text:
This is no time for chillaxing, Dave. Even Labour looks more Tory than you
Maybe if the Prime Minister raised his eyes for a moment from playing Fruit Ninja on his iPad, and also paused from adoring at the shrine of the Blessed Barack, he should look behind him and worry.
Ed Miliband has been an object of scorn and derision for Conservatives from the moment he was elected leader of the Labour Party.
Recently, he appointed Jon Cruddas, described by Tories as a Left-wing union stooge, to take charge of the party's policy review and thus be responsible for setting Labour's course for the next general election.
Distracted: The preoccupied Prime Minister must start to wake up to the crises emerging around him
At the same time, we read that Tony Blair hopes to make a come-back into British political life. Some may be tempted to greet this particular news as the political equivalent of the Return Of The Mummy.
Coupled with Cruddas's appointment, it may lead them to conclude that the Labour Party is now lurching ever deeper into la-la-land and political irrelevance.
They could not be more wrong.
The appointment of Cruddas is an inspired move. Writing him off as a Left-winger is to miss the point by a mile.
For Cruddas possesses one very important insight which has so far quite eluded David Cameron and his band of muddled modernisers.
Cruddas realises that if socialism is to have any appeal, it must adopt a platform of social conservatism.
Some may be confused by this. How can socialism be conservative?
Very simply: by connecting to people's experience of how the world actually is, rather than trying to reshape that world into some pre-ordained idea of how it should be.
Union stooge: Jon Cruddas has been hired to take charge of Labour's policy review
Unlike so many on the Left, Mr Cruddas does not shudder at the purportedly knuckle-dragging views of ordinary people.
On the contrary, he respects their attachment to nation, family, community, tradition — all the things, in fact, that the Left has been busily tearing to shreds.
While others demonise the white working class as racists if they complain that immigrants are taking their jobs, Mr Cruddas sympathises with their situation and their anguish at the break-up of traditional communities.
Criticising his own party's indifference to these matters, he has called for tougher immigration controls.
In similar vein, he strongly sympathises with public anger over the denial of a democratic voice on ever-deeper European union. As a result, he champions a referendum on whether or not Britain should stay in the EU at all.
With public fury over the EU growing exponentially by the day, if Labour calls for such an in/out referendum this will badly wrongfoot the Prime Minister.
As it happens, not that long ago opposition to EU membership was a core position of the British left, not the right.
And when at the beginning of the 20th century the Labour Party famously 'owed more to Methodism than Marx', its hallmark was social conservatism — something that Cruddas, who teaches Labour history at Oxford, understands better than most.
The idealism of the Left was based then on the belief that strong families and deep attachments to community and nation were essential for a decent society, and to improve the life-chances of ordinary people.
You don't have to endorse Cruddas's union links to realise the importance of a society with deep roots, in which people believe in something beyond their own wants and needs.
And that's where the return of Blair is potentially so very significant. For just like Cruddas, Blair's great insight was that to win power he had to promote such socially conservative values.
The soundbite that gave him the party leadership, 'Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime' conveyed the fact that he understood — just like Cruddas — that many were living in a state of siege from crime and disorder, and that he identified with the desperate desire for order and security.
Second chances: Tony Blair is apparently preparing a new push to re-enter British politics alongside current Labour leader Ed Miliband
Similarly, once he became leader he pronounced that he would stop the plunge in education standards and also end 'something for nothing' welfare dependency.
Of course, once in office things didn't work out like that. Education and welfare reforms ran into the sand. And far from conserving and protecting what people cherished about their society, Blair set about reshaping it in order to create a utopia of the brotherhood of man.
Hence his insistence that all family lifestyles — married, one-parent, gay — were equally desirable. Hence also his promotion of the oppressive PC agenda of self-proclaimed 'victim' groups and hate crime laws, in the apparent belief that prejudice could be eradicated from the human heart.
And hence also his Eurofanaticism and promotion of multiculturalism and universal human rights, in the belief that eroding national and cultural barriers would end strife, prejudice and war.
Dazzled by Blair's triple election victories, however, David Cameron arrived at precisely the wrong conclusion.
He based his entire modernising programme on the premise that Blair had triumphed because he went with the grain of social change: lifestyle choice, equality and 'Cool Britannia'.
But this was not so. Blair had won by appealing to socially conservative views — and then, when voter disillusion set in, benefiting from the fact that the Tories had plumped for leaders who were unelectable.
The irony now is that Blair's social conservatism agenda is being adopted not by the Tories but by Jon Cruddas — who believes that Labour has to pick up the baton that Blair let drop.
Undermined: Ever since Ed Miliband was elected leader of the Labour Party, he has been an object of scorn for the Conservatives
It is surely no coincidence that Blair and Lord Mandelson are now shoring up their old ideological opponent, Cruddas's patron Ed Miliband. Indeed, it would come as no surprise to learn that the appointment of Jon Cruddas sprang from their own advice.
More from Melanie Phillips...
- The more abuse Mr Gove gets from the teachers, the more you know he's right 19/05/13
- Why is the Left so blind to the link between today's sex scandals and the cult of permissiveness? 12/05/13
- My immigrant family were proud to assimilate. I despair that too many today expect Britain to adopt THEIR culture 07/05/13
- A Leftie who saw the light: What the cruel death of my parents taught me about our 'caring' NHS, by MELANIE PHILLIPS 06/05/13
- A Leftie who saw the light: A good school freed me from a suffocating, lonely life. But wanting the same for every child made the Left detest me, writes MELANIE PHILLIPS 05/05/13
- Why the Left hates families: MELANIE PHIILLIPS reveals how the selfish sneers of Guardianistas made her see how the Left actively fosters - and revels in - family breakdown... 03/05/13
- What kind of society treats smacking as a war crime - while teaching children how to watch porn? 28/04/13
- The Leveson lovers and a compromised Inquiry that's begun a chilling assault on free speech 21/04/13
- MELANIE PHILLIPS: The drug zealot I exposed a decade ago and how the BBC's promoting his plan for heroin 'shooting galleries' 18/04/13
When Miliband was elected leader, he said something to which too little attention was paid. This was his acknowledgement of the 'squeezed middle' — an early sign that this Left-winger recognised the electoral opportunity presented by middle-class anger.
The outcome was 'Blue Labour', an agenda based on love of community and nation promoted by the political philosopher Lord Glasman — and Jon Cruddas.
Glasman came to grief when he suggested that Labour should start a dialogue with the English Defence League — which caused as much shock as if he had suggested awarding the devil himself lifetime party membership.
The principles on which 'Blue Labour' was based, however, remained sound. Now Cruddas has been put into a position from where he can reshape the party around them. This leaves David Cameron dangerously exposed.
For Cruddas speaks to some of the deepest and most emotional feelings in the British psyche — love of country, a patriotism that has been denounced by the Left as bigotry, and a passionate attachment to cultural traditions that are being tossed aside.
But just look at how the Chancellor George Osborne responded after Cruddas suggested that his aim was to rediscover a sense of national values by asking 'what is England?'. Osborne sneered: 'Perhaps when they find out what is England, they will let us all have the answer.'
So, presented with the patriotic yearning of the people, Osborne could only respond with arrogant disdain. And then the Cameroons wonder why people think they are out of touch.
The genius of Tony Blair — and it was political genius — was to understand that elections can only be won on the true centre ground, which means respecting the innate social conservatism of the public.
And so now Cameron faces the prospect of a Labour opposition that is more Right-wing than he is — and which may come to power as a result.
'I am the heir to Blair,' Cameron famously said. In his dreams. He never even understood what that meant.
- How JFK secretly ADMIRED Hitler: Explosive book reveals...
- Bonedigger the crippled lion forms inseparable bond with...
- Bridge collapse that sent cars and drivers plunging into...
- Amy Winehouse artist paints controversial topless portrait...
- Did Obama just snub the Marines AGAIN? President breaches...
- Historian photographs UFO hovering over historic California...
- Should stricken plane even have taken off? Safety fears...
- Scores of TGI Fridays among New Jersey bars accused of...
- Former baseball star Jose Canseco poses with woman hours...
- Was Maddie snatched by the monster who killed this little...
- Man charged with making 'racist or anti-religious' Facebook...
- The smile of a fanatic's sister: Sibling of Muslim convert...


