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Frequently Asked Questions
1) Will the FIRE program prepare you for a fire-fighting career?
Yes, the FIRE program will teach you the academic skills necessary for entry into the fire service field, i. e., fire fighter recruit, insurance adjuster, fire investigator. To qualify for fire fighter recruit positions in government agencies, you are not required to complete the program, however, you will learn about the four basic areas of fire safety, which are Prevention and Inspection, Fire Control, Rescue & Emergency Medical and Management & Administration.
2) When are the FIRE classes offered?
FIRE classes are offered year round in the fall and spring semesters through the main campus. Classes offered each semester can be viewed at Honolulu CC's Class Availability. Additionally, the Off-Campus Education Program may offer accelerated 10-week FIRE classes at a higher tuition throughout the year including summer. Classes are sometimes cancelled for low enrollment. For details, go to Honolulu CC's Off-Campus Education Program website.
Some FIRE courses are offered exclusively through distance education while other FIRE courses are offered only in the day in class. Other courses are offered in the evening or weekends.
3) What courses should you take in your first semester in the program if you meet the program prerequisites of placement in ENG 100 and MATH 24/50/53?
The following FIRE courses do not have additional prerequisites so you can take any of these courses. Although you may see a list of suggested courses for your first semester, you can actually take any FIRE courses that do not have additional prerequisites. The following courses may be offered in the Fall or Spring semesters.
- FIRE 100 - Introduction to Fire Protection (3 credits)
- FIRE 102 - Fundamentals of Fire Prevention (3 credits)
- FIRE 103 - Medical Emergency First Responder (3 credits)
You can also take the following as long as you meet the course prerequisites:
- MATH 197, 100, 103, 135 or higher
- PHYS 197 or 100 & 100L
FIRE electives - You can view your choices at your Academic Pathway in STAR. You can access this at the STAR website or in MyUH Portal.
Additionally, the FIRE graduation checklist [PDF] posted on the FIRE website lists FIRE electives. Some FIRE electives have not been offered for a while. Note that for the associate degree, you need 6 credits of FIRE electives and for the certificate; you need 18 credits of FIRE electives. Many fire students take more than 6 credits of fire electives and need to realize that only 6 credits count toward the FIRE degree.
4) What courses can you take if you do not meet the program prerequisites of placement in ENG 100 and MATH 24/50/53?
As you may already know, you cannot take FIRE courses until you meet the FIRE program prerequisites. You can, however take English, math and other general education courses.
Most important is for you to take English and Math courses so you can qualify for placement in ENG 100 and MATH 24/50/53 which are the FIRE program prerequisites.
Be sure that you meet the course descriptions for the general education courses. General education courses applicable to the FIRE degree are: ENG 100, Math 100/103/135 or higher, PHYS 197F/100&100L, CHEM 105, Social Sciences, and Humanities and Arts.
5) Is there anything unique about the FIRE courses?
In addition to traditional class lectures and discussion, some classes are offered via Distance Education (DE) and require motivated and conscientious students.
FIRE 280A and 280B are Firefighter I courses and upon successful completion, you will receive Firefighter I national certification.
The Off-Campus Education Program offers FIRE courses in the accelerated 10 week semesters. Tuition is higher than the regular semester offerings. Class Availability also shows these course offerings and are listed as Accelerated Semesters.
Be sure to read the comments at Class Availability for each of your courses.
In general, some of the FIRE courses are offered every other semester.
6) Should you purchase textbooks before the semester begins?
Recommendation from Marilynn Ito-Won, Counselor is to purchase your textbooks prior to the beginning of the semester. If you wait till your first day in class, there may have sold all the textbooks. You would also avoid the chaos of the first week of the semester. If you do not open or mark your textbook, you may be able to return it with receipt.
For certain FIRE courses, textbooks should be ordered on-line at www.firebooks.com or call 800-727-3327 two weeks prior to start of class. Be sure to read the comments at each course at Class Availabilityy as textbook information may be posted there.
To find out about textbooks, you can either:
- Go to Class Availability, then semester. On the upper right corner, click on Textbooks/Course Materials. Use the Course Reference Number (CRN) to see textbooks.
- Go to the Honolulu CC Bookstore website.
7) As a student with a full time day job, is it possible to complete the FIRE program with distance education (DE) or evening and weekend courses?
You may have to be flexible and take certain FIRE courses and PHYS 51 in the day.
Some FIRE courses are offered through DE or in the evenings. FIRE courses such as 103, 119B, 119C, 152, and FIRE 280B involve hands on learning and are offered in class in the day time.
As for the general education requirements, you should be able to find that most courses are offered in the evening or through Distance Education at Honolulu CC or at other University of Hawaiʻi (UH) Community Colleges.
MATH 100, 103, 135 or higher has been offered as a Distance Education course at Honolulu CC or at other University of Hawaiʻi (UH) Community Colleges.
CHEM 105 is generally offered Fall semester only with one section on Monday and Wednesday and another section on Tuesday and Thursday. One section is in the evening and the other in the day. In Fall 2011, CHEM 105 was offered for the first time as DE and may continue to be offered DE.
PHYS 100 & 100L has not been offered in the evening or weekends or through Distance Education.
See the question on course waiver/substitutions as you may find substitutable courses offered at times convenient for you.
8) As a neighbor island student who will not be moving to Oʻahu, is it possible to complete the FIRE program with distance education (DE) courses?
You may be able to take general education courses for the FIRE degree at the community college on your island.
As for the FIRE courses, some courses are offered through DE. FIRE courses such as 103, 119B, 119C, 152 and FIRE 280B involve hands on learning and are offered in class in the day time. You may have to take these courses at Honolulu CC on Oʻahu.
See the question on course waiver/substitutions as you may find substitutable courses offered at the local college or through DE.
9) As a distance education (DE) student, is it possible to complete the FIRE program exclusively with DE courses?
You should be able to find Distance Education courses at Honolulu CC or at other University of Hawaiʻi institutions for general education courses such as ENG 100, Humanities and Fine Arts or Social Sciences.
CHEM 105 was offered for the first time as Distance Education in Fall 2011.
MATH 100, 103, 135 or higher may be found in the Distance Education courses.
FIRE courses such as 103, 119B, 119C, 152, 207 and FIRE 280B involve hands on learning and are offered in class in the day time. You may have to take these courses in person in a classroom at Honolulu CC.
See the question on course waiver/substitutions as you may find substitutable courses offered through Distance Education at Honolulu CC or other colleges.
10) What course waiver/substitutions are typically accepted?
FIRE 103 may be substituted with an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) college course or certificate. The college course must be from a regionally accredited college or university. The EMT-B or EMT-I initial certificate and current certification card must be issued by the National Registry of EMT.
CHEM 105 may be substituted with CHEM 151 and 151L provided you earned a C or higher grade. Certain other CHEM courses above 151 have also been accepted as substitutions.
See an academic counselor to complete the course waiver substitution forms. If you are receiving veteran's benefits, the form must be approved before your courses can be certified for veteran's benefits. If you are currently enrolled in the course, see the counselor to complete the form. Substitution will be posted to your record once all approvals are received and grade is posted.
11) Will you be able to use college courses, Advanced Placement (AP) scores or CLEP scores for the FIRE degree?
Yes, college courses, AP scores and CLEP scores that are applicable toward the FIRE degree can be accepted in transfer however grade, grade points and grade point averages cannot be transferred. Your GPA at Honolulu CC will be based on your grades at Honolulu CC.
Courses completed at a regionally accredited U.S. institution grades are generally accepted in transfer with a D or higher grade.
You can find out whether your college course or AP scores or CLEP scores will be accepted in transfer by going to the UH System Course Transfer Database. Go to List and follow directions. If your course is not listed, provide Records Office with the course descriptions. Descriptions will be attached to the official transcript received from the non-UH system institution you attended.
To have a transcript evaluated, do the following:
Request that the institution that you attended send an official transcript and course descriptions (if from a non-Hawaiʻi institution) to Honolulu CC Records Office. If the institution is part of the UH system, an official transcript does not need to be sent as Honolulu CC can view your record at other UH system institutions.
Complete the Transcript Evaluation Request Form [PDF] to trigger evaluation of your transcripts. Submit completed form to Honolulu CC's Records Office.
Honolulu CC Records Office
874 Dillingham Blvd.
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96817
(808) 845-9120
12) Is it possible to get FIRE college credits if you are working in a FIRE work related experience while in the FIRE program?
Yes, you may be eligible to receive credit through the Cooperative Education Program for a fire-related work experience. Some of the eligible jobs include:
- Firefighter
- Fire Inspector
- Lifeguard
- Fire Sprinkler Installation & Service Worker
- Hazmat Technician
13) Will you be able to use fire fighter experience or training for the FIRE degree?
Honolulu CC does not give college credits for work experience however does grant college credits for fire related training. Documentation of training must be certified by national organizations such as ProBoard or International Fire Service Accrediting Congress (IFSAC). Additionally certificates of completed training from Federal Fire Department, Honolulu Fire Department, Hawaiʻi County Fire Department, Kauaʻi Fire Department, and Maui Fire Department are accepted. Certificates of training issued by other fire departments, agencies, institutions or states have not been accepted in transfer due to the varying levels of standards.
The following Certificates of Completion of Training from the above organizations or departments are accepted:
- Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations - Submit your training certificates for credit for FIRE 207 Haz Mat Awareness and Operations.
- Fire Fighter I - Submit your training certificates for credit for FIRE 280A Firefighter I and 280B Firefighter I Lab.
- Fire Fighter II - Submit your training certificates for credit for FIRE 280C Firefighter II which is 12 credits toward FIRE electives.
First Responder Training & Current Certification - Certificates issued by Emergency Medical Technology Program at Kapiolani Community College non-credit and by the National Registry of EMT have been accepted. Submit first responder initial training (about 40+ hours) and current certification card and you will get credit for FIRE 103 Medical Emergency First Responder.
Certificates of Other Non-Credit Training That Are Fire-Related -
First, check at the UH System Course Transfer Database. Go to list and follow directions. If your training is not in the Database, e-mail Marilynn Ito-Won at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Second, if your training is in the Database, take original certificate to Records Office and ask them to make a copy and attach to your Transcript Evaluation Request Form [PDF].
Third, if your training is not in the Database, make a copy of all documentation from national organizations including certificates, outlines or syllabus of noncredit training courses. E-mail Marilynn Ito-Won at firstname.lastname@example.com to find out if you can receive college credit.
National Fire Academy (NFA) Training -
Additionally you can get transfer credit for training completed with the NFA. You can request an official transcript of the noncredit training completed from:
National Emergency Training Center (NETC)
Office of Admissions, Bldg O-007
16825 South Seton Ave.
Emmitsburg, MD 21727-8998
Request the official transcript be sent directly to:
Honolulu CC Records Office
874 Dillingham Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 845-9120
Note: not all NFA training are posted to your NFA transcript. You may want to request a copy of your transcript sent to you. If your training is on a certificate of completion issued by NFA however not on your NFA transcript, take your original certificates to Records Office.
To get your training accepted in transfer -
Submit certificates of initial training and current certification if needed to the Records Office.
Ask Records Office to copy the certificates and keep your originals.
Complete the Transcript Evaluation Request Form [PDF] and submit to Records Office.
Once evaluated, the transfer courses will be posted to your STAR transcript.
14) Will you be able to use your experience or training as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or as a Paramedic toward the FIRE degree?
Yes, you can be granted credits provided:
You earned college credit for the EMT-B courses from a regionally accredited college or university
You have an initial certificate of EMT-B training and a current certificate issued by the National Registry of EMT. Your certificate cannot be expired
Credit will be granted for FIRE 119B Emergency Medical Technician Part A and FIRE 119C Emergency Medical Technician Part B for a total of 7 credits. These credits count as FIRE elective credits. Once evaluated, you will receive a Transfer Credit Evaluation granting you the FIRE 119B and 119C credits.
EMT-B courses may substitute for FIRE 103.
EMT certificates issued by individual states or institutions other than the National Registry of EMT are not accepted for credits because of the varying standards.
Paramedic or Mobile Intensive Care Technician experience or training maybe accepted toward the FIRE degree as a course waiver/substitution for FIRE 119B and 119C.
Contact Marilynn at firstname.lastname@example.com for details on course substitutions.
15) If you take a break from college, can you follow the old program requirements or do you have to follow the current requirements?
If your break has been one semester then you can follow the old requirements.
If your break has been one year or longer, see an academic counselor to complete the Exception to Graduation Options to ask for permission to graduate with the old requirements.
You may want to compare the old requirements to the current requirements by running an Academic Pathway and What If Journey in STAR. STAR is available at MyUH Portal.
16) Does Honolulu CC offer classes that prepare applicants to take the Fire Fighter recruit exams?
Honolulu CC does not currently offer any prep classes for the fire recruit test.
Federal Fire Department - Pathways Program for Students
Federal Fire Department vacancy announcement for nine (9) GS-03, Firefighter Student Trainees positions OPENS 13 July 2012 and CLOSES 19 July 2012. Please go to http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/321438100 to apply.
Students need to pay attention to detail and carefully complete the application. This new Pathways program replaces the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP).
17) What kind of fire fighting experience can FIRE students get?
Wildland fire fighting is the most common way for FIRE students to get fire fighting experience. Seasonal wildland opportunities are offered on the mainland in the summer and sometimes run into the fall semester depending on the wildland fire season. Students have typically worked in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Applications are available around November to February. You can research opportunities on the internet:
USDA Forest Service Temporary Fire (On Mainland) at www.fs.fed.us/fsjobs
Alaska Fire Service Bureau of Land Management e-mail: email@example.com
To prepare for these wildland federal positions, you could take Wildland fire courses like:
- FIRE 151 - Introduction to Wildland Fire Control
- FIRE 152 - Wildland Fire Control Field Methods
- FIRE 154 - Wildland Urban Interface Operations.
18) Are there fire fighting recruit positions in Hawaiʻi?
Yes there are fire employment opportunities. You can apply for positions only when there is open recruitment. During non-recruitment periods, applications are not accepted.
FIRE employers in Hawaiʻi are:
- County Fire Departments: Honolulu Fire Department is responsible for civilian or non military areas on Oʻahu. The neighbor island departments are Hawaiʻi County Fire Department, Kauaʻi Fire Department and Maui Fire Department which is also responsible for Molokai, Lanai and Kahoolawe.
- Federal Fire Department is responsible for all the military bases and facilities on Oʻahu.
- Army Wildland Fire Department is responsible for controlling fire-prone vegetation in Wheeler, Schofield, Makua, Kahuku, Dillingham East Range on Oʻahu.
- State Fire Department is responsible for the state airports.
- Private Fire Departments or Businesses - there may be other companies that have fire related positions.
Contact information:
Honolulu Fire Department - Oʻahu
Hawaiʻi County Fire Department
Maui Fire Department (Go to departments or employment)
Announcements also made in Maui News newspaper
Federal Fire Department - usajobs.opm.gov or usajobs.gov (application web sites)
Army Wildland Fire Department - usajobs.opm.gov or usajobs.gov (application web sites)
State Fire Department - www.loihi.state.hi.us (go to departments or employment)
NOTE: information is provided to the best of our knowledge and is subject to change.
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QUINCY, Mass. (AP) — The Quincy Fire Department is in mourning following the unexpected death of a 10-year veteran who was responding to an emergency call.
Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Jackson says 37-year-old firefighter John Austin became unresponsive at the West Quincy firehouse Monday as he and other firefighters were getting ready to go out on an emergency call and was later pronounced dead at Quincy Medical Center.
Jackson tells The Patriot Ledger (http://bit.ly/12Az1tH ) the cause of death remains under investigation.
Jackson says Austin was "highly regarded" by his colleagues.
Austin was a Quincy High School graduate and joined the Marines before becoming a city firefighter in 2002.
Information from: The (Quincy, Mass.) Patriot Ledger, http://www.patriotledger.com
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subset: commoncrawl


