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195. Re: Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?Tailbiter Nov 24, 2010 7:12 AM in response to TailbiterI'm pleased to report that the 4.2 update fixes the wobbly picture issue with my Panasonic PT-47X54 rear-projection TV. The Apple TV is sending 480p, but this TV doesn't do 720p so I'm happy.
196. Potential Fix?Ditch Bauer Nov 25, 2010 9:20 AM in response to TailbiterI'm using the Panasonic TH-42PX25 that is mentioned in many of these posts and am experiencing the same issues. Last night I may have accidentally stumbled onto a fix or at the very least helpful information for all of us.
I'd been browsing this thread disappointed by what I was reading and decided my only hope was the monoprice switcher which I'd ordered. My Apple TV was hooked up and wobbling (belkin HDMI cable, and a setup which worked flawlessly for the prev gen AppleTv) when we went to dinner. Upon returning home(aprox 2hrs later) I went into my room to check the wobbling picture and noticed my ATV had gone to sleep, when I woke it up the picture came back and was perfect, no wobbles, no discolor, no issues whatsoever.
I'm going to try to force the fix a few times today and perhaps its as easy as forcing the ATV to hit standby and wake up which would save us all the money on the switcher. If anyone else has similar results please reply, I will keep you all posted(at present it is still working perfect with my ATV2/Belkin HDMI/Panasonic TH-42PX25 ever since waking up from sleep)
197. Re: ATV2 Update Fixes Wobblies!Guy Towle Nov 25, 2010 10:56 AM in response to jitterysquidTV is 6 year old Panasonic which only accepts 1080i or 480 input signals. After reading all the blog entries here and contacting Apple support I was disappointed in the Apple implementation of the product and ready to send it back (indeed packed it up to ship).
Earlier this week the blogs reported an ATV2 software update. I hooked up the ATV2 again, looked through the wobblies and selected the upgrade software menu item and waited.
Voila! The update solved all my picture issues. Its as clear and clean as the picture under my old Apple TV first generation. Yes it works only under 480 instead of 1080 but it still produces a strong picture and the HD movies and other media look great.
I use a Belkin HDMI to HDMI cable.
I'm glad Apple responded to its initial mis-step and gave those of us with older HD TV's that don't support 720p the opportunity to use the product.
198. Re: Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?rosnerd Dec 3, 2010 12:39 PM in response to Shirley 123Hello,
I was wondering if anyone could help me with following issue: I just got an Apple TV 2 and hooked it up to my TV. Everything is working fine, but I have no sound at all.
For your information: I (of course) exit the Apple TV2 with HDMI and then enter my LG TV with DVI. Before I used to hook up my MAcBook Pro by MiniDisplay port > DVI to my TV and picture and sound worked perfectly.
Have I misunderstood and do I need another cable?
199. Re: Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?David M.F. Chapman Dec 3, 2010 12:48 PM in response to rosnerdHi rosnerd: I also use a HDMI-->DVI cable to get the video to my TV, but DVI is video-only and has no audio lines. In my case, I have an HDMI switch in between the ATV2 and the TV, and the switch provides an analog audio signal that I separately cable to my TV.
I am wondering how you got audio before using the MacBook. Did you use the MacBook speakers, or did you run a cable from the headphone jack? I just don't see how you could have done it over DVI!
200. Re: Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?jitterysquid Dec 5, 2010 4:55 AM in response to jitterysquidA cautionary tale:
A friend brought by an upgraded ATV2 yesterday so I could try it out to see if it fixed the wobbly picture problem without running to the Apple store (and back). It did not fix the original problem. It did not look the same, this time it showed up as a 4x3 image with static/multicolor striations running inconsistently horizontally and vertically. This was both through an inexpensive HDMI switch and directly connected, HDMI->DVI.
I took the ATV2 out of the mix and went about my day. The next time I brought up my Roku I had a nasty shock - the center 1/3 of the top 1/2 of the screen was duplicated and shifted over to the top left sixth. I powered everything up and down, performed factory resets where appropriate, took switches in and out, unplugged everything for 30 minutes - nothing helped. I tried my old ATV1 and it seemed to work OK - at 1080i. If I put it in 720p or 420p mode it displayed the same crazy behavior. Thinking it was an HDMI signaling issue - I plugged the Roku in via component cables and got the same behavior (Roku delivers a 720p signal). I plugged in my ATV1 with component cables and got the same behavior at 720p and 480p.
So, AFAICT, the brief chat with the ATV2 seems to have scrambled by TVs brains when it comes to progressive scan, or at least the 720p and 480p resolutions. 1080i still works fine. I'm not blaming Apple, I'm pretty sure something in my TV has malfunctioned due to age and stress. Probably some secret 1080i upconversion chip even though the manual says that it handles 720p "natively".
I've gone into the service menu on the Toshiba 42H83 - without a service manual there's really nothing to accomplish there.
I guess that's one way to solve the original problem - I'm in the market for a new TV now.
201. Re: Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?nadeama Dec 15, 2010 12:59 AM in response to jitterysquidI had high hopes when I read the release notes for today's 4.1.1 patch, and saw:
"Addresses an issue that causes some high-definition TVs to incorrectly display at 480p."
But sadly, I still get a 480p signal from the Apple TV, even though my set supports 720p input.
I have to admit the Apple TV 2 has turned out to be a very disappointing product in my case.
202. Re: Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?Jeffnebraska Aug 6, 2011 9:57 AM in response to David M.F. Chapman
I used the solution of adding in a monoprice HDMI switch and turning it on immediately after waking the ATV2 and it's been working perfectly with my father's Sony Grand Wega (DVI at 720P) for months.
The only problem is, I'm scared to update his firmware, for fear that this brilliant fix will stop working. Can anyone who was experiencing the pink and/or wobbly DVI picture confirm that JustReel Films' solution works with the latest firmware?
I don't think I can update until I have hard confirmation.
203. Re: Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?atvilelas Aug 12, 2011 6:18 AM in response to jitterysquid
I have a brand new Sharp Aquos 60" (lc-60le632u) and I have exactly the same issue.
I don't think it is the TV because everything else is fine, including the built-in Netflix access or DLNA server.
Does anybody have the same issue with a new TV?
Thank you
204. Re: Wobbly picture with ATV2 - anyone else?Shawn M. Mar 10, 2012 2:14 AM in response to jitterysquid
Does anyone know if the Apple TV will work with my Samsung SPS4243? The TV spec sheet says input is compatible with 480i, 480p, 720p & 1080i over composite or HDMI.


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A collection of news and information related to Bernard Sanders published by this site and its partners.
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Obama plans intelligence surveillance reforms, aides say
NSA data gathering appears likely to continue for time being
It's open warfare over the FedColumn | Aug 15, 2013 | 4:30 PMIn Washington, D.C., politics never takes a day off. But even in this city of nonstop campaigning, nobody's ever seen anything like this: a full-scale political campaign over who should replace Ben Bernanke as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve....
Keep the drone debate aliveColumn | Sep 27, 2013 | 12:30 PMIt's become accepted wisdom that Washington has become pathologically polarized and partisan, with every new debate inevitably breaking down along party lines. That's why it was so remarkable last week when Rand Paul's old-fashioned talking filibuster...
The GOP's immigration tussleColumn | Sep 30, 2013 | 6:30 AMI don't know how Democrats do it. The immigration reform proposal wending its way through the Senate is tearing the Republican Party to pieces. Poor Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), once the golden boy of the Tea Party and the conservative movement, is being...
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Connecticut's Not Going For The DogsColumn | Jul 24, 2013 | 1:10 PMSometimes I feel like I'm the only one in the world who doesn't own a dog. So let me set the record straight. I'm normal. According to the best data available, Connecticut ranks 49th out of 50 states in terms of dog ownership, with only 28.3 percent...
McManus: Can Obama sell 'chained CPI'?

subset: commoncrawl


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The food was really good, and it was a lot so I divided my plate with my mother. They don't have a big menu so the line is always moving very quickly.
Food and service was excellent. Seating very limited. Expect a line but a short wait in getting your order filled. Facility is very basic as are many Chipotle's
It's fast food, but tasty and prepared quickly. It's way better than Taco Bell type places. Don't expect anything out of this world because it is a chain restaurant, but it's better than most.
quick and easy, but may be a little spicy for little ones. The pork is rather tasty as well as their salads.
The least they could do is clean up the parking lot where the people who are eating outside leave their trash on the tables that flies into the parking lot. It's really gross seeing all the discarged burrito wrappers in the parking lot.
Food is really gross as well (I don't like Chipotle)
I had read in other reviews of this location that they always had a line. This is true! I have been there twice in the last two weeks and there was always a huge line. Not too big of deal, since I have been in Chipotle's in other parts of the country that had huge lines, but service was still...
Chipotle breaks the "fast food" stereotype even though they are arguably fast-food. They use a classic assembly-line technique that would make Henry Ford proud: At the first station, you pick your meat and format (burrito, tacos, bowl), then toppings, then check-out. Unlike the over-processed greasy paste-like food produced by many fast food places, their ingredients are fresh and crisp and...
This Chipotle location easily wins for the largest portions ever and extremely fresh ingredients. While in line, I saw that every burritto needed two wrappers because one wrapper could not fit the circumference! My parents and I each opted for a burritto bowl, and they were enormous.
This location has limited inside seating but a good amount of outdoor seating.
A bit crowded but I can see why...super food. Nice Staff.
Food was good, service was fast. The restaurant was very busy which caused a louder then normal atmosphere.
If you own or manage Chipotle Mexican Grill, register now for free tools to enhance your listing, attract new reviews, and respond to reviewers.


