text:
Riot Games
League of Legends and you: the pros explain how to get the most out of spectating professional games
The League of Legends All-Star game is coming up this weekend, with a huge event streaming live from a packed stadium in Shanghai. Hundreds of thousands of people will be tuning their web browsers to Twitch.tv to watch the world's best players compete. But what if you don't already know how the professional game is played?
League of Legends is played by over 30 million people worldwide, but not everybody is familiar with how to actually observe and understand the way that the pros play. So I reached out to some professional League of Legends casters to get a better understanding of the most important aspects of the professional game and how to enjoy it as a viewer.
This article assumes you know a fair amount about the basic game of League of Legends and the MOBA genre, so if you're not at that level of knowledge then you might want to consider watching a beginner's guide before continuing. Or just try it for yourself, it's free after all.
Map Vision
"This is a doozy of importance in a professional League of Legends game," said Tom 'OptimusTom' Searfoss, a League of Legends caster for productions like Major League Gaming. He said that the earliest battle in a League of Legends match is often a war for vision of the map. Players will canvas the arena, planting sight markers called wards that allow them to see what's happening at that location, even when they're not there.
The idea is simple: if they know what the enemy is doing then they're going to be able to counter it and win. As a result, vision control is crucial and teams make a priority of planting plenty of their own wards while making sure to clear the opposing team's.
"Often times you'll see the winning team is the one with the most wards on the map," said Searfoss. "Periods of time that may seem to 'drag out' in games are often the product of intense jockeying for position through vision by both sides."
Vision control is important for being aware of surprise ambushes, and it also helps teams control objectives.
Controlling the objectives
"I tend to split the map into primary objectives (towers) and secondary objectives (dragon, baron, jungle buffs)," said Randall Fitzgerald, caster and former MOBA manager for Quantic Gaming. "You will see lots of play styles around the world at the pro level in regard to the importance of these objectives. Korean teams tend to have a heavy focus on swift, aggressive attacks in the interest of pressuring primary objectives. This gives them map control and leads to their ability to control secondary objectives."
At the top level, players are great at the basic skills: farming minions for gold, and ensuring they don't die which would give the other team free gold. So much of the focus comes down to the objectives as the primary means of getting ahead in the game. If a team has great vision control on the map then they'll be able to see what the other team is doing so they can reinforce defensive positions, kill an enemy who is caught out of position, or attack the other team's exposed weakness.
The Dragon and Baron boss monster objectives are particularly important as they can provide the gold boost and stat buffs (respectively) that can break a close stalemate between evenly matched teams.
That said, teams need to be careful when approaching these objectives. Fighting a turret, Dragon or Baron can be dangerous. If the other team sees them thus engaged, they can attack with a decisive advantage. If one team has been weakened by a fight against Baron, they're not likely to win a fight against the enemy team.
Obtaining vision of the objectives allows teams to ransack the opponent when they attempt to fight boss monsters, or even try to steal the kill at the last moment.
Teamwork and communication
The biggest difference between the low levels and the professional league is team communication. I've played in dozens of matches where nobody ever said a single word that wasn't a curse or a slur, but at the professional level teams must be 100% coordinated at all times.
"They need to be working together as a cohesive unit at all times and you will find that a lot of games are swung early based on how well coordinated a team is," said Fitzgerald. "Pro players are fond of saying it like this: It's better to have five guys act on a bad play call than to have two or three act on a good one."
If even one player is out of step with the rest of the team then it can completely sink the entire squad.
"When a team is on the same page with one another then things go swimmingly," said Searfoss. "When they're out of sync by even a second or two, the consequences could be a lost buff, a death, or even a lost game after a grueling team fight goes south. League of Legends requires a 5-man team to stand strong together. If even one member is off-beat from the rest or in a sour mood during the battle back from falling behind, the game becomes so much more out of reach for them."
Fluid communication is important at every stage of the game, but it becomes the most important late in the game when teams stop fighting in small groups and start grouping up for the big rumbles.
Team fights
There's some small room for error early on in the game. In the early game, respawn times are quick and there's still time to make up for the advantage you've just given the opponent. Later in the game, the match turns into a tightrope walk on a windy day. One false move, even a single step, can mean a lost match.
"A single player takes a single step in the wrong direction and, before they know it, they've been destroyed, leaving their team down a player for nearly a minute," said Fitzgerald. "But it's not just [pick-offs like that]. Shorting an ultimate from Malphite or Sona, for example, means that you've just lost the ability to lock up the enemy team and they are still loaded for bear."
The single most difficult thing about watching competitive League of Legends is figuring out how to enjoy the big fights. They're extremely complicated with dozens of abilities going off all at once and players dancing around in an unsychronized ballet. The best most viewers can do is watch and pray that their team slowly starts to come out on top, but Fitzgerald offered us some tips for observing the action.
"Disables and crowd control! It used to take a bit of knowledge about animations to spot these as the overhead icons were a bit difficult to see, but no longer," he said. "Now disables appear near the champion health bar. If you see a large number of champions on one side disabled for a time, chances are fairly good that unless they have strong disengage, a solid counter initiation, or a positional advantage (other team too far spread or something like that) then you will see them drop fairly quickly. The flashiest skills are also generally the highest damage. Pay attention to where they come from and who they hit."
However, if you're still to new to the game to try to drink in the action of ten players at once, Fitzgerald suggested picking one heavy damage dealer and then following that player through the battle.
"If they die quickly without getting much done, that's bad," he said. "If they pull a kill and get back out, that's great. Once they are done, look at another damage dealer. As time goes, you'll be able to hop around the fight from damage dealer to damage dealer and get a good idea of the overall flow of the fight."
It's also important to keep an eye on each team's gold count. Gold count is the most important stat in League of Legends and it's an easy clue as to who is winning the game. The more gold a team has, the more money they have to buy all-important items and equipment. A team with a sizable gold lead is likely to be statisically more powerful and generally more likely to prevail.
There's so much to understand and study when it comes to the professional game of League of Legends. You could stay busy for months following the strategies and evolving playstyles of teams and regions, but if you keep an eye out for these specific things then you'll have a much better understanding of what's going on in the world's most popular spectator video game.


text:
Reader Annie writes to tellNews
Reader Annie writes to tell us that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has received the following nominations from the Young Artist Awards:
Best Family Feature Film - Drama
Best Ensemble in a Feature Film - Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton
Best Performance in a Feature Film, Leading Young Actor - Daniel Radcliffe
Best Performance in a Feature Film, Leading Young Actress - Emma Watson
Best Performance in a Feature Film, Supporting Young Actor - Tom Felton
The Harry Potter books are 'fattist' because they portray overweight kids in a bad way, it's been claimed. Harry's cousin Dudley is overweight - and he's also selfish, stupid, lazy and greedy. The charity Weight Concern reckons more kids will see fat children in this way - and this could lead to them being bullied at school.
Pravda reports that the world seems to have gone mad after Harry Potter series by J.K.Rowling was issued. Millions of editions are being instantly sold out, while shops are full of round glasses and magic wands. Children are disappointed to know they have good vision and cannot wear round glasses. Even university girls prefer the book about the young wizard to Bulgakov.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Understanding and Navigating the Administration Center in FOPE
Topic Last Modified: 2012-03-15
The Forefront Online Protection for Exchange (FOPE) Administration Center is a Web portal that you, the service administrator, use to manage settings for your company, its user accounts, and the optional subscriptions that your company has purchased. In the FOPE Administration Center, you can complete the following tasks.
Activate and manage your domains
Manage your company information and settings
Add and manage users and accounts
Create and manage spam, virus, and policy filters
Create and manage message policy rules
Configure quarantine settings
Monitor and trace message activity
Monitor overall service health and stay informed about planned outages, virus outbreaks, and other events that may affect your service
Access training and reference materials
Get technical support
After logging in to the FOPE Administration Center, you will see the Information tab, or the home page. To navigate back to this home page from anywhere else within the FOPE Administration Center, click the Information tab. As a short cut, you can also easily find companies, domains, users or policy rules with the Quick Search feature.
The following tabs, at the top of the FOPE Administration Center, provide access to the rich set of features within FOPE. The following topics explain each tab in more detail.
Understanding the Information Tab: The Information tab displays service announcements, alerts, and filters reports at the company and network levels.
Understanding the Administration Tab: The Administration tab provides you with a single point of administration for all of your FOPE services. From this tab, you can manage settings for FOPE, any services to which you have subscribed, and any policy rules for your company, domains, or users.
Understanding the My Reports Tab: With the My Reports tab, you can create and run reports for all of your services.
Understanding the Tools Tab: The Tools tab lets you trace messages and view service events by using the Audit Trail feature.
Understanding the Advanced Tab: If you are an administrator with permission to more than one company in the FOPE Administration Center, you can access to the Advanced tab. It displays a list view of all of the companies that a user has permission to view along with a tool to check SMTP connections. This tab is not displayed if the user has permission to view only one company.


text:
Associated Press
Publication: theday.com
WATERVILLE, Maine (AP) — A Maine man wanted by police after leading officers on a high-speed chase is in custody in Connecticut.
Authorities say an FBI agent arrested 31-year-old Ernest Almeida on Friday after overhearing him bragging aboard an Amtrak train about being wanted in Maine.
He's due in court Monday in Connecticut.
In Maine, Waterville Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey says Almeida was driving with a suspended license when he led police on a chase Thursday evening. He ultimately abandoned his Jeep, and fled into some woods before reappearing in Connecticut.
Almeida, who couldn't be reached Saturday, is charged in Maine with eluding an officer, operating after suspension as a habitual offender and driving to endanger.
The Big Day 2014
Flat Stanley Contest
Win an iPad mini from Tri-Town Foods
This week is American Craft Beer Week, with spinoff events in the state and Rhode Island. What's your favorite local beer?
No current items found


text:
- Mobile site
- E-Newsletters
- News feed
- Find us on Twitter
Daily Echo on Twitter
Saints News on Twitter
Leisure news on Twitter
- Find us on Facebook
Echo on Facebook
Bournemouth leave it late (From Daily Echo)
When news happens, text SDE and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email and phone.
Bournemouth leave it late
4:11pm Monday 4th June 2012 in Local Cricket
Bournemouth chased down the Hampshire Academy's 264-5 to win by two wickets off the penultimate ball on the Ageas Bowl Nursery Ground – having been 95-5 at one stage!
Teenager Jake Hurley and opener Mark House launched the fightback, Dave Kidner gave it impetus, and Ciaran Quinn and skipper Scott Barlow finished it off with an unbeaten half-century partnership.
Full story in today's Daily Echo
Comments are closed on this article.


