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Hollywood's finest hit the Oscars red carpet Sunday as the sun emerged just in time for the 86th Academy Awards, the most fiercely contested show in decades with no clear frontrunner for the top prize.
Storm clouds which had threatened to rain on the pre-show celebrity fashion parade mostly lifted, as stars headed along the Hollywood Boulevard runway for the climax of Tinseltown's annual awards season.
Harrowing historical drama "12 Years a Slave," 3D space thriller "Gravity" and 1970s crime caper "American Hustle" are hotly tipped to take the top prizes at Sunday night's show, starting at 5:30 pm (0130 GMT Monday).
Briton Chiwetel Ejiofor, up for best actor for "12 Years a Slave," was among the early arrivals, as were "American Hustle" star Amy Adams -- in deep blue Gucci -- and Ejiofor's co-star Lupita Nyong'o, up for best supporting actress and stunning in pale blue Prada.
- 'Surreal moment'' -
"It's quite a surreal moment," Ejiofor told CNN, adding that "it would be amazing" to win. But he stressed: "One of the proudest things... is that people have received the film in the spirit in which it was made."
Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs told AFP: "This has been an incredible year for films. We see it with the foreign-language films and the documentary films, animated films, live-action films.
"It's really been a fantastic year."
On the acting front, Cate Blanchett is favorite for her turn in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine," while Matthew McConaughey is widely fancied to strike Oscars gold for his portrayal of homophobic HIV-positive AIDS activist Ron Woodroof in "Dallas Buyers Club."
Jared Leto's role as Woodroof's unlikely transgender business partner has put him ahead of the field for best supporting actor, and Nyong'o could take home a statuette for her big-screen debut in "12 Years a Slave."
"My heart is telling me it's going to be a good night," Nyong'o told CNN.
- 'Very intense season' -
On the eve of Hollywood's biggest night, "12 Years a Slave" scored a last-minute boost by winning best feature and best director for Briton Steve McQueen on Saturday at the Independent Spirit Awards.
McConaughey, Leto, Blanchett and Nyong'o took home the acting awards, further cementing their status as the ones to beat for the prized Oscar statuettes.
But experts agree that, while some categories may be seemingly settled, all bets are off for the big prize of the night, the best picture Oscar, which will be handed out at the end of the show hosted by US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.
"It's been a very intense season because there's been so many good films," industry journal Variety's awards editor Tim Gray told AFP in the run-up to the Oscars.
"The very last envelope that's opened is going to be very suspenseful."
The 6,000 or so voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences cast their ballots over 12 days starting on Valentine's Day and ending on Tuesday.
- Too close to call -
The best picture race is so close that the winner could come down to only a few votes, under the Academy's preferential voting system. Under the rules, voters rank all nine nominated films.
They are: "American Hustle," "Captain Phillips," "Dallas Buyers Club," "Gravity," "Her," "Nebraska," "Philomena," "12 Years a Slave" and Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street."
Those with the least first-place votes are dropped, and their votes given to the next highest-ranked nominees. This continues until one movie has 50 percent plus one vote.
Topping nominations are "American Hustle" and Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron's "Gravity," with 10 nods apiece, followed by "12 Years a Slave," a true story of a free black man sold into slavery, with nine.
Cuaron is the frontrunner for the best director prize, and his star Sandra Bullock earned high praise for her work in the spectacular space drama, prompting some to suggest she could cause an upset in the best actress race.
But Australia's Blanchett remains the firm favorite in that category, despite a strong field also containing Meryl Streep ("August: Osage County"), Judi Dench ("Philomena") and Amy Adams ("American Hustle").
- Golden Raspberries -
The star-studded Oscars broadcast will feature performances by Irish rockers U2, playing their nominated song from "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," and a first Oscars turn by veteran Bette Midler.
The anti-Oscars Razzies were handed out Saturday for Hollywood's worst films of 2013.
Sci-fi flop "After Earth" starring Will Smith and son Jaden earned three Golden Raspberries, while spoof comedy compilation "Movie 43" won worst picture, in Hollywood's annual hall of shame.


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The lineup for the fifth annual Ferdinand Folk Festival was announced during the "Halfway the to the Folk Fest" fundraiser on Saturday, March 15, 2014.
Acclaimed musician Hayes Carll, who has four albums to his credit, will headline this year's festival. The Austin, Texas, native is currently on tour with Bob Schneider, playing select intimate shows around the country. Find a complete list of dates on his website.
Also included on the lineup are Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts, The Leonard Washingtons, Andrea Davidson, Wild Carrot, Wyvern, and Sisters of Second Avenue.
The Ferdinand Folk Festival will take place on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at Ferdinand's 18th Street Park. The festival is free to all attendees. Artisans items, food vendors, and activities will be available for patrons. For more information, including maps and festival features, click here.

subset: commoncrawl


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More New and Used
from Private Sellers
Note: Supplemental materials are not guaranteed with Rental or Used book purchases.
Bird's-Eye View of Life with ADD and ADHD : Advice from young survivors, second Edition
ISBN13:by Dendy, Chris A. Zeigler; Zeigler, Alex; Zeigler, Alex
Cherish the Children
This book was written specifically for teenagers and children with input from twelve teens and a young adult who are living with ADHD. BEV offers factual information and practical strategies in words and examples that young people can easily understand and put into practice. Dr. Barkley, a leading ADHD expert, says "without exception, this is the best book I have reviewed to date for teens with ADHD & their parents. It is clear, concise, engaging, witty, entertaining, and at times appropriately irreverent, yet more importantly it is founded on the science of ADHD not just anecdotes." Because it is an interesting, accurate resource, one university professor is using this as a study guide for parents of children with ADHD.
Author Biography
Zeigler Dendy, an author of three popular books on ADHD, has over 40 years experience as a former teacher, school psychologist, mental health counselor and administrator, and national consultant on children's mental health. She presents nationally and internationally on ADD and ADHD. As a result of her contributions to the field, she was inducted into the national CHADD Hall of Fame. Zeigler, an adult with ADHD, is an author, graphic artist, and now co-producer of a new DVD on ADHD


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April 25, 2003
Stanford, Calif. - The Stanford Rugby program has been chosen by USA Rugby to host the 2003 Collegiate Rugby Championships on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4 at Steuber Rugby Stadium.
"We could not be more pleased to hold this event," Stanford Associate Athletic Director Ray Purpur said. "The long tradition of rugby at Stanford, and our new clubhouse, stadium and field make this the perfect venue to host this national championship."
Unveiled in a dedication ceremony on Saturday, March 8, the Steuber Rugby Stadium and the Doyle Family Clubhouse form Stanford's newest athletic venue. The 762-seat capacity stadium and adjoining clubhouse combine to form the top collegiate rugby facility in the country. It is also the only rugby field in the U.S. to conform to international standards. The new facilities were made possible by donations of the Steuber and Doyle families and many other generous alumni committed to providing the club sport with a top-notch place to play.
"It's a great pleasure to work with Stanford as host for our Collegiate Rugby Companionships," USA Rugby CEO Doug Arnot said. "Stanford has a strong commitment to the game of rugby. This tournament will be evidence of that energy. USA Rugby is also very excited about the outstanding television coverage of this year's collegiate championships on College Sports Television (CSTV). This coverage will give exposure to the fastest growing club sport among colleges in America, and will showcase Stanford's exceptional athletic facilities and academic institutions."
The event features teams from across the United States. The men's bracket will feature defending national champion California, Air Force, Army and Harvard. The women's bracket includes defending national champion Air Force, Illinois, Penn State and UC San Diego.
The schedule for the 2003 Collegiate Rugby Championships is as follows:
Saturday, May 3
Women's Semifinal Illinois vs. UC San Diego, 10:00 a.m.
Women's Semifinal Air Force vs. Penn State, 12:00 p.m.
Men's Semifinal Army vs. Harvard, 2:00 p.m.
Men's Semifinal California vs. Air Force, 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 4
Women's Consolation Game 10:00 a.m.
Men's Consolation Game 12:00 p.m.
Women's Championship Game 2:00 p.m.
Men's Championship Game 4:00 p.m.


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Google's Best Managers - How do You Stack Up?
By User12601034-Oracle on Apr 01, 2011
I read an article the other day titled "Google's Quest to Build a Better Boss." The article was interesting in that it described Google's "Project Oxygen" – an in-depth study of Google's management to determine what makes the best managers at Google the best.
Interestingly, the list of behaviors that make managers great at Google reads like a Harvard Business Review "Best of" list. The eight behaviors – in order of importance in Google's environment – are:
- Be a good coach
- Empower your team and don't micromanage
- Express interest in team members' success and personal well-being
- Don't be a sissy: Be productive and results-oriented
- Be a good communicator and listen to your team
- Help your employees with career development
- Have a clear vision and strategy for the team
- Have key technical skills so you can help advise the team
Even more interestingly, having technical skills on par with the team that you're leading came in dead last. This can serve as a reminder that when you move from an individual contributor position into a manager position, you begin employing a different skill set. Yes, your technical skills count, but they become less important than your ability to connect.
In addition, Google camp up with three pitfalls that negatively impact the success of a manager:
- Having trouble making a transition to the team
- Lacking a consistent approach to performance management and team development
- Spending too little time on managing and communicating
As a result of this study, Google's People Analytics team determined that the most important thing a manager can do is connect with their people and be accessible to their people. Although the Google project doesn't provide any new "secret" to managerial success, it does provide a reminder of what's important if you're a leader of people, a manager of people, or a mentor of people.
Spend some time reviewing the list and reviewing you behaviors to see how you stack up against Google's best!


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Ford Motor Company Flooded With Front-Month Call Activity
Schaeffer's Investment Research
Ford call players head to the near-term options pits.
Ford Motor Company
(NYSE:F) has been ambushed by bullish speculators today, as roughly 146,000 calls have changed hands so far. This is more than triple the equity's expected intraday call volume, and about five times the number of puts traded. Receiving the most play is the March 13.50 call, where over 41,700 contracts have crossed the tape -- 95% of them off the ask price, signaling buyer-fueled volume.
More specifically, these calls were exchanged at a volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of $0.03. Because this option presently carries open interest of just 50 contracts -- and implied volatility has climbed 6.5 percentage points during the course of the session -- it can be assumed that new positions are being added here. In order for traders to realize a profit on these bought-to-open calls, F must surmount the $13.53 level (strike price plus VWAP) by front-month expiration, which occurs at the close this Friday.
This uptick in call volume is more of the same for the auto giant. Data from the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) shows a 20-day call/put volume ratio of 2.64 for F. Or in simpler terms, calls bought to open have more than doubled puts during the past month. However, this heavy accumulation of bullish bets could end up translating into options-related resistance down the road.
What's more, short interest on F declined by nearly 44% during the past two reporting periods, and now accounts for just 1.4% of the equity's available float. It would take less than two days to buy back these shorted shares, at the stock's average pace of trading. In other words, the security is unlikely to benefit from any future short-covering activity.
This optimism toward F seems rather unfounded, considering the stock has tacked on less than 3% year-to-date, and has lagged the broader
S&P 500 Index
(INDEXSP:.INX) by almost 11 percentage points during the past 40 sessions. Still, even if the equity fails to rise north of the 13.50 strike by expiration on Friday, the most today's call players have at risk is the premium paid.
This article by Terri Stridsberg was originally published on
Schaeffer's Investment Research
Below, find some more great content from Schaeffer's Investment Research:
Daily Game Plan - Expiration Week
Chart of the Day - Reader Request - 3D
Halozyme Therapeutics (HALO) Barraged by Bulls Following Uptick
No positions in stocks mentioned.


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On Sunday, September 8, 2013 from 2 to 4 pm, author and ArchiTech Gallery owner David Jameson will sign copies of Alfonso Iannelli: Modern by Design in the place where most of the art began. Details after the jump...
For nearly half a century, artist Alfonso Iannelli, based in Park Ridge, Illinois, led a remarkable movement to transform the way American art was viewed. Chicagoans know some of his iconic work – the sculpted Rock of Gibraltar on the Prudential Building, the signs of the Zodiac at the Adler Planetarium, the distinctive Art Deco décor of the landmark Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge. For the 125th anniversary of Iannelli's birth, David Jameson of Chicago's ArchiTech Gallery authored the first comprehensive Iannelli biography.
Iannelli was a painter, sculptor and designer, working with acoustics and industrial product development in addition to various collaborations with Frank Lloyd Wright, John Lloyd Wright, Barry Byrne, Edgar Miller and Bruce Goff. His wife, Margaret Spaulding Iannelli, also contributed designs, especially fashions and children's textbook illustrations during her career.
Through September, at ISHC, Iannelli fans will be able to see selected pieces from an exhibit, curated by Chicago Cultural Historian Tim Samuelson, which closed downtown in August. In addition to the September 8, 2013 event, the Kalo Foundation will welcome visitors from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and from 1 to 4 pm.
Be sure to come see the place where it all happened, meet the people behind this exciting book, and take-in some excellent original Iannelli artwork--See you there!
Image via PrairieMod


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June 18, 2013
Video: Sun Devil Women's Basketball Update
TEMPE, Ariz. - Season tickets starting at only $49 are now on sale for the Sun Devil women's basketball team's 2013-14 home slate. The non-conference portion of the home schedule is highlighted by back-to-back games against 2013 NCAA Tournament participants Miami (Dec. 21) and Syracuse (Dec. 30).
"We have a really challenging home schedule this season, but we know it's one that our fans are really going to enjoy," said Sun Devil head coach Charli Turner Thorne, who will be entering her 17th season at ASU. "We are also excited about the introduction of our $49 general admission season ticket. It's great to be able to offer that affordable option to our fan base."
The Sun Devils will open their 2013-14 campaign on Sat., Nov. 9 when they host 2013 WNIT participant Hawaii. ASU will then have back-to-back road games at San Diego (2013 WNIT Participant) on Nov. 13 and at Texas Tech (2013 NCAA Tournament participant) on Nov. 17. The Sun Devils will return home to face Providence on Nov. 23 before travelling to Cancun, Mexico, for a Thanksgiving weekend tournament (Nov. 27-30) that will include games against Arkansas State, Illinois (2013 WNIT participant) and North Carolina (2013 NCAA Tournament participant).
The Sun Devils will start the month of December by hosting the ASU Classic Dec. 7-8. All three of this year's ASU Classic participants - Harvard, Long Beach State and Sacred Heart - qualified for the WNIT last season. ASU will then travel to Fullerton, Calif., for a Dec. 14 game against Cal State Fullerton, before rounding out its non-conference schedule with the aforementioned contests against Miami and Syracuse.
The Pac-12 portion of ASU's schedule will be announced later this summer.
To order season tickets, fans can contact the Sun Devil ticket office at 480-965-5812 or go online at www.sundeviltickets.com.


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I hate it when they try that passive aggressive route of talking to you through the baby. If you've got something to say, say it to me. :eye
Printable View
Feeling the pressure here too. :shrug not sure why though!
My MIL pressured us to supplement, feed rice cerial and wean early from day 1. What finally worked for me was to not engage. I just said ' I understand that you think that'. I'd suggest trying to disengage from the argument a bit if you can this time. Likely no amount of discussion will change their minds. Also, pull your LO aside and talk to him about it. Tell him that nursing is a special thing the two of you share, no matter what anyone else says. And remind him that when he stops is up to him. Then when you her the comment to him about 4 more months, just say something like "Onr day you'll be ready to be done nursing, but not today, right!"
I found that with some people trying to discuss the issue is pointless!
I've been saying "Joe is weaning, but I want to do it gently and gradually." Never mind if it takes a YEAR or more to do it, right? But it sounds like your family is a bit more up in your biz than mine - I think my family mostly asks out of genuine curiosity. They certainly don't undermine me by saying things to Joe about it! Sorry you have to deal with that - I think in your case, perhaps a more pointed statement is called for.
i agree, the whole "magic number" thing is ridiculous to me. people with no information/real reasons about why weanin at any particular age always cling to a certain age, as though by virtue of the age alone, their argument makes sense.:rolleyes: "it's just time...." no, it's time for you to butt out of my mothering decisions.
that said, it's very hard to deal w/ when it's family, even worse when it's a MIL. my MIL was the same way.. "no need past 1", etc. i just stopped talking to her about it. if it was ever brought up in her presence, i'd just brush right past the issue, and i think it was obvious to her that it wasn't up for discussion, so she kept quiet...
hang in there, mama..:hug


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Wow, it's been quite a ride this past week. The stock market roller coaster is not for the faint of heart. The debt ceiling deal was signed by President Obama and all hell broke loose after that. The investors stepped back, looked at the economy and saw that it was not doing well. In addition, S&P downgraded the US credit rating from AAA to AA+.
I thought the interest rate would go up a bit with the downgrade, but the opposite happened. Usually, if a security is more risky, the interest rate rises to compensate for the risk. However, the US bond interest rate lowered even after the downgrade. This happened because investors still trust US bonds and they have no confidence in the stock market. Many investors sold their stocks and moved their money to the safer US bond, driving the interest rate lower. The credit rating might have been downgraded, but US securities still the best game in town. Unfortunately, I locked the rate for our 4 plex financing before the interest rate dropped. This week, the rate is down 0.125% from 2 weeks ago. Doh! This will teach me to not assume anything.
Back to the stock market. The uncertainty of the debt ceiling debate, economy slowdown, and S&P downgrade all drove investors to act.
As an investor, here are some of our options.
- BUY more stocks. If you have extra money in the emergency fund, this might be a chance to get some quality stocks for a discount.
- HOLD and stay the course. Go have a slushy, enjoy the summer, and ignore the news. Let the auto contribution do it's thing and dollar cost average.
- SELL first, ask questions later. Many investors sold their stocks on August 4th. This prevented further losses, but the herd mentality also drove the stock market lower.
- SHORT the market. I think this is very risky, but many people must have been making a lot of money over the last few days.
I confess that I'm the investor #2 in this list. We have been through the dot com bubble and the 2008 down turn so I'm somewhat used to the roller coaster ride. I don't have a conniption anymore when the DOW drops 600 points.
This year, we have a few extra dollars in our emergency fund so I think I will invest in a few quality blue chip stocks during this downturn. I'll also take this chance to contribute to the 529 by investing $2,000 now and then $2,000 near the end of the year. This will spread out the risk a little bit. I guess I'm leaning more toward #1 this year. I am terrible at market timing so I'll leave #4 to the professionals. There is no way I can get rich shorting stocks.
Our investment timeline is still 20+ years and I know there will be downturns here and there. If I had needed to withdraw money next year, I would have been panicking a little bit. Then again, I would have most of my money in a safer investment like the US bond.
What about you? What have you been doing over the last week? Did you give yourself an ulcer from looking at the stock?
roller coaster photo credit – flickr _PaulS_


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Tulsa's Tyler Henderson Named AVCA All-America Second Team
Dec. 12, 2012
IRVING, Texas - For the third consecutive year, Tulsa senior Tyler Hendersonhas been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America second team, the organization announced Wednesday.
C-USA also has eight players earning honorable mention accolades. Rice and UTEP top the chart with two honorees each, while SMU, Tulsa, UAB and UCF each have one award winner.
Henderson, a native of Oklahoma City, is the only player in Conference USA history to earn second team honors and appear on three consecutive AVCA teams. This also marks a first for the Golden Hurricane program. A three-time C-USA Player of the Year, Henderson led the NCAA in kills per set (5.22) and points per set (5.79) this season. She also accomplished this feat as a sophomore in 2010.
Henderson recorded double-digit kills in 33 tilts and 20-or-more kills 14 times this year. She ends her collegiate career ranked second in the league with 2,525 career kills (5.22 kps), the most in NCAA Division 1 history during the 25-point rally scoring era. She also has scored a C-USA record 2,711.5 career points (5.60 pps). Tulsa finished the season with a 26-10 record, and made its third straight appearance in the NCAA Championship. The Golden Hurricane also won its third consecutive C-USA title.
2012 AVCA All-America Teams
Honorable Mention
More Headlines


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College Hockey:New group has Wisconsin-Eau Claire brimming with confidence
Expectations rise when a team wins a national championship.
Those expectations carry over into the next season, even if the team does have a different look than it did during the title run.
Wisconsin-Eau Claire is adjusting to life with the bulls-eye once again, ranked No. 1 in the nation and attracting every opponent's best shot like a magnet.
Eau Claire coach Matt Loen said it's taken time for this team to come together and yet, the Blugolds are unbeaten through four games.
"It can be very tough because we lost a lot of good players from last year's team," Loen said. "We had a very good group of upperclassmen and we're still working on gelling as a team and getting acclimated to each other."
The Blugolds have won three of their four games by two or more goals and Loen is happy with the way the team has played up to this point.
"So far, so good," Loen said. "We've been challenged by very good opponents and we've been able to find a way to win. We've had different guys step up and we are just continuing to work to get better as a team."
What has been helpful for the Blugolds in the early going is their play on the defensive end of the ice. Eau Claire returned its top five defensemen this season, including David Donnellan, who has been effective on offense as well with four goals and an assist.
Forward Ethan Nauman has tallied two goals and forward Joe Krause has racked up two goals as well.
"Our defense has been our biggest strength," Loen said. "We have played very good defense and that's been important to our success and has been a big help as we work to get going on offense."
The Blugolds have tallied 16 goals in their first four games and goalie Tyler Green has started three times, giving up four goals and making 82 saves. He has won in all three of his starts.
"Tyler has done a good job and it helps that he has a veteran defense in front of him," Loen said. "He's been solid for us and will continue to get better as the year goes on."
Eau Claire still has seven games remaining in the first half of the year and Loen wants his team to continue to make strides as it builds toward making another championship run.
"Our younger players will gain a lot of experience and we just want to keep playing good hockey," Loen said. "Our goal is to be playing our best hockey in the second half. We want to be at our best when it matters most."
CLOSE CALL: Wisconsin-Stout gave nationally-ranked St. Thomas all it could handle in a 1-0 loss to the Tommies on Saturday night.
The Blue Devils did not give up a goal in the first two periods, but Charlie Adams scored in the third to secure the win.
Stout missed out on several opportunities to score on the power play as it came up empty on four chances. St. Thomas, though, wasn't much better as it went 0-for-6.
Corey Koop played a tremendous game in goal as he racked up 29 saves, including 24 in the first two periods. Stout is 2-4 on the season. Koop has started all six games this year and has racked up 156 saves. He has allowed 13 goals and has a save percentage of .923.
OT BATTLE: Wisconsin-River Falls went toe-to-toe with Augsburg Saturday night in Minneapolis and lost 3-2 in overtime. It was the first loss of the year for the Falcons, who are 2-1-1 on the year.
Mike Fazio gave River Falls a 1-0 lead in the opening period and the Falcons stretched their lead to 2-0 on a goal by Willie Hess. Augsburg scored the next three goals, though, to put the game away.
Scott Lewan took the loss in goal as he gave up all three goals and made 23 saves. River Falls was outshot 26-23.
River Falls has scored 13 goals on the year and has given up nine. The goal by Fazio on Saturday was his first of the season. Hess leads the Falcons in goals with five and has also dished out one assist.
The following is a self-policing forum for discussing views on this story. Comments that are derogatory, make personal attacks, are abusive, or contain profanity or racism will be removed at our discretion. USCHO.com is not responsible for comments posted by users. Please report any inappropriate or offensive comments by clicking the "Flag" link next to that comment in order to alert the moderator.
Please also keep "woofing," taunting, and otherwise unsportsmanlike behavior to a minimum. Your posts will more than likely be deleted, and worse yet, you reflect badly on yourself, your favorite team and your conference.


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Disbarred attorney takes money for surrogacy business; baby never delivered
Team 10 reporter attacked while asking questions
SAN DIEGO - A local con man who has been ripping off people for years – and even served time in jail – is back at it again, Team 10 has found. The man is a disbarred attorney, and tried to attack the Team 10 reporter asking questions about his alleged current scam.
Team 10 has done many stories on Steven Liss - who goes by several names, and opens up businesses under new names. He moves his office around, though he seems to prefer the beach area.
"There's a woman in Idaho," said Investigative Reporter Mitch Blacher as he followed Liss on a San Diego sidewalk. "You took her $7,500, after promising her a baby – why don't you give her money back?"
A woman who didn't want to give her last name, said Liss promised her a baby. Melissa told Team 10 she was desperate to adopt a baby after the birth of her stillborn son.
"It actually sounded like a great opportunity," Melissa from Idaho said. She added Liss took advantage of her when she was at an emotional vulnerable point. She said Liss took her money, but never was able to adopt a baby through his business.
Team 10 also talked to another woman with another complaint against Liss.
Andrea Zelones said she was contacted by Liss about an administrative assistant position at his business.
"I Googled him because I would Google anyone I would work for," Zelones said.
She found several past Team 10 stories on Liss, including when his attorney's license was revoked by the California Bar Association.
"I went oh my goodness," she said.
His license was revoked for cheating clients in many different cases, including divorce and adoptions.
Zelones said Liss told her he was successful in the surrogacy business, and in creating new families.
"He says he places hundreds of ads a week, looking for surrogates and donors," Zelones said.
Because he is disbarred, it is illegal for Liss to advertise a family law practice, but that is what Team 10 found him doing. The ad led Team 10 to his most recent office in Pacific Beach. However, Liss would not answer any questions about Melissa's baby or his surrogacy business.
Instead, Liss used something to assault the reporter after a struggle over the camera used to record him.
"He preys on people who are willing to do anything," Melissa said. "When you hit that emotional spot in your life, tragedies happen like that, he preys on those emotions."
Liss tried to grap Blacher's phone when he realized the reporter was recording him. After a brief struggle, Liss let go of the phone and the reporter's hands, and started to cross Pacific Beach Drive headed east.
As Blacher followed him and continued to ask questions, Liss swung a bag filled with garbage at the reporter. The bag opened, and spilled litter on the road. Liss picked it all up, and then kept walking through someone's personal property to get to an alley to get away from Team 10.
Team 10 filed a police report.
Liss has been arrested, convicted, and disbarred. Team 10 wondered how he can keep scamming women, and took the question to the district attorney's office. A spokesperson said they were looking into the case. Team 10 will later report on what they find.
Steven Liss tried to convince Melissa from Idaho he could be trusted. She had seen the stories 10News had done on the disbarred attorney but she was desperate for a child to replace her stillborn son. Liss was aware of her personal circumstances and would keep the pressure on this Idaho women for four years.
He eventually was able to get Melissa to send him $7500 to cover the fees for an adoption the disbarred attorney said he was handling. There would be no baby. It's not the first time we have reported on how Liss has promised a baby to eager parents and not delivered.
You can see the initial e mail contacts by Liss in October, 2011 and a portion of the communications to Melissa until she paid him the last of the money.
Team10 was contacted last year by Melissa when she began to realize he had scammed her just as he has done others. Melissa told us that Liss would sign emails with other people's names to make it look like he had considerable staffing. She says she eventually figured it was just part of his effort to give his claims legitimacy. For example, Melissa says the February 26, 2013 e mail, was an example of Liss pretending to be one of his own staff.
Oct 10, 2011 12:44 PM, LISS
Melissa, Will you deposit $1500 tomorrow and we can target some BMs close to you. I think you recall babies take 9 months to cook. Thus, you can look to that datish to adopt a child. You have placed me in a very uncomfortable, unfair position at this time. You know I have a boutique practice, working with a small numbers of special adoptive parents at a time. I am moving offices and thus won't be able to provide you ad copy for 5-7 days. Please make this small deposit tomorrow. Thank you.
Feb 26, 2013 at 3:55 PM, LISS as his staff member
Thank you for your contact! You have no idea how crazy it is as all other APs have been chomping at the bit for weeks, begging, crying, pleading,and particularly today, Jess' deadline for you guys. Are you depositing the $3000 today, or just $1500 today, and $1500 Friday? Please do not miss our bank's close, 6pm, as this BM will be gone thereafter. Mr.Liss will be so sad, and somehow I will feel it is my fault, but I have tried so hard for you guys because Mr. Liss has wanted this so bad for you, I feel like I have known you guys forever. Please, on Friday, do not do this to me all day....Please go through the Birthmother letter and correct the grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It was such a heartfelt letter. Please make it to our bank very soon. I hate this drama. G-d Bless you.
Feb 26, 2013 at 3:30 PM, MELISSA
bank deposit will be in probably close to closing time so it might not show until morning and you guys have the only bm letter i have the original is she decides she'd rather come here we will make it work. i do have a few questions like what is the paper work process gonna be and how much money will i have to have while there?
Feb 27, 2013 at 9:36 AM, LISS as his staff member
What Bank of A did you make the deposit, as the one in Sandpoint did not receive it, nor has any record of it. Do you have your receipt? I may be losing my job, as I already told everyone this was complete as of 10am yesterday! What B of A did you go to? There is no other B of A for 50 miles? Please let me know asap. Thank you!
March 1, 2013 at 3:10 PM, LISS
Please make sure the 500 from the 1500 promised 2 daus (sic) ago gets deposited today also do we can try to make this work. Please confirm. Thank you.
Mar 1, 2013 12:51 PM PST, LISS
I have requested Jessica's materials be sent back to us, and will then forward them to you next week. We were given until 3pm today to confirm a 2000 deposit. If it does not occur, she will go with either 2 other
families, for each child as she needs help. We can try to match you with a baby due in July, if your student loan and tax refunds become available. We had hoped to keep the kids together. Additionally, we never received
insurance or your birthmother letter, needed to travel with Joseph. Did you make a deposit yesterday? Please respond by text and email. We hope it can work for you. Thank you.
March 1, 2013, 11:12 AM, MELISSA
the only pictures i have are two of joseph i need an ultrasound pic of baby due in june still. I am with carol as i type this but she really had planned on looking at a profile which still has yet to be provided. The deposit can and will happen today as long as you get me the things im asking for.
Mar 1, 2013 10:56 AM, LISS
Please make sure deposit happens today. We asked for Jessica's materials to be sent back, but she needs to know of your commitment. It is urgent at this time. You should already have her photos. Please text and email. Thank you.
March 1, 2013, MELISSA
the deposit for 1500 has been made as promised
April 22, 2013 LISS
We are assuming, this is a no go. There are no more miracles here. You complain of not calling, but we call, leave messages, no word. We had suggested a large lump sum, to handle future catastrophes in your life, which seem to occur, and other unforeseen
April 25, 2013, LISS as his staff member
I am sorry if you provided this info but need to make sure new house is child proofed for mobil kids, and if all up to snuff, for the next fourteen days. We have tried to craft parameters for all to come together. One friend may have to stay a few weeks, but can work, help. Please make sure $1500 is deposited by Friday am as early as possible so things can move forward. You informed us of the ICPC issues, if any, can be handled by you on your end. We are so excited. Thank you so
April 27, 2013, MELISSA
health coverage for joseph can start immediately upon his arrival as I stated we have already added him but need his social security number to complete the addition on to our policy. the names we have decided
on is first for joseph his name will be xxxxxxxxxxxx ( we are trying to keep his first name still incorporated into his full name) and for the baby girl we have chosen xxxxxxxxxx
April 27, 2013, LISS as his staff member
Thank you so very much. Did you deposit the $1500 yet? I am so >sorry for all this back/forth uncertainties. Also, please forward your Dear >BM letter, your pics, and home study by Monday, at your convenience. Please
confirm all. Thank you.
Friday, May 3, 2013, LISS
How are you doing? Do you work with an individual mental health professional or support groups? We know these uncertainties, infertility, is very stressful. The additional trials and tribulations of parenting mix into it. I know nothing new. We just care so immensely for you. Please let us know when deposit will occur, and your docs will arrive. Thank you so much.


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Recently I read a news story that reported on groups and gangs of un-humaned guns as they roam the streets of America attacking, wounding, and even killing innocent citizens of the United States in what appears to be mindless and senseless acts of blatant "Gun Violence" against humans. Here is the article:
The Free Zombie Press
Your News Source For The Truth, We Write, We Decide, You Believe
Reporter Ima Selout
Early this morning a group of AK 47's for no apparent reason other than what appears to be racially motivated violence attacked a man as he was leaving a sporting goods store after purchasing a Glock 9 mm handgun. An eye witness to the crime who spoke to us at the request of remaining annonymous for fear of retaliation because they do not own any weapons to protect themself said that one of the assailants was heard saying as he placed a bullet in the man's leg, "So you prefer pistols huh? This will teach you, next time buy a real weapon". In retaliation gangs of Colts, Smith & Wesson's, Desert Eagles, Beretta's, Derringer's and many other handguns have been seen walking the streets. One handgun who refused to identify itself told us that "Those rifles and their owners will learn what eat 9 mills of lead really means".
In a startling discovery we have also found out that Police Officer's have been issued padlocks for their gun holster and when one officer was asked what the purpose of the padlocks was for he would only speak to us if we promised not to reveal his identity. What he told us was extremely alarming and may not be for the faint of heart, we are calling him "Officer D"
Ima Selout:
Officer D, we notice that you and your colleagues have been issued new holsters with padlocks on them, in the wake of this recent gun violence why have you been issued these new holsters and what is their purpose?
Officer D:
Well, I personally don't like it but we have been ordered to use these new holsters, We've been told that it is a pre-cautionary measure
Ima Selout:
Why? Has something happened that the public is unaware of?
Officer D:
I really don't know, I mean I'm really not at liberty to say but there is a concern by certain officials that our side arms may turn rouge
Ima Selout:
EXCUSE ME! What do you mean?
Officer D:
Well you know, I mean, they may start thinking for themselves
Ima Selout:
You're kidding right? Do you actually mean to tell me that your own police weapons are turning against you?
Officer D:
I didn't say that
Ima Selout:
But you did say that your weapons would go rouge on you didn't you?
Officer D:
No Ma'am I did not, those were not my words
At this point Officer D refused to speak with us any longer. It has become clear however, in the eyes of this reporter, that something is amiss and that something very dangerous is happening in America. With all of the guns that un-suspecting citizens have in their possession and with this growing plague of guns mindlessly turning on innocent people, it is clear that something must be done, and in closing I would like to say that, The sooner all of these vicious, violent, and mindless weapons are rounded up and dealt with the better for use all.
In an unrelated interview with politicians on Capitol Hill as it concerns the rising gun violence in America, Democratic Leader Harry Reid along with Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Faithful echoed in unison the President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama's stirring and almost messiah-like message today:
"The sooner we can control the Gun Problem in America, the sooner I will be safer"
Another Truth Inspired Report from
The Free Zombie Press
That News That Gives You Something To Chew On
The Free Zombie Press
Your News Source For The Truth, We Write, We Decide, You Believe
Views: 34
We do not need a Delphic Oracle to know the danger ahead of us for mass seizure, controls, limitations placed on our firearms which defend our liberties consummately. Wise men & women perceive approaching events, but on the street the people hear nothing at all. The mysterious clamor of approaching events reaches all, and the people know what is happening now, but even the gods who witness the future cannot break through men to hear these approaching things. Obama won't have to build an army of Nazis like his master hero did if he removes weapons as a class of offense punishable by his edicts and originality. Like Hitler Obama will preach soon gun-controls as a form of 'self-sacrifice' for his State, his ideal; it's obvious purpose will be for the masses to resign themsleves and submit if they wish for power to fall on the side of the leader and his elites. GUN-CONTROL IS ALWAYS MIND CONTROL!
© 2016 Created by Judson Phillips. Powered by


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In less than 12 hours, fans across the world will finally find out what artists are on the initial lineup for Bonnaroo 2014 as the Bonnaroo Lineup Announcement Megathon, or BLAM! as it's being called, will be webcast on Bonnaroo.com and on Xbox through the Bonnaroo app from 8 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Central time with a pre-show from 6-8 featuring song performances from past Bonnaroo performers.
Fans in the Nashville area can even attend a BLAM! watch party at Grimey's New and Pre-Loved Music, with free posters, discounts on Bonnaroo artists' music, and a chance to win prizes.
We've been reporting on all of the biggest Bonnaroo rumors since they started way back in December, but on the day of BLAM!, it seems like a good time to collect the most persistent of these rumors percolating on social media and the always valuable contributors to the Inforoo Message Board to take a guess at some of the lineup.
There have been numerous artists tossed around as possible headliners for Bonnaroo 2014, but two have risen up to the top of the rumor mill, with several credible sources predicting them; Kanye West and Elton John. West would certainly be a controversial pick for Bonnaroo.
His last appearance during Bonnaroo 2008 saw him take the stage several hours late and then trade barbs online with Bonnaroo organizers. "Kanye Sucks!" is a slogan you can still see spray painted on fences throughout Centeroo and, while many fans are ready to forgive and let West have a chance to redeem himself, others are not ready to bury the hatchet.
The second major rumor is classic rock legend Elton John. We reported on the Elton John rumor back in December based on tour dates, a new album, and a persistent buzz on fan sites but since that time, John has outlasted other rumored headliners to the point that most fans consider him all but a lock for the second headliner spot.
The third Bonnaroo headliner has been more tricky. Certainly plenty of names have been floated around but no credible inside sources have given wind to any of them the way Elton John and Kanye West have been reported. The most popularly rumored third headline possibilities are Jack White, Foo Fighters, Outkast, Prince, and Widespread Panic.
Roo Clues
For the past month and a half, Bonnaroo has been tantalizing and torturing fans with their Bonnaroo Lineup Clue game. This gives fans a chance to guess lineup artists based on clues given on Bonnaroo's Instagram page. While many of the clues remain unsolved, several have enough of a consensus to give a pretty good idea that those bands will be on the lineup. Here are our final guesses on those clues:
Clue 1: This clue has been narrowed down to two popular choices: Washed Out or Portlandia Live.
Clue 2: Break Science
Clue 3: Chvrches. This is the most "solved" of the 12 clues.
Clue 4: Unsolved. Popular guesses include Andrew W.K., Cake, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.
Clue 5: Unsolved. Popular guesses include Widespread Panic, Apocalyptica, and Foals.
Clue 6: This clue has been narrowed by most fans to three bands; Broken Bells, Sleigh Bells, and HAIM.
Clue 7: Unsolved. Popular guesses include Phosphorescent, Seasick Steve, and Third Eye Blind.
Clue 8: Unsolved. The two most popular guesses are The Naked and Famous and Culture Club.
Clue 9: Janelle Monae
Clue 10: Meshuggah
Clue 11: Unsolved. The most popular guesses are Ice Cube and Beck.
Clue 12: Neutral Milk Hotel
BLAM! Performers and Hosts
Last year's BLAM! host and musical guests, Weird Al Yankovic and Portugal. The Man, were both on the Bonnaroo lineup and there's no reason not to think that this year's announced BLAM! acts won't be as well. If that's the case, you can pencil in Taran Killam and Hannibal Burress in as comedy acts and The Flaming Lips and Ben Folds as musical performers.
Who are your guesses for the Bonnaroo lineup? Let us know in the comments section. Click subscribe at the top of the page to get all of the latest Bonnaroo news, interviews, and on-site coverage delivered right to your inbox. Also, check out the Music Festivals page for more music festival news.


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The FC Salmon Creek Boca Juniors 95 boys soccer team completed its season on Feb. 23 by winning a Washington Cup championship. The team of players born in 1995 won the silver division of the Puget Sound Premier League's season-ending tournament at Issaquah Highlands Central Park.
On Feb. 22 Boca Juniors defeated Rainier SE RSA Elite 3-0 in a semifinal match of the boys under-19 tournament. The goals were scored by Brandon Zilles, Garrett Bredy and Eric Ferris. Goalkeeper Trevor Ervin earned the shutout.
On Feb. 23, FC Salmon Creek scored twice in the final 10 minutes to beat Northwest United 2-1 and win the tournament. Zilles scored both goals in the final match.
Boca Juniors 95 were coached by Mike McCarthy and Cory Ellis. The other players were Aaron Bode, Adam Jesche, Andrew Morgan, Brad Abella, Brock Howard, Bryan McCarthy, Daniel Poyfair, Eric Ferris, Jackson Himrich, Lance Phillips, Liam Cosme, Luis Garcia, Nic Peery and Tyler Ashmore.
This team formed in 2010, and won a Washington Youth Soccer Challenge Cup state title in its first season.
More recently, FCSC Boca Juniors participated in the Puget Sound Premier League, which is separate from Washington Youth Soccer. This tournament was the last one for the team of players who will be in college next season.
Men's soccer club starts tryouts Saturday
The Vancouver Victory FC will hold open tryouts at 9 a.m. on Saturday at King's Way Christian High School, 3300 N.E. 78th St.
The Victory are part of the Evergreen Premier League, a new men's soccer league for current and former college players. The season runs April through July.
The Victory are coached by Clark College men's soccer coach Biniam Afenegus. Players on the Victory will maintain amateur status, club owner Barrett Goddard said.
To register for the tryout, or to learn more, visit www.vancouvervictoryfc.com. It costs $20 to participate.
Special Olympics hoops event a success
Three Special Olympics basketball teams from Clark County earned first-place ribbons during the Clark County Invitational tournament, which was played on Feb. 22 at Hockinson High School.
The event involved 16 teams, including teams from Kelso and from Hillsboro, Ore. Staging it was the senior project of Hockinson High School seniors Nick Barclay and Taylor Guzman.
Members of the Hockinson High girls basketball team refereed games, and Hockinson High cheerleaders cheered.
Teams from Clark County that earned first place in their division were the Blue Sonics, the Eagles and the Penguins.
The names of players and coaches for each Clark County team are in the Community Sports Scoreboard on this page.
Hockinson equestrians earn victories
The Hockinson High School equestrian team had wins in four events at its second meet of the season, which took place Feb. 14-16 in Elma.
Jennifer Wirth won the trail equitation, Shaylee Coleman won the working rancher, and Bella Campzano won hunt seat over fences. A Hockinson team of Cheyenne Coleman, Shaylee Coleman, Demi Ellithorpe, and Wirth finished first in the in-hand obstacle relay.
A list of all Hockinson top-10 finishers at the meet is in the Community Sports Scoreboard.
WWU hockey team includes local player
Logan Anderson of Vancouver has contributed nine goals and six assists as a freshman on the Western Washington University hockey team that has qualified for the Collegiate Ice Hockey Association national tournament.
The Vikings are defending national champions for the CIHA, which is an association of non-varsity club hockey teams. Their 17-0 record includes a narrow 1-0 win over Idaho and a 6-0 win over Portland State in their regional tournament.
The national tournament will take place March 13-15 in Newark, Ohio.
Mountain biking team forms for teen riders
The Columbia River Cycling Team, a new mountain bike racing team for high school students, is seeking, riders and coaches for the season that begins in March.
The team is for riders of all ability levels. The team will participate in Washington Student League mountain bike races, as well as Oregon Bicycle Racing Association events and other regional competition.
To learn more, send an e-mail to email@example.com.
Saturday softball clinic at Battle Ground H.S.
A softball clinic for girls in grades 3-8 will be held on Saturday at the Battle Ground High School gym. Sessions are scheduled for 1-3 p.m. and 3:30-5:30 p.m. Cost is $20 per session. Battle Ground High School softball coaches and players will teach the clinic, which is a fundraiser for their program.
A clinic for youth softball coaches will run at the same time. To learn more, send e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
COMMUNITY SPORTS NEWS is published each Tuesday. Submit items by calling 360-735-4521 or by sending email to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Is there a way to control two motors through one port (same speed)? Perhaps a multiplexing cable?
There is a system I want to build that needs four motors.
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text: Myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) is a serine/threonine phosphatase that dephosphorylates myosin light chain (MLC). MLCP plays an important role in many cell signaling pathways such as glycogen metabolism, cell cycle control, motility of cells, and it is up-regulated in prostate cancer. We are developing selective inhibitors of MLCP to study its role in prostate cancer progression.


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"Trade Price Karndean Flooring" for everyone at Web-Floors!
Trade Price Flooring is back at Web-Floors! We have decided to re-run this special offer that has been very warmly received in the past. Carpets, Vinyls and Karndean – in fact every kind of flooring we offer will now be sold at trade price for a limited time only!
Web-Floors will supply all your materials at Trade Price, that's on all materials including the grippers, door bars, underlay, adhesives – yes everything! Then simply pay us to do what we love, expertly fit your flooring.
Don't believe us? Why not take a look through our products and see actual trade prices on all our flooring. We guarantee that these prices are trade price and can not be beaten by any of our competitors. The idea behind Trade Price Flooring is basically to offer you the customer the best possible price on quality flooring and at the same time keep us really busy doing what we love most…laying floors!
From LVTs like Karndean and Cavalio to quality carpets sourced from around the world, safety flooring or commercial carpet Web-Floors sells it all at trade price!


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A heated debate over the fate of Kansas City International (KCI) is revving up fast. The question: Does Kansas City need a new single-terminal billion-plus-dollar airport?
So far, public reaction to the idea of a single terminal "has ranged from lukewarm to hostile," according to a recent Kansas City Star story by Dave Helling and Lynn Horsley. Earlier this year, KCI's Aviation Department paid local public relations firm Global Prairie Marketing $117,000 to help change the public's mind on the issue and get behind the project, but it's expected to be a hard sell to frequent fliers.
Prominent on the "build the single terminal and they will come" side ("they" being more airlines and more passengers) are Mark VanLoh, director of aviation, Kansas City Aviation Department, who oversees all aspects of KCI; Mayor Sly James, who's convened a task force to make recommendations about the airport's future; Kansas City Star editorial writers; and KC Star columnist Yael Abouhalkah.
Prominent on the "Don't built it because the single-terminal airport will be an expensive KC boondoggle that seriously inconveniences Kansas City travelers" are the majority of Kansas Citians, including most local frequent fliers; Crosby Kemper III, chairman of the Show-Me Institute and director of the Kansas City Public Library; and, most recently, Southwest Airlines, KCI's largest tenant.
"We're the anchor tenant, so costs are important to us," said Ron Ricks, Southwest executive vice president, in a recent Kansas City Star story. "A new $1.2 billion terminal would triple our costs. That's a problem." Ricks said Southwest, which operates an average of 70 flights daily at KCI, believes that the current runway and gate capacities are more than adequate for future air service, and that the airport functions efficiently.
In a May 22, 2013 story in The Pitch, Steve Vockrodt framed the argument this way: "There are reasonable cases to make in advocating for a new, single-terminal airport design, with security being perhaps the foremost. But Kansas Citians shouldn't be confused about what a new terminal will not bring: more airline business and more travel options. The experience of other new terminals over the past six years shows that, as airlines consolidate and eschew consumer options in favor of profitability, $1.2 billion of construction at KCI's Terminal A is no guarantee of an increase in flights, passengers or revenue."
As this examiner reported a few years back, frequent fliers love Kansas City International Airport because it's a day at the beach compared to most big-city airports. Basically, it's like a small-town airport with big-city benefits—direct flights to many major cities, easy access, and plenty of parking. In a J.D. Power and Associates 2007 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, Kansas City International Airport ranked No. 1 among large-size airports (receiving five out of five stars in all categories except baggage claim in which it got four). In February 2008, U.S. News & World Report ranked the airport the "third least miserable airport" in the United States, based on the 47 busiest airports in the country.
Kansas City International (KCI)—officially coded MCI, which originally stood for "Mid-Continent International"—features a unique structure comprising three terminals in the shape of rings. Each ring has short-term parking in the center of the ring. This design makes it easy for travelers to park, walk no more than a hundred feet, and go directly to their gate. Arriving travelers can leave their gate, and walk immediately out of the terminal without passing through any corridors. Slogans at the time of the airport's 1966 bond issue were "The world's shortest walk to fly" and "Drive to your gate."
If the airline-hub game had played out differently, KCI might well have ended up like Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport (the nation's busiest airport), Chicago/O'Hare International (the nation's second busiest), or the Denver International Airport (which, at 53-square-miles in area, is the nation's largest—and more than twice the size of New York City's Manhattan Island). The Denver airport, in particular, never brought in the promised airline business—after cost overruns ran wild. Southwest Airlines, which operates 40 percent of the flights at KCI, more than double runner-up United Airlines, may have the strongest case in the debate.
Southwest's Ron Ricks also made these points:
• "Customers don't make a choice of flights based on amenities; it's more based on choice of flights and cost. Our question is how many amenities do you want at what cost?"
• "A $1.2 billion proposal would be a disincentive for airlines to service Kansas City…We're confident we could come up with something for the community at a much lower cost than what's being presented here."
• "Right now, Kansas City's lower operating cost gives it an advantage over larger hub airports such as Chicago O'Hare and Atlanta Hartsfield when it comes to playing host to connecting flights. That could change if costs jump substantially."
• "Connecting passengers are really important. We wouldn't be profitable on local passengers alone."


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Smiley Creek Lodge is now open for summer hours 2016 season
Summer hours:
Mon- Sun 8am-9pm. 7 days a week.
For lodging, you can make reservations online here. or call us at 208 774 3547.
Smiley Creek Lodge is located near the headwaters of the Salmon River in Central Idaho. We are at the top of the Sawtooth Basin near the confluence of Smiley Creek and the Salmon. We are 37 miles north of world-famous Sun Valley and 23 miles South of Stanley, Idaho.
We offer a variety of services for those enjoying the rugged beauty of this special place in the mountains of central Idaho.
We have a restaurant offering local and seasonal specials as well as home-style favorites. We have an ice cream parlor serving delicious hand- dipped milkshakes and a variety of ice cream flavors. Our deli provides a variety of sandwiches and wraps that are made to order. Download our menus
We offer a variety of lodging options from lodge rooms with private baths, cabins with shared baths, teepees, RV sites and tent camping.
Our store features unique and interesting gifts, camping and sports supplies and some groceries.
We also sell regular and premium gas and propane.
Please stop by for a picnic lunch to go on your way out, or come and stay for a while and enjoy everything the Sawtooth Basin has to offer.
Summertime activities,
Smiley Creek Lodge is in the center of dozens of high mountain activities.
Some of the things right outside our door:
-Fabulous hiking and backpacking to the peaks and high alpine lakes of the Sawtooth Wilderness and White Cloud mountain ranges.
-Fishing in the Salmon River and its tributaries, or one of the hundreds of high alpine lakes.
-Back country scenic flying. The state of Idaho Smiley Creek airstrip is right across the road.
-Bicycling highway 75 through the valley or over the challenging Galena Pass, or mountain biking Fisher Creek Trail or one of the numerous other easy or gonzo routes.
-Wildlife viewing.
-Boating, Swimming or just hanging out on the beach at Alturas, Petit or Redfish Lakes.
-Touring the historic mining sites of Vienna, Sawtooth City or Bonanza and Custer a little ways down the road.
-White water rafting or kayaking on the Salmon River.
-Motocross or ATV riding.
-Horseback riding, either for the afternoon, or packing in for a week or more.
-Picnicking among the spring and summer wildflowers.
-Drive through taking in the beauty of Central Idaho.
-There is no end to the amazing things you could be doing in the Sawtooth Basin right now, summer or winter.
When Summer turns to Winter
Central Idaho is all about recreation!
If you are visiting Sun Valley, Smiley Creek Lodge is the place for Snowmobile Rentals!
Smiley Creek Lodge rents Polaris and Yamaha Snowmobiles for guided or unguided trips through this winter wonderland. There are over 185 miles of groomed trail that head north from Smiley Creek. On one of our rental snowmobiles, you can experience the scenic groomed trails or have one of our experienced guides show you some of the special places in the Sawtooth Basin, such as, the view over Stanley Lake or Redfish Lake in winter.
We are just a short 37 mile drive from Sun Valley.
We also rent snowshoes for those looking to explore at a slower pace.
Smiley Creek Lodge is located just three miles away from The Alturas Lake Nordic Ski Trail providing over 16K of groomed skating and classic Nordic trails.
The Sawtooth, White Cloud and Boulder mountains around Smiley Creek
Have abundant terrain for backcountry skiing or snowboarding.


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Unique Gifts & Games in Grayslake IL is hosting a Car Wars game tonight from 6 to 9pm. Car Wars is not only a great board/mini game, but it's updates also allow it to become a fun RPG. Ever wanted to play Mad Max type games? Car Wars is for you. UGG has also updated their website - I like the new look!
If you've every heard of the game Paranoia, watched Logan's Run and wondered what that kind of future would be like, or just wanted to play a game where you could set up your fellow characters for misfortune, then next Sunday's demo (1/17) is for you! RPGChicago.com's "JoshK" is running a Paranoia one-shot at Rose's Lounge in near-north Chicago. Just remember to trust the computer!
Worldwide News
If you are a fan of the RPG Legend of Five Rings (L5R), then ENworld's new column will bring you a lot of happiness. Alderac Entertainment Group, the publishers, are releasing official designer diaries throughout the process of creating their game's 4th edition. They promise preview art, information and insights into the development of the new version. The first diary is already up.
Fred Hicks of Evil Hat Productions (Don't Rest Your Head, Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies) has continued in his tradition of RPG business transparency by releasing his sales numbers and observations for the latter half of 2009. Many other small press RPG publishers are following suit. It's an interesting look into the state and expectations of our little hobby.
If playing in the ages (and myths) of King Arthur is your thing, you may have heard of the RPG called Pendragon. First released in 1985, the series hadn't seen much activity since a 5th edition was released in 2005. Now comes word (via blogs The RPG Corner and RPG Blog 2) that the license (and apparently services of the original designer, Greg Stafford) has been purchased by a former White Wolf employee Stewart Wieck. Stewart is going to start his own company and keep the title going. This game continues to attract a great many people who sit down and play it, and any news that good titles in our industry will keep going is happy news indeed.
Wizards of the Coast's Bart Carroll has done a bit of Rumor Control in his latest column about WotC's plans for early 2010. There will apparently be a Player's Handbook 3 coming in March with 4 new races and 6 new classes. This article also previews some artwork from the PhB3 as well as talks about other new titles coming early this year.
I wrote last Friday about the great regional convention at the end of this month - WinterWar 37. Now comes reminders that GenCon Indy 2010 preparations are beginning. Event submission will start Wednesday, Jan 13th with Badge Preregistration starting on January 26th. GenCon is so pleased with how housing (hotel room) registration went last year that they will repeat the same procedure this year with starting housing registration on Tuesday, Jan 26th. Wow. It feels like GenCon 2009 just ended.
And finally, if the vendor name of Noble Knight seems familiar, that's because they keep landing new titles from the "old school/retro school" world into their online store. Post-apocalypse Mutant Future is now in stock, from Goblinoid Games, the publishers of Labyrinth Lord.


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Charles Guy Tolar
Position: FB
Height: 5-6 Weight: 199 lbs.
Born: September 5, 1937 in Natchitoches, LA
Died: April 29, 2003 in League City, TX
High School: Natchitoches Central
College: NW State (LA)
Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 27th round (319th overall) of the 1959 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 35 (2770th overall since 1950)
2-time Pro Bowler (fine print)
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on orders $75+
Kaytee Tube 'O Hay plus carrots is delicious safe to chew tubes with timothy hay. This nutritious treat adds variety and fun to your pets diet and includes carrots for added vitamins.
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Bill Scanlon of Renewable Energy World released an article on March 5, 2014 entitled Unique Bioreactor Finds Algae's Sweet Spot. The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) has developed a large bioreactor that has added significant instrumentation and controls to optimize the conversion of algae into various hydrocarbons.
The Simulated Algal Growth Environment (SAGE) has the capability to duplicate conditions for growing algae in any state in the US or around the world. SAGE has instrumentation and controls that precisely regulate the amount of simulated sunlight, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and temperature in the algae growth process. The reactor is located at the NREL's field test laboratory in Golden, CO.
The research done at NREL has documented different process conditions for different algae strains to optimize the production of various length hydrocarbons for use in fuels. By aerating the algae and controlling the nitrogen and carbon dioxide content at different phases of the growth cycle, the algae can optimize production of proteins, lipids (fats) and carbohydrates.
NREL senior scientist Lieve Laurens discussed the major outcomes of the new process capability.
"We've almost doubled the fuel we can get out of the same amount of biomass by using these additional components. We can model how a particular strain would grow in different locations around the United States, and how this impacts the oil productivity, as well as the general biochemical composition of the biomass."
The developments in the algae strains and the improved process knowledge allow wider application of the conversion of algae into different hydrocarbon components to meet market demands. With abundant nitrogen and carbon dioxide, and the right temperature and amount of light, the algae grow quickly and produce a large volume of algae.
When the nitrogen is reduced, the algae change their activity from rapid growth to building more complex organic compounds that will convert into more complex carbohydrates and lipids. The end result of the cycling between feeding the algae and then starving it allows control of the chain length of the hydrocarbons being produced.
Proteins mainly produce butyl alcohol. Carbohydrates mainly produce ethanol. Lipids mainly produce oils used to form light diesel fuel. These compounds can be separated through distillation. The NREL reactor has shown that the process can be optimized to yield the most desirable output components at the time.
NREL is funded by the Energy Department's Bioenergy Technologies Office. Other companies such as Exxon-Mobil have made substantial investments in biomass conversion. There are competing processes in the algae to oil conversion from other research locations. The US is a leading technology developer and there are many companies focused on biomass as an alternative energy source.
NREL is one technology provider. Pacific Northwest National Labs is another contributor for biomass conversion. Commercialization of this technology is increasingly important on a global basis. It is estimated that 10 to 15% of the global energy output is currently fueled by biomass. The largest amount of this bioenergy is being acquired from wood and wood byproducts. Algae are a potential energy source that utilizes carbon dioxide while producing hydrocarbons.
Much of the technology used in algae to bioenergy production can be utilized to convert other forms of biomass to bioenergy. As the world population grows, major sources of biomass are automatically generated. The largest available non-wood sources of biomass are animal and human waste, and byproducts of food processing and processing byproducts. The conversion of biomass to bioenergy is a necessary component of meeting growing energy demands to support an increasingly growing global population.
This work by NREL is another step forward in reducing reliance on coal and oil while reducing carbon dioxide and solving waste disposal problems generated by an ever increasing global population.


text: Jun 5, 2014 22:12 La. budget matters in store for last day of 2014 session La. budget matters in store for last day of 2014 session Advocate staff photo by TRAVIS SPRADLING -- Senator Danny Martiny, R-Metairie, left, and Sen. Jody Amedee, R-Gonzales, right, pose for a cell phone camera picture with a wig-wearing Sen. Elbert Guillory, D-Opelousas, during a lull in Senate floor action at the State Capitol Sunday. Guillory, who normally sports a bald head, wore the wig a few minutes for fun, on the next-to-last day of the Legislative Session. by mark ballard| email@example.com June 1, 2014; 8:11 p.m. Comments After three months of meetings and debate, the 2014 session of the Louisiana Legislature comes down to one more day of scrambling. Legally, the session, which began on March 10, must end by 6 p.m. Monday. The state's multibillion-dollar construction budget needs to be finished, and this year's budget needs to be rebalanced to fill holes in education and prisons funding. Representatives and senators slammed through bills on Sunday, with both chambers skipping over controversial measures and focusing on clearing their calendars to get out in time for the LSU baseball game or the Beer League's barbecue. Clerks and staff were still sorting through just what passed on Sunday and what remains for the last day's work. But the rough count is that the House and Senate have taken votes on about 1,000 bills since the session began. The $25 billion state budget and $3.6 billion spending plan for public schools cleared its final legislative hurdle on Friday. About 100,000 retirees got the first cost-of-living increase in six years on their monthly benefits check under a package of bills signed into law by Gov. Bobby Jindal on Sunday afternoon. On Sunday, legislators agreed to delay the effects of the state's shift to Common Core education standards and to add new privacy protections for public school student data. The state's voters will be asked for permission to sell lots in New Orleans' 9th Ward for $100 each to spur development of the area nearly wiped out by Hurricane Katrina flooding. And the state's penalties for running human trafficking operations are about to get much stiffer. What remains for Monday is a pile of bills awaiting approval of final compromises, called conference reports. A majority of each chamber must agree to the exact wording before legislation can clear final passage. The Senate needs to sign off on a bill that would forbid the use of welfare cards at bars and tattoo parlors. The House needs to vote on the final wording of legislation on whether lawmakers should confirm the hiring and pay of the state's higher education commissioner. Also awaiting conference report votes are bills that would study consolidating the New Orleans Traffic and Municipal courts, stiffen penalties for beating up referees at children's sporting events and change the state's plumbing standards to the International Plumbing Code. State Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, is one of the legislators trying to work out last-minute wording on a bill. He is still trying to get issues resolved regarding legislation on life support for pregnant women. Morrell said he hopes the measure would adopt wording that would defer decisions to family, rather than have the government require physicians to continue life support on women who have clinically died but are being kept alive for the baby to be born. "I don't know if we're going to be there," Morrell said. "Issue now is does anything get vetoed while we're still sitting here and that kind of stuff," said state Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton. One of the biggest outstanding issues is House Bill 2, the state construction budget for the fiscal year that begins in July. It's also known as the capital outlay plan. HB2 was just a little out of balance when it left the House. The Senate piled in projects, putting the legislation into a posture in which it contains $400 million more in spending than the state can afford. The House rejected the Senate's changes. A conference committee, comprising of half a dozen legislators, must reach a compromise by 6 p.m. Monday. The conference committee met Sunday to work on the bill. State Rep. Joel Robideaux, R-Lafayette, and Gov. Bobby Jindal bantered about the situation Sunday afternoon during a bill signing ceremony. Robideaux made a remark about the construction budget, to which Jindal chided him: "First, you have to pass it." State Sen. Neil Riser, who handles the capital outlay plan in the Senate, said the two sides are working on a compromise. "Not certain but confident we're going to be able to work it out. I'll be certain when we're done. You're never certain," said Riser, R-Columbia. Michelle Millhollon and Will Sentell of The Advocate Capitol news bureau and Melinda Deslatte of The Associated Press contributed to this report. For more coverage of Louisiana government and politics, follow our Politics blog at http://blogs.theadvocate.com/politicsblog/. Get The Advocate in your inbox Subscribe


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African elephants could face extinction by 2025, researchers warn. Since 1980, the number of elephants in the wild has plummeted by 76 percent due to poaching. Experts warn that the rate at which elephants are being killed is higher than the rate at which they reproduce.
During 2013 alone, the number of elephants slaughtered by poachers was an astounding 35,000, reports the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Rhinos, too, are in danger, and being killed at an alarming rate. More than 1,000 rhinos were killed in South Africa last year for their horns, which are carved into decorative items or used medicinally in some parts of the world. At that rate, which is 50% higher than the prior year, rhinos are also in danger of being wiped out within the next 20 years.
A collaboration has been set up, known as the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Commitment to Action. The three-year, $80 million action brings together NGOs, governments, and concerned citizens. The collaboration is working to stop the slaughter of Africa's elephants, and to stop the demand and trafficking of ivory. Ivory is used in the making of jewelry, ornaments, chopsticks and gift items.
Carter Roberts, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said: "The more people are aware of the consequences of what they buy, it changes what they do. We need to do the same with elephant ivory and rhino horn and tiger bone. What person would buy these things if they knew they slaughtered the most magnificent animals in the world? Because when people buy parts of these animals, they are contributing to the catastrophic killing taking place right now."
Demand has caused the price of ivory to skyrocket, which drives the illegal poaching. Not only are elephants and rhinos in danger of being killed, but also the people who try to protect them: at least 1,000 park rangers have been killed in the line of duty over the past ten years.
In 2013, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) created the first International March for Elephants. This year, on October 4, the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos will take place on World Animal Day, which is also the anniversary of the first International March for Elephants. On Saturday, October 4, 2014, cities around the world will march to bring attention to the plight of elephants and rhinos.
The Global March for Elephants and Rhinos will be held in cities such as Washington, D.C. and Eumundi, Queensland, Australia. The Eumundi event says on their Facebook page "PLEASE ADD YOURSELF and say "GOING" only if you plan to GO, otherwise, join us in SOLIDARITY and SPIRIT by saying "MAYBE." Click here to participate or for more information.
For a list of other participating cities, go to the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos Facebook page, and click on their cover banner. Find out more at their website: www.march4elephantsandrhinos.org.


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By Cortney Ofstad
Goal for new playground equipment is to be innovative
August 16, 2014 | Vol. 95, No. 193
Cortney Ofstad/Daily Globe
THE IRONWOOD Township Airport Recreation Park will be the site of a grand opening ceremony Tuesday near the Gogebic-Iron County Airport. The event will have food, guest speakers and a visit from State Rep. Scott Dianda, D-Calumet.
IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP - Ironwood Township will celebrate the grand opening of the Airport Recreation Park on Tuesday.
The event runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the pavilion at the park.
According to treasurer Jyl Olson-DeRosso, the park is "a decade in the making."
Over the last 10 years, the township has acquired surrounding property, built soccer fields and more recently added a pavilion, walking track and playground equipment.
The playground equipment was installed this summer, and was the final piece to the park.
The goal for the playground equipment was to have it be "innovative," and different from other parks in the area, Olson-DeRosso said.
"We are just thrilled at how it has turned out," she said. "We have had people using the pavilion for parties, and found it to be excellent, and we've had positive comments on the walking track and playground."
During Tuesday's event, there will be cake, cookies and coffee, as well as hotdogs and soda for sale by the Ironwood Township Fire Department. A farmers market will also be set up, and State. Rep. Scott Dianda, D-Calumet, is set to make an appearance.
Olson-DeRosso said she hopes people will visit the park to see the work that has been done.
"I think they will be pleasantly surprised by what they see," she said. "I believe that people who don't have kids in soccer don't even realize it is there. It's a great place for kids, with bathrooms and a water fountain, and parents can use the walking track. And, it's a safe location, not too close to the road.
"I think this is going to be a great place for kids to enjoy for generations to come."
For more information, call the Ironwood Township offices at 906-932-5800.
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May 19, 2006 11:00 AM
For a fun piece of country chic furniture, we love the Director Chair from Pottery Barn Teen ($50). It may be intended for teens but it perfectly suits adult households as well. The patterned chairs are perfect for the kitchen, patio, or an office space. They're easily collapsible and super durable... great for a household that needs to be child-friendly as well.
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Outblush is a blog for girls who love to shop. Our staff digs up the best clothes, home stuff, beauty items, and more. New items are posted every day — bookmark us and check out:


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Afghan president to remake image in Washington
DEB RIECHMANN | May 6, 2010 02:59 PM EST |
KABUL — In Washington next week, Afghan president Hamid Karzai will work to recast his image as a mercurial leader prone to outbursts against the West into one of a credible partner worthy of the thousands of U.S. troops and billions of dollars of aid still pouring into his nation in its ninth year of war.
After months of rocky relations with the Obama administration, the U.S. and Karzai are getting their partnership back on track. If he's successful in the visit, which starts Monday, the Afghan president will leave Washington with renewed legitimacy and the political backing he needs for possible peace talks with the Taliban.
The trip comes at a critical juncture in the war. At the same time that more troops and aid are moving into Afghanistan, the U.S. has made it clear that its involvement is not open-ended. President Barack Obama, who gathered his national security team to discuss Afghanistan and Pakistan on Thursday at the White House, wants to start pulling out troops in July 2011 if conditions allow. That's 15 months from now.
Karzai is traveling to Washington with nearly a dozen members of his Cabinet who will hold in-depth discussions with their counterparts about development priorities and other issues. Showing up with these ministers – many with strong backing from the international community – will help Karzai make the point that while bribery and graft is rife in some ministries, there are many Cabinet officials committed to progress and reform.
Foreign Affairs Minister Zalmay Rasoul said the trip should address three questions: "How can we finish this war? Why is it eight years on? How can we succeed with less blood and less money?"
The meetings will end with a communique, but a renewed strategic partnership agreement being drafted in Kabul and Washington won't be ready to be signed until later this year.
Karzai is going to Washington as the 30,000 U.S. reinforcements Obama dispatched to the war continue to stream into the country. About 4,500 have deployed, with another 18,000 due to arrive by late spring and the rest by early fall. The military buildup is aimed at routing the Taliban from their strongholds, especially in the south, and bolster security needed to start development projects and offer public services so Karzai's government can win the support of residents.
Thousands of U.S., NATO and Afghan forces just finished a major offensive to oust the Taliban from central Helmand province in the south. They now are ramping up pressure on the Taliban's birthplace of Kandahar province next door.
A new, fragile government has been established in Helmand, but residents siding with the Karzai government and the international coalition are still subject to intimidation from the Taliban, especially at night. In Kandahar, work is being done to establish a more robust local government with links to the district level.
Jointly, the Afghans and NATO are trying to curb the influence of powerbrokers who operate outside the government, and iron out tribal disputes, but the Taliban are fighting back with attacks on contractors and government officials. Last month, gunmen stormed a mosque and killed the deputy mayor of Kandahar as he knelt for evening prayers.
Afghan Defense Minister Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak said he will tell the Americans that the situation in Afghanistan is not as gloomy as is depicted in the news. At the same time, he said he will impress upon Washington that failure is not an option and that the Taliban are just waiting for the U.S. and Afghanistan's other international partners to show signs that their support is wavering.
"If we fail here, there will be no place safe on the planet," he said Thursday.
The U.S.-Afghan relationship has suffered in recent months from friction between the two nations. The U.S. is pressing Karzai to reform his government and reduce corruption. Fed up with years of foreigners meddling in his government, Karzai is demanding respect as the leader of a sovereign state that is anxious, but not yet able, to take charge of its own affairs.
"The president of Afghanistan wants frank discussions – frank discussions – about things that can be improved," Karzai spokesman Waheed Omar said.
Last month, following a visit by Obama to Kabul in late March, Karzai lashed out against the U.N. and the international community, accusing them of perpetrating a "vast fraud" in last year's presidential polls as part of a conspiracy to deny him re-election or tarnish his victory – accusations the U.S. and the United Nations have denied. Two days later, Karzai told a group of parliament members that if foreign interference in his government continued, the Taliban would become a legitimate resistance – one that he might even join, according to several lawmakers present.
First, U.S. officials called the remarks "troubling." After a few days, U.S. officials worked to smooth over the rift by expressing sympathy for Karzai and the pressure he's endured and repeatedly referring to him as "commander in chief" of his country. Even if the U.S. believes Karzai is a flawed leader, it cannot afford to alienate him because he is key to a successful American exit from the war.
Karzai, however, is not likely to be coddled by U.S. lawmakers currently deciding whether to approve the Pentagon's request to spent $192 billion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the next year and a half – $33 billion of it for Afghanistan. Members of both parties bristled at Karzai's tirade against the U.S. last month and he'll need to earn back their trust.
Karzai's visit to the U.S. is just one item on Afghanistan's packed calendar. A peace conference, or jirga, to forge a national consensus on how to reconcile with the Taliban is scheduled later this month in Kabul. In July, foreign donor nations are meeting in the capital. And parliamentary elections are slated for September.
The Karzai government also is getting ready to roll out a new program offering economic and other incentives to low- and midlevel Taliban fighters who join the government side. Maj. Gen. Richard Barrons, in charge of reintegration issues for NATO in Kabul, said getting insurgents to lay down their weapons would be on the Washington agenda.
He said efforts to reconcile with the Taliban's top leadership will very likely be a key part of discussions as the Karzai government and Obama administration reach a common understanding about how a peace process can work.
"Then Karzai can do much more – proceed with confidence and flair – if he knows how the U.S. is set on this," Barrons said. "With that confidence, Karzai can have the peace jirga, get a mandate from the home team (the Afghan public) about how to talk to the insurgency, who to talk to and by what means."
Karzai or his intermediaries have already had at least indirect talks with top Taliban representatives, but while the U.S. supports the idea of reconciliation, the Obama administration is still working out its position on how the talks should be conducted. Talking with the Taliban, which harbored the al-Qaida leaders who orchestrated the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, is a delicate political issue for the U.S.
"The U.S. keeps stressing that the reconciliation process should be `Afghan-led,' but the reality is the U.S. must also be deeply involved," said Lisa Curtis, an expert on Afghanistan at the conservative Heritage Foundation in Washington.
"Karzai appears to recognize that he cannot move forward on this front without support and backing from the U.S.," she said. "The U.S. should provide a clearer picture of how it envisions a reintegration and reconciliation process unfolding so that the Afghan and U.S. governments can work in tandem and bolster each other's efforts to bring stability."


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Esway's even-par 72 leads Wildcats
TUCSON, Ariz. ?- The University of Arizona sits in a tie for 14th place Friday after the first round of the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate in Albuquerque, N.M.
The Wildcats opened the 2005-06 season with a seven-over-par 295 and stands in a tie for 14th place in the field of 20 teams. Arizona trails tournament-leader Texas Tech by 15 strokes entering the second round after the Red Raiders posted a 280 (-8). UNLV (282) and Baylor (287) round out the top three places.
Sophomore Travis Esway led UA with an even-par 72 and stands in a tie for 26th place after the first 18 holes. He was the only member of the lineup to finish the first round at par. Junior Josh Wilks carded a one-over 73 and is tied for 34th place.
Juniors Henry Liaw and Josh Elser stand in a tie for 61st place after shooting three-over 75s, while junior Brian Prouty is tied for 81st place at five-over 77.
Two Wildcats are competing in the field as individuals. Junior Mark Lamb fired a one-under 71 and is tied for 13th place, two strokes ahead of Nathan Tyler, who tallied an opening-round 73 and is tied for 34th place.
The 54-hole William H. Tucker Intercollegiate continues through Saturday at The Championship Course, a par-72, 7,339-yard layout.
Top Five Teams Arizona Finishers
1. Texas Tech 280 (-8) T13. Mark Lamb * 35-36=71 (-1)
2. UNLV 282 (-6) T26. Travis Esway 36-36=72 (E)
3 Baylor 287 (-1) T34. Josh Wilks 38-35=73 (+1)
4. Nevada 288 (E) T34. Nathan Tyler * 34-39=73 (+1)
San Diego State 288 (E) T61. Henry Liaw 38-37=75 (+3)
Colorado 288 (E) T61. Josh Esler 37-38=75 (+3)
Northwestern 288 (E) T81. Brian Prouty 40-37=77 (+5)
* Competed as an individual


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The San Francisco 49ers selected C Marcus Martin out of USC with a third round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Martin is one of four projected draft picks the 49ers own in the third round.
Prepped at Crenshaw (Calif.) High, where he won two L.A. City championships. Cracked the lineup as a true freshman in 2011, starting the final 10 games at left guard. Started 10 of 12 games at left guard in 2012. Moved to center in 2013 and started all 13 games played. Dislocated his left kneecap and sustained a high left ankle sprain against UCLA, knocking him out of the Las Vegas Bowl against Fresno State. Team captain. Did not perform at the combine because of left knee injury (medical exclusion).
Martin will provide immediate competition for Daniel Kilgore, whom the 49ers recently extended through the 2017 season. He is a true center and not a swing-lineman like how Joe Looney and Adam Snyder have been. With Martin starting as a true freshman in 2011, he was one of the first to do so at USC since 2004.
The 49ers have three draft picks remaining in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft.


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This is indeed a classic! Circuit Challenge alternates step with strength training segments for a time-saving, overall conditioning workout and it's Gin's personal favorite.
Circuit Challenge was shot using a live band – not something you are likely to find these days – and the jazz funk-type music with its motivating drum beat will keep you moving through to the end of this complete workout.
The Workout:
- Instructional Section: 10 minutes
- Warm-up: 8 minutes
- Cardiovascular Workout: 30 minutes
- Abdominal Session: 4 minutes
- Slow Stretch: 3 minutes
Equipment Needed:
- Step Platform
- Elastic Tube and/or dumbbells
- Mat or towel
Back cover description:
Put some muscle in your step! Step Reebok: Circuit Challenge condenses hours of training into 45 minutes of intense conditioning. This is the fastest body-shaping, fat-burning step workout yet. For the first time, Step Reebok meets resistance as you alternate between cardiovascular step segments and muscle toning exercises using the Step Reebok Resistance Tube or hand weights.
As you move to the percussive punctuation of live jazz funk and jamming sax, Gin Miller, the creator of the Step Reeebok program, leads you through exercise intervals and quick-cut combos that defy boredom and challenge even the toughest exercisers. If you're less advanced, Gin and her team show you how to make it easier. But the real benefit of this cardiovacular workout is that is shapes the lower body while the resistance tones the upper body. The core circuit – presented in three ten-minute intervals – is a double density workout that strengthens and tones the muscles while burning the fat. Additional stretches, an abdominal session, warm-up and cool-down round out the program to work every major muscle group in the body.
"Step Reebok:Circuit Challenge" has been developed and researched by the renowned faculty of Reebok University. The Step Reebok Research and Development Team has used its specialized knoledge of the physiological and biomechanical effects of exercise to create an effective and motivational workout.
Reviews ~
5 Stars – Love this workout! The music is a live band and so upbeat. This circuit training workout is well structured – a cardio burst followed by a strength training move – in three 10 minute sections, and all body parts get worked equally. I used weights instead of the tube because I found it easier to grab my weights than get my tube in position quick enough. Gin's cueing is great and easy to follow. ~ Barb from Michigan
5 Stars – Thank you so much! I have been looking for this for years! It is so awesome. I used to do it in high school on VHS but I no longer have a tape player. I am so happy this is on DVD. Thanks again for posting this lively workout. It is very original and one-of-a-kind. I never felt like I was exercising when doing it; I was having fun and burning a ton of calories, too! ~ Delly from North Carolina
5 Stars – I too did this back in the early 90's & loved it. I have the DVD now & 2 others of Gin's & enjoy them thoroughly. I had a baby in December of 2010 & I did this w/o during pregnancy on the low impact version. I only gained 19 lbs & have lost all of it plus more since. Yes, I checked w/my OB. Gin's w/o's are the best. I just recently got the "simply circuit"….OMG I love it! ~ Lynn from Texas
View Step Reebok Circuit Challenge in the Gin Miller DVD's Store