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Morning business
From Conservapedia
Morning business is routine business that is supposed to occur during the first two hours of a new legislative day. This business includes receiving messages from the President and from the House of Representatives, reports from executive branch officials, petitions from citizens, memorials from States, and committee reports, and the introduction of bills and submission of resolutions. In practice, the Senate often does this business instead by unanimous consent at other convenient points in the day.[1]

subset: commoncrawl


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On the PHP in Action blog, despite some agreement with Padraic Brady on his one behavior, one assertion method for writing unit tests, Dagfinn Reiersol still has his reservations.
Pádraic maintains that one assertion per test is a rule that should always be followed unless there is a specific good reason to break it. I prefer it as a guideline, as does Robert C. Martin in the book Clean Code. The reference is not intended as an appeal to authority to "prove" that I'm right. I'm just making the point that I think this reflects the current state of the art, which is not necessarily perfect, of course.
Dagfinn talks about behavior-driven development and illustrates how a two assertions could be combined into one but that the end result "isn't very pretty" - and that's just testing two proterties of a single object. Imagine what would happen if things got more complex.


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Frontline - What Obama Inherited/ $10 Trillion and counting (54 minutes):
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Frontline on National Debt...
Posted byAmy Jamison at8:36 PM
World View & Market Commentary.
Forest first; Trees second.
Focused on Real & Knowable facts that filter through the "experts" fluff and media hyperbole. Where we've been, what the future may hold and developing a better way forward.


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Professional gardening service provided by husband and wife team:
General gardening: weeding, tidying, planting
Hedge trimming
Mowing, brush-cutting and strimming
Tree and shrub pruning and shaping
Small-scale landscaping
Planting and design advice, plant buying
Garden companion service: gardening alongside you.
All garden waste removed.
No job too small, no weed too tough, no pesticides used.
Phone: 07833 231794
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Late goal lifts Montreal over Sporting KC
Impact narrows KC lead in Eastern Conference
Rookie Blake Smith scored in extra time and the Montreal Impact ended a five-game winless slide with a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
Veteran Patrice Bernier made the play happen as he let Hassoun Camara's pass go through his feet to Marco Di Vaio at the top of the box, a play that is called a dummy in soccer.
The veteran striker slipped a pass to Smith on the left side for a low shot between the legs of goalie Jimmy Nielsen.
"Sometimes a dummy creates space, and it allowed Marco time to shoot or make a play," Bernier said. "We tried to push more offensively in the second half because Marco was alone (up front) most of the game and it paid off.
"It gave him enough time and Blake was cold-blooded and was able to finish it off and give us the 1-0."
Smith did a triple back flip to celebrate the goal.
"I want to come in and bring that spark and help the team get that final push," Smith said. "Fortunately, it worked for us this time."
Montreal (10-5-5) moved within one point of the conference-leading Kansas City (10-6-6), with two games in hand. The visitors ended a six-game undefeated streak going back to a 2-1 defeat at home to Montreal on June 1.
The Impact won the season series 2-1-0.
"Both teams know you can't give an inch," Bernier. "It's a playoff type of intensity.
"But this is what we need. This is a team we'll be fighting with for a playoff spot."
Smith had a chance a moment earlier that Nielsen tipped over the bar. It was one of the few solid chances of the game.
Kansas City controlled the ball for most of the first half, but didn't get a quality shot on goal.
Montreal answered with quick breaks and came close as Nielsen made a smart save on Sanna Nyassi in alone on the left side. Another chance came from a Di Vaio free kick from the edge of the penalty area that was deflected wide.
The visitors got a good chance off Graham Zusi's free kick five minutes into the second half, which was headed to Claudio Bieler for a shot that forced Troy Perkins to make a leaping save.
Kansas City had a free kick from 25 yards in the 86th minute, but Soony Saad put it over the bar.
Early in the second half, Perkins needed treatment on the field for a cut on the left eye after a collision with Kai Kamara. Backup Evan Bush warmed up, but Perkins stayed in the game.


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Events for November 12, 2020
Events for November 12, 2020
Events Search and Views Navigation
7:30 pm
OC Meditation
Voted BEST MEDITATION GROUP IN OC by OC Weekly. Facilitated by Daniel O'Hara in the Sanctuary. Are you tired, depressed, have longstanding medical issues or just need mental or emotional clarity? Every Thursday is a different powerfully charged theme night, such as Prosperity Night, ANGELPALOOZA, Lord's Prayerfest, Buddha Bliss, Wholly Healing Night and more, bringing […]Find out more »


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It's Time. Meet X5.
Meet X5, Wheatstone's new flagship FM and HD audio processor.
Built from the ground up, it's based on several breakthroughs, including an innovative new approach to dynamics control and pre-emphasis management.
In more traditional audio processing designs, pre-emphasis is either managed by specialized limiting or carefully designed clipping that merely tolerated the pre-emphasis curve. Thinking about this problem, and the fact that it's been over a decade since there has been a major development about dealing with pre-emphasis, Wheatstone set out, through our work with DSP, to come up with the ultimate solution to the problem.
We have seen what the power of DSP can do to restore audio and video over the years. What if we found a way to apply that thinking to FM pre-emphasis and peak control?
Enter LIMITLESS. FM peak control technology that reconstructs the audio after the application of pre-emphasis. No more dull smeary highs or spitty audio. Just clean and clear high end that's perfectly matched to the texture of your HD audio.
X5 also leads the way with Unified Processing®, which allows the processor to share information between ALL stages. In the X5, the iAGC, Dynamics and Limitless Clipper work together no matter which control a user adjusts. Changes are made automatically, in real time, in ways never envisioned before.
The X5 also includes a totally redesigned limiter. As part of the Unified Processing system, this unique limiter, designed as 31 independent filter banks with no crossovers to colorize the audio, works directly with the X5's Limitless clipper, providing an audio blueprint for how the clipper should behave.
Additionally, X5 offers a full suite of static and dynamic RDS features along with with multi-stream UECP support.
The X5 adds a number of other state of the art features, including LIVE LOGGER which documents everything from remote logins to audio failover to preset changes. Our redesigned bass processor and enhancement controls in the iAGC that allow you to safely equalize your audio for maximum consistency. The days of "maybe it will sound better on the next song" are over. Your audio signature is preserved cut after cut, element after element.
Wheatstone's popular HD/FM audio alignment makes the jump to the X5 with our FM&HD LIVELOCK. The system works either with third-party HD/FM modulation monitors or by itself, using the FM/HD tuner built in to the X5.
Additionally, you can now keep the processor at the studio and still keep HD and FM audio in perfect alignment to the transmitter with our optional MPX SYNC-LINK receiver. MPX SYNC-LINK manages multiple audio streams to keep them in perfect sync, preventing any possibility of the FM and HD audio getting out of alignment.
AES insert points are also available via PPMport. Users can now insert their ratings encoder into the processing system instead of placing it in front of the processor. This allows the X5's specialized front end to deliver a steady audio diet to the encoder and increase the instances of watermark embedding. What's more, the sonic transparency of the LIMITLESS clipper preserves the watermark for more reliable detection at the meter.
X5 also offers built-in watermark encoding for the Kantar Media ratings measurement system.
We've spoken a lot about what's new in X5, but Wheatstone processing users will be happy to know that many of the features we've pioneered in previous models have been incorporated and improved on in the X5, including our legendary Multipath Mitigation algorithm, our composite processing system with selectable look ahead limiting or clipping, baseband192 composite AES connectivity, and a full set of analysis displays.
The X5. Processing for the needs of radio TODAY!
Wheatstone Processing Videos - X5
At NAB 2019, we introduced the X5 FM/HD audio processor along with our new MPX SyncLink. Here are several videos with Jeff Keith and Mike Erickson taking you through some of the new features. Also, there are several videos of customers who've just heard X5 for the first time...
Processor shares information between ALL stages – iAGC, limiters and clipper all share information and changes can be made automatically, in real time, in ways never envisioned before.
Redesigned bass processor and enhancement controls in the iAGC that allow you to safely equalize your audio for maximum consistency.
Full RDS capabilities.
Works either with third-party HD/FM modulation monitors or by itself, with the new FM/HD tuner built in to the X5.
- AES insert points (PPMport) are also available for customers who wish to insert their ratings encoder into the processing system instead of placing it in front of the processor.
- New look and feel, with an intuitive GUI and dual touch screens on the front panel.
- Experienced users of Wheatstone processing will be happy to know that many of the popular features in previous models have been incorporated in the AirAura X5, including:
– an improved Multipath Mitigation algorithm
– redesigned composite processing with selectable look ahead limiting or clipping,
– baseband192 composite AES connectivity
– full set of analysis displays.
What Makes X5 Different? Cool New Stuff...
MPX SyncLink
The available MPX SyncLink extends the X5 with HD/FM alignment from your studio to your transmitter site. It carefully keeps the HD and FM packets in sync so time alignment done with the processor at the studio is maintained straight through to the receiver.
FM & HD LiveLock
Integrated HD and FM analog signal alignment keeps listeners and people meters tuned in to your station even during extreme HD/FM blending conditions. No external boxes needed and no more "dip and skip" in reception that can cause listeners to tune out and people meters to reset, affecting TSL.
HD and FM composite audio are converted to a single WheatNet stream at the X5 and sent over a data link (min 20 mbps) to the SyncLink decoder. There, the audio is converted back to two (2) analog composite signals, one baseband192 (MPX over AES) signal as well as an AES HD signal.
Because all audio is kept in the same IP stream, they arrive at the destination simultaneously and remain in sync. If packet loss occurs, both signals experience the same duration and time alignment is maintained.
Limitless Clipper
Perfect peak control without a trace of IM distortion, no matter how much HF energy you put into the X5!
We re-thought the relationship between peak control and HF pre-emphasis! Limitless Clipper uses proprietary high-frequency distortion cancelling technology to pass the highs, but not the overshoot. No more "spitty" highs or pops from clipping; no IM distortion whatsoever. This clipper will take all the highs you can give it, and never give you back IMD.
This clipper, along with X5's Phase Linear dynamics, gives you the most powerful FM processor on earth.
Unified Processing
Key to the X5's exceptional sound is its ability to have every function in the processing chain be informed by and capable of reacting to every other function simultaneously.
Each X5 function in the processing chain interacts closely with other functions to deliver just the right amount and type of processing needed, letting you create a sound that's as close to the original as possible while still dominating the dial.
Live Logger
Live Logger keeps track of everything happening on your X5. Preset takes? Remote login? Audio failover? Every event is date and time stamped so you can review it. X5 takes audio to a whole new level and, with Live Logger, gives you absolute and complete peace of mind.
X5 features an insert loop to interface your ratings encoder AFTER the processing. This delivers a signal with greatly reduced audible artifacts, which ensures you'll be moving all those meters out there.
Multipath Mitigation
X5's multipath mitigation delivers your signal to more listeners while PPM Port's smart AES insertion points ensure each and every one of those PPMs register. Better sound delivered to more radios – sound that cuts through and sounds amazing.
WheatNet-IP Extends AirAura X5's Power
With WheatNet-IP BLADE-3s, you get a virtual rack room in a 1-rack space box. They handle all the I/O (AES/EBU, SPDIF, AOIP, MADI, SDI and AES 67) and provide full routing capabilities. Each BLADE-3 gives you two 8x2 utility mixers, 12 universal GPI/O ports, 128 software logic ports, silence detection, built-in audio clip player, stereo multi-band audio processing, and much more, assignable anywhere on the network. With it you can create workflows that would require a ton of third-party gear.