text:
DIVA TALK: Catching Up With Evita and "The X Factor" Star Rachel Potter
By Andrew Gans
News, views and reviews about the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage.
Rachel Potter
Question: Let's go back a bit. After Evita ended, where did you go from there?
Question: How did "X-Factor" come about? Do they approach you, or do you go to open auditions?
Question: Were there preliminary auditions?
Question: When you finally got on stage and saw those judges, what was that experience like?
Question: In the package intro for you, they didn't mention your Broadway credits.
They really wanted to focus on that, but what they found was there was such a backlash and such an anger because so many people did know about the shows that I'd been in because they were such loved shows. So from that, there was an episode last night called "Getting to Know the Top 12," and they actually put a factoid in the bottom of the screen: "Rachel used to work on Broadway before she moved to Nashville." I'm so excited that they're excited to start talking about that. Where I believe the story lies is not that I'm a bartender in Nashville, but that I went from doing something I truly loved and being mildly successful at it and giving it up and moving to Nashville to start from zero because of this dream. I'm excited they're embracing that because the last thing I'd ever want is for the Broadway community to think I didn't own and love them.
Question: You just advanced to the Top 12. What was your reaction to hearing that you had made that group?
Question: What's the process like of working with a mentor?
Question: Even if you don't win, you're going to be so much more recognizable. What are your thoughts about that kind of fame?
Question: Do you let your mind go there that you could win?
Question: Have you heard from a lot of Broadway people since you've been on TV? What's that reaction been like?
To vote for Potter, click here or text 9 to 21523 or call (855) 843-9309.
Click here for more information about The X Factor and Rachel Potter.
Well, that's all for now. Happy diva-watching! E-mail questions or comments to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Rachel Potter and Fellow Top 12 at "The X Factor" Finalist Party
Send questions and comments to the Webmaster
Copyright © 2014 Playbill, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
ANDERSON — The Indiana Basketball Coaches Association has come up with a new proposal for the state boys and girls basketball tournaments and the goal just may be fan interest.
Under the plan, the state's teams will be divided into three classes based on enrollment. There are many differences between this plan and the one currently in place beyond just the number of classes.
First, there is no attempt to keep the number of teams in each class the same or even similar in number. There will be fewer teams in 3A than in 2A or 1A. Secondly, those classes will be further divided into divisions, again based on size. Teams from the different divisions wouldn't play each other until the regional level.
Lapel's Jimmie Howell, who is a state championship-winning coach, the school's athletic director and a member the IHSAA Board of Directors, thinks the fans could be the target of this proposal.
"I think it is an attempt to recreate some excitement for the tournament," said Howell. "I think the tournament has lost a lot of interest over the years. I think the (proposed) setup is better than what we have now. I think it has a lot to do with trying to get more fans in the stands."
Last year's attendance was one of the lowest since the beginning of class basketball in 1998.
All but three of this area's schools would be in 1A. Anderson would be in 3A, the bottom division, while Pendleton Heights and Frankton would be in 2A, though in different divisions.
"I think there are some positives and some negatives, like most things," said Frankton boys basketball coach Brent Brobston, whose Eagles were just a last-second shot from winning back-to-back sectional titles at Lapel last season. "It will be interesting to see what discussions come out of this. I haven't decided for myself whether I favor it or not."


text:
This column is designed to offer a platform to discuss national stories on a local level. Share your opinion in the comment section!
I'm sure you've heard by now that David Petraeus, Director of the CIA, resigned over an extramarital affair.
Reports have surfaced that the affair was discovered by investigating his emails. Questions arise, but I'm sure we'll find out more about who, what, when and where. The Chicago Tribune reports that the woman was a journalist and his biographer.
While the public has questioned why he would resign over an affair -- when even presidents have had affairs and remained in office -- the FBI expected him to resign " rather than risk the possibility that he could be blackmailed to give intelligence secrets to foreign intelligence agencies or criminals," according to Newsmax.com.
Additionally, the woman in question had access to Petraeus' email account.
CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell will now fill in as CIA Director, and will also testify at congressional briefings on Benghazi instead of Petraeus, according to the Chicago Tribune.
While it's not getting much press, the situation is Syria is still on a downward spiral. According to CNN, al-Assad, whose family has ruled for four decades, is losing control of the country at a rapid pace.
Two suicide car bombs "targeted Syrian security forces in the flashpoint city of Daraa," according to CNN, leading to renewed efforts and international pressure by the U.S. and Arab Nations to form a new rebel body that could become a transitional form of government.
The attack followed the alleged killing of ten people by government forces. According to UN estimates, over 35,000 people have been killed in the civil war and over 400,000 have been displaced since March of 2011.
Al-Assad refuses to call it a civil war, and instead calls the opposition forces "terrorists."
Subscribe to the Athens Patch Newsletter, like us on Facebook, follow Athens Patch on Twitter


text:
The security apparatus at a shopping center like The Mall in Columbia is designed to be as sophisticated as it is unobtrusive — off-hours training and drills to prepare employees for shootings and other calamities, surveillance cameras that can capture in real time suspicious persons or behavior.
And yet, Darion Marcus Aguilar managed to arrive on Saturday morning at the Columbia mall with a shotgun in a bag and spend about an hour in the food court area before heading to the skate shop Zumiez where he would emerge from a dressing room to kill two employees and then himself.
"I don't think there's anything that could have prevented this from a security perspective," said Eric Oddo, a senior policy analyst with the University of Maryland's Center for Health and Homeland Security.
"A mall has perhaps more challenges than any other institutions," Oddo said. "Unlike, for example, an airport, which has more controlled entrances, the only way a mall can work is if it is free-flowing."
Security experts say shopping centers face a dilemma when it comes to protecting customers and employees — people want to be safe while they're at the mall, but anything too overt, from metal detectors at entrances to armed police at every turn, would vastly change the leisurely appeal of the mall experience.
"That just wouldn't be realistic given the shopping culture that we have in the U.S.," said Joseph LaRocca, a security consultant who previously headed loss prevention efforts of the National Retail Federation and the Walt Disney Co.'s retail division. "People going to the food court and the movies, or shopping — the thought of having to stand in security lines … would send even more people to online retailers."
As a result, LaRocca said, many malls have instead installed sophisticated camera systems and trained employees on how to react to emergencies. Their corridors and parking lots are patrolled by private security guards, uniformed and plainclothes, and off-duty police officers.
The Mall in Columbia's management was reluctant to speak specifically about its security systems or any changes in the aftermath of the shootings. The mall reopened Monday with additional security measures.
"You will see an increased security presence by uniformed police officers from the Police Department, working in close coordination" with mall security, Howard County Police Chief Bill McMahon told mall employees Monday.
"We want you to feel safe, we want your employees to feel safe," he said, "and we want our patrons here to feel safe."
McMahon praised the work of the mall's security staff as "absolutely phenomenal," saying surveillance cameras helped police determine when Aguilar arrived and how long he was at the mall before the killings.
Officials noted that the "active shooter" drills that police run for employees during the overnight hours when the mall is closed paid off this weekend when they were confronted with the real thing. For about five years now, most recently in April of last year, police have worked with the mall to provide this kind of guidance.
As shootings in malls, movie theaters and other public venues seem to occur with ever greater frequency, such drills are becoming standard practice, said security experts.
LaRocca points to the 2007 mass shooting at the Westroads Mall in Omaha, Neb., where a gunman killed eight people and then himself, as the turning point.
"There was a program put together by retailers, police and Homeland Security, and rolled out nationwide," he said of guidelines on how to handle active shooter incidents. "The retailers started to practice these drills. You never want to be the center that has the shooting, but if it happens, you want to be prepared."
The nation's largest shopping center, the Mall of America in Minnesota, has drawn criticism for a "behavior profiling program" based on Israeli airport techniques. Personnel scan the crowds, looking for suspicious, out-of-the-ordinary behavior that warrants further observation or questioning by security guards.
Reporters at the Center for Investigative Reporting and National Public Radio found that sometimes, information on shoppers deemed suspicious by mall security was forwarded to federal agencies, which then investigated them further.
At The Mall in Columbia, security cameras apparently picked up Aguilar's entrance and movements for about an hour at the mall, but it did not appear that anything he did prior to the 11:15 a.m. shootings raised suspicions.
LaRocca said that simply hanging around a food court is entirely normal mall behavior — people can be waiting for rides or for a movie to start.
William Nesbitt, president of Security Management Services International, said one problem with preventing or handling mall shooters is that they don't fit a single profile.


text:
IPSWICH — Janet B. (Rowland) Hunt, 70, wife of Bruce D. Hunt of North Ridge Road, Ipswich, died Friday, March 15, 2013, in the Ledgewood Rehabilitation Center, Beverly, following her long illness.
Born in New London, Conn., February 9, 1943, one of the five children of the late Joseph M. and Janet (Amadon) Rowland, she was a 1961 graduate of Morgan High School in Clinton, Conn. She went on to graduate in 1964 from the Lawrence General Hospital School of Nursing where she met her husband to be. Married in 1965, the Hunts lived in Salem for two years, moving in 1967 to their current home in Ipswich. For ten years Mrs. Hunt was employed as an R.N. at the North Shore Children's Hospital in Salem.
With a grown family, she returned to work at the former Caldwell Nursing Home and former Coburn Home in Ipswich. Beth, as she was known, was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church. Beth's love of crafts was shown by the many hours she spent sharing her talent with her grandchildren. She spent many years heading Brownies and Girl Scout troops and Vacation Bible school, where she shared her gift of crafting with many more children.
In addition to her husband of forty-seven years she is survived by a son Bruce P. Hunt of Sarasota, Fla.; three daughters, Wendy L. Jensen of Ipswich, Heidi B. Davis and her husband Kevin of Winter Haven, Fla., and Ashley N. Hunt of Ipswich; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two brothers, Joseph Rowland of Florida and Larry Rowland of Delaware; two sisters, Muriel Horowitz of Connecticut and Ina Brown of Minnesota, many nephews, nieces, great nephews and nieces.
ARRANGEMENTS: Her funeral service will be held 8 p.m., Monday, April 1, 2013, in the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home, 6 High St., Ipswich, preceded by a time of visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name may be made to: the Hospice of the North Shore and Greater Boston, 75 Sylvan St, Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923, American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA, 01701, MA Special Olympics, The Yawkey Sports Training Center, 512 Forest Street, Marlborough, MA. 01752. For directions and or to leave a condolence please visit www.whittier-porter.com


