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The RAND National Defense Research Institute published in July 2009 the report The Mujahedin-e Khalq: A Policy Conundrum for the Multi-National Force-Iraq, Task Force 134 (Detainee Operations). The report focuses on the circumstances surrounding the detention of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MeK) at Camp Ashraf and "whether MeK members were taken into custody and detained under the appropriate terms . . . ."
The Mujahedin-e Khalq (People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran) is a major Iranian opposition group, whose members primarily reside in Camp Ashraf, Iraq. The Camp is situated northeast of the Iraqi town of al-Khalis, approximately 60 miles northeast of Baghdad, and 50 miles west of the Iran-Iraq border. It has been in existence since 1986 and covers a 15.5 square mile area. There are about 3,400 residents at Camp Ashraf, of whom 1,000 are women. Most of the residents of Ashraf City are Iranian citizens – and a large number are political refugees.
The RAND report presents a highly flawed assessment of issues and policies related to the MeK. The authors of the report appear to lack the necessary experience and core knowledge to properly evaluate policies. The report fails to contains biased and pejorative characterizations, and utilizes sources of dubious credibility.
The authors of the report conclude that the United States should encourage the government of Iraq to involuntarily deport (refoule) the entire population of Ashraf to Iran, in violation of international law and without making reference to the fact that membership in the organization is a longstanding capital crime in Iran and is likely a death warrant for those forced to return.
Following are the main conclusions from the analysis of the RAND report:
- QUESTIONABLE EXPERIENCE– The government- funded report on the MeK was assigned by RAND to authors with virtually no experience researching and writing about Iran. This decision is unconscionable given that the lives of 3,400 people at Camp Ashraf are at stake. Subject matter of this importance requires the very highest scholarship and objectivity by individuals having a deep historical background and a thorough, unbiased understanding of complex political issues.
- PROPAGANDISTIC ATTACK – More than half of the monograph focuses on delegitimizing the MeK by repeating long-discredited claims about its leadership and history. The report makes no effort to present a comprehensive understanding of the MeK or offer a balanced view on critical issues. The section on the MeK is essentially a political "hit piece" that could have been produced by the government of Iran.
- CRITICAL MATERIALS ABSENT – In presenting facts, analysis, and conclusions, the RAND authors omit materialinformation, fail to present conflicting viewpoints, and exclude relevant and credible information readily available from two former U.S. military commanders of Camp Ashraf that directly contradicts the main recommendations of the report.
- DUBIOUS CITATIONS – Numerous citations referred to in the report are highly biased and cite individuals known to be supporters of the Iranian government. Assertions are advanced without citations and many of the report's findings are contradicted by publicly available mainstream news sources that the authors failed to present.
- VIOLATES INTERNATIONAL LAW – Recommendations presented in the monograph are in clear violation of international law.
SUMMARY – The RAND monograph is based on a deeply flawed "factual" foundation that undermines the credibility of its recommendations. The document is highly polemical and one-sided, violating RAND's standard of "objective analysis." The report urges the U.S. to engage in the breach of international law norms that the U.S. has vowed to uphold as a matter of its fundamental policy. In doing so, it posits conclusions that clearly endanger the lives of Camp Ashraf residents.
RECOMMENDATIONS – Executive Action recommends RAND conduct an independent investigation to determine how the report on the MeK, which violates basic scholarship standards, could have been produced and distributed by the Corporation. RAND, which employs about 950 researchers, publishes hundreds of books, reports and articles that are distributed to senior executive branch officials, U.S. legislators, state and local decisionmakers, and private executives. RAND, in its preface to the MeK report, states, "All RAND monographs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity." If RAND views its report on the MeK as legitimate scholarship by the Corporation, it calls into question the veracity of all its publications.
The U.S. Congress, in its oversight duties, has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure public funds are properly expended and not used to produce propagandistic reports. RAND's annual budget totals about $225 million, of which about 78 percent derives from the U.S. government. Executive Action recommends Members of Congress task the General Accountability Office to conduct an investigation of the report and to examine the processes in place at RAND Corporation to ensure its publications attain "high standards for research quality and objectivity."
Finally, Executive Action urges the Secretary of Defense, which commissioned the report, to discount the misguided recommendations in the monograph and commission a new impartial study that includes authors with respected and appropriate expertise to properly address the issues in question regarding the MeK.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Kindred Spirit
Kindred Spirit Art Print
Bring a bit of magic into your home with a Gingiber Illustration. Each illustration is lovingly created by artist Stacie Bloomfield.
- Available as an 8"x10" or 11"x14" art print, with additional white border
- Printed in house with ultra premium presentation paper and archival inks
- Packaged and shipped in house in Springdale, AR
- Copyright Gingiber 2009-2019 All Rights Reserved
Looking for a custom size? Send us an email at email@example.com!
Quantity Discounts
This applies to any and all Art Prints! Mix and Match 4 or more and the discount below will automatically be applied in your cart! DISCOUNT WILL BE VISIBLE ON YOUR FINAL CHECK OUT SCREEN.
- 4 or more = 15% off
- 8 or more = 20% off


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XE Currency BlogTopics7434 Posts7479
GBP was the main mover in Europe as U.K. employment data came in much stronger than expected. Hedge funds that positioned for the upside from 1.5730 ahead of the release booked profit after it hit 1.5827 highs and it ended the European morning close to 1.5760, leaving it moderately firmer intra-day. It was a muted session otherwise. JPY and CHF were weaker in Asia after U.S. President Obama confirmed that the U.S. will pursue the diplomatic route on Syria. In Europe, profit taking set in and there was no appetite to chase the market. EUR failed to test 1.3300 for the third consecutive day and consolidated ahead of 1.3250. The commodity bloc held firm on risk appetite, leaving AUD at 0.9300 and USD-CAD close to 1.0330.
EUR-USD ranges remained narrow overnight. It headed higher on the back of strength in EUR-JPY and EUR-CHF. However, after edging up from 1.3265 to 1.3280 it stalled for the third consecutive session and drifted back below 1.3250 by the European open. There are still buyers on dips as stale short positions cut back amid a more positive short term technical backdrop after 1.3100 held last week. On top, there are very large offers in place ahead of 1.3300 and apart from a reduction in stale short positions there is still no appetite to build long positions currently. This could be the case until next week when the impetus will come from the FOMC outcome. There are option expiries at 1.3250 and 1.3300 there are rolling off today and this could compound today's consolidation.
USD-JPY consolidated following a pullback from fresh trend highs close to 100.60 in Asia. The recent rise in risk appetite reinforced yen selling and there was positive traction from the upturn in U.S. yields. Strong resistance at 100.65 put a top in place and a minor correction weighed into the Tokyo close. European names are dip buyers into 100.20 and more bids are tipped at 100.00, where large option expiries are due to roll off today. Progress on the topside should remain slow due to the presence of more option positioning, which has left the market long of gamma. However, the uptrend in USD-JPY is looking more sustainable than it has done since early August.
Cable rifled higher as U.K. employment data beat expectations by a fairly wide margin. Hedge fund demand ahead of the release fueled speculation that the number would come out on the strong side. The claimant count tumbled by 32.6k and the ILO unemployment rate eased a notch to 7.7%. Cable rallied from 1.5770 to 1.5827 highs immediately on the release and then pulled back to 1.5760 on profit taking. EUR-GBP fell from 0.8425-30 ahead of the release and filled in last week's lows to trade at trend lows of 0.8383, but reclaimed 0.8400 on large corporate bids and short covering. The number will see BoE Carney's forward policy guidance come under increased scrutiny at tomorrow's Treasury Select Committee, though the broad based improvement in the U.K. economy will be welcomed. Ahead of Thursday consolidation could set in.
CHF consolidated losses as the risk appetite persisted, with stocks in Asia and Europe mostly higher. EUR-CHF extended the recent rally to trade into 1.2415, but good resistance from corporate offers into 1.2420 capped. USD-CHF continued to dance around the 200-dma near 0.9350 as dollar heaviness was absorbed by cross-flows. GBP-CHF was the standout mover due to U.K. employment strength and it surged to 1.4784 highs and then pulled back to 1.4730 on decent profit taking activity. Bank flow reports have tipped a marked pick up in CHF selling over the last week and positioning may be a little excessive currently. This may result in more sideways action and EUR-CHF and USD-CHF may start to narrow up.
USD-CAD's downside came under pressure over the course of the European morning. USD consolidated on the lower side and the commodity bloc currencies were supported by the recent improvement in broader market sentiment. This triggered USD-CAD sell-interest from the 1.0365 area in early Europe and it threatened 1.0330 ahead of the North American open. Corporate buying interest was prevalent around yesterday's 1.0331 lows and we expect more of the same today. However, the better risk backdrop could leave USD-CAD vulnerable if support at 1.0315 and 1.0300 gives way. Stop and reverse positions are building through 1.0290, which is just under August-15 lows of 1.0294. Selling into strength is favoured in the short-term.


