great things after your time in baseball…I hope you can get a few more years in chicago for the Cubs!
God bless
marlon, you stand for what a major leaguer should stand for. you play the way it should be played. you play hard and never give up. that to me is a major leaguer from top to bottom. good luck to whatever may come your way.
Marlon Byrd, i admire your hustle i respect your ability on the field. what i like most about you is the way you conduct yourself in life, you sir are a class act all the way.
Dan? We would like to ask that you stop posting for *just* long enough to get some manners. If you could pick up some of Mr. Byrd's class along the way, that would be a great bonus. Thanks!
Sorry, Dan. That post appears to be "Q's". You, on the other hand, are world class.
"Evan" writes, and I quote: "I feel bad that you didn't get to experience winning in a Cubs uniform, because it is by far the most special and sensational thing to experience in baseball!" WHAT??? HOW IN THE F#?//$ WOULD YOU OR ANY OTHER CUBS FAN KNOW??? THE CUBS HAVEN'T WON ANYTHING IN OVER 100 YEARS!!!!!!! ARE YOU SOME KIND OF F##//$ING MORON LIVING IN A F##//$ING FANTASY WORLD??? Oh, and BTW, "Byrd is NOT the word", most Cubs fans wanted the Cubs to sign Coco Crisp or Scott Podsednik at the time, or any other CF with more speed and not quite as Fat and slow…
Go to a site that cares what you have to say. For one, you can having a winning season without going to the World Series. So your 100 year comment is pure ignorance. Your choice of language is ignorant and crass as well. Take your negative words and negative mind back to whatever backwater site you came from. We don't need you here.
Why did you come here? Crisp or Posednik are not Cubs, have never been Cubs, and never will be Cubs. Let's say I wanted a specific toy when I was kid, and I didn't get it. Maybe not getting it was the right choice. Now, what I wanted doesn't matter anymore, because I forgot about whatever it was I wanted and worked with what I had. Byrd is a Cub, and your rant is what it is.
Listen used Q-Tip,
Your rant has grown tiresome. Now touch my monkey. Go on touch it !!… Marlon Bryd is a man! He got hit in the face and crushed a few bones. Do you know what that feels like? I'm sure your nephew once threw a tennis ball at your face for being a Jack-ass uncle. You just laid there and had your girlfriend, who is a nurse, sit you down on a chair and check all your vitals. Honey, you'll be ok. Just rotate the tylenol and Ibuprofen every six hours until the pain goes away. After 15 minutes you tell your girl that she better drive both of you home…
Anywho, we get your frustration about sucking. How can we deny you that platform. We should all form a support group like AA. Everyone can have a sponsor and we can chain smoke cigaretts and drink coffee. Q-tippy, I would love to be your sponsor. Can I ? May I. Wont you be my neighbor? I think I could talk you off the ledge. You know, kinda like a S.W.A.T negotiator. First, I would try to settle you down so you wouldnt jump. Next, I would ask you if I could buy you some peanuts and Crackerjack and ask if you care that you will ever come back (off the ledge). Darnit, that last sentence may trigger a Cub moment. Sorry. Lets start over….I'll just sniper shot you from another building. It would save the Cub fans from another Lee Elia clone….
Marlon, You are also my favorite Cub. You are a team player, you play hard, and it is impossible not to see joy and passion in everything you do. That smile of yours just lights up the stadium. You are a class act and I too would love to see you with the Cubs in the coming years.
Umm this is for "Q", the guy that leaves a response but cant even leave his name. Its people like you that are ruining the game of baseball. Marlon Byrd has been a class act on and off the field since the day he walked on the field. He might not be fastest or the strongest but damn he plays the game the right way. The true Cubs fans wanted a player like Marlon Byrd, all baseball fans would want a player like him on his/her favorite team. there needs to be more players like him
I've read all of your posts. First time commenting, because I feel like the perspective you show here extends far beyond the game, but into the heart of what it means to be a man doing a job, and it's unequivocally the right way to do the job.
As much as I wish I could have the job of playing CF for the Cubs…I don't. I'm a Math teacher. Knowing how much was at risk, someone (Hendry) looked at you and thought: "given the circumstances, THAT'S the guy I want to do the job…to play CF in Wrigley Field.". But it's the same for me, and hopefully, same for everyone who has a job. Someone looked at me and thought "Someone's gotta teach these kids, and THAT'S the guy I want to do it". If you don't have an "unhealthy" amount of pride in the job you do…then you're not doing it right.
