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Don't let the teeth scare you–this Squishable® dragon is all hugs! With soft and cuddly blue scales on his back and a big white belly full of love, he's great for snuggling up on the couch or going on a big adventure.
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Nov 12 2009
Garage Storage Safety Tips
Often the garage is a catch-all for the many items we need to store, but don't know exactly where to put them. In most cases, the garage is the ideal storage space. However, sometimes storing chemicals and tools in the garage can be dangerous and even hazardous to your health. These garage storage tips will help you determine what items are safe to store in the garage and how to store them without threatening your heath, harming your family or causing damage to your new home.
· Road salt and ice-melt mixtures can be very harmful to children and pets. Store these items in childproof, non-spill containers. Place them on a high shelf, in a high cabinet or in a locked garage closet out of reach of children.
· Do not store auto fluids, paints or pesticides in old food containers or containers that do not have tightly sealed lids or caps. These containers might leak causing burns, fumes, respiratory problems and fire hazards.
· Sweet smelling anti-freeze may be very attractive to pets, but it can kill them. As little as one tablespoon can make your pet (or child) very sick or even be deadly to cats and small dogs. Make sure caps are sealed tightly on all anti-freeze bottles and store out of reach of children and pets.
· Propane is extremely combustible. A single spark of static electricity or flip of the light switch could ignite nearby propane causing an explosion. It is necessary to store propane containers and anything that uses propane away from the home in a storage shed, detached garage or other outbuilding. Do not store propane in your attached garage.
· Get in the habit of storing all chemicals in their original containers complete warning labels so you know what is inside and what dangers or threats each may pose. Store these in a safe place out of reach from children where they will not fall or spill. Chemicals are best stored away from the home in a detached garage or a shed rather than in an attached garage.
Ladders, Tools and Other Items
· Ladders should be stored against a wall or at floor level using storage hooks to secure them. Ladders stored vertically or not securely fastened to the wall can easily tip or fall harming people and damaging property.
· Store lawn and garden tools and other small hand tools such as pliers, a hammer or screw drivers in a secure place such as a toolbox. Lock the tool box if possible.
· Store tools, especially those with sharp blades and points, out of reach from children. However, be sure they are easily accessible to you without having to balance tools overhead or reach dangerously overhead.
· Use peg board and hooks to hang long-handled items on the garage wall such as shovels and rakes. Secure them tightly to the wall.
· Make sure all power tools are turned off before storing after each use.
· Place heavy and bulky tools and items on low shelves or on the floor preventing them from falling. Make sure all sharp points and edges face the wall preventing someone from getting hurt if they bump into the sharp and pointed edges.
· Check all extension cords that are stored or used in the garage to be sure they are rated for outdoor use due to possible moisture. Those not rated for outdoor use are a potential hazard.
Read more home safety tips from The House Plan Shop.

subset: commoncrawl


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For many child stars, the road to adult success is uncertain. Lindsay Lohan, Taylor Momsen, Corey Haim, Demi Lovato, and Leif Garrett (currently appearing on Celebrity Rehab) are all cautionary tales about what can happen when someone achieves success at an early age. But there are celebrities who managed to stay grounded and move successfully into adult careers, thus proving that every rule has its exceptions.
12 Former Child Stars Who Are Well-Adjusted
- 5 years ago by Lilit Marcus
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|10 Former Nickelodeon Stars Who Made It Big
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(AirForceTimes.com) - Two members of Congress plan to urge the Defense Department to ensure U.S. troops wear only American-made uniforms and gear after Air Force Times revealed this summer that an airman deployed to Afghanistan was given Chinese-made boots by his unit.
Reps. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., and Michael H. Michaud, D-Maine, are asking fellow lawmakers to sign a letter that asks the Defense Department to comply with the "letter and the spirit of the Berry Amendment," which requires the food, clothing, fabrics and other textiles the Pentagon buys to be grown or made in the U.S.
"A recent news report highlighted an Air Force Master Sergeant who was twice issued boots made in China. When he asked how he could exchange them for American-made boots, he was told 'good luck.'"
In June, Air Force Times reported that Master Sgt. Steve Adachi had difficulties trying to get a pair of boots that were not made in China. At the time, an Air Force spokeswoman said the Berry Amendment did not apply because the law can be waived for purchases under $150,000.
Hunter said lawmakers became aware of the issue from Air Force Times' story on Adachi. The letter to the Defense Department is the beginning of a broader effort by Congress to the department to buy more American goods.
"We think, probably, this is the tip of the iceberg - there's probably a lot of materiel and a lot of transactions taking place that are simply waived by DoD because it's easy to waive them, not because it's the right thing to do and not because there aren't American manufacturers of those goods that DoD needs to buy," Hunter told Air Force Times.
With the country at war and the economy still weak, it is "more important than ever" that the department comply with the Berry Amendment, the lawmakers wrote.
"We should not rely on other countries, particularly those who may have competing global interests, to supply our forces with basic items," the letter says. "This is especially true when there are millions of Americans looking for work. More importantly, our soldiers deserve to fight in uniforms, including footwear, that are made in the U.S.A."
So far, 17 members of Congress have signed the letter, said Ed Gilman, a spokesman for Michaud. The two lawmakers have not yet decided when to send the letter.
The Defense Department declined to comment on the matter.
"We'll wait until we get any communication from members of Congress and then respond appropriately to them," Defense Department spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said in an email.
After the Air Force Times story was published, Adachi received a pair of American-made boots from the company from which his unit bought the other boots.
The incident made him so incensed that he wrote his congresswoman, Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, who later received a letter from the Air Force that reiterated that the Berry Amendment did not apply to the purchase of the two-pair of boots.
However, the Air Force acknowledged that Adachi's unit violated another law, the Buy American Act, which applies to purchases greater than $3,000.
"After significant research and a comprehensive legal review, it appears the sage green boots Sergeant Adachi received prior to his deployment were purchased with the intent to be used in the United States, and thus violated the 'Buy American Act,'" wrote Lt. Col. Douglas F. McCobb, of the office of legislative liaison, in a letter to Hanabusa.
The issue of what troops wear is an important one to Michaud, whose district includes factories that make footwear. He has introduced a bill that would stop the Defense Department from issuing troops cash allowances to buy their own athletic shoes.
"We all remember the outrage this summer when it was discovered that our Olympic athletes were wearing uniforms made in China," Michaud said in a news release. "Well I think we should be as equally outraged about the fact that our troops are not wearing 100 percent American-made uniforms. Our soldiers put their lives on the line for us, and they should fight in uniforms they can trust - uniforms made in the U.S.A."


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what does she plan to hunt?
what does she plan to hunt?
I have a .25-06 Love it. Shot everything from coyotes to elk withe no problems. My Mom has also taken a moose with a 25. Reloading is fun with the .25 lots of different options in bullets and powders.
I might sound like a broken record on these threads, but I think the 7-08 is the best all-around low-recoil cartridge. My seven year old can shoot it.
I've been a 25-06 fan sice I built my first one as a wildcat in the 60's. Shot a Ruger M77 since 1975 and it is my deer & antelope rifle. Nuff said!!
Colorado Cowboy
Cowboy Action Shooter; Endowment Life Member-NRA
The Original Rocket Scientist-Retired
"My Father always considered a walk in the mountains as the equivalent of church going."
Aldous Huxley
I agree with Colorado, I own three Ruger M77's and I can't wait to get another. I personally love the 25-06, I plan to begin construction on one in a year or two.
Hard to beat a 7mm/08 for deer and elk under 250yd. If just a deer gun, you can't go wrong with a 257 Roberts. If you handload you can get close to 25/06 vel with a lot less recoil and powder burned and they make one in the Ruger hawkeye.
I shoot a 257, 6.5x55 and a 7x57 which I handload for. I never felt I was underguned with any of them. I've shot bear, deer, antelope, one Mt goat, 8 caribou and 10 african antelope with them. I have a 338/08 for elk and moose, if only I could get draw here in WA.
I agree with Fish... I absolutely love my .257.. It is by far the best gun I have ever owned.. Enough punch to kill whatever but not too much recoil to where you dont want to shoot! You cant go wrong
Look at the Savage Lady Hunter in 7-08. Can start with reduced loads from Hornady with 120 grn at 2600 fps then go up to a full power 140 or 150 grain load.


