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And so Rob Ryan becomes the 9th (by my count) Defensive Coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, 10th if you count Tom Landry, who it appears took care of the defensive play-calling as Head Coach from 1960-1972.
Here's a brief list of the Dallas Cowboys' Defensive Coordinators (the DC's DCs)
Ernie Stautner: 1973-1988
Dave Wannstedt: 1989-1992
Butch Davis: 1993-1994
Dave Campo: 1995-1999
Mike Zimmer: 2000-2006
Brian Stewart: 2007-2008
Wade Phillips: 2009-2010
Paul Pasqualoni: 2010
Rob Ryan: 2011 –
It's hard to argue with the merits of NFL Hall of Famer defensive lineman Ernie Stautner as DC, as he led several Top 5 defenses and coached defensive legends such as Harvey Martin, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Randy White, Thomas Henderson, Bob Breuing and Everson Walls during his tenure (I mention defensive draftees/free agents because the DC must have been consulted a little during the process, and such players must have been developed somewhat by the DC and their staff). In 1977, his Doomsday II defense was his best squad, although I also view his 1985 defense with fondness, as they gave up some big plays and some points, but also forced 47 turnovers and collected 62 sacks. Of course, it must have helped Stautner to have the Founder of the Flex as his boss.
Dave Wannstedt helped create a defense from scratch, Doomsday III if you will, culminating in the NFL's #1 defense (yardage allowed) in 1992, along with a Super Bowl performance that resulted in nine turnovers. During his tenure, defensive stalwarts like Tony Tolbert, Russell Maryland, Larry Brown, Dixon Edwards, Leon Lett, Kevin Smith, Robert Jones and Darren Woodson were drafted and coached up by Wannstedt and his staff; but it wasn't until Dallas added Charles Haley in a trade before the 1992 season started that Wannstedt's defense reached the next level. Haley may have been a nightmare at times, but he was a defensive coach's dream. Wannstedt's defenses prior to the addition of Haley tended to be the "bend but don't break" type, with his 1991 playoff squad getting to the opposing QB just 23 times and forcing a measly 23 turnovers. His defense did have a classic goal-line stand in the 1991 wildcard game against the Bears, only to be picked apart the next week by Erik Kramer (!) in the divisional playoffs.
Butch Davis had the good fortune to take over a defense that was largely intact from the year before, and he did well to coach the 1994 defense to a #1 ranking (yardage) and the most sacks in the league (47), despite a few starters, including Ken Norton Jr.
Dave Campo also was in a good spot when he took over as DC in 1995, plus he had the added luck of having Deion Sanders on his squad. Although he was blessed with a smooth start, considering that Campo's defensive lineups changed quite often throughout the years and that the Cowboys offense started sputtering from 1996 on, he did a good job to keep the defenses ranked either in the Top 5 in terms of yardage allowed (4 times) or points allowed (twice) several times. His 1996 defense is one of my personal favorites, as it held eight opponents to 10 points or less and won several games for the team after the offense struggled through suspensions, injuries, age and bad coaching. The Cowboys won games by scores like 17-3, 10-6 and 12-6, and held potent offense like the Super Bowl champ Packers to a garbage-time TD and the AFC Champ Patriots to two field goals. Leon Lett was having a Defensive MVP type season until he was suspended the last few games of the year for drug use. I consider Campo to be one of the more underrated of the Cowboys DCs.
(An interesting note – the Cowboys dynasty of the 1990s won three Super Bowls with three defensive coordinators. Their only competitors for 3 Championships in 4 years, the Patriots, were all coached by DC Romeo Crennel. Interestingly, the 70s Steelers won their four Super Bowls with two different D-coordinators, Bud Carson in 74-75, and George Perles in 78-79).
Mike Zimmer became DC in 2000 and stayed a surprisingly long seven seasons. Of course, he was "present at the creation" when the Cowboys transitioned from their traditional 4-3 to the 3-4. During his tenure, prominent defensive players like Roy Williams (#31 and #38), Terrence Newman, Bradie James, DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Jay Ratliff and Bobby Carpenter (psych!) were chosen in the draft. Zimmer's 2003 defense led the league in fewest defensive yards allowed and was second in points allowed, which is the best combined performance in Dallas Cowboys history. Even more impressive was the fact that the defense had to work with a 2003 offense that appeared better suited for 1961, starting Quincy Carter, Troy Hambrick and Kurt Vollers. Yet even that franchise-record defense wasn't very cataclysmic, garnering just 32 sacks and 25 turnovers, and its' pathetic performance in 2004 led directly to Parcells installing the 3-4.
Wade Phillips was hired as a defensive mastermind, and Brian Stewart was his underling at DC. To this day, I am not certain who ran the 2007-08 Cowboys defense, Phillips or Stewart, but for the sake of argument let's say Stewart was in charge. Stewart's 2007 and 2008 squads were both Top 10 defenses in terms of yards allowed, but were middle of the road when it came to points scored against. To his credit, his defenses did get a combined 105 sacks in his two years, but the lack of turnovers, combined with needing a scapegoat for the 2008 season ending 44-6 loss to the Eagles, meant that Stewart had to go. Defenders like Anthony Spencer, Mike Jenkins, Victor Butler and Sean Lee arrived under the Phillips/Stewart regime.
When Phillips finally and officially took over the reins in 2009, we eventually witnessed what appeared to be a petty dominant defense, finishing #9 in yards allowed but just barely missing out on allowing the fewest points in the league for the first time in team history, as the Jets played their season-finale against a Bengals team that wasn't trying. And for the first time in team history, the defense recorded consecutive shutouts. But the dearth of turnovers continued even in 2009, and the first 8 games of 2010 showed the defense as a whole and several individual players as being completely and utterly unable to build upon the success of the previous season.
For reasons that may never be explained, the Cowboys suddenly and immediately became a big-play defense during Pasqualoni's eight-game tenure, snagging 20 turnovers, scoring four touchdowns and recording 18 sacks. But his squad still gave up plenty of yards and points, and had multiple instances of giving up clutch scoring drives to the opposing team, so it was a mixed bag.
It seems like every Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator has enjoyed some measure of success. It remains to be seen what sort of results Rob Ryan's Cowboy defense will produce, but I think it's possible considering some of the players that he has at his disposal, plus having an effective offense (in theory), that he could be successful. The wildcard will be his eye for defensive talent and his ability and that of his staff to coach them up and place them in the best position to succeed. If Ryan does all this well, his tenure here could very well end up like that of Wannstedt or Davis, i.e. a couple of good seasons and then off to a better position.