Luckily, I'm not an athlete; my body may deteriorate, but my job isn't dependent on that. Unfortunately for the athlete…you get older, but "prospects" stay the same age. Nevertheless, we're all just human. We know we can't do this forever, but we owe it to the man/woman who signs our checks to make the decision to replace us as difficult as possible. And it would kill me to think that I was replaced without exerting every single bit of my ability…not just for pride's sake, but because I owe the team, and the mgmt.
And when the decision to "pass the torch" is made, it's not a sad thing if I know I've played @ 125% and still fallen short…because the person that's taking the job is better than me, and that's what the team deserves. But I know I won't step down until I'm convinced that this newcomer can do the job better than I can.
I agree with the other posters (except 'Q'). Marlon, you are a class act. And a wonderful outfielder. We love to see your smile out there. Here's hoping you stay with the Cubs as long as you want.
Wow! If all Major League players had this mentallity the game would still be played for the "love of the game" and not for the $. Marlon – I think you will still have the opportunity to win in Chicago next year! Your leadership and skills are far to important to this team!
Good man, Marlon. You are beloved for a reason.
Pingback: Marlon Byrd is Ready to Help Brett Jackson Take Byrd's Job | Bleacher Nation | Chicago Cubs News, Rumors, and Commentary
Hi Marlon!
Man, you really sound like you're getting ready for your own funeral! You need to liven things up a bit. Have you thought about writing about fast cars or hot women or things blowing up? I feel like you're writing a Nicholas Sparks novel when all I want is a Jerry Bruckheimer film! Let me throw this at you…even when you lose your job to Jackson you're still a) fantastically wealthy 2) relatively young III) wearing that cyborg mouthpiece over your face to protect you from wayward fastballs.
Now let me tell you something about grooming the up and comers…I don't do it. I'm still too young to do it. I mean, in church league softball you can play until you're 70 so what's the point of helping someone replace you? I like it when the kids come in and play for a while, but when my sister-in-law Tara writes me out of the lineup I put on my grump face and throw a small tantrum. That's the nature of the game, Marlon…grump face. Even Fostering Godly Families Randy does it. That guy's improved a lot this year so he finally has some leverage when he does it too. =( <— GRUMP FACE!
Well Marlon, my brother-in-law Andy jumped ship on the fall league. You can save your traitor rants for another year because it turns out he was bailing from a sinking ship. "I'm sorry I didn't build you a better ship, young Rose." Yeah, I quoted the epic motion picture "Titanic"…you have to understand that James Horner wrote the score for that film and that dude can write some serious music! He also did the music for Field of Dreams which brings me back to my original point that while Andy is playing Friday nights in the mens league, our fall team didn't get a spot at Delta Park. It's a bummer, but at least I now have all week to sit around and get fat.
My daughter (name intentionally withheld) scored 3 goals in her first ever soccer game on Tuesday! She's well on her way to the World Cup team for the U.S. I don't want her doing Dancing with the Stars though. Too much skin…too much skin, Marlon. Maybe I'll be lucky and since she's only 5 there won't be a Dancing with the Stars when she's famous. In a related story, my youngest son (name intentionally withheld) pooped his pants. He's started eating some solid food and now his gas smells horrible. I tried to change a clean diaper last night.
Then my cat Ice walked over to the blanket where I almost changed the diaper, sniffed it and started peeing! I could have killed him, Marlon. Don't worry…all I did was pick him up, yell at him and toss him at his cat door. Oh, then I locked him outside. I'm not having a house that smells like cat pee. I'm just not doing it. It's a pretty rough time because I love my cat Ice but you can't have a cat that pees in your house.
Hey Marlon, did you see that our letters are being used to educate the future minds of America? It's great news, isn't it? In that respect I think your blog hit the nail on the head this time. We are indeed passing the torch of knowledge to the next generation so they too can have one-sided conversations with people they see on TV. Well, I'm going to get back to the day job (I'm not telling you what it is, but I will say it fits well in the sentence "Nobody ever says 'I want to be a _______ when I grow up'").
Oh, I met a dude from Nebraska who has tickets to 25 games a year in the right field corner. If you ever get moved out to right because of Brett Jackson look up by the foul pole and say "Hi Joel! Keithman told me to 'look up by the foul pole and say' that". Deal? Deal.
@dougglanville Thanks for helping Marlon become the player we know and love in Chicago. He is one of the good guys, which is very refreshing in today's game.
This is why – in the 21st century baseball – you become fans of players as much, or nearly as much, as a fan of a team.
