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|Strength of Schedule Report
May 19, 2006
Prospectus Matchups
The Unnatural
Biggest Mismatchup (opponents with greatest difference in Prospectus Hit List rankings): St. Louis Cardinals (5th) @ Kansas City Royals (30th)
Sunday's tilt features starting pitchers from opposite ends of the luck spectrum. While a case could be made that any starter who finds himself toiling for the Royals has been cursed by fate at some level, the manifestation of such is much more obvious with Scott Elarton. His LUCK rating is easily the worst in baseball at -5.08. The next-closest pitcher is Jamie Moyer of the Mariners at 4.00. On the other hand, the LUCK rating of his next opponent, Jeff Suppan, is 2.41. Although that doesn't quite put him in the top 10 among pitchers with at least 40 innings thrown, it's fairly close.
Tomorrow, the Cardinals are using the matchup with the Royals to get Anthony Reyes his first combat jump. As you will recall, St. Louis chose to keep Sidney Ponson in the rotation coming out of spring training rather than giving the job to Reyes. It was a decision that seemed faulty at the time but was working out pretty well up until the point Ponson went on the disabled list. If Reyes lives up to expectations, the Cards could have a late-arriving Rookie of the Year candidate on their hands, much as Dontrelle Willis came to the Marlins three years ago. Reyes' most impressive stat at Triple-A Memphis this year was his 40:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio. (League K leader Jered Weaver is close at 58:8 while Ryan O'Malley of the Iowa Cubs is at 25:1 in 25 2/3 IP, although he's mostly relieved.)
What do the Cubs get out of interleague play these days? Let's see � they sell out every game anyway, so having the White Sox come over and hang out for a while doesn't do them any good at the box office. Having to play the World Champions six times while the "Natural Rival" (as MLB.com calls them in their latest e-missive) of their arch-enemy in the division is required to play the Royals a half-dozen. Sounds to me like the only people making out on this deal are the scalpers that ply their trade around Wrigley Field during the White Sox series. Oh, wait�
Before we leave the Cubs, I got this email yesterday from reader Jason Brannon just after the Chicago-Washington game ended:
"Bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, Cubs down 5-3, men on 1st and 3rd. Neifi Perez up to bat. He bunted. Game."
Now, I'm glad Jason wrote me this note because even though I was watching the game myself, I didn't believe I had seen what I had seen. There is something very jarring about a guy bunting hard back to the pitcher to end a game with the tying runs on base. As hard as we try to defend his decision to lay one down--and manager Dusty Baker did just that--it just seems incongruous when the means to tie the game are in place. I will also admit that had a player with a reputation for being clever done it, I might not have been so taken aback.
The Washington series could have been seen as a turning point for the Cubs, what with the two shutouts and the return of Kerry Wood. His homer-friendly outing aside, it is good news to have him back. Unfortunately, the team still managed just 12 runs in the series and is last in the league in Isolated Power. In that context, perhaps a game-ending bunt probably isn't that shocking.
Closest Matchup (opponents closest to one another in the Prospectus Hit List rankings): Texas Rangers (13th) @ Houston Astros (12th)
If you're going to tout the Natural Rival, then you must also concede that there exists Unnatural Rivals. There cannot be one without the other, really. Even on this weekend where the two handfuls of interleague rivalries that actually make sense are taking place (out of the 224 possible matchups) there aren't enough to cover the entire schedule. So that a few teams like the Astros and Rangers might have their annual dose of geocentric fun, we are treated to a few unlikely pairings. For instance, we've got San Diego visiting Seattle, the best hype for which might be that they share the same time zone. Oh, they were also once rivals in the Pacific Coast League back in the '60s, so there's bound to be a lot of bad blood left over from that. Toronto is visiting Colorado and redemption is the theme there. The Jays have absolutely dominated this series and the Rockies want vengeance. They own the Rox. They've beaten them all kinds of ways: trouncings, nippings and come-from-behindings. (Just don't check to see how many times they've played or you'll spoil the hype job.)
Because they're all over the sports websites, by now you've seen the ads that state, "If 80% of your workday is spent managing your fantasy team, then you're a Mitchum Man." I don't know about you, but I'm sending them a resume straight away. If that's their attitude about their customers, then imagine how cool they must be with their employees!
Mitchum Manager: Higgins, that better not be the monthly sales figures I see on your screen!
Higgins (clicking like mad): Um�uh, no, I was just, uh looking for Lance Berkman's line from�uh�yesterday's game
Mitchum Manager: Higgins, you lying sack of @$&%: the Astros didn't even play yesterday.
Higgins: I�er�uh�knew that, I guess�
Mitchum Manager: You know what--I'll bet you're not even in a fantasy league, are you?
Higgins: Sure I am!
Mitchum Manager: Five-by-five?
Higgins: I don't see how the dimensions of my cubicle have anything to do with this.
Mitchum Manager: That does it, Higgins, clear out your desk. You're clearly not a Mitchum Man and we can't have you taking up space here doing "work."
Worst Matchup (opponents with worst combined Prospectus Hit List rankings, provided both are in the lower half): Florida Marlins (26th) @ Tampa Bay Devil Rays (28th)
They've topped themselves this time. This is the 15th series between these two clubs and on this occasion, they are meeting with the worst combined record yet. These are the four lowest combined winning percentages on the morning of their annual and bi-annual interleague series commencements:
RAYS FISH TOTAL Year (Series) W-L W-L W-L PCT 2006 (1st meeting) 17-24 11-28 27-52 .350 1998 (home/home) 31-42 24-50 55-92 .374 2001 (2nd meeting) 25-60 42-44 67-104 .392 1999 (1st meeting) 24-29 18-36 42-65 .393While the Mets and Yankees have never combined to be under .500 at the time of a meeting, the Rays and Marlins have only combined to be over .500 twice. Furthermore, on only one of those occasions--their second meeting of 2004--were they both playing at .500 or over.
What's the over/under on the number of busloads containing Marlins fans trekking across the state to see their boys play the Rays? I'll set it at three, but if I were a bookie I'd probably get killed on under bets. This won't be the worst-attended interleague series in the history of the species. The candidate for that will come in late June when the Rays travel to Miami for the reciprocal throwdown.
Best Matchup (opponents with best combined Prospectus Hit List rankings): New York Yankees (2nd) @ New York Mets (4th)
The Mets and Yankees have met in the past with better records, but they've never been this close before. This is the third-best combined record they've managed heading into a matchup.
METS YANKS TOTAL Year (Series) W-L W-L W-L PCT 1998 42-32 53-19 95-51 .651 1999 (first meeting) 27-16 30-21 57-37 .606 2006 (first meeting) 24-16 23-16 47-32 .595They have never had a combined sub-.500 record at the time of a meeting. Last year's second matchup was the closest they came when the Yankees were two games over .500 and the Mets two games under. They've met a game apart before (1997 and the first meeting of last year), but they've never been a half-game apart prior to today's contest. It's usually the Yankees that have the upper hand at the time of these meetings, too. This is just the fourth time in 17 tries that the Mets meet the Yankees with a better record than their elder neighbors.
I realize that I probably don't do enough to tout interleague play. With amends to that end in mind, I offer this to you and my betters in the offices of Major League Baseball, those responsible for this wonderful institution that exists, basically, for purposes of this and a few other series:
All Praise Unto Gotham!
Oh Gotham, pray, be trembling
To knees at once be falling
The world must set to quivering
Unworthy we: subverting
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Washington, Oct 6 : Popstar Janet Jackson has deferred three more of her shows as a result of her undisclosed illness.
Last week, the 'Alright' hitmaker was hospitalised following the illness.
And now, a rep for Jackson's revealed that the singer, 42, postponed a Saturday-night show in Greensboro, N.C., after a local doctor said it was "evident" she had not fully recovered, reports People magazine.
Other shows put on hold were in Atlanta and another in Fort Lauderdale.
Jackson, who is on her first North American tour in seven years, previously cancelled concerts in Boston and Philadelphia.

subset: commoncrawl


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In Reply to: Where the devil shot the woodpecker posted by Ann Marie Morton on March 14, 2009 at 13:42:
: Has anyone ever heard of the expression "where the devil shot the woodpecker" ? A friend used this recently and when I asked him about it he said he'd heard it from his mother (in the UP of Michigan) - it was used to mean something like "in the middle of nowhere". I wonder if anyone else if familiar with this one?
No, I hadn't heard it. Good one.


