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Frederick E. Allen, Forbes Staff
I am the Leadership Editor of Forbes.
At Kraft Foods they have discovered over and over again that under the right conditions you can set people loose with all the cash they want and they will innovate their way to remaking struggling parts of a business into profit machines. For instance in 2007 Tang, the old powdered breakfast drink, was doing poorly around the world, so executives at Kraft gave people in charge of the brand in various countries "a 'blank check,' essentially urging them to dream big and not worry about resources. The results have been astounding. In the last five years, Tang has doubled sales outside the U.S."
That's according to Sanjay Khosla, Kraft's president of developing markets, and Mohanbir Sawhney, a professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, writing in Strategy & Business. They explain:
What if resources were not a constraint? If managers were free to dream and act big without worrying about busting their budgets, they would be limited not by resources, but by their imagination. We believe that business leaders can unleash tremendous untapped potential by unshackling their people and their businesses from resource constraints (while still, of course, holding them accountable for results). The key insight is that business leaders, instead of defining budgets and resources, should focus on defining ambitious goals, while leaving it to their managers and their teams to ask for whatever resources they need to achieve these goals.
Kraft has done this repeatedly, Khosla and Sawhney say. The Tang teams came up with innovations like developing local flavors for the product, such as tamarind and horchata in Mexico; marketing the drink as affordable and nutritious, with added vitamins; and emphasizing its greenness, making people aware that it costs little to transport because water is added by the consumer, minimizing its packaging, and getting kids to recycle its bags. Kraft likewise gave its Cadbury brand in India a "blank check," and the innovations there included doubling the use of store display cases that both presented the chocolate attractively and kept it from melting; greatly increasing the advertising budget; and marketing the product with a new focus on the Indian tradition of having sweets at important social moments. The result: record revenues.
You can't simply throw money at people and leave it at that, of course. Kraft has a five step process for its "blank check" program: (1) Carefully figure out what part of the business to target, looking for an area with past success but definite room for real growth. (2) Pick the team to bet on, looking for people who are naturally accountable for the business area but who also show great potential. (3) Define the goals and plans, setting clear, measurable targets and quickly getting a basic proposal from the team, not more than two pages long. (4) Write the blank check, so that the team really knows it is authorized to proceed and can do whatever it needs to do. (5) Monitor the results, setting milestones with clear metrics, and of course expecting a certain amount of failure along the way.
In other words, unleash the world of possibilities that a blank check and real freedom to innovate can open up, but with smarts about getting that check to the right kind of people facing the right kind of challenge, and, perhaps hardest of all, with serious discipline that will encourage, not stifle, creativity and ensure real progress toward the final goal.
Khosla and Sawhney feel they've proven that the "blank check" can make great things happen. They conclude:
Even seemingly sleepy businesses hold tremendous untapped potential. If business leaders can liberate their people from the limitations of budgets and resources, they will find that their people will surprise both leaders and themselves with what they can achieve. This is the power of blank checks.
Thanks for the great column Fred – but I feel the need to reframe it a bit. In my opinion Kraft is terrible at innovation, but has implemented a tactic for helping the company defend & extend outdated business lines.
If you look at the first step of the process, they very narrowly target what people can work upon. And what we see at Kraft is having people work on existing businesses/brands that are doing poorly. Kraft ranks nearly dead last when it comes to creating and introducing any really "new" product. Instead they are unleashing resources on trying to improve performance of dying products. That's not innovation.
The case study is a good example. Introducing a new flavor variation of a powdered drink (Tang) is far from innovative. It is simply extending the product line with the most minimal of local market connection – changing the flavor. They didn't launch a new beverage category (like energy drinks) or change the nutritional coeffficient (like yogurt drinks or electrolytes) to actually innovate a new consumption area where Kraft could lead, but rather they simply added flavors. Not much different than "topping competitions" in the pizza business.
Steps 2 and 3 actually mean there is no "blank check." By carefully selecting a team they make sure nobody is likely to "go off the reservation" with a real "hair brained" idea. The team is designed to focus on saving what exists with minimal cost and change. Which is what step 3 enforces – by setting very clear goals, targets and metrics in advance they make sure nobody tries to reach too far. By having short-term goals that are clearly aligned with existing busienss goals it is assured the outcome will be slight improvements to the status quo, and nothing too disruptive that would risk meeting the pre-set metrics.
Step 4 is a non sequitur. Imagine "I will give you a blank check to spend all you possibly can in 3 hours, within a 7-11 store on office supplies." Yes, an extreme example but it makes the point. What the team can do is so pre-defined that the budget is closely boxed. Kraft can say the budget is open-ended, but in reality it is not.
Which is reinforced by step 5 – you must meet short-term, predefined results. Innovation is highly constrained by the use of metrics which keep people from doing anything risky. Instead, the process reinforces trying mundane ideas (like flavor variations) that have likely been considered, and "on the shelf," for years – but not allowed an attempt.
Kraft's process is a good one for a company looking to defend & extend a moribund product line. Tang isn't far from Velveeta in most minds – a product you remember but havent' bought for ages. These tricks may convince you to try it again, but very quickly the consumer is reminded why they quit buying Tang — it has too much sugar, isn't really healthy, doesn't taste all that good, has a taste very dependent on the tap water (inconsistent), isn't bubbly, doesn't have caffeine, doesn't offer health benefits (like antioxidants or electrolytes), and isn't convenient (you have to make it) — and basically isn't competitive with all the options that now exist. The second jar is rarely bought, and soon the product line continues it's long-term decline.
An interesting article Fred, but this isn't really about innovation. And by claiming it is the risk is created that people will think this is innovation (and is a "blank check" process) and create the short-term "pop" in a longer-term decline, then be left wondering why it didn't really work.
What I enjoyed most about your piece, Fred, was the element of dreaming. As Adam highlighted from his perspective in the comments, the blank check theory itself might be flawed, but I see tremendous value in encouraging employees to make time to regularly contemplate what's possible for themselves and a company's customers.
At Round Table, we're a boutique storytelling company, and we orchestrate quarterly retreats where we frequently set aside what we refer to as dreaming time. Without looking at restrictions, we pontificate on what is possible: where our passions lie, where we want to take the company, where we see opportunity for our clients, and where we want to shift in our own lives. We recently added film and video services to our offerings because one of our key employees mentioned a desire to shift in that direction. Six months later, we've filmed two projects for clients and have numerous opportunities in the pipeline.
Another of our key employees shifted from a role that primarily focused on organization to one that now focuses on customer happiness. Our clients love and trust her, as do our staff, and her focusing on their happiness has led to increased business and productivity.
Both of these shifts have brought more joy to our company and to the lives of our employees, and have allowed us to deliver greater results to our clients. We find that when you activate your staff in this kind of way, they become empowered to think differently about their contributions and the value they deliver clients. You give them an opportunity to redefine what matters to them and then make it a bigger part of their everyday life. From a culture standpoint, that's an exciting conversation. And when you see greater value being delivered to customers, it just becomes a no-brainer. Add that these employees become amazing spokespeople for the brand, and its easy to see how exponentially valuable this kind of thinking can be.
Thanks again for the article. I appreciate the blank-check theory and the perspective that adds to this conversation of activating your people.


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Rosh Hashanah, the two-day celebration and time of personal reflection that marks the Jewish New Year, begins Sunday, Sept. 16.
"These are probably the holiest of our calendar, and the introspection that takes place at this time is important to us," said Jason Moss, executive director of the Jewish Federation serving the greater San Gabriel Valley. "We need to always contemplate ways we can grow and do better."
If you are looking for ways to spend the holiday, look no further.
Here is a list of services that synagogues in nearby Temple City and Pasadena are hosting:
Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center (1434 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena)
Sunday — 8 p.m.
Monday — 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday — 8:30 a.m..
Temple Beth David (9677 Longden Ave., Temple City)
Sunday — 7:30 p.m.
Monday — 10:30 a.m.
What is your favorite Rosh Hashanah tradition or memory? Tell us in the comments.

subset: commoncrawl


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Lair News
Factor 5 reveals Lair for the PS3
Lair is a brand new Factor 5-developed PlayStation 3 game, deep in development and will apparently be an exclusive to the PS3. No surprise their as Factor 5 announced months ago that they were dumping Microsoft developed games. The trailer is "Comprised Entirely of In-Game Footage" as it i...
- Posted Jul 22nd 2005
- Read more
Factor 5 developing solely for PlayStation 3
While speaking to News.com on the last day of E3, Julian Eggebrecht, president of the San Rafael developer Factor 5, the company responsible for the Rogue Sqaudron series, said his company is now creating games solely for the PlayStation 3. "I was shocked by how powerful the new consoles are,&q...
- Posted May 26th 2005
- Read more