text: GOODING, Idaho (AP) - Two men have been arrested in the throat slashing of a Blackfoot man who was found injured along a rural road in south-central Idaho. The Gooding County sheriff's office says 30-year-old Ryan Eugene Cunningham of Wendell and 49-year-old Thomas Hooley of Twin Falls were arrested Wednesday in Twin Falls County. They were expected to be arraigned Thursday on charges of aggravated battery and first-degree kidnapping for injuries suffered by 31-year-old Jason Given of Blackfoot. The men are jailed with bail set at $1 million each. An emergency medical technician spotted Given alongside a road south of Wendell on July 13. Chief Deputy Jerry Pierce said Given had been stabbed in the head, had a fractured skull and his throat had been slashed. Officials say Givens identified his alleged attackers.(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


text:
150g butter, at room temperature
50g white chocolate, chopped
Press the shortbread down into the tin and prick all over with a fork or put the biscuits onto a greased baking sheet. Put the shortbread into the oven for 45 minutes at 160C. If you make biscuits they won't need as long. This is the part of baking that I don't like; the waiting game. The house fills with glorious smells and all you can do is lick the air. When you take the shortbread out of the oven mark it into eight or twelve pieces and then leave to cool.
I loved this shortbread; buttery and crunchy as expected but with exceptionally subtle elderflower and indulgent white chocolate. I found that the elderflower was a little overpowered when eating but afterwards when the enjoyment of eating the warm shortbread is over you get a little floral reminder on your breath.


text:
It is hard for companies to grow their business in this kind of economic environment. However, there are companies with healthy growth of earnings and revenue, even with this low growth economy. And having in mind above-average levels of growth, the valuations are also compelling, presenting value and growth at the same time, which is what I like the most when searching for investment opportunities.
Mellanox Technologies (MLNX)
Mellanox is a fabless semiconductor company. It produces and supplies interconnect products for computing, storage, and communication applications in the computing, Web 2.0, storage, financial services, database and cloud markets. This stock had a magnificent run this year, and a subsequent collapse in price, but the earnings and sales growth are still stellar, and the company has more growth to come. Trailing PE is 26.78, forward PE is 14.32, and the PEG ratio is a very low 0.36, with projected earnings growth of 74%, according to Finviz. The company has achieved a five-year EPS growth of 90.51% and five-year revenue growth of 39.81%
Source: Street Insider
The stock is currently in a downtrend, and is yet to bottom, after a huge run it had until early September. Its main competitor is now Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) after acquiring QLogic, but Intel is lagging with the technology, as it has 40Gbps infiniband technology, and Mellanox has a 56Gbps technology, and is going to introduce the 100Gbps in first half of 2014, before Intel, which will introduce the same speed technology in 2015 (100Gbps), and skip the 56Gbps, as was stated at the UBS Global Technology Conference.
Francesca's Holdings (FRAN)
Francesca's Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiary, Francesca's Collections, Inc., operates a chain of retail boutiques under the Francesca's collections brand in the United States. The company achieved healthy growth levels, with a 32.39% EPS growth in last five years, and 43.91% sales growth over the same period. Trailing PE is 26.86, forward PE 19.55, with a PEG ratio of 0.81, according to Finviz. And the company is yet to grow, with projected five-year EPS growth of 33% and a long-term plan to have 900 stores. The current store count is 360.
Source: Street Insider
GNC Holdings Inc (GNC)
GNC Holdings, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of health and wellness products. As of December 31, 2011, it had approximately 7,600 locations, including approximately 5,900 retail locations in the United States comprising 924 franchises and 2,125 Rite Aid franchise store-within-a-store locations; and franchise operations in 53 countries, according to Yahoo Finance.
The company has a five-year projected earnings growth of 22%. Trailing PE is 15.18, forward PE is 12.06, and the PEG ratio is 0.69, according to Finviz. The stock has a 47.89 analysts' mean target price, presenting an upside potential of 46.72% from the current price of 32.64 (close price on December 27, the time of writing).
Source: Street Insider
These three stocks provide compelling growth and value opportunities. They should be nice long-term investments, especially at these price levels. One should provide the stocks with a little time to bottom technically, especially Mellanox and GNC Holdings, which are in a downtrend at the moment.


text:
It's hot outside. Gardeners can escape summer's heat by retreating to the air-conditioning or a shady porch, but garden plants... Read more »
August in the garden can be challenging for both gardeners and plants. Read more »
Extreme heat merits triage treatments Read more »
The first time you try our PowerGear® Pruner, you'll be amazed — but it's not magic, it's gears. Our patented gear technology m... Read more »
Specifically designed to reduce the effort required to cut tough tree and shrub branches, this durable pruner includes an easy-... Read more »
This pro-style pruner features adjustable blade tension to fit your hand strength and the toughness of the material you're cutt... Read more »
Reusable snack packs are an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic baggies, and not only are they much cuter, they'll... Read more »
Using Duck Tape® to cover a simple notebook can take your journals from mediocre to marvelous in no time! Read more »
These sturdy little Duck Tape® magnetic pockets are easy to make and will help keep a locker organized and small school suppli... Read more »
Our unique Tag Maker with Built-in Eyelet Setter features an innovative design that makes it easy to create tags perfect for gi... Read more »
Our unique Tag Maker with Built-in Eyelet Setter features an innovative design that makes it easy to create tags perfect for gi... Read more »
Our unique Tag Maker with Built-in Eyelet Setter features an innovative design that makes it easy to create tags perfect for gi... Read more »
As the parent of a picky eater, my morning routine before school always entails packing a lunch. Read more »
With a new school year on the horizon, it is time to refocus on our fall wardrobe. Read more »
This simple school skirt is very easy to make and beginner seamstresses will enjoy making more than one! Read more »
Perfect for a wide range of sewing and quilting tasks, our Amplify® RazorEdge™ Serrated Fabric Shears sense blade separation an... Read more »
Perfect for a wide range of sewing and quilting tasks, our Amplify® RazorEdge™ Fabric Shears sense blade separation and force t... Read more »
Perfect for a wide range of crafting and mixed media tasks, our Amplify® Mixed Media Shears sense blade separation and force th... Read more »
Taking a photo of your children on their first day back at school after a long summer is a tradition in many families. Read more »
It's time to get into back-to-school mode! That means it's time to begin browsing the store shelves for the necessities to hel... Read more »
"Painting" with tissue paper is not only fun but beautiful! Read more »
Our Preschool Training Scissors features a special training lever that opens the blades after each cut, helping children learn... Read more »
Children love our Designer Non-stick Blunt-tip Kids Scissors for the colorful handle patterns that make cutting fun and the non... Read more »
Our Designer Non-stick Student Scissors are larger than our Kids Scissors but smaller than adult scissors, perfect for those ol... Read more »
A new school year calls for a new set of accessories. Read more »
There is something fun and freeing about creating mixed media art, especially when you only need a few tools and a little time... Read more »
With school coming up, it is time to start planning and organizing. Read more »
Infused with avant-garde Scandinavian style, our Quantum™ Pruner integrates only the highest-grade materials with Scandinavian... Read more »
Designed for long, easy cuts down strips of Duck® Tape, our Duck® Edition Scissors feature a non-stick blade coating that preve... Read more »
Use our AdvantEdge™ Punch System with any Fiskars border punch cartridge (sold separately) to add perfectly aligned decorative... Read more »
Made of soft cozy fleece, they are a kid's camping essential.
Learn how to make this easy pillowcase dress. It looks adorable with any fabrics.
On a recent overnight visit to my grandparents' home, I left my make-up bag behind in their bathroom after taking my shower. My grandma brought it in to me a few minutes later and said, "Ken, Hon, you need a new make-up bag. This thing is terrible." I laughed because I have used the same make-up bag since I was 16 years old. I'll be 39 this year and my make-up bag definitely looks like I've had it since I was 16 years old.
Since my bag never leaves home with me other than in an overnight bag, I've never really cared that it's tattered and worn and pretty grungy. But my grandma inspired (embarrassed) a desire in me for a nice, new, pretty bag so I decided to make one. I'm also in need of a new coin purse so while I had my materials out, I made myself a new one of those, as well.
I'd share a photo of my old make up bag so you could see I used it as a pattern for my new one. But since my grandma who loves me more than life itself was disgusted with the old bag, I'll spare you!
The construction of the bag is very simple. The front, bottom, and back are one continuous rectangle of fabric and the 2 sides are also rectangles. So you'll begin by cutting a 14" x 9" piece of fabric and (2) 6" x 3 3/4" pieces. You'll need to cut the same pieces from contrasting fabric for the lining of the bag, leaving you with 2 large rectangles and 4 smaller ones.
If you want to create a multi-patterned large panel as I did, cut (3) 14" x 3 5/8" panels. Stitch the long edges of these panels together using a 1/2" seam allowance. Press the seams open.
Layer each piece (except lining pieces) over quilt batting and baste along the edges. Trim away any excess batting.
Create appliques using the Hearts Shape Template. I find the easiest way to work with appliques is to create a double-layered applique with the fabrics right-sides together and stitch along the outline. After cutting the shape out, make a snip in the back layer of the fabric and turn the shapes right-side out. Press the appliques and stitch them to the middle of the front of the large rectangle panel. The turning hole will be hidden when the applique is stitched to the bag.
Place the front panel on the corresponding lining panel, right-sides together. Stitch along the long edges (only) using a 1/2" seam allowance. Turn the panel right-side out and press. Do the same with the side panels but stitch around all the edges, leaving an opening for turning. After turning them right-side out, hand stitch the turning opening closed.
Locate the center of each long edge of the large panel, as well as the center of each side panel. Pin the side panels to the large panels, matching these center points.
Fold the sides of the long panel up and pin the edges to the side panels. Stitch all the panels together using a 1/4" seam allowance.
Using the zipper foot of your sewing machine, baste one side of a 10" zipper to the inside edge of one side of the bag.
Prior to basting the zipper to the bag, you can pin a piece of trim to the front edge of the bag so that when you baste the zipper on, it will pick up the trim piece as well.
Baste the other side of the zipper to the other edge of the bag, opening the zipper as needed (with your needle in the down position) to allow the presser foot to pass easily. Use 1" seam binding tape to cover the raw edges of the zipper and fabric panels. Cut (2) 4" x 2 3/4" pieces of fabric and fold and press all the edges over to the wrong side of the fabric 1/4". Fold the pieces in half long way and press so that you have (2) squares. Stitch these squares over the ends of the zipper to create decorative tabs as seen in the photo of the finished bag.
The coin purse is made similarly, only round instead of rectangular.
Using the 4 1/2" circle from the Super Size Shape Templates, trace (2) circles, for front and back, and (2) circles for the lining. Make marks 1/2" from the edge of the cirlces all the way around the circle to create a seam allowance. Cut the circles out using the marks you made as a guide. Create appliques using the Hearts template and stitch them to the front panel. Follow the instructions for the side panels on the make up bag to add quilt batting and assemble the panels.
Cut (2) 3" x 2 3/4" pieces of fabric and (2) lining pieces of the same dimensions. Follow the instructions for the large front panel of the make up bag to add quilt batting and assemble the pieces. You will have (2) short tubes of fabric. Turn the edges of these under 1/4" on each end.
Cover the edges of a 9" zipper using 1" seam binding tape.
Slide the short tubes of fabric over the ends of the zipper and stitch them to the zipper. Pin the 2 ends of the strip together and stitch them with a long zig-zag stitch.
Match the zig-zag stitched seam to the center of the panel with the appliqued heart. The center will be right below the point of the heart. Pin the pieces together, keeping the edges of the strip and the edges of the circle matched until you reach each end of the zipper. Stitch these pieces together using a 1/4" seam allowance, just as you did when stitching on the sides of the make up bag. Blindstitch the edges of the zipper/seam binding tape to the lining of the panel. The zipper will be recessed so it will not line up with the edges of the circles. Just take care to attach it evenly all the way around as you stitch. Repeat this process with the back panel of the purse.
Add embroidery stitches as desired.
When you're finished, you have 2 pretty new bags you'll be proud to throw in your purse or overnight bag!
buttons (optional)
Embroidery floss (optional)
Eyelet trim (optional)
10" zipper for make up bag
9" zipper for coin purse
Sign up today for project inspiration, tips, techniques and product specials.
© Fiskars Brands, Inc.
Orange-handled scissors are a registered trademark of Fiskars Corporation.