You're a class act, Marlon. I'd love to see you with the Cubs for a long time.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. I'm glad you you have such a maturity about the passage of time and acceptance of being replaced and willingness (thank goodness) to teach the kids but I, for one, am not ready to see Marlon leave the team. No way, no how. You are my favorite player to watch and still much better than most of the kids. Keep up the great playing!
It is so refreshing to read this view from an MLB ballplayer. Agree with others that Marlon sets an example every day for younger (and a lot of older) players with his constant hustle and 100% play. I wish we saw more of it, because the kids in the stand notice these things, like when someone doesn't run out a play to 1st or goes half heartedly for a fly ball. You are still a great player, Marlon, and hope there are many more afternoons in centerfield for the Cubs for you. Love watching you play the game!
Hey Chief Keithman,
Stop acting like Robert DeNiro in the movie "The Fan" or better yet when he played the role of Max Cade in "Cape Fear". Marlon should never answer requests from us nutty Cub fans. He's probably donating most of his free time for Charities and child causes. So it would be proper to stop trying to bully a man who does more for humanity in one season than you do in a lifetime. Yes, and your posts are very educational and should be used to educate the youth. It should be called "The subtle signs of cyber bullying" Anyways, your need to be recognized needs to be addressed with your shrink or the little guy who stands on your right shoulder. You know the one that only YOU can see. I know you are craving attention you desperately need. Hey Marlon, can you pleeese, prettta pleeese with sugar on top pat your glove 3X in the bottom of every third inning when its over 84 degrees and the wind blowing out of the south. Then I will know you are thinking about ME the Keithman. THanks a Bunch!
Hey , I would like to help you fill in the blanks for your bio. This would be perfect.> I would like to be THE ASSISTANT FLUFFER at the Admiral Theatre when I grow up. Congrats on living the dream!!
I guess this will remain a "one-sided conversation" with people I read in blogs. OOOOH, but Marlon should respond to you with a wink, Hi, or a "Keithman sends regards" to some Joey "bag of donuts" in right field. Disregard the man behind the curtain!! I am the great and powerful Keithman! Ignore the man behind the curtain! I am the great n powerful K..th..mannnn.
You are still hilarious. Keep up the good work…..
Marlon, speaking as a long time Cub Fan, I am not prepared to lose you next season. There are 3 open outfield positions as far as I'm concerned. You are a stellar fielder and a solid hitter. Brett is a terrific prospect, but he hasn't played a game of big league ball. Even if he wows them next year and wins a job in the spring great, maybe you play right or left. I would like to at least see you finish the last year of your contract year. If everything goes great, if we have a logjam of great outfielders, than maybe you go to a contender mid-season and we get some value in return. I see no reason to trade you this off season.
I would just like to thank Ryan Dempster and Rodriguez Lopez for making a seven year olds first game something that he wont ever forget.Ryan signed his glove and rodriguez threw him a ball.Then Ryan came back again and signed the ball.This was at att&t Ball Park on monday aug. 29th.And the cubs won what a great day.
Marlon – great stuff. I hope you stick with the Cubs. You play the game the right way. I have really enjoyed watching you play. God Bless!
Byrd, you are such a dodger. You still don't have the guts to address your turn-coat stance you took against your team in St. Louis on the dirtiest slide of 2011 by Matt Holliday as blind and incompetent umpire Darrell Cousins looked on. I hope you pass your torch right on out of Wrigley Field just as soon as the 2011 season ends, or better yet, even sooner. Your cowardly stance on that dirty play will be what you will always be remembered for. You've had more than enough time to get it right but you have chosen to ignore it like that will somehow make it all go away. You have chosen to take the low road Byrd but you didn't have to. You could have made things right but you didn't have the courage. Good riddance you pathetic excuse of a ballplayer. The sooner Wrigley Field is the sight in your rearview mirror, the better.
Rickey Ricardo Ferguson,
You have aloaa of esplaining to do Rickey. Waaaaaa. Just like Lucy use to do to Desi. Are you the official Cub-Cop? You cantankerous SOB. Go kick a puppy you big jerk….
I don't know if you actually read these or not, but I was at the Pirates game on September 3rd. It was my first time to sit just three rows up from the wall at Wrigley, and watching you during warm up is just one of my favorite things to do! You have a great personality, and you bring such a light hearted fun feeling to the team. I loved watching you joke around, or at least it seemed that way, with Soto. I think you are just what the Cubs need during a season like this. You go out there every day, play as hard as you possibly can, and keep such a great attitude. I got a bunch of pics of you while you were out there, my dad actually asked if I was stalking you 🙂 I just love seeing someone on a team, that has obviously not done as well as everyone was hoping, try to keep everyone light and working hard! Thank you for all you do for the team that I love so much!
