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- Braida L.D. (1991) Crossmodal integration in the identification of consonant segments. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. a, Human Experimental Psychology, 43(3), 647-77.Although speechreading can be facilitated by auditory or tactile supplements, the process that integrates cues across modalities is not well understood. This paper describes two "optimal processing" models for the types of integration that can be used in speechreading consonant segments and compares their predictions with those of the Fuzzy Logical Model of Perception (FLMP, Massaro, 1987). In "pre-labelling" integration, continuous sensory data is combined across modalities before response labels are assigned. In "post-labelling" integration, the responses that would be made under unimodal conditions are combined, and a joint response is derived from the pair. To describe pre-labelling integration, confusion matrices are characterized by a multidimensional decision model that allows performance to be described by a subject's sensitivity and bias in using continuous-valued cues. The cue space is characterized by the locations of stimulus and response centres. The distance between a pair of stimulus centres determines how well two stimuli can be distinguished in a given experiment. In the multimodal case, the cue space is assumed to be the product space of the cue spaces corresponding to the stimulation modes. Measurements of multimodal accuracy in five modern studies of consonant identification are more consistent with the predictions of the pre-labelling integration model than the FLMP or the post-labelling model.
- Durlach N.I., Tan H.Z., Macmillan N.A., Rabinowitz W.M., Braida L.D. (1989) Resolution in one dimension with random variations in background dimensions. Perception and Psychophysics, 46(3), 293-6.
- Grant K.W. & Braida L.D. (1991) Evaluating the articulation index for auditory-visual input [published erratum appears in J Acoust Soc Am 1991, 90(4 Pt 1), 2202]. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 1991 Jun, 89(6), 2952-60.An investigation of the auditory-visual (AV) articulation index (AI) correction procedure outlined in the ANSI standard [ANSI S3.5-1969 (R1986)] was made by evaluating auditory (A), visual (V), and auditory-visual sentence identification for both wideband speech degraded by additive noise and a variety of bandpass-filtered speech conditions presented in quiet and in noise. When the data for each of the different listening conditions were averaged across talkers and subjects, the procedure outlined in the standard was fairly well supported, although deviations from the predicted AV score were noted for individual subjects as well as individual talkers. For filtered speech signals with AIA less than 0.25, there was a tendency for the standard to underpredict AV scores. Conversely, for signals with AIA greater than 0.25, the standard consistently overpredicted AV scores. Additionally, synergistic effects, where the AIA obtained from the combination of different bandpass-filtered conditions was greater than the sum of the individual AIA's, were observed for all nonadjacent filter-band combinations (e.g., the addition of a low-pass band with a 630-Hz cutoff and a high-pass band with a 3150-Hz cutoff). These latter deviations from the standard violate the basic assumption of additivity stated by Articulation Theory, but are consistent with earlier reports by Pollack [I. Pollack, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 20, 259-266 (1948)], Licklider [J. C. R. Licklider, Psychology: A Study of a Science, Vol. 1, edited by S. Koch (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1959), pp. 41-144], and Kryter [K. D. Kryter, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 32, 547-556 (1960)].
- Grant K.W., Braida L.D., & Renn R.J. (1991) Single band amplitude envelope cues as an aid to speechreading. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology. a, Human Experimental Psychology, 43(3), 621-45.Amplitude envelopes derived from speech have been shown to facilitate speech-reading to varying degrees, depending on how the envelope signals were extracted and presented and on the amount of training given to the subjects. In this study, three parameters related to envelope extraction and presentation were examined using both easy and difficult sentence materials: (1) the bandwidth and centre frequency of the filtered speech signal used to obtain the envelope; (2) the bandwidth of the envelope signal determined by the lowpass filter cutoff frequency used to "smooth" the envelope fluctuations; and (3) the carrier signal used to convey the envelope cues. Results for normal hearing subjects following a brief visual and auditory-visual familiarization/training period showed that (1) the envelope derived from wideband speech does not provide the greatest benefit to speechreading when compared to envelopes derived from selected octave bands of speech; (2) as the bandwidth centred around the carrier frequency increased from 12.5 to 1600 Hz, auditory-visual (AV) performance obtained with difficult sentence materials improved, especially for envelopes derived from high-frequency speech energy; (3) envelope bandwidths below 25 Hz resulted in AV scores that were sometimes equal to or worse than speechreading alone; (4) for each filtering condition tested, there was at least one bandwidth and carrier condition that produced AV scores that were significantly greater than speechreading alone; (5) low-frequency carriers were better than high-frequency or wideband carriers for envelopes derived from an octave band of speech centred at 500 Hz; and (6) low-frequency carriers were worse than high-frequency or wideband carriers for envelopes derived from an octave band centred at 3150 Hz. These results suggest that amplitude envelope cues can provide a substantial benefit to speechreading for both easy and difficult sentence materials, but that frequency transposition of these signals to regions remote from their "natural" spectral locations may result in reduced performance.
- Picheny M.A., Durlach N.I., Braida L.D. (1989) Speaking clearly for the hard of hearing. III: An attempt to determine the contribution of speaking rate to differences in intelligibility between clear and conversational speech. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1989 Sep, 32(3), 600-3.Previous studies (Picheny, Durlach, & Braida, 1985, 1986) have demonstrated that substantial intelligibility differences exist for hearing-impaired listeners for speech spoken clearly compared to speech spoken conversationally. This paper presents the results of a probe experiment intended to determine the contribution of speaking rate to the intelligibility differences. Clear sentences were processed to have the durational properties of conversational speech, and conversational sentences were processed to have the durational properties of clear speech. Intelligibility testing with hearing-impaired listeners revealed both sets of materials to be degraded after processing. However, the degradation could not be attributable to processing artifacts because reprocessing the materials to restore their original durations produced intelligibility scores close to those observed for the unprocessed materials. We conclude that the simple processing to alter the relative durations of the speech materials was not adequate to assess the contribution of speaking rate to the intelligibility differences; further studies are proposed to address this question.
- Reed C.M., Durlach N.I., Braida L.D., & Schultz M.C. (1989) Analytic study of the Tadoma method: effects of hand position on segmental speech perception. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 32(4),921-9.In the Tadoma method of communication, deaf-blind individuals receive speech by placing a hand on the face and neck of the talker and monitoring actions associated with speech production. Previous research has documented the speech perception, speech production, and linguistic abilities of highly experienced users of the Tadoma method. The current study was performed to gain further insight into the cues involved in the perception of speech segments through Tadoma. Small-set segmental identification experiments were conducted in which the subjects' access to various types of articulatory information was systematically varied by imposing limitations on the contact of the hand with the face. Results obtained on 3 deaf-blind, highly experienced users of Tadoma were examined in terms of percent-correct scores, information transfer, and reception of speech features for each of sixteen experimental conditions. The results were generally consistent with expectations based on the speech cues assumed to be available in the various hand positions.
- Reed C.M., Power M.H., Durlach N.I., Braida L.D., Foss K.K., Reid J.A., & Dubois S.R. (1991) Development and testing of artificial low-frequency speech codes. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 28(3), 67-82.In a new approach to the frequency-lowering of speech, artificial codes were developed for 24 consonants (C) and 15 vowels (V) for two values of lowpass cutoff frequency F (300 and 500 Hz). Each individual phoneme was coded by a unique, nonvarying acoustic signal confined to frequencies less than or equal to F. Stimuli were created through variations in spectral content, amplitude, and duration of tonal complexes or bandpass noise. For example, plosive and fricative sounds were constructed by specifying the duration and relative amplitude of bandpass noise with various center frequencies and bandwidths, while vowels were generated through variations in the spectral shape and duration of a ten-tone harmonic complex. The ability of normal-hearing listeners to identify coded Cs and Vs in fixed-context syllables was compared to their performance on single-token sets of natural speech utterances lowpass filtered to equivalent values of F. For a set of 24 consonants in C-/a/ context, asymptotic performance on coded sounds averaged 90 percent correct for F = 500 Hz and 65 percent for F = 300 Hz, compared to 75 percent and 40 percent for lowpass filtered speech. For a set of 15 vowels in /b/-V-/t/ context, asymptotic performance on coded sounds averaged 85 percent correct for F = 500 Hz and 65 percent for F = 300 Hz, compared to 85 percent and 50 percent for lowpass filtered speech. Identification of coded signals for F = 500 Hz was also examined in CV syllables where C was selected at random from the set of 24 Cs and V was selected at random from the set of 15 Vs. Asymptotic performance of roughly 67 percent correct and 71 percent correct was obtained for C and V identification, respectively. These scores are somewhat lower than those obtained in the fixed-context experiments. Finally, results were obtained concerning the effect of token variability on the identification of lowpass filtered speech. These results indicate a systematic decrease in percent-correct score as the number of tokens representing each phoneme in the identification tests increased from one to nine.
- Reed C.M., Rabinowitz W.M., Durlach N.I., Delhorne L.A., Braida L.D., Pemberton J.C., Mulcahey B.D., & Washington D.L. (1992) Analytic study of the Tadoma method: improving performance through the use of supplementary tactual displays. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 35(2), 450-65.Although results obtained with the Tadoma method of speechreading have set a new standard for tactual speech communication, they are nevertheless inferior to those obtained in the normal auditory domain. Speech reception through Tadoma is comparable to that of normal-hearing subjects listening to speech under adverse conditions corresponding to a speech-to-noise ratio of roughly 0 dB. The goal of the current study was to demonstrate improvements to speech reception through Tadoma through the use of supplementary tactual information, thus leading to a new standard of performance in the tactual domain. Three supplementary tactual displays were investigated: (a) an articulatory-based display of tongue contact with the hard palate; (b) a multichannel display of the short-term speech spectrum; and (c) tactual reception of Cued Speech. The ability of laboratory-trained subjects to discriminate pairs of speech segments that are highly confused through Tadoma was studied for each of these augmental displays. Generally, discrimination tests were conducted for Tadoma alone, the supplementary display alone, and Tadoma combined with the supplementary tactual display. The results indicated that the tongue-palate contact display was an effective supplement to Tadoma for improving discrimination of consonants, but that neither the tongue-palate contact display nor the short-term spectral display was highly effective in improving vowel discriminability. For both vowel and consonant stimulus pairs, discriminability was nearly perfect for the tactual reception of the manual cues associated with Cued Speech. Further experiments on the identification of speech segments were conducted for Tadoma combined with Cued Speech. The observed data for both discrimination and identification experiments are compared with the predictions of models of integration of information from separate sources.