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Ill admit, Im one of the few scribes to pick Miguel Cotto to beat Manny Pacquiao on November 14. Most of my colleagues believe Pacquiaos speed and overall movement will overwhelm Cotto. I spoke in detail with trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. and he agrees with my belief that Cotto has enough power to end the fight with a single shot.
I think Cotto has a very a good shot to win. Hes got a good punchers chance. If Cotto hits him to the head or the body, he is going to take his ass out. Cotto did not look good against Clottey and I think Clottey beat him. That was a bad cut [suffered by Cotto during the Clottey fight]. I think a cut like that would affect anybody. A cut like that can keep you out of the game, Mayweather Sr. told BoxingScene.com
If Mayweather was training Cotto, he would advise him to keep a tight defense and protect the left eye as a precautionary measure to prevent the cut, suffered during the Clottey fight, from re-opening.
A cut like that can open up again at any time and turn the fight around, Mayweather Sr. said.
He gets the impression that Freddie Roach [Pacquiaos trainer] is overlooking the high level of danger that Cotto represents. Mayweather doesnt see Pacquiao being able to withstand a flush Cotto power shot, whether it be to the head or body.
He whooped on Oscar De La Hoya who was dehydrated and had no liquids in him. Ricky Hatton was suspect before the fight. Cotto is a puncher. If Cotto is in good shape and he hits him to the body or the head, he can take him out, my mark my words. [Roach] made a mistake by thinking Cotto aint that good. If Cotto hits him right, he take his head off, remember I told you that. Cotto is going to be ready for this fight, believe me. If Cotto hits him to the head or the body, he is gone - Rick, remember I told you, Mayweather Sr. said.
Mayweather Sr. had trained Hatton for the May fight with Pacquiao. He told BoxingScene that miscommunication during training camp was a big factor in Pacquiaos ability to blow Hatton out in two rounds. Mayweather would not advise Hatton to fight again. During the training camp for Pacquiao, Mayweather saw rookies giving Hatton a lot of trouble during sparring sessions.
He wouldnt do what I told him. He kept listening to Lee Beard [assistant trainer]. He was suspect before the fight anyway. We had lesser fighters, four round pros, shaking him up in the gym. The way my son knocked him out, he was bound to get knocked out again and again. Thats how it happens sometimes. My son knocked him out bad and then Pacquiao knocked him all the way out. And mark my words, if he fights again, and I dont care who its against, he will get knocked out again, Mayweather said.


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Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to let you know that Blueshirt Underground Radio is hosting a Game 4 Viewing Party this Saturday for Game 4 at Slattery's Midtown Pub in New York City. Slattery's is a great bar, we had our viewing party back in December there, and they were thrilled to hear we wanted to return. We will occupy the entire top floor of the bar like we did last time, and they take care of us very well there.
I'll be flying in Thursday night to help Eddie with the hosting duties, it's going to be a great time. Slattery's is located on 36th St between Madison and 5th Avenues, just a short walk from Madison Square Garden, and close to the subways.
Kevin Power is expected to attend, and TMZ has been floating a story out there that Joe Fortunato may be in attendance as well.
Hope to see as many of you there as possible, it's going to be a fun day. Also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @BSURadioJim, and Eddie @RangerCrisis. Also, you join our Facebook group, just search for Blueshirt Underground Radio.


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Sunda Islands
Sun·da Islandsgeographical name \ˈsün-də, ˈsən-\
Definition of SUNDA ISLANDS
Sunda Islands(Concise Encyclopedia)
Archipelago extending from the Malay Peninsula to the Moluccas. The islands make up most of the land area of Indonesia, with only northern and northwestern Borneo and the eastern portion of Timor not under Indonesian political control. They include the Greater Sunda Islands (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, and adjacent smaller islands) and the Lesser Sunda Islands (Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Sumba, Flores, Timor, Alor, and adjacent smaller islands). Most of the islands are part of a geologically unstable and volcanically active island arc. Malay cultures and languages predominate in the area.
Learn More About SUNDA ISLANDS
Previous Word in the Dictionary: Sunbelt
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What made you want to look up Sunda Islands? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


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EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Richard D. Heffner
GUEST EDITORS: William F. Woo, Fred Hechinger
GUEST: Terrel H. Bell
President Reagan's Secretary of Education Terrel H. Bell is questioned about the reduction of government and its effect on public education.
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Please note that the THIRTEEN editorial staff reserves the right to not post comments it deems to be inappropriate and/or malicious in nature, as well as edit comments for length, clarity and fairness. No solicitations or advertisements will be allowed. Users may link to other Web sites relevant to discussion, but most often links to commercial Web sites will not be permitted.


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|work perfect on 9780
User: banditz ming, Mar 28, 2012
|the best stereo headset i ever have
|Excellent phone headset (best I have had).
User: Susan Pahlke, Dec 9, 2011
|This stereo headset is the best phone headset I have ever used. They initially came with my BB Torch but sadly I lost those. Having been so very pleased, I ordered the same type for replacement from this e-site and am, again, most satisfied. Wonderful reception and no problem of others hearing me on the other end. Excellent.
|Great pair of Earbuds!
User: John Marki, Oct 13, 2011
|I received this headset with my purchase of my 9930 and Ive been in love with them since day 1. They are on par with the Apple earbuds not only in comfort, but also sound quality. Music sounds very crisp through them and they deliver pretty good bass tones for the style of headphone they are. Phone calls are also very clear on the headset as well, and the party on the other end of the call can hear me crystal clear! The only downside to these is that they dont have noise canceling properties. BUT, even without it, they sound great in crowded areas. I recommend this for both the music listener and anyone that likes to talk hands free.
|works great
User: joshua carranza, Dec 8, 2011
|worth the money
|No volume control
User: Dirk Manuel, Sep 11, 2013
|Was disappointed that there is no volume control - just a play/pause / answer/hang up button. Makes it less attractive for listening to music when your phone is in your pocket/backpack.


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Auto News
AutoGuide News Blog
The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
If these leaked patent images are accurate, we could be looking at the production Volkswagen Taigun compact crossover.


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If I'm not handing this straight round at a party or with coffee after dinner, I might keep half in my freezer, and put the other half in a box or two for Christmas presents. Make sure they stay cold, though.
350g/12oz dark chocolate, at least 70 per cent cocoa solids, chopped
1 x 397g/14oz can condensed milk
30g/1oz butter
pinch salt
150g/5¼oz unsalted pistachios, shells removed
Place the chopped chocolate, condensed milk, butter and salt into a heavy-based pan over a low heat and stir until melted and well combined.
Place the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into some large and some small pieces.
Add the nuts to the melted chocolate mixture and stir well.
Pour the mixture into a 23cm/9in square tray, smoothing the top with a wet palette knife.
Let the fudge cool, then refrigerate until set.
Cut into small pieces approximately 3cm x 2cm/1¼in x ¾in. Cutting 7 x 7 lines in the tin to give 64 pieces best achieves this.
Once cut, the fudge can be kept in the freezer - there's no need to thaw, just eat straight away.
Type the ingredients you want to use, then click Go. For better results you can use quotation marks around phrases (e.g. "chicken breast"). Alternatively you can search by chef, programme, cuisine, diet, or dish (e.g. Lasagne).
BBC © 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
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— By GREG WEBB
ARLINGTON — While the Weatherford Kangaroo offense endeavors to extend its effectiveness to complete-game capacity, the Roo defense is yet tasked to stem opponents' scoring tide. A very talented Arlington Bowie team illustrated the work-in-progress status of the Weatherford condition with a 55-6 win on Thursday.
The outset of the game took on an encouraging, and familiar flavor.
Starting at its own 7-yard line, WHS quarterback Grant Werts guided the offense upfield as the play-calling provided a good, and effective, mix to move the ball near mid-field.
Even when the drive stalled at the 43, the Roos had at least won an early-game field position battle. A fake-punt ruse that very-nearly gave the Roos added momentum failed and the Weatherford defense had its first test of the night.
Forcing the Volunteers to a fourth-down situation, the athleticism of Bowie quarterback Tony James produced the first of multiple big gains on the night, which has proved to be the bane of the Roo defense through the first four contests of the season.
James, who started at quarterback, moved out to wide receiver at the end of the first quarter, ceding the quarterback slot to senior Keaton Perry, who was thought to be done for the season with a knee injury suffered two weeks hence.
After a pair of misfires, Perry connected with James for a 83-yard scoring strike, as Bowie went up 21-0 at the end of the opening period.
The senior made several more appearances with his heavily-trussed knee and was effective as purely a pocket passer on this night, finishing with more than 200 passing yards, completing eight passes, four of those for TDs.
The Weatherford offense mounted a drive early in the second quarter to try to answer, but the march stalled deep in Vols territory when a fourth-and-ten run attempt fell short.


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Although the Sony Xperia M2 looks pretty slick, it's let down by its low resolution display and its old version of Android, which makes even its affordable price way too high. For much less money, you could snap up the Moto G or spend a little more and pick up the older Xperia Z with its full HD display and waterproof design.
Brad Wells has found the little joke Google programmers hid in the prototype laptop for Chrome OS, the company's browser-based operating system.
Check out our video review of the Sony Xperia M2. It's an affordable Android phone with a 4.8-inch display, quad-core processor and 8-megapixel camera.
This super high-end oven is the newest member of Dacor's Discovery IQ smart cooking line.
The Chrome OS notebook that Google is shipping to pilot program members looks extremely similar to the black MacBook Apple shipped in 2007. Some side-by-side pics.
Google's new operating system will first be distributed on laptops similar to the company's prototype Cr-48. Take a look at what the limited-edition laptop offers in this slideshow.
See how the prototype Google Cr-48 notebook matches up to a 13-inch MacBook circa 2007.
We know the search giant's Chrome OS laptop is less than a week old, but from what you've seen and read of it so far, what would it need to look like to capture your interest?
Seth Rosenblatt unboxes Google's first laptop, which features the new Chrome operating system.
ZDNet's Larry Dignan just got his Google Cr-48 and couldn't resist firing it up and taking it through the paces. Here's his early take on the computer.