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Today is D-Day for the city of almost 300,000, a bedroom community in the San Francisco Bay Area that is facing bankruptcy.
Stockton isn't the first California city to file for bankruptcy. Nearby Vallejo filed in 2008 and is still trying to scramble their way out of the mess created by the housing boom and sweetheart contracts with the city's unions. Stockton will be the biggest city to seek protection under Chapter 9 bankruptcy rules.
City officials have been negotiating with creditors, unions and retirees for months hoping to be able to craft a deal that will allow them to balance their budget. Cities in California are required by state law to balance their budgets by July 1.
Over the last three years, Stockton has cut their spending by some $90M but they're still facing a $26M deficit this year. Their fiscal problems stem from the standard litany of problems created by governments.
Recordnet.com documents the problem in one short paragraph:
They blame the recession of the past half-decade, generous employee benefits and overborrowing to build things such as the marina and waterfront sports complex.
Let's take special note here that their number one "problem" isn't a problem. The recession did not create the fiscal mess in Stockton anymore than it created the budgetary mess in California or the nation. The recession simply highlighted that the people elected to run government at all levels don't have a clue how run an operation bigger than a lemonade stand.
Recordnet also paints a picture of what the state of California could look like by this time next year.
The backdrop to Stockton's financial drama playing out at City Hall is the chaos unfolding daily on the streets.
Stockton is in the clutches of gang warfare and a record high number of homicides. The city periodically knocks down homeless encampments. Methamphetamine abuse is rampant. Home foreclosures and unemployment run well above state and national averages.
What the article isn't clear about is whether "gang warfare" includes negotiations with the city's unions.
The Californian does provide some detail as to what $90M of cuts has done to Stockton.
They eliminated one-fourth of the police officers, one-third of the fire staff and 40 percent of all other employees.
They also cut wages and medical benefits.
Note that retirement cost for the city's unions isn't listed.
Continue reading »
Continue reading »
-By Larry Sand
The California Teachers Association can't realistically unionize all charter schools, so it promotes laws that limit their numbers.
In Golden Missed Opportunity, recently published in City Journal, I examined the options that families in California have if they want to remove their children from failing public schools. The pickings in the Golden State are rather slim, and those options we do have — charter schools, homeschooling and the Parent Trigger — are constantly imperiled by a governor and state legislators who typically do the bidding of the California Teachers Association, the largest state affiliate of the National Education Association.
Charter schools are public schools which aren't bound by the bloated union contracts that stifle so many traditional public schools. California has over 900 charter schools that currently educate about 400,000 students. To the union's consternation, only about 15 percent of these schools are unionized. Of course, the union would like to see a 100 percent rate, but accomplishing that would take too much effort and money. Additionally, the flexibility that non-unionization offers is one of the attractions of charter schools for many teachers.
So instead of unionizing, CTA tries to eviscerate current charter laws or get caps on the allowable number of charters. At this time, there are three pieces of CTA sponsored legislation working their way around Sacramento. In fact, just last week the state assembly voted 45-28 to approve one of them, AB 1172. The bill, now in the Senate Rules Committee, was authored by State Assemblyman and former teacher and union activist Tony Mendoza. If AB 1172 becomes law, it would allow a school board to block the creation of a new charter school if it would have a "negative fiscal impact†on the school district. However, "negative fiscal impact†is never really defined, and California charter law already has clearly defined reasons why new petitions can be denied. Continue reading »
Continue reading »
-By Larry Sand
Children in the Golden State will get a better education when teacher quality becomes a priority
In perhaps the most in-depth study on the subject to date, three Ivy League economists studied how much the quality of individual teachers matters to their students over the long term. The paper, by Raj Chetty and John N. Friedman of Harvard and Jonah E. Rockoff of Columbia, tracked 2.5 million students over 20 years, and using a value added approach, found that teachers who help students raise their standardized test scores have a lasting positive effect on those students' lives beyond academics, including lower teenage-pregnancy rates, greater college matriculation and higher adult earnings. (The authors of the study define "value added†as the average test-score gain for a teacher's students "…adjusted for differences across classrooms in student characteristics such as prior scores.â€)
The only caveat from the authors is that using test scores in teachers' evaluations could lead to "teaching to the test or cheating.†Nothing new here. Some people, when involved in any kind of competition, will try to gain unfair advantage or cheat outright. Typically, it's a small part of the population and those who do should lose their jobs and face criminal charges.
The lesson is clear: test scores can give us a great deal of information about who the really good teachers are. But California Governor Jerry Brown, unfazed by the blockbuster study, actually called for less testing in his recent State of the State address.
No, Governor. In fact, we need more testing. In California, English and math are tested yearly starting in second grade. But history and science are tested only every few years. Tests should be given in the four core areas every year. As a former American history teacher, I could never figure out why there was no 6th or 7th grade history test. Why wait for grade 8 and throw in a few questions from the 6th and 7th grade curriculum? Never made any sense to me. Continue reading »
Continue reading »
-By Larry Sand
Busting LAUSD and every other school district in the state for negligence should help kids, but it's anyone's guess as to when. In the meantime, giving families more educational options would be a great help, but don't hold your breath, California.
With National School Choice Week underway, we see many positive things happening across the country. In states like New Jersey and Louisiana, governors are taking the lead in proposing ways to break the devastating monopoly that government run schools – their educrat leaders, corrupt and/or inept school boards and the powerful teachers unions — have held for far too long.
As an example of Big Education gone bad, I write in City Journal about a crime that has been perpetrated on the children of California for 40 years and the lawsuit that addresses it:
For nearly 40 years, the Los Angeles Unified School District has broken the law—and nobody seemed to notice. Now a group of parents and students are taking the district to court. On November 1, a half-dozen anonymous families working with EdVoice, a reform advocacy group in Sacramento, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the LAUSD, district superintendent John Deasy, and United Teachers Los Angeles. The lawsuit in essence accuses the district and the union of a gross dereliction of duty. According to the parents' complaint, the district and the union have violated the children's "fundamental right to basic educational equality and opportunity†by failing to comply with a section of the California Education Code known as the Stull Act. Under the 1971 law, a school district must include student achievement as part of a teacher's evaluation. Los Angeles Unified has never done so: the teachers union wouldn't allow it. To continue reading "A 40-Year Shame,†go to http://www.city-journal.org/2012/cjc0119ls.html
However the above case is decided, there will undoubtedly be lawsuits, union pushback, teacher dissatisfaction and who-knows-what-else as the various special interests scramble to do what is best for themselves. And as always, children's needs are left out of the equation. Continue reading »
Continue reading »
-By Larry Sand
There are those among us who think that teachers unions, collective bargaining and peer assistance review are the way to a better education for kids. They look like earthlings, but in fact are extraterrestrials.
As the year draws to a close, newspapers, magazines and blogs are filled with best of and worst of lists that deal with everything imaginable. The Hoover Institution's Koret Task Force got on the bandwagon early and posted Best and Worst in American Education, 2011 in November. All solid stuff. Can a reformer not be happy about the Parent Trigger being raked over the coals, yet surviving, or that many of Michelle Rhee's reforms are still in place despite leaving her post as D.C. Schools Chancellor after a major push from the American Federation of Teachers? On the worst list, the Task Force includes the Atlanta teacher cheating scandal and the union-orchestrated overturn of Ohio's recent anti-collective bargaining law.
Then lo and behold, we received a dispatch from Planet Ravitch on December 23rd. (Most people are not aware that shortly after astronomers ruled that Pluto was not a planet in 2006, a new planet would be identified. And it is inhabited!) The people who live on this celestial body (named after Diane Ravitch, a former reformer who turned into a champion of the failing status quo) are afflicted with a dyslexic-like condition: they have the entire education reform picture exactly backwards. The way to true reform is to hold their ideas up to a mirror with the resulting image revealing the best way to proceed. Continue reading »
Continue reading »
-By Larry Sand
Every year untold thousands of school kids are harmed by teachers who shouldn't be allowed in a classroom. Parents must be given an opportunity to send their children elsewhere.
A teacher arrives at work high on drugs…daily.
A teacher regularly flies into rages, terrifying kids and coworkers.
A teacher talks in explicit terms about sex to the students.
A teacher makes constant sexual advances to other teachers.
A teacher doesn't teach her students anything.
These are a few of the teachers that new Perth Amboy schools superintendent Janine Caffrey has to deal with on a daily basis. She is quick to point out that most teachers are committed and talented, but there are a few….
The evil here is tenure or permanence, which in New Jersey bestows a position for life on teachers after just three years on the job. (It's even worse in other states – in California, for example, a teacher can get into the untouchables club after only two years.) Tenure for teachers would be nothing more than a bad joke if it didn't destroy the education experience for tens of thousands of children who are subjected to incompetent/cruel/perverted people on a daily basis. Continue reading »
Continue reading »

subset: commoncrawl


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Antec GX500 ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case
$30 + free shipping after rebateSHOP NOW
Posted 1 day 14 hr ago
Newegg offers the Antec GX500 ATX Mid-Tower Computer Case for $44.99. This $15 mail-in rebate cuts it to $29.99. With free shipping, that's the lowest total price we could find by $25, although it was $5 less this spring. It features two external 5.25" drive bays, one external 3.5" drive bay, two pre-installed 120mm fans, USB 3.0, and a top-mounted I/O panel. Deal ends August 31.