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Someone sees you are a Cyclone fan and they say something to the tune of "You are an Iowa State fan?...IOWA STATE SUCKS"...I know I've had it happen to me a bunch.
What's everybodies comeback to this line? Me personally, I usually go with a classic momma one like: "So does your mom, but I'm not complaining!"
i just laugh at them.. because most the time it is a hawk fan... really doesnt bug me too much, i let them have their glory time.. the very small amount they ever get...
Iowa State: Anyone who's a true college basketball fan needs to see a game at Hilton Coliseum. Nice is in the DNA of Iowans and the fans here are particularly gracious -- even when the home team loses but gives a great effort, they are appreciative.
ESPN.com picked Hilton Coliseum as the "Hot Arena" in the Big 12...coaches in the league noted that, "regardless of talent, the Cyclones have a home court like no other."
I usually just name off my ISU degrees and ask them what community college they attended.
Never had that happen to me. I was in chicago once at a bears game and the only reason the guys with me did not get in a fight with a bunch of inbred bears fans is that I was wearing an ISU cap. One of the guys said his sister goes to ISU.
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin 1775
I have heard it so much that I just laugh, it isn't their fault that their parents didn't raise them better. I just know that when I go home to my nice house and watch my 42" HD plasma tv, they will be going to their trailer and watching their 17" Zenith tv with a line down the middle of the screen.
--Luck of the Cyrish--
Usually I just say "oh yeah? What university did you go to?" They will often times just stand there and stammer.
Oh take the high road. Just ignore them or respond ISU rules.
I remember a few years back in Iowa City, we were walking away after winning the football game and a student came out and started heckling us. He said something about how we sucked and that we were going to have our head handed to us once we started playing in the Big 12. We responded yeah the Big 12 is pretty tough and we'd love to play more Big 10 teams any day. Laughed our butts off and walked away and he didn't know what to say.
Another time I was in a grocery store the week before the big football game and a Hawk fan(without any Hawkeye gear on) looked me in the face and said "we're going to beat you this year". I gave him a puzzled look and said "who Nebraska ?" Drove the guy nuts that Iowa wasn't the first thing that came out of my lips. He said no Iowa, and I think I smiled said "we'll see."
Good one Bobber
Originally Posted by mike4cy
I have heard it so much that I just laugh, it isn't their fault that their parents didn't raise them better. I just know that when I go home to my nice house and watch my 42" HD plasma tv, they will be going to their trailer and watching their 17" Zenith tv with a line down the middle of the screen.
hey now... mine is a 20...haha... i found 1 on the side of the road and picked it up, hooked it up to my sega works pretty good, im tempted to go to the house and ask if they have the remote.. haha..
Originally Posted by ISUAlum2002
Usually I just say "oh yeah? What university did you go to?" They will often times just stand there and stammer.
Does the sound "urrrrrrduhhhhhhhhhh" count as stammering? They are lucky is they can even stammer.
Myself (I was wearing my ISU stuff) and some family members were out and about last weekend and we ran into someone who came up to me and said "ISU huh? Go Hawks!". Trying to be civil because there were childeren around I said "well between the 5 of us we have 7 degrees and they are all from ISU. Tell me how many do you have from Iowa?" Their response "oh I never went to college". I almost felt sad when all 5 of us started to laugh.... almost.
Responding to a childish/thoughtless remark with one equally as childish/thoughtless.
When someone says "ISU Sucks" I always say "At least we don't swallow like Iowa". Usually good for a laugh of two.
Go Cyclones!!
**** Iowa!!
I usually just ask them if they can really describe to me exactly what a hawkeye is. Most of them say it is a bird. I say, "weird I have never seen a hawkeye before."
That's good one. I'm going to remember to use that sometime.
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Starbucks Reserve™ Pour-Over Cone
One of the best ways to enjoy extraordinary Starbucks® Reserve coffees, this pour-over manual brewing system regulates the flow to bring out the full-bodied, aromatic flavors from your favorite coffee—and it's so easy to use. Just place the ceramic cone with a #4 paper filter over a mug and brew. Dishwasher safe.
- Place the ceramic cone on a mug
- Insert a #4 paper cone filter and scoop in 4 TBSP coarsely ground coffee
- Pour in 12 fl oz of hot water
- Enjoy freshly brewed coffee by the cup!
- Ceramic pour-over cone is dishwasher safe.
- Pour-over system uses Starbucks or Melitta filters.
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30 servings, 1 cookie each
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Tap or click steps to mark as complete
Sit down with your child after school and discuss the day's events while enjoying one of these cookies with an ice cold glass of 1% milk.
Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough onto baking sheets. Bake 6 to 7 min. or until golden brown. Makes 5-1/2 doz. bite-size cookies or 32 servings, 2 cookies each.
To Freeze Cookie Dough: Freeze rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough on baking sheet 1 hour. Transfer to airtight plastic container or freezer-weight plastic bag. Freeze up to 1 month. Place frozen cookie dough on baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 min. or until cookies are puffed and feel set to the touch. To Freeze Baked Cookies: Wrap cooled cookies in plastic wrap; place in airtight container or freezer-weight resealable plastic bag. Freeze up to 1 month. Thaw cookies at room temperature before serving.
* Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
Not really that good when they first come out of the oven because of all the chocolate, but I gave them another shot on taste testing after they had cooled off, and its delicious! they actually turned out pretty well. I used the semi-sweet morsels instead of squares, its easier to do instead of having to chop up the squares.
K:4274 v0:55882


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WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans, it can be argued, are in worse shape than they were after losing the 2012 presidential race.
They're struggling to control tensions between tea party and establishment wings, and approval ratings are at record lows.
A major effort to overhaul immigration policy is in trouble. The bigger worry is the growing rift between business-oriented Republicans and the party's more ideological wing.
Each blames the other for the showdowns over the debt ceiling and the government shutdown. Centrist Republicans say tea partyers favored an economic-jarring federal default.
In Virginia, the Republican nominee is trailing in a once-promising race for governor.
But not everything is dire. Chris Christie is cruising toward re-election as New Jersey's governor, and the president's health care program has had a rocky rollout.