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- per page
The KG Bodywork's CIK/11 Duo bodywork is extra stout and made with the aggressive driver in mind. The Duo nose works with any CIK-style quick release system and fits all Margay karts made after 1997. This kit comes with a Duo front spoiler, right and left Duo side pods, CIK/08 Unico style front panel, and Unico style nerf bars to give your pods a stylish fit.
The KG Bodywork's CIK/11 Duo front spoiler is the perfect complement for the aggressive driver. The blunt front and wrap-around design allow the Duo nose to absorb heavy impacts without significant deformation.
The KG Bodywork's CIK/11 Duo side pod is the perfect pod for the driver who wants a sculpted look and extra durability. The Duo pods shape and construction make it very resistant to impacts.
Use this rubber vented plug in your Unico side pods to prevent tire rubber and other debris from accumulating in the pod. Plug snaps in...easy to install and remove.
This 4 piece nerf bar mount kit is for karts with angled nerf bar mounts, that want to mount newer CIK style bodywork and nerf bars. Once welded onto the frame, this kit allows any older chassis to be revamped with a new look!. The kit comes with the tube mounts, and nerf bar mounting hardware.
This kit comes with everything you need to bolt a set of nerf bards on to your newer style kart. The contents include 4 bolts, 4 lock nuts, and 8 washers. With a kit this cheap, it wouldn't hurt to have a couple spares.
- per page


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According to Reuters, Google will have two versions of the Nexus One—one unlocked and one on a service contract with T-Mobile. The phone could be available directly from Google as early as January 5th.
They already had the January 5th date a few days ago, so this second confirmation of the same date might make it a bit more legit.
"In the long term Google will become a seller and get commission from operators," the source said, adding that other operators are expected to follow T-Mobile's lead eventually and agree to Google's terms.
Reuters also quotes Baird Research analyst Will Power on how Google's choice to market their own phone shakes up the smartphone market, but mostly screws other Android makers:
"We expect the launch of a new competitive device to be directionally negative for most of the existing smart phone markers, including Apple, Research in Motion, Nokia Oyg, HTC, Motorola Inc, Palm Inc, Samsung and others, while perhaps most negative for the existing Android partners."
If Google's choice to go the traditional route with carriers is true, it would, of course, dash any possibility that they might be giving this thing away for free. Let's just hope the unlocked version comes cheap. [Reuters]


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Keri Geiger and Dakin Campbell
Friday, 25 October 2013 08:36 AM
Credit Suisse Group AG and Citigroup Inc. are among banks grappling with a round of U.S. probes into mortgage-bond sales, as the government uses a 1989 law to extend scrutiny of Wall Street's role in the credit crisis and seek additional penalties from the industry.
The Justice Department is examining whether both companies violated the Financial Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act, which targets misconduct affecting federally insured financial firms, according to people briefed on the situation. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Bank of America Corp. also are facing FIRREA inquiries, people familiar with those cases have said.
A task force created by President Barack Obama last year is making use of the law, a relic of the savings-and-loan crisis of the 1980s, while examining mortgage-bond underwriting that fueled investor losses and prompted unprecedented government bailouts of banks in 2008. FIRREA carries a 10-year statute of limitations, giving investigators twice as much time to bring complaints than allowed under other securities laws.
The wave of FIRREA probes will lead to "increased litigation costs for banks resulting from government investigations and related private plaintiff litigation and increased exposure for executives involved in these probes," said Keith Miller, a partner at Perkins Coie LLP in New York.
The task force, comprising state and federal agencies, issued subpoenas and a public call for whistleblowers, amassed millions of documents and farmed out the work to about 10 U.S. attorneys offices. The Justice Department's mortgage-bond inquiries now focus on about eight banks, a person familiar with the matter said earlier this week.
Colorado, Brooklyn
Citigroup, the third-largest U.S. lender, faces probes by U.S. attorneys in Colorado and Brooklyn, New York, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the inquiries aren't public. The investigation of Zurich-based Credit Suisse, Switzerland's second-biggest bank, is being run by U.S. attorneys in Colorado and New Jersey, the people said. The Financial Times reported on its website Oct. 23 which attorneys offices are probing the banks.
Spokesmen for the three U.S. attorney's offices, the Justice Department and the companies declined to comment or didn't respond to messages seeking comment.
Citigroup sold $91 billion in home loans through private- label mortgage pools from 2005 through 2008, according to the New York-based firm's most recent quarterly securities filing.
Private Investors
Litigation over private-label securitizations "certainly is the biggest of any remaining mortgage-related issues that we have," Citigroup Chief Financial Officer John Gerspach, 60, said on an Oct. 23 conference call with bond investors. He didn't describe specific demands.
The bank wrote in its annual report for 2012 that it has been cooperating with requests for information from regulators, states and the Justice Department about its handling of home loans, including their packaging and sale in securities.
Credit Suisse sold about $150 billion in home loans to private investors and other non-agency mortgage-bond pools from 2004 through 2010, according to the Swiss bank's 2010 annual report. About $21.7 billion of the loans were sold primarily to banks, the lender said. The bank said in the report that it's cooperating with regulators and other government entities looking into the packaging and sale of mortgage securities.
Wall Street's six biggest banks have piled up more than $100 billion in legal costs, including settlements and lawyers' fees, since the financial crisis while responding to claims over foreclosures and shoddy mortgages, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The time limits for investigations allowed under FIRREA may add to those losses.
Assessing Risks
FIRREA provides for penalties of more than $1 million for each fraudulent statement or act, and as much as $5 million for continuing violations of underlying criminal statutes. Those limits may be exceeded to recover ill-gotten gains or investor losses, according to the Justice Department.
U.S. attorneys in Charlotte, North Carolina, sued Bank of America in August, citing FIRREA. The complaint, seeking unspecified penalties, accused the firm of misleading investors about the quality of loans tied to $850 million in mortgage- backed securities. The bank, which is disputing the case, has said buyers of the bonds were "sophisticated investors" capable of assessing the risks.
The lender was accused in the lawsuit of defrauding investors, including federally insured financial institutions. The U.S. also said that alleged misconduct posed financial risks to Charlotte-based Bank of America itself by making it vulnerable to civil litigation and regulatory cases.
Found Liable
Bank of America is facing additional FIRREA scrutiny, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said this week. U.S. attorneys in Georgia and California are conducting probes tied to Countrywide Financial Corp., the subprime lender Bank of America acquired in 2008, the people said. U.S. attorneys in New Jersey are reviewing deals involving Merrill Lynch & Co., which the firm purchased in 2009, the people said.
Countrywide was found liable of FIRREA violations on Oct. 23 for selling bad loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The amount of the civil penalty the bank will have to pay will be determined later.
JPMorgan, the biggest U.S. bank, reached a tentative $13 billion agreement with the Justice Department last week to end civil claims over mortgage-bond sales, including those handled by Bear Stearns Cos. and Washington Mutual Inc. operations purchased in 2008, a person familiar with the talks said.
JPMorgan Probe
U.S. attorneys in California are examining potential FIRREA violations by New York-based JPMorgan that would be resolved in the settlement to end a variety of state and federal probes, a person with knowledge of the deal has said. Terms of the accord, described by people familiar with the talks, are still being negotiated.
Joe Evangelisti, a JPMorgan spokesman, declined to comment. The bank recorded a $7.2 billion charge in the third quarter to cover the cost of mounting litigation and regulatory probes, resulting in the first quarterly loss under Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon.
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Glossary: conical teeth
Cone-shaped teeth present in some fishes.
Barbodes semifasciolatus – Golden Barb* (Barbus sachsii, Puntius schuberti)
I simply had a question (please forgive if this is not allowed, I read the FAQ but I was not sure). I was wondering if there is any evidence of offsp...
12th Aug 2020
Hara jerdoni (Asian Stone Catfish)
Hara jerdoni can be found in Myanmar as well. I learned of a population at the northern outskirts of Yangon about a week ago. I have 6 of them in my c...
19th Jul 2020
Heterandria formosa – Least Killifish
I have Heterandria formosa but also Neoheterandria elegans and in my opinion it is the latter one that is smaller so I'd say that H. formosa is not th...
10th Jul 2020
Re.distribution . This species is from Lake Mweru and the the Upper Congo . Stanley Pool is now called Pool Malebo and is just above Kinshasa on th...
4th Jul 2020
Parasphaerichthys ocellatus – Eyespot Gourami
I recently got my hands on a group of these guys and they are very social fish. It is also worth noting that they will establish a pecking order from ...
3rd Jul 2020
Cone-shaped teeth present in some fishes.
© 2009-2020 Seriously Fish