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"This is so not how this trip was supposed to go!" my friend exclaimed as we walked away from the ticket counter. "How can we really be stuck here? What are we supposed to do now?"
It was kind of a frustrating predicament. Engine problems on the airplane meant an emergency landing in Singapore and it was going to be at least 24 hours before they could get us on a flight home.
"Sight-seeing," I replied after a moment as we walked.
"What?" I went on after catching the look on her face. "When are we ever going to be here again? Might as well make the best of it."
"And where are we going to sleep tonight?" she asked sarcastically. "In the airport?"
I rolled my eyes. "Give me a break. There are a ton of Singapore hotels; we'll find a good one and crash."
She looked thoughtful. "Fine," she finally said after some consideration. "As long as we find one with room service."
"Done," I replied with a smile. "There's nothing like an impromptu vacation to add a little adventure to life!"


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> Advocacy
> CWLA Testimony and Comments
> CWLA Testimony on Adoption
CWLA Testimony Submitted to the House Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on Ways and Means for the Hearing to Examine Recent Failure to Protect Child Safety
November 6, 2003
© Child Welfare League of America. The content of these publications may not be reproduced in any way, including posting on the Internet, without the permission of CWLA. For permission to use material from CWLA's website or publications, contact us using our website assistance form.
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) welcomes this opportunity to offer testimony on behalf of our 1,000 public and private nonprofit child-serving member agencies nationwide for the hearing on "The Recent Failure to Protect Child Safety" focusing on the recent tragic case in Camden County, New Jersey. We share with this subcommittee a desire to ensure that we can work together to prevent other children from enduring such horrible abuse.
It has been nearly two weeks since the nation learned of some of the details surrounding the New Jersey family that adopted six children. The image of a child-indeed a young man-rummaging through a trash can to find food is both sad and appalling. It easily causes us to ask the question how could this happen and, more importantly, to ask how can we make sure that this never happens again.
Adoption Is An Important Permanency Option
It is important to begin with a reminder that adoption is a very important permanency option for some children. Although the majority of children in foster care are able to be safely reunited with their families (in 2001, 263,000 children exited foster care, and 57% returned to their birth parents or primary caregivers), adoption is a very important option for those children who cannot safely return to their families. Adoption for these children can be their best chance for safety and security.
Research has shown that adoption produces good outcomes for children. A study in 1994 on special-needs adoptive families indicated that most outcomes-in particular, school performance, family functioning, and parents' reports of the adoption's impact-are distinctly positive. 1 Another study on postadoption experience indicated that placements were very stable with approximately 97% of parents reporting that the adoptive children were still living in the home at the time of the survey up to two years later. In addition, this study reported positive outcomes not just for the children but the parents involved. 2
The numbers of legalized adoptions from foster care have increased since the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act in 1997. Nationally, adoptions have increased 37% from 37,059 in 1998 to 50,950 in 2002. In the last three years, these national figures have remained relatively stable.
Existing Federal Supports For Adoptions From Foster Care
Federal policy recognizes the importance of adoption of children from foster care and supports such adoptions in several ways. The primary support is the Title IV-E Adoption Assistance Program. That program provides subsidies to families who adopt children with special needs (as defined by the state) from foster care. In FY 2003, federal funding for that program was $1.6 billion. That federal program had increased its level of support from serving 34,698 children in 1988 to 195,243 in average monthly claims in 1999.
Since the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act in 1997, the federal government has also provided states with incentive payments for every child adopted above the previous year's level. On October 8, 2003, by voice vote, the House of Representatives extended an authorization of $43 million per year for those incentive payments through 2008. Current funding for these federal payments to states is $42.7 million.
Since 1981, adoptive families have also been supported with a federal tax credit. Currently, families who adopt children from foster care are eligible to receive a federal adoption tax credit of $10,000 per child.
The current federal supports in place to support adoption are important and should continue, however, more needs to be done. Despite the strides that have taken place to promote adoptions, the need continues: The number of children in foster care waiting to be adopted in 2001 was 126,000. Approximately 59% of these children were living in nonrelative foster homes. The average age of these children was 8.3 years. 3
The need for foster and adoptive families continues to grow. Many states are instituting expedited permanency planning systems that seek to place foster children with resource families who will eventually become the adoptive parents. Despite this trend, the need for unrelated adoptive families has not diminished; there continue to be waiting children. Renewed efforts must be made to recruit and retain well-qualified foster and adoptive families.
Federal Supports For Other Permanency Options
In addition to adoption, there are a number of other permanency options that are desirable and good for children. First and foremost is the option of keeping children safely at home with their families. Family support and preservation strategies are not always associated with permanency planning, yet they should be the first consideration in our efforts to ensure permanency for children. Primary prevention services can prevent many families from ever reaching the point where a child is removed from the home. Family support, home visiting, and in-home services enable many parents to gain competence and confidence in their parenting while addressing other family concerns. Child care, housing, and job training/employment are services that enable families to stay together to the fullest extent possible. These and other preventive services need to be much more available to families early on as well as when a crisis occurs. Currently, the federal government provides only limited support for prevention and family support services. Too often, these programs must compete with other human services programs for scarce federal resources.
For children who are away from their families, in family foster care or residential care, the preferred option is that of reunifying children with their families, whenever that can be done safely. Forty-three percent (239,552) of children in care on September 30, 2000, had a case plan goal of reunification with their parents or other principal caregiver, whereas 57% (157,712) of the children who exited care during FY 2000 returned to their parent's or caregiver's home. 4 Successful permanency through reunification requires many things, but at a minimum, skilled workers, readily available support and treatment resources, clear expectations and service plans, and excellent collaboration across involved agencies. There also is a critical need for aftercare or post permanency services to ensure that safety and permanency are maintained following reunification.
Finally, guardianship with relatives or, in special circumstances, with foster parents or another caring adult can be a positive permanency outcome for children. Kinship care, when properly assessed and supported, has been shown to provide safe and stable care for children who remain with or return to their families. 5 Twenty-five percent of children in care are living with relatives, and some of the children will not be able to return to their parents. 6 States vary in their use of kinship guardianship, even though federal regulations state that there is a preference for relative placements.
In all these efforts, we must resist-on a national level-the temptation to see any one program or option as the answer for all children or any one child. If maintaining the child at home or reunifying the child with parents is not possible, the remaining options should be pursued on a case-by-case basis, weighing the strengths and risks of each option for a particular child and family.
CWLA's Observations About New Jersey's Child Welfare System
CWLA has been engaged in a series of practice improvement projects with the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) over the last several years. These activities have ranged from broad-based planning efforts to highly targeted assessment of direct case practice.
DYFS has made a consistent and conscientious effort to evaluate the scope of its programs and to assess the quality of its direct services. It has developed generally sound plans, has sought both community and legislative support for implementation, and has initiated many program improvements.
Despite the ongoing effort, the division has not been fully able to implement its plans and has continued to struggle in achieving a consistent standard of practice in all of its field offices. The practice issues faced by DYFS are similar to those that CWLA sees in other public child welfare systems that are confronted with resource shortages, larger than recommended caseloads, and ongoing staff turnover.
In recent reviews of DYFS case records, CWLA has observed practice weaknesses that are similar to those seen in other jurisdictions and are consistent with inadequate investment of caseworker time in individual cases and lack of internal review and oversight. Concerns have included such issues as:
Case records may not be well organized, making it difficult to follow the family, and child, progress over time.
The basis for case decisions frequently is undocumented or lacking clarity.
The results of investigations of alleged abuse in placement settings are not documented in a location easily identified or accessible.
Application of policy may be uneven among the various district offices.
Case narratives and other documents suggest that caseworkers make efforts to obtain services needed by a child. However, the outcomes of the services or utilization patterns are not clearly documented.
Supervisory oversight of casework activities is not clearly documented.
Case plans appear to be developed within appropriate time frames. However, they are sometimes missing from case records.
CWLA's experience in New Jersey has revealed a microcosm of many of the serious problems that confront child welfare systems throughout the United States. Inadequate staffing levels coupled with staff turnover, at both the front line and state office levels, have made it difficult to implement what might otherwise be sound plans for reform and improvement. The need to respond to continuing crises has distracted the agency's staff and has worked against orderly and sustained implementation of new practices. The system is most in need of a consistent, long-term commitment to support well-trained, well-supervised staff who are provided with the tools to implement the established standards of sound child welfare practice that DYFS has recognized in its own plans.
Workforce Supports Are A Fundamental Building Block To An Improved Child Welfare System
We know that the majority of child welfare workers are dedicated with a commitment to helping children and families. We also know that child welfare workers do not have the necessary supports and tools to protect children under their care.
No issue has a greater effect on the capacity of the child welfare system to effectively serve vulnerable children and families than the shortage of a competent and stable workforce and the adherence to national service and caseload standards. As more information on this particular case in New Jersey is revealed, we are likely to learn that high caseloads, inadequate supervision, and inadequate training contributed to this tragedy.
Initial information from the New Jersey case indicates that adoption workers are operating with a caseload that is well beyond what is considered good practice. The CWLA Standards of Excellence for Adoption Services (2000) recommend a caseload of 10-12 children per social worker preparing children for adoption who are older or who have special needs and supporting the children and families following placement.
The challenges facing the child welfare workforce are not unique in New Jersey and are well documented in a March 2003 U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) report entitled HHS Could Play a Greater Role in Helping Child Welfare Agencies Recruit and Retain Staff (GAO-03-357). The report found that the child welfare system is seriously understaffed, undertrained and undervalued. The GAO report found that workforce problems limit state's ability to meet the goals established in the newly mandated federal Child and Family Service Reviews (CFSR). The report found that "our analysis of the 27 available CFSR's corroborates caseworkers' experiences showing that staff shortages, high caseloads and worker turnover were factors impeding progress toward the achievement of federal safety and permanency outcomes." 7
The GAO report also found:
Workforce issues were cited by one-third of the 27 states reviewed as a barrier to caseworkers maintaining diligent efforts to provide services to families in order to protect children in the home and to prevent removal.
Another one-third of the states reported that workforce issues meant that caseworkers had difficulty finalizing adoptions with appropriate and timely efforts.
Twelve states reviewed reported that they had problems with their caseworkers adequately monitoring safety and well-being through frequent visits with children, focusing on case planning, the delivery of services, and reaching goals for the family.
All 27 states reviewed reported problems providing adequate training and necessary staff development to reach the goals of safety and permanency set forth in the CFSR. 8
Recent evidence from the federal CFSRs and the Program Improvement Plans (PIP) submitted by states to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) present a clear picture of how workforce issues impact outcomes for children. The federal government has found through this process, designed to measure the performance of state child welfare systems, that states need additional workforce supports to make the improvements required to meet the needs of children and families. More than half of the states that have submitted a PIP to HHS have addressed the need to improve workforce training, reduce caseloads, improve management, and provide better supervision.
The bottom line is that child welfare work is labor intensive. Workers must be able to engage families through face-to-face contacts, assess the safety and well-being of children, monitor progress, assure that essential services and supports are provided, and assist with problems that may develop. This cannot be done if workers are unable to spend quality time with children, families, and caregivers.
State budget decisions have contributed to the reductions in the child welfare workforce even though caseloads continue to climb. State cutbacks in workforce, whether direct cuts or hiring freezes, as well as reductions in training opportunities, undermine states' ability to guarantee a competent and stable workforce and increases the caseload burden on the remaining child welfare workforce. CWLA recently conducted a survey of state budget decisions. The findings of that survey revealed that:
Virtually every state has developed spending or reduction plans for their child welfare agencies over the past three years. Forty states reported formal spending reduction plans and two states reported informal plans. The average annual percentage cut is approximately 8%, with a range of 3% to over 20%.
States have made significant reductions in staffing and services within their own agencies. Nearly half have reduced staff training, tuition/education reimbursement, and other professional development/continuing education.
Although New Jersey experienced a $30 million cumulative increase in the budget for the Office of Children's Services in FY 2003 and 2004, including an exemption of front-line child protection workers from the state's hiring freeze and a refocus on protection and permanency, New Jersey's baseline budget and the cumulative increase were still insufficient to guarantee an adequate workforce and to restrict caseloads to CWLA's recommended standards.
Although the issue of supporting a child welfare workforce defies a simple solution, we do know that providing staff the right supports, including training and a manageable caseload, will result in better outcomes for our most vulnerable children. This can only be accomplished with greater financial investments by both the states and the federal government.
Comprehensive Reform Of The Nation's Child Welfare System Is Needed To Ensure Children Are Protected
CWLA recognizes that the child welfare system, as currently constructed, cannot protect all children adequately. Failures occur. They are not limited to any single state. These failures to protect children will continue to occur until we put into place a comprehensive child protection system.
This tragic case in New Jersey does bring into focus the need for a renewed national commitment to support abused and neglected children and underscores the urgency of that reform. We are overdue in implementing an improved and strengthened system. True child welfare reform will hinge on an improved system of shared financing responsibilities among federal, state, local, and tribal governments.
The national child welfare system continues to be in need of:
A reliable, responsive, and predictable method of guaranteed funding, for a full range of essential services, as well as placement and treatment services.
A means of maintaining consistent focus on safety, permanency, and well-being as outcomes for children.
Rigorous standards combined with strong federal and state accountability mechanisms.
Recruitment and support of adequately trained child welfare professionals, foster and adoptive parents, mentors, and community volunteers.
Resources that enable parents to provide adequate protection and care for their own children.
This recent case in New Jersey is another reminder that we need to do better to care for our most vulnerable children. CWLA believes that important and necessary reforms must be enacted to ensure a consistent level of safety and care for all of America's children. We look forward to working with this subcommittee to develop a comprehensive child welfare reform proposal that meets all the needs of America's the most vulnerable children and families and ensures that every child is protected.
"A Longitudinal Study of Special Needs Adoptive Families" by James A. Rosenthal and Victor K. Groze, Child Welfare, 1994.
"The Postadoption Experience: Child, Parent and Family Predictors of Family Adjustment to Adoption," by Thomas P. McDonald, Jennifer R. Propp, and Kimberlee C. Murphy, Child Welfare, January-February 2001.
AFCARS report, Preliminary FY 2001 Estimates March 2003, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau.
The AFCARS Report: Interim FY 2000 estimates as of August 2002.
Benedict, M.I., Zuravin, S., & Stallings, R.Y. (1996). Adult functioning of children who lived in kin versus non-relative family foster homes. Child Welfare, 75 (5), 529-549; Berrick, J.D., Barth, R.P., Needell, B. (1994) ,A comparison of kinship foster homes and foster family homes. Implications for kinship foster care as family preservation. Children and Youth Services Review, 16 (1-2), 33-63.
U.S. Children's Bureau. (2002).
HHS Could Play a Greater Role in Helping Child Welfare Agencies Recruit and Retain Staff. General Accounting Office, March 2003.
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Parents / Caregivers
As a Cornerstone parent or caregiver, you're an active partner in your child's development. You're the frontline to re-emphasize the skills and instruction of treatment in your home and daily life — always encouraging, nurturing and celebrating milestones along the way. Cornerstone will train you in behavior-therapy functions and correct methods to develop routines and reinforcements. Home visits by our Board Certified Behavior Analyst or senior clinician are available.
Because your child may struggle to verbalize their day, a communication notebook travels between therapy and home. The notebook provides you with daily progress reports and offers recommendations based on therapists' one-on-one feedback, classroom sessions, interaction with other children, auxiliary therapy such as speech, occupational and art, and more. The notebook also shares valuable information with our therapists about your child's behavior at home and provides information for monthly, quarterly and semi-annual progress reports, after which your child's treatment plan may be revised to reflect results.
We Help Answer the Hard Questions
Your insurance company may cover the expense of enrolling your child in behavior therapy at Cornerstone. Our insurance experts navigate Indiana's mandate of coverage for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) to ensure that families receive the coverage protected under state law. Best of all, Cornerstone handles every step of the insurance-claim process, freeing you to confidently focus on caring for your child.
Cornerstone's comprehensive knowledge of complex insurance questions is just one result of attracting Indiana's best and brightest therapists and staff to improve your child's life. And we encourage their development every day as well.