text:
Make Apple's .Mac service free
In this age, consumers expect their technology to work for them. This requires integration of things like calendars, email, web space, backups, contact and communication information etc. We have several choices when looking for services that will integrate and synchronize our data for free, including Microsoft's "Live" service and A huge range from Google. For Apple users, such integration is possible and whats more - simple. Furthermore the level of integration with the OS is , in my opinion, unparalleled. Why is it then that I should pay for similar services from Apple, despite the fact that I have already purchased a product Neither Microsoft or Google require a purchase of any kind for use of their services. I propose that Apple give .Mac away for free to all its customers and I urge you to sign this petition to support me. Thanks for your support Matt Constable
No comments yet.join the discussion
Recent signatures
free bookmarksUkraine1 year ago
social bookmarking serviceRussian Federation1 year ago
George Bradley-PeerUnited Kingdom7 years ago
Petition highlights
There are no highlights yet.


text:
The wait is over! Download the BeerAdvocate app on iTunes or Google Play now.
Get 12 issues / year of BeerAdvocate magazine for only $9.99!
Unplugged Eisbock - New Glarus Brewing Company
Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse.
Ratings: 74 | Reviews: 64 | Display Reviews Only:
3.75/5 rDev -11.8%
08-13-2013 07:25:47 | More by GRG1313
4/5 rDev -5.9%
07-26-2013 20:06:41 | More by UffDaBock
4.5/5 rDev +5.9%
06-24-2013 00:54:57 | More by coldmeat23
New Jersey
4.25/5 rDev 0%
05-26-2013 19:46:57 | More by jkane101
4.75/5 rDev +11.8%
05-21-2013 15:35:46 | More by MooseBoose
4.25/5 rDev 0%
01-29-2013 18:27:52 | More by DmanGTR
3.5/5 rDev -17.6%
01-16-2012 05:19:50 | More by ygtbsm94
4/5 rDev -5.9%
01-15-2012 01:35:38 | More by windelbo
4/5 rDev -5.9%
12-17-2011 02:24:50 | More by TasteTester
South Carolina
3.93/5 rDev -7.5%
brown on the pour, nearly opaque as I try to look through the haze. No head at all at first but slowly but surely a thin tan cloud rises up and over the top and settles down giving a touch of light foam along the sides and the bottom of the glass.
Tons of rich toffee and caramel initially on the nose, once it warms up though it becomes one of the most complex aromas I have ever encountered. Light alcohol notes, hints of dark cherries and fruit, light chocolate and almost a root beer like touch as it really comes up near room temperature. To say the aroma was inviting would be an understatement, this was intense. Smooth, full, thick body on this one really let the flavor just coat your tongue, and again this was an expierence all its own.
12-04-2011 02:53:15 | More by mikesgroove
District of Columbia
5/5 rDev +17.6%
11-18-2011 03:26:24 | More by nmann08
3.5/5 rDev -17.6%
Given JAXON's review, I am less-than-hopeful, but one never knows. I am slowly reducing some of the massive backlog in my basement and this is what surfaced.
From the bottle: "'Some people paint, some sing, others write ... I brew' - Daniel Carey"; "A few times a year we will cut Dan loose to brew whatever he chooses, uncensored, uncut, unplugged. Always handcrafted, the bottle you hold is brewed for the adventurous soul. This is a very limited edition and we make no promises to ever brew this style again."; "Eisbock"; "You hold the first of our 'Unplugged' series of beers. This Eisbock was lagered a full year and then frozen to incomparable smoothness. This is a big and complex beer, suitable for laying down or consuming immediately, serve at 55 F."; "Thanks for S[sic]upporting the Arts. (undersigned) Daniel & Deborah Carey".
I went with a gentle pour, resulting in less than a finger of light-tan head with low retention. Color was a hazy reddish-brown with ruby highlights at the edges. Nose had a molasses-like malty sweetness, but with the papery scent noted by JAXON. Mouthfeel was medium and it had a slightly medicinal taste, like some old cough syrup from my youth, or somesuch. Finish left me thinking of molasses and if you like that sort of thing, it would be for you, but despite the label, it was not meant to be "la[id] down" for this long. My apologies for allowing my cellar to get so out of hand that I could not keep up. I will have it emptied by the end of the summer break.
07-16-2011 02:05:03 | More by woodychandler
3.35/5 rDev -21.2%
From a bottle, pours a dark clear mahogany chestnut with a small ring of head. Nose is lots of rich malt, raisin, chocolate brownie, maybe a toasted nut. Mouth focuses on chocolate liqueur, toasted nuts. Paper oxidation takes over near the front palate. Thin and a bit washed out. The malts have faded a lot I would think, leaving mostly that liqueur and oxidized quality. Nose is good but the mouth reveals how past its prime this one is. Probably was nice 1-2 years ago.
07-11-2011 01:18:33 | More by JAXSON
3.98/5 rDev -6.4%
Had this at a small tasting recently. Reviewed from notes.
this was the most anticipated beer of the night.
a - purple/brown pour. low low carbonation.
s - caramel, campfire, fresh grapes (not an aged grape smell, which makes me think this will have a lot of life still), black cherry. wow, one of the best noses a beer could have.
t - damn. sadly somewhat watery flavor. brown sugar and raisins. quite the let down after that nose. I kept some in my glass for a long time just to keep smelling it.
m - medium body with low carbonation.
overall - mute flavor, but the nose is amazing.
10-28-2010 18:55:12 | More by levifunk
New York
3.98/5 rDev -6.4%
From 7/9/10 notes. Had at a local DC tasting.
a - Pours a murky amber color, with one inch of white head,
s - Smells of caramel malts and dark fruits mostly.
t - Tastes of caramel malts, roasted malts, dark fruits, and lightly of other fruits.
m - Medium body and low carbonation.
d - An enjoyable beer with some nice dark fruits in the smell and taste. Would try again.
07-17-2010 19:05:56 | More by mdfb79
Ontario (Canada)
4.05/5 rDev -4.7%
Thanks to Jon for this one. This is the late 2002 vintage I think. Served in a flute at Ben's place while watching the Lost finale.
A - Pours with a finger of tan foam that dissipates to a thin collar and some nice haziness. Decent retention, but not much in the way of lacing. The body is a dark brown color with some transparency and a bit of suspended sediment.
S - Cocoa, carob, dark bread, dark fruits, port and a low amount of sherry-like oxidation that works pretty well here. Alcohol is very well hidden - I was kind of shocked to see that this was 10%.
T - Taste is pretty similar. Very standard bock flavors, with multi-grain bread, molasses, chocolate, dark fruits, roasted malts, and surprisingly little oxidation or alcohol.
M - Chewy, bready, low carbonation, and a surprisingly dry, clean finish with minimal stickiness. No heat is apparent at all.
D - Split the 12oz with Ben and Justin, but definitely could have tackled it on my own. Looking forward to the long-rumored new batch in the works. New Glarus nails another German style here.
05-26-2010 14:30:57 | More by MasterSki
4.3/5 rDev +1.2%
Seems aroma is the same as the Uff-da bock. Sweet and malty some burnt and nutty aromas come out when swirled. Mouthfeel is watery and lacks carbonation. Flavor is a little watery but makes this eisbock very drinkable. The alcohol is almost non-existant. There is caramel, wood, toffee, and sweet malt in the flavor. This one is good, hopefully they brew it again since I have no more.
07-01-2009 23:45:00 | More by mbrasi
3.9/5 rDev -8.2%
Pours a very dark brown in color with a nice quarter inch mocha head.
Smell is subtle dark fruits and lots of yeast.
Taste is huge. Big and creamy on the mouthfeel. Taste is darkness. Both in fruit and toffee. This is a good Eisbock and has held up well with time.
02-28-2009 19:54:17 | More by FtownThrowDown
4/5 rDev -5.9%
A - Pours small head, dark cola.
S - Sherry, dessert wine, charred malt.
T - Nice fat malt center, pretty sweet, but satisfying. Fairly nice balance with hops. Taste falls a little short in the very last - kind of dies.
M - carbonated adequately, fair coating, medium body.
D -Not for all night.
09-14-2008 05:36:51 | More by srandycarter
4.15/5 rDev -2.4%
I was a little uncertain about tasting this beer. I had bought a six pack of the "Unplugged" barley wine and had let it "age" for over a year in my cellar. When I finally got around to trying it, there was a big layer of chunks in the bottom of the bottle. Some kind of sediment that made the beer really cloudy and it wasn't yeast.
Anyhow, I poured this into a snifter with very little head. Beautiful, clear dark garnet color. Pleasing smell of caramel, malt and sherry.
Nice flavor; mostly dark fruit, caramel, more sherry notes and just enough hops to notice. Very good mouthfeel for a strong beer. Just a bit of fizz with medium-heavy body. Aftertaste of dark sugar and molasses.
This is a very drinkable beer for 10% ABV. Good winter warmer.
03-13-2008 01:26:51 | More by joedon
4.22/5 rDev -0.7%
Poured into a 12 oz. snifter at 50º and given a few minutes to settle and warm slightly. 4+ year old bottle.
An initial two finger head recedes to a generous skim after several minutes pass. A dark ruddy brown seeps into crimson glints at the bowl of the glass. Audible crackle of carbonation on the second pour. A slight shift of bubbles appear beneath the surface as the glass is tilted.
Cocoa, carob, spiced cookies, raisins, roasted malt, and slight clay undertones in the nose.
Flavors continue from these aromas into dried plums, dates, almonds and raisins. Earthy, chocolatey roast underlies the fruit, and dissipates into a long, dry & roasty finish. Infinitely smooth after a year of lagering, and freezing. Lower carbonation but not flat.
A rare treat, hopefully Mr. Carey explores this territory again someday.
01-30-2008 01:03:39 | More by emerge077
4.38/5 rDev +3.1%
Thanks goes out to ThomasHardy for this brew.
Poured into a chalice a nice clean/clear dark brown color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy tannish head, there's a tiny bit of sticky lacing around the edges. The nose is malty, prunes, figs, raisins, and a good dose of caramel. The taste is malty at first, nice touch of the dark fruits/caramel, with a nice warm feeling, ending in a slightly bitter/dry finish. The alcohol is hidden very well with this brew. Medium body, a well rounded brew. Very drinkable, what can I say, another awesome brew from New Glarus, thanks Brady.
08-10-2007 18:13:55 | More by Wasatch
3.78/5 rDev -11.1%
Bottle from sentry. Pours an amber. No lacing. Lots of carbonation. Mouthfeel is sharp, in a good way, and very carbonated. Taste is richly malty and complex. Some spicyness. Much dried fruit and plum/date/raisin taste. Some alcohol present, but not dominate. Good beer.
06-14-2007 00:52:24 | More by roggae
4.68/5 rDev +10.1%
The color is dark brown and the head isn't large. The lacing doesn't stick very well. The aroma of sweet sugar candy and dark fruit come through very well. The taste is roasty and sweet. Sweet dark fruit and roasted malts come through very well. Mouthfeel is very good and smooth, I like it very much. If this wasn't so rare I'd buy this very often.
12-24-2006 07:16:58 | More by Erdinger2003
3.88/5 rDev -8.7%
Thanks to JHop for the bottle. Pours with nice head, no lace, color is a deep ruby. The malty aroma is well blended.
Taste has plenty of caramel, nutty malt. There is a slight fruitiness, overall this has a dry taste that lingers. Mouthfeel is thick, pretty good drinkability.
10-19-2006 01:24:53 | More by Sephiroth
Unplugged Eisbock from New Glarus Brewing Company
93 out of 100 based on 74 ratings.