text:
A Redditor called "i_luv_ur_mom" posted this math teacher's amusement, an equation that draws a lovely Bat-signal.
Do you like Batman? Do you like math? My math teacher is REALLY cool
I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.
More at Boing Boing
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=542921054 Steve Schnier
Brilliant! That's the kind of teacher who captures the students' imaginations and makes a lasting impression on their lives. I wish there were more teachers like him/her out there.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_FS3UNMVAGY6IRABSQZOG6EK6XM Goldie Knight
Wonderful batman, is that a special formular or what?
http://twitter.com/nffcnnr nffcnnr
If this guy's so smart, why didn't he think of putting it on a larger piece of graph paper?
Andrew Singleton
Gonna have to agree. We need more teachers like this.
Query: other than drawing the bat symbol… is it good for anything?
http://twitter.com/ChrisR005 Christopher Rogers
It shows that almost everything can be described by the language of maths.
http://www.unwesen.de/ unwesen
That must be the ultimate nerdgasm: comics and mathematics combined.
I = b(a*t)+ma^n
http://profiles.google.com/anne.speck anne speck
It's a step-wise polar equation. It probably doesn't do anything other than make a space in minds which have been learning in the graphs=cartesian coordinates world for other kinds of plotting systems do exist. And why is it important to put it on larger graph paper? Take the formula and plug it into Geogebra and print it out as big as you want.
john aguirre
That is a stepwise equation, but it is definitely not polar, it's Cartesian. Note that the variables are (x,y), not (r,theta).
My daughter 's math class did that last year. In fact, she did the Batman logo, others did the St Louis Cardinals letter logo, while others did various product logos. Nice to see other teachers going the creative route.
But the function isn't analytic! I mean, look at those derivatives. Just look at 'em!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=2001060 Camilo Wartenberg
A school in Bogota Colombia did a whole project similar to this earlier this year using the educational math software Cabri and Derive.
Memorable works include the Metallica logo, Adidas logo, Thundercats logo
You can view the works in:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=2001060 Camilo Wartenberg
Sorry this is a better page to view all the works in the same page:
Jacob Ewing
Ok, that beats my mammary math by a long shot.
http://profiles.google.com/anne.speck anne speck
@google-6e7df99bb682d2a2604859f86ea75e01:disqus D'oh! You're right of course — polar would have made for a much cleaner equation. Apologies for my pre-coffee posting.
Joel Phillips
sqrt{frac{||x| – 1|}{|x|-1}} is cheating.
Haakon IV
I have discovered a remarkable analytic function representing the bat signal, which this comment is unfortunately to small to contain.
How long until DC issues a DMCA takedown notification?
http://twitter.com/le_md Leandro M.D.
Very good!!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Holmen/562023961 Robert Holmén
What is the reason for the paper being labeled in units of 1.4? How is that generally more useful than integers?
sarah michel
I think it's probably in units of the square root of two, rather than units of 1.4, which would certainly be somewhat more significant.
http://twitter.com/chr158r0wn Chris Brown
How long before someone posts a link to wolfram alpha?
Are you suggesting Wolfram Alpha could be used to plot that beast? Awesome! And I nominate you sir!
http://twitter.com/kmayank kumar mayank
can someone type the text so that I can plot on Wolfram Alpha and confirm?
Astrid Torregroza
I don't think Wolfram Alpha's equation plotter allows you to plot implicit functions, you'd have to solve for y if you wanted to use it. There's an applet for implicit functions here, haven't tried it though.
So for that implicit function applet I linked to, here's the first of the six big expressions in parentheses, which gives the outer edge of the logo's wings (set the range on the graph to xmin=-8, xmax=8, and also for ymin and ymax if you don't want the shape distorted):
( ( ((x/7)^2) * sqrt( (abs(abs(x) – 3)) / (abs(x) – 3) ) ) + ( ((y/3)^2) *sqrt( (abs(y + (3*sqrt(33)/7))) / (y + (3*sqrt(33)/7)) ) ) – 1 ) = 0
http://www.facebook.com/people/Paul-Munro/748747942 Paul Munro
It looks like the Grapher application, in the Applications/Utilities folder of EVERY Macintosh running OS X…
Grapher seems to have a kind of messed up way of handling expressions unless you type in a bunch of parentheses…for example, here are two sample inputs (with the first sqrt[...] being a term from the Batman equation) which give different responses:
sqrt[abs[abs[x] – 3]/(abs[x] – 3)] + xy = 0 (gives "no valid operation found")
sqrt[(abs[abs[x] – 3])/(abs[x] – 3)] + xy = 0 (gives a working graph…only difference is parentheses around "abs[abs[x] – 3]", shouldn't the brackets be enough?)Anyway, that gripe aside, I tried taking a version of the equation posted by someone on the reddit thread and fixing it up a little to work in Grapher, Grapher was able to graph the 6 different parts of the equation individually (though with some it gave weird dotted lines at the end):(((x/7)^2)*sqrt[(abs[abs[x] – 3])/(abs[x] – 3)] + ((y/3)^2)*sqrt[(abs[y + (3*sqrt[33])/7])/(y + (3*sqrt[33])/7)] – 1) = 0
(abs[x/2] – ((3*sqrt[33] – 7)/112)*x^2 – 3 + sqrt[1 - (abs[abs[x] – 2] – 1)^2] – y) =0
(9*sqrt[(abs[(abs[x] – 1)*(abs[x] – 3/4)])/((1 – abs[x])*(abs[x] – 3/4))] – 8*abs[x] – y) = 0
(3*abs[x] + (3/4)*sqrt[(abs[(abs[x] – 3/4) (abs[x] – 1/2)])/((3/4 – abs[x])*(abs[x] – 1/2))] – y) = 0
((9/4)*sqrt[(abs[(x - 1/2)*(x + 1/2)])/((1/2 – x)*(1/2 + x))] – y) = 0
((6*sqrt[10])/7 + (3/2 – abs[x]/2)*sqrt[(abs[abs[x] – 1])/(abs[x] – 1)] – ((6*sqrt[10])/14) *sqrt[4 - (abs[x] – 1)^2 ] – y) = 0
But when I tried multiplying them together into one giant equation and setting it all equal to zero, Grapher didn't give an error but it also didn't show anything on the graph. Maybe it's too much for it to handle…
Hee S. Lee
can somebody come up with the equations for wu-tang logo?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jhonny-Be-Good/100002510262922 Jhonny Be Good
Guys, the solution to the equation is complex (has imaginary part). The batman figure is one of the real solutions, that is what usually software will plot. The trick is done, for example, by the factor sqrt(abs( abs(x)-3 ) /abs(x)-3 ), that will be imaginary for x3, so the grapher will not be able to plot in the interval x<3, but the solution is still there!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Troy Record (TroyRecord.com), Serving Troy and its surrounding communities
Sunday, November 11, 2012
By Kevin Gilbert
Monday, Nov. 11, 1912. "The last news we receive from Turkey is of a catastrophe which will come to pass," a local Armenian minister tells The Record as a Bulgarian army threatens the capital of the Ottoman Empire.
Rev. S. O. Kerian "is well qualified to talk intelligently upon the subject," our interviewer explains, "having lived in Turkey for many years, and he is thoroughly conversant with affairs in that country."
Kerian warns that a humanitarian disaster is likely as a coalition of Balkan states presses its war against the Turks. Anti-Christian riots are feared in Constantinople, the Ottoman capital, and the major world powers, including the United States, are sending warships to the region to guarantee the safety of their citizens in the city.
"We learn that incendiarism and a wholesale massacre of Christians has already begun in the Galatea quarter of Constantinople," Kerian says. Apart from foreigners, the people most likely to suffer from anti-Christian anger are the empire's Armenian population. Kerian fears that the powers may let Armenians suffer as they did twice before in the last twenty years, most recently in 1909. The minister tells a lurid story of one such massacre.
"Involuntarily my thoughts take me away to Cilicia, where three years ago a similar incident had happened in a most brutal manner. It was the massacre of the Christian Armenians. During those cruel days twenty-five of the Armenian maidens were confined in a room. Some Kurds approaching proposed to them that they accept Mohammed in the place of Jesus. When they flatly refused, the Kurds began to threaten the maidens by fire. Then these twenty-five Armenian virgins, letting loose their long dark hair, braided it to each other's, so that not one of them would be tempted to run away and deny her Lord and Master on account of fear."
Many such atrocities took place in 1909 while western battleships watched, Kerian claims. "The Christian captains did not raise one word of protest, but rather comforted themselves, simply saying that they were not allowed to interfere."
It's not enough for the western powers to protect their own people in Turkey, Kerian insists. They have a Christian duty to protect the Armenians as well.
"'Every nation for itself' is the motto of abnormal selfishness of the civilization of to-day," the minister protests. Recalling the medieval crusades waged by Christian nations against Islam, he tells our writer that "Young men of the twentieth century must march in a more arduous crusade to deliver the thousands and tens of thousands of Christians from the clutches of the same wily followers of Mohammed."


