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Depending on which programme you choose, you could find yourself at one of a number of exciting locations across the UK.
Most students end up in locations that are new to them, which means new experiences and new friends. See how some of our previous summer placement students got on below.
At Barrow we were based at the gas terminals operated by Centrica Energy Upstream. Being placed in Barrow turned out to be a great opportunity, especially as we were provided for extremely well with 10-week hotel accommodation (including three meals per day!) and a car to get to work.
The work itself was both interesting and challenging for the two of us as electrical & instrumentation and chemical & process engineers. At the gas terminals there was the opportunity to work out on site with shift engineers as well as work in the production offices, giving a fantastic overview of what goes on at Barrow.
Barrow-in-Furness itself is right beside the Lake District but also only one hour from Lancaster or two from Manchester. This means that the location is great for a variety of activities such as climbing England's highest mountain or going out in one of England's best student towns.
I did my summer placement for Centrica Energy at the Barry power station near Cardiff. I was placed in ideal accommodation, staying at the Cardiff University halls of residence, which is a five-minute walk to the city centre.
Working in this power station has been a fantastic learning experience. The people on site have been very helpful and polite. Barry power station is a very sociable place, comprising about 31 staff during normal operation. By the end of the 10 weeks you know everyone and they know you.
The other graduate engineers were also very friendly and sociable. We would meet after work for a beer at least once a week and every two weeks or so we would have a night out with all the staff. It was a great experience.
For my placement in Bradford, I lived in accommodation in Leeds. The accommodation was great and really central for everything you could need. I really enjoyed living there; it's a brilliant city and doesn't take long to feel settled there.
I didn't have a car so I travelled by public transport to the office in Bradford. First by train and then a short bus journey. The journey is straight forward with frequent trains and buses and took approx 1 hour from door to door. I was initially worried about the commute but I actually quite enjoyed it!
The Bradford office is not glamorous but the people are great and I was overwhelmed with how friendly and welcoming everyone was. It's relatively small and open plan so it's easy to get to know everyone quickly and understand how the different teams work together.
The office is located on an industrial estate and there is nowhere other than a Greggs to buy lunch so it's a good idea to bring lunch with you as you may quickly get sick of eating Greggs!
Even though I was the only placement student in Bradford, I have still made great friends during the 10 weeks. There is still plenty of opportunity to socialise with other summer placement students through the charity challenge and Centrica welcome days.
My experience on the placement has been so varied and interesting; I was given plenty of support and responsibility to work on important tasks from day 1. I have definitely strengthened my employability skills during the placement and as a result I feel more prepared for the world of work!
Following the two-day induction in Windsor, I made my way to my placement location: the British Gas Premier Energy office in Cardiff city centre.
This was my first ever trip to Cardiff and only my second to Wales. At first I was concerned about being stuck in what I viewed as 'the sticks', and not with the rest of the marketing students. However, having had the chance to experience Cardiff properly my opinion has changed radically and I would now recommend Cardiff to anyone who has not had the chance to experience it.
The city boasts a vast array of shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, all of which are within easy walking distance of both the British Gas office and my accommodation. Moreover, sharing my accommodation with another two placement students means that there is still plenty of opportunity to socialise and take advantage of such a prime location.
After my initial scepticism about being placed outside of the central offices I now feel very fortunate to have had the chance to live and work in an entirely new city. Cardiff really is a fantastic place to live and work as, although it is a lively capital city, it also has a very local feel to it. This experience has opened my eyes to the opportunities that exist to work outside of London and the southeast (my home turf) and I now feel confident that I could easily adapt to life in a completely new city if required to do so again.
Despite living little more than an hour away, I only had a sketchy knowledge of Edinburgh before my placement. Living and working in the city quickly changed that!
I was based in the PAYGE headquarters; a striking office with an open, non-hierarchical layout, meaning it was easy to network and get to know everyone. I enjoyed being part of the team rather than an intern; those around me were more than willing to reciprocate with their time, and this was a key enabler of my project.
As I write it is raining heavily but believe it or not I've enjoyed many a warm day during my summer! As a tourist Mecca there is always something to do, rain or shine, and the city transforms in August for the world famous Fringe Festival. Accommodation becomes gold dust during this month so having an expensed apartment was another highlight.
I would recommend Edinburgh to anyone; whilst your role here may be completely different to mine I can promise that you will meet some great people, experience a unique city and enhance your employability to boot!
When we first received our engineering placement projects and locations from our line manager we, like most people, thought, "never heard of Hedon; where is it?"
Both of us are from the sunny southwest and were initially quite daunted about living in the north, but we were quickly dumbfounded as everyone was very welcoming. It gave us a great opportunity to explore a different city and landmarks such as the famous Humber Bridge, once was the longest suspension bridge in the world and still longer than the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
The first thing we learnt at the office is that Hedon is pronounced "head-on" rather than "heed-on" and that it is located on the outskirts of Hull. Fortunately, Centrica provided accommodation in the University of Hull's halls of residence that is based in the centre of the city. This was really useful as it gave us a good foothold in a new place and was also not been too bad on our bank balances! The halls are walking distance from the centre of town where there are lots of local amenities, such as cinemas, pubs and the Princes Quay shopping centre.
The Hedon office was really friendly and had a great atmosphere. Being part of Centrica Storage the office has retained its small business feel and it has an open layout so you really can approach anyone for a chat, senior managers included! It was also fantastic how the whole office got behind us to support us in our charity challenge, a sponsored bike ride from Hedon to Windsor and Staines.
Being from South Africa, now living in Scotland and having worked in somewhat obscure locations across the world such as China, I am no stranger to settling into new locations.
Even with this background, along with the added pressure of potentially starting a career, the thought of settling in, becoming involved and forming relationships whilst delivering valued work seemed daunting in the timescale given.
Coming down to Heysham I found the support network provided extremely good. The experience of working here not only exposed me to another city I would not otherwise have seen but opened me up to a whole new range of experiences I would not have had.
Lancaster is a small city with tons of character and working at Heysham has allowed me to obtain a good overview of Centrica Energy Upstream operations. Even if I do not return to Heysham the experience left me more employable for the future, developed my skills and provided an enjoyable summer.
During the 2010 Centrica Summer placement programme, I spent 10 weeks working in the Power Generation business unit in Killingholme in northeast Lincolnshire.
Having moved location frequently in the past two years since moving out my parents' home – Sweden, Dundee, Glasgow, Killingholme and soon Tokyo – I had no problems with relocating. If I had, however, Centrica couldn't have made it an easier adjustment with homely accommodation all paid and taken care of.
There were only three of us in the Grimsby area but we got on really well and socialised with many people inside and outside the stations.
I was placed in the Customer Operations stream in the Newbridge House office in Leeds. I am originally from Ireland, then moved to Canada and finally came to the University of Durham in England so I am used to moving round and settling in new places! Being placed in Leeds was great as I knew it was a lively city before I arrived.
Our accommodation was in Leeds city centre so there was always something to do. Leeds is very vibrant and compact with all the amenities only a short walk away: we lived a stone's throw from the shopping centres, the cinemas and restaurants.
Although there were only three of us based in Leeds, it was great socially and we had cinema trips, nights out and road trips to name a few! Being able to share this experience with like-minded individuals was brilliant and it meant we had a good support network when we needed it.
The office environment was great at Leeds too. Everyone was really friendly and available to help me with my work. The employees were approachable and were all interested in the project I was doing.
Leeds was a great place to potentially start my career, and I found the opportunity to live in a new city very exciting.
Over the 10-week summer placement I was based in Leicester. This was the first time I had ever lived away from my home in Scotland and I was slightly anxious about being over 300 miles away.
Any anxieties quickly disappeared on my arrival. The accommodation Centrica provided was of the highest quality. The other Summer placement students based here were all friendly as well and we were able to spend time together experiencing what Leicester has to offer. Whether watching the World Cup together, going on nights out, heading to the cinema or even just going for a meal, we managed to have a really good time.
I also had the pleasure of working in the Spinneyside offices. Again on arrival I was greeted by friendly people, all of whom were happy to help me settle in quickly. The atmosphere was also very relaxed allowing you to complete any work in a stress-free environment to the best of your ability.
I believe I have had a valuable experience living in Leicester. I met some fantastic people and have more confidence in my employability skills. I would encourage anyone who was thinking of applying to the scheme to do so as it is a worthwhile way to spend your summer.
For my summer placement I was based at the National Distribution Centre (NDC) in Leicester. Some might think that being outside of Staines or Windsor would be a downside, however, I think that we were very lucky with where we were placed.