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SMU defensive end Margus Hunt is one of the more intriguing names in the 2013 NFL Draft for a lot of reasons, but one is that he has been difficult to project in the draft. Looking solely at his measurables, he is arguably a top-10 talent. At the NFL Combine, Hunt measured in at 6'8, 277 pounds, ran a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash and put up 38 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. He is still raw, however, having picked up football for the first time in 2009 after SMU's track and field program collapsed.
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah thinks he has a bead on where Hunt where fall in the draft, reporting Wednesday that teams are targeting the defensive end at the top of the second round. Given the his late outburst of production during his senior season and physical potential, the projection looks about right.
There are several teams in need of a pass rusher early in the second round. The Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 33 overall), Philadelphia Eagles (No. 35 overall) and New York Jets (No. 39 overall) all finished 25th or lower in sacks during the 2012 regular season. The Detroit Lions (No. 36 overall) need help at defensive end after losing Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril this offseason. Finally, the San Francisco 49ers (No. 34 overall) have a bounty of draft picks, putting them in good position to take a calculated risk on a high-ceiling prospect.
More from SB Nation:
• NFL draft stock report: Who's rising or falling?
• Bears GM: No regrets for Urlacher situation
• Pats Pulpit: A Patriot for life
• NFL mock draft: Trades shake up first round
• The NFL draft's most overrated QBs
• The best NFL draft picks of the century


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WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - Members of a committee who studied the future of UNCW athletics say they were disappointed at the absence of the men's basketball program during a student-athlete participation session, according to university officials.
The absence was noted in an 18 page report released Wednesday that ultimately concluded with a recommendation to cut five sports, but not touch men's basketball. No reason was given for the no-show in the report.
Buzz Peterson, the head coach of the Men's Basketball team, refused to explain why his players were not part of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee meeting with the Intercollegiate Athletic Review Committee earlier this year.
The Women's Basketball team was participating in the CAA tournament at the time and unable to attend. The university's 17 other teams were represented by two members each.
Women's swimming and diving was represented by a member of the men's program due to personal conflicts. The thought was the athletes that make up the entire coed program share the same schedule, coaches and ideals.
Sports Information Director Joe Browning says the Men's Basketball program is not commenting on the recommendations to cut men's track, cross country, swimming and diving, and softball.
In the 2012-2013 fiscal year, the Men's Basketball team operated with a $1.1 million deficit, the largest of any athletics program on campus. The program has the school's highest athletics budget at $1.6 million. The team's record last season was 10-20.
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I'd just like to take a moment to stick a note in for the Cap's next regular season campaign at the end of this regular season. It's the least I can do given I am being told
Don't Worry About the Last Game - Worry About The Playoffs :-)
Ted Leonsis (April 14, 2009)
Can't you just feel the confidence, the clarity, the absolute truth that the habits and shortcomings of the regular season are a thing of the past now that our team has gotten past the boring hum-drum regular season.
Thus, this is a note for next regular season. Because it won't apply to the playoffs.
It's a very well-worn subject that - along with great success - this Capitals team has shown a great deal of inconsistency throughout the reglar season. Beyond accounting for injury. It's not particularly news either that they have also shown that they in fact play better after the rare tongue lashing and/or harsh workout is loosed as a last resort. However, as coach Boudreau states:
I hope it doesn't take me coming in and screaming and yelling to get them going . . . You yell at your kids too much, they'll tune you out.
Bruce Boudreau
There is certainly some historical justification for Bruce's concern:
"At some point, players sort of tune things out," general manager George McPhee said. "And that's why the change was made. ... He's a very good coach. I didn't believe it that these things had to happen, but I believe it now, that at some point the players need a new message.
Wilson's dismissal came a month after the Capitals, who were thought to be a sure bet for the playoffs ... finished ninth in the Eastern Conference -- one spot away from a postseason berth -- with a 36-33-11-2 record.
sportsillustrated.com (May 10, 2002)
Given the "tune-out" concern, after numerous unfocused performances throughout this season and a growing collection of quotes regarding lack of focus from players like Brooks Laich and John Erskine, rather than yell at them, Coach Boudreau's recent response to a poor outing was one more of frustration:
I just have a hard time because, never being able to stick in the NHL, I know how much I would have given to play. Defensively we were so out of whack, but it is over...
Bruce Boudreau
Is this tack from Bruce and Ted the best approach: Assume the team will just play better when the playoffs start? And then cross our fingers at this point again next year?
Assuming this is true, the question remains:
How do we coax the focus, professionalism, determination, pride, team-play out of this talented group of individuals for the next 82 game campaign?
There was no solution to this issue for the entire regular season.
The Capitals team that tuned out Wilson by year 5 of his tenure had 8 players who were 33 years old or older. With names like Bondra and Oates, we counted on these guys for points to win games. If you're yelling at guys after every game who've been around that long ... where do I start?
Today's Capitals team has three players over the age of 32 today. None of these three are particularly expected to score, and they have generally not exceeded this expectation.
Despite what the organization may say, it is still a young team. They are still learning what it takes to build an NHL league championship team versus a tournament championship team. For a number of these players, Bruce has been their only true NHL coach.
These are not Ron Wilson's Capitals
They are at a place where they should be able to take the heat until they show they can light the fire under their own ass every night. Bring it.
Or we can keep adding to the list of players saying puiblically the reason a game was lost was because the team couldn't get up for it. Sure such statements from players may not hurt anyone's length of tenure, but they can't help any either.
I thought about posting this after the playoffs, but depending on how we do some may see it as either an attempted "I told you so," or else whining despite post-season success. Neither would be the case.