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So you want to become a NCAA champion! Here is the process, with a bit of background information included.
Collegiate divers compete for national championships in three divisions of the National College Athletic Administration (NCAA). Colleges are placed in each division based on a number of factors, including the size of the school, level of athletic commitment, factilities, etc.and whether scholarships are given to athletes.
Diving compromises three individual events within a swimming and diving program, and a diver's placement in their event counts toward the overall success of the team. At the collegiate level, 1-meter and 3-meter springboard are championships event in Division II and III. The Division I championships also include platform diving.
2012 NCAA Division I Championships
Qualifying for the NCAA Division I Swimming and Diving Championships for a diver is a two-step process. A diver must first obtain a qualifying score at a bona fide competition. This score qualifies the diver to compete in one of five zone diving competitions. The zone that a diver competes in is based on location. For instance, divers in the Southeast will compete in Zone B, while divers from the west coast will compete in Zone E. From there, divers must compete for a specified number of NCAA qualifying spots at the zone competition.
Qualifying Scores for Zone Competition
Qualifying scores for men and women can come from a dual meet (two schools going head to head), a triangle meet (three schools competing against each other), or a championship meet (multiple schools competing against each other). A diver only has to achieve a qualifying score once in any of the three events; one-meter, three-meter, or platform.
A diver in a dual meet competition must perform six dives. These dives can either consist of six optional dives without a limit on the degree of difficulty (D.D.), or one voluntary dive with an assigned D.D. of 2.0, followed by five optional dives without limit on the D.D. Either of these formats is acceptable and is agreed on by the coaches prior to the meet.
In championship meets, the competition consists of six optional dives without limit on D.D. The exception for this is for women on platform, who only compete five optional dives.
2012 Men's Division I Qualification Standards
- One-Meter Diving Points: 300 *
- Three-Meter Diving Points: 320 *
- Platform Diving Points: 300 *
2011 Women's Division I Qualification Standards
- One-Meter Diving Points: 265 *
- Three-Meter Diving Points: 280 *
- Platform Diving Points: 225 #
* qualifying point total when using six dives
# qualifying point total when using five dives
Zone Competition
After making it to a zone championship, divers compete for a predetermined number of qualification spots allocated to each zone. Each zone receives four automatic qualifying spots for men, and four for women. The remainder of the spots for each zone is based on how divers from that zone finished in the prior years NCAA championships. For 2012, 35 spots are available for the men's championships, and 41 for the women.
Determining who qualifies at the zone gets a bit confusing. It is based on finishes in each of the three events. For instance, the winners of each of three events receives an automatic bid. If a diver wins both platform and three-meter, then the second place finishers on one- and three-meter receive a bid. It can be confusing to someone who hasn't gone through the process.
If a diver places in one of the qualifying spots, he or she is then qualified to compete at the championships in each event in which they participated at the zone championships. That means if "Bob" wins the 1-meter competition at zones, then he will compete in 1-meter at the NCAA championships. If Bob then competes at zones in 3-meter and finishes 21st and platform and finishes 14th, he will be able to compete on 1-meter, 3-meter and platform. Essentially - qualify on one level and that qualifies you on all levels.
2012 NCAA Zone Diving Championships
- Zone A
Buffalo University
Buffalo, N.Y.
March 9-11, 2012
Qualification Spots Available: 4 Men / 4 Women
- Zone B
Auburn University
Auburn, Ala.
March 5-7, 2012
Qualification Spots Available: 8 Men / 10 Women
- Zone C
Indiana University
Bloomington, Ind.
March 8-10, 2012
Qualification Spots Available: 7 Men / 7 Women
- Zone D
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
March 8-10, 2012
Qualification Spots Available: 9 Men / 12 Women
- Zone E
United States Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs, Colo.
March 8-10, 2012
Qualification Spots Available: 7 Men / 8 Women
Zone A – Northeast
Women's 2012 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships
March 15-17, 2012
James E. Martin Aquatic Center
Auburn University
Auburn, Ala.
Men's 2012 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships
March 22-24, 2012
Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center
University of Minnesota
Federal Way, Wash.
2011 NCAA Division I Diving Champions
- Women's One-meter - Kelci Bryant (Minnesota)
- Women's Three-meter – Abby Johnston (Duke)
- Women's Platform - Brittany Viola (Miami)
- Men's One-meter – David Boudia (Purdue)
- Men's Three-meter – David Boudia (Purdue)
- Men's Platform – Nick McCrory (Duke)


