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Top 10 Action Movies of 2012
Den of Geek's ranking of the Top 10 movies of 2012 rated for their action and their action alone.
It was a good year for great action. Even aside from the usual dudes-in-capes and magical-elves subgenres, there was an awful lot of ass being kicked in cinemas in 2012. For a while there was the brief suggestion that the best work was coming from the less-expected places: overseas, maybe Thailand or even the world of direct-to-DVD action. But 2012 was a rainbow coalition of ass-beatings from every part of the world, from directors A-List and Z, in different languages and in two thousand theaters to VOD premieres. This year had something for everybody, but what was the best of the best? Read on to see the finest of the 2012 brawl-fest.
The heavy duty gunplay of DREDD 3D was a highlight for those who like their skull-cracking with a science fiction bent. Action epic FLYING SWORDS OF DRAGON GATE 3D was a fitful potential last hurrah for Jet Li and director Tsui Hark, while The RZA debuted as writer and director of his starring vehicle THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS, proving he was a true student of the classic martial arts epics of yesteryear. Steampunk martial arts epic TAI CHI ZERO provided a solid genre mashup, while big studios had respectable multi-terrain action efforts with the dogfighting WWII movie RED TAILS and David Koepp's little-seen bike messenger thriller PREMIM RUSH.
NOTE: We disqualified films with a heavy sci-fi slant, as well as pictures that can more distinctly be classified as "thrillers," thereby leaving this category open for plausible real-world films that emphasize fisticuffs and specific oppositional physical conflict between characters.
NOTE 2: This list is specifically grading these films on a criteria weighed heavily towards how much action is in them and what the quality of action is. It is not a reflection of how interesting or challenging the films are as a whole.
Directed by Dong Hoon-Choi
Written by Dong Hoon-Choi & Lee Gi-Cheol
Den of Geek Action Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
This Korean blockbuster quietly made its way to American shores, which is too bad: if you billed THE THIEVES as OCEAN'S 14 and claimed that Brad Pitt and Don Cheadle got facelifts and became more athletic, that would be an easy few million right off the bat. This heist actioner actually manages to pack several high stakes stunts in one film, thanks to a group of master thieves who are motivated by revenge for a fallen colleague. Each heist within the film (and there are several) has it's own eye-popping gimmick, involving wall-climbing, multiple disguises and heavy-duty flirting between members of an extremely attractive cast. THE THIEVES is a lighthearted caper, but the thrills come so fast and so elaborately, that it works as one of the year's most entertaining films from any country.
Action Highlight:
There are several highlights in THE THIEVES as it crosscuts between various criminals pulling assorted heists. But the final one, an all-terrain clash involving a rope-triggered race across buildings that ends in a foot chase through crowded highway traffic, keeps building in suspense even as the bits of tech are slowly stripped away.
Directed by Adrian Grunberg
Written by Mel Gibson & Adrian Gruenberg & Stacie Perskie
Den of Geek Action Rating: 4 Stars Out of 5
Dumped unceremoniously to VOD after star Mel Gibson was caught for the umpteenth time saying… unkind things (also bigoted, misogynist, anti-semitic, hateful, ignorant – but we digress), GET THE GRINGO is nonetheless a surprisingly enjoyable, grimy crime flick. Gibson stars as an unrepentant bank robber who flees from cops but ends up trapped in a Mexican prison instead. What he learns is that the prison is its own collection of sub-communities, policed by no one, where prisoners trade goods, drugs and guns, and everyone looks the other way as bodies hit the floor. GET THE GRINGO has the potential to be completely offensive (as does its star), but it never even approaches that temptation for two key reasons: one is that the inhabitants are all fully-realized personalities, even the criminals, and Gibson's relationship with a streetwise boy feels emotionally accurate in it's bristling aggression. And two is that Gibson, without any shame, plays his wayward criminal as a complete ass, a thug with few redeeming qualities (no, we're not going to say anything – it should be assumed at this point): Gibson shot this picture a couple of years ago, right before his annually schedueld scandal, but it very much feels like a nutcase of an actor completely owning his own disturbing sociopathy. (BAM)
Action Highlight:
In a truly bizarre plot twist, Gibson is able to gain admittance to a specific building by getting on the phone and doing an absolutely ridiculous Clint Eastwood impersonation. Once he's in, he doles out bloody, ridiculous justice, marking his territory by double fisting a couple of grenades. Like the rest of GET THE GRINGO it's a sequence that makes absolutely no apologies for its absurdity.
Directed by Sam Mendes
Written by Robert Wade & Neil Purvis
Den of Geek Action Rating: 3 Stars Out of 5
James Bond gets an upgrade in SKYFALL and, while Oscar-winner Sam Mendes provides a distinctly artful interpretation of the character, there's no doubt that the action aesthetics are still pretty securely in place. The days of Roger Moore squirming his way around barely-aimed bullets are gone: in the world of Daniel Craig, James Bond is a scrapper. Beginning with a customarily-exciting chase sequence that goes from foot to car to motorcycle to train, Bond eventually finds himself going toe-to-toe with the various henchmen of top baddie Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem), shedding blood and sharing bullets alongside allies both old and new. SKYFALL isn't the most violent of Bond films, but it feels like one of the tougher ones: while 007 continues to feel invincible, the injuries obviously leave scars, with Bond duty-bound to accept a slug with ease for Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Action Highlight:
There's nothing James Bond won't do without a little swagger: after pulling off an absurd, elaborate stunt involving construction equipment getting him onto a train, he lands inside the cart, fixes his lapel and marches forward as if he were on his way to the beverage cart, completely ignoring the debris behind him or the fact that once again James Bond has just sent a smooch towards Death.
Directed by Simon West
Writen by Richard Wenk & Sylvester Stallone
Den of Geek Action Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Yes, it does seem like the EXPENDABLES films have yet to produce the "Ultimate Action Movie" that the premise deserves. But this time around, director Simon West managed to avoid the stilted romper-room quality of the first THE EXPENDABLES to present an honest-to-god action spectacular, one where each ass-kicker gets his own moment to shine. There are criticisms to be levied the film's way; considering they are "expendable," there's not a whole lot of suspense as to whether these guys will make it out alive (R.I.P. new guy). As a result, the action approaches HOTS SHOTS! levels of ridiculousness, but at least it feels like all involved are in on the joke. And who cares about a tongue in cheek when this many bullets are being wasted in imaginative ways? THE EXPENDABLES 2 avoids being a boring shooting gallery by having moments where Terry Crews wisecracks or when Jason Statham goes toe-to-toe with Scott Adkins. But it's hard to ignore the gravitas that emerges from fistfights between Sylvester Stallone and Jean-Claude Van Damme. As their sculpted, steroidal physiques clash, it feels less like a decently-shot brawl and more like a thunderous battle between titans, where the iconography takes center stage in all its blood-soaked glory.
Action Highlight:
The Expendables band together to tackle what feels like an entire town of soldiers, each in their own colorful way: most memorable is Statham encountering the thugs in a church, brandishing his weaponry and growling, "I now pronounce you… MAN AND KNIFE" (OH MAN YOU GUYS). But the coup de grace is the final moment of this sequence, where the gang exhales after defeating every thug, until one absentmindedly walks around the corner. "Get 'im!" Stallone needlessly shouts and he and his four teammates blast this poor extra from Central Casting into oblivion. It's a moment that works twofold: meant to be a Zucker-style parody of the type of film it really is, it also works as far as these characters/actors and their own blood-sweat-and-tears dedication to straight out overkill.
Written and Directed By Gareth Evans
Den of Geek Action Rating: 3 Out of 5 Stars
One apartment complex. One cop. Hundreds of thugs. THE RAID: REDEMPTION is almost comically simplistic, trapping its super-skilled hero in a nearly unwinnable situation where each level features killers ready to dismember him, the proverbial fly in the ointment. What they didn't count on was that our hero is a Silat master, ready and able to crack some skulls at a moment's notice. Though the movie never transcends the depth of your favorite side-scrolling video game beat-em-up, THE RAID: REDEMPTION does ease you in with slow, methodical John Carpenter-meets-John Woo ramping up, before exploding in a fury of elbows and kneecaps, forcing more than a few extras to try and cheat death as they fall to their doom. Iko Uwais sadly isn't even Jet Li in the charisma department,and the film weakens during an underwhelming denouement, but when THE RAID: REDEMPTION is "on," there is no more violent, balls-to-the-wall actioner this year.
Action Highlight:
When our hero finds deranged henchman Mad Dog stringing up his brother, the sadistic villain errs on the side of showmanship, allowing the two of them to team up against him, and absorbing every brutal blow with a smile. It's a sign of aggressive gamesmanship, one that reveals Mad Dog as a maniac who craves the attentions of a flurry of fists like an onslaught of kisses.
Written and Directed by Boaz Yakin
Den of Geek Action Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
After all this time, all the failed matchups, all the ill-fated Z-grade directors, teaming Jason Statham and writer/director Boaz Yakin proved to be the most solid formula. SAFE is Statham's best action vehicle thus far, trapping the tough guy in a no-frills actioner that feels like a throwback to the 80's, where every tough guy was a superman who got by on his overwhelming confidence and over-qualifications. In SAFE Statham is a cop fallen-from-grace who recovers from vagrancy by stumbling upon a much-treasured little girl. While he sees a chance for redemption in the child, he also sees the little girl as an opportunity to use her as a bargaining chip, pitting the Russian mafia against the Yakuza and then uniting them against the crooked cops who once took him down. Statham never breaks a sweat (he never does, really) but the pleasures of SAFE stem from the B-movie expediency that recalls an upgraded version of earlier Seagal pictures, as it takes us through an action superhero gaming a crooked system to his perfect ends.
Action Highlight:
Contemplating suicide, Statham instead finds a little girl desperate for help in the subway system, chased by a group of tough guys. He proceeds to meet the thugs in the train and dismantle them, one by one, until the final henchman, recalling the hero had previously revealed his profession, laughs, "The garbage collector?" Statham aims a gun at the man, and with cold precision, corrects him, "I didn't collect the garbage. I disposed of it." BLAM.
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Written by Jonathan Nolan
Den of Geek Action Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
All bets were off for director Christopher Nolan's final trip to Gotham City in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. While he had set the table in two previous films by suggesting Batman was on a doomed mission, and that Gotham City was a place of malleable morality, in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES he takes us all to Gotham's Ground Zero. The actions of supervillain Bane (Tom Hardy, superb) have turned Gotham into an island under his martial law and Batman has finally been broken, left for dead in a hole in the ground halfway across the world. While comic book enthusiasts praised Nolan's verisimilitude in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES and there were even serious critics banging the drum for Nolan's comic book grand opera, there's no doubting the training montage element of Bruce Wayne's (Christian Bale) story to rebuild his damaged body, to return to the city in a blaze of glory. As such, this is Batman's last stand, punch by punch, injury by injury and every blow counts, up until the very last one. The politics in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES might not be extremely well thought-out and Nolan and company have a tendency to over-write nearly every big dramatic sequence. But THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is the film where Nolan delivers in scale, presenting a city torn apart by a uncivil war, with one man in a cape descending upon the city and assisting a quest for justice.
Action Highlight:
Hans Zimmer has been accused of over-scoring these films (the first two in union with James Newton Howard), and it's impossible to not hear his big, brassy themes during several moments in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. But it's extra chilling when Zimmer's soundscape vanishes, as an over-the-hill Batman is trapped underground and forced to tango with the vicious Bane. Both combatants toss violent haymakers in each other's direction and it's shattering once the realization sets in that Batman is way out of his league. The beat down the Dark Knight receives is the character's low point, but damned if he doesn't give it his all, in the best-directed and most upsetting sequence of the three DARK KNIGHT films thus far.
Written and Directed By Wei Te-Sheng
Den of Geek Action Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars
While very few audiences in America caught this little-seen action epic from producer John Woo earlier this spring, even they weren't getting the full picture that is WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE. The stateside cut of this sprawling historical actioner ran roughly over two and a half hours long. The actual cut of WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE, which screened at the New York Asian Film Festival, is an overwhelming four hour odyssey, one that doesn't shy away from the tragedy within, but still manages to be a compelling genre picture all on its own. WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE begins during the planned takeover of Taiwan by the Japanese, a victory of "civilized culture" over savagery. But this doesn't take into account the Seediq Bale tribe, proud people who won't accept this colonization, and are willing to go down in a flurry of violence to protect their society. While the Japanese are overwhelmingly armed, the tribes take the fight to them with stunning ferocity, and the non-actors who play the doomed survivors represent a startling collection of tough guy ass-kickers. WARRIORS OF THE RAINBOW: SEEDIQ BALE is an important, untold segment of the historical record: it also happens to be almost non-stop incredible action.
Action Highlight:
Hard to pick one, since the film only increases in intensity as the Seediq Bale begin to diminish in numbers. That doesn't stop them from increasing their savagery, however, and soon they're collecting Japanese heads as trophies, a tribute to their gods who stubbornly won't let them drop without an all-out fight.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Written by Lem Dobbs
Den of Geek Action Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Audiences, meet Gina Carano, your new action superstar. In theory, that is: not many turned out for HAYWIRE earlier this year, even with golden boy Channing Tatum amongst the cast. Still, those who did go saw director Steven Soderbergh doing his best to launch Carano into the stratosphere with a stylish, old-school actioner about a spy who reacts to her burn notice with… just a little bit of "dissatisfaction." There have been scores of action films where the lead was a martial artist and no one else remotely stood a chance. In HAYWIRE that invincible hero is a woman and Soderbergh is smart about laying on the role reversal. He allows Carano a chance to be bloodied and bowed, but our hero is otherwise unstoppable, as male assailants act surprised by her resilience. Beautiful and cocksure, Carano's headstrong would-be Bourne is her own special effect in a series of standout brawls, taking her complaints up the chain of command one-elbow-at-a-time. HAYWIRE's Carano may break a nail on her way up that chain, but she also breaks some skulls.
Action Highlight:
Carano and fellow agent Michael Fassbender are undercover, but she politely demurs to his flirtations. Once he takes her back to the hotel room, all bets are off and he attempts to take her down. But he fails to heed the suggestions of her superior, which is specifically to not think of her "as a woman" and she eventually, gruesomely dismantles him. The flirting, in "character," is placed in a different light as they struggle and flail in their evening ballroom wear, until she subdues him between her legs. Poor guy never saw it coming.
Directed by John Hyams
Written by John Hyams & Doug Magnuson & John Greenhaghl
Den of Geek Action Rating: 5 Stars Out of 5
What sort of implausibility is this? What series has two direct-to-cable sequels to a decent original film [UNIVERSAL SOLDIER (1992)], followed by not one, but two direct-to-DVD attempted reboots [UNIVERSAL SOLDIER II: BROTHERS IN ARMS (1998) and UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: UNFINISHED BUSINESS (1998)] a terrible, "official," theatrical sequel UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: THE RETURN (1999), a third "official" installment of the series, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION (2010) and finally one of the best films of the year? Perhaps it makes sense that UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING borrows very little from its predecessors, all four of them, including the most recent effort, since the implication is that this series is constantly restarting until it finally gets one right. Even then, the UNIVERSAL SOLDIER franchise is probably due to remain in flux forever. What's surprising isn't that the films have a new lead actor in Scott Adkins this time around, but that original hero Luc Devereaux (Jean-Claude Van Damme), last seen given gravitas as a forever broken soldier in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: REGENERATION, has returned as something of the "bad guy." What's interesting is that, as UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING proceeds, it's clear that Devereaux is soon going to be revealed as something more than a "bad guy," but also something far less simple than what meets the eye. And UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING is the same, even if it's dream-like storytelling gives way to the year's more ferocious, unstoppable action sequences, using daredevil martial arts choreography to push the limits of the UniSol "narrative" to its ultimate extreme. UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING is always changing, always evolving, but at the same time, director John Hyams understands how to make the steak sizzle and his genre subversion also allows him to provide exactly what the core audience came here for. Violent, hallucinatory, and completely badass, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING is easily the best action film of the year.
Action Highlight:
From the halfway point on, almost all of UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING is an action highlight, though the best bit is probably when the film turns against brutish brawler Andrei Arlovski. Adkins soon learns that his skills go beyond simply defending himself and the two of them begin battling as a sporting goods store crumbles around them. With this self-awareness comes a stunning moment of action hero swagger, when a bowling ball is tossed Adkins' way and a punch turns it to ash in mid-air. A brutal bat-fight follows, one of many delirious stand-up-and-cheer moments in a film that stands on the gas pedal at that point and doesn't let go.
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One might be tempted to call it Hinduism's answer to Disney World. But the Akshardham temple, which opened in 2005 as a showcase for the celebration of Hindu...more
see the Delhi guideFamous throughout Goa for its Wednesday flea market, Anjuna, together with nearby Vagator and Chapora, is now the hub of Goa's party scene. The flea market...more
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see the Mumbai guideThink of this little-known collection of ruins as Machu Picchu without the crowds. Once a town of 10,000 souls, it was supposedly abandoned almost overnight...more
see the Rajasthan guideA few miles east of Margao lies the small, sleepy village of Chandor, once the site of Chandrapur (capital of the ancient state of Govarashtra), the most...more
see the Goa guideImposing cast-iron gates near Regal Circle lead into lush gardens peppered with ancient statues of various Hindu gods. Behind it all stands the grand old Prince...more
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Ran Reshef, MD, MSc
Ran Reshef, MD, MSc
Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Department: Medicine
Contact information
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Division of Hematology & Oncology
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, 2nd floor West
3400 Civic Center Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Division of Hematology & Oncology
Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, 2nd floor West
3400 Civic Center Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Office: 2153498940
Fax: 2156155887
Lab: 2155730642
Fax: 2156155887
Lab: 2155730642
B.Med.Sci. (Medical Science)
Tel-Aviv University, Israel, 1996.
M.D. (Medicine)
Sackler School of Medicine at Tel-Aviv University, Israel, 2003.
M.Sc. (Translational Research)
University of Pennsylvania, 2011.
Permanent linkB.Med.Sci. (Medical Science)
Tel-Aviv University, Israel, 1996.
M.D. (Medicine)
Sackler School of Medicine at Tel-Aviv University, Israel, 2003.
M.Sc. (Translational Research)
University of Pennsylvania, 2011.
Description of Clinical Expertise
I conduct translational research in cellular therapy. My research focuses on finding new ways to modulate the graft-versus-host and graft-versus-tumor effects and improve the outcomes of stem-cell transplants in patients with blood cancers. Ongoing projects include determining the role of chemokine receptors in transplantation, and incorporating genomic methods to characterize the risk for graft-versus-host disease in order to develop targeted and personalized strategies to prevent it.Description of Research Expertise
I am a physician scientist with a translational research focus in immunotherapy and cellular therapy. My research goals are to advance the understanding of immune responses mediated by cellular therapies, and to develop approaches that improve their efficacy and/or mitigate their toxicity. In particular, I am interested in how genetic variability affects immune responses and explains the heterogeneity in outcomes of cellular therapies and other immunotherapies. My chief hypothesis is that cellular therapies can be optimized by using personalized approaches that are based on understanding of the genetic heterogeneity of tumors, hosts and donors. In this context, my lab studies the role of lymphocyte trafficking receptors in anti-host and anti-tumor responses, which we have translated into a therapeutic intervention in humans using the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc.Selected Publications
Reshef R, Hexner EO, Loren AW, Frey NV, Stadtmauer EA, Luger SM, Gill SI, Vassilev P, Lafferty KA, Smith J, Van Deerlin VM, Mick R, Porter DL : Early donor chimerism levels predict relapse and survival after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation with reduced intensity conditioning. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 20(11): 1758-66, November 2014.Luskin M, Carroll M, Frey N, Loren A, Luger S, Mangan J, Perl A, Sloan C, Stadtmauer E, Bagg A, Daber R, Morrissette J, Roth D, Porter D, Reshef R: Next-generation sequencing to identify mutations that may predict outcome after allogeneic stem cell transplantation for AML. J Clin Onc June 2014 Notes: ASCO Annual Meeting
Levine JE, Hogan WJ, Harris AC, Litzow MR, Efebra YA, Devine SM, Reshef R, Ferrara JLM : Improved accuracy of acute graft-versus-host disease staging among multiple centers. Best Prac Res Clin Haematol 27(3-4): 283-287, Sept.-Dec. 2014.
Reshef R, Luger SM, Hexner EO, Loren AW, Frey NV, Nasta SD, Goldstein SC, Stadtmauer EA, Smith J, Bailey S, Mick R, Heitjan DF, Emerson SG, Hoxie JA, Vonderheide RH, Porter DL: Blockade of lymphocyte chemotaxis in visceral graft-versus-host disease. N Engl J Med 367(2): 135-45, July 2012.
Hardy NM, Fellowes V, Rose JJ, Hakim FT, Odom J, Pittaluga S, Steinberg SM, Blacklock-Schuver B, Avila DN, Memon S, Kurlander RJ, Khuu HM, Stetler-Stevenson M, Mena Gonzalez E, Dwyer AJ, Levine BL, June CH, Reshef R, Vonderheide RH, Gress RE, Fowler DH, Hakim FT, Bishop MR: Costimulated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are a feasible and safe alternative donor cell therapy for relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Blood 119(12): 2956-9, March 2012
Tizon R, Frey NV, Heitjan DF, Tan KS, Goldstein SG, Hexner EO, Loren AW, Luger SM, Vogl DT, Vozinak MJ, Fuchs B, Stadtmauer ES, Reshef R, Porter DL : High Dose Corticosteroids With or Without Etanercept for the Treatment of Idiopathic Pneumonia Syndrome after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 47(10): 1332-7, Oct 2012.
Reshef R, Vardhanabhuti S, Luskin MR, Heitjan DF, Hadjiliadis D, Goral S, Krok KL, Goldberg LR, Porter DL, Stadtmauer EA, Tsai DE: Reduction of Immunosuppression as Initial Therapy for Post-Transplantation Lymphoproliferative Disorder. Am J Transplant 11(2): 336-347, 2011.
Reshef R, Luskin MR, Kamoun M, Vardhanabhuti S, Tomaszewski JE, Stadtmauer EA, Porter DL, Heitjan DF, Tsai DE: Association of HLA Polymorphisms with Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients. Am J Transplant 11(4): 817-825, 2011.
Rager A, Frey N, Goldstein SC, Reshef R, Hexner EO, Loren A, Luger SM, Perl A, Tsai D, Davis J, Vozniak M, Smith J, Stadtmauer EA, Porter DL : Inflammatory Cytokine Inhibition with Combination Daclizumab and Infliximab for Steroid Refractory Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease. Bone Marrow Transplant 46(3): 430-435, 2011.
Beatty GL, Smith JS, Reshef R, Patel KP, Colligon TA, Vance BA, Frey NV, Johnson FB, Porter DL, Vonderheide RH: Functional unresponsiveness and replicative senescence of myeloid leukemia antigen- specific CD8+ T cells after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Clin Cancer Res 15: 4944-53, 2009.