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karyampudi wrote:I want to create a Sharepoint Stubbing using java api by, replacing the real files with a smaller file containing only the information necessary to retrieve the original file. Now the real file can be store anywhere and in any format as long it can be restored in a timely manner and unmodified.
karyampudi wrote:This is one of my client Requirement. please help me on the same.This is very argent for me.
Member 11525010 wrote:My question is, can it be possible to host/deploy a sharepoint site in IIS server where we will deploy our asp.net sites usually.?
HemadriT wrote:How can i take backUp and how can i restore that one again.
HemadriT wrote:I Created small SharePoint site by using office365 SharePoint2013.
Now, How can i use that site in mobile device?
General News Suggestion Question Bug Answer Joke Praise Rant Admin
Use Ctrl+Left/Right to switch messages, Ctrl+Up/Down to switch threads, Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right to switch pages.


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Women's Semifinalists for 2012 Awarding of The Bowerman Revealed
NEW ORLEANS – The awarding of The Bowerman – collegiate track & field's top award – is entering its final stages for the 2012 season. On Tuesday, the award's Women's Watch List committee announced this year's semifinalists – they are: Arizona's Brigetta Barrett, Oklahoma's Tia Brooks, Southern Miss' Ganna Demydova, LSU's Kimberlyn Duncan, Oregon's English Gardner, TCU's Whitney Gipson, Ohio State's Christina Manning, Southern Illinois' Jeneva McCall, Illinois' Ashley Spencer, and Oregon's Brianne Theisen.
With the collegiate season complete, the semifinalists will be evaluated by the ten-person Bowerman Advisory Board and three finalists will be named from the semifinalist group on Friday, June 29. The winner of The Bowerman will be announced on December 19 in conjunction with the USTFCCCA Convention in Orlando, Fla. The three finalists will be invited to take part in the award ceremony.
Three on this year's list are semifinalist veterans. Oregon's Brianne Theisen has made Bowerman history in becoming the first person to be listed as a semifinalist three times. LSU's Kimberlyn Duncan and Arizona's Brigetta Barrett are making their second-straight appearance as a semifinalist. Duncan was a finalist for the award in 2011.
Illinois' Ashley Spencer is the first women in award history to be named a semifinalist as a freshman. Spencer won the 400 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, becoming the first frosh to do so since Texas' Sanya Richards (2003).
Arizona's Barrett and Oregon's Gardner and Theisen helped the Pac-12 lead all leagues with three semifinalists, the Big Ten followed with two (Illinois' Spencer and Ohio State's Manning). Seven leagues are represented on the women's semifinalist list. The Pac-12 leads in all-time women's semifinalist appearances with nine and are followed by the SEC (5) and Big 12 (5). TCU's Gipson gives the Mountain West Conference their first-ever showing on the women's semifinalist list.
Oregon leads in all-time semifinalists with five.
(listed in alphabetical order)
|Brigetta Barrett
|Duncanville, Texas
|Tia Brooks
|Grand Rapids, Mich.
|Ganna Demydova
|Southern Miss
|Nikolayev, Ukraine
|Kimberlyn Duncan
|Katy, Texas
|English Gardner
|Voorhees, N.J.
|Whitney Gipson
|Newark, Texas
|Christina Manning
|Ohio State
|Waldorf, Md.
|Jeneva McCall
|Southern Illinois
|Dolton, Ill.
|Ashley Spencer
|Indianapolis, Ind.
|Brianne Theisen
|Combined Events
|Humboldt, Sask.
Brigetta Barrett, Arizona
With sweeps of NCAA high jump crowns in the indoor and outdoor seasons, Barrett became the first in woman in DI history to earn dual-season titles in back-to-back years, a combination of four consecutive national titles between the seasons.
For the indoor NCAA meet, Barrett cleared 6-5 (1.96m) – tied for the seventh-best mark in collegiate history – to take the crown and was one of only two to clear a bar at more than six feet that day. At the outdoor national championships, Barrett won with a clearance of 6-4 (1.93m).
Barrett cleared 6-5½ (1.97m) at the indoor Razorback Invitational in January. That leap tied Barrett for the second-best mark in indoor collegiate history and was the best among the collegiate ranks since 2009 when The Bowerman finalist Destinee Hooker cleared 6-6 (1.98m) to win the NCAA title.
Barrett was undefeated in both seasons with five indoor wins and seven outdoor victories. In nine of those meets, Barrett cleared 6-4 (1.93m) or better to win.
Dating back to 2011, Barrett has won 17-straight competitions versus collegiate competition. Her last loss in the collegiate season was to Washington State's Holly Parent, based on misses, at the Jim Click Shootout on April 2, 2011. In both 2011 and 2012, no one has cleared a bar higher than Barrett in a competition. She was the Pac-12 Champion for the second-consecutive season as well.
Barrett is only the third woman in award history to make a second semifinalist appearance.
Tia Brooks, Oklahoma
Brooks claimed a sweep of NCAA shot put titles in 2012. At the national indoor championships, Brooks won with the collegiate-season's best and overall collegiate best since 2004, 62-4 (19.00m). On the all-time indoor collegiate list, Brooks is now the second-best performer in history, only behind collegiate record holder Laura Gerraughty.
The outdoor title was won with the national-championships' best marks since 1998. Brooks' best mark in the meet was 60-6 (18.44m). In the series of six throws, Brooks claimed four that traveled more 18 meters (59-¾) – all of which would have won the competition. In the two rounds of NCAA competition, Brooks had seven such throws – the rest of the field had none.
Brooks swept Big 12 crowns with the shot and won the Drake Relays title with an outdoor season best of 60-7¼ (18.47m).
Brooks is the first in Oklahoma history to be named a Bowerman semifinalist.
Ganna Demydova, Southern Miss
Demydova won NCAA and Conference USA outdoor titles in the triple jump this year. On her first attempt at the NCAA outdoor meet, Demydova sailed to 46-7¼ (14.20m), marking a new personal best, the collegiate best of the season, and the third-best mark in outdoor collegiate history. Demydova's second attempt was a wind-aided jump of 46-4 (14.12m) and she went on to record two additional jumps over 45 feet (one wind-aided).
She won her second-straight outdoor Conference USA crown with a wind-aided best of 46-½ (14.03m). She was named the league's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year and was awarded with the conference championship's Performance of the Meet.
Demydova qualified for the NCAA outdoor prelims in the long jump and placed fourth in the conference championships in the event.
As a semifinalist, she is the first in Southern Miss history and the second in Conference USA history, joining 2010 finalist, UTEP's Blessing Okagbare.
Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU
After the 2012 year, Duncan is the first woman in NCAA Division I to win back-to-back indoor and outdoor national titles in the 200 meters. That's four straight national crowns in the event for Duncan who still has senior eligibility remaining in 2013.
All told, Duncan now has six NCAA titles to her credit – four with the 200 meters and two with the 4×100 relay.
This season, Duncan contributed 20½ points to LSU's claim of the NCAA outdoor team title, winning the 200 meters, finishing runner-up in the 100, and anchoring the Lady Tigers to victory in the 4×100 relay. She crushed the field in each of the NCAA's four rounds in the 200 meters, winning each race by at least three tenths of a second. In the event's final, Duncan clocked 22.86 despite a 2.3 meters-per-second headwind. In the national semifinal Duncan claimed a new low-altitude all-time collegiate best time of 22.19 seconds — a time that is dubbed as the second-fastest time in collegiate history and is the world-leading mark so far this 2012 season.
In anchoring LSU to their second-straight 4×100 relay national crown, the squad claimed the collegiate-best time of the year and seventh fastest in collegiate history with a 42.68-second readout in the semifinals. The finals time of 42.75 is now the eighth-fastest time in collegiate history.
Indoors, Duncan notched her second-consecutive 200-meter title with a 2012 world-best time of 22.74. Duncan became the first to win back-to-back national indoor crowns in the event since LSU's Muna Lee (2002-03). Duncan also claimed an eighth-place finish at the national championships in the 60 meters.
Duncan had a full season – 65 races in all, including 40 during the outdoor campaign. She was undefeated against collegiate competition in the 200, winning six finals indoors and four outdoors. She ran in 13 of LSU's 4x100s, anchored 12, and lost just once. Combining all finals in individual events and relays during the outdoor season, Duncan went 20-for-24. She only lost once in the 100 meters and that was for second in the national final, once in the 4×400, once in the 4×100 and in the sprint medley relay – both for second place at the Penn Relays.
At the Texas Relays, Duncan won the 100 meters in with a wind-aided time of 10.94. In addition, Duncan helped LSU to a Texas Relays sweep of the 4×100, 4×200, and sprint medley relay and was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the Meet for her efforts. At the Penn Relays, Duncan and LSU won the 4×200 relay and finished runner up in the 4×100 and sprint medley.
She named the SEC's Outdoor Co-Women's Runner of the Year, claiming conference crowns in the 100, 200, and as anchor of the 4×100. Indoors, she was the league champ in the 200 and was runner-up in the 60.
Duncan was named the Honda Sport Award Winner for women's track & field for the 2012 season and was the coaches' choice for USTFCCCA Outdoor National Track Athlete of the Year.
Duncan, a finalist for The Bowerman in 2011, is only the third woman to make a second semifinalist appearance in award history. She also extends the SEC's lead in all-time semifinalist appearances to nine.
English Gardner, Oregon