I arrived to find stellar accommodation very near the city centre, which was a great place to spend any downtime. Having a smaller group of students to live with over the summer meant that we all got to know each other quite well in a short period and we made the most out of the summer by going out together, whether it be for a casual evening out, watching the World Cup or having a barbeque.
Working at the NDC was also a fantastic experience. I was chosen to undertake a project that was perfectly suited to my background, and was lucky enough to work with some amazing and friendly staff who showed me how a company as large as British Gas provides support in such a variety of ways. My favourite part was seeing the seven-storey tall robots shoot across the shop floor, which really showed me the complex workings that go on to maintain customer service and employee support levels at a blue-chip industry.
Despite being by myself at the NDC (which was only a two-minute walk from Spinneyside), working there gave me some invaluable experience, and the friendly staff made me feel like a fellow employee as opposed to a summer placement. With a lot of communication and responsibility, this summer developed my skills and employability beyond what I had expected, and I was lucky enough to spend it with fantastic people, both in and out of work.
Living and working in Manchester was great. It's a brilliant city with loads going on and my accommodation was just five minutes' walk from Piccadilly Gardens. Every morning I made the short walk through the city centre to the station and jumped on the tram out to Trafford. The buzz of the city was something that I really liked and the office was only a 20-minute journey away.
The Manchester office can be found on Talbot Road a couple of minutes from Old Trafford – the Manchester United and Lancashire Cricket ground. It was really lively and everyone was very welcoming. There was a really diverse mixture of people so you'll be sure to find people with the same interests as you. Being in Manchester definitely made my experience with Centrica even better and I'd recommend it to anyone.
After moving to Scotland from America five years ago, I still had no idea what it was like to live in England. When I found out I was based in Oldbury, I immediately looked it up in Wikipedia and Google Maps. It's less than 20 minutes away from Birmingham, which is extremely convenient for commuting purposes. I had never been to Birmingham before, and didn't really know what to expect! I realised that many people were in the same boat as me which made it easy to be able to have the connections to travel to all the different places around the country.
Halfway through my placement and more knowledgeable about the area, I spend my spare time at the Bullring, allocating my earnings on either paying off my student fees, or at the endless shops the centre has to offer. I am a bit of a nerd, and have gone to the museum at least three times so far on the weekends. You are never, ever out of things to do here in 'Brum', as the locals call it. I live 15 minutes walk away from the town centre as well, or it's easily accessible by bus if it's pouring rain outside!
To take the bus into the Oldbury office is only 40 minutes so that certainly makes it easy since the bus stops and picks you up right outside the office. The building itself is incredible, if it's not the massive atrium where you eat your lunch or drink your tea then it's the floors decked out in an array of bright colours that will amaze you. The people here as just as fantastic, warm and welcoming and will always be able to answer your questions or point you in the right direction. Oldbury is a great location, being a little over an hour from London or to Manchester, travelling to the other businesses and meeting all the other placement students is never out of reach.
The Oldbury office is a fantastic place to work. It is easily located by driving or by using public transport. The office itself is a sleek bright building, where there are numerous hubs in which to work, which inspire creativity.
My experience in Oldbury has been with the Electrical Services Division, where the pace is sublime. This is the place where new technology meets our residential customers; our engineers could be installing Electrical Vehicle charge points to wiring a solar panel to a roof. The entire team work to ensure that we deliver our promises to our customers. The roles' come with real reasonability; the project that I am working on has a current value to the business of £750,000.
The accommodation its self is clean and modern. Should you wish to leave the accommodation, then the main shopping area is a ten minute walk, here you will find a full high street and the bullring shopping complex. Another five minute walk and you will find the bars and clubs.
Working in Oxford was really exciting and interesting, both in and out of the office, as I had never been to the city and never had any experience in customer operations.
Oxford is a nice place to live and our accommodation was very central, which made it easy to get into town, where there was loads to do, including pubs, cinemas and lots of choice in places to eat. The offices weren't too far away either so getting to work was fairly straightforward.
Even though there was just one other summer intern in Oxford it was very sociable, with some of the graduates and other colleagues based there. Everyone was very friendly. It was also very helpful to be close to Centrica's headquarters, with Windsor only an hour away, so it wasn't too far to travel to the range of events held there over the internship.
Overall it was excellent living in a different city and meeting lots of new people.
I knew before I got placed that I would be in a fairly remote location as power stations are rarely found in lively locations. I came from Strathclyde University in Glasgow and spent my 10-week placement in a local hotel in Habrough near South Humber Bank Power Station.
This was a big change to adapt to but Centrica made it as easy as possible by providing dinner, bed and breakfast (which was lucky as the majority of other placement students had self-catering accommodation).
The power station itself is considered the flagship Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant for Centrica. It is the largest CCGT plant that Centrica owns and is amongst the highest-earning stations in the country.
I was based within the maintenance team and I had an absolutely great time. The team members were really friendly and were keen to answer any questions I had, which was a lot, especially at the beginning of my placement. There are around 70 employees on site and a lot more contractors. The management team were really accessible and provided me with a lot of feedback in regards to my project.
I can honestly say that I really enjoyed my time at South Humber Bank, despite being quite apprehensive about its remote location. It allowed me to develop my employability skills further by interacting with a lot of different companies and management levels.
Living over 200 miles from the office and accommodation in Surrey, I was initially a little anxious about moving down from the rather quiet hub of rural Yorkshire to the bright lights of the south. However, within the first five minutes of moving into the accommodation I felt quite at home.
The other summer placement students really helped the settling in process both in and out of the office. Outside of work we went on nights out and even had a day out to Thorpe Park. Being in a new location gave me and the other Summer placement students the opportunity to explore a completely new area.
Within the office at Staines, I was really overwhelmed with how helpful and friendly all the employees were. From kitchen staff to senior managers, nothing but respect and encouragement was given. This environment means that Summer placement students are not treated as interns who go and do the photocopying or get the mid-morning coffees; but rather we were given real responsibility to achieve tasks for real deadlines. While this may seem daunting, the friendly and relaxed atmosphere at Staines made these tasks both achievable and enjoyable.
During the 10 week summer placement we were based at British Gas Stockport. To both of us a move to the North and in particular to Stockport at first appeared daunting. However, our initial reservations quickly disappeared due to the welcoming and friendly environment at British Gas.
The Stockport office is divided in Service and Repair (S&R) and Central Heating Installations (CHI), and its main work is based around the two call centres operating within. The teams work in a fast paced environment to ensure that all visits are carried out promptly and effectively, while also optimising sales opportunities and dealing with any emergency or break down requests. We were based in different functional parts of the office and our roles in both S&R and CHI were very varied and challenging. From day one we were given a lot of responsibility and endless opportunities to develop and get involved in different areas of the business.
Our life outside of the office was great, too. We were provided with student accommodation in the centre of Manchester and were lucky to be put in a flat with other interns or students with which to explore the city. Also, living in the city centre we had a countless number of opportunities to go out, socialise and relax after work! Manchester is a vibrant and exciting city and the accommodation was within short walking distance of Manchester Piccadilly train station and the main shopping, bar and restaurant areas. This meant that getting to work was simple with a short and direct trip on the train to Stockport.
Overall, the summer placement experience in Stockport and Manchester was great. Both of us felt that we learnt a lot about British Gas and the Centrica business in general, and took pride in contributions we made to the company.
Having initially assumed Uddingston was somewhere just outside of London, you could imagine my surprise when I found myself heading for the cultural capital of Glasgow!
I really enjoyed the whole experience. Living in Strathclyde University halls of residence allowed me to meet some great people and explore the city centre, just a few minutes' walk away. Glasgow is a hub for entertainment with a plethora of bars, restaurants and gig venues, and the option of heading into the highlands to experience the natural beauty that Scotland has to offer.
The Uddingston office was a very relaxed and friendly place, and from the first day I was made to feel welcome. The open plan office means everyone from colleagues to senior management is accessible and always happy to help. I'd definitely recommend the placement, though I'd say a car is advisable due to the distance to work, and also some waterproof gear!
I think it's great that Centrica provides its interns with paid accommodation throughout the entire placement.
I was based in Windsor and living with other like-minded interns made it enjoyable as we were able to share a social environment. It allowed us to discuss challenges at work and learn from each other. Living together also meant being able to explore a new area, which resulted in days out to Thorpe Park and even a music festival one weekend!
The accommodation was fab and I even had my room serviced and cleaned once a week! We were close to local amenities such as restaurants, cinema and the gym, all of which offered great ways to be relax outside of work.
We were also located near the offices so the commute was simple and stress free. Overall I had a fantastic time living away with other interns and have made some new and interesting friends.
There are three key stages in our application process