text: TOP 10 Top 10 Sports Top 10: Female Fighters Back to Top ▲ Top 10: Female Fighters 4 Sarah Kaufman Share on Facebook Share on Twitter 0 Shares An undefeated knockout artist who also happens to be the Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion, Sarah Kaufman is one of the fiercest female fighters in the 135-pound division. Holding an impressive record of 11-0, this Canadian fighter won her first seven pro fights by way of knockout and has competed in several promotions including ShoMMA, Palace Fighting Championships and Hardcore Fighting Championships. With her undefeated win streak, it comes as no surprise that Kaufman is currently ranked as one of the best female bantamweight fighters in the world. Next Page TOP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Comments Show Comments More Like This Promoted Around the Web Special Features


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I write this to consult surgery on a birth defect. I'm 31-year-old male who was born with a cleft lip and palate, I had two surgeries as an infant to close the upper part of my lip and palate. I also got speech therapy after these surgeries, so I have no problem in speaking. However, my nose is still asymmetrical. I got one surgery done on my nose when I was 21. I'm not satisfied with the shape of my current nose. It's still asymmetrical. Can you give me some advice? What should I do now?
What Should I Do for my Cleft Nose? (photo)
Doctor Answers (2)
Prior to selecting a surgeon, it's best to clearly identify what bothers you. Is it the asymmetry of the nostril rims, for example...or is it the slight cleft seen on the frontal view? Once you can better identify your concern, the solution will become more apparent. For example, the nostril rim height can be adjusted will filler injections. The cleft and projection can be enhanced with a variety of different implant and graft options. Rest assured, your nose can be refined....maybe even without surgery!
The nasal deformity associated with cleft lips is one of the most difficult problems to correct. I love doing them precisely because of this challenge. With that said, there are characteristic problems that affect the nose when someone has a cleft lip. I would consider your particular nasal appearance rather mild in comparison to the majority of cleft nasal deformities out there. The lower lateral cartilage on the cleft side tends to be displaced laterally, and repositioning of the alar base during lip repair does nothing to address the flattening that occurs along the nostril sill due to warping. The fix is usually made by reshaping this warped piece of cartilage and giving it support in the form of cartilage graft (eg, columellar strut graft +/- batten & tip grafts). An open technique is a must in order to properly shape the cartilage and to address the perceived shortage of mucosal lining that occurs when the cartilage is reshaped. Above all else, seek the advice of a plastic surgeon specializing in cleft nasal deformities in order to maximize your chance of success.
These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.


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Results tagged ' 1998 World Series '
Hall Monitor: One Round Down
By Trevor Hayes
The opening round of the playoffs was notable in many ways, from to woes Minnesota has with the Bronx Bombers to the tight, to-the-wire competitions between the Giants and Braves. As October rolls on, today's players write their stories.
The Roys: Bolstered by the second-ever postseason no-hitter and a solid sweep, the Phillies' rotation is set for another run. And coincidentally, two of the team's three NLDS starting pitchers share more than a uniform. If Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt can help bring another World Series trophy to Philadelphia, they will be the fifth set of same-named starters to do so. The others: The 1998 Yankees with David Cone and David Wells; the 1988 Dodgers with Tim Belcher and Tim Leary; the 1983 Orioles with Mike Boddicker and Mike Flanagan; and the first pair, who not only led the 1948 Indians but also joined the Hall of Fame: Bob Feller and Bob Lemon.
Famous in Philly: Cole Hamels was impressive two years ago, and along with the Roys, he's harnessing that again. He tossed a shutout in the deciding game of the NLDS. In 2008, he marched the Phillies to their first World Series title since 1980, picking up iconic status in the city, four wins and a pair of postseason MVP Awards along the way. His shutout this year was his sixth career playoff win, matching another legend, Hall of Famer Steve Carlton, who served as the team's ace during its glory years in the 1980s.
Texas Boppers meet Bronx Bombers: Over the last week, Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz provided plenty of pop to propel the Rangers to an ALCS matchup with the Yankees. The Texas duo each hit three home runs, making them the second pair of teammates to connect for at least three homers apiece while playing five or fewer postseason games, The other pair set their standard in 1928. Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, with each famous Yankee hitting three homers during a four-game sweep of the Cardinals.
Master Lee: The Ranger's success against the Rays can also be attributed to the man who won two games. Cliff Lee's postseason dominance has made him seem incapable of walking batters, who seem incapable of getting to him. His 21 strikeouts without a walk set a new single-series record, besting the previous mark of 14 set by the Braves' Kevin Millwood when he didn't walk a Giant in the 2002 NLDS. Meanwhile, Lee tossed a complete game in Game Five, his fifth game with seven or more innings of without a walk. That ties Hall of Fame Christy Mathewson for the second-most and is just two behind Greg Maddux's record of seven.
With just two years of postseason play under his belt, Lee is now 6-0 in seven starts. Only five pitchers in major league history have six wins in their first seven postseason starts, including Hall of Famers Bob Gibson and Lefty Gomez. Pitching in Games One and Five, Lee won his fifth and sixth straight decisions as a starter to begin his postseason career, equaling Gomez for third-most all-time. The record is eight, and Lee is slated for at least one more start without going on short rest. He's also rattled off five straight W's in which he pitched seven or more innings. Only Dave Stewart, Gibson and fellow Hall of Famers Red Ruffing have longer streaks.
Last of the 30: In the first-ever series in which the road team won every game, the Rangers picked up their first-ever postseason series win. Dating back to the 1961 Washington Senators, the franchise has finally claimed victory in baseball's second season, the last active franchise to do so. The franchise waited 41 years to taste postseason glory, a drought only eclipsed by four teams, three of which began play before the World Series started in 1903. From their birth onward, only the Phillies (104 years), Dodgers (79 years), Orioles (63 years) and Cardinals (50 years) took longer to win their first playoff series. Like Texas, each of those teams had made the postseason before. And each year they finally won a postseason series, they went on to win the World Series. In fact, only the Astros, Brewers, Mariners, Nationals, Padres, Rays and Rockies did not win the World Series in the same season the franchise garnered its first playoff series win.
Trevor Hayes is the editorial production manager at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
Scouting Hall of Famers
By Jim Gates
Scout units across the country will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America throughout the 2010 calendar year. Those of us who live in upstate New York recently saw a jamboree of more than 650 scouts, hosted by the Otschodela Council, which recognized this centenary under the leadership of Troop 1 of nearby Unadilla, N.Y.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame has also been involved with scouting for several years, as we sponsor a special patch via the Otschodela Council which Scouts earn by completing a scavenger hunt during their visit to the Museum. Throughout the year, we see scout units from all corners of the country working on the patch, and we recently hosted a group from Troop 28 of Chatham, N.J. This unit, headed up by Scoutmaster Steve Woodall, arrived in the area on Friday evening, May 21st, and spent the night at the local scouting reservation, Camp Henderson.
They were up bright an early on Saturday morning for a day-long visit to the Hall of Fame, and as it just so happens they found the date of their visit to coincide with our special World Series Championship weekend. Many members of this Troop are die-hard Yankees fans, and in addition to earning the patch, they had their photo taken with the 2009 New York Yankees World Series Trophy.
Troop 28 also received a behind-the-scenes tour courtesy of yours truly, who serves as a Scoutmaster for Cooperstown Troop 1254. The unit was able to learn about the archive operation, both how we take care of material and how we build the collection. As part of their visit, the boys had the chance to wear the white gloves and hold one of the bats from our collection, this one being a Derek Jeter model from 1998.
Following their day in Cooperstown, Troop 28 returned to Camp Henderson for another night of camping out, before heading to Howe Caverns on Sunday and then the drive back home to New Jersey. We hope that this visit is one which they will all remember for many years to come.
Scout units interested in learning more about the Hall of Fame patch are encouraged to contact the Otschodela Council. We look forward to seeing you in Cooperstown.
Jim Gates is the librarian of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library.


