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Videogames report - Does size matter? What's the sweet spot for the length of a campaign?
- Posted March 23rd, 2013 at 08:23 EDT by Steven Williamson
There's an unusual obsession with size among gamers, who more and more frequently are posing the question: how long will it take me to complete this videogame? We see it often on gaming forums way before a title has been released. "How many chapters does this game have?! How long will it take to finish the campaign?!" almost like every extra second is seen as a unit of currency and the longer it lasts for the more "value" is gained from it.
This infatuation with size has passed over to gaming media channels too who are eager to let their readers know just how long a campaign will take to finish. Only this week, IGN and other videogame websites report: 'The Last of Us: Single Player Campaign's Length Revealed', like it's a major news story that people are desperate to know about.
Demon's Souls - 300 hours+ of gameplay
Even in developer interviews, journalists are keen to get the scoop on how long the fun will last for. There's a video interview over at Grey Viper that showcases this trend well as the interviewer uses a great opportunity to ask the guys at EA DICE anything he wants, yet concludes with the flaccid question: "How long is the game? Can you talk about how long the campaign is?" You can't really blame him; his question is driven by public demand and they want to know the numbers.
But why are people so obsessed with the size of a game? Didn't someone once say that it's what you do with it that matters? Shouldn't the enjoyment of a game be down to the consistency in its quality throughout, rather than its length? We've all seen the detrimental effect of this obsession with length through the release by publishers of videogames that have a fleshed-out single player campaign that drags on for no apparent reason and deviates in quality.
The most recent example of padding out a game is with God of War: Ascension. Though it's a great action-adventure, there's a fair chunk of boring platforming and pointless on-rails sections that do nothing but break up the pace of an otherwise chaotic and enjoyable title. Here, it seems, the developer has compromised on quality in order to add on more length and give the perception that it's released a single player campaign that offers value with a 10-12 hour campaign. Strip out the unwanted chunks of offal though, and we're down to eight hours.
Rogue Warrior clocked in at a disappointing four hours
We also see developers creating tacked-on multiplayer components to try and make up for what gamers may deem to be a "short campaign." Perhaps the publisher puts pressures on a the studio to create an additional multiplayer offering so that these extra hours worth of gameplay will appeal to gamers hunger for getting "value for money?" We see it time and time again though; these multiplayer add-ons are often rushed. How many poor/average multiplayer's have we seen in the past few years? Far too many to count.
In a bid to find out why people have this obsession with length and to discover what the sweet spot is for the size of a videogame, we reached out to the PlayStation community and our own members of staff to gather their thoughts. As it turns out, we were quite surprised with the findings as it does seem that gamers really do care about videogame length much more than we initially thought and some even actually buy a game based on its length.
While posing the question "How long should a videogame single player campaign last for?" we were quite surprised to discover that only a couple of people said that they weren't really bothered about length and that it was the quality of the game that mattered. Everyone else believed that length really does matter and that the sweet spot should vary per genre.
U.S. Managing Editor Timothy Nunes uses the known length of a videogame to work out where playing it will fit in with his own schedule.
"Shooters should be about 8 hours long with about 2-hour leeway, RPGs about 50 with 10-20 hour leeway, and action-adventure around 15 with ... (continued on next page)


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What is it like to speak one language and be educated in another? Most of you will never know. Some, such as those who are immigrants from a country where English is not spoken actually have a harder time than us who are in countries where English is spoken, but there is another local tongue. Many others of you who grew up speaking Ebonics will have at least some idea of what I had to go through.
Among ourselves, we speak a Jamaican Creole, also called Patois (pronounced "Patwa"). There are small regional variations, but they almost create no difficulties. The local language gets most of its vocabulary from English, but the grammar is from elsewhere. Many of the words are of West African origin, maybe the grammar has the same source, but there might be some 17th century Spanish influences. When we attend school, however, we are taught in English; from elementary school up. Now, this creates an often very great barrier to the student.
Since we hear English being spoken around us, (radio, foreigners, Jamaicans fluent in the language) we almost never have much problem understanding standard, everyday English, but those of us who rarely use it cannot speak or write it properly. For such persons, formal and academic English is often unintelligible. I once listened to a lecture from one or our university professors and could understand only a few of his sentences; it was so pregnant with inlellectualese and the entire lecture was very academic in structure and language.
When you are used a similar-sounding non-English vocabulary and are required to write and/or speak in English, you often don't know when you get it wrong. To illustrate: "Develop" is one word in English, yet the equivalent in Creole is two words; "devel up" that give the very same pronunciation, so the Jamaican student will often not know that the expression, "They plan to devel it up into a park" is wrong and makes him/her sound unintelligent.
The differences in grammar, sentence construction and the way ideas and thoughts are conceived and expressed create another big problem. We don't exactly have a verb "to be" in our Creole, there are three other verbs that are used according to the situation: "A" for identity, "de" (sometimes pronounced "di") for location and "tan" for condition, characteristic or constancy. The English expression, "Where are you?" is expressed in patois, "A whey yu de?" literally, "Is where you are?", and that is how it is often said when a Jamaican tries to say it in English. The Jamaican term, "How im tan?" depending on the context, can mean, "How is he (or she)?" or it may mean "What is he (or she) like?" Since the verb is also used for the English verbs "to stand" and "to stay", the Jamaican may attempt to express that thought as "How him stay?"
As a result of this, many intelligent Jamaicans were receiving very poor grades and at least appeared to be doing very badly in their academics. Now that the problem has been officially recognized by the authorities in the education system, we hope that the correct steps will be taken to solve this problem. In the mean time, teachers who had recognized the problem for what it was were adjusting their teaching methods accordingly and made constant representations to the Ministry of Education. They have finally begun to recognize the problem and have given it the name "Creole Interference". The training program for our teachers at the colleges and university has been amended accordingly and I now see "Creole Interference" being included teacher seminars.
I'm sure that a similar problem exists in the U.S. education system, but have not yet seen anything yet that shows that it has been recognized there.

subset: commoncrawl


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James "Cool Papa" Bell was married to the same woman, Clara, for 62 years.
If you think that's something, there's a lot more to be learned about one of the greats of the game in the book "Amazing Baseball Heroes: Inspirational Negro League Stories," author Bryan Steverson said. Some of the most important stories, he added, reach well beyond the segregated playing fields of professional baseball and remain timeless.
"This is not a baseball book, although there's a lot about baseball in it," Steverson said. "It's not a book about race, although most of the stories are about players of one race. It's a book about inspiration."
None more inspiring, perhaps, than Bell.
Steverson will sign copies of the book at Hastings Books, Music and Videos in Foothills Plaza on Saturday, Aug. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. The book is published by Tennessee Valley Publishing and is available online and locally at Hastings. "Amazing Baseball Heroes" profiles 20 American baseball legends, with each player getting his own chapter.
Largely acknowledged as "the fastest man in baseball history," Bell was once timed circling the bases in a truly stunning 13.1 seconds - "on a wet field," Steverson said. Bell would lower the mark to 12.1 on a dry surface at a later date.
In 1933, the Pittsburgh Crawfords' centerfielder recorded 175 stolen bases in a 200-game season. After Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier in 1947, the St. Louis Browns offered Bell a contract four years later. Bell, 51 at the time, declined.
An eight-time Negro League All-Star with a .341 lifetime batting average, Bell was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Those facts and others like it are in the book, but there's a deeply more personal side to Bell's story, one Steverson said says more about the man than anything Bell ever did on a baseball diamond.
Born May 17, 1903, in Starkville, Miss., Bell endured every hardship in the segregated South of early 20th century, including an incident involving a close family member Steverson said simply wasn't fit for a book intended for school children. Also, as noted, Bell never made it to the Major Leagues.
That withstanding, at Bell's death in March of 1991, two months after Clara had passed, family members honored a notation in his will that there be 12 pallbearers at his funeral: "six black, six white."
A great ballplayer, Steverson said, an even greater man.
"If we could take their character and put it into the people of today," said Steverson of the 20 individuals portrayed in the book, "we'd have a much better world."


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Editor's Note: The following is from a press release issued by the Oswego Police Department:
The Village of Oswego Police Department is reminding the public to expect increased traffic congestion and delays in Oswego Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8 due to Christmas Walk activities.
Motorists should expect delays in particular while traveling on US Route 34 through the downtown area and near Douglas Road. Delays on Madison, Washington and Main Streets in the downtown Oswego area are also expected.
There will be delays in the downtown area in particular on Friday, Dec. 7 between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. due to the Christmas Walk. Motorists may want to consider alternate routes around these areas if they are not coming in for the festival.
On Friday Dec. 7: Parking on Main Street between Jefferson and VanBuren in downtown will be prohibited due to Main Street closure. Parking will be available in the surrounding downtown parking lots, Oswego Community Bank and at Oswego Village Hall.
Don't miss out on a thing during the holiday weekend in Oswego!
- Check out the line-up for the Christmas Walk
- Home for the Holidays at Mason Square


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Marshall Point Lighthouse with great clouds in the background
In this issue: Summer Off the Beaten Path
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TRAVERSE CITY — Hard apple cider isn't wine. And it's definitely not beer. Yet it's grabbing attention from enthusiasts on both sides of the great libation divide.
The oft-bubbly, sometimes sweet drink is brewed from fresh apple cider pressed by small producers across the country. Its characteristics are described in language familiar to wine lovers. And it's sold by the "flight" in taprooms that resemble those offered in microbreweries.
"It's made like a wine and drank like a beer," said Jennifer Mackey, director and sales manager at Northern Natural Cider House. "Slowly, over a couple of years, hard cider started showing up all over."
Since March 2013, the small Manistee-based company has operated a cider house in downtown Traverse City. It couldn't have been better timing to dive head first into an industry that has ridden a recent meteoric rise in popularity.
Today, cider fans who belly up to the Front Street bar have a chance to sip on 10 different ciders that range from a dry, English-style traditional brew, to a sweeter ones that feature pomegranate and orange infusions.
"About three years ago it grew 75 percent and last year it grew at least 85 percent," said Mike Beck, president of the U.S. Association of Cider Makers and owner of Uncle John's Cider Mill in St. Johns. "I wouldn't be surprised if we had the entire market growing at 100 percent this year."
The apple brew is created under the same licensing used by wine makers, so it's become a popular sideline business for some in the grape world, Beck said.
Recent spikes in enthusiasm for hard ciders helped Michigan market more brands of hard cider than any other state last year despite its third-place ranking for overall apple production in the United States. Sure there are a couple of big corporate producers like Woodchuck and Angry Orchard, but in the most ground breaking work probably is done by the small producers, like the handful who've made northwestern Michigan home.