Gardner, the Pac-12 Track Athlete of the Year, was a double winner in 2012, claiming NCAA titles in the indoor 60 meters and outdoor 100 meters. The last to complete such a double was UTEP's Blessing Okagbare, a 2010 finalist for The Bowerman. In addition, Gardner grabbed an additional national crown as she led off the Ducks' victorious 4×400 at the NCAA outdoor meet with a 51.1 split.
As part of an undefeated season in finals for the 100, Duncan claimed the NCAA title in a season's best 11.10, six hundredths of a second ahead of LSU's Kimberlyn Duncan. Gardner clocked an all-conditions, wind-aided season best of 11.00 to win the Pac-12 title for the second-consecutive year.
She also led the Ducks to the 4×100 title at the Pac-12 Championship and was a member of the squad that took fourth nationally in the event at the NCAA meet.
Indoors, Gardner won the NCAA 60-meter title with a 2012 collegiate-best time of 7.12. In the meet's preliminary, Gardner matched her then-collegiate-leading time of 7.17. Gardner's 7.12 places her third on the all-time collegiate performers list in the event, behind only Lakya Brookins and Angela Williams (7.09). Gardner ran 7.20 or better in the 60 on four occasions during the 2012 indoor season.
Whitney Gipson, TCU
Gipson swept NCAA long jump titles in 2012 and is the third-straight person to accomplish the feat, joining Southern Miss' Tori Bowie (2011) and 2010 Bowerman finalist Blessing Okagbare (UTEP).
Gipson had a breakthrough performance at the NCAA Indoor Championships where she won the long jump with a collegiate-record-equaling 22-8 (6.91m). Gipson tied the 2002 collegiate record set by Auburn's Elva Goulbourne in the championships' fifth round and finished the season No. 4 on the world's indoor performance list. In addition, Gipson had a total of three jumps of 6.20 meters (20-8) and four over 20 feet in the series at the NCAA meet.
At the NCAA outdoor meet, she popped off a second-round wind-aided jump of 22-4½ (6.82m) that would be the best of the championship. The mark was the fifth-best all-conditions jump of all-time at the NCAA meet. In the third round, Gipson notched a wind-legal jump of 22-3¾ (6.80m) which will go down as the outdoor collegiate-season best.
Gipson, the Mountain West Indoor and Outdoor Athlete of the Year, was impressive at the league championships indoors where she won with a leap of 21-10¾ (6.67m) and notched three jumps over 6.50 meters (21-3¾).
She won the Penn Relays long jump crown and was third at the Texas Relays.
As a member of TCU's 4×100 squad, she helped the team to the NCAA semifinals and a Mountain West title. Also at the league meet indoors, Gipson was third in the 200 meters and seventh in the triple jump.
Gipson is the first in Mountain West history and the first in TCU history to be named a semifinalist.
Christina Manning, Ohio State
Manning captured NCAA titles in the 60 hurdles indoors and 100 hurdles outdoors as part of an undefeated season against collegians in both events. The last person to accomplish that double was 2010 winner of The Bowerman – Queen Harrison. She won the national crown in the 60 hurdles in 7.91 seconds, becoming the fourth-fastest in collegiate history in that event. Outdoors, she won the title in 12.89 seconds, marking four straight rounds in which she went under the 13-second barrier.
During the indoor season, Manning also claimed fifth place nationally in the 60 meters. Outdoors, she was a member of Ohio State's 4×100 that finished fifth at the NCAA meet.
The Big Ten Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, Manning swept conference titles in the 60 dash and 60 hurdles indoors and, similarly, repeated the feat outdoors with crowns in the 100 dash and 100 hurdles. For good measure, Manning also added an outdoor league title in the 4×100 and was runner-up both indoor and outdoor in the Big Ten at 200 meters.
Manning is the first in Ohio State history to be named a semifinalist.
Jeneva McCall, Southern Illinois
McCall swept NCAA titles in the indoor weight throw and outdoor hammer throw in 2012. Outdoors, the national title in the hammer was won with a throw of 225-3 (68.67m). She won the weight throw indoors with a best of 75-1¾ (22.90m) – more than four feet better than the competition.
For the NCAA finals site outdoors, McCall was a final-24 contestant in shot put, discus and hammer. She went on to take third-place nationally in the shot put and tenth with the discus. Indoors, McCall was the national runner-up in the shot put.
Her personal best with the hammer of 227-8 (69.39m) came at this year's Vanderbilt Black and Gold meet and makes her the event's eighth all-time performer in collegiate history. With the weight, a mark of 77-11½ (23.76m) at the Saluki Open in January moved her to No. 4 all-time in that event.
Named the Missouri Valley Conference's Indoor and Outdoor Most Outstanding Performer of the Year, McCall won five MVC crowns throughout the year. She swept shot put titles, added a weight throw title indoors, and captured top honors with the discus and hammer outdoors.
McCall is the first in Southern Illinois history to be a semifinalist. She is the second in MVC history to be named to semifinalist list, joining Indiana State's Kylie Hutson (2010).
Ashley Spencer, Illinois
Spencer is the first woman in The Bowerman history to be named a semifinalist as a freshman. This year, she became the first freshman to win the NCAA outdoor title at 400 meters since Texas' Sanya Richards in 2003. She clocked the collegiate season's best and a personal best, 50.95, to take the crown by a quarter-of-a-second. Indoors, Spencer debuted at the NCAA meet with a sixth-place showing in the 200 meters.
The Big Ten's Indoor and Outdoor Freshman of the Year, Spencer swept the 200 and 400 meters at both conference championship meets and added a 4×400 crown and runner-up 4×100 showing outdoors. She was also named the Big Ten Outdoor Track Athlete of the Championships.
She anchored Illinois to fourth-place in the 4×200 and fifth-place in the 4×400 at the Penn Relays.
Spencer is the first from Illinois to be named a semifinalist for the award.
Brianne Theisen, Oregon
Theisen – the first three-time semifinalist in The Bowerman history – added two more NCAA titles to her trophy case this season by again winning national crowns in the indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon. It was Theisen's third claim to national glory in both events. Among NCAA Division I women, Theisen is now tied for fourth on the all-time championship-titles list, including relays and across both indoor and outdoor track & field. She only trails Texas' Carlette Guidry (12), Texas' Suziann Reid (10), and Wisconsin's Suzy Favor (9) in career national crowns.
Indoors, Theisen won the national crown with 4,536 points, joining Arizona State's Jacquelyn Johnson (2006-07-08) as the only other three-time champion in the event.
Outdoors, she won with a personal best and second-best score in collegiate and NCAA meet history – 6,440 points, joining Houston's Jolanda Jones (1986-87-89) and Arizona State's Jacquelyn Johnson (2006-07-08) as a three-time heptathlon titlists. Theisen used personal bests in the 100 hurdles (13.30), shot put (42-4¾, 12.92m), long jump (20-7¼, 6.28m), and javelin (152-2, 46.38m) to compile her winning score.
In January, at Texas A&M's Mondo Challenge, Theisen broke her own collegiate record in the pentathlon for the third time with a tally of 4,555. In that event's high jump portion, Theisen cleared 6-2 (1.88m) in the high jump and finished the season tied for second among all collegians with that mark. Theisen's 4,555 also broke the Canadian record of 4,550 that was set in 1982.
The Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Year, she won the Pac-12 title in the heptathlon (6,353) for the third time.
Theisen was named the USTFCCCA Indoor and Outdoor National Field Athlete of the Year.
Winner: Jenny Barringer, Colorado
Finalist: Destinee Hooker, Texas
Finalist: Porscha Lucas, Texas A&M
(semifinalists were not named in 2009)
Winner: Queen Harrison, Virginia Tech
Finalist: Lisa Koll, Iowa State
Finalist: Blessing Okagbare, UTEP
Christian Taylor, Florida
Semoy Hackett, Lincoln (Mo.)
Kylie Hutson, Indiana State
Mariam Kevkhishvili, Florida
Porscha Lucas, Texas A&M
Francena McCorory, Hampton
Brianne Theisen, Oregon
Phoebe Wright, Tennessee
Winner: Jessica Beard, Texas A&M
Finalist: Kimberlyn Duncan, LSU
Finalist: Tina Sutej, Arkansas
Nia Ali, Southern California
Brigetta Barrett, Arizona
Emma Coburn, Colorado
Jordan Hasay, Oregon
Sheila Reid, Villanova
Jeneba Tarmoh, Texas A&M
Brianne Theisen, Oregon
Multiple Semifinalist Appearances by School (2010-2012)
Oregon (5): Brianne Theisen (3), English Gardner, Jordan Hasay
Texas A&M (3): Jessica Beard*, Porscha Lucas, Jeneba Tarmoh
LSU (2): Kimberlyn Duncan (2)
Arizona (2): Brigetta Barrett (2)
* Previous Winner
All-Time Semifinalist Appearances by Current Conference
Big 12
Big Ten
Conference USA
Missouri Valley
Mountain West
Big East
The Bowerman, which debuted in 2009, is presented annually by the USTFCCCA to the most outstanding male and female collegiate track & field athletes in the nation.
Florida State's Ngoni Makusha and Texas A&M's Jessica Beard are the reigning winners of The Bowerman, which is named for legendary Oregon track & field and cross country coach Bill Bowerman.
Bowerman served the sport of track and field in numerous ways. His leadership in the USTFCCCA's predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole are among his many lasting legacies.
For more information on The Bowerman, the award, the trophy, and Bill Bowerman himself, visit TheBowerman.org.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is a non-profit professional organization representing cross country and track & field coaches of all levels. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members encompassing 94% of all NCAA track & field programs (DI, DII, and DIII) and includes members representing the NAIA as well as a number of state high school coaches associations. The USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as a lobbyist for coaches' interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track & field.


