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Texas Stars lose to Oklahoma City, 7-3, in Game 4; now trail second round AHL playoff series 3-1
Here is Mark Stepneski's coverage at Dallas Stars Inside Edge.
Here's is Stephen Meserve's coverage at Hundred Degree Hockey.
Here is the press release:
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – The Texas Stars led 3-2 heading into the third period, but allowed five goals to the Oklahoma City Barons and lost 7-3 Wednesday night at Cox Convention Center in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Barons now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and Game 5 will be played on Thursday, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. at Cox Convention Center.
Early in the first period Cristopher Nilstorp came up with a big save on Barons forward, and fellow Swede, Toni Rajala, who had a one-on-one chance. At the other end Yann Danis stopped a close range chance from Cameron Gaunce and watch Gaunce backhand the rebound wide of the gaping net.
The offense erupted for both teams in the second period. C.J. Stretch opened the scoring by tipping in a shot from Brandon Davidson at 1:27 to give Oklahoma City a 1-0 lead. Texas responded five minutes later as Reilly Smith made a deft pass to the far post to Brett Ritchie and the Stars rookie slammed the puck into the open net at 6:49 to tie the game. The goal was Ritchie's second of the playoffs and first since his overtime-winner in Game 1 of the first round series with Milwaukee. After killing off three-straight Barons power plays to open the game, Texas was finally given one of their own, a four-on-three man-advantage. Colton Sceviour cashed in with a power play goal, his first of the post-season, poking a loose puck from a Jordie Benn shot through the pads of Danis and into the net at 13:13. Benn and Travis Morin both assisted on the goal.
The 2-1 Texas lead lasted just 1:20 before the Barons tied it at two. Mark Arcobello's penalty for roughing expired and he stepped out of the penalty box right to a long pass from Philippe Cornet and raced off on a breakaway. Arcobello, the Barons' leading goal-scorer of the playoffs, snapped a shot through the legs of Nilstorp at 14:33 for his seventh goal of the playoffs and fourth of the series. The Stars had the last response of the second period when they capitalized on a delayed-penalty to Oklahoma City. Nilstorp quickly skated to the bench for an extra-attacker and Morin made an incredible diagonal cross-ice pass to find Joe Morrow wide open at the bottom on the left circle. Morrow ripped the puck into the open net before Danis could get across to cover to give Texas a 3-2 lead at 18:15. The goal was Morrow's second of the playoffs and was assisted by Morin and Sceviour.
The tides shifted dramatically as Oklahoma City scored five times in the third period. Antti Tyrvainen got the comeback started when he poked in a rebound off the left pad of Nilstorp to tie the game 3-3 at 6:52. Taylor Fedun put the Barons in front for good with a shot from the right point stemming from a blocked shot in the slot that snuck inside the near post at 14:24. Texas turned desperate and took more chances and risks offensively, which exposed them to counter attacks. That's exactly what Oklahoma City did as Arcobello finished off a two-on-one rush with two minutes left in regulation, his second goal of the game, to put the hosts ahead by two goals. The Stars pulled Nilstorp as they scrambled to recover, only for Tyrvainen to score on the empty net from deep in his own zone 36 seconds later and make it 6-3. The Barons received another power play with 1:10 left in regulation and Garrett Stafford scored with 15 seconds remaining to cap off the scoring at 7-3.
Yann Danis earned his sixth win of the playoffs by stopping 26-of-29 shots in goal for Oklahoma City. Cristopher Nilstorp made 39 saves on 45 shots in goal for Texas, suffering his first back-to-back losses of the post-season. The Barons out-shot the Stars 46-29 and went 1-for-5 on the power play, while Texas was 1-for-3 with the man-advantage.
The Texas Stars face a must-win situation in Game 5 on Thursday, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. at Cox Convention Center as they trail the Oklahoma City Barons 3-2 in the best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinals. If the Stars win Game 5 Thursday night, Game 6 will be played at Cedar Park Center on Monday, May 20th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for all Stars home games in the series are on sale now via Ticketmaster or the Cedar Park Center Box Office. Ticket packages for all remaining Texas Stars 2013 home playoff games are also on sale and may be purchased by calling 512-GO-STARS.
2013-14 Season Tickets are now on sale. Put your deposit for 2013-14 season tickets and receive priority for both Texas Stars 2013 Calder Cup playoff tickets and 2013-14 season seat selection. For more information on Texas Stars season tickets call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com


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A Mother's Plea: Emma Routh's Mother Speaks Out - CBS 19 - The Eye of East Texas News -
By Anthony Austin
(KYTX) - It's a story we've been following for more than two years now. The story of Emma Routh, a Palestine girl battling a rare and serious blood disorder, who finally received the bone marrow transplant she needed.
Now, that same little girl has been taken away from her mother for alleged neglect. Now, cell phone video is all Emma's mother has left.
"They took my kid for no reason, they didn't give me a chance to defend myself," said Brandy Pfluger.
Six months ago, during a hospital visit in Boston, Child Protective Services in Texas began questioning Brandy about her daughter's health.
"The next morning, I got a call saying they had went in front of a judge and taken Emma away from me and I no longer had custody of her," said Brandy.
According to Child Protective Services, Medical professionals brought to their attention concerns they had with Emma's medical care. In a statement, the department said it believed that the safety of Emma would be in immediate danger due to the history of medical and physical neglect.
"The last six months have been so hard sitting in a house with her pictures, I've always had my children, I've never been alone," said Brandy.
In an affidavit filed by CPS, Emma had poor hygiene, bacteria in her blood, and dehydration when she arrived at the hospital in Boston. Brandy said those claims are false.
"I've never neglected Emma, I've never abused my children," said Brandy.
Emma is now in state foster care. Brandy said medical records show her daughter's physical health is declining.
"She's got PTSD, she has herpes. How a six year old gets herpes, I have no idea... the medical team is not allowed to talk to me."
Brandy says she is the only person who understands her daughter's needs. Now, she says her child is suffering more without her.
"She actually told the medical staff that she wanted to die and she wanted me and her brothers to die...so we could all be together."
Brandy is still fighting for custody of Emma. She will be going to court in April to determine if her daughter will be returned to her care. Right now, she's only allowed to see Emma, once every other week, for an hour.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jamie Lee Curtis attends a premiere in Los Angeles.
- Filed Under
It has almost been a week since the Oscars telecast, and Jamie Lee Curtis' blood is still boiling.
The accomplished actress recently published an essay on the Huffington Post noting that she has tried to keep her reaction private in the days after the show. But, she says, the rave reviews were getting to her.
"I knew who Seth MacFarlane was," Curtis acknowledges in a post titled "And the Oscar Goes to ... Hell." "My teenage son is a big fan. I knew what to expect. I have been the butt of his humor. I have survived his cruel, cheap jokes." ...


