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The OSA Public Policy staff is pleased to provide you with Washington Updates, where you will find up-to-date information on legislation, events, and other activities happening in Washington, D.C. that affect the optics and photonics community. We welcome your feedback on any of these issues and invite you to use the comment section included with each post. You can also contact the OSA government relations team directly if you'd like more information on a particular article.
The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed the STEM Jobs Act (H.R. 6429). The measure – introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) – would set aside 55,000 permanent residency visas annually for foreign-born graduates of American universities who've earned advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields. It also would grant temporary visas for the families of those immigrants for use while their permanent visa applications are being processed. The bill passed the House by a vote of 245-139, but faces opposition in the Senate – where it now moves for approval – because the new visas are off-set by eliminating the Diversity Visa Lottery Program, which provides green cards to persons from countries of traditionally lower rates of immigration. While opponents of the bill primarily agree with the premise, they disagree over the "zero sum" approach and view the measure as too narrowly targeted. Supporters counter that the measure will allow US employers to retain talented science and technology leaders and maintain competitiveness, and that the Diversity program is outdated.
Posted: 4 December 2012
With the 2012 elections over, lawmakers in Washington shifted focus this week to the looming expiration of the Bush era tax cuts and automatic budget reductions set to take effect at year's end – also known as the "fiscal cliff". Party leaders from both Chambers of Congress, as well as the Administration, have made it clear that they strongly oppose the across the board budget cuts – which were designed to be a deterrent during the debt negotiations last year – and would like to see at least some of the tax cuts remain in place. The sticking point for negotiations, which are set to begin this week, appears to be over tax rates for those making over $250,000 annually.
President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) have both called for an agreement that freezes tax rates at current levels for lower and middle income earners, while allowing tax rates to increase for upper-income earners. Republican leaders meanwhile have repeatedly stated their opposition to allowing tax rates to increase for the wealthy. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) did appear open to some revenue increases however, coming in the form of closing tax loopholes and eliminating some deductions, so long as the overall rates remained the same.
Party leaders will head to the White House this week to attempt to reach an agreement that can pass both the Republican controlled House and Democrat controlled Senate. While Reid has stated a preference for reaching permanent solution, a temporary measure stop-gap measure that pushes the issue off until the New Year, as previously suggested by Boehner, is also a strong possibility.
Posted: 15 November 2012
On September 14, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released their highly-anticipated report on the potential impacts of the automatic budget cuts – "the sequester" – slated to go into effect next year, barring an agreement in Congress on deficit reduction.
The OMB report, required by the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012 (STA), provides Congress with a breakdown of exempt and non-exempt budget accounts, and estimate of the funding reductions that would be required, and additional information on their potential implementation – based on the budget assumptions outlined in the STA.
A breakdown of how OMB predicts how these cuts would affect science related funding is as follows:
Sequestration was mandated under the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA), under which Congress must enact a plan to reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion dollars. If they fail to do so by the end of 2012, the sequester is triggered and the across-the-board cuts take effect. In the report, the OMB reiterates that the Administration is opposed to enacting the sequester, saying it "would be deeply destructive to national security, domestic investments, and core government functions." You can tell your representatives to stop sequestration by visiting our legislative action center.
Posted: 18 September 2012
Dr. Ian Coddington, an OSA Member working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has been named a recipient of the 2011 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). The awards, established in 1996, are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Awardees are chosen for their innovative research in science and technology and their commitment to community service and leadership. Winners receive up to a five-year research grant to further their study in support of critical government missions.
Coddington is a physicist at NIST's Physical Measurement Laboratory and received the award for developing rapid, low-cost, spectroscopic measurement tools based on optical fibers and frequency combs that enable accurate detection of airborne chemicals and measurement of absolute distance over kilometers with nanometer precision, and for contributions to early child development and science enrichment programs in his community.
Posted: 26 July 2012
President Obama on Wednesday announced plans to create a new national Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Master Teacher Corps. The participating educators would work in their local communities to promote STEM education initiatives and mentor math and science teachers to help improve teacher effectiveness and engage students.
The Corps will begin with 50 locations nationwide with 50 teachers each. Over the next four years it would expand to 10,000 teachers. The proposed Corps would be launched using $1 billion allocated in the President's FY 2013 budget plan – which Congress has not yet completed action on. Additionally, the President has made $100 million available immediately using the existing Teacher Incentive Fund to help school districts establish well-defined career paths in STEM education for effective teachers. The application deadline for those funds is July 27, and already 30 school districts have expressed interest.
In 2011 Senator Al Franken (D-MN) – aided by former OSA/MRS Congressional Fellow Ashley White – introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate, which OSA endorsed, to create a similar corps and Timothy Bishop (D-NY) introduced corresponding legislation in the House of Representatives. Neither bill ever came to a vote.
Posted: 20 July 2012
On July 12 the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Protection Act (HR 4402). The measure, introduced by Representative Mark Amodei (R-NV), aims to streamline the permitting process for mineral development. If enacted it would require the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to more efficiently develop domestic sources of strategic and critical minerals and mineral materials – including rare earth elements. The bill would limit the permitting review process to 30 months and proposes a 60 day time limit for filing a legal challenge to a mining project. The bill passed the House by a vote of 256 to 160 and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Posted: 12 July 2012
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced in early July that physicist Arati Prabhakar, Ph.D., was named the agency's new Director. Prabhakar started at DARPA as a program manager in 1986, where she served until 1993 when she was appointed as Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) by President Clinton – making her the institute's first female head. Prabhakar also spent over a decade working in the private sector in Silicon Valley, and currently chairs the Efficiency and Renewables Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of Energy. Prabhakar holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University and an M.S. in electrical engineering and a Ph.D. in applied physics from the California Institute of Technology. Her term as director at DAPRA begins July 30.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed its FY 2013 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies appropriations bill (H.R. 5325). Under this plan, many science and research and development (R&D) programs would see cuts from 2012 levels.
Key science and technology highlights include:
The funding bill passed the House by a vote of 255 to 165 (11 Members did not vote). However, it is not expected to pass the Senate – whose own version of the bill largely provides increases in science funding – and faces a veto threat from President Obama.
Posted: 15 June 2012
United States Senators Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced legislation – S.2374, the Helium Stewardship Act of 2012 – which lays out a resource management strategy for the Federal Helium Reserve.
The Federal Helium Reserve has maintained a vast supply of the nonrenewable gas since the 1960s and provides about one third of the world's helium supply. However, in 1996, Congress passed a law requiring that the helium reserve must be sold off by 2014 in order pay a $1.3 billion debt to the U.S. Treasury. The result has been that helium is being sold at about half of its market value. At current rates not all of the helium will be sold by the target date and under existing law the Reserve could run out of operating money by 2013, leaving a large supply of helium still in the ground but no one with authority to access it.
Helium is used in a variety of scientific applications, ranging from medical devices, to welding, to optical fibers. S.2374 seeks to sell off the helium in the Reserve more judiciously, including selling the gas at market rates, in order to prevent shortages and encourage the private sector to develop additional helium sources and promote recycling.
OSA/SPIE's Arthur S. Guenther Congressional Fellow, Marcius Extravour, was actively involved in the development of this bill during his tenure with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The legislation is currently being reviewed by that committee, who will decide when and if it should be presented to the full Senate for consideration.
This week the U.S. House of Representatives is considering the FY 2013 funding bill for the Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies. While funding levels in the bill (H.R. 5326) for science research and development were mostly increased over last year, two proposed amendments to the bill sought to cut funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Neither amendment passed.
The first amendment, introduced by Representative Ben Quayle (R – AZ), proposed to eliminate funding for NIST's Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech) program. AMTech is public-private partnership aimed at improving manufacturing R&D investments and reducing the time required to bring innovations to market. It was proposed in President Obama's FY 2012 budget request but has not yet been initiated. Quayle's amendment was defeated by a vote of 259 to 147.
The second amendment, introduced by Representative Jeff Flake (R-AZ), proposed to reduce NSF's budget to FY 2008 levels – $1.2 billion below the amount proposed in H.R. 5326. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 291 to 121.
H.R. 5326 is expected to pass the House this week, but is not expected to pass the Senate. The Senate's CJS funding bill is still at the committee level; once it passes the full Senate it is most likely that a conference committee will be formed by members of both chambers to produce a compromise bill.
H.R. 5326, the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013, is being considered by the full U.S. House of Representatives this week. In general, science research and development (R&D) funding under this plan would be increased over FY 2012 levels. A full summary of the bill is available on the Appropriations Committee website, and here are some science related highlights:
The total funding levels in H.R. 5326 are based on the House Republican's Budget Resolution, passed earlier this year, which sets a $1.028 trillion discretionary spending cap – lower than the $1.047 trillion cap agreed to in last year's Budget Control Act. As such, the bill is facing opposition from Democrats and a veto threat from President Obama, who are concerned primarily about cuts to several non-science programs and with the total funding levels proposed. The bill is expected to pass the House, but is not likely to pass the Senate.
The Senate version of the CJS appropriations bill – which follows the Budget Control Act funding levels – was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee in late April but has not yet been brought to the full Senate for consideration. Overall science R&D funding levels in the Senate bill are relatively close to those in the House bill.
As Congress continues to move forward with the FY 2013 appropriations process, be sure to contact your legislators and let them know you support sustained federal investments in R&D.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is currently seeking an Assistant Director for Engineering (AD/ENG). Joseph J. Helble, Dean and Professor of Engineering at Thayer School of Engineering, Dartmouth College, will be leading the Search Advisory Committee.
The NSF is requesting recommendation for candidates. Such recommendations may come from any sector, including academic, industry, or government. Review criteria will include strategic vision; leadership, direction, representation; commitment; and credibility within research and education community.
There are five divisions managed by the AD/GEO, including: Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems; Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation; Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems; Engineering Education and Centers; Industrial Innovation and Partnerships. The AD/ENG will work with NSF's senior management and policy team, as well as the Engineering Directorate programs and initiatives. Employment may be on a temporary or permanent basis in the Federal Service or by temporary assignment under provisions of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act.
Please send your recommendations, including any supporting information which you might be able to provide, to AD/ENG Screening Committee by June 1, 2012 via email firstname.lastname@example.com or at the following address: National Science Foundation, Office of the Director, Suite 1205, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230.
This week President Obama unveiled his FY 2013 Budget request, which has a strong focus on research and development (R&D), education and innovation. The proposed budget includes increased funding for R&D programs, training programs for high-tech manufacturing jobs, and investments aimed at improving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. However, funding levels for some Department of Defense science and technology programs would be decreased under this plan.
The budget requests $140.8 billion total for R&D funding, and $70 billion overall for the Department of Education. Some science related highlights included in those amounts are:
Later this year, Congress will take the President's budget request into consideration while drafting the FY 2013 appropriations bills, which have a completion deadline of September 30.
Posted: February 15, 2012
On February 7, President Obama hosted the second annual White House Science Fair. Over 100 student winners of science fairs across the country were invited to participate and exhibit their projects for the President. More than twice as many teams than last year participated in the fair, hailing from 45 states. Videos of the President touring the projects and speaking to the attendees are available on the White House website, as is a list of participants.
During his remarks at the event, President Obama outlined his plans to increase and improve science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in the US. Part of those plans is a $22 million private sector initiative to train 100,000 new science and math teachers. The initiative, led by the Carnegie Corporation, the initiative is a coalition of more than 100 CEOs that are aiming to improve math and science programs at 130 sites across the country. You can read more about the program on Carnegie Corporation's website.
The President also indicated that his FY 2013 budget proposal – which will be given to Congress next week – includes programs to help train science and math teachers and meet a goal of increasing US STEM graduates by one million over the next 10 years. More details will be available after the budget is released.
Posted: February 9, 2012
Recently, President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey released the 2012 strategic guidance plan for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The strategy is designed to contend with the significant budget cuts and refocus national security priorities after the close of the Iraq war and the start of the draw down in Afghanistan. In the plan, the authors reiterate the need to continue to invest in research and development and innovation programs, saying "the Department will make every effort to maintain an adequate industrial base and our investment in science and technology."
Posted: January 20, 2012
Recently, President Obama announced several nominations to Administration positions. Among them was OSA Fellow Member Dr. Margaret Murnane, who has been tapped to serve as the Chair of the President's Committee on the National Medal of Science. She first began serving on the committee in 2010.
Murnane, an OSA Member since 1987, is a Distinguished Professor in the Physics Department at the University of Colorado. In addition to being named an OSA Fellow in 1998, she is also a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), JILA and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Science and the National Academy of Sciences, and has won numerous awards in recognition of her work including the 2011 Royal Dublin Society Irish Times Boyle Medal for Science Excellence, OSA's 2010 R.W. Wood Prize, APS' 2010 Schawlow Prize and the 2009 Ahmed Zewail Award of the American Chemical Society.
The National Medal of Science was established in 1959 and is given annually to individuals in recognition of their contributions to the sciences. The Committee, comprised of 12 scientists and engineers, is appointed by the President to evaluate nominees for the Award. Since its inception the Medal has been awarded to 468 recipients, including laser pioneers Arthur Schawlow and Charles Townes.
Posted: January 10, 2012