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It was a typical Monday morning for Charles LaVerdiere, chief judge for Maine District Courts: He presided in Waterville District Court, facing 125 people who had to be arraigned between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m.
One by one, LaVerdiere informed each defendant of the charges, for crimes ranging from simple theft to shoplifting, to OUIs, to domestic violence and assaults.
For more than a decade, LaVerdiere has dealt with thousands of defendants and hundreds of lawyers in his courtrooms, and in each case he has a lot on his mind: from making sure a defendant knows his rights, to constitutional issues, to setting a neutral tone – and doing it all quickly, with the weight of so many cases in so little time.
In the midst of all that comes restitution – a court order given to a convicted criminal to repay a victim for damages.
Later that week, in his office at the Maine Judicial Center in Augusta, he reflected on the concept of making victims whole through restitution:
"First of all, we recognize there is a loss," he said. "And we recognize that when somebody has been violated by a crime, that it is an emotional as well as a financial hardship."
The goal is "to do as much as the court can to collect what can be collected on behalf of victims."
Still, the judge said, crime victims in Maine "need to be realistic about the fact that an award of restitution in a case does not necessarily translate to their receiving all of that money."
The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting has found that the state's system for compensating victims of non-violent crimes is overburdened and uncoordinated, and promises what it can't deliver. For example, in Cumberland County alone, convicted criminals are $2.6 million behind on restitution payments.
"The system is imperfect and we know it," Judge LaVerdiere said.
He said that as a judge in Maine, he's found that the "vast majority" of people who come to court and agree to restitution payments find out later that they don't have the ability to pay as promised.
"Many of them are indigent, many are hopeful they will become employed or that they will have the resources from one source or another to be able to pay," he said, and a "very large percentage" of defendants are so poor they apply for free legal services by a court-appointed attorney.
Then why give sentences that include restitution? LaVerdiere said a judge's role in restitution is confined by current law and past judicial decisions. For example, when plea deals brought before him include orders of restitution, he can only accept or reject those deals. His responsibility is not to investigate a defendant's finances, but to act as a neutral party, making sure that the sentence fits the crime and that proceedings are carried out within the letter of the law.
Judge LaVerdiere said the Legislature enacted the state's restitution system in 1977 as ancillary, or secondary, to the central objectives of criminal law.
Restitution, said LaVerdiere, is meant to "instill some responsibility on the part of the individual who committed the offense."
"Restitution is oftentimes difficult simply because, despite the person's interest in paying, they just don't have that ability," he said.
Hoping that the offender will one day pay restitution "is frustrating for victims, it is frustrating for DAs, it is frustrating for courts," LaVerdiere said.
The making of the plea
The vast majority of sentences that include restitution involve plea agreements negotiated between a district attorney's office and either the defendant's counsel or the defendant directly, Judge LaVerdiere said.
If the judge accepts it, then restitution becomes part of sentence. If the judge rejects the plea, further negotiation would occur and be brought before the judge for consideration.
The case could go to trial, and if the "person is found to have committed the offense," said LaVerdiere, "you're again faced with the question of the amount that defendant can pay."
During the behind-the-scenes plea agreements, defendants often agree to restitution orders in exchange for reduced sentences – a process that happens far from the eyes of the judge, said John Pelletier, executive director of the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services.
"The judge is not listening to one lawyer saying, 'The restitution is wrong,' or 'The client can't afford it,'" said Pelletier. "The prosecutor is saying: 'This is why we need restitution.' Often, the judge is not making a decision made on arguments; the judge is approving an agreement that's been made."
There's a "large incentive" for defendants who make plea agreements to agree to restitution, said Pelletier, because it "generally makes prosecutors much more willing to forgo other aspects of the sentence if they can get that restitution order."
"You know, in frank terms, if the restitution is agreed to, and if it's paid up front, there's often less jail time, or the fine might be less," Pelletier said.
Maine statute requires that the court consider a person's "present and future financial capacity" to pay restitution, Pelletier said.
"If a person in front of the court is able-bodied and has a potential to find a job," that can be enough for establishing that ability to pay, Pelletier said.
At the same time, if a defendant in Maine says he has the ability to pay back restitution, he must be taken at his word, said LaVerdiere, citing the criminal code and past court decisions. There is no financial screening.
Poor defendants "are often uneducated and have barriers to employment," Pelletier said.
"It's often the case that … paying all the restitution is not a realistic outcome for this individual," Pelletier added. "I think that restitution gets quite a high priority from the courts and the prosecutors, so I think the determination of ability to pay is often made with some optimism."
'I can't tell you …'
LaVerdiere said he cannot estimate how many people pay restitution in full.
"The only ones who the court sees are ones who are in default," he said. "I can't tell you if the vast majority of people pay restitution and never come back to court. Or whether all the people I see are highly representative of the group as a whole."
Each district attorney's office is responsible for maintaining all of its own information about how much restitution is owed. The state court system does not maintain such data, LaVerdiere said.
The Legislature recently approved paying for a new case management system for the courts.
LaVerdiere said the new system will allow courts to better know how many people are ordered to pay restitution, and transmit restitution orders directly to a district attorney's office at the time of judgment.
"We will be able to electronically send information with regard to restitution to the Department of Corrections, to district attorneys, to victim advocates and others," LaVerdiere said, noting that such information is now shared manually. "That manual system is not the greatest."
'It's a resource issue'
LaVerdiere said it's tough for victims to accept that their restitution may never be paid in full.
"Unfortunately, there is no system that would allow us to guarantee every victim that they would be able to be reimbursed," he said, noting that victims of crime may have options like insurance or lawsuits to recover losses.
The judge said that though 100 percent collection is unlikely, the state's system to assist crime victims owed restitution can improve. Enforcing and collecting restitution orders often boils down to time and resources, said LaVerdiere, addressing a balancing act he knows well as a judge.
"It's a resource issue," said LaVerdiere.
"But", said the judge, "we are again in a situation where the resources that we have available to be able to devote to this are limited. And we find that again a large portion of people just don't have the ability to pay, no matter what the process is that we use."
When it comes to restitution, the Maine criminal code is focused primarily on the defendant's ability to pay, LaVerdiere said.
A 2013 Maine Law Review article noted that in Maine's criminal restitution system, defendants are given "near-endless extensions" to pay, while victims have fewer procedural rights.
"That's a policy issue that the Legislature has grappled with in the past and I'm sure will grapple with in the future," LaVerdiere said. "Until that law is changed, that's the focus we have to place when making our decisions."
The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news service based in Augusta. Email: [email protected]. Web: pinetreewatchdog.org.
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The third largest region in France, Aquitaine lends itself to all your holiday desires : from the Basque Coast to the Périgord-Limousin Natural Regional Park, discover its beaches, cities steeped in history, many picturesque villages, medieval fortified towns and also its mountains, vineyards and the Landes Forest.
The first spa region in France
From Hendaye on the Basque Coast to Verdon-sur-Mer in Gironde, Aquitaine offers 250 kilometres of fine sandy beachs, sailing marinas and seaside resorts. The joys of surfing are yours for the taking in Biarritz or Biscarrosse, as are the benefits of thalasso therapy, the pleasures of lazing on the beach and swimming in the sea, or perhaps you would prefer to climb the famous Dune of Pyla in Arcachon? The most important spa region in France, Aquitaine boasts no less than 30 spa towns, including Dax, France's top spa town.
Stories to tell which are over a thousand years old
Aquitaine has stories to tell which are over a thousand years old: visit the Lascaux caves listed by Unesco and the Pierrefitte Menhir which unveils fragments of prehistoric civilisations in the heart of the Dordogne one so called « Valley of Mankind ». The National Museum of the Château de Pau, the Château de Bonaguil, among others, bear witness to the rich history of the Aquitaine region. The Cathedral of Saint-Sacerdos in Sarlat-la-Canéda and the Cathedral of Saint-Front in Périgueux reveal the importance of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. Aquitaine's cities steeped in History : visit Bordeaux but also Biarritz, Bayonne, Pau, Périgueux…In 2007 Unesco listed almost half of Bordeaux (around the Port de la Lune and the Pont de Pierre) as an "exceptional urban and architectural ensemble", built in the age of Enlightenment. Take a stroll around the area, admire the reflections in the Miroir d'eau or contemplate the collections at the CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art.
Aquitaine, a delight for the food-lover
Aquitaine is also a delight for the food-lover, with around twenty Michelin starred restaurants. In the Landes and the Périgord, you will find duck breasts, gizzards and foie gras are the specialities. The Basque country treats you to Bayonne ham, sheep's cheeses and espelette chili.
But the gastronomic trump card in Aquitaine is to be found in its vineyards. From Unesco-listed Saint-Emilion to the House of the Wines of Jurançon, through Planète Bordeaux or the House of Wines in Bergerac, you can sample the finest vintages from the Aquitaine region.
A mountain for any season
The Pyrenees stretch for more than 110kms from the Rhune (west of the Basque Country) up to the Col du Pourtalet (at the foot of Pic d'Ossau opening up to l'Aragon). As for valleys to discover, don't miss those in the Basque Country and the 3 valleys of Béarn (Barretous, Ossau, and Aspe at the gateway of the National Park of the Pyrenees)
Go out in Aquitaine
Every season, Aquitaine invites you to come and celebrate: from the Feria de Dax to the Fêtes de Bayonne, via the Grand Pruneau Show in Agen. Aquitaine also shares its passion for culture through various major event: Mimos, the International Mime Festival in Périgueux, the Jeu du theatre Festival in Sarlat, or Cadences, the Dance Festival in Arcachon.
Places such as Walibi Sud-Ouest or the Bordeaux-Pessac Zoo make Aquitaine an ideal destination for family holidays.
Sun, History, exotism, dynamism, with gastronomic highlights : emotions guaranteed for tailor-made holiday!
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Things to see
© Cité du Vin - Casson Mann
Cité du Vin in Bordeaux
© Atout France/Catherine Bibollet
Pic du Midi
Point of interest
© Sources de Caudalie/Nature Morte
Vinotherapy: Relax and Rejuvinate with Wine
© Atout France/Franck Charel
Tower of Pey-Berland in Bordeaux
Discover Darwin – in Bordeaux
© Bordeaux, musée des Beaux-Arts - Frédéric Deval
The Musée des Beaux-Arts of Bordeaux
© Institut Culturel Bernard Magrez/Droits réservés
Rendez-vous at Bernard Magrez Cultural Institute
© Planète Bordeaux / All rights reserved
Planète Bordeaux
© La Winery/Alain Souloumiac
Rendez-vous at La Winery in Arsac-en-Médoc
Cave of Pair-non-Pair
© Cité du Vin - Casson Mann
Cité du Vin in Bordeaux
Château of Cadillac
© Heurisko