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Students will be inspired and motivated by the syncopated rhythms and the colorful, rich harmonies of jazz. Detailed articulation, dynamic and pedal markings create a thoughtful and thorough performance. Titles include "The First Noel," "Go Tell it on the Mountain," "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and more.
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It's one thing to live in the moment. It's another thing to be stuck in it and dodging the future.
The Spectacular Now (* * * * out of four; rated R; opens Friday in select cities) is a wryly funny, compassionate and wise portrait of teens on the cusp of adulthood.
Miles Teller is terrific as Sutter Keely, an underachieving high school senior whose easygoing charm makes him well-liked but not taken seriously. He's the fun-loving guy who drinks too much at parties.
Sutter wakes up one morning, passed out on a lawn he doesn't recognize. Standing over him is sweetly innocent Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley).
A top student, Aimee is sunny and hardworking. Sutter is an upbeat guy with a ready quip. But there's a dark side underlying his carefree charm. He lives in the now because he can't conceive of a future.
A budding alcoholic, Sutter brings a flask filled with whiskey nearly everywhere - to his part-time job at a men's clothing store and when he gets behind the wheel.
Will Aimee's influence set Sutter straight? Or will he break her heart and head down the ne'er-do-well path taken by his estranged dad (Kyle Chandler)?
One of the summer's best films, Spectacular Now has a combustible combination of fabulous performances, pitch-perfect script and deft direction. Filmmaker James Ponsoldt is ideally suited to bring to life the nuanced screenplay, adapted from Tim Tharp's novel by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who wrote the wonderful (500) Days of Summer.
Teller and Woodley's chemistry is strikingly convincing. With her guileless smile, Woodley is wondrously natural, perhaps even better than in her superb performance in The Descendants. Aimee may be smart and quiet, but she's not socially awkward. She's a well-rounded, non-stereotypical character, comfortable in her own skin and openhearted. Teller has the charismatic appeal of a young John Cusack. The pair received a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival this year for their performances.
Everything about this film feels authentic. When his boss (Bob Odenkirk) tells Sutter that he needs to promise to come to work sober, Sutter refuses to give him that assurance. He knows himself too well. The boss points out that if he were Sutter's father, this would be the moment he would give him a lecture. Sutter's reply is heartbreaking: "If you were my father, you wouldn't need to."
If this were a less blisteringly honest film, his boss might make an overture to play surrogate dad. Loose ends would be neatly tied up. Instead, Sutter simply walks out of the store. It's painfully sad, but it feels like an exchange between real people, not characters in a movie.
This soulful and sincere portrait of youth doesn't gloss over painful truths or focus on the sensational, superficial or raucous aspects of adolescence. It doesn't traffic in teen clichés. Rather, it compassionately conveys the confusion, insecurities and joys that are a quintessential part of being 18.
It's rare for a film about teenagers to feel this mature.
Copyright 2015 USATODAY.com
Read the original story: 'The Spectacular Now' is just that - and then some


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Lord Rennard to play Cyril Smith in Lib Dem biopic
Larger than life Lib Dem peer Lord Rennard has agreed to play even larger than life late Liberal MP Cyril Smith in a new film, which will also examine how Mark Oaten's political career was derailed by 'filthy smears'.
'Cyril was brilliant at connecting with young voters, especially young men,' said an excited Lord Rennard. 'Similarly, I have succeeded in getting into more young women at parties – er, I mean getting more young women into the party.'
Party leader Nick Clegg said: 'I am delighted these charismatic Liberal big beasts will be connected in this way. As Shakespeare once said "Some men are born great, some achieve greatness and some thrust their greatness upon others, usually at party conferences or in childrens' homes".'Click to send this story to a friend
Posted: Jun 2nd, 2014 by nickb
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Lawyers: Allegheny's 'base-year system' plan to avoid reassessments not going to work
Allegheny County is headed back into the same trouble that led a court to order it to reassess property values, according to attorneys for homeowners who sparked last year's reassessment.
The problems, they say, are establishing a "base-year system" and not planning reassessments.
"If that's what the county does, they're going back to a system that was declared unconstitutional. What Judge (R. Stanton) Wettick ruled and the opinion of the Supreme Court was that a base-year system that does not have periodic adjustments to address market changes is unconstitutional because it creates non-uniformity," said attorney Ira Weiss, one of two attorneys who sued on behalf of homeowners. "If that's what is done, I'm sure there will be more litigation."
County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said he plans to establish the 2012 property reassessment as a base-year for coming tax years, to avoid problems reassessments cause.
"We're not going to be reassessing. We're using a base-year plan like every other county," Fitzgerald said. "It's tough to look 10 years down the road. It's my hope that the Legislature will deal with this issue."
Allegheny County property owners are litigating the more than 100,000 appeals they filed after the most recent assessment.
The state Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that base-year systems are not unconstitutional but over time can produce tax values that are so inaccurate they require periodic adjustments or reassessments. Owners of properties with the fastest-rising values are being undertaxed, while people whose properties are declining or slowly rising in value are being overtaxed, the court said.
"The difficulty — and the risk to an authority employing an unadjusted base-year system — is in determining the point at which a base year deviates to an extent where reassessment would be required," Chief Justice Ronald Castille wrote at the time.
Carnegie Mellon University professor Robert Strauss said the county could avoid the same reassessment pain by adequately preparing for the next one by dedicating time and resources to the job.
"The (property assessment office) is still short-staffed. If the county doesn't set a date and put resources toward it, it will be same result," Strauss said. "You can't get rid of the fire department and then, when the house burns down, say, 'Oh my gosh, look what happened.' "
Fitzgerald has focused attention on some aspects of property taxation. Earlier this year, he ordered a review of all tax-exempt parcels and of homestead exemptions. He fired assessments manager Michael Suley in November.
Strauss said he didn't blame Fitzgerald for dragging his feet on reassessments because they can be expensive and politically thorny. Allegheny County paid more than $9 million to Dallas-based Tyler Technologies to conduct the latest reassessment.
"No county gets money from the state for reassessments, and it's not overseen by the state," Strauss said. "There's no state law that requires periodic reassessments. Pennsylvania is one of a handful in the country that don't."
Neighboring counties may soon find themselves in the same legal predicament, lawyers said. Washington County is preparing for a court-ordered reassessment stemming from a lawsuit. It last reassessed in 1981.
"That's why it's so important the Legislature do something," said Larry Maggi, chairman of the Washington County Commissioners. "We're all going to have to (reassess), but everyone is doing it differently. There's no clear guidelines."
Butler County uses a base-year system based on 1969 values. Westmoreland County uses 1973 values.
"I'd like to see the state do an across-the-state reassessment so we're all on the same page," said Charles Anderson, chairman of the Westmoreland County Commissioners.
Bobby Kerlik is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7886 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Two Pleasantville men are facing charges following a chase Friday night in which one was struck by a patrol car after allegedly brandishing a firearm at police.
According to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, Ronald Garner, 33, and Troy Sanchez, 18, were arrested after attempting to elude an officer who was trying to stop their car around 8 p.m. on Delilah Road.
While attempting to ...


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Get-GPOReport from the Group Policy PowerShell module can report all GPOs, but it can be a bit overwhelming. What if you want a simple spreadsheet listing of the same information? This script gives you a thorough CSV report of all GPO links, where enforced, where blocked, and more. If you support group policy, then this script is guaranteed to please.


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4 tons of cocaine seized off Spain
The Associated Press
MADRID, Spain — Spanish police, working with U.S. and British authorities, seized four tons of cocaine aboard a ship off the northwest coast, the Interior Ministry said.
Copyright 2015 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Businesses are finding ways to attract customers to their stores and say thanks for shopping by giving away gifts and paying for their purchases.
The Wausau Center mall has given away hundreds of dollars in gift certificates and small gifts to random shoppers as part of its Random Acts of Kindness week. The mall began giving away gifts on Saturday and will continue until Friday.
"It's the holiday season and we want to say 'thank you' to our shoppers and bring a smile to ...