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Source URL
EA's NHL '94 remains landmark game after 20 years
Source Author
Tal Pinchevsky
Source Site
NHL '94 has an insane fan base, even after 20 years
Reading about games that have an enduring fan base is always interesting, but this look at the influential sports game NHL '94 goes far beyond what most 20 year-old games enjoy. I had no idea the game was such a turning point for hockey in terms of both video games and the sport itself, and hearing all the fun anecdotes about its development and the people who continue to be touched by its existence was fun as hell.
It's funny how little most of us think about sports games, and it's great to take a peek into a fan culture many of us don't really think about.


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Who is a Candidate for Tooth Caps
Who is a candidate for dental caps?
If you grind your teeth, have an improper bite, have fillings or tooth decay you have contributing factors to the wearing down, cracking or breakage of your teeth. Dental caps cover the entire visible surface of your affected tooth and add strength, durability and stability.
A cosmetic dentist will usually be able to identify problem areas in your mouth that might lead to tooth damage and a need for caps. Chewing patterns play a big role too. By selectively grinding the tips of your middle and back teeth (cusps) will alter your bite to reduce the stress on your at-risk teeth.
Next: Description of the procedure
- Introduction to dental caps section
- Dental caps - an overview
- Who is a candidate for having teeth capped?
- Tooth caps - Procedure description
- Varieties of tooth caps
- How much do dental caps cost?
- Pros and cons of tooth caps
- Dental caps - Before and after photos
- Personal stories from people who have had tooth caps
- Picking a color for tooth caps
- Discuss caps with others
A guide to dental crowns and caps.


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Man dead after house fire in 1700 block of Seneca Avenue in Jensen Beach
JENSEN BEACH, Fla. -- A man is dead after a house fire in Jensen Beach this morning, according to Martin County Fire Rescue.
The fire was called in just before 9:30 a.m. in the 1700 block of Seneca Avenue.
An investigator with the state Fire Marshal's office was called to the scene to assist in determining the cause of the blaze.
Units arrived to find a single-family home about 50 percent engulfed in flames
While putting out the fire, crews discovered the man inside, already dead from the fire.
The fire was extinguished in about 10 minutes, according to a fire rescue spokesperson.
The victim has not been identified.


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Adapting Web 1.0 Evaluation Techniques for E-Government in Second Life
Alla Keselman, Victor Cid, Matthew Perry, Claude Steinberg, Fred B. Wood, and Elliot R. Siegel
Journal of Usability Studies, Volume 6, Issue 4, August 2011, pp. 204 - 225
Article Contents
Expert Panel Reviews: Methodological Approach
Two full-day facilitated structured expert review sessions explored how traditional Web evaluation methods might be applied to VWs. The first session concerned Web and Internet performance and usage, while the second focused on usability and user feedback. When structuring the expert panels, we did not set out to seek nationally and internationally renowned leaders in the pertaining fields. Such an endeavor would have been indisputably invaluable, but outside the financial and logistical scope of this project. Instead, we drew from the internal resources of the National Library of Medicine (an international leader in organizing and delivering electronic health information) and ICF International (a global company supplying services to NLM, specializing in research, analysis, implementation, and improvement of innovative technologies). This was supplemented by the expertise of an academic researcher specializing in transmedia and game studies. We aimed to assemble panels of individuals with substantial practical and theoretical experience, representing a broad range of fields with relevance to VWs evaluation. The participants specialized in Internet performance, Web 2.0/ social media and VWs, Web analytics, Web development, and usability evaluations (see Table 1). The participants had between seven and 45 years of experience in their respective fields (mean = 18, median = 18). Four held doctoral degrees, with most of the others holding masters degrees. Seven participants (2 from ICF and 5 from NLM) had direct experience in Web 1.0 usability evaluation, which ranged from developing tools and protocols and conducting sessions to designing large-scale organizational testing strategies and conducting research. The NLMs participants usability experience was primarily with Web sites for health professionals and consumers (including sites in environmental health and toxicology); the expertise of ICF usability experts was broad.
Table 1. Expert Panel Members Areas of Expertise (X)
Each session lasted eight hours and consisted of a series of highly structured exercises in which traditional Web evaluation metrics and tools were analyzed for their relevance and adaptability to VWs. Panelists determined specific actions needed to modify traditional Web methods and tools for VWs applicability and prioritized these actions based on importance and cost. A trained facilitator closely monitored the sessions, ensuring adherence to the sessions timeline and protocol. The exercises often involved small group discussions and presentations to the other groups and resulted in artifacts such as individuals notes and groups lists and flowcharts. The facilitator encouraged the participants to express dissenting opinions, to be resolved in the discussions. However, due to the diverse and complementary range of expertise in the panels, most of the time the actual process resembled assembling a jigsaw puzzle where participants contributed unique pieces, rather than a heated debate. At the end of each session all the artifacts were collected by the facilitator and reviewed by a group of four key project officers who were members of both panels. Finally, the project officers created summative statements that combined and organized the panels consensus views. The summaries were used in the subsequent pilot testing of evaluation methods in Tox Town in Second Life. Although the summaries were based on the in-depth, structured discussion, the panels findings have an element of subjectivity, because of their narrative nature, and because they ultimately express the opinion of a specific group. The goal of the exercises was to generate a set of ideas and recommendations to test in the subsequent research. A different groups of experts could come up with somewhat (though, presumably, not completely) different recommendations.