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Wyndham Orlando Resort
4* Hotel with small gym, jacuzzi, pool bar and multiple swimming pools. Set in about 48 acres of tropical landscape. Rooms are large and very well decorated. This hotel has just been given a multi-million dollar facelift.
1 Review
It was a pleasant stay but the rooms were a bit small and it reminds me of staying in a motel of 70's eventhough they have up dated the facilities. The grounds were well kept and the resort area is large. Sometime there is not enough parking spaces and you have to walk a great distance to your room. The car area for checkin was rather small and often crowed for a resort so large. Check-in took a while and then they have to explain how to get to your room and manuver the grounds. Rooms were located upon seven seperate buildings, mostly two or three story high.
Unique Quality: Great location with fine restaurants all around the resort where we venture to after dark. The traffic in the area is tricky, so be careful when crossing the streets.
Directions: Gateway to Disneyland
4* Hotel with small gym, jacuzzi, pool bar and multiple swimming pools. Set in about 48 acres of tropical landscape. Rooms are large and very well decorated. This hotel has just been given a multi-million dollar facelift.
My husband,2 young girls and I stayed for 15 nights ( 18 July to 2 Aug 2003). We found the hotel to be excellent. Our room fortunatly, was one of the larger rooms and comfortably accomodated the 4 of us. The room and bed linen were spotless. I agree with previous complaints about the shuttle to Universal. We used taxis to get to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure as the cost was only $6 each way. We walked to Wet and Wild ( 10 Minutes), and the I Trolley ( stop right outside the hotel) took us straight to Seaworld for 75 cents each. As we were leaving some renovation work was under way on the hotel grounds. The tennis courts are being converted into a car park and one og the lagoons was drained.
Don't know why. We would definately return to this hotel. It has a fantastic location for wandering out at night to find somewhere to eat.
You can always spot the Europeans in Orlando, we are the ones walking.
Very bad experience. Don't go here unless you see the room you are going to be assigned first. Carpets are aged and stained and don't appear clean. Shower curtains are mildewed. Liquid from the pipes came up into the sink. But the grounds were beautiful. If you want to sleep by the pool this is a nice resort.
Myself, hubby and two kids stayed at the Wyhdam for two weeks from the 25th July. Have to say we had a fantastic time - the kids especially loved the pool and the fact that it stayed open 24 hours (subject to storms). This meant some lovely evenings by the pool. The only negatives I have are regarding the room service (2 hours to get a meal on the night we arrived), and an unfortunate fire alarm incident at 1.30 in the morning - loud does not describe it!
That aside I would definately go there again, it was ideally located for all the main parks and malls, and the staff were really friendly.
This resort looks beautiful on the outside but the inside needs a lot of work. The room we stayed in had a horrible mildew smell and various stains throught the carpet. The shower curtains were not clean. We asked to be changed to another room because of the smell and the hotel attendants were not friendly about it. The other room had stains on the carpet also. They really need to either shampoo their carpet or replace it. Even the hallways were dirty. This is definitely not a 4 star hotel. Also, they need to get friendlier hotel attendants. I would advise people to stay away from this hotel. I cancelled my second reservation to stay the last half of my trip for another hotel in Orlando I was so disgusted.
When I booked the hotel I was really excited. Wow, I'm staying at the Wyndham. That excitment ended when I arrived at the hotel. First they assigned my room and when I openeded the door the room was a disaster.
The beds were unmade, a used coffee cup was on the table and the ironing board was out. I called the front desk and they moved me to a new room. When I got in the new room the phone was dead and the night stand was filthy. I called them once again and they moved me to another room. This time security came to let us in the new room and everything seemeed fine. However there was a big red stain by the bed. They had also told me that someone would bring by a key to the new room. 30 minutes later when I wanted to go out there was still no key. I went to the front desk, they did apologize and gave me two free breakfast buffets in the hotel resaturant. THe buffet was nothing to write home about, the food was cold. By the way, when I left on Sunday August 24 the first room was still unattended to with unmade beds. Not a bad location so just pick a different hotel.
My family group of seven reserved two rooms here for one night via Priceline. Having never seen the hotel and after reading some of the reviews we were a bit apprehensive. We were PLEASANTLY surprised. This is certainly NOT a new property, but the grounds are gorgeous and our rooms were perfectly clean. The staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful. We arrived in a 30 foot motorhome which necessitated parking a LONG way from our room The staff bent over backwards to get us properly parked and transferred us and our luggage via golf cart to our room Service was exceptional. I didn't use any of the amenities outside of the room so I can't adress those issues, but as a place to stay for the night I was extrememly pleased.
We stayed here for 2 weeks in February 03 on the recommendation of a friend. When we pulled up we were very pleased...beautiful grounds lovely reception and friendly greeting. However, when we saw our " suite" we were disgusted. It was only a room not a suite, the carpet was filthy and the bedlinen didn't look as though it had ever seen an iron.We asked to move immediateltly but were told that no room woukd be free until the next day.The night was a nightmare. We were by a walkway and a large vending machine which was used all through the night and the noise was horrendous through the thin walls. Due to jet lag we woke early and decided to get on for the day...the hairdryer didn't work snd reception didn't answer the phones, so it meant a long walk to talk to them. HOWEVER, it was six a.m and they were most helpful and said they would send someone straight away. By the time we had walked back a man had been in and fitted a new unit!!! Great service. The following day we were moved to another room opposite the Grand Lawn which had a much better outlook although it was still grubby and dingy. All the rooms are under cover of overhanginging walkways so very little natural light gets through.We were near to the main swimming pool area which was great with free use of kids toys , towels, even sun cream. The breakfasts were good with great service and lots of information from RON.The hotel is in a brilliant location on I Drive and once we had got used to the room we had a great holiday.We will return again in the future but unless the Wyndham has a major refurbishment we will not stay there again. 4*?? No way.
Just back from a labor day weekend stay at the Wyndham. The grounds were lovely, the pool, sauna, W/P etc. were all excellent and the room was immaculate. I booked through Priceline and expected to get a room facing the parking lot, but that was not the case. I got a lovely king size room facing the gardens, pond and pool area. The breakfast buffet was excellent and a very good value for the dollar. The front desk staff were very helpful, friendly and respectful. I travel frequently for business (50+ nights per year) staying at 4 and 5 star hotels and found this hotel to be top notch. In fact I would say it was better than some of the 4 star properties I've been to! I would come back here in a heartbeat.....Priceline deal or not!
Looking at villa in Southern Dunes as has communal facilities.As we are coming out end March until 13th April (just before Easter), is this location a bit far for visiting WD parks etc - in other words will traffic be very heavy and we'll spend a lot of time travelling?
It's either that or a hotel like Wyndham Orlando or Residence Inn Seaworld but these work out more expensive.
Appreciate any thoughts.
Southern Dunes is a nice community -although some people feel it is a bit far out for their liking maybe taking 10/15 mins to get to the parks via the I-4 .Most of the communities around will have facilities -it depends what you are looking for -there are some nwere resort type ones thta have cinemas and clubhouses but you need to ask yourself if you would use them during your stay as they do twnd to work out a bit dearer.If it is basic communal facilities you want like tennis basket ball childrens play area then there are communities further up the 27 with these where the parks can be reached in 10 mins or under.good map of the different comunities and where they are is
see if there is one nearer .I like the ones nearer to the 192 junction
Thank you Janny for the DIBB map link - much easier to see where everything is.
I stayed in a villa on Southern Dunes, which is about half hour drive to DisneyWorld. Facilities are fine and there is a large Walmart on the doorstep. Only down side we found was during the night the local trains go past tooting there whistles as they go.
One North Jacaranda, Orlando
11251 Harbour Villa Road, Orlando
6039 Carrier Drive, Building A, Orlando
14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando
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Address: 8001 International Drive, Orlando, Florida, 32819, United States