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The headlines in the lead-up to the Group of Eight (G8) meeting here in
It is tempting to compliment Merkel, as many have done. But anybody would look good beside Bush. In fact, given the immediate, extreme threat posed by global warming underlined by the most recent report of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Merkel's proposal of a 50% reduction from1990 levels by 2050 figure is simply too little too late. As the German Green parliamentarian Barbel Hohn noted at a
A close look at a leaked draft of the G8 declaration reveals that the Merkel-Bush quarrel concerns details not substance. The guiding principle of the document's approach to climate change is to "decouple economic growth from energy use." In other words, economic growth remains central and sacrosanct, meaning that the G8 will not likely propose any cuts in consumption levels. For instance, instead of calling for a radical cutback in automobile use, the declaration accepts as given that the number of motor vehicles will double to 1.2 billion by 2020. It proposes to expand production and accelerate development of non-fossil fuel alternatives for future cars such as synthetic biofuels and carbon dioxide-free hydrogen.
The draft declaration cannot call for deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions because its authors realize that maintaining a growing "efficient and competitive economy" while radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not technologically feasible at this point. The solution: lower the targets and try to convince the public that this is simply being realistic.
Looking for Technofixes
There are three elements in the declaration's strategy for dealing with climate change. One is increasing energy efficiency — or getting more bang for every unit of energy generated.
A second element is diversification of the means of generating energy. Here the draft makes the obligatory nod toward renewable energy sources like wind and solar. The emphasis, however, is on nuclear. Indeed, the G8 draft goes out of its way to present nuclear energy, despite its proven dangers, as a key alternative because it allegedly contributes little to global warming. Specifically, the draft states that the G8 leaders "endorse the peaceful use of nuclear energy by those interested countries that are also committed to non-proliferation and international nuclear safety standards…endorse international initiatives to further develop peaceful and carbon-free nuclear energy and to realize the potential for nuclear energy to contribute to the energy needs of developing countries…[and] will examine creative ways for international finance to make nuclear energy more available to developing countries."
The third element is technological innovation. Here the document stresses accelerated development of futuristic technologies to address global warming. The paper specifically urges "prioritizing national and international research and technology cooperation…of the different carbon capture technologies and to clarify geotechnical conditions for secure CO2 storage." Indeed, the document is obsessed with technofixes, among them "clean coal, carbon capture and storage, offshore wind power, second generation biofuels, hydrogen…" Although he may be wrong that nuclear power is the way to deal with climate change, James Lovelock of Gaia fame is right that it will take 40 years before such new technologies become really feasible — and by then it will be too late.
The only effective response to climate change is to radically reduce economic growth rates and consumption levels, particularly in the North, and in the very near future. The climate change section of the G8 declaration is a long and all-too-transparent exercise to get around this reality.
Promoting Investment and TRIPs
The other parts of the declaration are even worse.
Curiously enough, the declaration begins with a long warning to developing countries that "erecting barriers" to foreign investment flows will "result in a loss of prosperity." According to the document, "freedom of investment is a crucial pillar of economic growth, prosperity, and employment." The G8 is signaling to
Continuing in this vein, the second part of the document is also addressed to developing countries. Innovation, it says, is central to economic growth, and it can only continue to play this role if there is "strong protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights." The writing bears the fingerprints of the northern pharmaceutical industry and the high-tech lobbies. Here the G8 is warning
There is, interestingly, a section entitled "Responsibility for Raw Materials: Transparency and Sustainable Growth." The G8, the document states, seek "to support resource rich countries in their efforts to further expand their resource potentials while promoting sustainable development, human rights, and good governance." Why is the G8 suddenly concerned with "increased transparency" in the extractive sector when their corporations have so long opposed efforts to control their depredations in the developing world? The answer is transparent in their "call on our trading partners to refrain from restraints on trade and distortion of competition in contravention of WTO rules and to observe market economy principles."
As for the G8 Declaration on
I usually don't agree with the Times editorial page. But this time it is hard to dispute its conclusion: "Nobody expects much from this increasingly outmoded talking shop of the complacent rich." I couldn't have said it better.
Walden Bello is executive director of Focus on the Global South and professor of sociology at the University of the


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Jill Imbrogno was excited to participate in Operation Prom for the first time. So excited, in fact, that she went out and collected the most dresses of any of the 20-plus participating organizations.
She credits Diane Mammana of Mamaroneck's Salon Posh with introducing her to the organization.
Imbrogno not only works out of JKFlashy Makeup Services in Tarrytown, but also out of Mammana's Mamaroneck store; Mammana had been involved with the agency for the past three years. This past year was Imbrogno's first, and she collected the most dresses of any company, hauling in approximately 60.
Mammana had a big party one night where she collected more than 30 dresses at a single event.
"Everyone has a dress that they don't want anymore," Imbrogno said. "Brides have a tendency to pick out the ugliest dress they can find. So many times we're working a wedding and hear bridesmaids complain about the dresses."
Mammana agreed, and said they both used social media and their large families to ask for dresses.
"What is ugly to someone, though, is going to be perfect to someone else," Mammana said.
Operation Prom, which kicked off its ninth year Thursday night, was founded by Noel D'Allaco to help students afford many costs that come with attending prom. Participating organizations collect dresses to donate to underprivileged students, and some of them even offer free hair and makeup for girls. The agency also helps boys rent tuxedos.
On Thursday night at Eastchester's Lake Isle County Club, D'Allaco held a kickoff event for the organization's ninth year, and honored some of the companies who help Operation Prom.
"Usually we pick one company to honor," she said. "This year we went with four because I just couldn't choose one. We have businesses calling asking us how to help. It's a fun charity to be a part of, and it really helps a lot of young ladies."
The four honorees were JKFlashy Makeup Services of Tarrytown and its owner, Imbrogno; Le Loft Salon & Spa of Pleasantville and its owner Francesca Vendittelli; Nicholas Day Spa of Pelham and its owner, Nicholas J. Elezaj; and Salon Posh of Mamaroneck and its owner, Mammana.
Mammana read about D'Allaco and her organization in a newspaper when it started and was immediately taken with the idea. Once she opened her salon, she reached out to see if she could help.
"I know how important it is to go to prom," Mammana said. "I was lucky enough that I didn't have to think twice about going to prom, or getting a dress or getting my hair done, but plenty of girls do," she said. "I really appreciate Noel's drive and all she's done. I'm happy to help any way I can."


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Yes. It's true. South Florida did not have its own chapter of the Jane Austen Society of North America.
Until now.
Check out Hannah Sampson's story on a dedicated group of Janeites who aim to rectify this terrible situation. The group will feature lectures on Austen and tea (what, you were thinking whiskey?) on Sunday at Nova Southeastern University's Alvin Sherman Library in Davie. They're planning Miami-Dade events, too.
The closest chapter, by the way, was in West Palm Beach, and no matter how much you want to discuss what a twit Fanny is in Mansfield Park, you're not gonna drive that far north if you live in Kendall.
This gorgeous illustration, by the way, comes courtesy of the talented Ana Lense Larrauri.