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Daniel Fisher, Forbes Staff
I cover finance, the law, and how the two interact.
Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times has a heartrending story today about underage prostitutes who are pimped out on Backpage.com, a website with roots in the swinging personal ads that have appeared at the back of the Village Voice since the 1960s.
Kristof describes how a 13-year-old he calls Baby Face was advertised on Backpage and repeatedly raped by older johns. He quotes Brooklyn prosecutor Lynn Hersh as saying "Backpage is a great vehicle for pimps trying to sell girls." He notes that Craigslist got out of the business after public protests and pressure from state attorneys general.
It's all true — except Craigslist hasn't really gotten out of the business and Backpage isn't the best place to run an illegal enterprise, at least if you want to keep your business secret from the cops. The company, a unit of Village Voice Media, says it takes credit card numbers for all ads, including free personals, and responds to subpoenas within hours.
It is true Craigslist got rid of its "Adult Services" advertising category in September 2010, but that doesn't mean prostitutes and pimps aren't still using the site. Type in this Google search if you're curious: site:craigslist.org inurl:cas roses. "Roses" is code for "dollars" in the world of Internet prostitution, and you get more than 20,000 listings by people who seem to be talking about sex and money in Craigslist personals. Want to find more professionals quick? Search for "Asian massage" on Google, or "site:facebook.com escorts new york." I'm not saying they're all prostitutes, but chances are there are more than few among the legitimate escort agencies and massage parlors that advertise online.
Kristof notes that attorneys general of 48 states sent a letter to Backpage last August accusing the company of being a "hub" for child sex trafficking activity. Investigators identified hundreds of prostitution ads and reported that "nearly naked persons in provocative positions are pictured in nearly every adult services advertisement." As opposed to Craigslist personals like this one and this one (warning: explicit).
It's curious that the AGs are targeting Backpage, which they say earns some $22.7 million a year from adult personals. Yes, Backpage makes money from randy ads — parent Village Voice been doing that for decades — but it's also the online equivalent of a European red-light district, contained and easily monitored by the police. A Backpage executive who spoke on condition of anonymity told me the company has 123 moderators reviewing the content of ads to try and identify ads for underage prostitution.
Since posters also supply credit-card numbers, it isn't hard in most cases for police to track down who places those ads. (The advertiser in the Kristof case wrote a plain-vanilla personal ad for "labor day weekend fun" with a 21-year-0ld, but his credit card number allowed him to be quickly identified, Backpage says.) The Backpage executive said the company responds to about 100 subpoenas a month, and dispatched an employee to testify before a grand jury called by the Brooklyn prosecutor Hersh as recently as September.
Backpage has taken a defiant tone with the AGs and prosecutors who accuse it of aiding prostitution. The company was recently blamed for prostitute killings in Detroit but Backpage showed that the victims had advertised on at least 15 other sites and there was no evidence the killer had relied on Backpage to find the victims. Its executives are quick to supply the links and Internet code words that show just how ubiquitous Internet prostitution really is. (Try searching for "BBBJ" or "talent gigs" and lots more action pops up.) While Craigslist and other sites have discouraged the use of phone numbers, advertisers simply spell them out or place them in photographs; Google the numbers and you'll see they are often for dubious-looking escort services. Many of those even have explicit Google reviews.
Kristof acknowledges "there's some risk that pimps will migrate to new Web sites," but it seems obvious they never left. So when the AGs declared victory over Craigslist in 2008, it may have been a little premature.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with trying to shut down the vigorous market for human flesh. It's equivalent to targeting child pornography: Eliminate the producers of this ghastly product and the exploitation will diminish.
But the choice of targets is curious. Especially when one of the leaders of the effort is Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna. Not only is Washington home to Microsoft, whose Bing search engine and software helps power the Internet prostitution business. McKenna's s official bio also notes he practiced business and regulatory law at Perkins Coie from 1988 to 1996. Among the law firm's many clients is Craigslist, which it successfully defended in a 2009 case by the Cook County Sheriff accusing Craigslist of facilitating prostitution.
Upfront, I completely support all law enforcement efforts to root out underage abuse.
I hope that readers of this well written article, can see that a vehicle should not be blamed for the actions of the driver… with so many categories and varied interests, I have used Backpage and CList for many things… If someone does not want to be exposed to something they consider unsavory, then don't click on it. And- I'll tell you, since Law Enforcement can easily point/click, let the idiots post on there- it'll save the police time… but DON'T blame Backpage/CL- they are just the vehicle, not the driver.
I think it is a shame for any man to take a child before she is ready and have her live an adult life. I got with a man when I was 16 he was ten years older than me, I am caucasion, so was he, He was not a pimp he did not make me sell my body, but he beat me terribly if I acted childish or did childish things, he forced me into an adult life by violence. I am now 25 and am an escort, I left that man when I was 21. I have been escorting for a year and two months to this day. I have put this Little piece of myself on here so you can understand the person behind these words. I used to have a pimp when I first started escorting (he met me after I had begun and I'm lucky to have met him). Lucky? I can see the look of appall on your faces now. So let me help you understand (promise I have a point have to break this down so even the most small minded or ignorant person may understand) It's very important you understand. Yes lucky because had I not met him I would be dead a long time ago or I would wish I was dead. Why? There are way worse pimps than the one I met I came to learn quick by talking to other girls. I had never been beat by him, he never made me do anything I wasnt comfortable with and never put me in danger. He Never would let a minor work. ( I no longer have a pimp simply because I grew out of the need for one) Sadly not everyone is so kind. Yes there are men out there who are taking these little girls and showing them a world they dont have no business being in. Yes Sometimes they beat and starve them. However I feel the approach you are taking is the wrong one. They will find another way to do this. So where do you start on fixing this problem? Remember when drug awarness started? I was still in school and I remember it did not help my generation, but I know for a fact it has helped the next generation and the next too. I know because I can tell less kids are doing drugs than ten years ago. Trust me this is true not much but it's a start. You need to start treating the underage prostitution problem the same way. Teach these kids early what to avoid so they can avoid these kind of situations instead of blaming people who are just trying to make livings or survive. Give the men who do pimp underage girls Life in prison. That will definately help. If someone had taught me right when I was young I would not have went to airline school instead of running away with my ten years senior boyfriend who has scarred me for life. Awareness is where you need to start it will help. I have came across many men while escorting and I promise you, Pimps are one of the last things you need to worry about. If there wasnt escorting rapes and murder rates would rise considerably. Hopefully despite what I do or Who I am you will take these words to heart, and listen.
Like anything else in this world, there will always be some people trying to down others for personal gain. Someone needed a pay check so they make out criagslist and backpage out to be bad things. Yes it is wrong to have underage children on backpage. It does say u have to be 18 or older.NOT BACKPAGES FAULT. but think…why was this person able to get sweept up by a pimp? where are parrents when these things happen? and Raped?? i think that 99.9% of people who have pimps go willingly at first. but not going to get into that. i do feel bad if that was the case and that should never had hapend. but u have to also look at the people who did it. did they see or know how old this person was. Did they think it was rape when it happend? And on another note. bp does do credit/debit card transactions… but they also make prepaid cards and gift cards, you can buy almost anywhere… its nothing to give a fake name and adress. so no its not as easy for police. They still have to work :) sry police… I do not think backpage should be to blame. and craigslist has not stoped. they just post on another subject lol. Bottom line pimps and hoes will always be around… Watch your kids, this wouldnt happen. and the same pople having something bad to say, have used to site once or twice…may evan be a regular on there lol. Nothing wrong with having people hang out for some time. nothing illegal in that. If thats the case the whole internet would be shut down.
I'm tired of big government trying to control every aspect of our lives. It's sad that people abuse children, but blaming Backpage for it is just stupid. By shutting down websites like Backpage and Craigslist is just another violation of our Constitutional Rights. The people who hire young children are the ones responsible. There's a million ways on the internet to advertise. Can't shut them all down. Picking on a few websites won't solve the problem and it only violates the adults rights who post on there. Educating young children will help stop the problem and giving stiff sentences to offenders (pimps) who abuse children, will help stop this kind of atrocity. Leave Backpage and Craigslist alone!
It's sad that people abuse children, but blaming Backpage for it is just stupid. By shutting down websites like Backpage and Craigslist is just another violation of our Constitutional Rights. The people who hire young children are the ones responsible. "Quote from Alexandria" I agree with Alexandia.
Thank You, innocent1
This is just another case of liberals being crazy. 99.9% of the women who are on backpage are adults without a pimp. No pimp or underage girl in their right mind is going to post an advertisement that can be seen by law enforcement. The women on backpage are adults.
This is just crazy liberal hysteria. It's like when some criminal shoots someone with a gun and liberals try to demonize all gun owners and try to ban guns.
If you're for or against prostitution, fine. Just get your facts straights. 99.9% of the women who post prostitution ads are adults without a pimp. As usual, the liberals and the media try to give a megaphone to that .1% and try to pretend like it's the norm.
How about the heartrending story in the May 5, 2011 'The Economist' which share the story of the 17,000 juvenile inmates who were raped in 2008 by the jail staff? Or how about the well over 100 cases in 2010- 2011 of law enforcement officers having sex with minors? How about the 90% of all cases of child sexual exploitation in which the perpetrators are someone whom the child knows and trusts… like the Jerry Sanduskys of the world- and 68% of those are family members who sexually abuse those minors? Parents like Keith Brown- father of the musical group The Five Browns… who sexually molested his daughters for years while parading around as a pillar of the community? Does anyone care about THOSE victims or are we only going to go after consenting adults until we close down all ADULT ads on every media venue to protect the children? How about the untold number of victims of pedophiles in Hollywood that former child star Corey Feldman talked about to the press and which never got any media attention at all because the perpetrators are all men with power in Hollywood and the media does not bite the hand that feeds it?
If you are to be consistent, which I certainly don't expect from journalists at all- particularly those who subscribe to ANYTHING that Nicholas Kristoff has to say on prostitution- then why isn't the media demanding that we shut down athletic programs where pedophiles are likely to encounter their victims?Or pass laws preventing priests from being around any adolescent alone at any time? Because 90% is far more heartrending than the few who are found on backpage.com- and while yes, one is too many, how many victims of pedophile priests, preachers, teachers, coaches, producers, agents and cops will it take to get the media attention and see you start an all out crusade to shut down venues in which the majority of predators find their victims? And it ain't on the internet! Much too easy to pick on adult prostitutes and our clients because we are the last acceptable scape goat for all the ills of society- and because most of the time we don't have the resources or the media ear to fight back.
Anyone who wishes to see the US Government reports and the untold number of cases of pedophile law enforcement agents can visit www.policeprostitutionandpolitics.com and find links to all the government's reports. You don't need to believe a retired prostitute- read the government's own reports and then tell me why 90% isn't important enough to write about?
Lets add to that list of how BAD COPS abuse the adult women.
1)In 2010 a lowell ma cop arrested for raping a street hooker,
2)in 2010 a Boston Court house clerk was convicted for violating the civil rights of 3 women by threatening them with their pending cases for sex inside a holding cell.
3)2011 Ct chief of police arrested for child porn
4)2010 PA chief of police engages in sex acts with 13 women and then arrests them all for prostitution.
5)PA cop caugjht running a prostitution ring, renting the women cars and providing them drugs and he got a paid leave of absence and all the charges where dismissed.
To see more bad cops at work go to http://theproviderpage.com/news/TheProviderPage-News.php
How dare you… Bringing facts to the argument! Next thing you know, you'll mention how giant child kidnapping rings are ran by government contractors ~ ahem, dyncorp, ahem~ and have been called out on the floor of congress and yet still continue to do business with them. Or that More children get abuse in the CPS than any other organization including the roman catholic church.
The Truth Shall set you Free