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Hot answers tagged image
Have you looked at using FWTools? There is a python script called gdal_merge that is available within FWTools. You can use a list as input. The command with usage would be: gdal_merge -o c:\temp\output_image.tif -q -v --optfile c:\temp\rasterlist.txt
GDAL supports .img format, both the basic Imagine and the extended Imagine (greater than 2GB), thus any software that utilizes GDAL drivers would support ERDAS Imagine. The most workable and well documented that I have seen is QGIS. It is also open source and therefore free.
You can get Sentinel-1 data from scihub.esa. Requires only registration (And most likely, non-commercial use). As Sentinel-1 has just become operational the archive is not very extensive but should grow quite quickly. You can set request data-access propospal on Alaska Satellite Facility. Some data open access. For ALOS-PALSAR you must be a resident of the ...
Under'Options', choose the 'CRS' tab, and see the choices for new layers. Choose either "Use project CRS", or 'Use default CRS displayed below'.
If you're using Python I'd recommend using the GDAL library, which has it's own Python bindings. Assuming you've got both GDAl (see this GIS StackExchange question for details on how to install on windows) and numpy installed, your code could look something like: from osgeo import gdal import numpy as np #Open our original data as read only dataset = ...
Posterizing was a great start: it eliminated most of the compression artifacts and simplified the cartography enough to enable additional cleaning. Much of the cleaning of a categorical raster involves so-called "morphological" operations. These include expanding one category into its neighbors, shrinking it back again, and region grouping contiguous ...
you can either check "update georeferencing" or create a new rectified image using "rectify". These tools are in the drop down menu of th georeferencing toolbar.
Only managed to find a couple of sources for SAR images and data: You can download SAR images from here which are mostly focused on ecological sites such as forests: You can download SAR samples from here which contain fairly large datasets (note: the last 4 links at the bottom of the SAR section are dead) Hope this helps.
Though I am not able to understand the difference between the standard deviation output and the percentage output and what is the significance of using one over the other? Those refer to the threshold used to decide whether there has been any change between two images. For percentage change, it uses a symmetric relative difference formula to ...
From the USGS FAQ: the blue band is useful for "Bathymetric mapping, distinguishing soil from vegetation and deciduous from coniferous vegetation". It's my experience that you get better results by using band combination, however.
Achieved it by adding a pictureMarker of protractor PNG image. protactorLayer = new esri.layers.GraphicsLayer(); map.addLayer(this.protractorLayer); protractorGraphic = protactorLayer.add(new esri.Graphic(geometry, new esri.symbol.PictureMarkerSymbol('images/protractor.png', 250, 250)));
Of course you can change the OpenLayers default z-index. Just overwrite the z-index default range before anything. OpenLayers.Map.prototype.Z_INDEX_BASE.Feature = 2000; OpenLayers.Map.prototype.Z_INDEX_BASE.Popup = 4000; OpenLayers.Map.prototype.Z_INDEX_BASE.Control = 5000; var map = new OpenLayers.Map(); ...
If you want to show your geometries as vectors instead of images there are a couple of tricks that you can apply to reduce the load of your page: Use TopoJSON instead of GeoJSON Remove all the attributes that you are not going to use in the applicaation and also the whitspaces. Taking into account your visualization scale, simplify your geometries and ...
Panchromatic images are created when the imaging sensor is sensitive to a wide range of wavelengths of light, typically spanning a large part of the visible part of the spectrum. Here is the thing, all imaging sensors need a certain minimum amount of light energy before they can detect a difference in brightness. If the sensor is only sensitive (or is only ...
In theory, it should be possible to create one layer, add images as features with externalGraphic, and set their size (graphicWidth, graphicHeight) dynamically by context function. This will "emulate" georeferenced images. In practice, first problem is - after changing zoom, when feature's origin is not on screen, it's not displayed. Zoom in in example, and ...
Combined pan-sharpening, contrast stretching, and gamma stretching functions If you have access to ArcGIS (and the Spatial Analyst Extension) you can use the technique described in this blog to "blend" DEM (or imagery) with shaded relief. The main disadvantage of this solution is that it is static; you need to produce an RGB raster from your DEM so if you ...
I would use style's context object which calculates graphicWidth and graphicHeight depending on current map resolution. It applies to you first option (Vector layer).
GIS file formats contain georeferencing information. This ties image pixel coordinates to grid references in a projection system, in this case British National Grid. There are lots of ways this information can be stored depending on image format. A basic tool to get you started is gdalinfo which will query the extents of the image in British National ...
You have tagged your question with OpenStreetMap, so I am assuming you are interested in the data in OSM's zoom levels. Please have a look at: Zoom Levels Usually you would not look at the whole world, at the same zoom level, as you would a small city. Your example is at zoom level 17, which has a scale of 1:4000. You would look at the world either at ...
Yes, your example seems logical, however I think you mean georeference not geocode. To start this setup you can do the following: Create a new polygon feature class defined with a spatial reference (in meters) that matches your geographic area of interest. Load in your polygon layer into ArcMap and start an edit session on it. Zoom in on the map to the ...
Try File -> Import -> Desktop Publishing Formats -> JPGIDRIS. You can then mosaic the individual imported jpegs now in Idrisi format.
In answer to your first question I found confirmation of the default compression quality (number) on the help page entitled Compression (Environment setting) where it says (with my bolding): If JPEG, JPEG_YCbCr, or JPEG 2000 is selected, you can also set the compression quality to control how much loss the image will be subjected to by the ...
Try converting your file to another/the same format (Raster/conversion/translate(convert format).There you can define a value for "no data", which you can set to a number different than 0. Hope it helps
Try converting your color list from RGB format to HSV format and then sort the HSV list. What program did you get the RGB values out of? You might be able to tell it to simply report out HSV values. If you can't get HSV directly from that program, you could convert RGB to HSV here http://www.rapidtables.com/convert/color/rgb-to-hsv.htm Background: RGB ...
there are some nice JavaScript project to deal with maps (also "little" maps like yours :) ). I recommend to take a look to Leaflet, which is a really lightweight and simple to use library (http://leaflet.cloudmade.com/) On the other hand you have OpenLayers which is a really powerful and complete library (http://openlayers.org/). These can help you with ...
I am not sure if this is the complete answer, but there seems to be a problem with GIF and PNG images that have transparent backgrounds not displaying or export/printing correctly in ArcGIS v9.x - 10 Here is the Knowledge Base Article: Transparent GIF and PNG inserted images do not display and/or do not export or print as transparent It is not really clear ...
I recommend you taking a look at this link: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4596597/google-maps-api-v3-custom-tiles I am sure it will help you! Tamas
Get the projection reference from the input GDALDataset: GDALDatasetH hDS = GDALOpen("input.tif", GA_ReadOnly); const char *pszWkt = GDALGetProjectionRef(hDS); //make sure its not NULL OGRSpatialReferenceH hSRS; hSRS = OSRNewSpatialReference(pszWkt); //create your ogr datasource, hOGRDS //Create a layer and pass in the spatial reference. OGRLayerH hLayer = ...
Something like this should work: from os import startfile from os.path import abspath, dirname, join proj = QgsProject.instance() urfile = str(proj.fileName()) path = join(abspath(dirname(urfile)), "HyperlinksTest", "[% PDF %]") startfile(path) You can just paste this in as in you don't need to have it all one one line.
There is a function to convert Raster to NumPy array: arcpy.RasterToNumPyArray (in_raster, {lower_left_corner}, {ncols}, {nrows}, {nodata_to_value})
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible

subset: commoncrawl


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Europa One Piece Vanity Top and Sink 22.5" D x 49" W
The designs are beautiful. The color palette is exquisite and extensive. Best of all, Swanstone vanities and bowls are heat, stain and scratch-resistant. You can be sure you're investing in beauty that lasts. What's not to love?
Swanstone is a reinforced solid surface material featuring the industry's best impact and heat resistance. Color and texture run all the way through and cannot wear away. Products include kitchen sinks, bath and shower walls, shower floors, vanity tops and bowls, and table tops.
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Almond Galaxy
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*Denotes a finish or option that has been discontinued
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As the debate continues over whether and how to punish companies for unlawful conduct, U.S. federal prosecutors continue to rely significantly on Non-Prosecution Agreements ("NPAs") and Deferred Prosecution Agreements ("DPAs") (collectively, "agreements"). Such agreements have emerged as a flexible alternative to prosecutorial declination, on the one hand, and trials or guilty pleas, on the other. Companies and prosecutors alike rely on NPAs and DPAs to resolve allegations of corporate misconduct while mitigating the collateral consequences that guilty pleas or verdicts can inflict on companies, employees, communities, or the economy. NPAs and DPAs allow prosecutors, without obtaining a criminal conviction, to ensure that corporate wrongdoers receive punishment, including often eye-popping financial penalties, deep reforms to corporate culture through compliance requirements, and independent monitoring or self-reporting arrangements. Although the trend has been robust for more than a decade, Attorney General Eric Holder's statements in connection with recent prosecutions of financial institutions underscore the dynamic environment in which NPAs and DPAs have evolved.
…continue reading: 2014 Mid-Year Update on Corporate Non-Prosecution and Deferred Prosecution Agreements


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About the Awards
The judging process takes place in two stages. The first round is a blind nosing and tasting by selected judges.
Following this two whiskies from each category will be shortlisted to go forward for judging by visitors and locals during the Festival. These are the only whisky awards that are judged by consumers, and have proved very popular in previous years. You can find out how and where to vote here.
The two whiskies shortlisted in the 12 year old and under category will also be showcased to international visitors, the media and the industry guests on Thursday 1st May 2014 when they will accompany the starter and main courses of the 'Touch of Tartan' Festival opening dinner at Glen Grant Distillery.