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Past Seasons
Soccer defeats NCCAA nationally ranked opponent Covenant in first home game
The Salem College soccer team picked up a win against a very talented Covenant College team today 1-0, in the first-ever match played at the new Spirit Field. Alexi Saganich (McLeansville, NC) scored in the 64th minute off of a pass by Amanda Orsino (Sauquoit, NY) for the only goal of the match. Salem improves to 3-1 on the season, and Covenant falls to 4-1.
Soccer loses hard-fought game at Meredith
The Salem College soccer team lost their first game of the season today at Meredith College, 2-0. Salem gave up a goal in each half, including an own goal in the second half. The Spirits finished in second in the Meredith Matchup, and Tia Bringhurst (Hurricane, UT), Mackenzie Schmidt (Columbus, OH) and Courtney Sauer (Carthage, NC) were all selected to the all-tournament team. Salem falls to 2-1 with the loss, and Meredith improves to 3-0.
Soccer remains undefeated with 11-0 win against Peace
The Salem College soccer team improved to 2-0 on the season with a victory against Peace College in the Meredith College Matchup. Salem used goals from eight different players to defeat the Pacers 11-0. The Spirits will return to action tomorrow against Meredith for the championship of the classic.
Soccer starts season with a 3-1 road win at Hollins
The Salem College soccer team began their season with a 3-1 road victory at Hollins University. Tia Bringhurst (Hurricane, UT) got the season off with a bang as she scored just 57 seconds into the season. Salem improves to 1-0, while Hollins drops to 0-1.
Stonewall Jackson's Kent commits to play soccer at Salem
June 3, 2010Winston-Salem, NC-The Salem College soccer program is excited to announce that Bethany Kent committed to attend Salem next fall. Kent played midfield for Coach Pierre Slaiby and Coach Nicole St. Germain at Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, VA. Salem is coming off of a 12-7-1 season in...
Floyd E. Kellam's Eggers commits to play soccer at Salem College
June 1, 2010Winston-Salem, NC-The Salem College soccer program is excited to announce that Becca Eggers committed to attend Salem next fall. Eggers played for Coach Mario Hurdle and Coach Kerri Land at Floyd E. Kellam High School in Virginia Beach, VA. She also played club soccer for seven years with...
2010 Soccer Schedule
When Opponent Where Time 08/21 Scrim. vs. W-S Adult Team Salem TBA 08/28 Scrim. vs. VA Club Team Salem TBA 09/01 @ Hollins University Roanoke, VA 4:00 pm 09/04 @ Meredith vs. Peace $ Raleigh, NC 3:15 pm 09/05 vs. Meredith College $ Raleigh, NC 1:00 pm 09/11 @ U....
2008 Soccer Roster
No. Player Pos. Year Hometown 00 Andrea Baldwin GK SO Hudson, NC 01 Lauren Wisen GK FY Madison, OH 02 Brittany Tedrick GK SO Batavia, OH 05 Kayla Stover* M/D SR Sturgeon Bay, WI 06 Kimberly Wisen M SO Madison, OH 07 Amber Bryant F/D SO Jonesville, NC 08 Kirby...
2008 Soccer Schedule
Day Date Opponent Time Results Sat. Aug. 30 @ Hollins University 1 pm W 5-1 Sat. Sept. 6 @ Peace College 2 pm W 3-0 Sun. Sept. 7 @ Shenandoah University 2 pm L 0-1 (OT) Sat. Sept. 13 @ Agnes Scott Tournament vs. Meredith 2 pm L 0-1 Sun....
New Talent Creates Excitement as Soccer Nears Preseason
On August 19th, the Salem College Spirits will field a soccer team that will contain the most talent of any of the first three seasons of NCAA existence. As just the second recruiting class in school history takes the field this fall, the chances of having a successful season have...


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Witnesses offered $150K to lie on Hamilton, court hears
KINGSTON, Jamaica — A former inmate of the Horizon Correctional Facility testified today that two of the main prosecution witnesses told him that they were going to plot lies against Constable Rushon Hamilton.
Hamilton is on trial for the murder of 14-year-old Jhaneal Goulbourne.
The former inmate, whose name is being withheld, said the witnesses told him that they were going to be paid $150,000 by family members of the victim if they lied on Hamilton.
One of the prosecution witnesses is the man who testified that Hamilton confessed to murdering the teenager.
The other witness told jurors that Hamilton asked him to find out when Jhaneal would leave her home, and said that he was going to "tek har whey".
The defense witness also told the court that the man who said Hamilton confessed was a friend of Jhaneal's mother.
He added that the witness told him that he was going to lie because Hamilton "kidnapped and raped the girl who was a daughter of his friend".
Today's witness told the Court that his reason for coming forward is that he gave his life to God and he was bothered by his conscience.
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Seattle tops a list of "Chill Cities," as the most comfortable place in the nation to spend the summer.
A research firm (Sperling's BestPlaces) found that Seattle's mild temperatures, cool nights and low humidity helped it reach the top of the list.
Seattle was followed by Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco.
Other cities to make the summer comfort list included Denver; San Jose, California; Buffalo, N.Y.; Salt Lake City; Milwaukee; Detroit; and Pittsburgh.
** The top "Sizzling Cities", or those with the worst heat and humidity without cool nights, included Phoenix, Las Vegas and Dallas.


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Thank you so much for your thoughts on this I really do think having it done was a waste of time and i do regret it I am gonna tell my husband what you wrote so he can see what I have been trying to tell him about getting another opinion. Ive been wanting one but he is insistant on having my dr stick with my case. Thanks once again
Hugs lisa


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By Jordan Sandler - bio | email
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Neighbors say a popular Columbia spot is playing host to some 'sex in the city.'
The city of Columbia is in the midst of an experiment to try to stop the activity from happening at Finlay Park.
If you've come to Finlay Park this summer, you might have noticed a chain blocking off the upper parking lot. The park hasn't closed, just this parking lot.
Friday is day 40 of a 45-day trial run for the city to see how people are using the park without the lot.
Robin Gorman loves the view from her Governor's Hill balcony, overlooking Finlay Park.
"If you look out you can see families," said Gorman. "You see all ages, you see blacks, whites, Hispanics, Asian, just a multitude of people who come and enjoy the park."
One night in the Finlay's upper parking lot, Gorman saw a different image.
"I witnessed a couple having sex," she says.
Gorman says even during the day she's seen the parking lot used for sex acts, drug deals and motorists who hang out in the parking lot, but not the park.
"The parking lot is just a major place for people to meet," she says. "Sometimes they don't even get out of the cars."
Because of complaints by neighbors like Gorman, the city of Columbia closed the lot for a 45-day trial period. Leaders wanted to see if people could still enjoy the park without the convenient parking area.
It's possible the city could close the lot for good.
"I think they should keep the parking lot," says park visitor Tara Corbett.
Corbett isn't thrilled she now has park on the street and walk to see her favorite image.
"The waterfall and the rocks and stuff, I love that part," she says.
Gorman loves seeing people like Corbett enjoy it. She believes if the parking lot permanently closes, it will draw more visitors as well.
"More people enjoying the park for all the right reasons," she said. "Because it's absolutely fantastic."
Copyright 2009 WIS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Catherine Malandrino Launches Her New Website!
NY, New York- starting June 1st taxis across New York City are displaying the distinctive Catherine Malandrino yellow banner to celebrate the launch of fashion designer Catherine Malandrino's new website CatherineMalandrino.com featuring an innovative e-commerce portion Shop.catherinemalandrino.com.
The site is an interactive journey throughout the world of Catherine Malandrino; establishing a true connection with fans, and giving them a place where they can relate to Catherine's story and lifestyle in a variety of ways. CatherineMalandrino.com allows the visitors behind the scenes to discover her passion, emotions, inspirations, and thoughts through her blog. You can follow Catherine on Twitter, Facebook, and even check out her latest posts on YouTube, Vimeo, and Flickr!
CatherineMalandrino.com leads the viewer through a seamless ribbon of exploration over six main sections; Catherine Malandrino, Malandrino, Passion, Happening, Boutique, and Shop.
In both the Catherine Malandrino (contemporary collection) & Malandrino (runway collection) sections fans can delve into past collections, see images and videos of runway shows, unveiling how the Catherine Malandrino and Malandrino women has evolved and where she is going…
Passion begins with a personal journey through Catherine's life. Radio allows you to listen to all the music from Catherine Malandrino's past shows. In Cinema, travel with Catherine and discover her latest video clip "Around the World"; from Moscow, Las Vegas, Istanbul, Paris, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Provence.
In the Happening section fans can find out about upcoming events, browse key press, and keep up with the latest Catherine Malandrino news and projects. You can even click on a celebrity wearing Malandrino and purchase their exact look right then.
The Boutique section features a gallery of images from Catherine's renowned boutiques around the world.
The Shop section and e-commerce portion Shop.catherinemalandrino.com allows users to shop online for the contemporary Catherine Malandrino collection and the Malandrino runway collection. Shop.catherinemalandrino.com features Vintage pieces available for sale in limited quantities, beginning with Catherine's iconic Flag Dress that has become a best seller. There are also unique VIP special offers and future exclusive online shopping events!
Please visit http://catherinemalandrino.com/!
Join designer Catherine Malandrino on August 20 for her first ever live online interactive broadcast appearance and explore with Catherine her exciting world of fashion, design, love and sensuality as she guides us through her unique virtual world!
Designed in collaboration with Son & Sons and Pod1 Marketing.