text:
- The solar charger is a solid power supply device outdoors. This unit features the high capacity, great durability, and compact design.
- It can deliver power to charge a lot of portable electronics, namely cell phone, multimedia player, digital camera, PDA, digital camcorder, among others.
- The concrete device results in a great deal of convenience and you can save an amount of money.
Main Feature: - A standby power supply used on various occasions such as travel, tourism, long-distance train or ship trip, field work.
- High capacity, long lifespan, compatibility.
- Small size and light weight for portability.
- Fit Bluetooth devices, cell phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, MP4 players, PDA, DV.
Specification: - Solar panels power: 0.3 W
- Battery capacity: 1500mAh
- Output voltage: 5 V
- Output Current: 500 MA
- Color: Black
- Size (LxWxH): 11.5cm x 7.0cm x 1.0cm
- Package Gross Weight: 0.380kg
- Package Size (LxWxH): 16.5cm x 11.5cm x 4.8cm
- Package Type: Color Box
Package Content - One Solar charger
- Five Phone connector
- Two Tieline
- One USB Cable
- One AC Charger
- Description:
There are two key factors which will affect the time you receive your items.
1. Item processing time
After the receiving of your order, we need some time to test the product in order to ensure its quality. There are different kinds of processing time for different items. Average processing time is 3 working days; however, it varies from the item's stock status. As for the small quantity, the processing time is 1-3 days while as for the large quantity, it will be about 2-5 days.
2. Shipping methods
Gadgetsdealer.com accept PayPal, Wire transfer , Western Union as the payment methods.
1. PayPal.
The most convenient payment method in the world.
2. Wire transfer
For order which is more than $1500, please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Note: please do email us your order number, the amount you pay, the exact date you do the wire transfer after you pay for it
3. Western union
Please contact us at: firstname.lastname@example.com for details.
Note: Please email us the following information after you pay the Western Union
1) The 10 digit control number.
2) Sender's name.
3) The exact amount you send.
4) Sender's address.
5) Your shipping address.


text:
Photo: B.A.S.S./Seigo Saito > Day 4: 1, 4-06 (16, 42-12) It's hard to be upset with a runner-up finish on a tough fishery to open the season, but after holding the lead after days 1 and 3, Rojas was bummed he couldn't close out his third Elite Series win.
"I really felt with the clouds coming in and the wind that they were going to bite really good," he said. "I felt like I was ready to go and just didn't get it done today."
His lone fish was a 4-pounder and once he swung it into the boat, he thought he'd be able to get on a roll.
"I thought I was going to wreck 'em," he said. "I caught a big one yesterday about the same time I caught that big one today. The tide was getting high and the water was moving and it was the time of day when it was warm and I thought it was going to be the deal." Read More
Photo: B.A.S.S. / Seigo Saito ORANGE, Texas — Saturday morning, Dean Rojas felt like his game was dying, that perhaps his chance of victory in the Sabine River Challenge presented by STARK Cultural Venues was slipping through his fingers.
He had zero fish for the first hour of competition. He finally boated three keepers. Then three long hours passed without another bite.
How do you spell relief? With only about 35 minutes to go in his fishing day, he boated his fourth keeper, a 3-pounder, then his final bass 15 minutes later
Armed with a five-fish limit, crucial in this event, "I got out of there," said the Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Read More
Photo B.A.S.S. / Seigo Saito > Day 2: 5, 10-14 (10, 26-08) It wasn't hard to figure out the reason why Rojas' weight fell off 5 pounds from day 1. He caught all 2-pounders and didn't get a chance at another 6-pounder like he had on Thursday.
"Basically, all I needed (today) was the big fish," he said. "The fish I'm catching are about the size I thought I could catch in there. Everything was pretty much the same. The only difference was not having a big bite today."
He caught seven keepers today and plans on remaining in the same area tomorrow.
"It was just a grind all day long. It's just a matter of going out and staying focused," he said. "It's not easy to get them so I'm happy to get every one. I don't have anywhere else to go so I'm going to take my shot where I'm at and ride it however long it takes me." Read Story
Photo B.A.S.S. / Seigo Saito Orange, TX – On Thursday, only 17 of the 100 Elite Series pros brought a five bass limit to the scales at the 2013 season opener on Texas' Sabine River. Even more surprising is the fact that 13 Elite Series pros failed to cross the stage with a single keeper, and 27 anglers managed just a single keeper bite over the course of the day.
Arizona's Dean Rojas took top honors on Thursday with a limit of largemouth weighing an impressive 15-10 that was anchored by a 5-15 brute. Rojas will enter cut day with a lead of just under 3-pounds over 2nd place finisher Mark Davis, who weighed-in a limit to the tune of 13-13. Louisiana's Cliff Crochet rounded out the top three with 13-0 on the day. Read Story
Photo: James Overstreet Alton Jones called them "weekers," a reference to the bounty of Sabine River bass that's been caught the past few days only to fall just shy of meeting the 14-inch length requirement.
"That means in about a week, they'll be keepers," Jones quipped on stage after he was one of just 17 anglers to bring a limit of bass to the scale. That's right – out of 100 competitors on day 1 of the season-opening Elite Series event in Orange, Texas, only 17 brought five back to shore.
It's only been one day, but the Sabine may turn out to be the toughest venue to catch a limit out of in Elite Series history (2006 to present). For many, though, simply attracting a keeper bite was a chore as 40 anglers caught either one or zero bass on opening day.
Dean Rojas, owner of an Elite Series trophy from his 2011 triumph upstream on the Sabine at Toledo Bend Reservoir, was able to avoid such misfortune and captured the day-1 lead with a 15-10 bag. It was anchored by a 5-15 brute that took big-bass honors for the day. The Arizona pro is nearly 2 pounds clear of Mark Davis, who caught 13-13. Read Story
Photo B.A.S.S. / Seigo Saito ORANGE, Texas — Must be something in the water.
Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., with a history of wins on Toledo Bend Reservoir, shone equally bright Thursday on the Sabine, the big lake straddling the river to the north.
He took the first-day lead in the March 14-17 Sabine River Challenge presented by STARK Cultural Venues, the season opener of the Bassmaster Elite Series. Read Story
What was the biggest key to success this week on the Sabine River?"I thought that this weather was going to really help me out and key me in on what I needed to do, but they just didn't bite today. I really don't know what happened. It could have been the fishing pressure and the result of unsportsmanlike conduct by one other angler.
"That one area was all that I had going, so I did the best that I could do to manage the area. I did the right thing; I just didn't get the bites today."
What was your primary pattern throughout the week?"I had a 50/50 deal going on all week. I was catching some fish pitching a Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in and around the wood, and I was also catching them on a squarebill crankbait.
"I got the quality bites on the squarebill. That's one thing that the other guys weren't throwing in the area, and that was what separated me. The fish that I caught on that bait were good ones. You could catch a lot of 14-inchers on a worm or soft plastic, but I wanted to win, so I thought that the crankbait was what I needed to be throwing."
What were your primary baits and tactics? "I was using a Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in Sapphire Blue. I Texas-rigged the Fighting Frog on a 4/0 Gamakatsu SuperLine hook, 20-pound-test Sunline, and a medium/heavy Quantum Exo rod and Quantum Exo reel. I also caught some of my better ones on a squarebill crankbait." Read More


text:
Vancouver Blog
Flying into Vancouver takes your breath away. It is a utopia inspired view, a stunning mix of perfect pine tree islands, shimmering blue water and mountains whose peaks are so perfectly snow capped that it truly borders on fantasy. Why is it that I always get stuck in holding patterns in Jersey but never above something like this?