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Dhoni lodges complaint against Gambhir to BCCI
Under fire after back-to-back defeats in the home series against England, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is unhappy with Gautam Gambhir's "attitude and on-field ethics" and has lodged a complaint to the BCCI against the left-hander, a media report claimed today.
Indian skipper MS Dhoni feels that Gautam Gambhir puts his interest above the team and has become too self-centred. The Indian captain has gone to the extent of lodging a complaint to the BCCI tagging the opener's approach as "selfish" and "hurtful to the team", 'cricketnext' website reported, quoting an Indian player who pleaded anonymity.
"Of late Gambhir has gone into a shell and focusing on just to save his place in the team. His prolonged poor form has resulted in low self-esteem and he's cut off from other issues pertaining to the team," the player was quoted as saying.
"But what irked Dhoni was Gambhir playing for himself and not for the team. It was evident in the way Gambhir batted in the second innings of the Mumbai Test that he was more interested in carrying his bat by remaining not out, rather than shielding the tailenders and scoring quick runs. "...Every run was crucial but Gambhir chose to be a mute spectator. The whole world saw that and everyone was taken aback. The effort to contribute to the team wasn't there. Look how well R Ashwin batted with maturity during his unbeaten 91 in the Kolkata Test and he isn't a specialist batsman. He shepherded the tailenders superbly and scored vital runs. If Ashwin can do, why couldn't Gambhir?" the player said.
While assuaging thoughts of any bad blood between Dhoni and Gambhir, the report cited the run-outs of Virender Sehwag in the first innings of the Kolkata Test and Cheteshwar Pujara in the second as moments which precipitated India's downfall and left Dhoni miffed with Gambhir's current approach.
"On both occasions, Gambhir was at fault. While there were clearly three runs in Sehwag's case which Gambhir declined, the call for a run to Pujara was ill-judged. He was having a tough time against Steven Finn and wanted to get off the strike. His desperation cost Pujara his wicket. Dhoni doesn't have doubts about his integrity or commitment," the player said.
Gambhir's attitude has not gone down well with Dhoni, who is determined to win the Nagpur Test and level the series, and he conveyed his thoughts to the BCCI officials in no uncertain terms, the report claimed.
The website report said one of the BCCI officials will speak to Gambhir before the match and the matter will be sorted out. "It is important that all the members take the field in the last Test with the motto of giving their best shot," he concluded.
A source close to Gambhir asserted that though the opener hasn't performed to the potential in this series, Dhoni was playing gimmicks to undermine Gambhir. "Dhoni's captaincy is under fire. He's being censured by one and all. His place in the Test team is questioned; his defensive and unimaginative mindset as a captain is unmasked, so he's trying to pass the buck and blame others - whether his batsmen, spinners, Sehwag and now Gambhir - to save his face," the website said, quoting the source.
"He (Dhoni) sees Gambhir as a potential threat to his captaincy and wants to undermine him. Mohinder Amarnath has tipped Gambhir to take over the captaincy from Dhoni and proclaimed that Dhoni uses his clout in the BCCI to push his agenda. He thinks that he can dictate terms in every matter...", the report added.
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I was sitting in the Hard Rock Cafe in Atlanta this weekend and thinking... How cool would it be if Sirius contracted with HRC to start a channel that played the same music they play in their restaurants and called it the Hard Rock Cafe Channel??
The cool thing about HRC programming is it is a wider range and variety of a lot of rock genres.
Sirius genres fall into specific compartments. Heavy (Octane/Buzzsaw/Hard Attack/ etc.), Classic (spectrum/vault/classic rewind), the Alternative channels (Alt Nation, Faction, etc.) and edgier mainstream pop (Sirius Hits 1, Pulse, etc.)
How about a channel that played all the best of all these genres from all rock years? Instead of reinventing the wheel, the HRC already has the programming streaming to their cafes... Sirius could sign the deal and just plug in...
I wouldn't change the channel and I think it would be a great partnership because each would be indirectly advertising for the other.
What do you think?