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AHAHAHAHA!!!!!! This was EXCELLENT! I thoroughly enjoyed the whole DAY!!! So much hilarity, so many smiles... so much thought, I am overwhelmed and so VERY grateful! What a totally TERRIFIC present, one of the very BEST I've EVER had!!!!!!!
I can't thank you enough, m'dear - this was soooooooo very lovely!
What's life w/o it's little quirks!! Adorable finish!! Loved this
These are just the cutest lil drabbles ever!
That was awesome :D
These were soooo cute!! Yay!
Oh, dear GAWD, I'm going to DIE laughing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't remember the last time I laughed this hard on an hourly basis. Whew. You are GOOD, m'dear. DAMN good. I pity anyone who doesn't read this, cuz it's the BEST!!!!
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! Ugh, Buddy was licking my foot this morning and just that made me all twitchy. Then again, we are talking about our beloved, hunky Sesshy... hmmmm. Maybe not so "Ew" after all? *wink* I may be old (I know, not the oldest), but I can still dream!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! Just the thought of Sesshoumaru... the Ice Prince... the Killing Perfection... chewing SOCKS!!!!!!!!!
Ouch... sides hurt... laugh lines now permanently engraved on my face!
oOoH The silllies. LOL. Sesshomaru is such mischevious little doggy!! Love these.
LOLOLOL OHMIGOD I LOVE THESE DRABBLESSS. <333 Wiccan will too. I laughed SO HARD. BAD SESSHO, BAD.
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!! Priceless, just priceless. Glad I wasn't taking a sip of my Coca Cola when I read this one, or I would have had QUITE the mess to clean! "...brush in his mouth..." Still laughing over the image that conjures!
Yuppers... OOC Sesshy makes the birfday girl VERY HAPPY! "Hide and seek..." LOLZ... *fans self* *sigh*
Nicely done!!!!!!
Sooooo like my dog! It never fails that when he's looking his cutest, you lean toward him to give him a kiss and he'll belch right in your face!!!!!!! LOL! LOVE IT!!!!
Awwww... poor Sesshy!! He just wants to SHARE everything, kinda like some kids I know, lol!! Looking forward to the next installment. I still can't believe you're doing this... you are SUCH a sweetheart!
Soooooo not Sesshoumaru!! But so very touching... and sweet! You really do know my weakness when it comes to this pairing, don't you? Yes, I'll freely admit it, I LUV THE FLUFF!!!!!
Just now got time to sit down and read... and was AMAZED to find this. You are spending ALL THIS TIME updating drabbles for ME??? Greater love hath no VL kid, that's for sure! I am in awe, as always, of your mad drabble skillz... and your dedication... and your HUGE, generous, giving heart.
More to come...
Wow! What an awesome birthday present - I look forward to reading along with the birthday lady!
INUYASHA © Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan • Yomiuri TV • Sunrise 2000No money is being made from the creation or viewing of content on this site, which is strictly for personal, non-commercial use, in accordance with the copyright.


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Lemon Tart
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Your friends will think you've found the latest boutique bakery. They'll never guess that you served up the quintessential French Tart by simply thawing and serving. This incredible confection has a sweetened shortbread pastry crust with a tart lemon curd filling - dusted with just a touch of powdered sugar on top. Serve this up with fresh raspberries and mint or rim the tart with blueberries or blackberries and top with a dollop of whipped cream. Voilà - perfection!
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Hello, with the draft just a couple days away I wanted to post some interesting picks and their projected round that I have gathered from all the great articles on prospects here at TCB as well as some other random scouting reports and lists.
I tend to lean more to left handedness in the first ten rounds because that is where I think we can find quality in those areas we tend to lack, especially LH young starting pitching with high upside. It seems to be a strength in this draft as well as some HS 3B talent in the 5-10 rounds. The talent for 3B might be a reason we could pass up on Bryant or take him since we could still get players later. Here is a mock of the first ten rounds I did with some options and some extra ideas with ranges below the list.
1-1 Mark Appel (RHP) P/Stanford or Kris Bryant (R/R) 3B/San Diego
2-40 Cord Sandberg (L/R) OF/HS (FL) or Jake Brentz, (LHP) P/South HS (MO) or Sean Manaea, (LHP) P/Indiana State or Ryan McMahon (L/R) 3B/HS (CA)
3-74 Kevin Ziomek (LHP) P/Vanderbilt or Hunter Green (LHP) P/HS (KY)
4-107 Andrew Knapp (S/R) C/California or Drew Ward (L/R) 3B, HS (OK)
5-137 Malik Collymore (R/R) 2B/Ontario Prep School, Canada or Cody Gunter (L/R) 3B/JC (TX) or Austin Nicely LHP HS (VA)
6-167 Tucker Neuhaus (L/R) 3B/HS (UT) or Willie Abreu (L/L) OF/Mater Academy (FL)
7-197 Nick Buckner, OF (L/L) North Shore HS (TX) or Drew Dosch (L/R) 3B/Youngstown State
8-227 LB Dantzler (L/R) 3B/1B/South Carolina
9-257 Erich Weiss (L/R) 2B/3B/Texas
10-287 Jason Monda (L/L) OF/Washington State
Other Intriguing names with round ranges:
Supp-2 Ryan Boldt, OF (L/L), Red Wing HS (MN.)
2-3 Jordan Paroubeck OF (L/L), Serra HS (CA)
Supp-3 Cody Reed, LHP, 6-5, 220, Northwest Mississippi CC
3-5 Justin Williams, OF (L/L) Terrebonne HS (LA.)


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Alright Ladies and gentlemen! Week one is over. Time to forget the ugly Monday and early Tuesday blues and get prepared to face our heated divisional rivals, the Carolina Panthers. As we all know, these 2 teams always play each other very tough. 2 things that scare me. We've won the last 4 in a row against the Panthers. Streaks don't last forever, so please let it be 5 in row to get back to 1-1. Another thing that scares me, both of these teams are 0-1, and are hungry to get back to 1-1. The question remains, who's hungrier? That remains to be seen.
Panthers lost in a match against the bucs 16-10 on Sunday. Maybe the Bucs revamped their defense? Who knows. I do know this, Cam Newton is scary good, and Steve Smith unfortunately gives us gray hairs...along with most other teams. And you have Jonathon Stewart and D Williams who are power runners and can run very well. Due to our horrific F minus defensive performance on Sunday, our D must improve drastically and be ready for these guys.
The key majors the Saints need to do to win this game:
Run the ball more, or even just a little more to help Brees and balance our offensive playcalling
Tackle tackle! Stop the run Still a killer on our D.
Make Cam uncomfortable in the pocket, don't let him run outside, or else it will be a long day.
And for the love of Christ, 12 penalties is inexcusable! Multiple false starts, holding penalties are drive killers. Stay focused please.
So the question remains, can we win this game on Sunday? Absolutely. Will we win on Sunday? That remains to be seen. If they follow the steps I've mentioned above.
Sunday will be a tough matchup, I predict a lot of scoring, we just need to outscore them. Who's going to be hungrier for the win? Hopefully it's us.
Let's get back to 1-1! Go Saints! Focus! Play Hard!