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Well, one of our members (xoxos) has been working on this. Not sure if that fits you requirements or not, but it might be worth the look.
Hi guys,
I am new here, and just read through the tutorial. Now, before I dive in an download the GIMP software, I noticed there were some other programs preferred, but I know very little about what methods people use. So, I'll appeal to one of you who knows the ropes well...
The reason I came here was because I was hoping to discover software that would generate a random map that I could then tweak and modify, and add cities, towns, labels, etc, to. I am not interested in drawing it with the computer - what I'm looking for is a program that has "add it" buttons. Before I download GIMP and play around, I thought I'd post this real quick just in case someone knows of just the thing for me. If not, tips are always appreciated.
Thanks you!
Well, one of our members (xoxos) has been working on this. Not sure if that fits you requirements or not, but it might be worth the look.
Art Critic = Someone with the Eye of an Artist, Words of a Bard, and the Talent of a Rock.
Please take my critiques as someone who Wishes he had the Talent
I don't know a program offhand that will automatically generate the full set of towns, roads, labels, etc.
There are lots of programs that will generate a base map image (http://www.ridgenet.net/~jslayton/software.html has such a package, for example, with a fair number of tutorials hereabouts) and it's pretty straightforward to generate such a map using the noise functions built into most drawing packages. The software mentioned can also generate basic vector contour output for use in third-party packages such as Inkscape if you're more of a vector-type person.
Thanks for your comments.
I'll be more specific if that helps narrow it down a little. What I'm looking for is a program that will generate a random terrain, minus the villages and settlements. The only requirement that I'd have is it has to be enclosed by a forest and I have some ideas where the lakes and major features are. This might be the standard software in the introduction package, but like I said earlier, I have little time available to learn something new. Anyway, again, I appreciate your suggestions and feedback!
i'd go with wilbur to start with. or perhaps use some stochastic method (generate noise, threshold to create shoreline.. can be done very quickly) in gimp et c.
mine does world maps at 4096 * 2048, so not so cool for regional maps. still doesn't do more than render a height field atm (added bmp output to the version i think i linked, but that's all..)
there was another guy here with the same intent.. an app to generate the lot, nations, cities, roads, for people who want arbitrary planets.. his last blog entry is 4/10..
Not to seem sarcastic, but I read threads like this all the time. Would you as a creative writer agree that your job requires careful thought, planning, an understanding of logic, composition, active vs. passive text, and a host of other thought provoking detail requirements to create meaningful fictional content? Including more than likely a college degree?
You're asking for software to automatically generate meaningful terrain, geologically sound, with logical placement of roads, communities, farms, labels, etc, is almost the same as if I as a professional cartographer want to create a publication, but I don't want to pay a writer to do it. I want software to automatically generate the compelling fiction accurately, so I can provide the maps and sell it as a product. You and I both know, that such a request is silly, even irresponsible.
Your request for automatic, believeable map generation is just as insane, in my opinion. In order to create a believeable map, you need a human, a skilled cartographer to do that, especially something for publication.
While there certainly exists software for random city generation, random terrain generation, even software that will place rivers that are geologically sound based on erosion alogrythms to depict a realistic terrain - it's going to be random, or even with user intervention using scanned height maps, etc - it will not duplicate the cartographic thinking required to make a sound map. Such software can certainly help you create the directions for a decent map - you still require a cartographer to accurately finish the map to a usable format.
I don't think you realize what you're asking.
When a creative writer doesn't realize that art, illustration and cartography are just as vital to fictional creation as the writing itself, and actually requires direct human participation - there's something wrong with your concept... Do you understand where I'm coming from?
I think you'd be far better off, asking for a paid cartographer to do what you're asking.
Last edited by Gamerprinter; 08-22-2012 at 01:02 PM.
Gamer Printshop - We print RPG Maps for Game Masters!
Kaidan setting of Japanese Horror (PFRPG) Google+ community
So basically...no, it doesn't really exist. There are some things that can sort of mimic the variables using mathematics but you still have to have a brain behind it so that it makes sense. Even then we are always catching one another doing things that don't happen in nature. (See 'River Police' )
Check out some of the items mentioned above for those generators.
While GP's post seems a bit of tough love he also makes some valid points. I think a majority of us here are basically artists who make maps. Some use a lot of math and others just go with what their gut tells them. A few here have actual jobs making maps in the real world. As for me, I'm an artist who's day job just doesn't have anything to do with art. This is probably where a lot of us come from.
The reason I mention all this is so you might understand how the question raised might come across.
If I had to boil it down it would go something like this:
Hey all you artists, I would like to know if you know of a robot that can replace all of you because I am not an artist, don't have time to learn how to be one, and yet I want some art.
If there was such a robot I'm not sure how most of us would feel about it, LOL. I imagine the day a computer can paint stuff better than I can is the day I'm hanging up my crayons.
When its over and you look in the mirror, did you do the best that you were capable of? If so, the score does not matter. But if you find that you did your best you were capable of, you will find it to your liking. -John Wooden
* Rivengard * My Finished Maps * My Challenge Maps * My deviantArt
Really, I'm not insulted by your request, and don't mean to come off as being upset or anything like that - sorry for the 'tough love'. I just find it surprising that writers (you're not alone, many writers start similar threads like this one) think their work requires serious effort, while the art or maps is a 'push button' solution. I find it mind boggling that you'd think so.
Especially since I am a writer as well, and fully know the amount of work required in both writing and cartography for a professional job. Neither are 'push button' tasks. The amount of work and preparation to create 5000 to 10,000 words of meaningful fictional text is equivalent to a single mapped region, village or dungeon (depending, of course, on your particular skillsets, competency and speed of workflow).
Last edited by Gamerprinter; 08-22-2012 at 07:08 PM.
Gamer Printshop - We print RPG Maps for Game Masters!
Kaidan setting of Japanese Horror (PFRPG) Google+ community
as a non-hostile reply to gamerprinter -
we live in a culture where envaluation is highly influenced by monetization, and.. if i can say it to you in turn, "i see your kind of protest all the time.."
it's not an unreasonable request. computers allow for an immense amount of procedural development, and the primary point which you ought to appreciate is that there are many many many users in the world who do not have your standards, and are going to be okay with a blob with a few dots and squiggly lines on it. it's not an insult to your craft, it's a matter of less involvement. there's pop music and there's classical.
i think waldronate can offer a similar perspective on procedurality as i... most gamers are quite happy with the proceduralism of simplifying a combat round to a dice throw outcome. as a melee enthusiast, i could quite happily amend this simulation with many layers of complexity. if i wished, i could also act scornful and say that the simplification of a melee round to a dice throw is offensive to someone with my skills to complicate the simulation..
..in fact, if there were many "complex melee simulators" we would get together and roam the internet in gangs arguing that people respect our practice and accept that a quality outcome requires our level of involvement. but as you can appreciate, a single dice throw is just fine for people who couldn't care less and don't know any better.
where i'm coming from.. i've spent a decade physical modeling musical instruments.. these models are superior to sampled instruments (the other primary technology in instrumental simulation) due to the degrees of articulation. timbral fidelity is usually inferior. some of my models have really sucked.. but never enough to make me use samples.
(and you can generally spot the industry professionals in the reviews of my plugins.. like my vibes model phybes.. fairly simple simulation, good enough for most users.. the guy who posts a half page and talks about my ancestry and the functionality of my rational faculties? he sells vibraphone sample sets lol)
both envaluations have strengths and weaknesses.. instant procedural worlds would rock for (a very narrow range of role playing events, such as dimension travelling or whatever..)
*even if some of the rivers were in the wrong place*
perhaps the aspirations of myself and other pursuants are misguided. i think there is an application, a niche if you like... it's like transhumansists vs. organics.. while more or less diametrically opposed, both have some values, and ideally it would be fine if both could follow their progress without the need for declamation.
i see what you're saying... i've done a lot of work that others don't appreciate.
but, i'd never expect others to. it's my work.
it's not an idle question.. if someone with some resources (say stanford) put an instant generator together it'd be a fair bit more realistic than some penniless schmo who has barely hacked his way into the win32 sdk, and, like some tosser making physical modeled instruments, would probably be balked by unscrupulous, jealous, and greedy persons who earn their income from the alternative.
i've run into a lot of those kinds.. not that that's where you're coming from. some of them will try and take out anything that challenges their perceived wellbeing, and that is such a drag for those of us who are only interested in improvement.
Last edited by xoxos; 08-23-2012 at 04:01 PM.
and i'm going to add, for emphasis..
i really, really hate money... it turns creativity and joy into need. suddenly the artificer has to defend the social peception of their activity. i can't think of a faster, more effective way to turn people against each other.


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New cold chain container introduced by UPS for pharma
October 11, 2011
UPS announced it will offer an innovative air freight container for healthcare products, providing a premium level of shipment monitoring and product protection for temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, vaccines and biologics.
Only available through UPS, the PharmaPort 360 addresses a key industry issue of safeguarding healthcare shipments in the supply chain by enabling near real-time monitoring and maintaining product temperatures in extreme outside conditions.
In an interview with LM, Mark Davis, Product Manager, UPS Healthcare Logistics, noted that numerous healthcare industry and broader global economic trends are driving the need for better management and protection of temperature-sensitive drugs and products in the supply chain.
"Having the proof that products have maintained their optimal conditions at every stage of the supply chain journey not only helps ensure patient safety but also helps healthcare manufacturers meet increasing regulatory requirements and keep costs down," he said.
He noted that in the past, maintaining product temperatures in the air and having a way to transmit that data in near real-time has been a challenge for many manufacturers. With PharmaPort 360, UPS saw an opportunity to address this critical industry need for a solution that protects products in-transit even in the most extreme of conditions.
"One of the most critical aspects of the temperature-sensitive supply chain is the ability to act on the shipment data through technology," said Davis. "PharmaPort 360 gives us the critical shipment data, which is then connected into our UPS control tower network so that UPS agents can take the next step, including the ability to intervene when needed to protect a shipment. This can include contingency plans for actions such as re-routing a shipment."
Davis added that "the formula for success" in temperature-sensitive supply chain management is the combination of the right monitoring and visibility solutions and technologies, the right shipment data and the ability to take action.
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A new day in Albany begins with Senate rules
(Page 2 of 2)
A truly functional legislature that actually resembles a democracy does not operate this way; not even the partisanship-racked Congress. Instead, individual members can bring bills to the floor for a vote if a majority supports it. Rank-and-file lawmakers can petition committees to hold hearings on legislation they favor. Any proposal that goes to the floor first receives a full vetting at a public hearing, so stakeholders and the public can weigh in rather than having legislation passing in the dark of night with little or no scrutiny.
If New Yorkers want to gauge whether a new day has arrived in the State Senate, the first vote it takes ought to be a harbinger of things to come. If the rules are largely the same as in the past, the only change will be that Skelos and Klein will administer the chokehold on issues on which the public has long been clamoring for action.
Alex Camarda is the director of public policy and advocacy for the Citizens Union of the City of New York, a nonpartisan organization that promotes good government and advances political reform in the city and state.
KeywordsAlex Camarda, Citizens Union of the City of New York, New York State Senate, Republicans, Dean Skelos, Democratic, Jeff Klein, coalition, Albany, bipartisan, Legislature, rules, procedures, bills, New Yorkers, minimum wage, campaign finance reform, Hurricane Sandy, mandate relief, school districts, Congress, lawmakers, committees
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Alan Rickman
Birth Name: Alan Rickman
Born: 02/21/1946
Birth Place: London, England, GB
Born: 02/21/1946
Birth Place: London, England, GB
Rickman was born on Feb. 21, 1946, in Hammersmith, London, into a working class home. Displaying a talent for art as a child, Rickman earned a scholarship to a private school that positioned him well to go on to the Chelsea College of Art and Design. He enjoyed a successful career in the graphic design world during London's swinging 1960s, even co-founding a design company. But eventually he succumbed to his love of theater and in 1972, was accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He studied there for two years, during which time his talent was recognized with a number of drama prizes. Rickman's subsequent stage career took off rather quickly, and during the remainder of the 1970s, h... Continue Bio >>
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Gardening calendar
Gardening jobs
Garden type
Pruning is an important way of improving the growth and flowering of trees and shrubs.
In July, the garden and flower beds are at their best! There are so many colours to enjoy and the wonderful fragrance of flowers such as the rose fills the air.
In July, you can start pruning trees and hedges. By doing this they gain more light, they grow better and it helps to improve their shape which are all very important.
This month is the height of summer which means most of all a time to relax and enjoy. Make time to sit in the sun surrounded by the summer colours and fragrances and leave the chores for a slightly less sunny day. But what should you be doing on those days?
The young shoots (laterals) develop on the vine in early summer. As soon as it becomes clear which laterals will fruit, the summer pruning can begin.
July is normally the start of the fruit harvesting season for several varieties of fruit. Picking fruit is a fun and healthy pastime – what can be better than fresh handpicked fruit?
After the fruit is harvested it is time to start summer pruning the fruit trees and bushes. This ensures that the tree will remain in shape and also that it will recover well.
Every week between the months of June and August the lawn can be mowed at least once a week or even more. The edges will also need tidying up weekly.
Vegetables need plenty of water during the hot month of July. If they get insufficient water they will almost certainly bolt and form seed, making them inedible, which would be a waste of all your time and trouble.
With the lovely summer weather there are still many jobs that you can do outside but there are also some indoor ones that you can enjoy doing.


