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Calm before the storm
Off weeks are often much-needed for players battling it out on the daily grind on Tour, and this week has been a recharging opportunity for LPGA players. From resting and relaxing to practicing and enjoying friends, players have spent their week a number of ways as the first major of the year approaches.
The question isn't what the players did this week in their time "off," but, rather, what they didn't do. They just never sit still, making me feel even lazier than I know I am.
Natalie Gulbis enjoyed checking out some amazing wheels (photo) at Lexus headquarters before doing a photo shoot (photo) for her sponsor, and here's a shot of another one she did for Taylor Made (photo). Gerina Piller took in some wildlife at a Bass Pro Shops store (photo).
World No. 1 Stacy Lewis did a photo shoot on Wednesday for Golf Digest magazine (photo), while Angela Stanford and Dori Carter were part of a group that played Pebble Beach (photo). Michelle Wie played a practice round at Mission Hills Country Club to tune up for next week's Kraft Nabisco Championship (photo), and last week's winner Beatriz Recari enjoyed a trip to the Golf Channel for its "Morning Drive" program (photo).
Jessica Korda got in a workout or two (photo), and Lexi Thompson soaked up some rays with friends at the beach (photo). Suzann Pettersen rubbed shoulders with iconic actor John Travolta (photo), Mina Harigae took in a Phoenix Suns game (photo) and Danielle Kang began working with an organization called Artists for Trauma (artistsfortrauma.org).
It wasn't all fun and games though. Karen Stupples had the joy of going to the DMV and Social Security office to stand in lines that make waiting for a fivesome of duffers in front of her to clear the green after a round of four-putts seem like a dream.
I've loved checking out all of the photos going around Twitter of PGA Tour players and others "Dufnering," a term coined to describe mocking Jason Dufner's unique, relaxed and stoic mannerisms. Here's a funny article on "Duff" and his many faces: (story). This is what set off the whole "Dufnering" thing, I believe.
Here are some of the better Tweets about it: photo, photo, photo, photo, photo, photo, a Caddyshack rendering by Spalding (photo), Rory McIlroy doing it (photo) and, finally, Bubba Watson (photo) and Rickie Fowler (photo) getting in on the act.
Here's Karen Stupples (photo), Paula Creamer (photo) and Sandra Gal (photo) Dufnering.
Here's a great one of Jason in the Auburn football weight room (photo), which inspired this Tweet from Head Coach Guz Malzahn, "Good to see my buddy @JasonDufner at practice today. Glad he was #dufnering in the weight room and not at practice." This might be the best collage of the phenomenon: photo.
Simply hilarious.
I was the golf media relations coordinator while I was a student at Auburn, and Jason was there for a few of those same years. I always found him witty and mischevious, and I can't remember the number of times myself and his Auburn teammates just shook our heads at the shenanigans he pulled. Two trips to Hawaii in particular come to mind.
He was always entertaining, and everyone knew he could flat-out play. I'm so glad he's done well in recent years and was rooting for him hard as he went 3-1 at the Ryder Cup. Following him on Twitter has been a hoot, as well.
Well, that's all for now. Next week, the stakes get raised a few notches in Palm Springs (photo), and I can't wait to see what transpires. Who will take a celebratory dip here (photo) in Poppie's Pond?
Until next time….
Busy weekend in Cali
While I wasn't engrossed in the madness that is the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament this past weekend, I was keeping tabs on the Kia Classic in Carlsbad, Calif. There was plenty to take in.
Congrats to Beatriz Recari, who earned her second career LPGA victory by sinking an 18-foot birdie putt on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff with I.K. Kim. It was her first win since 2010, and the playoff result put a smile on her face after struggling with a final-round 74.
Recari, who moved up 19 spots in the Rolex Women's Golf World Rankings to 26th with the win, was recently named as an official ambassador for The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness (story). Recari overcame an eating disorder to succeed as a professional golfer, and she should be as proud of that as her on-the-course exploits.
Another amazing thing about Recari is that she has played in every LPGA event for nearly three years and has not missed a cut in 18 months. That impressive feat has earned her the nickname "Iron Woman," and it's well-deserved.
No doubt European Solheim Cup Captain Liselotte Neumann was pleased by the Spaniard's victory, and Neumann was in Carlsbad to take in the action (photo).
Hall of Famer Karrie Webb was in the hunt in Carlsbad over the weekend before finishing tied for sixth, and if the 38-time champion makes the cut in next week's Kraft Nabisco Championship (which is more than likely), it'll be 50 consecutive cuts made for the Aussie. Good on ya Webbie!
Jane Park, who also tied for sixth, received these helpful notes of encouragement from a golf VIP (Twitter). Park, who is an admitted "foodie," Tweeted this photo (photo) of her post-round meal on Sunday.
One of the coolest things I saw over the weekend was this photo of a U.S. Marine tending the flag at No. 9 during the Kia Classic. Very nice touch by the tournament, and here's another shot of a group of dedicated soldiers (photo). Lexi Thompson took the time to thank some of them (photo).
This photo that U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Meg Mallon posted was pretty cool too (photo). Even though she had to withdraw from the tournament due to fatigue relating to her recovery from malaria, Natalie Gulbis still did some work over the weekend, joining Golf Channel anchors in the booth (photo).
Tiffany Joh signed an enthusiastic fan's chest at the tournament (photo), and Paula Creamer summed up her final-round 77 with this photo.
LPGA players enjoyed watching the Monday finish of the Bay Hill Invitational, and world No. 1 Stacy Lewis Tweeted this out after Tiger's win: "Congrats @TigerWoods! Welcome to #1!" before editing herself and adding in the word "back" to the message. With six wins in his last 20 events, there really is no question if he's back or not, but the media will ask it anyway.
University of Southern California golfers got together for this photo at the Trojan Golf Classic on Monday as well. Hall of Famer Lee Trevino also joined the festivities: photo.
Creamer had her picture taken with PGA Tour star Rickie Fowler (photo) at the Tavistock Cup fundraiser, and Hall of Famer and 2013 European Solheim Cup Vice Captain Annika Sorenstam was there as well (photo).
Next week is the Tour's first major of the season, the Kraft Nabisco Championship, one of my favorite tournaments to work during my LPGA tenure. From a beautiful backdrop and golf course and tasty treats in the food tent to great golf and a one-of-a-kind winner's tradition, the tournament has it all.
It should be a heck of a week in Palm Springs, but more about that later.
Until next time….
California glam
It was time for the ladies to strut their stuff.
LPGA players' Twitter handles have been abuzz this week with details of a fun and festive photo shoot with the Golf Channel in Carlsbad, Calif., where the Tour is this week for the Kia Classic. A number of players, including Suzann Pettersen (photo), Michelle Wie (photo), Jessica Korda (photo) and Lizette Salas (photo) participated in the shoot and had a blast.
TGC will use the photos during telecasts of LPGA events throughout the season.
Speaking of nice photos, Sandra Gal Tweeted this early morning shot (photo) of her warming up at Aviara Golf Club. New world No. 1 Stacy Lewis posted this photo (photo) of her caddie, Travis Wilson, sporting a pretty special caddie bib.
Natalie Gulbis – who tried to play in Carlsbad, but had to withdraw because she is recovering from Malaria – posted this shot of her working out in California (photo), proving that there's no rest for the weary. Another nice shot here, with Wie taking time to meet some young fans – and possible LPGA stars of tomorrow – after her pro-am (photo).
If that's not enough to make you love Wie, she partnered with her sponsor Kia in donating a 2014 Kia Sorento to Operation Hero at this year's tournament (photo). The Homeland Emergency Relief Organization (operationhero.com) helps those affected by natural disasters.
It wasn't a pretty scene earlier this week for defending champion Yani Tseng, who was a little under the weather and overslept, missing her Wednesday pro-am start time and therefore triggering an automatic withdrawal from the Kia Classic. The super-friendly Tseng felt awful about the situation, sending out the following statement.
"I'm embarrassed to admit that I wasn't feeling well last night and accidentally overslept and missed my tee time for the pro-am this morning. I was extremely excited to compete this week to defend my title at the Kia Classic and to try to regain the No. 1 spot. This was an unfortunate mistake and I want to apologize to Kia, my sponsors and all of the fans. The Kia Classic is one of my favorite tournaments and I have so many great memories in San Diego. I can't wait to come back here next year."
LPGA veteran Karen Stupples posed for a picture (photo) with a beautiful Kia, which is the gift for a hole-in-one on the 14th hole at Aviara. The 39-year-old Stupples has done a great job losing weight and rebuilding her body in recent months, and her inspiring story was posted on LPGA.com earlier in the week (photo).
Hall of Famer and 2013 European Solheim Cup Vice Captain Annika Sorenstam is staying plenty busy with her Annika Academy endeavor and had a special day on Thursday by wishing her son, Will, a happy second birthday. She re-Tweeted husband Mike McGee's note: "RT @jmikemcgee: 2 years ago 2day @ANNIKA59 brought Will into the world. He had the "will" to strive & is a blessing. Happy bday buddy..."
In case you forgot, Will arrived a good bit early, scaring Sorenstam and her family (photo), but they all pulled through like champions and are enjoying life now.
There's a prominent banner on LPGA.com advertising the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 video game, with a notation that the game will include an LPGA career mode. The game will be available on easports.com on Tuesday, and I think it shows how far the LPGA has come that the extensive women's feature is included in the game.
It should be an interesting weekend at the Kia Classic, where players will be firing at pin flags before taking a week off leading up to the Tour's first major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship in Mission Hills, Calif. That was always one of my favorite tournaments to work, and not just for the amazing milkshakes in the player hospitality tent!
And the beat goes on….
Toast of the Tour
It's good to be Stacy Lewis.
The reigning Rolex Player of the Year has been nothing short of amazing in 2013, and Sunday was just the latest in another example of that statement. Lewis made a big statement of her own by closing with an 8-under 64 in the final round of the RR Donnelly LPGA Founders Cup in Phoenix to leapfrog Ai Miyazato and claim her seventh career LPGA victory with a 23-under-par total.
Lewis' victory – her second in as many weeks – not only pushed her career earnings past $4.6 million but made the Arkansas native the new world No. 1. Lewis moved up two spots to unseat Yani Tseng – the leader for the last 109 weeks – from the top spot, becoming just the second American to hold down the No. 1 ranking since the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings were created.
Lewis, who spent seven years in a back brace and had surgery to insert a rod and pins into her back to correct a severe case of scoliosis, was on top of the world in more ways than one.
"I'm having a blast on the golf course, and to be No. 1 in the world, it's what everybody out here on Tour is working for," said Lewis, who birdied four of her last six holes. "To be that person is, I mean, I really don't even know what to say. I couldn't have dreamed that the kid who grew up wearing a back brace is the No. 1 player in the world."
What made Lewis' three-stroke win so much more impressive is that she was assessed a two-stroke penalty following the third round after it was deemed that her caddie, Travis Wilson, had committed an error by testing the ground in a bunker. Lewis handled the situation with dignity and an amazingly positive attitude and even said she used it as motivation on Sunday to play for Travis.
This is what she Tweeted after the round: "Weird end to a good day! Accidents happen, feel bad for my man Travis, but we still have a chance to win tomorrow!!!" And then she went out and won!
Twitter exploded with dozens of players and golf industry leaders congratulating Lewis for her accomplishment. She received Tweets from everyone from Hall of Famer Gary Player and former men's No. 1 Luke Donald to Cristie Kerr – the first American to become No. 1 in 2010 – and Tseng herself.
Tseng showed the class act she is by posting this message to Lewis: "Congrats Stacy, you deserve this world number 1. Great job!! Happy for you. I am about to start chasing world number 1 now."
Lewis spread her good cheer after the tournament, paying homage to the LPGA's 13 founders by saying, "To have our founders out this week and our pioneers, they worked so much harder than I do right now to get this Tour up and running and everything is because of them. I feel like I need to keep giving back to the game and giving back to those kids because they're the future. They're going to be up here doing these interviews in 15 years. So, I just feel lucky to be able to do it."
She did her part to pay it forward and promote the game by donating $50,000 to the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program, the tournament's official beneficiary. Fellow American Angela Stanford donated half of her earnings (more than $50,000) to her foundation, the Angela Stanford Foundation, which helps children affected by cancer.
There was all kinds of activity in Phoenix over the weekend, to say the least.