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Over the years we've helped thousands of businesses create and launch sweepstakes on their Facebook Pages. I've yet to find a simpler, more cost-efficient way to grow just about any business's fan base on Facebook. Call 'em trendy, cheezy, or whatever else you'd like, but if you do a sweepstakes right, it works!
Although a Facebook sweepstakes can be easy to create and manage, that doesn't mean that by throwing just any old tab up on your Facebook Page will do the trick. Don't think that by advertising a cool item that a lucky guy or gal stands to get if they're selected as the winner of your Facebook promotion along with a couple of status updates will result in your Page magically growing by hundreds or thousands of fans overnight. Sadly, it does require a little work.
Fortunately, in most cases, the work load isn't much and is quite simple.
In order to be effective, a Facebook promotion need not be elaborate. Simplicity is key. After having seen thousands of promotions created and managed with GroSocial, we've discovered a few patterns in what strategic moves tend to help a promo go better than average:
- Make sure the promotion period is reasonable. Don't assume that by extending your promotion period out a few days or weeks (or heaven forbid, months) that your results will improve. The same sweepstakes can lose its allure after just a few days. We've found that the ideal duration for a Facebook promotion is as few as one day and as long as 14. Anything beyond that is generally a "no-no".
- Don't make entrants jump through hoops to enter. Not too long ago, a business came to us asking for help creating a custom promotion for their Facebook Page. Their idea was to require entrants to (1) buy a product at a local store, (2) take a picture of themselves at that store, holding the product in one hand and the purchase receipt in the other, and (3) submit the photo as their entry to win. Way too many steps! If someone can't enter your promotion in a matter of 15-20 seconds or less, it's too complex.
- Give away something unique. I've said it before and I'll say it again…the "bait" matters! Your giveaway item needs to be interesting. Classic, easy items like cash, iPads, and other hot gadgets generally work pretty well. Things like coupons don't work as well, but tend to perform fairly well also. Your giveaway item needs to be interesting to the largest number of people possible–especially if the demographics of your target customer are broad. Giving away tickets to a basketball game may attract some, but not everyone. What we've seen work extremely well is when a business offers an experience or something highly exlusive as the giveaway item. For example, a vacation, backstage passes to a big concert, an opportunity to do something unique or "once-in-a-lifetime-ish". In summary, find something that is both universally interesting and creative.
- Use a tab and keep the design clean. In order to be fully compliant with Facebook's promotion guidelines, you'll need to use an app which allows you to host your sweepstakes on a tab on your Facebook Page. Don't just use any old tab, though. Keep it simple in design. Don't clutter it with unnecessary text, images, or other junk that distracts people from the key goal of getting them to "like" your Facebook Page and enter your sweepstakes.
- Play on trends. Whether it be holidays, seasons, local, national, or international sporting events, major movie releases, or other fun stuff going on in the world around you, take the opportunity to leverage those fun things to get a bit more attention than you would have otherwise received had you done something more "typical". At Christmas time, people have Christmas on their minds. During the summer olympics, people often have their minds on the olympics. When their minds are on these things, they want to discuss those things, which often times results in more attention for your buisness when you throw out a themed promotion on one of those topics or trends.
- Incentivize sharing. This is a big deal. If your tab is built properly with clear calls to action (the bare minimum you'll want is three: get people to "like" your Facebook Page, enter an email address, and share with friends) there will be a major emphasis on providing incentives for people to share your sweepstakes with their friends on Facebook or other social networking sites. Consider simple incentives such as "get three additional entries for each time you share with your friends!"–and make sure you're using a social media marketing platform that helps you track that stuff (like GroSocial…wink, wink). Sharing is the biggest difference between the good promotions and great ones.
- Collect email addresses to notify winners. As was briefly mentioned above, it's crucial that you get a valid email address from each of your promotion entrants. The first reason being that it is the easiest, Facebook-compliant way to notify those that you select as winners of your sweepstakes. The second being that once an entrant shares his/her email address with you, you then have yet another way to reach out to them to remind them of your sweepstakes, when it ends, what the prize(s) is/are, and what they can do to increase their odds of winning. The more touchpoints you have (and use) with your entrants, the more sharing you'll get out of them. Plus, the next time you run a sweepstakes on your Facebook Page, you'll have a solid base of promotion-lovers that you can hit up via email to invite them to enter your next sweepstakes.
- Post daily and promote your posts. Surprisingly, many of our users launch sexy-looking, well-built sweepstakes using GroSocial and, after installing, assume that their work is done when, in reality, the work is just getting started! The easiest way to get people to enter your sweepstakes is to TELL THEM ABOUT IT with a status update. But, don't stop with just one. Continue to promote your sweepstakes with daily status updates and consider using Facebook's "Promoted Posts" feature to ensure that your status updates reach the greatest number of fans possible.
- Send an email at launch, at entry, and 1-3 days prior to the end date of the sweepstakes. As was hinted at above–and along with regularly posting status updates–a great way to get a big batch of sweepstakes entrants (and "likes" in general) is to send an email out to anyone and everyone you know the day you launch your sweepstakes. If you don't have a very big list of email contacts, start out with your personal contacts, personal Facebook friends, and personal Twitter followers and go from there. Additionally, consider partnering and collaborating with a company that does have a significantly large list on your sweepstakes to ensure that the largest possible number of people enter.
- Require a "like". By far the most no-brainer of this list. Sweepstakes are an extremely effective way to get likes. Don't make the mistake of running any promotion on Facebook without requiring a "like".
If you're not trying some or all of these, try a few (or all) in your next sweepstakes and let us know how it goes.
Are we forgetting anything that you've found to be effective? Share it with us in the comments below!


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It's been a pretty good day for stars of "The Shield." Michael Chiklis just nabbed the villain role in "Parker" and now his co-star Walton Goggins is joining the biggest Oscar bait picture of 2012.
Goggins -- currently best known for his role on "Justified" and with parts in the upcoming "Cowboys & Aliens" and "Straw Dogs" -- has come aboard Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln." Based on the best-selling book, "Team of Rivals," by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and featuring a script by Tony Kushner ("Angels In America"), the film will focus "on the political collision of Lincoln and the powerful men of his cabinet on the road to abolition and the end of the Civil War." And Spielberg already has a brilliant cast to weave the story with Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, John Hawkes, Hal Holbrook, James Spader, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Joseph Cross and David Straithairn all set to star.
Just to recap: DDL and Field are set to play Abraham and Mary Todd, with Jones portraying Republican Thaddeus Stevens who supported the abolition of slavery and wrote legislation that helped fund the Civil War. Gordon-Levitt will be Lincoln's son, Robert Todd, the only one to survive past his teenage years and Straithairn, plays William Seward, the president's loyal Secretary of State and fierce abolitionist who served under Lincoln during the Civil War. Goggins will play another Lincoln ally, Democratic Ohio Congressman Wells A. Hutchins, who goes against the party line and votes to abolish slavery.
Shooting will begin this fall in Virginia with a fall 2012 release date in the works. [Deadline]
saw see | July 27, 2011 3:00 AM
-----Another Lincoln.
Handy predictive programming
for the ever unfolding police and state surveillance.
Important to remember Lincoln himself may very well
have been done in by the powers of debt-serf finance.
Check out 'The Money Masters' on google for the
Blow your mind -----------------------------FOR REAL.
Stephen B | July 12, 2011 2:44 AM
Just that she's already a year older than Mary Todd when Mary Todd died (some 15 years after Lincoln's assassination), and ten years older than the actor playing her husband (when the real Lincoln was, in fact, 10 years older than Mary Todd). Seems like an odd choice for a character who will likely be in their 40s for most of the film.
dfsk | July 11, 2011 9:59 AM
Don't see what's so hard to "get" about the Sally Field choice. She'll be a great Mary Todd.
Stephen B | July 11, 2011 8:59 AM
Helluva cast. Still don't quite get the Sally Field choice, but maybe Steve knows what he's doing.