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Combine uClinux and Asterisk on a Card
This article describes how to build an embedded Asterisk IP-PBX with four analog (FXO or FXS) ports. Total parts cost is about $500 US, which is competitive with PC/PCI-card based Asterisk solutions. Embedded solutions have the advantage of small size, low power and no moving parts. Figure 1 is a photo of the PBX hardware in action.
The PBX is built around a Blackfin STAMP development card, available off the shelf from Digi-Key for around $225 US. The Blackfin is a powerful DSP chip that runs uClinux. Sitting on top of the Blackfin STAMP card is a daughterboard, which contains interface hardware and the SD card socket. Into the daughterboard plugs FXO or FXS modules, one for each port. In this example, there are two FXS modules on the left and two FXO modules on the right. The color of each LED indicates the type of module inserted.
Here's a brief review of telephony jargon:
FXO ports connect to telephone lines and the exchange.
FXS ports connect to analog telephone handsets.
Figure 2 is a block diagram of the PBX hardware and software components. SIP phones or analog phones can be used for handsets (extensions), which are connected via a LAN to the IP PBX. External calls can be routed over the Internet or through the analog FXO ports. Internal calls between IP phones are routed over the LAN.
The PBX supports most of the features of Asterisk running on an x86 PC. As there is no hard disk, an SD card is used for voice-mail storage.
I have a history of developing computer telephony hardware and have always wanted to build a small embedded box that combines a host processor, DSP, line interface hardware and software. It's an itch I've needed to scratch!
There are some very cool things about the Blackfin processor chip:
The problem with most embedded processors is that they are not very powerful. The Blackfin is a powerful host processor and a DSP—that is, it can run uClinux, Asterisk and codecs like G729 on the same processor at the same time. A standard 500MHz Blackfin runs at around 1,000 DSP-MIPs, which is plenty for codecs, echo cancellation and so forth.
A lot of effort and hardware cost is usually required to interface telephony hardware to the host processor (typically a PC), such as PCI bridge chips. The Blackfin makes it easy, as it has a lot of nice interfaces built in, such as serial ports, SPI and DMA controllers, which are all tightly integrated with the core processor.
The Blackfin chips are good value for the money, ranging from $4.95 US each (BF531 in 10k volume), which makes low-cost embedded telephony hardware a real possibility. This makes it possible to build an IP PBX including analog or E1/T1 line interfaces for far less than comparable PC-PCI card solutions.
Best of all there is an Open Source community that has developed GPL hardware (the family of STAMP boards).
The hardware designs for this project are open—the schematics and PCB layouts are freely available for anyone to download, copy and modify.
The hardware designs have been released under the GPL. Although there is some debate over how defensible the GPL is when applied to hardware, the key ideas are similar to open-source software—the hardware designs are free as in speech, and a community exists that is working together on extending and enhancing the designs. Intellectual Property (IP) is shared for the mutual benefit of all.
The community is loosely organised under the Free Telephony Project, and it consists of private hackers, researchers and several companies who are donating time and other resources to the project. A series of hardware designs are being developed, for example, analog and ISDN interface hardware, and DSP motherboard designs. Significant software development work is also occurring, for example, open echo cancellation software and drivers for the hardware.
The outputs of the project are high-quality, professionally designed telephony hardware, freely available for all. Hardware development is a little different from software—hardware design/test cycles are much longer (for example, a bug might mean a new board needs to be manufactured), and of course, it costs money to make a "copy" of a hardware design. However, the benefits of open hardware are similar to open software:
Peer review is a wonderful way to trap bugs early, leading to big savings in development time.
Re-use of open designs enables innovative products to be developed quickly and with a very small number of bugs.
Discussion and contributions from people all over the world lead to a much higher-quality product than a product developed by one company in its own lab.
Using open hardware, an individual or small company can build sophisticated telephony products without needing large company resources.
The part I like best—you get to work with a community of talented hardware and software people! Some of the best and brightest minds out there seem to migrate naturally to open projects.
Business models are being developed that function within the open-hardware environment. For example, one company sponsoring our efforts has a service model based around low-cost telephony hardware—maintaining ownership of the hardware IP is not a critical part of its business plan.
Open hardware is also great for small, localised businesses and allows developing countries to build their own products locally—overcoming tariff barriers and building a local high-technology industry.
blackfin dsp and asterisk?
I didn't think asterisk supported the dsp functions/instructions of blackfin. Which means using blackfin dsp does not help may infact be less efficent as most of the asterisk codec code is geared towards x86 systems.
Embedded open-source telephony
Hugely helpful!
I have been looking everywhere for information on putting together an embedded telephony card to use to build an adjunct telephone box. Although the Asterisk section is overkill for me, I need the FXS/FXO piece, and to be able to do pass-through.
I'll check into the resources you posted as well. Thanks for being so complete -
Dana Good
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A channel big enough to handle global shipping would require deep dredging throughout Lake Nicaragua, the largest source of fresh water in Central America. Esteban Felix/AP hide caption itoggle caption Esteban Felix/AP Science Scientists Fear Ecological Disaster In Nicaragua's Planned Canal February 20, 2014 The head of Nicaragua's Academy of Sciences says the plan for a new Central American shipping channel seems so crazy that he's having trouble persuading conservation groups to take it seriously. Listen Loading… 3:41 Download Playlist
Environment Report: Burning Natural Gas Is Better Than Using Coal February 14, 2014 Methane is both a fuel and a potent greenhouse gas. A study in Science magazine suggests that about 50 percent more methane is leaking into the atmosphere than official estimates suggest. Even so, they conclude that it's better for the environment to switch electricity generation from coal power plants to those that burn methane. Listen Loading… 3:31 Download Playlist
Until recently, finding characteristic stone and bone tools was the only way to trace the fate of the Clovis people, whose culture appeared in North America about 13,000 years ago. Sarah L. Anzick/Nature hide caption itoggle caption Sarah L. Anzick/Nature Science Ancient DNA Ties Native Americans From Two Continents To Clovis February 13, 2014 The mysterious Clovis culture, which appeared in North America about 13,000 years ago, appears to be the forerunner of Native Americans throughout the Americas, a study of DNA evidence suggests. Remains from an infant buried more than 12,000 years ago at a Clovis site in modern Montana held the genetic key. Listen Loading… 3:57 Download Playlist
Clive Hamilton's new book Earthmasters. Courtesy of Yale University Press hide caption itoggle caption Courtesy of Yale University Press Environment Risky Tech Fixes For Climate Becoming Likelier, Critic Warns February 12, 2014 As time runs out to put the brakes on global warming, world leaders seem loath to reduce gas emissions, because it's politically hard, says social scientist Clive Hamilton. Instead, he worries, we'll try to engineer the atmosphere — a tech fix that sounds quicker and simpler – but is fraught with risk. Listen Loading… 4:23 Download Playlist
The Climate Casino by William Nordhaus looks at the economics and politics of global warming. Courtesy of Yale University Press hide caption itoggle caption Courtesy of Yale University Press Science Economist Says Best Climate Fix A Tough Sell, But Worth It February 11, 2014 Yale's William Nordhaus has been running the numbers on Earth's climate troubles. He says charging a fair price for any dumping of carbon dioxide into the air is a cost-effective solution. But at least half the planet must cooperate, his math suggests, or it will be all pain, no gain. Listen Loading… 5:27 Download Playlist
Massive sections of ice (center front) have broken away from the Jakobshavn glacier into the sea. There's enough water stored in Greenland's glaciers to raise the sea level by 20 feet. Ian Joughin/Science/AAAS hide caption itoggle caption Ian Joughin/Science/AAAS The Two-Way Glacier Blamed For Berg That Sank Titanic Unleashes More Ice February 3, 2014 Jakobshavn, the river of ice in Greenland that produced the infamous berg, has become the fastest-moving major glacier in the world, surging toward the sea at the rate of 150 feet per day. That means its impact on sea level is growing. Listen Loading… 1:34 Download Playlist
Love your hair. Artists' depictions of a Neanderthal man and woman at the Neanderthal Museum in Mettmann, Germany. Martin Meissner/AP hide caption itoggle caption Martin Meissner/AP Shots - Health News Neanderthal Genes Live On In Our Hair And Skin January 29, 2014 Scientists know that a small percentage of humans' genes came from Neanderthals. But they were surprised to find that one-fifth of Neanderthal genes are in modern humans living today. That includes genes associated with diseases including Type 2 diabetes, Crohn's disease and lupus. Listen Loading… 4:36 Download Playlist
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Science An Old Tree Doesn't Get Taller, But Bulks Up Like A Bodybuilder January 16, 2014 An aging tree's girth is good for the planet, scientists say, because it helps it suck more carbon dioxide out of the air. "It's as if, on your favorite sports team, you find out the star players are a bunch of 90-year-olds," one ecologist says. Listen Loading… 3:57 Download Playlist
A sperm whale entangled in a drift net. A report says commercial fisheries around the world kill or injure 650,000 mammals a year. Alberto Romero/Marine Photobank hide caption itoggle caption Alberto Romero/Marine Photobank The Salt Whales, Dolphins Are Collateral Damage In Our Taste For Seafood January 8, 2014 More than 80 percent of the seafood consumed in the U.S. now comes from abroad. And fishermen in other parts of the world continue to kill not just dolphins but seals and even whales. So conservation groups are calling for tougher import rules to protect sea animals at risk from fishing. Listen Loading… 3:51 Download Playlist
Environment Arctic Methane Bubbles Not As Foreboding As Once Feared January 6, 2014 European scientists were alarmed in 2008 when they discovered streams of methane bubbles erupting from the seafloor in Norway's high Arctic. This gas, which contributes to global warming, was apparently coming from methane ice on the seafloor. A follow-up study finds that methane bubble plumes at this location have probably been forming for a few thousand years, so they are not the result of human-induced climate change. But continued warming of ocean water can trigger more methane releases in the Arctic, with potentially serious consequences to the climate. Listen Loading… 2:55 Download Playlist
Energy Move Over Electric Car, Auto Companies To Make Hydrogen Vehicles January 2, 2014 Toyota, Honda and Hyundai have announced that they plan to build hydrogen-powered cars in the next few years. But is America ready for automobiles fueled with gaseous hydrogen? Take a test-drive in one and find out. Listen Loading… 4:06 Download Playlist
Workers in Oakland, Calif., check the damage to Interstate 880 on Oct. 19, 1989; this portion of the freeway had collapsed during the Loma Prieta earthquake two days earlier. Paul Sakuma/AP hide caption itoggle caption Paul Sakuma/AP Science West Coast's Early Warning System For Quakes Still Spotty December 26, 2013 Japan already relies on a system that helps prevent industrial accidents and train derailments by sending warnings as much as a minute before the ground starts shaking. That much time could save lives after a major earthquake in California, but seismologists say a prototype system there lacks funding and has big gaps. Listen Loading… 3:30 Download Playlist
Strong gusts in Palm Springs, Calif., generate plenty of energy, thanks to turbine farms. But being able to store all of that energy is just as important. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images hide caption itoggle caption Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images Energy Could Big Batteries Be Big Business In California? December 23, 2013 Unless the erratic bursts of energy generated on a windy or sunny day can be stored and later measured out in an even way, these renewable sources of power can't be counted on to stabilize the electrical grid. Several battery-making startups hope to help — and reduce electric bills. Listen Loading… 5:18 Download Playlist
Southern California's San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, shown here in April 2012, was closed after small radiation leaks. Lenny Ignelzi/AP hide caption itoggle caption Lenny Ignelzi/AP Energy Environmentalists Split Over Need For Nuclear Power December 17, 2013 One former anti-nuke activist says the world can't afford to dismiss nuclear power, if we're to rein in global warming. Nuclear plants provide a more reliable energy supply than wind or solar, he says, and without the high carbon emissions that fossil fuels produce. Listen Loading… 5:10 Download Playlist


