text:
By: Melissa Toupin
UPDATE on a story ABC6 first brought you Monday:
Three shot gun shells and a tree stand found just feet from where Junior the yellow lab was found shot to death in the woods along Bushee Road in Swansea. Mounting evidence, the dogs' family says, that Junior's death was not accident.
"I don't know of any hunter that after he makes a shooting or a killing doesn't come and look at his game," said Ed Scallon the dog owner's stepfather.
The puppy was a gift to Kenny Freeborn a combat veteran who recently returned from a second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
"He is the fellow that found his dog," said Scallon. "He was crushed as we all are."
But Junior wasn't their only loss. Jake, a collie, went missing the very same day. Other family pets have also been harmed. The family believes they were poisoned.
"One more coincidence is no longer a coincidence," said Scallon who is a retired Providence Police officer.
It was that thought process that led the family back in the woods where they found the shells and tree stand.
Scallon did a little bit of digging and it turns out the shot gun shells aren't typically used by hunters in this area.
"They were sold to African hunters and were used to kill elephants," said Scallon. "They're high powered rounds that you just wouldn't find in the United States."
Junior's family turned the evidence over to Swansea Police late this afternoon. All they want is closure.


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Pathfinder volume 10, issue 8
August 2008
New AML Laws in Luxembourg, maturity of the preventive system?
Luxembourg parliament passed two new AML Laws on 17 July 2008 enacting the requirements laid down by the third AML Directive.
The first Law amends the now familiar Law of 12 November 2004. This text states different obligations that professionals must observe in order to fulfill their duty with regard to the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. The second Law amends the Criminal Code by extending the scope of predicate offences that give rise to money laundering.
This article will not cover in detail all existing professional obligations but focus on what has changed and what is new. The first part of the article highlights regulatory changes with respect to:
- Predicate offences
- Obligation to know your client
- Obligation to have an adequate internal organisation
- Obligation to cooperate with the authorities
The second part highlights some of the practical consequences and challenges for the professionals concerned.
Part 1: Regulatory changes
1) Extension of the scope of predicate offences
Based on the international trend to extend the scope of predicate offences and based on FATF recommendations, the European legislator adopted a broad approach in determining the scope of predicate offences for money laundering: all serious crimes are included.
Luxembourg incorporated this requirement within national law. The updated list of predicate offences includes the following:
- participation in an organised criminal group and racketeering;
- terrorism, including terrorist financing;
- trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling;
- sexual exploitation, including sexual exploitation of children;
- illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances;
- illicit arms trafficking;
- illicit trafficking in stolen and other goods;
- corruption and bribery;
- fraud and swindling (including bankruptcy2);
- counterfeiting currency;
- counterfeiting and piracy of products;
- environmental crimes and offences;
- murder, grievous bodily injury;
- kidnapping, illegal restraint and hostage-taking;
- robbery or theft;
- smuggling;
- extortion;
- forgery;
- piracy;
- insider trading and market manipulation and;
- any other offence incurring a minimum six-month custodial sentence.
We should note that some predicate offences like forgery are extremely broad and may have an impact for financial or non-financial professionals. The section of the Criminal Code that relates to forgery3 includes all forgery performed in public documents, in commercial documents, in bank documents or in private documents. We may conclude that deliberate accounting fraud or false statements in balance sheets or profit and loss account would fall within forgery if those false statements are made deliberately.
Another important comment would concern the issue of serious tax fraud (escroquerie fiscale4). According to our understanding this offence is not covered as such in the scope of predicate offences because the minimum custodial sentence is below the threshold of 6 months (custodial sentence varying between 1 month and 5 years). However, we should note that some offences like fraud, forgery and participation in an organised criminal group potentially related to serious tax fraud are included within the scope of predicate offences giving rise to money laundering. Special care should be applied by professionals in matters related to serious tax fraud.
2) Obligation to Know Your Customer (KYC)
The main change in the Law of 12 November 2004 concerns the provisions related to the obligation to know your customer (KYC). Whilst the initial Law of 12 November 2004 and subsequently regulatory bodies like CSSF5 and CAA6 implemented the risk based approach in the identification and monitoring of customers, the new Law goes one step further. Due diligence procedures in the identification and the monitoring of customers7 and beneficial owners are split into 3 categories:
- Normal risk: this risk category includes procedures that should be currently applied by professionals in Luxembourg. No significant change to the current situation.
- Low risk: this risk category extends to certain types of customer and certain types of product.
- Concerning the types of customer representing a low risk. It has been extended compared to the previous situation.
It includes now not only credit or financial institutions subject to equivalent AML measures9, but also under certain conditions listed companies, beneficiaries of pooled accounts held by notaries and other independent legal professionals, public authorities or public bodies or other financial professionals representing a low risk of money laundering.
- Concerning the types of product representing a low risk, the Law foresees minimum diligences for certain life insurance products with low amounts involved, certain types of insurance policies for pension schemes or pension, superannuation or similar schemes. Some forms of electronic money are also covered.
- Concerning the types of customer representing a low risk. It has been extended compared to the previous situation.
- High risk: this risk category is very similar to the high risk customers already referred to in the CSSF Circular 2005/211 and CAA Circular 2008/5. Professionals are obliged to consider a client as high risk:
- if the client performs transactions that are more at risk,
- if the customer has not been physically present for identification purposes,
- in case of cross-border correspondent banking relationship with institutions from not equivalent countries or
- where the customer is a Politically Exposed Person (PEP)10.
In general, whenever there is a ground of suspicion, a customer should be classified as high risk.
Another interesting development is the additional detail with respect to delegation of identification processes. Professionals no longer need a written identification delegation mandate with a professional of the same activity sector. Professionals can now delegate the identification to credit and financial institutions, to auditors, to notaries and to lawyers or to similar foreign professionals with similar AML obligations.
In the same trend to rationalise the identification delegation process, copies of the identification documentation no longer need to be present in Luxembourg but simply to be available upon first request. This condition may be imposed by a contract but rules concerning client confidentiality should be kept in mind when examining the feasibility of identification delegation to another professional. Responsibility for the identification remains, however, as previously, with the Luxembourg professional.
3) Obligation to have an adequate internal organisation
This obligation remains the same as in the previous Law. Professionals have an obligation to establish adequate and appropriate policies and procedures for customer due diligence, reporting, record keeping, internal control, risk assessment, risk management, compliance management and communication in order to forestall / prevent transactions related to money laundering or terrorist financing. The obligation to make employees aware and to train them remains also unchanged.
4) Obligation to cooperate with the authorities
Provisions concerning the cooperation obligation remain largely unchanged. The only major change concerns the no tipping-off rule. There is still a ban on communicating the existence of an investigation to the customer concerned but now an exchange of information intra-group or with a professional11 counterparty on the subject of the suspicious transaction is allowed without requesting prior approval of the Luxembourg FIU.
This new situation may contribute to mitigating the risk of money laundering globally but the Luxembourg professional should bear in mind interaction with the rules concerning client confidentiality.
Part 2: Practical consequences for professionals
This is not an exhaustive list of all possible impacts of the new AML Law for professionals but an attempt to highlight some thoughts and concerns.
1) The extension of predicate offences will require professionals to obtain a deep detailed knowledge of the activities and reputation of their customer in order to have additional assurance or comfort that the activities and transactions are not in the scope of AML predicate offences. This required level of detail may well have an impact on the way front offices manage their clients.