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1. like Letter-Q-Artwork on Facebook
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127 Comments
z4xc said 69 weeks agoDat color choice. Great design though.
jgc7881 said 69 weeks agoBeetlejuice! Beetlejuice!! BEETLEJUICE!!!
TeeMT said 69 weeks agoBeteljeuse!
DarthMalice said 69 weeks agoSOLD!
huf2much said 69 weeks agoGreat design!
Jennifer3 said 69 weeks agoOMG!!!! SOLD!!!!!!!!
Danger Van said 69 weeks agoThe design is amazing! Thank GOD for the silver option though or otherwise... meow!
kitcatbrat said 69 weeks agoFinally! A shirt for the recently diseased! No no, Alec Baldwin, it's deceased.
cyberbat said 69 weeks agoneverending story mashed tater with what exactly?
Danger Van said 69 weeks agoI did NOT type "meow" for the record... razza-frazzin teefury!
jeffbel said 69 weeks agoDesign is amazing! I would never wear either of those 3 colors though, way too light.
MrBosch said 69 weeks agoNeverending Story + Beetlejuice = Interesting...
grousseau said 69 weeks agoWe love Beetlejuice, beetlejuice, beetlejuice here, but must pass. The wallet was chewed up by firefly tees. Lol
Jhubbard0019 said 69 weeks agoUp less than 10 minutes and I already bought two
nikoves said 69 weeks agoA beetlejuice/auryn ouroboros. Awesome.
ath5130 said 69 weeks agoSuch a cool design! I think it'd be cool with more color though.
thrashingale said 69 weeks agoWoah, LOVE it!
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!
Prystauk said 69 weeks agoExcellent design!
deedoublejay said 69 weeks agoGreat design. Gonna have to sleep on it, due to the colour choices. The side art's all good, too, though I don't know what they are, other than the Super-He-Man.
X Chris said 69 weeks agoPeople really need to stop complaining about colors. You complained so much that they finally gave you color choice AND you still complain. How about adding a little variety to your wardrobe. Maybe that's the solution.
By the way, awesome design.
Newvis said 69 weeks agoI was gonna buy this one regardless of color, but it looks especially sharp with the silver. Great, great design!
Dynomoose said 69 weeks ago
X Chris
said: People really need to stop complaining about colors. You complained so much that they finally gave you color choice AND you still complain. How about adding a little variety to your wardrobe. Maybe that's the solution.
By the way, awesome design.
It's like these people have never heard of textile dye.
RevChuck said 69 weeks agoAs a response to all of the colour choice complaints (especially regarding the common darker choices), I only wear dark or bold coloured shirts. I have read a few people complaining that all three choices were too dark while I was having a hard time deciding which colour I would get. However, this shirt (which I would have bought) comes in white, slightly off-white and slightly more off-white, so I will not be buying it at all. Perhaps these complaints would stop if there was a greater variation in colour choices? Maybe a black (or dark grey, or brown?) and a light cream, or white and then a bold complimentary colour as well? Just a thought.....
cyberbat said 69 weeks agoRevChuck- my thoughts EXACTLY!
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Essence Hanoi Hotel
In the Old Quarter, Hotel Essence features a restaurant, free Wi-Fi and a tour desk. It offers air-conditioned rooms with an LCD TV, and rental of cars and bicycles. Elegant rooms have soft lighting and hardwood floors, wall paneling and furniture. More
Essenza Hotel
Boasting stunning sea views of the beautiful white-sand Jericoacoara Beach, Essenza Hotel is a beachfront 5-star accommodation featuring an infinite-edge pool and a sauna. WiFi is free of charge. More
Essence Hoi An Hotel & Spa
This 4-star Essence Hoi An Hotel & Spa is just over a quarter mile from the center of Ancient Hoi An Town, and features a swimming pool and fitness center. All its modern rooms come equipped with free Wi-Fi and a welcome fruit platter. More
InterCityHotel Essen
This 4-star hotel in the heart of Essen offers modern accommodations and easy access to highway A40, just a short walk from the main train station. More
Welcome Hotel Essen
This 4-star hotel is next to Viehofer Platz Tram Stop in the center of Essen, 320 yards from Porscheplatz square. It has modern rooms and a stylish restaurant and bar. The soundproof rooms and suites of the Welcome Hotel Essen all feature satellite TV, extra-long beds and a work desk. More
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From Staff Reports
A story on The Daily Citzen's 2013 All-Area Spring Team was published Sunday. The team, which is made up of standouts in boys and girls golf, girls soccer, boys and girls tennis and boys and girls track and field, is selected by the newspaper's sports staff based on input from local coaches.
All-area selections from Northwest's girls track and field team were inadvertently left out of the story. The following athletes should have been included:
• McKinley Hopkins, Northwest: The sophomore has already shown considerable talent on the track, particularly in the hurdles, setting school records in both the 100- and 300-meter events this season. She qualified for sectionals in five events, however — both hurdles, plus the triple jump and the 4x100 and 4x400 relays — and advanced to state in both hurdles events. At state, she took ninth in the 100 hurdles, one spot shy of a place on the medal stand. At region, she won the 100 hurdles title, was second in the 300 hurdles and took third in the triple jump.
• Shelby Wilson, Northwest: Before she begins her college cross country and track and field careers at Kennesaw State University, Wilson can look back proudly at what she accomplished in high school. She was The Daily Citizen's All-Area Spring Team Girls Athlete of the Year as a freshman — she's a four-time member of the spring all-area lineup; for cross country, she earned three all-area nods plus an honorable mention — and finished her Lady Bruins career with five state medals. She won two of those medals this year, taking fifth in the 800 and second in the 1,600 at the Class 4A meet. In addition, she was second in those events at sectionals after claiming region titles in both. She also ran the anchor leg for Northwest's 4x400 relay team that finished second to advance to sectionals.