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24, Lost
Television told the truth this week. Brandy spoke her mind on The Amazing Race. Damon made his intentions clear on The Vampire Diaries. Laura Bush revealed some surprising opinions. Lost introduced us to Adam and Eve. And Betty White told it like it is on Saturday Night Live. Welcome to Top Moments: Straight Talk Edition.
Brent Horne, Caite Upton
Caite Upton and Brent Horne were surprised and unsurprised by Brandy's outburst at the Amazing Race finish. "[Brandy and Carol] need to get over the U-Turn and grow up. It's a game and it was over," Caite, 21, tells TVGuide.com. "But it's just like them to complain since that's what they did the whole Race." It was the girls' grouchy attitude — and not homophobia — that fueled the models' decision to U-Turn them, Caite, 21, says. See what else the two, who are no longer dating, have to say about their arch-enemies, why they weren't worried about Dan and Jordan's first-class move, and if Brent, 29, really had to pee that badly in Shanghai.
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Dan Pious, Jordan Pious
It became a battle of the brothers at the end of The Amazing Race 16, with the Rhode Island-bred Daniel, 25, and Jordan Pious, 23, edging out cowboys Jet and Cord for the $1 million — without any advantage from cutting in line at the airport. "We were in the same exact plane at the same exact time, all middle seats in three consecutive rows. Caite and Brent, who were first to get tickets, were in the row furthest from the front," Dan tells TVGuide.com. "If people want to be up-in-arms about cutting, I can understand that, but don't think that it affected the Race. ... And Cord did a good job of getting revenge and distracting me at the virtual challenge, so I guess we're even." It was, rather, the move up to first class that ensured the Piouses a lead that they never relinquished. So how did they smooth-talk their way up front?
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The Amazing Race
SPOILER ALERT: The following story reveals the winners of The Amazing Race 16.After clocking 40,000 miles over nine countries, it's down to cowboys/brothers Jet and Cord, brothers Dan and Jordan, and dating models Brent and Caite for the $1 million prize on The Amazing Race 16.The final three travel from Shanghai to ...
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Louie Stravato, 47, and Michael Naylor's enemies were already eliminated on The Amazing Race, so they decided to keep their competition — Daniel and Jordan — close, working with them for the first half of the second leg in Shanghai. "I said, 'If we go head-to-head, I think we can beat them out,'" Michael, 45, tells TVGuide.com. They didn't, as the brothers edged them for the last spot in the final three. Still, the self-described "Porn-stache-ioed cops" stick by their decision, just like they do with their choice to U-Turn Heidi and Joe — who "needs to get over it."
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Caite Upton and Brent Horne seemed to have it out for Carol Rosenfeld, 47, and Brandy Snow, 40, from the beginning of The Amazing Race this season — which was news to the couple. "We both had separate conversations with her and Caite talked about [her infamous answer at Miss Teen USA 2007] and how she overcame it. I remember specifically saying, 'Good for you,' so to find out how much she hated us was a complete shock," Carol tells TVGuide.com. The models' self-described hatred culminated in them U-Turning Carol and Brandy in Sunday's episode, leading to their anger-filled elimination. Get the duo's take on the so-called "feud," why they think Caite in particular was after them, and if they would've used the U-Turn on the models.
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Fatigue is a very common complaint in our practice. Our nutrients provide natural support for the thyroid and adrenal glands which play a major role is energy production. In addition, you will find various vitamins and minerals that are responsible for energy production on the cellular level. For specific recommendations for fatigue, please also see our Energy Protocol.
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Make it happen!contribute now
Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead tours a proposed coal export terminal on the Washington side of the Columbia River. Facilities like this are needed to get Wyoming coal to Asian markets.
The US Army Corps of Engineers has announced which environmental impacts it will consider in its review of the Millennium Bulk Terminals coal export project in Longview, Wash.
The Washington Department of Ecology, a co-lead agency in the review of the Millennium Bulk Terminals, announces what they'll study in the Environmental Impact Statement for the project.
A crowd estimated at 800 packed the fifth and final public hearing on a proposed coal export terminal at Longview, Wash., and once again red-shirted opponents outnumbered supporters.
The final public hearing for a coal terminal proposed for Longview, Washington will be held in Tacoma on Thursday.
About a thousand people turned out for a six-hour hearing on the Millennium Bulk Terminals coal export project Wednesday.
About 250 people turned out Tuesday in Pasco for the third of five planned hearings on a proposed coal export terminal at Longview.
A crowd of about 400 people attended the Wednesday evening hearing in Spokane on a proposed coal terminal at Longview that would be served by trains rolling through Spokane.
A series of public hearings on the Millennium coal export project in Longview, Wash. begin Tuesday. Those hearings get underway as new rules in China and declining coal prices worldwide are raising questions about whether the project will pan out.
Cowlitz Indian tribal officials announced their opposition Monday to a proposed coal export terminal at Longview, Wash.
Crowdfunding campaigns are popular ways to raise money for fledgling businesses and independent projects. Now there are some scientists who are asking the public to chip in online for studies about the impacts of exporting coal in the Northwest.
Washington's coal export terminal proposals are winning the battle for public opinion, a new survey finds. It shows half the state's residents supporting coal exports and one-third opposed -- but the results are nuanced.


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To Detox or Not?
Amy Campbell
January 3, 2012
The holidays are over. You survived Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's… Perhaps you indulged yourself a bit too much and now your waistband is a smidge too tight. Or maybe you just feel tired and bloated from too much rich, fatty food and holiday spirits. Perhaps your blood glucose levels are running higher than usual.
It's not a surprise that New Year's resolutions tend to focus on losing weight, getting healthier, and feeling better. And like most people, you want the weight off yesterday and you want to feel better now! So, even though, deep inside, you know that the smart, sensible way to lose weight and gain more energy is by taking it slow and steady, some of those quick weight-loss plans seem pretty tempting. Maybe what's caught your attention is a "detox" diet. What can it hurt, you ask?
"Detox" Demystified
Detox Demystified
Some detox plans last a few days, other last may last a few weeks. One of the more popular detox plans is "Master Cleanse." If you're a fan of Beyoncé, you might recall that she did the "Master Cleanse" in order to slim down for the film Dreamgirls. "Master Cleanse" consists of drinking at least two liters each day of the following concoction: lemon juice, maple syrup (the real stuff), and cayenne pepper. Oh, and don't forget the laxative tea and salt water flushes. The premise of this plan, as with many detox plans, is to flush out toxins, clean out your colon, and provide just enough calories (from the maple syrup) so that you don't pass out.
While it sounds like a fad diet, "Master Cleanse" has been around for more than 50 years, initially developed to treat ulcers. Will you lose weight on "Master Cleanse"? Sure. Beyoncé lost weight and you likely would, too. The problem, as with most detox plans and other fad diets, is that you'll regain the weight when you stop detoxing. And you can't stay on "Master Cleanse" forever without running the risk of doing real harm to yourself. Other detox plans are perhaps less extreme by including fruits and vegetables, along with a lot of juice. It's no surprise that detox diets have a celebrity following, either. Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah, and Bill Clinton have all jumped on the detox bandwagon at one point or another.
Flawed Logic
Also, there's little, if any, evidence that detox diets actually do any good. Some people do report feeling better when on a detox diet and that can be attributed to drinking more water, cutting out alcohol, caffeine, fat, and sugar, and even to being in a state of starvation. When someone is starving, he often feels more energetic and euphoric.
Detox Downside
Happy New Year!
Thank you for speaking out about "detox" diets. I agree that they are useless at best and harmful at worst. The best way for anyone in general and diabetics in particular to lose that yucky after-the-holidays feeling is to get back to a healthy diet, which can be harder to return to than jumping on some crazy "detox" bandwagon. Thanks again for your thoughts on this subject, which gets a lot of attention this time of year.
Posted by: Beverly | Jan 05, 2012 10:18 AM
Thank you so much for de-mystifying detox diets! I have often heard of them and considered if the pros outweighed the possible cons. Your post has definitely been enlightening for me!
Posted by: Meagan | Jan 05, 2012 01:20 PM
I disagree. I have been detoxing as needed for over 25 years, including the Master Cleanse and have never had any adverse reactions, illnesses, weakness, fatigue, no diarrhea or vomiting, no loss of muscle, no heart issues and no problems with maintaining good glucose control. I've gone anywhere from 24 hours to 3 weeks and repeat at least 2-4 times a year. You just need to be in-tune with your body and be wise in your methods without trying to do things too drastic.
Posted by: tebeth | Feb 08, 2012 10:25 PM
Detoxifying is very important. You must detoxify your body to get rid of toxins. www.environmentaldiseases.com
Posted by: Scott Alexander | Feb 17, 2012 12:19 AM
Disclaimer of Medical Advice:You understand that the blogs posts and comments to such blog posts (whether posted by us, our agents, bloggers, or by users) do not constitute medical advice or recommendation of any kind and you should not rely on any information contained on such posts or comments to replace consultations with your qualified health care professionals to meet your individual needs. The opinions and other information contained in the blog posts and comments do not reflect the opinions or positions of the Site Proprietor.