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Crowds boost takings in the post-Christmas sales (From Oxford Mail)
Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting OXFORD NEWS to 80360 or email us
Crowds boost takings in the post-Christmas sales
10:00am Tuesday 31st December 2013 in News By Katriona Ormiston
SHOPPERS are flocking to Oxford's post-Christmas sales.
Roads have been clogged as tens of thousands descended on the city to grab a bargain.
Trainee teacher Tom Halford now lives in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, but said he comes back to his native Oxfordshire to shop.
Mr Halford, 24, who grew up in Barford St Michael, near Banbury, said: "I had a little bit more money this year, as I have just started a job.
- Tom Halford and Laura Martin in Cornmarket
"I did a lot of online shopping – it's easier, and I don't have a lot of time to go into town on weekends.
"I like going shopping in Oxford because the buildings are prettier and there is more space here."
Jess Andrew, 18, from Burford, has just started a waitressing job at a hotel in Burford.
She said: "I have spent more this year on my family and myself.
"A lot of my friends are getting jobs at the moment as well."
She said she preferred shopping on the High Street than online.
- Jess Andrew, pictured with Kieran Cook, says she prefers the High Street to shopping online
Owner of Daisies flower shop in Walton Street, Sheila Bailey, said the shop had one of its best Christmases for a while.
She said: "Christmas went very well indeed, it exceeded our expectations and we were delighted to see a lot of customers coming through the doors as well as calling up and ordering.
"It was better than the previous few years but it was probably busier a little bit later, the timings were a bit different.
"Whether it is true or not that the recession is coming to an end I don't know, but it was definitely a good year."
Gordon Piggott, manager of McCarthy's fruit and veg in the Covered Market, said: "We had a good busy Christmas. It was a little slow to get started this year but it was positive and people supported us. "
Residential streets and main roads leading to Bicester shopping village were inundated with shoppers on Boxing Day, when an estimated 40,000 people descended on the outlet centre.
The centre laid on extra parking, extended opening hours and organised park and ride services from four sites in a bid to ease problems.
But shoppers clogged surrounding streets, prompting demands from residents for more measures to tackle the problem.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Week 1 of the college football season is usually filled with contests between major-conference powers and lesser schools that are completely outmanned. There are once again plenty of those matchups this Saturday, a few marquee games do dot the schedule as LSU and TCU provide a top-25 game at a neutral site: Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
LSU is hoping to embark on another SEC and BCS championship run and, in the process, squash the idea that this team will have a down year. The Tigers return eight starters on offense, including quarterback Zach Mettenberger, and have a new offensive coordinator with NFL veteran Cam Cameron. LSU usually wins with its defense, though, and only four starters from 2012 will be back on that side of the ball. The Tigers should be good this season, but great is the annual expectation.
TCU is hoping to win a conference title of its own and the Horned Frogs would like to prove they can compete against any big-time program in the country. With 16 starters back, the team will try to improve upon its 7-6 record a year ago and get back to a BCS game. Like LSU, the defense should be solid, but if they're going to win more games in 2013, the offense -- which ranked eighth in the Big 12 in scoring and total yards a year ago -- has to be better.
The numbers
Rankings and records: In one of the few opening-weekend top-25 matchups. LSU enters ranked No. 13 in the preseason coaches' poll and TCU checks in at No. 20. The teams have played eight previous times -- LSU holds a 5-2-1 series lead -- but none since the Tigers defeated the Horned Frogs on Oct. 26, 1968.
Vegas: LSU opened as a 5-point favorite, but that's dropped to 4 or 4½ points at most sportsbooks. The over/under has increased from 43 to 50. For complete odds information on LSU vs. TCU, click here.
Weather: A low of 75 in the evening is pleasant enough, but that high of 100 will make things pretty miserable during the day.
Three names to know
Les Miles, LSU head coach: Everyone knows the Mad Hatter, but no one should overlook him during this game. LSU-TCU has the potential to be a tight, physical battle that could go down to the wire. If that happens, Miles' coaching decisions will no doubt be a storyline following the game. Whether the Tigers win or lose, some sort of bold decision or clock mismanagement from Miles could make the difference.
Devonte Fields, TCU DE: Will he play or won't he play? Fields is a preseason second-team All-American, and if he's on the field, he could have a huge impact on the game. He was suspended two games back in May for a violation of team rules, but Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson said recently Fields has "already done everything that the university has asked him to do" and that he'll be in uniform. Will he play? Patterson says we'll "find out at game time."
Cam Cameron, LSU OC: The Tigers have had great defense in recent years, but the offense has often left much to be desired. Last season, LSU averaged 374.2 yards and 29.8 points per game, ranking 10th and eighth in the SEC, respectively. Fans hope Cameron will use his years of NFL experience to turn the offense around, but nothing is guaranteed.
Two things at stake
For LSU, this game is all about getting off to a good start and pushing back against the perception that the Tigers are down this year. Many SEC and national pundits don't have a lot of faith in Les Miles' team this year and believe it will finish behind Alabama and Texas A&M in the SEC West. A big win would make people think twice about LSU.
TCU, on the other hand, is trying to make a different statement. The Horned Frogs are ranked No. 20 in the preseason USA Today Coaches' Poll and they want to show that last year's down season was the exception and not the rule in Big 12 play.
How to witness
TV: ESPN (Play-by-play: Brad Nessler, Analysis: Todd Blackledge, Sideline: Holly Rowe)
Radio: TCU: XM 86, LSU: XM 198
Online streaming: ESPN3
Further reading
Frogs O' War, SB Nation's TCU blog
And the Valley Shook, SB Nation's LSU blog
Betting odds, preview and prediction
Timeline of controversies surrounding Jeremy Hill, Devonte Fields
More from SB Nation:
Follow @SBNationCFB Follow @SBNRecruiting
• 4,000 words each about 125 college football teams: The Bill C. preview series
• Alabama vs. Oregon and all 34 other bowl game projections
•Clowney, Manziel headline SB Nation's preseason All-America team
• Projecting this year's most fun college football games, according to math
• Picking every 2013 college football conference race


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In Week 1, no one knew what to expect from Cam Newton and the Panthers in Arizona.
A week later, no one expected Newton and the Panthers to give Green Bay fits.
This Sunday, most should expect Newton and the Panthers to get their first win of the season.
For a young team, playing at home, with a superstar-in-the-making quarterback, this is a game the Panthers need to win.
Of course, it's not your typical "need to win" situation. It's not a "Week 16 with the playoffs on the line" kind of thing.
There's a need to win Sunday because the Jaguars are simply -- not very good.
There's a need to win Sunday because this is a game the Panthers should win on their climb back to respectability.
The close calls against the Cardinals and Packers have renewed the energy of Carolina's fan base. It's become fashionable around here to say "This team could be 2-0 instead of 0-2."
The thing is: They're not.
"It's tough for us to go around town and people to congratulate us for playing good," Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said this week. "I'm glad they're behind us, but at the same time, we don't want to just accept that."
Amazingly enough, the Panthers employ the "veteran" starting quarterback this week.
After cutting David Garrard days before the start of the season, and after the Luke McCown experiment not surprisingly failed, Jacksonville's throwing Blaine Gabbert into the fire.
"It's going to be the battle of the number ones," Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew said on a conference call with Panthers reporters. "The top two quarterbacks in the draft are about to go battle. That's your story right there."
Sure, that's the obvious story.
The Panthers worked out and researched each quarterback before April's draft, but ultimately, the decision wasn't all that difficult for Carolina.
"We walked away feeling very impressed," Rivera said of Gabbert. "There's just something that separated Cam from everybody."
While Newton versus Gabbert is the easy headline, what may actually decide who wins the game is Jones-Drew versus the Panthers battered defense.
Jones-Drew is as healthy as he's been in years. Meanwhile, the Panthers defense is a mess -- especially in the middle. Two rookie defensive tackles and linebackers not named Beason and Davis should provide an easy target for Jacksonville's game plan.
You don't have to actually be Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott to figure out how the Panthers will counter: A steady dose of eight or nine guys in the box, just like the Titans and Jets have already played against Jacksonville.
"They pretty much keep the box loaded and that's ok," Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio said. "We've run the ball well to start the year. One thing that's been lagging is we haven't thrown it very well and that's one of the reasons why Blaine is getting this opportunity."
The Jaguars hope Gabbert gives them at least a threat of a vertical passing attack, something Newton's already done for the Panthers.
Except, it's not just a threat. It's what the Panthers do now.
Remember the days when it was surprising if John Fox took a risk on offense? Now it's surprising if the Panthers actually run the ball.
The Panthers new "Pass first, run just because maybe we should throw one of those in" offense has resulted in record numbers and a big, bright spotlight for Newton. And for the second straight week, he's let Panthers officials deflect the national attention.
"It's not about exposure in this game," Newton said. "If you're not doing anything that's worth being exposed, then you're not going to be exposed."
That doesn't sound like a guy many feared would rather be an icon or entertainer, does it?
When asked this week what he could do to improve on his first couple games, Newton answered, "Win. Simple and plain."
The numbers and records have been impressive, but against a very beatable opponent this weekend, the only number that ultimately matters is a "1" on the left side of the standings.