The people of Vancouver are very friendly. It's a genuine congeniality that you know comes from the heart and not because they have to be nice to you. I guess it's the opposite of Paris. I had recently read an article that the Paris tourism board was spending millions on a campaign not to attract travelers as is usually the case but to convince their own Parisians to smile. Vancouver is a city often studied for its urban renewal, it should also be studied for its friendliness. On my day off I was taking the bus and missed my stop which took me over the bridge and into an area where there was no station or place to buy a return ticket, I also had no small change. I waited for the bus and when I told him that I missed my stop he said, "c'mon the ride's on me." (?!?!) That act of kindness sort of sums up the experience you have with Vancouverites.
When things go wrong they really go wrong. Even in Canada I am feeling the frustration of communications. I forgot my Verizon hotspot would be an added charge "abroad" and am now facing the possibility of my bill being in the thousands of dollars. I tried to access the hotel's wireless at 15 dollars a day only to find the system could not detect my room which had me on the phone for nearly 1/2 an hour talking thru the problem with a gentleman in India. He fixed the problem and credited me two days of free wireless but then my computer acted up to the point where the screen and buttons would freeze. Making posting and responding to twitter a lengthy affair that surpassed an hour and ended with me slamming my laptop on the table. Cell phone costs … well I just have no idea. And by day four I bought a calling card since my skype would not be an option with my exorbitant Verizon and frozen hotel hotspot. The calling card is 5 dollars for 600 minutes — a virtual steal but when I go to check my messages — well I can't. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.
Tonight ends with us shooting the fireworks competition on English Bay. We were all very excited for this international competition but we had no idea that mother nature would put on a spectacle that man could never match. As the sun went down brilliant hues of color swept across the sky and saturated the earth with an orange as deep as children's cough syrup and a saffron yellow so intense you felt like you could just open your mouth and drink it in. The lightning started and warmed up our voices with the oohs and aahs we had reserved for the fireworks display.
I will always be endeared to the city of Vancouver not solely because of its grand natural beauty but because of its devotion to swings. Whenever I walk thru a park that is devoid of a set of swings I grow slightly suspicious of the people who live there. No fun, I think — too serious. I have never grown too old to think that I don't deserve a good swing and the sets found in Stanley Park were among the best I have ever enjoyed. Tall as a Giraffe — a serious swing that provides not just a quick back and forth but a full voyage of movement. When other adults see me they join me, too.
We are here for the upcoming Olympics of course and Winter Olympic athletes are hard to come by in July. But I get a twitter that speed skater Chris Needham tweeted that he saw me and my crew shooting at Granville Market. So I tweeted him and then he tweeted me and Voila! I got to train with the US Olympic Speed skating team!
The flight to Whistler was even more amazing than I could have imagined it to be. We flew low over Horseshoe Bay passed the Beverly Hill style homes. Then gained about 5,000 ft of elevation to get above the mt range that hid like hallowed Easter egg jewels of nature like volcanoes, buttes and age old glaciers that reminded me of Aztec homes carved out of blue ice.
I'm so excited to finally be going to Whistler. As a skier, Whistler is the talked about winter destination and everyone who ever goes there just gushes about it. It's the summer which of course puts a slight damper on my ski plans but I love mountains in the warm weather months too. I'm always in a great mood when surrounded by mountains, my emotions can't help but strive to reach the same height of those exalted peaks and so I always feel like I am walking on air. We don't have a day off while in Whistler which is a big bummer but we do end up having an early shooting day so when we're done by 5pm I race back to my room to head out for a beautiful smile inducing hike.
The next day we are shooting the Downhill Mountain biking segment. I really love being on a bike but am a little nervous about tackling the vertical ski trails. This is a serious sport here and there are just as many bikers in the summer as skiers in the winter. A serious sport calls for serious gear and I become even more nervous when I see the safety equipment I have to put on. I know I'm going to be wearing a helmet but a chestplate? Should I really be doing this? As we go down what is considered a beginner trail — Easy Does It, I think the name is — I can't imagine going on the intermediate trails. This is hard! There's also very little pedaling and all breaking so by the end of the ride my hands have seized up into two carpel tunnel nubs. I think I'll stick to riding in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, where my rides usually end with less pain and an ice cream sandwich.
5,907 Responses to "Vancouver Blog"
The Ships's Voyages…
I think technology just makes it worse. Now there is a channel to under no circumstances care, now there will not likely be considered a chance for them to find….
Just desire to say your article is as astonishing. The clarity to your post is just excellent and that i could assume you're an expert in this subject. Well along with your permission let me to seize your RSS feed to stay up to date with imminent post. Thank you one million and please carry on the gratifying work.
Rsitye ugg boots Seoaon uggs Waraec http://www.academyofmartialarts.ca/uggsbootsca.ph…
Bdidyj ugg Amluca ugg Roqbvo http://www.wype.fr/uggsfr.php
Dkhsei ugg boots sale Hqpdfy ugg boots Oaahsg http://www.pianissimo-musik.de/uggsbootsde.php
Biiswr ugg Aozkwf ugg Jejwwl http://www.underline.nl/uggsnederland.php -
Jzcvvn canada goose online shop Loypop canada goose Smymjg http://www.pianissimo-musik.de/canadagoose.php
Zwunbw ugg boots sale Waogzd ugg boots Zgoyme http://www.pianissimo-musik.de/uggsbootsde.php
Lxnsjq canada goose coats Xrixbq canada goose Tdczwt http://www.academyofmartialarts.ca/canadagoose.ph…
Gdsjlb uggs Mqblwd ugg france Saxyxp http://www.wype.fr/uggsfr.php -
Mhtidq canada goose chilliwack Ysozrv boutique en ligne canada goose Ufftla http://www.wype.fr/canadagoose.php
Fappse uggs Cjmdtj ugg Gjqsva http://www.wype.fr/uggsfr.php
Iotfnx canada goose Bohtue canada goose Jtcglk http://www.underline.nl/canadagoose.php
Viqbqo uggs canada online Oycmaf ugg boots canada Rcdsqu http://www.academyofmartialarts.ca/uggsbootsca.ph… -
waow! What a concept! Beautiful! …
An excellent story. I might want to consider it for my subsequent From the Barn series of textbooks. For those who could you should provide the owner get in contact with me, I would apprectiate it. Tom


text:
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 10: A general view as fans make their way to Wembley Stadium.
Should we be excited that the St. Louis Rams could become a global brand? Scared that this is the beginning of the end? If only the Rams owner would say more than 'we'll see'.
London Calling?
The NFL announced that during the 2012 season the St. Louis Rams will play the New England Patriots in a regular season game. That was a few months ago. Just recently it was decided that regular season game would be played in London. London, England. As in not the Edward Jones Dome, but Wembley Stadium, roughly 6 time zones from Missouri.
The NFL has been staging regular season games in England for a few years now, but the Rams are the first team to be tabbed for a regular slate; games in '13 and '14 will also be stripped from St. Louis and re-located to Europe. When asked if this agreement was a case of pulling the band-aid off slowly rather than ripping it off at one, Rams owner Stan Kroenke said 'we'll see'.
Many probably think that this deal was consummated after the Rams hired Jeff Fisher as the new head coach, seeing as mullets and moustaches are as popular as ignoring dental care in England. But it probably had more to do with the fact that Kroenke owns the Arsenal soccer club, and this creates good business synergy for his burgeoning sports cadre.
But how do you feel about this, Rams Nation?
If you're an optimist you're thinking this is a pretty cool deal. This is the first opportunity for the British to really have a 'team' to root for. It fills the coffers for the Rams organization, therefore putting less pressure on the city of STL to overpay for the Rams to stay in St. Louis past 2015. Hell, if they continue to suck... it's one less home game you have to pay for over the next three seasons, right, season ticket holders?
There are already Rams fans in Southern California and throughout the Midwest. I don't think I'd mind being a global powerhouse for the biggest sport in America. In fact, that might be awesome!
Then again, we saw Stan introduce Jeff Fisher as head coach this week. He wore his best hair and put on a non-tailored suit to face the media. And when pressed about his intentions to keep the Rams in St. Louis he responded with a 'we'll see'.
That's reassuring. What's that honey, you're thinking about a divorce? Oh, we'll see? I feel much better.
Maybe this is the slow exit of a team. Maybe a team that was secure in its hometown wouldn't want to commit to eliminating 12.5% of its home games over the next 3 years. Maybe St. Louis is the new Buffalo?!
It's not a fun time to be a Rams fan. We like what the Fisher signing said. We didn't like what the owner said. There are a million back-room machinations and negotiations happening right now that directly affect the Rams' ability to play football in St. Louis, and we're privy to nothing. Hell, we're surprised when the guy making the final decision decides to even come to our city.
So while all these things going on around the team feel like they should be something we can embrace and celebrate... we can't go overboard. Because if this were a 25-year case of blue balls with the NFL, I don't think anyone could be reasonably expected to fete anything related to this team properly.
We've still got some pride, right?
So let the over-analysis begin, the sifting though cryptic quotes commence, the bold proclamations one way or another from pundits to start. Because the one guy that knows all is going to give you one answer to all your concerns and fears: we'll see.
Feel better?
Is the Rams announcement of 3 games in 2012 - 2014 to be played in London England a good thing for St. Louis?
Yes (36 votes)
No (59 votes)
No Impact On St. Louis (14 votes)
109 total votes


