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Lat size, or length down your sides at least, is genetic. Not a ton we can really do about that. You can do pulldowns all week long and they aren't going to grow further down your sides lol.
But thickness is something we can all appreciate.
What have you guys done to increase your back thickness? We're talking inner. upper back as well as your lat thickness.
What has worked exceptionally well for you?
Did you notice strength gains came along with the size? Or was it a certain exercise that your back just responded to well.
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I always like T bar rows w/ a Barbell & handle....these seem realy great for strength & mass......
These r great to really hit the spot for moderate weight & reps.............
kneel in front of a lat pull down machine, arch back/ chest up......Attach 2 handles and do pull downs to your chest, be sure to really spread the handles at the bottom. Really seems to hit the middle upper back.
6'0"--198# USAPL / IPF powerlifter
~~~ RAW Nationals July 15-17, 2010 in CO ~~~~
RAW Squat: 556
RAW Bench: 390
RAW Deadlift: 601
BO Rows
Pendlay Rows
Weighted Pullups
On a bulk my BO Row got to 265 for 5 and my pullups got to 110lbs for 3x5, both using basic linear progression.
My middle/upper back is fairly thick. I attribute this to heavy loads placed on it from lifts like Deadlifts (all forms) and 1 Arm Dumbbell Rows. I've done high reps, moderate reps, and low reps. I think they've all been benefitial and I haven't seen a big difference in growth between them. I think the key is working them heavy relative to the rep count.
My lats are a different story. They are unimpressive for the most part. I attribute this to the fact that I am miserable at Chin-ups and Pull-ups. I have a hard time triggering the back muscles during these movements. I am more of an arm chinner and my biceps grow well from them, just not my lats. Because of this weakness, I am unable to do high reps, and maybe that's what I need to do. I have been toying with rack chins and I can definately feel my lats getting triggered more, so maybe that will be the key. It just feels like cheating though
So this brings up the question; Is my Deadlift/Row strength decent because I find it easy to build those muscles, or is my upper/middle back growing because I find Deadlifts/Rows easier to do?
Last edited by Off Road; 10-12-2009 at 09:20 AM.
Off Road Journal
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I am tiny, weighing only 175 lbs, but my back thickness is probably what people would notice on me first and I attribute that to just deadlifting heavy consistently week after week, month after month, year after year. If that doesn't thicken you up then you have no hope, lol. Of course I love to do weighted chins and rows, but the deadlifts are what has given me my turtle shell.
Best Meet Lifts(Raw w/wraps):
@165- 435 SQ 270 BE 560 DL.....1255 total
@181- 535 SQ 300 BE 570 DL.....1400 total
Best Meet Lifts(Multi-ply):
@148- 575 SQ 315 BE 515 DL.....1400 total
@165- 680 SQ 380 BE 540 DL.....1555 total
@181- 700 SQ 375 BE 535 DL.....1605 total
Best Gym Lifts(Raw w/wraps)
I've got a fairly thick back. Though I need to work on shrugs more to really thicken up where my traps tie in to my upper/inner back. A few thing that worked awesome..
One arm db rows
yates rows
v-bar cable rows
one arm cable rows
I have noticed strength has come along with the gains, though I'm not sure of the carryover to anything in the big three.. It definately helps me look better at a higher % bf.. lol
Jake Sullivan
6' - 280lbs - 29yrs old - Professional Highland Games Athlete
curently off-season
HG training log = road to pro
youtube channel = www.youtube.com/xtra0t
Bodyweight-------------------------BE 280 x 1------------------------BE 300 x 1
Jan 2009: 151 lbs----------------SQ 365 x 2-----------------------SQ 400 x 1
Jan 2010: 221 lbs----------------DL 405 x 1------------------------DL 500 x 1
Current: 214 lbs
bulking again -- working on my DL
Youtube rack chins there's lots on there.
Bit like you Offroad it's taken lots of concentrating to make traditional lat movements hit the lats especially chins/pull-ups.
Unlike you I've always been good at them, reps 25 plus (6'5" back then approx 280lbs) and maxed out with 110lbs additional weight for 3, but my lats didn't grow as you'd expect.
Rack chins take a bit of feeling to get positioning right and loading them's awkward but once dialled in they hit the lats like nothing I've experienced.
As for thickness, dlifts, cleans, rack pulls, and dbell/bbell rows all done in the 3-6 rep range are responsible for my thickness and I would say I'm a 'deep' individual not so much a 'wide' one.
As for middle back, rhomboids, learning to properly retract the shoulder blades made the biggest difference.
Deadlifts, Good mornings and Rack Pulls, will add a lot of slabs of meat and thickness to your upper back
Why live if one can not Deadlift?- John Paul Sigmasson
Accept that which is useful and reject what is not- Bruce Lee
Reason and Logic trump religion- Me
Restriction of education, Censorship of knowledge, and Proliferation of religion helps keep the masses tamed- Me
"Money does not fix everything, Smart fixes everything"
Deadlifts,dumbell rows
Ive been working on strengthening my back, and I'm glad to see that what I am doing Is what everyone is suggesting... I'm also starting to see some muscle back there as well. not sure what is making the biggest difference. I rotate these in and out depending on what I feel like doing.
DB rows
BB rows (I like underhand, but I do overhand as well)
Cleans (not sure how much they help, but I know they can't hurt)
Chin ups (I really need to put a bar up at my house)
My back is my best feature and that's because it's thick in the mid and lower and it's wide. As far as traps they are non-existent.
Favorite exercises are pullups and deadlifts. I found that snatches really helped, too.
249lbs cutting to 220lbs
Bench: 250
Deadlift: 435
Squat: 350
Pullups and deadlifts here
Every variaton of rows under the sun, I like em all.
Squat briefs only 625 @ 210
Bench geared 525 @ 210
Deadlift geared 650 @ 220
Captains of Crush #3
Building Mighty Mitts...
Great post Daniel! Excellent information
I fully agree on the middle back. I've seen guys who had massive thickness in their middle back, who actually didn't dumbbell row tons of weight, rather they were extremely concentrated on how they extended and contracted their shoulder blades during the movement.
Pullups tend to hit my lats more for me, may be the way I'm doing them, but I'm certainly sore after doing sets of 8. I really should start adding these in more though.
Has anyone found that straight arm pulldowns help much?
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oh yea def. deadlifts have given me the thickness and size i was going for.....im not disrespecting people with traps that dont necessarily show, im talking about the skinny pretty boys with pencil sized traps that are highly noticable with that stringy look to them. hate that
My back, especially my lats, have always just responded well to training.
Prior to shoulder issues, I LOVED wide grip behind the neck chins.
T-bar rows were always another favorite.
My last back workout really hit things nicely. Here is what I did:
Parallel Grip Chins - body weight x 20ish, 13 (can't remember the exact count on the 1st set)
Hammer Strength Seated Row - this is the one where you sit completely upright and row in a motion which is parallel to the ground. We did one arm at a time.
5 plates per side - 7 reps
6 plates per side (no straps) - 15 reps
7 plates per side (used straps) - 7 reps
We then did a form of a pullover using an overhead cable apparatus. We did this for 2 sets to failure totally focusing on contracting the lats.
I have always had a great "mind-muscle" connection with my lats and can involve them in any movement much better than most trainees. That is a bit of a gift, but I also have a few tricks that help. One is to always keep the chest up and back arched when at full contraction. This helps to focus the exercise on the lats.
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Last edited by cphafner; 10-12-2009 at 09:44 PM.
My Journal
I think this is possibly the all-time best response on WBB. - Jorge Sanchez
"you're an animal eat like one damn it!" - Wikked1
"Now we're finally getting to the chicken or the egg question," I grinned. "Did I eat all that food because my size gives me more of an appetite, or did I get to be this big because I've been forcing myself to eat like this for years?"
From A Body Builder is Born
i knew you were a beast but not that kinda of a beast that eats grown men and children.. lilmase
I youtubed Rack Chins and was wondering how doing those with weight in your lap compares to pullups/chinups with a dip belt? Seems like you're not using 100% of your body weight, right?
Back is definately my strong point
Main focus has always been on weighted chins (or bw towards the end of a workout), bit wider than shoulder grip and from 6-12 reps.
Heavy deadlifts in the 3-6 rep range.
T bar rows with a V grip or straight handle to hit the mid back and trapezius
BO BB rows, bent over 90 at the hips and row straight up to my belly, pulling my elbows back. Alter between BO rows and T bars every few months.
Also just started doing supinated chins. Really hit a lot of lower lats for me. I don't do all these in one program, it's just what has worked for me over a couple of years.
She lied.... SIZE MATTERS!
I'll superset pulldowns with straight arm pulldowns about once a month and I can really feel it in my lats (tris get hit on the straight arms, too).
I'll never be a really wide bodybuilder looking guy, (genetics are a bear, aren't they?) but the biggest thing I've noticed is that I'm very thick chest to back. Deads, rack deads, rowing, etc. are my friends.
Last edited by rbtrout; 10-13-2009 at 09:38 AM.
Give chalk a chance.
49 years old
665 squat
700 deadlift
325 bench
Heavy deadlifts for reps really helped my back grow along with heavy db rows. A good finisher for upperback is scarecrows, Defranco uses these with his athletes a lot and they have worked well for me.
I'm nor wide nor thick, but I do appreciated a stupid huge back!!