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Generous people have stepped forward to help during all kinds of recent disasters, including the Oklahoma tornadoes, the devastating explosion in West, and the bombing at the Boston Marathon.
Charities are offering new convenient ways to donate, but where do those donations really go?
KCBD NewsChannel 11 examined records from a variety of different charities to see exactly what percentage of their disaster funds go towards assisting victims.
During the course of our investigation, we found that one well-known charity has been criticized for its lack of transparency. We contacted the Salvation army to get their response to the claims.
Charity Navigator, a site that lists the percentage of funds actually go to help disaster victims, offers the following disclaimer, singling out the Salvation Army:
"We lack sufficient data to evaluate their financial health. We know many donors are interested in this organization and have asked the Salvation Army to submit their financial data for review and they have elected to decline, as they are allowed under federal law."
The Salvation Army was established as a faith-based organization and is therefore not required to disclose their finances to the public. So we contacted Texas Salvation Army headquarters and sat down with Major Tim Grider, who says they are willing to be transparent...
KCBD obtained the Salvation Army's tax return for 2011.
It shows a total income of $2,576,107. Their expenses added up to $2,131,045, leaving an excess of $374,549.
So we asked the Salvation Army what is typically done with those remaining funds and any unused disaster relief donations.
Grider says that if excess funds are collected for a particular disaster, then that money stays in the account sat aside for that disaster, unless the individual donor approves a transfer.
"We have funds left over from Katrina we have funds left over from Andrew, Hugo because people put them there so it has to stay there," Grider said.
Grider says they are audited every six months, even though they do not legally have to disclose their financial information.
"It all comes down to can you trust them," said South Plains Better Business Bureau President Greg Linder.
Linder said more than 20 charity websites went up within hours of the Boston bombings, but he says many of those sites were bogus, aimed at taking advantage of national generosity.
He says the BBB constantly monitors charities to make sure they are delivering on what they promise, to help in times of need.
Linder says to be wary of organizations that claim all their funds are used for disaster assistance.
"You know, sometimes it'll claim 100% goes to disaster relief; that's just normally not a possibility," Linder said. "Everybody has administrative costs. They have fundraising cost, the higher that percentage they're saying the more that raises red flags... We understand there are costs involved in running a charity."
Linder offers a word of advice for consumers: donate to a charity with a physical presence in the affected areas.
If you'd like more information about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of scam, or to find out more about a specific charity, log on to www.give.org. If you'd like to verify whether or not the organization is legally filed as a charity, you can check the organization's tax status at www.irs.gov/app/eos.
Copyright 2013 KCBD. All rights reserved.
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The Ripley County Communications Center experienced a very busy month in May.
The center handles incoming calls from Ripley County citizens and unit assignments for the county sheriff, five town police departments, conservation officers, 12 fire and task departments, three EMS units, paramedic unit, Emergency Management, Enhanced 911 and the dog warden.
A total of 1,622 logged calls from the public for assistance and complaints were received via 911 and regular phone lines for police, fire, EMS and paramedics as well as 13 calls for the dog warden last month.
Computer log entries, which reflect each radio and telephone transaction handled for all field units, incoming complaints and other calls for assistance, totaled 5,624. Statistics compiled of the total May calls to the communications center show that 501 Enhanced 911 calls were answered last month, 279 of which were real emergencies called in on the computerized emergency system.
A breakdown of 911 calls received shows 123 EMS related and 162 police calls were received on the system last month. There were also 289 paramedic and 911 fire and first responder calls answered on the computer-enhanced emergency line. There were 222 calls to 911 that were not real emergencies. Most of these calls were system problems with Verizon, false calls, kids playing and tests on the system.
Statistics show 522 calls for police assistance were received in May. Another 34 routine calls were received concerning title checks, minor complaints, information requests for the office and follow-up investigations, making a total of 556 calls of all types handled for town and county police.


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We love telling adoption success stories here on Wednesday's Child, and this one was less than a year in the making.
It was February of 2008, and we were at Lorenzi Park with a lively four-year-old named Austin. He had a smile and a laugh that was hard to resist and it turns out someone couldn't.
"The first time we saw Austin was on TV -- on Wednesday's Child. And I saw him and thought that was my son and there was a way that we had to get him home," says Ashley, Austin's new adoptive mother.
When we visited with Ashley and her husband Shane in Jul, at the time, they had completed the approval process for adoption and already had Austin living with them in the home.
"I knew the time would come where I'd be a father, and I couldn't ask for more," says Shane.
Actually, there was more, but it was all good. The "more" was a final visit to the courtroom. Last week, we were there when the judge gave his blessing to the adoption, and in the eyes of the court, Austin is now every bit the son his parents already claim him to be.
Later that day, we followed the family home as Austin hopped on his new bike to show off.
"We were absolutely shocked at how easy it was for us. But when things are just meant to be, they work out perfectly," adds Ashley.
And Austin seems perfectly content with the people who were meant to be his parents. Who knows, maybe the family will grow even more.
"Yes, we're talking about adopting again -- possibly a little girl. But we want to bond with him first," explains Shane.
Ashley and Shane say the rewards of adopting far outweigh the work it took to get there. Many more children are available. Call the local office of the Adoption Exchange now at 436-6335.


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Anderson Silva has offered to meet GSP at 177 lbs for a catchweight match up between their ideal weight divisions. So far GSP has not accepted this offer. If GSP is unwilling to go up 7 lbs, the next best thing is a catchweight super match up for Silva and Jones. Silva will probably not accept a match up with Jones at 205 lbs. This is unless he's willing to take a beating for mad money in his retirement bout. Contrary to popular belief, Silva is not a full sized light heavyweight. Silva only weighed 207 lbs on fight night when he met Bonnar at 205 lbs. See: Anderson Silva already near weight, White says Bonnar will be crazy bigger. Silva is a 6'2 natural middleweight. If you want to see a full sized 6'2" light heavyweight, see Phil Davis on fight night. There is a big difference in muscle mass between the two.
Silva and Jones are both highly intelligent mixed martial artists. They both know that Jones is probably the best clinch wrestler in MMA today and with his weight advantage he would take Silva down with relative ease and rain down brutal ground and pound. Silva has trouble scrambling back to his feet facing strong middleweights. Against a former JUCO wrestling champ named Jones? Forget about it. Jones can get up to 226 lbs on fight night. See: UFC phenom Jon Jones wants top-three opponent next but will settle for James Toney. Jones has proven himself to be a smart tactician who uses his superb clinch wrestling skills very well to dominate smaller opponents.
What if Jones were to mimic Silva and offer to meet him in between their ideal weight divisions at 195 lbs? Unlike GSP, Silva would likely accept this catchweight match up. Jones used to wrestle at 197 lbs a short while back. Given enough time Jones should be able to eat and train his way down to tip top shape at 195 lbs. Jones is only 25 years old and he could be faster and have even better cardio at 195 lbs.
At 205 lbs, Jones has a big advantage. At 195 lbs, this match up becomes fairer and much more interesting. I can't call it. If Jones and Silva were to meet in ten separate match ups on ten separate nights, how many would Jones win? How many would Silva? This fight would generate a media frenzy and it would be a real pick 'em fight for the hardcore fans and those fans who are just now following MMA into the mainstream. This fight would sell out Madison Square Garden or Dallas Stadium. No need to mention the ridiculous PPV numbers. I think this match up is very doable for the UFC. if Silva and Jones win their next match ups, it could be signed very soon after. Again. Silva vs Jones at 195 lbs. Why not? Let's witness sports history together.


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Prior to releasing new software or major upgrades of current software, Schoolhouse
Technologies will run a beta trial to expose the software to real-world use and
evaluation. Copies of software in beta trial will be made available to those who
are interested in testing the software and reporting any bugs, problems, or suggestions
for improvements.
Please note that this is not a way to obtain free software as the beta copies of
the software will expire at the end of the trial period. Also, please be aware that
the software will almost certainly have bugs, which is why it is not yet ready for
general release.
If you are interested in becoming a beta tester, please complete the application
form below. We will respond to your application within one business day.
There is no software currently in beta trial. Next scheduled beta testing is for
Vocabulary Worksheet Factory 5 in spring 2013.