2) The extension of predicate offences may have an impact on the number of suspicious transaction reports sent to the State Prosecutor. An increasing number of STRs may require the installation of more sophisticated procedures for reporting and case management may be needed by professionals.
3) The Risk Based Approach (RBA) is a challenge but also a great opportunity for professionals to better target their efforts in the identification and monitoring of customers' transactions. This will however only be possible if a mature process of client risk classification is in place. It may also be dependent on the information available in IT systems. In case the information is missing, professional may be required to perform a remediation plan to capture all information needed in the IT systems.
4) The Risk Based Approach will also have an impact on IT systems. It may on the first hand imply the update or implementation of name matching systems to identify persons blacklisted, persons sanctioned for example by OFAC or persons to be considered as PEP. On the second hand monitoring of customers may need to be updated taking into account new predicate offences and varying degrees of diligence according to the risk classification. Even if in many cases sophisticated system might be disproportionate compared to the size of the client database or client transactions, some basic type of risk based transactions monitoring will be needed.
5) Finally new rules and additional details for identification delegation provide investment fund industry and life-insurance industry professionals with the legal context to organise AML compliant distribution channels.
This important update of the AML Law in Luxembourg will certainly have an impact on the way professionals meet their obligations.
However the trend will not always make things more complex; a couple of measures allow some to better target AML resources at risky clients and transactions, while remaining pragmatic in their approach (for example: Risk Based Approach, new rule for delegation of identification and new rule for the no tipping-off).
In the near future, it is likely that professionals will receive updates from their respective supervisory bodies (for example CSSF and CAA) with profession-specific revised regulations. We can now look forward to a stabilisation of the AML legal and regulatory framework for the years to come.
Single contractual status for private sector employees
The Law of 13 May 2008 on the Single status seeks to harmonize the statuses of "blue" and "white"-collar workers to eliminate the discrepancy existing at the level of labour law and social security legislation.
Continuation of payment in case of sickness
The Law introduces the continuation of payment in case of sickness for all employees working in the private sector. The new regime applicable to both blue-and white-collar workers is close to the current treatment of white-collar workers on the basis of which the employer pays the remuneration during the month the sickness starts and the three following months, with National Insurance only intervening after the termination of this period.
The new provisions provide that an employee has the right to receive in full his/her salary and other benefits allied to his/her employment contract until the end of the month in which the 77th day of work incapacity occurs. When the employee reaches the threshold of 77 days, the employer is obliged to pay his/her salary until the end of the month started, which results in guaranteed payment during 11 weeks minimum and 15 weeks maximum. Consequently, in average, the employer compensates the first 13 weeks of the employee's work incapacity.
This results on the one hand in an increase of the obligations of the employer for blue-collar workers, and on the other hand, in a decrease of the obligations of the employer for white-collar workers, for whom the maximum period to cover is reduced from 123 days to 107 days.
Fixed rate of contribution for cash sickness insurance
The rate of contribution for the financing of the cash sickness insurance is uniformly set for all employees to 0,50%, of which one part of 0,25% is paid by the employer and one part of 0,25% is paid by the insured person.
The total rate for sickness insurance, covering the financing of sickness insurance in cash and in kind, is set at 5,90% (0,50% + 5,40%) for all employees, i.e. 2,95% for the insured person and 2,95 % for the employer.
Financial impact for insured persons
The application of the new regime has the effect of reducing the overall rate of social security contributions for blue-collar workers (employee share) from 14,45% to 12,35%. This results in an increase of the semi-net remuneration before payroll tax of 2,1%.
For white-collar workers, the overall rate of social security contributions (employee share) will increase from 12,20% to 12,35%. This results in a decrease of the semi-net remuneration before payroll tax of 0,15%.
Creation of a Mutual insurance institution for employers
The Mutual insurance institution for employers (Mutualité des employeurs) is a public institution which the employers of the private sector are obliged to join. However, there is a possibility to claim for an exemption of affiliation for companies who have concluded private insurance arrangements before 31 December 2008 in order to protect them against possible risks in case of sickness of their employees during the period of continuation of the remuneration.
The Law has introduced the principle of compensation of overtime by time of in lieu at the rate of one and a half hours per hour of overtime performed. It is also possible to record overtime on a time savings account, with application of the same rate.
In case this recovery (compensation or record on a time saving account) is not possible for reasons inherent to the organisation of the company, or in case the employee leaves the company and for one or the other reason the overtime hours cannot be recovered, overtime hours will be paid out at a rate of 140%.
That part of the remuneration which is not increased, i.e. the first 100%, is subject to social security contributions for the sickness insurance in kind at a rate of 2,70% for the employee share and 2,70% for the employer share. The increase of 40% is entirely exempt from social contributions. Moreover, overtime hours paid out at 140% are completely exempt from taxation.
Occupational pension plans
In absence of a former scheme applicable to the same category of persons, employees in service at the time of establishment of a new scheme must be affiliated to this new scheme as soon as they full fill all conditions foreseen in the scheme rules.
In case there is a former scheme applicable to the same category of persons, the employees in service at the moment of establishment can, at the discretion of the company, remain affiliated to the former scheme or be affiliated to the new scheme. Restrictions apply in case the new regime is less favorable for the affiliated persons.
Other amendments
- The school family allowance is also granted to children younger than six years who start primary school;
- Attribution of a three months' death indemnity becomes identical to both white-and blue-collar workers; and
- The departure indemnities of blue-collar workers are adapted to those of white-collars with regards to the length of ongoing service of at least 20 years.
Entry into force
With the exception of the measures relating to the Mutual insurance institution for employers which came into force as of 15 May 2008, the majority of the provisions of the Law of 13 May 2008 regarding the Single status will come into force as of 1 January 2009.
Reporting by FSPs
Circular CSSF 2008/369 of 31 July 2008 on the electronic transmission of "Statistical ad-hoc information" (tables II.1. – II.22.) to be submitted to the CSSF by FSPs and on the change in the ad-hoc reporting periodicity and adaptation of the transmission method of the FSPs' prudential reporting.
The primary aim of this Circular is to extend, as from 30 September 2008, the electronic transmission to all ad-hoc schedules (tables II.1. to II.22.) specific to the different FSP categories, set out in Circulars CSSF 2005/187 and CSSF 2008/364, which FSPs currently transmit in paper form to the CSSF.
The secondary aim of the Circular is to reduce, as from 30 September 2008, the monthly periodicity of ad-hoc reporting to quarterly. The financial situation (table I) thus remains the only schedule to be submitted on a monthly basis.
The third aim of the Circular is to replace the current FSP reporting method by a secure and standardised transmission method.
The CSSF implemented a security concept based on end-to-end encryption between the institution performing the prudential reporting and the regulator, similar to the requirements applicable to TAF/MIFID reporting and the prudential financial reporting of credit institutions (FINREP/COREP in XBRL format).
As from 30 September 2008, FSPs shall transmit the complete prudential reporting package provided for by Circulars IML 1996/124, CSSF 2005/187 and CSSF 2008/364 via one of the transmission channels commonly used at the CSSF. Currently, E-file and SOFiE are offered with an encryption/decryption module compatible with the encryption specifications set out in Circular CSSF 2008/334 "Encryption specifications for reporting firms".
CSSF Circular 2008/364 of 22 July 2008 on the financial information to be submitted to the CSSF on a quarterly basis by the FSPs performing a support FSP activity The purpose of this Circular is to update the "ad-hoc" CSSF reporting formats to be delivered by Support FSPs.
The reporting schedules:
- Table II.17. Customer relations service providers
- Table II.18. Financial services administrative agents
- Table II.19. Operators of FSI computer systems and communications networks
defined by CSSF Circular 2005/187 are superseded by 2 schedules which take up all activities held by support FSPs:
- Table II.17. Support FSPs: Individual contracts
- Table II.18. Support FSPs: Global contracts