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Service-Learning Reforestation Field Course -- June 1-9, 2013
About the Course
This course provides first-hand insight into restoration challenges and reforestation practices in Guatemala. Students will witness the effects of deforestation on rural villages, share in community-based reforestation efforts, tour tree seedling nurseries, and visit past reforestation sites. Students will work alongside staff of the Alliance for International Reforestation (AIR; http://www.airguatemala.org/). From its headquarters in Guatemalas Altiplano (highlands), AIR works with closely with local communities to organize tree-planting projects, establish seedling nurseries, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and distribute fuel-efficient wood-burning stoves, in a comprehensive effort to reduce catastrophic flooding and alleviate rural poverty.
Christopher Keyes, Research Associate Professor of Silviculture, Department of Forest Management; and Director, Applied Forest Management Program. Email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Students will be expected to participate in nightly discussions. All students are esponsible for completing and submitting: 1) Observations Journal, with daily entries made during the trip (25%); 2) Annotated Photograph Collection (25%); and a Summary Report that synthesizes those elements with technical details about reforestation/nursery practices encountered during the trip (50%). Graduate students will also prepare a research pre-proposal that addresses a topic relevant to the experience. All work must be completed by July 15.
The course is limited to 7 participants. The course is targeted to upper undergraduate students and graduate students in a natural resources discipline. Academic background or work experience in reforestation, silviculture, or nursery practice is preferred but not required. Spanish is not required. Applicant screening will commence during the last week in February. Applications are available at Forestry Building Room 201 (attention: Marie Rothell). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting February 26, until all slots are filled.
Course Details
Several vaccine-preventable diseases may be encountered in Guatemala. For more details, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/guatemala.htm). These include (immunization cost is estimated): Hepatitis A ($58); Hepatitis B ($63); Typhoid ($85 oral, or $99 injectible). The Missoula County Health Department at 301 West Alder has a Travel Clinic program that can help inform you of the health risks and provide the necessary immunizations. They offer a free consultation, but any required immunizations are available for a fee.
For questions about any of the Study Abroad programs in the College of Forestry and Conservation, please contact us at:
Phone: 406-243-5521 | Fax: 406-243-4845

subset: commoncrawl


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Prerequisite: CHEM 210. (First semester/4 credits/3 class and 3 laboratory hours)
A study of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids, with an emphasis on protein structure and function. Laboratory experience in current methods of analysis of biological molecules.
Hood College prepares students to excel in meeting the personal, professional and global challenges of the future. Hood is committed to the integration of the liberal arts, the professions and technology, to the exploration of values, a sense of community and to the preparation of students for lives of responsibility, leadership and service.
401 Rosemont Ave.
Frederick, MD 21701


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A big congratulations goes out to the Rays bullpen catcher Scott Cursi, who will be joining the coaching staff in St. Louis as part of the AL All-Star squad. Cursi has been with the Rays since their inaugural season, 1998.
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Special to The Leader
The Orange Leader
AUSTIN, Texas —
This fall, three 2013 graduates of West Orange-Stark High School and one graduate of Bridge City High School are starting college with the help of a total of $2,500 in scholarships from the Texas Classroom Teachers Association. The teens are among 82 deserving students across the state to receive scholarships totaling $128,500 from the TCTA Scholarship Program, which is funded by the estate of the late Charles and Phyllis Gottlieb.
When establishing the scholarship criteria, TCTA honored Phyllis Gottlieb's wishes, which were to create a program unlike most others. Rather than looking solely at transcripts and selecting only top academic performers, who often have multiple financial aid sources, TCTA chooses recipients who have faced hardships that make higher education unlikely without help.
West Orange-Stark High School recipients
• Leslie Cano – $250 scholarship to attend Lamar State College in Orange and ultimately pursue a career as a physical therapist. She is a single mother and was the first in her family to graduate from high school. "This accomplishment is something I'm very proud of, " she wrote in her application, "therefore making me strive to achieve all that I can to make a good life for myself and my daughter."
• Miranda Miller – $1,000 scholarship to major in math at Schreiner University in Kerrville. After two years, she plans to transfer to Texas A&M University to complete a degree in mechanical or architectural engineering. "I love to build and help people, and it would be a dream come true if I could combine the two," she wrote in her application.
• Jhayllien Monette – $250 scholarship to pursue a nursing degree at Tyler Junior College. West Orange-Stark High School teacher Diztorsha Lavan nominated Monette for the scholarship. "Jhayllien is an excellent student," she wrote in her nomination. "I know that he will succeed and be a productive, contributing member of society if given a fair chance to prove himself."
Bridge City High School recipient
• Sean Neil – $1,000 scholarship to attend Lamar State College - Orange. He plans to pursue a chemical process operator certificate before working toward a degree in chemical engineering. Bridge City Intermediate School counselor Nicole Harris nominated Neil for the scholarship. "I have watched Sean make tough choices as he has grown that show character and maturing beyond his age," she wrote in her nomination. "I know without a doubt he has what it takes to not only succeed in higher education, but excel."
Now in its fourth year, the TCTA Scholarship Program awards scholarships in amounts up to $5,000 per year for tuition and required fees. In 2010, the program first awarded a total of $29,500 to 17 students and has increased those numbers each year, making the total awarded by the program so far $335,000.
Scholarships must be used to pursue courses of study leading to recognized degrees at accredited two- or four-year colleges, community colleges or career/technical schools. Recipients may apply for continued assistance based on satisfaction of specific academic criteria and availability of funds.
TCTA scholarship applications are due May 1 each year and can be submitted online at scholarship.tcta.org. To be nominated, a student must: be a high school senior and a U.S. citizen and Texas resident; demonstrate financial need; have a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale; and demonstrate the traits of strong personal character and potential for success. Nominators' or nominees' parents' membership in TCTA is neither an advantage nor a disqualifier. However, teachers/counselors may not nominate their own children.
The Texas Classroom Teachers Association is a nonprofit, independent professional association serving more than 50,000 Texas educators. Founded in 1927, TCTA is based in Austin and is the only statewide teachers association that limits active-level membership to those directly involved in classroom teaching or teaching support, including librarians, counselors and teacher aides.