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Reviews For Overheard
Reviewer: Pranksta (Anonymous)
15 Feb 2007 8:49 pm
LOL What a fun idea! Nicely done!
Chapter 1 of 1
Reviewer: Ida (Anonymous)
15 Feb 2007 8:16 pm
Banff. LOL. It's pretty....but also a tourist hole. Cute little story though. I love the idea of Rodney coming to Celine's defence.
Chapter 1 of 1


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MOU between UMass and Embrapa will strengthen existing economic ties, further research and development of Brazilian crops here
Governor Patrick meets with Embrapa's President Dr. Pedro Antônio Pereira Arraes (left) and President of University of Massachusetts Robert L. Caret (right). (Photo: Governor's Office)
Click here to view photos from Brazil and Chile
BRASILIA – Monday, December 5, 2011 – As part of Governor Deval Patrick's Massachusetts-Brazil Innovation Economy Mission 2011, the Commonwealth today launched a new era of collaboration in the area of agricultural research and development with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). The agreement will strengthen UMass' existing work on Brazilian crops, leading to economic development and job creation opportunities in agribusiness - a sector that boasts over 7,700 farms in Massachusetts for an economic impact of over $3 billion.
"The UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture is already a leader in researching and developing the production and marketing of food crops aimed at expanding economic opportunities for farmers and providing fresh produce to consumers," said Governor Patrick. "Today's agreement will build on that work to the benefit of researchers, farmers and consumers both here and in Brazil."
Through joint projects in the fields of agriculture and natural resources, the MOU will broaden cooperative programs in agricultural research and technology. Its lead negotiator for the Commonwealth, UMass' Stockbridge School of Agriculture Extension Associate Professor Frank Mangan, is actively researching sustainable production and marketing strategies for vegetable crops used by immigrant populations in Massachusetts and the region. Beginning in 2003, research activities at UMass have focused on crops popular with the state's Brazilian population. This program has introduced several new crops to commercial farms in the US, including taioba, jlio, abora japonesa and maxixe.
"As the largest nation in South America and given its outstanding network of universities, Brazil is a natural economic and research partner for us and Governor Patrick is playing a vital leadership role in bringing about this very important agreement," said University of Massachusetts president Robert L. Caret. "Because of our university's agricultural roots and continued expertise in this area, we are particularly excited about this agreement."
The MOU calls for UMass and Embrapa to cooperate on projects related to agricultural production, plant physiology and post-harvest technology, domestic and international distribution and logistics for fresh produce popular among Brazilian and other market segments in the US, Brazil and other countries in the Americas. The goal of these efforts is to develop and implement research-based technological innovations to benefit target farmers and markets.
"Research and development aimed at the cultivation and marketing of new crops helps Massachusetts farmers expand their businesses, while providing the Commonwealth's ethnic populations with nutritious food that is locally grown," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr., whose office includes the Department of Agricultural Resources. "I look forward to seeing the fruits of this strengthened collaboration between UMass and fellow researchers in Brazil."
"The development and expansion of innovative technologies is critical to support the growth of agribusiness throughout the Commonwealth and Brazil," said Pamela Goldberg, CEO of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. "By promoting research collaborations, we will strengthen the industry's competitiveness and potential for new growth."
The MOU signed in Brasília is effective for five years, with the opportunity for renewal for additional five-year periods.
From December 4-9, 2011, the Innovation Economy Mission will make stops in Brasília, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, visiting Brazilian companies, universities and government leaders to highlight all that Massachusetts has to offer to Brazil. The mission will focus on creating jobs in the life sciences, IT, clean energy, financial services and education sectors, while solidifying the already strong Massachusetts-Brazil connection. Prior to arriving in Brazil, Governor Patrick and a smaller delegation traveled to Chile December 1-2 at the request of President Sebastian Piñera and signed an agreement to grow jobs and opportunities in the areas of clean energy, biotechnology and education.


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Is Big John the only one that can ref?
Is Big John the only one that can ref?
Wow. Cub is wild but deadly.
I still think Aldo smashes Cub
That was like...a whole bunch of would-be stoppages all in one.
Cub really put his foot on the floor and took over the fight, thoughtful game from Swanson after weathering Siver's blitz at full power.
No way Cub beats either Mendes or Lamas in a rematch though.
Wow! Cub just destroyed Siver.
That was a "beautiful destruction" as Joe said Cub put it.
That was fucking great.
In the end, the only prize a fighter keeps is you. I only ask that you continue supporting all athletes. Keep supporting them, because in the end your applause is the only thing that remains. The rest is only an illusion. - Wanderlei to fans
Mike Tyson loves his pop corn man.
Sooooo, Cub/Lentz next?
Shit my link went down for streaming. Can somebody PM any other places to watch the fight?
Cub vs. lamas for number 1 title shot.
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February 3-7, 2014 is Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Mississippi. The National Weather Service, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and other supporting organizations ask for your help in providing the public with information about severe weather safety. Advanced planning and increased awareness will help residents of Mississippi survive these deadly storms.
2014 Severe Weather Preparedness Week Booklet
Click on the image to access the 2014 Mississippi Severe Weather Preparedness Week booklet
Severe weather watches and warnings are ineffective if the public does not receive the message or is not knowledgeable of the safety procedures to follow. The purpose of Mississippi Severe Weather Preparedness Week is to provide people with the knowledge necessary to protect their lives when severe weather threatens.
Whether in the form of severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, or flash floods, severe weather can develop very quickly. Once a tornado approaches, or flooding develops, it is too late to start working on a preparedness plan. When severe weather develops, and warnings are issued, we must take immediate action to protect ourselves. Preparing for severe weather is the theme of this program.
EF-3 tornado moving across Prairie Point in Noxubee County on April 11, 2013. (Courtesy of Leonard Kingery)
So how does one prepare for severe weather? For a severe weather preparedness plan to be successful, it must include the following:
Tornado Drill on Wednesday, February 5th. This will be conducted at 9:15 am, using the Routine Weekly Test through NOAA Weather Radio All-Hazards. We strongly encourage local emergency managers, school officials, businesses, and home owners to participate in this drill. The best way to learn what to do when severe weather approaches is to practice when the weather is not threatening.
|Severe Weather Preparedness Week Schedule
Monday, February 3rd
|Severe Thunderstorms
Tuesday, February 4th
|Flash Flooding
Wednesday, February 5th
|Tornado Safety There will be a statewide tornado drill in conjunction with the Routine Weekly Test at 9:15 am.
Thursday, February 6th
Friday, February 7th
|Ways to receive weather warnings
Additional Information Here are a couple of links to helpful information: MS Tornado Statistics and NOAA Weather Radio
You are also invited to contact the National Weather Service for interviews, information, or answers to any questions you may have. In many instances, we are also able to present severe weather awareness programs to civic and industrial organizations, schools, amateur radio clubs, and hospital staffs.
For more information, contact any of the following:


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June 26 (Bloomberg) -- Lisa O'Connor, a senior portfolio manager at Mellon Capital Management, talks about investment strategy in European stocks and the outlook for the euro.
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Site map
Main deadlines
Scientific programme
Instructions for presentations
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To add your name to the mailing list and receive further information about IMRET 12, click on the link below:
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Dear Colleagues,
The series of International Conferences on Microreaction Technology (IMRET) started in 1997 with IMRET 1 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Since then ten IMRET conferences have been organized alternately in Europe by DECHEMA and in North America by AIChE and for the first time in 2010 in Asia by the Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan (SCEJ).
The next IMRET12 will be hosted by the School of Chemistry, Engineering and Physics Lyon (CPE Lyon), as a co-operation between CPE-Lyon, ENSIC Nancy and DECHEMA and with institutional supports from the "Centre National pour la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)", and the competitivity cluster AXELERA.
The meeting will be held on February 20-22, 2012 at CPE Lyon, University of Lyon, France
IMRET12 will cover the following topics:
Flow chemistry
Material synthesis
Energy and thermal systems
Fine & commodity chemical synthesis
Food, personal care, and other applications
Process intensification
Fundamentals - mixing, mass & heat transfer...
Process data acquisition, kinetics and chemical analysis
Miniplants - process design & control
Strategic activities & large projects
These topics illustrate the cross fertilization between knowledge driven activities and market push applications. Beside well recognize applications of Micro-Process Technology for material synthesis, energy, fine & commodity chemicals, food and personal care, we would like to encourage those still trying to push-back the frontiers of knowledge in mixing, micro-fluidic, kinetics, etc. to attend. Yet, with IMRET12, we hope to further contribute to building a bridge between the micro-process technology communities with the fast growing field of "flow synthesis". The field of process intensification is also very mature and this IMRET12 will emphasize the research aiming at coupling MPT with new mode of activation thus involving photochemistry, sono-chemistry and the use of micro-waves or plasma to achieve PI. Last but not least, IMRET12 will also be the place to grape an overview on ongoing large projects (National, EU funded, etc.) dealing with compact plants activities and other strategic R&D related to micro-process technology.
We look forward to welcoming you to Lyon to the 12th International Conference on Micro-reaction Technology in February 2012.
Best regards.
Claude de Bellefon
Laurent Falk
Chairmen IMRET12, France
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Cancer. A single word that can turn a person's world inside out. The Internet makes getting information about cancer easier than ever. But unverifiable information is abundant in cyberspace. It's important for women to obtain knowledge, not just information. For free accurate, up-to-date, cancer-related explanations from an oncology nurse (weekdays from 8:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m.), or for physician referral information, please call The James Line at (614) 293-5066 or toll-free at 1-800-293-5066.
Following are some of the most frequently asked questions by patients about breast cancer.
Q. What are the warning signs?
A. The most common sign of breast cancer is a lump or thickening in the breast. Other signs include:
It's important to note that there may be no warning signs or symptoms. Breast self-exams, clinical breast exams and regularly scheduled mammograms are vital in the screening and early detection of the disease.
Q. What causes breast cancer?
A. No one yet knows what causes breast cancer, but medical research has generated a lot of knowledge about the disease. Researchers at the Comprehensive Cancer Center have made some important discoveries in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, ranging from understanding more about the genetic aspects of cancer to developing a vaccine that may treat and prevent breast cancer.
Q. How likely am I to get breast cancer?
A. Statistics show that a woman has a 1 in 8 lifetime chance of developing breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women in the United States, other than non-melanoma skin cancers. Three-fourths of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women age 50 and older. And although breast cancer is more common in older women, it does occur in younger women and in men. There are additional factors that may increase a woman's cancer risk.
Q. What should I do if I find a lump while performing a monthly breast self-exam?
A. Check the other breast. Some lumpiness is normal. However, if the lump is new or unusual, it warrants examination by a physician. A lump found during a breast self-exam, a clinical breast exam or a mammogram does not necessarily mean that a woman has breast cancer. Nearly 80 percent of all breast lumps are noncancerous (benign). However, cancer is a possibility. Early detection and treatment provides the best outcome, so a woman shouldn't let fear stop her from seeing a physician.
Q. What are my risks for getting breast cancer?
A. Being a woman and getting older are the biggest risk factors for developing breast cancer. Other risk factors include:
Q. Is a mammogram painful?
A. The pressure caused by spreading the breast tissue may be uncomfortable, but it should not be painful. Women who experience pain should tell the technologist.
Q. Is the radiation exposure from getting a mammogram harmful?
A. The radiation exposure from modern, low-dose mammography equipment is minimal. Radiation doses usually are so low they're negligible. Plus, the medical benefits of early detection outweigh any potential risk.
Q. How do I decide which treatment option is best for me?
A. Speak with your physician about treatment options. Although there are four standard ways to treat breast cancer (surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and chemotherapy), several treatments may be combined. Your physician can recommend specific treatments depending on the type and location of the cancer, the stage at which it was detected, and your age and general health.
Q. What exactly is a clinical trial? Should I participate in one?
A. Clinical trials are studies that help evaluate a new treatment. Clinical trials attempt to answer scientific questions and to find new and better ways to help cancer patients. An institutional review board (IRB) carefully reviews the study before patients begin participation in the clinical trial. Also, some studies are reviewed by government agencies, such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Anyone wishing to participate in a clinical trial should speak with their physician about treatment options and eligibility.
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center –
Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James)
460 W. 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: 1-800-293-5066 | Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Incredible 16 year old boy sings like Elvis!
This is absolutely unbelievable! No sixteen year old should have a voice like this! So this video is about a young man named David Thibeault from Saint-Raymond, Quebec, Canada. He shows up to a french language radio station to play the host's favorite Christmas song.
The song just so happens to be Blue Christmas by none other than the king himself Elvis Presley. As soon as the young man begins to sing you will get chills, his voice is so similar to Elvis it's absolutely mind blowing. He confidently strums his guitar as he blows away the staff in the studio and likely every single one of the live listeners on radio was well.
It's absolutely incredible that a 16 year old boy sings just like the king! He must be an old soul. Enjoy this stunning video!


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December 01, 2005 |
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The final deadline for Head Start transportation regulations is Jan. 18, 2006.
After that date, all Head Start students must be transported in school buses or multi-function school activity buses.
Additionally, Jan. 18 marks the end of extensions granted to Head Start programs in fulfilling the 2004 requirements to place child safety restraint systems and monitors on all Head Start vehicles.
The regulations stem from 45 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 1310, which provides guidelines for Head Start transportation.
The National School Transportation Association (NSTA) reminded its members of the approaching deadline and of the potential business it could present for school bus contractors.
"There may be programs in your area that are still using vans or other nonconforming vehicles to transport Head Start students," the NSTA wrote to its members. "This may be an opportunity for you to expand your service and, at the same time, keep a Head Start grantee out of trouble and in compliance."
Source: NSTA Newsletter, 11/14/05
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Updated: December 30, 2012 3:39PM
Though summer is months away, the Ravinia Festival has released a sneak peek of its 2013 classical music schedule.
Among the highlights:
♦ Pianist Lang Lang headlines the annual gala concert, set for July 27.
♦ Verdi's "Aida," the festival's 2013 "One Score, One Chicago" selection, is Aug. 3 in a concert version by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, led by Ravinia music director James Conlon.
♦ Conductor Christoph von Dohnanyi leads the CSO in two all-Beethoven programs July 11-12, with piano soloist Emanuel Ax.
♦ The CSO offers its second "Lord of the Rings" program Aug. 15-16, performing Howard Shore's score of "The Two Towers" as the complete film is projected on video screens.
♦ The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, in its first Ravinia appearance since its sold-out 2007 debut, returns June 15. Tickets are on sale at ravinia.org.
The complete classical-music schedule will be announced in March.
Through Dec. 31, the festival is offering a Classical Grass Pass, good for 10 lawn admissions, for $70.


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Condé Nast Shutters Four Magazines
Gourmet, Cookie, Elegant Bride and Modern Bride to cease publishing.
UPDATE: Condé Nast CEO: No More Magazine Closures
The first wave of big changes have hit Condé Nast following its restructuring evaluation by consultants McKinsey & Company.
Effective today, Condé Nast' is shuttering four magazines: Gourmet, Cookie, Elegant Bride and Modern Bride. Brides magazine will increase its frequency to monthly to "solidify its position" in the bridal magazine category.
Gourmet's book publishing and television prgramming will be retained, the company said, and Gourmet recipes will continue to appear on Epicurious.com. Condé Nast also publishes Bon Appetit.
The news was announced this morning by CEO Chuck Townsend in a memo to staffers. "These changes, combined with cost and workforce reductions now underway throughout the company, will speed the recovery of our current businesses and enable us to pursue new ventures," Townsend wrote. "In the coming weeks, we hope to announce initiatives to develop digital versions of our brands that will make use of new devices and distribution channels."
A Condé Nast spokesperson declined to say how many layoffs were associated with the closings.
The affected titles had seen a rough first half in regard to advertising page losses, according to Publishers Information Bureau numbers. Through the first half, Gourmet saw ad pages tumble 46.1 percent, Cookie's ad pages fell 19.5 percent, Elegant Bride's fell 32.5 percent and Modern Bride saw pages decrease 21.5 percent.


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Have you heard the news about Giving Tuesday? On Tuesday, December 3, you'll have an opportunity to be part of a very special movement. Launched in 2012, Giving Tuesday is a nationwide push to kick off the holiday season with a day of giving back to causes that matter.
The ASPCA is proud to be an official Giving Tuesday partner, and we look forward to participating in this exciting day. Help us spread the word by using the #GivingTuesday hashtag on your social networks, and by tweeting @ASPCA. Please consider making a gift to the ASPCA, and encourage your friends to do the same!
The ASPCA's Field Investigations and Response team is currently on the ground in Spokane, Washington, assisting Spokane County Regional Animal Protective Services (SCRAPS) with the sheltering and daily care of 63 horses seized Nov. 15 as part of an animal cruelty investigation.
ASPCA responders will remain in Spokane, an ASPCA Partner Community, for at least the next 30 days to nurse the horses to health before their placement with various rescue groups for adoption. The ASPCA is also providing a $5,000 grant to SCRAPS to help cover expenses related to the horses' care.
SCRAPS officials discovered the severely emaciated and dehydrated horses, who had no access to water or acceptable food, on an abandoned property. Eleven horses in critical condition were taken to a local veterinarian for immediate medical attention. The remaining horses are being cared for at the Spokane County fairgrounds by SCRAPS and ASPCA responders. Agencies assisting the ASPCA with care and sheltering include: Days End Rescue (Woodbine, Maryland); Code 3 (Longmont, Colorado); Equine Emergency Rescue Unit (Overland Park, Kansas); and Washington State Animal Response Team (Enumclaw, Washington).
Local authorities have issued a warrant for the arrest of the property owner on charges of animal cruelty in the first degree and transporting or confining animals in an unsafe manner. The suspect has a history of animal cruelty charges, but has ceased appearing in court for proceedings related to these prior charges. Her current whereabouts are unknown.
If you've given to the ASPCA recently, from the bottom of our hearts: thank you. Caring for this many horses is an enormous undertaking and a huge commitment, but we are determined to be there for animal victims of cruelty whenever they need us. If you haven't yet given to the ASPCA lately, please consider doing so today. On behalf of animals across the country, thank you!
Mona's not the type of cat to rush into things. She's a bit sensitive, and would prefer to get to know you before letting you pet her. But once you befriend Mona, you'll see that she's a sweet cat who loves attention! When she's feeling relaxed, Mona will come out of her shell for lots of playtime with laser and wand toys.
Mona would do best in a quiet household with experienced cat-adopters, including teens 14-and-up. Adopt Mona today!
Mona is available for adoption at the ASPCA Adoption Center. If you are interested in adopting please call our Adoptions department in New York City at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4900. To learn more about Mona, please visit her page.
Wish you could adopt them all? There are other ways to help. This holiday season, do the next best thing for homeless animals by making a gift to the ASPCA.
Dream is a cuddly and playful pup who'd love to be your best friend. He's a low-key dog who enjoys going for walks and would love to spend quality time at home on the couch with you.
Dream has special needs, and he needs a patient adopter to love and take care of him. He has diabetes, and requires injections twice daily. We know that adopting Dream is a significant financial and time commitment, but this little dog has so much love to give in return. He'd do best in a teens-and-up home with experienced adopters and without other dogs around. Adopt Dream today!
Dream is available for adoption at the ASPCA Adoption Center. If you are interested in adopting please call our Adoptions department in New York City at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4900. To learn more about Dream, please visit his page.
Wish you could adopt them all? There are other ways to help. This holiday season, do the next best thing for homeless animals by making a gift to the ASPCA.
Max, a former champion living in Arizona, was healthy and happy before his owner was forced to give him up.
As the deadly snow storms that have already hit the Great Plains illustrate, winter is coming. It won't be long before much of the country is buried under a blanket of white.
This is the time of year equine rescues, sanctuaries, and community hay banks serving needy horse owners stock up on hay for the entire winter. The ASPCA assists these groups through grants made possible by our members' compassion and generosity, ensuring that horses don't suffer and starve.
One such group is the Arizona Coalition for Equines (ACE), which received a $3,000 grant from the ASPCA in November 2012. These are just a few of the lives ACE was able to touch with that funding:
- Slammed by foreclosure on her home and forced to move after the death of her mother, a woman living on disability ran out of money to feed her two horses. She turned to ACE for a helping hand, saying she would rather feed her horses than herself. ACE responded with a month's worth of hay and settled her unpaid feed bill, giving her time to get back on her feet. Her horses remain in excellent condition.
- A disabled veteran on a fixed income asked ACE for help when his horse became unable to walk. Sometimes feeding his horses before himself, he was desperate to get veterinary care but unable to pay the upfront costs. With ACE assistance, a veterinarian did a complete examination and diagnosed thrush, a front hoof abscess and a possible pelvic injury. Treatment provided immediate relief.
The greatest success story belongs to Max, a 30-year-old former champion show horse (pictured) who had been owner-released to a commercial stable due to financial hardship. His former owner was devastated when he went to visit Max months later and found him close to death—he had been left to starve. The man reached out to ACE, which rescued Max and covered the cost of his foster care until a new forever home was found.
As you budget your holiday spending and pick out the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, please remember the horses—as well as the cats and dogs—who are out in the cold this winter. If you haven't done so lately, please consider making a gift to the ASPCA today. You'll assist animals like Max who are bracing for winter and waiting for our help.
When ACE rescued Max from a commercial stable, he was emaciated and starving from severe neglect.