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ATHENS, Greece – Greece's prime minister said Friday he's determined to avoid early elections despite a deep rift with a coalition ally, which threatened new political instability in the bailed-out country and prompted warnings from international creditors.
One year into his mandate, at the head of a three-party coalition formed to stave off financial collapse, Antonis Samaras said his overriding priority was to persevere with reforms demanded to keep the country's rescue loans flowing.
"We have three years left, and we will see them through," Samaras said in an address televised live.
The political crisis was sparked by Samaras' unpopular decision last week to yank the state-run broadcaster ERT off the air to save money — axing all 2,656 jobs. Both his centre-left minority partners objected strongly, but matters came to a head late Thursday when the Democratic Left party rejected a compromise that Socialist Pasok accepted.
"I want us to proceed all together, as we started," Samaras said after the negotiations broke down. "But I will forge ahead in any case."
With Pasok, Samaras' conservatives have a slim parliamentary majority that would allow the government to pass key reforms, including the pledged sackings of some 15,000 public sector employees by 2015. It was not immediately clear whether the Democratic Left would remain in the coalition.
Austerity inspectors from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund are in the course of reviewing Greece's progress with reforms, and will return to Athens by early July.
The European Union's top economics official, Olli Rehn, said the ball is in Greece's court.
"It is very important that the Greek government and the administration identify the technical work on the fiscal policies and the structural reforms that need to be adopted before the review can be completed," he said after a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Luxembourg late Thursday.
Rehn argued that recent stability in Athens has yielded encouraging signs of a recovery for the recession-mired Greek economy.
"I do hope for the sake of the Greek people that this stability will be preserved," he said. "I want to appeal to the sense of responsibility of political leaders in Greece."
IMF spokesman Gerry Rice warned that Greece has just over a month to deliver quickly with pledged reforms to ensure smooth release of bailout payments.
"If the review is concluded by the end of July, as expected, no financing problems will arise because the program is financed till end-July 2014," he said.
ERT, whose workforce costs have been considerably trimmed over the past three years, is funded by obligatory contributions from all Greeks — whether they own a TV set or not — and by advertising revenue. After years of murky finances, the corporation is now turning a modest profit, and critics argue that sacking its entire workforce makes no financial sense, particularly as the state budget will have to bear the cost of compensating all laid-off workers.
ERT's closure on June 11 sparked days of protests outside the corporation's Athens headquarters, and was sharply criticized abroad.
The Geneva, Switzerland-based, European Broadcasting Union has backed ongoing broadcasts by ERT employees that are being streamed online, while Amnesty International also condemned the shutdown.
EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre, speaking at the European Parliament Thursday, sharply criticized Samaras' actions.
"The abrupt decision to close down ERT … actually isn't going to save the country any money," she said. "ERT was funded from the license fee by citizens. ERT was generating a small surplus. The channel was not bankrupt."
A high court has sanctioned ERT's closure but condemned shutting off the signal, in a provisional ruling issued this week. Fired ERT employees protested outside the central Athens court Thursday as judges met to reach their final decision.
AP Writer Juergen Baetz in Luxembourg contributed.


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Welcome To The Archive for "The Shape of Water"!
THE SHAPE OF WATER – an other-worldly fairy tale, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1963. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa is trapped in a life of silence and isolation. Elisa's life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda discover a secret classified experiment.
Find out more on Amazon.com! | Find more on ebay!


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Did you know that walking dinosaur adult costumes are highly interactive? They are based on the latest technology and come with all sorts of electronic components including a camera, a built-in monitor and speakers with high quality realistic sound. All these features make these costumes very interesting and almost lifelike. They are designed to be easy to use for anyone even if they don't have any prior experience of wearing a realistic dinosaur costume. Because of these advanced features, such a costume is also known as animatronic dinosaur because it can move around, produce roaring sounds and blink eyes like a real dinosaur.
The best thing about a dinosaur or dragon costume is that it comes with effective communication to facilitate interaction. Most of the products found on sites like Amazon and eBay are designed for kids or they are inflatable costumes offering no real value for your money. They don't look very realistic and hence prove to be very dull and boring. A realistic dinosaur costume, on the other hand, is actually very convincing. Children might even consider it a real dinosaur because it is so lifelike. It is therefore important to find a costume that offers all these features and proves to be a very useful choice for anyone.
Since the purpose of a dinosaur puppet is to entertain people, it needs to be equipped with some advanced interactive features. It comes with legs that the user can wear and walk around effortlessly like a real dinosaur. The sound box that comes with such a costume is loaded with realistic and surprising sounds like opening and closing of the mouth and a dinosaur roar. You can find two types of adult dinosaur costumes: one that comes with hidden legs and the other one that comes with visible legs. The hidden legs one looks scarier and more lifelike as the legs of the wearer are not visible.
Dinosaur costumes designed for adults are perfect for TV shows, movies, themed parks, museums, shopping malls and parties arranged at home. They are designed to offer realistic appearance with sounds so that the person interacting with them can actually get a feel of a real and live dinosaur. It surely does sound like an amazing experience. Custom-made dinosaur costumes are also available that a user can order based on their requirements like size, choice of sounds, and some other specs. All in all, a dinosaur costume can be a perfect addition to your collection of items to play pranks on others.
Media ContactCompany Name: Only Dinosaurs Science & Technology Co. LtdContact Person: KevinEmail: Send EmailPhone: +86 133 8833 7810Address:No.168, Kong Da Road, Da An District City: Zigong ShiState: Sichuan ShengCountry: ChinaWebsite: https://onlydinosaurs.com/


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Road show service
Casablanca Coach Worldwide is the proven leader in the fast-peace world of financial road shows. Built around the core values of accountability, communication, exceptional customer care and professionalism, Casablanca Coach Worldwide is the "Road Show" company known within the financial services industry for flawless execution of the most complicated itineraries.
To accommodate your most intricate road show plans, including multi-city tours with ever-changing logistics and locations, we offer a dedicated road show desk and phone number, road show passengers are demanding-and rightfully so. Their work is essential. Their time is precious. That's why Casablanca Coach Worldwide assigns our top chauffeurs. All experts in road show business.
Our Reservation Specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you plan your trip. Please call us at 617.350.0350.


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Fuentes offers a preview
It was a glimpse of things to come for Angels fans: Brian Fuentes, facing lefty-swinging Eric Chavez with two on and one out, and down goes Chavez swinging. When another southpaw swinger, Jack Cust, flied to left, Fuentes was out of a jam he'd created for himself with a pair of one-out singles.
Fuentes is the closer, but we can expect to see him in eighth-inning situations occasionally such as this along the way: two on, tough lefty bats coming up. He sees himself as a closer who doesn't mind coming in for an out now and then in the eighth — as long as he gets to finish. Fuentes gives Mike Scioscia a feared southpaw specialist. As good as Darren Oliver has been, that's not who he is. Oliver is just as effective against right-handed hitters as lefties, and he's a guy you want in games for at least an inning.
The Angels' bullpen will have a different look this season with what Fuentes provides. Scioscia won't hesitate to let Scot Shields or Jose Arredondo close games if necessary on occasion –the former domain of K-Rod and K-Rod only.
2 Comments
Do I need to read between the lines?
Will Shields or Jose close if Fuentes gets 4 outs the night before?
Did Scioscia not use F-Rod in the 8th with men on because of his propensity to let inherited runners score or didn't F-Rod want to come in?
Fuentes in the eighth will be only an occasional thing, for special situations. He's the ninth-inning guy. Scioscia knows how to manage a bullpen as well as anybody I've ever seen. It remains to be seen if K-Rod will miss the only manager he's ever had. None of these guys — Fuentes, Shields, Arredondo — will be burned up. There's too much quality depth behind them with Oliver, Speier, Jepsen or Bulger — to force anything.