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Well, look at what we have here. Dell is selling the Xbox 360 Pro (with the 60GB hard drive), along with Lego Indiana Jones, Kung Fu Panda, and Madden NFL '09 for the one-day-only price of $284.05. The system normally retails for $299 alone, so you better believe this is a Dealzmodo.
Head over to Dell's site, where the bundle is available for an already noteworthy $299, and then use the coupon code TP5NV0VMFJ9BCZ at checkout, which'll give you another 5% off. This deal expires presumably at midnight, so you bargain-hunters should jump on it as quick as you can. [TechDealDigger]


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FRISCO, Texas – Dax McCarty is questionable for FC Dallas' match with San Jose on Saturday, thanks to a rare hip pointer injury suffered during the second half of FCD's 1-1 draw with Chicago on May 27.
"Hip pointer – I've never had one of those before," McCarty said after training on Wednesday. "It's pretty painful."
WATCH: McCarty scores one for FCD
FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman excepts to evaluate his linking midfielder on Thursday before determining his availability for this weekend.
"What I wanted to do was not evaluate him [Wednesday]. I just wanted to let him go through another day of recovery and then, he's got to start picking it up," Hyndman said. "He can't come to me game day and say, "I can give you 90 percent but I don't think I can start.'"
While his teammates were training on Wednesday morning, McCarty was slowly jogging around an adjacent field with an ice pack taped to his left hip.
"When it first happened, it was miserable. I was in some serious pain," McCarty said. "Over the weekend it was hard to get a good night's sleep. I've been in treatment trying to get some of the swelling and bruising out."
McCarty admitted his hip is much better six days after the injury than it was over the weekend.
"It's gotten better daily. It's just a very uncomfortable injury," he said. "It's not serious, which is nice. At the same time, I understand why football players wear hip pads and stuff. If they get these injuries, it's not fun. It's certainly not something I want to experience ever again."
Still, McCarty's not about to rule himself out of a crucial match with the Earthquakes.
"I would say that I'm really fighting hard to be ready for the weekend," McCarty said. "It will be a mutual decision between myself, the trainers and obviously Schellas."
McCarty suffered the injury in the 57th minute of Thursday's draw at Toyota Park. He initially tried to play through it but had to leave the match two minutes later.
"There was really no way I could've played another 30 minutes with that type of pain shooting through my hip and all down my side," McCarty said. "Running or even jogging was even a challenge. I always try to play through something like that but I think I would have hurt our team more than I would have helped."


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After being at this year's E3 and seeing the new Forza Horizon game, I realized how much I take for granted the fact that modern racing games look pretty much like actual video of racing. From a distance you can't tell. But it wasn't always this way, and some nostalgic, idiotic part of me misses that.
I grew up on old 8-bit, pixellated racing games, where your car was a square-tired brick, sliding around a track as black and featureless as deepest space. So, in honor of crappier days of yore, I took the pixel patterns of cars from three popular racing games and turned them 3D. Well, 3D pixels. Still blocky, but, you know, 3D blocky.
I don't have a great reason why I did it, but I like the way they look. So here, enjoy 'em, use them for whatever you like.
Atari Sprint 2 (arcade):
Activision Grand Prix (Atari 2600):
Rally X (arcade):


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The Riverside Company said Wednesday that its second Asia-Pacific fund closed at $235 million. This is a 57 percent increase over Riverside Asia-Pacific Fund II's $150 million target. RAF II seeks to make control buyouts of companies with less than $15 million in EBITDA in the developed economies of the Asia-Pacific region.
The Riverside Company has completed fundraising for its latest buyout fund, Riverside Asia-Pacific Fund II (RAF II) at $235 million, a 57% increase over its $150 million PPM target. RAF II executes control buyouts of companies with less than $15 million in EBITDA in the developed economies of the Asia-Pacific region.
RAF II follows the strategy of its predecessor fund, targeting healthy companies that can benefit from the firm's global footprint and strong operating resources to drive growth and complete strategic add-on investments.
"RAF I was a trendsetting fund, and we've enjoyed a lot of success since beginning to invest in the region in 2007," said Riverside Co-CEO Béla Szigethy. "We're excited about building on that success with RAF II."
"Buyouts in the smaller end of the middle market are still a relatively new business in the Asia-Pacific region," said Riverside Co-CEO Stewart Kohl. "Because of that, there are some remarkable opportunities to grow outstanding companies that meet our criteria."
The RAF team is led by Fund Manager Stuart Baxter, who has been with Riverside since 1997 and has led RAF since its inception.
Riverside often partners with family-founded companies, helping them institutionalize their business and globalize their addressable markets. We are finding business owners all across the Asia-Pacific region who seek optimal timing for liquidity while also building sustainable legacies upon their exit," said Baxter.
The fund's investor base is composed of leading institutions in North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, including:
- Babson Capital Management LLC as Investment Advisor to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
- Clients of Macquarie Investment Management
- Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation
- Development Bank of Japan
- Munich Private Equity Partners
"We are very pleased with the support we received from our existing Riverside investors along with new investors who comprise nearly 30% of total limited partner commitments," said Erick Bronner, Global Head of Fundraising and Investor Relations. "RAF II was able to meet the high bar set by some of the most discerning investors in the world."
The Riverside Company
The Riverside Company is a global private equity firm focused on acquiring and investing in growing businesses valued at up to $250 million (€200 million in Europe). Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has invested in more than 340 transactions. The firm's international portfolio includes more than 70 companies.


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Animal behaviour, Butterflies, Flies
Tag: Cethosia bilbis bilbis
2 Posts
2 Posts
A Creative Archive
Commentaries, thoughts and opinions about social insects
Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour at Deakin University, Melbourne
Travel & Lifestyle - Come and Disover the WORLD with me!
Geëmigreerd naar Mallorca
Blog professional sobre Biologia · Blog profesional sobre Biología · A professional blog about Biology
nature and nurture in suburban spaces
Photography and electronics
A personal blog of a plant lover
Biodiversity recording for beginners
a celebration of nature
Farming, Landscape, Heritage and Conservation in the Vale of Pickering, North Yorkshire
Musings on skin and the universe
Thailand's amazing insects photographed in the forests around Chiang Mai
The natural world, inclusive bushcraft, evidence-based environmentalism
Science Blog of the SciComm Students @ Natural History Museum, Zoological Society of London & University College London
New Zealand
Entomologist. Educator. Writer. Nerd.


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Please select a proper weight class above
USA TODAY Sports-MMAjunkie.com MMA Rankings: March 11 edition
Welcome to the latest edition of the USA TODAY Sports-MMAjunkie.com MMA Rankings.
Each Monday, MMAjunkie.com publishes an updated list of the top 15 fighters, as well as three honorable mentions (in alphabetical order), in the eight primary male weight divisions. The rankings also appear monthly in the print edition of USA TODAY.
This past week saw just one ranked fighter, Bellator featherweight Marlon Sandro, in action. Sandro entered the week ranked No. 15 in the 145-pound division but suffered a TKO loss to Magomedrasul Khasbulaev at Bellator 92.
The loss knocked Sandro out of the rankings, and Nik Lentz moves from an honorable mention slot to No. 15. Robert Peralta, meanwhile, takes Lentz's spot as an honorable mention in the division.
While we're discussing the featherweight division, the positioning of former UFC champ Frankie Edgar as a featherweight honorable mention has created a bit of a stir since our rankings debut.
Edgar's positioning is indeed a difficult proposition. After all, he has yet to register a featherweight win after recently falling short against current champ Jose Aldo. Edgar showed incredible skill and determination against lightweights Benson Henderson, Gray Maynard and B.J. Penn. However, it's important to note that he is just 1-3-1 in his past five fights and has registered just one victory in the past two-and-a-half years. Although the losses were close, in terms of rankings, wins and losses must represent exactly that. The rankings offer an evaluation of a division at any particular moment – a snapshot in time, if you will – and for now, at least, Edgar needs to register a win or two to climb the ladder at 145 pounds.
Check out the full rankings below, or simply click on the Rankings tab above.
Fight results
- Featherweights: Magomedrasul Khasbulaev def. No. 15 Marlon Sandro at Bellator 93
Upcoming fights
- Welterweights: No. 1 Georges St-Pierre vs. No. 4 Nick Diaz at UFC 158
- Welterweights: No. 2 Johny Hendricks vs. No. 3 Carlos Condit at UFC 158
- Welterweights: No. 5 Jake Ellenberger vs. honorable mention Nate Marquardt at UFC 158
- Featherweights: No. 9 Darren Elkins vs. Antonio Carvalho at UFC 158
- Bantamweights: Honorable mention T.J. Dillashaw vs. Issei Tamura at UFC 158
* * * *
- Cain Velasquez
- Junior dos Santos
- Daniel Cormier
- Alistair Overeem
- Fabricio Werdum
- Josh Barnett
- Antonio Silva
- Frank Mir
- Roy Nelson
- Mark Hunt
- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
- Shane Carwin
- Cheick Kongo
- Travis Browne
- Stefan Struve
Honorable mention: Gabriel Gonzaga, Brendan Schaub, Alexander Volkov
- Jon Jones
- Lyoto Machida
- Dan Henderson
- Rashad Evans
- Phil Davis
- Alexander Gustafsson
- Glover Teixeira
- Mauricio Rua
- Ryan Bader
- Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
- Forrest Griffin
- Muhammed Lawal
- Gegard Mousasi
- Quinton Jackson
- James Te Huna
Honorable mention: Rafael Cavalcante, Attila Vegh, Mikhail Zayats
- Anderson Silva
- Chris Weidman
- Chael Sonnen
- Vitor Belfort
- Yushin Okami
- Michael Bisping
- Luke Rockhold
- Mark Munoz
- Ronaldo Souza
- Constantinos Philippou
- Tim Boetsch
- Alan Belcher
- Hector Lombard
- Alexander Shlemenko
- Jake Shields
Honorable mention: Cung Le, Wanderlei Silva, Brian Stann
- Georges St-Pierre
- Johny Hendricks
- Carlos Condit
- Nick Diaz
- Jake Ellenberger
- Rory MacDonald
- Demian Maia
- Ben Askren
- Martin Kampmann
- Jon Fitch
- Josh Koscheck
- Mike Pierce
- Dong Hyun Kim
- Tarec Saffiedine
- Mike Pyle
Honorable mention: Douglas Lima, Nate Marquardt, Tyron Woodley
- Benson Henderson
- Gilbert Melendez
- Michael Chandler
- Anthony Pettis
- Gray Maynard
- Nate Diaz
- Jim Miller
- Eddie Alvarez
- Donald Cerrone
- Joe Lauzon
- Shinya Aoki
- T.J. Grant
- Evan Dunham
- Josh Thomson
- Pat Healy
Honorable mention: Rafael dos Anjos, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Gleison Tibau
- Jose Aldo
- Ricardo Lamas
- Chad Mendes
- Pat Curran
- Cub Swanson
- Chan Sung Jung
- Daniel Straus
- Dennis Siver
- Darren Elkins
- Tatsuya Kawajiri
- Erik Koch
- Patricio Freire
- Dustin Poirier
- Hatsu Hioki
- Nik Lentz
Honorable mention: Frankie Edgar, Clay Guida, Robert Peralta
- Dominick Cruz
- Renan Barao
- Urijah Faber
- Michael McDonald
- Eddie Wineland
- Scott Jorgensen
- Brad Pickett
- Bibiano Fernandes
- Raphael Assuncao
- Brian Bowles
- Tyson Nam
- Eduardo Dantas
- Marcos Galvao
- Yuri Alcantara
- Mike Easton
Honorable mention: T.J. Dillashaw, Ivan Menjivar, Luis Nogueira
- Demetrious Johnson
- Joseph Benavidez
- John Dodson
- Ian McCall
- John Moraga
- Jussier Formiga
- Darrell Montague
- Chris Cariaso
- John Lineker
- Tim Elliott
- Darren Uyenoyama
- Louis Gaudinot
- Yasuhiro Urushitani
- Will Campuzano
- Joshua Sampo
Honorable mention: Shinichi Kojima, Alexis Vila, Mamoru Yamaguchi
* * * *
- The rankings take into account a fighter's wins/losses, quality of competition, finishing rate/dominance and frequency of fights.
- Fighters are no longer eligible to be ranked after they've been inactive for 24 months, either due to injuries, drug/conduct suspensions, contract disputes or self-imposed hiatuses.
- Fighters serving drug/conduct suspensions are eligible to be ranked, so long as they're not inactive for more than 24 months.
- To the best of our ability, fighters will be ranked in their primary weight class. Catchweight fights and bouts outside the fighter's primary weight class can have a positive or negative impact on the ranking. However, fighters can be ranked in only one weight class at a given time, and in most cases, they won't be ranked in a new weight class until they've had their first fight at that weight.
Ranking Criteria
The rankings take into account a fighter's wins/losses, quality of competition, finishing rate/dominance and frequency of fights.
Fighters are no longer eligible to be ranked after they've been inactive for 24 months, either due to injuries, drug/conduct suspensions, contract disputes or self-imposed hiatuses.
Fighters serving drug/conduct suspensions are eligible to be ranked, so long as they're not inactive for more than 24 months.
To the best of our ability, fighters will be ranked in their primary weight class. Catchweight fights and bouts outside the fighter's primary weight class can have a positive or negative impact on the ranking. However, non-titleholders can be ranked in only one weight class at a given time, and in most cases, they won't be ranked in a new weight class until they've had their first fight at that weight.