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1 mention in Off the beaten path and most authentic Italian dinner in Florence?
1 mention in Florence, Venice & Milan: Day Trips & Local Hangouts (food & music)?
1 mention in Fun and Exciting Activities in Florence?
1 mention in Nice local restaurants or bars + popular cultural sightseeing places?
1 mention in Florence restaurant where you are seated with strangers?
Beatrice L. said, "...Hi Cyndi! I'm from Florence and when we talk about a restaurant seating strangers together we normally mean Il Latini, a very very popular traditional restaurant where both visitors and locals love to go. It is in the historic centre, in..." See More
1 mention in Best dinner in Florence?


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Group: Net Censorship Becoming a Problem
Amnesty International issued a warning Wednesday saying Internet freedoms were slowly being curtailed, likening the problem to a 'virus' spreading throughout the world.
Whereas only a handful of countries were initially censoring speech on the Internet, recently those numbers have begun to grow. Additionally, Internet companies like Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google are being blamed for not taking an active role in preventing censorship.
The companies' responses have repeatedly cited a preference to abide by local laws when approached about the matter. However, and most notably in the case of Yahoo, information provided has resulted in the jailing of several activists.
"Unless we act on this issue, the Internet could change beyond all recognition in the years to come," campaign director Tim Hancock told the BBC. According to the group, at least 25 countries now filter content before it reaches its citizens.
Filtering is not the only problem. Like China, closures of Web sites and the imprisonment of those writing content objectionable to government officials is also on the rise, it said.


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August is deep into summer school holidays and although another superhero film has filled the slot occupied by Fantastic Four last year, the casting and trailers for DC Comics' Suicide Squad makes it clear that another Fantastic Four-style disappointment is not on the cards, and it could easily eclipse Batman V Superman to become the DC film 2016 is remembered for.
I have the privilege and responsibility to play Spider-Man on screen, something I figure all young boys dream about but without realising that they can do something heroic and life changing without swinging across the Manhattan skyline... For whatever reason, men have not engaged with stem cell donation in the same numbers as women. This needs to change and that's why Anthony Nolan is running a campaign to understand the reasons for this shortfall and plug this lifesaving hole.
The darkness in the Superior Spider-Man arc has meant that I've been quietly hiding the comics rather than encouraging my kids to flick through them as I used to. The darkness in Man of Steel means that those same kids will grow up with the Reeve movies rather than the Cavill ones, which is probably cooler anyway.
February saw the arrival of the first London Super Comic Convention. An enormous hall at the ExCel in Docklands was filled by fans, cosplayers, stalls, comic creators and something like a god. Amongst the mortals, the mighty Stan Lee walked, smiled, posed for photos, bringing joy and goodwill to all.


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STARmeterSEE RANK
Up 2,852 this week
John Karlen
John Karlen was born on May 28, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, USA as John Adam Karlewicz. He is an actor, known for Dark Shadows (1966), Cagney & Lacey (1981) and Another World (1964). He was previously married to Betty Karlen. See full bio »
Born:in Brooklyn, New York, USA


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Report NEP-NET-2009-04-25This is the archive for NEP-NET, a report on new working papers in the area of Network Economics. Yi-Nung Yang issued this report. It is usually issued weekly.
Subscribe to this report: email, RSS or Twitter.
Other reports in NEP-NET
The following items were announced in this report:
- Jean-François, CAULIER & Ana, MAULEON & Vincent, VANNETELBOSCH, 2008. "Contractually stable networks," Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) 2008045, Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques.
- Item repec:hal:wpaper:hal-00376243_v1 is not listed on IDEAS anymore
- Robin S. Lee & Michael Schwarz, 2009. "Interviewing in Two-Sided Matching Markets," NBER Working Papers 14922, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
- Eyckmans, Johan & Finus, Michael, 2009. "An Almost Ideal Sharing Scheme for Coalition Games with Externalities," Stirling Economics Discussion Papers 2009-10, University of Stirling, Division of Economics.