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Moonlit Garden Dinnerware by Lenox
Moonlit Garden is a flowering botanical dinnerware collection that invites you into a garden, where luminous flowers gleam by star or moonlight. Sophisticated florals that echo drawings found in an artist sketchbook are decorated in hues of soft charcoal and black. The florals are set against a clean white backdrop to reveal the garden after dusk falls and the sun retires from view. This porcelain collection, sold as a 4-piece place setting and open stock, includes a selection of coordinating serving pieces. Moonlight Garden is perfect for entertaining and every day.See Moonlit Garden Individual Pieces
Coffee & Tea Accessories
Moonlit Garden Sugar & Creamer Set
$72.00 $49.95 $24.95


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The foods you crave when you're stressed are just making your bad mood worse, research out of Harvard reveals.
The General Assembly returned to the state capital today for the annual fall session.
One of the pieces of legislation up for discussion, the medical marijuana bill.
Supporters are eager to get doctors the right to prescribe the drug patients suffering from diseases, such as AIDS, cancer, and multiple sclerosis.
Some here in the heartland are all for it.
"It is necessary and natural substance and it's very helpful if you have glaucoma," says Eunice Buck, a heartland resident.
"I think it's a good option for treating cancer," says Bill Steinmetz.
"It helps people who are sick, who need help eating food and relieve pain. They give other medicines for it, they should do the same if it's there," says Gerard Archibald.
"I think alcohol is way worse," says Buck.
But according to a few local doctors I spoke with today, it's just not needed.
They say they have other means of treating their patients, marijuana is not the only option.
Those doctors say it is very rare when it is absolutely necessary.
If passed, qualified patients would be allowed to buy and use up to 2.5 ounces of the drug during a two-week period.
Which some locals say could lead to abuse.
"It's habit forming, you are going to get people stuck on this stuff potentially," says Jeff M., a local resident. "My understanding is it leads to more serious drug use. Not marijuana, but more like cocaine and stuff like that. But marijuana is like a stepping stone to a drug that's even worse."
No word on when the bill will come up for a vote.
Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.
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Staff Reports
The Tonawanda News
Tonawanda News — We have the best intentions about this time each year. Despite regular warnings about childhood obesity, we all stock up all kinds of assorted confections, from candy corn to Butterfinger, from popcorn balls to lollipops.
Most Halloweens we run out of candy, scrambling to the drug store down the block and grabbing up the last bag of whatever happens to be left — yuck, who wants hard butterscotch candy, anyway?
But sometimes it's like crickets out there on Halloween night. Did you forget to turn the porch light on? Has your house gotten a bad reputation as being the one that hands out raisins?
Sometimes you're left with a ton of chocolate or individually bagged Skittles come post-Halloween morning. Maybe you're OK eating all that candy. Maybe the idea of ingesting 50 mini Snickers doesn't sound all that appealing.
Here are our suggestions on how to use up all that leftover sugar you might have hanging around at home.
Skittles vodka
If you've taken a trip to the local liquor store recently you've probably noticed what seems like an entire aisle dedicated to the latest craze: flavored vodka.
For years the selections were fairly limited: Stoli's line of orange, raspberry and lemon. Aboslute Citron, also lemon-flavored, was another option.
But this is America, darn it! Why should we only have four or five flavors of vodka when we could have dozens?
First it was whipped cream. Then it was a syrup-like ode to the childhood candy Swedish fish or the atomic fireball.
And this time of year, who needs a reminder of candy? Households across America are restocking candy jars with Halloween offerings. And the kids are about to double or triple the stach with their own trick-or-treating.
So you've got a whole pile of candy and nothing to do with it? It's a perfect excuse to double down on the flavored vodka craze and turn a favorite kid-sized treat into a tasty adult beverage.
And so we give you Skittles-flavored vodka. It's easy as pie (or pie-flavored vodka).
1 1.75 liter bottle vodka (please don't ruin a bottle of Grey Goose on this project)
About 20 ounces of Skittles
Remember you can adjust this recipe depending on how many Skittles you have ... only 10 ounces of Skittles? Just use about half the bottle of vodka.
Separate the Skittles by color into five large containers or bottles with lids.
Divide the bottle of vodka evenly five ways and pour over the Skittles.
Secure lid and shake vodka/Skittles concoctions.
Let sit overnight or until all the candy is dissolved into the vodka. Give it a couple shakes to help the process along.
When you're done you'll have five brightly colored bottles and an excuse to knock back a few shots without the embarrassment of sounding like a tipsy coed imploring the bartender to "make something fruity!"
Never one to take the lazy way out of reporting, News Lifestyle Editor Danielle Haynes and Managing Editor Eric DuVall set out to get some firsthand knowledge of this story.
Consensus after tasting all the flavors was that the lemon and lime Skittles made the best flavored vodka. Don't let the bright colors fool you. Taken as a chilled shot, the Skittles-flavored vodka packs a punch. It is, after all, still pure vodka and though the Skittles sugary flavor lingers on the tongue, there's no mistaking the strong taste of alcohol often lacking in those super-sweet distilled offerings at the liquor store.
Used in a drink, we found lemon-lime soda (we used Sprite) was the most natural mixer. For those looking to cut the sweetness, club soda and a twist of lemon also makes for a decent option.
Come next week when the mere idea of eating one more piece of candy induces a diabetic coma, Skittles-infused vodka might be just what the doctor (or dentist) ordered.
— Adapted from mixthatdrink.com
by Eric DuVall and Danielle Haynes@Story Sig:.
Ice cream candy cake
This is one of my grandmother's favorite go-to dessert recipes. It doesn't take any great culinary skill and I'm sure many folks out there have a similar recipe, but it's effective and versatile.
I liken this cake to something like an ice cream lasagna — it's essentially just layers of different sweet stuff that's then frozen. Can't go wrong.
My grandmother's standard recipe includes traditional ice cream sandwiches layered with Cool Whip, Smucker's hot fudge and Heath toffee bits. But you can use really any kind of candy you want, though I'd avoid anything chewy. Try it with crushed peppermint for a Christmas treat. Freeze those mini chocolate bars, pound them into oblivion and sprinkle them on top.
You could even use different flavors of ice cream sandwiches if you can find them.
Be careful though, this stuff is rich!
Two 12-count boxes of ice cream sandwiches (you'll probably end up with a couple leftovers)
1 (or two) jar(s) Smucker's hot fudge
1 16-ounce tub of whipped topping
At least two cups of crushed candy of your choosing (I used Heath bar toffee bits)
9-by-13-inch glass casserole dish
Line the bottom of the dish with a layer of the ice cream sandwiches. My dish fit two rows of four sandwiches and one and a half sandwiches laying across the other direction.
Spread the entire jar of hot fudge evenly over the top of ice cream sandwiches.
Spread about half of the whipped topping evenly over the top of the hot fudge layer.
Sprinkle about half of the candy pieces on top.
Lay out another layer of the ice cream sandwiches, the same number and configuration as the bottom layer.
(This is where my grandmother would spread another jar of hot fudge)
Spread the remaining whipped topping smoothly and evenly on top ... make it look nice, this is what folks will see.
Sprinkle the remaining candy pieces on top.
Pop the entire concoction in the freezer for a couple hours to let the whipped topping harden. Slice and enjoy!
— Danielle Haynes
Candy cookie bars
I've had this basic recipe on a card in my recipe box for years. Decades even. Funny thing, though ... I never seem to have any leftover Halloween candy to use for it.
This little project seemed like the ideal time to give it a shot. A bagful of random mini candy bars from the grocery-store bulk section and a few additional ingredients later, I had something a little more substantial and dessert-like than leftover Halloween chocolate, although equally as sweet.
While the original recipe called for an even cup of chopped candy, I used a little more ... and you can even go higher than that, I think. Six chopped bars was a little shy of 1 cup; I wound up using eight. You could certainly use all one kind of bar, but I went with an assortment — anything chocolate-based will work just fine. Personally, I liked the variety.
1 yellow cake mix
2 large eggs
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cup chopped candy bars (about 6 to 10 Halloween-sized candy bars)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place mix, eggs, butter and sugar in a bowl and blend with an electric mixer on low for about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl and blend for an additional minute on medium speed.
Stir in the candy bar pieces. Spread the batter (it will be thick) in an ungreased 13-by-9-inch cake pan.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely and cut into squares.
— Jill Keppeler