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Scientific posters; the good, the bad and the ugly (STEMM) Beginners
A good poster's worth 1000 words… but a bad poster's just a bit of messy paper. When it's time for you to present your scientific poster how are you going to make the most of the opportunity? We'll think about why we use posters to present our research, what makes the difference between a good and bad poster and some useful tips to help you present your data in style.
Please note, this is an introductory course to help you start preparing for your first poster sessions...
PhD students from the Schools of Physical Sciences and Technology and Graduate School of Life Sciences
Come ready to look at examples and start to develop your own ideas!
Interactive workshop - please bring something to write with
2.5 hours
There will not be a scheduled break in this session, so you are encouraged to go to the Whale Café on your way in and pick up a drink. If you show your University card, you will get a small discount!
Events available


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The search for the worst free-throw attempt ever ends, a driver pouts like a baby, a table tennis player blows our minds, Greg Monroe gets obliterated, and some bro falls off a chair lift. Here are the best videos of the week.
OK, OK: This Is The Worst Free Throw Ever
There is no sound, only shame. Watch »
G/O Media may get a commission
Adult Race Car Driver Turns Into Pouty Baby During Post-Race Interview
This was not "just one of those racin' deals." This was bullshit (sniffle). Watch »
This Behind-The-Back Table Tennis Shot Confused The Heck Out Of Its Victim
His opponent couldn't do anything but applaud. Watch »
Greg Monroe Will Not Be Purchasing The Poster Of This Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Dunk
The Pistons still won because, you know, the Bobcats. Watch »
Teen Falls 45 Feet From Ski Lift After Throwing Snowball At The Chair Ahead Of Him
Consider it a PSA: if you don't lower your safety bar, you're gonna have a bad time. Watch »


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Results 1 to 4 of 4
#1 IOC orders investigation into He Kexin's age08-21-2008, 11:34 PM
IOC orders investigation into He Kexin's age
The International Olympic Committee has ordered an investigation into the age of Chinese gymnast He Kexin, The Times of London reports. Faced with almost insurmountable evidence which suggests that He is two years younger than the birth date listed on her Chinese passport, the IOC has launched an inquiry that could result in the stripping of He's gold medals.
This news comes on the heels of another Times report that details the findings of a New York computer security expert who found official Chinese documents that list He's age as 14 years and 220 days. Mike Walker used a Chinese search engine's cache feature to find He's actual date of birth on spreadsheets from a Chinese government website. The spreadsheets were taken down off the site recently and He's name had been removed.
more at link
That investigation sure didn't last long. The IOC says there is no proof the athletes are underage and considers the matter closed.
Looks like the IOC is still taking bribes from the Chinese. They paid lip service to an "investigation" and then gave it up.
BEIJING Despite persistent questions about the ages of several members of the Chinese women's gymnastics team that won the gold medal, the International Olympic Committee said Friday there is still no proof anyone cheated and believes the controversy will be "put to rest."**** Obama and **** you too.
SonnabendGuest08-22-2008, 05:50 AMthere is still no proof anyone cheated and believes the controversy will be "put to rest."
The IOC just said that they expect their investigation to be done by the time the athletes lose their baby teeth. :D
In related news, China is getting back to normal. There is an ad in the classifieds for 10,000 Chinese drummers looking for work.;)I feel that once a black fella has referred to white foks as "honky paleface devil white-trash cracker redneck Caspers," he's abdicated the right to get upset about the "N" word. But that's just me. -- Jim Goad
|« Previous Thread | Next Thread »


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Arthur Bundrage is a man of principle. The alleged robber, hailing from East Syracuse, N.Y., stole what he thought was $20,000 from Alliance Bank, Monday (Oct. 22). Much to his chagrin, the 28-year-old found out that he was given less than he thought.
According to cops, Bundrage hit the bank up at about 9 a.m., demanding the money. Initially unmoved by his request, a teller refused to give him the dough, even though he threatened her, and showed his weapon. She later gave in, forking over an undisclosed amount.
After the money was handed over, Bundrage fled the scene only to count the funds and learn that he was in fact shortchanged. Like any smart person would, he returned to the location to recoup what he felt he deserved, unaware that cops had arrived to investigate the matter. Police—who were in the front of the building— found him at a locked back door trying to make his way back inside.
Instead of getting his money, the failed criminal was taken into custody without incident, and charged with fourth-degree grand larceny. He was awaiting arraignment as of Tuesday (Oct. 23).
According to police, Bundrage does not yet have a lawyer.
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• NYC High School Guidance Counselor Loses Job Over Racy Online Pics [PHOTOS]
Photo: Syracuse Police


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Abdullah, Hussin, Economics Department, School of Economics, Finance and Banking, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia
Vol 3, No 2 (2012) - Articles
Border Economy: Issues and Problems Faced by Traders in The Rantau Panjang Duty-free Zone
Abstract PDF
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text: Nicholas Vardy is currently editor of the monthly investment newsletter, The Alpha Investor Letter, which provides longer-term global investments. He also writes two weekly trading services, Triple Digit Trader and Bull Market Alert, which focus on making short-term profits in the hottest markets in the world. A former mutual fund money manager, he is also chief investment officer of Global Guru Capital LLC, where he manages separate accounts for high net worth individuals. A graduate of Stanford University and the Harvard University Law School, he has a unique background that has proven his knack for making money in different markets around the world. He also is a chartered financial analyst.


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Lent is a time to rid ourselves of habits that are doing little good, or even causing harm, to ourselves and others, and to replace them with habits that are life-giving. Unfortunately, old habits die hard. And contrary to the popular notion that habits can be changed in 21 days, experts tell us that it can take up to a year to change old habits and develop new ones. Lent is 40 days for a reason—holiness is a habit, and habits take time to take hold.
In his book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business (Random House), Charles Duhigg explains that when we perform an action for the first time, the brain works very hard to collect all the pertinent information involved, from start to finish, and to store the information in the part of the brain called the basal ganglia. If we continue to do the same action every day, the basal ganglia fills in the details so the rest of the brain can turn its attention to other things. Eventually, the action can be performed "without thinking." In short, our brains are looking for ways to save effort, and forming habits is the key to achieving this.
Lent is a time to interrupt this habit loop and, in order to do so, we need to get our brains "thinking" and not just acting on automatic pilot. To do so, we focus on three actions that can be thought of as "keystone habits"—habits which, according to Duhigg, are so key that when changed they cause a ripple or domino effect in other areas and other habits of our lives. These three keystone habits are, of course, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
Prayer: One of the best ways to extinguish our old self—our ego self—is to take some time away from words. When our words cease, the ego is neutralized. At the same time, a space opens up into which God can speak instead. The essence of prayer is silence—which douses the ego as surely as water does fire. It also creates a space into which a host of other good and selfless habits can flow.
Fasting: When babies are hungry, they cry. That's how we are born: obsessed with our own needs. A consumer society perpetuates this infantile state. When we intentionally put the brakes on consuming—whether it be food, drink, sex, or material goods—we are introducing a new habit that challenges the old: We are shifting the focus away from ourselves and our own "needs" and enabling ourselves to be more attuned to the needs of others.
Almsgiving: Few things in life force us to put aside our own needs more than becoming a parent. And yet, we do it because we gain more than we give. In a similar way, during Lent, we increase our generosity toward others, not to earn grace, please God, or draw attention to our own holiness, but to experience grace. Generosity enables us to rise above ourselves and to live, as St. Ignatius of Loyola said, as a person for others.
When these three keystone habits are practiced, a ripple effect of selflessness occurs: We no longer view ourselves as the center of the universe. And that is the beginning of the habit of holiness.
For more reflections in our Lenten series, click here.
We at U.S. Catholic want to know how you and your family choose to observe the solemnity of Lent. Take our survey and let us know about your Lenten traditions.
Image: Illustration by Angela Cox


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Make A Difference
To the Editor:
We get the opportunity to make a difference this election by using our voting privilege to decide whether we can operate with 3 supervisors.
Some facts to consider in response to recent paper articles: 58 counties in Iowa operate with 3 supervisors, of which 40 are larger than our population of 9421. Story County operates with 3 supervisors with a population of 89,663 or one voice for 29,887 residents. 3 supervisors here would be 1 voice for 3,140, up from 1 voice for 1884. WOW! Only 3,140 to Story County's 29,887.
Maybe Story County should have 47 supervisors. Reducing to 3 supervisors would SAVE US 2 part time job salaries of $24,734 plus health insurance coverage for 2 part timers of $13,968, plus the extra mileage and miscellaneous for 2 for a savings of 80,000 plus dollars — approximately $8.50 per resident.
It is time to start taking our county back for our children from the bottom up. We know it cannot be done from the top down.
Let's start protecting the next generations. Your Choice!
(signed)?Roger L. Hanish
Emmetsburg, IA


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State Map for
Municipal Fire Fighting & Prevention Supervisors
Looking to move? Some states have more opportunities for this type of work than others.
Orange states have an above average share of this career in their workforce.
Blue states have a below average share of this career in their workforce.
For detailed state-by-state info, see employment and wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
National Outlook
Nationwide, new job opportunities for municipal fire fighting and prevention supervisors are likely in the future.