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Daniel Wroughton Craig was born on March 2, 1968, in Chester, England to Tim Craig and Carol Olivia Craig whom first persuaded Craig to venture into the world of theatre.
At the age of 6, Craig made his performance debut in his school's production of Oliver! and was immediately hooked on the idea of a career in acting.
The young performer then...


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July 30, 2014
A British man is to appear in a federal court in El Paso after extradition last week on charges that he tried to sell missile batteries to Iran in 2006.
Christopher Tappin was turned himself in Friday after fighting extradition from the United Kingdom for two years. Two other men were sentenced in 2007 to 20 and 24 months in federal prison for their roles in the scheme.
The 65 year old Tappan was denied a final appeal of his extradition last month and was delivered to El Paso by federal marshals.
His extradition sparked a debate over whether the extradition treaty between the United States and the U.K. treats citizens of both nations equally.
Don Cogdell, Tappin's attorney in Texas, said he plans to aggressively push to have Tappin granted bail.


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'Supernatural' Recap: The Brave And The Beautiful
February 14th, 2013 9:24am EST
You can keep the overpriced roses and forego the horrendous Nicholas Sparks' movie, because there's not much more I'd want to do than spend time with Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles' Sam and Dean Winchester on Valentine's Day.
"Trial And Error" is return to what "Supernatural" ultimately is: an addicting rollercoaster ride that starts campy, peaks at heart-wrenching and finishes with a little mystery and a lot of feels. It's a ride I've been on for nearly seven years, and it never gets old. The CW has wisely renewed the show for a remarkable ninth season, so I'm all but guaranteed another 30+ spins on the "Supernatural Go 'Round."
Let's dive in, shall we?!
Fortunately for all the hapless would-be victims, there's no cringe-worthy death in the cold open. In fact, there's a montage of Kevin Tran's (Osric Chau) grim existence consisting of early mornings, fried hot dogs, early mornings and staring at a magical rock that gives him migraines. He's pushing himself to the beyond the brink, and as sympathetic as I am, it's what you'd hope someone would do if they were entrusted with saving the world. Kevin later tells Sam that he just wants his life back. "I can't leave because every demon on the planet wants to peel my face off. I need this to be over." Sam is worried, and advises, "This 'whole saving the world' thing is a marathon, not a sprint."
Back in the Batcave, Dean is making me a little weepy as he decorates his room with shotguns, records and a picture of his mother. This is the first time since he was a toddler than he has his own room and he's downright giddy. He bounces on his bed. "Memory foam. It remembers me!"
Ever the little brother, Sam immediately destroys the moment by dropping candy wrappers on the floor.
Now that they have a kitchen, Dean cooks. Out all of all of the wonderful touches in this episode—the chick flick moments, the soapyness and the gore— it delights me most that Dean bought brioche buns for his hamburgers. This diehard foodie knows her breads, y'all. Of course, just as they tuck into their burgers, Kevin calls, disoriented, asking Dean to come.
To say that our resident prophet is a mess is like saying Lady Gaga is slightly strange. Sam and Dean have probably seen better looking and smelling corpses. "I've been getting bad headaches and I think I had a small stroke, but it was worth it. I figured out how to close the gates of hell."
The Winchesters finally have something actionable. This is, of course, a quest ordained by God, and it is the furthest thing from straight-forward. "Basically God built a series of tests, and when you've done all three you can slam the gates." Kevin has only been able to decipher one of the quests: "You gotta kill a hound of hell and bathe in its blood."
Dean himself was killed by a hellhound in the resonating "No Rest For The Wicked." Naturally, Sam and Dean should harbor some hesitation when it comes to killing the invisible guard dogs of hell. "Awesome!" he grins.
Dean is oddly gung ho, and in mothering mode, "I'm nesting." And it's an adorable moment as Ackles' is expecting his first child. He runs out to get Kevin some real food and some uppers. "We are on the one yard line, it's time to play through the pain," Dean tells a worried Sam. As soon as he handed Kevin enough pills to drop and revive an elephant, I'm wondering if he'll make it through episode 20.
Sam tracked ten-year old demonic omens to Shosone, Idaho, specifically, to the Cassity's, "small-time farmers" who found black gold on land where there never any geological markers of oil. They head to the ranch, and take jobs as ranch hands to spy on the family, so they can intercept the hellhound coming to collect souls. Their boss, of course, is Ellie, an exotically, beautiful woman who looks like she should be on the ranch for a cover shoot, not to muck out stables.
The Winchesters spend five minutes griping about shoveling manure before Alice Cassity's husband gets mauled by a mysterious creature. The authorities blame the death on wolves they were introducing to the land. Case closed? Dean thinks so.
Sam finds Mrs. Cassity eerily brushing a horse in the stables, looking mighty composed for a widow of thirty minutes. Alice knew Carl for her entire life, and there was never even a flicker of spark between them. In fact, she used to make fun of him. On Valentine's Day 2003, she ran into him at a party, "and it was like…magic. Carl and I were happy for 10 years. Now he's dead and I'm not sad, angry. I'm just fine."
Sam wants to stay because all of the Cassity's are flying in for Carl's funeral, and they can find out more about the family. But Dean's already gathering the ingredients to summon a hellhound. Dean's overzealousness has festered into all out recklessness, and I'm definitely concerned. It's obvious that Sam is too. "Except when Crowley finds out we're dialing up a hellhound he won't send one. He'll send 100," Sam snaps. A trigger-happy Dean gives Sam two days to investigate.
The Cassity's are Idaho's version of the Ewings from "Dallas," old and new. The father is a 71-year-old billionaire on his fifth marriage to a model 51 years his junior. Cindy, the middle daughter, is an alcoholic country singer, for dogs. The youngest is Margie, a sweater-wearing wallflower who lives in Paris. I'm thrilled to see that Tamara Braun is playing Cindy with sassy vitriol finessed on years as Carly Corinthos on "General Hospital" in the early 2000s. The rest of the family, save for angelic Margie, can dish it out too, just like the Quartermaines: "Get cancer and die, old man," Cindy snips. "You first, sweetie." Dad fires back. And Sam thought hunting was scary.
It takes the family two minutes before the family glosses over the night they had dinner with a British traveling salesman named…say it with me, folks, CROWLEY! I'm not quite sure why they think it was more than one Cassity, since it's obvious Carl made the deal for Alice, but I don't care.
Kevin calls with vague lore about how to make hellhounds visible: "the dire creatures may be seen only by the damned or through an object scorched by holy fire." Dean darts off to make Supernatural X-Ray specs while Sam heads back to soak up more dysfunctional family bonding. Of course, the finds Daddy Cassity and Margie drunkenly stumbling into the woods with rifles, aiming to kill the "wolf" that offed Carl. Sam offers to go with them. "You know anything about hunting, boy?" Daddy slurs. It takes about three minutes for a hellhound to eviscerate poor Margie.
Dean is trying out his hipster chic decoder glasses when Ellie approaches him, and says he looks like Clark Kent, and then she basically says, "I want to have sex with you" because she's "feeling her oats." Dean is stunned by her brashness and probably cursing the cruel timing. Like "Dreamgirls'" Effie White, Ellie's offer is for one night only. I'm actually a little disappointed for Dean. He's been topside for more than six months and hasn't done more than eye-flirted with a goth chick.
Back at the house, Sam and Dean drop their covers and tell the family the truth while cuffing them to tables and chairs and waving their guns around. Once again, our favorite heroes look like psychopaths, and it'll never not be funny. I believe that Daddy Cassity made the deal because he instantly believe Sam and Dean's insane explanation for the killings. A little more digging reveals that Crowley closed multiple deals a decade ago. Margie thought her family would be happy if they had money, so she made a deal and they struck oil. Carl made a deal for Alice's love. And surprise, Ellie made a deal to save her mother from an agonizing death from Parkinson's. She had even figured out that this was her last night on earth, and literally wanted to go out with a bang courtesy of Dean Winchester.
Now, Dean is determined to gank the beast and for Sam to stay inside. For the entire episode, I thought Dean's edginess was him pushing through the fear he associates with the thing that killed him three lifetimes ago. When he finally explains why, I think even cupid would shed a tear. Here is Dean's speech nearly word-for-angsty-word: "God's little obstacle course, we've been down this road before. We both know where this ends—one of us dies or worse. I'm a grunt. You're not. You've always been the brains of this operation. You see a light at the end of this ugly ass tunnel. I'll tell you what I do know: I'm going to die with a gun in my hand. That's what's waiting for me. I want you to have a life…living 'til you're fat and bald and chugging Viagra. That is my perfect ending, and it's the only one I'm going to get. I'm going to do these trials, and I'm going to do it alone. If you try to follow me, I'm gonna put a bullet in your damn leg." And that, ladies and gents, is why Ackles will deserves all of the shiny gold trophies ever made.
There's an expression, "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans," and that is pretty much the bedrock upon which "Supernatural" is built. John wanted to find the thing that killed his wife and avenge her, and he died at his hand twenty-five years later. Sam ran to Stanford to live a safe life, and ended up watching his girlfriend immolated on the ceiling. Dean made a crossroads deal to save his brother and inadvertently kickstarted the apocalypse. So naturally, Dean's plan to kill the hellhound and complete the the first trial is a complete blunder. The hellhound—a silver, smoky beast that's both monstrous bark and bite—and slashes Dean across his middle and catapults him into a wall, where he loses his knife and his magical specs. It advances, snarling, about to go in for the kill, when Sam arrives to pump it full of lead before gutting it like a fish. He's showered in vicious, black blood. Now Sam must complete the two remaining tasks and close the gates of hell. It's also pretty great that Sam could save his brother from the hellhound this time around.
It's also Sam's turn to lay into his brother: "Closing the gates is a suicide mission for you. I want to live. So should you. You have friends up here, family. You even have your own room now. I see a light at the end of this tunnel. If you come with me, I'll take you to it. You're not a grunt, Dean, you're a genius. You're the best damn hunter, better than me, better than Dad, so please, believe in me too."
Who could deny their little brother that?
Dean hands over the spell, and Sam recites it, not three seconds later, he collapses in pain, hand and arm glowing with something decidedly supernatural. Is Sammy magical again? What are the other two tasks? And just how big are Sammy's hands?! Stay tuned.
To be clear, this episode was nothing short of awesome, because it built on the established mythology in intriguing ways, and examined the ever-complicated relationship between the brothers. If the show can milk this momentum, we could see season 16. From A to F, "No Rest For The Wicked" to "Family Matters," this episode was a soaptastic A+.
What did you think of the this episode? Did you want Dean to hook up with Ellie? Did you wonder why they never mentioned their history with hellhounds? Are you excited about the other quests? Hit up the comments section!
Meet me at Platform 9 3/4 in King's Cross Station, because next week its all about witchcraft and wizardy! Check out the promo below:
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"We shall try to show that the power of symbolism of such images as "came down from heaven", "born of the Virgin Mary", "and was made man," lies precisely in the fact that here symbol and reality, myth and life, coincide." Here is the "came down from heaven" segment.
"O that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at thy presence … to make thy name known to thy adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at thy presence. When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains quaked at thy presence. From of old no one has heard …"
(Isaiah 64:1-4) .
The anonymous sixth-century prophet who produced this cry of hope and longing calls for the coming of God. In doing so he refers to an event that, for Israel, is unforgettable: the exodus from Egypt. In its deliverance from bondage in Egypt, Israel sees the prototype of all redemption. Did not God then come down in order to save his people? In the vision of the Burning Bush God speaks to Moses: "I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:7-8).
The "fundamental experience" of deliverance from Egypt gave Israel the certainty and an ever-new hope that God is not afraid to come down into the midst of his people in order to lead it up to the Promised Land. We find in the Prophets images of astounding intimacy: "The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival" (Zephaniah 3:17). Later Jewish theology never ceases to be amazed at this descent of God. So we read in the commentary on Exodus 13:21 ("And the Lord went before them … by night in a pillar )of fire to give them light") : "R. Jose the Galilean said: If it were not written in Scripture it would be forbidden to say such things, that a father carries a torch before his children, a master before his slave" (Kuhn, p. 23) .
God, whose transcendence is such a marked feature of the faith of Israel, is also the One who is very near: he comes town, makes himself small, adopts human proportions. In Jewish theology this dwelling of God among his people is called the shekinah: his "indwelling", his "glorious nearness". The shekinah is both distinct from God and yet himself. And it is emphasized "that God's dwelling (in his people) was the ultimate goal of the divine plan of creation, a goal envisaged right at the beginning of creation" (Kuhn, p. 64) . God is seen entirely in the context of his dwelling among men: He "is entirely his dwelling among men" (Kuhn, p. 69) .
The Christian faith in God's Incarnation is in line with his Old Testament Jewish hope and expectation: "God has come down from heaven to his people out of love; he has chosen the humblest place on earth and limited his affinity to a small space in the world; poor and humble, he renounced the honor due to him, performed the work of a slave for mankind's sake; and finally, in a concrete way, he shared in the deepest pain of his people. Not only can the Jewish faith affirm this: it is also the basis of the Christian profession of faith" (Kuhn, p. 105).
True, there remains one fundamental difference: in Judaism, necessarily, there is always a reluctance "to associate God, as the One Person that He is in Judaism, fully and finally with a human life, since this would seem to put God's transcendence in jeopardy. God can adopt particular features of an earthly existence, but he can never really `become flesh' in a final and irrevocable way and so `dwell among us' (John 1:14) .
Accordingly he could not experience the ultimate gravity of such a human life, i.e., death" (Kuhn, p. 108) . So we find the rabbis explicitly rejecting the ultimate consequence of God's "descent"; e.g., Rabbi Jose: "God never really came down upon the earth," for, however small the distance between them, God and man can never quite come together (Kuhn, p. 72) . According to the same Rabbi Jose, God always stays ten hand's breadths above the earth, i.e., "God has never come to earth completely, nor have men ascended to him completely" (Kuhn, pp. 45f.).
Thus we could rightly say that the Old Testament picture of God was characterized by an "inclination on God's part toward Incarnation" (Mauser, p. 16). Yet this inclination "hovers" in a kind of indecision. There continue to be new experiences of God's nearness, but also of his withdrawal and turning-away from man, and so the hope is always rekindled that, in the end, God will dwell among men permanently. A time will come when "my dwelling place shall be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Ezekiel 3 7:27; cf. Revelations 21:3). This final and definitive dwelling of God among men remains the great promise of the Old Testament…
It is the faith of Christians that God has finally pitched his tent among men. Christians find this ultimate coming promised in countless passages of the Old Testament, and they see it fulfilled in the apparently insignificant birth of Jesus…