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Cobra Slip-On Slashcuts - Honda VTX1300C (04 - 09)
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Reviewed for: 2004 1300 VTX1300C
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Overall Rating: 4
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Would buy again: yes
Happy with sound: 4
Review Summary:
Install took about 2 hours. I'm not mechanic but it was easy enough. Could have been easier with better directions. Sounds great. Not too loud when cruising, but barks loud when give it some gas. The negative is that they're not as secured to the bike as the stock mufflers, but they look and sound great and half the price of new pipes and no rejet needed!! My 2004 VTX C finally sounds like a real bike!!
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On January 28 2012,the UFC comes to the United Center in Chicago Illinois for the UFC on Fox 2.A contest between Lavar Big Johnson & Joey The Mexicutioner Beltran interests me.Not because i will be seeing the future UFCheavyweight champion,or a display of great tight technique on the ground or standing.Rather,because both these guys know only one way to fight.They punch until there is nobody standing in front of them to punch.There is a degree of honesty in the way they fight,its plain and simple.There is no sugar coating,where they lack technique,they more then make up for it in the heart department.
Joey Beltran must certainly be the favourite in this match vs Johnson.This will be Beltran's 7th fight under the UFC banner.Having gone 3-3 in the UFC,2 wins by TKO and 1 by Unanimous Decision.While all 3 losses have come via Unanimous Decision.Submissions are not a part of his game,having only 1 win via submission.While having pretty good submission deffence,only being forced to tap 1 time against KOTC champ Tony Lopez.The Mexicutioner has faced stronger opposistion,has UFC experience, big heart,and most valuable a very good chin.Will these factors be enough to get the win?
Lavar Johnson should be the underdog in his UFC debut.While fighting under the Strikeforce banner he went3-2.All 3 wins coming via KO or TKO.Now riding a 2 fight losing streak,both losses coming by submission.3 out of 5 of his losses having come by submission,which seems to be the weak part of his game.While having pretty descent power,his chin is a little suspect.This could be a tough fight for the debuting Johnson.He has faced weaker opposition,will battle UFC jitters,and posesses a questionable chin.These factors represent a mountain ahead for Johnson,will he find a way to conquer this quest?
This fight may or may not last very long,but while it does last there will be 2 guys in the middle of the octagon throwing haymakers with very bad intentions,until cardio comes into play.Then and only then might and i do stress might we see a possible submission attempt.


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Aeroxchange is a large, global supply chain conducting business in several languages and across multiple time zones. They needed a collaboration platform that is easy to maintain, exists in the cloud and would allow them to create multiple networks, each with its own needs regarding privacy and security.
Using BroadVision Clearvale, Aeroxchange has seen a boost in the quality of specs generated within several design communities, the ability to stimulate vibrant information-sharing across different groups, and the ability to collaborate on complex timelines set by airlines in the ecosystem.
About Aeroxchange
Aeroxchange provides supply chain collaboration solutions to maximize efficiency across the complex aviation supply chain. As an open, neutral platform, it provides a seamless means for electronic commerce and procurement solutions between the world's largest airlines and suppliers within the industry. For more information about Aeroxchange, visit aeroxchange.com


text: Gabriel Noone, a popular gay New York City radio show host, is dealing with a separation from his partner Jess. Noone is given a memoir written by teenager Peter Logand, who chronicles the many years of incest, child molestation, and rape he suffered at the hands of his parents and their friends. Diagnosed with AIDS, the youth has been adopted by the social worker who handled his case. Noone begins a telephone relationship with the boy and his mother Donna. He and Peter become increasingly close and form a father/son relationship, much to the dismay of Jess, especially after he speaks to Donna and suspects she and the boy are the same person. Noone's personal secretary Anna adds fuel to the fire by discussing her research into people who fabricate stories for attention or love. Determined to prove the boy exists and his story is true, Noone decides to pay a surprise visit to him in his hometown in rural Wisconsin. Noone discovers the return address on Peter's correspondence is actually a mail drop. Soon after, while eating in a local diner, he overhears another patron and recognizes her voice as that of Donna. He's stunned to learn she's blind and uses a guide dog. Noone follows her home and Donna senses he has followed her. She invites him into her home and talks openly about Peter, who she says is currently in the hospital undergoing tests. She assures him he can visit the boy the following day, then suddenly becomes angry and tells him she will not allow him to meet her son. Increasingly suspicious, Noone contacts all the hospitals in Madison, the site of the nearest facilities, but none have the boy registered as a patient. Gabriel's paranoia about the boy's existence grows and, hoping to find proof of his existence, he breaks into Donna's home. A police officer arrests him for breaking and entering and then, mistakenly believing he's a child molester from the boy's past, severely attacks him with a stun baton before taking him to the station. Noone convinces the police he meant no harm and is released, only to find Donna waiting for him with the news Peter has died and was staying in a Milwaukee hospital not one in Madison. Distressed that Noone isn't believing her, Donna collapses in the middle of a road and tries to hold him with her in the path of an oncoming truck. Her attempt to take their lives confirms Noone's suspicion that the boy is a figment of the deranged woman's imagination. Gabriel then shows up at a motel Donna was checking out of, since she moved everything out of her home before police could question her, and he uncovers a stuffed animal under a blanket. He plays a video tape of the suspected child, who could have been anyone (as stated by Jess in the scene that follows), while the phone rings. The caller claims to be the boy and is waiting for his mother at the airport. Gabriel asks some questions after finding out his mother lied about his death, but the caller says she/he has to go after Gabriel asked what happened in Donna's past and how she became blind. Gabriel returns to Manhattan and uses his experience to create The Night Listener, a new radio story. In the final scene, we see Donna searching for a new home in a coastal town, telling the Realtor she needs it for herself and her sick child, who has just lost his leg but will be released the next day. She has drastically changed her appearance and notably is no longer in need of a guide dog. Note: While passing Gabriel at the motel as he hid in the dark, she looks in his direction. Although blind people may have additional heightened senses, this signified before the end of the movie (the final scene) that she wasn't really blind as well and could see him all along (another ploy for attention).


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Characteristics of Turkish Style
Turkish style belly dance, also called Rakass, is quite different from other belly dance styles and it is closer to its Romany (Gypsy) heritage than Egyptian and Lebanese styles. Overall, Rakass is a very dynamic, energetic and even athletic cabaret style.
Turkish belly dance movements
Turkish belly dancing is flamboyant and dynamic. Its movements are higher, faster and lighter than other styles, such as Egyptian baladi, for example, as the 'tak' in Turkish rhythm is more frequent than in Egyptian rhythms. Hence, the predominant hip movement is the hip lift, rather then the hip drop. Also, in Turkish belly dance, movements are large and leaps and floorwork are common.
Two famous Turkish style belly dance moves are the Turkish backbend and Turkish drop.
Turkish style belly dance costumes
Turkish style costumes are some of the most revealing of the cabaret style. The belt is often worn high up on the waist, with split skirts (Buy Skirts) which expose the entire leg. Turkish belly dancers often wear high heel shoes, in order to emphasise their movements.
Turkish style belly dance music and rhythms
The rhythms of Turkish belly dance music can be fast and repetitive. Some of the most used rhythms in Turkish belly dance include chiftetelli and the karsilama (also known as kashlimar)
Turkish instrumentation also varies from that of Egyptian music. The bouzouki is played instead of the oud; more wind instruments are used, such as the clarinet, and the Turkish drum (equivalent of the tabla) is called dumbek.
(Article Courtesy of: www.worldbellydance.com)


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Quotes by Earl Wilson
Middle age: Later than you think, and sooner than you expected.
- Earl Wilson
Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death.
- Earl Wilson
Gossip is when you hear something you like about someone you don't.
- Earl Wilson


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Matt Prater
Fantasy Football: Top 12 Kickers To Draft
Here's the deal with kickers. You're not drafting one until the last round. Here's our top 12 kickers to draft.
Fantasy Football: Top 10 NFL Kickers
Outside of a few players, a kicker's fantasy success depends more on his team than his talent. Here are the top 10 kickers.
Dolphins Lose 18-15 In Overtime To Broncos
A nail-biter overtime loss mean it's 0-6 for the Miami Dolphins. For 54 minutes, Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos couldn't score. Then they couldn't be stopped.