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MORE money is to be spent on people and less on "bricks and mortar", senior South Tyneside councillors were to be told today as £18m of budget savings were endorsed.
The local authority faces another tough 12 months of financial constraints, much of it due to a continued reduction in central government funding.
Today, the council's decision-making cabinet was expected to endorse an £18m savings package for the next financial year.
These include selling off public buildings considered surplus to requirements and re-locating a number of staff under one roof back in South Shields Town Hall, which is undergoing a major revamp.
And a further £100,000 saving will be achieved from a review of the borough's street lighting.
Over recent years, the council has invested in Phillips Cosmopolis technology which has made a major improvement in the energy efficiency of street lighting.
This year will see further investment in cutting edge new technology to enable dynamic remote controlling of lighting on main routes to further increase energy efficiency.
The new system, which will manage 2,400 units across the borough, will bring a significant saving while ensuring that lighting levels are maintained in line with British Standards.
Coun Ed Malcolm, the council's lead member for resources and innovation, said: "Over the past four years we have made £90m in savings, and we face further reductions in our funding from government, but the council is determined to provide quality services and continue to invest in the borough's future.
"Our clear commitment is to provide quality services and drive forward regeneration and economic growth.
"In the past year we have improved the use of our resources through initiatives such as modern payment methods, reduced management costs and new wildflower meadows in place of grassed areas.
"This year we are changing the way we commission services, improving energy efficiency and rationalising our buildings so that we can spend less on bricks and mortar and more on people."


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Pushing around her Playskool cart is one of little Nicki Harper's favorite things to do. Nicki has been a patient at the GHSU's Children's Medical Center. After having a massive stroke at two-weeks old, Nicki and her parents have been traveling from Albany to be treated here since April 2010. And like many out-of-towners treating their children at the facility, Nicki's family lives in the Ronald McDonald House in downtown Augusta.
"They're wonderful," said Stephanie Oxley, Nicki's mother." it wasn't for them, the parents wouldn't have anywhere to stay."
Even though the eleven-bedroom home provides housing for parents of sick children, the house is too far away from the hospital in case there was an emergency.
"It's not within walking distance. You have to wait on a cab you have to call. If something were to happen to your child while it was in the NICU, you couldn't get there in a quick, fast time."
But soon precious minutes will be saved. GHSU's board of regents approved a ground lease to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, granting .54 acres of land to build a new house closer to the Children's Medical Center.
"This is the one we wanted because it's like five seconds away," Oxley said. "It's just right outside the door. And it's the perfect spot for the families to be. So when they go to bed at night they can say 'My child; my baby is right there."
Now not only will the Ronald McDonald house be a home away from home, the nearby location will eliminate some of the worry and stress its residents harbor.


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At least to our leader Bruce Raffel as he has the Ravens picking....you guessed it....Jimmy Smith! Do I hear wailing and gnashing of teeth? Has Gosselin descended to idiot status? That's your call.
I'll paste Gosselin's picks below but the thing that stands out to me are three things:
1) Just two quarterbacks selected in round 1. Newton and Gabbert. And with all the talk lately that 5-6-7 QB's might get taken in the first round, Gosselin is bucking the hype. My guess is at this point he is thinking that all that talk is a smokescreen and most QB needy teams will wait their turn in round 2 to select their QB.
2) Which gets us more to the point of this first mock by Gosselin: its intent is more to show a rough grading order of the players. The better players are picked first-outside of the two QB's. And this is important when he gets to pick 26 as the pick of Smith there makes sense compared to who is picked after: Smith is definitely the BPA on the board at that point.
3) But perhaps the most important thing I see here is that Gosselin has his mock ordered in what could be called a Classic pattern. For instance normally the best OT's go off the board very early, even sometimes at #1. A great left OT is worth his considerable weight in gold-and that is exactly what they get paid. DL's are slightly less valued and in addition pass rushers are more of a hit or miss thing-relatively more draft busts are DE's OLB rush guys than say OT's. So you will see some OT's in this mock going higher than most mocks have them taken. But do note that he is not promoting the OT's blindly as he has only 4 going in round 1. No Sherrod is picked here. Or Ijalana. Again, no reaching here.
The same is true for CB's (three in this mock) and RB's (two taken here). Both are traditionally highly valued positions and Gosselin is treating them as such.
Expect Gosselin's second and third (last) mock to have some trades and some reach picks as he zeros in on particular teams. Will he stay with just two QB's picked? If not and he adds a few QB's, we may see some DE's dropping to 26 and providing some competition for Jimmy Smith at 26.
Okay the picks and some comments by me:
1. Carolina: Cam Newton QB Auburn
2. Denver: Marcel Dareus DT Alabama
3. Buffalo: Von Miller, OLBTexas A&M
4. Cincy: A J. Green WR Georgia Cincy is probably the first wild card team. Do they go QB or not? Gosselin says no.
5. Arizona: Blaine Gabbert QB Misery First real surprise pick by me as what I've read says Arizona will wait till free agency to pick a vet QB.
6. Cleveland: Patrick Peterson CB LSU. Yes BPA. No, does not fill their huge needs at WR or the DL.
7. San Francisco Robert Don't Call Me Bob Quinn, DE North Carolina Best DE in the draft and it is not a close call.
8. Tennessee Nick Fairley DT Auburn
9. Dallas Tyron Smith OT USC Gosselin expects Dallas to try to trade down however.
10. Washington Julio Jones WR Alabama Yep, no reaching for QB's here.
11. Houston Prince Amukamara CB Nebraska
12. Minnesota Fat Tony Castonzo OT Boston College
13. Detroit Nate Solder OT Colorado Must like Solder's potential and Detroit must address their OT situation somehow.
See? The top OT's are going earlier than expected because of the value of the position. As you will see though only one OT is picked after Solder-pick #21-so Gosselin is seeing a separation in talent in the OT's that many mocks do not.
14. St Louis Da'Quan Bowers DE Clemson
15. Miami Mark Ingram RB Oklahoma Gosselin calls Miami's bluff: it just makes too much sense and Ingram is good.
16. Jacksonville JJ Watt DE Wisconsin
17. New England Cameron Jordan DE California See? After the top OT's go off the board, THEN the not quite top DE prospects go.
18. San Diego Ryan Kerrigan DE Purdue
19. NY Giants Mike Pouncey C/G Florida
20. Tampa Bay Aldon Smith DE Missouri
21. Kansas City Gabe Carimi OT Wisconsin
22. Indy Corey Liguet DT Illinois
23. Philly Muhammad Wilkerson DE Temple
24. New Orleans Marvin Austin DT North Carolina
25. Seattle Danny Watkins G Baylor
26. Ravens Jimmy Smith CB Colorado Talent will out. None of the players below grade out as high as Smith. None of them. In this mock Smith is the BPA at 26. Every other player would be a reach by that definition. The question in this mock is do the Ravens try to trade down if they haven't traded up.
27. Atlanta Phil Taylor DT Baylor Four DT's taken in this mock.
28. Ryan Williams RB VPI Gosselin does not buy the notion that RB's are not valued high anymore.
29. Chicago Jon Baldwin WR Pitt
30. Jets Aaron Williams CB Texas
31. Pittsburgh Cameron Heyward DE Ohio State Seven DE's taken in this mock. Eleven DL's all told. But all but Heyward here and Taylor are gone before the Ravens pick.
32. Green Bay Brooks Reed OLB Arizona


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Apache Rose is a "typical" [[Performer~P61128~Roy Rogers~royrogers]]-[[Performer~P22240~Dale Evans~daleevans]] musical western: few surprises, but plenty of entertainment value. [[Performer~P61128~Rogers~royrogers]] plays an oil man who hopes to get drilling rights to an old Spanish settlement in California. The villains plot to grab up the land from themselves, exploiting a handful of highly suspect IOU's for that purpose. Much of the plot hinges on a gambling boat owned by Billie Colby...more
All Apache Rose cast + crew photos
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.