text:
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release Date: Nov 19, 2012
- Also On: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
User Score
out of 10
Mixed or average reviews- based on 724 Ratings
User score distribution:
Positive: 472 out of 724
Mixed: 93 out of 724
Negative: 159 out of 724
Review this game
Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.
Check Spelling
- User score
- Most active
- By date
- Most helpful
- Most Clicked
Dec 31, 201210
Nov 27, 201210New game about Agent 47 causes only good feelings. Developers created new game engine for Hitman. Graphics in this game is nice. New elements organically was added in gameplay. Story was surprised for me. But I can't to choose best game in this year about killer/assassin? Hitman or Assassin's Creed? On my mind, today we have two perfect action games. When was the last time?
Jan 20, 201310This game is simply stunning from the atmospheric graphics, to the all out action. Not to mention the the background sound that is pretty amazing too. The point shout killing feature and the slow motion effect is just amazing. Overall this is one of my favorite games, And the best one in the Hitman series I've ever played. Looking forward to the sequel of Hitman: Absolution.
Nov 28, 201210I dont get why people rate this game down ...
Its a masterpiece from beginning to the end ...
Never had so much fun with a STEALTH game since Splinter Cell 1
Very nice and not at all dumbed down or anything ... -
Nov 21, 201210Look, i'm not going to lie, okay? this game isn't perfect but it's one of the best games this gen imo and i'm not exaggerating, it's sad that most prefer to play generic first person shooter instead of actual good games like this, this game deserves a 9 but i gave it a perfect score to counter all those 0's coming from trolls that haven't even played the game.
Nov 21, 201210Hitman: Absolution isn't perfect but it's one of the best games to release this, it's kinda sad that most "gamers" prefer to play generic, bland and crappy military first person shooter instead of really good games like this, this game deserves a 8.5 but i gave it a perfect score to counter all those 0's coming from trolls that haven't even played the game.
Nov 29, 201210
Dec 5, 201210im just writing this because i am enjoying the game so much , and it looks great on pc , if you have nvidia gpu just use fxaa and 2x msaa shadows on medium or high, looks like ultra but better performance ,and looks 10 times better than consoles! if you enjoyed splinter cell conviction. this is for you , great game!
Nov 21, 201210
Dec 14, 201210This Hitman is good. It would be very good if it would have kept good thins from Blood money, for example guns assembly, silencer etc. Sound quality is not the best and music should be made by Jesper Kyd!
Nov 23, 201210
Nov 26, 201210This is an amazing game with great graphics and: Great gameplay(!). The story is not the best but the gameplay is such amazing...... Killing people in dozens of possibility. You have to play this awesome game on hard or harder, 'cause it makes more fun!!!
Mar 19, 201310best game ever.hitman absolution isnt good becuase of its story (not that the story not good) its good becuase of the assassination.every kill is very setisfieng and there are a lot of ways to kill your enemies.contracts mode is very good but a littile hard.never mind.so anyway hitman absolurion deserve a 10/10.so buy it.
Nov 26, 201210big thanks to the developers! Hitman is the best in the series. Keep it up! Recognition honestly, your game was one of the few I bought licenses, and I do not regret the money spent, super! It is a pity that the short .... (((
Nov 20, 201210the worlds best assassin is back wid more action n stealth gud game just graphics is dissappointed bt still a gud game very nice hitman rocks..............
Dec 12, 201210
Nov 20, 201210
Nov 21, 201210
Nov 23, 201210
Nov 28, 201210
Nov 30, 201210
Dec 7, 201210
Jan 9, 201310
Feb 16, 201310Impossible. Yeah, with some negative moments, but they mean little. Everyone who writes about those details that really do not matter idiots
Brilliant! -
Mar 5, 201310Dont get me wrong this game is not a game 10/10 its a 8/10 but there are reviews of user that gave 0/10 that is just stupid Comn dudes this game is good
May 21, 201310what a game! enjoyed every minute and was sad when it ended. compelling storyline, endless replayability, good graphics, challenging AI One of my favourite games ever
Nov 23, 20129
Dec 3, 20129
Jan 4, 20139
Nov 28, 20129
Nov 20, 20129
Nov 19, 20129The murderer becomes more detailed and exquisite, Hitman: Absolution is a big jump in the franchise of Agent 47.
A story much deeper and more intense than in previous installments, a technical section and amazing gameplay that offers a number of options like few games can.
Notably, the great work of optimizing the PC version.
Definitely the best game of murder so far. -
Nov 21, 20129
Mar 17, 20139I've never played the other Hitman games, but I thoroughly enjoyed this game. I really didn't expect to, as I figured the entire franchise was slow and clunky, but this was fun and engaging.
Dec 14, 20129Darkness, violence, freedom, diversity. More features. Great atmosphere. There is still a lot of room for improvements but would it be still enjoyable if it was more difficult and realistic ? For me it's a must have.
Nov 25, 20129
Jan 19, 20139
Nov 20, 20129
Jan 21, 20139
May 12, 20139
Dec 19, 20129I dont have no idia why people are arguing. THIS GAME IS AWESOME! Beutiful gameplaygraphics and good storyline. Contracts is **** boss. Probably because they are cod fanboys.Dont listen to them....
Jan 8, 20139It's about time Agent 47 took a new direction. Admit it, after four games of stealth it gets boring fast. Much like Sam Fisher on Splinter Cell: Conviction. Fast paced, action and a good shoot-em-up time. Disgusting that the brain raped Crap of Duty console gamers have a say in this. If people don't like it, the go shoot everyone in Blood Money's painfully short levels.
Nov 19, 20129Hitman absolution is not the best hitmn game it it is defiantly not the worst, The game play is fun and killing people has never felt so delightful, This is an awesome game with so much replay value defiantly would recommend this game, PLUS I GOT WITH THE OTHER HITMAN GAMES SO EVEN IF THIS GAME WAS **** I WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO PLAY TH OLDER GAMES
Nov 24, 20129
Nov 20, 20129
Nov 20, 20129Excellent take on Hitman, it takes a slightly different direction towards a more story driven narrative but it has many hitman moments, in fact the purist difficulty makes the game substantially harder than Blood Money so far.
Jan 12, 20139You all have to be the biggest gang of babies on the face of the Earth. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, IT'S NOT BLOOD MONEY VERBATIUM, WAAAAAAAAAAAAA! THY PUT AN ACTUAL STORY LINE THAT DOESN'T BLOW WAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Just stfu. Play the game for what it is. If you get over yourself, you see it's got some great mechanics, visuals, storyline, and endless options.
Nov 23, 20129
Nov 24, 20129Very good game, from start to finish, this is the best we've played already the franchise, and not hear comments like this: hitman is like splinter cell! because it is not true. play it =]
Nov 28, 20129
Nov 26, 20129
Nov 27, 20129
Nov 29, 20129
Nov 30, 20129Great game. innovative and new but still Hitman and a great stealth game. Definitely has good replayability with contracts mode and multiple ways to finish each level. Graphics are impressive as well. Don't listen to people hating on it, I only encountered a few minor bugs. Story line is great, especially the ending.
Dec 2, 20129
Dec 10, 20129A true silent assassin doesn't need a sniper rifle or a machine gun. Actually, you can get away without a single shot fired or disguise used. And stop complaining that you can't choose weapons for your missions in Hitman: Absolution
Dec 18, 20129I think Hitman is great. Awesome climate just like in previous part. I bought it for 17 euros at http://www.go2arena.com/hitman.html . Some people complains for its animation, but i think it suits for this type of game and its climate.
Jan 9, 20139
Jan 27, 20139
Feb 11, 20139
Mar 19, 20139
Dec 2, 20128
Jan 6, 20138
Nov 23, 20128Departure from the Hitman we knew in Blood Money but nonetheless a good game. My only big issue is with the disguise system and some minor interaction issues. Allows you to be creative with the kills and presents a good enough challenge that I will go through again and try and achieve perfection on all of the missions.
Dec 23, 20128
Mar 28, 20138
Nov 23, 20128
Nov 19, 20128I had my doubts before the release but now I am relieved that all the negative reviews of the game were nonsense. The game is great and if you loved the previous ones, you will probably enjoy this one too.
Nov 25, 20128
Dec 21, 20128
Apr 4, 20138
Nov 20, 20128
Jan 24, 20138
Nov 20, 20128
Mar 28, 20138
Nov 23, 20128First off, let me just say that the graphics are absolutely stunning. Environments are well detailed and the crowds look so realistic. This is a very polished game and i would recommend it to anyone looking to have a fun time. There are several flaws though being that this isn't really going the same path as the other hitman games so some fans might be disappointed.
Nov 22, 20128Get your sporks ready cause dinner is done. Spicy creole cooking to make you sweat. Sure, it's gritty and sticks to your teeth like a mix of sand and bugs and you'll be convinced that your tounge is going to melt but that's the kind of cooking we love. That down home, mom is trying to kill you style.
Nov 21, 20128
Nov 20, 20128
Nov 23, 20128
Nov 23, 20128
Nov 24, 20128
Nov 25, 20128Hitman: Absolution provides an experience that is rich in action and on the edge of your seat suspense. Of course, it's not without it's flaws. Everyone automatically thinking you're suspicious gets a little irritating at times, and it constantly feels linear. Though it has some rough spots, Hitman: Absolution is enjoyable experience, but may be a let down for hardcore fans of the series.
Nov 26, 20128Though filled with Splinter's Cell -like sneaking, the real fun is after completing the game, when you really get to dig into the Contracts mode. 8/10 for the overall, but 10/10 for the Contracts.
Jan 28, 20138
Dec 30, 20128
Jan 5, 20138
Feb 6, 20138
Feb 24, 20138
May 18, 20138
Mar 29, 20138This game is a lot of fun, great graphics, the game-play and story could use a bit more work they could have made the game a bit longer as well. But other than that this game is really fun and it is worth the money.
May 2, 20138
May 1, 20138
May 4, 20138
Jan 17, 20137
Jan 27, 20137As a game of it's own it's ok. But Hitman Blood Money is still the best in the series.
It's clearly been aimed towards console gamers and lacks much of the depth of the previous games. Including the weapon and equipment customizations we had in blood money. -
Feb 15, 20137
Dec 25, 20127I found this to be a challenging game with lots of action and super graphics. My only problems were: (1) each mission became somewhat repetitive (2) annoying way in which melee battles switched to slow motion (may be due to playing on the easy level). Otherwise, very entertaining, but not quite worth the new release price. I suggest waiting until it goes on sale.
Feb 18, 20137
Mar 17, 20137
Feb 6, 201380Despite the deviations and minor shortcomings, it remains true to its roots. It just brushes them aside for a while, just long enough for it to tell its story- a story where the traditional contracts and other usual components just wouldn't fit. [January 2013]
Jan 8, 201360Hitman: Absolution does stand out from the ocean of gray and brown shooters that populate the market, but not in enough good ways to warrant a recommendation.
Dec 26, 201270It's not a bad game by any means, and it does fix some problems with the controls that plagued previous games, but having the story that essentially makes Agent 47 less of a hitman and more of an espionage hero, makes Absolution a decent stealth game but not a fantastic Hitman game.