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30,000 Dominoes Capture the History of Nintendo in 3 Minutes [VIDEO]
Nintendo has been in the gaming market for a long time. So long, in fact, you might think it would be impossible to encapsulate its many iconic characters in games in just three minutes.
One young Nintendo fan was up for the challenge. Describing himself as a "professional domino-ist" on Reddit, the 15-year-old behind the video set up 30,000 dominoes of various sizes and colors, some game cartridges and a few accessories (like a tape measure) as a tribute to the Japanese game company and its various franchises — including Mario, Sonic and Zelda.
The result is spellbinding. We particularly like the various structures that collapse slowly as dominoes from beneath are knocked over. Be sure to watch all the way till the end, where you'll catch a slight blooper (?) as a few of the dominoes fail to fall.


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Yes..I could be very interested in that.
we can start one online.
I'm always looking for a group..but I think it might be a little difficult with us living on opposite coasts
hey hallows,
i want to form a group for dnd and other games, if interested just contact me.


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One of the key elements of administrating successful teen services, is community partnerships. To earn the Administration badge, badge earners will:
Google Drive apps. You will develop Google Docs as a part of earning this badge and link to each of the items you create when you are ready to submit your badge for review and feedback. (A getting started with Google Apps screencast is available.)
As you work on the steps in this badge earning process remember to consult the badge rubric and keep in mind the requirements of the rubric and how to create a set of high-quality project materials.
Read the series of posts on the YALSAblog by Hayden Bass titled: Adventures in Outreach.
Read Maureen Hartman's article from the Fall 2012 issue of YALS, Good Teen Librarians Make Great Library Advocates (scroll to page 10).
After reading the articles brainstorm a list of community partners with which you haven't yet connected but whom you would like to build a relationship with. Use the Google Doc to write your list and include why you think each partner might be valuable for you to work with. From the list select one that you think would be a good one to start with and on the Google Doc include your reasoning for selecting this one.
Contact the community partner you selected in the step above and setup a meeting to facilitate a conversation in which you listen to hear what their needs are as well as talk a bit about the work that you are doing with teens and families in your community.
Develop an agenda for the meeting and post it as a Google Doc. A sample agenda that you can use to get started is available as a Google Doc.
Hold the meeting and take notes .
Post a Google Doc that provides an overview of the meeting, what was discussed, outcomes of the meeting, and next steps with the community partner. A sample document that you might use for this purpose is available.
Before submitting the materials you created for review by the badge earning community, remember to consult the badge rubric and keep in mind the requirements of the rubric and how to create a set of high-quality project materials.


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Live Poll: IMDb Poll Board's Favorite Soundtrack
Which film below selected by the members of the IMDb Poll Board do you like most?
List: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls049270999/
Poll: https://www.imdb.com/poll/iPdTPY1kymg/
These are song based soundtracks (not score based soundtracks) to help whittle it down considerably.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
A Prairie Home Companion (2006)
Magnolia (1999)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
I guess I'll nominate Amy Mann's focused Magnolia soundtrack... if you please.
Lost Highway (1997)
Leave it to David Lynch to have Angelo Badalamenti and Trent Reznor to compose original score and then use songs by David Bowie, Rammstein, Marilyn Manson, Lou Reed, Nine Inch Nails and Smashing Pumpkins... With all of that paradoxically fitting together like a glove.
The film is tied into the album of the same name, which spawned two chart-topping singles, "When Doves Cry" and the opening number "Let's Go Crazy", as well as "Purple Rain", which reached number two. The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. The soundtrack sold over 15 million copies in America alone, and 25 million worldwide.[9] The film also coincided with spin-off albums by The Time (Ice Cream Castle) and Apollonia 6 (their self-titled album).
- "Let's Go Crazy" – Prince and the Revolution
- "Jungle Love" – The Time
- "Take Me with U" – Prince and the Revolution featuring Apollonia
- "Modernaire" – Dez Dickerson and the Modernaires
- "Possessed" – Prince and the Revolution
- "The Beautiful Ones" – Prince and the Revolution
- "God (Love Theme from Purple Rain)" – Prince
- "When Doves Cry" – Prince
- "Computer Blue" – Prince and the Revolution
- "Darling Nikki" – Prince and the Revolution
- "Sex Shooter" – Apollonia 6
- "The Bird" – The Time
- "Purple Rain" – Prince and the Revolution
- "I Would Die 4 U" – Prince and the Revolution
- "Baby I'm a Star" – Prince and the Revolution
The soundtrack includes seven songs from The Beatles (also known as The White Album), five from Magical Mystery Tour, five from Abbey Road, four from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, three from With The Beatles, two from A Hard Day's Night, two from Let It Be, one from Help!, one from Rubber Soul, and three other non-album singles.Standard edition track list
- "All My Loving" — Sturgess
- "I Want to Hold Your Hand" — Carpio
- "It Won't Be Long" — Wood
- "I've Just Seen a Face" — Sturgess
- "Let It Be" — Mitchum, Woods
- "Come Together" — Cocker
- "I Am the Walrus" — Bono
- "Something" — Sturgess
- "Oh! Darling" — Fuchs; McCoy
- "Strawberry Fields Forever" — Anderson, Sturgess
- "Across the Universe" — Sturgess
- "Helter Skelter" — Fuchs
- "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" — Anderson, Hayek
- "Blackbird" — Wood
- "Hey Jude" — Anderson
- "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" — Bono, The Edge
Deluxe Edition track list
Disc 1
- "Girl" (Jim Sturgess)
- "Hold Me Tight" (Evan Rachel Wood)
- "All My Loving" (Jim Sturgess)
- "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (Teresa Victoria Carpio)
- "With a Little Help From My Friends" (Joe Anderson, Jim Sturgess)
- "It Won't Be Long" (Evan Rachel Wood)
- "I've Just Seen a Face" (Jim Sturgess)
- "Let It Be (long version)" (Timothy T. Mitchum, Carol Woods)
- "Come Together" (Joe Cocker)
- "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" (Dana Fuchs)
- "If I Fell" (Evan Rachel Wood)
- "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" (Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Teresa Victoria Carpio)
- "Dear Prudence" (Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Teresa Victoria Carpio)
- "Flying" (The Secret Machines)
- "Blue Jay Way" (The Secret Machines)
Disc 2
- "I Am the Walrus" (Bono, The Secret Machines)
- "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" (Eddie Izzard)
- "Because" (Joe Anderson, Teresa Victoria Carpio, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy, Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood)
- "Something" (Jim Sturgess)
- "Oh! Darling" (Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy)
- "Strawberry Fields Forever" (Joe Anderson, Jim Sturgess)
- "Revolution" (Jim Sturgess)
- "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (Martin Luther McCoy, Jim Sturgess)
- "Across the Universe" (Jim Sturgess)
- "Helter Skelter" (Dana Fuchs)
- "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" (Joe Anderson, Salma Hayek)
- "Blackbird" (Evan Rachel Wood)
- "Hey Jude" (Joe Anderson)
- "Don't Let Me Down" (Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy)
- "All You Need Is Love" (Teresa Victoria Carpio, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy, Jim Sturgess)
- "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (Bono, The Edge)
Which soundtrack from the films listed below selected by the members of the IMDb Poll Board do you like most?
#10: Nikolay Yeriomin's choice.
#14: urbanemovies' choice.
Which soundtrack from the films listed below, selected by the members of the IMDb Poll Board, do you like most?
Stephen nominated my choice, Magnolia, and I couldn't decide on a second choice so I'll just vote for 'Magnolia.'