subset: commoncrawl


text: 0 Boilermakers on their list of top 100 players. Any thoughts as to why A.J. Hammons wouldn't be on this list? I would have thought Ronnie might make a landing somewhere rounding out the list as well being maybe the best point in the B1G this year. While I love recognition for our program, I think maybe this is just another great piece of ammo for this team to prove themselves with.


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Save to My Recipes
Strawberry Granita with Beaujolais
Published: June 2010 Servings: 8
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 pounds (8 cups) fresh strawberries, hulled, halved
- 1 cup Beaujolais or other fruity dry red wine
- 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries plus 8 large whole berries for garnish
- 1/4 cup Beaujolais or other fruity dry red wine
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Nutritional Information
One serving contains the following:
- Calories (kcal) 175.8
- %Calories from Fat 0.0
- Fat (g) 0.0
- Saturated Fat (g) 0.0
- Cholesterol (mg) 0
- Carbohydrates (g) 41.9
- Dietary Fiber (g) 4.7
- Total Sugars (g) 35.1
- Net Carbs (g) 37.2
- Protein (g) 1.6
PREPARATIONView Step-by-Step Directions
Stir 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Cool syrup.
Place halved strawberries, red wine, and cooled sugar syrup in processor and puree until smooth. Strain strawberry puree into 13x9x2-inch metal pan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard strawberry solids in strainer. Cover puree and freeze 1 hour.
Using fork, stir granita, mashing any solid parts with back of fork. Freeze until firm, scraping mixture with fork every 30 minutes to form icy crystals. DO AHEAD Granita can be made 3 days ahead. Keep covered and frozen.
Mix sliced berries, wine, and sugar in medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature until sugar dissolves and juices form, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Divide sliced strawberry mixture among 8 wineglasses. Scrape granita with fork to loosen ice crystals. Divide granita among glasses. Garnish edge of each glass with 1 whole strawberry and serve.
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text:
I see what you mean. Nuf said.
same here, pepper
hmmmm I'm scratching my head over here... as a long time cheerleader in the States... I just don't get this. At all. Something reeks.AngeliquePlano, TX
You haven't said anything out right but just for the record:??????What gives? I just watched a routine from 1995 and a routine from 2011 and the 2011 routine lost?
Post a Comment


text:
NSPCC assisting police in Elm Guest House investigation
Director of the NSPCC helpline Peter Watt said:
– Peter Watt
We are assisting the police on Operation Fernbridge and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
We will assist the police in gathering evidence and supporting those who come forward.
It's important we recognise the massive impact abuse has on children and young people, often well into their adult life.
- The NSPCC's 24-hour helpline, which is staffed by trained counsellors, is available by emailing email@example.com or via text message to 88858.


text:
Mandeville police wants 'Juma', 'Government' and Vaughn Lee Edwards
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Mandeville Criminal Investigative Branch (CIB) says it is trying to contact three people it has listed as Persons of Interest.
Despite several attempts, all efforts to contact the individuals have been futile, the Mandeville CIB said today.
The CIB is asking the following persons to report to its Mandeville headquarters by Monday, August 27th.
1. Jillie Ann Bernard, otherwise called 'Juma', of Spalding Hill, Clarendon. She is known to frequent Montego Bay, St James.
2. Roger Broderick, otherwise called 'Government', of Alston district, Clarendon He is known to frequent St Ann.
3. Vaughn Lee Edwards of School Road in Black River, St. Elizabeth.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts of any of the three is being asked to call 962-2832 or the nearest police station.


text:
Here are just a few updates from Shop Her Closet this week.
Go back a few pages to see the dresses, bags and shoes which have been added this week including Olivia Palermo's Gianvito Rossi camouflage print pumps worn to Valentino's Spring 2014 fashion show.
Alexa Chung's Dolce & Gabbana leather box bag worn to the 'It' Book Launch Party.
Miranda Kerr's Balenciaga sphinx print tee and Balenciaga spinx print mini skirt worn during Paris Fashion Week.
Jennifer Lopez' Dolce & Gabbana floral lace dress worn on during the American Idol Utah auditions and Ashley Tisdale's Sam & Lavi 'Madonna' dress 'The Walking Dead' Season 4 Premiere event.
Credit: Getty
Posted by Catherine Kallon on October 11th, 2013 In: Blog


text:
Spine Pain Management, Inc.
Offices And Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine TX, United States
| OTC Markets: SPIN
Spine Pain Management, Inc. operates as a medical marketing, management and billing and collection company in the United States. It provides diagnostic services for patients who have sustained spine injuries resulting from traumatic accidents. The company delivers turnkey solutions to spine surgeons, orthopedic surgeons and other health care providers for necessary and appropriate treatment of musculo-skeletal spine injuries resulting from automobile and work-related accidents. Spine Pain Management was founded by William Francis Donovan and John A. Talamas on March 4, 1998 and is headquartered in Houston, TX.


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What I've been up to, week ending 2009-08-09
August 9, 2009 Leave a comment Go to comments
- I backed a horse that came in at ten to one. unfortunately it was running in the 1130 #oldjokesfornogoodreason #
- (yes, I know that slating alcohol marketing isn't normally how I roll, but the JW ad was fucking egregious) #
- Sometimes I forget ppl like @hematuria and @anattendantlord are many hrs ahead, and briefly assume they're ultra-hardcore workers-n-players #
- I think it's cuz they don't write like N Americans. Although @hematuria clearly has the sidies of a native Nu Yoiker. #
- Pleased that #deviantart is a trending wotsit. Displeased that GI Joe is one. It's called "Action Man", FFS. #
- I love my MacBook Air to the point that I sometimes call her 'her'. But Safari is the worst browser ever; it's even worse than IE #
- Dans le port d'Amsterdam il y a de marins qui qui boivent, et qui boivent et reboivent, et qui reboivent – have it. http://bit.ly/q0WO #
- Been listening to Brel & Walker for an hour; Spotify reckons ad for blood donation is way forward. If I slit wrists you'll be 1st to know… #
- Enough mid-20th-century dramatic lyrical music. Bedtime. G'night, world o'Twitter #
- Why do we waste money on treating shoplifting as a criminal offence, given that there are no social benefits to deterring it? #
- Far better to force stores to pursue individuals for civil damages… #
- Relatedly, crown prosecutor Martin Lindop should be hanged: http://bit.ly/4c0kSe #
- have baled on clubbing in favour of cocktails and movies. yay the wisdom of age #
- Happy, for once. W00t! #
- It's Jo And Danny are one of the most wonderful bands ever #
- Sadly they appear not to be on Spotify, so you'll have to take my word for it. Or pay them real money for a real album: http://bit.ly/a6uID #
- I love Manda Rin: http://bit.ly/XyQ2m #
- Is it objectification to point out how hot I find @pennyred's sulky CiF profile pic http://bit.ly/8S0cB ? Fairly sure it is. Sorry, feminism #
- If I were Clarkson, the last comment could be taken as sheer tossery, rather than self-parody as sleazy-but-feminist man. Am not Clarkson #
- Dozens of Helen Love tracks on Spotify. Hell yeah! It's 1996 in my head for the next 40 mins. #
- "I'm having sedation since Kula Shaker came along". Understandably. #
- (was delighted to see KS on My Super Sweet 16 UK, playing at a spoilt rich girl's birthday party. Oh, how the not-very-mighty are fallen) #
- Quality sarcastic HL reference to Swells (sniff): http://bit.ly/v4pfB – also, err? http://bit.ly/6uLoM #
- …and finally. There will never be a song better than this: http://bit.ly/DODsD (spent the advance on a pinball table) #
- Captivated by Welshness, I failed. This is better. Not in a morbid way, but this is my funeral tune: http://bit.ly/1ajaqY #
- Grumpy I can only find LastFM link: not on Spotify and Youtube version awful. OTOH, that's like being upset my rocket car only does 1000mph #
- To compensate for @charltonbrooker's evil bedtime story, here's a sweet one: http://bit.ly/4jd1CT #
- This is a bit pathetic: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8192013.stm – then again, badminton's hardly a super-macho sport #
- If this was a gang fight, rather than racist bullying, it'd be T3H @wsuMZ #
- this is link: http://bit.ly/2LOn3J #
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text:
For nearly 2.5 years now, Christ Lutheran Church in Minot has been working around the clock to restore and revitalize its building after the 2011 flood destroyed nearly everything.
And, thanks to all of the members of their congregation and volunteers in the community, the church is feeling more at home.
After the flood waters destroyed the basement and flooded the main level of Christ Lutheran Church, the congregation has been forced to adapt and make do with the existing conditions in order to hold Christmas services at the church.
"Christmas is such a wonderful time and we capture it in the biblical word of Emmanuel, God with us," says David Maxfield, Christ Lutheran Church Senior Pastor. "And, that's been the story of our congregation over the last 2.5 years ever since the flood. The whole neighborhood, the school, everybody received water, and we did too. We've been walking together, very slowly, very faithfully."
During this summer, volunteers installed new pews in the sanctuary, as well as restored stain glass windows and helped with carpentry and wood work. Thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who have devoted thousands of hours of labor, the church is starting to feel more like home.
Maxfield says, "Last year, we had chairs. This year, we have seats, we have lighting and it's just a beautiful time to celebrate the birth of Jesus."
The sidewalks have been plowed, the doors have been unlocked, and the congregation at Christ Lutheran Church is ready to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
"It's been a Christmas story in itself of people coming together just like in the original story. We've had business people, we've had neighbors, we've had people from all over the country who have come to lend a hand to be a part of our rebuild of our rebirth if you would and so, it makes Christmas even that much more special if you realize that it is very real," says Maxfield.
While the memories of the flood are fresh on the minds of many, as the congregation celebrates this Christmas, they have a lot to be thankful for.
Maxfield says, "My hope is that people would not only take a look at the wonder of how far we have come and perhaps, think about how far we have to go, but to appreciate it right here, right now, the wonder of it all."
Next spring, Christ Lutheran Church hopes to begin work on a new fellowship hall, kitchen, and community area.
Christ Lutheran Church has three Christmas Eve services. There will also be a Christmas Day service at 10 am.
Evangelist Franklin Graham prayed on a sidewalk outside the Pentagon Thursday after his invitation to a prayer service inside was withdrawn because of comments that insulted people of other religions. More>>