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By CHRISTIN COYNE
An RV fire south of Weatherford on Christmas left a man, who was sleeping inside the vehicle at the time, with third-degree burns.
The man escaped the burning motor home when family members saw the fire and helped him get out.
Firefighters from Spring Creek VFD, Weatherford Fire Department and Greenwood VFD responded to the fire in the 3800 block of Old Dennis Road around 6:30 p.m. and found the RV on fire, according to ESD No. 6 Chief George Teague, who said one patient was lying on the ground outside when they arrived.
The man had third-degree burns to several parts of his body and was transported to John Peter Smith hospital before being transferred to Parkland hospital in Dallas, according to Teague.
Firefighters said the fire may have started due to a space heater in the residence.
The man's mother told the Democrat her daughter and her husband saw the smoke from their house nearby and went to the RV.
Her son, Scott Peoples, was attempting to get out and fell out of the motor home when family members were able to get the door loose, she said.
She said she did not yet know the extent of her son's injuries but said he was alert and talking.
Peoples lost all his possessions in the fire, she said.

subset: commoncrawl


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Monday - 6/24/2013, 10:54pm EDT
June 24, 2013 -- This week on "Amtower Off Center", host Mark Amtower interviews industry experts Kevin Plexico of Deltek and Scott Lewis of PS Partnerships on the current contracting environment.
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Hatu wrote:Lamech wrote:My guess is that the bracer knows the "rules" of Erf and it "knows" all that every unit of GK knows. We note that Charlie sees some of his Archons fighting at Turns since TBfGK: 20, but here we learn that Charlie learned Ansom is alive 18 turns after TBfGK. And since Charlie saw Ansom die, he knows that Ansom was raised from the dead to fight for GK. So when he asked how the Archons were fighting on GK's side he already knew the answer, and the archons which almost certainly got raised by flying Wanda know Charlie knows.
If the bracer can take information from all of GK it would know that the information Parson offers is worthless.
Maybe. But if the bracer knows what Erfworld knows, why did it give Parson's plan to destroy Spacerock's tower any realistic chance of succeeding? It would have known that the RCC II could "time warp" in response to any attack on the city, which would make the odds of destroying the tower near zero.
I think it's simpler to assume that the bracer either runs on plot fiat, or that it will return gibberish if asked to analyze large unknowns. I'm hoping it's the latter. Bear in mind, we've seen very little testing of the bracer's accuracy.
The bracer gave his plan of directly attacking the tower a big thumbs up; I don't think at that point Wanda having a heart-to-heart with Jillian was anywhere in the numbers. Again, love seems to exist outside of the game's rules, so perhaps there was no way for the bracer to factor that in. The decision to parley makes no sense from a cold, logical standpoint. If Wanda had bum-rushed the tower, she could've painted Vanna red before she could've gotten the spell off at all. Instead, she straight-up sat back and let Jillian walk back to the detonator and press the plunger.
Love is a battlefieeeeld.
Edit: Charlie patently didn't know the answer to why Archons were fighting for GK. Warlords can be uncroaked, and used as Warlords (See also: GK's entire Warlord lineup, minus Parson himself), but special units like Dwagons, or Archons, cannot be uncroaked. If he'd already known, there would've been a 0% chance that paying the steep price for the answer would've been worth it. Not a 4% chance.


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Mark Mancari was returned to Portland after Tuesday's game in Boston but he was back on the ice with the Sabres this morning as Drew Stafford will be out for tonight's game against San Jose. Mancari will again skate with Luke Adam and Jason Pominville on a line that was easily the Sabres' best in Beantown. Mancari assisted on Adam's first NHL goal.
"They did a very nice job," said coach Lindy Ruff. "They led our team in scoring chances. Down low, I thought they had more opportunities than any other line."
Ruff said Stafford remains day to day but acknowledged today that defenseman Shaone Morrisonn has been shut down because of "concussion-like symptoms." So he's going to be out at least another week or maybe even more.
The Sharks are in the final game of a five-game Eastern trip, are playing their third game in four nights and are on a back-to-back after last night's shootout win in Philadelphia. It would seem the Sabres will be emphasizing a quick start.
"What they're going to try to is make sure they don't allow us to get the upper hand," Ruff said. "I've referenced trying to play a 200-foot game. Well, they're going to try to get it deep on us. We're going to try to get it above their goal line and make them work. With them playing last night, it plays into our hands a little bit."
"It's to our advantage to come out here and skate as well as we can," added winger Mike Grier, a former Shark. "We're a pretty well-rested team. We play four lines so there's no excuse for us not to have the tempo up right away and make it difficult for them."
---Mike Harrington


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7006 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
In October 1969, at the age of nineteen, Fuad (Freddie) Hishmeh came to the United States with his brothers to start…More a restaurant business. From Bethesda to Georgetown to the 2001 opening of its most recent location in Takoma Park, Middle East Cuisine has been influenced by the flavors of both Freddie's birthplace and the United States. Middle East Cuisine's falafel recently won "best taste" at a University of Maryland contest with over 3,000 people in attendance. Currently, Freddie is working on another location and a new line of sandwiches, one of which includes parsley, hummus and beef.
Dine-in seating for forty is available, as well as a lounge in the back with free Wi-Fi. The restaurant bar's weekday happy hour is between 4:30pm and 7pm.


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Narrow your search
A 12-volt car charger may be just a car charger, but the ReVive PowerUp 3P boasts a clever design and useful features.
If you like the idea of diving deep into a game that mixes three genres, and don't mind a learning curve to really get going, Block Fortress is a unique option.
Pricing not available
The Mac maker is forcing users of older versions of the Flash Player plug-in to update in the name of security.
The new Android smartwatches can overwhelm you with notifications. CNET's Dan Graziano shows you how to stay sane and limit the number of notifications you receive.
The Singapore government has passed an amendment to the country's Copyright Act that will let content owners compel service providers to block infringing sites, like Pirate Bay.
The investment bank had filed a court order to prevent a data breach nearly caused by an errant email.
Chop vegetables knowing that your X-wing knife block could destroy the Death Star if need be.
The company does say, though, that it's taught Russian officials how they can report illegal tweets for possible removal.
Users may see fewer indie artists on YouTube, as the record industry and Google spar over licensing agreements for a new paid service.
Sick and tired of those annoying app or event invites? Here's how you can stop them once and for all.


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We had an absolute blast working with creative studio School of Humans on our Light Strike Arena series.
Here's a snippet from their post on the exciting adventure with Light Strike:
"Check out our awesome new animated and interactive web series, Light Strike Arena, which we created around the newly-launched Light Strike Assault Strikers by WowWee. This is a multifaceted web adventure. Since the video is interactive, viewers are able to choose the direction of the story at the end of each segment. Plus, we've also created an entire transmedia experience around the story, which will be launching over the next couple of weeks. So keep following the story as it unfolds on Facebook."
Don't forget to check out the Light Strike Arena Vault, where you'll find Connor's diary entries, Magnificent's voice portal and much, much more!


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About 140 people Sunday helped Mom's House Inc. of Johnstown to celebrate 30 years of service to the community during its annual banquet at Sunnehanna Country Club in Westmont.
Lindsay Ward, the emcee and a morning anchor at WJAC-TV, said Mom's House has provided much for the community, bettering the lives of children and parents.
"Let's hope the next 30 years will be as successful," she said.
Allegra Slick, executive director of Mom's House, said that the organization has helped 400 parents at its Johnstown office through the years.
There are six other Mom's Houses in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and Delaware, she said.
"You're not just helping the 400, you also are helping their children, the siblings and the extended family for a lifetime," she said.
"We help mothers for four years while they complete their college education, then they help us and the community for the next 50 years."
Keynote speaker for the event was Christina Sinosky, who, along with a daughter, Carolyn, were one of the first to attend Mom's House. Both were recognized at the gathering.
Both have been successes; Christina Sinosky is an accountant and her daughter, Carolyn, a Penn State graduate, Slick said.
Sinosky, who since married John T. Sinosky III and has another daughter, Jordan, said Mom's House provides an alternative so that single parents do not have to become another welfare statistic.
"They're wonderful," she said about Mom's House. "Their foster grandparents come in and work not only with the children, but with the parents."
Sinosky, who was 14 when she lost her mother, said the foster grandparent also taught her many valuable skills such as cooking.
Pauline Molchany, a member of the organization's board of directors, was honored during the event for her 30 years of service to Mom's House.
Molchany and her late husband, Ed, started a grass-roots campaign to help open Mom's House in 1983, Slick said.
"She's been helping to fund-raise and volunteer at the center for the past 30 years."
Frank Lombardo said it's amazing to see so many people come together to support an organization that cares so much about children and their mothers.
"Only the good Lord knows the fate of so many children who would have not had the opportunity to go to this great and worthy organization," he said.
Rose King also said Mom's House does a great job.
"To hear it firsthand from a young women who experienced the love, encouragement and help that she received while raising a child and going to school is a tribute to Mom's House," King said.
The Rev. Barry Baroni, pastor of Visitation Roman Catholic Church, Johnstown, provided the closing prayers.
Entertainment for the event was provided by the Hat Ladies and pianist Mark Ed.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat print edition.
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Jose Alberto Miranda
Jul 24, 2014
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Jun 26, 2014
Home » News » Crime
Bedford man arrested after crash while evading police
David West is being held on cash bail pending a hearing Monday in Merrimack District Court on seven charges, including operating after suspension, disobeying a police officer, reckless operation and breach of bail, police said.