In addition to LPGA founders Shirley Spork, Louise Suggs and Marilynn Smith attending the Phoenix event, a host of "pioneers" also made appearances. Golf World Executive Editor Ron Sirak Tweeted this photo (https://twitter.com/ronsirak/status/312979910954209280/photo/1/large) of Hall of Famers Pat Bradley, Betsy King, Nancy Lopez and JoAnne Carner from the tournament before he saw why it was "different out here" (https://t.co/FP0MPTHD2Q).
Brittany Lincicome took in some spring training baseball and sent out this beautiful picture from an Oakland A's game: https://twitter.com/Brittany1golf/status/313017999156211713/photo/1/large, and former Indy Car driver Lyn St. James made an appearance in the stands (https://twitter.com/lpga/status/313064754568638465/photo/1/large).
Some lucky fans were able to pick up this Tseng bobblehead (https://twitter.com/lpga/status/313323558082326530/photo/1/large) at the tournament, and these hats (https://twitter.com/lpga/status/313322547267661825/photo/1/large) were on sale in honor of Sunday being St. Patrick's Day. U.S. Solheim Cup Captain Meg Mallon – who no doubt was thrilled to see 10 Americans earning points with top-20 finishes in Phoenix – enjoyed Sunday by getting a sports fix (https://twitter.com/MegMallonUSA/status/313396772745641984/photo/1/large).
Bobble head mania continued earlier this week at the Kia Classic in Carlsbad, Calif., with Lewis having some fun at the expense of Commissioner Mike Whan. Thanks to Lewis, he was everywhere, including here (http://lockerz.com/s/287550155), here (http://lockerz.com/s/287556852), here (http://lockerz.com/s/287559006) and here (http://lockerz.com/s/287568130). Nice work Stacy!
Lewis, who signed with Omega Watches this week, was interviewed live for ESPNNews on Monday from the Kia Classic (https://twitter.com/lpga/status/313815935448391680/photo/1/large), a pretty cool development for the new world No. 1.
Writing this column, I've noticed that the players – despite what they might shoot on a given day – are really enjoying themselves on Tour. All you have to do is see their Twitter feeds to realize that, and the sport is in a good place right now. The camaraderie among them is as deep and far-reaching as I've ever seen, and that's a great thing.
Until next time….
LPGA Delights in the Desert
In case you were fixated of the Vatican's announcement of the new Pope or – like nearby Denver obsessed with an NFL free-agent signing – you may have missed the news that U.S. Solheim Cup Team Captain Meg Mallon tabbed four-time Solheim Cup participant Laura Diaz as her second assistant captain. The announcement was made at the RR Donnelly LPGA Founders Cup in Phoenix on Wednesday (http://instagram.com/p/W0FSojw4J-/), and the addition of Diaz to Mallon's team that includes Dottie Pepper as assistant captain should add some punch to the U.S. Team's energy.
The two-time LPGA champ is a feisty and fiery competitor who Mallon expects to be her eyes and ears on the Tour, as Diaz is still competing on a full-time basis. The captains are now set (https://twitter.com/lpga/status/311985367647649793/photo/1/large), so now the drama falls upon the players, who will fight for position for roughly the next five months leading up to the event.
Mallon said, only half jokingly, at the press conference that LPGA Founder Louise Suggs, who is 89, will be one of her captain's picks. Knowing Louise the way I do, the Solheim Cup is something in which she would have loved to have the chance to compete.
Natalie Gulbis withdrew from her second tournament in a row (http://golfweek.com/news/2013/mar/13/gulbis-wds-phoenix-she-recovers-malaria/), and she announced through IMG that she does, indeed, have malaria. She's expected to be out for three weeks, and I join many people in wishing her a speedy recovery. Gulbis still managed to write this blog (http://espn.go.com/espnw/blog/post/3674/remarkable-places-traveled-to) for ESPNW, a great sports website geared toward women that I have been lucky enough to write for.
Suzann Pettersen, who won the LET event in China last week, was fighting jet lag on Thursday and fought her way to a 1-over 73 despite feeling like a "zoombie." Apparently, Angela Stanford was feeling the same thing on Tuesday and Tweeted: "I feel like our tour should be renamed. I like Jetlag Tour. Sounds cool."
Morgan Pressel had a pretty good week, getting to spend time with seven Medal of Honor recipients (http://instagram.com/p/WwxnWCw4DW/) earlier in the week and seeing her younger sis, Madison, qualify for the North Texas LPGA Shootout, April 25-28.
The ever progressive LPGA Communications Department helped put out an LPGA Fan Guide (https://twitter.com/KraigKann/status/311558748026052608/photo/1/large) that debuted this week, a great idea that has been well-received by fans aching to know more about their favorite players.
Festivities in Phoenix included a poolside pro-am party (https://twitter.com/KraigKann/status/311753496972124160/photo/1/large), a celebration honoring the LPGA Founders and pioneers (http://instagram.com/p/W2cbVUl2Fo/), who were on-hand at the tournament to sign autographs, and former Major League Baseball players participating in the pro-am (https://twitter.com/KRISTY2208/status/311883609789313025/photo/1/large). Former Philadelphia Phillies first baseman John Kruk's team won the pro-am, and he joined fellow former baseball stars Aaron Rowand and A.J. Pierzynski (https://twitter.com/ronsirak/status/311957113071091714/photo/1/large) for a press conference in the media center.
Players continued their online tributes to the LPGA founders with Tweets like this from Paula Creamer: "LPGA Founders. Amazing women! Their efforts then=me living my dream now. Thank you soooo much!!" Here's another one from the newly named 2013 LPGA Girls Golf Ambassador Vicky Hurst: "Thank you to the 13 Founders for paving the way for women's golf and giving us the opportunity to play this great game!!
LPGA players also took part in annual player portrait photo shoots for promotional materials. First-round leader Ai Miyazato (http://instagram.com/p/Wz40Igupaw/) was one of them.
Sports Illustrated's Alan Shipnuck wrote this piece on reigning Rolex Player of the Year Stacy Lewis, who is off to a great start in 2013: http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/stacy-lewis-sounding-and-swinging-shes-ready-be-new-face-lpga.
There could be huge drama this weekend in Phoenix, as the No. 1 spot in the Rolex Women's Golf World Rankings could change. Here's what LPGA Communications Tweeted about it: "Projections show that Yani Tseng can lose the No. 1 spot in the Rolex Rankings this week to No. 2 Na Yeon Choi or No. 3 Stacy Lewis. Na Yeon Choi takes No. 1 spot with a win and Yani fourth place or worse. Stacy takes No. 1 with a win and Yani third place or worse."
Golf World's Ron Sirak wrote about Tseng's struggle to live up to being the top player in the world: http://www.golfworldmonday.com/golfworldmonday/20130314/?pg=15&pm=1&u1=friend#pg15. This fan's photo message (https://twitter.com/Brittany1golf/status/312557609196605440/photo/1/large) to Brittany Lincicome helped re-energize her after a first-round 75 in Phoenix.
Congrats to Jane Rah, who achieved the 31st albatross in LPGA history in Thursday's opening round by holing out a 3-wood from 226 yards for a double eagle. She finished with a 1-over 73.
And finally, fans can vote through Monday for featured pairings for next week's Kia Classic in Carlsbad, Calif., through this link: http://www.lpga.com/golf/features/kia-classic-featured-pairings.aspx.
That's enough for now. Until next time….
Paving the way for greatness
It's considered an unlucky number by many, but, for the LPGA, it's a magical one. It represents will, determination and passion – attributes shared by the women who decided to create something bigger than themselves.
In 1950, 13 women changed the sports landscape by coming together to form the Ladies Professional Golf Association to give women an avenue in which to compete at the highest level of the sport. The early years were tough, and the founders faced a seemingly endless array of obstacles, but they never wavered from their goal.
Fast forward 62 years, and the LPGA is thriving. I remember honoring the founders at the LPGA's 50th anniversary celebration in 2000, a year-long series of events that paid tribute to the women's drive and fortitude. It was a great time, and I have many fond memories from the celebratory year.
The 13 founders were: Alice Bauer, Patty Berg, Bettye Danoff, Helen Dettweiler, Marlene Hagge, Helen Hicks, Opal Hill, Betty Jameson, Sally Sessions, Marilynn Smith, Shirley Spork, Louise Suggs and Babe Zaharias. I was lucky enough to meet Berg and Jameson before they passed away in 2006 and 2009, respectively, and I also had the pleasure of meeting Marlene Hagge, Marilynn Smith, Shirley Spork and Louise Suggs.
I'll never forget seeing Suggs drive her Cadillac – with license plate TEED OFF – into the LPGA headquarters parking lot and spending time talking to her at the office. Whenever Louise was around, everyone would stop what they were doing to come and talk to her, and she was always gracious with her time.
If you don't like "Weesie," as she's affectionately called, you just don't like people. She's thoughtful, fun-loving, witty and hilarious, and boy does she have a passion for the game.
Berg was also very fun to talk to, and Jameson was a dignified lady who appreciated every minute of the recognition the founders received for their efforts in creating the association. Smith is a gem of a person, and Spork is a caring, intense and determined woman with a great sense of humor.
Nine of the 13 founders have passed away, but their legacy lives on through the players of today.
It's always great to see the current players paying homage to the founders, and they're doing a lot of that this week in Phoenix, where the third annual RR Donnelly LPGA Founders Cup is being played at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa's Wildfire Golf Club. Players have been Tweeting about their thanks and appreciation of what the founders did, and it's nice to know they realize the history these ladies made.
Anna Nordqvist posted this, "Thanks to the 13 @LPGAFounders for paving the way and giving us the opportunity to play!" Her sentiments were echoed by Natalie Gulbis, who wrote, "Thanks to the 13 @LPGAFounders for paving the way and giving us the opportunity to play!!!! Can't wait to honor them this week in Phoenix."
LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan also Tweeted his appreciation, saying, "Can't know where u r going, if u don't understand 'where you've been' – THANK YOU LPGA Founders and Pioneers!!! C U in PHX!!"
Fittingly, tournament week in Phoenix also included a junior clinic on Tuesday to promote the game to the stars of tomorrow.I wonder what the founders would have Tweeted back in 1950 when they created the LPGA if social media had been a mainstay like it is today. Possibly something like, "It's our time to shine," from Berg or "Get ready for us world," from Zaharias? Who knows, but it's fun to speculate.
If you want to see a bit more about one of the LPGA's founders, check out this video posted by LPGA.com (http://www.lpga.com/media-library/videos/2012/players/13-founders/bs12-founders-rd4-fr-zaharaias_b-feature.aspx).
In addition to all the Phoenix activity, players were in neighing Scottsdale on Monday to play in Betsy King's Golf Fore Africa Visions of Hope Pro-Am to raise money for the clean water program. Ai Miyazato took in a Phoenix Suns game (https://twitter.com/lpga/status/311324604662677505/photo/1/large) as well.
It should be a heck of a week in Phoenix, and I'm sure current and past players of all ages who are there to enjoy it will be proud of where the association is today.
And it wouldn't be possible without the vision of 13 brave women.
Information: Society's drug of choice
For someone who didn't have e-mail until college and a cell phone until I began working for the LPGA in 1998, the technological and social media boom we've seen in the last 15 years was something that took a while for me to get my mind around.
I resisted the urge to start a Myspace or Facebook page until it became an overwhelming desire driven by my peers and society as a whole, and I begrudgingly stepped into the waters of social media. I've written for the Associated Press since my junior year at Auburn (1996), and when the AP began making its full-time writers send Tweets from events years ago, I remember thinking it was a sign of the apocalypse and evidence that the death of journalism was on its way.
Instead, it was just a sign of the times, proof that the landscape of our society is ever-changing and fluid. Now that 2013 is here, social media dominates the world in ways we never dreamed.
People communicate via Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis, sharing aspects of their lives with friends and the world in general (whether we want to know or not). It's helped me stay in touch with friends from high school and ones who have moved away, and I've even been able to use it to promote my freelance writing business. It's both good and bad, and it's just the reality of our time.
From corporations like Pepsi using social media to advertise, businesses owners using it to promote themselves and professional sports organizations utilizing the realm to the fullest, social media is everywhere. Frankly, this column probably wouldn't exist without it.
Now, everyone is a "reporter," posting facts, theories and thoughts 150 characters at a time and sharing photos from around the world as a seasoned photojournalist would. I'm not saying the quality is the same, but the end result is similar.
There are more blogs on the Internet than you can shake a wireless mouse at, and some people – like ESPN's Bill Simmons – have turned blogs into big-time gigs. Journalists now write articles about what professional sports athletes, politicians and celebrities Tweeted, using their posts as quotes.
On one hand, that has made journalists' jobs easier, as quotes are easier to come by, but in another way, it's made it more difficult because they often have to react to Tweets with articles they never otherwise would have been obligated to write. As with everything else that has been an advancement in society, there are both good and bad aspects to social media.