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Academic Rigor
Dorm Life
Food and Dining
Bang for the buck
Clubs and Activities
Campus Safety
The classes at STAC are amazing, the teachers are very welcoming especially for a student who isn't even enrolled yet.
To find more tips for prospective students, what to do for fun and whether this school is great for a particular type of student read the 10 reviews for St. Thomas Aquinas College
Curious about something that isn't answered here? Feel free to ask St. Thomas Aquinas College a question
Saint Thomas Aquinas College is a small private catholic college, but people of all faiths and beliefs are welcome to attend, I myself am not catholic. It's very supportive of it's students and they take the time to work with you one on one with any type of problems you may have. It's a very hardworking school, the professors and staff expect a lot out of you, but are always willing to help whether it's with your studies, how to act at a job interview , business lunch/ dinner etc. It's a very good school.Read More
Unlike large universities, at Saint Thomas Aquinas College you won't find yourself in lecture halls with hundreds of students. Instead you'll find yourself in small classes, some rarely more than 50 students per class. Classes are smaller than usual and easier for students to interact more.Read More
STAC is small, but gives many opportunities to succeed. Here, you are not just a social security number - the staff knows your needs and caters to them. I would suggest this college to anybody.Read More
It is a small school with intimate tides to it's students. Professors and students interact regularly. Housing is comfortable and close to main campus as well as the dinning facilities.Read More
A very helpful and friendly environment to be in. extremely well knowledgeable staff. Small classes for better one on one attention.Read More


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Mall name:
4250 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico - NM 87507
Phone number to Santa Fe Place mall
505 473 4253
Hours (mall)
Monday - Saturday 10:00 am - 9:00 pm, Sun Noon - 6:00 pm.
Driving directions
Other stores in Santa Fe Place:
Looking for another location of Gap store?
Go to Gap store locator to see all Gap stores


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|バンナ Banna
|Naruto Shippūden Episode #233
|Appears in
|Voice Actors
Banna (バンナ, Banna) is a citizen of the Land of Water and an imposter who claims himself to be "Naruto Uzumaki".
As a child, Banna was picked on because of his appearance. He, however, made one friend named Iggy.
Banna is a kind individual, a trait his friend Iggy took advantage of somewhat. He was also a caring individual despite his somewhat brutish appearance as well as jovial despite the harshness that he endured as a child.
Banna is a large, muscular man. He has a short, red spiky hair and a beard that covers his face. In terms of attire, he wore a green jacket with the sleeves torn off over a yellow shirt along with a pair of pants, sandals and arm-guards. He also wore a forehead protector with a backwards Konohagakure symbol on it when posing as "Naruto Uzumaki".
Though not much was seen of his abilities, he possessed enough strength to wield a giant club in one hand with great dexterity.
Part II
Paradise Life on a Boat
Banna attacks Naruto, Yamato, Aoba and Guy while they are in the Land of Water posing as "Naruto Uzumaki". Shocked when he finds out that the real Naruto was right in front of him, he nevertheless challenges him but is beaten and tied up.
While the Konoha shinobi are deciding what to do with him, Iggy appears claiming to be an officer of the law and a shinobi, telling them that he would take Banna into custody. After the shinobi leaves, Iggy frees Banna and it is revealed that the two are cohorts in a scheme to have Iggy gain fame for defeating Naruto Uzumaki. Banna is later captured after a group of Mercenary Ninja hear that Naruto was in the Land of Water and decide to capture him. Banna is later freed by Iggy that comes somewhat reluctantly out of fear. The two attempt to put up a fight against the mercenaries but are unsuccessful. They are later saved by the Konoha shinobi and together they fight the group of mercenaries.
- Banna's name might be a play on the word "banana". This, along with his appearance which is similar to that of an ape, bananas are stereotyped to be their favourite food.


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It may seem hard to imagine now, after a half-century of aspirational advertising and marketing casting those with blond hair in an "All-American" image, but that one physical characteristic was once viewed as the likely mark of being anti-American.
And the atmosphere about this particular type of anti-American remained so intolerant that the wife of a presidential candidate in 1920, Florence Kling DeWolfe Harding, felt compelled to lie, twist, mislead and fabricate nearly all of facts of her family origin.
Beginning in April of 1917, when the U.S. joined England, France, Italy, Belgium, Russia, Romania, Japan in war against Germany and Austria-Hungary, a rabid hatred of anyone in America even slightly suspected of any Teutonic ties often led to them being victimized by acts of hatred and violence or having their businesses boycotted.
Not unlike the way that some members of the Sikh faith in Michigan were killed last week out of an ignorant presumption they were somehow connected to Islamist terrorists, so too were those with yellow-blond hair assumed to be German during World War I and threatened or harassed – even though they may have come from other nations. And many German immigrants who refused to swear allegiance to the U.S. war were thrown in prison for sedition. In New York, some newspapers even printed the names of residents reported by neighbors to be likely "Enemy Aliens."
In New Mexico, an hysterical mob seized a German immigrant miner, forced him to his knees and kiss the U.S. flag. In Illinois, a coal miner was lynched.
Berlin, Michigan became Marne. Michigan. Chicago and New Orleans changed the names of its streets that were German in origin. German measles became "liberty measles," and famously, sauerkraut was called "liberty cabbage."
Dachshunds were called "liberty pups" if the dogs were lucky – many were stomped to death simply because the breed had come from Germany.
German-language newspapers were forced to close. Fourteen states banned the teaching of Germanic languages in public schools. Public libraries stacked German-language and German-subject books for burnings. In 1918, a bill was introduced in Congress intended to rid every German name in every one of the 48 states.
Worse than having blond hair, however, was having a distinctly German surname, regardless of how many generations it had been since one's family had left that land for America. It meant social stigmatization, public derision or being suspected of disloyalty; many quickly Anglicized their surnames.
Among the stories which further fueled the intolerance for German-Americans were those which suggested that cruel, brutal barbarism was simply in their blood. It was illustrated by
tales of them cutting off the hands of Belgian children and the breasts of Belgian women. Propaganda posters even illustrated such acts of the monstrous barely-human "Huns," as Germans were classified. The derogatory term "Kraut" also came into widespread use.
The Armistice ended the war, but suspicion and mistrust towards German-Americans, and the fearful self-consciousness of even those several generations away from Germany remained virulent. As government propaganda director VernonKellogg correctly predicted, "Will it be any wonder if, after the war, the people of the world, when they recognize any human being as a German, will shrink aside so that they may not touch him as he passes?"
At that time, over 8 million people in the U.S. were identified as German-Americans. Among them was the wife of the Republican Presidential candidate, nominated nineteen months after the war ended.
With her maiden name of Kling, Florence Harding was of German parentage through her father. Her first married name of DeWolfe (though there is no marriage certificate and it was likely a common-law marriage when she was a teenager) was French in origin but sounded German. And she was worried about the matter.
Minute details of race and religion were issues of importance to many Americans at the time.
In the town of Marion, Ohio, where she had been born, lived and matured, and where her husband, U.S. Senator Warren G. Harding was now conducting his presidential campaign, it was widely known that their marriage had been opposed by her father because of unproven but persistent legends that Harding had African-American ancestry.
She was born Florence Mabel Kling in 1860, the daughter of Marion, Ohio's wealthiest man, Amos Kling. He owned a thriving hardware store, vast farmlands in the outlaying region, and held interests in banking as well. But he was marked in town as being part of the subtle struggle of "English versus Germans," the latter group being less educated and doing manual labor, having had to walk from Pennsylvania into central Ohio whereas the more prosperous English took river transport. There were German newspapers and social clubs in town and when young Florence went with her father or on her own to collect rent from German-American farmers, she picked up some basic German and learned some of their superstitious customs from having lived in the woods.
When one assiduous Kling family genealogist tried to trace the later-First Lady's paternal line, all she could definitively say was that they originated in Wurttemburg, but that "it is impossible for us to state the Christian name of the ancestor of Amos Kling."
The best estimate was that Florence Harding's great-grandparents had originally immigrated to either Pennsylvania or New York.
With Harding conducting his campaign from the front-porch and property of their home, the national press corps descended on Marion to cover the daily events and speeches. Each day various local residents were interviewed for the "real story" on Warren and Florence Harding.
To combat revelation or gossip about her German heritage, Mrs. Harding played loose with the regional vernacular expression
"Pennsylvania Dutch." Most of the rest of the nation assumed the term indicated ancestry from the Netherlands, rather than from Germany, as was the truth. Florence began talking about her fabricated Dutch heritage.
She so widely disseminated this fib that Warren Harding soon received a letter from the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames Descendants of the Families of New Netherlands. The heraldic organization declared to him that, "We are also glad that Mrs. Harding is of the Holland Dutch blood."
In response to the Dutch descendant organization, Harding responded, "We both rejoice to boast a strain." He then mentioned his own ancestors' specific family names that were Dutch – without providing any of his wife's alleged "Holland Dutch" ancestral surnames. A copy of his letter was even forwarded to the Queen Wilhelmina of Holland.
Conscious of how the anti-German sentiment could work politically against her husband's election because of her heritage, Florence Harding sought to further distance herself from her ancestry by touting her father's mother as being a "French grandmother," attributing her own fussy tastes to her "French blood."
France, of course, had been a U.S. ally during World War I, and she sought to further obscure the truth by suggesting the grandmother was Alsatian, a region where the border with Germany was known to shift. When she offhandedly elaborated that this grandmother had come from "southern France," however, a new concern was raised.
In an era when the Ku Klux Klan was rising to become a powerful force in American politic and making its way into mainstream American culture, the target of their acts of violence against people and property had been expanded beyond African-Americans to now include Catholics and Jews.
In fact, part of Harding's campaign theme played to nativist – though not racist – elements, focusing on domestic issues to be resolved and a promise to limit U.S. intervention in foreign countries.
As President, Harding would also not protest the strict limitations placed on immigrants from predominantly Catholic and Jewish countries. This theme of "America First," could easily be twisted by Democrats seeking to undermine the Harding campaign by seeking to exploit questions about his wife's ancestry.
This gave Florence Harding further reason to worry: her youngest brother Vetallis Kling had married Nona Younkins, niece of the family's Irish Catholic housekeeper and lived in Marion's "Catholic section."
Preventing any such trouble, her brother was discouraged from coming to the Harding home during the campaign and Mrs. Harding further clarified that the grandmother in question was "Hugenot," a French Protestant. In truth, on her mother's side, Mrs. Harding was of English and Hugenot ancestry.
The greatest emphasis, however, was placed on the candidate's own ancestry, which was invariably described as English, Scotch-Irish and Dutch, of "pioneer stock" and "Colonial stock," as if Warren Harding were a horse or dog being bred for the presidency. This was in reaction to Harding himself being made the subject of attacks from racist Democratic Party activist William Chancellor, a professor at Wooster College in Ohio.
Chancellor had begun by handing out handbills at the Republican National Convention telling delegates that Harding had African-American ancestry. Once the campaign was headquartered in Harding's home-town, he slinked around Marion and began interviewing anyone with a grudge towards Harding or his family, gathering everything from truth to gossip for a book.
The book was a racist rant about Harding's mixed-racial background and was printed in the first year of his presidency. It would eventually become the only book in American history to be specifically repressed by the government, the printing plates destroyed and every copy that could be found gathered up and brought to "Friendship," the estate of Mrs. Harding's confidante, the heiress and Hope Diamond owner Evalyn
McLean. There they were destroyed.
The most important copy, however, which contained Chancellor's further notes and information written in the margins and intended for a second, expanded edition – was pulled aside by Evalyn McLean. With her sense of history, this copy was preserved in her papers at the Library of Congress. It was in Chancellor's first edition that it was first stated, "The Klings were Rhinelanders; some believe that they were originally Jewish."
With her German ancestors coming from the Wurttemburg region where many towns in the 18th century did have a Jewish population, it was a possibility.He printed this not out of any interest in genealogical integrity, however, but to raise further objections to the Hardings for those voters with anti-Semitic sentiments. Whether some ancient ancestor of her's had been Jewish seemed moot. Florence Harding's immediate ancestors had been German Lutheran and Methodist.
Throughout the campaign that summer and fall, Florence Harding always made herself available to the press who worked from a bungalow on the back property. As the manager of her husband's local newspaper The Marion Star, she was comfortable around reporters – and knew how to handle them. When one finally confronted her with questions about her ancestry, she snapped back, "I am one-hundred percent American. Always remember that."
And, regardless of where her or anyone's ancestors had immigrated from or what faith they had practiced – she was right.
Exclusive First North American Serial Rights licensed by Carl Anthony Online to the National First Ladies' Library.