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By Margaret S. Gurney
3D Systems Corporation (Rock Hill, SC), a provider of 3D modeling, rapid prototyping (RP), and manufacturing solutions, introduced the ProJet CPX 3000 3D digital printing system, a new high-definition 3D printer designed for creating high-volume, finely detailed wax patterns using digital data. The ProJet CPX 3000 is one of six new 3D printers that will be demonstrated at the company's upcoming 3D Systems World Conference to be held in Charlotte, NC, from October 20 to 23.
The ProJet CPX 3000 was built for office environments with a 29 in. x 49.5 in. footprint (uncrated); it works with 3D Systems' patented Multi-Jet Modeling (MJM) technology, and uses two new materials, both of which are wax. The new VisiJet CPX200 is the nontoxic wax build material — a dark blue color wax material that is developed specifically for high-quality casting patterns — and the new VisiJet S200, also nontoxic, is the wax support material that offers dissolvable hands-free removal.
|"We are delighted to deliver a true, fast, 100 percent wax-based investment casting solution, ideal for foundry and other industry segments that addresses all of the required professional casting requirements."
— Buddy Byrum, 3D Systems, senior director of 3-D Printing solutions
The range of applications for the ProJet 3-D Production System include concept development, design validation, form and fit analysis, molding and casting patterns, direct investment casting of jewelry, and other fine feature applications.
A Professional Precision Investment Casting Tool
The ProJet CPX 3000 3D Printer weighs 560 lbs. uncrated and includes ProJet Accelerator software that facilitates build job setup, submission, and job queue management; automatic part placement and build optimization tools; part stacking and nesting capability; extensive part file editing tools; automatic support generation; and job statistics reporting tools.
The printer is network-ready with 10/100 Ethernet interface. The client hardware recommendation calls for a 1.8GHz workstation with 1GB RAM (OpenGL support 64Mb video RAM) or higher. It runs on Windows XP Professional and supports STL and SLC for input data file formats. Its operating temperature range is 18-28 degrees C (64-82 degrees F) and the noise it generates at a medium fan setting is estimated at < 65 dBa. The ProJet CPX 3000 is CE certified.
"We are very pleased to be the first to offer a professional precision investment casting tool," said Buddy Byrum, 3D Systems' senior director of 3-D Printing solutions at 3D Systems. "We are delighted to deliver a true, fast, 100 percent wax-based investment casting solution, ideal for foundry and other industry segments that addresses all of the required professional casting requirements and is packed with real cost savings."
RP&M System Both Accurate & Environmentally Friendly
The two build modes are high-definition (HD) for high-speed, detailed production of small to large parts with excellent surface finish that prints 40-micron layers, and an "extreme" high-definition (XHD) mode that prints 16-micron layers for production parts with the more detailed features common in many micro-casting applications. Accuracy detail is said to range from between 0.001 to 0.002 in. (0.025-0.05mm) per inch of part dimension.
According to 3D Systems, the ProJet CPX 3000 was designed for volume production and provides for part nesting and stacking to make use of the entire build volume for long-run, unattended operation. It is the first all-wax 3D printer with stacking capabilities and its proprietary single-pass print-head design facilitates the building of multiple parts at the same time without sacrificing build time. In HD mode, the total build volume is 298 x 185 x 203mm (11.75 x 7.3 x 8 in.); in XHD mode, it is 127 x 178 x 152mm (5 x 7 x 6 in.).
Once the build process is complete, the nontoxic dark-blue build material — and its supporting VisiLet S200 wax support material — can be safely handled and transferred to a dissolve basin where the support material can be removed using isopropyl alcohol. While the wax build material and wax support material are environmentally friendly and do not need special disposal, the dissolve material must be disposed of according to local requirements.
It is said that dissolving the support wax is the only postprocessing needed as the surfaces of the remaining 100 percent "RealWax" pattern are smooth and do not require finishing. The patterns will perform like injected wax patterns in lost-wax casting processes and are suitable for direct investment casting applications using standard investment materials and casting procedures.
Uses & Benefits of AF
According to 3D Systems, the ProJet CPX 3000 system is the only currently available additive fabrication (AF) system capable of producing such detailed 100 percent wax patterns at the speeds it reaches.
It is expected that the new system will appeal to designers and manufacturers of wax patterns for highly complex geometric shapes, jewelry, apparel, medical instruments and devices, mechanical parts, and collectibles.
The company lists the benefits of the standard casting processes and procedures as including smooth surfaces and a fine-feature detail for the above-mentioned micro-casting applications, best-in-class production speed and capacity, quick and easy support-removal leaving smooth support side surfaces, high-volume utilization of entire build volume for longer-run unattended operation, and easy build submission and job queue management.
3D Systems plans to start shipping the ProJet CPX 3000 System during the fourth quarter of this year.
Margaret S. Gurney is the editor for new products at Desktop Engineering magazine.
For more information on this RPM system, please visit 3D Systems.
Read why DE editors chose this as an Editor's Pick of the Week.
Learn, explore, and network at the 3D Systems World Conference.
Link directly to 3D Systems' web page focused on the ProJet CPX.
Download 3D Systems' leaflet with descriptions and tech specs on the ProJet CPX.
To field an inquiry with the company about pricing and other queries, go to the Request for Information form.
For Preferred Service Providers, go to 3D Systems.


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I love living on the bay and I am so thankful the Lord placed me here. My Lord and Savior also planned peaceful hobbies for me in eternity past, one of these hobbies is beach combing consisting of hunting for seaglass and sea shells.
This is a shot of the seaglass I found combing the little beaches on Aransas Bay, right off the little road my neighborhood is on. Just as God planted me in Rockport, Texas, He plants these little nuggets of beauty for me to find as well. I often talk to Him while I am searching the sandy little beaches and when I find a unusual amount of clear, it's come to represent clarity in what I'm praying for. This last hunt I found that heart shaped clear piece of glass situated on top of the green piece shown in the photo above, clearly a gift of love from my Heavenly Father.
I love the Lord so much. How can I not love a Father that knows what I need in my life and who gives it to me without even asking? He just put this sweet little leisure pursuit right in my back yard, so to speak, He put this calming little avocation right in front of me, I literally started collecting these ocean gems by looking down.
I have come to adore looking for shells and seaglass. They are treasures made by the hand of God himself. The shells are designed by God and the seaglass is tumbled by the waves of the ocean that He created. What's even more gracious is this pastime does not cost me a dime and the treasures I find are of more value to me than diamonds, fancy gem-stones, or precious metals. I have found them with the eyes God blessed me with and picked them up with the hands of the One that made me.
This beautiful blessing is just one more manifestation of God's unlimited grace. I am so thankful for seaglass, it represents His lovingkindness to me.
Colossians 3:17 "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."


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Based on pure ingredients and fortified with Eco-Certified and natural patents, Botanifique utilises a wide range of plants, oils and fruit extracts to create the most natural solution to modern skincare. Botanifique embodies organic purity of time-honoured traditions using purely natural ingredients, and contains no harmful additives.
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Hi Chander, Actually I am trying to figure out how much execution time any query is taking is taking when executed for the first time. Because once a query is executed for the first time, the query plan, data buffer is cached so subsequently time taken is much lower. For this, I want to have the Shared buffer cache flushed to note the initial execution time. Is my understanding correct here ? Regards, Suvankar Roy Chander Ganesan <chander(at)otg-nc(dot)com> 07/15/2009 08:48 PM To Suvankar Roy <suvankar(dot)roy(at)tcs(dot)com> cc pgsql-admin(at)postgresql(dot)org Subject Re: [ADMIN] Flush Shared Buffer Cache Suvankar Roy wrote: > > Hi, > > Can anyone help me out with how to flush out Shared Buffer Cache in > Postgres. > > One way would be to restart the database, but I would like to avoid that. AFAIK, that's the only way. Is there a reason that you need to dump the shared buffers? Perhaps if we knew what you were trying to accomplish we could provide you with a suitable solution that doesn't require a restart... -- Chander Ganesan Open Technology Group, Inc. One Copley Parkway, Suite 210 Morrisville, NC 27560 919-463-0999/877-258-8987 http://www.otg-nc.com Expert PostgreSQL, PostGIS, and other Open Source training delivered worldwide. ForwardSourceID:NT00004B0E =====-----=====-----===== Notice: The information contained in this e-mail message and/or attachments to it may contain confidential or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, use, review, distribution, printing or copying of the information contained in this e-mail message and/or attachments to it are strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us by reply e-mail or telephone and immediately and permanently delete the message and any attachments. Thank you
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Google Earth has just rolled out some fresh imagery for us! Thanks to GEB reader 'ChrisK' for being the first to let us know about it.
As is almost always the case, you can use Google Maps to determine for sure whether or not a specific area is fresh. This new imagery isn't in Google Maps yet, so you can compare Earth vs. Maps to see what's new; the fresh imagery is already in Google Earth, but the old imagery is still in Google Maps. If you compare the two side-by-side and they're not identical, that means that you've found a freshly updated area in Google Earth!
[UPDATED — 24-August, 10:28pm EST]
- Argentina: Various cities — thanks 'pertile' and '3done'
- Chile: Puerto Montt — thanks 'Munden'
- Czech Republic: Most of the country — thanks 'Dawid'
- Poland: Many areas — thanks 'Dawid', 'tomcioZG' and 'Chris'
- United States:Pittsburgh, PA — thanks 'ChrisK'
- Venezuela: Cumanacoa — thanks 'wroman'
If you find any other updated areas, please leave a comment and let us know!
About Mickey Mellen
Mickey has been using Google Earth since it was released in 2005, and has created a variety of geo-related sites including Google Earth Hacks. He runs a web design firm in Marietta, GA, where he lives with his wife and two kids.


text: Hikikomori (ひきこもり or 引き籠もり, Hikikomori, lit. "pulling inward, being confined", i.e., "acute social withdrawal") is a Japanese term to refer to the phenomenon of reclusive adolescents or young adults who withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement. The term hikikomori refers to both the sociological phenomenon in general as well as to people belonging to this societal group. Hikikomori are often associated with otaku but the terms are distinct.