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Gallery Folders
Pon and Zi
Were you the one who came up with Pon and Zi?
LMFAO yes, yes he is. Hence "Azuzephre" and/or "Jeff Thomas" being copyrighted on everything.
Omg im so sorry but i just have to fave all of your Pon and zi and Ra and Oo !!
you adorable sunzabishes, Pon and Zi X'3 been searching for your page, friend.
Pon and Zi are just too adorable! It'd be too long to fave them all so
These two are just what I need right now..
Thank you for them <3
They just are perfect for my daydreaming and thoughts, wishy-washy and full of hope and soft feeling.
I can very well describe what I think of them, and it's not all they are..able to be thought about..but it's what I feel right now and it's just lovely <3
So..thanks C:
You are a very emotional guy, love them "pon&zi"


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Before he was the Terminator, a twin, or facing off with a Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger was Pumping Iron. And we have a download of the classic documentary on digital HD for one of our viewers. The movie includes rarely seen content and interviews!
Before we get to the giveaway, lets learn a little more about Pumping Iron (which is available now for digital download).
Pumping Iron: Everyone knows Arnold Schwarzenegger but do you know the whole story behind the man? From Gold's Gym in Venice Beach California to the showdown in Pretoria, amateur and professional bodybuilders prepare for the 1975 Mr. Olympia and Mr. Universe contests in this part-scripted, part-documentary film. Five-time champion Arnold Schwarzenegger defends his Mr. Olympia title against Serge Nubret and the shy, young, deaf Lou Ferrigno, whose father is his coach; the ruthless champ psyches out the young lion.
The download has a few new features, including:
Still Pumping: Success in bodybuilding is a mental challenge as well as physical. In these newly recorded interviews, Arnold Schwarzenegger talks about the will power and focus you need to become a champion, and the mental attitude that has shaped his career.
TheHard Science of Bodybuilding: Arnold Schwarzenegger and top bodybuilders give insights into the sport of bodybuilding and tips for building the body of your dreams.
You can watch the trailer here:
As always, we have a few ways to enter. The second way to enter the giveaway is to head over to Twitter and post MHD's URL (www.myhollywooddream.com) along with our twitter handle @MyHWoodDream & #PumpingIron (you can also post this page to Twitter automatically at the bottom of this article). This giveaway will go until December 26th, 2014!
You can get a Third Entry into the giveaway simply by retweeting this tweet…
Win a copy of #PumpingIron featuring the story of @Schwarzenegger! http://t.co/RKzLW98l8z
— M. Holly Wood (@MyHWoodDream) December 16, 2014
DISCLAIMER (and other Details)
This contest is only open to visitors with a valid address from either the US. Prizes can not be sent to a PO Box. All comments must be made with a (working) email address, so we are able to contact you if you win. Once contacted, you have 24 hours to reply with the requested details. The winner will be chosen randomly from all of the entries. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parents permission. This giveaway is sponsored by Lionsgate. Each household is only eligible to win One (1) Pumping Iron Digital Download via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
Filed Under Contest, Entertainment
Tags: arnold schwarzenegger, giveaway, pumping iron


text:
Tax Compliance:
Thousands of Organizations Exempt from Federal Income Tax Owe Nearly $1 Billion in Payroll and Other Taxes
GAO-07-563: Published: Jun 29, 2007. Publicly Released: Jul 24, 2007.
Additional Materials:
- Highlights Page:
- Full Report:
- Accessible Text:
(202) 512-9505
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
As of September 2006, nearly 1.8 million entities were recognized as tax exempt organizations by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). As such, they do not have to pay federal income taxes. Exempt organizations are still required to remit amounts withheld from employees' wages for federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, as well as other taxes. Previous GAO work identified numerous government contractors, Medicare providers, and charities participating in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) with billions in unpaid federal taxes. To follow up on the CFC work, the subcommittee requested that GAO determine whether and to what extent (1) exempt organizations have unpaid federal taxes, including payroll taxes; (2) selected case study organizations and their executives are involved in abusive or potentially criminal activity; and (3) exempt organizations with unpaid federal taxes received direct grants from certain federal agencies. GAO reviewed unpaid taxes and exempt organization data from IRS and selected 25 case studies for audit and investigation. GAO also reviewed data from 3 major grant disbursement systems. GAO referred all 25 cases to IRS for collection activity and criminal investigation, if warranted. In its oral comments on a draft of this report, IRS noted several actions it is taking to enhance exempt organizations' tax compliance.
Nearly 55,000 exempt organizations had almost $1 billion in unpaid federal taxes as of September 30, 2006. About 1,500 of these entities each had over $100,000 in federal tax debts with some owing tens of millions of dollars. The majority of this debt represented payroll taxes and associated penalties and interest dating as far back as the early 1980s. Willful failure to remit payroll taxes is a felony under U.S. tax law. The $1 billion figure is understated because some exempt organizations have understated tax liabilities or did not file tax returns. GAO selected 25 exempt organizations for investigation based primarily on amount of tax debt and number of periods delinquent. For the 25 cases investigated GAO found abusive and potentially criminal activity, including repeated failure to remit payroll taxes withheld from employees. Officials diverted the money to fund their operations, including paying themselves large salaries ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to over $1 million. Many of the 25 case studies accumulated substantial assets, such as million-dollar homes and luxury vehicles. Key officials and employees at 4 exempt organizations were engaged in criminal activities, including attempted bribery of an IRS official and illegal gambling. Despite repeatedly abusing the federal tax system, these entities continued to retain their exempt status. IRS does not have the authority to revoke an organization's exempt status because of unpaid federal taxes. Over 1,200 of these exempt organizations with unpaid federal taxes received over $14 billion in federal grants in fiscal years 2005 and 2006. Six of the 25 exempt organizations GAO investigated received grants; of those 6 entities, 5 appear to have violated the False Statement Act by not disclosing their tax debt as required. For example, one entity that received millions of dollars in grants did not disclose unpaid taxes on multiple applications. Taxpayer privacy statutes prevent granting agencies from verifying an applicant's tax status with IRS unless the taxpayer authorizes such disclosure.
Dec 16, 2014
Tax Filing Season:2014 Performance Highlights the Need to Better Manage Taxpayer Service and Future RisksGAO-15-163: Published: Dec 16, 2014. Publicly Released: Dec 16, 2014.
Nov 19, 2014
Individual Retirement Accounts:IRS Could Bolster Enforcement on Multimillion Dollar Accounts, but More Direction from Congress Is NeededGAO-15-16: Published: Oct 20, 2014. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2014.
Sep 22, 2014
Identity Theft:Additional Actions Could Help IRS Combat the Large, Evolving Threat of Refund FraudGAO-14-633: Published: Aug 20, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 22, 2014.
Sep 18, 2014
Large Partnerships:With Growing Number of Partnerships, IRS Needs to Improve Audit EfficiencyGAO-14-732: Published: Sep 18, 2014. Publicly Released: Sep 18, 2014.
Aug 11, 2014
New Markets Tax Credit:Better Controls and Data Are Needed to Ensure EffectivenessGAO-14-500: Published: Jul 10, 2014. Publicly Released: Aug 11, 2014.
Jul 29, 2014
Tobacco Taxes:Disparities in Rates for Similar Smoking Products Continue to Drive Market Shifts to Lower-Taxed OptionsGAO-14-811T: Published: Jul 29, 2014. Publicly Released: Jul 29, 2014.
Jul 22, 2014
Large Partnerships:Growing Population and Complexity Hinder Effective IRS AuditsGAO-14-746T: Published: Jul 22, 2014. Publicly Released: Jul 22, 2014.
Jul 18, 2014
Tax Policy:Differences in Definitions and Rules in the Tax CodeGAO-14-652R: Published: Jul 18, 2014. Publicly Released: Jul 18, 2014.
Jul 7, 2014
IRS Correspondence Audits:Better Management Could Improve Tax Compliance and Reduce Taxpayer BurdenGAO-14-479: Published: Jun 5, 2014. Publicly Released: Jul 7, 2014.
Jul 2, 2014
Management Report:Improvements Are Needed to Enhance the Internal Revenue Service's Internal ControlsGAO-14-433R: Published: Jul 2, 2014. Publicly Released: Jul 2, 2014.
Looking for more? Browse all our products here