text:
November/December 2006
Lauri Firstenberg
/ Michelle White
Rotem Balva used Rolling,
a video installation she premiered at the Herzliya Museum of
Contemporary Art in Israel in 2002, to introduce me to her work.
Variously positioned on the floor around the empty museum,
cameras captured the artist as she propelled herself around the
institution by doing somersaults. The artwork was then
reinstalled on the walls, and she replaced the cameras with
monitors presenting the haunting document of her nauseating, yet
gracefully athletic, circling of the empty space. While doing
somersaults is essentially childâs play, Balvaâs performance was
so strenuous that she practiced weeks in advance of her feat. To
underscore the taskâs arduousness, sound sporadically erupts in
the space, invading it with sudden moments of heavy breath, the
rustle of clothing, and the strangely rhythmic beat of flesh and
bones slapping the concrete ground at each rotation.
Since the 1980s, artists
have represented the bodyâs relationship to subjectivity as a
patchwork of socially and culturally inherited stuff. This is
the legacy of the theatrical masquerades of Cindy Sherman or
Yasumasa Morimura. Even 1990s abjection÷when artists like Paul
McCarthy and Janine Antoni were taking the bodyâs messy
byproducts to explore even more of its extraneous shells÷was
based on the assumption that there was nothing underneath the
masks and waste. If the body is merely discursive, it is indeed
the ideal surface on which to prove that certain social
categories÷like race or gender÷are totally artificial.
Well-rehearsed, this formula is now dour. It also fails to
account for the fact that identity is still contingent on
biology. Balva pursues this thorny question by trying to find
the uncomfortable moments when social barriers begin to
In Balva's video,
performance, and installation-based practice, the bodyâs
persistence÷its insistent breathing presence÷collides with the
corporal apathy of postmodern identity politics. Balva amplifies
her discomfort and makes it viscerally resonant in Rolling
by asking us to reconcile play with the fetal gesture of pain
and protection. She also shows how hard it is for the body to
break through discourse, how vulnerable it becomes when it
refuses to be only a simple linguistic vehicle. Is the body
locked, she asks, in a predictable and self-perpetrating
representational loop? Referring to her decision to do
somersaults, for instance, she said she was compelled by the
challenge to find a way to represent a situation when the body,
and by extension identity, reaches a raw and unmediated
connection to a specific space. Then, she believes, the body
becomes impervious to the history and politics of projected
meaning, and free to define its own subjectivity. The artist
describes this as an incredible and primal ãmoment when the body
is naked, when culture canât get in.ä1
In Balvaâs past work, play
has been an important theme because it showcases susceptibility.
Enthusiastically citing Dutch theorist Johan Huizingaâs 1938
study on the cultural criticality of competitive play and its
essential psychic import, Balva believes that sports reveal
situations when instinct violently kicks in and disrupts the
ritualistic, or choreographed, layers of existence.2
In 2001 at Le Quartier, a contemporary art center in Quimper,
France, Balva hit a tennis ball against a metal etching plate
that she covered with black printing wax and used as an
improvisational backboard. The ball became greasier after each
point of contact. Bouncing back and forth, it also produced a
random constellation of impressions. The work was a visual
record of the artistâs intuitive responses that disrupted both
the gameâs well-established performance vocabulary and the
traditional artistic process of printmaking.
The two-channel video
installation Op-Allah, 2003, provides another example of
Balvaâs preoccupation with competition. Here, she focuses on the
particularly seductive moment when, at the end of a point,
grunting fencers peel off their mask and shout ãOp-Allah.ä This
traditional cry of triumph, borrowed from the French, pierces
fencingâs uniformed civility and technique. Balva's installation
juxtaposes this gleeful
moment of victory with quiet shots taken from the window of her
temporary studio in an industrial neighborhood on the outskirts
of Jerusalem where she briefly lived. As time passes from day to
night across Jewish and Arab neighborhoods, carried forth by the
soft murmur of a Muslim mosque calling prayer and the cityâs
ambient noises, the competitorsâ disruptive, deep-felt sounds
punctuate the landscape, illustrating the profoundly visceral
effect of cultural and socio-political location. Balva recalls
that, seeping into her work space at this specific time in her
life, these acoustic sensations demanded such profound physical
adjustments that they made her realize that ãhow and where you
are becomes a part of you.ä
The videos Sand Fight,
2006, and Rear Reverse Parking, 2006, were shown together
in Layover, her exhibition at the Ha'kibbutz
Israeli Art Gallery in Tel Aviv this past spring. This new work
pursues Balva's yearning to find meaning in corporal connection
by exploring the bodyâs negotiation of material resistance. In
Rear Reverse Parking, the artist uses the car and driver
as a metaphor for this resistance. The piece opens with an
aerial view of a car circling a roundabout. Then its driver
suddenly pitches the small vehicle in reverse, aiming at a
narrow space between two parked cars.
Close-ups of the driver÷her
face in the rear-view mirror batting her eyelash, her foot on
the clutch÷intercut with views of the scene. The video jumps
from an individual body's performance to crunching metal and
screeching bumpers as the protagonist violently, but
confidently, forces her car into the crevice. Her mission
completed, she kicks out the shattered front window, jumps out,
slightly adjusts herself, and calmly walks away. We never find
out why she would want to go to such effort to park there in the
first place. As such, the absence of clues negates the
performance's bravado. Here, while the struggle to fit seems
meaningless, it once again frames exclusion as a relationship.
Balvaâs practice constantly breaks and embraces this struggle
between inside and outside, which pins the primal self against
social restraints.
This struggle to connect
and the quest for relationship also characterize Sand Fight,
which was projected life-size in the gallery. Almost mythic, the
work opposes an army of three women, whose stature is not unlike
the artistâs very commanding appearance, to a group of children
in a playground. While these fighters do throw fistfuls of sand
with genuine determination and strain, the effect is futile. As
soon as it is thrown, the sand dissipates like smoke.
It melds beautifully with
the womenâs sunlit hair and casts a dreamy haze, transforming
the battle into a superfluous, if strenuous, dance of passionate
aggression. Turning their back to oncoming sand showers and
shutting their eyes for protection, the actors' corporeal
instinct further counters the aggression. Like the car metal,
sand is a substance that makes it hard to get the job done.
The installation further
integrates this material friction by demonstrating how space and
material can dramatically work together to undermine the
efficacy of physical action. Between the two videos, a carved
Styrofoam stone sits ominously, filling the gallery from floor
to ceiling. Despite its lightweight artificiality, the white
stone's gigantism triggers an acute bodily awareness. The
stone's strong aesthetic impression, the artist hoped, would
linger on in the viewersâ minds as they view the videos.
Balva's work often
references endeavors trapped in a cycle÷sport's primal instinct,
abstract battle lines, and the futile failure of strife. This
is, of course, not without political and geographical
specificity. Nor does the artist fail to acknowledge, albeit
hesitantly, that these concerns shade her identity as an Israeli
artist. Yet, her investigation of the border
between interiority and exteriority, by way of the bodyâs
ongoing struggle to interact with material and architectural
space, is also profoundly borderless. Having recently moved to
New York City, Balva often mentions in conversation that she is
trying to find a center. Today, political and cultural
certainties are inherently tenuous, if not altogether
impossible. Simultaneously, much contemporary art is critically
disengaged. Nevertheless, Balva is determined to represent the
arduous negotiation of a balanced position and the struggle to
connect by breaking the proverbial cycles of routine÷however
difficult. In this context, her work is nothing if not
courageous, urgent, and timely.
1. Unless otherwise noted,
all quotes are from Balvaâs conversation with the author in
the artistâs Brooklyn studio, December 8 and 9, 2006.
2. See Johan Huizinga,
Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture,
Boston: Beacon Press [1938], 1955.
1. Unless otherwise noted,
all quotes are from Balvaâs conversation with the author in
the artistâs Brooklyn studio, December 8 and 9, 2006.
2. See Johan Huizinga,
Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture,
Boston: Beacon Press [1938], 1955.
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Forensic Explorations Below Ground: Profile James E. Starrs
The Teams
While Starrs teaches a course in forensic science, he does not attempt to operate outside his field of expertise. Instead, before undertaking an exhumation, he evaluates each case according to the appropriate personnel needed and then puts together a team. He also locates a facility willing to allow him to use an autopsy suite or lab, and a funeral director and attorney to assist with logistics, arrangements, and paper work.
First and foremost, he measures a case against his requirements for doing an exhumation and autopsy (or re-autopsy).
"For an exhumation to be warranted," he writes in A Voice for the Dead, "I require minimally that the following conditions be fulfilled:
- "There must be a significant dispute to which science can make a contribution.
- "Some type of new scientific method must be available that was not present at the time the issue to be resolved arose.
- "There must be more than a likelihood that the remains will be in sufficient condition to be analyzed, which involves a variety of tasks such as testing the soil pH and mineral content where the remains are buried, determining the method and depth of burial, knowing the time since burial, gathering climatic and environmental data, and forestalling the disturbance of adjacent graves."
The first task in each case is collecting all available historical documentation, which means looking into court records, old newspapers, books written on a person's life and death, and other records, including autopsy reports and burial methods. Each state may have its own requirements, so Starrs must learn something different for Massachusetts, for example, than for Pennsylvania or Colorado. Once he has the case records in order and all necessary documents from family or descendents, he determines whom he will need to invite from the various forensic specializations and he prepares an extensive case notebook for each one. Among his team members have been nationally-prominent experts such as Michael Baden, Henry Lee, Bill Bass, and Douglas Ubelaker. Some members, such as forensic anthropologist Jack Levisky, forensic pathologist Jack Frost, and geologist George Stevens, are regulars.
"In some cases," Starrs explains, "it's anthropology, archaeology, and possibly tool-mark or firearms experts. In a case with flesh [on the bones], you have to have pathologists, and if there's poison involved, you need toxicologists for an analysis of the organs and tissues. You want to look under the fingernails for tissue, so you need a microscopist for that. You need an array of scientific disciplines, and indeed, the teeth are often impacted when people are killed in violent confrontation, so you need an odontologist, a forensic dental expert. I don't ask every one of these disciplines to come to the autopsy suite, because some of them we can't be sure are necessary, it's costly to have them there, and it wastes their time."
Starrs pitches in where he can, even while he's coordinating the team. "Sometimes I will suit up and do the diener's work. There's one, maybe two pathologists, but I may be the one who takes the samples and the bones sections that we're going to use for DNA analysis later on." He also relies on the help of technicians to bring in equipment and ensure the proper protocol. Along with the principal professionals, someone handles evidence and documentation, someone does photography and videography, someone takes X-rays, and a variety of people fill support positions. A project can take several days, depending on how painstaking it will be and what kind of equipment is available.
"I'm a generalist," Starrs states. "That's why I have to call in other people. It's a team effort. And this is the way all finds of a homicidal nature should be resolved. It should involve contributions of all these different fields, and one of my goals and purposes of doing all this is to convince law enforcement that this is a scientific endeavor."
At the end of the day, as the tired members of his team assemble for a collective dinner and debriefing (sometimes knowing they may have resolved nothing), Starrs expresses his appreciation for what each person has done. "To think of the people who painstakingly put this all together, all for the purposes of showing the consummate value of science - it's awe-inspiring to think that people would give themselves so willingly without any hindrance to a project of this kind." Quite a few pay their own expenses to get there.
Inevitably, these projects end up in the pages of Scientific Sleuthing Review (www.scientificsleuthing.org), a professional quarterly that Starrs founded in 1976 and still writes for and edits.