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Amarillo, TX - Firefighters continue to investigate a structure fire Tuesday morning trying to determine how it sparked.
The Amarillo Fire Department arrived at 4101 S Van Buren at around 10:30 Monday night where they found a vacant structure fully engulfed.
The home is a total loss.
Due to the strong winds, the fire began to spread over to one of the home's to the south.
It also posed a threat to three other surrounding homes.
Residents from those homes were evacuated and 9 of them received assistance from the Red Cross.
The first arriving crews were able to contain the fire in a little over an hour.
There were 10 units and 30 firefighters on scene battling the blaze.
No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation.
Physical Address:
11320 West County Road 127
Midland, Texas, 79711
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 60150
Midland, Texas, 79711
Newsroom Phone: (432) 567-9991
Business Offices: (432) 567-9999


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Whooping it up at the office Christmas party. Photo: Janie Barrett
Chatting to one of my girlfriends recently, we got around to the topic of Christmas parties. She was due to attend her husband's work Christmas party that evening and lamented the fact she had to attend.
It was on a Sunday night in the middle of the festive season. She'd already been to a wedding and several other Christmas functions over the weekend. She had a week full of commitments ahead of her. Oh, and she also has a newborn.
Her partner's work Christmas party, even though it was being held at a very swanky restaurant, was probably something she didn't need.
An extremely social person by nature, Sam is someone who is happy to attend her partner's parties generally. (I remember a tale involving her not only attending but also participating in "beer pong" at a party while her husband was at uni. Her husband was a mature age student, and they were a decade older that most of the guests, if guests is the appropriate word for a party involving beer pong.)
But even though she dutifully went to the Sunday night dinner, and no doubt had fun, it raised the question of whether she really needed to go.
Let's face it – is it really necessary for partners to go to end-of-year work functions? If you're the partner, mostly you're going to spend a pretty boring night listening to your other half and their colleagues talking shop, while you make banal small talk with the other partners attending; people you don't know and often don't want to know.
Isn't it better for work Christmas functions to be just for those who actually work for the business? It's a chance for the team to wind down, have a laugh and enjoy each other's company at the end of the year. In my opinion it's not really a place for partners.
Sure, I get that my friend's husband wanted to show off his hot wife and super cute bub to his workmates. But maybe the end of the year isn't the time? Christmas is a time when everyone's frantically trying to spend for Australia, making sure we have the perfect gift for everyone we love and attending Christmas events left, right and centre. Why add another event to an already crowded calendar?
I can barely be bothered attending my own work Christmas functions, let alone having to go to a partner's parties as well. This year I managed to get out of all but one Christmas work event, a lunch I did actually want to go to. But the thought of having to turn up after work at Christmastime to a series of events to drink cheap grog, eat tiny snacks and talk to people I have nothing in common with, leaves me absolutely cold. Family Christmas functions? Love them. Friends' Christmas parties – some of the best times I'll have all year. But work Christmas parties. No way, not any more.
I know some larger firms have family days during the year, and this seems like a very sensible solution, even for small businesses. The idea is for family members to come and see where mum or dad work, maybe have a sausage sizzle or similar and meet co-workers. Job done.
To me, that seems much better than dragging partners to the work do. Because as far as I can tell, it's just another unnecessary obligation at this time of year. Bah humbug.
What do you think? Should partners be invited to the office Christmas party? Do you even want to go to your own?
This is the last Big Idea post for 2013, with normal service resuming on January 17. Many thanks for reading this blog and I wish you and yours a very merry Christmas and a happy new year - work Christmas parties notwithstanding.


text:
Square to Enable iPhone to Handle Real-World Credit Card Purchases
Square is a new startup that aims to let the iPhone and iPod touch (and eventually other mobile devices) to handle real-world credit card transactions via a small swipe-able accessory plug-in. Founded by the man created by Twitter, Jack Dorsey, TechCrunch scored the video demo above:
It's a bit hard to see the iPhone's screen due to the daylight, but you can easily see just how fast Square works for transactions. Simply put, it's amazing.
Also note how I can sign with my finger on the iPod touch's screen. And I can request to get a receipt via email, which I enter the first time, but the app will remember every time you come back and use the same credit card.
TechCrunch later posted a copy of what the receipt looks like. Apple Retail, as they point out, has been doing mobile transactions for a while, and are in the midst of switching from their old Windows CE boxes to iPod touch-based EasyPay solutions, but this solution is slick and looks to be well funded.
So, what do you think, is this the future of physical transactions, and do you want it now?
There are 23 comments. Add yours.
As many of us will be reading this on our iPhones, it would be nice if we could watch the video!
Wow. This is REALLY cool. LOL. They had me when he said sign with your fingers. I knew he had to use his finger but I didn't know he was going to ask for him to sign.
But one thing... why is that dongle in the headphone jack and not the 30-pin connector?
I'll probably have to create an email for receipts if I were to use that.
when will it be ready?
the YouTube link is not working on my phone either. It has a slash through the play icon.
Very slick system. I do like it when I go into the Apple store and that's how I check out. It's a very "casual" checkout process. I also like how it emails the receipt right too you, so as long as the business does not use your email for something else.
Ummm NO, Hell no.
"But one thing… why is that dongle in the headphone jack and not the 30-pin connector?"
it makes the swiper compatible with other devices other than the iphone. there's a little mockup of the thing attached to a droid over on the squareup.com site.
it also lets them end run apple licensing, since any peripheral using the 30-pin port for data has to give apple a cut. it's really a brilliant move for squareup to use the audio jack instead, both tho get around apple and to increase future device compatibility.
apple rules that 30-pin connector with an iron fist, which may be why we've seen precious few 30-pin compatible devices for the iphone.
You know what else he should do? Use the camera (on the iPhone and future Touch) to scan bar codes. With that added feature, you got yourself a portable register.
There are already a few different ways to accept credit card payments using your iPhone. In the video he makes it sounds like a revolutionary idea; but it's really not. It's just another app doing what all the others do with the addition of an accessory to swipe the card. It adds a few features but lacks others.
The "sign by finger" is a "nice touch" but I'm not sure if other CC apps have that feature.
There are a couple other features they should add as well.
Many people still want a hard receipt. They should provide a way to print to a shared thermal printer VIA WIFI or even bluetooth. The ability to take and attach pictures of the CC and possibly a photo ID would be a nice touch for "CYA" purposes would be nice.
Of course some way to communicate how their email address will or won't be used would be necessary before I would give it to them.
Over all if he wants it to be "revolutionary" in the "utilizing these plastic devices people keep in their wallets" industry he has allot of work to do in order to make it a unique product.
Hey its ganna be easyer to steal credit card info now yes!!!!!
Also the vid qulity sucks they should of recored with an iphone
This thing suffers from being developed in US and not in Europe or Asia. Signing for things is a thing of the past in Europe, it's all chip and PIN now. Ditto in Asia I believe. I should also be able to pay by iPhone as well as credit/debit card.
"my friends will buy all kinds of things and shet for their fat wives and old ladies i'm telling you, you better belive it."
yes, this device creates a small risk for "skimming", but far, far less risk than what happens at millions of restaurants all over the world every day.
in fact, this is much less risky than putting down your credit card to pay the bill and having a waiter or waitress take it out of sight for processing.
the squareup process is actually much safer than many other ways of paying bills with a credit card, since the card remains in sight at all times, and you can observe the person who is running the device.
Ehm... why should you need your credit card? Implement RFID into the mobile and then its done! :)http://vimeo.com/4147129
People's filthy, disgusting, fecal fingers on my screen? Uhh... no.
"Nobody has ever designed the payment process before". Uh, what? Those are the words of an amateur trying to sound like a big business guy. This is slow and clunky for retail, but I see it's niche for freelancers who do on-site services such as photographers, DJs, entertainers, etc.
Oh yeah. I want it now. Fantastic for those of us who do craft fairs, etc. No monthly fees or contracts =awesome ! Droolworthy :)
From what I heard, the things cost about a dime to make, so they might even end up giving them away for free and then just making all their money off merchant's fees.
Practical upshot: YOU TOO can scan credit cards.
Oh, and one of the reasons that the app uses the audio jack is so that it can be used with other devices, not just the iPhone. Theoretically, it should work out of the box (once they write the app) with any device that uses a .25" TRRS headphone jack and that runs an operating system that allows apps to accept audio input. Heck, with the proper headset adapter, the first requirement doesn't even have to be met.
I also see it as a way for the average person to pay a friend for tickets, drinks, meals, etc.
Square could be a cool device, but it is not the only mobile payments solution on the market. There are a number of companies that have been making credit card Apps on the iPhone for most of 2009.
For the last three months I have been using an App called iSwipe. It works well, and it's easy to use. Very good for acceting payments in the field.
I want it today, in Europe. The way our company works, I'd make great money.