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Complaint # 10.2
NOTICE OF HEARING BY THE HEARING TRIBUNAL OF THE ALBERTA COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORKERS PURSUANT TO S. 77 OF THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS ACT, R.S.A. 2000, c. H-7
A was a registered social worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers ("ACSW") until the year 2008.
"A" failed to register as a registered social worker with the ACSW for the year 2009.
At all relevant times A was in a contract relationship with to provide professional services to employees.
A provided counseling service to a client, N, during the period June to October 2009. Specifically A undertook counseling services with N on June 30, July 6, July 30, August 9, August 15, August 21, September 24 and October 10, 2009. Appropriate records were maintained with respect to these counseling sessions.
In or about early January of 2010, N contacted A for the purposes of obtaining a further appointment with respect to ongoing personal issues. An appointment was arranged for January 5, 2010.
On January 5, 2010, A met with N for the purposes of providing professional social work services. Subsequent to that counselling session, A made specific overtures to N as follows:
N's response to the overtures of A was to not have any further contact with him.
N reports that the conduct of A occurred at a time which she would describe at her "lowest" and had a significant impact on her ongoing ability to function. It caused her to be significantly distressed, and lose both time and benefits at her employment.
A acknowledges that he had previously hugged N after a counselling session.
A's contract subsequently terminated on or about January 15, 2010. This termination was as a result of his failure to register with the ACSW.
A acknowledges that his conduct was inappropriate and occurred as a result of attempting to assist N when her Employee Assistance Benefits which may have ceased and the result of considering the client to be in similar circumstances as his daughter.
A acknowledges he failed to register with the ACSW for the period 2009 when he was providing professional social work services.
After A's contract was terminated, he ceased practice as a social worker until such time as the matters with respect to this complaint were resolved with the College. This in effect has resulted in A ceasing to practice social work for a period of approximately 9 months.
That A attempted to have a personal relationship with "N" and made overtures to her as follows:
Such conduct contravenes section 132 of the Standards of Practice and section 4 of the Code of Ethics and consequently such conduct constitutes unprofessional conduct.
Failure to Register
That A failed to register with the ACSW for the period 2009 when he was providing professional social work services.
Such conduct contravenes sections 155 d and e of the Standards of Practice and section 4 of the Code of Ethics and consequently such conduct constitutes unprofessional conduct.
It is acknowledged by A and the ACSW that his conduct as described in the Agreed Statement of Facts constitutes unprofessional conduct.
The ACSW and A agree that there shall be no appeal from this Order notwithstanding s. 87 of the Health Professions Act, R.S.A. 2000, c H‑7.
The ACSW and A jointly submit that the appropriate sanctions in the circumstances of this matter are as follows:
- A reprimand
- That you submit to a wellness exam by a mental health practitioner (physician, psychologist or social worker approved by ACSW). The examination shall be your responsibility. Any records and a report prepared by the practitioner undertaking the examination shall be consented to be released to the ACSW. You will be required to complete any recommended counseling or therapy or treatment as required pursuant to the wellness exam. You will incur the cost of any treatment required.
- Upon recommencing the practice of Social Work you shall practice under the supervision of an individual outside of your employment or contract provision services. The supervision shall continue for a one year period. The cost of the supervision shall be your responsibility. The emphasis of this supervision shall be on your relationship with clients and issues of transference, in addition to any other issues the supervisor may deem appropriate. The individual providing supervision shall be approved by the ACSW. The terms of the supervision shall be agreed upon between yourself and your supervisor.
- You shall undertake further personal counseling by an individual approved by the ACSW for a minimum period of six months with attendance on at least a once monthly basis. The cost of this counseling shall be your responsibility. You shall consent to the release of any or all such records to the ACSW as required. The emphasis with respect to this counseling shall be on the issue of insight oriented counseling.
- You shall complete a course to be approved by the ACSW with respect to professional boundaries. This course is to be completed within one year of the date of this Order and the cost shall be your responsibility.
- You shall pay the costs for this matter in the amount of twenty five hundred ($2500.00) Dollars. This shall be paid within one year of this Order.
- There shall be a publication of this Consent Order on a no names basis.
- Members of the Hearing Tribunal took into consideration the fact that the member took responsibility for his actions. He demonstrated this by verbal admission to the matters presented before him and entering into a Consent Order. By acknowledging his inappropriate actions, a lengthy Hearing was avoided. If a Hearing was necessary then the member's former client would have been called to testify. This would have presented great anguish and distress to the client.
- A Hearing is costly and can be time consuming. By accepting the Consent Order, the Hearing Tribunal acknowledges that the member has saved considerable amounts of time and dollars in legal costs which the Alberta College of Social Workers would have incurred. It also dispelled the inconvenience of time and travel to witnesses who would have been asked to attend the Hearing.
- The Member has had a successful career as a Social Worker. He has not had previous complaints or disciplinary matters presented to him. Apart from this unfortunate incident, it appears that the member has provided significant services in a variety of areas throughout his multiple years as a social worker.
- Premeditation in this matter was not established. It would be difficult to determine if the events were premeditated without an admission to such. Without evidence to determine premeditation, the Hearing Tribunal was in agreement to accept this fact.
- It appeared that the member had some personal difficulties, which led him to be involved in these events. The Hearing Tribunal had concerns about the member returning to work as a Social Worker without resolving his personal issues. We agreed that personal counseling is a necessity to help him understand and resolve the issues about his former marriage. Without proper direction, it is possible that a similar situation may occur. For the sake of the clients he serves and the member himself, we hope to avoid similar events from occurring. The Hearing Tribunal supports that a wellness exam by a qualified practitioner be completed and approved by ACSW before the member returns to his practice.
- The Hearing Tribunal regarded the member's acceptance of these sanctions when we gave consideration to these matters.
Dated at the City of Edmonton, in the Province of Alberta, this 23rd day of September 2010
Hearing Tribunal of the Alberta College of Social Workers


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Where is the first place kids go when they get home from school? The kitchen. They rummage through the cupboards and refrigerator seeking a snack. The kitchen is not always the safest place if kids become ill from the food they eat. Children under age 15 are at a higher risk for foodborne illness as their immune system is not as developed as an adult's.
When heading to after-school snack time, kids can help prevent foodborne illness by following these guidelines:
• Place backpacks, books, and sports equipment on the floor, or designated area. They carry germs that we don't want on the table or counters where food is prepared.
"What'd life be without homegrown tomatoes, only two things that money can't buy, that's true love and homegrown tomatoes" (G.Clark 1983)
These song lyrics may reflect a Minnesotan's anticipation of the first "homegrown" tomato of the season! Tomatoes are the most popular home preserved food. The variety of preservation methods and the versatility of preserving tomato juice, salsa, jam, dry tomatoes, pickled green tomatoes, and more, make it a treasured treat of summer and beyond.
We think of tomatoes as "high acid", but research tells us that the acid varies by the variety, heat, moisture, soil, and ripeness. Current canning recommendations require that acid be added to (almost) all canned tomato products whether water bath processed or pressure canned.
So, when canning "plain" tomatoes:
• Quarts: add 2 Tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
• Pints: add 1 Tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid
Bottled lime juice can be used in exchange for bottled lemon juice. Tomato products like salsa may use vinegar to acidify and add flavor. Acid can be added directly to jars before filling or after filling, prior to applying the lid.
Home-canners have asked if heirloom tomatoes are acidic enough to be canned without adding acid. Horticulture researchers have concluded the acidity of heirloom tomato plants is no different from the non-heirloom varieties. In fact, there are some heirloom varieties that are more low-acid than hybrid varieties. As a result, the same recommendations apply for adding acid when canning heirloom tomatoes.
See University of Minnesota Extension for preserving tomatoes and salsa information at http://z.umn.edu/g38.
Are you planning to can green beans, carrots or beets? If so, know that safe home-canned vegetables require processing in a pressure canner.
The acidity in the food determines if fruits or vegetables are processed in a pressure canner or a boiling water bath canner. Low-acid vegetables and meats contain too little acidity to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum bacteria and must be pressure canned.
Botulism is a food poisoning most commonly found in improperly processed home canned vegetables, such as beets, peppers, carrots, green beans, and mushrooms, as well as other low-acid foods canned at home, including soups, meats, fish and poultry. Because these bacteria grow only in the absence of air, they are harmless on fresh foods.
It is sweet corn season in Minnesota – enjoy fresh corn on the cob, a summer tradition! Sweet corn is an excellent vegetable to store frozen. It is easy to freeze and produces a tasty, quality product when properly frozen.
When harvesting, do so early in the morning before the heat of the day. Plan to freeze the corn as soon as possible after harvest. Once husked, the ears are blanched in boiling water for four minutes followed by a complete cooling in ice water for about eight minutes. Drain and cut the kernels from the cob.
An electric knife is a handy tool for cutting off the kernels. Package the corn in freezer containers, leaving one-half inch headspace. Seal and freeze at 0°F or below to maintain quality frozen corn for up to one year.
Blanching, followed by chilling in ice water, are critical processes for producing quality frozen corn. The enzymes in corn need to be inactivated by blanching in boiling water for the recommended time prior to freezing to prevent loss of color, nutrients, flavor, and texture. The ice cold chilling process prevents the corn from becoming mushy because of overcooking the starch.
You can enjoy the great taste of summertime sweet corn all year long by following these simple, basic procedures for freezing vegetables.
Strawberries are being picked. Vegetables are ripening. The Minnesota food preservation season is starting. Canning, freezing, drying or pickling fruits and vegetables allows us to enjoy the bounty of summer for months to come. Whether you're making your first batch of salsa or you've been pressure canning green beans for years, you may have questions.
Where to go for answers? Call AnswerLine to ask a household expert questions about: Safely canning and freezing foods; cleaning stains and mildew from homes and clothes; and other household issues. AnswerLine is toll-free at (800) 854-1678 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1 to 4 p.m.