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Salmon Hash With Potatoes & Dill15 Reviews Add a Pic
"One of my favorite things to order when I go out to breakfast is hash - corned beef, roast beef or any other variation - which got me to thinking about trying to make it at home. After all, the ingredients are simple: As long as you've got some kind of protein, potatoes and onions, you're in business. And it makes a fast brunch or even light supper dish, with or without poached eggs."
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Adjust Servings
Original recipe yields 4 servings
- Heat 2 Tbs. oil over low heat in a 12-inch non-stick skillet (so potatoes don't stick). While skillet heats, prepare onion and salmon as directed above. A few minutes before cooking, increase heat to medium-high. When oil starts to send up wisps of smoke, add onion and salmon; cook, stirring often, until golden brown. Meanwhile, dice potatoes and toss with remaining oil. Transfer salmon mixture to a bowl and reserve.
- Add potatoes to empty skillet; cook, stirring only occasionally so they form a golden-brown crust, about 10 minutes. As potatoes cook, mix ketchup, mustard, fresh dill and 2 Tbs. of water. (Recipe can be prepared to this point up to 2 hours ahead. Spread hot potatoes on a large lipped cookie sheet; cover when cool. Return skillet to medium-high; add potatoes and re-crisp.)
- Return reserved salmon mixture to skillet; stir in ketchup mixture, then season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until hash has nicely browned, about 5 minutes longer.
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Reviews (15)Rate This Recipe
My husband scarfed this down - he is a big salmon fan. I thought it was good (but will change a few things next time) and will serve it to family for brunch next weekend. I will reduce the oil as someone else has suggested, and maybe add some diced tomatoes (personal preference- I put them on almost everything) *I would definitely recommend adding the salmon when the onions are just about done. Great alternative to corned beef hash :)
Overall - a Great flavour combination. I was a bit unsure of ketchup and mustard...but it turned out very tasty. I will keep this recipe but would cut out some of the oil. I was intending to make 2 portions but ended up eating it all in one go! I added some capers to add a bit of zing - but quite fine without them.
Really fantastic, I wish I'd taken a picture! It was so, so good, I served it with buttermilk mashed potatoes with green onions and it was great. I broiled my salmon filet with some olive oil, dried oregano, salt & pepper and then when it was done I flaked it with a fork into bite size pieces.
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Amount Per Serving (4 total)
- Calories
- 486 cal
- 24%
- Fat
- 26.2 g
- 40%
- Carbs
- 36 g
- 12%
- Protein
- 26.6 g
- 53%
- Cholesterol
- 67 mg
- 22%
- Sodium
- 354 mg
- 14%
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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text: Nearly 100 student scholarship winners were recognized at the college's annual awards reception. A Distinguished Alumni Award was given to Missoula wilderness outfitter and teacher Smoke Elser. Rich Janssen received the Distinguished American Indian Alumni Award. Rich is the head of the Natural Resources Department of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.


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NEWS: Friday April 2, 2010
Apr 2nd @ 9:06 am
Two people suffered minor injuries in what looked like a rather serious crash in Montrose yesterday. Just after 2:30 a man turned his pickup truck left onto Montrose drive from Townsend in front of another vehicle. The driver of the car looked down to answer her cell phone and didn't see the truck. The crash [...]