Rickey get a life! You obviously are ignorant of the unwritten rules of baseball.
Marlon I am 32 years old and have been a Cubs fan for as long as I can remember I grew up with guys like Sandberg, Dawson, Dunson, Sutcliff and Grace and listening to one of the greatest Cubbies every on the radio Ronnie Santo. I think that since those years we have only had A handful of Gentlemen on our team and I put you in that class. You play the game for the love of baseball just like any of those young kids out there do and I think you are one of the greatest role models in professional sports. It's refreshing to see guys like you still in the game and I remember the day Mark Grace left that was one of the saddest days in my Cubs life and I think the day you leave will top that one. My three year old son and I hope we get to watch you play for several more years in a Cubs uniform but, if not thank you for representing my team as a class act. Thanks Jason and Aiden
You are the kind of player that every young person needs to look up to and make an example out of. You bring such a great prospective to the game and play 100% every game. I would love to see you stay in chicago and be a great influence to all the new players. It takes a big man to play with his head along with his heart. I am from St.Louis but i am a die hard cubs fan. Every time i get to see a cubs game you never seem to disappoint me. You will forever have a place in this cubs fan's heart.
Marlon you are an amazing player and apparently an even more amazing person. Thanks for always hustling on the field and giving it your all. I hope to see you in Cubbie blue for years to come!
Marlon Byrd you are one heck of a classy dude. We need you,you are a CHICAGO CUB and you guys are going to me on top of the league next year. Enjoy the rest of the season and year.lots of success to you and my favorite team the Cubbies.
Marlon, thanks for the hustle, legging out everything that comes your way, sacrificing the body, willingness to hit the ball to the right side to move the runner and help the team, doing whatever the situation dictates, and being selflessw when it comes to personal stats over the good of the team. Is it too late for any of this to rub off on SORRYano?? I only wish!!! Keep up the class act. Wish you all the best-
Marlon I met you at Fitch field the first day you were a Cub and you were kidding around that you did not know where to go. You were a class act then and you have never wavered through thick and thin. BY the way a class act brought you to the Cubs–Jim Hendry
Hi Marlon!
You're not gonna believe this Marlon, but I started ANOTHER blog! You should check it out this off season when you're probably living like a rock star!
Click an ad or two when you're there to support out sponsors! It's so commercial it might as well be UnderArmour painted on the doors at Wrigley!
Mr. Bird if you read dis I just wanna let you know how appreciated you are to this city and this ball club. I just had to comment after those two great defensive plays today against da cards in a tight game. Now that this season is coming to an end it makes me wonder if you'll be in cubbie blue next year. i know i speak for da majority of cubs fans when i say you'll be truly missed if you leave and its too bad we couldn't be a contender this year. Well if you do come back id like to see you host some kinda R.B.I(reviving baseball in inner city youth) event on the southside. Im a southside cubs fan. Well really southwest side cubs fan! and ders alot of cubs fans on da southside who get somewhat aggravated that everybody trys to label the cubs as da "northside" team! not true. it would be great if you came down to one the black community's and show these kids how great baseball can be. Seeing blacks and american born hispanics disappear from baseball is sad to me cuz i love it and i wish it was more popular amongst us. Maybe you can help spark interest(at least in Chicago). just a thought.
I've been a Cubs fan for 50 years, and I haven't seen a player with your attitude and hustle since Ernie Banks, and that's putting you in pretty good company. I hope to see you retire in a Cubbies uniform, and I can't think of anyone better to teach the youngsters about being a team player.
I enjoy watching you so much that I commit Bleacher Bum heresy by sitting in left center (they'd take away my yellow hard hat for that.)
I certainly hope you have the Cubs in your plans for the future. If they don't have you in theirs, that's one of the worst mistakes they've made in a long time, and they've made plenty. I hope to see you at Wrigley next season and for as many seasons after that as you care to play. After all, the bottom of the 8th just doesn't feel right without a few Byrds around. (Sorry for the pun, I just couldn't resist.)
Pingback: The Byrd is the Word « Behind the Ivy
Hi blogger, i found this post on 21 spot in google's search results.
You should reduce your bounce rate in order to rank in google.
This is major ranking factor nowadays. There is very useful wordpress plugin which can help you.