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Kitchen Appliances
Bunn 10-cup Black Professional Coffee Maker GRX-B$109.99
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Stainless steel tank
- Advanced sprayhead design
- Brewing system thermostat
- Vacation switch
- Hot water always available
Keurig Elite K45 Brewing System W/ Bonus 12 Pack 112276$109.99
The Elite Collection includes an Elite Brewing System and three boxes of K-Cup® portion packs: Caribou Blend Coffee, Newman's Own Organics® Special Blend Extra Bold Coffee, and Green Mountain Coffee® Breakfast Blend Coffee.
The Elite Brewing System brews a perfect cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa or iced beverage in under one minute at the touch of a button. With the choice of two cup sizes, the Elite brewer offers a removable drip tray to accommodate travel mugs. Plus, it includes a bonus 12 count K-Cup® variety box.
To view product reviews on products included in this bundle, please refer to the product pages.
- Automatic
- Choice of 2 cup sizes (8 oz. and 10 oz.)
- Removable 48 oz. water reservoir
- Quiet-Brew Technology®
- Energy Savings Mode – Auto Off
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- Power: 1,500 Watts
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- Weight: 12 lbs. empty
- Dimensions: 13.0"H x 9.8"W x 13.3"D
FoodSaver GameSaver Vacuum Packaging System FSGSSL2835-BUN$119.91
A great vacuum sealing system for the outdoorsman, the FoodSaver GameSaver Bronze Vacuum Packaging System seals and preserves everything from dried fruit to elk steaks! Durable enough to handle big jobs with ease, the GameSaver Bronze helps you prevent freezer burn and help your precious harvest taste fresh longer.
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FoodSaver FSGSSL-0300-000 GameSaver Pro Silver$149.91
Created with hunters, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts in mind, the FoodSaver GameSaver Vacuum Sealing System features an updated, rugged design with integrated carrying handle and large, rubberized buttons. This new design has intelligent sealing control, and includes a bonus 15-foot 12V power cord, extra large drip tray and built-in storage compartment. Preserve your prize game and prevent freezer burn.Features- 15' 12Volt Adapter Power Cord - Rugged Design with integrated carrying handle - Easy Lock & Latch operation with oversized rubberized buttons - Intelligent Repetitive Sealing - Built-in storage compartment for accessory hose storage Includes:- 1 FoodSaver Roll - 11 in. x 10 ft. (28 cm x 3 m) - 1 FoodSaver Roll - 8 in. x 10 ft. (20 cm x 3 m) - 5 FoodSaver Bags - Quart (.94 Liter) - 5 FoodSaver Bags - Gallon (3.8 Liters) - 12 Volt DC Adapter Cord - Accessory Hose / Hose Storage
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Bunn 10-cup White Professional Coffee Maker GRX-W$109.99
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Stainless steel tank
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- Brewing system thermostat
- Vacation switch
- Hot water always available
- Patented sprayhead design improves coffee flavor extraction
- Brews 10 cups of perfect coffee in 3 minutes
Excalibur 4 Tray Dehydrator 4 in. Fan 220 Watts 2400$129.97
Our economy model offers the same performance as our larger units at a value price point.
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Luma Comfort Portable Stainless Steel Ice Maker IM200SS$239.97
The Luma Comfort IM200SS Portable Clear Ice Maker is the ultimate luxury entertaining necessity for your home bar or kitchen. Producing up to 28 pounds of crystal-clear, restaurant-quality ice every 24 hours, the IM200SS features modern technology with a timeless style. Includes low water and full ice indicators, as well as an LED control panel.
- Plug & play operation
- No plumbing required
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Color: Stainless Silver w/ Black Top Dimensions: 11.3" x 14.8" x 14.1" Weight: 25.5 lbs. Power: 110V / 60 Hz / 130W Ice Making Capacity: 28 pounds daily Operating Cycle: 15 - 30 minutes Ice Type: Clear ice cubes Display Type: LED Alert Features: Low water & full ice Removable Ice Bin: Yes Includes: Ice maker, scoop & manual Warranty: 1 year


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By Konstantine Fekos
Meadville Tribune
The United Way of Western Crawford County will be brainstorming event ideas for the final push of its fundraising campaign, designed to benefit 16 nonprofit partner agencies and organizations.
Based in Meadville, the UW team is already on the fast track to reaching the 2012-13 campaign goal with approximately $239,000 out of $300,000, said Executive Director Amy Woods, who is confident her organization can close the gap by March 31.
"We're doing better, but it's a tough business raising money for our partner agencies," she said, hoping Meadville's charitable reputation will come through for the UW's unending mission to help Crawford County social and human service organizations.
Despite a sizable following, the United Way continues to reach out locally without so much as breaking stride on the campaign trail.
"We applied for a United Way allocation this fiscal year," said Patricia Henry, program director for the county's Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA).
CASA works to support and promote court-appointed volunteer advocacy to provide safe, permanent living environments for abused and neglected children.
"It's becoming more and more difficult to raise money through our past efforts," Henry added, citing CASA's annual Champions for Children Breakfast as an example.
Through the CASA board of directors and various local functions, Henry became acquainted with Woods, who encouraged the organization to apply for UW financial aid.
Henry hopes to utilize the extra funding to increase public awareness as well as recruit and train an additional volunteer.
"I've noticed, since becoming involved in human services, that there are a lot of nonprofits intent on meeting their goals," she said. "I would like to see more collaboration and communication between these organizations, and I believe the United Way could be the vehicle to integrate them."
Organizations like Meadville's Salvation Army and Hospice House of Crawford County can attest to the UW's long-term community benefit, having received funding for public service initiatives.
UW allocations help the Salvation Army pay rental, utility, prescription and other assistance for the area's needy.
"We're very grateful for them," said Captain Robin Holmes, Salvation Army corps officer and pastor. "That's money we don't get otherwise. We are then able to provide services that we need to."
Funding also supports Hospice bereavement services which sustain adult and teen/adolescent crisis teams that can mobilize at the drop of a hat, according to Gina McCauley, Hospice program director.
With at least 80 percent of the campaign goal realized, the UW is only two months away from realizing the goals of affiliate organizations, said Mari Mullen, campaign co-chair.
"The great thing about United Way is that even though it's a national organization, it's truly local; it helps local nonprofits," she said. "We'll be sitting down to schedule what the final push might be."
Donations to the 2012-13 campaign can be made by check to P.O. Box 554 Meadville, Pa. 16335 or online via credit card or Paypal account at UnitedWayWCC.org.
United Way of Western Crawford County agencies include:
American Red Cross
ARC of Crawford County
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Boy Scouts
Center for Family Services
Crawford County Coalition on Housing Needs
Community Health Services
Crawford County READ
Girl Scouts
Hospice of Crawford County
Keystone Blind Association
Meadville Area Free Clinic
Meadville Family YMCA
Women's Services
Salvation Army


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Monday, 1 March 2010
Elliot's clay characters hit the road
Adam Elliot at the opening of Mary and Max: The Exhibition
From Mount Waverley and New York to Melbourne and regional Victoria: Elliot's clay characters hit the road!
Victorian Arts Minister Peter Batchelor today joined Australian Centre for the Moving Image Director, Tony Sweeney, and Academy Award Winner® Adam Elliot in launching
Mary and Max: The Exhibition
, and announcing a tour of the exhibition to Victorian regional galleries.
The exhibition, which opens to the public on Tuesday 2 March, explores the creative and technical processes behind the acclaimed Australian animation by showing a selection from the thousands of items created for the film alongside imagery from the finished product.
Mr Batchelor, in his first engagement with ACMI since taking up the portfolio, was today full of praise for the centre.
"I've long been an admirer of ACMI and it is a delight to now be in a position where I can work much more closely with Tony and the team in ensuring ACMI continues to be a key part of Melbourne's cultural landscape," he said.
"Adam has long been recognised as one of the world's finest animators and we're exceedingly proud to call him a local boy - and he is indeed, one of the city's leading practitioners within what is a thriving screen culture industry," said Mr Batchelor.
ACMI Director Tony Sweeney said that
Mary and Max: The Exhibition
has been designed to reveal the meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail which makes Elliot's first feature-length work so remarkable.
"This exhibition aims to illustrate to visitors the imagination, ingenuity and painstaking work that goes into a 92 minute stop-motion animation project like
Mary and Max
," he said. "We hope the exhibition will allow people to appreciate the finished product more fully and recognize the incredible artistry of Adam Elliot and his team."
"As a champion of Adam's work for many years, and a champion of claymation through our popular kids' workshops, ACMI is delighted to co-curate this show," said Tony.
Items on display include character models, as well as sets, props (such as vehicles, a phone box, Max's TV and more), conceptual sketches and storyboards. The exhibition will also feature stills and clips from the finished film, time-lapse sequences showing the animators at work, and behind-the-scenes footage shot for a making-of style 'mockumentary'.
Mary and Max
(2009) took five years to make, including one year of filming.
The director, writer and designer, Elliot has personally selected the figures, props and sets to include in this exhibition and hopes that visitors will enjoy this behind-the-scenes insight into his craft.
"The diversity and complexity of the sets for
Mary and Max
was extreme; everything from a desert island to a chocolate heaven needed to be made. The New York skyline set was the biggest and most time consuming and took two months to complete by the entire art department crew of twenty people," he said. "So it's nice to be able to 'lift the veil' on the whole process for ACMI visitors."
Since the completion of the film, a small selection of these items have been displayed in Paris. Now, with the support of the State Government through Arts Victoria, ACMI will take the exhibition on the road to galleries throughout regional Victoria in 2010 and 2011. Details will be announced by the Minister later this week.
"The people of regional Victoria will be able to explore a filmmaking technique that is extremely popular yet little explored within a gallery context, providing a highlight in their respective cultural calendars," said Mr Batchelor.
As with Elliot's previous works, which he describes as 'clayographies' (clay animated biographies),
Mary and Max
chronicles two simultaneous life stories. Spanning 20 years and 2 continents,
Mary and Max
tells of a pen-pal relationship between two very different people: Mary Dinkle (voiced by Toni Collette with Bethany Whitmore as young Mary), a chubby, lonely 8-year-old living in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia; and Max Horowitz (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a severely obese, 44-year-old Jewish man with Asperger's Syndrome living in the chaos of New York City.
Mr Batchelor recounting the film remarked; "One of the most charming things about the film was its marvelous Melbourne-ness. The care and obvious fondness with which Adam and his team so lovingly recreated Melbourne's suburbia was clear for all to see."
Elliot is a celebrated independent animator. His short films,
(1999) and
Harvie Krumpet
(2003), have participated in over five hundred film festivals and won over one hundred awards, including in 2004 the Oscar® for Best Animated Short Film for Harvie Krumpet, the statuette and figure of which have been on display at the centre ever since. They now reside in ACMI's free permanent exhibition,
Screen Worlds: The Story of Film, Television & Digital Culture
. His short films are available to view on-demand in the Australian Mediatheque, ACMI's new screen culture resource centre founded in partnership with the National Film and Sound Archive in 2009.
Mary and Max
, Elliot's debut feature with longtime collaborator producer Melanie Coombs, enjoyed its world premiere as the opening night film of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and has since screened at film festivals the world over, winning several coveted awards including Best Animation at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, the Inside Film Award for Best Production Design and numerous others.
Mary and Max: The Exhibition
, in ACMI's Gallery 2, opens 2 March for a strictly limited season until 6 June 2010. Entry is free.
Further information
Claire Butler
Communications Coordinator
[direct phone] 61 3 8663 2415 [fax] 61 3 8663 2498 [mobile] 0434 603 654
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It is September and we seem to be transitioning into the time when temperatures are cooler and growth of warm season lawns has slowed down. It's tempting to put away the lawn mower and forget about your lawn for the winter, but wait! There is one more task you need to take care of within the next two weeks, before you put your lawn care chores to bed for the season. It is time to put out your pre-emergent weed killer for winter and early spring weeds.
Now you might be thinking, "What? Why should I worry about spring weeds right now?" Because right now is the best time to prevent big weed infestations and reduce your use of herbicides in the spring. You will get better control and more bang for your buck with pre-emergent weed control products than you will
if you wait until March and April, when weeds are larger, harder to kill and have set a new crop of seeds that will keep you in weeds for years to come.
You know what I'm talking about. Those purple-flowered henbit weeds invade and turn your whole lawn weedy before it has a chance to even green up. Not to mention chickweed, hairy bittercress and a slew of other winter annual weeds that are nearly impossible to kill once you notice them in March. They start germinating much earlier than you notice them!
Some things to remember:
1. READ THE ENTIRE LABEL: When it comes to any pesticide, the label is the law. It provides you with instructions for how to apply the herbicide, what safety equipment you need, what type grasses it is safe on and what weeds it will control.
2. Pre-emergent weed killers are safe on well-established lawns, but you should not use them on newly established grasses or on lawns you plan to reseed or overseed this fall. They will prevent your grass seed from growing just like they do the weed seeds.
3. Pre-emergent weed killers will not kill existing weeds. They work when they are taken up by tiny plants that have just germinated from seed and prevent them from growing to maturity. Your summer annual weeds will be gone as soon as it gets really good and cold (but consider a spring application for summer annual weeds next year).
4. Read and follow ALL label instructions: The label is the law. Oh, did I already say that? Well, that just goes to show how important it is.
Put your pre-emergent herbicide application out between now and Oct. 1 for best results. You can learn about other lawn management chores that you can mark on your calendar at the University of Georgia Turfgrass Website's publication: Turfgrass Management Calendar for Georgia. Timing is everything and the time for weed control is now!
For more information on lawn and gardening topics, contact Paulding County UGA Cooperative Extension at 770-443-7616 or look for us online at www.ugaextension.com/paulding.