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- Have the Philadelphia Eagles failed Carson Wentz?
- Paylor on Chiefs: "They're going to have to win games like this"
- Hollins: Brian Flores holds everyone to the same standard
- Gelb: Browns will make the playoffs, but Mayfield "still a major concern"
- Bills reporter: Buffalo has "gotten bullied" several times this year
- Moon: Brady "made the right decision" to leave New England
- Klatt: College Football Playoff has "hurt the sport"
- Former NFL GM: Aaron Rodgers "sometimes gives feel of disinterest"
- Harlan: Patriots looked sloppy, Broncos saved their season
- Shepard on Tannehill: Sometimes all you need is a second chance
- JR SportBrief 10-20-20 Hour 2
- JR SportBrief 10-20-20 Hour 1
- Should the Browns Bench Baker? (Hour 2)
- Dallas Disaster (Hour 1)
- Can the Bills Win the Super Bowl? (Hour 3)
- Matt Ryan To Cleveland? (Hour 4)
- Kareem Jackson, Broncos Safety
- Bilal Nichols, Bears Defensive End
- Mike Martz, Former Rams Head Coach
- Tiki and Tierney 10-20-20 Hour 3
9-30 Boomer Esiason CBS Sports Minute on the NFL Off-Season
CBS Sports Minute
Wednesday, September 30th
Boomer revisits some of the best NFL off-season moves,


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Newly appointed Oakland University president George Hynd will make nearly $43,000 more than his predecessor, according to a finalized contract released by the university Wednesday.
According to the contract, the university will pay Hynd, 66, a $400,000 annual salary - compared with the nearly $358,000 salary that his predecessor, Gary Russi, raked in - and is eligible for annual raises and bonuses.
The contract also stipulates:
• The university will also reimburse Hynd up to $15,000 for moving expenses.
• He will get at least five round-trip flights between Charleston, S.C., and Detroit through the end of the winter 2015 semester for his wife to attend university events.
• He will receive additional three round-trip flights to return to Charleston.
• The university will reimburse Hynd for a furnished two-bedroom apartment near the university until Aug. 14, 2015 and until renovations to Sunset Terrace, the on-campus residence for the university president, are complete.
• Hynd will also receive a $750 monthly vehicle stipend, according to the contract, but the vehicle must be American-made.
The term of the contract is for three years from Aug. 15, 2014 to Aug. 14, 2017 with the Board of Trustees allowed to grant an extension at its discretion.
The Board of Trustees named Hynd as Oakland University's new president following a brief meeting on July 9, and he will replace interim president Betty Youngblood and assume his duties as the sixth president of the Rochester-area school of 20,000 students Aug. 15.
Youngblood has served in the role for nearly a year after former president Gary Russi abruptly announced his retirement in June 2013, the same day his wife, women's basketball coach Beckie Francis, was fired.
Russi earned $357,875 in his last year, making him the fourth-highest paid state university president in Michigan. When hired in 1996, Russi made $150,000 a year.


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She saw her boss and mentor lose his life due to a Headless Horseman, had to team up to fight off evil with a breeches-wearing man who'd never eaten a donut, and most recently, incinerated a corpse witch with centuries old dynamite, but Lt. Abbie Mills is still standing and going strong on Fox's fall hit "Sleepy Hollow."
"I think a lot of people are watching and they're kind of responding and following her journey because they're sort of like, 'What would you do? How would you exist in these circumstances?'" actress Nicole Beharie, who plays Abbie, told Access Hollywood.
"And it's honestly a lot of fun," she added of making the show.
The new series teams up Nicole's Abbie alongside Brit Tom Mison's Ichabod Crane as the two witnesses who are fighting to stop the apocalypse. Each week brings another challenge for the cross-centuries pair, who've had to scrap with the supernatural — a Horseman, a demon in the mirror and even the reanimated Andy (John Cho), who came back to life in Episode 2, to fight for the dark side. Abbie has the added challenge of giving Ichabod, who last walked the earth in the late 1700s, a crash course in modern inventions. And, in our new interview, Nicole addressed everything from Abbie's caring, informational Post-Its on lamps and showers, to where the Headless Horseman has gone.
AccessHollywood.com: Can we talk about John Cho, who plays Andy, being back on the show? First of all, how fun was it to keep that secret (that he wasn't out after the pilot)?
Nicole Beharie: We're sort of in a tunnel. We are shooting in North Carolina, away from everything. As far as keeping it secret, it wasn't really a lot of work because we're working like all the time, like insane, crazy, crazy, crazy hours. But he's amazing. He's a lot of fun. We've seen him do a ton of different things and this is like a complete 180. Like really? He broke his neck; it's backwards; what's going on? And he's a bad guy. I can't give any spoilers [but] it gets more interesting as far as his character's concerned. … I'm a huge fan of his as well as Clancy Brown, who plays Sheriff Corbin, who appears and reappears and dies and comes back and all that kind of stuff.
Access: Speaking of Sheriff Corbin, it was a 'Lost' like twist when we got to see him at the desk in Episode 2. Would you like to see him continue as her mentor in any way, shape or form?
Nicole: Abbie's definitely at a loss for what's happening at the moment. Because Corbin is sort of in on it to some degree and she's discovering that, he definitely helps to guide her throughout the season and put little bits and pieces together.
Access: At this point, how do you think Abbie feels about all this stuff. Is it good because it makes her childhood makes sense or is she hoping someone slipped something in her drink and she's going to wake up and it was all a dream?
Nicole: I know right? It's like the red pill or the blue pill. What do you do? I feel like it's a bit of like the absurdity of life. I think everyone feels that way and I think that's what's pretty cool about it and that's what people can relate to. Even though this is like a big fantasy picture and it's really out there, everyone's had the moment of like, 'Is this really happening? Is this my life? Am I seeing this? Is everything that's happened to me before preparing me for this moment?' And I think that's kind of where she is. She's figuring out what it all means, but is really skeptical about a lot of it at the same time.
Access: Abbie seems like she's got a tough side, but then we saw in last week's episode she's the kind of woman that puts Post-It notes on lamps and in showers (so Ichabod could figure out how they worked). What did you think of that? It showed her softer side without her having to be all warm and cuddly.
Nicole: She cares. She didn't come from a really frilly, touchy-feely background, but she's a good person and ultimately, she's kind of his caretaker. He has no idea what's going on in the world around him in this day and age and she's just trying to help him become acclimated to the whole thing. And I love that you noticed that, though. It wasn't like a scene like, 'Oh, poor Crane. I'm gonna do this for you.' She just did it and that was it and there's not a whole lot of discussion about it. It's like, 'Here's the clothes.' He chose not to wear [them]. Whatever. But, you know, it's just kind of like cut and dry even though it's coming from a really loving place.
Access: At least he bathed though, which is awesome, because back during Revolutionary times, they didn't bathe that often. So that's probably been more pleasant for you in the car.
Nicole: (Laughs) And, you know, Tom is actually really serious about embodying that kind of thing, so he actually won't shower for like weeks.
Access: What do you think about their relationship — Abbie and Ichabod's — especially since he started probing her about her ex, Luke, in Episode 2?
Nicole: I don't know. I think right now, what I love about it is, it's not a romantic thing. It's sort of like they're figuring out what it means to be with someone from a totally different world, a different time and all that. … Like, following the exact same path and trying to defeat this monster, stop the apocalypse together, with a different vernacular, different tools at their disposal. So I kind of feel like that's what they're figuring out right now. I don't know that there's much more happening, but who knows.
Access: So tell me about Luke. We know he's handsome, a veteran, fairly manly, not good with the jokes. What are we gonna get from him going forward?
Nicole: (Laughs) You seem to have filled in all the blanks on that one. I think that they had a decent relationship, so I guess figuring out why they really broke up and what's going on and the town of Sleepy Hollow has like a ton of secrets, so I wonder if Luke has any secrets.
Access: Speaking of secrets, where is the Headless Horseman and when is he coming back?
Nicole: It's so funny, my sister called me and she was like, what happened to the Headless Horseman… Every episode is going to be a little bit different. Headless — I mean, in the first episode we were basically able to put him in like a purgatorial state, so he's in limbo right now. I don't know when we'll be seeing him again exactly, but we will. That's all I can probably say.
Access: Katrina Crane said in Episode 2, that in order to start this whole thing, this army has to be born and you guys incinerated the first one. So are we going to be facing those sorts of people (creatures) as it goes along?
Nicole: I think we're going to have like a bevy of demonic forces coming at us. I think the forces that be, the powers that be, will sort of unleash whatever tools they have to stop us from succeeding and the Headless Horseman is just one of them really.
Access: So, Jenny Mills — the 'uber demon' (as Tom calls him) is in her mental facility patient room. … What are we going to see going forward? She can kick a**, which is helpful, but their relationship has to be hard, right?
Nicole: Yeah, they have sort of a caustic, they have a tough relationship and there's a lot of history there. It's going to be really interesting to see how that unfolds and how Jenny plays into it, because she obviously knows some things. The Mills sisters are both pretty tough and it's hard to get powerful women in a room in any way, you know what I mean? So I think that's gonna be interesting to see.
Access: I noticed the ladies really like Tom (who plays Ichabod)? Is that weird for you because maybe you've seen him do something ridiculous and embarrassing…?
Nicole: No, he's actually a gentleman, so they have every reason to love him (laughs).
Access: Ok. Is it going to his head yet, all the attention?
Nicole: It was born in his head (laughs). No, I jest, he's a lot fun. He's a sweetheart and yeah, the ladies love him. He's a gorgeous guy and he's so much fun to work with so more power [to them].
So Corbin is going to be to Abbie what Katrina is to Ichabod. I hope the Sheriff is more helpful than Katrina's cryptic ass.