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Has anyone had the unfortunate experience of dealing with the ushers at this park?
Last weekend on a whim my wife, myself and my two kids who are ages 5 and 2 went to see the Slugger Field for the first time. Our seats that we purchased happened to be along the lower level of right field line which had no shade at all. Its not that big of a deal to sit in the sun except my two year old son suffers from sun allergies. In the third inning we decided to move up to the top of the stadium which was totally covered in shade and where practically no one was sitting. Instantly a very rude usher confronted me and demanded that I show him our tickets. I told him we didn't have our tickets but we needed a place in the shade for my two year old son who had sun allergies. His comment to me was that if we didn't have tickets for that section then we were not going to sit there. I could understand if it was before the game and the section was full but it was the third inning and there were like a total of FIVE people in the entire section.
Is this common behavior for these ushers? Can someone explain to me why the Bats unlike the vast majority of baseball stadiums out there are so intent on keeping people in the exact seat they purchased?
I wrote the Bats a nice letter and expressed my concerns including asking why if they are so intent on keeping people without tickets for the upper deck out of the upper deck then why not have ushers stationed below to make sure people don't walk up the stairs to be immediately sent back down. There nothing is like lugging two little kids with diapers bags up a flight of stairs only to be confronted by a rude usher who tells us to get out of his section.
I have been to alot of stadiums and with very few exceptions they all try their best to be family friendly ,but I can say without doubt the Bats from my experience do not.


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Luanne had just packed the last of her books into a box marked for New Haven when she heard a knock on her door. She sighed and glanced at herself in the mirror before walking out of her bedroom. Her face was pale and her eyes were still puffy from all the crying she had done. The thought of losing Christian was, surprisingly, a distant second to her inability to realize the truth. Luanne had always prided herself on her good grades, her ability to work hard and achieve her goals. But she had learned a hard lesson here in London: book smarts would only get her so far. She was going to need something more if she actually wanted to survive in the world because people like Christian and people like Will weren't anomalies of the human population. There were those out there who would play against her innocence and take advantage of her. And as much as she hated to have that kind of guard up, she now thought it was necessary.
"Who is it?" She asked, leaning against the door, half hoping it was Christian coming to apologize yet chastising herself for feeling that way.
"It's Gavin. Where have you been?"
"Busy," Luanne answered, closing her eyes in dread as she thought about the upcoming conversation. She wondered how long she could carry on this way before a neighbor complained about the random man standing in the hallway talking to a door.
"Can I come in?"
There was a long pause and Luanne waited to hear his footsteps retreating down the stairs. But she didn't and she knew he was still right outside.
"You haven't been answering any of my calls," Gavin pointed out and Luanne sighed.
"I don't want to see anybody right now, Gavin. Please, go away. I'll call you later."
"Um, no," Gavin answered. "That's not going to work for me."
Luanne had to smile. "Please? I'm really not in the mood."
"And I'm not in the mood to be ignored any longer. Open the door."
Luanne cursed under her breath, something she had been doing a lot of lately, and cracked the door. "The doctors say I have tuberculosis. You shouldn't come in." She coughed, just for effect.
"Bull shit!" Gavin laughed and nudged his foot so she couldn't close the door in his face. He could tell that she was upset about something. She looked as though she had been crying and he could see that she was wearing an oversized Yale t-shirt and leggings, something she probably had been in since the day before judging from all the wrinkles.
"Gavin, please just go."
"Not until you give me a good reason," he argued and she clenched her jaw in frustration. He had seen her do this while writing and it had always amused him. Her entire face would become distorted into a aggravated discomfort and, even though he had first thought it a rather unattractive expression, he now found it unbelievably adorable.
"Because I hate all men at the moment and I'm not responsible for what happens to you if you walk through that door."
"Ahhh," he tried not to smile. "Trouble in paradise?"
"I hate you," Luanne snapped and turned to walk away. But Gavin was too quick for her and he pushed the door open, closing it behind him before she had time to throw him out.
"Tell me what happened," he insisted.
"What's the point? You probably already know why."
"Did he cheat on you?"
"Yes!" Luanne nearly screamed, unable to decide how she felt about Gavin being able to figure it out so quickly. "I caught him with another girl in a restaurant. He tried to tell me that we had never decided to only date each other and that I had only assumed and…"
She broke down before she could finish the rest and Gavin wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, he's not worth all this and you know it."
"I know," Luanne said, her face still against his chest. "And I'm not upset about losing him as much as I am about how much he used me."
"What do you mean?"
"I should have seen it coming. You clearly did. Was I so naive that I couldn't see through all his crap and smooth lines? I mean, I just let myself get carried away with all of that stupid flirting and I feel so helpless now and so, so…so incredibly stupid."
"Luanne, you are one of the smartest girls I know."
"Yet I just let myself get used by guys."
"Has this happened before?" Gavin asked, rubbing her back. He hated seeing her like this. As glad as he was that Christian was gone, he couldn't stand the thought of Luanne being so upset. She looked miserable. She sounded miserable. And someone with all her personality should never feel that way.
Luanne sighed and stepped away from him without looking him in the eye. He followed her to the couch and sat down next to her, placing a protective hand on her knee.
"You saw it happen before. With Will."
Gavin immediately started to shake his head. "No. You cannot compare what happened with Will to this asshole."
"And why not? I walked right into their trap, both times. Both times I thought I was getting something great out of it and I only ended up hurting myself. And others," she added quietly. "Now I'm just convinced that all men…"
"First, Will is crazy," Gavin interrupted her before she could continue. "As in certifiably insane. Mix that with how smart he is and you have an instant disaster on your hands. He used a lot of people, Luanne, and long before you came along. You were just the unfortunate one who crashed with him when he fell."
Luanne blinked at him. He clearly hadn't made her feel any better.
"And Christian has most likely been doing this to girls all his life," he continued. "They had both perfected their games and you can't think that all men are going to hurt you like that. And you certainly can't blame yourself for falling for someone."
"Maybe it's my innocence that attracts these guys?" Luanne asked, hoping they could reach some sort of explanation for all of this.
"I wouldn't call you innocent. You may not have the experience that some other people your age have, but you've got a pretty clear view of the world."
"I used to think so," Luanne said dejectedly.
Gavin smiled. "You've just made some unlucky choices, that's all. There's going to be someone out there who will turn everything around for you. You'll see."
"At this rate, I won't find him until I'm 50."
Gavin laughed and shook his head. "He might be closer than he seems. Now, care to explain the boxes stacked in your living room?"
Luanne shook her head. "I'm done with London. I'm going back to New Haven."
"I was afraid of that," he said and sighed. He stood up and walked over to one of the larger boxes. Without hesitation, he ripped through the tape and opened the top.
"What are you doing?" Luanne demanded, jumping up and running over to him.
"Saving you from making another bad decision."
"Gavin, you aren't going to change my mind about this. Everywhere I go, I'll be reminded of Christian and I just don't think I can get over that. It's not worth it to stay here and be miserable."
"Look, Luanne, I can see why you ran away from Will and what happened with him. You needed to be with your family. But running away from Christian? I thought you were stronger than that."
"It's not like I'm running away from everything. I'm going back to Yale."
Gavin stared at her and wondered if he should save his lecture and just let her leave or if he should fight for her. She wouldn't like listening to him and she may not actually believe that he was on her side, but few people had stood with Luanne in her corner before and Gavin wasn't in the mood to have his heart broken if she left. "I'm not going to lie to you, it's probably going to hurt a lot more if you stay in London. But once you truly get over him, you can have some amazing times here. You came here to experience new things. And, yes, one of those things ended up hurting. But you shouldn't run away from everything else, all the other possibilities."
Luanne put her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Why do you have to be so sensible all the time?"
Gavin laughed, relieved that she was seeing some reason. "One of us should be, don't you think?"
She finally grinned at him. "I suppose so."
"So can I help you unpack?"
"No," she answered quickly. "I haven't made up my mind yet."
"Can I temp you with some pizza? We can have it delivered. Just stay in and watch a movie."
"I could go for that," she said with a smile.
Gavin smiled back and then nodded before walking over to her phone and finding the number for pizza delivery. He placed his order and then joined Luanne in the kitchen where she was opening a bottle of wine. He watched as she struggled with the cork and then finally reached over to help her.
"I don't deserve you, you know?" She asked, relinquishing the bottle.
"Yes you do," Gavin answered quickly, not even needing to think about it.
"You've been such a good friend all year and," she hesitated, "well, thank you. For everything."
"You're welcome. And I know it may seem like some tough love from me right now, but I really do hate to see you hurt. It's a little heartbreaking, actually."
He poured the wine and then handed her a glass before looking at her. She was staring at him with a curious expression.
"I guess I would feel the same way if I saw you hurt," she finally agreed.
"Would you?"
"Well, sure. You're probably the best friend I have in this city."
Gavin nodded and took a sip of his wine. "You are the best thing I have going in this city, Luanne. Probably the best thing in my life."
"Me?" She laughed in disbelief. "You're exaggerating."
"No, I'm not."
"But, why?" She was staring at him, her glass in her hand. He couldn't read her expression but looked deep into her eyes.
"Like I said, you can't blame yourself for falling for someone. I knew that you had a boyfriend but I fell for you anyway and, rather quickly, you became the highlight of my day, the thing I looked forward to the most."
Luanne was shocked. She set her glass on the counter for fear of dropping it and looked at Gavin's honest face. His brown eyes were telling the truth yet he wasn't looking at her any different than he had been for the last four months. Had she missed this too?
"Well, that's just great," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "Something else I missed while I was busy playing make-believe with Christian."
Gavin smiled. "I was wondering why you hadn't caught on."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"It wasn't my place. You were head over heels for that guy and I didn't want to make things awkward between us."
"But now that I'm single you don't mind the awkwardness?"
Gavin laughed again. "Not as much. I mean, who else are you going to hang out with? I'm now officially the best friend you have in this city, remember?"
Luanne made a face at him but couldn't hide her smile. He smiled back and winked at her, causing her to blush bright red.
"Don't, Gavin."
"Don't what?" He asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.
"That! Don't do that. I'm not in the mood."
"Then why are you smiling?"
Luanne giggled and pushed at his arm. "I'm not," she insisted.
"You are," he argued and reached for her waist, gently pulling himself closer to her. Her eyes lowered and Gavin had to smile. She was nervous but so was he. It had been a while since he had kissed a girl yet the desire to do so had never been this strong. He carefully tilted her chin upward and forced her to meet his gaze.
"I have completely fallen for you, Luanne. And I don't want anything more from you than for you to love me in return. I know that's not going to happen tonight, but I hope that it will one day. So we'll take it slow and you will see that I am not psychotic and that I am 100 percent faithful."
Luanne grinned up at him but didn't say a word. She couldn't think of anything witty to say, anything that she thought would please him. It all seemed so irrelevant when it came to Gavin. She knew he wouldn't want her to do anything than what was absolutely natural.
Gavin smiled back and then lowered his face to hers. Their lips met and he kissed her softly, rejoicing when she didn't pull away. With every second that passed, his confidence grew and before he knew it, her arms were around his neck, her hands tangled in his hair. They kissed and kissed, for how long he didn't know, but he made sure not to let his hands move from her back, not to let his body crush against hers. He just enjoyed her lips against his and their breaths mingling.
A knock at the door interrupted them and both pulled apart unwillingly.
"Pizza is here," Luanne said awkwardly and Gavin smiled.
"That was the best first kiss I have ever had," he told her, not letting the moment go by unacknowledged.
Luanne smiled brilliantly at him and blushed from head to toe. "Me too," she whispered and then looked at the ground, not knowing what else to do. The butterflies she had felt when she was with Christian were returning, only they didn't flutter in relationship to the proximity of Gavin, the idea that someone like him could care about her. They fluttered for a different reason now. A reason that she had not felt with Christian.
Luanne watched as Gavin walked to the door and paid for the pizzas. He seemed so at ease, even after his confession, that she couldn't help feeling comfortable as well. Maybe, she thought to herself, this is what love is actually supposed to feel like. But could it be possible that she had fallen for her best friend without realizing it? She wouldn't put it past herself. After all, she didn't have the best track record when it came to figuring out men or her feelings about them. But it looked like this time her lack of perception wasn't going to spit in her face.
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SITE NEWS: We are moving all of our site and company news into a single blog for Sports-Reference.com. We'll tag all PFR content, so you can quickly and easily find the content you want.
Also, our existing PFR blog rss feed will be redirected to the new site's feed.
Pro-Football-Reference.com » Sports Reference
For more from Chase and Jason, check out their work at Football Perspective and The Big Lead.
Bill James supports BCS boycott
Thanks to Dr. Saturday for the pointer to this Slate article, in which Bill James articulates his reasons for not liking the BCS.
I don't have time to comment on all the items in the article that deserve comment, so I'll just say that, like everything Bill James has ever written, it's worth a read. I do have a question, though, for those out there who are a bit more in touch with what James has been doing for the past decade or so:
When did James start to refer to himself as a statistical analyst?
Twice in this article, he makes it clear that he does in fact consider himself to be one. My (possibly erroneous) recollection is that James has always specifically denied that, opting instead for something along the lines of, "I'm not a stat guy. I'm simply a guy who likes to ask questions, and then exhausts all possible avenues (some of which might happen to be statistical) of answering that question." Can any of you serious sabermetricians --- I know you're out there --- shed some light?
This entry was posted on Thursday, January 8th, 2009 at 11:05 am and is filed under BCS, College, Non-football. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.