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Keep Power Regulated With Grid Tie Inverters
A grid tie inverter is a component which will help to convert direct current electricity into alternative current electricity, and feed it to a grid. These inverters are often used on homes and installations that make use of wind or solar power as a way to feed power back into the grid whenever there is a surplus of power available. Grid tie inverters are an important part of making sure that your alternative energy sources are being properly utilized, and that your home or building is able to meet all of its power needs while reaping the benefits that utility programs and tax credit incentives give toward independent power producers. The power that your home or building generates can have a direct impact on your utility bill, so consider using the best grid tie inverter you can find for your home power system setup.
The grid tie inverters available on the market currently are the result of many different disciplines and markets of technology coming together. They often employ transformers of either a high, low, or zero frequency level. Depending on the type of power set up at your building, you may need a high frequency transformer to help to regulate the process, or a lower frequency transformer when it is more appropriate. It is important to understand which one may be best suited for your building so that your system gets the maximum amount of efficiency, input, and output for all of the investments that you have made into it, and so that you can properly feed unused power back into the grid.
Many of the grid tie inverters available on the market currently also have a maximum power point tracker that will be able to, as the name implies, draw the most possible power for its conversion from the power sources to which it is connected. Grid tie inverters that are optimized to handle high power loads and conversions will be more ideal for larger buildings with solar and wind installation, but grid tie inverters with lower frequency transformers may be more suited for a home or residence depending on the size and scope of its alternative energy setup. To learn more about which grid tie inverter may be right for your home, speak with an electrical contractor or a solar energy specialist about this and other pieces of technology that can aid in home power efficiency.


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I had a lot going on this day. My GPPR camo shirt is one of my favorites. I wear it all the time. It's an easy shirt to fall in love with because it's comfortable, durable, and goes with almost everything. My red Stussy shorts didn't really match anything. I felt like they complimented the fit well though. You can also almost always see my keys dangling from the Drought Dry Goods key holder as seen in the third picture. My favorite part of the fit is probably the shoe/sock combination. I'm a big Dave's Quality Meat (DQM) fan and I had to grab these socks when I visited their store in New York. They went perfectly with my Surf Shaka Vans Vault Eras.
My meal was from Mac's Cafe on High St. (CO). It was happy hour of course and all the appetizers were half off so I went with the scotch egg (boiled egg wrapped in some type of sausage) and chicken fingers. The food was good! Especialy for $5.


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Susquehanna River
From its origin at Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, New York, the Susquehanna River flows for over 440 miles, making it the longest river on the American east coast. It eventually empties into the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. In New York the Susquehanna flows through a mix of rural and urban environments within Otsego, Chenango, Broome, and Tioga counties, supporting a diverse warmwater sportfish community.
Public Access
Broome County
Johnson City - under the NYS Route 201 Bridge on the north shore. Hand launching. Parking for 10 cars.
Nineveh - on County Route 26, north and east of Nineveh. Concrete ramp. 8 cars and trailers.
Grippen Park- off Route 17C. Hard surface ramp. 10 cars and trailers.
Harold Moore Park- on Old Vestal Road. Hard surface ramp. 10 cars and trailers.
Kirkwood Park - Route 314 Bridge. Hard surface ramp. 6 cars and trailers.
Leo Schnurbush Park-on Route 17. Hand launch. Parking for 6 cars.
Rock Bottom Dam-off Route 363, ½ mile above the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers. Hard surface ramp. 5 cars and trailers.
Sandy Beach Park- Route 7. Hard surface ramp. 8 cars and trailers.
Chenango County
Afton - on the northeast end of the NYS Route 41 bridge in the Village of Afton. Gravel ramp. 12 cars and trailers.
Bainbridge Park -downstream of Route 206 bridge. Hard surface ramp. 5 cars and trailers.
Tioga County
Canon Hole -1.5 miles west of Barton, on Old Barton Rd. Gravel ramp. 8 cars and trailers.
Barton- off Route 17 in the hamlet of Barton. Hand launching. Parking for 10 cars.
Nichols (West) - on West River Drive, approximately 4 miles west of the Village of Nichols. Concrete Ramp. 7 cars and trailers.
Nichols (East) - on East River Drive, 1 mile east of the Village of Nichols. Concrete ramp. 12 cars and trailers.
Apalachin Bridge- between Routes 17C and 434 on the south side of the river. Concrete ramp. 12 cars and trailers.
Hickories Park- off Route 17C. Hard surface ramp. 6 cars and trailers.
Marshland Road-off Marshland Road. Hard surface ramp. 10 cars and trailers.
Otsego County
Colliersville- along Route 7 just east of the intersection of Routes 7 & 28. Hand launch. 10 cars.
Crumhorn-off county Road 35 on east side of river between the villages of Portlandville and Millford. Hand launch. 28 cars and trailers.
Emmons-off County Road 47. Hand launch. 20 cars.
Oneonta-off route 205 at the westerly city limits of Oneonta. Hand launch. 15 cars and trailers.
Sidney-on the north bank of river west of the intersection of Route 7 and new Route 8. Hand launch. 30 cars.
General Fishing Information
Gamefish include smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, muskellunge and tiger musky. Panfish include yellow perch, black crappie, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill, rock bass and bullhead. Channel catfish and carp are also found in good numbers in the river.
The fishery changes somewhat as you move downstream from Cooperstown. From it's origin in Otsego County down to where it first enters Pennsylvania in Broome County, near Great Bend, the fishery is dominated primarily by smallmouth bass and walleye along with rock bass. Yellow perch, sunfish, and bullhead are present but generally not in great numbers. The fishery downstream of Great Bend, PA is more diverse and muskellunge, tiger muskellunge, channel catfish along with the other species mentioned are much more common, particularly downstream of the junction with the Chenango River.
Smallmouth bass can be caught on live baits such as crayfish, minnows, hellgrammites and night crawlers. The most effective way to fish these baits is by drifting them through the head and tail sections of the river's many pools. Smallmouth bass can also be caught on a variety of artificial baits such as crankbaits, stickbaits, topwater baits, spinnerbaits and tube baits. Naturally colored baits that resemble crayfish or minnows are good choices, but bright colors like chartreuse and fire tiger can also work well. Walleye fishing is generally best in May through June and from late September until the river freezes. One of the most productive methods is to fish the deeper holes with jigs tipped with either a worm or minnow. Crankbaits, stickbaits, plastic swimbaits, and worm harnesses also work well for walleye. For muskellunge and tiger musky, fishing large artificial baits like stickbaits, spinnerbaits and inline spinners will allow you to cover more water while searching for aggressive fish. When a good location is found, fishing with large minnows can also be productive. Local hot spots include the mouth of the Chenango River, Murphy's Island, Grippen Park, Hiawatha Island, the mouth of Owego Creek, and Baily's Eddy. Catfish can be caught on worms, dead minnows and cut-bait fished in the deeper holes. Carp can be caught throughout the river on corn, worms or dough baits.
The river is very susceptible to flooding and moderate to heavy rain events can make navigating and/or fishing the river difficult to impossible.
For current fishing information visit the Central New York Fishing Hotline or by calling 607-753-1551.
Fisheries Management
New York State stocks the river annually with around 7,000 tiger musky. American shad are periodically stocked into the river when fry are available.
Statewide regulations apply EXCEPT as noted below;
|Open Season
|Minimum Length
|Daily Limit
|Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge
|1st Sat May-March 15
|1 Combined
|American Shad
|All Year
|Catch and Release Fishing Only. All American Shad Shall Be Returned To The Water Immediately.
|Body of Water
|Open Season
|Minimum Length
|Daily Limit
|Susquehanna River From Otsego Lake Dam To Goodyear Lake
|April 1 - Oct 15
|Any Size
|3 In Any Combination ( Trout, LLSalmon, Lake Trout)
|Susquehanna River From Otsego Lake Dam To Goodyear Lake
|LL Salmon
|April 1 - Oct 15
|3 In Any Combination ( Trout, LLSalmon, Lake Trout)
|Susquehanna River From Otsego Lake Dam To Goodyear Lake
|Lake Trout
|April 1 - Oct 15
|3 In Any Combination ( Trout, LLSalmon, Lake Trout)