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How Walker Loses in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin recall effort may look like a lost cause for the Democrats and union activists who hope to see Governor Scott Walker voted out in a couple weeks. Over at the Washington Post, Jenifer Rubin offered a piece titled "Democrats are dreading a Wisconsin wipeout." InTrade, the prediction market for anything and everything, shows Walker today with a 91 percent chance of winning.
But things are hardly settled. While Walker has a clear and consistent lead in polls, that lead is relatively small—except for an outlier or two, it's been around 5 points or less. "The polling is showing margins that are either close to the margin of error or just outside the margin of error," explains Charles Franklin, a Wisconsin political scientist who's currently overseeing the Marquette Law School Poll. (His own poll showed a 6-point Walker lead.)
The stakes are high. If, after collecting more than 1 million signatures to prompt a recall, Democrats fail to oust Walker, it will give the current governor a huge boost. "If Walker wins, he claims a mandate because he will have survived this," says Franklin. "That will be ultimately his trump card." It helps, of course, that Walker has become a national cause, as Tea Party and business groups have rallied to his side. Such groups helped him raise millions in out-of-state contributions. Having spent millions more than Barrett, Walker has largely won the money battle.
Presumably, Democrats and labor activists are ready to fight tooth and nail to pull off a win. Here are the three ways they could do this:
1. Organization
Walker is polarizing, so there aren't a lot of people undecided in this race. To some extent, the recall election will be won based on which side can get more people to the polls. While conventional wisdom would have it that Democrats have an organizational advantage, Franklin's polling data shows that 91 percent of Republicans say they are "absolutely certain" to vote, compared with only 83 percent of Democrats and independents.
Obviously the recall effort has dramatically energized the right. More than 626,000 Republicans turned out to vote for Walker in the GOP primary earlier this month. That's impressive given that Walker was an incumbent with virtually no opposition. It showed the Republicans were organized and enthused about their candidate. The Democrats had an even larger turnout, with 670,000, but that primary was hotly contested—and resulted in Barrett as the nominee.
Of course, the anti-Walker forces have their own careful organization, borne from collecting over 1 million petitions and prompting the recall in the first place. If they can make more folks "absolutely certain" they'll vote, Walker will be in trouble.
2. Jobs
The Barrett campaign has focused on two main issues: Walker as corrupt and Walker as a failure with jobs. The corruption charges, according to Franklin, aren't likely to stick unless something dramatic occurs. While there's been a long-term John Doe investigation surrounding many close to Walker, the issue splits almost entirely along partisan lines. While the majority of voters have heard about the John Doe case, only Democrats seem to think it's a serious issue—and for the most part, they're supporting Walker anyway.
The jobs message is much more important—and has gotten more complicated than you might expect. Walker promised two years ago to create 250,000 new jobs. But in April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed Wisconsin had lost almost 24,000 between 2011 and 2012—the worst numbers of any state in the country. The performance has been a key component of Barrett's message.
Walker's camp, not shockingly, have argued these figures are wrong, and touted April numbers showing a slight increase in jobs. And that's not all they've done. Last week, in a rare move, the state's workforce development secretary released quarterly Census data. The numbers are older, though they do show a 23,000 job-gain.
Barrett must not let Walker's claims take hold. So far, it seems, he's held strong. Franklin's data show 37 percent of voters believe the state lost jobs—and another 37 percent said there'sHow been no change. Barrett may be able to squeeze in if he can convince a few more that Walker's got a bad record on jobs. It's a "salient issue," says Franklin. " If one side could seize that jobs issue and win on it, it could be very helpful."
3. Labor
Then there's the question of labor. It's no secret that Walker's anti-public employee union measures last year sparked the recall movement, as tens of thousands came out to protest. Yet there's been little mention of anything union-related during the campaign. Barrett, as I noted last week, was not the union's favorite candidate. And many assume the issue is already decided for most people—saying that talking about union issues in the general won't make anyone more likely to support Barrett.
But that's not what the polling shows. Public Policy Polling numbers showed that 39 percent of union households still plan to vote for Scott Walker. That's a stunning number given Walker's anti-union stance (most recently highlighted in his ambiguous support for "right-to-work" laws).
John Nichols, an associate editor at The Capital Times and writer for The Nation, wrote a column recently arguing in part for more emphasis on union issues:
Soft messaging by Democrats on labor issues has done them serious harm with voters in their potential base. And a failure to educate the broad mass of voters on the importance of collective bargaining to protecting middle-class wages and benefits has been equally damaging.
Republicans do not make this sort of mistake. Walker's done massive outreach to cultural and social conservatives, and he did not hesitate, even as the recall approached, to sign controversial bills that are high on right-wing priority lists. Walker knows that a recall election in a closely divided state is about maximizing appeal to the base, not softening messages and avoiding issues.
Given there are so few undecideds and so much at stake, Democrats might want to heed his advice.
Sat, 2012-05-26 10:29
Bottom line is Walker is on top in this electoin because people see his reforms are working (and that his opponent, Barrett is an utter failure as mayor). It was always a reasonable request to have the public union middle class like teachers contribute to their pensions and healthcare as the non public union middle class has been doing for years. Citizens are seeing that because of Walker reforms that their communities have more dollars to save or hire teachers (and not be forced into an overpriced teacher union affilated healthcare product) and not raise taxes. Walkers reforms were always reasonable to the rational adult and now they are working and he's enjoying the spoils - good for him and I hope he has a great night next week on his Election Day.
Bottom line is Walker is on top in this electoin because people see his reforms are working (and that his opponent, Barrett is an utter failure as mayor). It was always a reasonable request to have the public union middle class like teachers contribute to their pensions and healthcare as the non public union middle class has been doing for years. Citizens are seeing that because of Walker reforms that their communities have more dollars to save or hire teachers (and not be forced into an overpriced teacher union affilated healthcare product) and not raise taxes. Walkers reforms were always reasonable to the rational adult and now they are working and he's enjoying the spoils - good for him and I hope he has a great night next week on his Election Day.
Sat, 2012-05-26 10:41
I realize this is a cheer-leading effort and not particularly substantive. But I do take exception to the 2nd point in the article. Read it carefully... it says that Democrats have been insisting there is no job growth, but admits that the quarterly census did prove there was a 23,000 gain in employment. And other sources (Ms. Rapoport omits this) that no public worker layoffs ocurred. That is the truth. Truth matters.
Ms. Rapoport suggests that the Democrats not let this --- the truth, that is --- "take hold". She cites the 37% that believe, wrongly, that state workers were fired. She cites the 37% that believe, wrongly, that there has been no increase in employment in the state. It is these groups of voters that she suggests the Democrats expand.
If the only way you can win is to expand the number of voters who are misinformed, lied to, confused and just plain wrong in their assumptions, then your philosophy is utterly bankrupt. Shame on Ms. Rapaport and shame on the public unions and Democrats who would sink to that.
Sat, 2012-05-26 11:54
Sat, 2012-05-26 12:08
The very latest "WeaskAmerica" poll shows Gov Walker with a 12 point lead. The voters in WI now realize that the corrupt alliance between the public employee unions and democrats, with their hands deep in taxpayer pockets, was destroying the state. And they can see CA and IL where the corrupt alliance is still in control. The amazing voters of WI will not vote to bring back the corruption!
Sat, 2012-05-26 12:19
AR: "It's no secret that Walker's anti-public employee union measures last year sparked the recall movement,....."
And it should be no secret that Walker's appeal is that being "anti-public employee union" is being PRO-TAXPAYERS! Thank goodness, for now, there are more WI taxpayers than shameless "public employees".
The nation's taxpayers give thanks to the "39 percent of union households (that) still plan to vote for Scott Walker.....a stunning number"! Please show up at the polls on June 2nd!
Sat, 2012-05-26 13:48
Talk about long odds! I'm afraid the author has yet to figure out just how a closer relationship can be forged between labor and Barrett within a period of two years let alone two weeks. Neither side trusts the other for two obvious reasons. Labor threw everything and the kitchen sink behind his closest primary opponent and stuck with her to the bitter end. On the other hand- and the reason for the former- Barrett embraced, as mayor of Milwaukee; the very reforms leading to the recall. In effect- at least as the rank and file sees it- supporting Barrett is the equivalent of supporting Walker: aint gonna happen. My best guess here is that Barrett will poll not much more than he did for the primary.
This election however has come to forecast larger implications. Should Romney pull out a victory over Obama in November it will be tracked back to botched party imperatives in Wisconsin at both the state and national level. I simply do not understand the lack of fire on the part of the Presidents reelection effort. Its doubtless too late to recognize this massive and strategic oversight. Electoral debacle could well ensue.
Sat, 2012-05-26 15:02
Does the author understand the corruption in Unions? It's a total scam. Unions nominate their own cronies, who in turn negotiate higher wages and benefits with taxpayer money no less, then get kickbacks through political contributions from the unions. It is a money laundering scheme. Unions negotiate exorbitant contracts, squeezing the taxpayers, and the counties go broke. Look at CA and IL. WI knows its a scam and Walker should win easily, which will bring a landslide in November, first, with the President, then the Senate. Republicans should get total control of the government in November. They better not blow it like last time.
Sat, 2012-05-26 15:56
Polling margins of error are a funny thing. Taken individually, they are relevant. The chances that any single poll is exactly representative is very small - Therefore, you need a margin of error. If you have a collection of polls, each independent, and each with a truly random sampling, then the margin of error becomes practically meaningless if the polls all agree.
In other words, the fact that each of the polls is close to the margin of error might indicate it's anyone's race. If many independent polls are close to their individual margin of error, then taken as a collection, the results are actually not even close to the real (composite) margin of error... This is not a close race.
Charles Franklin has only half of the facts here... Too bad for him, the missing facts show that his candidate is down 5+ percent - Outside of the composite margin of error.
Sat, 2012-05-26 16:07
Sat, 2012-05-26 17:51
LOL, dream on libtard/progressive/union hacks. Walker is likely in the lead by a larger margin as the left leaning media distorts things like polls. Walker will win and the unions will get the smack down. Than Obama will lose the Supreme Court decision on Obamacare and in Novemeber Obama will lose worse than Jimmy Carter an he'll be sent packing.
But you can indulge yourself in self delusion until than.
Sat, 2012-05-26 19:34
4. Lie. 5. Cheat. 6. Steal the Wisconsin Way. It's all Liberals know. Liberals have no vision, no ideas, no solutions....... unless you count tax, spend, borrow, layoff as "ideas". On June 5 a Tsunami of GOP voters will make the statement: Gov Walker works for all WI citizens not just the spoiled few. By the way....coming to a community near you RIGHT TO WORK legislation for Wisconsin. Thank you Gov Walker.
John In Michigan
Sun, 2012-05-27 06:02
There's a certain sense that the author is "whistling past the graveyard" in this article. The voters see the public employee unions as fighting to keep benefits that are far better than those enjoyed by the taxpayers, and it is hard for voters to feel sorry for someone who is complaining that their benefits are being cut when the reduced level is still greater than the average citizen enjoys. That is why the public sector unions lost the Senatorial recalls and the Supreme Court election.
This is the third bite at the apple for the public sector unions, and they should have cut their losses. People are tired of their complaining, and the world did not end with Walker's legislation. In fact, there is evidence that local governments and schools are saving a lot of money.
In short, there is no compelling reason to remove a sitting governor.
Sun, 2012-05-27 08:15
The fact that the union rights issue is not what is now being promoted as the main issue by Barrett demonstrates why Walker is leading by only 5-6 points. Even the dead know that this recall election is the result of all unions banding together to force the recall over Walkers attempt to abrogate public union bargaining rights and workers rights to withhold union dues. If Democrats made union rights the main and only plank Walker would be leading by an even wider margin. People don't like being played for fools and that's what the unions have tried to do to Wisconsin voters.
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(If there's one thing we know about comment trolls, it's that they're lazy)