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|Hi everyone, looking at purchasing the Sharp 24" drawer micro; says it can be installed in a 24" microwave cabinet. My cabinet company's smallest "built in" microwave cab is 27". They do make a regular microwave shelf cab in a 24". I want this cab/micro to take the least amt of space possible. Would love to fit it into a 24" cabinet. Anyone have experience with this? Thank you!
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by needsometips08 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 1, 09 at 16:14
|I am putting mine in a 30" cab so that if I want to swap it out one day for a steam oven or an Advantium, I have that option.
|My 30" Sharp MW Drawer is in a 31" cabinet. However, I checked the Sharp site and under "Downloads" found that you can indeed install a 24" MW Drawer in a 24" cabinet...there are two documents that might help you, depending on your cabinet type: framed or frameless (IIRC, you're going w/framed, correct?)
Installation Tips: 24" in 24" Face Frame Cabinet:
Installation Tips: 24" in 24" Frameless Cabinet:
Sharp Downloads for Microwave Drawers:
|Mine is in a 24" frameless cabinet and fits pretty much edge to edge. It is basically a modified 3 drawer stack with the micro taking the place of the top two drawers. There is a face frame on the top portion where the top two drawers would be where the micro fits in and a shelf at the bottom -- like an wall oven cabinet, but shorter.
- Posted by firsthouse_mp (My Page) on Sat, Aug 1, 09 at 17:34
|I am so glad you asked this. I am going to do the 24" too. Had originally thought we were doing the larger one, but after looking at my island, I don't want such a large micro! Thanks for the specs Buehl!
- Posted by carolinesmom (My Page) on Sat, Aug 1, 09 at 17:35
|Thanks everyone! Buehl you are a virtual treasure trove! Printing as we speak! :)
|i want to install a 24"sharp microwave drawer in a 30" cabinet. Is this possible? what about the extra 3 inches on each side?
|I am also looking at installing a Sharp 24" drawer micro. The pictures on line make the color of the stainless look different that any other brand. I have Kenmore appliances and wonder if the color will match. Does anyone else have a mix of brands and does the stainless match?
- Posted by jellytoast (My Page) on Wed, Jul 10, 13 at 19:09
|"i want to install a 24"sharp microwave drawer in a 30" cabinet. Is this possible? what about the extra 3 inches on each side?"
Filler pieces. See the above links provided by buehl.
Can I add an additional question about this 24 inch micro drawer? The instructions say that the plug has to be in the top left corner of the cabinet. Is that they only place that the plug will work? My plug is located in the center of my 27-inch cabinet, but towards the top of the opening. It is recessed into the cabinet so there is not a plug box sticking out into the opening. Moving the plug at this point will be a huge ordeal.
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JeDi on the prowl for relief
First off, it's a little comforting to know JeDi is actively looking outside the Angels organization for more bullpen help. Second, it is a little reassuring to hear that other teams don't expect the Angels to trade Trumbo. Of the 3 pitchers named, I'd take any of them, but Meyers would be the least favorite choice. He's the oldest and has the highest career WHIP. Balfour is within the division, so I think Street might be the most likely option. What do the Padres need? Looks like maybe a SS would be nice for them.