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It was inevitable that the Journal News' irresponsible act of publishing a searchable mapped database of registered gun owners in metropolitan New York would lead to targeted crime. What wasn't certain was if the crimes would involve burglars looking for handguns or residents who are not registered gun-owners robbed by armed assailants.
Maybe both will happen due to the Journal News' supposed act of journalistic bravado. But the first plausible connection to the searchable database is the case of a burglary victim in White Plains, New York.
Newsday published a story that a law-abiding gun owner's home was burglarized after his address was pinpointed on the Journal News' public searchable database. The targeted item? The owner's gun, which was locked in a gun safe.
Via Newsday:
A White Plains residence pinpointed on a controversial handgun permit database was burglarized Saturday, and the burglars' target was the homeowner's gun safe.
At least two burglars broke into a home on Davis Avenue at 9:30 p.m. Saturday but were unsuccessful in an attempt to open the safe, which contained legally owned weapons, according to a law enforcement source. One suspect was taken into custody, the source said.
Does that make the Journal News an accessory to crime? The question is rhetorical, since nearly everyone in the reporting business values First Amendment free speech rights (just like gun owners value Second Amendment rights). Yet it should make writers pause when they are putting out sensitive public information like gun ownership about unknowing citizens, who don't have armed guards like the Journal News' writers or Hollywood celebrities do.
Gawker doubled down on the Journal News' stupidity by publishing a searchable database of New York City's registered gun owners. But why should radical left-wing activists care about what damage they do to ordinary citizens? Isn't their worldview mainly about avoiding personal responsibility, and that it's society or even inanimate objects' fault?
[Read "Idea for Mainstream Media: Publish Names & Addresses of Non-Gun Owning Journalists."]
H/T SooperMexican


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You are currently browsing the Merrick Design & Build Inc. blog archives
for October, 2010.
Check out the "Community Spirit" post on the "daily 5 Remodel" blog regarding our recent project with Rebuilding Together and Choice Hotels.
Thank you to Leah Thayer for posting this.
David Merrick
Tags: Choice Hotels, Montgomery County, Rebuilding Together Posted in Community Involvement, Inside Merrick | No Comments »
The Strasser Ktichen Project entailed a complete renovation of the existing eat-in kitchen, and included the creation of a passage to the dining room and replacement of the skylights. New cabinets, countertops, appliances and lighting were installed.
View some before and after photos on our Facebook page by clicking here.
Tags: Bethesda, Facebook, Kitchen Remodel, Photos Posted in Current and Past Projects | No Comments »
If you're thinking about buying a new home, which may need remodeling, consider a pre-purchase evaluation. An evaluation can clarify the feasibility of making the purchase and can help you explore:
During our pre-purchase evaluations, we discuss a range of remodeling ideas and scenarios, inspect structural conditions and provide ballpark estimates for rooms like the kitchen and baths (whole house remodels require more in-depth evaluations and number crunching).
An important item to highlight is that our evaluations do not substitute for a home inspections. You'll still need to have a qualified home inspector poke around when you decide purchase.
And, while we're on the subject of home inspections, I also recommend having a home energy audit prior to purchasing a home. Pepco offers information about energy audits, which can be found here.
If you have any questions about pre-purchase evaluations or would like to schedule one, contact me today at 301-946-2356 or email@example.com.
Tags: buying a new home, pre-purchase evaluations Posted in NARI, Rules and Regulations | No Comments »
Below is a link to a blog post regarding the new lead paint rule, which is posted on the Consumer Reports Home & Garden Blog. The writer shares information about the extended deadline for contractors who still need to receive training to be compliant with this new standard and also includes my view of what the EPA should be doing to raise public awareness on this matter.
If you have any questions about the new lead paint rule, please contact me at 301-946-2356.
Tags: New Lead Paint Rule Posted in Rules and Regulations | No Comments »


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With all Burr-Brown DAC's and Yamaha Cinema DSP 3D processing the RX-V775WA 7.2 channel network AV receiver is poised for maximum audio performance. Additional convenient functions include MHL® (Mobile High-Definition Link), AirPlay® and music streaming services, all controllable through Yamaha's free AV Controller App. Front panel connection and charging for your iPod®/iPhone®/iPad® is provided, as well as wireless capability via included YWA-10 Wi-Fi adapter. App controllable independent powered Zone 2 for whole home audio enjoyment. Advanced HDMI functions include dual HDMI outputs for Zone B video operation as well as 4K video pass-through and up scaling from analog or HDMI sources.
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He never expected it – but Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian has one more reason to be proud of his Armenian heritage.
For his work to benefit the Armenian community, Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian recently received a prestigious medal from the President of Armenia. Approximately 33,000 Armenians live in Massachusetts, with Watertown having the third largest Armenian-American community in the country, according to Gov. Deval Patrick's Office.
"At first, I was stunned, because I didn't expect it," Koutoujian, a Waltham resident, told Waltham Patch. "This is only once in a lifetime."
On Dec. 12, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan presented Koutoujian, who has Armenian roots, with the Mkhitar Gosh Medal for his work in diplomacy, political science law and politics, according to the information provided by the Armenian Embassy through the Sheriff's office. The medal is named after Mkhitar Gosh, a 12th century Armenian scholar and writer. The President of Armenia chooses the medal's recipients.
Koutoujian said he was surprised but honored to receive the award. Koutoujian and Sargsyan were walking through the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Cambridge when suddenly Sargsyan told the sheriff he had a gift for him. Sargsyan presented the medal and let the moment settle.
"I had no idea they were going to give me this medal," Koutoujian said.
Koutoujian said he was honored to receive such a prestigious honor, of which he said has its roots in the Armenian constitution.
The award exhibits the work the Armenian community has done to preserve Armenian history, Koutoujian said.
Koutoujian has done a lot of work to help preserve Armenian history. In addition to attending many events marking Armenian history, Koutoujian, during his time as a state representative, pushed for the construction of the Armenian Heritage Park on the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston. The park sits across from Hanover Street near the edge of the North End neighborhood and features sculptures and a reflecting pool, according to its website.
Starting in 2000, Koutoujian started efforts to secure $6 million for the park, which is dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide and all Armenians that have immigrated to the United States.
"It's a gift from the Armenian American community," he said. "It's one of the most spectacular things."
Koutoujian's work for Armenia is rooted in his family's connections to the country. His grandparents, natives of Armenia, escaped the Armenian Genocide. The genocide left 2 million Armenians living in their historical homeland of Turkey, dead, according to the United Nations. The genocide occurred between and 1915 and 1918.
Koutoujian, who has visited Armenia twice, plans to keep up his pro-Armenian work. He said he wants to keep working to preserve the history of the genocide and educate more people about it.
"It's really about helping out Armenia too," Koutoujian said.
With Armenia in "a very difficult spot" economically, Koutoujian said it crucial to keep working for Armenia causes.
"It's important for us to continue to strengthen them economically," Koutoujian said.