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London is known as a beautiful place to visit and it never fails its visitors. Each town in London always offer good scenery and always amaze spectators. One of the famous places in London is the Westminster because of the many places that people can visit during their tour.
Westminster is a famous London borough located on the London region. It has a post town LONDON, postcode district SW1 and dialling code of 020.
Westminster is known as the centre of the United Kingdom government because it is the home of Palace of Westminster and major Government ministries. Westminster offers different educational institutions, Westminster School, one of the known English public schools in London and the University of Westminster.
Westminster is attracting many tourists because it known as the place where you can see the Elizabeth's Tower or most commonly known as the Big Ben and the famous church Westminster Abbey. It is also the location for Westminster Cathedral a Roman Catholic Church, the shopping districts St James's Palace, the National Gallery, Tate Britain, the Wallace Collection, Manchester Square and National Portrait Gallery. Westminster is also popular because of the parks that you can visit there like the Royal Park of London, the Green Park.
The name of Westminster derived from west Minster or monastery church located on St. Paul's, west of the City of London. Westminster was once known as Thorney Island where Westminster Abbey was built and always held the traditional coronation of the kings and queens of England. Westminster belongs to Middlesex's historic county. In 1965, it was established as a borough by the amalgamation of boroughs Paddington and St. Marylebone.
When the royal treasury and financial records were transferred from Winchester to Westminster, the Palace of Westminster became the principal royal residence. Then Parliament and England's law courts were developed in the palace because of this London developed two central points, the City of London for financial economic and Westminster for political and cultural. The distinction remains even the palace became a Parliament's seat.
The word Westminster is not only used for referring this particular place in London but it has many uses. Westminster is also used for referring the Parliament and the United Kingdom's political community. It is also used on referring to the parliamentary model of democratic government that has evolved in the United Kingdom.
Westminster is a place in United Kingdom where it is located in the Central London and lying on the north bank of River Thames. It is in the southwest by west from the City of London's St Paul's Cathedral and southwest by south from Charing Cross.
Visiting Westminster can give you a chance to have a glimpse of the huge area. The outside of the famous structures in Westminster can simply drop your jaw because of its designs. You can also go to the famous zebra crossings where the Beatles had their photo taken for their album cover. You can also schedule your visit right in time for the festivals so you can experience their Trooping the Colour and London Pride Parade. Check on their calendar of Holidays so you can schedule your trip.
Westminster can offer lots of things for their visitors and each place in Westminster do not disappoint its visitors.


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Summer Students' Program Starts on 11 June 2012
Summer Student Programs for Teenagers
The Cluas Dublin and Cork Centres are open throughout the year, including school holidays and programs for Teenagers start every three weeks during the daytime.
We also generally aim to provide Students Evening programs at 4:45 to 6:45pm starting every six weeks, during term time – to minimize the impact on school and college attendance. However, between early June and the end of August, we are providing a Summer Student Program for Teenagers which can be completed during the Summer Holidays. The programs dates for Dublin and Cork are shown below.
Attention, Concentration and Studying Difficulties
Some pupils at secondary school, going into Junior Cert or Leaving Cert years, may be experiencing difficulties in achieving their true academic potential – both in class and individual study. Even thought they are willing to do the work and put in the time, difficulties with information processing (being able to retain and summarise information), attention or concentration and hence studying difficulties, can often leads to under-achievement. This in turn can lead to stress, anxiety and tension – both in school and at home.
Do you need to improve your processing skills in class?
Cluas are providing a program starting early in June which aims to enhance students' Auditory Processing abilities for Secondary School, including students who will be taking their Junior and Leaving Cert. exams in the coming years.
As a result of improving your Auditory Processing abilities, concentration, understanding and comprehension will improve, enhancing the likelihood of achieving better results in your exams. By being able to listen better in class, the study you have to do at home becomes a lot easier and more rewarding. Our aim is to significanlly improve auditory processing using the specialised program of sound stimulation at Cluas.
What have previous attendees have said:
PM – age 17
|"I now find it much easier to organise my thoughts and find the words to express my ideas fluently… before the course I often wasted a lot of time trying to find the words to express my ideas when studying and doing school exams"
What a parent said:
|"Before attending Cluas my son struggled with many subjects – however excelling in the subject that he loved. His performance and ability to apply himself was very inconsistent. He was very disorganised and teachers described him as a day dreamer. He found it difficult to express himself and could not have a conversation if the TV or radio was on. He needed silence in order to study and even then he could only do it for very short periods of time. During the course he started doing his school work without needing to be constantly hounded by us. His communication and conversations with us were much better and he seemed much happier in his own skin. His teachers have said that he appears more interested and is more organised and we are very hopeful for his leaving cert."
Parent of ER – age 16
Cluas Student Programs for Teenagers
This year Cluas have organized Student Programs for students in Secondary school, including those moving into Junior Cert. or Leaving Cert. years. The next programs will commence early in June and continue until late August 2012.
Programme Stucture
The program is made up of 3 stages:
Stage 1: 10 days, Stages 2: 10 days and 3: 10 days – requires 2 hours each weekday (62 hours in total).
|* Stage 1:
|10 Days
|Monday 11 June to Friday 22 June
|* Stage 2:
|10 Days
|Monday 16 to Friday 27 July
|* Stage 3:
|10 Days
|Monday 20 to Friday 31 August
Stages 1, 2 and 3 run from 4:45-6:45pm each weekday. Sessions at 10:30-12:30 or 2:00-4:00 may also be available.
Auditory Processing and Listening Difficulties
One possible underlying reason for such difficulties with school, particularly as exam years loom nearer, may be Auditory Processing or Listening Difficulties. Students with Auditory Processing difficulties generally have perfect hearing, thus it is not a hearing impairment rather it is a difficulty in processing what is heard.
The experience
A student with Auditory Processing Difficulties (APD) may not be able to process what is said to them. They will often appear to have heard what has been said as they can sometimes even repeat back exactly what has been said but they have not processed the message, therefore they have not attached any meaning to the sentence, they have not processed it – they know the words, but the words are meaningless.
If a student is not processing the message, repeating the message will be of no use, neither will speaking louder!
Auditory Processing difficulties can fluctuate from day to day. This can be very frustrating for parents, teachers and the person themselves as on one day they appear to be processing well while on other days they may not be able to process anything at all.
Auditory Processing explained…
Auditory processing is what we do with sound information, that is:
"What we do with what we hear"
Sound waves travel through the air and are collected by our outer ear (Pina). The sound then travels down the ear canal, causing the ear drum to vibrate, in turn causing the bones of the middle ear to vibrate. The sound is then picked up by the inner ear (Cochlea). The sound stimulates nerve cells in the cochlear system, which covert the sound information into electro chemical signals.
These signals pass along nerves and travel to the auditory cortex where the sound is consciously heard. This engages the cortex and all functions of the brain which processes the representative sound information – thus listening occurs.
Many brain systems and subsystems are involved in the processing of this information – including those involved in attention, memory, and higher order cognitive functions.
As such auditory processing does not describe hearing. Many students with Auditory Processing Difficulties have perfect hearing (as tested by an audiologist/ hearing test) but there is a deficit in the processing of the message that has been heard.
Many students with Auditory Processing Difficulties have difficulty following directions (especially multi part directions), difficulty expressing themselves, difficulty with comprehension (including reading comprehension). Difficulty in social situations can also exist, (as it is often very hard for these young people to keep up with a conversation or understand what other children are saying).
Students can experience Auditory Processing Difficulties in a number of ways.
The written word is an extension of language information – it is the visual representation of auditory communication. Thus auditory processing difficulties can extend to reading and writing (as a result Auditory Processing contributes to Dyslexia).
Other students are unable to filter out extraneous, non-important information. When these students are in a classroom situation they are unable to focus on what a teacher is saying as their attention is constantly being dragged away from the teacher's voice towards other unimportant sounds (chair scraping on the floor, classmate rooting in their bag, coughing etc). Their system is equally aroused by unimportant information as it is by vital information – thus they often lose out on a lot of what teacher is saying and are unable to follow the class as they very quickly lose track of what is going on as the class progresses.
Some students appear to be slow in processing what has been said to them. These students are experiencing a delay in auditory processing. Quite simply the message is taking longer to get to its destination (for processing) than it does for their class mates. Often these teenagers will automatically say "what?" after someone has spoken to them, and just as you are about to repeat what you said to them the student answers the question. This shows that the message just took a little longer than typical to be processed. This difficulty is often due to left or mixed ear dominance. For effective, efficient and speedy auditory processing to take place it is ideal that the majority of people are right ear dominant.
Auditory processing difficulties can affect all areas of a students's life. Alleviating these difficulties, allows these students to reach their potential, flourish and develop into independent, capable and happy adults.
Assessment for the Student Program
To attend this program, an assessment must first be completed at Cluas. Firstly, a Questionnaire will be sent to you to complete. The assessment will take between 2 and 3 hours some morning or afternoon. The assessment comprises of a consultation with the student and their parents, a Listening Test and Auditory processing tests. These tests allow us to build up a profile of the student's difficulties and give us information as to where their specific difficulties lie. With this information, an individual program is devised for each student, for them to gain the most from the program and address their specific needs.
Essential to the success of the program for each student is their willingness to attend and fully particulate in the program.
Student Program Enquiry
Contact Cluas about a young person:
If you would like to contact us about your son or daughter, please either phone us or complete the following:
If you wish to organise an appointment for an assessment or simply wish to discuss the program further:
Contact us by email at email@example.com or
Phone Dublin 01-4940210 or Cork 021-4347221.