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Ponce Takes The Lead In Puerto Rican Series
Again just two winter league playoff games on Tuesday night — the Venezuelan championship has the night off.
Signing news: C Robinzon Diaz has signed a minor league contract with the Rangers.
Leones de Ponce 4, Criollos de Caguas 2 — Los Leones took a 3-2 game lead in this 7-game series with a win tonight. Ponce got right down to business with a run on two hits, a throwing error, and a ground out in the top of the 1st. Los Criollos tied the score with a walk, a double, and an RBI ground out in the bottom of the 1st. Los Leones made use of another RBI grounder to break the tie in the top of the 3rd, with a run driven in after a single and a double. An RBI single made it 3-1. Los Criollos got within one run in the 6th, scoring on a single, a walk, and (guess what?) an RBI ground out. A solo home run added an insurance run for Ponce in the top of the 9th. Caguas threatened in the bottom of the 9th, when SS Luis Figueroa was hit by a pitch and moved to third base on a ground-rule double. A walk loaded the bases, but two fly outs ended the rally and the game. Figueroa singled in the 3rd and walked in the 7th, but could not come around to score. Ramon Vazquez struck out in a pinch-hitting appearance.
Algodoneros de Guasave 2, Yaquis de Obregon 1 — Pitchers ruled in this game, as Guasave tied the 7-game series at 2 games each. Los Yaquis were held to 4 hits, and scored their only run with 3 of those hits, all singles, in the top of the 8th. Their only other hit, another single, came in the 1st inning. Guasave had just 6 hits, and half of those came in the first two innings. Their first run was a solo home run in the 6th inning. they scored again in the 7th inning, when a single, a sacrifice bunt by 1B Yurendell de Caster, and two walks loaded the bases. An RBI single brought in what turned out to be the winning run. De Caster had one of the Guasave singles in the 2nd inning.
Homers For Milledge And Gimenez; Toros Take Dominican Title
Just 3 winter league playoff games on Sunday, as the Mexican Pacific League takes a travel day…
Leones de Ponce 4, Criollos de Caguas 1 — Los Criollos out-hit Los Leones, but Los Criollos also left 10 runners stranded, while Ponce had only 5 runners left on base. Three errors by Los Criollos also contributed to their own demise. Los Leones scored in the bottom of the 1st with a walk, a stolen base with a throwing error, and an RBI single. A pair of walks, a bunt, and RBI ground out and an RBI single added 2 runs in the 3rd inning. Two errors, an intentional walk, and an RBI grounder gave Los Leones an insurance run in the 6th. Los Criollos scored their only run in the top of the 3rd, with a walk and a triple. SS Luis Figueroa and 3B Ramon Vazquez each had a single and a walk in the game, and all those times they were left on base.
Caribes de Anzoategui 8, Tigres de Aragua 5 — A 4-run 3rd inning boosted Los Caribes for the win in the opener of the Venzuelan championship series. The game began with home runs dominating. Los Tigres' CF Hernan Iribarren opened the game with a home run. Los Caribes' lead-off batter CF Endy Chavez homered to begin the bottom of the inning. In the top of the 2nd, the first Aragua batter was hit by a pitch, and LF Lastings Milledge hit a 2-run homer. Los Caribes had another solo homer in the bottom of the frame. Los Caribes changed it up in the 3rd, with three doubles, followed by another homer, to take a 6-3 lead. Aragua got closer in the 6th, with solo homers (not back-to-back) by DH Hector Gimenez and Milledge. Los Caribes got some insurance with a run in both the 6th and 7th innings, both times on a single and a double. In addition to his two homers, Milledge walked and stole second base in the 4th.
Toros del Este 4, Estrellas de Oriente 2 — Los Toros completed the 5-game sweep of the series with today's win over Los Estrellas. Pitching ruled this game. Los Toros recorded only 3 hits, and they scored their 4 runs in the 7th inning using only one hit. After 6 scoreless innings, a walk, a single, and a sacrifice fly brought in Los Toros first run in the 7th. A sacrifice fly complicated by both a fielding error and a throwing error gave them their second run, and after an intentional walk to load the bases, a hit batter and an unintentional walk forced in a run each. A hit batter with the bases loaded also forced in a run for Los Estrellas in the top of the 8th, and they also scored on an RBI single.
Former Pirates Help Aragua Into The Championship
Cheering for the Pirates' players and friends in the winter league playoff games on Saturday night…
Tigres de Aragua 5, Leones de Caracas 2 — The Big Cats had to have a one-game playoff because they finished tied for second place in the round robin tournament. Former Pirate farmhand Ronald Uviedo made the start for Los Leones, and while he made it through the first inning, Los Tigres got to him in the next three innings. DH Hector Gimenez blasted a solo homer in the 2nd inning. A walk, a sacrifice bunt by CF Jorge Cortes, and two RBI's on a double and a single gave Aragua another 2 runs in the 3rd inning. LF Lastings Milledge started the 4th inning rally with a walk, moved to second on a ground out, and to third on a wild pitch. An RBI single plated Milledge, and sent Uviedo to the showrs. The Caracas reliever gave up a single to Cortes, then another RBI single gave Aragua their final run. Caracas scored their first run on a solo homer by LF Mike Ryan in the 2nd inning. Ryan also singled in the 7th inning, and came around to score from first base on 2B Jose Castillo's RBI double. Castillo singled in the bottom of the 9th, and C Carlos Maldonado reached base on an error, and was replaced by a pinch-runner. With two outs, Wil Ledezma came on to make the final out, earning a save. Los Tigres will now face Los Caribes in the championship series.
Toros del Este 11, Estrellas de Oriente 2 — Los Toros posted 14 hits as they ran over Los Estrellas, who hurt their own cause with 6 errors. The scoring began with 3 runs in the top of the 1st. SS Pedro Ciriaco began a rally in the 3rd with a lead-off single. He scored on a fielding error and a single, and an RBI ground out brought in another run. A walk, a single, and another error in the 4th made the score 6-0. Los Estrellas got onto the scoreboard with a solo homer in the 6th, and scored again with two singles in the 7th. Los Toros kept going, though, scoring 2 runs in the 7th on yet another error, a walk, and a double. Ciriaco walked in the 8th, and scored on a 3-run homer. Ciriaco singled in the 6th as well. Franquelis Osoria pitched the top of the 9th for Los Estrellas, and worked around his teammates' 6th error to keep Los Toros from scoring in that inning. Los Toros now lead the championship series 4 games to none, and need one more for the series sweep.
Ciriaco Gets A Key Hit, Good Outing For Ascanio
Lots of playoff action in the winter leagues on Friday night:
Toros del Este 2, Estrellas de Oriente 1 — SS Pedro Ciriaco, who has not been in Los Toros' recent playoff games, started off the scoring in this game. He singled to lead off the 3rd inning, and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. He stole second base, and scored on an RBI single. Ciriaco also reached base on an error in the 5th, and made it as far as third base, but did not score. Los Toros scored again on a walk and two singles in the 7th inning. Los Toros' starter Fernando Abad pitched 6 no-hit innings, including 6 strikeouts. The only runner to reach base against him got there on a fielding error in the 6th, and Abad finished the inning with two grounder force outs. Reliever Jairo Asencio followed Abad with 2 perfect innings. Los Estrellas' only hit and only run came in the top of the 9th, when reliever Julio Manon gave up a walk and a double, and the runner from third base scored on a wild pitch. Los Toros have won the first three games of this 9-game series.
Leones de Ponce 1, Criollos de Caguas 0 — Pitching ruled in the Puerto Rican League also. Ponce starter Willie Collazo pitched 9 shut-out innings, allowing just 2 singles and 2 walks. SS Luis Figueroa walked in the 1st inning, and he was Los Criollos' only base runner for the first 6 innings. Collazo allowed a single and a walk in the 7th, and another single in the 8th. Los Leones posted 7 hits and had 5 walks, but they fell victim to 4 double plays, and left 8 runners on base. The only run scored in the 2nd, when the inning opened with a double and two singles. One of the double plays cut the rally short. This series is now tied at one game each.
Roster Updates And Playoff Games
An update on some recent roster moves by the Pirates:
Pitcher Jose Veras took a few days, but did sign a minor league contract with the Pirates. Veras is a 30-year-old who was first signed by the Rays in 1998. He began playing in the US in 2002, and split both the 2003 and 2004 at the AA and AAA levels. He was granted free agency after 2004 and was signed by the Rangers for 2005, spending that season at the AAA level, where he made 57 relief appearances with a 3.80 ERA. Veras signed with the Yankees after that, and pitched in their organization for the next 3+ seasons. He split that time between the AAA level (2.56 ERA in 95 innings, with 115 strikeouts) and the major league club (4.50 ERA in 102 innings, with 94 strikeouts). The 2008 season was his best of those, with 60 relief appearances for the Yankees and 3.59 ERA and a 5-3 record. In 2009, the Yankees traded Veras to the Cleveland Indians, where he finished the last 3 months of the season. The Dominican native made 22 relief appearances for Cleveland with a 1-2 record and a 4.38 ERA, with 22 strikeouts. He signed with the Marlins for 2010 and began the season in AAA New Orleans. He began the season slowly, but got better in May and was tough in June: a 1.80 ERA in 10 innings (10 games) with 12 strikeouts. That earned him a promotion to the Marlins, where he finished the season with 48 relief appearances. In 48 innings, he earned a 3-3 record and a 3.75 ERA with 54 strikeouts. Veras did not play winter ball this off-season. The righty will be competing for a spot in the Pirates' bullpen
C Wyatt Toregas has also been inked to a minor league contract. He was the Cleveland Indians' 24th pick in the 2004 draft, and began his pro career in 2005, reaching the AAA level in 3008 and the major leagues in 2009. Toregas hit .284 for the Columbus Clippers (AAA) in 60 games in 2009, with 7 homers and 69 RBI. In 19 appearances for the Indians in that season, he hit only.176 with 6 RBI. The Virginia native was still on the Indians' 40-man roster at the beginning of 2010, but spent the entire season in the minor leagues, possibly battling injuries. At AA Akron, he got into just 17 games, hitting .203 with one home run and 6 RBI. At AAA Columbus, he was in just 14 games and hit .200 with 2 homers and 6 RBI. He has a slim chance of sticking with the Pirates out of spring training, but will more likely be in Indianapolis to begin 2011.
In addition to Veras and Toregas, a few other minor leaguers have been invited to big league camp for spring training: catchers Tony Sanchez and Eric Fryer, infielders Chase d'Arnaud and Brian Friday, and outfielder Andrew Lambo.