But it's perfect and custom-designed for our immensely individualistic society, a society that is addicted to information like never before. We want to know everything about everything, and social media helps us do that.
My favorite comedian, Louis CK, said this about Twitter, "Stop Tweeting. Actually live your life instead of just Tweeting about it." How'd I find that quote? It was Tweeted out by Sydnee Michaels. Now, that's funny!
Social media is a tidal wave that, if you don't get on it, will crush you in its wake. That's been my attitude toward it in recent years, and I find myself logging onto Facebook and Twitter – where my handle is @NealReid21 – daily to stay connected and get information like a crack addict looking for a fix.
I have drunk the Kool-Aid.
Writing this blog has taught me several things, including the fact that LPGA players are great communicators who deserve journalism merit badges for their reports from life on Tour. They sure know how to utilize Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and they pepper the "Interwebs" with posts almost constantly.
I can't count the number of photos I've listed in my blogs that were taken by players from cities around the world, and it's been interesting to see places I've never been through their eyes. The players lead such interesting and insanely busy lives, and social media is really the best and most efficient way to capture the essence of their experiences.
There is no LPGA event this week, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been news. Here's a small sampling of what's gone on in the past few days since I last wrote.
Paula Creamer revealed on Twitter she's discovered she is gluten intolerant, allergic to a number of foods and will have to change her diet (https://twitter.com/ThePCreamer/status/309502527173455874/photo/1/large), and the LPGA's Mike Scanlan used the site to chronicle Commissioner Mike Whan's media tour in the New York area, which included this stop at Forbes Magazine (https://twitter.com/lpga/status/309338498593341440/photo/1/large). Sandra Gal used Twitter to answer fan questions of all sorts, and Natalie Gulbis had recovered enough from a virus that caused her withdrawal in Singapore to play a practice round at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, Calif., where the LPGA will visit for the Kia Classic March 21-24 (https://twitter.com/natalie_gulbis/status/309760301929201664/photo/1/large).
In addition, Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam Tweeted a picture of her and her kids (https://twitter.com/ANNIKA59/status/309108854287917057/photo/1/large), Michelle Wie went fishing on a day off (http://instagram.com/p/Wf6O8EJ-lt/) and Danielle Kang bought a Porsche (http://instagram.com/p/WgH30sw-I9/). If that's not enough, Jessica Korda lounged in Palm Springs (http://instagram.com/p/Wgc-4ySUir/) with a furry companion, Suzann Pettersen participated in a golf clinic at Mission Hills in China (https://twitter.com/suzannpettersen/status/309229145508962304/photo/1/large), where she left her handprints (https://twitter.com/suzannpettersen/status/309592522399813632/photo/1/large) for posterity, and world No. 1 Yani Tseng appeared on Golf Channel's "Morning Drive" show (https://twitter.com/YaniTseng/status/309667882181222400/photo/1/large).
My favorite posts of the week came from LPGA Chief Communications Officer Kraig Kann, who ran into former Notre Dame football coach and current ESPN commentator Lou Holtz on a U.S. Airways flight. Kann discovered Holtz is a big LPGA fan and delighted the Hall of Fame coach with a new LPGA player guide (https://twitter.com/KraigKann/status/309439799125766144/photo/1/large). Pretty cool stuff.
That's it for now, but there's no doubt there will be more to come later.
Still the one
Reigning Rolex Player of the Year Stacy Lewis continued her torrid start to the season with a one-shot victory over world No. 2 Na Yeon Choi at the HSBC Women's Champions 2013 in Singapore. She has a scoring average of 69.58 through 12 rounds so far, leads the money list and Rolex Player of the Year standings and has finished no worse than 15th this season.
Lewis, who bogeyed No. 17 to make things interesting, Tweeted this about her narrow victory, the sixth of her career: "Wow that was stressful! So happy to come away with the win!!!! How about all the American flags on the board too??!" Lewis was joined by Americans Paula Creamer (third), Jessica Korda (tied for fifth), Lexi Thompson (tied for eighth), Morgan Pressel (tied for 10th), Lizette Salas (13th), Nicole Castrale (tied for 14th) and Brittany Lincicome (tied for 18th) in the top 20 who earned valuable Solheim Cup points for the upcoming August event.
The final round included more moves than an episode of Dancing With the Stars, including a three-way tie at the top and players shuffling up and down the leaderboard virtually on every hole. Golf World Executive Editor Ron Sirak Tweeted this interesting nugget about the final HSBC standings: "Top 9 in @LPGA HSBC: Lewis, NY Choi, Creamer, A. Jutanugarn, Kung, Korda, D. Kang, Thompson, C. Choi average age 23 with 4 under 21."
Lewis' new sponsor, KPMG, posted this ("Inspired by @Stacy_Lewis' win, KPMG will donate 5,000 new books & refurbish the library at Betsy Ross Elementary! http://KPMG.com/Stacy ") on Twitter about her victory, proving how much of an impact players can have on communities. Lewis Tweeted that her route home would be Singapore to Frankfurt, Germany, to JFK International Airport in NYC to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida … whew!
Natalie Gulbis, who withdrew after a first-round 75, had a virus that was not Malaria and is reportedly close to heading back to the States to recover, as is Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak, who withdrew due to illness before the tournament.
From stifling humidity to a pouring rain storm (https://twitter.com/lpga/status/307756924429025283/photo/1/large), players saw varying conditions at Sentosa Golf Club during the 72-hole event. Lewis' caddie Travis Wilson, who earned Caddie of the Year honors at the annual Caddie Awards in Singapore, posed for a picture with himself (http://lockerz.com/s/285722518) during the rain delay.
Players were highly complimentary about the HSBC tournament staff's hospitality and professionalism, as evidenced by Angela Stanford's Tweet, "Enjoyed spending some time with the HSBC folks. They do it right here! Thanks @HSBCWomensGolf" and this one by Korda: "HUGE thank you to @HSBCWomensGolf for making this tournament so amazing! Always love coming back to Singapore!!!!"
Korda snapped this amazing aerial shot of Singapore (http://instagram.com/p/WZPIqkSUqH/), prompting Sirak to post this humorous Tweet: "Looks like the Emerald City. Does the Wizard of Oz live there?"
World No. 1 Yani Tseng sent out this photo from aboard Jack Nicklaus' boat in Singapore: https://twitter.com/YaniTseng/status/308411065413300224/photo/1/large.
The LPGA on Friday rolled out a players' guide for fans (http://www.lpga.com/golf/news/2013/2/online-player-guide-release.aspx), a progressive PR item that has been praised by fans and media alike. Nice job to LPGA Chief Communications Officer Kraig Kann and his communications crew.
European Solheim Cup Captain Liselotte Neumann Tweeted this picture of herself cross-country skiing on Saturday: https://twitter.com/lotta_eucapt/status/307860994422628353/photo/1/large).
Congrats to second-year LPGA player Sydnee Michaels, who was named one of Men's Fitness magazine's "Top 10 Sexiest Female Athletes of 2013" recently (http://www.mensfitness.com/women/galleries/top-10-sexiest-female-athletes-of-2013?page=5). Michaels, who earned $192,544 as a rookie last season, came in at No. 4 on the list.
Players have a week off to recover from jet lag and regroup before the first U.S.-based tournament of the year - the RR Donnelly LPGA Founders Cup - takes place in Phoenix March 14-17. Tseng, who has two top-five finishes so far this year, is the defending champion, so it should be an entertaining tournament.
The off week wasn't a vacation for most LPGA pros, as players spent time fighting off jet lag, attending charity pro-ams and other tournaments (https://twitter.com/suzannpettersen/status/308943530120843264/photo/1/large). LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan was in the Baltimore area along with LPGA Communications Director Mike Scanlan to promote the newly formed International Crown team event.
Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who is one of Neumann's vice captains for this year's Solheim Cup, Tweeted this photo from her house as she got ready to do yet another Golf Channel interview: http://t.co/BFjBdKolkm. Kann was in Irving, Texas, earlier this week with Hall of Famer Kathy Whitworth, Angela Stanford, Brittany Lang and Gerina Piller for a media day for the North Texas Shootout, one of the LPGA's two new tournaments this season, at Las Colinas Country Club (https://twitter.com/KraigKann/status/308945095896494082/photo/1/large).
As the characters in the great movie "Almost Famous" say, "It's all happening!"
Singapore swing
The third and final installment of the LPGA's overseas kickoff to the 2013 season is under way in Singapore, and the activity has been non-stop.
Reigning Rolex Player of the Year Stacy Lewis was the 36-hole leader of the HSBC Women's Champions and already has two top-15 finishes this season, including a tie for third last week in Thailand. It was nice to see 17-year-old LET rookie Ariya Jutanugarn rebound from a triple bogey on the 72nd hole last week that cost her the title at last week's Honda LPGA Thailand with a pair of rounds in the 60s in Singapore to work her way into the mix through 36 holes.
That shows a lot about Jutanugarn's character and mental toughness, and her name could be one LPGA fans need to remember for some time. Paula Creamer showed no ill effects of being involved in a five-car crash in Thailand last week, as she was 9-under through two rounds in Singapore. Ai Miyazato wasn't as lucky, withdrawing from the event because of lingering effects of whiplash: http://www.examiner.com/article/ai-miyazato-withdraws-from-lpga-tourney-with-whiplash.
Other withdrawals included Hall of Famer Se Ri Pak, whom the LPGA reported was suffering from flu-like symptoms, and Natalie Gulbis, who also withdrew due to illness and was undergoing tests after a first-round 75.
Morgan Pressel eagled the par-5 seventh hole at The Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club in Round 1, triggering her first donation of the year to the Eagles for St. Jude project. Pressel and Mina Harigae are participating in the program, and more information about the charity can be found here: http://www.eaglesforstjude.org/index.html.
Jessica Korda, who won last year in Australia, and Mariajo Uribe - who tied for eighth in Australia this year - both celebrated birthdays in Singapore on Wednesday, with Korda turning 20 and Uribe 23. Jennifer Johnson Tweeted this awesome picture of a floating - yes, floating! - soccer field in Singapore: https://twitter.com/JJohnson_LPGA/status/306678036978360320/photo/1/large.
Beatriz Recari, who had two top-five finishes in the season's first two events, spent some time doing a Golfing World TV interview (https://twitter.com/BeatrizRecari/status/306635943673208832/photo/1/large) while in Singapore, further proving how accommodating and accessible the LPGA players are to media and fans. Michelle Wie and Jeehae Lee visited Under Water World Singapore during some down time, and Wie Tweeted this picture (http://instagram.com/p/WOj4pIp-u0/) and this one (http://instagram.com/p/WOkTojp-vD/) to show how much fun she had.
Speaking of fun, Danielle Kang and Hillary Packard got a thrill from zip-lining in Singapore (http://instagram.com/p/WOlmIPQ-M8/). Yani Tseng got in on the action too: https://twitter.com/YaniTseng/status/306695359634214912/photo/1/large.
Nicole Castrale and Paula Creamer glammed it up at the tournament's welcome reception: https://twitter.com/NicoleCastrale/status/306742128665583616/photo/1/large, as did Wie and Korda (http://instagram.com/p/WPBR4GJ-gU/), who towered over Hall of Famer Karrie Webb (http://instagram.com/p/WPDngNp-iF/). Lexi Thompson took a putt for charity despite not having the right footwear for the challenge: http://instagram.com/p/WPCrd-xCFh/) and Lizette Salas apparently did Kang's makeup for the event.
Players have been raving about Singapore and Tweeting pictures from their hotel rooms of the amazing views. If you are like me and have never been to the one-of-a-kind city, check out this shot from Harigae: https://twitter.com/minaharigae/status/306748556876849152/photo/1/large.
Before her withdrawal, Gulbis provided a picture (https://twitter.com/natalie_gulbis/status/306680881639215104/photo/1/large) of something you usually only see on the back-nine of a beer-infused grudge match between friends on the course - a golf cart being driven through a bunker! I'm not saying I've done that, but I have witnessed it. Gulbis snapped the shot during the pro-am for the HSBC Women's Champions event.
Other fun from the tournament included the annual Caddie Awards, with various "prizes" being handed out to LPGA caddies. Lewis' caddie, Travis Wilson, won Caddie of the Year, and here's a shot of Hall of Famer Juli Inkster saying a few words at the event: https://twitter.com/Brittany1golf/status/307485554252066817/photo/1/large.
Meanwhile, back in the States, my fellow Auburn Tiger Nicole Hage got the thrill of playing a round with legend Pete Dye at The Dye Preserve in Jupiter, Fla., (https://twitter.com/NicoleHage/status/307220127886221312/photo/1/large).
As you can see, there's constant action on the LPGA Tour, and players are thriving as professional athletes. It's fun to watch and report about.
Neal Reid is a freelance writer based in Colorado Springs, Colo., who has written for USA Today, The Associated Press, ESPN.com, ESPNW.com, Newsday, the Colorado Springs Gazette, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Oakland Tribune, Marin (Calif.) Independent-Journal and numerous regional and national magazines. He was a media relations coordinator for the LPGA from 1998-2004.
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Topics: Social Scene