text:
The faculty and staff of Butler University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences presents
by Bart D. Ehrman, Harper Collins, 2009
Reviewed by James F. McGrath
In his latest book, Bart Ehrman seeks to introduce a wider audience to important aspects of the New Testament. The historical-critical approach Ehrman outlines is familiar to Biblical scholars, and common knowledge to anyone who had studied in a mainline seminary in the past half century or so, but beyond such circles is often unfamiliar, as pastors often do not pass on this information, for whatever reason.
Ehrman tells how he entered seminary as a conservative Christian, ready to resist the attacks he expected liberal scholars to wage against the Bible. Instead, he discovered that this scholarly way of viewing the Bible in fact made better sense of, and did more justice to, what one actually finds in the Bible.
Over the course of the book's chapters, Ehrman discusses topics such as: the diversity of views found in the New Testament about Jesus, the Law, and other matters; the process of defining what works would be included in the Bible; the authorship of the New Testament writings; and what historians can and cannot tell us about Jesus.
I highly recommend Ehrman's book as a readable overview presenting information about early Christianity that ought by now to have become common knowledge. Perhaps most importantly, Jesus, Interrupted demonstrates that everyone who appeals to the Bible in support of their views is engaged in "picking and choosing" - even (perhaps especially) those who most firmly deny that they are doing so.
- James F. McGrath is associate professor of religion at Butler University. He blogs at Exploring Our Matrix, where you can find (among other things) a longer version of this review.


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His style is always combative, always intense. "Chris Korge is among the best, most tenacious bulldog presenters before the commission I have ever seen," says fellow lobbyist and political campaign consultant Phil Hamersmith. "He understands the political process very well. He is always extremely well prepared. If I were a company looking to do business in Dade County, I'd hire Chris Korge -- as well as myself, of course."
Preparation and tenacity, however, aren't the only reasons Korge has risen to the top of a highly competitive field. He has also marketed himself as the man to hire based on his access to local politicians and on his friendship with one politician in particular: Alex Penelas.
As Penelas's political fortunes have risen over the years -- from Hialeah city councilman to county commissioner to executive mayor of Miami-Dade County -- so has Korge's predominance over the local lobbying scene. "He has a very close relationship with Alex," Hamersmith observes. "The whole world knows this and he clearly uses it. Does he use it with Alex Penelas's permission and full knowledge? I don't think so. Alex understands some of it but probably not all of it."
Commissioner Barbara Carey agrees that much of Korge's influence stems from his relationship with the mayor. "He draws a lot of strength from that," she notes. "He's into everything. And I know some people don't like how aggressive he can be at times. They think he's a little Napoleon." (At five feet seven, Korge is often compared to diminutive despots.)
Despite Korge's close ties to the mayor, Carey adds, Penelas doesn't always go out of his way to help him. "I've seen incidents where the mayor wouldn't move stuff for him," she says, although she explains with a chuckle that may have been because the mayor had supporters on both sides of those particular issues and didn't want to alienate anyone.
Penelas did not respond to requests for an interview last week, but Korge denies he exploits his connection to the most powerful politician in the county. "I don't think I have ever compromised my friendship with Alex," he contends. "And it's kind of hard when you are involved in politics and you have clients before the county and the mayor is your friend. You've got to be overly sensitive to that."
Hogwash, retorts Hamersmith. "Chris uses Alex's name in a million ways. I have never been in a meeting with Chris Korge when he did not use Alex Penelas's name at least a dozen times. The second that Korge walks into the room it's like Penelas just walked in as well. Chris brings with him the persona of Alex Penelas."
Hamersmith zeros in on what he considers to be Korge's biggest problem: his tendency to let everyone know what he's doing, for whom he is raising money, and to whom he has access. "I think his ego is so far out of control that he hurts himself," Hamersmith asserts. "Chris is continually patting himself on the back while he talks to you. He does it so much that I bet he doesn't even realize he's doing it. You're not supposed to be so outspoken. You're supposed to be a quiet figure who works behind the scenes. But Chris can't do that. And so Chris often becomes the issue."
Nowhere has Korge's influence been more keenly felt than at Miami International Airport. He represents Sirgany-Century and Sirgany International, the companies that run the newsstands and gift shops, and he just persuaded the county commission to let Host-Marriott become the master developer for the airport's many restaurants and fast-food shops. "Of all the lobbyists in the county, I have the most contact with him," reports Gary Dellapa, the county's aviation director. "He is usually pretty up front about what he wants, and I appreciate that. He can be pretty assertive for his clients. I don't mind it so much because I'm used to it."
One way Korge has asserted himself in the past, Dellapa says, is by reminding him that he has powerful friends. "Every lobbyist in town likes to throw around that they are close to this commissioner or that commissioner, and Chris is no different," Dellapa elaborates. "He's attempted a few times in the past to invoke the mayor's name."
A couple of years ago, Dellapa recounts, soon after Penelas was elected mayor, Korge came out to the airport and began acting as if he were speaking on behalf of the mayor. One day Dellapa decided to call Korge's bluff. He picked up the phone and called Penelas. "I asked the mayor, 'Is this the way you want things done?'" Dellapa recalls. "And the mayor said, 'No, no, no.'"
After that incident, the aviation director notes, Korge stopped using the mayor's name during their discussions. "Chris knows better than to do that any more," Dellapa says. "A lot of times Chris is just bluster. He'll come in here and say, 'I'm going to do this' and 'I've got the votes to do that.' And my attitude is, 'Well, go do it, then.'"


text:
Degree conferral is the official awarding of your degree, diploma or certificate by the University. This can be done by applying to graduate at a Graduation Ceremony or in absentia without attending.
All students need to apply for award conferral in order to get their official parchment.
Date: Tuesday 14 April - Friday 17 April 2015
Location: Flinders University, Bedford Park
The Graduation Office
Level 2, Student Centre
GPO Box 2100. Adelaide 5001
Ph: +61 8 8201 5069
Fax: + 61 8 8201 2580


text:
"I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become." ~~ Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey ( January 29, 1954) American talk show host, producer.
Oprah Winfrey Biography.
Oprah Winfrey Books
"What we're all striving for is authenticity, a spirit-to-spirit connection." ~~ Oprah Winfrey
"I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you."~~ Oprah Winfrey
"God can dream a bigger dream for you then you could ever dream for yourself." ~~ Oprah Winfrey
Submitted by sabelo.
"Become the change you want to see – those are words I live by." ~~ Oprah Winfrey, referencing Mahatma Gandhi.