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Wind blows front off Pueblo Harley Davidson store
POSTED: 06:21 PM MDT Apr 09, 2013 UPDATED: 04:19 PM MDT Apr 09, 2013
Wind has blown the front off the Harley Davidson store in Pueblo.
Pueblo authorities say North Elizabeth Street is closed between the La Quinta Inn and Kohl's department store.
Police say the Outpost Harley Davidson building sustained serious damage and debris from the building is blowing in the area posing a hazard. People are asked to stay away from the area.
The Pueblo Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol are monitoring the situation and may have to close Interstate 25 if the situation gets worse.
Copyright 2013 KRDO. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Monday's Doylestown Borough Council meeting was a bittersweet one, as the nine-member board said good-bye to two long-serving members.
Republican Bill Stevens and Democrat Lou White cast the final votes of their terms Monday night in their final council meeting.
Their colleagues presented them with commemorative plaques to thank them for their years of service to the borough.
Det Ansinn, council president and a Democrat, praised his Republican colleague's steadfast service to Doylestown in stepping up to fill the term of the late John Buckman. Stevens previously had served on Doylestown council from 1988 to 2001; he was appointed for one year and then re-elected to three four-year terms.
Then, after Buckman died, he was asked to finish Buckman's unexpired term, and agreed.
Council member Joan Doyle extended an olive branch to Stevens in bidding her colleague farewell and thanking him for his service.
"I was the only member of council who did not vote for you when you were appointed," she said. "You are a man of integrity, fair-minded, and have contributed immensely. I wish there was a system where both you and Mr. Kelly could serve with us."
Stevens was defeated in the November election by newcomer Kevin Kelly, a Democrat who will take his place on council next month.
Joe Flood, a frequent observer at council meetings and Stevens' Republican running mate this fall, thanked Stevens for "serving with distinction and class."
It was also Lou White's final meeting.
White also started his tenure on council by being appointed to fill a vacancy, in September 1998. A borough resident for decades, White retired in 1993 from the Central Bucks School District where he was principal at Holicong Middle School in Buckingham.
His colleagues had high praise for him, as well.
"Lou has been very generous with his wisdom," said council member Noni West, who said she spent much time on the phone with White in her early days on council. "We all have benefited from his experience."
White decided not to run for another term. Newcomer Marlene Pray, another Democrat, successfully won his seat in the November election.
That means that Doylestown Borough Council will be governed by all Democrats beginning in January. A reorganization meeting is set for January 3.


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Braxton Miller named semifinalist for Davey O'Brien Award
Braxton Miller was today named one of 16 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award. He was a finalist last season.— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) November 4, 2013
Braxton Miller was named a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien award which goes to the nation's top quarterback at the end of the season. Miller was one of 16 players added to the list on Monday.


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A Pickens County inmate faces additional jail time after authorities say he walked away from a work crew Wednesday morning.
Matthew Mill Brissey was working near Cartee Road around 10 a.m.
The sheriff's office says several agencies searched for Brissey after he left. He was taken into custody about two hours later.
Brissey was serving a 30-day sentence for providing false information to a police officer. He now faces up to an additional year in jail.
The work program saves taxpayer money and prison director Keith Vinson says it attempts to give the inmates work ethic.
But even after another escape prison director Keith Vinson says he isn't worried about safety.
"I'm a resident of Pickens County wife, my oldest son they work in Pickens County. My young son goes to school in Pickens County. I'm not going to put an inmate that could run and do harm to my family," Vinson said.
The sheriff believes the way the response to this incident was handled helped keep the public from any danger. Though any escape is taken seriously.
"He wasn't dangerous but when you do something like escape from a simple work detail it shows his thought process might be off a little bit so we wanted him back in jail as soon as possible," Sheriff Rick Clark said.
The prison has made changes including a rotation system on work crews so the prisoners can't strategies the timing an escape.
Inmate supervisors also go through yearly mandatory training.
We asked about further changes and leaders plan to review the whole situation Thursday morning.
"If there is anything that we think that would prevent this from happening in the future - it'll be enacted," Vinson said.
Traveling from Oregon to California, Biddy the hedgehog has made the most of their summer vacation!
250 International Dr.Spartanburg, S.C. 29303
Telephone: 864.576.7777
Fax: 864.587.5430
Email: email@example.com


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EDIT - Great topic by kcskol, so to the front page it goes! Discuss, everybody! - Chris
I was watching the videos of the Vikings five best plays in the Metrodome, and it reminded me of how much I loved seeing Cris Carter on the field. It got me to thinking, "Which former Viking (in their prime) would I most want to bring back to this year's team?"
Of the guys I had the pleasure of watching, I thought of Chris Doleman, John Randle, Keith Millard (in his one or two fabulous years), Joey Browner, Gary Zimmerman, Randy Moss (oh boy, this one kind of hurts) and Randall McDaniel. The Vikings also had a string of really, really good centers through the years. I think the most instant positional upgrade would be Browner at safety -- though Birk at center could be argued too (prior centers were just as talented, if not more so, but perhaps a bit undersized for today's game). The biggest game changer would, in my mind, be Moss.
That said, I find myself most wanting to see Cris Carter back in purple and making those wonderous leaping/diving/one-handed catches. I miss his ability to make highlight reel catches each and every game. He was fun to watch, and he was a leader in the locker room. He might not fill the biggest need or offer the greatest on-field impact, but he's the one I'd most like to see out there. Who's your pick?