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February 19, 2010
ShowStoppers at Mobile World Congress Introduce New Company Products
By Raja Singh Chaudhary, TMCnet Contributor
Mobile World Congress 2010, Barcelona, Spain provided a big number of journalists, analysts and bloggers with a sneak preview of a range of new mobile and wireless products for work, home and play. These products had been showcased by 40 companies and innovators at a press-only showcase meet held as a part of the mega-event.
The meet, known as ShowStoppers @ Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) 2010 took place the night before the international mobile tradefair began. Journalists and media personalities got an early start on new product announcements, sneak previews, and news through the invitation only event. This was the third year of the event, which grew to 40 exhibiting companies, up from 25 exhibitors in 2009 and 14 in 2008.
Showstopper is a 17-year-old company that produces press-only events. It organizes a number of events that include company launches, product introductions, sneak previews and hands-on product demos for reporters, editors, columnists, bloggers and analysts who cover business, consumer, lifestyle and digital products for work, home and play. Its events are attended by a number of industry leaders, innovators, startups and upstart companies, which help the media personalities in generating news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand, and open new markets.
Peter Lindgren, CEO of VisiArc, a company that provide mobile solutionsthat bring the desktop experience to the mobile, commented that this was company's first ShowStoppers event, and the launch for Mobile Documents.
In a release, Paris Welton of Connected PR said that ShowStoppers is a fantastic event. Connected PR is the public-relations agency for Plantronics (News - Alert), which has exhibited at ShowStoppers events in the United States and Europe for several years. The event is always full of relevant journalists keen to hear the latest news from Plantronics, Welton added.
The companies introducing new wireless products and mobile services at the event included the GSM Association, which organizes Mobile World Congress. A range of exhibitors also attended the ShowStoppers, including Alcatel-Lucent, Anam Mobile, Arantech, Aviat Networks (Harris Stratex (News - Alert)), Bitstream, CellTrust, Cibenix, Dazzboard / Linkotec, Dial2Do, Enterprise Ireland, EXFO, iTraffic, Jivo, mHealth, Multiplied Media / Poynt, NAVTEQ, Netcomm, NewBay Software (News - Alert), Newton Peripherals and Novatel.
In other news t month, CellTrust Corporation, a provider of secure mobile messaging and applications introduced its SecureSMS Appliance and Gateway at SHOWSTOPPERS @ Mobile World Congress 2010. CellTrust (News - Alert) SecureSMS provides end-to-end privacy on the mobile device via a highly encrypted, tamper-proof process while enabling message sizes up to 5,000 characters.
Raja Singh Chaudhary is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Raja's articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Amy Tierney