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And here was me thinking my conversation with GM Extraordinaire had gone well.
Oops. Note to self: be more convincing next time.
Diamond Girl
And here was me thinking my conversation with GM Extraordinaire had gone well.
Oops. Note to self: be more convincing next time.
Diamond Girl
Filed under Dailies
Time: The Present
Setting: Post-apocalyptic San Francisco with red tinged sky and eerie silence, except for bats flying around. Okay, fine. It's an office at AT&T Park. I was trying just to liven things up. Brian Sabean and Diamond Girl are sitting in the office. Sabean is wearing a grey suit, minus jacket. DG is wearing a sweater dress, jeggings and boots. Her perfume is Amber by Prada and her purple eyeshadow is from MAC.
DG: Hello, Brian!
Sabean (looking slightly suspicious): Hello, Diamond Girl.
DG: You know, I'm so glad to meet you. I've always been a huge fan of yours.
Sabean (Looking very suspicious): Huh. Funny I saw on your blog that you stopped rooting for the Giants in the World Series because you were unhappy with me.
DG: Uh, no. That totally didn't happen.
Diamond Girl subtly pulls out iPod Touch and deletes the post he is referencing.
DG: Anyway, Sabes.
Sabean: Brian. Or Mr. Sabean. Or GM Extraordinaire. Whatever. Just not that horrible nickname. I can't stan–
DG: Okkkkaayyy. Moving right along. What I was trying to say is just that I think you've done a great job at setting up your team to repeat in 2011.
Sabean: Who gave you this meeting? I have better ways to spend my time than listening to fangirls tell me why my team is awesome.
DG: I have my ways. Of getting meetings.
The scene fades and there is a flashback of DG in a witch hat over a cauldron saying an incantation to get a meeting with Brian Sabean. Scene flashes back.
DG: Actually, GM Extrordinai–
Sabean: Please. I wasn't being serious. That was just an example.
DG: Oh. Sorry. Okay. Mr. Sabean. I actually have an idea for y'all.
Sabean: Do enlighten me.
DG: You know how you've always had that sort of loser-hanger-oner-starter the past few years?
Sabean: Like Wellemeyer or Joey.
DG: Right. Who do you think is going to fill that role this year?
Sabean: We're World Series champs, Diamond Girl. We don't need loser-hanger-oner-starters.
DG: I beg to differ. And the great part is that this interesting, talented, only slightly loser-hanger-oner-starter was just DFA'ed.
Sabean: That's too good to be true!
DG: But it is true. His name is Armando Galarraga and the Tigers DFA'ed him. Sure, there's a 2.5 million dollar contract there, but we got money, right?
Sabean: Wow, Diamond Girl! What a great idea!
Sabean turns to phone and calls Dave Dombrowski . Within a few minutes, the deal is complete.
Exeunt DG and Sabean. Scene fades.
Filed under Dailies
This just in: the Giants are going to have their own reality show next season. Reality show. Diamond Girl is mildly disgusted but also mildly intrigued. I do have a few questions:
Who's going to rock the Snooki hair-do? Barry? Or Timmy, since he's half-way there already?
Is it going to have an alliterative name like, "Geeping up with the Giant-ashians"? Or they could name it the Real Ballplayers of San Francisco (as opposed to, you know, the fake ballplayers. And the fake housewives, for that matter). Will there be the quintessential meltdowns there always are on contest shows? If so, my money is on J-Sanch as the perfect candidate. Will there be fights between the neat freaks who want the clubhouse clean and the guys who couldn't care less? Will the cameras be let into closed door meetings with Brian Sabean? Because that may be the only thing that will incite me to watch.
J-Sanch next season…?
I'm going to have to get on YouTube or Hulu and watch some Hard Knocks to get a sense of what this is all about. Somehow I don't know if the "poof" would fit underneath a football helmet, so I doubt they included that mandatory aspect of reality TV.
Diamond Girl
p.s. Rangers? If you're out there reading this, I respectfully suggest that you extend JD's contract. Pronto. I think it's a very important thing y'all need should deal with sooner rather than later. But that's just me.
Everyone is probably totally over 1-1-11, by now, but I just looked at my web stats and saw that I had 111 visitors to my blog that day. Isn't the just one of those things that makes you smile? It makes me smile, at least.
Anyway. If this is what 2011 is like, I want 2010 back. I'm sure I'll change my mind soon, but this year has been pretty hellish so far. One violent cold and an undisclosed number of bowls of potato leek soup later, I'm finally ready to start the new year. In Diamond Girl Land, it is now January 1st. And every day is National Cupcake Day there too, because I could really use a cupcake right now. Because aside from my cold, the endless parade of slow news day are enough to make anyone need some cupcakes. I guess a few things did happen.
The Rangers made their deals with Webb and Rhodes official.
And Jon Daniels said something vaguely incoherent at the press conference.
The Giants did God-only-knows-whatever-they-do-all-offseason.
Looks like it's boring for Sabean too.
A-Rod sported a particularly atrocious fedora in Vegas.
And Armageddon is coming in May. Good thing Ashton Kutcher is ready.
Bad shades and all.
In a little bit of good news, only 41 days until catchers and pitchers report and the 2011 season comes a little closer to reality. Even if judgment day does come in May, we'll get a month of the new baseball season in before then. I am no longer afraid.
Diamond Girl
p.s. MLBlogs is doing that thing with the bolds again. Sorry for the weirdness.
Filed under Dailies
They should have just re-named the This Year in Baseball Awards the Giants Rule the Universe Awards, for 2010. Seriously, we stole the show. I agreed with most the selections, although I think Madison and Cain are overlooked way too much. In my mind, one of them should have been Postseason MVP (or, you know, that guy named Cody Ross who hits homeruns obsessively?) instead of Timmy. Not to say Lincecum didn't do well- even very, very well- but in my mind he wouldn't be the postseason MVP.
Cain and MadBum seem happy enough, though.
And then I sort of think looking at the 2010 payrolls (from US Weekly's website) tells its own story: one of the teams in the World Series had the ninth highest payroll, one had the 27th. Sabean was brilliant about handling his team, no doubt, but I think Daniels should have been Executive of the Year.
The dorky player photo thing obviously transcends the field. It applies to the front office too.
What really annoyed me about the Gibby's, though, was how the hosts of the presentation show, Harold Reynolds and Greg Amsinger, announced a winner and then explained who they thought should have won and showed a highlight reel for that person. Then they talked briefly about the actual winner. Can you imagine if Barbra Streisand had announced Kathryn Bigelow as Best Director and then explained why James Cameron should have won and shown clips of Avatar? Not cool, MLB. Not cool at all.
Diamond Girl
p.s. Utterly off-topic, but The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the best Narnia movie yet. King Caspian lost the Spanish-ish accent (and upgraded from his title of Prince) and it's absolutely beautiful and very funny. It's slightly overdone at points, but if you need some offseason distraction, Diamond Girl says check it out.
And the Teenage Girl with Ichiro Being the "Ultimate Teenage Girl" should have won Fan Moment of the Year. Ichiro ran into her trying to catch a ball and she is decked out in tons of Mariners gear. Bo the Bailer has a lame nickname and no girlfriend. Obvious winner much?


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… and Faith suddenly learnt a whole lot of new skills.
I really have to stop calling her 'the baby', she is a real little toddler now!
P.s. She still doesnt really
say mommy talk… what she does say is 'eho' = hello, 'oof' = dog/woof and now we can add a very distinct and clear UP
Oh mom, are you sure you will be able to stop calling her the "baby" with a face as cute as that?
Aww she is such a cutie!!
Your little girl is such a sweetheart.
That moment when you know they are a baby no more – bitter sweet. What a little beauty, just like her mom
She's such a gorgeous cutie pie!
Oh look how pretty it looks here now
It is so amazing how they just "get it" literally over night!!
The climbing thing sounds like fun
Oh she's getting so big and cute!