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Bera discusses Ebola preparedness with Sacramento County Public Health Officer
Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. met yesterday with Sacramento County Public Health Officer, Dr. Olivia Kasirye to discuss Sacramento County's emergency response and preparedness for Ebola and the upcoming flu season.
Bera asked about the County's plan and specifically about how lessons from the Ebola issues in Dallas are being incorporated into training and supplies here in Sacramento County.
Kasirye discussed steps for the local emergency response to Ebola that are already in use for other diseases and described new trainings with safety equipment, the formation of rapid response teams, and safety measure reviews that are taking place at local hospitals to ensure Sacramento County is ready to treat and stop the transmission of Ebola. Local hospitals are also running practice scenarios to prepare. The most important step, she said, is to ensure facilities can properly isolate a suspected Ebola patient and for health care workers to take precautionary measures by wearing protective equipment.
"As a doctor and public health expert, I know the risk of Ebola spreading in our community is very low, but we must do everything we can to make sure we're prepared to handle this disease if it comes to our region," said Bera. "I'm glad that our local public health department and health care systems are preparing to ensure the safety of Sacramento County residents."
In addition to hospitals preparing, Kasirye confirmed the County has been in communication with first responders as well as the Sacramento International Airport to ensure they also have the knowledge and systems in place to safely respond to an Ebola patient.
Bera has also spoken with Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to discuss how they can continue to work together to stop the spread of the disease and keep all families safe, here and around the world.
This week, the CDC issued expanded, strengthened guidelines based on recent experience treating patients in the United States. The guidance emphasizes the importance of health care workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure there is no skin exposure, and rigorous training and supervision of putting equipment on and taking it off.
Click here to find out more information about Ebola from the CDC
Bera and Kasirye also discussed the severity of last year's flu season and current efforts to encourage people to get flu shots this season. Flu shot clinics will be held throughout Sacramento County during October and November. Click here for information on the flu and locations where you can get a flu shot.
Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. represents Sacramento County. Born and raised in California, Bera is a physician and the only Indian American currently serving in Congress. He's fighting to rebuild an economy that works for middle class families and to reduce our country's debt in a responsible way. One of Bera's first acts in Congress was to help lead the effort to pass the No Budget No Pay Act, which says if members of Congress don't pass a budget, they don't get paid. As a leader of the No Labels' Problem Solvers, he's working with people from both parties to find bipartisan solutions to our nation's challenges. He and his wife Janine live in Elk Grove with their daughter Sydra. For more updates on Rep. Bera follow @RepBera on Twitter, like Congressman Bera on Facebook, or visit https://www.bera.house.gov.


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Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama rejects improved contract offer
Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama has rejected an improved contract offer from the club, according to his agent.
Last Updated: 25/10/12 10:52pm
The 21-year-old Kenya international is under contract at Parkhead until 2015 after signing in the summer of 2011 from Belgian side Beerschot.
However, his performances have seen him linked with a move to England and Celtic reportedly turned down an offer for him in the summer.
His agent, Rob Moore, told STV: "Victor has informed Celtic the contract offer fell short of his expectations.
"There were a number of aspects that fell short - he turned it down.
"He is very happy with the job he is doing at the moment. He is a great professional and his commitment cannot be questioned.
"But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that he lost great earning potential in the summer."


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I can't believe Tennessee didn't consider him a strong candidate especially with his record against Bama, although I'm not so sure he wanted back in the SEC.
Personally I always thought Tuberville was an outstanding coach and was possibly the best coach Auburn ever had.
Coach Jordan had some success but not consistently like Tuberville, and I've said forever that Pat Dye, in my opinion, accomplished the least with the most talent of most any coach in SEC history. Yes he won a couple of SEC Titles but for about ten years he had the talent to win the national championship every single year and never did it.
At any rate I think Cincy got a good one. I don't know how well Tubs will like Ohio though. He's pretty southern rooted.