subset: commoncrawl


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Sonia Rykiel Fall 2012
Sonia Rykiel Fall 2012
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Sonia Rykiel Fall 2012
>> A pretty palette of apricot, peach, and red dominated April Crichton's Fall 2012 collection for Sonia Rykiel. Silhouettes were slim and high on the neck, with a few oversize coats and jackets to provide contrast. Knits — the house's signature — came in an intriguing mix of chunky ribs, '70s colorblock, and superfine slim-fits.
Read More A Little Turn On The CatwalkSonia Rykiel Fall 2012Fall 2012 Paris Fashion WeekFall 2012Sonia RykielParis Fashion WeekFashion Week
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- Iggy Azalea is P.O.'d about her leaked Steve Madden line photos — HuffPost Style
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- Fast fashion vs investment pieces: this infographic breaks it down — Racked
- Lions, fire, and Lenny Kravitz? Katy Perry's halftime show sounds wild — InStyle
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- May 24:
- Prep boys lacrosse: Redwood makes history with win over Novato in Division I title match
- NCS D-II boys lacrosse final: Marin Catholic falls one goal short
- May 22:
- Prep boys lacrosse: Redwood, Novato win on road to reach NCS championship match
- NCS boys lacrosse semifinals: Colvin's OT goal completes Marin Catholic's big comeback win
- May 18:
- Marin briefs: Marin Academy boys lacrosse team escapes with overtime victory over University
- May 15:
- NCS lacrosse playoffs: Marin Academy jumps on Tam; Novato sweeps, MC girls win
- May 14:
- NCS boys lacrosse playoffs: Redwood turns it on to beat Oak Ridge in the first round
- May 11:
- Prep playoffs: North Coast Section girls soccer, lacrosse brackets announced
- May 10:
- Boys lacrosse final: Bosley's goal in overtime gives Novato a surprise win over top-seeded Redwood
- Prep girls lacrosse: Marin Catholic beats a spirited Novato squad to claim third consecutive MCAL title
- May 9:
- Girls lacrosse playoffs: Second-half surge pushes Novato past University; Marin Catholic cruises
- May 7:
- Girls lacrosse playoffs: Redwood, University earn first-round victories
- Boys lacrosse playoffs: Marin Catholic blasts Terra Linda; Tam wins again
Freshman Chase Rudy scored six goals and Charlie Curtis added three to help the second-seeded Novato High boys lacrosse team defeat No. 3 Marin Catholic 13-7 in the MCAL semifinals at Novato on Thursday.
It was the second win of the season over the Wildcats (15-7) for the Hornets (18-4). Tommy Carasco and Quinn McKone had two assists each for Novato, while Austin Colvin led MC with three goals.
"(Rudy) took over the game. His lacrosse IQ is off the charts," Novato coach Marty Jayne said. "We knew we were going to see a fierce opponent today so we just tried to play our game. We played fast and we tried to give them a different look."
Jayne credited goalie Cole Aiken with several key saves. The Hornets travel to Larkspur on Friday to face Redwood in the MCAL championship at 5:30 p.m.
"Redwood is a very, very good team. We hope we can slow them down," Jayne said.
Redwood 21, Tam 2
The top-seeded Giants stopped the streaking Red-tailed Hawks in an MCAL semifinal in Larkspur. Regan Kelly, Patrick Tracy and J.P. Josi all scored four goals apiece for the Giants (16-5).
"We knew (Tam) was going to come out hard. Our plan was to start playing fast," Redwood coach David Grose said. "Oliver Madison played very well in goal. Matt Kennis played well on defense as well as Henry and Carl Metzger."
Madison finished with 10 saves.
Fifth-seeded Tam (7-13) had won four of its past five games coming into the game against Redwood. The Giants' showdown against Novato in the MCAL final on Friday is a rematch of last year's championship, won by Redwood.
"Novato is a strong, fast team," Grose said. "It will be a battle of wills."


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JOHN PAUL II Lagos Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, 1. Before I leave your shores I am indeed happy to have this meeting with you, representatives of the many who have organized this visit of mine to Nigeria. For many months you have planned, revised your plans, held meetings in Rome, in Lagos, in your Provincial Centres, on the diocesan levels and at other venues. You have contacted the Government, various organizations, companies and individuals. The result is the beautifully orchestrated and smooth programme which is already in its fourth day. I express to you my deep appreciation. Your many sacrifices have helped to strengthen faith, to increase charity and to cement friendships. You have contributed much to the life of the Church it Nigeria and to the happiness and well-being of so many of your fellow-citizens. 2. The arrangements you made have enabled me to exercise my own pastoral mission as a servant of Christ's Gospel and as the universal Shepherd of God's people. With you collaboration I have been able here in Nigeria to proclaim Christ, the Light of the world. 3. By working together you have reflected the unity of the Church; you have shown how greatly you value solidarity in action and how much you want to be, like the early Christians, "of one heart and soul". It is my hope that the pattern of collaboration and hard work that you have followed during the preparation of my visit will continue to inspire you in all your activities in your local Churches, and in the continued support that you are asked to give to your bishops and priests.
In the words of Saint Paul: I shall always be "thankful
for your partnership in the Gospel... And I am sure that he who began a good
work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus. It is right
for me to feel thus about you all, because I hold you in my heart". © Copyright 1982 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana |


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The Institute of Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) at the University offers students looking for innovative and multidisciplinary research opportunities programs in biomedical and clinical engineering.
A degree-granting research institute, students can pursue Masters in Applied Science (MASc), Masters in Health Science (MHSc), and Doctoral degrees in Biomedical Engineering (PhD).
Students in the Division of Engineering Science can also pursue biomedical engineering undergraduate courses as part of the Biomedical Systems Engineering Option. Visit the Division of Engineering Science for more information on this program.
The Institute arranges its research across four major, intersecting research fields that span the breadth of the biomedical engineering continuum:
- Neural, Sensory Systems and Rehabilitation
- Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- Nanotechnology, Molecular Imaging and Systems Biology
- Engineering in a Clinical Setting
Download the full brochure on our programs and research themes.
Graduate Programs:
MHSc Clinical Engineering
PhD Biomedical Engineering (Biomedical Engineering or Clinical Engineering concentrations)
BME Collaborative Program
Collaborative Programs – Partners and Affiliates
Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Program Options:
Currently there are two minors available for undergraduate students looking to pursue studies in Biomedical Engineering. A third Biomedical Engineering minor is expected to enroll students beginning September 2014.
Special Programs: MATCH & CARE
IBBME offers program enhancements through the NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE): the Academic Rehabilitation Engineering (CARE) training program and the Program in Microfluidic Applications and Training in Cardiovascular Health (MATCH). MATCH and CARE are elite programs of study that highlight the interdisciplinary spirit and commercial innovation of IBBME.
Important Links:
Prospective students interested in applying to one of our programs should visit Applying to IBBME for more information.