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Alumni gather to reconnect with Queen's and their former class/club mates during Reunions. Unfortunately, there are some graduates for whom we do not have current contact information. This means they will not hear about your reunion plans. We are asking for your assistance in locating these 'lost' classmates. Please let them know that they are considered 'lost' and share this link to update their alumni information.
The following members of Sc'87 are currently 'lost':
Mr Mark Anglin
Capt Michael Barton
Ms Brenda Bosveld
Mr Peter Brown
Mr Johannes Buermans
Mr Bobby Chiu
Mr Colin Crombie
Mr Asis Das
Mr Mark Fenton
Mr Lino Franceschini
Ms Maureen Fraser
Dr Paul Garrett
Mr Federico Gimenez
Mr David Hart
Mr James King
Ms Moira Knott
Mr Tommy Lai
Mr Carl Lam
Mr Wai Law
Mr Edward Lloyd
Mr Emery Ma
Mr Yen Mah
Mr Jitesh Patel
Mr Lester Perrault
Mr Andreas Poley
Ms Jane Rea
Mr Scott Stobo
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Members of the Nixa High School Choir entertained guests at the 2012 Nixa State of the Community Dinner. Speakers discussed local efforts to curb drug abuse amongst teenagers, among other topics.
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Community leaders saw a rise in drug use among young people and are searching for new ways to discourage kids from getting high.
When Nixa Mayor Sam Clifton approached Police Chief James Bacon about trends in drug use, Bacon reported a recent surge in drug abuse and property crime. They also learned that an increased number of Nixa residents are seeking help overcoming addictions through local treatment centers.
"It is around us, and it's important for us to take a stand and to work to make our community better," Clifton said. ...