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Sources of pre-analytical variations in yield of DNA extracted from blood samples: analysis of 50,000 DNA samples in EPIC
(Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2012)
The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition (EPIC) is a long-term, multi-centric prospective study in Europe investigating the relationships between cancer and nutrition. This study has served as a basis for a number of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and other types of genetic analyses. Over a period of 5 years, 52,256 EPIC DNA samples have been extracted using an automated ...
Social Inequalities and Mortality in Europe - Results from a Large Multi-National Cohort
(Journal article; Tidsskriftartikkel; Peer reviewed, 2012)
Socio-economic inequalities in mortality are observed at the country level in both North America and Europe. The purpose of this work is to investigate the contribution of specific risk factors to social inequalities in cause-specific mortality using a large multi-country cohort of Europeans. A total of 3,456,689 person/years follow-up of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and ...


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– So Montreal's Tits brothers and Roman Hamrlik have been linked to a gentleman arrested last week for allegedly dealing drugs. While initial reports show that the Tits and Hamrlik were not involved with drugs, they were involved with vodka, cars and women. This is just the latest chapter of the wackiness that is the Montreal Canadiens, as reports on the net have surfaced regarding some of the younger Hab's partying ways. While the fans in Montreal are flipping out, the rest of the league can just sit back with some popcorn and watch another Eastern Conference team spiral away. (The other candidates for the death spiral are the Pens and the Rangers. Both are redefining the term "hot mess.")
And yes, I realize that the Sabres aren't a bunch of choirboys, and that a quick search of the internet could find any number of incriminating photos of them. Roy-Z's appearance on Deadspin a couple of months back is proof positive of this. However, while Buffalo manages to freak out about the Sabres, we somehow manage to have controlled freakouts. Well, except for that little freakout last winter over Brian Campbell's performance at the Buckin Buffalo, that is.
– A couple of weeks ago, Bucci posted a list of who he would consider worthy of enshrinement on each team's version of Mount Rushmore. His choices for the Sabres included Hasek, Martin, Perreault and LaFontaine. I'd keep Hasek and Perreault and Martin and swap Lindy Ruff in for Pat LaFontaine. While LaFontaine is one of the good guys of the game, he spent only 6 years in a Sabres uniform. While I think that he would have spent more time with the Sabres had he not had the concussion problems, I think Lindy belongs on Rushmore more than LaFontaine does. As a lot of blogs have put it, Lindy's a true Sabre. He played nine years for the organization and served as captain for almost three. In addition, he's been the team's coach for 12 years and is the longest tenured coach in the league. He's spent almost half his life working in some capacity for the Blue and Gold. He's led the team to a Stanley Cup final, three Conference finals and a President's Trophy. He's one of the key faces of the organization, and is beloved by both fans and players alike.
First runner up would be RJ, with Ted Darling a close second.
– Something tells me Father Cooke and the rest of the good Jesuits aren't going to take this news very well. When I saw the story on the Channel 2 News, I just about snorted a Runt out my nose when I read a reader's comment that Canisius wasn't a Catholic college, but a Jesuit one. The stupidity, it astounds me.
– And shut up, Hilary Duff. Faye Dunaway can act circles around you. Please to be enjoying your time in Ottawa with Mr. Comrie.


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Despite the fact that 2K Play sent me a plush cow stuffed with a whoopie cushion to promote it, I wasn't finding Herd Herd Herd nearly as charming as I thought I would. Then the sheep showed up.
First demoed at E3 2012, Herd Herd Herd transforms your finger into a sheep dog. Nowhere in the game's description does it say this; that's just how it is in my head. Woof.
The game involves herding various animals, starting with chickens, into color-coded pens, avoiding obstacles and predators while collecting stars. Starting with chickens might have been a misstep. Chickens are boring. Delicious, but boring. So urging the little feathered bastards about the board ahead of my finger fell a little flat. Eventually the solo chickens gave way to groups of chickens (collectively, a bucket). This was slightly more interesting and challenging, but I still wasn't quite feeling it.
It wasn't until the fourth of eight barns (each contains eight levels and one bonus mini-game) that I started genuinely having fun. That's when the sheep showed up. Sheep are cool. Sheep can jump. Sheep can double-jump. Sheep have to avoid electric fences. Sheep are especially delicious.
Looking at the trailer, eventually I will unlock cows. Cows being chased by bears. At that point I feel 2K and developer Cat Daddy Games are just showing off. For $.99 on iTunes (Android coming soon), they should have stopped at sheep.


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
Recent data shared by Google's Michelle Morris at their ThinkAuto event in September clearly demonstrated why car dealers need to have a mobile strategy. With the exponential increase of mobile search traffic being documented by Google, dealers must have a compelling mobile website that converts these mobile shoppers into showroom ups.
But there is another aspect of the story, which might not be as obvious, that car dealers need to prepare for. Mobile traffic will amplify broken phone processes.
Google is predicting that by 2013 over 29% of searches will be coming from mobile devices while over 18% will be coming from tablet devices. Any car dealer that understands these statistics will certainly be reviewing their mobile search strategy for 2013. Specifically, dealers need to make sure that their paid search strategy is robust in that it covers new, used, service and finance searches conducted by mobile consumers.
Review your mobile visibility with this simple test in your local market on your smart phone. Conduct a few searches in Google and see if your dealership is showing up in the two paid search spots on the limited mobile "window".
For example, if you are a Honda dealer, type in these searches on your smartphone:
If your dealership is not in the top two spots on the mobile device for popular low funnel searches, then you better revisit your mobile marketing strategy and budget.
If you need assistance with your digital marketing strategy for 2013, consider attending the upcoming Digital Marketing Strategies Conference in Orlando just prior to the NADA Convention on February 5-7.
Dealers who have been testing mobile paid search ad formats have come to realize that the "click to call" functionality in mobile ads generates significantly more phone calls compared to email leads from mobile website forms.
In fact, the number of phone conversions can be 3-4 times more than lead form submissions.
With this reality in mind, I am reminding dealers that their phone processes must be placed under the microscope. As mobile ad formats connect with an increasing number of mobile device users, calls from paid advertising will increase as well.
PCG Consulting has been working with PhoneNinjas.com, founded by Jerry Thibeau, to help dealers create sustainable phone processes that increase the likelihood that a consumer calling the dealership will come in for a test drive.
For a majority of our shared clients who religiously use the Phone Ninjas system, appointment rates increase by at least 100% in 90-120 days. You can do the math for your dealership; the upside is significant!
Yet the majority of dealers who we speak to at conferences, 20 groups, or on webinars DO NOT have mandatory scripts for phone call handling. Few dealers even include multi-day phone training as part of the hiring process before new employees can take a phone-up. Dealers spend tens of thousands of dollars each month to make the phone ring yet they do little to make sure the experience is first class.
Dealers who recognize the increase in mobile traffic to their website and invest in mobile advertising must now also prepare their dealership for an increase in phone calls. Unfortunately, broken phone processes are the number one sales "leak" in dealers that we inspect as part of our initial digital marketing and operations assessment.
Take a look at how consumers are using mobile devices to shop for a car in the data graph below from Google:
Will this INCREASE in mobile device activity make the phone be ring more often? Yes!
Phone scripts and phone call accountability is nothing new but lately you could say that the Internet craze has taken management's "eyes off this ball." So what are you waiting for? If you are not happy with how your phone calls are being handled, get some help. Fix the problems before they are amplified by mobile search traffic and the predisposition to call over submitting a lead.
Mobile search traffic is on the rise. Embrace it with a renewed commitment to creating a first class experience when mobile shoppers decide to call your dealership.
If you would like assistance with your dealership's phone processes or would like onsite training for your internal teams, give PCG Consulting a call to discuss how we can assist your dealership maximize all the opportunities to connect with today's online shopper. You can also contact Jerry Thibeau at PhoneNinjas.com directly for more information on their services.
Brian Pasch, CEO
732.672.2356 (cell)
Order a copy of my latest book "Unfair Advantage" on Amazon.com today and get the wisdom and insights from top industry leaders to move your dealership to great profits.
Views: 908
Ecellent Post
OEMs and micromanagers everywhere, take note. If you're scrutinizing email responses with a stopwatch and a checklist, but categorizing the phone as something other than "digital" or not really the internet department's responsibility... phone calls are where it's at.
This has been a long time coming and should not be any surprise to any automotive marketer who has NOT been hiding under a rock... For several years we have seen the growth of Web access via smart phones, and there have been so many predictions around phone based web access becoming predominant for so long, that my reaction is "are we there yet?". So, if your dealership has not incorporated mobile based advertising and search engine marketing strategies, you need to get on this... now.
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