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Catchin' the wave
Special Issue | From Jesus People to Petco Park, San Diego has prospered by not preening
SAN DIEGO- As gazillionaires go, Mike Farres, 81, is one who likes to fly under the radar. Slim and of average build, he favors jeans with shirts of low-key plaid-nothing too fancy to go with his silvery walrus mustache. He isn't much of a talker, either. You have to listen closely to catch his breathy words, which he dispenses as though he has few to spare. Friends say Farres, who made his fortune in San Diego real estate, is even a bit of a curmudgeon.
But to survive the downtown street corner where, in the 1970s, Farres first opened the Wine Bank, a small, fine wine shop, a slight unsociability might have been a key asset.
"We had a lot of hobos coming off the trains," Farres remembers. "They were OK, not dangerous. But then we started getting a lot of druggies selling on the corners. You had to be pretty careful at night where you walked."
One of the oldest shops remaining in downtown San Diego, the Wine Bank sits at the corner of 5th and J. When it opened, 5th Avenue led north to porn shops and strip joints, and south to produce warehouses and an unadorned waterfront-an electrical supply store here, a mom-and-pop restaurant there; not much commerce of consequence.
Farres himself catered to the downtown businesspeople, architects, and lawyers who liked their office space cheap and their wine expensive. Even during business hours, he kept his store doors locked. Visitors had to ring a buzzer and show themselves at a window, whereupon Farres would decide whether each person was a customer or a crook.
As it turned out, crime paid-at least it paid Farres. The neighborhood's felon aesthetic enabled him to buy the whole block at 5th and J, including the decrepit Brunswig Drug building in which his store sat, for a song.
Today that block is only a fraction of Farres' real estate holdings-and it sits at the heart of San Diego's burgeoning Gaslamp Quarter and Ballpark District, a 2.2-square-mile area into which developers and investors have poured nearly $10 billion dollars, much of it in the last decade. The once-blighted area now boasts block after block of sidewalk cafes, trendy galleries and clothing boutiques, and pricey specialty shops, such as The Paperie, where the discriminating gift-wrapper can acquire textured-cotton paper dusted with dried larkspur for $14 a sheet.
During the day, tourists and conventioneers shop and eat. At night, laughter fills the streets as visitors and residents join to bar- and restaurant-hop beneath the glow of globe-topped 19th-century-replica street lamps. It's like New Orleans, minus the dirt and naked women.
The renewal of the Gaslamp Quarter simmered along in the 1980s and '90s. But it was Petco Park, the San Diego Padres' new home field, that lit a bonfire under developers. Construction began in 2000, and since 2001 builders have completed about a half-million square feet each of new retail and office space, and more than 1,200 new hotel rooms. Condo towers also sprouted and more than 8,500 residential units took shape.
"I wouldn't have believed it," said Farres of the idea that anyone would want to live downtown, much less pay half a million dollars and up to do so.
Downtown San Diego's evolution into an enclave for well-heeled urbanites is a remarkable new chapter in a city known mainly for its year-round sunshine and laid-back, beachy feel. The city, California's second largest with 2.8 million metro residents, doesn't glitter like L.A. or posture like San Francisco. When Farres moved here from Ohio in 1956, San Diego was just a little seaside haven for surfers and fishermen.
"There were only 40,000 people here. The tuna industry was big here, too," he said. "There was a big military base. That was about it."
Today, San Diego County has the highest military payroll of any U.S. county and is home to more than 100,000 sailors and Marines. Jonathan Buettner, Chief Operating Officer of the San Diego County Republican Party, says the strong military presence here contributes to the city's unusual distinction as a politically moderate-to-conservative metropolis in a state whose other big cities are radically blue.
Voter registration in San Diego proper skews Democratic. (That's why the city council is controlled by people like Donna Frye, whom Buettner calls a "shrub-hugging, save-the-seals, throw-good-money-after-bad" liberal.) But successful conservatives living technically outside the city limits in places like Coronado, Del Mar, and Rancho Santa Fe invest big dollars in San Diego and, Buettner said, "demand a voice." That's one reason, for example, that the trendier planning elements of downtown's miraculous renewal seem to scream Vanity Fair while the actual methods for making it all happen-such as a 9-to-1 ratio of private-to-public dollar-scream National Review.
A third ingredient to the city's conservatism is the strong influence of evangelicals, many of whom are the original Jesus People. When the Jesus Movement in the late '60s rolled south from Calvary Chapel, Pastor Chuck Smith's Costa Mesa church, the sun-kissed youth culture here embraced it as "something fresh and authentic . . . that moved from merely the information level of church history and doctrine to the heart," said Ray Bentley, 49, a San Diego native and senior pastor of Maranatha Chapel.
Along with its emphasis on biblical literalism and Christ's imminent return, the San Diego wave wrapped in ocean baptisms, bare feet in church, surfside prayer meetings. Jesus as Truth, yes, but also as compassionate, sandaled rebel who gave His followers permission to wear their hair long and surf outside their parents' spiritual lines.
Now those followers are all grown up. Many still wear board shorts to church, and today they are still active outside the pews. "They don't compartmentalize their faith, but put it into action in politics and in the community," Bentley said.
Mike Farres saw the Jesus wave come through. Christians still minister to the homeless and the lost on some of the downtown property he owns. Farres won't say how much he's worth, or even how much he paid for that first block. But Paul Karcho, a Michigan transplant who bought the Wine Bank from Farres in 2006 (after haggling with him for eight years), divulged the broad outlines of a long-term land-lease that Farres recently inked with Marriott.
The resort giant is building a hotel on a tiny parking lot that Farres owns. Every year of the lease, Marriott will pay him twice the amount he paid in 1976 for the entire block on which the Wine Bank sits.
"I'm looking for more land to buy," Farres told WORLD. Then he allowed himself a chuckle: "I can afford it."


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Dear fellow Maplovers!
My name is Michael Stenmark and I do love the art of map making and maps in itself.
I live in Sweden, by the lake Mälaren in a small house ( next to a small pink mansion that was build about 300 years ago.
I have been working in the games industry ( starting with "the old one", when we used to Print the games ) and media industry for about 26 years now ( as I write this in Jan 2012 ) and I am today a children book writer and creator of books and "worlds" in general.
I do draw maps for the fun of it, and in my work, every now and then.
.. and I am always on the look for new talents to connect with.
/ Michael Stenmark

subset: commoncrawl


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|Veterans Headline News
The Veterans Choice Act of 2014 remains in disarray after two years. The program attempted to make health care more accessible to veterans who were being told by the VA that their wait time for appointments at VA clinics was going to be more than 30 days. It also attempted to make private sector doctors available to veterans who lived more than 50 miles from VA clinics.
More than 62,000 veterans voted to determine the companies they felt were the best fit for veterans
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Not long ago, the unemployment rate for veterans was in the double digits, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
veteran unemployment is at its lowest point since 2008 (currently 4.8%). The drop in the unemployment rate can be attributed in part to industry leading companies stepping up to recruit, hire,
and retain our Nation's finest.
In 2014, Veteran Recruiting launched VetFriendly to recognize 10 companies who are viewed as the top Veteran Friendly Companies by veterans who participate in the VR virtual career fairs. In 2015,
more than 200,000 veterans attended the virtual career fairs, and since 2011, more than 154,000 veterans have been hired by the companies that participate.
"The wide range of companies who have been voted the Top Ten VetFriendly for 2015 clearly demonstrates that veterans make the ideal employees across all industries.
We would like to thank all the companies who participated in the VR virtual career fairs in 2015, and to give a special congratulations to the ten companies who were voted as the most VetFriendly"
stated Kevin O'Brien, Partner, Veteran Recruiting.
More than 200,000 veterans were surveyed, and over 62,000 responded to vote for the companies that participated in the online job fairs in 2015. Veterans were asked a series of questions ranging from;
what companies were the most responsive to which companies had the best follow up. Aetna was voted as the number one Veteran Friendly company with others including; JPMorgan Chase & Co., Verizon,
Transportation Security Administration, Exelon Corporation, Waste Management, Eaton Corporation, Anthem Inc., Penske, and Tyco.
""Aetna is committed to helping connect military veterans and military spouses with job opportunities here at home and overseas. We're honored to recruit veterans and veteran spouses for open positions
in a variety of fields like IT, health care, project management and many more nationwide. . We are especially proud to be voted a top Veteran Friendly company given it is voted on by veterans and military spouses.
Partnering with Veteran Recruiting has helped us find top military talent and build on our commitment to employ veteran talent within our firm" said Mark Whalls, Director of Military & Veterans Recruitment
With the unemployment rate for veterans steadily declining, companies are now faced with doing more to attract high caliber veteran talent, and to stand out from the other employers who are also committed
to hiring veterans. The VR virtual career fairs are an easy way for them connect live with veterans nationwide, but without the cost, time, or resources typically needed for a national recruiting campaign.
The VR virtual career fair is accessible anytime, and opens to active duty, veterans, guard/reservists, and military spouses at www.veteranrecruiting.com
About Veteran Recruiting:
Veteran Recruiting (VR), a division of Astound Virtual, is the leading provider of virtual career fairs for the military community. VR delivers fully interactive, virtual career fairs that connect employers,
active duty, guard/reservists, veterans, and military spouses in real time. Through the virtual career fairs, more than 150,000 veterans and military spouses have been hired since September 2011.
Media Contact: Nicole O'Brien, Astound, 215-525-5757, email@example.com
News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com
SOURCE Veteran Recruiting
California Launches Veteran Driver License and ID Card
Veterans can apply for "Veteran" designation beginning November 12
Sacramento – The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) announce a new program honoring our Veterans by allowing them to apply for a "Veteran" designation on California driver licenses and identification (ID) cards.
"California's new driver license and identification card program honors and recognizes the military service of our Veterans," said Dr. Vito Imbasciani, CalVet's Secretary. "I encourage our Veterans to contact a local CVSO and start the process and learn about their earned benefits, just as I have. As an added bonus, the new 'Veteran' designation means businesses can easily confirm Veteran status when offering discounts."
1. Get Records. Find your military discharge certificate (DD214). If you need assistance obtaining your military records, then contact any County Veteran Service Officer (CVSO).
2. Visit Any CVSO. Take your DD214 and government identification to any CVSO to obtain your Veteran Status Verification Form. For faster CVSO service, you can make an appointment with any CVSO by calling 844-737-8838 or finding your local CVSO at www.calvet.ca.gov.
3. Visit Any DMV. Go online or call DMV for an appointment. Then bring your Veteran Status Verification Form to any DMV field office. Pay any application fees in addition to a $5.00 Veteran designation fee, and complete all application and testing requirements. To schedule an appointment at any DMV field office, visit www.dmv.ca.gov or call 800-777-0133.
"The DMV is prepared to start helping veterans apply for the 'Veteran' designation on Thursday, November 12, 2015," said Frank Alvarez, DMV Investigations Deputy Director and Veteran. "To make sure veterans are prepared when they visit any of our 174 field offices, we set up a webpage specifically designed for Veterans, Active Military, and their families to help them in this process and with other military services at DMV."
Contacts DMV: Jessica Gonzalez Email: email@example.com Phone: 916-657-6438 CalVet: Thora Chaves Email: email@example.com Phone: 916-651-2147
On a cold night each January, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) takes a count of the number of people who live on the street and in shelters. On the chosen night this year, 49,993 veterans were homeless. It's a 33% drop since 2010.
But that's not the whole story. The HUD's statistic for several years did not include Bobby, a former paratrooper who joined the army out of high school in 2001 and retired on honorable discharge in 2006, after serving three tours and making, he says, numerous jumps in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bobby doesn't like to be pressed for details about the war. His voice turns gruff, and his speech slows down as he explains: "I don't like to talk about that part. I'm done. I've been over there. I won't go back. I won't wish that on my worst enemy."
After leaving the army, Bobby was homeless but slept on friends' couches in Houston, Texas. He overstayed his welcome. Having suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe back injuries as well as traumatic brain injury from his time in the war drove him to substance abuse.
"When you're experimenting on drugs it'll feel like la-la land," says Bobby over the phone borrowed from a worker belonging to the National Veterans Foundation (NVF), a Los Angeles–based nonprofit. "You asked me to remember my age," repeats Bobby, who will not share his last name. "I got a little TBI [traumatic brain injury] too. I remember some parts. I have blackouts sometimes. My speech is not that well."
Bobby is one of the many who are chronically undercounted by the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) renewed efforts to end veteran homelessness.
Shad Meshad, a retired army medical officer, is also the founder of the National Veterans Foundation. Meshad says that the VA's estimate of homeless veterans may be a mere fraction of the actual numbers – he speculates that veteran homelessness may be five times the problem that the VA acknowledges.
Meshad's teams go out scouting for homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area twice a week. "Being in this work for 43 years, I have a pretty good idea of where they would go." He adds quietly: "… where I would go."
Veteran homelessness should end by 2015, according to a 2009 plan from the Obama administration. The fallout from VA's recent healthcare scandals – culminating in the resignation of former secretary Eric Shinseki – was followed by the administration pumping in an additional $270m in October to anti-homelessness efforts.
On Monday, the new VA chief, Robert McDonald, a veteran himself, announced that he will soon fire 40 high-ranking employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He promised that the number may climb to 1,000. This retribution for "the people who violated our values" is the VA's biggest overhaul yet.
When the scandal broke in May this year, severe shortages were unearthed at VA hospitals, with many veterans dying while on the wait list.
As part of McDonald's reconfiguration, plans are afoot to hire 28,000 new medical professionals, including 2,500 mental health experts to make up for the severe paucity of manpower in VA hospitals.
McDonald has been in the news ever since he took office, travelling around the country, dramatically offering his cellphone number to the public at a congressional hearing, offering high salaries and loan waivers to students at top medical schools to come help at the VA.
But these changes will take time, if they happen at all.
'He said he became invisible'
"I would say yes, it is a lofty goal," agrees Jason Hansman about the VA's target of ending homelessness by 2015.
Hansman is the director of external program relations at the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, or IAVA. The VA has started new programs like cash assistance for housing to veterans under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program. Hansman and IAVA are innovative and have gotten the VA finally thinking out of the box. But it may not be enough to solve the problem as soon as the VA hopes, given its scale, he says.
Hansman explains that there are thousands of resources offered by the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, but these are complicated and exist in silos, and vets are expected to navigate them on their own.
The bloated VA functions like a large fortress, Meshad says, and it can't expect homeless veterans to come knocking on its doors. If the VA really wants to fix itself, it will have to aggressively go out and bring the homeless veterans in, says Meshad, pointing to his street teams.
Even before the overhaul was announced, Meshad demanded far more radical changes to the system than McDonald has planned. "It doesn't work and it hasn't worked for 50 or 60 years," he says of the VA, agreeing with commentators who say the US's second-largest bureaucracy needs to be scrapped. "They keep dumping hundreds of billions of dollars into it," he says.
'You're ill-fed, ill-clothed, you smell like a dead bear'
Even if McDonald has claimed that the long waits at VA hospitals have reduced, they are still beyond the tolerance of most veterans.
Meshad says benefit applications take several months and are often denied, slowly cutting off any aid veterans can get, pushing them out of their homes and families to the perimeters of cities.
Bobby never gets through when he calls the VA. "In some places, they give you a recorded message. You tell them you want to commit suicide, they call 911" – this, despite the staggering statistic that 22 veterans take their own lives each day.
Instead Bobby prefers to call the NVF helpline. "I'm glad it's toll-free. [You] call VA, [you] get through: recorded message. No one calls you back," he says. Bobby is still waiting for the VA's help, even after the NVF's veterans service officer has connected him with for his benefits.
"They don't care," he says. "How long does it take to sign a piece of paper?"
Meshad likes to illustrate the problem of veteran homelessness with the story of a destitute soldier he worked with. "Every time he was begging or hustling for money, people ignored him and walked by," Meshad says. "He said he became invisible."
"You're ill-fed, ill-clothed, you smell like a dead bear. You look raggedy, nobody wants to be around you," the very system that should be helping vets return to their lives pushing them away. "You get more and more distanced from the society that you want to integrate back into."
'I need a cigarette, they buy me a cigarette'
Each war creates a different generation of difficulties for some veterans. The backlash against the Vietnam war had people confusing "the war with the warrior". Iraq and Afghanistan vets came back to a terrible economy and the housing crisis, eventually losing their homes and families.
After being rejected from his friends' couches, Bobby decamped to sunny California. "That's how I ended up in Long Beach." Bobby lived under a bridge in the Lincoln Park section of the sunny town, with a community of veterans. They received regular visits from men in white National Veterans Foundation vans who came by.
They offered food, socks and warm clothing, as well as small indulgences to make a hard life more bearable. "I need a cigarette, they buy me a cigarette," Bobby recalls.
Life was tough, he explains. Long Beach brought in trucks to drive the settlement of homeless veterans off the streets and into shelters, Bobby says, but NVF's workers kept returning looking to help.
"These guys were persistent, they kept coming around and giving everyone pamphlets. And I finally called them up. They helped me get my benefits from the VA." The foundation also gives him therapy for his PTSD, he says.
Several veterans battle chronic pain as a consequence of their time at war.
"My back hurts. They gave me some pain medication. Just to kind of cope with it, till I get my benefits," Bobby says.
The only other succor for his pain is marijuana. He says it calms him down and he eats more. "I would do that any day," he says, imploring a reporter to try weed.
For now, Bobby makes a living from recycling plastic and fixing old computers. "When I work on my computer, that kind of helps me," he says. "Repair work, I see things get done. That's kind of like therapy too."
Bobby refuses to regret working in the military. "I wanted to serve my country and do my part. I want to say I'm proud for what I did," he says, only wishing for better circumstances: "I need a little bit more stability."
Editor's Note: we have asked Bobby for comment on the number of jumps he recalls in Iraq and Afghanistan, which some readers have contested.
The federal government has agreed to settle a lawsuit accusing the Department of Veterans Affairs of misusing its sprawling West Los Angeles health campus while veterans with brain injuries and mental impairment slept in the streets, people familiar with the agreement said Tuesday.
Under the settlement, the VA will develop a master land-use plan for the campus that identifies sites for housing homeless veterans. Further details were not available.
Veterans Affairs officials did not respond to requests for comment. VA Secretary Robert A. McDonald has scheduled an announcement at the West Los Angeles Medical Center on Wednesday afternoon.
"I believe the settlement is a game changer," said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who succeeded Henry Waxman this month representing the Westside district that includes the property.
In its 2011 suit, the ACLU of Southern California argued that the VA should develop housing for veterans on the 387-acre campus. The suit accused the agency of illegally leasing land to UCLA for its baseball stadium, a television studio for set storage, a hotel laundry and a parking service. It also made a land deal with the private Brentwood School for tennis and basketball courts.
A federal judge in 2013 struck down the leases, saying they were "totally divorced from the provision of healthcare." More recently, U.S. District Judge S. James Otero halted construction of an amphitheater on the property.
The settlement comes as officials conduct Los Angeles County's biennial homeless count. Los Angeles County has more than 4,200 homeless veterans, the most in the nation.
Mayor Eric Garcetti has promised to house every homeless veteran in the city by the end of the year, part of a national effort led by the Obama administration to get those who served off the streets.
(Washington, DC) March 24, 2015 - House Floor, H.R. 216, introduced by House Veterans Affairs Committee Ranking Member, Corrine Brown, a bill to Improve the Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Planning, passed the House of Representatives.
Key Elements HR 216, the Future-Years Veterans Program
Beginning in FY 2020, VA would be required to annually submit a five-year budget plan matched to the VA's current and projected needs and aligned with a carefully considered plan of action.
Quadrennial Veterans Review
· To assist with the Future-Years Veterans Program, VA would undertake a Quadrennial Veterans Review every four years, beginning in FY 2019.
This Quadrennial Veterans Review would be a comprehensive strategic examination of the opportunities, challenges, policies and strategies of the nation as they relate to veterans and would include veterans and experts to ensure that VA is working to solve problems before they happen.
Policy Guidance
· H.R. 216 requires the VA Secretary to provide annual policy guidance to ensure VA's near-term budgets are aligned with VA's longer-term strategic budgets.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Veterans' Affairs Committee held a hearing last night examining the VA's shortcomings in appropriately responding to information provided by whistleblowers, and into claims that whistleblowers within the VA face negative repercussions for stepping forward. The hearing comes shortly after the Office of Special Counsel raised new concerns over the VA's response to whistleblower allegations relating to patient care and safety. Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), Ranking Member on the Committee, issued the following statement:
"I'm glad we have had the opportunity to hear directly from whistleblowers – dedicated professionals who stood up and spoke out when they saw something wrong happening around them. The VA for far too long has condoned a culture of retaliation and intimidation regarding whistleblowers. I applaud Acting Secretary Gibson's promise to change the VA's culture. But, changing the culture of the second-largest federal agency will not be easy.
"This will not be accomplished by words alone. Talk is cheap and real solutions are hard to find. I am hopeful that last night's hearing is a step toward finding these solutions to ensure that after the spotlight is turned off, VA is fully living up to its commitment to care for our veterans. This is a process that will require the hard work of every single VA employee to ensure that VA instills a true culture of accountability and that there is zero tolerance for any act of retaliation or intimidation."
Dan Rafter | Communications Director
Congressman Mike Michaud (ME-02)
House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Democrats
1724 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6306 (office) | email@example.com (email)
House/Senate Conferees Meet on VA Bill: House and Senate Conferees recently met to begin working out the differences between their proposals to address the VA health care crisis. It has been more than 15 years since a conference was called to discuss any VA-related legislation. All conferees spoke about their commitment to fix the VA so that all generations of veterans could receive the quality and accessible healthcare they have earned. One of the sticking points among members is how to pay for the bill. Last week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the proposals could cost roughly $50 billion per year. Senate VA Ranking Member Richard M. Burr (R-NC) called the numbers "grotesquely" out of line.
House VA Committee Chairman, Jeff Miller (R-FL) said CBO needs to issue a new estimate, but added that the conferees will keep working to settle their differences while they wait for updated numbers. Despite differences of opinion over funding and the overall quality of care at the VA, lawmakers were hopeful they can come to a resolution.
Washington State University
Study Title: Native American Veterans' Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes toward Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Available Treatment
You are being asked to take part in a research study, conducted by Greg Urquhart, Sarah Sevedge,Matthew Hale, Nasreen Shah and ,Dr. Phyllis Erdman. The research team includes Native American veterans and individuals experienced in working with veterans and Native American veterans. This form explains the research study and your part in it, if you decide to participate. Please read the form carefully, taking as much time as you need. If you participate in the study, you can change your mind later or quit at any time. There will be no penalty or loss of services or benefits if you decide not to participate or quit the survey. This study has been reviewed for human subject participation by the Washington State University Institutional Review Board.
What is the study about? This study is being conducted to explore the perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes among active and former Native American service-members of the United States armed services regarding Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). You are being asked to participate because we value your opinion, experience, and perceptions as a service-member. You do not need to have experienced any symptoms of PTSD in order to participate. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes. If you choose to participate, you will be asked to answer questions regarding your perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes of PTSD and similar combat stress disorders and their treatment.
For More Info and to Participate Click Here: http://tinyurl.com/q67p9qp
#VeteransNetwork #VeteransNation #Veterans
Th Vietnam Wall
For those who lost friends or family in the Vietnam War, you can now find them on the Vietnam Wal in Washington DC, thanks to this amazing website. Search by State,City,Name.
In my last post I talked about the effect of the fall of Fallujah on veterans. Veterans of all eras. Not just the ones who served in Anbar province or in other parts of Iraq in 2004 when both Battles of Fallujah took place. You read that right: both. The battles in April and December of that year were among the fiercest, the bloodiest.
The Second Battle of Fallujah with its urban conflict has been compared to the Battle for Huế in Vietnam in 1968. Just as it's likely that you didn't remember there were two battles for Fallujah, I'd guess that if you remember the Tet Offensive in 1968, your memory is that the Viet Cong was eventually beaten back during that campaign. But that wasn't the end of the story, was it?
Forty-five years later we are still dealing with veterans of the Tet Offensive and their colleagues, all of whom are at risk of having their PTSD symptoms reactivate at the news of the fall of Fallujah. Oh, and their families. Don't forget them. Read the entire story here: http://tinyurl.com/oa92aen
Young veterans just out of the service and receiving health care from the government committed suicide at nearly three times the rate of active-duty troops in recent years, according to data released Thursday by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"The rates ... are honestly alarming. This group of young veterans appears to be in some trouble," says Janet Kemp, head of the department's suicide prevention program.
The Army has struggled with suicide among active-duty troops more than other service branches during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the risk persists after soldiers return to civilian life.
Veterans ages 18-24 enrolled in the VA's health program killed themselves at a rate of 46 per 100,000 in 2009 and nearly 80 per 100,000 in 2011, the latest year of data available, according to the figures.
Non-veterans of the same age had a suicide rate during 2009 and 2010, the most recent data available, of about 20 per 100,000, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thirty-six young veterans receiving some form of VA health care committed suicide in 2009 and 65 died by their own hand two years later. Among those in the broader age group 18-29, the suicide numbers rose from 88 in 2009 to 152 in 2011.
The overall suicide rate for active-duty personnel in the Army hovered at 22 per 100,000 during 2009-11, according to military figures.
The number of soldier suicides peaked at 185 in 2012 and a record rate for the Army that year of 30 per 100,000. Numbers for 2013 are not yet available.
Kemp says a preliminary analysis shows that most of them were not receiving mental health therapy but had been treated for other health issues by the VA.
"They're young. They've just gotten out of the service," she says. "They're more concentrated on going home, getting jobs, for the most part. They're not coming in for mental health care."
VA epidemiologist Robert Bossarte says a similar pattern was found among veterans in the past.
"There were were several studies after Vietnam that showed increases in suicide and other forms of injury/mortality for about the first five years following return from service," Bossarte says. "Those rates (eventually) came down to be about the same as the rest of the population."
A positive sign in the new data, Kemp says, is that suicide rates for male veterans of all ages who are diagnosed and treated for mental health problems by the VA have fallen steadily from 2001-2011, in contrast to suicide patterns among non-veteran males.
The same is not true for female veterans, whose suicide rates have not improved and remain higher than women who are not veterans, according to the VA data.
Kemp says recent success in reaching veterans through social media offers hope that more young people can be brought into therapy.
Online chat connections with veterans through the VA's suicide prevention office (hotline number is 1-800-273-8255) have increased from several hundred in 2009 to nearly 55,000 last year, VA data show.
"If we can get them engaged in (mental health) services, we can make a huge difference, and that's encouraging," she says.


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JOCKEY AARON GRYDER, HOIST, WINNER: "I worked him a couple time up at Hastings and he'd been training great. He drew a good post today. With the post he had today, I was happy that the horses we had to beat were on the outside of us. I just wanted to break as I clean as I could. I knew that my horse was extremely quick, so they were going to have to really push to outrun him early. They didn't want to push, so I kept my horse out in the middle of the track and forced the other jockeys to make decisions. By the time we got to the turn, he was going quickly enough that we could just open it up. I didn't hear any other horses coming, I just heard (trainer) Mike Puhich yelling."
JOCKEY DEBBIE HOONAN, STRYKER PHD, SECOND: "I can't wait to go a route. I started to ask him at the three-eighths pole and he just started flying. I thought we were going to win it, I really did."
JOCKEY JAVIER MATIAS, WINNING MACHINE, 3-TO-2 FAVORITE, SIXTH: "He broke out of the gate really good. I moved him into a good position, but when I asked him, he gave me nothing today. I don't know what happened out there. It seemed like everything was OK, but then he was just out of it. I don't think he was tired. He just had a bad day."
NOTES: Hoist (11-4-1-5-$210,901)…Mike Puhich has three wins today and three career stakes wins @ EmD…This is the first win @ Emerald Downs for 42 year-old jockey Aaron Gryder, and No. 3,607 in his career…Puhich, Glen Todd (North American Thoroughbred Racing Co.) and Mario Gutierrez combined to win the 2012 Longacres Mile with Taylor Said…Next for 3-year-olds and up: $50,000 Budweiser Handicap, one mile, Sunday, June 16.


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Ocean shipping: Global Port Tracker report calling for strong growth prospects in future quarters
May 31, 2011
Coming off a less-than-stellar first quarter, future prospects for import and export container volumes in Europe are expected to grow over the next six months, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from Hackett Associates and the Bremen Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics.
Ports surveyed in this report include the six major container reports in North Europe: le Havre, Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam, Bremen/Bremerhaven, and Hamburg.
The report stated that total container volumes at these ports in March are estimated to have increased 8.1 percent from February to 3.38 million TEU (Twenty-foot equivalent units) and 9.3 percent on an annual basis. March imports and exports are forecasted to be up 29.9 percent and 18.2 percent, respectively, from February.
It added that following what is to be expected active months in April and May, imports are projected to "settle down" through September, with each port expected to post annual gains but relatively flat sequential gains.
Global Port Tracker also reported that the coming four quarters are expected to result in annual growth for import and export volumes, with imports and exports forecasted to post annual growth through the first quarter of 2012.
While growth is still occurring, it has slowed some somewhat, coupled with excess capacity, which is masking the fact that cargo growth is still occurring, according to Ben Hackett, president of Hackett Associates, in an interview. Another factor weighing into growth projections, cited by Hackett is the pace of consumer spending.
"Consumers are spending less on durable and non-durable items, because they are spending more on food and gasoline," said Hackett. "The excess capacity is coming on at a time when carriers are not removing existing vessels. This is causing freight rates to drop down to 2009 levels. The push made by carriers to increase freight rates has dissipated."
While carriers are currently not removing vessels from rotations at the moment, Hackett said that could possibly occur fairly soon.
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Book your room at Riverwalk Plaza
Get an overview of this hotelOld Mexico ambience by San Antonio's River Walk
In historic district
This 6-story hotel is located in the historic district, an approximate 1-block walk to the River Walk, and 4 blocks from the Alamo, Rivercenter Mall, and San Antonio Convention Center.
Pool and fitness center
Riverwalk Plaza offers a 24-hour fitness center, and a heated courtyard pool.
High-speed Internet
Guestrooms offer complimentary wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, refrigerators, and HBO. Rooms overlook the River Walk, San Antonio, or the courtyard.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us! Opens in a new window
Riverwalk Plaza100 Villita Street Dwyer/Main Plaza San Antonio TX 78205
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Built in 1969 and renovated in 2011, Riverwalk Plaza sits adjacent to the famous River Walk, with all its shopping and dining options residing a block away. This Art Deco hotel features a 24-hour fitness center and an outdoor pool. Guests receive free welcome cookies upon arrival.
Conference facilities include a boardroom with floor-to-ceiling bookcases, exposed brick walls, copper blinds, a large-screen TV, and a conference table with seating for 12. The ballroom, designed for larger events, has a tiled dance floor, stage, and sound system. In all, the 5 meeting/conference rooms encompass 4,000 square feet of facilities and exhibit space.
Additionally, the hotel offers a library, tour assistance, secure covered parking (surcharge), luggage storage, valet laundry services, a lobby piano, and complimentary wireless and wired Internet access available throughout the property. Disabled-accessible facilities and guestrooms are available. Smoking is permitted in designated areas only (fines apply for violations).
- Designated smoking areas (fines apply)
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Library
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Outdoor pool
- Concierge services
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Fitness facilities
- Conference space
- Total number of rooms - 129
- 24-hour front desk
- Express check-out
- Multilingual staff
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Year Built 1969
- Number of floors - 6
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Laundry facilities
- ATM/banking
- Meeting rooms
- Conference space size (meters) - 372
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Bar/lounge
- Coffee shop or café
- Elevator/lift
- Fireplace in lobby
- Computer station
- Designated smoking areas
- Pool umbrellas
- Luggage storage
- Number of meeting rooms - 5
- 24-hour business center
- Conference space size (feet) - 4000
- Television in common areas
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Microwave (on request)
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi , Free wired high-speed Internet
Self parking (surcharge)
Room Amenities
- Premium TV channels
- Premium bedding
- Room service (limited hours)
- Air conditioning
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Phone
- Free local calls
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Microwave (on request)
- Daily housekeeping
- Designer toiletries
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Shower/tub combination
- Cable TV service
- Iron/ironing board
- In-room safe
- Desk
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Flat-panel TV
- Free WiFi
- Free wired high-speed Internet
- Blackout drapes/curtains
Where to Eat
Signature Tapas - City view. Spanish-style appetizers and a large selection of items such as salads, pasta, pizza, and sandwiches. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
- Pets not allowed
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- Resort fee
Optional extras
- Fee for cooked-to-order breakfast: USD 20.00 for adults and USD 5.00 for children (approximately)
- Self parking fee: USD 17.99 per night (in/out privileges)
- Late check-out fee: USD 25
- In-room microwave fee: USD 25 per day
- Rollaway beds are available for an additional fee
Hotel Name
- Riverwalk Plaza
- Riverwalk Plaza Hotel
- Hotel Riverwalk Plaza
- Riverwalk Plaza Hotel And Suites
- Riverwalk Plaza Hotel San Antonio
- Riverwalk Plaza San Antonio
We should mention
A resort fee is included in the total price displayed. Up to 10 children 1 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.


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Registration is underway for all 12 D-Term Verandah experiences that are open to any major. No special skills or experience are necessary to participate. Students can explore Chicago theatre, film music, different cultures, contemporary drama, a museum exhibit about propaganda, sustainability solutions, square dancing, Spanish culture and more. Some experiences are on campus, some off campus.
The D-Term Verandahs and their faculty instructors are:
Home ›


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Do you ever wonder who created your brilliant eggs benny or robust rueben sandwich? Drake puts love + thought into everything we do, so we can't help but to be proud of our kitchen team that make your hunger pains go away.
Continue reading Behind the Scenes: Our Culinary Kings


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Okay, this is (somewhat) Zimbra related, but it's not directly connected to ZOC so I'm putting it here.
I'm just wondering what other sites do when it comes to performing network backups of local outlook folders (.PSTs) that people use either to manually file mail or as targets for Outlook's auto-archive feature.
Apparently Outlook doesn't let backup programs touch the .PSTs while OL is open. I've seen some add-ons that get around this by periodically making local copies. Or do you just tell folks to close Outlook when they leave for the day? What about laptop users?
Another issue is the growth of PSTs and the fact that whenever a message is added/subtracted/modified inside of one, the whole file is going be backed up by the incremental. Do you just figure that Zimbra server storage is cheap and discourage use of offline stores? Do you backup PSTs on a reduced (e.g. weekly) schedule? Does use of PSTs drive your need for backup capacity? Or are PSTs just not a big deal?
Would love to hear other people's experiences and strategies for dealing with this.


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Handcrafted and hand-tuned one-by-one in Roman Made's facility near Lake Biwa, the Roman Made Trick Swimbait is the result of a lifetime of studying bass and their forage. Its double jointed construction provides it with an incredibly lifelike swimming motion, and no matter how fast you burn it, it doesn't get out of control and wash out. The polycarbonate bill extending down below the bait also provides additional resistance and water disturbance, helping to create the vortexes that big fish seem to respond to. Beautifully crafted from wood and incredibly detailed, the Roman Made Trick Swimbait doesn't come along often, so get one while you can!
Roman Made Retrieve Techniques Video
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Customer Reviews
Comments: This bait is fun to fish! You can crank down kill it for a second and then crank again and it will go deeper . Cool trick ! no pun intended. Thanks for the phone consultation TW it was worth the money.
From: David: USA


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Clearwater, Florida -- Many come to Florida to enjoy our warm, sunny weather. I spoke with a family from New York who said that winter weather up north is one they don't miss at all, especially right now.
"I'm so happy I'm here and that I don't have to shovel, I don't have to drive in it, I don't have to worry about going to ShopRite and having a million cars in the parking lot and everybody acting like it's the end of the world," said Angelo Rivera.
INTERACTIVE MAP: Northeast winter storm
That major winter storm in the northeast is a reminder that keeps the snowbirds flocking to Florida every year.
"I'm very glad to be here. In fact, I feel bad because I have some children up there that have to deal with it... but I'm glad I'm here, because I can't."
New Yorker Angelo Rivera said that's exactly why he decided to move here a year ago, just to enjoy the snow from afar.
"I like snow... but from a distance. I'll take it in pictures. That's fine with me!"


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Latest Headlines
Cooler than average temperatures this week.
A company said it has faced challenges since seeking approval to put a care ...
The No. 24 Arkansas baseball team (21-13) raced out to an early lead Wednesday ...
Due to the threat of inclement weather, Arkansas baseball's series opener with ...
CONWAY (Univ of Central Ark) -Nick Harlan is the new associate head coach and pitching coach for the University of Central Arkansas baseball program, Bears head coach Allen Gum announced Monday.
Harlan joins the UCA program after nine years as head coach at York College, an NAIA school in York, Neb. Harlan led the Panthers to five regional berths and four straight Top 25 rankings. York advanced to the NAIA World Series in 2013 and finished with a 42-12 overall record.
"Coach Harlan is going to bring a lot of experience to our program,' said Gum, who led the Bears to a school-record 42 victories, a Southland Conference Tournament title and an NCAA Regional Berth this season. "He's been a head coach, and also a pitching coach, for nine years. His values and character lines up perfectly with what we were looking for in a coach. He's going to being a lot of energy, a lot of knowledge.
"And the most important thing that came through when talking to him in the interview process was the fact that he really wants to help young men reach their goals. And that's what we try to do here at UCA. He embodies the same beliefs that we're trying to accomplish here at UCA.'
Harlan, a native of northern California, began his coaching carer in 2002 as an assistant coach at Feather River Community College in Quincy, Calif. While at Feather River, Harlan helped lead the Golden Eagles to their first California Final Four appearance. He also served as an associate scout for the Philadelphia Phillies during that time.
"I knew that UCA had a respected baseball program,' Harlan said. "And then I had a chance to visit with Coach Gum over the winter at the ABCA convention and get to know him a little bit. First of all, I was just really impressed with him as a person. I knew he had a great reputation as a baseball coach, but after visiting with him, just his character and his leadership ability... he's a great family man.
"When he contacted me about being a part of UCA baseball, that was intriguing. But to know that I might have an opportunity to work with him as a person, I just thought that would be a great situation. A chance for me to be around a great coach and a quality person and to continue to grow. I am really excited about that.'
Harlan's 2013 York team was awarded the Hank Burbridge Champions of Character award, given to the one team in the nation that best exemplifies the five core values of the NAIA: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.
"That's what's so exciting, to be able to work with somebody that has a mission to impact players' lives,' said Harlan. "The whole coaching staff is committed to helping student-athletes reach their full potential here, really in every aspect of their lives. That's my passion as well.
"I knew the baseball aspect of it was great. And I had heard great things about the athletic department and the school as a whole. And when I had a chance to really sit down and visit with Coach Gum, I knew it was a great opportunity to impact the lives of young people. I feel really blessed to be able to join this staff.'
Harlan replaces Kirk Kelley, who left to start the new intercollegiate football program at Lyon College in Batesville.


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While most women understand the importance of cleansing every day to remove impurities from the surface of the skin, many mistakenly believe that just any cleanser will do. The truth is that selecting the wrong cleanser for your skin type or tone or choosing a cheaply-made product can do more harm than good. Whatever your skin care concerns, you need a cleanser product that is formulated specifically for them in order to avoid excessive drying, redness and other skin sensitivity reactions and clogged pores from greasy residues. The NUXE Cleansers collection includes a wide array of products, making it possible to find the perfect solution to your cleansing needs.
The items in the NUXE Cleansers collection have natural ingredients at their core. The lineup of NUXE Cleansers consists of products for dry, oily, sensitive, damaged and aging skin, giving you a variety of options to enhance your complexion while washing away dirt, excess oil, sweat and environmental impurities. Browse the products in the NUXE Cleansers range today to identify the ideal one to give you radiant, healthy, squeaky clean skin.
The skin care experts at NUXE have long been famous for their ability to combine natural ingredients to produce luxurious beauty and skin care products that are tailored to address specific skin care concerns. The NUXE Cleansers collection perfectly exemplifies the NUXE tradition through its lineup of naturally based cleansing solutions. The cleansers from NUXE include products made for every skin type and tone, allowing you to purify and refresh your complexion without side effects like dryness and irritation.
NUXE Reve de Miel Face Cleansing and Makeup Removing Gel removes dirt, oil, environmental impurities and makeup residue with its gentle formula that is ideal for very dry and sensitive skin. The cleanser's balanced formulation does not remove vital moisture from your skin tissue, but still offers an effective, soap-free cleanse. Allantoin contained in the gel even helps replenish moisture levels and soften your skin.
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The first and only off-week of the season came this week. The Cyclone football team was given Friday and Saturday off to recuperate and be with family. In order to give Cyclone fans an inside look at the Iowa State*football team, senior wide receiver Euseph Messiah will be posting a weekly blog at cyclones.com on Friday of each week throughout the football season.
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Maria Sharapova, who was spotted with her handlers headed for Barneys yesterday in New York, attended the 5th anniversary of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund at Skylight Studios last night.
The Russian was one of many celebrities at the event including Oscar-winner Charlize Theron; Gossip Girl's Blake Lively + Penn Badgeley; designers Zac Posen, Vera Wang + Diane Von Furstenberg; and of course Vogue editrix Anna Wintour.
Obviously the chocolate duel-tiered minidress and strappy stilettos are a huge improvement over her casual wear during yesterday's jaunt around The Big Apple.
Shrieka sure does dress up well when she wants to!
(images via mariasharapova.com)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
SIGHTING: Shrieka gets dressy, attends CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund event in New York
Labels: celebrity, fashion, Maria Sharapova, tennis, vogue
16 comments:
shrieka ought to know that blonde girls should wear bright colours, not dull colours like black, grey, navy, etc.ReplyDelete
she always wears such pale colours. it's not striking at all.
- AnonymousNovember 18, 2008 at 11:04 AM
She (or at least her make up artist) should hold a make-up workshop and invite the girls of the WTA and show some of them how it should be done. *cough* JJ *cough*ReplyDelete
vicki: i'm thinking she busted out the brown because it's fall. however, she wore yellow in the spring and of course the ruby red at the us open last year. she (or her stylist) usually has a good idea of what works on her - sometimes she's off by usually she gets it right.ReplyDelete
anon: her makeup here is flawless - very subtle. i'm glad she hasn't started working the bright red lips that i've been seeing lately. ReRe tried it in doha and it just looked horrible.
- AnonymousNovember 18, 2008 at 12:04 PM
someone else connected to tennis was there tooReplyDelete
I think she looks lovely in brown. And her eyes are such a beautiful hue - who knew!ReplyDelete
anon 3:04 - thanks for the link. i don't have a wire image account so if you know where i can get the image of brooklyn i'd love to post it.ReplyDelete
johanne: i love the whole look too.
- AnonymousNovember 18, 2008 at 12:39 PM
there is one of her on getty :pReplyDelete
or isifa.com or newscom.com lol
The best thing about Masha is that she knows what photographs well with respect to both clothes and makeup. I fell like the other girls don't get that. Dani is the worst offender.ReplyDelete
Still, not a fan of those Jimmy Choo gladiator chic shoes.
rich: Maria works with the stylist Rachel Zoe. This is probably why she doesn't make to many fashion missteps.ReplyDelete
c note: i beg to differ here - jj is THE worst offender IMO. hands (and bangs) down.ReplyDelete
allison: noted. let's hope shrieka doesn't follow her dieting tips though. scarily thin is so 90's.
anon 3:39 - thanks for the links. i have getty but the image on getty is not for subscribers...it's for sale. so annoying. the others require subscriptions too. double drats.ReplyDelete
Oh, I agree, JJ is the WORST offender. How that girl, as vain as she is, doesn't realize that we can see all the creases in her caked on makeup is one of life's great mysteries.ReplyDelete
But in terms of someone who really fuglifies herself with her wardrobe, makeup, and hair choices, it's Dani, hands down. She's so cute and she NEVER photographs well. Girl needs to lay off the eye shadow.
- uvijek argenNovember 18, 2008 at 6:59 PM
Thats more like it!..more legs...show me the money : )ReplyDelete
I really love her style here, too. I also don't agree blondes should only wear bright colours. We're no parrots ;). It depends on the type really.ReplyDelete
But I'm with c note on the shoes. I think they're so ugly - kinda reminds me of a cleaning lady, dunno why LOL.
Anyways, the make-up is flawless.
Oh, and I also agree on Dani - she's really gorgeous on tv, but I'm always disappointed of her photos. Something's wrong there.
- AnonymousNovember 19, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Maria looks awesome, great outfit, great shoes, great hair and makeup. It's nice to see a tennis player put their money to work and hire a stylist when going out. I wish other millionaire players would take the hint!ReplyDelete


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WASHINGTON – Metrorail logged its fourth busiest day ever Wednesday thanks to the Cherry Blossom Festival, two professional sports games and an immigration rally and Metro expects high traffic again today.
Based on initial data, passengers took more than 870,171 trips on Metrorail between 5 a.m. and midnight, Metro announced Thursday.
It was the busiest ridership day since April 2, 2010, topping even January's inauguration ridership, and the fourth busiest day in Metrorail's 37-year history.
In addition to visitors trekking to the National Mall to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom, ridership increased Wednesday because both the Nationals and the Wizards played at home adding to the typical rush hour crush. And 30,000 people were expected to attend an immigration reform rally at the U.S. Capitol.
Metro responded by providing additional trains on certain lines. And the transit authority warned riders to avoid certain stations where crowds were expected to be the worst.
Warm temperatures will continue to draw visitors to the Mall again Thursday. The Nationals and Capitols play at home this evening, which will again increase ridership on Metrorail.
Riders should expect crowded trains and stations during the Thursday evening rush hour. Additional Green Line trains will run between Mount Vernon Square and Anacostia stations during the rush to accomodate baseball fans, WMATA said.
Metro General Manager Richard Sales says growing ridership increases the need to expand the rail system's capacity. Metro plans to upgrade its power system and add longer trains.
The new Silver Line will be the first major expansion of the system in years and is slated to help 400,000 riders when it opens late this year.
Related Content:
Follow @WTOPtraffic and @WTOP on Twitter.
Sure, you could grill another hot dog. Or, you could try one of these 30 recipes for foods you never knew you could cook on the grill.


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Hi ,
I am trying to install ZCS open source on RHEL 6 , it fails saying :
DNS ERROR resolving MX for mail.xyz.net
It is suggested that the domain name have an MX record configured in DNS
Re-Enter domain name? [Yes]
I am giving correct hostname mail.xyz.net : it still continues with same thing.
I have domain purchased and A and MX record is pointing to the server that I am installing ZCS:
I am installing on AWS EC2 instance and I have purchased domain( its is not behind NAT/Firewall).
output of zmcontrol -v:
Release 8.0.1_GA_5438.RHEL6_64_20121105164510 RHEL6_64 NETWORK edition.
I have already searched the forum and unable to get this resolved ,appreciate your help on this.


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Crossing the Broken Blue Line
I have no doubt Michael Smithey is a diligent, conscientious police officer; one his boss, Chief Sam Hargadine is proud to have on the Iowa City force. It's Smithey's revelation of personal bias that's troubling when laid bare on the streets he patrols. At first glance, Smithey appears rational as a negotiator, which in the line of duty, doesn't allow for many character flaws. The | Read More »


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Download Gandhi To Hitler's high quality photos from Gandhi To Hitler Pictures Gallery.
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Westlake, OHUSA
May 11, 2012
Founder of Cloud CMS
Shaker | LaunchHouse creates better, smarter, and more successful entrepreneurs in Northeast Ohio by nurturing innovation and creativity.
This meetup group exists to increase the sense of urgency in town while successfully connecting key players, educators, techies, service providers, investors, and cool people. Events will focus on entrepreneurship, business development, sustainability, and fun networking.
Come join us as we build a collaborative startup COMMUNITY in Cleveland and the greater Midwest region.
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The latest edition of BLDG15 Threads is here!
Lately at Free People, we have been really into braids – you might have noticed them on many of our models!
In our latest BLDG15 Threads, we show you (with the help of our hairstylist) how to make three different types of braids – a knot braid, fishtail, and twist-rope braid!
Check out this video below, in which our hairstylist makes a fishtail braid on one of our models while showing us how! You can find a video for the knot braid on BLDG15 Threads, as well as step-by-step instructions and drawings for each braid. Be sure to have a look!
Just for fun, here are a few shots of some girls around the office today, sporting their braids!


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Skype 18.104.22.168 Final (+ Portable) | 35 MB
We all love something for nothing. With Skype?s free software ?? by the way, it works seamlessly with your internet connection ?? you can chat away with free Skype-to-Skype calls and never worry about cost, time or distance. Share the love and get your friends to download Skype so you can talk, chat or make video calls for nothing. You can also make local, long distance and international calls to phones and mobiles at great rates too.
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Chinese New Year feasting
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People who are born under this sign, are a complex mix of personsonality traits, acording to the Chinese Zodiac. They can be loners and may use others to achieve their aims and goals. Their goals may be worthwhile for mankind or could be solely for the gain of the Snake person.
Spectacle and symbolism
Chinese New Year is all about spectacle, from those ubiquitous fireworks and dancing dragons to an assortment of delectable food. That's why it's a holiday anyone can enjoy – and a great time to host a party.
From the décor and color scheme to the food, Chinese New Year is rich in beautiful symbols. If you've got a round table, this is the time to use it, because it is a sign of wholeness. Decorate it with red and gold accents to represent good luck and
During Chinese New Year, the color red is everywhere. People wear red, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "hong bao" (or "lucky money") in red envelopes. That's because the color red symbolizes happiness, abundance and good fortune. It also symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck.
There are all sorts of symbolic foods, each associated with specific blessings or good luck. Noodles – in dishes such as Wonton Soup and Snake Alley Noodles – stand for longevity. Pork symbolizes wealth; whole chicken stands for completeness and prosperity
Supplement the meal with other symbolic foods, such as pot stickers or spring rolls (said to bring prosperity because they resemble gold ingots); a bowl of tangerines or oranges (their Chinese names sound like the words for "luck" and "wealth"); fortune cookies to go with dessert – you can even insert your own customized fortunes for the year ahead. For the ultimate in a customized fortune make homemade fortune cookies and write creative fortunes to delight and amuse your guests. And at exactly the stroke of midnight, open the doors and windows to release the stresses of the old year.
Lucky Day Stir-Fry
1/3 cup stir-fry sauce
1 large clove garlic, pressed
1/2 pound fresh asparagus
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 pound fresh snow peas, trimmed
KeywordsChinese New Year, Fried Rice, Fortune Cookies
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Muscle Car Survivors and Vintage Race Cars!Written by on October 28, 2008 Contributors: John Stunkard Look At These Factory-Fresh Choosins From The Forge Show In Sevierville, Tennessee.
In the modern age, we all look back quite fondly on the era of Detroit's most notorious performance cars. The Hemis, the COPOs, the Bosses, and the Judges-so many of the vehicles we owned or wanted to own have now disappeared, erased by time or youthful indiscretions. Another bummer is the remaining examples have more recently climbed into financial oblivion for many enthusiasts and are now playthings for well-heeled investors, sometimes worth as much as a modest house in most of America.
But this car hobby we all enjoy is also a bridge between the money guys and the rest of us. When we are not fighting to make a bid or trying to measure up for the judges, a lot of us can sit with any other car guy in North America and talk about how hard it was to find an N.O.S. grille or who the best guy to rebuild a motor is, no matter how the numbers may differ on our paychecks.
It is this environment that Tim Lopata wanted to facilitate when he started the Forge Invitational Musclecar Show five years ago. Leave your ego at the door, pal, because this deal is not just about your deal . . . .
The show is about heritage, the glory days of Detroit running roughshod on Main Street, and, as an invitational event, is always different. As a result, the Forge gets a very eclectic mix of iron each year. Held in 2007 inside the multimillion-dollar Sevierville Events Center near Knoxville, Tennessee, the two-day event brings together some of the rarest musclecars in the nation. By carefully selecting the show field beforehand, Lopata and his family let the cars and their stories speak for themselves, so the money men are on equal footing with single-car-owning families, one-owner survivor examples, and others. One saying has been that "everyone leaves here humbled," because no matter how rare your machine might be, someplace in this room is something that may equal or exceed it.
The '07 show highlighted Chrysler's legendary Hemi and Six Pack cars, from the lightweights of '64 to the crazy-colored machines of '71. The event hall had room for just more than 100 cars altogether, and 50 percent of these bled Mopar orange. Still, the Lopata family had called out some pretty serious GM and Ford iron together as well.
The show is not judged, so there was no consensus on what the rarest or best car was on hand. We'll let the pictures tell that story for you, but if you can't pick a favorite or a winner, we'll understand. Everyone leaves here humbled . . . .
Like the Forge Show? For more info on this once-a-year event, jump on to forgemuscle carshow.com to see more photos and up-to-date info on the '08 event to be held September 12-13 in Sevierville, Tennessee.
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Also on hand were an authentic '69 Camaro pace car courtesy of Larry Christenson of Colorado's Camaros Plus and a real '67 396 L78 official pace car replica.Todd Warner collects real race cars. Every machine he brought up was an authentic piece of Mopar history; in addition to his earlier cars, he had several cars from 1971, including Richard Petty's NASCAR-raced '71 Road Runner and Bill McGraw's Rod Shop Charger, which was the Hemi pilot car for the '71 model run. Warner brought two truckloads of cars to this year's event.Options? We got your options. This '70 Chevelle SS396 originally sold through Berger Chevrolet and had two factory window stickers. Convertible, red interior, air conditioning, power everything, and more-a total of 46 different options. Owners Don and Francis Crowe of Georgia performed the world-class restoration on it.Look at this barn find. This one is a real '71 Olds 4-4-2 W30 convertible. It was just found and is now owned by Phil Welch of Georgia.Looking for a project? Noted vendor Rich Maksym of Coast-to-Coast Camaro Parts had this rough-but-real COPO Camaro for sale at his booth. We didn't see a price. If you have to ask . . . .In late 1970 or early 1971, Butch McGorman purchased this 428 Mach 1, and it has remained unrestored. If the paint looks familiar, you're an old guy. Yes, this car was one of the Ford Mustangs that went to Vietnam under the tutelage of Al "The Lawman" Eckstrand and is reportedly one of two left.......(Bill Goldberg owns the blown "Super Boss.") Ford designer Hau Thai-Tang recalls that as a child it was the sight of one of Eckstrand's program cars that led his direction on the '05 Mustang redesign. Perhaps it was this car.
A real Z11? Hank Gabbert found and restored the "Good Ole Mr. Wilson" Impala, one of the 50 Chevrolet factory drag cars from '63. The late Ronnie Sox was the tuner and occasional driver of this beast back in the day.What's the next hot thing? Well, here's a fresh field find for starters. It's a real '60s-era B/Gas '55 Chevrolet. Tom Abbott found it on a farm, where it rotted for decades as the owner was "gonna restore it someday." While that day will come,......Tom admits he is going to show it for a while like this to let people know that tomorrow never comes for most of the cars left outside.Big Galaxies were on a diet by '64 but still got some stout 427 power under the hood. This car belongs to Larry and Connie Davis of Hueytown, Alabama....a later example with a 428 mill under the hood. With 39,000 on the ticker, it was here courtesy of Robert Hurst of Campton, Kentucky.