text:
Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn
Hemolytic disease of the newborn (also called erythroblastosis fetalis) is a serious condition that may occur when the blood types of a mother and her baby do not match. Substances (antibodies) in the mother's blood cross the placenta and may destroy the red blood cells of the fetus.
After birth, a baby with hemolytic disease may be treated with a blood transfusion.
eMedicineHealth Medical Reference from Healthwise
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
From WebMD
Featured Centers
- Symptoms of a Severe Allergic Reaction
- Breast Cancer Treatment Options
- Is Your Body Ready for Pregnancy?


text:
CPS || Gumpert is certified in an important environmental program: Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®). FSC®is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world's forests.
By gaining certification in the FSC® program, we become part of the Chain of Custody. Chain of Custody is the process of tracking and recording the possession and transfer of wood and fiber—from the forests of origin, through the different stages of production, to the end user. By being a final link in this Chain of Custody, CPS || Gumpert is taking the responsibility to leave a clean footprint on the environment.


text:
Geography & History > Geography & Maps
Let children embrace the world around them with Kaplan Toys' selection of maps and workbooks dedicated to geography. Topics cover geography and history of countries from all over the world.
United States Geography Grades 3-5 Scholastic Price: $14.95 In Stock Directional Compass Learning Resources Price: $9.95 In Stock Laminated US Map Price: $14.95 In Stock Laminated World Map with Flags Price: $14.95 In Stock Classroom Election Kit Kaplan Early Learning Company Price: $39.95 Sale Price: $25.00 In Stock Places and Faces Kaplan Early Learning Company Price: $14.95 In Stock


text:
You're Invited to Join Us in Paradise
The Hawaiian Oasis has been one of Kona's most popular
Bed & Breakfast Inns since first opening in the 1990s.
After some wonderful improvements to the suites and the grounds, In
2009 we re-opened as one of the FINEST Inns in the Hawaiian Islands.
We are located above the historic coastal town of Kailua-Kona and below the cool mist of Kona coffee country and the artist's village of Holualoa. At the end of another day in paradise, you will be happy to retreat to the serenity of the Hawaiian Oasis.
Darla and Peter have owned and operated the Hawaiian Oasis since 2005 with the help of family and friends. They love sharing their little piece of paradise with guests at the Oasis.
"After several trips to the other island, we first visited Kona in 2002, and the Big Island definitely hooked us! We fell in love with the property as soon as we saw it...(the Oasis has a way of doing that to people!) This is one of the most serene and peaceful places that we have ever laid our heads and let the cares of the "other" world disappear.
As the morning sun rises over the Hualalai summit, the air around the Oasis is filled with birdsong, and one can't help but awaken with a smile and sense of awe. After many years of ownership, it is still as magical as the first day we found this gem.
We are delighted to introduce our innkeepers, Dan and Theresa Gray, who joined our Hawaiian Oasis family in 2010, after moving from Eagle River, Alaska.. Theresa is a Registered Nurse, and Dan is retired from the US Navy. Although he's no longer flying helicopters, he does know how to keep everything at the B&B moving with "military precision"! Perhaps the most hospitable folks in the world, you are in for a treat with them as your innkeepers.
Enjoy the Entire Hawaiian Oasis Estate
At the pool house Tiki Bar there is a kitchen, which is available for guest use, including a Gas BBQ, cooking and eating utensils, and personal space in the shared fridge. The waterfall pool, spa and tennis court are available at all times, but a quiet time of 9:00pm applies out of respect for our neighbors. Many areas of the estate are handicap accessible, and for our guests with physical limitations we will strive to meet any special needs.
We respect and are committed to your privacy. We may collect personally identifiable information when you visit our website. We may receive and record information on our server logs from your browser including your IP address, cookie information and the page(s) you visited. We never sell or share your personally identifiable information with anyone else.
Our booking engine, SuperINN.com uses a VeriSign Extended Validation SSL which gives our website visitors an easy and reliable way to establish trust when sharing online information. Only SSL Certificates with Extended Validation (EV) will trigger high security web browsers to display a green address bar with the name of the organization that owns the SSL Certificate and the name of the Certificate Authority that issued it. The green bar shows site visitors that the transaction is encrypted and the organization that has been authenticated according to the most rigorous industry standards.
Tropical fruits, Kona coffee and
homemade baked goods are always served


text:
Although our cruise was shortened due to a mechanical issue, our time on the Royal Princess was incredible. I cannot say enough about the staff, they were personable, entertaining, knowledgable and had a complete understanding of what "customer service" is, and how service can make or break a persons vacation.
We made it our mission not to over- eat as it is easy to do on cruise ships. We ate a healthy breakfast, light lunch and a late dinner. The food made available in the dining rooms was excellent. There was something for everyone, and our waiters always steered us away from items they felt were not the best. The food quality is amazing particularly when they are preparing over 20,000 meals a day.
The entertainment was great in all the bars we visited, and I believe we visited them all into the wee hours of the morning.
Our mini suite at the front of the ship had a huge balcony. Our rooms was great, and all that is needed as not much time is spent in the cabin.
On board entertainment
The few shows we saw all were well received by all.
There was a number of comments on the lack of pools on the royal princess. During our few days at sea, we were at the pool all day long, and never was there more than a hand full of people in the pool. There wasn't any issue on our cruise with pool access, and it was hot during these days.
What amazed us most is knowing we were on-board with 3500 other passengers and expecting line ups for everything. Not once did we line up to get on or off the ship, for dinner, or for getting into any of the bars or entertainment venues. Princess has figured out the traffic flows.