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Fair ~
High: 85°F ~ Low: 59°F
Friday, Aug. 29, 2014
The Amazing Spider-Man and American ReunionPosted Thursday, July 12, 2012, at 9:54 PM
Before I jump into the reviews - let me first award a free movie rental to bjo for his/her comments on last week's blog. I give away a movie rental from Movie House to some random commenter and since bjo managed to be the only comment, he/she wins!
On with the reviews!!!
The Amazing Spider-man
My littlest one (3 years) started watching the old 60's cartoon series of Spider-man and she loved it. So, we decided to watch the entire Spider-man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire and directed by Sam Raimi. While she got a kick out of the live action version - she much preferred the animated Spider-man. I personally really enjoyed the entire Spider-man trilogy especially Tobey Maguire. He was a perfect fit for Spider-man that it was hard to think about someone else filling the spandex for the newest Spider-man reboot. Since Raimi and Maguire decided to pass on a Spider-man 4, Sony (the company behind Spider-man movies) was forced to look at moving forward with the successful franchise and character without the two guys that made it into a successful film franchise. The hard part here is that Disney bought Marvel studios which owns the Spider-man character and was licensing out the rights to Sony. Sony had to make another movie before the rights reverted back to Marvel who could then make Spider-man movies within there own recently hatched film division and Disney's powerful movie studio. Something I would have rather seen happen since Marvel has such a great track record with combining their superheroes together especially with The Avengers which is still making loads of money at the box office. How great it would have been to bring Spider-man into the Avengers fold at some point. They do in the comics so hopefully they still will somehow in the movies - probably with a bit more negotiations since Sony still retains the rights to making movie versions of the Spider-man character.
Sony decided to reboot Spider-man with a bit younger take on the character and a slightly different origin story so that they could keep the character younger longer instead of graduating him from High School in the first movie of the series. This new Spider-man film starts out with a bit more background on Peter Parker and his parents before diving into familiar territory with a spider bite, love interest and photography. The Amazing Spider-man switches up the love interest from Mary Jane to Gwen Stacy and this is a very welcome change as Emma Stone portrays the new love interest extremely well. While Kirsten Dunst did a fantastic job overall, the chemistry between her and Tobey Maguire was not the best. Emma Stone manages to score complete chemistry with new webslinger Andrew Garfield to create a very real and intriguing romance.
It's hard to say that Andrew Garfield is a better Spider-man though and that may not be a bad thing. Tobey was fantastic and had a very geeky persona down while Garfield is a bit too hip. I can't say I didn't like his portrayal of Spider-man as I found it very well done, I just like Tobey a bit more. If I had no-one to compare Garfield to, I would probably be all about it but since I do - Tobey wins. However, Garfield still wins in the chemistry department with his leading lady and that is one part of the new Spider-man that really helps 'swing' it into the good movie category.
The biggest difference between the old Spider-man origin story and the new one is the first villain. While the first had a legendary Spider-man villain in it, this one opts for a bit of a lesser villain with Dr Curt Conners turning into the Lizard. I think the villain was my biggest complaint of the movie as he managed to not really have that quality that made you root for Spider-man against him. At points, you almost felt sorry for him and I don't think that was a good thing for this film - the audience and especially me want to cheer for Spider-man and not feel conflicted about it.
Overall, the entire film was well made and a thrilling little adventure down familiar territory. The entire thing seemed slightly unnecessary as we've all witnessed this story about 10 years ago, but the slight changes of pace and fresh faces managed to at least make it entertaining. The little one was quite thrilled with the new Spider-man but still prefers the old animated series. I think I'm going to say I still prefer the Tobey Maguire Spider-man but highly enjoyed watching another take on the character and looking forward to a new story with the new actors instead of a re-hash of the origin.
The Amazing Spider-man is playing at Cinema 3 in McCook. I highly recommend taking in a showing. I was unable to watch the 3D version, so my review doesn't mention anything of the 3D features of this film. Check out showtimes at www.fridleytheatres.com. Coming up this Friday is the new Ice Age!
American Reunion
I won't say much about this new rental at Movie House except that it's a pretty fitting reunion.
American Reunion is the newest entry into the 'American Pie' series that finds our main characters more grown up, married, having kids and things of that nature while going back to a High School Reunion. It starts a bit rocky but manages to find its comedy legs and has some funny moments. While its not the best in the series, its not the worst and also reunites the entire original cast which creates a nice feeling of nostalgia for anybody that remembers laughing to the first film.
American Reunion is out now at Movie House in McCook. Rent it today at 220 West 1st Street or follow them online at www.facebook.com/moviehousemccook
Comment below and tell us what you thought! I'll give out another free rental next week.
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Cody Dame is the CEO and owner of three local McCook Businesses, Game On, Spotlight Studios and Divine Productions. He also manages to work for the McCook Daily Gazette.
Hot topicsThe Amazing Spider-Man and American Reunion
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Tracy Lawrence Holds Annual Turkey Fry
Updated: Tuesday, November 26 2013, 10:40 PM CST
NASHVILLE, TN - That sizzle is a sound that never gets old. "I look forward to it every year" says Tracy Lawrence.
For eight years he has been gathering friends for his mission possible turkey fry. "I think everyone gets such fulfillment out of it. It's a great way to give back" he says.
What started as a small concept has turned into tradition. Tennessee Titans Rob Bironas comes every year. This year he brought along his fiancé - country singer Rachel Bradshaw. "It's the fist thing we've done together like this. Knowing we are helping people feels good" says Rachel.
Weather had Tracy a little concerned about turn out. But the cold, rain and even snow, didn't stop these volunteers. "I've got on my under armor on and we are ready" says Elaine Roy of The Roys.
The parking lot outside the mission was packed and not a single fryer was empty. "Us giving a few hours of our day to give back is nothing. We are blessed and honored it's fun" says Lee Roy.
By days end, over 500 birds were dipped and fried to perfection and no one appreciates it more than Rick Rychel, who is a volunteer today but not long ago was on the other side. "I came through house life recovery program 2010 and it changed my life" he says.
After the last turkey is fried, Nashville Rescue Mission says it's important to remember the need will continue every single day until we meet again for Mission Possible year nine.
The Rescue Mission has a holiday wish list of items. To see it CLICK HERE.
Tracy just recently released a new album called "Headlights, Taillights and Radio".
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The marriage between the Arizona Cardinals and Beanie Wells is finally over. Wells announced Monday via Twitter that the Cardinals will release Wells on Monday, on the eve of free agency.
Arizona selected Wells with the No. 31 overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, but Wells' Cardinals career never lived up to first-round expectations. Wells had a tumultuous relationship with then-head coach Ken Whisenhunt, leading to a lack of playing time. Wells' best season in Arizona came in 2011, when he received a career-high 245 carries, and rushed for a career-high 1,047 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Despite the strong 2011, injuries and a clash with Whisenhunt kept Wells off the field in 2012. Wells appeared in just eight games after being given the injured reserve with a designation to return tag after Week 3, when Wells suffered a toe injury.
Still, Wells finished 2012 with just 88 carries for 234 yards, averaging an anemic 2.7 yards per carry. Arizona decided to part ways with Wells, despite Wells only having a base salary of $1.4 million in 2013.
Wells' Cardinals career ends with 625 carries, 2,471 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns over four seasons.
More in the NFL:
• NFL mock draft: Changes on the eve of free agency
• Vikings trade Percy Harvin to Seahawks
• Cowboys still over the salary cap
• Anquan Boldin expected to fight Ravens on pay cut
• Just how powerful is Roger Goodell?


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Thanks to the wonders of Baseball Reference, it is simple to look at stats to see how different players perform in high leverage situations. We've all heard (I'm sure) of the incredible stats Cliff Pennington has posted in extra innings, but I decided to look at the entire offense and see who has been performing well in high leverage situations.
Miguel Montero--slash is .250/.392/.429 in high leverage situations, somewhat better than his overall numbers.
Paul Goldschmidt--slash is .329/.400/.696 in high leverage situations, somewhat higher than his overall numbers.
Aaron Hill--slash is .357/.500/.929 in high leverage situations, which are some incredible numbers (getting on base half the time in front of Goldy will get some runs), but small sample size still applies.
Didi Gregorius--slash is .275/.383/.400 in high leverage situations, which is slightly below his overall numbers for average and slugging, but slightly higher for OBP, although that difference may be covered by the intentional walks he gets from batting in front of the pitcher.
Martin Prado--slash is .233/.313/.301 in high leverage situations, and it should also be added that a good number of these situations may have resulted in GIDP. These numbers are lower than his overall numbers.
Jason Kubel--slash is .311/.396/.600 in high leverage situations, which is considerably higher than his overall numbers. Three of his four home runs and 19 of 25 RBI have come in high leverage situations
A. J. Pollock--slash is .231/.231/.410 in high leverage situations, slightly below overall numbers, especially for OBP. I'd say he could stand to learn to take walks.
Gerardo Parra--slash is .206/.292/.333 in high leverage situations, significantly lower than overall numbers. I thought small sample size might apply, given that he typically bats leadoff and wouldn't have as many high leverage situations as a result, but 76 plate appearances is enough.
Cody Ross--slash is .281/.362/.509, higher than overall numbers. Three of his five home runs have also come in high leverage situations. His extra innings numbers are almost as good as Pennington's, with a slash of .545/.600/1.091!
Cliff Pennington--slash is .308/.378/.436 in high leverage situations, much higher than his overall numbers. The fact that these numbers can be so high given his 1 for 18 slump in 2 out, RISP situations shows that he does really well in every other situation (although those RISP numbers should even out over time, as his BABIP in that situation is .077, compared to .288 overall.)
Eric Chavez--slash is .233/.361/.400 in high leverage situations, lower than overall, but small sample size applies, as he only has 36 plate appearances in said situations. It is a bit concerning, given his typical slot in the batting order, that none of his home runs have come in high leverage situations.
Willie Bloomquist--slash is .429/.529/.429 in high leverage situations, but with only 14 plate appearances, small sample size certainly applies.
No one else has anywhere near enough plate appearances to even bother looking at the numbers (And Hill, Chavez, and Bloomquist could easily be discarded from the above list for small sample size as well.) For the most part, the numbers match up with what we have said/thought over the last few weeks: Prado's are terrible, Goldy's are good. But I thought Goldy's numbers would be a bit higher. I was surprised at how bad Parra's numbers were; easily the worst on the team, even below Pollock's and Prado's. Parra clearly has the biggest drop in production when in a high leverage situation, while Pennington has the biggest increase in production. Jason Kubel's numbers were also a bit of a surprise.
Looking at these numbers makes me wonder whether Pennington's perfect role with this team would be as a pinch hitter and late inning replacement. He can play three infield positions, and apparently can be the emergency pitcher as well. He thrives under the pressure of extra innings, and had a great at bat coming in for Chavez when Chavez was hurt, starting off with an 0-2 count and working it full. On the other hand, despite being a much better hitter, Parra should be kept from these situations as much as possible. Seriously. Those numbers ain't pretty.


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Positive Effects of a Low-Fat, High-Carbohydrate Diet
While not overwhelming, the results of substituting one-quarter of daily fat intake with complex carbohydrates did help overweight people lose some weight and improve their cholesterol levels.
British researchers selected overweight individuals who had increased risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary vascular disease. They studied body weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and blood lipids at the beginning of the test, and at 2, 4, and 6 months. The test subjects received either a control diet, a low-fat, complex carbohydrate diet, or a low-fat, simple carbohydrate diet for six months. Complex carbohydrates include vegetables, grains, and cereals, whereas simple carbohydrates are the simple sugars such as those in fruit.
After six months, weight loss was the greatest in those on the complex carbohydrate diet - 9.4 lbs, with very slight losses in the other two groups. People in that group also showed the greatest improvement in total cholesterol, which decreased by 0.63 mmol/L. There were no significant changes in LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) and a slight decrease in HDL (the "good" cholesterol) in all groups.
Related information:
Cholesterol information: Diet |
Nutrition Channel - Weight Management
Source: Poppitt SD, Keogh GF, Prentice AM et al. Long-term effects of ad libitum low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets on body weight and serum lipids in overweight subjects with metabolic syndrome. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2002;75:11-20. (Abs.)