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In today's installment we see good reason for black not to play the "old development" of the c8-Bishop to e6. Against a well prepared, modern day player (like Grandmaster Vitali Golod in this game) black will find himself under enormous pressure when white rushes the f-pawn forward. GM Melik Khachiyan is our guide once again. Take another step towards completing your black repertoire today! | Watch video
In today's video lecture GM Khachiyan displays several instructive examples of "full board control" and the importance of taking away key squares from your opponent as you open the necessary lines for your pieces. Starting with Bronstein's brilliant Qc5 move that lead to a nice win over Boleslavsky, he moves onto a nice game by Geller before finally assigning his normal homework for you. Enjoy! | Watch video
Today Grandmaster Khachiyan starts a new series on another "weapon" of his as black against 1.e4. The series is designed for advanced players who wish to master the Accelerated Dragon. He starts with the most positional variation, the Maroczy Bind, and he reviews the game Shirov-Tiviakov 2007 to highlight black's critical, and yet very modern ideas. | Watch video
This weekend GM Melik Khachiyan reviews the play of one of his personal favorite players of all time: The positional and technical mastermind, former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik! He discusses a complicated middlegame position Kramnik played against rival Veselin Topalov., and he highlights how Kramnik used a dynamic approach to deal with his issues and maintain a strong center. Of course, accurate calculation was required! | Watch video
Your next goal to become a chess expert is to learn to dominate the center! Here GM Khachiyan reviews an interesting battle between Kramnik and Leko, highlighting Kramnik's aggressive "outbursts" in the center. Melik displays once again that square control and activity is much more important than material. Watch as Kramnik puts Leko away with a brilliant attack! | Watch video
In this highly instructive installment to his new video series, Grandmaster Khachiyan reviews critical moments from the games Anand vs Kasparov WCH Match 1995, Timman vs Karpov Montreal 1979, and Radjabov vs Kasparov 2002. Finally, he leaves us with a homework assignment to see whether or not we learned anything from the mistakes of those great players! Enjoy! | Watch video
GM Khachiyan employs an obscure opening system with black against FIDE Master Eugene Yanayt in today's video lecture, and he highlights the principles of developing with a plan and an eye on "where you want your pieces in the long term". When the position becomes dynamic, Melik explains how his consistent thought process lead him to make the concrete and accurate decisions. | Watch video
GM Melik Khachiyan brings his groundbreaking video series on the Schliemann Gambit to a close today (for now) with a review of all the critical lines a player would need to know before "officially" adopting the Schliemann into his/her black repertoire. Take notes especially on the lines he hasn't covered yet, including the supposed "refutation" of the Schliemann Gambit. | Watch video
Today we learn the element of surprise! GM Melik Khachiyan reviews his own game with New Mexico's top play, Lior Lapid, and in doing so, he highlights the importance of knowing what your opponent wants to achieve, anticipating this, and then surprising him with an "unexpected approach" (0-0-0!). We also learn details of how to play against the Closed Sicilian - Grand Prix Attack. | Watch video
Grandmaster Khachiyan delivers yet another gem of a video lecture today, reviewing one of his own recent victories and highlighting many critical "dos and don'ts" of the French Defense and the pawn structure therein. He focuses on providing examples of which points to target in black's position. He also explains in logical fashion what his opponent misunderstood about the position and why he chose bad plans. | Watch video
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You will probably learn more about each other during the wedding planning process than at any other time in your relationship. Conflict can pop up over the silliest of things sometimes, so it is wise to be proactive. Handle communication... Read More
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With Thanksgiving kicking off the holiday season, this might be your first time navigating the sometimes tricky waters of celebrating with new family and friends. Here are a few simple tips to making sure your holidays are filled with peace,... Read More
Ever since you announced your engagement, both of your mothers have been desperate to help you. And although you are grateful for the offers, you're not exactly sure what to tell them. Here are 5 ways to include your mom... Read More
Don't let in-law phobia prevent you from awesome relationships with your new family. Start this new phase on the right foot with these 5 simple tips. When it comes to wedding planning, listen to both sets of parents. It is... Read More
Earlier this summer, my husband and I went on a trip with my parents and I returned with the conclusion that if you really want to get to know someone…you travel with them. And their family. In other words, he... Read More
Those people, up there, in that photo? They're my family: my mom, dad and younger brother (who just graduated from college and is not supposed to be grown up yet if you ask me! Where does the time go?). They're... Read More
Spring is definitely in the air. Warmer weather, longer days and tulips for sale at every grocery store I've been to…not to mention last weekend's Easter holiday, which is generally a day filled with pastel colors, fresh flowers and hunting... Read More
I know I'm a week (almost two!) behind the curve, but I can't resist. I have to talk about Thanksgiving. And I have to talk about Thanksgiving because I want to talk about family. Which really applies on a year-round... Read More
As I mentioned last week, my husband's parents came to town this weekend. They spent four days at our house filled with high school footballs games (Shayne coaches), fall hikes and good food. And, believe it or not, I actually... Read More
The In-Laws are coming Doesn't it just feel like it should give you the chills? Or have threatening music playing in the background? Or be accompanied by stories about terrifying mothers-in-law and horrific failed cooking experiments and dust-covered lampshades? We're... Read More
My fiancé and I dated for several years before getting engaged, and both know each other's families well. I have always called his parents by their first name. When do I start calling them Mom and Dad? Katy, Waterbury, CT... Read More