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It messed with my mind a bit.
Divorcing his broken @ss
I will read the thread already started.. thanks
me: 48
him: 51
4 kiddos in lower 20's
Slide the weight from your shoulders and move forward. You are afraid you might forget, but you never will. You will forgive and remember."


text:
Staff Writer
Cydney Baron
Pryor Police and Fire Departments responded to a Silver Alert Wednesday after 78-year-old Charles Armes "escaped" from Colonial Terrace Nursing Home.
Reports say Armes left the nursing home around 1:15 a.m. Mayes County Emergency Management and Sheriff's Office assisted in the search and the man was found several hours later, soaking wet from the storms. He was found on Fairland Street, two blocks from the nursing home. Authorities say he was disoriented and confused when they found him but he was otherwise unharmed.
Reports show that Armes has dementia and schizophrenia. Once he was returned to the nursing home, Armes was checked out by a doctor who says he is doing fine.
"I cannot say enough good things about the community, everyone came together to help," said Jodi Coatney of Colonial Terrace. "The police department, fire department, sheriff's office and emergency management all helped out. Even construction workers and truck drivers were helping look for him."
Coatney said she is amazed at the compassion and support for the missing man.
"Mr. Armes is safe and sound. We are very blessed to have everyone's help," said Coatney.


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Spam masquerading as Twitter e-mails lead to phishing, malware
E-mail inboxes are getting hit this week with spam campaigns that appear to be legitimate Twitter messages but which lead to malware and phishing sites, security firms warned on Wednesday.
Some e-mails masquerade as messages from Twitter's customer support team warning the recipient that the site has detected an attempt to steal the Twitter account password and prompting the recipient to click on a link to download a "secure module" to protect the account, according to Vietnamese antivirus firm Bkis and Trend Micro.
If the link is clicked on a Trojan horse designed to target Windows will … Read more


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These combined shows offer the broadest exposure to the foundation and the future of the entire specialty fabrics industry.
Be part of the future of specialty fabrics, share your knowledge and strengthen your presence.
The comprehensive program offers insight into growth areas and trends.
Programming Begins
Oct. 13 | Advanced TextilesOct. 14 | Specialty Fabrics