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On this day:
Displaying 1 to 50 of 91
Diamond couple are joining forces
A wartime evacuation brought Mike and Dee Bulley together. And the armed forces have continued to feature throughout their 60 years of marriage. read more
UPDATE: Big bang was Typhoon sonic boom
A LOUD bang heard across Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties was last night confirmed as a super-sonic boom from a Typhoon jet scrambled to deal with an emergency. read more
Leys boxers could have new home at last
A BOXING club desperately searching for a new home in Blackbird Leys may have found its saviour, in the unlikely form of a children's club. read more
Hop round to catch some bunnies
CHILDREN have been searching gardens near Wheatley for hidden Easter bunnies. read more
Huge mystery boom heard over county - big bang theory!
POLICE have been inundated with calls about loud bang, believed to be a series of sonic booms. read more
Three car crash leads to heavy delays on A34
THERE are severe delays on the A34 tonight between Abingdon and Oxford following a three-car crash. read more
Air ambulance passes a safety inspection
The air ambulance which covers Oxfordshire has passed a safety test after a national scare. read more
My Time
Soul-pop sensation Delilah is all ready to face stardom square in the face, she tells TIM HUGHES. read more
Monstrously Funny
KATHERINE MACALISTER, below, gets down and dirty with the puppet stars of Avenue Q. read more
Gusto Keeps Movie Afloat
BATTLESHIP (12A) Action/Sci-Fi/Romance. Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna, Liam Neeson, Brooklyn Decker, Tadanobu Asano, Jesse Plemons, Gregory D Gadson, Hamish Linklater, Peter MacNicol. Director: Peter Berg Battleship, the children's board game of naval warfare, is brilliantly simple: hunt and sink your opponent's ships of varying classes within a 10x10 grid. read more
Star Gazing
KATHERINE MacALISTER vists an old favourite which has undergone a bit of a transformation. read more
Gleeful Gore to Revel In
THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (15) Horror/Thriller/Comedy. Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Brian White. Director: Drew Goddard You have to give writer-director Drew Goddard full marks for effort. read more
One Man Band
TIM HUGHES finds out that for Blur guitarist Graham Coxon, life is far sweeter on his own. read more
Chance to join the Queen at Jubilee garden party
A PUBLIC ballot is being held for the chance to go to one of the Queen's Jubilee garden parties. read more
House deal funds revamp for Cowley Road church
WORSHIPPERS are hoping long-awaited improvements to their church can be carried out this year thanks to reorganisation of the parish's assets. read more
Charles Gee: Farmer died after losing beloved pet
A WELL-KNOWN Oxford farmer died just days after his beloved dog. read more
Victor Brown: Teacher who had passion for the past
RETIRED Bayswater Secondary School teacher Victor Brown has died from cancer, at the age of 93. read more
James Robertson: RAF conscript became skydiving pioneer
JAMES Robertson was reluctant to be conscripted into the RAF in 1952, but it led to a lifelong love of skydiving. read more
JUBILEE FUND: Foodbank needs help to feed the hungry
AS many of us return to work following an Easter of excess, the Oxfordshire Community Foundation is urging people to help the county's growing number of families and children who spend Easter, and every day, hungry. read more
Day in the life of fifth Beatle
PAUL McCartney belting out a rock n' roll standard leans into John Lennon, who grins manically. read more
Eco-town looking for workforce
Businesses in Bicester and the surrounding area are being invited to register as a potential supplier or labourer for the eco-development. read more
Viewers top up comedian's £750 total
HE MAY have only raised £750 for Helen & Douglas House, but Jimmy Carr on Deal or No Deal has attracted donations worth thousands. read more
MOTOR CYCLING: Bradley Smith's Column
You train like a demon all winter, are always so careful what you eat and your reward is a night on the porcelain pillow in a Qatar hotel bathroom less than 24 hours before the opening MotoGP2 grand prix of the season. read more
Prince mourning
FARINGDON: A motorcyclist killed on the A417 near the town, was Prince William's former flying instructor. read more
A420 truckers struck by yobs
S OXON: Police were last night investigating why windscreens were smashed on trucks and lorries travelling along the A420 between Carswell and Tubney. read more
Robbers steal OAP's rent money
TWO men "manhandled" an elderly woman when they stole her rent money after forcing their way into her Oxford home. read more
Sweeper for sale... one careful owner
HAVE you ever fancied riding along on your very own road sweeper, or taking to the garden with an industrial mower? read more
BOWLS: Richens in title delight
STUART Richens was crowned the Carterton BC indoor singles champion with a 21-18 win over Andy McIntyre on finals day. read more
Floods ditched
WITNEY: Work to stop repeated flooding of homes in Queen Emma's Dyke has been agreed. read more
LEADERSHIP: David Robertson
David Robertson, 70, who represents Witney East, has lived in the town since 1987 and is married, with two children and two grandchildren. read more
RACING: Knight is hoping for Bay of plenty
It's a case of if at first you don't succeed, try again for Calgary Bay in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on Saturday. read more
GOLF: Sam Rounds off hat-trick
SAMANTHA Round claimed her third Oxfordshire County ladies Championship after a thrilling play-off against Frilford Heath's Abi Laker in the final at Chipping Norton. read more
ATHLETICS: Radley secure second
RADLEY'S ladies made a strong start to their track and field season in the Alpha Beta Trophy at Lee Valley. read more
ATHLETICS: Douglas targets May comeback
OXFORD City triple jumper Nathan Douglas plans to return to action next month, a year after suffering a freak training injury. read more
BAR BILLIARDS: Dazzling Didcot power into final
DIDCOT Conservative Club swept to a 4-1 win at Berinsfield Club in the Johnsons Buildbase Oxford League's Team Knockout Cup Group A semi-finals, writes PETE EWINS. read more
COMMENT: Race for the top
SO the race begins in earnest. read more
RUGBY UNION: Open session to seek new faces
OXFORDSHIRE will hold an open training session next week as they seek to avoid pulling out of the County Championship Shield. read more
RUGBY UNION: Watts' Gosford hopes
GOSFORD All Blacks coach Matt Watts is urging his players to use their Oxfordshire Shield victory as a springboard. read more
LEADERSHIP: Ian Hudspeth
Ian Hudspeth, 52, who represents Woodstock, lives in Bladon, is married and has a daughter who has just left the Marlborough School. read more
Man, 59, denies sex act at café
OXFORD: A 59-year-old man appeared at court yesterday charged with performing a sex act in a Wood Farm café. read more
Free play day
AMBROSDEN: The first of 12 free play day events being held across the county will take place at the Bicester Garrison today. read more
Fire not deliberate
OXFORD: A flat fire in Barton was not started deliberately, a fire service spokesman said last night. read more
LEADERSHIP: Pete Handley
Pete Handley, 60, who represents Carterton South West, lives in Shilton and is married. read more
LEADERSHIP: County candidates step forward
THE fresh face, the old guard and the controversial backbencher will battle it out for the leadership of Oxfordshire County Council. read more
GOLF: Pepperell makes Frilford return
EDDIE Pepperell, the most exciting prospect in the county, is now officially attached to Frilford Heath Golf Club. read more
Why is there a need for any redundancy?
I WONDER when Sid Hedges completed his fine book Bicester Wuz A Little Town, did he take a moment to ponder how the future of the town would change and develop? read more
Rename drivers' union
WITH the recent events surrounding the petrol tanker drivers' dispute, maybe they should rename the Unite union 'Ignite'! read more
Postman suffered fatal haemorrhage
A POPULAR postman and well-known Kidlington gardener suffered a fatal haemorrhage behind the wheel of his car before crashing into a garden wall. read more
This will not help school
Having read the Eynsham Community Primary School Ofsted report based on a two-day inspection in February, a report which is by no means entirely negative, it's difficult to comprehend the language used by your reporter Fran Bardsley on April 5 and the inanities attributed to Melinda Tilley. read more
Could we have some Big Society leaders?
YOUR Volunteer Voice and Life Lessons features highlight the exceptional way volunteers contribute to the community and it made me think how David Cameron's praiseworthy concept of the Big Society could be harnessed to unite the nation. read more
Displaying 1 to 50 of 91