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New Rankings Overrate Obama
The periodic Siena College poll [.pdf] of 238 presidential scholars in colleges and universities across the nation ranked Barack Obama, after only a year-and-a-half of his presidency, as the 15th best president out of all 43 in American history. His predecessor, George W. Bush, earned an abysmal 39th rating. Yet, despite differences in rhetoric and political party affiliation – and thus against the conventional wisdom – the polices of Obama and Bush are strikingly similar.
The Siena College poll is not only biased from polling academicians on the Left, but also rates presidents on 20 attributes, some of which measure effectiveness – that is, ability to get done what they promised – and even personal characteristics – for example, background, imagination, and even luck.
But should people care if Obama had a bad background? The scholars downgraded him on family, education, and prior experience before being in the White House. And so what if Ronald Reagan was lucky enough to have the Soviet Union collapse just after he left office?
Shouldn't presidents be judged solely on their accomplishments – that is, whether their policies were good for the country? Of course, the Siena poll does include some assessments on policies, but it is heavily biased toward government activism in domestic and foreign affairs. It is also striking that two presidents – Obama and Bush – with such similar policies get such disparate ratings.
For example, despite Obama's image as a progressive Democrat and Bush's image as a conservative Republican, they both have a record of activism in both domestic and foreign relations. Domestically, Bush bailed out the banks and socialized the AIG Insurance Company and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage lenders. Obama pushed through a pork-filled bill to re-inflate the collapsed economic bubble, socialized some of the American auto companies, and will apparently win even deeper government intervention in the financial industry (the banks' correct perception that they were too important or big for the government to allow them to fail helped cause their risky behavior that led to the meltdown in the first place). By piling the irresponsible prescription drug benefit for the wealthiest group in society on a teetering Medicare program, Bush pushed through the first new entitlement program since Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs of the 1960s; similarly, Obama has "helped" the less affluent by requiring them to buy health insurance but providing government subsidies for only part of the bill, thus raising health insurance company stock prices with the prospect of new coerced customers.
In the civil liberties area, although Obama has dropped the scariest of the Bush administration's justifications for detaining terrorism suspects indefinitely without trial – that as commander in chief, the president can rule by fiat and ignore laws passed by Congress – Obama still relies on the congressional resolution authorizing the war against al-Qaeda and the Taliban as a justification for this continued unconstitutional behavior. Although Congress had the chance to include such a suspension of habeas corpus in the congressional war resolution, it chose to pass it up. Although Obama pledged to close Guantanamo prison and end torture, the prison has not been shuttered, and torture has been restricted but a loophole still exists. It can be assumed that the warrantless domestic surveillance of Americans continues under Obama after Congress meekly sanctioned and widened the Bush administration's brazenly illegal and unconstitutional snooping.
In foreign policy, although the arrogant rhetoric has changed substantially from the Bush years, American policy hasn't morphed commensurately. Although Obama has pledged to completely withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq, this promise may be hard to keep if violence in Iraq rises after the pull out begins. In Afghanistan, Obama has tripled U.S. forces and has sunk the United States deeper into the quagmire. Obama has given up Bush's ridiculous "war on terror" rhetoric. But he may be making new enemies as fast as Bush by aggressively pursuing a not-so-secret war against al-Qaeda in more countries, striking the group's local affiliates, which usually haven't focused their attacks on the United States but are now beginning to do so in retaliation. As for North Korea and Iran, despite the façade of increased negotiation with these pariah states, the former has not been persuaded by coercion to give up its nuclear weapons, nor the latter its apparent quest to get them. Only in relations with Russia have Obama policies significantly improved the situation – with an arms control treaty and the scaling back of dubious U.S. missile defense plans in Europe.
Some hope exists that Obama may ultimately prove to be a better president than Bush (he can't get much worse). If the withdrawal from Iraq actually comes to fruition, the surge in Afghanistan was the price a Democratic president had to pay to begin withdrawing forces after 18 months, and Obama begins to reduce the massive record U.S. budget deficit of 11 percent of gross domestic product by cutting spending (every time a large budget deficit has occurred in U.S. history, it has been closed), he may rise above Bush. But he likely will never deserve the no. 15 ranking of all time given by the Siena poll.
Read more by Ivan Eland
- The Endless Cycle of Terrorism – November 23rd, 2015
- No Payoff for Netanyahu – November 16th, 2015
- Republicans Are Right – Presidential Debates Need More Substance – November 9th, 2015
- Republican Buffoons Have Given Hillary the Democratic Nomination; Let's Look at Her Record – November 2nd, 2015
- Endless War Makes Us Less Safe – October 26th, 2015
15 Responses to "New Rankings Overrate Obama"
"If the withdrawal from Iraq actually comes to fruition, the surge in Afghanistan was the price a Democratic president had to pay to begin withdrawing forces after 18 months, and Obama begins to reduce the massive record U.S. budget deficit of 11 percent of gross domestic product by cutting spending (every time a large budget deficit has occurred in U.S. history, it has been closed), he may rise above Bush."
Wow, that's alot of ifs. The sad reality seems to be that we are burdened with one lying, thieving, murdering, criminal clown POTUS after another until the Empire collapses.
15th???? Based on what — his 3-point shot?
Siena College is even dumber than the Nobel Committee.
Rise above Bush? Obama is already the worse president I have seen and I'm a Lefty. Most of the Left has utterly abandoned principle for the thrill of power. We live in a depraved society, what can you say? It is what it is. We are not the first society in history that has lost its soul.
Reagan had nothing whatever to do with installing Brezhnev, nor with his decision to intervene in Afghanistan.
As far as American presidents in the 20th Century there has been only one with high intelligence, wide education, and deep executive experience–Dwight Eisenhower.
And as highly intelligent and experienced as he was he was lied to and deceived again and again, by the Dulles brothers among others, and also by the Corporate Fascists in general.
His one weakness was lack of economics training, and it was not until the end of his career as President that he warned against the military-industrial complex.
It took him many years of observation to come to that conclusion.
On the other hand, he engineered the armistice in Korea and also forbad American intervention in Vietnam while he was president.
He made a genuine effort at an arms treaty with the Soviets, sabotaged by the U2 incident.
Now and then he also hinted that his Vice President, Richard Nixon, had crawled out of the same rock from which Churchill had emerged.
The rest, from the first Roosevelt to Obama, patrician or plebeian, rough or slick, cunning or stupid, rich or poor, educated or untutored–all power-mad, narcissistic, egoistical, arrogant, vicious mediocrities at best, and at worst all that and just plain doltish besides.
In short, American "democracy" and hyper-Capitalist Corporate Fascist Imperialism are masters at giving the American people what they think they want and just what they deserve–elected "leaders", for the most part, at least as incompetent and pigeonish and barbaric and unthinking as themselves.
Obama is as great an utter failure and as nasty and despicable a human being as George Wanker Bush.
No. 15? Wow. Just how many points did Barry receive for melanin content? To be fair, he does read a teleprompter a good deal better than The Decider. Perhaps his relative prowess in reading aloud is what won him all those extra points. And hope . . . don't forget about the hope. And, oh yeah, the change, too.
So wheel outta the way FDR! Here comes a hip new warmonger-in-chief with a deal so new its practically fresh . . . and he's drone-attacking and insurance-selling his way to the top!
Supposedly he writes his own stuff, which is probably true, since it is not very good.
He definitely mimics Kennedy's intonation as well as style, but Kennedy had better speechwriters, if just a hypocritical and empty.
He also has several different modes.
He telegraphs one of them when he says "Folks".
Were he a boxer he would not last two rounds.
He freezes when it is clear a crowd does not "like" him.
"As we speak, our nation faces a multitude of challenges. At home, our top priority is to recover and rebuild from a recession that has touched the lives of nearly every American. Abroad, our brave men and women in uniform are taking the fight to al-Qaida wherever it exists."
Barack Obama
Notice the ambiguity of "we speak", and the attempt at "nowness". Very trite device, common in the media.
"our nation", "our top priority", but only "nearly every American"
is "touched".
"our brave men and women in uniform"–more trite than trite, formulaic.
"taking the fight to"–also formulaic.
"wherever it exists"–very curious and the tip off, not, "wherever they exist", but an abstract and impersonal "it".
Al Qaida is "an existential threat", jeje.
"Al Qaida wherever they are".
You don't know? General Guano says there's only eight of them and they are in Pakistan.
"Al Qaida wherever it exists."
That's better, you have real existential threat on your hands there all right.
I would rank Obama as worse than both Carter and Bush. All 3 of them + Buchanan and Hoover belong among the worst presidents ever, as far as I am concerned.
How could that be true. The Nobel Committee gave a prize to Obama for merely getting elected(!!!), and they gave a prize to Arafat and AlGore.
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Buyers and Sellers are equally advantaged. Homes sell at approximately the same rate at which they are listed. Homes will often sell at the asking price.
Rental property is in high demand and availability is low. Rent prices have decreased by 2% over the past 3 months. This is 77% lower than the state average of $4,562 and 100% higher than the country average of $0.
The average home price in 91913 is $499,000, which is 12.1% higher than the average sold price in 91913 ($445,000) . The average home price per square foot in 91913 is $233 and about 4% of all homes in 91913 sold in the last 6 months. For 91913 home values, real estate prices, and city market trends, research the 12,501 property records or search our 445 recently sold or 87 homes for sale listings. The listings and properties in 91913 are only a part of the 9,714,581 properties and 159,034 homes for sale in California. Because of this, the average home price and average home value of 91913 also influence the average home price $370,000 and average sale price $410,000 of California. Listing counts, 91913 home prices and home values in 91913 are sourced daily from listing and property data on realtor.com®, which is the most up-to-date and accurate aggregation of real estate listings in the industry and includes approximately 800 regional MLSs and is the official website of the National Association of Realtors®.