text:
Hilarious Comedy
For you, a movie is something that should distract you from your real life, so you'd much rather watch comedies and laugh the whole way through. We can totally see you pairing up with actors like Ben Stiller or Jack Black. Since you're so easy going and totally laid back, you'd have no trouble getting into character.
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text: exactly, I tested yesterday like this. At firstly compiled gcc 3.2 fresh from Source and have one exit error. I then let my computer run for 5 hours (let it do whatever it likes, mostly idle anyway). I compiled again after the first 5 hours and Got totally different error. I tried afterwards once again some time later and got another new error msg. I assume that my CPU have overheat problem. I will check it with some SW under windows and report them again. Regards Conrad Newton wrote: > kaiyi lin on Tue, Oct 22, 2002 at 11:04:55AM +0200: > >>I just built gcc 3.2 once again with fresh source code. >>Interesting but also very frustrating that I got this time >>totally different error msg. (I actually did it 2 times today and 2 >>times this error msg) >> >>stage2/xgcc -Bstage2/ -B/static/i586-pc-linux-gnu/bin/ -c -DIN_GCC -g >>-O2 -W -Wall -Wwrite-strings -Wstrict-prototypes -Wmissing-prototypes >>-Wtraditional -pedantic -Wno-long-long -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I. -I. >>-I../../gcc-3.2/gcc -I../../gcc-3.2/gcc/. -I../../gcc-3.2/gcc/config >>-I../../gcc-3.2/gcc/../include \ >> ../../gcc-3.2/gcc/config/i386/i386.c -o i386.o >>../../gcc-3.2/gcc/config/i386/i386.c: In function >>`fcmov_comparison_operator': >>../../gcc-3.2/gcc/config/i386/i386.c:3335: internal error: Segmentation >>fault > > > See > > http://www.bitwizard.nl/sig11/ > > I had problems of this kind last summer, with my AMD K6-2 300 MHz. > There could be many reasons for your problem, including faulty > memory, overheating, even a faulty CPU. According to the writer > of the above document, > > "I have the impression that most sig11 problems are caused by timing > errors on the CPU <-> cache <-> memory path." > > The symptoms in my case were random compile failures in gcc and/or > glibc. Most other things would compile without problems. But the > failures in gcc and glibc would not go away, althougth they did > not occur consistently in one place either. > > I got hold of memtest86 from http://www.memtest86.com/ > and examined my two memory modules. Both of them failed > test 5, and only test 5 of memtest86, so if they were faulty, > both were faulty in the same way. This seemed to suggest > that my problems lay elsewhere. > > To summarize, you probably have a hardware problem of some kind, > although properly diagnosing it may be a frustrating experience. > Hope for the simplest solution to your problems: test for overheating, > and for faulty RAM. before running out to buy a new motherboard > and/or processor. I finally capitulated, and bought a new computer. ;-) > Although Chris Lingard suggested that my problems might be solved > by underclocking. Since hardware is mostly just a big mystery to me, > I never looked into this possibility . . . > > Conrad > > error.message.gcc1:make[2]: *** [c-aux-info.o] Segmentation fault > error.message.glibc1:make[1]: *** [localedata/subdir_install]Segmentation fault > error.message.glibc2:make[2]: *** [/var/tmp/portage/glibc-2.2.5-r4/image//usr/share/i18n/locales/es_PR] Segmentation fault > error.message.glibc3:make[1]: *** [termios/subdir_lib] Segmentation fault > error.message.glibc4:make[1]: *** [stdio-common/subdir_lib] Segmentation fault > error.message.glibc5:make[1]: *** [grp/subdir_lib] Segmentation fault > -- Unsubscribe: send email to listar at linuxfromscratch.org and put 'unsubscribe lfs-support' in the subject header of the message


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From Green Right Now Reports
Philadelphia wants to rally its residents and stoke the spirit of friendly competition among neighborhoods to green up their streets. The RetroFIT PHILLY "Coolest Block" contest, announced today at City, will encourage residents to update their energy-hungry black rooftops.
"Our Greenworks Philadelphia goal is to retrofit 15 percent of the city's row home roofs, and the 'Coolest Block' contest is jumpstarting this effort," Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter said in a statement.
Organized under the auspices of The Energy Coordinating Agency of Philadelphia (ECA) and the City of Philadelphia, with product and technology contributions from The Dow Chemical Company and the financial support from The Dow Chemical Company Foundation, the contest invites row home owners to enter to win energy-saving cool roof, air sealing and insulation upgrades for their entire block.
"Row homes have charm and character, and have long been a unique architectural feature of the city," said Liz Robinson, executive director Philadelphia's ECA, "but most were built without the advantage of modern building science or materials. The initiative to make them more energy-efficient, and in effect 'greener,' can help to improve the quality of life for the residents while saving them money on heating and cooling bills."
Traditional black asphalt roofs soak up the sun's heat and allow its transfer between the exterior and the interior of the house. White roofs, on the other hand, bounce off solar energy to prevent it from being absorbed into the roof and house in the summer. They can reduce the amount of energy needed to cool the living space and bring the cost of cooling a home down by as much as 20 percent.
These white "cool roofs" also are a proven way to combat urban heat island effect. The roof's exterior is 50 – 80 degrees cooler on hot summer days, helping to lower high temperatures and improve air quality. The urban heat island phenomenon, aggravated by the large expanses of asphalt and black top, combined with relatively little vegetation or green space, can lead to heat-related illnesses during heat waves.
Dow, a co-sponsor in this initiative, will provide insulation and air-leak prevention upgrades to the homes on the winning block . According to the U.S. Department of Energy, proper insulation and air sealing of the home can reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 30 percent. Air infiltration – which often occurs between walls and floors, around windows and doors, and through other gaps and cracks – can account for as much as 40 percent of heat loss in homes, according to the Department of Energy.
Contest entrants will be judged on a range of criteria, but blocks with the highest resident participation have the best chance of winning. Any Philadelphia row home resident is eligible to enter, but must submit a group entry through one "block coordinator." The coordinator may be self-selected or may be one of the city's "block captains" who volunteer to organize block activities on a regular basis. Entrants must also submit a brief profile of their neighborhood and the future they envision for it.
Entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges that includes representatives from local media, environmental organizations, and the building industry. The deadline for entry is April 5, 2010. The winning block will be announced by May 10, 2010. In June, the winning block will receive a block party to celebrate.


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Flip through emails faster on Gmail
Google this week released a pretty significant update for iPhone and iPad, which not only brought about iOS 7 support but also some handy tools for responding to emails themselves.
The iPhone app has had some minor tweaks such a new side navigation bar, but it is the iPad where things look considerably different.
You should note the new slimmed down navigation bar to the left which lets people easily switch between accounts and inboxes at the bottom left of the page, and the excellent full-screen mode for composing emails and viewing messages.
An added bonus is the ability to search for emails even quicker with predictions as you type while Google adds that the iPad app also offers "better scrolling" although this wasn't immediately obvious.
Get the big picture of your finances with Mint
Another excellent app to get updated this week was Mint's personal finance app for iOS (free, iTunes).
Redesigned with a flatter user interface to match the look and feel of iOS 7, Mint now promises to do the usual stuff but plus one neat new feature – the ability to get an overview of all your spending.
"Trends" has always allowed you to track income, net worth and spending habits and while that's allowed you to track individual purchases, it's been lacking in giving you the overall picture.
That's changed now though with the sector now able to drilldown into spending by category, spending over time and serve up net income charts.
The app, which is free from the App Store, also now lets you manually add cash purchases and push pending check transactions into certain categories. Mint – which claims to be the "best free way to manage your money" — also claims to have made various bug fixes.
Curator is a scrapbook for the digital age
Curator is a new iPad app with an interesting take in how people store information. It's not a straightforward note-taking service – like OneNote or Evernote – and yet at the same time it wouldn't be amiss to see the app being used for similar things.
Put simply, Curator is for people who want to collect all kinds of things over the Internet and store them in one place. You might want to add a live web page, a text note or maybe images from your camera, Instagram, Facebook, Dropbox or Google Drive.
Doing as such is very easy. The home page is essentially a pin board and you can fill these 'cells' by tapping on them and then adding your content. You can drag cells around should you want to, delete them, and add notes in the bottom right hand corner.
There are some limitations to the app, one of which is the portrait-only mode, but it's a worthy a try. The app is free to download and that allows you to create up to five notebooks. After that, you'll be forced to pay.


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Kuwait profile
Kuwait is a small, oil-rich country nestling at the top of the Gulf, flanked by large or powerful neighbours - Saudi Arabia to the south, Iraq to the north and Iran to the east.
Its oil fields were first exploited in the 1930s, and since the development of the petroleum industry after World War II and independence in 1961, oil has dominated the economy, making up around 90% of export revenues.
In 1991, the country was the scene of a massive US-led international military campaign to oust Iraqi forces, which had invaded the year before. Operation Desert Storm saw their eventual removal, but Kuwait's infrastructure was left in bad shape and had to be rebuilt. Oil exports stopped for a time.
At a glance
- Politics: After years of clashes between the elected parliament and the ruling family, the opposition boycotted elections in 2012; the country has faced violence from militant Islamists
- Economy: Kuwait is one of the world's leading oil producers
- International: Kuwait was invaded and occupied by Iraq in 1990; it served as a springboard for the invasion of Iraq in 2003
Country profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring
Twelve years later, Kuwait played host to another massive military presence as thousands of soldiers massed on the Iraqi border for the US-led campaign in 2003 to disarm and oust the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
Kuwait was the first Arab country in the Gulf to have an elected parliament. Moves to change the male-dominated political structure culminated in the granting of full political rights to women in 2005.
In May of that year, parliament gave women the right to vote and stand as candidates in elections for the 50-seat National Assembly.
More generally, the growing assertiveness of parliament has led to frequent confrontations with the government, especially after Islamists made major gains at elections in February 2012. The annulment of those elections and subsequent changes to the election law prompted an opposition boycott of fresh polls in December 2012, putting Kuwait's relatively liberal political credentials in doubt.
Despite large oil revenues, the economy has been badly affected by the global financial crisis. Economic policy-making has been held back by disputes between the ruling royal family and parliament.