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Posts Tagged 'handverk hemma'
I got some help at home by senior Sonny from Tryggkompetens, Thanks!
I like the idea of getting some help from seniors that love what they do and help women at home like me…
Here Sonny giving me a hand at home…really helpfull for all women specially if you live on your own! You may feel safe with a senoir from Tryggkompetens company from Stockholm…
I also got some handcraft help, fixing shelfs, lamps…and much more we most women need some extra help sometimes…Don´t you think is a great idea with this new concept by Tryggkompetens? Hiring a senior to make everybody happier at home? I think it´s great!!!
Viva TRYGGKOMPETENS & Feelgood!
Viva helping the spirit of Feelgood Womanhood!!


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South Carolina ETV
Lifeline Home | Overview | Education | Transparency in Gov | Public Safety | Quality of Life | Citizens & Communities
Dear Viewers and Listeners,
In June, thoughts turn to summer vacation, but parents can be assured that their children will continue to build literacy skills with the PBS Summer Literacy Project. Designed to address the "summer slide," this summer-long project includes ten weeks of kids' favorite programs—including Wild Kratts, Sesame Street, Dinosaur Train, and Sid the Science Kid—featuring reading-related episodes. Games and activities are available for kids at pbskids.org/read and for parents at pbsparents.org/read.
In observation of D-Day, ETV reprises the three-part miniseries, American Road to Victory. Presented nationally by ETV, the trilogy features engaging battlefield tours that bring the viewers into the action of World War II. The programs follow GIs to the actual locations of the battlefields of D-Day, and utilize careful re-enactments, special effects, animated maps and archival footage woven with the chilling testimony from veterans.
Making It Grow! records a special program with a live audience at the Newberry Opera House this month, which will air later this season.
ETV Radio continues its coverage of the popular Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston through June 7 on Spoleto Today, hosted by Marc Overton and Jeanette Guinn. ETV Radio is also broadcasting this year's Chamber Music from Spoleto daily at 1 p.m. through June 14 on the classical service.
Happy summer viewing and listening!
Linda O'Bryon
ETV President & CEO


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Feds ask about $100K payment
Developer checks were for Filner pet causes
Federal agents are asking questions about a $100,000 donation to the city made by a developer seeking San Diego Mayor Bob Filner's approval for revisions to a project in Kearny Mesa.
FBI officials visited more than one city official this week inquiring about the $100,000 in checks, which Filner said last week he returned to the developer, Sunroad Centrum Partners.
The money was to go to two Filner pet projects, a veterans memorial in Ocean Beach and a daylong bicycling event. According to a voice mail obtained by U-T Watchdog last week, the developer made a connection between the donations and Filner's support of an easement for the project at Kearny Villa Road and Lightwave Avenue.
A spokeswoman for Filner said she was out of the office Wednesday at lunchtime and would "check as soon as I get back." She did not call back later.
FBI spokesman Special Agent Darrell Foxworth said the bureau does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations. He also said he was not able to discuss who agents interview or what they discuss.
On Friday, Filner told reporters he was unaware that a top-level administrator in his office had accepted the contribution as a consideration for the mayor's support of the project changes. Filner said he thought it was just a good-faith gesture.
"I thought they were offering a voluntary donation," Filner told reporters.
The official, deputy chief of staff Allen Jones, is no longer with the city, over unrelated disagreements over Filner's policies and management style.
Jones told the Watchdog after Filner's news conference that the mayor knew full well that the payment was given in consideration for approval of changes to a Kearny Mesa project. Jones said he had recommended the money go to parks in Kearny Mesa and did not know how or why the money changed purposes.
A direct connection between a project and a community benefit can be a key factor in determining its legitimacy.
Filner said he only found out on June 27 about the connection between the donation and the project changes, after seeing a memo signed by Jones establishing the trade-off.
Filner on Friday made public the memo, dated May 23, in which Jones and Tom Story of Sunroad sign off on an agreement over the money. The memo does not address how the money will be spent, saying only that the checks are "payable to the City of San Diego."
Contacted Wednesday, Jones said no federal agents have approached him. Story did not return a message.
The federal Hobbs Act bars officials from inducing someone to give up property for fear of economic harm, such as a lost development right, even if the public official is not the recipient of the benefit.
According to the Department of Justice, the act defines extortion in terms of "the obtaining of property from another, with his consent . . . under color of official right."
Also according to the department, the act applies even when "the corrupt payment inures to the benefit of a person or entity other than the public official."


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A stand-up scooter is a small scooter designed to have the rider primarily in the standing position. These scooters are generally designed with a large "deck" in the center on which the operator may stand. Gas powered stand-up scooters use a small utility engine (often designed for use in industrial power equipment) attached to the rear of the scooter.
Less power. The engine displacement of gas scooters range from 23-62cc. Because of this, the top speed is generally limited to somewhere between 15 and 30 mph. Electrical stand-up scooters generally reach a maximum of 15 to 25 mph.
The first production scooter, the "Sport," was released by Go-ped in 1985. Since then, the industry has exploded with the creation of many new brands and technologies.
Transmissions. The most simplistic drive mechanism of stand-up scooters is the "spindle" drive. This drive mechanism puts an extension of the engine's output shaft, the spindle, in direct contact with the rear tire of the scooter. In order to function correctly, the tire must have a clean, dry surface which the spindle will be able to effectively interact with. Scooters with this type of direct transmission can be pull started with the rear wheel off of the ground or "bump" started by forcefully pushing the scooter with the rear tire in contact with the ground.
Simple chain reduction drives are also used to transfer energy to the rear wheel from the engine. These generally incorporate a type of centrifugal clutch to allow the engine to idle independently. The chain drive is generally more efficient and predictable in all conditions than the spindle drive.
Belt reduction drives use the combination of wide flat "cog" belts and pulleys to transfer power to the rear wheel. Like chain drives, belt drives include a centrifugal clutch. As opposed to chain drives, belt drives require less maintenance and no lubrication. Belt drives are also more susceptible to breakage in off-road conditions.
Suspension. The suspension systems of stand-up scooters range from simplistic spring based fork systems to the complicated, dampened cam-link and C.I.D.L.I suspension mechanisms.
Go-Ped. Go-Ped is a scooter manufacturing company created by Patmont Motor Werks inc. The first Go-Ped prototype was produced in 1985 and an example is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Unlike most other manufacturers, Go-Ped is still in business and their line still includes a total of eighteen models: two electric scooters, ten gas scooters, three gas karts, and three push scooters.
Evo Powerboards. Evo is a scooter manufacturing company created by Puzey Design, a company responsible for many exotic forms of transportation. Evo is famous for introducing the first geared transmission for a stand-up scooter, the Evo Two-Speed transmission. At the height of their production, Evo maintained 4 high performance scooters. Currently, only the Evo "2" is available. Various internal sources have pointed toward new production runs in the second quarter of 2008.
BladeZ Scooters. BladeZ is a manufacturing company which sold scooters based on early Puzey Design and were famous for cruiser-style belt drive scooters. Tanaka Power Equipment and Big Boy Scooters also sold nearly identical Puzey Design scooters. In the summer of 2007, BladeZ ceased production of scooters and sold their production rights in order to focus on personal fitness and mobility equipment.


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Mrs. Mary Barwick Downey, 80, died Monday, Feb. 18, 2013 at Shoals Hospital in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Starkville with Rev. David Shumaker and Rev. Tom Woodard officiating.
Burial will follow in Oddfellows Cemetery.
Visitation will be held 9-11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, 2013 at the church prior to services.
Welch Funeral Home of Starkville is in charge of arrangements.
She was Professor Emerita from Mississippi State University, having served as Librarian at Mitchell Memorial Library for most of her career. She was a member of First United Methodist Church, where she was an active member of the Wesley Sunday School Class. She was a graduate of M.S.C.W. and received her Master's Degree from Mississippi State University.
She is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Guyton of Starkville and Marcia Thomas of Florence, Ala.; son, Raymond Downey of Liberty, Mo.; five grandchildren, John Barwick Guyton, Mary Connor Guyton, Katelynn Frances Downey, Lindsey Clare Downey and Callie Ann Thomas; and sisters, Martha Irby and Ann O'Reilly, both of Starkville.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert R. Barwick and Julia Louise Turman.
Memorial donations may be made to First United Methodist Church in Starkville.
You can go online and sign the guest register at http://www.welchfuneralhomes.com.