text:
.NET Mail Expert components 2.0.520
The Ultimate Mail Expert offers a comprehensive interface for sending, receiving e-mail messages from a server and managing your mailbox remotely, all from within your application.
In addition, it also allows you to inspect and categorize bounced email messages with Ultimate Bounce Inspector component.
In this episode, we'll be looking at setting up a Bluetooth accessory, we'll offer a few power-saving tips and we'll take a quick look at how copy and paste works on the Samsung Galaxy SII 4G. view it
In this episode, we'll be taking a look at some of the pre-installed apps on the Galaxy SII including the Android Market, Gmail, the browser and the camera. view it
In this episode, we'll be taking a look at some of the Android tweaks that Samsung has made with its TouchWiz interface. We'll also take a look at adding widgets and app shortcuts to our homescreens, including Samsung's own specialized apps and widgets. view it
In this episode, we're going to take a look getting the SII setup with our Google and other accounts so we can begin using it right away. view it
The Samsung Galaxy SII 4G, AKA the Samsung Galaxy Epic Touch 4G, is a top-tier smartphone. view it
In this episode, we're going to offer a few battery saving tips so your phone will last the whole day and beyond plus we'll take a look at how copy and paste works on the Photon 4G. view it
The Motorola Photon from Ting features App Shortcuts and Widgets from Android and Motorola. view it


text:
Graduate Program in Immunology & Microbial Pathogenesis
Contact Us
Mailing Address
Joanne Balitzky, MS
Graduate Programs Coordinator
(215) 503-6687
firstname.lastname@example.com J. Schnell, PhD
Director, Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis PhD Program
The campus occupies approximately 13 acres of Center City real estate, bounded by Chestnut Street to the north, Irving Street to the south, 9th Street to the east, and 11th Street to the west.
For driving directions use this link to Google Maps for door-to-directions. To obtain more information, use these additional links for info regarding public transportation, driving or parking to all TJU campus buildings.


text:
"Mobility trumps mobile. The difference between mobility and mobile is like the difference between hardware and software. Mobile is linked to devices – it is always one thing, wherever it is. But mobility changes with context: cultures incorporate mobile technologies differently. For example, in Africa, SMS technology helps farmers pay bills electronically. In America, it helps teenagers keep up with their friends – an average of 60 times a day. Mobile itself is the nuts, bolts, and infrastructure, while mobility is the context which determines if it all works together or doesn't."
Link: The Future Isn't About Mobile; It's About Mobility (hbr.org)