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16 Dishes That We Loved at the City Harvest Bid Against Hunger Gala
At Serious Eats, we're all about food. And even when we're not reading or writing about it, we're perhaps thinking, idealizing, and dreaming about it. But we're also cognizant of the millions of New Yorkers who don't have ready access to food, which is why we're down with City Harvest, an organization that for over 25 years, has helped to feed New York City's hungry.
They continually work to collect excess food from various channels (restaurants, grocers, farms, etc) and distribute them free of charge to nearly 600 community food programs throughout the New York boroughs. And in order to fund this massive effort (they estimate they'll rescue 30 million lbs of food this year), they've partnered with some of the city's best restaurants to throw their annual Bid Against Hunger gala, which was held yesterday evening at the Metropolitan Pavilion.
Fans of The Food Network or Bravo TV's Top Chef could develop whiplash at this event with all of the celebrity-chef sightings. Is that Le Bernardin's Eric Ripert chumming it up with Laurent Manrique, the Chef of Millesime? And would you care to have your photo taken with Scarpetta's Scott Conant or perhaps with the great Daniel Boulud? I would be remiss not to mention the hard-working brigade behind each Chef, every single sous, commis and stage executing for the surging and demanding crowd.
If star-gazing isn't your thing, there are plenty of cool auction items to be had, with all of the proceeds going to charity. If you have enough money to burn, you could win a private dinner for 10, personally cooked for you by A Voce's Missy Robbins, or perhaps you could score a 4-top at the infamously hard-to-book restaurant, Rao's. But of course the food is the star of the show here, and here are 16 bites that I loved at this year's event. But as you go through and enjoy the photos, don't lose sight of the reality that there's no one who appreciates food more than someone who doesn't have enough.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Azamara Cruise Specials
We've gathered all of the Azamara cruise specials ordered by sail date. Click on a special and select a sail date to get a single cruise quote from the cruise agency that posted that particular special. You can also visit our Cruise Search page and check Azamara under "Which cruise lines?" to search all Azamara cruise itineraries to receive multiple custom cruise options to compare.
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Azamara Cruise Specials


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Bone and Joint Institute – Patient Care and Treatment
When it comes to bone and joint conditions, no two patients are alike. Our specialists develop a specific treatment and rehabilitation plan that best meets each patient's needs.
Make an appointment
To schedule an appointment, call us at 717-531-5638
Services we provide
Learn more about our services below, or download our brochure (PDF).
- Foot and ankle: We provide comprehensive management of a broad range of foot and ankle problems. Every year we see over 5,000 patients, and perform over 600 foot and ankle surgeries.
- General orthopaedics: Our experienced orthopaedists evaluate and treat a broad cross section of patients with musculoskeletal disorders.
- Hand and wrist: Our multidisciplinary approach includes surgeons, rheumatologists, musculoskeletal radiologists, and therapists who work together to treat hand and upper extremity dysfunction that arise from arthritis, trauma, and more.
- Hip and knee joint arthroplasty: Our surgeons offer a range of pain relieving procedures including joint preservation surgery, partial knee replacement, total joint arthroplasty, and complex revision surgery. We perform more than 1,000 joint replacement procedures each year.
- Hip preservation: Our Healthy Hip Program provides the region's only advanced and comprehensive clinic dedicated to diagnosing and managing hip pain. Our team of experts includes specialists from orthopaedic sports medicine, orthopaedic trauma, pediatric orthopaedics, radiology, and primary care sports medicine.
- Infectious diseases: Our board-certified experts in infectious diseases provide inpatient and outpatient consultations on complicated, unusual, or difficult to manage infections.
- Orthopaedic oncology: The oncology group employs a strong multidisciplinary approach to the diagnosis, treatment, and reconstruction of benign, malignant, and metastatic tumors affecting the musculoskeletal system of children and adults. The team includes fellowship-trained subspecialists from orthopaedics, radiology, pathology, adult and pediatric oncology, and radiation therapy. We perform more than 150 surgical procedures each year.
- Osteoporosis: In osteoporosis, bones become thin and are more likely to break. Bones most often affected are in the hip, spine, and wrist, but ribs and other bones are also at risk. Our physicians may suggest a bone density scan for patients in a high-risk group to determine if some form of treatment to prevent or treat osteoporosis is needed. This is especially true for women around menopause when estrogen levels fall. There are several techniques for measuring bone density and they are safe and painless. Learn more about osteoporosis and estimate your risk.
- Pediatric orthopaedics: We have the advanced training necessary to treat neuromuscular disorders such as muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, spinal deformities in children and adolescents, complex limb deformities, scoliosis, and limb length discrepancies. U.S.News and World Report has listed our program in the top 50 orthopaedics centers for children.
- Podiatry: We have a team of podiatrists to serve patients with both common and complex foot issues.
- Primary care sports medicine: Our primary care sports medicine specialists have extensive experience and training in non-operative musculoskeletal care for both children and adults, including injections, splinting/casting, and more.
- Rheumatology: Penn State Hershey Rheumatology physicians diagnose and treat arthritis, immune disorders of muscles, connective tissue diseases, and a variety of soft tissue inflammatory conditions.
- Shoulder and elbow: In addition to being board-certified orthopaedic surgeons, physicians on the shoulder and elbow team are fellowship-trained in all aspects of shoulder and elbow surgery. Our expertise includes arthroscopic surgery, treatment of sports injuries, total joint replacement of the shoulder and elbow, and fractures.
- Spine services: Our comprehensive Spine Center will meet all your back and neck pain needs with experts available from neurosurgery, orthopaedics, pain management, radiology, rehabilitation, physiatry, and therapy. We work with you to determine the best course of treatment for your condition.
- Sports medicine: We offer one of the most comprehensive sports medicine programs in central Pennsylvania, and provide expert opinions from fellowship-trained clinicians in all areas of sports medicine, including orthopaedic surgery, neurology, and dermatology, among others.
- Trauma: We specialize in the treatment and management of the most difficult fractures and dislocations and their sequelae as well as limb salvage and restoration of function following orthopaedic trauma. We are also a regional resource for surgeons challenged by complex orthopaedic trauma reconstruction cases.
Contact Info
Bone and Joint Institute - Hershey
30 Hope Drive
Entrance B, Suite 2400
Hershey, PA 17033
Sports Medicine - State College
1850 E. Park Avenue, Suite 112
State College, PA 16803
Penn State Children's Hospital
30 Hope Drive
Entrance B, Suite 2200
Hershey, PA 17033
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HIStory of TRI TIP
California's Barbeque
By Brent Walton
Like all regions of the world and all regions of the United States, we all have barbeque in common. Texas has brisket, the Carolinas have pork, Kansas City has sauce, Memphis has ribs and California has Tri Tip.
Man cooking over fire is as old as man himself. There is just something about it. We sit around a fire and just stare for hours at the flames. It holds our attention like a first run mystery movie. As men we like to tend to the fire and we really love to cook over it. There must be something in our DNA, our genetic make-up somewhere that causes us our fascination generation after generation. Even today with our speed of light, high tech devices and comforts we could never even imagine a few decades ago, we are still attracted to fire and the power it seems to have over us.
Tri Tip plays into our instincts perfectly and it has become the definitive barbecue of California without question. It has a history; it was discovered In Santa Maria, Ca. in the late 1950's. It has an inventor in Bob Schutz, a butcher and meat manager of a Safeway market at the corner of Mill and Vine St. (No longer there)
The butchers were aware of the triangle shaped muscle located at the bottom of the sirloin but it was not easy to get out. It seamed it was a tough piece of meat so it was generally cut up for stew meat or ground into hamburger.
Larry Viegas who was a summer replacement butcher at the Safeway recounts the day the Tri Tip was born! On that fateful day they had plenty of stew meat and hamburger. As Larry cut the big primal piece of meat he had set the triangle piece aside to address later, Bob Schutz decided to grab a piece and put it on the spit with the top block sirloins that they cooked at the store. Top block sirloin was the traditional Santa Maria barbeque started by the Vaqueros' and cowboys at the local ranches in the mid 1800's. Putting large hunks of meat on a spit and cooking over hot coals of red oak that is so prevalent in that area.
Bob seasoned the meat with the simple traditional method of salt, pepper and garlic then let it go for about 45 minutes on the spit over the red oak fire. Larry Viegas recalls chiding him over cooking that tough piece of meat, "that he would chew at it all day". When they pulled it off and prepared to cut it (sliced across the grain) they were shocked at how tender it was. It had a flavor and texture all its own.
No one had ever cooked it whole before! Bob Schutz dubbed it "Tri Tip" and began giving samples to the customers and selling some whole. It did not become popular right away. Safeway did not promote it even though the cost savings were significant at the time. Top sirloin went for about 1.90 a lb where Tri Tip could be sold at .90 cents.
It really started to gain a following when Bob opened up The Santa Maria Market on N Broadway. He promoted and showed customers how to prepare and cook this 2-3 lb triangle of flavor. A local supermarket chain called the Williams Bros picked up on Bob's little discovery and began to promote the Tri Tip as well. It slowly gained its place in California barbeque history. By the 1970's visitors and workers transferring in and out of Vandenberg Air Force helped spread the word. People from the San Joaquin Valley could not get enough of this perfect barbecue nugget. They bought it by the case and spread the word up and down the valley.
By the mid 1980's most of the independent markets had Tri Tip available. In fact meat processors in the mid west sent us their tri tip while we sent them our briskets as we needed the tri tip to meet the demand. Today the word barbecue in California means Tri Tip and rightfully so.
Bob Schutz did not live long enough to see how important his discovery became to California's heritage. He has never been recognized or received the accolades he deserves for his important discovery and dedication to its promotion. He has made an incredible contribution to our way of life here in the valley. So next time you are out at the grill cooking your amazing Tri Tip and knocking back a cold one, propose a toast to Bob Schutz, I think he deserves that!