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Jan 15, 2011
Five Years
A bit of backstory - I started the blog as a way to keep track of news items, videos, and photos about the NXT because I'd been contacted by a publisher about writing a book for kids that would teach building and programming - my experiences with the RCX were extremely limited (I bought one in 1998 and played around with it) so I wasn't sure what to make of the request to write a book. But I kept at the blog because it was easier to add links and notes and stuff there than write it up in a notebook. But really I was beginning to question whether I'd be able to write the requested book and was seriously considering moving on.
In March, my wife and I ended up taking a cruise for our 1 year anniversary. She could tell I was a bit nervous about the lack of Internet/email so she agreed to let me pay a daily fee to use the ship's computers to check my messages... and wouldn't you know it? The MDP announcement came that same week and I was able to check my email to find I'd been selected. But after reading and signing the NDA, I quickly realized that I'd probably have to stop blogging! I wasn't going to be able to talk about my experiences as a beta tester so I thought about just letting the blog go - at the time I think I had maybe 4 or 5 regulars posting comments and such. Yes... 4 or 5.
But a few questions to LEGO and I realized I could still post stuff that was in the public domain - videos that were still being released, photos, etc... so I kept at it, thinking that I'd still try to give writing the book a chance while playing with the beta kit. (True story - the parts all the MDPers received came in one big clear bag tied in a knot! The bag was easily larger than a gallon of milk... maybe almost two... and it was a bit overwhelming to pull it out of the box and see all those zillions of little pieces mixed together.)
Jump forward a bit now - and the blog is starting to get some good comments and discussions going on, but the NXT hasn't yet been released. May 1, 2006 was an important date as LEGO had agreed that we could start sharing more details about the NXT-G software and our own designs, but even before that date plenty of folks had been able to get their hands on the NXT and play around with it as LEGO demo'd it as the WorldFest in Atlanta in April... word was spreading.
I honestly have no recollection when I began to invite folks to join the blog - I don't even remember the order. I know Brian Davis and Matthias and Martyn were a few of the very first (sorry guys, can't remember the order), and then the gates opened and more and more contributors began to join up... by the time the NXT was released in late 2006, we had about 10 or so contributors putting up posts, videos, photos, and more - at one point I can remember maybe 5 to 10 posts per day!
Over the past five years, the blog has grown - more contributors, more readers, and more topics. We added a forum along the way (thanks, David Levy) and even wrote a few collaborative books (The Idea Book and NXT One Kit Wonders) that each had 8 or more NXT contributors' names on the covers. Contributors have written their own books (Fay - Matthias - Damien - Laurens - Daniele - ???). And would you believe it that there are still contributors who I haven't yet met in person??? The strange world of blogging...
Over the past five years, I've enjoyed being part of this blog... and I look forward to many more years. The posts have slowed down as the product has matured - contributors have moved on to other projects - and the NXT seems to have stabilized in terms of excitement level (I hate to say that, but it's kinda true).
But the blog continues. We still want to be the main source of information and news on the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT, so we continue to invite our readers to send us their photos, videos, and write-ups on their designs and experiences with the NXT. There's an entire group out there that is just learning about the NXT - it's all NEW to them! And thankfully this blog has five years of archives for them to sift through to see what others have done (or are doing) with their robot kits.
Thank you - readers and contributors - for helping make The NXT Step what it is... an unofficial source of inspiration for all things NXT. I can't wait to see what 2011 brings!
Atlanta, GA
6 comments:
- Clinton said...
Congratulations, Jim, and to all the other bloggers and readers who've made this a success! The NXT STEP is my number one source of Mindstorms information, and I've really appreciated the all the books I've gotten my hands on that have benefited from the blog.
- Jan 15, 2011, 2:25:00 AM
- Laurens Valk said...
Happy Birthday NXT Step!
Thanks Jim for creating the blog! Without it I probably wouldn't have been able to do what I'm doing.
I remember how excited I was when 3 or 4 years ago one of my designs was posted to the blog. A bit later I was even happier after Jim's invitation to join the blog. I'm still glad to be part of the team.
- Jan 15, 2011, 2:31:00 AM
- Brian Davis said...
Thank you Jim for creating, and sticking with, this blog. It has been a wonderful resource for some, a wonderful outlet for others, and always a polite, interesting, and exciting place to read and post! Thank you.
You may have had no idea what you started... and who knows what will come NeXT?
- Jan 15, 2011, 4:59:00 AM
- Dexter Industries said...
Congratulations and thanks Jim! This is such an awesome blog and an essential resource for the community. Congratulations!
- Jan 15, 2011, 5:23:00 AM
- Christopher R. Smith (Littlehorn) said...
This is a great blog with awesome contributors and fantastic readers. All of us have had a tremendous amount of fun with this subject and the fact is...MINDSTORMS will extend far beyond everyone's expectations. It has brought us together and challenges our minds to grow stronger. I feel the education we gain with the help of MINDSTORMS is creating a better future for us and our world. This blog helps push the envelope. The NXT Step has been an important part of the equation that has proven to keep us excited and given Mindstormers a place to learn far more than we would on our own. Its been a fun ride! Let's keep going!
- Jan 16, 2011, 12:57:00 AM
- Christopher R. Smith (Littlehorn) said...
I would like to point out that the last 13+ years of MINDSTORMS has opened my eyes to the possibilities. The best part for me is that I have witnessed people all over the world becoming friends and working together... This blog is proof. The NXT Step has united contributors from at least 10 different countries with readers from everywhere else!
The order isn't important...but historically the contributor list began with Jim in this boat all alone. He set out bait and fished Brian and myself aboard. Jim then snatched Matthias and Martyn from the deep blue. His net really began to fill from that point.
There's a neat history book here.
- Jan 16, 2011, 1:26:00 AM


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A complete and balanced diet for the nutrition of primates including great apes. Contains vitamin D3 at levels suitable for Old and New World monkeys. Read More
Freight charges apply
- New Smaller Bites
- Same Great Taste
- More Biscuits in Every Bag
(Marmosets and tamarins should use ZuPreem® Marmoset Diet)
- Brand: ZuPreem
- Type: Biscuits
- Breed: Primate
- Size: 20 lb Bag
Reviews (4)
"Great Parrot Food"
"I've been using this product for 22 yrs. Before specialized avian weaning foods, this was it. The biscuits soak up warm water or juice like a sponge without crumbline or breaking apart easily. Adult birds just love squeezing the juice out then eating the ""sponge"". I only have 2 birds so 20lbs last a long time; I've found it works well as an emergency dog biscuit also! The closest thing to it that the birds accept is SIX times the price!"
"Macaws love it"
It may say primate but the macaws just love it. Can not get enough and only give 5 per day, but want more.
"terrible product"
I would not even feed this to a rat. The first ingredient is corn, then soybean meal, then more grain. Primates need fresh vegetables and some meat, not almost indigestible grains with low bio-availability. And the preservatives include Butylated Hydroxy Anisol and ethoxyquin, both of which are proven to be carcinogenic and cause birth defects and kidney/liver failure. Bad product.
This is the only food I will buy for my monkeys that they will eat. This is what they use at the Zoo also.
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$2.49 to $20.29


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Love that people answered the poll question about post conference already... (and yes I know you are forced but you could have waited til after to vote)
Unless you had plans to buy it regardless? I pretty much did even before all the licensing stuff hit since I personally don't mind. This E3 conference should just be a sweet game filled bonus for me.


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THANK U!!!! Women's wrestling has turned to crap over the last 5 years. Seriously, who wants to watch the bella twins in a match. Half of the women's roster sucks. Only a few are good and they are the ones that are underused.
If you're a fan of Randy Orton, join the Randy Orton Fan Club
PSN ID: WWE_Charmed_Diva
RIP Lance Cade and Luna Vachon
X360 Gamertag- War7head7
Right to Un-censor!


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Customer Reviews
1 Item(s)
- I LOVE IT Review by MARLENE ETHRIDGE-GARCIA
Quality Value Price
I have used for 3 years and am able to blend using the 3 shades to whatever the season calls for. I am very picky and my makeup has to be perfect, believe me with gloDust it is perfect. The perfect finishing touch we all look for.
(Posted on 7/6/09)
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So, I've been wanting to do this little feature for a while and have had a hard time starting it, so I'm going to need a little bit of help with it (paging Dr. Gethin, DJ Extraordinaire). I'd like to follow up each game with a semi-appropriate song (or maybe a sixty-minute long laugh track, when they have those games). Feel free to fire your suggestions my way at any time! (dannie [at] strait-jackets.net)
Game 26: Sister Hazel – Your Winter


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Vitacost Mega Nattokinase -- 2000 FU - 90 Vegetarian Capsules
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All-natural supplement to support cardiovascular health.*
What is Vitacost Mega Nattokinase?
Nattokinase (NK) is an enzyme extracted from a traditional Japanese dish called natto, made from boiled and fermented soybeans. The enzyme is composed of 275 amino acids and is considered to be one of the most active functional ingredients found in natto.
How does Vitacost Mega Nattokinase support health?
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About Vitacost
Vitacost nutritional products are manufactured to high standards of quality, efficacy and safety. Each Vitacost product meets or exceeds the standards and requirements set forth in the FDA's Code of Federal Regulation (21 CFR, 111) Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP).
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
As a dietary supplement, take 1 capsule daily on an empty stomach or as directed by a healthcare professional.
Store in a cool, dry place.


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July 22, 2013
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After 30 years as partners in the pressure cooker environment of the NYPD, highly decorated detectives David Fisk and Thomas Cowan should be ready for retirement, but aren't. Before they can hang up their badges, they are called in to investigate the murder of a notorious pimp, which appears to have ties to a case they solved years before. Like the original murder, the victim is a suspected criminal whose body is found accompanied by a four line poem justifying the killing. When additional crimes take place, it becomes clear the detectives are looking for a serial killer, one who targets criminals that have fallen through the cracks of the judicial system. His mission is to do what the cops can't do on their own-take the culprits off the streets for good. The similarities between the recent killings and their earlier case raise a nagging question: Did they put the wrong man behind bars?
Rated R for violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and brief drug use.
Visit the official site
Cast: Brian Dennehy, Al Pacino, John Leguizamo, Robert DeNiro, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
Produced by: Rob Cowan, Avi Lerner, Randall Emmett, Jon Avnet, Alexandra Milchan, Daniel Rosenberg
Directed by: Jon Avnet
Written by: Russell Gewirtz
Running time: 1hr 41min
Opens: Sep 12, 2008 Nationwide