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This storybook collection will have Splat the Cat fans laughing out loud at his hilarious antics! From visiting the aquarium to camping out, these six Splat tales are funnier than ever—and now for the first time, they're available together in a collection. That's better than fish sticks and ice cream!
Bestselling author and artist Rob Scotton is the creator of both Russell the Sheep and Splat the Cat, a picture book series inspired by the big black cat that lived next door. He lives in Rutland, England, with his wife, Liz, who is also an artist.
Theme by Danetsoft and Danang Probo Sayekti inspired by Maksimer


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What's New
*NOTE: for players who got crashes, we advice that go upgrade your devices to the latest iOS version.Increased compatibility for iOS 6;
Minor bugs fixed;
Improved stability.
App Description
**** DUCK HUNTING WITH THE APPBLASTER TWIST - THE NEXT INSTALMENT OF GAMES SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR APPTOYZ APPBLASTER ****Wave after wave of ducks coming straight for you. You will need to shoot each wave to get your time bonus and collect coins to be able to shop for you hunting paraphernalia.
We will help you along the way with a variety of guns including shot gun (obviously), machine gun (keep your trigger down), flame thrower, freeze gun (which slows down time) and the very special microwave gun - which will offer menus of the birds you shoot.
Other birds you will see in there are the owls who offer power ups, alternative guns and a bomb that can make light work of the many ducks. There are also pigeons, hawks and a couple of surprises thrown in there. Make sure you protect the little ducky and the dove of peace.
There are a number of challenging achievements throughout the game. The aim is to get as many coins as you can, tick off your achievements and gather your menus for cooking the birds.
With game center integration you can challenge your friends.
Quack, quack
App Changes
April 03, 2013 Price Decrease: $0.99 -> FREE!
November 30, 2012 Price Decrease: $0.99 -> FREE!
November 07, 2012 New version 1.2
February 28, 2012 New version 1.01
January 18, 2012 Initial Release


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Washington, Jan 19 (ANI): Los Angeles porn vendors have threatened to leave the nation's porn capital if authorities carry through with their effort of condom use on adult film sets.
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles city council voted 9-1, granting final approval to an ordinance that would deny film permits to producers who do not comply with the condom requirement.
Before the measure can take effect, however, the council has called for the creation of a committee of police officials, the city attorney, state health officials and others to determine how it might be enforced.
"It's going to be interesting to see how in fact they do try to enforce it and who's going to fund it, and all of the time and effort they're going to spend," CBS News quoted Steven Hirsch, co-founder and co-chairman of Los Angeles-based Vivid, one of the largest makers of erotic movies as saying.
"Ultimately I think what they will find is people will just stop shooting in the city of Los Angeles.
"That's a given," he said.
Other industry officials agree with Hirsch, condemning the measure as too politically correct, and one that cannot be enforced in the city known as the porn capital of the country.
Mark Kernes, senior editor of Adult Video News, sai that approximately 90 percent of U.S. porn films are made in Los Angeles, almost all of them in the city's San Fernando Valley.
The porn industry, including films, internet downloads, sex toys and admission to dance clubs, produces about 8 billion dollars a year – but it has been battered in recent years by the recession and the popularity of free online porn. ccording to Kernes, requiring condoms would further erode business.
Many consumers, particularly those overseas, have made it clear they won't watch films when the actors use condoms, complaining that it is distracting and ruins the fantasy.
"You can't actually compel an industry to create a product that the market doesn't want," Christian Mann, general manager of Evil Angel, another of the industry's largest production companies, said.
Ged Kenslea, spokesman for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said the measure is needed because the industry has failed to properly police itself. For years, he said, filmmakers have ignored state health laws mandating the use of condoms when workers are exposed to blood-borne pathogens.
The industry already does its own policing, filmmakers say, requiring actors be tested for sexually transmitted diseases a minimum of every 30 days when they are working.
They say no cases of HIV have been directly linked to porn films since 2004, adding they fear if the industry scatters to areas outside of Los Angeles, testing could fall by the wayside, exposing performers to more risk.
"If someone is going to catch an STD, it's usually out of the business because we are tested so often," Tabitha Stevens, veteran porn actress and producer, said. (ANI)


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Posted Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Some say cities and urban renewal are the future of America. That's where all the economic progress happens. And anyway the new, non-nuclear families of America don't want to live behind a white picket fence. But wait, are we sure about that? Others argue that suburbs may be changing, becoming more independent, but they are alive and well and growing. So which is it, cities or suburbs?
Economy, Housing/Real Estate, Environment, Transportation
Jennifer Bradley, Fellow at the Brookings Institute and co-author of The Metropolitan Revolution
Chris Briem, Regional Economist at the University Center for Social and Urban Research at the University of Pittsburgh
Joel Kotkin, Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University and author of The Next Hundred Million
Events in Cleveland this Thursday- The Metropolitan Revolution: What that Means for Northeast Ohio
Understanding the World's Urban Future
The Metropolitan Revolution
Please follow our community discussion rules when composing your comments.
Watch the Sound of Ideas during the broadcast - view now! Live video stream available during normal broadcast, Mon-Fri, 9-10 AM (EST).
Every weekday at 9:00 AM (EST), The Sound of Ideas reports the news, explains the news, and sometimes makes news. The Cleveland Press Club awarded it "Best Radio Show" in Ohio and thousands daily find it to be an indispensable source of information about what's most important to Northeast Ohioans.
During the show: 216-578-0903 or 866-578-0903
Last Word line: 216-916-6397 or email
Show ideas & comments? Contact Us.
Weekdays 9:00 AM
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Weekdays 9:00 AM
Funding for Ideas/Sound of Ideas comes from The George Gund Foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, Eaton, the George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation, The Robert O. and Annamae Orr Family Foundation, and the Nord Family Foundation.


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Parents in Pennsylvania are turning 50 shades of red after middle school students were given crossword puzzles based on the book.
The Montgomery County District Attorney's office says the body of Bradley William Stone has been discovered in a wooded area.
Pennsylvania Dane Gives Birth to 19 Pups.
Accused cop killer Eric Frein is in police custody following a massive 48-day manhunt. Jay Gray reports.
Miniature poodle chases bear away from Pennsylvania family's home. Pamela Osborne reports.
Families says their backyards have become a restroom for drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Maria Miller reports.
A federal judge Tuesday declared Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, the fourth such ruling on a state ban in the past three weeks.
A disabled 78-year-old church deacon in Texas is charged with 1980 murder in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania police officer poses as Amish woman to catch sexual predator.
Pennsylvania police say high school sophomore went on early morning stabbing rampage.
Man chased down and tackled after robbing Pennsylvania credit union.
McDonald's employee accused of selling heroin inside Happy Meals
Pennyslvania high school basketball player sinks 3/4 court shot to win game.
Pennsylvania homeower finds a handful of letters from WWII vet and returns them to soldier's family.
Pennsylvania law makes it illegal to touch a pregnant woman's belly without her consent.
Even though his tribe and children won their case six months ago to return the remains of the man voted greatest athlete of the 20th century to Oklahoma, his namesake town in Pennsylvania has not given up the fight to keep Jim Thorpe resting in peace there.
Dozens more injured when Greyhound slams into tractor trailer.
Investigators say man intentionally triggered bomb ahead of sentencing for running meth lab.
An eastern Pennsylvania high school says vandalism forced it to create a policy in which toilet paper has been taken out of the boys' bathrooms.
Residents in the city of brotherly love had to grin and bare it after seeing a naked man holding boxer shorts in hand jump on a city bus.


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This Week at Art MoCo
This Week at Art MoCo: silver sculptures, ceramic tiles, pink chairs, lost words and beaks'n'baldness. See the rest of the week at Art MoCo after the jump.
The art of granulation is revived by David Huycke, who fuses tiny silver balls into striking sculptures.
France Goneau embellishes her tiles with intricate ceramics that add relief.
Not only has the Hans Wegner Wishbone chair been brought out in pink to promote breast cancer awareness, but twenty, to be auctioned off at a fundraiser, have one-of-a-kind cushions.
Various artists bring lost words to life. Among our favorite depictions: antithalian, gaudiloquent and griseous.
Bald heads and beaks are significant identifiers of John Diebel's busy characters.
More at Art MoCo.


text: Howard Bank Wins Maryland Business Philanthropy Award Howard Bank recently won top honors in the Small Business Category of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and Baltimore Business Journal's Maryland Business Philanthropy Awards. The awards "recognize the significant contributions that employers throughout the state make to charitable organizations each year," said Maryland Chamber Chairman Betty Buck. "Most charities recognize that, without corporate support, their programs would be considerably smaller and perhaps even unfunded. Corporate contributions make a difference in the work of these non-profits — and in the quality of life of tens of thousands of Marylanders across our state." To the local business and nonprofit communities though, Howard Bank's award came as no surprise. For the county's only locally-owned bank, community involvement is a core value. Every executive is required to serve on the board of a local charity or non-profit agency. Though only four years old, the bank has provided resources and monetary support to more than 50 organizations, including The Columbia Foundation, The United Way, Grassroots, Humanim, the Domestic Violence Center, the Columbia Festival of the Arts and the Howard County Public School System Foundation and others. Bank employees have provided countless volunteer hours to Big Brothers and Big Sisters, among other local groups. And the bank has also developed or participated in a variety of financial literacy programs and other educational programs for people of all ages for which they have been recognized regionally and nationally. The bank was recently included on the Baltimore Business Journal's lists of the Largest Small Business Administration Lenders and Largest Depository Institutions in the Baltimore area in 2008. In thanking her staff for making the award possible, Howard Bank President and CEO Mary Ann Scully praised the bank's employees for their dedication to the community. "We recognize that it is the time and talents of our uniquely qualified team of Howard bankers that made this award… and other recognition like it- possible. Our bankers provide not only the highest quality advice to our clients and a hallmark quality of proactive customer service but they truly believe that they have a responsibility to make a difference in the communities that we serve through servant leadership. I am proud of and grateful for their commitment and achievements." Howard Bank opened in August of 2004. It currently has branches in the Hickory Ridge Village Center in Columbia, on Snowden River Parkway in Ellicott City and on Johns Hopkins Road in Maple Lawn. Its newest branch, at the intersection of Centennial Land and Route 40 is expected to open in December. For information about the bank, call 410-750-0020 or visit www.howardbank.com. |