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Ron Crier, Spring ISD Board Trustee, left, and Superintendent Ralph Draper celebrate during a reception following the board's announcement that Draper will be the new superintendent of Spring ISD.
Spring ISD Board Names New Superintendent
The Spring ISD Board of Trustees named Ralph H. Draper the new superintendent of schools during a special session on Tuesday, Aug. 23. He will begin his employment at Spring ISD in September.
Draper will be coming to Spring from Marshall ISD where he has served as superintendent since 2002. Prior to becoming superintendent, he served two years as an elementary school principal and then five years as assistant superintendent of personnel in Marshall ISD, a 5,800-student school district in East Texas.
Draper has a reputation for focusing on children and building meaningful relationships that impressed Spring ISD Board members.
"He is very child-centered and has the ability to focus on the best way to improve student achievement," said Mel Smith, Spring ISD Board of Trustees president.
Although Draper will be coming from a smaller district to one of approximately 30,000 students he believes "kids are not fundamentally different. They face the same challenges. They all need to know there are significant adults in their lives who care about them."
During the 21-day waiting period required by the state when hiring a superintendent, Spring ISD Board members Sherry Mudder and Lora Lee Hedrick traveled to Marshall ISD where they visited with staff and received insights into Draper's character and management style.
"He has set important standards (at Marshall ISD) not only as an educator but as a friend. We have found an inspiring and smart leader in Ralph Draper," Mudder said.
"Mr. Draper walks softly but speaks very loud for kids," Hedrick said.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Draper began his public education career in Texas in Longview ISD in 1988, teaching elementary school for three years and middle school for two. He became a middle school assistant principal in Longview in 1993 before moving to Marshall ISD as an elementary school principal in 1995. Draper served as a full-time pulpit minister for congregations in St. Louis, MO, Nashville, TN, and Cambridge, MD from 1981 to 1988.
Draper has been a keynote speaker and lecturer at conferences, revivals, workshops, motivational seminars and youth events in 29 states, the District of Columbia, and West Africa. He served two years as a co-host for the "Christ Is Your Answer" television program.
Draper earned his Bachelor of Arts in Religious Education from David Lipscomb University in Tennessee in 1981. He earned a Master of Education from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1995 and is scheduled to earn his Doctor of Education from that university in December 2005.
Draper and his wife, Charlene, have three daughters – Genesis, 24, who is a third-year student at the University of Texas Law School; Joy, 22, who is a junior at Middle Tennessee State University; and Charity, 19, who is a junior at Fisk University in Tennessee.


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Members of the Mishicot High School horticulture class take a break from planting trees, shrubs and flowers at the Mishicot Historical Museum this spring.
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The Mishicot High School class of 2013 was known for the caring it felt for fellow classmates and other students in Mishicot.
To promote reading, the seniors gave a book, "Only One You" by Linda Kranz, with their own unique encouraging inscriptions to each Mishicot kindergartener.
Amanda Petska wrote in her book to "Be yourself and follow your dreams. Always give all you've got and don't give up when things get tough!" ...


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Monday, November 30, 2015
Alternate title: Poem of the Sea
The well-known writer Alexandre Dovjenko died before his screenplay for Poema O More could be transformed into a filmed drama, and so his widow, Yulia Solnsteva took on the task with dedication and a clear understanding of what her husband had intended. At the crux of the routine drama is a small town that is about to go under when a major dam is completed and the area is flooded, creating a sizeable lake. As people return to say good-bye to the lives and the homes they once knew in the town, differences of opinion on the sacrifice they made crop up. At stake is the "Russian" way of life and whether or not progress should include this type of sacrifice for the common good. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi


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Syracuse sophomore and former Rush-Henrietta star Ashton Broyld leads Syracuse in receiving this season.
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Despite an 0-2 start, first-year Syracuse University football coach Scott Shafer plans to "stay the course" as the Orange prepare for their home opener Saturday against Wagner.
"John Wooden once said 'A setback is a setup for a comeback,' " Shafer said Tuesday. "I believe that. We have to trust our inner circle.
"We have a formula we believe in that's been put together the past few months. We have to stay steady as we move forward and stay with that plan." ...


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Hartnell College sophomore Michael Ramirez placed ninth at the California Community College State Championship at Woodward Park in Fresno last Saturday.
Shortly after the start a large group of runners were involved in a pile-up that saw the entire Hartnell team fall to the ground. With no recall from the starter, the Panthers had to spend the rest of the race playing catch up.
Ramirez, who prepped at Salinas High, was able to complete the 4-mile course in 20:32. With the help ofDiego Leon (21:28), Omar Vasquez (21:43), Luis Romero (21:45) andAndres Guerrero (21:51), the Panthers placed ...


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Brandy and Brock were married at the Historic Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita, Calif. on August 10. A large part of their wedding was completely homemade — from the wooden signs that said, "God gave me you" (from the Blake Shelton country song) and wooden boxes used for centerpieces to the intricately stitched quilt signed by each guest and popsicle sticks written with date night suggestions. That wasn't all! Since the groom is a pilot, he folded over 150 paper airplanes for guests to throw as they walked down the aisle as husband and wife. Keep in mind that the bride was wearing her mother's veil too. In lieu of a traditional cake, mini pocket pies were served as desserts and salted caramels were given out as favors.
You might also love these real weddings:
- Shae & Jon's Yellow Garden Wedding in Texas
- Katie & Andy's Rustic Gray and Yellow Barn Wedding
- Erin & Rob's Rustic Farm Wedding in California


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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! We will be closed Thursday, November 25 & Friday, November 26
Our Menu is inspired by our favorite Turkish & Persian recipes,
while indulging in the most flavorful dishes of the Mediterranean & Middle East.
Every item is made fresh to order, to preserve our belief in quality, flavor and freshness.
Explore and sample Mediterranean & Middle Eastern Cuisine like never before.
Try one of our fixed entrees from the Papa's Favorites section of our menu
or feel free to build your own Wrap, Salad or Platter.
Happy Hours
Weekdays 3PM to 7PM
$4 Beers & $5 Glass Wine