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The recent headlines about the bust of an alleged human trafficking ring operating in Georgia, Florida and both North and South Carolina certainly claimed plenty of national attention. Twelve men were indicted on charges related to a human trafficking and prostitution ring following an investigation, dubbed "Operation Dark Night," that began last spring.
According to the indictment, the men are accused of luring young women from Mexico and Nicaragua to the U.S. with promises of a better life. However, that dream was quickly shattered when these women were forced into prostitution where they would have sex with up to 30 men per day.
The heinous crime of human trafficking is certainly not new. But today's globalization and sophisticated communications systems are making it that much easier to commit. Human trafficking involves recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, providing or obtaining an individual (or attempting to do so) without the consent of the individual for the purpose of a commercial sex act or labor or services.
The perpetrators carry out their twisted objectives by many different means including causing or threatening to cause bodily or financial harm; restraining or threatening to restrain an individual; extortion, fraud, deception or debt bondage or using any scheme or pattern to make the victim think that they would suffer bodily harm, financial harm, restraint or other harm.
Amidst this seedy backdrop lies the emerging and ever-growing crime of child solicitation and enticement via the Internet. A seemingly harmless chat quickly devolves into activities such as the exchange of pornographic photos and/or reaching out to actually meet and have a sexual encounter with an underage victim.
Regrettably, there are people out there who attempt to chat online or somehow be in contact with underage individuals with the sole purpose of having sexual encounters.
Obviously, law enforcement has come to acknowledge this and on a regular basis can set up sting operations by posing as underage individuals. Police want to get these individuals to come out and follow through on attempting such a sexual encounter.
So what is a parent or guardian to do to protect their loved ones from such danger? What should they be looking for and what kinds of actions should they take? Any time you suspect that your child might be talking to people they shouldn't be, especially innocent "chat" that moves on to flirtation and inappropriate comments or pictures, contact law enforcement immediately.
I can assure you that law enforcement, especially law enforcement in Waukesha County, will pounce on this kind of information immediately in an attempt to stop it. This activity is so damaging from so many different perspectives.
For example, last October there was the case of 15 year-old Amanda Todd of British Columbia who took her own life after being sexually exploited by an online stalker and being bullied by her peers. These kinds of stories are tragic but, unfortunately, they are real. There are predators out there that are more than willing to commit this type of crime. We live in a day and age where pictures and video are very easily obtained and are then disseminated literally all over the world.
Parents must have a keen eye to watch what is going on with their children especially as it relates to computers and the social media. To the best of your ability, find out who they are talking to and what they are doing. While law enforcement has become very good at setting up the sting operations mentioned earlier, their efforts are also lean very heavily on the support and input they get from parents who take the time to see what their kids are doing and then alerting the authorities before the situation gets out of hand.
About Attorney Mark Powers
Attorney Mark Powers is a partner at the criminal defense law firm of Huppertz & Powers, S.C. in Waukesha. Previously, Powers served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Waukesha County District Attorney's office and is currently serving as a municipal judge in North Prairie. He focuses in the area of criminal defense, and has handled many cases involving operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, domestic disputes, and drug offenses.
Powers attended Valparaiso University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctorate. Prior to law school, Mark attended the University of Wisconsin, Lacrosse where he received his bachelor of science in Political Science.
For more information, please call 262.549.5979 or visit www.waukeshacriminalattorneys.com.