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The World : Europe : Czech Republic : Prague
Parking, Hotel Blly Lev, Praha
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Panoramic photo by Mark Bruggema Taken 12:42, 23/09/2011 - Views
Parking, Hotel Blly Lev, Praha
The World > Europe > Czech Republic > Prague
Parking, Hotel Blly Lev, Praha
CIMBURKOVA 18 Obvodní ředitelství Městské policie Praha 3 tel.: 222 782 508 fax: 222 781 928 e-mail: ...
ŠTÍTNÉHO 5 Žižkovské divadlo Járy Cimrmana http://www.zdjc.cz/kontakty
Deep Zizkov's Hearth When you're sick of the center and its hordes of perfumed screaming (Insert your...
Deep Zizkov's Hearth When you're sick of the center and its hordes of perfumed screaming (Insert your...
Deep Zizkov's Hearth When you're sick of the center and its hordes of perfumed screaming (Insert your...
HAVLÍČKOVO NÁMĚSTÍ 10 Základní škola
For Meatloving Friends Ok, they also have a good deal of dishes for those herbivore humans. But that'...
HAVLÍČKOVO NÁMĚSTÍ 9 Městská část Praha 3 přízemí Odbor technické správy majetku Odbor kancelář úřadu...
HAVLÍČKOVO NÁMĚSTÍ 9 Městská část Praha 3 přízemí Odbor technické správy majetku Odbor kancelář úřadu...
HAVLÍČKOVO NÁMĚSTÍ 9 Městská část Praha 3 přízemí Odbor technické správy majetku Odbor kancelář úřadu...
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, has long attracted artists and wandering spirits, although it was originally inhabited by prehistoric fish. Their inland sea filled the basin contained by the Tatras and Carpathian mountains, but when it eventually dried up they were forced to yield the terrain to dinosaurs, wooly mammoths and Neanderthals.
In human times the Celtic tribes came to reside here, leaving remains dating back to the 4th Century B.C. Their tribal name, Boii, gives the root of the word "Bohemia". The three separate territories of Bohemia, Silesia and Moravia now make up the modern Czech Republic, which split from Slovakia in the 1993 "Velvet Divorce."
Thanks to its enigmatic founder, the city of Prague derives a magnetic appeal for visionaries, scientists and astronomers. The historical figure credited with the launch of Prague is Princess Libuse, a visionary prophet and warrior who once stood atop the hill at Vysehrad and made the prophecy as follows,
"I see a vast city, whose glory will touch the stars!"
This indeed came to pass after she took Otokar Premysl to be her husband and King, launching the Premyslid dynasty, and leaving it to rule for the first four hundred years of Czech history. When the last Premyslid king, Wenceslas III, died without producing a male heir, the fourteen year-old John of Luxembourg came to take the throne of the Czech lands.
Hot-headed John died in battle, but his diplomatic son Charles IV inherited the throne and, through keen multi-lingual savvy, managed to both keep it and earn the title "Father of the Czech Nation."
Charles IV was the first of the Holy Roman Emperors here; he ruled during the height of Prague's elegance and splendour. This is the man to know if you want to understand Prague's layout. He sponsored the construction of such landmarks as the Charles Bridge, the Hunger Wall and St. Vitus' Cathedral, as well as personally designing the neighborhood called New Town (Nove Mesto) which has for its center Karlovo Namesti or Charles Square.
The city displays every branch of architecture across the last thousand years, including Cubism, a style which you will be hard-pressed to find applied to buildings anywhere else in the world. Beyond the stunning visual makeup of the city, there is a wealth of nightlife and entertainment, beginning with the legendary concert halls including the Rudolfinum, National Theater, Estates Theater and the Municipal House.
After investigating the Castle and Bridge, which are the most heavily-trafficked tourist areas, take a look around Zizkov and Letna, two of the cooler neighborhoods for bars and restaurants.
However quiet it may seem after ten PM, Prague is alive and throbbing in an endless array of basement bars, pubs, clubs, discos and pool halls waiting to be discovered by the intrepid subterranean adventurer. To get an idea of what lies in store, check out the panoramas for Chateau and Palac Akropolis and when you're out and about, make sure you look for the stairs down to the cellar.
Apart from shopping, eating, drinking and wearing out your digital camera, delve into the rich green carpet of Prague's parks, many of which lie only walking-minutes from the city center.
Text by Steve Smith.


text: Lighting technology distributor, Los Angeles based A.C.T Lighting, has announced that Mike Carr has joined the company as an account manager. Carr, who formally was with one of the largest flight-case manufacturers in the US, has over ten years experience in corporate sales. "His specialist knowledge of both lighting and special effects as well as flight casing requirements make's him an ideal addition to our team," says Bob Gordon of A.C.T Lighting. "We welcome Mike to the family and believe that his unique perspective can only add to our already top of the line staff."


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ESPN just put together a top ten list of NFL draft steals that ultimately failed and you know I wouldn't be mentioning this if the list didn't include a player - perhaps two - from our New Orleans Saints. Would anyone care to take a guess as to which Saints player made their list? That's right...Reggie Bush. He barely made the list but made it nonetheless, nailing down that final 10th spot.
I'm not going to present an argument as to whether Reggie's career thus far qualifies as a failure. Heck knows we've been down that road plenty of times. I'll leave that for you guys to kill each other over in the comment section. I do, however, question whether he truly meets the criteria for this list in the first place. Was he really a steal? Bush may have been expected to be drafted No. 1 overall but does sliding down to the second overall spot really mean the Saints stole him? Debatable, I'd say.
Regardless, here is what they had to say about the failure that was drafting of Bush:
A decent NFL player with a unique skill set, Bush is a running back who can cause matchup problems when used as a slot receiver. Five years ago, though, he looked like an absolutely transcendent talent in the Coliseum: A franchise running back who could redefine the position with his receiving skills. Unfortunately, he hasn't played all 16 games since his rookie year, and he has never shown the good vision that is a trademark of great NFL running backs. He's averaged just 4 yards per carry over his career, and by Football Outsiders' DVOA ratings, he's contributed just one above-average season carrying the football, and that was just over 70 carries in 2009. He'll never be the superstar he looked like he'd be in college, and the Texans have been vindicated for passing him up for Mario Williams.
Can't really argue with any of that. Bush has been injured, he hasn't shown good vision and he hasn't looked like the superstar he was in college. Again, my only argument is whether or not he should actually be considered a draft steal.
But what do you guys think? Was Reggie a draft day steal? And if he was, is he one of the all-time worst? Sound off. Can't wait to hear it.


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Giant Defy Composite 1 road bike features Composite technology – ride further, faster with a smooth, lightweight frame and comfortable endurance geometry. With Shimano Ultegra components, P-SL1 wheelsystem and Vector composite seatpost.
Expected delivery date is not guaranteed and if pre-ordered stock sells out orders will be fulfilled on a first come first serve basis-if orders cannot be fulfilled due to pre-order stock selling out customers who are unsuccessful will be notified and receive a full refund.
With a smooth riding, lightweight composite frameset featuring endurance oriented geometry, the all-new Defy Composite makes the road disappear beneath you.
Bikes designed for riding on a paved surface where the tyres do not lose ground contact.
INTENDED: To be ridden on paved roads only
NOT INTENDED: For off-road, cyclocross or touring with racks and panniers
Please read your bicycles instruction manual carefully and if in doubt contact Giant by visiting the Contact page or by contacting your local Authorised Giant Retailer.
When you checkout orders that include bikes, if there is a Home Setup Retailer that covers your area you will be given the option to choose Home Setup (you will be presented with a choice of Giant retailers that offer the service in your area). When the order arrives at the Giant Retailer we will email you to let you know that the Giant Retailer will contact you to arrange a suitable Home Setup time. The Giant Retailer will then visit you at the agreed time and check your bike is completely ready to ride. Please note for orders using finance the Home Setup address must be the same address as stated in the Finance Agreement.
Giant Home Setup costs £14.99 per order, and you will receive a 'Free First Service' voucher which will allow you to visit the Giant Retailer who delivered your bike within 3 months for a Free First Service to check everything is running smoothly with your new bike.
You can choose to collect from any Click & Collect Giant Retailer that is authorised to sell your goods. You will be given a list of your closest Giant Dealers during the checkout process. Please note - once you have chosen your Giant Dealer and confirmed your order you cannot change your Giant Dealer.
Click and Collect is currently available for delivery to UK Mainland dealers.
Delivery is free for all orders over £50.*
*For UK Mainland orders.
With Pre-Order, you can purchase the latest items added to our store in advance of them arriving with us.
You Pre-Order is prioritised (at no additional charge); meaning that, as soon as the product arrives with us, we can wrap it straight back up and get it sent out to you - it often never even hits the stock room shelves!
With Pre-Launch, the date when we expect to receive the product ourselves is still a little too hazy to be confident in accepting Pre-Orders.
So, instead, you can submit your email address against the item you are interested in and we will email you as soon as stock arrives on the system.
Estimated Delivery Dates are given on Pre-Order and Pre-Launch products. They are for indication purposes only and can change at any time without notice.
The dates we provide are based on indications given by our suppliers. Whenever we get updated information from our suppliers we will endeavour to update the Estimated Delivery Dates provided on product pages.
Call:0844 245 9030
Giant UK Ltd,
Charnwood Edge,
Syston Road,