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2185 Citracado ParkwayEscondido, CA 92029442.281.5000
555 East Valley ParkwayEscondido, CA 92025760.739.3000
Outpatient Pavilion15611 Pomerado Rd. Poway, CA 92064858.613.4000
(adjacent to Pomerado Hospital)Poway, CA 92064858.613.4545
120 Craven RoadSan Marcos, CA 92078760.510.7330
EscondidoRancho PenasquitosTemeculaSan Elijo Hills (San Marcos)
Home > Carol LeBeau > Carol Health's Journal | 27. September 2010
My love affair with the water started when I was five years old in my hometown of Davenport, Iowa. Dad took me to the municipal swimming pool where I learned to splash and float. Thanks to the local Family "Y," I subsequently learned to swim and then compete in the sport that's kept me fit and been a source of joy for 56 years.
For me, the only thing better than swimming (my license plate holder boldly proclaims 'I'd rather be swimming!") is helping someone else discover the thrill of being surrounded by water for the first time! As a swim instructor for years, it was a delight every time one of my young students finally called up the courage to jump into the deep end or swim all the way across the pool for the very first time.
So imagine my excitement when Palomar Health asked me to help with a brand new program designed to give North County kids the opportunity to learn to swim!
Palomar Health, The City of Escondido Parks and Recreation Department and Neighborhood Health Care all came together to create "Carol's Swim Club." The July kickoff included a family movie night, health screenings and free swim classes at Washington Park's swimming pool in Escondido… but they're also looking to the future.
The swim club not only promotes the joy of swimming, but also the health benefits of water exercise. Many of our kids are at risk of developing diabetes and a host of other health problems because they don't have a sport or activity to call their own.
I know. I was one of those kids. Overweight and not the least bit athletic, I was on my way to a lifetime of health problems. But swimming changed my life! It was fun. It gave me confidence and a sense of self and water exercise has helped keep me fit for decades. My goal is to help provide that opportunity for every youngster in North County.
By the way, swimming's not just for kids…. and whatever your age, it's never too late to start. Here are just a few of the reasons swimming is such a wonderful exercise: (this includes vigorous water aerobics)
• Swimming uses almost all the major muscle groups and puts a high demand on your heart and lungs.
• Swimming develops muscle strength and endurance. It also improves posture and flexibility.
• Swimming is a great activity for those who are overweight, pregnant or have leg or lower back problems.
• Swimming is great for people of all ages and all skill levels.
• Swimming provides most of the aerobic benefits of running with many of the benefits of resistance training thrown in!
• Swimming doesn't put strain on the joints and connective tissue often associated with running, aerobics and some weight training regimens.
So let's all get in the swim! Kids who register for free swim classes will become official members of "Carol's Swim Club." But for all of you more mature water enthusiasts out there consider yourselves honorary members of the club and ambassadors of the great sport of swimming! See you at the pool!
If you're planning a Super Bowl party or just want some comfort food to keep you warm on these crisp winter nights, how 'bout a steaming pot of chili? I know many of you take pride in your elaborate, even "secret" recipes. That's fine. But if you're like me and just want something quick and easy that tastes good, here's my not-so-secret recipe for "Bachelor's Chili." It was created with the single guy in mind, but it's perfect for anyone who loves chili, but doesn't want to spend the entire day in the kitchen. (Use lean, ground turkey instead of ground beef and cut the fat and calories in half!)
Contact Carol by emailing her at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Panel prepares to redraw state's legislative map
January 18, 2011
By Warren Kagarise
NEW — 6 a.m. Jan. 18, 2011
The process to reset the state's legislative and congressional district starts Tuesday, as the members of the Washington State Redistricting Commission take office.
The bipartisan commission includes four voting members: Democrats Tim Ceis, a former Seattle deputy mayor, and Dean Foster, a former chief clerk for the state House of Representatives, and Republicans Slade Gorton, a former U.S. senator, and Tom Huff, a former state budget chairman.
Chief Justice Barbara Madsen is scheduled to swear in the redistricting commission members at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The commission then selects a fifth member to serve as a nonvoting chairperson.
Washington is in line to add a 10th congressional seat in 2012. Most political observers expect the district to be created on the Eastside or in the South Puget Sound region.
The change reflects the population figures released as part of the 2010 Census. The state population has swelled by 14.1 percent since the 2000 Census to 6,724,540 people.
State elections officials said the addition of a 10th district means significant changes for the other Evergreen State districts. Washington last added a congressional seat — for the Tacoma-centric 9th Congressional District — after the 1990 Census.
The change in population during the last decade is certain to impact Issaquah's congressional and legislative districts.
The sprawling 8th Congressional District has added 137,750 residents since the 2000 Census. State figures indicate the district increased in population more than the state's eight other congressional districts.
The district is home to about 800,000 people. The state considers the ideal population for a district to be 672,000.
Republican Congressman Dave Reichert has represented the suburban district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2005.
The state added the 8th District after the 1980 Census. No Democrat has represented the district in Congress, even as district voters backed Democrats for state and federal offices.
The district stretches from Bellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish and other Eastside and South King County cities through rural Pierce County.
How the redistricting process could reshape the legislative map for Issaquah is unknown, but population changes offer a clue.
The state considers the target population for a legislative district to be 137,326 people.
Since the last redistricting a decade ago, the 5th Legislative District has topped the target population by 22,294 residents — and ranks among the fastest-growing districts in the state.
The neighboring 41st Legislative District nudged past the target by 5,955 residents. But the 48th Legislative District is 10,195 residents shy of the state goal.
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The private foundation executive director was concerned. Members of her board were going to make grants to promote public housing and economic development but none of the groups involved were the typical 501(c)(3)s to which the foundation normally made grants. One possibility seemed to be making a grant to a local government agency, but the agency had no IRS tax-exemption letter. Would the foundation have to exercise expenditure responsibility?
Community Foundations
Community foundations are grantmaking public charities that are dedicated to improving the lives of people in a defined local geographic area. They bring together the financial resources of individuals, families, and businesses to support effective nonprofits in their communities. Community foundations vary widely in asset size, ranging from less than $100,000 to more than $1.7 billion.
Community foundations play a key role in identifying and solving community problems. In 2011, they gave an estimated $4.3 billion to a variety of nonprofit activities in fields that included the arts and education, health and human services, the environment, and disaster relief. The Community Foundations National Standards Board confirms operational excellence in six key areas—mission, structure, and governance; resource development; stewardship and accountability; grantmaking and community leadership; donor relations; and communications. Foundations that comply with these standards can display the official National Standards Seal. Right now nearly 500 community foundations have earned the seal.
More than 750 community foundations operate in urban and rural areas in every state in the United States; currently, more than 570 belong to the Council on Foundations. The community foundation model also has taken hold around the world. According to the 2010 Community Foundation Global Status Report, there are 1,680 community foundations in 51 countries. Forty-six percent exist outside of the United States. You can use our Community Foundation Locator to view a list of community foundations in the United States.
Below is everything on our site for community foundations. We highly recommend that you use the navigation or our search feature to find what you're looking for on our site.
- What are the administrative/legal requirements for matching gift programs?
- Is there a minimum or maximum to the corporation's or foundation's match?
- Are there any gifts that should not be matched?
- What kind of gifts can the corporation or foundation match?
- What about matching gifts to foreign charities?
Public foundations, community foundations and corporate giving programs may establish a matching gifts program that will match disaster relief gifts made by employees or other donors living in the U.S. or anywhere in the world, provided the grantees are public charities based in the U.S., and gifts are not made from a donor advised fund.
Matching gifts from donor advised funds or private foundations can be done, but grantmakers will have to comply with the rules applicable to these giving vehicles.
For many foundation managers, meeting community, regional, or even global needs is a primary aspect of everyday business. But when disaster strikes, foundations may find the need to quickly provide relief while accurately navigating a new set of grantmaking rules. These guidelines outline the basic legal considerations of a variety of popular giving options for managers of public and private foundations and corporate giving programs.
Since the terrorism attacks of September 11, 2001, grantmakers and other charitable organizations have become quite familiar with the work of the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in the area of anti-terrorism concerns. OFAC has been one of the key U.S. government agencies seeking to shut down terrorism funding around the world and, in conducting that activity, has focused considerable attention on charities.
Since the November 7, 2002 publication by the United States Department of the Treasury of its "Anti-Terrorist Financing Guidelines: Voluntary Best Practices for U.S.-based Charities,"1 grantmakers have grappled with the problem of how to comply with their legal obligations under Executive Order 13224, the USA Patriot Act, and other laws and regulations that prohibit financial transactions with terrorists and their supporters.2 The Treasury Guidelines map out one route to compliance, but both grantmakers and operating charities have criticized them for failing
In existence since the 1930s, donor advised funds have been one of the fastest growing charitable giving vehicles of the past decade.[1] Capitalizing on this growth and on the increasing interest in international philanthropy among donors in the United States, a number of public charities have developed expertise in international grantmaking and have offered donor advised funds as a giving vehicle to individual donors, companies, and foundations.
This list highlights some of the ways that private foundations and public charities (including community foundations) may engage in public policy without lobbying. Public charities have further flexibility and may engage in lobbying activities not described below.
1.Direct communications with legislators or their staff about a general issue of concern. To use this lobbying exception these direct communications may not either refer to specific legislation or legislative proposal, or if specific legislation or proposal is referenced, no view may be expressed on such legislation.
As organizations that seek to do good, community foundations understand the problems and needs in their communities and address these needs by raising funds and awareness. However, beyond grantmaking and charitable opportunities, you can benefit your community—as well as the charitable field—by participating in the public policy process. As a leadership organization and a community expert, you have a powerful voice that can create far more impact than any one grant or program you offer.