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A former Burnaby city councillor with Alzheimer's disease who was in hospital for four months was placed in a seniors' care facility last Thursday.
"We think it's too good to be true after going through the hospital. We're really happy," daughter Diane Evans told the NOW.
Her 82-year-old father, Douglas Evans, suffers from Alzheimer's and was admitted to Burnaby Hospital on June 25 after he got lost and was picked up by police. According to the Evans family, their father's health deteriorated rapidly once he was in care, and they found him tied to a bed, wearing a diaper, and doped up on anti-psychotic medications. He also contracted pneumonia and two bouts of C. difficile, a bacterium that causes diarrhea and is easily transmitted in unclean environments.
The Evans family pushed for their father, who once served on the board of the Burnaby Hospital, to be placed in an appropriate care home as soon as possible, and they are pleased he's at Normanna.
"It was far too long, and I think the infections really delayed everything," Diane said. "We're still saying nobody with Alzheimer's should end up in a hospital setting. It's just really not the place for him."
According to Diane, the Normanna staff members are very helpful, they know Douglas and the family by name, and the home was "clean and orderly." Douglas is still on antibiotics for the C. difficile, and he's confined to a wheelchair since his leg muscles atrophied while in hospital. The care home staff put him to "work" folding towels, and Diane said he likes having something to do. Douglas still doesn't recognize his wife or kids, although he pretends to.
"But he knows there's someone there who loves him," Diane said. "The other day I bent over and kissed him goodbye, and he said goodbye sweetheart."
According to the Fraser Health Authority, the average wait for someone to get into residential care from Burnaby Hospital is 20 to 26 days, but that's after the patient has been assessed as eligible. The provincial target is to place people within 30 days. Fraser Health has roughly 7,800 complex residential care beds, and their occupancy rate is at 99 per cent.
According to Burnaby-Edmonds MLA Raj Chouhan, Evans' case underscores the lack of seniors' residential care beds in the province and the treatment Alzheimer's patients receive in hospital.
"While I appreciate Fraser Health's efforts to find him residential care, I find it disturbing that he had to wait over 120 days in a hospital that is not suitable for patients with dementia," Chouhan wrote in a letter to Ralph Sultan, minister of state for seniors.
Diane said the family still has an active complaint filed with Fraser Health about the care their father received.
"The experience at Burnaby General was exhausting and we felt unnecessary," she said. "We still feel strongly that a hospital setting is not the place for confused Alzheimer's sufferers and that using anti-psychotic drugs as chemical restraints is wrong. The drugs have damaged dad's health and rapidly advanced his Alzheimer's."
To read Diane's letter of complaint to the patient care quality office, go to Jennifer Moreau's blog at www.burnabynow.com under the Opinion tab.
Click here to read more stories from The Burnaby Now.


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November 10, 2013
Ronald D. "Doc" Williams
Ronald D. "Doc" Williams of Middleport passed away on Friday, November 8, 2013 at his home following a long illness. Mr. Williams was born in West Virginia on April 20, 1957, son of the late Eugene and Virginia (Duncan) Williams.
He has lived in Middleport for the past seven years before that he resided in West Virginia. He retired from Niagara Foods in Middleport as a truck driver. He was a very happy, caring and quiet person who enjoyed his family, boating and fishing.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Adkins Williams; three children, Ronald D. (Victoria) Williams, Jr., Amy Williams and Janice Williams, all of Batavia; eight grandchildren; and several brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.
Friends may call on Tuesday from 2-5 PM at the Bates, Wallace & Heath Funeral Home, 38 State St., Middleport. There will be no funeral service. Memorials to Linda Adkins Williams would be appreciated by the family.
Visit www.bateswallace.com to sign guest register.


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Can you help by giving a dog a home? (From Swindon Advertiser)
Get involved! Send photos, video, news & views. Text SWINDON NEWS to 80360 or email us
Can you help by giving a dog a home?
6:10pm Tuesday 4th December 2012 in News By Matthew Edwards
Buy this photo Hannah Taylor with two of the pups
A VOLUNTEER group set up to help save dogs in Swindon from death row is looking to re-home five dogs.
The problem of abandoned dogs has reached desperate levels in the town over the past year with Swindon Council's pound inundated with bull terrier-type breeds in particular.
Under regulations, the animals can be looked after at the pound for seven days to allow owners a chance to reclaim them.
But after that they become council property and unless pounds can find a place for an unwanted dog at a re-homing centre, it faces being put down.
In a bid to prevent innocent animals losing their lives, a group called Swindon's Needy Dogs has a team of volunteers who help to re-home the dogs, and take them for walks at the pound.
One of the volunteers, Jessie Bascombe, of Penhill, is trying to find homes for five dogs before Christmas.
They are Burt, a Staffordshire Terrier cross, George a Staffordshire Terrier, and Sophie, a dachshound which has two spaniel-cross puppies.
Jessie, the dog planner co-ordinator, said: "We don't have much time between the dog being put in the pound and finding them a home. It is only 10 days, or they could be put down.
"I go to the pound a few times a week to get a feel for the dogs and make sure they go to the right home.
"At this time of year it is difficult to find spaces for the dogs because of Christmas coming and then in the new year you find a lot of dogs are dumped and the rescue homes are full.
"It is important to get these dogs re-homed as soon as possible and they are really good dogs.
"We are also in need of more volunteers who can help with walking dogs.
"We make sure the dogs are walked for an hour a day at the pound which is important."
Anyone interested in re-homing a dog or becoming a volunteer should email swindonsneedydogs@gmail.
com or search for Swindon's Needy Dogs on Facebook.
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tucker81 wrote:And you were running down McDonalds. Says a lot about your eating habits!
They look delicious
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text: Many thought this game would be the deciding game for the district Championship, but the possibility still exists for Co-Champions in the district. AMC and Cove enter this game at 4-0 with the winner taking a giant step toward being the district champion. It looks like the two teams are evenly matched based on wins against common district foes. I haven't looked at the comparision of stats but will and give my thoughts on that later. I pick Cove to win in a very close hard fought game, mainly becuase AMC travels to Cove for this game. Bulldawg Stadium is a tough place for visiting teams to win. So I am saying this game maybe decided by one TD or a FG. I'll make a score predcition later on, but I tend to think both will score in excess of 30 points. What are your thoughts and prediciton?


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Availability: Embassy Suites Washington Convention Center
Please enter your travel dates.
Convention Center convenience on a grand scale
Living large
Built to impress, this all-suites hotel's lobby is decked out in mahogany and marble, soaring 6 stories high; a 2-story clock, 3-story water feature, and 10-foot light add outsized accents.
Breakfast, business
The Embassy Suites features a daily complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast and a cocktail-and-appetizer manager's reception. The hotel also offers free wireless Internet access, a fitness center, and indoor pool.
The suite life
The 374 suites at this Washington hotel have separate living areas with sofa beds, dining tables, and flat-screen TVs with premium channels. Wet bars are equipped with microwaves and refrigerators.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Embassy Suites Washington Convention Center Amenities
- General
The Embassy Suites Washington Convention Center is 1.5 blocks from the Washington Convention Center and less than a mile from the Verizon Center and the White House.
On the second floor, a white-tiled indoor swimming pool includes a lounging deck dotted with palm trees. A fitness center offers city views and is equipped with treadmills, stationary bikes, and flat-screen TVs. A gift shop on the main floor sells sundry items and gifts. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available throughout the hotel, and the business center has computers with complimentary high-speed Internet access.
The hotel's restaurant, Finn & Porter, serves steak, sushi, and seafood under 22-foot ceilings with views of 10th Street. A fireplace is tucked into a corner, and an enclosed terrace topped by skylights offers additional seating options.
A complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast is served each morning. Guests are also invited to a daily manager's reception featuring complimentary cocktails and appetizers.
Accessibility features at the Embassy Suites include Braille or raised signage and accessible rooms and bathrooms, including roll-in showers.
- Indoor pool
- Free breakfast
- Complimentary newspapers in lobby
- Fitness facilities
- Bar/lounge
- Restaurant
- Room service (limited hours)
- Coffee shop or café
- Business center
- Express check-out
- 24-hour front desk
- Multilingual staff
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Total number of rooms - 384
- Express check-in
- ATM/banking
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Laundry facilities
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Number of floors - 15
- Elevator/lift
- Valet parking (surcharge)
- Free Wi-Fi
- One meeting room
- Luggage storage
- Shopping on site
- Complimentary reception
- Internet
Available in all rooms: Wired high-speed Internet access ( $9.95 USD /24 hours surcharge )
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi
- Parking
Valet parking (surcharge)
- Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Pay movies
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Premium bedding
- Separate sitting area
- Climate control
- Complimentary weekday newspaper
- Air conditioning
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Microwave
- Shower/tub combination
- Complimentary toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- Daily housekeeping
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Cable TV service
- Desk
- Pillowtop mattress
- Sofa bed
- Cribs/infant beds available
- Wired high-speed Internet access (surcharge)
- Dining
Sample menu for Finn & Porter
- Mulligatawny Soup
- Prime Filet Mignon Carpaccio
- Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps
Main courses:
- Alder Plank-Roasted Wild Salmon
- Braised Short Rib
- Grilled Australian Free-Range Rack of Lamb
This Washington, DC Embassy Suites serves a daily complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast, including omelets, waffles, and pancakes.
Guests are invited to a complimentary daily manager's reception with cocktails and appetizers.
Finn & Porter - American and international fare, including a wide selection of sushi, seafood, and steak. Extensive wine list. Open daily for lunch, dinner. Happy hour daily.
- Accessibility
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible bathroom
- Accessible path of travel
- Braille or raised signage
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Embassy Suites Washington Convention Center Policies & Fees
- Check-in
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
- Check-out
Check-out time is noon
- Payment types
Accepted at this hotel: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
- General
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- Fees
- The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
- Fee for in-room high-speed Internet (wired): USD 9.95 (for 24 hours, rates may vary)
- Valet parking fee: USD 35 per day


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Police Beat
The following reports were taken from local law enforcement and fire logs:
The following reports were taken from local law enforcement and fire logs:
Garden City Police Department Arrests/Citations
Melinda Agraz, 28, 2213 Lincoln Road, was cited and released at 10:27 a.m. in the 700 block of West Kansas Avenune on an allegation of no proof of insurance.
Andis Contreras, 30, 205 N. Third St., was cited and released at 12:47 p.m. in the 900 block of North Ninth Street on an allegation of driving while suspended.
Angeles Gonzales, 36, 908 1/2 W. Olive St., was cited and released at 4:12 p.m. in the 600 block of East Kansas Avenue on an allegation of no proof of insurance.
Finney County Sheriff's Office
Natalie Suzanne Cornett, 33, 501 W. Prospect Ave., was arrested at 9:55 a.m. on allegations of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct.
Gary Kee Vincent, 31, 4875 E. Hillcrest St., was arrested at 5:29 p.m. on an out-of-county warrant.
Garden City Fire Department
At 8:03 p.m. at 1020 Skyline Drive — false alarm or false call, other.
At 10:51 p.m. at East Mary Streeet and North Highway 50/83 Interchange — passenger vehicle fire.