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Really like the effect, especially on the mountains, any chance someone can get a Photoshop translation on this?
Some time ago I promised to create a Tutorial for my world map of Eriond. But hadn't gotten very far along in the process when my PhD began and life became a whirlwind. Now it's spring break and I've finally had an opportunity to return to this project. About the tutorial, as advertised, this is a tutorial for GIMP and Wilbur that walks you through how to make a photo-realistic map similar to that of the one shown below.
A word of caution. This is an Intermediate/Advanced skill level tutorial. The techniques used in this walk through are difficult, and I assume that the reader already has both a working knowledge of GIMP and a rudimentary knowledge of map creation. Also, one tutorial that is really helpful to read as a companion to this one is Notsonoble's GIMP Gradient Tool Basics (EDIT: this tutorial has temporarily gone missing, until it is found, please use this tutorial instead), since my tutorial assumes a working knowledge of gradients. Finally, I have uploaded a set of gradients that I use within the tutorial. I recommend downloading and installing these before beginning. That said, I hope this is useful to some of you (EDIT: I found several small mistakes in the original tutorial so I have uploaded a corrected version).
Last edited by arsheesh; 01-12-2015 at 12:47 AM. Reason: Found mistakes that needed correcting.
Really like the effect, especially on the mountains, any chance someone can get a Photoshop translation on this?
People come and people go. I walk amongst them, I see their faces; but none see mine. I pass them in the streets but nary a glance is spared my way, for what interest would they have in a Wanderer? Not of this world... Forever Alone... Forever Wandering... LoneWandererD...
My DeviantART
Finished Maps
RIP Angel "Ingy" Yates - The first inspiration that guided me towards art. You will be missed...
I'll totally be checking this out, that looks great! Thanks for posting!
I can't wait! This is exactly what I've been looking for.
I don't usually post here (in fact, this is my first), I'm more of a lurker just looking for inspiration - but I cannot resist the urge to break the silence and say thank-you for this.
I'm just getting (back) into map making, and this is exactly the help that I need. In the 2 hours or so I've spent working my way through this tutorial on a test piece I've got a much more professional looking map than I ever dreamed I could make. I just need to spend more time blending the mountains into the rest of the terrain before heading into Wilbur (I got anxious).
I'm certainly not an intermediate or advanced GIMP user, but I was still able to follow along. So, to others who are novices with GIMP, no need to be discouraged by the warning in first post - give it a try, and if you get stuck, Google can help.
Last edited by Boundary Layer; 04-17-2012 at 10:43 PM.
@LonewandererD - I wish I had Photoshop and knew how to use it. If I did I'd have written this tutorial for PS as well. However, aside from the kind cloud patterns that I am using to generate the height map, I'm pretty sure that the rest of the steps in this tutorial are easily translatable into PS, and of course the instructions on Wilbur will be the same regardless.
@Gidde, AMichael and Boundary Layer - Thanks for posting. Please feel free to let me know if you come across any problem areas in the Tutorial (e.g. areas lacking in clarity).
I got lost between unifying the oceans and bump mapping the height map.
The 'Land Bumps' layer is referred to in the Unifying the Oceans section, but is not actually created until the following section. So, it was unclear on the first read of Unifying the Oceans which layer should be merged onto 'Temperate'. And in Bump Mapping the Height Map it wasn't exactly clear what you meant in the first line when you refer to the 'Color Map'.
I think I understood your intent though.
Test Piece:
I'll have to spend more time blending the mountains in and getting a river mask that works on future maps. I was rushing to get to something that looked finished, so I used a big brush with high opacity to blend the mountains. The strokes are still visible in some places.
Hi Boundary Layer,
Thanks so much for letting me know about this. "Color Map" was an earlier reference for "Temperate" in the tutorial, but I went ahead and changed it later on and must have missed this one. Also, the reference to "Bump Map" in the Unifying the Oceans section should have been a reference to "WHM Copy", so this was a typo as well. I've gone ahead and corrected this and uploaded a new corrected pdf to this page.
As to your WIP, the colors look good, but I can't make out the "bump map" detail on the mountains. Did you have the "Land Bumps" and "Mt Bumps" layers hidden when you uploaded the image?
This will probably help me out a lot; thanks Arsheesh!


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Tag Archives: Walt Whitman
Journey to the Heart of the Poetry Reading Group
Nora Landis-Shack, Joseph Ramirez, Cole Fiedler-Kawaguchi—these dark souls form the inner circle of that unholy assemblage known only as… the Poetry Reading Group. Bankrolled by the Hurford Center for apparently over a decade (!!?? can we fact-check this? see below-Ed.), the … Continue reading


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(KSDK Sports) -- The University of Missouri's inaugural year in the SEC was a dismal one for the Mizzou football Tigers and their head coach Gary Pinkel. The Tigers, suffered their first losing season in eight years.
Rumors have been circulating for weeks concerning Pinkel's future, but today the Columbia Daily Tribune is reporting that Missouri athletic director Mike Alden said Coach Pinkle will be back next season.
The University of Missouri has scheduled a media press conference for tomorrow and KSDK sport director Rene Knott will be there for complete coverage.
Missouri (5-7, 2-6 SEC) has failed to earn bowl eligibility for the first time since 2004.
The Tigers lost their season finale to the red-hot Texas A&M Aggies, 59-29. The offense had a productive day with 465 yards, but the defense had no answer for Johnny Manziel, allowing 647 yards of offense to the Aggies.
Corbin Berkstresser started under center for Mizzou and completed 20-of-38 passes for 276 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, with L'Damian Washington (four receptions, 98 yards) and Dorial Green-Beckham (four receptions, 55 yards) being on the receiving end of the scoring strikes.
Berkstresser also added 33 yards and a touchdown rushing, and Kendial Lawrence also had an impressive day on the ground with 87 yards and a score.


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NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Bald eagles are rare beauties to behold. Baby bald eagles are even rarer, but you can watch one hatch live online.
A Florida realty firm has set up a live eagle camera near a nest outside their office, where a pair of proud parents is expecting their latest arrival.
The first baby eagle arrived Tuesday. A second hatched Thursday. Another is expected to hatch any day now.
RELATED | Bald eagles at Berry College
Dick Pritchett Real Estate, Inc. says the parents, whom they call Ozzie and Harriet, have been returning to the same nest to have babies since 2007.


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I was looking for a feature described in the 3.1 release which says:
Admin UI view of users by storage/quota consumed
but so far I've not found it in the Admin UI.
It is still working in the latest version 3.1.1 ?
help greatly appreciated, because our disk space is shrinking very fast and I want to know which users are the top consumers.


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Worked With:
Jacinda Barrett
Birth Name: Jacinda Barrett
Born: 08/02/1972
Birth Place: Brisbane, Queensland, AU
Born: 08/02/1972
Birth Place: Brisbane, Queensland, AU
Barrett was subsequently cast in a regular role on NBC's "Wind on Water," marking her network series debut. While the surf-loving actress proved a natural for this beach-set series, low ratings led to its early demise. Later that same year, she had a guest role on the UPN series "Guys Like Us", starring her boyfriend and fellow MTV series vet, former "Singled Out" host Chris Hardwick. In 1999 the actress guest starred on an episode of Fox's acclaimed sci-fi series "Millennium" and had a recurring role as the fetching older woman who takes a liking to awkward Duncan (David Moscow) after seeing through the facade of womanizer Jack (David Rosenbaum) on The WB's teen sitcom "Zoe, Duncan, Jack an... Continue Bio >>
Popular Movies:
More Credits >>


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No commercial? No problem! Let our award winning producers create a high definition commercial for you.
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Click on the "Contact Me Online" button for either of the people
to the right.