text:
Jacksonville News
Piedmont Journal
Cleburne News
Daily Home
St. Clair Times
Longleaf Style
Anniston, Alabama
sign in
Life & Arts
About Us
Digital Edition
My Content
My Profiles
My Events
My Blogs
My Buddies
Local News
Cleburne Co.
Crime & Public Safety
Sunday Record
Nation & World
My Team
Bama Blog
Auburn Blog
JSU Blog
Score Updates
Bama Blog
Auburn Beat
Gamecock Corner
Community Blogs
Digital Edition
Arts & Theater
TV Listings
TV Star
Movie Showtimes
Op-Ed Columns
Speak Out submission
Star Columnists
Hot Blast
Special Reports
Online Features
Improve Anniston
Available Carrier Routes
Church Directory
Gas Prices
Sports & Rec.
Real Estate
... more
Real Estate
... more
Daily Calendar
Faith Calendar
Entertainment Calendar
Community Events Calendar
Contact Us
Social Media
Photo Reprints
Digital Edition
Community Blogs
Read blogs posts annistonstar.com Community Bloggers.
Behind The Star by Bob Davis
The Bitter End by Ben Cunningham
Chris on Tech by Chris Williams
The Church Lady by Jan Case
Clip2Save by Theresa Shadrix
Community Connections by Anna-Marie Moorer
Faith and Family by John Bagwell
Garden Goings On by Paula Barnett-Ellis and Sherry Blanton
Kaleidoscopic by Brian Robinson
Mileage by Mercy Pilkington
Munford Mixer by Jami Van Brocklin
Musings by Debra Parker Thomas
Prevention Works! by Julie Hope
Savory Servings by RaDonna Ridner-Thurman
Tri Talk by Brooke Nelson
Want to blog on annistonstar.com?
Click here to find out how
post a blog entry
Please note that The Anniston Star reserves the right to delete blog entries for any reason without prior notice.
Blogs are for personal use only. Any posts used for commercial purposes (i.e., selling products or services) will be deleted.
Blog posts containing racial or sexual remarks or other offensive content will be removed immediately.
Please do not use your blog post to copy content from other Web sites. Instead, we encourage you to provide a link to that content.
Repeated violations of these rules may result in the termination of your AnnistonStar.com account.
Recent Blog Posts
Cheap google plus one
by edwinpmeek
Dec 13, 2012
Want to know the key to increase the significance of your content on the web? It's all in the Google rating. Increasing your rating means people are marking your little piece of the internet as useful and informative, which in turn means better search rankings for you. The more 1 votes you have, ...
State regulators bar Mellow Mushroom beer clubs
by Ben_Cunningham
Dec 01, 2012
Fans of Mellow Mushroom's beer menu have lost an outlet to express their enthusiasm, at least in Alabama. The state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board recently informed the Atlanta-based pizza chain that its beer clubs program goes against state rules governing the sale of alcohol. David...
Simple Respect
by JohnBagwell
Dec 01, 2012
Respect is something we usually understand best when its missing. When its missing, it is obvious because we feel, in our bones, disrespected. You know what I mean. Its usually a comment someone makes or maybe some action. Its not the exact words they say, it is how they say them. Its the ...
Why deny same-sex marriage?
by Cg2012
Nov 29, 2012
In the United States, nine states have legalized and recognized same-sex marriage including: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Iowa, Vermont, Washington as well as the District of Columbia. The same-sex marriage issue can be traced to the civil rights movement...
by Cg2012
Nov 29, 2012
THE ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005: --AMENDS a loophole to THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT. It authorizes oil and gas drillers, exclusively, to inject known hazardous material, unchecked, directly into or adjacent to underground drinking water supplies. --increases direct spending by $2.2 billion ...
Agen Judi Online Terpercaya
by ojelhtc
Nov 28, 2012
Judi Online Agent108.Com adalah Agen Judi Online Terpercaya - Agen Bola Online | Agen Casino Online | Taruhan Judi Bola | Judi Online Terpercaya | Bola Tangkas dan agent jasa pembuatan account betting online (IBCBET, SBOBET, 368BET, 338A, ASIA8BET, GUAVITA, 9NAGATANGKAS, BOLA...
Seen any big stuff?
by Ben_Cunningham
Nov 26, 2012
OK, Calhoun County beer fans, I need a little help here. I'm working on a piece about the larger-size bottles that became legal in Alabama back on Aug. 1, and I need to know what you've seen for sale in our area. I know I've seen Back 40's Freckle Belly IPA and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in 22-ounce ...
Expectations of Leadership
by JohnBagwell
Nov 24, 2012
My first introduction to leadership, what it is, what it isn't, and how it affects people and situations around the world came through several books I read by John Maxwell. I have read many other authors since then, but a couple of my favorites by John Maxwell are "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of L...
Easy to Forget Until Gone
by JohnBagwell
Nov 17, 2012
Ever get up to leave a room to go get something only to get where you know you were going and forget what it was you went in there for? Mildly frustrating would be one way I would describe it. I'm standing there in the room. I know I'm here to get something, and yet it is as though whatever ...
by sompo
Nov 10, 2012
selling articles
← Previous
Next →
next 1000 results
Follow Us
Today's Events
event calendar
Tuesday, 18, 2013
post a new event
Pond Spring- The Gener...
Oxford Farmers market
12:00 AM to 11:59 PM
Join us for the kick-off of Oxford's first...
Oxford Farmers market
12:00 AM to 11:59 PM
Join us for the kick-off of Oxford's first...
School board moves to speed Saks High repairs
Brian Anderson
Anniston Star
Jun 18, 2013
| 537 views |
Damage was visible Tuesday at Saks High School from a fire Sunday morning. (Photo by Trent Penny/The Anniston Star)
Officials didn't know Tuesday what it'll cost to fix fire damage at Saks High School, but took steps to speed up repairs with the start of classes two months away. At a quickly called meeting Tuesday, the Calhoun County Board of Education declared Saks High an emergency situation in order to circumvent state bid laws. The meeting was a response to an electrical fire discovered Sunday at the school which caused smoke and water damage to one of the campus' four buildings. Principal Jody Whaley said he was unsure if the school would be ready to re-open when students return to school on Aug. 19. "I'm just hopeful that it is," Whaley said, standing in a second-floor hallway Tuesday afternoon littered with ceiling tile and soot. "We're looking at all our options at this point." Smoke damage was present throughout the building Tuesday, and much of the second floor's ceiling was destroyed. Water had puddled in several of the second-floor classrooms from efforts to extinguish the flames Sunday, and much of the building smelled like sulfur. Joe Dyar, superintendent of Calhoun County Schools, said the emergency declaration allows the board a loose time frame to make decisions about fixing damage at the school. Mike Fincher, director of safety for Calhoun County Schools, told the board that he met with engineers and insurance adjusters Monday and Tuesday to discuss cleanup at the building. No cost estimates for the damage were available Tuesday. "Phase one is clean-up enough to be able to assess the damage," Fincher said. "We have to do that just to get to be able to find out what damage we have, and how to correct that damage."
Staff Writer Brian Anderson: 256-235-3546. On Twitter
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Share This Article
similar stories
Calhoun County Board of Education delays start of school year for Common Core teacher training
| 6 days ago
Madasyn Czebiniak
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Firefighters clear smoke at Saks High
| 2 days 8 hrs ago
Brian Anderson
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Anniston Board of Education looks at next steps in junior high process
| 18 days ago
Paige Rentz
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
School officials say Saks High structurally safe after fire
| 1 day 2 hrs ago
Brian Anderson
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
JSU conference helps teachers keep up with educational tools
| 11 days ago
Laura Gaddy
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Anniston Middle School. (Photo by Trent Penny/The Anniston Star)
Anniston to extend search for city manager
Paige Rentz
Anniston Star
Jun 18, 2013
| 393 views |
The city of Anniston is extending the deadline in its search for a new city manager and offering more money to give the City Council a wider pool of applicants to consider. "We want to take our time," Mayor Vaughn Stewart said. "We want to increase the number of applicants ... and make sure we leave no stones uncovered in getting the word out around the country that the city of Anniston is looking for a new city manager." By Saturday, the initial deadline, 41 individuals had submitted applications. Candidates now have until July 13 to apply for the top job at City Hall. Councilwoman Millie Harris, standing at City Hall with the list of candidates in hand, said reading the applications has been a very time-consuming process. "We've got some good applicants, but we would like to increase that applicant pool," she said, noting that some of the applicants simply are not qualified. In an effort to entice more candidates, the city is also extending the salary range for the position to a maximum of $150,000, Stewart said. The job was initially advertised at $90,000-$120,000. "In the big scheme of things, hiring a city manager is one of the biggest decisions this council will make," Stewart said. "Under this form of government, that's a huge position, and we want to make sure we do it right." Under the city's council-manager form of government, the City Council hires the city manager, who has the power to hire other city employees. The only other appointment the council makes is for municipal judge. "We cannot direct department heads; we cannot direct employees," Stewart said. "All was can do it make sure we have a qualified manager in place that will carry out the policies the council adopts as a means to move the city forward." Stewart said the council is looking for a progressive, forward-thinking, transformative leader with a sense of enthusiasm that can unite both city employees and the community. Harris said she is looking for someone who has successful experience as a city manager or assistant city manager in a city comparable to Anniston, and it is important to her that a candidate have a bachelor's or master's degree in public administration. Managerial experience as a department head and credentials from the International City/County Management Association are also pluses, she said. More than half of the applicants have managed local governments ranging from Jupiter, Fla., to Dover, Del. About 10 other applicants have served as assistant managers, department-level managers, or in state or federal agencies. Those with no municipal management experience come from such backgrounds as the military, construction, media, consulting and non-profits. Harris said she's also on the lookout for red flags like frequent job changes. Stewart noted the city's seven managers in 15 years and said the council is looking for a candidate who will stick with the city for a significant period of time. Hoyt said the city advertised the position on several national job banks and with municipal associations all over the region, including those in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Kentucky. He said he will again advertise the position in these same locations, making note of the salary change. Asked about the possibility of the city hiring a search firm to help lure applicants, Hoyt said he duplicated the processes he's been through as an applicant in searches run both by cities and search firms. "We're basically following the same pattern that I've seen done time and time again," he said. "We can hire somebody and give them a bunch of money to do the same thing."
Staff writer Paige Rentz: 256-235-3564. On Twitter
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Share This Article
similar stories
Twenty-nine arrested in drug-dealer roundup
| 28 days ago
Laura Gaddy
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Council authorizes retirement incentive for Anniston city employees
| 20 days ago
Paige Rentz
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Hibbett Sports store coming to Anniston
| 7 days ago
Paige Rentz
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Anniston Wells Fargo closes Friday for demolition
| 12 days ago
Patrick McCreless
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Ladiga Trail extension touches more than 280 properties
| 8 days ago
Paige Rentz
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Anniston Middle's "failing" grade may not lead to tax credits after all
Tim Lockette
Anniston Star
Jun 18, 2013
| 3281 views |
Anniston Middle School. (Photo by Trent Penny/The Anniston Star)
Anniston Middle School is among 78 "failing" schools where students' families will qualify for a state tax credit under the Alabama Accountability Act, state school officials announced Tuesday. But whether any of those families will be able to collect the tax credits remains very much in doubt. Anniston's school board has already voted to close the middle school. Local private schools have said they won't accept a set of scholarships that are linked to the tax credits. Local public schools say court orders in the state's decades-old desegregation case may prohibit Anniston students from transferring. "I will approve no transfers until we've cleared this with our attorneys in Lee v. Macon or the Justice Department," said Joan Frazier, superintendent of Anniston City Schools. Frazier and school leaders across the state had long awaited the release of a list of schools determined to be "failing" by state school officials. Under the Alabama Accountability Act, passed by the Legislature in February, the state will give tax credits of about $3,500 to families with students in "failing" schools -- if they transfer their children to non-failing public schools or enroll them in private schools. List long awaited Just which schools were "failing" remained a matter of debate for months, as lawmakers debated the criteria and ultimately passed a new definition of failing schools in May and granted the Alabama Department of Education the power to interpret those rules. The final list, released Tuesday morning, contained 78 schools, most of them middle or junior high schools, and nearly all of them in high-poverty areas. Anniston Middle was the only school in Calhoun County that made the list. In a webcast press conference, state schools Superintendent Tommy Bice said middle schools may have figured so heavily in the list because they're the only grade span in which all students are tested under the state accountability system. Anniston Middle School Principal Lynwood Hawkins declined comment on the "failing" rating Tuesday, referring all questions to Frazier. Frazier defended the middle school, pointing to state figures that show improvement in test scores over the past six years. In 2007, 46 percent of the school's students met or exceeded state standards on the Alabama Reading and Math Test. In 2012, 60 percent of students hit that mark. "We fit the same pattern as other schools on the list," she said, noting that other "failing" schools had shown improvement in students' scores on the test. A pathway out? Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, the Accountability Act's primary author, said the designation will give Anniston's families a choice. "Many of them will simply choose to remain," he said. "But those who want to move to another school can do that now." Marsh has long promoted the Accountability Act as a pathway out of failing schools for students who are stuck in them. Transferring out of Anniston Middle may not be so easy, though. The school is the city's only middle-grades institution, which means that students hoping to transfer to another school would have to attend a school outside their district. Even if Anniston's desegregation order allows students to transfer out, nearby school systems are bound by orders that keep them from allowing students in, school officials say. "Due to our desegregation order, we will not be accepting transfer students under the Accountability Act at this time," Calhoun County Superintendent Joe Dyar said. Oxford City Schools is under a similar order, director of student services Roy Bennett said. Jacksonville City Schools Superintendent Jon Campbell didn't cite a court order, but said the city's school board has already agreed not to alter its admissions policy, which limits admission to Jacksonville residents and children of full-time Jacksonville State University employees. He said board members wanted to keep the city's resources focused on its residents. Scholarship dilemma Desegregation orders don't prevent students from leaving for private schools, but it's still not clear the tax credits will be available for those students either. The state Department of Revenue announced Tuesday that the tax credits won't be available to families zoned for failing schools who are already in private schools. The department also announced that the tax credits won't be available if students transfer to private schools that don't accept scholarships created available a separate program set up under Section 9 of the Accountability Act. Section 9 offers tax credits to businesses if they donate to scholarships programs for low-income children. Leaders of three Anniston private schools -- the Donoho School, Faith Christian School and Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School -- told The Star earlier this year that they had no plan to accept the Section 9 scholarships. "It takes away our independence when we have to report information to the state like a public school," Jan Hurd, head of the Donoho School, told The Star on Tuesday. Hurd said Section 9 scholarships would require schools to report test grades and other information to the school system. Hurd said she did not know until Tuesday about the ban on tax credits for schools refusing Section 9. She said the school's board of directors had already decided to decline the scholarships, though the issue would be brought up again at a coming board meeting. Attempts to reach the directors of Faith Christian and Sacred Heart were unsuccessful Tuesday. State revenue director Julie Magee said the decision to link the tax credits to Section 9 was simple. The Accountability Act, she said, defines a private school as one that accepts the Section 9 scholarships. "We're just doing what the law says," she said. School to close Anniston Middle School's place on the failing schools list may be short-lived. The city's school board voted earlier this year to close the school, part of a citywide reorganization being done in response to the city's declining enrollment. City officials have also expressed interest in using the middle school site, across from Lowe's onMcClellan Boulevard, for commercial development. School officials have not set a date for the closure, but Frazier said it will likely happen in two or three years. Marsh said that even with the closure, parents of middle-grades kids in Anniston should continue to qualify for the tax credit. He said the change wasn't a true school closure, but just the closure of a building. "If it was failing in one spot, it's failing in the next," he said. Frazier said the change was indeed a school closure, with Cobb Elementary slated for conversion to a junior high for grades 7-9 and the system's sixth-graders expected to be distributed among the city's elementary schools. If Anniston Middle's families do get the tax credit, that credit would expire once they age out of the middle school -- thus becoming zoned for Anniston High School. Anniston High hasn't met state goals on standardized tests for years, but it wasn't on the failing schools list. Marsh said students using the tax credits who aged out of Anniston Middle wouldn't have to go to Anniston High. "They could continue to go, they'd just have to pay the tuition to go to a private school," he said. Marsh has long maintained that the Accountability Act isn't perfect, but is the start of a system of school choice for the state's students. "There's a bridge there, so that if they don't want to be in the middle school, they can leave," he said.
Capitol & statewide reporter Tim Lockette: 256-294-4193. On Twitter
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Share This Article
similar stories
Editorial: The shattered world of Anniston Middle School
| 6 hrs ago
The editorial board of The Anniston Star
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Speak Out: A detrimental side of tax credits
| 23 days ago
our readers
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Bentley: school transfer necessary for tax credits
| 11 days ago
Phillip Rawls
Associated Press
Associated Press
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Legislature rejects governor's two-year delay on school tax credits
| 29 days ago
Tim Lockette
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
State House rejects request for two-year delay on school tax credits; Senate vote possible
| 29 days ago
Tim Lockette
Anniston Star
Copyright 2013 Anniston Star. All rights reserved.
Joey Crews - Keller Williams Realty
1805 Hillyer Robinson Parkway, Anniston, AL 36207 phone: 256-241-1500
Joey Crews is a Realtor in Anniston, AL with Keller Williams Realty. If you're looking to purchase real estate in Calhoun or Talladega County, I can help you choose the right property to meet ...
more info
contact this business
Couch's Jewelers Inc
15 East 10th Street, Anniston, AL 36201 phone: (256)237-4628
At Couch's, whether it be in our store or through our web site, we want to provide a friendly, professional environment for you to purchase heirloom quality jewelry to mark a significant life ...
more info
contact this business