text:
Vernice "Flygirl" Armour
Showing On: 10/15/2012 - 10/29/2012
"Who Needs A Runway? Take Off From Where You Are!"
Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour knows a little something about focus, commitment, and defying the odds. She became an officer in the Marine Corps at the age of 24 and three years later became America's first African-American female combat pilot. Vernice has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, Tavis Smiley, NPR, and much more. Her fresh style and presentation methods have inspired hundreds of organizations and individuals. FlyGirl will show you how to accomplish your life's mission to be authentically who you are with Bravery, Clarity, and Power. Learn how to transform your fear to fuel utilizing FlyGirl's proven 7-Step Battle-Tested Method for accomplishing Goals That Matter. These are the exact steps she used to start her company and go from Zero to 6-Figures in her first year of business.
Hilary Duff
Showing On: 10/29/2012 - 11/12/2012
"A Conversation with Hilary Duff"
Hilary Duff is a multifaceted actress and recording artist whose career began on the popular Disney sitcom Lizzie McGuire. She has since appeared in many films and TV series, including a guest appearance on Gossip Girl. She has sold more than 13 million albums worldwide and has a clothing line, Femme for DKNY, and a bestselling fragrance. Hilary's humanitarian work is recognized throughout the world, and she is actively involved with many charities that benefit children and animals. She has served on The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation and was named ambassador to the youth of Bogota. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Elixir, Devoted, and True.
Hill Harper
Showing On: 11/12/2012 - 11/26/2012
"The Wealth Cure: Putting Money In Its Place"
Hill Harper is an accomplished film, television, and stage actor. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brown University and received graduate degrees in both law and public administration from Harvard University. As a star in the hit CBS drama CSI: NY, he portrays Dr. Sheldon Hawkes. Hill is a volunteer for the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization in Los Angeles. He is also the author of several books, including Letters to a Young Brother, Letters to a Young Sister, and The Conversation: How Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships. His latest book, The Wealth Cure, is helping young people change the way they view money so they can utilize it as a tool to find bliss.
Rudy Giuliani
Showing On: 2/18/2013 - 3/4/2013
"Principled Leadership: In the Face of Change and Crisis"
Rudy Giuliani is the renowned 107th Mayor of New York City (1993-2001). Under his leadership, he reduced the overall crime and murder rate to make New York City the safest large city in America. Just when New Yorkers were beginning to enjoy the city's revitalization, the unimaginable hit on 9-11. Giuliani swiftly marshaled his remarkable leadership skills to pull his city, and perhaps the entire nation, through the crisis. As a result of his accomplishments, he was named "Person of the Year" by Time magazine, received an honorary knighthood by the Queen of England and awarded the "Ronald Reagan Presidential Freedom Award". He has been touted as one of the most effective chief executives in modern American history.
Brad Meltzer
Showing On: 03/11/2013 - 03/25/2013
"How To Write Your Own Obituary"
Brad Meltzer is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Inner Circle and The Book of Fate, as well as six other bestselling thrillers. His new novel The Fifth Assassin will be published in January 2013. He is also the author of the non-fiction best seller Heroes For My Son; the host of the History Channel TV series Brad Meltzer's Decoded; and is the #1 selling author of the comic book Justice League of America, for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award. Brad is also the co-creator of the TV show Jack & Bobby and co-founder of City Year Miami.
Peter Bregman
Showing On: 04/1/2013 - 04/15/2013
"18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done"
Peter Bregman is CEO of Bregman Partners, Inc., a global management-consulting firm that advises CEOs and their leadership teams. He speaks, writes, and consults about how to lead and how to live. He is the author of 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done, winner of the Gold Medal from the Axiom Business Book awards, named the best business book of the year on NPR, and selected by Publisher's Weekly and the New York Post as a top 10 business book of the year. Peter has been featured on PBS, ABC, and CNN. He is also a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Forbes, National Public Radio (NPR), Psychology Today, and CNN, as well as a weekly commentator on Fox Business News.


text:
- Home
- Blawgs Directory
- Durham-in-Wonderland
"Comments and analysis about the Duke/Nifong case."
Author: K.C. Johnson is "a professor of history at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center, where I teach offerings in 20th century U.S. constitutional, political, and diplomatic history."
Blawg Related Categories: Criminal Justice • Prosecutors • Legal Ethics • Trials & Litigation • Law Practice Management • Duke University
Recent Posts from Durham-in-Wonderland


text: The premise of this 34 page book is to present his creative experiences over the past four years while living in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. Keith Francis, an artist and designer, works in a multitude of media. He has a persistence of vision that defines focus and clarity. Like the artists of the Bauhaus School, he keeps his work varied, working in painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, and graphic design.


text:
Want a friendly, warm, welcoming, Jewish fellowship group who meet monthly and High Holidays for services, study and noshing? The service utilizes the Reform prayer book/siddur. Hope you are interested in trying out this wonderful congregation. We meet in at the Skokie Hotel (Old Comfort Inn) Rodeway Inn Skokie 9333 Skokie Boulevard, Skokie for kabbalat shabbat, study and goodies. For the High Holidays, we met in Deerfield. If you currently belong somewhere, membership is compatible with current membership. If interested in giving it a try, contact me. email@example.com or 847 331 3584 or show up on a Friday night. Dues are only $149 a person per year, including High Holiday tickets. Or High Holiday tickets for 2014/5775 only are $85 per person. Shabbat we usually the first Friday night of the month.
As in past, High Holiday services will be held at Caruso Middle School in Deerfield. 2014/5775
Dates and Times for High Holiday Services
Erev Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, September 24
8:00 pm
Rosh Hashanah
Thursday, September 25
10:00 am
Erev Yom Kippur
Friday, October 3
7:30 pm
Yom Kippur
Saturday, October 4


text:
Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic Food Drive
The Old Dominion University community will have a chance to score two victories over the University of Virginia in December, and all for a good cause. The men's basketball Monarchs will take the court against the UVa Cavaliers on Saturday, Dec. 22, as part of a four-team event known as the Governor's Holiday Hoops Classic, a basketball doubleheader to benefit the Federation of Virginia Food Banks.
And in the month preceding the game, the two schools will square off to see who can collect the most food and donations for local food banks, including the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia in Hampton Roads at various sites on campus, and donations of food and cash online and at the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. Here is the link for our Hoops Classic donation page: http://fbseva.convio.net/site/Donation2?1462.donation=form1&df_id=1462, where food drive participants can donate to add to the ODU total. A $1 donation equals four pounds of food.
Posted By: Brendan O\'Hallarn
Date: Wed Nov 21 09:52:49 EST 2012


text:
250 pages | 6 x 9
Less than a month after the September 11, 2001 attacks, letters containing spores of anthrax bacteria (Bacillus anthracis, or B. anthracis) were sent through the U.S. mail. Between October 4 and November 20, 2001, 22 individuals developed anthrax; 5 of the cases were fatal.
During its investigation of the anthrax mailings, the FBI worked with other federal agencies to coordinate and conduct scientific analyses of the anthrax letter spore powders, environmental samples, clinical samples, and samples collected from laboratories that might have been the source of the letter-associated spores. The agency relied on external experts, including some who had developed tests to differentiate among strains of B. anthracis. In 2008, seven years into the investigation, the FBI asked the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct an independent review of the scientific approaches used during the investigation of the 2001 B. anthracis mailings.
Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI's Investigation of the Anthrax Letters evaluates the scientific foundation for the techniques used by the FBI to determine whether these techniques met appropriate standards for scientific reliability and for use in forensic validation, and whether the FBI reached appropriate scientific conclusions from its use of these techniques. This report reviews and assesses scientific evidence considered in connection with the 2001 Bacillus anthracis mailings.
National Research Council. Review of the Scientific Approaches Used During the FBI's Investigation of the 2001 Anthrax Letters. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press, 2011.
Import this citation to:


text: It's been a crazy week, and we've definitely had some obstacles to overcome with the vandalisms at both our Dash in Miami and our Dash in Calabasas, but we are so excited to celebrate the grand opening tonight at LIV!! If you're in Miami you should definitely come celebrate with us! Hope to see you all there!