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December 06th sun sketch
Posted 06 December 2012 - 05:24 PM
I will not tell you my thoughts about the weather because it's too ugly what's in my head. It's incredible having such sky conditions and I had lot of trouble doing my four sketches.
On the full disk sketch, you will see a nice prom at 10 o'clock. This one was so faint I was unable to see it at 150X with my zoom, but was visible at 80X with more contrast. Also, you can see the difference between a prom at 300X and 80X from the 1st sketch and the full disk where the same prom is at 6 o'clock.
Posted 06 December 2012 - 05:50 PM
Posted 06 December 2012 - 05:56 PM
Posted 06 December 2012 - 11:11 PM
Magnification does make a great difference in detail but it is nice to see both the low power full view with the detailed close ups together.
Keep up the great sketching.
Posted 06 December 2012 - 11:16 PM
Posted 06 December 2012 - 11:18 PM
Great sketches. I saw that beauty in your first image on the Gong site and lamented our overcast sky. Glad you got it!
Posted 06 December 2012 - 11:21 PM
Thanks my friend. Did you see how much clouds over the entire Canada, it's incredible !!! What's wrong with the atmosphere generating that much clouds... I think there is a relation with melting ices up north ?
Posted 06 December 2012 - 11:29 PM
For fun, just compare the GONG image with my sketch at the exact same time. It's very very close. Just open this link in a new tab to click from one to the other. On GONG image you will see how faint was the arc compare to the other proms.
Posted 07 December 2012 - 12:52 AM
Posted 07 December 2012 - 02:38 AM
Though I cannot imagine anything on the sun being, "faint."
What interesting is, and you always show it, that image in the link shows the photosphere(?) nicely. To know you can see it that well is so cool.
Yea, we all understand what you mean about the weather. Got a typhoon just off the coast, it's regaining strength and lingering. Throwing clouds over head and kicking up some waves.
Posted 07 December 2012 - 05:55 AM
Posted 07 December 2012 - 09:10 AM
Jason. Now I like too drawing the full disk but with this terrible weather, 95% of the time I don't have time to spend on the full disk because I have to hurry sketching the proms before the clouds come in.
Norme. Where do you live ? What mean La Union, PI ? And yes I can see very clearly lot of details in the chromosphere with my zoom. At 300X in my FOV it make easily 2mm thick and when the seeing is very good, I can see so many waves in it. It's really nice and impressive. My representation of the thickness at different magnification is quite accurate.
Thank you guys. Thank you Jef.
Posted 07 December 2012 - 09:42 AM
Ed D
Posted 07 December 2012 - 11:39 AM
You certainly achieve a photographic effect - Brilliant!
Posted 07 December 2012 - 12:05 PM
What mean La Union, PI ?
La Union is a province in the Philippines. Tropical and beautiful skies during the dry season.
Posted 07 December 2012 - 04:38 PM
Norme. My god, you are very far at the other side of the earth. Glad to discuss with you even more.
Posted 07 December 2012 - 05:08 PM
Good sketches of the Sun .
Posted 08 December 2012 - 12:46 AM
Posted 08 December 2012 - 01:59 AM
Please, continue to post us your uncredible sun sketches. All over the world we can compare with our own observation.
Posted 08 December 2012 - 02:11 AM
Another top collection - the discs sketches are my favourites - excellent!
Posted 08 December 2012 - 05:52 AM
Well, I'm speechless with all your beautiful comments. I'm so glad you like my sketches that much. Could you imagine in my own province of Quebec on my french forum I had only one comment from our freind Ray, as here I'm receiving so warm words from all around the world. Thank you so much to all of you, you all make my day.
It seem I really made a winner with this full disk sketch.
Posted 08 December 2012 - 12:38 PM
Posted 08 December 2012 - 12:40 PM
Thank you so much.
Posted 08 December 2012 - 02:08 PM
Nice set of drawings. The views you get with that Lunt are impressive. The full disk is very well done. As you say, they do take time, though. Hope your weather improves.
Btw, I believe the prom in your first two sketches is a type called a platform arch. It reminded me of the first H-alpha sketch I ever did. See any similarity?
Attached Files
Posted 08 December 2012 - 03:32 PM
I don't know how they are called, but yes for sure we have a similarity from your sketch and especially the 2nd one of my set. They are quite common.


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* 2010 Horizon League Coach of the Year
* 98 Wins At Butler
Tari St. John is entering her 11th season at the helm of the BU program in 2016. The co-head coach has worked alongside Rob Alman for the past four seasons helping the Bulldogs compete at a high level in the Atlantic 10 in 2012, followed by runs in the BIG EAST in 2013-2015.
In 2015, St. John helped guide the Bulldogs to a 16-7-1 overall record which included a 6-3 mark against league foes. The Bulldogs recorded tournament wins over Marquette, St. John's, and Providence to win their first-ever BIG EAST Conference Tournament Championship.
Winning the conference tournament sent the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament where they fell in double overtime to Ohio State in the first round. The 2015 team had four players receive All-BIG EAST recognition with Sophia Maccagnone and Serina Kashimoto receiving first team honors and Paige Monaghan and Halle Stelbasky receiving All-Freshman honors.
The 2014 season saw Butler go 9-8-2 overall with a conference record of 3-4-2 in the team's second season in the BIG EAST. The Bulldogs finished tied for sixth place in the conference with Villanova, narrowly missing qualifying for the conference championship. Butler had three players earn All-BIG EAST selections with Sophia Maccagnone and Serina Kashimoto receiving first team honors and Elise Kotsakis taking second team honors.
Butler finished fifth in the BIG EAST standings during the 2014 season with a 4-5 conference record. That total was accumulated into an 11-7-2 overall record that included an upset win over nationally-ranked Michigan. The Bulldogs had three student-athletes receive All-BIG EAST honors with Sophia Maccagnone taking first team honors. Elise Kotsakis and Serina Kashimoto were each selected as second team recipients.
The 2012 edition of Butler women's soccer went 12-5-4 and placed fourth in the Atlantic 10. The team set a school record for goals-against average, ranking among the nation's top defensive teams. The Bulldogs set another impressive record that season as their five setbacks marked the fewest losses ever in a season.
St. John's 2011 Bulldog squad, featuring just one senior, won eight matches against a challenging schedule. Butler took on Indiana, Oregon State, Louisville and Xavier in the non-conference portion of the season. The team then advanced to the semifinal of the 2011 Horizon League Women's Soccer Championship.
The 2010 women's soccer season was one of the best in school history. After a slow start with a team starting eight freshmen, the Bulldogs came together and went 6-2-0 in league play. BU's season was highlighted by a 1-0 win at defending league champion Milwaukee, and that win ended up being the tie-breaker that gave Butler the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. Butler finished the season 9-11-0 overall.
For her efforts, St. John was named Horizon League Coach of the Year. The Bulldogs had Katie Griswold and Jackie Hafele make first team All-Horizon League, and Sarah Phelps was a second-team honoree. Jackie Hafele was named the conference's newcomer of the year, and was on the all-newcomer team with Nikki Hafele and Olivia Colosimo.
A former assistant coach with the program, St. John was named the program's fourth head coach in April 2006. She had a positive impact on the program from her very first days on the job, increasing Butler's win total in each of her first three seasons, going from five victories in 2006 to 10 in 2007 before improving to 11 in 2008. During those first three seasons, 11 Butler players were named to All-Horizon League squads, including first-team members Kristen Harnest (2006), Abbie Kaul (2007), Angie Muir (2007) and Molly Kruger (2008-09). That total is now 21 after Butler had five all-league honorees in 2010 and two more in 2011.
A strong recruiter of talent, St. John's teams have featured eight players on the league's all-newcomer squad, while her 2007 recruiting class was ranked as the second-best in the Horizon League and the 25th-best in the Great Lakes Region by Soccer Buzz Magazine.
Prior to assuming the helm of the Bulldogs, St. John served as an assistant coach with her alma mater Purdue after spending two seasons as an assistant at Butler.
St. John brings NCAA Tournament experience and a background as a four-year starter at Purdue. She was honored as an Adidas Scholar All-American following the 2002 season, helping the Boilermakers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance. In addition to being a two-year captain, St. John also earned Academic All-Big Ten and Academic All-Region honors.
In her first two seasons at Purdue, St. John started all 37 of the team's matches and earned Offensive MVP honors at the inaugural Boilermaker Challenge Cup. A torn ACL cut short her 2000 season and she took a medical redshirt during the 2001 campaign. Helping to control the midfield for the Boilermakers, St. John finished her Purdue career with nine goals and nine assists. She appeared in 73 matches during her career, getting the starting nod on 71 occasions.
A native of Brookfield, Wis., St. John was a member of eight Wisconsin club and two high school championship teams, earning first-team All-State honors three consecutive seasons.
St. John holds an "A" license from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) and received her National Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) during the summer of 2005 and her Advanced National Diploma in 2008.
St. John, who married Rob Alman in 2012, graduated from Purdue in 2003 with a degree in management.
|Overall Record
|League Record