According to a press release, Sgt. Devon Kimball attempted to stop the driver of a 2002 Chevy Prizm for multiple driving violations about 7:30 p.m. but the driver continued south, reversed directions near the Merrimack town line, and drove northbound at a high rate of speed. West crashed into a vehicle stopped at a red light near the Ray Wieczorek Drive ramps.
Police said the collision involved three vehicles and sent one person to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Police said West was uninjured and arrested at the scene.
The crash closed the South River Road northbound lane for about 45 minutes. Bedford Fire Department provided cleanup for a ruptured fuel tank.
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Watching a tragedy unfold half a country away makes it more difficult to fully comprehend.
As the images of the shooting at a Connecticut elementary school flash across our TV screens and our computer monitors, we should keep our focus on the victims.
Too often when tragedy strikes America, people begin political posturing for gun control.
"We should ban all weapons and this would not have happened."
"If the teachers had a gun in their desk, not as many children would have died."
You will see this politicized over social media for days.
But, now, even as we struggle to grasp exactly what happened and how it could have happened, we can't forget that our foremost energy should be spent thinking of the victims.
We should be deep in prayer for them, their families and their friends.
We should mourn their loss and grieve as a nation along with those in Connecticut.
It is natural to feel anger now.
It appears the sole perpetrator is dead.
But that does not stop us from wanting to punish someone for for such a cowardly act.
Re-channel that anger into thinking of the victims.
Turn your concern into thoughts of your loved ones.
Hug them tighter.
Tell them you love them.
Make sure everyone in your life knows how precious they are to you.
These next few days should be about finding justice and mourning the loss.
These next few days should be free of pundits, politicians and lobbyists.


text:
Note: This article can be read in full at our new site.
Today, Chris Matthews continued his ongoing canonization of Tim Russert. Early in this evening's Hardball show, Matthews repeated a segment of his original tribute to Russert's career. By doing so, he either shamelessly established Russert as a leading 9/11 gate keeper or a blithering idiot. I strongly suspect the former.
Of all the endless possibilities, Matthews chose to memorialize Russert for some uncanny and privileged insight into the truth about what happened on September 11th. He wanted us all to know that
"[Tim Russert] knew on that horrid morning of September 11th that the hijackers had grabbed the transcontinental flights because they'd have enough fuel to melt the girders of the World Trade towers."
Wow, just like that, on the morning of 911, Tim Russert KNEW the motivations of a whole group of incinerated hijackers. That's really fantastic. He also KNEW the planes had enough fuel to melt the girders of the World Trade towers. He just KNEW the temperature of burning jet fuel, and he KNEW the melting temperature of steel. Tim Russert was not only a mind reader of the dead, but an undeclared expert in aviation practices and thermal physics. I'm impressed.
But I'm also outraged. Real or imagined hijackers aside, there are a myriad of questions that still remain answered about 9/11. In this article, I will address ONLY TWO. My purpose is not to delve into the mountains of evidence that have utterly decimated the nonsense in the official story of the attacks and the fairy tale known as the 9/11 Commission Report. That can be done by any one with the ability to use a search engine on the Internet.
My purpose is to put to rest the notion that Tim Russert KNEW anything before there was a single moment of investigation by anyone. My purpose is also to illustrate how such suggestions from people who know better continue to thwart any attempts by the 9/11 Truth community to counter the propaganda that the American public has been told a single truth about what happened on that day.
(Continued at http://tvnewslies.org/tvnl)


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4 products for longer, fuller lashes
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Wizards of Waverly Place (2007–2012)
Ratings: 6.7/10 from 15,167 users
Reviews: 78 user | 12 critic
Centers on a family in New York City that owns a restaurant where, behind the scenes, the kids can do real magic.
Creator:Todd J. Greenwald
Stars:Selena Gomez, David Henrie, Jake T. Austin | See full cast and crew »
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Fright Dome
Sam Morris
Fright Dome, the haunted attraction at Circus Circus, is celebrating a decade of terrifying fans. Beginning Saturday, Sept. 29 Fright Dome takes over The Adventuredome at Circus Circus and will partner with iconic horror film producer and zombie expert George A. Romero to theme one of its five haunted houses. Romero is best-known for horror films like Night of the Living Dead. Opening night features a black carpet with celebrities including the Queen of Halloween Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, Megan Massacre from NY Ink, Joe Letz of Combichrist and many more. Discount admission coupons can be found at all participating Albertsons, Del Taco, Terribles, GameStop and Fabulous Freddies locations.
When: Friday, Oct. 12, 2012
Where: Adventuredome at Circus Circus, 2880 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas
Cost: $37.95 - $52.95
Age limit: Not available
Categories: Activities-Halloween, Circus Circus, The Strip
Event posted Sept. 18, 2012
Last updated Sept. 18, 2012
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- Viva Las Vegas Event Center
- Rios vs. Chaves, Vargas vs. Novikov
- Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas | 3:30 p.m.
- Sydney After Dark
- Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
- Gardens Guided Walk
- Springs Preserve | 11:00:00
- Rock 'N Roll Compendium
- Planet Hollywood | 22:00:00
- Escape to Alaska
- The Bank | 10:30 p.m.
- Human Experience at The Beat
- The Beat Coffeehouse
- Forever Motor City
- The Riviera | 9 p.m.
- Viva Veracruz!
- Planet Hollywood
- Rock Shot Bingo
- Green Valley Ranch | 8:30 p.m.
- Nickel Beer Night
- The Beauty Bar
- Viva Veracruz!
- Planet Hollywood
- Las Vegas Film Festival
- Inspire Theatre
- Olivia Newton-John
- Flamingo
- Face 2 Face
- Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
- Flosstradamus
- Encore Beach Club | 10 p.m.
- Nacho Comedy
- Nacho Daddy Downtown | time TBA
- Las Vegas Film Festival
- Inspire Theatre


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Tom Lavis
Pianist Jacob Ertl prefers to perform music that has a story to tell.
Ertl, known for his fiery and nuanced interpretations, will be be performing the second concert in the Johnstown Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, 309 Lincoln St., downtown Johnstown.
The concert will have a basic theme that Ertl calls programmatic.
"I prefer pieces that have a little more musical meaning by the way they tell a story about a particular place or a poem," he said.
Ertl, a native of Appleton, Wis., has performed across the United States as well as in Europe, Israel, Canada and Mexico, and has received critical acclaim for his passion and poise on the stage.
He is an assistant professor of piano at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Ertl has given numerous recitals in Milwaukee, as the artist-in-residence for the PianoArts organization.
Because of this background with young audiences, he will do a master class with Johnstown piano students from 1 to 3 p.m. at the church before his concert.
Laura Williamson, a concert series board member, said being an educator was one of the things that the board liked about booking Ertl for a concert.
Williamson said the master class is an opportunity for students to work with a professional musician other than their regular teachers.
"It's like taking a private lesson where an audience gets to watch," Williams said. "A student is asked to perform a short program, and Dr. Ertl will give a lesson."
The work is viewed by a new teacher, which brings a different perspective and sometimes a new interpretation of the music.
Any piano students interested in attending the master class may contact Williamson at 410-6144.
"He also likes to talk to his audience about the music he's playing," Williamson said.
Ertl's program will include a sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven and Frederic Rzewski's "Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues."
Following intermission, he will play a composition by Franz Liszt.
The program will conclude with a piece Ertl describes as one of the most technically challenging pieces in his repertoire.
It's Igor Stravinsky's transcription titled "The Firebird."
"I try to change my playing style to adapt to what composer I play," he said. "While Beethoven and Mozart are musically challenging, 'The Firebird' is the most technically difficult for me."
A winner of numerous national and international competitions, Ertl has given multiple performances at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall and debuted at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City, on Chicago Radio's "Live from WFMT" series, Wisconsin Public Radio's "Live from the Elvehjem" series, and performed with the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra and Fox Valley Symphony.
Successful in numerous competitions, Ertl won first prize in the 2009 American Protege International Piano Competition and third prize at the 2008 Young Artists International Piano Competition in Washington, D.C.
For the past seven years, Ertl has been the Artist-in-Residence Fellow for PianoArts, where he has performed hundreds of interactive outreach concerts and collaborated with over 20 public schools.
Ertl completed his doctorate in musical arts at the Eastman School of Music. He also earned his master's from Eastman and his bachelor's from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, studying with Robert Shannon.
Ertl finds himself juggling his time between teaching and performing.
"It sometimes makes for some very long days, because prior to a concert, I like to practice from five to six hours a day," he said. "Normally, I practice at least two hours a day."
Tickets are available at www.johnstownmusic.org or at the door.
Cost: $15 or two for $25 for adults, $10 for seniors, $5 for students and $70 for the season.
Musical notes
Who: Pianist Jacob Ertl.
What: Johnstown Concert Series.
Where: First Presbyterian Church, 309 Lincoln St., downtown Johnstown.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets: At the door or visit johnstownmusic. org.
Cost: $15 or two for $25 for adults, $10 for seniors, $5 for students and $70 for the season.
Tom Lavis covers Features for the Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter.com/Tom LavisTD.


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Beachfront Condo - Includes Cook/Housekeeper -FLEXIBLE Rates in Acapulco
- bedrooms 1
- baths 2
- sleeps 4
- pool yes
- hot tub no
- pets allowed no
- type Condo
- community
rates (USD)
/ week
vacation rental description
Luxurious Acapulco Beachfront Condo - Includes Cook / Housekeeper
Very Flexible Rental Rates - Contact Owner
Experience the warmth and beauty of the Mexican Riviera from
the luxurious Velero & Galeon Condominiums (English Speaking Staff),
considered one of the most distinguished addresses in Acapulco.
The condo is a luxurious, spacious, one bedroom beachfront
condo that can accommodate four persons. The Condo includes High
Speed Internet Access, with two full baths, two large balconies
allowing a spectacular view of the ocean.
vacation rental location
property availability
- dates with deals
- unavailable dates
Last modified on 09-4-2008 at 8:00 AM.
email owner view full calendar
Gay Gordon (504) 524-1166
condo rental amenities
The kitchen has modern appliances. There is Cable TV, DVD, VCR, A/C
and a Stereo/CD player in the living room for your enjoyment.
My housekeeper/cook, is provided for my guest to "pamper" you and
make sure you haven't a worry in the world. She is there to attend to
the housekeeping and can occasionally greet you in the morning with breakfast on the balcony, including coffee and/or fresh squeezed orange juice. She can purchase the freshest seafood, meats, poultry or fish, from the market and prepare authentic Mexican meals.
activities and attractions in Acapulco Pacific Coast
Six steps from our large twin swimming pools, is the beach where you are
a "whistle" away from sailing, parasailing, motorized hand gliding,
boating, wind surfing, deep sea fishing, water and jet skiing, etc.
You are within walking distance to boutiques, restaurants, shopping,
markets and many other tourist attractions. The Aca Golf and Tennis Club is directly across the street.
vacation rental rates
Very Flexible Rental Rates. Please Contact The Owner
More Photos Available
Gay Gordon (504) 524-1166
payment methods
Owner has not provided their accepted payment methods
Prior to paying a reservation deposit, always verify payment instructions by calling the phone number displayed on this listing page. By contacting the owner directly and paying by an approved method - credit card, paypal, check or bank transfer - your reservation payment will be protected up to $1,000.Learn more in our Security Center


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01/02/13 — Mr. Harold Porter, 79, of Olive Hill, passed away Sunday afternoon, December 23, 2012, in Community Hospice Care Center in Ashland.
He was born October 3, 1933, in Carter County, a son of the late Roy and Edna Mabry Porter.
Harold was a retired truck driver and enjoyed farming. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Burl Porter, Jackie Porter and Ralph Porter.
Harold is survived by two sons, Mychael Porter of Troy, Ohio, and Harold Wesley Porter of Olive Hill; four daughters, Shelby Porter of Paintsville, Mariedna Combs of Hindman, Buridena Workman of Olive Hill and Suzette Meenach of Grayson; ten grandchildren; one great grandchild; three brothers, Hubert "Duke" Porter and Roy D. Porter, both of Olive Hill, and Danny Ray Porter of Grayson; and four sisters, Edith Fife of Campton, Catherine Bradley of Olive Hill, Ruth Ann Brown of Ashland and Virginia Swanigan of Olive Hill. He also leaves many other family members and friends who will sadly miss him.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, December 28, 2012, at Globe Funeral Chapel in Olive Hill with Brother Paul Zornes officiating. Burial will follow in the Porter Cemetery on Henderson Ridge in Elliott County.
Friends may visit from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, December 27, 2012, and until the service Friday at Globe Funeral Chapel, 17277 West US Highway 60, Olive Hill, KY 41164.
Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.globefc.com.


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Our product catalog varies by country due to manufacturer restrictions. If you change the Ship-To country, some or all of the items in your cart may not ship to the new destination.


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The Martha Stewart of Atheism
Ellen Johnson, the successor of the 'most hated woman in America,' makes American Atheists family-friendly
BY: David Gibson
When Ellen Johnson walks into a room, the first thing you notice is that she looks nothing like the last grande dame of freethinking atheism, Madalyn Murray O'Hair. Johnson is a tall, blond, Angie Dickinson-slim soccer mom (her words) from suburban New Jersey who is dressed in a pastel outfit with matching pumps.
On this spring day, she has convened a national gathering of American Atheists Inc. O'Hair was an unkempt bullhorn of a woman who reveled in her role as the most hated woman in America, an epithet she earned after winning the 1963 Supreme Court case that banned prayer in public schools and made her a celebrity.
From then until the day she vanished four years ago, O'Hair was atheism in America--and her creation, American Atheists, was a major force in keeping religion out of public life and tweaking America's delicate religious sensibilities. For decades, O'Hair was a favorite of the TV talk-show circuit who could curse like a sailor and counted pornographer Larry Flynt among her allies. Then, in 1995, she disappeared from her Texas home, along with her son Jon Garth Murray, 42; her granddaughter Robin Murray-O'Hair, 32; and $629,500 in American Atheists' funds.
Ellen Johnson, a longtime member of American Atheists' executive board and a personal friend of O'Hair's, was drafted to lead the movement out of the wilderness where O'Hair had dumped it and make it newly palatable to the mainstream.
"We're civil rights workers is what we are, working for a cause that's very important," Johnson says. Her cause is the defense of a besieged minority in a religion-made world. "It's not something I want to do for the rest of my life, but I will if I have to."
But the question is whether anyone, even this Martha Stewart of atheism, can save what used to be the most venerable, visible manifestation of unbelief in the nation's history.
Johnson has made a promising start, bringing the organization's shaky finances under control, stanching the hemorrhaging membership, and reorganizing some of the state directors whom O'Hair had swept aside in her mania for control. And in the most public sign that life for American Atheists will go on after Madalyn, Johnson moved the group's headquarters from Austin, Texas, to Cranford, N.J.
The new office is close to New York City, the nation's media center, and to Washington, D.C., where American Atheists hopes to establish a political foothold. "We're changing our image," says John Obst, the group's Maryland state director. "The organization is more upbeat."
Last year on Good Friday, when much of the country solemnized the crucifixion of Jesus, Johnson unveiled the new version of American Atheists in Piscataway, N.J. At first, it seemed a lot like the old version, complete with O'Hair's sense of both persecution and privilege and her disdain for faith. Bumper stickers on the cars outside proclaim "Jesus Is Lard," and posters show a God-like figure sodomizing Uncle Sam. "Religion is really the culture of death," Ron Barrier, American Atheists' spokesman, tells about 75 attendees. "This week is a zombie festival predicated on death."
Johnson's keynote address is largely a polemic against the prevailing religious culture. "From cradle to grave, religious superstition pervades our lives, and it is not by accident, my friends," she says. She ridicules the notion that students might want school prayer. "The very same students who go to schools with rings in their tongues and lips? Oh, puh-leeez!"
Flashing the techniques and scorn of a Southern televangelist, Johnson runs down the standard litany of school-prayer abuses, reading testimonials from victimized atheists and, to the delight of the delegates scattered in half the available seats, making easy fun of religious belief.
But hints of a new tack are also discernible, from the baby-boomer-friendly theme Johnson chose for the gathering--"Supporting Our Atheist Youth and Families"--to her insistence on setting aside a room for day care.
Related Features


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John Maddox Roberts is the author of numerous works of science fiction and fantasy in addition to his well-loved SPQR mysteries. Minotaur has issued trade paperback editions of the previous books in the series. Roberts and his wife live in New Mexico.
John Maddox Roberts


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An appeals panel last week , saying New Jersey's chief executive does not have broad control over independent authorities.
Chris Christie may not have the right to reorganize an independent agency, but his influence is nevertheless as strong as ever over bodies like the New Jersey Highlands Council, where the governor is about to (indirectly) unseat the executive director.
Eileen Swan has headed the council's staff for almost five years, the longest term of its three directors. A former council member and member of the task force that originally recommended creating a preservation area in the North Jersey Highlands, Swan has worked diligently to enforce the state law governing the region and balance the competing interests of environmental preservation and economic development.
Need proof? Neither the land owners who feel their property values were stolen, nor the environmentalists who want to prohibit new development are happy with her.
Under Swan's leadership, the council has won lower affordable housing obligations for Highlands communities, convinced numerous towns that did not have to abide by the county's regional master plan to do so and endorsed the controversial PSE&G transmission line and Tennessee Gas Pipeline.
"I've never met anyone more hard-working and ethical than Eileen," said Chester Township Mayor and former Highlands council member Bill Cogger. "People may not have always liked what they were being told, but they always felt she was being fair."
Swan is even a Republican.
So what's her problem? She's not Christie's Republican.
The governor has put pressure on council members to get rid of Swan and instead install Christie's choice, solving a GOP political problem in the governor's home county at the same time.
There's a fight shaping up for three county freeholder seats. But incumbent Gene Feyl shouldn't have to worry about that after Thursday. While he appears to have little or no planning experience, Feyl is reportedly the choice of a majority of council members for executive director of this regional planning body.
This serves many purposes. It gets rid of the director the administration doesn't want and installs someone who can be controlled, at the same time rewarding a loyal Republican who would otherwise face a serious primary battle.
As a bonus benefit for Feyl, it would mean a huge boost to his public pension.
And despite this being a democracy, it all happens behind the scenes via phone calls that sources say pressure council members to make the change.
The direction Christie wants the council to take was apparent from several of his appointments, all of whom have spoken against the Highlands Act: Roxbury Mayor Jim Bilee and freeholders Robert Walton of Hunterdon and Richard Vohden of Sussex.
By law, Christie had to appoint some Democrats, but it's probable at least one will vote to unseat Swan.
And it will be interesting to see how council members like Chester farmer Kurt Alstede justify Swan's removal, given Alstede—despite disagreeing with the law —has had nothing but praise for the woman with whom he has worked for most of the last eight years.
Any complaints about the Highlands should not be with Swan, but with the regulations, which were enacted by the Legislature. Democratic lawmakers need to take some responsibility for Swan's removal, given they voted for those Christie nominees who are avowed opponents of the law.
"The governor and the elected state representatives from the Highlands region have been consistently working to weaken the region's environmental protections and those efforts are now coming to fruition," said Elliot Ruga of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition in a release last week bemoaning Swan's removal.
Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak was quoted as calling the press release "hysterical and overwrought." But not denying it.
Given that Thursday's council agenda includes an item regarding the executive director's position, no denial is needed.
"The removal of a competent and dedicated leader from her job for purely political purposes is just the most recent of many egregious actions when it comes to protecting the health and quality of life of New Jersey's residents," said Ruga. "For all of his talk and bluster, Christie's policies are bad for New Jersey and his methods are just more of the same sad 'politics as usual' that have come to typify government in our state."
The appeals court decision on COAH alluded to the comment many have made, that New Jersey's governor is the most powerful in the nation.
No doubt about that.
Colleen O'Dea is a writer, editor, researcher, data analyst, web page designer and mapper with almost three decades in the news business.


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I am looking at a carbon framed road bikethat has me concerned.On the topside of the bottom bracket,drive side there is a very small hairline crack in the paint.The seller states that it has been there for two years with no change.He was told by the dealer that it is just in the paint and a fairly common occurence.Anyone else experienced this?It is a three year old cervelo.The crack is 3/4 inch long and you can't feel it with a fingernail.
Why don't you take the bike to a Cervelo dealer and have them check it out?If the seller of the bike is being honest with you it shouldn't be a problem> Last year I had a horriffic crash with my Trek Madone going over 20mph and the only damage my frame sustained was a small chip in the frame. otherwise the frame is perfectly sound.
Markus Storck, lead engineer and owner of German carbon frame powerhouse Storck Bicycles, told me at a conference about 3 months ago that the best ways to tell if a frame is cracked are movement and time.
Movement, because a crack will flex if it's through the paint into the carbon, and you put pressure on the center of the crack, and time, because a crack will grow with time if it's more than paint.
If you are even halfway concerned with a crack, don't buy the frame.
It's just not worth the risk, unless you can afford to be wrong about the frame's ride-ability.
I hope that helps.
The BB and head tube are some of the thickest carbon parts. Listen to sound differences around it, but I think these areas would be some of the last places to crack. Most cracks would occur either at a junction, thin spot, like middle of the down tube.
Also, if the crack you see has no marring, chipping or other damage on either side, its probably superficial. Cracks caused by outside forces (impact) would leave other evidence on the paint, like scuffs, chips, etc.
If you can't feel it with a fingernail, the crack probably isn't in the carbon. Another trick is to whack the tube with a quarter over and around the crack. Do the same at a similar location that doesn't have a crack. If there are any differences in sound, the frame has probably sustained damage.
For what it's worth, I bought a bike with very similar circumstances in December. I used a piece of tape to mark the beginning and end of the crack, so I can watch for any expansion. No movement so far.
Have a look at http://www.carbon-bike-check.com. AFAIK there is no other way to find structural issues in carbon frames.
Everything else is just guesswork. Even a competent dealer cannot look into the fibers.
So if the frame is checked on the surface only, i wouldn't buy it.


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Jack Huston
• Jennifer Lopez & Joseph Gordon-Levitt Among Those Invited To Join The Academy
• Pregnant Celebrities Expecting In 2013
• HBO's 'Boardwalk Empire' & 'Treme' To Return Sept. 16, 23
• Celebrities That Turn 30 in 2012
Birth Name: Jack Huston
Born: 12/07/1982
Birth Place: London, England, GB
Born: 12/07/1982
Birth Place: London, England, GB
Jack Alexander Huston was born Dec. 7, 1982 in London, England to Walter Antony (Tony) Huston, a screenwriter-turned-attorney, and Lady Margot Lavinia Cholmondeley, daughter of Hugh, the 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley. Beyond being the grandson of the legendary director-writer-actor John Huston, and great-grandson to Oscar-winning actor Walter Huston, Huston was also nephew to both Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston and to acclaimed actor-director Danny Huston. The future actor was drawn to the family craft at an early age, but did not understand the significance of his family heritage at that age. At six, he played the title role in a school production of "Peter Pan," and would later claim... Continue Bio >>
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A week after winning the seat in a three-way race for the county's District 1 commission seat, Sharon Fausett is still ecstatic over the victory.
Dawson County and Dawsonville officials have begun outlining the projects they would like to see funded if voters approve a 1-cent sales tax extension in November.
House Speaker David Ralston held on to his 7th District seat in the Georgia General Assembly by defeating challenger Sam Snider in last week's primary.
County commissioners last week approved an ordinance that limits burning debris from construction sites to daytime hours.
With Dawson County's annual budget hearings approaching, Sheriff Billy Carlisle said he can no longer stand by and watch longtime employees leave for higher paying jobs with better benefits.
With the 2014-15 fiscal year fast approaching, the city of Dawsonville has unveiled its potential operating budget.
County and city officials have a joint meeting this afternoon to discuss how revenue should be distributed if voters pass the upcoming special purpose local option sales tax extension in November.
Political newcomer Sharon Fausett is Dawson County's next District 1 commissioner.
A small political forum Wednesday evening gave voters a final opportunity to hear from candidates vying for the county's District 1 commission seat.
Advanced voting continues through Friday for the May 20 primary election.
Dawson County commissioners voted last week to suspend a local convenience store's beer and wine license, and a similar fate may await a second business this week.
The U.S. House 9th District Republican primary May 20 pits incumbent Doug Collins against challenger Bernard Fontaine, with the winner facing Democrat David Vogel in November.
While a budget has not been finalized for the 2014-15 fiscal year, Dawsonville officials remain determined not to levy a city property tax.
The Dawson County Board of Commissioners is considering a new ordinance that will limit where debris from construction sites can be burned in the county.
Advanced voting for the May 30 primary election got under way with 38 local voters casting their ballots Monday, according to elections officials.
County commissioners last week voted to retain an attorney after learning Dawson County Sheriff Billy Carlisle plans to fight for salary increases for his employees.
Democratic hopefuls and supporters will gather for a rally in Dahlonega next weekend.
Dawsonville is another step closer to adding an activity center and green space.
Contents of this site are © Copyright 2014 Dawsonnews, Dawsonville, GA. All rights reserved. Privacy policy and Terms of service


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Posted Dec 30, 2012By
Aguiluchos Marching Band during Bandfest featuring the 2013 Rose Parade bands at Pasadena City College on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012 in Pasadena, Calif.
NCIS actress Pauley Perrette is warning fans about the dangers of hair dye after suffering a severe allergic reacti
Lucy (Johansson) is a carefree young student living in Taiwan who is tricked by her boyfriend into delivering a bri
Hercules was born with the strength of a god yet feels the suffering of a human. Notorious for his larger-than-life
Chinese conjuror Wei Ling Soo is a celebrated magician but few know that he actually Stanley Crawford (Firth), a gr
When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, brutally tortured immigrant turns up in Hamburg's Islamic community, laying cl
Dr. Ian Gray (Pitt) is a molecular biologist studying the evolution of the eye. He finds his work permeating his li


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Dangerous Animals
During the warm months of the year, the danger of encountering rattlesnakes in certain parts of the United States cannot be overempasized. Rattlesnakes don't actually hibernate. Since they are cold-blooded, they are only be active when the temperature is warm enough. This means that in warmer parts of the country such as Arizona, or the deserts of Southern California, snakes can be seen even in the middle of the winter if the day is warm enough.
Rattlesnakes are not aggressive, however they will defend themselves if they are disturbed, startled, or stepped on.
Therefore, on warm, or hot days, a good walking stick is invaluable to use for poking around in rocky, brushy, or woody areas where a snake could be hiding.
If you see or hear a rattlesnake near the cache, leave the area. You can always come back for it another day. Don't risk getting bitten by trying to move the snake away from the cache hiding spot.
Because snakes eat rodents, they provide a very important link in the ecosystem. Please do not kill any snakes you find.


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July 29, 2014
A bill being considered by the House of Delegates may prevent gay couples from adopting children.
The legislation endorsed Thursday, January 3rd by a House of Delegates committee would require background checks to include whether Virginia adoption applicants are "practicing homosexuals."
The Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee voted 17 to 4 to send Delegate Richard Black's bill to the floor.
Black initially proposed prohibiting gays from adopting.
After hearing from opponents of the bill, a subcommittee recommended amending the bill to just make homosexual 'behavior' one of the factors considered in the adoption process.


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It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera
Andaelas says: Planescape Torment has the richest storyline, the deepest characters, and the greatest plot twists.
Andaelas says: The feel of the game, especially with the voice acting, makes New Orleans feel real. Gabriel may be a brooding character at times, but the humor of the narrator always makes me smile.
Treat your GOGmix as your child - name it! ;)
Coming up with a cool and descriptive title should be your first priority. Being original is in your best interest - bet you wanna get lots of nice votes, right? Go all crazy if you want, but be sure to keep it civil!
So, what are the ingredients?
Pick a game that belongs in your GOGmix from the list, or find it by typing something in the text field. Relevance is key here - Earthworm Jim doesn't quite fit the "Sexiest heroines of all time" bill now, does it?
Justify your choice... Or not!
OK, so it's not required, but now that you went through the trouble of adding a game, telling everyone why you did it would be a nice finishing touch. After you're done here, add another game, rinse, repeat.


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Part of the allure of having a large-screen home theater in your house is the ability to be totally immersed in the movie experience. Hiding the speakers behind an acoustically transparent screen heightens this effect. Projecting the image on a curved screen makes it even better. Now Seymour-Screen Excellence has combined both those techniques in the Absolute Acoustically Transparent home theater screen.
The screen's masking system can be programmed to stop at any aspect ratio from 1.33:1 to 2.37:1. So as to not compromise sound, both the screen and the masking layers are acoustically transparent.
A curved screen helps to focus more of the projector's light back to the viewer, but the curve also has an acoustic enhancement by allowing the hidden speakers to be toed in toward the seating position. That's something that's hard to do with a flat screen.
The Absolute is available in two screen materials: an ISF-certified .98 gain Enlightor 4K or 1.1 gain Enlightor 2 acoustically transparent screen surface. The 4K material is a woven fabric that makes possible placement of the screen over in-wall loudspeakers (as close as desired) without creating a frequency or phase acoustic effect. You can see an Electronic House review of the Enlightor 4K screen here.
The Absolute is framed by a 3.7-inch wide black true velvet material which absorbs 99.7% of projected light.
The Absolute is available in image widths ranging from 70-inches wide (76-inch diag.) to 170-inches wide (184.5-inch diag.). Featured is a full-perimeter groove tensioning system that locks the screen with a perfectly continuous support. Pricing starts at $12,500 (MSRP).
Follow Electronic House on Facebook and Twitter.
The company has unveiled an 18-inch transparent OLED panel and a second 18-incher that's both flexible and rollable.
An 18,000-square foot house goes over-the-top with extreme home automation.
The new Wink smart home platform available from Home Depot is promising close to 60 smart products for every room in the house.


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**********************Last updated 7-10-2014
Cubs Depth ChartCubs 40-Man Roster InfoMLB Rules Info
25 players (plus 13 players are on OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT, one player is on PATERNITY LEAVE, one player is on 15-DAY DL, and two players are on 60-DAY DL
* bats or throws left
# bats both
Jake Arrieta
Justin Grimm
Kyle Hendricks
Edwin Jackson
Blake Parker
Neil Ramirez
Hector Rondon
* James Russell
Brian Schlitter
Pedro Strop
Carlos Villanueva
* Travis Wood
* Wesley Wright
* John Baker
Welington Castillo
# Arismendy Alcantara
Starlin Castro
Mike Olt
* Anthony Rizzo
* Luis Valbuena
* Chris Coghlan
Junior Lake
Justin Ruggiano
* Nate Schierholtz
* Ryan Sweeney
Darwin Barney, INF
# Emilio Bonifacio, IF-OF
Kyuji Fujikawa, P
James McDonald, P
Dallas Beeler
* Brett Jackson, OF
* Ryan Kalish, OF
* Zac Rosscup, P
* Chris Rusin, P
Jorge Soler, OF
Dan Straily, P
Matt Szczur, OF
Christian Villanueva, INF
Josh Vitters, OF
Arodys Vizcaino, P
* Tsuyoshi Wada, P
* Logan Watkins, INF
Cubs have $8,352,200 in draft pool money (and if they don't mind paying a a 75% tax on $417,600, they can go up to $8,769,810).
Players in bold have allegedly signed. Anyone after the 10th round signed for over $100K counts against their draft money as well.
If the player has yet to sign or there's no media report on the bonus, the third column is the recommened slot money.
Currently the Cubs have paid $8,754,000 out and have $15,810 of their draft pool money left before having to worry about losing draft picks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
The EXST A's defeated the EXST Cubs 6-1 in Extended Spring Training action at Field #2 at the Papago Baseball Complex in Phoenix this morning.
RF Jesus Morelli threw a strike to catcher Matt Cerda with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, nipping the potential tying run at the plate and preserving the victory, as the EXST Cubs edged the EXST A's 4-3 in Extended Spring Training action at Papago Park Field #2 in Phoenix this morning.
Seven Cub pitchers combined to throw a five-hitter, as the EXST Cubs and EXST Giants played to a 1-1 12-inning tie before a Memorial Day Weekend packed house at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa this morning.
Free online checking with Capital One
Maybe we can get Sean Marshall back. Hamilton could probably move to 2b if a CF is easier for them. Otherwise Utley and Zobrist should be available before they start slumming it.
The team told fans and Lakeview neighborhood residents in an email Thursday evening that it plans to finish installing new seating, group terraces, outfield signs and lighting, including the new left-field video board, by Opening Day 2015.
Bryant with a confirmed crushed HR to left tonight in Omaha. Long, high fly ball just ~50 feet bigger than the field of play. Also 2 throwing errors....both times ball hit right down the line and pulled him into foul territory...came up firing...high/wide.
Brandon Phillips out 6 weeks for the Reds. Any chance they'd want to corner the market on recent Gold Glove 2nd basemen?
C. Headley HR off Kershaw, ends scoreless streak at 41 IP I believe
Tom Tunney with some serious Cubbery. Seriously, though, I don't know what all went on behind the scenes, but this is the best possible outcome for the Cubs- they appeared to be reasonable and tried to work with the neighborhood and the neighborhood came across as unreasonable.
Capt Happy-"Alacantara! congrats you're staying up in the show!"
Alcantara-"Thanks skip, I'm looking forward to helping the team and getting at b.."
Capt Happy interupts-"Good, good...oh Mike? show the kid where to sit on the bench so I can't see or hear him"
Olt shuffles over- "Follow me"
@BryanHoch 3m
Soler with an alleged crushed HR to center tonight
wouldn't that be neat...
Best comp for Kyle Hendricks is a young Doug Fister.
No reason not to keep Arismendy Alcanatara on the MLB 25-man roster after Barney returns.
The Cubs won't need a 4th starter again until Tuesday 7/22 and they won't need a 5th starter again until Saturday 7/26, so Kyle Hendricks should be sent back down when Barney is reinstated, just like Dallas Beeler was optioned back to Iowa to make room for Hendricks. Then Hendricks and Wada can be recalled when 4th and 5th starters are needed again in a couple of weeks.
I watched this live and three replays and he was safe by this year's revised rules. However, Ricky is going to have learn that getting tossed twice in the same series and bitching about the strike zone from the dugout every inning is not going to buy your team any close calls as he's not Torre/Cox/LaRussa.
Bernstein seems to have Cubs source that's pretty wired in and his predictions have so far been proven spot on. Rooftop owners probably need to realize Plan A (threats) and Plan B (offering 2 sign settlement) failures are leading to Plan C -- settle with Cubs or try to sell property.
Looks like the rooftops over played their hand. Not much leverage to negotiate with.
landmark commission approved Cubs revised signage plan...7 new signs. I'm lost at where it's at, but word be they have meeting with rooftop owners tomorrow to try and settle something and get started. Dan Bernstein claiming on twitter they've already ordered materials and won't wait for rooftop owners if they can't agree on something.
©The Cub Reporter 2014. The Cub Reporter is in no way affiliated with the Chicago National League Ballclub.


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Long Hair deShedding Tools for Dogs feature patented deShedding edges designed to reach deep beneath the long topcoat to gently remove undercoat and loose hair. Used and recommended by professional groomers and veterinarians, FURminator® deShedding Tools are the only tools guaranteed to reduce shedding better than any brush, rake or comb.
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The Furminator
We have both a Siberian Husky and German Shepard! We absolutely LOVE this brush! We brush them each once a week and it does wonders!! At first we had lots of fur "tumble-weed" what we called it. It has definitely reduce my sweeping and vacuuming time! And the dogs look great!
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Vital issues core to this race for the U.S. Senate — taxes, healthcare, soaring higher education costs, abortion, insurance coverage of contraception — were the focus of last night's debate between Sen. Scott Brown and challenger Elizabeth Warren.
And, of course, there were different views of which candidate accomplished the most in this penultimate debate. The final debate between them is scheduled for Oct. 30.
Who do you think 'won' last night's debate? Tell us in the comments section below.


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Lecture Series
Orkaby, Asher
. 2013.
Forgotten Gas Attacks in Yemen Haunt Syria Crisis
Gidron, Noam, and Bart Bonikowski
. 2013.
Varieties of Populism: Literature Review and Research Agenda
In recent years, populism has attracted considerable interest from social scientists and political commentators (Panizza 2005, Bale et al. 2011, Mudde 2004, Berezin 2013, Rovira Kaltwasser 2013), despite the fact that, "[t]he mercurial nature of populism has often exasperated those attempting to take it seriously" (Stanley 2008, 108). Indeed, the term 'populism' is both widely used and widely contested (Roberts 2006; Barr 2009).1 It has been defined based on political, economic, social, and discursive features (Weyland 2001, 1) and analyzed from myriad theoretical perspectives—including structuralism, post-structuralism, modernization theory, social movement theory, party politics, political psychology, political economy, and democratic theory—and a variety of methodological approaches, such as archival research, discourse analysis, and formal modeling (Acemoglu et al. 2011, Ionescu and Gellner 1969, Canovan 2002, Hawkins 2009, Goodliffe 2012, Postel 2007). As observed by Wiles, "to each his own definition of populism, according to the academic axe he grinds" (Wiles, in Iunescu and Gellner 1969, p. 166).
Dryden-Peterson, Sarah, and Maysa Jalbout
. 2013.
Back to School: Even in Syria, Education Is About Hope
Huffington Post
Cohen, Dara Kay
. 2013.
Female Combatants and the Perpetration of Violence: Wartime Rape in the Sierra Leone Civil War
World Politics
65, no. 3: 383–415.
World Politics (DOI)
Much of the current scholarship on wartime violence, including studies of the combatants themselves, assumes that women are victims and men are perpetrators. However, there is an increasing awareness that women in armed groups may be active fighters who function as more than just cooks, cleaners, and sexual slaves. In this article, the author focuses on the involvement of female fighters in a form of violence that is commonly thought to be perpetrated only by men: the wartime rape of noncombatants. Using original interviews with ex-combatants and newly available survey data, she finds that in the Sierra Leone civil war, female combatants were participants in the widespread conflict-related violence, including gang rape. A growing body of evidence from other conflicts suggests that Sierra Leone is not an anomaly and that women likely engage in conflict-related violence, including sexual violence, more often than is currently believed. Many standard interpretations of wartime rape are undermined by the participation of female perpetrators. To explain the involvement of women in wartime rape, the author argues that women in armed group units face similar pressure to that faced by their male counterparts to participate in gang rape. The study has broad implications for future avenues of research on wartime violence, as well as for policy.
Female Combatants and the Perpetration of Violence: Wartime Rape in the Sierra Leone Civil War
Cohen, Dara Kay
. 2013.
Explaining Rape during Civil War: Cross-National Evidence (1980–2009)
American Political Science Review
107, no. 3: 461–477.
American Political Science Review (DOI)
Why do some armed groups commit massive wartime rape, whereas others never do? Using an original dataset, I describe the substantial variation in rape by armed actors during recent civil wars and test a series of competing causal explanations. I find evidence that the recruitment mechanism is associated with the occurrence of wartime rape. Specifically, the findings support an argument about wartime rape as a method of socialization, in which armed groups that recruit by force—through abduction or pressganging—use rape to create unit cohesion. State weakness and insurgent contraband funding are also associated with increased wartime rape by rebel groups. I examine observable implications of the argument in a brief case study of the Sierra Leone civil war. The results challenge common explanations for wartime rape, with important implications for scholars and policy makers.
Explaining Rape during Civil War: Cross-National Evidence (1980–2009)
Baum, Matthew, and John Wihbey
. 2013.
Intervention in Syria, the news media and public opinion: Research chat with Harvard's Matt Baum
The Journalist's Resources
Kremer, Michael R, and Christopher M Snyder
. 2013.
When Is Prevention More Profitable than Cure? The Impact of Time-Varying Consumer Heterogeneity
We argue that in pharmaceutical markets, variation in the arrival time of consumer heterogeneity creates differences between a producer's ability to extract consumer surplus with preventives and treatments, potentially distorting R&D decisions. If consumers vary only in disease risk, revenue from treatments—sold after the disease is contracted, when disease risk is no longer a source of private information—always exceeds revenue from preventives. The revenue ratio can be arbitrarily high for sufficiently skewed distributions of disease risk. Under some circumstances, heterogeneity in harm from a disease, learned after a disease is contracted, can lead revenue from a treatment to exceed revenue from a preventative. Calibrations suggest that skewness in the US distribution of HIV risk would lead firms to earn only half the revenue from a vaccine as from a drug. Empirical tests are consistent with the predictions of the model that vaccines are less likely to be developed for diseases with substantial disease-risk heterogeneity.
Download PDF
Hochschild, Jennifer L, Jacqueline Chattopadhyay, Claudine Gay, and Michael Jones-Correa
. 2013.
Outsiders No More? Models of Immigrant Political Incorporation
. Oxford University Press.
Outsiders No More? brings together a multidisciplinary group of scholars to consider pathways by which immigrants may be incorporated into the political processes of western democracies. At a time when immigrants are increasingly significant political actors in many democratic polities, this volume makes a timely and valuable intervention by pushing researchers to articulate causal dynamics, provide clear definitions and measurable concepts, and develop testable hypotheses. By including historians, sociologists, and political scientists, by ranging across North America and Western Europe, by addressing successful and failed incorporative efforts, this handbook offers guides for anyone seeking to develop a dynamic, unified, and supple model of immigrant political incorporation.
Fujihira, Shinju
. 2013.
Can Japanese Democracy Cope with China's Rise?
Wilson Center
The contemporary standoff over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands threatens to exacerbate Japan-China relations in the long run. Despite their disagreement over the islands' sovereignty, the two governments had successfully depoliticized the issue for nearly four decades since their diplomatic normalization in 1972. The islands issue became politicized after the collision between a Chinese trawler and the Japan Coast Guard in 2010, and has become increasingly militarized after the Japanese government's purchase of three of the five islands from their private owner in 2012. China has boosted its civilian and military presence in maritime and airspace around the islands, confronting their Japanese counterparts regularly and raising the risk of an armed conflict which potentially involves the United States. What caused the intense politicization and increasing militarization of the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands dispute? What are the pragmatic steps which the two governments can take to depoliticize, demilitarize, and deescalate the current situation?
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Hall, Peter A
. 2013.
Anatomy of the Euro Crisis
Harvard Magazine
Mylonas, Harris
. 2013.
Wither Nation-Building?
e-International Relations
Nye, Joseph S., Jr.
Presidential Leadership and the Creation of the American Era
. Princeton University Press.
This book examines the foreign policy decisions of the presidents who presided over the most critical phases of America's rise to world primacy in the twentieth century, and assesses the effectiveness and ethics of their choices. Joseph Nye, who was ranked as one of Foreign Policy magazine's 100 Top Global Thinkers, reveals how some presidents tried with varying success to forge a new international order while others sought to manage America's existing position. Taking readers from Theodore Roosevelt's bid to insert America into the global balance of power to George H. W. Bush's Gulf War in the early 1990s, Nye compares how Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson responded to America's growing power and failed in their attempts to create a new order. He looks at Franklin D. Roosevelt's efforts to escape isolationism before World War II, and at Harry Truman's successful transformation of Roosevelt's grand strategy into a permanent overseas presence of American troops at the dawn of the Cold War. He describes Dwight Eisenhower's crucial role in consolidating containment, and compares the roles of Ronald Reagan and Bush in ending the Cold War and establishing the unipolar world in which American power reached its zenith.The book shows how transformational presidents like Wilson and Reagan changed how America sees the world, but argues that transactional presidents like Eisenhower and the elder Bush were sometimes more effective and ethical. It also draws important lessons for today's uncertain world, in which presidential decision making is more critical than ever.
Nye, Joseph S., Jr.
Do Presidents Really Steer Foreign Policy?
The Atlantic
Sen, Amartya
. 2013.
Why India Trails China
New York Times
Nye, Joseph S
. 2013.
Ethiopia: Brics Without Mortar
All Africa
Feldman, Noah
. 2013.
The Supreme Court Decides to See No Evil Abroad
Hall, Peter A, and Michèle Lamont
. 2013.
Social Resilience in the Neoliberal Era
. Cambridge University Press.
What is the impact of three decades of neoliberal narratives and policies on communities and individual lives? What are the sources of social resilience? This book offers a sweeping assessment of the effects of neoliberalism, the dominant feature of our times. It analyzes the ideology in unusually wide-ranging terms as a movement that not only opened markets but also introduced new logics into social life, integrating macro-level analyses of the ways in which neoliberal narratives made their way into international policy regimes with micro-level analyses of the ways in which individuals responded to the challenges of the neoliberal era. The book introduces the concept of social resilience and explores how communities, social groups, and nations sustain their well-being in the face of such challenges. The product of ten years of collaboration among a distinguished group of scholars, it integrates institutional and cultural analysis in new ways to understand neoliberalism as a syncretic social process and to explore the sources of social resilience across communities in the developed and developing worlds.
Renwick, Robin
. 2013.
A Journey With Margaret Thatcher: Foreign Policy Under The Iron Lady
. Bitback Publishing.
A Journey with Margaret Thatcher is an extraordinary insider's account of British foreign policy under Margaret Thatcher by one of her key advisers. Providing a closeup view of the Iron Lady in action, former high-ranking diplomat Robin Renwick examines her diplomatic successes – including the defeat of aggression in the Falklands, what the Americans felt to be the excessive influence she exerted on Ronald Reagan, her special relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev and contribution to the ending of the Cold War, the Anglo-Irish agreement, her influence with de Klerk in South Africa and relationship with Nelson Mandela – and what she herself acknowledged as her spectacular failure in resisting German reunification. He describes at first hand her often turbulent relationship with other European leaders and her arguments with her Cabinet colleagues about European monetary union (in which regard, he contends, her arguments have stood the test of time better and are highly relevant to the crisis in the eurozone today). Finally, the book tells of her bravura performance in the run up to the Gulf War, her calls for intervention in Bosnia and the difficulties she created for her successor. While her faults were on the same scale as her virtues, Margaret Thatcher succeeded in her mission to restore Britain's standing and influence, in the process becoming a cult figure in many other parts of the world.
Kelly, Catherine, and Jason Warner
. 2013.
Why the U.S. Military Should Care About African Opposition Parties
. Council of Foreign Relations.
Sub-Saharan Africa is an increasingly important theater of operation for the U.S. military. From al-Shabaab, the Lord's Resistance Army, and Ansar Dine, the Department of Defense is recognizing that Africa will be a vital strategic battlefield in the next century. Yet in discussions of future African security policy, the potential role of opposition political parties in Africa has received virtually no attention. Following are three reasons why the Department of Defense should pay close attention to African opposition parties. 1) Opposition parties can be barometers of domestic opinion about foreign presence. Opposition parties' rhetoric on US foreign policy and intervention—when it exists—can reveal local attitudes that incumbent governments may not openly share. This is especially helpful in countries such as Djibouti, Niger, and Ethiopia, where the U.S. military is currently engaged in a wide range of activities including military training, crisis management exercises, drone activities against al-Qaeda, and operating the United States' only military base on the continent; Camp Lemonnier. Foreign policy debates tend to have scant prominence in African elections, precisely because of the limited range of choices available to some of the world's weakest states. But major opposition party leaders almost invariably have more social and cultural capital than foreign diplomats, and thus have the potential to function as intermediaries between the US government and the wider African public on potentially contentious issues. 2) Today's opponents could be tomorrow's incumbents. Being cordial to (and even cautiously supportive of) opposition parties is deeply important in states where regime changes—electoral or otherwise—are likely. The absence of such a contingency plan in the event of a regime transition limits US policy options. In late March 2012, for instance, the United States offered few critiques as Djibouti's president, Ismail Omar Guelleh, repressed supporters of the Union for National Salvation (USN) opposition coalition. Were the USN ever to control the presidency, the United States could potentially face expulsion from the U.S. military base Camp Lemonnier. Given Djibouti's geographic proximity to volatile and strategically important countries in the Horn of Africa, the loss of such a geostrategic foothold would profoundly undermine the United States' already modest security assistance capabilities throughout the region. 3) Certain opposition members are potential interlocutors on issues of conflict and terrorism. Major opposition party leaders can play integral roles in local conflict resolution efforts, and often exhibit the capacity to encourage or stem particular antagonistic behaviors among the populace. For instance, the leaders of six major opposition parties in southern Sudan recently joined rebel groups in "endorsing peaceful and armed opposition to Sudan's government;" and in Kenya's 2007 elections, ethnic violence, allegedly fueled by certain ruling and opposition party leaders, reduced regional stability and inflicted devastating human costs. Although opposition leaders in these contexts can at times exacerbate delicate security situations, their social networks could also potentially facilitate the resolution of other US security concerns. To this end, Eritrea's opposition parties—some of which apparently launched an unsuccessful coup attempt in January 2013—could be the key to the United States acquiring domestic leverage on President Isaias Afewerki, a known source of regional instability in the Horn of Africa. This said, although opposition parties might have some role in mediating security outcomes, opposition leaders are almost never the most central players involved in such instances, nor are they necessarily tied to insurgencies that serve as the core security concerns of most African regimes. Nevertheless, cultivating opposition leaders as potential participants in peacebuilding, transparency, or counterterrorism measures could indeed increase the quality of human and state security on the continent. In summary, although democratization is not yet the norm in Africa, the trends towards greater political opening across the continent signal new opportunities for U.S. military engagement. As such, though it is the Department of State that invariably shoulders the responsibility for crafting US diplomatic policy regarding opposition parties, the Department of Defense—a silent observer on the political front—should be deeply cognizant of the security implications bound up in the politics of African opposition parties. Indeed, given the unavoidable US reliance on a mix of authoritarian and democratic allies for security-related initiatives in Africa, an effective US security strategy must continue evolving to take heed of the unique roles played by opposition parties on the continent.
Zhukov, Yuri
. 2013.
Trouble in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: The Coming Dash for Gas
Foreign Affairs
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Dave Sutor
Boy Scouts of America soon may no longer hold a universal position on whether homosexuals can be members or leaders.
The organization has strictly banned participation by openly gay individuals since its founding in 1910. Its ban was upheld by a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2000 and reaffirmed by the Scouts as recently as last year. Earlier this week, though, the organization announced that it is re-examining the longstanding policy. An official change could come within the next few days.
BSA is considering an approach that would leave the decision to accept or ban homosexuals to the individual troops.
Locally, Cambria County Judge Norman A. Krumenacker III, a past president of the Boy Scouts Northeast region, feels the national organization is abdicating its responsibility by not making a universal policy one way or another.
"They should not wash their hands of a tough decision. ... If we're going to develop leaders to make tough decisions, they should make tough decisions," Krumenacker said.
He feels a splintered policy could harm Scouting.
"I think it would be detrimental for the Boy Scouts not to speak with one voice," said Krumenacker. "This is a very delicate question. It is one that needs addressed, and I think it's long overdue to be addressed. It needs to come from the BSA, not the individual unit level."
The Laurel Highlands Council, which covers much of southwestern Pennsylvania, including Cambria, Somerset, Westmoreland and Bedford counties, plans to support whatever policy is set on the national level.
Sponsors, such as religious, civic or educational organizations, would help make decisions concerning homosexual participation. "The Boy Scouts would not, under any circumstances, dictate a position to units, members, or parents. Under this proposed policy, the BSA would not require any chartered organization to act in ways inconsistent with that organization's mission, principles or religious beliefs," said Boy Scouts of America spokesman Deron Smith in a statement.
Nearly 70 percent of the nation's 110,000 Scouting units are chartered by religious organizations.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Roman Catholic Church are two of the largest sponsors, serving approximately 420,000 and 280,000 Scouts, respectively.
"The Church is aware that BSA is contemplating a change in its leadership policy," said Latter-day Saints spokesman Michael Purdy. "However, BSA has not yet made any such change. Until we are formally notified that it has done so, it would be inappropriate for the Church to comment."
Gay advocacy groups have opposed the exclusion for years.
Eagle Scout Zach Wahls, the heterosexual son of lesbian parents, collected more than 275,000 signatures on a petition to lift the ban. Several organizations, including the Intel Foundation and Merck Co. Foundation, ceased providing financial support to BSA because of the policy.
Philip Bayush, a representative of the Keystone Alliance, a
Johnstown-based LGBT support group, called the possible change "a step in the right direction."
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Free Archaeology Seminar
Rubicon Heritage Services is holding a free half-day seminar in Kerry County Museum on Saturday 25 January. Several speakers will shed light on the archaeological discoveries along the Tralee Bypass opened in August 2013. Apart from speaking about the different excavation sites, there will also be a display of exciting finds. Seminar poster.
St Brendan's story through children's eyes
This special exhibition by pupils of Ardfert, Fenit, Kilmoyley and SpaNationalSchools features a marvelous short film and brilliant, colourful painting illustrating the adventures of St Brendan the Navigator. Other exhibits include a collage by the Museum's History Club and a street art painting by artist Rebekah Wall. The exhibition is open until Friday 20 December. St Brendan exhibition poster
The Vikings are coming to Kerry
Kerry County Museum is offering a wide range of events for all the family during Heritage Week (17 – 25 August 2013). This includes the return of military Living History group Claíomh who are going to raid the Museum in true Viking style. Other events include talks on Viking burial place Cloghermore, Co Kerry, demonstrations of ancient musical instruments and the Rose of Tralee Fashion exhibition. For further details check www.heritageweek.ie or READ MORE
Full Accreditation for your Museum
Kerry County Museum staff proudly attended the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland Accreditation Ceremony in Dublin on 25 June. According to Michael Starrett, Chief Executive of the Heritage Council, 'This achievement has been the goal of a committed staff, management and governing body, and is a particularly distinguished accomplishment.'
Bone Investigators
A powerful family, a brutal murder, a symbol hidden in stone – your chance to explore the hidden archaeology of medieval Tralee. In this new interactive gallery children can dig up a skeleton, inspect a rotten tooth and investigate the death of a medieval murder victim. Bone Investigators is the latest attraction in our family-friendly museum. READ MORE
Kerry Lives 1950-73 now open!
Our new exhibition'Kerry Lives' is a portrait of life in Kerry from 1950 to 1973, illustrated from the Kennelly Archive. The Kennelly Archive is a remarkable collection of photographs taken by husband and wife team Padraig and Joan Kennelly, professional photographers from Tralee, Co Kerry. READ MORE
Museum of the Year!Kerry County Museum has been named 2009 Museum of the Year at the Museum Awards on Monday 18th May. We were also Highly Commended in the Education Category for our What�s in the Box? Project. READ MORE


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Mogg & Melzer
Pastrami lovers rejoice behind big windows in the former Jewish Girls' School, for this is Berlin's first genuine New York–style Jewish deli. The juicy sandwiches come in two sizes on rye and are topped with melted Swiss cheese and paired with salted pickles. The arty 1930s-inspired surrounds, featuring purple-topped benches and Finnish designer chairs, are very Berlin indeed.