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More Demo Downtime and a sad day for the Evil one.Posted: May 06, 2012
Well,i'm really late posting this but I have my reasons. It's called being an unmotivated lazy ass.
These are gonna be short as i'm a bit pressed for time (and the demo's just didn't make that great an impression) so let's get right to it.
First up:
Okay,so i've been really looking forward to some play time with this one since I first saw footage of it last year. Too bad Capcom really skimped on the demo :(
The game looks good. It's not the absolute best looking game ever but,i'm guessing the graphics were scaled back a bit because at any given time,there's quite a lot happening on screen.
Character and monster designs are cool,and the fact that Capcom went with a more European style, medieval fantasy look for the game is an interesting concept,though,you will notice a bit of anime influence but, nothing that distracts.
The only "bad" thing I noticed was,when attacking,your characters seems to stutter when a hit is detected and something tells me this was intentional to slow down the action and let the player have time to determine exactly what they are hitting. It's hard to describe but easy to notice.
The players ability to grab onto larger enemies and climb them leads to some hilarious animation glitches occasionally as well.
Here's a look at the game in action:
It's easy to make comparisons on this game. It's a broad mix of elements.
Games like Monster Hunter,Shadow of the Colossus,and even Demon's Souls,all come to mind while playing this game,which makes the fact that there's no multi-player seem like such a disappointment.
On the surface,it seems like simple hack and slash. But,while holding R1 or L1 (RB,LB for the 360 users)
your attack buttons switch to different abilities depending on class and chosen skills. The demo didn't have much to toy around with but what was there looked good and performed smoothly.
The camera though,doesn't always give you the best view but hey,that's what happens when it's tied to the right stick. Very few games ever manage to get the free roaming camera just right.
I mentioned that there's usually a lot going on on screen? Yeah,that's even when you're not it battle.
See,your character is accompanied by up to 4 AI party members (1 user created,3 hirelings) and they never seem to SHUT UP! I think there's an option to mute this,but it wasn't available in the demo so I don't really know.
When in battle,it can be a little chaotic (read:frustrating) to sort out who's doing what and attacking whom.
If you can manage to get the camera in a good spot though,it still works out since your AI party actually do rather well. They heal when they need to,enchant others weapons with elemental abilities,and provide tips on defeating tough enemies. Sometimes they'll even grab and hold smaller enemies so you can rush in for a kill shot.
All in all,it's fun to play,a little difficult to keep track of.
My only real gripe: The demo was TOO DAMN SHORT!
You're given 2 playable areas and a look at the character creater (hopefully this wasn't the full creator toolset.it was good,but very limited in the demo) and both playable areas were done in less than 15 minutes.
The first area lets you play as a fighter class wielding sword and shield with 1 AI partner at first but 2 more join you soon after.
You go see a dragon,walk through some caves,fight some goblins and harpies and have a boss battle with a Chimera (which,I must add,was goddamn HUGE).
The second area was a field area with one objective. Kill a Griffin.
This time,you play as a Rouge/Assassin type with dual wielded daggers and a Bow.
I'll admit,grabbing the Griffin by it's sides and hacking away at it in mid air while my party rained arrows and fireballs at it from the ground was pretty epic, But it was over way too quickly.
But,I guess that's how a demo is supposed to end,leaving you wanting more.
And I do want more.
I guess I just hoped i'd get a better feel for all the different classes (I was really hoping to get to play as a Mage),that's all.
Next up:
I'm not gonna spend long on this at all. Suffice to say,now there are quick time events (during combos)
Some woman constantly talking to you,and the gameplay feels loose and way too easy.Hell,some combos just happen on their own.
They turned it into a straight up hack and slash. Looks like were stuck with the first game for a real strategic challenge. I rarely had to block at all.
I will say though,the action is fast and bloody and may appeal to anyone who didn't like how hard the first game (in the current series) was or the lack of blood (at least in the PS3 version,dunno about the 360) in 2. It's a good mix of the First and Second games,but not near as challenging as I would like.
Here's a look:
Disappointing to say the very least.
Speaking of,you may have noticed that my posts as of late are only about demo's. Well,my job situation hasn't changed yet (though,i'm hopeful it will soon) so it's hard for me to aquire new games.
So,yesterday,I did some trading at a local game store and managed to come home with a copy of RAGE.
A game that i'd only played the demo for,heard good things about and was eager to play.
I get home,install the game on my PS3 and jump in. Everything's going ok but as i'm heading into my firt location objective,the game crashed during the loading screen. So I reset my machine....
And now none of my discs will read. Nothing. Not games,not DVDs,not a god damn thing.
After 4 years of reliable service,my Blu-Ray/DVD drive crapped out on me,5 minutes after i'd gotten my first new game in months.
Thankfully,it wasn't the hard drive and I can still play all my downloaded titles,but it's going to be quite a while before I can repair/replace my PS3.
Disappointment seems to be a running motif for me lately.
Well,that's it for me. Have fun guys.
Demo DowntimePosted: April 17, 2012
Haven't been around here much lately,and i'm no ashamed to say it's because i've been spending more time over at Screwattack.com (which btw no,it's not a porn site,lol)
But,I still wish to keep the few people I talk to here up to date (if they care) on what i've been up to.
Lately,i've been playing a lot of Diablo 2,mostly because I finally wanted to give the Necromancer the attention I never gave it previously and I have to say,i'm diggin it :D
I love having minions to do my killing for me,muahahaha!
Anyway,checked out some demo's yesterday,one for a game i've been highly anticipating and the other for a game I never would have looked twice at if one of my favorite youtubers (Vash12349) hadn't posted a video of it,Sniper Elite.
So,without further blibbidy blah,here's the rundown...
I've been watching this game very closely since it was announced.
The art style,the fast action,the um...characters,everything about it just popped for me.
So of course my hopes were high. Did i like it?
This is,Hands down,the best looking 2d fighter i've ever seen,and I've seen shit tons!
The Art Deco/Noire meets Tex Avery cartoony style of the sprites and backgrounds (dubbed "Dark Deco" by the devolpment team) is truely a site to behold. Yet,despite it's cartoony style (both looks and humor) it's still very dark.
It's a very odd blend but it works.God damn does it work!
Michiru Yamane,famous for composing music for little games like Castlevania:Symphony of the Night,and Suikoden 3 and 4 (SotN being one of my all time fave soundtracks) offers up a soundtrack that stands out just as sharply as the games art style. She incorporates her typical gothic themes with Rock and Jazz to create some very cool,even fun tunes in this game.Listen for yourself...
I'll be buying the soundtrack. Oh yes I will.
Now we move to...
Now,here's the part where i'm a little torn. Honestly,the game can get a little button-mashy.
But,don't let that fool you. It gets that way because,even on the lower difficulties,the computer is a BITCH! You find yourself pounding buttons screaming "Stop hitting me dammit!!"
You will get your ass beat in this game the first time you play. I know I did,and i've been playing fighting games for years.
And sadly,theres no in game command list.
But the game does come equipped with probably THE MOST beginner friendly tutorial mode i've ever seen.
The combat is fast paced and combo heavy (Very much Marvel vs Capcom 2 inspired).
Even in the demo I was able to pull off some pretty big ground and aerial combos.
The demo allows you to play as Filia (a speedy ground based hit and run distance speacialist) and Cerabella (a slower,grapple and ground and pound type). Both are fun to play,though I preferred Filia for her speed.
Here's a peek (no it's not me playing)...
The game moves very smoothly (online mode,from what i hear is incredibly smooth also,a big plus)
and the speacial moves are flashy and some are downright brutal.
It's amazing to look at,and loads of fun to play. And with all the technique heavy combos,I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see this game at EVO.
All in all,I will be buying this game as soon as I can.
2D fighters are my favorite kind and this one really stands out.
Next on the list is...
I want to point something out to anyone who doesn't know me.
I....HATE....shooter games.
I never bad mouth them because I know it's not it's not always the game,it's me.
I just don't like them.
So when I saw the title (knowing nothing about the series) I assumed it was another WW2 FPS.
Boy am I glad I was wrong,lol.
The demo was short,but I played it probably 6 times in a row because it was so damn fun!
I'm getting ahead of myself though...lets get some details.
The game is good looking,not spectacular.
Mostly delapitated buildings and debris strewn streets as far as environments (in the demo at least).
Standard WW2 shooter fair here. But then...
You move to your first sniping point,a first floor window,mark your targets,take aim,hold your breath and pull the trigger.
With a well placed shot,the camera follows your bullet to your target for a great kill cam.
Hit a vital point and the game enters a Mortal Kombat-like X-Ray vision and shows your bullet traveling through your victims body.
I can't remember the last time I laughed so evily,lol.
There's music,but it's only obvious after you take your first shot.
When enemy troops are alerted to your pressence,the music builds,defining the tension of an under fire situation pretty well. It serves also as an alert to the player,lowering again once the area is clear of immediate threat.
Gunshots,explosions,enemy voices and the sound of bullets ripping through flesh and bone are all handled well,the latter sounding particularly grisly at times.
As a sniper,it's your job to remain unseen.
However,you're armed with not only a rifle (A Springfield M1903 if i recall) but a machine gun and a pistol as well,so you have other options in case enemies close in (which i'm guessing they will.The demo area was large enough to prevent this from happening,but I did have one moment where I came out of cover too quickly and had 2 Germans right on my ass).
Part of making a successful shot is keeping tabs on your heart rate and in higher difficulties,bullet drop (the bullet losing altitude as it travels) and wind speed and direction (I know from a personal friend of mine,a former Army Ranger,that even the slightest gust of wind can send a bullet a complete 90 degrees from where you intended),so the game is not "simply" pop-and-shoot,run for cover,repeat.
Controls work well and the demo ran very smoothly. I didn't notice any clipping or buggy camera issues.
And, most importantly,it was just fun. I had an absolute blast playing this demo,and this from a guy who,as previously stated,hates shooter games. Here's a look...
That's all for now...hopefully this post is a lot more informative and flashy than my previous ones,lol.
I'll be back next week because I am so fucking excited for the demo of...
I soooo cannot wait for this one!!
It's one of those rare games these days that make me glad I didn't give up the hobby,lol.
I'm hyped as hell for it and I finally get to see if it lives up to expectations (don't fuck this one up Capcom!!)
Until then,hope you guys enjoyed!
Have fun!!
Look what I won :)Posted: March 01, 2012
As i'm sure is true for most of you,1up isn't the only gaming site I frequent.
Actually...to be completely honest,i'm not really on this site that much anymore.
But,rather than get into that,i'll just get to the story...
So,i'm over at ScrewAttack.com watching one of there live streams,and they announce a giveaway.
Apparently,the folks at Trapdoor Inc.(the people behind FEZ) sent them 2 (of only 1000 made) figurines of Zero,the main character in their new game WARP. All I had to do was go to facebook and click "Share" on one of SA's articles and I was entered.
Understand something. As of this writing i'm just over a month away from turning 30. In that time I have never,NEVER, won anything.
And I didn't expect any different on this occasion.
So,imagine my shock when they called my name as one of the 2 winners.
I was amazed. Not just that i'd won something but,that i'd won something that was not only cool,but also looking to be pretty damn rare.
Here's what it'll look like as I haven't recieved it yet,but I will post pics when it gets here.
Oddly,he reminds me of the Tivo logo a little.
So yeah....I won!!!! Wooooo!! lol.
Also,I admit,it was a giddy little moment of "Holy shit,the internet box said my name!"
when they announced me as a winner. I'm stupid...but I admit it.
Thanks for reading :) Have fun guys.
My Contributions
- Title
- Date
- More Demo Downtime and a sad day for the Evil one.
- Demo Downtime
- Look what I won :)
- Games I Love But Have Never Beaten.
- To the 1up and IGN staff (about SOPA and E3)
- Fighting SOPA
- Quite possibly the most awesome Mega Man 2 speed run EVER!!!
- Final Fantasy XIII-2 demo
- Asura's Wrath demo
- I so hoped my next post would be something good. So much for that.
- Still around...but that's about it.
- From MGS to...Earthbound?! WTF is up with me this month?
- Metal Gear Solid, Why can't I quit you?
- Should I Bother? KotOR edition,
- Tasting Blood: Mortal Kombat demo impressions.
- Another Mat Graham Cover.This time from FF7
- First taste of Dragon Age 2
- Can't wait to die 10,000 deaths!
- Officially Hyped for Skyrim now.
- If you like Zelda,or Metal,or both,you have to see this guy!


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Women's Studies
Women's Studies
Our purpose is to bring an awareness, understanding, and appreciation of women and gender to the students, faculty, and staff of UAHuntsville and to the North Alabama community. We are one of the few interdisciplinary programs on campus, collaborating with faculty in history, literature, psychology, nursing, business management, engineering, sociology, art, and education, just to name a few.
We offer a Women's Studies Minor that UAHuntsville students from all Colleges can complete as a complement to their major programs of study. We also offer and promote many other opportunities for students, including academic scholarships, leadership training, and achievement awards in writing and the arts. Our Women's Studies Resource Center on campus, open to UAHuntsville faculty, staff, and students, and to the community, provides a library with books, multimedia, and other artifacts.
The Women's Studies Program promotes the social awareness of women's and gender issues in the Huntsville and North Alabama communities through our extensive programming and events, including inviting guest speakers to campus, sponsoring and supporting theatre, art, music, and literary events, and creating the "Charged Up for Change! EXPO."
Please explore our website to learn more about Women's Studies at UAHuntsville. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 256-824-6190 or firstname.lastname@example.com. For the latest news, please see our Women's Studies blog. You can also support Women's Studies programs and activities.
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by Laura PaskusNew rules that require retailers to label where fish come from have gone into effect — sort of. The new rules, which were mandated under the 2002 Farm Bill, require fish and shellfish to be labeled as "farm-raised" or "wild-caught," as well as identified by their country of origin (HCN, 3/17/03). The only catch is the rules won't apply to processed fish, canned tuna, smoked fish or fish sold in restaurants and delis. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving grocery stores until April 2005 to comply.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is too big, according to the U.S. House of Representatives. In early October, the House voted 205 to 194 to split the traditionally liberal court into three smaller districts (HCN, 2/16/04). Under an amendment sponsored by Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, the court — which currently serves 11 Western states and 56 million people — would continue to hear cases from California, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands. The new 12th Circuit would serve Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and Montana; the 13th Circuit would serve Oregon, Washington and Alaska.
Xcel Energy is committing its customers to coal: In September, the energy company submitted its 10-year "least cost resource plan" to Colorado's Public Utilities Commission (HCN, 9/13/04). The utility — which opposes the state's renewable energy initiative on the grounds that it will cost customers millions of dollars — plans to begin charging customers for a new coal-fired power plant. According to the plan, beginning in January 2005, residential customers will start paying 89 cents per month, and commercial customers $1.89 per month, to fund the plant's construction. Xcel is also letting its "demand side management" plan expire at the end of 2005; the five-year, $75 million plan offers rebates to conservation-minded customers who install, for example, energy-efficient appliances.
© High Country News