text:
Related Stories
Following are some whispers we've been hearing from around the NFL:
• The Patriots have a host of starters that are up for unrestricted free agency, with none more important than Wes Welker. But who is the next biggest priority for the Pats? One daily team observer believes it could be DE-OLB Mark Anderson, who broke out in his first season with the Pats. We hear that Anderson wants to be back in New England and likes how he was used in the defense. Anderson had 10 sacks, 16 QB hits and two forced fumbles in the regular season. He added 2½ sacks in the playoffs. Anderson saw his playing time increase late in the season after Andre Carter went down in Week 15. The Patriots still need to improve defending the pass and keeping a pass rusher like Anderson, who fared well in 2011, would be beneficial to the unit.
• The two teams being mentioned most frequently as possible trading partners with the Rams for the second overall pick in the draft are the Browns and the Redskins. Cleveland has two first-round picks (No. 4 and No. 22) sources believe it could be willing to deal in exchange for the No. 2 pick (we hear the Rams would also probably want a second- or third-round pick also thrown into the mix). The Redskins, who have the sixth overall pick, might have a leg up on other suitors because of the close relationships of Rams head coach Jeff Fisher and Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan and Rams COO Kevin Demoff and Redskins GM Bruce Allen.
• Jaguars GM Gene Smith revealed at the NFL Scouting Combine that his team will not spend as much in free agency in 2012 after heavily spending in 2011. The news came as a bit of a surprise, as Jacksonville is one of the teams furthest under the salary cap. The way we hear it, the Jaguars will still spend — they just don't want to get out over their skis. After spending $142 million in 2011, we hear new owner Shahid Khan is prepared to spend roughly $130 million this offseason. Wide receiver and defensive end head Jacksonville's free-agent shopping list.
• Assuming Dwayne Bowe is given the franchise tag and brought back, don't expect the Chiefs to add any more wide receivers this offseason. After drafting Jonathan Baldwin in the first round last year and signing Steve Breaston, the team invested a lot at the position last offseason. This year, the focus will be on other parts of the offense. If a pass catcher is added to the roster, we hear it is expected to be a tight end.
• Both Ken Whisenhunt and Rod Graves sent strong signals at the Combine that they might be leaning toward re-signing former first-round OT Levi Brown at a reasonable price. "Over the last half of this past year, when we needed it the most, Levi probably played his best football," Whisenhunt said of Brown, the team's starter at left tackle in 2011 who is due an increase of $9.4 million (to $16.9 million) in the final year of his rookie contract. "It was consistent. It was something that was important to our team, and hopefully that was a point where he was starting to get it from that standpoint."
• Our Rams sources are guardedly optimistic regarding the returns of UFA OGs Jacob Bell, the starting left guard much of last season, and Tony Wragge, who ended the season starting at center over Jason Brown. "He did a great job for us," Rams new head coach Jeff Fisher said at the Combine about Bell, whose first four years were spent in Tennessee under Fisher. " ... He's still got ability. I thought he played much better toward the end of the year." Word is Wragge has been making a strong impression working out almost every day at Rams Park since the season ended.
• Should he remain the Seahawks' starting QB, just how much progress can Tarvaris Jackson make in his second year in Seattle? "That's a great question," Seahawks GM John Schneider said at the Combine. "Just with the pec alone. He was literally playing with a frayed (muscle). It was all arm, all shoulder. I think he can make a lot of progress, but we're always looking to upgrade that position." Schneider also had good things to say about third-string QB Josh Portis. "He had a phenomenal preseason and made a lot of progress throughout the year as well," said the Seahawks' GM. "He's working his tail off right now, trying to prepare as much as he can on his own, and as soon as he can get with the coaches, that would be a great thing for him."
• We hear Anthony Levine, who spent the last 11 weeks of this past season on the Packers' practice squad, could get a decent shot at making his presence felt at the safety position in 2012.
• We hear the odds are strong that Seahawks UFA S Atari Bigby will re-sign with the team and continue to play a very valuable role as both a key reserve on the field and a solid mentor for the younger players off the field. "They like him a lot, the way he handles that nickel safety role like (Giants and former Seahawks S) Deon Grant," said one team source of the ex-Packer. "I don't see him being paid as a starter elsewhere."
• Our sources in San Francisco suspect one of the toughest free-agent calls the Niners are facing involves UFA OL Adam Snyder. Said one team insider: "He really likes it in San Francisco, and he can play all five spots. But the team still might be thinking about replacing him, possibly with (second-year pro Daniel) Kilgore. Snyder also could get some interest on the market."
• Niners head coach Jim Harbaugh was asked at the Combine if second-year RB Kendall Hunter, who displayed some interesting flashes as a rookie, will be used more in 2012. "You saw a lot of Kendall Hunter last year," Harbaugh said. "Don't think there would be any reason not to. He did a fabulous job for us in two phases — offensively and in the area of special teams. And he just works so darn hard at it. And he likes football so much, willing to spend extra classroom time."
• Arguably the Texans' greatest need this offseason is at wide receiver, where the club was badly exposed with Andre Johnson on the shelf much of the 2011 season. Houston is expected to draft a receiver in the early rounds in April, with Jacoby Jones potentially being released. Although the Texans are thin at the position, one player to keep an eye on is 6-3, 205-pound Lester Jean. After signing as an undrafted free agent last spring, Jean spent the season on injured reserve. Word is Jean is raw and athletic with major upside. With the Texans looking for help at the position, he will be in the mix for a roster spot next season.
• Panthers head coach Ron Rivera expressed confidence in January that his offense wouldn't have been dealt a setback it couldn't overcome if up-and-coming coordinator Rob Chudzinski, who interviewed to become head coach of the Jaguars, Buccaneers and Rams after the season, had departed. Rivera, though, isn't going to discount how much retaining Chudzinski could benefit QB Cam Newton heading into his second season. "The last four years now Cam has had a different voice in terms of his offensive coordinator," Rivera said at the Scouting Combine. "I think for the first time he's going to have him for back-to-back years. I'm excited about the potential for growth as far as he's concerned."
• The Falcons will be searching for new leadership on their offensive line if they don't re-sign C Todd McClure this offseason. McClure, 35, has spent all 13 of his NFL seasons with Atlanta, but he's due to become an unrestricted free agent March 13 and intends to continue playing. "Todd has had a great four years since we've been here," head coach Mike Smith told PFW. "I can't speak to Todd in terms of what his thoughts are moving forward, but he's been an integral part of what we've accomplished. He's kind of been the cornerstone for our offensive line the last four years."
• While Baltimore released CB Chris Carr and WR Lee Evans on March 2, GM Ozzie Newsome noted that "this does not close the door on them coming back to the Ravens." Carr, who turns 29 in April, started 21 games for Baltimore in three seasons. Evans caught just four passes in the regular season and couldn't hold onto the go-ahead TD in the AFC title game. Evans, who will be 31 on March 11, was acquired to give the Ravens an experienced deep threat, but an ankle injury keep him out of the lineup for the early portion of the season, and rookie Torrey Smith emerged as a key part of the offense. Smith and Anquan Boldin figure as the Ravens' top two wideouts entering 2012, and the Ravens have a good, young trio of cornerbacks in Lardarius Webb, Cary Williams and Jimmy Smith, but both Carr and Evans could be solid reserves if they were to re-sign.
• The Chargers' announcement that they plan to release DE Luis Castillo comes as little surprise. The veteran was injured for nearly all of the 2011 season after breaking his leg in Week One and the team is looking to go younger on their defensive line. We hear players such as Corey Liuget, Cam Thomas and Vaughn Martin will see more playing time next year. If Castillo is re-signed, it will be in a cheaper, reserve role.
• The way we hear it, the Bengals could look to bring back UFA Donald Lee as their third tight end behind Jermaine Gresham and Colin Cochart. We're told the club was pleased with Cochart's play a season ago, and Lee also was a solid contributor, catching 11 passes.


text:
Pet Products
Please make your personalization selections below including entering characters (remember to scroll to ensure you are viewing all available options).
You have non valid characters in the {0} field.
The min length for the {0} field is {1}.
Please choose a {0} entry.
Personalization cost: {0}/each
View Images Item: Tell a Friend Email A Specialist Live Chat true Email A Specialist false false Add to wish List Additional Views Larger View Availability ADD TO CART Update Price Range: Additional Information: Zoom Viewer Close Frontgate
false pdp {"scheme":"product1_cr"}
false pdp {"scheme":"product2_cr"}
Meshidai Double Pet Feeder 3 3
Excellent Product! I'm sorry to hear that the other reviewer had a bad experience...I love my double feeder, I've had it for about 3 years for my miniature dachshund. I find it cleans up really well, even when I have to wash any food residue off of it. I haven't experienced the wood warping or lifting, or the finish becoming damaged over time. I actually bought a second set when I rescued my second dachshund this past January. I have noticed the ceramic bowls becoming marked from stirring the food, but I've found the marks come off quite easily if you use a Magic Eraser before washing it. I would 100% recommend this feeder! March 22, 2013
Very Pleased The Meshidai large double pet feeder is exactly what I was hoping for -- tall enough for the dog, but not too tall for the cat to reach the water bowl. It makes a utilitarian necessity look great -- no more stainless steel bowls on the floor! I also bought the small double feeder for the cats and it's just as great. Both came packaged strongly enough that nothing could have damaged them. Well done, Frontgate! July 9, 2013
Very Disappointing Purchase This is not a well-made product. Within a few months the finish was stained from our cat lapping water. (Apparently the finish is not waterproof. ) Subsequently the feeder warped and the laminated wood began to peel off. It now looks worse than the ugly plastic feeder it replaced. The ceramic bowls also quickly became scratched and marked by the spoon used to stir our cat's food. January 4, 2012
1-3 of 3
(1 Question : 1 Answer)
Product Q&A
Get help about this item from fellow customers. Ask your questions. Share your answers.
« Back
I have two small Shih Tzu's and need something that is max 8" H. Which size should I get. I also nee something that will not move around when they eat.
Thank you
Thank you
2 months, 1 week ago
Additional information about jsam could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this question helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0https://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/79878/question/1262672/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=https%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F79878%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D1262672&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
Answer:The large Meshidai Double Pet Feeder is 8" high, the medium measures 6" and the feeders weigh about 5 pounds.
2 months, 1 week ago
Additional information about MLRFrontgateService could not be loaded.
0out of 0found this answer helpful.
Was this helpful?helpful0unhelpful0https://answers.frontgate.com/answers/0005/product/79878/answer/1498588/undohelpfulness.djs?format=embeddedhtml&sessionparams=__BVSESSIONPARAMS__&return=__RETURN__&innerreturn=https%3A%2F%2Fanswers.frontgate.com%2Fanswers%2F0005%2Fproduct%2F79878%2Fquestions.djs%3Fformat%3Dembeddedhtml%26scrolltotop%3Dtrue%26expandquestion%3D1262672%26expandanswer%3D1498588&user=__USERID__&authsourcetype=__AUTHTYPE__&submissionparams=__BVSUBMISSIONPARAMETERS__&submissionurl=__BVSUBMISSIONURL__
1 of 1
1 of 1
Product:79878-Meshidai Double Pet Feeder