Just search in google for:
Lilas's Bounce Plugin


text:
EcoCAR Challenge Profile: Virginia Tech
You are here
LYNN GANTT: My name is Lynn Gantt and I'm the team leader for the Virginia Tech EcoCAR team.
There are 16 universities that compete in the EcoCAR Challenge. The main goal is to reduce petroleum energy use as well as greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining consumer acceptability.
Under hood, we have a 2.4-liter flex-fuel engine that runs on either gasoline or E85. What we're most proud of is our electric vehicle system. So packaged in the rear is close to 500 pound of lithium iron phosphate battery modules. We have a 54-mile EV range. And that, along with our charge sustaining mode, ends up being about 80 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent.
One other thing that we did install in the vehicle this year is an actual charge port for electricity. So some of the new charging stations, as they're starting to install in cities like Washington, D.C. here, you'll be able to take our vehicle and plug right up into it.
We do put engine torque down to the front axle and we put electric motor torque on the rear axle. And it gives us a unique feature when we're out at a drag strip where you want to put all the power to the ground, we can actually do 6.68 zero to 60 (miles per hour) time. It has a little bit of giddy-up if we want to.
Definitely the most exciting part was having our vehicle drive 54 miles as a pure electric vehicle up at GM's Milford Proving Grounds just last week. It's been a great experience for all the students involved, and I've learned quite a bit about myself being the team leader for the past two years.
I'm actually moving up to Michigan. I'll be working for General Motors, along with five other students from our – for my team. So because of working on EcoCAR, I've decided to go work on the automotive industry.


text:
Ultimate macaroni cheese
Learn how to make perfect macaroni cheese every time with this recipe
Nutrition and extra info
- Vegetarian
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal819
- fat42g
- saturates26g
- carbs78g
- sugars12g
- fibre3g
- protein36g
- salt2.03g
- 175g mature cheddar, such as Denhay
Once cheddar was 'Cheddar', a large, hard-pressed barrel of cheese made by a particular…
- 50g gruyère
Gruyère is an undoubted pinnacle of traditional Swiss cheese-making, a culinary masterpiece as…
- 50g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
Parmesan is a straw-coloured hard cheese with a natural yellow rind and rich, fruity flavour. It…
- 50g white bread, crusts cut off
- 3 medium tomatoes
A member of the nightshade family (along with aubergines, peppers and chillies), tomatoes are in…
- 280g good-quality macaroni
- 700ml full-fat milk, plus a bit extra
One of the most widely used ingredients, milk is often referred to as a 'complete' food…
- 50g butter
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 50g plain flour, minus 1 tsp
- 1 rounded tsp Dijon mustard
Making macaroni cheese is a bit of a juggling act, so it's easier if you get a few things prepared ahead. Finely grate all the cheeses, keeping them separate. Tear the bread into pieces and whizz in a food processor to coarse crumbs. Mix 25g of the cheddar and one-third of the parmesan into the breadcrumbs. Toss the rest of the cheeses together and set aside. Thickly slice the tomatoes. Butter a dish, about 30 x 20 x 5.5cm. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
Put a pan of water on to boil. Tip the macaroni into the boiling water, stir and bring it back to the boil. Simmer for 8 mins, or cook according to pack instructions, stirring occasionally to stop it sticking. While this is cooking, start the sauce.
Warm the milk in a jug in the microwave (or in a pan). Melt the butter in a pan (big enough to take the macaroni as well), then stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min, stirring, then take off the heat. Pour in one-third of the warm milk and beat well with a wooden spoon until smooth – it is quite thick at this stage. Add another third – it may go a bit lumpy, but keep beating well and it will go smooth again. Pour in the final third of milk and keep beating until smooth.
When the macaroni is done, tip it into a colander and put it briefly under very hot running water to keep it separate. Drain. Put the pan of sauce back on the heat and cook, stirring, until thickened and smooth. Lower the heat and simmer for about 4 mins until glossy, stirring every now and then. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and mustard, then beat in 5 tbsp milk, or enough to give a slack coating consistency. Taste and season (you shouldn't need much salt). If the macaroni is sticking at all, put it under the hot tap again, then stir to separate. Drain well, then gently mix it into the sauce and stir to coat completely. If necessary, adjust the consistency again with milk. There should be enough sauce to coat the macaroni thickly and liberally.
Tip the macaroni cheese into the buttered dish, scatter over the cheesy crumbs and lay the tomatoes casually over the top. Heat through in the oven for 12-15 mins until beginning to bubble around the edges. Grill for 3-5 mins to brown the crumbs. Let it all settle for 1-2 mins, then serve while still piping hot.