text:
A scrapbook of stuff I'm reading / looking at / listening to / thinking about...
Posts tagged "letters"
Had a good time this morning reading these selected letters from Rub Out the Words: The Letters of William S. Burroughs 1959-1974. In addition to complaining to Allen Ginsberg that his mother won't send him "Mother Money" so he can get back to the states, I enjoyed these bits:
On reading Rimbaud:
Nothing obscure in his poetry if you see it as IMAGES. Here is a book of his poems with the French translation opposite will improve your French. A game I play is to type out phrases from Rimbaud or any poet I fancy. Then I cut into sections. Rearrange putting section four with section one and section two with section three and select a new arrangement.Try it some time with Rimbaud or any writing.
Telling his son how to listen to music:
I hear you dig music. Try it with ear phones you can play it any time that way without bothering people around you. Besides music is different when you hear it right in your ear. It should be simple operation to plug your record player for ear phones.
On his letters being "ungrammatical"
it is not due to carelessness or accident. The English language—the only really adjustable language—is in state of transition.. Transition and the old grammar forms no longer useful..


text:
|Results: 56Comments by: wolftech
|File: _NPCScan.Overlay06-23-13
I love this addon. It is a great ad...
I love this addon. It is a great addition to NPCScan. I was wondering if there were any plans to update it to also cover the Isle of Thunder? Or Vale of Eternal Blossoms since I think that 5.3 has impacted this slightly. Hey there. Yes, I will be updating this for 5.3 - I've exchanged correspondence with Saiket regarding all of...
|File: Stuf Unit Frames (and Raid)05-24-13
After minipatch on 5/25 - STUF does...
After minipatch on 5/25 - STUF does not load and I get this error. I am not using STUF Raid frames (use grid for that, but only because I havent had time time configure STUF raid) EDIT: I REM (--) out the call to CompactRaidFrameManager in lines 230-234 and unit frames came back, but '/stuf' does not work and there is no options i...
|File: Stuf Unit Frames (and Raid)03-22-13
local name = UnitN...
function(unit) local name = UnitName(unit) or unit name = name:gsub('(%S+) ',function(t) return t:sub(1,1)..'.' end) return name end Will this work for the Boss Frame?
|File: Grid03-05-13
GetRaidDifficulty is no longer in...
GetRaidDifficulty is no longer in the API and the latest version of grid still calls to it breaking it.
|File: FlyoutButton Custom12-26-12
Your addon is causing stack overflo...
Your addon is causing stack overflow error in Dominos in latest patch. I thought it was Dominos but after trial and error, the errors only show up with your addon. It also kills the macro panel and any macro functionality (even the icons disappear from action bar) when you addon is enabled. Is 'left-click set parent' option enabled...
|File: FlyoutButton Custom12-04-12
Your addon is causing stack overflo...
Your addon is causing stack overflow error in Dominos in latest patch. I thought it was Dominos but after trial and error, the errors only show up with your addon. It also kills the macro panel and any macro functionality (even the icons disappear from action bar) when you addon is enabled. 552x C stack overflow
|File: Tidy Plates09-01-12
I am trying to get Tidy Plates to s...
I am trying to get Tidy Plates to show class colors as the color of the text of the plate in the Graphite:DPS theme. I have tried several different options but they all show just white (I am just using the base nameplate/no bars for friendlies).
|File: MoveAnything MoP08-31-12
Thanks for updating it. This is one...
Thanks for updating it. This is one of the addons that you don't think about after you finish using it to get things where you want but once its broken, you remember how important it is.
|File: Ara Broker Guild Friends08-31-12
Request: Could you please rename th...
Request: Could you please rename the Guild and Friends LDB objects to something a little more user friendly. Right now they are called "|cFFFFB366Ara|r Guild" and "|cFFFFB366Ara|r Friends". I am sure its cool to have that colored text in the addon listing, but it makes it a pain to script anything that calls to it (like kg panels) a...
|File: QuseMap08-28-12
Broken on 5.0.4.
Doesn't hide t...
Broken on 5.0.4. Doesn't hide the rest of the map outside the rectangle. It works on beta, though so I don't know why that is. I hope you can take a look at this quickly... I built my entire UI around it :) EDIT: Figured out the problem... doesn't play well with Miir Texture :)
|File: Dominos Beta08-26-12
I don't intend on making flyout dir...
I don't intend on making flyout directions customizable. However, they should always be visible, and if they're not, then that's a bug :) Font/item count position: * I prefer this being done via masque/other skinning addons. Fair enough. Could you point me to where in the LUA I can change that for me then?
|File: Dominos Beta08-22-12
There are three things I would like...
There are three things I would like to request/change for myself. First, can we get some way to change the flyout button direction. In my new UI, I am using only 2 bars of 6 buttons each in a single column and when I place my portal and teleport spells on the bar they go the exact opposite direction I need it to go. I swap the bar...
|File: Dominos Beta08-15-12
Whatever was the problem with Domin...
Whatever was the problem with Dominos crashing the client on reload/logout/exit has been fixed with the latest beta patch.
|File: bBars08-12-12
Can you please give us an option to...
Can you please give us an option to turn off the minimap button (that way we can still turn it back on when you need it) with a slash command? I have been editing it out of the LUA manually with "--]" and by doing that I lose the functionality.
|File: Dominos Beta08-12-12
crashes should be reported here, I...
crashes should be reported here, I forgot to mention: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/6246865570?page=2 Right, but it is dominos causing the crash. It doesn't do so with bbars or bartender and it doesn't do that with any other addons or no addons. I did a control test with no addons and reloaded 20 times with no error. I...
|File: Dominos Beta08-11-12
@wolftech, @N30:
I've yet to repro...
@wolftech, @N30: I've yet to reproduce these. Running Windows 8 x64 It happens on windows 7 (64 and 32 bit, DX9 and DX11) with Dominos being the only addon. Error when WoW Crashes - ============================================================================== World of WarCraft: Beta Build (build 15961) Exe: D:\G...
|File: Dominos Beta08-11-12
after last bulid domino cause game...
after last bulid domino cause game crash on logging out/exiting It is also causing this on reload UI as well. It really hampers my addon development and UI construction...
|File: Bartender407-31-12
Re: Bartender4 in the Mists of Pandaria Beta
Just to make sure everyone saw, here is a link for a Bartender4 version which works in the Mists of Pandaria Beta: http://files.1f0.de/wow/Bartender4-4.5-MoP-beta2.zip Known issues: - Possess Bars (Mind Control, some quests) don't work, you'll have to use the Pet Bar for those. A problem I had with the Bartender for Beta is t...
|File: Align07-29-12
This works fine in MoP Beta/PTR (th...
This works fine in MoP Beta/PTR (thank the addon gods... I couldn't build a UI without this and Addon Control Panel :D)
|File: bBars07-27-12
Bbars is throwing up 2 errors calli...
Bbars is throwing up 2 errors calling to "BarDB" 122x bBars\bBars-1.lua:542: attempt to index global "BarsDB" (a nil value) bBars\bBars-1.lua:542: in function "ActionButton_UpdateHotkeys" FrameXML\ActionButton.lua:524: in function "ActionButton_OnEvent" FrameXML\ActionButton.lua:124: in function
|File: SLDataText07-21-12
I am working on my MoP UI (I know.....
I am working on my MoP UI (I know... I am early :D) and I was wondering if there is a MoP beta version available (I can test them for you if you want my help). I am looking at replacing several LDB plugins that have been abandoned so I was excited to find this (used SLDT before) especially with the Stat Line plugin.
|File: FireExit07-21-12
I can confirm this works just fine...
I can confirm this works just fine in MoP beta.
|File: StatBlockCore (Display)07-21-12
This works in MoP beta
This works in MoP beta
|File: Postal07-21-12
Confirmed working in MoP beta
Confirmed working in MoP beta
|File: Addon Control Panel07-21-12
Confirmed working in MoP beta (thank the gods... I can't imagine addon testing without it :D )


text: Last seen (give or take a "Narnia" movie) as the matriarch of an Italian industrial family in "I Am Love," Tilda Swinton plays a very different kind of mother in "We Need to Talk About Kevin," one whose son goes on a violent rampage that leaves several of his schoolmates dead. The film shifts in time between the horrific event's aftermath, when Swinton has been reduced to working menial jobs in a town whose residents will cross the street to slap her, and Kevin's ominous childhood, when he shows his mother signs of his increasing sociopathy but plays the perfect son to everyone else. It's the occasion for a powerhouse performance, and Swinton follows through with the wholehearted commitment and utter lack of vanity that inform all her work. And it's a performance that has, to date, earned the actress both a Golden Globe nod and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.


text:
Editors' Beauty Picks: Winter 2014 Edition
1 of 16
Must-Have Beauty Picks for Winter
It's official: Winter is here to stay (or so predicted Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day 2014). To help you brave the chill and survive the neverending Polar Vortex this season, Us Weekly has rounded up our favorite beauty must-haves, including a moisturizing makeup remover, a hydrating mask and more!
And come back to see what beauty obsessions we've added to the list.