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|Harris Ralph, born Feb. 10, 1827 died June
21, 1895
[son of David Harris and Sarah Relph] and Mary E. Ralph, born Dec. 4, 1828 (no date of death listed) [ Died January 20, 1909, daughter of George and Abby Whitman]
|Sarah, wife of Job Manchester
formerly wife of David H. Ralph
daughter of ... and Mary Arnold
born March 18, 1803, died Aug. 6, 1891 [daughter of Lowry and Mary Arnold]
|Erected in Memory of Mr. David Harris Relph
who died Aug. 22, 1830
in the 30th year of his age
[son of David and Phebe Relph]
|Mrs. Phebe, wife of Col. David Relph died Oct.
5, 1849
in the 70, year of her age
[daughter of Thomas and Freelove Harris]
|Col. David Relph
died Jan. 1, 1853
in the 83 year of his age
[son of David and Freelove Relph]
|Sacred to the Memory of
Mrs. Eliza Hopkins
wife of Col. Stephen G. Hopkins
and daughter of David & Phebe Ralph born Nov. 3, 1807, died Died July 17, 1828
Friends and Physicians could not save, Her mortal body from the grave, Nor can the grave confine her here, When Christ shall call her to appear.**
|Miss Phebe Harris daughter of Col. Stephen
and Eliza Hopkins died Aug. .... aged 19 years, 9 months & 16? days
[Miss Phebe Harris Hopkins, died Aug. 23, 1845]
|Sacred to the memory of
Freelove Relph daughter of David & Phebe Relph
who died October 24 1826
age 21 years 2 mo & 8 days
My friends I bid you all adieu
I leave you in God's care.
And if I here no more see you
Go on I'll meet you there.**
|Zilpha, wife of William Rhodes
formerly wife of Daniel Arnold
and daughter of David & Phebe Relph died April 5?, 1877
in the 78?? year of her age
[died April 5, 1877, in the 78 year of her age]
|Erected In memory of
Daniel Arnold (can't read dates)
[who died Oct 18, 1829, in the 34 year of his age]
|Mary A., daughter of Lowry & Mary Arnold
died Nov. 27, 1874
in the 66th year of her age
|Eliza, daughter of David H. and Sarah Ralph
died Aug., 1826, aged 8 months
|Mrs. Eliza Hopkins 1828
|[There is one unmarked grave in the corner, William Donneson Ralph, son of David and Julia Porter Ralph Born June 1, 1875, Died June 8, 1880]
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text:
If an incision was made under the collumela that tapered into the nose,NOT to extend under the nostrils, would that lift up the middle portion (cupids bow) area of the lip and reduce some skin between the upper lip and nose and keep the white roll in tact? And adding a vermillion advancement towards the corners of the mouth, wouldn't that help reduce the skin above the lips and enlarge the lips also? These two combined, wouldn't that make for a most natural lip lift? No scars under the nostrils.
Most Natural Looking Lip Lift Possible? Modified Lip Lift?
Doctor Answers 3
Lip shortening
The two procedures you described are not new. The incision at the columella lip junction then goes inside the nose then around the nostril may give you a better looking scar than the original bull horn scar.
The vermelion advancement scar has to be so accurate and closed so properly to get a good result.
Most recent article with good results is by Dr. Bahman Guyuron the Chief of Plastic surgery at CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, CLEVELAND, OHIO
Lip Lift
While the procedure you describe avoids the bull horn scar, you would be surprised at how well that scar heals. The key is to achieve the lip lift you desire while maintaining a natural, balanced appearance, which means having a lip lift that proportionally reduces the amount of redundant skin. There are techniques that are used to minimize scarring and help you achieve the result you desire. I would recommend you find a meticulous facial plastic surgeon to help you achieve your goals.
Lip Lift Incisions
Any incisions above or along the top of the lip\vermillion border are unacceptable and will definitely be noticable no mater how good the surgery. Incisions under the nostrils also tend to show. Ultimately there is no way to shorten this area and completely hide the surgery. As for lip enlargement again I do not like vermillion advancement or lip advancement, they do not look very natural. I prefer a dermal-fat transplant from the supapubic area into the lips which is permanent. For a temporary fix I like juvederm. You can see examples of dermal-fat lip grafts at our website below.
Learn more: http://aventuraplasticsurgery.com
You might also like...
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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Media contact: Emily Gresham Wherle, Public Information Administrator, 859.344.5470 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
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text:
What does ru 486 mean?
Definitions for ru 486
Here are all the possible meanings and translations of the word ru 486.
Princeton's WordNet
abortion pill, mifepristone, RU 486(noun)
an abortion-inducing drug (trade name RU_486) developed in France; when taken during the first five weeks of pregnancy it blocks the action of progesterone so that the uterus sloughs off the embryo
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of ru 486 in Chaldean Numerology is: 8
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of ru 486 in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3
Sample Sentences & Example Usage
I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones.
It raised total accidental deaths to 586 when they should have been 486, the lowest number on record despite the explosion in gun sales and concealed carry permits.
I received a call about a woman who had taken mifepristone, RUU 486, and changed her mind. She wanted help and I offered it, then I received calls from across the country of doctors and others seeking advice. In 2012, we established Abortion Pill Reversal and its attendant website and hotline.
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text:
WHENEVER he speaks these days, Damien Oliver grins and politely dead-bats every inquiry about the alleged $10,000 bet that he has allegedly admitted to racing officials and that allegedly threatens to force him into retirement.
"No comment," he said as he walked on to the course yesterday morning.
One place Oliver couldn't hide yesterday was the Flemington straight, where he rode like the drunkest man at the party aboard the favourite Americain as he tried to find the perfect run to racing redemption as much as a third Melbourne Cup victory.
At the top of the long straight, he bumped into Mount Athos, and it wasn't going to be for the last time.
In the moshpit of horses approaching the famed clock tower, Oliver drifted from the fence looking for a run and bumped into Mount Athos, who went sideways into Red Cadeaux. He switched back inside, looking and searching for the path that was not there.
Afterwards, Oliver whizzed past the reporters in the jockeys room with the same smug grin that's been all over his face since serious allegations emerged he had placed $10,000 on a horse to win a race at Moonee Valley in 2010 in which he was riding another horse.
"Just the slow pace worked against him with the big weight when they sprinted," Oliver said. "But he still ran well."
He may have been a victim of circumstance but try telling that to Gerry Ryan, who had shown devout faith in Oliver when nobody else would. In the last month, the wealthy Melbourne businessman has seen his beloved Melbourne Storm win the NRL premiership, his new cycling team embroiled in the Lance Armstrong doping scandal and now Americain defeated when sent out as the $7.50 favourite.
It is understood Ryan was displeased with the ride, and many at the track were surprised when Oliver escaped without charge late last night. Almost as many believe he shouldn't have been there in the first place.For all the famous moments Oliver has had on this track - a decade ago he rode Media Puzzle to victory days after his brother Jason had died from a race fall - he has cast a dirty pall over racing.
Racing stewards are sticklers for "due process" but the fact Oliver has refused to deny he placed the bet simply smears the industry with every passing day.
Francesca Cumani started Cup Day by telling us part-owner Terry Henderson had punted Oliver from the back of Cup runner My Quest For Peace for that very reason.
As racegoers walked on to the gloomy track, the best bet of the day was this: "Whatever Damien Oliver has backed."
That isn't a one-liner about some mug jockey. That's the best big-race specialist in the land. The jockey whose win on Media Puzzle inspired a movie.
Lloyd Williams had sacked Oliver from the ride on Green Moon in the Cox Plate, and yesterday he was justified.
In 1998, he and good mate Kerry Packer led a million-dollar plunge on his horse Jezabeel to win the Cup.
Now, he is simply content to watch them win.
"No, the punting days are gone," his son and racing lieutenant Nick said when asked if a similar bet had been laid.
Nick had burst into the mounting yard after the race, shaking his phone after the line to his old man back at their training facility Macedon Lodge had dropped out.
Phone reception at Flemington on Cup Day is almost as difficult as finding the winner.
Later, the big and sweaty younger Williams fronted a press conference and explained how tough it is to win the Melbourne Cup. He estimates his father has had "75 to 80" runners in the race in the past 50 years.
"Anyone who gets into racing, who gets a one one-hundredth share in a horse, a sprinter or stayer, everyone wants to win the Melbourne Cup," Nick said. "We're a bad example of that, taken to extremes."
Lloyd Williams can afford to be obsessed about the race. His fortune is estimated to be about $670 million.
His son can't remember if he was a listed owner of their last winner Efficient, in 2007, or if he was a part-owner of Green Moon.
"I couldn't tell you if my name was in the Efficient book or not, quite frankly," he said. "It's in it for this one, isn't it?" Yes, it is.
"Oh, is it? Wonder if I get a cheque."
Then he took a big swig of water and said: "Magnificent. I can get a proper drink now."
Nick Williams left Flemington smiling. You can bet that Damien Oliver wasn't.
Originally published as Oliver drama casts pall over Cup


text:
- August 2, 2010, 9:53 AM
Patients needing aeromedical evacuation from North Africa can now take advantage of a Synergy Aviation Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 based in Malta. The King Air is based at Malta's Luqa Airport and is equipped with a Lifeport stretcher and five passenger seats. UK-based Synergy and Medilink International are cooperating to deliver medical transportation and care services to clients in Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean. "We are eyeing further opportunities in the Mediterranean," said Synergy managing director Glen Heavens.


text:
A. Lambert was a Human Starfleet officer of the 22nd century.
In 2154, he was listed as a Flight Software officer on the dedication plaque of the Columbia NX-02. (ENT: "Affliction", dedication plaque)
In January of 2155, he was listed as a Robotic Systems officer on directory placards at Starfleet Command's Fleet Operations Center, Sol Sector. His office was located in room #4318. (ENT: "Demons", directories)
He was named after Enterprise visual effects associate Adam Lambert.