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Three young LA Galaxy players are on their way to Sweden.
Forward Charlie Rugg, midfielder Kenney Walker and defender Bryan Gaul are off to Sweden to train with Swedish Superettan side Hammarby, a club official confirmed on Saturday. The 22-year-old Rugg, who was selected by the Galaxy with the 19th overall pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, announced his move via his verified Twitter account on Saturday afternoon.
A team official confirmed the training stint, but did not provide a timeline for the moves. It is worth noting that neither Gaul nor Walker were present during the final 15 minutes of training on Saturday.
Of the trio, only Rugg has seen time during the 2013 MLS regular season with one goal in his three appearances. Walker, 24, missed the entire preseason after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot, but started along with Rugg in LA's U.S. Open Cup defeat to the Carolina RailHawks on May 29.
After making 19 appearances in all competitions a year ago, the 24-year-old Gaul has yet to feature for the Galaxy in first team competition in 2013.
Coached by former Galaxy defender Gregg Berhalter and co-owned by AEG, Hammarby are currently in seventh place in the Superettan and nine points out of a berth in the promotion playoffs.
CARSON, Calif. – Ahead of Sunday's clash with FC Dallas, LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena discussed the team's mindset heading into their 19th match of the year.
Arena's comments from Saturday's training session are below…
(On his impression of FC Dallas…)
ARENA: "They've been one of the top teams in the league to date. Obviously, [they] had a great start to the season. Their win against us at home is important for them and they've had some good wins. They've slowed down as of late, but they're going to be one of the teams that are certainly going to be battling for the five playoff spots and possibly the first place position in the league."
(On how he expects FC Dallas to come out to start the game…)
ARENA: "No idea. If you know, write it down for me and help me out a little bit. We never know these things."
(On Blas Perez…)
ARENA: "He's been good. He's been pretty solid for his two years in the league. He has a good presence in the penalty area."
(On how the team will do on the short rest…)
ARENA: "In this case, it's the same for both teams, so we're certainly not at a disadvantage. I think that we'll be fine."
(On the U.S. win over Guatemala….)
ARENA: "I only watched the first half; I thought that it was a terrible game to be honest with you. I don't know who Guatemala had playing with them. It was an awful game on the field."
(On Donovan bypassing the 50 goal mark for the U.S. team…)
ARENA: "That's great for him. That's a great milestone. Congratulations to Landon."
Landon Donovan signaled his return to the U.S. National Team with a bang on Friday.
Playing in his first match for the U.S. since last August, Donovan scored the 50th and 51st goals of his international career in the Americans' 6-0 victory over Guatemala at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium. The goals were Donovan's first with the national team since scoring a hat-trick against Scotland in May of 2012.
The U.S. dominated the young Guatemalan team from start to finish in front of a crowd of 25,080 in San Diego.
Jurgen Klinsmann's squad was up 1-0 at the half off a goal by former LA Galaxy forward Herculez Gomez in the 42nd minute, but once the second half began, Donovan truly got going. The Galaxy midfielder became the first American male to score 50 international goals in the 55th minute when he drew a penalty and then converted to put the U.S. up two. Donovan bagged his second of the night and 51st internationally in the 73rd minute when he expertly finished a well-placed cross by Stuart Holden cross. Sandwiched in-between those Donovan finishes, the Galaxy midfielder played the role of distributor as he helped set up Chris Wondolowski's first international goal in the 71st minute.
Donovan exited the match in the 77th minute, but the U.S. did not take their foot off the gas as they rattled off two more goals from Clarence Goodson and Alejandro Bedoya to seal a 6-0 victory.
The U.S. begins their 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign on June 9 against Belize at JELD-WEN Field.
Video of Donovan's goals are below...
Goal One:
Goal Two:
The LA Galaxy will be without the services of Landon Donovan for the month of July as he looks to lead the U.S. National Team to glory at the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, but they aren't alone as 31 other players from 16 MLS teams will be taking part in the tournament's group stages.
That number could grow after the group stage as the teams that advance to the knockout stages will be able to amend their rosters with players from their 35-man preliminary rosters—a prime example of this type of player is LA's own Omar Gonzalez, who is considered likely to join the U.S. after the initial round.
Although the Galaxy are expected to feel the sting of the tournament, they may capitalize on it as two of their remaining four opponents in the month of July will be without key members of their respective squads.
On Thursday, the Columbus Crew were without the services of Costa Rican winger Jairo Arrieta during LA's 2-1 victory. A third team would have been included in the list if the Galaxy's next opponent FC Dallas had not reached an agreement with the Panamanian Federation to keep forward Blas Perez through Sunday's match at StubHub Center.
After the Dallas match, Bruce Arena's squad will take on the Portland Timbers on July 13 at JELD-WEN Field, who will be without captain Will Johnson (Canada), left back Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica), and forward Frédéric Piquionne (Martinique). The Timbers can make a case for the team most affected by the tournament as they will be without their leader in goals (Johnson), leader in assists (Wallace), and an emerging offensive contributor (Piquionne). With LA aiming to make a run up the Western Conference standings, they may be making the trip up to Portland at just the right time.
A week later, the Galaxy will take on a Vancouver Whitecaps FC side on July 20 that could also be missing three players: midfielder Russell Teibert and goalkeeper Simon Thomas (Canada) as well as defender Carlyle Mitchell (Trinidad and Tobago). The latter two may be fringe players for the Whitecaps, but LA fans remember Teibert, who notched a brace against the club in their last meeting on May 11 at BC Place. Teibert may not be the only player missing from Vancouver's roster when the Whitecaps come to visit, however, as center back Johnny Leverón was named to Honduras' 35-man preliminary roster and could be called up after the group stage.
The Galaxy wrap on their July slate on the 27th at Dick's Sporting Goods Park when they take on a Colorado Rapids side free of Gold Cup entanglements. Colorado is one of three teams (New England Revolution and Montreal Impact being the others) who will not be affected by the tournament during the group stage.
Can the Galaxy capitalize on this opportunity? Will LA make a run up the table in July?
CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy erased a one-goal deficit late on the heels of a pair of Robbie Keane penalty kick goals on Thursday, to seal a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew.
But while the Galaxy were jovial after the match, Columbus was left fuming about the calls made by referee Sorin Stoica.
"Unfortunately for us, the referee called [the penalties]," Columbus coach Robert Warzycha told reporters after the match. "From my point of view, it's difficult to judge. What I can tell you is [Columbus goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum] said he didn't initiate contact [on the first penalty], then on the second penalty [Bernardo Anor] said he was just going for the ball. The referee called both of them, and that's the game, unfortunately."
The second penalty, which was drawn when Keane was fouled in the box by Anor in the waning moments of the match, drew the most contention postgame for Crew and Galaxy players alike.
But what did members of the LA Galaxy think of the calls? Reporters asked Keane, Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, and center back Omar Gonzalez about the penalty calls after the match, and all seemed to bring up the second penalty.
Their responses are below…
KEANE: "The second one I'm looking at the ball and someone comes into the back of you. If someone runs into the back of you without you knowing the fact is you're going to fall over. I didn't see him behind me when I wanted to take the ball down and he just ran into me. When you're in the penalty box you obviously have to be very careful."
ARENA: "The second one—we might have been fortunate on. I haven't seen them on tape. The first one I think Jose was taken down, but I think there wasn't any of them you could say 100 percent penalty. The Crew is going to feel a little disappointed, for sure."
GONZALEZ: "Several times this season, I think we've played great games but have let up late, or things just don't go our way. Tonight, maybe the second PK wasn't such a great call, but hey, it went in our favor and I can't ask for anything more than that. It was a great call by the referee, especially at home, and getting the win for the fans, it was great. It just showed a lot of character, going down 1-0 after dominating the entire game. Showing the character to come back and win the game 2-1 was great."
What are your thoughts?
Watch the video of the second penalty call below and leave your thoughts in the comments section.
CARSON, Calif. -- The LA Galaxy earned a dramatic comeback victory over the Columbus Crew on Thursday as two Robbie Keane penalty kick goals sealed a 2-1 win for LA.
My Three Points to the game can be found here.
Post game notes can be found below...
*The victory was the Galaxy's first win when allowing the first goal. LA is now 1-6-0 in that situation. LA's last come from behind victory in the MLS Regular Season came on July 14, 2012 vs. the Portland Timbers at JELD-WEN Field.
*LA outshot the Crew 23 to eight.
*Robbie Keane is now the LA Galaxy's 2013 MLS Regular Season goal scoring leader with seven goals. Keane was already the leader in goals among current Galaxy players, but bypassed Mike Magee's mark of six with two strikes on Thursday. Keane has scored four of his goals on penalty kick attempts. Keane now has 25 goals in 42 career regular season games with the Galaxy. He is the eighth different player to score 25 or more regular season goals for LA.
*LA has completed five of their seven penalty kicks this season.
*LA's seven penalty attempts this year are tied for the second most in club history. Only in 2003, when the Galaxy drew eight penalties, did they attempt more spot kicks. The last time LA had seven penalties in a single season was 2007, when they also went 5-for-7.
* The Galaxy have now scored eight times in the final 15 minutes during regular season play while conceding 14. Additionally, of the nine goals scored and allowed in the Champions League, six came in the final 15 minutes.
* 28 of the 60 goals scored in Galaxy games in all competitions this year have been scored in the final 15 minutes.
*The Galaxy are now 10-5-3 all-time on the Fourth ofJuly. LA has played at home on Independence Day for 18 consecutive seasons, which according to Elias Sports Bureau is an American sports record.
*LA is currently in fourth place in the Western Conference with 27 points. They sit seven points back of MLS Supporters' Shield leaders Real Salt Lake with a game in hand.
CARSON, Calif. – Robbie Keane played the role of hero for the LA Galaxy against the Columbus Crew and the Irish forward broke down the match in an interview with reporters after the game.
Keane's quotes are below…
