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Superman Lois Lane Rescue Fleischer Statue
Inspired by Fleischer Studio's animated shorts of the 1940s, this Superman Lois Lane Rescue Fleischer Statue captures a tender moment between Superman and Lois Lane.
Superman Lois Lane Rescue Fleischer Statue
Inspired by Fleischer Studio's animated shorts of the 1940s, this Superman Lois Lane Rescue Fleischer Statue captures a tender moment between Superman and Lois Lane.
The Big Blue Report is the Superman Homepage Newsletter sent out twice a month. It contains exclusive content not seen on the website. Subscribe now!
Cover date: June 27, 2007
"Change of Address"
Writer: Paul Dini and Adam Beechen
Penciller: Carlos Magno
Inker: Jay Leisten
Cover: Ed and Mariah Benes
Back-Up Story: "History of the Multiverse - Chapter Six"
Write: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Norm Rapmund
Reviewed by: Jason Larouche
WASHINGTON DC - Forerunner is approached by an unknown assailant, who explains that the Monitors used her, regarded her and her people as animals. He thinks different, as he does regarding the Monitors' belief in their omniscience. Forerunner denies what this person is telling her. The man calls himself The Monarch, and he offers her a chance at redemption, as well as the opportunity to be her own master. Forerunner agrees to follow him but promises to kill him if he breaks his word.
METROPOLIS - In Suicide Slum, Jimmy Olsen deliberately picks a fight with a local gang to try and trigger his new powers, but is given a right cross and falls back into trash. But when the gang tries to finish the job, spines expel from Jimmy's skin and drives them off. Elsewhere, Holly Robinson is approached by a statuesque woman in Ancient Greek attire, calling herself a "concerned sister". She brings Holly to what she calls a woman's shelter, but in fact looks like an Amazonian sanctuary.
KEYSTONE CITY - The Pied Piper and The Trickster evade the police, who are after them for their role in the murder of The Flash. Both are in panic; while neither dealt the killing blow to the Fastest Man Alive, they were with the other rogues and assume that heroes will think otherwise. Trickster rejects the idea of going to the JLA for fear of getting mindwiped by Zatanna or shot by Green Arrow, or worse... Batman. Trickster convinces Piper that the only course of action is to lay low until it blows over. As they walk away in agreement, voices in the shadows debate whether to attack the pair now.
THE ROCK OF ETERNITY - Marvel continues to explain that Mary's brutality in her battle with the demon Pharyngula left him concerned, and adds that black is a new look for his sister. Mary explains that she woke up from a coma powerless and alone and couldn't just "start her life over" as Billy suggested. Black Adam shared his power with her because she asked him to, and Marvel is shocked that she'd take such a risk. Marvel suggests that maybe it was his sister's destiny to lose her powers. Mary, in denial, retorts that she has the power again to do good, and she intends to do so whether Billy wants to be part of her destiny or not, and flies through the Rock.
Back-Up Story: "History of the Multiverse - Chapter Six"
Write: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Norm Rapmund
The Monitors continue their recount of the Multiverse's story, now focusing on The Crisis, beginning with how antimatter energy that eradicated whatever it touched from existence forced Earth-3's Lex and Lois Luthor to send their child, Alexander to Earth-1. The Monitor observing The Crisis encountered the child, as well as did what he could to stop the annihilation, even gathering a team of Earth-1's heroes, but it was for naught. While the team time travelled to carry out their overall mission, the Monitor in question was killed. Such events were the results of the actions of the Anti-Monitor. Alexander Luthor grew to adulthood overnight and played a key role in the defeat of the Anti-Monitor, as well as the sacrifices of Earth-1's Supergirl and the Barry Allen Flash. Darkseid focused a near lethal strike through Alexander to disable the Anti-Monitor while one universe after another ceased to exist. Earth-2's Superman dealt the final blow, but was now without a home, as well as his wife, Lois, Alexander, and Earth-Prime's Superboy. They left together to watch the new universe grow, the pieces of Earths 1 and 2 merging together without any knowledge of what had existed before. Though peace had been established, the seeds of destruction had been sown, as the Monitor remarked.
Main Story - 3: I'd just like to point out the poor timing of these books in conjunction with other titles, in particular the death of the Flash. I collect the Bart Allen Flash stories and I'm unsure as to what the heck happened. This issue ruined it pretty much for me in regards to the Piper-Trickster story. However, the book makes up for it with the appearance of The Monarch. He carries an existentialist approach to life that he's trying to impart on Forerunner, who indeed has much potential with her abilities and her character. He's trying to encourage her to take control of her life, to be her own woman; his intentions seem altruistic, but like everything in the DC-verse nothing is what it seems, especially if he has connections to the Monitor race.
It seems as though Dini is taking a break from the Donna-Jason subplot. As for the Jimmy story, it keeps getting weirder and weirder; there's no rational explanation why he is manifesting different abilities. It seems as though the ability depends on the situation and the level of urgency, similar to that old Marvel Comics villain The Answer.
The only saving grace in this issue is the Mary Marvel-Captain Marvel reunion. It best signifies a family reunion gone bad by way of an old fashioned brother-sister squabble on a superhuman level. Is Billy right? Is Mary fighting destiny rather than embracing it? I find it runs counter to the Monarch-Forerunner storyline; where earlier you see a complete stranger take a lost and lonely woman under his wing to give her purpose again, we find an established hero reject his own sister for fear of upsetting the delicate magical balance. We could be seeing the beginning of a new female Black Marvel rather than Mary Marvel with Black Adam's powers (still waiting on an explanation on how he acquired them again), which could be and interesting dynamic since Freddy's now becoming the new Shazam.
All in all, the book holds the reader's interest but I feel that the writing team missed its mark on this one just slightly. It seemed a little bit like a soap opera episode; too many subplots disjointed and breaks in-between.
Main Art - 5: Aside from the Mary-Billy storyline, the art is the second redeeming factor in this issue. The splash page of Mary in the Rock of Eternity was brilliantly laid out. Magmo captured the "little girl lost" look behind the awesome power of femme fatales like Mary Marvel and Forerunner. The design of Jimmy Olsen, however, left a lot to be desired, as well as the gang that attacked him. They just seemed a little too weird; I can't really describe it. The Monarch's design is awesome; his appearance carries with it an inborn influx of majesty, nobility, and power. If Magmo is behind it, more power to him. If not then that's cool because he handled it very well. Great job.
Back-up Story - 5: Again, Jurgens. What can you say? The Reader's Digest of the DC Multiverse focuses on the main points and has finally reached CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. However I feel he's omitting other details as to not repeat the history of the DC universe segment in 52. Nonetheless it's beautifully scripted so far.
Back-up Art - 5: Jurgens. Nuff said.
Cover Art - 5: Ed Benes and Mariah Benes outdid themselves in their rendition of the Monarch. The flames and smoke in the background give off a hint that this is not an adversary to be taken lightly, and also leaves you wondering if it is a hero or a villain. The mask is emotionless; that stern look conveys to the viewer that this individual is going to be a major player in the game. Time will tell if intuition proves to be correct.
January 2007
Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2007.


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We are in the middle of the summer in Phoenix and it is extremely hot. Summer calls for light recipes with lots of vegetables. One of the characteristics of summer vegetables is that they contain a lot of water. Fruits like watermelon, strawberries, cucumbers and vegetables like squash and ridge gourd are full of water. Ridge gourd is a summer vegetable available in Asian groceries. It is also called jhinge, toorai or luffa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luffa. It is usually cooked with potatoes and poppy seed paste (jhinge posto in Bengal). Here is another recipe for cooking ridge gourd with shrimp. In the Phoenix area, you can buy ridge gourd at Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket and Ashoka in Chandler, Mekong Market and Lotus in Mesa or Asiana in Glendale.
Spicy ridge gourd with shrimp (Jhinge chingri)
- 1 medium ridge gourd (peel removed and chopped into 2" cubes)
- 2 big potatoes
- 1 lb shrimp (shelled, deveined and cleaned)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs (seasoned)
- 2 tsp salt,
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 jalapeño peppers
- 2 red chilies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp canola oil
Mix the shrimp with ½ tsp salt, a pinch of turmeric and the panko bread crumbs. Add a little water to make a batter. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Fry the batter dipped shrimp in the oil, drain on a paper towel and keep aside. In the remaining oil add the cumin seeds and red chilies. Add the potatoes and sauté till a little brown on the sides. Add the chopped ridge gourd and continue cooking till the gourd is tender and releases water. Add salt, turmeric and chopped jalapeño peppers. Add the fried shrimp. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with rice.