text:
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text:
The dream, ah yes, the dream, for "Call of Duty" fans: You're plucked out of mundane everyday life and obligations into the exciting, challenging world of COD. Now, you can be kidnapped, er "CODnapped," into what resembles COD nirvana. It's all part of the official "Call of Duty: Ghosts Onslaught" trailer, above.
Onslaught, the first downloadable content pack available for "Call of Duty: Ghosts," arrives first on Xbox Live Jan. 28, reports Xbox Wire, with other platforms to follow.
In the trailer, the "CODnapper and his team of associates rescue unsuspecting fans from their 'to do' lists and everyday chores and deliver them to an oasis known as Onslaught."
And there's good reason for wanting to be CODnapped. "With four new multiplayer maps, the Maverick – an all-new dual purpose Assault Rifle & Sniper Rifle, and the next installment of Extinction, you're going to want all the time you can get," Xbox Wire writes.
To read more – if you haven't already been CODnapped – head over to Xbox Wire.
You might also be interested in:
· Check out "next-gen" Lara Croft, ready for "Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition" Jan. 28
· Datacenter research manager Sean James sees energy gold – and green – in waste and in fuel cells
· "The Next Big Thing" collection in the Windows Phone Store includes "Adventure Town" and "Call of Arena"
Suzanne Choney
Microsoft News Center Staff
Tags: Call of Duty, Games, Xbox Live


text:
Jun '12 - Sep '12
Before the semester started I was lucky enough to tak an impromptu visit home to see my family and take one last deep breath before the semester starts. As serious as I am about architecture, spending a week away from the study of architecture makes it completely melt away, I got to see my dad's new home, stayed in brothers new place and spend the long weekend at the cottage with my mom. It reminded me why I am doing all of this.
It is easy to get sidetracked and forget why you went into architecture school, the long hours, it is expensive and it is certainly not looking good as a profession, but somewhere you decided to go into it and give it your all. I can only speak for myself, but my family has helped me tremendously throughout my education, any kind of support I have needed they have been there without hesitation. I am here on the cusp of my final year and masters thesis and in a way I am doing it for them.
I love architecture and all of its flaws, and I am positively doing it because I want to, but it helps knowing that it is what my family wants for me as well. Especially helpful in times of despair when the weight of architecture education pressures you beyond your capabilities, I take solace in knowing that my family wants it for me as much as I want it.
The week before school started went by too quickly and I said goodbye once again to my family, but as sad I was to go it gave me resolve for my last year in school and I'm going to strive even more for what I want, because it is what they would want.
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
A week by week journal of the ups and downs of getting through a master of architecture program in Vancouver Canada.


text:
Shad Kvetko's house looks a fright. And, frankly, the 21-year-old wouldn't have it any other way. Kvetko has spent more than half of his life collecting ghoulish artifacts that have allowed him to turn his west Phoenix bachelor pad into something resembling a year-round spook house. He may not have skeletons in the closet, but he's got a skull on the coffee table.
"Make that 'coffin table,'" jokes Kvetko, indicating the roughhewed casket located in front of a vintage, red-velvet settee. On top of the casket sits a human skull with a cigarette wedged between its teeth.
An antique dealer who occasionally moonlights as an exterminator (an irony not lost on anyone who has ever visited his morbid lair), the stocky Kvetko lives in a house that looks like a cross between a turn-of-the-century funeral parlor and a prop warehouse for the next Addams Family epic. Imagine a 1950s tract-home version of the House of Usher and you begin to get the picture. The only thing missing--at least so far--is Vincent Price.
Almost certainly the largest array of funeral-oriented artifacts in the city, if not the entire state, Kvetko's vast collection of funeraria (as collectors of this ilk call their troves) now includes hundreds of pieces. The macabre memorabilia ranges from hands-on mortuary tools of the past to tasteless premiums once handed out by funeral-industry salesmen, like the coffee mug from an Indiana funeral home emblazoned with the phrase "The Last Word in Fine Service."
"I'm just trying to put the 'fun' back into 'funeral,'" says Kvetko as he guides a visitor into his tomblike living room, a creepy chamber whose main source of illumination is a lighted clock from the Eisenhower era advertising a national tombstone franchise.
Against one wall stands a vintage porcelain embalming table that now holds Kvetko's videotape collection and once, friends report, even served as his bed.
Against the west wall, on a funeral gurney, is another casket, this one an elaborate "display" model with a picture window enabling viewers to see the head of the dear departed. Resting within, on a bed of rotting satin, is a 110-year-old skeleton that Kvetko has dubbed "Slim"--in a prior lifetime, it served as a visual aid in a medical school.
In the corner, near an antique sign announcing "Funeral Parking," is a 1950s kiddy car, piloted by a child-size Mexican Day of the Dead sculpture.
Other grimorabilia scattered around the house include a leather case containing scary-looking embalming tools; a velour-covered baby coffin; yellowing memorial photos of various corpses lying in state; a backless, strap-on burial suit for a small boy; and a makeup kit featuring "Veino," a patented "Beautifying and Massage Cream" for cadavers.
@body:"Some people misunderstand what I'm doing, and think I'm being disrespectful toward the dead," says Kvetko, who insists that in spite of his collection, he has no interest in becoming a mortician. "They think what I'm doing is morbid, and, in a way, I guess, it is. But there's certainly no disrespect intended. I can assure you that I'm not into serial killers, grave robbing or necrophilia." Still, that doesn't begin to explain why Kvetko has chosen to decorate his entire home in a style that can only be described as Early Undertaker. Or why he chooses to wear a necklace made of human bone--he purchased it at Necromance, a Los Angeles shop specializing in such jewelry. What on Earth--or, to be more exact, under it--is behind this man's fatal attraction to old funeral paraphernalia? Flashing a perplexed grin, Kvetko ponders the much-asked question that may well plague him to his dying day.
"That's a tough one," admits the man who once tooled around town in a 1960 hearse. "I guess one of the things that first attracted me and still attracts me to collecting this sort of thing is the great mystery involved with death. It's one of the few things that we're never going to fully understand. And, of course, I've grown up around collectors, and so that influence just manifested itself in that aspect of my life. It's a hard thing for me to articulate."
@body:Kvetko, however, is considerably more articulate talking about what he collects than about his reason for collecting. And he hopes one day to open his home as an appointment-only museum, if for no other reason than to contrast funeral practices of the past (such as the omnipresent "memorial photos" of the deceased) with the attitudes of today. Disregarding the odd mom-and-pop exhibition in the back of a small-town undertaking parlor, only one such museum is believed to exist in America. Funded by a company that operates a chain of funeral homes and cemeteries around the country, the American Funeral Home Museum in Houston, Texas, recently celebrated its first anniversary. Described by a spokeswoman as a long-overdue tribute to "a proud profession," the 20,000-foot exhibit has reportedly drawn "thousands" of visitors, ranging from school groups to vintage-car buffs eager to drool over old hearses.
Located on the property of a mortuary college, the museum claims to have the largest collection of funeral-service artifacts and memorabilia in the country, dating back to the 1800s. In addition to funeral relics, the museum features three nonstop video loops, including one that stresses "the value of the modern funeral."
It's a safe bet that Kvetko's collection, while smaller, is considerably more graphic, with its heavy emphasis on what today would be considered gruesome. "People today don't realize how much funeral customs have changed over the last 100 years," says Kvetko. He points toward a not-readily-identifiable rusted platform with folding legs that, at first glance, might be mistaken for an early prototype of a Rube Goldberg-style collapsible ironing board. Kvetko reveals that the mystery object is actually a portable embalming table, an invention used from the turn of the century through the 1920s.
"It was more convenient for the undertaker to embalm the body right in the home, particularly in farming communities or rural areas," he explains. "After it was embalmed, the body was laid out in the parlor for a while before it was eventually removed and buried.
"Death was far more prevalent back then," he continues. "People didn't live nearly as long, so they were forced to deal with it more often, in a far more matter-of-fact way than we do today. To people back then, death was a part of life, not the enemy of life."
@body:Born into a family of professional pack rats (his father owns an antique store in Glendale; his mother deals in vintage clothing in Phoenix), Shad Kvetko claims he was destined from birth to spend his life collecting something. Little did he dream that that something would be strange looks from outsiders who couldn't quite fathom his fascination with the dead.
Bo Kvetko, owner of Elbo Antiques in Glendale, claims he hasn't a clue why his son is an "underground collector." Still, the senior Kvetko admits, "I get as much fun trying to find some of this stuff for Shad as he does collecting it."
Bo Kvetko theorizes that part of the fascination may have to do with the thrill of scoring these scarce artifacts, some of which (like a 100-year-old embalming table someone recently salvaged from a Phoenix landfill) turn up in his Glendale antique store. "You've got to remember that this stuff is pretty rare," he says. "A lot of people simply don't want it around."
Asked about her son's gravitation to the unliving, Shad Kvetko's mom takes a more psychological approach. "Like everyone else in this family, Shad has always been attracted to the unusual," reports Elli Thomas. "I remember going over to Shad's school when he was in the third grade to look at an art show, and all the other kids had drawn flowers and other cheery things in bright colors. Well, over on one wall was Shad's drawing--a dark and gloomy picture of a skeleton. I just thought, 'Well, that's my kid.' And he won a prize for it, probably because it was so different from everything the other kids were doing.
"What can I tell you?" she continues. "He's our seed, and like the rest of us, he's just marching to a different drummer, that's all."
As it turned out, young Kvetko's personal drummer was beating out a nonstop funeral dirge that just wouldn't quit.
"Shad was really quite a fascinating kid," agrees a longtime acquaintance of Kvetko's. "Even years ago, when he was a young teenager, he had this obsession with death. And if you'd let him, he could easily go on for hours talking about it. It was almost as if he were anticipating his first date with some real sexy person, only you knew the date wasn't ever going to equal the anticipation. But as much as I listened to him, I could still never figure out what the big attraction was. I think maybe he sees death as the last frontier."
@body:Fortunately for Shad Kvetko, he's one of the very few pioneers of postmortem paraphernalia.
"If a lot of people were to suddenly start collecting this, it would ruin the charm for me," confesses Kvetko, obviously relishing the notoriety his hobby has brought him. "That's not to say that there's some market for it, though. But, then, there's a market for everything." Even though the diehard collector claims to know a handful of like-minded aficionados around the country, Kvetko need not worry about going to his grave empty-handed. It's safe to assume that during his lifetime, at least, the quest for grisly souvenirs like human hair wreaths woven from the locks of the newly deceased (a common postmortem souvenir of a century ago) will never begin to rival the demand for more "acceptable" collectibles like Fiesta ware and vintage Barbie dolls.
Or so one gathers after scanning The Antique Trader, the nation's largest classified-ad publication for collectors. While the newspaper's readers regularly seek out such arcane items as tassled bridge tally cards from the 50s, vintage spark plugs and even old crab-meat and oyster cans, a spokesperson for the publication claims no one on the staff can remember anyone using the newspaper to buy or sell funeral antiques.
Like any serious collector, Kvetko is loath to reveal his sources, other than to say that everything he owns came to him through "legal" avenues. Somewhere along the line, the items were salvaged from defunct medical-supply houses and funeral homes, coroners' offices and estate sales. Skeletal material is believed to have been shipped in from impoverished countries such as India.
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Prices vary widely, depending on who's buying what from whom. While the skeleton-coffin combo reportedly set Kvetko back a hefty $500, one woman was so eager to get a "cursed" Iranian finger casket off her hands that she let the collector have it for a mere $9.
Right now, Kvetko is hot on the trail of one of the very few items missing from his museum of the macabre.
"I have a friend whose mom is a nurse, and I asked if her mom could put me on the track of a body bag," reports Kvetko. "When my friend came back, she said her mom said if I really wanted a body bag, I'd have to earn one."
And what happens on the inevitable day he earns one the hard way?
"I don't want to be buried or cremated," he says firmly. "I want to be mummified." No bones about it.