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Release Date: 2009 | Tracklist
Hari676 (3)3DG finally matures....a bit.......thatdudeud0ntknow (2.5)Stop whining and write about something interesting for a change....electsigon (3)...Vhozard (3.5)Good follow-up of One-X....
Pedro B. (2)One step forward, two steps back....DeadStarShine (2.5)In two words the album is mediocre and disappointing....CarsonBoulderfist (2.5)On their third full-length effort, Three Days Grace searches for a progression in there so...Pessimist (2.5)Albeit it's not 3DG's most original album to date, Life Starts Now is the band's first ste...
Jeremy Bentham (3)While it can be debated that this is their most mature work to date, Life Starts Now prove...
http://underthegunreview.net/?p=4846 Album can be streamed here. Edit: Above site took album down, but it can be streamed below. http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/2
Album Rating: 1.5Well, shoot. Review thief! Haha. At least I can delete this off my computer now. Very good review. Stop bolding the band name though.
Really good review, i'm saddened by the fact that this apparently sucks but it wont stop me from at least trying it out. Good Review.
Stop bolding the band name though Alright thanks, I'll fix it.
The album doesn't suck, per se, its just that its the same as the band's other albums, minus any originality.
Whooooah check out the guy with the review! I pos'd.
Album Rating: 1.5Album sucks, per se. Band has really good verses and terrible, terrible choruses.
I'll probably like it anyway... i'm a sucker for 3DG
I hate this more than I usually hate Three Days Grace albums. Which is a lot.
Album Rating: 1.5From the single it doesn't seem like this is close to their debut.
Yeah, I was hoping it would be better, mostly due to that trailer the band released, but its just a hype starter. "Band has really good verses and terrible, terrible choruses." yep, practically builds you up for a letdown.
i just got this and was excited to listen to it. im not gonna let you influence me first though, haha no offense i just would rather go in blind.
If you are a big fan you'll probably enjoy it, given bias and stuff. I hope yoo find something you like though.
not a fanboy by any means but they have places in my heart for the mems. anyway i'm not floored by any means as bitter taste and break are as bland as their titles suggest.
Yeah, you'll find most tracks are pretty devoid of depth. In most cases, the song's title is essentially the song's chorus line.
Three Days Grace release their 2003 debut album once again.
the summary alone is worth a pos
Thank you. There were so many news articles that said "life starts for three days grace on sept 22nd", that I couldn't resist
i'm kinda thinking its unfair to say they've re-released the same in the sense that you can definitely hear them trying to branch away from that bland sound. still it ends being just as generic and boring so in that sense i can understand. i dunno, some tracks are worth a few more listens while the others just are so boring they make me angry.
Album Rating: 2.5It's better than One-X, but it's still suffering the same flaws that all 3DG albums have. Excellent review, I agree with most of your points.
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


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Domestic Violence Awareness Month, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Your Agency
IAOHRA members committed to take one action to utilize international human rights in collaboration with state and local governments. We write to share suggestions for ways that your agency can fulfill this commitment by addressing violence against women using a human rights framework.
Local governments are on the front lines of addressing domestic violence. Indeed, state and local agencies and city and county governments are already recognizing freedom from domestic violence as a human right. Because October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we are excited to share information on the relevance of the human rights framework to your work and offer a few suggestions for how you can use human rights in your jurisdiction.
Freedom from Violence as a Human Right
The human rights framework provides guidance to governments in order to ensure equality for men and women on an equal basis, which include taking steps to eliminate violence against women. A number of human rights agreements call specifically for proactive measures that promote gender equality and protect against gender discrimination in all its forms, including measures aimed at identifying, eliminating and preventing gender-motivated violence. The core human rights standards can be found in The U.N. Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the Convention for the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (known as the treaty for the Rights of Women or CEDAW).
UN experts and regional human rights bodies have also made specific recommendations on ways the United States can address domestic violence, including improving enforcement of protection orders, holding dialogues with vulnerable communities, conducting education and awareness raising to condemn violence against women and improving training for law enforcement. These recommendations can be found here: Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Decision by the Inter-American Commission in the Jessica Lenahan (Gonzalez) case.
By recognizing freedom from domestic violence as a fundamental right, you can emphasize the need for proactive steps to eliminate harm before it occurs and underscore that violence against women negatively impacts many areas of life, including education, health and work, and implicates women's ability to exercise other fundamental rights and freedoms. You will also join local governments in a number of cities and counties that have recognized the role of state and local governments in securing this human right.
State and Local Governments, Violence Against Women and Human Rights
Last month, the Seattle Human Rights Commission adopted a resolution recognizing the protection against violence as a human right and a basis for the federal government to pass the Senate version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Through the resolution, the Commission expressed support for VAWA and emphasized the Senate's obligations to (enact laws that do not discriminate and to respect and ensure the right to be protected against violence. The Commission cites a number of international agreements and standards and provides just one example of ways that you can encourage policymakers to make legislative choices that protect and vindicate human rights. (The Text of the Resolution is in the Appendix).
By passing this resolution, the Seattle Human Rights Commission joined a number of U.S. cities and counties that have recognized freedom from domestic violence as a fundamental human right, including:
· Miami-Dade County. The County's Board of Commissioners passed a resolution declaring freedom from domestic violence as a fundamental human right. The resolution notes the important role that local agencies and officials play in addressing domestic violence and calls upon local agencies to incorporate human rights standards on domestic violence into their policies and practices. You can find the resolution here.
· Baltimore, MD and Cincinnati, OH. Cities have also taken action to address violence against women through human rights. In 2011, Cincinnati's City Council passed a resolution encouraging the City to raise awareness of domestic violence as a human rights issue and declaring that state and local governments have a responsibility to secure this right. Earlier this year, Baltimore's City Council passed a similar resolution recognizing this fundamental human right and calling on state and local governments to secure this right. Links to these resolutions are here and here.
These resolutions demonstrate a local commitment to addressing violence against women and also highlight that local actors are joining leaders in the U.S. and worldwide by recognizing this human rights issue.
Ways Your Agency Can Promote and Protect the Right to Be Free From Violence
In addition to passing resolutions like the Seattle Human Rights' Commission's and working with policymakers in your jurisdiction to recognize the right to be free from violence, IAOHRA members can promote and protect this right in a number of ways.
Specifically, you can:
• write op-eds on local concerns regarding domestic violence and the importance of steps to prevent and eliminate violence, guided by human rights standards;
• convene or participate in hearings, roundtables, or panels on domestic violence to explain the application of the human rights framework to local or state government efforts to protect community members from domestic violence;
• conduct trainings with other government agencies or with community partners on using human rights principles in their work around domestic violence; and/or
• conduct educational outreach with local schools, colleges, and universities to educate youth on how human rights principles can be applied locally to domestic violence prevention.
Domestic Violence Month and the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25th provide a great opportunity to bring human rights into your work.
We would love to hear about any actions you are taking to incorporate human rights and are available to answer any questions you may have. You can contact us with updates or questions at email@example.com.
Risa E. Kaufman, Executive Director
Columbia Law School
Human Rights Institute
Jean M. Kelleher, President
International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies
JoAnn Kamuf Ward,Associate Director
Human Rights in the US Project
Columbia Law School
Human Rights Institute
Resolution #12-03: Support for House Passage of Senate VAWA bill
Whereas, all Seattle residents are born free and equal in dignity and rights; and
Whereas, the Seattle Human Rights Commission is committed to protecting and advocating for justice, human rights, and the equal treatment of all people who live and work in Seattle; and
Whereas, the protection against violence is a fundamental human right,
Whereas, reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has stalled in Congress; and
Whereas, the Senate version of VAWA includes important protections for groups particularly affected by violence against women, as Native Americans, immigrants and refugees, and LGBTQ communities while the House version of VAWA does not; and
Whereas, the Senate version of VAWA more fully embodies the core human rights of equality, safety, liberty, integrity and dignity which are enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the American Declaration on Human Rights among others;
Whereas, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women has urged the U.S. to reassess its laws and policies protecting domestic violence survivors and punishing abusers; and
Whereas, in 2011 the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (ICHR) already required the United States to comply with its international duty to prevent violence against women in the case of Jessica Lenahan (Gonzáles) v. the United States, through the enactment of legislation and policy reforms that do not discriminate and provide for equal protection before the law to victims of domestic violence and their children, under Article II of the American Declaration on Human Rights; and
Whereas, the Commission supports the Seattle Women's Commission's call for the U.S. House to pass the Senate version of VAWA and the Commission co-sponsored a public rally with the Seattle Women's Commission to support the Senate version of VAWA on June 27, 2012;
Therefore be it resolved, that the Seattle Human Rights Commission hereby declares its support for the U.S. Senate version of VAWA and calls upon the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Senate version this year, in compliance with its international obligations to enact legislation that does not discriminate and to respect and ensure the right to be protected against violence.
Adopted by the Seattle Human Rights Commission on September 6, 2012