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The applications listed below have been certified to work properly with this phone. Click on each tab to discover them all.
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August 1, 2014
*Update* Two restaurant's re-open after The Brazos County Health Department shut them down 24 hours.
Johnny Carino's reopened Thursday night after the Health Department closed them down after finding cock roaches.
Gattitown in College Station re-opened as well after repairing a hot water heater that had gone out.
(See Below)
The Brazos County Health Department closed the doors of two College Station restaurants this week, one of them after finding roaches.
The Carino's Italian Restaurant on Harvey Road was shut down Wednesday after inspectors found roaches scattered around the restaurant.
The problem was not an infestation, just several live and dead roaches found in the kitchen and servers' area.
Carino's was closed down for 24 hours and fined $500.
Meanwhile the Gattitown on Texas Avenue was also shutdown for 24 hours due to a lack of hot water
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Improperly discarded smoking materials are the likely culprits in an early morning Sunday fire on Smith Drive, according to Point Pleasant Fire Chief Dan Mulligan.
Police and fire crews responded to the home around 1:45 a.m., and the fire took about 20 minutes to put out, Mulligan said. The fire began in a second-floor bedroom, and the blaze left the home uninhabitable, he said.
Police escorted the homeowners from the house, and no one was injured. One of the residents lost medications in the fire, and was brought to an area hospital to refilll their prescriptions, Mulligan said.
The fire department was assisted by Point Pleasant Police, the Point Boro First Aid Squad, and the Herbertsville Fire Company as the Fast Team. The Ocean County Fire Marshal's office is investigating.


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| ! Hunting & Fishing Licenses | Boat Registration Renewal
Advisory Board Puts Tallapoosa on Permit System
By DAVID RAINER
In its first meeting of 2011, the Alabama Conservation Advisory Board heard praise for the three-buck limit and the Forever Wild Program and listened to several deer hunters plead for an extension of the season into February. At the meeting in Montgomery, the board also voted unanimously to put Tallapoosa County under the permit system for dog deer hunting.
Many board members from the different districts across the state reported significant positive feedback for the three-buck limit. Grady Hartzog of Eufaula said landowners have been elated with the number of big bucks being seen.
Dr. Warren Strickland of Huntsville also said hunters in north Alabama were very happy with the three-buck limit.
"We had a very productive deer season with lots of praise for the buck limit," Strickland said. "The hunters are ecstatic about the deer they're seeing now."
During public testimony, a number of speakers asked the board to consider extending the deer season into February to allow hunters to take advantage of rutting activity. Strickland voiced his opposition because of the impact on another user group.
"As board members, we represent everyone – not only deer hunters but small game hunters, as well," he said. "That's one of the things that has changed my thinking about extending the deer season. The squirrel hunters and rabbit hunters have to be represented, as well. The only month they have to hunt (outside deer season) is February. If we go into February (with deer season), we take that away from them."
After the testimony was finished, Hartzog asked the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division to look into what impact a February season might have on the deer herd, estimated at 1.5 million animals. Other board members expressed reservations about extending the season into February.
"I'd like to get a report from the biologists about it," Hartzog said of a February season. "If it biologically makes sense, I don't see why we can't look at that further."
During the deer season that ended Jan. 31, there were 14 tree stand-related accidents with four fatalities. Conservation Commissioner N. Gunter Guy Jr. cited those accidents and reiterated the need to adhere to hunter safety rules. None of the hunters killed were wearing a safety harness.
"What's sad about that – of the people who got killed, none had gone through the hunter education course," Guy said. "Safety should be your first priority when you're out there in the woods hunting – for you and your children.
"Let's look for zero fatalities during hunting season. I know we can do that. Some of the accidents were simple things like they didn't replace the straps on their stands and they didn't have their harness on. Those straps can get rotten over the years. And if you're not using your safety harness, you see what can happen."
In business related to hunting and fishing licenses, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) and Marine Resources asked the board to approve a 0.99 percent increase in hunting and fishing licenses. When the first license increase in decades was passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2007, it included a provision that would allow licenses to be raised according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). According to WFF Assistant Director Fred Harders, the increase of less than one percent would result in an increase of 10 cents on a resident freshwater fishing license and increases of 20 cents each for a resident all-game hunting license and a resident saltwater fishing license.
Harders also pointed out several changes proposed for the 2011-2012 seasons and bag limits other than date changes. The WFF recommendation are: liberalized unantlered deer harvest in Jefferson, Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan and Shelby counties; establish an alligator hunting season in Dallas, Monroe (north of U.S. Hwy. 84) and Wilcox counties; restrict harvest of walleye in certain waters; remove the exception for three sauger under 14 inches in total length in the creel limit; open spring turkey season in a previously closed area of Cullman County; and remove the deer and wild hog closures on Tuesdays and Thursdays on National Forest Service land in Calhoun, Clay and Talladega counties.
Marine Resources asked the board to consider a saltwater angler registry regulation that would put the state in compliance with the National Marine Fisheries Service requirement. Marine Resources' Acting Director Chris Blankenship said failure to comply would force Alabama saltwater anglers to purchase a federal license that could cost up to $50. However, because Alabama already has a saltwater license, Blankenship said compliance could be attained with a regulation that required three user groups to register at no cost. The three groups are anglers 65 and over, lifetime license holders and those who fish on licensed private piers.
New board member Bob Shipp of Mobile also provided a report from the Gulf Coast concerning the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
"There is still some oil coming up, especially on Dauphin Island," said Shipp, head of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama. "But, I think all of us – my colleagues – are cautiously optimistic. The habitats seem to be very healthy. Our contention is that even if we lose a year-class of crabs or shrimp, if the habitats are healthy, the species are resilient. So, things look good. Most of the finfish look to be in good shape. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will meet next week in Biloxi to set the snapper season. I think the snapper stocks are stronger than they've ever been in our history. The quota has been raised a little. I think we'll have a snapper season of June and July and then maybe the weekends in the fall, like last year.
"We've been out with our research vessels and put cameras down on our bottom habitats offshore and they all look good. The fish are healthy. There's no reason to avoid Gulf seafood. There's more snapper off Alabama than there's ever been, especially off our coast. Alabama has only four percent of the coastline in the Gulf, but we catch 40 percent of the red snapper."
In other matters, Hartzog made a plea to all those in attendance at the State Capitol Auditorium to get behind the effort to renew the Forever Wild program, which uses money from oil and gas exploration royalties to purchase land for public use.
"When Forever Wild was passed it was passed by an 83-percent vote on the constitutional amendment," Hartzog said. "The survey we are doing now shows that percentage has actually increased. We are going to introduce legislation this year to renew Forever Wild as is. I want you to take it as a personal initiative to contact your legislators and tell them how important Forever Wild is to you and the State of Alabama, because the Forever Wild program is for all the people in Alabama, not just a select few. For this state to continue to provide its citizens with the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, this program is imperative, because the state does not have the money – without this program – to acquire land for the people of Alabama. Without this program, you and your kids' abilities to enjoy the outdoors will be limited."


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Talking to God
Both praise and prayer are appropriate and necessary responses to God's revelation of himself to us. He has spoken to us, and we, in turn, speak to Him. That such communication is possible is due to the fact that …Read More
Flattery and Foolish Talk
We are witnessing the deconstruction of a civilization. Across our land, the major institutions that are foundational to any nation are in a downward spiral, whether we speak of education, government, business, or the family. Isaiah and Jeremiah were observers …Read More
Sticks and Stones
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." Really? Let's not kid ourselves. Words are potent. Words start with God, who spoke galaxies into being. "God said … and there was" (Gen. 1:3). God …Read More
The Preacher's Character
The Apostle Paul demonstrated how we can love God and others in our speech. He used words that could sting and rebuke as well as heal and comfort. His ministry was one of words—speaking God's very own Word …Read More
The Ninth Commandment
The Ten Commandments draw a straight line from love of God to love of neighbor. The two parties are distinguished, to be sure, but in the life of obedience they are inseparable. As Luther pointed out, to disobey any of …Read More
Growth in personal holiness is largely determined by our progress in self-discipline. Without this foundational discipline, there can be no advancement in grace. Before other disciplines can be administered, whether in the home, business, or church, there first must be …Read More
Into the World
I've long been fascinated with those moments in Jesus' life when the veil of His human flesh gave way to a vision of His refulgent glory as the Son of God. What must it have been like to be …Read More
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In a world filled with Mad Scientists and Evil Inventions, one talented lab assistant has big dreams of becoming a Mad Scientist himself!
Igor: The Game is an Action/Adventure video game for Wii developed by South Peak Interactive and published by South Peak on September 18, 2008. It's rated Everyone by the ESRB and no users have rated it yet.
Our newest cheats for Igor: The Game were added October 12, 2008. We also have the game available on Nintendo DS, in addition to Wii.
If you were looking for Igor: The Game for Wii cheats, then you might also want cheats for:


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Abbey Triple - Sprecher Brewing Company
Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.
Ratings: 337 | Reviews: 190 | Display Reviews Only:
Reviews by BeerManDan:
3.2/5 rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
I don't think this bock is all that bad! It poured a clear orange/amber with very little foam that disapated with in seconds. The smell of sweet malts and fruit filled the nose, with just a hint of candy. The taste was just a little to sweet for me, but not all that bad. The taste of roasted malts, sweet candy and caramel was very evident. A little weak at the finish with a semi dry finish at the end. Not bad, but once is enough for me.
Serving type: bottle
03-06-2006 22:00:53 | More by BeerManDan
More User Reviews:
2.75/5 rDev -23%
07-22-2014 20:57:42 | More by green_plastic
3.25/5 rDev -9%
07-22-2014 00:19:04 | More by GTJayG
5/5 rDev +40.1%
07-20-2014 18:20:39 | More by Hrodebert
3.75/5 rDev +5%
07-19-2014 15:42:33 | More by rudabegga9
4.5/5 rDev +26.1%
07-17-2014 20:16:01 | More by NewGlarusFan
3/5 rDev -16%
07-15-2014 23:55:38 | More by falconxman
4.25/5 rDev +19%
07-15-2014 00:37:17 | More by slayernation
4.25/5 rDev +19%
07-08-2014 19:59:09 | More by WwLoganxX
3.5/5 rDev -2%
06-25-2014 02:50:57 | More by NappyB
4/5 rDev +12%
06-20-2014 18:21:16 | More by Ncpogs
3/5 rDev -16%
06-18-2014 04:20:58 | More by Relham
3.66/5 rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Serving: Bottle into tulip
Served: 25 May 2014
Appearance: Pale, opaque yellow with a soapy white head that dissipates slowly into just a ring of white foam around the glass. No carbonation streaming from the bottom as in other tripels.
Smell: Rather uncomplicated, with light notes of pear, green apple, and white wine.
Taste: Same light-fruit notes as noted in the nose, along with the expected banana-like esters from the yeast. Not overly complex or multi-dimensional, but nonetheless not a half-bad example of the style.
Mouthfeel: Solid carbonation of small-bubbles and good body from the suspended yeast.
Overall: This is not a special beer by any means, but is a good soft introduction for the tripel style. I would probably not drink this again because I know much better beers are much more available.
Serving type: bottle
06-04-2014 01:50:02 | More by Beric
4.5/5 rDev +26.1%
05-30-2014 19:49:51 | More by RBorsato
3.25/5 rDev -9%
05-20-2014 13:04:50 | More by EROCK75
4.45/5 rDev +24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
12 oz twist off bottle poured into a Bruery tulip.
A - The beers bright goldenrod hue shines with clarity but is slightly undone by the quickly fleeting white head that allows the aroma to evaporate. Dots of lace stick to the glass after a good swirl brings the head back but it doesn't quite look the part of a classic tripel.
S - Abbey Triple's smooth, voluptuous nose focuses on Belgian-inspired yeast and it's bountiful esters of banana, white pepper, clay, coriander, and bubblegum all balanced by sweet malty notes of tick-sliced caramel-drizzled banana bread. The nose is one of the closest to authentic Belgian but it's missing that little something extra that would push it over the edge.
T - Backed by deliciously sweet pilsner malt, the beer's big yeast profile continues its quiet rampage across the tongue, delivering a combination of sweet bubblegum and banana with complimentary suggestions of coriander seed, grey clay, and a dash of white pepper on the finish.
M - Lively carbonation comes as a slight surprise after the head disappears so quickly but, Abbey Triple's mouthfeel is near perfect; creamy and smooth bodied with slightly sweet lingering finish balanced with a touch of spice and dry alcohol.
O - Sprecher's Abbey Triple was one of my first adventurous craft beer endeavors years ago and made my top five list when I was featured on the podcast The High Five. Since then I've had it now and again, revisiting bottles from time to time including some more than five years old; my experiences have been this beer does not age gracefully. But this fresh bottle of Abbey Triple wonderfully showcases Belgian yeast and the juxtaposition of both subtle and powerful fruity and spicy components brought about wholly by fermentation. Abbey Triple is a lovely beer that's also dangerously drinkable.
Serving type: bottle
05-05-2014 22:28:53 | More by BeerFMAndy
South Carolina
3.61/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle served in a Belgian snifter.
Pours hazy orange-amber with a small head that soon reduces to a few islands and a thin ring.
Aroma: fairly good mix of bready malts, toast, Belgian yeast, and soft fruits.
Flavor: fruity and bready, with light spicing from the yeast.
Feel: slightly astringent; a bit hot with the higher ABV too apparent.
O: decent, but with a harsh feel.
Serving type: bottle
05-01-2014 23:42:23 | More by chinchill
4.25/5 rDev +19%
04-26-2014 21:38:33 | More by Demon_Lung
3.5/5 rDev -2%
04-25-2014 20:35:30 | More by ItsBeer4Me
New York
4/5 rDev +12%
04-15-2014 03:10:01 | More by wisegreensoul
3.5/5 rDev -2%
04-14-2014 02:08:10 | More by bismarksays
4.5/5 rDev +26.1%
03-27-2014 20:31:14 | More by ilovemke12
3.69/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
This beer pours out darker than I expect for a tripel and has almost no lasting head. The smell of the beer is where I would expect a tripel except there is a hint of caramel which I does not belong. It ends up making the beer taste sweet and, I believe, gives it a viscous mouthfeel. An excellent tripel would be drier than this, which registers with me merely as an interesting Belgian style ale that comes up lacking in the deadly deceitful drinkability that a tripel should have.
Serving type: bottle
03-24-2014 22:50:53 | More by pweis909
2.75/5 rDev -23%
03-18-2014 18:14:18 | More by Hopscat
3.5/5 rDev -2%
03-17-2014 00:45:57 | More by pathead
Abbey Triple from Sprecher Brewing Company
81 out of 100 based on 337 ratings.


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A Havre de Grace mother and three children were unharmed after they were alerted to elevated carbon monoxide levels in their home early Wednesday morning, according to the fire chief.
Susquehanna Hose Company Chief Scott Hurst said that a carbon monoxide detector located in the rental property on the 1000 block of Chesapeake Drive went off and crews were dispatched around 8 a.m. Wednesday.
"They had a detector, which was great," Hurst said. "None of of them had to go to the hospital because the detector alerted them."
Havre de Grace mandated carbon monoxide detectors in most city residences—including rental properties—in early 2011.
"That's why we did this," Hurst said of the ordinance, which he co-wrote with city officials.
Hurst said carbon monoxide levels at the Chesapeake Drive location were detected at 50 parts per million Wednesday morning, and that detectors typically go off when levels reach 30 to 35 ppm.
A faulty stove was to blame, Hurst said, and a maintenance crew was called to repair the stove.
Hurst said the Susquehanna Hose Company has detectors available for residents in need. Anyone seeking a carbon monoxide detector may visit susquehanna5.com or contact Shyla Glassman at Havre de Grace City Hall.


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I'm curious about what other pilots think about as their best addition to their cockpit.
I stated flying about 32 years ago and have see the definition of a full panel go from two navcoms and an ADF to the current glass panels. By todays standards I fly steam gauges, but I still consider my plane well equipped. It is certified for known ice, has dual navcoms, ADF (you all do know what one of them is don't you?) certified GPS, Strikefinder, Radar, DME RMI and dual HSI. With all my "stuff" the single box that is the most versatile, can be used for normal flying, for emergencies, and can literally guide me to a zero-zero deadstick landing is my Garmin 396 with terrain and weather.
As a steam gauge guy I am amazed at all the capability jammed into that little box, that when not used in the plane can be used in automotive mode.
What's your favorite or most valuable device????


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By LARRY HYPES
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BRISTOL, Va. —
For Tazewell coach Shane Allen, the only good "T" he saw Friday was the one on the Bulldogs helmets.
"We didn't tackle and we gave up key turnovers," said Allen after Virginia High took advantage of miscues en route to a convincing 48-7 season-opening victory over Tazewell Friday.
Bearcat senior scatback Justin Brown consistently turned the corner and finished with four touchdowns on 18 carries for 165 yards. Brown scored on runs of 30, 25, 3, and 52 yards to pace a 229-yard Virginia High ground game. He also had a pass interception for the Bearcats' defense.
Tazewell battled gamely, turning to freshman quarterback T. J. Kitts in the second half after an early leg injury to starting signal-caller Malik Davis.
Kitts fired a 22-yard touchdown pass to Juwan Jordan in the fourth quarter for the Bulldogs score.
An early momentum shift with 9:56 left in the opening half helped turn the tide in favor of the home team. Trailing 7-0 after Brown's first score, Tazewell had driven to the Virginia Tech 13-yard line on consecutive runs by Malik Davis (18), Jacob McReynolds (16), and McReynolds again (6) before fumbling the pigskin.
Austin Daniels won the scramble for the loose ball and alertly broke through the pack as he raced 75 yards upfield for the touchdown. Gray Mumpower's second of six extra point kicks pushed the 'Cats ahead 14-0 and seized the energy for a 20-point second period outburst.
Brown turned the right corner for the 25-yard six-pointer at the 4:08 mark and Mumpower drilled the extra point, as the Bearcats moved to 21-0 advantage.
Ty McReynolds recovered a Tazewell fumble at the 46 on the next series, setting up the third touchdown of the quarter. Mixing the run and pass, Bearcat quarterback Ivan Moore directed Virginia High to the shadow of the Bulldog goal line.
Jeremiah Foster powered over for a one-yard touchdown with just 1:25 left before the break. Virginia High led 27-0 at halftime following Mumpower's errant extra point try. Another Bulldog bobble was recovered by Virginia's Chandler Davis on the 40 early in the third stanza, leading to Brown's three-yard burst with 9:41 left.
Brown broke through for 52 yards and a touchdown at the 6:46 mark in the fourth quarter, and Caleb Stone closed the scoring in the final frame when he capped a long Virginia High march with a three-yard run. Mumpower finished 6-for-7 in PATs.
Some late fireworks helped to salve the hurt for Tazewell.
With McReynolds working hard on the ground, the Dogs drove inside the Bearcat 25 with less than two minutes to play. Kitts drifted back and found Jordan near the 20. Jordan made a dazzling move at the five, and broke into the end zone for the score with 1:40 on the clock. McReynolds booted the extra point.
Chris Hall made some impressive runs, especially on kick returns for Tazewell. Nick Blankenship also sparkled at times for the Dogs. Tazewell's youthful linemen made some good plays, as well. Turning the ball over was too much for Tazewell to overcome.
"I'm disappointed. We weren't prepared to make those (tackles) I guess," sighed Allen. "That's on me. I have to get everybody ready and we will work hard this week to turn that around. There is no substitute for blocking and tackling. We have to hang on to the ball. You can't give a team — any team — and especially a good team like Virginia so many extra chances with turnovers."
The Bulldogs travel to Mitchell Stadium to play Graham on Friday.
At Gene Malcolm Memorial Stadium
Tazewell.........0 0 0 7 — 7
Virginia...........7 20 14 7 — 48
First Period
V – Brown, 30-yd. run (Mumpower kick)
Second Period
V – Daniels, 75-yd. fumble return (Mumpower kick)
V – Brown, 25-yd. run (Mumpower pick)
V – Foster, 1-yd run, (kick failed)
Third Period
V – Brown, 3-yd. run (Mumpower kick)
V – Brown, 52-yd. run (Mumpower kick)
Fourth Period
V- Stone, 3-yd. run (Mumpower kick)
T – Jordan, 22-yd. pass from Kitts (McReynolds kick)


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We were initially going to write a whole thing about how this would be a perfect entry point for people that haven't been feeling Salem, but then we realized that those people hate Salem with such an intense burning passion that it will never happen. For everyone else, here is Jokers of the Scene's excellent remix of "Asia," they've drawn the track out into a nine-and-a-half minute epic that warps Salem's original into a heavier, less murky and more danceable song. They also seem to have added a heavy guitar drone pulse underneath the whole thing.
Download: Salem, "Asia (Jokers of the Scene Remix)" (via Stereogum)


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teak products
The SC Difference in Teak Outdoor Furniture
December 22, 2011
Inspired by a blog post on an outdoor blog recently discovered here at Summer Classics, we thought we'd share with you what goes in to making our teak products. First, the secret to a great piece of Teak furniture is all in the wood. Inferior quality Teak will usually have low oil content, resulting in […]
Posted in Collections, Outdoor Furniture, Teak | Tagged Collections, outdoor elements, outdoor furniture, Teak, teak products, Yacht, yacht collection


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I talk a lot about how crucial it is that we continue to challenge ourselves, to stretch and face obstacles. We all enjoy feeling we are doing something worthwhile and purposeful with our lives, that we are taking steps to accomplish things we have thought of doing.
However, most of us have a competing need to feel comfortable and safe.
It is like we have a part of our brain that daydreams and imagines while another part wants to protect, and that is the reality of what often does occur between our ears on a rather constant basis. This is especially true for the more adapting, approval seeking personality types. While your intellectual side says, " I would like to do something special and more meaningful in my life", the other side throws negative thoughts in your way to detour your efforts.
The more you allow yourself to give in to the detours, the more you weaken your resolve to stretch and take new steps, thereby creating even more negative self-talk that trashes your self-esteem. It's a viscous cycle !
We know it has been a difficult job market out there. Great opportunities for personal growth are harder to find, and many find themselves having to take a job that is below their expectations, just to have a job. Others lose jobs and find themselves filing for Unemployment Compensation, while I find some attempting to seek out Social Security Disability due to stress and depression. It is tough out there !
There is no perfect answer, but one thing I have seen is that even though the road map may have more detours than you are use to, it is still very important to stay on course. Yes, you may need to take a job that you feel is beneath you, or that is not on your career path, but what is critical is that you stay focused on the reality that this is just a detour, and that you continue to network and search for what you really want. At least you are working, which keeps you out there mingling with people, where others can see what you are capable of, and where you can feel more worth and value than if you are sitting home collecting unemployment.
I have seen many who have taken advantage of unemployment, which I can appreciate, but while receiving benefits, they do not search for jobs or take classes to improve their chances of securing a better job and staying focused on their personal growth. Many have said to me,"I will start looking once the Unemployment checks stop". For so many, their self esteem weakens as they are not feeling productive and they are avoiding taking steps that would put them in a better place. After a while, their dreams die off and they settle for so much less than they want and deserve.
Then there are those who take jobs, but what they are doing is certainly not on par with what they planned. However, if it is a reasonable job, helps pay the bills, it is not surprising that many in that situation just become comfortably-uncomfortable with what they are doing. The longer they are in that limbo state, the more they weaken in personal resolve.
Now all of these people I am talking about most likely know they are avoiding doing what they need to do, but at the same time, they may want to avoid feeling potential rejection by continuing to job search. Obviously, since there is that underlying realization that they are avoiding, their self-esteem gets slammed as their negative self-talk becomes more intense.
In the case of my clients going through the above scenarios, they report that their anxiety symptoms have increased, where they are either experiencing more panic attacks or that the obsessive/ intrusive thoughts or compulsive behavior is on the rise. Sure, they are feeling in conflict within themselves. They KNOW they are avoiding or giving in to the detours, not taking all the steps they should be. We cannot escape the ravages of avoidance on our self-esteem.
Of course, this does not just apply to job/career issues. The fact is that relationship issues and conflicts are huge triggers for anxiety symptoms. If a person is in a relationship where they are unhappy and unfulfilled, or even worse where they are being abused, manipulated or controlled, but avoids taking steps to make changes, they weaken day by day. The longer one stays in that type of friendship or relationship, the more our self esteem suffers, and the negative self-talk flourishes. Before you know it, we can start telling ourselves we do not deserve any better, or that we are not good enough to deserve what we truly want.
Obstacles are made to be challenged, but unless you are by nature an aggressive personality, you run the risk of a shrinking self-esteem if you avoid taking steps {not leaps} to challenge your fears and negative self-talk. That can easily lead to an emotional paralysis. Don't let this happen. One Step at a Time ! Re-work your plan and goals. Set reasonable goals based on the changing climate out there, find support persons where you keep pushing each other ahead, but don't dare settle.
Feel free to join me in our on-line Support Groups, Sunday evenings at 9 PM, ET. Just go to http://www.OneStepataTime.com and join as a free member.
And remember to visit our Blog at http://www.RuledByFear.com
We are on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/groups/RuledByFear
We are also writing Blogs for the San Clemente California Patch, the Brecksville Ohio Patch and the Strongsville Ohio Patch on line Newspapers. Go to http://www.Patch.com .
Be Good to Yourself,
Gene Benedetto, Psychologist
Negative Thoughts Trash Self-Esteem
Obstacles are made to be challenged, and if you avoid taking steps {not leaps} to challenge your fears and negative self-talk, your self-esteem weakens.
I talk a lot about how crucial it is that we continue to challenge ourselves, to stretch and face obstacles. We all enjoy feeling we are doing something worthwhile and purposeful with our lives, that we are taking steps to accomplish things we have thought of doing.
This post is contributed by a community member. The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Patch Media Corporation. Everyone is welcome to submit a post to Patch. If you'd like to post a blog, go here to get started.
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