subset: commoncrawl


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March 2, 2006
Where in the World Is 'Paradise'?
When the controversial film "Paradise Now" is introduced at the March 5 Oscars ceremony, the live and television audiences may wonder not just whether it will win, but exactly where it came from.
In the listing by countries of the five nominees for foreign language film honors, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives the origin of "Paradise Now" as "Palestine."
In various Academy news releases, the designation has been "Palestinian Authority."
The final word isn't in yet, but Academy decision makers are "leaning toward" the term "Palestinian Territories," said John Pavlik, the academy's director of communications. The alternatives reflect the geopolitical uncertainties and sensitivities of the Middle East, as well as the flexibility of Academy rules. As in the Olympic Games, only internationally recognized countries are eligible to enter the foreign language film competition, but this year's list of 58 entries includes such entities as Hong Kong, Puerto Rico and Taiwan.
On the basis of such inclusiveness, the Academy two years ago accepted the film "Divine Intervention" as the entry of "Palestine."
The Israeli consulate in Los Angeles has been caught up in the controversy about the film, which explores the motivations and doubts of two would-be suicide bombers assigned to blow up a Tel Aviv bus. Its director, Hany Abu-Assad, and the leading actors are Israeli Arabs.
Yediot Acharonot, the Israeli mass circulation daily, published a story summarized in a paragraph below the headline:
"Powerful Israelis and Jews in Hollywood exert pressures on American Academy members in a bid to prevent 'Paradise Now' from winning Oscar. Meanwhile, Israeli diplomats get academy's commitment not to present film as representing Palestinian state."
The article got more fanciful as it was picked up by the foreign media, such as the Turkish online newspaper, Zaman. It reported that two Israeli diplomats "have already been guaranteed by the Academy that it will not show the Palestinian film at the Oscar ceremony," apparently referring to brief clips used to introduce nominated movies.
The original Israeli article identified the Israeli diplomats as Consul General Ehud Danoch and Gilad Millo, consul for public affairs. It also cited sources at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, who "condemned attempts to hinder 'Paradise Now's' chances in the Oscars, saying these efforts may tarnish Israel's international reputation as state that advocates freedom of speech."
Millo categorically denied the report.
"We have had no contact or involvement with the Academy on this film," he said. "We are focused on more important matters."
Pavlik said that no "communications" had been received from the Israeli consulate or Jewish organizations regarding "Paradise Now."
However, Pavlik did not dismiss the possibility that interested individuals had passed on their views on the film to Academy leaders and members in social settings, adding that clips of all foreign language nominees will be screened, including "Palestine Now."
American Jewish organizations, with few exceptions, have stayed away from the controversy. One reason may be that few persons, Jewish or otherwise, have actually seen the film. Furthermore -- and politics aside -- the film is generally considered to be of high quality, has received excellent reviews, and was crowned with a Golden Globe as best foreign film of the year by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
According to a survey by The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, neither the Simon Wiesenthal Center nor the Anti-Defamation League, usually quick to react to any anti-Israel slights, have mounted any protests.
The film and its director were warmly received at a sold-out audience of nearly 500 at the University of Judaism.
However, there has been criticism by StandWithUs, a Los Angeles-based advocacy group, as well as by the American Jewish Congress and the Republican Jewish Coalition. Most active has been the U.S.-based Israel Project, which has widely circulated a letter by Yossi Zur, whose 16-year-old son was killed by a suicide bomber. The letter urges the academy not to award an Oscar to "Paradise Now." A petition to withdraw the nomination of the film entirely has been signed by 24,000 people, according to the Israel Project.
One observer noted that Israel's official Oscar entry, "What a Wonderful Place," presents a considerably worse picture of Israelis than does the Palestinian film. The Israeli entry did not receive a nomination.
JewishJournal.com is produced by TRIBE Media Corp., a non-profit media company whose mission is to inform, connect and enlighten community © Copyright 2016 Tribe Media Corp.
JewishJournal.com is produced by TRIBE Media Corp., a non-profit media company whose mission is to inform, connect and enlighten community
© Copyright 2016 Tribe Media Corp.


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On Dec. 31, the Globe-News printed various comments submitted by readers regarding the firing of former Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach. One person, wrote: "Woody Hayes punched a player on national TV and he kept his job."
This is untrue.
On Dec. 29, 1978, Woody Hayes, then-coach at Ohio State, did punch an opposing player during the Gator Bowl, after the player intercepted a pass that ended Ohio State's chance to win the game.
However, Hayes did not keep his job. He was fired the following day.
Lee Schaeffer
Amarillo Globe-News © 2016. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Service | Privacy Policy / About Our Ads


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Believe it or not you can travel and save. Here's how:
Book in advance and shop around. Check out discount websites for great deals and promotions.
Connecting flights are well worth it. It's true they are time consuming and could get tiring, but they will save you lots of pennies in your pocket.
Pack wisely: These days airline companies are charging an arm and a leg for any extra pounds. So, choose lightweight luggage.The smaller the better.
Sometimes it's cheaper to book a return flight than a one-way ticket even if you are not going to use the return ticket.
Be flexible with travel days: sometimes it could be a lot cheaper to just go one day before or after your date.
Try booking at different times: Many websites have different rates when booking at different days of the week or at different times of the day.
Many sites will offer you great deals if you book a bundle. So book your flight, hotel and car together when possible and save.
Try home exchanges: many people these days are trying it and it could be a great experience. You exchange your homes for a certain amount of time. Think about the money you will be saving in accommodation costs.
Try to stay at a cheaper town or city close to where you are. If you have a car, the 15 minute drive could be worth it.
Book a suite instead of 2 rooms. Again, you would be saving a lot.
Consider vacation homes: Some of these homes for rent provide you with even more amenities than hotels do. They are often cheaper (especially if traveling in a group). They are also more private.
Avoid hotel breakfasts: they are over-priced and not always great. Instead opt to walk around to a local breakfast or cafe that will be much less expensive and more fun.
Cook: no one wants to cook while on vacation. But just think about the money you will be saving by doing so! It will be a new experience to discover the local markets and the way things differ than what you are used to. So maybe you can cook breakfast and lunch and then go out for dinner.
Pick small cars if you are renting. They are much less expensive and you will save gas.
Also for renting a car, use a credit card which has car insurance coverage.
Tax refunds: don't forget about tax refunds! You may be getting all or some of your sales tax back.
Walk around: Tourist taxis may be very pricey. So, instead, opt to walk around. You will be getting more exercise and seeing the city and taking pictures.
Don't travel during peak seasons. You will find that prices are significantly higher during high-travel seasons. So, if you can, wait for low-season and book your travel then.
Get group discounts: If you are traveling as a group, make sure to take advantage of group rates.
Talk to the locals: It is always enlightening to do so and you may learn a lot about the best places to go to save.


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By Julie D. Griffin
The 1995 film about a group of teenagers who learn a lot of important lessons about feeling eternal and how fast the myth of the invincible teenager turns fatal after the automobile accident born of careless responsibility and other natural disasters crop up after a number of seeds those who planted them by choice suffer. It seems the innocent who the evil knowing ones tried to lead astray though did finally come out the victors on the survivor island of the Long Beach, CA. film focus. All cheesy teenager films aside, the story like a small town documentary offers some real live action. After one young man busts out a television at a diner with his fist, as the group of teens he drives away from the diner complain and want to go back to check on the hurt young boy he socked and left laying to die, he tells them all to just shut up. He starts singing a song to the gang telling them this way that he thinks he does not care about anyone except himself. "Sing of good things, not bad," He tells them singing as if some sick parody song of moldy praise to a paper god who does not listen to the suffering of the one now far away. His ready vision gives way to kay sara sara, whatever will be will be, and who cares anyway as nothing matters, "La la la la la, la la la la la la."
Hear no evil. Speak no evil. See no evil. He advises the group not to speak about anyone or anything bad, and despite the very fact that the boy just used his fist to sock someone else half to death. Oh, stay on the sunny side of life he advises his girlfriend on another evening and more or less after she complains about hating all of her classes. As a babysitter of her little sister, who she left by the car where parked away from the beach, "Do you notice anything different about me?" Another young teenager who tries the myth of changing his natural ethnic side to fit with the others, throws a ball against a pole with a prayer to change who he is so the girl he has a crush on will accept him more. He likes her and something most adults don't consider, all the confusion a young adult has to deal with due to every thing else going on around them with the adult world. The world, and with all there is of it, so much to reconcile. And with two weeks such a short window on a family visit ~ The music says a lot more about what the lives of each film character wants to say. And the film has a wide variety of songs used. The best scene has a cop. A car pulls up. The party over, Brook just wants to go home and get under the covers after that. Just stay out of trouble. The cop unknowing protects the bad boy from consequences he should incur, from responsibility he should face, and from trouble he alone earned fair and square all by himself. The crafty boy just seems to know how to cover up some bad. "I'm telling you," he brags as he drives away. "I've got to be a famous actor someday."