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Carriage Towne News
---- — FREMONT — The annual Rabies Clinic will be held on Sat., April 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Fremont Safety Complex, 425 Main Street, Fremont. Services not limited to residents, anyone may attend.
Rabies shots are $10.00 and microchips, $25.00. ResQ microchips from Bayer are universally read and have Free lifetime registration. Call 895-3425 to reserve your chip; supplies are limited.
Dogs must to be leashed and cats must be in carriers. Please present certification of previous vaccination; otherwise your animal will receive a one-year vaccine. David Smiley, DMV of Smiley Veterinary of Auburn will administer the vaccines and microchips.
The town clerk will be available to issue dog licenses for Fremont. The deadline to license your dog is April 30.


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has cared for residents of Florida's capital city and its surrounding areas. We employ those who embrace the concepts of quality care, community health and progressive technology.
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Thank you for your interest in nursing at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. Deciding where to practice your profession is a very important decision.
TMH Wins Psychologically Health Workplace Award
The Florida Psychological Association (FPA) awarded Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare the 2009 Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award, an award that recognizes an organization's efforts to foster the quality of their employee's health and well-being, in life and at work, while enhancing organizational performances.
Contact Us
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(850) 431-5250
(800) 347-0579


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See how this stunning, laugh-out-loud series all began and meet Meg Langslow, one of the most dynamic and hilarious characters ever to grace the mystery shelves.
Sign up to receive information about new books, author events, and special offers.
Read the full excerpt
"If you long for more 'fun''mysteries, á la Janet Evanovich, you'll love Donna Andrews's Meg Langslow series." —The Charlotte Observer
"Andrews's talent for the lovably loony makes this series a winner; to miss it would be a cardinal sin." —Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Death by yard sale epitomizes the 'everyday people' humor that Andrews does so well." —Rocky Mountain News
Donna Andrews is the author of the Meg Langslow mysteries, including Stork Raving Mad and Swan for the Money. She has won the Agatha, Anthony, and Barry awards, a Romantic Times award for best first novel, and two Lefty and two Toby Bromberg Awards for funniest mystery. When not writing fiction, Andrews is a self-confessed nerd, rarely found away from her computer, unless she's messing in the garden. She lives in Reston, Virginia.
Donna Andrews


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Elderly Westcliff man sleeps in car to deter vandals (From Echo)
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Elderly man sleeps in car to deter vandals
12:00pm Wednesday 13th February 2013 in News By Laura Smith
AN ELDERLY man has resorted to camping out in his car - after it was repeatedly targeted by vandals.
The victim is at the end of his tether with the yobs who have left a huge dent in his roof, smashed a light and damaged his numberplate.
He has now mounted a 24-hour vigil in Holland Road, Westcliff, to try and catch those responsible red-handed.
He has been braving freezing temperatures and supportive neighbours have been bringing him cups of tea.
Trevor Bell, who lives in Holland Road, said: "He has been sitting in there all-night long underneath a blanket and told everyone if we heard him to come rushing out quickly.
"It's horrible to see him out there, he looked so sad."
Mr Bell, 66, said the man told him he lived in Homecove flats and had bought a car, but didn't have space in their private carpark.
He believes the problems happened after he began to park in Holland Road.
Cheryl Hindle-Terry, Southend Council's team leader for the parking, traffic management and road safety team, said: "We are not considering any parking changes in this location. We consulted residents in a large area around Westcliff Station and seafront during 2011 and received a low response."
Police confirmed that they had received two reports of criminal damage, with the latest being overnight on January 16,and are investigating.
Anyone with information should call Southend police on 101.
Comments (3)
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12:19pm Wed 13 Feb 13
DogsMessInLeigh says...
12:40pm Wed 13 Feb 13
Woodenspoon says...
1:43pm Wed 13 Feb 13
stopmoaning1 says...
Unless of course they are reporting the fact he's been there another 24 hours.
Looking forward to tomorrows instalment
Elderly man camps in his car to catch vandals
11:30am Tuesday 12th February 2013
AN ELDERLY man has resorted to camping out in his car - after it was repeatedly targeted by vandals.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Good luck even qualifying to apply..................
For the record, I've just lowered the requirements on class forums and some other less-active forums. If you were trying to apply before and found yourself ineligible, you may want to check again.
We are still looking for people who are active members of the forums they apply for, but I know that some of the discussion has died down a bit thanks to the current state of the game and waiting for the expansion.
Guess I'm out -.-if you got infracted 5 times over the past month, you're probably out.
Good luck everyone! It's a fun job
We really need a Warrior forum moderator. And I can't do it because I'm an asshole.
So someone get in there and do something about it.
http://www.heroicstrike.org/ - Goodnight, sweet prince
Melee isn't awful for Challenge Modes; you are. Melee players are a liability for the windows of time in which a tank keeps an enemy mob faced towards them, resulting in an exorbitant loss of damage or death. Melee players are a liability for people who keep rooting mobs next to them. Melee are a liability to a healer that cannot heal.
Good luck to all applicants (and congrats to Darsithis on the new, shiny blue monicker).
/salute mods. Honestly, how you refrain from "Infracted: TOO BLOODY STUPID TO LIVE" at times, I don't know
- Signature courtesy of the very talented Aveline -
Congrats Darsitithis being promoted to worse color moderator. (I like green.)
Grats on being promoted from Uncommon to Rare!
(Inb4 chaud and Sunshine are hastily promoted to a newly created Epic rank.)
I see you've implemented some emergency avatar recolouring as well.
Well, gave it another shot. Maybe this time I'll be lucky.


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Eyes Wide Shut
|Release Date: July 16, 1999
|Running Time: 159 mins.
|MPAA Rating: R
|Box Office: $55,673,006.00
|Genre: Adaptation, Drama, Romance
• The Coolest Movies Of The 90s
• Five Actresses 'To Watch For'
• Nicole Kidman Wants Her Daughter To Be A Musician
• Workplace Romance: Costars Who Fell In Love
• Movie Adaptations: Why They Succeed Or Fail & The Direction They're Headed
More News >>
Tom Cruise
Nicole Kidman
Sydney Pollack
Rade Serbedzija
All Cast & Crew >>
Summary:Consumed by betrayal and jealousy, a wealthy Manhattan doctor becomes entangled in a a ritualistic sexual underworld when his wife admits to having lascivious sexual fantasies about another man.
Video News:
Related Movies:
Barry Lyndon
Full Metal Jacket
The Shining
Browse More Movies:


text:
Sort: publication date | titles A - Z
Page: | 1 |
This book offers unique and adaptable guidelines that can be used by practitioners to ease the process of breaking bad news to people with intellectual disabilities. It provides effective tips and support that will help social workers, counsellors and caring professionals relay all types of bad news as sensitively and successfully as possible. more »2012, Paperback: £14.99/ $22.95
Keywords: adults, autism, bereavement, carers, communication, counselling, disability, grief, health care, intellectual disabilities, pastoral care, person-centred, pervasive developmental disorder, psychology, social care, social work, trauma
Page: | 1 |
(1 titles match the current selection)


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By Amy Moritz
The NHL has suspended John Scott indefinitely pending a disciplinary hearing for his hit on Loui Eriksson in last night's 5-2 loss to Boston. He has been given the opportunity for an in-person hearing, an offer made when the suspension is likely to go beyond five games. The suspension came after the team had left for tomorrow night's game at Florida.
Scott addressed the media after the Buffalo Sabres practiced for about an hour this morning at First Niagara Center.
His hit on Loui Eriksson in last night's 5-2 loss to Boston, along with his value as an NHL player period, has been questioned by several national media outlets. Scott would like to say he's not a goon.
"I don't think I'm a dirty player," Scott said. "I try to play within the code, within the rules. This is my first suspension. I don't try to be a dirty player. I kind of feel really upset. I was sick to my stomach last night knowing what happened watching the video. I just kind of regret the whole situation. I don't want to be a dirty player."
Scott said he sent a text to Eriksson last night to apologize for the hit, one that he didn't realize at the time was to his head.
"It happened pretty fast," Scott said. "I just thought I was completing a check. But, obviously, I hit his head. It wasn't exactly what I was aiming for. I didn't want to do that. It's just a bad play, unfortunate it happened."
Not only was Scott criticized by national outlets, but head coach Ron Rolston was questioned for putting Scott on the ice in the first place. The loudest and most vehement criticism came from NBC Sports Network analyst Mike Milbury. (See video below.)
Milbury said that Scott and Rolston were, "two meatheads there. They both should be gone by tomorrow." He then described the Sabres this way: "The thing's a mess. It's a fire. It's the Titanic."
Sabres co-captain Steve Ott wasn't going to comment on Milbury's rant.
"I'm definitely not going to comment about Milbury. That's the last guy I want to talk about right now," Ott said.
And Rolston pretty much shrugged off the criticism. How does he handle that?
"Just wake up the next morning and do your job. That's how I handle it," Rolston said. "Just come to the rink and do my job.
"We can't control that. We come to work and we try to do our job to get guys better and get the team better. We can't control what people's opinions are of situations. Whether you write it or it's on the radio or you guys write it or someone says it, you can't control that. So, not going to get too uptight about that."But