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Phoenix Hill Tavern
644 Baxter Ave. • 636-0405
$15; 7:30 p.m.
Co-founded by Page Hamilton in New York in 1989, Helmet and its heavy music — call it post-hardcore if you must — married aggression and precision, beginning with its 1991 debut Strap It On. Hamilton wasn't your average angst-ridden barker/shredder, using his formal jazz training to infuse Helmet's work with compositional strength. The following year, Helmet's major label debut Meantime went gold, earned a Grammy nomination and influenced thousands of acts, like The Deftones and Tool. In 1998, Helmet disbanded. Hamilton, for his part, dove into soundtrack work for "Catwoman" and "Saw," as well as a continuing partnership with Academy Award-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal ("Heat"). Hamilton played lead guitar in David Bowie's backing band before rebooting Helmet in 2004 with a new lineup. Their seventh album, Seeing Eye Dog, promises more brains and brawn. Stroker, Trophy Wives and Trails also perform. —Mat Herron


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About a year ago, we featured an app developed by XDA Forum Member ejezisek on the XDA Portal called Floating Draw. It was among a new wave of exciting apps that allowed users to multitask with much greater flexibility by having one app float over another. And as with such early apps, functionality was limited to only a certain, singular action. And in Floating Draw's case, this was drawing over the screen on an invisible template.
Fast forward a year, and ejezisek has given Floating Draw a major update in the form of "Draw Rooms." Unlike any floating app we've come across, Floating Draw now enables you to host such draw rooms on your phone screen, where other users can enter and doodle as well. In a sense, Draw Rooms can be likened in many ways to online chat rooms, except without the chatting and with drawing. This, of course, is in addition to the features that have been around since Floating Draw's inception, such as offline drawing, geometric shapes, text, and the ability to clear or save your drawings and scribbles.
Floating Draw is compatible with devices running Android version 2.1 and newer, and can be downloaded for free. To check the app out or to learn more, visit the application thread._________
Want something on the XDA Portal? Send us a tip! -- Join us for xda:devcon 2014!


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La Strega Reading, With Patti Murin and Curtis Holbrook, Presented June 6
By Adam Hetrick
Curtis Holbrook, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Patti Murin and Jason "SweetTooth" Williams appear in a staged reading of the Anne Berlin comedy La Strega June 6 at the Bleecker Street Theatre.
Noah Racey (Never Gonna Dance) stages the free 1 PM reading that is presented through Planet Connections Theatre Festivity.
Here's how the 90-minute romantic comedy is described: "Lucrezia is a modern-day witch, visiting from Rome, who gave up magic to lead a 'normal life' as a film publicist. But when her colleague is having relationship problems, she decides to help by dabbling with magic. Spells and romance go awry and everyone falls in love with everyone until true love finds the way!"
The four-person cast includes Holbrook (Xanadu), Lanzarone (Women on the Verge...), Murin (Lysistrata Jones) and Williams (Bloodsong of Love). Katy Moore is stage manager.
To reserve seats, phone (888) 811-4111, or visit planetconnections.org.
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I got the idea from Alfies FPed piece, and the stats from NFL.com. We compare 07-08-09In 2007, in the last 2 minutes of the half
He was 15/29 for 151 yards with 1 TD and I int.........his rating was 64.0
In the 4th within 7, his rating was an amazing 71, his rushing was best when the Jags were behind by more then 9 pts
In the clutch, 4th qtr within 7...........53/92 for 538 yards 2TD and 3 INT with a 68.5 rating
When down by 8 to 14 points (a two posession game), his rating fell to 66
However he was better with the last 2 minutes, though running he was atrocious
He excelled late, with 2 min left.......he was 37/63 for 396 yards 4TD/1INT and a 91 rating
The trumper though, in the clutch, he got worse.......30/56 for 354 yards 1TD/2INTS! (i.e. 2 losses) and a 64 rating
He was better in the 2POS games, with a 69 rating..........but, he threw most of his INTS within the 21 to 50 of the Jaguars, giving the other side a short field.....and outside of MSW 40+ yd catch against KC and Holt's 63 yarder against MIAMI, he is average in the last 2 min............and rushing wise he was a bit better, but 77 rushes sounds like Brunell of '96, and in those runs he was only 3TDS
STATLINK? http://www.nfl.com/players/davidgarrard/situationalstats?id=GAR371604&season=2009


text:
- 9/10/12 /
- Comment
This Is Bradley Cooper Hugging Ryan Gosling
Sexy brought back, times two.
Skip to content, or skip to search.
Sexy brought back, times two.
Plagiarism's all the rage-arism in this Bradley Cooper film.
Where he'd star opposite Beyoncé for Clint Eastwood.
B-Coop stumbles upon a pivotal manuscript.
Eat your heart out, Jayson Blair!
Because they're literally crazy.
Nice dreads, Bradley Cooper.
Oh wow, that really does sound like Jason Sudeikis.
Writing is very exciting.
Welcome home, soldiers. Now give Tom Hanks a hug.
Starring Christian Bale.
What's ... with the hair, Katniss?
We're talking John Paul Jones, and not the Led Zeppelin kind.
For his next film, set in Copenhagen.
Famous last words ...
The film has been scrapped.
To be directed by Susanne Bier.
"The peacoat is like this, with the scarf!"
It's part of his job duties as Sexiest Man Alive.
C'est bon!
He's no longer attached to the remake, but concept art from the project has found its way online.
Bradley Cooper, Sofia Vergara, Liza Minnelli, and more in this month's slideshow.
He'd take on the role George Clooney was going to play.


text:
Quick recap:
- Hellickson had a very strong outting. His final line: 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K. All on just 95 pitches. Of those 95, 57 were strikes. He relied mostly on his fastball and changeup, as expected. These two pitches generated 11 swinging strikes. Of particular interest was the changeup which was thrown 35 times, 25 were for strikes and 9 were swinging strikes. Lovely.
- Russell and Ramos closed out the game with a scoreless 8th and 9th, sealing victory.
- Longoria looked sharp leading off again. 2 for 3 with a 2B and 2 walks and 2 runs.
- Upton walked 3 times after striking out 6 times in the last 2 games. He also scored a run and stole a base.
- Jaso hit his 3rd home run of the year in the 4th inning, driving in Upton.
- Even with all this good news, something bad had to happen as Kotchman injured his ankle sliding into 2nd trying to stretch a single into a double in the 4th inning. Hopefully this injury isn't going to cause him to miss an extended amount of time as there are not a lot of options at 1B on the roster.
And finally, Cobb should start on tuesday instead of sonny. Thank god. Next game is tomorrow at 6:40 pm against the Texas Rangers. Keep tuned to draysbay.com for news on Cobb and Kotchman.


text: Whilst watching TV the other day I cam across a commercial for a new website called Daily Burn. In a nutshell it's a fitness website that gives you daily workouts based on whatever requirements you put into the system. It's a great concept. One of the things that struck me about the commercial was the positioning that it's super affordable compared to a session with a personal trainer. Taking that statement at face value, it's absolutely true. But, is that really the basis you want to position your product on? That statement alone got me thinking about price wars in the fitness industry. It's a fascinating topic for a number of reasons.