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Seattle's Big Blog
Covering Seattle news, weather, arts and conversation.
Posts filtered on Category
Dig deeper into Super Tuesday
The Nation's John Nichols writes up a list of ten tips for making sense of Super Tuesday spin.
[Read More]
Who likes Huckabee, Clinton, Romney or McCain?
The Big Blog looking for people who passionately support the presidential candidates. Want to share yours? Let us know.
[Read More]
Passionately support a presidential candidate?
The Big Blog is looking for people who passionately support one of the presidential candidates. Want to speak out? E-mail us.
[Read More]
David Horsey at the Republican debate
Cartoonist David Horsey is in Simi Valley, Calif., waiting to hear the Republican candidates for president duke it out at the Reagan Presidential Library.
[Read More]
Caucus '08: Oh it's on, Washington. It is so on
Republican or Democrat, if you haven't already marked your calendar for Saturday, Feb. 9, do it. Do it now.
[Read More]
The State of the Union is on: Are you watching?
The speech, which is expected to focus on the slowing economy but not introduce any blockbuster administrative initiatives, comes at a time when news about the presidential campaign overshadows news about the president. Once the star of every newscast, Bush in his last year has been pushed to the sidelines. Tonight, though, all eyes are on him. Or are they?
[Read More]
Video: What to expect from the skies tonight
Want to know more? Here's some of what P-I breaking news reporter Casey McNerthney heard at a press conference at the National Weather Service on Sand Point Way NE this afternoon.
[Read More]
When will the slowdown hit your budget?
State lawmakers are warning Washingtonians and political stakeholders alike not to expect anything too hefty from the budget this year — certainly not anything like last year's $33 billion plan. If there is an economic slowdown, the state needs to be ready. That could mean less money for state programs. It could mean $1 billion in unspent funds. It could mean cuts. It could mean a lot of things, none of them optimistic.
[Read More]
Mad about health care? Help fix it in Washington state
Health care in Washington state, as in the rest of the country, has issues. If you care about the issue but don't live in Olympia or have more pressing things to do than attend Senate debates, there still is a way to speak out and be heard.
[Read More]
The Onion launches funny (and fake) election news page
Topped by a picture of the White House in flames, the page includes candidate profiles, headlines about the candidates' efforts to court the "fat vote" (their joke, not mine) and an interactive map of the candidates' latest (fictional) campaign stops.
[Read More]
Show More


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The Bellingham Public Library offers eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines to library card holders.
Washington Anytime Library is the place to go to check out downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks for use on your PC, eReader, mp3 player and mobile device.
The library offers one hundred popular magazines that you can subscribe to and read for free on your PC and mobile device. The magazines are full-text, in color and often provide additonal content such as video, audio and web links. Once you subscribe, the issues are yours to keep until you delete them.
Mobile users please note: You must set up your account before downloading the Zinio app.
Need help? Contact the Bellingham Public Library at (360)778-7323 x3 to speak with a librarian. We can assist you by phone or register you for a Tech Coaching session to provide one-on-one assistance.


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City Schools Open on Thursday
Thursday, November 8, 2012 • 7:08am
PATERSON, NJ - All city schools will open on Thursday and activities will go on as scheduled.
The district had canceled afterschool events on Wednesday because of the nor'easter.
TAP into your town! Get Your Town's News In Your Inbox: Click here to sign up.


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Bad Ice Cream
Bad Ice Cream game review
Bad Ice-Cream is another great flash game from hit producer Nitrome, famous for other flash-based video games like Turnament and Thin Ice. From the start screen where "Click to Lick" is flashing on the bottom, you know you are in for a humorous treat. It might not leave the same taste in your mouth as your favorite kind of ice cream, but there's nothing especially bad about Bad Ice-Cream.
If you like Nitrome's other flash games (which you probably do since they've been successfully producing them for more than 10 years) you're going to love Bad Ice-Cream. It's a fun game that's enjoyable to play, which is more than can be said for many other flash games.
Another Nitrome game, Flightless, is up for nomination to be included on Steam. That's a gaming platform where developers can make money selling their games to people who can then play those games on any computer, anywhere in the world. It's pretty neat and if that does well, maybe you'll be able to play bad ice cream on Steam too someday.
Is ice cream bad for you? It might be. Is Bad Ice-Cream bad for you? Thousands of happy gamers would tell you no, it isn't. The game is based on two ice cream cones running around and collecting fruit for some unknown purpose. It's clear that picking it all up gets a win and moves the player(s) to the next level though. Remind anyone of Bomberman?
The Bad Ice Cream game is fairly easy to learn. Using the keyboard to play and manipulate the character, you blow ice blocks to stop enemies and create safe paths for you to go and pick up the fruit you need for a victory. If four buttons to move around and one other button to shoot is too complicated for you, Bad Ice-Cream isn't going to be your kind of game.
Really, no flash game is going to be your kind of game if this is difficult to learn. You might as well forget about Cat Warriors 2 or Bomb It. That's because it's just so easy to pick up and master! Even if you're lactose intolerant and would never touch a scoop of ice cream in your life, this game is still plenty of fun. The music and gameplay together create quite a hook and will get your attention and keep it, if you let them.
The Game Mechanics
At first look, it might seem a lot like Bomberman or a similar game. You would be correct to make that correlation between Bad Ice Cream and other platformers where you blow up objects to make paths and pick up items. The Bombit series is also reminiscent of this, so if you've played any of these games before you already understand the mechanics behind Bad Ice-Cream very well.
The gameplay is simple; by destroying ice blocks to free up fruit or a usable path, or putting down ice blocks to stop enemies from getting to you, you win. There is no ammo or limit for the number of times you can pull this move so don't be afraid to use it as much as you want.
What sets Bad Ice Cream apart from games like Bomb it and Bomberman is that you can build up blocks, too. Most of the time, pretty much all of the time, these games are about destroying as much as you can while getting all the items you can find. By giving the player the ability to make walls, block paths and create safe corners so he or she can take a break without closing the game, Bad Ice Cream does a few things few other flash games do.
You can play alone or with another person, but not with a computer-controlled teammate. That makes this a multiplayer game, even if you and your friend both need to use the same keyboard for play. Thankfully, Bad Ice-Cream's developers put the controls for each player far away from one another.
Player one will use W, A, S and D to move and the space bar to shoot or break ice while player two uses up, down, left and right to move, along with the enter key to shoot or break ice. The controls are easy to learn. The first movement scheme is a popular setup for first person shooters like Counterstrike or Team Fortress 2 but don't expect to see any gunfire here.
With different enemies to figure out how to beat, many kinds of fruit to collect and a kind of competitive edge when playing with (or against) another player, Bad Ice Cream gives you an awful lot while asking for nothing in return.
It's really the perfect, free flash game if you're into the block-destroying of games like Bombit, Bombit 2, Bombit 3 or any other similar title. The game gets more difficult every round and it would be an accomplishment to get past the 50 th and final level.
Play Game
Video Review
Bad Ice Cream Screen Shots
Game Tags
2 Players, bomberman, bombs, collecting, explosive, ice cream, keyboard, kids, nitrome, pixelated, timing, Upgrades
Game Categories
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To help protect and maintain our fish stocks for the future it is important that fishing rules and regulations are observed, both by commercial and recreational fishers. Fishwatch facilitates this by being a 24-hour service for the public to report illegal fishing activities, and other services outlined below.
You can help by reporting any illegal activities to the 24 hour Fishwatch hotline on 1800 065 522.
Other methods for reporting, and more information about illegal fishing activities.
The Fishwatch staff can also provide information about, and help with:
As well as protecting fish stocks, we need to maintain and protect the environment in which they live.
Other agencies besides Fishwatch are able to take charge of the occurrences below:


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Is This Bride Crazy or Amazing? You Decide
'Zombie Cat' Claws Its Way Out of Grave
Have You Seen The Two Faced Cat?
5 Crazy Places Devoted Entirely to Cats!
The 5 Countries You'll Probably Freeze In
45 Idiots Who Picked Fights with the Wrong Guy
The crazy family who lived with the lion and their tragic end
46 Perfectly Timed Photos You'll Have to Look Twice to Understand.
10 Most Gorgeous Airline Flight Attendants
21 Plastic Surgery Disasters
Well, That Was a Close One!
Melissa Benoist Talks Playing Supergirl In the Upcoming CBS Series
Do Not Miss Out On These Adorable Pictures Of Cats Clicking Selfies
Prepare to Have Your Mind Blown
16 People Fortunately Saved from Their Horrible Tattoos
13 Pet Portraits That'll Make You Cringe
Man Skips Rocks on Frozen Lake & Gets the Surprise of a Lifetime!
Monday TV Ratings: Gotham, The Originals, Scorpion, Castle, State of Affairs
18 Cute Girls Gone Ugly
The Wonders Of The Human Form
Top 25 Dumbest, Most Overrated Car Accessories
5 Deadliest Martial Arts
60+ Everyday Objects That Look Really Happy
25 Things You Probably Google When You're All Alone
More Than 60 Terrible Ideas Fueled by Beer
20 Hot Females That Disobeyed The Law And The Law Won
Unique Method Regrows Lost Hair (Do This Daily)
5 Most Bizarre Places to Land a Plane
What This Boy Has Gone Through Will Tear Your Heart Apart