text:
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text:
|4 movements
|Composition Year
|1948, Rio
|Genre Categories
|Concertos; For piano, orchestra; Scores featuring the piano; Scores featuring the orchestra; For orchestra with soloists; For 2 pianos (arr); For 2 players
Complete Score (CA)
*#273493 - 7.08MB, 78 pp. - -) (- C/48/30 - KGill
|Work Title
|Piano Concerto No.2
|Alternative. Title
|Villa-Lobos, Heitor
|Opus/Catalogue NumberOp./Cat. No.
|4 movements
|Year/Date of CompositionY/D of Comp.
|1948, Rio
|First Performance.
|1950-4-21, Rio de Janeiro
João de Souza Lima (piano) ; Orquestra do Teatro Municipal ; Villa-Lobos (cond.)
|First Publication.
|1979 - Paris: Max Eschig (reduction only)
|João de Souza Lima (third movement)
|Average DurationAvg. Duration
|22 minutes
|Composer Time PeriodComp. Period
|Early 20th century
|Piece Style
|Early 20th century
|Piano (solo) + Orchestra - piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, timpani, tam-tam, cymbals, bass drum, celesta, harp, strings
|External Links
|Villa-Lobos site (IU)


text:
Paintings by Alexander and Birge Harrison
December 4-December 27, 1914
Each of the artists will exhibit about 25 canvases. Alexander is best known for his sea, figure and landscape pictures. Birge is most identified with winter scenes.
Paintings by Alexander and Birge Harrison Indianapolis Museum of Art 4000 Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, IN