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Give us a chance and we will prove our efficiency!
Official Google Blog: Supercharging Android: Google to Acquire Motorola Mobility
Big news! Google is acquiring Motorola Mobile. Yes this is about patents, but it could be good in other ways too.
Using Git on GoDaddy's SSH-Enabled Virtual Webhosts
Recently I've switched to using Git for version control for my day-to-day projects. I also finally got around to updating the website theme. This brings me to the point of the post.
I've been using GoDaddy's virtual web hosting, no this isn't a GoDaddy plug, I could take them or leave them. After enabling the SSH feature through the control panel so I didn't have to deal with ftp I quickly decided that it was time to use Git. The problem is that GoDaddy doesn't support Git on their virtual webhosting service.
So the following is a list of steps to get everything setup.
- Statically compile Git
- Install Git on virtual web hosting
- Setup ssh
- Git workaround for pull, push, fetch
Statically Compile Git
1) Find a 32bit linux box to use for this step. The virtual host I used was 32bit based. I believe all of their virtual hosts are 32bit based, but you can verify by running:
$ uname -m i686
2) Download the latest version of Git source. Create a directory to contain the compiled binaries.
$ tar -jxvf git-1.7.6.tar.bz2 $ mkdir ~/git-scm $ cd git-1.7.6 $ ./configure --prefix=~/git-scm CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -static"
3) Compile and install git into ~/git-scm.
$ make $ make install
4) Package the statically compiled Git for install on the GoDaddy virtual host.
$ cd ~/ $ tar -jcvf git-static-1.7.6.tar.bz2 ~/git-scm
Setting up SSH and installing Git
1) Creating an ssh public / private keypair is not required, but makes it easier to use git commands if you don't have to enter your password each time a remote command is run.
# On your local system $ ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 2048 -C "myid@goDaddy" Generating public/private rsa key pair. Enter file in which to save the key (/Users/abrons/.ssh/id_rsa): Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): Enter same passphrase again: Your identification has been saved in /Users/abrons/.ssh/id_rsa. Your public key has been saved in /Users/abrons/.ssh/id_rsa.pub. The key fingerprint is: ...
2) Log into your GoDaddy account and setup the RSA public key for password-less authentication.
# SSH to GoDaddy Host $ mkdir ~/.ssh $ cd ~/.ssh $ vi authorized_keys # Copy the contents of local system firstname.lastname@example.com into authorized_keys $ chmod 600 authorized_keys $ chmod 700 ~/.ssh
3) Configure local system ssh client to connect as you with using a host alias.
$ cd ~/.ssh $ vi config # Put the following in your config file change "myhost" and "myid" with your # GoDaddy host and userid Host myHostAlias HostName myhost User myid IdentityFile ~/.ssh/myid@goDaddy
Install Static Git
1) Use secure copy to copy the git-static-1.7.6.tar.bz2 tarball to the GoDaddy virtual web host and install.
# From local system $ scp ~/git-static-1.7.6.tar.bz2 myhost:
2) SSH to your goDaddyHost and install the git binaries.
$ ssh myHostAlias $ tar -jxvf git-static-1.7.6.tar.bz2 $ vi ~/.bash_profile # Add the git binaries to your execute path # Find the line that has "PATH=" or add one PATH=${PATH}:${HOME}/git-scm/bin
3) Example git repository of GoDaddyHost/html
$ ssh myHostAlias $ cd ~/html $ git init # NOTE: Do NOT do the following if you plan to make changes to ~/html locally # instead create a bare git repository that both GoDaddy and your local system # push and pull to/from. $ git config receive.denyCurrentBranch ignore
4) From your local system clone the myHostAlias(GoDaddyHost) html git repository. You'll notice the "-u", this is required because GoDaddy does not allow you to override the PATH variable for a non-interactive ssh session such as git over ssh.
$ git clone -u /home/content/a/d/a/myid/git-scm/bin/git-upload-pack myHostAlias:html
5) Setting up Git paths for push, pull, and fetch on GoDaddyHost. On the local system cloned repository.
# Replace "/home/content..." with the FULLPATH on your GoDaddyHost to the git-upload-pack binary $ git config remote.origin.uploadpack /home/content/a/d/a/myid/git-scm/bin/git-upload-pack # Replace "/home/content..." with the FULLPATH on your GoDaddyHost to the git-receive-pack binary $ git config remote.origin.receivepack /home/content/a/d/a/myid/git-scm/bin/git-receive-pack
Ubuntu 11.04 – Hints and Tips on Upgrading
This is a work in progress so bare with me, but as I find things that I miss about 10.10, can't stand with 11.04, etc. I'll post a link or a description here.
For now the best resource I've found is this site for making 11.04 usable if you're not feeling very "United".
Here's a couple of Highlights:
- Fix the plymouth boot screen when using proprietary graphic drivers
- Udev Notify
- Disable the "resize grip" in Ubuntu 11.04
- 10 Things to do after installing Natty
JClassType Breaking Change in 2.0
JClassType *(metaData) methods are deprecated and return empty Strings. Found this out the hardway. JClassType now implements HasAnnotations and therefore can retrieve a real annotation instead of having to using a JavaDoc style annotation for specifying information about a class/interface to the GWT Generator.
Logical Volume Management (LVM): Tips
lvcreate -L <Size>G -n <name> <volume_group>
lvremove <lv device name>: lvremove /dev/mapper/vg01-uec
The following commands will resize an ext2, ext3, or ext4 filesystem running on LVM while it is mounted:
$ sudo lvresize -L +XXG <path to fs device> $ sudo resize2fs <path to fs device>
iPhone/iPad Video Streaming and Conversion with Linux
Being a fairly content user of the iPad in general, I decided to explore what other offerings where available on the web regarding video streaming and conversion. Upon first glance, I located AirVideo, a $3 app on the iPad with a Lite version available that limits the number of files that can be listed for streaming/conversion.
The application requires a server-side component to re-encode the video format. Luckily, that part is free, and rightfully so as further digging and simple monitoring of the raw output of the file revealed a heavy reliance on an inherent component of many linux environments, ffmpeg. The application server does offer a few distinct user interface interactions that are still advantageous, but for the core process of conversion, if you don't prefer having your hand held, you could simply borrow their commands, though YMMV.
One thing that should be noted is that during the spin up of this solution, I had to hop through a few various hoops in order to get the server-side operating under Linux. I had to custom compile ffmpeg for the best performance, and the default Ubuntu libraries I had didn't cut it. I found the first set of instructions [here].
- Download "customized" ffmpeg binary from AirVideo server. [Download] [License]
- Add custom repository for [Stephane Marguet's PPA]
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:stemp/ppa
- Install required requisites for compilation of ffmpeg with appropriate options.
sudo aptitude install \
libmp3lame \
libfaad-dev \
libx264-dev \ (Stephane's PPA – 0.svn20100115-0.0)
mpeg4ip-server \
git-core \
- Build custom ffmpeg instance (downloaded in step 1), with specific compilation flags:
./configure \
–enable-pthreads \
–disable-shared \
–enable-static \
–enable-gpl \
–enable-libx264 \
–enable-libmp3lame \
–enable-libfaad \
- "Make" the new ffmpeg:
The server side appears to rely heavily on two primary commands to operate:
Live Conversion (Transcoding):
ffmpeg \
–conversion-id $hash_id \
–port-number 46631 \
-threads 4 \
-flags2 \
+fast \
-flags \
+loop \
-g 250 \
-keyint_min 25 \
-bf 0 \
-b_strategy 0 \
-cmp \
+chroma \
-deblockalpha 0 \
-deblockbeta 0 \
-refs 1 \
-coder 0 \
-me_range 16 \
-subq 5 \
-partitions \
+parti4x4+parti8x8+partp8x8 \
-trellis 0 \
-sc_threshold 40 \
-i_qfactor 0.71 \
-qcomp 0.6 \
-map 0.0:0.0 \
-map 0.1:0.1 \
-ss 0.0 \
-i $input_filename \
-cropleft 0 \
-cropright 0 \
-croptop 0 \
-cropbottom 0 \
-s 608×336 \
-aspect 1.8095238 \
-y \
-f mpegts \
-vcodec libx264 \
-bufsize 128k \
-b 1700k \
-bt 1800k \
-qmax 48 \
-qmin 2 \
-r 23.976 \
-acodec libmp3lame \
-ab 192k \
-ar 48000 \
-ac 2 \
Long Term Conversion:
ffmpeg \–conversion-id $hash_id \–port-number 46631 \-threads 4 \-flags2 \+fast \-flags \+loop \-g 250 \-keyint_min 25 \-bf 0 \-b_strategy 0 \-cmp \+chroma \-deblockalpha 0 \-deblockbeta 0 \-refs 1 \-coder 0 \-me_range 16 \-subq 5 \-partitions \+parti4x4+parti8x8+partp8x8 \-trellis 0 \-sc_threshold 40 \-i_qfactor 0.71 \-qcomp 0.6 \-map 0.0:0.0 \-map 0.1:0.1 \-ss 0.0 \-i $input_filename \-padleft 0 \-padright 0 \-padtop 0 \-padbottom 0 \-cropleft 0 \-cropright 0 \-croptop 0 \-cropbottom 0 \-s 608×336 \-aspect 1.8095238 \-y \-async 1 \-f h264 \-vcodec libx264 \-crf 27 \-qmax 27 \-r 23.976 \$output_filename.h264 \-f adts \-ar 48000 \-f wav \-ac 2 \-
Preparation Muxing:
mp4creator \
-create $output_filename.h264 \
-rate 23.976 \
-optimize $output_filename.m4v
Final Muxing:
mp4creator \
-create $output_filename.aac \
$output_filename.m4v \
It appears that with a few simple ffmpeg and mp4creator commands, we can generate the necessary files for play on our iPad/iPhones. I specifically broke these down into separate lines for easier reference and review. I will continue tweaking the application settings for conversion and monitor the resulting logs for additional details and update this point as the process continues. Currently, conversion quality is set at 85% and it took roughly 50 minutes (guesstimate) to convert a 2-hour film.
Customize FireFox3 URL Bar Style
One of the things that bothers me with Gnome themes in Linux. Recently I was checking out Slickness. I enjoy the "Darker" themes, but unfortunately it rendered the URL bar in FF3 nearly unusable. The text was a dark blue on a dark grey. The contrast to be able to read the URL bar was near impossible.
Being new to customizing FireFox I had to do a little research. The good news is that FireFox uses CSS so it was only a matter of knowing which classes to modify and where to put the CSS modifications.
The basics of creating FireFox customizations can be found at this write up on Mozilla's website. In addition to that the comments of $HOME/.mozilla/firefox/<insert goop>.default/chrome/userChrome.css where very helpful.
The following is a snippet from my userChrome.css file to make FireFox's URL bar look close to the default.
.ac-comment { font-size: 100% !important; color: #444444 !important; } .ac-comment[selected="true"] { color: #FFFFFF !important; } .ac-url-text { font-size: 100% !important; color: #000077 !important; } .ac-url-text[selected="true"] { color:#FFFFFF !important; }
I hope this helps, enjoy!
How to Change OpenLDAP RootDN Password
Here is an OpenLDAP quick tip to change the RootDN password via ldapmodify. This tip should work for most systems, but we used Ubuntu 10.04 and this guide for installing OpenLDAP.
The first thing you want to do is determine the DN (Distinguished Name) for the database that contains the RootDN password. To do this we used the following LDAP search command.
sudo ldapsearch -LLL -Y EXTERNAL -H ldapi:/// -b cn=config olcRootDN=cn=admin,dc=adac-solutions,dc=net dn olcRootDN olcRootPW
SASL/EXTERNAL authentication started SASL username: gidNumber=0+uidNumber=0,cn=peercred,cn=external,cn=auth SASL SSF: 0 dn: olcDatabase={1}hdb,cn=config olcRootDN: cn=admin,dc=adac-solutions,dc=net olcRootPW: {MD5}G7ANWX3yX2TWqZo6iaTK6w==
We've highlighted the DN for our LDAP database above as it will be needed for the ldapmodify command. Before we run our ldapmodify command we're going to use slappasswd to setup an encrypted password. We choose MD5 for our password encryption. Use the following command to generate a MD5 password to be used in OpenLDAP.
slappasswd -h {MD5} New password: Re-enter new password: {MD5}BNrIr+DKUBWHutZva1zlrQ==
We've highlighted the MD5 password you will need to paste into ldapmodify. The final step is to use ldapmodify to update the password.
sudo ldapmodify -Y EXTERNAL -H ldapi:/// SASL/EXTERNAL authentication started SASL username: gidNumber=0+uidNumber=0,cn=peercred,cn=external,cn=auth SASL SSF: 0 dn: olcDatabase={1}hdb,cn=config replace: olcRootPW olcRootPW: {MD5}BNrIr+DKUBWHutZva1zlrQ==
modifying entry "olcDatabase={1}hdb,cn=config"
The three lines above in bold must be typed by use. As you can see we used the DN we looked up earlier, dn: olcDatabase={1}hdb,cn=config, this tells ldapmodify with object we plan to modify. Next we enter replace: olcRootPW, this tells ldapmodify that we intend to replace the current value of olcRootPW attribute of object olcDatabase={1}hdb,cn=config. Finally we update the value of olcRootPW with our password generated by slappasswd.
GWT DevMode Command Line Arguments
I was setting up GWT 2.0.3 today and needed to know the command line arguments for the DevMode class and couldn't find them in any of the usual places. So in case anyone else needs them here you go.
Google Web Toolkit 2.0.3
DevMode [-noserver] [-port port-number | "auto"] [-whitelist whitelist-string] [-blacklist blacklist-string] [-logdir directory] [-logLevel level] [-gen dir] [-bindAddress host-name-or-address] [-codeServerPort port-number | "auto"] [-server servletContainerLauncher[:args]] [-startupUrl url] [-war dir] [-extra dir] [-workDir dir] module[s]
-noserver Prevents the embedded web server from running
-port Specifies the TCP port for the embedded web server (defaults to 8888)
-whitelist Allows the user to browse URLs that match the specified regexes (comma or space separated)
-blacklist Prevents the user browsing URLs that match the specified regexes (comma or space separated)
-logdir Logs to a file in the given directory, as well as graphically
-logLevel The level of logging detail: ERROR, WARN, INFO, TRACE, DEBUG, SPAM, or ALL
-gen Debugging: causes normally-transient generated types to be saved in the specified directory
-bindAddress Specifies the bind address for the code server and web server (defaults to 127.0.0.1)
-codeServerPort Specifies the TCP port for the code server (defaults to 9997)
-server Specify a different embedded web server to run (must implement ServletContainerLauncher)
-startupUrl Automatically launches the specified URL
-war The directory into which deployable output files will be written (defaults to 'war')
-extra The directory into which extra files, not intended for deployment, will be written
-workDir The compiler's working directory for internal use (must be writeable; defaults to a system temp dir)
module[s] Specifies the name(s) of the module(s) to host
In the Beginning
Finally ADAC Solutions, LLC has a website. The site is currently under construction and will be updated in the near future. Stay tuned for many good things to come.


text:
August 1, 2014
Odds are you have some at home - a game to play with friends or family.
Now imagine having so many, they become a collection - a collection so big it requires a spreadsheet to keep track of them all.
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text:
It may be that Traverse City residents will fall in love with the idea of erecting a 20-toot-tall brushed stainless steel sculpture of a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter at Front Street and Grandview Parkway as a way to celebrate that this is an official Coast Guard City.
Maybe they won't.
But unlike the shenanigans that surrounded an effort to install a 30-foot I-beam sculpture at the Open Space years ago, there is now a city policy in place that calls for a Parks and Recreation Commission review and a chance for public input.
That's as it should be. Unfortunately for the Coast Guard Committee, that news came late in the game.
Coast Guard committee members spent a year on the project and worked through the city manager, a member of the committee. But they just learned they were supposed to follow a policy that includes specific criteria.
About a year ago the committee suggested a sculpture of a helicopter be placed at the intersection to commemorate the city's designation as a Coast Guard City.
The committee held a contest for high school art classes to come up with a design. Fifteen drawings from Traverse City West Senior High school students were submitted and the committee chose a design by student Mallory Heiges of a helicopter hovering over a pool of water with a climbing ladder descending into the water.
When the committee took its proposal to the city's parks and recreation commission last week, however, parks committee members expressed concern that too few people are aware the statue would occupy one of the city's most prominent intersections.
And there may be competing plans. Parks commissioners said there are several redesign proposals for the intersection and most call for a monument of some kind.