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Movie Analysis Paper Writing Help
The movie which has been selected for this assignment is Wall-Street in which the event of margin call has been discussed. Charlie Sheen and Michael Douglas star in Wall Street, director Oliver Stone's depiction of the greed and excess that dominated American business and finance during the 1980s. Douglas received Best Actor accolades from the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards and the National Board of Review for his role as an unscrupulous Wall Street trader.
In the movie, a character is Ma Yun who was the leader of the traders, let's see what leadership style he used in the movie to motivate their employees.
There are a number of leadership styles are present but the style adopted by MA YUN is peacock leadership style which often called Charismatic leadership style. The word Charismatic has been derived from Charisma which is a basic instinct or nature of a person. Charisma is in the personality of a person which attracts the followers. There is a positive effect of the charismatic personality of a leader on his follower. A Charismatic personality of a leader effectively influences on the employee's performance and also helps the employees in directing their performance without any undue influence. Charismatic leadership also called transformational leadership style. So, we will use these both of these terms interchangeably.
The leadership style adopted by MA YUN is transformational and in the mean time theory X style as well. Theory X style is a style in which the manager thinks that employees love their work and can not be forced to accomplish the task (Lussier & Christopher, 2009). By reading the movie, it can be said with authenticity that MA YUN supports his employees. MA YUN believes on the Maslow theory to meet the basic needs of his employees. He never does undue influence on his employees regarding the work done and for any other thing. The biggest positive node for the employees is that the boss trust them and according to the employees of MA YUN, "This person is very confident and trustworthy with a kind heart" and never laid down his any employee. Peacock leadership style adopted by MA JAU consists of a number of personality traits includes individual charm, unusual cohesion, ability to enhance interpersonal relationship and self confidence.
All of these things have been found in the personality of MA YUN. The best thing found in this person is Self Confidence and his ability to enhance long term interpersonal relationship with his employees and colleagues. According to his employees confidence is in the eyes of this person which makes his personality really charismatic and the charisma is enough for the employees to direct their performance. Due to the nature of MA JAU as a theory X manager, his employees are self motivated and confident and have full confidence on his leader. MA JAU always cares for his employee that is why he always uses effective methods of incentives for the employees.
By reading all these discussions do not assume that MA JAU is a soft person who can compromise because MA JAU never compromise on the work and target achievement. He will be very kind and gentle with you if you really want to work with heart or if not then he probably does not needs you.
Dereli, M (2010), Different Leadership Styles, John Wiley & Sons Professional Publications
Hellriegel, D & Slocum, J (2007), Organizational Behavior, London, Oxford University Publications
Kippenberger, T (2002), Leadership Styles, New York, McGraw Hill
Lussier, R & Christopher, A (2009), Leadership: Theory & Applications, Pearson Group Publications
Lawrence, J & Gitman. N (2008), The Futures of Business: The Essentials, Prentice Hall Publications
Mehrota, A (2008), Leadership Styles of Principals, Prentice Hall Publications
Academy Awards, accomplish the task, Analysis Dissertation, Analysis Essay, Analysis Essay Help, Analysis Essays, Analysis Paper Help, Analysis Paper Topics, Analysis Papers, Analysis Study, Analysis Thesis, Analysis Thesis Topics, Analysis Titles, Analysis Titles for Papers, Analysis Topics, Analysis Topics for Dissertation, Analysis Writing, been derived from Charisma, charismatic personality, during the 1980s, for this assignment, Golden Globe, Golden Globe Awards, greed and excess, In the movie, incentives for the employees, let's see what leadership style, Ma Yun, MA YUN is transformational, margin call has been discussed, motivate their employees., Movie Analysis Paper, movie to motivate, National Board of Review, References, References for Papers, References Of Papersa, the followers, the leader of the traders, these things have been found, This person is very confident, Wall Street trader, Wall-Street | | Comments (5)


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Chairman Hastings, Members of the Commission, thank you for your interest on the issues pertaining to my mandate and for the opportunity to share with you my views regarding racism and xenophobia, particularly in OSCE countries.
Over the past years, I have given a large amount of attention to the rise in racism and xenophobia in many European countries. In particular, I have expressed my concerns regarding three alarming trends that are clearly visible in the region as well as in the rest of the world.
(i) Resurgence of Racist Violence
There is an unmistakable resurgence of racist violence, conducted primarily but not exclusively by neo-Nazi groups. Physical violence represents a shift from words to action, seen in the growing number of attacks – including murders – that target members of ethnic, cultural or religious communities.
(ii) Political Instrumentalization of Racism and Xenophobia
A number of political parties have been trying to give political clout and legitimacy to openly racist and xenophobic ideas, thus embarking on populist and demagogic rhetoric that eventually wins votes. Alarmingly, these once extremist political parties are gradually becoming a conventional feature of politics in various countries, at times integrating government coalitions, occupying cabinet positions and being able to implement their platforms through concrete policies. Furthermore, their racist ideas gradually impregnate otherwise more moderate parties and society, helping discriminatory proposals become mainstream. This phenomenon amounts to a democratization of racism, representing one of the gravest threats faced by democratic societies.
(iii) Intellectual Legitimization of Racism
These two trends cannot be dissociated from a third development that ultimately reinforces racist discourse. In many circles, there are attempts by leading scholars and intellectuals to provide a justification, and ultimately a legitimization, of racist and xenophobic policies. These so-called academic statements can occur under the clout of legitimacy conferred by science, as the ideas put forward recently by the Nobel laureate James Watson make evident. His statements concerning people of African descent, in particular his wrongful claims to scientific status and his implicit attempt to establish hierarchies among races are a major drawback in the fight to promote the rights of Afro-descendents worldwide and to correct the historical legacy of racism and discrimination that they faced.
The need to fight racism against Afro-descendents is nowhere more evident than in the American continent. The long-term impact of slavery and segregation are still seen in most of the region. As I noted in my official mission to Brazil in 2005, the founding of the system of slavery on racist intellectual and ideological pillars – describing the enslaved Africans as culturally and mentally inferior in order to legitimize their status as an economic good and the legal organization of slavery by the European powers – have profoundly impacted the mentalities and societal structures of all the countries in the hemisphere. Concrete action needs to be taken by Governments in the region, starting from a firm declaration of political willingness to address this legacy.
However, in recent years many countries in the region started to review, and sometimes eliminate, important policies such as affirmative action. In 1994, after visiting the United States, my predecessor as Special Rapporteur expressed the view that 30 years of intense struggle against racism and racial discrimination have not yet made it possible to eliminate the consequences of over 300 years of slavery and racial discrimination, calling for the revitalization of affirmative action programmes. The argument is still relevant today, as I defended following my mission to Brazil.
In my recent reports, I have highlighted the threat posed by defamation of religions and religious intolerance. Bearing in mind the need not to establish hierarchies among different forms of discrimination, I would like to underline two particular forms of intolerance that require attention: (i) the resurgence of anti-Semitism and (ii) the intensification of Islamophobia in the aftermath of 9/11.
Anti-Semitism is historically the oldest form of discrimination, but unfortunately remains profoundly impregnated in many societies, particularly in the new Europe, and is advancing in the rest of the world. Hence, it requires constant vigilance and the strongest political will in order to be eradicated.
Islamophobia has also become an acute form of religious intolerance, being openly expressed by influential personalities in political and intellectual circles and promoted in electoral campaigns. Islamophobia displays a mix of ingredients that leads to a wrongful view of a conflict of religions and civilizations: the association of Islam to violence and terrorism, the suspicion concerning Islamic religious teachings, the prohibition to display visual signs like veils, headscarves and minarets. These contemporary developments imply that the fight against racism today also needs to take place in the context of the fight against religious intolerance.
Ultimately, racist and xenophobic discourse is characterized by its affirmation of the immutable nature of cultural, ethnic or religious identities. It thus reflects a certain isolationism that stems from the conflict between old national identities and the profound multiculturalization of societies. This gives rise to identity crises that are key to the increasingly dominant idea of "integration by assimilation", which denies the very existence of values and memories specific to national minorities and immigrants, and thus their contribution to the national identity of their host countries.
In this context, while anchoring efforts to combat racism and xenophobia in the legal framework of human rights is a fundamental way of achieving progress and expressing the universality of those rights, it is not sufficient on its own to eliminate the root causes of discriminatory culture and mentalities. The new battlegrounds in the struggle against discrimination — identity constructs, value systems, images and perceptions — require that legal strategies to combat racism be accompanied by an ethical and cultural strategy that promotes the link between efforts to combat racism and xenophobia and the construction over the long term of an egalitarian, democratic and interactive multiculturalism.
I visited Canada from 15 to 26 September 2003. The purpose of the visit, pursuant to the implementation of the Programme of Action of the Durban Conference, was to assess the present situation in Canada, with regard to the question of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, and hence the state of relations between the various communities, against the country's characteristically multi-ethnic and multicultural background.
In the course of the visit, I found that Canada as a country is proud of its ethnic, racial, cultural and religious diversity, which is supported by a multifaceted, multicultural policy, democratic institutions and protection of human rights, as well as by many programmes and projects run by a number of federal and provincial departments. I also found a readiness in the country to innovate, especially with regard to the implementation and elaboration of treaties with aboriginal communities. The Canadian Government considers that these innovations have achieved significant results.
Nevertheless, my contacts with representatives of the various ethnic, racial, cultural and religious groups, particularly the representatives of aboriginal communities, indicated that Canadian society is not free of racial discrimination. The members of these groups whom I interviewed consider that they suffer discrimination in the areas of education, health, employment and housing. As far as the representatives of these aboriginal communities are concerned, the historical disregard for their land rights, despite the many treaties signed with the Canadian Government, reflects persistent discrimination against them.
In my concluding recommendations, I noted the need for an intellectual and ethical strategy, which could both respond adequately to the deep emotional and psychological experience of discrimination and encourage attitudes to evolve towards a form of multiculturalism, which would not be limited to the mere equalitarian and democratic superimposition of communities, but which is likely to facilitate interactions, mutual, interpersonal and intercommunity awareness and respect for cultural differences. The Canadian Government has made it clear, however, that in recent years programmes and measures have been introduced by the federal Government and by the provincial authorities to facilitate civil participation and the exercise of sovereignty based on harmonious intercommunal relations respectful of cultural differences.
I visited Switzerland from 9 to 13 January 2006 with the principal objective of assessing the situation of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, as well as policies and measures adopted by the Government to combat these phenomena.
In my concluding observations, I emphasized the growing role in political platforms and in the media, of rhetoric based on the "defence of national identity" and "the threat of foreign presence". This rhetoric reflects the existence in Swiss society of a current of political opinion which is favourable to a defence of identity against immigration and hence prone to xenophobic tendencies. In this regard, Switzerland illustrates one of the profound causes of the increase of racism and xenophobia in Europe: the important role of the political exploitation of racism in electoral debate.
In particular, while recognizing some positive steps taken by the country, I noted the weakness in the current political and legal strategy to combat racism and xenophobia, in particular in two marked tendencies: the tendency to approach immigration and asylum issues purely from a security point of view and to criminalize foreigners, immigrants and asylum-seekers, and the considerable number of acts of police violence with racist and xenophobic overtones against these groups, as well as the judicial and administrative impunity enjoyed, according to the victims, by the perpetrators.
In this visit, I also tried to analyze the central role played by the process of the multiculturalization of Swiss society in the increase of manifestations of racism and xenophobia. In this process, the challenge to national identity arising from the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity of society is the source of identity-related tensions, and the political, legal and cultural awareness, recognition and treatment of these tensions are the factors which will determine the construction of multicultural togetherness.
Russian Federation
I visited the Russian Federation from 11-17 June 2006, with the principal objective of analyzing the situation of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia in the country, in particular in light of the multiple incidents of racial and xenophobic violence reported by human rights organizations and by the national and international press. Another objective of this visit was to monitor and analyze one of the deep-rooted causes of the renewed upsurge in racism and xenophobia in many countries: the change from the multiculturalism of Soviet society, marked by the ideological multiculturalism of the "friendship amongst peoples", and current society.
In my general conclusions, I pointed out that there was no official racist policy in the Russian Federation, but underlined the existence of a marked tendency of racism and xenophobia in Russian society, which centers around the following factors: the upsurge in racist incidents, in which the degree of violence leads to murder in some cases; the activism of neo-Nazi groups; the extension of this violence to members of human rights organizations; the inaction of certain police services and legal agencies and, as a result, the existence of a certain measure of impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of these acts; and the existence of racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic political platforms.
I also noted that, among the deep-rooted causes of this rise in racist and xenophobic ideology and violence, lies the ideological context of a political nationalism that is the subject of an ethnic interpretation by extreme right groups and trends.
As main conclusions, I highlighted the importance of the official recognition of the increase of racism and xenophobia and of the expression of a strong political will on the part of the Government to combat it; the implementation of a national programme of action against racism and xenophobia, with the democratic participation of all national communities and human rights organizations; the strengthening of the legal and judiciary systems for punishing the perpetrators of the manifestations and acts of racist violence; and the link between efforts to combat racism and xenophobia and the building of an interactive egalitarian and democratic multiculturalism. In that regard, a cultural and intellectual strategy is needed in order to eradicate the profound roots of racism.
I conducted an official visit to Italy from 9 to 13 October 2006 in order to assess the situation of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, particularly in the light of the current strong migratory pressure and the legislative and political legacy of xenophobia inherited from the racist and xenophobic political platforms that marked the previous Government coalition.
In my report to the Human Rights Council on this visit, I noted the Italian Government's firm commitment to combating racism and xenophobia, as illustrated by the implemented or planned legislative reforms on immigration and citizenship, the efforts to improve the situation of Roma and Sinti communities and for the recognition of those communities, and, finally, a greater sensitivity to multiculturalism.
Although racism is not a deeply rooted feature of Italian society, there is a disturbing trend towards xenophobia and an increase in manifestations of racism. These in part stem from the legacy and impact of the policies and programmes of the previous Government coalition, which contained parties that promoted overtly racist and xenophobic platforms. This dynamic is currently being fostered by the persistence of these platforms in certain extreme right-wing parties, particularly at regional and local levels, and it is being strengthened by certain media and political parties that exploit the fears that have arisen both from the current migratory pressure and from the identity crisis facing Italian society as a result of the process of ethnic and religious multiculturalization. These racist manifestations and processes mainly affect the Sinti and Roma communities, immigrants and asylum-seekers — primarily those of African origin but also those from Eastern Europe — and the Muslim community.
In my recommendations, I underlined the need to address the socio-economic inequalities faced by communities discriminated against vis-à-vis the rest of Italian society, and the importance of continuing to express, at the highest national level, a firm political will to combat racial discrimination. I also emphasized the importance of adopting a legal strategy for the implementation of existing legislation to combat discrimination; redefining the National Plan of Action put in place following the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban in 2001; reforming the law governing immigration; adopting comprehensive legislation and an overall policy on asylum; and recognizing the Roma and Sinti communities as national minorities. Finally, he recommends the elaboration of a cultural strategy which links the combat against racism with the long-term construction of a democratic, egalitarian and interactive multiculturalism through the promotion of mutual knowledge and interaction between the different communities.
In elaborating a cultural and ethical strategy not only against the pervasiveness of racist and xenophobic platforms but also for the comprehensive eradication of one of the sources of these platforms, particularly in European countries — the identity crisis arising from the contradiction between old national identities and the multiculturalism of societies — the authorities should, in my view, invite the Italian people to recall their history of immigration as well as their geographical and cultural proximity to and long history of interaction with the peoples, cultures and religions of the Mediterranean.
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
I have recently concluded an official mission to the three Baltic countries from 16 to 28 September 2007. My visit to the Baltic region was motivated by two main factors. First, I wanted to assess how these countries are dealing with their complex historical heritage, which placed different communities and ethnic groups in close contact with each other under difficult and sometimes violent circumstances, particularly in the twentieth century. Second, I tried to examine how the three countries, which have been so far isolated from large-scale migratory pressures, are preparing their societies for the likely arrival of a larger number of non-European migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers following their accession to the European Union and ever-increasing integration in the world economy.
In Lithuania, I highlighted the existence of a comprehensive and progressive legal framework that addresses racism and discrimination, calling for further vigilance to combat racism and full implementation of the existing legal instruments. A number of State institutions are developing actions to promote a multicultural integration of minority groups. However, there are important problems faced by the Roma community and even though the Government has taken steps to solve them, further progress is still needed. Multiculturalism should be a permanent response to racism and discrimination that complements the existing legal strategy, in particular through the promotion of interaction among communities, which creates mutual understanding and tolerance.
In Latvia, I highlighted the historical multicultural tradition of the Latvian society, which provides an important societal basis for efforts to eradicate racism and discrimination. Important laws and mechanisms addressing discrimination are in place, but a more holistic and comprehensive national legislation to combat all forms of racism and discrimination would be another step forward in the fight against racism. I also recommended that Latvia establish an independent institution to investigate allegations of racism and discrimination, whilst reinforcing the office of the Ombudsman. One of the issues of concern I examined was the question of citizenship, which is seen as problematic and discriminatory by some communities, and illustrated by the high number of stateless persons in the country. Latvia's legal strategy in the fight against discrimination should be complemented with a cultural strategy that promotes interaction among communities, tolerance and a view of multicultural integration.
In Estonia, I praised the political will demonstrated by the Government to tackle racism and discrimination, highlighting the existence of legal mechanisms that address racism and discrimination. As in Latvia, I also called for the adoption of comprehensive and holistic legislation focusing on all forms of discrimination, and for the establishment of an independent institution empowered to investigate allegations of racism and discrimination. In particular, I highlighted the importance of community initiatives such as that developed in the city of Jõhvi, which fosters interactions between different minorities supporting the concept of multiculturalism. However, the issue of citizenship and language still represents the most important obstacle faced by the Estonian society. The high number of Russian-speaking stateless people is sizeable and seen by some communities as evidence of discrimination. Furthermore, linguistic requirements for the acquisition of citizenship have also been seen as problematic by minorities. I recommended to the Latvian Government that it should consider moving towards a multilingual policy, where the role of minority languages is recognized and preserved.
In view of the information I collected throughout the exercise of my mandate, including fact-finding missions, allegations of human rights violations that I systematically receive, conferences and seminars that I attend and discussions within the United Nations system, I have recently put forward a number of concrete recommendations for the international community:
(i) Strong political will is needed to fight racism, in particular to fight the political and electoral instrumentalization of racist and xenophobic discourse and the trivialization of racist ideas;
(ii) Countries should engage in the implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action;
(iii) The treatment of issues relating to migration, asylum and the situation of foreigners and national minorities should give priority to the respect of their rights, in accordance with international law, in particular instruments like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and the Durban Declaration;
(iv) To fight racism and xenophobia, countries should promote the construction of plural identities, pointing towards a "democratic multiculturalism" centered around two key concepts: the promotion of reciprocal knowledge between communities and of interaction among them;
(v) To eradicate racism, the fight against religious intolerance, including anti-Semitism, Christianophobia and Islamophobia is essential;
(vi) The international community should systematically oppose incitement to racial and religious hatred, aiming to strike a thin but vigilant balance between freedom of expression and freedom of religion, thus recognizing the holistic character of all rights enunciated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
(vii) Finally, the international community needs to be vigilant concerning manifestations of racism in sports, supporting measures taking locally and internationally, through international sporting bodies like the International Olympic Committee and FIFA.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the Commission.