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while others just suck?" -- the first sentence in Chapter 1 of Eat the Rich by P.J. O'Rourke
"The existence of a price doesn't imply a supply." -- Don
Here's where you'll find price controls examined -- in excerpts from these books:
1. "Government Price-Fixing" excerpted from ECONOMICS IN ONE LESSON by Henry Hazlitt
2. "The Power
of Incentives" excerpted from THE ARMCHAIR ECONOMIST:
and Everyday Life
3. "Price
Controls" excerpted from THE CONCISE GUIDE TO ECONOMICS
4. "From
Beatnick to Business Major, or, Taking Econ 101 for Kicks"excerpted
from EAT THE RICH: A Treatise on Economics
5. "Price
Controls Are Back!" excerpted from MAKING ECONOMIC SENSE
6. "Rules
vs. Prices" excerpted from BIONOMICS:
Economy as Ecosystem
7. "Price Controls" excerpted from BASIC ECONOMICS: A Citizen's Guide to the Economy by Thomas Sowell
8. "The Market" excerpted from ESSENTIALS OF ECONOMICS: A Brief Survey of Principles and Policies by Faustino Ballvé
9. More resources for the study of price controls are HERE.
|*(as old world countries have done for millennia)
|"Every citizen who has produced or acquired a product, should have the option of applying it immediately to his own use or of transferring it to whoever on the face of the earth agrees to give him in exchange the object of his desires. To deprive him of this option . . . solely to satisfy the convenience of another citizen, is to legitimize an act of plunder and to violate the law of justice." -- Frédéric Bastiat
|"Most voters lack elementary understanding of economics. They resist even ideas as simple as 'In the long run, preserving obsolete jobs reduces production.' When prices change, vague conspiracy theories -- not supply and demand -- are their default explanation." -- Bryan Caplan
|"It is no crime to be ignorant of economics, which is, after all, a specialized discipline and one that most people consider to be a 'dismal science.' But it is totally irresponsible to have a loud and vociferous opinion on economic subjects while remaining in this state of ignorance." -- Murray N. Rothbard
|"One of the most important reasons for studying history is that virtually every stupid idea that is in vogue today has been tried before and proved disastrous before, time and again." -- Dr. Thomas Sowell
|"Bad and discredited ideas, it seems, never die. Neither do they fade away. Instead, they keep turning up, like bad pennies or Godzilla in the old Japanese movies." -- Murray N. Rothbard
|"There is no error so monstrous that it fails to find defenders among the ablest men." -- Prof. John E. E. D. Acton
|"The study of history is a powerful antidote to contemporary arrogance. It is humbling to discover how many of our glib assumptions, which seem to us noble and plausible, have been tested before, not once but many times and in innumerable guises; and discovered to be, at great human cost, wholly false." -- Paul Johnson
|"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1906
|Americans are fed a steady diet of idiotic commentary and specious 'analyses' most of which flow smoothly down the gullets of unsuspecting nightly-news, viewers, newspaper readers, and National Public Radio devotees. But for those of us vexed with some comprehension of supply and demand, comparative advantage, the role of prices, the nature of money, and other economic insights, most of what is uttered or written by the news media on economic topics is so ignorant that it hurts to hear it. -- by Donald J. Boudreaux
|"Never -- and I mean never -- blindly trust the statistics you read [or hear] about the economy." -- Don Luskin, HERE
|In America today the same nuclear physicist who
would laugh uproariously at the thought that the average businessman should
have a vote on whether to allow physicists to study the atom would immediately
turn around and insist that he as a citizen and nothing more should have
the right to vote on whether the owners of Texas gas wells should have
the right to set their own prices for their gas, whether the Federal Reserve
should increase the money supply at a faster rate, or whether the federal
government should 'stimulate' the international economy by running budget
deficits and 'talking down' the dollar in exchange markets.
"The same sociologist who asserts with contempt that the average politician knows nothing about the realities of drug use and their effects would assert with aplomb, and without thinking to consult a single study or learning economic theory, that the government should 'solve' the problem of inflation by imposing wage and price controls upon all those businessmen who 'set their prices to rip-off obscene profits.'
"And the average citizen voter, who can barely read at the so-called tenth grade level, asserts blandly that his votes justify the politicians use of police powers to dictate to doctors the standards of medical care and the maximum charges they can ask for their services. -- Jack D. Douglas
|"Economics has an extreme problem ... because essentially everything in economics has policy implications. Far too many economists let their policy preferences interfere with the conduct of their science (rather than changing their preferences in response to their scientific findings). That says nothing about economics, only something about the integrity of the economists in question." -- John Seater
|"Economic downturns reduce economic literacy. Just when people need their economic common sense the most, they open their hearts to the crackpots. Perhaps the best example is the Great Depression, when every breed of nut got his fifteen minutes of fame." -- Bryan Caplan
|"No 'middle class' worth the name aspires to economic benefits without bothering to acquire the skills to produce the wealth to make those benefits sustainable." -- Holman Jenkins
|"Talk is cheap. Supply exceeds Demand." -- Bill Goffe
|"[It's vital to develop analysis on] how proposed changes to U.S. tax policy would affect economic activity. Inside the Beltway, this type of analysis is called 'dynamic scoring.' Outside the Beltway, this is called 'economics'. -- William W. Beach
|PROOF that economics has entered the realm of the cool: CLICK THIS!
|"... in terms of morality -- the right of every individual to trade freely with any other of his choosing ... ought to exist independent of whether its exercise maximizes anyone's or everyone's welfare." -- Donald L. Luskin
The Karl Marx Treatment Center presents: Ask the People's Economist HERE.
Bookmarking? Bookmark this also. Heck, save the page to disk.


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LAREDO, TX (KGNS) - It's a bird, it's a plane....no, it's just a bunch of kites.
The Laredo Community College South campus will host their first ever Kite Flying Festival.
Students and the public are invited to bring their own kites this afternoon from 4:00 - 6:00 pm at the front lawn of the LCC South campus. Admission is free.
The event will celebrate the launch of the 10th anniversary celebration of the LCC South campus.
Free hot dogs and sodas will be available during the event.


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Just days after passing their maintenance and operations levy the Entiat School Board met to consider running a bond to fund improvements to school facilities. School Superintendent Mike Wyatt shares the timeline.
The board also took action on a policy change in graduation requirements as the state board of education has requested.
Superintendent Wyatt reports that the also board adopted a slight change to graduation requirements to align with state graduation guidelines.
In other school business, the board heard a request from middle school students and staff looking to take a two day field trip to University of Washington, the state capital and Mt.St. Helens.
The board is expected to make a decision on that request at their next board meeting on Thursday, March 15th"CLICK HERE" for Audio"CLICK HERE" for Audio


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Select your destination in Kenya. Browse thousands of listings for accommodations, adventures, tours and travel services.


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Hi everyone. After three years of bellydancing I find it necessary now to get the Raqia shimmy. What I want is the even and visible up and down of the hips. So I tackled that again and found out that I lack quad strength especially in the left leg which seems to have been the reason I couldn't move the hips evenly past a certain speed. So at this moment I train the even movement driven by the hips having the knees softtly bending alternately. I try to do it small because it takes a lot of energy and I care rather for even than for big. I don't lock my knees, I am afraid of the impact. So I stand the knees slightly bent but I don't want to call it a knee shimmy for I drive it from the hips. Even though, it is the motion of the knees that makes my quads ache so eventually it starts feeling like a knee-shimmy.
Well I thought I had the problem, I was getting a tiny bit faster, so I thought, training, gradual development and I'll have it. But now my knees started to hurt and I am afraid my continuous training it could harm the cartilage of the menisque (?). I already read Magidah's post that yes, this was bad for the knees. My teacher said she never had problems with the knees and she has more than ten years of professional dancing experience and has also studied the anatomy so I trust her. But I so want to continue my training which had shown some success already...how to deal with it? I will do only little today and check, but my body intelligence actually tells me to rest (which would essentially mean - give up that training?)
Well I thought I had the problem, I was getting a tiny bit faster, so I thought, training, gradual development and I'll have it. But now my knees started to hurt and I am afraid my continuous training it could harm the cartilage of the menisque (?). I already read Magidah's post that yes, this was bad for the knees. My teacher said she never had problems with the knees and she has more than ten years of professional dancing experience and has also studied the anatomy so I trust her. But I so want to continue my training which had shown some success already...how to deal with it? I will do only little today and check, but my body intelligence actually tells me to rest (which would essentially mean - give up that training?)
posted by:
Re: Shimmy and kneeThu, November 20, 2008 - 1:24 PMYou can rest the knees without giving up the training. It all depends on how much time you spend on it how often. Rest a day or two, then go back to it.
Also it depends whether you're doing *only* this, or an alternate quad strengthening exercise. Your quads will strengthen faster if they can build strength through more then one activity. (My quads really started getting stronger when I started doing Tai Chi.)
Make sure your alignment is correct before you start your shimmy practice. Are your knees above your toes? And do the stay there or do they swing in or swing out? Where are your hips in relation to your knees? There are a lot of things that can cause problems if they're just a "little" off.
Re: Shimmy and kneeThu, November 20, 2008 - 1:37 PMAditionally I took up yoga almost a a year ago. I find many poses (our teacher has us staying there for quite long) exhausting especially in the quad, f.e. in the warrior 1 or 2 pose where one leg is bent and the other stretched back, the bent leg aches like hell after a while, and I found it had gotten better by my shimmy excercise.
Knees are rather stable, they don't swing nowhere. The hip is down, slightly tucked, not like Randa does (legs straightened and pelvis slightly pointing backwards).
Re: Shimmy and kneeThu, November 20, 2008 - 2:05 PMHi Nuria,
I don't know that you need to give up your training, you may just to rest and give your body time to recover between training. You always have to find a balance between training and rest so that your body has time to recover and regenerate. Training too hard, whether it's cardio, strength or whatever can be counter productive if you do too much.
But where specifically do your knees hurt? Is it the outside, inside, top or bottom? Is the pain sharp or dull? Does it come and go? Do you have any swelling? The location of and type of pain can be an indicator for what the problem is. For example, if the pain is on the outside and and there swelling, you could have really tight IT bands. The IT band is a big tendon that connects from the hip to outside of the knee. If it gets too tight, it pulls your kneecap out of alignment and activities that involve bending and straightening the knee, like running or shimmying, can cause pain and swelling. I had this condition when I was younger, brought on by over training for a high school rowing team and ballet. Plus, as the physical therapist explained, my joints/ skeletal structure make me more susceptible to these kinds of problems.
So for now, definitely listen to your body and don't over do. Depending on the intensity of the pain you might want to seek out a sports doctor or physical therapist. Or work with your dance teacher or yoga instructor to make sure it's not caused by alignment or improper form. Chances are it's something that can be easily fixed. But you definitely don't want to risk long-term injury.
Re: Shimmy and kneeThu, November 20, 2008 - 2:21 PMI have the sensitivity in the right knee from running but I stopped long ago. It feels not sharp, it is not even real pain, it's below the kneecap. I feel I don't want to straighten the knee fully because..it could hurt? Now through the shimmy training the left knee has started to get sensitive, too. So I just did maybe ten minutes now to see if my body can do with a smaller dose. I emailed my teacher and I will see what she can say but even though she stresses good posture and weight on all four spots of your foot she has never experienced pain.
The thing with short muscles could be something I have, that's why I went to yoga, stretching is really hard for me, especially in the legs.
Re: Shimmy and kneeThu, November 20, 2008 - 3:50 PMSounds like you need to integrate more leg and knee strengthening exercises into your training. Lots of good ones here:
proper squats,
warrior series are great,
level changes with hip drilling (multi task- why not? =)) )
hamstring lifts (from all fours, flexing the foot up to the ceiling, and doing small presses upwards with the knee at 90 degrees)
Keep an eye on your form with this shimmie, but you should be able to continue practicing without pain. Cuing can help. Thinking lifting the knee when extending versus pushing the knee back; this helps support the knee cap and activates the muscles around the knee instead of leaving them slack and creating pressure on the knee by itself. And yes, rest. Overdoing it will surely result in injury. Understanding the discomfort associated with pushing the strength level and the pain saying stop is essential for everyone.
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, November 21, 2008 - 10:19 AMHi- I recently went to the Doctor's office for knee pain that sounds similar to yours, I am a dancer and also my work requires a lot of repetitive bending, lifting, walking and stair climbing. He called it patellar femoral mistracking, which is common in women, partially due to the way our muscular-skeletal system is set up. ( i have also seen the information listed under patellofemoral syndrome)- Basically, the movement of bending-straightening is not "on track" causing inflamation, a dull pain, abnormal wear and can worsen if you don't try to address the issue. Most of us have more muscle strength in our quads, our abductors and not our adductor muscles, naturally. The abductor muscles our pulling the knee cap off track so to speak...His advice to me was to work on strengthening exercises using adductor muscles and try to lessen the amount of repetitive movement using soley abductor muscles- for me that would be stop so much stair climbing ! You can try exercises in ballet, pilates, weight training etc. for physical therapy. I also use NSAIDS to decrease the inflammation and pain , as it really gets bad by the end of the day and I can't sleep at night. PLEASE go see your doctor! This is not anything to mess around with as pain is abnormal and worse things may happen if you don't address it! It may not be the same thing that I have but never mess around with joint pain! ALso make sure you are getting enough calcium/vitamin D....good luck....
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, November 21, 2008 - 10:26 AMOoops- I see that Emily has already covered a lot of what I mentioned! I also do yoga and have an extensive background in ballet, but have not practiced in ballet for a decade and never had this type of issue before. My doctor did not restrict my dance or yoga practice but wanted to make sure i had more well rounded muscle use/development I think and not over working certain muscle groups. The nice thing about yoga and ballet is that you do use a lot of adductor muscles for strength, balance, posture etc. Which will help balance out the abductor muscles. I know I will be adding a ballet barre section to my practice as well as weight training.
Hope everything turns out well -
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, November 21, 2008 - 11:12 AMi have also heard that sometimes knee pain can be caused by muscle inbalance, when the outside and top of the quad are stronger than the inside and it pulls on the knee. if you're developing your quads unevenly this could be a cause. to get the inside, other than squezes, holdin gyour leg out straight turn your foot at a 45 degree angle and lift the inside arch towards the ceiling. it's a similar to the first kind of kick in this debke: www.youtube.com/watch i think the debke might be fore fun though ^_^
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, November 21, 2008 - 12:04 PMOk playing a little the doctor here myself. After looking at the knee structure, I believe I can tell what hurts on my right leg must be the quadriceps tendon, maybe a little on the other leg the patellar tendon as well.
- I read that cycling was perfect for good knees.
Interesting what Leighna added - training the adductors? Ok does anyone know an excercise that is special for that? Fariha I'll check for your hint, that could be it. Shimmy is hard, I always wonder which leg actually carries the weight of the body because switching all the time that would almost be like trying to look into different directions with each eye! So there is a lot of weight on the knee that bends each time!
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, November 21, 2008 - 12:36 PMTraining the adductors –
Lie on your back on the floor with your legs straight up in the air and together. (to look like a capital L.)
On the inhale, open your legs to a V – only as far as is comfortable for you. On the exhale, use the inner thigh to pull your legs back together. That's the adductor muscles. Make sure you're not *cheating* and using the abductors (outer thigh) instead.
Do a few reps of these. Then do a "pulse"… a speedy burst where you keep your legs mostly in a V, and do the inner thigh pull small and quick – so your legs won't close all the way during the pulse, but they will keep moving.
A little goes a long way with these. I do them about once a week, and I'm sore for the next couple of days.
When you're ready to add more to this, you can play with other shapes while your legs are open. Keep your feet the same level but move them toward your head, away from your head. Make circles. Make figure eights. Keep one leg up and do the whole thing one leg at a time.
All kinds of options.
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, November 21, 2008 - 12:53 PMI think I know this excercise. Thank you! (Was it the same you mentioned, Fariha?)
Meanwhile my teacher sent me an intro into spiral-dynamics, something Swiss doctors worked out (I believe with dancers and therapists)
It is based on correct foot placement i believe, the intro said sth. like that, in order to prevent abuse and injury of all the joints of the leg.
Re: Shimmy and kneeSat, November 22, 2008 - 1:44 AMI posted a wrong link. Spiral dynamics as the way the muscles stabilize the leg, that is even a copyrighted term, but in German...
Spiral dynamics and the prevention of foot deformities Fixed foot deformities in adults are among the most
frequently occurring problems in an orthopaedic oriented practice. Their gradually worsening development is
often overlooked. and concepts for prevention are lacking. it is precisely here that the concept of spiral
dynamics can be applied:
the pathomechanical chain is clarified and the functional global relationships of the foot are established. On this
basis. one can develop the appropriate therapeutic and preventive measures. We present here, through words
and illustrations. the most important basic exercises for the maintenance and restoration of a functional foot
structure. The anatomically co-ordinated foot radiates a preventive effect in the proximal direction in that it
plays a decisive role in establishing the correct axis for torsion-free weight-bearing at the hip and knee joints.
Key words: spiral dynamics - foot deformities - 3D anatomy -preventive physiotherapy
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, December 5, 2008 - 8:00 AMI wonder if it could be a problem with your technique? Some belly dance teach this move as being back-back-back with the knees, and banging the knees to the back like that could put stress on them, especially for people who are very flexible. There is a risk of hyper-extending the joints.
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, December 5, 2008 - 10:09 AM*If* we are talking about the same movement, I would say that if generated from the thigh there really isn't much movement from the knees. They move, but a relative short distance from front to back . Off the top of my head I am thinking that perhaps despite having an Instructor stressing proper form and posture, it is not always instantaneously achievable and, unless, specifically borken down, key elements may be lost.
If you cannot balance something on your head with this movement...then either your weight is not distributed properly, your posture is off or you are doing the movement incorrectly. Assuming posture is proper, if weight is not evenly distributed, the tendency is for a dancer to put undue force on the lower leg muscles, knees (and often times feet) in an effort to keep balance and speed. Siggestions might be to try balancing something...if it flies off, you are not where you should be. Do this before you attempt to increase speed...always. You might consider wearing a pair of shorts or very tight fitting pants to your next class as well so your Instructor can see exactly how you are attempting to perform this movement,
I would though...in the interim...consider seeing a doctor. If an old injury as a risen or a new one has occurred, you want to minimalize the damage as quickly as possible. All the technique in the world cannot resolve a permanent injury.
Finally...when seeking advice, (and this is with all due respect to your instructor), it might be best to stick with standard and long term tested medical treatments. The sprial dynamics is not a work out per say but a way of living and interpreting life. If you prescribe...then fine but if you do not, proceed with caution and confer with professionals for secondary advice.
Re: Shimmy and kneeFri, December 5, 2008 - 3:11 PMI had a similar issue with my left knee. I had it Xrayed and MRIed. No bone or cartilage issues, thankfully. What I did have was that tracking issue that I was told was a common injury amongst school-aged female athletes. Bottom line is that the IT band (illiotibial, pardon any misspellings) was too tight. The IT band is connective tissue that runs from the hip down to the knees. Since it was too tight, it was pulling my kneecap out of alignment. The PT likened the situation to an elevator that was being pulled crooked in a shaft and would bang around the side walls of the shaft. My therapy was to stretch out the IT band (outer thigh, between knee and hip) and work on tightening up the inner thigh muscles. Works. When I work out I always remember to stretch out that IT band and it seems to keep the problem at bay.
Re: Shimmy and kneeSat, December 6, 2008 - 2:48 AM@Shira for the moment I am seeking carefully the right way to do it. I am certainly not doing anything hard or rough as I said above.
I stopped the training with the goal to get it within a month (teacher said it can also be a mental thing of pushing oneself too much) and when I shimmy now my main focus is that all the muscles have to remain absolutely relaxed and the feet well placed. I am trying to pull up my hips from the inside of my thighs, there seem to be muscles that go up into the hips. I got warm and comfy winter shoes and left my heels standing in the corner. So far it has gotten better.
another girl has gotten pains in her shins. Shimmy is entirely new to her. I guess we all got a little stressed. My strategy will be now get my body used to it little by little, and if it can't cope and knees will hurt again I'll go see the doctor.
I also notice that the more you bend your knees, the more weight is on them. Last thing I tried was the Randa-posture and it seemed easier for the knees.
Re: Shimmy and kneeSat, December 6, 2008 - 6:59 AMThere is a really good book on how to relieve pain in the body by bringing it back into balance through specific exercises. Alot of times our training is actually strengthening the dysfunctional way we move and can cause joint problems. This book addresses specific pain issues such as knee, hip, low back, shoulders etc and creates a routine to use on each specific problem. I highly recommend it.
There is also a website
Re: Shimmy and kneeSat, December 6, 2008 - 7:46 AMis there a yoga pose that stretches that IT-band?
Re: Shimmy and kneeSat, December 6, 2008 - 12:46 PMIt's not really a yoga pose, but a stretch that I do religiously at the end of every workout is pretty simple and stretches that area well. When you first try it, it might help if you are standing in front of a mirror so that you can check your foot position and body alignment.
* Stand straight arms at sides.
* Take 1 step forward with right foot. Not a huge step, just a step.
* Take your left foot, which is behind you, and move it so that it is on the right side of your body. Both feet should be straight, toes pointing towards mirror, but your left foot is on the right side of your body, behind you with your legs crossed.
* With straight arms, reach your right hand downward and reach your left arm upward, sorta like your arms are being pulled in 2 different directions (north and south). You should feel a stretch down the left side of your body, from outer thighs through the hips, and a little into the left side of your rib cage. Hold this position.
* If you're very flexible and aren't feeling as much of a stretch as you'd like, start out with the position above, but take your right arm and reach upwards and grasp your left wrist.
* Pull your left wrist down on the right side with your right hand. This will make your left side arch more and will give you a deeper stretch. You will DEFINITELY feel the stretch here. Hold this position for at least 20 - 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Another way to stretch out the IT Band, and I'm warning you, it can be a little uncomfortable, bordering on painful. You'll need a foam roller, you know, one of those things that look like the pool toy called a funnoodle. You'll have to get down on the floor and position the foam roller at the side of the hip and "walk" on your hands to allow your body to roll on the foam roller. The goal is to roll on the roller from your outer hip area and down the outside of your thigh, near the knees. Then roll yourself back up to the hip. It's like a very intense form of self-massage, but with your body weight on this thing, it can get a little uncomfortable. It's not my fave thing to do but I'll do it once in a while if I'm feeling more tight than usual.
One more stretch that just popped into my mind is a runner's stretch. Cross your left foot to the right side of your body while in a standing position. Standing with legs straight, bend and reach downwards to your toes, pivoting at the hip. Hold that for about 20 - 30 seconds. Repeat, crossing the right foot over to the left side of your body.
Re: Shimmy and kneeSat, December 6, 2008 - 3:53 PMSomething you might try is to lay on the floor (on your back) and do your shimmy. That way you can increase the muscle strength but not have the wt on the knees. This also will help you in alignment. You can look down at your hips before you start and see if they are aligned. You could also maybe do your shimmy seated.
Hope this helps!


text:
Interview with Huw Williams, Rudi Schmidt, and Lydia Samuels of The Melodic. I spoke with Huw, Lydia, and Rudi following the last show of their 2014 North American Winter Tour at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco, which had sold out well in advance. The band, whose musical style reflects influences from around the world, captivated the audience with lovely, buoyant melodies, unusual instrumentation, and their uniquely charming repertoire.
How many dates did you play on this tour?
We did a dozen gigs. We started in New York and we worked our way around the East Coast and up into Canada, and then across to the West Coast. It's been really varied because out on the East Coast [there were] arctic conditions and then when we got to California it was this drought that we came to, but we were in Heaven because the sun was shining.
Tonight was obviously fantastic, a big success. How has the rest of the tour been going?
It's been great touring with Johnny [Flynn]. Johnny and his friend Henry who's come along have been great to be on the road with - great company. Also the crowds have been amazing - really present and really supportive - great to play to.
I second that. They're a lovely crowd, Johnny's fans; they really listen. They seemed to warm to us straight away. I think that the two acts really complement each other.
It felt like they were ready to enjoy what we were doing from the first note which has been nice.
The Melodic has been together as a band for a relatively short period of time but I understand that some of you have been friends for a long time, since childhood.
Me and Rudi went to school together; that goes back to when we were about 11 years old, so that's a long time. Me, Rudi and John [Naldrett], the bass player, have known each other for over a decade. Lydia we've known for less time - the whole lineup as The Melodica has come together in the last two years.
Wendy [to Huw and Rudi]:
You've known each other for all this time - when did you start playing music together?
We started playing when we were about 16, after school. We were discovering new things, started playing music, started learning guitars at the same time.
A lot of our friends started to play music at the same time; a lot of our friends played piano.
Wendy [to Lydia]:
Speaking of piano, you studied piano pretty extensively - classical piano. That was your first instrument?
That was my first instrument. I didn't think I'd end up in a folk band, but I did (laughs).
What did you think your direction was at that point, when you were first starting to play?
I just thought I'd go into conservatoire and become a concert pianist, but this is much better and I think singing's much more interesting actually for me because it feels much more personal, 'cause your body is your instrument. I think I definitely get more out of singing than I did with piano, but obviously piano comes into the band because I play the melodica. It's useful for that.
You've been together as The Melodic for about two years, so has the new album [Effra Parade] been two years in the making?
It was a couple years in the making but we finished it about a year ago.
I'm not actually on the album; I joined just after it was finished.
The album kind of came before The Melodic. The album was created with lots of different people on it - lots of guest musicians and people who came on to play instruments that none of us could play. When the album was actually finished the band took shape and now we've brought it out to America. As Lydia says, Lydia doesn't sing on the album - she appears on one or two bits, but we've been performing as The Melodic with this arrangement. It's quite a complicated thing - not very neat and tidy.
It's interesting though. Who are some of the musicians that you have with you on the album? Are they longtime friends?
It's a real mix of different people we know or we'd met. Some people we've known for longer - a guy who plays fiddle, Nick Pynn, he's a composer from Brighton. The reason he was at our house to record was that he was playing a show in London and he couldn't get back to Brighton because the snow had meant that the trains were cancelled, so he called my dad and stayed at my dad's house, got up in the morning, and we put him on the track.
And local musicians as well, just from the area.
Yeah, Sue Says, a local band who we've gotten to know from being in the area - they're Britain's premier afro-beat band; they play afro-beat and reggae and they work with a lot of big reggae producers. They play at a local pub twice a week - quite low key but really cool.
And you had [a] classical clarinet player, flutist...
Double bass, trumpet [player] - who's our old drummer's dad.
So a community of people playing on the album, and the album was recorded in Rudi's childhood bedroom. He moved out of his bedroom and moved into a squat down the road. We made his bedroom into a little studio.
So you self-produced the album. How did you learn production skills?
That's mainly Rudi's forte, Rudi and his dad.
Experimenting, and a lot from my dad.
Rudi's dad's a sound editor for film.
Back in the day we would bang out - just write and record a song in a day and mix it.
When we were first learning instruments there was this idea that the writing and recording were simultaneous, laying the ideas down as they came up. The song would be finished in a day, so the recording and learning to record and writing were the same thing. I think that's why Rudi, with the help of his dad, got really familiar and fluent in those techniques.
Obviously Lydia will be part of the next recording, which begs the question, do you have a second album in the works?
We've got half a dozen songs written and a few more that we've been working on. I think we will do an album later this year.
There are so many ideas; we just need to sit down and put them all in proper form.
The idea of working toward an album will bring all those ideas into some kind of structure - they're all just floating around at the moment.
That's what a label's good for. Having a label's really good for deadlines because they tell you to finish things, 'cause artists generally - they're not that good at finishing things on their own.
You just released Effra Parade, so I imagine that you want to let people get familiar with this album and that there might not be a rush to get a second album out right away.
At the same time because we did finish a year ago, it would be really nice to start.
And I really want to contribute.
Same with our drummer James [McCandless]. He joined after [Effra Parade had been recorded].
He's got a really amazing style and it's gonna be exciting to have him on the second album.
You're now with ANTI-, right?
Yeah, they're great. We're just about to go on tour with another band, Tinariwen, who's on ANTI-.
Also, another ANTI- band, Saintseneca - we're doing a tour with them.
So - more touring coming up in the near future.
Lots of touring!!
Where will you be touring?
America. We're touring into South by [SXSW] with Saintseneca, and then we've got a few shows at South by. We're touring out of it with Tinariwen, who we're really excited to tour with. We've been a fan of their music for quite a while, before they were signed to ANTI-. They've just released a new album which I heard today for the first time; it's really amazing. They're Tuareg people and they're from the desert in North Africa - different countries, but they got together in Mali. They play really amazing desert blues music, very groovy, a bit transcendental.
Once you hear it - you've never heard anything like it. It does have a big effect on you.
With Tinariwen you'll be touring the States again - what about your home country? Do you have any concerts planned there?
We'll be returning to London and we'll be promoting the release of our album there; the album isn't out in the UK yet. We're gonna be doing some shows around the UK. We're actually organizing a mini-carnival to celebrate the album release in our local neighborhood, the neighborhood that a lot of us grew up in. Then we have a headline show in May, at club called XOYO on May the 7th in London.
For more information please visit www.themelodic.com


text:
Verlander struck out the side in the seventh inning.
"Justin was really impressive," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "That last inning, when he came back like that, he was impressive."
Verlander said he's gotten a better feel quicker for his signature curveball, saying it's as good as the curves he was snapping off better than ever late in 2010.
"It came out looking like a fastball and had lots of depth on it," said Verlander, adding that his changeup also was significantly better.
He suffered food poisoning Friday in New York and said Tuesday was the "first really good day I've had since...So, that was good timing."
Verlander threw 108 pitches and got the win to equal his victory total from each of the last two Aprils.


text:
Pygmy Elephant Finds a New Parent
PYGMY ELEPHANT FINDS A NEW PARENT – It was only just a while ago I read the heart rendering story of a baby Pygmy Elephant that was found next to its dead mother trying in vain to wake her up.
According to the news reports its mother had been poisoned, and whether this was deliberate or accidental is yet to be determined. This is not the first time that wildlife experts have come across a poisoned Pygmy Elephant in the tropical rain forests of Malaysia; indeed there have now been 14 such reports.
If the baby Elephant had not been spotted it to would have died, probably of starvation, however it is so heartwarming to know that the baby Pygmy Elephant is now doing well and being cared for by Augustin David, a keeper at Lok Kawi zoo near Kota Kinabalu.
There are fears that Joe, which is the name given to the Pygmy Elephant, does require 24 hour care to ensure he stays healthy but above all doesn't feel abandoned, which could lead him to dying of a broken heart.
"He is far from safety yet. It's too soon to be sure that he will make it – sometimes baby elephants can look OK and then die suddenly." Dr Diana Ramirez, the vet overseeing Joe's recovery
Looking at Augustin and Joe play together is a real joy and you can see the two certainly have created an extremely tight bond, which will help little Joe through the trauma of losing his mother.
As you can see by the images, Joe appears to be recovering and it is nice to know that someone cares for him deeply enough to dedicate such a lot of time; although I'm not sure Augustin would regard this as work, but rather more of a passion and a love for Joe.
From the reports it is clear that Joe has a way to go yet before his is out of the woods, regarding his health. Experts are saying that baby Elephants are prone to colic, but providing he survives to the age of 6 to 8 month he should grow into a strong Pygmy Elephant.
It is unlikely that Joe, if he does survive; and I am certainly rooting for the little fella, is unlikely ever to be released into the wild, but rather be kept on the 280 acre park reserve, where there are currently 16 other Pygmy Elephants who have been orphaned and survived.


text:
My 2-year old son is into colors, numbers and letters and we look for any opportunity to help him develop his new recognition abilities. We try to make it fun through games, foam letters and numbers for bath time and felt letters and numbers made by myself.
Growing up in a bilingual environment can be challenging for a little guy. We speak Romanian at home but he's equally exposed to English through all the books we read to him, visits at the library and our international friends.
There are things, like the alphabet, that we prefer to teach him in English so it won't get too confusing. The Romanian alphabet has the same letters as the English one but some are pronounced differently.
This is how it originally looked like but as his little brother kept pulling the letters down I decided to place them out of the baby's reach.
Both the board and letters are made from felt as felt sticks to felt. As for how to attach the board to the wall, I used Command Strips but you can also try pins. (I wanted not to damage the wall in any way)
I haven't put out all the letters yet, just the ones that Victor can identify so far. (enough to be able to spell his name)


text: The clear Alpine air, the warm sun and the sparkling Lake St. Moritz entice visitors to Badrutt's Palace Hotel. In addition to elegant events, nature too has surprises for those who walk, bike, climb, ride or sail to discover the secrets and hidden Engadin jewels. A relaxing evening playing cards, horse-drawn carriage rides, wine tasting and opera, belong to the elegant lifestyle of St. Moritz


text:
Sexual violence probes at colleges arise from Obama's push on civil rights
WASHINGTON — What has become a national uprising against the scourge of sexual assault on college campuses started three years ago with a 19-page letter from an obscure agency in Washington.
Sexual violence was not only a crime that could land a perpetrator in jail, the Office for Civil Rights in the Education Department told schools in April 2011. It was also a form of harassment prohibited by federal anti-discrimination law, a declaration that required colleges to take vigorous steps to prevent sexual violence and provide a "prompt and equitable" response whenever cases arise.
The letter from the Obama administration helped encourage survivors of rape and other forms of sexual assault to lodge grievances with the federal government, with widening consequences for higher education.
"It was the first time any administration had called out sexual violence as a civil rights issue," Catherine Lhamon, assistant education secretary for civil rights, said of the letter. "It was a shot across the bow."
From last October through April, Lhamon's office received 43 civil rights complaints related to sexual violence at colleges. That's about four times as many as the office received in the entire fiscal year of 2010.
Expanded civil rights enforcement is one of several ways the administration has pressed to tighten oversight of higher education. The department aims to force changes at for-profit colleges that leave graduates with too much debt and poor job prospects. It also is developing a plan to rate colleges on value and access. Both of those initiatives are controversial, but the sex-assault initiative has drawn huge attention.
Sex assault has plagued colleges for generations. Administrators who faced the problem often tried to keep it a private matter, resolved behind closed doors with minimal campus disturbance. Now the issue has gone public. In January, President Barack Obama asked a task force to develop ways to protect students from sex assault.
On Thursday, the department made public for the first time a list of colleges under investigation for possible violations of the 1972 law known as Title IX, stemming from their handling of sexual violence and harassment complaints. Of the 55 institutions listed, only three were subject of investigations that predated the letter: Harvard Law School, Princeton University and Ohio State University. The rest came under federal scrutiny afterward, officials said, with most of the cases the result of a mounting number of student complaints.
Lhamon hastened to point out that the release of the list did not mean any of the 55 schools had broken the law. But in a higher-education market sensitive to public perceptions, with schools constantly angling to get noticed through one national ranking or another, this is one list they want to avoid.
"What colleges have today that's most valuable for their franchise is their brand," said James Marsh, a New York attorney who represents sexual-assault victims. When sexual-violence questions hang over a school, he said, it "seriously undermines and hurts the brand."
Marsh and Boston attorney Wendy Murphy represent a University of Virginia graduate who filed a federal civil rights complaint in 2012, alleging that the school mishandled her report that she had been drugged and then raped by a classmate in December 2011. Separately, the Office for Civil Rights, known as OCR, had begun an investigation in June 2011 of possible civil rights violations related to sexual violence at the University of Virginia.
Why that investigation remains open, nearly three years later, is unclear. Neither the Education Department nor the school would comment on it.
But the University of Virginia's associate dean of students, Nicole Eramo, said Friday that the university took numerous steps to bolster its sexual-violence policies after the OCR letter in 2011. The university broadened its definition of sexual misconduct to cover any unwelcome sexual behavior that occurs without effective consent; rules were clarified to ensure, for instance, that students know it is forbidden to drug someone for the purpose of sexual exploitation; and the policy was expanded to cover misconduct off, as well as on, the campus known as the Grounds.
The University of Virginia adopted a new standard of proof that year for determining whether a student committed sexual misconduct. Instead of requiring "clear and convincing evidence" for finding a violation, the university determined that it would accept a lower standard of proof known as "preponderance of the evidence." That shift followed direction from the OCR letter.
Some colleges, federal officials say, have resisted adopting the preponderance standard, contending that it does not adequately preserve the rights of accused.
Eramo, who chairs a board of faculty, staff and students that hears sexual-misconduct cases, said the board has handled five formal complaints this school year and five informal complaints. The informal cases, she said, don't lead to disciplinary action but do provide students with a secure forum to discuss painful incidents.
The school has three staff members who investigate sexual misconduct, and Eramo said she would like to hire another because the cases are so complex. The university also is aiming to hire a coordinator for sexual-misconduct prevention.
"We've really tried to shift some of our focus from policy to prevention," Eramo said. "I spend a lot of my time in react mode, and we want to be more proactive."
The list of 55 schools under active investigation also included Frostburg State University in western Maryland, with a case that opened Sept. 18; Catholic University in the District of Columbia, with a case that opened Jan. 8; and the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, with a case that opened April 18. All three schools pledged cooperation with authorities but declined to discuss details.
"From a purely public relations standpoint, we would rather not be on the list," William and Mary spokesman Brian Whitson said. "But we're not looking at this from a public relations perspective… . This is an issue we are very focused on. When it comes to response and education related to sexual violence, we spend a lot of time considering what we do and why we do it. We didn't ask for this review, but we do expect to learn something along the way."
Usually universities keep quiet any objections they might have about civil rights enforcement. On Monday, though, an open split emerged between Tufts University and OCR. The private university in Massachusetts, which had been under investigation for its handling of a 2010 sexual-assault case, acknowledged "more could have been done" to address concerns of the student who reported the assault. But Tufts revoked an agreement it had reached with OCR in mid-April to resolve the issue, disputing a federal finding that the university's current policies fell short of what the law required.
That leaves the university at odds with an agency that has the power to cut off its federal funding.
"We could not, in good faith, allow our community to believe that we were not in compliance with such an important law," Tufts said in a statement. "Our goal is a campus culture in which every member of our community is respected, supported and safe. Sexual misconduct has absolutely no place at Tufts University."


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Saturday, July 06, 2013
Yesterday, I was feeling frustrated. My husband went to the store and bought JUNK food for himself! He doesn't get it! He was once over-weight but conquered his weight loss by eating only ONCE a day! I can't do that. For one thing, I'm a diabetic and need to eat every couple of hours.
I attempted to have healthy snacks; or snacks that are better options than chips, salty crackers, coke, Klondike etc. Yesterday, he brought into our home all of these 'crap' foods that I LOVE!! Yes, I was feeling very frustrated. He thinks it's as simple as "Don't eat it"! It's not that simple. I can fight temptation for so long and then I cave. After he fell asleep, I got into his chips and ate a handful! How am I going to get and be healthy living with a saboteur.
So, I've been searching on Spark for motivation. Here's what spoke volumes to me today:
"Every time you misstep on your healthy journey, you have two choices: to keep walking backwards, which will surely take you even further away from your goals; or to accept your lack of perfection as normal and forgivable, and take not one, but two positive steps down the path that brings your closer to the future you want."
I do NOT want to walk backwards therefore I will take the latter. I will accept my imperfection and forgive myself for what I did to my body last night. I need to eat a healthy diet for me! I need to have my diabetes under control. It is a fact, for me, that I could NOT keep eating the way I was eating with my husband! Not unless, I want to die sooner than later. I've been given two opportunities to wake up and smell the coffee!! My stupidity did not cause any life long damage to my body so I will NOT push my luck!
I will keep this quote from the motivational article I read today close to heart.
Moral of this story: Sometimes you have to be your own cheerleader
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I am making my own healthy snack and treats to eat. My hubby came home with a container of chocolate chip cookies. Store purchased treats have MSG and things in them that make us binge and crave them. By making a homemade from scratch version without artificial processed ingredients it's working for me. I made some cookies out of cashews, maple syrup, tahini and chocolate chips. Nutritionally it is much better. 1 cookie satisfies me and fills me. It takes away that nagging craving for worse crap. For me the key was substituting with healthy choices.
818 days ago
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it's tough enough with all the temptation and sometimes my hubby does the same thing, but we can arm ourselves with healthy alternatives that really satisfy without the extra calories, sugar, fat, etc.
congrats on your progress, you're doing great!!!
889 days ago
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Love the quote and I have a hubby like that too except that he did not lose weight and keeps gaining and we are both diabetic too. why , when we start to take care of ourselves do they bring that crap home? I think, for my hubby is that he is afraid I will lose and then he will have to try too. I really don't know. Good luck on your journey. We can do this.
1057 days ago
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Love the quote......
1086 days ago
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That's a very wise quote, and I hope it continues to give you strength. You mentioned what he's done and said, but have you told him that it's not as simple for you? If you have and things are the same, maybe you could convince him to at least not have those foods around you. He can still have them on his own time elsewhere. Then you have your space and he has his.
1087 days ago
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I know EXACTLY how you feel! My hubby has been saying for years that he needs to lose weight and wants to lose weight, but he continues to eat JUNK! We joined a gym two years ago and last year, we went as many time as we have thumbs on our hands! So, this year, in February, I made the decision that I (that's a stress on "I") was going to lose weight and get in shape. He is just beginning to come around and will join me once or twice a week at the gym, but I still can't get him to quit eating junk. I went through the cupboards and fridge and threw away everything unhealthy, but he is out and about for his job, so he eats fast food &/or buys his own junk to bring home. I just told him that I have done my part to help him, now he needs to do the rest and help himself (with my support). so, we'll see...
I hope you and your hubby can get on the same page. Good luck to you on your journey to good health!
1088 days ago
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Being visible while working in rainy and bad weather, or on night related jobs, is always a priority for the safety of employees. High visibility apparel is clothing of bright green and orange colors and reflective material, that is needed when workers are working in poor light, storms, rain, or when it's hard to see them around moving machinery. Sending employees out to work in unsafe conditions such as crowds and special events, also calls for safety apparel.
High visibility apparel is clothing made of fluorescent material, usually green or orange, and can be seen from a far distance. This type of clothing is standard safety apparel for workers that need to be seen because of unsafe work conditions. A school crossing guard usually wears a vest of fluorescent color, and reflective strips. Police that are needed to direct traffic in bad weather, or an extremely bad accident or public event wear reflective vests. Hard hats and ear protection are added to help in keeping most workers in unsafe work areas from harm.
When workers work at night, or in extremely poor lighting, or heavy traffic, fluorescent clothing with reflective strips are necessary for worker safety. These clothing items are vests, as well as shirts and sometimes, pants. Stormy conditions calls for brightly colored and reflective raincoats. Hard hats are usually worn on construction sites, making it safer for a dangerous environment where accidents happen everyday. Ear protection for employees working with the loud machinery, is also necessary for employee safety in some work situations.
When safety is the priority for workers, reflective and bright clothing is all the more valuable and needed. Employees that are aware of the unsafe working conditions of their employees will always supply them with the fluorescent clothing they need. If the work environment is loud and unsafe, ear protection is necessary and a common safety apparel for the worker. High visibility apparel includes anything from hard hats, to gloves, work shoes, and vests. Some employers will provide their employees with full apparel, such as jumpsuits, and raincoats that have reflective strips on them.
Safety is the first concern when sending your employee out to do the job, and reflective, and colorfully bright clothing is available for employers to order and supply to their workers. The money spent on keeping your employees safe under any unsafe conditions is well spent and appreciated. An employer should always put his worker's safety first.


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Mobile data refers not only to phones, but "mobile" data is also transmitted by tablets, smart watches, Google glass, and health trackers.
According to the networking giant Cisco, they predict mobile data traffic will top 190 exabytes worldwide by 2018.
As more mobile devices being used Cisco "expects the number of connections by wearable tech devices are to jump from seven billion in 2013 to 10 billion by 2018."
According to Cisco's Visual Networking Index "The wearables category will have a tangible impact on mobile traffic, because even without embedded cellular connectivity, they can connect to mobile networks through smartphones. Globally, traffic from wearables will account for 0.5 percent of smartphone traffic by 2018."
Cisco also cites faster speeds and more video as being a major contributor to the mobile data boom as well.
Enjoy this article? Receive e-mail alerts from Tanya Rena' Jefferson when new articles are available. Just click the "Subscribe" button.


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Sonny Rollins: Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax)
A Night at the Village Vanguard, Volume 1 (Blue Note CDP 7 46517 2)
Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Wilbur Ware (bass), Elvin Jones (drums).
Composed by Sigmund Romberg & Oscar Hammerstein II.
Recorded: live at the Village Vanguard, New York, November 3, 1957
Rating: 92/100 (learn more)
A Night at the Village Vanguard, Volume 1 marks Sonny Rollins's first "live" recording as a leader. He used several combinations of fine musicians during that engagement, but preferred this trio lineup. Thank God there were people recording these nightclub sessions back in those days. In this case, legendary engineer Rudy Van Gelder rolled the tape. There is a certain charm to the technical primitiveness of the times. This monaural recording authentically captures artists in growth mode and also helps define a historic period in American music. Can you believe that people used to go out to local jazz clubs and listen to music? I know it seems hard to believe, but lots of folks were doing it.
The ballad "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" is treated with reverence by Rollins, bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Elvin Jones. Ware plucks a few strings to let Rollins know when to start. Rollins plays the melody with a blues melancholy, revealing Sonny the sensitive interpreter, not the powerful saxophone colossus. Ware follows Rollins's affecting solo with a fitting run at the melody himself. If you listen carefully as Jones uses his brushes, you can hear some of his signature vocal grunts helping to carry the tune along. All three players were in top 1957 form, playing music that was worthy of a vaunted venue like the Vanguard.
I was only 10 months old when this gig happened. But I still miss those days.
Reviewer: Walter Kolosky
Tags: 1950s jazz · blue note · softly as in a morning sunrise · tenor sax · village vanguard
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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life shortening genetic disease that currently affects 30,000 Americans and over 70,000 individuals worldwide.
Because of the underlying genetic defect in children with CF, many are malnourished (because they are unable to properly absorb the food they eat) and suffer from recurrent lung infections (because the mucus in their lungs are unusually thick and sticky) that often lead to irreversible lung damage and ultimately can result in premature death.
As their lung health deteriorates, some children are hospitalized more frequently and for longer stretches of time where they undergo intensive therapies that are not always pleasant. When this happens, they are removed from their friends and family and placed in a world of illness and isolation.
Despite such conditions, many children with CF have the amazing ability to acclimate and thrive. Not so much for themselves, but for others around them (friends, families, and caregivers).... Much like heroes who unselfishly give so others can have hope.
This science-fantasy graphic novel was created for and is in many ways about such children.
Enter their world and you may find yourself in the lives and experiences of many children with CF around the world.
***Note, this is a prototype and there's 60-80 pages left before the project is complete.
Also note that this is primarily for preview purposes and the price is artificially inflated since it is a prototype. Purchase only if you are a collector since only a few of these will exist. ***
It is my passion to combine together the arts and sciences in the world of modern medicine where there may be imbalances between the "art of caring" and the "science of curing." This balance is especially needed when providing care for children with acute and chronic illnesses. Johnny and the Magic Paint Brush is a synthesis of many current concepts and situations in medicine presented in a graphic novel format with the goal of intelligent educational entertainment that will raise awareness of cystic fibrosis to a new level. Enter Johnny's world and you will never be the same.
Comment posted.
sheriewheele says
Dr. Saito, This book preview is excellent.....Have you sent it to Bob yet?
I won't if you already have. Sherie
posted at 08:06PM Nov 12 PST
sheriewheele says
Dr. Saito, This book preview is excellent.....Have you sent it to Bob yet?
I won't if you already have. Sherie
posted at 08:06PM Nov 12 PST
jsaito says
To everyone,
Please note that this is primarily for preview purposes and the price is artificially inflated since it is a prototype.
Thanks for your interest in this project.
John Saito, MD
posted at 11:49PM Oct 26 PST
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Alum-Line Truck & Trailer Outfitters
Bringing you the best in truck bodies, tool boxes, and trailers: livestock trailers, auto trailers, cargo trailers, utility trailers, and flatbed trailers. Alum-Line has over 29 years experience of exceptional quality and workmanship in custom aluminum products.
Alum-Line's main product lines include all types of custom aluminum trailers, tool boxes, truck bodies, and more!


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A home southeast of Georgetown was damaged by fire Friday morning, but no injuries were reported, according to the state fire marshal's office.
The fire in the unit block of Snow Road was first reported just after 9 a.m., fire officials said.
Firefighters from the Millsboro Fire Department and Georgetown Fire Company were able to extinguish the blaze in the unoccupied home.
Investigators later determined the fire began in the chimney area of a wood stove and was caused by combustibles located too close to the stove pipe.
Damages are estimated at $20,000.
Fire officials said the resident of the home is being assisted by the Red Cross.
Location, ST | website.com


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A veteran striker now in his 17th year of senior international service, Nikos Liberopoulos is still going strong at 36 and, against all odds, has been included in Greece's UEFA EURO 2012 squad after a fine swansong season with AEK Athens FC. He has been voted Greece's player of the year on three occasions.
• Born in Filiatra on the Peloponnese peninisula, he made his debut in the Greek top flight with 11 goals for Kalamata FC in 1995/96 and won his first cap – against Israel – in the same season.
• Joined Panathinaikos FC in 1996 and remained with the Athens club for seven seasons but without winning a major trophy; peaked with 23 league goals in 1999/2000, during which he established himself as a regular for Greece with five goals – all in friendlies.
• Lost his international place when Otto Rehhagel took over and played no part in UEFA EURO 2004 – either qualifiers or finals – despite topping the 2002/03 Greek Super League scoring charts with 16 goals; enjoyed a successful reintroduction to the national team, scoring three important goals in UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying and making his major tournament bow at the finals against Russia.
• Left Panathianikos for AEK in 2003 and was an immediate success; went on to win the Super League top scorer crown again in 2006/07 (18 goals) before finally moving abroad, aged 32, where he spent two seasons in the German Bundesliga with Eintracht Frankfurt.
• Returned to AEK in 2010 and finally won the first major trophy of his career when the Athens club captured the Greek Cup, beating Atromitos FC 3-0 in the final – he opened the scoring and was voted man of the match; prominent again in 2011/12, registering seven league goals and another three in the play-offs.
©UEFA.com 1998-2016. All rights reserved.


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Used Cellphones for Sale Deals from $9.99 to $204.99
Cellular Country has another sale up its sleeve. Take advantage of the used cellphones for sale. The sale allows you to purchase more than one phone because the phones are now up to 70% cheaper. The support staff is there to help you along the way.
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The much-publicized debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham is over. It's not the first debate between an evolutionist and a creationist that I've ever seen and neither guy really brought anything new to the table. I heard the same old arguments that in all honesty weren't all that different from the great chicken or the egg debate. The debate lasted around two and a half hours. The biggest surprise was how entertaining it was. Both men truly had some very interesting things to say regardless of whether or not you agreed with them. Afterwards, I was left with the following thoughts.
Bill Nye came to "win" the debate. His number one priority was to please his followers on Twitter rather than having an honest discussion about the topics presented by the moderator. His main objective was to look to be in charge and to appear to be the winner. He succeeded in doing that, in my opinion.
Bill Nye "cheated." He circumvented the format of the debate by throwing out questions that he knew Ken Ham wouldn't have the opportunity to respond to. Bill Nye did this throughout the debate and with a lot of premeditation. Bill Nye deliberately asked questions (most of which are tired arguments that have long been refuted) that Ken Ham could not answer due to the format of the debate.
When asked if there was anything that could make Bill Nye change his mind, he said if there was proof that the universe wasn't expanding. I don't understand the logic as the Bible never says that the universe wasn't expanding. In fact, as Ken Ham pointed out, the Bible talks about how God "stretches out the heavens" (Psalm 104: 2). The expanding universe validates the Bible.
Bill Nye proved the Bible correct, which says in 1 Corinthians 1:18, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
Ken Ham did the right thing by presenting videos of accomplished scientists who happened to be creationists. Weak as it was, Bill Nye's closing argument was that being a creationist will halt all technological advances and will send the United States' economy on a rapid downward spiral. Unsurprisingly, Bill Nye chose to ignore the contributions of the creationists that Ken Ham presented, like the invention of MRI, among others.
Ken Ham had his priority straight--to preach the Gospel. His stance was unwavering and he was unashamed of being a Christian. As Christians, our main calling is to snatch people from the jaws of hell, even at the cost of persecution and being labeled all sorts of things by the secular world. John 5:19 states, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
Many Christians may be disappointed by Ken Ham's refusal to stoop down and bend the rules the way Bill Nye did, but the bottom line is that we shouldn't be looking for a worldly platform to get vindicated. The greatest "I told you so" story ever told will unfold when Christ returns but until then, we will not be winning any popularity votes. It is not our job to "Christianize" the world. Ken Ham took every opportunity he had to speak Bible verses, which is the most powerful thing he could've done. As Isaiah 55: 11 says, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."
We should rejoice that hundreds of thousands got to hear the Gospel message last night. We should pray for Bill Nye and his followers that God may grant them repentance.