text:
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center remains committed to providing the highest level of support to our wounded, ill and injured service members and their families. The Warrior Café will remain open and accept meal cards as well as continue to serve our wounded, ill and injured and their families until the foreseeable future, or until other support activities, appropriate to their needs are available on the medical campus.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is the Nation's Medical Center, proudly serving military beneficiaries in the Washington, D.C. area as well as those from across the country and around the globe. As the largest military medical center in the U.S., we are a tertiary care destination providing services in over 100 clinics and specialties. We are proud to be known as the first destination in the continental United States for caring for the wounded, ill and injured from global conflicts.Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) was established on November 10, 2011, as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Act, which consolidated National Naval Medical Center and Walter Reed Army Medical Center on the grounds of the former NNMC campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The Medical Center combines the proud history and commitment to excellence of these two great Navy and Army medicine icons. WRNMMC combines 170 years of providing outstanding compassionate care to war heroes and presidents alike.


text:
Come Tuesday at 7 p.m. it is all over but the shouting (and possibly the counting, which could go well into Wednesday in Florida). But just how loud is the shouting going to be?
The 2012 election season has been one of the most devisive on record according by most accounts.
Even the discussion here on Patch has gotten heated on many occasions. Those who support President Barack Obama are solid in their support of him. The same goes for those who support the challenger, Gov. Mitt Romney. But at least one set of supporters is going to come away disappointed.
The big question is, how is the country going to handle it? Usually there are threats by some that they will leave the country if their guy doesn't win. This year, however, there have even been threats of riots.
Will you accept the will of the people, settle down and give the president four more years if that is the outcome - even if you didn't vote for him?
If it goes the other way and you didn't vote for Romney, will you accept that the country is not prepared to give Obama another four years and that a new president is about to take the reigns?
What are you going to do if your guy doesn't win?


text:
By V. Phani Kumar, MarketWatch
HONG KONG (MarketWatch) — Chinese stocks retreated Thursday, prompting a pullback in some other Asian markets after data showing consumer prices rose more than expected.
The Shanghai Composite /quotes/zigman/1858913/delayed CN:000001 -1.56% dropped 0.6% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index /quotes/zigman/2622475/delayed HK:HSI -0.91% slipped 0.1%.
Government data released earlier in the day showed China's consumer price index rose 2.4% in April from the year-ago period, driven by food prices. The producer price index, which measures wholesale prices, dropped a sharper-than-expected 2.6%.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch China economist Ting Lu said that although consumer prices quickened, a steeper fall in wholesale prices during the month were likely to limit market reaction.
"Inflation pressure is quite low, and the room remains big for the new government to maintain relatively accommodative monetary and fiscal policies. However, we expect no additional stimulus, as growth could naturally recover a bit, and policy makers can tolerate a lower growth," Lu said.
Japan's Nikkei Stock Average /quotes/zigman/5986735/delayed JP:NIK -0.63% declined 0.7% and Australia's /quotes/zigman/1653884/delayed AU:XJO -1.36% ended marginally lower, with both benchmarks unable to hold on to early gains. Each had ended Wednesday at their highest level since June 2008.
The drop in Sydney came as monthly employment data showing the Australian economy added substantially more jobs than expected in April. The strong employment data raised doubts the central bank would lower interest rates further after trimming the benchmark cash rate Tuesday.
The Kospi /quotes/zigman/1652118/delayed KR:SEU -0.15% , meanwhile, climbed 1.2% after a surprise interest-rate cut by the Bank of Korea.
Most Asian markets had advanced in morning trade after U.S. and German equities climbed further into record territory, but couldn't hold on to those gains.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average /quotes/zigman/627449/realtime DJIA -0.42% and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index /quotes/zigman/3870025/realtime SPX -0.29% both ended at record highs in the U.S. on Wednesday, while the German benchmark index also finished at an all-time peak.
Samsung's 'good' problem
Samsung has an Apple-like problem of a growing cash stockpile. What will it do?
Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 were slightly lower in Asian afternoon trade, also giving up early advances.
Major movers
Chinese property developers fell after the inflation data. Gemdale Corp. /quotes/zigman/1867160/delayed CN:600383 +1.04% lost 2.7% in Shanghai, China Vanke Co.'s yuan-denominated A shares retreated 1.3% in Shenzhen, and China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd. /quotes/zigman/13931/delayed HK:0688 -2.31% /quotes/zigman/527919/delayed/quotes/nls/caovy CAOVY +3.19% shed 1.2% in Hong Kong.
"The question is whether this is a reflection of a wider slowing of the economy," said Andrew Sullivan, director of sales trading at Kim Eng Securities.


text:
Ballona Creek Renaissance hosted over 100 Employees this past Sun. April 27 at two separate venues, as part of the entertainment company's annual volunteer day.
Thirty Sony workers headed to 's Creekside Native Plant Learning Garden, while the remaining 70-plus employees headed downstream to Centinela Avenue to do a post-rain creek cleanup.
At the native plant garden, BCR's Jim Lamm, Amy Rosenstein, and Irene Reingold helped the Sony volunteers remove a large volume of unwanted invasive plants, and then planted an additional 32 native grasses and flowering shrubs.
The Sony group, which included Janice Pober, Lani Monos, Michelle Minyon, and Carol Reynolds, "not only did a very good and complete job, but they had a lot of fun doing it!," BCR founder Jim Lamm said.
Meanwhile downstream, BCR's Sandrine Cassidy Schmitt, David Valdez and Michele Bigelow oversaw the volunteer creek cleanup at the place where the inland water meets the ocean water.
Following a few short talks about safety, watershed and birds, the volunteers collected many bagfuls of trash that had been flushed into the creek by rain two days earlier. Among the long list of "collectables" they retrieved were a lunch box, a full bottle of bleach, baseball, bike and motorcycle helmets, and a $50 bill!
The next open-to-all Ballona Creek Cleanup at Centinela Avenue will be held on Sat. May 19 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. The event will be postponed to May 26 if it rains. For waivers and details, please visit www.ballonacreek.org.


text:
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Simple, healthy cooking starts with this French cast iron griddle that performs equally well indoors or out. Use it for breakfast specialties like pancakes, French toast and sausage or put it to work cooking hot sandwiches like grilled cheese. ...
This do it all cooking vessel is descended from the classic cast iron Dutch ovens used by Early American colonists and adventurous pioneers. Cast iron provides exceptional heat retention, so foods sear, brown and cook beautifully. The flanged lid ...
Le Creuset continues nearly a century of culinary craftsmanship with its Signature collection, the next evolution of its classic enameled cast iron cookware. This Signature cast iron grill pan and press set seamlessly blends Le Creusets classic form and ...
My first grill pan. Used it the other day indoors to grill steaks that had been seasoned well. Steaks cooked very evenly. When the steaks were done, I looked at the heavily soiled pan and shook my head as ...


text:
Tagged: Climate Change
Oxfam joined civil society organizations from around the world to demand the member governments of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) take decisive action urgently on climate change.
If Europe were to rule out its support of biofuels by 2020, the region could lower its net imports of grain and oilseeds by up to 27 million tons, remarkably reducing its dependence on foreign goods. Global food prices could also drop significantly.
We have said we stand in solidarity with the millions impacted by Typhoon Haiyan, and with all climate impacted people. Our solidarity compels us to tell the truth about COP 19 and to voluntarily withdraw from the Warsaw climate talks.
Members of the Disaster Emergencies Committee (DEC) are warning governments meeting at the UN climate talks in Warsaw that the devastating super typhoon that struck the Philippines is a glimpse of the future if urgent action is not taken.


text:
Several events will be held Monday across Alabama to honor the legacy of the late Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thousands of people marched in an MLK Day parade in Tuscaloosa today. The march normally ends at Tuscaloosa City Hall, but this year, in the tradition of moving forward, people stopped at City Hall to pray. The parade then continued on to the transportation museum on Jack Warner Parkway where the celebration concluded.
In Birmingham, the city's 27th annual Unity Breakfast was held at the BJCC. It began at 7 a.m. in the North Exhibition Hall.
Another breakfast was held at Barber MotorSports Park in Leeds at 7:30 a.m.
In Anniston, a breakfast was held at 9 a.m. followed by a Youth Participation Day at the Anniston City Meeting Center.
Federal, state, and many local offices are closed today for the holiday.
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text:
Appointed: September 2009
Class: 2017
Sam Schreiner is a graduate of Gordon College and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. From 1977 to 1983 he worked at Gordon in the Student Development and Career Development Offices. Since 1983 he has been an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, serving as the lead pastor in churches in New Hampshire and Connecticut. He is currently the Pastor and Head of Staff of the Noroton Presbyterian Church, in Darien, Connecticut. In 1987 Sam was invited to be a lecturer in the Department of Ministry at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, training Presbyterian students there until 2004.
Sam has been a retreat and renewal speaker in churches in New England, New Zealand and Kenya. He has co-hosted tours to biblical sites in Greece, Turkey and Israel, and in 1999 participated in the inaugural season of an archeological dig in Israel (Project Zeitah). In 2007 Sam traveled to Pakistan to visit the land of his mother's birth (where his grandfather had been a missionary) and to see Forman Christian College in Lahore. Sam is a board member of the Friends of Forman Christian Church, which supports the mission of the school. Forman Christian School is owned by the PCUSA, has educated former prime ministers of India and Pakistan and today is educating Muslims and Christians side by side. He is also a board member of Vision New England.
Sam is married to Debra (Cole) Schreiner, who graduated from Gordon. They have three adult children: Abby, Samuel B. Schreiner and his wife, Chantal, and Jack Schreiner and his wife Svea. When not visiting their children and grandchildren, Sam and Deb love to travel and cheer for the Patriots and Red Sox.


text:
Leilani R
almost 2 years ago
The you pinch the middle and twist a pipe cleaner around it, curling the ends to look like antennae.
Color design onto a coffee filter and spray with water! The colors will bleed together looking kind of like tie dye.:)
Events By Noelle Kidz W
Please give the directions for this!!!!