(On the result of tonight's match…)
KEANE: "Of course after the result on Sunday it's important to get a win no matter which way we did it. We're certainly the better team there's no question about it when you win down a goal with ten minutes to go."
(On his the second penalty call…)
KEANE: "The second one I'm looking at the ball and someone comes into the back of you. If someone runs into the back of you without you knowing the fact is you're going to fall over. I didn't see him behind me when I wanted to take the ball down and he just ran into me. When you're in the penalty box you obviously have to be very careful."
(On the team's many opportunities tonight…)
KEANE: "We certainly should have put away a few. We had a lot chances where we went over the bar and stuff like that. I think the most important thing is getting into the spots. If we were not getting any chances I'd be certainly worried but the fact that we are getting them. It's only a matter of time before we start putting them in and we start scoring a lot of goals."
(On what he says to Gyasi Zardes amid his slump…)
KEANE: "Keep putting them away. It happens to all of us. When you don't score its in the back of your mind. When you're younger it's a little bit different than when you're old and you've been playing for a long time you know how to deal with it better. Someone like Gyasi, I'm sure he'll be thinking about it, something that I used to do when I was younger, conjuring it in your head for days. The only thing you can do is just keep plugging away, and as I said if he keeps getting put on spots its only a matter of time before he starts putting a few goals away."
(On whether he was worrying that he'd miss his second goal…)
KEANE: "No, not really, the same as the first one. I was waiting for him to go early but this one he didn't. The first one he went early so that's why I put it that way, but the second time he waited for the last second. I said if he was going to wait I'm going to put it in the same corner. So luckily enough for me it went through."
(On the quick turnaround against FC Dallas…)
KEANE: "Obviously it's been a really tough week for us. I think that's why we have all of the trainers to make sure we get ready for the game Sunday. It's a quick turnaround but I think it's the same for everybody so it doesn't make a difference."
(On if the team had lost…)
KEANE: "I think we would have been completely shattered, to be honest our heads would have been down. But, because you do win a game, its amazing how confidence can get you through games and get through a few more days. Yeah we lost the game on Sunday, but the fact that we've got the three points is huge. "
(On the overall play tonight…)
KEANE: "We defended well and we played a lot of chances. It's a game where there no way we should have lost. They had one chance and that was with the header. We had a lot of chances, just didn't put them away, and that's the way it goes. As long as we keep plugging away and keep getting in position then we'll be fine."
CARSON, Calif. -- LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena's postgame thoughts from the LA Galaxy's 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew.
Arena's thoughts are below...
(Overall thoughts on the game...)
ARENA: "We fought hard to try and win the game. We were fortunate to capitalize on two penalty kicks. On the night, we played OK—the second half a little bit better than the first half. We can certainly be accused of not finishing our chances, and putting ourselves in a poor position, which certainly happened. Give Columbus credit, they certainly played hard, got a great goal. Not to take anything away from them, it was a great goal. We just had to battle and try to create some chances at the end and we were fortunate to get a couple of calls that made a difference. We've been on the other side of those games a couple of times this year. At this point in the season, we should have 11, 12 victories, but we've shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times. We got to battle and keep moving forward. We have to move up the ladder in a very competitive conference."
(On Galaxy going forward...)
ARENA: "There's an awful lot of work to be done. Finishing our chances is one of them. Defensively on the night, we were, for the most part, pretty good. Columbus really wasn't that dangerous and 10 minutes to go we're chasing the game, and that's not good. So, we got to get better in all aspects and hopefully we can."
(On Columbus' goal...)
ARENA: "I don't know how you look at that goal tonight, that's one of those once in a lifetime-type of goals. I haven't seen it on tape or anything, but it looked like he stuck that in the corner pretty well and he's 16 yards out, so it's one of those plays that happened."
(On the penalties...)
ARENA: "The second one—we might have been fortunate on. I haven't seen them on tape. The first one I think Jose was taken down, but I think there wasn't any of them you could say 100 percent penalty. The Crew's going to feel a little disappointed, for sure."
(On the struggles of Gyasi Zardes...)
ARENA: "That's what separates the men from the boys generally. The players that finish off those chances make a pretty good living around the world. Goal scorers, you got to have a lot of respect for. Gyasi is still young in the trade. He's probably been healthy for three months this year and hopefully, he's going to get better in the penalty area. That's the goal. The positive part is that each and every game, he's getting a bunch of good chances, so hopefully he'll start putting some of those away."
(On the possibility of losing Omar Gonzalez during the transfer window...)
ARENA: "That's not likely to happen."
Share your thoughts below...
CARSON, Calif. – We've gotten away from it in the past few weeks, but here is the triumphant return of the LA Galaxy Insider match look ahead.
On Independence Day, the LA Galaxy take on the Columbus Crew at StubHub Center.
Thursday's match will mark the 18th consecutive season in which LA has playing at home on the Fourth of July. LA is 9-5-3 all-time on the date, including a 1-1-0 mark against Columbus.
LA is 0-1-1 in the last two Independence Day matches.
The pregame game notes are here.
Defensive breakdowns plagued the LA Galaxy against the San Jose Earthquakes, but LA is adamant that there will be no such meltdowns against the Crew. Omar Gonzalez also had a few strong words as the Galaxy head into the match.
Landon Donovan's away with the U.S. National Team, so Hector Jimenez may step in his spot in the right side of midfield.
The match with the Crew will be a "strange" one for Galaxy midfielder Robbie Rogers, who was a mainstay for Columbus in years past.
Remember, if you bought tickets to the "Messi and Friends" exhibition, you'll be able to purchase tickets at a discounted rate for the Galaxy matches on Thursday and Sunday.
For a match preview, here's LAGalaxy.com Larry Morgan's view of the game.
Lastly, my Three Points to the game.
"If we look back at the games that we tied or lost in the last five minutes, with those points, we would easily be at the top of the table. But I don't like to look back, we need to look forward and make sure that every game is a battle and be sure to as get as much points as possible."
- LA Galaxy Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.
ROBBIE ROGERS vs. TYSON WAHL
Facing his old club, Rogers is expected to be plenty motivated to bag his first goal with the LA Galaxy and he should have plenty of opportunities against Wahl. Look for Rogers to use his speed on and off the ball to get behind Wahl and create scoring chances for himself and his LA teammates.
JUNINHO vs. MATIAS SANCHEZ
Back from suspension, the Crew midfield will be bolstered by the return of the Argentine defensive midfielder. Not only does Sanchez attempt to break up chances, but he'll also try to get forward to open up space for the likes of playmaker Frederico Higuain.
DOMINIC ODURO vs. A.J. DELAGARZA
A match of speed, DeLaGarza will be expected to use his quickness to match up with the quick Ghanaian. Although no one is expecting DeLaGarza to beat Oduro in a foot race, if LA's defense can stay organized, they may be able to put the brakes on the fleet-footed Crew forward.
Cudicini; Franklin, Gonzalez, DeLaGarza, Dunivant; Jimenez, Sarvas, Juninho, Rogers; Zardes, Keane
In honor of the Fourth of July (Happy Fourth Everyone!), MLSsoccer.com Editor and Chief Greg Lalas complied a list of the five greatest American players in MLS history and after watching this, I started thinking of my own list.
Full Disclosure: I was nine-years-old during the inaugural season in MLS, so this list is going to be subject to my own bias.
No list is complete without the man in the dreadlocks -- Cobi Jones. The league's first true superstar, Jones helped the Galaxy win two MLS Cup titles (2002, 2005), two MLS Supporters' Shields (1998, 2002), the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (2000), and two U.S. Open Cups (2001, 2005). While Jones helped the Galaxy to club titles, he racked up a host of individual accolades including an MLS Best XI selection (2000) and eight MLS All-Star nods.
The league's all-time leader in assists with 135 and a mainstay during the great New England Revolution teams of the last decade, Ralston is an automatic selection.
The Jamaican-born U.S. international was an enigma throughout his 13-year career in MLS, but Cunningham was also a pure goal scorer. The league's all-time leader in goals scored 134 goals in 365 appearances, Cunningham was simply a class finisher.
Goalkeepers hardly get the respect that they deserve, but to date, Kevin Hartman is the most accomplished goalkeeper to ever play in MLS. Hartman has set league records in appearances (416), wins (180), saves (1474), and shutouts (112). And he's still ticking, mind you, as a member of the New York Red Bulls.
Simply put the greatest American soccer player of all-time. Landon Donovan's club resume is littered with titles including five MLS Cup titles (2 with the San Jose Earthquakes in 2001 and 2003 as well as three with the LA Galaxy in 2005, 2011 and 2012), two Supporters' Shields (2010, 2011), and a U.S. Open Cup (2005). At the age of 31, Donovan is third all-time in goals scored with 127 and second all-time in assists with 114. I wouldn't be surprised if by the time he's done playing, he holds the league records in assists and goals. And we said all that without ever mentioning his success with the U.S. National Team.
(Honorable Mention: Alexi Lalas, Jeff Agoos, Robin Fraser, Nick Rimando, Preki, Taylor Twellman, Clint Mathis)
Lalas' list is below.
What's your list? Tell me below.


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I Love Lucy Dolls "Job Switching"
Job Switching, episode 39, originally broadcast on September 15, 1952 during I Love Lucy's second season. Today, this wacky story remains a favorite and is re-created in this delightful giftset. Both dolls wear pink dress coats, pink baker's hats, and pink heels. Check out the face sculpts — each doll looks as though their faces are "stuffed" with chocolates! Rooted eyelashes and fantastic face paint provide the finishing touches.
Click to play original episode clips, available in Lucy doll's stand:
Lucy and Ethel have fun
The nose itch dilemma
The job gets easier
Lucy admits defeat
I LOVE LUCY and related marks are trademarks of CBS Broadcasting Inc. © 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All rights reserved. Images of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz are used with the permission of Desilu, too, LLC. Licensing by Unforgettable Licensing, a Division of Unforgettable Enterprises, Inc.
For ages 6 and over.
Production doll may vary from the photo shown above. Mattel reserves the right to modify the fashion/fabrics, sculpt, hair color/style, and accessories. Doll cannot stand alone as shown.


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