text:
It borders on sheer idolatry. From the very first note of "Start Me Up" to the last chord of "Satisfaction," the fans are on their feet cheering for Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ron Wood, and Charlie Watts. The energy both on and off stage is overwhelming as The Rolling Stones put on one of their best shows ever. The current tour, A Bigger Bang, is not simply bigger, but also more sophisticated in terms of the design and technology. The key members of the design team, Patrick Woodroffe (lighting) and Mark Fisher (sets), have collaborated with the Stones since the wildly successful 1989-90 Steel Wheels tour and have given this year's show an elegant, yet technically challenging production design.
Knowing that there would be both indoor (arena) and outdoor (stadium) shows on the tour, the decision was made early on to have two different looks. "We decided not to make a common theme except in terms of the video," says Woodroffe. "The focus is more on the band this time; that's where they are. It's a case of confidence. After 40 years of playing together, they are relaxed into, and know they are still good at it. We tried to reflect their comfort with being on stage."
The key to Woodroffe's lighting is to "light the band really well at all times and go for spectacle when it's called for or intimacy at other moments," he says. To design two different shows, he assembled a large rig: the same fixtures in different configurations for indoors and outdoors, with separate cabling and patching for each show. In the outdoor stadium situation, Woodroffe finds that lighting the sets is not the challenge, but lighting the band on a big open stage can be as hard as it is to find the proper front light and side light positions and get enough light in front of the drum kit.
The outdoor solution for A Bigger Bang solved that problem nicely. "There are 200 people sitting on stage," explains Woodroffe. "This is very exciting for the audience and gave us great lighting and video positions on huge cantilevered seating pods." The multi-layer design of the stage seating areas, which flank the central LED video screens, made life a lot easier for Woodroffe, programmer Dave Hill, and associate lighting designer Ethan Weber, who also serves as lighting director running the lighting Wholehog® 3 console.
In designing for outdoors, Fisher referred to La Scala and The Globe Theatre, looking at how the audience boxes are arranged around the traditional horseshoe shape. "It's as if the audience on stage is watching the band perform in an opera house," says Fisher. "The analogy doesn't really hold up, but we had to start someplace. We went through Baroque, Mad Max, and decayed-industrial to an expressionistic piece of 1950s streamlined modernism." It has been suggested that the pods, which echo opera house seating "are like angel wings over the stage with the video screen in the center," Fisher adds. One set of production scenery travels to every show: it is fixed to one of the two identical constructions of StageCo steelwork that leapfrog from one outdoor tour date to the next.
The five levels of the 200' wide × 90' high seating pods include two levels for audience, one for followspots, and two for automated luminaires. The steel frames built by StageCo are covered with 90 fiberglass composite panels built by Brilliant Stages. These attach to custom aluminum trusses built by Tomcat that wrap around the steel armature. "The shapes of the fascia panels are complicated and match the curves of the facade," notes Fisher. Tait Towers built the main stage and B stage units.
Working with PRG, lighting supplier for the rig (except the Syncrolites), Woodroffe and Fisher added 420 Chroma-Q™ Color Block DB4 fixtures from A.C. Lighting to uplight the audience seated behind the stage and the set itself. These RGB color-changing LED fixtures are mounted in narrow troughs along the bottom edge of the fascia panels for even color washes at any angle to self-illuminate the balconies.
The outdoor rig includes 66 Martin MAC 2000 Profile spots fitted with the Woodroffe-designed collection of gobos, 82 MAC 2000 Wash units, 36 VARI*LITE VL5™ Wash units, 22 VL5 Arcs, 256 ACL PARs, 28 Molefays, 28 Molemags, 24 Martin Atomic Strobes, eight Syncrolite 7kW luminaires, 23 Syncrolite B52s, 40 Palco LED fixtures, six Hungaroflash units, 34 ETC Source Four® PARs (to light the audience on stage), six Lycian M2 followspots, eight Strong 3K Gladiator followspots, and 12 MR16 flood battens. As the rig is continuously morphing from the arena rig to the stadium rig, PRG helped streamline the process by providing a detailed equipment management system. Color-coded packaging helps the crew retrieve the proper gear for each show.
Among the changes for the inside show, the number of MAC 2000 Profiles jumped to 72, the MAC 2000 Wash luminaires decreased to 75, and Woodroffe used four of the Lycian M2 followspots while adding six Lycian Stark Lites to the mix. The layout of the indoor rig includes several series of trusses: parallel to the stage; perpendicular to the stage out over the audience; and circular above the B stage. There are also five square lighting pods overhead on stage, with a mix of MAC Profiles and Wash units. "We scattered the inventory over the trusses," says Woodroffe, who also added additional truss behind the video screen to make a wider stage picture.
Woodroffe's lighting for A Bigger Bang can be described as song-specific, or as he says: "Give each song its own identity. There is a feeling of freshness for each song. The environment on stage changes to another world every four or five minutes. You can even take away the use of color." Even though the song list varies from show to show, Woodroffe had a shape in mind for the show very early on, referring to the numbers as "the first red song, the big spectacle song, or the first song with video." Some songs have very big looks while others are bathed in white light of various color temperatures — what Woodroffe calls "the Stones' signature look."
The energy of the band also helps define the lighting. "You can use one look for a few minutes," Woodroffe notes. "The band has so much energy; you don't have to support it with flashing lights. You can be visually quiet. The older I get, the fewer cues I put in, and that's not a bad thing." One of the quietest moments in the show is a solo number by Keith Richards. "It is very poignant," says Woodroffe. "There is a small, postage stamp size image of his face that gets bigger and bigger until it fills the screen, and the stage is bathed in blue light. Mixing with the video and LEDs, the lighting shoots from cherry red, hot pink, chrome yellow, and an electric blue to black and white and sepia tones. Woodroffe, who also designs for opera, musicals, hotels, and the opening of Disney Hong Kong, knows how to play with color and dynamics. "It's all how you play those cards," he says. "You have to know what you are lighting."
Woodroffe's use of the 5kW Syncrolite B52s adds power to the lighting, both indoors and out. "They have a huge beam that adds a different texture," notes lighting director Ethan Weber. For the inside show, the B52s are placed strategically throughout the rig, including the upstage truss, the side trusses, and the stage floor. The 7kW Syncrolites are used for the outdoor show only. Weber also directs the eight front of house followspots used indoors, with two for Mick, two for Keith, two for Ron, one for the bass player, and one for the backup singers.
In the arena show, the stationary band members (Charlie Watts, keyboards, and horns) are lit with no-color ETC Source Fours. "I ride the intensity of the white light to change the intensity," notes Weber, who remains busy at the console throughout each show, "hitting cues, as the song list changes almost every night, and they can pull from hundreds of songs. Half of the challenge is figuring out which song can cover for another. I know the music well enough, but you still have to figure out where you want to go next," he adds. He is also the only board operator for the show, running both conventionals and moving lights from the Wholehog 3.
Fisher's design for the indoor shows is also entirely different. The video screens were the same but used in what he calls "a more theatrical presentation." No audience is on stage, but instead, a front curtain is used with an audience painted on it by Chris Clark, a London-based scenic painter. The opening act plays in front of the curtain; then it flies out during the show. To create the sense of a proscenium, Fisher added a portal on either side of the stage. Built by the Stephen Pyle Workshop in London, these were also painted by Clark, using gold leaf and metallic blue paint.
Woodroffe and Fisher worked with Sam Pattinson, a UK video producer, to curate the video clips used in the show. "He worked with Willie Williams and me on U2," notes Fisher. For A Bigger Bang, Pattinson solicited existing video from over 100 video artists, which differed from past tours where all content was custom-created. "This meant we were able to review finished video with the band, rather than talking them through storyboards and ending up with something that didn't look like what we planned," Fisher explains. The band would say yes or no, then video director Christine Strand and Woodroffe would work the material into the show. "This meant we could have a wide variety of video, from clips of the band's career from established artists to pieces by students." The clips include some juicy versions of the band's lips and tongue logos.
Woodroffe enjoyed the luxury of being able to look at the video in rehearsal while the band was playing. "I've worked with Christine Strand for many years, and she is one of the best video directors," he says. "She makes it all seem so effortless and not too obvious. She knows when to cut fast or let it play."
Strand points out that the video screens differ from indoors to outdoors. Indoors features a 34' wide × 20' high-resolution LED screen by Panasonic in front of a 67' high × 36' wide lower resolution LED screen by Screenworks NEP. The main outdoor screen, also by Screenworks NEP, measures 42' high × 42' wide. To the left and the right of main screen (behind the seating balconies) are the (70' wide × 50' high) SLR (Screenworks Low Resolution) LED screens. Video playback is via a DoReMi hard drive system with a Panasonic PBS 9000i switcher.
For the indoor shows, Strand sits backstage and is out front during the outdoor shows, where she has better control of levels to converge neatly with Woodroffe's lighting. And like the lighting, the video is also song-specific. "In rehearsal, we worked closely together to mesh the color schemes and the dynamics of the lighting and the video," explains Strand, who mixes live I-Mag images with the recorded video segments. "It is pretty much the same content indoors and outdoors but used differently." Indoors, the low-resolution screen often has abstract images or video clips that encircle the live images, like a kinetic picture frame around the Stones as they play.
How big is A Bigger Bang? Fisher says it is probably the biggest thing anyone has ever moved for a rock tour (65 trucks without the t-shirts, he claims). With veteran director of production Jake Berry at the helm, it all moves smoothly. "It is the most effortless production in the 20 years I've been working with the Stones," says Woodroffe. "It all comes from the band and a lot of people who have worked with the band for a long time. After the first show in Boston, we said this is too good to be true." Maybe Mick has finally gotten the satisfaction he certainly deserves!
Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Crew
Production designed by Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Mark Fisher, and Patrick Woodroffe
Overall director of production: Jake Berry
Architects and stage design: The Mark Fisher Studio
Technical director: Jeremy Lloyd
Lighting design: Patrick Woodroffe
Lighting director: Ethan Weber
Lighting programmer: Dave Hill
Video production director: Sam Pattinson
Video director: Christine Strand
Head rigger: Jez Craddick
Pyrotechnician: Pete Cappadocia
Production manager: Dale "Opie" Skjerseth
Stage manager: Antonio Giordano
Head carpenter: Seth Goldstein
Staging company and custom steelwork: StageCo Inc.
Staging design: Hans Willems
Structural engineering: MG Mclaren Engineering Group
Other steelwork by Sheetfabs Ltd.
Fabric engineering: Architen Landrell Ltd.
Main (rolling) stage: Tait Towers Inc 'B' stage truck
Mechanical engineering: Andy Edwards 3d Ltd.
Construction and Cladding construction: Brilliant Stages Ltd.
Cladding trusses: Tomcat Global Inc.
Arena stage portals: Stephen Pyle Workshop Ltd.
Lighting Crew:
Crew chief: Kenny Ackerman
Nick Barton
Barry Branford
Greg Gore
Gareth Morgan
Dave Prior
Blaine Dracup
Chris Keene
Chris Lopez
Stanley Kimberlin-Syncrolites
Scooba Steve-Syncrolites
A Bigger Bang Tour Equipment List
|Outdoor Stadium Gear
|Martin MAC 2000 Wash
|Martin MAC 2000 Profile
|Syncrolite SXB-5/2
|Syncrolite SX-7K
|VARI*LITE VL5 Arc
|ETC Source Four® PAR
|48-Way ETC Sensor® Racks
|Bars ACL PAR
|Mole 8-Lite Blinder
|Wybron Eight Light Coloram II
|MR16 Batten
|Lycian M2 Followspot
|Martin Atomic Strobe
|Hungaroflash Strobe
|SGM Palco LED
|Flying Pig Systems Wholehog® 3
|AC Lighting Chroma-Q™ Color Block DB4 (for audience seating set)
|Indoor Arena Gear
|Martin MAC 2000 Wash
|Martin MAC 2000 Profile
|Martin Atomic Strobes
|Syncrolite SXB-5/2
|VARI*LITE VL5 Arc
|SGM Palco 3 LED
|48-Way ETC Sensor Racks
|24-Way ETC Sensor Racks
|Mole 8-Lite Blinder
|Wybron Eight Light Coloram II
|Lycian M2 Followspot
|Lycian Stark Lite Followspot
|Bars ACL PAR
|MR16 Batten
|Flying Pig Systems Wholehog 3


text:
This is Lucy. She is 6 years old & is the cutest little fashionista I have ever seen.
I look forward to the day that Lucy has her own show on the Style network.
A special thanks to Dawn {Lucy's mom} for giving me the ok to post this!
Happy Monday!