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Silicon Valley Spam-Slinger Knocked out Cold
Russia may not be the only place spam hosts lay in wait. Tuesday of this week San Jose webhoster McColo went offline. The result is that the world's spam rate is now down by three-quarters, at least according to the Washington Post's online service.
On November 11, two ISPs, Global Crossing and Hurricane Electric, purged the California webhosting firm McColo from its services. The next day Cisco subsidiary IronPort announced that worldwide spam activity had fallen off by as much as 75%.
An article on washintonpost.com was what triggered the whole thing. Brian Krebs, the article's author, got a tip-off and notified the two ISPs of the webhoster's criminal activities that had been logged by security firms over the last couple months.
According to Krebs's article, the San Jose based McColo hosts, among other things, some diverse botnets that security firms such as SecureWorks deal with on a regular basis. Botnets are said to be responsible for about two-thirds of the world's spams. McColo also allegedly hosts many illicit child pornography websites, as washingtonpost.com reports and appeals to readers to contact the HostExploit.com website. Linux Magazine Online has since asked for comments from a few spam specialists.
Magnus Kalkuhl is one of them. He works in the anti-virus division at Kaspersky Lab in Germany. His comment: "We can prove that a whole series of botnets are no longer active since McColo was shut down." By his assessment, the affected botnets driven by McColo servers were Srizbi, Rustock and Mega-D, which were sending up to 10 million email spams a day. But even criminal activity involves backups: "It won't be long before the spam business starts picking up again as usual," Kalkuhl says.
Comments also came from Berlin webhoster, mail expert and Linux Magazine author Peer Heinlein. Heinlein identified the shut down servers as "bullet-proof" servers. McColo is, therefore, a kind of provider who promises its clients uninterrupted service even with high complaint rates. Spammers use "bullet-proof" servers either for sending direct and huge quantities of spam mail or as command-and-control servers for botnets to infest and control user PCs.
The tear-down of the McColo servers has cost a lot of spammers their infrastructure, according to Heinlein. "Organizations like Spamhaus, through their undying effort, have provided ISPs with enough earth-shattering evidence for them to take the proper steps." However, Heinlein concurs with Krebs that spammers will be back at their game in no time: "There are a number of other bullet-proof hosters that would love to take over all the suddenly available clients. Spammers will reconfigure things so that this recent cutback will hardly be noticeable."
Indeed, not everyone has noticed the effect. For example, Ralf Hildebrandt, self-professed mail server expert and also Linux Magazine author. He works on contract basis with T-Systems Business Service as technical manager for the CharitéHospital in Berlin. He has noticed nothing of a significant spam reduction: "My statistical graphs show about the same amount of emails and the same amount of rejects."
Issue 166/2014
Tag Cloud
Heartbleed Bleeds On
According to a report, many potential victims of the Heartbleed attack have patched their systems, but few have cleaned up the crime scene to protect themselves from the effects of a previous intrusion.
Drone Brain Goes Open Source
DARPA and NICTA release the code for the ultra-secure microkernel system used in aerial drones.
Password Management Services Vulnerable to Attack
Should you trust an online service to store your online passwords?
New Raspberry Pi Adds Two USB Ports
New B+ board lets you build cool things without the complication of a powered USB hub.
Microsoft Grabs No-IP.com Domains
Redmond rushes in to root out alleged malware haven.
Firefox Steps into 3D
New initiative will bring futuristic virtual reality effects to the web surfing experience.
New Trojan Targets Online Banking
Dyreza malware launches a man-in-the-middle attack that compromises SSL.
HP Rolls Out Massive Cloud Network
New cloud combines worldwide access with local attention to data security.
New Attack Targets Wireless Logins
A first cousin of the recent Heartbleed attack affects EAP-based wireless and peer-to-peer authentication.
Geeks Petition for Free Lenovo BIOS
FOSS community acts to protect freedom of choice for laptop devices.


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---- — Chateaugay breakfast
TO THE EDITOR: The annual Breakfast at Camp Chateaugay was a huge success, and I would like to express appreciation to all the people who attended.
It was the largest turnout ever. It was great to watch everyone. They enjoyed visiting with friends almost as much as they enjoyed the full buffet menu.
The Chateaugay Lake Association benefited greatly from breakfast ticket sales and from the generosity of Hal Lyons and Dov Shapiro, owners of Camp Chateaugay. Many people may not be aware that Hal and Dov each year donate all the food served and all the staff to cook and serve it. Thank you, Hal and Dov.
Margaret Empsall, the new lake steward, was on hand to promote her efforts. She will be monitoring boats as they enter and leave the public Department of Conservation boat launch, making sure no invasive species are entering or leaving the lake on boats and propellers.
It is in everyone's best interest to protect water quality in the Chateaugay Lake. We want to thank boaters for helping with this effort.
Finally, a special thank you to all our local media for promoting Breakfast at Camp Chateaugay. We couldn't do it without them.
CHRIS LaDUKE
Chateaugay Lake Association
Best cashier
TO THE EDITOR: This is my Motor Vehicle Department experience.
First girl at "Help" desk crossed out stuff she said we didn't need.
First girl at cashier window practically threw the paperwork back at us and sent us to the back of the line to redo paperwork.
Second girl at cashier window was very pleasant and smiling. She worked through the misinformed paperwork and smiled the whole time, saying she understood. We got our registration at a reasonable time.
Thank you to the best cashier they ever had there. Keep up the good work. It's appreciated.
TO THE EDITOR: I usually don't involve myself in politics. I am the kind of person who sits back and watches and listens, but I feel the need to speak out about the Democratic candidate for County Legislature in District 10.
He is Robert "Bobby" Hall Sr. I have known Bob for more than 40 years. I know the man has a heart for our city and in the past has shown that, serving eight years as a councilmen.
His passion for doing what is right will convey in a simple conversation with him. As a county legislator, he will be a strong voice for our city.


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Fear of flying is like fear of being free…some people are frightened but if they manage to overcome it, they will regret the time lost in being earthbound and tied to everyday things…
Soft, delicate and convenient - the new on-board blanket is a useful and comfortable accessory.
On sale in a single package measuring 100 x 180 cm in turquoise, Air Dolomiti's livery colour.
Once you decide what to bring with you during your trip, the task that lies ahead is to put everything in an optimal way.
Following the most recent regulations in force, it will be possible for passengers to take on board with them only carry-on baggage


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Joanna Coles: New Cosmo Editor-in-Chief, Behind the Scenes Video
Prepping for an on-camera interview, Cosmo's new Editor-In-Chief Joanna Coles candidly talks about sex and the Cosmo's "position of the day" app.For more news and photos about Cosmopolitan and Joanna Coles visit: www.cosmopolitan.com/sept4?src=SOC-
Movie Could Change the Way You Treat Fat People
Two women were sent pizza and death threats as they filmed a movie about body acceptance.
Study Shows Women Get Smarter Faster Than Men
Unfortunately, it might be because they start off at a huge disadvantage.
Black Cats Are Unpopular Because of Selfies
A British animal charity says lots of black cats are being abandoned because they don't look good in photos.
24 Partying Questions Every Woman Has
Is that guy cute or is it just dark in here?
Awesome Graffiti Defaces Body-Shaming Billboard
The new message is much better.
Can't Stand a Coworker? Now You Can Say It Anonymously
A new email service will either make things better or WAY worse.
Shocking Lightning Bolt Interrupts Couple's Vacation Selfie
Was it divine intervention against vacation selfies?
Dog Nearly Passes Out With Joy When Reunited With His Owner
You're going to OD on happiness right now.
People in Colorado Are Serving Marijuana at Weddings
Who needs champagne?
Limbo Skating Is a Thing and This 6-Year-Old Is King
Watch him skate under a bunch of cars like it ain't no thang.
The 12 Best Things About Being a Morning Person
You have all your errands and chores done before half your friends wake up.
16 Amazing Beaches You Need to See
These U.S. and global gems prove heaven on Earth does exist.
19 Things All Brides Worry About
No matter how chill and not-bridezilla-y you are about this whole getting-married thing, you can't help but worry about, well, a bunch of stuff.
More From Lifestyle


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Niagara Gazette — YOUNGSTOWN -- Niagara County Sheriff's Department investigators say a Lockport man was the victim in a fatal accident in the village of Youngstown Thursday morning.
Deputies say Marlo G. Jackson, 30, was behind the wheel of a red Ford Explorer that ran a stop sign and plunged into the Niagara River.
The accident occurred just before 7 a.m. and witnesses said Jackson's SUV was traveling west on Church Street, when it failed to stop at a stop sign at Main Street. The SUV smashed through a guardrail and continued about 100 feet down an embankment before flipping over in relatively shallow water.
Sheriff's deputies said when they arrived on the scene, they found Jackson "unresponsive" in the front seat of the SUV. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators did not release any information from an autopsy that was conducted on Jackson's body at the Erie County Medical Center on Friday morning. The results of the autopsy and toxicology tests could help determine the cause of the crash.
A similar fatal crash happened at the same location in February 2008.
In that incident, a Lockport man was driving east on Church Street and went through the intersection at Main Street. Two men later discovered the car lodged up against a tree.
The body of Arnold P. Barnett was found a short distance away from his vehicle.