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The boy stared silently out at honking cars -- a stark contrast to the lively kids shouting "Save Our Teachers" around him -- and gripped a sign with a message and a sad face painted in red.
"Don't Punish Me."
An hour before Sam Waterman, 7, rallied against teacher layoffs with a large crowd of parents and students outside the School Board building Monday, the second-grader learned that his favorite teacher at Anna Maria Elementary School was one of 182 teachers cut in the name of righting district finances.
"I hadn't decided if I was going to tell him or not," his mother, Amberly, said. "But this rally was going on ... it's still a little raw."
Roughly 250 school positions have been vacated as the district clamps down on district jobs to secure savings, officials announced Monday. Of these positions, 182 have been completely eliminated, while the rest may be filled with displaced staff protected by professional service contracts or educators hired back after enrollment numbers are calculated next August.
Superintendent Rick Mills said Monday that staff cuts are a necessary component of a $20.6 million savings plan that includes multiple property sales, outsourcing legal and audit services and cutting 80 district employees from administration in order to recover from years of unchecked spending in the district that led to a multimillion-dollar deficit.
With the cuts and an expected $22.4 million from the state for teacher salary raises and other allocations, the district should exceed $10 million in reserves by the end of next year, Mills said.
New Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Diana Greene said many first-year teachers, teachers with one-year contracts and teachers on annual contracts would not have their contracts renewed as principals made cuts based on allocations issued by the district.
District estimates project that the school system will lose 1,000 students next year, Greene said.
Teachers let go ranged from first-year teachers with stellar evaluations to educators with decades of experience who have been only in this district for a few years.
"There is no cause or reason other than we will not renew your contract," Manatee Education Association president Pat Barber said of the process last week. "Some of these people will be highly effective teachers."
Cuts are expected to continue on the district level in coming weeks. Eliminating 52 individuals in operations and 21 in instruction will save $3.7 million, Mills said.
"Do we have a lean staff already?" Mills said of district level cuts. "Absolutely. But I am confident that ... I can get the right people in the right seats."
'Getting old'
Mills said extra revenue next year would go to curriculum, repaying a portion of funds taken from school internal accounts this year, and finding a way to boost employee pay, along with expected teacher salary increases.
But details are short on how this would play out. How $8.2 million allocated by the state for teacher raises in Manatee County would be distributed -- and whether that pay would be tied to performance -- is still undetermined. The union would have an important role in determining how those funds would be used through collective bargaining, Chief Financial Officer Michael Boyer said Monday.
For many of the more than 100 parents and students who gathered outside the district building on Monday afternoon, teachers should not have been targeted in the first place.
"Eliminating first-year teachers is going to be terrible," said retired Manatee County educator Carolyn Brown. "They bring new, innovative ideas."
Brown stood holding a sign on the sidewalk with her pal Kay Petersen, another retired district educator who graduated from Palmetto High School.
"Having lived here, having gone to school here, it's just so unprofessional," Petersen said. "There are ways to make cuts that aren't on the backs of teachers."
Sam remained quiet as he held his sign and thought of Anna Maria Elementary gym teacher Eric Boso, who lets him play sports and kickball in gym class and is adored by other classmates.
This weekend, Boso showed up to a PTO event to flip burgers, just days after learning he would not have a job this year, said parents who came out in support of him and other Anna Maria Elementary teachers who will be let go.
Later, those parents, students and a few teachers would march to the entrance of the School Board building chanting, "I don't know, but I've been told, teacher cuts are getting old."
No administrators or board members walked through their line of colorful signs. Some had arrived early to avoid the crowd, while others had expressed support at an earlier time. So the crowd sang for each other, and for the teachers that could not be there. A few hours later, they had dispersed. All that was left was a sign, propped up against a pillar, for those that departed the school administration building to see.
"Fewer books. Less equipment. More teachers."
Manatee crowd's signs protest teacher cutbacks
The boy stared silently out at honking cars -- a stark contrast to the lively kids shouting "Save Our Teachers" around him -- and gripped a sign with a message and a sad face painted in red.


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Stick it: Howard pulls right strings
Charlottesville will watch with fascination when the Rolling Stones, some of the foremost practitioners of classic rock in history, take the stage this week. We have some superb musicians in town the other 364 days of the year, though, and one of them is working with an instrument that still hasn't reached a critical mass.
Greg Howard has worked in one musical capacity or another with many of Charlottesville's heavy hitters– Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds– and more recently Thompson/D'earth and sesshin– but he's best known for his work on the Chapman Stick, a unique and relatively recent instrument that combines elements of guitar, bass, and piano.
Picture yourself playing a guitar with one hand and a bass with the other. Now do both at the same time, perfectly synchronized. Oh, and you get just one brain to control it all.
To make things a little less confusing, Howard often plays familiar covers by artists such as Charlie Mingus and The Beatles. To document his arrangements of those songs, he's currently working on a cover album– very slowly and deliberately.
"I think in a way I'm intimidated by the songs," he says. "I want to make sure the versions I release are great. I'm going to take my time with this record, because I really admire the music and want to make sure it's treated well."
So perhaps as an exercise in procrastination, he has been exploring other performance possibilities, including periodic shows as part of the new jazz program at the Blue Bird Café.
"I've been doing some solo performances to try to get back into relearning jazz standards and exposing solo playing," he says, "as opposed to the more experimental music I was doing on Ether Ore."
That disc, his most recent release, is a live recording of seven off-the-cuff, stream-of-consciousness pieces. The Stick, he claims, is a unique vehicle for improvisation.
"It has an incredible range for a stringed instrument, so you can cover all the ground that a bass and a guitar can, but all at once. You can be like two people, which means you have much more interaction with yourself as a player."
Nevertheless, he still plays with a number of other musicians, including John D'earth on trumpet and Jamal Millner on guitar.
"Those guys are great players. When there's a guitarist in the band, I can lay off on the accompaniment and focus on the bass. When there's a wind player like John, there's a whole other layer of interaction."
On October 9, people will have a chance to see what he's talking about when he hosts a Stick Night at Gravity Lounge. In addition to some local guest appearances, Howard will perform with his trio– Matt Wyatt on drum kit and African percussion expert Darrell Rose.
"Darrell and Matt are perfect for one another," he says. "I think that Matt is the perfect drummer for these small ensembles, and they're both very expressive players, so there's a lot of give and take."
There may be a lot of give and take rhythmically, but with that particular group, Howard has control of nearly everything else– and that's the whole point. "Having just one pitched instrument in a trio format gives me a lot of freedom in terms of where I want to take the music harmonically," he says.
"I enjoy the combination of these ancient percussion instruments and this really new electric instrument. I think they sit well together."
Age: 41
Why here? I came here to go to UVA in 1982 and fell in love with the town, then the countryside. I travel a lot, and I like coming home to a wonderful, beautiful place. I've moved away three times, but I always come back.
What's worst about living here? It's becoming more like everywhere else, and that's very disappointing.
Favorite hangout? The Downtown Mall, anytime
Most overrated virtue? Compromise
People would be surprised to know? I shovel horse manure everyday. My wife has two prolific horses.
What would you change about yourself? I'd like to have a lighter impact on the earth. I'm always working toward that goal.
Proudest accomplishment? Being invited back to play at the 2005 Montreal Jazz Festival.
People find most annoying about you? I'm more than willing to offer constructive criticism.
Whom do you admire? Winston Churchill because he knew what he had to do, Mark Warner because he doesn't play politics, and the Dalai Lama because he seems to know how to love all of humanity.
Favorite book? The Greenlanders by Jane Smiley
Subject that causes you to rant? The relentless selling off of our land, resources, culture and institutions to the highest bidder
Biggest 21st century thrill? Meeting, in person, Stick players I've met online from all over the world
Biggest 21st century creep-out? Besides the Bush presidency? People are using the word "pod" a lot.
What do you drive? A 1995 Subaru Legacy Station wagon with 257,000 miles on it.
In your car CD player right now? The as-yet-unreleased new Thompson D'earth CD (still loving it...a good sign)
Next journey? A short trip up to Schenectady, New York, to play at a nightclub, which incidentally is the same venue where my Mom had her wedding reception 45 years ago. I'm also hoping to go out to New Mexico soon to make a new record with Tim Reynolds.
Most trouble you've ever gotten in? A head injury while moving cross-country in a van with all my stuff, by myself, just outside Oklahoma City, in the middle of winter
Regret? Not studying music more
Favorite comfort food? Coffee
Always in your refrigerator? Ale, half-and-half, cheese, mayo, leftovers, eggs, preserves, butter, and old vegetables
Must-see TV? Any Star Trek show (God, I miss them)
Favorite cartoon? "The Far Side" where The Scarecrow's dog eats his new brain while he's on the phone telling his friend that he "just got it and can't wait to put it in."
Describe a perfect day: 24 hours totally alone with my wife– no phones, computers, animals, or work
Walter Mitty fantasy? I'm a successful politician who actually makes a difference in the world.
Who'd play you in the movie? Johnny Depp (no, seriously)
Most embarrassing moment? Last year I was in France, and my host told me that we had to go have some crepes, because they are the best anywhere (I was in Brittany). It sounded like he said "crabs," so I went on a while about how we had great crabs here in Virginia, but he said crepes, which are definitely better in Brittany. Generally, it's whenever I open my mouth and there's someone there to hear what comes out.
Best advice you ever got? Stay out of debt (I should have taken it)
Favorite bumper sticker? Practice abstinence in 2004. No Dick. No Bush.
Greg Chapman