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Hello Seahawks fans!
I am a member of the staff over at Cat Scratch Reader, the Carolina Panthers SB Nation site. We try to get in the habit of opening a friendly dialog with the opposition the week leading up to the game. If nothing else I think it sort of clears the air a bit. Hell, we might even learn something.
You may have seen some of my brethren pop in for a bit in random posts (actually I did too), and it is usually to address something they feel is a misconception. It's really tough to interject like that and not sound like a homer. So, to avoid that awkwardness, lets open this up and share some information and opinion in a more structured fashion.
Curious about our team? Curious about the outside perception of your team? Drop your question in the comments and myself or one of my fellow Panthers fans will try our best to answer.
Thanks, fellas. May it be a clean, well-played game on Sunday. Good luck with your season (after Sunday)!
PS... I hope you don't mind, but I try to keep it light by adding a non-football related poll.


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Travel through the barns and show arenas to see what Women do with their horses. Photographer and author Karelin (Karstaedt) Sammann will have you follow her and her 35-mm camera through the lives of women who love their horses with all their hearts.
About the AuthorKarelin Sammann
ksammann Porterville, California
I have been photographing the western life since the late 1970's. The series on Women and Their Horses was a favorite because of my background with horses. I am now a senior citizen and my life-long love of horses, whether packing mules, showing in western classes, or riding on a equestrian drill team shows I've loved the life. These pictures and verses show the love I have for Women and Their Horses. I have other photo series on the California Cowboy, Ranch Kids, and Western Trails that will come out in the future. Watch for them.
Publish Date September 19, 2010
Dimensions Standard Portrait 76 pgs Premium Paper, lustre finish
Category Portfolios
Tags verses, photography, horses, women
Comments (2) Write a comment
RKandJMB says
Karelin, what a beautiful book reflecting women and their passion for horses. This book should be on everyone's coffee table.....especially cowgirls. Congratulations. Rena and Mark
posted at 04:56pm Jun 25 PST
ksammann says
A good friend wrote this comment on my Picture Trail which advertises model horse tack: Foothill Writer: As always, your pictures have the quality of having been there to smell the dust, sweat, and perfume. Great job Karelin.
posted at 12:34pm Oct 24 PST
Sign in or create an account to post a comment.


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News: Ne-Yo Gets Caught In Baby Talk, Reveals Sex Of First Child
Tuesday, Aug 10, 2010 4:33PM
R&B singer Ne-Yo has updated fans on the status of his forthcoming first child and revealed the baby's sex.
Writing via Twitter, Ne-Yo revealed that he would be having a daughter in January.
Ne-Yo has reason to pop bottles and celebrate the "Champagne Life" now that he's learned the sex of his first child, who is set to make an entrance into the world in January 2011. The R&B crooner, whose new album Libra Scale is due October 5, revealed the news in a celebratory post via Twitter today. "LADIES AND GENTS!!! I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT I'M HAVING A BEAUTIFUL BABYGIRL!!! THANK YOU GOD," he wrote. (Rap-Up)
Recently, the singer talked about his fear of becoming a father.
"I'm going to have my first child in January. I'm terrified, I'm gonna be all the way honest. I've never seen myself as a father, you know what I mean? I knew eventually I would get married and have kids and all of that stuff. By the way, the marriage rumors aren't true. Let's clear that up. I'm not engaged, I'm not to be married. But the baby rumor is true...My mom was my mom and my dad. I didn't need the male role model. I figure if I do it the way my mom did it, then my kid is going to be fine." (CNN)
The hitmaker announced being a father-to-be in an interview earlier this summer.
Surprise! He had to come home so he could make the first ultrasound visit with his girlfriend. There's no word on the sex of the baby because the tiny tot curled up in a ball, leading Ne-Yo to joke that his future progeny is "stubborn." But, he added, "They didn't get that one from me." The star, whose album is due on September 21, is excited about meeting his first child in January. "I am 30 and I do have my first child on the way, and I'm very, very, very excited about that," he tells EBONY. "It's a New Year's baby and I'm just in a really good place right now." (Ebony Jet)
In the past, Ne-Yo has opened up about wanting more than one child.
Ne-Yo was previously quoted stating that he wants exactly two children, " a girl and a boy," before admitting the first guy who attempts to date his daughter is going to be in trouble... "When the first guy comes to my door asking for my daughter, I might end up going to jail,' he told USA Today. "I just don't know how I'll handle that." (Examiner)
Check out some past Ne-Yo footage down below:


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Article by: Bill Nesto, MW - True, Spain is also home to two other important quality red wine grapes, Garnacha and Monastrell, but these two varieties are qualitatively more successful respectively in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Bandol appellations of France. [...] Read More »
Article by: Andy Crouch - 1454 Different American Beers Served to more than 28,000 Beer Lovers Can Only Be The Great American Beer Festival [...] Read More »
Beyond The Pale Ale
Article by: Lew Bryson - Got customers who're jaded? Who wants something really different, and doesn't mean lambic or Baltic porter, . . . been there, drunk that? [...] Read More »
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LOS ANGELES — Mike Piazza has not set foot in Dodger Stadium since his retirement. When the Los Angeles Dodgers offered to honor him with a bobblehead night last season, Piazza declined.
"He doesn't want to come back because he thinks the fans will boo," former Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda, the godfather to Piazza's brother, told the Los Angeles Times last month.
Piazza did himself no favors on that score in his new book, "Long Shot." In the book, he blames iconic Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully for turning fans against him during the contract stalemate that preceded his trade to the Florida Marlins in 1998.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Mets owner Fred Wilpon says the team's trimmed-down $83 million payroll has more to do with patience than a spending freeze.
Wilpon watched the club's first official workout Wednesday and said the Mets are in better financial shape than in the past.
The Mets had a relatively quiet offseason aside from locking up All-Star third baseman David Wright for another eight years and $138 million and bringing in pitcher Shaun Marcum on a one-year $4 million deal.
But Wilpon said general manager Sandy Alderson isn't under any strict monetary limitations and "the family is doing very well" financially.
That wasn't the case in the past when Wilpon and Mets management were busy paying off debts and working on damage caused by the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme case. Ownership settled that case last spring.
"Everything that was in the past, you guys saw all the pain we went through, all of that is gone - the fact we couldn't do much during that time," Wilpon said. "I think we would anticipate being big investors where appropriate."
The Associated Press
Piazza, who was eligible for free agency after the 1998 season, said he hoped to stay with the Dodgers but set a deadline of Feb. 15 to reach a new contract. In the book, Piazza wrote that Scully asked him about the deadline in a spring interview.
"He wasn't happy about it," Piazza wrote. "And Scully's voice carried a great deal of authority in Los Angeles."
Piazza wanted $105 million over seven years. In the book, he said the Dodgers made a take-it-or-leave-it offer of $76 million over six years, said he would have signed at $79 million, and suggested the team leaked that it had offered $80 million.
At $80 million — or even at $76 million — Piazza would have been the highest-paid player in the game. Dodgers fans took notice that spring, as Piazza wrote.
"The way the whole contract drama looked to them — many of whom were taking their cue from Scully — was that, by setting a deadline and insisting on so much money, I was demonstrating a conspicuous lack of loyalty to the ball club," Piazza wrote. "I understood that."
Piazza ripped the Dodgers in a 1998 opening day interview with the Times. In the book, he said that interview did not play well with the L.A. fans, and neither did the fact that he failed to drive in a run as the Dodgers opened the season with a four-game losing streak.
"On top of that, Vin Scully was crushing me," Piazza wrote.
Scully flatly denied he maligned Piazza.
"That's not true at all," Scully told the Times in a telephone interview Wednesday.
Scully said he could not recall the interview in which Piazza said the contract deadline was discussed. However, Scully said, he never would criticize a player about contractual negotiations.


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