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By Mark Schmetzer
The Associated Press
CINCINNATI — Homer Bailey didn't have much time Tuesday night to celebrate his second career no-hitter. He had to get up early Wednesday to tend to his horses.
Cincinnati's Texas-born right-hander celebrated his no-no against the San Francisco Giants by calling his family while listening to music, he said. He also spent time answering more than 200 text messages from former teammates and current and former major-leaguers — including fellow Texan Roger Clemens — while squeezing in a visit to the two horses he stables locally.
"I had to get up pretty early," he said about his low-key celebration while speaking to the media at his cubicle in the Reds' clubhouse before Wednesday night's game against the Giants.
Former teammates who reached out to Bailey included pitchers Aaron Harang and Kent Mercker and outfielder Laynce Nix, he said, adding that Clemens, a special instructor in Houston's system, said he was going to show his young pitchers a video of Bailey's performance.
"He said, 'Your mechanics and direction were good,"' Bailey said, quoting Clemens. "I said, 'Go ahead. They're not in our division anymore."'
Houston was a Reds opponent in the NL Central before shifting to the American League this season.
Bailey hadn't seen any highlights of his performance, the 16th no-hitter in franchise history and one walk away from being a perfect game.
"I had the best seat in the house," he pointed out. "I didn't need to watch TV. (High definition) can't do justice to where I was standing.
"When I talked to my dad, the first thing he said was, 'How'd it go tonight? I recorded it and haven't had time to watch it yet,"' Bailey added, smiling. "He was joking."
Bailey, who pitched the final no-hitter of last season at Pittsburgh on September 28 before logging the first of this season, did not hear from his idol, Nolan Ryan — another hard-throwing Texas right-hander and the owner of a major-league record seven no-hitters.
Ryan, now president of the Texas Rangers, was the last pitcher before Bailey to throw two consecutive no-hitters before another pitcher accomplished the feat. Ryan threw the last no-hitter in 1974 and the first in 1975.
Bailey's next scheduled start is Sunday against Seattle in Cincinnati.


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The mind is a curious thing, its engine constantly rumbling as it cranks the body into motion while simultaneously firing its synapses to course through the subconscious, stoking positives and negatives in an individual's thoughts. Nowhere was it more in evidence than on Rod Laver arena on Saturday evening, as defending champion Victoria Azarenka took on China's Li Na for the chance to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy in 2013.
The psychologies underlying this match must begin back on the Terre Battue of Roland Garros in 2011 when Li Na overcame a career of nearly-but-not-quite to become to first Asian winner of a grand slam title. It was a feat that demanded a celebration, but the bender that Li went on might have bagged her a cosy £11 million in sponsorship money, but cost her a year on tennis tour as focuses shifted and results slumped. Pulling herself back into contention involved a swapping out of her husband Jiang Shan as coach for Carlos Rodriguez, a partnership that appeared to work in her favour as she lifted her first title in 16 months towards the end of 2012. Another 3 months later and Li finds herself in her second slam final after a near-perfect route through the draw and playing some of the most consistent, aggressive tennis of her career. With both Agnieszka Radwanska and, more convincingly, Maria Sharapova left in her wake at the tournament she headed into the final as the form player, beloved by the home crowd for her winsome smile and candidly humorous interviews.
Contrastingly, Victoria Azarenka endured another tournament as the pantomime villain. In 2012, she riled spectators by complaining to the chair umpire about the noise generated by a fly-by, causing sections of the crowd to mimic her sustained grunts as she attempted to hit the ball. With the crowds soon tiring of this tactic she marched through her matches with youthful indifference before memorably bagging 12 games in a row in the final to thwart the campaign of former champion Sharapova. The love of the crowd apparently inconsequential to her.
A year later she's back in the final, but instead of being greeted with the reverence deserving of a defending champion, she went into the match on a bed of controversy following some questionable actions during her semi-final encounter with American teenager Sloane Stephens. Millimetres from the finish, but with a last ditch effort from Stephens paying dividends for the youngster, Azarenka picked the most inopportune moment to call a medical time-out. Disappearing off court for close to 10 minutes, the Belorussian reappeared to break the American's serve in the very next match to take the win. Protesting that she was struck with nerves, and needed time to calm herself in the wake of Stephens' challenge, did little to repair her standing with the fans, as she sacrificed her popularity for the sake of victory.
In this post-Armstrong climate, where the mantra of "win at all costs" has become tainted with deceit, Azarenka's actions came across to many as arrogant ruthlessness. Even if it was an honest time-out, the timing of it will always be scrutinised as gamesmanship. And although Azarenka's mistake, her PR nightmare, is by no means comparable to any of the deceptions perpetrated by Lance Armstrong, his legacy has meant that we now will our sportsmen and women to conduct themselves impeccably, to dispel any notions of unpleasantness or underhandedness - be those notions chemical, aggressive or, in Azarenka's case, psychological.
Arriving on the court on Saturday evening, Li was greeted with the cheers of an adoring crowd. They loved the way she had played, they loved the way she had behaved throughout the tournament and they were excited that she would play on their court and in their final. Contrastingly, the cheer for Azarenka was noticeably more muted.
It was a token applause that carried itself through the first set. Li had the backing of vast portions of the 15000-strong crowd, while Azarenka had to suffer the ignominy of ironic whooping and applause after each of her errors and double faults. Inevitably the first set went the way of the Chinese seed, as her heavy, accurate baseline game proved too powerful for Azarenka to handle. With Li the more aggressive player, moving athletically and anticipating the Belorussian's tactics, it was unsurprising that the opening set went the way of the #6 seed 46.
The reception Azarenka received was undoubtedly a shock to her, even after the sarcastic ribbing of 2012. It inevitably tightened her shots, while relieving the pressure on Li allowing her to swing freely, aggressively dictating the points and the rallies as the World #1 cracked under unexpected emotions.
However, an early break for Azarenka in the second set suggested that the contest wasn't quite over yet, before serendipitous happenings conspired to twist the final in unforeseen ways. On a surface where Serena Williams had earlier that fortnight rolled her ankle and nearly ended her challenge, Li was to trip while retrieving a ground stroke, putting all the weight on her left ankle and in need of a medical time-out to repair the bruised foot. An irony in more ways than one, it primarily made Azarenka the player now sitting in her tracksuit top while Li received treatment from the physio. However, it was also to preempt the outcome of the match as it stripped from Li the main attribute that had allowed her to claim the first set from her opponent - her agility and foot speed.
After returning, gingerly, to the baseline to continue the match, Li gradually saw the set slip away from her as Azarenka exploited her caution, constantly wrong-footing her with some carefully placed corner balls. The second set went to the World #1 64.
An even greater oddity then crept into proceedings as the match was paused while fireworks lit up the Melbourne sky in honour of Australia Day. With the 10-minute (what else) break over, Li and Azarenka returned to the court before the Chinese star took a second, disastrous tumble on the same ankle, whacking her head on the hard court surface and receiving more medical treatment as the trainers checked for signs of concussion. Smiling her way through the mishap, as Azarenka, karmaically, had to endure more tracksuit time, Li heroically continued on. But the psychological small step slower that she had endured through much of the second set had morphed into a giant leap of wariness by the time Victoria Azarenka wrapped up the third set 63 to claim her second successive Australian Open title.
- almagro
- azarenka
- berdych
- cibulkova
- cilic
- del potro
- dimitrov
- djokovic
- errani
- federer
- ferrer
- gasquet
- goerges
- halep
- hewitt
- isner
- ivanovic
- jankovic
- janowicz
- kanepi
- kerber
- kirilenko
- kuznetsova
- kvitova
- li na
- lisicki
- monfils
- murray
- nadal
- nishikori
- petkovic
- radwanska
- raonic
- robson
- roddick
- schiavone
- serena
- sharapova
- stephens
- tipsarevic
- tsonga
- venus
- vinci
- wawrinka
- wozniacki
- zvonareva
Monday, 28 January 2013
Fragile Psychologies
Posted by random cloud at 23:05
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text:
Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast
Table Of Contents
Light from the stained glass tower windows
beckon the traveler to the Victorian Inn.
The 20 room Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast was built in 1876, then enlarged and modernized in 1905 by a Rock Island liquor baron who gave it as a wedding present to his daughter. Purchased by the Parker family in 1944, it is their family home. Original antiques from the family and previous owners of the home adorn the rooms.
We're old fashioned here.
We cherish Old Times, Old Manners, and Old friends.
It's yesterday once more.
The inn is a local landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Three other structures within sight are on National Register. We are located in the Broadway Historic Area here in the heart of Old Rock Island.
Located near downtown and its Arts and Entertainment District, we are in walking distance of music festivals on the plaza, dinner theatre, riverboat casino and fine dining.
Enjoy our wooded gardens where cardinals and black squirrels abound. On a summer's evening sip a cool glass of pink lemonade at the patio table. Wake in the Fall to a full breakfast by a cheerful blaze in our dining room fireplace. Relax for an afternoon on our glassed-in Florida Porch watching lacy snowflakes gently blanket the lawn and woods.
Beveled plate glass French doors open from the spacious living room.
The dining room with its Flemish Oak ceiling beams and paneling is crowned by turn of the century tapestries.
You are invited to a full breakfast served on fine china and linen with sterling silver and Crystal. Your breakfast experience is upscale, yet very comfortable. One guest from California commented, "How very civilized".
Two of the six guest rooms at the Inn have working fireplaces and each has a private bath, clock radio and cable television. All guest rooms are elegantly appointed in Victorian style, each is air-conditioned for summer comfort. The windows have wooden shutterers and lace curtains. In total the inn has 7 fireplaces and 9 baths. There are 3,000 square feet on each floor of the 3 story Victorian Inn.
The Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast is a sheltered harbor of gracious hospitality...and luxury, and courtesy...where the hours stand still with a golden glow. The gentle aroma of breakfast revives fond memories of another place and time.
It's like visiting your favorite aunt's house...
We're old fashioned here.
We cherish Old Times, Old Manners, and Old Friends.
It's Yesterday Once More...
The Victorian Inn
The Quad City Area offers
Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast is a part of the Bed and Breakfast of the Quad Cities Area Association.
- www.visitquadcities.com
- PGA Golf Tournament
- Headliner Concerts
- Jazz Festivals
- World Class 7K and Marathon Races
- A Ferryboat Between Iowa and Illinois
- Three Riverboat Casinos
- Dining and Sightseeing Cruises
- Historic Trolley Rides
- Walking Tours of Old Rock Island
- The Mighty Mississippi River
- Winter Eagle Watching