text:
Keri Yvonne Fowler of Mexico, N.Y., and Nicholas John deManigold of Traverse City have announced their engagement. The couple are planning a June 2014 wedding.
Keri is the daughter of Charles and Francine Fowler of Mexico, N.Y. She graduated from Mexico High School and Adelphi University. Keri is a senior media producer at MacMillan Higher Education in Manhattan, N.Y.
Nicholas is the son of Dennis and Susan deManigold of Williamsburg. He graduated from Traverse City St. Francis High School and Michigan State University. Nicholas is a packaging engineer at Kellogg's.


text:
Arid Art
An Englishman from
Cornwall in the west of England, Tony Foster is fascinated by the
American West's wilderness of eroded rocks and deserts, including
Death Valley in California and the slickrock onion domes of Utah's
canyonlands. An exhibit of his latest work, Arid Lands, Watercolor
Diaries of Journeys across Deserts, can be seen through April 8 at
the Sun Valley Center for the Arts and Humanities in Sun Valley,
Idaho. Watercolors range from those measured in inches to some
seven feet long. Call 208/726-9491 for more
Topic: Culture & Communities Department: Book Reviews
Arid art
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I write about television, from the programming and the ratings to the personalities and the local developments. I comment on news events as they play out on television. I write the TV Guy blog and contribute stories to the A, Local, Business, Local, Arts and Calendar sections.
5:40 p.m. EDT | July 28, 2014
Extreme, an Orlando dance company, will not perform this week on "America's Got Talent." But a lot of you are watching the NBC contest, which starts offering live shows Tuesday from Radio City Music Hall in New York. Read More
2:08 p.m. EDT | July 28, 2014
WKMG-Channel 6, Orlando's CBS affiliate, used to be owned by Post-Newsweek Stations. Starting Monday, that name is history. The owner is now called Graham Media Group. Read More
11:44 a.m. EDT | July 28, 2014
The unusual combo of "60 Minutes" and "Big Brother" keeps helping CBS on Sundays. Read More
9:20 a.m. EDT | July 28, 2014
Justin Bieber, Vanessa Hudgens and Ansel Elgort are among the winners at the Young Hollywood Awards. Read More
8:23 a.m. EDT | July 28, 2014
The dispatches from Comic-Con were fun to read. These nuggets stood out: Read More
5:57 p.m. EDT | July 27, 2014
Has a news program ever played such a big role in a TV movie? NBC's "Today" gets a half dozen scenes in "Sharknado 2," which premieres Wedneday on Syfy. Read More
4:22 p.m. EDT | July 26, 2014
Fans will find plenty of blissfully stupid moments in the redundantly named "Sharknado 2: The Second One." Read More
12:12 p.m. EDT | July 26, 2014
Hillary Clinton describes Vladimir Putin as arrogant and insecure and says he is at least partly responsible for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, the former secretary of state tells CNN's Fareed Zakaria. Read More
11:30 a.m. EDT | July 26, 2014
Michelle Fairley, who played Catelyn Stark on "Game of Thrones," says she is excited to join "Resurrection" because she's a fan. Read More
5:18 p.m. EDT | July 25, 2014
HBO has announced that new cast members of "Game of Thrones" will include a Tony-winning Broadway star, an Oscar nominee and a veteran of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Read More


text:
Date: July 21, 2009
by: The Observer Staff
Manatee County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a man at an East County Wal-Mart for attempting to show a pornographic movie to a minor.
According to sheriff's office reports, Wal-Mart security staff observed Mehdi Mdalla, 33, approach a female juvenile several times while holding an iPhone playing a pornographic movie. The incident occurred at about 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, at Wal-Mart, 2911 53rd Ave. E.
Mdalla appeared to be clearly targeting the juvenile by returning to her several times, the report said. The juvenile seemed to give little notice of the suspect's obvious advances and returned to her mother uninjured.
Mdalla was arrested and brought to CPID for a formal interview. Post-Miranda, he admitted he was playing a pornographic movie on his phone during the time in question but denied attempting to show the juvenile. Detectives believe there is a possibility that Mdalla has attempted or committed this lewd behavior in the past.
Anyone with information on any additional incidence of this nature regarding this suspect should call the sheriff's office, 747-3011.
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23 Back to School Splash Bash
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
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27 Health & Wellness Expo
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
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27 Health & Wellness Expo-LWR
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3 Florida Balloon Festival
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Instructor jazzes up routine
The East County's Sue Encke, a jazzercise instructor, recently attended the annual Jazzercise Live event in Washington, D.C., along with more than 1,500 other customers and instructors from across the world.
Tiny Hands supports students
The Tiny Hands Foundation, with the help of more than 200 volunteers, will fill 1,500 backpacks with school supplies for children in need from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 2, at the Boys and Girls Club of Sarasota, 3100 Fruitville Road, Sarasota.
Fund begins wreath sales
The Taylor Emmons Scholarship Fund, established in honor of former Out-of-Door Academy student Taylor Emmons, is at it again.


text:
From a distance, the Watts Towers rise as a beacon of pride in a community that has struggled for years with poverty and crime.
But up close, tiny cracks are tearing through the historic sculpture. One particularly nasty fissure starts thin at the base of the 99-foot center tower, then widens and snakes over colorful tiles, branching like a network of veins from an artery. Decorative ornaments — pieces of glass, seashells and pottery that artist Simon Rodia painstakingly affixed — are falling off, bit by bit.


text:
John Waters to Pen Sequel to "Hairspray" Movie Musical
By Andrew Gans
The film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray, which itself was based on the original John Waters film, was such a hit that New Line Cinema has asked Waters to pen a sequel to the movie musical.
No casting has been announced, although Variety reports that New Line hopes to snag much of the original "Hairspray" cast. The "Hairspray" movie musical grossed more than $200 million worldwide, and New Line hopes the sequel will be ready for a mid-July 2010 release by Warner Bros.
The "Hairspray" film cast John Travolta as the frumpy Edna Turnblad with newcomer Nikki Blonsky as daughter Tracy, the energetic teenager who shakes up her Baltimore town. Also in the film were Christopher Walken, Zac Efron, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Marsden, Amanda Bynes, Elijah Kelley and Allison Janney.
Director Shankman told Daily Variety, "I never thought of musicals as franchises, but it certainly worked with 'High School Musical,' and the idea of working with that cast again, and creating new material and music, is a dream come true. John (Waters) has such an original and extraordinary voice; we all can't wait to see what he has come up with."
The sequel will likely pick up where the "Hairspray" film left off, in 1962 Baltimore.
"Hairspray" is based on the musical Hairspray, currently running at the Neil Simon Theatre, which is in turn based on the 1988 John Waters film of the same name.
Send questions and comments to the Webmaster
Copyright © 2014 Playbill, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Web Hosting
The web hosting industry has changed the way we learn, communicate, work, are entertained, even commit crimes. The web hosting is a pure product of universities – the place where internet was born.
In early sixties, the government started the program called DARPA, which had one goal – prepare the way of transmission of orders if enemy bombs few communication nodes in the network.
This invention has opened the way to the development of internet – the network of connected commuters which allow sharing some files among main universities of USA.
The data has been stored in huge computer disks, which are the grand-grand-grand-fathers of modern servers. However, the principles of web hosting remained the same for more than 40 years.
There is one server with lots of folders where all the information lays. The users across the world request the access of the data in these folders and data is sent to their personal computers.
Web hosting works in very similar way. For this reason, the server with all of your information is safe and well protected.
Free web hosting has some limited features, but in general it looks the same as Premium web hosting.
Advantages of Free Hosting
Firstly, is that this type of web hosting is completely FREE. This is not a trial version.
This is not temporary promotion with special bonus codes which allow using free for the first year or something. HOST1FREE hosting is absolutely free!
Secondly, HOST1FREE has ads-free policy which means that users will never see any ads attached to their websites.
Thirdly, easy as it can get, management system. In HOST1FREE we use DirectAdmin control panel that is also used in our Premium Hosting, so if you run out of space, switching to paid hosting won't cause any distress.
The special application Softaculous is another huge advantage of our free hosting. It is also used in Premium hosting plans for the easy installation of particular applications.
Softaculous can easily set up more than 100 different type web applications, also known as turnkey applications – blogs, forums, e-commerce solutions, CRM, project management applications, galleries, video sites and long list of other content management systems (CMS).
Some of those applications are used for big projects management, therefore free hosting is a perfect place test them out before moving to Premium hosting.
All the service is managed using web browser interface. No black screens and command lines. Free web hosting at Host1Free is a great option to learn managing web hosting with small website first. It is like training ground for the huge market.
Advantages of Premium Hosting
The Premium web hosting is called Premium because of some additional features and possibilities than free web hosting.
What are the main advantages of Premium web hosting?
The main advantage is the server capabilities.
If free hosting provides only 2 GB of space, Premium hosting minimum plan is 25GB or even more – the unlimited disk space in Maxi plan. The advantage is obvious.
Other important features such and bandwidth, number of databases and domains, IP addresses are also unlimited.
The price for all those unlimited benefits of web hosting is just from $2.95 per month. Quite easy to decide – a big sandwich or Premium web hosting with unlimited disk space, bandwidth and domain names.
Another main advantage of Premium web hosting is the professional support service which works 24/7.
The live support is provided via email, live chat, forum and even toll-free phone numbers for US and UK customers.
The support is provided in English, German, Russian and Lithuanian.
99.9% uptime guarantee is another important Premium hosting feature which means, that your websites will be working whatever happens unless there are some programming issues or hosting plan overuse (if limited plan is chosen).
Host1Plus technicians are working hard to make everything working fluently without any disruptions.
90 days money back guarantee may be considered as advantage (used extremely rarely, because our customers are happy with our service) as well. This service means that after 3 month of usage, customer can change the services and request the money back.
Premium web hosting plans start from $2.95 per month at Host1Plus.