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Optimus Keyboard
So we know a lot of you have probably seen this before, but for those of you who haven't, you're going to want one — immediately. The Optimus Keyboard ($TBD) features a full-size key layout with an extra row of buttons. The fun part, though, is that every key has a small OLED inside it, letting the keyboard be used for specific functions depending on your application. It's so cool, we almost wept writing this story. [Thanks, Eric]


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La Bolleur, the Dutch design collective behind the fantastic mini-golf installations we've seen around Milan and Eindhoven, just sent us their latest project, a series of monstrous balloon animals for the Eindhoven city-center, scaled up so much that they were "hardly manageable."
Maybe a nod to Jeff Koons' iconic balloon sculptures, these pieces are almost the opposite: soft and dynamic, made from giant fabric tubes actually inflated and twisted into shape by the La Bolleur Team. According to them, "making it happen turned out to be as much fun as the end result." Seeing their pictures, where they are surrounded by massive, air-filled tubes, makes us feel ecstatic (and just slightly jealous).
La Bolleur—once a restaurant, often a golf course, and now proclaiming itself as a brand— will be celebrating their 5 year anniversary during the upcoming Dutch Design Week. You're invited to visit their celebratory exhibit from October 23rd through 31st, dotted with a live jazz opening, a ping pong club, and more. Because it isn't on the website yet, the invitation is enclosed below.


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Family owned and locally operated since 1995, Lone Star Carpet Care and Restoration is the premier San Antonio carpet cleaning company. Our specially trained carpet cleaning technicians will treat you like family, offering honest and affordable service you can trust. Lone Star is the choice for carpet cleaning and carpet repair in San Antonio.
When it comes to your home and family, trust the best carpet cleaning company in San Antonio.
Not all carpet cleaning companies have the same skill or experience. Lone Star Carpet Care and Restoration is San Antonio's carpet cleaning expert. Equipped with state-of-the- art carpet cleaning equipment, we offer professional steam carpet cleaning (the hot water extraction method), full service carpet repair, upholstery cleaning, stain removal, pet treatments, tile and grout cleaning and 24-hour emergency water extraction.


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Men don't have glass heads. What's going on in there? Do they mean what they say? And what are they not saying? Why does anyone in a relationship with a man have to spend so much time wondering what things "mean"? Is it good that he called instead of texting? What does it mean that he introduced me to his sister but not his mother or his best friend? Why hasn't he said anything about my birthday yet when it's two weeks from now?
Finally, a man who knows what's going on in there has written a book to decode men for you. It's rich with insight and action you can take today to make your relationship better tomorrow. Smith's fascinating, sometimes surprising topics include:
--The Subtle Art of Hooking Us (men really do want to be in committed relationships, even if they don't always show it)
--Beauty Matters (but beauty may not be exactly what you think it is)
--Beware of Titles (why you shouldn't label yourself his "girlfriend" until certain conditions are met)
--Sex is More Powerful than an AK-47 (but it doesn't always have to be a home run)
--Mean What You Say (and why sex lies are always—always—a bad idea)
--Know how to Listen and What we Care About (it doesn't matter if you buy the yellow pillows or the blue pillows but that doesn't mean you don't matter)
Any man who picks up The Truth About Men will nod in agreement, and any woman who puts its insights into practice will have an instantly happier mate and a stronger, longer relationship.


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Best school for me - page 3
Eventually I am moving to the Chesapeake area. I'm looking toward several programs. Some are ADN some are BSN. As a non-resident, the out-of-state tuition for some are exorbitant. So, while I prefer... Read More
0Apr 21, '13 by HeatherMaxODU and Sentara are BSN programs and TCC is only ASN. I am second guessing myself again.... LPN and then bridge, or go straight for the BSN...
0Apr 21, '13 by pacjefferyDepends on your finances, home life (ie. kids, S.O., etc) & end game. It's not unreasonable to cultivate several opportunities. Make a hierarchy, apply to 3-4 & make a choice based on where you get in. If I were an LPN now this would be easier for me. I'd be making more money during school. As it stands now I'm a CNA (endorsed my license to VA too). I need to make more money ASAP with twins on the way. I couldn't take three years at CNA salary to attend nursing school. Not while supporting newborns simultaneously.
0Apr 21, '13 by pacjefferyIf I were in your shoes with my LPN I'd go directly to an LPN-BSN program.
0Apr 21, '13 by HeatherMaxI still need my LPN, I am currently just an unemployed Pharmacy Tech working on my pre-requisites. If I keep on this track, minus LPN school, I will be able to apply for the BSN program next summer. If I do my summer classes, then start the LPN program in Sep (if I get in) I won't be able to continue taking 3-4 classes each semester and it will delay my eligibility to apply for another 2 years. HOWEVER, I keep reading a ton of posts of people that are almost done with their BSN and in clinicals and HATE nursing... I am very close to 37, too old to go full steam ahead to a BSN and then figure out I hate it.
0Apr 21, '13 by sunbaby0811ODU is a state school!! I can say that I had a family member attend the ODU program and nothing but good things to say. She graduated 6 or 7 yrs ago and had a job straight out of school.
Community colleges nearby (I know nothing about their programs, but just for ideas...)
- Tidewater Community College aka TCC is in Ches/VA Beach/Norfolk
- Thomas Nelson CC is on the other side of the water in Hampton/Newport News.
- Paul D Camp CC is in the boonies LOL but not horrible depending on what part of Ches you live in - they are in Suffolk, Franklin, and Smithfield, I think.
Any of these should be even more affordable, although I am not sure if you're going to work/live in state for a year and then do school or go straight in and pay out of state tuition for a year? I dont live in the area any more, but it's my hometown, so I am partial to it Good luck!! -
0Apr 21, '13 by pacjefferyHeather, I will be 38 next month, I'm a CNA and I have twins on the way. I would prefer NOT to support them on just CNA salary. Add to that my tuition comes out of pocket (ZERO financial aid). Damn right I want to do whatever gets me to RN the fastest and cheapest. I don't think it's possible to work four, 12-hr shifts weekly and do nursing school and help raise two infants. Then again, I'm not ready to say it's IMpossible.
0Apr 21, '13 by pacjefferySunbaby, I'm relocating. I don't know about the Paul school. Never heard of it until now. ADN or BSN.... If it's reasonably priced, ok! I don't think I could wait a year to start unless I was an LPN.
0Apr 21, '13 by kelzfuturenursePaul D. Camp is a community college so u would receive an associate degree. I didn't even realize that they have a nursing program.


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Jersey Shore star J-Woww
'Jersey Shore' star J-Woww poses in a photospread for 'Maxim' magazine's August 2010 issue.
It is retarded how good looking she is. I would nt be able to take my eyes off of her if we were in the same room. Totally gorgeous.
I actually like her. but she needs to lose the fake nails!


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- Conference date: 19-22 March, 2007
- Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland (USA)
The process of high‐order harmonic generation (HHG) can be used to generate bright, coherent beams of light in the extreme‐ultraviolet and soft x‐ray region of the spectrum by upconverting intense femtosecond pulses to very short wavelengths. These high‐order harmonics result from ionization of the gas used as a nonlinear medium; thus, a full understanding of the process involves incorporating atomic physics, quantum dynamics, and plasma physics into an already non‐trivial nonlinear optics problem. In the past several years, we have developed a new technology of "extreme" nonlinear optics that uses the rich, attosecond time‐scale physics of the process in novel ways to manipulate the characteristics of this source, improving both the flux and the spectral characteristics. Most recently, we have (1) demonstrated that quasi phase matching of the high‐order harmonic conversion process can be accomplished by the use of weak counterpropagating pulse trains that modulate the conversion process, constituting a nonlinear‐optical "crystal" made of light; and (2) we have demonstrated that high‐order harmonics can be generated by ionization of ions in a guided‐wave geometry, using a discharge‐created plasma waveguide to pre‐ionize the gas and form a guiding electron density profile.
Key Topics
- Nonlinear optics
- 4.0
- Plasma ionization
- 3.0
- Second harmonic generation
- 3.0
- Ionization
- 2.0
- Optical properties
- 2.0
A New Method For A Sensitive Deuteron EDM Experiment
Y. K. Semertzidis, M. Aoki, M. Auzinsh, V. Balakin, A. Bazhan, G. W. Bennett, R. M. Carey, P. Cushman, P. T. Debevec, A. Dudnikov, F. J. M. Farley, D. W. Hertzog, M. Iwasaki, K. Jungmann, D. Kawall, B. Khazin, I. B. Khriplovich, B. Kirk, Y. Kuno, D. M. Lazarus, L. B. Leipuner, V. Logashenko, K. R. Lynch, W. J. Marciano, R. McNabb, W. Meng, J. P. Miller, W. M. Morse, C. J. G. Onderwater, Y. F. Orlov, C. S. Ozben, R. Prigl, S. Rescia, B. L. Roberts, N. Shafer‐Ray, A. Silenko, E. J. Stephenson, K. Yoshimura and EDM Collaboration
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Summary: This book is suitable for undergraduate students in computer science and engineering, for students in other disciplines who have good programming skills, and for professionals. Computer animation and graphics#x13;once rare, complicated, and comparatively expensive#x13;are now prevalent in everyday life from the computer screen to the movie screen.Interactive Computer Graphics: A Top-Down Approach with Shader-Based OpenGL#xAE;, 6e,is the only introduction to computer graphics text for ...show more undergraduates that fully integrates OpenGL 3.1 and emphasizes application-based programming. Using C and C++, the top-down, programming-oriented approach allows for coverage of engaging 3D material early in the text so readers immediately begin to create their own 3D graphics. Low-level algorithms (for topics such as line drawing and filling polygons) are presented after readers learn to create graphics. ...show less
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Reviewed Chocolate Mug Cake
Feb 8, 2014 in on Food.com
"Wow...I was desperate for something sweet today and since I didn';t want a big cake sitting around in the house I decided to try this. If you like dirty socks and sponges, this is the cake for you! The flavor resembled nothing even close to chocolate. In fact, it was so strange in flavor the only that came to mind was the aroma of dirty so..."