text:
They roamed the seas off the Andaman Coast for generations, but Thailand's sea gypsies say their traditional way of life is under threat and their homes at risk from a tourism boom.
The plight of the once-nomadic hunter-gatherers highlights the growing pressures on marginalised indigenous people in a country seeing a surge in foreign visitors to a record 22 million people last year.
The creation of protected marine parks, the depletion of fish stocks and a construction frenzy are all making it increasingly hard for the kingdom's "Chao Lay" sea people to maintain their age-old lifestyles.
Although they often spent time away at sea, Nang Miden says his ancestors have lived on the island of Phuket since long before it was transformed from a sleepy tropical backwater into one of the kingdom's top tourist destinations.
Nowadays prime beachfront on the crowded island is scarce, and Nang is threatened with eviction by a property developer who bought the land from under his feet and wants to move him to a new site further inland.
"I have lived here since this area was jungle," the 78-year-old told AFP, sitting outside his simple home in the Rawai village of roughly 2,000 sea gypsies, where he sells fruit and shredded coconut.
"My ancestors lived here before me. I have nowhere else to go. We have lived here for hundreds of years already."
Many older Chao Lay cannot read or write and were unaware they could register land as their own. Ownership is also an alien culture to them, so many lack land title deeds.
In Nang's case, a local businessman obtained title deeds for the land several decades ago. When he failed to keep up the payments on a bank loan, the plot was seized and sold on to the current owner.
In a major blow to the community, a Phuket court in February ordered seven households to vacate their homes. They plan to appeal, and face a long legal battle.
In the meantime, their lack of official ownership means many villagers live in slum-like conditions, denied access to running water and electricity.
In the past the sea gypsies led a nomadic existence, trading fish, sea cucumbers and other bounties of the ocean for the little they needed.
In recent decades they have become more sedentary, and face the threat of arrest and seizure of their boats if they hunt in national parks. Scuba divers sometimes sabotage their fish traps to protect marine life.
"After the Phuket boom, our places to work have been fewer and more limited. Whatever we do is wrong. Fellow villagers are often arrested," said Nirun Hyangpan, a 37-year-old representative of the Rawai sea gypsies.
Experts say that despite their increasing exposure to the modern world, the Chao Lay's affinity with the sea remains as strong as ever.
Some cannot sleep unless they hear the sound of the waves, and they struggle to find jobs on dry land so remain heavily reliant on fishing.
"These people need a beachfront area where they can moor their boat and forage. It's not only spiritual - it's their way of life," said Narumon Arunotai, an anthropologist at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.
"Traditional fishing is impossible these days because the sea is almost depleted so if you use fish spears or small fish traps then you won't be able to get any fish," she said.
"But they still feel that they're children of the sea."
There is a glimmer of hope for the Rawai community, as the government is analysing old aerial photographs and other evidence such as bone discoveries to establish if they arrived before the property developer.
"If it's true they lived there longer, they should have more rights to the ownership deeds," said Prawut Wongseenin, head of the bureau of consumer protection and environmental crime at the Department of Special Investigation.
"To win their appeal, they need scientific evidence," he said.
There are an estimated 12,000 Chao Lay in Thailand, comprising three different ethnic groups - the Moken, the Moklen and the Urak Lawoi.
Their plight gained attention after a massive tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 put the spotlight on afflicted coastal communities.
The Moken attracted international interest for reading the signs of the impending tsunami, fleeing to higher ground before the killer wave struck.
They are also skilled free-divers and, unlike other humans, can focus underwater without masks These days, however, even their time underwater can be dangerous.
Unscrupulous businessmen sometimes pay them to go dynamite fishing, while the air compressors and hoses they use to spend longer on the seabed leave them at risk of permanent injury or even death from decompression sickness.
Some also lack citizenship, which hinders their access to healthcare and other public services.
In 2010, the Thai cabinet passed a resolution setting out a policy to protect their way of life, but the sea gypsies say that in reality it has made little difference.
While there is no official policy to assimilate the Chao Lay into mainstream Thai culture, at school they are taught the Thai language and history, not about their own roots or Austronesian language.
"Institutions act to socialise these people to become Thai and to forget - and in many cases become ashamed - of who they really are," said Narumon, the anthropologist.
With Thailand welcoming ever more tourists - almost nine million in the first quarter of 2013 alone - the Chao Lay fear for their future.
"If tourism keeps on booming with more beachside hotels, spas and resorts, the sea gypsies' way of live will continue to disappear," Nirun said.
"It's like killing us alive."


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"Is that a Bichon?" I asked the woman with the little white dog.
"No, it's a poodle trimmed to look like a Bichon. It was my husband's idea. We live in the valley and we sat around asking each other what to do with ourselves and so we settled on a little white puppy ..." And on she went, never drawing a breath.
Dog years passed and she kept rambling, her husband staring at the open water as if to weigh his options.
"Well, I gotta go," I finally said, leaving the three of them in their reverie.
It has always been hard for me to break off conversations. I hate it when people do it to me. But life calls, and you have to.
As a journalist, I'm always being cornered by conversationalists. "I was going to give the story to Channel 3, but here you are," they say. That's the preamble to the tale of an ugly divorce or a cranky landlord -- none of which is either news or anything I can do something about.
"Have you called a lawyer?" I usually ask. And of course they have not. Lawyers are not free. But I am.
"Let me take your number," I say, hoping they will forget they gave it to me.
For years I was haunted at my TV news job by an odd mother and daughter. Summer or winter, both wore identical trench coats and head scarves. The two Marys both hauled matching grocery carts.
It defied odds, and so did their ability to haunt me at all hours, these two eccentric nesting dolls.
They claimed they had been duped by family out of their "inheritage." That meant someone had died -- the lucky one, I thought. They expected me to do a story about it.
My co-worker knew my vulnerability. "We gotta go! I hear sirens!" He would shout as he started the news car. There was no news story, of course. That was code for "I'm getting you out of here before they claim your soul."
It happened again the other day, a man claiming to be wrongfully profiled as a convicted felon. Maybe it was because he wore no shirt. Tattoos covered his bare torso and forehead. I did not have time to read them. But I assumed they were not the factory warranty. I took his phone number.
I am compelled to hear people out. It is my nature. When I was a child, I would listen to nighttime talk radio, fascinated by the stories
people would share.
My father would take me to a downtown L.A. park where people stood on boxes and shouted rambling thoughts about politics or religion. "What are they saying, Daddy?" I would ask.
"You'll understand when you are older," he would say. I didn't know then that he was training me for the rest of my life. Ever since, I have been fascinated by the power and the peril of free speech.
In Havana, Cuba, I could sit in a central park and watch men yell and wave their arms. They were discussing baseball, the one subject in Cuba that is fair game. There, as everywhere else, talking is part of life.
Even now I will go to places where people talk, whether or not they make sense. I have even conversed with denizens of the courthouse sidewalk. It irks me that they have better office furniture than I do.
I look back on life's moments of entrapment as special -- and self-induced. It could be that I was chosen to listen when no one else would. The Bichon lady, the double-Marys and the tattooed man all had found something they needed: a listener.
As in so much of life, you can do good things just by being there.
Dave Silverbrand is the general manager of CBS 17 and is a journalism instructor at College of the Redwoods.


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Walgreens has 6 FREEBIES this week, woooooooooooooot! And a new coupon policy to print and take along 🙂
The great news is we're still doing a SNEAKY PEEK so you can get coupons ready or ordered from eBay here. Below are the highlights, the rest of the deals HERE from Coupon STL.
Right Strips, 10-pack $4.00
Use $1.50 off from RP 4/11/10
Receive a $4 RR
Final price: free plus overage. Moneymaker!
Listerine Zero $2.99
Use $2 off HERE
Receive a $1 RR
Final price: free
SoftSoap Body Wash 2/$7
Buy 2 and use 2 x $1 SoftSoap Body Wash coupon in September All You Magazine
or Buy 2 and use.75 off HERE
Receive a $5 RR when you buy 2
Final price : as low as free
Note: The coupon prints for .75 off any SoftSoap Brand Body Wash, and says limit 1 per household.
Carmex Moisture Plus Lip Balm -$2.00
Receive a $2 RR
Final price: free
W Perfection Tampons, 8-pack – $1.99
Receive a $2 RR
Final cost: free
Irwin Naturals Healthy Skin & Hair plus Nails Supplements, 60 ct. $10.00
Receive a $10 RR
Final cost: free
Nabisco Cookies or Crackers, 1.63 or 3 oz. $0.79
Buy 2 and use $1 off 2 HERE
Final price: $0.58/2
New to Walgreens? Don't believe that they give away stuff for free? Check this out first! Spot anything else, leave a comment and let us all know. Cheers! Wondering what to do with all those RRs? Check out my post here.
* Curious as to where the coupons are I'm getting? Read the 411 here and the best way to get newspaper coupons here
To obtain coupons, you can check out my coupon bar HERE, RedPlum coupons are HERE, and SmartSource HERE
Gathering deals for the Grocery Gathering