text:
Accessibility menu
Main menu
It is said that all roads lead to Rome… So why not come and see the Pope, eat gelato, drink espresso and soak up city life in the stylish capital of Italy. Religion & fashion hold equal importance in Rome so dress to impress and prepare to be seduced by its charm, style and architecture. Perfect for romantic city breaks, historical trips for the family or a weekend away… Rome can fill endless days telling you its story.
A state all on its own, Vatican City is home of the pope and hosts millions of visitors each year. Whether you are religious or not, this fascinating City has an aura about it which cannot fail to get you thinking about the bigger questions in life.
Visit this enormous stage where Roman Gladiators used to battle it out in front of the emperor. Imagine yourself fighting with tigers in this historical theatre and take a while to admire the architecture, in particular the 80 arched entrances through which 55,000 attendees would race in to watch the bloodshed ensue. Great for family holidays the adventure and excitement of the Colosseum will bring a smile to any age!
Located in the fabulous Piazza di Spagna, you will find the famous Spanish Steps, leading elegantly down from the church of Trinità dei Monti. Notably the widest staircase in Europe, although not an amazing accolade, it is worthy of a visit, particularly in Spring when they are adorned with tubs of azaleas' and provide the perfect Kodak moment for that Roman souvenir.
There is so much to see in Rome that one page of tips simply couldn't do it justice.Don't miss the chance to make a wish whilst tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain, and admire the architecture in St Peter's Square. Visit St Peter's basilica and see Michelangelo's most famous work of art in the Sistine Chapel, Gaze at the Pantheon and wander around the many Piazza's. In Rome – the list is endless so whatever you do.. make sure you allow enough time!
++Elite Vatican & St Peter's Basilica Tour - £58This half day tour include a visit to the Sistine Chapel, the Rooms of Rafael and St Peters Square .....................................................................++Elite Colosseum & Imperial Rome Tour - £54Taking in three of Ancient Rome's most important sites, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palantine Hill.....................................................................
++Elite Rome by Night Including Dinner - £71See some of the most famous monuments in the World, back lit against the great city of Rome, dinner included .....................................................................
++Panoramic Open Top Bus Tour - £32The hop on, hop off open top bus allows you to take in Rome's most important sights


text:
1. | Doub | ||
1) A ball juggler
2) A German family from the late 1700s 3) An extermemly annoying person. (can also be used with definition #1) 1) Chris was being such a doub today at gym.
2) We learned about the Doubs in school today. 3) Chris wouldn't stop yelling and acting hyper today, therefore, he is a doub. Can also be used in the plural sense: Chris and Adam were being doubs today. (Chris and Adam are 2 common names and should not be associated with any real-life counterparts) |
2. | doub | ||
t9 speak for dota dota is a warcraft 3 scenario game dota stands for Defense of the Ancients Hey man... I want to doub.


text:
12 October 2010
Posted in
1 Hokkaido squash (about 600 g)
2 Onions, large
2 Tablespoons, butter
1 Tablespoon, sweet paprika powder
200 ml Orange Juice.
600 ml Vegetable stock
200 ml Cream
Salt & Pepper
1 Tablespoon, pumpkin seed oil
1. Peel the squash, discard the seeds and rinse with water. Pat dry and cut the squash into four parts, then cut into cube size pieces. Finely chop the onions.
2. Over a medium heat, melt the butter in a large pan. Cook the onion with the paprika powder for 3 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the squash pieces to the onions, and cook until they start to steam and soften.
3. Add the cream, orange juice (I used 100% pure orange juice) and vegetable stock to the pumpkin mixture. Cover and gently cook for 20 minutes or until smooth (I cool slightly then transfer to a food blender before returning the liquid to the pan).
4. Add a little salt and pepper for taste then simmer for a further five minutes.
5. Garnish with the pumpkin seed oil.
You may also like to read Hokkaido squash.
Deana said:
... Mmmm... That looks very yummy. Funnily enough, in my country, squash is only used for desserts. Imagine my delight when I tried the squash cream soup for the first time. On the other hand, the Germans don't know our squash strudel, which is the most delicious strudel-like cake EVER. |
Anastasia said:
... I would also suggest to add some pumpkin seeds as a finish. This really is delicious, because it intensifies the pumpkin taste. And it is yummy |
Sommer J said:
... looks absolutely sublime. Loventhe flavor used. Prime time for both squash and oranges. |


text:
Our very own Chocolate Moose calls this cozy room home. The flannel sheets covering the full size bed make you want to stay snuggled in bed forever listening to the soft neighing of the horses across the street. With no plumbing whatever, this is one of our two "sleeping rooms". Moose Room Rates
We could not have imagined a more perfect vacation. Every day we awoke to cloudless, warm, sunshine-filled days. And, even thought the Aspens are past bloom, the scenery here is still breath-taking. When we embarked on our weeklong vacation, we knew little of Allenspark Lodge nor the solitude and beauty of its surroundings. What we found was a beautiful cozy lodge with a welcome home feel. We've stayed at several B&B's , but have not run into such gracious and caring hosts such as yourselves before. Your culinary skills are unequalled - if anyone leaves the breakfast table hungry, they are insane. And we enjoyed how easily you shared your life and home with use. We felt so welcomed. Being fellow animal lovers, we were ecstatic and finding the other "owners" of the lodge. First and foremost, there's Sam who's motto "Sam's my name, food's my game" aptly describes the urgency involved in the wait for 9:00 dinner. She's a beautifully well behaved dog who we are going to miss much. Add to this already perfect lodge, a sassy, sock-sleeping squirrel, some voo-doo, a Foxy lady, and a Tiger, and you've got a star studded animal troupe that we enjoyed immensely. Lise & Jeff (Des Moines, IA) We had a great time here. All the special touches i.e. - snacks, games, movies, this guest book really make you feel at home. This was a great base for "doing" Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park. Our hike to Ouzel Falls was great and just down the road. Thanks for everything! Ashley & Kay (New Richmond, WI)