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On November 21st, this interesting looking cardinal showed up at a backyard birdfeeder in Eden Prairie, MN. Thanks to Nancy for letting me re-produce the photos. She wasn't sure what was up with this strange looking female Northern Cardinal chowing down at her Yankee Whipper. The head is white but it still has a red crest. This is a pretty classic example of partial leucism. I've posted a number of images of leucistic birds from around the metro before. There was the Leucistic American Goldfinch (also with white on the head though not as much as this cardinal. I really liked this leucistic American Robin as well. One of my favorites though was this odd leucistic purple finch that looked like some sort of odd ring-necked finch.
Leucism results from defects in pigment cells in an animal's body. It can affect just one cell or all of the cells on an animal. This means we can get a bird with just one odd white feather or, as in this case, white feathers in just one part of the body. We can even get a leucistic bird with all white feathers but normal colored eyes, beak and legs. These are the individuals that are most often mistaken for albinos. A leucistic animal is sometimes called a partial albino but technically this is incorrect as albinism has a completely different cause and is systemic, never partial. True albinos lack melanin in all of the cells in their body thus the oddly colored eyes, beak and legs.
9 comments
Kerri Says:
I've never seen a leucistic bird before. What a find!
Debbie Says:
My husband first saw this bird a few days ago. I saw it this afternoon at the feed but she didn't stay long enough :( what a pretty looking bird
Debbie Says:
My husband first saw this bird the other day at the feeder. I saw it today and wasn't quick enough in getting my camera to take a picture of her. What a pretty looking bird we live in the Northeast and this is the first time we've seen this bird.
David Spence Says:
I've also seen one - in 2012 in the winter I thought maybe it was bald from a fungus or something, but she came back again this year - definitely white feathers.
London, Ontario, Canada -
Aaron Rogers Says:
We have one of these strange cardinals frequenting our feeder. What an unusual sight. We are trying to capture it with our camera but have been unsuccessful. We will keep trying
Kirk Mona Says:
That's great David. They are very interesting.
DeeOkie Says:
This is so interesting. I am a backyard birdwatcher and I just saw a female cardinal with the shocking white head at my feeder. First time!
Norman, Oklahoma -
beegee Says:
Im so thankful you posted this. I live around Tulsa, OK and have been seeing a white-headed, female cardinal for the last few months. She's beautiful! I knew she had to be rare!
I'm glad to know what causes this anomaly.
Thanks, again! -
Asim Esen Says:
Clearly, this is a case of somatic mutation. A skin cell at the head region experienced a mutation in one of the genes involved in the melanin biosynthesis pathway during development. The result is all of the cells that descended from that original mutant cell could not synthesize melanin, producing a "beauty spot" or albino feathered head.


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Chevy Tahoe Forum Discussions regarding the Chevrolet Tahoe |
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2003 chevy tahoe check engine light on??
its an 03' Chevy Tahoe with a 4.8L has 67,xxx miles
yesterday i was coming back home from a usual day at the the river. the truck was loaded with 6 big guys and an ice chest in the rear... ive had the Tahoe loaded if not with more weight before plenty of times... as i approach the on ramp fro the free way im stuck at the red light.. as i climb the over past i notice the truck was laggin in power as if it was in 4th gear or as if i was pulling a yacht behind me. then the check engine light comes on as i get on the freeway i notice at 70 mph my rpms where at 3000-3300 rpm so it appeared the truck was not going passed third gear. i pull over to the nearest gas station and checked the fluids... it had perfect amount of fluid in the trans,, i let it cool down and hop back on the freeway runs smooth again but the light is still on. i make it home with no more problems with the trans and disconnect the battery and the wait a few minutes before i reconnected again. the light went away and i havent had the problem occur again...was it a flute or a fart in the computer or something serious??? has anyone had this problem?/
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Eurasia > BGCI in Jordan > BGCI Projects in Jordan - Current
BGCI Projects in Jordan - Current
Since 2004, BGCI has been has working in Jordan in support of the establishment of the first botanic garden of the Hashemite Kingdom. Conceived by Her Royal Highness, HRH, Princess Basma bint Ali, the site for the development of the Royal Botanic Garden (RBG), Jordan, was officially inaugurated on behalf of His Majesty, King Abdullah, by HRH Prince Faisal Bin Al-Hussein in 2005.
Some 40 km away from the bustling capital Amman, at the site of Tel Al-Rumman, the RBG will feature the main four floral elements of the region in an areas of approximately 180 ha. Focussing on the conservation of the native flora, the botanic garden also strives to become a major centre of scientific research, education and recreation to achieve a better understanding and appreciation of Jordan's botanical heritage. To enhance plant conservation action in the region, BGCI assists in the development of a regional network of botanic gardens including the countries of the Middle East, Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. The Royal Botanic Garden of Jordan is coordinating efforts to institutionalize the regional network through providing the network's secretariat. |
Rare Jordanian Plant Prints
Bruce Pearson has produced this fine art limited edition woodcut while visiting the new Botanic Garden in Jordan. It features Black Iris (Iris petrana) and wild Tulip (Tulipa agenensis). Ten prints have been donated by the artist to raise funds for BGCI - act now to secure yours. |


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SPEAKER WATCH: Bercow isn't Happy
John Bercow is a little cross. Short-tempered, you might say. Definitely not Happy. Why? Well, some small-minded MPs have been making jokes about the Speaker's height, presumably hoping they would go over his head. 5ft6 Bercow's attempts to be the bigger person fell short, however, when he claimed that mocking someone's size was only a little off racism or homophobia:
"Whereas nobody these days would regard it as acceptable to criticise someone on grounds of race or creed or disability or sexual orientation, somehow it seems to be acceptable to comment on someone's height, or lack of it"
Equality campaigners say that's a tall order. Guido would poke fun, but feels that's beneath him…


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Here's a look at who'd be where if the season were only 13 games long, along with our spin on each team's status…
1. Houston Texans (10-3) — With four AFC teams at 10-3, the race for byes is a mess.
2. Baltimore Ravens (10-3) — Have the tiebreaker edge over every 10-3 team, and three weak teams coming in.
3. New England Patriots (10-3) — The league's worst defense was torched by Washington, but the sked's easy.
4. Denver Broncos (8-5) — Don't overreact if they lose to New England. Two easy ones after that.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) — Kind of a mess but they keep winning. San Fran challenge Monday night.
6. New York Jets (8-5) — Might get in by default. Raiders, Titans and Bengals all lost in Week 14.
7. Tennessee Titans (7-6) — Playing better than Cincy and Oakland, and running the table isn't insane.
8. Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) — Losers of four out of five and still have to play red-hot Arizona and Baltimore.
9. Oakland Raiders (7-6) — Too many injuries, and now an equally desperate Detroit team.
1. Green Bay Packers (13-0) — They've clinched the bye and will wrap up the top seed in Kansas City.
2. San Francisco 49ers (10-3) — Tiebreak edge over New Orleans but Pittsburgh and Seattle on deck.
3. New Orleans (10-3) — Survived in Tennessee, and now they have all the momentum. Sked's not bad.
4. New York Giants (7-6) — Battle with Dallas will probably come down to Week 17.
5. Atlanta Falcons (8-5) — Still have to go to New Orleans, so they aren't free yet.
6. Detroit Lions (8-5) — Still have to go to Oakland and Green Bay, so they aren't free either.
7. Chicago Bears (7-6) — Three straight losses and two tough games coming up. They're probably done.
8. Dallas Cowboys (7-6) — Beware of the Eagles in Week 16.
9. Arizona Cardinals (6-7) — Could at least force tiebreaker math if they can finish 3-0. Schedule's easy.


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Surbiton based Home-Ology is a company that has a solid reputation within the property industry. We pride ourselves on providing a professional and courteous service at all times, whilst maintaining the highest level of workmanship.
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Third Millennium Bible (TMB) | New International Version (NIV) |
1 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. | 1 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother's name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. |
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved. (Third Millennium Bible Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |